South Africa: Small-scale farmers encouraged to venture into mushroom industry

Mushroom farming, often shied away from by many established and aspirant farmers, has been identified as one agricultural sector that has the potential to stimulate equitable and inclusive growth, while boosting SAs economic recovery plan.

According to the South African Farmers Association, South Africa produces about 21 000 tonnes of mushrooms per year, and these are exported mostly to neighbouring countries, including Namibia and Mauritius.

However, the mushroom industry does not have many players because most people, including farmers, are reluctant to venture into mushroom farming due to a lack of information on access to the market.

In an effort to encourage farmers and small business to venture into the market, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) hosted a masterclass webinar on mushroom farming as a business model.

The webinar, held on Tuesday, aimed to educate the public on mushroom farming and outline processes involved in starting up a mushroom farming business.

Managing Director of Tropical Mushrooms, Peter Nyathi; Managing Director and owner of Mushroom Guru, Craig Fourie and private consultant, Dr Susan Koch, led the webinar and shared their own journey in the mushroom market and economic opportunities available in the industry, and encouraged the public to look into mushroom farming as a business model.

Nyathi, whose Tropical Mushroom farm, which is situated in Magalies and been operational for the past 22 years, admitted that the entry level (capital expenses), and technical knowledge is a big limiting factor.

Unlike overseas, here we have to be knowledgeable to make our own growing medium and you have to also have the knowledge to grow mushrooms.

It also requires you to have enough capital to build the two separate entities [manufacturing and agriculture], and that creates a barrier for many people to enter.

Overseas, they have big companies that make the growing medium and everyone else would buy from them and grow mushrooms. Its a bit easier and very effective, in terms of the quality of your growing medium because they [invest] a lot of money [in it].

[In South Africa], individually, we dont have enough capital and the industry has a lot of instability in terms of production consistency, due to that, Nyathi said.

However, Nyathi believes that this can be changed.

It needs someone, somewhere to have capital to be able to break it (sic).

Nyathi said the market itself is fairly open, except when one needs to participate in the chain supermarket, where one must have the necessary quality, which is compulsory, because it needs to meet the quality standard for food.

Opening up the market

Through funding from the Department of Agriculture and Land Reform Rural Development (DALRRD), in 2005, Nyathi was able to open an employee trust, funded through a grant from the Department of Agricultures Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development.

Qualifying employees received their grants, and the trust received an 18% shareholding in the company. In 2013, Nyathi applied for another grant and increased the shareholding to 35%.

Nyathi has also received funding support from one of the countrys leading banking institutions.

That is something I feel personally quite happy about, that one would work and do something together with people you work with, because our staff is around 175, and one individual cannot take [it all].

To me, its part of my contribution to society that if its possible, you involve as many people as possible to improve their business knowledge, Nyathi said.

Fourie advised anyone who wants to go into mushroom farming to decide which mushroom they plan on growing - whether exotic or medicinal mushrooms.

Fouries business, The Mushroom Guru, runs workshops and trains people how to pack their own mushroom bags. Since 2014, over 750 people have been trained to cultivate mushrooms and source their own material, amongst others.

The idea is to train as many people as we can to cultivate mushrooms so that they address food security, Fourie said.

He said when he started his mushroom business 28 years ago, he used his logical skills gained through mechanical engineering, which helped him in making various items and machinery that he used in the industry.

For people entering the industry that dont have the skills, it would be a little difficult to make certain things because not all the machinery is going to be available, Fourie said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Tech support from Australia offers low cost postharvest solution

The innovative cooling technology CoolBot has been showcased publicly today after successful pilots in Moc Chau, Son La province.

The showcase and pilots are within the framework of the project Cool Chain to Maintain Produce Quality from Son La to Urban Market funded by the Australian government through its Aus4Innovation program.





The walk-in cooler at Dong Sang Organic Agriculture Cooperative (Dong Sang commune, Moc Chau district) was the first walk-in cooler installed by the project.



CoolBot technology uses controllers that allow conventional air-conditioning units to reach a temperature as low as 5oC. This technology can be applied for walk-in coolers and trucks to store and transport fresh vegetables and fruits.

The fruit and vegetable sector is an important source of employment and income for the people in Son La province, especially women. With supermarkets and convenience stores in Hanoi and other big cities thriving, high quality agricultural products are now in great demand. However, the lack of a functional cool chain between Son La and Hanoi means that farmers are having to throw away up to 30% of the produce as it arrives in poor condition, this particularly affects highly perishable crops such as lettuce, beans and tomatoes.

The project, implemented by Vietnamese company Fresh Studio and Applied Horticultural Research from Australia, has successfully installed eleven walk-in coolers and two refrigerated trucks using CoolBot for farmers and cooperatives in Moc Chau.

Speaking of the projects success, Director of the Aus4Innovation program, Dr Kim Wimbush, said, CoolBot is a proven solution developed for small householder farmers in developing countries and has been widely applied. By introducing this technology to Vietnam, we hope to bring about new opportunities for the local agrifood products to reach new and further markets and contribute to sustaining the livelihoods of local farmers.

Cam Thi Phong, Deputy Director General, Son La Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also added, Application of science and technology is among the solutions for enhancing agriculture and food sector as determined by the provinces leadership. We appreciate the project as they provided a whole package of technology transfer and training, and consolidating a network embedding business partners, research institutes and local government to enable the solution to work and sustain.

The project started in September 2020 with funding of AUD 378,000 from the Aus4Innovation program. The project team has since worked with farmer groups to pilot how low-cost CoolBot refrigeration using domestic air conditioners could provide the missing cooling function in the vegetable chain, increase farmer incomes and improve quality and supply of vegetables for consumers in Vietnam.


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Pelosi: From US to Ukraine to Taiwan to Armenia, world faces choice between democracy, autocracy

Azerbaijan's unilateral actions are real threat to international peace, Deputy Minister says

Erdogan, Lapid to meet on sidelines of UN General Assembly in New York

Baku reports transfer of 32 Armenian soldier's bodies

Armenian village: There is no electricity in Sotk village for fifth day already

Over 30,000 people take part in protest against rising prices in Austria

MOD: No change on Armenian-Azerbaijani border as of 9pm

French MEP on torture of Armenian servicewoman: This is happening today and it is unacceptable

Statement of Stepanakert rally participants: Don't sign any document

Tokayev renames Kazakhstan's capital Astana and set 7-year presidential mandate

Erdogan says he will go to Karabakh and open airport with Aliyev

Charles Michel calls Aliyev

Armenia's deputy permanent representative to UN calls for end to ethnic cleansing campaign in Azerbaijan

Deceased soldier Narek Hayrapetyan was conscripted 3 months ago

White House: Relations between Russia and a number of its partners cannot be considered alliances

Erdogan announces completion of military operation on Armenian border

CSTO mission gets acquainted with consequences of Azerbaijani aggression in Armenia

Norat Ter-Grigoryants calls for martial law

Nancy Pelosi arrives in Yerevan

25,000 students, 6,000 children of Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces dont attend school, kindergarten.

Nancy Pelosi: We will convey strong, ongoing support of US for lasting settlement to Karabakh conflict

Armenian Ombudsman: Gas pipeline and medical point damaged in Jermuk

Toivo Klaar on Azerbaijan attack on Armenia: Disturbing reports of crimes, violence targeting civilians

Azerbaijan announces new death toll due to own military aggression against Armenia

Armenia Investigative Committee chief: As of now we have 2 confirmed civilian casualties

Russia Orthodox Church ready to contribute to starting dialogue between Armenia, Azerbaijan spiritual leaders

Yerevan to host 9th Russia-Armenia interregional forum

CBN News: War in Ukraine, Russia oil shortfall spark Azerbaijan attack against world's first Christian country

Nancy Pelosi's Armenia visit agenda is announced

Karabakh President to deliver video message on September 19

Armenia ombudswoman visits some settlements recently targeted by Azerbaijan army (PHOTOS)

At least 14 dead in landslide caused by heavy rains in Nepal

CSTO stresses need to pacifically resolve Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border situation

Representation at ECHR: Armenia petitioned to International Court of Justice

Armenia PM, European Council chief discuss matters on settlement of situation

Iran objects to any change of internationally-recognized borders in region, Raisi tells Erdogan

Armenia representation at ECHR: More than dozen Armenian soldiers captured due to Azerbaijan attack

Iran ambassador in Baku details Tehran position towards Armenia, Azerbaijan

Biden threatens Russia with consequences in case of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine

Ombudsperson publishes report on consequences of Azerbaijan recent military attack on Armenia

Azerbaijan embassy representative in US curses at Armenian women, tears protesters banner

Germany deputy chief of mission to Armenia is shocked by destruction he saw in Jermuk city by Azerbaijan (PHOTOS)

Rally being held in Stepanakert for 3rd day

No change, as of 9am, in situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

5 Syria soldiers killed after Israel missile attack on Damascus airport

Newspaper: Armenia PM's not attending Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit not clearly understood

Newspaper: Situation at Armenia border with Azerbaijan still very tense despite relative calm

White House not ruling out new sanctions on Russia

Armenia parliament speaker: Let Russia tell us if it is unable to do anything at this moment

U.S. State Department announces updated strategy for Arctic

Alen Simonyan: Armenia is dissatisfied with CSTO reaction to Azerbaijani aggression, we made conclusions

China imposes sanctions on heads of U.S. companies for supplying weapons to Taiwan

Alen Simonyan: Azerbaijan wants Armenia and Armenians not to exist

Alen Simonyan: Introduction of martial law may be perceived as act of aggression

Japanese PM says he is ready to meet with Kim Jong-un without preconditions

Speaker of Parliament: One or two adversary groups who penetrated territory of Armenia are under search

Ten people die in Italy due to heavy rains

CSTO members do not agree: Kyrgyzstan uses drones to attack Tajik targets

Today Armenia will apply to International Court of Justice

Russian Defense Ministry: No violations of ceasefire in Karabakh in Russian zone of responsibility during day

Turkey wants more Russian gas

Putin: Turkey will pay for quarter of Russian gas supplies in rubles

Defense Ministry: As of 9 p.m., situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged

Putin: Erdogan keeps offering to arrange meeting with Zelenskyy

Putin announces Russia's role in localization of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict

Gas prices in Europe are getting down

Putin: Latest incident on border between Armenia and Azerbaijan has nothing to do with Karabakh

Poland signs $3 billion deal with South Korea to buy 48 FA-50 fighters

Aliyev: Events show that neither Baku nor Yerevan wants large-scale escalation

Scholz: German government ready to revise military export rules

Putin calls situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border tense

Putin briefs Aliyev on his talks with Pashinyan

Greece MFA welcomes Armenia-Azerabaijan ceasefire agreement

Digital technologies have no alternative: SAP signs cooperation agreement with Armenian Revytech (PHOTOS)

Mexican authorities arrest retired general in connection with kidnapping of 43 students

Putin and Aliyev's talks kick off

Orban calls the European Parliament's call to cut funding for Hungary 'boring joke'

Mourad Papazian and French Armenians hold rally in Paris against Azerbaijani aggression (PHOTOS)

Lebanese banks close all their offices after attacks by disgruntled depositors

Putin and Erdogan hold talks in Samarkand

Inflation in Eurozone hits another record 9.1%

Nancy Pelosi confirms reports on her upcoming visit to Armenia

State Department: Russia hoped to get military aid from China

At least 7,600 people from 3 Armenian regions leave their homes amid Azerbaijani aggression

World Bank: rising global interest rates may trigger recession in 2023

Secretary of Security Council of Armenia: Our expectations from CSTO are not justified

China hopes Yerevan and Baku will resolve their differences through political dialogue

EBRD President notes importance of road construction programs in Armenia

Lithuania MPs condemn Azerbaijan military attack against Armenia

Stepanakert rally continues for 2 days

Azerbaijan reports about death of 77 servicemen

German government tries to nationalize three major gas companies

CSTO mission receives operational information on situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

American journalist Lindsay Snell tweets about Azerbaijani atrocities

Development of private sector is our main focus and objective. Interview with EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso

UK retail sales fall, highlighting recession risk

Man arrested in Lebanon after bank robbery in attempt to access his own savings

Russia envoy: Armenia attaches special importance to CSTO mission

Athens: Turkish leadership made a choice that leaves no room for negotiation

Armenia army chief: 50-60 member group from Azerbaijan retreated to state border today
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has confirmed media reports that Ankara has asked Kyiv for explanations on the campaign against Turkish businessmen, RIA Novosti has reported.

Earlier, the Turkish newspaper Aydinlik reported that in Ukraine, the campaign to impose sanctions against Turkish businessmen and banks in connection with the non-alignment of Ankara to the anti-Russian decisions of the West has been launched. According to the newspaper, a list of executives of Turkish banks Ziraat, Ishbank and Credit Europe Bank with photos and a call for sanctions against these companies and individuals was published. The newspaper noted, citing diplomatic sources, that Turkey requested explanations from Ukraine in connection with the campaign launched in Kyiv.

According to Cavusoglu, there was an impression that this campaign, initiated by Ukraine, was aimed only against Turkish companies. However, this is not true, the list includes companies from many countries associated with Russia and doing business with it, including from the U.S. and EU countries, he said. "There are more than 18,000 people and companies on this list. We only care about our own companies. We asked for an explanation. We are working on it," the Turkish foreign minister told reporters.
There are currently no documents to be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armenian Prime Minister Taron Chakhoyan wrote on his Facebook.

"During his speech in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister clearly said:

"I have taken the responsibility to make difficult decisions in the name of peace, but a difficult decision does not mean a decision against the state interests of Armenia. We are willing to sign a paper in the result of which many people will criticize us, curse us, call us traitors, the people may even decide to remove us from power, and we will be grateful if in the result Armenia gets lasting peace and security with an area of 29 800 square kilometers".

I bring it to your attention that there is currently no document and no document is being discussed for signing.

Some people, by insidiously and maliciously distorting the Prime Minister's words, are trying to create an anti-government wave in the current situation, while the Prime Minister stressed in his speech that he is not going to sign a document that would conflict with the state interests of Armenia.

And in case of Azerbaijani aggression on Armenia's borders and in the current situation in the country, manipulating the Prime Minister's words to seize power is nothing else but anti-state meanness," he wrote.

Chairman of the ruling Citizen Agreement faction of the National Assembly Hayk Konjoryan also touched upon the issue, assuring that no such document exists.

"Storm in a glass of water or another media terror

The Prime Minister said today in the National Assembly:

Armenia's territorial integrity and sovereignty is a red line, and we will do everything to preserve the territorial integrity of our country.

We are ready to sign a document that will ensure long-term peace and security of Armenia. Now the most important thing.

There is NO such BOOK at this time, nothing will be signed.

We are talking about any hypothetical solution in the future that would express our state interests. That's it, NOTHING, no documentation.

I suggest that you watch the Prime Minister's speech carefully and do not fall for conspiracy theories."
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that no document would be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"Dear compatriots, I urge you not to succumb to manipulation. No document has been signed and will not be signed. This is an information diversion directed by unfriendly external forces in order to break the resistance of the country," he wrote on his Facebook.

Earlier today in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister said that he takes the responsibility to make difficult decisions in the name of peace.

"We want to sign a paper, as a result of which we will be criticized, cursed, called traitors, people may even decide to remove us from power, we will be grateful if as a result the Republic of Armenia of 29,800 square kilometers will have lasting peace and security. I say very clearly that I will sign the decision which will provide that. And I am not interested in what will happen to me, I am interested in what will happen to the Republic of Armenia," he said.
Congressman Adam Schiff has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning Azerbaijan's aggression against Armenia.

"Azerbaijan must stop attacking and terrorizing innocent Armenian civilians. And the U.S. and its allies must unequivocally condemn Azeri actions.



Today, we introduced a resolution with a resounding message: No more U.S. support for Azerbaijan. It must pay for its belligerence," Schiff wrote on Twitter.

"We strongly condemn the deadly attacks by Azeri forces in sovereign Armenian territory. This egregious escalation of Azeri violence shows just how emboldened the Aliyev regime has become when its unprovoked aggression is met by deafening silence and false equivocations from the international community  empowering Azerbaijan to continue and expand its attacks.

We call on the Biden administration and State Department to unequivocally condemn Azerbaijans actions and cease all assistance to the Aliyev regime immediately. And we stand firmly with the people of Armenia and Artsakh in support of their territorial integrity, and their right to peace and freedom," said Congressmen Adam Schiff, Frank Pallone, Jackie Speier, David Valadao and Gus Bilirakis in a statement.

Despite Azerbaijan's continued and well-documented offensive use of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the State Department continues to provide military assistance to Azerbaijan by waiving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.

The submitted resolution, inter alia:

Condemns Azerbaijan's unprovoked military attack on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh on September 13, 2022, and calls for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire;

Urges President Biden to immediately cease all assistance to Azerbaijan under Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, and to make clear to President Aliyev's administration that further attacks on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will result in sanctions or other measures;

Reaffirms the United States' strong support for Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its strong opposition to Azerbaijan's military aggression in blatant violation of international laws and norms;

also:

Supports U.S. and international humanitarian assistance programs to meet the immediate needs of victims of Azerbaijani aggression in both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Story Highlights 68% approve of labor unions, highest since 1965

90% of Democrats, 47% of Republicans approve of unions

Labor union membership remains steady at 9% of U.S. adults

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sixty-eight percent of Americans approve of labor unions. Though statistically similar to last year's 65%, the current reading is the highest Gallup has measured since 71% in 1965.

Line graph. Americans' approval of labor unions, trend since 1936. Approval is 68% in 2021, the highest since 1965.

Gallup has measured the public's rating of labor unions periodically beginning in 1936 and then annually since 2001, and more Americans have expressed approval than disapproval in every reading.

Between 1936 and 1967, approval averaged 68% and included record-high 75% approval ratings in 1953 and 1957. Then, from 1972 through 2016, support eased, with few readings over 60%. This included the 48% all-time low recorded in 2009, the only time approval was below the majority level. Since 2016, approval has steadily increased and is now 20 percentage points above the historical low.

The current results are from Gallup's annual Work and Education poll conducted Aug. 2-17, 2021.

Democrats' Approval of Labor Unions Hits 20-Year High

Approval has increased among nearly all major demographic subgroups since 2016. One exception is labor union members, whose approval has been no lower than 75% since 2001. Currently, 86% of union members approve of unions, down from the recent high of 93% in 2019.

In addition to union members, approval is relatively high among young adults aged 18-34 (77%) and those with annual household incomes under $40,000 (72%).

Democrats are the most approving of unions. Their latest approval of 90% is the highest it has been in the past two decades and is up seven points since last year. At the same time, Republicans' (47%) and independents' (66%) approval is essentially unchanged. Each partisan group's current approval of unions is more than 20 points higher than its lowest 2001-2020 rating.

Line graph. Approval of labor unions since 2001 among U.S. partisans. Approval is currently 90% among Democrats, 66% among independents and 47% among Republicans. Democrats' approval is their highest recorded in the past 20 years.

It is not clear if the 90% union approval among Democrats is the highest measured because Gallup does not have a complete trend by party. However, it is higher now than it was in 1965, as well as when overall union approval was at its highest (1953). In those years, approval among Republicans was significantly greater than today. For their part, independents were at or above the current 66%.

In 1965, the previous high point in the overall trend, 61% of Republicans and 77% of Democrats approved.

In 1953, when overall approval reached the all-time high of 75%, Democrats' approval was 79% and Republicans' approval was 64%.

Americans' Approval of Labor Unions, Selected Trend % Approve of labor unions Oct 1953 May 1965 Aug 2021 % % % U.S. adults 75 71 68 Republicans 64 61 47 Independents 76 68 66 Democrats 79 77 90 Gallup

Labor Union Membership Remains Steady

At 9%, U.S. adults' self-reported membership in a labor union falls within the 7% to 12% range it has occupied over the past 20 years. Another 8% of Americans live in a household with a union member, meaning 17% of Americans reside in a union household.

Americans' Labor Union Membership Are you, or is anyone in your household, a member of a labor union? % Yes, respondent in labor union 7 Yes, other household member in labor union 8 Both respondent and other household member in labor union 2 Not a member of labor union 83 Net: Union household 17 GALLUP, Aug. 2-17, 2021

Union members tend to have higher incomes than their nonunion counterparts -- about one in 10 Americans with household incomes of $40,000 or more are union members. This compares with 5% of those with incomes less than $40,000.

Bottom Line

Americans' approval of labor unions has been trending upward in recent years and is now at its highest point in more than half a century. Approval among Democrats, which is nearly unanimous, has risen over the past year as President Joe Biden has said he expects his administration to be one of the most pro-union in history. However, with former President Donald Trump's appeal to many blue-collar workers, some Republican politicians have begun to support union issues.

To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter.

Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.

View complete question responses and trends (PDF download).
Swedish PM resigns after right, far-right poll win

Jimmie Akesson's Sweden Democrats looks set to have won 20.6 percent of the vote. Photo: AFP

Sweden's Social Democrat prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, accepted defeat on Wednesday after a close-fought election, handing the four-party right-wing opposition bloc victory and first go at forming a new government.



A handful of votes remained to be counted, but Andersson, who became Sweden's first woman prime minister last year, said the results showed the right bloc had won.



"In parliament, they have a one or two seat advantage," Andersson told a news conference. "It's a thin majority, but it is a majority."



Andersson said she would ask the speaker of parliament on Thursday to relieve her of her duties as prime minister.



Ulf Kristersson, leader of the Moderate Party, is the right's candidate to be prime minister.



"I will now start the work of forming a new government that can get things done, a government for all of Sweden and all citizens," Kristersson told reporters.



The Moderates, Sweden Democrats, Christian Democrats and Liberals had held a one-seat lead after Sunday's election but looked like getting 176 seats in the 349-seat parliament to the centre-left's 173 seats, according to the latest figures from the election authority. The result still has to be officially confirmed.



The election marks a watershed in Swedish politics with the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, shunned by all the major parties when they first entered parliament in 2010, on the threshold of gaining influence over government policy.



Andersson said she understood that many Swedes were worried a party with roots in the white-supremacist fringe was now the country's second biggest party.



"I see your concern and I share it", she said.



The Sweden Democrats look set to win 20.6% of the vote, overtaking the Moderates, who got 19.1%, as the biggest party on the right.



Though Kristersson's party is smaller, Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Akesson cannot get the broad backing from the right needed to oust the Social Democrats. (Reuters)
Modi also conveyed his appreciation for the guiding vision provided by successive Druk Gyalpos in shaping relations between India and Bhutan, a statement issued by Prime Minister's Office said.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, "Had a warm meeting with His Majesty the King of Bhutan. Discussed various ideas to further strengthen the close and unique India-Bhutan friendship. Conveyed my appreciation for the guiding vision provided by successive Druk Gyalpos in shaping our relations."

--IANS ans/vd

( 115 Words)

2022-09-14-19:50:03 (IANS)
Chairperson of capital markets regulator SEBI Madhabi Puri Buch said every single policy it brings out is totally backed by proper data. "We will rely on and be led by data. Every single policy that SEBI brings out today is backed by data," Buch said on Tuesday while speaking at the 19th Annual Capital Markets Conference 'CAPAM 2022', organized by industry body FICCI. In her address, the SEBI chief highlighted its role which is to facilitate capital formation and added that nation-building is done by corporates and businesses. Buch also said that the regulatory body was fully appreciative of opportunities in India, and it is through technology that the country can achieve its goal. Further, speaking about the need for more transparency, Buch said: "At SEBI, we follow a disclosure-based regime. This is our fundamental regulatory approach. We believe we exist for the capital formation of the economy. Unless trust in the system is protected, we will fail in our core objective. One of the most important aspects of trust-building is transparency. This is the important mantra for SEBI." She further reaffirmed her commitment to the process of consultation with the industry while pressing on the need to keep up with the pace of SEBI regulations. "We need to manifest the spirit of partnership between SEBI and industry. Every action at SEBI is contingent on data and will be taken after recommendations from the advisory committee," Buch was quoted as saying by the industry body. At the conference, the SEBI chairperson launched FICCI's 'RegTech' initiative in partnership with TeamLease RegTech to facilitate end-to-end automation of all SEBI compliances. This will digitize compliance for companies to stay on the right side of the law. The initiative is a state-of-the-art technology solution built to transform compliance across organizations. It allows tracking of over 2,000 SEBI compliances and auto-generation of select SEBI disclosures. Additionally, the platform has other features like end-to-end board meeting management, compliance document management, and the generation of compliance calendars. (ANI)
The Union finance ministry has set up a high-level committee to address regulatory and other issues to enable scaling up investments by venture capital and private equity investments in the country. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2022-23 speech had announced the setting up of an expert committee to examine and suggest appropriate measures related to venture capital and private equity. "Venture Capital and Private Equity invested more than Rs 5.5 lakh crore last year facilitating one of the largest start-up and growth ecosystems. Scaling up this investment requires a holistic examination of regulatory and other frictions. An expert committee will be set up to examine and suggest appropriate measures," Sitharaman had said in her speech. The committee will be headed by former SEBI chairman Meleveetil Damodaran. Under him, there will be five members. Those members are former whole-time director SEBI G Mahalingam, former member CBIC D P Nagendra Kumar, former Principal Commissioner Income Tax Ashish Verma, DG National Council of Applied Economic Research Poonam Gupta, and Director Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management P R Acharya. The joint director of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Union finance ministry will coordinate the working of the committee. As per the terms of reference mentioned in the order, the committee would comprehensively study, using a systems approach, the end-to-end frictions and potential accelerants from regulatory policy and taxation to facilitate ease of investing as well as to encourage investments in India. It will also review issues, and compliances and suggest simplifications and changes around further accelerating the growth of alternative capital to participate in the industry. The panel is expected to suggest measures to further accelerate investments into startups and the sunrise sector and recommend forward-looking measures and future-ready regulatory practices, the order said. (ANI)
Oxford [England]/Mumbai (Maharashtra)/New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI/BusinessWire India): To commemorate 40 years in legal practice of India's leading corporate lawyer, Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, and the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development based at Somerville College, University of Oxford, will be instituting the "Cyril Shroff Scholarships". The fully funded scholarships seek to encourage research in pressing global issues involving law and policy, with a special emphasis on climate change and sustainability and seek to support "brain gain" in India by developing a pipeline of highly skilled talent and their research. This initiative is the first in plans for wider engagement over time. From 2023, the new Cyril Shroff Scholars at Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development (OICSD), University of Oxford will spearhead the shared values of the [Shroff Family] and Somerville College. The scholarship - three in the first instance, with ongoing discussions for the future - will be selected for their clear-sighted ambition to create change in India through law and public policy, with a lens on tackling the climate crisis. Outlining the vision behind Cyril Shroff Scholarship, Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, said, "On my 40th professional anniversary - I have commenced my "giving journey". I believe that life is divided into 3 parts - learning, earning and giving. Learning is lifelong, and in recognition of this, my giving journey commences with the scholarship instituted at Somerville College, University of Oxford. It is my ardent belief that law and public policy scholars at Oxford will be instrumental tacking the intractable challenges facing India, particularly the existential challenges of climate change. I also hope that this will be "brain gain" for India. Somerville College at the University of Oxford is a perfect partner for our giving journey - given their storied history of inclusion, their India connection and empowering Indian scholarship since the very first Indian woman to study and practice law. This blends perfectly with our own ethos of creating the finest lawyers for a just world." Jan Royall, Principal of Somerville College, University of Oxford, visited India and shared her views on the occasion, " I'm proud to see these scholarships become a reality. They will not only change the lives of the students who receive them, but go some way towards honouring and repaying the historic contribution made by Indian scholarship to our foremost universities and businesses, creating a brain gain for India, rather than a brain drain. Having spent time with Cyril Shroff in Mumbai, I can see his strong commitment towards a more sustainable world and deep intellectual curiosity on these critical issues. We are grateful for his philanthropic pledge to this endeavour." Royall has had a distinguished career in politics, notably serving as Chief Whip in the House of Lords and then as Leader of the House from 2008-2010. She also served as Shadow Leader of the House of Lords from 2010-2015. Prior to her parliamentary career, she was a senior adviser in the European Commission before heading its office in Wales. In 2004 she was appointed to the Lords as Baroness Royall of Blaisdon and in 2005 became a Government Spokesperson for Health, International Development, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Ms. Royall works with governments, political parties and NGOs in many countries on democracy building, leadership, nurturing civil society and women's empowerment. Somerville College at the University of Oxford is among the first few colleges to admit women and includes among its alumni, the first woman to practice law in India, 2 Prime Ministers and Nobel laureates. The Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development at Somerville College, combines research, scholarships and engagement to study the complex challenges and opportunities posed by sustainable development in India. About 50 students have already been supported by the programme and are now contributing to India's sustainable development. Cyril Shroff recently completed 40 years in the profession, in a career that has spanned among the most distinguished corporate, financial, and commercial matters in the country in this period, that have been pivotal in building strong global reputation for himself and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, India's largest law firm that he leads as its Managing Partner. He was also an important force in reshaping and professionalising the legal profession and law firms in India and the adoption of legal tech. At CAM, Shroff pioneered and incubated several industry leading practices, most recently, ESG, in recognition of the climate crisis and its intersection with economic development and business. Over the years, his passion for a just world, blended with a keen sense of fairness and empathy has helped CAM firmly establish itself as a trusted advisor to its clients. This story has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
"You keep doing good work, generating revenues, you are noticed for it, Prime Minister made a special appreciative mention recently on level of GST revenues," she said while inaugurating 'Kendriya GST Parisar', the housing complex for CGST officers of Mumbai zone in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.

The Finance Minister also spoke about the need for training CBIC officials for better utilisation of Artificial Intelligence, data-analytics, IoT and other technologies to identify fraudulent practices, such as detection of tax evasion.

She was also appreciative of the Central Intelligence Unit team of CGST Mumbai Zone for fantastic data analysis and mining tools used for large scale tax evasion resulting in big recovery and booking of offenders.

She also lauded the effort of the department to take care of future needs and development required for the second phase for welfare of officers and staff.

CBIC Chairman Vivek Johri said that 7 per cent of GDP and 40 per cent of foreign trade is contributed by Mumbai.

Mumbai Customs Zone contributes 25 per cent and Mumbai CGST 18 per cent of GST revenue in the country whereas 14 per cent workforce of CBIC is in Mumbai itself, he added.

Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj was also present on the occasion.

--IANS ans/vd

( 257 Words)

2022-09-14-20:08:04 (IANS)
Taking to his Instagram stories, the 'Stree' actor gave a glimpse of his brother's birthday celebration.

Sharing the picture, he wrote, "Happy Birthday Ayush Bhaiyaaa," with a heart emoji.

In the picture, the birthday boy was dressed in a black vest that he paired with black joggers. On the other hand, his lady love was seen wearing a baby pink dress.

Tahira cutely looked at his hubby while Ayushmann struck a pose for a camera. In front of them, there could be seen yummy cake.

Ayushmann made his Bollywood debut with 'Vicky Donor' (2012), a film set against the background of sperm donation and infertility, themes that are often seen as taboos in Indian society.

The film was highly appreciated, and so were Ayushmann's acting and singing skills.From then on, he chose to be a part of and constantly handpicked such content films that stand out and spread a positive message to society.Some of these social-comedies include 'Shubh Mangal Savdhaan' (2017) based on erectile dysfunction, 'Badhaai Ho' (2018) which revolved around the normalisation of sex and pregnancies in middle-aged or elderly couples, and 'Article 15' (2019) which was based on caste and gender issues in India.

Ayushmann has enthralled fans with soulful songs such as 'Paani Da Rang', 'Nazm Nazm', 'Saadi Galli Aaja', 'Mitti Di Khushboo', and 'Chan Kitthan' over the years.

Childhood sweethearts, Ayushmann Khurrana and Tahira Kashyap tied the knot in November 2008. The couple share son Virajveer and a daughter Varushka.

Meanwhile, the 'Article 15' actor will be next seen in an action film 'An Action Hero' alongside Jaideep Ahlawat, which is slated to release on December 2, 2022. Helmed by debutant Anirudh Iyer.

Ayushmann will also be seen in Anubhuti Kashyap's Doctor G. (ANI)
'The Crown' team has resumed shooting after the short break they took post Queen Elizabeth II's death. The creator of the Netflix series, Peter Morgan, had earlier told Deadline that filming would cease "out of respect" for Her Majesty following the queen's passing on Thursday. However, the team is now back from their short break. CNN quoted the producers of the show earlier who said, "As a mark of respect, filming on 'The Crown' was suspended today. Filming will also be suspended on the day of Her Majesty The Queen's funeral". New York Post now reports that the actor who is portraying Princess Diana in the show - Elizabeth Debicki, has returned to the filming sets in Barcelona. According to New York Post, Debicki was filming the late princess's trip to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo to support the Landmine Survivors Network, which was one of her last public appearances. The actress was spotted replicating Princess Di's attire during her trip to Bosnia by donning a light pink button-up shirt and black pants. In keeping with how Diana interacts with those who lost loved ones to land mines in the show, she also carried a bouquet of flowers. With four times more people watching the show this past weekend than the prior weekend, it hit new heights globally. It is unknown if the one-day break would cause any delays in the sixth and final season of 'The Crown,' which is now being filmed and is scheduled to premiere in 2023. In November, Season 5 will be available on Netflix. (ANI)
The two sisters decided to drive away mid-week blues by meeting each other at their father Randhir Kapoor's residence in Mumbai. The two were spotted by the paparazzi as they exited the building. The siblings looked their best in casual attires.

Kareena also shared a glimpse of her meeting with Lolo (Karimsa's nickname).

Taking to Instagram Story, Kareena dropped a photo of her 'homie' who is none other than Karisma.

Dressed in a loose t-shirt and denim combo, Karisma looked as stylish as ever. She looked in a lazy mood as she sat and sipped her water on a couch.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Kareena was seen in 'Laal Singh Chadha' opposite Aamir Khan. She also recently wrapped up shooting her OTT debut project helmed by Sujoy Ghosh. The film is based on the Japanese novel 'The Devotion of Suspect X', which also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma in the lead roles.

She also has started preparing for Hansal Mehta's film. On the other hand, her sister Karisma is all set to come up with Brown, a project directed by Abhinay Deo of Delhi Belly fame. (ANI)
American television host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel faced backlash after some netizens took issue with a controversial performance that he pulled during Quinta Brunson's Emmy Awards acceptance speech on Monday. According to Fox News, it all started when Will Arnett and Jimmy Kimmel, who appeared to present the Outstanding Writing Award for a Comedy Series, opened their skit by joking that Kimmel had "gotten into the skinny margaritas" backstage after losing in his own category. The actor then dragged Kimmel on stage by his ankles. When Brunson entered the stage to receive her prize after Arnett declared her the winner, she had to cross Kimmel's body to get to the microphone because he was acting like he was unconscious while lying on the ground. "Jimmy, wake up, I won...Jimmy?" Brunson said as she bent over him while he remained committed to the act, though he did give her a thumb's up Kimmel remained to lie at Brunson's feet as she thanked her cast, crew, and family before playing off the stage. But when a reporter inquired about the event during her post-awards press conference, the star, author, and creator of the popular ABC series graciously answered. "I know Jimmy Kimmel, and I felt like the bit didn't bother me that much," she said. "I don't know what the Internet thinks," she added. "I don't know, I know him. And honestly, Jimmy gave me my first big late-night spot." She went on to say that Kimmel was 'one of the first people' to watch 'Abbott Elementary'. She further went on to say, "He Instagram-messaged me that he saw this comedy and thought it was one of the greatest comedies of all time and he was so excited that it was going to be on ABC," reported Fox News. "So I think in that moment, I was just really happy that it was Jimmy up there. I kind of consider him one of the comedy godfathers. I'm a huge fan of Will Arnett so I was wrapped up in the moment." "I don't know, tomorrow, maybe I'll be mad at him," she continued. "I'm going to be on his show on Wednesday so that I might punch him in the face," she joked. "I don't know, we'll see what happens." Unhappy with the joke, some netizens blasted Kimmel on social media for being "rude," "disrespectful," and a "sore loser." Following the stunt, some detractors claimed the creator of "The Man Show" had "white male privilege." However, after the ceremony, Brunson and Kimmel seemed to make fun of the uproar. "Abbott Elementary" bagged a total of three Emmy Awards back home. Sheryl Lee Ralph was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and the sitcom won for Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series. According to Fox News, Brunson became the third Black writer and second Black female writer to bag an award for Outstanding Writing. "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" won the award for Outstanding Talk Series, beating Kimmel's show. The Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles hosted the 74th Annual Emmy Awards on September 12. (ANI)
Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center developed a two-pronged strategy of assessing breast density in mice that resulted in greater identification of changes in breast tissue, including early indicators of cancer. The researchers believe that this approach will be adapted from mice to improve human breast imaging; it may also aid in illness prognosis because density can be connected to specific patterns of mammary gland growth, including signals of cancer development. The findings of the study were published in the American Journal of Pathology. "Having a means to accurately assess mammary gland density in mice, just as is done clinically for women using mammograms, is an important research advance," says Priscilla A. Furth, MD, professor of oncology and medicine at Georgetown Lombardi and corresponding author of the study. "This method has the benefit of being applicable across all ages of mice and mammary gland shapes, unlike some methods used in earlier studies." An innovative analytic computer program, developed by Georgetown alum Brendan Rooney (C'20) while working as an undergraduate in Furth's lab, allowed for sorting of mammary gland tissue to one of two imaging assessments. Rooney initially looked at younger mouse glands and found that a program that removed background 'noise' in those images helped boost detection of abnormalities in what are typically rounder, more lobular tissues. But as aging occurs and the chances of developing cancer increase, lobules diminish and ridges become more apparent, just as falling autumn leaves expose tree branches. The mammary ridges represent ducts that carry milk and other fluids. When the de-noising technique was applied to the images from the older mice, it was found to be less reliable in detecting ridges. Therefore Rooney and the team turned to a different imaging program, which has primarily been used to detect blood vessel changes in the eye's retina. "The idea for the analytic program came from routine visual observations of tissue samples and the challenges inherent in observing differences in breast tissue with just a microscope. We found that visual human observations are important but having another read on abnormalities from optimal imaging programs added validity and rigor to our assessments," says Rooney, the lead author of the study. "Not only does our program result in a high degree of diagnostic accuracy, it is freely available and easy to use." Rooney notes that he could not have done this research without Furth's mentorship, starting as early as his freshman year. "The support that I received from Dr. Furth enabled me to introduce an idea and execute the project from start to finish - it provided an unparalleled experience in hands-on learning," he says. Being a mentor has been an important part of Furth's career at Georgetown Lombardi. "Georgetown University has a program for undergraduate students called RISE, or Research Intensive Senior Experience, that enables students to delve deeply into a research project over the course of a year," says Furth. "Brendan demonstrated exceptional drive and maturity to merit a first authorship as an undergraduate student developing his own research direction." Now that the broad strokes of the research have been laid down and proof-of-principle has been established, Rooney has started medical school with a possible eye toward specializing in oncology. Both Furth and Rooney believe that future studies will need to refine and streamline their research approach in mice, including better density measurements that could enable sorting of samples into higher and lower probabilities of cancer. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif are likely to have a meeting during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which is scheduled to be held on September 15-16 at Samarkand, Uzbekistan. If it materialises, then this would be the first meeting between the two leaders. Modi had met then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on December 25, 2015, when he had landed in Lahore in a surprise stop-over to the country while on his way back to Delhi after completing a day-long visit to Afghanistan. It was the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian Prime Minister in more than 10 years. Meanwhile, Modi will be visiting Samarkand to attend the 22nd meeting of the SCO council of heads of state, official sources said. The SCO is the largest regional bloc in the world comprising eight full members -- India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The Prime Minister is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jingping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the SCO summit. Modi is visiting Uzbekistan on the invitation of the country's President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The SCO summit will be attended by leaders of SCO member states, observer states, Secretary General of the SCO, Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), President of Turkmenistan and other invited guests, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said. At the summit, the leaders would be reviewing SCO's activities of the past 20 years and discuss various aspects related to multilateral cooperation as well as issues of regional and global importance, official sources said. --IANS ans/arm ( 282 Words) 2022-09-13-20:48:03 (IANS)
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday sought a report from the West Bengal government on the alleged police atrocities on the leaders and workers of BJP during the latter's march to state Secretariat against corruption issues. A division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajasrshi Bharadwaj directed Chief Secretary, H.K. Dwivedi to submit the report by September 19 On Tuesday afternoon, soon after the Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari and state BJP president, Sukanta Majumdar, were arrested while they were on their way to the state Secretariat, Nabanna, the legal cell of the BJP's state unit filed a petition before the division bench. Besides alleging police atrocities, the petitioners also alleged that the police had also violated a Supreme Court order that the state administration cannot hinder the movement of Adhikari as the Leader of Opposition. The state government counsel argued that the police was forced to take action since the situation on Tuesday afternoon was going out of control, with a police vehicle being torched, a police kiosk vandalised and over 50 police personnel injured. After hearing both sides, the bench ordered the state Chief Secretary to submit a report. Observing that no one can be arrested with any reason, it also said that it is necessary for the state administration to ensure that the public property is protected. Soon after the division bench order, all the arrested leaders of BJP were released on personal bonds. After the release, Adhikari claimed that the police were forced to release them on following the high court's intervention. He alleged that the condition of West Bengal is currently like that of North Korea, as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her administration is determined to crush any democratic movement. Meanwhile, Banerjee, who is currently on a district tour, said at Kharagpur in West Midnapore district, that the balloon of BJP in West Bengal has been punctured following their failed attempts to disrupt the peace in the state on Tuesday. --IANS src/vd ( 350 Words) 2022-09-13-20:50:02 (IANS)
Amid the ongoing tussle between Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over several issues, including irregularities in procuring low-floor buses, the AAP on Sunday hit back at Saxena and clarified that the buses were never purchased, and the tenders were cancelled. However, as per the available documents with IANS, a report by the then Deputy Commissioner was made highlighting the irregularities in the procurement process which recommended that DTC should scrap the tender and should call fresh bids. Highlighting the irregularities, the report underlined, "For the abovementioned reasons, it is recommended that the DTC should scrap the tender and should call fresh bids without any delay". "The Addl. Chief Secretary (Transport) and the Pr. Secretary (Finance) made certain queries about the manner in which the tender has been dealt by the DTC and it was specifically pointed out by the Addl. Chief Secretary (Transport) that this was one tender but the DTC is processing the same as if there are two separate tenders for the BS-IV and BS-VI buses (400 and 600) respectively and therefore the DTC needs to re-examine the tender strictly in accordance with the RFQP only and as per CVC guidelines of the same. It was also informed that complete documents of the tender have also not been supplied to the Board Members for proper examination of the agenda. In this context, the DTC later forwarded the relevant documents i.e. copy of RFQP, minutes of meeting of Procurement Committee, photocopies of the bids of Tata Motors & JBM and recommendations of consultant (DIMTS) vide its reference dated 26.11.2019, received in Transport Department vide diary No. 87639 on 26.11.2019", the report available with IANS says. Even the file noting was also endorsed by the then Additional Chief Secretary, (Transport) but the Minister did not himself sign the file noting. Instead, the Secretary to the Minister signed the report with a noting that "the Chairman DTC/Hon'ble Minister (Transport) has seen it". "Interestingly, the deviations from the specifications of the RFP in violation of the rules, as recommended by the Tender Committee headed by Kailash Gehlot, were already approved by the MD, DTC and the Transport Minister himself on 06.11.2019, a day before it was placed before the DTC Board for approval, i.e. on 07.11.2019", a LG office source told IANS. "The AAP government backtracked and scrapped the tender process only after a comprehensive report by the Deputy Commissioner (DTC) exposed all the wrongdoings being carried out under the direct supervision of Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot", the official said. "M/s TATA Motors Ltd. made a bid for 600 buses only and, therefore, its bid should have been summarily rejected. It is clear that the consultant (DIMTS) and the Tender Committee of DTC did not correctly evaluate the financial bids", the report said. The report stated that, "This RFP/Tender process has been vitiated and the DTC must inquire into the matter and fix responsibility for the lapses". For these reasons, it is recommended that the DTC should scrap the tender and should call fresh bids without any delay, the report said. --IANS avr/bg ( 537 Words) 2022-09-13-20:50:03 (IANS)
According to the police, more than hundred local villagers forcefully entered the Adava police station in Mohana area of the district and attacked the officers present inside. They also ransacked the police station, the police said.

The locals alleged that the police forcefully arrested a villager in the ganja smuggling case. Protesting the alleged police excess on tribals, the protesters gathered at the police station and demanded the police to release the man, before barging in.

Danial Bhuiyan, an agitator, alleged that policemen entered the Jharanapur village without a search warrant and picked up a man on Monday night.

Until the police releases the man, the protest will continue, he said.

Sebati Gamango, sarpanch of Chudangapadar, said, "The police forcefully enter the villages and torture tribals. The man has been arrested in a false case. I strongly protest the police atrocity against tribals."

The person who was arrested should be released immediately, she demanded.

Gajapati SP Jayram Satpathy said the police had requested the villagers not to indulge in illegal ganja plantation and its trade.

"We will take further action in the coming days," he added.

--IANS bbm/arm

( 231 Words)

2022-09-13-20:54:04 (IANS)
The Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday sought a response from the state government while hearing a petition filed by a 19-year-old rape victim, seeking abortion. The girl is 28 weeks pregnant and visually challenged. The court had on September 9 asked the management of Ranchi's Medical College RIMS to constitute a medical board for this and submit a report. On Tuesday, the medical board of RIMS said in the report submitted to the court that safe abortion is not possible. In such a situation, the court has asked the state government to consult RIMS and the advocates of the victim and tell them what can be done in this matter. The next hearing will be held on Wednesday. On behalf of the state government, the court was told that arrangements would be made for the girl to stay at the women's shelter in Ramgarh. The victim, who comes from the tribal community, is a resident of Nagdi in Ranchi. Her father is a rickshaw driver. Her mother has passed away. When her father had gone to work, a person raped her after finding her alone in the house. Because of this she is 28 months pregnant. The girl was raped in 2018 as well and the case related to this is going on in the lower court. The second incident of rape happened this year. Recently, her medical examination was done at the Community Health Centre after which she was informed that she was 28 weeks pregnant. She comes from a below the poverty line family. There is neither electricity nor gas in her house. She doesn't even have money for her treatment. In such a situation, she has filed a petition in the court demanding safe abortion and proper living arrangements. --IANS snc/anm/uk ( 308 Words) 2022-09-13-20:56:06 (IANS)
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday lauded the government's efforts for promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and said that India is on the rise and respect for the country and its citizens has risen globally. Addressing a gathering after conferring the 16th BML Munjal Awards in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Vice President lauded the path-breaking changes in the development framework in recent years that have led to congenial and conducive eco-system for enhanced investment and financial inflows in commerce and industry. Mentioning that India was a leading economy in the world before the advent of colonial rule, the Dhankhar expressed confidence that "We are certainly now on way to regaining our glorious past. Indian talent is second to none in the world and emphasised the need to provide the budding entrepreneurs with an enabling ecosystem for growth and development." Dhankhar further said that the media should highlight the achievements and many positive stories of Indian entrepreneurs that would inspire the bright minds in the country. The Awards instituted in memory of the late Dr Brijmohan Lall Munjal, Padma Bhushan Awardee and the founder of the Hero Group, recognise and honour the organisations that have stood out for their excellent Human resources. Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman, Hero Enterprise, Pawan Kant Munjal, Chairman, Hero MotoCorp, jury members, awardees and other dignitaries attended the event. (ANI)
The bus (MP-09/FA6658) carrying around 40 passengers was heading toward Indore from Khandwa when it fell into Satsoi river.

Officials said the injured persons have been rushed to nearby hospitals and the bus has been pulled out of the water. Preliminary inquiry by the local police revealed that the incident occurred due to overtaking at high-speed due to which the driver lost control of the bus.

The deceased have been identified as Kailash Chetram (45) and RadhaVerma (50).

"At least 20 passengers got injured, out which the condition of two is critical. All the injured passengers are being treated in Khandwa," the police said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan extended his condolence to the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident.

"Received the sad news of the accident that took place when a bus full of passengers going from Indore to Khandwa fell into the river. I pray to God to give the departed soul a place at his feet and give strength to the family members to bear this deep loss and speedy recovery of the injured," Chouhan said.

--IANS pd/arm

( 233 Words)

2022-09-13-22:50:03 (IANS)
The move comes after the alleged killers of BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Kumar Nettare reportedly escaped and took shelter in Kerala. The murder took place in Dakshina Kannada district, which is adjacent to Kodau, both bordering Kerala.

State Home Minister Araga Gnanendra said on Tuesday that the police have been directed to keep a check on those coming to Kodagu from outside.

It has become common to commit crime in Karnataka and then sneak into Kerala, while many criminals from Kerala take shelter in Kodagu.

"All such people will be observed," Gnanendra said.

Ninety-five CCTV cameras have been installed across Kodagu district to step up vigilance.

"We are ready to take all preventive measures to stop criminal activities," he said.

--IANS mka/arm

( 165 Words)

2022-09-13-23:20:03 (IANS)
A retired army jawan died during the protest in Gandhinagar on Tuesday, allegedly after being manhandled by police. Later, hundreds of army jawans gathered and protested till late at night at the Gandhinagar Civil hospital where the body of the deceased had been kept. The deceased Kanji Bhai Mothalia, a 72-year-old army veteran, died on Tuesday afternoon, allegedly after the police manhandled the ex-army jawans who were agitating against the state government over their 14 pending demands. Nima Jitendra, an ex-army man and one of the leaders of the protest while on their way to the civil hospital, told ANI, "We had a different 14 demands from the Government of Gujarat and some of them were accepted but the government has not formally announced any of those. So we restarted to protest today morning after which the state government instructed the police to start lathi charge on us during which one of our colleagues got hit on the chest and died while being treated." He added, "Now we are going to take the dead body to the civil hospital and will enter the Sachivalay with it." After this, hundreds of ex-army men reached the civil Hospital where the postmortem was being done and sat outside the PM room and denying to take the body of the deceased until serious action was taken against the police officer who allegedly manhandled the ex-army men including the deceased Kanji Bhai. One of the sons of the deceased is said to be working with the Gujarat Police as a driver and hence, the retired Army jawans claimed that he was being pressurized to take the body and perform the final rights of his father, while the other son demanded that justice, after which he would take the body. Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor too reached the spot and showed his support towards the retired army jawans. Later during the night, AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi and Gopal Italia too visited the agitating jawans. Somehow the police officials convinced the kin of the deceased and the family agreed to take the body. Another protest leader Hitendrasinh Nimawat stated, "After the son (family) of the deceased agreed to take the body, we have nothing to say. But yes, it is very painful for us that one of us has died. But we are still going to fight for our rights and we will go to Sachivalay and keep protesting." The postmortem has been done and the report is awaited. The retired soldiers have been protesting at regular intervals against the state government for their long-pending demands. Some of their demands include government jobs for one member of the family of each martyr, strict implementation of reservations in state jobs from Class 1 to 4 for retired defence personnel, martyrs' memorial in Gandhinagar, agricultural land for retired Army personnel as per rules, priority while issuing or renewing a gun licence, and removal of contract system in jobs offered to former defence personnel. (ANI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday announced 227 free healthcare centres for the people of Mumbai under the 'Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray' dispensary from 2nd October. According to officials, as many as 139 medical tests will be conducted free of charge at these centres and these centres will be run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). "50 healthcare centres would be launched in the first phase. Approximately 139 medical tests will be done for free of charge through these healthcare centres," the official said. The Chief Minister held a review meeting in this connection at the Sahyadri guest house on Tuesday "The number of mobile medical units should be increased in the slum areas for the healthcare services of the citizens. In addition to this, mobile vans should also be started for Mammography," CM Shinde instructed. "At present, the work of these clinics has been completed at 50 places. 227 clinics will be set up in the eastern and western suburbs of the city and 34 of 227 clinics, will be polyclinics. The services of specialists will be available through these polyclinics. The clinic will be operated in two formats- porta cabin and concrete cabin," an official statement read. There will be one clinic per 25-30,000 people. The timing of this clinic will be as per the convenience of patients in two sessions from 7 am to 2 am and 3 pm to 10 pm. "The clinic will have an MBBS doctor, a nurse, a pharmacist, and multi-purpose workers. Patients are being registered through information and technology," the BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal informed. (ANI)
After the continuous reports of stray dog attacks in Kerala, the state has decided to seek permission from the Supreme Court to kill violent and rabies-infected dogs. Minister for local self-governments M B Rajesh has informed that the state will conduct a massive vaccination drive for vaccinating stray dogs. The drive will be conducted from 20 September to 20 October 2022. "This will be conducted in association with Kerala Veterinary University. The University will give special training to volunteers and kudumbasree workers. The government will allocate money to block panchayats, municipal corporations and panchayats to take special vehicles for vaccination on a rent basis," he said. This comes after at least five people lost their lives to dog bites even after taking vaccines. Minister M B Rajesh said that they are also looking at the possibility of giving oral vaccination to dogs through food and also a meeting will be held with hotels, Restaurant associations, meat merchants, and auditoriums to ensure that waste is disposed of properly. Notably, hearing a petition filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India, challenging a 2006 judgment of the Kerala High Court which empowered local self-government institutions to kill stray dogs, the Supreme Court earlier had said that a solution must be found to address the stray dog issue menace and balance the same with animal rights. The petition was filed in the apex court after the Kerala government in 2015 had decided to eliminate stray dogs after a spate of dog attacks on people. A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and JK Maheshwari suggested to let who feed street dogs could be made responsible for vaccinating them and bearing costs if somebody is attacked by the animal. He suggested putting chips to track the stray dogs. Justice Khanna said, "Most of us are dog lovers. I also feed dogs... Have to find a rational way out. I also walk dogs. Some are ferocious. Have to segregate those." (ANI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the eighth day of the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra from Navayikkulam in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday morning. Before starting the march from Navayikkulam, Rahul Gandhi paid his respects to social reformer Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri mutt in Kerala. The Yatra is in its Kerala leg and would traverse through the state for the next 17 days. The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day. Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday had said that the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is to bring Indians together irrespective of religion, community and remind them that this is one country and it will be successful if we stand together and are respectful towards each other. Meanwhile, a political row erupted after Congress posted a picture of a burning pair of RSS shorts on Twitter. Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya said the picture depicted that the fires that the Congress has stoked in the past has burned its political fortunes in the country. Earlier on Monday, Congress tweeted a picture of fire-lit 'Khakhi' shorts and wrote, "To free the country from shackles of hate and undo the damage done by BJP-RSS. Step by step, we will reach our goal". The tweet came in light of the current Bharat Jodo Yatra which marks day 6 today. In a series of tweets, Surya recalled various incidents of violence in the past including the Delhi anti-Sikh riots in 1984 and Godhra incident in 2002 where Karsevaks were burnt alive. The BJP leader hit out at Rahul Gandhi who is leading the Yatra and is currently in Kerala, and said that he is "fighting against the Indian state". Making a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for meeting controversial Catholic priest George Ponnaiah, Union minister Ajay Bhatt on Sunday slammed him for supporting people who want to divide India and said that Congress has been opposing every decision of PM Narendra Modi including the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and the surgical strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). According to Congress, the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization. The Yatra includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Notably, all the party MPs, leaders, and workers along with Rahul Gandhi are staying together. Sleeping beds, toilets, and ACs are also installed in some of the containers. During the journey, the temperature and environment will differ in many areas. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of place. The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles. (ANI)
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha expressed condolences to the bereaved families of the 11 people who lost their lives in the minibus accident that occurred in the Sawjian area of J-K's Poonch on Wednesday. He took to Twitter and said, "Saddened by loss of lives due to a road accident in Sawjian, Poonch. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon." He also assure an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for the 26 injured people that have been evacuated to the Mandi hospital. "Rs. 5 lakh would be given to the next of kin of deceased," he said further in his tweet while also mentioning that the Police and Civil authorities have been directed to provide best possible treatment to the injured persons. The accident took place while the bus was on its way to Mandi from Sawjian. The rescue operation by the Indian Army is underway. (ANI)
According to Indian Coast Guard officials, the Pakistani boat was apprehended 6 miles inside Indian waters. "Two fast attack boats of ICG caught a Pakistani boat 33 nautical miles off the Jakhau coast in Gujarat," said the officials.

Pakistani crew along with boat are being brought to Jakhau for further investigation.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)
Raising questions on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government's education model, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ramesh Bidhuri on Tuesday claimed that around a hundred makeshift portacabin schools are being run by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in different parts of the national capital. This came after the reports of students in a Delhi government-run school are made to study in makeshift portacabins even as humidity in the city spikes with no respite from the heat. The Government Girls Senior Secondary School in South-East Delhi's Molarband near Delhi-Faridabad border has no basic facilities for students. Students are studying in makeshift portacabins in Molarband area due to the delay in the construction of the new school, the video of which went viral on social media. Now questions are being raised on the school education model of the Kejriwal government. Speaking to ANI, Bidhuri said, "This was the situation even much before. In some posh areas like Greater Kailash, Ashok Vihar, Lajpat Nagar, etc only 40-50 such schools where the number of children is very less they kept the buildings in good condition. Around hundred makeshift portacabin schools are being run by the Kejriwal government in different parts of Delhi. Kejriwal did a big scam in the name of schools." "I myself went to this school in Molarband. If one visits the schools in Bhati Mines, Aya Nagar, or Deoli, he will find hundreds of children studying in a section. The windows of schools in Tughlakabad are in dilapidated condition. The money is only being spent on advertising. People who praise Delhi's education model, their children do not study in government schools," he said. The BJP MP alleged that Chief Minister Kejriwal tells lies and leaves a false impression of Delhi's schools while campaigning in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. He said, "Kejriwal in Gujarat said that such a system has been made in Delhi that children of IAS/IPS officers and daily wagers study together. It is completely false. Nobody will find such a school," Bidhuri said no permanent arrangements could not be made in eight years of the Kejriwal government. "Kejriwal had promised 500 schools will be built in Delhi. I will leave politics if Kejriwal can name 20 such schools," he said. The BJP MP said Kejriwal's education model is that only the number of children in private schools is increasing because the condition of government schools is not good. (ANI)
As the Central government planned a year-long commemoration of 'Hyderabad State Liberation', Universities Grant Commission (UGC) Secretary Rajnish Jain on Tuesday asked the Vice-Chancellor of Universities and Principals of Colleges in the State of Telangana, and districts of Marathwada and Karnataka to participate in the celebration. The year-long commemoration of "Hyderabad State Liberation" is planned by the Government of India from September 17, 2022, to September 17, 2023. In a letter to the Vice Chancellor of Universities Rajnish Jain said, "The year-long commemoration of "Hyderabad State Liberation" is planned by the Government of India from September 17, 2022, to September 17, 2023. The objective is to make the current generation aware of the story of resistance, valour, and sacrifice made by the previous generations." UGC secretary further said that the inaugural programme of this commemoration will be organized at Parade grounds in Hyderabad on September 17, 2022. "I request you to hoist the National Flag in your institution. You may also take out Prabhat Pheris on the morning of September 17, 2022. In addition, suitable activities on the theme of Hyderabad State Liberation may be undertaken during the year between September 17, 2022, to September 17, 2023," he said. UGC Secretary also requested universities to organise activities like talks by eminent people on the liberation of Hyderabad State, Nukkad Nataks on important heroes of liberation of Hyderabad State and Exhibition on Hyderabad State Liberation and Social Media awareness campaigns about unsung heroes of Hyderabad liberation, quiz competitions, essay competitions, film or documentary making, painting competitions, photography and others. "You are requested to encourage your faculty members, students and stakeholders to actively participate in these activities and also share the details regarding participation," Jain said in a letter to VC of Universities. Hyderabad Liberation Day is usually celebrated on September 17 to remember the rebellion and the subsequent police action which led to the freedom of Hyderabad state from the Nizam's rule on September 17, 1948. Hyderabad was under Nizam's rule and the police had launched the campaign for its liberation with the name 'Operation Polo' which ended on September 17, 1948. The year-long celebrations of Hyderabad Liberation Day will take place from September 17, 2022, to September 17, 2023, as a part of Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. (ANI)
"The loss of lives in a tragic road accident in Sawjian, Poonch is deeply distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured," a tweet from Rashtrapati Bhavan stated.

Earlier in the day, J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also expressed condolences and assured relief to the families of the deceased and the persons injured in the accident.

Sinha took to Twitter and said, "Saddened by loss of lives due to a road accident in Sawjian, Poonch. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon."

He also assure an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for the 26 injured people who have been evacuated to the Mandi hospital.

Sinha has also directed the Police and Civil authorities to provide the best possible treatment to the injured persons.

As per the information available so far, 11 people have died and 26 others were injured when the minibus on its way to Mandi from Sawjian, met with an accident.

The rescue operation by the Indian Army is underway. (ANI)
Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) chief Chhotu Vasava on Monday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was in league with the BJP to rule over everyone, but said his party won't let that happen. Taking a stand on breaking the alliance with the AAP, the BTP chief said, "AAP wants to rule over everyone but we won't allow that, as they are with BJP. These people donning caps were atrocious to us turban-wearers; we will oppose them nationwide." Notably, Vasava's remarks came while AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal is on a two-day visit to Gujarat ahead of the state Assembly polls. This came months after the AAP chief and national convenor Kejriwal held a rally in Bharuch on May 1 and addressed the 'Adivasi Sankalp Mahasammelan' jointly with Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) chief Chhotu Vasava. Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Tuesday attacked BJP in poll-bound Gujarat and alleged that the saffron party is trying to make Congress chief Sonia Gandhi the "Prime Minister through the backdoor" and "successor" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His claims came while he was responding to a question about BJP leaders stating that social activist Medha Patkar would be AAP's chief ministerial candidate in the Gujarat Assembly polls. "I have heard that BJP will make Sonia Gandhi as the PM candidate after PM Modi. Ask them what they have to say on this. Ask them that Kejriwal has alleged that you are going to make Sonia Gandhi the PM candidate and the successor to PM Modi at the national level. What do they have to say on this? The BJP is trying to make Sonia Gandhi the PM of the country through the backdoor. Ask them this question," Kejriwal said. The BJP has sought to make Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) founder Medha Patkar's past ties with AAP a poll issue in Gujarat. Party leaders have said that Patkar opposed Narmada project and have talked of "renewed ties" between her and AAP. Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP "has not done anything" for the development of Gujarat and claimed it has "no programme for the next five years". Kejriwal also claimed that the Congress party is "finished" in Gujarat. "Congress is finished. You should stop taking their questions. People no more care about their questions," Kejriwal said in response to a query. The AAP supremo has earlier urged the people not to "waste their votes" on Congress. After its victory in the held Punjab Assembly elections earlier this year, AAP is seeking to expand its footprint in other states. Gujarat will face assembly polls later this year. Kejriwal has pitched AAP as the "only alternative" to the BJP in the state. After its landslide victory in the Punjab elections, AAP is seeking to expand its footprints in other states. AAP had made its debut in Gujarat in the 2017 Assembly polls, but could not open its account. AAP's hopes in Gujarat have been fuelled by its performance in the February 2021 Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls in which BJP won 93 seats, while Aam Aadmi Party bagged 27 seats and the Congress drew a blank. In the 2017 Assembly elections, Congress had given a scare to the ruling BJP by restricting the BJP tally to 99 and winning 77 seats on its own. There are 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat. (ANI)
Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez on Wednesday appeared before the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police in connection with the Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. Jacqueline arrived at the Delhi Police EOW office at Mandir Marg earlier today. A senior police officer told ANI that EOW has prepared a list of questions to be answered by Jacqueline. The questions were based on her relationship with Sukesh and the gifts she got from him. She will also be asked how many times she had met or contacted Sukesh over the phone during that period, the officer added. Meanwhile, Pinky Irani, who had apparently introduced Jacqueline Fernandez to Sukesh Chandrashekhar, also arrived at the office of the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police on Wednesday in connection with the money laundering case. She has been summoned by EOW to join the investigation. Irani has apparently helped Sukesh to contact Jacqueline Fernandez as she knew both of them. According to sources, Pinky and Jacqueline might be confronted during questioning to get more clarity in the case. Jacqueline has been communicated that her investigation might get stretched for a couple of days or back to back and hence told to plan her stay in Delhi accordingly. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) named Jacqueline in their chargesheet in the money laundering case that involves Sukesh. The probe agency chargesheet stated that actor Jacqueline knew about Sukesh's involvement in criminal cases but she chose to overlook his criminal past and got involved in financial transactions with him. "The set of questions prepared for Jacqueline is different from that were asked to Nora Fatehi, who was earlier called for questioning into the case," said another officer. They have to also find out if both the actresses involved in the case were aware of each other receiving gifts, the officer added. In September-October 2021, the enforcement agency recorded statements of Fatehi where she acknowledged having received gifts from the alleged conman and his actor wife Leena. ED had registered a money laundering case in the alleged scam over the FIR registered by the Delhi Police. The agency had earlier stated that Fernandez's statements were recorded on August 30 and October 20, 2021, where she admitted to having received gifts from Chandrashekar. It also said that Fernandez had used proceeds of crime and bought valuable gifts for herself and her family members in India as well as abroad which amounts to an offence of money laundering under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002. Sukesh Chandrashekhar, a native of Bengaluru in Karnataka, is currently lodged in a Delhi jail and faces over 10 criminal cases registered against him. Chandrashekhar has been accused of extorting Rs 200 crore when he was lodged in Rohini jail, from Aditi Singh, the wife of jailed former Ranbaxy owner Shivinder Singh, while posing as an official from the union law ministry and the PMO, on the pretext of getting her husband out on bail. (ANI)
Pinky Irani, who had apparently introduced Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez to conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, arrived at the office of the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police on Wednesday after being summoned in connection with the Rs 200 crore money laundering case. The EOW has summoned Pinky Irani to join the investigation. The Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police will on Wednesday also question Jacqueline Fernandez in connection with the Rs 200 crore extortion case allegedly involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. A senior police officer told ANI that Jacqueline has been summoned to join the investigation at the EOW office at Mandir Marg today. The official said that they have prepared a list of questions to be answered by Jacqueline. The questions were based on her relationship with Sukesh and the gifts she got from him. She will also be quizzed how many times she had met or contacted Sukesh over the phone during that period, the officer added. Irani had apparently helped Sukesh to contact Jacqueline Fernandez as she knew both of them. According to sources, Pinky and Jacqueline might be confronted during questioning to get more clarity in the case. Jacqueline has been communicated that her investigation might stretch for a couple of days or back to back and hence told to plan her stay in Delhi accordingly. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) named Jacqueline in their chargesheet in the money laundering case that involves Sukesh. The probe agency chargesheet stated that Jacqueline knew about Sukesh's involvement in criminal cases but she chose to overlook his criminal past and got involved in financial transactions with him. "The set of questions prepared for Jacqueline is different from that which were asked to Nora Fatehi, who was earlier called for questioning in the case," said another officer. The police have to also find out if both the actresses involved in the case were aware of each other receiving gifts, the officer added. In September-October 2021, the enforcement agency recorded statements of Fatehi where she acknowledged having received gifts from the alleged conman and his actor wife Leena. ED had registered a money laundering case in the alleged scam over the FIR registered by the Delhi Police. The agency had earlier stated that Fernandez's statements were recorded on August 30 and October 20, 2021, where she admitted to having received gifts from Sukesh. It also said that Fernandez had used proceeds of crime and bought valuable gifts using it for herself and her family members in India as well as abroad which amounts to an offence of money laundering under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002. Sukesh Chandrashekhar, a native of Bengaluru in Karnataka, is currently lodged in a Delhi jail and faces over 10 criminal cases registered against him. Chandrashekhar has been accused of extorting Rs 200 crore when he was lodged in Rohini jail, from Aditi Singh, the wife of jailed former Ranbaxy owner Shivinder Singh, while posing as an official of the union law ministry and the PMO, on the pretext of getting her husband out on bail. (ANI)
A day after a person was killed and nine others sustained injuries in separate firing incidents in Begusarai district, Bihar Police on Wednesday suspended seven police officials. Addressing media persons, Additional Director General of Police (HQ) Jitendra Singh Gangwar said, "Prima facie, our patrolling party was on the streets. Still, they either could not stop the criminals or could not do the checking. In this connection, seven Police officials have been suspended with immediate effect." Asked about the attackers, ADG Gangwar said CCTV footage captured the assailants and police are verifying their identities. He said some people have been detained and police are questioning them. "Checking was done all through the night. Neighbouring districts were alerted. A separate investigation team has collected CCTV footage. The criminals can be seen on them. We are verifying. A few people have been detained and they are being questioned," added the officials. One person died while nine others sustained injuries in separate firing incidents at different locations on Tuesday in Bihar's Begusarai, according to a police official. Superintendent of Police, Yogendra Kumar said that the police are checking the CCTV footage to ascertain the perpetrators. As per police, two bike-borne assailants are behind the firing incidents in which several people are reported to be injured. "Two persons with bullet injuries have been brought to the hospital," said the doctor in the Government hospital in Teghra. Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI)
The cost of setting up the camp is estimated to be Rs.17.17 crores.

M K Stalin said, "Today's day started auspiciously with the opening of residences for Sri Lankan Tamils who are relatives of Koppulkodi who have returned to their motherland".

To give the Lankan Tamils residing in the state a safe and respectable existence, the construction of these homes has been undertaken as the government's first phase project.

The rehabilitation camp consists of 321 houses at a cost of Rs.15.89 crore, an aqueduct and pipeline at a cost of Rs.10.50 lakh, and 420 meters of tarmac at a cost of Rs.20.87 lakh.

The camp has cemented roads built at a cost of Rs.66.21 lakh and electric poles and street lights have been installed at a cost of Rs.5 lakh.

The works have been carried out at a total cost of Rs.17.17 crores.

An overhead water tank with a capacity of 60,000 liters has been set up in the rehabilitation camp area at an estimate of Rs.14 lakh, and an Anganwadi center park, and library at an estimate of Rs.11 lakh.

3,04,269 Lankan Tamils have arrived in Tamil Nadu overall since 1983. 58,822 of them were residing in 108 camps spread throughout 29 districts. To protect their women and children, they fled the war-torn island nation and sought safety in the state. (ANI)
"Yesterday in Lavanga village, some monks were assaulted by the villagers. Police reached there and took them to the hospital," said Dixit Gedam, Superintendent of Police, Sangli.

"Taking suo moto cognizance the police has registered an offence under which six accused persons have been arrested," Gedam added.

The SP further assured that a probe into the matter is underway and more accused are likely to be arrested soon.

Notably, the matter came to light after a video of the incident started surfacing on the Internet as the monks themselves have not registered any official complaint regarding the incident to the police here.

"We have not received any complaint or a formal report, but are looking into the viral videos and are verifying the facts," said Dikshit Gedan, Superintendent of Police, Sangli.

The incident took place while the monks from Uttar Pradesh were going for 'darshan' to Pandharpur in Solapur after returning from a pilgrimage at Karnataka's Bijapur.

They were attacked by villagers in Sangli after they asked a child for some help. The villagers mistook them and started thrashing them after a ruckus.

The monks belonged to Panch Dashnam Juna Akhada in Mathura, who were on their pilgrimage to various places. (ANI)
Reacting to the eight Congress MLAs joining the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa on Wednesday, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Congress has surrendered before the BJP and only the Aam Aadmi Party can compete with it. "The Congress has surrendered to BJP. Only AAP can compete with it as we have been able to make their Operation Lotus fail in Punjab when they tried to lure AAP leaders here," Cheema said while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh. Eight Goa Congress MLAs - former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes - joined the BJP on Wednesday after meeting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Goa Assembly complex. Cheema alleged that the BJP lures the leaders from other parties under its Operation Lotus and forms governments by horse-trading in the states by purchasing the MLAs where people refuse to accept their ideology. He further accused the BJP leaders in Delhi of trying to "purchase" the MLAs in Punjab. "After failing to break our 35 MLAs with Rs 25 crore each, their Operation Lotus has failed in Punjab after they tried their luck on AAP leaders here," he said. He said that the graph of the Bharatiya Janata Party is on the decline while that of the AAP is increasing. "We will meet the DGP today with the proof that the AAP MLAs were lured by the BJP. We will complain along with the proof and ask to register a case against the BJP who tried their luck on us," he added. According to Cheema, the BJP had made attempts to poach its 35 MLAs and leaders in Punjab, as well as the Centre. (ANI)
Highlighting the importance of local languages, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said without the progress of the mother tongue, the progress of the official language is not possible. Addressing the second Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan here, Shah said, "Local languages and Hindi are the life of our cultural flow. If we want to understand the soul of our culture and history, we will have to learn the official language. If we want to understand these, we will have to strengthen our local languages." Quoting Bhartendu Harishchandra, the minister said that without the progress of the mother tongue, the progress of the official language is not possible. "While strengthening every language, we have to move forward to give strength to the official language while strengthening the local language. Official language and local languages will together uproot the inferiority complex of languages created by the British, the time has come for that," he said. Shah said our official language and local languages are one of the richest languages in the world. "We have to take a pledge that the governance, administration, knowledge and research of this country will be done in our languages and in the official languages. Only then can we make use of the country's capabilities," he said. The minister urged the youth of the country to promote their mother tongue as well as the official language. "I want to tell the youth of the country that language is not an indicator of ability. Language is an expression, the potential is within you. Youth should work to promote their own language and official language," Shah said. Refering to National Education Policy 2020, the Union Home Minister said, "We must minutely examine NEP 2020, the biggest emphasis has been laid on the matter that local language is used for primary education and education higher than that. It is also mentioned that local language be used in the field of research too." Earlier today, Shah said Hindi is the friend of all Indian languages and it "unites the whole nation in a thread of unity" as an official language. The minister took to the micro-blogging site Twitter to express his views at the event and made it clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is committed for the "parallel development" of all local languages including Hindi. "Official language Hindi unites the nation in the thread of unity. Hindi is a friend of all Indian languages. Modi's government is committed for the parallel development of all local languages including Hindi. I salute the great personalities who have contributed in the preservation and promotion of Hindi. Happy 'Hindi Diwas' to all," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Every year Hindi Diwas is observed on September 14. The day is dedicated to the Hindi language after it was announced as the official language of the Union of India. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, had officially declared September 14 as the Hindi Diwas. The Constituent Assembly of India declared Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, to be the official language of the Union of India on September 14, 1949. English is the second official language. The decision of using Hindi as an official language of India was legalised by the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950. Hindi was made one of the official languages in order to streamline government operations in a multilingual nation. Spoken as a native language by 258 million people, Hindi is recognised as the fourth most spoken language in the world. (ANI)
On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, the Union Health Ministry will start a mega drive for voluntary blood donation from September 17 to October 1 which is the national voluntary blood donation day. The Union Health Ministry has also launched the E-Rakt Kosh portal where donors can register for blood donation, starting from September 17 onwards. Another option is Arogya Setu App registration where donors can register. Union Health Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, tweeted, " Blood Donation for Humanity. Rakhtdaan Amrit Mahotsav is going to start from 17th September. Donate by registering on Arogya Setu App today or Register yourself for blood donation by visiting https://eraktkosh.in. Let us take a pledge to donate life by donating blood with our participation in this campaign." According to an official, India has enough capacity to store the blood units. It is expected that India may create a world record, but it depends on the donations. "We are trying to motivate donors and create a database so that they can make repeat donations," said an official source "The purpose behind the campaign launch is to increase awareness about the need for regular non - remunerated voluntary blood opportunities for social mobilization and social cohesiveness for the noble cause of blood donation. To ensure that blood/components (whole blood /packed red cells//plasma/platelets ) are available, accessible, affordable and safe," said an official source. (ANI)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has told the Supreme Court that the poll panel does not have the legal power to withdraw the recognition of a political party or disqualify its members if a party or its members indulge in hate speech. The affidavit of the Director (Law) of the ECI pointed out that hate speech has not been defined under any existing law in India, but there are a few legislations that have a bearing on hate speech. It said that the issue of hate speech had been dealt with by the top court in a matter and the court had referred the matter to the Law Commission of India to define hate speech and make recommendations to Parliament to strengthen the ECI to curb its menace. The poll panel said that the Law Commission of India's 267th Report neither answered the Court's question as to whether the poll panel should be conferred the power to derecognise a political party, disqualifying it or its members, if a party or its members commit the offence of hate speech nor expressly made any recommendations to the Parliament to strengthen the Election Commission of India to curb the menace of hate speech. However, the Law Commission suggested that certain amendments be made to the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, the affidavit added. The response of the Election Commission came on a PIL seeking measures to curb hate speech. The panel further said that "in the absence of any specific law governing 'hate speech' and 'rumour mongering' during elections, the Election Commission of India employs various provisions of the IPC and the Representation of People Act, 1951 to ensure that members of political parties or even other persons do not make statements to the effect of creating disharmony between different sections of society." The ECI also stated that a list of do's and don'ts has been drawn up which has been directed to be given the widest publicity to be brought to the knowledge of all the contesting candidates, to be followed by all candidates and political parties. The Model Code of Conduct has listed certain practices as corrupt practices and electoral offences in the IPC and RP Act, it added. It said that the ECI also takes measures like issuing advisory cautioning the candidates from campaigning for a specified period of time or even initiation of a criminal complaint. The PIL filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay sought direction to the Centre to examine various international laws and come out with "effective and stringent" measures to control hate speech and rumour-mongering in during elections. (ANI)
Congress leader tweeted in Hindi to express his feeling on the view of Hindi Diwas and said that all the languages are beautiful and made with emotion.

"Language is made of emotion. All languages are beautiful and their mutual synergy reflects the diversity and culture of our country. Wishing you all a very Happy Hindi Diwas," Rahul Gandhi wrote in Hindi.

Every year Hindi Diwas is observed on September 14. The day is dedicated to the Hindi language after it was announced as the official language of the Union of India.

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, had officially declared September 14 as the Hindi Diwas.

The Constituent Assembly of India declared Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, to be the official language of the Union of India on September 14, 1949. English is the second official language.

The decision of using Hindi as an official language of India was legalised by the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950.

Hindi was made one of the official languages in order to streamline government operations in a multilingual nation.

Spoken as a native language by 258 million people, Hindi is recognised as the fourth most spoken language in the world. (ANI)
Reacting sharply to the merger of eight Congress MLAs with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa on Wednesday, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said that they stand as the "symbols of pure evil" while also calling their joining a "subversion of the political and democratic process". Eight Goa Congress MLAs including former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa on Wednesday. Among others who joined the ruling BJP include Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes. They joined BJP after meeting Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Assembly complex during the day. Hitting out at the leaders, Sardesai issued a statement which read, "The eight legislators who have decided, against all political propriety, basic decency and honesty, to pursue their greed for wealth and hunger for power, stand today as the symbols of pure evil, displaying their shameless selfishness, avarice and chicanery, in defiance of Almighty God." He called their merger "much more than" betrayal of people's mandate. "We often see political defections as a betrayal of the people's mandate, but it's much more than that. It's a betrayal of the people, subversion of the political and democratic process, the repudiation of their own parentage, and the denigration and mockery of God," Sardesai said. He dubbed the leaders' act as "undisguised disloyalty and treachery towards the very people who elected them", and said that the people will never forget it, and will respond to them "in a fitting manner". He also came down heavily on the BJP which returned to power winning the Assembly elections earlier this year, and said they are in power "not because of the mandate of the people but because of deceit and manipulation". Sardesai further alleged that the party has "lowered democracy and parliamentary politics" and also "reduced Goa to ridicule" by treating people's representatives as "commodities like sacks of wheat, to be bought for a price". He described the MLAs as "unfaithful" stating that they "allowed them to be purchased like cattle". Sardesai also hit out at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and alleged that he "failed in every constitutional and administrative duty he's been assigned". "The people will not forget that the chief minister who would consider himself to be victorious in this dirty bargain has miserably failed in every constitutional and administrative duty he's been assigned including the proper governance of the state, protection of life and property of its citizens," he said. The Goa Forward Party president appealed to the people of the state to reject them and "brand them as enemies of the people". "We will, as a party, fight this political plague that has destroyed Goa, and appeal to true Goemkars to reject these traitors with the contempt they deserve from our civilised and discerning society, and brand them as enemies of the people and God," he said. Earlier today, former Congress MLA Michael Lobo who joined the BJP said that they have merged to strengthen the hands of PM Modi. "We have merged with BJP with a majority of 2/3rd to strengthen the hands of PM Modi and CM Pramod Sawant... 'Congress Chhodo, BJP ko Jodo', said Lobo. Meanwhile, Goa CM Sawant also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and said that "Congress Chhodo Yatra will begin from Goa now" while welcoming the leaders. The BJP already holds a majority of 25 in the House of 40 of which its own 20 MLAs with two others from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three independent leaders. After the joining of eight Congress MLAs, its count will rise to 33. (ANI)
The chief minister welcomed the decision saying, "The Central Government has fulfilled a long-pending demand of the people of Trans Giri area. In the neighbouring state Uttarakhand, the people with almost identical culture and topographic conditions had exactly the same status."

The Himachal Pradesh CM further said that the decision would go a long way in preserving the rich culture in the area.

"This decision will benefit over 1.60 lakh people of the Sirmaur district. It will go a long way in preserving the rich culture and traditions of the area and accelerate the pace of development," the CM further said.

The BJP leader said that since coming into power, he was persuading the Central leadership for taking this decision

"The State Government was always alive to the genuine and emotional demands of the people of the Hatti community and put up this matter with the Central Government vigorously due to which fruitful results have emerged," Thakur added. (ANI)
The Election Commission of India on Wednesday released a new digital publication 'BLO e-Patrika' at an interactive session held with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) spread across the States in India. Over 350 BLOs joined via video-conferencing from the office of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in States/UTs and 50 BLOs from the nearby states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi joined the launch event physically at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event was also live streamed on the ECI YouTube channel and was shared with over 10 lakh BLOs for facilitating their participation. The BLOs participated enthusiastically during the interaction with the Commission sharing their experiences, challenges they come across while performing their duties and success stories. Today's event was a first-of-its-kind direct interaction by the Commission with the BLOs across the country. Senior officials from the Election Commission and CEOs of all States via video conferencing were present during the event. Addressing the gathering, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar acknowledged that BLOs perform a monumental role as fundamental blocks of the ECI system being the most effective field-level institution, the direct link of the Commission with the people and facilitating their participation in strengthening democracy. In an impromptu poetic description, Kumar said "BLOs Nirvachan Aayog ke swaroop ke roop mein saakar hain, Commission ka Vyavahar hain, drishti aur swar bhi, is liye aap sabka atyant aabhar hai". Kumar assured the BLOs that the Commission recognises the strengths of BLO institution which with their multifaceted presence ensures doorstep delivery of services to voters. BLOs are the primary source of information for every voter across the length and breadth of the country. CEC added that the intent behind introducing BLO E-Patrika is to ensure a cascading information model for a better informed and motivated Booth Level Officer. Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey during the launch event said that the idea behind introducing this bi-monthly e-magazine is a novel initiative of the Commission. Pandey said the Patrika in fact provides a platform for three-way communication - A platform for ECI to share instructions to ground level, share feedback and success stories and facilitate learning of interstate best practices. While highlighting the genesis of the institution of BLO, he mentioned how a voters list made every five years in the past got transformed to the computerised Electoral database and subsequently to Photo Electoral Roll with yearly updation. He urged Chief Electoral Officers to constantly be in contact with the BLOs and work towards their capacity building, and digital literacy and also resolving the challenges faced by them for an efficient and motivated field workforce. Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, Dharmendra Sharma and Nitesh Vyas, incharge of the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) division in their address highlighted that the institution of BLO was devised by the Commission in 2006 to primarily ensure an inclusive, updated and error-free electoral roll which is the first step for free, fair and participative elections. Vyas added that over the years, BLOs have adapted themselves to newer technologically upgraded methods of working in the ECI system. The themes of the bimonthly e-Patrika will include subjects like EVM-VVPAT training, IT applications, Special Summary Revision, Minimum SVEEP Activities at polling booths, Postal Ballot facility, accessible elections, Electoral Literacy Clubs, unique voter awareness initiatives and National Voters' Day. It will also include informal conversations with BLOs, their success stories and best practices across the country. The language will be simple, communicative and illustrative. The magazine will be available in English, Hindi and regional languages. English and Hindi versions of the BLO e-Patrika can be read through the links below on the ECI website or ECI Twitter handle (@ECISVEEP), and are also uploaded via the Garuda app. (ANI)
India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said that Telangana is likely to have light to moderate rain in one or two places for the next four to five days. "At present, the synoptic situation indicates that mainly westerlies and south-westerlies prevail over the Telangana state and under its influence, Telangana is likely to have light to moderate rain in one or two places for the next four to five days," said Director at Meteorological centre Hyderabad Dr Nagaratna. He also suggested that clear sky conditions are likely to prevail with light rains in Hyderabad and adjoining areas. "Temperatures are likely to be with normal conditions with plus or minus 2 degrees Celcius during the next three to four days. Mainly clear sky conditions will be there with temperatures around 35 to 36 degrees Celcius," he added. Earlier in July, the rivulets, reservoirs and rivers overflowed in the wake of the incessant heavy rains in the state. On July 24, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao asked officials to be prepared to take up rescue and relief measures in view of the forecast of rainfall in the state in the next few days. Accordingly, the Chief Secretary conducted a teleconference with senior officials and district Collectors and apprised them about the heavy to very heavy rainfall threat across the State and the need to be vigilant. He asked them to focus on ensuring that there is no loss of human life. Chief Minister Rao also said that the government is ready to face any eventuality and instructed the officials to be on alert. "The state was already flooded with heavy rains for two weeks and the canals, water bodies and ponds will overflow in heavy rains in the next two days. In view of this development, the Chief Minister appealed to people to be on alert and adopt self-protection measures. People are requested to cancel their unnecessary travel plans," the office of the Chief Minister had informed on Saturday. It further informed that the river Godavari has been overflowing from its birthplace at Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra to the Bay of Bengal and the tributaries are also flooding. The Chief Minister said that it is a testing time for the state administration to protect people from the natural calamity. He said that the entire administration should be on alert and take up rescue operations and ensure no loss of life occurs. He said that the government is ready to extend all kinds of assistance. (ANI)
The bench comprising Justice Jasmeet Singh passed this direction during a hearing on bail application in the matter. Advocate Ajay Verma appeared on behalf of DLSA.

The court's attention was drawn to an order passed on September 6, 2019, by the division bench directing the Delhi Government to release part of the Victim Compensation Fund not less than Rs 25 crores to DLSA within a period from September 6, 2019.

On the last date of hearing on September 2, it was observed that funds for disbursement to rape victims have been exhausted at DLSA.

The Standing Counsel Sanjay Lao was requested to look into the matter.

The division bench of then Chief Justice had said in the order of September 6, 2019, that the compensation is to be paid to the victims of the offense under various criminal laws like IPC, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribe Act.

"We, therefore, direct Respondent no.2 Delhi Government to release part of the victim Compensation Fund, which will not be less than Rs. 25 crores to the District Legal Service Authority, within a period of ten days from today," the division bench headed by then Chief Justice had directed in a petition moved by Bachpan Bachao Andolan. (ANI)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers led by state president Prithvi Reddy staged a protest and laid siege to the Vidhana Soudha demanding the resignation of Minister Sriramulu over the alleged suicide of transport employees. Prior to the protest, Prithvi Reddy met Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and requested him to drop inefficient Transport Minister Sriramulu from the cabinet and give the transport ministry to deserving people. Speaking to the media, Prithvi Reddy said, "More than 35 transport employees died by suicide during the BJP government's tenure and six transport employees have died by suicide in the last 15 days. It is inhuman that even though a row of employees have died by suicide, ministers and officials do not even pay visits to the dead and console their families." The government has suspended a depot manager after the Aam Aadmi Party protested against the suicides. It is disheartening to know that the transport minister is not even provided adequate compensation to the victims," Prithvi Reddy expressed his anger. "The role of transport employees in public service is very important. It is because of them that today the common man is able to commute. But the government is looking at them as enemies. There is no question of the Aam Aadmi Party remaining silent after seeing the injustice being done to the transport employees. The government should soon sack Sriramulu from the cabinet, give compensation to the families of the affected transport employees and form an expert committee to formulate a transport policy that will protect the interest of the transport employees," Prithvi Reddy demanded. Aam Aadmi Party's Bangalore city president Mohan Dasari said, "Many of the transport employees who committed suicide have left suicide notes. They have clearly blamed harassment in the department for their death in the suicide note. Honest employees are facing mental harassment due to the irregularities of ministers and top officials. In 2020 and 2021, more than 110 transport employees died due to COVID- 19. Though the state government had announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh to the deceased families, only seven families have received the compensation so far. It is evident that transport minister Sriramulu has been inefficient in providing covid compensation to the families of deceased employees." He took a dig at the minister. AAP leaders Vijay Sharma, Sanchit Sawhani, B T Naganna, Jagadish V Sadam, Darshan Jain, Suresh Rathod, Jagadish Chandra, Channappa Gowda Nellore, Kushala Swamy, Usha Mohan and hundreds of other leaders and activists participated in the protest. (ANI)
Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday slammed the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government for letting the Vedanta deal slip away from the state and questioned the uninterestedness of the Shinde camp. "After Vedanta- Foxconn loss, the Bulk Drug Park that the MVA Government had meritoriously pursued, has been lost to 3 States- Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, by the current unconstitutional dispensation in our State, due to its lack of interest in development," tweeted Thackeray. He also stressed that Maharashtra was the first to demand it and sought an explanation on why Maharashtra was not considered. Outlining the repercussions of the slipping away of the deal he said," Eknath Shinde didn't just take away our 40 MLA's but also big projects of Maharashtra to Gujarat. Who is responsible for the loss of 2 lakh crores and 1 lakh job opportunities in our state." He also highlighted the Davos deal and said, "In Davos, there were six other states with us. No investment can come to the state without the centre's consent. Still, we managed to bring Rs 80,000 crore projects to Maharashtra." Earlier in June, the Maharashtra delegation had a successful visit to Davos at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022. The state signed over INR 80,000 cr (USD 10.5 Billion) in investment intentions with 24 companies and 3 MoUs of strategic cooperation. Renew Power will invest an astonishing INR 50,000 Cr (USD 6 bn) in Renewable Power generation of 10-12 GW in the state, while Asia Pulp and Paper, an Indonesian firm, will be investing INR 10,500 Cr (USD 1.5 Bn) in Raigad district. In the total 10 editions of Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0, under the leadership of the then CM Uddhav Thackeray, there were 122 MoUs signed, totalling INR 2.2 lac crore, potentially generating 4 lac job opportunities in the state. In the previous 9 editions, 98 MoUs were signed in the last 2 years, which are now at various stages of implementation. (ANI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Labour and Employment, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, and Former Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy will be attending the event, here in the national capital.

As per the release, LEADS 2022 has been curated as a strategic platform to 'reimagine the world' for global economic prosperity in this age of disruption. It will be a confluence of global business leaders, influencers, and opinion shapers across the spectrum of the world economy.

This is the third edition of LEADS and it will have over 250 participants from around 50 countries. As per the release, LEADS 2022 will witness many global corporate leaders and 36 opinion shapers who wil be exchanging their ideas conferring on the 11 themes of manufacturing; food for all; innovation; mobility; digitalization; financing; healthcare; travel & tourism; environment; global supply chains.

Several corporates like Hindustan Unilever; Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys; State Bank of India; Jindal Steel and Power; Maruti Suzuki; Mahindra and Mahindra; Apollo Hospitals; Panasonic India; Azure Power; Trigyn Technologies are partners in the event, the release further stated. (ANI)
During a hearing with the US Senate Judiciary Committee, Twitter's former security chief said that Twitter's poor security practices harmed US national security, reports Engadget.

During the questioning, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley said that "the FBI notified Twitter of at least one Chinese agent in the company".

In his testimony, Zatko confirmed Twitter had been warned about the presence of Chinese agents.

Zatko also raised concerns about the presence of foreign agents from India which "forced" Twitter to hire government agents.

Grassley said that Twitter CEO should step down if Zatko's allegations are proven.

"I don't see how Mr. Agrawal can maintain his position at Twitter" if Zatko's claims turn out to be accurate, he said.

According to Grassley, Twitter declined to make Agrawal available amid its concerns that his testimony could jeopardise the company's ongoing legal battle with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, reports CNN.

In a hearing that lasted more than two hours, Zatko told lawmakers that Twitter is extremely vulnerable to being penetrated and exploited by agents of foreign governments.

"Zatko said that Twitter was not afraid of the US Federal Trade Commission as much as it feared actions by foreign regulators, such as France's data protection authority, CNIL," the report mentioned.

Zatko also alleged that Twitter does not fully understand all of the user data it collects, why it is collected, and where it is stored.

--IANS na/vd

( 286 Words)

2022-09-13-22:44:02 (IANS)
A new study shows that upon attack by bark-feeding weevils, conifers release substantial quantities of volatile organic compounds that provide important cues to neighbouring seedlings. It has long been known that when plants are damaged, they release odorous chemicals into the atmosphere. These chemicals represent an important medium through which plants communicate. "Whereas broadleaved plants have been frequently shown to respond to chemical odours, the same observations have not been seen in conifers. Therefore, we decided to look whether conifers undergo a similar response and were amazed at the results," Doctoral Researcher Hao Yu of the University of Eastern Finland says. The study showed that Scots pine seedlings damaged by bark-feeding weevils release vast quantities of volatile chemicals into the atmosphere. Undamaged plants exposed to these chemicals also start to release volatiles and prepare themselves to emit more if they are subsequently attacked by weevils. Importantly, those receiver plants also increased their stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis rate. "This observation is novel and has broad implications for further research investigating the mechanisms of how plants obtain information from their neighbours," says Professor James Blande, leader of an Academy of Finland funded project on conifer communication at the University of Eastern Finland. In addition, receiver plants had altered resin duct traits, and were subject to reduced amounts of damage by pine weevils. The team also investigated the responses of receiver plants under elevated ozone conditions, which represents the situation in more polluted regions. They found that the responses were significantly altered, but the final defence outcome was not affected. "The different responses of receiver plants made us think that the communication process was eliminated, but receiver plants still had more resistance to weevils," Yu points out. This research sheds new light on the dynamism of conifer communication and shows that the process can be substantially altered by air pollution. (ANI)
Biomedical engineers and medical researchers at UNSW Sydney have independently made discoveries about embryonic blood stem cell creation that could one day eliminate the need for blood stem cell donors. The achievements are part of a move in regenerative medicine towards the use of 'induced pluripotent stem cells' to treat disease, where stem cells are reverse engineered from adult tissue cells rather than using live human or animal embryos. But while we have known about induced pluripotent stem cells since 2006, scientists still have plenty to learn about how cell differentiation in the human body can be mimicked artificially and safely in the lab for the purposes of delivering targeted medical treatment. Two studies have emerged from UNSW researchers in this area that shine new light on not only how the precursors to blood stem cells occur in animals and humans, but how they may be induced artificially. In a study published today in Cell Reports, researchers from UNSW School of Biomedical Engineering demonstrated how a simulation of an embryo's beating heart using a microfluidic device in the lab led to the development of human blood stem cell 'precursors', which are stem cells on the verge of becoming blood stem cells. And in an article published in Nature Cell Biology recently, researchers from UNSW Medicine & Health revealed the identity of cells in mice embryos responsible for blood stem cell creation. Both studies are significant steps towards an understanding of how, when, where and which cells are involved in the creation of blood stem cells. In the future, this knowledge could be used to help cancer patients, among others, who have undergone high doses of radio- and chemotherapy, to replenish their depleted blood stem cells. Emulating the heart In the study detailed in Cell Reports, lead author Dr Jingjing Li and fellow researchers described how a 3cm x 3cm microfluidic system pumped blood stem cells produced from an embryonic stem cell line to mimic an embryo's beating heart and conditions of blood circulation. She said that in the last few decades, biomedical engineers have been trying to make blood stem cells in laboratory dishes to solve the problem of donor blood stem cell shortages. But no one has yet been able to achieve it. "Part of the problem is that we still don't fully understand all the processes going on in the microenvironment during embryonic development that leads to the creation of blood stem cells at about day 32 in the embryonic development," Dr Li said. "So we made a device mimicking the heart beating and the blood circulation and an orbital shaking system which causes shear stress -- or friction -- of the blood cells as they move through the device or around in a dish." These systems promoted the development of precursor blood stem cells which can differentiate into various blood components -- white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets and others. They were excited to see this same process -- known as haematopoiesis -- replicated in the device. Study co-author Associate Professor Robert Nordon said he was amazed that not only did the device create blood stem cell precursors that went on to produce differentiated blood cells, but it also created the tissue cells of the embryonic heart environment that is crucial to this process. "The thing that just wows me about this is that blood stem cells, when they form in the embryo, form in the wall of the main vessel called the aorta. And they basically pop out of this aorta and go into the circulation, and then go to the liver and form what's called definitive haematopoiesis, or definitive blood formation. "Getting an aorta to form and then the cells actually emerging from that aorta into the circulation, that is the crucial step required for generating these cells." "What we've shown is that we can generate a cell that can form all the different types of blood cells. We've also shown that it is very closely related to the cells lining the aorta -- so we know its origin is correct -- and that it proliferates," A/Prof. Nordon said. The researchers are cautiously optimistic about their achievement in emulating embryonic heart conditions with a mechanical device. They hope it could be a step towards solving challenges limiting regenerative medical treatments today: donor blood stem cell shortages, rejection of donor tissue cells, and the ethical issues surrounding the use of IVF embryos. "Blood stem cells used in transplantation require donors with the same tissue-type as the patient," A/Prof. Nordon said. "Manufacture of blood stem cells from pluripotent stem cell lines would solve this problem without the need for tissue-matched donors providing a plentiful supply to treat blood cancers or genetic disease." Dr Li added: "We are working on up-scaling manufacture of these cells using bioreactors." Meanwhile, and working independently of Dr Li and A/Prof. Nordon, UNSW Medicine & Health's Professor John Pimanda and Dr Vashe Chandrakanthan were doing their own research into how blood stem cells are created in embryos. In their study of mice, the researchers looked for the mechanism that is used naturally in mammals to make blood stem cells from the cells that line blood vessels, known as endothelial cells. "It was already known that this process takes place in mammalian embryos where endothelial cells that line the aorta change into blood cells during haematopoiesis," Prof. Pimanda said. "But the identity of the cells that regulate this process had up until now been a mystery." In their paper, Prof. Pimanda and Dr Chandrakanthan described how they solved this puzzle by identifying the cells in the embryo that can convert both embryonic and adult endothelial cells into blood cells. The cells -- known as 'Mesp1-derived PDGFRA+ stromal cells' -- reside underneath the aorta, and only surround the aorta in a very narrow window during embryonic development. Dr Chandrakanthan said that knowing the identity of these cells provides medical researchers with clues on how mammalian adult endothelial cells could be triggered to create blood stem cells -- something they are normally unable to do. "Our research showed that when endothelial cells from the embryo or the adult are mixed with 'Mesp1 derived PDGFRA+ stromal cells' -- they start making blood stem cells," he said. While more research is needed before this can be translated into clinical practice -- including confirming the results in human cells -- the discovery could provide a potential new tool to generate engraftable haematopoietic cells. "Using your own cells to generate blood stem cells could eliminate the need for donor blood transfusions or stem cell transplantation. Unlocking mechanisms used by Nature brings us a step closer to achieving this goal," Prof. Pimanda said. (ANI)
Much of China's game in the Middle East will be successful when Iran remains isolated and continues to singe from sanctions. Optimism on reviving the Iran nuclear deal has started fading as the US, which withdrew from the agreement in 2018, is yet to get a response from Tehran on Washington's proposal for a probe into traces of undeclared nuclear material. However, China is happy with the development, reported Al Arabiya Post. The more Iran's nuclear deal remains unresolved; the more Tehran remains isolated in the international arena-- a perfect condition for China to suck the Middle-East country into its game plan in the Indo-Pacific region. Already brought into the ambit of the China-dominated Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and waiting to be included in the BRICS, Iran finds in the authoritarian regime of Beijing an ally who can help it overcome its economic crisis and end international isolation. China is also seeing in Iran as a friend who can fulfil its two prominent goals--strategic and energy security reported Al Arabiya Post. Chinese authorities must be thankful for the current geopolitical situation in the world as Beijing is able to easily source cheap oil from Iran and fill its oil reserves. Despite being under sanctions, Iran has been steadily supplying a large amount of crude oil to China. According to Kpler, a Brussels-based data and analytics company, Iran exported more than 700,000 barrels a day of crude oil to China in May and June. Chinese refiners, in view of the competitive price of Iranian oil, have sought more imports from Tehran in subsequent months. China is a lone buyer of sanction-hit Iran in the world, accounting for more than 6 per cent of Beijing's total oil imports. Beijing has long opposed the US and the European Union's sanctions on Iran and Russia. Over the years, China has also made investments in the mining and transportation sectors of Iran. This has helped Beijing in securing unhindered access to Iran's natural gas and oil reserves. However, since China's interest lies in expanding its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region, Iran is eyed by Beijing for its sharing of approximately 97,860 sq km long coastal line with the Persian Gulf and its strategic positions around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, reported Al Arabiya Post. With its military base in Djibouti, China will try to ensure that these chokepoints fit into its grand strategy in the Indo-Pacific region where the US-led Quad group is strengthening its influence through military drills, vaccine diplomacy and other developmental agenda. This year on January, 11 Iranian vessels, three Russian ships and two Chinese vessels conducted a series of joint tactical and artillery drills in the Indian Ocean. Moreover, in late April, a Chinese military delegation headed by Minister of National Defence, Gen Wei Fenghe visited Tehran and held talks with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the chief of Armed Forces General Staff, the defence minister, and the top officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Following the talks, both sides agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in joint military drills, exchange of strategies and training. China and Iran have enhanced their military ties in recent years, amid tensions with the US. In January, both countries along with Russia held joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean, the third since 2019. Last year China and Iran signed a 25-year cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening economic and political relations. China has started to step into the US shoes in the Middle East by forging a strategic partnership with Iran causing concern in Washington as Chinese money will invariably weaken the effectiveness of American sanctions against Iran, which crippled its economy back in 2018. (ANI).
In order to boost the student exchange programme, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Wednesday said her country targets to enrol 20,000 Indian students in higher institutions by 2025. Addressing Lady Shri Ram College students here, she said, "People-to-people contacts are essential... We want 20,000 Indian students in France by 2025. We're starting from something close to 5000... it is very ambitious but between India and France, the sky is the limit." Recognizing the benefit of bilateral student mobility, France maintains the objective of 20,000 Indian students by 2025 which will create opportunities for new businesses, start-ups and innovation between the two countries. "Our business schools are highly ranked. We are working hard for skill development," she added. In her first official visit to India, Colonna stressed the mobility of students between the two nations and said that "people to people is key to a strong relationship." India and France are fully committed to pursuing the implementation of the Partnership Agreement on Migration and Mobility, which entered into force on October 1, 2021. During his final leg of his 3-nation tour to Europe in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, where the two leaders discussed ways to jointly increase the mobility of students, professionals and skilled workers while strengthening their efforts to combat irregular migration between the two countries. Highlighting the strong bonds between India and France she said, "Our partnership for decades is not only strategic but also binds our hearts and mind. The sky is the limit for India and French relationship." Talking about gender equality, the French Foreign Minister said, "On the international stage, France has taken measures to make a commitment into action. We adopted an international strategy for gender equality." "We adopted an International Strategy on Gender Equality (2018-2022) which covers all of France's external actions. This strategy also aims at promoting a stronger institutional culture of gender equality and the consideration of gender issues within the Ministry and its agencies. We are assessing this strategy and drafting a new one that will be launched in 2023." She also highlighted that her country has organized the Generation Equality Forum in 2021 with Mexico and UN Women. Besides, President Emmanuel Macron launched a Support Fund for Feminist Organizations of the Global South. Also, French law makes it mandatory to ensure that 75 per cent of the projects funded by France's official development assistance helps to promote gender equality by 2025. Underscoring the 75th anniversary of Indo-French diplomatic relations, she said, "We will be celebrating 25 years of India-France strategic relationship next year (In 1998, India and France entered into Strategic Partnership). We are strong and reliable partners. My President Emmanuel Macron will be so happy to be back in India to attend the strategic partnership anniversary." Colonna is visiting India from September 14-15 and she aims to move forward with an ambitious agenda to deepen and expand the Indo-French strategic partnership ahead of its 25th anniversary next year. The visit also demonstrates France's unwavering commitment to the Indo-Pacific and determination to work with India to find common solutions to global disorders. As per the official statement, Minister Colonna will pay a call on PM Modi on September 14, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India and will convey France's full support to India's upcoming G20 presidency following which she will exchange dialogue with EAM Jaishankar on regional and global subjects of common interest, and coordination on issues under consideration at the United Nations Security Council, which France is currently chairing. Moreover, the French Foreign Affairs Minister will also meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for discussions on regional and global security issues, strengthened defence cooperation, as well as the implementation of France's counter-terrorism cooperation with India, which is hosting the "No Money for Terror" conference this year. As part of the visit, Colonna will travel to Mumbai for engagements with industry leaders and site visits on September 15. (ANI)
The drought in southwestern China has also had ripple effects for global businesses as companies could also face new costs from carbon taxes when shipping goods across borders, as well as higher transport costs for moving products by sea or air, according to experts. A record-setting drought crippled economic activity across southwestern China, freezing international supply chains for automobiles, electronics and other goods that have been routinely disrupted over the past three years, reported The Sunday Morning Herald (SMH). Both ocean and airfreight are major producers of the gases contributing to climate change, accounting for about 5 per cent of global carbon emissions. Companies in both sectors are quickly trying to find cleaner sources of fuel, but that transition is likely to require big investments that could drive up prices for their customers. Natural disasters and coronavirus lockdowns in China have been harrowing, given that the country is home to much of the world's manufacturing. Such interruptions could soon become more frequent for companies that source parts and products from around the world as climate change and the extreme weather events that accompany it continues to disrupt the global delivery system for goods in highly unpredictable ways, economists and trade experts warn. Much remains unknown about how the world's rapid warming will affect agriculture, economic activity and trade in the coming decades. But one clear trend is that natural disasters like droughts, hurricanes and wildfires are becoming more frequent and unfolding in more locations. In addition to the toll of human injury and death, these disasters are likely to wreak sporadic havoc on global supply chains, exacerbating the shortages, delayed deliveries and higher prices that have frustrated businesses and consumers, reported the Australian publication. The drought in southwestern China has ripple effects on global businesses. It drastically reduced hydropower production in the region, requiring power cuts to factories and scrambling supply chains for electronics, car parts and other goods. Volkswagen and Toyota curtailed production at nearby factories, as did Foxconn, which produces electronics, and CATL, a manufacturer of batteries for electric cars, reported SMH. The Yangtze River, which bisects China, dipped so low that the oceangoing vessels that typically traverse its upper reaches from the rainy summer into early winter could no longer run. Companies had to scramble to secure trucks to move their goods to Chinese ports, while China's food importers hunted for more trucks and trains to carry their cargo into the country's interior. The heat and drought have wilted many vegetables in southwestern China, causing prices to nearly double, and have made it hard for the surviving pigs and poultry to put on weight, driving up meat prices. The drought means less water not only for hydropower but also for the region's chemical factories and coal-fired power plants, which need huge quantities of water for cooling, reported SMH. These frequent disruptions in Chinese manufacturing and logistics have added to concerns among global executives and policymakers that many of the world's factories are far too geographically concentrated, which leaves them vulnerable to pandemics and natural disasters. But setting up factories in other parts of the world to offset those risks could be costly, for both businesses and the consumers to whom companies will pass their costs on in the form of higher prices, reported SMH. In a 2018 report, the WTO pointed out that the global food trade was particularly vulnerable to transportation disruptions that might occur due to climate change, like rising sea levels threatening ports or extreme weather degrading roads and bridges. (ANI)
Pakistan purchased the Chinese Z-9EC helicopters in 2006, an ASW variant specifically produced for the Pakistan Navy and Air Force, however it is marred by poor maintenance capabilities of the Chinese supplier. Pakistan purchased these helicopters equipped with pulse compression radar, low-frequency sonar, radar warning receiver and doppler navigation system to counterbalance India, however, it has little chance of doing harm to New Delhi, reported Difesa Online, an independent newspaper specialized in the defence sector and related industry. The problem would mainly concern the poor maintenance capabilities of the Chinese supplier (the helicopters were produced by the Harbin Aircraft Industry), as they would not be able to repair damaged helicopters, thus compromising the operational capabilities of the anti-submarine aircraft. It is certainly not the first time that Chinese weapons systems have been the subject of harsh criticism from Pakistani naval circles. In fact, many countries that militarily depend on low-cost supplies from Beijing complain of major deficiencies, especially from the point of view of maintenance, reported the Italian publication. The ASW Z-9EC helicopters are embarked, as previously mentioned, on the Zulfiqar class frigates (photo), the latter designed and built jointly in the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyards in China and KS&EW Ltd in Pakistan. These naval units carry out missions such as air defence, ban on enemy shipping and patrolling the EEZs. In 2009, the then Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Navy, Admiral Noman Bashir, claimed that Chinese technology was compatible with Western technology. But within a short time, the Pakistani Navy had to encounter serious problems with the helicopters, reported Difesa Online. The most serious problem was the failure of the tail rotor blade, a defect that has a direct impact on the airworthiness of the machine. Indeed, without a functioning tail rotor blade, the helicopter tends to make a sudden, uncontrolled swing which could, if not corrected, create a dangerous situation for the crew. The occurrence of such a problem on a combat mission could lead to serious consequences. The second major problem relates to serious defects found in the main rotor blade. The life limit of these blades is 3,000 hours, but some of them should have been replaced much sooner as they are subject to severe corrosion caused by seawater, reported Difesa Online. The third serious problem would concern the state of the brake distribution valve, which caused several tire blowouts during the landing stages in the period 2018-2019. Even with the creation of the special facility, set up at the Mehran naval base for repairs and maintenance, the problems seem far from being solved. According to what has been learned, the Pakistani naval authorities had reported the imperfect processing of spare parts imported from China. However, it would appear that the Pakistan Navy is forced to accept the weapons systems sold by China, all in the name of "all-season" friendship, reported Difesa Online. (ANI)
Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon on Wednesday said that the two countries are working together to combat terrorism. Speaking to ANI exclusively, Gilon said, "I will reaffirm that India and Israel are suffering a lot from terrorism and are also cooperating together whenever we can, to combat terrorism." He also stressed on the importance of regional groupings, especially of I2U2 bloc comprising India, Israel, UAE, and the US that held its first virtual summit in July 2022. "I think, it's a very important group together which brings close allies and likeminded countries - UAE, US, India and Israel which put the interests of people ahead. I think that such more groupings - regional groupings can be a very useful element to improve in both Asia and the world - by bringing new technologies, new cooperation, better economy and new values," said the Israeli envoy. I2U2 was initially formed in October 2021 following the Abraham Accords between Israel and the UAE, to deal with issues concerning maritime security, infrastructure and transport in the region. At that time, it was called the 'International Forum for Economic Cooperation.' That was referred to as the 'West Asian Quad'. I2U2 initiative is a new grouping of India, Israel, the US and UAE. In the grouping's name, 'I2' stands for India and Israel, whereas 'U2' stands for the US and the UAE. This is a great achievement which tells the geopolitical changes that happen in the region. This will not only revitalize and re-energize the system of alliances and partnerships around the world but also stitch together partnerships that did not exist previously or were not utilized to their full extent. This will help the countries in exploring security cooperation among the four nations within the framework of these new groupings. Each of these countries is a technological hub. Biotechnology, of course, is prominent in each of these countries as well. This initiative offers an opportunity to discuss food security. These countries could cooperate on a number of levels, whether it's technologies, trade, climate, fighting against Covid-19, or even security. India will get the advantage of the Abraham Accords to deepen engagement with Israel without risking its ties with the UAE and the other Arab states. Moreover, India is a massive consumer market. It's a massive producer of high-tech and highly sought-after goods as well. India will benefit from this grouping. It will help India in building alliances -- political alliances, and social alliances. (ANI)
The city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan is all geared up for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend on September 15 and 16. PM Modi is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin during the meeting here in Samarkand. As per sources, PM Modi is likely to have bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand. "PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev are almost fixed and the meetings will take place on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand," a source told ANI. The Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat had said earlier that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the summit and hold bilateral meetings with several leaders. "Leaders of SCO member countries are meeting after two years due to the COVID pandemic. Some bilateral meetings will take place on the sidelines of the SCO. Still, the programme of the meetings will be finalised in due course," Ambassador Prabhat had told ANI in an exclusive interview. "Economic cooperation in the SCO is an important question, which will be discussed in the meetings. When we are meeting with central Asian countries, we discuss connectivity which will promote trade, investment and other exchanges between Indian and central Asian countries," he told ANI. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are also expected to attend the summit. Uzbekistan is the chair of SCO 2022. India will be the next chair of the SCO. (ANI)
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in a joint operation on Wednesday apprehended a Pakistani boat Al Tayyasa with six crew members in Indian waters carrying approximately 40 kgs of Heroine worth Rs 200 crore. The Indian Coast Guard strategically deployed two fast interceptor class of ships, C-408 and C-454 for patrolling in areas close to the notional International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) during the intervening night of September 13-14 on the basis of a special intelligence input, according to an official statement by Defence PRO Gandhinagar. Taking to Twitter, "In a joint Ops with ATS #Gujarat@IndiaCoastGuard apprehended #Pakistani Boat Al Tayyasa with 06 crew in #Indian waters of #Arabian Sea carrying about 40 Kgs #heroin worth approx 200 Cr. Boat being brought to #Jakhau for further investigation," the Indian Coast Guard said. During midnight, a Pakistani Boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters, 5 nm inside notional IMBL and 40 nm from Jakhau, the press statement read, adding that boat over boarded a consignment and started evasive maneuvering following which the consignment was skillfully recovered by one of the two ICG ships and found to be a drug consignment. On visual examination, drug is believed to be Heroin with quantity approximately 40 Kgs and market value of Rs 200 crore. The other ICG ship, braving very rough seas in pitch dark night and marginal weather conditions maneuvered and stopped the boat. According to Indian Coast Guard officials, the Pakistani boat was apprehended 6 miles inside Indian waters. "Two fast attack boats of ICG caught a Pakistani boat 33 nautical miles off the Jakhau Coast in Gujarat," said the officials. Notably, the Pakistani boat is being brought to Jakhau for further joint investigation by all agencies and the six crew members were questioned. This is the fifth such joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard and ATS, Gujarat in last one year and has further highlighted the importance of effective coordination amongst stakeholders for robust coastal security network, the statement added. (ANI)
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who is on an official visit to India, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and conveyed President Emmanuel Macron's message of friendship and cooperation to the Prime Minister. According to an official statement issued by Prime Minister's Office today, several discussions including bilateral and other issues of mutual interest were also held between both of them. "Ms. Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, who is on an official visit to India from September 13-15, 2022, called on Prime Minister Modi today. Besides discussion on bilateral and other issues of mutual interest, the Minister conveyed President Macron's message of friendship and cooperation to the Prime Minister," the statement read. PM Modi fondly recalled his recent meetings with President Macron in Paris and Schloss Elmau, Germany, and conveyed his desire to welcome him in India at an early opportunity, as per the statement. Earlier in the day, the French Foreign Minister said India and France have strong strategic partnership for the last 25 years and want to bring peace and stability to the world. "It is my first visit as a minister to India but not my first visit to India. But I wanted to choose India as my first visit as a minister in the Asian zone. So, that's a deliberate choice. The reason is that France and India have had a strong partnership with its strategic partnership for the past 25 years almost. We've achieved a lot. We want to bring some peace and stability to this world," Colonna told ANI. On Thursday, Colonna will also travel to Mumbai for engagements with industry leaders and site visits. (ANI)
Vietnamese rice exporters expect higher prices as India slaps curbs to reduce global supply

With Indias recent rice export restrictions, Vietnamese exporters expect to increase shipments and hike prices, industry insiders have said.









Bags of rice are loaded on to a ship for exports. Vietnam is expected to export 6.5- 6.7 million tonnes in 2022 for US$3.3 billion.  VNA/VNS Photo

Nguyen Quang Hoa, director of Duong Vu Co Ltd (Long An Province), said India has imposed a 20 per cent export tax on the grain, and banned shipments of broken rice to soften domestic prices following a significant decline in production due to a poor monsoon.



The move would affect the global market for one of the most commonly eaten staple foods amid a surge in commodity prices following the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict.



It would also encourage buyers to shift to rivals such as Vietnam and Thailand, which have been struggling to increase exports and prices, he said.



Vietnamese rice exporters are holding off on deals, expecting the price to rise.



Nguyen Van on, director of Viet Hung Co Ltd (Tien Giang Province), said the prices of rice of all kinds have already gone up by an average of VN300 per kilo compared to before the Indian restrictions.



Nguyen Van Hieu, export director of Loc Troi Group, said shipments of the grain are also expected to increase in the remaining months thanks largely to high demand from countries such as the Philippines, China and the EU.



The prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict has led to a shortage of wheat and escalating food prices in the EU. European and South American countries are also in the midst of production difficulties.



To make up for this shortfall, European countries are likely to buy rice from Vietnam and other rice producers, according to Hieu.



Dr Nguyen ang Nghia, director of the Southern Centre for Soil Fertiliser and Environmental Research, said global demand for rice is set to keep rising this year.



Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung uc Tien said Vietnam is expected to export 6.5- 6.7 million tonnes in 2022 for $3.3 billion.



Buyers shift to Vietnam



B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the All India Rice Exporters Association, has been quoted by Reuters as saying: The [export] duty will affect white and brown rice, which account for more than 60 per cent of Indias exports.



With this duty, Indian rice shipments will become uncompetitive. Buyers will shift to Vietnam and Thailand.



India accounts for more than 40 per cent of global rice exports and competes with Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, and Myanmar in the global market.



Its exports hit a record 21.5 million tonnes last year, more than the combined volumes of the next four largest exporters, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and the US.



Vijay Setia, former president of the All India Rice Exporters Association, told the Indian Express newspaper, A 20 per cent duty is not going to render Indian rice uncompetitive.



He said India currently exports 5 per cent broken white rice for $340 a tonne (as compared to $380 for Pakistan, $395 for Vietnam and $430 for Thailand).



India exports rice to more than 150 countries, and so any reduction in shipments by it would increase food prices, which are already too high due to drought, heat waves and the Russia- Ukraine conflict.



Ukraine and Russia are also two major suppliers of wheat, whose global prices have risen substantially recently.



In its August report, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) lowered its global rice production forecast for the 2022-23 crop to 512.4 million tonnes, down 2.3 million tonnes from its original forecast and 1.2 million tonnes compared to the previous crop.



But it increased projections for global consumption following the crop by up more than two million tonnes.


Assyrian Christianity Asserts Its Renewal in Erbil

The patriarchate of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East in Erbil, Iraq. ( IshtarTV) (AINA) -- For some time now news in the Western World has portrayed the existence of Christianity in the Middle East as fragile, unstable, and on the verge of extinction. Christianity and the Middle East, many commentators suggested, were going their separate ways. In concrete defiance of such views, the recently consecrated patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, His Holiness Mar Awa III, has established his patriarchal residence in Erbil, ancient Assyrian Arbailu, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is an impressive, sprawling architectural creation that draws on classical and Assyrian themes and restores Assyrian Christianity back to the place where the apostles Mar Addai and Mar Mari were first reputed to preach their message according to Church tradition.

According to scholars Patricia Crone and Michael Cook, Assyrians established a unique Church of the East; "on the one hand the local church of Assyria, a chauvinist assertion of a provincial identity; and on the other the metropolitan church of Persia with its center in Babylonia, a cosmopolitan assertion of a gentile truth.1 While the 'church of Assyria' has maintained its tenuous existence through villages and towns that continue to uphold the Christian faith, the more 'cosmopolitan church,' once reputed to be larger than the Catholic and Orthodox churches combined, has over the centuries lost ground throughout Asia due to persecution. The establishment of the patriarchy in Erbil is certainly an assertion of sorts.

On September 12, 2022, one year after his consecration, Patriarch Awa unveiled the glimmering white patriarchal residence that was 14 years in the making. "Today is a historic day," he stated in a speech in the Assyrian language with an Assyrian flag behind him, giving acknowledgment to the work begun under the late Patriarch Dinkha IV, and the retired Patriarch Gewargis III. Patriarch Awa explained that the apostles established the Church of the East where the patriarchate now stands, and described how the patriarchal seat of the Church had gone from there to Seleucia-Ctesiphon 2, then to Baghdad in 776 AD, then to Erbil in 1301, then to Karmalesh (Kar-Mulisi) in the Nineveh Plain in North Iraq, then to Alqosh for hundreds of years. He lamented the unjustness of the expulsion of the late Patriarch Eshai Shimun XXIII from Iraq in 1933 and rejoiced, saying "this historic seat has returned to its homeland... May this Patriarchate be blessed for all of you and us."

Patriarch Awa and Masoud Barzani in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Assyrian church Patriarchate.

Patriarch Awa extended his gratitude to the former president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masoud Barzani, to former Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, and to Sarkis Aghajan, the former Minister for Finance and Economy and the one who was instrumental in obtaining the land for the patriarchate. The Patriarch also expressed appreciation to Fawzi Hariri, former Minister of Industry in Iraq, and to Pshtiwan Sadq Abdullah, the KRG Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs. The Patriarch also expressed deep gratitude to Mr. Ninos Mimrud, who helped carry the project through.

In a short speech, Masoud Barzani said the new patriarchate symbolized the 100-years-long relationship between Kurds and Assyrians initiated by Kurdish leader Abdulsalam Barzani and the martyred Patriarch Benyamin Shimun XIX.

During the ceremony, Mar Abris, the bishop of Erbil and Kirkuk, stopped his speech to express respect for the Islamic call to prayer at a nearby Mosque. The gesture won the approval of many Muslims in Iraq, who viewed it as a sign of mutual respect that Iraqis should have toward each other's religious beliefs and practices.

Some in the Assyrian community in the West expressed reservations about the close ties with the Kurdistan Regional Government, particularly given the news of land grabs in traditionally Assyrian villages in the Kurdistan region. Others, however, see the move as a much-needed positive change. "Wonderful!" one leader in Detroit said, "Hopefully Mar Awa will help bring the community back."

Perhaps the reestablishment of the patriarchate in Erbil, after its absence for hundreds of years, will bring back a community that has endured its virtual destruction over the past two decades. "I see this as a very hopeful sign," said an Assyrian activist in Chicago, "we have to cherish it and appreciate it."

1 Patricia Crone and Michael Cook; Hagarism: The Making of the Islamic World; Cambridge University Press. 1977, p. 57.

2 According to the classical historian and geographer Strabo, Seleucia-Ctesiphon took the place of Babylon, which he knew as "the metropolis of Assyria; but now Seleucia is the metropolis, I mean the Seleucia on the Tigris, as it is called. Nearby is situated a village called Ctesiphon, a large village." STRABO, GEOGRAPHY, p193 Book XVI, Chapter 1.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said that France is open to Indian students, as the country set the ambitious target of welcoming 20,000 students by 2025. During a press conference along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi, Colonna said that both of the counterparts have discussed the strengthening of ties between the two countries today. "We have discussed today the strengthening of ties between our peoples, this partnership of hearts and minds, to which we are so attached. This morning I conveyed a message to Indian students in this regard: France is open to you. We wish to see you come and study in France in greater numbers. President Emmanuel Macron has set us the ambitious target of welcoming 20,000 Indian students to France by 2025," she said. "The new Indo-French Campus for Healthcare that we are working on, which will award dual degrees in healthcare from next year, will contribute to this. As will the Bureau of France that we will soon open in Hyderabad. This will come in addition to the one in Chennai, to our 4 Consulates general and to our 15 Alliances francaises, so that wherever you live in India, France will not be far away," the Foriegn Minister added. French Foreign Minister also said that France is proud to be one of India's first defence partners, adding that the arm forces of both countries are now conducting joint patrols. "In the field of defence, no other country is ready to share its most advanced defence technologies with India as much as France. And we are proud to be one of your very first defence partners, not only in industrial terms but also in operational ones. Our armed forces are now conducting joint patrols, which is a major step forward," she said. She also asserted that France we will soon initiate a new dialogue on security issues in space. "Our cybersecurity cooperation is progressing well and our counter-terrorism cooperation remains very close. We are already doing a great deal together on low-carbon energy. Our Jaitapur civil nuclear project is progressing well. I would like to recall that it would provide India with the largest nuclear power plant in the world to serve its goals of energy independence and the fight against global warming," Catherine Colonna said at the press conference. Colonna is visiting India from September 14-15 and she aims to move forward with an ambitious plan to deepen and expand the Indo-French strategic partnership ahead of its 25th anniversary next year. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India and France agreed to work towards the establishment of Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation. "The French have a long-standing presence on either extremity of the Indo-Pacific. Hearing Minister Colonna's views and assessments of those regions was truly of great value. We agreed to establish Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation that would facilitate development projects, especially in the framework of the International Solar Alliance," Jaishankar said. Jaishankar spoke about the collaboration between India and France on joint projects in the International Solar Alliance in three countries namely Bhutan, Papua New Guinea and Senegal. (ANI)
As many as 141 passengers were evacuated after one of the engines of a Kochi-bound Air India Express plane caught fire, the airline said in a statement on Wednesday. The plane was on the taxiway when another aircraft reported observing fumes from one of the engines. However, there was no fire warning indication in the cockpit, the statement said. Some passengers also received some minor bruises during the evacuation. Following the incident, regulatory authorities initiated a probe while the airline also began looking into the happening. Air India Express' Muscat to Kochi flight IX 442, with 141 passengers on board, was preparing to depart from Muscat at 1120 Hrs (local time) today. However, passengers were evacuated after fumes were observed emanating from one of the engines. "As a matter of abundant precaution, and following the prescribed SOPs, the crew stopped on the taxiway and activated the onboard engine fire extinguishers. Thereafter, the passengers were evacuated from the aircraft," the statement read. Full support was extended by Muscat Airport Authorities and the passengers were brought to the terminal building. There are no major injuries reported, except minor bruises to some passengers while evacuating, the statement added. "The matter is being investigated by the regulatory authorities and also the Airline's Flight Safety Department," said the statement. The airline is extending all facilities to the guests at Muscat. The airline's local management and support staff are are on hand at Muscat airport for assistance. A relief flight has been arranged to bring back the guests from Muscat later this evening, said the statement. Earlier on July 17, an Air India Express aircraft while operating from Calicut to Dubai was diverted to Muscat after a burning smell was observed from one of the vents in the forward galley of the flight. Meanwhile, after frequent engineering-related glitches were reported in several airlines, the DGCA conducted several spot checks and advised that all aircraft at base and transit stations shall be released by certifying staff holding a licence with appropriate authorization by their organization. The move comes after several instances were reported in the country where flights were diverted citing safety or functioning issues. Notably, numerous incidents were reported this year when aircraft either turned back to their originating station or continued landing at the destination with degraded safety margins. (ANI)
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, during the joint press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday, said that France is proud to be one of India's first defence partners, adding that the arm forces of both the countries are now conducting joint patrols. "In the field of defence, no other country is ready to share its most advanced defence technologies with India as much as France. And we are proud to be one of your very first defence partners, not only in industrial terms but also in operational ones. Our armed forces are now conducting joint patrols, which is a major step forward," Colonna said. She also asserted that France we will soon initiate a new dialogue on security issues in space. "Our cybersecurity cooperation is progressing well and our counter-terrorism cooperation remains very close. We are already doing a great deal together on low-carbon energy. Our Jaitapur civil nuclear project is progressing well. I would like to recall that it would provide India with the largest nuclear power plant in the world to serve its goals of energy independence and the fight against global warming," Catherine Colonna said at the press conference. Colonna is visiting India from September 14-15 and she aims to move forward with an ambitious plan to deepen and expand the Indo-French strategic partnership ahead of its 25th anniversary next year. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India and France agreed to work towards the establishment of Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation. "The French have a long-standing presence on either extremity of the Indo-Pacific. Hearing Minister Colonna's views and assessments of those regions was truly of great value. We agreed to establish Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation that would facilitate development projects, especially in the framework of the International Solar Alliance," Jaishankar said. Jaishankar spoke about the collaboration between India and France on joint projects in the International Solar Alliance in three countries namely Bhutan, Papua New Guinea and Senegal. Speaking about, the war between Russia and Ukraine, the French Foreign Minister reiterated its commitment to India. "As an Indo-Pacific nation, our commitment to the region is unwavering. The war in Ukraine will not affect that. And India is and will remain at the core of our comprehensive strategy for the region," she said. French Foreign Minister also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed President Emmanuel Macron's message of friendship and cooperation to the Prime Minister. (ANI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dialled the US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin on Wednesday and discussed the enhanced defence and security cooperation as he raised India's concern at the decision of the US to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fleet. In a tweet, the Defence Minister said, "Had a warm and productive telephonic conversation with the US Secretary of Defence, Mr Lloyd Austin. We discussed the growing convergence of strategic interests and enhanced defence & security cooperation. @SecDef" "I conveyed India's concern at the recent US decision to provide sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fleet. Look forward to continuing dialogue with Secretary Austin to further consolidating India-US partnership," he added. The defence minister also discussed ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration between the two countries with his US counterpart and also underlined the importance of cooperation in emerging and critical technologies. "We also discussed ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration and explore cooperation in emerging and critical technologies," Singh wrote on Twitter. Notably, India is the centrepiece of the Joe Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy - Indian Foreign and Defence Ministers recently held the '2+2' meeting with their American counterparts. India-US bilateral partnership today encompasses a whole host of issues including the response to Covid-19, economic recovery post-pandemic, the climate crisis and sustainable development, critical and emerging technologies, supply chain resilience, education, the diaspora and defence and security. The breadth and depth of Indo-US ties remain unmatched and the drivers of this partnership have been growing at an unprecedented rate. The relationship remains unique insofar as this is driven at both levels: at the strategic elite as well as at the people-to-people level. (ANI)
The state funeral for the long-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom will be taking place on September 19.

"Dr Khadka is confirmed to represent Nepal in the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth," Arun Subedi, Foreign Affairs Advisor for Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba confirmed to ANI over the phone.

The British Queen breathed her last at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8. Nepal had announced three-day mourning over the passing away of the 96-year-old queen.

The death of the 96-year-old Queen ended a generation-spanning, seven-decade reign that made her a beacon of stability in a tumultuous world. The UK has entered a period of official mourning, with tributes pouring in worldwide.

King Charles III was proclaimed as the new monarch of England on Saturday after his mother Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8. Moreover, the national anthem of Britain will now again shift back to "God Save the King" after the Queen's demise.

UK authorities had devised Operation London Bridge to manage events during the first 10 days between the Queen's death and the funeral. They had thought of Operation Unicorn in case the queen died in Scotland.

The funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey on September 19 and there will be a committal service in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. After that, Queen Elizabeth II will be buried in the castle's King George VI Memorial Chapel. (ANI)
In a tweet, the Indian Defence Minister said, "Had a warm and productive telephonic conversation with the US Secretary of Defence, Mr Lloyd Austin. We discussed the growing convergence of strategic interests and enhanced defence & security cooperation. @SecDef"

"I conveyed India's concern at the recent US decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fleet. Look forward to continuing dialogue with Secretary Austin to further consolidate India-US partnership," he added.

Reversing the decision taken by the previous Donald Trump government, the United States had approved a USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet sustainment programme for Pakistan. In 2018, Donald Trump stopped all defence and security assistance to Pakistan alleging that Islamabad was not a partner in its fight against terrorism. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had said that the Pakistan government had requested support for its F-16 fleet.

Defence Minister Singh also discussed with Secretary Austin ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration between the two countries and also underlined the importance of cooperation in emerging and critical technologies.

"We also discussed ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration and explore cooperation in emerging and critical technologies," Singh tweeted.

Notably, India is considered the centrepiece of the Joe Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy and Indian Foreign and Defence Ministers recently held ahe '2+2' meeting with their American counterparts.

India-US bilateral partnership today encompasses a whole host of issues including the response to Covid-19, economic recovery post-pandemic, the climate crisis and sustainable development, critical and emerging technologies, supply chain resilience, education, the diaspora and defence and security. (ANI)
India will do its best to promote South-South cooperation, which has become even more important at present because of the COVID-19 pandemic, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj has said at an event. Ambassador Kamboj was speaking at a joint side event hosted by UN Political and Peacebuilding and UN Development Programme on South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Peace and Development at the 'Global South-South Development Expo'. "South-South and Triangular Cooperation is the right thing to do, working for development is the right thing to do, and this is the small contribution that India, with its commitment to multilateralism and South-South Cooperation is venturing to support at the UN," she said. "The Covid pandemic has tested the resilience of multilateral institutions, and the Global South has been largely fending for itself. Realizing that the Global South has been mostly left to fend for itself during the pandemic, South-South Cooperation has become even more crucial. India is and will continue to do its best in furthering this," the Permanent Representative to the UN said. Kamboj highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a "One Earth One Health" approach underlines our continuing commitment to the Global South, already evident in the supply of more than 240 million vaccine doses to over 100 countries. "The motto of the Government of India, 'Together, for everyone's growth, with everyone's trust and effort,' resonates with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind," she said. She also said that India has completed administering over 2 billion vaccine doses. "We have offered indigenously developed COVID-19 mitigation technologies, solutions and products which are affordable, effective and safe. At a Global Co-WIN conclave held in July last year, India has offered its vaccine delivery Co-WIN platform as open-source software to interested countries," the Permanent Representative to the UN said. Kamboj also mentioned India's advocacy of introducing new and advanced technology in Peacekeeping Missions to overcome security and mandate implementation challenges is noteworthy. Speaking about Indian Peacekeeping Missions, Kamboj said: "In 2021, under our presidency of the Security Council and at a cost of US$ 1.6 million, India had supported the rolling out of the UNITE AWARE Platform aimed at enhancing the safety and security of peacekeepers and had signed an MOU with the UN Academy for Peace Operations in Entebbe, Uganda, to meet its training and technology needs. " She also highlighted the role of women peacekeepers cannot be over-emphasized in effective peacekeeping. Kamboj underscored the importance of the India UN Development Partnership Fund, a "very unique initiative" helmed by India in the context of South-South cooperation. Launched in 2017 with a value of USD 150 million, it supports South-owned and South-led sustainable development projects focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), LLDCS (Landlocked Developing Countries) and SIDS (Small Island Developing States). India's approach will continue to be human-centric, based on mutual respect and national ownership principles, with a commitment to sustainable development for all. (ANI)
Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan arrived in Asmara, Eritrea on Thursday to call on President Isaias Afwerki and hold talks with Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. Upon his arrival, Osman Ibrahim, the Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eritrea, received him. MoS also interacted with the Indian community in Eritrea during the visit. Indian Community in Eritrea welcomed him. In his address to the diaspora, the MoS underlined the age-old relations between India and Eritrea and lauded their contributions. He also highlighted the phenomenal transformations happening in India. India enjoys warm and cordial relations with Eritrea. Since its independence in 1993, India has offered a range of capacity-building assistance in diverse fields to the youth of Eritrea. A sizeable Indian community is living in Eritrea, mostly Professors and Teachers and those working for companies. The visit is likely to give new momentum to India's relations with Eritrea. MoS Muraleedharan Tuesday visited the Republic of Kenya where he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Kenyan President Dr William Ruto in Nairobi and expressed optimism that the relationship between the two countries would strengthen under his leadership. MoS handed over the letter of greetings and a congratulatory message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kenyan President Ruto. Muraleedharan arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday. Notably, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga visited India in February this year and met PM Modi. The two leaders share friendly personal relations going back decades. PM Modi expressed his happiness at being able to meet Odinga after almost three and half years. He recollected his multiple interactions with Odinga since 2008 in both India and Kenya, as well as the latter's support of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2009 and 2012. Kenya has a significant minority of Indians and Persons of Indian Origin living there who are descendants of labourers brought in by the British to construct the Uganda Railway. Kenya and India are members of international fora like the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Commonwealth of Nations, G-77 and G-15, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation and often cooperate with each other on these fora. India and Kenya are maritime neighbours with robust and multi-faceted partnerships, marked by regular high-level visits, increasing trade and investment and extensive people-to-people contacts. According to the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), India is the second largest investor in Kenya. Apart from trade and political relations Cultural ties, development, and people to contact India shares good relations with Kenya. (ANI)
Sep. 14One person was taken to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton after an SUV crashed into a pole and caught fire early Wednesday morning in New Carlisle.

The condition of the patient is not clear at this time.

The crash took place on Jefferson Street around 3:30 a.m.

We are working to learn more and will update this story as more information is available.
Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret and baby daughter Princess Anne on the grounds of Balmoral Castle in Scotland, on August 21, 1951. Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II and her younger sister Princess Margaret were born four years apart.

While the Queen was seen as a dutiful ruler, Margaret earned the reputation of "rebel princess."

Despite complications, the sisters remained extremely close throughout their lives.

Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were born four years apart. Elizabeth was born in 1926, while Margaret was born in 1930.

Queen Elizabeth, age six, and Princess Margaret, age two, in 1932. Popperfoto/Getty Images

"Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy," King George VI once said of his two daughters, according to Vogue.

This quote perfectly encompassed the sisters' close yet complicated relationship  while Elizabeth was sworn to a life of duty and acted as leader of the commonwealth for much of her life, Margaret was free to enjoy all that high-society life had to offer, from parties to traveling around the world.

As children, the two princesses were practically inseparable.

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret pose on bicycles in Windsor, England on April 4, 1942. Studio Lisa/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The sisters were often photographed playing in their playhouse at Windsor's Royal Lodge, swimming, or riding bikes together on the various royal properties.

When their father, King George VI, was crowned king in 1937, then-Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret stepped into the spotlight, and Elizabeth was recognized as his heir apparent.

The princesses knew their roles within the royal family. As children, Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret made a broadcast to the children of the British Empire during World War II.

Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret make a broadcast to the children of the Empire during World War II. Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

On October 13, 1940, future Queen Elizabeth made her first public address to the children of Great Britain, many of whom had been sent away from their homes to reside safely in the country outside of central London.

"In wishing you all 'good evening' I feel that I am speaking to friends and companions who have shared with my sister and myself many a happy Children's Hour," Princess Elizabeth said. "Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose and I feel so much for you as we know from experience what it means to be away from those we love most of all."

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"To you, living in new surroundings, we send a message of true sympathy and at the same time, we would like to thank the kind people who have welcomed you to their homes in the country," she continued.

"We know, everyone of us, that in the end all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace. And when peace comes, remember it will be for us, the children of today, to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place," she concluded, joined by her younger sister Margaret. "My sister is by my side and we are both going to say goodnight to you."

After World War II ended in 1945, 19-year-old Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret partied incognito in the streets of London.

Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, UK, on July 8, 1946. Lisa Sheridan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Queen spoke about her experience leaving the palace in disguise in a 1985 BBC broadcast.

"We cheered the King and Queen on the balcony and then walked miles through the streets," Queen Elizabeth said. "I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief."

"I think it was one of the most memorable nights of my life," she continued.

As teenagers, the royal sisters also knew how to have a good time together.

Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth playing tag with sailors aboard the HMS Vanguard in February 1947. Getty Images

In one photograph from February 1947, Margaret could be seen playing tag with sailors aboard a royal navy ship while Elizabeth looked on laughing.

As Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's family grew, Princess Margaret was by her side.

Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret and baby daughter Princess Anne on the grounds of Balmoral Castle in Scotland, on August 21, 1951. Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

In this photograph dated August 21, 1951, the future Queen and Princess Margaret pose alongside Elizabeth's only daughter, Princess Anne. Princess Margaret had a close relationship with all four of Elizabeth's children and was often seen joining the royal family on outings.

Almost a year after their father passed away suddenly in February 1952, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret attended a performance at the Palladium.

Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth watch the Royal Variety Performance from the Royal Box at the Palladium in November 1952. PA Images/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth stepped into her role as Queen seamlessly, while Margaret, seen smoking a cigarette, was often branded as the more rebellious, glamorous younger sister. Margaret, nicknamed the "rebel princess," was said to enjoy dancing, the latest fashions, smoking, and had a particular love for Famous Grouse scotch.

"It was inevitable when there are two sisters and one is the Queen who must be the source of honor and all that is good while the other must be the focus of the most creative malice, the evil sister," Princess Margaret reportedly once said.

Even after Queen Elizabeth was crowned on June 2, 1953, the two sisters remained extremely close.

Queen Elizabeth, left, at Buckingham Palace after her Coronation at Westminster Abbey. With her are the Duke of Edinburgh, back, Princess Margaret, front, and the Queen Mother, right. PA Images/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were so close that they even had a direct phone line in between their homes so they could talk to each other whenever they wished.

Their relationship became more strained when Princess Margaret fell in love with Captain Peter Townsend of the Royal Air Force, a man who was nearly twice her age and was divorced.

Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret riding in a car in July 1955. PA Images/Getty Images

The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 decreed that all royal marriages had to be approved by the Queen, and given the scandal that came with Edward VIII's abdication and subsequent marriage to a divorcee, some speculated that Queen Elizabeth couldn't allow her sister to marry Townsend without making her give up her rights of succession and those of her children.

Though historians argue that Queen Elizabeth actually devised a plan that would allow her sister to marry Townsend, Princess Margaret chose instead to marry Antony Armstrong-Jones, a British photographer and filmmaker, on May 6, 1960.

In the 1970s, Princess Margaret built a house on the private island of Mustique.

Princess Margaret shows her sister, Queen Elizabeth around the island during the Queen and Prince Philip's visit to Mustique in 1977. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

The royal spent most of her time on the island, creating a physical separation between her and much of the royal family, although her sister Queen Elizabeth did visit her on multiple occasions.

When the sisters did get together, they appeared to be just as close as they were in their younger years.

Queen Elizabeth with The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret at the Badminton Horse Trials in April 1975. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

In April 1975, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were photographed alongside their mother at the Badminton Horse Trials.

Princess Margaret passed away at the age of 71 on February 9, 2002, leaving the Queen seemingly heartbroken.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth (right) and Princess Margaret's children Viscount Linley and Sarah Chatto arrive for the funeral of Princess Margaret at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on February 15, 2002. Fiona Hanso/PA Images/Getty Images

Princess Margaret was a heavy smoker throughout much of her life and suffered a bout of pneumonia and multiple strokes before her passing.

"The Queen, with great sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately," a statement from Buckingham Palace read. "Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6:30 a.m., in The King Edward VII Hospital. Her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, were at her side."

"This is a terribly sad day for all my family, but particularly of course for the Queen, my mama, and my grandmother, the Queen Mother, and also for Princess Margaret's children, David and Sarah, and also my aunt's wonderful friends who, like all of us, miss her deeply," King Charles III, then known as Prince Charles, said in a statement.

At the funeral for Princess Margaret, the Queen could be seen softly crying, a rare show of public emotion for the stoic monarch.

"I think it was the only time anyone ever saw the queen show her emotions in public," royal family friend Reinaldo Herrera wrote in Vanity Fair. "Never explaining anything to the world  what she feels, or why she does what she does  is part of her greatness. But for a few minutes that day, as she stood by the steps of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, watching her sister's coffin being borne away, her eyes betrayed her."

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Andre Mathis had the longest waiting period of any nominee for the Sixth Circuit, with a 10-month gap between his nomination and his appointment.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has existed for 131 years but has never included a Black man from Tennessee  until now.

According to The Memphis Commercial Appeal, Andre Mathis  who was raised in South Memphis  will be the second Black Tennessean to serve on the circuit court and the first Black man from the state to be appointed following a 4847 Senate vote on Thursday.

Memphians can be proud of this appointment and confirmation of the first African American man from Tennessee to serve on the Sixth Circuit, said Democratic Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis, who made Mathis recommendation to President Joe Bidens administration, The Commercial Appeal reported.

Memphis-raised attorney Andre Mathis (above) is the first Black man from Tennessee to be appointed to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. (Photo: Screengrab/YouTube.com)

Mathis, a Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law graduate, was a partner at Butler Snow in Memphis when he was nominated in 2021. There, he was a part of the Labor and Employment Group, as well as the Commercial Litigation Group.

As a board member for both The Boys and Girls Clubs of Memphis and Street Ministries, he has also been actively involved with a number of groups that assist low-income adolescents.

I am confident Judge Mathis will dispense impartial justice and admirably perform his important duties, Cohen maintained, according to The Commercial Appeal.

Tennessee Republican Sen. Martha Blackburn was particularly critical of Mathis nomination and reportedly took a racially charged approach in voicing her concerns. Referring to Mathis prior speeding citations as a rap sheet, Blackburn eventually joined the Senate members who opposed Mathis appointment.

It has been made public that he has a rap sheet with a laundry list of citations, including multiple failures to appear in court in Tennessee, Blackburn previously said in a hearing, according to The Nashville Tennessean. We expect our judges to respect the law, not disregard it. If Mr. Mathis thought he was above the law before, imagine how hell conduct himself if hes confirmed.

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According to Reuters, she also found it insulting that the White House didnt communicate with her or fellow Senator Bill Hagerty about Mathis and that they werent even sent blue slips  which home-state senators have traditionally been required to return for a nominee to be taken into consideration  to express their opinions on him.

Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy was the lone Republican to join his Democratic colleagues in last weeks vote in favor of Mathis.

The sixth circuit court has judicial authority over the district courts in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan. Mathis had the longest waiting period of any nominee for the Biden circuit, with a 10-month gap between his nomination and appointment, The Commercial Appeal reported.

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The post After 131 years, a Black man will be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit appeared first on TheGrio.
Rhode Island is one of three states to hold its primaries today. These are the final three primaries before the mid-term elections in November.

The nation's eyes are on the Second Congressional District, where Republicans have hopes for an upset in the election for a House seat now held by U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, who is retiring after 11 terms representing Democratic-leaning Rhode Island.

The other major race on the Democratic primary ballot is the governor's race, where Dan McKee is trying to be elected to his first full term. He is one of five candidates vie for the chance to go against the presumptive Republican nominee, Ashley Kalus in November's general election.

Live Election Results: Check out the map of how your city or town voted in the primary

Rhode Island Primary Voter Guide: Everything you need know to about the candidates

LaFortune concedes to Brett Smiley

Providence mayoral candidate Nirva LaFortune tweeted at around 9:35 p.m. that she had called Brett Smiley to congratulate him on a race well run.

LaFortune was trailing fellow candidates Smiley and Gonzalo Cuervo with 95% of precincts reporting and 21.9% of the vote compared to Smiley's 41.7% and Cuervo's 36.4%.

More on Providence mayor results: Brett Smiley looks to be the next mayor of Providence

What is the threshold for a recount in in a Rhode Island election?

There is no automatic recount process in Rhode Island elections.

Instead, candidates can request a recount if they hit prescribed thresholds. Those thresholds are different for different sized elections.

In a race where the total number of votes is 100,000 or greater, a candidate can request a recount if they are trailing by 1,500 votes or .5% of the total votes cast, whichever is less.

In a race where the total number of votes is between 20,001 and 100,000, that threshold is trailing by 1% of votes or 500 votes, whichever is less.

In a race where the total number of votes is 20,000 or less, that threshold is trailing by 2% of total votes cast or 200 votes, whichever is less.

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In the gubernatorial primary, the margin of defeat must fall between 1 percent and 500 votes, "whichever is less," for the losing candidate to request a recount under state law. That candidate would need to request such a recount by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, said the Board of Elections' executive director, Bob Rapoza.

When will votes cast before election day -- including mail ballots -- be counted and added to the totals?

The Board of Elections tabulates mail ballots as they come in from cities and towns, but they will not be added to the publicly-reported vote total until sometime after the polls close at 8 p.m. The Board expects to count all mail ballots before the end of Tuesday -- except some late-arriving ballots cast in drop boxes on election day.

Votes cast in-person before election day are also being counted as they come in and will only be reported to the public sometime after the polls close.

Candidates for Lt. Governor try to sway voters at the polls

Matos and Ruggiero made their rounds to polling places across the state to try and sway voters at the polls. Matos joined Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and Gov. Dan McKee at the Whelan Elementary School in North Providence, along with North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi and Ruggerio's opponent, Leonard Cioe Jr.

Ruggiero stumped, among other locations, at the Temple Beth El in Wayland Square in Providence, handing out leaflets with her information on them. Ruggiero served for in the statehouse for 14 years and said she wants to focus on her "4 E's"  the economy, education, the environment and "our elders."

Candidates converge at Whelen Elementary

At Whelan Elementary School in North Providence, Matos, McKee and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio circled the parking lot talking to supporters, along with Ruggerio's opponent, Leonard Cioe Jr., who warmly greeted Matos. Joining the candidates was North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi, whose term extends to 2024.

Cioe said he was alone at the polling place because his volunteers were busy getting voters to their own polling places and knocking on doors to ask if people have voted yet.

Campaigning for LaFortune at Temple Beth-El in Providence

At the Beth-El Temple in Wayland Square, voter Fran Loosen said the process was easy and there was a good slate of candidates.

"I knew who I liked," she said.

When it came to the lieutenant governor's race, Loosen said she voted for Matos. She credited Matos' time on the Providence City Council as winning her over.

At the temple, Leanne Soulard stood outside, holding a sign for LaFortune. She started the day distributing flyers, then phone banking, before standing outside the polling place. A voter, who said she was new to Providence, told Soulard she was torn between LaFortune and another candidate, and to change her mind.

"I don't typically get asked any questions," Soulard said.

Soulard said she was campaigning for LaFortune because she was in her city council district and knew LaFortune cares about education.

Walking out of the temple with a piece of red paper in her hands was Lajuan Loury, who moved to Providence from Texas five years ago.

She was turned away at the polls and told to go to another voting center because redistricting moved her polling place.

Loury said she didn't want to vote for any Democrats or Republicans, let alone the endorsed candidates with an asterisk next to their name on the ballot.

"They're not doing what the people want," she said, referring to both the political parties.

LaFortune greets voters in Providence

Around 5 p.m., Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune greeted voters at a polling site at Providence College's Schneider Arena, where some voters didn't feel strongly about the mayoral race.

"The message that I have is that the time is now," LaFortune said in response to the ambivalence, emphasizing her experience in city government. "This is an opportunity for us to elect someone with both the professional and lived experience to really move our city forward."

Erica Winter, a middle school civics and geography teacher, cast her ballot at the site for Gonzalo Cuervo, but said she "would be happy if any of them were mayor." Winter said she was swayed by Cuervo's familiarity with the function of city departments and his understanding of how to fix routine city life issues.

Also at the site was Anthony DeSimone, who said his nephew of the same name is running as an independent for a state Senate seat. DeSimone was certain of his support for Brett Smiley, particularly his call for a crackdown on ATVs and an expansion of the police force.

- Amy Russo, Journal Staff writer

Candidates converge in Warwick

WARWICK  Campaigning Democratic candidates for governor, treasurer and secretary of state converged on the polls at Veterans Memorial Middle School in Warwick Tuesday afternoon even though there weren't many voters to talk to.

After having lunch with a group of state lawmakers in Cranston, Gov. Dan McKee headed to House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi's district in southern Warwick a little before 3 p.m. Shekarchi is running for re-election against primary challenger Jackie Anderson.

More: Political Scene: Challenge to RI House speaker shows how Democrats are tugged to the left

Waiting there were former Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, who is locked in a tight battle for treasurer with Stefan Pryor, and Rep. Gregg Amore, who is running for secretary of state against Stephanie Beaute.

Independent Mayor Frank Picozzi Picozzi, who does not have an opponent on the ballot, was also there to say hello.

The curbside banter, as for much of the primary, was about McKee's mother and how popular she was in his commercials.

"I can't go anywhere without people asking where's my mother," McKee said about 94-year-old Willa McKee, who was in his most memorable television spot. "That ad brought smiles to people's faces because it was about family."

"I don't refer to him as the governor anymore. I refer to him as Willa's son," Shekarchi said to laughter.

Voters were few and far between at the middle school and even fewer Democrats who wanted to say who they voted for in the governor's race.

Bill Muto said he was voting for Shekarchi and Democrats, "not in the Rhode Island Political Cooperative."

Asked who his choice for governor was, Muto looked warily over at McKee about 20 yards away and said quietly "the woman from CVS," referring to Helena Foulkes.

- Patrick Anderson, Journal Staff writer

Ballot machine jams in McKee's hometown of Cumberland

One of the polling stations in Gov. Dan McKee's hometown of Cumberland was beset by voting day machine trouble.

Town Clerk Sandra Giovanelli confirmed that the ballot counting machine - known as a DS200 - jammed twice, the first time soon after the Cumberland High School polling station opened at 7 a.m. and the first ballot went in.

She told The Journal she called the state Board of Elections, which sent a technician who arrived at 9 a.m. and fixed the machine, at least for awhile.

During this stretch, she said voters continued to come and go, leaving the 53 ballots behind in an emergency slot in the DS200 until the two members of the town's board of canvassers - "a bipartisan pair" - the moderator, the clerk and the technician witnessed them being fed into the machine.

She said the machine jammed again at around 10:15 a.m. She was unsure how long it took to get it working again, but 40 ballots went into the emergency slot, she said, until they too were fed into the machine with all of the witnesses required under state protocol for such events.

"There were intermittent issues with the DS200," Board of Elections spokesman Chris Hunter subsequently confirmed.

"Humidity can cause jams. The Board has several technicians out in the field to fix this if/when it occurs. No voter was turned away or not allowed to vote due

to the issue in Cumberland."

It is not clear if any other cities and towns had similar issues.

- Kathy Gregg, Journal Staff writer

Gonzalo Cuervo visits Providence polling place

Gonzalo Cuervo arrived at the Da Vinci Center, a polling place on Charles Street, around 3:30 p.m.

He spent the earlier part of the day visiting sites in the East Side and South Side.

Our momentum has really, really built up in the last three weeks, Cuervo said, adding that while hes been campaigning for more than a year, he feels more voters finally started paying attention in the past month.

After a long campaign, its done, Cuervo said with a smile.

Deborah R., a voter who lives off Charles Street and preferred not to give her full last name, arrived at the site to cast her ballot for Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune. Her daughter, Sophia, is 18 and voting in her first election for the same candidate, finding she typically takes after her mother.

Providence mayoral hopeful visits polling sites around the city

Around 2 p.m., Brett Smiley stopped by a polling place in Roger Williams Park. The mayoral hopeful described a feeling of energy and enthusiasm, noting that hes received support on the road in the form of car honks and waves from windows.

Smiley began his day with visits to several East Side polling sites. He grabbed breakfast at the Butcher Shop deli on Elmgrove Avenue with former Journal political writer Charlie Bakst and mentor Myrth York, a former state senator.

- Amy Russo, Journal Staff writer

More: Why are they running? Providence mayoral candidates on the political and the personal

When do polls close

Polls are open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in every city and town except New Shoreham, where poll hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

When is the general election?

The general election is Nov. 8.

Warwick residents, including first-time voter, brave the rain to vote

WARWICK -- A small but steady stream of voters were casting ballots at Norwood Elementary School in Warwick Tuesday shortly before noon. A torrential rain had stopped, and the sun was peeking through the clouds.

Carol Buckley a Warwick resident, stood outside the school, carrying a sign for the state Senate candidate she supports  Democrat Harrison Tuttle.

Speaking of the morning just ending, she said Its been slow but people canvassing are pretty cheerful, pretty engaged.

She added: Its nice to see people doing their civic duty in this questionable weather.

Eighteen-year-old Kingston DaLomba was doing his civic duty by voting for the first time. A graduate of Pilgrim High School, Dalomba, a musician and singer, is a student at the Community College of Rhode Island, which he is attending on the Rhode Island Promise program.

Kingston DaLomba, 18, voted for the first time in the Sept. 13 primary at Norwood Elementary School in Warwick.

I feel like local politics is very dominated by the older generation and people my age don't pay attention to local elections and the stuff that really impacts us in ways that we can see firsthand, DaLomba said.

I feel like if I want to create change that I want to see around me, I should be voting in local elections. So I made sure I researched everything. I knew who I wanted to vote for and came out before going to classes.

- G. Wayne Miller, Journal Staff writer

Gov. McKee casts his ballot in Cumberland

Governor McKee goes to vote in Cumberland Tuesday morning as the rain pours down.

In a sloppy, rain-soaked morning, Gov. Dan McKee and his wife Susan emerged from beneath umbrellas to slip inside the gymnasium of Community School in Cumberland to vote, just after 10 a.m.

Afterward, McKee told a few assembled reporters he was feeling good, very good as the election day began.

We ran a very good campaign and did what I said we would do, which was to manage the state of Rhode Island and sign the [state] budget before I started the campaign and weve had momentum ever since.

Asked how he would characterize the tone of the campaign, which turned nasty in recent weeks with his Democratic opponents, Nellie Gorbea and Helena Foulkes, McKee said: the tone... Ill just leave that alone.

Instead, McKee thanked his campaign staff who worked to get out his message in every corner of the state: So we have a very broad base of support and as a result of that I think we are talking about what was really important: increasing peoples incomes in the state, continue work to improve our schools and to improve the lives of families.

McKee said, There is a distinction between actually managing a state and campaigning for governor. They are two different animals. The work is whats important to me. Thats why I campaigned for governor because the work is important to me and I love the state and I want to make sure that we follow through with all the things weve already laid the groundwork for in the first 18 months in office.

Colleen DeGroot, the precinct moderator at Community School, wondered whether the days rain would impact voter turnout.

The precinct has 800 registered Democrats and 400 Republicans and with all the rain from that last storm, people might be skittish about coming out, she said.

McKee was the 80th voter to cast a ballot at Community School shortly after 10 a.m.

-Tom Mooney, Journal Staff writer

Supporters brave the rain to stump for their favorite candidate

WARWICK  Voter turnout was light Tuesday morning at the Aspray Boathouse  a reality longtime elections clerk Denise Hainey chalked up to steps taken during the pandemic to make voting more accessible in Rhode Island.

More Rhode Islanders opted to vote early or cast absentee ballots than in the past, Hainey said.

A total of 2,542 voters had cast ballots by 10:42 a.m.

It will never go back to the way it was before because people have options, Hainey said Tuesday as rain poured outside.

The mood inside the polling place was decidedly upbeat, with one volunteer breaking out singing My Girl by the Temptations. Ive got sunshine on a cloudy day, as perhaps some sliver of sunshine slipped through the rain.

Avi Shapiro braved the rainfall at the Aspray Boathouse to press votes for Harrison Tuttle, a progressive Democratic candidate for state Senate District 31.

Its about having an advocate from the community, Shapiro said. I think Harrison represents what people are looking for.

Shapiro called Tuttles opponent, former prosecutor Matthew LaMountain, a candidate handpicked by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio.

Dave Fontaine and Lou Ullucci, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2323, manned the polls Tuesday in support of union-backed Democratic candidates, Matthew LaMountain for state Senate District 31, and Joseph M. McNamara, for House District 19.

Dave Fontaine and Lou Ullucci, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2323, manned the polls in support of union-backed LaMountain and Joseph M. McNamara, for House District 19.

Were here supporting the candidates who support our issues, Fontaine said.

Stuart Wilson, second-time Democratic candidate vying for McNamaras seat, was joined by his father, Tom Thomson, in rallying for votes.

A father of two who took his two sons out on the campaign trail, Wilson hoped hed prevail in Tuesdays Primary.

I always knew it would take two cycles. Im tired of good ideas not getting enough support from the leaders, Wilson said.

Theyve let education flounder. We don't even have universal pre-K, said Wilson, whose five-year-old son, Henry, attends first-grade at Wyman Elementary School.

Where can I find my polling location?

Voters can look up their designated polling station  and, as Election Day draws closer, view sample ballots  by logging into the Voter Information Center: vote.sos.ri.gov

Will I need an ID to vote in Rhode Island?

Yes. Voters need to present an ID, which can be a driver's license, passport, Rhode Island Voter ID Card or another form of identification listed here: vote.sos.ri.gov/Content/Pdfs/voter_id_information.pdf

How many people have voted so far?

More than 20,000 people had voted in Rhode Island as of Thursday night, about half by mail and half early in-person sites, according to the secretary of state's office https://ri-voter-turnout-tracker-ridos.hub.arcgis.com/

When do polls open

Polls are open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in every city and town except New Shoreham, where poll hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Whats on my ballot

You can view a sample ballot by entering your address in the secretary of state's Voter Information Center at https://vote.sos.ri.gov/Home/PollingPlaces?ActiveFlag=2

Election official George Neubauer as the Barrington HS voting station opens.

Tuesday is Primary Day for 712,945 active registered voters in Rhode Island

A total of 712,945 active voters are eligible to cast ballots in Tuesdays statewide primaries, according to the secretary of state's voter information data.

Of those, nearly 4%, or 27,986, had already cast ballots as of 4:30 p.m. Monday, using either mail ballots or early in-person voting, according to the secretary's voter turnout tracker.

Democrats have contested primaries for four of the five statewide general officers  governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and general treasurer  and in Congressional District 2.

Republicans have primaries for governor and lieutenant governor.

There are also more than 40 Democratic primaries and four Republican primaries for general assembly seats, plus contests for local offices across the state.

Voters who are registered with a party are only allowed to vote in that party's primary, while unaffiliated voters can choose Democratic or Republican at the polls, but can only vote in one.

Polls open everywhere at 7 a.m., except on Block Island, where they open at 9 a.m. All polls close at 8 p.m.

While Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 200,000 voters  290,805 to 97,879  the largest voting bloc statewide by party affiliation is unaffiliated voters, often called independents. That group, numbering 324,261, makes up 45% of the electorate.

In just 10 communities do Democrats outnumber independents, including four where more than half the voters are Democrats: Providence  at 62% the most Democratic community in the state; Central Falls; Pawtucket; and North Providence.

Republicans do not outnumber independents in any community, but the GOP is ahead of Democrats in three rural communities clustered on or near the Connecticut border in Western Rhode Island: Foster, Scituate and West Greenwich, a town in which there are 11 more Republicans than Democrats.

But those three communities have a fierce independent streak, with more than half of registered voters  53% to 55%  not declaring allegiance to a party. Nearby Glocester is the most independent in the state, at 56%.

And those three towns combined have fewer Republicans, 4,127, than the town of Tiverton has Democrats, .4,171.

The community leading the early voting turnout as of noon Monday was Jamestown, where 9.4% of active voters had already cast ballots.

Rounding out the Top 5 were: Portsmouth, 6.9%; South Kingstown, 6.6%; East Providence, 5.7%; and Narragansett, 5.5%.

The early turnout in the state's four largest cities was: Providence, 4.8%; Cranston, 3.5%; Warwick, 4.0%; and Pawtucket, 2.6%.

The lowest early turnout in the state was Woonsocket, 1.3%.

Active voters are those who have voted recently and are not marked for removal from the voter rolls if they don't vote soon. Inactive are still eligible to vote in Tuesday's primaries. Their numbers were not immediately available.

- Paul Edward Parker

When are polls open?

The Rhode Island state primary is Sept. 13. However, early voting is available.

Polls will open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in every city and town except New Shoreham, where poll hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters can look up their designated polling station  and, as Election Day draws closer, view sample ballots  by logging into the Voter Information Center: https://vote.sos.ri.gov/

More: Rhode Island Primary Voting Guide: Everything you need to know to get your ballot

Here's a primer on the important statewide primary races and the candidates vying for your vote

The 2022 race for RI's Governor:

Democrats face a crowded gubernatorial field going into the September 13th primary. Five candidates vie for the chance to go against the presumptive Republican nominee, Ashley Kalus in November's general election.

Luis Daniel Munoz: From Central Falls to the governor's race, Luis Daniel Munoz is used to being the underdog

Matt Brown: In bid for governor, Democrat Matt Brown says voters are looking for something different

Nellie Gorbea: In her campaign for governor, Nellie Gorbea bills herself as the underestimated candidate

Helena Foulkes: How Helena Foulkes hopes to go from corporate CVS office, to RI Governor

Dan McKee: In his bid for reelection, Governor Dan McKee leans on accomplishments and allies

Ashley Kalus: 'Outsider' Ashley Kalus launches GOP campaign for RI governor

Race to replace Jim Langevin for Congressional District 2 seat

If youre just tuning in, a quick recap: Back in February, Jim Langevin unexpectedly announced that he would not seek reelection. It briefly felt like every politician whod ever set foot in Rhode Islands 2nd Congressional District, which covers the western half of the state, was floating the idea of running for the open seat. The field as since narrowed to five candidates.

Seth Magaziner

David Segal

Omar Bah

Sarah Morgenthau

Joy Fox

Until recently, Spencer Dickinson, a former lawmaker with conservative views, was also in the race. His friend John Carlevale said on Tuesday that Dickinson was experiencing serious health issues and was "suspending the active part of his campaign."

Whichever Democrat comes out ahead in the September 13th primary will likely square off against Republican candidate and former Cranston Mayor, Allan Fung.

Can RI Democrats hold 2nd District seat? Five contenders make their case to primary voters

Where Democrats in RI's 2nd District race stand: On housing, health care, Green New Deal

More: RI GOP trying to make sure Allan Fung faces no primary contest

Allan Fung's prescription for Congress? Make Washington more like Cranston

The race for Lt. Governor:

The lieutenant governor does not have many constitutional duties.

The lieutenant governor chairs four boards: the Long Term Care Coordinating Council, the Alzheimer's State Plan Executive Board, the Emergency Management Advisory Council and the Small Business Advocacy Council.

The office's most important role came to the fore in March 2021, when Gov. Gina Raimondo resigned after being confirmed by the Senate as U.S. commerce secretary and McKee was sworn in to replace her.

Running for Lt. Governor are Sabina Matos and Cynthia Mendes, running together with their gubernatorial counterparts, Gov. Dan McKee for Matos and Matt Brown for Mendes, while Deborah Ruggiero is running alone.

They will face either Republicans, Aaron Guckian or Paul Pence in the general election

Lt. Governor Candidate Profiles: Heres's where the three democrats running stand on issues

RI's Republican Lt. Governor candidates: Former Carcieri aide Aaron Guckian jumps into GOP race for lieutenant governor

The race for RI General Treasurer:

The state general treasurer is responsible for managing the state's financial accounts and, perhaps most prominently, oversees the state employee retirement system, which includes some municipal employees, and is manages the $10 billion investment fund that pays those pensions.

The treasurer runs the Crime Victim Compensation Program, which reimburses people for certain expenses in coping with a crime, and in returning millions in "unclaimed property," such as money in dormant bank and business accounts.

The treasurer also can influence policy in areas such as school construction, housing, student loans and infrastructure improvements as a member of several state boards dealing with those areas.

The two Democratic candidates are:

James Diossa

Stefan Pryor

The winner will square off against Republican James Lathrop, North Kingstown's finance director in the November General election.

Democrats James Diossa and Stefan Pryor: Vying to be the state's treasurer. Here's what they'll do on the job.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI Primary 2022 Live: Voting ends as polls close in Rhode Island
It's time to toast to spooky season! No Halloween celebration would be complete without a tasty potion  or two  to wash down the spine-chilling snacks, deliciously devilish dinner and desserts, plus tricked-out treats.

Every ghostly host has their own way of entertaining. Some prefer to play the mad scientist mixologist all night while others like to set out a big batch of a bubbling brew and let guests help themselves. A dramatic punch bowl centerpiece is great as it serves a crowd and doubles as festive decor, but a tray of custom cocktails decorated with gruesome garnishes is also a wonderful way to set the Halloween scene. As long as the drinks keep flowing on All Hallows Eve, there's no wrong way to serve. Themed drinks with bloody red colors, decorative rims and festive adornments help set the holiday mood.

Making the most of autumnal ingredients and fall flavors will give the frightening festivities and distinctly seasonal flair. Think apples, cinnamon, pumpkin and more. And if there's a beverage that brings both to the table, even better!

Whether the party is just for grown-up ghouls or includes menacing munchkins, always be sure to provide boozy and alcohol-free options. These creepy cocktails, scary sippers, bewitching brews and monstrous mocktails have something for everyone. Let your guests pick their poison and get the party started!

Halloween Vampire Cranberry Cocktail by Elizabeth Heiskell

This is the ultimate spooky sipper. Instead of vodka, use prosecco for a bubblier cocktail. For a nonalcoholic version, leave out the alcohol, add more cranberry juice and enjoy!

Gummy Worm Shooter by Elizabeth Heiskell

This recipe is very versatile since you can use any flavor gelatin you like. This dessert also goes well beyond Halloween: It's great for school events and birthday parties, too! Add vodka where it calls for water to make this shooter into a cocktail adults can slurp.

Skittles Slushies by Carrie Parente

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Delight the kids  and adults  this Halloween with an easy make-at-home slushie using everyone's favorite rainbow-colored candy. They'll have a hard time picking just one flavor to try! They're a fun, fizzy, refreshing addition to the party!

Slow-Cooker Spiced Halloween Punch by Maggie Shi

Spice up your Halloween party with a warm blood-red punch simmered with seasonal flavors  cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Guests can ladle it directly from the slow cooker, which will keep your concoction warm all evening long. It's alcohol-free, so bloodthirsty little goblins and grownups alike can partake. If the adults want an extra kick, set out a bottle of bourbon to add to individual glasses. For the final gory touch? Garnish with a juicy blood orange wedge (drips encouraged).

Witches' Cauldron Punch by Elise Strachan

This bubbling Halloween party punch takes no toil or trouble to make. The rolling plumes of smoke from the addition of dry ice make this a dramatic and stunning centerpiece. Guests will have fun drinking the enchanting elixir. And, since this brew is booze-free, littles ones can enjoy it, too.

Spooky Punch by Elena Besser

Beware! This punch is booooozy! The dark fruit juices, bitter spirits and sweet, juicy fruit eyeballs make this the perfect punch for Halloween. The tantalizing taste is an eye-opening experience.

Hannah Hart's Smoking Spicy Potion by Hannah Hart

Everybody loves the idea of a bloody mary bar, but what about a margarita bar? Set out all the ingredients so guests can make their special potion just the way they like it. Make the setup even more festive by decorating the area with dry ice, toy Dracula fangs or candy corn.

Spooky Sherbet Punch by Siri Daly

Sherbet punch brings back memories of childhood parties. Using a frozen hand, creepy gummy worms and dry ice make this punch perfect for a Halloween celebration. For a less sweet punch, replace lemon-lime soda with club soda. You can also experiment with different flavors of sherbet.

Witches' Brew Cocktail by Billy Dec

A sugary black rim and spooky green drink make this the perfect cocktail concoction to serve on Halloween. The flavors of grassy matcha and the floral botanicals of gin set this drink apart. It's sure to add some sophisticated flair to any haunted gathering.

Eye Candy Cocktail by Billy Dec

Always keep an eye on your drink  or in your drink? Blueberry and jam-stuffed lychees make a spooky garnish for this festive cocktail. The sweetness of the fruity "eyeballs" complements the tart, citrusy drink providing a great balance of flavors.

Vampire Slushy Punch by Nikki Pechet

Make a party punch your Halloween guests can really sink their teeth  or fangs  into. This cool cocktail has a slushy texture that's great for slurping through a straw or eating with a spoon. The fruity drink will satisfy their thirst, but the irresistible taste will keep them craving more!

Pina Ghouladas by Maureen Petrosky

Serve frozen pina coladas in blood rimmed glasses with edible eyeball garnishes for a grown-up Halloween treat. Proceed with caution: These icy cocktails go down very easily. The tropical flavors and festive garnishes make these drinks quickly disappear into the night.

Haunting Mules by Maureen Petrosky

Use those pretty copper mugs for a seasonal sip. The sweet apples and spicy ginger make this drink perfect for any fall occasion. Up the spook factor of these drinks by carefully adding a small piece of dry ice to the drink for a smoky effect.

Pumpkin Pie Shots by Nikki Pechet

Enjoy all the sweet and spiced goodness of pumpkin pie in one tasty sip. The combo of warm cinnamon and velvety liqueurs mimic the taste and texture of the real deal dessert. These shots are perfect for any fall celebration.

Pumpkin Keg with Witches' Brew Cocktail by TODAY

This spooky drink dispenser is seasonal, flavorful and functional. It makes the perfect centerpiece for a Halloween party, or any autumn get together. You can use it to serve up your favorite pumpkin-flavored beer, cocktail or a non-alcoholic brew!

Fire and Brimstone Cocktails by Maureen Petrosky

This cocktail is great for groups and can be served straight from the crock-pot. Tangy apple cider, the spice of cinnamon and bright orange evoke the familiar flavors of autumn. Since it's a heated drink, is can warm even the coldest-hearted creature on a chilly Halloween evening.

Vampire's Elixir by Billy Dec

Serve this bloody delicious drink to vampires, ghouls, ghosts or any other creepy characters at your Halloween bash. A syringe filled with red cherry syrup makes this an interactive drink experience that guests won't soon forget. It's a simple mixture but leaves a strong and lasting impression.

Dark & Stormy by Nikki Pechet

Pomegranate juice gives this moody mix its dark hues. The glasses are rimmed with colored cane sugar to give this cocktail an extra festive touch. It's a superb sipper to enjoy on a stormy night.

Blood-Moon Punch by Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart sets the scene for a thriller night! Her ginger-grape punch is topped with a giant floating orange moon and candy bats. The intoxicating aroma, luxurious flavors and festive adornments make it a treat for the senses.

Halloween Smash Cocktail for a crowd by Maureen Petrosky

Mix up cocktails for the whole crowd with just one pitcher and four ingredients. Clementine juice, vodka, simple syrup and orange soda make a large-batch cocktail that can be poured, sipped and enjoyed with minimal effort. To make this suitable for trick-or-treating tots, simply omit the vodka.

All Hallows' Cocktail by Maureen Petrosky

With its eerie orange color and notes of baking spice, this drink was made fall festivities. A dash of cayenne pepper kicks up the heat while the flavors of chai complement the smokiness of the mezcal. Serve it over ice to add a cooling sensations to the warm flavors.

Eyeball Milkshakes for Halloween by Elise Strachan

These eyeball milkshakes may look grotesque  but looks can be deceiving. With the combo of vanilla and chocolate ice cream and strawberry syrup, they're quite the tasty treat. Edge the glasses in advance to help the blood drips stay in place when the milkshake is added.

Christina Tosi's Trick-or-Treat Quakes by Christina Tosi

This simple shake breathes new life into your Halloween treats. For a thinner, more sippable shake, blend in a splash of milk. Any ice cream and candy combo works here!

Sandra Lee's Best Espresso Martini by Sandra Lee

Sandra Lee stirs up a spooky espresso martini for Halloween. It has a great, strong espresso flavor but also adds hints of chocolate and a touch of creamy texture. A daringly delicious indulgence!

Candy Corn Cocktail by Nikki Pechet

Turn classic Halloween candy corn into a tasty drink. This 3-ingredient mocktail is alcohol-free so it's great for grown-ups and kids alike. The signature layers of yellow, orange and white not only look just like the iconic candy, but also have the same fun flavor.

Smoking Blackberry Margarita by Nikki Pechet

Dry ice not only makes these cocktails super chilled, but it also adds a layer of spooky smoke for an extra eerie touch. Muddled blackberries give the drink a deep reddish-purple hue that matches the holiday's color scheme. The addition of fresh and dried sage complements the juiciness of the fruit and adds a ton of seasonal flavor to the drink.

Snickers Milkshake by Brandi Milloy

This milkshake really features all of the flavors we love in a Snickers bar. It packs in the salty goodness of roasted peanuts, gooey caramel and rich chocolate! You can also make this with other chocolate candy bar or create a custom mix.

Jell-O Eyeball Shots by Elizabeth Heiskell

Keep an eye out for these terrifyingly tasty drinks  and they'll keep their eye on you, too. These can be made several days in advance. The gummy eyeballs will gradually absorb moisture and are at their best within three days of assembly. Want to make these treats for adults? Just add vodka!

Devilish Margarita by Maureen Petrosky

Heat up the festivities with diabolically fiery drinks. Classic margaritas get a spicy sizzle from hot jalapenos and serranos. Two devilish chile horn garnishes make this drink fit for the prince of darkness himself.

Skittles Milkshake by Brandi Milloy

Now you can eat your candy and drink it too! This milkshake is great for the kid in all of us because it's super creamy, sweet and colorful. Use a sherbet or cherry ice cream instead of vanilla for more of a tropical flavor.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Republicans added another problem candidate to their Senate roster on Tuesday. Trumpism had another good night, as did incumbent governors. And in at least one state, a scandal still counts for something.

With primaries in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware now behind us, the 2022 primary season is in the books. Overall, it was a good year of primaries for former President Donald Trump, whose endorsements in several high-profile races swung outcomes his way. But Republicans, owing to the Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade and a big problem with candidate quality, are ending the primary season worse off than when the election cycle started.

Here are five takeaways from the final primary night of the year:

Republicans are their own worst enemy

Establishment Republicans and their allies poured millions of dollars into New Hampshire to block a far-right candidate, Don Bolduc, from becoming the U.S. Senate nominee.

It wasnt enough, as state legislative leader Chuck Morse conceded the primary Wednesday morning, tethering the GOPs prospects of swinging the Senate in November to yet another problem candidate  what Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has referred to as an issue of candidate quality."

Even before Bolducs victory, Mehmet Oz was floundering in Pennsylvania. Blake Masters is underperforming in Arizona, and Republicans in Georgia and Ohio are mired in competitive races.



Bolduc appears likely to have equal difficulties appealing to a general election audience. A retired Army brigadier general, he has amplified Trumps false claims about the 2020 election, called the states popular Republican governor, Chris Sununu, a Chinese communist sympathizer and called for the U.S. military to get in there on the ground in Ukraine.

It wont take New Hampshire off the map for Republicans. The New Hampshire Senate race was a key part of the GOPs effort to swing the 50-50 Senate, and Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan is vulnerable.

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But its going to be a lot harder knocking her out with Bolduc on the ballot.

I just dont think he has the discipline to run a serious campaign, said one New Hampshire Republican familiar with the race. Democrats will have a field day.

Sununu, in a radio interview, called Bolduc not a serious candidate.

Trump is back on the ballot

It was a rare night where Donald Trump did not intervene in marquee races.

But even then, the former presidents presence was everywhere. On the same day as the final primary of the year, the Jan. 6 committee was stirring back to life, while the Justice Departments probe of the effort to overturn the last election was once again in the headlines. Cable networks were discussing the documents found at Trumps Florida estate as polls in New Hampshire began closing.

And even if he wasnt endorsing on Tuesday, the primaries were all about Trump. In the New Hampshire Senate race, it was Bolduc who won not in spite of being too Trumpy, as one former state party chair told BBC News, but because of it. He has not only embraced Trumps lie that the 2020 election was stolen but, joining with Trump against his latest adversary, has raised the possibility of disbanding the FBI.

And in the New Hampshire House race to face Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, both of the frontrunning Republicans  nominee Karoline Leavitt and runner-up Matt Mowers  served in the Trump administration.

Even in his losses  in Georgia, most prominently  the primaries were shaped by Trump or Republicans reaction to him. This is not the primary that Republicans hoped might unfold nearly two years ago, when Trump left office, and when Republicans were hoping to focus the entirety of the campaign on President Joe Biden and the economy.

Of the general election, said Whit Ayres, a longtime Republican pollster, The more Trump is in the news, the easier it is for Democrats to make it a choice election rather than a referendum on Biden and the incumbent party.

Trumps Achilles heel: Governors

It wont go down as a loss on Trumps scoresheet, but Trump world had tried for months to find a credible Republican to challenge New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.

They failed, and the governor who called Trump fucking crazy at a roast-style dinner earlier this year was declared the winner of his primary within minutes of polls closing.

The outcome, though hardly unexpected, marked the final rebuke of Trump in a primary season that has largely gone well for him  but in which gubernatorial races have been a striking exception. Earlier this year, it was Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp humiliating Trumps endorsed candidate, and Idaho Gov. Brad Little beating his Trump-endorsed opponent. In Nebraskas gubernatorial primary, outgoing Gov. Pete Ricketts political machine kept Trumps longtime ally Charles Herbster from advancing.

Those primaries laid bare one of the few limitations of Trumps hold on the GOP  and served as a reminder that Trump is not the only Republican with pull in the party. And going forward, Sununu is in position to act as a thorn in Trumps side. Unlike the governor of Nebraska or Idaho, hes sitting in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary state, where Trump will be seeking support yet again in 2024 if, as expected, he runs for president.



Trump might have done better sitting the gubernatorial elections out entirely. Sitting governors appear to have a special appeal to primary voters  better able than House members or lower-level public officials to cultivate brands that help them buck some national party trends.

With Sununus primary victory  and Rhode Islands Democratic governor, Dan McKee, winning on the same night  all 28 incumbent governors seeking reelection this year won their primaries.

The 8-week pivot

The problem for Republicans now that the primary season is finished is not just that theyre saddled with several less-than-ideal nominees. Its that those candidates have so little time to change course before the general election.

Mail ballots for the general election have already been sent to voters in North Carolina. Other states are lining up to do the same, and Election Day is now just eight weeks out.

Thats not a lot of time for Republicans to execute the classic pivot from appeals to the partys base to less strident pitches aimed at more moderate general election audiences; already they are scrubbing their campaign websites of their positions on abortion and putting their wives in front of cameras to soften their images.

And then theres the short timeframe to raise money. In New Hampshire, Bolduc reported having about $84,000 in cash on hand as of late August. Hassan was sitting on more than $7 million.

New Hampshires late primary is a real problem when it comes to taking on incumbents, said Jeff Grappone, a Republican strategist and former adviser to several New Hampshire Republicans, including former Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

The timeframe is very short  It doesnt give a lot of runway to non-incumbents.



Surprise: A criminal conviction is still a problem

Ever since the Access Hollywood tape, old ideas of the salience of a scandal have mostly gone out the window.

But in Delaware on Tuesday, a throwback: The Democratic state auditor lost her primary after being convicted of official misconduct and conflict of interest while in office, on misdemeanor counts stemming from the hiring of her daughter.

It wasnt exactly Watergate, and the outcome was no foregone conclusion.

The prosecution of the auditor, Kathy McGuiness, was very aggressive, Bob Byrd, a former Democratic state representative from Delaware, said in an interview. I think this one was over the top.many politicians have hired their children.

But it was a criminal conviction all the same and Delaware voters punished McGuiness for it.

When the state Democratic Party endorsed her opponent in the primary, Lydia York, state party chair Betsy Maron told Delaware-based reporters it was an opportunity to do away with the political theater that has kept the incumbent at center stage for all the wrong reasons.
'Trallib (Oil Container),' by Norman Daly, 1970. Daily made this object with an orange juicer. Photo by Marilyn Rivchin, CC BY-SA

Invented civilizations are usually thought of as the stuff of sci-fi novels and video games, not museums.

Yet in 1972, the Andrew Dickson White Museum of Art at Cornell University exhibited The Civilization of Llhuros, an imaginary Iron Age civilization. Created by Cornell Professor of Art Norman Daly, who died in 2008, the show resembled a real archaeological exhibition with more than 150 objects on display.

Unaware of Llhuros, I started fabricating and documenting my own imaginary ancient culture using ceramics and printmaking for my undergraduate thesis in 1980. The following year, as a graduate student, I learned about Llhuros and began a decadeslong correspondence with Daly.

With scams, deceptions and lies flourishing in our digital age, an art exhibition that convincingly presents fiction as fact has particular currency.

A culture made from scratch

Dalys project was truly groundbreaking. The exhibition included a map of the excavation sites, old tools and religious artifacts that Daly had crafted, all from the cultures distinct periods  Early Archaic, Archaic, Late Archaic, Middle Period and Decline.

There were translations of Llhuroscian poetry that Daly had written; soundtracks with reenactments of Llhuroscian ceremonies and songs performed by a womens church choir; audio interviews with fake Llhurosian scholars; and a 56-page exhibition catalog with an invented bibliography and glossary of Llhuroscian terms.

Daly  with guidance from Marilyn Rivchin, a museum staffer; and Robert Ascher, a Cornell anthropology and archaeology professor  conceived everything.

Trallib (Oil Container), by Norman Daly, 1970. Daly fabricated this sculpture using an Ivory dish soap bottle. Photo by Marion Wesp, CC BY-SA

To the casual viewer, Llhuros appeared to be real. The artifacts and tools were often made from found objects  an Ivory dish-soap bottle transformed into an earthenware figure, or a nasal flute found at the early excavations at Lamplo made from a metal stove burner. Many of the objects were cracked and broken, with patinas and incrustations making them appear as if theyd survived centuries. The tension between real and fake was tangible.

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At the time, the exhibition attracted enthusiastic reviews in Newsweek and The New Republic. But the New York art world largely overlooked it.

Testing the viewers grasp of reality

Prior to creating The Civilization of Llhuros, Daly was making paintings and sculptural reliefs influenced by Native American and prehistoric art.

His earlier work had much in common with other 20th century artists, from Pablo Picasso to Max Ernst, who drew inspiration from art outside of the European canon. These artists questioned Western academic traditions and valued the direct and expressive forms found in African and Native American art. This approach to making art can be problematic, since theres an element of cultural appropriation. But it also speaks to a desire to connect with universal aspects of human culture.

Norman Daly in his studio, 1971. Photo by Marilyn Rivchin, CC BY-SA

So why would Daly shift his creative practice to the mock-documentary form, creating an entire fake culture in the form of a museum exhibition?

A few key moments cultivated the idea.

One of his tall sculptural works had been exhibited in a faculty dining room. But people kept mistaking it for a hat rack, which frustrated Daly: He assumed that the value of an artwork was self-evident and that it should be able to speak for itself. Clearly, that wasnt always the case. So by creating an exhibition  replete with a catalog, visual guides and explanatory labels  he could extend the meaning of his visual art. If the art object does not speak for itself, why not fabricate a narrative as part of the show?

Home Votive, metal assemblage, by Norman Daly, 1965. Photo by Emil Gingher, CC BY-SA

Another realization came to Daly while attending a performance of contemporary music. At the concert, he observed that the audience was working hard to resist the random interference of auditory distractions, from program rustlers to feet shufflers. Daly considered ways that a visual artist could employ what he called planned interference to provoke deeper audience engagement with the work.

This insight compelled him to use a variety of ironic signals to disrupt the credibility of the museum narrative and test the viewers understanding whether Llhuros was real or invented. He might assemble a massive bronze temple door from plastic foam packing cartons, or create an oil lamp that resembles an orange juicer.

For Daly, stories about the Llhuroscians are also about what it is to be human, with themes of guilt, desire and faith appearing in many of the works. With his recurring stilt walker, he depicts a religious pilgrim who carries a bird on his head, walking on stilts of different lengths. The self-imposed struggle of the man, who appears across several works, comes from the guilt he feels.

The art of fraud

Like Daly, I was interested in the use of documentary forms to present works of fiction. My mock-documentary exhibitions have shifted from archaeological themes to include anatomical prints, a collection of contemporary folk art, a creationist organization from the 1920s, and an early 20th century circus. I am drawn to this form of art because I am inspired by the idea of inventing artworks that appear to have the authority of history.

In her 2021 book, Sting in the Tale: Art, Hoax and Provocation, artist and writer Antoinette LaFarge describes Dalys approach as a form of fictive art, arguing that the mock-documentary uses of historical forms, as well as self-outing through ironic signals, have significance for a contemporary culture saturated with misinformation.

There are, of course, precedents: In his 1917 bathtub hoax, journalist and satirist H.L. Mencken presented a fabricated history of bathtubs in America. P.T. Barnum became known for his creative hoaxes, which included his Feejee mermaid specimen, made from an orangutan and a salmon. Where Mencken sought to teach the American public about their gullibility, Barnum wanted to make a quick buck and didnt care whether his audience believed the ruse. Fictive art draws on this history to create relevant works of contemporary art.

To mark the 50th anniversary of The Civilization of Llhuros, I have organized a free, daylong virtual symposium to be held on Oct. 8, 2022. An international roster of presenters will discuss Dalys exhibition and his legacy as a teacher. It will also feature contemporary artists who work with Llhuros as a paradigm.

Today, fact-checking outlets and algorithms help people spot deception and misinformation. But art that tests your perceptions of what is real  allowing you to suspend your disbelief, while also giving you the opportunity to recognize the tools of deception  can play a role, too.

This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Beauvais Lyons, University of Tennessee. The Conversation has a variety of fascinating free newsletters.

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Beauvais Lyons 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.
Iryna Balachuk  Wednesday, 14 September 2022, 20:25

As of 14 September, 16 hromadas [administrative units designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories] in Kharkiv Oblast have been fully liberated from the Russians. However, approximately 6% of the oblast's territory is still occupied.

Source: the Office of the President, quoting a statement made by Oleh Syniehubov, the Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, during a meeting chaired by Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 14 September

Quote: "Oleh Syniehubov, the Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, informed the President that 16 hromadas had been fully liberated and 7 hromadas partially liberated. Approximately 6% of the oblasts territory is still occupied, while it had been 32% before the Ukrainian defenders counteroffensive."

Details: Syniehubov added that damaged infrastructure - electricity and mobile phone service - was being repaired, and medical institutions were resuming their work.

Zelenskyy pointed out that it was vital to restore power as soon as possible and urged the local administration to increase the number of engineers and State Emergency Service team members to speed up the process.

Background:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the recently liberated city of Izium in Kharkiv Oblast on 14 September.

Deputy Minister of Defence Hanna Maliar reported that Ukrainian defenders had succeeded in liberating approximately 388 towns and villages and 150,000 people in Kharkiv Oblast since 6 September.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Eight people were arrested Tuesday in connection with what federal authorities believe is a sprawling human smuggling operation that may have victimized thousands of migrants.

Erminia Serrano Piedra, also known as "Boss Lady," allegedly ran the operation along with seven others, federal prosecutors told reporters. The eight were arrested in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas on charges related to transporting a non-citizen for monetary benefit while endangering human life.

MORE: 73 migrants -- including 13 kids -- found in D.C. 'stash houses,' official says; smuggling suspected

The Department of Justice is also seeking $2.3 million in property assets allegedly connected with the operation.

"This organization was motivated by personal greed and Piedra and her co-conspirators prioritized that greed over the safety of those that they illegally smuggled," Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite told reporters Tuesday.

PHOTO: 81 migrants in the back of a tractor trailer are seen in an handout from DOJ. (United States Department of Justice)

Court documents did not list an attorney who could speak on Piedra's behalf. The suspects are appearing in court this week; Piedra has a detention hearing set for Friday.

Department of Justice officials say the migrant victims, believed to be citizens of Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico, were brought to so-called "stash houses" where smugglers conduct and conceal their illicit activity. Authorities say that some of the victims were forced into suitcases while others were crammed into the back of tractor trailers, pick-up trucks and even water tankers as part of their journeys into and across the U.S.

MORE: 4 charged after 53 found dead in Texas tractor-trailer

Those who drove the vehicles used to transport migrants were possibly paid as much as $2,500 per person, according to the Department of Justice.

"We have alleged that this particular organization was responsible for the smuggling of at least hundreds if not thousands of potential migrants," Polite said.

PHOTO: Migrants inside a wooden crate are seen in an handout from DOJ. (United States Department of Justice)

Agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement that handles smuggling enforcement, led the probe which resulted in the arrest of Katie Ann Garcia, one of the eight suspects, on Tuesday in Laredo, Texas, where authorities say 12 migrants were found, including two minors.

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"If you commit the crime of human smuggling and if you manipulate and imperil and take advantage of struggling and fearful migrants -- we are coming for you," Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security John K. Tien said Tuesday. "We will investigate you. We will prosecute you to the fullest extent of our laws. We will leave no stone unturned until we end your nefarious practices."

The Department of Homeland Security says it has ramped up its crackdown on transnational organizations that facilitate human smuggling -- in recent months arresting nearly 5,000 people whom the department suspects of being associated with criminal trafficking.

PHOTO: A flatbed truck with wooden crates used to smuggle migrants is seen in an handout from DOJ. (United States Department of Justice)

The Biden administration also launched a "Joint Task Force Alpha" with DHS and DOJ as part of the government's work to, as Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said Tuesday, "dismantle the most dangerous human smuggling and trafficking networks.

"The charges announced today are just the latest example of these efforts success," Garland said in a statement. "The Justice Department will continue to bring our full resources to bear to combat the human smuggling and trafficking groups that endanger our communities, abuse and exploit migrants, and threaten our national security.

8 arrested in suspected human trafficking ring that may have victimized thousands: DOJ originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A speaker at the annual 9/11 memorial is warning politicians not to "forget history" when it comes to "open border" and soft-on-crime policies, adding that Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin would offer a necessary "fresh" approach to tackling violence in the Empire State.

Andrew Colabella, who lost a cousin in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and another cousin years later to a 9/11-related illness, spoke to Fox News Digital after delivering a chilling message at the podium on Sunday to "remind" politicians that Americans were "united" and "no one cared" 21 years ago about whether someone was a Republican, Democrat or about their race or gender.

"I think if you forget history, you are born to repeat it," Colabella told Fox News Digital during an interview. "My message was broadly to the politicians and anyone watching and anyone listening. When I said those words, it was nonpartisan. It did not point out a particular member, a particular party or a particular agenda. However, the people that are currently in power right now. You have a House and a Senate and executive Democrat-controlled  it's a trifecta. They're going to take it on the chin."

"It was not to offend," he added of his remarks. "If anything, it was to remind the 350 million Americans of this nation that we were once united. We were strong. Unfortunately, it took 2,977 people to die."

9/11 FAMILY MEMBER REMINDS POLITICIANS BEHIND BORDER NO ONE CARED ABOUT GENDER, RACE: WE WERE UNITED

Andrew Colabella, right, helped read the names of the victims of the 9/11 terror attack during the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum on September 11, 2022 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Colabella, a representative town meeting councilman in Westport, Connecticut, discussed concerns about unchecked migrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border.

"We don't want this to happen again," Colabella said of the 9/11 attacks. "For the past year and a half, this executive administration [is] telling us that the border can stay open. Who's to say that they're not going to come into the United States by air, they're going to come into Mexico or a South American country and then enter the United States through our border. And then from there, they can do whatever they want. The last ten years, I've thought about that, and getting up on that podium is very overwhelming."

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attends a ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York, US, on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The city councilman turned his criticism toward politicians like New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who backs the controversial bail reform law enacted under her predecessor Andrew Cuomo.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who endorsed fellow Democrat Hochul in the gubernatorial race, even has called on Albany to at least amend the bail reform legislation, given NYPD recidivism data showing a high proportion of repeat offenders repeatedly arrested and released back on the streets to commit further violence.

"We're putting citizens at danger," Colabella said. "And the people that are paying for it are the hard-working citizens with these egregious, litigious laws that are being enacted."

Alison Esposito and Lee Zeldin, Republicans running for lieutenant governor and governor of New York respectively, attend the 9/11 Memorial 21st Anniversary Commemoration at WTC in New York City on September 11, 2022.

"To the politicians," he continued, "if you want to get serious about crime, then get serious about the policies. You see that crime has been skyrocketing over the last couple of years. It's all the policies involved that support the criminals that do not support the public, the normal working day citizen."

Contrary to Hochul, Rep. Lee Zeldin, a GOP congressman, is running on a platform for governor on addressing surging crime due to the fallout of the defund police movement.

"Its not about Republican. It's not about Democrat," Colabella said. "Put that aside and realize. Lee Zeldin just has that experience. He has a fresh view. He knows exactly what he wants to do."
Elizabeth Moss as June in "The Handmaid's Tale." Elly Dassas/Hulu

Hulu's series "The Handmaid's Tale" is based on Margaret Atwood's dystopian book by the same name.

Atwood was inspired by biblical passages, Salem witch trials, and American politics in the 1980s.

There seem to be references to historical events, like aristocrats giving birth in public spaces.

"The Handmaid's Tale" may be set in a totalitarian dystopia, but it's completely science fiction.

Elisabeth Moss stars on "Handmaid's Tale." Sophie Giraud/Hulu

Almost every aspect of the book is steeped in religious and political history. Author Margaret Atwood has spoken at length about how she drew from actual global events to create the world of Gilead and the atrocities committed within it. Its real-life origins are also largely why the book remains so relevant today, more than 30 years after its publication.

Though Hulu's adaptation of "The Handmaid's Tale" has sometimes varied from the 1985 novel, the themes and parallels to real-world happenings remain the same. From the rise of religious sects to giving birth in public, here are some of the historical precursors to Atwood's story.

The concept of using handmaids to battle infertility is inspired by a biblical story.

Elizabeth Moss in "The Handmaid's Tale" (left). "The meeting of Rachel and Jacob" by William Dyce, 1853 (right). Hulu and https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-meeting-of-jacob-and-rachel-81200#

In both the show and the book, Handmaids are forced to give birth to children by high-ranking men after they are subjected to ritualized rape by those same men. The wives and husbands then raise those children while the Handmaids are transferred to another household.

The Handmaids are trained for their new roles at Gilead's The Rachel and Leah Center (aka The Red Center).

The center is a direct reference to the Old Testament story of Rachel and her sister Leah, both of whom married Jacob. While Leah had no trouble conceiving children, Rachel was unable to get pregnant. Frustrated, Rachel offered up her handmaid, Bilhah, to Jacob as a "vessel" through which she could have children. Bilhah gave birth to two sons, both of whom were named by Rachel.

The story serves as an inspiration not only for the role of the Handmaids as "breeders," but for the entire founding of Gilead. The group that overthrew the United States government and established Gilead in Atwood's dystopian novel is named Sons of Jacob.

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"Blessed be the fruit" is also biblically inspired.

Elizabeth Moss as June in "The Handmaid's Tale." Elly Dassas/Hulu

"Blessed be the fruit." "May the Lord Open." It's an exchange seen depicted countless times in "The Handmaid's Tale."

The handmaids' mandated greetings to each other and other Gilead residents have become well-known in the wake of the show, but their origins can also be traced back to the bible.

The phrases are found in Deuteronomy 28 as part of the Blessings of Obedience and are meant to encourage plentitude to faithful followers. Those who "heed the voice of the Lord, your God" will receive blessings, the passage states. It goes on to read "Blessed be the fruit of your womb" (Deuteronomy 28:4, New American Bible), followed later by "The Lord will open for you" (Deuteronomy 28:12)."

The persecution of women in Gilead is partially inspired by a real-life "witch."

A scene from "The Handmaid's Tale" (left). "The witch No. 1" lithograph by Joseph E. Baker (1837-1914) (right). Hulu and http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.09402/

Atwood has made no secret that "The Handmaid's Tale" takes inspiration from the Salem witch trials and the demonizing, threatening, and even killing of innocent women that took place during that time.

She cites one woman's story as a particularly major influence of the book  that of 17th century New England resident, Mary Webster.

Webster was at the center of one of the most infamous "witchcraft" cases preceding the Salem witch trials. After a well-respected government and church leader in the small Puritan town of Hadley, Massachusetts, fell ill, locals quickly drew the conclusion that a witch had to be involved. They fingered Webster as the culprit and decided to physically assault her and hang her as punishment. She survived, but her story, recounted in detail in 1689's "Memorable Providences," set the stage for the Salem witch hysteria that began in 1692.

"'The Handmaid's Tale' is dedicated to Mary Webster because she is an example of a female person wrongly accused," Atwood told PRI's The World. "But she is slightly a symbol of hope because they didn't actually manage to kill her. She made it through."

The rise of the Christian right in "The Handmaid's Tale" draws from American history.

The government of Gilead was partly inspired by politics under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. George Kraychyk/Hulu and https://catalog.archives.gov/id/198527

To depict the authoritative world run by the extremely religious right in "The Handmaid's Tale," Atwood drew upon history  mainly, 17th-century Puritan theocracy in America and the political climate of the country in the early 1980s.

"America was not initially founded as an 18th-century enlightenment republic. It was initially a 17th-century theocracy. That tendency keeps bubbling up in America from time to time," Atwood said in a 2017 interview with Indigo.

She also points to the election of Ronald Reagan as president and the country's embrace of Christian conservatism as influences for the book. In 1981, Reagan became the first president to propose a constitutional amendment seeking to restore organized prayer in schools.

Throughout his candidacy and into his presidency, Reagan also closely aligned himself with religious political organizations, like the Moral Majority and Focus on the Family. The temporary rise in power of these groups caused a feared crackdown on women's access to abortion.

It's worth noting that this particular aspect of "The Handmaid's Tale" continues to resonate in modern-day society amid the overturning of Roe v. Wade and other abortion-related legislation.

Giving birth in public is a practice royals in the 17th and 18th centuries used to follow.

Janine gave birth on "The Handmaid's Tale" (left). "Marie Antoinette en chemise" 1783 portrait by Louise Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun (right). Hulu and Wikipedia/Public Domain

These days, births are usually conducted in private rooms in a hospital or home, depending on the family's preference. On "The Handmaid's Tale," handmaids must give birth in front of dozens of others, including fellow Handmaids and Aunts (such as Aunt Lydia on the show).

Royals of the 1600s and 1700s followed a similar custom. Women gave birth in front of crowds of people to prevent any suspicion of switching the royal baby for another. According to The Guardian, "witnesses were considered essential" during the birth of a potential heir and rooms would be filled with "ladies-in-waiting, midwives, servants, and doctors, with the male courtiers hovering in the background."

Some reports even claim that Marie Antoinette almost died during her birth after hundreds of people poured into the room following the announcement of the event.

The incarceration of "promiscuous" women can be drawn back to a 20th-century US program.

Women in the Colonies on "The Handmaid's Tale." Hulu

In "The Handmaid's Tale," women who are seen as promiscuous or sinners (including lesbians, abortion patients, etc.) are sent to labor camps, where they often die from the toxic conditions.

The concept of incarcerating women deemed as immoral dates back to a little-known part of American history. As Time reports, this practice was common in the early 1900s during the implementation of the American Plan.

The program was launched around WWI as a means of protecting American soldiers from sexually transmitted infections and prostitution. Under the plan, thousands of women suspected of carrying STIs or general promiscuity were detained and locked up in jails and work hours  all under the justification of ensuring national security.

Historian Scott Stern has called the American Plan "one of the largest and longest-lasting mass quarantines in US history."

The underground rebellion of handmaids in Gilead echoes how women fought back in the early 1900s.

Jasper Savage

"The Handmaid's Tale" depicts a quiet underground rebellion among some of the women of Gilead, known as the Mayday resistance. Again, there's a parallel between their battle and the revolt of the women in the 20th century under the American Plan.

As Stern told Time, "In real female prisons  under the American Plan and in women's prisons in general  there were huge numbers of riots. There were huge, truly mind-numbing numbers of women who escaped."

But he does note one significant difference: While many of the rebels leading the charge in "The Handmaid's Tale" are depicted as educated white women (at least on the show), the American Plan disproportionately targeted non-white, working-class, and immigrant women.

Atwood found precedent for public executions in global history.

An eerie scene in Gilead on Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale." George Kraychyk/Hulu

In Gilead, leaders use the threat of public execution to keep its citizens in line, often hanging presumed traitors on a wall out in the open. Even Handmaids are expected to carry out executions from time to time, as portrayed in both the book and the show's freshman season.

Public executions like these were once commonplace around the world, from Ancient Greece to 20th-century America.

Atwood has also previously drawn comparisons between the practice in "The Handmaid's Tale" and 19th-century literature based on true events.

"In Emile Zola's novel 'Germinal,' which is based on real-life 19th-century coal-mining enterprises, the guy who runs the company store is exacting sex from the wives and daughters of the coal miners in order to sell them goods because they didn't have any money. So when the women get the chance, they tear him apart, and put not his head but his genitalia on a pike, and parade it around," she told The New York Times.

The forced separation of mothers and children continues to occur in modern society.

Janine fights to protect her child in "The Handmaid's Tale." Hulu

As in real-life totalitarian regimes of decades past, Gilead controls the distribution of children in "The Handmaid's Tale," forcing Handmaids to hand the care and control of their babies over to the families they work for almost immediately after birth. To flesh out this plot point, Atwood pointed to historical antecedents, including the horrific practices of Adolf Hitler in World War II.

"Totalitarianism always has views on who shall be allowed to have babies and what shall be done with the babies," Atwood told the LA Times. "For instance, the generals in Argentina were dumping people out of airplanes. But if it was a pregnant woman, they would wait until she had the baby and then they gave the baby to somebody in their command system. And then they dumped the woman out of the airplane. Hitler stole his children, blond ones, hoping that he could turn them into blond Germans."

Forced adoptions, typically involving babies born of indigenous or unwed mothers, also commonly occurred from the 1950s to the 1970s in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries.

On this topic, Atwood's novel once again proves its uncanny ability to remain eerily relevant. The issue of forcible separation among families has come to the forefront once again under Trump's presidency. Following the implementation of his administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy, many have drawn parallels between current times and the brutally restrictive climate of Gilead.

Read the original article on Insider
When 21-year-old Samaa Khullar found out Queen Elizabeth had died, she was in a U.S. college classroom filled with other people of color.

We had just wrapped up a conversation about white feminism, the New York University student said. Everyone was checking their phones and saw that she died. There were a lot of South Asian girls and East Asian girls and girls from the African diaspora, as well. No one was in mourning.

Since the queens death, South and Southeast Asians have been sharing how colonialism has shaped identity, and how its played out differently across generations, cultures and through different periods of immigration.

For many South Asians, the queens death represents the chipping away of an institution that dictated the lives of their parents and grandparents  even their own in some cases, they said.

Samaa Khullar with her father. (Courtesy Samaa Khullar)

Khullars father and grandparents lived through the tangible impacts of British rule in India, and she says she grew up with the knowledge of imperial oppression. But while her parents dont necessarily associate the late monarch with that violence, she very much does.

Queen Elizabeths death allowed her to open up conversations with her family members about the modern royal familys implications in all that they experienced on the subcontinent  even after the British soldiers were long gone.

Theres a respect there that I just feel our generation has lost, she said. And I dont think its a bad thing that were losing that.

A diaspora generation growing up in the U.S. feels the pain of colonialism in a different way than their parents, experts say. Those who live in North America or the U.K. say its all around them  and that Elizabeth II is inherently implicated.

Ultimately, the queens reign cannot be divorced from the political legacy of the British Empire, Cindy Ewing, assistant professor of history at the University of Toronto, told NBC Asian America.

She was the single most visible symbol of the empire, said Ewing, whose focus includes Southeast Asia and colonialism. The territory of the British Empire was so rife with conflict, with war, even instances of genocide. And so for the people who are living in these places, and then for the generations that followed and have memories of these conflicts and wars, she is at the center of that.

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Generational divides

After the British pulled out of Asia, many territories were left with a political vacuum that was often marked by mass violence and instability, Amy Dao, assistant professor of geography and anthropology at Cal Poly Pomona, said. For many elders, colonial rule is etched into their unresolved trauma that eventually persisted across generations. Some who experienced displacement blamed the violence on insurgency movements rather than the colonial powers that prompted many of the revolutions, she added. For some, theres relative stability associated with colonial powers.

During that time supposedly their life is pretty stable, even though it was managed very violently. And maybe everyday life stayed pretty consistent, Dao said. I could see why their understanding of their trauma is coming from the upheaval and revolution that happened in the post-colonial moment.

Ewing also said that while younger generations of Asian Americans are questioning or criticizing the legacy of colonialism following the queens death, some older generations of Asians remember her fondly, associating the monarchy with stability.

In the wake of the queens death, Khullar said she has seen this idealization ingrained in her own communities, too. When her parents found out the news, they had a different reaction than she expected, she said.

My mom was like, Oh, its sad to see her reign end. And I was like, Why? she said. I was like, She literally ruined everything.

Though her father and grandparents had a firsthand account of British colonialism, Khullar said in South Asia, there is a culture of respect that runs deep, and many dont associate the queen with the harm inflicted on former colonies.

Now attending college in the U.S., she said shes had an opportunity to unlearn much of what was indoctrinated into her as a child in British schools. She acknowledges that her parents, navigating white spaces far from home, may never have had that opportunity.

Theres such a weird fascination and almost a parasocial relationship, where you think that they care about you, she said. I have to keep reminding my parents that they dont. They do not care about us.

Years of trying to survive as immigrants in a predominantly white society have also forced South Asians in the diaspora to swallow their suffering and trauma, Khullar said.

Their whole lives, they were accustomed to being polite towards their British colleagues, and their peers, she said. And I know that now, its just become so ingrained that they feel they cant express their sorrow about their own pain.

A violent history

Ewing said that while the queens early rule, which began in 1952, coincided with independence movements across several British colonies, the empire itself was guilty of stifling them to maintain control. In Southeast Asia, the British Empire launched counterinsurgency movements in the 1950s and 1960s across Vietnam, Myanmar, Burma and Malaya, a British colony of several states on the Malay peninsula that later made up part of what is now Malaysia.

British military movements were often violent. In Malaya, for example, the empire employed a range of scorched earth tactics, forced migration and lockdown of entire communities. The warfare against the communist Malayan National Liberation Army, which started in the late 1940s, spanned over a decade. The pursuit of independence, Ewing said, was directly prevented by the British Empire.

Throughout Queen Elizabeths childhood and adolescence, the subcontinent was still ruled by the British. She became queen five years after Indian and Pakistani independence and partition in 1952. But the impacts of British rule continued into her reign and beyond. Colonization in South Asia, though a few decades removed, still shapes the subcontinent and the diaspora, experts said.

Queen Elizabeths family members, including her father and predecessor, were known as emperors and empresses of India. South Asians in the diaspora say they havent forgotten that.

South Asians say theyre bombarded with everyday reminders

At her former college campus in London, Bangladeshi Brit Fatima Rajina recalled how she was confronted daily with the royal familys legacy on the subcontinent.

When you walk into my campus, the first thing you see is a statue of Queen Victoria on her throne. And at the bottom its carved, The Empress of India, she said. That has shaped my identity. I remember just being furiousI had to see her presence every day for four years.

In London, train stations, statues and buildings are named after officers of the British Raj, the name for direct crown rule in India, Rajina said. South Asians who now live there are forced to encounter them every day.

Colonialisms presence is there pretty much in every building, she said. Go to the British Museum and you will see artifacts that were looted and stolen.

The Kohinoor Diamond, the most famous artifact taken from South Asia by the British, was worn by Queen Elizabeths mother at her daughters coronation. It remains a part of the crown jewels, and the royal family has no public plans to return it.

For lower income people in the U.K., especially those who descend from colonized countries, Rajina said the royals and their opulence are physical embodiments of deeply rooted classism and lack of social mobility in the country.

People outside of Britain dont understand how feudal and classist this society is, she said. It might be quirky to come and see Kensington Palace or Buckingham Palace. But for a lot of us who live here who drive past these monuments, these arent just a tourist hotspot. These are memories of people who died, people who were oppressed and looted by her and her family.

The British Empire has shrunk in size, but the legacy of its violence and plundering remains across the world, she said.

People have been trying to dilute the monarchy and the royal familys relationship to colonialism and imperialism, she said. Theyre very much representative of modern-day colonialism and how it has continued from its past.

Colonialism and a feeling of belonging

Khullar, who is Indian and Palestinian, grew up with the queen as a constant presence in her life. Attending English schools during her childhood in Dubai, once a British protectorate, she remembers pausing class in third grade to watch William and Kates wedding. Every Christmas, she would be forced to listen to God Save the Queen and sit in the corner while the other kids decorated crosses and tree ornaments.

I felt so out of place because I was an Indian Muslim, she said. We were like seven or eight. And I realize now that we were being indoctrinated into something that we didnt believe in. It was a club that we couldnt be a part of.

Ewing said that the confusion that some Asian Americans feel around belonging  the notion that they do not fit neatly into the culture of the U.S. or of their heritage  can be traced back, in many ways, to British colonialism.

For the latter generations  the memory of the empire and the memory of colonialism directly shaped how we think about our ability to possess our own history, the right to land or to lay claim to our own past and its resources, Ewing said.

Colonial rule not only displaced people from their land and homes, but also estranged them from other cultural markers like language. Singapore, for example, was under British rule for 150 years, during which time English was instituted as a required language for both government and educational instruction. But even after it had gained independence in 1965, Singapore continued the colonial practice, Ewing said, effectively displacing Chinese and other indigenous languages to Singapore.

One of the divides in many Asian American communities is often language, the ability to communicate with older generations, Ewing said. This reality which affects the day-to-day interactions that Asian Americans may have with their parents or their grandparents is a direct legacy of colonialism.

But as much as British colonialism has shaped identities in the diaspora, so has the process of decolonization and independence movements. The fall of the British Empire in many Southeast Asian countries led to massive upheaval that prompted societal change and also movements to reclaim indigenous culture.

Its still part of this larger search for cultural meaning and interest in what history shows us really belonged, or what really belongs to these indigenous generations, Ewing said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Queen Elizabeth II visits The Chelsea Flower Show 2022. (WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Many actors have portrayed the Queen on screen throughout her 70-year reign, and a few have spoken out to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

Her rich life has proven to be fertile ground for television and movies, with many stories to be told about the longest-serving monarch.

Claire Foy - The Crown

Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II. (Netflix)

Claire Foy, who played Queen Elizabeth II on the first two seasons of The Crown, has said she was "honoured" to play the late monarch.

Talking to the BBC, Foy said: "I think that she was an incredible monarch. She united people and she was a massive symbol of continuity and dignity and grace."

Read more: Queen's funeral: Which cinemas will be closed?

Foy, who played the Queen between the years 1947 and 1955, also said: "My main feeling is just thinking about her as a mother and a grandmother and a great-grandmother, really, and I'm very honoured to have been a teeny tiny, small part of her story."

Olivia Colman - The Crown

Tobias Menzies and Olivia Colman as Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth in 'The Crown'. (Credit: Des Willie/Netflix)

Olivia Colman, who replaced Foy as the Queen for seasons three and four of The Crown, also praised the monarch, saying to Variety: "She made a promise as a young woman and she absolutely kept it with such dignity. Were all incredibly impressed by what she did."

Colman also praised King Charles III's maiden speech: "From a British point of view, he did it so beautifully. He did it about love, tolerance and gentleness, and that is what she always wanted and shes done."

Helen Mirren - The Queen

Helen Mirren starred in a revealing portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family in turmoil in The Queen. (Pathe)

Helen Mirren, who famously played the Queen in a 2006 biopic for which she won an Oscar, paid tribute on Instagram.

Mirren wrote: "I am proud to be an Elizabethan. We mourn a woman, who, with or without the crown, was the epitome of nobility."

Read more: The best royal movies and where to stream them

The Queen has not been frequently depicted on screen until recent years, beginning with the Mirren starring biopic about the Royal Family in the aftermath of Princess Diana's death in 1997.

The Queen has been a main character on every season of Netflix's The Crown, a portrayal of the monarch from just after the Second World War to the present day.

As well as Foy and Colman, Imelda Staunton is set to play an older Queen on the upcoming fifth and sixth seasons of the show.

Watch below: The Crown to pause filming following death of Queen Elizabeth II
By Jarrett Renshaw and Phil Stewart

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Pennsylvania Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro on Wednesday plans to debut a new online ad aimed at Black voters that features his Republican rival posing in a Confederate military uniform, the campaign told Reuters.

The ad features a photo first reported last month of Doug Mastriano, a Donald Trump-backed candidate and state senator, wearing the uniform in a faculty photo at the Army War College. The photo obtained by Reuters showed Mastriano in a 2013-14 portrait for the Department of Military Strategy, Plans, and Operations, where he worked.

Faculty at the time had been given the option of dressing as a historical figure and at least 15 of the 21 faculty in the photo opted to appear in regular attire. Mastriano was the only one wearing a Confederate uniform.

Mastriano, who has not responded to Reuters requests for comment, came under fire from Shapiro, who said it was a "traitor's" uniform that has come to symbolize racism.

The new ad features a close-up view of Mastriano in the Confederate uniform with a voice over that notes the War College said the photo failed to meet the War College's values.

"Does it reflect your values?" the narrator asks.

The six-figure ad campaign is part of $1.2 million that Shapiro, the state's attorney general, has budgeted for digital ads.

Pennsylvania plays an outsized role in U.S. politics as a swing state in presidential elections, and Mastriano, who has embraced Trump's stolen election lies, is trailing in polls and in fundraising ahead of the Nov. 8 contest.

The winner of the governor's race will choose the state's top elections official, who will oversee its 2024 presidential election. The governor will also have the power to block or advance efforts by the Republican-led state legislature to severely restrict abortions.

Displays of Confederate symbols are painful reminders to many of racial oppression and the Civil War, which saw 11 rebelling Confederate states fight to keep Black people enslaved.

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The U.S. military issued a de facto ban on displaying the Confederate flag and has sought to remove segregationist symbols from bases and academic institutions following the murder in May 2020 of George Floyd, a Black man whose killing by a white police officer in Minneapolis triggered protests worldwide.

The War College removed the photo from a display after Reuters inquired about it.

(Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia and Phil Stewart in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman)
By Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Charlotte Greenfield

KABUL (Reuters) - Many Afghans are following news of a reversal in girls' school openings in eastern Paktia province for clues on whether the Taliban will loosen restrictions on girls' education after reneging on a pledge to reopen high schools in March.

Some girls' secondary schools in what is considered a conservative part of the country quietly reopened in recent weeks, and local officials last week acknowledged classes had resumed. News spread quickly through local news reports and social media.

But Taliban authorities said there had been no formal approval for such a move. According to three Taliban sources and some locals, the schools were shut again.

Local media broadcast footage of girls in Paktia protesting the move, a rare sign of dissent in a country where women's access to public life has been severely curtailed since the hardline Islamist group returned to power over a year ago.

"THE CLOSURE HAS MADE US MORE HOPELESS"

Some girls outside of Paktia expressed concern to Reuters at the latest reversal, with some in areas where schools are open fearing their secondary schools could also be shut down.

In the 20 years between Taliban administrations, girls' schools opened for all ages and women were able to work more freely, particularly in urban areas.

"When we were informed about schools reopening in Paktia, we became hopeful for future again," said Muska, a student who was due to enter her final year of school in the northeastern province of Nangarhar, where girls' high schools are shut.

"But the closure has made us more hopeless," said Muska, who gave only her first name in order to speak freely about a sensitive subject.

TALIBAN'S PLANS ON GIRLS' EDUCATION UNCLEAR

The Taliban have declared they respect everyone's rights within their interpretation of Islamic law. The group also says it is working on a plan for girls' secondary education but have not given a time frame.

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When asked about the events in Paktia and how Afghans were interpreting them, Taliban deputy spokesperson Bilal Karimi said the procedure for opening girls' schools was under review.

"We are hopeful all problems will be solved in our country," he said.

Some within the Taliban have said they support girls' secondary education. Universities remain open to female students so long as classes are separated by gender, and primary schools are open for all children.

The Taliban's acting education minister Noorullah Munir, in response to local media's questions last week on whether girls' schools would open, implied some Afghans did not want girls in their late teens to attend school.

"If you go to a mosque and ask the elders about their 16- and 17-year-old girls going to school, I am sure there won't be need to ask me the question. You will find the answer, we are living in Afghanistan and we know well about Afghan customs," he said in footage broadcast by Tolo News.

Mohammad Maroufi, a tribal elder in the southern province of Kandahar, birthplace of the Taliban, said some local elders had been watching events in Paktia and hoped schools would open soon.

"We want school for girls. It is not my demand, it is the demand of the nation, education is Islamic and a human right. This right has been given by Islam," he told Reuters.

"Like Paktia, the people of Kandahar will also stand up for girls' education ... we ask the Islamic Emirate to open the girls schools," he said, referring to the Taliban's administration.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Josie Kao)
Air Force leaders are sifting through a list of proposed changes to how airmen are assigned new jobs, and may announce some updates by the end of September.

After about a year at work, a panel of airmen from across the service has floated more than 90 suggestions for assignment reform. Now its up to the Air Forces personnel branch, the Air Forces top enlisted leader and other officials to bring some of them to fruition.

The recommendations are part of an overarching effort to improve quality of life and career opportunities across the force.

How airmen are assigned jobs gets a fresh look from new Air Force panel

Weve got to start to change some of our assignment policies to mirror what todays military family looks like, said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass in an exclusive Sept. 6 interview.

Their ideas fall into three broad categories: policy changes that cost nothing; changes that require funding, possibly software and other resources; and wider-ranging updates that will take more time to flesh out.

For instance, while the Air Force tries to station two active duty spouses in the same place, it never created a similar policy on how to assign jobs to couples with one active duty airman and one Reservist or Guardsman.

Thats kind of crazy, Bass said. Thats an easy fix.

Air Force to end preferred basing as it changes how enlisted airmen find new jobs

The Air Force could also change how it considers airmen for emergency transfer to another base, such as sexual assault victims trying to get away from their abuser.

There shouldnt be any calculus, Bass said. I dont care how long somebodys been time on station. Weve got to expedite people and allow them to be able to transfer out of their duty station.

Among the more complicated proposals is a suggestion to rethink how long airmen should live at each base.

Are short tours and long tours and standard tours appropriate for todays force? Bass said. What might have been considered a hardship tour 15 or 20 years ago may not be a hardship tour [now], and it doesnt need to be a short tour.

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Short overseas postings such as at Moron Air Base, Spain, or Papa AB, Hungary, can last one to two years. Long postings can last three or four years in places like the United Kingdom or Japan.

Air Force extends first-term unaccompanied tours at some overseas bases to 36 months

In February, then-Air Force personnel boss Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly told House lawmakers that enlisted airmen spend just over four years at installations in the continental United States on average, while officers spend about three years at each base.

Bass argues its time to reconsider how long airmen remain at stateside bases. Shes open to the idea of standardizing the length of those postings, and offering extensions to people who request them  as happens for assignments abroad.

Perhaps if its a win to the airman and its a win to the Air Force to keep that member there for another year or two years, allow our command teams to  take a look at that, she said.

Airmen dont necessarily have to stay in the same job if they want to remain at a particular base. If a slot is open and they meet the requirements, the Air Force can move someone into a new unit at their current base or one nearby to maintain some stability.

The service is also trying to make job opportunities more transparent and accessible so airmen can better explore their options. At the same time, it wants more flexibility to move people around  or not  as needed.

A bearish manpower outlook means the Air Force has to plan ahead to avoid stretching the force even thinner.

We really have to be thoughtful [about], how do we keep talent on the table five years from now, 10 years from now, 15 years from now? Bass said. Assignments matter to people.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Two airstrikes hit the capital of Ethiopias Tigray region Wednesday morning, killing 10 people, many of them first responders, the director of the citys flagship Ayder Referral Hospital said, as Ethiopia's government gave no sign of taking up the Tigray forces' offer to stop fighting and pursue talks.

The target in Mekele was a residential neighborhood, Kibrom Gebreselassie told The Associated Press. Three of the victims need urgent major surgery, in the face of (a) shortage of medicines.

The first airstrike killed two people and the second killed the rest, with rescuers among the dead, Kibrom said.

The death toll could climb as more patients reach the hospital, another doctor said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

In a weekend statement to mark Ethiopias new year, the Tigray leadership said they were ready to participate in an immediate cessation of hostilities with Ethiopian forces leading to a comprehensive cease-fire, and even welcomed mediation led by the African Union, a significant shift.

But Ethiopias federal government is yet to publicly respond amid reports of more talks between the two sides in Djibouti. With independent media, human rights groups and monitors barred from Tigray, and with most basic services like internet severed, it is challenging to assess the situation on the ground.

Several airstrikes have hit Mekele since fighting resumed between Tigray forces and Ethiopian ones in late August, shattering a period of relative calm since late March.

That calm had allowed more humanitarian aid to reach the long-blockaded Tigray region, but those deliveries have now been halted, according to the United Nations. Deliveries to conflict-affected parts of the neighboring Amhara region have also stopped.

Since the conflict broke out in November 2020, tens of thousands are believed to have been killed and millions displaced in the Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions.
Rep. Mary Peltola smiles during her ceremonial swearing-in ceremony off of the House floor Tuesday evening. (Photo: Tom Williams via Getty Images)

Rep. Mary Peltola smiles during her ceremonial swearing-in ceremony off of the House floor Tuesday evening. (Photo: Tom Williams via Getty Images)

Mary Peltola, who made history Tuesday by being sworn in as the first Indigenous person to represent Alaska, says shes operating on only a few hours of sleep a night as she settles into her new job.

Its very hard to wind down at night. And where in the past it might take one melatonin, its taking two melatonins now to get a little bit of shuteye, she told HuffPost in an interview Wednesday.

But shes enjoying the experience.

Im telling you, the power of adrenaline and the power of joy and feeding off of other peoples excitement, is the best fuel out there.

Peltolas life has been a whirlwind since arriving in Washington over the weekend ahead of the swearing-in ceremony and related activities as she takes over Alaskas sole House seat, which had been held by Republican Don Young for almost 50 years until his death in March.

Her office is marked by a temporary sign, not the heavy metal plaques that adorn other members offices. Bare office walls now can be seen, where once was displayed the massive pelt of a brown bear Young had killed.

And Peltolas path to history was not exactly conventional either. In a field of 48 candidates, she emerged as the Democratic alternative to two Republicans with much better name recognition: former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, who comes from a famous Alaska political family.

Im telling you, the power of adrenaline and the power of joy and feeding off of other peoples excitement, is the best fuel out there.Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska)

While Alaska has historically not been great territory politically for Democrats, Peltola won a plurality of the special election vote to finish out the remainder of Youngs term. She then received a majority when the ranked choice votes were tabulated. Her margin was a bit more than 5,000 votes. The results were released Aug. 31, on her 49th birthday.

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So this was never a foregone conclusion. It was always a longshot, Peltola said. But also, I think, it was one of those things that could be within the realm of possibilities.

Peltolas swearing-in was also unconventional. She wore mukluks, the snow boots favored by Indigenous peoples near the Arctic, made in the female style of her Yupik Alaska Native heritage and was accompanied on the House floor by the other two members of Alaskas congressional delegation, Republican Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski.

Murkowski gave Peltola a big hug after Peltola finished her first floor remarks.

The funny thing about Alaska is there is this understanding that you are going to be working with these people the rest of your life, and we have a long memory, we have a lot of institutional knowledge. In my case, that has been a real asset.Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska)

Peltolas known Murkowski since 1999, when the two were freshmen lawmakers at the Alaska Statehouse. And Peltola knows Palin, from when they, too, were at the statehouse together and pregnant at the same time. While Alaska by size is the biggest state, its political scene is relatively small, which Peltola said fosters a sense of pragmatism and cooperation.

Alaska is a very small, tight knit close community, she said. The funny thing about Alaska is there is this understanding that you are going to be working with these people the rest of your life, and we have a long memory, we have a lot of institutional knowledge. In my case, that has been a real asset.

Peltola said her approach to her job would be broad as well. Even though she has been inundated with attention as the first Alaska Native to represent her state, her father hailed from Nebraska, and she does not see herself as simply an advocate for one group or another.

You cant be thinking about just your base. Theres just no way that you can have discrete groups that you are an advocate for. It has to be everybody, she said.

Along those lines, Peltola retained Youngs chief of staff, a Republican, and her issue stances may be best described as a mix of energy-friendly mainstream Democratic ones: She favors responsible resource development, making it easier for workers to join unions and reviving the bigger child tax credit in the American Rescue Plan that has now lapsed.

With House lawmakers set to leave Washington at the end of the month to hit the campaign trail, where Peltola will again face Palin and Begich in November, Peltola said shes focused on getting a reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens fishery policy law passed to deal with declining catches and depleted salmon runs.

Peltola appeared at a hearing on the law in November and her pre-congressional job was with Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. But with Democrats focused on ensuring the government is funded past Sept. 30, the likelihood of action on the issue soon is unclear.

We all have a relationship with salmon, she said of Alaskans. We all depend on salmon in one way or another either as a food resource for our own family or as a trading resource.

We all depend on salmon in one way or another either as a food resource for our own family or as a trading resource.Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska)

Peltola also said it was too soon to say whether she would support Sen. Joe Manchins (D-W.Va.) call for easing energy project permitting requirements, an issue that could get attached to a temporary funding bill.

I tend to be confident in our permitting process as it stands, she said. Its not perfect. Theres always room for improvement. But I would need to see what the suggestions are before I could speak to if I support them.

But things like the sausage-making of legislating lay ahead of Peltola on her second official day in office. She said she was still taking in the whole experience.

I think Im like my sister, where she just said there was so much, and its hard to process it in the same day or even just sleeping on it. There was so much joy and so much excitement, and I just dont know how you ever top that.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Sep. 14ATHENS  The Athens Alehouse and Cellar has established a niche in downtown over the past year by providing a place for local residents to socialize while sipping craft beers not readily available elsewhere in the city, and an owner hopes eventually to serve his own recipe brewed locally.

"It's nice to have somewhere in Athens that's like this instead of having to go out into Madison or Huntsville and deal with the traffic," said Haley Turner of Athens, who sat outside the Alehouse with a drink and her dog, Koda, on a recent evening. She was making her second visit to the establishment after her brother and sister-in-law told her about it.

The Athens Alehouse and Cellar marked its one-year anniversary last month, and its ability to thrive hasn't surprised Holly Hollman, Athens' communications specialist and grant coordinator.

"Based on what I've seen, people talk on social media that they like having a place downtown to go and hang out. And they offer different activities from games to music night to I think the library even does a book club meeting there," she said. "I think it's more about socialization than anything."

Ken Hill and his wife Lori own Athens Alehouse and Cellar, and he said most of the craft beers they sell can't be found in stores. Ken Hill said they wanted to open only if they could find a location on the Athens Square and have found acceptance downtown by giving people a unique social option.

Lori Hill is an Athens native and Ken is retired from the U.S. Army. They first toured their Alehouse location about five years ago but it wasn't until April 2021 that they were able to lease the property after the previous barbershop closed its doors.

The couple wanted "to build something recession-proof here on the square," Ken Hill said. "We love that Athens is becoming more progressive culturally, so we took a chance, and we did it. ... We wanted to do something to add to the quality of life here on the square that's for everybody."

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Hill said his plan for next year is to contract brew and add his own craft beer to the Alehouse's offerings.

"You essentially rent equipment from a larger brewer that's already established, and you can do small-batch releases," he said. "By using their equipment, it saves you money, saves you on licensing and everything for manufacturing. So, the idea is to go through another brand which we're already working on."

Hill hopes to work with Old Black Bear Brewing Company of Madison, which plans to open a brewery in Athens in the late spring of 2023. There are currently no breweries in Limestone County.

"This is a business opportunity for them as well," Hill said. He said brewing will start "hopefully first quarter of 2023 but looking more like second quarter of 2023. ... There's no rush. We're going to make sure we put a good product out."

Hill said he has been home-brewing for about 10 years, and would brew several hundred gallons with Old Black Bear. In addition to selling at the Alehouse, Hill said he hopes to sell it elsewhere through distributors.

"If you brew a product that's not worthy of being on the shelf, they're not going to sign with you," he said. "If a distribution company here in Alabama, which there are several, if they want to take on that product then they'll market it for us and sell it through retailers."

John Smith from Athens is a regular at the Alehouse, has been going since it opened, and tries to go one or two nights a week. He said he enjoys hanging out with the other regulars he has met over the past year.

"Love the atmosphere. The location is nice because Athens has an alehouse now, something they've needed for a while. ... I like the fact that they stepped out and made something happen in Athens," he said. "I like it because it's local, they have beers here that I like."

The Alehouse serves about a dozen appetizers as well as hard seltzers, slushies and wines in addition to craft beer. It has music bingo every Thursday, comedy tours, a book club, and music almost every weekend. It will host Athtoberfest, the Alehouse's version of Oktoberfest for Athens, for the second year in a row on Oct. 1.

Hill said sometimes 1,000 people come in on a Saturday night. "We want to keep business in Athens; we want to keep money in Athens."

erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 12:17

About 5,000 personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were trained in the UK.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on Facebook

Details: A basic general military training course for Ukrainian servicemen and women initiated by the British government has continued throughout the war in the United Kingdom.

Currently, with the participation of instructors from Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Ukraine and, in fact, the United Kingdom, almost 5,000 of our servicemen and women have successfully completed the Interflex training.

It is noted that they received basic knowledge, skills and abilities in tactical medicine, engineering, fire, psychological and tactical training, including conducting offensive and defensive actions in an urban area.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, an expansion of the Interflex training is planned for the near future, which will extend the program to junior officers of military units in the Armed Forces.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






An NFL field is being blamed for injuries in the NFL's opening weekend.

No, it's not the notoriously shoddy Soldier Field turf that was deluged by downpour prior to Sunday's Bears-49ers game. Instead it's the meticulously manicured turf of State Farm Stadium that famously sits on a tray that allows caretakers to slide the field outside of the Arizona Cardinals' domed home stadium for natural sunlight exposure.

Two Kansas City Chiefs players sustained injuries during Sunday's 44-21 win over the Cardinals. Kicker Harrison Butker rolled the ankle on his plant leg during a kickoff. He left the field on a cart, and safety Justin Reid took over extra-point duties in his absence. Meanwhile, first-round rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie slipped and injured his hamstring.

On Tuesday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid blamed the Cardinals' home turf for contributing to the injuries.

It was a little loose," Reid said of the turf, per the Associated press. "Thats what happens sometimes when you re-sod. Its part of the Butker injury and the McDuffie injury, and thats unfortunate.

"The turf picked up, and I would tell you that did have something to do with it. If it didnt, Id tell you that, too. Its not an excuse by any means. But you all see it when you watch the tape.

State Farm Stadium, seen here in 2015 with the retractable field catching some sun. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

The Chiefs placed McDuffie on short-term injured reserve on Tuesday with a high-grade hamstring strain. He'll miss the next four games at a minimum. Butker remains active for Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but he didn't practice on Monday or Tuesday.

Cardinals spokesman Mark Dalton told Pro Football Talk that the turf was replaced in plenty of time to be game ready on Sunday.

"The entire field was replaced on Monday, August 22nd  the day after the last home preseason game vs. Baltimore  so it had it almost three full weeks before the Week One game vs. Kansas City, Dalton said, per PFT. Thats more than enough time for the Tifway Bermuda 419 hybrid sod to take root, especially in 109 degrees and abundant sunshine.
PureWow

In a stunning moment earlier today, all eight of Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren came together to honor the life of the late monarch with a vigil at Westminster Hall. Prince William, 40, and Prince Harry, 38, led the procession, with the first in line of succession to the throne walking at the front of the pack. While the brothers steered the group, they were followed by two equal lines. On one side stood Princess Beatrice, 34, Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and Zara Tindall, 41, while on the other si
Apple says the pro can play video on-device for 23 hours, but the pro maxs even better battery life manages 29 hours (iStock/The Independent)

The new iPhones are here and weve been testing them since just after they were announced last week. We have reviewed all the new models, but here we share our thoughts on the iPhone 14 pro and iPhone 14 pro max.

There are four new iPhones for 2022: the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 pro and iPhone 14 pro max are joined by a different model, the iPhone 14 plus. This model, which doesnt go on sale until Friday 7 October, has a screen as big as the pro max but for a much lower price.

The iPhone 14 has plenty of upgrades, such as a new front camera with autofocus included for the first time, and crash detection. The latter is a safety innovation  if, heaven forbid, youre in a car crash, the new accelerometer in the iPhone will recognise whats happened and automatically dial emergency services. Then theres satellite connectivity (cool, huh?) which, from November  though only in the USA and Canada at first  will mean that if you have an emergency outdoors, away from cellular connection, you can send a text message to emergency services.

All these updates are in the iPhone 14 pro models, too, but for the really big differences, you need a pro. The pro models have two huge upgrades. First, theres the camera system. Instead of three 12MP cameras, the iPhone 14 pro and iPhone 14 pro max have two 12MP cameras, plus  and this is a first for the iPhone  one camera with a 48MP sensor.

The second upgrade is something called Dynamic Island. No, you cant visit it, but its an intrinsic part of the new pro handsets. Its taken the least-loved part of recent iPhones  that is, the cut-out at the top of the screen where the Face ID sensor sits  and has created an information source that moves on demand. Oh, and theres a spectacularly good always-on display, as well.

Our tester used both phones for around a week. The iPhone 14 pro and iPhone 14 pro max differ in four important ways: the size of the handset and the fit in your hand, the size of the display (with ramifications for how easy it is to type on), the battery size and therefore how long the battery lasts, and, lastly, the price. In every other way (cameras. processor, software and so on) they are identical. So, below is a review of the iPhone 14 pro. Everything in that review applies to both pro handsets. But, in case you think you might prefer the larger pro max handset, there are details of how the max differs at the end, so you know which one will suit you best.

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How we tested

We tested the iPhones by checking out ease of set-up and simplicity of transferring data from an earlier handset. We ran them hard all day in a mix of wifi and 5G environments. We played video, sent emails, updated social network feeds, activated mapping apps to use GPS, took photographs and videos in bright, dim and dark lighting and played power-hungry games.

We looked for responsiveness and speed in opening apps, smooth, glitch-free video playback, shutter lag in taking photos, and just how much battery was left at the end of the day. We even made some phone calls.

Apple iPhone 14 pro

The first thing you notice when you look at the new iPhone 14 pro (pictured on the left here, next to the larger iPhone 14 pro max) is that the cut-out has shrunk. Gone is the solid block with no touchscreen, in comes a sleek, slim lozenge of black. The cut-out, commonly called the notch, is necessary because its where the front-facing camera and the true depth camera sit. These are what power the facial recognition system and enable selfies.

But as well as shrinking the cut-out, Apple has made a virtue of it with software called Dynamic Island, of which more below (spoiler: its sensational).

The phone itself, at first glance, looks similar to the iPhone 13 pro. The big difference is apparent when you turn the phone over. The cameras have been improved with bigger lenses that protrude even further from the back. The new phone is very slightly taller than the iPhone 13 pro/pro max it replaces, a whisker thicker and a touch wider. In hand, you cant tell the difference.

Read more: Which iPhone should I buy? Comparing Apples best phones, from the 13 to the SE

There are new colours this year: gold and silver are slightly tweaked, but the dark-grey version, called graphite last year, is replaced with the darker space black. Plus theres an all-new shade called deep purple. In some lights, this just looks grey, which is nice enough, but catch it just right and it almost glows. The matte-finish back is complemented by the glossy camera panel, which is unmissably purple, and the stainless-steel edging glows with an understated mauve tinge. It looks tremendous.

Display and lock screen

Other brands have had always-on displays but, oh boy, this one was worth the wait. It is by a country mile the best always-on screen yet. Rival versions show the time, the date, and perhaps indicators of recent notifications. Sometimes there might even be a small, colourful animated character (Huawei is terrific at this). But this is something completely different.

Instead of a black screen with some small illuminations, this is the real deal, quietly illuminating the whole screen. Whether you choose one of your favourite photographs or an Apple wallpaper, the image remains on screen when the display is off, in muted colours but easily recognisable. Apple has new fonts for the digital clock, which shine out bright and clear. The quickest glance, without the slightest touch, tells you the time. And all without noticeable impact on the phones battery life.

Dynamic Island

This is the first software upgrade in years  perhaps since the dawn of pinch-to-zoom on the first iPhone  that has seemed as important as a hardware upgrade.

Display cut-outs have been common on smartphones since the iPhone X, but nobody has thought of making a virtue of the dead screen until now.

When you do one of a whole list of things, the lozenge of black where the cameras sit becomes something bigger. Turn the phones silent mode on or off, connect your AirPods, unlock your Apple Watch or do one of a dozen activities and the cut-out responds so elegantly that its hard to know where the cut-out finishes and the display begins.

Read more: Apples iPhone SE is astonishingly fast, affordable and way ahead of its rivals

It grows to a large square to confirm face ID is working or widens to show album art when youre listening to Apple Music or Spotify. When youre playing music and swipe the app off screen, the Dynamic Island widens to show album art. Touch it and the app reappears on screen. Want to add a timer? That shows up in a separate spot alongside.

And although much of the area is made up of lenses, even if you tap the camera rather than the touchscreen, it still springs into life almost magically.

Its an exciting and impressive visual indicator that catches your eye and enhances how you use your iPhone. Oh, and it distracts from the fact theres a bit of the display thats not a display, in the most elegant way.

Cameras

The new cameras are significantly improved this time around, and not just because of the 48MP sensor for the wide camera. In most cases, the iPhone combines four adjacent pixels, so they can work as one bigger site to draw in more light quickly, for better images in all lighting conditions. This is a process normally called pixel binning, though Apple calls it quad pixels.

There are three lenses, but this iPhone promises four zoom levels. Digital zoom, which is essentially cropping to zoom in, is not what you want, as it reduces resolution. However, Apple has cunningly realised that if you crop into the central part of the 48MP sensor, that is, the middle 12 megapixels, you can legitimately claim that the extra zoom level is a full 12MP image. Of course, theres no pixel binning in this case.

Read more: The Apple iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini have blazing-fast performance and immaculate design

The results across this camera are routinely stunning, even in low light, and make you wish Apple had jumped to a 48MP sensor years ago, although it, without doubt, needed the latest processor to work as well as it does. You can even shoot in ProRAW and choose to record full 48MP images, though, be warned, the files are huge, often 75MB or more, so they can fill up your phone storage fast. And shooting ProRAW at full 48MP resolution takes time to process, so expect a second or so pause between shots.

New features

Crash detection, also found on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 plus, may literally turn out to be a lifesaver. The improved accelerometer spots when youre in a car crash and can alert emergency services. Its the feature we hope none of us ever have to use, and youll understand, dear reader, that I havent tested it.

Theres another cool new extra feature: emergency satellite connection, which means that if you find yourself in trouble in a place with no network coverage, you can point your iPhone at the sky to send short messages by satellite to the emergency services. Clever software means you can know where to aim the phone. It will work in the USA and Canada from November but Im sure it will come to the UK in due course. Although its not something you would use every day, its another feature that adds peace of mind.

Performance

The non-pro iPhone 14, in a break with tradition, has a less powerful processor than these handsets. The iPhone 14 takes the souped-up A15 bionic processor originally found in the iPhone 13 pro. Here, though, is the A16 bionic, the first Apple chip using a four-nanometer process, which basically allows for more transistors, greater efficiency and faster performance overall.

Read more: Apples iPhone 13 pro and iPhone pro max feature impressive cameras, battery life and fast performance

The phone is extremely fast and responsive, with apps opening super-fast, video playing smoothly, games rendering detailed graphics and the camera is instantaneous, 48MP shots apart.

Battery life remains as good as last years models  easily enough for a full day, even with the always-on screen.

Buy now 1099.00, Apple.com

Apple iPhone 14 pro max

This is a big phone (pictured on the right, next to the smaller iPhone 14 pro), and although it looks the same as the iPhone 14 pro, its so much bigger than its smaller sibling that Id definitely try it in your hand before you buy it. Its too big for smaller mitts.

On the other hand, if youve enjoyed a max or plus-size iPhone before, you may find the switch to a regular phone hard on the eyes or the fingers when youre typing on screen. At least the screen pixel density (460px per inch) is the same on the pro and pro max.

Both phones are identical in thickness, 7.85mm, but neither disappears in your pocket easily. The other big difference is the price: the max adds a 100 premium to each storage level, which is not inconsiderable on an already expensive phone.

Battery life

The other big difference between the iPhone 14 pro and the max is the battery life. Its great on the iPhone 14 pro but significantly longer on the bigger handset. Apple says that, for example, the pro can play video on-device for 23 hours, but the pro max manages 29 hours.

Buy now 1199.00, Apple.com

The verdict: Apple iPhone 14 pro and iPhone 14 pro max

The iPhone 14 pro and iPhone 14 pro max are powerful, beautiful smartphones. Which is better for you will come down to size and price alone  theres no difference in performance except the max battery lasting even longer.

Both have new features that are original and innovative, from great safety protections to dazzling visual features. At a time when many talk of incremental improvements or how phones have plateaued, the new pro handsets are real, chunky upgrades, offering slick new software, much better cameras and, in Dynamic Island, the kind of genuine innovation weve come to expect from Apple.

Keep your phones, tablets and smartwatches in top condition with the best screen protectors
(Independent)

Federal agents with a search warrant swarmed a home in Arizona with known links to a sect of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, local news reported.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations reportedly sent agents from their Phoenix office on Tuesday to execute a search warrant on a property in Colorado City, fbi-raids-homes-of-polygamous-flds-leader-in-colorado-city/#.YyG6W3bMI2w">St George News reported. Social media videos posted online showed police vehicles outside the home and a police officer directing residents with a bullhorn to come outside of the property.

The news of the raid arrives just two weeks after 46-year-old Samuel Bateman was arrested by authorities after hed been accused of transporting young girls in a locked cargo trailer toward Phoenix.

I can confirm that the FBI has personnel in Colorado City today conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity, a spokesperson for the FBIs office in Phoenix told FOX 13 News.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 7 in Vladivostok, Russia. Getty Images

Russia's military will have to be rebuilt because of the war in Ukraine, experts say.

The war has dramatically altered perceptions of Russia's military strength, one expert told Insider.

Putin's grip on power may now be in jeopardy as he faces rare instances of dissent.

Over the roughly two decades that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been in power, he's dedicated a lot of time and money to building up and modernizing Russia's military. In the process, Putin had garnered a reputation as a force to be reckoned with and was widely viewed as one of the most powerful world leaders.

But the war in Ukraine has decimated the Russian military that Putin spent years building, while raising questions about his grip on power, Russia experts and military analysts told Insider.

"Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been a strategic defeat. So far, the Kremlin has not been able to achieve its strategic-level objectives, and it has incurred significant costs. Russia's military is going to have to be rebuilt," George Barros, a military analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told Insider.

"The conventional ground army, ground force, that the Kremlin has spent the last two decades on creating  seeking to create a modern military  that force has been just largely degraded and in a large part destroyed in the past six months of war in Ukraine," Barros added. "It's very true to say that the conventional Russian ground force has taken a significant beating in Ukraine. It will have to be rebuilt."

While it's difficult to confirm death tolls with the fighting ongoing, US military estimates last month put Russian casualties as high as 80,000. Among the dead have been senior officers, including generals.

Barros said it would likely take "a generation to recreate" the Russian officer corps, which is "definitely going to have a long-term strategic impact on the net assessment for Russia's conventional military."

While Putin has avoided declaring a general mobilization to make up for significant troop losses in Ukraine, the Russian leader last month ordered the military to increase its ranks by 137,000 starting in 2023, an ambitious goal seen by some as unachievable and one of many signs that the Russian military is being hollowed out by the war in Ukraine.

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A recent intelligence update from the British Defense Ministry said the elite 1st Guards Tank Army and other Western Military District units had suffered heavy casualties, adding that indicated "Russia's conventional force designed to counter NATO is severely weakened." The ministry added: "It will likely take years for Russia to rebuild this capability."

The Russian military has also seen the damage, destruction, and abandonment of astonishing amounts of equipment in Ukraine. It is estimated to have lost thousands of armored vehicles since the war began in late February. These losses have forced the Russian military to resort to pulling obsolete Soviet-era equipment, such as T-62 tanks, out of storage.

A destroyed Russian tank on May 20 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

'Not nearly as powerful as we thought'

Russia's military has generally been ranked as the second most powerful in the world  surpassed only by the US.

But Russia's disastrous performance in the Ukraine war is "going to change the assessment of Russia's military strength dramatically," Robert Orttung, a professor of international affairs at George Washington University whose research focuses on Russia and Ukraine, told Insider.

The Russian military is "not nearly as powerful as we thought it was," he said.

A few years ago, Russia appeared to be winning the war in Syria, and "Russian strategy seemed to be outsmarting Western strategy in the Middle East," Orttung said, adding that it provided a major boost to Moscow's propaganda about its military strength.

"A lot of their ability to make their propaganda effective was based on their actual battlefield prowess, which seemed to be quite strong in place like Syria," Orttung said. "Now, basically unable to achieve their goals, unable to show that there's integration between the guys fighting on the ground, the air force, and the other units  it's definitely going to knock them down. The fact that they haven't been winning in the field is going to make their propaganda much less effective."

Before the invasion began, Russia was expected to conquer Kyiv in a matter of days. But Ukrainian forces, with the help of Western-supplied military equipment, put up a far stiffer resistance than Moscow anticipated. Russia's forces failed to take the Ukrainian capital and instead turned their attention to the eastern Donbas region.

Though a war has raged in that region between Kremlin-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces since 2014  the same year that Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea  Russia made only gradual progress in its campaign to take over the Donbas.

Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in recent days, pushing the Russian forces into retreat and retaking an astonishing amount of territory in the country's south and east. The Ukrainian government said its forces had recaptured about 3,000 square miles in September so far.

Putin on September Wednesday. GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

'Wouldn't write off Putin now'

Between devastating troop losses and Russia's forces being on the run, Putin is in an increasingly precarious position.

"Strength is the only source of Putin's legitimacy," Abbas Gallyamov, a former speechwriter for Putin, told The New York Times. "And in a situation in which it turns out that he has no strength, his legitimacy will start dropping toward zero."

Gallyamov told The Times that if Ukrainian forces "continue to destroy the Russian army as actively as they are now," it could "accelerate" calls from elites for Putin's successor to be chosen.

Some Russia watchers now believe Putin's grip on power is in jeopardy. Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia, on Wednesday tweeted: "Putin overreached in Ukraine. It's the beginning of the end for Putinism in Russia."

Local Russian lawmakers are calling for Putin to be removed from power because of the Ukraine war, taking the fatal risk of openly criticizing a leader with a reputation for ruthlessly squashing dissent. Even the Kremlin's propagandists on Russian state media are struggling to continue offering positive assessments of how the war is going.

"You're starting to see rumblings  both on TV and at the local grassroots level  of discontent with his leadership and a realization that the war is not going in Russia's favor," Orttung said. Taken together, Orttung said these developments raised questions on Putin's "image among the people and his ability to exert that image of competence."

Despite such challenges, and the damage done to perceptions of Russia's strength, Orttung is not convinced that this is the end for Putin.

"I wouldn't write off Putin now. A lot of people, including me, have been predicting he's going to leave power or his demise is imminent. But he does have a lot of strengths  the main strength being that he's eliminated any possible, reputable alternative to him," he said.

"It's not clear who would replace him and all the people around him  they depend on him being in power for their own power. They have a stake in him staying there. And he survived more than 22 years fighting in a quite difficult environment, which is the Russian political scene," Orttung added, adding: "Most of the elites think that they're probably better off with Putin there."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photo: Adrian Gaut; Styled by Colin King

With more than 900,000 loyal Instagram followers, EyeSwoon sensation Athena Calderone could be forgiven for glazing over comments and DMs. But this design expert has been absorbing the wisdom of her online community, taking note of what generates the most excitement and which questions regularly pop up. That crowdsourced knowledge has guided her new Crate & Barrel collection, a dynamic encapsulation of her hit style. People are always asking how they can get a specific look or piece, says Calderone. Im excited to make designs that might otherwise be out of reach more accessible.

Photo: Adrian Gaut; Styled by Colin King

Marking her first foray into furniture, but also spanning lighting, tableware, art, and accessories, her line stays true to the tenets that have long steered her multihyphenate practice. Im always thinking about where I can insert verticality, muses Calderone, pointing to upright standouts like the Pompeii pedestal, a fluted beauty seemingly composed of column remnants, and the Il Solido floor lamp, a versatile statement piece with a cruciform base. Curves deftly balance angles, whether in the case of the Sinuous sofa or the Angolare sectional. Materials mix nimbly. (Think travertine, shearling, rattan.) And playfulness prevails in treasures like the Bibelot mini table lamp, a serpentine spin on midcentury French ironwork.

Photo: Adrian Gaut; Styled by Colin King

Photo: Adrian Gaut; Styled by Colin King

History and an authentic spirit of craft create dynamic through lines, with nods to favorite designers (people who make my heart pitter-patter) and riffs on vintage treasures from her own homes. The Revival tables, for example, are reinterpretations of a 1950s find that was accidentally trashed after being delivered to her Brooklyn stoop while she was out of town. (Calderone lovingly pieced it back together humpty-dumpty style.) Its ridges reappear on the Honore sideboard, an homage to the rare original in her Brooklyn dining area. Her take now resides in the Chicago office of Sebastian Bauer, Crate & Barrels senior vice president of product design, who shepherded the collaboration. This collection is a proud moment for the brand, he says. Its undeniably Athena.

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Photo: Adrian Gaut; Styled by Colin King

One of the things I love most about design is that spirit of adaptation, reflects Calderone. Its about smashing together different ideas and eras. But design, she notes, is also about making memories. Bringing a piece into your home is an intimate invitation. You and your family are going to grow up with it. I take that seriously. crateandbarrel.com

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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SheKnows

Sterling Mahomes gave her dad the best treat during his latest game. The 1-year-old surprised Patrick Mahomes on the football field, decked out in his team colors and an adorable jean jacket with her name printed on the back. In a video shared by Sterlings mom Brittany, Patrick runs over to give his daughter a []
When Andrea Nguyen was growing up in the 1970s and 80s, banh mi was still an insular Asian experience. Found almost solely in enclaves of Vietnamese refugees, it was a low-cost community staple  a practical, portable dish just as much as a tasty one.

But banh mi is now so ubiquitous that last week it was added to Merriam-Websters Dictionary alongside 370 other words. Omakase, the Japanese concept of chefs choice dining, and maitake, a mushroom consumed widely in Asia, were also added.

Websters Dictionary is known for cementing trendy vocabulary to its ranks each year. Banh mi and omakase are being ushered in alongside words like plant-based, cringe, and sus.

Stir-fry the maitake mushrooms in a frying pan (karimitsu / Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Dictionaries reflect how mainstream and how popular foods are, said Nguyen, now a recipe developer and author of The Banh Mi Handbook. Trying to push Asian food from the margins is really my overarching goal. It signals this acceptance. Like, No, youre no longer foreign.

Nguyen said she saw banh mis popularity grow over the decades. As more Vietnamese Americans moved out of ethnic neighborhoods, so did the banh mi. By the 2010s, it was a household name for the customizable sandwich of pate, pickled veggies and meat on a baguette, sold almost everywhere in the U.S

With Asian food rocketing in popularity, food experts say adding culturally specific words to dictionaries is the only reasonable way to go.

The future of American food has a strong Asianization, said Krishnendu Ray, an associate professor of Food Studies at New York University.

When the English language fails to adequately describe something with existing words, thats when new, cultural vocabulary tends to get added, he said.

These terms have met our criteria for entry as words an English speaker is likely to encounter, Peter Sokolowski, an editor at large for Merriam-Webster, told NBC News. They have shown both widespread and long-term use, and can now be considered to be English words.

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Though shes excited by the concept of bringing bahn mi to a larger audience, Nguyen takes one issue with the definition Merriam-Webster provides. In its description, the dictionary refers to the banh mi as a usually spicy sandwich.

It doesnt have to be spicy, she said. You can have no chili, just salt and pepper on that sandwich. By saying spicy, I feel like it further exoticizes the sandwich.

Ethnic dishes and the terms to describe them are constantly impacting the way Americans talk about food, Ray said. He pointed to cuisines like Italian and French, introduced to the North American palate a century ago, which are now inextricably linked to the way we talk about food.

Why do we use pasta as a word? he said. We use it because its a specific form of food, which in some ways was unknown, unfamiliar and had to be incorporated into the English language  For banh mi, you can technically call it a sandwich, but its not specific enough.

There are two main ways food words are introduced into society, according to Ray: from the top down or from the bottom up.

French food words, Ray said, were introduced as markers of luxury and fine dining, and eventually trickled into casual American lingo. Japanese omakase, usually a higher-end experience, is being incorporated in the same way.

Tuna Sushi with fresh wasabi served on ceramic plate. Enjoy Omakase experience at Japanese Sushi Restaurant. (Chadchai Krisadapong / Getty Images/iStockphoto)

In cities like New York, Ray sees Japanese food replacing French food as the most elite.

Omakase is analogous to the word restaurant or the word entree, he said. Standard omakase menus in New York City are the most expensive restaurants in New York City, around $200.

On the other side, banh mis are a bottom or middle-up food, first gaining a foothold in lower middle class immigrant communities and working its way into the mainstream. Nguyen remembers her family going out food shopping when she was a kid and coming home with large grocery bags filled with banh mis.

We came to the United States, and people were longing for the foods of their homeland, she said. And banh mi, you can make it from supermarket bread and it tastes superb  The nature of a lot of Vietnamese food is its very practical.

Often exoticized and painted with a broad brush as spicy or pungent, Asian foods inclusion in Webster is a step toward normalization, Nguyen said. Samosa, bibimbap, soju and kimchi have been added in previous years.

Part of me says, What took you so long? she said. But then the other part of me says, Hey, this is great, because there are still a lot of people who need to know what this food is.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
andan syed photo Baltimore Sun / Contributor/ Getty Images

Baltimore prosecutors are petitioning a judge to vacate the conviction of Adnan Syed for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, per an exclusive report from The Wall Street Journal. Both Syed and his case were the subject of the first season of hit true crime podcast Serial back in 2014.

The Baltimore City state's attorney filed a motion on Wednesday stating that, after a yearlong investigation in conjunction with Syed's defense team, new evidence that could implicate two alternative suspects had been discovered. For instance, prosecutors apparently unearthed a statement alleging that one of the two alternate suspects said "he would make [Lee] disappear. He would kill her," per the court filing. The defense was never given that information.

Though prosecutors are not asserting that Syed is innocent, they are requesting he be given a new trial in light of the new evidence. "[T]he state no longer has confidence in the integrity of the conviction," said the office of Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, which is overseeing the review of the case, per the Journal. Mosby's office is also recommending Syed be released from prison pending the ongoing investigation.

Syed, a Baltimore native, has been serving a life sentence since 2000, when he was found guilty of strangling Lee. He was charged as an adult despite being 17, and has maintained his innocence ever since.

Syed has also lost several appeals since his conviction. Most recently, a special appeals court in 2018 ruled that he deserved a new trial, but a Maryland court overturned the decision the following year.

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A Bergen County judge has dismissed more than 2,000 drug charges following a probe by state authorities that called into question the work of a former forensic scientist who tested evidence for thousands of cases between 2005 and 2016, court administrators announced on Monday.

In addition to dismissing the charges, Superior Court Judge Edward Jerejian has ordered the Attorney General's Office to reimburse all affected defendants for their fines, court fees and other related costs.

The investigation was launched in 2016, after a co-worker alleged that Kalmalkant Shah, who worked as a technician at the New Jersey State Police North Regional Laboratory, had breezed through analyzing a sample believed to be marijuana using a practice known as "dry-labbing," whereby a technician reports what they suspect and not the results of proper testing, according to an affidavit filed that year.

While Shah's work was subject to a two-step review process, only his original tests were performed on the evidence. Under existing guidelines, reviewers simply perused his written reports, the document states.

Shah was immediately suspended and the AG advised prosecutors involved in 7,827 cases across 13 counties in which the discredited technician had determined whether evidence contained illicit drugs, and an additional 2,582 proceedings for which he provided testimony.

The North Regional lab, located in Little Falls, processes drug evidence for courts in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties, court filings show.

As the probe continued, the state Supreme Court ordered the AG's office to retest all remaining evidence handled by Shah. But only so many samples were available, because policy calls for drug evidence to be destroyed after a statutory period has passed.

NJ legal marijuana:Can you get fired for smoking weed in New Jersey? Now there are rules for workers

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Authorities ultimately returned positive results for each remaining sample, according to court spokesperson MaryAnn Spoto.

Meanwhile, Jerejian reviewed all cases handled by Shah that resulted in a prison or jail sentence, conditional release, dismissal or downgraded charges, and opened a process for those defendants to apply for relief. Pending cases were ordered to remain before their original judge, the affidavit states.

To date, charges have been dismissed in most cases where the evidence had already been destroyed, Spoto said, and the New Jersey State Police lab has since updated its protocols and added new equipment intended to reduce botched tests at the hands of technicians.

However, 523 cases could not be dismissed, either due to prior expungement  in many instances, a result of the state's recent marijuana reform laws  or because the conviction had already been overturned on appeal and was not part of Jerejian's review, the court said.

On Monday, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner ordered that any remaining defendants affected by Shah's work will have until Oct. 1 to file an application for relief in the courts where they were first heard, rather than further review by Jerejian, and advised law enforcement to preserve all evidence handled by Shah for one year.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ judge tosses thousands of drug charges after probe
President Biden on Wednesday called King Charles III to offer condolences on the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The President recalled fondly the Queens kindness and hospitality, according to the White House.

Biden recalled to the king that he and first lady Jill Biden saw the late queen last June at Windsor Castle while in the United Kingdom. The queen, who led the monarchy for 70 years, died last week at age 96.

He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, the White House said.

Additionally, Biden conveyed he wants to continue a close relationship with the king.

The presidents call came ahead of the king following the queens coffin on foot on Wednesday from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. The queen will lie in state there until the funeral on Monday.

The president and first lady are traveling to London on Saturday ahead of the queens funeral.

The White House has not given an update on who Biden will be meeting with while abroad, but confirmed on Monday that the president will not be traveling with a larger delegation to the funeral.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
By David Shepardson and Jeff Mason

DETROIT (Reuters) -President Joe Biden took a victory lap on Wednesday at the Detroit auto show as he highlighted automakers' electric-vehicle push, including billions of dollars in investments in battery plants, on the back of new government support.

Self-declared "car guy" Biden climbed into a silver electric Cadillac SUV and an orange Corvette, glad-handed with the industry's union workers and declared the city, the birthplace of the auto industry, was making a comeback.

Detroit's auto show is the largest in North America and a key stop on Democrat Biden's stepped-up midterm election travel agenda, as he showcases new laws to fund infrastructure and give consumers grants to buy EVs.

"We're choosing to build a better America, an America that is confronting the climate crisis, with America's workers leading the way," Biden said in a speech at the show.

The president was introduced by local auto union worker Ryan Buchalski, who said the president was "kicking ass for the working class."

Biden announced the approval of the first $900 million in U.S. funding to build EV charging stations in 35 states, part of a $1 trillion infrastructure law approved last November.

When he served as vice president in the Obama administration, Biden attended the Detroit auto show as a strong advocate of the 2008-09 bailouts of General Motors Co and Chrysler, which is now part of Stellantis NV.

Now Detroit's Big Three automakers - GM, Ford Motor Co and Chrysler - are showing off new EVs at the car show, as Congress and Biden pledge tens of billions of dollars in loans, manufacturing and consumer tax credits and grants to speed the transition away from internal combustion vehicles to cleaner EVs.

The "great American Road Trip is going to be fully electrified," Biden declared.

In August 2021, Biden set a goal that EVs or plug-in hybrid vehicles represent 50% of all U.S. new vehicle sales by 2030. The Detroit Three back the nonbinding goal of 50%, but Tesla Inc dominates the U.S. electric vehicle market and outsells the Detroit automakers combined on EVs.

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U.S. sales of EVs jumped 83% last year, but represent a meager 3% of the market, and gasoline-powered trucks were well-represented at the exhibition.

NEW EV FACTORIES

White House National Climate Adviser Ali Zaidi told Reuters that automakers and battery firms in 2022 announced "$13 billion into EV manufacturing" as they accelerate "the pace of their investment into capital projects here in the United States."

In July, the U.S. Energy Department said it plans to lend Ultium Cells LLC, a joint venture of GM and LG Energy Solution, $2.5 billion to help finance construction of new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities.

Honda Motor Co Ltd recently announced it will build a new $4.4 billion lithium-ion battery plant for U.S. EVs with Korean battery supplier LG Energy Solution Ltd.

Toyota Motor Corp said it will boost its planned investment in a new U.S. battery plant from $1.29 billion to $3.8 billion.

GM and LG Energy Solution in August began production at their $2.3 billion joint-venture battery production plant in Ohio. The companies are considering a site in New Carlisle, Indiana, for a fourth U.S. battery cell manufacturing plant expected to cost around $2.4 billion.

"I believe we can own the future of the automobile market. I believe we can own the future of manufacturing," Biden said. "American manufacturing is back. Detroit is back. America's back, and folks, we're proving it's never, ever, ever a good bet to bet against the American people."

(Reporting by David Shepardson and Jeff Mason in Detroit and Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia Editing by Heather Timmons, David Gregorio and Matthew Lewis)
A revived Detroit Auto Show kicked off in earnest Wednesday, with US car giants showcasing a mix of gasoline and electric vehicles (EV) ahead of an address by President Joe Biden.

Wednesday's media day opened with presentations by General Motors and Stellantis brands ahead of the speech by Biden, who toured the showroom floor in his latest visit to Michigan, a critical presidential swing state.

The presidential visit has boosted the profile of the Detroit gathering, but Biden's presence also forced a last-minute rejiggering of the schedule in the first Detroit show since 2019 following pandemic cancelations.

The gathering, shifted to fall from its old January time slot, is much smaller than in years past, with most foreign automakers and newer players like Tesla not presenting.

While gasoline-powered cars still dominate US roads, Detroit auto giants are unveiling more and more EVs as they pump billions of dollars in investment in a bid to wrest control of a growing market from Tesla and newer upstarts amid concerns over climate change and petroleum dependency.

"People are on the precipice of a massive adoption of EVs," Chevrolet Vice President Steve Majoros told AFP shortly before presenting the General Motors brand's electric versions of top-selling trucks.

"More and more Americans are ready," said Majoros, pointing to the boost to consumer confidence from the increased number of EV charging stations.

Chevy, which unveiled Wednesday a performance edition of its Tahoe gasoline-powered truck, plans this weekend to launch a new media blitz highlighting its electric vehicle offerings at different price points in ways that will lead to "mainstream EV adoption at scale," Majoros told the gathering.

Stellantis brand Jeep released a 30-year commemorative edition of the popular Grand Cherokee SUV, as well as a new fifth-generation model that is the first Jeep plug-in hybrid.

- Corvette fan -

Midway through the morning, the Detroit convention center was cleared of journalists to secure the space for Biden, who was greeted by GM Chief Executive Mary Barra and other top GM officials before test-driving the Cadillac Lyriq, a luxury EV.

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The US president said he liked the Lyriq, but took a particular shine to an Orange Corvette he had earlier examined, according to a White House pool press report.

"He said he's driving it home," Barra said of Biden's reaction to the Corvette, a gasoline-powered vehicle.

Biden, who also met with top brass from Stellantis and Ford, as well as labor and Michigan political leaders, is expected to tout major legislative victories in recent weeks on federal funding for semiconductor investment and climate change mitigation.

A White House fact sheet highlighted a deluge of investment decisions by companies that have amounted to nearly $85 billion in investment on manufacturing of EVs, batteries, and chargers in the United States since Biden took office.

"The President's economic plan has generated an American, EV manufacturing boom that is creating new economic opportunity and tens of thousands of good-paying and union jobs across the country," the fact sheet said.

Biden has a long and generally warm relationship with Detroit giants after presiding as vice president over the bailouts following the 2008 financial crisis.

As president, he has visited both GM and Ford.

Biden "has given a lot of kudos to the Detroit automakers," said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for the automotive research firm Edmunds.

"He's been seen driving a lot of their products at the White House and all sorts of other places."

- Sourcing rules -

But automakers have been griping about a provision in the just-passed Inflation Reduction Act that sets strict sourcing requirements for federal EV subsidies.

The requirement is meant to prod automakers into using EV batteries produced in North America as well as critical materials sourced from North America or countries with which the United States has a free trade agreement.

Automakers are hoping officials in Washington may show flexibility in implementing the rule.

"There's still a lot of guidance the government has to come forward with," said Chevrolet's Majoros. "We're looking at future plans, we're studying how things might adapt what we do from a sourcing perspective."

Majoros said it is too soon to say whether the rule will prevent new subsidies for key vehicles, such as the Equinox, an SUV unveiled last Thursday with a starting price of $30,000, an affordable level in a pricey space.

The GM brand plans to begin modest production of the Equinox in 2023, but that 2024 would be a "big year" with higher output, Majoros said. Production will go still higher in 2025, but Chevy isn't releasing specific targets.

Majoros said Chevrolet has capacity to "flex" output depending on demand, adding, "There's a lot of questions about the rate at which industry will adapt."

jmb/sw
WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden flew home to Delaware on Tuesday night to cast their ballots in the state's primary election, arriving shortly before the polls closed.

The unexpected trip was added to the president's schedule at the last minute. Asked by reporters why he was flying to Wilmington, Biden said as he boarded Air Force One: "To vote."

The Bidens cast their Democratic primary ballots at the Tatnall School's Laird Performing Arts Center, less than a mile from Biden's home in Wilmington, where he spends many weekends. Cameras were not allowed.

The only race on the ballot was for state auditor. It featured incumbent Kathy McGuinness, a Democrat, against Lydia York, who had been endorsed by the Delaware Democratic Party.

It was unclear why the Bidens did not vote by absentee ballots, rather than flying to Delaware and back to Washington aboard the presidential aircraft at taxpayers' expense.

(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Bitcoiner Bruce Fenton will not get the chance to represent the state of New Hampshire as a Republican in the U.S. Senate, losing his bid after primary polls closed late Tuesday.

Frontrunners Don Bolduc, a former military officer, and Chuck Morse, president of the New Hampshire State Senate, were still neck and neck at 3:46 a.m. Eastern time, separated by only 1% with 82% of precincts reporting, with Bolduc leading by a nose. They are competing to face incumbent Sen. Maggie Hasan (D-N.H.) in November.

Fenton's loss comes as the 2022 primary season wraps up. In addition to New Hampshire, the states of Delaware and Rhode Island held their primary elections Tuesday to close out the final preliminary leg of the midterm elections. The general U.S. election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Fenton, in a Twitter post, thanked his supporters.

We didnt win the election tonight.



I learned a lot, met great people, shared ideas, toured our state & leveled up skills. Great as a 1st time candidate joining a major race late. What an experience.



Thank you SO very much for your support!! 



Ill keep fighting for liberty!  Bruce Fenton  (@brucefenton) September 14, 2022

Despite Fenton's loss, the U.S. Senate may soon have more crypto-friendly lawmakers after this year's midterm. U.S. Representative Ted Budd (R-N.C.) won his primary bid for a seat in the upper house of the American legislature in June. He'll face Democrat Cheri Beasley in the November contest. Similarly, Blake Masters, a Peter Thiel-backed Republican, is competing against incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat, in Arizona, while Ohio has Rep. Tim Ryan (D) facing challenger J.D. Vance (R).

Budd, a three-term congressman, has introduced or supported a number of crypto-friendly bills over his time in office. However, few have actually become law.

Seats in the House and Senate are up for grabs this November, and though a seemingly record number of crypto-friendly candidates ran for office it ultimately was not much of an election issue. Several crypto-friendly candidates  and several candidates supported by the crypto industry  lost their primary races over the course of the year.

Rather, the U.S. economy, gun policies, voting policies, healthcare and crime were at the top of voters' minds this year, according to a Pew Research Center poll published in August. Abortion, while not a major election issue at the start of the year, took on a fresh importance after the U.S. Supreme Court functionally overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade case this summer.
The life and legacy of Bessie Coleman.

In August, an American Airlines plane flew from DallasFort Worth to Phoenix, but it was no ordinary flight. The 36 staff members on duty  from the crew, to the cargo team, to the gate agents  were all Black women honoring an icon in aviation.

Flight AA 372 celebrated Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to receive a pilot's license. Born in Texas in 1892, Coleman was an apt math student who studied at the Colored Agricultural and Normal University in Langston, Okla. before her funds ran out. Coleman then moved to Chicago at age 23 to work as a manicurist for several years. However, after learning of female French pilots from her brother, a World War I veteran, she decided she, too, wanted to fly, but both women and Black people were not allowed to attend flight school in the United States.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Bessie Coleman, circa 1920

Undeterred, Coleman learned French and moved to France, where she enrolled in the Caudron Brothers School of Aviation. She was granted her pilot's license on June 25, 1921, and returned to the United States, where she built a career as a barnstormer, or stunt pilot.



"She was very determined. There was no stopping her," Beth Powell, the captain of the historic American Airlines flight told Travel + Leisure.

Born and raised in a rural town in Jamaica, Powell, like Coleman, was a strong math student, recalling when a high school told her she had the potential to become a pilot, engineer, or mechanic.

"I think that's the best thing that ever happened in my entire life," she said. "I'm happy the teacher said pilot first because I forgot everything else!"



Courtesy of American Airlines

Courtesy of American Airlines

Powell then researched local flight schools, and attended Wings Jamaica. She eventually continued her aviation education at FlightSafety in Vero Beach, Fla.

But throughout her schooling, Coleman's story wasn't told.

"I would have loved to [have heard] her story from back then, because she was somebody who we all became," Powell said. "And it would have given us more inspiration, it would have given us more hope back then."

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Cue the mission of the Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars, an organization run by Coleman's great-niece, Gigi Coleman (who was also on board AA 372). Besides sharing Coleman's story  and the stories of other aviation icons  the organization also offers STEM programming to introduce students to aeronautics and careers in aviation. For the 100th anniversary of Coleman's licensing, the organization put together a tour, the culmination of which was this flight.



"What this flight did is [it] changed America," Dr. Sheila L. Chamberlain, the national chair of the Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars, said. "Because all these little girls who look like me, they saw someone like them pushing the aircraft. They saw a female that looks like them putting the baggage in, they saw someone ticket-taking. All Black!"

Chamberlain herself is an aviation pioneer, becoming the first Black female combat intelligence aviator in the U.S. Army in 1985. She grew up surrounded by aviation as her father served as a combat engineer in the U.S. Army and her cousin was an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen. During her flight school training, she was mentored by another aviation icon, Willa Brown Chappell, the first Black woman to receive a pilot's license in the U.S.

While such women as Coleman, Chappell, Chamberlain, and Powell have paved the way for Black women  and all women of color  to pursue careers in aviation, the industry still has a long way to go in terms of diversity.

According to American Airlines, Black women represent less than 1% of commercial pilots in the U.S., which why visibility, as manifested in the Bessie Coleman celebration flight, is so important to inspire the next generation, Chamberlain emphasized.

"If they see it, they can believe it," she said.



For those aspiring to work in an industry with limited representation, Chamberlain noted that building a network of role models can help navigate challenges.

"Seek people out who've already done it," she advised, pointing to organizations like Sisters of the Skies, the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), and the OBAP's Luke Weathers Flight Academy as resources for young people interested in aviation and aerospace.

Additionally, Powell encourages young people to discover who they are and what they like, then lean into their passions to achieve their dreams.

"It's important to do whatever you're passionate about because the passion will propel you through those challenging times," Powell said. "Like Bessie Coleman believed, there is no 'no.' The limit is only what you place on yourself  and the sky's no longer the limit. It is home."
Photo credit: ANDRZEJ WOJCICKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY - Getty Images

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

New research suggests that using gravitational waves from the collisions of distant black holes could solve one of the most troubling aspects of cosmology  the rate of expansion of the universe, known as the Hubble constant.

There are two standard ways of measuring the Hubble constant.

The global method involves the use of the cosmic microwave background (CMB)  fossil radiation left over from the Big Bang that uniformly fills the universe  and reveals the expansion of the universe at earlier times in history. On a local scale, type Ia supernovasalso known as standard candles due to their uniform energy outputare used to measure the Hubble constant and the more recent expansion rate of the universe.

The problem? Using different methods for measuring the Hubble constant delivers different results. The value of the Hubble constant provided by standard candles is much higher than the value CMB observations have given.

This sounds like it should have a simple solution. One method must be giving an inaccurate result, surely? But, that isnt the case. Perfecting these methods hasnt closed this gap, but has instead further widened the chasm. This problem has become known as the Hubble tension.

Astrophysicists from the University of Chicago suggest a new method for measuring the Hubble constant and the expansion rate of the universe, with the hope it could resolve the Hubble tension. This new technique doesnt use the cosmic microwave background or supernovas, but instead capitalizes on gravitational waves launched by distant black holes as they clash together.

The expansion of the universe has always been concerning to physicists, especially since it was discovered that rather than slowing down, it is accelerating. The mysterious force that is driving this acceleration has been given the placeholder name dark energy.

If the matter in the universe is finite, physicists expected that its expansion would eventually stop and the universe would re-collapse, astrophysicist Luz Angela Garcia of the Universidad ECCI in Bogota, Colombia, tells Popular Mechanics. In 1998, two independent groups that used two sets of supernova type Ia found that the universe was not only expanding, but it was doing so at an accelerated rate.

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She adds that this means other galaxies are speeding up their movement away from us ... and each other. And the further they are away, the more rapidly they recede.

In the more recent era of cosmic history, the universes expansion is accelerating, University of Geneva cosmologist, Lucas Lombriser, tells Popular Mechanics. If we measure the current expansion rate using observations of closer objects like supernovas, therefore, testing the more recent universe, we end up with a Hubble constant that is significantly larger than its counterpart inferred from the early universe and the CMB.

The tension between the two measurements is now at a significance level that can no longer be ignored.

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Why the Expanding Universe Is a Growing Problem

Photo credit: MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY - Getty Images

To picture why the accelerating expansion of the universe is so troubling, picture a mundane and everyday analogy: pushing a child on a normal playground swing.

As time from the initial single push passes, the childs swing reaches lower points. Then as the swing comes to a stop, it suddenly begins swinging again, without a push, reaching higher and higher points.

Thats similar to the universe slowing after its period of early rapid expansion  which we call the Big Bang only to begin rapidly expanding again and speeding up.

This accelerating expansion is only predicted by our model of gravity if there is something that was overtaking the strength of gravity at large scales and causing a negative pressure, Garcia says. That is dark energy.

Dark energy cant be ignored because to keep the expansion of the universe speeding up, it has to account for at least 68 percent of all of the matter and energy in the universe.

The community is puzzled by the results. We can either claim the techniques could be further refined to get closer values for the Hubble constant, or we could improve the models we use to calibrate the observations, Garcia adds. There is a third possibility that could be considered  a variable Hubble rate at different epochs of the universe, implying that the contribution of dark energy is not a constant, but it varies over time.

And one way of looking back in time is by studying gravitational waves launched by distant events.

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Black Holes as Standard Sirens to Measure the Hubble Constant

When black holes collide, they merge to produce an even larger black hole, but these events have another effect on the universe; the merging of black holes is so powerful that the event sends ripples out through the very fabric of spacetime as gravitational waves.

Sensitive and massive laser interferometers like the U.S-based Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), and the Italian version , Virgo, can measure these ripples here on Earth.

Just like observing light from a distant source shows objects as they were when that light left them  so a star three light years away is seen as it was three years ago, and so on  the observation of gravitational waves reveals events and objects that occurred in the universes distant past.

In a paper published last month in the journal Physical Review Letters , astrophysicists Daniel Holz and Jose Maria Ezquiaga suggest that these gravitational waves from colliding black holes could be used to test if the Hubble constant was the same in the universes relative infancy.

 Black Hole Central

When thinking about ways of using gravitational waves to measure the expansion of the universe, colliding black holes are advantageous over binary neutron stars because their current detection rate is much higher and they can be observed further away, NASA Einstein Fellow at the University of Chicago, Ezquiaga, tells Popular Mechanics. In other words, they allow us to probe the rate further back in time allowing us to measure the Hubble constant and also the abundance of dark energy and dark matter.

This would hinge on researchers being able to determine how the expansion rate of the universe affects gravitational wavesand changes thembefore they are measured here on Earth. And this should in turn reveal if the expansion rate of the universe is changing over great distances and thus time.

Different expansion rates affect both the amplitude of the gravitational waves, in other words, how loud or quiet they are, and the merger rates, because the volume of the universe also changes, Ezquiaga says.

The advantage of this method is that, though it depends on non-local events, by observing black holes closer to home, the researchers suggest that cosmologists could calibrate their measurements.

Photo credit: MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY - Getty Images

Local black holes allow you to have a census of the typical masses of binary black holes. Then, you can look back in time to see if black holes that merged earlier have the same spectrum, Ezquiaga adds. Changes in the cosmological model should only shift the detected masses. By comparing the shift between both spectrums, the one in the local universe and the one back in time, one can learn how much the universe has expanded.

That means this technique to measure the expansion rate of the universe and define the Hubble constant could then shed light on a problem that has troubled researchers for decades without relying on troubling existing methodologies.

Both Garcia and Lombriser, however, have their own ideas that could explain where the disparity in the Hubble constant comes from.

Photo credit: Hearst Owned

Looking Back in Time (And Across Space) to Resolve the Hubble Tension

Garcia has worked on a so-called Early Dark Energy (EDE) model which suggests that dark energy was a factor in the universe before it began its domination over gravity, leaving no trace on the cosmic microwave background, hence why measurements of the Hubble constant with this fossil radiation yields a small value.

EDE models are theoretical prescriptions we have explored recently to describe a dark energy component whose energy is not constant over time, Garcia says.

These kinds of models allow dark energy to vary with distance. Thus, the expansion rate would be impacted by a variable energy density from the dark energy.

The inclusion of early dark energy could explain why we are measuring different values of the Hubble constant at early and late times, Garcia explains. This is because early dark energy would change the expansion rate before the time when the CMB is observed and then cease its effect leaving a Hubble constant that we detect with the local universe standard candles when the structure has long evolved.

Meanwhile, Lombriser has an idea that involves changes across space, rather than across time.

He thinks that our local universe  the Milky Way and surrounding galaxies  may be in a pocket of low density within the universe. Calling this pocket a Hubble Bubble, Lombriser says that the consequence would be the local space expanding more rapidly than the rest of the universe in the dense region outside of the bubble.

That would explain why looking at close-by supernovas results in a larger value than that delivered by distant measurements of the CMB yields, thus resolving the Hubble tension.

Photo credit: Joe McNally - Getty Images

The fact that the conformal Hubble Bubble does not invoke any new physics is an appealing feature that invites for a closer inspection, Lombriser says. One option to test this would be to resolve the CMB temperature in our very nearby cosmic structure to test for a drop to a lower temperature locally.

If the use of gravitational waves to measure the Hubble constant is to resolve the Hubble tension, instruments like LIGO will need major sensitivity upgrades to see ripples in spacetime from more distant collisions.

Garcia isnt necessarily concerned about the Hubble tension if it cant soon be resolved. Instead, she sees it as an opportunity to test the limits of physics.

Future experiments focused on the nature of dark energy and the large-scale structure of the universe will have a huge impact on how we settle this crisis in cosmology, she concluded. But, if the tension persists, we will have to think harder about how gravity works on other scales, and thats pretty exciting!

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By Ben Makori

LONDON (Reuters) - At the London Coliseum theatre, a cast of Ukrainian dancers rehearse a new production of "Giselle", as Russian-born choreographer and former Bolshoi Ballet director Alexei Ratmansky watches from the sidelines.

The performers are part of The United Ukrainian Ballet, a company of 60 refugee Ukrainian dancers, technicians and creatives who fled their home country after Moscow launched its invasion in February.

"The company was formed to give these dancers... a job, to give them something to do and to rehearse, to dance, to receive money," Ratmansky told Reuters. "And to tell the world that Ukraine is strong, Ukrainian culture lives on."

Formed in the spring, the company is based in the Netherlands and draws dancers from all over Ukraine. Ratmansky, who was born in Russia and lived in Ukraine, has worked with them in a new interpretation of the classic ballet.

"'Giselle' is a dramatic story about love and death and forgiveness and it is relevant. It's a beautiful story to show the strength of these dancers," Ratmansky said.

"Each of these dancers have their own quite dramatic stories, how they left home. Many of them have relatives who fight in the military. They're constantly checking the news."

Ratmansky, a former principal dancer with the Ukrainian National Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Royal Danish Ballet, was director of the Bolshoi Ballet from 2004 before joining the American Ballet Theatre in 2009 as artist in residence.

He was working with the Bolshoi on a new production when the conflict began.

"I got a call from my wife from New York saying that Kyiv, the city where my family lives and my wife's family lives, is being bombed by Russia," said Ratmansky, whose mother is Russian and father is Ukrainian.

"I felt the world crushing and I had no choice. I had to leave the country that commits such a crime right away."

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Russia denies targeting civilians, saying what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine aims to degrade its southern neighbour's military capabilities. Kyiv and the West say it is an unprovoked war of aggression.

"We all hope that as soon as war stops, these dancers will return to their home companies," Ratmansky said.

One of the dancers is Oleksii Kniazkov, principal dancer of Kharkiv National Opera House.

Rehearsals have allowed him to think of something other than the war. "I can prepare for my performance... it takes a lot off your mind," he said.

The United Ukrainian Ballet is performing "Giselle" at the Coliseum until Sept. 17 with ticket profits going to the DEC Ukraine Appeal and United Ukrainian Ballet Foundation.

(This story refiles to update headline and change "Russian" to "Russian-born" in the first paragraph)

(Reporting by Ben Makori; Additional reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
NextShark

Chinese universities, including Peking University and Tsinghua University, are among the top universities to produce the most ultra-wealthy alumni, according to a recent report from data company Altrata. Peking University, the alma mater of Baidu co-founder Robin Li, has produced about 1,101 ultra-high net-worth (UHNW) individuals, landing the school at No. 8 on the list. Tsinghua University, the school from which Chinese President Xi Jinping graduated, churned out about 1,100 ultra-wealthy alumni, placing it at No. 9 on the list.
WORCESTER  With an expected vote Wednesday by the Boston City Council to potentially ban fossil fuel systems in some buildings, environmental activists in Worcester said they must get their ducks in a row before they ask the City Council to support a similar move.

One activist thinks the matter could be brought before the council within a month.

"We expect it's going to be several weeks, maybe a month. That's just me talking," said Paul Popinchalk, a member of 350 Central Mass, a grassroots climate-action organization.

Up to 10 cities and towns in Massachusetts can establish a local ordinance to ban fossil fuels in new construction and major renovation projects.

Archives: Will Worcester try to ban fossil fuels in new construction? City Hall won't say

To accomplish it, each community must submit a home rule petition to state lawmakers for approval. The provision is included in a climate energy bill that Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law last month.

Buildings that house health care and life science operations are exempt from a ban.

Also, a city or town must meet a state law that at least 10% of its housing stock is classified as affordable in order to be eligible to be one of the 10 communities selected.

As of 2020, 13.5% of Worcesters housing stock qualified as affordable, according to the state Department of Housing and Community Developments Subsidized Housing Inventory.

No comment

John Odell, the citys chief sustainability officer, declined to comment on a private meeting he held last week with Popinchalk and other environmental activists on the fossil fuel ban provision in the law.

Odell stated in an email that the general topic will be on Mondays nights open meeting agenda of the Green Worcester Advisory Committee.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu

In the wake of last month's announcement by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu that she wanted her city to be one of the 10 communities to ban fossil fuels, Odell said in a statement that it was too early to comment on the climate bill and how it could affect Worcester.

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Ducks in a row

The ducks-in a-row assessment was offered by Popinchalk and David Coyne, a member of an interfaith group called Worcester Congregations for Climate and Environmental Justice.

Both attended last weeks meeting with Odell and said there are many questions around the process to become one of the 10 communities. Clarity is needed before activists ask the City Council to support a home rule petition.

John gave compelling arguments why we need to develop our strategy, said Popinchalk. To educate the public and our groups so they understand the implications of this and address the false narrative that the real estate industry and gas companies are putting out about this initiative.

Activists also need to get a clear picture of what City Hall leaders and councilors think of a potential ban. If there are objections, Coyne said activists need to understand them so any proposal before the City Council has a strong chance of getting a six-vote majority for success.

"Voting it down does not get us anywhere, said Coyne.

Others in last weeks meeting with Odell, said Coyne, included representatives from the Worcester Chapter of Mothers Out Front and Jeuji Diamondstone, chairwoman of the environmental and climate justice committee in Worcesters chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Time limit

While activists want to make sure theyre careful to present a measure to councilors that has enough votes to pass, time could be a factor because other communities are jockeying for the 10 spots.

Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj

District 5 City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj supports Worcester becoming one of the 10 communities, and said its up to activists to come to the council and ask it to support a petition.

(Activists) haven't come yet, but definitely conversations are happening to figure out the best way to go forward, said Haxhiaj.

If activists make a formal request and it's not tabled, Haxhiaj explained it would go to a council subcommittee for a public hearing. Then back to the full council for a vote.

I hope so, Haxhiaj said when asked if there are six votes to support a petition, adding the council needs to keep in mind that it voted last year to support the Green Worcester Plan that calls for the city to become one of the most sustainable and climate-resilient midsized cities in the U.S. by 2050.

(Councilors) need to look around and see how much climate change is affecting the present and the future, said Haxhiaj to describe what councilors should consider when and if the time comes to vote on a home rule petition.

No time for speculation

Popinchalk and Coyne declined to speculate if there are at least six votes in their corner, but said there is work to do before the time comes to formally appear before the council.

For Popinchalk, cutting carbon emissions for the benefit of future generations is why he's involved in this effort.

Im a grandfather and I worry about the future my grandchildren are growing into, he said.

As Coyne sees it, activists must do the work to put them in the best spot for success.

We are exploring this, said Coyne. We dont want to promote something prematurely in a way that city administration feels obligated to oppose it.

10 submissions

Ten communities have reportedly submitted petitions to the state to be in the mix: Cambridge, Newton, Brookline, Lexington, Arlington, Concord, Lincoln, Acton, Aquinnah and West Tisbury.

If the Boston City Council votes to send a home rule petition to state lawmakers, New Englands largest city could be placed on a waiting list behind the 10 communities that already submitted petitions.

Boston could move into the top 10 if one of the communities drops out or doesnt meet state regulations that govern the pilot program.

The state Department of Energy Resources has until July 1, 2023, to develop the regulations, a condition in the climate energy law signed by Baker.

That process requires input from cities and towns, the Department of Energy Resources said, and the state agency anticipates it will develop a formal process to implement the regulations.

Implementation will include a schedule of when the Department of Energy Resources intends to accept applications.

Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @henrytelegram

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Vote in Boston to ban fossil fuels. Worcester needs more time.
Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan

A retired judge has cleared Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan this week of allegations including improper procedure and illegal search.

Former officer Hannah Kalchbrenner filed a complaint against Bevan on July 19, alleging Bevan improperly detained and searched two people and a home without a warrant. Following Kalchbrenners complaint, four more officers came forward with allegations that command staff encouraged unlawful arrests and stealing from an officer. This led to the approval of an independent investigation on Aug. 24 by the Bradenton City Council.

Previously: Bradenton Police Chief calls unlawful search allegations 'slanderous'

Background: City council approves independent investigation for allegations by Bradenton Police officers

Retired federal judge Greg Holder and North Port Capt. Brian Gregory assisted the city in an independent investigation. Holder was assigned to investigate allegations against Bevan, and Gregory was assigned to investigate allegations made by former and current officers.

Holder concluded that there was no search and seizure of any person or property. He wrote in a letter to Mayor Gene Brown that Bevan justifiably patted down those who were detained and conducted a "cursory sweep," an inspection of a place where a suspect could potentially be found.

Chief Bevans actions were not only consistent with both the statutory and constitutional parameters but were also consistent with defined police procedures not only within BPD but also within law enforcement agencies throughout the nation, Holder wrote in a letter to Brown. Her actions that day were taken to ensure the safety of all involved, both officers and citizens.

Bevan said she was confident about the outcome of the case and that it was difficult to remain silent since she was legally required to.

"The false allegations made against me not only served as a personal attack against my character and morals, it also caused embarrassment for the Bradenton Police Department," Bevan said.

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Although Bevan has been cleared of allegations from the July 14 incident, Gregory is still investigating allegations against Bevan, command staff, and the Internal Affairs Department.

Gregory will be investigating those allegations, but no updates have been provided on his portion of the investigation.

The Herald-Tribune has reached out to the Police Benevolent Association for comment on the clearing of the allegations but was unable to get in contact with a representative.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bradenton Police Chief Bevan exonerated following investigation
Newly released text messages from NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre show he was much more involved than previously known in pushing for millions of federal welfare dollars to be diverted from helping poor families to instead pay for a new volleyball facility at the school where his daughter played the sport.

The messages, released in a court filing this week, also reveal that Favre sought reassurances from a nonprofit executive that the public would never learn he was seeking millions of dollars in grants that ultimately came from the Mississippi welfare agency.

Favre has said publicly that he did not know the funds were welfare dollars and that he believes he did nothing wrong. He paid back $1.1 million that was given to him directly, but the state auditor says he still owes $228,000 in interest.

Brett Favre presents at the NFL Honors show on Feb. 10, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (Michael Owens / Getty Images file)

NBC News was first to report that the FBI has questioned Favre in the matter, but there is no indication Favre is a target of the FBIs criminal investigation.

In July, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D.-Miss., asked the Justice Department to look into the role that Favre and former Gov. Phil Bryant played in the sprawling welfare scandal.

Favres lawyer, Bud Holmes, told NBC News that Favre behaved totally honorably in everything, and that there is nothing remarkable about the newly released texts.

The welfare funds in question were part of the $86 million Mississippi is given each year by the federal government to lift families out of poverty. Mississippi is the poorest state in the country, with almost 200,000 children living below the poverty line.

The text messages were first reported by Mississippi Today and came to light on Monday through court filings in a civil case spurred by the largest public spending scandal in the states history. The state auditor uncovered $77 million in misspent welfare funds in February 2020. The state filed a civil suit against 38 defendants.

According to text messages and court filings, the idea to divert funds to the volleyball facility appears to have been discussed at a July 2017 meeting that included Favre, John Davis, the head of Mississippis welfare agency (known as the Department of Human Services, DHS), and Nancy New, whose charity was getting millions in grants from the state agency. New, Davis and Favre are defendants in the state's civil suit.

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The text messages, which were part of a filing by New's attorney, do not establish that Favre knew the public funds discussed were welfare money.

The volleyball facility, which has now been completed, is at the University of Southern Mississippi, Favres alma mater.

The newly released text messages indicate Bryant, a Republican, was much more involved in the project as governor than previously known. Texts suggest he actively worked to get Favre the funding. On July 16, 2019, he texted New that he had just left a meeting with Favre, writing, Can we help him with his project?

A lawyer for Davis declined to comment. Davis has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery and conspiracy.

News nonprofit was supposed to be focused on running programs to help families in poverty. But New alleges in court documents that she was directed by Davis and Bryant to misspend millions of welfare funds by distributing it to Davis friends and family as well as to former professional wrestlers and Favre.

After the July 2017 meeting, Favre thanked New for the first financial installment for the facility. Nancy thank you again!!! John [Davis] mentioned 4 million and not sure if I heard him right. Very big deal and cant thank you enough.

Four-million dollars was not enough to complete the project. And to get the remaining money that was needed, the texts indicate Favre and New came up with a plan. She would pay Favre $1.1 million in state funds directly and he would do a few radio ads. Then he said he would turn the money over to the volleyball project.

I could record a few radio spots here initially. Im sure right here. See how it is received and whatever compensation could go to USM, Favre wrote.

New wrote back jokingly suggesting the compensation of 4 million dollars with three smiley face emojis, Just kidding, she texted. The first phase could be $500,000 and after Sept. we can renew. This is a good approach. What do you think?

Favre responded, Was just thinking that here is the way to do it!

New offered that her son Zach New could write up a contract for Favre.

New and her son have both pleaded guilty to state charges of misspending public money that was supposed to be spent on Mississippians in poverty.

Over the course of the next two years, as Favre communicated with New, text messages show he had some concerns about the arrangement.

First he was worried that he might be too busy to do the radio spots. My biggest concern is time commitment so we can manage that Im good.

New responded: Please do not worry about your time commitment. We can only imagine how many directions you are pulled. Just a few things here and there, spread out will be plenty.

At one point Favre gets worried that the payment to him from the state will become public.

If you were to pay me is there anyway the media can find out where it came from and how much?

No, we never have had that information publicized, Nancy texted back. I understand you being uneasy about that though.

By August, New confirmed that the then-governor was supportive. Wow, just got off the phone with Phil Bryant! He is on board with this, we will get this done!

A few months later, in December 2017, Favre got the money from New and texted her. Nancy Santa came today and dropped some money off, he wrote, adding two smiley faces. thank you my goodness thank you. We need to set up the promo soon. Your way to kind.

By March 2018, construction costs for the volleyball facility were going up and Favre appeared to be worried the project would run out of money. He shared his concern with New via text.

A year later he asked again, Nancy, are you still confident you can cover the $1.8 and that number will probably be less as we get closer.

New responded: In a meeting with John Davis now. He said we will cover much of it but may have to be in a couple of payments. We are on board!

Often, the text messages show, Favre would strategize with New about how to ensure the money would be provided and how to get the governor to commit more funding. Would a phone call to the governor help? A meeting? A message? Favre texted New that he was asking the governor about the funds weekly.

Favre has said he didnt know the money was welfare funding. The text messages show, however, that he understood the money flow between the governor, New and Davis  the head of the state welfare agency, DHS, that is dedicated to improving the lives of poor children and families in the state.

Favre also seems to have known both New and Davis well, at one point in 2019 texting, with more smiley faces, I love John so much, and you too.

At one point, when Davis left DHS, Favre texted New, Any word? Meet the new director yet?

In a statement on the released texts, an attorney for Bryant, Billy Quin, said the former governor had agreed to produce the texts "even though he isn't party to the lawsuit," and had requested that New's attorney agree to a protective order that would allow the [texts] to be used in court with certain reasonable restrictions."

Bryant's attorney said that cases should be tried in court, not in the press. "It appears that News attorney prefers to try his clients case in the latter as opposed to the former.

Asked about the concern Favre expressed that the public would learn he was getting state grant money, Favre's lawyer, Bud Holmes, said Favre just didnt need the publicity and thought it would look bad to be getting money from a program.

Holmes said Favre originally offered to make public appearances for free, but Nancy New, who ran the nonprofit that handed out the welfare grants, kept saying she had a budget.

Holmes said Favre did not know the funds came from the federal welfare program. He didnt understand where the grants came from, said Holmes. He had no idea.

Asked why Favre, who was paid an estimated $140 million during his NFL career, didnt just donate money for the volleyball facility, Holmes said, He did donate a good bit, but thats how it is with rich people. They raise money.

Holmes added that comedian Jerry Lewis didnt just donate money for his popular muscular dystrophy telethons, he raised it.

Holmes, who previously acknowledged that Favre had been interviewed by the FBI, said he has not been contacted recently by federal investigators.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Vegetarian restaurant is the first in Britain to add carbon emissions to its menu - to show the environmental cost of every mea (Tom Wren SWNS)

A vegetarian restaurant in Bristol has become the first in Britain to add carbon emissions to its menu, so customers can see the environmental cost of each meal.

The Canteen wants to help their customers stay informed about the global impact of their food choices by listing the carbon footprint of every dish, as well as its ingredients and price.

The footprint includes the distance the ingredients travelled, seasonality of ingredients, and emissions during production.

The meal with the highest carbon footprint on the current menu is vegan dish Miso and harissa aubergine, za'atar brittle, courgette baba ganoush & tabbouleh.

It costs 8.50 and measures 674g CO2.

The lowest on the menu is a sharing plate of beetroot and carrot pakora with coriander yoghurt  measuring just 16g CO2.

It all started when The Canteen were approached by UK's leading vegan charity, Viva!, which asked if restaurant managers wanted be part of an initiative that sees the carbon footprint of meals calculated and evident to see on its menu.

Anna Blightman, Canteen marketing manager, explained: Our head chef, Matt, went through the whole menu - and it was then sent off to MyEmissions - a food carbon footprint calculator.

"We were all waiting in anticipation, and the results were a complete eye-opener. The reception has been incredible and really positive, with many customers asking, 'why doesn't everyone do this!'"

The initiative was partly inspired by the UK government decision to make English restaurants with more than 250 employees display calorie information for each meal on their menus.

Anna said: "There was a campaign being led at the time called 'Carbon not calories', and because we have a lot less than 250 employees, we weren't inclined to include calories - but we decided to get the conversation going and take a leap of faith."

The menu at The Canteen (Tom Wren SWNS)

The new menu, that will run from October to February, is being executed by the restaurants chefs, who say they are "excited" to learn more about the footprint of their meal choices.

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Penny, a chef at the restaurant, said: We reuse everything here - from lemons to aquafaba - there is no waste. This is an incredibly important step given the climate crisis we are in and our initiative, from a local small business, is something Im really proud to be a part of.

Greg Picott, assistant manager, said having the carbon information available at the Stokes Croft venue has proved it is getting people thinking in the right way.

Greg, who has been vegan for seven years, added: "It helps people to consciously think about the impact their everyday decisions have on the environment, and ultimately inspire them to take positive steps forwards. I wouldn't want to work somewhere that doesn't take sustainability into account - we are in a climate emergency, and there is no denying that anymore.

"I really hope the initiative catches on - having this menu when it's broken down makes it much more visceral to people, and our menu reveals the numerical value of why being vegan is best for the environment."

SWNS
Despite rescue efforts, in late May the first bodies of the miners were recovered from the Perkoa zinc mine

The director of a mine in Burkina Faso has been found guilty of manslaughter, following a flooding disaster in April that killed eight miners.

Hein Frey, of Canadian company Trevali, was fined $3,000 (2,600) and given a suspended 24-month prison sentence.

The incident caused outrage in the country at the time.

The verdict has been met with shock, with some in Burkina Faso seeing the sentence as lenient, given the number of victims.

A second executive, Daryl Christensen, an Australian national working with for Trevali's contractor Byrnecut, was handed a 12-month suspended sentence and fined $1,500.

Frey, from South Africa, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter but acquitted on charges of illegal mining activities, failure to comply with regulations on occupational health and safety in mines, endangering the lives of others and failure to assist a person in danger.

Trevali has issued a statement but did not comment on the sentences. It said it was still negotiating with the authorities to resume mining at the Perkoa zinc mine.

The trial began on 24 August following a complaint by the families of the miners from Burkina Faso.

The eight miners were working at a depth of more than 500m when they became trapped by torrential rain in April.

In less than an hour, 125mm of rain fell - five times the average monthly amount.

Despite frantic rescue efforts, it took until late May for the first bodies of the miners to be recovered from the mine, which lies about 100km (60 miles) west of the capital, Ouagadougou.

In June, the last body was recovered, following some 66 days of searching.

There was controversy at the time of the incident, with rescue operations only getting under way following protests and a sit-in at a government building at a nearby town five days after the floods.

It took rescue teams 31 days to reach the first rescue chamber at the mine in which the missing miners might have sought refuge.

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But when the chamber was opened, none of the men - one Tanzanian, one Zambian and six from Burkina Faso - were there.

The zinc mine had two rescue chambers stocked with food, water and oxygen, and loved ones had desperately hoped the miners could have made it to one of those safely.

Millions of litres of water were pumped out and specialised equipment was brought in from Ghana and South Africa to help at the mine, that has a depth of 710m.

Trevali said that during the rescue efforts, a road ramp into the mine was rebuilt and 5,000m of new pipes installed, along with more than 24 electric and diesel pumps.

But after a day-and-night search lasting more than a month, on 25 May rescue teams found the the first four bodies of the miners.

At the time, the boss of the Canadian-owned mine expressed his sadness at the deaths.

"Our deepest condolences are with our colleagues' families during this difficult time, and all of us at Trevali grieve their loss," said its head, Ricus Grimbeek.

Following the disaster, Trevali and the government in Burkina Faso launched their own investigations.
Californias attorney general filed a lawsuit against Amazon (AMZN) Wednesday, alleging that the retail giant is violating the states antitrust and unfair business practices laws by illegally using its dominance to stomp out competition in the online retail market.

In an 84-page civil complaint, the states top law enforcement official says Amazon is insulating itself from price competition by forcing third-party sellers and wholesale suppliers that sell and deliver new products to a buyers home to refrain from offering lower prices elsewhere. These pricing agreements require the parties to agree theyll prevent Amazons competitors  such as Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), eBay (EBAY), and the party's own websites  from offering lower prices.

The contracts prevent effective price competition across a wide swath of online marketplaces and stores, the complaint states.

Amazon makes consumers think they are getting the lowest prices possible, when in fact, they cannot get the low prices that would prevail in a freely competitive market because Amazon has coerced and induced its third-party sellers and wholesale suppliers to enter into anti-competitive agreements on price, the complaint states.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, at lectern and flanked by staff, announces an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.com Inc during a news conference in San Francisco, California, U.S. September 14, 2022. REUTERS/Paresh Dave

Amazon  along with other tech giants like Meta Platforms (META)  has been increasingly subject to antitrust scrutiny. This also isn't the first state-level antitrust lawsuit that's been brought against Amazon, particularly when it comes to how the company manages pricing and its seller relationships. In March, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia dismissed a similar antitrust lawsuit that D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine's brought against Amazon.

In a complaint filed May 2021, Racine argued that the companys Fair Pricing Policy violated the districts Antitrust Act by prohibiting third-party sellers from offering lower prices for their products on competing websites. The suit also alleged that Amazon imposed anti-competitive agreements on wholesalers known as first-party sellers that sell products to Amazon, which in turn resells to its retail consumers.

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A similar class action is playing out in Seattle, where a group of consumers in March convinced a judge to deny Amazons request to dismiss their suit, also alleging that the companys seller agreements violate antitrust law. According to the judge, the agreements requirement that sellers add Amazon fees to the cost of products sold elsewhere could potentially run afoul of federal anti-competition law.

Californias complaint is distinct from the D.C. and Washington cases in that it alleges violations of separate anti-competition laws and different relevant markets.

In the D.C. case, the attorney general alleged that Amazon used its dominance in the broader online retail market to violate the districts antitrust laws. Plaintiffs in the Washington case argued that the tech giant is violating federal competition law using dominance in the U.S. retail e-commerce market.

Amazon's Silicon Valley HQ in 2020, provided by Getty Creative.

In 2019, reportedly under the threat of investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, Amazon dropped its most favored nation provision, which required sellers to offer items for sale to Amazon users with the most favorable terms.

For now, it's unclear how this latest lawsuit will affect Amazon, said Adam Kovacevich, who's CEO and founder of Chamber of Progress, a center-left tech policy coalition.

"I think most people would be shocked to hear the allegation that Amazon was contributing to higher prices, not lower prices," said Kovacevich, echoing a defense that Amazon has used to deny antitrust claims. "That's what's unusual about this case. I think it faces legal hurdles, but also a common sense hurdle."

If this case moves forward, it will also be a matter of finding the correct remedy, and since this is unchartered legal territory, it's not clear what that looks like, added Kovacevich.

"Even if this is a problem, what would be the remedy? That's not clear to me yet," he said.

California's attorney general is asking for a jury trial and for Amazon to compensate Californians for the deadweight loss allegedly caused to the states economy. The complaint further seeks an injunction to stop Amazons alleged illegal conduct, and a fine against the company of $2,500 per violation, for claims proven at trial.

"Similar to the D.C. Attorney General  whose complaint was dismissed by the courts  the California Attorney General has it exactly backwards," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to Yahoo Finance. "Sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store. Amazon takes pride in the fact that we offer low prices across the broadest selection, and like any store we reserve the right not to highlight offers to customers that are not priced competitively. The relief the AG seeks would force Amazon to feature higher prices to customers, oddly going against core objectives of antitrust law. We hope that the California court will reach the same conclusion as the D.C. court and dismiss this lawsuit promptly."

Amazon shares are down about 25% year to date as of close on Wednesday. The company's stock reacted briefly to the news of the California lawsuit, but spiked back up shortly thereafter.

Allie Garfinkle is a Senior Tech Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @agarfinks.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance.

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Amazon delivery worker

The state of California has accused Amazon of violating competition law with practices that prevent sellers from offering lower prices elsewhere.

The lawsuit from America's most populous state says the moves have hurt rivals and made online shopping more expensive for everyone.

It marks the biggest legal threat Amazon has faced in the US.

But a similar lawsuit was dismissed in the US earlier this year for insufficient evidence of higher prices.

Proving harm to consumers in the form of higher prices is a key issue in US competition law.

Amazon said that like the DC case, California's complaint had it "exactly backwards" and that the lawsuit should be dismissed.

"Sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store," the company said. "Amazon takes pride in the fact that we offer low prices across the broadest selection, and like any store we reserve the right not to highlight offers to customers that are not priced competitively."

In the complaint, California says Amazon's contracts require sellers to offer the lowest price on Amazon, restraining the ability of other websites to compete.

By protecting Amazon's dominance of the market, the deals give the firm freedom to raise fees on merchants, which eventually hit consumers in the form of higher prices.

"Amazon knows its price parity agreements prevent rivals from stealing market share away with lower prices reflective of their lower fees. So Amazon keeps raising fees, leading to higher prices on Amazon, leading to higher prices off Amazon due to price parity," the lawsuit says.

It said this created "a vicious anticompetitive cycle in which Amazon wins and its third-party sellers, its wholesale suppliers, consumers, and competition lose".

The lawsuit also accuses Amazon of punishing merchants who run afoul of the rules, with tactics such as moving their listings lower in search results,

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"The reality is: Many of the products we buy online would be cheaper if market forces were left unconstrained," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.

Though the lawsuit is limited to California, its effect could be far-reaching given California's size.

The lawsuit comes as regulators, especially in the European Union, increasingly question the dominance of a handful tech giants.

This summer Amazon sought to settle a case brought by the EU which accused it of using data it collects on sellers to compete against them.

Amazon is also under investigation in the UK over concerns that the company is giving an unfair advantage to certain sellers on its marketplace.

Meanwhile an EU court this week also largely upheld a record fine against Google for using the Android platform to cement its search engine's dominance.
California filed a suit Wednesday accusing Amazon of using its market influence to prevent merchants from offering buyers better deals elsewhere online, in violation of state antitrust law.

Amazon requires that merchants don't list items at lower prices on other websites, which hurts sellers and consumers, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in the lawsuit.

"Amazon coerces merchants into agreements that keep prices artificially high, knowing full well that they can't afford to say no," Bonta said in a release.

"Many of the products we buy online would be cheaper if market forces were left unconstrained."

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The attorney general in Washington had filed a similar suit against Amazon, but a judge dismissed the case in March.

Amazon is such a dominant e-commerce site that merchants feel they have little choice when it comes to agreeing to the titan's selling conditions, Bonta's lawsuit argued.

Those demands include agreeing not to offer lower prices elsewhere, whether it be at Amazon rivals such as Walmart or a merchant's own website, the suit said.

Vendors who don't comply can see their listings made less prominent or even have their ability to sell items on Amazon suspended, according to the suit.

Sellers have reported that they can offer goods at lower prices on their own websites and some other e-commerce venues because they save on fees charged by Amazon, state attorneys argued.

But "with other e-commerce platforms unable to compete on price, consumers turn to Amazon as a one-stop shop for all their purchases," Bonta said.

"This perpetuates Amazon's market dominance."

Bonta is asking a state court in San Francisco to order Amazon to stop its price-floor practice and pay unspecified damages.

gc/to
NEW YORK (AP)  California is suing Amazon, accusing the company of violating the state's antitrust and unfair competition laws by stifling competition and engaging in practices that push sellers to maintain higher prices on products on other sites.

The 84-page lawsuit filed Wednesday in San Francisco Superior Court mirrors another complaint filed last year by the District of Columbia, which was dismissed by a district judge earlier this year and is now going through an appeals process.

But officials in California say they believe they wont encounter a similar fate, partly due to information collected during a more than two-year investigation that involved subpoenas and interviews with sellers, Amazons competitors as well as current and former employees at the e-commerce giant.

In the lawsuit, California Attorney General Rob Bontas office said Seattle-based Amazon used contract provisions to effectively bar third-party sellers and wholesale suppliers from offering lower prices for products on non-Amazon sites, including on their own websites. That, in turn, harms the ability of other retailers to compete.

The suit maintains merchants that do not comply with the policy could have their products stripped from prominent listings on Amazon and face other sanctions such as suspensions or terminations of their accounts. It alleges Amazons policy essentially forces merchants to list higher prices on other sites, helping it maintain its e-commerce dominance.

Among other things, the California lawsuit seeks to stop Amazon from entering into contracts with sellers that harm price competition. It also seeks a court order to compel Amazon to pay damages to the state for increased prices. State officials did not say how much money they are seeking.

The company has said in the past that sellers set their own prices on the platform. It has also said it has the right to avoid highlighting products that are not priced competitively. In a statement sent Wednesday, Amazon reiterated those points and said Bonta has it exactly backwards.

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The relief the AG seeks would force Amazon to feature higher prices to customers, oddly going against core objectives of antitrust law, the company said. We hope that the California court will reach the same conclusion as the D.C. court and dismiss this lawsuit promptly.

Amazon controls roughly 38% of online sales in the U.S., more than Walmart, eBay, Apple, Best Buy and Target combined, according to the research firm Insider Intelligence. About 2 million sellers list their products on Amazons third-party marketplace, accounting for 58% of the companys retail sales.

During a news conference on Wednesday, Bonta said some vendors have expressed they would offer lower prices on other sites with lower seller fees, but don't do so to avoid punishment from Amazon.

Amazon has stifled its competition for years, not by successfully competing, but by blocking competition on price," Bonta said. "As a result, California families paid more, and now Amazon must pay the price.

He said the lawsuit is also a message to other companies who illegally bend the market at the expense of California consumers, small business owners and the economy."

The tech industry's allies also slammed the lawsuit. Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the industry trade group Chamber of Progress, which receives funding from Amazon and other tech companies, said the case would force Amazon to raise prices.

That makes no sense while consumers shop for bargains to counter inflation, and its based on a legally unsound theory already rejected by federal courts," Kovacevich said.

Despite that defense, Amazons market power has been a subject of scrutiny from lawmakers and advocacy groups calling for stricter antitrust regulations. Earlier this year, congressional lawmakers urged the Justice Department to investigate if the company collects data on sellers to develop competing products and offer them more prominently on its site. Critics have also lambasted the increasing fees imposed on sellers, which makes it more difficult for merchants to enter the market.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been pushing bipartisan legislation aiming to limit Amazon and other Big Tech companies, including Apple, Meta and Google, from favoring their own products and services over rivals. The bill has cleared key committees but has languished in Congress for months amid intense pushback from the companies.

Meanwhile, regulators have also been looking into Amazons business practices and deals. In July, the company offered concessions to settle two antitrust investigations in the European Union, including a promise to apply equal treatment to all sellers when ranking product offers on the sites buy box, a coveted spot that makes items more visible to shoppers.

In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission is investigating Amazons $3.9 billion acquisition of the primary health organization One Medical as well as the sign-up and cancellation practices of Amazon Prime, the companys paid subscription service that offers deals and faster shipping.
(Reuters) - California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday he had signed a bill into law requiring transparency of social media companies, a move that could draw criticism from tech firms and industry groups.

The law, AB-587, will require social media companies to publicly post their policies regarding hate speech, disinformation, harassment and extremism on their platforms, and report data on their enforcement of the policies.

Last year, the governor of Texas signed a bill prohibiting social media firms from restricting users or their posts based on their viewpoint. The Supreme Court in May blocked the law, after technology industry groups sued.

"California will not stand by as social media is weaponized to spread hate and disinformation that threaten our communities and foundational values as a country," Newsom said in a statement.

The latest measure is expected to bring transparency and accountability to the policies that shape social media content, Newsom added.

(Reporting by Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; editing by Jason Neely)
Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist and original Bronx native, Cardi B, is giving back to her community yet again. This time, she went back to her neck of the woods and paid her old middle school a surprise visit, where she made a $100,000 donation.

HAPPENING NOW: Cardi B announces shes donating $100K to I.S. 232 in the Bronx, where she used to be a student. @NBCNewYork #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/2w597RKWhz  Kay Angrum (@kayangrum) September 13, 2022

The students and principal of I.S. 232 were all taken by surprise by her visit, and in the video posted to Twitter, the excitement in the children says a lot about their love and appreciation for Cardi.

The unanticipated drop-in consisted of Cardi having an open discussion with students about their favorite teachers, advice on decision-making, safety, and what they love most about the school. Alongside the schools chancellor, David Banks, Cardi B discussed her experience attending public schools and the importance of education. It was then that the rapper announced her $100,000 donation to the middle school.

The Bronx middle school appearance is part of a partnership tour throughout the five boroughs of New York, with Community Capacity Development  a human justice organization that is striving to obliterate systemic challenges in marginalized minority communities.

Cardi B has shown her appreciation and given many props to the organization for its continuous work in the prevention of gun violence, education, as well as youth mentorship.

Here Are several Instances Where Cardi B Gives Back To The Community.

Back in January of this year, New York City Mayor Eric Adams And The Mayors Fund formed an alliance with worldwide superstar, Cardi B to help alleviate the financial hardship of the families and cover burial expenses for every victim of the tragic Bronx fire.

Cardi B pulled up to The Queensbridge Housing Projects to share positive messages of hope and reassurance with the youth and to encourage them to follow their dreams, even when resources are low and times get rough.

As reported by Revolt, Cardi spoke with students involved with the Community Capacity Development organizations music program. The non-profit organization educates marginalized communities about entrepreneurship, building wealth, providing resources for mental health and more. Queensbridge is known to be one of New York Citys most underserved communities.
Cardi B has announced she is donating $100,000 (86,825) to her former school in Bronx, New York City.

The rapper made a surprise visit to the school in the Bronxs Morris Heights neighbourhood, in association with the Community Capacity Development programme, on Tuesday 13 September.

Cardi, 29, visited two other back-to-school events with the CCD in Queens and Brooklyn this week.

Her final appearance was at IS 232 where she delivered a speech and answered student questions, before pledging $100,000 towards the school.

Speaking at the event, Cardi reportedly said: Im extremely proud to be from the Bronx and I have lots of family and friends who live and work there still.

Cardi B at her old school in the Bronx today. After donating 100k to the school. ? pic.twitter.com/zmpSVWupPz  Cardi B Updates (@CardiBUpdatesHQ) September 13, 2022

So when I heard about the fire and all of the victims, I knew I needed to do something to help, the WAP hitmaker continued, adding, I was looking at some areas. The way that the prices soar uplike how are people surviving? I want to know.

My family and my friends, theyre so grateful to have me, but its just like, what happens to people who dont have a me?

In 2019, Cardi shared a video post on Instagram, after she discovered her 2006 middle school yearbook.

In the beginning, I used to call myself Bacardi  thats where I got Cardi B from, she told her followers, while flipping through the pages which were filled with messages like, Youre gonna be something big in the future.

B**** wasnt lying, Cardi quipped, during the video.
Monteverde

Joey Skladany is an In The Know cooking contributor. Follow him on Instagram and visit his website for more.

Ive been a lot of places, seen a lot of faces, may be the beginning of my favorite Lil Kim song, but its also the soundtrack of my life. As a food and travel writer, I really have been to a lot of places and seen a lot of the faces who have served me memorable dishes from all over the world.

But there is, perhaps, no appetizer that comes close to my all-time favorite in taste, texture and seasonality than Monteverdes burrata e ham in Chicago.

Chef Sarah Grueneberg, the dishs creator, has already established herself as the Windy Citys pasta princess. She specializes in creative spins on Italian classics, like her deconstructed gnocchetti con pesto or trendy cacio whey pepe (which incorporates the whey from ricotta for an extra umami bite). But its her burrata platter, with the soft cheese, rosemary tigelle (Italian flatbreads), Prosciutto di San Daniele, homemade prosciutto butter and seasonal mostarda (a Northern Italian condiment made of candied fruit and mustard-flavored syrup) that has me wondering why I dont live within a half-mile radius of the restaurant.

I fell in love with tigelle on one of my trips to Reggio Emilia. Cured meats, including prosciutto, culatello and mortadella, all hail from this region, and the tigelle is the perfect vessel for enjoying them, she shared. Traditionally, squacquerone cheese is served with the cured meats and tigelle, which is not imported here, so I choose my favorite soft creamy cows milk cheese: Burrata. We import ours weekly from Artigiana, which is hand-made in Puglia.

We also slice our prosciutto every day and take it very seriously, Grueneberg added. We also imported special tigelle panini presses from Italy to make the buns.

What also makes the plate so special is that it is as interactive as it is customizable. Diners slice the warm bread in half and pile it high, with as many toppings and spreads as they want, to create a salty-sweet sandwich that harmoniously blends contrasting flavors, textures and temperatures to form what I believe to be the most perfect bite in America.

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And the recipe is ever-changing, featuring a house-made fruit mostarda that reflects the produce in season.

In spring, well make a rhubarb and strawberry, and next on our list is melon. In fall, well make one with apples, pears and cranberries, says Grueneberg, who sometimes includes grilled or fresh varieties of fruits and veggies as an additional, heartier topper.

For anyone rushing to Chicagos West Loop to enjoy the concoction firsthand, fear not: The dish, which has been on the menu since Monteverdes inception, is here to stay.

The burrata e ham is, hands-down, one of our most ordered and most-loved dishes and will hopefully be on for a long time to come, reveals Grueneberg. It is my guilty pleasure meal and a dish I consider perfect enough for last meal ever status.

Frankly, its a crime if you find yourself in Chicago and dont book a reservation so you can taste this burrata dish.

If youre interested in sampling some of Monteverdes ingredients within the comfort of your own kitchen, check out the restaurants digital storefront at Here Here Market.

The post This Chicago burrata appetizer is one of the best in the country appeared first on In The Know.
A Chicago man was handed down a 65-year prison sentence last week for the shooting death of a father of five during a road rage encounter while he was out on bond for another offense and reportedly has a murder charge pending.

Sheldon Brown, 34, previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the fatal attack on Dwayne Young that occurred after a minor traffic collision in Waukegan, an hour north of Chicago.

Both men were in separate vehicles on Oct. 9, 2020 when they were involved in a minor collision, Fox Chicago reported. Brown got out of his vehicle with a handgun and fired several times into Young's car, authorities said.

LIBERAL CHICAGO CITY COUNCILMEMBER DECRIES INTENSE CRIME WAVE: A JOKE

Young was hit once and later died at a hospital.

"This devastating incident left five young people without the love and guidance of a father, a wife without a partner, and a community without a beloved friend. This case is just another example of how easy access to weapons can turn everyday incidents like fender benders into a fight for life and death," Lake County States Attorney Eric Rinehart said.

"We hope that this long prison sentence gives Mr. Youngs family and friends some solace," he added.

At the time of the shooting, Brown was out on bond for a weapons offense, the news outlet said. He also has a murder charge pending for a separate incident, the news station reported.
A top Chinese official said that his country will continue its partnership with Russia in the hopes of creating a new international order that will rival western influence.

"The Chinese side is willing to work with the Russian side to continuously implement high-level strategic cooperation between the two countries, safeguard common interests and promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction," Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committe Yang Jiechi said Monday, according to Bloomberg.

The comments come amid Russia's ongoing war with neighboring Ukraine, which has resulted in international outrage and an effort by many western governments to sanction Russia and cut off its influence around the globe.

But the international influence campaign has seemingly brought Russia and China closer together, with Chinese President Xi Jinping set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week in Xi's first foreign trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RUSSIANS SET UP METHOD TO CONVERT WIRE CURRENCY INTO CHINESE YUAN, SPARKING FEARS OF ALLIANCE

While China has not provided Russia with direct support or relief from sanctions, it has extended its trade partnership with a Russian economy struggling to find international partners. About 81% of Russian car imports during the second quarter came from China, Bloomberg reported, while China's Xiaomi phone brand became the most popular in Russia during the same time period.

China has also been a dependable consumer of Russian fuel, buying up liquefied natural gas (LNG) at a steep discount from Russia. The arrangement has benefited both countries, giving Russia a buyer for its energy resources while China has used the windfall to sell energy sources at a markup to a European economy that has found itself short of resources amid sanctions against Russia.

"Russia and China are building a massive $55 billion pipeline called the Power of Siberia, delivering gas from Siberia to Shanghai," Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer and the author of "Putins Playbook: Russias Secret Plan to Defeat America," told Fox News Digital. "This is a major development of strategic importance as Putin is pivoting to Asia in a big way. The Kremlin has concluded that Russia-U.S. relations are irreparable and that the U.S. and Western sanctions are here to stay indefinitely."

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Russia and China have also worked together to send money transfers to China in yuan without using the SWIFT messaging system, which helps Russia bypass international sanctions and works toward the Chinese goal of devaluing the influence of the U.S. dollar.

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Reuters/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool

"Russia already has established a method of transferring payments to convert wire currency into Chinese yuan, bypassing SWIFT," Koffler said, adding that the Russian Finance Ministry also announced the country is "transitioning to yuan, playing into Chinas strategic goal of replacing the U.S. dollar with the Chinese yuan as the dominant international reserve currency by 2049."
BEIJING (Reuters) -China's President Xi Jinping arrived in Kazakhstan for a state visit on Wednesday, Chinese state media reported.

It is Xi's first trip to a foreign nation since China all but shut its borders due to COVID-19.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's office showed him greeting Xi at the airport, both leaders wearing white face masks.

Xi is expected in neighbouring Uzbekistan later on Wednesday where he will take part in a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional security body, and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others.

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Additional reporting by Olzhas Auyezov in Almaty; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Tomasz Janowski)
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Uzbekistan for a state visit on Wednesday night, Chinese state media reported, to be followed by meetings with several foreign leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Xi earlier left Kazakhstan where he had made his first trip to a foreign country since China all but shut its borders due to COVID-19 two years ago.

Uzbekistan will host a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a China- and Russia-led regional security body, this week that will be attended by Putin, Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan, India's Narendra Modi and a number of other leaders.

The summit will be held in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Thursday and Friday.

(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Xi Jinping Justin Chin/Bloomberg via Getty Images

After almost 1,000 days, Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first trip outside of China since the start of the pandemic. The trip includes a visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where Xi will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since the war on Ukraine, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. This visit serves to reinforce Beijing's global power amidst political friction in the west, reports CNN.

The two leaders have continued to strengthen ties between their countries throughout the Russo-Ukrainian war, and this meeting will be a show of diplomatic support for Putin. Xi is also visiting at the brink of an unprecedented third term, which will cement his legacy as one of China's most powerful leaders.

Steven Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, posited to CNN that Xi, "wants to send the signal that he is in charge and working with friends and partners. The SCO summit in Central Asia, with Putin joining, ticks all the boxes."

Xi's visit to Kazakhstan is also strategic. China shares over 1,000 miles of border with Kazakhstan. China has also had approximately $14 billion invested in Kazakhstan's oil and gas sectors since 2019, reports Time. Strengthening Kazakhstan's energy markets in China is crucial now, given the disruption in global energy markets due to the war in Ukraine.

"We are friends to trust and partners to count on for each other," Xi wrote of Kazakhstan ahead of his trip.

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It's the first time Xi Jinping, seen here arriving in the Kazakh capital, has left China since early 2020

China's leader Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin will discuss the war in Ukraine and other "international and regional topics" at their meeting later this week, the Kremlin says.

The two will meet in Uzbekistan at a summit that will show an "alternative" to the Western world, the Kremlin said.

Mr Xi is making his first trip overseas since the start of the pandemic.

He is seeking a historic third term while Mr Putin's relations with the West are at rock bottom over Ukraine.

Mr Xi made his first stop in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, where he landed in the capital Nursultan for the first leg of his three-day trip.

He then travelled to Uzbekistan to meet Mr Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand, which will run from 15-16 September.

Mr Putin will also meet other leaders including those of India, Pakistan, Turkey and Iran - but his meeting with China's leader "is of particular importance", said Kremlin foreign policy spokesman Yuri Ushakov.

He said the summit was taking place "against the background of large-scale political changes".

China and Russia have long sought to position the SCO, founded in 2001 with four ex-Soviet Central Asian nations, as an alternative to Western multilateral groups.

Mr Putin (left) and Mr Xi last met in person in Beijing in February

The SCO meeting comes amid fresh clashes on the border between two of its members, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Reports say at least one border guard was killed and two injured - their nationalities are not known.

Sporadic clashes between the two countries, over a water dispute and other issues, broke out last year.

Mr Xi's visit comes amid a fresh set of lockdowns in China, where his zero Covid policy is still in place. While the rest of the world has opened up, Beijing continues to shut down entire cities and provinces every time there is a rise in cases.

Mr Xi last left China in January 2020 to visit Myanmar - just days before the first lockdown came into effect in Wuhan.

He has remained in China since then, leaving the mainland only once - in July this year to visit Hong Kong.

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Mr Putin is also making a rare foray abroad. His meeting with Turkish and Iranian leaders in Tehran in July was only his second foreign trip since Russian troops invaded Ukraine.

This is the two leaders' second meeting this year - they last met at the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February.

Following that meeting, the two leaders issued a joint statement saying the friendship between their countries had "no limits". Russia invaded Ukraine days later - an action China has neither condemned nor voiced support for. Beijing, in fact, has said both sides are to blame.

China is not part of the international sanctions against Russia and trade between the two countries has continued to grow. Indian and Chinese imports of Russian oil have soared since the Ukraine invasion.

China too has seen its relations with the West and especially the US sour in recent months following tensions over self-ruled Taiwan. China claims the island as part of its territory.

Last month, Beijing staged a five-day military blockade around the island in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit.

China watchers say Mr Xi's decision to leave China after more than two years, despite significant domestic challenges - crippling lockdowns and a faltering economy - show his confidence in his leadership.

Analysts expect him to be re-elected for an unprecedented third term at the upcoming Chinese Communist Party Congress in October.

Analysis box by Stephen McDonell, China correspondent

China's leader significantly reduced the risk that he would catch the coronavirus by not travelling internationally for more than two years (assuming, of course, that he has not already been infected and we don't know about it).

Keeping Xi Jinping at home also served a propaganda purpose - it got the message out to Chinese people that they too should not travel abroad during this time of crisis.

Now that Mr Xi has decided to start travelling again, does it mean the Party considers it safer for him to do so?

Another question: if it wasn't safe a year ago, why is it safe now?

Also, will images of Mr Xi in other countries lead to expectations that travel restrictions should be eased further to smooth the path for Chinese people to go overseas again?

In China, the government doesn't feel the need to spell out its reasoning when making such decisions, so we never know exactly what the thinking is behind them.

However, this trip will be seen in China as a small indication that the country may soon see a reduction in its "zero Covid" measures.

I say "may" because, if the government has a plan to eventually bring an end to its strict coronavirus strategies, it's certainly not sharing it with the public.

What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation?

The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security organisation that was founded by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in 2001. Iran is currently looking to join the group.

Members will discuss trade at the summit, with China being a major investor in the region through its Belt and Road projects.

Beijing has long looked to open up new rail routes for its trade to Europe, while Central Asian countries are eager for more connections to China.

Earlier this year, Kyrgyzstan announced it would begin construction in 2023 on a new line connecting it to China and Uzbekistan.
After a woman in China refused to buy her younger brother an apartment, her estranged parents filed a lawsuit for 500,000 yuan (approximately $71,818) in parental maintenance.

The woman, 29-year-old Zhang from Guangzhou of southern China, was abandoned by her biological parents when she was 2 years old and has no relationship with them. She was reportedly abandoned as her biological parents could not financially support her, and they rarely contacted her throughout her life.

Zhang was raised by her fathers sister and considers her aunts family to be her biological family.

When Zhang recently used her savings to buy her cousin an apartment, her biological parents reappeared in her life and reportedly demanded that she buy her biological brother an apartment as well.

More from NextShark: Global community condemns Myanmar junta for executing 4 democracy activists, including Suu Kyi ally

After Zhang refused, her estranged parents filed a lawsuit against her for 500,000 yuan in parental maintenance.

The court ruled that although Zhang is not obligated to buy her brother an apartment, she must negotiate the amount with her parents and pay the parental maintenance fee.

Under the Civil Code of China, adult children have a legal obligation to support their parents regardless of estrangement or abandonment.

More from NextShark: UCLA Professor Sparks Outrage After Wondering If His Chinese Students Could Spread Coronavirus

Weibo users expressed outrage at the courts verdict.

No support but asking for support really unacceptable, one user commented.

Don't you feel guilty for not picking up your daughter or raising her? You should compensate your daughter for a suite, another user wrote.

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Featured Image: Sasun Bughdaryan

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If I were a rich girl  it seems likely thatd I live in the United States.

In a new report detailing the world cities with the most millionaires, the US holds half of the top 10 spots, Bloomberg reported Tuesday morning. Unsurprisingly, New York sits at the very top of the list, with 345,600 high-net-worth individuals. Tokyo (304,900 HNWIs) and the Bay Area (276,400 HNWIs) came in second and third, respectively. The top five were rounded out by London (272,400 HNWIs) and Singapore (249,800 HNWIs).

More from Robb Report

Despite those impressive numbers, seven of the top 10 cities actually saw a loss of high-net-worth residents in the first half of 2022. At the very top, New York saw a 12 percent drop in its HNWI population, while Tokyo saw an 8 percent decrease. The Bay Area, one of the few metropolises to see growth this year, experienced a 4 percent jump. The only other two cities in the top 10 to see positive movement were Singapore (a 1 percent increase) and Houston (which sits at No. 8 in the ranking and saw a 6 percent increase).

Henley & Partners, the residency advisory firm that compiled the report, also highlighted the 25 fastest-growing cities in the world in terms of their HNWI population. Those with robust oil and gas industries make up a large part of that list, with Riyadh coming in first, followed by Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

As far as the United States is concerned, Austin is the first American city to appear on the fastest-growing list, as its HNWI numbers have increased 14 percent in 2022 alone, with 15,800 such people residing in the Texas city. As many companies move their offices to Texas and Florida, a number of other cities in both states are also seeing a rise in high-net-worth individuals moving to them, Henley & Partners noted. West Palm Beach and Miami, in particular, were two standout Florida cities.

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Of course, many HNWIs split their time between cities, so you dont actually have to choose just one millionaire-laden area to settle down in.

Check out the full list of the top 20 cities for millionaires below.

New York Tokyo San Francisco Bay Area London Singapore Los Angeles and Malibu Chicago Houston Beijing Shanghai Sydney Hong Kong Frankfurt Toronto Zurich Seoul Melbourne Dallas and Fort Worth Geneva Paris

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Click here to read the full article.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc expects to divest its Mexican consumer business via a sale or initial public offering that could happen next year, its chief financial officer said on Tuesday.

"We're going to make sure we get the best value for it through a sale or through an alternative exit, an IPO or whatever it takes," CFO Mark Mason told a Barclays investor conference.

In January, Citi announced it would exit Mexico as part of a plan to bring the group's profitability and share price performance in line with its peers.

Mexico is among the 14 consumer markets Citigroup is trying to exit.

Bidders for the asset narrowed after Santander said in July it had dropped out of the race after submitting a non-binding offer earlier in the year.

In late July, Grupo Financiero Inbursa said it was still interested in buying Citigroup's Mexican retail business and was inviting other business partners to join its bid.

In Russia, Citi, the largest Wall Street bank to have a presence in the country, decided to wind down its consumer and local commercial business there instead of a sale.

(Reporting by Saeed Azhar and Manya Saini; Editing by Richard Pullin)
The Lubbock County Courthouse.

A 43-year-old man was placed on probation for 10 years after admitting to his role in a deadly shooting 25 years ago in East Lubbock.

Fabian Madrid pleaded guilty on Friday to a count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony that carries a punishment of two to 10 years in prison.

He was initially indicted on a count of murder in the Sept. 8, 1997 shooting death of 26-year-old Steven Earl Johnson.

He was indicted on the lesser charge on Sept. 7, and pleaded guilty on Friday.

As part of his plea bargain agreement with the Lubbock County District Attorney's Office, he was placed on probation for 10 years and the murder charge was dismissed.

More:Family says justice not served with 10-year sentence in fatal stabbing

Madrid

He faces up to 10 years in prison if he violates the conditions of his probation.

He was one of two men charged in connection with the case. Pedro Erevia, 44, was sentenced in February to 25 years in prison after a five-day trial in the 364th District Court.

The men's charges stems from a Lubbock police investigation that began after police responding to a shots-fired call about 12:45 a.m. in the 2700 block of East Colgate Street found Johnson lying in front of his residence.

Investigators learned that Johnson was outside his home when a vehicle occupied by two people drove up, according to a police news release. Witnesses said Johnson approached the vehicle but quickly ran away when he saw one of the men was armed with a handgun.

Johnson's girlfriend, Eurasha Thurman, told jurors in February that she took their infant son into the house as Johnson approached the vehicle, leaning into the passenger side of the vehicle. Moments later, she said she heard Johnson yell that the people in the vehicle had a gun, followed by the sound of a gunshot.

Thurman said that as Johnson, who was shot in the back, lay bleeding, he told her that he loved her and asked her to "take care of my son."

The case of Johnson's shooting would remain unsolved until 2020, when police spoke with Hector Ruiz Jr, who said he supplied the weapon used in the shooting.

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Madrid, who was 17 at the time of the shooting but had been selling drugs since he was in seventh grade, testified without a plea deal or an immunity agreement during Erevia's trial. He told jurors that he and Erevia were driving on the East side of Lubbock looking for a quick way to find drugs, particularly crack cocaine, after his stash of drugs, cash and a gun was stolen earlier in the day.

Pedro Erevia is escorted out of the 364th District Court during a break in his murder trial in the September 1997 shooting death of Steven Johnson.

Madrid told the jurors he and Erevia's plan that night was to either buy or rob someone of drugs.

He said he drove was driving down Colgate Street hoping to find someone to get drugs from when he heard a whistle that he thought was someone flagging him down. He made a U-turn and was putting the vehicle in park when he was pushed forward and felt the pressure of a gunshot behind him.

He said Erevia began yelling at him to drive away. He told jurors that at the time, he believed Erevia shot in the air and didn't hit anyone. However, the next day Erevia told him about Johnson's shooting.

"He was nervous and looking around," Madrid said. "He said, 'He's dead, he's dead.' I didn't understand what he said. In my mind that night nobody was shot."

He said news reports confirmed the shooting and he felt sick and scared.

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He said he told his mother what happened and she hired a pastor named Bishop, who practiced Santeria, which he described as a blending of Catholicism and Voodoo, to perform a cleansing ritual that would protect him from being arrested in the shooting.

He said he got rid of the weapon Ruiz supplied, but couldn't remember what happened to it and someone else got rid of the vehicle.

Since the shooting, Madrid had been in and out of the prison system for unrelated drug offenses and was raising a family. He had also been approached by police detectives about the case and denied any involvement.

In 2013, he was arrested for possession of cocaine and was being held at the Lubbock County Detention Center, where he began an earnest attempt to change his life with the help of volunteers from a jail ministry.

When he was released in 2016, Madrid said he began volunteering with a church who sponsored the jail ministry to help other people turn their lives around.

In 2020, detectives approached him again about Johnson's shooting. However, he told jurors he continued to deny his involvement because he wanted to see his family one more time and believed he would have been arrested on the spot if he confessed.

"I was afraid," he said. "I knew eventually this was going to come out at that moment in time I wanted to get home to see my wife and son."

A few months later, in January 2021, Lubbock police arrested Madrid and Erevia for murder.

In February 2021, Madrid was released on bond. A month later, accompanied by his attorney, David Guinn, Madrid gave a statement confessing to his role in the shooting.

Meanwhile, Erevia was released in March 2021 on bond. However, District Judge William Eichman revoked his bond a month later after a hearing during which the court learned Erevia cut off his GPS monitor and threw it away less than a week after he was ordered to wear one.

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A probation officer told the court that Erevia was fitted with a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor on March 30, 2021. Then at 5:20 p.m. on April 2, pre-trial service officials were alerted that Erevia's ankle monitor had been tampered with. Records showed the ankle monitor last registered in the 5400 block of 44th Street.

The probation officer told the court that on April 5, 2021, he received a call from a blocked phone number by a man identifying himself as Erevia, who said he cut off his ankle monitor and threw it away because he was frustrated that the monitor was not charging properly.

Madrid told jurors that after he had given the statement to police Erevia visited him at his home. He said Erevia told him that he didn't have to worry about the case, saying he knew who informed on them and said he was looking for one of the informants at a game room.

"(Erevia) said that god would forgive me, just don't say nothing, that god would forgive me," Madrid said.

Madrid said Erevia left his home from the back fence and he called Guinn the next day.

Erevia surrendered to police after Eichman issued the bond surrender warrant.

Guinn said the plea deal offered by the district attorney's office was an example of justice tempered with mercy. He said Madrid's transformation was genuine and was demonstrated by his testimony during Erevia's trial.

"I'll just say that I want to offer my highest respect to the district attorneys office for truly pursuing justice and doing the right thing," he said. "This is what Fabian actually did and they've looked at the whole of his life and also the extreme merciful forgiving kindness of the remainder of the Johnson family, I think, led to this."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Co-defendant in 1997 Lubbock homicide pleads guilty to tampering
By Dave Sherwood

HAVANA (Reuters) - Colombias National Liberation Army (ELN) favors a bilateral ceasefire to pave the way for renewed peace talks, the leftist guerilla groups top negotiator told Reuters in Havana on Wednesday, and said the rebels would be united upon returning to the bargaining table.

Pablo Beltran, who leads the ELNs delgation in Cuba, said he and other delegates in Havana since talks collapsed in 2019 would return home in the coming weeks - given proper assurances of safety - and together with comrades in the jungle fine tune their strategy ahead of coming negotiations.

The soft-spoken Beltran, who fought with the ELN both in urban and rural combat in Colombia, said a previous bilateral ceasefire in 2017 was "positive" and should be "repeated."

"At this moment we are not on the offensive," he told Reuters in a leafy, quiet neighborhood just outside Havana. "Ours is a positive, constructive attitude, to signal to the government we hope to resume [talks]."

The election of leftist President Gustavo Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla group, helped open the door to the new talks. Petro has promised to seek "total peace" by fully implementing a 2016 peace deal with the now-demobilized FARC rebels and dialoguing with crime gangs.

Skeptics, however, question whether the ELN, founded in 1964 by radical Catholic priests and long seen as unpredictable and divided among several fronts, can strike a deal with government negotiators.

Beltran dismissed those concerns.

"When we agreed (to the last ceasefire in 2017), 100% of our fronts complied," he said. "No one can say, the ELN signed one thing and then failed to follow through."

On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro agreed Venezuela would serve as a guarantor at the negotiations, a key step, Beltran said, in allowing ELN negotiators in Cuba to reunite with fellow rebel leaders still operating in Colombia and along the Venezuelan border.

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"We have to agree once again on our approach because it is the first time that we with a progressive government...it is unprecedented," Beltran said. "New instructions are needed."

After that, talks with the government, he said, could resume in as little as "a few weeks."

Previous attempts at negotiations with the ELN, which has some 2,400 combatants and is accused of financing itself through drug trafficking, illegal mining and kidnapping, have not advanced partly because of dissent within its ranks.

(Reporting by Dave Sherwood, additional reporting by Nelson Acosta; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
The Columbus police officer who fatally shot 20-year-old Donovan Lewis on Aug. 30 had previously been fired from the department but was later reinstated by an arbitrator.

The personnel file of Ricky Anderson was released Wednesday afternoon by Columbus police. Anderson, who has been an officer since December 1991, shot Lewis shortly after 2 a.m. on Aug. 30.

Prior coverage:Donovan Lewis fatal shooting: Family's lawyer Rex Elliott criticizes Columbus officer

Officers had gone to Lewis' apartment on the 3200 block of Sullivant Avenue in the Hilltop neighborhood to attempt to arrest him on outstanding warrants for charges of domestic violence, assault and a felony charge of improper handling of a firearm. Anderson fired a single shot about one second after opening Lewis' bedroom door, fatally striking him.

The Dispatch requested Anderson's personnel file hours after the shooting occurred and the 137-page document was released on Wednesday, as well as the police division's Internal Affairs Bureau investigation history for Anderson.

The personnel file largely contains Division of Police commendations and awards that Anderson has received, including the Silver Cross, Medal of Merit and several life saving awards, as well as several citations for "use of restraint." The file also includes two pages that show Anderson was terminated in May 2004 after a hearing with the Director of Public Safety. Additional information is not included in the personnel file.

For subscribers:Donovan Lewis' mother: 'His death is not going to be in vain'

The Department of Public Safety released a statement Wednesday that said no additional records are available to be released in accordance with Ohio law.

However, The Dispatch reported in 2003 that Anderson was indicted on charges of theft in office for taking pay for guarding a bank when he wasn't actually there. He admitted to the theft in 2004 and completed a Common Pleas Court diversion program, which resulted in his record being cleared. He was later fired by the division over the theft.

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A federal arbitrator, Joseph Alutto, of Upper Arlington, reinstated Anderson in November 2004, saying the city should have given Anderson a 30-day suspension rather than terminate him.

At the time, Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9 said the city had "overdisciplined a mistake made by what otherwise would be considered an outstanding officer," according to The Dispatch's reporting.

Anderson has had 10 complaints filed against him during his 30-year career, according to his police Internal Affairs Bureau history.

Minute-by-minute:A timeline of the Columbus police fatal shooting of Donovan Lewis

In 2020, a complaint related to an incident in 2019 was sustained, according to the history. However, no additional details were immediately available about that incident.

Anderson has been found to be "out of policy" on uses of force nine times out of 58 investigations over the course of his career. None of those uses of force involved the use of firearms, according to information provided to The Dispatch on Wednesday. Additional details about the incidents when Anderson's force was found outside of policy was not immediately available, however. The Dispatch has filed public records requests for additional information about these cases.

Rex Elliott, a Columbus attorney representing Lewis' family, said the personnel file raises more questions than it answers.

"I do want to find out more about what that situation involved," he said. "Did it reveal such a character flaw that he shouldn't be on the streets with a gun anymore? Did it reveal he's not a rule follower?"

Elliott also cited the "out of force" findings for Anderson's use of force on the job.

"It's outrageous that we have an officer with this track record, and yet CPD gives him stellar performance evaluations," Elliott said.

Anderson's 2020 performance evaluation has him rated at "exceeds," the highest rating possible, in every category. Under the safety category, Anderson's sergeant wrote that he "is constantly aware of the surroundings for his safety and the safety of others, even in confusing or stress-filled situations."

After Anderson leaned into a bedroom door and fired a single, fatal gunshot to Lewis' abdomen as police were attempting to arrest him on warrants Aug. 30, Anderson and other officers present in the apartment were placed on paid leave, as is Columbus Division of Police policy. He remains on paid leave while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducts an investigation into the shooting. The findings will be presented to the Franklin County Prosecutor's office, and presented to a county grand jury.

After the BCI investigation, the Columbus Inspector General will review the shooting and report to the Civilian Police Review Board.

The Dispatch reached out to Jeff Simpson, president of FOP Local 9, which represents Columbus police and other law enforcement officers in the area. Simpson said he wanted to look at the arbitration decision related to Anderson's reinstatement before commenting.

bbruner@dispatch.com

@bethany_bruner

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus officer who shot Donovan Lewis previously fired, reinstated
Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) 2020 Conference in 2020 in Washington.

We, the undersigned, as members of the Jewish community as well as the community at large, are standing together to make clear our opposition to the recent political activities of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). AIPAC is spending millions of dollars supporting over 100 candidates for Congress, who have voted to overturn the results of the 2020 election and who are opponents of womens reproductive rights. AIPAC, including their AIPAC PAC and their Super PAC, operating under the misleading name United Democracy Project often claims to speak for the Jewish community. We oppose AIPACs political activities based on the crucial principle that binds Israel and the United States, namely the mutual belief in democracy and human rights.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, opens a rally for then-President Donald Trump in 2018.

But the candidates AIPAC is supporting include Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, who refused to cooperate with the January 6th committee, Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, who secretly met with Stop the Steal leaders just days before Trumps attempted coup, and Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, who has given credence to the anti-Semitic great replacement theory.

Further, AIPAC has also chosen to endorse Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who has actively given support for those who stormed our Capitol, and has declared that he favors a total ban of abortion at any stage, without any exceptions. Here In Florida, AIPAC has endorsed Senator Marco Rubio, who is a longtime opponent of womens reproductive rights  as well as other civil liberties that many of us in the Jewish community hold dear.

Barbara Pariente

The Jewish community has long been at the forefront of movements for civil rights, womens rights, and human rights. In fact, the majority of Jewish voters across the country vote for candidates who stand by these fundamental rights  especially

those of a womans right to choose. It appears that AIPAC is disregarding those fundamental values.

As a result, we can no longer remain silent when a group uses the claim that they are protecting the values of the US-Israel relationship to support extremist candidates who run counter to our democratic and Jewish values. We all support a Jewish and democratic State of Israel but that is not an excuse to support candidates who are undermining our democracy and who want to curtail womens reproductive rights.

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For all those who share our values of defending our democratic principles and womens reproductive rights, we urge you to join us in rejecting AIPACs political tactics. We want to make it clear that AIPAC does not represent the beliefs or interests of the overwhelming majority of the Jewish community here in Palm Beach County, and across the country.

Barbara Pariente, Palm Beach County resident and former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice; Richard Rampell, retired Palm Beach CPA; Mona Reis, founder, Presidential Women's Center, West Palm Beach; Louis Silber, Palm Beach County civil rights lawyer; Gary Dunkel, Palm Beach County lawyer.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Opinion: AIPAC should back Israel without funding extremist US pols
Sep. 14CHEYENNE  A draft bill to create specific offenses for assault, threat of violence and battery against health care providers failed a Tuesday vote.

Wyoming's Joint Judiciary Committee rejected the measure. Testimony said incidences of such violence have increased in recent years. Witnesses sought stronger penalties.

After lengthy discussion, the committee entered five "yes" and eight "no" votes. It had requested the Legislative Service Office draft such a bill at the committee's last meeting, in Lander in May.

The proposal used the same definitions of assault and battery currently in Wyoming law, as well as the penalties. Simple assault  an attempt to cause bodily injury  or a threat of violence against a health care worker would have been a misdemeanor punishable with a fine up to $750. Battery  "intentionally, knowingly or recklessly" causing another person bodily injury by using physical force  against a health care worker would have been a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months of incarceration and up to $750.

This would have required an offender to have "reasonably" known a person was a health care provider, and the provider must have been "performing duties within the scope of his authority or employment as a health care provider" during the incident.

Josh Hannes, vice president of the Wyoming Hospital Association, and others voiced concern that Wyoming not having this new law may put the state at a disadvantage for recruitment. The industry is struggling to fill existing positions, the committee heard.

Between January 2021 and June 2022, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services received 121 workers' compensation claims following an alleged attack in a health care setting, according to Hannes.

Lisa Harry said that before she was a member of the Campbell County Health Board, she worked in emergency services.

"I've been spit on, I've been pushed, kicked, knocked over, had a lot of that, and, like I say, you expect that. But these kinds of incidents have increased so much that I have to question: Is this enough?" Harry testified. "We aren't protecting our workers."

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Harry and others mentioned recent incidents, including a lab technician punched in the leg by a patient while drawing blood. Harry said an off-duty law enforcement officer become angry at a hospital and began throwing things at a nurse.

"We need to impose stronger penalties and send a message to these people who come in to emergency services, into the hospital, and knowingly and purposefully abuse our workers," Harry continued. "It's bad enough that we can't get enough nurses, but to have people coming in there and fear for their safety ... The hospital should be their first place for safety."

She added that state laws should also protect first responders like EMTs, as well as people like hospital receptionists, who are often the first to encounter patients.

CRMC

Tracy Garcia is the chief nursing officer at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. She said that even CRMC's "very robust security program ... is not deterring people from misbehavior in our organization."

Within four months, the local hospital saw 25 incidents of violence by patients, Garcia said. There were physical assaults and others involved 12 verbal threats, "a lot of them including threat of life." Garcia and others said these incidents increasingly don't involve substances or mental health conditions.

When asked about the rate of prosecution of these violent incidents, Garcia said it had seemingly been low in recent years.

Stakeholders argued health care workers should be afforded similar protections as law enforcement. Harry said such medical employees aren't trained before they enter the workforce to deal with violence, and they don't carry weapons.

Concerns

Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, said he's concerned about the possibility of someone being "brought up on charges for looking at somebody wrong."

"I'm worried about that bar being so low it'll turn into, I'll use the word, a 'woke' situation, where it's perceived incorrectly," the senator said.

Hannes and others rejected this idea, saying that the threats they'd encountered or heard from patients or patients' families had been "explicit threats of violence."

Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, and some other lawmakers had said they may not support this bill, because this penalty seemed unlikely to reduce violence.

Although states have recently enacted similar laws, Hannes said this type of legislation is too new to have sufficient data on whether it works. He added that such a law in Wyoming would simply be "a piece of braided initiatives."

While the state doesn't currently require health care facilities to have violence prevention programs in place, many do, Hannes said, and federal legislation is currently moving through congressional committees.

Backers

Some lawmakers favor the legislation.

Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, said Wyoming seems "to be the only state that doesn't have any type of, let's say, enhancement or acknowledgment of violence toward people in the health care industry."

"Some enhancement is appropriate (and) necessary," Zwonitzer said.

An amendment by Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, to increase the penalty for battery to up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, was widely supported by committee members. This is the same consequence as interference with a peace officer.

Sen. R.J. Kost, R-Powell, said such a law is "the right thing to do" and it bothers him someone could be cited for such an offense and "walk away."

Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack.
House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin last week demanding an investigation into the U.S. militarys potential role in the 2017 airstrikes at a Nigerian refugee camp that killed more than 160 civilians.

According to documents obtained by The Intercept, the airstrikes were deemed a U.S.-Nigerian operation, despite initial statements by U.S. officials, such as former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, that placed sole responsibility on the Nigerian government.

Civilians should never be targeted in war, co-chair of the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., said regarding the letter. Unfortunately, thats exactly what happened in Nigeria in 2017.

Conducted on Jan. 17 of that year, the airstrikes hit an internally-displaced persons camp in the town of Rann, Nigeria, near the border of Cameroon and Chad. The Nigerian air force stated that extremists with Boko Haram  a terrorist organization that has been previously linked to both Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State  were hiding in the town and among its attached refugee camp.

Satellite imagery of the camp taken the day after the attack  provided by Human Rights Watch  showed two distinct areas of destruction in densely populated areas on the western side of the town that are consistent with the detonation of multiple air-dropped munitions. More than 35 structures were destroyed, including those built solely for refugees.

In total, nine aid workers were killed in addition to the 160 civilians, many of whom were children, according to claims made by Human Rights Watch. More than 120 others were wounded.

In the letter to Austin, House representatives requested an investigation be conducted specifically to determine whether U.S. intelligence led to the airstrike and, if so, if measures were taken to limit civilian casualties.

A document obtained by a FOIA request revealed an investigation ordered by Brig. Gen. Frank Stokes, Deputy Director of U.S. Africa Command, which referred to the strike as an instance of U.S.-Nigerian operations, the letter reads.

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A local news outlet supported by the MacArthur Foundation reported that the Nigerian regional military commander, General Lucky Irabor, alleged that the strike was based on intelligence received from one of the powerful countries in the west.

The caucus goes on to further demand answers into the Defense Departments knowledge of the operation, the ensuing investigation, and whether accountability was ever taken within the U.S. military chain of command or by its Nigerian allies.

In the Nigerian air forces acknowledgment of the incident, the countrys defense spokesman Jon Eneche said that the attack was carried out because operational maps did not mark the area as a humanitarian base.

Hence, it appeared as a place that could equally be used for enemy activities, Eneche said.

However, reports from local media sources and HRW show that a Nigerian military base was within a few hundred meters of the encampment. Satellite footage also revealed how visible the camp would have been from the air, raising further questions about the validity of such claims.

As for the investigation conducted by AFRICOMs former deputy director, the results were never made public. The Intercept report alleges that the FOIA documents prove that Stokes was directed to essentially bypass any real attempts at determining U.S. culpability.

Stokes was reportedly instructed not to focus on any person or organization which took part in this strike, the documents show. You do not have any authority to compel potentially incriminating evidence from any service member, civilian employee of the U.S., contractor personnel supporting U.S. operations, or foreign military personnel, the mandate reportedly says.

Representatives from AFRICOM and Special Operations Command-Africa did not respond to Military Times requests for comment.

U.S. troops have been present in Nigeria for the better part of the last two decades, deploying both in active combat capacities and in advisory roles for regional allies fight against Boko Haram.
Connecticut public schools will receive $150 million in state funding to repair and upgrade aging heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Wednesday.

The newly formed Connecticut Public Schools HVAC/Indoor Air Quality Grant Program will supplement $165 million in federal COVID relief funds that school districts have set aside to improve air quality.

COVID woke me up, Lamont said at a press conference at Phillip R. Smith Elementary School in South Windsor. Every teacher, every parent was saying, Tell me about the ventilation of my schools. Can I get back to my school safely? And it just reinforced in my mind how important it is to make sure you have schools that are safe across the board from a public health point of view.

State Sen. Saud Anwar, a pulmonary doctor, said that 10% of Connecticuts teacher and student population has asthma and those respiratory problems are made worse by allergens, inadequate airflow and extreme temperatures.

Sometimes, rather than being a source of education, a source of wellbeing, a source of happiness, the buildings can be a source of illness, Anwar said. This bill is going to start to address this challenge, and this is a priority. We want to make sure that our children and our teachers and all the administrators are protected It will help many of the children and the teachers and the workforce to feel comfortable and know that their breathing will be better.

A joint effort by the Connecticut State Department of Education, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and Department of Public Health, the grant program aims to not only improve health but academic performance.

Connecticut Education Association President and Manchester High School math teacher Kate Dias said that improved air quality and temperatures make classrooms conducive for learning.

Teaching in a classroom that is frequently 95 degrees is incredibly challenging, Dias said. When the classrooms heat up, the kids slow down.

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According to the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, the deadline for school districts to apply is Dec. 1, 2022. The program requires municipalities to provide matching grants to fund the HVAC projects. The DAS will release grant award notifications in early 2023.

The schools must then complete their state-funded HVAC projects by 2024, according to the program.

But an industry worker shortage could make that timeframe difficult, Stillman Jordan, government affairs chairman of the Connecticut Heating and Cooling Contractors Association, said.

Whos going to do the work? Jordan asked.

Like most other industries, heating and cooling contractors are unable to find enough workers, even with signing bonuses of $5,000 or more, he said. An emphasis on college, rather than trade schools, is hurting efforts to recruit workers who can land jobs starting at $30 an hour, Jordan said.

In addition, state law requiring companies to staff three licensed workers with one apprentice doesnt help ease the labor shortage, he said.

The industry has advocated for 15 years to allow companies to hire one apprentice for each licensed worker, Jordan said.

Joe Toner, executive director of the Connecticut State Building and Construction Trades Council, said unions insist that workers in the trades be certified and paid no less than the prevailing wage set by the state Department of Labor. Nonunion employers prefer more apprentices he characterized as cheap labor.

Jordan called that argument absolutely insane.

Over a decade of state laws artificially restrict apprenticeships, he said. You have a problem made significantly worse.
Associated Press

Attorneys for Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz asked for the judge in his murder case to remove herself on Friday, two days after she scolded them when they abruptly rested their case after calling only a fraction of their expected witnesses. The Broward Public Defenders Office said in a motion that Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer held a longstanding animosity toward lead defense lawyer Melisa McNeill. The motion cited Florida's Judicial Code of Conduct that states a judge shall disqualify himself or herself if the judges impartiality might reasonably be questioned, including but not limited to instances where the judge has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party or a partys lawyer.
Reported COVID-19 cases in Arizona last week were higher than the week before, but still down from recent months' reports, according to the state's latest weekly update.

Health officials on Wednesday added 6,119 new COVID-19 cases and 82 new known deaths over the weeklong period ending Sept. 10. Recent weeks have seen relatively lower reported case counts.

Case counts are 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.

Some epidemiologists are predicting another wave of infections this fall and winter.

New Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster formulations of the COVID-19 vaccine that specifically target omicron subvariants were granted emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the end of August. The Moderna version is for anyone age 18 and older, while the Pfizer version is for individuals 12 years and older.

Arizona, like other states, has seen 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.

The U.S. reported 15,850 deaths from COVID-19 in August, which was the highest national toll in several months, according to USA TODAY.

Fourteen of Arizonas 15 counties were designated as low in terms of COVID-19 levels, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Thursday. Apache County was designated as medium in the latest weekly update of the CDCs community level guidance. No counties were "high," at which point the CDC recommends people wear face masks indoors in public.

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.

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Reported cases since the pandemic began are over 2.2 million. Known deaths in Arizona are over 31,200.

Wednesday marked the 29th 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.

The previous week's update added 3,666 cases and 48 deaths, compared with 8,661 cases and 67 deaths three weeks ago and 8,505 cases and 65 deaths four weeks ago.

This week's update shows the differences between data reported for the week of Sept. 4-10 and Aug. 28-Sept. 3.

Health officials say weekly updates match how public health monitors trends and other disease reporting.

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 on 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 an 18.6% decrease in the seven-day average of COVID-19 hospital admissions during Sept. 5-11 compared with Aug. 29-Sept. 4. Hospital admissions last week were down 91.6% from the peak seven-day average in early January 2021.

The number of known deaths in the state was at 31,244 as of Wednesday, after passing 30,000 known deaths in the May 4 update. The state surpassed 25,000 deaths on Jan. 13. Deaths are reported with a four-week lag.

The CDC places Arizona's overall pandemic death rate since early 2020 as the third-highest nationwide.

Read more: What you need to know about new COVID-19 booster shots

Arizona's breakthrough COVID-19 death rate was 0.06% as of Aug. 24

As of Aug. 24, there had been 2,883 breakthrough deaths in fully vaccinated individuals, according to state health officials preliminary data, which works out to a breakthrough death rate of about 0.06% among fully vaccinated people.

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 up to date on all recommended COVID-19 doses, including boosters.

Data from July show that 44% of hospitalizations and 37.3% of COVID-19 deaths were among unvaccinated people, 50% of hospitalizations and 59.3% of deaths were among vaccinated but not up-to-date people, and 6% of hospitalizations and 3.4% of deaths were among people up-to-date on vaccination.

State health officials previously broke down hospitalization and death data for unvaccinated people and people with and without boosters, but said they changed the format for July to show the impact of staying up-to-date with a second booster shot plus future vaccine recommendations.

Unvaccinated people ages 5 and older had an 18 times greater risk of hospitalization and 47 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19 in July compared to people who were up-to-date on their vaccination. Unvaccinated people were 6.9 times more likely to be hospitalized and 7.2 times more likely to die from COVID-19 compared to people who were vaccinated but not up-to-date, per the states July analysis.

Stronger protection from hospitalization and death is seen in those who are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, interim state health director Don Herrington wrote in a blog post.

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. The FDA recently authorized the new booster formulations as a single booster dose at least two months following primary or booster vaccination.

"The FDA has extensive experience with strain changes for annual influenza vaccines. We are confident in the evidence supporting these authorizations, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said in an Aug. 31 statement.

"We sought input from our outside experts on the inclusion of an omicron component in COVID-19 boosters to provide better protection against COVID-19. We have worked closely with the vaccine manufacturers to ensure the development of these updated boosters was done safely and efficiently."

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, and then back downward in recent weeks.

Arizona's percent positivity for COVID-19 testing was at 3% for the week of April 3, and went up in subsequent weeks. It was 29% for the week of July 10, 28% for the week of July 17, 27% for the week of July 24, and 24% for the week of July 31. It has since continued to go down  21% for the week of Aug. 7, 17% for the week of Aug. 14, 14% for the week of Aug. 21, 12% for the week of Aug. 28 and 12% for the week of Sept. 4. 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 428 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 314 deaths per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC.

New York City has the highest death rate, at 496 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Mississippi at 430.

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 2,264,159 COVID-19 cases were identified across the state through Sept. 10.

Related: Yuma agriculture lab steps up to help fight, prevent COVID-19 outbreaks

Arizona is still behind the US vaccination rate

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 over 5.3 million people in Arizona  about 74% of the total state population  had received at least one vaccine dose through Sept. 10, with over 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 63.2%, which was behind the national rate of 67.6%, according to the CDC as of Sept. 7.

There's a wide range of vaccine uptake across the U.S. About 85% of the total population of Rhode Island was fully vaccinated, which is the highest rate in the U.S. In Wyoming, which has the lowest rate, just 51.9% of the population was fully vaccinated, per the CDC.

Out of people ages 5 and older, 67.1% of those in Arizona were fully vaccinated, compared with 71.7% at the national level, CDC data shows.

Health experts strongly recommend booster shots for those eligible, especially with the omicron variant spreading. About 48.1% of fully vaccinated Arizonans over the age of 18 had received a first booster shot as of Sept. 7, below the national rate of 51.7% for that same age group.

Related: Arizona life expectancy fell 2.5 years in 2020. Here's why

What to know about latest numbers

Reported cases in Arizona: 2,264,159, as of Sept. 10.

Cases by county: 1,421,340 in Maricopa; 289,898 in Pima; 146,915 in Pinal; 67,559 in Yuma; 63,455 in Mohave; 54,789 in Yavapai; 49,418 in Coconino; 43,986 in Navajo; 35,943 in Cochise; 31,066 in Apache; 19,736 in Gila; 18,489 in Santa Cruz; 13,368 in Graham; 5,741 in La Paz; and 2,456 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 43,263 cases per 100,000 people. By comparison, the U.S. average rate since the pandemic began is 28,660 cases per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC.

The Navajo Nation reported 73,326 cases and 1,894 confirmed deaths as of Monday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The Arizona Department of Corrections reported 15,436 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Tuesday, the highest number at its Tucson facility with 2,470 confirmed positive cases. A total of 5,665 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 five 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 14% of cases and listed as other races 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 13% were age 65 or older.

Laboratories had completed 20,773,248 total diagnostic tests for COVID-19 as of Sept. 10, 12.6% of which have come back positive. That number includes both PCR and antigen testing.

Percent positivity was at 12% for the week of Sept. 4, lower than in 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 16th highest overall case rate of all U.S. states and territories since Jan. 21, 2020, per the CDC. Ahead of Arizona in cases per 100,000 people since the pandemic began are Alaska, Rhode Island, North Dakota, Kentucky, Guam, Tennessee, New York City, West Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin, Delaware, Arkansas and Louisiana, according to the CDC.

Arizona's infection rate is 31,022 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. The national average is 28,660 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: 31,244

Deaths by county: 17,865 in Maricopa; 3,983 in Pima; 1,725 in Pinal; 1,538 in Mohave; 1,277 in Yavapai; 1,203 in Yuma; 936 in Navajo; 623 in Apache; 593 in Cochise; 496 in Coconino; 394 in Gila; 238 in Santa Cruz; 183 in Graham; 151 in La Paz; and 39 in Greenlee.

People age 65 and older make up 22,296 of the 31,244 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 6,518,375. The U.S. had the highest death count of any country in the world, at 1,051,337, followed by Brazil at 685,002 and India at 528,216, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Arizona's 31,244 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 6,119 cases, 82 deaths
Dan Walker has voiced the right to peacefully protest following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. (Channel 5)

Dan Walker has appeared to voice his support for peaceful protest against the monarchy following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Following the death of the Queen on Thursday 8 September and the proclamation of King Charles III there have been arrests around the UK of those who have appeared at official mourning ceremonies to voice their republican views about the Royal Family.

Walker - who recently left BBC Breakfast to host Channel 5 5pm news programme - tweeted: "I believe in the right to peacefully grieve. I believe in the right to peacefully protest. I fear there may a few uncomfortable meetings of the two in the coming days."

I believe in the right to peacefully grieve.



I believe in the right to peacefully protest.



I fear there may a few uncomfortable meetings of the 2 in the coming days.  Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) September 14, 2022

Walker, 45, met Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 when she opened the new BBC Sport studios at Salford in Manchester.

Read more: Peaceful anti-monarchy protesters 'should be left alone by police'

He recalled of the encounter: "It was a pleasure to meet The Queen... She was great fun and we had a lovely chat for a few minutes. Rare combination of making my mum proud and impressing the kids."

Queen Elizabeth II meeting Dan Walker and Match of the Day football pundit Mark Lawrenson in Salford in 2012. (PA)

Following the announcement of her death he tweeted: "I dont know about you but it feels very strange to be reflecting on the death of Her Majesty the Queen. She was so much a part our identity for so many generations. Life feels very different without her."

Walker left the BBC after 13 years after signing a deal with Channel 5.

The father-of-three said: "I've never ever been motivated by money in any job that I've ever taken, and even though I've loved working at BBC Breakfast and everybody who works on the show, this is a fantastic opportunity to work with a brilliant team at Channel 5."

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Dan Walker left the BBC earlier this year to front the Channel 5 evening news. (PA)

He had hosted BBC Breakfast since 2016 and has been replaced by Jon Kay.

Walker competed in the 19th series of Strictly last year and finally left the BBC dance competition with professional partner Nadiya Bychkova in the quarter-final after weeks of evading the dance-off thanks to votes from viewers.

Read more: Penny Lancaster was police marshal for Queen Elizabeth's coffin at London airbase

Before he joined the BBC Breakfast team Walker presented Football Focus on BBC from 2009 to 2021.

Watch: Dan Walker's debut on Channel 5 news
Where is the data for charter school effectiveness? A recent Tennessean opinion column, that supported Governor Lees radical statewide Hillsdale College 50 charter school intervention, fell flat when it came to data support.

And there is no data in the public domain that supports charter school effectiveness. In fact, the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) shows, in reading, charters lagging public schools. This rebuttal is not about opposing the existence of charter schools but more about opposing a wholesale statewide charter school intervention.

It has become routine in the Tennessee educational discourse to, without context, suggest a crisis- situation, as was done in this Tennessean column, using the Tennessee English Language Arts proficiency rate of just 36%. Without context, this can leave readers believing Tennessee is performing at only 36% proficiency, while the rest of the country soars at 100%. This could not be further from the truth.

Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns.

Data shows no crisis

A national context to the data suggests that while there is room for improving above average, there is no crisis-situation in Tennessee. After slowly improving over the years, the national 2019 public proficiency rate in reading, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), resides around 35% for public schools, charter schools around 30%, Department of Defense and Catholic private schools around 50%.

The former gubernatorial initiative suggests, in Tennessee anyway, that some 75,000 Tennessee educators lack the acumen to operate schools and improve the educational trajectory of the state. The fact is, that while healthy reform is needed, such a radical charter school intervention is unneeded in Tennessee and likely any state in the country.

More concerning on the data front, is that as the General Assembly was considering the educational funding overhaul last session, historic Tennessee report card data, to include career technical education (CTE) and post-secondary enrollment, was not publicly accessible on the TN Department of Education website. Nor was the State of Tennessee educational P-20 longitudinal data system, housed by the Governor Lee Administration, publicly available. Why and what are the hiding?

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Hear from Tennessee's Black voices: Get the weekly newsletter for powerful and critical thinking columns.

Given the former and with the backdrop question, does it concern anyone that the Bill First chaired State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), and known leading Tennessee educational policy driver is a complete failure? The facts are clear on SCORE.

Since around SCOREs establishment in 2010 and though 2020 and with the help of $500M in Federal Race to the Top funds - based on compiled data from the National Center on Educational Statistics - Tennessee is 9 out of 11, among Southeastern states, in percentage post-secondary education completion increases, and only ahead of Alabama and Louisiana. This is a drop in Southeastern ranking from 7 for 2000-2010, prior to SCORE, to 9 in 2010-2020.

SCOREs K-12 results have introduced grossly deficient Tennessee post-secondary outcomes all while charter schools have increased statewide and particularly in Tennessees largest Shelby County, where proficiency outcomes have continued to falter vs the Tennessee average.

Increased competition by charters has not worked to increase academic outcomes in Shelby County. And this Shelby County faltering occurred, while all three Shelby County SCORE Board members stood by, over five years, and watched.

All that to say, while charter schools may have a place in the educational system, there is no data to support accelerating charters into the public educational system. Besides, significant academic competition exists between local public schools and districts across the state.

And while there is room for improvement, there is certainly no data to suggest a K-12 educational crisis exists in Tennessee. That is a crisis to warrant, inserting 50 single operator charter schools throughout Tennessees educational system

Joe B. Kent is a Tennessee taxpayer, justice and career pathways advocate.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Opinion: Tennessee and Hillsdale charter school partnership is unneeded
A jet-setting journalist leads a double life: documenting real-life stories of crime and intrigue by day, and penning lovey-dovey Christmas TV movies and sinister mysteries by night. It might sound far-fetched, but for Andrea Canning, its just another day of the week.

Canning, a correspondent for Dateline, is marking her 10th anniversary next month with the long-running NBC news magazine, which premieres its 31st season on Friday at 9 p.m.

I cant believe how fast it went, Canning says of her decade with the show. Its incredible, the reach that Dateline has.

But in addition to her Dateline duties, the 49-year-old Canada native has a side hustle as a writer of Lifetime and Hallmark Channel movies. Cannings many writing credits include Galentines Day Nightmare, Til Ex Do Us Part and the 2020 flick USS Christmas, which Hallmark describes as about a reporter who embarks on a Tiger Cruise during Christmastime where she meets a handsome naval officer and stumbles upon a mystery in the ships archive room.

Canning, 49, says the handsome naval officer was loosely based on her husband, Tony Bancroft, a former Marine Corps fighter pilot. She is also a mom to five daughters and one son.

ITK had to know more about this Jane-of-all-trades  and we didnt even mention the part about her talking her way into an internship on Baywatch so we asked her to answer these questions.

Hometown: Blue Mountain, Ontario, Canada.

College attended: University of Western Ontario and Ryerson University

What did you want to be when you were a kid?: I wanted to go into advertising. I wanted to do ad campaigns, like jingles and logos.

Full disclosure, I could not stand the news when I was a kid. We had almost no channels in the little town that I lived in, and the news would come on at 6, and I was always so annoyed when the news would come on. Little did I know how my life would change from there.

My family owned a ski resort, and I was shadowing our ad agency. And they took me to a TV commercial, and I was like, TV seems really fun. Then I went to Los Angeles and worked for Baywatch.

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What does a Baywatch intern do?: Since I worked in David Hasselhoffs office, it was very David-centric. It was like, Go pick up Davids birthday cake. Go get this card signed for Pamela Anderson by the cast. Its hard to say what I did because any given day was completely different.

[Hasselhoffs family] asked me to move in with them after [the internship] and be their nanny and their personal assistant. So I did that for a while before I went and got a full-time job at Extra.

Favorite hobby: I write screenplays for Hallmark and Lifetime.

I have a lot of downtime. I travel a lot for Dateline, so theres a lot of time on planes. After a while, youve done enough research that its sort of like, well, I can either watch these movies on my computer on the plane, or I could start writing them. I just felt like it was something I could do. So I just started cold-emailing producers and found one that was willing to help me and just taught myself how to write screenplays.

Does your work at Dateline influence your script writing at all?: Yeah, in some ways. I mean, not the rom-coms, obviously, because thats counterintuitive to Dateline.

Just being entrenched in mysteries at work all the time definitely helps with writing thrillers and mysteries because youre just around it constantly. Clues are swirling around me, and mystery stories and interviews with police  so the worlds definitely collide.

Biggest accomplishment: Having my six children [Anna, 13; Charlie, 12; Kiki, 10; Georgia, 8; Elle, 7; and Tripp, 3]. Theres nothing more important in this world than them.

Most embarrassing moment: There was one time when I was in local news [around 1998], and the prompter went out as I was anchoring.

It was the biggest disaster, and it was the first time Id anchored in this market and it was my hometown area. Apparently, there was a phone chain going around, like, Oh my god, Andrea is screwing up so bad right now. People were, like, calling each other.

Pets: We have a mini goldendoodle named Topaz. We have two rescue cats named Binky and Baba, brother and sister. We have a lizard named Tickles. And we have hermit crabs.

Guilty pleasure: Shopping. When youre on TV youre constantly like, I just wore this. I need something new!

Im happiest when: When Im with my family, for sure. When were all together. We just went on this kind of glorified camping trip, it was maybe like a tiny step above glamping.

I was just in heaven just all being together, because at this point in life, your kids are hanging out with their friends, and taking off, and we dont see them as much. So when were all together, its like bliss.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Two former daycare employees are facing child cruelty charges after police said they put an ice pack into a childs clothing, according to South Carolina police.

The workers caused unnecessary pain and suffering to a minor child by putting the ice packs inside the childs clothing, arrest warrants from the Fountain Inn Police Department say. The incident happened on Aug. 24. Police told WHNS they did so to cause the child to suffer.

The workers were employed with Excel Academy, a child care center in Fountain Inn, about 85 miles northwest of Columbia.

A parent told WYFF4 that their child said a teacher would put ice packs down the pants of children so that they wouldnt fall asleep during playtime and would later nap at the same time as the other kids.

Excel Academy, which serves up to 180 children, said in a statement posted Sept. 12 on Facebook that the actions of the staff members were baffling.

As childcare providers, we are tasked with the safety, care, and teaching of your most precious possessions, the statement says. It is unfortunate that people, sometimes, make poor and dangerous decisions.





Both of the employees are facing two counts of cruelty to children, according to police.

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Francis Scott Key awoke aboard a British warship after watching the terrifying 25-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry  and, by dawn's early light, was stunned to find that our flag was still there on this day in history, Sept. 14, 1814.

The Baltimore attorney, in a fit of patriotic fervor after witnessing the relentless naval attack on his American homeland, soon put pen to paper and feverishly scribbled down his poetic account of the event.

We know his words today as our national anthem.

NATIONAL ANTHEM PLUS AMERICAN FLAG PHOTOS KICK OFF FOX & FRIENDS WEEKEND SHOW

"The rocket's red glare, the bomb bursting in air/Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there," Key wrote over the next two days.

"O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave/O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

This screen print illustration from 1941 depicts an American flag flying over Fort McHenry, based on Francis Scott Key's national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." GraphicaArtis/Getty Images

Key was stirred by the resolve of his fellow Americans as the young republic faced despair in the War of 1812 and possible defeat at the hands of the British Empire.

The United States was humiliated just three weeks earlier when British troops ransacked and torched Washington, D.C., destroying in a fiery blaze much of both the White House and the Capitol.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, SEPT. 13, 1857, MILK CHOCOLATE MAGNATE MILTON HERSHEY BORN IN PA

Key was certain that American defenses at Fort McHenry, just 40 miles from the nations capital, would collapse under the attack's intensity.

"Superior British weapons pounded the fort from newly designed bomb ships anchored safely out of range of the forts own guns," the National Constitution Center wrote of the empires firepower.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, AUGUST 24, 1814, BRITISH TROOPS RANSACKED, TORCHED WHITE HOUSE AND CAPITOL

"It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone," Key later wrote.

The impossibility of the forts survival  and the nations fiery refusal in its weakest moment to bend to the British  fueled Keys profound patriotic response.

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"His brother-in-law, commander of a militia at Fort McHenry, read Key's work and had it distributed under the name Defence of Fort M'Henry," Smithsonian Magazine reported in a 2007 account of the Battle of Baltimore.

"The Baltimore Patriot newspaper soon printed it, and within weeks, Key's poem, now called The Star-Spangled Banner, appeared in print across the country, immortalizing his words  and forever naming the flag it celebrated."

Key's poem became the national anthem by an Act of Congress that President Herbert Hoover signed in 1931.

The actual flag raised over Fort McHenry by the dawns early light on Sept. 14 enjoys a place of honor today at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

Its known as the Great Garrison Flag.

ON 9/11 ANNIVERSARY, FAITH LEADERS NATIONWIDE OFFER PRAYERS, COMFORT AND HOPE FOR OUR COUNTRY

The forts star-spangled banner measured 42 feet by 30 feet and had 15 stars and 15 stripes.

It was the custom in the very early days of the nation to add both a star and a stripe with the addition of each new state to the Union.

The Star-Spangled Banner flag or the Great Garrison Flag  the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in 1814 and inspired Francis Scott Key; screen print, 1926. Photo by GraphicaArtis/Getty Images

Maj. George Armistead, commander of Fort McHenry, had requested that a giant flag be made to fly over the fort a year earlier, with the War of 1812 well underway and certain at some point he would come under attack.

"The job went out to a 37-year-old widow, Mary Pickersgill, a ship and signal flag maker," said the National Park Service of the Great Garrison Flag's history.

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"She labored for seven weeks with her 13-year-old daughter, Caroline, two nieces, 13-year-old Eliza Young and 15-year-old Margaret Young, a 13-year-old African American indentured servant, Grace Wisher, and possibly her mother, Rebecca Young, who had taught her the trade."

The NPS continued, "They pieced together strips of loosely woven English wool bunting, then laid the whole flag out on the expansive floor of a brewery near Mrs. Pickersgills Pratt Street house, now the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Museum."

A smaller flag that flew over the fort during the bombardment has been lost to history, according to the NPS.

Fort McHenry today enjoys a special status not only as a national monument but as a U.S. historic shrine.

The state of Maryland honors the defense of Fort McHenry with Defenders Day each Sept. 12.

The National Park Service celebrated this past weekend with special Defenders Day events at Fort McHenry.
Multiple strong thunderstorms with heavy rainfall moved through southwestern Utah on Sept. 14, 2015, creating significant and deadly flash flooding in Hildale, Utah, and Zion National Park that would claim the lives of 20 people, including 10 children.

The two flash flooding events in the small polygamist community along the Utah-Arizona border and in one of the nation's famous national parks remain Utah's deadliest natural disasters. One death was also reported south of the border with Arizona.

Flash flooding occurs when heavy rainfall, usually over a long period, moves over a dry land area. When water exceeds the ability of the ground to absorb it, flash flooding occurs.

According to the National Weather Service's Salt Lake City office, heavy rainfall began in the early afternoon of Sept. 14, causing flash flooding in Short Creek in Hildale and then flooding Highway 59.



DOZENS RESCUED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AFTER HEAVY RAINFALL TRIGGERS MUDSLIDE IN FIRE BURN SCAR

A second strong thunderstorm again moved over Hildale, causing more flooding. According to the NWS summary, 16 people were waiting for the flooding to subside and sought shelter in two vans when a large flood swept the vehicles down a channel.

After the floodwaters receded, the mud-covered and warped vehicles were found mangled in the flooding debris but without the people inside. Photos in the aftermath show search efforts in Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale.

After an extensive search, local authorities said three people swept away were rescued, and 13 people inside those vehicles died. According to the NWS summary of the deadly flooding event, the victims included three women ages 27, 28 and 30. The remaining victims were all children; the youngest was just 4 years old.

Water flows down Pine Creek in Zion's National Park, a possible location where lost hikers might be on September 15, 2015 in Springdale, Utah. Seven hikers died after a flash flood that also killed 13 women and children in two vans that were swept away by the flood waters. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

On the same day just one hour north of Hildale, a hiking group was lost when strong storms triggered flash flooding in Zion National Park. The water quickly overtook the slot canyon the group was exploring. Seven hikers between 51 and 59 years old were killed in the flash flood.

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On the morning of Sept. 14, the NWS office in Salt Lake City issued a moderate risk of flash flooding, including a higher risk for flash flooding in slot canyons that Zion is known for.

The Los Angeles Times reports the hikers were all experienced with canyoneering training when they descended into Keyhole Canyon. According to the NWS, flooding in Keyhole Canyon happened quickly, and no one could reach higher ground.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER ON TV

In addition to the deadly cost of the flooding, the NWS estimated $750,000 in property damage to Washington County, Utah, as the water damaged roads, power lines and bridges. Flooding destroyed multiple cars, and homes were damaged during the floods.

Flash flooding remains the second-deadliest type of extreme weather in the U.S., killing more people yearly than hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning. Only heat is deadlier than flash floods.
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A father said, "You get expensive if you're here when the baby is napping." This made the babysitter feel awful and like she was in the wrong. But, we think the dad is really the jerk in this situation. Do you agree?View Entire Post 
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Prince Harry and Prince William are expected to make another carefully managed show of unity Wednesday, when they will walk behind the queens body as it travels from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon. The solemn procession will inevitable stir memories of the boys walking behind Dianas coffin together 25 years ago.

Harry and William Ate Apart on Night of Queens Death, but Bombshell Text Brought Them Together

Their wives are expected to travel together in a following car.

The cortege will depart Buckingham Palace, where the queens body lay Tuesday night, at exactly 2:22 p.m. Wednesday, with the lead-lined oak coffin borne on a gun carriage through Londons grand ceremonial streets.

Charles, William, Harry, Andrew, Edward, and Anne will follow the coffin on foot as it makes its 38-minute journey in front of thousands of mourners lining the streets.

A palace source said the royals would process in no particular order, however it is understood that Harry and William will walk side by side.

Harry, Meghan, Kate, and William are understood to have come face to face Tuesday night as the family gathered for the return of the queens remains to Buckingham Palace.

Harry has been told he may not wear military uniform, and Tuesday night he issued an angry statement that attacked media for commenting on that fact, and also appeared to express his dissatisfaction with the decision.

In a message disseminated online by reporter Omid Scobie, Harrys office said: Prince Harry will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother. His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall for four full days. An estimated 400,000 people are expected to brave five mile queues and waits of as many as 35 hours to pay their respects.

For William and Harry, Wednesdays procession may bring back painful memories of the cortege that they joined, at age 15 and 12, to walk behind the coffin of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.

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Harry has condemned the decision to make him participate in that walk in recent years.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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According to Statista, Disney properties account for 12 of the 25 most visited theme parks in the world  Disney parks make up six of the top 10 and three of the top five. Before the pandemic slashed attendance, Magic Kingdom alone received nearly 21 million guests per year.

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Most people would be happy to visit only one Disney park in one vacation  or in one lifetime. But for 75 of the most hardcore and deep-pocketed fanatics, a single theme park on a single continent is just a stop along the way on a Disney private jet tour thats nothing short of a dream for anyone who has ever owned a pair of mouse ears.

Keep reading to learn exactly whats included in the Adventures by Disney private jet vacation of a lifetime.

Wait, Disney Has a Private Jet Tour?

Disney Parks Around The World  A Private Jet Adventure is the most exclusive and expensive vacation package in House of Mouse history. The 24-day, 23-night experience spans six countries on three continents and includes visits to 31 sites, including 12 Disney theme parks and three iconic global landmarks  the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids of Giza and the Taj Mahal.

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For true fans, however, even those historical treasures are just glorified tourist traps compared to the packages real crown jewel: Summit Skywalker Ranch, where all 75 travelers will have the rare opportunity to be welcomed as special guests.

Its not cheap.

The all-inclusive package costs $109,995 per passenger for both adults and children, who must be at least 12 years old. But think about all you get for the price of entry.

So, What Exactly Does $110,000 Buy You?

Those who decide the trip is worth the expense will city-hop between the following destinations:

Anaheim

San Francisco

Tokyo

Shanghai

Hong Kong

Agra

Cairo

Paris

Orlando

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At each stop, travelers will enjoy stays in five-star luxury hotels and other world-class accommodations selected for their long list of amenities and proximity to Disney sites, including:

Disneys Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Disneys Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Marriott Mena House, Cairo

Summit Skywalker Ranch

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

Disneys Hotel New York  The Art of Marvel

Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

Shanghai Disneyland Hotel

The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra

On the ground, the trips include multi-park passes, VIP treatment and access to Disney VIPs, Imagineers, cultural experts and three Adventure Guides who streamline the journey, lend expertise and offer tips and stories about each destination. The trip includes 68 meals  23 breakfasts, 22 lunches and 23 dinners.

A Look at the Highlights

Heres a glimpse into some of the high points  and best selfie opportunities  that travelers will experience during the most immersive Disney vacation you can take:

Behind-the-scenes tour of Tokyo DisneySea with Disney Imagineering.

A tour of Walt Disney Studios, including a trip to Disneys offices and the iconic Ink & Paint Department.

A behind-the-scenes tour of Shanghai Disneyland, the newest park in the franchise.

An expert-led open-air Kilimanjaro savanna safari through Disneys Animal Kingdom park.

A private monorail ride and exclusive backstage tour of the Disney transportation system.

A cruise and private dinner aboard an iconic junk boat for a dazzling light show with harbor views.

An exclusive closed-to-the-public tour of Flavor Lab, the secret Disney kitchen where the franchises chefs experiment and dream up the culinary creations that guests will eventually eat at parks worldwide.

A guided tour of the Taj Mahal.

A guided tour of the Giza pyramids and sphinx.

A guided tour of the Lucasfilm Campus, including the chance for a photo at the legendary Yoda fountain.

Getting There Is Half the Fun

The most important part of the Disney private jet vacation is, of course, the private jet. Travelers will ride on a VIP-configured Boeing 757 aircraft that is operated by Icelandair and comes complete with added footrests and extra room for each passenger.

Along with a flight crew, there are three dedicated staff members to serve the passengers needs, as well as a chef and an onboard physician. As with all Adventures by Disney packages, the company takes care of all transportation, transfers, baggage handling and activity fees. To maximize the time that travelers will have to enjoy each vacation destination, all flights throughout the itinerary are direct.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Disneys $110,000 Private Jet Tour Around the World: Whats Included in That Hefty Price?
Sep. 14State employees haven't been able to confirm reports of a "big cat " located in the Holualoa area on Hawaii island, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has reported.

The DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife has maintained bait stations and game cameras for three weeks in the area, where the suspected cat was photographed, but have so far only seen pigs and small cats.

Sightings from around the island are unlikely, the land department said, because of the distance and terrain the animal would have had to cover.
A dog owner revealed that her labrador comforted Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, while greeting them outside of Windsor Castle, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were photographed speaking to well-wishers on Saturday, one day after Harry returned from Scotland, as his 96-year-old grandmother passed away there on Thursday.

On Twitter, Sarah Gracie shared multiple photos of her puppy, Louis, outside of Windsor Castle in order to pay his respects to the Queen.

In the images, Harry and Meghan could be seen standing in front of a metal gate while they were petting Louis, who directed his face towards the royals.

When our little pup Louis met Meghan and Harry as we paid our respects to The Queen, Gracie wrote in the caption, along with the photos of Louis and the couple.

Gracie went on to share more details about Louiss interaction with the well-wishers and the Duke and Duchess, adding: We witnessed a really beautiful moment at such a difficult time for them. Louis had the best day and is at his happiest when he is being cuddled, petted and surrounded by people.

In the responses to her tweets, multiple Twitter users praised the couple and acknowledged how sweet it was to see the dog interacting with them.

Look at that pup...eyes closed under Harrys touch...complete trust. Dogs know & recognize good [people], one wrote.

Ive always said you can tell a person by the way they treat animals. Both Meghan and Harry have shown their love for them on numerous occasions, another added. People can make all the negative comments they want but I will defend them every time.

A third person added: Aww. Lucky Louis got some Sussex love. Im sure this was pure joy for Harry and Meghan at this grieving time. They love animals.

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments about our precious Louis  We witnessed a really beautiful moment at such a difficult time for them. Louis had the best day and is at his happiest when he is being cuddled, petted and surrounded by people   Sarah Gracie (@SarahGracie) September 11, 2022

When our little pup Louis met Meghan and Harry as we paid our respects to The Queen #QueenElizabeth #HarryandMeghan #Windsor pic.twitter.com/OLkhW6gcaU  Sarah Gracie (@SarahGracie) September 10, 2022

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are proud dog owners themselves, as they adopted a seven-year-old beagle named Mama Mia in August. During an interview withThe Los Angeles Times, animal rights attorney Shannon Keith said that Meghan reached out to her about wanting an older dog, before ultimately deciding to adopt Mia, who was rescued from an overcrowded research plant in Virginia.

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Along with meeting with mourners and viewing floral tributes to the Queen outside of Windsor over the weekend, the couple also reunited with the now Prince and Princess of Wales.

Prince William, Princess Kate, Harry, and Meghan were all dressed in black, as they walked along the gates of the castle, marking the first time that they have all been publicly seen together since the Queens jubilee celebrations in June.

Speaking to The Independent about the brothers recent reunion, Pauline MacLaran, royal author and lecturer at the University of London, called it a symbolic gesture to show respect for both their late grandmother and their father, the new King.
OLENA ROSHCHINA  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 10:17

On 13 September, Russians occupiers killed five residents of Donetsk Oblast and wounded another 16; on the night of 13-14 September, at least one person was wounded; attacks on populated areas continue: Avdiivka was very heavily shelled, and strikes landed on Kramatorsk and Toretsk.

Source: Pavlo Kyrylenko, Head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration

Details: On 13 September, Russian occupying forces killed five civilians in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast. Another 16 people were injured.

At night, Russians opened fire in all areas of the oblast along the front line.

An attack on Prechystivka in the Volnovakha district left one person injured and one house damaged.

Quote from Kyrylenko: "Massive artillery shelling observed again in Avdiivka this morning  the old and central areas of the city were hit. We are establishing information about victims and damage."

Details: At least three residential buildings, a store, an administrative building and an agricultural enterprise in Novoselivka Persha were damaged by projectiles in the Ocheretyn hromada.

A school came under fire in Myrnohrad  windows and part of the roof were damaged. No information about the victims has been reported.

In the Kramatorsk district, Russians struck Kramatorsk and Mykolaivka, damaging three houses and a sports complex, but without casualties.

Preliminary reports indicate that the S-300 missile fell in the middle of a residential area in Kramatorsk and partially damaged at least 3 private houses. The resulting fire burned out a garage.

Toretsk in the Bakhmut district was shelled in the morning  one house was damaged, there were no casualties.

Quote from Kyrylenko: "Every night in Donetsk Oblast is restless. Civilians must leave the oblast. This is a matter of life and death!"

Russian occupiers are deliberately terrorizing the local population. The only solution for civilians under such conditions is to evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine.

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Don't become a target for Russian terrorist forces. Evacuate!"

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officer from the Fremont, Colorado sheriff's department using a drone to search for missing golden retriever

Courtesy of Fremont County Sheriff's Office Colorado

After surviving in the Colorado wilderness alone for almost three months, Farrah the "miracle" golden retriever is back with her owner after a local sheriff's office located her with an airborne drone.

Farrah, 3, escaped after her car was in an accident on Highway 50 back in June, KOAA reported. She ran off.

The resulting daily search, led by Farrah's owner, Taylor Salazar, had limited success. Searchers would place food and scent stations along with water, but they couldn't catch her. The best they could do was see Farrah every so oftenon security cameras or off in the distance.

The Fremont County Sheriff's Office then joined the search. On Sunday, its aircraft surveillance team sent out a drone outfitted with an infrared camera, KOAA reported. About 10 minutes later, they found Farrah.

RELATED: Drone Pilot Rescues Starving Dog Who Was Chained to Car After Hurricane

"When she realized that it was me, she ran to me. She hopped through a barbed-wire fence and later her head was in my lap," Salazar told the TV station.

Farrah was reunited with her owner after 82 days, but she was in awful shape. She only weighed about 55 pounds, a little more than half her healthy weight. One of her back legs was injured in the hip and knee area and will need to be amputated.

"The fact that she survived basically three months in the wilderness is a miracle," Salazar said.

RELATED: Drone Finds Missing Dog Who Was Stuck in Marsh

Salazar brought Farrah home when the golden was a puppy and her late husband was undergoing treatment for stage 4 stomach cancer. The dog provided a welcome distraction from his cancer fight.

"When we brought Farrah in, our house was happy again. She was our sunshine, and so when we lost her it was like, we can't, we can't have her go out this way," Salazar told KOAA.

Thankfully, she's now back with Farrah, who's still just as sweet while fighting through a little separation anxiety.
First, Maksim Chmerkovskiy danced with the stars, entertaining millions. Now he and painter Davood Roostaei are using their art to save lives and support Ukrainians affected by the Russian invasion.

Chmerkovskiy was working on World of Dance in Ukraine on Feb. 24 when he, like millions of others in Ukraine, was blasted awake.

It was 5 a.m. when I was woken up by all that insanity that broke out, the former Dancing With the Stars pro champion told the Daily News.

He was briefly detained, an eye-opener.

They searched my documents, and I realized what it is to be in the middle of war, Chmerkovskiy said, explaining that peacetime interactions hed had with military personnel before that were a world apart. Ive never seen a soldier in the time of war. Its a really different type of feeling.

Once he had documented he was a U.S. citizen, Chmerkovskiy was able to leave, chronicling his traumatizing journey on social media. In the ensuing six months, the professional dancer, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and today lives with wife and fellow DWTS alum Peta Murgatroyd and their young son in Los Angeles, has devoted himself to helping Ukrainians cope.

Im unable to sit on the sidelines, he told The News, describing his inspiration for forming Baranova 27, a charitable organization named after the address he spent his early childhood in Odesa, Ukraine. The groups goal is to do our best for people suffering from this craziness that is going on over there, Chmerkovskiy said.

Earlier this year, Chmerkovskiy described being torn as he left the country he was born in, especially being on a train to Warsaw surrounded by women and children.

He met Roostaei after the artist saw him on the news detailing his escape from Ukraine and arrival in Los Angeles. The Iranian artist, himself no stranger to conflict, is donating proceeds from his powerful painting evoking life in wartime Ukraine to Baranova 27. That will enable it to collect even more donations of clothes, medical supplies and hygienic equipment for refugees.

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Roostaei is known for creating an original technique he calls Cryptorealism, layering levels of images, meaning on top of meaning, using only his fingers in deeply detailed works in oil and acrylic. He has spent more than 40 years honing the style since starting out in the 1970s.

Back then, Roostaeis burgeoning career was upended by the Iranian revolution, and his art was deemed subversive enough to get him locked up for two years. After getting out of jail, he went to Germany to seek asylum and began working as an artist in 1984, eventually moving to the U.S.

The war in Ukraine affected Roostaei deeply. My personal experiences with war and political conflict give me a particular lens with which to evoke a dialogue between my art and its observers, Roostaei told The News in an email.

He hopes his art  in particular the painting, Imagine-2022, whose proceeds he donated  can shed light on the human experience of war so that others may have a better understanding of its effects and perhaps be inspired to do their part in rallying for peace: both in Ukraine and worldwide. I truly believe that it is our shared humanity that will allow us to achieve this, he said, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to help Ukrainians directly.

Chmerkovskiy plans to focus on children and restoring their lives to normalcy. For me its important that people get involved in helping kids, he told The News. I just want to lend my hand in rebuilding a little bit and with contributing what I can.


CHARLOTTE  An Eaton Rapids man was trying to kill another man when he ran him over with a vehicle Sunday morning in Eaton Rapids Township, authorities said.

Andrew Lavern Hoag, 46, was arraigned Tuesday in Eaton County District Court on a count of assault with intent to murder in connection with the incident on Bostedor Road, the Eaton County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

A judge set a $500,000 bond for Hoag, according to the release.

It was not clear Tuesday if Hoag is represented by an attorney.

The man police said was a victim of the assault, age 49, was reported in critical but stable condition following the 4:45 a.m. incident. Police on Tuesday did not say whether his condition had changed.

Police said Hoag left the scene of the assault in a vehicle and drove to a location on South Royston Road before leaving that area on foot, police said. They said they believe he was picked up by someone in a vehicle.

Hoag was arrested in the city of Eaton Rapids.

Police have not given a motive for the alleged assault.

Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Eaton Rapids man charged with trying to kill another man with vehicle
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

Read also: Nine EU countries no longer accept Russian visa applications

During her annual address in the European Parliament, von der Leyen said she plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss Kyivs participation in the EU Single Market.

Read also: EU fails to agree Russia gas price cap, but will introduce windfall tax on energy companies

We will empower Ukraine to make the most of its potential, she tweeted after the speech.

Building on the success of the solidarity lanes to ensuring seamless access to the Single Market. Bringing Ukraine into our European free roaming area. I am going to Kyiv today to discuss all this with President Zelenskyy.

Read also: Ukraine expects to become EU member in two years, PM says

Von der Leyen also listed the steps and plans for further rapprochement between Ukraine and the EU.

Ukraines First Lady Olena Zelenska was present during Von der Leyens speech in Strasbourg.

Read also: Ukraine to get another EUR 3 billion from EU in October, says PM

It is not yet reported when exactly Von der Leyen will arrive in Kyiv.

This will be her third visit to Ukraine since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Read also: Russia continues to export oil products to Europe, evading EU ban  Skhemy

The first time, Von der Leyen came to Ukraine together with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, on April 8. It was then that she handed over a questionnaire to Zelenskyy on Ukraines meeting the Copenhagen criteria for becoming an EU member candidate.

She visited Ukraine for the second time on June 11 to summarize the joint work needed for reconstruction and to review the progress made by Ukraine on its European path.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Scales of justice

A massive crime reform package passed by Illinois Democrats in 2021 is once again in the spotlight with Election Day less than three months away.

Republican state legislators last week again aired their grievances with the 746-page SAFE-T Act. One of its many provisions will end cash bail, where a defendant is required to pay a percentage of the bail set by a judge to be released from prison  making Illinois the first state to do so.

Long opponents to the legislation, a group of four upstate GOP legislators met with law enforcement to determine if any reforms were needed heading into the November special session.

Now, Assistant Senate Minority Leader Donald DeWitte, R-St. Charles, is calling for the law to be repealed.

This attempt is the latest from state Republicans, who previously announced plans to repeal it through House Bill 4499 last January. The bill has 13 sponsors, including Springfield's own Rep. Tim Butler, but no action has been taken since it was referred to the House Rules Committee.

Related:Republicans announce effort to repeal SAFE-T Act, Democrats call it all for show

When did the Illinois General Assembly pass the SAFE-T Act?

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Safety Accountability Fairness and Equity-Today Act on Feb. 22, 2021, calling the legislation a "substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism."

"Today we advance our values in the law  progress secured despite the pandemic, because of the passion and push of the Legislative Black Caucus, activists, advocates, and residents intent on leaving a better Illinois for all our children," the governor said in a statement.

Is no cash bail already in effect?

Despite ongoing complaints against this provision of the SAFE-T Act, it is not currently in place. The end of cash bail will go into effect Jan. 1.

In addition to no cash bail, what all is in the SAFE-T Act?

The broad-ranging SAFE-T Act also addresses police training, what equipment they have in the field, and makes reforms to prisoner rights.

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Law enforcement is not permitted to purchase military equipment such as firearms of .50-caliber or higher and weaponized vehicles or aircraft. Officers are also not allowed to use chokeholds but are ordered to intervene when another officer is using excessive force.

By 2025, all law enforcement agencies will be required to have body cameras  these cameras have to be turned on when an officer is in uniform and responding to a call.

Detainees can make three phone calls within the first three hours of their time at the police station. Before handing over their cell phone, inmates can find these numbers in their cell phone contact list.

Are all suspects subject to no cash bail?

Whether or not a detainee qualifies for pretrial release depends on how the judge decides. If the suspect is deemed a flight risk or a risk of endangerment to the community, he or she could remain behind bars.

Contact Patrick Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: No cash bail in Illinois starts in January: What to know
Full text of Xi's signed article on Uzbek media

Xinhua) 07:36, September 14, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A signed article by Chinese President Xi Jinping titled "Working Together for a Brighter Future of China-Uzbekistan Relations" was published Tuesday on Uzbek media ahead of his state visit to the Central Asian country.

An English version of the article, carried by leading Uzbek newspaper Narodnoe Slovo and Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA), is as follows:

Working Together for a Brighter Future of China-Uzbekistan Relations

Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

"The land is fertile and crops thriving. Trees flourish, and flowers and fruits abound. A place home to steeds." This is how Huen Tsang, an eminent Chinese monk in the Tang Dynasty over 1,300 years ago, depicted the richly-endowed Samarkand. In this lovely mid-autumn month, a season of harvest, I will once again visit the beautiful city of Samarkand at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to discuss with him plans for closer cooperation between China and Uzbekistan, and to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.

Both China and Uzbekistan are ancient civilizations, and the great Silk Road has borne witness to the friendly exchanges of the two peoples over the past 2,000 years and more. Several historical figures from China traveled west to visit Uzbekistan, including Zhang Qian of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD), Huen Tsang of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Chen Cheng of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), leaving their footprints in famous cities like Tashkent, Samarkand and Navoi. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Sayyid Ajall Shams al-Din, a statesman whose ancestral home was in Bukhara, served as the governor of Yunnan province in China. In the mid-14th century, Wu Ru, an authority on astronomy and calendar and a native of Samarkand, participated in the construction of an observatory in Nanjing. These people were trailblazers and pioneers in the China-Uzbekistan friendship, and stories about them are still widely told in both countries.

Uzbekistan is a major country at the geopolitical center of Central Asia. Over the last 31 years since gaining independence, Uzbekistan has scored remarkable achievements in national development and rejuvenation. In recent years in particular, under the leadership of President Mirziyoyev, the people of Uzbekistan have embarked on a new journey toward a "New Uzbekistan". Reform and development in various areas have entered the fast lane. The country has taken on a new look, its people enjoy a better life, and its international standing has risen significantly. As a friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, China feels truly happy for Uzbekistan.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of China-Uzbekistan diplomatic ties. Over the past three decades, the giant tree of our relationship has taken deeper roots and grown more exuberant. The two countries have respected each other, fostered good-neighborliness, strengthened solidarity and pursued mutual benefit. Cooperation across the board has yielded concrete results.

-- We are good friends sharing close affinity. Since 2016, President Mirziyoyev and I have stayed in close contact and forged a good working relationship and deep personal friendship through meetings, phone calls and correspondence. Under a comprehensive strategic partnership, the two countries have rendered mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests, supported each other's implementation of development strategies, drawn upon each other's experience of reform and opening-up, and injected positive energy into regional development.

-- We are good partners pursuing common development. China is the biggest trading partner and a major investor for Uzbekistan. Two-way trade exceeded US$8 billion in 2021, approached US$5 billion in the first half of this year, and is on course to reach the US$10-billion goal set for 2022. Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has been fruitful, and major projects are making steady progress. All four lines of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline run through Uzbekistan. The tunnel on the Angren-Pap railway line, the longest tunnel in Central Asia, has been successfully completed. More transport potential is being unleashed from the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway and the China-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan railway. And preparations for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project are well under way. Uzbekistan is thus transforming from a land-locked to a land-linked country. The two sides have also carried out robust cooperation in new energy, agriculture, finance and modern telecommunications, delivering greater benefits to the two peoples.

-- We are a good example of dialogue between civilizations. The two sides have held a wide range of exchanges including art festivals, culture promotion events, exhibitions and seminars. Cooperation is flourishing with regard to sending students, translating publications, making films, translating TV series, and conducting sub-national interactions and personnel training, which has effectively brought the two peoples still closer. In recent years, China has trained for Uzbekistan over 6,500 professionals of various fields. They are taking an active part in Uzbekistan's reform and development endeavors. Confucius Institutes have been set up in Tashkent and Samarkand where a great number of Uzbeks learned the Chinese language and they have become envoys of friendship between our two countries. Cooperation in tourism is taking off, bringing more Chinese to the beautiful land of Uzbekistan. The preservation and restoration of historical sites in Khiva, a project launched during my visit to Samarkand in 2013, has been successfully concluded, further augmenting the charm of this ancient city.

-- We are good brothers supporting each other in times of need. China and Uzbekistan, with their interests closely entwined, have stood together through thick and thin. We have maintained close coordination both bilaterally and in such regional and multilateral frameworks as the SCO. We have worked together to oppose external interference, combat the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and tackle transnational organized crimes and drug trafficking. By strengthening intelligence sharing and expanding personnel training, we have jointly forged a strong shield of security. In face of the COVID-19 pandemic, our two countries have supported each other and conducted active cooperation. Chinese vaccines, which can now be jointly produced with Uzbekistan, have played a major role in Uzbekistan's fight against the virus, and a Chinese COVID drug has been approved for clinical use in Uzbekistan, providing effective protection for the life of people in both countries.

Over 2,000 years of friendly exchanges and three decades of mutually beneficial cooperation show that enhancing China-Uzbekistan cooperation on all fronts conforms to the trend of history and meets the fundamental interests of both peoples. Standing at the intersection of past and future, we are full of confidence and expectation for a more promising prospect of China-Uzbekistan relations.

First, we need to enhance mutual support and strengthen the bond of mutual trust. We need to set out the blueprint for China-Uzbekistan relations in the new era from a strategic and long-term perspective. We need to intensify high-level exchanges, increase mutual political trust, deepen the sharing of governance experience, and continue to render mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests. China firmly supports Uzbekistan in pursuing a development path suited to its own national conditions and opposes interference in Uzbekistan's internal affairs by any force.

Second, we need to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation to pursue common development and prosperity. We should forge a better synergy between our development strategies and jointly explore new pathways to bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, investment, key projects and other fields. China has entered a new development stage and is making active efforts to foster a new development paradigm. Uzbekistan is welcome to board the express train of China's development and share its development opportunities. Next year marks the tenth anniversary of the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative. Our two sides could use this opportunity and harness the momentum to further flesh out the bilateral cooperation and pursue high-quality development together. We also need to expand cooperation on poverty reduction and alleviation so that more people in both countries benefit from our mutually beneficial cooperation.

China hopes to work with Uzbekistan to actively implement the Global Development Initiative, and take concerted actions to safeguard the interests of developing countries and foster a balanced, coordinated and inclusive development landscape that embraces win-win cooperation, works for all and delivers common prosperity.

Third, we need to strengthen security cooperation to defuse risks and challenges. Our two sides need to deepen cooperation in the security field and unequivocally reject attempts by any force to undermine regional security, to foster a secure external environment for the development of both countries. Afghanistan is a mutual neighbor of China and Uzbekistan. A peaceful, stable, growing and prosperous Afghanistan is in our shared interests. China appreciates and supports the unique role of Uzbekistan in resolving the issue of Afghanistan. We stand ready to work with Uzbekistan to put the Global Security Initiative into action, fend off new threats and challenges, and uphold peace, stability and international fairness and justice.

Fourth, we need to promote cultural exchanges to enhance people-to-people connectivity. Between relatives and friends alike, with closer interaction the affinity grows. The China-Uzbekistan friendship enjoys a time-honored history and our cooperation on people-to-people exchanges has a solid foundation and bright prospects. We need to expand cooperation in the areas of media, education, health, culture, tourism, press, archeology and at the sub-national level, open culture centers in each other's countries at an earlier time and set up a Luban Workshop in Uzbekistan, to foster a multi-faceted framework of people-to-people exchanges. This will help sustain the growth of China-Uzbekistan relations and build a lasting friendship between our peoples.

During my visit to Uzbekistan this time, I will attend the SCO Samarkand Summit. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Guided by the purposes and principles enshrined in these two documents, the SCO has acted on the Shanghai Spirit, stayed true to its founding mission, and promoted the joint efforts among its member states for stability and development. The SCO has set a fine example of a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and proved itself an important and constructive force in the Eurasian region and in international affairs.

Since assuming SCO presidency, despite the impacts from COVID-19, Uzbekistan has strengthened communication and coordination with other member states, made solid efforts on various fronts, and preserved the SCO's momentum of sound and steady development. China applauds Uzbekistan for its efforts. I am confident that with the joint efforts of all sides, the Samarkand Summit will produce fruitful outcomes and make greater contribution to building an even closer SCO community with a shared future and to peace, stability, development and prosperity of our region.

As the saying goes, when your heart knows its direction, the distance to destination will never be long. Bearing in mind the original aspiration upon the establishment of our diplomatic relations, China will work with Uzbekistan to seize the historical opportunities, forge ahead side by side on the path of national development and rejuvenation, and make joint efforts toward the goal of building a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
Foundry

Government support for businesses struggling with energy bills may not arrive until November.

However, the help would be backdated, and cover the period from 1 October, a government spokesperson said.

Last week Prime Minister Liz Truss said firms would get "equivalent support" to the help that was announced for households.

But companies have been in the dark as to what that actually means, including how much support they will get.

A government spokesperson said: "We will confirm further details of the business support scheme next week. The scheme will support businesses with their October energy bills, including through backdating if necessary."

The help may be backdated because the precise mechanism and amount of support may not be finalised till November, a government source said.

The support for business was also time-limited to six months, with an option to extend support for "vulnerable businesses" - but there was little indication of what that means either.

Alan Soady from The Federation for Small Business told the BBC "all businesses are vulnerable if they are energy users and let's face it, the problems in the gas market don't look they are going away in six months".

Unlike households - where a cap on the unit price for gas and electricity means an average household will pay 2,500 per year for energy - there is no such mechanism for businesses.

Firms have a huge variety of different contracts based on the intensity of their usage and the mix between gas and electricity.

Many big businesses also have their own energy buying departments and systems to insure themselves, or "hedge", against extreme price movements.

Also, unlike households, there is no price cap, and therefore no moment when everyone's bills will change.

Firms typically have one or two-year fixed contracts, but a significant number - the CBI estimates a third - traditionally come up for renewal before winter and in October.

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The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said meetings continue, to thrash out the details of their approach, and the business of government goes on during the official mourning period.

That will be little comfort to a business owner I spoke to last week agonising over whether to hand back the keys to his premises ahead of this winter.

The Prime Minister and Chancellor have written a blank cheque trying to avert a recession.

Households' knowledge their bills are fixed for the next two years will help in that endeavour, but few businesses will invest, hire, or sign a new lease until they know what help is coming their way, when and for how long.

If recession is to be avoided, the government will need to provide more detail, and reassurance as soon as possible.
FIRST ON FOX: Major environmental organizations are quietly playing a key role in the Biden administration's foreign policy efforts, according to emails reviewed by Fox News Digital.

The emails underscore the influence that left-wing environmentalists have on the Biden administration through Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's office.

On multiple occasions since President Biden took office nearly 20 months ago, green groups have acted as an apparent go-between for the administration on key international climate negotiations, according to emails obtained in an information request by watchdog group Protect the Public's Trust (PPT) and shared with Fox News Digital.

JOHN KERRY'S OFFICE CONSULTED LEFT-WING ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS WHILE CRAFTING POLICIES, EMAILS SHOW

The emails show correspondence between the environmental groups and Jesse Young, a senior adviser in Kerry's office. They offer a rare peek into Kerry's office, which has largely been tight-lipped about its internal operations.

"The Department of States leadership in combatting the global climate crisis is supported by diplomats, negotiators, and subject matter experts with diverse backgrounds and decades of knowledge and experience from the public sector, academia, NGOs, and the private sector," a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry attends the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 12, 2021. Reuters/Yves Herman

On March 8, 2021, Young emailed Alden Meyer  a senior associate at environmental group E3G and climate policy consultant at Performance Partners  and other green group leaders, giving them information about Kerry's travel and asking them for their position on a leadership change at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). At the time, former Australian government official Mathias Cormann had emerged as a favorite for OECD's secretary-general position.

Meyer responded, saying the groups were "weighing in on the Cormann front" and forwarded a message from green groups. He also copied a series of other environmental leaders and added that he would brief Young on the in greater detail during "tomorrow's Kitchen Cabinet briefing," an apparent reference to an off-the-books group that meets to advise administration officials.

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JOHN KERRY'S SECRETIVE CLIMATE OFFICE DISCUSSED KEEPING PLANS OFF 'PAPER,' EMAILS SHOW

"Our analysis is that unless the U.S. can be persuaded not to go for Cormann, he will get the job," the message stated. "It's coming down to the wire and this is about drawing a line in the sand and saying anyone with a history of blocking climate action must be disqualified from senior international appointments."

In response to Meyer's email, Jake Schmidt  the senior strategic director for the Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) international climate program  said the U.S. needed to quickly "use its influence at the OECD" to support another candidate.

"The Australian bloke is horrible and shouldn't be put in charge of such an important role," Schmidt wrote. "Making climate an essential element of foreign policy means that climate change needs to be at the top of all decisions."

OECD member nations ultimately appointed Cormann to the position a week later. Cormann, though, selected James Rubin  a former foreign policy adviser to Biden, State Department official, Kerry presidential campaign adviser and lobbyist who terminated his lobbying registrations to join the Biden administration, according to The New York Times  to serve as a top deputy.

JOHN KERRYS OFFICE REDACTED EVERY STAFFER NAME IN FOIAED CORRESPONDENCE

"As a climate change think tank, E3G regularly seeks to educate and inform a broad range of stakeholders on our research into the impacts of and solutions to climate change, which represents the most significant threat to the health, prosperity, and well-being of everyone on the planet," Meyer told Fox News Digital in an email.

In a separate email exchange on March 30, 2021, Young emailed Christy Goldfuss, the senior vice president for energy and environment policy at the Center for American Progress (CAP), referencing a phone call they had just participated in about the "climate finance push." He mentioned that Goldfuss organized the call.

JOHN KERRY'S CLIMATE OFFICE RIFE WITH TIES TO FAR-LEFT GREEN GROUPS

Young then said he would be interested in another call with John Podesta  CAP's founder who was recently appointed as a White House clean energy czar  to "sync up" on climate finance issues.

In another exchange between Goldfuss and Young on April 26, 2021, Goldfuss invited a State Department official to participate in a "high level discussion with the EU on climate finance." The official's name was redacted from the email.

"The first hour of the dialogue will be about electrification and EV's. The second two are dedicated to climate finance," Goldfuss wrote to Young. "The final hour is the high level dialogue. If you think this will be of interest, can you share [redacted] official email address with me."

"Facilitating discussions between international thought leaders is an important part of the role of any think tank seeking to improve the lives of all Americans. We have national security and climate experts at CAP," a CAP spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "It is natural for CAP to convene gatherings that include thought leaders from inside and outside the U.S. government to participate in important dialogues when appropriate."

Finally, on March 11, 2022, Anthony Swift, NRDC's director of its Canada Project, emailed Young and other State Department and White House officials offering to act as a middleman in climate and "forest carbon accounting practices" discussions with Canada. Swift said he would like to brief the Biden administration about his team's discussions with the Canadian government's environment and natural resources ministers.

JOHN KERRY'S FAMILY PRIVATE JET EMITTED OVER 300 METRIC TONS OF CARBON SINCE BIDEN TOOK OFFICE

"Both Ministers have expressed interest in addressing these issues, but have highlighted a desire to do so bilaterally with the United States," he wrote. "Wed appreciate an opportunity to brief you on both Canadas current forest carbon accounting practices and opportunities to advance Canadas climate ambition by harmonizing US-Canadian forest carbon accounting practices."

The only other email from the thread included in the information request was a follow up from Swift, saying that Young had informed him he had included a wrong email address for one of the officials copied.

President Biden greets Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in California on June 8. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

PPT Director Michael Chamberlain said the email records his group obtained showed a concerning pattern of the Biden administration consulting outside groups on key foreign policy decisions and thus evading oversight requirements.

"Outsourcing foreign policy to activist organizations, which these documents indicate may be occurring, raises serious legal, ethical, and constitutional concerns," Chamberlain told Fox News Digital.

"The American public expects that the foreign policy activities that affect their lives, livelihoods, and security will be conducted by the federal government that represents them, not by large special interest groups outside the transparency and oversight requirements governing federal agencies," he added.

The NRDC didn't respond to multiple requests for comment.
(Action Images via Reuters)

Pep Guardiola compared Erling Haaland to his hero Johan Cruyff and Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the strikers acrobatic winner for Manchester City against his former club Borussia Dortmund.

Haalands 13th goal in eight games was a head-high volley with the outside of his boot that Guardiola compared to one of the most famous Cruyff scored for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid.

He said: The people who know me, maybe you know the influence Johan Cruyff had on my life as a person and a mentor and a manager and years ago Johan Cruyff scored an incredible goal in the Camp Nou for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid and the moment Erling scored I thought it was quite, quite similar.

I thought: Aah, like Johan Cruyff. It was an incredible assist by Joao [Cancelo]. The finishing from Erling was exceptional.

Ibrahimovic played for Guardiola at Barcelona and was subsequently critical of the Catalan but while they parted on bad terms, the City manager sees similarities in Haaland, another tall striker.

He added: I remember my dear friend Ibrahimovic that had this ability to put the leg on the roof and Erling is quite similar in that. I think it is his nature: he is elastic, he is flexible and after has the ability to make the contact and put the ball in the net. I think his mum and dad give him that flexibility.

The Dortmund defender Mats Hummels rued the ability of his former team-mate to find the net as the Bundesliga side, who had been 1-0 up, lost 2-1.

The German said: Were all behind the ball where were meant to be, but no-one closes the ball down and we let a cross reach Erling Haaland, who is just Erling Haaland. The frustration sits deep and will all night.
Ethereums Merge may reveal whether Chinese miners still have an influence on the crypto industry, said Matthew Graham, CEO of Beijing-based crypto investment firm Sino Global Capital.

It will be telling about how much market power Chinese OG miners still have, Graham said during an appearance on CoinDesk TVs First Mover on Wednesday.

Graham added that a large portion of Chinese miners, whether based abroad or in China, are still heavily involved in mining.

Read more: Ethereum Merge Explained: What Investors Should Know About the Shift to Proof-of-Stake

In May 2021, Chinese government officials banned bitcoin (BTC) mining. However, as CoinDesk previously reported, the countrys mining industry is very much alive.

Graham said it will also be very telling to see how much influence [miners] still have on our industry when it comes to Ethereum, the second-biggest blockchain after Bitcoin, and its long-expected changeover this week.

The Merge is the blockchains transition from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism to a faster and less energy-hungry proof-of-stake (PoS) protocol. The change is expected to take place during the early hours of Thursday, Sept. 15.

Read more: Ethereum Proof-of-Work Fork Timing Posted

While some miners are expected to support a version of the current proof-of-work mechanism through a hard fork after the Merge, Graham said sees no rationale for why that project should exist.

It doesnt really make sense to me, but it will be telling in that one specific way, Graham said, referring to Chinese miner Chandler Guo. Guo said he planned to fork Ethereum to maintain a proof-of-work version. Guo is hoping to attract the Ethereum miners the new PoS blockchain will leave behind because the new system will not require a miner's computing power to validate transactions on the chain.

Graham called the Merge a seminal moment in the history of our industry, and should be appreciated despite vigorous competition within the industry.

It's an enormous credit to Vitalik [Buterin, Ethereums co-founder] and all the developers and everyone in the Ethereum community, Graham said.

Read more: Ethereums Transition to PoS Could Push PoW by the Wayside, Ethereum Co-Founder Says
BRUSSELS (AP)  A top European Union official unveiled a plan Wednesday to cap the revenue of electricity producers that are making extraordinary profits because of the effects of Russia's war in Ukraine and climate change, saying the proposal could raise $140 billion to help people hit by spiraling energy prices.

It's one of several proposals aimed at containing an energy crisis in Europe that could lead to rolling blackouts, shuttered factories and a deep recession this winter. Others include slashing energy use and reforming the electricity market, which all need approval by the 27 EU countries. As the bloc supports Ukraine, Russia has reduced or cut off natural gas to 13 member nations, surging gas and electricity prices that are expected to go higher as demand peaks during the cold months.

Europe also has been hit by a drought that experts say is the worst in 500 years. Prices for natural gas  which is used to power industry, heat homes and generate electricity  are now 10 times higher in the EU than before COVID-19 took hold in 2020.

Russia keeps actively manipulating our energy market," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France. "So, this market is not functioning anymore.

Individual countries have passed subsidies, tax cuts and other relief for households and businesses as high energy prices drive record inflation. But with economies still recovering from the pandemic, money must be found outside of national budgets to provide more help to millions struggling to pay their electricity bills. Thats why the commission wants to tap the profits of power producers using oil, gas and coal as well as renewables and nuclear power. It estimates that some companies are making five times their usual profits.

These companies are making revenues they never accounted for, they never even dreamt of, von der Leyen said. In these times, it is wrong to receive extraordinary record revenues and profits benefiting from war and on the back of consumers."

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During her State of the European Union address to the EU assembly, attended by Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, von der Leyen said company profits must be shared and channeled to those who need it the most.

Our proposal will raise more than 140 billion euros ($140 billion) for member states to cushion the blow directly, she said.

With Russia tightening the natural gas taps, demand for gas and electricity also must be reduced, even if reserves of the fuel are on average 84% full across the EU. Capping prices will not draw down use, so the commission also wants people to consume less, particularly during peak hours.

Von der Leyen, sporting Ukraines national colors with a blue top and yellow jacket, also said the blocs electricity market must be reformed to properly tackle the energy crisis.

She said a deep and comprehensive reform of the electricity market is required to reduce the influence of natural gas on the way that prices are set.

Even before Russia started its war against Ukraine, many EU member states had been calling for reform of the blocs energy market because they believe that the influence of gas in setting wholesale electricity prices is disproportionate.

The current electricity market design ... is not doing justice to consumers anymore, von der Leyen said.

However, EU countries are deeply divided over what approach to take, and it remains unclear whether they will approve the commission's proposals. The bloc's energy ministers held emergency talks last week, without any real results, and they are due to meet again at the end of the month.

Von der Leyen announced that she would be traveling to Kyiv later Wednesday to discuss European plans to help Ukraine by further opening its single market to Ukrainian products, saying she would discuss all this with President Zelenskyy.

The EU has committed billions in aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded Feb. 24. Von der Leyen said the bloc will provide an additional 100 million euros to rebuild schools destroyed during the war.

___

Associated Press writer Raf Casert in Brussels contributed to this report.
By Kate Abnett and Tom Kackenhoff

BRUSSELS/DUESSELDORF (Reuters) - The European Union's executive outlined plans on Wednesday to raise more than $140 billion from energy firms to help shield households and businesses from soaring prices that threaten economic recession and insolvencies.

European gas and power prices have rocketed this year as Russia cut fuel exports to retaliate for Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, leaving many struggling to pay bills and utilities grappling with a liquidity crunch.

The European Central Bank's chief economist said these higher prices remain a "dominant driving force of inflation" in the euro zone.

European governments have responded with measures ranging from capping consumer electricity and gas prices to offering credit and guarantees to power providers at risk of collapse.

"EU Member States have already invested billions of euros to assist vulnerable households. But we know this will not be enough," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament.

In separate steps to try and protect consumers from record-high inflation, France announced new energy price caps for 2023 and Denmark prepared its own temporary ceilings on energy bills.

And in Germany, Uniper, its largest importer of Russian gas, said the government could take a controlling stake to help it cope with the crisis, and a local utilities industry group warned of insolvencies among power companies.

The European Commission's proposal includes capping revenues from electricity generators that have gained from higher prices but do not rely on gas. It also included measures to force fossil fuel firms to share windfall profits from energy sales.

"In these times it is wrong to receive extraordinary record revenues and profits benefiting from war and on the back of our consumers," von der Leyen said.

National governments would be responsible for recouping the excess revenue and rechannelling it into measures that could include lowering electricity bills, or helping consumers invest in energy saving measures such as home insulation.

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NO CAP FOR NOW

The EU plan did not include an earlier idea to cap Russian gas prices, after Russia warned it could cut of all fuel supplies if one were introduced.

The Commission said it was still looking into a Russian gas price cap, and discussing the idea of broader gas price caps, which have also divided member states, and were not included in Wednesday's proposals.

Europe's benchmark gas price rose to about 208 euros per megawatt hour (MWh), well below an August record above 343 euros but more than 200% up on a year ago.

Europe has raced to refill its storage facilities and has already met a target to have them 80% full by November. But Russian supply cuts, which it says are due to sanctions hindering maintenance, makes the winter outlook uncertain.

Moscow played down the impact of lost gas sales to Europe, saying there were other countries willing to buy its energy as Europe seeks to reduce its dependence on Russia.

"Months of geopolitical wrangling have left the European gas market whiplashed, with volatile prices stemming from lack of supply, potential market intervention, and wider uncertainty, Rystad analyst Zongqiang Luo said.

INSOLVENCIES?

As part of the broad package of measures, the European Union's securities watchdog will set out temporary market fixes by Sept. 22 to help ease a liquidity squeeze faced by energy firms, the European Commission said.

Utilities often sell power in advance but must offer collateral to clearers in case of default before they supply the power. As gas prices have soared, so have collateral demands.

"We will work with market regulators to ease these problems by amending the rules on collateral - and by taking measures to limit intra-day price volatility," von der Leyen said.

Earlier, Germany's local utilities industry group VKU warned about possible insolvencies. Several utilities in the EU and Britain have already collapsed as they have often been unable to pass on the full impact of gas price rises to consumers.

"If individual companies are allowed to go bust, then it could become more difficult to finance the activities of all," VKU Managing Director Ingbert Liebing told Reuters, adding the group was in talks with the German government.

Meanwhile, Uniper's shares tumbled 20% after the company, which has already secured 13 billion euros of credit lines from the state, most of which it has already drawn, said the government could take a controlling stake.

The Commission said it was also working on a transactions-based price benchmark that more accurately reflects the market for gas imports.

'LAST RESORT'

In France, grid operator RTE said there was no risk of a total winter blackout but did not rule out some power cuts at peak times, saying reducing demand was essential.

"As a last resort, organised, temporary and rotating load shedding outages can be activated to avoid a widespread incident," RTE said.

And the French government said power price increases for households will be capped at 15% at the beginning of next year.

The government said the caps - which allow for a much bigger increase than this year - mean that households with gas heating will on average pay 25 euros more per month instead of around 200 euros more without any cap, and 20 euros instead of 180 with electricity heating.

"We are determined, just like at the beginning of the crises we have been facing, to act, adapt and protect the French and our economy", Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Edmund Blair and Alexander Smith)
PARIS (Reuters) -The European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday ruled that France must re-examine repatriation requests from two French women who travelled to Syria with their partners to join Islamic State, and the children they gave birth to there.

The court ruled France's refusal to repatriate the women and children was in violation of the rights to "enter the territory of the state of which (one) is a national".

The parents of the two women took their fight to the European court in Strasbourg after France refused to allow their daughters and grandchildren back into France. They are currently detained in Kurdish-run camps in north-east Syria.

The families had argued their prolonged detention in Syria exposed the women and children to inhumane and degrading treatment, and violated their right to respect for family life.

France has for years resisted calls by human rights groups to repatriate women who left to join the Islamist militant group, saying it viewed them as "fighters" who should be tried where they were accused of committing crimes.

The court ruled France should not be held responsible for the living conditions of the Syrian camps since "it was not exercising its jurisdiction there."

Nicolas Hervieu, a legal expert at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, said the ruling did not grant a general right to repatriation as "France is not responsible for their life and physical integrity in and of itself."

In reaction to the ruling, government spokesperson Olivier Veran said France had "not waited for the European court decision" move forward, pointing to the repatriation in July of 16 women and 35 children, some of them orphans, in chartered planes.

That move broke with France's case-by-case policy of bringing children back to France without their mothers.

Rights groups say some 75 French women and 160 children remain in the camps. They are among more than 40,000 foreign nationals, most of them Iraqis, in detention, according to Human Rights Watch.

(Reporting by Layli Foroudi Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Mark Potter)
Boston Police Departments Bomb Squad, Boston Emergency Management Services and other law enforcement agencies respond after a package delivered to Holmes Hall at Northeastern University exploded, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., September 13, 2022. REUTERS/Nicholas Pfosi (REUTERS)

A package blew up on Northeastern University's campus this week, leaving behind a rambling note making vague threats against META CEO and Facebook cofounder Mark Zuckerberg and one staffer injured.

On the same day, another package was disposed of near Boston's Museum of Fine Arts  located on the outskirts of Northeastern's campus  after it was discovered by the city's police.

The FBI has launched an investigation to find the culprit. Here's what we know:

The Packages

On Tuesday, a package was delivered to Northeastern University's Holmes Hall, which houses several humanities subjects as well as a virtual reality research centre. According to a university map, Holmes Hall is across the street from a residence hall.

At some point on Tuesday night, a 45-year-old staff member at the university opened the package and it blew up, causing him minor injuries to his fingers. Police were called at 7:18pm to respond.

Investigators reportedly did not find any traces of combustible material in the package, per CNN. The container was reportedly pressurised and blew up when the staffer opened it, causing it to depressurise rapidly in his hands. Sources speaking to the network described the package as a plastic Pelican container.

Boston's bomb squad located the second package and rendered it safe it before any other university officials could stumble upon the package.

While Boston police provided some insight in a press release after the incident, city law enforcement officials have otherwise provided few details.

The Facebook Connection

CNNs reporting notes that unnamed law enforcement sources claim that a "rambling" note criticising Mr Zuckerberg and "the relationship between academic institutions and the developers of virtual reality."

Northeastern University and META/Facebook have partnered in the past to expand computer science training and career opportunities, and many Northeastern graduates have gone on to work at the tech behemoth.

Last year, Facebook became the subject of yet another public lashing when a document leak  collectively called the "Facebook Papers"  showed that company employees were concerned for the impact it was having on society and doubted the company's ability to moderate content on its platform.

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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly cited in a note found in the exploded package at Northeastern University (REUTERS)

The document leak prompted Congress to call Mr Zuckerberg to explain what was happening at his company. Shortly after the scandal, Mr Zuckerberg announced that the company would shift its focus to bring about the "metaverse," and would thus rebrand itself as "Meta."

The metaverse, a term coined in the 1992 dystopian novel "Snow Crash, is being touted by individuals like Mr Zuckerberg as the next evolution of social media, moving the social experience from 2D screens into a 3D virtual reality spaces.

While VR is not essential to a metaverse, it is central to Mr Zuckerberg's vision. Developers like those at the Northeastern University will be the ones to ultimately bring it to fruition.

Aftermath

No students were injured in the incident, and the city's mayor vowed that her administration would keep it safe for students like those at Northeastern University.

"I take very seriously that this city is home to everyone's young people, from our littlest learners up to our college students and university staff," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu told WCVB. "So we want to make sure we emphasize that this is of the utmost priority: the safety and well-being of all of our young people here."

The FBI office in Boston has sent agents to join the investigation alongside the Boston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Boston Regional Intelligence.

Tuesday night classes at Northeastern were cancelled due to the investigation. The incident also forced students to lock down for hours during the investigation.

Police sent out messages alerting the public that the area was safe around 10pm. An hour and a half later Northeastern University advised students it would be open for normal operation on Wednesday.
NEW YORK (AP)  A onetime aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sued him Wednesday, saying he sexually harassed her and then smeared her reputation after she became the second woman to publicly accuse him of misconduct.

Charlotte Bennett's lawsuit, filed in a federal court in New York City, repeats many of the allegations she has talked about publicly in the year and a half since she first began telling her story.

She said the governor subjected her to unwanted advances, including telling her he was lonely and on the hunt for a girlfriend and asking her if she would be open to sex with an older man.

The lawsuit is at least the second to be filed by one of the multiple women who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment before the scandal led to his resignation last summer. Bennett has also sued three Cuomo aides.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, saying Bennett experienced near-debilitating anxiety, symptoms of depression and a neurological disorder after a barrage of inappropriate comments by the governor spoiled her job as a health policy adviser in the governors administration.

In a statement, Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin said Cuomo has always said he didnt harass anyone and with each day that goes by more and more information is uncovered showing how evidence favorable to the Governor was suppressed and crucial facts ignored or omitted that undermined witness credibility."

Well see them in court, she added.

Debra Katz, a lawyer for Bennett, said Cuomo continues to attack women who came forward in a desperate effort to rehabilitate his political career.

Instead of apologizing and making things right with the women he harmed, he's now on a campaign to try to smear everyone, Katz said. These attacks will not be successful.

Cuomo resigned after New York's attorney general released the results of an investigation that concluded Cuomo had sexually harassed at least 11 women, including Bennett.

Those women had told of being subjected to unwanted kisses and touches, or inappropriate comments about their looks and their sex lives. One aide filed a criminal complaint alleging that Cuomo had groped her breast. The charge was later dropped by the Albany district attorney, who cited a lack of proof. Cuomo denied the allegation.

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Bennett, 27, played a critical role in Cuomo's downfall. At the time she came forward with her accusations, only one other woman, Lindsey Boylan, had spoken publicly about being harassed by the governor.

By adding her voice, Bennett emboldened other women to speak up.

I was really scared to come forward, Bennett later told The Associated Press. But something that reassured me even in that moment of fear was that there were women before me  (it wasnt) Charlotte versus the governor, but a movement, moving forward. And I am one small event and one small piece of reckoning with sexual misconduct, in workplaces and elsewhere.

When Bennett initially told her story to The New York Times, Cuomo appeared to acknowledge that he had hurt her with comments inappropriate for a workplace, but denied that he was making sexual advances. He claimed Bennett had misinterpreted his comments.

Bennett, who turned 25 when she worked for Cuomo, said she had no doubt that Cuomo's comments  some of which were delivered in a whisper  were intended to probe her interest in a sexual relationship.

Bennett's lawsuit came a day after Cuomo filed an ethics complaint against New York Attorney General Letitia James, claiming the sexual harassment investigation she launched against the governor was biased and intended to drive him from office.

In February, Cuomo was sued by a New York State Police trooper who said Cuomo subjected her to sexual remarks and on occasion ran his hand or fingers across her stomach and her back.
By Nerijus Adomaitis and Ron Bousso

LONDON/OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's Equinor became the first Western oil major to fully exit Russia this month, avoiding the high-profile clashes with Moscow experienced by some rivals - but it also paid a price.

According to three industry sources, Russia's Rosneft paid just one euro ($1) for Equinor's main assets, while also allowing the state-controlled Norwegian group to forgo future liabilities and investment commitments.

Details of the deal, which came as scores of Western businesses pulled out of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, have not previously been reported.

The deal followed weeks of negotiations between Equinor and Rosneft's representatives, who in turn handled relations with the Kremlin, which holds the final say on such transactions.

Under the deal, the Kremlin agreed to transfer Equinor's future investment liabilities and commitments, valued at around $1 billion, to Rosneft. In return, Equinor agreed to sell Rosneft its stakes in their joint ventures for one euro, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A spokesperson for Equinor, which wrote down the book value of its Russian assets to zero from $1.1 billion in the first quarter of this year, said its exit from the joint ventures with Rosneft was "value neutral".

Rosneft did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The withdrawal brought an end to ambitious plans by Equinor, which 10 years ago signed a deal with Rosneft to help explore for oil and gas across huge swathes of Russia's territory, including the Arctic, Pacific and the country's south.

It also came as U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil suspended production at the Sakhalin-1 oil project in Russia's Far East, angering Moscow and triggering a new law banning assets sales by foreign companies without the Kremlin's approval.

Rivals Shell and BP have also made little progress in exiting Russia or finding buyers for tens of billions of assets.

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AMBITIONS PLANS

Equinor signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Rosneft in May 2012 in the presence of Russia's President Vladimir Putin and then Russian deputy prime minister Igor Sechin, who joined Rosneft as its head shortly after.

The deal included jointly drilling wells offshore Russia and studying production potential for some onshore assets, as well as Rosneft's participation in exploration off Norway.

It was meant to bring cooperation between Norway and Russia to a new level after the two Arctic powers finally agreed their border in the Barents Sea in 2010, ending a 40-year dispute.

Western sanctions imposed on Moscow after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014 restricted cooperation in drilling offshore Arctic wells, but onshore it continued and even expanded.

Between 2018 and 2020, Equinor and Rosneft expanded their partnership to several fields in west and east Siberia.

According to two sources, several years ago Equinor was working on an even bigger, multibillion-dollar agreement with Rosneft to jointly explore gigantic Siberian fields, but the two couldn't agree on the final terms.

In 2021, Equinor reported net proven petroleum reserves in Russia of 88 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) and production of 21,000 boe per day, just 1% of its global output and a fraction of Shell or BP's much larger Russian output.

On Feb. 27, three days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Equinor announced the start of its exit from Russia.

It set up a group to execute the withdrawal and maintained dialogue with authorities to make sure it complied with all sanctions, the Equinor spokesperson said.

The details were finalised in May.

Equinor completed its full withdrawal this month by transferring its 30% stake in the Arctic Kharyaga oilfield to state-controlled Russian operator Zarubezhneft. Financial terms were not disclosed.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso and Nerijus Adomaitis; Editing by Mark Potter)
By Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Taiwan's de facto ambassador in Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, hosted on Tuesday dozens of international lawmakers who back sanctions on China for aggression toward the island, a show of support for Taipei amid military pressure from Beijing.

The unannounced gathering of about 60 parliamentarians from Europe, Asia and Africa at Taiwan's sweeping hilltop diplomatic mansion in Washington - called Twin Oaks - is the latest move in Taipei's efforts to persuade fellow democracies to stand against China since Russia's invasion of Ukraine heightened concerns that Beijing could attempt to take the island by force.

In Beijing on Wednesday, China responded that striving for Taiwanese independence and seperatism was "a dead end", however.

The group, consisting of members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) meeting this week in Washington, is expected to sign a pledge to push their governments to adopt "greater deterrence against military or other coercive" actions by the People's Republic of China (PRC) against Taiwan, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

"We will campaign to ensure our governments signal to the PRC that military aggression towards Taiwan will cost Beijing dearly," the draft read.

"Economic and political measures, including meaningful sanctions, should be considered to deter military escalation, and to ensure trade and other exchanges with Taiwan can continue unimpeded."

Their countries' ties to Taiwan were not Beijing's to determine, the draft added, and they would push to increase mutual visits by lawmakers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to bring democratically governed Taiwan under Beijing's control and has not ruled out the use of force.

Xi is set to secure a third, five-year leadership term at a Communist Party congress next month.

Taiwan's government strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims.

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Sources familiar with the issue have told Reuters that Washington is considering sanctions against China to deter it from invading Taiwan, with the European Union facing diplomatic pressure from Taipei to do the same.

"It is important to demonstrate to the bully that we have friends too," Hsiao told the guests, from countries such as Australia, Britain, Canada, India, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Ukraine, according to a list seen by Reuters.

"We are not seeking to provoke the bully, but neither will we bow to their pressure."

She welcomed two Ukrainian representatives.

"We certainly hope that as the international community stands with Ukraine, that the international community will also stand with Taiwan ... that together we can deter the further aggression coming from China."

The IPAC pledge, expected to be signed on Wednesday, also calls for countries to secure supply chains from forced labor in China's far western region of Xinjiang, and pursue sanctions on Chinese officials for abuses in Hong Kong, and on Chinese companies which support Russia's military industry.

In Beijing, asked about the gathering and pledge, a foreign ministry spokesperson said China was resolutely opposed to official engagement with Taiwan by any countries with which it has diplomatic ties.

"The Democratic Progressive Party authorities colluding with external forces and striving for Taiwanese independence and seperatism is a dead end," the spokesperson Mao Ning, said on Wednesday, referring to Taiwan's ruling party.

'YEARS PAST DUE'

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Menendez, who acts as the United States' IPAC co-chair with Republican Marco Rubio, told an IPAC briefing at the Capitol on Tuesday that a U.S. bill to support Taiwan would face some changes during a scheduled review this week, but that the "thrust" would remain the same.

An initial version of that bill threatens severe sanctions against China for any aggression against Taiwan, and would provide Taiwan with billions of dollars in foreign military financing in coming years.

Rubio said he believed the Biden administration was divided over how to approach prospective sanctions on China, and that although Beijing appeared to be taking steps to insulate itself from such actions, Washington needed be clear about the costs of hostility across the Taiwan Strait.

"It's important for us to be prepared to proactively outline  whether it's through legislation or through an executive announcement, exactly what the economic consequences will be if such an act of aggression goes forward," Rubio told the briefing.

China held blockade-style military drills around Taiwan after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island last month, a reaction Taiwan officials have credited for spurring an uptick in foreign engagement that Beijing views as a violation of its sovereignty claims over the island.

Taiwan also has been urging Washington, its largest arms supplier, to hasten already approved weapons deliveries that have faced delays because of supply chain issues and heightened demand from the war in Ukraine.

Republican U.S. Representative Young Kim, who has written a bill to track U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, told Reuters in an interview that Hsiao had delivered a forceful message to Congress about ensuring those weapons systems reach Taiwan quickly.

"She's said it in a hundred different ways that we appreciate the United States trying to get us the arms but don't forget, it's many years past due," Kim said of Hsiao. "She's very firm."

(Reporting by Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom; Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Mary Milliken and Gerry Doyle)
Students on the Northeastern University campus in January 2019 (AP)

A staff member at Northeastern University was injured when a package they were opening exploded, according to reports.

A spokesperson for the university told CNN that one of its employees had sustained minor injuries from a parcel delivered to Holmes Hall, the home of the universitys creative writing programme, around 7pm on Tuesday night.

The incident caused night classes and dormitory buildings to be evacuated, while university police told people to avoid the area and nearby colleges such as Harvard and MIT increased their security measures.

A police bomb squad was dispatched to the scene, and within hours the FBI confirmed to The Boston Herald that it had joined the investigation.

Multiple Boston EMS units responded to Leon St in Boston for a reported explosion, said Bostons emergency management service. One patient treated and transported by BLS ambulance to an area hospital. No additional information available at this time.

The service said that the person treated was a 45-year-old man with non-life-threatening injuries.

Boston police also said they were responding to a report of another suspicious college near the Museum of Fine Arts.

Northeastern University student Susanna Maize told local broadcaster 7News: All of a sudden, the fire alarm started going off, which [is] pretty routine, so we didnt think much of it.

We came outside to the sidewalk, and then all of a sudden, we saw that there was a lot more police and fire presence than we expected.

Another student, Ryan Di Corpo, said: The police present immediately put up police tape and told everybody that was there to move back into the main street.

Then one of the ladder trucks hoisted a ladder up to the roof of the building, and a firefighter with what I believed to be an axe went up on top of the building.
META ceo and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly cited in a note found in the exploded package at Northeastern University which injured one staff member.

Citing law enforcement sources on Wednesday, CNN said the package sent to the Boston, Massachusetts, universitys virtual reality centre contained a note attacking ties between academic institutions and Mr Zuckerberg, and the developers behind such technology.

The report described the message as a rambling note contained in a hard plastic container which exploded upon being opened.

Police are yet to provide further details about the package or motive behind the attack which required the evacuation of students from the private university of about 16,000 late on Tuesday night.

Police arrived at the campus just before 7.30 pm on Tuesday to a report of an exploded package, which injured a 45-year-old university staff member who suffered minor injuries to his hand in the explosion, the Associated Press reported.

He reportedly opened the package at Holmes Hall, which the universitys website says is home to its virtual reality research as well as its creative writing programme and its womens, gender and sexuality studies programmes.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly cited in a note found in the exploded package at Northeastern University (REUTERS)

According to the reports, the package was one of two under investigation by Bostons police department after another was detonated near the citys Museum of Fine Arts, on the outskirts of the Northeastern campus.

The FBI are involved in the investigation into the packages, in addition to the Boston Bomb Squad, Boston police, Boston fire and Boston EMS who all responded to the scene, NBC Boston reported.

Its very important to note that our campus is secure and we will maintain a secure campus in perpetuity, Northeastern University Police Chief Michael Davis was reported saying, in a bid at reassuring students.

The scene outside Holmes Hall on Tuesday night (REUTERS)

Nearby universities such as Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have police patrols on their campuses will increase as a precaution, the Associated Press report added.

Students there have urged to report anything suspicious following the explosion at Northeastern, which was expected to return to normal on Wednesday, the university police department said.
In response to a recent poll showing that roughly 40% of Americans believe a civil war is at least somewhat likely in the next 10 years  a figure that jumps to more than half among those who identify as strong Republicans  one Chinese diplomat tweeted that the survey suggests that the day has come when the United States, which has been disguised as a fake democracy, will be stripped of its mask by its own people.

Extreme polarization in the United States has long served as fodder for our foreign adversaries, but, despite their best efforts, foreign propagandists can take little credit for our internal divisions. I should know. For the past five years, Ive run a program that monitors and exposes Russian, Chinese and Iranian disinformation campaigns whose implicit if not explicit goal is to weaken the United States.

In that time, what has become painfully obvious is that those most responsible for convincing Americans that our partisanship is so entrenched that it may eventually devolve into bloodshed are not those tasked with destroying America but, in many cases, those who were elected to defend it.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson speaks during the 53rd Chicken Burn on West Potter Road in Wauwatosa on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022. The top contenders for governor and Senate spoke from the backyard of the home of activist Bob Dohnal.

Take Wisconsins senior senator, Ron Johnson, a fixture on conservative cable news outlets who continues to cast doubt on the validity of the 2020 election and has framed the upcoming midterms as a choice between radical left socialism and freedom. In years past, it would be easy to dismiss such language as political hyperbole  politicians have always attached outsized stakes to elections  but in the aftermath of Jan 6, 2021, it is irresponsible not to consider the response of supporters who interpret those words quite literally.

Johnsons rhetoric is hardly isolated  in Wisconsin or nationwide. According to data collected by our newly launched Midterm Monitor, which tracks the social media posts of political candidates and influential media outlets, in the past two months alone, more than 25 congressional candidates have referenced the potential for a civil war or secession in the United States.

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"Too much in our country is not normal," President Joe Biden says on Sept. 1, 2022, in a 24-minute speech outside Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. "Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."

But lest anyone think this is only a MAGA-Republican problem, as President Joe Biden recently framed it, our research shows that Democrats are nearly twice as likely as their Republican counterparts to mention the possibility of a civil conflict or political violence on Twitter. This includes Democratic candidates who have promoted content suggesting Republicans are fascists who are willing to kill people who disagree with them or those who have claimed that their election is required to help stop a civil war.

With leaders like these, theres not much work left to be done by our adversaries.

In fairness, some of those candidates have appealed to our better angels, like Jerry Hilliard, the Democratic nominee from Michigans 2nd District, who implored his Twitter followers to reflect on Abraham Lincolns warnings and reject hostilities. But that post is in the minority, and, as of this writing, has generated exactly zero retweets and likes.

And therein lies the problem: The voices of moderation in politics are relegated to the wilderness of our media ecosystem while the more extreme voices are either algorithmically or selectively amplified. This has created not only a perverse incentive structure that rewards toxicity over civility, but it also colors Americas perception of our elected leaders  and one another.

It would be easy to blame social media companies or cable news outlets for elevating the most divisive voices in our body politic. But that is an intellectually lazy argument that falls into the trap of thinking that media corporations are driven by political agendas rather than our preferences as media consumers. Because the reality is that if Fox and Facebook found that we were more apt to stay glued to substantive policy discussions than partisan punditry, thats what wed get.

To be clear, I dont mean to absolve the media, politicians and Big Tech of responsibility by suggesting that they are merely reflections of our own human shortcomings. Rather, I mean to suggest that we are not passive and unwitting victims of a polarization that has been foisted upon us by others, and, precisely because of that, we have the power to change it.

The question is, how? Individual actions like boycotting social media or tuning out the rage-filled primetime cable lineup may be personally cathartic, but it can also feel futile  like fighting climate change by turning the thermostat down a few degrees. What we need instead is large-scale collective action  the kind that fights the system, not the other party.

This will require the type of energy and investment more typically reserved for public health crises or social welfare issues, which, coincidentally, cant be solved without first addressing our fragmented information environment. But this will first require us to have the courage to break free from our tribalism and groupthink to focus on what our side did to contribute to this mess, instead of railing against the real and perceived faults of others.

Because the one thing that all Americans should be able to agree on is that it wont matter which party is at the wheel if we continue driving ourselves towards a cliff.

Bret Schafer is a senior fellow and head of the Washington-based Alliance for Securing Democracy's information manipulation team. Bret is the creator and manager of Hamilton 2.0, an online open-source dashboard tracking the outputs of Russian, Chinese and Iranian state media outlets, diplomats and government officials.

Disinformation and Democracy: How the information environment impacts our elections

7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 22

UWM Edith S. Hefter Center, 3271 N. Lake Drive, Milwaukee

Panelists:

Greg Borowski, deputy editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Bret Schafer, senior fellow, Alliance for Securing Democracy

Maria Haigh, associate professor, UW-Milwaukees School of Information Studies

Limited in-person seating is available. The program will also be streamed live. There is no cost to participate but pre-registration is required.

Visit www.iwa.uwm to register

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Extreme partisanship threatens democracy. We can solve this problem.
THE FABELMANS

Paul Dano (left) and Michelle Williams (right) in 'The Fabelmans' Credit - Merie Weismiller Wallace/Universal Studios

Steven Spielbergs life has always hovered just outside of his films. In E.T. he filtered his feelings about his parents divorce through the eyes of a child who meets an alien. Hes wrestled with questions of fatherhood and familial guilt in everything from Close Encounters of the Third Kind to A.I. to Catch Me If You Can. His talent has been the stuff of legend ever since he was just an upstart hanging around the Universal backlot, but his own story has been only used in metaphor.

The Fabelmans ditches metaphor for something resembling the truth. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, is Spielbergs take on his own childhood, a mission statement for his entire career, and a loving portrait of his flawed parents, Leah Adler and Arnold Spielberg. Sure, the protagonist is named Sammy Fabelman (Gabrielle LaBelle) and not Steven Spielberg, but what you are watching is the director telling his own story before anyone else has the chance to.

The Fabelmans begins with a trip to the movies on Jan. 10, 1952 in wintry New Jersey, which is where Spielberg spent some of his formative years while his father was working for RCA. Sammys parents Burt (Paul Dano) and Mitzi (Michelle Williams) are pumping their fearful young son up, explaining just how motion pictures operate down to frame rate. Movies are dreams, doll, that you never forget, his mother says before they go in to see The Greatest Show on Earth and his obsession, specifically with a train-crash sequence, begins. (You can watch Spielberg discuss his real life experience seeing Cecil B. DeMilles Oscar winner here.) What follows is the evolution of an artist and his Jewish American family in midcentury America.

Read more: The 52 Most Anticipated Movies of Fall 2022

Sams father is a level-headed computer engineer who regards his sons filmmaking as a hobby. Mitzi, meanwhile, is a dreamer with an infectious energy, prone to driving into tornadoes and dancing in her nightgown. Shes a talented piano player who became a homemaker because it was what was expected of her, and while she loves her children dearly, you can tell her passions are straining against the seams of the life shes made for herself. Other characters flit in and out of Sams orbithis close family friend Bennie (Seth Rogen), who captivates all members of the Fabelman clan with his charm; his real great uncle Boris (Judd Hirsch), an entertainer with an old-country accent who teaches Sam about how art and family can sit at odds with one another.

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If youre wondering how much of The Fabelmans really happened, the answer is that almost all of it probably did in some capacity. Its a memory piece, filled with the tiny details that can only exist in the minds eye of someone who was thereMitzis oversized red nails, for example, clacking against her piano keys.

I just wanted to tell a story that was completely honest to my recollections, Spielberg explained at a press conference in Toronto. Im not saying that all my recollections are 100 percent accurate, but as best as I can recollect, I wanted to tell a story that most reflected my experience growing up with my sisters and their experiences growing up with me and my mom and dad and uncle Bennie. The Fabelmans arc revolves around the fracturing of Mitzi and Burts marriage, but its also an episodic narrative that follows the FabelmansSammy and his three sisters, just like Spielberg and his three sistersas they move from New Jersey to Arizona to California for his fathers work.

Read more: E.T. Still Perfectly Captures the Longing of Childhood, 40 Years Later

Spielberg wrote his roman a clef alongside his frequent collaborator, Angels in America playwright Tony Kushner, who also contributed to Munich, Lincoln, and, most recently, West Side Story. Spielberg joked that Kushner was basically his therapist as they built the screenplay out of stories from his childhood over Zoom before COVID-19 vaccines were in circulation. It was the pandemic that made Spielberg decide it was time to start telling this story, his first screenwriting credit in more than 20 years. I didnt know where this was going, he said of the public health crisis. And I thought this is something Ive got to get out of me now.

When it came time for production, putting his childhood on-screen also meant that Spielberg had to recreate some of his earliest efforts, the 8mm productions he made as a kid. Among those highlights featured in The Fabelmans is Escape to Nowhere, his early attempt at a World War II picture, which he actually showed to the cast of Saving Private Ryan while making that blockbuster about the same conflict. (Spielberg would later win his second Oscar for Best Director for the film.) Spielberg said at TIFF that he strove to make the new versions of his old experiments more proficient. I worked really hard to make sure that all of the recreation of the 8mm shot as a kid was better than the 8mm shot as a kid, he said to laughs. The angles were better. The Fabelmans recreation of Escape to Nowhere, bearing the same title, will, naturally, bring to mind Private Ryan, and Spielberg echoes his own work elsewhere throughout his latest. It even opens with the child Sammy looking up at a movie screen with pure Spielberg Face, that signature expression of wonder.

There is, of course, an aspect of self-mythologizing to The Fabelmans, as there is in any project that walks the line between memoir and invention. In the film, Spielberg is both clear-eyed about the sorrow in his early life, and starry-eyed about the magic of the cinema, his greatest passion. And while he doesnt want to reveal what exactly is history and what is fictional, there is one scene which he said is pure fact. Theres a sequence in which Sam meets the great director John Ford, played here by another great director, David Lynch. I can say that the John Ford scene happened to me word for word, nothing more, nothing less, he said.
Ekin-Su and Davide Sanclimenti (Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock)

Former Love Island contestant Davide Sanclimenti melted the hearts of fans after his reaction to girlfriend Ekin-Su CulculoAlus runway walk at New York Fashion Week (NYFW).

Business owner Sanclimenti, 27, and actor-model Ekin-Su, 28, won the eighth series of the popular reality dating series on ITV2 this year.

The Turkish-British TV personality debuted her clothing line with fast fashion brand Oh Polly at NYFW on Tuesday night (13 September).

Ekin-Su took to the catwalk in one of her designs, a co-ordinating orange halter neck top and mini skirt, as Sanclimenti watched from the front row.

In a video shared to Twitter, Sanclimenti is seen beaming as he filmed his girlfriend strutting down the runway with his mobile phone.

He later posted his video on Instagram with the caption: Number One. Absolutely stunning baby.

Earlier in the day, Ekin-Su posted a video of her and Sanclimenti hugging in New Yorks Times Square, in front of a giant digital billboard that showed her modelling her Oh Polly designs.

In the caption, she wrote: Since I was a little girl I would always dream about New York and how much I wanted to be on Times Square Whatever happened in life, I never gave up.

Fans gushed over Sanclimentis reaction to Ekin-Sus runway walk, declaring him to be the cutest person alive for appearing so proud of her.

(Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock)

May I find someone who looks at me like Davide is looking at Ekin-Su, one person wrote.

Another said: Look at Davide, he looks so proud! Best Love Island couple ever.

OMG Davide is the cutest! a third added. I hope they stay together forever.

Sanclimenti also had his own moment in Times Square, when he appeared on a billboard ad for BoohooMan after signing a deal with the fashion brand.

He also attended the Boohoo runway show in NYFW, which showed its latest collection in collaboration with Kourtney Kardashian.

It was announced last week that the reality star had been named sustainability ambassador for the fast fashion retailer and would release two capsule collections during NYFW.

In August, Ekin-Su signed her own deal with Oh Polly that is said to be worth over 1m, which would be the biggest fashion deal in Love Island history.
KTRK  Houston

Investigators said the 25-year-old woman was kidnapped from her own driveway at gunpoint. One of the suspects allegedly admitted to doing this once before.
Democratic Pennsylvania Senate nominee John Fetterman announced on Wednesday that he will take part in a televised debate on Oct. 25 in Harrisburg, Pa.

The debate will be hosted by The Hills parent company Nexstar Media Group. The debate will air on Nexstar stations WPXI in Pittsburgh, WHTM in Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, WPHL in Philadelphia, WTAJ in Johnstown/Altoona/State College, WBRE and WYOU in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, WJET and WFXP in Erie, and WYTV in Youngstown, Ohio.

The development comes as Fetterman faces growing pressure to debate Oz. The Republican has called on Fetterman to participate in a series of debates beginning this month. On Tuesday, the Republican Senate candidate used a joint press conference with retiring Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to call on the lieutenant governor to debate the celebrity doctor.

Fetterman has been in the process of recovering from a stroke he suffered last May. Critics have pointed to the stroke as a potential reason as to why Fetterman was slow to commit to a debate. On Wednesday, Fettermans campaign echoed the Democrats commitment to debate, which he spoke about last week in an interview with Politico.

We said from the start that wed do a debate, which John reiterated very clearly again last week. Enough distractions, its time to talk about the issues, said Rebecca Katz, a senior adviser to the Fetterman campaign. While John will be debating Dr. Oz next month, Oz doesnt have to wait that long to be honest with Pennsylvania voters about where he really stands on abortion. Its a simple question, doctor: Would you vote for the Republicans national abortion ban, or would you vote against it?

Ozs campaign issued a statement on Wednesday saying they would commit to the debate if a moderator explained to the audience that Fetterman was using a closed captioning system during the debate, that any questions posed by Nexstar employees during practice debates bear zero resemblance to the actual questions asked during the debate, and that the debate would be extended from 60 min to 90 minutes.

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Ozs campaign manager Casey Contres issued a statement saying the campaign would call for more debates.

Today, after being hit with massive criticism from state and national editorials and commentators for ducking, John Fetterman finally agreed to one debatethat was originally scheduled for October 5th. Its a debate that Fetterman insisted be delayed until only two weeks remain in the campaign, to keep voters in the dark as long as possible, Contres said. And its a debate in which Fetterman insisted on accommodations for his health condition, accommodations that are not permitted on the U.S. Senate floor. Doctor Oz looks forward to being in Harrisburg on October 25th to share his vision for a better Pennsylvania and America, and he is ready expose Fettermans record as the most radical far-left senate candidate in America.

Polls show Fetterman leading the Senate race, with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report recently moving the races rating from toss up to lean Democrat.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Firefighters battled the raging Mosquito Fire in northern California as the blaze spread to over 58,500 acres on Wednesday, 14 September.

Footage from Tuesday shows thick smoke billowing from the wooded area, as crews worked to calm the flames from both the ground and the air.

Officials said the blaze, which had been burning for a week and forced the evacuation of locals, was at just 20 per cent containment on Wednesday.

Burning in both El Dorado and Placer counties, the cause of the fire remained to be under investigation.

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Associated Press

In one town, the powerful rush of water pushed a car onto a second-story balcony, while elsewhere parked vehicles were crumpled on top of each other in the streets. It wasn't a water bomb, it was a tsunami," Riccardo Pasqualini, the mayor of Barbara, told Italian state radio about the sudden downpour Thursday evening that devastated his town in the Marche region near the Adriatic Sea.
Former Clay County Sheriff Dalton Bray has died, the Sheriffs Office posted on its social media pages Tuesday night.

Bray served as sheriff for the county from 1989 to 1992.

Prior to that, he was chief of police for the Orange Park Police Department from 1984 to 1988.

He was also an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

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Current Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook shared the following statement:

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Sheriff Bray, who served the citizens of Clay County with great honor and distinction. I, with many members of the sheriffs office, send our prayers to his family during this difficult time.

.. of Clay County with great honor and distinction. I, with many members of the sheriff's office, send our prayers to his family during this difficult time.  Clay County Sheriff's Office, FL (@ccsofl) September 13, 2022

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The former Obama White House official who negotiated the reopening of relations with Cuba is sharply criticizing President Bidens policies toward that country, saying his administration is gaslighting Havana by maintaining and even expanding harsh sanctions imposed by former President Trump.

Disappointed doesnt begin to scratch the surface of how I feel about the Biden-Cuba policy, said Ben Rhodes, who served as Obamas deputy national security adviser, in an interview for the Yahoo News Conspiracyland podcast. The Cuban government made an agreement with me based on the idea that they could trust that we would keep our agreement.

Granted it was Trump who initially reversed Obamas policy of normalizing relations with Cuba, he added. But then Biden doubles down on Trump policies, Rhodes said.

Why would any Cuban official ever, ever negotiate anything with America ever again after this? We had Trump  in the most grotesque, callous way  politicizing this. But then to have a Democratic administration legitimize what Trump did by continuing it  its a gaslighting to those people in Cuba, you know?

Ben Rhodes announces that President Barack Obama will be the first U.S. president since Calvin Coolidge in 1928 to visit Cuba, in a daily briefing at the White House on Feb. 18, 2016. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

Rhodess comments  some of the strongest criticism yet of Biden from a senior Obama official  were disputed by a White House national security spokesperson.

President Bidens policy toward Cuba is rooted in supporting the Cuban people and protecting human rights. Our approach to Cuba, just like any other country, takes into account various current political, economic, and security factors, the spokesperson said.

Over the past few years, conditions in Cuba and in the region have changed, and we have adapted our Cuba policy accordingly.

The U.S. and Cuba have been at odds since 1959, when Fidel Castro took control of the island nation and installed a communist government closely aligned with the Soviet Union. In the decades that followed, millions of Cuban refugees settled in the U.S., and Cuban Americans became a key voting bloc in states like Florida.

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President Biden meets with Cuban American leaders in the State Dining Room at the White House on July 30, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

The Obama administration normalized relations with Havana, an effort that was overseen by Rhodes and culminated in Obamas visit to Cuba in March 2016. The thaw was short-lived, however: When Trump entered office in 2017, he quickly reversed many of his predecessors policies toward Cuba, citing the emergence of Havana syndrome  a collection of odd symptoms, such as dizziness, vertigo, headaches and in some cases brain injuries  originally reported by some U.S. officials in Cuba and later by American diplomats and spies serving all over the world.

Subscribe to 'Conspiracyland' on Apple Podcasts

The new three-part podcast from Conspiracyland, entitled The Strange Story of Havana Syndrome, recounts in its first episode how the reports of Havana syndrome ailments set off a chain of events that led to a reversal of Obamas policy. After the initial reports of strange health symptoms surfaced in 2017, the Trump administration pulled most U.S. diplomats out of Cuba and accused the countrys government of launching targeted attacks against U.S. personnel  charges that were widely reported in the news media but which U.S. officials no longer endorse, as the podcast reveals.

Cuban President Raul Castro, right, lifts up the arm of Obama, at the conclusion of their joint news conference at the Palace of the Revolution, in Havana, Cuba, on March 21, 2016 . (Ramon Espinosa/AP)

Until recently, the Biden administration had maintained many of the tight restrictions Trump had reimposed on Cuba and even expanded some sanctions still in place, targeting the chief of Cubas Interior Ministry over his role in cracking down on hundreds of Cubans who protested economic conditions last year. (It also refused to invite Cuba to last Junes Summit of the Americas conference in Los Angeles, hosted by Biden.)

Cubas communist government denounced Bidens moves, saying they had harshly punished the countrys economy during the COVID epidemic and contributed to shortages of food and medicine. There is no difference between Bidens and Trumps policy toward Cuba, Johana Ruth Tablada de la Torre, the deputy director for U.S. affairs at the Cuban Foreign Ministry, says in an interview for the Conspiracyland podcast, adding that what the U.S. is doing to Cuba is criminal.

Cuban-American demonstrators call for the U.S. to support protesters in Cuba during a demonstration in Lafayette Park, across from the White House, in Washington on July 26, 2021. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Also interviewed in the Conspiracyland podcast is Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, who blamed the Cuban government for the countrys economic woes. Until the Cuban regime decides to embrace democracy and free markets, I think its gonna be nigh-on-impossible for them to improve the situation there he said.

Nichols was also asked about the Biden administrations refusal to invite Cuba to this years Summit of the Americas conference, a rebuke that prompted leaders of Mexico, Bolivia and Honduras to boycott the event.

The host has wide latitude to determine whom they will invite, said Nichols. Although Cuban leaders have been invited in the past, since that time, they have made no progress toward increasing their respect for democracy, human rights, or the rule of law. So, clearly, allowing them to participate did not prompt better behavior on their part.

Cover thumbnail photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters, Jim Bourg/Reuters
FORT WALTON BEACH  A Fort Walton Beach High School student is accused of sending a photo of himself holding a knife in a group chat and threatening to kill another student.

The 15-year-old is charged with sending a threat to kill or injure, a first-degree felony, according to an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office news release.

Student at Choctaw High arrested: Choctaw High School student arrested after classmate says he threatened her with pocketknife

More about school safety: Okaloosa school resource officers trained to not 'hesitate' in active shooter situations

The Sheriff's Office began investigating Tuesday after receiving a tip from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Deputies said the 15-year-old directed the message at another student who he said was being disrespectful toward a female classmate.

The 15-year-old admitted to sending "threatening messages" to a group chat but refused to provide the name of the student he was threatening or the name of the female classmate he claimed to be standing up for, according to his arrest report.

"I want to again emphasize that any threat involving students or school safety is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated, and substantiated threats will result in an arrest," Sheriff Eric Aden said. "I also want to thank students who come forward to make sure these situations are reported and checked out. If you see something, say something."

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Fort Walton Beach High School student charged with sending threat
The Italian National Team fell to the French National Team 93-85 in overtime in EuroBasket play on Wednesday afternoon, Italy coming up short against the 2020 Tokyo silver medalists and their deeper reserve of NBA-caliber talent in the European Basketball Championship.

On the French side of things, former Boston Celtics shooting guard Evan Fournier put up 17 points, 3 rebounds, and as many assists in just over 33 minutes of play in the win, while ex-Boston big man Guerschon Yabusele joined him in adding 15 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, and 3 steals in a little less than 42 minutes of game time.

Fellow Celtics alum Vincent Poirier added a rebound, an assist, and a block in a little over 5 minutes of play.

Happy no major trades broke up the Celtics 2022 Finals core, Marcus Smart is itching to run it back https://t.co/5HwCPxlt3f  The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) September 14, 2022

On Italys side, Boston forward alum Gigi Datome provided the Italian National Team with 12 points, 2 boards, an assist, a steal, and a block, but it wasnt enough to get past France in the knockout stage of competition.

Congratulations to France, they deserve the win, said Datome via Eurohoops John Rammas.

Today everyone will be sad and frustrated, but from tomorrow we have to be proud of ourselves because we show that we belong to the level of Serbia and France, which are the best teams in the world.

Listen to the Celtics Lab podcast on:

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BERLIN  France pulled off a wild rally at the end of regulation, then carried that momentum into a spot in the EuroBasket semifinals.

Thomas Heurtel scored 20 points, Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and France found a way to get past Italy 93-85 in a quarterfinal game on Wednesday.

France was down by seven with 1:59 left in regulation, and that was when it started on what became a 25-10 run to finish the contest.

It was Frances second consecutive fourth-quarter rally and overtime win, after needing the same formula to get past Turkey in the round of 16 on Saturday.

I dont really believe in luck, Gobert said. Tonight, we could have given up, once again, but we got the baskets we needed.

Next up for France: either defending champion Slovenia, or Poland, on Friday for a berth in the title game. The Slovenia-Poland quarterfinal matchup was later Wednesday.

The other half of the semifinal bracket was set Tuesday: Germany will play Spain, also on Friday.

Gobert started the game-ending burst with a dunk to get his team within 75-70.

Italy had a chance to potentially seal the game with 16 seconds left, up by two, but Simone Fontecchio missed a pair of free throws. It was another eerie resemblance to Saturday, when Cedi Osman, with Turkey up by two, missed two free throws with 12.2 seconds left to extend Frances hopes.

Heurtels layup tied the game with 5.2 seconds left in regulation. France trailed only once in overtime, for just 23 seconds, and Evan Fourniers floater with 3:29 left put his team ahead for good.

Fournier scored 17 for France, which got 15 from Guerschon Yabusele and 13 from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.

Congratulations to France, Italy coach Gianmarco Pozzecco said. They never gave up.

Fontecchio and Marco Spissu each had 21 points for Italy, which was seeking its first trip to the EuroBasket semifinals since winning bronze in 2003.

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Luigi Datome scored 12 and Nicolo Melli added 10 for Italy, which trailed by as many as 11 in the early going but outscored France 31-18 in the third quarter and led by as many as eight early in the fourth.

What can I say? Very painful, of course, Datome said. Very, very painful. But Im so proud of my teammates.

Check out more from EuroBasket

Giannis Antetokounmpo ejected, Greece follows as Germany knocks them out... Willy Hernangomez lifts Spain past Finland into Eurobasket semifinals Italy uses 16-2 fourth-quarter run to oust Jokic, Serbia from EuroBasket

France rallies thanks to 19 from Gobert, beats Italy to reach EuroBasket semifinals originally appeared on NBCSports.com
I think at a certain age you just go, well, I cant do that anymore, says Frances de la Tour about theatre acting (PA)

Im writing a letter to Richard Curtis on behalf of Frances de la Tour. Release the directors cut of Love Actually  for the sake of the nation. The silken-voiced Harry Potter and Seventies sitcom star was originally among the creme de la creme British thesps starring in the 2003 film, playing Anne Reids dying, bed-ridden partner  but both actors ended up on the cutting room floor. Oh yes, we had a lovely scene, she says. And I think it was the only gay scene, she remembers. Its odd that they cut it. Maybe it was too dark to bring into it. Because it ended up being quite a light and fluffy film, didnt it? It could have made the affectionately derided Christmas film into something quite different  more progressive, less cloyingly twee. But, still, Curtis has manners. At least he wrote to me and said were terribly sorry but its got to be cut.

You might argue, though, that an actor as unusual as De la Tour has no place in cheesy films where love gets a capital L. The 78-year-old three-time Olivier winner has an edge  an unhurried, imperial air. There was no surprise when the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are? found her ancestors to be aristocrats. Listen to her voice  crisp, deep, laconic  and it may seem a little incongruous to imagine her in any other profession. She began her career at the Royal Shakespeare Company in the Sixties; in recent years, shes had roles in franchise films such as Enola Holmes and Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland, and worked with Martin Scorsese on his big-hearted family picture Hugo. There have also been TV comedies Vicious and Big School, and shes been feted for the three Alan Bennett plays shes performed in. She admits shes now working less because of my age. I call her at home on her landline, and shes amiable  but you sense she wouldnt suffer fools, in fact anyone she took against, gladly or otherwise.

Were talking because De la Tour is reprising her role in ITVs Professor T, a British remake of a Belgian crime drama about a Cambridge criminologist with OCD (played here by Ben Miller). Its characterised by tonal shifts like handbrake turns: dark one minute, comically surreal the next. As his mother Adelaide, De la Tour was an immediate fan favourite, wearing fluffy hats and giving bubble baths to her chihuahua. Their relationship  fraught, but with more tender depths  takes the show to unexpected places. They are obviously very, very dependent on each other. I mean theyre useless, in a way, together because theyre so different, but theres a deep love there. A scene in which they danced together on a rooftop was borne out of a moment of spontaneity with the director. There are these moments that show their closeness. And then she comes out with something ridiculous. And he comes out with something off-kilter. And theyre completely at odds with each other.

The resurgence of quality TV drama is welcome, De la Tour says. [TV] used to be frowned on years and years ago  that it could never compete with cinema. But it has done. When I was younger, it wasnt the case. She notes that there were some popular comedies; one happened to be Rising Damp, about a terrible landlord and his unfortunate tenants. De la Tour played sophisticated spinster Miss Ruth Jones, and it remains one of her best-known roles. The show ran for four series between 1974 and 1978 and had an audience of between 15 and 20 million a week. In previous interviews, shes seemed exasperated when it comes up. Only because, she tells me now: Theres so much work there. Im not angry about it. Its just annoying. Because its just one thing, after so many.

A new generation has fixated on a different role: De la Tours performance as giantess and Hagrid squeeze Madame Maxime in the Harry Potter films. Parents come up to her in the park and ask her to say hello to their children; she doesnt mind. Its nice to see their little faces light up because they are children. Its nice that I can give them a smile. And they always say, Oh, youre not very tall, are you, in real life? And I go, No, Im not. I just played a giant, Im not actually a giant, she chuckles. And their eyes get bigger and bigger, its very sweet.

Frances de la Tour as Madame Maxime in the Harry Potter series (Alamy)

Of course, the Harry Potter film franchise has been blighted by controversy because of JK Rowlings much-publicised comments about transgender people. Is it right that younger cast members have distanced themselves from the author? Well, I dont know if its right or wrong. Its their view, you know what I mean? Theyre perfectly entitled to their view, De la Tour says. I just hope it hasnt hurt her work. Because shes a wonderful writer and shes produced a great volume of writing that is loved all over the world. So I think she needs support, she says. But I think a lot of that is misunderstanding. I dont think, at all, she was against any rights of people, men or women. I didnt feel she was against anybody having the right to be what they want to be.

But it is De la Tours respected stage work that has been the biggest passion of her career. Thats where I started. Thats what I dreamt of being. Thats what I trained for, she explains. So I think thats where the source of my energy for wanting to be an actor is rooted. Many have a particular fondness for her performance as the kind but cutting teacher Mrs Lintott in The History Boys, which first opened at the National Theatre almost 20 years ago, went to Broadway and was later made into a film. It launched the careers of James Corden, Dominic Cooper, Russell Tovey and Samuel Barnett, and won De la Tour a Tony. Cant believe it, she says, straight away, on mention of the play. Because it really does feel like yesterday. Some of the work one does feels like a century ago. And then other things you think, oh, that was only a few years ago, because its still so alive in my mind. And I think in all of the boys  well, they were boys, young men. All those actors, they were like 21 or 22, well, now theyre nearly 40!

De la Tour with the film cast of The History Boys, including the late Richard Griffiths, Russell Tovey (far right), Dominic Cooper (front centre) and James Corden, back row, second from left (Fox Searchlight/Kobal/Shutterstock)

One barnstorming speech, in which Mrs Lintott spoke of how depressing it is to teach five centuries of masculine ineptitude, had the audience clapping every night  on Broadway in particular, where it used to get a huge whoopla. (Another continental difference: We could use very firm expletives in England but on Broadway, you couldnt as much.) Being the only woman in the cast was oh, rather wonderful. I felt very honoured really, and very loved. And they sent me up rotten as well, which was great. So I sent them up rotten. In Bennetts diaries, he described one moment of backstage back-and-forth when he saw Russell Tovey in the wings murmuring to Ms de la Tour, Frankie, if I werent gay would you shag me? She looked him up and down before saying dubiously, I might.

Brilliant though the play is on the value of serious thought and engagement in culture, rather than hotshottery and shallow provocations, its difficult to know if it would have become so beloved were it staged today. Hector, the genial general studies teacher (played by the late Richard Griffiths), is notoriously gropey. It had a slight danger line in it because he was abusive  theres no other word for it, really. And it was treated with jollity, and kind of seriousness as well, but it wasnt over-seriously dealt with. But she concludes: I think it tackled the question and it tackled it well.

With Peter Brook, I was working with the best director in the world

Frances de la Tour

The death of director Peter Brook earlier this year has given her cause to reflect on another one of her defining theatre roles. She played Helena in Brooks radical, carnivalesque Midsummer Nights Dream, now considered one of the greatest modern Shakespeare productions. Her voice warms at the memory. It was the best moment of my young life, really. Shed been doing bits and bobs at the RSC, working her way up to a bigger part, and then the Dream came up. And it was like a dream. Because I was working with the best director in the world. I was 25 or 26. And it was an amazing thing to do. It went all over the world, including her first stint on Broadway. Working with Brook has been hard to match.

There was no ego in the man at all. Its just about the work. And he was incredibly affectionate with us. And respectful. I think he really did appreciate actors and what they do, and a lot of people dont. Hence were called names, like luvvies, and things like that. That would never, never, never pass his lips, once.

Although shes now working less, she has a busy life as a grandmother  she has two children and four grandchildren. Shes not on any social media, so ignore a Twitter account that declares What is really fun is Love Island! under her name. (They ought to get off, is all I can say.) She describes herself as a life-long socialist. I see no reason to change my views on that. I think weve been proved right, quite honestly, with whats happening with so many nationalist governments all over the world. Low practices in high places. The political situation in the UK is, she says bluntly, a disaster and the knock-on effects of the war in Ukraine cant be solely blamed. Care for the economy and distribution of wealth has not been forthcoming, long before the war. The war has sort of accelerated everything and made it much worse.

Frances de la Tour with Ben Miller in Professor T' (ITV)

As to whether theres anything that can give us hope: I dont think these words like hope come into it. Its about looking at whats going on, and what one can do about it. In the end, it is down to the people. For the economy, for starters, there could be another poll tax situation where people do come out in the street and say, Well, actually, enough really is enough. We cant pay our bills. What are you going to do about it? In the end, it is all of us, what we think individually, and how that becomes a collective.

Its obvious politics and theatre are two of the chief preoccupations of De la Tours life; she speaks of them with the same clarity and conviction. But, with firmness and some regret, she says she wont be returning to the stage. I cant now. I think at a certain age you just go, well, I think I cant do that anymore. In television, all those things people might find a bit over the top  like being driven everywhere  are actually really important because it means older actors can continue working until they drop dead, basically. She isnt sure people understand what hard work theatre is: preparation begins from the moment you wake up, use of your voice is limited during the day, and if youre bringing up children at the same time, which I was, its extremely taxing. But, she says, with feeling, I wouldnt have missed it for the world.

Professor T returns to ITV on 16 September
Fred Franzia, the California winemaker who created the Charles Shaw wine brand, which became known as "Two Buck Chuck," has died at the age of 79.

Franzia died Tuesday at his home in Denair, California, with family by his side, they said in social media posts. A maverick who came from a winemaking family, Franzia "will be remembered as a larger-than-life character who expanded the reach of California wine with budget bottlings that offered consistent quality," Wine Spectator reported.

Despite the familiar name, Franzia was not involved in another successful strategy to reach budget-conscious wine drinkers: boxed wine. That company, Franzia, founded in 1906 by his grandparents Teresa and Giuseppe Franzia, was sold in the '70s to The Wine Group, originally a division of Coca-Cola Bottling of New York. Shortly after that company became privately-held, it created the Franzia boxed wine brand in 1985.

Born on May 24, 1943, in Stanislaus County, near California's Bay Area, Franzia was also the nephew by marriage of Ernest Gallo, one of the founders of E&J Gallo Winery, the world's largest wine company, the Turlock (Calif.) Journal reported.

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Wine that can be 'on every American table'

After attending Santa Clara University  its mascot is the Broncos, hence the wine company's name  Franzia began working for the family's Franzia Brothers Winery. Upset that his family sold that company, Franzia founded Bronco Wine Company in Ceres, California, in the San Joaquin Valley, south of Stockton, with his brother Joseph and cousin John in 1973.

"Core to his vision was a belief that wine should be enjoyed and consumed on every American table," the family said in a statement. "When asked how Bronco Wine Company can sell wine less expensive than a bottle of water, Fred T. Franzia famously countered, 'They're overcharging for the water  dont you get it?"

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Fred T. Franzia, the Central California winemaker who co-founded the Charles Shaw wine brand, which became known as

Wine Spectator labeled Franzia the "Bad Boy of California Wine for his contempt of high-end wine. Bronco began buying bankrupt vineyards in the '80s and acquired the Charles Shaw name in 1995 for just $25,000, Wine Spectator reported.

That led to Bronco Wines launching the Charles Shaw wine for $1.99 at Trader Joe's stores in California (now priced at $3-$4 in other states), in 2002. That created a new "super-value" category, of wine costing less than $3 per bottle, according to Shanken News Daily.

Bronco sold nearly two million cases in its first year, reaching five million a year later, according to wine and spirits industry tracker Impact Databank. Today, it sells an estimated 1 million cases annually  including organic Charles Shaw wines  and overall, Bronco Wine is the 13th largest wine marketer in the U.S., with 2021 volume of 3.4 million cases, according to Impact Databank.

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Talking about the sale of the 400 millionth bottle of the wine to The New Yorker in 2009, Franzia said, "Take that and shove it, Napa."

Franzia's boldness occasionally led to complications. In 1994, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for falsely labelling grapes, paid a $500,000 fine and had to step down as company president for five years, according to The New Yorker. Franzia reportedly had instructed workers to spread Zinfandel leaves over less expensive grapes in a move he allegedly called "blessing of the loads."

In an email to Bronco Wine employees, reported by Wine Industry Insight, the family noted that Franzia had been private about his health issues.

Daughter Renata Franzi Price shared a quote of his in the email: We are fighting a good fight and at the end, we all have an expiration date.

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Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fred Franzia, who launched Charles Shaw wine ('Two Buck Chuck'), dies
A French court on Wednesday will issue its verdict on involuntary homicide charges against Yemenia Airways over a 2009 crash that killed 152 people -- but miraculously left a 12-year-old girl alive.

The Yemeni national airline faces a maximum fine of 225,000 euros ($225,000) if found guilty of insufficient pilot training that led to fatal mistakes by the crew onboard, as prosecutors have alleged.

On June 29, 2009, flight Yemenia 626 was on approach to Moroni, the capital of the Comoros islands that lie between Mozambique and Madagascar, after departing from the airport in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

France's overseas territory of Mayotte is also part of the Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. Among the 142 passengers and 11 crew were 66 French citizens.

Just before 11:00 pm the Airbus A310 plunged into the Indian Ocean with its engines running at full throttle, killing everyone on board except Bahia Bakari, then just 12 years old.

"I started to feel the turbulence, but nobody was reacting much, so I told myself it must be normal," Bakari told a Paris courtroom in May during the trial, attended by dozens of friends and relatives of the victims.

Suddenly "I felt something like an electric shock go through my body," she recalled, before blacking out and then finding herself in the water among the wreckage.

She had left Paris to attend a wedding in the Comoros with her mother, who perished in the crash.

- Series of errors? -

Investigators and experts found there was nothing wrong with the aircraft, blaming instead "inappropriate actions by the crew during the approach to Moroni airport, leading to them losing control".

According to analyses of the "black box" flight data recorders found on the ocean floor several weeks later, a series of erroneous decisions was made by pilots over nearly five minutes before the crash.

No one from Yemenia Airways appeared at the trial, where prosecutors accused the company of pilot training programmes "riddled with gaps" and of continuing to fly to Moroni at night despite several non-functioning landing lights.

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Yemenia is charged with involuntary homicide and injuries. The company's lawyers have denied any wrongdoing, saying the airline is being made a "scapegoat".

Around 560 people have joined the suit as plaintiffs, many of them from the region around Marseille in southern France, home to many of the victims.

Several people aboard were travelling to the Comoros to celebrate the islands' extravagant wedding parties, which often bring together entire villages.

"It's an entire community that was on this plane," a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs, Claude Lienhard, said during the trial.

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STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - The European Union is not complete without Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Western Balkan countries, the head of the 27-nation bloc's executive said in an annual policy speech on Wednesday.

"You are part of our family, you are the future of our union," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the EU's eastern neighbours. "Our Union is not complete without you."

(Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by John Chalmers)
OVERALL DEAL

Jade Osiberu, creator of upcoming Amazon Original movie Gangs of Lagos, has inked an overall deal with the streamer. The three-year deal will include original scripted dramas and features from Osiberus production company Greoh Studios.

Osiberu, who is the creator of hit projects including Sugar Rush, Isoken and Gidi Up, follows others creators including Steve McQueen, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Jenny Han in signing similar international agreements.

More from Variety

I am overjoyed with this collaboration and already feel like Im part of the Prime Video and Amazon Studios family, said Osiberu. It will be an absolute pleasure to introduce Prime Video audiences to the most exciting talent and storylines Nigeria has to offer, and Im looking forward to continuing to help elevate Nigerian stories on a global scale.

Ned Mitchell, head of African and Middle East Originals at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, said: Collaborating with visionary and respected talent is foundational to delivering a curated and elevated slate of Originals for our local audiences in Nigeria. It is a joy to announce our collaboration with Jade Osiberu in a deal that is the first of its kind for us in Africa.

Osiberu is represented by Range Media Partners.

APPOINTMENT

Mike Gould has been tapped for SVP of digital at Cineflix Rights. In the newly-created position, Gould will report to Cineflixs CEO of rights, Tim Mutimer, and oversee the exploitation of digital rights as well as leading on Cineflixs FAST channels, which are in the offing.

He joins the team on Oct 6. Previously Gould was VP of global digital partnerships at All3Media International and has also worked at Endemol Shine Group and BBC Studios.

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Cineflix Rights slate is packed with long-running brands which audiences love and we work closely with our partners to window our key programming, said Mutimer. With Mike on board we plan to expand our AVOD business and take direct control of our FAST activity to grow it strategically. Mike is going to be a fantastic addition to the Cineflix Rights teamhis enthusiasm, experience, and track record make him the perfect person to lead our digital strategy.

KYIV MEDIA WEEK

Kyiv Media Weeks International Media Forum is set to go ahead in a traveling format as the war in Ukraine rages on, organizers announced today.

This years forum will be held as part of local festivals in the Czech Republic, Italy, and France and focus on the superpowers of the Ukrainian media business, its challenges, and success stories, as well as on gradually gaining its own voice in the international space over the past six months.

The six Kyiv Media Week sessions will be interpreted into the Brnos International Festival of Web and TV Series Serial Killer (Sept. 20-25), Romes MIA (Oct. 11-15) and Mipcom in Cannes (Oct. 17-20).

The program will include panels, screenings, showcases and the presence of top Ukrainian industry execs.

I appreciate all the support and readiness of our European colleagues to unite for Ukrainian industrys better future, said Kateryna Udut, head of Kyiv Media Week and CEO of MRM. The 12th edition of KMW proves that all these years we gathered our true friends and partners all over the world, and now, when the challenging time has come, all of them are open to us.

COST OF LIVING CRISIS

The Film and TV Charity, in partnership with MoneyHelper, has launched a range of digital tools to provide financial assistance for freelancers and those facing pressures in employment amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

These include a budget planner, bills prioritizer and saving calculator.

The tools are there to supplement its existing support, which includes stop-gap grants for those eligible.

The charity is also urging those whose financial situation is impacting on their mental health to contact their free and confidential support line for industry workers.

With the cost-of-living crisis and rising energy bills causing grave concern, we want to ensure that everyone in the TV and film industry has access to the best advice and guidance possible, said The Film and TV Charitys CEO, Alex Pumfrey. Our new financial tools arent a magic bullet to the cost-of-living crisis, but they do offer a greater ability to plan and manage finances and ultimately strengthen resilience. Alongside our existing support, such as Stop-Gap Grants, our Wellbeing at Work Advisors, and the brilliant people at the end of our Film and TV Support Line, we really hope that people working in film, TV, and cinema can feel financially, emotionally, and practically supported during this incredibly difficult period.

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Revolution Brewing and Garrett Popcorn have been neighbors under the same roof for nine years, and that has led to the inevitable: a Revolution beer made with Garrett popcorn.

When the process began in January, the idea of what to do  brown ale made with Garretts renowned CaramelCrisp  came quickly. But how to do it took some time.

Revolution added different sorts of popcorn to the brewing process. It considered different ingredients used in Garretts caramel corn. It tried sweetening the beer with various caramel flavors. It tinkered with about a dozen trials, but landed in a simple place: including Garretts caramel corn in the earliest step of the brewing process and adding a dose of brown sugar  and thats it. No further caramel flavoring required.

The result, also called CaramelCrisp, begins to roll out Wednesday, with a broad release across Illinois by Oct. 1.

The ingredients betray a decadent beer: 450 pounds of Garretts CaramelCrisp and 1,200 pounds of brown sugar. But both are added early enough in the brewing process that most of the sweetness is fermented away, resulting in a beer thats surprisingly dry and nuanced, rich with caramel essence and overtones, but only modest caramel-like sweetness. Its a neat trick.

The packaging relies heavily on Garretts branding and language (the beer is called a caramel popcorn ale and described as having creme brulee-like sweetness), but if a drinker didnt already know, he or she would be hard pressed to guess the key ingredient. The result is beer first and caramel corn novelty second. And that was the point.

An intensely sweet beer might be OK for a few sips, but few people would want 16 ounces of it, let alone a four-pack, Revolutions head brewer Jim Cibak said. The sweetness is faintly there, and grows more evident as the beer warms from refrigerator temperatures, but remains entwined with the toasty malt.

Were old school in our approach, he said. We didnt want to make a beer that tastes exactly like caramel corn.

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He said he wasnt even sure the experiment could work due to the popcorns butter and fat potentially ruining the texture of the beer. But by including it as a first step, Cibak said, that problem was avoided. It even mingled with the malts to create unique flavors and aromas.

Many breweries would not have been able to resist adding caramel sweetness as a final step, and Revolution did try it. But every version was a letdown, Cibak said, tasting synthetic and fake.

Rather than enhance the beer, it dragged it down, he said.

He worried Garrett would want a beer more caramel corn than brown ale, but was relieved they did not. Garrett, in fact, was hoping for a beer that would pair with its caramel corn rather than be a substitute.

Its a lovely pairing together, said Kris Penn, Garretts vice president of strategic partnerships. If the beer was too sweet, it would have been too sweet overall.

Instead of caramel flavor, the beer got a more interesting final touch: a small dose of kosher salt, which both echoes popcorn and adds a subtle, cleansing twist on the palate.

CaramelCrisp is a notable marketing opportunity for both companies; theyll have co-branded displays at most of Jewel-Oscos 180 stores, and both the beer and the popcorn brands will be available across the Binnys chain. CaramelCrisp joins a Planters peanut India pale ale (made in 2018 by Noon Whistle Brewing) and Frango mint stout (made last year by Hop Butcher for the World; Frango is also owned by Garrett Brands) in the annals of Chicago food-beer collisions.

The timing of the beer is no coincidence and, like many things, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With sales at its dozens of stores cratering in the early days of the pandemic, Garrett expedited plans to get its cheese corn and cheese-and-caramel mix on store shelves for the first time, which finally happened in May. After years talking about collaborating with Revolution, teaming up finally became timely; the brands could piggyback each other to potentially new audiences.

Early feedback from retailers led Revolution to triple the amount of beer that will be sent into the market, which will be available across Illinois and in Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio. CaramelCrisp will be on tap at Revolutions Kedzie Avenue taproom and Milwaukee Avenue brewpub Wednesday. Doug Veliky, the brewerys chief strategy officer, said the beer could become an annual fall release.

The two businesses have been friendly since 2013, when Garrett began renting a space next to Revolutions Kedzie Avenue brewery for storage. Revolution became Garretts landlord when it bought the building in April.

jbnoel@chicagotribune.com

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Spain midfielder Gavi has signed a contract extension with Barcelona until the summer of 2026, with a release clause set at one billion euros (865m).

Gavi, 18, has been with the club since 2015, coming through the youth ranks ranks at La Masia and making his first-team debut during August 2021.

A statement from Barcelona read: Barcelona and the player Pablo Paez Gavira, Gavi, have reached an agreement to extend his contract to 30 June 2026. The buy out clause is set at 1 billion euros.

Gavi scored his first goal for Barca in December 2021 against Elche, becoming the clubs third youngest scorer.

The midfielder is also a key member of Luis Enriques international squad.

The Barca teenager earned his first cap in the Nations League against Italy last year to become the youngest player to ever represent Spain at senior level.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany banned United Tribuns, a rival to the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, on Wednesday, saying the group posed a serious public threat and was responsible for a raft of violent crimes.

Police searched 108 properties in nine states in tandem with the announcement of the ban, confiscating weapons including baseball bats, machetes and brass knuckles as well as a 3-D printer that was believed to have been used to produce the knuckles.

The interior ministry said the ban affected about 100 members of the group in Germany. The group as well as its 13 chapters will be dissolved and their assets seized. Symbols of the group may no longer be disseminated nor used in public.

"Members of the 'United Tribuns' group have committed the most serious crimes: sexual offences, human trafficking offences and attempted homicides," Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement.

"That's why I have banned the 'United Tribuns' group today."

The ministry said the group had engaged in violent confrontations with rivals, such as the Hells Angels, and encouraged and rewarded members for committing crimes.

Formed in 2004 by a former Bosnian boxer, United Tribuns says it is interested in martial arts and fitness, but the interior ministry said the group strives for power on the gang scene.

(Writing by Paul Carrel and Miranda Murray; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Jonathan Oatis)
Tony La Russa planned to watch Tuesdays game against the Colorado Rockies from a suite at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Hell do likewise Wednesday as the Chicago White Sox continue on without their manager, who hasnt received medical clearance to return.

Hell be watching in person and obviously wont be managing and not in uniform, Sox general manager Rick Hahn, who is recovering after testing positive for COVID-19, said in a video conference Tuesday. As for if and when that may occur, we simply dont have that information at this point and in the end were going to understandably follow the advice of medical experts on this one.

So far, for this series and over the foreseeable future, were preparing the way we have over the last two weeks. So far its going well and (acting manager Miguel Cairo) and the coaches deserve a ton of credit, as do the players.

The Sox entered Tuesday as winners of nine of 13 since Aug. 30, when the team announced La Russa would not manage at the direction of his doctors. The next day, the team said he was out indefinitely.

Its just how were playing, to be honest, Sox closer Liam Hendriks said. Its nothing that has really changed too much in here. We all still believe in every single person in this clubhouse, we trust everybody in any role and thats something that hasnt changed. If I dont get it done, the guy behind me gets it done now. And thats the difference.

Its those rallying cries of one swing here and there thats falling in for us now but wasnt earlier in the year, and where weve kind of run with that  like (Friday) in Oakland when were down by three  were able to score (five) in the ninth and be able to get that victory. That was something we didnt do earlier in the year.

After a 9-7 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Aug. 30 at Guaranteed Rate Field, Cairo made clear what was needed in a discussion with the team, which was first reported by USA Todays Bob Nightengale.

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I saw something that I didnt like that game and I couldnt let it pass, Cairo said. I just let them know how I felt about it and are you in or are you out? If you are out, let me know. If you are in, lets go for it.

Hahn said of the recent run: The team obviously has been playing very well and for an extended period now playing up to its potential. Youve seen a great deal of energy, a great deal of fight and some of that swagger weve talked about in the past. And most importantly playing good baseball and playing as a team and fulfilling a lot of potential many of us saw in this club.

(Cairo) obviously deserves a great deal of credit, but Id be remiss if I didnt also point out the effort of the other coaches there. The communication between the coaches has been outstanding, the communication between the front office and the coaches has been very strong. And the players have stepped up and taken responsibility and put forth an effort to fill the void left by Tonys absence.

Its really been enjoyable to watch not simply because of the results on the field, which has been great, but also because of the unity and commonness of purpose weve seen and the intent of players and coaches alike.

Asked if other factors besides medical clearance would be involved with La Russas potential return, Hahn said: Its a conversation once we get to that point. But were not at that point.

So for now, its just taking it day by day and following the lead of the medical professionals and talking to Tony. I talked to Tony five minutes before (Hahns video conference with reporters). Talked about how he was, and he was happy to be around, pointed out that the one game hes been to in the last couple weeks, (Sunday) in Oakland, we lost. He was taking that hard. And I tried to point out theres a little difference between causation and correlation.

Hahn also said its too soon when asked if the situation would affect evaluations going into 2023.

Look, weve been trying to navigate the last few weeks under unique circumstances, and the team has done very well, Hahn said. And obviously everyones noted that. But as for what lies ahead for next year, its simply too soon for that.

Tim Anderson ramping up baseball activities

All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson, who is on the injured list after suffering a sagittal band tear in his left middle finger Aug. 6, has been cleared to ramp up baseball activities.

He can take grounders, play catch and dry swing, Cairo said.

In terms of likely return date, we dont have that in place yet, Hahn said. Its going to be a function of how quickly and painlessly hes able to ramp up. But its possible for him to return at some point during next weeks homestand.
WASHINGTON  A man who wore a "Trump 2020" hat as he beat one officer and dragged another down the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 6 has pleaded guilty, admitting telling officers "you're gonna die tonight" and repeatedly assaulting law enforcement.

Jack Wade Whitton, 32, from Georgia, bragged in a message obtained by the government that he had "fed" a cop "to the people." He pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. His estimated sentencing guidelines are 6.5 to 8 years in federal prison but could be slightly lower if a judge agrees with Whitton's contention that none of his victims were physically restrained during the assault.

Jack Wade Whitton. (U.S. District Court for DC)

Whitton admitted he was one of the Jan. 6 rioters who assaulted police at the tunnel on the western side of the U.S. Capitol, where some of the most violent attacks took place.

Whitton admitted that he hit an officer with a crutch when the officer was on the ground, kicked another officer and then dragged the officer he'd hit with a crutch down the stairs in a prone position. Other rioters then beat the officer with a flagpole and baton.

Whitten then returned to the police line about 20 minutes later, kicked at officers, kicked a riot shield held by an officer, and yelled "you're gonna die tonight," he acknowledged in his plea.

U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, who accepted Whitton's plea, had ordered Whitton detained before trial, citing the nature of the crime as well as former President Donald Trump's comments about the election. Sullivan said he was "not convinced that dissatisfaction and concern about the legitimacy of the election results has dissipated for all Americans," and said that Trump's comments exacerbated the situation.

Trump's comments, Sullivan wrote, "reflect the continued threat posed by individuals like Mr. Whitton, who has demonstrated that he is willing and able to engage in extreme and terrifying levels of violence against law enforcement with a chilling disregard for the rule of law and the lives of law enforcement, seemingly based on mistaken beliefs about the illegitimacy of the current administration."

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Whitton pleaded guilty the same day that three other Capitol rioters were convicted at a bench trial of assaulting officers. Two of those defendants were acquitted by Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden of a charge of obstruction of an official proceeding.

Jack Wade Whitton. (U.S. District Court for DC)

Whitton was an early target of the "Sedition Hunters" community that came together online to identify Capitol rioters after Jan. 6. Prosecutors referred to the role that "unknown Twitter users" played in tracking his movements using the hashtag #Scallops. The FBI said that a confidential source who had known Whitton since high school and went to his Cross Fit gym identified Whitton to the bureau.

The FBI has arrested more than 850 people in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, and prosecutors have secured more than 350 convictions. Hundreds more Jan. 6 rioters have been identified to the FBI but have not yet been arrested.

A trial for members of the far-right Oath Keepers organization, who are facing seditious conspiracy charges, is set to begin later this month.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Smartphone screen displays Google logo against backdrop of EU flag

An EU court has largely upheld a record fine against Google for using the Android platform to cement its search engine's dominance.

The 4.125bn (3.5bn) penalty is the largest anti-trust fine ever handed down by the European Commission.

It said Google had breached its laws by forcing Android phone-makers to carry its search and web browser apps in order to access the Google Play Store in 2018.

Google has since changed its terms.

The firm said it was "disappointed" by the verdict.

"Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world," Google said in a statement.

Google acquired the mobile phone operating system developer, which today powers roughly 70% of the world's mobile phones, in 2005 for $50m (43m).

Reduced fine

The European General Court reduced the European Commission's original fine slightly in Wednesday's final ruling on Google's appeal. It said this was to reflect "the gravity and the duration" of the infringement.

"The General Court largely confirms the Commission's decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network in order to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine," it said.

A European Commission spokesperson said it will "carefully study the judgement and decide on possible next steps".

The European Consumer Organisation, which represents a network of consumer groups across the EU, welcomed the ruling.

Monique Goyens, its director general, said the ruling "confirms that Europe's consumers must enjoy meaningful choice between search engines and browsers on their phones and tablets".

She said Google had deprived consumers of "genuine choice" over which search engines to use.

"If they preferred, for example, to use more innovative and privacy-friendly services, Google's restrictions prevented them from doing so."

The court's ruling shores up the European Commission's efforts to clamp down on Big Tech, after anti-trust fines against Intel and Qualcomm were quashed by the European General Court earlier this year.

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Analysis box by Zoe Kleinman, technology editor

Google says it was acting like any other business when it told other manufacturers using Android that in order to include the Play Store on their smartphones and tablets, they also had to pre-install Google's own search and web apps.

Without that store, the devices would have had limited access to other apps, making them a lot less desirable to buy. The EU says this was unlawful.

The appeal has dragged on for four years now, but Google did change its terms after the original ruling, in 2018. The European court lowered the fine slightly to reflect this - but it's still the largest anti-trust penalty it has ever given out.

Google says Android offers more choice, not less, and that anyone is free to change their search and web browser apps - but the reality is that most people never stray from the option that came with their phone.

The EU argues Google used its position to obtain too large a share of the search pie

A number of different manufacturers use Android as the operating system for their devices.

Google's version of Android does not prevent device owners downloading alternative web browsers or using other search engines.

But at the time of the original 2018 judgement the EU's competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, said that only 1% of users downloaded a rival search app, and 10% a different browser.

Google rejected the accusation.

"Rapid innovation, wide choice, and falling prices are classic hallmarks of robust competition and Android has enabled all of them," chief executive Sundar Pichai blogged.

Anti-competitive restrictions

In that original ruling, the EU commission said that Google had abused its "dominant position" by imposing anti-competitive contractual restrictions on manufacturers because:

it required Android handset and tablet manufacturers to pre-install the Google Search app and its own web browser Chrome as a condition for allowing them to offer access to its Play app store

it prevented manufacturers from selling any smart devices powered by alternative "forked" versions of Android by threatening to refuse them permission to pre-install its apps

it made payments to large manufacturers and mobile network operators so that they agreed to exclusively pre-install the Google Search app on their devices

Google was required to "stop and to not re-engage in any of the three types of practices" or do anything else that might have the same effect.

In denying Google's appeal, the court agreed with all but the last of these findings - concerning payments to manufacturers - which it annulled.

Drop in a bucket

The European Commission first began scrutinising Android in April 2015, after a complaint by FairSearch - a lobby group that originally included Microsoft, Nokia and Oracle among its members.

Clifford Chance, a law firm representing FairSearch, said the latest judgment was a "vindication" of its client's complaint.

A partner of the firm, Dieter Paemen, said in a statement: "The annulment of one of the infringements found and the reduction of the fine won't lighten up the mood in Mountain View - that's just a drop in the bucket for Google.

"This is a positive outcome for consumers who stand a better chance of real choices on their mobile devices."

Now, Mr Paemen said, the Commission must turn to seriously enforcing the "remedies" in the decision.
South Korea has hit Google and Meta with a fine of ~$71.8 million (100 billion KRW) after finding they violated the country's privacy law, South Korean authorities said on Wednesday.

The watchdog said in its statement that Google and Meta did not receive legitimate consent in the process of collecting information from users who visit their websites and use other websites as well as apps for customized advertisements.

Google did not clearly inform users of the collection and use of other companies behavioral information when they signed up for its service and set the default choice to "agree" while covering up further options available via the setting screen, the countrys authorities explained in the press release. Meta also did not specify legally required details that consumers must know and did not obtain users' consent as the company gathered and used their behavior information for personalized advertisements when users signed up, according to a spokesperson at the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC).

The PIPC ordered the companies to correct the violations and imposed fines of 69.2 billion KRW (~$50 million) on Google and 30.8 billion KRW (~$22 million) on Meta.

This is the largest penalty in South Korea for violating personal information protection laws and the countrys first sanction pertaining to the collection and use of behavioral information on online customized advertising platforms, according to the watchdog.

While we respect the PIPCs decision, we are confident that we work with our clients in a legally compliant way that meets the processes required by local regulations, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. As such, we do not agree with the commissions decision and will be open to all options, including seeking a ruling from the court.

Overseas watchdogs have fined Google and Meta for failing to comply with data protection regulations in recent years. In 2019, the French data protection watchdog, the CNIL, issued its first General Data Protection Regulation fine of $57 million for transparency and consent violations. While Facebook-owned WhatsApp was fined $267 million for breaching GDPR's transparency principle last year, Germanys Federal Cartel Office has also ordered a limit on Metas data gathering on users from third-party websites without their permission. That order remains under legal challenge in the EU.

We disagree with the PIPC's findings and will be reviewing the full written decision once it's shared with us," a spokesperson at Google said. We've always demonstrated our commitment to making ongoing updates that give users control and transparency while providing the most helpful products possible. We remain committed to engaging with the PIPC to protect the privacy of South Korean users."

Updated with comments from PIPC and Google.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed two Stop AAPI Hate-backed bills aimed at combating hate and harassment in public spaces in California.

The No Place for Hate Bills  SB 1161 and AB 2448  were signed into law by Newsom in California on Tuesday. The bills will be effective starting Jan. 1, 2023.

The Increase Safety for Public Transit Riders bill (SB 1161), authored by State Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine), will promote safe ridership by increasing understanding of where, when and why street harassment occurs and how it affects transit riders.

SB 1161 will require the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University to create a community survey for California transit operators as a way to gather data in creating solutions and strengthening passenger safety.

More from NextShark: Elderly man with PTSD from SF Chinatown baseball bat attack sues DA Chesa Boudin for mishandling his case

We applaud Gov. Newsom for signing SB 1161 into law and sending a signal that there is no place for hate in California, Cynthia Choi, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director at Chinese for Affirmative Action, said. We cannot fix what we cannot measure.

No Californian should feel unsafe on public transit, yet study after study shows that a majority of women, seniors, LGBTQ+ riders, and other vulnerable populations experience street harassment or worse while commuting, Min said in a press release. This legislation puts forward a data-driven safety framework that will help us understand why these incidents keep happening. The new survey tool developed by the Mineta Institute is the first step in a strategic approach by the Legislature to address this issue.

The Protect Customers Civil Rights at Businesses bill (AB 2448), authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), will direct the states Civil Rights Department to create a first-of-its-kind pilot program that will incentivize businesses to create safe and welcoming environments.

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More from NextShark: Korean former YouTuber and pharmacist sentenced to jail for spreading STD

Customers have the right to feel safe in businesses, and workers need training on ensuring that, Ting said. Right now, our states civil rights laws do not adequately protect people who are verbally harassed and intimidated while grocery shopping or eating at a restaurant. My bill allows businesses to lead the fight against hate and create more welcoming and safe spaces for all Californians.

Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition that tracks anti-Asian attacks, has documented nearly 11,500 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) across the U.S. between March 19, 2020 and March 31, 2022. About three-quarters of the incidents reportedly occurred in public spaces, including on the street, public transit and businesses.

Although the bills stem from the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes, they will also benefit other minorities in the state of California. Women, the elderly, people with disabilities and LGBTQ-plus members have been common targets of public harassment on buses and trains, stores and restaurants.

More from NextShark: TikToker McPlayGT slashed in the neck in unprovoked attack after leaving restaurant in New York City

This law names hate-based harassment as a pervasive problem. It is an essential first step in creating safer environments for customers, Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and executive director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, said in a press release.

Featured Image via Kareem Hayes
Rescuers eliminate the consequences of the Russian attack on TPP-5 in Kharkiv, as a result of which localities in five regions were left without electricity

Ukraines regional administrations have prepared plans to evacuate the civilian population during the winter if Russian attacks disable critical infrastructure, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during a press conference, news agency Ukrinform reported on Sept. 14.

Read also: Another Russian attack leaves Kharkiv with no power, water, or mass transit

Naturally, we will evacuate the population, should the enemy continue to launch its insidious terror attacks on our infrastructure, leaving cities without heating and power during cold winter months, and if theres no opportunity to quickly repair the damage, said Shmyhal.

The prime minister said people would be evacuated if repairs arent complete in two days.

Read also: Kharkiv Oblast is free, Kherson is next, and Zaporizhzhia NPP completely shuts down

Russia attacked a major thermal power plant in Kharkiv, on Sept. 11, killing two civilians and precipitating blackouts across a number of Ukrainian regions. The power supply to the affected areas was restored within several hours.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Watching Peter Farrellys new film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, and knowing little about it going in, I kept thinking this would be a totally absurd, beyond belief story if it isnt one that really happened. By the end I saw it is indeed 100% true, proving life can sometimes be stranger than fiction. As such it turns out to be one of the more memorable, and certainly heartfelt, movies this year, as well as a Vietnam War movie that couldnt be further from The Deer Hunter, Platoon and Apocalypse Now, but a character-driven drama that defies logic but makes you believe once again in the power of the human spirit. This is the rare Vietnam film seen from the POV of a civilian, a key reason it works as well as it does.

. - Credit: Deadline

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This is Farrellys first film since winning Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay Oscars for 2018s Green Book, and whether it is his lucky day or not it just had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in the same time slot and day of the week that Green Book premiered at TIFF. That film went on to win the often Oscar predictive TIFF Peoples Choice Award. Can lightning strike twice? It really doesnt matter because this is a movie that defiantly marches to its own drummer. It also provides Zac Efron with one of the best roles of his career, and Russell Crowe with his second choice supporting role this year.

Efron plays John Chickie Donohue, a regular guy who spends much of his time with his buddies at Doc Fiddlers bar in Inwood, New York. It is 1967, and the Vietnam War is in full swing. Also protests against it are gaining strength but Chickie and his Friends, along with bartender Doc aka The Colonel (Bill Murray in a toned-down brief supporting role) come up with a crazy idea to support their fellow neighborhood buddies whose number came up and are serving in the war. The idea is simple, but sounds a bit far fetched to pull off: what if they could bring a little bit of home to the front lines by sharing a good old fashioned can of beer with the soldiers?

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TORONTO, ONTARIO  SEPTEMBER 13: (L-R) Peter Farrelly and Zac Efron attend The Greatest Beer Run Ever Premiere during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 13, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)

Chickie may not be serving in the war himself, but he is a Merchant Marine and very familiar with shipping vessels which is key to getting over to Saigon so he volunteers, packs up a duffel bag filled with dozens of cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer ( a product placement bonanza) and gets a job in the boiler room of a ship headed to Saigon. Incredibly he finds himself there in the heart of an increasingly controversial war, ready to dispense his beer cans and using intel to track down the neighborhood guys wherever they may be on the battlefields. Casually dressed like he does back in New York, initially officers wonder if the guy is some sort of CIA agent with an agenda. Soon however he is in over his head as he must escape harms way with old buddies caught up in something that is definitely not a game, like pal Tommy Collins (Archie Renaux). There is also a trip to a bar where he encounters journalists covering the war including Arthur Coates (Crowe), a grizzled war photographer who at first dismisses the odd Chickie , but soon becomes intrigued by his crazy stated mission, one he makes sound a lot more logistically easy than it turns out to be. Striking up an instant kind of camaraderie and partnership with Arthur, Chickie finds himself dodging bullets, bombs, and some scary battlefield encounters as he does what he came there to do, and actually finds a lot of the buddies who are alternately shocked, amused, and horrified to see him, especially as he offers up his gift of beer with the explanation that is the sole reason he has come to Vietnam. Chickie will discover, like so many of us did, that this war isnt all its purported to be and he gets a quick education in what is really going on, thanks in large part to Arthur, the friends who are in hell on earth, and by witnessing barbaric acts where he would least expect to find them.

John Chickie Donohue

As things heighten dramatically for him, the stakes are raised in terms of getting back home safe and sound, but this is an experience that will change this young man forever. Based on a book written by Donohue and JT Molloy, Farrelly, Brian Currie (Green Book), and Pete Jones have written a screenplay that captures the somewhat innocent, but can-do spirit of this unique individual who has goodness in his heart and just wants to do something for guys who suddenly found themselves on the front lines of a war that was becoming hugely unpopular. You can also call it an awakening for Chickie himself. Yes, it all sounds crazy but the real Donohue had served four years in the Marines and been to Vietnam three times before as a merchant seaman plus he had the right security clearances to be able to pull this off and to work on a transport vessel which normally brings ammunition and supplies, but this time with Chickie back on board, beer. Now living at home again and traveling in circles with great support for the war, well except for his own sister Christine (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis) who sees things another way, Chickie thinks he is doing the right thing and he is, but what he discovers on his travels with beer through the country , what he witnesses with his own eyes, will change him. It is quite an adventure, to say the least.

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Efron is ideally cast, although a guy with military training and knowhow, it is his gung ho basic humanity and concern for his friends, that make him so engaging. He is almost an innocent oddly enough, until he isnt. The character gets his eyes opened wide, and this is such an interesting story to show a side of the war we havent yet seen in movies. Farrelly in fact was initially attracted by a 12 minute You Tube 2015 documentary on the you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it tale, as well as the bestselling book, The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A True Story of Friendship Stronger Than War. He immediately knew there was a movie in it somewhere. He was right. Casting is important here too, and Crowe is a terrific choice as the war-torn chronicler with a camera. After a richly amusing turn this summer in Thor: Love And Thunder this supporting turn is again proof this is an actor who can do just about anything. Jake Picking, Kyle Allen, Will Ropp, and Will Hochman are among the other young men who figure into the story.

An Apple Original Film in association with Skydance, The Greatest Beer Run Ever also has excellent cinematography from Sean Porter, and was produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Andrew Muscato (who also made that 12-minute YouTube docu), and Jake Myers. It will play in theaters before beginning streaming on September 30.

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With the majority of the state considered a child care desert, many families struggle to find regulated care for their children. But for Somali immigrants and refugees, culturally appropriate care in the Green Bay area doesn't exist.

This means over 300 Somali families living in Green Bay  and about 1,500 young children  are left without regulated child care that meets their cultural and language needs, such as serving food permitted by Islam.

For years, Community Services Agency Inc., a nonprofit that works with Somali immigrant and refugee populations, has been brainstorming ways to fill this gap with Family and Child Care Resources of Northeast Wisconsin.

Now, they're seeing the first step in the process come to fruition. Each Sunday, 27 Somali women meet above the FCRNEW office for three hours, taking a translated version of an entry-level class that's part of the requirements to work with young children in a child care setting. It's free for the women.

Were able to bring as many Somali mothers together as possible to teach them how to take care of children in their homes or maybe theyll open a center together. I dont know what the final shape would be, said Adan Hurre, a community health navigator with Bellin Health who works with COMSA clients.

Zeinab Omar smiles while waiting for the Fundamentals of Infant and Toddler Care class to begin Sunday, Sept. 11 at Family and Child Care Resources of Northeast Wisconsin in Green Bay. The class is being offered to Somali women, with the help of a translator, as part of the Culturally Responsive Child Care Partnership.

The class is phase one of the Culturally Responsive Child Care Partnership, a joint venture of the Brown County United Way, COMSA and FCRNEW to increase the number of culturally appropriate child care options in the county.

Brown County United Way has committed $50,000 to the Partnership. Part of it covers the cost of one of the class trainers, as well as other costs including translation services and the child care FCRNEW staff provides while the women are in class. The funding also will help establish a support network through FCRNEW for unregulated providers, some who are culturally diverse, to help them along the path to regulation.

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With child care in particular, these needs have been persistent for years, but due to the pandemic and other factors going on in our country, our state and our nation right now, those needs are exacerbated, said Sarah Inman, Brown County United Way vice president of community investment.

MORE: Child care providers struggling with food costs and inflation got some federal help. Is it enough to stem rising costs of care?

MORE: Children under 5 can now be vaccinated against COVID. Here's what it means to Wisconsin's child care and early education providers

We cant address every need all at once, (so we consider) What are those needs that help individuals and households thrive rather than just survive? In this case, its making sure children are cared for in a high-quality environment thats best suited to what the family is looking for.

The pilot of the Partnership is considered a huge success. All 27 class slots have been filled and more women are on a waitlist. It far exceeds the interest in the other entry-level classes FCRNEW leads.

When we first started this, COMSA said, I think we could get five to eight women to take this class, said Jamie Tramte Brassfield, FCRNEW early childhood manager. Then we got it going and we set up a date and time, and the week before, they said, We have 20 women signed up. So I was expecting people to come, but I was not expecting 27 women to come.

Said Hassan, left, interprets child care instructions from Family and Child Care Resources of Northeast Wisconsin's Jamie Tramte Brassfield, right, during a class for Somali refugee and immigrants.

What makes a culturally appropriate daycare and why it's important to the Somali population

There are several hallmarks of culturally appropriate child care that Green Bay providers are missing, local advocates say. Without Somali staff, it can be hard for parents to communicate with child care providers. It also can be a struggle for children new to the U.S. who don't yet know English.

Because Somali people practice Islam, they can only eat Halal meat, or that slaughtered according to Islamic law. The religion also prohibits eating pork.

Many foods served at daycare centers don't meet those requirements. For example, fruit snacks contain gelatin, a byproduct of pork, which is prohibited, COMSA Program Director Natalie Ehren explained.

If you are a Somali parent, you want to leave your child with someone that you trust, Hurre said. Not only are you worried about what they eat, but what environment are they in? Is there a disparity between how your child is treated and how the other children are treated? If theyre infants, are they getting the services they need, like diapers being changed on time? So the parents are concerned that the center theyre sending their children to is responsive to their needs, and then they also have to serve the food they need.

Because these needs are often not met at child care centers, Somali families often rely on each other so they can work and make a living. Hurre explained that, for families who come to the U.S. together, parents often choose to work shifts opposite of each other. It might not be ideal for family time, but it guarantees an adult will always be with the children.

Somali refugees and immigrants listen during a child care class at Family and Child Care Resources of Northeast Wisconsin in Green Bay.

When only one parent immigrates to the U.S, often older siblings assume the role of caregivers. Hurre recalled hearing from a mother who had no other choice but to rely on her eldest son.

Hes a young boy. He wants to go be with his friends. He wants to play sports," Hurre said. "He doesnt want to be child care for his siblings, but he doesnt have a choice so he has to do it."

But for an increasing number of Somali families, relying on family isn't always possible. This causes them to move to areas with Somali-run centers, most commonly Minnesota.

It's a lost opportunity for Green Bay in a variety of ways, according to Said Hassan, COMSA program support director.

If refugees come and get child care, theyll work for companies, pay their taxes, pay their rent, so it will be good for the city because theyll contribute to its economy, he said.

It'll have long-lasting implications, too, Hurre said.

Those kids are the future of Wisconsin employment, and those children were not going to get back, he said. So, were losing a lot of potential employees when Somali families are moving out of the state because theyre not receiving the services that they need to survive. I think the quality of life is better here, but they have a lot of child care services that we cant find here.

Hinda Abdullahi hugs her daughter before going to a second part of a child care class at Family and Child Care Resources of Northeast Wisconsin in Green Bay.

That's why Kosar Hassan, who worked at a Somali-owned daycare when she lived in Minnesota, is taking the class and wants to become a regulated child care provider in Wisconsin.

If we open a daycare here, maybe theyll stay, she said. As long as the owner is Somali, theyll bring them.

Farhia Ahmed, another student in the class, is hoping not only to meet the needs of the Somali population in opening her own daycare, but also those of manufacturing workers.

She said that, when working as a manufacturing supervisor, employees frequently came to work late or not at all because daycares weren't open during their nontraditional shift times.

I would open a place that keeps their kids safe and opens early enough, Ahmed said.

Not all the women in the class are taking it in hopes of starting a business, though. Kadra Nimale, who also worked at a child care center in Minnesota, is taking the class so she can first volunteer at daycares in Wisconsin and eventually be hired by one.

I am a mom of eight, she said. Its my happiness.

Moving the class, and entire partnership, forward

FCRNEW and COMSA are evaluating the next steps they'll take after this weekend's final class session. If they offer the next classes the first cohort of Somali students needs to become regulated providers, the costs will continue to be funded through the Partnership, Tramte Brassfield said.

Said Hassan said the current cohort of Somali women has shown interest in continuing down the path of becoming regulated providers.

All of them were saying, When I finish this class, I want to continue with the other classes,'" he said.

The partners also are also learning how to address the long wait lists of Somali women not in the current class.

We knew there would be a demand, but we didnt know there would be this much demand, Ehren said. Its a good problem to have.

In the future, Inman said the Partnership hopes to expand to ensure other diverse populations in Brown County can find culturally appropriate care.

We want to work not only with organizations like COMSA but also other organizations like Casa ALBA Melanie to offer additional classes in other languages, she said.

Those interested in donating to the Partnership can email Inman at sarah@browncountyunitedway.org for more information. To learn about how to support Green Bays Somali population, email Ehren at natalie@comsausa.org.

Madison Lammert is a Report for America corps member who covers child care and early education in Wisconsin at The Post-Crescent. Contact her at mlammert@gannett.com or 920-993-7108. Follow on Twitter @MadisonLammert0.

You can directly support her work with a tax-deductible donation online at http://bit.ly/Appleton_RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Post Crescent Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Dr, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay plan aims for child cares appropriate for Somali children
Groundcover, a performance monitoring platform for cloud apps, today announced that it raised $20 million in a Series A round led by Zeev Ventures with participation from Angular Ventures, Heavybit and Jibe Ventures. The new capital brings the startup's total raised to $24.5 million, which CEO Shahar Azulay says will be used to "raise awareness" of the platform.

The market for app performance monitoring (APM) is expected to grow to $6.3 billion within the next few years, according to one analysis. The reason? In large part the transition to digital was prompted by the pandemic, which increased the pressure on dev teams to ensure that newly deployed software doesn't go sideways. According to a 2021 poll by New Relic -- an APM vendor itself -- 75% of companies expected to increase their observability spend in 2022, while 50% were in the process of implementing an observability practice.

The problem with most APM services is that they're hard to integrate at scale, according to Azulay. The result can be a longer mean time to recovery (MTTR), or the average time it takes a team to recover from a system failure. Logz.io, another APM vendor -- and thus not an unbiased source, admittedly -- reports that 64% of dev teams take over an hour to fix broken software.

"APM has become infeasible for many companies needing application monitoring today," Azulay told TechCrunch in an email interview. "Giant companies have been leading the APM sector, yet due to growing data volumes and intricate technology stacks, the cost has risen and these solutions have become hard to integrate and demanding to maintain ... We are on a mission to reinvent the cloud-native application monitoring domain with Groundcover."

Groundcover

Groundcover's monitoring dashboard. Image Credits: Groundcover

Azulay founded Groundcover in 2021 with Yechezkel Rabinovich. Azulay was a machine learning manager at Apple while Rabinovich was the chief architect at cybersecurity startup CyberMDX. The two served together in the Israeli prime ministers office for several years, where they faced challenges with APM issues.

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The Groundcover platform, which has been in development for over a year, uses a technology called eBPF (Extended Berkeley Packet Filter) to provide observability -- allowing it to trace events across networks, infrastructure, services and apps. eBPF was developed to let programs run inside isolated virtual machines, but it can also be leveraged to record observability data without requiring intensive installation. Groundcover rivals like Pixie, too, have applied it to this use case.

When code crashes, Groundcover attempts to expose the root cause, tapping into app logs, metrics and traces and spotlighting potentially problematic legacy code and third-party components. It does this without sacrificing privacy, Azulay claims -- Groundcover doesn't store user data outside a customer's compute environments and leaves data retention policies to customers themselves to decide.

"Not only are we able to offer a super robust free tier, but our product breaks the customary volume-based pricing model, allowing teams to scale away at a fraction of the cost they are used to from their APMs," Azulay added.

Despite competition from Datadog, Sentry, IBM-backed Instana, Cisco-owned Epsagon and the aforementioned New Relic among others, Groundcover says it's secured several paying customers (mum's the word on exactly how many), including insurance provider Lemonade. Azulay declined to reveal revenue figures when asked, but he said that Groundcover is on track to expand its headcount to 40 employees by the end of the year.

"Timing was on our side. Groundcover raised funds right on time and we have the stamina to grow and help customers in these uncertain times," Azulay said.
By Andy Sullivan and Makini Brice

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -New Hampshire Republicans chose far-right candidate Don Bolduc to take on Democratic U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan in November's election, Edison Research projected on Wednesday, potentially complicating Republican chances of winning a Senate majority.

Bolduc, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, has echoed Donald Trump's false claims about 2020 election fraud and questioned whether the FBI should be abolished following its August search of the Republican former president's Florida estate, where agents seized a cache of classified documents.

His more moderate rival, New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse, conceded defeat.

"It's been a long night & we've come up short," Morse said on Twitter, adding that he had called Bolduc to congratulate him.

Republican voters also selected Trump-aligned candidates to take on New Hampshire's two Democratic incumbent House of Representatives members, Edison projected.

"Nice! The 'Trumpiest' people ALL won in New Hampshire last night," Trump said on Truth Social, his social-media platform.

New Hampshire could play a key role in the Nov. 8 election that will determine control of Congress, as both Hassan and the state's two House Democrats are considered vulnerable by nonpartisan analysts.

Some election trackers said Tuesday's results would make it easier for the Democrats to hold on to their House seats.

Taking back either the Senate or the House would give Republicans the power to bring Democratic President Joe Biden's legislative agenda to a halt and launch potentially politically damaging probes.

But as in other states, some Republicans have worried that candidates who echo Trump's divisive style could hurt their chances.

The state's Republican governor, Chris Sununu, argued that Bolduc would not be as competitive in a general election as Morse. An outside Republican group also spent heavily on Morse's behalf in the closing days of the campaign.

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But it was not enough to defeat Bolduc, who analysts say will have a harder time appealing to the independent voters who make New Hampshire a closely contested state.

"The race will still be tight, but his right-wing stance may shift just enough independents who lean Republican to shift to the Democrats," said Linda Fowler, a professor of government at Dartmouth College.

Aside from New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware also held primaries on Tuesday on a night that concluded months of state nominating contests.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell has put his party's chances of winning control of that chamber at "50-50," noting concerns about "candidate quality" without singling out any specific candidates.

Bolduc starts the race at a clear financial disadvantage, having raised only $579,000 as of Aug. 24, compared with $31 million for Hassan. The Senate Leadership Fund, a national group affiliated with McConnell, has said it plans to spend $23 million on attack ads to help the Republican nominee.

Nonpartisan analysts say the race will be tight, but Hassan holds the advantage.

New Hampshire is one of seven key battlegrounds along with Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada that analysts believe will determine control of the 100-seat Senate. The Senate is currently divided 50-50, with Democrats holding a majority thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris' tie-breaking vote.

In the 435-seat House, Republicans need to pick up only four seats to win control, and both of New Hampshire's seats are likely to be up for grabs in November.

In a district that covers the eastern half of New Hampshire, Republican voters selected Karoline Leavitt, a former Trump White House press office official who has parroted his false 2020 claims, to take on incumbent Democratic Representative Chris Pappas.

Sabato's Crystal Ball, a nonpartisan election tracker, said that race now moves from a toss-up to a slight Democratic advantage.

Another nonpartisan firm, the Cook Political Report, likewise moved the other House race to "Lean Democrat" after former Hillsborough County official Robert Burns defeated a more centrist candidate, Keene Mayor George Hansel, in the contest to face Democratic Representative Ann McLane Kuster.

In Rhode Island, state Treasurer Seth Magaziner won the Democratic primary for an open House seat, while centrist Republican Allan Fung ran unopposed in his primary.

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Additional reporting by Makini Brice and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman, Mark Porter, Will Dunham and Jonathan Oatis)
New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse conceded the Republican U.S. Senate primary to retired Army Gen. Don Bolduc, who is poised to face off against Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in November's midterm election.

The Associated Press has not yet called the race, but as of 3:31 a.m. ET, Bolduc led with 37% of the vote over Morse's 36%, with 85% of the vote counted.

Bolduc led a crowded field of candidates and now appears to be advancing to a key general election matchup in a crucial battleground state that is one of a handful across the country likely to determine if the GOP wins back the chamber's majority.

Republicans have heavily targeted Hassan, who they view as very vulnerable due to her lackluster poll numbers.

"Its been a long night & weve come up short," Morse wrote on social media. "I want to thank my supporters for all the blood, sweat & tears they poured into this team effort. I just called and wished all the best to @GenDonBolduc. The focus this fall needs to be on defeating Maggie Hassan."

LIVE UPDATES: NEW HAMPSHIRE, RHODE ISLAND PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS AND NEWS FOR 2022 MIDTERMS

"You sent the biggest signal to the establishment tonight. They are going to work for you," Bolduc, who ran as a MAGA style outsider and populist candidate, said late on Tuesday night, after declaring victory in New Hampshires GOP Senate primary.

New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware all held nominating contests on Tuesday, as the 2022 primary season came to a close with just eight weeks to go until the Midterms, when the Democrats hope to hold onto their razor-thin majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Additionally, New Hampshire was host to the final in a series of high-profile and competitive Republican Senate primaries, which throughout the past six months have often pitted conservative candidates supported by mainstream Republicans against far-right contenders often aligned with former President Trump and his legions of MAGA loyalists.

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Bolduc, who served 10 tours of duty in the war in Afghanistan, is running as a populist and outsider as he made his second straight run for the GOP Senate nomination in New Hampshire. His 2020 bid was unsuccessful, in part because Trump endorsed Bolduc's rival. After keeping Trump at arm's length in his first Senate campaign, Bolduc has embraced the former president's unproven claims that the 2020 election was "rigged." Bolduc was part of a group of retired generals who signed a letter questioning the legitimacy of the election due to what they charged was "a tremendous amount of fraud."

The former president remained uncharacteristically neutral in New Hampshires Senate primary.

MAGA FACEOFF IN HIGH-PROFILE GOP PRIMARY DIVIDES REPUBLICANS

While Bolduc gave New Hampshire conservatives plenty of red meat, there were concerns from some Republicans in the state and nationally that a primary victory by the retired general, who has severely struggled with fundraising, will allow Hassan to win re-election.

Two weeks ago, a newly formed super PAC named the White Mountain PAC, which has loose links to longtime Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's political orbit, dished out roughly $4 million to run TV commercials in New Hampshire blasting Bolduc for his "crazy ideas."

"I have taken the arrows from my fellow Republican candidates, and Im standing strong," Bolduc told supporters at a town hall on Saturday in Laconia, where he was born and raised. "When God made Bolducs, he made oak trees, not willow trees. We dont bend with the wind. We stand firm."

"The reason they're afraid of me is they can't control me. I scare them," Bolduc said when asked by Fox News about the big bucks outside GOP groups were spending to target him.

2022 PRIMARY SEASON CONCLUDES WITH FIERY GOP SHOWDOWNS IN BATTLEGROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE

Bolduc has also tangled verbally with GOP Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, who remains very popular with Granite State Republicans.

Bolduc claimed last year that Sununu was a "communist Chinese sympathizer" and that the Sununu familys business "supports terrorism." While Bolduc has walked back those attacks on the popular governor, he continues to criticize Sununus policies during the coronavirus pandemic as "executive overreach."

A few weeks ago, Sununu said on a popular statewide talk-radio program that Bolducs "not a serious candidate, hes really not, and if he were the GOP nominee, I have no doubt we would have a much harder time Hes kind of a conspiracy theorist-type candidate."

However, Sununu has tempered his criticism of Bolduc over the past week.

McConnell and other Senate GOP leaders spent a year trying to recruit Sununu to take on Hassan, but the governor announced last November that he would instead run for re-election. On Thursday, he endorsed Morse, who public opinion polls indicated was in second place behind Bolduc.

National Democrats once again meddled in a high-profile Republican primary, as Morse was targeted on TV by a massive seven-figure ad buy from the Senate Majority PAC, the top super PAC supporting Senate Democrats which is aligned with Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer.

THESE 11 SENATE RACES WILL DECIDE THE CHAMBER'S MAJORITY

The GOP Senate primary field also included cryptocurrency entrepreneur Bruce Fenton; businessman, economist and author Vikram Mansharamani; and former Londonderry, New Hampshire, town manager Kevin Smith, a former state representative who also served as board chair of the Pease Development Authority.

Hassan, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, took aim at the eventual GOP nominee after she voted on Tuesday morning.

"While I have a record of bipartisan results for the Granite State, my opponents are way out of touch with Granite States and way too extreme for Granite Staters," the senator charged as she took questions from reporters.
The Hill

Story at a glance Autoimmune diseases are when the bodys cells attack other healthy cells in the body. One strategy for treating these diseases is to modify immune cells. A team of researchers tested this on a handful of lupus patients with promising results. A new autoimmune therapy harnesses a persons own cells to find and
The fast food restaurant chain Hardees took to social media to capitalise on its newfound notoriety after My Pillow CEO and ardent Donald Trump supporter Mike Lindell claimed that the FBI seized his cell phone at a Hardees in southern Minnesota on Tuesday.

Now that you know we exist... you should really try our pillowy biscuits, Hardees tweeted early on Wednesday morning.

Now that you know we exist... you should really try our pillowy biscuits.  Hardees (@Hardees) September 14, 2022

Contacted by Insider for a reaction to the tweet, Mr Lindell replied to the chains missive with: Funny! He later confirmed to the publication that FBI officials cornered him at a Hardees in his hometown of Mankato, Minnesota and questioned him before taking his cell phone.

Cars pulled up in front of us, to the side of us, and behind us and I said those are either bad guys or the FBI, Mr Lindell said Tuesday night on the Lindell Report. Well, it turns out they were the FBI.

Mr Lindell said he was at the restaurant on his way back from a hunting trip in Iowa and ordered a mushroom swiss cheeseburger and a chocolate shake.

He also said in a video posted to social media on Tuesday that he was told not to reveal that the search had happened but was choosing to disregard that directive. In a statement to The Daily Beast, an FBI spokesperson confirmed that the FBI was at that location executing a search warrant authorized by a federal judge.

The temporary loss of the cell phone seems to be especially grievous to Mr Lindell, who said that he does not own a computer.

I go, No. My whole company  I run five companies off that. I dont have a computer, Lindell told Insider. My hearing aids run off this! Everything runs off my phone!

Per a copy of the subpoena shared by Mr Lindell, the FBI is investigating him for any possible involvement in tampering with voting machines used in the 2020 presidential election. Mr Lindell has for the better part of two years been launching efforts to overturn the result of the election, which he baselessly believes was marred by voter fraud and illegitimately stolen from Mr Trump.

Despite his best efforts, Mr Lindell has not made any significant headway in proving his claims of fraud. He is now, however, another visible member of Mr Trumps political circle to be implicated in a major federal investigation. Mr Trump was none too happy about the news, claiming on Truth Social that the raid showed that The majesty of the United States is gone.

For Hardees, a chain with locations in 31 states primarily concentrated in the midwest and southern states, the location of the FBI raid  and Mr Lindells volubility about it  represents a significant amount of attention and free media. Hardees has two locations in Mankato, both of which are open today.
Its been one week since a man livestreamed himself driving around Memphis shooting at random people.

Police say he killed three people and injured three more.

The city of Memphis is now working to heal after the recent violence that has terrorized our city.

Members of the Shelby County Office of Re-entry and community stakeholders gathered Wednesday for a community prayer and a discussion on correctional rehabilitation.

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Its up to us to make a person that has no desire to be different to want to be different, executive director of the Shelby County Office of Re-entry Deandre Brown said.

A keynote speaker at Wednesdays community prayer was Adrian Delk, an ex-offender convicted for aggravated assault and solicitation of murder in 2013.

He was released in 2019, and has been a part of the re-entry program ever since.

Once upon a time, I was something you guys would fear. I was out in the streets and gangs and doing everything with no repercussions. I had nothing to live for, Delk said. I want to speak and just let you guys know that there are guys that do go to incarcerations and come back rehabilitated.

As Memphis works to heal from recent tragedies, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said he has faith the community will come back stronger than before.

We are a resilient community, and we are a community that can bounce back from the severest of circumstances, Harris said.

A week ago, on Sept. 7, a man went on a deadly shooting rampage, leaving multiple crime scenes in and around Memphis.

You could see the heartbreak from across the room from my counterparts in law enforcement, how devastated we were that we couldnt stop this incident before it got any further, Bonner said.

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Sheriff Bonner said every law enforcement agency in the area was in contact with each other that night, working to track down and stop the suspect before he caused more damage.

Ive been in meetings all this week with our law enforcement partners talking about officer wellness, things we did good, and some that we could have done better, he said.

Sheriff Bonner said they are in desperate need of more officers.

Thats why Memphis city council voted to ask the state for at least 50 more state troopers to help patrol state roads in Memphis, so local officers can focus on crime.

I was encouraged yesterday as I was driving around the city. I did see state troopers writing tickets on 240 making stops, so hopefully this will continue, Bonner said.

As Memphis begins to heal from the recent tragedies, Sheriff Bonner said everyone can play a part when it comes to cutting down on crime.

As we move forward, I hope to see more community engagement, more prayer meetings, its going to take all of us to get over the hurdle, he said.

City council plans to ask the state to have the additional troopers for at least six months.

They are also calling for the state to put into place a digital messaging system, similar to an Amber Alert to warn citizens of emergencies like the shooting spree.
The Hebron Harvest Fair took place this year from Sept. 8 though Sept. 11.

An annual event since 1971, The Hebron Harvest Fair has grown to become one of the largest agricultural fairs in Connecticut with unique attractions, fan favorite food, and four days of fun, reads the events website.

The fair is produced by the Hebron Lions Agricultural Society, a 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization. Net proceeds from the Hebron Harvest Fair are used to fund grants that support local and national charitable causes through the Hebron Lions Charities, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
With the world at our fingertips via smartphones one would think, why carry a booklet to get around a new city? But actually, pocket guides go much more in-depth. Providing more color to the sites were seeing compared to just finding monumental locations to take instagram photos. Most likely, a majority of those instagrammable spots have a story behind them which is how they even became popular in the first place. Pocket guides can add more meaning to your travels and give more education to the culture youre experiencing. Here are five of the best pocket guides for travel on the market.

Berlitz Pocket Guides

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Robert Campbell (@original_grasshopper)

The Berlitz brand has a pocket guide for every major city and region in the world. Loaded with sites to see, places to eat, and even daily itineraries to keep your day full of activities.

Wildsam Travel Guides

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For domestic travels, Widsam tells stories of the cities and sights across the United States. With the contributions of local experts, travel writers, and critically acclaimed chefs, from their respective cities. Their guides provide a clever balance of storytelling and facts with an artistic element in their design. After using one of their books, youre going to want to travel to more cities just so you can collect all their books.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guides

View this post on Instagram A post shared by L e a (@monkey_lea)

The award winning series by DK Publishing provides beautiful illustrations, along with maps, and a calendar of events for every city. These books can be found at almost any major book outlet online or in stores.

Rough Guides

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manu-el (@manuelderuta)

Along with the top sites of each city and the lists of places to eat, Rough Guides provide much more cultural insight to the destination youre going to. They also specialize in giving advice on how to get around town and what customs and traditions to know about for each city.

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Marco Polo Pocket Guides

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marco Polo Guides (@marcopologuides)

With over 200 destinations in their catalog, Marco Polo pocket guides provide colorful maps with all the major food and tourist sites. They also have insider tips that recommend how to go on trips within each city or which services to use for one day excursions. Marco Polo pocket guides can also integrate into your phones, for those who really just dont want to carry a book around at all.
Sep. 14MEXICO  Alexa von Holtz broke through another barrier for the Mexico High School girls swimming team before starting her senior season.

The Section 3 standout recently verbally committed to swim for Division I Ball State University next year, making her intentions known early this summer well in advance of her sixth and final varsity season.

Entering with a slew of records and milestone achievements already accrued, von Holtz will guide the new combined Mexico/Oswego girls swim team into its season opener on Sept. 13 at Skaneateles.

She is believed to be the first girls swimmer from Mexico to secure a Division I athletic scholarship, according to athletic director Andrew Gates, though the program has produced past walk-ons and multiple Division II scholarship athletes.

Alexa von Holtz and her father, Dave, spent months researching offers from a variety of college teams at different levels before she ultimately decided to join the Cardinals of the Mid-American Conference.

"It was definitely a stressful time, and I just hope that I can make it easier on the girls coming up knowing what I know now," Alexa von Holtz said.

The von Holtz family created a spreadsheet as recruiting offers started coming in, accounting for each school's conference, proximity to home, acceptance rate, and graduation rate, among other key factors.

After narrowing down to a final three choices, they further dissected each program and sifted through record boards to find the ideal situation to be challenged while having a chance to contribute to team scoring.

"It was definitely tense at times, just trying to figure out what is the best choice from all the offers that were out there," said Dave von Holtz, who is also entering his first season as Mexico head coach after six years as an assistant.

"I think ultimately between the financial incentive and the conference, and the program overall, Ball State just stood out. As a father, it was the farthest one from home, so that was the only hard part."

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Alexa von Holtz plans to study pre-med and the academic program she will enter played a prominent role in her decision.

She pointed to the appeal of the campus community in Muncie, Ind. Von Holtz also quickly identified a strong fit with Ball State head coach Jeremy 'J.' Agnew, comparing him to former Mexico coach, Shawn Parkhurst, who stepped down at the end of last season.

"They have a beautiful campus, and the coach is awesome," von Holtz said. "He reminds me a lot of (Parkhurst). One of the things he told me was that no matter what, he's always going to be rooting for me, and that was kind of like that: 'A ha. This is the coach for me.'"

Alexa von Holtz has an aunt living less than an hour from her soon-to-be new home and will coincidentally be joined by a former Section 3 competitor, Kayla Newman.

The fellow verbal commit from the same recruiting cycle began her varsity swim career at Syracuse Christian Brothers Academy before moving out of the area. Newman now competes for Highland Park High School in Illinois.

"We swam opposite events, but we'd always talk on the deck, and she is such a great person to be around," von Holtz said. "I'm excited to finally be on a team with her."

The Mexico senior enters the upcoming season with five Section 3 Class B records in her possession, per the marks listed at section3swim.com.

She tops the all-time lists for for the 100 butterfly (55.4 seconds), 200 freestyle (1:52.63), 200 individual medley (2:04.20), 100 free (52.12), and 100 backstroke (58.37). Her record in the 100 fly stands atop Section 3 for all combined classes.

Alexa von Holtz became the first girls swimmer in school history to advance to the state championships during her inaugural varsity season as a seventh grader, and she has reached every state meet conducted since.

As a junior last season, von Holtz finished third in the 200 IM and sixth in the 100 fly to reach two podiums at the state Class B meet.

She identified returning as a state place finisher and garnering All-American status after narrowly missing the cut last year as individual objectives for the upcoming season.

She is also aiming to contribute to another team relay at states after the Tigers sent at least one relay squad to back-to-back state meets in 2019 and 2021.

"I'd love to be an All-American," von Holtz said. "Last year I made the consideration cut, but I was a little off from making All-American. I definitely want to make that list this year and I think I'll have a chance in multiple events to hit it."
A map of the San Francisco Bay Area shows the location of Vallejo High School north of Oakland

A staff member at Vallejo High School in the San Francisco Bay Area was shot while breaking up an on-campus fight Tuesday, police said.

Around 3:45 p.m., a fight broke out among several students and "some unknown males," Vallejo police said in a release. The staff member broke up the fight, but some of the people involved shot back toward the scene as they fled into a vehicle. Three males fled, the Vallejo City Unified School District said in a letter to the campus community.

The staff member was struck by at least one bullet and was taken to a hospital with an injury that was not life-threatening.

This is a senseless act of violence committed by some individuals who do not value human life, Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said in the release. Enough is enough. Its a sad day anyone is shot in front of our children at school where they should feel safe.

Three classes were in session at the time of the shooting, and the campus was hosting a college fair as well as about 200 student-athletes, police said.

Vallejo High was put on lockdown after the shooting, and students and staff members were released after the scene was determined safe.

Classes are scheduled to resume as scheduled Wednesday with an increased police presence.

The school district said it would make mental health providers available for students who need additional support.

A video circulating on social media appeared to show the incident, with people screaming and the camera operator running for cover as gunshots are heard.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
District Attorney Jody Owens

Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens said reports of him pointing a gun at a man inside a woman's apartment due to a supposed "love triangle" are not true.

Owens is accused in a Sept. 3 Mississippi State Capitol Police incident report of pointing a handgun at Joshua Towns of Hattiesburg who told police he was visiting his "lady friend" in her apartment on Pearl Street when Owens entered the apartment and pointed a gun at him. The incident occurred at 11:30 p.m.

The incident report was acquired by multiple media outlets.

The woman is an employee in Owens' office.

When officers arrived, Towns told them that his belongings were still in the apartment and he could not get them out because Owens was still inside. Officers escorted him upstairs to get his belongings out of the apartment, according to the police report.

Most of the initial report has been redacted by officials at the Department of Public Safetys legal department, who said the information was exempt under the states Public Records Act.

Owens has denied all allegations.

"There's no factual basis to that. I have never pulled a gun on anyone," Owens told 16 WAPT News.

In addition, the Hinds County District Attorney's office has released a statement via Twitter calling the reports false and stating that Owens has not been charged with any criminal offense.

The statement added that a member of the district attorney's office was a victim of domestic violence in this incident. The statement did not name the employee.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jody Owens, Hinds County District Attorney, denied all gun allegations
Warning  Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon episode four

Viewers were shocked with an incestuous scene in the fourth episode of HBOs blockbuster Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) and her uncle, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), are seen being intimate with one another in a brothel.

While the pair did not go all the way, the incestuous scene was enough to make some viewers uncomfortable, even though sex within the same family is something Game of Thrones never shied away from.

How similar is House of the Dragons incest scene to the source material?

The two shows are famously based on material from the fantasy author George RR Martin, but, are HBO directors taking creative liberties in order to get a reaction from their audience?

The short answer is: no. Martin never shied away from scenes that would shock readers in his material, drawing inspiration from the brutality of the Middle Ages.

In fact, his version contains even more grim details.

Milly Alcock and Matt Smith in House of the Dragon (Ollie Upton / HBO)

House of the Dragon is based on his 2018 book Fire and Blood, which tells the history of the Targaryen line.

The second half of the book is divided into the accounts of three chroniclers: Septon Eustace, Grand Maester Munkun, and Mushroom the fool.

Eustace recounts that Daemon seduced Rhaenyra and claimed her maidenhood, the discovery of which prompted Viserys to confine the princess to her chambers and banish her uncle from Kings Landing.

However, it is from Mushrooms more salacious account that House of the Dragon took its inspiration from for episode fours unsettling scene.

According to Mushrooms account, Rhaenyra yearned for her knight, Ser Criston Cole, however, being noble, Cole was true to his vows and never made any vows nor reciprocated the princesss affection.

It was through this unrequited love that Daemon convinced Rhaenyra to allow him to teach her how to make him see you as a woman.

Milly Alcock and Fabien Frankel in House of the Dragon (Ollie Upton/HBO)

Daemon taught the girl to disrobe enticingly, Martin wrote, suckled at her teats to make them larger and more sensitive, and flew with her on dragonback to lonely rocks in Blackwater Bay, where they could disport naked all day unobserved, and the princess could practice the art of pleasuring a man with her mouth.

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This differs from the TV adaptation, which shows the sexual tension between Daemon and his niece rising slowly over the episodes, while there is less indication that the princess might be interested in Cole romantically.

Martin writes: At night [Daemon] would smuggle [Rhaenyra] from her rooms dressed as a page boy and take her secretly to brothels on the Street of Silk, where the princess could observe men and women in the act of love and learn more of these womanly arts from the harlots of Kings Landing. It is from this account that the events in House of the Dragon are mirrored exactly, and it is in the brothel where the incestuous scene takes place.

Furthermore, when Rhaenyras father King Viserys (played by Paddy Considine) is told about the encounter, he confronts Daemon who tells him: Give the girl to me to wife. Who else would take her now? This line is lifted almost exactly for the script used in the scene between actors Smith and Considine.

Many of Daenerys ancestors aside from Daemon and Rhaenyra practised incest and polygamy  you can read all about the Targaryen family tree here.

House of the Dragon airs weekly on Sundays in the US, with the UK premiere arriving 2am the following morning on Sky. The episodes are then repeated at 9pm on Mondays, and will be available to stream on Sky and NOW after their initial airing.
A vial of the Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) booster vaccine. (PHOTO: Reuters)

SINGAPORE  The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Wednesday (14 September) gave interim approval for the use of a Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine that targets the original novel coronavirus strain and an earlier Omicron variant.

The Moderna Spikevax bivalent vaccine comprises two components of 25 micrograms each that target the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and the Omicron BA.1 variant, HSA said in a media release. It is an updated version of the Modern vaccine based only on the former strain approved for use under the national vaccination programme.

The bivalent vaccine can be used in individuals aged 18 years and above, who have received their primary series vaccination shots.

The Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination and the Ministry of Health will issue their recommendations for the bivalent vaccine in due course.

HSA said it has examined the data from Modernas various studies and trials for the vaccine, and assessed that the benefits outweighed the risks for use of the bivalent vaccine as a booster to protect against COVID-19 as the virus continues to evolve.

Based on an ongoing Phase 2/3 trial conducted by Moderna, the bivalent vaccine has shown a strong immune response against the Omicron BA.1 variant, while preserving the immune response against the original COVID-19 strain.

The preliminary data from an exploratory analysis also suggested that the vaccine may stimulate antibodies against Omicron BA.4/5, as well as other variants such as Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma, HSA said.

The adverse effects from a person receiving a bivalent vaccine shot are similar to that arising from the original Moderna vaccine, such as tenderness, fatigue, headache and muscle pain, and they usually diminish within a few days.

In a separate statement, Moderna said it is working with HSA and the government to make the vaccine available in Singapore later this month. The American pharmaceutical company said that its bivalent vaccines have been authorised for use in the US, Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the UK to date.

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Other COVID-19 vaccines in Singapore

The original Moderna vaccine is one of two based on the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology that have been approved for use under the vaccination programme  the other is produced by Pfizer-BioNTech.

Novavaxs Nuvaxovid is one of two non-mRNA shots approved for use under the programme, alongside the CoronaVac developed by Sinovac.

As of Monday, 93 per cent of Singapores population have received their shots from the primary vaccination series while 80 per cent have received their booster shots.

As of Tuesday, there have been a total of 1.86 million COVID-19 cases and 1,602 deaths from the disease.

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By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan is looking at Ukraine's ways of communicating its message to the outside world at a time of conflict, by making use of tools such as satellites and deploying humour, the digital minister said on Wednesday.

China's war games and blockade drills around Taiwan last month, following a visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have heightened concerns on the island about the prospect of an attack by its giant neighbour.

"We look at the experience of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. We found that the whole world can know what is happening there in real time," Audrey Tang, head of Taiwan's new digital affairs ministry, told Reuters.

Ukraine had effectively conveyed its message to the world, said Tang, adding that keeping up high-quality communication in real time was critical to its effort.

"It's not only for our own people, but also for the people who care about us all over the world, so that we can enlist the assistance of international friends."

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Beijing's control. Taiwan's government strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims.

Among Tang's plans to preserve communications if China attacks are a satellite trial programme worth T$550 million ($18 million) over the next two years to ensure internet services across Taiwan.

The goal, she said, was to maintain social stability and keep Taiwan's command systems running by "instantly" switching to alternative forms of communication, such as satellite in middle and lower orbit.

Several Taiwan companies are in talks with international satellite service providers, seeking partnerships after such service is legalised in Taiwan, she added, but gave no details.

Ukraine has been using Elon Musk's Starlink satellite broadband service, for example.

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Tang helped craft Taiwan's public messaging for the COVID-19 pandemic, using memes and humour to fight disinformation, much of which the government accused China of spreading, although Beijing denied it.

"We say very publicly that our playbook is 'humour over rumour,'" she said.

"As we have seen with the Ukrainian example there are also people who use ideas of even comedy, but certainly Internet memes, to spread a message that rallies the people."

A prolific Twitter user with more than 250,000 followers, Tang said she was not bothered by online attacks, which can include accusations that she is a separatist.

Chinese state media make heavy use of Twitter and other Western social media platforms, even though they are banned in China.

Asked about China using social media in its messaging campaign against Taiwan in case of a war, Tang said that was already happening.

"From my point of view it's my daily life. Already, the kind of propaganda as you call it, the kind of narratives going on on Twitter, that's already what we face daily."

($1=31.1130 Taiwan dollars)

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine  The Community Gourmet has been making big strides since it began earlier this year  and now has picked up a prestigious award along the way.

The nonprofit organization, operated by Traci Anello, of Kennebunk, and Debbie Hall, of Arundel, received the Daily Points of Light Award on Tuesday, Sept. 13, in recognition of their ongoing efforts to help the hungry in York County and beyond.

Instituted and inspired by the late President George H. W. Bush, Points of Light is a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world.

We envision a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies, the organization stated in a news release.

Traci Anello, left, and Debbie Hall, of The Community Gourmet, are seen here on Friday, Sept. 2, with the cookies they recently made to help them raise funds for the meal kits they assemble to help the hungry. Their organization is a recipient of the Daily Points of Light Award, a recognition started by President George H. W. Bush.

According to Points of Light, Bush was the first president in American history to institute a daily presidential recognition program from the White House. He conferred 1,020 Daily Points of Light Awards on citizens and organizations, and Points of Light has continued that mission, with more than 7,000 honorees to date.

Previous story: The Community Gourmet is feeding the hungry, one meal kit at a time

The Daily Points of Light Award recognizes those who saw something they wanted to improve in the world, then, through their time, talent and efforts, began making those improvements, said Diane Quest, the chief external affairs officer at Points of Light.

Anello and Hall fit that bill.

Were pleased to honor Traci Anello and Debbie Hall for their amazing work, the organization said.

During a recent interview at her home, Hall said she was blown away when she learned she and Anello would be receiving the award. Someone had nominated them for the distinction, and then they needed to submit materials to Points of Light for its further consideration.

Did you know John Barclay?: Colorado woman wants to solve family mystery

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Anello said the news was hard to believe at first  the idea that she and Hall, who are new at what theyre doing, would be recognized with an award established by a president and presented to them by Neil Bush, one of his sons.

What an honor, she said. Were really honored by this.

Not bad for a local nonprofit thats not even a year old. Anello and Hall established Community Gourmet in January. Recently, they got their food license from the state and officially became a 501c3 organization.

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The mission of Community Gourmet

The Community Gourmet supplies as many meal kits as it can to those in need but pays particular attention to helping those who may not be eligible or are unable to be assisted by other agencies and organizations. Anello and Hall work with neighboring agencies to help these individuals.

What Anello and Hall do goes beyond the usual assembly of meal boxes. They put together whole kits, complete with nutritious food, yes, but also recipes, cooking supplies, and a personal card from them to those they help.

Since January 2022, The Community Gourmet has connected with more than 1,000 people experiencing food insecurity.

And the duo, who are friends and colleagues in the medical field, raise funds for kits in a tasty way. They bake cookies  heart-shaped, sugar-sprinkled, fruit-filled shortbread ones are their specialty  and sell them in batches during special occasions, such as Mothers Day and Fathers Day, and at events throughout the region.

Weve definitely made over 3,000 cookies since we started, Anello said.

The Community Gourmet will host its first-ever tea party fundraiser at The Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport on Sunday, Oct. 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. Anyone who is interested in attending can learn more online at Eventbrite.com.

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'Cool growing pains' at Community Gourmet

In the meantime, there is the organizations search for a larger space  about 500 square feet, to be exact. Currently, Anello and Hall are operating out of their homes. They have volunteers who are ready to go and pantries that are ready for us, they said, but first more space is needed.

We have some cool growing pains going on, Anello said.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer for the organization or wants to alert Anello and Hall to available space, can reach them at the communitygourmet@gmail.com or at (207) 216-7717.

The Community Gourmet has assembled and distributed more than 325 boxes.

To date, The Community Gourmet has assembled and distributed more than 325 boxes, according to Anello and Hall. And while they primarily are focusing on York County, they definitely want to help as many people beyond as they can.

That would be fabulous, Hall said.

These days, Anello and Hall are packing their kits with Ramen noodles and fried rice, with soy sauce and other seasonings to boot.

You can do anything with it, Hall said.

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A love and a desire to give back

Hall said she is inspired in her work with The Community Gourmet by a desire to give back to communities. Anello said she is inspired by love, which Hall agreed has been the organizations driving purpose since the beginning.

There are so many things that a kit from The Community Gourmet can do, according to Anello.

It can teach, she said. It can nourish. It can support. It can hug you, in a way, because we do put our little cards in there.

And it can be there for people who get turned away for help from other organizations and agencies, Anello added.

Its OK, she said. Weve got you. Were going to help you.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kennebunk-based Community Gourmet receives 'Points of Light' Award
Busan, South Korea --News Direct-- Huobi Global

Huobi Global and Huobi Korea announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Busan Metropolitan City government. Under the agreement, Huobi Global and Huobi Korea will work closely with the city to develop its blockchain industry, supporting its vision to become a global digital assets hub. The partnership covers the provision of R&D, technology and financial support for the Busan Digital Currency Exchange, as well as the recruitment of global blockchain talent for the Busan local exchange.

Huobi has been operating in South Korea through a local office since 2019, where it is regulated under a license issued by the Korean Financial Services Commission last year. This makes Huobi the first digital asset exchange with a physical presence in Korea to cooperate with the Busan Metropolitan City government in blockchain development.

Huobis operational experience in Korea and its understanding of the local market, coupled with its strong track record of delivering premium services to users in the region, will give it a distinct advantage in helping Busan build a sound blockchain ecosystem. It has cultivated strong relationships with major local groups in the development of its own blockchain business, with close ties to the Korean blockchain industry. Huobi Korea has also explored innovative business ventures with other companies in Korea, under an approach that emphasizes mutual benefits.

As a pioneer and industry leader in the application of blockchain technology, Huobi has had a longstanding commitment to building blockchain infrastructure since its inception. It has invested in several prominent blockchain projects, and is willing to actively partner with high-potential project teams to address key challenges in the digital economy. As a one-stop platform which offers blockchain applications and services targeted at various industries, Huobi focuses on driving the development of the blockchain industry, leveraging the combined expertise of the Huobi Research Institute and Huobi Academy to deliver professional services for the entire life cycle of the blockchain industry.

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Huobi Korea CEO Junyong Choi said, "Were excited to be working with the city of Busan to transform it into a global digital assets hub. We believe that Busan has strong attributes for fostering innovation and growth, and share their belief that blockchain technologies can transform and benefit traditional industries. We look forward to leveraging our expertise and experience to grow blockchain adoption in the city and across the region."

Heong-Joon Park, Mayor of Busan, said, The City of Busan is pleased to partner with Huobi to foster the growth of our blockchain ecosystem. As a blockchain regulation-free zone, Busan offers a conducive environment to develop the latest digital financial technologies, which has attracted many blockchain companies from across the world. I hope Huobi will spread the word on Busans strong environment and support for digital finance, so that we can draw more blockchain talent to our city.

To reinforce its commitment, Huobi will also be the main sponsor for Busan Blockchain Week 2022, which will begin on October 27. Huobi invites potential partners to connect with it at its booth. Interested co-investors can also contact IR-kr@hb.co.kr, and project parties interested in listing their tokens can contact listing-kr@hb.co.kr for more information.

About Huobi Korea

Established in 2018, Huobi Korea is part of Huobi Group, one of the world's leading blockchain companies. Huobi Korea is dedicated to providing reliable and secure services as an exchange, with plans to develop a more comprehensive blockchain ecosystem, including a blockchain research institute, portal businesses and financial services. For more info, visit www.hb.co.kr

About Huobi Global

Founded in 2013, Huobi Global is one of the world's leading cryptocurrency exchanges, with tens of millions of users across five continents and 160 different countries and regions. We are dedicated to empowering financial freedom and creating new global wealth, having led the cryptocurrency industry in spot, derivatives, and Bitcoin transactions for many years. Our infrastructure, operations and offerings are built on processes and standards that prioritize user safety and industry compliance, backed by strong global customer support underpinned by local expertise. It offers a unique trading environment that is truly customer-first, safe and sustainable for all users, enabling their long-term success. For more information, visit www.huobi.com

Contact Details

Huobi PR team

+1 401-244-8310

intlpr@huobi.com

Company Website

https://www.huobi.com/

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/huobi-signs-agreement-with-city-of-busan-to-nurture-blockchain-industry-growth-929474207
Hurst police said on Wednesday that they are investigating sexual assault allegations in a case that has gained attention on social media and led to concerned inquiries from the community.

Police have not released details of the case, but in a TikTok video thats been shared thousands of times, a local man said he is acquainted with two women who have been repeatedly raped by a family member in the North Texas city. One of the women has disabilities and is autistic, according to the video made by Duncan Gill of Hurst, who goes by polemidies on TikTok. Gill questioned the police handling of the investigation and why no charges have been filed.

No one has been arrested in the case as of Wednesday, according to police.

Hurst police Capt. Nate Duermeyer said in a Wednesday news release that the department would not discuss the details to protect the integrity of the case and all parties involved.

We understand the publics concern about this situation, and our department takes all sexual assault reports seriously, Duermeyer said, adding that the department is actively investigating the case. We appreciate the publics understanding that all facts have not been made public.

Gill said in the TikTok video that the women told him there was physical evidence and that they had screenshots of messages in which their assailant apologized for raping them.

The video has received more than 22,000 likes on TikTok.

A GoFundMe account has been established for one of the women to raise money for an attorney.

My police department and detective refuse to even hand over my case to an SVU DA who wants to handle it, the woman said, according to the GoFundMe page. I am just trying to get myself a lawyer and get justice not just for me but for everyone that the police department has silenced, all the rape victims they have turned away, and all the victims of any crime they dropped the ball on.
Actor-rapper Ice-T, left, and the late rapper PnB Rock, both photographed in 2018. (Jo Hale / Redferns via Getty Images; Owen Sweeney / Invision / Associated Press)

Ice-T has a word of advice for any rappers visiting L.A.: This city is no place to show off your bling.

His comment came in the wake of the robbery this week in South Los Angeles that left Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock dead Monday afternoon.

"People are still hitting me up about my comments about LA Gang culture," the actor-rapper tweeted Wednesday morning. "If you NOTICE, LA rappers don't wear a lotta Jewelry... Me, Snoop, Cube, Dre, Game, Kendrick.. The list goes on.. It's not cause we're broke. LA is just a Dangerous place, rapper or not. Why test the streets."

The gunman who killed 30-year-old PnB Rock at a Roscoes House of Chicken & Waffles restaurant demanded jewelry and other valuables before getting into a struggle with the rapper and opening fire, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday.

The brazen robbery happened soon after the performer's girlfriend location-tagged him in an Instagram post  since deleted  as being at the restaurant. Police are investigating whether that is what sparked the attack.

Rock, born Rakim Allen, was "enjoying a simple meal" when he "was brutally attacked," Moore said. Police have put pawn shops on alert about the performer's stolen jewelry and other items, which may help in solving the crime.

Rock's attorney Dawn Florio told The Times on Monday that she had advised her client when she started working with him to be careful about what he posted on social media. You cannot tell people where youre going to be, she said.

"LA.. Home of the Bodybag Somebody said that 30 yrs ago.," Ice-T wrote Wednesday in a follow-up tweet, referencing his 1991 track "Home of the Bodybag."

Instagram has been at the center of several high-profile crimes in recent years. New York City rapper Pop Smoke  real name Bashar Barakah Jackson  was killed in the Hollywood Hills in February 2020 during an armed robbery. Jackson had accidentally revealed the address he was staying at in an Instagram post flaunting a bag from a luxury clothier.

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The robbery suspects, four of whom were charged with murder in July 2020, got away with a watch they sold for $2,000.

Similarly, Kim Kardashian was the victim of an armed robbery in her Paris hotel room in 2016 after repeatedly posting her locations and showing off her jewelry and other expensive accessories on social media.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed a disaster proclamation to secure resources for the asylum-seekers bused to Illinois from Texas and has deployed 75 National Guard members to assist with the logistics of receiving the migrants, he announced Wednesday.

Speaking at a news conference, Pritzker again criticized his Texas counterpart, Gov. Greg Abbott, for failing to coordinate or communicate with Illinois and Chicago officials and derided his actions as a stunt.

Im not going to mince words here: The governor of Texas is forcing on New York and (Washington) D.C. and Chicago and potentially other places a needlessly last minute and complex process that is a heartless display of politics over people, Pritzker said. Why not give reasonable notice? Why send these folks only to blue cities or blue states? Why isnt Abbott sending refugees to Mississippi or Oklahoma or Idaho? This is about politics for him.

An Abbott representative, in a statement to the Tribune, denied that the migrants were being sent to Chicago against their will, saying theyd signed voluntary consent waivers upon boarding the buses, agreeing to their destination.

Pritzker said the migrants are in the country legally as asylum-seekers and that many trekked for months to make it to the U.S. border to escape oppression and persecution. But upon arrival, Pritzker said, they were herded into buses and dumped in the dead of night at Chicagos Union Station.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot characterized the situation as a manufactured crisis by ambush and accused the Abbott administration of tricking the migrants into boarding the buses.

Frankly, I believe that they have been misled and the only option for them that theyve been presented to by the folks in Texas is a free bus ride, because theyre not providing any other option, Lightfoot said. This is again an orchestrated plan to create chaos in Democratic-controlled cities. Make no mistake about it.

Lightfoot said since Aug. 31, when the first busload of asylum-seekers arrived, about 500 migrants have arrived in Chicago. She expects that number to grow.

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Pritzker said he will seek all available federal assistance, while Lightfoot suggested federal assistance should be diverted from Texas to other places that are welcoming the migrants.

Any dollar that goes to the state of Texas ... every single one of those dollars needs to be recommitted to cities like Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., Lightfoot said. We should not and taxpayer dollars should not be used to pay for this kind of callous, inhumane treatment on the part of someone who is racing to the bottom for a political stunt. Those monies need to be reprogrammed and come to us.

Meanwhile, Pritzker said that the Illinois attorney general and Chicago city attorneys, among other agencies, are investigating whether there is criminal liability for Abbotts actions.

We are still examining and interviewing the folks who have come to Illinois and listening to their stories about whether or not they willingly got on these buses, knew where they were going, were given the information, Pritzker said, stressing the word willingly.

He added that though it appeared the migrants signed waivers before boarding the buses, they may not have understood what they were doing and that the papers were not an appropriate way for Abbotts administration to release itself from liability.

Shortly after the news conference began, Abbott tweeted a segment of a recent Fox News interview he did in which he said hes just helping out our local communities who are located on the border.

Abbott vowed the waves of asylum-seekers will continue arriving at cities like Chicago.

Sanctuary city mayors complain they are overwhelmed by a few dozen migrants arriving on buses from Texas, Abbott wrote. Its a fraction of what Texas faces on a daily basis. We will continue (busing) migrants until Biden secures the border.

Local officials said an 11th bus from Texas arrived Tuesday night. Prior to that, more than 100 people in two buses arrived from Texas to Chicagos Union Station Friday.

Some members of the group said they were from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Most got onto a couple of CTA buses that were waiting for their arrival, while a few others waited at Union Station for other accommodations.

Fridays group was at least the fourth round of asylum-seeking migrants in the past two weeks to arrive from Texas, part of Abbotts practice to bus migrants who arrive at the Texas-Mexico border to northern cities, including New York and Washington, D.C.

Chicago Public Schools said in a statement Wednesday that it isnt aware of an influx of new students resulting from the groups of migrants bused from Texas, but the district is ready for them if they enroll.

We are well equipped and committed to serving every new student, including those students who have arrived in recent weeks with their families from Central and South America. CPS has enrolled Afghan and Ukrainian refugees in the past year and has established systems in place to welcome any family, CPS said in its statement.

The first group of migrants sent from Texas arrived at Union Station on Aug. 31 in two buses carrying approximately 75 people seeking asylum. Another bus of migrants arrived in Chicago over the holiday weekend with more than 50 people looking for new beginnings. And more than 150 asylum-seekers arrived in three more buses earlier last week.

Many of the people who get off the buses from Texas carry the same clear plastic bags that have their paperwork and small personal items.

Lightfoots office said Fridays group was being taken on the CTA buses to a religious organization for next steps. The city has taken previous groups to shelter at Salvation Army Shield of Hope and even sent some to the suburbs for temporary housing, for which the city has gotten some backlash.

The city of Countryside said in a Monday statement on its website that 40 Venezuelan migrants, mostly women and children, have arrived in the southwest suburb  but neither the Mayor nor any City Official were notified beforehand, and no city resources will be used to house them. Still, its mayor, Sean McDermott, got a shoutout from Pritzker Wednesday for having welcomed families seeking refuge into his community.

Northwest suburban Elk Grove Village had two buses carrying 90 migrants arrive Saturday, and Mayor Craig Johnson said he was notified of their arrival Friday afternoon but had several questions about the logistics. He asked that the city and state work with suburban mayors to arrange for a more organized transition for the people arriving in the area.

Last week, 64 migrants were placed in temporary hotel housing in southwest suburban Burr Ridge, and the village was not consulted or contacted ahead of time about their arrival, according to a statement from Mayor Gary Grasso.

The governors office said the disaster proclamation enables coordination among state, city and county governments to provide assistance the migrants need, including transportation, emergency shelter, food, health screenings and medical treatment.

Pritzker and Lightfoot vowed frequent and open communication with all local governments, though Pritzker did characterize some of the complaints as grumbling.

I know that there are some who are grumbling and upset that hotels or motels in their communities are opening their doors to strangers in need, arguing that they received short notice, Pritzker said. So lets talk about the challenges presented to the city of Chicago and to the state. Remember, the governor of the state of Texas is choosing not to notify the city or the state when he is sending busloads of families.

In a statement later Wednesday, Abbotts press secretary, Renae Eze, called Illinois officials hypocrites.

So much for Chicagos Welcoming City Ordinance. These Democrat elites are absolute hypocrites, and now their hypocrisy is on full display for the entire nation, Eze said. Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot have been complaining about a few hundred migrants being bused into self-declared sanctuary city Chicago, then turn around and dump them in the suburbs for Republican mayors to deal with.

These migrants willingly chose to go to Chicago, having signed a voluntary consent waiver available in multiple languages upon boarding that they agreed on the destination, the statement continued. Instead of complaining about fulfilling their welcoming city promises, these Democrat hypocrites should call on President Biden to do his job and secure the border  something the President continues failing to do.

Pritzker also raised the idea of suing the Texas government in federal court.

Were absolutely looking into all of those options. But lets be clear: Were going to take care of the people who are on the buses when they arrive in Illinois, Pritzker said. What consequence comes to the governor of Texas or to the state of Texas is another question.
NEW DELHI  The Indian government has underestimated the future demand for fighter, drone and cruise missile engines, with the small engine gas turbine market expected to reach about 610 billion rupees (U.S. $8 billion) over the next 20 years, according to the findings from an industrial simulation.

In response, the government should engage the local private sector and academia to bridge technological gaps and improve self-reliance on domestic capabilities, New Delhi-based Insighteon Consulting said in its report.

The simulation, which took place Aug. 23-25, was an attempt to create a road map for the development of a local aero engine ecosystem. It involved retired defense scientists and officers, leaders of state-run and private defense companies, bureaucrats, diplomats, and members of various think tanks.

India will be spending more of its defence budget on UAVs and low cost cruise missiles, which will complement more and more activities in military operations, the report read.

Currently, that engine demand is met by foreign imports and by state-run defense companies working under license. India presently lacks a dedicated test facility for gas turbine aero engines.

In the past one of Indias enduring challenges in military and civil aviation has been the inability of Indian industry and research agencies to design and produce an indigenous jet engine. Indian civil aviation industry fully imports its aircraft, and on the military side, our indigenous program to build fighter jets is having to make to do with foreign engines, the consultancy said.

In response, experts recommended the government establish a National Commission for Aero Engine Development responsible for planning aero engine requirements and testing, designing and developing aero engines, and managing technological development and production in this area.

The first indigenous fighter aircraft Marut that was developed by [Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.] was plagued by aero engine issues. Few decades later the Kaveri engine story followed a similar tale of failure to harness this difficult yet critical technology, the consultancy said. However, in the last five years, Indian public and private sector companies have embarked on a number of small/medium aero engine development programs, which has placed the nation on the threshold of achieving success.

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The simulation found that India will require 1,000 turbine engines for fighter aircraft over two decades; 1,000 replacement engines for fighters; 700 for trainer aircraft; 4,000 for 3- to 6-ton-class helicopters; 1,000 for 10- to 13-ton-class helicopters; and 3,000 for combat drones. The government could introduce a special purpose vehicle model to help, the experts said.

Under the SPV model, private sector companies would be shortlisted according to experience, capabilities, competencies and financials, and would share risk and revenue with partners, according to Rajiv Chib, a partner with Insighteon Consulting.

A visitor of a 2018 Indian defense expo looks at a display of the country's Brahmos cruise missile. The government has underestimated the future demand for cruise missile engines, according to a recent simulation. (Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images)

The SPV could work under the overall guidance of a proposed body  [the National Commission for Aero Engine Development]  and even foreign original equipment manufacturers can be part of the SPV, he added. Aero engine R&D remains a monopoly of the public sector, and there is a trust deficit in involving the private industry or academia. We must provide a more enabling environment so that private players can come up with competing solutions.

The simulation also found India will require 2,000 turbine engines for 2-ton medium-altitude, long-endurance drones; 3,000 for cruise missiles; and 2,000 for target drones.

We are focused on [indigenous] design and development of turbofan and turbojet aero engines for UAVs and cruise missiles, and [will] hopefully start bulk production in the next three years, said Raghu Adla, founder of defense startup Paninian India.

Alda noted that small, homegrown aero engines will not have export restrictions and are therefore a better alternative in terms of overall value proposition compared to original equipment manufacturers such as NPO Saturn of Russia, Microturbo of France and Williams International of the United States.

Local efforts

Currently, the state-run business Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. is developing the 25 kN HTSE-1200 turboshaft engine for multiple types of helicopters; the 25 kN HTFE-25 turbofan engine for trainer jets and combat drones; and a 130-kilowatt engine for long-endurance drones.

Likewise, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment is developing a 46 kN Kaveri dry engine for combat UAVs, expected by 2030.

Another DRDO laboratory, the Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment, is developing a 1 kN turbojet engine for target drones; a 2.7 kN turbojet engine for air-to-surface missiles; and the 4.4 kN Manik small turbofan engine for cruise missiles.

Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat, a DRDO unit that collaborates with the state-run National Aerospace Laboratories, is developing a 275 kilogram-force thrust small gas turbine engine for the homegrown Rustom II tactical drone.

And private sector business Bharat Forge is developing 120 KgF, 160 KgF, 200 KgF, 300 KgF and 400 KgF miniature and small turbojet engines.

Additionally, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay established the Centre of Propulsion Technology with funding from DRDO.

The governments Make in India initiative has helped the Defence Ministry save more than $12.6 billion from leaving the countrys economy in last five years, the simulation report said, noting that the local production of gas turbine engines will help the ministry save $37.8 billion in 20 years.

The challenge now lies in how to give this an impetus by harnessing these diverse capabilities in various thrust ranges and [channeling] them towards the end goal of achieving self reliance, the consultancy said.
The Polk County Health Department has fired a nurse who incorrectly administered the monkeypox vaccine to residents, despite having received the proper training.

The county health department said Cheryl Sondall, an on-call nurse who had worked for the department for several years, chose not to follow protocol when she administered the vaccine to five patients during a clinic last week.

Nola Aigner Davis, the department spokesperson, said the vaccine was supposed to be administered intradermally, or between the layers of the skin. Instead, the shots were given subcutaneously, or in the fatty tissue under the skin.

The Des Moines Register was unable to reach Sondall Wednesday.

Until last month, monkeypox vaccines had been given subcutaneously, but new guidelines from federal health officials adjusted how shots were administered to stretch the supply to more Americans.

The total dose amount from the JYNNEOS vaccine was also adjusted, dropping from 0.5 milliliters to 0.1 milliliters. The five patients received the correct dose, but it was administered improperly, Aigner Davis said.

More: Monkeypox vaccine available to certain residents in Polk County

The incident, first reported by Axios Des Moines, occurred Sept. 6. Since then, the affected patients have been contacted and are now being revaccinated "using the appropriate vaccine route," Aigner Davis said.

"We are very disappointed in the situation," Aigner Davis said in a statement. "We are taking proactive measures to ensure this doesnt happen again and this employee is no longer employed by Polk County."

As of Tuesday, Iowa has confirmed 22 cases of monkeypox, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The JYNNEOS vaccine is a two-dose series given 28 days apart.

More: What you need to know about monkeypox, including symptoms, after Iowa confirms its second

Who can receive a monkeypox vaccine?

Vaccine appointments are available in Polk County to a select group of at-risk individuals:

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Gay, bisexual, other men who have sex with men or transgender people and their partners.

People living with HIV.

People who report being at a venue in which a suspected, probable, or confirmed case of monkeypox was identified.

People who report having close contact with someone suspected, probable, or confirmed having monkeypox.

Appointments can be found at immunizepolk.com.

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox is spread through skin-to-skin contact, through contact with respiratory secretions such as kissing, or through direct contact with sores, according to the CDC.

Infected individuals with monkeypox develop a rash on or near the genitals and other parts of the body, such as hands or face. The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful and itchy.

Other symptoms of monkeypox include:

Fever

Headache

Muscle aches and backache

Swollen lymph nodes

Chills

Exhaustion

Michaela Ramm covers health care for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at mramm@registermedia.com, at (319) 339-7354 or on Twitter at @Michaela_Ramm.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa nurse fired after improperly administering monkeypox vaccine
A teenage human trafficking victim who was initially charged with first-degree murder after she stabbed her accused rapist to death was sentenced Tuesday in an Iowa court to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the mans family.

Pieper Lewis, 17, was sentenced Tuesday after she pleaded last year to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury in the June 2020 killing of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks of Des Moines. Both charges were punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Polk County District judge David M. Porter on Tuesday deferred those prison sentences, meaning that if Lewis violates any portion of her probation, she could be sent to prison to serve that 20-year term.

As for being required to pay the estate of her rapist, this court is presented with no other option, Porter said, noting the restitution is mandatory under Iowa law that has been upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court.

Lewis was 15 when she stabbed Brooks more than 30 times in a Des Moines apartment. Officials have said Lewis was a runaway who was seeking to escape an abusive life with her adopted mother and was sleeping in the hallways of a Des Moines apartment building when a 28-year-old man took her in before forcibly trafficking her to other men for sex.

Lewis said one of those men was Brooks and that he had raped her multiple times in the weeks before his death. She recounted being forced at knifepoint by the 28-year-old man to go with Brooks to his apartment for sex. She told officials that after Brooks had raped her yet again, she grabbed a knife from a bedside table and stabbed Brooks in a fit of rage.

Police and prosecutors have not disputed that Lewis was sexually assaulted and trafficked. But prosecutors have argued that Brooks was asleep at the time he was stabbed and not an immediate danger to Lewis.

Iowa is not among the dozens of states that have a so-called safe harbor law that gives trafficking victims at least some level of criminal immunity.

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Lewis, who earned her GED while being held in juvenile detention, acknowledged in a statement prior to her sentencing that she struggled with the structure of her detention, including why I was treated like fragile glass or wasn't allowed to communicate with her friends or family.

My spirit has been burned, but still glows through the flames, she read from a statement she had prepared. Hear me roar, see me glow, and watch me grow.

I am a survivor," she added.

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual assault, but Lewis agreed to have her name used previously in stories about her case.

Prosecutors took issue with Lewis calling herself a victim in the case and said she failed to take responsibility for stabbing Brooks and leaving his kids without a father.

Related video: No jail time for Iowa teen convicted of raping 1-year-old

The judge peppered Lewis with repeated requests to explain what poor choices she made that led up to Brooks' stabbing and expressed concern that she sometimes did not want to follow rules set for her in juvenile lockup.

The next five years of your life will be full of rules you disagree with, I'm sure of it," Porter said. He later added, This is the second chance that you've asked for. You don't get a third."

Karl Schilling with the Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance said a bill to create a safe harbor law for trafficking victims passed the Iowa House earlier this year, but stalled in the Senate under concerns from law enforcement groups that it was too broad.

There was a working group established to iron out the issues, Shilling said. Hopefully it will be taken up again next year.

Iowa does have an affirmative defense law that gives some leeway to victims of crime if the victim committed the violation "under compulsion by anothers threat of serious injury, provided that the defendant reasonably believed that such injury was imminent."

Prosecutors argued Tuesday that Lewis waived that affirmative defense when she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and willful injury.
WBAL - Baltimore Videos

A police pursuit started late Friday morning in east Baltimore and ended in the Timonium area of Baltimore County. While on the Beltway, it appeared the suspect vehicle side-swiped another car and get a flat tire. Three people bolted from the car around 12:15 p.m., when the car stopped in the northbound lanes of Interstate 83 near the Beltway interchange. SkyTeam 11 reported police officers apprehended all three occupants. SkyTeam 11 video showed an occupant of the car throw an object out of the window.
Trafficking Victim Sentenced (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

An Iowa teenager who stabbed and killed a man who allegedly raped her was ordered to pay his family $150,000 in compensation and received five years probation.

Pieper Lewis, now 17, pleaded guilty last year to the voluntary manslaughter and willful injury of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks.

Brooks, a father of three who worked as a bus driver outside of Des Moines, was reportedly stabbed 30 times by the then-homeless teen. He allegedly raped the teen five times in the weeks before his death and at least once more on the night before she grabbed a knife from the bedside table in what she later described as a moment of rage.

I suddenly realized that Mr. Brooks had raped me yet again and (I) was overcome with rage, Lewis, who had been trafficked into sex work at 15, wrote in her plea agreement last year.

Lewis had originally been charged with first-degree murder in the 37-year-olds death, a charge that in the state of Iowa carries a term of life in prison  except for juvenile defendants.

Last year, Lewis pleaded guilty to willful injury and involuntary manslaughter, charges that were punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Polk County District judge David M Porter on Tuesday deferred those prison sentences, meaning that if Lewis violates any portion of her probation, she could be sent to prison to serve that 20-year term.

Well, Ms Lewis, this was the second chance you asked for. You dont get a third. Do you understand that? the Polk County judge asked Lewis after the sentencing on Tuesday, per a report in the Des Moines Register.

Before hearing the judges ruling, Lewis provided a last statement about the 1 June 2020 incident that had seen her locked up in the Polk County Juvenile Detention Center since the day of her arrest.

I wish that never happened, Lewis said of the killing on Tuesday. But to say theres only one victim in the story is absurd.

Officials in the case reported how the then-15-year-old girl had run away from her familys home, after claiming that her mother had become emotionally abusive after splitting from her father.

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The Iowa teen then spent the next portion of her youth surfing from the couches of friends siblings to at one point living with a 40-year-old man. That man later became abusive and tried to force her to perform sex acts with his cousins, according to attorneys for the teen.

Before she moved in with the 28-year-old man who would later traffic the teen to have sex with men like Brooks, she was sleeping in the hallways of an apartment complex.

On the night before Lewis stabbed Brooks, she recounted to police officials that shed been forced into his apartment by the 28-year-old man shed been staying with at knifepoint.

Throughout the proceedings, officials and police havent contested the veracity in Lewis account that she was sexually assaulted and trafficked.

Prosecutors, however, have argued that the 37-year-old was asleep at the time he was stabbed and not an immediate danger to Lewis.

As for the funds that Lewis is now required to pay to her alleged attackers estate, the judge noted in his decision that this court is presented with no other option, as Iowa law requires people convicted of homicides to pay $150,000 in compensation.

That compensation, Lewis attorneys argued after Tuesdays ruling, will likely be challenged by her legal team through an appeal or they may search out for other legal means, such as fundraising, to help the teen cover the sum.

The world has been hard to Pieper, Magdalena Reese, one of the attorneys for Lewis, said. Instead of being hard, she made the conscious choice to be soft and to make her story make a difference in her life and the lives of others. Instead of turning silent and being hateful, she turned it around.

Lewis received a deferred judgement, which means she can have her record expunged before completion of the sentence but will be sent to prison to serve that 20-year term if she violates any portion of her probation.

She will also be required to spend the five years probation at Fresh Start Womens Center where she will be subject to GPS tracking and will have limited contact with her siblings until they turn 18. The judge also ordered the 17-year-old to serve 1,200 hours of community service, which will cover more than $4,000 in fines.
The Justice Department on Tuesday blasted efforts by former President Donald Trumps lawyers to delay its investigation of classified documents seized at his Florida resort, while a magistrate judge unsealed some previously redacted information relating to the FBI's search of Trump's club.

"Plaintiff [Trump] has characterized the governments criminal investigation as a 'document storage dispute' or an 'overdue library book scenario.' In doing so, Plaintiff has not addressed the potential harms that could result from mishandling classified information or the strict requirements imposed by law for handling such materials," the Justice Department said in a court filing urging U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to allow it to proceed for now with its criminal investigation into the over 100 classified documents the department says it took from Trump's home in Palm Beach, Florida.

The filing noted that the documents had "markings signifying that their unauthorized disclosure 'reasonably could be expected to result in damage to the national security,' including 'exceptionally grave damage,'" and it said any delay causes "irreparable harm" to the government and the public.

Cannon issued an order this month temporarily halting parts of the criminal investigation until a special master can review the evidence seized in the August search for attorney-client and executive privilege issues. Cannon said a national security damage assessment could continue, but the government said that the two probes are interrelated and that the review can't go on without the FBI's assistance. The Justice Department is asking the judge to stay her ruling while it appeals so it can investigate how the documents were handled.

Trump's attorneys have suggested in court filings that the documents were declassified and that they are his personal records and belong to him  contentions the Justice Department ridiculed in its new filing.

"As to the records marked as classified, Plaintiff asserts that the government has not 'proven' their classification status. But even if Plaintiff had declassified any of these records while he was President a proposition that Plaintiff does not specifically assert in any of his filings in these proceedings, in a sworn declaration, or through any evidence  any record bearing classification markings was necessarily created by the government and, therefore, is not Plaintiffs personal property," the filing said.

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Furthermore, the government argued: Even if Plaintiff had declassified these records, and even if he somehow had categorized them as his 'personal' records for purposes of the PRA [Presidential Records Act]  neither of which has been shown  nothing in the PRA or any other source of law establishes a plausible claim of privilege or any other justification for an injunction restricting the governments review and use of records at the center of an ongoing criminal and national security investigation.

Former President Donald Trump (Mary Altaffer / AP file)

Separately, Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who signed off on the government's search warrant for the Trump property, unsealed some previously redacted information from the affidavit in which the feds laid out their case for the search.

The newly released sections of the affidavit show that investigators were searching for a wide array of classified documents, including several types of top-secret documents. It also shows that when Trump's lawyers handed over 38 documents marked top secret, secret or confidential in June, they told investigators they'd all been kept in a storage room at the resort.

Justice Department officials said at the time of their June 3 visit that about 50 boxes remained in the room, as well as a "coat rack with suit jackets" and "interior decor items such as wall art and frames." Investigators said Trump's lawyers wouldnt let them look inside the boxes during the visit, according to the Justice Department's court filings.

On June 22, the Justice Department subpoenaed Trump's company, the Trump Organization, for surveillance video of the storage room area going back to Jan. 10, the newly unsealed information shows, and the Trump Organization gave the FBI a hard drive on July 6.

It's unclear why the FBI selected Jan. 10. Trump turned over 15 boxes of documents to the National Archives and Records Administration on Jan. 18 after repeated requests by the agency. The National Archives said the boxes contained "highly classified documents intermingled with other records."

Reinhart unsealed the new information in light of the Justice Departments getting judicial approval to make much of the same information available for a different filing in the case before Cannon last month.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will offer the updated COVID-19 booster shots from Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech (22UAy.DE) designed to combat the Omicron BA.4/5 subvariants by the end of September, a senior health official said on Wednesday.

Israel's coronavirus task force chief Salman Zarka urged those in risk groups to take the booster along with a flu shot, though anyone above the age of 12 and at least three months from a previous shot or COVID-19 illness would be eligible.

"We have been preparing for a while for winter and looking at the possibility of two illness waves in the country, flu and coronavirus, two waves we have seen elsewhere in the world," Zarka told reporters.

Around half of Israel's 9.4 million population has already had three vaccine doses and around 850,000 people have had four, according to health ministry data. More than 4.5 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Israel since the start of the pandemic, with 11,667 recorded deaths.

Pfizer/BioNtech's so-called bivalent vaccine targets the currently circulating BA.4/5 as well as the strain of the virus that originally emerged in China in December 2019.

While the existing coronavirus vaccines used until now have provided good protection against hospitalization and death, their effectiveness, particularly against infection, was reduced as the virus evolved.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
(Reuters) - An Israeli strike that damaged the Damascus International Airport in June made it impossible for the United Nations to fly in aid deliveries to needy Syrians for around two weeks, the U.N.'s Syria commission said on Wednesday.

Commissioner Lynn Welchmann told reporters in Geneva that the Israeli strike "led to considerable damage to infrastructure and the closure of the airport for nearly two weeks or 13 days".

That "meant the suspension of U.N. deliveries of humanitarian assistgance which is extremely serious," she said.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
(Reuters) - Ivory Coast called on West Africa's political bloc to help release 46 soldiers detained by Mali's military government, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday, after a Togolese-led mediation effort appeared to have stalled.

Mali detained the soldiers in its capital Bamako on July 10 after accusing them of being mercenaries who flew in without permission. [nL8N2YT50O]

Ivory Coast said they were part of a security and logistics contingent working under a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali. The government has made repeated pleas for their release.

In a televised statement on Wednesday, government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly called for an extraordinary meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to resolve the issue.

"Our soldiers are not mercenaries but hostages," said Coulibaly, demanding their immediate release.

Mali's military, which took power over the course of two coups in 2020 and 2021, could not be reached for comment.

Mali's interim President Assimi Goita this month accused Ivory Coast of providing asylum to political figures wanted by his junta and called for a "mutually beneficial" solution to the row. [L8N30H0BH]

Coulibaly on Wednesday called Goita's comments on a solution "unacceptable blackmail."

Mali has for a decade relied on regional allies and peacekeepers to contain an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands of people and taken over large areas of the centre and north.

But it has quarrelled with neighbours and allies since taking power.

Former colonial power France pulled troops out last month, ending a 10-year mission, after a protracted row about air space, troop movements and Mali's decision to ally with Russian mercenaries from the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group, hundreds of which are now working alongside Mali's army.

ECOWAS imposed strict sanctions on Mali this year, weakening its fragile economy. It lifted them in July after rulers agreed to a 24-month transition to civilian rule.

(Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Writing by Cooper Inveen and Edward McAllister; Editing by Josie Kao)
5th-Child-at-Fondren-IMG_5632-1-2 - Credit: 242 Creative

[Jackson, Mississippi, is still recovering from a water crisis that left approximately 150,000 people without safe drinking water, a cruel reminder of decades-long structural issues facing a predominantly Black city. Interviews for this story were conducted in the spring.]

Talk to scene makers in Jackson, Mississippi, like Brad Kamikaze Franklin and youll hear a lot of evangelism about how the birthplace of American music, as the state bills itself, is continually overlooked as a breeding ground for hip-hop talent.

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Franklin, who recorded as one-half of the hip-hop duo Crooked Lettaz with David Banner in the early aughts, points to Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and the late Nate Dogg  all of whom have ties to the state  to illustrate his point. But he could go on. In recent years, Rae Sremmurd (Tupelo) and Big K.R.I.T. (Meridian) have made big moves in the genre, but only after leaving for bigger cities.

Talent has never been our problem in Mississippi, Franklin tells Rolling Stone. Mississippi has long been a place Black musicians leave, beginning with the Great Migration that saw Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf and others join millions of African Americans moving north to escape the Jim Crow South. Today in Jackson, though, where 83 percent of the population is Black, musicians are confronting those same ills  if a few decades downstream  and theyre doing it defiantly, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like Jackson Over Everything.

I consider Mississippi to be hallowed ground and sacred ground when it comes to music, Franklin says, and every other state should be paying homage to Mississippi in some way, because their music scenes would not exist if it were not for the people who came here to Mississippi. David Banner and I call Mississippi Little Africa  it is the cradle of civilization for Black folks in this country.

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Prentiss

Through Third Coast Radio, a weekly statewide radio show, and the annual Jackson Indie Music Week showcase, Franklin has focused on lifting up the MCs in Jackson that came in the wake of Crooked Lettaz and Banner solo bangers Like a Pimp and Cadillac on 22s. Lil Lonnie, who collaborated with Slim Jimmy of Rae Sremmurd and others, was the toast of the scene until his death in 2018, but he inspired the artists now releasing music and throwing shows across the City with Soul: blunted rhymer Yung Jewelz, blissful beatmaker Vitamin Cea, street spitters Nickoe and Ant200, and 5th Child, who stomps on a Confederate flag at shows to get it poppin like its Juneteenth.

None is bigger right now than Dear Silas, whose viral hits Gullah Gullah Island and Skrr Skrr have racked up millions of streams. Growing up in a family that spun R&B, country, rock and soul records, plus influences like early Kanye and Pharrell, Silas imbues his backpack beats and verses with a fluid sense of meter and melody  music for self-love, he quips.

Theres also hip-hop-adjacent artists like 15-year-old Prentiss, who started making beats and songs in his Jackson bedroom during the pandemic. After his low-key shoegaze-rap single Hazel Eyes caught the attention of Justin Bieber, Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and others on social media, Prentiss signed with Cinematic Music Group, the label that launched Joey Bada$$, Nipsy Hustle and Big K.R.I.T., a month after his 14th birthday.

But singling out one sound for Jackson hip-hop is missing the point, Franklin says. Its angst, its civil rights, its the struggle, its slavery, its the Mississippi Delta and the history of cotton. Its the industrial revolution [and] its the migration of our people to Chicago. Its all the things we know historically Mississippi has been and has been narrated to be. Thats kinda what [our] hip-hop is. Its something different here than it is every place else.

Theres so many dope artists here right now and theres so many dope places to perform, and the music scene is just continuing to evolve, says Silas. I feel like everybody else has a specific sound, but were just like this big melting pot of so many types of feels and auras, and its almost like weve got the whole world in this small little area.

The epicenter of Jacksons thriving nightlife and music scene is the Fondren neighborhood, an artistic enclave centered around the 300-capacity Duling Hall and a dozen eateries, plus a skate shop, a vinyl-only record store, and weekly arts and music block parties. But live hip-hop is also thriving thanks to nontraditional venues like Offbeat comics and Conkrete Kickz sneaker store, along with coffee shops and parking lots. Many of the citys up-and-comers perform at Fondren Guitars for The Kickback, a monthly series produced by Franklins Third Coast Radio.

[People] think about the Delta, they think about the blues, and they dont look past that, Silas says. And I understand that, cause we do that pretty good, know what Im saying? [laughs] Mississippi is the birthplace of everything  American music, period.

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Click here to read the full article.
The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office announced on Wednesday that they made more arrests in street racing that happened over the weekend.

JSO Assistant Chief Jamie Eason said the agency arrested six suspects, wrote 30 citations, towed six vehicles that were involved and has one felony warrant pending. This has been part of an ongoing effort to crack down on illegal driving.

This is the second news conference JSO has held showcasing their efforts to curb the problem. Eason wanted to get this message across that those who continue to participate in illegal street racing activity.

If you continue to do this, we will arrest you and we will take your car, Eason said.

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She said even though there are people who participate in illegal racing, there are still a lot of car groups in Jacksonville that do the right thing.

There are a lot of good car groups that like to get together and just talk about cars. They dont like people who do this because it gives them a bad name, Eason said.

Eason said since JSO has started cracking down on street racing, theyve seen numbers go down when it comes to people being involved in this illegal activity.

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TOKYO (AP)  Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will travel to Britain to attend Queen Elizabeth II s state funeral next week to pay respects to her, Japan's top government spokesperson said Wednesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the Japanese government requested they accept the British royals' invitation to attend, considering the close relations between the two countries' royal families.

Traditionally, a Japanese emperor stays away from funerals whether at home or abroad because of a cultural belief based in the Shinto religion that considers death impure. The decision for Naruhito to attend the queens funeral underscores the importance and the deep bond between the royal families.

Matsuno said Japan's imperial family has had close relations with Britain's Royal Family for three generations including Naruhito's grandfather, late Emperor Hirohito.

Queen Elizabeth had invited Naruhito to visit Britain as a first destination of his foreign visits after ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019, which had to be postponed due to the pandemic, Matsuno said.

There are no plans for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other government officials to attend the funeral, he said.

Naruhito on Friday expressed his deep sorrow and heartfelt condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth in a statement released through the Imperial Household Agency.

In a statement, in Japanese, Naruhito praised Queen Elizabeth for guiding and encouraging the people of Britain and its Commonwealth nations and her endeavor for the world peace and stability.

Naruhito noted that the queen always warmly watched over relations between the two countries and paid attention to the ties between British and Japanese royal families. He said the queen treated him kindly and thoughtfully while he studied at Oxford in the 1980s and during his official visits to Britain. On one occasion while Naruhito was studying in London, he was invited to the Buckingham Palace where the queen served him tea.
As Jehovahs Witnesses returned to knocking on doors this month after a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic, heres a quick look at the history, beliefs and worldwide reach of the organization culled from the denominations official website, jw.org:

How did the Jehovah's Witnesses begin?

Jehovah's Witnesses started in 1870 when Charles Taze Russell led Bible studies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Jehovah's Witnesses movement came out of the Bible Student movement, also founded by Russell. When he started to dispute some traditional Christian views, the Jehovah's Witnesses were born.

Knocking again: After 2-year hiatus, Volusia Jehovah's Witnesses return to knocking on doors

Where did the name Jehovah's Witnesses come from?

As stated on the website, Jehovah is the personal name of God, as found in the Bible. (Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18) A witness is a person who proclaims views or truths of which he is convinced. Thus, our name Jehovahs Witnesses designates us as a group of Christians who proclaim the truth about Jehovah, the Creator of all things. (Revelation 4:11)

Belief in God and the Bible

According to the website: We worship the one true and Almighty God, the Creator, whose name is Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18; Revelation 4:11) He is the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  Exodus 3:6; 32:11; John 20:17.

Jehovah's Witnesses return to their door-to-door ministry in a DeLand neighborhood this past week after a 2-1/2-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

More religion news: Gorsuch, Alito balk as Supreme Court declines to hear case about workplace religious accommodations

We recognize the Bible as Gods inspired message to humans. (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16) We base our beliefs on all 66 of its books, which include both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

What is the Jehovah's Witnesses' view on Jesus?

The website states, We follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ and honor him as our Savior and as the Son of God. (Matthew 20:28; Acts 5:31) Thus, we are Christians. (Acts 11:26) However, we have learned from the Bible that Jesus is not Almighty God and that there is no Scriptural basis for the Trinity doctrine.  John 14:28.

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What is the Jehovah's Witnesses' view on salvation?

According to the website: Deliverance from sin and death is possible through the ransom sacrifice of Jesus. (Matthew 20:28; Acts 4:12) To benefit from that sacrifice, people must not only exercise faith in Jesus but also change their course of life and get baptized. (Matthew 28:19, 20; John 3:16; Acts 3:19, 20) A persons works prove that his faith is alive. (James 2:24, 26) However, salvation cannot be earned  it comes through the undeserved kindness of God. Galatians 2:16, 21.

Global presence

Worldwide, the faith group claims 8.6 million adherents in its congregations, known as Kingdom Halls, across 239 countries, said Ivan Fernandez, Tampa-based state spokesman for Jehovahs Witnesses in Florida.

From 2021: She's knocked on New Jersey doors for decades. Then COVID changed everything

Nationally, there are 1.3 million adherents attending about 12,800 Kingdom Halls in the United States, typically for twice weekly and weekend gatherings, he said.

Jehovah's Witnesses Ryan Ersland and his wife, Katie, return to their door-to-door ministry in a DeLand neighborhood this past week after a 2-1/2-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

In Florida, there are 137,000 Witnesses in 1,100 congregations that meet in approximately 400 Kingdom Halls, Fernandez said. That total includes roughly 3,200 members in Volusia County that represent 30 congregations meeting in 10 Kingdom Halls.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Jehovah's Witnesses: What do they believe, how did they start?
Joe Sugg wearing a Red Nose Day 2021 t-shirt head of Red Nose Day 2021. (Getty Images)

Joe Sugg says he often 'just wants to talk to a human' as he shares his ideas for how the online world can be a safer and more enjoyable place.

The YouTube sensation and Strictly finalist spoke to Kate Thornton on White Wine Question Time about the positive relationship he had always had with those high up at YouTube, because of his rise to fame on the platform at an early stage.

Sugg, 31, thinks social media users will leave the platforms behind if more isn't done by providers.

He said: "I think we're going into a time period where people will, if they're not being heard, and they're not having the experience that they want, they will start to look elsewhere and will stop using certain platforms."

WATCH: Joe Sugg on falling in love on Strictly

Among his ideas were people having to provide information before they could use social platforms, and he said it could be difficult for some people to know who they could talk to about trolling if their friends and family weren't online in the same way.

While he said he had always been 'very fortunate' to have a direct contact at YouTube and been surrounded by other friends doing the same thing, he recognised that wasn't the case for everyone.

Of people on social media providing details before they could post, he said: "[People should] provide information so that anything you put out there, you can you can see who it's coming from, and I think that will just eradicate trolling by a massive proportion.

"It would probably make people think think before they speak. That's something that I think should be looked at."

Listen the the full episode to hear more about the rush of internet fame that kickstarted his career and his new life with Strictly partner and girlfriend Dianne Buswell

Sugg says that people who love social media, but face trolling, will often just be told to use it less.

But he didn't feel that was the advice people wanted to hear, because social media sites shouldn't be like that in the first place.

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He would also like to see everyone have the same experience he had with YouTube, where you have someone online to support his account.

Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (Getty Images)

"That experience for me has made my experience on social media," he said. "So I think a big part of what kept me going on it for so long is the interactions that I've had and being able to know that I can reach out to someone. So I think applying that to all users [would work]."

He said even now when he gets a phishing email trying to get hold of his details, he will report it, but 'you just know it's not going to a human being who's going to genuinely look into it'.

Read more: 'Strictly' star Joe Sugg sometimes thinks he was happier as roof thatcher

While he said he knows a lot of things now are sorted by algorithm and robots. He added: "I like the idea of being able to reach out and speak to a human.

"The amount of times you probably call up people and you go through to a robot and talking to a robot, you're like: 'No, I just want to talk to a human, because a human will understand my wants and needs right now.'"

WATCH: Joe Sugg on his YouTube fame, Strictly and challenging himself by performing on the West End
Johnson City police arrested a Syracuse man Saturday after responding to a report of a sexual assault in the village.

Arriving officers encountered the 23-year-old female victim, along with the suspect, Antonio N. Bethune, 26, of Syracuse, police said.

Johnson City detectives collected evidence related to the incident. As a result of the investigation, police took Bethune into custody and charged him with first-degree rape, a felony.

Police did not indicate if Bethune or the victim knew each other prior to the incident, or if she required medical attention.

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Bethune was arraigned on the charge in Broome County Centralized Arraignment Part Court. Town of Lisle Justice Steven G. Tillotson released Bethune from custody without setting bail.

Bethune will return to court at a later date to answer the charge.

Follow Jeff Murray on Twitter @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Syracuse man charged by Johnson City police with forcible rape
Sep. 14A Circuit Court judge has granted Ray T.K. Sheldon, awaiting a murder trial in the shooting death of a 31-year-old man, permission to travel to Las Vegas this week.

A Circuit Court judge has granted Ray T.K. Sheldon, awaiting a murder trial in the shooting death of a 31-year-old man, permission to travel to Las Vegas this week.

Sheldon filed a motion Aug. 31 for permission to leave the jurisdiction to watch his daughter play in a volleyball tournament scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

Judge Kevin Souza granted the motion Friday over the state's objection.

A mistrial was declared Aug. 26 in Sheldon's murder trial when the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. A new trial is scheduled for Dec. 5.

Sheldon claimed self-defense when he fired a rifle and a handgun the night of April 19, 2019, at Hansen Apo in front of his Punaluu house, then dragged the body to a banana patch behind his home.

Sheldon said for seven years he had feared Apo, who had just gotten out of prison.

But the state argued that there was no imminent danger for Sheldon to fire a gun at the point he did, that he had enough time to retreat into his home and that he did not fear Apo but was just sick of him.

Sheldon has been out on $500, 000 bail since June 20, 2019.

His bail amount was initially set at $1 million after his April 25, 2019, indictment, but his attorney asked for and received a 50 % reduction in bail.

Souza's order Friday allowing Sheldon to travel waives his curfew condition while in Las Vegas and requires him to remain in Las Vegas "until he returns to Oahu except for going to and from airports and flight layovers, if necessary."

He must immediately phone the Oahu Intake Serv ice Center upon his return to Oahu and then must report in person within 10 days of his return.

Sheldon's attorney, Harrison Kiehm, has filed a motion to have the indictment dismissed, which will be heard Nov. 21.
A judge on Wednesday temporarily paused Ohios six-week abortion ban that went into effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins issued a temporary restraining order that will stop the laws implementation for 14 days, with pro-abortion activists now asking the judge to issue a preliminary injunction that would further block the law for the duration of the case.

Jenkins granted the pause in part because he believes the plaintiffs have a substantially likely chance of winning the case under protections granted by the states constitution.

No great stretch is required to find that Ohio law recognizes a fundamental right to privacy, procreation, bodily integrity and freedom of choice in health care decision making, Jenkins wrote in the ruling.

The legislation, known as the Heartbeat Law and signed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) in 2019, bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, generally at the sixth week of pregnancy. The law was blocked until the Supreme Court struck down federal abortion protections in June.

The judge on Wednesday ruled the law violates a clause in the state constitution that prohibits laws that penalize the sale or purchase of health care.

Jenkins ruled that abortion falls under the constitutions definition of health care. He also ruled the law discriminates against pregnant women, violating a separate equal protection clause in the state constitution.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Ohio, Planned Parenthood and the law firm WilmerHale filed the lawsuit earlier this month.

Were grateful that, for now, Ohioans can once again widely access abortion care in their own state. But this is just the first step, the ACLU and the other abortion rights groups said in a statement.

We have already seen the devastating impact Senate Bill 23 has had on people seeking abortions in Ohio, the statement continued. State lawmakers will stop at nothing to try again to permanently restrict our reproductive rights; their cruelty knows no bounds.

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The law gained national attention after a 10-year-old girl who was just over six weeks pregnant was denied an abortion in the state days after the law went into effect, leading her to travel across state lines for the procedure.

The case became a focal point as many states moved to implement abortion restrictions in the wake of the courts ruling.

Beyond the state level, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced a bill on Tuesday that would ban abortion nationwide at 15 weeks of pregnancy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart on Tuesday unsealed additional portions of the heavily redacted affidavit used to justify the raid of former President Trumps Mar-a-Lago home.

When Reinhardt first released an unredacted version of the affidavit last month, approximately 20 pages of the 38-page affidavit were either significantly or fully redacted.

That version of the affidavit revealed that the FBI said it had "probable cause to believe" that additional records containing classified information, including national defense information (NDI), would be found on the premises of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, beyond what he had previously turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration.

The Justice Department asked, and Reinhart agreed Tuesday afternoon, to reveal parts of the original Trump affidavit that were originally redacted, specifically related to grand jury subpoenas.

FBI SAID IT HAD 'PROBABLE CAUSE' TO BELIEVE ADDITIONAL CLASSIFIED DOCS REMAINED AT MAR-A-LAGO, AFFIDAVIT SAYS

The Justice Department asked, and Reinhart agreed Tuesday afternoon, to reveal parts of the original Trump affidavit that were originally redacted, specifically related to grand jury subpoenas. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Reinhart, on Tuesday, released a new version of the affidavit, unsealing additional sections that provide further details on the timing of subpoenas and Trump's cooperation with them.

One newly unsealed portion of the affidavit revealed that Trump, in addition to the original 15 boxes of records provided to the National Archives and Records Administration, produced additional documents bearing classification markings in response to a grand jury subpoena.

"Since the FIFTEEN BOXES were provided to NARA, additional documents bearing classification markings, which appear to contain NDI and were stored at the PREMISES in an unauthorized location, have been produced to the government in response to a grand jury subpoena directed to FPOTUSs post-presidential office and seeking documents containing further classification markings stored at the PREMISES and otherwise under FPOTUS control," the unsealed portion of the affidavit states.

Another newly unredacted section details what a May 24 subpoena was seeking, including "any and all documents or writings in the custody or control of Donald J. Trump and/or the Office of Donald J. Trump bearing classification markings."

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Former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Charles Trainor Jr./Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Another unsealed portion states that lawyers for the Justice Department also sent Trumps lawyer a letter that "permitted alternative compliance with the subpoena by providing any responsible documents to the FBI at the place of their location and by providing from the custodian a sworn certification that the documents represent all responsive records."

"The letter further stated that if no responsive documents existed, the custodian should provide a soon certification to that effect," the affidavit continues.

The unsealed affidavit also revealed that an extension was "granted for compliance with the subpoena," which originally was set for May 24. On June 3, "three FBI agents and DOJ counsel arrived at the premises to accept receipt of the materials."

The further unsealed affidavit also shows that a grand jury subpoenaed footage from surveillance cameras at Mar-a-Lago on June 24.

TRUMP-PICKED SPECIAL MASTER CANDIDATE SIGNED CARTER PAGE WARRANT BEFORE FBI MISCONDUCT DISCOVERED

"On July 6, 2022, in response to this subpoena, representatives of the Trump Organization provided a hard drive to FBI agents," another unsealed portion of the affidavit states.

Former President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a Save America rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 3, 2022. Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Reinhart signed the FBI's warrant for the raid on Mar-a-Lago on Aug. 5, giving the FBI authority to conduct its search  a document the judge unsealed along with the property receipt from the raid. FBI agents took approximately 20 boxes of items from the premises, including one set of documents marked as "Various classified/TS/SCI documents," which refers to top secret/sensitive compartmented information.

Records covered by that government classification level could potentially include human intelligence and information that, if disclosed, could jeopardize relations between the U.S. and other nations, as well as the lives of intelligence operatives abroad. However, the classification also encompasses national security information related to the daily operations of the president of the United States.

The property receipt also showed that FBI agents collected four sets of top secret documents, three sets of secret documents and three sets of confidential documents, but the document does not reveal any details about any of those records.

Federal Judge Aileen Cannon granted Trump's legal team's request for the appointment of a special master to review the documents seized by the FBI during its raid of Mar-a-Lago. Trump and the DOJ have agreed upon a candidate, retired Judge Raymond Dearie, but it is up to Cannon to decide.
The Kane County Health Department will roll out new bivalent COVID-19 booster shots at an event this weekend at its vaccination hub in Batavia, officials said.

Interested individuals are asked to check for appointment availability at www.kanevax.org for the bivalent Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Appointments will be offered from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the vaccination hub at 501 N. Randall Road.

The bivalent booster shot targets two versions of the coronavirus - the original strain and the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, officials said in a news release. The previous booster shot targeted only the original version of the virus.

Currently, Kane County has a medium level of community transmission of COVID-19 with 182 cases per 100,000 population, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Around 72.5% of the countys population 5 years and older are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

The Pfizer bivalent booster is available to people 12 years old and older, and given at least two months after the patient received a primary vaccination series or last booster. The updated Moderna bivalent booster is authorized for people over 18 years old.

The updated bivalent boosters will replace the original formulation booster in the population 12 years old and older. Children aged 5 to 11 years old will continue to receive the original formulation booster. Children under age 5 are not eligible for a booster.

People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised should consult with their specialty provider about the timing and dosage of vaccines, officials said.

Individuals requiring assistance with appointments can call the Kane Vax line at 855-452-6382.

mejones@chicagotribune.com
CALDWELL COUNTY, Ky.  Two Branch-St. Joseph County men charged with looting tornado-damaged homes were sentenced to prison on other charges after their arrest in December.

After tornadoes and storms ravaged western Kentucky in December 2021, law enforcement joined the clean-up and rescue effort.

"The detectives noticed four male subjects and approached them for questioning," a news release from the Kentucky Attorney General's office said. "The questioning revealed that the subjects had taken property from tornado-damaged vehicles and residences."

The four were arrested in Princeton, Kentucky, a tornado-damaged community 40 miles south of Evansville, Indiana.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Brandon L. Ransbottom, 28, of Bronson, Michigan, was sentenced in June to five years in prison on the firearm-related charges.

According to court records, Sevon Gowen, 26, of Sturgis, was sentenced in April 2022 to two years and one day in prison on the promoting contraband and meth possession charges. Gowen was extradited to Branch County last week to face theft charges there.

Authorities in Kentucky said Mitchell E. Stanton, 31, and Jesse H. Stanton, 30, both of Coldwater, Michigan, failed to appear for court. Warrants were issued for them on Jan. 24.

According to the Kentucky Attorney General's office, the Stantons had been arrested and charged with possessing burglary tools and receiving stolen property.

The Stantons were released on their own recognizance ahead of arraignment in Caldwell District Court. Gowen and Ransbottom were held on bonds.Prosecutors dismissed the theft-related charges for guilty pleas to the drug and weapons charges against Gowen and Ransbottom.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Two area Michigan men sentenced in Kentucky after December tornadoes
By Ayenat Mersie

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan President William Ruto, who was sworn into office on Tuesday, is taking power at a time when the country has the largest number of elected female representatives in history - and they want him to keep his promise of getting more women into politics.

"A significant dividend of our electoral and democratic process is the tremendous achievement we made in breaking the glass ceiling by enhancing the participation of women in leadership," he told a cheering crowed at his inauguration.

Ruto promised on the campaign trail to uphold a 2010 constitutional clause that says no more than two-thirds of any elected body can be comprised of one gender, and promised to ensure government hiring bodies observe the rule as well. This clause has never been fulfilled and many women politicians say it must be.

Record numbers of Kenyan women were elected in August. The number of female governors more than doubled while the number of female parliamentarians jumped by nearly a third.

"We will look back and say this time was really historical," said lawyer Susan Kihika, who was elected as the first female governor of Kenya's populous Nakuru County during the August parliamentary, presidential and county polls.

"But we are nowhere near where we need to be," said Kihika, one of seven female governors out of a total of 47 - about 15%. Female parliamentarians are a slightly larger proportion, at about 23%.

One reason: Female candidates face Njue is one of dozens of female candidates who have been physically assaulted during campaigning for presidential, legislative and local elections on Aug. 9, according to the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association abuse and physical assault, deterring many women from running. They need better protection on the campaign trail, said Kihika.

Ruto was the only one of four presidential candidates without a female running mate in the August election, though he has promised to give more power to women in politics.

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"We shall allocate 50% of all cabinet positions to the women of Kenya," he told a campaign rally in June, to cheers and vuvuzela horns from the crowd.

In 2020, the then-chief justice of the Kenyan Supreme Court ordered parliament to be dissolved for failing to implement the gender rule. Kenya's high court later suspended the order's implementation and there has been little movement on the issue since then.

Margaret Toili, a former parliamentary candidate, was one of the petitioners and has drafted a new petition to file, she told Reuters.

"We are still not implementing the two-thirds law," Toili told Reuters. "They are facing the same consequences: dissolve parliament."

Political parties must also encourage more women to run, said Mercy Mwangi, coordinator of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association.

Mwangi said progress had been helped by a clause in the 2010 constitution that created 47 parliamentary seats reserved for women, out of a total of 350. Two of the seven female governors elected in this cycle were previously women's representatives, as were four parliamentarians.

"It's actually creating a stepping stone for women," she said.

(Reporting by Ayenat Mersie; Editing by Katharine Houreld and Josie Kao)
A Kettering man has been found guilty on charges connected to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Riot.

David Mehaffie, 63, was found guilty Tuesday of felony aiding and abetting in assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers, and interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder. He was also convicted on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct in a Capitol Building and aiding and abetting in committing an act of violence in the Capitol Building or grounds, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia.

>> Man accused of shooting Richmond Officer extradited to Indiana

Mehaffie was arrested in Kettering in August 2021 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

According to the criminal complaint, Mehaffie willingly and knowingly engaged in an act of physical violence on Capitol grounds and in Capitol buildings on Jan. 6.

The Justice Department said Mehaffie yelled at nearby rioters who were hesitating to illegally cross the outer perimeter, if we cant fight over this wall, we cant win this battle!

>> City commission approves plans for former Good Samaritan site

At the Lower West Terrace, officers of the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department guarded the entrance door to the Capitol from the mob -- including [Mehaffie and two others convicted Tuesday] -- for several hours. Between 2:41 p.m. and 3:19 p.m., [Mehaffie and two others convicted Tuesday] attempted to break into the building by directing other rioters, participating in heave-hos against the police line, using riot shields stolen from the Capitol Police, and assaulting three specific officers. Mehaffie hung from an archway and shouted direction from above, according to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia.

While he was found guilty on four charges, Mehaffie wasnt convicted on obstruction of an official proceeding, aiding and abetting.

Mehaffie will be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2023.
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty

Its time to run the jewels.

That was my first thought after I visited the British Museum, home to an astounding collection of stolen goodsbrilliant cultural artifacts plundered from former colonies of the British empire. That thought returned last week after I learned of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, may she rest in peace.

Being the son of Pakistani immigrants, whose ancestors endured British colonialism, you cant blame me for praying that the British would opt for a Brexit from the monarchy. Its well past time to cast off an imperial institution that masks its brutal, murderous past in bedazzling treasures stolen from Black and brown people across the world.

I wont be holding my breath, though.

Now Would Be a Good Time to Investigate Ginni Thomas

The problematic history of British imperialism (the understatement of the year), explains in part why so many people of color like me were similarly nonplussed on social media after learning of Queen Elizabeths death.

I tweeted: May the Queen rest in peace, and now let the monarchy die.

Many Americans (self-deputized as Twitter police) came out to defend the honor of a queen who is the figurehead of our former oppressors, wagging their fingers at me and others for being disrespectful. Some of my own followers said they were disappointed. Others chimed in that any critical statement was too soon and in poor taste.

Well, let me tell you, racism and imperialism are far more sour and dank. Economic Freedom Fighters, a South African political party, thought it was the right time to remember the queen as a head of an institution built up, sustained and living off a brutal legacy of dehumanization of millions of people across the world. The queens death somehow managed to unite both Black and Irish Twitter, and the latter came in with hot fire and openly celebrated by posting tap-dancing videos. It seems that formerly colonized people have long memories, and ferocious online responses.

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However, I do believe it is possible to acknowledge the passing of the queen and her extraordinary life, while also reckoning with her role as the ambassador and legacy of a rancid institution. In the 21st century, we should ask more from a royal family that refuses to acknowledge or answer for its many imperialist crimes while still basking in its spoils. The royal familys worth is estimated to be $88 billion as of 2017, and the queen was allegedly worth $500 million. Where did all the money come from, I wonder?

We know the 106-karat Koh-i-noor diamond, which still sits in the Queen Mothers crown, was originally stolen from India. The British Museum refuses to give back the Parthenon Marbles to Greece that were stolen by Lord Elgin in 1801. A report commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron concluded that 90 percent of African cultural property resides in European museums, and Macron believes much of it should be returned.

Yet people of color are often told by some of the most racist people on Earth to get over such historical crimeseven as they fight to maintain statues of dead white slavers and imperialists. For such people, its easier to create a halcyon portrait of a benevolent past to escape culpability. If you whitewash history, you dont have to deal with the present and confront the institutional racism and inequities that are directly connected to the abuses of empire and white supremacy. And you certainly dont have to deal with reparations and restitution.

Take MAGA youth recruiter Charlie Kirk, who called England the most benign global empire ever. Meanwhile, over at Fox, Tucker Carlson praised the British Empire as being an impressive place run by impressive people and for helping to spread Protestant Christianity. Apparently, Christian nationalists and right-wing authoritarians who consider themselves American patriots can make excellent bedfellows with British imperialistswhom the founders rebelled against to create the United States of America. White supremacy has a way of bringing bigots together.

Queen Elizabeth II after her coronation in 1952 and the Crown Jewels. The Koh-I-noor diamond, stolen from India, sits on the crown while the Star of Africa, the largest clear-cut diamond in the world, is featured in the Royal Sceptre. Photo Composite by The Daily Beast/Getty

Theyll participate in all these hypocritical mental gymnastics, but they'll refuse to engage with uncomfortable history that confronts the British Empires role in the Boer concentration camps, its crackdown on Kenyans during the Mau Mau uprising, the bloodletting at the Amritsar massacre, and the empires role in the starvation and death of millions of Indians as Britain exported Indias wheat back home during a famine.

Wethe direct descendants of the British Empires rape and pillagingare supposed to get over it, even as the past slaps us in the present.

When Prince Charles ascended to the throne as King Charles III at the age of 73, the coronation ceremony included the Sovereign Scepter and the Imperial State Crownboth of which feature a cut from the largest diamond ever found, originally discovered in South Africa in 1905. Some of the coldest gangsters of all time have come from royal blood.

A close-up of the Queen Mothers coffin, the wreath of white flowers, and the Queen Mothers coronation crown with the priceless Koh-I-Noor diamond. Corbis via Getty

But King Charles has a chance to learn from his mothers mistakes and forge a new path that will usher in healing, reconciliation, and truly reflect benevolent leadership.

First, he should acknowledge and apologize for the British Empires role in the bloodshed, death, and ruination of so many indigenous people and the ugly history of colonization that continues to stain the present. President Joe Bidens recent confrontation and denouncement of the poison of white supremacy was a powerful example of a leader giving witness to a painful truth that was often buried and erased through jingoistic nostalgia.

Second, the new king should take a cue from President Macron and return his countrys ill-gotten treasures. On behalf of South Asians, I can confidently say Indians would really like the Koh-i-noor returned to the motherland. In August, another British museum said it will return 72 stolen artifacts to Nigeria. Its a start.

Third, Charles III should use the royal familys immense wealth (which is still not transparent to the public) and use it for reparationsstarting with the descendants of Africans who were enslaved by the royal family. Considering Charles has amassed a billion-dollar business through royal wealth and off-shore accounts, he could easily help Pakistan, which was once part of the Indian subcontinent, and is currently experiencing devastating floods that have submerged a third of the country under water.

U.K.s Crackdown on Anti-Royal Protests Makes U.S. Free Speech Look Good

Fourth, in order to prove that they are very much not a racist family, as King Charles son, Prince William, has claimed, people of color around the world would like to see Meghan Markle given love, respect, and honorand treated with dignityjust like the very white Kate Middleton.

Finally, Charles should call for the abolishment of the monarchy.

Dont worrycountless Netflix series, docudramas, and books will continue being written about these ancient British figures, and theyll still make money. But its time to end the ridiculous pomp and pageantry. Pour out the alcohol on the outdated institution that built itself on the bones, blood, and ruin of so many nations and people still struggling for economic freedom, dignity, and empowerment. Donate all the money and go start a podcast or become a philanthropist or golf. Any and all of the above options will suffice.

If not, dont be angry or shocked if the rest of us still want to run the jewels.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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As King Charles III steps up to the British throne after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, the heir appeared frustrated with a leaky pen while carrying out his royal duties.

While visiting the royal residence of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland Tuesday, King Charles III lost his temper over a leaking pen when signing a book.

"Oh God, I hate this," the royal monarch angrily remarked after using the dysfunctional pen.

In the video, King Charles III realizes the pen was not working properly, then storms out of his seat and reaches into his pocket for a handkerchief to clean the ink from his hands.

PRINCE HARRY AND PRINCE WILLIAM, KING CHARLES REUNITE TO WALK TOGETHER BEHIND QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S COFFIN

Queen Consort Camilla, 75, took the leaky pen away from her husband and said, "Oh look, its going everywhere," as she brushed her hands from the broken pen.

The staff rushed to help out the royal couple, as Camilla reached for another pen to continue signing the book.

"I cant bear this bloody thing," King Charles III said as he lost his temper.

"I do, I hate this stinking pen," he continued to rage and furiously left the room shortly after.

King Charles III signed the visitors book at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast during his visit to North Ireland. Photo by NIALL CARSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The reigning monarch had another pen-related viral moment three days earlier.

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King Charles III furiously signaled for aides to clear the desk before he signed the Accession Proclamation  a document marking his official ascension to the throne of the British Commonwealth.

The objects that he wanted taken out of the way appeared to be a pen box and an inkwell.

Charles ascended the throne after Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday at the age of 96. She was the longest-reigning monarch in British history and the second longest-reigning monarch in the history of the world.
The New York Times

LONDON  All Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, did was put on a somber outfit and a sympathetic expression and walk around in public with three other people for 45 minutes. But the pointillistic armchair analysis of that brief event  a surprise outing outside Windsor Castle last Saturday featuring Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, and Prince William and his wife  has gone on ever since. The incident, for those following this particular saga, represented a brief cessation of, or maybe presaged
Household staff who served King Charles as heir to the throne have already been told they could lose their jobs, drawing criticism from a union that called the move "heartless" before Queen Elizabeth II is even buried.

Charles, who succeeded his mother on her death last Thursday, and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be moving from Clarence House, his London home for decades, to the monarch's main official residence, Buckingham Palace.

A Clarence House spokesman said operations there had ceased and a consultation process with staff over redundancies had begun.

"Our staff have given long and loyal service and while some redundancies will be unavoidable, we are working urgently to identify alternative roles for the greatest possible number of staff," the spokesman said.

The Guardian newspaper reported that up 100 employees had been told they could lose their jobs, some who had worked there for decades. They include personal servants such as footmen, valets, dressers and cooks, as well as clerical staff.

The notifications were issued even as they were working to assist the new king during the accession process  including while a thanksgiving service for his mother was under way in Edinburgh, it said. Monday will be a national holiday for the queen's funeral.

The Public and Commercial Services Union condemned the decision to announce redundancies during the mourning period as "heartless".

"While some changes across the households were to be expected, as roles across the Royal Family change, the scale and speed at which this has been announced is callous in the extreme," union general secretary Mark Serwotka said.

The Clarence House spokesman said the law required staff to be made aware of the situation at the earliest opportunity.

"Despite every effort to delay until after the funeral the advice remained the same," he said. "Any staff being made redundant will be offered enhanced redundancy payments."

Clarence House has been the official London residence of Charles and Camilla, employing 101 workers including 31 private secretaries.

Everybody is absolutely livid, including private secretaries and the senior team. All the staff have been working late every night since Thursday, to be met with this. People were visibly shaken by it, an unnamed source was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
November 28, 2008 Photographs from Southridge Mall as shoppers head to the mall for stores opening at 4am and then 5am. From left to right, Mike Dziedzic of Greenfield, Lisa Konitzer of Milwaukee and Jeff Peaslee of Greenfield wait in the checkout line at the Kohl's store in Southridge. The store opened at 4am. MICHAEL SEARS/MSEARS@JOURNALSENTINEL.COM

As the weather starts to get cooler, it sends a signal to consumers that the holiday season is near, and Kohl's Corp. is preparing for shoppers at all of its locations.

The company is hosting two nationwide hiring events this Thursday through Saturday and October 13-15, at all of its stores, distribution and e-commerce fulfillment centers. Candidates are encouraged to apply ahead of time and schedule a phone interview but can also walk-in to any store location between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the event for an on the spot interview.

In the greater Milwaukee area, Kohl's is hoping to hire nearly 1,000 seasonal employees for both full-time and part-time positions.

Interested candidates can view open positions in their area and apply today at Careers.Kohls.com/Seasonal or by texting APPLY to 24508 to schedule a phone interview. Most candidates will receive a response within 24 hours of their interview.

The company offers competitive wages and benefits, along with flexible scheduling and an immediate 15% employee discount.

In recent years Kohl's has added as many as 90,000 seasonal workers nationwide to its facilities during the holiday season.

Contact Ricardo Torres at ritorres@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @RicoReporting

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kohl's Corp. to hire nearly 1,000 seasonal workers in Milwaukee area
Kourtney Kardashian and her son Mason Disick. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images Gotham/Getty Images

Kourtney Kardashian said she has banned her eldest son from eating McDonald's french fries.

She told the Wall Street Journal that Mason hasn't eaten them for a year.

Kardashian explained that she has taken "wellness" more seriously since having children.

Kourtney Kardashian said that she has banned her son Mason from having McDonald's french fries for one year.

Kardashian spoke about her "wellness journey" in a new interview with the Wall Street Journal to promote the launch of her natural edible supplement company, Lemme. During the interview, she recalled a moment when she had to shut down her 12-year-old son from eating unhealthily.

"Today I was having my one-on-one time with my son [Mason] and he said, 'Mom, I need McDonald's french fries today, please. It's been a year since I've had it.' I was like, 'Today's not the day, sorry.'"

Video: This London restaurant only sells fries

Mason is the oldest of Kardashian's three children with her ex-partner Scott Disick.

During the interview, Kardashian also said that her wellness journey began when she started having children.

"When I had Mason is when I really started my wellness journey," the reality star told the publication. "He's very smart. He'll tell me, 'A person was bad because they let me have Cheetos.'"

She added: "Once I had kids was when I really bumped it up and started taking it more seriously. Nicole Richie really helped. She was one of my only friends who had kids before I did. She was like, 'You have to buy this one book, "Super Baby Food,"' and it was all about making [your own] baby food. It taught me about organic products and, honestly, it changed my life on how I started eating. Then it was a snowball effect."

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Earlier this year, Kardashian married Travis Barker earlier after they began a romantic relationship and spent Valentine's Day together in 2021.

The couple have had three ceremonies since their engagement in October 2021: an unofficial ceremony in front of an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas, Nevada, in April; a legal ceremony in May that took place in Santa Barbara, California, according to sources from People and TMZ; and finally an intimate ceremony in an Italian villa with family and friends a week later.

Kardashian told the Wall Street Journal that she is unsure whether they'll share the wedding footage in the second season of "The Kardashians" or keep it for themselves.

Read the original article on Insider
L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho, center, talks to reporters last week at a downtown news conference following a cyberattack on the school district. To the right is L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho on Tuesday received rare emergency powers to deal with the ongoing crisis caused by a massive Labor Day weekend cyberattack on the nation's second-largest school system.

In an interview after the meeting, Carvalho revealed another element of the attack. The hackers had left behind silent, almost invisible tripwires with the potential to set off another chain of damage or compromised information, another indication of the seriousness of the breach that is under investigation by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement.

The Board of Education approved the emergency authority by the required unanimous vote. The action specifies that Carvalho for one year "may enter into any and all contracts" to obtain "materials, supplies and professional services necessary to address the emergency conditions caused by the cyber-attack." The authority allows Carvalho to take action "without advertising or inviting bids and for any dollar amount necessary."

Carvalho said there would be limits on what he would publicly disclose about the spending, to avoid providing a roadmap for future attacks. The ransomware attack was carried out by a criminal syndicate that has targeted educational institutions, a group that is well known to law enforcement.

"This is a transparent board that operates in a transparent way, in a very public way. However, even government and law allow for privilege when it comes to very confidential information," Carvalho said, adding that he needed to move swiftly to put in place "necessary protective tools and measures" to recover from the attack and to prevent future ones.

While schools opened as scheduled on Sept. 6, many students, parents and staff said little academic or other regular work could be done in the aftermath as not all computer systems and programs were working or accessible. The online assault was under way on Saturday, Sept. 3, when district staff noticed the intrusion and took countermeasures to head it off.

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During the attack the facilities network was encrypted and taken down. District officials said they prevented a similar outcome elsewhere by shutting down other systems, then bringing them back online gradually and safely. But this process resulted in students, teachers and staff being unable to work normally.

Because the hackers compromised a significant number of passwords, officials ordered a districtwide wide reset of more than 600,000 credentials. Then technicians discovered that the password reset system was partially compromised as well  and the reset process had to slow down.

That issue has been resolved, Carvalho said, but still unknown is to what extent hackers may have been able to download information about students, such as grades, course schedules, disciplinary records and disability status.

Overall, the situation had improved considerably by Tuesday but workers and families were still reporting online glitches, disabled computer programs and inaccessible web pages.

Carvalho said 92% of middle and high schoolers have successfully changed their passwords. All elementary students have been issued temporary passwords.

Board member Monica Garcia said school leaders have proved resourceful in using workarounds until systems could be fully restored.

One example was that Eastside students were unable to take advantage of dual enrollment in East Los Angeles College, a program that allows students to earn college credit and skill certificates while still in high school or even middle school. But the applications were online and the deadline approaching. Officials quickly obtained, distributed and collected paper-and-pencil forms, returning them to the college before the deadline, Garcia said.

Carvalho said he recognized that his emergency powers could raise concerns. He pledged to provide monthly spending reports with as much detail as prudent for three months and then bimonthly reports thereafter. In six months, there would be a big-picture check-in, including an examination of whether it was necessary to retain the emergency authority,

Until recently, extended emergency authority was just about unheard of in L.A. Unified, but the board took a similar course at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The superintendent at that time, Austin Beutner, operated using these powers for more than a year and they were more sweeping in nature, taking in virtually all district operations.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Story at a glance

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Wednesday introduced a bill that would bolster supports for survivors of sexual assault on college and university campuses.

The Survivor Outreach and Support on Campus Act would require institutions that receive federal funding to designate an independent advocate responsible for campus sexual assault prevention and response.

The measure is co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Wednesday introduced legislation to better support survivors of sexual assault on college and university campuses.

The Survivor Outreach and Support on Campus Act, or the SOS Campus Act, would require all colleges and universities that receive federal funding to designate an independent advocate responsible for campus sexual assault prevention and response, including distributing information on how to report a sexual assault and access emergency medical care.

Each advocate under the proposed legislation will be tasked with representing the sole interests of survivors, even if that means clashing with the interests of their college or university.

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Institutions are also prohibited from disciplining, penalizing or retaliating against advocates for representing the interests of survivors, according to the bill, which is co-sponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

Similar legislation was introduced by Kaine in 2019.

As students across Virginia and the country head back to school, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to prevent sexual assault on campuses and provide support to survivors, Kaine said Wednesday in a news release.

This bill is critical to ensuring that students who bravely speak out are connected with the medical treatment, counseling, and legal information they need, he said.

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Under Kaines bill, advocates are also required to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of sexual assault survivors, as well as witnesses, and are not permitted to disclose any identifying information to a students college or university.

In a 2020 report from the Association for American Universities (AAU), 13 percent of graduate and undergraduate students reported having experienced rape or sexual assault. Among undergraduate students, roughly 26 percent of females and nearly 7 percent of males said they had experienced rape or sexual assault.



All higher education students face an increased risk of sexual assault during the first few months of the school year, with more than 50 percent of campus sexual assaults occurring between August and November, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sep. 14LIMA  A Lima man with a history of violent offenses was arrested Sunday after failing to appear in court in July.

Durand Tyson, 45, is charged with two counts of aggravated burglary with a firearm, a felony of the first degree, and two counts of felonious assault with a firearm, a second-degree felony. Tyson is considered a repeat violent offender, with his most recent conviction in Allen County being in 2012 for domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony.

Tyson received an 18-month prison sentence for the conviction.

According to the indictment, on July 12, 2021, Tyson brandished or used a firearm while breaking into an occupied residence. He caused or attempted to cause harm to Jodi Troy and Jason High using a handgun.

Because he used a firearm, Tyson will receive a mandatory three-year prison sentence for each charge if he is found or pleads guilty. Allen County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Reed will also consider that Tyson is a repeat violent offender with multiple convictions if he is sentenced.

Lima police were dispatched to the 1600 block of West Wayne Street on the evening of July 12, 2021, after a report of a possible shooting. According to court records, officers learned there were shots fired inside the residence but no one was injured.

Tyson reportedly spoke with Troy and another occupant of the home, Rob Blevins, while Tarockis Greer, who faces the same charges for the incident, sat in a nearby room. Tyson then accompanied Troy to the basement and Greer went upstairs where High was sleeping. Blevins told police he then heard a gunshot and fled outside.

Troy heard the same gunshot and came from the basement to see what had happened. As Troy entered the ground floor she felt a gun in her back and was ordered to the ground. Shortly thereafter, she was struck in the head with the weapon and a second gunshot was fired. Blevins was also struck with the weapon, according to court records.
Some 150 people including several organizations, community recovery leaders and others who have experienced addiction came together under one roof in Columbia Wednesday night to hear overdose stories, learn about help and light candles for the lost.

Losing a loved one to drug addiction is devastating  some of the families attending the recent Overdose Awareness Day at the Maury County Memorial Building Wednesday can attest.

Each time a story of loss is shared, another step in healing is made. And according to some speakers of the night, recovery is possible.

One simple message kept repeating at the Memorial Building in Columbia, Wednesday night: Tell your story.

Meredith Hugh with Tennessee Save a Life shares the story of her journey to recovery Wednesday night at the fourth annual International Overdose Awareness event at the Memorial Building in Columbia.

This remained the theme in 2022 as Maury County united to inform the community of treating addiction as a disease and hopefully, to prevent more overdose deaths.

Overdose support nonprofit, Light from the Darkness returned for the fourth annual event to commemorate Aug. 31, International Overdose Awareness Day.

Group co-founder Holly Terry led the event. She has experienced her own struggles.

Nearly 150 people in attendance included people in recovery, rehabilitation and recovery service representatives, community nonprofits and county leaders who told their stories, either from the hope of recovery or the pain of loss.

Booths from organizations like Fresh Start Columbia, Maury County Prevention Coalition, Tennessee Save a Life and others were present to inform attendees of the many ways they could help, from recovery support groups to NARCAN supplies and training.

Don Morrow shares the story of his son Logan's recovery Wednesday night at the Memorial Building in Columbia for the fourth annual International Overdose Awareness event.

Response from the community seemed to have grown from last years turnout, organizers said.

As various speakers shared their addiction struggles, they also encouraged those in recovery from substance abuse disorder to help others continue on the path to healing.

County leaders Don Morrow and Sam Barnes told their stories of how the disease of addiction affected their families and loved ones.

I was trying to get my boy arrested, Morrow said. Little did I know Maury County Task Force was on their way, and they had to bust down the door to get him.

After telling attendees that his son had been clean for eight years, Morrow encouraged those working on their recovery.

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You can do this, he said.

But thirty days of rehab is not going to do it, Morrow said. Might be some of you who are making it after 30 days, but its very rare.

Maury County is on the map in a noticeable way by comparison with other Tennessee counties having 31 fatal drug overdoses last year and the majority of those being from fentanyl.

In total, the state had 3,032 deaths in 2020, according to the most recent numbers on www.tn.gov.

While some counties are seeing a decrease in overdose deaths around the state, the number of opioid/ fentanyl related overdose deaths is largely concentrated to counties central to Middle Tennessee, like Montgomery, Davidson and Williamson.

Sam Barnes, who was recently elected constable of his district after retiring from a history of law enforcement said he guaranteed the numbers of overdose are higher than what is reported.

Barnes gave an impassioned talk to the crowd about family and friends he had seen changed, hurt and lost to addiction.

Pointing around the room at the various organizations, Barnes said that it takes every resource available and all of a community working together to combat the climb of overdose deaths.

Elizabeth Grooms will have nine years of sobriety in March and since being on her journey. She lost Ben Grooms, her own son, to an overdose. Now she counsels women at Hope Center in Hohenwald.

Not one of my own worst days in addiction was as bad as losing my son to his addiction, Grooms said, sharing what motivates her to help others where she can.

Shedding light on their darkness: Daniel and Mallories story

Light from the Darkness usually meets the last Thursday of each month at Heritage Funeral Home and recently some of its members told the Herald how they lived through addiction with their lost loved ones.

Mallorie Costas brother Daniel Adams suffered from prolonged intravenous drug use until 2020 when she said the people he was using with dropped him off at the hospital.

Adams didnt get to seek treatment after the hospital that last time, since his body was in the process of going septic.

He passed away soon after being admitted.

Costa said she had been angry and tired of the strain that her brother had put on the family but she still remembers who he was before his addiction took hold.

It took losing him to remember who he was before all of that, Costa said, knowing that life is not what he chose for himself.

There is a realization today by the group that once a persons disease is active, it eliminates the option of choice in their actions.

I have been able to forgive him after the fact, Costa said. But at the time, no, we were not good.

Aside from the devastation of the loss there was too, a certain relief for Costa and her parents in knowing that her brother had now received his healing.

We know where he is now, Costa said.

The members are in agreement that this is not a moral failing, but a disease, just like cancer that needs to be treated.

Eddie, Jennifer and Julies story

Jennifer Hooker and her mom, Julie Calleja found out about the group, hoping that if they could get the family together and going to the group it might help, since they were struggling with more than one family member.

My daughter was doing better and she was slowing down on what she was doing, but my brother, [Eddie Fisher] would never go, Hooker said. And when my brother did pass, my daughter came to me and said, I dont ever want to make you feel that way. I dont want to hurt you like that.

The loss was enough to bring Hookers daughter to a sobering realization and stop before things got worse.

Im thankful for that part, Hooker said, whose brother was 36 and a father of two kids when he passed.

What marks Eddies story is that he was a highly functioning addict working a regular job, but when it came time for family gatherings, he stopped showing up.

He was functional, Calleja said. And we did not know.

Eventually, following a couple of telling incidents public incidents, Fisher told the family that he needed help or he was going to die.

Following a stay at Cumberland Heights and serving some time in jail, it seemed things were going well for a couple of months until Hooker got the phone call she did not want to get, that they had found her brother and he died from an overdose.

I feel like he got stuff from somebody he met in jail, Hooker said. Fentanyl was the drug responsible for killing Fisher along with one other substance.

Hooker said her concern trickles down to her kids, but that the groups hope is to take their message to schools.

Costa also said the next generation is where she has found her concern.

All of us have kids now, she said. Fentanyl is just so out there that even people experimenting is not the same as it used to be. It terrifies me, that there are these things out there.

Dedra Campbell with Fresh Start Columbia shared the same sentiment and wants to see more events like the one on Wednesday.

It was an amazing service filled with hope, even in the midst of grief, Campbell said. Many of the speakers spoke about addiction affecting the whole family, rather than just the person. I feel this is an important conversation that we need to further as we find ways to bring more resources to families.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Overdose Awareness
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce hired former Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) as head of congressional affairs. Jenkins served two terms from 2015 to 2018 and most recently was chief justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. The Chamber also hired Volkswagen Group of America executive David Detweiler as general counsel.

The American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, a pro-business group launched to challenge the U.S. Chamber, added Jeff Miller and Michael Catanzaro as top advisers. Miller, a leading GOP fundraiser and lobbyist, was vice chair of former President Trumps inaugural committee. Catanzaro is president of the CGCN Group and previously served as a White House aide under Trump. The group also hired Alex Vargo, a former staffer for Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), as vice president for policy.

Adam Berg joined Squire Patton Boggs as a counsel in the firms public policy practice. Berg most recently served as Democrats chief counsel on the House Appropriations Committee. He previously was deputy staff director and counsel on the House Rules Committee.

Saat Alety joined Federal Hall Policy Advisors as a partner. Alety most recently led federal affairs at Allstate and previously served as staff director for Republicans on the Senate Banking Committees housing subcommittee.

Joe Brazauskas joined Bracewell as a principal. Brazauskas previously served as GOP senior counsel on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and associate administrator for congressional and intergovernmental relations at the Environmental Protection Agency under Trump.

Invariant hired Drew Griffin to its government relations and communications team. Griffin most recently served as chief of staff to Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio), ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce Committees technology subcommittee.

Roberti Global hired Tim McKone as a senior adviser. McKone recently retired from his longtime post as AT&Ts executive vice president for federal relations to launch his own firm, McK Strategies. He advised several GOP presidential campaigns, including former President George W. Bushs 2004 reelection campaign.

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The American Library Association hired Marjory Blumenthal and Christopher Harris as senior policy fellows. Blumenthal previously served as executive director of former President Obamas Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

MetLife appointed Ben Cushman as head of global regulatory policy. Cushman joined Metlife in 2018 as a vice president and previously oversaw the Treasury Departments work in Southeast Asia.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
SHREVEPORT, La.  A Louisiana substitute teacher has been arrested for allegedly encouraging students to bully another classmate and commit battery, police said.

Aadrina Smith, 24, allegedly offered to pay five different students $5 each to tackle their classmate on Aug. 23, while working as a physical education substitute at North Caddo Elementary-Middle School in Vivian, Louisiana.

Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office was able to locate video of the incident that showed Smith verbally communicating with the students and appeared to congratulate three who participated in the battery.

Smith sat on the bleachers while the victim lay on the gym floor, she never asked the victim if they needed help and did not report the incident, police said.

In Texas: El Paso school board votes to fire teacher accused of defending pedophiles in class

In a statement sent to the Shreveport Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Tuesday, Caddo Parish Schools said the school district "immediately removed (Smith) from her duties" following the incident and that the principal of the school reported to law enforcement.

"The Caddo Parish School Board expects employees to conduct themselves professionally and in the interest of students at all times," the district said, adding that they have "fully cooperated" with law enforcement.

Corporal punishment: Missouri school district made headlines for bringing back spanking. But the practice is still legal in over a dozen states.

What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day

On Monday, Smith was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center on fives counts of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles and malfeasance in office.

This incident is under investigation and more arrests are pending, the sheriff's office said Monday in a Facebook statement.

Contributing: Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: LA teacher arrested for allegedly offering students money to bully
Full text of Xi's signed article on Kazakh newspaper

Xinhua) 07:37, September 14, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A signed article by Chinese President Xi Jinping titled "Build on the Past to Make Greater Strides in China-Kazakhstan Relations" was published Tuesday on the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper ahead of his state visit to Kazakhstan.

Following is an English version of the full text of the article:

Build on the Past to Make Greater Strides in China-Kazakhstan Relations

Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

In the charming season of autumn, I will be making a state visit to the friendly country of Kazakhstan at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. After an interval of five years, it will be my fourth visit to the beautiful country known for its vast steppe, majestic landscape and hospitable people. I very much look forward to the visit.

Bound together by mountains and rivers and common interests, China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors, good friends and good partners. For thousands of years, the two peoples have had amicable ties, jointly writing an epic of east-west interactions along the ancient Silk Road. Huen Tsang, an eminent Tang Dynasty monk (602-664), and Chen Cheng, a Ming Dynasty envoy (1365-1457), both set foot on Kazakhstan. Al-Farabi the "Eastern Aristotle", Abai Kunanbayev the "sage poet", and other towering cultural figures of Kazakhstan enjoy widespread fame in China. To this day, their stories are still being told among the two peoples.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Kazakhstan. Over the past three decades, we have braved wind and rain, with our hands always held firmly together. Our interactions and cooperation have become ever more vibrant, and we have travelled an extraordinary path side by side.

-- Over the past 30 years, China-Kazakhstan relations have made big strides. We have continuously advanced our relationship from good neighbors to strategic partners and to permanent comprehensive strategic partners. This incomparable characterization of our ties has enabled us to develop a new type of state-to-state relations featuring mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, solidarity in trying times, and win-win cooperation. We always give each other unwavering support on the core issues bearing on our respective sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. We always respect each other's choice of development path based on national conditions. And we always take pleasure in each other's sustained progress in development and national rejuvenation. We are friends to trust and partners to count on for each other, and our peoples always stand shoulder to shoulder with each other.

-- Over the past 30 years, China-Kazakhstan cooperation has yielded remarkable results. In recent years, China has been solidly one of Kazakhstan's leading partners for trade and investment. Navigating the impact of COVID-19, we were able to again bring our bilateral trade above the US$25 billion mark last year, jointly giving a boost to global economic recovery. China and Kazakhstan are pioneers in production capacity and investment cooperation; our cooperation list includes 52 projects worth a total of more than US$21.2 billion. We have completed a number of major strategic projects, such as the 100-MW Zhanatas wind farm, the JAC automobile factory, and Shymkent Oil Refinery modernization. They have been a strong driving force for economic and social progress in Kazakhstan, and have delivered tangible benefits to our two peoples.

-- Over the past 30 years, China and Kazakhstan have built extensive infrastructure links. We have put in place a multidimensional transportation network composed of road, railway, aviation, and oil and gas pipelines. And we are resolved to build a Eurasian land-sea multimodal "transportation artery" to offer convenient and efficient services. At all of our five road crossings and two rail crossings, normal cargo flows have resumed. And we are in close communication about opening another rail crossing. At the China-Kazakhstan International Logistics Base in the eastern Chinese port of Lianyungang, products from Kazakhstan set sail for the Pacific Ocean. The China-Europe freight trains are running through Kazakhstan via more routes, making an important contribution to the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

-- Over the past 30 years, China-Kazakhstan friendship has taken deep roots among our peoples. In Kazakhstan, there are five Confucius Institutes; in China, four universities have opened institutes on Kazakhstan studies and two have added the Kazakh language as a major. The heart-warming story of Xian Xinghai and Bakhtzhan Baikadamov, two great composers in our respective countries, has been turned into a movie. Dr. Saulebek Kabilbekov of Kazakhstan has been working for 24 years in the Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital of Heilongjiang Province, treating nearly 200,000 Chinese patients. China and Kazakhstan will soon establish cultural centers in each other's countries, and Kazakhstan will host a center of traditional medicine and a Luban Workshop. Our cultural and people-to-people exchanges will make greater strides, and the friendship between our peoples will continue to thrive on an increasingly solid foundation.

Having stood the test of the changing circumstances and the passage of time, China-Kazakhstan relations have long become rock-solid. We should cherish this hard-won achievement, and work harder to carry on the cause of friendship between our two countries. During my upcoming visit, I will have in-depth discussions with President Tokayev on how to further the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership and how to advance our mutually beneficial cooperation across the board. We will set out plans for working together to promote China-Kazakhstan relations with the objective and vision of building a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future.

First, we need to carry forward our good-neighborly friendship. Deep political mutual trust is the bedrock of the steady and sustained development of China-Kazakhstan relations. China is willing to work with Kazakhstan to make top-level designs for the relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective, maintain close high-level interactions, and enhance exchanges and cooperation between our governments, legislatures, political parties and localities at various levels. We should make good use of the regular Prime Ministers' Meetings and the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee and its sub-committees, continue to give each other firm support on issues concerning our respective core interests and major concerns, and make continuous efforts to cement the political foundation of China-Kazakhstan relations.

Second, we need to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Next year will be the tenth anniversary of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative that I first proposed during my visit to Kazakhstan in 2013. From laying the groundwork to building pillars and frameworks, to delivering results on the ground, and to achieving sustainable progress, the Belt and Road Initiative has become a platform for international cooperation that is open, inclusive, mutually beneficial and promotes win-win cooperation and a global public good widely welcomed by the international community. Setting our sight beyond the pandemic, China would like to partner with Kazakhstan to remain pioneers in Belt and Road cooperation. We should improve investment and trade facilitation, fully unleash the potential of border ports and cross-border transportation, and cultivate new sources of growth such as artificial intelligence, big data, digital finance, e-commerce and green energy. We should commit ourselves to a series of new quality projects that are high-standard, sustainable, and beneficial to the people, bring bilateral cooperation to a higher level, and put the Global Development Initiative into action, so as to contribute our shares to world economic recovery.

Third, we need to firmly safeguard common security. In the face of complex regional and international landscapes, only by embracing unity and cooperation can we overcome difficulties of our times and resolve challenges in security governance. China would like to deepen law enforcement, security and defense cooperation with Kazakhstan. Guided by the Global Security Initiative, we should act on the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together to promote the implementation of the Data Security Cooperation Initiative of China+Central Asia. We should join hands to combat terrorism, separatism, extremism, drug trafficking and transnational organized crimes, and ensure the security of oil and gas pipelines and other large cooperation projects and their personnel. We should resolutely oppose interference by external forces and work together for lasting peace and long-term stability of our region.

Fourth, we need to strengthen international coordination in all respects. We need to enhance coordination within multilateral frameworks such as the UN, the SCO, CICA, and China+Central Asia. We should exchange views timely on international governance, food security, energy security, industrial and supply chains stability, and regional hotspots. We should reject unilateralism and bloc confrontation, and jointly push for an international order that is more just and more equitable.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) will convene its 20th National Congress soon. It will be a gathering of great significance at an important moment as the CPC embarks on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects and marching toward the second centenary goal. We are glad to see that the construction of a New Kazakhstan has been fully launched, and that Kazakhstan is making strides toward the goal of becoming one of the world's top 30 most developed states. China stands ready to continue to share development achievements with Kazakhstan and learn from each other's development experience. China's door of opening-up and friendly cooperation will always be open to Kazakhstan.

As a Kazakh proverb goes, "Friendship is an inexhaustible wealth." China believes that as long as we keep to the principle of good-neighborly friendship and deepen all-round win-win cooperation, we will surely usher in a more splendid thirty years in China-Kazakhstan relations.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
The man police say shot a Richmond Police Officer last month is back in Indiana.

Phillip Lee, 47, of Richmond, is currently in custody at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana, an Indiana Department of Correction official confirmed Wednesday morning.

Lee appeared in a Montgomery County courtroom Tuesday morning, marking his first court appearance since being released from the hospital. He appeared before a judge in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court and waived his right to an extradition hearing, allowing Indiana authorities to take him into custody and bring him back to Indiana.

Photo by: Montgomery County Jails

>> Richmond Police: officer continues to fight, continue thoughts and prayers

Lee has been accused of shooting Officer Seara Burton, 28, on Aug. 10 during a traffic stop.

Other officers on the scene returned fire and Lee fled on foot, according to police. After a brief foot chase, Lee was apprehended and treated for gunshot wounds by the officers. He was later taken to Miami Valley Hospital and remained there until he was discharged Saturday. He was then booked in the Montgomery County Jail.

Burton was critically injured in the shooting. After spending three weeks at Miami Valley Hospital, Burtons injuries were described as unrecoverable and she was taken off life support on Sept. 1. She was transported to a hospice facility in Richmond on Sept. 3 and that is where she remains as of Tuesday.

>> PHOTOS: Richmond Police Officer Seara Burtons Cruiser

Lee has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of drug possession and one count of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, according to Wayne County court documents.

Lee was on parole at the time of the shooting. He will now remain in custody in Indiana for violating his parole. His maximum release date for the parole violation would be April 2, 2024, according to an Indiana Department of Corrections official.

We will continue updating this story.
A man wanted for stealing a car in Rhode Island rode on flat tires more than 20 miles on two major highways to avoid being apprehended by police, according to authorities.

According to the state police, the unidentified man was driving the stolen 2008 Dodge Charger on Interstate 190 north in Sterling at 2:47 a.m. Wednesday when a trooper saw the vehicle.

The driver, who earlier fled from Worcester police, refused to pull over for the trooper. State police used tire deflation devices in an attempt to stop the driver of the Charger, but he continued to drive on flat tires onto Route 2 eastbound in Leominster.

The driver was driving on the tire rims by the time he reached the Interstate 495 interchange in Littleton, police said.

At 3:18 a.m., after driving around 21 miles on flat tires and rims, a state police sergeant was able to box in the driver and the Charger on Route 2 east in Concord, just past Walden Pond. The man, the only person in the vehicle, was arrested and will be arraigned in Clinton District Court at a future date.

Three state police cruisers were struck by the driver and damaged during the pursuit, police said.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Man drives on flat tires, rims to evade police during 21-mile chase
A Connecticut man who was filmed using a police riot shield to violently pin and crush an officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol has been found guilty of seven felonies and two misdemeanors, the Department of Justice said.

Patrick Edward McCaughey III, 25, of Ridgefield was convicted Tuesday of the nine charges related to his participation in the insurrection, which was fueled by then-President Donald Trumps election loss.

These included assaulting or aiding and abetting in assaulting law enforcement officers, obstruction of an official proceeding and interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder.

The most serious obstruction charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, reported CBS affiliate WUSA9 in Washington.

Patrick Edward McCaughey III was convicted of seven felonies and two misdemeanors related to his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. (Photo: justice.gov)

Patrick Edward McCaughey III was convicted of seven felonies and two misdemeanors related to his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. (Photo: justice.gov)

Two other men 26-year-old Tristan Chandler Stevens of Pensacola, Florida, and 63-year-old David Mehaffie of Kettering, Ohio  were also convicted by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden on Tuesday for their own roles in the Capitol attack, with Stevens guilty of nine offenses and MeHaffie of four.

Both men were acquitted of the most serious obstruction charge, which the judge, a 2017 Trump appointee, said prosecutors failed to prove. It was the first time that a judge has acquitted a Jan. 6 defendant of a felony at trial, WUSA reported.

All three men are set to be sentenced in January, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Upon his conviction, McCaughey was ordered to be taken into custody and held until then.

Youve seen images of Ofc Hodges crushed in the doorway during the insurrection at the US Capitol. Now we need your help finding the suspect who used a police shield to pin him against the door jam.

Have info? Call the FBIs Tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) @FBIWFOpic.twitter.com/AZt2lylfj9  DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) January 16, 2021

Authorities said McCaughey, Stevens and Mehaffie broke into the U.S. Capitol while rallying fellow rioters who appeared hesitant to illegally cross the buildings outer perimeter.

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Mehaffie hung from an archway and shouted direction from above, and McCaughey and Stevens were key players in the melee below, federal prosecutors said.

A YouTube video cited by prosecutors in McCaugheys criminal affidavit showed him taking a police riot shield and pressing it against Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniel Hodges, who was seen pinned between two doors in a tunnel.

McCaughey was filmed assaulting an officer with a police riot shield while forcing his way inside the Capitol, authorities said. (Photo: Justice.gov)

McCaughey was filmed assaulting an officer with a police riot shield while forcing his way inside the Capitol, authorities said. (Photo: Justice.gov)

As he pushed against Hodges, McCaughey was heard telling the officer to go home. He appeared to warn Hodges that hes going to get squished, according to the affidavit.

As the officer was being pinned to the door by McCaughey, a separate rioter was violently ripping off the officers gas mask, exposing the officers bloodied mouth, the affidavit states. As McCaughey was using the riot shield to push against the officer, numerous other rioters behind and around McCaughey appeared to add to the weight against the officer.

Hodges, in a later interview with CBS News, said the mob took his baton and hit him in the head with it as well.

I definitely considered that that might be it, he told the outlet. I might not be able to make it out of there.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
A man was shot to death over what Rockdale County investigators say was a misplaced DoorDash order.

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

Deputies responded to a shooting call at Tall Oaks Apartments around 1:11 a.m.

The sheriffs office says 20-year-old Fernando Solomon had an order from DoorDash, but it was mistakenly delivered to the home next door. When Soloman went to retrieve the food, investigators say he was shot.

Zaire Cortell Watson, 22, is facing charges of murder, aggravated assault and felony murder in connection with the shooting.

The home at 347 Tall Oaks Drive has a Ring camera. The incident report says Watsons father saw the victim on video at the door and then called his son, who was inside.

The police report says Watson admitted to shooting Soloman after he saw the victim reach into his pocket. It goes on to say Watsons father came to the scene trying to understand why we detained his son.

The victims father was also on the scene, according to the report, and said he came home to find his son had been shot.

Channel 2s Bryan Mims knocked on both doors Wednesday, but nobody answered.

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Sandra Jackson-Lett, who works across the street, called the shooting shameful and described it as a delivery gone bad.

Im like, Oh, my gosh! That was horrible for someone to lose their life simply by ordering food, so it was very shocking, she said. And I just give my condolences to the young man that lost his life.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Marcus Rashford has not travelled with Manchester United for their Europa League clash (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)

Marcus Rashford has not travelled with the Manchester United squad for their Europa League clash with Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday.

The 24-year-old, who has started the campaign in promising fashion for United, will stay at home, along with Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

None of the quartet trained at Carrington on Wednesday morning ahead of the flight to Moldova.

Erik ten Hag is otherwise taking a full strength squad, with Cristiano Ronaldo among the travelling party and Luke Shaw returning after injury.

United are looking for their first points of their Group E campaign, having lost to Real Sociedad last week.

Ten Hag will face the media on Wednesday tea-time to preview the fixture.
A massive influx of Latin American migrants in recent months has driven the citys shelter system so close to collapse that Mayor Adams suggested Wednesday its warranted to reassess local homeless policies  including a long-standing law that assures the right to shelter for New Yorks neediest.

The mayor floated the extraordinary proposal in a statement that also admitted his administration failed to provide shelter beds for roughly 60 homeless men on Monday night, forcing them to sleep on floors and benches at a Manhattan intake center. He said that was a result of the shelter system being overburdened by the arrival of more than 11,000 South and Central American migrants since May.

The citys system is nearing its breaking point. As a result, the citys prior practices, which never contemplated the bussing of thousands of people into New York City, must be reassessed, Adams said.

Though Adams statement didnt explicitly mention the so-called right-to-shelter law, its the primary legal mechanism underpinning the citys homeless policies.

But in a head-scratching twist, Adams spokesman Fabien Levy disputed the idea that the mayor was solely referring to the right-to-shelter law in calling for a reassessment of prior practices.

We must reassess the entire situation, Levy said. He would not say what rules besides right-to-shelter could fall within the scope of the mayors proposed reassessment.

Under the law, the city must provide a bed in a homeless shelter to anyone in need of one, regardless of immigration status or other circumstances. That has been the case since 1981, when the city entered a consent decree that established the right-to-shelter requirement. Its unclear whether Adams would have authority to reassess right-to-shelter protocols, as the law is protected under the state constitution.

Advocacy groups, the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless, said Tuesday that Adams administration violated the right-to-shelter law when it didnt provide beds for the approximately 60 men who were stuck at the intake center at 30th Street and First Avenue.

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In Wednesdays statement, Adams said the impacted individuals were given beds early the next day and that they were among a group of several hundred others who had showed up at the intake center for single men.

But the mayor would not say whether his administration broke the right-to-shelter law  and instead took an apparent shot at the two advocacy groups who made the accusation.

While some may want to use these extraordinary circumstances as an opportunity to play an unproductive game of gotcha, we remain focused on supporting each of these individuals, he said.

In a joint statement late Wednesday, the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless reaffirmed they believe the administration violated the law as a result of the intake center breakdown  and dismissed the idea that anything can be done to peel back right-to-shelter.

This principle has been settled for decades, and is not subject to unilateral tinkering by a new administration, the groups said.

The Monday night situation at the intake center is the second time this summer that Adams administration has faced a right-to-shelter headache.

In July, Adams admitted the city violated the law when it failed to find beds in a timely manner for at least five Latin American migrant families.

Since then, hundreds of migrants have arrived in the city every week after crossing into Texas and other Southern states from Mexico in hopes of applying for asylum. Many of the desperate travelers hail from Venezuela and are fleeing violence and economic devastation.

Adams has blamed the shelter system crisis on Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who keeps sending migrants to New York as part of a political beef over immigration policy with President Biden.

But advocates have contended Adams team shares some of the blame. Further complicating the crisis is the fact that Social Services Commissioner Gary Jenkins, who oversees the shelter system, remains under a Department of Investigation probe over allegations that he attempted to cover up the first right-to-shelter violations in July.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose legislative body has held oversight hearings on the shelter dilemma, stopped short Wednesday of accusing the mayor of violating the right-to-shelter law again, but said she considers the Monday night incident a critical matter.

The city is bursting at the seams, she said, and quite frankly, is not prepared to handle this influx of individuals coming.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) on Tuesday said most Republican senators would like to leave the issue of abortion up to the states after Senator Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) proposed a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks.

McConnell said the measure is not being touted by leadership.

With regard to his bill, youll have to ask him about it. In terms of scheduling, I think most of the members of my conference prefer that this be dealt with at the state level, he told reporters.

He said he would leave it to Republican senators running for reelection to determine their own responses on the issue.

I think every Republican senator running this year in these contested races has an answer as to how they feel about the issue and it may be different in different states. So I leave it up to our candidates who are quite capable of handling this issue to determine for them what their response is, he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Graham unveiled his proposal and acknowledged that he did not discuss the measure with McConnell ahead of time, according to The Hill.

I think we should have a law at the federal level that would say, after 15 weeks, no abortion on demand except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother, Graham said while unveiling the legislation. And that should be where America is at.

Under the proposal, doctors who violate the ban could be subject to sentences of up to five years in prison.

While the measure would almost certainly not advance in Congress with its current makeup  Democrats control the House and Vice President Kamala Harris serves as the tie-breaking vote in the evenly divided Senate  Graham said Congress would vote on the measure if Republicans are able to take back both chambers in the upcoming midterm elections.

Abortion is a contentious issue, Graham said. Abortion is not banned in America. It is left up to elected officials in America to define the issue States have the ability to do [so] at the state level and we have the ability in Washington to speak on this issue if we choose. I have chosen to speak.

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However, some Republicans have said decisions over abortion should remain with the states after Roe v. Wade was overturned.

I just dont see the momentum at the federal level, Senator Roger Marshall (R., Kan.) told the Washington Post in July. I think the legislative priority should be at the states.

Additionally, some pro-lifers say the ban would not go far enough, as several red states already have stricter bans in place. However, Grahams proposal would act as a federal ceiling and would still allow states to set limits lower than 15 weeks.

McConnell said back in May, after a leaked draft opinion suggested the Supreme Court was poised to overturn Roe, that there are not 60 votes in the Senate to pass federal abortion law.

Historically, there have been abortion votes on the floor of the Senate. None of them have achieved 60 votes, he said.

I think its safe to say there arent 60 votes there at the federal level, no matter who happens to be in the majority, no matter who happens to be in the White House, he added.

More from National Review
A coalition of more than 100 medical providers and advocacy groups asked Google to stop accepting ads from anti-abortion clinics and crisis pregnancy centers in a letter sent to the tech giant Wednesday.

The letter, led by womens rights group UltraViolet, urges Google to ban ads from anti-abortion centers in order to help mitigate efforts to mislead, harm, and misdirect people away from reproductive health and abortion care, according to a copy of the letter shared with The Hill.

Allowing anti-abortion centers to place ads on your platforms that steers unsuspecting people into the hands of those who will deny them care is unethical. The best way to prevent this is to remove and ban intentionally misleading advertisements sponsored by anti-abortion clinics and centers, especially crisis pregnancy centers, they wrote.

A Google spokesperson said in a statement the company requires any organization that wants to advertise to people seeking information about abortion services to be certified and clearly disclose whether they do or do not offer abortions and highlighted the recent update to make the disclosures more visible.

We are committed to ensuring advertisements on this topic are clear and easily understood, the spokesperson said.

The letter is the latest effort pushing Google to take action against anti-abortion clinics and crisis pregnancy centers, which do not provide abortion services and encourage patients to continue their pregnancies.

Last month, Google said it would clearly identify facilities that provide abortions to help ensure people seeking abortion care arent misled by anti-abortion clinics. The change came after pressure from lawmakers, Google employees and a published Bloomberg analysis that found Google Maps searches for abortion clinics routinely misled users by showing results for crisis pregnancy centers.

Pressure has been mounting for Google and other tech companies to address misinformation about abortions, as well as the handling of sensitive reproductive health and geolocation data, following the Supreme Courts decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade.

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The decision triggered strict abortion bans and restrictions in states across the country.

Updated at 9:14 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Note: This story has been updated to reflect the announcement of Mandaloun's retirement.

Live racing will return to Churchill Downs on Thursday as the track opens its 10th annual September Meet.

The 14-day meet will feature racing Thursday-Sunday this week and Wednesdays-Sundays the following two weeks. Closing Day is Oct. 2. First posts are set for 5 p.m. on Thursdays and 12:45 p.m. on Wednesdays, Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. The one exception is Sept. 24, when first post is set for 6 p.m. for the lone Downs After Dark event of the meet.

General admission is $7 ($14 for Downs After Dark on Sept. 24). Reserved box seats are $10 ($17 for Downs After Dark), and indoor dining options are $42 ($82 for Downs After Dark). Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets or by calling (502) 636-4400.

All races will be televised live on FoxSports1 or FoxSports2.

More horse racing: Bourbon label pokes fun at Bob Baffert's string of failed drug tests

Here are three things to know about the meet:

The return of Rich Strike?

Rich Strike, with Sonny Leon aboard, wins the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 7, 2022

The $400,000, Grade 2 Lukas Classic on Oct. 1 could feature the return of 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike.

Trained by Eric Reed, Rich Strike has raced twice since his shocking victory at 80-1 odds in the Kentucky Derby. He finished sixth in the Belmont on June 11 and came in fourth in the Travers on Aug. 27 at Saratoga.

Hot Rod Charlie, who was second in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, also could contend in the Lukas Classic, which is a prep race for the Breeders Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

Mandaloun, the 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, had been considered possible for the Lukas Classic, but owner Juddmonte Farms announced the horse's retirement earlier this week.

Saturday could produce Derby, Oaks contenders

Jack Harlow greets fans in the paddock before he does the Rider's Up Call at the 148th Kentucky Derby Saturday at Churchill Downs. May 7, 2022

The first points races toward the 2023 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks are set for Saturday.

The $300,000, Grade 3 Iroquois will provide a total of 17 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby, with 10 going to the winner, four to second place, two to third place and one to fourth place.

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Echo Again, a son of Gun Runner and trained by Steve Asmussen, is listed as possible for the Iroquois. Echo Again won his debut Aug. 20 at Saratoga by 6  lengths.

The $300,000, Grade Pocahontas will provide a total of 17 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks, with 10 going to the winner, four to second place, two to third place and one to fourth place.

Both races are set for 1 1/16 miles.

No turf racing

All of the meets 135 scheduled races will be run on the main dirt track as Churchill Downs continues to work on the turf course that was installed in the spring.

Turf racing is expected to return for the Fall Meet scheduled for Oct. 30-Nov. 27.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Churchill Downs: What to know about live horse racing's fall meet
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton honored the late Queen Elizabeth in a special way. (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton found a special way to honor the late Queen Elizabeth, who died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96.

The Suits alum, who married Prince Harry in 2018, appeared with the royal family at the Westminster Hall service on Wednesday  a procession that marks the Queens leave from Buckingham Palace to her funeral. Per Vogue, the Duchess of Sussex wore the customary black attire, along with a special piece of jewelry that nodded to her relationship with the late monarch: a pair of pearl drop earrings once gifted to her by the Queen herself.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton honored the late Queen Elizabeth in a special way. (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Markle and her husband stepped down from their roles as senior members of the royal family in 2020, but in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on CBS in March 2021, she stated that she had nothing but good will towards the matriarch.

"The Queenhas always been wonderful to me. I've loved being in her company," Markle said at the time. "She's always been warm, welcoming, and inviting."

Middleton  the wife of Prince William who is now behind Queen Consort Camilla for the title  also wore jewelry given to her by the royal family matriarch. According to ELLE, Middleton wore a pearl brooch that once belonged to the Queen, which the royal previously wore during a trip to South Korea. Middleton also honored the late Princess Diana, her husbands mother, with a pair of matching pearl earrings that belonged to the so-called Peoples Princess.

Kate Middleton's jewelry honored the late Queen Elizabeth  as well as Princess Diana. (Photo: Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The women of the royal family have not issued their own statements about the passing of the Queen, however, they were included in their husbands remarks on the death of the United Kingdoms longest monarch.

Prince Harry shared, "Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings  from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren. I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between.

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Prince William, in his own statement, wrote: So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign. I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of The Queen's wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. My wife has had twenty years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives. She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.

Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here.
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

On Wednesday morning, many members of the royal family gathered together as Queen Elizabeths coffin was carried by a gun carriage in a procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster. Among the relatives in attendance were Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, as well as Meghan Markle, who used the somber occasion to pay homage to her husband's late grandmother with her jewelry.

According to People, Meghan Markle wore earrings that the beloved monarch once gifted to her. Per the outlet, Queen Elizabeth gave the elegant pair of pearl and diamond drop earrings to her granddaughter-in-law ahead of their first solo outing together in 2018. Just one month after marrying Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex joined the Queen for an engagement in Cheshire, where they met architects, planners, and community representatives at Mersey Gateway Bridge and watched a performance by local school children. The dainty studs were, reportedly, a smaller version of one of the Queen's go-to styles.

Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

Meghan wasn't the only royal to choose to wear something symbolic at the procession. The newly-minted Princess of Wales adorned her black ensemble with a brooch that once belonged to the Queen. Known as the Diamond and Pearl Leaf Brooch, the piece features a triad of pearls set into a leafed branch of pave diamonds. The Queen first wore it to a public event on her 73rd birthday in Seoul, South Korea, in 1999.

Kate previously wore the brooch herselfonce during a visit to the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Ypres, Belgium, in 2017, and again for the annual Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall in 2018.

Photo credit: Christopher Furlong - Getty Images

Wednesday's ceremony marked the end of the Queen's final journey through the UK. Following her passing on September 8, the Queen's coffin has traveled from Balmoral Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral to Buckingham Palace before finally arriving at Westminster Palace, where she will lie in state until her funeral on Monday, September 19.

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The Duchess of Sussex honored the late Queen with diamond and pearl earrings. WPA Pool/Getty Images

Meghan Markle paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday during a service in London.

The Duchess donned pearl and diamond drop earrings that she received from the Queen in 2018.

Kate Middleton, Princess Anne, and Queen Consort Camilla have also worn jewelry in honor of the late monarch.

Megan Markle donned pearl and diamond earrings to a service in honor of the late monarch in London on Wednesday, according to People.

Photographers snapped photos of the Duchess of Sussex wearing the earrings as the Queen's coffin was transferred from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

The earrings were gifted to Markle by the Queen in 2018 to mark their first solo outing together.

Meghan Markle and Queen Elizabeth II in Widnes, England on June 14, 2018. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

A month after the "Suits" actress married Prince Harry, Markle joined the Queen on a royal outing to Chesire via the royal train. The two visited community leaders and watched a performance by local school children. Queen Elizabeth also donned a matching set of pearl earrings at the event.

Queen Elizabeth notably lent out and gifted jewelry to many female family members over the years.

On Monday, Queen Consort Camilla wore a brooch gifted to her by the late monarch at a Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen. The brooch originally belonged to the Queen Mother and was inherited by Queen Elizabeth in 2002 after her passing.

Queen consort Camilla wore a brooch gifted to her by Queen Elizabeth. Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images, Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images

On Tuesday, Princess Anne wore a pair of pearl and gold earrings in Scotland as the Queen's coffin was carried out of St. Giles' Cathedral and prepped for its flight to London. The earrings were a gift from her parents in the 1960s, and she wore the same pair to her father's funeral in 2021, according to Woman & Home.

The earrings have gold leaves wrapped around a pearl, and they were a gift from the Queen in the 1960s. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

During the coffin procession in London, Kate Middleton also wore one of Queen Elizabeth's accessories to honor her late grandmother-in-law. The Princess of Wales donned a pearl shamrock brooch that belonged to the Queen and was given to the monarch during a trip to South Korea in 1999, according to People.

The Princess of Wales wore a brooch to honor the late Queen Elizabeth ii. WPA Pool/Getty Images

The procession of the Queen's casket followed a route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall Wednesday, as the royal family walked behind to honor the late monarch. The coffin will lie at Westminster Hall for five days where the public can pay their respects until the Queen's funeral on September 19.

Read the original article on Insider
A24

Keeping the plot of a film under wraps is hard enough work as it is in the age of constant surveillancewe already got a sizable chunk of Greta Gerwigs upcoming Barbie film from candid set photos alone. But keeping a films entire existence a secret from the jump? Thats practically a lost art, fallen by the wayside after J.J. Abrams Cloverfield shocked audiences back in 2007when an unnamed, undated, instantly viral teaser teed up the official trailer launch just weeks before the films premiere.

So when Marchs SXSW premiere of Ti Wests bloody-brilliant slasher X ended with the reveal of a prequel film entitled Pearlwhich would follow Xs lethal granny all the way back to the WWI era it was practically a miracle that no one knew about it beforehand. Whats more, it wasnt just an announcement: The film, which was shot back-to-back with X, was already gearing up for release. A teaser trailer graced audiences patient enough to linger into the last stretches of Xs credits.

Pearl, the Secret Prequel to X, Debuts Its Creepy-as-Hell Trailer

Six months later, Pearl is tearing its way into theaters Friday. Where X was a grisly homage to both 70s horror and retro porn, Pearl is a technicolor wallop to the gut. The film follows Pearl (a transcendent Mia Goth, reprising her role from X, just without the uncanny old-age makeup) in her early days on her familys Texas farm, as she struggles against her mothers cold German upbringing and sheltered religious beliefs. Pearl longs to escape to a greater destiny, just like the girls in the movies shes forbidden to see.

West is continuing his delightful pastiche take on eras of cinemas past, while Gothwho co-wrote the film alongside West while quarantining for two weeks prior to the New Zealand shootsinks her teeth even harder into her character this time around. Pearl is a proper character study; Goth can flip from reserved to ferocious in the flick of a switch. Its nothing short of dazzling to watch. But like X, Pearls chief accomplishment is its ability to draw a surprising sense of empathy from those watching this murderous villain pitchfork her way through everyone in her path. The two films achieve a remarkable symbiosis, peeling back the layers of their central villains past to plunge deeper into her psyche.

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Ahead of the films premiere this weekendand of Mondays announcement of a third, not-yet-shot conclusion to the trilogy, MaXXXineThe Daily Beast spoke with Mia Goth and Ti West about relatable villains, the Spanish flu, preparing for Pearls intense monologues, and how far along the third film might be.

Both X and Pearl are wildly fun movies, but they are also so empathetic toward Pearls character. When shes older, we see her as discarded; when shes younger, we see her as someone longing for love and wanting so badly to be seen. Shes a killer, but shes also human. Why was it important for you to maintain that sense of humanity when writing this script?

Ti West: I think with anything, you need to relate to and care about the characters. If you dont relate, and you don't care, then the whole movie doesn't do much for you. It just becomes a bunch of stuff. Especially in X, when Pearl is the villain, I didnt want her to be supernatural. I wanted her to be a regular person. If youre a regular person, then [her actions are] complicated. If youre a regular person, then you cant vouch for what shes doing, but you can understand how that could happen.

You like [Young Pearl] because she's ambitious. And the audience is also ambitious. You also relate to the idea that theres a life out there for you thats more than the one you have. That relatability is key for any movie, just to experience it with the character.

The theme of illnessboth physical and mentalis woven throughout Pearl. How did you decide to flip what you were currently experiencingyou wrote the film while quarantined in a hotel roominto a dissection of masking? Both in terms of the literal masks people wear to protect themselves and the figurative ones we adopt, in order to make ourselves seem normal to society.

West: The short, less-compelling answer is that when subtracting age from old Pearl to get to young Pearl, [we] happened to land very close to 1918. So it was very easy to move [the story] to 1918, which happened to be a very interesting year in general, and certainly a very interesting and topical year to when we were writing the movie. It seemed like the whole world was relating to something that people were not relating to before we started writing the script. We knew that it was going to be a story about someone who was isolated regardless of sickness, and who wanted a life different from the one that she had. But to add on top of it a world war and a pandemic and all this uncertaintythat just felt modern.

But also, to your point, people are pretending to be the people that they want to be, and that, thematically, is there.  I think that people will have a little more empathy and relatability to a character who is struggling with isolation [now], because everyone in the world happened to be going through it.

A24

It struck me that in the films third act, Pearl removes her mask to society to reveal her real self in grim, horrific glory. Mia, theres a single long take that was harrowing, to say the least. How do you prepare for a scene like that, both as an actress and a writer who understands this character so deeply?

Mia Goth: Id never done anything like that before, so I was very nervous leading up to that scene. Thankfully, Ti had scheduled the shoot in such a way where that was actually the last scene of the shootwe shot that on the very last dayso Id go over the lines every morning and every night. I didnt go to drama school, so I didnt have the traditional tools to break something down like that. I just had all the prep that I did, the shooting that we had [so far on Pearl], and all the filming that we had on XI just brought everything with me. I think the fact that we shot that on the very last day, [all of the] emotional baggage that I had from the entire shoot all informed it. We did it for the first time and that was a little nerve-racking because you dont know how its going to go, but it turned out pretty well, and we were able to relax into it after that. We probably did it five or six times.

I imagine it must take a couple of hours for the muscles in your face to recover from smiling as hard as you do in that scene, no?

Goth: I was so pleased with how that went in the end. I was buzzing. Its actually far more difficult to shake something off when I think it has gone badly. It takes me a lot longer.

Is it difficult for you to shake out of Pearls mindset when Ti calls cut? Is her mind something that you live in throughout the duration of the shoot, or do you drop it off-set?

Goth: I felt like I was pretty much on set almost all the time.

It wasnt really something that I ever let go of or wanted to. There were times when my call-around would be like eight hours, so I would literally go back to my hotel, sleep, and wake up eight hours later and get to set the next day. It was a challenge, but I loved it, and I was so ready for something like that. And I just feel like everything I had worked on and been involved in was leading me up to this.

X: A Horny Grandma Hunts Down a Porno Crew in This Fun Throwback Horror Movie

In X, we saw that there are things in common between [Goths younger character] Maxine and Pearl, things that are driving Pearls desire and rage. The prequel connects them even more closely, especially ideologically. Yet they strike me as two wholly singular characters, not retreads of each other. How did you ensure that the synergy was clear while also maintaining Maxine and Pearl as individuals?

West: Conceptually, we sort of talked about Maxine and Pearl as different characters but the same person. But [we were] writing two different people, who just have similar feelings about devout topicstheyre just coming at it from a different angle. I dont try to think about subtext too much while Im [writing]. .. If you try to write it, then youre getting preachy, and no one wants that. If it can organically become part of [the script], thats great. And the only way that you can do that is if the character is a fully formed character that has their own interests.

Mia, is it difficult to go between those two characters?

Goth: The only thing that was difficult about that was the practical elements to it allthe fact that I was in a makeup chair for 10-to-12 hours at a time to get ready for our shoot [of Pearls scenes in X] that day. In terms of the characters, I very much treated them as two individuals. They shared a similar essence, a similar spirit. But they were their own individual people. And it just so happened that all the prep and the work that I did for Maxine would in turn inform Pearl and vice versa.

I have to ask a little bit about Pearls  dalliance with a scarecrow. Was dancing with and kissing a scarecrow a fun break from the heaviness of the shoot? Were you able to have a laugh on set during it?

Goth: I wouldnt say it was having a laugh on set, but I would say itsevery day on set is fun. The fact that we can be on set, and be making Pearlit was all so miraculous to us.  All the heady work is done before you get to set, so when you get there, you play and you explore. You just try to think less and start feeling it and see if something special comes.

A24

Id be remiss if I didnt try to pry just a little bitis there anything you can share about the status of a potential third film in the trilogy? I would love to see what Maxine got up to in the 80s after she escaped the ranch in X.

West: Were all very hopeful. Weve had a great experience with A24 and X, and thankfully, we made these two at the same time. There was a prequel whether anyone liked it or not!

Goth: [Laughs]

West: That was a real miracle in itself. We have now caught up with ourselves. We didnt make three movies at the same time. So, now, my whole making two movies at once has occupied my life fully until basically Friday [when the film hits theaters]. And if theres an opportunity to do more of it, I certainly would not hesitate to work with Mia and A24 again. There are ideas for sure. But yeah, weve only made two.

Thats something youd want to keep secret, I imagine. Much like you did with the prequel.

West: That was its own miracle! Every time I think that we made it all the way to SXSW and no one knew [about Pearl]. I dont know how we did that.

The films SXSW premiere was exciting, both as a fan of yours and someone who was anticipating X heavily.

West: Thats also kind of the fun of these movies. Its such a vanguard ideato make these two movies back to back without having filmed the first one yet. And to be able to keep it a secret and to release them is all in the fun and the spirit of what these movies are. These movies are cinematic, and they should be fun trips to the movies.  So anything that can give it some lure is fun.

I stayed at the end of X in the theater, knowing the trailer was coming, and to watch the delight go across everyones faces who didnt know it was going to be there was a pretty spectacular thing to see.

West: That made it worth doing. That was the hope, I dont know that Ill get another chance to do something like that again.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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TheStreet.com

Chief executives and political commentary rarely go well together  when outgoing Whole Foods CEO John Mackey went on a podcast to say that the "socialists are taking over" and young people "don't seem like they want to work," the internet did not let him retire without one last scandal. The latest person to make a splash with his remarks is McDonald's chief executive Chris Kempczinski. During a conference at the Economic Club of Chicago, Kempczinski drew attention to the issue of crime in the Midwestern metropolis that serves as the headquarters of the Golden Arches.
Drew Angerer/Getty

Just a year ago, MAGA pillow maven Mike Lindell had angrily pulled his MyPillow commercials from Fox News after the conservative cable giant refused to air promos for his then-upcoming election-denying cyber symposium.

Fast forward to the present, and not only are MyPillow ads back on Fox Newsbut they are running at their highest clip yet.

According to liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America, following the weeks-long pause last autumn, MyPillow commercials have spiked on the network over the past year. Per Media Matters data, some recent months have seen over 700 individual ads run on the channel, and last month saw more than 600 commercials on Fox News.

Media Matters

Considering Lindell is heavily featured throughout his companys ads, he has, in essence, become the most visible person on Fox News, all despite the fact that he hasnt sat down for an on-air interview with the network in years.

In the wake of Tuesday nights breaking news that the FBI seized his cellphone at a Hardees restaurant, Lindells ubiquitousness on Fox News airwaves was fully on display. Tucker Carlson, whose primetime show runs the most MyPillow ads of any Fox News program, groused about the seizure on Tuesday nightnaturally likening it to authoritarianism.

We told you last night that the Biden administration has politicized law enforcement to the point where it feels Sovietand we were not overstating it, Carlson exclaimed. The FBI has just raided the guy who sells pillows on this channel, not because the pillows were bad, but because they didnt like who he voted for. (Fellow Fox News primetime host Laura Ingraham would also bemoan the seizure that evening, claiming it was the action of President Joe Bidens vindictive Justice Department.)

Immediately following Carlsons segment on the Lindell raid, a MyPillow commercial aired.

Mike Lindell: Feds Seized My Cellphone at Hardees

Furthermore, Media Matters reported that since January 2017, Tucker Carlson Tonight has run nearly 3,500 MyPillow commercials. The networks two other primetime showsHannity and The Ingraham Anglehave both aired more than 2,000 ads during that same period.

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While the MyPillow CEO has claimed that FBI agents were looking for information about another election conspiracy theorist, the search warrant he shared on social media is actually tied to a federal probe of a voting-machine breach in Colorado.

Requesting all records and information on the LINDELL CELLPHONE that constitute fruits, evidence, or instrumentalities of violations relating to purposeful damage to a protected computer, identity theft, and conspiracy, the warrant also claims the violating parties involve Tina Peters, Conan James Hayes, Belinda Knisley, Sandra Brown, Sherronna Bishop, Michael Lindell, and/or Douglas Frank, among other co-conspirators known and unknown to the government.

As The Daily Beast reported, the case appears to be related to an alleged 2021 voting-machine breach by Mesa County County Clerk Tina Peters, who attended Lindells cyber symposium last year to promote voter fraud claims regarding the stolen data. After Peters was arrested this spring over the breach, Lindell doubled down on his support for the pro-Trump clerk while claiming Dominion Voting Systems and an array of Democrats were all going to end up in jail when this is all over.

While Lindells business relationship with Fox News is in full bloom, he remains less than thrilled with the networks unwillingness to fully embrace his bizarre and unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump by Dominions voting machines.

After yelling shame on Fox News over the networks refusal to promote his farcical election-fraud event, and then using that conference to call Fox disgusting, he eventually slunk back to Fox last September (after claiming he was losing $1 million a week in sales).

Yet even with his ads running nonstop on the network he continues to slam Fox News. Last October, for instance, he accused the right-wing channel of asking Dominion to sue them for defamation just so they could fire Trump-boosting host Lou Dobbs, who was one of Foxs loudest election deniers. (Lindell, like Fox News, faces billion-dollar lawsuits from voting-machine firms Smartmatic and Dominion.)

Shame on Fox News!: MyPillow Pulling Ads From Network Over Rejected Election-Fraud Commercial

Additionally, Lindell also planned a protest outside of Fox News headquarters in November, saying the network was controlled opposition and a big part of our country being taken from us. And during a Trump rally this winter, he grumbled that the biggest problem Trump supporters face is conservative media that wont devote itself to election conspiracies.

One of them rhymes with Fox. OK? Disgusting. Theyre disgusting, he yelled. They wont talk about anything. When was the last time youve seen anybody on Fox talk about the 2020 election? Youre not going to see it.

Fox News and Lindell did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hours after publication, however, Lindell finally responded to The Daily Beast by texting a link to a jokey article from right-wing website The Babylon Bee, titled: Mike Lindell Still Holding Out Against FBI Inside MyPillow Fort.

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Former Vice President Mike Pence gestures during the "Politics and Eggs" breakfast gathering, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, in Manchester, N.H. Charles Krupa/AP

Pence doesn't think the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade threatens other civil rights.

Justice Thomas thinks SCOTUS should "reconsider" past decisions on same-sex rights and contraception.

The court's majority "made it clear that their decision was about abortion," Pence told RCP.

Former Vice President Mike Pence doesn't think the Supreme Court's decision to end the constitutional right to abortion has implications for other civil rights, including access to contraception and the rights of same-sex couples.

"I have enormous respect for Justice Clarence Thomas but the majority on the Supreme Court in the Dobbs case made it clear that their decision was about abortion," Pence, a likely 2024 presidential candidate, said in an interview with Real Clear Politics ahead of a gala hosted by an anti-abortion rights group in Washington, D.C.

Thomas, in his concurring opinion in the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade, said the Court "should reconsider" its other decisions based on substantive due process under the 14th Amendment.

He specifically cited the Court's 1966 decision in Griswold vs. Connecticut, which gave married couples the right to use contraception, its 2003 decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which invalidated state bans on same-sex sexual intimacy, and its 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which extended the right to marry to same-sex couples nationwide.

Pence distinguished between serious concerns over abortion laws and attempts "to create distractions in the public debate," to RCP, saying, "this seems like just that."

Thomas was the only Supreme Court justice to explicitly state that the court should revisit its precedents in other landmark civil rights cases. Nevertheless, his opinion alarmed civil rights advocates and spurred efforts by congressional Democrats to shore up protections for same-sex marriage in legislation.

In July, the Democratic-controlled House passed a bill to codify the right to same-sex marriage with nearly 50 Republicans also supporting the bill. The US Senate is set to take up the legislation in the coming weeks, with Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin lobbying 10 of her Republican colleagues to also support the legislation and overcome a Senate filibuster.

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Pence, an evangelical Christian and lifetime anti-abortion advocate, told RCP that "it is incumbent on all of us to take the court at their word and focus on advancing the cause of life."

Despite mounting electoral backlash to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Pence believes conservatives and anti-abortion advocates should continue to pursue abortion bans at the national and state levels, calling the project of banning abortion "profoundly more important than short-term politics."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Military spouses employment problems hurt not only their families current finances, but the effects often snowball to affect their financial future into retirement, according to a new report based on an online poll of 4,118 spouses.

Nearly half of those who responded said they dont feel confident theyll be able to maintain their standard of living in retirement, according to the report titled The Hidden Financial Costs of Military Spouse Unemployment. And their responses indicate spouses average total savings represent a small fraction of what theyll need in retirement.

The survey and study were conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundations Hiring our Heroes and Syracuse Universitys DAniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). The online survey was fielded from Feb. 16 to March 9.

The survey was open to civilian military spouses who have never served in the military themselves and who are married to an active duty, reserve or National Guard member; retiree or veteran. About 59% of the survey participants are married to enlisted personnel (42% in grades E-5 to E-7), and 39% are married to commissioned officers.

The vast majority  80%  of the respondents are active duty spouses, and 90% said their spouses military service negatively affects their career. Of those surveyed, 16% are not in the labor force and arent actively seeking work. But among the group of spouses who are participating in the labor force, 68% are employed and 32% reported being unemployed  theyd actively sought work in the previous four weeks. For years, the unemployment rate for military spouses has hovered around 22%, although the numbers vary widely. Some polls have shown the pandemic has exacerbated the employment problems of military spouses.

And spouses report underemployment  88% said the military lifestyle affects their ability to get a job at their experience and/or education level.

While many spouses are focused on the effects their employment situation and loss of income is having on their family now, they may not be thinking about the consequences down the road. The studys researchers urge more study of the economic impact of military spouses total lost wages, including retirement savings, as a result of the constant military moving and other issues associated with the military lifestyle.

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Often when were talking about retirement in military families, were looking at it from the service member first and not talking about the military spouses retirement, said Hisako Sonethavilay, senior adviser of research and innovation for Hiring Our Heroes.. It was important for us to look at the spouse and how theyre doing as an individual.

She said Hiring Our Heroes was approached by First Command Financial Services about doing the research, focusing on military spouses own retirement readiness, and how employment plays a key part in that. First Command funded this research.

I think more people need to be talking about this, especially when talking about military spouses, she said. Military spouses may have never considered the role of retirement benefits when looking at a compensation package. Spouses need to be armed with knowledge, to make decisions to get the most out of retirement plans they have access to, she said.

Spouses level of confidence about maintaining their standard of living in retirement shrinks if theyve stopped working or have had multiple periods of unemployment, the researchers found, and military spouses cant contribute to their retirement without adequate income.

I definitely would like to have had my own opportunity to invest in a retirement plan, one military spouse participant told researchers. It wasnt until the last five years that I realized that I dont have something.  My husband isnt worried because he said we have his pension/retirement. However, what happens if something happens to my husband?

Its very nerve-wracking.

The report notes that the participants total savings represents a small fraction of what theyll need in retirement: Employed active duty spouses have saved, on average, between $31,000 and $40,000. For unemployed spouses, it dropped to an average of $21,000 to $30,000.

Researchers didnt collect information about the average amount of savings spouses of retirees had amassed going into retirement, and how their retirement savings had an impact on their standard of living as they actually moved into retirement. Fifteen percent of the respondents were identified as veteran/retiree spouses; 4% were Guard or reserve spouses.

The report cites one study by the TransAmerica Center for Retirement Studies in 2019 which found women need to save a median amount of $500,000 to feel financially secure in retirement. In the military spouse study, 92% of the participants were women. While the report doesnt specify ages, the majority of the spouses likely have decades to go before reaching the usual retirement age, in their 60s. The report does note that 46% of the respondents have been married to their service member 11 years or more; and 54% married 10 years or less.

First lady to focus on military spouse employment, child care, children's education

Employer retirement plans are key

Of the active duty spouse respondents, 82% have, or have had, access to employer-sponsored retirement benefits such as 401(k) plans at some point since they started working full time and were married to their service member, according to the researchers. Information was not available about how many of those active duty spouses actually contribute or have contributed to plans.

These plans allow employees to make contributions from their paychecks into investment accounts for retirement, which always belong to the employee. Many employers also match a portion of an employees contributions to the account, but those employer matching funds dont always immediately belong to the employee. The employee is required to stay with the employer for a specific period of time before they become vested, or have 100% ownership of the matching funds.

One surprising finding was that access to employer-sponsored retirement benefits improves a military spouses outlook on retirement  if their benefits vest, Sonethavilay said. But spouses often cant stay with one employer long enough to get vested in retirement benefits, because of military-related moves.

About 58% of those active duty spouses with access to these employer plans said theyre rarely or never vested in their employers contributions since marrying their service member and working full time.

That means lost retirement funds. That also negatively affects the spouses confidence in their ability to retire comfortably: More than half of spouses who arent confident in their ability to retire comfortably never or rarely get vested in their company matching contributions.

So, the researchers recommended finding ways to ensure spouses arent penalized when they have to quit a job because of a military-related move. One option is a federal retirement savings option for military spouses that provides easier management of benefits earned from multiple employers.

Another recommendation is to continue to find ways to create more career pathways for military spouses and to focus on workplace flexibility, to include remote and portable work opportunities. Defense and service officials have been pushing for these opportunities for decades.

Military spouses: More than 500 employers are now looking to hire you

Another surprising finding, Sonethavilay said, is that 40% of the survey participants with long-term investment accounts arent very, or at all, confident in managing their accounts.

Researchers recommended promoting available free financial education and financial planning services for military spouses to help them understand the importance of saving for retirement and creating a retirement savings plan.

Among other findings:

 88% say the military lifestyle affects their ability to find jobs at their experience and/or education level. 37% of the spouses have a bachelors degree and 38% have a masters, professional or doctorate degree.

 68% of employed active duty spouses are saving on their own, separately from what theyre saving with their service member. The number drops to 31% for those participants who are currently unemployed.

 Spouses reported the two most important benefits of having a long-term second income are the ability to retire comfortably (71%) and the ability to accumulate savings (60%). Next are the ability to afford the cost of everyday goods (49%); ability to buy a home (46%), and ability to send kids to college (42%).

Recruiting for the survey was conducted through social media and email; its not a scientific random sampling. Researchers noted that the survey results arent meant to represent the broader population of military spouses, and cant be generalized to describe the experience of every military spouse. Since many of the participants are active duty spouses looking for professional career services, the survey sample overrepresents spouses of senior enlisted service members and officers.
Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia checks his phone outside the Senate chamber following passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act on June 23, 2022 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Democrat Jon Ossoff says younger candidates from both parties are drawn to him.

The millennial senator said the aspiring politicians ask to pick his brain.

Ossoff said Americans crave "fresh voices and fresh perspectives" in politics.

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff said younger candidates on both sides of the aisle haven't been shy about asking for pointers on winning their way into a Congress dominated by aging leaders.

"One of the things that's been really encouraging is the number of young Americans considering running for office, from both parties, who have reached out to me to ask about my experience, seek advice and encouragement," the 35-year-old lawmaker told Insider at the US Capitol.

Ossoff  who defeated scandal-plagued, 72-year-old incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue in a hotly contested 2021 run-off that flipped control of the Senate to Democrats  said younger candidates need to seek out any opportunities they can to usher in political change.

"I encourage young people who are passionate about public service to run for office at the local, state and federal level," Ossoff said, adding that "many Americans, and certainly many Georgians, are interested in fresh leadership, fresh voices, and fresh perspectives in our national leadership."

Ossoff's pep talk to prospective colleagues comes as Insider's "Red, White, and Gray" series explores the costs, benefits, and dangers of life in a democracy helmed by those of advanced age, where issues of profound importance to the nation's youth and future  technology, civil rights, energy, the environment  are largely in the hands of those whose primes have passed.

One of the more staggering statistics emerging from Insider's analysis is that about a quarter of the 117th Congress is over the age of 70  the highest percentage ever. At the same time, half the country is younger than 39 years old.

Just two years into his first term, Ossoff has taken on a leading role in combating an age-old issue  financial conflicts of interest on Capitol Hill. He and other advocates, both on and off the Hill, have repeatedly prodded Democratic leaders to bring some sort of congressional stock trading ban up for a vote before the upcoming midterms.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Mississippi man was arrested after making threats online to recreate a shooting rampage originally carried out by a 19-year-old in Memphis, according to the United States Attorneys Office Northern District of Mississippi.

RELATED: Remembering those killed and hurt during the Memphis shooting spree

Officials said 28-year-old Jeremy Gordon of Greenville, Mississippi, posted threats on Facebook Friday, two days after 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly allegedly shot six people in Memphis, threatening to recreate the shooting rampage in Mississippi.

Jeremy Gordon was charged with transmitting threats in interstate commerce.

Gordon has been charged with transmitting threats in interstate commerce, officials said. Monday, a judge declared that Gordon posed a danger to the community and ordered that he be held without bond pending trial.

RELATED: 3 people killed, 3 others injured after man goes on shooting spree across Memphis

The case is being handled by the FBI and the Greenville Police Department.

If convicted, Gordon faces a maximum of five years in prison.

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A Monroe man who brought a gun to a local high school basketball game has been sentenced to federal prison.

Montrelle D. Jones, 21, was sentenced to 78 months (6 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 3 years ofsupervised release, on firearm charges.

Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 26, 2022, and charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a firearm in a school zone. He pleaded guilty to the charges on March 28, 2022.

These charges stem from an incident on January 14, 2022, when a Monroe Police Department officer who was working off-duty security at the Neville High School basketball game on the school campus was alerted by several individuals that there were a group of males fighting outside in front of the gym. As the off-duty officer made his way outside to break up the fight, he observed approximately 30 people gathering in the foyer of the gym.

The officer immediately went inside the foyer and observed Jones lift up his shirt with his left hand and saw he had a Glock-style handgun with an extended magazine secured in his waistband. The officer went to Jones and placed one hand on the weapon and the other on his shoulder and brought him to the nearest wall.

He placed Jones gun on the floor and took him into custody. At the time of Jones arrest, he was the subject of a court order which had been issued in Ouachita Parish on June 25, 2021 restraining him from harassing, stalking, orthreatening an intimate partner. That order included a finding that Jones was a credible threat to the physical safety of the intimate partner, which prohibited him from possessing any firearm or ammunition.

This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Monroe man sentence to prison after bringing gun to basketball game
This summer, a Wake County woman left her job at Nationwide Insurance. Her decision wasnt driven by a lack of promotion opportunities; she had advanced multiple times to reach a senior position at the company. Nor did she dislike her supervisors or coworkers.

Instead, the former employee said she exited the company after Nationwide started measuring her computer usage while she was working at home.

It felt very intrusive and accusatory, the former employee said. She requested her name not be published so as not to jeopardize future employment opportunities.

Earlier this year, Nationwide broadly implemented software from the New Jersey-based company Verint that measured how employees engage with their work computers throughout the day. Metrics included how many hours they were logged on, whether they were actively interacting with their computers, and how much time was spent on select work-related applications. Workers would then see productivity percentages displayed on personalized dashboards, alongside comparisons to staff averages.

The former employee said this new system led her and her colleagues to modify how they worked: Typing out notes instead of writing them by hand and scrolling through documents with the keyboard down arrows rather than using their mouses.

Whether these steps boosted their metrics were unclear, but the belief was pervasive she said. And it was enough to prompt her to leave.

Ive always done my job, the former employee said. You know I do a great job. Why are you doing this to me? We are creating a problem where one does not exist.

Nationwide isnt alone in monitoring their employees computer usage. As remote work proliferated during the pandemic, more companies embraced digital monitoring software.

According to a survey published in July by the International Data Corporation (IDC), more than two-thirds of North American companies currently deploy employee-monitoring software, with an additional 13% saying they stopped using the software after staff protested.

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With remote work here to stay, organizations are relying on (workforce engagement) technology to raise employee engagement levels, said Trudy Cannon, director of go-to-market strategies and workforce engagement at Verint.

Nationwide employs more than 600 people in North Carolina. In an emailed statement, company spokesperson Ryan Ankrom told The News & Observer: We trust our employees to provide extraordinary care to our customers. Verints technology helps us track performance, troubleshoot issues and improve workflow of the various software tools and applications that are used in support of our customers.

The widget-making model

The scope of employee monitoring, also called workforce engagement, varies. In the IDC survey, more than a third of North American companies said they measure what workers type on their keyboard (called key-logging), capture screen shots of their computers and collect location data. In addition to Verint, common monitoring programs include Time Doctor, Hubstaff, ActivTrak, and many others. Larger companies were the most likely to monitor, the IDC survey found.

A lot of employers are saying that this is the way that they need to maintain productivity, said Ifeoma Ajunwa, a professor at the UNC School of Law who researches the employee surveillance industry. The main reason really is this idea that workers have to be managed, and that (with remote work), managers cant really have eyes on them.

It is difficult to know which Triangle-area companies use monitoring software. Ajunwa said one should assume that most (local companies) do because most employers do.

The News & Observer reached out to several of the areas top employers to ask if they monitor their workforces electronic usage during the work day. None affirmed they did, while a few like Lenovo and WakeMed Hospital explicitly stated they did not.

Under federal law, employers can monitor work computers and phones as long as they can provide a legitimate business reason for doing so. Companies arent required to alert workers to this surveillance. A few states like Connecticut and Delaware do require this notification, but most, including North Carolina, do not.

The former Nationwide employee said the insurance company was transparent when rolling out the Verint software, first as a pilot program and later for widespread use. Still, she felt the data being collected failed to account for the variance of her job.

The work that I was doing, and the work that my peers do, it changes from day to day, she said. You could have a day where youre just typing. You could have a day where youre on a six-hour Zoom call. You could have a day where youre reading and reading and reading. It just its so different, and its not going to fit into the widget-making model.

Todd Olson, CEO of Raleigh startup Pendo, said his company released Pendo Adopt in February, employee engagement software his company released in February  Pendo Adopt  aims to help businesses measure systems and processes, and not humans.

I think its incumbent on the industry to shift the narrative when were talking about measuring employees to measuring software, he said. Because the reason we need to measure the software being used is because people are getting stuck in software all the time.

Olson added the hiccups employees encounter using workplace software are more likely to go overlooked when employees are working at home.

This story was produced with financial support from a coalition of partners led by Innovate Raleigh as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work.

Enjoy Triangle tech news? Subscribe to the N&Os Open Source weekly tech newsletter here.
More than three weeks after Timothy Green was fatally shot by Olympia police, his mother, Millie Green, took the podium at Tuesday nights City Council meeting to address her sons killing.

Green spoke to the City Council following a public comment period where several people raised concerns about the investigation into the shooting and police violence against people of color. Her son, 37, died on Aug. 22 after police responded to reports of a disturbance in east Olympia.

Green told the council she knew her son had mental illness and a violent part about him when he was without his medication. But any other time, he was the most loving, kind person. She said she has worked closely with officers in the community over the years and thought her son was safe with them when he was on the streets.

She referenced House Bill 1310, which was approved by the state Legislature following protests for racial justice and police reform in 2020. Its goal was to lower the chances of police using force unnecessarily by limiting its use to cases where probable cause has been established or there is a threat of injury.

But Millie Green said the law has failed her and her family.

All officers are not bad, and I know this, Green said. But the ones that are not for the humanity of safety, Im asking for any of them to step down for the safety of our community. All lives matter, but do our lives really matter today?

During the public comment period, Talauna Reed stood with Greens family and said the family wants the council to respond to early reports from police that they were being treated for injuries following the Aug. 22 incident. According to previous reporting from The Olympian, officers attempted to use tasers on Timothy Green, who walked toward them with a knife, before an officer shot him.

Another public commenter, Alice Rosewater, said 25% of police killings are of people with mental illness, and that Black people in mental health crises are targeted most.

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The killing of Timothy Green, a Black man in a mental health crisis, is an appalling reminder of the stranglehold the police hold over Olympia, and an indictment of the councils budget priorities, Rosewater said.

Rosewater demanded that the Capital Metro Independent Investigations Team be disbanded and replaced with a truly independent team, such as the states new Office of Independent Investigations.

Public commenter Sarah DeStasio agreed and said the Office of Independent Investigations will be fed all daily use of force cases by next summer. She said there are two appointees from a use of force board that are shadowing the investigation, but it isnt enough.

Those two citizen representatives will not ensure that the possibility for conflict of interest and bias that are always present when police investigate police, even in another city, is not present, DeStasio said. The people will not unquestionably accept the findings of this investigation, and neither should you.

Council members respond

Council member Dontae Payne said Greens death was personal to him as a Black man.

I share his skin, I share your skin, Payne said.

Payne said he believes they have to let the investigation play out, but that theres merit to criticism against police investigating police. He said he himself had a run-in with Washington State Patrol that led to an investigation into one of its troopers. It didnt turn out in Paynes favor.

I have personal experience with knowing that officers investigating other officers do tend to lean in favor of the police, Payne said.

He said there are things the city can do, though, such as establishing a civilian oversight process. But he said conducting an investigation is a profession, one that is dominated by police and not driven by civilians. Either way, he said the council is continuing conversations with the state to figure out how to make it work.

Payne said there were some questions regarding the use of body cameras during the incident. Olympia police officers havent been outfitted with them yet, though that was supposed to have happened by now. He said its due to supply chain issues, but officers will have them in October.

He also encouraged people to get involved in the remainder of the citys Reimagining Public Safety process, which includes a listening session on Sept. 19 for Black community members.

Mayor Pro Tem Clark Gilman said he knew Timothy Greens smile from seeing him around town. He said he had a friend reach out recently, a Black man who has a twitch and can get steamed up now and then. He said his friend is afraid hell be killed for his behavior.

Its a legitimate concern, Gilman said. I would ask that while we respect this investigation  it has to happen before we figure out justice for the loss of Timothy Green  that we can respond and try to make it right now, safer for a person whos having a mental health crisis and may look dangerous to law enforcement, to be held safe.

Council member Jim Cooper said one of his biggest frustrations is that there isnt an automatic channel for the governing body to see what the investigating team sees in real time. He requested either an executive session or a memo from the city attorney outlining exactly what the city can do.

He said a city the size of Olympia should consider its own independent investigations team parallel to the polices team or consider having the police auditor conduct a separate investigation.

Council member Yen Huynh echoed Coopers frustrations about the lack of information from that day and said that no matter what happened, it will never justify what the result was.

I dont have any good answers, she said. I know we need to let this investigation carry out, but I will be asking from this night on what more we can do.
US president Lyndon Johnson ranked highly for narcissism. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

Political leaders are as vulnerable to narcissism  self-obsession and a need for admiration  as the rest of us, and it can have grim side-effects, a study has shown.

Research of the 19 US Presidents who served between 1897 and 2009 found that those who scored highly for narcissism spent more time at war.

The reason for this is that the presidents wanted to look heroic and strong, and remain at war even when no longer necessary, scientists believe.

The eight leaders who scored above average on narcissism spent an average of 613 days at war  compared to 136 days for the 11 presidents who were below average on narcissism, the study found.

Lead researcher John P Harden, a doctoral student in political science at the Ohio State University, said, "More narcissistic presidents tend to only exit wars if they can say they won, and they will extend wars to find a way to declare some kind of victory.

"They want to look heroic and strong and competent  even if it means fighting the war beyond what is reasonable."

Read more: Narcissists are drawn to conspiracy theories; heres why

Previous research by Harden found that the most narcissistic presidents preferred to instigate conflicts with other great power countries without seeking support from allies.

Harden studied presidents from 1897  roughly the time the US became a great power in the world  up to George W Bush's exit from the White House in 2009.

In order to measure presidential narcissism, Harden used a dataset from 2000 created by three researchers to assess the personalities of presidents.

These researchers gauged narcissism using the expertise of presidential historians and other experts who had written at least one book on a president. Each expert completed a personality inventory with more than 200 questions about the president they studied.

Based on these results, Lyndon Johnson was the president who scored highest on narcissism, followed by Teddy Roosevelt and then Richard Nixon.

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The president who scored lowest on narcissism was William McKinley, followed by William Howard Taft and Calvin Coolidge.

Read more: A 1988 warning about climate change was mostly right

The US was involved in 11 wars during the period studied.

Results showed that presidents who scored low on narcissism, such as McKinley and Dwight Eisenhower, "separated their personal interests from state interests, saw war as a last resort and pursued speedy exits," Harden said.

Meanwhile, Franklin Roosevelt and Nixon, who scored high on narcissism, "had difficulty separating their own needs from state interests" and were involved in lengthy wars, he said.

Of course, many factors determine if the US goes to war and how long wars last, Harden said. But this study showed presidential narcissism is one key factor  one that has been overlooked in previous studies.

"What I found is that the traditional way political scientists have looked at war dynamics doesn't capture the whole story," he said.

"Presidents don't always look rationally at the evidence to make their wartime decisions. Many presidents have done that, but others are more interested in their own self-interest than the interest of the state."

There are several evidence-based reasons why narcissistic presidents should experience longer wars, besides their focus on their own personal interests, Harden said.

One is that narcissists have grander war aims  they have higher expectations because of their aggressiveness and belief in their own abilities.

"They also adopt ineffective strategies because of their overconfidence about their own abilities and the conflicting goals that arise from trying to maintain their self-image," Harden said.

"Narcissistic presidents spend more time worrying about their image than other presidents.

"These motivations, especially their desire to protect their inflated self-image, cause them to drag out wars longer than needed."

Watch: Downing Street is a 'cesspit full of narcissists', MP says
A North Carolina man has died after being shot Tuesday by a York County Sheriffs deputy in Rock Hill, S.C.

The suspect was shot after a chase that ended in Rock Hill where the deputys car was rammed by the suspect, officials said.

The man who was killed was identified as Tyshawn Malik Benjamin, 25, of Wendell, N.C., said York County Coroner Sabrina Gast.

Gast and Sheriff Kevin Tolson spoke at at a news conference Wednesday morning at the sheriffs office.

Tolson said Benjamin was driving a car reported stolen earlier Tuesday in Charlotte.

Deputies identified, sheriff says shooting justified

Tolson identified the deputy who fired the shots as senior deputy Korey Wedow. Another deputy, Cpl. Lucas Frame, also was involved in the chase, Tolson said.

Tolson said Wedows actions to defend himself were appropriate after Benjamin rammed Wedows parol cruiser. Tolson said the decision to use deadly force was justified.

Clearly, deputy Wedow was defending his life, Tolson said.

At the news conference, Tolson played some dash camera video from patrol cruisers that showed Benjamin speeding in the police chase. The video showed Benjamin ramming Wedows cruiser with Wedow outside the vehicle in the nexus of the door after deputies blocked Benjamin in at a CVS parking lot in Rock Hill.

The video showed Wedow firing his gun at the stolen vehicle.

Suspect did not have a gun

Benjamin did not have a gun, but used the stolen vehicle as a weapon to try and harm Wedow, Tolson said.

Tolson said at the news conference that the question from the public will be asked about a deputy shooting a man who was not armed.

We will be asked, You shot an unarmed man,  Tolson said. We did. But he was armed with a vehicle.

Tolson requested the State Law Enforcement, an independent South Carolina police agency, do an outside investigation of the shooting.

The chase

The chase during rush hour lasted 24 minutes and went from the Baxter Village area of northern York County through areas of Rock Hill that included downtown before ending on Cherry Road near the Winthrop University campus.

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Benjamin was in a Hyundai SUV that was reported stolen in Charlotte around 1 p.m. Tolson said.

The vehicle was spotted by deputies at 4:35 p.m. in the parking lot of a YMCA in Baxter Village, Tolson said.

The driver, later identified as Benjamin, refused to get out of the vehicle and sped off south on Interstate 77, Tolson said.

Speeds reached 90 miles per hour on I-77 before Benjamin left interstate at Exit 79 and drove into downtown Rock Hill, Tolson said.

Deputies pursued the vehicle through downtown until it stopped in the parking lot of a Chicken King restaurant at the intersection of West Main Street and Cherry Road in Rock Hill, Tolson said.

Benjamin was ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint at the Chicken King traffic stop, dash camera video showed. However, video showed Benjamin sped off again.

Tolson said Benjamin had opportunity again at that time when first stopped by deputies in the Chicken King parking lot to surrender, but refused.

Deputies pursued the stolen car to the CVS parking lot, video showed. Two deputies, Wedow and Frame, blocked the stolen vehicle before Benjamin rammed Wedows vehicle and Wedow fired three shots, according to the video and Tolson.

An internal sheriffs office investigation by the sheriffs office is also ongoing to see if the chase was justified under pursuit policy, Tolson said.

The chase happened during the afternoon rush hour and police dash cam videos show heavy traffic during the pursuit.

However, Tolson said that in his opinion, the pursuit was justified because Benjamin was dangerous to the public as shown by the chase actions.

Benjamin also had several opportunities to stop the pursuit and allow deputies to take him in custody, Tolson said.

He was a dangerous individual, Tolson said of Benjamin at the news conference.

Suspects criminal record

According to Tolson and sheriff officials, Benjamin has a criminal record from 2021 and 2022 from arrests in North Carolina and Tennessee. Benjamin had been charged previously by Wake County, N.C. deputies, Greensboro, N.C. police, the Tennessee highway patrol, and others, officials said.

Benjamin had previous charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, drugs, probation violation, larceny, trespassing, and resisting a peace officer, Tolson said.

Tolson said they have not been told by SLED as of Wednesday that any weapons, drugs, or other contraband was found in the stolen car.

What happens now?

Both deputies are on administrative leave as SLED investigates the shooting and the sheriffs office investigates the pursuit.

Wedow is a senior deputy who has been with the office since 2015 as a detention officer, and then since 2018 as an enforcement deputy.

Frame has been with the sheriffs office since 2012. He worked detention until 2019 and then moved to enforcement.

Gast, the coroner, said an autopsy and toxicology is pending for Benjamin.
The races for Nevadas Senate seat and governors mansion are neck-and-neck roughly two months out from Election Day, according to an 8 News Now/Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey released on Tuesday.

In the race for the states Senate seat, 42 percent of likely voters said they supported Republican candidate Adam Laxalt, while 41 percent said they supported Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). Eleven percent said they were undecided and four percent said they planned to vote for someone else.

Laxalts narrow lead falls within the polls plus or minus three percentage points margin of error, but the poll appears to show him making gains. A July KLAS TV-The Hill-Emerson College poll founnd Cortez Masto had 44 percent support to Laxalts 41 percent. That result also fell within the polls margin of error.

However, Tuesdays poll was not all bad news for the incumbent Democrat.

Cortez Masto holds a 19-point lead among Hispanic voters and 27-point lead among Black voters, whereas Laxalt leads White voters by nine, Spencer Kimball, the executive director of Emerson College Polling, wrote.

And despite Laxalts lead, 54 percent of respondents said they expected Cortez Masto to win, while 46 percent of respondents said they expected Laxalt to win.

The race for Nevadas governors mansion is also a tie, with forty percent of likely voters saying they planned to vote for Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) and Republican nominee Joe Lombardo, respectively. Twelve percent said they were undecided and four percent said they planned on voting for another candidate.

Like Cortez Masto, a majority of voters said they expected Sisolak to win reelection. Fifty-two percent predicted Sisolak would win, while 48 percent said the same about Lombardo.

And like the Senate race, the latest poll shows Lombardo making gains. The July poll showed Sisolak receiving 44 percent support, while 40 percent said they would vote for Lombardo. The lead was within the polls margin of error.

Story continues

The state is also home to a number of highly contested House races, including in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th congressional districts. Tuesdays poll showed Republicans leading Democrats on the generic ballot 46 percent to 43 percent.

President Bidens approval in the state remains low at 37 percent, while 53 percent said they disapprove of him. In a head-to-head matchup with former President Trump, Biden trails Trump 43 percent to 40 percent.

The 8 News Now/Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey was conducted on September 8-10, 2022 among 1,000 somewhat or very likely voters. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has signed into law a social media transparency measure that he says protects residents from hate and disinformation posts spread through social media platforms.

A.B. 587 will require social media companies to publicly post their policies regarding hate speech, disinformation, harassment and extremism on their platforms and report data on their enforcement of the policies.

The newly signed legislation will also require platforms to file semiannual reports to the states attorney generals office that will disclose their policies on hate speech, extremism and disinformation.

The states attorney generals office is also required to make all terms of service reports submitted pursuant to those provisions available to the public in a searchable repository on its official internet website.

The bill was first introduced by state Rep. Jesse Gabriel (D) and was co-authored by a group of state representatives including Buffy Wicks (D) and Jordan Cunningham (R) and state Sens. Richard Pan (D), Henry Stern (D) and Scott Weiner (D).

California will not stand by as social media is weaponized to spread hate and disinformation that threaten our communities and foundational values as a country, Newsom said in a statement. Californians deserve to know how these platforms are impacting our public discourse, and this action brings much-needed transparency and accountability to the policies that shape the social media content we consume every day.

Social media has created incredible opportunities, but also real and proximate threats to our kids, to vulnerable communities, and to American democracy as we know it, Gabriel said in a statement. This new law will finally pull back the curtain and require tech companies to provide meaningful transparency into how they are shaping our public discourse, as well as the role of social media in promoting hate speech, disinformation, conspiracy theories, and other dangerous content. I am grateful to Governor Newsom for signing this bill and for his leadership in protecting kids and vulnerable communities online.

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The new bill is among the latest in a push by state lawmakers to implement legislation on social media companies. Last week, the states legislature passed the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, which will require social media companies to consider the physical and mental health of minors who use their platforms.

According to The Washington Post, several Big Tech companies and tech industry trade groups have filed lawsuits in Texas and Florida in an attempt to block similar social media regulatory laws enacted in those states.

The bill has also raised concerns from legal experts, citing the First Amendment and free speech as their main issues.

The bill is likely to be struck down as unconstitutional at substantial taxpayer expense. The censorial consequences should trigger the highest level of constitutional scrutiny, but the undue burdens and lack of consumer benefit ensures it wont survive even lower levels of scrutiny, Santa Clara University School of Law professor Eric Goldman wrote in a blog post. As my blog post mentions, there are several other bases for constitutional challenges.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- A former Nikola Corp. contractor whose allegations of fraud at the electric truck maker helped spur a criminal investigation told a federal jury he made $600,000 off a short sellers report on the company.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Paul Lackey, an engineer at the electric-drive systems company EVDrive that did contract work for Nikola, was testifying under questioning by the defense in the criminal trial of Nikola founder Trevor Milton. He said he gave short seller Hindenburg Research information in exchange for a share of its profits from shorting the companys shares.

The US alleges that Milton, 40, lied to investors again and again to make Nikola look better than it was and pump up the stock. The defense has called the case a prosecution by distortion.

Lackey, a key government witness, took the stand on Wednesday for a second day of testimony, now under a fiery cross-examination by defense attorney Kenneth Caruso. Milton watched intently from the defense table in the lower Manhattan courtroom, hands clasped.

Caruso asked Lackey about a statement he made that he wasnt using his knowledge to make money.

But thats exactly what you did, didnt you? Caruso asked.

I was not trying to use it to make money, Lackey said.

Caruso pressed on, asking if Lackey hadnt used it to make $600,000.

I did ultimately receive that money, Lackey acknowledged.

Life-Changing Money

Caruso observed that $600,000 could be a life-changing amount of money.

Im not sure its a lot of money in this room, but it was a blessing to me, Lackey said.

Read More: Nikola Contractor Couldnt Believe His Eyes When He Saw Video

Lackey also acknowledged that he is part of a whistle-blower group that made a complaint about Nikola to the US Securities and Exchange Commission and that he could reap further compensation from an award for that role.

Story continues

You want some more money, dont you? Caruso asked.

I wouldnt mind it, Lackey said.

Disruptor Disrupted

The allegations in the Nikola report by Nate Andersons Hindenburg, published in September 2020, captured Wall Streets attention. Nikola shares tumbled about 24% in the two days following the report.

The trial comes two years after Milton abruptly resigned from the companys board, following scrutiny once Nikola listed its shares in June 2020. The stocks initial surge turned small investments by manufacturers such as CNH Industrial NV and Jeff Ubbens ValueAct Capital Management into stakes worth billions of dollars at the time, reflecting optimism that Nikola could become a Tesla-like disruptor.

Read More: Nikola Founder Exaggerated the Capability of His Debut Truck

Lackey on Tuesday had told the jury he was the owner of the previously anonymous @nikolainsider account, which shared images and details it claimed proved Milton had made false statements about Nikolas progress.

Paul Lackey is a brilliant, brave, down-to-earth guy who saw something wrong and spoke out, Hindenburgs Anderson said in an email. Were grateful to have a business model that rewards whistleblowers for doing the right thing.

Sick to My Stomach

Lackeys information was part of a broader whistle-blower complaint that included Hindenburg and others. Hindenburg called Nikola an intricate fraud that, among other allegations, made non-working products appear as fully functional and staged a phony marketing video. Nikola pushed back, accusing the short seller of making misleading statements designed to manipulate its shares.

The report prompted investigations into the company by the SEC and the Justice Department.

Read More: Nikola Founder Milton Faces Jury in His Toughest Sales Job

After Lackey stepped down from the witness stand, prosecutors called Elizabeth Fretheim, former head of business development at Nikola and now in charge of sustainability. They questioned Fretheim about far-reaching concerns she had over statements Milton made, including on a TeslaCharts podcast in July 2020, in which she says he misstated the companys capabilities for producing hydrogen fuel.

Fretheim said she didnt want to contradict the companys executive chairman in front of customers but feared that his statements could violate SEC rules and open Nikola up to liability.

If potential investors took us at our word that what he was saying was accurate, they could make investment decisions based on that and then come back if it turned out not to be true, Fretheim testified, framing the heart of the governments case against Milton.

She said some of his comments made her feel sick.

To be honest, it made me kind of sick to my stomach, Fretheim told the court. Because of the potential repercussions.

The Famous Video

Milton, charged with securities and wire fraud, faces a maximum prison term of 25 years if convicted of the most serious charge. The defense has cited a distortion of Trevor Miltons words, a distortion of Trevor Miltons meanings, a distortion of Trevor Miltons intentions. It argues Milton was just following the companys marketing plan and never said anything he didnt believe to be true.

In opening statements on Tuesday the government called Milton a serial liar. He repeatedly lied to investors about his company, and he made a billion dollars by doing so, a prosecutor told the jury, saying, This is Trevor Milton. The defense put the dictionary definition of distortion on the courtroom screens.

Lackey then testified, under questioning by the prosecution, that he was so struck by a video of Nikolas first prototype in action that he probed how the footage was produced -- only to learn it was staged to make the powerless vehicle look like it was speeding along on its own steam.

The case is US v. Milton, 21-cr-478, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

(Corrects Lackeys response in second paragraph of second section.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
People in North Carolina who are getting federal student loan forgiveness might not actually have to pay state income taxes.

Thats if Gov. Roy Cooper gets his way.

The governor issued a statement Wednesday urging Republicans in the state General Assembly to take action and waive state income taxes on student loans that have been forgiven.

In August, the White House announced a plan to eliminate $10,000 of federal student loan debt for borrowers under certain income limits, with an additional $10,000 of forgiveness for certain eligible borrowers. Applications for loan forgiveness are expected to open in early October, and many borrowers will get their student loan reductions automatically.

Channel 9 reported that North Carolina is one of only a few states currently set to tax student loan forgiveness. Thats because the state legislature didnt adopt an updated federal revenue code that would exclude student loan forgiveness from state income taxes.

MORE: NC residents will have to pay state taxes on federal student loan forgiveness

In Wednesdays statement, Gov. Cooper compared his request for a waiver to the General Assemblys legislation that made it so North Carolinians didnt have to pay income tax on forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loans. The governors office pointed out that some state legislators also benefitted from PPP loan forgiveness.

Legislative leaders need to find a solution that treats student loan forgiveness the same way they handled the PPP loan forgiveness that many of them received, Gov. Cooper said in a statement. Republican legislators were quick to help businesses and should now fix this fundamental unfairness for many hardworking people who will get hit hard by this.

Earlier this week, Republican governors from nearly two dozen states wrote a letter urging the Biden Administration to withdraw the student loan forgiveness plan.

Without action from the General Assembly and at North Carolinas current tax rate, borrowers will have to pay about $500 in taxes if they received $10,000 in forgiveness.

Story continues

WATCH: Changes coming to student loan forgiveness for those in public service

South Carolina wont tax the relief as income, the South Carolina Department of Revenue said in a tweet on Sept. 1.

To the extent a student loan described in IRC Section 108(f)(5) is forgiven for federal Income Tax purposes and excluded from federal taxable income, then the amount is also excluded from South Carolina taxable income, the SCDOR said.

Borrowers have until the end of 2023 to file an application for federal student loan forgiveness, according to the White House.

According to the White House, student loan forgiveness wont be subject to federal income tax.

(WATCH BELOW: Action 9s advice for paying off student loans)




LONDON (Reuters) -Britain is inviting a representative from North Korea to attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral on Monday, but Afghanistan, Syria and Venezuela will not be given an invite, a foreign office source said on Wednesday.

Queen Elizabeth's funeral will take place in London on Sept. 19, and a host of world leaders, royalty and other dignitaries have already said they will attend.

The invitation for communist North Korea would be at an ambassadorial level, the source said. This means that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will not attend. Pyongyang has an embassy in West London.

Syria and Venezuela would not be invited because Britain does not currently have diplomatic relations with those states. Afghanistan was not invited due to the current political situation, the source said.

They join Russia, Myanmar and Belarus in not being asked to attend.

Foreign dignitaries who do come to Britain will also be invited to visit the Queen's Lying in State inside parliament's Westminster Hall ahead of the funeral.

Funeral invitations are being sent to all holders of Britain's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, and the George Cross, which can also be held by civillians.

In total, foreign office officials have handwritten around 1,000 invitations for Monday's funeral and a reception with King Charles on Sunday. The deadline to accept funeral invitiations passes tomorrow, after which officials will finalise the seating plan.

(Reporting by William James; Editing by Kate Holton and Angus MacSwan)
North Miami resident Daniel Cazola successfully hid his ownership of a Fort Myers company on paper. But when he ran his mouth to a federal confidential informant, Cazola revealed his ownership in the company and how he was using it for a $1.6 million Medicare fraud.

Cazola was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison Thursday after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, wire fraud, and mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

READ MORE: A South Florida mother, daughter and their $8 million Medicare fraud

In his guilty plea, Cazola admits he owned Myers Professional Services, housed in a single-floor, beveled-ceiling professional building in Fort Myers. When Myers Professional was registered with the state in March 2021, Jose Antonio Fonseca Gutierrez was listed as president of Myers, which remains an active Florida corporation.

On ... Dec. 9, 2021, co-conspirator J.F.G. traveled to Cuba and has not returned to the United States through any port of entry, Cazolas guilty plea says.

A DME and Myers mix

Myers Professionals purported raison detre was supplying durable medical equipment (DMEs) to Medicare and Medicaid patients. In a recorded conversation in May 2021, Cazola explained how he used fraudulent DME companies for his scams. He didnt know the person he was talking to had already been arrested, charged and now was working with prosecutors. He used as an example an unnamed company based near Miami International Airport.

[Cazola] explained that he buys the patients (referring to lists of Medicare beneficiaries) from someone he knows for $100 per patient, Cazolas guilty plea said. He said he buys $5,000 worth of patients and that the investment generates approximately $100,000 per week in Medicare payments received from fraudulent claims.

Cazola said he provides the patient lists to a biller who bills Medicare non-stop, including weekends. [Cazola] estimated that the clinics easily yielded $1 million to $1.5 million per clinic.

Story continues

The defendant working with investigators told them Cazola was going to U.S. Post Office to do send in some paperwork concerning the next DME company through which the fraud would run. Cazola had a blank check for Myers Professional Services.

But from Nov. 8, 2021 and Feb. 10, 2022, Myers Professional submitted $2,339,520 in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid and got $1,608,759 from those claims.

Investigators interviewed three doctors listed on the claims data as prescribing DMEs. All three denied they had done so. Medicare and Medicaid patients listed as receiving the DMEs denied receiving them or that theyd even been treated by the listed doctors.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General investigated this case.
The New York Shipping Exchange (Nyshex), a platform that connects shippers with ocean carriers, today announced that it raised $25 million in a Series B funding round led by Collate Capital with participation from Blumberg Capital, Goldman Sachs, and NewRoad Capital. The infusion brings the company's total raised to $69 million, which CEO Gordon Downes says will be put toward expanding Nyshex's service to support all types of ocean freight contracts.

Downes makes the case that the ocean shipping industry lacks the basic digital infrastructure that exists in other markets. For example, he says there aren't standard contracts, and there isn't a financial services network that holds deposits and settles payments.

"The industry is playing catch-up after spending the last decade or so focused on surviving a price war and dealing with rapid consolidation," Downes told TechCrunch via email. "Nyshex was formed because [we] experienced firsthand the challenges associated with keeping track of contractual commitments, and [we] realized the incumbents could not solve these challenges."

Downes founded Nyshex in 2014 after serving as director of shipping giant Maersk's supply chain and key accounts team. The idea, he says, was to create a "carrier-neutral" tool that could provide a single source of truth for contract fulfillment and performance.

To this end, Nyshex provides workflows for creating contracts that communicate what shippers need to carriers in terms of space and equipment. The company acts as a neutral third party, enforcing contracts between shippers and carriers and hosting dashboards that present critical metrics to both carriers and shippers. In the event something goes wrong, Nyshex works with shippers and carriers to attempt to arrive at a resolution.

Nyshex can also match freight bookings and physical container movements. Using AI trained on ocean carrier data and info from third-party shipping aggregators, the system can sync shippers and freight forwarders with ocean carriers in real time, Downes says.

Story continues

"The pandemic highlighted to the market the need for our products and has fundamentally changed industry dynamics moving forward," Downes said. "C-suite decision-makers recognize the need for a trusted system of record, and this has been magnified by the ongoing supply chain disruption. Freight contract performance, coupled with workflows that improve performance -- as well as reduce cost by creating efficiency -- will improve supply chain resilience and create a competitive advantage."

Looking to stay a step ahead of rivals like Freightos, Infor Nexus, and BlueX, Nyshex plans to launch a payments product with undisclosed "strategic financial services partners" in the coming months. Looming larger on the horizon is a new "shipper-focused" allocation management product, which Downes says will be able to support over 100,000 shippers that contract directly with ocean carriers.

Business is steady in the meantime, with annual recurring revenue hitting $12 million this year and operations expected to reach cash-flow positive status in Q3 2022, according to Downes. Nyshex handled $1 billion in gross freight volume last year for around 330 carrier and shipper customers and anticipates upping that amount to $4 billion by the end of 2022.

"Unlike the post-pandemic hangover in e-commerce, our growth is expected to continue because volatility is expected to continue; essentially, our business is counter-cyclical to the downturn. Supply chains have changed for the long run and new market opportunities have emerged as a result," Downes said. "From a financial standpoint, our Series B could be our last funding round; however, we plan to continue to raise to capture more of the whitespace in making freight more reliable through trust, data, and workflows."

Nyshex has 120 employees and expects to expand to over 170 by the end of 2023.
IRYNA BALACHUK  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 20:48

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said that Russian missile attacks on the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast were an attempt to flood the city.

Source: President Zelenskyy on Telegram

Quote: "The terrorist country continues to wage war on civilians. This time, [Russian] missiles struck hydrotechnical facilities in an attempt to flood Kryvyi Rih."

Details: Zelenskyy added that the Russian occupiers are only capable of sowing panic, creating emergencies, and attempting to cut off peoples access to power, heat, water and food.

He shared a photograph of a damaged hydrotechnical facility in Kryvyi Rih.

Furthermore, he expresses his confidence that attacks like the one on Kryvyi Rih will not break the spirit of the Ukrainian people, and that the Russian invaders will receive "a response and retribution they deserve".

Previously: Russian forces carried out a missile strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, damaging hydrotechnical facilities and leaving several neighbourhoods without water on the evening of 14 September.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
My name is Jay Stahl and I'm a new entertainment reporter here at the Des Moines Register. Thank you to my editor for allowing me to cover my favorite subject in my first Off Hours column: myself (I am kidding, kind of).

When I visited my grandparents here in the Des Moines metro area growing up, there was only one thing I wanted to do besides see family: eat at Tasty Tacos in Ankeny. It's the indisputable best stop in the franchise.

Welcome to Off Hours, your free weekly newsletter from the Des Moines Register that showcases all things fun you can do in central Iowa. If you sign up for our newsletter, you get to see this early Thursday morning in your inbox.

Me, in print, during my second week at the Des Moines Register.

The Deal

Here's the deal: I grew up on the eastside of Wausau, Wisconsin, one of the best places on earth. My hometown is smack dab in the middle of the state, about two-and-a-half hours north of Madison. I graduated from college at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee last December and did a short post-graduate stint in TV news. On Easter Sunday, I moved back to Iowa where I was born and spent every childhood summer.

Formerly, I worked as a Streetwise business reporter in my hometown of Wausau covering small businesses and big industry for The Wausau Daily Herald. I am proud to be from a place in the world where you can call a neighbor for help, people care for one another, and you always see someone you know in the supermarket aisle.

Many of those shared values are why I love Des Moines, too, despite a difference in size.

Commencement day from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Besides being my dad's son and somebody who grew up in the Wisconsin River Valley, reporting for the Des Moines Register is one of the greatest honors of my life so far.

The lessons I learned where I was raised, at bus stops and on city streets, are the same rules for the road that guide my work today as a reporter: my job is to listen  not judge, each of us has a story to share, and you should always be sure that you are fairer than Wisconsin weather (that part's pretty easy).

Story continues

On backroads in my hometown of Wausau.

From West Des Moines and Waukee to Ankeny and Altoona, I am excited to cover the places and people that matter to Register readers and our community as a whole. Everyday, I'll bring my experience to the table: as a person who grew up in a rural river city and left for school in an urban center, someone who spent a weekend every August growing up at the Iowa State Fair, and the youngest reporter on staff here at the Register.

I hope that, one day soon, we can meet  at your business grand opening, in your backyard, or during a meal at your dinner table  and I can hear your story, too.

Have a story you think I should tell? Drop me a line at jstahl@gannett.com. You can reach out to say hello or tell me your favorite thing in Des Moines.

My Top Three Things I Love in Des Moines

The exterior of Mullet's, a Des Moines staple and one of my favorites.

1. The city's food and dining scene. I cover select restaurant openings during my day shift, but off hours, Im all in on a diverse lineup of local eats. As a child, one of my aunts would pick me up from Adventureland in Altoona and wed ride all the way downtown to one of my favorite restaurants in the metro: Mullets. It reminds me of the diners I was raised in and the waiters and waitresses who watched me grow up.

A Mullets must-try: warm doughnuts tossed in cinnamon and sugar with bourbon and chocolate sauces for dipping.

In the coming weeks, I am excited to try a selection of local restaurants in the metro that remind me of more places I love: Alba, Harbinger, Lucky Lotus, Proudfoot & Bird, Mulberry Street Tavern, Veggie Thumper, and G.G.s Chicken & Waffles.

A skyline of Des Moines.

2. The Des Moines skyline. There are days I miss dirt roads that lead to apple orchards and pumpkin patches in the place where I grew up and others when I need a reminder of Milwaukee, the city where I graduated from college. Some nights, I drive around while calling friends from home and watch the sun set over the Des Moines skyline, one that has grown and changed throughout the years just like we all do.

"Kind is Cool" at 222 E. Third St.

3. The "Kind is Cool" mural. I always enjoy the "Kind is Cool" mural on the Project7 Design building in the East Village at 222 E. Third St. Our city is blessed with a vibrant arts community and this mural marries three things I love about Des Moines: the kindness of neighbors, those shared values, and the metros appreciation for the arts.

More: Take our walking tour of 12 Des Moines murals (and peruse our gallery of many more)

Eat This, Drink That

The Judy hot dog at Lachelle's comes smothered in fries and cheese. Perfect.

The Judy, $11: If a restaurant can make a great burger, it most certainly can dish out a super hot dog. Right? This version features a kick of spice from giardiniera, a boatload of fries smothered with cheese and a smidge of green onion all on a Berkwood Farms Berkshire pork hot dog served on a hoagie. It's the perfect dish to indulge in and still feel like a kid.

Get it: Find it at Lachelle's Fine Foods, the great burger restaurant at 2716 Ingersoll Ave. in Des Moines. You can swing by from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Give them a jingle at 515-330-6876. Susan Stapleton

Did you know that Lachelle's is one of the 33 restaurants on our updated essential restaurants of Des Moines list. Check it out online. Have thoughts on a restaurant that should (or should not) be on the list? Drop our entertainment editor Susan Stapleton a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

Talk about a chocolate overload!

Iced Almond Joy Coffee, $5.50 for 12 ounces and $6.50 for the 16 ounce: Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. You can still order this seasonal special iced Almond Joy coffee drink. Ask nicely and the friendly staff will prepare it hot with Des Moines' own BLK & Bold coffee, chocolate sauce, coconut syrup and almond milk. Customers looking for even more chocolate overload can order the flaky $3.99 pain au chocolat.

Get it: Common Ground, located up the escalator at the EMC Insurance Cos. at 700 Walnut St., is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. You can doublecheck hours at 515- 345-2656. Keep in mind they do not except cash. Susan Stapleton

48 Hours Off

Food from around the world and that view of downtown. Come say hi to me if you see me.

Friday night: Stop by the first day of the 18th annual World Food & Music Festival at Western Gateway Park, 1205 Locust St. in Des Moines on Friday for performance by Jeff & The Effects at 4 p.m. before Leradee & The Positives takes the stage at 6 p.m. and Parranderos Latin Combo rounds out the night at 8 p.m. The three-day festival includes 50 vendors, live music and performances, and programs.

More: Everything to know about the World Food & Music Festival from new vendors to headliners

I mean, a cool installation, music and free. I'm in.

Saturday morning: The Sonic Butterfly takes flight this week in the metro at Cowles Commons at 300 Locust St. in downtown Des Moines. The purple-winged, 26-string acoustic, chromatic harp is a crazy setup, with strings that span 60 feet from the Civic Center across to the open park. The free performances in an outdoor environment begin Thursday and Friday with three performances Saturday starting at noon, 3 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.

More: Why is there a giant harp over Third Street in downtown Des Moines? Meet the Sonic Butterfly

Saturday afternoon: Talent competitions, a cornhole tournament, a pie baking contest and more return to Beaverdale to celebrate the start of autumn. After two years of COVID-19-related cancelations, the Beaverdale Fall Festival comes back to the Des Moines neighborhood for 2022. On Saturday, the festival from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. around the intersection of Beaver and Urbandale avenues brings in new programming as well familiar favorites including food vendors, a carnival and a market.

Sunday afternoon: The gambling love story that became a Broadway hit is presented by the Des Moines Playhouse, 831 42nd St., after pandemic-related delays. "Guys & Dolls" with its craps loving guys and the gals who love them takes the stage for 13 days, but you can get tickets at $29 and $53 for a Sunday show at 2 p.m. here. Isaac Hamlet

Around Town

Celebrating six months of work at The Wausau Daily Herald in my hometown.

My Day Job

In my day job as a Register entertainment reporter, I cover the who, what, and where in our area. From crafting guides on Des Moines' greatest hits like my latest on new stores at Jordan Creek Town Center and alcohol at Homemakers Furniture to profile stories about Iowa natives and neighbors who are making their mark on our state.

Im working on a few stories you should look out for: fun fall-themed guides for autumn in the metro area, a story on former "American Idol" contestant Romeo Diahn, whos launching a Thursdays-only restaurant in my own neighborhood near Drake University, and a profile story on six Iowa-based social media influencers who are using their platforms in unique ways.

In the meantime, follow me on Twitter or Instagram, or bookmark my page on the Register site.

Next week, Des Moines Register Iowa columnist Courtney Crowder tells us how to celebrate your birthday in Des Moines.

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for your own copy, delivered to your inbox on Thursday mornings for free.

Want to be a guest author for Off Hours? Drop our entertainment editor a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

Follow Off Hours on Instagram and Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Three things to love about Des Moines, including a mural, restaurants
Reuters Videos

STORY: Eliomar Aguero who's a migrant from Venezuela said he didn't know he was going to be sent there."I wanted to live in Washington, but it didn't work out the way I wanted," he said. "God put me here for a reason. We're going to fly to Boston."Lisa Belcastro who volunteers for an emergency shelter said it's been a massive community effort to look after the new arrivals."So, we... we have some Venezuelan refugees, who have... they arrived on Martha's Vineyard. No one knew they were coming. And so there has been a massive community effort to provide them with housing and care and any... any legal advice that we can... we can give them."The two flights on Wednesday carried about 50 migrants, mostly Venezuelans, a Martha's Vineyard Airport official said.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is up for re-election in November and seen as a possible presidential contender in 2024, took credit for the two flights, which originated in San Antonio, Texas, and stopped in Florida on the way to Martha's Vineyard.The White House and residents of the vacation enclave called it a "political stunt," as DeSantis joins Republican governors from Texas and Arizona in sending migrants north. The governors have sought to highlight the two parties' differences on immigration policy and shift the burden of caring for immigrants to Democratic areas.One Venezuelan migrant who arrived at Martha's Vineyard identified himself as Luis, 27, and said he and nine relatives were promised a flight to Massachusetts, along with shelter, support for 90 days, help with work permits and English lessons. He said they were surprised when their flight landed on an island.He said the promises came from a woman who gave her name as "Perla" who approached his family on the street outside a San Antonio shelter after they crossed from Mexico and U.S. border authorities released them with an immigration court date.He said the woman, who also put them up in a hotel, did not provide a last name or any affiliation, but asked them to sign a liability waiver."We are scared," he said, adding he and others felt they were lied to. "I hope they give us help."Residents of Martha's Vineyard rallied to aid the confused migrants and offered housing at St. Andrews Episcopal Church.Martha's Vineyard is best known as a summer retreat populated mostly by affluent liberal Americans, including former President Barack Obama, a Democrat who owns a multimillion-dollar vacation home there.
By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - An Ohio judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked enforcement of the state's Republican-led ban on abortion after about six weeks following legal challenges by a Planned Parenthood affiliate and other abortion providers.

Judge Christian Jenkins of the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas in Cincinnati found that the state's constitution includes a right to abortion. Jenkins' emergency order will expire in two weeks, but the providers have asked the judge for another order that would block the law as long as the lawsuit is ongoing.

"We're grateful that, for now, Ohioans can once again widely access abortion care in their own state," the plaintiffs said in a joint statement.

The office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, which is defending the law, is reviewing the decision and will consult with Republican Governor Mike DeWine about next steps, Yost spokesperson Bethany McCorkle said.

Ohio in 2019 passed a law banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically around six weeks, with exceptions for preventing death or serious injury to the mother but not for rape or incest.

The state's Supreme Court allowed the law to take effect in July after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade guaranteeing abortion rights nationwide. Ohio's law drew national attention later that month when a 10-year-old rape victim was forced to travel to Indiana to get an abortion.

In their Sep. 2 lawsuit, Planned Parenthood and the other providers argued that the state constitution still protected the right to abortion.

Jenkins agreed, in part because of a 2011 state constitutional amendment prohibiting laws banning sale or purchase of healthcare originally intended by opponents of the federal Affordable Care Act to preserve "healthcare freedom."

The judge said that despite its origins, the amendment was "a direct recognition of the fundamental nature of the right to freedom in health care decisions."

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; editing by Diane Craft)
Donald Trump. Illustrated | Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump is no stranger to legal scrutiny. He faced his first federal lawsuit in 1973, has cycled through federal bankruptcy court, spent much of his business career suing people and being sued, and he's the only president to have been impeached twice. Trump is currently at the center of two federal investigations, and his company is facing a criminal trial and potential civil charges in New York state.

But "of all the government investigations now underway into Donald Trump, the one that is receiving the least attention may end up being the most consequential," Michael Barbaro said in a recent episode of The New York Times podcast The Daily. "And that's the one unfolding right now in Georgia," where Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is overseeing a sprawling investigation into efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn President Biden's electoral victory in Georgia.

Willis is playing her cards close to the vest. But there is widespread speculation that Willis may be preparing to hit Trump or people in his orbit with racketeering charges, using Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Here's a look at how the Atlanta-area district attorney could prosecute the Trump campaign as if it were a criminal enterprise:

What is RICO, and how does it work?

When most people think of RICO, "they conjure an image of a Mafia boss overseeing a vast organized crime ring," a group of legal experts at the Brookings Institution wrote in an October 2021 analysis of Fulton County's Trump investigation. "To be sure, RICO statutes were enacted with organized crime in mind, but over the past half century, federal and state RICO laws have been used more broadly to target criminal enterprises engaged in patterns of criminal conduct."

A RICO law "recognizes that if violations of individual criminal statutes by a single person are bad," the Brookings analysts write, "an enterprise that repeatedly violates the law is worse and should be subject to additional sanction."

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"In fact, Rudy Giuliani, who has been identified as a target in this investigation, earned a lot of ink back in the '80s when he went after some of the most prominent mafia families in the New York area using the federal RICO law," Times reporter Richard Fausset said on The Daily. "And the idea of RICO is based on this sense that sometimes it can be very hard to outline the full extent of a criminal enterprise," so you need a law that can piece together disparate crimes  say, prostitution, protection rackets, and petty theft  into one organization working toward the same criminal goal.

Georgia's RICO law, enacted in 1980, is similar to the federal law but in some ways broader.

Why do people think Willis is considering RICO in this case?

Willis said as much when she launched the investigation in February 2021, just weeks after taking office. She also knows Georgia's RICO law well  she made her reputation in 2014 as the lead prosecutor in a successful RICO case against 11 Atlanta public school educators involved in a cheating scandal. And in March 2021, she hired John Floyd  a RICO expert who worked with her on the 2014 case, when she was an assistant district attorney  as a special assistant in her office to work on any case involving racketeering.

"I always tell people when they hear the word racketeering, they think of The Godfather," Willis told The New York Times in February 2021, but "if you have various overt acts for an illegal purpose, I think you can  you may  get there" with any otherwise lawful organization.

"I'm a fan of RICO. I've told people that," Willis said in late August, while announcing racketeering charges against an Atlanta gang that targeted celebrities. "And the reason that I am a fan of RICO is I think jurors are very, very intelligent. Some people don't want to do jury service, but once they get there, we really find that they're good citizens there, they're very smart, they pay attention. They take these matters seriously. But they want to know the whole story. They want to know what happened."

How might Georgia's RICO law apply to Trump's campaign?

"With RICO, you establish this idea of a criminal enterprise," and the various "pieces and parts of the organization don't have to necessarily all be talking to one another or know the exact shape of the full thing, but they're all committing these acts in furtherance of the criminal enterprise's criminal goal," Fausset explains on The Daily. In the case of the mafia, it's pretty easy to see how that works  prostitution, gambling, drugs  and if Willis is really putting together a RICO case here, "the idea ostensibly is that the criminal enterprise in this case is the Trump campaign itself."

"There are two potential 'enterprises' here for purposes of the RICO statute: the Trump campaign and the presidency itself," the Brookings analysts write, and "using either or both of those positions to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity could sustain a RICO charge."

"Based on our assessment," they elaborate, Trump may be liable for a number of Georgia crimes, including "(1) false statements and writings; (2) solicitation of false statements and writings; (3) solicitation of false swearing; (4) influencing witnesses; and (5) solicitation of computer trespass." All of those can be used to prove RICO cases, the Brookings team adds, and "proving at least two of them could meet the element of a pattern of racketeering activity."

We know Willis is investigating the scheme to put forward 16 fake Trump electors claiming to represent Georgia, Giuliani's presumptively false statements to Georgia legislators, the meddling with voting machines in rural Coffee County, the abrupt removal of U.S. Attorney Byung Pak after he declined to advance discredited election fraud cases, and phone calls Trump and his allies made to Georgia officials, especially Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

The covertly recorded phone call in which Trump asked Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes"  one more than Biden's 11,779-vote lead  is the crown jewel in Willis' case, former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi told Vice News. "I think the most damning piece of evidence is still the phone call in which Trump asks to find a specific number of votes."

Could a local Georgia district attorney really bring down a former president?

Legally, yes. "We conclude that Trump's post-election conduct in Georgia leaves him at substantial risk of possible state charges predicated on multiple crimes," including "prosecution under the state's RICO statute," the Brookings analysts conclude. "Moreover, this would not be the first RICO prosecution involving public officials" in Georgia, including a state Labor Department head whose RICO conviction  similar to the case against Trump  was upheld by the state Supreme Court.

"In our federal system," the "states have both the primary responsibility and authority to make determinations about matters within their purview," the Brookings analysis found. "Following settled Supreme Court precedent (including the recent case of Trump v. Vance), Georgia state prosecutors certainly have the power to investigate and charge a former president for willfully reaching into their jurisdiction to allegedly transgress their laws and interfere with their officials on a matter of utmost state interest: the administration of Georgia's election procedures."

"We've seen so many times ways in which President Trump has been able to skirt any kind of responsibility for behavior that people have found being questionable, if not illegal," Fausset says on The Daily. "But in the case of the Georgia investigation, what the potential defendants are going to be confronted with is Georgia state law," and "local law is very explicit on questions like solicitation to commit election fraud in the state of Georgia. They're buried in a big book of statutes that really, pretty much, only Georgia lawyers know about."

"But they're there. And they're very real," Fausset adds. "And if it comes to pass that this local prosecutor is the person who ends up indicting President Trump or brings a successful case against President Trump, I think it'll say a lot about the way our system of laws works in this country," where we "automatically think" federal law "exists on a higher plane than local law."

Will Willis really try?

"I think she's going to be able to make a case," and honestly "it's not a complicated case," Georgia criminal defense lawyer Page Pate, who has known Willis for years, tells Vice News. "She's not going to go through all that if she doesn't have probable cause to move forward."

It isn't entirely up to Willis, The Guardian notes. Her special grand jury can stay impaneled until May, but it can only submit a report recommending prosecution, and the case would then  if Willis agrees  go to a regular grand jury for possible indictments.

"An investigation is like an onion," Willis said in February 2021. "You never know. You pull something back, and then you find something else. ... Anything that is relevant to attempts to interfere with the Georgia election will be subject to review."

And in some ways, it would be easier for Willis to prosecute Trump, Fausset argues. "For somebody like Merrick Garland, the attorney general, he's appointed by Joe Biden. And we've seen play out in a very dramatic way in the last few days and weeks this concern that the Department of Justice, in going after Trump and some of these other investigations, is going after their chief political rival."

"Well, Fani Willis, the district attorney in Fulton County, doesn't have to deal with those things," Fausset adds. "She is a Democrat. She's an elected official. But her actions don't necessarily get scrutinized in the same light as somebody like the attorney general or the Department of Justice. She's just a lawyer trying cases in a courthouse pretty far from Washington.

"It kind of gets back to the previous thing she said, 'I don't like a bully,' and the fact that she is this classic, old-school prosecutor," Fausset said. "I think she's somebody who believes that there should be consequences for people who violate the laws of the state of Georgia. And you can just see how this presents a very unique sense of potential peril for President Trump and for the people around him."

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On Aug. 10, 1992, Robert Buchanan Jr., a 17-year-old Asian American teen, was brutally murdered in a downtown Olympia train tunnel. More shocking than the violence was the fact he was targeted for murder by Neo-Nazis.

This was a hate crime intended to terrorize a broad swath of our neighbors because of their race. Olympia residents said, Not in our town!

Soon thereafter, a small group launched an anti-hate crime coalition, Unity in the Community. Our founding group was diverse both racially and politically, united in a mission to respond to hate crimes and reject all that they mean. We quickly developed a course of action that served as our template for the next three decades.

Often, people who are targeted by hate suffer emotional wounds and financial troubles, along with a profound sense of being isolated. The first step was to contact Bob Jr.s family to provide critically needed assistance.

Second, we began to advocate in the criminal justice system to ensure that the killers, who were quickly arrested, would be prosecuted as hate criminals. This included getting hate crime laws on the books as well as urging prosecutors and police to use them.

And third, we gathered together a broad range of our community to stand against hate. We held rallies and public forums, and created a strong presence in local media. Speaking out in support of diversity is a powerful antidote to hate.

Since 1992, weve responded to many incidents of hate crime and speech, ranging from racist or homophobic graffiti to bias-motivated assaults. Each time, we started by coming alongside victims to support them by offering tangible resources and letting them know they were not alone. We continued to offer legal advocacy as needed to ensure that these incidents are recognized as hate crimes that inflict a broader impact on the community.

Perhaps the most effective work has been to speak out about the destructiveness of hate crime and the need to stand up for people of color, the LGBTQ community and others who have been the targets of hate.

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Thirty years later, were still on standby to counter acts of hate. In October 2021, an extremist group called Patriot Front defaced the downtown Rainbow Love & Respect Olympia mural, actually filming themselves in the act. The video and related evidence is being used to link them to other anti-LGBTQ hate crimes theyve coordinated in other states, including an interrupted attack on the 2021 Coeur dAlene Pride Festival in Idaho.

The Rainbow mural defacement was not an isolated act and Patriot Front is not alone in fomenting bigotry. Across the nation, hate crimes have erupted along the growing fault lines of political polarization, sometimes cheered on by national leaders. Black churches, synagogues and places where people of color shop have been targets in mass shootings by people who left clear trails of their bigoted intentions.

Whether committed by lone wolves or members of White nationalist organizations, these hate crimes gouged deeply into the immediate communities and terrorized people elsewhere who feared they too could be victimized because of their race, religion or LGBTQ identities. Hate leaves deep individual wounds that community support helps to heal.

Polarization and hatred have been accelerated by deteriorating public discourse, but the answer is not to surrender to these darker forces. Our community needs to be prepared to answer each time hate crimes are committed.

History is filled with cautionary tales of ignoring bigotry; anytime social minorities are scapegoated, its a warning sign that the rights and safety of all are at risk.

The work continues and we hope to join the next generation of activists in creating even more powerful community responses. We wont forget Bob Buchanan Jr. and the racist violence that ended his life, nor will we forget how that tragic incident brought us together in 1992 and ever since as needed to support unity in the community.

Anna Schlecht and Reiko Callner are co-founders of Unity in the Community.
(Reuters) - One Tajikistan border guard was killed and two wounded in clashes between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan overnight, the RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing the Tajikistan border force.

The clash, which took place on the eve of a regional security body meeting and against the background of fighting between Russia and Ukraine as well as Azerbaijan and Armenia, started after Kyrgyz border guards accused the Tajiks of taking positions at part of the border that has not been demarcated.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Brockton Board of Health Executive Director Eno Mondesir speaks at a news conference announcing a new COVID-19 PCR testing facility at the Shaw's Center in the Massachusetts city on Sept. 2. The city reported 125 COVID-19 cases in the last week of August, and 18 hospitalizations.

Ohio reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 21,731 new cases. That's down 14% from the previous week's tally of 25,280 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Ohio ranked 10th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 4.7% from the week before, with 507,209 cases reported. With 3.51% of the country's population, Ohio had 4.28% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, three states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

The Labor Day holiday may have altered how many people can get tested and when, and when governments report testing results and deaths. This will skew week-to-week comparisons.

Ottawa County reported 66 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 43 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 9,753 cases and 146 deaths.

Across Ohio, cases fell in 66 counties, with the best declines in Cuyahoga County, with 2,031 cases from 2,411 a week earlier; in Butler County, with 841 cases from 1,114; and in Hamilton County, with 1,353 cases from 1,620.

>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

Within Ohio, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Gallia County with 545 cases per 100,000 per week; Athens County with 525; and Meigs County with 519. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Cuyahoga County, with 2,031 cases; Franklin County, with 1,847 cases; and Hamilton County, with 1,353. Weekly case counts rose in 19 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Darke, Huron and Meigs counties.

In Ohio, zero people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, nine people were reported dead.

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A total of 3,096,557 people in Ohio have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 39,576 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 95,250,705 people have tested positive and 1,050,323 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

Ohio's COVID-19 hospital admissions staying flat

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Sept. 11. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

Last week: 2,170

The week before that: 2,151

Four weeks ago: 2,146

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

Last week: 60,585

The week before that: 61,376

Four weeks ago: 69,436

Hospitals in 16 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 22 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 19 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Ottawa County reported 66 additional COVID-19 cases this week
lyramckee_750x422_creditonimage.jpg

A man has pleaded guilty to possession of the pistol that killed queer journalist Lyra McKee.

Derry resident Niall Sheerin, 29, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for possessing the firearm used to shoot and kill McKee during the 2019 riots in Derry, Northern Ireland, according to the Guardian.

McKee had been working as an independent reporter covering the violence.

Sheerin admitted to authorities that he had the gun from September 2018 until June 2020.

McKee was shot dead on April 18, 2019, while reporting on the riots in the Creggan area of Derry.

The pistol used in the shooting was later found abandoned in plastic bags behind a telephone pole, the BBC reports. Ballistics testing revealed the same gun was used in five separate shootings within the past two years, McKees being the latest.

The New Irish Republican Army later took responsibility for McKees death, saying that they deployed their militia members in response to British forces in the area. As the majority of their organization are combat-inexperienced volunteers, Mckee was killed in the crossfire when standing near enemy forces.

The Irish Times reported at the time that the New IRA said in a statement: In the course of attacking the enemy Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces. The IRA offer our full and sincere apologies to the partner, family and friends of Lyra McKee for her death.

Sheerin was one of four men previously arrested in connection to McKees death earlier this year, though authorities have yet to charge any with her murder. The overseeing judge of McKee's case, Justice Fowler, could not sentence Sheerin in connection to her killing, as the prosecution cannot establish to the requisite standard that Sheerin definitively fired the gun.

Prosecutors accused Sheerin of storing the weapon on behalf of the New IRA, but were unable to prove he was aware of the guns history. When handing down his ruling, Fowler deemed Sheerin to be a member of a serious terrorist gang who posed a danger to the public, the BBC reports.

Nichola McKee-Corner, sister of Lyra McKee, spoke after the hearing to issue another plea to those responsible.

Now the story of the gun has come to an end but the story of the gunman actually continues, she said.We would again appeal to anyone who has information on the identity of the gunman to come forward and ensure there is justice for Lyra.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin pauses as she speaks to reporters at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Tuesday. (Jean-Francois Badias / Associated Press)

The young Finnish prime minister drew a deep breath and looked directly into the cameras. She regretted, she said, that raucous images of late-night revelry with her friends had made their way into the public eye.

But she also made clear her belief that busting out dance-like-no-ones-watching party moves did not interfere with her duties of state.

Finland is known worldwide as a gender-equality pioneer. But despite the countrys progressive traditions, many here believe 36-year-old Sanna Marin, in office just over two years, is being held to a harsher standard than a male leader would be in similar circumstances.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, shown in the European Parliament building, speaks during a press conference Tuesday. (Getty Images)

When breaking glass ceilings, you will naturally get scratched, said the countrys premier elder stateswoman, Tarja Halonen, 78, who was Finlands first female president. Women in general tend to be measured not by the substance of their politics, but by their looks, their clothes or their family status.

To outsiders, the summers weeks-long contretemps over the prime ministers after-hours activities might seem like a tempest in a Nordic teapot. But coming at a particularly grave moment in international affairs  most notably, the war in Ukraine  it has set off debate about what constitutes proper decorum.

This is not about whether she can party or not, Joona Rasanen, the leader of Marin's party in the capital region, told the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper. Everybody has a right to a private life, but dont publicize it.

Marins defenders argue that she has repeatedly demonstrated the seriousness of her commitment to the job, staking out thoughtfully reasoned positions on the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, as well as charting a course toward membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization  a sharp break with the countrys longtime policy.

Despite those achievements, she is often dogged by emphasis on how she dresses and her demeanor. A write- up in Vogue magazine noted her accomplishments, but also dwelled on her fashion sense. In October 2020, when Marin had been in office only a few months, an outcry erupted over a cover photo of her in the Finnish womens magazine Trendi, in which she wore a blazer with no shirt underneath.

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"If you had to generalize it, it will be men saying it was wrong, and women saying it was fabulous," a magazine spokeswoman, Mari Paalosalo-Jussinmaki, told CNN at the time. Marin said a stylist had made the wardrobe call.

On the feminist front, Finland has long outpaced the rest of the world. What was then the Grand Duchy of Finland gave women the right to vote in 1906, 14 years before womens suffrage in the United States. Only Iceland outranks Finland's gender-equality scores, according to the World Economic Forum's 2022 ranking of 146 countries.

Although there is an earnings lag  Finnish women make about 85 cents on the euro, compared to men  women hold 91 of 200 parliamentary seats, and hold nearly 60% of the advanced degrees awarded in the country.

Halonen, who was elected president in 2000 and served two six-year terms, was a prime example of Finlands female-friendly political environment. She held major ministerial portfolios assuming the presidency. Forbes magazine ranked her among the most powerful 100 women in the world  a distinction it later bestowed on Marin  and her approval ratings peaked at an enviable 88%.

Yet even she saw herself as held to higher standards, definitely different standards during her public tenure. Many issues that were normal for male presidents had to be considered if they were also fitting for a female president, she said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Marin, too, was a trailblazer, becoming the worlds youngest prime minister when she took office at 34. Raised by lesbian parents in the traditionally working-class inland city of Tampere, she was the first person in her family to attend university. She had a child in 2018 with her longtime partner, Markus Raikkonen, and the couple married in 2020.

Marins clubbing habits ran afoul of critics back in December 2021, when she went out on the town with friends during Finlands Independence Day holiday weekend without her official phone. Government officials who discovered the prime minister had been exposed to COVID-19 could not reach her until the following day. (She did not contract the disease.)

In August of this year, leaked video of the prime ministers uninhibited dancing at a private Helsinki apartment party went viral, with critics pointing out that the early-morning episode came shortly before the start of a workday. Marin voluntarily took and passed a drug test, although she said she considered it unjust that the onus was on her to provide proof that she was not using any illegal substance.

But her woes werent over. A few days later, a TikTok image emerged of two topless women kissing at the prime ministers state-owned official residence, partly obscured by a country-identifying sign the prime minister usually uses during international virtual events. Marin said the picture was inappropriate and apologized, but added that otherwise, nothing extraordinary happened at the get-together.

By then, the party narrative had captured world attention. Keep dancing, Hillary Clinton tweeted at the prime minister, who responded with a heart emoji. Women across the globe posted carefree dance clips of themselves. Late-night comics had a field day, with Trevor Noah joking that Marin got caught on video having exuberant fun because she actually had friends young enough to know how to use a phone.

Finns, though, found it all far less funny. A poll conducted by Helsingin Sanomat indicated that 42% of those surveyed believed Marins image had been hurt by the partying flap. Heading into 2023 spring elections, Marins Social Democratic Party holds a slight majority, but the partys demographic skews older and working class, setting up a potential slide in support.

The world sees the Finnish prime minister enjoying life, but people see it here as clubbing on the public dime, said communications consultant Harri Saukkomaa.

Although Marin expressed dismay about the leaking images she considered private, she has a powerful social-media presence, with half a million Twitter followers and 1 million on Instagram. That allows her to tailor her own messaging, bypassing traditional media outlets, but with the dual-edge effect of bringing her non-official life into the open.

Halonen, the former president, said the rise of social media made it harder for political figures, both male and female, to protect their private lives. As to whether Marins troubles had dented Finlands leading-edge reputation on gender equality, she said she hoped not.

Finland is a good place for gender equality, but of course we are not perfect, she said. We also have to remember that leadership is not just a battle between genders. It is about equal possibilities for every human being.

Hunt is a special correspondent.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Writer-director Pedro Almodovar, in 2021, has stepped away from what would have been his first English-language feature film. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar is going to wait a while longer before tackling a feature film in English.

The Oscar winner for original screenplay for 2002's "Talk to Her (Hable con ella) told The Times on Wednesday that it was a "painful decision" to leave the helm of "A Manual for Cleaning Women," starring Cate Blanchett. Blanchett's company, Dirty Films, is producing the movie.

I have dreamt of working with Cate for such a long time. Dirty Films has been so generous with me this whole time and I was blinded by excitement, but unfortunately, I no longer feel able to fully realize this film," Almodovar said in a statement from his publicists.

The film is in pre-production with a plan for a 2023 release, according to IMDb.com. The "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" director was also credited by IMDb as a writer and producer on "A Manual for Cleaning Women."

Almodovar previously wrote and directed the 30-minute English-language short "The Human Voice," which was released in 2020 and starred Tilda Swinton.

"Parallel Mothers," the most recent directorial effort from the "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" mastermind, earned 2022 Oscar nominations for its star, Penelope Cruz, and for Alberto Iglesias, who wrote the original score. Cruz and Almodovar have collaborated on seven projects.

Dirty Films producers Blanchett, Andrew Upton and Coco Francini told The Times in a statement, "We have the utmost respect for Pedro and his extraordinary body of work, and while the stars may not have aligned this time, we hope to collaborate with Pedro ... on another project in the future." They said work on "A Manual" would continue with New Republic Pictures, which was already affiliated with the movie.

The news was first reported by Deadline.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
With multiple visits by President Biden and by former President Donald Trump, Pennsylvania is once again becoming the battleground in American politics.

A recent CBS News survey shows the economy and inflation remain top concerns for both Republican and Democratic voters. Eight in 10 Pennsylvania voters say higher prices have been difficult or a hardship for them.

The economy is a concern for residents in Mr. Biden's hometown of Scranton. The president won Pennsylvania in 2020.

"Everybody up here, they struggle. The food is expensive, the gas," Scranton resident and registered Democrat Vera Wilson said.

"I worry all the time about the economy and health care," said Scranton resident and registered Republican Stephanie Hrebin.

In the state's Senate race, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman leads Dr. Mehmet Oz by five points among Pennsylvania's likely voters. The race between the two candidates will once again test whether an endorsement by Trump is enough to win.

Oz, who is backed by Trump, has been cast as an outsider by Democrats for living for years in New Jersey.

"So anybody can just decide they want to go and buy a house someplace to run for office," Scranton resident and registered Democrat Richard Fontinell said.

Fetterman has recently started campaigning again after having a stroke in May.

Still, despite pledging to debate Oz once, Fetterman continues to face scrutiny about how the stroke has affected him.

"I don't think he's physically able to do the job. I just think they have nobody else," Helen Lancia said.

Since returning to the trail, Fetterman has been busy rallying Democrats, especially on abortion rights. Fetterman leads among all who say it's very important, both men and women.

In the race for governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro has also been rallying his party's voters on abortion rights. He is warning them about Republican Doug Mastriano, an Army veteran who has been backed by Trump and was near the Capitol on January 6 and has repeatedly echoed the former president's false claims about the 2020 election.

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Shaking from the cold, Andreas Stabno clung to a narrow ledge on the face of a Colorado mountain ridge and cried as rescuers told him the news: six more hours until help arrives.

When the gathering dark clouds unleashed hail, Stabno called his wife and daughters. Then his sister and his mother.

"I thought this might be my last conversation with my family," said Stabno, 49, an experienced climber who frequently tackles peaks over 14,000 feet, also known as "14ers."

He hung on for hours until rescuers arrived. Stabno said the incident, one month ago near McHenrys Peak, is forcing him to reconsider the dangerous pursuit.

Despite the risks, 14ers have exploded in popularity in recent decades. Climbing experts say population growth in Colorado, ease of access to online information and social media trends of posting photos from summits have fueled the rise, lending false confidence to amateurs and overwhelming trailhead communities.

Craig Brauer, 65, climbs Capitol Peak in the Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains on July 18, 2022. Brauer manages a Facebook page dedicated to the 14,000-foot mountain peaks in Colorado.

"They're just getting more and more popular, and more and more people are jumping on the bandwagon of wanting to do all of the 14ers in the state," said Anna DeBattiste, spokesperson for the Colorado Search and Rescue Association. "The first thing is you really need to do your homework, especially if you're a newbie to the 14er world."

At least eight people have died on 14ers in the U.S. this year, according to Lloyd Athearn, executive director of the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. The recent death of a Denver woman who fell from the summit of her final peak has once again drawn national attention to the increasingly popular activity and renewed the abiding question: Why do it?

Climbers with a range of experience levels told USA TODAY that the fatalities are a sobering yet unsurprising reminder that accidents can happen to even the most experienced climbers  and that it's worth it all the same.

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14er culture grows

Most of the peaks over 14,000 feet in the contiguous U.S. are in Colorado, followed by California and Washington. They range in difficulty; though some routes are accessible hikes, others are technical rock climbs.

Most people consider there to be 58 named peaks in Colorado, said Craig Brauer, 65, who helps manage a Facebook page dedicated to Colorado 14ers that has more than 52,000 members. But the exact number is up for debate, based on elevation drop and distance between peaks.

Many people start out with the goal of completing just one 14er but then decide to complete them all and start "peakbagging," said Brauer, who lives in Nebraska.

Craig Brauer, 65, right, is pictured with his son, Josh, 33 as they summit Capitol Peak in Colorado on July 18, 2022. Craig Brauer said his son once saved him after he became trapped in a narrow gully of snow.

Most people who are physically fit can climb the majority of Colorado 14ers without encountering difficult terrain; it's the 15 or so most challenging peaks that pose the greatest risks, Athearn said. The peaks in California and Washington are generally harder and require more advanced skills, he said.

The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative formed in 1994 when there were only two planned 14er summit trails across the state, Athearn said. The group educates hikers, builds sustainable trails and monitors use with thermal counters in an effort to preserve 14ers. Now, there are at least 44 sustainable routes, he said.

In recent years, hiking on 14ers has been increasing about 5% to 7% annually, with some variation each year based on snowpack, air quality and more, Athearn said. In 2020, there was a "massive pandemic spike."

Rescues are up, too, DeBattiste said. Though the Colorado Search and Rescue Association doesn't have consistent statewide data on 14er rescues, incidents overall have been increasing steadily for decades.

"It would be an unusual summer in which there aren't any 14er deaths," DeBattiste said.

Five people have died on Colorado 14ers this year, which is "a bit above average," Athearn said.

Meanwhile, state and local governments and private landowners are increasingly discussing how to manage the flow of people to the mountains, Athearn said.

Some trailhead communities have made it harder to access trails. The number of hikers on Quandary Peak, one of the busiest, declined in 2021 after the county instituted a paid parking and shuttle system, DeBattiste said.

"However, it hasn't done anything to decrease the number of rescue calls," she noted.

Dawn Wilson, spokesperson with the Alpine Rescue Team, said some of the mountains in her area are like "Disneyland" on the weekends. She believes social media has glorified 14ers and led people to overestimate their abilities.

"It's all about getting to the summit and getting that picture," Wilson said. "If you see lightning and you're only 500 feet from the summit, turn around. Your life isn't worth an Instagram photo on the summit."

Wilson's team has started surveying people heading out at trailheads to ask if they have basic supplies, such as water or a headlamp. A majority are not prepared, she said.

Mountain Rescue Aspen has also seen a lack of education among climbers, said its president, Jordan White, 36. The Aspen area is home to many of the harder "finishers" for people attempting to summit all of the state's 14ers. White summitted them all by the time he was 20.

White encourages newer climbers to balance their motivations with their skill level and climb with a guide or group. Rescuers most commonly encounter people who are not prepared with the "10 essentials" or who have separated from their partner, he said.

"A lot of people that maybe in the past would have toughed it out and gotten themselves out are calling for help a lot earlier," White said. "We're all kind of wondering how bad it's going to get here when the iPhone 14 comes out here. You can satellite SMS from anywhere."

Craig Brauer, 65, summits Capitol Peak in Colorado on July 18, 2022.

'People ask me why I do this'

People summit 14ers for various reasons: the views, the challenge and the feeling of accomplishment. For Stabno, who called for help on the ledge, it's a raw and spiritual experience.

Stabno, an actuary based in Lee's Summit, Missouri, attempted his first Colorado 14er in 1991. This summer, he started to climb his final three but turned back because of poor weather.

"People ask me why I do this. There's never been a good answer for it because it's kind of a dumb, silly pursuit. At the end of the day, the world is still the same," he said, pausing. "Well, maybe I'm not quite the same. Maybe I've changed a little bit."

Oanh Hoang, 29, a hospice nurse based in Basalt, Colorado, said she and her fiance started training for 14ers in February. They summited their first peak in mid-July. On Friday, Hoang summited her 12th.

Oanh Hoang and Joe Ramsey stand on the summit of Huron Peak in Colorado on July 30, 2022.

Hoang said she has fallen in love with 14ers for several reasons: personal fitness, bonding with her fiance, the escape from the stresses of daily life. But her favorite part is sharing stories of her journeys with her patients.

"Every time I visit them, they cannot wait to ask me about my last climb and what's next," Hoang said.

Hoang said she knows every mountain has its own risks. So before every trip, she learns the route, watches the weather, checks her gear, assesses when to start and decides under what circumstances she would turn around.

"But with all that preparedness, a lucky element still plays a role," she said.

Theresa Juliues Caesar stands on the summit of Mount Columbia in Colorado on Aug. 27, 2022.

For Theresa Juliues Caesar, 39, summitting is a point of cultural pride. Originally from India, Juliues Caesar wore a saree on the top of Mount Columbia last month and shared the photos in Brauer's Facebook group.

"Being a Tamil girl, the saree is my most favorite and important outfit. So I also want to honor my culture that I treasure," said Julius Caesar, a software professional based in Parker, Colorado.

Nikko Mowery, 45, a case manager based in Colorado Springs, said she started climbing 14ers a decade ago when a friend "dragged" her up one. "I was hooked right away with all the suffering and scenery," Mowery said.

She used to test her limits by doing longer hikes and timing herself. Now shes focused on safety and building community.

"I like long hauls when my brain finally goes into zen mode. I also love meeting strangers online or on the trail  love exchanging life stories and worldviews," she said.

For Brauer, who started climbing 14ers in the 90s and has summitted all but six in Colorado, it's an activity to share with his son, Josh, 33. He was once descending Mount Sneffels when a rock broke off and trapped him in a narrow gully of snow, he said. His son got him out.

"Most people have stories like that because, even if you're an experienced mountaineer, things happen," he said. "And in my understanding, that's what happened to the gal on Capitol."

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Everyone 'knows this is a possibility'

The Denver woman who died on Capitol Peak this month was trying to summit her "finisher"  the last 14er on her list. She fell 900 feet, and a nearby climber witnessed the fall.

The peak is particularly difficult. About 1,000 people climbed Capitol last year, and one person died, Athearn said. In summer 2017, five people died in what felt like a "tragic drumbeat" of fatalities, he said.

Family and friends gathered in Denver over the weekend for a celebration of life for the woman, who was in her 30s. Friends shared photos and stories of her on social media pages and forums, mourning her loss but applauding her adventurous spirit.

The woman was an experienced climber, and there was "some unluckiness involved in her demise," said White, of Mountain Rescue Aspen.

"Everyone who does this activity, especially people who've done it a lot ... knows that this is a possibility  someone in the wrong place at the wrong time pulls on a rock that might have been there for millennia and comes loose," Athearn said.

Given the growing connectedness of 14er communities online, climbers nationwide are more aware of fatalities when they happen, White noted.

While Stabno has tried to detach himself from such stories in the past, he now finds himself more emotionally connected to accounts of strangers' accidents, he said. Earlier this summer, he spoke with a man on Crestone Peak shortly before the man fell to his death.

"Up until that point, it had never really been as personal to me," Stabno said.

Craig Brauer, 65, climbs Capitol Peak in the Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains on July 18, 2022. He summitted on his third attempt. "All of a sudden, I noticed how exposed it was on both sides," he said. "I lost my focus for a minute to understand the gravity of what I was doing."

Last month, Stabno clung to mountain for more than six hours before he heard the "beautiful sound" of helicopter rotors. A rescuer descended from a rope and helped him into a harness. Finally, he let go.

Scarred by the incident, Stabno said he isn't sure he wants to pursue his three remaining 14ers. But he's not ruling it out.

"What really matters is our friends, our family and the relationships that we have," he said. "If we can keep those while we pursue our dreams and passions, all the better. If it jeopardizes some of that, I think we need to question what we're doing."

Reach reporter Grace Hauck via email or follow her on Twitter at @grace_hauck.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colorado 14er death raises questions about climbing, safety
The 8-foot-wide home is priced at $1.95 million  and its captured the ire and fascination of many TikTok users. Keven Trudel; TikTok; @realtor.nero

TikTokers are shocked by a skinny $1.95 million Toronto home that went viral on the app.

Realtor Nero Naveendran filmed a tour which offered views of a bedroom with a toilet in the corner.

Commenters expressed confusion over the "three-story hallway" house.

An eight-foot-wide $1.95 million Toronto property  which includes a bedroom with a toilet in the middle of it is eliciting confusion, outrage, and mass schadenfreude across the internet.

Realtor Nero Naveendran's TikTok tour of the Little Portugal property quickly garnered more than 2.5 million views from bewildered viewers fixated on the home's unusual design and narrowness.

In the video, Naveendran walks quickly through one unit in the three-story, three-unit building. Its sunlit kitchen has trendy open shelving, one very small sink, and what appears to be only a microwave and detached electric radiant cooktop as the room's functional cooking appliances.

The bedroom offers what is arguably the apartment's most questionable feature: a solitary toilet installed out in the open in the corner of the room. Keven Trudel, who is managing the listing, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, but Naveendran told Insider it's the only toilet in the unit.

"The toilet in the bedroom was a shocker for me as well! I've never seen that before in a home, and I've seen hundreds," he said.

The toilet is just a few steps from the bed. Keven Trudel

On TikTok, users carried on a de-facto roast of the unit. Some pointed out that the open-area toilet was reminiscent of a prison cell, while others were aghast at the price-per-square-foot: $1,151.

"Bro thinks someone would pay 2mil for a staircase," read one popular comment, with others describing the listing as "almost 2 mil for half of a house."

Naveendran told Insider the house is unusually narrow for the area, and noted that his video only showed one unit in the building while there are actually three.

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According to the property listing the 1693-square-foot home is "divided into three separate residential units, each with its own private entrance but could easily be converted back into a single-family home." The property includes three refrigerators, three electric radiant cook tops (though it doesn't specify if they're all detached plug-in devices), three microwaves, a parking spot, and a single laundry machine.

The kitchen has a microwave and electric radiant cook top. Keven Trudel

The median selling price of a home in the millennial enclave of Little Portugal is $748,000 according to Canadian real estate site Zolo. But for detached units, Naveendran says, properties average around $1.5 million.

According to RE/MAX Canada's 2022 Housing Inventory Report, home prices across Canada are on the rise and are projected to hit a crisis point soon, as housing inventory continues to decline.

"Population growth and household formation have played a significant role in depleting inventory levels from coast to coast over the most recent decade, triggering chronic housing shortages in large urban centers that resulted in mini 'boom' and 'bust' cycles," Christopher Alexander, President, RE/MAX Canada, said according to the report."If we don't move now to build more housing in the current lull, it's expected that this same scenario will continue to resurface over and over again."

Despite the competitive market, the property has been on the market for 20 days. That's not surprising to Naveendran, who says the home may be a hard sell.

"The owner could have done it differently, but I don't think it mattered to him that much," he said, of installing a toilet in the middle of the bedroom. "Personally, that was a dealbreaker for me."

Read the original article on Insider
A shooting in broad daylight left one person with serious injuries in Mattapan on Wednesday afternoon.

Boston Police say they responded to a call for a person shot in the area of 1216 Blue Hill Avenue just before 2:00 p.m.

The victims injuries are considered life threatening.

An investigation is underway.

No further information was made available.

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(Bloomberg) -- The Biovac Institute, a partly state-owned vaccine producer in South Africa, has produced its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines as part of an arrangement under which it aims to fill and package as many as 100 million doses a year of Pfizer Inc. and BioNtech SEs inoculation.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The doses, produced last week, are the first Pfizer shots for the disease to be made in Africa and will be evaluated by the South African Health Regulatory Products Authority before subsequent batches are planned for commercial sale next year, said Morena Makhoana, the chief executive officer of Biovac.

The arrangement with Pfizer is part of a response by global pharmaceutical companies including Moderna Inc. and Johnson & Johnson to criticism that they did little to help poor countries during the worst days of the coronavirus pandemic. Richer nations snapped up more vaccines than they could use and poor countries, many of them in Africa, had barely any to give to their citizens.

Johnson & Johnson has licensed South Africas Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd. to produce its vaccine in South Africa and Moderna is looking to have its shot manufactured on the continent.

Even as demand for the vaccines has waned across the world, with the latest variants causing less severe disease, medical scientists have continued to urge the distribution of inoculations as they reduce the chances of hospitalization and death. Cape Town-based Biovac is banking on continued demand for Pfizer shots as top ups, or boosters, to extend immunity.

We are going to get into the booster market, said Makhoana, shortly before walking past banks of 130 ultra-cold freezers chilled to minus 75 degrees Celsius (minus 103 Fahrenheit) at Biovacs facilities on Monday. The Pfizer shots will be stored in the freezers at the temperature required to ensure they remain effective.

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Still, Aspen has struggled to get orders for its version of the Covid-19 vaccine and has largely pivoted to making routine inoculations such as pneumococcal, rotavirus, polyvalent meningococcal and hexavalent shots.

The World Health Organisation has taken a different approach by setting up an mRNA technology hub, also in Cape Town, under which its planned that Afrigen Biologics Ltd. will develop a Covid-19 shot of its own and that know-how will then be transferred to at least 15 production facilities in low and middle income countries across the world.

Biovac, which expects to employ 584 people by the end of this year compared with just 30 in 2003, will be the first production facility to receive the technology transfer from Afrigen and is investing in facilities that will allow it to produce its own vaccine substance, rather than just receiving that substance from a company such as Pfizer and then filling vials and packaging it.

As much as 2.5 billion rand ($144 million) will be raised for that expansion with financing arrangements through a range of development finance institutions and the European Union to be completed next year, Makhoana said.

The lenders include the International Finance Corp., Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft GmbH, British International Investment Plc, the African Development Bank, Proparco, the Eskom Pension & Provident Fund and the US International Development Finance Corp.

(Updates with Aspens struggles to secure orders in seventh paragraph)

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MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said its wrong to describe his late father as a dictator and that his brutal martial law rule in the 1970s was not meant to prolong his grip on power  comments that were immediately rejected by human rights activists.

The namesake son of the former president who was ousted in a 1986 pro-democracy uprising also denied in a TV interview aired late Tuesday that he and his family were whitewashing history.

It was the first time since he took office in June that Marcos Jr. has addressed some of the controversial issues that have hounded him and his family. A transcript of the interview on new broadcasting company ALLTV by TV host and actress Toni Gonzaga, who backed Marcos Jr.'s candidacy, was released by his press secretary.

Asked if he has been affected by media references to him as a dictators son, Marcos Jr. replied: No. It would hurt me if they were right, but theyre wrong.

How many times have I been here in this room where he was in consultation with different groups? he said in the interview at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, where his father held office after rising to the presidency in 1965. A dictator does not consult. A dictator just says `this is what you will do, whether you like it or not.

The elder Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, a year before his term was to expire. He padlocked Congress and newspaper offices, ordered the arrest of many political opponents and activists and ruled by decree.

Marcos Jr. defended that decision by repeating his father's justification that martial law was crucial to fight growing Muslim and communist insurgencies. It was necessary to  in my fathers view at the time  to declare martial law because a war was really raging already at the time, he said.

Renato Reyes of Bayan, an alliance of left-wing groups, said the newly elected presidents defense of the martial law declaration nearly 50 years ago was a big lie, which has been discredited by facts.

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Marcos Sr. used martial law to scrap the elections, extend his term, dissolve Congress and centralize power unto himself, making him dictator from 1972 to 1986, Reyes said. That was not defending government but making government your personal fiefdom.

Asked why his father's basis for declaring martial rule was not widely disseminated, Marcos Jr. said, The government fell. So, the victors wrote this history.

Opponents of the Marcos dictatorship had also said that violent incidents in the early 1970s, including the ambush of a convoy supposedly carrying then defense chief Juan Ponce Enrile, were staged to provide the justification for martial law.

Enrile later broke off from Marcos and together with other rebellious military and police officials backed a massive 1986 People Power uprising that toppled Marcos and drove him and his family to U.S. exile. The massive protests awed the world and became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Marcos Jr. denied he and his family were trying to revise history but acknowledged without elaborating the problems that happened, the abuses that occurred, like in any war. He said he can prove what actually happened, saying we have video, we have photographs, we have records, but did not go into detail.

The ousted president died in exile in Hawaii three years later without admitting any wrongdoing, including accusations that he and his family amassed an estimated $5 billion to $10 billion while he was in power.

A Hawaii court later found him liable for human rights violations and awarded $2 billion from his estate to compensate more than 9,000 Filipinos who filed a lawsuit against him for torture, incarceration, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

His widow, Imelda Marcos, and her children were allowed to return to the Philippines in 1991. They have since made one of the most dramatic political comebacks in history that was capped by Marcos Jr.s landslide election victory in May.

He attributed the win to his steadfast campaign call for national unity but critics said it was the outcome of a well-funded social media propaganda aimed at burnishing the Marcos name.
The Queen's coffin was transferred from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle attended a service for her.

They stood next to each other at the ceremony, reuniting for the second time since the Queen's death.

The "fab four" reunited once again at a service for Queen Elizabeth.

On Wednesday, the Queen's coffin was transferred from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where it will lie in state in the days leading up to the late monarch's funeral.

The Queen died on Thursday, September 8, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96 at the time of her death.

Members of the royal family processed behind the Queen's coffin as it made its way to Westminster Hall, including King Charles III, his siblings, and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

Prince William and Prince Harry walked side by side behind the Queen's coffin. Karwai Tang / Contributor / Getty Images

The processional marked the second occasion William and Harry had been seen together publicly following their grandmother's death.

Read More: Photos show Princess Anne has been with the Queen every step of the way since she died

On Saturday, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined the new Prince and Princess of Wales for a walkabout at Windsor Castle. Prince William extended a last-minute invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to join the walk, according to The Times of London.

The brothers looked stoic as they marched behind the Queen's coffin, and when they arrived at Westminster Hall, they joined their wives for a ceremony for the late monarch.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle were photographed together at a service for Queen Elizabeth. Dan Kitwood / Staff / Getty Images

The royal family stood in paired lines near the Queen's coffin during the ceremony.

Prince Harry and Markle stood directly behind Prince William and Middleton.

The couples stood next to each other. Dan Kitwood / Staff / Getty Images

There has reportedly been a rift between Prince Harry and his family since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from the royal family in 2020.

Harry and Markle's relationship only grew more distant after their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they said members of the royal family made racist remarks about Archie, the firm disregarded Markle's mental-health issues, Kate Middleton made Markle cry during the week of her wedding, and Charles cut the couple off financially following their step back.

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But Prince Harry and Markle seem to be standing united with the royal family in the wake of the Queen's death given their appearances at Windsor and Westminster Hall.

Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle on a walk at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022. Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images

King Charles III also sent love to the couple in his first address as monarch, and the trio were photographed in Buckingham Palace together ahead of the arrival of the Queen's coffin.

As Insider's Mikhaila Friel reported, reconciliation could be more likely if the king gives Archie and Lilibet princely titles.

Read the original article on Insider
Pierce County will receive roughly $14 million from a state-negotiated settlement with opioid distributors, which officials plan to use to help combat the far-reaching effects of the opioid epidemic locally, County Council Chairman Derek Young said Wednesday.

The news comes after county lawmakers on Tuesday formally approved a deal negotiated by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, whose office announced in May that three opioid distributors would pay the state $518 million to resolve a lawsuit filed more than two years earlier.

The Attorney Generals Office sued McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. for their roles in contributing to the drug crisis, and other jurisdictions joined the lawsuit, including Pierce County.

When we started the Opioid Task Force, it was with this day in mind, Young said in a statement, referring to the regional response to the epidemic between the county, city of Tacoma and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

We cant bring back the lives weve lost or unwind the damage done, he said. But these funds will provide treatment and other services for our residents and prevention programming to reduce misuse of illicit narcotics.

Examples of possible uses for the funds include treating opioid-use disorder, supporting those with addictions who are pregnant or in the criminal justice system, and educating first responders, according to a county slide presentation.

The money to the county will be paid out over 17 years. Through the first seven years, fees and other costs will be deducted from the total.

Cities with more than 10,000 residents in the county are eligible for a separate pool of $9.35 million from the settlement, which Young said anticipates local jurisdictions will work together to develop regional solutions that cross jurisdictional boundaries.
Sep. 13MIDLAND  One of Texas' largest oil and natural gas producers is pledging $1 million to the West Texas Food Bank to help fund school pantries throughout the Permian Basin.

The five-year commitment from Pioneer Natural Resources, whose operations are based in Midland, is helping the nonprofit mark Hunger Action Month in September. The gift will benefit dozens of K-12 schools across seven counties in the region.

"One of the cornerstones of Pioneer Natural Resources is its longtime commitment to giving back to the communities where its employees work and live, and our pledge to the West Texas Food Bank fulfills that critical mission of serving others," Pioneer President and Chief Operating Officer Rich Dealy said in a news release. "As we mark Hunger Action Month in September and many students return to the classroom, it's heartening to know that this gift from our Pioneer family will help the food bank keep school pantries throughout the Permian Basin stocked so that no child has to go hungry."

As parents send their kids back to school after the summer break, many families depend on the food served at their child's school to supply a nutritious meal. And for children from lower-income homes, it might represent the most food they'll eat all day. Numerous studies have shown that children suffering from chronic hunger experience numerous obstacles in the classroom, including the inability to focus on schoolwork, excessive absences due to illnesses and learning disabilities, among other impairments.

Roughly 1 in 6 kids experience hunger in America, and nearly 60 percent of children from lower-income families say they've come to school hungry, according to statistics from No Kid Hungry, a national campaign dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America, the release said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 38 million people in the U.S.  including 12 million children  are food insecure, defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. Millions of Americans were also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw unemployment rates skyrocket and more families turning to local food banks to help make ends meet.

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"This is the month to spread the word and take action on the hunger crisis and dedicate ourselves to the solution, and Pioneer Natural Resources is committed to joining the fight to help end hunger in West Texas," Libby Campbell, executive director of the West Texas Food Bank, which has forged a longtime community partnership with the company, said in the news release. "We realize that hungry children cannot learn, and Pioneer's $1 million commitment will help fund school pantries across the Permian Basin."

Since its founding in 1997, Pioneer has established itself as a state and regional leader in oil and gas exploration, industry innovation and production. Throughout its growth in Texas as a large independent energy company, among its enduring missions has been a deep devotion to philanthropy and volunteerism.

"Pioneer's $1 million pledge to the West Texas Food Bank aligns with our strategy of giving back to the Permian community in which we live and work," Daniel Pender, Pioneer's surface and land business development director, said in the news release. "This donation continues to show how Pioneer is dedicated to Permian education and addressing other vital needs within our community."
Onlookers watch as a news conference is held at Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles, where rapper PnB Rock was fatally shot during a robbery. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Jewelry and other items stolen from rapper PnB Rock, who was shot and killed Monday at Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles in South L.A., could hold the key to finding the gunman.

Los Angeles Police Department detectives have put pawn shops on alert about items stolen during the brazen robbery in hopes it may help identity the killer.

PnB Rock was fatally shot by a man who demanded jewelry and other valuables before getting into a struggle with the rapper and opening fire, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said.

Moore said the attack occurred soon after the rapper was tagged online Monday as being at the restaurant at West Manchester Avenue and South Main Street, and police are investigating whether that is what prompted the attack. Police say such crimes linked to social media are rare. But Moore said hes concerned about the proliferation of guns on the streets being used by robbers targeting victims for high-end jewelry.

Rock, 30, whose real name was Rakim Allen, had been at the restaurant with his girlfriend, who had posted a location-tagged photo in a since-deleted Instagram post. The shooting has reignited discussion of the dangers of the real-time use of social media by celebrities who post about their locations and luxury possessions.

The killing sparked sadness and outrage among fans as well as community activists, who say violence at a popular eatery is unacceptable.

I want to see the community heal. There has to be a more comprehensive strategy to make it clear that taking material items like an expensive watch is not worth more than a life, said Skipp Townsend, a longtime gang interventionist in Los Angeles.

He pointed out the gunman could have killed so many people in the lunch crowd.

This happened while he was actually dining, and that is truly tragic, Townsend said. Arrests dont stop the violence. Arrests dont bring closure to families. We need to do a long-term strategy that prevents someone considering such acts.

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Andre Low Down Christian, a gang interventionist with Urban Peace Institute, said he and others were trying to sort out rumors about what precipitated Mondays shooting.

He said he wouldnt be surprised if Rock had drawn the wrong kind of attention through social media. But its just as likely someone saw him going into Roscoe's and decided to rob him.

If nothing else, the slaying is a reminder that people just have to be aware of their surroundings, Christian said.

While youre looking at just trying to get some clout, people are looking at it as an opportunity, he said. It shouldnt have to be like that, but thats the way it works.

Times staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Poland will formally ask Russia to return seven paintings now in a leading Moscow museum that were looted during World War II by the Soviet Red Army, the Polish culture minister said Wednesday.

But Piotr Glinski also said that about 20 previous requests to Moscow for the return of thousands of other items stolen during WWII have fallen on deaf ears. The previously requested items included archives of the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz, paintings by Old Masters such as Durer, Holbein or Cranach and manuscripts by Polish authors.

Until this day (Russias) government has not reviewed any of the claims, Glinski told a press conference. He added that Russia is the only among several countries approached so far to have failed to even respond to Poland on the subject.

Polands historically strained ties with Russia hit a new low following Russias invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February. A former satellite of the Soviet Union, Warsaw supports Kyiv and is pushing for more sanctions against Moscow.

The new request concerns seven paintings by Italian artists that are now at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. They date from the 14th to the 18th century and include Two Saints by Spinello Aretino and Adoration of the Child by Lorenzo di Credi.

Before the war they were in the collections of the Czartoryski family in Goluchow, at the Wilanow Palace, and in Poznan, Wroclaw and Lodz.

Glinski said it is hard to estimate how much of Poland's art and culture was destroyed or looted by occupying Nazi German and Soviet troops during the war, but at the time it was believed that Polish museums had lost about 50% of their collections.

Traces of hundreds of thousands of items lead to the Russian Federation and to the former Soviet republics, Glinski said.

He said Poland "will never stop searching for ... cultural items that were looted" during the war.

Since 2016 alone, Poland has retrieved more than 600 looted cultural artifacts, but none of them from Russia, Glinski said.

Among them are the paintings Madonna under the Fir Tree by Lucas Cranach the Elder, which had ended up in Switzerland, and Jewish Woman Selling Oranges by Polish 19th century painter Aleksander Gierymski, which was returned from Germany.
A 47-year-old Palmyra man has been charged by Virginia police with the alleged sexual assaults of two children in Woodbridge over two decades ago.

Shawn Gooden was charged with two counts of indecent liberties, two counts of forcible sodomy and five counts of aggravated sexual battery.

On March 4, the Prince William County Special Victims Bureau detectives began an investigation into sexual assaults that occurred in several locations in the Woodbridge area. Officials reported the incidents occurred between January 1997 and December 2000.

The investigation revealed that the victim, who was between 9 and 13 during that time, was sexually assaulted on more than one occasion, according to police.

During the investigation, detectives alleged that Gooden is believed to have assaulted another victim. Officials said the victim, who was between 8 and 12 at the time, was assaulted on more than one occasion.

Police said the incidents were recently reported to the department.

On Sept. 5, members of the North Londonderry Township Police Department took Gooden, who lives in Palmyra, into custody.

Police reported Gooden will remain in the Lebanon County Correctional Facility until he is extradited to Virginia. His court date is still pending.

Child Labor Violations:Federal investigators find child labor violations at 3 Dunkin' locations, including Palmyra

Information Wanted:North Cornwall Township Police asking residents for leads for catalytic converter thieves

In 2021, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, there were 38,013 reports of suspected abuse received statewide. Department officials reported 58 children died and 136 nearly died because of abuse and/or neglect.

The Department of Human Services operates a 24/7 hotline to report suspected child abuse or concerns about the welfare of a child. ChildLine can be reached at 800-932-0313.

Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on Twitter at @DAMattToth.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: 47-year-old Palmyra man arrested for decades-old sexual assault case
An Alabama woman sought in connection with a double homicide in Lake County fatally shot herself after crashing her car in an Ormond Beach parking lot last month, police said.

Samantha Butler, 29, fled from a traffic stop on Aug. 26, and shortly after 11:24 a.m. crashed in the parking lot of the KFC at 294 West Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach police said.

Butler died from a "self-inflicted gunshot wound" and not injuries suffered in the crash, said Ormond Beach police Capt. Chris Roos in a news release. "The self-inflicted gunshot occurred after the motor vehicle crash."

More: 2 men suspected in Daytona killing, crash death in Orlando

More: Police: Woman shot, killed in Daytona Beach in possible love triangle

After the crash, a passenger, Roger Gilbert, 35, also of Alabama, ran from the car but was caught in a store by police. Gilbert had a stolen firearm in his waistband, police said.

Ormond Beach police later discovered that Butler and Gilbert were wanted in a double homicide in Lake County.

According to Lake County Sheriff's Office Lt. John Herrell, deputies in that county were called to a shooting on Aug. 25 at a Pennsylvania Road home in Altoona.

David Thomas Mikell, 34, of Umatilla, and Shane Eugene Clements, 41, of Altoona, were both found shot to death inside the home, Herrell said.

Witnesses told Lake County deputies that Butler and Gilbert were involved in the murders, Herrell said.

No charges have been filed in the double homicide and the investigation into the murders continues, Herrell said on Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Alabama woman shot herself after crashing car in Ormond Beach
LOUISVILLE  Two teens have been arrested after a 22-year-old man was stabbed to death in Wildwood Park.

Michael G. Morris, of the Alliance area, was stabbed with a knife Tuesday afternoon. He later was pronounced dead at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital in Canton.

"Despite life-saving efforts by the officers, the Louisville Fire Department and others present, the victim was pronounced dead," according to a news release from Louisville police.

Court documents filed in the case show two juveniles have been charged:

 Marissa G. Smith, 17, of Louisville, faces juvenile counts of murder, felonious assault and aggravated criminal trespass.

 A 15-year-old Louisville boy faces juvenile counts of aiding and abetting in a murder, felonious assault, aggravated criminal trespass and carrying a concealed weapon.

The court complaints allege Smith stabbed Morris with a knife provided by the 15-year-old.

Louisville:Fire hydrant stolen in Louisville

Both suspect were taken to the Multi-County Juvenile Attention Center in Canton Township, according to police Tuesday night.

Under Ohio law, Smith would be tried in adult court because of her age and seriousness of the offense. A juvenile court judge would only have to find "probable cause" the crime had occurred, automatically transferring the case to adult court.

The case involving the 15-year-old is a discretionary bindover, meaning a juvenile court judge would have to rule if the boy should remain in juvenile court or be tried as adult.

The Canton Repository has chosen to use name Smith's because of the level of charges and the fact she will move automatically to adult court.

The pair were scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.

Stabbing details in Louisville's Wildwood Park

The latest information from police said the stabbing happened during an altercation between the three individuals, and reportedly stemmed from previous unresolved conflicts.

Louisville Police say the initial call about the incident at 500 Sterzbach Ave. occurred at 4:09 p.m. Tuesday.

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Shortly after, officers found Morris.

Police continue to investigate the homicide case and asked anyone with information to contact them at 330-875-1607.

Repository staff writer Benjamin Duer contributed to this story.

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. Twitter: @rwangREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Police: Alliance man, 22, killed at Wildwood Park; two charged
Massachusetts State Police launched an investigation after reports of a sexual assault onboard the Norwegian Breakaway Tuesday night. The cruise ship was docked at the Black Falcon Terminal in Boston.

Troopers along with FBI agents responded to the ship just after 7 p.m. and said the alleged assault took place while the ship was making way somewhere between Providence and Boston.

The suspect and victim are both employees of the ship, according to police.

The investigation is ongoing. No further information is being released at this time.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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The Palm Springs Police Department detained a man on Tuesday night after an approximately hourlong search for him near the Desert Highlands neighborhood.

Police continue to search the area for a potential weapon.

Police responded to multiple reports of a suicidal male armed with a gun near the 500 block of West San Rafael Drive around 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Police said the man fled the area, and a police helicopter and multiple vehicles were searching for the man as of 6:45 p.m.

They found him unarmed around 7:15 p.m. near the 400 block of Radio Road, Lt. Gustavo Araiza said. He is being detained for a mental health evaluation.

Araiza said the man claimed he had been holding a toy gun earlier. Police continue searching the area for a gun.

Jonathan Horwitz covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach him at jonathan.horwitz@desertsun.com or @Writes_Jonathan.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Police search for man believed to be armed near Desert Highlands
LOS ANGELES  Police say social media may have been a factor in the fatal shooting of rapper PnB Rock during a robbery Monday.

The rapper, whose real name is Rakim Hasheem Allen, was killed at Roscoes House of Chicken N Waffles after a photo was posted on his girlfriends Instagram account that included their location.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore suggested that the post led the gunman to PnB.

The post, since deleted, has not been verified by NBC News. It wasn't clear if the location was spelled out, geotagged or assumed, given the well-known dishes served at Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles.

ImageL PnB murder investigation (KNBC)

There have been no arrests of suspects identified in the rapper's slaying.

Cybersecurity experts caution against oversharing by including your location.

Carnegie Mellon Universitys Information Security Office suggests users disable geotagging and enabaling the strictest privacy settings.

When you post personal information on social media you make yourself, your loved ones and even your physical belongings a target for local and online criminals, it warns in a briefing.

The police chief said an "extensive amount" of jewelry was taken from PnB Rock in Monday's robbery, though he did not detail the items.

Hours before the shooting, PnB Rock published a video on Twitter that showed him smoking and flashing a jewel-encrusted watch that appeared to be an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

The brand has been a favorite of younger hip-hop stars, who have recorded countless shoutouts to the maker.

PnB Rock (Owen Sweeney / Invision/AP file)

Jory Goodman, a Beverly Hills watch seller and host of The Time Teller YouTube channel, has twice published videos this year warning aficionados not to wear valuable watches in Los Angeles.

In July, the LAPD warned residents and visitors to "be cautious" when wearing flashy jewelry after a number of robberies in which victims were followed home from upscale restaurants, nightclubs and boutiques.

Some of the street robberies have been captured on security video, further alarming a city that has seen robbery increase 18% since this time in 2020.

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Among the more shocking examples was a noontime robbery in April in which the victim was followed leaving a downtown jewelry store. Someone trailing her vehicle tried to smash her car window while she was stuck in slow traffic, the LAPD said.

The woman ran, but she was chased and hit, police said. She fought off her attackers until one of them retrieved a handgun, at which point, she immediately took off her watch and handed it over, they said.

Watch robberies have also taken place this year in neighboring cities, including West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

On March 4, three gang members robbed a man at gunpoint as he dined outdoors in Beverly Hills, prosecutors said. They took his Richard Mille watch, said to be worth $500,000, but as a struggle ensued, a gun went off striking another patron in the leg, authorities said.

Three men have pleaded guilty in that case.

The collector and content creator behind YouTubes SoCal Watch Reviews, known as Miguel, says he's uneasy wearing his watches out.

The recent robberies make me personally feel very uneasy about wearing my watches, he said by email. Furthermore, being a public figure in the social media space makes it 10 times worse. I need to be very careful about what I say and show people.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Police are urging Bostonians to secure their personal information after a number recent cellphone thefts resulted in compromised banks accounts.

Victims have reported multiple fraudulent charges and withdrawn funds after their cellphones were stolen, according to the Boston Police Department.

Local residents are asked to remain vigilant when out in public and to take steps to safeguard personal electronic devices.

Boston police shared the following tips for securing personal and financial data on mobile devices:

Lock Your Device with a Passcode: Utilizing a pin code every time you unlock your phone is the easiest way to keep your mobile data secure.

Shoulder Surfing: Be aware of your surroundings. Individuals may stand close by and watch as you enter passwords for applications. Many companies offer screen protectors that can obscure your screen from onlookers as you use your devices.

Avoid Automatic Logins: Dont store your usernames and passwords on your device. Sign out of each application every time you are finished.

Make Sure to Enable Passcode Features on Any Financial Apps: Many online banking and credit card apps have a passcode feature that can be enabled. If possible, only utilize apps that offer this important feature.

If Your Phone is Stolen: Immediately secure your device remotely by enabling Lost Mode or remotely wiping all data from the device.

Be sure to quickly change any passwords connected to the stolen device, noting that even apps that offer Two Factor Authentication may be jeopardized as the thief likely will have access to both your email account and text messages.

An investigation into the thefts remains ongoing.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
President Joe Biden has called King Charles III to offer his condolences following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last Thursday.

In a statement from the White House on Wednesday, the call was announced adding that Biden "recalled fondly the Queen's kindness and hospitality, including when she hosted him and the First Lady at Windsor Castle last June."

"He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom," the release continued.

The statement also added Biden's wish to "continue a close relationship with the King" as he takes on his new role.

RELATED: President Joe Biden Will Travel to U.K. to Attend Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

Prince Charles and Joe Biden

Clarence House Twitter

Last week, following the news of the Queen's death, Biden announced he will be attending her funeral which is set to take place on Sept. 19. "Yes," he said to reporters, "I don't know what the details are yet but I'll be going."

For more on the Royals, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

When asked if he had spoken to Charles since the news broke, Biden replied at the time: "I know him. I haven't spoken to him. I did not call him."

RELATED: Joe Biden Orders Flags to Fly Half-Staff Following Queen Elizabeth's Death: 'More Than a Monarch'

On the day the Queen "died peacefully" at Balmoral, Biden issued a proclamation to honor the late monarch.

"As a mark of respect for the memory of Queen Elizabeth II, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment," it read.

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Under Biden's order, the U.S. flag will also fly at half-staff until sunset "at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations."

RELATED VIDEO: Queen Elizabeth's Four Children Walk Behind Her Coffin in Emotional Procession Through Edinburgh

Saluting Queen Elizabeth as "more than a monarch," Biden added that she "defined an era."

"In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her," he wrote.

RELATED: U.K.'s New Prime Minister Liz Truss Remembers Queen Elizabeth as the 'Very Spirit of Great Britain'

He praised Queen Elizabeth for always ruling "with grace, an unwavering commitment to duty, and the incomparable power of her example."

"She was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States. She helped make our relationship special," continued Biden.

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Speaking to the 70 years of Queen Elizabeth's "history-making reign," Biden said they "bore witness to an age of unprecedented human advancement and the forward march of human dignity."

"Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world," the President added.
Ellen Katz

The president and CEO of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Ellen Katz, will depart from her position in the summer, according to a release from the organization.

Katz, who joined GCF in 2015, said she has accomplished what she set out to do over the past seven years.

"I am proud of GCF's accomplishments during my tenure. Leading this remarkable organization has been an extraordinary opportunity. I am especially proud of the outstanding Board and staff we have assembled. Their passion for our community motivates me every day," Katz said. "For me, it is time to explore what's possible for my next chapter."

She said in the next eight months, she will focus on ensuring that GCF is even more prepared for its next generation of impact.

Katz said her departure provides an opportunity for a fresh perspective as GCF carries forward the mission, vision, and strategy that the Board and staff have created together.

She said she will support the search for the next President and CEO in any way that is helpful to the organization.

At Wednesday's board meeting, the chair of the governing Board, George Vincent, and the board vice chair, Ellen van der Horst, announced they will engage a professional search firm and undertake a national search that will welcome local candidates.

"We embrace this transition as an opportunity to build on the strong foundation provided by Ellen and her team. We will use it to advance our mission as this region's leading community foundation and expand our positive community impact. Over the next eight months, Ellen's continued leadership, combined with a professionally administered selection process, will ensure a smooth and timely leadership transition," Vincent said.

Katz will be leaving the organization by June 2, 2023.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: President and CEO of Greater Cincinnati Foundation leaving in June
By Tom Balmforth

IZIUM, Ukraine (Reuters) -President Volodymyr Zelenskiy paid a surprise visit on Wednesday to the newly recaptured town of Izium, a key logistics hub in the northeastern Kharkiv region, and thanked his army for their success in retaking territory from Russian forces.

Thousands of Russian troops fled Izium at the weekend, leaving behind large amounts of ammunition and equipment, in their worst defeat since they were driven back from the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in March.

"It is probably possible to temporarily occupy the territory of our state. But it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people," he said at a ceremony where the yellow and blue national flag was raised outside Izium's charred city council.

"Before, when we looked up, we always looked for the blue sky, the sun. And today we, and especially the people in the temporarily occupied territories, looking up, are looking for only one thing - the flag of our state. This means the heroes are here. This means the enemy is gone, they have fled."

Earlier, Ukraine's 25th Separate Airborne Sicheslav Brigade published pictures of Zelenskiy, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar and military personnel in Izium.

DEVASTATION

Commenting on the devastation he had seen in Izium, Zelenskiy said: "Its not a shock for me... because we saw the same scenes as in Bucha... The same destroyed buildings and people killed."

Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, was occupied for a short period of time by invading Russian forces. Ukraine and its Western allies have accused the Russian forces of perpetrating war crimes there, something Moscow denies.

Zelenskiy said he was confident that perpetrators of war crimes would be brought to justice following investigations by Ukrainian and international prosecutors.

"I am sure there will be sentencing, there will be a tribunal - not for one day do I doubt this," he said.

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Izium, which had a prewar population of about 50,000, is located on an important highway that runs from Kharkiv, Ukraine's second biggest city, to the eastern city of Sloviansk, that Russian forces have been trying to advance towards.

Zelenskiy said in a late night address on Tuesday that his army had now liberated around 8,000 square km (3,100 square miles) of territory so far this month, though Russia still holds about a fifth of Ukraine.

He has vowed to recapture all Ukrainian territory from Russian forces, including Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.

"We will come. I dont know when. Nobody knows when. But we have plans, so well come, because it's our land and our people," he said.

(Writing by Gareth Jones)
Prince Harry penned a memoir which was set to be released this year, and cover the many unique situations he's faced as the youngest son of King Charles III, who recently ascended the throne after Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday following 70 years of service.

The Duke of Sussex announced in 2021 that he signed a deal with Penguin Random House to publish a book which would cover a "firsthand account" of his life "that's accurate and wholly truthful."

Initially, his tome was tentatively scheduled for a global release in late 2022 as part of a reported four-part book deal with the publishing giant. But with the Queen's death, it may be postponed into the new year, although an official release date has yet to be announced.

The specific details of Harry's memoir remain unclear, but he follows in the footsteps of a few famous royals who have already opened up about life in the monarchy, and the difficulties of living in the public eye, including his late mother, Princess Diana, Sarah Ferguson who divorced Prince Andrew, and even the newly appointed King Charles III.

KING CHARLES III RECEIVES QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S COFFIN AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN LONDON

Prince Harry (pictured in 2021) is set to release a memoir this year. It's unclear if his book will cause a rift in his relationship with the royal family. Victoria Jones

"I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become," Harry said in a statement. "Ive worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story  the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned  I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think."

Harry said a portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to charity, although he did not specify which organization he would be contributing to. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex founded the Archewell Foundation shortly after departing from their royal responsibilities.

"Im deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what Ive learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life thats accurate and wholly truthful," he said.

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"Prince Harry has harnessed his extraordinary life experience as a prince, a soldier, and a knowledgeable advocate for social issues, establishing himself as a global leader recognized for his courage and openness. It is for that reason we're excited to publish his honest and moving story," Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, said.

PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN'S HARSH COMMENTS AND BOMBSHELL CLAIMS ABOUT THE ROYAL FAMILY: DO THEY HAVE ROYAL REGRETS?

Meghan became the Duchess of Sussex after marrying Harry in May 2018 at Windsor Castle. They welcomed their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2019. Daughter Lilibet was born in June 2021.

A source told Page Six recently that the book's delay may be due in part to its content. "I have heard that Harry has some truth bombs in his book that he is debating on whether to include or not," an insider revealed.

Kate Middleton and Prince William were far less affectionate with each other while greeting the crowds outside Windsor Castle than Harry and Meghan, according to a body language expert. Chris Jackson

Oprah Winfrey interviewed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a special in 2021 where they revealed their struggles with royal life. Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese via Getty Images

"Truth bombs" are nothing new for Harry and Meghan. In 2020, they departed from royal duties due to what they described as the British media's intrusion and racist demeanor toward their family. Meghan revealed she felt suicidal before they decided to leave England and move back to her home state of California, and Harry acknowledged there was tension with his father over his decision to not only step away from his royal responsibilities, but also for his marriage to the biracial actress.

"There is a lot to work through there," Harry told Oprah Winfrey during an interview released last year. "I feel really let down. Hes been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like. And Archie is his grandson. I will always love him, but there is a lot of hurt that has happened."

KING CHARLES III AWAITS QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S CASKET WITH PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Harry felt "trapped" by royal life, and said his family cut him off financially in addition to taking away any form of security after more than three decades of private assistance.

"I was trapped, but I didnt know I was trapped," Harry said. "My father and my brother, they are trapped."

His feelings toward the lifestyle echoed sentiments shared by his late mother, Princess Diana, who died on Aug. 31, 1997 in a car collision in Paris. She was known as "the People's Princess" despite her disdain for the press and life in the spotlight, with paparazzi ultimately chasing her to death.

The late Princess revealed to Andrew Morton in the 1992 biography, "Diana, Her True Story  in Her Own Words" that all was not well in her world, which had once been described as a "fairytale" as she had a prince for a husband and two perfect sons.

Diana, Princess of Wales with her son Prince Harry during a holiday with the Spanish royal family at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, August 1987. Terry Fincher

Princess Dianas full name was Diana Frances Spencer. She died on Aug. 31, 1997, following a vehicle collision in Paris. Getty Images

Charles claimed in his 1994 biography that he was forced into the marriage with Princess Diana (seen in 1991) by his late father, Prince Philip. Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)

Diana was in fact deeply unhappy as a royal and felt like a prisoner in a castle. She had multiple suicide attempts and revealed she suffered from an eating disorder.

"Her friends and other acquaintances confirmed that behind the public smiles and glamorous image was a lonely and unhappy young woman who endured a loveless marriage, was seen as an outsider by the Queen and the rest of the royal family, and was frequently at odds with the aims and objectives of the royal system," an excerpt from the book said.

She was warned by the palace to not co-operate with Morton on the book, but stayed involved, and the biography was published in May 1992. Diana separated from Charles later that year amid a host of allegations aimed at him, including an extramarital affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.

During a 1995 BBC interview, Diana said her relationship with Charles was difficult and referred to his coinciding romance with Camilla. She said, "Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

Charles and Diana's divorce was finalized on Aug. 28, 1996. The Queen reportedly wanted Diana to keep "Her Royal Highness" title, but Charles insisted the name be removed. She was still called the "Princess of Wales" as the mother to two princes, until her death a year later on Aug. 31.

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King Charles III was also not listed as the author of the 1994 "The Prince of Wales: A Biography," but collaborated with Jonathan Dimbleby in creating the book, which claimed his marriage to the late Princess Diana was forced upon him by his late father, Prince Philip.

Sarah Ferguson, who was married to Prince Andrew for nearly one decade, released "My Story" in 1997, which chronicled the "frustrations, humiliations, and occasional joys of her life as a Windsor" shortly after she ended her marriage to King Charles III's younger brother.

She told Oprah in 1996 that life within the royal family was "not a fairytale," and claimed, "British press at the moment is completely and utterly cruel and abusive and so invasive."

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace and wave at their wedding on July 23, 1986 in London, England. They divorced 10 years later. Anwar Hussein Collection

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York watch a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour in 2019. Andrew has largely stayed out of the public since his alleged involvement in a sex abuse scandal. Max Mumby

"You didn't marry the fairytale, you married a man," she said at the time. "You fell in love and married a man, and then you have to come to terms with the fairytale. Now it's not a fairytale, it's real life."

In her second book, "Finding Sarah: A Duchess's Journey to Find Herself," she revealed that she never knew the reason why there was a falling out with her former friend Princess Diana, but said "once Diana got something in her head it stuck there for a while."

Ferguson, who has been coined "Fergie," was left out of invitations to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, and is missing from the royal family website despite having two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, with her ex-husband.

She also still lives with Prince Andrew at the Royal Lodge, and "glowingly" speaks of him even as he continues to endure a sex abuse scandal after Virigina Giuffre sued Andrew in 2021 claiming he assaulted her under Jeffrey Epstein's behest. A settlement agreement was reached in February 2022.

"And they have now been joined by the Queens corgis," Shannon Felton Spence, a former British public affairs officer and royal expert told Fox News Digital. "She constantly talks about how she got the best looking prince. They have maintained an extremely close relationship."

"By all accounts the Yorks are a very tight-knit family," Spence explained. "A real unit. The Epstein scandal will have been very difficult, particularly for his daughters Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, and at a time when they were starting their own families. I imagine the duchesss primary concerns were of her daughters and grandchildren through it all."

Meghan, for her part, became an author in 2021 when she released her first children's book, titled "The Bench." The story, which is illustrated by Christian Robinson, was inspired by Harry's close relationship with their son Archie, as seen through a mother's eye.
Prince Harry was seen wiping away tears as Queen Elizabeth IIs coffin arrived at Westminster Hall after an emotional procession from Buckingham Palace.

The Duke of Sussex appeared emotional during the Queens procession to Westminster Hall at the House of Parliament, where her coffin will lie in state until her funeral on Monday.

On Wednesday, the 37-year-old royal received his late grandmothers coffin at Buckingham Palace alongside King Charles III, William, Prince of Wales, and other senior royals. Prince Harry walked beside both his father and brother as they followed the coffin on foot to the Palace of Westminster. Meanwhile, Kate, Princess of Wales and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex travelled in separate cars to join royal mourners at Westminster Hall.

Upon the coffins arrival, the royal family gathered in the Hall where the Archbishop of Canterbury conducted a short service remembering the Queen. During the service, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen standing behind the Prince and Princess of Wales.

An image of Harry, wiping away a tear from his eye as he paid his respects to the Queen, has already gone viral online as people share their sympathies for the prince.

My heart breaks for H. Losing one of the main women in his life is so hard, one person tweeted in response to the photo.

My heart hurts for him, another user agreed.

One Twitter user wrote, This got me, while another person tweeted: I was doing ok until this photo.

My heart breaks for H. Losing one of the main women in his life is so hard.  Eza  (@EBalldrove) September 14, 2022

My heart hurts for him   Jenny Clements (@JennyClements) September 14, 2022

I was doing ok until this photo  https://t.co/lKl1p6vevl  Luu297 (@luu297) September 14, 2022

The image of Prince Harry wiping away his tears also elicited comparisons to another heartbreaking funeral the royal once attended  for his mother Diana, the Princess of Wales. The young royal was only 12 years old when his mother was killed in 1997 from a car crash in Paris, France.

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Much like the Queens procession on Wednesday, Prince Harry and Prince William also stood beside each other as their mothers coffin journeyed through the streets of London almost exactly 25 years ago.

The similarities between the two processions were not lost on social media users, who tweeted their thoughts on the eerie comparison. No doubt this walk will be extremely difficult for Harry, when 25 years ago he was walking this route behind the coffin of his mother, one person wrote. Im glad he has Meghan by his side to support him through this, because 12 year old Prince Harry never had that type of support system.

Whatever you think of Prince William and Harry, this procession must have brought back so many sad memories of their mother, Princess Dianas funeral, another person agreed.

no doubt this walk will be extremely difficult for harry, when 25 years ago he was walking this route behind the coffin of his mother. Im glad he has Meghan by his side to support him through this, because 12 year old prince harry never had that type of support system  pic.twitter.com/mE7wWzGWHC  michelle (@ddarveyy) September 14, 2022

An emotional day for Prince Harry 25 years after he walked in a similar procession for his mother Princess Diana. Diana died at age 36. Harry celebrates his 38th birthday tomorrow, September 15. https://t.co/pW0EhNqePW  R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor (@royal_suitor) September 14, 2022

One person shared: An emotional day for Prince Harry 25 years after he walked in a similar procession for his mother Princess Diana. Diana died at age 36. Harry celebrates his 38th birthday tomorrow, September 15.

Thousands of mourners are expected to pay their respects to the Queen before her funeral on Monday. Her coffin arrived at Buckingham Palace from St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland on Tuesday.

Members of the public have already flocked to London, where they join a possibly 35-hour queue to view the Queens coffin lying in state at Westminster Hall. However, it has been confirmed that new entrants could be paused from viewing the Queen if the queue reaches ten miles long.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images

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Prince Harrys memoir will not be published until next year, it was claimed Wednesday, with Britains Daily Telegraph citing a source close to the Sussexes as the basis of its report.

Harrys memoir has been a subject of huge concern to the palace amid fears it might seek to damage or undermine Harrys father, now the king.

The existence of the memoir has also poisoned the relationship with Harrys brother, Prince William, and it is believed to have contributed to the familys unwillingness to meet privately with Harry and Meghan in recent months.

Insiders have previously told The Daily Beast that William and Kate were not prepared to risk meeting with Harry and Meghan, due in part to the forthcoming memoir.

There has been a concerted effort by the palace to portray the brothers as united in grief in recent days. They undertook a joint walkabout at Windsor Castle at the weekend and on Wednesday walked behind the queens coffin.

However, they have looked tense in each others company and doubts have been raised as to whether the truce is just a temporary ceasefire of convenience.

Prince Harry and Prince Williams Awkward Truce, as Queen Elizabeth Begins Final Journey

The palace is likely, therefore, to be encouraged by the report in the Telegraph saying the memoir is to be delayed because of the royal mourning period and is now likely to be published next year.

It should be noted however that the official Sussex press office is unlikely to be behind the briefing as the Sussexes earlier this year said they would no longer brief anonymously.

The Sussex press office declined to comment on the reports to The Daily Beast.

The book was originally scheduled for late 2022 and it had been anticipated it would debut in November, in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas markets.

Archetypes, Meghans hit Spotify podcast, has been paused for several weeks.

Story continues

It seems inconceivable that Harry would not want to update the book in light of the queens death.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Efforts by private citizens to broker the release of Americans held in Russia could complicate steps Washington is taking to bring U.S. detainees home, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The comments by spokesperson Ned Price came in response to questions from journalists about a trip this week to Russia by Bill Richardson, a former New Mexico governor who has worked to secure the release of American detainees abroad.

"We want to make sure that any outside effort is fully and transparently coordinated with us," Price said. "[In] this case we believe that any efforts that fall outside of that officially designated channel have the potential to complicate what is already an extraordinarily complicated challenge that we face."

(Reporting by Simon Lewis; Editing by Leslie Adler)
(PBR)

A professional bull rider was shot and killed in a domestic incident in Utah, according to authorities.

Demetrius Omar Lateef Allen, 27, was found outside an apartment complex in Salt Lake City with at least one bullet wound and was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries.

Allen, who was known on the PBR Tour as Ouncie Mitchell, was number 157 in PBRs World Rank of bull riders.

Police say that LaShawn Denise Bagley, 21, who had been in an on and off relationship with Allen was arrested in connection with the shooting and faces charges of murder and felony discharge of a firearm.

Allen, who had a four-year-old daughter, had been in Salt Lake City to compete at the PRCA Rodeo at the Utah State Fair and was staying with the suspect while in the city.

These two, we believe knew each other, they had attended the fair and then ended up at a bar and ended up arguing, explained Det Michelle Peterson told Fox13.

Then the male wanted to get some of his property from the apartment that he was staying in, while he was attending the fair and a gun was pulled out and he was shot.

Court documents state that the suspect fired several rounds through the glass door with at least one round striking Allen in the torso.

There is no indication of any forced entry or attempted forced entry into the apartment, state the arrest documents state.

The witness also stated that there was no entry or attempted forced entry into the apartment.

Officials say that it is the tenth homicide in Salt Lake City in 2022.

Ouncie got his name because he was born small. He grew up to compete with a huge heart. The PBR organization sincerely extends our own heartfelt condolences to Ouncies cousin Ezekiel Mitchell and the entire Mitchell family, said PBR Commissioner Sean Gleason in a statement.
Even for San Francisco, its an eye-poppingly expensive listing. Its not a luxury condo with a view of the bay. Its a parking spot.

In March, a property owner put their parking space up for sale for $90,000, advertising the automotive real estate as a safe place to park a car, just a block from Oracle Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants.

If youre going to spend $200,000 on some luxury vehicle, why not spend $90,000 on somewhere safe to keep it? Bill Williams, the real estate agent marketing the plot, told the Los Angeles Times .

The spot sits in a garage underneath a condo in the citys South Beach neighbourhood. Ten years ago, its owners purchased it for $85,000, and are now looking to sell the petite piece of property after moving to New York. Prospective buyers would also be on the hook for about $1,800 in taxes and homeowners association fees.

On one hand, the $90,000 price is astronomical  nearly the median income of single-individual households in San Francisco, or the equivalent of buying a few hours of meter parking a day for 30 years  but its not even that shocking to those who know real estate in the famously expensive city.

I cannot say its typical but I have seen it, Alan Martinez, a real estate agent with The Deason Group at Vanguard Properties in San Francisco, told the San Francisco Chronicle . No matter how transit friendly the city can be, people still see value in having a vehicle in a big city.

Hes seen spots go for as much as $150,000.

In fact, a neighbouring space in the same garage sold for $90,000 in 2019, after selling for $82,000 in 2013.

Despite the sky-high prices, researchers say San Francisco actually has a glut of spots.

A 2022 San Jose State University study found that the Bay Area has 15 million parking spots, with nearly two spots per person, and enough spaces that, if they were stacked end-to-end, they would wrap around the Earth 2.3 times.

Theres a disconnect between our progressive social and environmental values and how much land we actually devote to driving and storing cars, Laura Tolkoff, one of the authors of the parking census, told the San Francisco Examiner . It should come as no surprise that two-thirds of Bay Area residents drive alone to work and for almost all of their daily needs.

Even even one per cent of the regions parking area was turned into housing, it would free up 12,000 units, while shifting 5 per cent could create nearly 70,000, the study found.
Prosecutors in Baltimore asked a court to vacate the murder conviction of Adnan Syed, the subject of the hit podcast Serial who has been jailed since 2000 for killing his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee.

The Baltimore States Attorneys Office filed a motion Wednesday after a yearlong investigation conducted in partnership with Syeds attorneys. Prosecutors said they had uncovered new evidence that potentially links two suspects with Lees murder. Both individuals, who have not been named, were known during the first investigation, but the filing says evidence about them was withheld from Syeds defense attorneys.

Other incidents with the suspects occurred after Syeds trial that added new context to the crime, prosecutors said.

The States Brady violations robbed the Defendant of information that would have bolstered his investigation and argument that someone else was responsible for the victims death, the motion reads, citing legal doctrine.

Adnan Syed enters a courthouse prior to a hearing on Feb. 3, 2016, in Baltimore. (Photo: via Associated Press)

Adnan Syed enters a courthouse prior to a hearing on Feb. 3, 2016, in Baltimore. (Photo: via Associated Press)

The states attorneys office asked Syed be given a new trial that includes the recent evidence, although they stressed they arent asserting his innocence.

However, for all the reasons set forth below, the State no longer has confidence in the integrity of the conviction, the office of Marilyn Mosby, the states attorney, wrote.

Prosecutors recommended Syed, 42, be released on his own recognizance while the ongoing investigation is pending.

Syeds case captured national attention in 2014 during the first season of Serial. He was convicted of strangling Lee when he was 17 years old, and charged as an adult.

He has been in prison serving a life sentence since his conviction in 2000.

Syed has long maintained his innocence.

The case has been subject to years of back-and-forth rulings and international scrutiny. In 2018, a special appeals court ruled Syed deserved a new trial, but the highest court in Maryland overturned that decision a year later.

Story continues

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Ukrainian troops retook this town with surprising ease during their astonishingly fast advance, with the enemy putting up little resistance. But with liberation has come tales of killings and torture, a grim hallmark of Russian occupation in so many parts of Ukraine.

Balakliya was the first target liberated by Ukrainian troops in their sweeping and successful counteroffensive in the Kharkiv oblast, breaking through Russian lines.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Izyum, which had been the Kremlins main military stronghold in the area and was the main prize for Ukraine in the current phase of operations.

The view is very shocking, he said, but it is not shocking for me because we began to see the same scenes from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories.

Balakliya has not suffered like Bucha, the town outside Kyiv that became a byword for Russian atrocities. But there are accounts of executions, beatings, looting and arbitrary arrests. Ukrainian investigators have arrived to search for evidence of war crimes as well as to hunt down alleged collaborators.

Five corpses have been found of people who were killed. Two were shot dead at a checkpoint three days before Ukrainian forces arrived. Residents buried the bodies, which had been dumped at a roadside. They have since been exhumed and taken to the regional capital, Kharkiv.

Between 40 and 300 civilians were held at the local police station at various times, some for weeks on end. Half a dozen small, dimly lit holding cells were used for interrogation. This involved multiple counts of torture, said Ukrainian investigators, one of them pointing to dark splotches on walls.

Nicolai was among those dragged to the police station after being accused of secretly helping Ukrainian forces.

Free wheeling: A local woman passes a destroyed building in Balakliya after Ukrainian forces liberated the town (AFP via Getty Images)

They first came to my house looking for a neighbour who they said was a spy. I told them he and his family had left a long time ago, and that was the truth, said the 42-year-old. But they came back the next day, they said I was in conspiracy with my neighbour and took me off to the police station.

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I kept on telling them they were mistaken. Firstly it was slaps, then a young man came in and the real beating began. They punched me in the face. Then they pulled me up from the chair I was sitting in and started punching me in the stomach  it went on for a long time. They kept showing me photos of people I didnt know. They eventually took me back to the cell with the others. I started pissing blood when I went to the toilet.

I had one more session of beating the next day, but they must have realised there was nothing I could tell them. I was released after four days and went to the local hospital for treatment for injuries; they found I had a broken rib.

Decorated figure: a monument for Ukrainian writer and politician Taras Shevchenko is seen draped with the Ukrainian flag in Balakliya after Russian forces were driven out (Ukrainian presidential administration (handout))

He added: I am very glad we are now back in Ukraine again, I am sure our soldiers are doing so well, they will keep taking back our land, said Nicolai, who did not want to give his family name  in case the Rashists [Russians] came back.

Serhiy Bolvinov, chief of investigations for Kharkiv, said: We are investigating a number of cases including the two people killed at the [checkpoint]. We have discovered bullet holes in the bodies. The inquiries will continue; we think we shall find other cases, unfortunately.

Ukrainian officials claim that a network of collaborators helped the Russians and vowed to track them down. A Ukrainian intelligence service (SBU) official said: This is a pattern we have seen since the invasion. They have people in place before they move in. Some of them would have fled with the Russians, but others would still be here.

Been and gun: Russian ammunition and weapons abandoned after Ukraine recaptured the area around Balakliya (Handout/Ukrainian military)

Yuri Husak, who has lived in the town for 38 of his 51 years, said: We have around 27,000 people living here. Strangers are noticed, so the collaborators must have been local people. I have heard there were collaborators here, but they would not be hanging around, they have gone. And anyway, they couldnt help the Russians keep this place in the end.

The memories many in Balakliya will hold of the Russians will be of an army demoralised and disorganised  disappearing, at the end, in a chaotic retreat, abandoning weapons. Twisted skeletons of tanks and armoured cars hit by Ukrainian fire lie on the routes in and out of the town.

At the end, the Russians were hiding in offices, in peoples houses, in gardens. They were not putting up a fight, they were just trying to get away. They were running between the rockets and cannons our side was firing, said Svetlana Volkova.  One group had to turn back after one of the bridges they wanted to use was blown up. There was a lot of confusion.

Tankless task: abandoned Russian military vehicles in Balakliya (AFP via Getty Images)

Ms Volkova, 73, saw that a lot of the Russian soldiers were quite young. They lived in their barracks but I talked to a few of them when they came to the centre. Some of them were so young I used to say to them, What are you doing here? You should be at home with your family! A few said they wished they were. They had been ordered to come.

I am a grandmother, some of them looked the same age as my grandsons. I did not want to see them die. I dont blame them, I blame Putin for sending them here. What is the point of killing off the young people of your country?
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Images

Putin refused to sign an offered peace deal with Ukraine at the start of the war, Reuters reported.

Pushing ahead with the Ukraine invasion has exposed Russia's military weaknesses.

Russia firmly denies the existence of a deal and Ukraine did not confirm it.

Russian President Vladimir Putin shelved a peace deal with Ukraine at the outbreak of his invasion, according to Reuters, in a move that thrust his troops into a much more arduous war than was expected.

Kremlin envoy Dmitry Kozak got Ukraine to agree to terms which would have kept it out of NATO, which would have satisfied one of Putin's key demands, Reuters reported.

On this basis, Kozak believed a full-scale invasion wouldn't be necessary, per Reuters.

But Putin didn't agree, telling Kozak that his goals had changed and that they now included annexing parts of Ukraine, Reuters' sources said.

The Kremlin firmly denied the existence of the deal, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling Reuters: "This has absolutely no relation to reality. Nothing like this ever happened. It is absolutely false information."

Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said there had been negotiations but did not directly confirm the deal's existence, simply telling Reuters: "Today we clearly understand that the Russian side was never interested in a peaceful solution."

Kozak did not respond to Reuters.

NATO's expansion was one of Putin's key grievances as he announced his invasion of Ukraine on February 24, calling the alliance a "military machine" that was "coming close to our borders."

Reuters' sources  all three of whom spoke anonymously  disagreed on the exact sequence of events. Two sources said that Kozak reached the deal within days of the February 24 invasion, while a third said it happened just before.

One of the first two sources  referred to as being close to the Russian leadership  told the outlet: "After February 24, Kozak was given carte blanche: they gave him the green light, he got the deal.

Story continues

"He brought it back and they told him to go away. Everything has been cancelled."

Despite this, Putin publicly maintained the stance that Ukraine was poised to join NATO.

Russia's invasion exposed huge weaknesses in its military.

According to US intelligence, the Kremlin expected its invasion  framed in Russia solely as a "military operation"  to be over quickly, with Kyiv's capture projected within two days.

But instead its tank convoy headed towards the capital was humiliatingly repulsed in early March, and Ukraine has dealt big blows to Russia with high-tech equipment from its allies.

That means the "military operation" has mired the Russian army far deeper than expected, exposing its weaknesses in full view of international observers.

A raft of sanctions has isolated the country further, forcing it to seek military supplies from pariah states such as Iran and North Korea.

And a recent counter-attack in the northeast, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said recaptured 6,000 square miles of land, has boosted Ukraine's confidence further.

Since making his recommendation, Kozak has been reassigned to a different brief in the Kremlin, Reuters reported, which does not concern Ukraine. He was Russia's Deputy Prime Minister until January 15.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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STORY: These lowrider cars went on a parade for Mexico's Independence DayLocation: Mexico CityModified classic cars of all types and colors rode through the capital[Jorge Granados, Lowrider car enthusiast]Its my family, the most important thing in my life. I wanted to portray the faces of my daughter in this dream Ive always had, my lowrider. There is also the Mexican Revolution monument, the Angel of Independence, and on the other side, an homage to my late father.Independence Day marks an uprising in 1810 that led to the break from SpainCelebrations are called 'El Grito' or 'the cry' after the speech that sparked the revoltThe president traditionally re-enacts the call to arms from the balcony of the National Palace
The ground is crowded with flowers, the Queen's photos and the occasional colonial flag

Hong Kongers have been lining up for hours this week to pay their respects to the Queen in what has been perhaps the biggest display of affection for the late monarch seen outside the UK.

But the collective outpouring of grief says as much about the present as it does about the past, and comes as Beijing has been tightening its grip.

The long queues, piles of flowers and cards in the city's Admiralty district contrast with more muted reactions seen in other former British colonies.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule under "one country, two systems", which promised that the city's way of life - including civil liberties unavailable in the mainland - would be kept for at least 50 years.

But a crackdown on protests, Beijing's imposition of its national security law and only allowing "patriots" to govern are seen by many as reneging on that promise.

"There is a mix of complex emotions," said Dr Li Mei Ting, a cultural and religious studies lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Outside the British consulate, mourners opened umbrellas to hide from the scorching sun while "God Save the Queen" played softly from a mobile phone.

Parents brought their children along, and one father even wrapped his seven-month-old daughter in a Union Jack flag.

"I don't remember ever seeing Hong Kongers doing this to any leader who passed away," Ted Hui, a former Hong Kong MP who now lives in Australia, told the BBC.

Nostalgia for a 'golden age'

In the city, the Queen was affectionately called si tau por, which means "boss lady" in Cantonese.

Many in the queue were older people, among them Mr Lee, aged in his 60s, who had brought chrysanthemums. "I hadn't bought any flowers before, not even when I was courting girls."

He said he was grateful for the Queen as Hong Kong's economy flourished and society became liberal and open under colonial rule. Others said the education and medical systems were hugely improved and the city also enjoyed the rule of law under British rule.

Story continues

Queen Elizabeth II visited Hong Kong twice during her reign. She is affectionately called "boss lady" in Cantonese

Hong Kong became a British colony after two Opium Wars in the 19th century and colonial rule lasted for 156 years. Meanwhile mainland China was swept by political turmoil including the Great Famine and the Cultural Revolution.

"Hong Kong was peaceful during those days," said Ms Fung, 75.

When Hong Kong people reminisce about the colonial era, they are often referring to the period from the mid-1970s to 1990s, says Dr Li.

"People who experienced this period see it as Hong Kong's golden age," she said.

The British colonial government changed its governance model as a response to deadly anti-colonial riots in 1967, which were sparked by a labour dispute and supported by Beijing. More public housing was built and free primary education was introduced, partly in a bid to ward off further social movements, Dr Li says.

But US-based activist Jeffrey Ngo says the last three decades of the colonial period do not give the full picture - and that the British empire had played a "very big role" in paving the way for the current situation.

"Plenty of activists have been prosecuted, especially since 2019, under laws that were put in place by the colonial government and were never repealed before 1997."

Last week five speech therapists were convicted under the colonial-era sedition law, for publishing children's books which portray the Chinese government as wolves and Hong Kongers as sheep. The judge said it was a "brainwashing exercise", while critics say the sentence was a blow to freedom of speech.

The UK also did little to democratise the city for much of the colonial period, Mr Ngo said.

Current day discontent

For some, commemorating the Queen is a way to express their unhappiness at the Hong Kong government. Protest is no longer possible under Beijing's sweeping national security law and stringent Covid rules.

Mr Tse, who brought his pet Corgi on a leash with a Union Jack, said the mourning was an "alternative form of political expression".

Mr Tse says he is surprised by the number of people waiting outside the consulate

Flying that flag on another day could risk arrest or even prosecution under the national security law - but it is being tolerated for now because of the Queen's death, he added.

Mr Chan came with his wife and two children. He said the family felt close to the Queen as all members were born at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which was opened in 1963.

"We will pay tribute to whoever merits our respect. [Authorities] should not easily accuse people of collusion with foreign forces but not reflect on their own behaviour that causes so much unhappiness among Hong Kongers," he said.

Some in the line were also planning to leave the city. Hong Kong's population has shrunk by almost 200,000 in two years - and many of those leaving plan to settle in the UK.

"Hong Kongers are queuing under such heat. We share the same ideas and no words are needed to explain," said Ms Lee, who came with her 21-year-old daughter.

"There is a huge contrast between the past and the present... Now we have lost what we had and many people I know are emigrating," she added before confirming that they plan to leave too.

This father says he will teach his daughter about Hong Kong's colonial history when she grows up

Hong Kong's identity

Younger people without direct experience of the colonial era were also in the queue. Some said they were worried that Hong Kong's colonial past would be buried under Beijing's drive to reshape the city.

New textbooks now say Hong Kong was never a British colony but was merely occupied by a foreign power.

Law student Sam said his grandmother fled mainland China by swimming to the city. "Immigration officers said to my grandma that our si tau por was also a woman, so she would be taken care of in Hong Kong."

Christopher, 15, said traces of Hong Kong's colonial history are still visible - such as the old banknotes and street signs. "But it feels like they are fading."

"No matter our criticism, the colonial period was part of our Hong Kong identity and history," said Dr Li.

What next? A day-by-day guide from now to the funeral

Queen's funeral plans: What we know so far

The dazzling crown resting on top of the Queens coffin
Queen Elizabeth II may no longer be with us, but we could still hear new words of wisdom from her in the future.

This is because the late monarch, who died on Thursday (8 September), left a secret letter to the citizens of Sydney that cannot be opened until 2085.

The Queen passed away peacefully in Balmoral Castle at the age of 96, after 70 years on the throne.

As head of state of Australia, she wrote a letter that has been hidden in a time capsule in a building dedicated to her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria.

To celebrate the restoration of the Queen Victoria Building in 1986, the late monarch addressed the mysterious letter to the Lord Mayor of Sydney.

According to News.com.au, instructions on the letter read: On a suitable day to be selected by you in the year 2085AD, would you please open this envelope and convey to the citizens of Sydney my message to them.

The letter, signed simply Elizabeth, has been kept in a glass case in a restricted part of the building since the Queen penned it.

Reports say that not even the Queens personal staff knows the contents of the letter.

The Queen Victoria Building was first built in 1898 to celebrate her diamond jubilee. It was nearly demolished in the 1950s to be make way for a car park, but a bid to restore the building won out.

Queen Elizabeth II signs the visitor's book at Parliament House in Canberra 27 March 2000 as Australian Prime Minister John Howard stands in the background (NEWS LTD POOL/AFP via Getty Imag)

Now that the Queen has passed, King Charles III is Britains new monarch and the head of state of 15 Commonwealth realms, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and some Caribbean nations.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese declared that the country will get a bank holiday on Thursday 22 September to mourn the death of the Queen.

It will officially be called the National Day of Mourning for Her Majesty the Queen and will take place after her funeral, which falls on Monday 19 September.

This is because Albanese and governor-general David Hurley will be in the UK to attend the funeral and will return home on Wednesday 21 September.

Follow the latest updates following the death of Queen Elizabeth II here
British people with connections to Commonwealth countries have been reflecting on the Queen's ties with nations across the world.

Queen Elizabeth II was head of state in 14 Commonwealth realms and visited every Commonwealth country at least once prior to her death at the age of 96.

'Unique to our nation'

Claire said people had been incredibly sad following the Queen's death

Claire, a strategic analyst, was born in Wollaton in Nottingham, but emigrated to New Zealand in 2008 to live with her husband Ben, who is originally from the country.

She said people had been "incredibly sad" following the Queen's death.

"Normally people who were very restrained were expressing their feelings," she said.

"The radio and television has been full of extended news coverage of people sharing their stories and recollections of the incredible woman she was.

"We are also in a national period of mourning.

"We will have a state memorial service for the Queen. We are also doing books of condolence. Every library in Auckland has a book of condolence. We also had a 96 gun salute in Wellington.

"But there are also lots of recollections here about the Queen and really ones that would make you laugh.

"Of course she visited New Zealand on many occasions. So many people turned out to see her and have shared memories.

"One lady went to see her 30 separate times when she visited."

Claire, 41, said her children - who were born in New Zealand - were also aware of the monarch's life.

"Our children all know about the Queen. All of the people here do - to them she is as important as she is to us in England," she said.

"But we have had a traditional New Zealand way of commemorating her, in the form of the haka.

"A few days ago, a group of our trainee military performed a haka to commemorate the Queen on the steps of the Auckland museum.

"When you observe it, there is raw emotion. It really is a very personal performance.

"It is really special and unique to our nation.

"There's a great deal of thanks and a great deal of remembering an incredible woman."

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'A quiet and sad moment'

Kashmeera Gorecha said she admired the Queen's work

Kashmeera Gorecha, who is of Indian heritage, has lived in Britain since she was five.

"I felt truly shocked and saddened [when I heard about the Queen]," she said.

"This is one of those moments, in 10 years, 20 years' time, you will remember where you were when you heard the news."

She said that within Britain's Indian communities, the reaction had been "solemn".

"We were great followers of the monarchy," she said.

"Many of the older generation have big links with the Commonwealth. It's a quiet and sad moment for our community.

"The different generations have different beliefs about the Commonwealth but the Queen was a steadfast leader.

"You cannot doubt her commitment to the role. Lots of the Indian community admire that. She was very graceful, very steadfast and a strong character.

"As a younger, British Indian woman, I admire the fact she led her family and the whole country in so many different ways."

'She reminded me of my mum'

Merlita Bryan said it would take a long time to get over the Queen's death

Merlita Bryan came to the UK from Jamaica at the age of 11 in 1962.

"This is my home, after such a long time," she said.

"I left Jamaica in such a young age, I didn't know a lot about the Queen.

"But I have seen her travels to Jamaica and I have seen how much they welcome her. For the older generation, the Royal family does mean a great deal to them.

"She represents a particular stance. She was very principled so those values mean a lot to Jamaicans. They are family orientated, as is the Queen.

"Prince Charles was my mother's favourite - she really does love Prince Charles."

Ms Bryan met the Queen twice as a result of the official roles she has held

On a recent royal tour, the Jamaican prime minister said he would rather not have the Queen as head of state any more and Ms Bryan said some Commonwealth countries might reconsider their relationship with the Royal Family in the future.

"I'm sure some countries in the Commonwealth will be re-examining themselves and will be asking if they want to carry on with the head of state as the Royal Family," she said.

"Some might, some might want to change. They will probably give things time to calm down."

Ms Bryan herself said she had felt shocked on learning of the monarch's death.

"She ascended to the throne the year after I was born, so I've grown up with her," she said.

"All of a sudden, she's not there any more and, for me, it's going to take a long time to get over that. I think it will be the same for everybody across the world."

Ms Bryan, a Labour councillor in Nottingham, also served as the Sheriff of Nottingham and met the Queen twice.

"It was very daunting and I wasn't sure what I was going to say," she said.

"She came, she shook my hand and she said 'Well done'.

"She just reminded me of my mum. She was very small, like my mum.

"I also got an invitation from Buckingham Palace in 2017.

"It was so nice. We had a photograph taken and she asked, 'how's Nottingham doing?'

"I said, 'it's doing fine, ma'am.'"

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.
King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walk behind the coffin during the procession for the Lying-in State of the Queen. (Getty Images)

Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan have not been offered invitations to the Queens state funeral.

The three countries join Russia, Belarus and Myanmar on the list of nations not asked to send a representative.

North Korea and Nicaragua have been invited only at ambassadorial level, joining Iran in that category.

Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest next Monday following a service at 11am inside Westminster Abbey that will be attended by up to 2,000 people.

All holders of the Victoria Cross or George Cross will be able to attend the Queens funeral.

While invitations are being sent to most nations with which the UK has diplomatic ties, the UK does not have relations with Syria or Venezuela. The political situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power a year ago means no representative has been invited from Kabul.

Watch: 'I can queue for three days - the Queen gave us 70 years of her life'

On Wednesday, Prince William and Prince Harry joined King Charles and his three siblings as the Queen's coffin was moved from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster as tens of thousands watched along the Mall.

For the funeral, senior members of the Royal Family are expected to follow the coffin  just like they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.

The event presents a huge logistical, diplomatic and security challenge, with practice runs taking place in the middle of the night.

Read more: When was the last state funeral in the UK and who was it for

Invitations were sent over the weekend to the heads of state of nations with which the UK has diplomatic relations. For most countries, that means the head of state plus one guest.

However, invites were not dispatched to the leaders of Russia  which is continuing its onslaught on Ukraine, Belarus  which has supported its neighbour in the invasion, and Myanmar  where the military seized power in a coup last year.

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No guest list has been published yet, but US President Joe Biden was among the first to declare he will be flying in with his wife, Jill.

US President Joe Biden will attend the Queens funeral (Chris Jackson/PA)

The leaders of most Commonwealth countries are expected to attend, with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying she will make the nearly 24-hour journey with a delegation of five others.

Her Canadian and Australian counterparts, Justin Trudeau and Anthony Albanese, have also confirmed their presence.

Albanese announced that he will not be travelling alone, tweeting that at Buckingham Palaces invitation, he and Governor-General David Hurley will be accompanied by 10 Australians who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities.

Frances Emmanuel Macron, Germanys Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italys Sergio Mattarella, Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazils Jair Bolsonaro are among the presidents attending, along with the European Commissions Ursula von der Leyen.

King Felipe of Spain and his wife, Queen Letizia, are among the European royals who will attend.

(PA Graphics)

Emperor Naruhito of Japan is also expected to travel to London in what would be his first overseas trip since ascending the throne in 2019.

The guest list for the Duke of Edinburghs memorial service could provide an idea of who else might come.

The 1,800-strong congregation featured around 30 foreign royals, including Prince Albert of Monaco, Denmarks Queen Margrethe, and King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway.

But it is not thought the trip will be made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who took time out from organising his countrys fightback against Russian President Vladimir Putins forces to sign a book of condolence for the Queen.

Arrival times will vary from leader to leader, Downing Street said.

The movements of such a large number of world leaders will remain a closely guarded secret, but one report has claimed many will be forced to park at a destination outside the capital before being transported into central London on buses.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Liz Truss leave Westminster Hall after both Houses of Parliament expressed their condolences following the Queens death (Leon Neal/PA)

According to Politico, world leaders have been urged to fly into the UK using commercial flights and have been banned from using helicopters to get around due to limited airspace. Though President Biden is believed to have been granted special dispensation.

UK prime minister Liz Truss is not expected to hold any formal bilateral meetings with world leaders during the mourning period, but there may be informal conversations that take place,

The Queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall from Wednesday to Monday when her coffin will be taken in procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the funeral service.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the streets of the capital during the funeral.

PA contributed to this article
LONDON (AP)  Westminster Hall is both a scene of constant movement and the quietest place in London.

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II on its purple-draped platform  a catafalque  is the fixed point at the center of the vast medieval hall, the oldest part of Britain's Houses of Parliament. Around it, people flow in two lines in a silent river of humanity.

The first mourners were admitted Wednesday evening, after the queen's casket was borne to the hall in a solemn procession from Buckingham Palace. The hall will be open round-the-clock until Monday morning, when Elizabeth's funeral will be held in nearby Westminster Abbey.

It was a chance for ordinary Britons  plus a sprinkling of dignitaries and tourists  to pay last respects to the country's longest-reigning monarch, who died Sept. 8 at 96 after 70 years on the throne.

The mourners moved at a steady walk, down steps under the great stained-glass window at one end of the hall, then past the flag-draped coffin that's capped with the diamond-studded Imperial State Crown and a wreath of flowers. There were parents with children, couples hand in hand, veterans with medals clinking on navy blue blazers, lawmakers and members of the House of Lords.

Some wore black dresses or dark suits and ties, others jeans and sneakers. Most had waited many hours to get there, in a line that snaked for several miles along the River Thames, but the journey past the casket took just a few minutes.

From outside came the muffled chatter of everyday life, the occasional siren from the busy streets. Under the soaring hammerbeam roof inside, there was only the muffled sound of shoes on a carpet newly laid over the flagstone floor.

The overwhelming atmosphere was very somber but beautiful as well," said Roma Quinn from Kent in southern England. Her crown was glistening. And it was just really lovely and very respectful.

The movement stops every 20 minutes so that the ceremonial guard around the coffin can change.

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On Wednesday, Beefeaters from the Tower of London and members of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms in magnificent plumed helmets stood guard. When they changed shift, the hall briefly rang with the clanking of breastplates.

After filing past the casket, most mourners paused to look back before going out through the hall's great oak doors. Some wiped away tears; others bowed their heads or curtseyed before returning to the world outside.

One sank onto a knee and blew a farewell kiss.

Ann Nottle, who came from Wiltshire in western England, said the experience was absolutely overpowering.

They changed the guards over and then we were allowed to walk past the queens casket," she said. It was so tiny. 

___

Follow AP coverage of Queen at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
Amtrak has canceled all of its long-distance routes beginning Thursday in preparation for a potential railroad workers strike.

If BNSF, Union Pacific and CSX and unions representing some 115,000 freight railway workers cannot come to an agreement by Friday, the workers plan to strike.

While Amtrak workers are not involved in the labor dispute, most of the companys long routes operate on track that is owned and maintained by the freight railroads.

While we are hopeful that parties will reach a resolution, Amtrak has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week, Amtrak said in a statement.

The statement added: Such an interruption could significantly impact intercity passenger rail service, as Amtrak operates almost all of our 21,000 route miles outside the Northeast Corridor (NEC) on track owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads. These initial adjustments include canceling all Long Distance trains and could be followed by impacts to most State-Supported routes.

The Amtrak news came after a labor union that represents U.S. railroad workers said its 4,900 members voted against a deal its leaders had reached with U.S. freight railroads.

The union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), had been one of ten labor groups to tentatively agree to contract recommendations made by a nonpartisan panel appointed by President Biden, the Wall Street Journal reported. Two other unions have yet to reach a deal, the report adds.

IAM freight rail members are skilled professionals who have worked in difficult conditions through a pandemic to make sure essential products get to their destinations, the union said in a statement on Wednesday announcing the results of the vote.

The statement adds: We look forward to continuing that vital work with a fair contract that ensures our members and their families are treated with the respect they deserve for keeping Americas goods and resources moving through the pandemic.

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A new poll by SMART-TED, one of the biggest railroad unions, reveals that 78 percent of its workers would reject the proposed deal.

Now, officials from both sides are set to meet Wednesday with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh as the White House aims to facilitate an agreement before Friday. If an agreement cannot be reached by Friday at 12:01 a.m., the unions have threatened to strike.

While the meeting occurs in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Republicans plan to introduce a bill by Senators Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Richard Burr of North Carolina that would require both sides to accept the contract recommendations made by the presidential panel in order to avoid a crippling shutdown of U.S. freight railways.

At issue is a points-based attendance policy for conductors and engineers that union leaders say punish workers for missing work for routine doctors visits and family medical emergencies.

The two largest unions have said their members will not agree to a deal that does not address the issue and the railroads have not shown a willingness to change the policy.

The Republican legislation, which would only force both sides to adopt the boards recommendations in the event that an agreement is not reached by the Friday deadline, may have difficulty advancing in Congress as it is unclear whether Democrats would support the measure.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that he believes both sides should agree to the boards recommendations.

The presidents board has made a recommendation as to how this should be settled, and unless [President Biden] changed his position the president apparently supports the position of the presidential board, McConnell said. That seems to me to be the perfect place to get the strike settled.

More from National Review
The death of Queen Elizabeth II marks a major change for people working within the royal household.

Those once within the inner circle could be facing redundancies under the reign of King Charles.

From the footmen to the private secretary, here's how "The Firm" may evolve to suit the new monarch.

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, those working under King Charles could be facing the end of their career within the royal household, a royal expert told Insider.

Insider previously estimated that 1,133 people work, volunteer, and assume ceremonial roles in the royal household, often nicknamed "The Firm." As the new monarch transitions into his role, however, not everyone can expect to stay, Marlene Koeing, a royal historian and internationally recognized expert on British and European royalty, told Insider.

Shifts within "The Firm" have already been making headlines. On Tuesday, The Guardian reported that 100 people working at Clarence House  Charles' former official residence  were told their jobs were at risk as the monarch prepares to move to Buckingham Palace. According to the report, many expected they'd be kept on and transition into the new royal household.

But they're far from the only ones whose positions within "The Firm" could be on the line, Koenig said. In fact, those who had the top jobs under Queen Elizabeth II are most vulnerable, she added.

Buckingham Palace. John Campbell via Royal Collection Trust

"The more important jobs to the sovereign will probably change, especially the private secretary," Koeing said.

Those who perhaps have less to worry about are royal staff in more standard roles, she added. These include the footmen, kitchen staff, and housekeepers.

The type of people working in the royal household could change under Charles, Koenig said

What's more, Koening said the makeup of who works within the royal household could evolve under Charles' reign.

"If you look at the list of private secretaries from Queen Victoria to the present, you will see a huge change," she said, pointing toward their background and social status.

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Historically monarchs sourced private secretaries from the same British noble and military families, Koeing said. Queen Victoria's, for example, was Lieutenant Sir Arthur Bigge, who later became the first Lord Baron of Stamforham. His grandson Michael Adeane served as Queen Elizabeth's second Private Secretary. Her first was Sir Alan Lascelles, who worked as her father King George VI's private secretary.

Hiring people who ran in these "noble" circles into the top positions with "The Firm" remained the norm only until later in Queen Elizabeth's reign, Koenig said.

The Queen's second private secretary Sir Michael Adeane, left, and her most recent Sir Edward Young, right. PA Images via Getty Images, Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images

"The more recent private secretaries may have started in other roles within the monarchy or in business," Koeing said.

With Charles now king, Koeing said further change within the royal household should be expected.

"There has been a move away from the traditional courtiers to people from business, government," she said.

Charles has spent years building up his own household and inner circle, but Koenig said "it is entirely possible" he will keep his private secretary Clive Alderton, who served him under his role as the Prince of Wales since 2015, whose previous employment includes working as a member of The Royal Household from 2006 until 2012 and for the government in foreign service, according to the royal website.

Charles reportedly wants a 'slimmed down' version of the monarchy. It's unclear if that will apply to 'The Firm' as well.

Although the Queen remained monarch until her death, the new king had begun taking on additional responsibilities in recent years as the 96-year-old monarch slowed down, The Mirror reported.

One of his responsibilities is said to have been "slimming down" the monarchy to only senior staff members, as Insider previously reported, likely including King Charles himself; Camilla, the Queen Consort; Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex; Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales; and Anne, Princess Royal.

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield previously told Insider that the original lineup also included the late Prince Philip before his retirement in 2017 and Prince Harry before his resignation in 2020.

This "slimmed down" monarchy could reduce the number royal press offices who had previously operated "in their 'own silos,' regardless of the impact on the institution," according to the British newspaper The Times.

It additionally would reduce the number of royals who are funded by the Sovereign Grant, the public funds used to support them, The Times reports. The Sovereign Grant pays for property upkeep and utilities, the family's travel, and importantly the royal employee payroll, according to official royal family financial reports. (The Telegraph notes that the grant doesn't cover costs of security and royal ceremonies  that money comes from a few other places.)

Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
Republicans in Congress have introduced a national abortion ban that would prohibit the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy and provide a response to a politically charged issue that could be galvanizing for Democrats this fall.

The move comes a little over a month after Kansas voters rejected a measure that would have ended state constitutional protections for abortion rights.

More: In decisive abortion-rights victory, Kansas voters reject constitutional amendment in first post-Roe vote

It was the first time voters in any state weighed in on abortion after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in late June, a move that thrust the issue into the public consciousness.

Graham's bill, the "Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act" would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and include exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother.

It also includes criminal penalties for doctors who perform abortions, including up to five years in prison.

More: That split is decisive: Abortion amendment fails  with unexpected help from rural Kansas voters

Republicans in Congress introduced a national abortion ban after Kansas voters rejected ending state constitutional protections for abortion rights.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall supports the bill, saying in a statement he "will always stand on the side of the 72% of Americans and most Kansans who support limiting abortions after 15 weeks."

Marshall said many European countries ban abortion after 15 weeks.

"For these reasons, I am supportive of Senator Lindsey Grahams legislation," he said.

But U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., took a different view.

Moran, who is up for re-election in November against Democrat Mark Holland, said "with an equally divided Senate, changes will not be made at the federal level and therefore this issue can only be resolved at the state level."

U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kan., also had a more muted response.

In a statement, LaTurner criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's support for abortion rights but didn't comment on whether he supported the 15-week ban, which was also introduced in the U.S. House by U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J.

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More: Despite rejection in election, Kansas anti-abortion groups vow 'we are not going anywhere'

"The Dobbs ruling rightly said that states should pass laws involving abortion restrictions," LaTurner said. "I will continue to work with elected officials in Topeka to stop Kansas from being the abortion destination that it is today."

Graham said his bill is in line with other countries and could help Republicans running in the midterms.

GOP Senate candidates have been mostly quiet on the campaign trail about the abortion issue, especially in those battleground states where polling shows them behind their Democratic opponents or in neck-and-neck races.

More: Kansas abortion clinics are highly regulated. Will access change in the future?

Democrats have hoped that the Kansas vote is a sign abortion could be a galvanizing force for their voters in races nationally.

That includes the Kansas governor's race between Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican nominee, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, as well as the battle between the state's lone Democrat in Congress, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and businesswoman Amanda Adkins.

More: With amendment vote in rearview mirror, how could abortion impact the Kansas governor's race?

"This is not hyperbole or hypothetical anymore," Davids said in a statement Tuesday. "Extreme politicians have been looking for an opportunity to strip away our right to choose through a total ban on abortion, and without Roe, they have one."

White House press secretary Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Graham's bill would strip away women's rights in all 50 states.

"It is an extreme piece of legislation, and it is in line, from what we are seeing from Republicans on these extreme agendas that is not in line  that is not in line  with the majority of Americans," Jean-Pierre said.

Graham's bill is unlikely to move in Congress unless Republicans take back control of the U.S. Senate, U.S. House or both chambers in November.

Andrew Bahl is a senior statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas lawmakers weigh in on national abortion ban issue
The immersive theater experience, RISE, examines gun violence in schools. (Photo: Jenny Graham)

How does it feel to survive a mass shooting?

With more than 400 such terrifying incidents this year  28 of them at schools  it is a question too many people in America can unfortunately answer.

But for those who cannot know the trauma of survivors, who often describe it as "unimaginable," a Los Angeles theater company is attempting to convey the experience through immersive theater, a stage-free performance from HERO Theatre that places viewers into the scripted action in order to foster empathy and understanding.

Something that really resonates with me personally is that students are expected to deal with so much and school is supposed to be this place that is safe, but it really isnt, Jack McCarthy, who devised and directed RISE: An Immersive Exploration of Gun Violence in Schools after being commissioned by HERO Theatre, tells Yahoo Life. This a place that's filled with a lot of fear and filled with a lot of uncertainty" In fact, a majority of U.S. teens feel anxiety over the possibility of school shootings, leading to higher levels of fear and of being on high alert, according to recent findings.

"I think people don't fully realize what kids are expected to go through  and then come back to the same place where they have ended the trauma happens, you know, a week or two later, and carry on like everything's normal, McCarthy adds.

The lingering trauma of what these kids go through, says Melissa Brymer, Director of the Terrorism & Disaster program at the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, is a part of the school violence conversation that isn't often addressed in the media.

"There's a perception for those who haven't experienced an incident like this that the reactions are short lived," she tells Yahoo Life. "But when the media goes away, so doesn't the impact to the community  A proportion of community members are going to have longer-term reactions, and we need to provide support and resources for them."

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RISE, which closes on Sept. 18, intends to foster just that sort of understanding  to address not just the trauma of the day of a shooting, but its aftermath. Held in an L.A. elementary school classroom, the production places attendees in the middle of a mock school shooting at the fictional Silver Lake High School, where a normal day turns tragic when a student opens fire.

RISE puts audience members in the middle of an act of gun violence. (Photo: Jenny Graham)

The opening scene features students in a history class who are given the assignment of creating a safe space within the context of medieval times. On first glance, it seems like a relatively normal day but if you peek into the journals available for reading, it's clear that perhaps not all is well with some of the students, one of whom is fascinated with a shooting at a nearby high school, another of whom shows hints of suicidal ideation.

The shooting occurs in a scene that takes place after this class, forcing the students to create a barricade with chairs and tables, all while arguing over whether its best to hide or run. They call the police, and their siblings. They hold one another and cry. One of the most harrowing moments is when a student pounds on the classroom door, begging to be let in.

In RISE, from Los Angeles-based theater company HERO Theatre, viewers become part of the classroom scene. (Photo: Jenny Graham)

In the aftermath, participants can observe in real-time what's so often seen on the national news: students being shocked that the shooter could do such a thing, the teacher sobbing and saying he hadn't signed up for this, and then, a week later, with students processing their grief and trauma and arguing over what could've stopped the violence  fewer guns or more?

For McCarthy, having the shooter be in the first classroom scene was also important in creating a realistic depiction of what survivors go through. He also has the student who is the shooter change from night to night, throughout the run of the show  something meant to drive home the point that while there are larger trends about who can commit such violence, theres no one specific type of person who is capable.

[We did not] want to other or distance the audience so much that it felt like something completely outside of the realm of our world  quite literally if they never existed in the room at all," he says. "This is hopefully a more truthful, more honest, more big picture overview of what different instances at different schools have looked like, and the different stories that have happened.

As kids are heading back to school all across the country, that understanding is something needed now more than ever, says Brymer. While she points out that over-exaggerating the statistics on school shootings can bring about more anxiety and fear at a time where students need the support of schools, plays like RISE, when shown to people who want to bring about change, can be a helpful tool.

"Many people can avoid things that are happening," she says of the ongoing reality of violent incidents. "We have to create change to make sure our schools are safe," and start to really understand the consequences of not doing that. So when it comes to productions like RISE, Brymer adds, "there is a definite utility that is important."

Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here
FIRST ON FOX: Bradley Dawson, the Tennessee newlywed accused of killing his bride on their Fiji honeymoon, returned to court Tuesday for a bail hearing.

Lautoka High Court Judge Riyaz Hamza ordered him held with no bail. The judge also rejected Dawson's two bail sponsors, who are locals that live in Fiji, because they did not provide any details on how they know Dawson.

Dawson, 38, has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of Christe Chen Dawson, 39, who Fiji police say was found brutally beaten to death in her room at the exclusive Turtle Island Resort on July 9. He arrived handcuffed in court wearing blue shorts, flip-flops and a patterned tropical shirt Tuesday, or early Wednesday local time.

Speaking in the I-Taukei language, Dawson answered shouted questions outside the courthouse, telling reporters "Good morning" and that he was doing well.

AMERICAN WOMAN KILLED ON FIJI HONEYMOON HAD 'HORRIFIC' INJURIES THAT WERE NO ACCIDENT: LAWYER

At the time of his arrest, police found him with more than $1,000 cash in his wallet, his passport, driver's license and credit cards belonging to both himself and his deceased wife.

Prosecutors said Chen suffered a "brain bleed" on July 9 and confirmed in court the claims of Chen's family attorney, who previously said she died of severe traumatic head injuries and multiple traumatic injuries to her body.

Dawson has pleaded not guilty and his defense attorney Iqbal Khan is contesting unsigned statements Dawson made to police, known in Fiji as a "caution interview," in which he allegedly confessed to killing Chen. After the interview, he declined to sign the document and, through his attorney, has maintained that he is innocent.

FIJI HONEYMOON MURDER: AMERICAN BRADLEY DAWSON NOT IN GOOD HEALTH,' ASKS FOR BAIL IN WIFE'S BRUTAL MURDER

Judge Riyaz Hamza was expected to rule on the bail application, and another hearing was already set for Sept. 26 as prosecutors and the defense wrangle over the unsigned caution interview.

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Prosecutor Alvin Singh and attorneys for Chens family had opposed bail for Dawson, who they argued is indeed a flight risk after he allegedly ditched his GPS watch and phone at the resort and fled with just his wallet and passport in the hours after Chens brutal beating death. Khan said the state is already in possession of Dawson's passport, that he consented to surrendering it and that he has no other passports or travel documents.

The medical examiner found "multiple blunt force injuries around her head and face," Ronald Gordon, her familys lawyer, previously told Fox News Digital. When her parents visited her in the morgue, he added, her mother "was inconsolable because of the injuries."

According to authorities, a woman who was staying at Turtle Island at the same time as the couple, said Dawson and his wife appeared happy the evening of the alleged fight. The vacationer said she later heard "loud banging sounds" from the couple's room, according to the police report.

Dawson and Chen married in February after just a few months of dating and moved into a new home in Memphis, but Gordon said Dawson had previously traveled to Fiji with an ex-wife just two years ago.

Tim Tava and Fox News' Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report.
The Queens funeral will be held at 11am on Monday 19 September. Her Majesty died on Thursday 8 September at her Balmoral estate in Scotland. She was 96.

Following a 10-day mourning period, which has seen the Queens coffin travel from Aberdeenshire to Edinburgh, and finally to London, the funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey.

There will be a two-minute silence held at midday on Monday as a mark of respect for the Queen.

Ahead of the funeral, there has been speculation about what royal family members will wear.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Prince Harry will not be allowed to wear his military uniform to the funeral because he is no longer a working member of the royal family.

However, it has been reported that Prince Andrew, who is also no longer a working member of the royal family, will be allowed to wear his military uniform.

What is the traditional dress code for a royal funeral?

During a period of royal mourning, and all of the events that come with it, working members of the royal family must wear military uniforms.

These events include the Service of Thanksgiving at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, the procession to Westminster Hall, the vigil at Westminster Hall, the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey, and the committal service at St Georges Chapel in Windsor

As is custom, other attendees will wear black, with royal women likely wearing black veils for the day of the funeral.

As Prince Harry and Prince Andrew are no longer working royals, they will not be permitted to wear military uniforms to the events. An exception has been granted to Prince Andrew, however, who will be allowed to wear a military uniform to the Queens funeral.

Why is Prince Harry not allowed to wear his military uniform but Prince Andrew is?

King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence walk behind the hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth IIs coffin on Monday (Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior working members of the royal family in 2020 when they moved their family to the US.

Prince Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages in January 2022 after he was accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre, who was a victim of Jeffrey Epsteins sex trafficking ring. The Duke of York vehemently and continuously denied these accusations. The case was settled out of court.

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Prince Andrew resigned from many of his public duties in May 2020.

However, it has been reported that Andrew, who served in the Navy for 22 years, has been given an exception to wear his military uniform on the day of the Queens funeral while Harry, who served in the military for 10 years, was not.

A statement released by Harrys spokesperson on Tuesday night (13 September) said: [Prince Harry] will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother.

His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Why do the royal family wear black during the mourning period?

(Getty)

Black is the traditional colour for mourning, and it was popularised by Queen Victoria who wore black for 40 years as a mark of respect to her husband Prince Albert, who died in 1861.

Members of the royal family traditionally wear black for the entire period of mourning, which King Charles III announced will extend to a week after the Queens funeral.

A statement from Buckingham Palace read: It is His Majesty The Kings wish that a period of Royal Mourning be observed from now until seven days after The Queens Funeral.

Royal Mourning will be observed by Members of the Royal Family, Royal Household staff and Representatives of the Royal Household on official duties, together with troops committed to Ceremonial Duties.

The rule is so strictly enforced that members of the royal family must always travel with a black outfit in their suitcase.

This is so if a member of the royal family dies while they are abroad or away from home, they can change into black to mark the family members death.

Why do royal women wear black veils for the funeral?

Princess Anne at Prince Philips funeral (left), and Princess Elizabth, Queen Mary, and the Queen Mother at the funeral of King George VI in 1952 (right) (Getty/PA)

Women of the royal family, including non-working royals such as Meghan Markle, must wear a traditional black lace veil in some form.

Called mourning veils, the black lace veil is symbolic as it signifies the wearer is in mourning, but it also adds a practical element as it allows the wearer more privacy to grieve when they are wearing it.

Female members of the royal family wore the veils to Prince Philips funeral in April 2021, but opted for a more subtle version of the traditional long black tulle veil worn by royal family members in the early to mid-1900s.

Follow the latest updates following the death of Queen Elizabeth II here
Russia has condemned Kyivs push for a NATO-like international security coalition as a "prologue" to World War III as it faces strategic losses amid its war in Ukraine.

"The Kyiv camarilla has given birth to a project of 'security guarantees', which are essentially a prologue to a third world war," Russias Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said according to Russia state-owned media outlet Tass.

Medvedev claimed that no one would agree to any of the "guarantees" Kyiv is seeking from international partners and argued it would be tantamount to "applying Article 5 of the North Atlantic Pact to Ukraine."

NATO SHOULD PREPARE FOR ALL-OUT WAR WITH RUSSIA AS PUTIN GROWS DESPERATE AMID UKRAINE VICTORIES: EX NATO BRASS

NATOs Article 5 stipulates that an attack on one nation in the 30-member alliance  of which Ukraine is not a part of  would trigger a response from all member nations.

The article serves as a deterrent from aggressive nations like Russia who would be forced to face off with not only the U.S. military but 29 other advanced Western militaries as well, many of which share a border with Russia.

Moscow attempted to justify its illegal invasion of Ukraine over claims that Kyiv was getting too close to NATO and demanded that it pledge not to join the alliance.

Ukraine reportedly agreed to Moscows demand in the early days of the war when peace negotiations were ongoing, though it appears Kyiv may not still adhere to this pledge after talks with Russia fell through amid its continued invasion.

"We are working to ensure that the strongest subjects of the free world become guarantors of the security of our state," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said in his overnight address. "Together with our partners, we have already built a powerful anti-war coalition, which includes dozens of different states.

"Now we are working to ensure that the most powerful states that are already helping us become a coalition of peace that will last forever," he added.

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Ukrainian top officials on Tuesday introduced a proposal dubbed the "Kyiv Initiative" that is looking to form a pact with leading world players that would solidify an international response should Ukraine once again be attacked by Russia.

UKRAINE'S SOLDIERS INCH TOWARD SIEVIERODONETSK IN MAJOR COUNTEROFFENSIVE

The U.S. was not specifically listed as a nation Ukraine is currently in talks with, though it has given substantially more aid than any other individual nation to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

It is unclear how the U.S. would respond to such calls, and Fox News could not immediately reach the State Department for comment.

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, held an online meeting with officials from former Soviet nations and the Eastern Bloc including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

Yermak called on partner states to agree to specific bilateral security guarantees in a combined framework that would be known as the "Kyiv Security Compact".

Washington has towed the line on aiding Ukraine and attempting to avoid aggravating Moscow to the extent that it prompts a global war  an outcome that Russian leaders have suggested could come should Western nations sign a security pact with Kyiv.

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However, Ukraine appears determined to eventually join NATO despite Russias blatant threats.

"In order to successfully implement these tasks, Ukraine must get a guaranteed safety after the war. This means that we should receive reliable international security guarantees for the time period until Ukraine becomes a full member of the EU and NATO," Yermak said.
(Bloomberg) -- Russias financial sector suffered hundreds of billions of dollars in direct losses from the sweeping sanctions imposed by the US and its allies over President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, according to an internal Finance Ministry document.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The estimate, which includes significant hits to the stock market, bank capital as well as $300 billion in foreign-exchange reserves frozen by the restrictions, was included in a presentation for a top-level meeting of officials on responding to sanctions held last month. People familiar with the event confirmed the contents, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss matters that arent public.

The Finance Ministry declined to comment. Putin told officials in televised comments Monday that Russia is confidently handling the external pressure, with the economy stabilizing and heading for a growth trajectory.

The report didnt put a total value on the hit from sanctions, which focuses on the financial system and doesnt address the impact on the broader economy.

Some of the most severe impacts have eased compared to the figures in the presentation, dated Aug. 29. Russias benchmark MOEX stock index is now down about 20% since the invasion, compared to 33% at the lows in July. The Bank of Russia has suspended release of data on bank capital, making it impossible to update that calculation.

For Russia, 10 Lessons on Sanctions From 1980s South Africa

The presentation also catalogs damage to financial infrastructure, including 80% of banking-sector assets falling under sanctions, cutoffs from the Swift financial-messaging service and loss off access to key equipment and software. It said instruments including derivatives, hedging, Eurobonds and initial public offerings had practically disappeared.

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The presentation doesnt address the broader economic impact of the restrictions, which have pushed Russia into a recession thats likely to extend into next year. Another document for the top-level meeting showed the contraction may be longer and deeper than that, Bloomberg reported.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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OLHA HLUSHCHENKO  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 07:17

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that Russian military leadership is looking for people who are willing to fight in Ukraine in [penal] colonies in Tula Oblast, Russia.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Quote: "The Russian army is suffering significant personnel losses every day and is trying to make up for them in various ways. Military leadership keeps searching for people who are willing to fight among prisoners, including those in [penal] colonies in Tula Oblast."

Details: The General Staff reported that recruiters promise the convicts that their criminal record would be expunged in exchange for three months of service, or six months for recidivists or those convicted of particularly serious crimes.

However, the convicts are not offered to sign any official contracts stating the conditions of their service.

"In addition, the 3rd Army Corps is recruiting so-called reservists. A large share of people who have already been recruited are alcohol- or drug-dependent," the General Staff noted.

The General Staff said that forced "mobilisation" in the city of Horlivka (Donetsk Oblast) further attests to the lack of personnel for staff units: local "military recruitment offices" and "militia" were ordered to recruit 6,000 conscripts by 19 September.

"Men are being searched for and detained, which in turn causes growing discontent among local residents," the General Staff said.

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A 39-year-old Russian energy executive was found dead after reportedly falling off his boat near Vladivostok over the weekend, adding to a string of mysterious deaths associated with the countrys energy industry.

Ivan Pechorin, the managing director of the Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, is the ninth Russian businessperson to die by suicide or in mysterious circumstances since January, and is among six deaths affiliated with the countrys energy sector, according to CNN.

Photograph of Ivan Pechorin. (Photo: Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic)

Photograph of Ivan Pechorin. (Photo: Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic)

Pechorin reportedly fell off his boat close to Russky Island near Cape Ignatiev, the British Metro newspaper reported, citing Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Ivans death is an irreparable loss for friends and colleagues, a great loss for the corporation. We offer our sincere condolences to family and friends, the company said in a statement, according to the English translation.

A general view of the city of Vladivostok on Sept. 5, 2022. (Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

A general view of the city of Vladivostok on Sept. 5, 2022. (Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian coastal minesweepers take part in the 'Vostok-2022' military exercises at the Peter the Great Gulf of the Sea of Japan outside the city of Vladivostok on Sept. 5, 2022. (Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian coastal minesweepers take part in the 'Vostok-2022' military exercises at the Peter the Great Gulf of the Sea of Japan outside the city of Vladivostok on Sept. 5, 2022. (Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

Pechorin attended the Eastern Economic Forum headlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, where he was listed as a panelist and moderator for two discussions around strengthening aviation accessibility and airport infrastructure in the Far East and Arctic.

Pechorins company was tasked with developing the Arctic, a vast source of gas and oil for Russia, according to British newspaper Mirror.

Pechorins boss, CEO Igor Nosov, 43, died suddenly in February after a stroke, Mirror reported.

Another Russian executive, Ravil Maganov, who chaired Russias second-largest oil company Lukoil, died after falling out a window at Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow earlier this month, The Guardian reported, citing the Interfax news agency. Lukoil said Maganov died following a severe illness.

Story continues

Lukoil previously criticized Putins war in Ukraine, and in March called for an end to the conflict.

We strongly support a lasting ceasefire and a settlement of problems through serious negotiations and diplomacy, the companys board said in a statement a week after Putin invaded Ukraine.

Former Lukoil executive Alexander Subbotin was found dead at the house of a shaman in May, Newsweek reported, citing Russian local media.

Other Russian executives who have died in recent months include Sergey Protosenya, who worked for Russian energy company Novatek; Vladislav Avaev, the former vice president of bank Gazprombank; and Alexander Tyulyakov, Gazproms deputy general director of the Unified Settlement Center for Corporate Security, according to Newsweek.

Meanwhile, Ukraines president visited the recaptured city of Izyum on Wednesday as his countrys counteroffensive in northeastern Ukraine continues routing Russian troops, according to The Associated Press.

U.S. officials have been cautious against premature excitement over Ukraines success, AP said.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
OLHA HLUSHCHENKO  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 07:31

Oleksandr Sienkevych, Mayor of Mykolaiv, reported that Russian forces extensively shelled the city of Mykolaiv on the night of 1314 September.

Source: Oleksandr Sienkevych on Telegram

Quote: "Mykolaiv was extensively shelled after 01:00 last night. Residential buildings were damaged, among other things."

"We are gathering information about the effects of the attack."

Details: Sienkevych said that emergency and municipal service workers are at work at the scenes.

Among other things, they are clearing roads to allow public transport to run again.

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IRYNA BALACHUK  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 23:34

Russian forces attacked the Sumy district in Sumy Oblast on 14 September: two hromadas (A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and its adjacent territories.) sustained damage after being struck a total of 43 times.

Source: Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, Head of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; information as of 22:00 on 14 September

Quote: "Today the Russians fired on the Krasnopillia and Khotin hromadas in the Sumy district. They were struck a total of 43 times."

Details: Zhyvytskyi added that Russian forces opened artillery fire on the Krasnopillia hromada at 14:30, striking initially four times. Over the next hour, the Russians used self-propelled artillery systems to fire another 26 projectiles on the hromada.

The Russians used mortars and machine guns to fire on the Khotin hromada around 17:00. The hromada sustained several machine gun salvos and was hit by five bombs launched using a 120 mm mortar.

It was hit with another eight mortar bombs soon after 18:00.

Two private houses were damaged and a fire broke out as a result of the Russian attacks on the Khotin hromada; a State Emergency Service of Ukraine response brigade is working on the scene.

Zhyvytskyi said there were no casualties.

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By Crispian Balmer

ROME (Reuters) - U.S. claims that Russia has given at least $300 million to political parties in more than two dozen countries sent a jolt through Italy's election campaign on Wednesday, with right-wing leaders denying they had received clandestine cash.

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday released a summary of a recent U.S. intelligence review of Russian efforts to influence foreign politics, including support for unnamed far-right nationalist parties.

Although it did not detail the countries concerned, the report revived long-standing and repeatedly denied suspicions that some Italian parties have received funding from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Italy holds national elections on Sept. 25, with a rightist alliance of parties, including the Brothers of Italy, League and Forza Italia, expected to win a comfortable victory.

"Before the 25th of September, Italian voters have the right to know if any of the parties on the ballot papers have been financed by Putin," Enrico Letta, head of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), wrote on Twitter.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine has made him a pariah to many in the West.

'I NEVER TOOK MONEY'

League leader Matteo Salvini, who once praised Putin as "the best statesmen currently on earth", has repeatedly denied receiving money from Russia after a recording was leaked in 2019 of one of his aides discussing a secret oil deal in Moscow.

"I never asked for and never took money, roubles, euros, dinars or dollars from Russia," Salvini told RTL 102.5 radio on Wednesday. "There have been ongoing investigations for years. Nothing has ever been found because there is nothing."

Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni, who is in poll position to become the next prime minister, also denied receiving cash from abroad and threatened to sue an Italian newspaper that had questioned if she had taken Russian money.

"They should bring us the evidence. But since the evidence is not there, I fear that a lawsuit will be inevitable," she told Radio 24 on Wednesday.

Story continues

A senior Brothers of Italy politician Adolfo Urso who heads the parliamentary committee that oversees national intelligence agencies, told state broadcaster RAI that "at the moment" there was no indication that Italy was one of the countries involved.

Suggestions that Russia might be meddling in the election campaign have repeatedly been aired since the collapse of Prime Minister Mario Draghi's unity government in July.

A trio of parties, including the League and Forza Italia, all with historically friendly ties to Moscow, brought down Draghi's government, but dismissed accusations from opponents that they had connived with Russia to hold the snap election.

Draghi himself told parliament in July that Italy had to "step up efforts to combat interference from Russia and other autocracies in our politics". He gave no further details.

(Additional reporting by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
STANISLAV POHORILOV  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 13:14

Agents of the State Bureau of Investigation detained a Russian soldier whom Russian occupiers "forgot" to take with them during their withdrawal from the Oblast.

Quote: "Agents of State Bureau of Investigation managed to detain a Russian soldier, a resident of the Moscow Oblast, who was hiding near the village of Shevchenkove, Kupiansk district. The Russians forgot to take him with them when they fled the Ukrainian Armed Forces advance."

Details:

The detained soldier explained that he went to fight against Ukraine for money. He was promised 4,000 roubles for each day of service. He signed the contract on 6 September, and as soon as 7 September his unit was defeated by Ukrainian troops.

Background:

On 13 September, Hanna Maliar, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated over 300 settlements in Kharkiv Oblast within just a few days of the counteroffensive.

According to intelligence,Russian occupiers on the Kharkiv front went on the run, trying to reach deeper into temporarily occupied territories following a successful counterattack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Some tried to escape back over the Russian border into the territory of Belgorod Oblast.

Read also: The Russians ask: "Where do we run?". The first photos emerge from liberated Balakliia

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The Recount

On Late Night with Seth Meyers, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented on Trumps possession of classified documents and having them at his country club. In early August, Donald Trumps country club Mar-a-Lago was raided by FBI agents due to his possession of classified top secret documents, some dealing with nuclear security measures. This is a threat to our national security that somebody would actually have in his country club storage room, his desk, his bedroom top secret information and you have to ask yourself, why?
Feature: Leisure meets heritage at rural China cultural center

Xinhua) 08:12, September 14, 2022

Brian Linden and his wife Jeanee pose for a group photo with team members of Linden Center in Xizhou old town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022.(Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

KUNMING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Over a decade after opening his first hotel and cultural center in Xizhou town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Brian Linden and his team opened their third project in 2021 in the province's Shaxi township, with the new site overlooking an ancient Bai ethnic village and a tranquil lake.

In 2008, Linden, an American entrepreneur, and his team restored and repurposed heritage buildings and turned them into popular destinations for experiencing the rich cultural traditions of the respective surroundings, naming the boutique hotel brand the Linden Center, a center for cultural and interpersonal exchange.

Without the involvement of private investors, Linden and his partners aspire to restore local buildings and work for heritage conservation.

"In the past, many foreigners came to China for economic opportunities, but very few spent extended time to learn from the country's rich history," said Linden. "We want to encourage foreigners to view China differently, not solely for the financial purpose."

PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING

Before first coming to China in 1984 as an international student, Linden worked as a carpet cleaner in Chicago.

"I was cleaning the carpet at the house of a professor of the University of Chicago, who had just returned from a trip to China, and he asked me to put a red flag onto China on the world map," recalled Linden. "But with minimal education, I didn't know where China was."

Out of curiosity about the country, Linden applied for a Chinese government scholarship. To his surprise, his application was accepted and he received an opportunity to study in Beijing.

His first encounter with China was full of surprises and unexpected opportunities.

"When I was working out on the street on the third day after my arrival in Beijing, I was approached by a director who asked me to act in the first Chinese film starring a foreigner as the lead role," he said.

Four years later, Linden left China with his wife, whom he met in east China's Nanjing city, to pursue doctoral studies at Stanford University.

He later began to work on educational projects all over the world. During his extensive international travels, what disappointed him most was the outside world's lack of understanding of China.

"I've been to over 100 countries, but most of them don't understand China, and I want to provide them with a more balanced view of this country," Linden said.

"To achieve this goal, my team and I want to create social enterprises in each site, which can ensure that local villagers receive financial benefits, and visitors can enjoy an interactive experience, instead of solely experiencing the comforts and luxury of travel," Linden added.

With this goal in mind and his passion for China at heart, Linden shared his idea with his wife, a third-generation Chinese-American, and their two sons, who were 6 and 9 then. His family was very supportive of his decision and they decided to move back to China in 2003.

CULTURE CENTER

The Lindens then traveled to multiple provinces in China in search of a suitable location for his culture center, and in 2007, they found a historic building in the Xizhou old town, situated between Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain in Dali.

The architecture boasts the rectangular layout of traditional Bai-style courtyards, with the screen wall facing the entrance decorated with conventional paintings and the other three sides used to serve as living quarters.

"I got a strong sense of belonging the first time I came to Xizhou," Linden said, adding that the local villagers are inclusive and welcoming, and they all call him 'village head Linden.'

With the support from the local government, Linden and his team renovated the historic courtyard, and began to recruit locals as hotel servers.

"I want to make sure that local people are included in our business model and the hotel can provide them economic opportunities as well as a place where they can share our passion and be proud of the efforts," Linden said.

Owing to its uniqueness and amiable services, the Linden Center in Xizhou became one of the top-rated boutique hotels in China on TripAdvisor, a leading travel platform.

Linden, a former educator, wishes to provide an opportunity for young people from around the world to comprehend the richness of this country beyond the modern high rises of Shanghai and Beijing.

In 2012, Linden and his team established the Linden Center Yangzhuoran International Education Base and partnered with schools and universities to launch micro-campus programs.

"As I envisage it in the future, Linden Center is not just my accomplishment alone, but also a treasure of the Bai people in Xizhou, China, and the entire world," Linden said.

To blend into the contour of the surrounding mountains, the Lindens' new hotel in Shaxi is built with rammed earth, a traditional building material used in local Bai-style houses in the nearby Shilong village.

Designed by returning UC Berkeley graduate student, Mou Yujiang, who is also the CEO of Linden Center, the project received the American Architecture Award in 2018.

"The Shaxi hotel serves as a cultural exchange platform through which we can promote culture and tradition," said Yang Lyu, a local resident from the Bai ethnic group who works at the new hotel. He always brings guests to Shilong Village to experience folk songs and dances, as well as the local wood carving.

Reflecting on the past decade, Linden said he sees optimism and hope whenever he talks with his neighbors because everyone is seeing more opportunities.

"When you see small villages are now connected to the rest of China by high-speed railways and new highways, how can you not be optimistic?" Linden said.

Brian Linden makes a point to a work of local artists in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Undated file photo shows Brian Linden's family in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 27, 2022 shows a view of Xizhou old town in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Brian Linden greets a child in Xizhou old town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

In this combo photo, Brian Linden watches a birthday blessing video shot by his team members (top), and Brian Linden's wife Jeanee and his team prepare to celebrate his birthday, in the Linden Center in Xizhou old town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Brian Linden introduces local culture to tourists in the Linden Center in Xizhou old town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Brian Linden poses for a photo with a tourist in Xizhou old town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Brian Linden and his wife Jeanee talk in the Linden Center in Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Combo photo shows aerial view of the Linden Center in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town (top), and bird's view of Shilong Village, in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Brian Linden looks on as his wife Jeanee indicates on the design of a rural library in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Jeanee (R), wife of Brian Linden, learns Bai ethnic language from a local dancer in the Linden Center in Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022.(Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
The flag of Ukraine in Balaklia, August 8

Read also: Russian shelling of liberated territories in Kharkiv Oblast wounds three in past day

The head of the investigative department of the State Police of Kharkiv Oblast, Serhii Bolvinov, wrote of the horrific discovery on Facebook.

Read also: Ukrainian officer tells how Russians fled when Ukrainian Army reached state border in Kharkiv Oblast

The Russian fascists set up a headquarters in the police department, in the recently occupied Balakliya, Bolvinov wrote. But this is not the worst of it. In the basement of the department and in the building opposite, BalDruk (a publishing house - ed.), they made a prison and a torture chamber for local residents.

Bolvinov said the invaders always kept at least 40 people in captivity. They were captured with the help of local collaborators  the invaders were looking for those who served in the military in the past, had relatives among the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or were helping the Ukrainian army.

Read also: In wake of Kharkiv counter-offensive, Russian troops flee from Melitopol toward Crimea, mayor says

The Russians were grabbing people right on the street near the police station, writes Bolvinov. One man spent 46 days in a prison (because) the Russian fascists found a photo of his brother in a Ukrainian military uniform.

According to witnesses, people were tortured in various ways. I will not describe all the torture methods, I will only say that electric-shock torture was the lightest form.

Read also: Putin seeks to avoid blame for Kharkiv defeat and step-up recruitment, ISW report says

Ukrainian troops liberated the city of Balakliya from invading Russian forces on Sept. 8. Ukrainian forces were welcomed by the local residents.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Sep. 14SALEM, N.H.  Voters on Tuesday chose 18 state representative candidates to advance to the November general election.

Town officials, however, were not able to provide results from all five places before press time.

Thirteen candidates in the GOP race were narrowed to nine. Those candidates, in alphabetical order, were Lorie Ball, Luanne David, Tanya Donnelley, Fred Doucette, Maria Erna, Betty Gay, John Janigian, Dennis Manion, Valeria McDonnell, Joe Sweeney, John Sytek, Susan Vandecastelle and Lisa Vandecastelle Hopkins.

Ten Democrats on the ballot were Gregory Davis, Sara Dillingham, Larry Disenhof, Dionne Garon, David Hickernell, Claire Karibian, Donna Loranger, Neil Misra, Maureen Thibault and Bonnie Wright. Only nine advance to the November election.

Polls were open for 12 hours, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Contests for Senate and Congress, as well as various county-level jobs, were also considered at the polls.
PROVO, Utah  On June 1, David Leavitt, the prosecuting attorney for Utah County, stood behind a lectern in his windowless Provo office before a gaggle of reporters. Wearing a gray suit and an exasperated look, he wanted to make something categorically clear: Neither he nor his wife were guilty of murdering or cannibalizing young children.

It was, by all accounts, a strange declaration from the progressive Republican prosecutor, a Mormon and younger brother of a former Utah governor, Mike Leavitt, who had earned a name for himself by prosecuting a well-known polygamist in 2001. But David Leavitt was up for re-election, Utah County voters would start casting ballots the next week, and the allegations, ridiculous as they may have sounded, had started to spread online and throughout the community.

Some of Leavitts most high-profile political opponents were willing to at least wink at the allegations against him: Utahns for Safer Communities, a political action committee opposing Leavitts re-election, posted his news conference to YouTube with the caption, Wethinks He Doth Protest Too Much, and on their website, the group wrote that Leavitt seems to know more than he says.

Leavitt lost the election, most likely not just because of the allegations against him but because of his liberal style of prosecution in a deeply conservative county where opponents labeled him as soft on crime. But the allegations impact on Leavitt was clear. After decades of serving as a city and county attorney with grander plans for public office, Leavitt now doesnt think hell run again.

The cost is too high, he said recently in an interview from his home.

Leavitts experience is one of a spate of recent examples in which individuals have been targeted with accusations of Satanism or so-called ritualistic abuse, marking what some see as a modern day version of the moral panic of the 1980s, when hysteria and hypervigilance over protecting children led to false allegations, wrongful imprisonments, decimated communities and wasted resources to the neglect of actual cases of abuse.

Story continues

While the current obsession with Satan was boosted in part by the QAnon community, partisan media and conservative politicians have been instrumental in spreading newfound fears over the so-called ritualistic abuse of children that the devil supposedly inspires, sometimes weaving the allegations together with other culture war issues such as LGBTQ rights. Those fears are powering fresh accusations of ritual abuse online, which are amplified on social media and by partisan media, and can mobilize mobs to seek vigilante justice.

David O. Leavitt (Rick Bowmer / AP file)

Witch hunts have traditionally been associated with courts  even the kangaroo kind  but today, the accused can be branded satanist pedophiles at the speed of the internet. Online accusers can bypass police, therapists and the traditional media and out their alleged abusers straight to audiences of millions.

The 80s and 90s were terrifying and they ruined peoples lives, but they were constrained in certain ways by network technologies, said Whitney Phillips, an assistant professor in the University of Oregons School of Journalism and Communication and co-author of the book, You Are Here: A Field Guide for Navigating Polarized Speech, Conspiracy Theories, and Our Polluted Media Landscape.

Consider how things unfolded for the Leavitts.

The rumors started on YouTube when Nicholas Rossi, an American who has been accused of faking his death and escaping to Scotland to evade rape charges in Utah, posted videos in which he accused Leavitt and his wife of leading a ritual sex abuse cult. Leavitt was overseeing an effort to extradite and prosecute Rossi.

As evidence for his claims, Rossi posted a 151-page statement, made a decade ago by an unnamed woman as part of a criminal case against a therapist that was later dismissed. That statement  which NBC News obtained via public records request to the Provo police department  included gory allegations of sexual abuse and mass murder from the 1980s and 90s perpetrated not just by the therapist, but by more than a dozen other members of the Provo community, including David Leavitt and his wife. In a phone interview, Rossi, who posted the document to his now-defunct website, Zeus News Now, declined to share how he learned about or obtained the document.

The accusations were part of a new case from Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith. Smith, who backed Leavitts opponent, had just announced he was opening an investigation into ritualistic child sexual abuse from as far back as 1990. (Smith declined an interview with NBC News but publicly denied Leavitts claim that the Utah County Sheriffs office had somehow been involved with the leak of the document. The still-open investigation has netted more than 130 tips from the public, according to a sheriff spokesperson, Sgt. Spencer Cannon.)

A local reporter for KSTU, Salt Lake City's FOX affiliate, chasing a story on the investigation texted the Utah County Attorneys office  did Leavitt have any comment on this 151-page document?

In lieu of a comment, Leavitt held his news conference.

What upset Leavitt most, he said, holding back tears, was how the accusations had harmed his wife.

Leavitts wife, Chelom, a soft-spoken attorney-turned-academic who researches mindfulness and healthy sex, described the impact in an interview from her office at Brigham Young University, where she is an assistant professor. The document had been posted to several conspiracy theory news websites and Telegram forums with tens of thousands of followers. Soon after, people began emailing BYUs dean, calling for Cheloms firing, citing new, confusing allegations tying her to the Clinton family, satanic pizza parlors and worldwide human trafficking organizations. They called her a demon.

Even her friends had questions. A woman she had known well for years texted asking whether there was anything to the rumors.

That someone who knows me could think that theres a seed of truth in this  thats tough to digest, Chelom Leavitt said.

The belief that devil-worshippers disguised as trusted members of the community are stalking neighborhood children to abuse and sacrifice them in secret satanic rituals is more prevalent than one might imagine.

This was a widespread belief back in the 80s, said Joseph Uscinski, a political science professor at the University of Miami, who studies conspiracy theories. And when the satanic panic disappeared, it just disappeared. It wasnt like there was a reckoning.

Uscinskis work includes nationwide polls to measure belief in particular conspiracy theories. A survey of 2,000 U.S. residents conducted in June by Uscinksi and a colleague through the University of Miami revealed fears over satanic rituals and child sexual abuse are pervasive.

One-third of respondents agreed with the statement, members of Satanic cults secretly abuse thousands of children every year. One quarter agreed that Satanic ritual sex abuse is widespread in this country, and 21% agreed that numerous preschools and public schools secretly engage in Satanic practices.

As Uscinskis survey seems to be the first of its kind, its difficult to say whether people are now more obsessed with Satan or if it just feels that way.

Discussion about satanism and satanic abuse has increased in recent years, according to data provided to NBC News by Zignal Labs, which analyzes social media conversations. From 2007 to 2014, mentions of satanism on Twitter increased steadily year over year until 2016, when mentions spiked 37%, during a presidential election and at the height of pizzagate, an online conspiracy theory rooted in the false belief that a ritualistic child sex ring was run out of a Washington pizza parlor.

The trend continued until it peaked in 2020, during the next presidential election and at the height of QAnons popularity. It remains elevated, according to Zignal Labs data.

The rise in conversation surely has much to do with the kind of people fixated on the devil.

A lot of national and local politicians are engaging in satanic panic rhetoric, Uscinski said.

These are the worst things that you can accuse someone of. Theres no redemption. So they make great cudgels to beat your political opponents with.

The daily invocations of Satan by the biggest players in conservative politics and media are too numerous to catalog in full.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on the House Steps of the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 17, 2021. (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call via AP)

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., credited the devil with whispering to women who choose to have abortions and controlling churches who aid undocumented immigrants. In June, she tweeted a video of a man dressed as the devil, stating that the mythical creature would be the next witness called by the House Jan. 6 committee. They all know him, they all love him, and some even worship him, she wrote.

Charlie Kirk, the president of one of the largest conservative groups in the country, Turning Point USA, recently opined that Republicans should use the law to shut down Satanism. Last year, Fox News host Tucker Carlson expressed his opinion on trans people, telling his viewers, When you say you can change your own gender by wishing it, youre saying youre God, and that is satanic. The Republican nominee for Missouris St. Louis County executive, the top job in the local government, is currently suing her former employer over its mask mandates, citing their use in satanic ritual abuse.

And after President Joe Bidens recent speech on the threat that MAGA Republicans pose to democracy, the very subjects of his warnings framed the presidents address as satanic, because of the red lights illuminating the backdrop of Philadelphias Independence Hall.

Popular culture and social media have also ferried ideas about satanism and widespread child abuse from fringe to the mainstream.

The music video for Lil Nas Xs song Montero (Call Me by Your Name), which featured the artist giving the devil a lap dance, and a related limited edition sneaker, Satan shoes, which contained a drop of blood, invited shocked coverage from Fox News and condemnation from political leaders.

Conspiracy theories similarly engulfed the tragedy in Houston at the Astroworld music festival in November, in which 10 people were crushed to death as the rapper Travis Scott performed on stage. Social media sleuths gathered livestreams of the performance and pieced them together to come to an otherworldly conclusion: that the concert was actually a satanic ritual. The videos werent widely shared by devoted conspiracy theorists or religious zealots, but by mainstream Gen Z and millennial users.

Image: Travis Scott performs at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston on Nov. 5, 2021. (Amy Harris / Invision/AP)

This kind of participatory ferreting out of Satan from the popular culture and raising awareness of myriad threats to children  real and imagined  were a hallmark of the 1980s panic, said Sarah Hughes, author of American Tabloid Media and the Satanic Panic.

The public service announcements, after-school programs, sitcoms, round-the-clock news networks, courtroom coverage and new infotainment specials hosted by news-adjacent hosts like Geraldo Rivera and Oprah Winfrey all fueled the hysteria, Hughes said.

As issues surrounding children gained national attention, an emerging section of 1980s media obsessed over child safety issues, including kidnapping, pedophilia, child abuse and cult membership.

People just ate it up, she said. The threats were inflated to a level that was just completely outside the parameters of what was real. There was an assumption that we have to protect these innocent vessels who are the prey of the devil, and everything becomes geared toward, Something is coming to get your child.

The modern-day equivalent of those hypervigilant PSAs and daytime talk shows is found online: in posts and videos urging awareness for dangers like random white vans and other child-trafficking urban legends. These amateur PSAs are seen immediately by millions, with the option to share them across communities.

That rhetoric is not without consequence. People and places perceived as satanic have been the target of harassment, threats and worse in recent months.

Last year, a child in North Wales was kidnapped while abductors held his foster mother at knifepoint. Wilfred Wong, an evangelical Christian and long-time activist behind the group Coalition Against Satanist Ritual Abuse, whose goal is to increase public awareness and action regarding satanist ritual abuse, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his role in the abduction. Wong and a group of five others said they were trying to rescue the child from his father, whom they believed to be a satanist and pedophile.

In the U.S., a Republican candidate for governor in Georgia, Kandiss Taylor, campaigned on demolishing the Georgia Guidestones, a tourist attraction known by some as American Stonehenge. When the mysterious monument  made up of massive granite slabs etched with innocuous rules for living  was blown up in July, Taylor seemed to celebrate, calling them satanic.

Image: Law enforcement officials walk around the damaged Georgia Guidestones monument near Elberton, Ga., on July 6, 2022. (Rose Scoggins / The Elberton Star via AP)

The Satanic Temple, a nationwide religious organization known for its legal challenges against what it sees as an encroaching Christian theocracy in the U.S., has also become a target, in part for its advocacy of LGBTQ rights and reproductive rights.

In June, the annual pride parade in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, became the subject of attention from the far right after a flyer circulated that featured more than 60 sponsors including the ACLU of Idaho, the Idaho State Police and the Idaho chapter of The Satanic Temple.

Family friendly drag dance party being promoted by the Satanic Temple in Idaho. We are living in hell, tweeted Libs of TikTok, a popular conservative Twitter account that often draws negative attention to LGBTQ events and drag shows.

That tweet, and the resulting media frenzy and ensuing harassment it inspired, caused the Idaho Satanic Temple to drop out of the event. Even so, multiple anti-LGBTQ and white nationalist groups descended on the park, carrying long guns and banners that read Groomers are not welcome in Idaho, invoking the term that has bridged anti-LGBTQ activism and the more generic panic over child trafficking and abuse. (Anti-LGBTQ politicians and activists have equated LGBTQ people with predators who abuse children as part of a gay agenda, the well-worn panic that the gay rights movements true motivation is recruitment. LGBTQ groups have rejected those accusations as homophobic tropes.) Thirty-one members of the white power group Patriot Front were arrested on charges of conspiracy to riot.

The night before Pride in the Park, a doorbell camera captured video of a man wearing a T-shirt with the word God written across the front setting ablaze the front porch of the Satanic Temple headquarters in Salem, Massachusetts. In a backpack left at the scene, police found a copy of the Constitution and a bible. At a hearing where he was detained, Daniel Damien Lucey, 42, pleaded not guilty to arson, but reiterated what he had apparently told police: that he would be OK with people inside the headquarters getting hurt as long as they were devil worshippers. Lucey was indicted this month by an Essex County grand jury, and his arraignment is scheduled for October.

Lucien Greaves (Elise Amendola / AP file)

Lucien Greaves, the co-founder of The Satanic Temple, said in a phone interview that his group has grown accustomed to the threats, as it is now routinely mentioned alongside a number of other perceived dangers, including socialism and child abuse.

The satanic panic mongers have always loved the idea that were harassing children or otherwise harming them, he said. And that whatever they do against us is justified in the name of preserving the children.

Greaves said demonization by the religious right is predictable, but he is concerned about what feels like the creeping normalization of satanic-panic-style beliefs in the mainstream or even progressive culture.

Moral panics dont really take off when they can be brushed off as being a hysterical evangelical or right-wing talking point, he said.

Social media can also power new accusations, launch police investigations and invite harassment or worse upon the accused who have little recourse to defend themselves.

On July 1, police in South Windsor, Connecticut, announced that they were reopening an investigation into allegations of sexually explicit crimes against several members of the community. Those allegations had come from TikTok  where a 25-year-old woman named Haley Garcia, who lives in California, posted a video naming her parents and seven others as part of an elite network that had done many ritualistic satanic things to her and other children years ago.

Thats whats happening in Connecticut and beyond, she said in the video.

The South Windsor Police Department noted that they and the Department of Children and Families had investigated the allegations twice in the last seven years but had been unable to corroborate them.

Garcia, who did not respond to interview requests, is a spiritual coach and self-described shaman, who charges hundreds of dollars per hour, according to her website, and has more than 313,000 subscribers on TikTok. Her video has been viewed 5.3 million times and was shared by accounts with tens of thousands of followers, including TrueCrimeandSomeWine and more locally, in a private Facebook group, South Windsor community, where 7,000 neighbors weigh in on local happenings.

Lets all hope justice is served, one commenter responded.

Garcia received more than 13,000 comments on her TikTok video. Most were in support, but there were exceptions. A user named Frank Day, whom Garcia had named as one of her ritualistic abusers, wrote that she was lying in an attempt to further her business. He asked people to DM him to hear the truth.

I went in, swords drawn, and tried to wade my way through it, Day said in a phone interview. And then I realized what I was up against.

Social media accounts belonging to the accused were swarmed with Garcias supporters. People commented under photos of children that their parents were pedophiles and posted their home addresses. (NBC News reached out to Garcia and the people she accused. Garcia did not respond to requests for comment. The other people she accused either did not respond, or declined to be interviewed or to go on the record, citing fears of increased harassment.)

Day spent a week reporting to TikTok the videos that he said had falsely named him as a sexual abuser to no avail. Flags for bullying or harassment all came back with no violations, he said. (TikTok doesnt have an explicit rule against accusing someone of a crime without evidence.) A representative for TikTok declined to comment.

Day described Garcias family as friends who owned the one house in the neighborhood with a swimming pool. Kids, including his own, were always welcome, he said.

Ill just say categorically, none of this happened, Day said in a phone interview. Ive known this family for 20 years and none of this stuff is true.

Day said he went to his police precinct the day of Garcias posts, because of the messages that started flooding into his email, his social media DMS and his phone.

By the time Day thought to make his Facebook profile private, it had already been swarmed with Garcias supporters. People commented under photos of his children that he was a pedophile, posting his home address and writing that they were coming for him. Some described the things that would happen to him in prison. Others sent him violent videos like one with kittens being put through sausage grinders. They wrote that his grandchildren should be kept far away from him.

Day has hired a lawyer and is exploring legal remedies.

It was just chilling, he said. I was afraid the first couple of days, and now Im just angry.

Phillips, the University of Oregon assistant professor, said the internets power is particularly worrisome in light of what appears to be a renewed satanic panic.

The internet has basically jumped over the need for other intervention, she said. You can have an accusation that goes viral, be seen by millions of people by the end of that day. That was never possible before.

You can almost foresee what is coming next, Phillips said. Its what weve seen before, but all of the bulwarks are gone.

CORRECTION (Sept. 14, 2022, 11:25 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the employer of a local journalist. It is KSTU, the FOX affiliate in Salt Lake City, not Fox News.

CORRECTION (Sept. 15, 10:07 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the name of a TikTok account. It is TrueCrimeandSomeWine, not TrueCrimeandRedWine.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
In summer months, up to 30% of the sea-ice can be covered in meltponds

Satellites can now measure the thickness of sea-ice covering the Arctic Ocean all year round.

Traditionally, spacecraft have struggled to determine the full state of the floes in summer months because the presence of surface meltwater has befuddled their instruments.

But by using new "deep learning" techniques, scientists have pushed past this limitation to get reliable observations across all seasons.

The breakthrough has wide implications.

Apart from the obvious advantage to ships, which need to know those parts of the Arctic that will be safe to navigate, there are significant benefits to climate and weather forecasting.

At the moment, there is considerable variation in the projections for when the polar ocean might be totally free of ice in an ever warmer world.

Having an improved insight into the melting processes in those key months when floes are being reduced, in area and thickness, ought now to sharpen the output from computer models.

"Despite excellent efforts by many researchers, these climate models' predictions of when we'll see the first fully ice-free Arctic Ocean in summer - they vary by 30-plus years," Dr Jack Landy, from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, told BBC News.

"We need to tighten those predictions so we're a lot more confident about what's going to happen and when - and how the climate feedbacks will accelerate as a consequence."

The extent of Arctic sea-ice cover has been in decline for the entire period that satellites have been monitoring it, which is more than 40 years - a reduction running at an average rate of 13% per decade.

But it's only really since 2011 that spacecraft have been able to consistently measure its thickness - and thickness (or more properly, volume) is the true measure of the floes' health.

That's because the extent of sea-ice cover is heavily dependent on whether the winds have spread out the floes or pushed them together.

To measure thickness, scientists use satellite altimeters.

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The European Space Agency's (Esa) pioneering Cryosat-2 mission carries a radar to measure the difference in height between the top of the marine ice and the top of the water in the cracks, or leads, that separate the floes.

From this difference, scientists can then, with a relatively simple calculation, work out the thickness of the ice.

The approach works well in winter months, but in summer, when the snows on top of the ice, and the ice itself, start to melt, pooling water effectively dazzles the radar. Scientists can't be sure if the echo signal that returns to Cryosat is coming from the open ocean or from the surface of a meltpond sitting on the ice.

May through to September - the key melt season - has been a blind period for the spacecraft.

To solve the problem, researchers used an artificial intelligence (AI) technique in which an algorithm was able to learn and identify reliable observations from a vast library of synthetic radar signals.

Arctic ice helps to cool Earth by reflecting the Sun's energy - up to 80% - straight back out into space

Prof Julienne Stroeve, from University College London (UCL), explained: "We simulated what would be the echo shapes that we would get for different ice surface types - whether they had meltponds; whether it was flooded ice; or ice of different roughnesses; or simply leads. We created this huge database of physically based estimates of what the radar return should look like, and then we matched those to the individual radar pulses from the instrument to find echoes that matched the best."

Esa has kept in its data archives all the Cryosat May-to-September measurements, even though for the past decade they've been of next to no use. But now, thanks to this new approach, Dr Landy's team has been able to go back through the records to recover full-year ice thickness measurements for the entire time the satellite has been operational.

Dr Rachel Tilling worked extensively with Cryosat data before transferring her studies to the US space agency's recently launched Icesat-2 laser altimeter mission.

She applauded the innovation.

"Summer is when sea-ice extent in the Arctic is seeing its most rapid decline, and having this extra dimension will help us understand more about how the ice pack is changing," the Nasa scientist told BBC News.

"Icesat-2 has its own unique difficulties in summer but we're lucky that its photon-counting technology means we can still measure the height of sea-ice, water and melt ponds year-round.

"Having said that, Cryosat-2 will always be my first love so I'm really excited to see it being used in this novel way."

The volume of sea-ice has halved across the Arctic since the late 1970s

A chief beneficiary of the new thickness measurements would be Inuit populations in the Arctic, said Dr Michel Tsamados, also from UCL.

"[They] have identified sea-ice roughness and slush (melted snow and ice) as a key impediment for safe travel on the ice with the changing climate already negatively affecting these characteristics and causing increased travel accidents and search-and-rescues," he explained.

"Both are related to the thickness of the ice. Therefore, measuring throughout the full year the sea-ice thickness from space from Cryosat-2 but also Icesat-2 and other satellite sensors will eventually help provide better maps to the Inuit populations for safe travel over this rapidly changing terrain."

Dr Landy and colleague have published their new Cryosat approach in the journal Nature.

How to measure sea-ice thickness

How Cryosat measures sea-ice volume - graphic
Late last year, a woman noticed a fresh dirt pile on her Texas property, according to local news outlets.

It looked like a grave, but it also looked like it was leftover dirt, like a pile of dirt, fresh mud, dirt, land owner Miriam Soza told KPRC.

Then in June, the Soza family spotted a lantern jar, fresh flowers and two ornamental posts on the mound of dirt, KTRK reported.

Now Soza knows her suspicions were likely correct, and the Harris County Sheriffs Office is investigating.

Texas EquuSearch recently detected something buried in the land using radar, and it appears to be a casket, according to KPRC.

The size is right, the shape is right, the depth is right, Angelina Farris, with the nonprofit organization, told the local news station.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said investigators believe there to be a full-size burial vault/casket buried underground at the property in Crosby, about 25 miles northwest of downtown Houston. They made the discovery alongside Texas EquuSearch on Sept. 13, according to his post on Twitter.

The property owner bought the large tract of land last year, he said, and its believed something was buried there in November.

While there is a cemetery adjacent to the site, a cemetery representative advised all plots in their cemetery were accounted for and the mound was not a misplaced grave, Gonzalez tweeted.

He said its possible someone buried the item without permission or knowledge of their loved ones, but the case is still a mystery.

Soza placed a handwritten note on the lantern, asking the family to contact her, but she hasnt heard from anyone yet, according to KTRK.

Its scary because right now, no one wants to be accountable for it, she told KPRC.

Gonzalez said the item has not been removed from the ground as of Sept. 14.

If you have additional information regarding what might have been buried, authorities ask you to call the Harris County Sheriffs Office homicide investigators at 713-274-9100.

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Human remains found by man doing property survey on Texas land, sheriff says

Remodeling crew finds skeletal remains under floorboards of Texas home, police say

Man found dead in mysterious casket at Oregon cemetery has been identified, cops say
Narendra Modi and his Russian and Chinese counterparts will be meeting in Uzbekistan for a summit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to join Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a security summit that is being described as an "alternative" to the West.

Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) - which includes Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Central Asian nations - are meeting in Uzbekistan on 15 and 16 September.

The war in Ukraine and growing tensions between China and the West are expected to loom large over the talks.

But the spotlight will also be on Mr Modi who is expected to hold talks with his Russian and Chinese counterparts.

What is India's role in the summit?

India occupies a somewhat unique position in the SCO. While Delhi is a full-time member of the group led by Beijing and Russia, it's also a part of the Quad, an alliance with the US, Japan and Australia.

Both Beijing and Moscow have criticised the Quad. Chinese officials have even termed it the "Asian Nato". Delhi has been balancing this diplomatic tightrope as it wants to keep its relations cordial with the West and also Russia.

Despite pressures from the West, Delhi didn't condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine directly. However, it did talk about the importance of respecting territorial boundaries and backed talks to resolve the crisis.

Delhi has also increased its oil imports from Moscow - something which is likely to come up when Mr Modi holds bilateral talks with Mr Putin on Thursday.

The two leaders will discuss Russian-Indian cooperation within the UN and the G20, Russian Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

"This is particularly important because India will preside in the UN Security Council in December, and in 2023, India will lead the SCO and also chair the G20," he was quoted as saying.

This will also be the first time that Mr Modi and Mr Xi will come face to face since clashes between the two countries' armies in 2020. The clash over a long-running Himalayan border dispute left 20 Indian soldiers dead; China said later it lost four troops.

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The two sides have just completed a fourth round of disengagement at one of the main friction points after a year-long stalemate, according to reports.

There is also speculation over whether Mr Modi will have any substantial discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Shahbaz Sharif, who became PM in April.

Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have long been strained, and tensions have routinely spilled over at the SCO.

In September 2020, India walked out of an SCO meeting of national security advisers, saying Pakistan had used a "fictitious" map of it territory which included Indian states.

This would be Shehbaz Sharif's first SCO summit as the prime minister of Pakistan

Relations had already hit a new low in 2019 when India stripped the portion of disputed Kashmir that it administers - which is also claimed by Pakistan - of special autonomy, and split it into two federally-administered territories.

Pakistan's then prime minister Imran Khan indefinitely suspended trade with India.

But reports suggest relations could thaw at the summit in Uzbekistan, especially since Pakistan has a new prime minister.

In April, Pakistan's foreign minister had expressed interest in resuming trade with India and criticised the previous government for keeping Pakistan "internationally isolated and internationally disengaged".

Some analysts say India sharing space with Pakistan at a summit that is, among others things, focused on fighting terror is also odd - Delhi blames Islamabad for funding terror groups that target India.

Why does the summit matter?

China, Russia and four Central Asian states - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan - formed the SCO in 2001 to curb extremism in the region and enhance border security.

India and Pakistan joined the group in 2017 in its first round of expansion, while Iran is set to become a full member this time.

Russia and China are the dominant members of the SCO

The SCO was widely viewed as a countermeasure to limit the influence of Western alliances such as Nato.

While its impact has been limited, analysts say its influence as one of the largest trans-regional international blocs cannot be overstated.

The group accounts for almost 44% of the world's population - stretching from the Arctic Ocean and Indian Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean and Baltic Sea at the other end - and more than 30% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Over the years, its activities have expanded from regional security to include economics, trade and even law enforcement. Observers say the bloc also has great economic potential with more countries joining as members or partners.

But analysts say the bloc remains dominated by China and Russia.

Moscow regards Central Asia as its sphere of influence but Beijing's economic footprint has also been steadily rising, earning it considerable political clout in the region.

Read more India stories from the BBC:
Unionized educators in Seattle voted on Tuesday to suspend their weeklong strike, which delayed the start of the academic year, after reaching a tentative agreement with Seattle Public Schools.

The Seattle Education Association, which represents about 6,000 employees, said 57 percent of its voters approved the strikes suspension after receiving details of the agreement, which has not been made public.

We came together and showed our strength on the picket lines and in our community, and now the membership has made our voices heard that were ready to get back to our students, the union wrote in a tweet.

Classes were set to resume last week, but officials began canceling school as the unionized educators went on strike with no contract deal. The union said information on a vote to ratify the agreement will come later in the week.

A special thank you to our educators who are the backbone of our school district, Seattle Public Schools said in a statement on Monday announcing the tentative deal. They work hard every day supporting our students and families. We are proud to move in a direction that will better meet the needs of our students and staff.

The school district said classes will begin on Wednesday.

Educators previous contract expired at the end of last month, and bargaining began in early June.

The union sought a commitment to maintain certain staffing ratios for multilingual students and special education students as the district works to integrate the latter group into general education classrooms.

Educators also asked for higher pay increases and policies to cap employees workloads. The union said in a statement on Tuesday the tentative deal is a three-year contract that includes raises as well as maintained or improved special education ratios, but additional specifics were not made public.

Days prior to the first day of classes, the union declined to accept a memorandum of understanding from the school district that would have allowed the school year to start on time.

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The agreement would have committed the district to recommending any future salary increase in the new contract be applied retroactively to Sept. 1.

Seattle teachers arent the only ones resorting to a strike in pursuit of a better contract.

Rail workers could go on strike beginning Friday if a new contract agreement is not reached. The potential strike has gotten the attention of President Biden, and Congress could intervene to avert the strike.

Meanwhile, thousands of Minnesota nurses went on strike Monday, citing short staffing and low wage increases, potentially marking the largest private sector nurses strike in the nations history.

Workers at the flagship Starbucks roastery in Seattle and two other Seattle stores went on strike on Tuesday as the company held its investor day.

The coffee chain giant and its employee union have sparred for months as more locations attempt to unionize, leading to court battles across the country.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Sedgwick County Commission has ordered a cost analysis of the Wichita City Councils decision to decriminalize marijuana, exploring how much it would cost the county to book people in jail for misdemeanor marijuana offenses and pursue charges in district court.

Commission Chairman David Dennis said Wednesday he plans to bill the city for any future costs of jailing and prosecuting people on misdemeanor marijuana charges.

At what point do we start charging the city of Wichita for this process, Dennis said. Because were going to bill them for all the people that go into our jail.

Mayor Brandon Whipple, whose proposal to decriminalize marijuana and fentanyl test strips passed 5-2, said the county should do a legal analysis on that before they do a financial analysis.

I welcome a deep dive into just how much money the county is willing to waste on going after minor marijuana possession, Whipple said. I think it will be really telling.

Marijuana possession is illegal in Kansas and federally. But on Tuesday, the Wichita City Council voted to repeal the citys marijuana laws and stop prosecuting marijuana charges in Municipal Court, joining nearly 100 localities across the country that have decriminalized minor marijuana possession offenses.

Wichita police and Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett have discretion to not arrest or prosecute minor marijuana possession charges. But the City Council cannot direct Wichita officers to not enforce state law and has no authority over the district attorney.

Under the citys ordinance, police could give marijuana possessors a notice to appear in court instead of taking them to jail. If the Wichita Police Department decides to begin arresting people for minor marijuana possession, the decision could shift 750 to 850 cases a year that the city has been prosecuting to Sedgwick County District Court.

Bennett said misdemeanor marijuana cases are not a high priority for his office and he lacks the resources to take on up to 850 additional cases a year.

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I do not have the resources to pull away from my other obligations to this community to simply become the weed czar of Sedgwick County, Bennett said. Thats not my role. I have 122-125 homicides pending right now. Im trying one next week myself. I have lawyers trying rape cases and drive-by shootings.

But Bennett stopped well short of a committing not to bring charges for low-level marijuana possession, as has been done in jurisdictions around the country, including in Kansas.

In 2019, in response to reduced penalties for marijuana in Lawrence, Wichita and Kansas City, Missouri, Douglas County District Attorney Charles Brandon announced his office would no longer file criminal charges for small amounts of marijuana possession.

Im not going to turn a blind eye to it, Bennett said Wednesday. And we will take cases on a case-by-case basis. Well look at them, and if the situation warrants, well file some of these cases.

However, Bennett said he doesnt know how many cases he will file. Although marijuana is illegal at the federal level, its unlikely that federal prosecutors will take on any of the citys misdemeanor marijuana cases, he said.

The feds are not going to pick up a bunch of misdemeanor cases at the federal level and literally make a federal case out of them, Bennett said. Thats not a good use of their resources.

Bennett said he doesnt know at this point how much it would cost the county to file charges.

In terms of me giving an estimate on how many of those cases or what percentage of those cases were going to have to absorb, I dont know yet, Bennett said. Could be a lot, could be a little.

Whipple said he welcomes the countys financial analysis.

Were getting out of the marijuana conviction business, Whipple said. If the county wants to stay in, thats their business. The fact that they dont want to do it themselves proves that its a waste of money. In a way, were following their example.

Political maneuvering

The citys move to decriminalize doesnt take effect until Sept. 23. A second reading of the change is required next week before it officially passes.

County officials moved Wednesday to mount a public pressure campaign ahead of the final vote.

Dennis said he would like county staff to come up with a cost estimate before next weeks City Council meeting.

Between now and the time that they have the next reading and pass this, we need to be ready to react with a resolution immediately so that we can start recovering the expenses that theyve just dumped on Sedgwick County, Dennis said.

Commissioner Pete Meitzner asked Bennett to prepare a flow chart of the potential costs decriminalization could have on the county, which Bennett agreed to prepare.

That way the public would understand this, too, Meitzner said. I dont know if it would have an exact cost, but I could see a step that says, There is a cost.

Bryan Frye, one of two Wichita council members to vote against decriminalization after his motion to delay for 30 days failed, addressed the County Commission at Meitzners request.

Do you think that, in your opinion, that the City Council members understood this, all of these impacts, was that discussed yesterday? Meitzner asked.

I wish I could say yes, Frye said. But I dont believe so.

He said he worries that the council decision could have unintended consequences if Wichita police arrest people for marijuana possession and the district attorney brings charges.

I think this potentially could have much greater financial ramifications on those individuals, between impound fees, attorney fees, higher fines, etc., and I think the idea of placing a less financial burden on people that are charged with simple possession is not a consequence that was considered, Frye said.

Cops with pot convictions

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter called marijuana possession and fentanyl test strips, which the city also voted to decriminalize on Tuesday, two completely separate issues.

But Easter also gave an example of how law enforcement has discretion to not arrest people for misdemeanor possession of an illegal substance.

We are making the decision, if we run into a fentanyl test kit and thats all they possess, then we will make a suspect case on it, and we will seize the evidence because its paraphernalia. Its illegal, so we cant turn a blind eye to that stuff. Are we going to arrest them and book them? No, we are not.

Wichita Police Department officials have declined to comment on whether its officers will arrest people for minor marijuana charges or fentanyl test strips. The department is undergoing a leadership change after former Chief Gordon Ramsay resigned in March, and interim Chief Lem Moore announced his retirement by October.

Whipple said any candidates for chief would likely be evaluated, in part, on whether they choose to pursue low-level marijuana possession arrests, which disproportionately affect Black Wichitans. City data shows Black people are 10% of the citys population and 45% of marijuana possession cases.

While the countys running the cost analysis, they should also do a cost analysis on how much tax revenue were losing by saddling people of color under the age of 30 with a drug conviction that lasts them their entire lives based on having a gummy or maybe a vape that has economically devastated them, Whipple said. Thats the real deal here. Thats whats holding the economy down and individuals down. Government needs to get out of the way. Let people go meet their potential without saddling them with a legal stigma that makes it so they cant work for our top employers.

Frye pushed back on that idea to the County Commission. He suggested marijuana convictions no longer carry the stigma they once did when people apply for jobs, noting that the Wichita Police Department is hiring officers who have marijuana convictions on their criminal records.

So I think its becoming more accepted, Frye said. But I think it has to be done with caution and proper procedures so that the unintended consequences dont make it a higher burden not only for county government but also for those people that are being charged.

Easter said his office also hires law enforcement officers who have previous marijuana convictions.

And so this is not unusual for people with just simple possession charges, Easter said. It used to be a year that you couldnt apply or be a cop. Weve changed that now  its all depending on what the circumstance is.
Cruel Intentions star Selma Blair and her ex-boyfriend, the filmmaker Ron Carlson, have both dropped their restraining orders against each other, according to reports.

Legal documents seen by US press have revealed that the criminal case against Carlson, who Blair has accused of domestic violence, is still active despite the orders being dropped.

According to TMZ, Blair is still cooperating with prosecutors in the case against her former partner.

Blair, 50, filed the original restraining order against Carlson on 25 February, three days after the alleged assault took place.

As per court documents at the time, Carlson was at Blairs house returning a TV set after Blair had just finished a multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, leaving her feeling quite weak.

The Legally Blonde star was diagnosed with MS in February 2018.

Blair alleged that, as soon as she told Carlson she wasnt feeling well that day, Carlson started verbally abusing her by saying she was useless and that he deserves so much better than her.

The actor further claimed that Carlson soon became enraged and physically attacked her by jumping on top of her body while she was lying prone on the sofa.

As per court documents, Carlson allegedly strangled [Blair], throttling her and shaking her head and shoulders aggressively.

In her defence, Blair claims that she stuck her fingers in Carlsons eyes and he responded by covering her mouth and face with his hands leaving her unable to breathe.

Selma Blair received a standing ovation at the 2022 Emmys (Getty Images)

In the next moment, Blair briefly lost consciousness when Carlson allegedly slapped her and pushed the side of her head, causing her to fall back to the floor and begin to bleed from her nose, the documents said.

After that, Carlson allegedly left and Blair called the police when her nose started bleeding for the second time.

The same evening, Carlson was arrested by the Los Angeles police for a felony of domestic violence. According to People, some photos taken by LA police show bruising around the actors neck and chin.

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On 25 February, a judge granted Blairs request for a restraining order against her former boyfriend.

Carlson also filed a petition for a restraining order of his own, where he claimed he was at Blairs home when she asked him to sit next to her. He claimed they were both ill so he denied the offer.

Carlson claimed that Blair then became angry and antagonistic. He said she told him: Your daughter is a f***ing loser.

According to the legal documents, Carlson also denied attacking his then-girlfriend and stated that he just reached for her defensively. He added that Blairs bleeding nose was a persistent problem and that she had complained about it two days earlier over text messages.

The Independent has contacted representatives of Blair and Carlson for comment.

At the Emmy Awards ceremony on Monday (12 September), Blair received a standing ovation from the audience while on stage to present the award for Best Drama, which went to Succession.

Blair and Carlson first started dating from July 2017 until around January 2018. After a two-year split, they got back together in 2020 before breaking up again.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, on 0808 2000 247, or visit their website here.
Selma Blair and her ex-boyfriend Ron Carlson have dropped their restraining orders against each other. (Richard Shotwell / Invision/Associated Press)

Selma Blair and ex-boyfriend Ronald Carlson have filed to drop their restraining orders against each other, months after requesting the orders earlier this year.

On Tuesday, Carlson filed a request  in "stipulation" with Blair  in Los Angeles Superior Court for an "order granting dismissal of request for restraining order." The filing also said the court has ruled to grant the request "upon consideration of the moving papers."

Blair filed a request for a temporary restraining order on Feb. 25. She alleged that Carlson had attacked her while she completed an in-home intravenous medical treatment for her multiple sclerosis.

The "Legally Blonde" actor alleged that while she was resting on the couch, her ex-boyfriend jumped on her, choked her, shook and held her by both arms and knocked her head on the floor, then slapped her in the face, causing her nose to bleed. Carlson allegedly said, "I will f kill you" and other similar statements.

Carlson was arrested on Feb. 22 and spent the night in jail before posting $50,000 bail. The case against Carlson is still "being reviewed" by the L.A. city attorney's office, a spokesman confirmed Wednesday.



.



Weeks after his arrest, Carlson claimed that the actor became upset and agitated when he would not sit closer to her on the couch. Blair also allegedly called Carlson's daughter a "f loser." Carlson also alleged that Blair attacked him, scratching and hitting him.

The alleged altercation occurred nearly four years after Blair revealed that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in August 2018.

The restraining order dismissal comes just a day after Blair made a surprise appearance at the 74th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Monday. Greeted by a standing ovation from her Hollywood peers, she presented one of the night's biggest prizes, the Emmy for drama series, to HBO's "Succession."

Times staff writer Christie D'Zurilla contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FIRST ON FOX  Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., on Tuesday sent a letter to the CEOs of Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, asking what they are doing to combat sales of fentanyl and other illicit drugs on their platforms.

Parents across the country have lost or come close to losing their children due to fentanyl poisoning as the deadly synthetic opioid appears more frequently in pills disguised as Xanax, Adderall and other medications that are available to teenagers via social media.

"We write to you today regarding reports that the use of your social media platforms has been linked to the sale of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills that have caused the deaths of teens and young adults across the country," Daines wrote in the Tuesday letter. "In light of the devastating rise in drug overdose deaths in the U.S., especially linked to fentanyl, we are requesting more information regarding steps your companies are taking to protect children and crackdown on illegal drug sales on your platforms."

U.S. overdose deaths have doubled in 30 states over the past two years. Between November 2020 and November 2021, more than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Around 66% of those deaths involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl, though many people who overdose were unaware they were taking fentanyl.

SAN DIEGO BECOMES EPICENTER OF FENTANYL SMUGGLING AMID SPIKE IN DEATHS, DRUG SEIZURES

Victims, many of whom are minors or young adults, have died from ingesting fentanyl in illicit pills marketed as Xanax and other non-lethal drugs but contained the dangerous opioid unbeknownst to buyers. Among teenagers, U.S. fentanyl deaths tripled over two years.

US OVERDOSE DEATHS TOP 100K IN 2021, REACHING ALL-TIME HIGH: CDC

Deaths among Black teenagers in the U.S. increased five-fold. Reports suggest some victims may be purchasing illicit drugs and pills containing the opioid on social media apps like Snapchat.

Story continues

Parents across the country have lost or come close to losing their children to fentanyl poisoning deaths as the deadly synthetic opioid appears more frequently in pills disguised as Xanax, Adderall and other medications that are available to teenagers via social media. RINGO CHIU/AFP

Users sometimes use emoji to disguise conversations about drugs or other illegal activity that may be picked up by monitors social media companies use to block illicit activity.

CBP ARRESTS 7 GANG MEMBERS, INTERCEPTS 825 LBS. OF FENTANYL, METH AT BORDER

Daines noted in his letter, which has seven cosigners, that the ongoing border crisis has led to a drastic increase in fentanyl crossing into the U.S. from China and Mexico.

"Drug dealers in our communities then market these deadly pills to unsuspecting buyers as legitimate prescription pills like Percocet, Xanax, and Adderall," Daines wrote. "Social media platforms like yours provide a convenient venue for dealers to anonymously and discreetly peddle these counterfeit pills to a young audience. With 4 in 10 of these pills containing a lethal dose of fentanyl, more and more of these online transactions are ending in tragedy."

The senator then asked the four social media companies about their ability to detect sales of illicit drugs on their platforms; how many accounts they have removed due to drug-related activity; whether platforms are coordinating to prevent such activity; how companies aim to prevent previously banned users from creating new accounts; what recourse they offer parents and young users; and other probing questions.
The Senate Foreign Relations committee on Wednesday advanced bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

The panel advanced the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 by a vote of 17-5, coming amid rising U.S. tensions with China over Taiwans independence and despite unspecified concerns about the legislation from the White House.

Following the vote, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) told reporters that the bill makes it very clear of our support for Taiwan in many different dimensions and defense and the international realm and economic engagement.

It is incredibly supportive of Taiwan at a time that Taiwan needs that support to be clear as it deals with the aggression that China has shown in a way that its never shown before in the 43 or so years of the Taiwan Relations Act, he continued.

Four Democrats and one Republican voted against the bill: Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D- Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rand Paul (R- Ky).

The bill would set aside $4.5 billion in security assistance to Taiwan over four years as well as designate Taiwan a major non-NATO ally, which would benefit the island in terms of defense, trade and security cooperation.

The measure would also support Taiwans participation in international organizations and multilateral trade architecture.

The bill signals rising frustration from Congress over Washingtons current policy on Taipei.

The Biden administration has indicated that it had some concerns about the bill but has largely been silent on what those concerns were. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the administration was working with members of Congress on the bill.

China views Taiwan as part of its own territory and sees the bill as an affront to the One China principle  the long-standing policy under which the U.S. acknowledges Chinas position that there is only one Chinese government but still maintains ties with Taiwan.

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Menendez said the panel adopted changes to the bill that largely affect its symbolic areas but not the substantive ones.

Among the changes, the bill will now express that Congress wants the administration to negotiate changing the name of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office to the Taiwan Representative Office. The original version of the legislation directs the secretary of State to renegotiate the name.

The panel also removed a provision of the bill that would require Senate confirmation for the director of the American Institute in Taiwan.

Those are minor compared to the provisions on the defense assistance, which is the core of the bill, and the provisions on the international forum and economic engagement, Menendez said. So, from my perspective, not much change from the core of the bill.

Updated: 5:38 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Senate panel is set to consider a major overhaul of U.S. policy toward Taiwan on Wednesday despite concerns from the Biden administration.

The Taiwan Policy Act of 2022  introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in June  seeks to clarify Americas commitments to the island, which were established by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.

The new bill would set aside $4.5 billion in assistance for Taiwan over four years and designate Taiwan a major non-NATO ally, which would benefit the island in terms of defense, trade and security cooperation. The bill would also support Taiwans participation in international organizations and multilateral trade architecture.

China is vehemently opposed to the legislation, viewing it as an affront to the U.S. One China principle  a politically ambiguous policy dating back to 1972s Shanghai Communique that states Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China.

Beijing views Taiwan as its territory and has sought to put diplomatic pressure on countries around the world to not recognize the islands government. Under the One China principle, the U.S. doesnt officially recognize Taiwan as independent from Beijing but is committed to ensuring the island can defend itself.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., said in a statement to The Hill that Taiwan Policy Act would systematically undermine the One-China principle and change the long-standing one-China policy of the US, which is extremely egregious in nature.

Once passed as law, it will have a subversive impact on China-US relations and send a gravely wrong signal to the Taiwan independence separatist forces, Liu continued.

We are firmly opposed to this. We urge the US side to fully recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question, earnestly respect Chinas core concerns, abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques, observe international law and basic norms governing international relations, stop marking up these negative bills on Taiwan, and stop interfering in Chinas internal affairs, he added.

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The White House hasnt released a formal statement of administration policy outlining its objections to the bill, but White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview with Bloomberg that the Biden administration had some concern about the bill.

On Tuesday, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the administration has held discussions with members about the bill.

I dont want to get too far ahead of it because it is proposed legislation. But as we do, normally we are working with members of Congress about it as it goes forward, he told reporters on Tuesday. Weve been adamant about being committed to Taiwans self-defense and moving forward, and we look forward to working with Congress on this proposed legislation as it works through the process.

Brad Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says the most important element of the bill is the guaranteed military financing over four years.

Theres a huge gap between the deterrent capabilities that Taiwan needs and the capabilities that can afford, Bowman said.

So, providing by providing this security assistance program, which is sent to which is essentially a foreign military financing program, with some similarities to what we provide Israel on an annual basis, Taiwan would be able to purchase American weapons that it would not otherwise be able to afford, he said.

The bill comes as tensions between China and Taiwan  and China and the U.S.  have ramped up in recent years.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has also made U.S. officials more anxious about the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to purse reunification with Taiwan.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) led a congressional delegation to Taiwan in August, a significant move that was followed by China halting climate and military cooperation with the U.S. and holding large-scale drills around Taiwan.

Twenty-eight members of Congress visited the island this year alone, the highest number to visit since 2013, Bloomberg reported.

Taiwan has been a point of tension between Biden and lawmakers in both parties, who resoundingly backed Pelosis trip even as the White House signaled its discomfort.

As a result, the administration faces a politically fraught challenge in pushing back on the Menendez-Graham legislation.

Theres very little bipartisan ship these days here in Washington. And here we have something that both Democrats and Republicans agree on, said Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow on Chinese political and security affairs at the Heritage Foundation.

Democrats and Republicans are sponsoring this legislation. And yet, the administration rather than playing to that something that would unify the country is seemingly throwing sand in the gears, he continued.

Its unclear whether the bill has a path to become law in the remaining days of this Congress, but people will be watching for signals from members of the panel closely on Wednesday.

Itll be really interesting to watch the business meeting. And if we see Democrats not supporting Chairman Menendez, one of my first questions is going to be were they being told by the White House to do that? Or encouraged by the White House to do that? Bowman said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi at a hearing on Capitol Hill on February 3, 2021. Caroline Brehman-Pool/Getty Images

Two Senate Republicans want Congress to step in and avert a shutdown of the nation's railroads.

Sen. Roger Wicker and Richard Burr want to force the railways and unions into a deal after Friday.

The US Chamber of Commerce estimates a rail shutdown would cost the economy $2 billion a day.

As rail workers head towards a potential strike over working conditions within days, some Republicans are aiming to force them into a deal.

Currently, unionized railroad workers are in negotiations with carriers for a new contract with an emphasis on better sick leave, with workers prepared to strike on Friday if they do not reach an agreement. A strike could prove expensive, with the business-friendly US Chamber of Commerce estimating a shutdown would cost the economy $2 billion a day.

On Wednesday, Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina and Roger Wicker of Mississippi introduced a resolution that would enact recommendations from a presidentially appointed panel aiming to resolve the labor dispute. They want Congress to intervene if the unions do not voluntarily agree to the contract by the end of this week, and pave the way for wage increases  which, as the Washington Post reports, does not touch on workers' demands to stop being penalized for illness or family absences.

"There are mechanisms that have been in the law for a long time to allow Congress to step in and prevent the economic disaster that would ensue," Wicker said on Wednesday. "I think it's time to invoke that provisional law."

Wicker said he was opposed to extending the Friday deadline for a deal. "This has been going on for three years," he said.

John Drake, VP of transportation, infrastructure and supply chain policy at the Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement to Insider that the Chamber "welcomes" the resolution. "We need action immediately to avoid a rail shutdown and the economic impacts that would fall on businesses and consumers," Drake said.

The White House has been attempting to avert a strike, with the president reportedly calling both unions and management and the administration getting ready for potential fallout from a shutdown. Meanwhile, Amtrak has canceled some cross country routes to head off potential strike disruptions.

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"The workers are angry," a labor union spokesperson told CNBC. "They want movement on attendance policies and not be afraid to take a sick day or vacation day without the fear of termination. There will be no ratification unless this is addressed."

In a tweet, AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler wrote that "railroading is a demanding, tireless career," and that workers deserve dignity, respect, and quality of life.

"It's time to put an end to the corporate greed that's come at the expense of workers' livelihoods for too long," Shuler said.

The tides may be shifting toward a strike, with several of the 12 unions involved in bargaining voting down the tentative agreement.

A Department of Labor spokesperson said that negotiations will continue to avoid a strike. "Secretary Walsh continues to lead discussions at the Department of Labor between the rail companies and unions. The parties are negotiating in good faith and have committed to staying at the table today," the spokesperson told Insider.

The White House seems determined to broker a deal. "This is an issue that can and should be worked out between the rail companies and the unions, not by Congress. In fact, parties are at the table right now," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One earlier on Wednesday.

For now, at least one key Democrat wanted to avoid a Congressional intervention. "I've been reaching out to the unions. I think there's gotta be something on sick days and the railroads have to come to the table," Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio told Insider.

Brown declined to say whether he'd oppose Wicker's measure, but added the White House is in the driver's seat in negotiations.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Senator Graham and Blumenthal Alex Wong/Getty Images

Democratic and Republican senators on Wednesday unveiled a bill that would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, Reuters reports.

"The need for this measure is more pressing now than ever before," sponsor Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said of the bill, which co-sponsor Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) meanwhile praised as a way of showing support for Ukraine. The South Carolina Republican also noted how the legislation would permit the U.S. to impose "stiff penalties" on Russia, like allowing it to be sued in U.S. courts for activity in its war, Reuters writes.

Unlike Ukraine, President Biden isn't a fan of the state sponsor designation, which he and administration officials believe is relatively uneffective and could hinder the U.S.' ability to provide Kyiv with humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, Moscow has said that diplomatic ties would be damaged or severed entirely if Russia were added to the State Sponsor of Terrorism list, which also includes North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Cuba.

It is not clear when the bill might go up for a vote  but Blumenthal and Graham have been in support of such a designation for months, Reuters notes.

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Claire Foy, known for her starring role as Queen Elizabeth II in Netflixs hit drama The Crown, has said she is honoured to have told part of the late monarchs story.

Foy played the younger Queen in the shows first two seasons, before Olivia Coleman and Imelda Staunton took over in later series.

Im very honoured to have been a teeny tiny, small part of her story," Foy told BBC News while promoting her new film at the Toronto Film Festival.

"My main feeling is just thinking about her as a mother and a grandmother and a great-grandmother, really, she said.

"I think that she was an incredible monarch," she continued, adding: "She united people and she was a massive symbol of continuity and dignity and grace.

The Crown has been launched back into Netflixs top 10 lists in several countries, in the wake of Queen Elizabeth IIs death last week.

On Thursday (8 September), Buckingham Palace announced that the British monarch had died peacefully at Balmoral, aged 96.

Shortly after the queens death was announced,The Crown showrunners announced that production on the shows sixth and supposedly final season had been suspended on Friday (9 September), as a mark of respect for Britains longest-serving monarch.

Nonetheless, the Netflix series  which follows the life of Elizabeth II from prior to her coronation  appears to be experiencing a surge in popularity in several regions, including Argentina, Sri Lanka, and the UK.
Photo: The Canadian Press Police vehicles are seen at Calgary Police Service headquarters on April 9, 2020. A man has been charged after Calgary police allege he was running a fake firearms training course out of his home. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

A Calgary man has been charged after police allege he was running a fake firearms training course out of his home.

Calgary police say in a news release that Bradley Keith Bell offered private training between January and June, while posing as an ex-military veteran.

Victims told police they thought they were registering to complete the course with a certified instructor.

They allege Bell provided safety booklets and gave firearms handling instruction, before being asked to complete a Canadian firearms safety exam as the final step.

Police say the victims provided payment, personal information and photographs but were never officially certified because Bell isn't an instructor.

A search warrant on his northwest Calgary home in late August found ammunition, documentation, photographs and personal information belonging to the victims.

Bell, 36, has been charged with four counts of failure to comply with a release order and one count of fraud under $5,000. He was to appear in court Wednesday.

"This type of fraudulent firearms training poses a risk to the public and we are thankful through our investigations we were able to stop this individual from deceiving more victims," Acting Sgt. Steve Lynch of the firearms team said in a news release.

"We encourage anyone who may have been a victim of this type of falsified training to come forward to police."
Oleksandr Shumilin  Wednesday, 14 September 2022, 21:34

After the Russian missile attack at hydrotechnical structures in Kryvyi Rih, there are shortages of water in the city.

Source: Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Council Mykola Lukashuks post; Mayor of Kryvyi Rih Oleksandr Vilkul on Telegram

Lukashuks Quote: "There was a missile attack in Kryvyi Rih this evening. According to the information of the Kakhovka Task Force, there were seven X-22 missiles. They hit hydrotechnical and critical structures, as well as transport infrastructure. The enemys goal is panic, psychological pressure on people, creating an emergency situation in the city and attempting to create a humanitarian crisis.

In Kryvyi Rih, a staff for eliminating the consequences of the missile attack, municipal and maintenance services are operating. I ask that you stay calm. The situation is fully controlled by the Military Administration. Everybody is working.

Water supply will be restored, but we need time for this."

Vilkuls Quote: "Citizens of Kryvyi Rih, please, keep calm. The situation is under control. Those bastards striked one of the hydrotechnical infrastructure facilities in the city. We understand what to do. Water supply has started already. If you still do not have water, you are going to soon. Cant write any more details - orks are waiting."

Details: Lukashuk also added that, as of 20:20, there was no information regarding flooding any houses.

Background: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said that Russian missile attacks on the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast were an attempt to flood the city.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
The wood finishing technique known as shou sugi ban has caught on like wildfire in recent years, popping up in all kinds of architectural projects where a deep, dramatic hue is desired. It refers to an intentional charred finish that creates a thin layer of ultra-hard carbon on the wood surface, which protects the interior wood from moisture, UV rays, and insects much like a stain or sealant. There are many different techniques used to create it. While the traditional method involves propping the wood up into a prism shape and lighting a fire in the center, many modern interpretations use torches instead.

Shou sugi ban applied to the exterior of this Japanese Tea House by Terunobu Fujimori.

The Origins of Shou Sugi Ban

This wood finishing technique originated in Japan, but the popular interpretation of the phrase has gotten a few things wrong. Shou sugi ban is technically a misreading of Japanese characters that actually say yakisugi, so you might see either term used on the internet. Roughly translated, it means burning cedar board. As the name suggests, its traditionally only used for Japanese cedar, which has a naturally high resistance to rot, mold, and bugs.

Craftsman uses a torch to give a Japanese Tea House by Terunobu Fujimori a classic shou sugi ban exterior.

Shou sugi ban is also brought inside the Japanese teahouse for a moody effect.

Contemporary usage has expanded the technique to other types of wood, which technically makes it something other than yakisugi  but the benefits and effects are similar. Light, porous softwoods are generally preferred because they allow the heat to penetrate deeply into the wood without twisting or splitting.

How it Works

Traditionally, boards burned in a vertical prism form are laced together with string, lit on fire, and allowed to burn just long enough to char the exterior before theyre doused with water. The propane or gas torch method is as simple as it sounds: you burn the wood about 2 to 3 millimeters deep for five to 10 seconds, then spray it with a hose. Both processes are typically done at the building site, but some manufacturers specializing in shou sugi ban do it in their own facilities instead, shipping the finished product.

After burning, various techniques can be used to change the overall effect, either leaving the dark char intact or wire brushing it for a lighter hue. Coarse sandpaper can also be used. This will change the texture from the roughness of scaled alligator skin to a smoother, more visible wood grain, and can remove some of the surface carbon to avoid messiness in certain applications. Natural oils like pure tung oil can be used to seal the wood and deepen the tone, if desired. If re-oiled every five to ten years, yakisugi siding can last a century or more.

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Applications of Charred Wood Siding

Shou sugi ban planks line the outside of Ontario's Grotto Sauna.

Shou sugi ban planks line the outside of Ontario's Grotto Sauna.

Use shou sugi ban anywhere you want the look of dark, dramatic, and well-protected wood. Its most often used for exterior siding, but weve seen yakisugi wood utilized to brilliant effect in interiors, too. And its uses arent limited to just architecture. You could also apply the technique to fencing, wooden planters, and other outdoor accents.

Shou sugi ban planks in use outside a modern kitchen addition in the UK.

Some notable projects weve covered that incorporate shou sugi ban include the gorgeous Grotto Sauna in Ontario, the exterior of a dream bathroom by Bette, a Japanese tea house by Terunobu Fujimori, and a handmade log cabin. Lighter versions of the technique can be seen on the exterior of the Escape XL tiny home on wheels and a modern kitchen addition to a home in England.

The post Shou Sugi Ban: A Gorgeous Charred Wood Finish with Tons of Benefits first appeared on Dornob.
Do you want to be in the know when it comes to New Jersey real estate and development news? The brand new Building North Jersey newsletter is the perfect way to satiate your curiosity.

Hello. I'm Mary Chao, real estate and Asian communities writer at NorthJersey.com and The Record. I'm happy to announce that we will launch a weekly newsletter beginning this month on what's happening in North Jersey, taking you through the market's up and downs. We'll also let you know about businesses opening in our communities, and we'll keep you in the loop on large and small development projects.

The newsletter is free to subscribers. You can get that subscription now at northjersey.com/subscribe with a low introductory offer of $1 for six months.

Really. Just a buck for half a year.

A pedestrian walks by a construction site in downtown Hackensack.

This link will take you to the newsletter sign up.

I promise it will be packed with information about exclusive local real estate and retail news that you can't find anywhere else.

A little about myself, I have lived and worked in New Jersey for two years, after working for many years as a journalist in Rochester, New York. I am an award-winning journalist of three decades. We moved to New Jersey for my husband's job  he is an attorney and recently retired as a colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps. I'm originally from Taipei, Taiwan and grew up in Queens. I graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and New York University.

Aerial image of the Crocker Mansion in Mahwah on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. The home sold for $26 million in 2021.

As empty nesters, we spend our free time traveling and exploring the region's homes and eateries. I am on a dragon boat team and am practicing Kali martial arts. I love Broadway musicals. My husband doesn't. Fortunately, our daughter is in college in Manhattan to indulge in the plays with me.

I have been a real estate writer for more than 15 years and follow the market closely as well as dabbling as an investor. I purchased an investment single-family home in the depths of the Great Recession in October of 2008, scared to death we would be financially ruined not being able to rent the house out. It all ended okay 11 years later and partially paid for our daughter's college tuition.

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To me, a home is an investment. In North Jersey, home values appreciate well. Being a savvy real estate investor means understanding trends and having an eye for design. I am a serial redecorator who keeps up with home trends, but always with an eye toward budget. Every property we have purchased has been ugly as that is where the bargains are, regardless of how hot the real estate market is.

Photo of Mary Chao, reporter at The Record/Northjersey.com, poses for a photo at her home in Morris -Plains

I'm always on the go and on the look out for real estate trends and stories. Please feel free to email me at mchao@northjersey.com with any tips.

Thank you.

 Mary Chao

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ real estate: Sign up for NorthJersey.com's newsletter
Reuters

A prominent Apple analyst said the iPhone 14 Plus's low preorders reflect badly on Apple's strategy.

Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will be in stock when they launch, showing low demand.

The larger iPhone 14 Plus takes the spot of the previous, smaller iPhone 13 mini in Apple's lineup.

Ming-Chi Kuo, a renowned Apple analyst, wrote in a Medium blog post that the company's preorders for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus point to a failure in its product-segmentation strategy.

Last week, Apple announced the new iPhone 14 series. They became available for preorder on September 9, and the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max launch on September 16. The iPhone 14 Plus is available a bit later on October 7th.

Apple hasn't released preorder numbers for the devices. However, Kuo, who is an analyst at TF International Securities known for a strong track record of predicting future Apple developments, looked at early indicators of preorders for the company's current iPhone lineup to get a sense of how demand varied.

Notably, Apple chose to offer the base-model iPhone in standard and larger "Plus" versions  a change in strategy from the iPhone 13 base models, which were available in standard and "mini" device sizes.

Looking at availability and shipping estimates, he said the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Pro are showing "good" and "neutral" results, respectively. However, preorders for the two standard models  the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus  are "bad," according to Kuo.

"This new product's preorder result is significantly lower than expected, meaning Apple's product-segmentation strategy for standard models fails this year," Kuo said about the iPhone 14 Plus.

An Apple spokesperson did not respond to Insider's request for comment ahead of publication.

Kuo said stock of both the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will be available in retail stores when they launch, "reflecting lackluster demand." Both phones are showing signs of weaker pre-orders than the iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 13 mini, according to Kuo's analysis, and the delivery time for the iPhone 14 and 14 plus is shorter than the arrival estimates for the iPhone 13 and 13 mini.

If demand for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus doesn't improve, Kuo said Apple will likely cut shipment forecasts for both phones starting in November. If it does, Kuo said it could throw off the company's revenue growth.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A new redistricting map set to be released by the New York City Districting Commission later this month has the South Asian community in Queens fearful of losing electoral power over the next 10 years.

The location of district lines determines which voters can vote in each representative race. The U.S. Constitution requires legislative and congressional districts to be redrawn every decade based on new census data.

South Asians are one of the citys fastest-growing racial and ethnic groups, with more than 330,000 residents, or 4 percent of the population, NY1 reported in 2019.

Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park in Queens, which have large numbers of Punjabi, Indo-Caribbean and Bangladeshi residents, will be covered in the revised map.

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But experts and advocates argue that the citys redistricting process will further segregate these populations. The current council maps are already divided into Districts 28, District 32 and part of District 29.

Adrienne Adams, speaker for the New York City Council, said in a press release in August that the draft maps dilute Latino and Black voters voices and called South Asian communities in Southeast Queens unfairly divided.

"It is critical that new City Council district lines not only keep communities of interest together, but also preserve principles that were established to protect and enfranchise historically marginalized communities of color," Adams added.

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The redistricting divides and harms communities, according to South Asian advocates.

The fear that we have is, if right now if 10% of our community is in one district, 12% is in another district, 15% is in another district, that they dont make up a concise majority in any of these districts to be able to advocate for the funding that they might need, Jagpreet Singh, political director of Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), told Gothamist.

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South Asian immigrants in Queens will be adversely affected by the redistricting. Some residents in Richmond Hill hold green cards but fail the citizenship test because there is a lack of funding for English classes, Singh added.

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He pointed out that housing is also an issue, with many South Asians living in basements and lacking resources.

Felicia Singh, a South Asian candidate who ran to represent District 32, told the Gothamist that the redistricting process often forgets about immigrant communities.

This is not just a battle of lines, Felicia said. This is a strategic movement of people that either the commission cares about or they dont.

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Featured Image via ActionKid
Ukrainska Pravda  Wednesday, 14 September 2022, 20:09

Special Operations Forces (SOF) released a video of killing a Russian machine gun crew, while using an anti-tank missile launcher.

Source: SOF video

Quote: "Operatives of Special Operation Forces of Ukraine killed enemy soldiers from an anti-tank missile system. It required a few seconds and one accurate shot performed by a professional.

The entire process of utilisation of the enemy is filmed by a scout drone that belongs to SOF warriors".

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Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral will take place on Monday 19 September, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The Queen died on Thursday 8 September after 70 years on the throne. She was aged 96.

Royal protocol outlines that the nation enter into a state of mourning, but there are also several procedures in place surrounding funerals for members of the royal family.

Unlike Prince Philip, who had a royal ceremonial funeral, the Queen will have a state funeral, which is usually reserved for the sovereign.

But what exactly is a state funeral and who else has had one? Heres everything you need to know.

What is a state funeral?

A state funeral is usually reserved for monarchs and is a way of honouring the life of the sovereign.

It typically begins with the body of the deceased being carried on a gun carriage, which is drawn by sailors from the Royal Navy rather than horses, as part of a military procession, taking them from a private resting chapel to Westminster Hall in the House of Parliament.

This is typically followed by another procession to to Westminster Abbey or St Pauls Cathedral, depending on where the service is.

Heads of state are then given a 21-gun salute.

It is the responsibility of the Earl Marshal to deliver a state funeral with the support of the College of Arms.

Who is entitled to a state funeral?

The head of state is always entitled to a state funeral.

However, other people can be granted a state funeral with the monarchs approval and a vote in parliament, which needs to deem them an exceptionally distinguished person and then votes on money to fund it.

Who has had a state funeral in the UK?

In the UK, the most recent people to have had state funerals include Sir Winston Churchill (1965) and former prime ministers William Gladstone and Lord Palmerston, who were given state funerals when they died in 1898 and 1865, respectively.

The Duke of Wellington was given a state funeral in 1852 and Lord Nelson was given one in 1806 following his death in the battle of Trafalgar.

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Monarchs to have had state funerals include Queen Victoria (1901), King Edward VII (1910), King George V (1936) and King George VI (1952).

How does a state funeral differ from a royal ceremonial funeral?

There arent too many differences between the two types of funerals. For example, both include a gun carriage to bear the coffin and a service attended by domestic and foreign state representatives.

Additionally, both can include a lying in state, which is a tradition where the body of the deceased is placed in a state building to enable the public the chance to pay their respects.

Slight differences to the two funerals include the coffin being drawn by horses at a royal ceremonial funeral as opposed to sailors from the royal navy.

The main difference, though, is who organises the funeral. For example, ceremonial royal funerals are the responsibility of Lord Chamberlain - the most senior official of the Royal Household, while for state funerals it is the responsibility of Earl Marshal.

Those to have had royal ceremonial funerals include Princess Diana in 1997 and the Queens mother in 2002.

Where are members of the royal family buried?

Traditionally, members of the royal family are buried in St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Members of the royal family who are buried there include Queen Victoria, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I and the Queens mother.
Governor Mike DeWine announced Tuesday ApprenticeOhio sponsors can apply for grants of up to $25,000 each to help cover apprenticeship training costs incurred since July 1, 2020, according to a news release.

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September is National Workforce Development Month.

Ohio employers with registered apprentices in their workforces can also apply for the grants and the program is available through Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS).

As our economy grows and more companies choose to expand in Ohio, good-paying jobs in the skilled trades will continue to grow, DeWine said. Apprenticeships provide a proven path to success for those Ohioans looking to build their careers.

The reimbursement grants are available as a result of a federal, Building State Capacity to expand Apprenticeship through Innovation, grant that ODJFS received in 2020, the release said.

Sponsors and employees can apply for the grants now through December 31 at Apprentive.Ohio.gov.

Program sponsors and employers know that apprenticeships are an excellent way to build a skilled and highly motivated workforce, said Matt Damschroder, ODJFS Director. These grants will help employers invest in a workforce trained to their specifications, and help Ohioans looking for good-paying jobs.

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For those who apply, they can receive reimbursement of up to $2,500 per apprentice for up to 10 apprentices to help cover the cost of training and tool allowances and all applicants must have both a state of Ohio ID and federal registered apprenticeship ID, according to the release.

Ohio ranks second in the country for number of registered apprentices, with more than 20,000 enrolled.




Photo: file photo

Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) delegates want the B.C. government to hand over part of the $150-million settlement from the Purdue Pharma Canada lawsuit.

The annual UBCM conference, held in Whistler, brings together local government officials to identify key policy issues.

In June, a proposed $150-million settlement with Purdue Pharma Canada covering all provinces and territories was reached for the recovery of health-care costs related to the sale and marketing of opioid-based pain medication. The class-action case was brought forward by B.C. in 2018.

It's the largest settlement of a government health-care cost claim in Canadian history, B.C. MLA and NDP leader hopeful David Eby said at the time.

On Wednesday, a number of UBCM resolutions were rolled into one item. It called on the province to use the cash from the class-action lawsuit to help deal with the unintended consequence of the opioid emergency response.

Municipal leaders said they want help ensuring supervised injection and inhalation sites are secure and clean as part of the response.

There are financial consequences due to the opioid and overdose crisis that are currently being covered by local budgets, and local police, fire and bylaw departments, one resolution said.

Moreover, said a second resolution, some individuals who utilize the services of the overdose prevention sites and safe injection sites leave under the influence of drugs which can lead to disorderly behaviour, urination, defecation, illegal camping, and safety issues, which have a negative impact on businesses and residences in the surrounding area.

It was Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau who told UBCM delegates that a human face must be put on the addiction crisis issue. She said parties in the legislature are working together to find solutions.

She said the opioid crisis needs to be de-politicized, to humanize our politics.

"A health emergency was declared six years ago and since then 10,000 people have died from a toxic drug supply," Furstenau said, echoing recent numbers announced by the BC Coroners Service.

Needle collection

In 2020, the UBCM asked that the province develop an effective retrieval and safe disposal program for used needles and that local governments be involved in its development.

In response to that resolution, B.C. officials acknowledged concerns about the improper disposal of used needles and advised government was working to support the sustainability of harm reduction programs. That includes effective harm reduction supply distribution and the collection and disposal of used supplies and drug-related litter.

The province also advised of the community wellness and harm reduction grant funding program for initiatives that build on community wellness, safety and harm reduction efforts related to the overdose crisis and saving lives. Twenty-four municipalities and their community partners received up to $50,000 through the program.

The province also said the strengthening communities services funding program provides $100 million to local governments to support unsheltered homeless populations and strengthen communities health and safety through an application-based program. This program includes harm reduction services and cleaning and waste management services as activities eligible for funding.
Story at a glance

Students may get access to mental health services at their school.

Mental health professionals in schools include school counselors, psychologists and social workers.

Many public schools say that they have inadequate access to licensed mental health professionals and lack funding for their programs.

As students return to classrooms this fall, family members, caretakers and teachers may be worried about their childrens mental health. Although schools are not the only place where students can get mental health support, they may be one of the few places where they can speak to mental health professionals, especially if they are underinsured.

Many people do not realize what an important setting schools are in the overall landscape of mental health services for children and adolescents, said Gwendolyn Lawson, who is a researcher in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), in an email to Changing America. Schools are among the most common settings in which youth receive mental health services and can make services easier to access and less stigmatizing.

How students get access to services

Mental health services are often available in schools and the process of accessing them may vary from district to district, or from school to school. During the 2021-22 school year, 96 percent of schools report offering mental health services, although only 56 percent say they moderately or strongly agreed that they could effectively provide mental health services to all students in need, according to the U.S. Department of Educations School Pulse Panel survey for 2022.

In some situations, schools may have a system in place for universal screenings or well-being checks to help identify students who could benefit from additional support. In most schools, parents, guardians, or students themselves can reach out to a school counselor, social worker, or other school mental health professional and ask for assistance accessing services, Lawson said. That professional can point them toward resources within their school or within the community, depending on what is available.

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In addition to providing individual therapy to children or adolescents, school mental health providers often work with teachers, families and other important people in childrens lives. They may also implement group-based interventions, family-based interventions, provide external referrals, general outreach and assessment.

For parents and caretakers who are thinking about mental health for their children, they can contact the school to ask about services that may be available at the school or in the community. Mental health services may be available through community mental health clinics. They can also share concerns with their pediatrician who may be able to point them in the right direction, notes Lawson.

Challenges to access: funding

According to the School Pulse Panel, 48 percent of public schools said they had inadequate funding for their mental health programs.

In a white paper published by CHOP, Lawson and colleagues discuss challenges to building and sustaining mental health programs in schools. They explore how Medicaid can be leveraged to help pay for programs in schools.

One area of challenge relates to sustainable sources of funding for school mental health services: although leveraging Medicaid to fund services is promising, many schools may face barriers in accessing these funds, said Lawson. Funding for prevention and early intervention services (which are critical to strong school mental health programming) and supporting access for uninsured and underinsured students are particularly difficult.

Another potential source for funding is the American Rescue Plan of 2021, which has allotted $3.5 billion for block grants that will address behavioral health disorders. Recently, Oregon was announced to be the first to receive a grant through the plan for its community-based programs supporting people experiencing mental health and/or substance use crises.

Challenges to access: staffing

Many schools across the country are experiencing teacher shortages. Staffing shortages of school counselors, social workers and other mental health professionals are also a concern. From the School Pulse Panel, 57 percent of public schools responded that they had inadequate access to licensed mental health professionals and 61 percent said they had insufficient mental health professional staff coverage to manage caseload.

A mental health program that is understaffed ultimately limits access to care and may put added pressure on existing providers. The nationally recommended staff to student ratio for psychologists is one psychologist for 500 students, and for school counselors and social workers is one staff member to 250 students, says Lawson. A report from the U.S. Department of Education found that many public schools are not meeting these ratios.

Support is needed for the students

The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory in Dec. 2021 regarding mental health in youth due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The School Pulse Panel found that 70 percent of schools reported that the percentage of students seeking mental health support increased since the start of the pandemic. School staff also need mental health support, with 29 percent of schools saying that more of their staff requested services since the start of the pandemic.

Lawson notes there is also a need to develop systems that better support schools in selecting and implementing culturally appropriate and evidence-based interventions as part of the school mental health services.

Additional resources:

The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) provides support and education resources;

Therapy4thePeople has a directory of low-cost mental health services and support;

The Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology has a website that provides information about evidence-based therapies and other resources for parents and caregivers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Gov. Chris Sununu is projected to win the Republican primary in New Hampshires gubernatorial race, setting him up for a likely fourth term in the governors mansion.

The Associated Press called the race at 8 p.m. ET.

Sununu, who was first elected governor in 2016, has been generally popular in the Granite State. Fifty-five percent of residents said they approved of Sununus job as governor, according to a University of New Hampshire Survey Center Granite State Poll released earlier this month.

Sununu also hails from a prominent political family in the state. His father, John H. Sununu, served as White House chief of staff in the George H.W. Bush administration and as governor of New Hampshire. His brother, John E. Sununu, served in both the Senate and the House representing New Hampshire.

The three-term incumbent fended off a challenge from five GOP contenders, including small-business owner Thad Riley; U.S. Marine Corps veteran Julian Acciard; Karen Testerman, who served in Franklin, N.H., as a former city councilor; professional logger Richard McMenamon II; and biker candidate Jay Lewis.

The Granite State Poll suggested that Chris Sununu would likely prevail in the GOP gubernatorial primary given that 72 percent of likely Republican primary voters said the governor was their preferred candidate. Riley, Testerman and Acciard all received less than 10 percent support.

Chris Sununu will face state Sen. Tom Sherman (D) in November. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the governors seat solid Republican.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

The Supreme Court by a 5-4 vote said Wednesday that it will not shield Yeshiva University from a state court order that requires it to recognize a LGBTQ student group on campus.

The temporary order allows the legal battle to continue in New York.

On Friday evening, Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued an administrative order that temporarily shielded the Orthodox Jewish university, which objects to recognizing the YU Pride Alliance. She acted on her own as the justice who handles emergency appeals from New York.

But when the full court considered the appeal, the majority decided the university should have lodged an appeal with the New York state courts, rather than seeking emergency relief from the justices.

If those appeals fail, the university may return to the high court, the justices said. "If applicants seek and receive neither expedited review nor interim relief from the New York courts, they may return to this court," they said.

The order in Yeshiva University vs. YU Pride Alliance spoke for Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Kentanji Brown Jackson.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. filed a dissent joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil M. Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.

"I doubt that Yeshivas return to state court will be fruitful, and I see no reason why we should not grant a stay at this time," Alito wrote. "It is our duty to stand up for the Constitution even when doing so is controversial."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A man accused of killing a family of four in Cypress, Texas, in 2014 has been arrested in San Francisco after arriving on a flight from China on Sunday.

Feng Lu, 58, allegedly gunned down members of the Sun family in their own home in Fosters Creek Drive, near the intersection of Telge and Huffmeister Roads, sometime on Jan. 24, 2014. Maoye Sun, 50, his wife Mei Xie, 49, and their two sons  9-year-old Titus and 7-year-old Timothy  were all found shot in the head in different bedrooms.

The cold case shook the local community and soon made headlines in China. Some speculated that Maoye Sun had ties with a Chinese government official under probe for corruption, while others thought the incident was professional assassination or a hate crime.

Maoye Sun and Mei Xie were naturalized U.S. citizens, as per the Houston Chronicle. Maoye worked as a mechanical engineer at Cameron International, while Mei Xie took care of Titus and Timothy, who both attended Sampson Elementary School and engaged in multiple extracurricular activities.

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Andy Kahan, director of Victim Services and Advocacy at Houstons Crime Stoppers, said they knew who Lu was, and the question was catching and finding him.

It is big time news, Kahan told FOX 26. Someone that's been involved, and as someone whos been involved in the criminal justice system for over 30 years, whenever you get a cold case like this, especially a multi-murder, murder of two young children, that brings a big smile and sense of relief to you. So this was a pretty big win."

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Lu has been charged with capital murder. He was taken to the San Mateo County Jail and is now awaiting extradition to Texas.

Im very happy to know the updates on this case because, for a very long time, we think this became a dead case. I think we need the truth, to bring justice and let everyone feel peace, Houston Chinese Alliance President Yingying Sun, who is not related to the victims, told KHOU.

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To know that they stayed on it, that somebody was under suspicion and they waited until the right time to make an arrest, is very gratifying, community leader Rogene Gee Calvert told KTRK. I know when the word gets out and more and people hear, it will definitely restore our faith in law enforcement.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call 713-274-9100 or CrimeStoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

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Featured Image via Crime Stoppers of Houston
Long Beach Stabbing Victims.

Three days after one of his alleged victims died, a California suspect wanted in connection with a stabbing at a Long Beach gay bar has been arrested.

Local police arrested Michael Smalls, 56, on Tuesday, according to a news release.

Smalls has been accused of stabbing Christopher Finley, 28, to death at the Mineshaft bar on Friday night.

Finley was killed after he and another man had an argument with Smalls outside of the bar, according to police. The altercation got physical, police said, before Smalls pulled out a knife and stabbed the two in the upper body.

Finley died about eight hours after medical personnel took him to the hospital despite initial police reports that his injuries were not life-threatening.

A verified GoFundMe revealed that the other victim was Finley's partner, identified as Jacob Touchstone.

Authorities said the couple was involved in an altercation with a taser-wielding man outside the bar before the altercation with Smalls. That man was detained by police on an unrelated charge.

The man with the taser had reportedly been threatening patrons at the bar, according to local TV station KTLA. Finley and Touchstone intervened. However, Smalls stopped at the bar on his bicycle, and, after arguing with them, allegedly pulled the knife.

After the stabbings, Smalls fled on a bicycle.

Smalls is being held on $2 million bail, facing murder and attempted murder charges. Police believe the stabbings were not a hate-motivated attack.

The GoFundMe page established to help Touchstone with medical bills as well as expenses related to Finley's funeral costs has collected nearly $35,000.

According to the GoFundMe page, the couple had gone out for a date night and had ended up at the Mineshaft for a nightcap. The couple had been together since 2016.

Those with information about the case can anonymously report it at LACrimestoppers.org or by calling 562-570-7244.
By Maya Gebeily

(Reuters) -Syria's simmering 11-year war is at risk of boiling up once again with a return to large-scale combat after several frontlines across the country flared up in recent months, the United Nations warned on Wednesday in a new report.

"Syria cannot afford a return to larger-scale fighting, but that is where it may be heading," said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, chair of the U.N.'s Syria commission.

Hundreds of thousands of people have died and millions made homeless since protests against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011 escalated into a civil war that drew in foreign powers and left Syria carved into zones of control.

Fighting has cooled in recent years after Iran and Russia helped Assad recapture 70% of Syrian territory, the United States backed Kurdish fighters that defeated Islamic State militants, and Turkey set up a buffer zone near its border. But the United Nations said fault lines between various areas are now starting to heat up again.

"We had an idea at some point that the war was completely finished in Syria," Pinheiro told journalists in Geneva, adding that incidents documented in the report proved this was not the case.

The 50-page report found that "grave violations of fundamental human rights and humanitarian law" had increased across the country in the first six months of this year.

They included fighting and aerial bombardments in the country's northeast and northwest that left dozens of civilians dead and restricted access to food and water, the report said.

In government-held areas, the Commission documented the deaths of former opposition leaders, house raids and continued torture and ill-treatment in detention centers.

Russian air strikes over opposition-held areas had increased even further in the last few months, said commissioner Hanny Megally.

"We are seeing increasing violence," Megally told reporters.

It also documented more than a dozen Israeli strikes across Syria in the first six months of 2022, including an attack on Damascus International Airport that put the site out of commission for nearly two weeks.

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The U.N. revealed on Wednesday that it had been unable to fly in humanitarian assistance to Syria during that time.

Separately, the United States announced an additional $756 million in humanitarian aid for Syria, which would be distributed across the country to provide food, shelter and other support to needy families.

The U.N. has said more people are in need in Syria than ever before, as an economic crisis further strains their ability to access basic goods and services.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Bernadette Baum and Peter Graff)
Leaders first sought approval for Tenet Healthcare Corp.s Piedmont Medical Center-Fort Mill back in 2004, and, at long last, the Fort Mill hospital has opened to patients. Hospital leaders are now looking ahead after an approval and construction process that lasted more than 15 years.

PAST COVERAGE: Long-planned hospital in Fort Mill on track to open in September

The 200,000-square-foot Piedmont Medical Center-Fort Mill includes 100 beds, an emergency department, an intensive care unit, a medical-surgical unit, a womens services unit and other surgical services. A three-story, 60,000-square-foot medical office building is also at the site, at S.C. Highway 160 and U.S. Highway 21.

The Tenet Healthcare-owned facility opened to patients on Sept. 7, while local and hospital leaders celebrated the grand opening of the facility Tuesday morning.

As many of you know, its been more than a few elephants gestations getting here, said Dr. Saum Sutaria, CEO of Tenet Healthcare.

Chris Mitchell, CEO of the new hospital, said about 300 employees have been hired at Piedmont Medical Center-Fort Mill. That figure is even higher than the 250 employees Mitchell estimated in late July would be working there on opening day. Mitchell said the facility will employ around 500 people when fully staffed.

Hospital leadership plans to hold several more hiring events in the near future as the facility continues to ramp up.

Read more and check out photos of the facility here.

VIDEO: USPS to hire 28,000 additional employees just before holiday season




Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre worked with a politically connected Mississippi nonprofit to siphon more than $5 million in federal welfare funds to build a volleyball arena at Favre's alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi  and newly released text messages implicate former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) in the project, Mississippi Today reported Tuesday. The volleyball arena was the single largest known expenditure in Mississippi's largest-ever public fraud case, as laid out by former state auditor Shad White (R).

At the heart of the $77 million welfare fraud scandal is Nancy New, a friend of Bryant's wife and founder of the nonprofit Mississippi Community Education Center. New's nonprofit "was in charge of spending tens of millions of flexible federal welfare dollars outside of public view," Mississippi Today reports. She has pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts relating to the scheme and is cooperating with prosecutors. Former Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) director John Davis pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

The new text messages, released in a court filing Monday by a lawyer for New's nonprofit, "show that Bryant, Favre, New, Davis and others worked together" to funnel $5 million in welfare funds to build the arena at USM, where Favre's daughter was playing volleyball, Mississippi Today's Anna Wolfe reports. Bryant "even guided Favre on how to write a funding proposal so that it could be accepted by the Mississippi Department of Human Services."

Favre's lawyer said the quarterback never understood the funds were coming from programs meant to help the poor, and he told NBC News that Favre has been questioned by the FBI in a parallel federal case in to the Mississippi welfare scandal. Neither Bryant or Favre have been accused of criminal wrongdoing.

Along with the federal investigation and state criminal case, Mississippi is trying to claw back $28 million from Favre and 37 other people and organizations involved in the welfare payouts. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) and MDHS fired the lawyer overseeing that case, Brad Pigott, in July after he subpoenaed information on Bryant and Favre's role in the volleyball project. Earlier this year, Pigott also authenticated text messages showing that Favre sought $3.2 million in welfare grants for a drug company in which he was a shareholder, and suggested giving shares to Bryant, too.

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Read more about the case and text messages at Mississippi Today.

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By Michael Holden and Humza Jilani

LONDON (Reuters) -Prince William has told how walking behind his grandmother's coffin brought back challenging memories, alluding to the death of his mother, as mourners from all walks of life queued for hours on Thursday to file past the late monarch's coffin.

The new heir to the throne told well-wishers that the military procession had "brought back a few memories", a nod to the day 25 years ago when, as a boy of 15, he had followed the casket of his mother Princess Diana to her funeral.

The death of Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, has prompted an outpouring of emotion across the country. Tens of thousands have queued for hours, including through the night, to file past her coffin and pay their respects to the 96-year-old.

Presidents, prime ministers and royalty from around the world will gather on Monday for the state funeral for Elizabeth, queen for 70 years whose global stature was almost without equal.

The official in charge of the huge ceremonial event said on Thursday that he hoped the funeral would unite people from across the globe.

Ending 10 days of national mourning, Elizabeth will finally be laid to rest at a chapel at her Windsor Castle home alongside her husband of 73 years Prince Philip, who died last year.

The body of the late queen is now lying in state in London's Westminster Hall.

"The queen held a unique and timeless position in all our lives," said the Earl Marshal, Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, England's most senior peer who is in charge of state occasions. "It is our aim and belief that the state funeral and events of the next few days will unite people across the globe."

As he spoke, the queue to see the queen's coffin stretched more than 4.5 miles (7.24 km) along the south bank of the River Thames, past landmarks including Tower Bridge, crossing Lambeth Bridge as it neared Westminster Hall.

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The estimated queuing time is at least eight hours.

Officials expect about 750,000 people to view the coffin before the lying in state ends at 6.30 a.m. (0530 GMT) on Monday.

On Wednesday William walked in a solemn procession with his younger brother Harry and father, King Charles, as the coffin was taken from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.

It was a scene reminiscent of when, William and Harry, then aged 12, followed Diana's casket when it was taken on a similar procession through central London.

"The walk yesterday was challenging ... brought back a few memories," William said as he and his wife Kate spoke to well-wishers and viewed the sea of floral tributes outside the royal Sandringham estate.

Charles, who has returned to his Highgrove home in southwest England after a hectic schedule of events since Elizabeth's death last Thursday, and his three siblings, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward, will hold a silent vigil alongside the catafalque on Friday evening.

Some of those queuing to see the coffin had travelled from abroad, dropping off bags at nearby hotels to join those moving slowly through Westminster Hall. There were former soldiers with military medals and babies being carried by their parents. Many wiped away tears.

The mourners included former Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip, who bowed their heads before the coffin as they filed past with members of the public.

Amy Tsai, 24, said she had travelled from Taiwan in May and had taken part in celebrations for the queen's jubilee in June in the Scottish capital Edinburgh.

"Now I'm waiting in line to see her lying in state. I'm just shocked," she said.

FUNERAL

For the first time, palace officials also provided details of the funeral, likely to be one of the grandest ceremonies ever seen in the British capital, involving thousands from the military and with details overseen by the monarch before her death.

"It was her majesty the queen that went through the plans and made sure they were alright and the king is implementing those plans," a spokesman for Charles said.

After the lying in state ends early on Monday, the coffin will be carried onto the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy where 142 naval service personnel will pull it to Westminster Abbey, the same church where Elizabeth was crowned in 1953.

The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. (1000 GMT) and last about an hour. At its conclusion the Last Post will sound and there will be a two-minute silence to be observed by the nation.

The body will then be taken on the gun carriage in a large procession, with Charles and other royals walking behind, to the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner. Guns will fire and parliament's Big Ben bell will toll every minute.

The state hearse will then convey the coffin to Windsor Castle where there will be a further procession before a service at the castle's St George's Chapel.

In a later private ceremony, Elizabeth will be buried with Philip at the King George VI Memorial Chapel where her parents and sister, Princess Margaret, were also laid to rest.

GUESTS

Buckingham Palace said it would not provide a list of those who will attend the funeral but royalty, presidents and other world leaders are expected, although certain nations, including Russia, Afghanistan, and Syria, were not invited.

Charles will hold an official state event on Sunday to meet the dignitaries who attend. On Thursday he spoke to several world leaders including the president of Germany and the king of Saudi Arabia. The White House said he spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

Asked how the new monarch was bearing up, his spokesman replied: "I think people who've worked with the king know just how resilient and hardworking he is."

Elizabeth's body was brought to London on Tuesday from Scotland where it had remained since her death last week at her summer home Balmoral Castle.

Her coffin now lies in Westminster Hall on a purple catafalque placed on a red platform. It was covered by the Royal Standard flag and topped with the Imperial State Crown placed on a cushion, alongside a wreath of flowers.

Soldiers and 'Beefeaters' - the red-coated warders who usually guard the Tower of London - stand vigil. At one point on Thursday, Britain's defence secretary, Ben Wallace, took his place standing guard in front of the coffin.

(Reporting by Humza Jilani, Estelle Shirbon, Farouq Suleiman, Alistair Smout, Angus MacSwan, William James, Kate Holton, Kylie MacLellan and Elizabeth Piper, Editing by Janet Lawrence, William Maclean and Daniel Wallis)
A ticket to TechCrunch Disrupt 2022 gets you inside all three days of the most important tech conference in the world and access to a future of unlimited promise. For the next three days, prospective attendees will receive an $1,100 discount on a full-priced admission, making now the perfect time to score a ticket. Set for October 1820 in San Francisco, the event will welcome 10,000 in-person attendees, and the opportunity to join them on a steep discount ends on September 16 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

Every year, Disrupt captures the imagination of people around the world. Theres a massive global audience eager to hear the buzz about dynamic new startups, larger trends in the industry, and prognostications made by legendary tech visionaries. Plenty of news will break, and youve got to be there if you want to gather the inside secrets, absorb the knowledge, and forge the relationships that could one day get you on the famed main stage.

Whether youre looking for an angel round, a new job, or a new cofounder, the opportunities at Disrupt 2022 are boundless. Chance encounters and crucial introductions are natural products of a convention floor filled with so many change-makers and like-minded aspirants. The expo hall is devoted to showcasing hundreds of up-and-coming new projects from the next generation of founders. Opportunity and inspiration abound where the newest developments in fintech, AI, ML, web 3.0, crypto, and consumer apps all begin to emerge.

With just a bit of information about your background and goals, the Disrupt 2022 app can match you up with some of the people you really ought to meet. Available weeks before Disrupt 2022 kicks off, the service will set you up for success before you even arrive.

Disrupt 2022s round table conversations offer the opportunity to hear from great minds up close, without the pressure of immediate conversations. There will be insightful conversations on all manner of subjects  the founder of Otter.ai will talk about using AI to cut meeting costs and save time; the CEO of alphaa.io will shed light on the way that NFTs can tackle real-world problems; the co-founder of Pentas Ventures will break down the Gen Z equation; and the co-founder and CEO of BUX will dive deep into scaling fintech.

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The value of being at Disrupt 2022 is incalculable, but you can save $1,100 off your ticket for the next three days, until September 16 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

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Re. Kelowna municipal election

This is the first time I have written a letter to the editor but I feel I must after reading the article (about) Brett Wilson.

Wilson, a prominent Calgary developer and TV celebrity has announced his support for (Kelowna) Mayor Colin Basrans re-election.

This, of course, shouldnt be shockinga developer endorsing a mayor with a track record of saying yes to every single development with no regard for traffic, the environment, parkland, infrastructure or the Official Community Plan.

But what was most interesting and telling about the endorsement ,was Wilson couldnt even finish his endorsement without bringing attention to the 70 acres of land he owns in the ALR in Kelowna.

(It is) land he says: I may decide to do something with that. I may sell it. I may give it back to the city.

There it is. He owns 70 acres of land in the ALR that he would like to develop, sell to the city or do some sort of land swap.

News outlets previously reported Basran rented a home in the upscale Abbott Street neighbourhood from land developer and Canucks owner the Aquilinis.

Once again, its become clear, this mayor enjoys the company of out of town developers.

Its time the (residents) of Kelowna vote in new city councillors and mayor.

I hear many long-time, and new, citizens complain about the direction (the current) council is taking with respect to development but doing nothing about crime, traffic and homeless camps.

Kelowna has the highest crime rate in Canada. Mayor Basran has had eight years to correct the crime problem but when interviewed, said he was shocked to hear this news report even though the RCMP warned council previously of the serious crime rate in Kelowna.

Wake up (residents) of Kelowna. Its not too late to clean up our city and make it the beautiful welcoming city it once was.

Make your voice heard Saturday, Oct. 15. Vote for a new mayor and council.

A Dalsvaag, Kelowna
Every time we make a call on Zoom, upload a document to the cloud or stream a video, our computers connect to vast warehouses filled with servers to store or access data.

Not so long ago, European countries were falling over each other to welcome the firms that run these warehouses, known as data centres or bit barns.

Wide-eyed politicians trumpeted investments and dreamt of creating global tech hubs.

But then the dream went sour.

The sheer amount of energy and water needed to power and cool these server farms shocked the public.

The industry sucked up 14 percent of Ireland's power last year, London warned home builders that power shortages caused by bit barns could affect new projects, and Amsterdam said it simply had no more room for the warehouses.

Then things got worse.

The war in Ukraine helped spark an energy crisis across the continent, leaving consumers facing rocketing bills and countries contemplating energy shortages.

"Data centres will be a target," critical blogger Dwayne Monroe told AFP, saying the focus would only grow if Europe cannot fix its energy crisis.

Grassroots campaigns and local opposition have already helped to halt projects this year by Amazon in France, Google in Luxembourg and Meta in the Netherlands.

The Irish government, while reaffirming support for the industry, put strict limits on new developments until 2028.

The data industry says it feels unfairly targeted, stressing its efforts to source green energy and arguing that outsourcing storage to bit barns has helped slash consumption.

- 'Veil of shadow' -

These arguments are playing out most spectacularly in Ireland.

Activists are campaigning on a broad range of topics and using local forums to push their case.

"They take up a huge amount of space but provide basically no employment," says Madeleine Johansson, a Dublin councillor for the People Before Profit party, which is campaigning on the issue.

Johansson recently had a motion passed in her council area banning the centres, sparking an almighty row with the national government that is yet to be resolved.

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Dylan Murphy of Not Here, Not Anywhere, one of several climate groups pushing the issue in Ireland, has filed a motion in his local council in Fingal calling for companies to reveal the kind of information they are holding.

"There's a complete lack of transparency... about what data is actually being stored in these data centres," he said, calling it a "veil of shadow".

The data industry says revealing that information would be impossible.

Michael McCarthy of Cloud Infrastructure Ireland, a lobby group, said activists had lost the argument on sustainability and were now throwing everything at the wall.

"Data centres definitely are large energy users but they're part of a cohort of larger energy users," he said.

McCarthy and industry figures in other countries say the real problem is years of underinvestment in national energy infrastructure.

He also pointed out that the industry in Europe had pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030.

And there are still countries hankering to get data firms to locate there -- particularly Iceland and Norway.

- Questions over metaverse -

Against this backdrop, the tech industry continues to innovate new products that invariably require vast amounts of processing power and data storage.

Machine-learning tools, for example, are hugely energy hungry -- Google said earlier this year they accounted for between 10 and 15 percent of its total energy usage.

The metaverse, an emerging concept for a 3D internet championed by Facebook owner Meta, would also be hugely energy intensive.

Critical blogger Monroe reckons the metaverse will buckle under its own weight, partly because of its data requirements.

"The construction of the metaverse would require Facebook to build out a distribution of data centres that would rival what Amazon, Microsoft and Google have done for their clouds," he said.

Meta did not respond directly to questions about the metaverse but told AFP that it was "proud to build some of the most energy and water efficient data centres in the world".

As far as the carbon footprint of such innovation goes, energy experts interviewed by AFP said it would be difficult to assess.

The metaverse, for example, could help to reduce emissions in other areas by reducing the need for travel.

An energy official who did not want to be named questioned whether data centres were the best target for criticism when cryptocurrencies were so wasteful.

While data centres used about one percent of global energy output in 2020, cryptocurrency mining used about half that amount, according to the International Energy Agency.

McCarthy said those who opposed data centres needed to reckon with just how embedded they had become in everyday life, particularly since the coronavirus pandemic.

"They facilitate how we can work and live online, that's the reality of it," he said.

jxb/imm
TikTok is serving up misinformation to users searching for news about politics, climate change, Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and more, according to a report released Wednesday.

Toxicity and false claims are a "significant threat" at TikTok, which is becoming a go-to online venue for young people to search for information, according to a study by NewsGuard, a media watchdog.

NewsGuard describes itself as a "journalism and technology tool" that rates the credibility of websites and online information.

"Even when TikTok's search results yielded little to no misinformation, the results were often more polarizing than Google's," NewsGuard said of its findings.

NewsGuard in September analyzed the top 20 results from 27 TikTok searches on news topics, finding that 19.5 percent of the videos suggested contained false or misleading claims, the report stated.

Researchers said that they compared TikTok and Google results from searches for information about school shootings, abortion, Covid-19, US elections, Russia's war on the Ukraine and other news.

False or misleading claims in results included conspiracy theories promoted by QAnon and supposed home recipes for hydroxychloroquine, a prescription drug used to treat malaria and lupus, according to NewsGuard.

TikTok says the methodology used in the analysis is flawed, and that it makes a priority of fighting misinformation.

"Our Community Guidelines make clear that we do not allow harmful misinformation, including medical misinformation, and we will remove it from the platform," a TikTok spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry.

"We partner with credible voices to elevate authoritative content on topics related to public health, and partner with independent fact-checkers who help us to assess the accuracy of content."

While testifying Wednesday at a Senate hearing on social media's impact on national security, Twitter former senior vice president of engineering Alex Roetter said that the Chinese government is an investor in TikTok parent company Bytedance, and that it has incentives to maximize profit and user engagement.

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"The TikTok algorithm pushes educational science, engineering, and math content on Chinese youth while pushing a feed containing twerking videos, misinformation, and other destructive content to US children," Roetter told Senators.

Social media companies stand to benefit from attention-grabbing online content despite harmful effects it may have on society, Roetter said in opening remarks.

"Our terms of service and community guidelines are built to help ensure our vision of a safe and authentic experience," TikTok chief operating officer Vanessa Pappas said at the hearing.

"Our policies have zero tolerance for disinformation, violent extremism and hateful behavior."

gc/dw/md
Camilla, the queen consort, makes her way to Clarence House, past throngs of well-wishers on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, in central London. (Andrew Testa/The New York Times)

LONDON  The noise rippled through the crowd gathered near Buckingham Palace to mark Queen Elizabeths death  a rustling of phones, a sudden cheering, a burst of applause. I just saw her! a woman exclaimed excitedly as a dark car sped past, possibly containing some royal, or royal-adjacent, passengers.

Camilla!

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How different from a quarter-century ago. Reviled then as the woman who wrecked a royal marriage and destroyed a modern fairy tale, Camilla is now Britains Queen Consort, her image buoyed by the softening of a countrys judgments and the sheer passage of time.

I think shell support Charles just the way Philip supported the queen, said a well-wisher in the crowd, 52-year-old Diane Pett, speaking of Elizabeths late husband and the new King Charles. Who are we to judge?

As thousands of people converge on palaces in England and Scotland to mark the (so far) seamless transition from one monarch to another, its hard not to be transported back to 1997, another national inflection point. That was when Diana, the 36-year-old Princess of Wales and the ex-wife of Charles, was killed in a car crash, and London erupted in a collective howl of anguish and outrage.

It felt feral, bewildering, a rupture to the natural order of things. There was a dangerous crackle in the air, a fury at the royal family for what was seen as callous treatment of Diana in life and a gross misjudgment of the depth of grief at her death.

Prince Charles, accused (along with Camilla, then his girlfriend) of having been instrumental in Dianas unhappiness, worried that he might be jeered at or even attacked by the crowd as he and other male members of the royal family briefly followed Dianas coffin on foot in London. Emotions were so high that there was talk that the monarchy itself might be on the verge of collapse.

But not any more. As Britain settles in to wait for the queens funeral Monday, it is as if that earlier time has been all but forgotten.

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For now, there is a mood of quiet agreement, if not about the monarchys long-term future, then about the importance of the moment. There is respect for the queens long reign and even a kind of appreciation for the baroque rituals  the reading of proclamations, the signing of documents, the swearing of oaths, the sounding of trumpets, the courtiers costumes with their be-furred and be-feathered hats  that have been dusted off for the occasion.

Possibly the 1,000-year institution makes sense after all?

The monarchy is an apolitical symbol of national unity and of Britains long history and deep stability, said Gideon Rachman, chief foreign affairs columnist for The Financial Times.

Rachman, whose parents emigrated from South Africa to England, noted that every royal coronation since 1066 has taken place in Westminster Abbey. I think that kind of thing is a source of pride and comfort for people, he said in an interview, maybe particularly those of us whose parents came here from much more turbulent countries.

But after Dianas sudden, violent death in Paris in 1997, Britain was wracked with turbulence, uncertainty and incipient republicanism. Then, as now, crowds flocked to royal palaces, blanketing the grounds with flowers. Then, as now, there was wall-to-wall coverage of a royal death and endless TV chatter about the arrangements for a royal funeral. The grief was different, for the sudden death of a young woman rather than the sad but expected passing of an elderly monarch.

It was as if you were living in a revolutionary time, novelist and political commentator Robert Harris said. Ive never known an atmosphere in London like it. It was borderline hysteria, as if a coup might take place. Nobody knew what might happen.

Harris wrote about Dianas funeral, at Westminster Abbey, for The Mail on Sunday. He was seated not far from Dianas brother, Earl Spencer, whose stirring funeral address included a biting attack on the decision to strip Diana of her royal highness appellation and made a pointed distinction between the family she married into and her blood family. (That he came from an ancient noble family, far older than the queens, and that the queen was his godmother, added to the punch of the insult and gave his remarks the sense of a brewing mutiny.)

There was a pause after he finished speaking, Harris recalled. Then there was this curious sound, like rain drumming on the roof, and it became clear that it was the distant sound of applause from all the people gathered outside  watching on a giant screen near the abbey. Eventually, the applause swept through the church, though the queen and the senior royals did not participate.

It felt like if wed been living in Shakespearean times, the Spencer forces would have marched on London, and there would have been a Spencer regency with the two princes, Harris said, speaking of Diana and Charles sons, Princes Harry and William.

It was virtually the only time in her long reign that the queen cast tradition aside and bent to popular will. Under prodding by Tony Blair, then the prime minister and alarmed at what he saw as a crisis of royal legitimacy, Elizabeth returned to London from Scotland and gave a televised address the night before the funeral acknowledging the peoples bewilderment and pain. That helped defuse some of the urgency of the emotions.

Subsequent events  Charles marriage to Camilla and Camillas gradual acceptance by the queen; the passage into adulthood of William and Harry; Elizabeths general imperturbability; the burst of goodwill following her death  seems to have done the rest.

In an era of troubled democracies around the world, when a violent mob nearly derailed the peaceful transfer of power in Washington in 2021, it has been fascinating to watch the instruments of monarchy play out according to their ancient rhythms.

No American will ever experience that kind of comfort, that very human form of patriotism across the decades in ones own life and then the centuries before, Andrew Sullivan, a Briton who has lived for many years in the United States, wrote recently. When I grew up studying the Normans and the Plantagenets and the Tudors, they were not just artifacts of the distant past, but deeply linked to the present by the monarchys persistence and the nations thousand-year survival as a sovereign state.

As the new king took his oath Saturday, the seven surviving British prime ministers  John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, the current holder of the job  gathered politely along with Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party. (Never mind that some of them loathe one another and that, as political writer Adam Bienkov tweeted, Johnson was standing with people he has variously compared to a suicide bomber, called girly, likened to Col. Moammar Gadhafi, said should be tried at The Hague and blamed for the crimes of Jimmy Savile, the notorious pedophile.)

All the elaborate choreography helped obscure some awkward moments. Preparing to sign a declaration as part of his accession, Charles gestured crossly for an aide to remove some items on the desk and then displayed a teeth-baring grimace as he subsequently noticed that extraneous pens were cluttering the space (the pens were swiftly whisked away).

It also put a temporary bandage over festering family tensions when Prince William and his wife, Catherine, were unexpectedly joined by Charles other son, Harry, and his wife Meghan, in a 40-minute walkabout outside Windsor Castle on Saturday. Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are virtually persona non grata in Britain, at least in the popular imagination, since moving to California and lobbing criticisms at the royal family from across the Atlantic. But the two couples shook hands with star-struck civilians and inspected bouquets of flowers left at the gates.

In another floral inspection at another royal palace, Prince Andrew, the second of Queen Elizabeths three sons, emerged briefly from his disgraced near erasure from the family and walked amicably alongside his siblings.

As she stood in Green Park near Buckingham Palace the other day, bouquets of flowers strewn every which way, Janet Ratcliffe, 75, said that after the unpleasantness of the Diana era, she had come to believe that the monarchy could thrive under Charles and even under Camilla.

People were very sad, and it was very traumatic, she said of Dianas death. She mentioned Camilla, who by now had driven past (or not driven past) in the possibly royal car. She said that Charles had, as far as she could tell, grown into his new role.

I thought Camilla was the baddie, she said, but Ive come to realize that its more complicated than that. They care about each other, and they can do good for the country.

 2022 The New York Times Company
Update: SpaceX announced Wednesday that it is standing down again on the Falcon 9 launch, set fo4 9:48 p.m., due to unfavorable weather.

The agency is now targeting Thursday at 9:27 p.m. to launch the 54 Starlink satellites from the Space Coast.

Standing down from tonight's Starlink mission due to unfavorable weather, now targeting Thursday, September 15 at 9:27 p.m. ET for launch of 54 Starlink satellites from SLC-40  SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 15, 2022

Read our previous coverage below:

SpaceX will make a second attempt at launching a Falcon 9 rocket from Floridas Space Coast on Wednesday evening.

The company plans to launch another batch of Starlink satellites from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The launch is scheduled for 9:48 p.m.

Read: SpaceX, T-Mobile try to connect remote areas with satellites

Another Falcon 9 rocket launch for Starlink took off Saturday night.

Starlinks mission is to create a global network of satellites to provide high-speed internet access.

Read: NASA asks SpaceX to launch more crewed missions to International Space Station

Channel 9 will have live coverage and updates on the launch on Eyewitness News. Click here to stream it live.

Read: FCC denies SpaceX nearly $1B bid to deliver Starlink internet to rural US

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..
One of Ukraines top ballet artists has been killed on the battlefield after joining the countrys military to fight against the Russian invasion.

The National Opera of Ukraine announced with indescribable sadness the death of Oleksandr Shapoval, a longtime principal dancer for the company who went on to teach dance at the Kyiv State Choreographic College.

Shapoval will be remembered as an unforgettable artist, a brave warrior and beautiful, sincere person, the company said, according to a translation. He was an Honored Artist of Ukraine, an official title awarded for high achievement in the performing arts.

He died Monday under enemy mortar shelling, the statement said. He was 48. According to the Kyiv Independent, he was killed near Maiorske in Donetsk Oblast, a region of eastern Ukraine.

Oleksandr Shapoval (Photo: Oleksandra Zlunitsyna via National Opera of Ukraine)

Oleksandr Shapoval (Photo: Oleksandra Zlunitsyna via National Opera of Ukraine)

Shapoval volunteered to serve in Ukraines territorial defense in the early days after Russias invasion, according to the National Opera. He volunteered to serve on the frontlines as a private, and learned how to launch grenades. His unit was then transferred to one of the hottest zones, where he died, the statement said.

He will be remembered both by those who had the good fortune to work with him on stage, by those he taught and to those whom he imparted the incomprehensible secrets of creating a ballet image, and by the grateful audience, the opera company said, per a translation.

Ukrainian National Opera ballet dancer Oleksandr Shapoval killed in combat.



Shapoval, ballet soloist and Honored Artist of Ukraine, was killed near Maiorske, Donetsk Oblast on Sept. 12, said Valentyna Samchenko, deputy editor-in-chief of the Ukraina Moloda media outlet. pic.twitter.com/aohR92cWKY  The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) September 12, 2022

Another star of the National Opera of Ukraine, Artem Datsyshyn, was killed by Russian shelling in March. Oksana Shvets, an acclaimed actor and recipient of one of the countrys highest honors for the performing arts, was also killed by shelling during the same week.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
"It may seem small, but that's a lot," Topeka City Councilman Neil Dobler said of the planned 1-mill decrease in the property tax levy that is part of the 2023 city budget the mayor and council approved Tuesday.

Topeka's adopted city budget for next year raises overall property taxes but lowers the city's property tax mill levy.

The mayor and city council voted 10-0 late Tuesday to adopt a $340.1 million budget aimed at reducing that levy by 1 mill, to 38.939 mills from this year's level of 39.939 mills.

Estimated city property tax revenue under the proposed budget would rise by 5.23%.

'It may seem small, but that's a lot'

Councilman Neil Dobler said it felt good to approve a budget that lowered the property tax levy by a mill.

"It may seem small, but that's a lot," he said.

A levy in the amount approved Tuesday would result in the assessment of $672 in city property taxes for a $150,000 house, according to a graphic on Page 14 of the 564-page budget.

The city is able to lower the mill levy yet increase property tax revenue because of an overall 8.5% increase in assessed property valuations in Topeka, interim city manager Bill Cochran said in a letter that can be found on Page 8 of the adopted budget.

"We believe that we're presenting you with a very good budget," Cochran told the mayor and council.

Council members made no amendments to that budget before approving it.

The mayor and council's reduction of the mill levy shows "that we're listening to the public and paying attention to their concerns," said Councilman and Deputy Mayor Spencer Duncan.

He stressed that the city hasn't raised the mill levy for more than a decade. Before Tuesday, the mayor and council in each of the previous nine years adopted an annual budget anticipated to keep the citys property tax mill levy the same.

Diversity and inclusion was a focus

The budget adopted Tuesday includes earmarking $130,000 for salary and non-health care benefits to create a new job for a city diversity, equity and inclusion officer.

Councilwoman Karen Hiller said the city needs to make diversity and equity a priority as the city moves forward.

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She warned against allowing that job to become a "token" position, as she said has happened in other communities.

City officials worked to adopt an outcome-based budget for 2023, in a new process aimed at opening a direct line of dialogue between the city and those who live in it.

The city of Topeka property tax levy is part of a total property tax bill that includes levies that help finance other government entities, including Shawnee County, Washburn University, public school districts and local transit, library and airport authorities.

Mayor, council members discuss proposal to create TIF district

Here's a map of the area where Topeka's mayor and city council is discussing establishing a tax-increment financing district to encourage economic development.

The mayor and council also heard comments about the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce's request that the city establish a "South Topeka Redevelopment District" to allow for the use of tax-increment financing to encourage economic development in a specific area that includes the former White Lakes Mall, 3600 S.W. Topeka Blvd.

That mall been demolished "and we have a developer who is interested in developing this area, and so a request for a redevelopment district has been made," said interim city manager Bill Cochran.

No action was taken on the matter Tuesday.

Once the district were created, developers would be able to submit plans for projects in the area involved to be considered for TIF financing.

The city staff hopes to arrange for the mayor and council to consider the proposal to establish the TIF district in early October, Cochran said.

A current map of the proposed TIF district can be found accompanying the online version of this article. That district would include all property between S. Kansas Avenue, S.W. Topeka Boulevard, S.W. Croix and S.W. 37th streets, and some property to the east, south, west and northwest of that area.

A final map of the proposed TIF district will be made public before the mayor and council consider approving it, Cochran said.

The establishment of the TIF district would be aimed at bringing important positive change to what has been a "fairly blighted area," the mayor and council heard Tuesday from Curtis Sneden, the chamber's president.

The mayor and council also heard from a woman who said she thought she lived in the TIF district and feared that might result in her losing her home. The woman subsequently learned that her home wasn't in the area involved.

Councilman Brett Kell, who represents the area involved, said no homeowners would lose their homes because of the TIF district's establishment

How do TIF districts work?

TIF districts may be established in blighted areas as well as aging or underperforming areas that arent blighted. Kansas law also allows for additional approaches.

Here is how tax-increment financing works:

Officials determine how much property tax and sales tax revenue the property in a TIF district generated before the project.

Then, after the project begins, they determine how much property tax and sales tax revenue the property generates each year. The increase goes to pay off eligible types of development costs.

For example, if the city collected $100 annually in tax revenue before a TIF district was formed and $500 annually afterward, the $400 increase would go to help pay development costs,

Former councilman gains appointment

The mayor and council Tuesday also approved a consent agenda that included the appointment to the Topeka Planning Commission of Jeff Preisner, who served on the Topeka City Council from 2003 to 2011; and William Naeger, who has a law degree from Washburn University and is the brother of Councilwoman Hannah Naeger.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Mayor, city council unanimously adopt 2023 Topeka city budget
The Toronto Transit Commission with pause service in the city on Monday in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Toronto's transit operator will pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II on Monday by temporarily pausing service in the city.

At 1 p.m. on Sept. 15, all subway trains, buses, streetcars and Wheel-Trans vehicles of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) will stop for 96 seconds in a show of respect to the Queen, who died last Thursday at 96-years-old.

During that time, the TTC will also suspend subway station announcements and social media posts since that time will coincide with the British monarch's state funeral at London's Westminster Abbey.

As part of the @cityoftoronto National Day of Mourning events honouring Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the #TTC will pause service for 96 seconds at 1 p.m. on Monday.

Learn more at https://t.co/e70DQvtQJF pic.twitter.com/aoiMy6Gbuy  TTC Media Relations  (@TTCNewsroom) September 14, 2022

"All service will resume immediately following the 96-second pause, the TTC said.

On top of the TTC's pause in service, the City of Toronto also announced that city ferries will pause for 96 seconds while also sounding their horns at the start and end of the tribute. The bell at Toronto's Old City Hall tower will also toll 96 times, once every minute starting at 1 p.m.

Earlier this week, the Government of Canada declared Sept. 19 a holiday for federal government employees. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also announced that people in the province would mark the occasion "as a provincial Day of Mourning in lieu of a provincial holiday."

On social media, people questioned the TTC's decision to carry out a moment of silence, with many voicing their concerns over the delay.

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So youre going to delay service for a minute and a half and cause ripple delays as a result? https://t.co/SJoOeGM2fF  gills (@llamaqueen24) September 14, 2022

LOL I bet a lot of vehicles on the TTC pause for more than 96 seconds every single day https://t.co/yb8Vn9bl5D  !PO! (@hungrypo) September 14, 2022

People who are ON THE BUS need to be getting somewhere. This is so embarrassing and ridiculous.  is Pepsi ok? (@djwesallen) September 14, 2022

How will I be able to tell the difference from any other time a streetcar is just paused in the middle of the road for mysterious reasons  Mikey says hey (@erlking) September 14, 2022
Australian Agricultural Company Limited (ASX:AAC) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that insider Bryan Glinton recently bought a whopping AU$23m worth of stock, at a price of AU$1.91. While that only increased their holding size by 4.2%, it is still a big swing by our standards.

See our latest analysis for Australian Agricultural

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Australian Agricultural

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by insider John Andrew Forrest for AU$35m worth of shares, at about AU$1.11 per share. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (AU$1.92), we still think insider buying is a positive. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive.

Australian Agricultural insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. The average buy price was around AU$1.50. It is certainly positive to see that insiders have invested their own money in the company. However, you should keep in mind that they bought when the share price was meaningfully below today's levels. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

Australian Agricultural is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Does Australian Agricultural Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Australian Agricultural insiders own about AU$770m worth of shares (which is 67% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

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What Might The Insider Transactions At Australian Agricultural Tell Us?

It is good to see the recent insider purchase. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. Along with the high insider ownership, this analysis suggests that insiders are quite bullish about Australian Agricultural. One for the watchlist, at least! While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Australian Agricultural has 2 warning signs (1 is concerning!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Have hacks, will travel! (Photo: Getty Images)

If practice makes perfect, then I should be pretty on point when it comes to traveling: I've visited 29 countries and counting. But I know plenty of globetrotters who've far surpassed that number, and all of us have picked up clever travel hacks along the way. From accruing credit card points to packing wisely to getting quality shuteye anywhere, we've been there, learned that.

I asked a bunch of seasoned travelers to share their best tips for roaming around comfortably, efficiently and fairly frugally. I threw in a few of my own, too, along with some useful products to stock up on while you count down to take off. Now if someone can give us all an effective cure for jet lag, we'll be golden!

1. Pack solids and powders instead of liquids.

The TSA allows liquids up to 3.4 ounces (that's 100 milliliters if you're traveling outside the U.S.). Depending on your destination, you might even be required to compartmentalize your liquid toiletries in clear bags and remove them from your carry-on when going through airport security. Who needs the headache?

I've learned to pack non-liquids whenever possible. That includes shampoo, conditioner, soap, shaving cream and laundry detergent: I use bars for all of them. You can go the extra mile and invest in solid lotions, makeup and insect repellents, too. The added benefit is they're spill-proof, so no messy surprises in your luggage. Plus they use less packaging, so they're more eco-friendly and take up less space.

Ethique Solid Shampoo Bar Ethique $16 at Amazon You get 10 times the amount of shampoo from this little bar than you do in a travel-size shampoo bottle  it equals 80 washes! It contains zero parabens, aluminum, waxes and dyes  just natural stuff like cocoa butter and coconut oil. And it's pH balanced for optimum scalp care. The brand makes conditioner bars, too.

REMAY Glide Shave Gel Bar, 3 pack Remay $30 at Amazon Leave your aerosol cans at home: these popular Remay shaving bars for women and men come in a pack of three, and each bar lasts for 30 shaves. They're ergonomic so they'll stay in your hand when you shower, no rope required. They're also built with sensitive skin in mind, preventing nicks and razor burn.

Amazon Laundry Bar, 2 pack Zote $8 $9 at Amazon I call this my "magical Mexico soap" because I bought it on the island of Holbox after spilling chocolate all over my white shirt. It saved me! Now it goes wherever I go for scrubbing out stains and hand-washing clothes, which is another great travel hack to save space. Plus, it smells like heaven.

2. Pack light-as-air resistance bands for exercising anywhere

Travel is often an excuse to put your stretching and workout routines on hold, but it doesn't have to be that way. I like to travel with resistance bands, which are so lightweight, they're a blessing and a curse: you might not even remember you packed them!

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands, Set of 5 Fit Simplify $13 $17 at Amazon These ultra-durable bands are beloved by more than 80,000 Amazon fans and suit everyone from beginners to advanced fitness freaks. These are the same bands that physical therapists use to help patients with mobility, so they're great if you're traveling while recovering from an injury, too. They come with an instruction booklet for exercise ideas and a carrying pouch so they won't get lost in your luggage.

3. A handheld luggage scale makes airport check-ins a breeze.

"Given the number of bags I travel with, making sure they are at the correct weight saves me a lot of anxiety and headache."  Leila P.

The standard checked-bag weight for most airlines is 50 pounds, which is less generous than it sounds. Many airlines will charge hefty fees for overweight bags  or require you to unpack your suitcase right there at check-in and redistribute items to your carry-on in order to avoid the penalty (this, I can confirm, is a nightmare for everyone involved.) Weighing your bags in advance is the pro move.

Etekcity Portable Digital Luggage Scale Etekcity $11 at Amazon This battery-operated device gives you an accurate read on your luggage's weight, so you're not in for a surprise at the airport check-in counter. Don't worry: this gadget only weighs one pound itself, and it's tiny so you can pop it in your pocket or purse.

4. Distribute your weight wisely.

"I put the heaviest stuff in the carry-on because it rarely gets weighed. And I pack the most important things in my hand luggage, plus enough clothes and underwear for a few days in case the airline loses my luggage."  Cheily Ochoa

We're not saying your luggage will get lost. We're just saying that post-Covid understaffing, among other concerns, has been driving up the number of lost bags lately. Better safe than sorry.

Travelpro Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Expandable Upright Carry-On $144 $170 at Amazon Pilots and flight attendants famously love Travelpro luggage. This 22-inch spinner is one of the lightest carry-on suitcases on the market, so it's great for all of your heavy-duty belongings. It's extremely durable and sturdy, plus it expands up to two inches just in case you return home with more than you left with.

5. Switch out the hotel bedding for silk pillowcases that prevent frizz and wrinkles.

"I travel with a silk pillowcase for less friction on my hair and to maintain my skin. The silk pillowcase allows for a soft surface to maintain the moisture of my curls."  LaVasjah Will

Good news: silk pillowcases are also an excellent anti-aging hack since they help prevent wrinkles. They take up barely any space and weigh next to nothing, so they might actually be the smartest item you pack.

6. Save your spa treatments for overseas trips where it's affordable to pamper yourself.

"A lot of people just throw away money on special massages, like anti-cellulite massages that focus on one specific area. But a full body massage works wonders not only on cellulite but also for circulation. In Thailand, a one-hour massage outside of the hotel spa is the equivalent of no more than $8. I was going for a massage almost every day!"  Karina Das

Why wait till you arrive at your destination? Get the spa started en route!

RENPHO Bluetooth Eye Massager with Heat Renpho $52 $110 at Amazon Color us obsessed with this Bluetooth eye massager that's excellent for soothing migraines and reducing puffiness, dark circles and dry eyes  and it can even stream music. This one's a perfect flight or train companion, and right now it's more than 50% off.

7. Drown out sleep-disturbing sounds with a white noise machine.

"My USB white noise box allowed me to sleep in Lisbon's party district and everywhere else I stay."  Graham Kendall

We already know that noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones are essential for sleeping on planes, but what about when you arrive at your accommodations? You never know if there's construction outside, a baby next door, middle-of-the-night sanitation workers or crack-of-dawn roosters in the 'hood (travel enough and you'll experience all of these and more). Come prepared.

Adaptive Sound Technologies LectroFan White Noise Machine Adaptive Sound Technologies $50 at Amazon This insanely popular white noise machine weighs just over a pound and is less than five inches in every direction. It won't cramp your packing style, but it will silence snoring, sidewalk noise and other disruptions, helping to lull you into a deep sleep using ten fan sounds and ten ambient noise variations. Yes, they're all different!

8. Use luggage organizers instead of dumping everything into a 'black hole.'

"Packing cubes changed my life! It's way easier to find things in my luggage. I have one for small items (underwear, socks, bathing suits) and two bigger ones: one for tops and one for gym clothes so I can keep on training while I travel, which is super important to me."  Irene Gonzalez

A cavernous suitcase increases your chances of losing things when you're packing and unpacking in places you'll never return to. It's also a giant hassle to rummage through if you want to actually get somewhere on time. Organization is key.

BAGAIL Lightweight Packing Cubes, set of 8 Bagail $21 $26 at Amazon Amazon's No. 1 best-selling set of eight packing cubes makes space for it all, from t-shirts and jeans to underwear and toiletries. They're made of nylon to discourage wrinkling and have mesh top panels so your belongings can breathe  and so you can easily see your stuff without rummaging. They're built for wear and tear and are fully water-repellent, because you just never know.

9. Get rid of extra chargers and consolidate.

"My laptop charges over USB-C and so does my phone, so I got rid of the phone charger. My electric shaver has a proprietary charger but I found a USB-A charger for it, and I now charge it from my laptop."  Todor Nikolov

Is it my imagination or do electronics somehow drain more quickly when you're on vacation? You simply can't afford the inconvenience and wasted time, so seek out a streamlined solution.

Anker Anker Powerline II 3-in-1 Cable Anker $22 at Amazon The universal USB cable your wandering heart desires is right here in this three-foot Anker Powerline II, which has built-in USB-C, Micro USB and Lightning connectors. Translation: it charges Apple products (iPhones, Macbooks, etc,), Android phones, PCs, gaming consoles (PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch) and more  all at high speed, to boot. It can take a beating, too: you can bend it more 12,000 times, and it lasts 12 times longer than typical cables.

SLMASK Universal Plug Adapter for Worldwide Travel SLMASK $19 $20 at Amazon Invest in a compact universal charger to make your charging game complete. This one has four USB ports, one USB-C and an AC outlet, and it works in more than 150 countries throughout the EU, US, UK, Australia, Asia, South America and Middle East. It can charge up to five devices at once at high speed.

10. Freshen up your luggage for the long haul.

"I toss a couple of fabric softener sheets in my luggage to keep my clothes smelling like fresh laundry."  Merecedes Bezaury

Sachets, a bar of soap...I've heard plenty of ideas for freshening up luggage (I toss the Zote laundry bar above into my bag), but this one is the most clever. You could always use more dryer sheets anyway.

Target Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Lavender Scent Dryer Sheets - 80ct $10 at Target They weigh practically nothing, but these all-natural, plant-derived Mrs. Meyers Clean Day dryer sheets pack a major punch. Unzip a bag of lavender-scented clothes without any of the chemicals you'd find in traditional fabric softener sheets. The essential oil-infused sheets won't damage your delicates, so scatter them with confidence.

11. Bring your own collapsible to-go cup.

"The HuNu cup is my latest way to avoid unnecessary waste for coffee runs while traveling."  Mercedes Bezaury

Sustainably minded travelers will love this space-saving alternative to disposable cup waste.

HuNu Collapsible Coffee Cup with Lid HuNu $18 at Amazon If you're a coffee or tea lover, the fully collapsible silicone HuNu cup will be your constant companion. Just fill up the leak-proof cup and make a bee-line to the tour bus. You can stash it in your purse while you sightsee and refill it at stops along the way. It's BPA-free and microwave-safe, too!

12. Tote along a lightweight travel monitor if you plan on getting work done.

"As a digital nomad who works with two screens, I had such a hard time finding a second monitor in the big stores. So I invested in this portable monitor which is the size of a tablet. It comes with a case, and it's super easy to just carry with you. I've opted for the touch screen version because I want the extra flexibility. This is a huge lifesaver."  Francine

You probably never imagined packing an actual computer monitor, but in this work-from-anywhere era, lightweight, packable monitors exist. They connect to your smartphone to, providing a bigger screen for on-the-go entertainment.

ZEUSLAP 15.6 Inch Portable Monitor Zeuslap $130 at Amazon This Zeuslap model has a 1920x1080 full HD IPS touch screen. It has HDMI and USB-C ports and connects to your Macbook, PC laptop, smartphone and other mobile devices. It's also a great option for watching those movies and TV shows you downloaded to keep you entertained in trains, planes and automobiles.

13. Use a Chromecast device to stream your smartphone to a TV.

"Streaming from my phone to my TV in any hotel room is so easy. I can't live without it."  Tony Van Bil

Not every accommodation has a smart TV, and even if yours does, you might not want to log into your account from a public device. This is the smartest, most affordable solution.

Google Google Chromecast 3rd Gen Google $20 $35 at Walmart Just plug this baby into the HDMI port of your Airbnb's TV and stream media from your smartphone with a single tap; you can still use your smartphone as normal while you do it. Chromecast is a Google smart device, so it's compatible with Google Voice, too.

14. Bring a portable Bluetooth speaker to stream music and more from your smartphone.

This is a tip I hear often, and one I adhere to. Having a speaker in the house when you travel just makes the place feel more like home, and then you can just pop it in your tote bag and head to the beach or pool. No one has ever regretted the decision to BYOS (bring your own speaker).

Bose Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker $119 at Amazon If you're going to go for it, invest in the best. This portable Bose speaker resists water, dents, drops, cracks and scratches, and it has a tear-proof strap, so it's up for any adventure. It's Bose, so you can rest assured the sound is loud, clear and has deep, rich bass. It also has a microphone, so you can use it to take calls or link to your voice assistant. This one has a rare 4.8 overall star rating on Amazon, too.

If you have Amazon Prime, youll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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A Cisco employee works in an open-seating glass office at the company's new regional Midwest headquarters in Chicagos Old Post Office on Aug. 3, 2022. The tech giant opened a 130,000-square-foot space in July. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

As hybrid working becomes the norm in the post-pandemic landscape, several major companies have opened new Chicago offices they hope will give employees a reason to ditch their fuzzy slippers and head downtown.

Cisco and Accenture are among those seeking to earn the commute and redefine the workplace with communal settings, creative amenities and seamless technology that will blow away your home Wi-Fi. Both share a collaborative vision far removed from the dystopian cubicle farms of yore.

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In the office of the future, there are plenty of seats, but no assigned desks at all.

No one ever loved to go to their office because of their desk, said Todd Heiser, 48, co-managing director of architecture firm Genslers Chicago office, which designed both spaces. But I think people would go to the office because of the great experience they might have using a cafe, or incredible technology.

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Employees work with a skyline view inside Accentures new offices on Aug. 30, 2022, at 500 W. Madison St. in the West Loop. The global consulting firm moved into its new 264,000-square-foot Chicago headquarters in the renamed Accenture Tower in August. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Employees walk through Accentures new offices in Chicago's West Loop on Aug. 30, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Tech giant Cisco Systems opened its 130,000-square-foot space in the Old Post Office in July. Accenture, the global consulting firm, moved into its new 264,000-square-foot Chicago headquarters in the renamed Accenture Tower last month.

The openings follow Meta/Facebook, which launched its new Loop headquarters in June, covering 263,000 square feet across 11 floors at 151 N. Franklin St. In March, Edelman, the worlds largest public relations firm, fully moved into its new 92,000-square-foot loft space in the Gogo building, a century-old former warehouse at 111 N. Canal St. in the West Loop.

The offices were conceived before the pandemic and reshaped during it to reflect the reality of a hybrid workforce. They offer such features as locally sourced cafes, rooftop desks, cozy nooks, sweeping views of the city and endless meeting rooms to reconnect with long-lost colleagues. Large video screens adorn the walls to loop in remote holdouts.

Hallway sinks, ubiquitous hand sanitizers, touchless doors and air purification systems stand ready to quash germs, while masks remain optional. Crowded elevators and other choke points make social distancing a distant memory, however.

Despite gleaming new facilities, the companies may have their work cut out for them luring employees back to the office after 2  years of remote working. Empowered by a robust labor market, employees have embraced the flexibility afforded by a home office, while companies have treaded lightly with mandates that they return to their corporate confines.

A McKinsey study published in June found that 58% of U.S. employees are able to work from home at least one day a week, while more than a third can be fully remote. That means 92 million employees have the option to work remotely for all or part of the week.

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Given the option, nearly 9 out of 10 employees work remotely at least three days a week, according to the study.

That has translated into record downtown office vacancies in Chicago, with companies continuing to shed space as long-term leases come up for renewal. For the second quarter, vacancy rates in the central business district rose to 19.3%, while the Chicago metro ticked up to 21.6%, according to a Newmark report.

Things are getting a little busier at offices in recent months, as workers are encouraged to return more frequently. A study by Kastle Systems, which tracks entry badge swipes, found that the number of employees at Chicago office buildings is at 42.6% of pre-pandemic levels as of Aug. 31.

Tuesday and Wednesday are the busiest days for hybrid workers to hit the office, according to the study.

Early employee returns are modest but encouraging at Accenture, which has 710,000 employees worldwide and more than $50 billion in annual revenues.

Chicago houses the largest U.S. office for Accenture with 6,500 employees. In August, the company left its longtime home at 161 N. Clark St. and moved into its West Loop headquarters at 500 W. Madison St., taking over seven extensively renovated floors in the 40-story, Helmut Jahn-designed high-rise above the Ogilvie Transportation Center. The 10-year lease included naming rights.

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Accenture, which got a foothold in the building with its 2013 acquisition of Acuity Group, announced its expansion plans in July 2019  just months before the pandemic would scatter its workforce to remote home offices. The build-out incorporated the hybrid evolution.

We knew its going to be very rare that every meeting in the future has everybody in a room, said Jim Coleman, 56, senior managing director of Accentures Chicago office. We enhanced the tech a fair bit and we enhanced the collaboration capability.

A centerpiece of the new communal experience is a cafe featuring locally sourced, chef-prepared meals and flexible seating for up to 400 people. While meals run about $20 per person, Accenture has been offering free lunches as an introductory perk. A recent weekday lunch featuring panzanella salad and lemon caper chicken drew a long line of hungry employees snaking out of the dining area and into the future home of an innovation hub.

Other amenities include murals by Chicago artists, a mothers suite with four private nursing rooms and a neighboring interfaith room. The office also features a broadcast studio rivaling network TV, where Accenture can livestream videos for remote employees and produce content for clients.

Open seating and meeting rooms are scattered in clusters with panoramic city views.

Since opening Aug. 15, Accenture has averaged about 700 to 1,000 employees in the office per day, or about 15% of the Chicago workforce, Coleman said. Accenture is encouraging but not mandating employees to come into the office. If everyone associated with the Chicago office showed up on any given day, there wouldnt be enough seats, or lemon caper chicken, to accommodate.

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Wed be in trouble, Coleman said. I think our fire-coded number is 3,000 people.

Last summer, California-based Cisco Systems announced it was moving its main Chicago-area office from suburban Rosemont to the redeveloped Old Post Office at 433 W. Van Buren St., which has been a magnet for corporate relocations in the West Loop.

The repurposed, century-old building, which encompasses 2.5 million square feet of office and event space, reopened in fall 2019. Cisco occupies half of the seventh floor, which it christened with a party in July. The lease runs for 10 years.

A Cisco employee looks out a window of Ciscos new regional Midwest headquarters in Chicagos Old Post Office on Aug. 3, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

A dining area at Ciscos new regional Midwest headquarters. Tech giant Cisco Systems opened its 130,000-square-foot space in the Old Post Office in July. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

The sprawling office is filled with huddle rooms, break rooms, kitchens and conference rooms that recognize when you enter, reserving them in real time and instantly connecting you to the virtual world via giant video screens. In the real world, giant windows afford sweeping vistas of the Eisenhower Expressway, which bisects the building, creating an effect reminiscent of a tollway oasis.

The space is mapped out with sections named after Chicago neighborhoods. Cubicles and traditional offices are nowhere to be found, but there are 750 workstations spread across large open rooms. Seating is hot desk, or hotel style, with a green marker signifying the desk is clean and ready for new coffee spills.

There were plenty of spaces available on a recent weekday morning visit.

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An interactive video touch-screen map senses how many people are in the office and where they are located. The busiest days, Tuesday and Thursday, might welcome about 200 of the 1,100 or so employees who call the Chicago office home base.

Christian Bigsby, senior vice president of workplace resources for Cisco, said the company is rationalizing its national real estate footprint for the post-pandemic landscape, with plans to reduce it by 30% over the next three years. The downsizing process began during the pandemic.

We exited a lot of our sales offices, a lot of the locations that truly were just people-dependent, that we werent able to use anyway, because we had sent everybody home, said Bigsby, videoconferencing from his North Carolina office. We also took advantage of any other leases that were lapsing or places we thought we could reduce space.

A consolidated Midwestern hub for Cisco, the new Chicago office serves as an engineering talent center and a base for Meraki, a networking company it acquired in 2012. Its also a sales center to showcase products for customers.

Daily attendance is not mandated or expected, Bigsby said.

Theyre not going to come there out of habit anymore, theyre going to come there more for events and for purpose, Bigsby said. We dont believe theres a lot of people in the company that are going to wake up earlier, wear different clothing, groom differently, commute for an hour to show up and be by themselves.

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Amit Kramer, professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said remote productivity varies by occupation, but some companies still need employees in the office for mentoring and brainstorming.

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At the same time, he was skeptical that the new communal workplaces would incentivize many top-talent employees to forgo the flexibility of remote work.

I think some employees want to go to work, close the door and not see anyone else, and I dont see how that can happen in this new space, Kramer said. The workplace going only collaborative, no ability to isolate yourself for a few minutes or an hour, Im not sure thats a great way to bring back employees to work.

Beyond collaboration, Kramer said some companies are looking to reel employees back into the office to keep a closer eye on potential slackers. While so-called quiet quitting has been going on for years, it is harder to know if someone is working on the Penske file or soaking up sun in a backyard hammock when they are remote.

It may take a longer time to identify these employees and if need be, dismiss them or give them feedback about that, Kramer said. If they are spending their time looking for a new job on their computer at work, at least you can see that.

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Cassidy Beadle, 37, of Glen Ellyn, a 15-year veteran who helps lead the innovation team at Accentures Chicago office, has been coming into the new office two or three days a week since it opened last month. It is a major change after working remotely for much of the last 2  years.

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While some colleagues have had trouble getting over the inertia of leaving their home and hitting the road to work, Beadle said she found her commuting groove came back quickly. The cafe and the variety of meeting rooms and workspaces have been draws, but the pull that gets her to make the daily 50-mile round-trip journey is the collaborative mission of the new office.

Although the amenities are great, I think its the energy and the collaboration with my colleagues that has really been a dramatic effect, Beadle said. I dont think I realized sitting at my desk by myself, even with my kids at home, how much I was just missing out on that part of work.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com
A Gwinnett County police officer is accused of causing a deadly crash that killed a man while he was driving and looking at his computer at the same time.

The accident happened in the intersection of J.White and McEver Road early Friday morning.

Gwinnett County Police Officer Michael Brady admitted to police that he was looking at his computer when he crashed.

Channel 2s Matt Johnson was at the Gwinnett County Police Department where he learned Brady was responding to an emergency when the accident happened around 5:45 a.m.

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

Brady was on his way to work at the countys police department when troopers say he didnt see the moped rider right in front of him.

State laws that protect police officers on duty only go so far.

Troopers say Brady knocked Dwayne Claffey off his moped near McEver Road in Hall County by rear-ending him.

According to family members, Claffey had just turned 34 and was on his way to work on the day of the crash.

The officer was on his way to work in uniform but was not responding to a call. He was just on his way to shift change, Georgia State Patrol Sgt. C.E. Parker said.

According to the crash report, Brady admitted to looking at his computer inside his patrol car at the time of the crash.

Georgia police officers are mostly exempt from distracted driving laws while on duty but can still be charged with crimes.

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That does not absolve us from the responsibility to drive responsibly, Parker said.

Claffey was just one mile from home when the crash happened.

Just hope people will slow down and pay more attention in this area, neighbor Roger Pendley said. Prayers for his family.

Neighbors along McEver Road say theyve seen small crashes and have been in some crashes themselves  but Fridays crash is a first.

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(Im) surprised because thats the first time weve already anybody was serious injury or death occurring there, Pendley said.

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Officer Brady is out on bond from the Hall County jail and remains on administrative duty with the Gwinnett County Police department.

IN OTHER NEWS:
By Luc Cohen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tom Barrack, the investor and onetime fundraiser for former U.S. President Donald Trump, will go on trial next week in a case that will provide a rare test of a century-old law requiring agents for other countries to notify the government.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn say Barrack worked for the United Arab Emirates to influence Trump's campaign and administration between 2016 and 2018 to advance the Middle Eastern country's interests.

According to a July 2021 indictment, prosecutors have emails and text messages that show UAE officials gave Barrack input about what to say in television interviews, what then-candidate Trump should say in a 2016 energy policy speech, and who should be appointed ambassador to Abu Dhabi.

Prosecutors said neither Barrack, nor his former assistant Matthew Grimes, nor Rashid Al Malik - the person prosecutors identified as an intermediary with UAE officials - told the U.S. Attorney General they were acting as UAE agents as required under federal law.

Barrack, who chaired Trump's inauguration committee when he took office in January 2017, and Grimes pleaded not guilty. Jury selection in their trial begins on Sept. 19. Al Malik is at large.

The federal law in question was passed as part of the 1917 Espionage Act to combat resistance to the World War I draft.

Known as the 951 law based on its section of the U.S. Code, it requires anyone who "agrees to operate within the United States subject to the direction or control of a foreign government" to notify the Attorney General.

The law was once mainly used against traditional espionage, but more 951 cases in recent years have - like Barrack's - targeted lobbying and influence operations.

But the use of the law in those types of cases has rarely been tested at trial, because most have ended in guilty pleas or remain open because the defendants are overseas.

KNOWLEDGE AND INTENT

Barrack's lawyers have said the U.S. State Department, and Trump himself, knew of his contacts with Middle East officials, showing Barrack did not have the intent to be a foreign agent.

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The lawyers also said Barrack never agreed to represent UAE interests and that his interactions with UAE officials were part of his role running Colony Capital, a private equity firm now known as DigitalBridge Group Inc.

But prosecutors have said an agreement to act as an agent "need not be contractual or formalized" to violate section 951.

The results of recent 951 trials have been mixed. In August, a California jury convicted former Twitter Inc employee Ahmad Abouammo of spying for the Saudi government. In 2019, a Virginia jury convicted Bijan Rafiekian, a former director at the U.S. Export-Import Bank, of acting as a Turkish agent. A judge later overturned that verdict and granted Rafiekian a new trial, saying the evidence suggested he did not intend to be an agent. Prosecutors are appealing that ruling.

"What it comes down to is the person's knowledge and intent," said Barbara McQuade, a University of Michigan law professor who handled foreign agent cases as Detroit's top federal prosecutor from 2010 to 2017. "That's the tricky part."

Barrack resigned as DigitalBridge's chief executive in 2020 and as its executive chairman in April 2021. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

If convicted of the charge in the 951 law, Barrack and Grimes could face up to 10 years in prison, though any sentence would be determined by a judge based on a range of factors. Convictions on a related conspiracy charge could add five years to their sentences.

Barrack potentially faces additional time if convicted on other charges against him.

'SERIOUS SECURITY RISKS'

Barrack's trial will focus on allegations that during Trump's presidential transition and the early days of his administration, the UAE and its close ally Saudi Arabia tried to win U.S. support for their blockade of Gulf rival Qatar and to declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.

Prosecutors said Barrack also gave UAE officials nonpublic information about potential appointees to Trump administration posts, and made false statements to investigators.

Barrack's conduct "presented serious security risks," prosecutors said.

A UAE official said in a statement the country "respects the sovereignty of states and their laws" and has "enduring ties" with the United States.

Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a Middle East fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute in Houston, said that while the UAE and Saudi Arabia are U.S. security partners, Trump's perceived disregard for traditional government processes may have enticed them to establish back channels to advance their interests.

"It was in violation of the norms of international diplomacy," Coates Ulrichsen said. "If it's proven, it was also a case of actual foreign intervention in U.S. politics."

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Additional reporting by Ghaida Ghantous and Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; Editing by Amy Stevens and Grant McCool)
Former President Trump said Jan. 6 prisoners are being treated very unfairly during a call-in to a small rally at the Washington, D.C., jail on Tuesday.

Trump called Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Ashli Babbitt, who authorities shot and killed during the Capitol riot, to express his support for those being detained at the jail in connection with their involvement on Jan. 6.

Its a terrible thing that has happened to a lot of people that are being treated very, very unfairly, Trump said. We love Ashli, and it was so horrible what happened to her. That that man shot Ashli is a disgrace.

Babbitts family filed a lawsuit last year in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia seeking records on the officers that shot her.

The former presidents comments were posted by a livestreamer who said he covers the America First movement and recent trucker convoys.

As Trump spoke, a protester wearing a chicken mask waved a sign that read fart noises behind Witthoeft, who was holding the phone to a microphone.

Theres never been a thing like this has happened in our country, and I just want to tell everybody thats listening, were with you, were working with a lot of different people on this, and we cant let this happen, Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly criticized the treatment of Jan. 6 defendants since leaving office.

During an interview with conservative radio host Wendy Bell earlier this month, Trump said he was financially supporting some of the defendants and that he would consider very strongly and very favorably pardoning the defendants if he wins a second term in 2024.

Trump has mulled another bid for the White House but has not yet made a formal announcement.

The former presidents suggestion that he might pardon the defendants was met with strong opposition from many GOP senators, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), a Trump ally.



Others in the party, however, like Trump, condemned the treatment of Jan. 6 prisoners. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) visited the jail in November, and her office referred to their cells as the patriot wing of the facility.



The month prior, a federal judge found D.C. corrections officials in contempt over the treatment of a Jan. 6 defendant and referred the matter to the Department of Justice for a civil rights investigation.



After an inspection of the facility found deplorable conditions, the judge ordered the defendant, who was diagnosed with cancer, be transferred to another prison.

The Capitol attack has led to numerous investigations. Federal prosecutors have charged more than 870 total defendants from nearly every state as of last week, and about 380 of those individuals have pleaded guilty.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A supporter of former President Donald Trump wearing a clown was arrested at a Dairy Queen in Pennsylvania on Saturday after threatening to kill all the Democrats.

The Murrysville Star reported Jan V. Stawovy, 61, was reportedly carrying three loaded handguns with 62 rounds of ammunition when he was arrested by police.

This story will be updated.
Indians have called Fox News host Tucker Carlson's comments racist

An American TV anchor is drawing the ire of Indians for suggesting that the British had civilised India.

Tucker Carlson from Fox News channel claimed that India had not produced any architectural marvels after British rule ended.

The anchor made the statement during a show on Queen Elizabeth II who died last week, aged 96.

His comments have been criticised as racist and uninformed by politicians, commentators and social media users.

They come at a time when the Queen's death has revived a sensitive debate about the empire's colonial past.

In recent days, a number of prominent writers and academicians across the world, including in India, have criticised the British monarchy which, they say, is yet to reckon with the indignities and brutality of the empire.

Mr Carlson sought to debunk this argument in his show last week, when he claimed that the British empire was "more than just genocide".

"Strong countries dominate weak countries. This trend hasn't changed," he said in a clip that has since gone viral on Twitter.

The anchor added that unlike the US, the English "took their colonial responsibility seriously" and ruled the world with "decency unmatched by any empire in human history".

"When the British pulled out of India, they left behind an entire civilisation, a language, a legal system, schools, churches and public buildings, all of which are still in use today," he said.

Queen Elizabeth II was the last living link to a truly Great Britain. pic.twitter.com/pvbhRCnwm0  Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) September 9, 2022

The anchor then tried to defend his position by giving the example of Victoria Terminus station - a sprawling Victorian structure of yellow sandstone, granite and blue-grey basalt in what was then the city of Bombay (now Mumbai) - which was built by the British in 1887 and renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in 2016.

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"After 75 years of independence, has [India] produced a single building as beautiful as the Bombay train station the British colonialists built? No sadly it has not, not one," Mr Carlson said.

His comments outraged many in India, including senior politicians like Shashi Tharoor of the main opposition Congress party.

"I think Twitter ought to have an option for something to press when you can't respond without losing your cool," Mr Tharoor tweeted with two angry emojis on Tuesday.

I think @twitter ought to have an option for something to press when you cant respond without losing your cool. For now I will content myself with  https://t.co/6tWpUuSuMR  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 13, 2022

Another user said he found the claim "funny" as the most stunning buildings he had seen in India "weren't built by the British but by Indians themselves".

"That was before colonialism, when they could still afford to... Colonialism wrecked India, it didn't build it," he added.

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova also weighed in on the matter and said that Mr Carlson's "utter ignorance of history" was "quite staggering".

"Your racism is off the charts and your stupidity on this particular issue is of Olympic proportions!!!," she tweeted.

However, journalist Barkha Dutt said the controversy was blown out of proportion and called it a case of "needless obsession with the white man's orientalism".

"Amazed at how much time Indian media is willing to expend on a US anchor who wouldn't even notice if you commented on his nation," she added.

Read more India stories from the BBC:
Twitter is vulnerable to the possibility of foreign intelligence agents working in the company and accessing user data due to a lack of internal security control measures, the companys former security head Peiter Mudge Zatko has said.

We simply lacked the ability to hunt for foreign intelligence agents and expel them on our own, Mr Zatko said on Tuesday in his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Twitters data security practices.

The US Senate committee raised questions on claims made by the former Twitter security head that the microblogging platform faced multiple threats, including from the Indian government to employ its intelligence agents within the company.

One of the disturbing things, according to Mr Zatko was Twitters lack of ability to identify inappropriate access within their own systems.

What I did notice when we did know of a person inside acting on behalf of foreign interest as an unregistered agent, it was extremely difficult to track the people, he said.

There was a lack of logging and an ability to see what they were doing, what information is being accessed, or to contain their activities, or to contain their activities, let alone set steps for remediation and constitution of any damage, the former Twitter security chief said.

Mr Zatko claimed that Twitter certainly lacked the abilities to hunt for foreign intelligence agents working in the company and expose them on their own.

He alleged based on his experience at the company that due to a lack of access logging in Twitters internal systems, it would be virtually impossible to find what data had been accessed by specific employees, adding that thousands of unauthorized data access attempts were made every week.

Foreign agents may have multiple goals within the company, Mr Zatko said, including to finding out what plans Twitter has for the governments of other countries, including whether it would concede to a government censorship request or its expansion goals in a particular environment.

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Because of these disclosures weve learned that data from Twitter users were potentially exposed to foreign intelligence agencies. For example, his disclosure indicates that India was able to place at least two suspect foreign assets within Twitter. The soldiers also note that the FBI notified twitter of at least one Chinese agent in the company, senator Chuck Grassley said.

In the hands of a foreign agent embedded in Twitter, a foreign adversary could use the technology to cut down pro-democracy dissidents within their country, but also spy on Americans, Mr Grassley noted.

Citing an example, he said in 2019 two Twitter employees indicted by the FBI used their position within the company to access private user data and then gave it to Saudi Arabia.

These foreign agents were able to access and provide personal information on more than 6,000 individuals of interest to the Saudi government, Mr Grassley added.

Twitter did not immediately respond to The Independents request for comments.
Detectives in Fort Worth are investigating two homicides that happened over the weekend, according to police.

No arrests have been made in fatal shootings on Saturday and Sunday and homicide detectives are continuing to investigate, according to police.

Around 11:50 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to a shooting call in the 900 block of Samantha Drive and found 60-year-old Ronald Eugene Bradly dead in the front passenger seat of a vehicle at a nearby fast food restaurant, according to police and the Tarrant County Medical Examiners website. His cause of death is listed as a gunshot wound to the head.

The fast food restaurant was in the 2100 block of Sycamore School Road, according to a police report.

Police said detectives learned a person fired multiple shots at the vehicle in which Bradley was sitting, then the shooter fled the scene.

On Sunday around 2:10 a.m., police said 33-year-old Hector Marron Ramirez was shot and killed in the 3700 block of Mansfield Highway.

Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office lists his cause of death as a gunshot wound.

Police said the suspected shooter was shot after trying to get into a business at which he was denied entry. The suspected gunman, who has not been identified by police, went to his vehicle after being denied entry and retrieved a gun, according to police.

The suspect then shot Ramirez at the front entrance to the business, killing him, police said.
Kansas City and Independence had the highest number of untested rape kits in the state, according to an August report released by the Missouri Attorney Generals Office.

The Kansas City Police Department had 190 untested kits while the Independence Police Department reported 156. The third most was the St. Louis County Police Department with 79. While Kansas City has the largest population in Missouri, Independence ranks fifth, census data shows.

The numbers represent a snapshot of the status of rape kits in law enforcement custody across the state. Evidence from the kits can be key to solving cases, but only if they are processed for DNA.

Though widely recognized as a crucial part of criminal investigations, sexual assault kits have sat untested in police property rooms as widespread backlogs across the country in recent years were brought to light.

There were 1,536 untested kits in Missouri, with the Kansas City area accounting for nearly one-third of that total, the 2022 report shows.

These were reported kits, meaning the survivor filed a police report. Another 769 kits were untested and unreported, meaning the survivor has not filed a report. It is a national best practice to not test the kit until the person wants to proceed, the attorney generals office said.

According to the Kansas City Police Department, 292 rapes were reported last year. The KCPD and law enforcement agencies in the St. Louis area have their own crime labs. Kits from other parts of the state are generally sent to one of the Missouri State Highway Patrols three labs.

Earlier this year, the Police Foundation of Kansas City spent $340,000 on robots that can be used in the DNA testing process and will help reduce the backlog, said Capt. Leslie Foreman, a spokeswoman with the KCPD. The police department also added a forensic scientist and has plans to add more staff to support its labs operations.

The departments 190 kits were reported cases, but testing had not been sought by a detective or prosecutor. They may not have made the request because the evidence would not impact the investigation, the case was beyond the statute of limitations or the victim was unavailable, Foreman said.

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The 190 kits have been shipped to a private lab for testing, but testing has not been completed, Foreman said Tuesday.

Matthew Huffman, spokesman for the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said the higher number of kits could also indicate that Jackson County has more robust services which help survivors feel more comfortable coming forward.

The Independence Police Department said they regularly send kits to get processed. Officer Jack Taylor, a spokesman for the department, also said that some of the 156 reported kits were supposed to be unreported. They were incorrectly categorized by area hospitals which forced the department to list them as reported cases.

Statewide efforts

Missouri has made progress on the backlog. According to the 2019 inventory report, there were more than 4,400 untested kits.

Huffman attributes the improvement to better statewide coordination between police, prosecutors, hospitals and advocates, who can identify gaps in services and resources.

Were moving in a good direction while recognizing we still have a lot more to do, he said.

The state appropriated $1.1 million for sexual assault kit testing in June. It is also developing a telehealth network for forensic examinations that will provide 24/7 access to a sexual assault nurse examiner. Implementation is expected to start next year.

Huffman said getting the kits tested is an important signal to the survivor and it can help a criminal case. Since the state launched the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative in 2018, there have been more than 250 DNA matches in the FBIs DNA database known as CODIS.

For those serial perpetrators of sexual violence, weve now been able to find that pattern ... its helping to really bring justice to survivors, he said.

Testing all of these kits, putting out this inventory report, part of the reason all of this work is because at a statewide level, it shows to survivors that Missouri is invested in developing a better statewide response, that as a state weve recognized we can be doing so much more to help sexual assault survivors.

Survivors of sexual violence can get help by calling the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault. The Kansas crisis line can be reached at 913-642-0233. The Missouri hotline is at 816-531-0233.

The Stars Kacen Bayless contributed to this story.
By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic and Republican U.S. senators introduced legislation on Wednesday that would designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, a label pushed for by Ukraine but opposed by President Joe Biden's administration.

"The need for this measure is more pressing now than ever before," Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, one of the bill's sponsors, told a news conference, citing the killings of civilians and other "brutal, cruel oppression" in Ukraine since Russia's invasion.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, another bill sponsor, said the designation would send a strong signal of support for Ukraine to Kyiv but also to U.S. allies, while imposing stiff penalties on Russia like allowing it to be sued in U.S. courts for its actions in Ukraine and tightening sanctions.

It was not immediately clear when or whether the measure might come up for a vote. But the two senators have been advocating for the designation for months, visiting Kyiv in July to promote it.

They have been joined by other lawmakers in voicing support for the idea. Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in July the designation was "long overdue."

Biden has said he does not plan such a designation for Russia. Administration officials say they do not feel that the designation is the most effective way to hold Russia accountable and that it could hinder deliveries of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told a news briefing that the administration was discussing with lawmakers measures "analogous" to those that would be imposed on Russia's economy by the designation.

"We have to take into account the consequences, intended and unintended" by such a designation, he said. "We are engaging with Congress on tools that would continue to have analogous implications for the Russian economy, for the Russian government, that would not have those unintended consequences."

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Moscow has told Washington that diplomatic ties would be badly damaged and could even be broken off if Russia were added to the State Sponsor of Terrorism list, which currently includes Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Syria.

Blumenthal and Graham's bill includes a provision that would allow a U.S. president to waive the designation for national security reasons after certifying to Congress that Russia is no longer supporting acts of international terrorism.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Jonathan Landay and Simon Lewis; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
By Andrew Chung

(Reuters) -Yeshiva University cannot bar a LGBT student club after the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block a judge's ruling ordering the Jewish school in New York City to officially recognize the group.

The justices, in a 5-4 decision, declined to put on hold a state court ruling that a city anti-discrimination law required Yeshiva University to recognize Y.U. Pride Alliance as a student club while the school pursues an appeal in a lower court.

The decision appeared to direct the case back to the state court system. "The application is denied because it appears that applicants have at least two further avenues for expedited or interim state court relief," the decision said.

Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett dissented. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor had temporarily blocked the judge's order last Friday while the justices considered the university's request.

Eric Baxter, a lawyer with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty conservative legal group representing the school, emphasized that if the state courts do not provide relief, "they can return to the Supreme Court to seek its protection again. We will follow the court's instruction."

Katie Rosenfeld, a lawyer for Y.U. Pride Alliance, called the decision a "victory for Yeshiva University students who are simply seeking basic rights that are uncontested at peer universities."

"At the end of the day, Yeshiva University students will have a club for peer support this year, and the sky is not going to fall down," Rosenfeld added.

The group formed unofficially in 2018 but Yeshiva determined that granting it official status would be "inconsistent with the school's Torah values and the religious environment it seeks to maintain."

The dispute hinges in part on whether Yeshiva is a "religious corporation" and therefore exempt from the New York City Human Rights Law, which bans discrimination by a place or provider of public accommodation.

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New York state judge Lynn Kotler in June determined that the school's primary purpose is education, not religious worship, and it is subject to anti-discrimination law. Kotler also rejected the university's argument that forcing it to recognize the club would violate its religious freedom protected under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

In his dissent on Wednesday, Alito wrote, "The First Amendment guarantees the right to the free exercise of religion, and if that provision means anything, it prohibits a state from enforcing its own preferred interpretation of Holy Scripture. Yet that is exactly what New York has done in this case, and it is disappointing that a majority of this court refuses to provide relief."

After higher state courts in August refused to stay the judge's ruling, Yeshiva turned to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"As a deeply religious Jewish university, Yeshiva cannot comply with that order because doing so would violate its sincere religious beliefs about how to form its undergraduate students in Torah values," the school told the Supreme Court.

The Modern Orthodox Jewish university, based in Manhattan, has roughly 6,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs. Among the school's values, according to its website, are believing in "the infinite worth of each and every human being" and "the responsibility to reach out to others in compassion."

Powered by its increasingly assertive conservative justices, the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years has expanded religious rights while narrowing the separation between church and state.

In its upcoming term, which begins on Oct. 3, the court will decide a major new legal fight pitting religious liberty against LGBT rights involving an evangelical Christian web designer's free speech claim that she cannot be forced under a Colorado anti-discrimination law to produce websites for same-sex marriages.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)
Betty Robinson, 62, left, and Patience Okanu, 65, depart the Whole Foods in Chicago's Englewood on April 29, 2022, after hearing of its closing. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Whole Foods will close its store in Englewood on Nov. 13 after deciding earlier this year to pull out of the South Side neighborhood.

The company announced in April it would shutter the store, news that came as a gut punch to a neighborhood that had received the grocer with much fanfare six years prior. Residents told the Tribune they felt betrayed by Whole Foods decision.

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At the time, Whole Foods did not specify when the store would close. The closure date was first reported Wednesday by Block Club Chicago and confirmed by the Tribune with a company spokesperson.

Whole Foods opened the Englewood store, located at 832 W. 63rd St., in 2016. Nonprofit developer Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives received $10.7 million to prepare the site before the city sold it to Leon Walker of DL3 Realty for $1.

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Walker told the Tribune Wednesday that three grocery operators  one a national grocery company, one a local chain and one an independent grocer  were in conversations about operating a store at the Whole Foods site.

It looks like we should have something to announce prior to closing about a transition that will happen with a new grocer early next year, he said.

A shopper walks out of a Whole Foods grocery store in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood on April 29, 2022. After six years and some fanfare when it opened, Whole Foods is closing that location. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

The decision about what grocery operator will be chosen is ultimately Whole Foods, Walker said, because the new operator will sublease from the company.

Were going back and forth trying to find which ones going to be able to move the fastest and also provide long-term strength and competence, he said. We want to make sure we select and go forth with the operator that is attuned to what the community needs and is prepared and committed to being a long-term solution.

Though the company initially priced some staples lower than in other Chicago-area stores, the premium-priced grocer still faced skepticism regarding how its high prices would play in Englewood.

After the closure was announced in April, Mayor Lori Lightfoot blamed the cost of shopping there.

I dont know about most of you, but most Chicagoans are hard-pressed to pay, for example, $15 a pound for a piece of steak, she said. Weve got to make sure that were making the investments that make sense for those neighborhoods.

In May, Walker told the Tribune that DL3 Realty was looking for grocers that were neither gourmet nor deep discount options. The three grocery operators in conversations about the site meet that description, he said Wednesday.

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The sale agreement with the city requires a full-service grocery store to operate in the Englewood Square development until late 2027. The agreement requires a new store to be up and running within 18 months of Whole Foods departure. That would put the deadline for a new grocery store in May 2024.

Employees from the Englewood store will be given the opportunity to transfer to other Whole Foods locations, a Whole Foods spokesperson said.

At the same time it announced the Englewood closure, Whole Foods also announced it was shuttering a store in the DePaul University Welcome Center and four other stores around the country.

The same week the company announced the Englewood closure, it opened a nearly 66,000-square-foot location in the Near North neighborhood.

The Englewood Whole Foods is just one of the South and West Side supermarkets to shutter in recent years, prompting aldermen this summer to call for a city hearing on grocery closures and food access.

Aldi closed an Auburn Gresham grocery store in June without notice to neighborhood residents or elected officials.

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The company also shuttered a West Garfield Park location in the fall 2021. Earlier this year, aldermen authorized the city to purchase that property for $700,000. In July, Planning and Development Department Deputy Commissioner Peter Strazzabosco told the Tribune the city planned to close on the property this summer. On Thursday, Strazzabosco said the city had not yet closed the deal but that it expected to do so in October.

In July, Lightfoot slammed Aldi for closing South and West Side stores while keeping North Side stores open.

Aldis, hear me loud and clear, Lightfoot said. Come to the table and talk and work with us, or there are going to be major challenges for you in the city of Chicago.

In July, the city announced it would award a $13.5 million grant to help grocery operator Yellow Banana reopen an Auburn Gresham Save-A-Lot the company shuttered in 2020. Yellow Banana, a grocery company owned by the Cleveland-based investment firm 127 Wall Holdings, LLC, plans to use the grant, in combination with private funds, to reopen that store and renovate five other Save-A-Lots it operates on the citys South and West sides.

Grocery stores near the soon-to-close Whole Foods in Englewood include an Aldi two blocks east of Whole Foods, a Food 4 Less in West Englewood and the Inner-City Muslim Action Networks Go Green Community Fresh Market. A network of food nonprofits and urban farms also serve the neighborhood as community leaders work to fill in gaps in food access.
By Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Biden administration has decided to withhold $130 million of foreign military aid to Egypt over its failure to fulfill human rights conditions, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, but allowed some funds to go through due to its determination that Cairo has made progress on political detentions.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has determined that Cairo, by releasing hundreds of jailed individuals, had made some progress on political detentions and due process, the officials said. Rights groups have pushed for withholding all of a $300 million portion of aid to Egypt placed under conditions by the U.S. Congress.

The rights groups cited widespread human rights abuses under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government including torture and enforced disappearances.

The aid that Blinken has decided to withhold accounts for 10 percent of the $1.3 billion allocated for Egypt annually. An official said State Department lawyers determined that 10% was the maximum that could be withheld this year.

Washington is allowing $75 million to be released to Egypt, citing progress related to political detentions and due process, including the release of about 500 political detainees this year.

Cairo will receive another $95 million under a statutory exception related to counterterrorism, border security and non-proliferation funding, State Department officials said.

"The approach taken here reflects the administrations concerns about human rights and fundamental freedoms in Egypt, while also seeking to preserve the engagement and dialogue we have had over the last 20 months," said one of the senior State Department officials briefing reporters.

"We havebeen extremely clear with the Egyptian government at every level about the actions and steps that are necessary to strengthen our relationship.

Sisi denies there are political prisoners in Egypt. He says stability and security are paramount and authorities are promoting rights by trying to provide basic needs such as jobs and housing.

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Analysts say Western powers are reluctant to take serious action against a strategic ally that has served as a mediator in long-standing issues such as the Arab-Israeli conflict, and which controls the Suez Canal, one of the world's most valuable shipping lanes.

U.S. officials say the relationship with Egypt is complex. The most populous Arab country is a vital ally and Washington is still committed to support it for its "legitimate defense needs."

(This story refiles to correct "due process" in paragraph 5)

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis; Editing by David Gregorio)
Ticketed for speeding 116 mph on a crowded stretch of Interstate 75 in this college town, a University of Florida student told the trooper the reason for his fast driving: He didnt want to be late for class on the first day of the fall semester.

Just his luck, he said he found out later that morning his professor had canceled his physics lecture that day.

Joseph DAndre Melhado, 20, of Pembroke Pines in South Florida, was ticketed with speeding and reckless driving after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper said he saw his BMW sedan weaving among three lanes of crowded, late-morning traffic on I-75 at triple-digit speeds.

Youre reckless, man. Youre going to get somebody killed, Trooper D.M. Morgan told Melhado, according to police video of the traffic stop. Im debating taking you to jail for reckless driving. Why are you doing that? Why are you driving so stupid?

I was honestly just trying to make it to class, Melhado said, apologizing.

In an interview Tuesday evening near campus, Melhado said he is considering a legal fight over the reckless driving charge in court because  although he acknowledged he was speeding  he was using his indicator to signal his lane changes and does not believe he cut anyone off.

The video showed Melhado passing a slower car on the right from the center lane, then moving left using his turn signal across two slower lanes of traffic backed up by tractor trailers as the trooper chased him at speeds of 110 mph.

I know that I was speeding, but I do not think the manner in which I drove was reckless, he said.

Melhado said he was driving back to Gainesville from Orlando with his cat, Nardo. He intended to stop at his apartment to drop off the cat before driving to campus.

Melhado, a biology major, told the trooper his class was starting at 11:55 a.m., more than one hour after he was pulled over at a spot about 15 minutes from campus. On the video, he seemed unaware how fast the trooper said he was driving. The speed limit there was 70 mph.

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I was going 116? Melhado asked.

Yeah, the trooper replied.

Im so sorry, he said.

In the interview this week, Melhado said he didnt realize the seriousness of the misdemeanor reckless driving charge.

At first, I was under the impression that it would just be a civil citation and not a criminal charge, Melhado said.

The traffic stop on I-75 took place on the first day of the universitys fall semester, Aug. 24, but the highway patrol did not provide video of the encounter until last week due to technical difficulties with the troopers cruiser. Melhado faces arraignment in Alachua County Circuit Court on Oct. 10 on the reckless driving charge and a hearing Oct. 12 on the speeding charge.

Melhado said he requested that an attorney from the universitys student legal services office contact the prosecutor and seek a deferred prosecution. Private lawyers he contacted estimated the case would cost Melhado about $2,000 in legal fees, he said.

During the traffic stop, the trooper told Melhado he had watched him weaving through traffic and around semi-trucks at speeds as high as 116 mph before the trooper chased him down with lights and siren about 10:20 a.m.

Back there, coming over that hill, I had you in all three lanes, cut off several cars, the trooper said.

I have class at 11:55. I was just trying to make it to class, Melhado said.

11:55? You were almost here. Why would you do that? the trooper asked.

Yeah, Im just trying to get prepared for some stuff, Melhado answered.

Many university professors are especially lenient with class rules during the first week of the semester as students wrestle with limited on-campus parking, find their way to unfamiliar classrooms, cope with glitchy online services and finalize their course schedules.

The traffic stop delayed Melhado by 15 minutes on his way to the class that turned out to be canceled.

Melhado was ticketed for driving 46 mph over the speed limit. Under Florida law, driving over 50 mph over the limit includes a mandatory $1,000 fine and the judge may suspend the drivers license, even for a first offense. Speeding tickets for just 15 mph over the legal limit can add four points to a drivers license.

At the age of 17, Melhado was ticketed for traveling 61mph in a 35 mph stretch of Hollywood Boulevard in Broward County. The judge had ordered that Melhado perform 35 hours of community service and write a 500-word essay about what he had learned while attending the juvenile teen traffic court program in exchange for dismissing the speeding ticket.

This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at eliseelder@ufl.edu You can donate to support our students here.
Fears are growing that embattled Russian President Vladimir Putin will use cold weather as a weapon in the fight against Ukraine by aggravating an energy crisis in Europe.Many European countries depend on Russia for heat in the cold winter months, giving Moscow more leverage as it battles a resurgent Ukraine that has taken back thousands of miles of territory with a recent offensive.

The real question is, how much natural gas is Putins Russia going to supply this winter? said Samantha Gross, director of the Brookings Institutions Energy Security and Climate Initiative.

Putin has threatened to stop energy sales to some countries in retaliation against a proposal from the European Union to cap Russian oil and natural gas prices, while the energy crisis in Europe has already pushed countries to the brink of a recession.

The Russian leader, Gross noted, also said last week that he would increase gas sales to Europe if the international community relaxes sanctions in response to the invasion, which will almost certainly not occur.

I think hes running out of cards to play, said Michael Allen, special assistant to former President George W. Bush on the National Security Council, referring to Putin. He seems increasingly desperate because the Ukrainians took so much land over the weekend.

Ukraine has recently gained thousands of miles of territory in the countrys northeast and forced thousands of Kremlin troops to retreat since the Ukrainian militarys counteroffensive began last week.

Its certainly not helping that the war isnt going [Putins] way, and I think that may increase his tendency to lash out, Gross told The Hill.

The U.S., meanwhile, has dramatically stepped up its own natural gas exports since the beginning of the crisis, but the federal government faces domestic pressure to keep much of that supply stateside heading into winter.

In late August, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm called on major oil refiners to limit their exports to Europe, citing the need to build up domestic diesel supply ahead of winter.

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I think were going to feel the pain too, said Robbie Diamond, president of the energy security think tank Securing Americas Future Energy. Even as U.S. gas exports increased, natural gas prices hit an all-time high in August, he noted.

For Putin, the lost revenue from cutting off supplies to Europe can be made up from sales to other countries, Diamond noted. So as long as he finds ways to get that oil out, even at a discounted price, he will continue to make revenue, he said.

While Russias leverage on oil is a global problem, natural gas is far more specifically a European problem. Germany, in particular, relies heavily on inexpensive Russian gas for its industrial base, he said, so in a worst-case scenario, it will not just be a cold winter, but it will be a winter with potential factory shutdowns.

If Putins weaponization of energy continues, Gross said, its impacts on individual Europeans lives will vary at the country level and the divisional level, depending on how consumers use natural gas [and] if they use natural gas.

Heidi Crebo-Rediker, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, predicted there will be more tightening of the screws on energy and commodities from Putin.

But she also argued that Ukraines recent battlefield offensives will at least lead Europeans to continue their support for the Ukrainian army, despite the economic strains at home.

For the Europeans, as they approach a daunting energy situation in the winter, seeing Ukraines military progress is a cause to rally additional fortitude that theyre going to need, she said. I think this particular turn of events on the battlefield goes to show that this cause is worth it and that there are military gains that are achievable.

The U.S. has transported double the amount of natural gas to Europe it had exported last year, and the White House is looking at other options to help and increase national gas exports during the crisis.

Europe has increasingly been under pressure to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, and has reportedly cut imports by 35 percent since the war began.

I think they know that the critique that the United States has of them, which is that they were unnecessarily dependent on Russian gas, is true and now they need to diversify as quickly as possible, Allen said, adding that Europe is looking to other sources for gas, like the U.S.

U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss is expected to announce details of her plan to mitigate the energy crisis next week. Meanwhile, the European Commission is looking to force fossil fuel companies that have seen record earnings during the energy crisis to make a financial contribution to assist consumers, Reuters reported.

Europeans need to think through very carefully how they plan to handle this, said Eric Ueland, the under secretary of State for civilian security, democracy and human rights under former President Trump. More might have to be done if President Putin decides that energy is one of his strongest weapons here to react to the acts in Ukraine.

For the countries most reliant on Russian gas, which last year included Italy, France and Germany, the question is, will gas be available for these folks to heat their homes? Gross said. And even if its available, will they be able to afford it?

The crisis also makes the actual seasonal temperatures of particular importance, she added. Is it an unusually cold winter or is it a warm winter? We dont know, but were about to find out.

Diamond said that like both the fighting on the ground and the pressure from the international community, things are likely to come down to whether Putin or Europe is more willing to weather the consequences.

Id say this is a war of the Russian novel. Many people have said the reason Russian novels are historically so long is they have really long winters, Diamond said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Izyum, the biggest city recaptured last week during a counteroffensive in the countrys northeast that marked Kyivs most significant battlefield victory in months.

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A car carrying the president collided with another vehicle on the way back to Kyiv and Zelenskiy did not suffer any serious injuries, a spokesman for the leader said in a social media post, adding the collision is under investigation.

Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Unions executive, pledged in her annual state of the union address to work to guarantee seamless access for Ukraine to the blocs massive single market to help its economy recover from the war. The US is preparing another package of aid to Ukraine after the government in Kyiv said it recaptured more than 2,300 square miles of occupied territory.

(See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.)

Key Developments

IMF Appoints Ukraine Chief With Experience of War-Torn Iraq

Putins Options Narrow After Ukraine Delivers Battlefield Rout

Ukraines Leader Visits Largest City Seized Back From Russians

Russias Richest Person to Transfer Rosbank Shares to Foundation

Russia Quietly Adds Up Direct Losses From Financial Sanctions

Xi Unlikely to Throw Putin a Lifeline as Ukraine Struggles Mount

On the Ground

Ukraine was consolidating control over retaken territory, Zelenskiy said, following a push that shifted momentum in Kyivs favor. Fighting continued in the south, the Ukrainian military said. Russia again targeted civilian infrastructure, according to Ukraines General Staff, while local authorities said the cities of Mykolaiv and Nikopol were shelled overnight. Ukraines military destroyed several ammunition depots and is targeting Russian troops with artillery fire, military spokeswoman Nataliya Humeniuk told a briefing. The Russian navy has also increased the number of missile carriers in the Black Sea to five with the total number of Kalibr type cruise missiles to 36. Eight Russian cruise missiles hit the city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine, an official said.

Story continues

(All times CET)

Zelenskiy in Car Crash (3:05 a.m.)

A passenger car collided with a vehicle carrying the president as his motorcade was returning to Kyiv from the Kharkiv region, Serhiy Nykyforov, a spokesman for Zelenskiy, said in a post on Facebook, without indicating what sort of injuries the president may have received.

Doctors who accompany the president checked him, no serious injuries were detected, Nykyforov wrote, adding doctors accompanying the head of the state provided emergency aid to the driver of the car and transferred him to an ambulance.

Read more: Ukrainian President Zelenskiy in Car Crash, No Major Injuries

Pentagon to Replace Javelins Sent to Ukraine (1 a.m.)

The US Armys assistant secretary for acquisition, Douglas Bush, said the service plans to have $1.2 billion in contracts in place by next September to replace Javelin anti-armor missiles that have been supplied to Ukraine.

As part of that effort, Raytheon Technologies Corp and Lockheed Martin Corp, the joint makers of the Javelin, received a $311 million contract on Tuesday. That was on top of a $309 million order in May, Bush said, adding Theres more coming.

More than 6,500 Javelin anti-armor systems have been committed to Ukraine from Defense Department stocks.

Ukraine Signs Accord on Debt Payment Suspension (8:13 p.m.)

Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko signed a memorandum of understanding on Ukraines debt payment suspension with the Group of Seven and the Paris Club, the Finance Ministry said on its website.

This follows the call by the Paris Club group -- which includes the US, the UK, France, Germany, Japan and Canada -- to Ukraines creditors on July 20 to reach an agreement on debt service suspension until the end of 2023 with a possibility to extend it by another year.

Putin Talks Grain and Nuclear Plant With UNs Leader (7:41 p.m.)

Russias President Vladimir Putin and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed how the agreement allowing grain shipments from Ukraine is being carried out, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

They agreed that priority for food supplies should go to the regions most in need, including Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, according to the statement.

They also discussed the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agencys visit to the Russian-seized facility.

Eight Russian Cruise Missiles Hit City in Central Ukraine (6:52 p.m.)

The city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine was hit by eight Russian cruise missiles, Ukrainian official Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on Telegram. The missiles were aimed at a waterworks and the goal was obviously to cause an emergency, Tymoshenko said.

Two missiles fell near the city of Zaporizhzhia in the southeast, Interfax reported, citing city council secretary Anatoliy Kukhtyev.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported the intensity of shelling in the Kharkiv region has declined significantly and Ukrainian forces spotted several Russian convoys with S-300 and Buk missiles moving from Lutuhyne near Luhansk toward the Russian border.

Putin Still Doesnt See War as a Mistake, Scholz Says (6:23 p.m.)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Putin still hasnt come to regret the invasion of Ukraine Unfortunately, I cannot report that the insight has grown that this war is a mistake, Scholz said of his phone conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

Speaking in Berlin, Scholz made clear he still has no intention of sending heavy tanks to Ukraine, even as he said German weapons have made the difference, which has now visibly enabled Ukraine to defend its own country.

Biden Plans to Nominate Lynne Tracy as Ambassador to Russia: CNN (5:14 p.m.)

President Joe Biden plans to nominate Lynne Tracy, who currently serves as ambassador to Armenia, as the new US envoy to Russia, CNN reported, citing three people familiar with the plan. A State Department spokesperson declined to comment.

Russia Tallies Billions in Losses From Financial Sanctions (3:37 p.m.)

Russias financial sector suffered hundreds of billions of dollars in direct losses from the sweeping sanctions imposed by the US and its allies over the invasion of Ukraine, according to an internal Finance Ministry document.

The estimate, which includes significant hits to the stock market, bank capital as well as $300 billion in foreign-exchange reserves frozen by the restrictions, was included in a presentation for a top-level meeting of officials on responding to sanctions held last month. The Finance Ministry declined to comment.

Billions of Ruble Bonds Stuck as Clearstream Blocks Settlement (3:02 p.m.)

Different approaches to Russia sanction rules taken by Europes major clearing houses means some international investors are now stuck with billions of dollars worth of ruble bonds while others are free to unwind.

Bondholders using Clearstream as their depository cant settle ruble-denominated government bond trades, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. Investors estimate that Clearstream has more than $10 billion of sovereign ruble bonds under custody, they said. The other large depositary service provider Euroclear allows for settlement of ruble bonds already in the system, free of payment, the people said.

Ukraine Seeks to Continue Electricity Export Without Zaporizhzhia (2:04 p.m.)

Ukraine expects to continue exporting electricity to European countries over the winter season despite the conflict and the idling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, chief executive of state-run power company Ukrenergo.

Were talking about more than 600 megawatts of export capacity for Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Moldova, Kudrytskyi said. Ukrenergo plans to increase exports and is now preparing for winter season to ensure consumers have power.

Zelenskiy Raises Ukrainian Flag in Izyum (12:40 p.m.)

Zelenskiy participated in a flag-raising ceremony in Izyum, which had been a key staging point for Russian troops before they retreated in the face of a lightning Ukrainian counteroffensive last week, according to a statement on the presidential website.

The Kharkiv region city of Izyum, which was occupied by Russia since March, is one of the most strategically significant areas retaken during the counteroffensive. The speed of the Russian retreat last week was evident in the amount of military vehicles and ammunition left behind.

The Russian military said on Saturday it pulled troops out of two areas in the Kharkiv region to regroup its forces in the Donetsk region.

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A Ukrainian soldier stands on a tank on the road in the freed territory of the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. AP Photo/Kostiantyn Liberov

Ukrainian troops are launching shells filled with flyers to convince Russian troops to surrender.

The move comes as Russia struggles to maintain its hold in Ukraine amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

"Russians use you as cannon fodder. Your life doesn't mean anything for them," the flyers said.

Ukrainian forces in Kyiv are trying to encourage Russian troops to give up their fight by launching shells filled with flyers at the advancing troops.

"Russians use you as cannon fodder. Your life doesn't mean anything for them. You don't need this war. Surrender to Armed Forces of Ukraine," the flyers said, according to the Associated Press.

The move comes as Russia struggles to maintain a solid hold on captured territory in Ukraine. In the past week, Ukrainian forces have turned up the pressure on Russian troops in a blistering counteroffensive that has forced some Russian units into retreat.

According to the AP, Ukraine's border guard services said their army took back control of Vovchansk, a town two miles away from Russia that Russian troops captured on the first day of the war in March.

Related video: What life is like 6 months after Putin invaded Ukraine

Russian troops have been pulling out of Kharkiv and Melitopol as well, the AP reported, citing reports from the latter city's mayor. Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov reportedly said on Telegram the Russian troops were headed toward Crimea.

Russian troops have also recently vacated the village of Chkalovske, among others, in the Kharkiv region, the AP reported, with Svitlana Honchar, secretary of Ukrainian National Association Branch 96, saying they left quickly.

"They left like the wind," Honchar said Tuesday. "They were fleeing by any means they could." Some were left behind in the immediate exodus, left trying to catch up with fellow troops, Honchar said.

Other reports of recent Russian retreats in the face of the Ukrainian offensive said that some Russian troops tried to disguise themselves in civilian clothes and even stole bicycles from locals to escape from crumbling defensive lines.

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A Ukrainian victory in the war remains an uncertainty, even with recent battlefield wins. That said, Ukrainian officials have released video of people burning Russian flags and tearing down posters that read "we are one people with Russia," the AP reported.

In an address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said forces were carrying out "stabilization measures" in recaptured Ukrainian territories. He added that he wants to restore normalcy to the country.

"It is very important that together with our troops, with our flag, ordinary, normal life enters the de-occupied territory," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday traveled to the recently liberated city of Izium in Ukraines northern Kharkiv region after Russian forces withdrew from the area late last week.

"Before, when we looked up, we always looked for the blue sky, the sun. And today we, and especially the people in the temporarily occupied territories, looking up, are looking for only one thing  the flag of our state," Zelenskyy said in a flag-raising ceremony. "This means that the heroes are here. This means that the enemy is gone, he ran away."

UKRAINE'S SOLDIERS INCH TOWARD SIEVIERODONETSK IN MAJOR COUNTEROFFENSIVE

Ukrainian forces have regained large swaths of territory in Kharkiv after Kyiv launched a major counteroffensive earlier this month.

Western defense officials have said Ukraine is gaining ground and has forced some Russian forces back across their own border.

But as Zelenskyy championed the successes Ukraine has achieved, he also noted the devastation Russia left in its wake following a six-month occupation.

Pictures released following Russias withdrawal show buildings blackened and destroyed by shelling, animals wandering the streets and, according to officials, signs of torture among the dead.

"The view is very shocking but it is not shocking for me," Zelenskyy told reporters, "because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories so the same destroyed buildings, killed people."

The Ukrainian presidents comments were in reference to the village of Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, where bodies were found in the streets, mass graves were discovered and several reports of torture were told after Russia withdrew its forces in March.

RUSSIAN TROOPS PULL BACK AS UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS RETAKE KEY AREAS IN KHARKIV

"We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did, particularly in the Kharkiv region. Such cities as Balakliia, Izium are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin," Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said.

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The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said investigators were looking into reports of civilians being killed and buried by Russian soldiers in the town of Balakliia  another town that has been retaken by Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region.

Civilian bodies were found in the towns of Hrakove and Zaliznyche as well.

Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that numerous investigations have been opened over accusations of human rights violations.

Zelenskyy thanked his troops for their efforts in the hard fought war against Russia and in retaking several strategically important Ukrainian cities.

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"The last few months have been extremely difficult for you. Therefore, I am asking you very much [to] take care of yourself, because you are the most valuable thing that we have," he said. "It is possible to temporarily occupy the territories of our state.

"But it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people," he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his government are studying proposals drawn up by senior officials and the former head of NATO that envisage Western countries providing future security guarantees to Kyiv.

Russia has already condemned the draft document, which also underlines Ukraine's continued "aspiration to join NATO and benefit from its mutual defence arrangements".

Moscow views NATO's eastern expansion as a direct threat to its own security and has cited the prospect of Ukraine building closer ties with the alliance as a major reason for its invasion on Feb. 24.

Zelenskiy praised the report, drawn up by a working group that included his chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former NATO Secretary-General.

The report "should become the basis of the future security compact", Zelenskiy said on Tuesday on formally receiving the recommendations.

The report makes a series of recommendations aimed at bolstering the country's longer term security that fall short of offering full NATO membership, which some member states are wary of doing because of Russia's opposition.

"This requires a multi-decade effort of sustained investment in Ukraines defence industrial base, scalable weapons transfers and intelligence support from allies, intensive training missions and joint exercises under the European Union and NATO flags," the report said.

"(The Kyiv Security Compact) will bring a core group of allied countries together with Ukraine," it said, adding that these could include many leading NATO members including the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Poland.

It was not immediately clear how Western countries would respond to the proposals, though many are already providing significant military assistance to Ukraine to help it fight back against Russia's invasion.

The Kremlin said the recommendations served to highlight the need for what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

The idea of Ukraine joining NATO remains "the main threat to Russia", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by Gareth Jones)
WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 19:55  DANA HORDIYCHUK

Ukraine is going to need US$38 billion next year to cover the budget deficit, which is expected to be covered thanks to assistance from its international partners  the United States, the EU and the IMF.

Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal said this during a press conference on Thursday.

He noted that in view of the support expected from its partners by the end of the year, in particular US$11.7 billion from the United States, US$1.4 billion from the IMF and US$8 billion from the European Union, Ukraine will be "financially stable" during 2022.

"Next year, we are talking about three sources of extra funding for the budget deficit from our partners," he said.

Ukraine is requesting 12 billion euros of EU macro-financial assistance, which is in fact 1 billion euros per month. The IMF could provide US$12 billion under its programme for next year, and the United States could provide US$1.5 billion a month.

"In total, this is US$3.5 billion of funding per month, which will completely cover our budget deficit," Shmyhal concluded.

At the same time, he added that Ukraine also has a "safety net" in the form of war bonds, in case there are gaps between tranches from its partners, or in case of emergencies.

Background:

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the draft state budget for 2023 and it has been submitted for consideration by Parliament.

The document provides for a reduction in budget deficit funding requirements. The government is proposing to spend over US$3 billion per month (20% of Ukraines GDP) for that purpose in 2023, against US$5 billion per month in 2022.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's car was involved in a traffic accident in Kyiv, but he is not seriously hurt, his spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said in a Facebook post early on Thursday.

Nykyforov - who did not say when the accident occurred - said Zelenskiy's car had collided with a private vehicle.

"The president was examined by a doctor, no serious injuries were found," he said, adding the accident would be investigated.

Medics accompanying Zelenskiy gave the driver of the private car emergency aid and put him in an ambulance, he said.

Minutes after Nykyforov made his statement, Zelenskiy's office released the video of the night time address that the president gives every day.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Ronald Popeski;Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCool)
OLHA HLUSHCHENKO  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 07:17

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have successfully repelled Russian attacks in the vicinity of Spirne, Maiorsk, Odradivka, Vesela Dolyna, Vodiane, Avdiivka, Bezimenne and Novohryhorivka.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 06:00 on 14 September

Quote: "The enemy continued to attack the homes of peaceful civilians and civilian infrastructure targets in violation of international humanitarian law and the laws and customs of war.

[Russian] airstrikes, missile strikes and MLRS [multiple-launch rocket systems] attacks infrastructure in over 33 cities, towns and villages, including Kharkiv, Lozova, Siversk, Bilohorivka, Mykolaivka, Verkhnokamianske, Soledar, Bakhmut, Bakhmutske, Vesela Dolyna, Zaitseve, Yurivka, New-York, Pervomaiske, Kamianka, Vremivka, Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, Sukhyi Stavok, Kostromka, Bila Krynytsia and Myrne."

Details: Russian occupying forces carried out a total of three missile strikes, 33 airstrikes and 58 attacks using rocket artillery, targeting military and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.

There were no significant changes on the Volyn and Polissia fronts.

On other fronts, the Russians continued to fire on military and civilian targets using tank guns, mortars and artillery:

On the Sivershchyna front: areas in and around Senkivka (Chernihiv Oblast) and Stepne (Sumy Oblast);

On the Kharkiv front: Basove and Kupiansk;

On the Kramatorsk front: Yaremivka, Tetianivka, Raihorodok, Siversk, Bilohorivka, Kryva Luka, Spirne, Verkhnokamianske, Dronivka, Hryhorivka and Zvanivka;

On the Bakhmut front: Yurivka, New-York, Mykolaivka, Mykolaivka Druha, Zaitseve, Soledar, Bakhmut, Bakhmutske and Yakovlivka;

On the Avdiivka front: Marinka, Krasnohorivka, Pervomaiske and Novomykhailivka;

On the Novopavlivka front: Velyka Novosilka, Novodonetske and Vremivka;

On the Zaporizhzhia front: Novopil, Huliaipole, Zaliznychne and Chervone;

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On the Pivdennyi Buh front: Tavriiske, Myrne, Ternovi Pody, Partyzanske, Chervona Dolyna, Bilohirka, Novohrednieve, Bezimenne, Sukhyi Stavok, Bila Krynytsia, Olhyne, Vysokopillia, Kamiane. In addition, Russian forces are continuing to conduct extensive aerial reconnaissance on the southern front.

Russian military personnel are setting up their lodgings in local residents homes, sometimes even making the owners leave their homes, in the Chaplynka district, Kherson Oblast.

The Ukrainian Defence Forces have successfully repelled Russian attacks near Spirne, Maiorsk, Odradivka, Vesela Dolyna, Vodiane, Avdiivka, Bezimenne and Novohryhorivka.

Over the course of 13 September, aircraft of Ukraines Air Force carried out 12 airstrikes on areas where Russian military personnel and equipment were concentrated.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian anti-aircraft defence units destroyed two Russian military aircraft (Su-25 and Su-24M), one Mi-8 helicopter and an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Ukrainian rocket and artillery units struck nine Russian command and control posts (brigade- and battalion-level) and three areas where Russian military personnel and equipment were amassed. Russias losses following these attacks have yet to be confirmed.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market basket of goods and services. The index is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels, transportation fares, charges for doctors and dentists services, drugs and the other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living.

This tracker is updated monthly using Consumer Price Index data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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The most recent data release was Sept. 13, 2022.

[ [Dont miss] A look at how gas prices in Illinois compare to other states ]

The latest: August 2022

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.1% in August on a seasonally adjusted basis after being unchanged in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 8.3% before seasonal adjustment.

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Increases in the shelter, food, and medical care indexes were the largest of many contributors to the broad-based monthly all items increase. These increases were mostly offset by a 10.6% decline in the gasoline index. The food index continued to rise, increasing 0.8% over the month as the food at home index rose 0.7%. The energy index fell 5% over the month as the gasoline index declined, but the electricity and natural gas indexes increased.

[ Inflation explained: The good, the bad and the uncertain ]

What about the Chicago metro area?

Prices in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), increased 0.1% in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that the food index rose 0.7%, and the energy index fell 6.6% in August. The all items less food and energy index was up 0.7%. Within the all items less food and energy category, prices were higher over the month for shelter, apparel, and recreation but lower for public transportation and other goods and services.

Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U increased 8.8%. The index for all items less food and energy rose 6% over the year. Energy prices rose 36.5%, largely the result of increases in the indexes for gasoline and utility (piped) gas service. Food prices advanced 10.6%.

(The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, Core Based Statistical Area covered in this release is comprised of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.)

How have food prices in the Chicago metro area changed?

Food prices increased 0.7% for the month of August. Prices for groceries advanced 0.5% as three of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased over the month.

What increased

Categories increasing included fruits and vegetables, 2.0%; meats, poultry, fish, and eggs, 1.1%; and other food at home (includes sugar, sweets, fats, and oils, for example), 0.5%.

What decreased

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The index for nonalcoholic beverages and beverage materials decreased 1.4%, cereals and bakery products fell 0.6%, while dairy and related products was unchanged. Food prices away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) rose 1.2% for the same period.

Since last year, how have Chicago food prices changed?

Over the year, food prices increased 10.6%. Prices for food at home advanced 12.3% since a year ago. All six major grocery store food group indexes increased over the year. The index for other food at home rose 13.4%, fruits and vegetables advanced 12.7%, and meats, poultry, fish, and eggs advanced 9.6%. Food prices away from home were up 8% compared with August 2021.
Astronomers report seeing strange objects everywhere during observations for meteors. Illustrative photo

Read also: Russia must be barred from space programs after displaying sham republic flag on space station, says Ukraine's MFA

According to the article, a team of three researchers were using facilities in Kyiv and nearby Vynarivka to observe meteors when they observed the unknown objects.

Read also: European Union to close air space to Russian planes  head of European Commission

We see them everywhere; we see numerous objects of uncertain nature, Ukrainian researchers said in their article, which was later picked up by VICE to produce a story on Sept. 13.

The research categorized observed UAPs into two groups: Cosmics and Phantoms.

Read also: Ukrainian Sich-2-30 satellite shows up in US Space Force database

Cosmics were defined as light-emitting objects.

Phantoms, on the other hand, are black bodies, which do not emit radiation, absorbing it instead. This makes them stand out against the background, easy to detect, and to gauge their distance.

Both types of objects apparently move incredibly fast, making it exceptionally difficult to photograph them. The article said the UAPs were detected flying both alone and in groups.

The human eye cannot register phenomena that last less than a tenth of a second, the article said.

Ordinary cameras are also unable to make these detections. It takes specialized, finely-tuned equipment.

Read also: Volunteer explains benefits of ICEYE satellite, data Ukraine will now receive

The researchers only provided their observation data, without suggesting any explanations as to the nature of the phenomena. The objects were 3-12 meters in size, moving at speeds of up to 15 kilometers per second.

Public interest in UFOs has lately been on the rise again. Even the U.S. Department of Defense recently said it has detected some clearly artificial flying objects of unknown origin, which it said could potentially pose a danger.

Help NV continue reporting on the Russian invasion

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Ocean Plaza mall was transferred to ARMA management at the beginning of August

Ocean Plaza has been under the management of Ukraines Agency for Investigation and Management of Assets (AIMA) since February, as the rest of the mall is owned by entities linked to Russian oligarchs.

Two thirds of the companys shares, belonging to foreign entities, are under arrest and AIMAs management, UDP said.

UDP has been restored in control of its shares by a court decision, allowing us only to start using the property again. The mall will be able to reopen and start generating profits for the state, instead of remaining loss-making asset.

Read also: Why hasnt the Ocean Plaza shopping mall in Kyiv reopened?

The company pointed out that the state is losing around UAH 100 million ($2.7 million) per year on keeping the mall closed. According to UDP, Ocean Plaza generated UAH 295 million ($8 million) in tax revenues in 2021.

UDP has pledged to direct the profit share of Ocean Plazas foreign owner to Ukraines national budget  two-thirds of the total profits generated by the enterprise.

UDP support any government decision on the remaining 67% of Ocean Plaza shares, which were previously controlled by foreign entities, the company added.

All revenues generated by the mall remain on Ukrainian accounts; its impossible to transfer it abroad.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Vsevolod Kozhemiako

Read also: In wake of Kharkiv counter-offensive, Russian troops flee from Melitopol toward Crimea, mayor says

NV: How did the counter-offensive begin for you and your volunteer unit?

Kozhemiako: Of course, here, among the military and those involved in these processes, things had long been ripening and everyone was waiting for it. When our guys moved to Balakliya, everyone understood that this was the beginning! And certain successes were achieved. (Everything) was planned so gradually that other units also began to advance in different areas.

It was not always easy, (there was some) resistance, but everyone advanced. And the 127th territorial defense unit, to which we are subordinate, also moved forward in the north, together with the national guards, toward the state border. The command assigned us the task of entering certain settlements and ensuring control there, which we did.

NV: In footage you published on social networks, we saw how you reached the Ukrainian-Russian border. In particular, we saw the border wall (construction project) of former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Kozhemiako: Famous. It was a humorous video, because we need to somehow cheer ourselves and people up. In order to reach that wall, we marched about 15 kilometers on foot, passed two villages, and were quite exhausted The fact that we reached the border is the work of the entire unit, several units worked, a lot of people. Our task was just to enter those villages that are very close to the border. We saw these crossing points and also cleaned them. I would not like to say that it was only us who reached it, because everyone reached it on different flanks. As you know, yesterday near Vovchansk, but only my video became so popular for some reason.

NV: Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kharkiv Oblast was even more successful than expected. And it really looks like a lightning, fantastic success. Why do you think the Russians fled so fast that even we did not expect?

Kozhemiako: First of all, what we see confirms the military operation was very carefully and very well planned, this is a fact. And it gives a lift! Im very happy that everything is happening not only due to the heroism of the Ukrainian people and those who defend Ukraine, but thanks to military thought. This offensive was very carefully planned, a lot of facts were taken into account, its true.

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This means that our military intelligence is at a very high level. And when certain actions were taken in the direction of Balakliya, a domino effect began: it made no sense for the Russian army to stay in certain places, because there was a threat of their encirclement and destruction. Their commanders, and the soldiers, understood this. A real panic began, the army fled. They didnt just retreat en masse in the direction of Balakliya  Izyum  Kupyansk, but they left military equipment there, a lot of equipment, tanks, artillery.

Read also: Putin seeks to avoid blame for Kharkiv defeat and step-up recruitment, ISW report says

 It made no sense for them to stay in our northern areas, because they would have been destroyed. They prepared their retreat and withdrew as quickly as possible.

The fact that their retreat was planned very quickly and in a little panic is indicated by the fact that they tried to destroy the ammunition, equipment, take everything, but they still left things. We can see it both in terms of ammunition and equipment. But we understand the decision for their retreat was probably made a few days ago.

NV: A week ago, you said that our Ukrainian positions were only 10 kilometers from the city of Kharkiv and that you could go to war as if you were going to work. Will the situation change now as a result of such a successful counter-offensive?

Kozhemiako: They will no longer be able to shell us with artillery from our territory, they can only work from their territory.

Thats very important. Life is starting again in many settlements, people are coming back little by little, theyve started to relax. Theyve been living there for almost half a year under (occupation). This northern direction was immediately occupied on the first day of the war, people didnt even have time (to leave)... I have a friend who left the village of Mali Prokhody at 4.00 a.m. in sleepwear and pajamas. He took his wife and child  they left right in front of the Russian column. His relatives remained there, there were a lot of such people who could not simply react to it.

There was a lot of destruction there, many people were tortured... Our law enforcement agencies have started working there, and I think well learn about a lot of atrocities the Russians committed against Ukrainians in those occupied territories. Veterans of the Anti-Terrorist Operation remained there, as well as Ukrainian activists did not have time to leave, etc.

Read also: Ukrainian postal operators returning to liberated Kharkiv Oblast towns

As for the Russians escape, both the information from the intelligence and my words that not all collaborators knew that the Russians would leave confirms the fact that they withdrew suddenly at night. The collaborators woke up, saw that no one was there and lined up at the border with Russia. Those who cooperated with the Russian authorities also managed to escape.

NV: Did you have an opportunity to talk with people who were under occupation in the already liberated Kharkiv Oblast, and if so, what do they say?

Kozhemiako: Being in Kharkiv youre already under a certain amount of psychological and mental pressure, were constantly at war here, constantly under fire and on the front line... But we are here, doing some kind of action, something that depends on us. It would be so difficult for me, for example, if I were not some famous person, to live under occupation  I cannot imagine at all. Its just terrifying when you cant influence anything, you cant do anything, and you cant escape anywhere.

Read also: Ukraines SBU captures two Russian agents in Mykolayiv Oblast

We talked with some people. One family  they were not even allowed to go out of the house. The Russians were afraid that they would call and pass on their positions and information. Which people did anyway, by the way. But they were not allowed to leave their homes, they remained in houses and couldnt even go outside. And those houses without the owners, the Russians just robbed them.

We could not talk more in detail and for a long time, because we had to do some work, we had a task there. I think the time will come and well all learn a lot more.

But people were happy.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Ukrainian school students forced to learn Russian national anthem, taught in Russian

Read also: Ukraine demands that Hungary urgently correct anti-Ukrainian content in school textbook

Our country is called Russia, the textbook says.

Read also: Russian puppet Pushilin is nowhere to be found, Mariupol official says

It is the largest country in the world. This is our Motherland.

Bednyakov also showed a screenshot of a school chat with homework for Ukrainian school students who are forced to learn the chorus and verse of the Russian national anthem.

Read also: Russia trying to reconstruct bombed-out drama theater in Mariupol to hide civilian killings

After seizing several parts of Ukraine after launching a full-scale invasion of the country in late February, Russia brought in teachers to enforce the teaching of the Russian school curriculum to Ukrainian children in the occupied territories.

The language of instruction was switched to Russian, and textbooks infused with Russian propaganda themes were introduced.

Read also: Russia opens military summer camp for Mariupol children

Meanwhile, Russian invasion forces and occupation authorities have burned books on Ukrainian language, history and culture in the areas they control.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
       ,       

Read also: Moscow is playing PR game over grain exports

But Russian discontent with its share of benefits from the deal  sanctions relief on its fertilizer exports  could put the breakthrough deal at risk.

The United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia launched the deal  the Black Sea Grain Initiative  in July. Under it, the parties agreed to unblock the Ukrainian grain trade halted by Russias full-scale invasion and war.

At the time, the UN presented the Black Sea agreement as a beacon of hope that could help solve future food crises and ease the growing food prices worldwide.

Ukraine was again able to transport its food exports by sea without putting its ports at risk of Russian attack. Russia, in turn, got guarantees that sanctions imposed on it for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine would not affect Russian grain and fertilizer shipments.

Read also: Ukraine provides details of "grain agreement" struck in Istanbul

As of Sept. 13, 129 vessels have already left the Ukrainian ports Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Yuzhy, transporting almost 3 million tons of grains and other foodstuffs, the United Nations reports.

UN officials see the first results of the Black Sea Grain Initiative as a success that helped to unblock the important international trade routes. Export food prices have also decreased by at least 1.4 percent, Amir Abdulla, the UN Coordinator for Black Sea Grain Initiative, said at a briefing in UN headquarters on Sept. 13.

But Russian officials think otherwise, claiming sanctions have stalled Russias fertilizer and grain trade. Moreover, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 6 accused EU countries of diverting Black Sea grain to their own markets and called for limits on the export of Ukrainian grain.

During the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia, Putin said EU nations have taken the bulk of Ukrainian grain exported via the Black Sea. Russian president also claimed he would talk to Turkish President Erdogan about limiting destinations Ukraine can export its grain.

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Some 28 percent of Ukrainian grain exports went to low and lower-middle income countries: Egypt (10%), Iran and India (5%), Sudan and Kenya (2%), and Djibouti, Lebanon, Somalia, and Yemen (1%).

Read also: Ukraine sums up work of grain corridor so far

Another 27% went to upper-middle income countries: Turkey (19%) and China (8%), while 44% was sent to high-income countries: Spain (13%), The Netherlands (8%), Italy (7%), South Korea (5%), Romania (4%), Germany (2%), and France, Greece, Ireland and Israel (1%).

However, Russian claims that the Europeans are hogging Ukrainian grain at the expense of poorer nations are baseless, as UN explains.

Some of the cargos going to (European) destinations are then shipped further in the same form or processed as flour, the UNs Abdulla said on Sept. 13.

So the route featured in the shipping data is not always the end destination of the grain.

Read also: Two Russian sea captains charged with smuggling Ukrainian grain

And while demanding limits on legitimate Ukrainian grain exports, Russia is continuing to sell as its own Ukrainian grains stolen from the occupied territories, using a shady reshipment mechanism, Crimean Tatar journalist Osman Pashayev the told NV.

They load Ukrainian grain to the cargo vessels in Crimea, Pashayev said. Then those ships go to the Russian port Kavkaz. There Russians reload Ukrainian grain to other vessels with no track record of visiting Crimean ports. After that, they successfully sell it  even to Europe.

Back in May the Ukrainian Agriculture Ministry reported that Russia had stolen more than 500,000 tons of Ukrainian from the occupied territories. Activists have previously spotted vessels with stolen grain in Turkish ports.

Read also: Lebanon releases ship with stolen Ukrainian grain from custody, Kyiv warns Beirut of consequences

However, the UN has no control over Russian grain under the terms of the agreement, Abdula said. The organization monitors only cargos going from three ports located on Ukrainian-controlled territory, and Ukrainian port authorities monitor other exports.

For what we are monitoring and have oversight of, we can be fairly confident that all parties to the initiative agree on the ownership, control, sale, and movement of the quantities that go through that corridor, Abdula said.

While Ukraine potentially faces more limitations, the is UN working hard to satisfy all of the Russian demands and lift the remaining restrictions on the fertilizers and grains trade. In particular, the organization is trying to unfreeze sales of Russian ammonia, a key fertilizer component, through Ukrainian territory, Reuters reported on Sept. 13.

We needed to stabilize the grain and fertilizers markets in the world, UN Senior trade official Rebeca Grynspan said during a press briefing on Sept. 13.

The (Black Sea Grain Initiative) agreements were essential to making food affordable for millions of people.

Read also: First shipment of Ukrainian grain arrives in Africa

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
STORY: "The U.N. is pursuing all efforts to allow for a positive outcome on Russian ammonia exports to international markets," said senior U.N. trade official Rebeca Grynspan, who leads the facilitation of Russian food and fertilizer exports.

She declined to comment on the specifics of the deal and said it was "too early to say" how close an agreement was. Grynspan said food and fertilizer was being exported from Russian ports.

Ukraine and Russia are both major global grain and fertilizer exporters. The United Nations said the agreement on Russian and Ukrainian exports is needed to tackle a global food crisis that it said had been worsened by Russia's war in Ukraine.

An ammonia deal would give Russia more of a reason to stick to the Ukrainian Black Sea export deal. Russia and Ukraine declined immediate comment on the discussions.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)  A newly constructed University of Michigan facility that will be home to the most powerful laser in the United States is hosting its first experiment this week as the nation seeks to become competitive again in the realm of high-power laser facilities.

The experiment will be conducted at ZEUS  short for Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System  by researchers from the University of California, Irvine. They traveled to Ann Arbor as part of their study of extremely intense interactions of light and matter, and how such interactions can be harnessed to shrink particle accelerators.

At the height of its power, ZEUS will be a 3-petawatt laser.

Three petawatts is 3 with 15 zeroes after it, said Louise Willingale, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Michigan.

And 3 petawatts is 3,000 times more powerful than the U.S. power grid, she said.

Michigan was awarded $18.5 million by the National Science Foundation to establish ZEUS as a federally funded international user facility.

Initially, the facility  housed in a building that is home to U-Ms Gerard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science  will host research teams conducting experiments that use a fraction of the lasers full power potential. The system gradually will ramp up, and ZEUS is expected to begin its signature experiments in the fall of 2023.

The U.S. built the worlds first petawatt laser a quarter-century ago, but hasn't kept pace with more ambitious systems in Europe and Asia. While ZEUS doesnt feature the same raw power as its contemporaries overseas, its approach will simulate a laser that is roughly 1 million times more powerful than its 3 petawatts.

ZEUS primarily will study extreme plasmas, a state of matter in which the electrons have enough energy to escape atoms, creating a sea of charged particles. Nearly all of the seen universe is made of plasma. The sun is an example of a plasma.

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Experiments are expected to contribute to the understanding of how the universe operates at the subatomic level and materials change on rapid timescales. Scientists also hope they lead to the development of smaller and more compact particle accelerators for medical imaging and treatment.

ZEUS will have a huge range of applications across science, technology, engineering and medicine, Willingale said.

Proposals to use ZEUS will be evaluated by an external panel comprised of scientists and engineers. Because of the NSF funding, there will be no cost to users whose experiment proposals are selected to conduct research, beyond providing their own travel costs to the facility.

The proposals will be selected on scientific merit and technical feasibility, Willingale said.

Franklin Dollar, an associate professor in Cal-Irvine's Department of Physics & Astronomy, and four UCI graduate students arrived at Michigan last week to begin preparing for their experiment.

One of the major challenges in our field is access to high quality, intense laser light, Dollar said. ZEUS will not only be the most powerful laser beam on the continent, but perhaps more importantly will provide multiple powerful beams.

Rather than solely making highly energetic plasmas from a laser, there is a second beam which can interact with the plasma as well, he said.

ZEUS is an upgrade over the University of Michigan's 0.5-petawatt laser, known as HERCULES.

While Michigan researchers are thrilled with the birth of ZEUS, they are cognizant of how their naming conventions aren't exactly in keeping with the chronology of Greek mythology.

HERCULES was the predecessor to ZEUS, Willingale said. Its slightly backward, because Hercules was the son of Zeus.

So, were building the father after the son.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded four grants totaling at least $1.8 million to two Southwest Ohio colleges, according to Senator Sherrod Brown.

>>RELATED: Governor DeWine announces application for $5 million in school safety grants opens today

The colleges are the University of Dayton and University of Cincinnati.

The grant money will fund critical scientific research projects and to increase participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, the release said.

Scientific research is critical for creating jobs and improving our economy, Brown said. The University of Cincinnati and University of Dayton are some of Ohios great institutions of higher education. This award will help them advance our knowledge and continue Ohios leadership in innovation.

Funding from NSF includes:
From left: Janet Young, Head of Group Channels and Digitalisation and Group Strategic Communications and Brand, UOB; Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UOB and Jacquelyn Tan, Head of Group Personal Financial Services at UOB. (PHOTO: UOB)

SINGAPORE  UOB on Wednesday (14 July) announced its brand refresh in line with its renewed focus that signals the bank's long-term strategy and commitment to the Asean region.

We have always believed in the potential of Asean, with its favourable demographics and resilient fundamentals," Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UOB, said. "As Asean re-starts its engine of growth post-pandemic, it is timely for the bank to unveil its sharpened purpose and brand refresh."

Wee added that by the time the bank celebrates its 100th year in 2035, it wants to be the most preferred bank for both consumers and businesses across key markets.

As part of the brand revitalisation, UOB introduced a refreshed logo and a new seal mark, new apparel and an integrated regional brand campaign called "Doing Right By You", to showcase its transformation to be future ready for its customers and people in the new banking era.

UOB will be rolling out the regional brand campaign through a series of brand films and advertisements on TV, print, digital and out-of-home channels that include airports.

The two key messages in the campaign  "You Are Unique" and "One Bank for ASEAN"  will show how the bank deliver on personalisation and connectivity respectively.

The campaign will start 15 September across seven markets namely Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. UOB declined to disclose how much it spent on the rebranding campaign.

UOB in January 2022 agreed to acquire Citigroup's consumer banking franchise in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam for about S$4.9 billion to scale its Asean ambitions.

The new UOB apparel design collection (PHOTO: UOB)

UOB Privilege Banking Centre at 270 Orchard Road. (PHOTO: UOB)

Three strategic areas

To deliver on its purpose, the bank will double down on three strategic areas  connectivity, personalisation and sustainability.

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Connectivity is one of UOB's core strength, it said, with its regional footprint and its one-bank approach that help businesses to connect with and within Asean, opening doors to new opportunities of growth across Asean.

Personalisation  which can be experienced with UOB TMRW  captures the bank's focus on customer-centricity and commitment to understand the unique needs of each individual customer, achieved through a combination of data and relationship-led insights. This enables the bank to create solutions that are closely aligned to customer needs, in a manner that engages them and better anticipates their life goals.

Sustainability reflects UOB's long-term approach to the future, specifically the importance of impactful and sustainable development across the region.

We believe that because every customer is unique, they should have a personalised experience with UOB, whether it is engaging with us digitally, through our relationship managers or physically at our branches," Jacquelyn Tan, Head of Group Personal Financial Services at UOB, said.

In September 2021, UOB said it will invest up to S$500 million to scale up its digital initiatives as it seeks to double the retail customers it serves digitally to more than seven million customers across Asean by 2026. Part of that investment will involve combining its digital bank TMRW, with its mobile app UOB Mighty on one platform called UOB TMRW.

Refreshed look

As part of the brand revitalisation, the bank introduced an extensive new range of UOB apparel. The new apparel is a collection of mix-and-match outfits to reflect the new multi-skilled roles of its people at the branches and is designed by Odile Benjamin, founder and CEO of Estair Private Ltd. The design print on the apparels takes inspiration from the Vitalita sculpture and follows a cubic art approach to layering the UOB letters in a bold, sculptural manner.

The 12m high Vitalita sculpture can be seen at the UOB Plaza in Singapore, China and Thailand. It will also be installed in Malaysia in the coming months.

UOB today also officially opened its new UOB Privilege Banking Centre at 270 Orchard Road which serves customers with at least S$350,000 in assets under management.

In Asia, UOB operates through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as branches and representative offices across the region.

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The U.S. Army has returned nearly 6 in 10 of its Chinook helicopters to service as of Tuesday after grounding the fleet late last month due to fuel leaks.

Army spokesman Jason Waggoner said the Army now has 59.5 percent of the fleet available to support missions and training.

Though the number could fluctuate day to day, this number continues to increase daily with ongoing logbook records review and a standard leak-check maintenance procedure outlined in an Aviation Safety Action Message published Sept. 2, Waggoner said.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the news.

The Army grounded the fleet in August after fuel leaks caused a small number of engine fires among the helicopters, saying the military would take corrective steps to resume normal flight operations.

At the time, the Army said the problem affected an isolated number of the aircrafts, which reportedly total about 400, so some might not have needed any fix.

While no deaths or injuries occurred, the Army temporarily grounded the H-47 fleet out of an abundance of caution, an Army spokesperson said last month.

The Army describes the CH-47F, one of the Chinooks latest iterations, as its only heavy-lift cargo helicopter supporting combat and other critical operations.



The aircraft has also been exported to the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Spain, according to the Army.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
From left: Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan star in "See How They Run" as a part of cops in this comedic whodunit. (Parisa Taghizadeh/Searchlight Pictures)

A murder at a country manor kicks off the Agatha Christie play The Mousetrap, and a murder backstage after a London performance of said play kicks off the comedy whodunit See How They Run. It stars Sam Rockwell as a veteran and indolent police detective who is reluctantly paired with an overeager constable played by Saoirse Ronan.

Some background: The Mousetrap ran continuously from its London premiere in 1952 until 2020, a detail that tends to baffle many (why this play?) though Im partial to its enduring appeal. The pandemic temporarily got in the way of things (as it did for every theater production) but the play reopened in 2021 and it is a marvel of longevity few anticipated. Consider this clause in its contract: No film adaptations are permitted until six months after the show has closed on the West End. Seeing as its never closed (COVID excepting), no movie has been made.

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But who could have foreseen a decadeslong run? Certainly not the (mostly) fictional characters herein. What if there had been a movie in the works?

See How They Run begins on the night of the shows 100th performance  were still in the early 50s  and Hollywood has come calling in the form of Adrien Brodys crass movie director, who is unimpressed by the story as it transpires on stage. He has something splashier in mind and envisions The Mousetraps climax as one filled with car chases, guns and explosions. The joke is that his disdain for hoary mystery cliches isnt all that different from his preference for tacky action cliches instead. Americans!

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Nobody likes the guy  not the amusingly dramatic screenwriter played by David Oyelowo, nor the buttoned-up but compromised producer played by Reece Shearsmith. No one associated with the play seems particularly fond of him either.

From left: Adrien Brody and David Oyelowo play director and screenwriter fighting over the script in "See How They Run." (Parisa Taghizadeh/Searchlight Pictures)

That is why, when the director turns up dead, theres no shortage of suspects. Inspector Stoppard (Rockwell) and Constable Stalker (Ronan) are on the case  if only Stoppard can keep himself awake (or out of the pub) and an enthusiastic Stalker can keep herself from jumping to the wrong conclusions.

Directed by Tom George from a screenplay by Mark Chappell, See How They Run is a throwback with a smirk. Or put more diplomatically: An old school whodunit reconceived as a farce. Its self-referential (the characters end up snowed in at a country estate, just like in The Mousetrap) and simultaneously poking fun at the murder mystery form while also paying homage.

If only it were actually funny! Stoppards boss admonishes him to get his act together because the press is having a field day: Fleet Street is all over this like hot jam on a Devonshire scone. You need a speedy, dont-look-back delivery to make that kind of line work, and thats absent here. Its emblematic of the films overall approach to comedy, which lacks pacing and animating energy. Ronan is fun  bright-eyed and smart and full of breathless enthusiasm  but the individual talents of the cast never gel into a cohesive idea of an ensemble.

Rockwell is especially ill-suited. British actors tend to have varying degrees of success playing Americans, but the reverse is rarely true. Its not just about getting the accent right, but the nuances  of carriage and facial expressions and small interactions  that American actors often miss when playing a certain stripe of English character (Renee Zellweger probably came closest with the Bridget Jones films).

Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan as coppers on the case. (Parisa Taghizadeh/Searchlight Pictures)

Murder mysteries fell out of fashion for a good long while, but theres been a recent resurgence. These trends tend to be cyclical and Im happy that theres renewed interest. But the examples of late  from Knives Out to The Afterparty to Only Murders in the Building  are doing it with a wink. As if playing it straight would be too ... what? Embarrassing?

Im not saying whodunits should be humorless. Far from it! But its as if all the reliable tropes, the twists and turns, are seen as passe and best mitigated with self-aware comedy skewering it all.

Im not opposed to a jokey approach, so much as wondering why its become the default. Because its not the willingness to wink that makes whodunits so satisfying, but their careful architecture.

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See How They Run  2 stars (out of 4)

MPAA rating: PG-13

Running time: 1:38

Where to watch: In theaters Sept. 16

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic

nmetz@chicagotribune.com

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US freight railroad workers are close to striking over claims that grueling schedules and poor working conditions have been driving employees out of the industry over the past several years.

Related: Completely demoralized: US railroad workers pushed to the brink

Heated negotiations over a new union contract between railroad corporations and 150,000-member-strong labor unions have been ongoing for nearly three years. A cooling off period imposed by the Biden administration after it issued recommendations to settle the dispute ends on Friday. If no deal is reached, unions are threatening industrial action  the first since 1992  and workers say they will quit an industry already facing staff shortages.

The consequences of a strike would be severe. Rail moves close to 40% of the USs long-distance trade and a strike could cost the US economy $2bn a day, according to a recently issued Association of American Railroads report, disrupting travel, commutes and the shipment of commodities and other goods across the country.

Related: Rail strikes: RMT announces two more dates in September

But workers argue the industry is in crisis. Between November 2018 and December 2020, the railroad industry lost 40,000 jobs in the US, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The US railroad industrys workforce dropped from more than 1 million workers in the 1950s to fewer than 150,000 in 2022.

The cost-cutting has contributed to big windfalls at BNSF and Union Pacific, the two largest railroad corporations in North America, which reported record profits in 2021. BNSF is owned by billionaire investor Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate. US railroads have paid out $196bn in stock buybacks and dividends to shareholders since 2010.

The job is just really becoming fewer people doing more work faster, said Ross Grooters, a locomotive engineer for Union Pacific in Iowa and co-chair of Railroad Workers United. Weve seen in this country all workers getting more and more squeezed.

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These railroads are making billions of dollars. In the past, weve been well compensated for being on call 24/7, 365 days a year. Thats been eroded over the course of my career in the last two decades to where its just not appealing enough to attract people into the workplace, said Grooters.

A BNSF train hauls coal in Montana. Photograph: Matt Brown/AP

Labor cuts, lack of paid days off, precision scheduling systems to reduce headcounts, disciplinary attendance policies that issue points against workers for any time taken off and unfair and punishing on-call schedules have made it more difficult to continue working in the railroad industry, said Grooters, and workers claim these issues arent being addressed in proposed new union contract agreements.

When I first was hired out on the railroad my paychecks seemed to stretch a lot further than it does today. I dont think thats a unique experience for railroad workers. We really need to stop that trend. And hopefully, we railroad workers can help fight back against profiteering from the richest people in this country, said Grooters.

With talks stalling, the Biden administration convened a presidential emergency board (PEB) earlier this year that issued recommendations for a settlement on 16 August. Biden and his economic team are pushing unions and companies to reach an agreement before Fridays deadline, the New York Times reported.

Ten of the 12 labor unions currently negotiating new contracts have reached tentative agreements for workers to vote on, but the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (Smart), which represent half of railroad union workers, have said workers will strike if attendance and scheduling issues arent resolved.

Nearly 5,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) voted on Wednesday to reject the tentative agreement, the union said. Members of the Transportation Communications Union and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen voted to ratify their contracts Wednesday. IAM did agree to delay any strike until 29 September, the union said.

Workers at several other unions still have to vote on the tentative agreements, and some have expressed criticisms that the recommendations dont adequately address staffing and scheduling issues.

The PEB punted on just about every single issue, and left people feeling kind of betrayed and kind of vacant, because of the discontent on the railroad right now, said Ron Kaminkow, general secretary of Railroad Workers United who currently works as an Amtrak engineer in Reno, Nevada, and serves as vice-president of BLET Local 51.

Kaminkow said many railroad workers dont have any paid time off at all, with the PEB recommending just one added day of paid time off. Workers are currently on call consistently throughout the year, making a life-work balance near impossible and contributing to fatigue issues, illnesses, job safety and discontent among the workforce.

Its our speculation that if this contract is approved and the PEB recommendations form the basis for a tentative agreement, and this is what we end up with, you will probably see thousands of workers in train engine service who will wait to get the best paid lump sum settlement and then theyll quit. So it doesnt solve any of the problems that the industry is facing, Kaminkow added. Ive worked in the industry 26 years, and its  I never thought Id see it like this.

An American flag emblazoned on a Union Pacific locomotive in Jackson, Mississippi. Photograph: Rogelio V Solis/AP

BLET members voted 99.5% in favor of authorizing a strike in July 2022, representing around 23,000 workers under the new contract negotiations.

BLET and Smart issued a joint statement on 11 September criticizing railroad corporations for warning shippers of embargoes on certain shipments ahead of the end of the federally mandated cooling off period, claiming the railroad industry is using supply chain and economic concerns to try to impose a bad contract on the unions that doesnt address the attendance and scheduling concerns of workers.

A survey conducted by Railroad Workers United on the PEB recommendations received responses from 3,162 railroad workers, with over 90% of respondents saying they would vote against tentative agreements based on the recommendations and would approve of a strike after the federally mandated cooling off period.

Railroad workers have emphasized their grueling schedules, a disciplinary attendance system and lack of paid days off, and workers constantly having to be on call to report to work within two hours or less as major points of criticism of the PEB recommendations that failed to address these issues.

Under the Railway Labor Act, railroad corporations and labor unions have to adhere to federally mandated cooling off periods to try to resolve labor disputes. Once the cooling off period ends, on 16 September, a variety of scenarios could result, either through strikes or lockouts of workers by railroad corporations  or Congress could act to impose its own settlement or extend the cooling off period to continue negotiations and avoid any disruptions to interstate commerce.

If Congress imposes the results of the PEB, or imposes a bad contract down our throat without addressing the attendance policy, or quality of life issues, or our taxable meal issues, without addressing any of that, then people are just going to leave. They already are, but people are just going to continue leaving the industry, said Michael Paul Lindsey, a locomotive engineer for Union Pacific in Idaho for 17 years.

They can try to force us out of a strike, but they cant force us to not quit, and that could result in an even bigger effect on the economy. Congress needs to think long and hard before they force it within the strike, because if they do, it will have a much bigger strike as people resign and leave the industry, he said.
A Senate committee took the first step Wednesday toward the United States directly providing billions of dollars in military aid to Taiwan and making ties more official, ramping up support following soaring tensions with Beijing.

The United States for decades has sold weapons to Taiwan but the new legislation will go further by providing US security assistance of $4.5 billion over four years, a step sure to infuriate Beijing. It also lays out sanctions on China if it uses force to try to seize the island.

With support from both parties, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Taiwan Policy Act, billed as the most sweeping upgrade of the relationship since the United States switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

Lawmakers moved ahead on the act amid heightened worries for Taiwan after Russia invaded Ukraine and following a visit to Taipei by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which prompted China to stage major military exercises seen as a trial run for an invasion.

Senator Bob Menendez, a member of Biden's Democratic Party who leads the committee, said that the United States "does not seek war or heightened tensions with Beijing" but needed to be "clear-eyed."

"We are carefully and strategically lowering the existential threats facing Taiwan by raising the cost of taking the island by force so that it becomes too high a risk and unachievable," Menendez said.

Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the committee, said it was "imperative we take action now to bolster Taiwan's self-defense before it's too late."

The bill still must clear the full Senate and House. The White House has not said whether President Joe Biden will sign the bill, although the strong support it has may mean Congress could override any potential veto.

- Less ambiguous relationship -

Under the act the United States still will not recognize Taiwan.

China considers the island -- where the mainland's defeated nationalists fled in 1949 -- to be a province awaiting reunification and strongly opposes any international legitimacy for Taipei, which has transformed into a vibrant democracy and major economic power.

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But the new law would shed many of the runarounds and codewords that have been in place so as not to anger China by implying recognition.

The de facto embassy -- now officially the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office -- would be renamed the Taiwan Representative Office and the US government would be instructed to interact with Taiwan as it would with any government.

The top US envoy in Taipei, now called the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, would be renamed the "representative" of the office and need confirmation by the Senate, as would a US ambassador.

The act would also designate Taiwan a "major non-NATO ally," a status for the closest US military partners outside of the trans-Atlantic alliance. And in a reflection of changing dynamics since the landmark 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the bill says the United States will provide weapons "conducive to deterring acts of aggression" by China rather than simply "defensive" weapons.

In addition to the $4.5 billion in funding to Taiwan, the act would authorize $2 billion in loan guarantees for Taiwan to buy US weapons.

Biden earlier this year appeared to end decades of US ambiguity and said the United States would directly help Taiwan if it is attacked.

His aides walked back his remarks and the White House later quietly discouraged Pelosi from going ahead with her visit, fearing it would provoke President Xi Jinping ahead of a key Communist Party meeting.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said only that the Biden administration was in touch with lawmakers about the legislation.

"We appreciate the strong bipartisan support for Taiwan and want to work with Congress to strengthen that," she said.

cjc-sct/dw
(Bloomberg) -- US lawmakers will debate a bill Wednesday to boost ties with Taiwan and give it more military hardware to deter a Chinese invasion. In Washington, where politicians often jockey to show whos toughest on Beijing, the legislation is making the White House queasy.

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What: The Taiwan Policy Act would, among other things, give Taipei $4.5 billion for defense over four years, recognize its democratically elected government as the legitimate representative of the people of Taiwan, and formally designate the island as a major non-NATO ally.

When: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee takes initial action -- known as a markup -- at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday local time.

So What: The bill in its original form could upend the USs carefully calibrated one China policy, under which the US has for more than 40 years built ties with Beijing by avoiding formally stating its position on Taiwans sovereignty. As part of that, the US has tried to maintain strategic ambiguity about how much it would help Taipei if the Peoples Liberation Army attacked.

Understanding between the two sides has begun to break down amid a growing belief in Washington that President Xi Jinping is moving China in a more authoritarian, militaristic direction. Thats led to bipartisan efforts to bolster Taiwans defenses, roll back market access for Chinese companies and sanction officials for crackdowns in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

Where They Stand

In favor: Senator Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, called the bill a statement of the USs absolute commitment to stand with Taiwan against China.

Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and member of the committee, said he thinks the bill will pass in a close vote. I think well be OK, Rubio said. The language I think is pretty well understood, so I feel pretty good about it.

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Opposed: China views the bill as another step in a campaign to undermine the one China agreement and move toward formal recognition of Taiwan. The PLA fired ballistic missiles over Taiwan last month to protest Nancy Pelosis visit to the island, the first such trip by a house speaker in a quarter century.

Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian told a regular news briefing Wednesday in Beijing that the Taiwan Policy Act severely violates US-China agreements and accused the government in Taipei of wooing US lawmakers to aid in separatism.

Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University said a treaty-ally relationship between Taiwan and the US would completely damage the US one-China policy and of course will cause major damage to US-China relations.

The White House is nervous, too. It argues that the USs longstanding policy is still working. Officials in President Joe Bidens administration also say the legislation would take policy direction out of the presidents hands.

There are elements of that legislation with respect to how we can strengthen our security assistance for Taiwan that are quite effective and robust that will improve Taiwan security, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations on Bloomberg Television last week. There are other elements that give us some concern.

Critics have highlighted the proposal to formally dub Taiwan a major non-NATO military ally, which would -- among other things -- ease access to American weapons. They argue that the move would be largely symbolic because Taiwan has been legally treated as though it were having that status for two decades.

Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who also sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, questioned whether the bill would antagonize China and upset regional allies that dont want to see a war. The US voided its formal security pact with Taiwan as part of the deal to formally establish relations with Beijing in 1979.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a briefing Tuesday the Biden administration was talking to Congress about its concerns. In a sign of how little appetite there is in Washington for a conciliatory approach, he tried to pre-empt criticism that opposing the bill meant being weak on China.

Weve been adamant about being committed to Taiwans self-defense, Kirby said, citing hundreds of millions of dollars in recent arms sales.

What Happens Now?

Menendez wants the Foreign Relations Committee to vote on the bill by the end of the day Wednesday. What seems certain is that senators will offer numerous amendments, meaning it could be a long afternoon and the final bill could look a lot different from the current version.

Even if the committee does pass the bill, the Senate must vote on a final version. Theres still no companion bill in the House of Representatives. Biden could then use his veto if he decides it goes too far.

(Updates with comment from academic in 10th paragraph.)

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WASHINGTON (AP)  A year after the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration said Wednesday it will transfer $3.5 billion in frozen Afghan central bank funds to benefit the Afghan people, as hunger grips every province there.

Funds will be dispersed after trustees of the new Afghan Fund meet to determine a timetable. The trustees are two Afghan economists, a U.S. government representative and a Swiss government representative.

Notably, the Taliban government will not have access to the fund, which will be held at the Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland. The bank in a news release said its role is limited to providing banking services to and executing the instructions of the Board of Trustees of the Fund without involvement in the Funds governance or decision making.

In the interim, Afghanistan's central bank, which in February had $7 billion in frozen funds, must demonstrate that it has the expertise, capacity, and independence to responsibly perform the duties of a central bank, the U.S. Treasury and State departments said in a joint statement. Robust safeguards have been put in place to prevent the funds from being used for illicit activity."

International funding to Afghanistan was suspended and billions of dollars of the countrys assets abroad, mostly in the United States, were frozen after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021 following the U.S. military's withdrawal.

The World Bank says income and economic output in Afghanistan have dropped between 20% and 30%, imports have declined by roughly 40%, and 70% of Afghan households report they are unable to fully meet basic food or non-food needs.

In February, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that called for banks to provide $3.5 billion of the frozen money to a trust fund for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs.

The other $3.5 billion will stay in the U.S. to finance payments from lawsuits by U.S. victims of terrorism that are still working their way through the courts, prompted by claims brought by family members of people killed on Sept 11, 2001.

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The Afghan Fund will help mitigate the economic challenges facing Afghanistan while protecting and preserving $3.5 billion in reserves from Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), Afghanistans central bank, for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan, Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.

He said the Talibans repression and economic mismanagement had exacerbated longstanding economic challenges for Afghanistan that had made the return of the funds untenable.

In a Tuesday letter to Afghanistans central bank, Adeyemo said until conditions for the central bank are met, their control of assets would place them at unacceptable risk and jeopardize them as a source of support for the Afghan people.

Shah Mehrabi, a Montgomery College economics professor, is one of the trustees of the new fund. He told The Associated Press that the money should be used primarily to maintain price stability in the country, rather than for humanitarian purposes.

I think the purpose of board, as a member, is to address the liquidity and price stability issues in the country expeditiously, prior to a harsh winter, he said. There are ways we can provide relief so that Afghans are able to have food and energy and to perform their basic daily duties.

Human Rights Watch said in August that Afghanistans humanitarian crisis cannot be effectively addressed unless the U.S. and other governments ease restrictions on the countrys banking sector to allow economic activity and humanitarian aid.

Nearly half the Afghan population  18.9 million people  is estimated to be acutely food insecure between June and November 2022, the World Food Programme said. All 34 provinces in the country are facing some level of crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the people of Afghanistan are facing humanitarian and economic crises born of decades of conflict, severe drought, COVID-19, and endemic corruption.

Today, the United States and its partners take an important, concrete step forward in ensuring that additional resources can be brought to bear to reduce suffering and improve economic stability for the people of Afghanistan while continuing to hold the Taliban accountable, Sherman said.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Wednesday that it will provide nearly $2 billion for food banks and school meal programs to purchase American-grown foods.

The breakdown will mean about $1 billion for emergency food providers and almost half a billion dollars for school lunch and breakfast programs, according to a release from the department. Another approximately half a billion dollars will go toward expanding the existing Local Food Purchase Assistance program.

The program is aimed at combating hunger and boosting American producers as they deal with supply chain issues and high food costs.

U.S. census data from last month found that about 23 million Americans reported they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat. The USDA reported that more than 10 percent of American households were food insecure in 2021.

Funding these initiatives is paramount in the fight against hunger, and further demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration and USDAs commitment to strengthen food and nutrition security, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement from the department.

The funding, provided though the USDAS Commodity Credit Corporation funding mechanism, allocates $943 million to provide emergency feeding organizations with American-grown foods.

An additional $471.5 million will be the third round of Supply Chain Assistance funds, aimed at helping states buy American-grown foods for their school meal programs. States will allocate the funding to their individual schools based on enrollment, and the money can be used to purchase unprocessed and minimally processed domestic food.

Another $471.5 million will go to the Local Food Purchase Assistance cooperative agreement program for cooperative agreements with states, tribes, and territories to purchase locally available food grown within each state or within 400 miles of the delivery destination that will be distributed to meet the unique local needs of each community.

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The White House is set to host a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health later this month, the first in more than 50 years, as part of the Biden-Harris administrations goal to end hunger in the U.S. by 2030.

A national strategy to guide the federal government in combating these issues is slated to be unveiled at the Sept. 28 event.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Photo credit: Oprah Daily

Days before Oprah and Viola Davis sat down together for an enlightening conversation celebrating Daviss beautifully honest Finding Me memoir, a New York Times bestseller, the Oscar-winning actress was in South Africa filming The Woman King. If youre intrigued by the title alone, then allow us to bring you up to speed on what to expect when the film hits theaters on September 16.

The Woman King tells the story of the Amazons, which is loosely based on the African Kingdom of Dahomeys all-female warrior tribe. They were called the Amazons, and they were soldiers who fought for the kingdom, Davis tells Oprah about the historical tribe. They couldnt get married; they couldnt have children; they couldnt have sex. And they fought, basically, all the neighboring tribes of all menthe Oyo tribe, the Mahiand they were just badasses, you know?

While Daviss explanation is compelling enough to make us start lining up for tickets right this very minute, Davis shared that at the heart of the film lies a tremendous story of reconciliation between General Nanisc, played by Davis, and her ambitious daughter Nawi, played by South African actress Thuso Mbedu.

According to BBC Travel, King Ghezo ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1858, and assembled the all-female army due to limited manpower as a result of the European slave trade. However, the same BBC Travel report notes a possibility that Queen Hangbe, who reigned over Dahomey, actually formed the group as a way to have her own bodyguards. John Boyega is playing Ghezo in The Woman King, though its unclear whether Hangbe will be portrayed in the film. In 1892, the Amazons were defeated by the French, but Davis says The Woman King is sure to give viewers a window into their life.

Midway through her conversation with Oprah, Davis joked that she was the oldest warrior at age 57. Still, she felt proud of herself and of her husband, Julius Tennon, for having the insight to even do this awesome piece of work.

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What Davis walked away with, though, is far greater than any box-office success. Looking at all these young women who a part of this story, Im telling you, I see the future in a lot of these young girls, she tells Oprah. The confidence they have, the work ethic they have, it made me feel so proud just looking at how they showed up every day for work, how they understood the assignment.

Watch the official trailer for The Woman King below. Then, check out Oprah and Daviss full conversation above.

The Woman King hits theaters on September 16.





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A Virginia man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to being part of a scam that entailed posing as women on a dating app to swindle sailors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Samari Smith, 20, of Newport News, and at least four co-conspirators pretended to be women looking for a romantic relationship on Tinder, according to a Justice Department release.

The case is reminiscent of The Tinder Swindler, an Israeli man who allegedly swindled $10 million out of several women he met on Tinder and became a sensation after an eponymous documentary was released on Netflix in February.

From approximately April to August of 2021, Smith targeted at least four sailors  three low-ranking petty officers and one seaman apprentice  stationed in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, which is home to several naval installations.

Impersonating Navy Federal Credit Union employees, the conspirators end goal was to obtain information from account holders to access their accounts, Smith acknowledged in court documents.

In numerous scenarios, the swindlers, posing as women on the app  at least one was under the name Ariella  would demonstrate romantic interest in sailors. Once matched, the members of the conspiracy would then ask their targets for help transferring money from a fictitious sister in the Navy.

Typically, the conspirators transferred money from the NFCU accounts to the sailors, claiming that it was money from the sister, and asked the sailors to send them the money. Believing they were legitimately helping a romantic interests relative, the sailors each transferred the conspiracy thousands of dollars, which often came from other illegally accessed accounts, according to court documents.

Smiths role in the conspiracy led to more than $40,000 in fraud losses, he admitted in court documents.

Smith was indicted and arrested in July. After pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, Smith faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and $1,000,000 in fines. He is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2023.

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Two co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty, including ringleader Trequan Smith, 21, and Emani Burton, 23, both of Hampton, Virginia, according to the Justice Department release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman for the Eastern District of Virginia is prosecuting the case.

Smiths attorney, Nicholas Hobbs, did not respond to a request for comment as of publication.
The absolute state of it. Quite literally. The absolute ,absolute state of it. Lying in Westminster Hall is stateliness in this countrys most absolute form. The high stone walls, the oak beamed ceilings. The bearskins, the beefeaters and bobbies, heads bowed in tight solemn formation around the catafalque, the candles, the orb, the mace and the imperial state crown.

The state and stateliness are one and the same. It was not so long ago that human beings genuinely believed power to be drawn from appearance, from Majesty. The awesome power of the state and the state of a childs bedroom are all on the same spectrum.

According to Milton, when King Canute ordered the sea to come no further on the land, he gave force to his command with all the state that royalty could put into his countenance.

And it was this majesty that they waited all night and all day, queueing over bridges and up embankments for just a moments glance upon. The grandiose occasion of it all, the pomp and splendour, and the blurred lines between constitutions, institutions and simple flesh and blood have concealed, perhaps knowingly, the human simplicity of it all. The crowds have gathered here for the same reason crowds gather anywhere. Because theyre fans.

Besides, what they came to do, she has been doing all her life. For five days the crowds will come to her. For 70 years, she went to them. It is sometimes speculated that the late Queen may have met more people than any human being ever to have lived. In seven full decades of opening buildings and gladhanding crowds you really do rack up the numbers. Politicians try and do the same in election campaigns. Her Majesty was in campaign mode for seventy years and, so arguably unsurprisingly, she ended up rather popular.

This is not to say that all this is without its flaws. When, on Wednesday afternoon, the coffin swept out of Buckingham Palace, the Queens late family marching behind it, it was impossible not to notice that two of them were not in military uniform. Prince Andrew and Prince Harry have both stood in the face of gunfire in service of their country, in the Falklands and in Afghanistan.

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Their mother and grandmother will be rightly remembered for her dedication to a life of service and of duty, but those two know more about it than the rest. Both have worn the Queens uniform, but neither will wear the Kings. Prince Andrew has been stripped of his honorary royal titles for obvious, well known and entirely justifiable reasons. Prince Harry had his removed when he chose to step down from Royal duties.

It is as vivid a reminder as can hope to wish for that this seemingly kind and gentle family are not where they are entirely through historical accident. Prince Philip used to say that the royal family would do what they do, for as long as people want us to. And people most certainly do want them to. But its not quite as simple as that.

Theyre there because they want to be there as well. And they are ruthless in protecting their interests, holding their position, maintaining their reputation. In the eyes of the firm as the family refers to itself, Harry and Andrews sins are the same  letting the side down  and so they shall be forced to exhibit their deficiencies (one rather more serious than the other) under the most piercing spotlight.

It felt like a medieval humiliation-style punishment. Not quite tarred and feathered but morning-suited, civvied. A warning sign.

No, none of this has been left to chance. Her Majestys elevation to living deity was no accident. People loved her immense, unflappable dignity and her quiet charm, but they were her rare human qualities.

Far too much has already been made of King Charles III losing his temper at a malfunctioning pen not once but twice, but it nevertheless remains true that his mother never really created any real viral moments of this nature in seven full decades and hes knocked out two in four days.

And it is not because times have changed, either. The occasion of her coronation was, for a lot of the country, the excuse to buy a telly. The modern world of camera phones and constant surveillance is the one she has lived in all her life.

When all the earths riches have been laid down upon you, looking spoiled is incredibly easy and looking humble is incredibly hard. The late Queen made humility look easy  the hardest thing of all.

Its not surprising she has amassed the kind of fan base that will queue all night to wait for a short moment that amounts to almost nothing. They just want to be able to say they were there. Well, now they can, and they most certainly will.

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As they walked past the coffin, most of the crowd stood, paused, bowed, then carried on their way. MPs, unsurprisingly, were spared the queuing.

Sir Graham Brady, almost part of the constitution now himself, Keeper of the Disgruntled Letters, walked past and bowed his head. The SNPs Joanna Cherry, not the most deferential of souls by nature, held her partners hand as she let out little sobs.

Few among the passing crowds will realise that, five steps outside the door, they tread on hallowed ground again. Five years ago, almost all personnel on the parliamentary estate were held all afternoon in this grand hall, while PC Palmers body lay outside, covered by a makeshift sheet.

In the service of his country, he had his life stolen from him. To the same cause, Queen Elizabeth II gave hers rather more willingly, in her own very different way. Seven full decades, chipping away at an enormous mortgage of good fortune which by now, even the most fervent republicans would surely consider to have been finally squared away.
A Palatine High School sophomore was ticketed in April after a school-based police officer accused him of damaging a chain-link fence that students often pass through as a shortcut at lunchtime. Another student eventually took responsibility for the damage. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

At Illinois largest high school district, Black and Latino students were suspended more often than white students, disciplined more often for subjective reasons such as dress code violations, and referred more frequently to the local police, who in many cases then issued costly tickets for misbehavior, data submitted as part of a state investigation shows.

The information provided to state officials by Township High School District 211 reveals widespread disparities involving not just students of color but also those with disabilities. The Illinois attorney generals office is in the early stages of a civil rights investigation that aims to determine if some groups of District 211 students have been unfairly disciplined at school.

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The data, obtained through a public records request, shows that Black and Latino students together received about 65% of the roughly 470 tickets police have issued to high school students since the start of the 2018-19 school year. Those groups make up just 32% of district enrollment. White students, meanwhile, make up nearly 43% of enrollment but received about 28% of the tickets.

More than 22% of the tickets were issued to students whose disabilities made them eligible for an Individualized Education Plan, though those students make up only about 9% of the enrollment. The district, with 11,800 students, operates five high schools and two alternative schools in the large suburbs of Palatine, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg.

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The attorney generals office began its investigation following publication of The Price Kids Pay, an investigation by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica that revealed schools across Illinois have been working with police to punish students with costly tickets for violating municipal ordinances.

[ Read the investigation "The Price Kids Pay" ]

The news organizations investigation included a first-of-its-kind database of tickets issued at Illinois public schools over three school years. The attorney generals office has said District 211 stood out both for the number of tickets issued and for racial disparities in the ticketing. (The news database includes tickets provided by local police departments, not the school district, from the school years ending in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The data from the state investigation includes the school year ending this summer and comes from the district.)

District officials deny that race factors into their disciplinary decisions. In a statement, District 211 Superintendent Lisa Small said the data on disparities reduces individual students to simplistic statistics.

They are not a statistic to us, but a developing young adult, she wrote. Race is not and has never been a factor in our student discipline. Decisions are highly individualized and based on the specific behavior and are not well-suited to a simple numerical analysis.

Palatine High School is one of five high schools in Township High School District 211, which is the subject of a state civil rights investigation. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Small also said the district recently stopped alerting law enforcement when students are truant. A 2019 Illinois law made it illegal for schools to notify police when students are truant so that officers can ticket them, but the Tribune and ProPublica identified dozens of school districts that routinely failed to follow this law, including District 211.

Amy Meek, chief of the Civil Rights Bureau in the Illinois attorney generals office, said in an interview last week that an initial review of the District 211 data is revealing disparities related to students race and disability status, and that those are the kinds of things that we would typically want to look more closely at.

Meek said the next step is to try to understand, possibly through additional records and interviews, the reasons for the disparities. You have to not just identify the disparity but also assess whether this disparity is the result of a particular policy or set of decisions and is there an alternative that would have a less disparate impact, Meek said.

One Black parent whose son received a ticket at Palatine High School said the disparities in the data dont surprise her. Her sons ticket, issued by a school-based police officer, was dismissed at a hearing. Racial bias exists everywhere, she said, including at school.

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It is already inside their minds like, These people are the bad people so we have to keep an extra eye out on them,  said the woman, who attended the hearing at the villages police station. Of course they should be doing something about it.

[ Civil rights investigation opened into suburban high school district ]

Some District 211 records show that school officials were aware of concerns about racial disparities in discipline. The district commissioned a study on race and equity at its schools that began in 2020 and became the basis for a districtwide plan to address racial equity.

Parents and students believe that there are unfair disciplinary practices in our schools that result in a harsher discipline consequence for Black and Latino students, according to early findings based on focus groups of students and parents.

The districts data confirms that disparities exist, including in enforcement of minor disciplinary matters such as insubordination, dress code violations and student ID violations. In addition to the ticketing disparities, district records show that Black and Latino students together received 65% of the suspensions that schools imposed. About 36% of the suspensions went to students with disabilities.

But in a letter to the attorney generals office accompanying the data, the districts lawyer denied any bias.

The District does not believe the data contained below reflects a disparate impact of disciplinary consequences, the letter states. The district also told the attorney generals office that it has prioritized training and professional development on educational equity and trauma informed care. It provided hundreds of pages of materials, including training for school employees on how to respond to students in crisis and on understanding equity.

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The district also distanced itself from actions police take at school, stating in the letter that police, not high school employees, write the tickets. Workers also dont call police to come to the school, according to the letter. Instead, employees refer students to police consultants, or police officers who are already stationed at the schools, and those officers decide what action to take.

The district also said that when it sends students to police, its intent is not that students are issued fines or fees, but to add a layer of support. Yet district training and handbook materials warn that misbehavior can result in fines.

Tickets issued by Palatine police carry fines and, in some cases, a $55 fee for an administrative hearing, where tickets can be disputed or penalties reduced. The hearing officer in Palatine can approve community service instead of a fine, but he also can impose up to a $750 fine if the student doesnt show up to the hearing or complete the ordered community service.

The attorney generals office is also examining the village of Palatine and its Police Department, which has officers stationed in three district buildings.

District 211 and Palatine sent records to the attorney generals office in July. The school district then provided those records  more than 1,500 pages worth  to the Tribune and ProPublica in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The Palatine Police Department has refused to turn over its records to the news organizations.

The districts records show that when school officials involve the police, a process known as a police referral, Latino students are more likely than other groups to receive a ticket.

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The federal government considers all tickets written on campus as stemming from a police referral. Districtwide, Latino students were referred to police 400 times over the time period the attorney general is examining, and about 64% of those referrals resulted in a ticket. When white students were referred to police, tickets were written about 52% of the time. Black students referred to police received tickets about 31% of the time.

The data does not include tickets issued in the 2020-2021 school year, when buildings were closed for much of the year because of the pandemic. And though the data shows tickets were issued at all District 211 high schools, the district acknowledged that it may not have records on all tickets issued and that the three police departments serving the district could have records concerning additional tickets.

The Tribune and ProPublica previously documented the tickets issued on school property or at school events by police from Palatine, Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates and reported that the reason for the tickets was often possession of e-cigarettes, cannabis or drug paraphernalia; truancy; or disorderly conduct. So far, the attorney generals office has requested records only from the Palatine police, but Meek said its typical for her office to issue subsequent requests for information and conduct interviews in the course of civil rights investigations.

[ Do police give students tickets in your school district? Find out here ]

Police chiefs in Palatine and Hoffman Estates, where officers issued most of the school-based tickets, which often carried hundreds of dollars in fines, did not respond to requests for comment. In Schaumburg, where students received fewer tickets, police Chief Bill Wolf said decisions to arrest or issue citations to students depend on the seriousness of the crime, previous history, and the ability or desire of the parents or guardians to correct the behavior.

The race or disability status of the juvenile has absolutely no part in the determination to make an arrest or pursue a citation, Wolf said in an email. The Schaumburg tickets often do not result in a fine, he said.

In June and July, reporters attended hearings at the Palatine police station where high school students who had received tickets appeared before a hearing officer. Students had been ticketed for truancy, possession of a vaping device and vandalism.

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One student, a Palatine High School sophomore, was ticketed in April after he returned to school from a lunch break. The police officer stationed at the school accused the 16-year-old student, who is Black, of damaging a chain-link fence that students often pass through as a shortcut at lunchtime.

The school is listed as the complainant on the ticket. The student said in an interview that he told the school-based police officer he didnt damage the fence.

Palatine High School students regularly walk through a gap in a chain-link fence that separates the school from an apartment complex. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

The ticket, which accused the student of violating Palatines vandalism ordinance, carried a $200 fine. At the students June hearing, the hearing officer suggested that the student do 16 hours of community service, which the village allows as an alternative to paying the fine. When the student started to talk about his fast-food jobs, including one at Smoothie King, the hearing officer said he thought he recognized the teen from there. I remember your hair, he told the student. The student was confused; he had not yet started working at that job.

The students mom then interjected, asking her son whether he had damaged the fence. The student said he hadnt, that it was already damaged when he went through. It wasnt me, he said. I am saying I didnt rip the fence. I didnt rip the fence open. The hearing officer responded by telling the student the police officer could have charged him with a crime instead of writing a ticket.

The hearing officer ultimately dismissed the students case when another student who received a similar ticket acknowledged he had damaged the fence.

The Palatine High School student accused of damaging this fence denied it, and his ticket was later dismissed. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

But the hearing officer didnt seem to recall the dismissal when he saw the first student at Smoothie King a couple weeks later, according to the student.

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The judge came to my job and mentioned it in front of my co-workers, the student said. He asked in front of them, Did you get those (community service) hours done? 

Attempts to reach the hearing officer for comment were unsuccessful.

It was uncomfortable, said the student, who felt forced to explain the situation to the other employees. Its embarrassing to do it in front of my co-workers because it could have ruined my job.

Smith Richards is a Tribune reporter. Cohen is a Chicago-based reporter for ProPublica.

jrichards@chicagotribune.com
The capture of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by Russian forces in March immediately sparked fears that the world could face another nuclear disaster on the scale of the Chernobyl explosion almost 40 years ago. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv was quick to call the shelling of Europe's largest nuclear power plant a "war crime."

"We survived a night that could have stopped the story, the history of Ukraine, the history of Europe," said Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy. An explosion at Zaporizhzhia would have equaled "six Chernobyls," he said, referring to the Ukrainian nuclear reactor meltdown of 1986  widely seen as the most catastrophic nuclear disaster in history, with unparalleled health, economic, and environmental impacts.

Photo taken on Aug. 22, 2022 shows the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. / Credit: Victor/Xinhua via Getty Images

What's driving fears of a disaster at Zaporizhzhia?

Earlier this week, with continued shelling around the plant repeatedly cutting access to the electricity grid, plans were announced to shut down Zaporizhzhia's last working reactor. A stable electricity supply is essential for any nuclear power plant to maintain cooling systems for radioactive fuel. Zaporizhzhia does have diesel generators to switch on when the primary electricity supply is cut, but they are not a long-term solution.

"If the power goes off, we're then reliant on fairly elderly diesel generators to run the safety systems," Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, an expert in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons, told CBS News. "Once you lose the main power supply, you're almost in a two-engine airplane which loses one engine, and then you're in a bad position."

"For a nuclear power station in the U.S. or U.K. to have to go on emergency power might happen once or twice in a decade," said de Bretton-Gordon. "So when you've got it happening once or twice a week  the chances of further problems increase exponentially."

After the shutdown, Zaporizhzhia will enter a "cold state," according to Ukrainian nuclear operator Energoatom.

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But the integrity of the plant has been compromised by weeks of shelling, according to a 52-page report compiled by the United Nations-backed global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which sent a team of inspectors to Zaporizhzhia at the beginning of September.

"Any further escalation affecting the six-reactor plant could lead to a severe nuclear accident with potentially grave radiological consequences for human health and the environment in Ukraine and elsewhere," the IAEA warned.

The agency's Director General, Rafael Grossi, noted in the report that the Ukrainian technicians who've continued operating the plant under Russian occupation are "under constant high stress and pressure, especially with the limited staff available." He voiced concern that the conditions could "lead to increased human error with implications for nuclear safety."

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks to press members before leaving from the hotel with delegation to inspect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine on September 01, 2022. / Credit: Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The IAEA called for all military vehicles and equipment currently on the sprawling nuclear compound to be removed and for the facility to be made into a demilitarized zone. Grossi, along with the U.S. and Ukraine's governments, said the Russian military should return "full control of the facility to Ukraine."

"Russia is playing Russian roulette with a nuclear incident," Barbara Woodward, Britain's Ambassador to the United Nations, told the U.N. Security Council.

Speaking on CBS' "Face The Nation," Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova stressed that shutting down the reactor was a forced decision for her country, "not a complete resolution."

"The complete resolution is for Russians to get out, to implement the recommendations of the IAEA, and to demilitarize the plant That will bring their safety," she said.

How does Zaporizhzhia compare to Chernobyl?

The Chernobyl disaster still looms large in the collective memory of Ukrainians and the world. The explosion of its No. 4 reactor displaced 200,000 people in what was then the Soviet Union, left 93,000 square miles of land uninhabitable and has had myriad consequences for people across the region, and across generations.

According to the U.S. Congress-funded Chernobyl Childhood Illness Program, an examination of 116,655 Ukrainian adolescents  who were up to 6 years of age or in utero when exposed to nuclear fallout, or were born up to 45 months after the Chernobyl disaster  found an "increased prevalence of thyroid cancer, thyroid tumors, depression, and suicide ideation," as well as "socioeconomic problems from their relocation from radiation-affected areas and from the Soviets' inadequate responses to their health needs."

Similarities exist between Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia not only structurally, but in the existence of "an environment in which people are dis-incentivized from communicating genuine problems to higher-ups," according to Jonathan Becker, a Professor of Political Studies at Bard College who teaches on both Russian politics and the Chernobyl disaster.

"There's a smaller thing, which is munitions hitting stored radioactive materials," he said, "and there's a bigger one, which is a series of mistakes, which are reinforced by a system which doesn't encourage transparent communication," which was illustrated by the Chernobyl meltdown.

Even with the Zaporizhzhia plant's shutdown, the threat of nuclear disaster doesn't disappear, either there or at Ukraine's several other nuclear plants.

"We are monitoring for each one of the other nuclear power plants," Grossi told reporters this week when asked about the risks to other nuclear reactors in the country. "We have not been informed about a critical situation in those, but we are following that very closely, and when you look at the geography, that has some plants that are not so far from military operations."

De Bretton-Gordon said he backs the international demands for a demilitarized zone, calling specifically for a "30-mile exclusion zone around [Zaporizhzhia] manned by U.N. monitors and the IAEA." But he's skeptical that Putin will agree to it.

"Putin is so much on the back foot at the moment. He's got very few ace cards. I think for him Zaporizhzhia is an ace card that he is not going to give up without a fight."

While Russia and Ukraine have both expressed "interest" in a "commitment that no military action will include or will imply aiming at the plant," Grossi said, no agreement has been reached.

If there is a disaster at Zaporizhzhia, caused either by an accident or a deliberate attack, residents in Ukrainian towns and villages nearby could face the threat of radiation poisoning immediately or within a few hours.

In August, the European Union said it would donate 5.5 million potassium idiode tablets to Ukraine as a preventative health measure, according to the Kyiv Post. Those who live within 35 miles of the Zaporizhzhia plant  roughly 400,000 people  began receiving iodine pills from authorities shortly after the announcement.

According to the CDC, idione tablets can be used to protect the thyroid, which is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body after radiation exposure.

During the Chernobyl disaster, 31 people died in the immediate aftermath of the reactor explosion, but countless others have suffered long-term health effects from radiation exposure. The National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine in Ukraine found that among the more than 319,000 Ukrainian clean-up workers, 68% were regarded as healthy in 1988, but 26 years later, just 5.5% were still considered healthy.

Abandoned gas masks in Pripyat, Chernobyl exclusion Zone, Ukraine - 2018 / Credit: Chiara Salvadori / Getty Images

De Bretton-Gordon said that in terms of physical construction, Zaporizhzhia is a different plant.

"Chernobyl was a very old nuclear power station, and relatively small compared to Zaporizhzhia," he said.

"Around each [Zaporizhzhia] reactor is a very solid concrete core that is designed to absorb [radiation]," he said, but he added that a deep-penetrating missile deliberately fired into the plant would still create "mayhem."

"If there is a massive explosion and a meltdown of the six reactors, then we could see contamination on a Chernobyl scale, probably two or three times as much," he said.

Becker agreed, warning that a nuclear disaster in Ukraine would be catastrophic, with "both human and geopolitical" consequences.

"It will be difficult to imagine the path forward after that," he said.

Package explodes on Northeastern University campus: CBS News Flash August 14, 2022

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U.S. poverty rate drops for third consecutive year
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed Tuesday that the Biden administration has taken "unprecedented action" at the southern border amid record levels of migrant encounters in the southwestern United States.

"We had to fix something that was broken, especially by the last administration," Jean-Pierre told reporters.

"We've made over 3,000 arrests as part of a first-of-its-kind anti-smuggling campaign. We've installed border technology and set up joint patrols with Mexico and Guatemala to catch traffickers," she continued. "Compare that to the Trump administration, which largely just tried to build a wall, an ineffective wall, along the border and couldn't even finish that in four years."

Illegal immigrants pictured along the southern border on April 1, 2022. John Moore/Getty Images

There were more than 208,000 migrant encounters at the southern border in August, a slight decline from the 212,000 encounters that took place in July and about 13% lower than the all-time record of 240,000 encounters in May.

The 208,000 migrant encounters in August mark a 317% increase over August 2020, former President Donald Trump's last year in office, and a 233% increase over August 2019.

ILLINOIS MAYOR 'UNHAPPY,' SAYS CHICAGO OFFICIALS FAILED TO INFORM HIM ABOUT MIGRANTS SENT TO TOWN

There have already been more than two million border encounters so far this year, a record high.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris smiles during her speech at the NAACP National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. July 18, 2022. Reuters/Hannah Beier

Vice President Kamala Harris came under fire from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republicans this week after she claimed that the border is "secure."

BORDER PATROL CHIEF SAYS BORDER CRISIS A RESULT OF BIDEN'S 'NO CONSEQUENCES' POLICY FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS

"I think that there is no question that we have to do what the president and I asked Congress to do, the first request we made: pass a bill to create a pathway to citizenship," Harris told NBC News in an interview that aired Sunday.

"The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system, in particular, over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed."

Immigrants, who illegally crossed the Mexican-American border, arrive in Washington, DC on the morning of August 26th, 2022 after being bussed across the country from Texas, at the order of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Gov. Abbott has been bussing migrants to cities with Democratic mayors in an effort to bring light to the migrant crisis.

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Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, meanwhile, issued an executive order last month to fill gaps in the border wall, saying that the state "cant wait any longer."

Jean-Pierre blamed Republican lawmakers for voting against DHS funding that was included in a spending bill.

"We're certainly doing a lot more to secure the border and could be doing even more if Republicans would stop their obstruction," she said Tuesday.

Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
By Jarrett Renshaw

(Reuters) - The White House released new details on Wednesday on how it plans to invest more than $2 billion in the U.S. biotechnology sector as it hosts a meeting of government leaders to discuss the emerging industry.

President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order that launched a national biotechnology and bio-manufacturing initiative, and on Wednesday the White House will hold a summit with top government officials and department heads to discuss plans on how to administer the order and allocate the money.

The executive order allows the federal government to direct funding for the use of microbes and other biologically derived resources to make new foods, fertilizers and seeds, as well as making mining operations more efficient, administration officials said.

It also will help fund a quest for medical breakthroughs, such as a vaccine to prevent cancer, or a blood test that could detect cancer in an annual physical.

The spending plan released by the White House includes $1 billion from the Department of Defense to fund bio-industrial domestic manufacturing infrastructure over five years to boost the industry and make it accessible to U.S. innovators.

Other spending includes a $250 million grant program administered by the Department of Agriculture to support sustainable American fertilizer production. A further $40 million will be used to expand the role of bio-manufacturing for active pharmaceutical ingredients, antibiotics and key materials needed to produce medications and respond to pandemics.

The federal government is already a source of funds to biotechnology research and development through the National Institute of Health, the DoA and other agencies. Overall U.S. funding for R&D has dropped as a percentage of gross domestic product since a peak in the 1950s, a trend Biden has pledged to reverse.

(Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that the country will get a bank holiday to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday (8 September) at the age of 96 in Balmoral Castle, after 70 years on the throne.

The late monarch will be laid to rest on Monday 19 September, in Westminster Abbey, London.

Her coffin was flown to London from Edinburgh on Tuesday (13 September) and will be carried in a ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday (14 September) to begin her lying in state.

Heres everything you need to know about Australias bank holiday to mourn the Queen.

When is Australias bank holiday to mourn the Queen?

Australians will be given a bank holiday on Thursday 22 September, after the Queens funeral.

It will officially be called the National Day of Mourning for Her Majesty the Queen.

Why is Australia getting a bank holiday to mourn Queen Elizabeth II?

Until her death, the Queen was Australias head of state. The new head of state is King Charles III.

The surprise public holiday was first announced by Albanese on Sunday (11 September).

He said at the time: Over the coming weeks, Australia will continue to commemorate our late Queen.

I encourage all Australians, wherever you may be, to take time to pause and reflect on Her Majestys extraordinary life of service.

Why is Australias bank holiday taking place after the Queens funeral?

According to Australian broadcaster Nine News, the bank holiday is timed for when Albanese and governor-general David Hurley return to Australia from the UK, after attending the Queens funeral.

Albanese and Hurley will travel to London on Thursday 15 September and return on Wednesday 21 September.

How have Australians reacted to the news?

Albanese has faced a backlash from retail and business groups for announcing the bank holiday at such short notice, with many worried about staffing costs and losing trade on the day.

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But the prime minister defended the decision as appropriate and said: This is the first time we have had a change of a head of state.

Australia needs to, it wants to mourn the contribution of Queen Elizabeth II. A one-off public holiday is an appropriate response.

Will Australia have the bank holiday again next year?

No, the bank holiday to mourn the Queen is a one-off event and will not reoccur after this year.

What other countries have declared a bank holiday to mourn the Queen?

A handful of other countries where the Queen was head of state have also announced public holidays to mourn her death.

On Tuesday (13 September), New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the country will get a one-off public holiday on Monday (26 September), called Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day.

She said a state memorial service for the late monarch will be held in the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, in the city of Wellington, on the same day.

Canada has also announced a national day of mourning that will take place on Monday (19 September), which will be a bank holiday.

Prime minister Justin Trudeau said that while the Canadian government is still working out a few details with provinces and territories, declaring an opportunity for Canadians to mourn on Monday is going to be important.

Some Caribbean nations, such as Jamaica, announced a period of mourning to mark the death of the Queen. However, only the Cayman Islands has declared that Monday (19 September), the day of Her Majestys funeral, will be a public holiday.

According to local reports, the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands will decide whether a bank holiday will be given to residents in the coming days. Antigua is also said to be considering a public holiday to mark the Queens passing.

Follow live updates ahead of the Queens funeral at Westminster here
Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels said Tuesday he would work with lawmakers to increase funding to municipalities to increase the number of sworn officers in police departments.

Michels, who was endorsed by the Milwaukee Police Association, appeared with union officers outside the Milwaukee Police Department's Specialized Patrol Division on the city's west side.

He blamed Milwaukee's rising homicide rate on opponent Gov. Tony Evers' refusal to hold criminals accountable.

"We will make sure that we get the right funding, we will make sure that we back the blue, we will make sure that the laws on the books are enforced," Michels said.

But he did not have a clear funding plan to pay for the officers. When pressed by reporters for more information, Michels said he did not want to raise taxes.

DATABASE: Milwaukee homicides in 2022

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels speaks during a news conference outside the 3rd District Police Station on Milwaukee's west side on Tuesday. Michels, who was endorsed by the Milwaukee Police Association, appeared with union officers and his wife, Barbara, pictured right of Michels, and used Milwaukee's rising homicide rate as an opportunity to bash Gov. Tony Evers.

Tim Michels says he'll increase police funding without raising taxes

Evers has been pushing to increase funding to local police departments for years, only to be blocked by the Republican-led Legislature, said spokesman Sam Roecker.

"Tim Michels isnt serious about improving public safety. Thats why he has failed to deliver a specific plan and refuses to support addressing gun violence as part of the solution to making communities safer," Roecker said. "As governor, he wont support common sense measures like universal background checks or red flag laws  despite overwhelming public support for these measures."

State and local governments pay for local law enforcement. In recent years, departments across the state have struggled as more officers are retiring and recruitment efforts have gotten harder.

In Milwaukee County, officials have been lobbying state officials since 2019 to increase the county sales tax 1% to help pay for essential services, including police, because shared revenue from the state has not increased.

The proposal hasn't gotten any momentum in the Legislature. When asked if he would sign a sales tax bill for Milwaukee County, Michels said he looked forward to working with the Legislature.

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"There's a lot of money in state government, people in Wisconsin know that," he said. "We've paid too much in taxes. There's a $5.4 billion surplus right now. So what are we going to do with that money? We're going to lower taxes and sit down with the Legislature and decide what the appropriate amount of money is for law enforcement."

This week, Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson sent an email to staff saying the department is projected to be $250,000 over its $46.6 million budget this year and cuts could occur.

Severson said fewer people are applying to work in law enforcement because they don't want to feel "vilified." Instead, officers are having to work overtime, which is more expensive.

Milwaukee County received $14 million this year for backlog in criminal cases

In March, Evers announced $14 million in federal funds for Milwaukee County to clear a backlog in criminal cases created by the coronavirus pandemic and a $3 million grant to the Milwaukee Police Department to boost law enforcement and crime prevention programs.

In 2021, Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul directed $45 million in federal funds to bolster violence prevention efforts. The City of Milwaukee received $8 million.

Crime is a central issue ahead of the midterm elections for Republicans who have painted Democrats as soft.

On Sept. 6, Republican attorney general candidate Eric Toney was in Milwaukee pitching a plan for the state Department of Justice to take over the prosecution of criminal cases here.

Michels said he hasn't spoken to Toney about the plan but believes Toney will make a great attorney general.

More: Tony Evers, Tim Michels agree to a single debate ahead of the Wisconsin governor election. Here's how to watch

Corrinne Hess can be reached at chess@gannett.com. Follow her @corrihess.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tim Michels says he'll increase police funding, blames Evers for crime
A woman faces multiple charges of attempted murder after she allegedly shot into a home during an argument.

On Aug. 28, the Memphis Police Department (MPD) received a report of an aggravated assault in the 1400 block of Locust Street.

A man was arguing with his girlfriend.

The mans uncle left to take items to his house, and the girlfriends daughter, identified as Carnesia Pierce, showed up, according to an affidavit.

Pierce was reportedly upset about the argument.

She allegedly fired seven shots into the home while three people were inside.

MPD said Pierce began arguing with the three people inside.

The uncle attempted to break up the altercation and noticed a handgun in Pierces hand, the affidavit said.

Pierce allegedly hit the man in the face and said thats the reason I did what I did, referring to the shooting.

On Sept. 2, she was identified in a photo lineup.

She was previously convicted of identity theft in September 2015 and sentenced to two years probation, records show.

Shes charged with 3 counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, employment of firearm w/i to commit a felony, and unlawful possession of a weapon.

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By Timour Azhari, Issam Abdallah and Laila Bassam

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Two seemingly armed and desperate Lebanese depositors held up banks on Wednesday to force access to their own money, which has been blocked during a national financial meltdown.

One woman with a gun and some associates briefly held hostages at a branch of BLOM Bank in the capital Beirut, before leaving with more than $13,000 in cash from her account, a source from a depositors' advocacy group said.

Shortly afterwards, in the mountain city of Aley, an armed man entered a Bankmed branch and retrieved some of his trapped savings, before handing himself into authorities, the Depositors Outcry and a security source said.

Lebanon's banks have locked most depositors out of their savings since an economic crisis took hold three years ago, leaving much of the population unable to pay for basics.

In a phenomenon illustrating the plight, Wednesday's holdups came after a man last month held up another Beirut bank to withdraw funds to treat his sick father.

BLOM Bank said a customer and accomplices arrived with a gun, threatened to set people on fire, and forced the branch manager and treasurer to bring money from a safe.

'NOTHING MORE TO LOSE'

Before going into hiding, the woman, Sali Hafiz, told local news channel Al Jadeed TV the gun was a toy and that she needed the money for her sister's cancer treatment.

"I have nothing more to lose, I got to the end of the road," she said, saying a visit to the bank manager two days previously had not provided an adequate solution.

"I got to a point where I was going to sell my kidney so that my sister could receive treatment."

BLOM confirmed the customer had been in to seek her money for her sister's treatment, saying she was offered total cooperation and requested to provide documentation.

"All we have is this money in the bank. My daughter was forced to take this money - it's her right, it's in her account - to treat her sister," her mother Hiam Hafiz told local TV.

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Authorities did not immediately comment on the incidents.

Bankmed did not comment on its branch holdup.

Following last month's holdup, which also involved hostages, the accused perpetrator was arrested but then released without charge after the bank dropped its lawsuit.

One senior Lebanese banker, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters it was a worrying precedent,

"I think this is an invitation for other people to do the same. As long as people get away with it, they will continue. What a failed state," the banker said.

Banks say they make exceptions for humanitarian cases including hospital care, but depositors say that rarely happens.

(Reporting by Timour Azhari, Laila Bassam and Issam Abdallah; Writing by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel, Alexandra Hudson and Andrew Cawthorne.)
Search and rescue teams sift through mud and debris for a missing woman off Prospect Drive in Forest Falls on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

A woman and her dog are missing after torrential rain hit several San Bernardino County communities earlier this week, prompting evacuation orders and causing significant damage to homes and infrastructure near recent burn areas.

The woman's last known location was in a building in the Forest Falls area that was directly affected by a mudflow, said Mike McClintock, battalion chief with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Specialized urban search and rescue teams have been working the area to locate the woman, McClintock said.

Throughout the flooding incident, first responders received multiple reports of missing people, and all but the woman have been accounted for, McClintock said. No injuries or fatalities have been reported so far.

More than 120 firefighters from the San Bernardino County Fire Department are assisting with search and rescue efforts. Oak Glen and Forest Falls were hit with mudflows 10 to 12 feet thick in some areas, pushing boulders, rocks and trees into communities and onto roads, McClintock said. Some homes and infrastructure sustained serious damage, McClintock said. Roads, power and water were heavily affected by the storm.

In Oak Glen, evacuation orders were lifted at 6 p.m. Tuesday for Oak Glen Road and Wildwood Canyon to Upper Potato Canyon Road, and for Oak Glen Road and Casa Blanca Avenue to Chagall Road, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said on Twitter. The area was open to residents only, and Potato Canyon Road remained closed.

A shelter-in-place order for the nearby community of Forest Falls also expired at 6 p.m. Tuesday, deputies said. The area was open to residents only, and an evacuation order from Canyon Drive south to Prospect Drive, south of Valley of the Falls Drive, remained in place.

Heavy rainfall lashed parts of San Bernardino County on Monday. Some areas near the Apple and El Dorado burn scar area received more than 2 inches of rain per hour. That was pretty remarkable, said Elizabeth Schenk, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego. Strawberry Creek, which is in the burn scar area, received the highest amount of precipitation, with 2.88 inches of rain Monday. Several other locations recorded more than an inch of rain.

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In a livestream on Twitter from the National Weather Service in San Diego, warning-coordination meteorologist Alex Tardy walked along Oak Glen Road near Potato Canyon and showed roads overwhelmed with mud, debris, large boulders and logs, and downed power lines. The area had been hit four times in the last year and a half, Tardy said, estimating that removal could take days.

Rescue efforts, roadway clearing, infrastructure repair  including to power and water supplies  and mud removal are ongoing. A damage assessment analysis should be completed Wednesday, McClintock said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
China-SCO demonstration area in Qingdao builds new platform of Belt and Road cooperation

09:01, September 14, 2022 By Liu Rong ( People's Daily

The morning breeze in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province has turned a bit chilly in early autumn. However, sweats were seen on the forehead of Yue Chonglong, leader of the dispatching group at the multimodal transportation center of the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area.

Photo shows the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in Jiaozhou, Qingdao, east China's Shandong province. (People's Daily Online/Xue Bing)

The man kept working for three hours nonstop since 5:00 am, running between the dispatching room and cargo fields, and finally released an international freight train from the multimodal transportation center to Mannheim, Germany.

In June 2018, China proposed at the Qingdao Summit of the SCO to establish a demonstration area in Qingdao for local economic and trade cooperation between China and the SCO.

Over the past years, the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area has built itself into a high-caliber center of international logistics, modern trade, two-way investment cooperation, and commercial, tourism and cultural exchanges.

It now serves as a new platform for Belt and Road cooperation. More and more products from Belt and Road countries are shipped to their destinations through the demonstration area.

"This is a new international freight route opened this year, and it has started regular operation," said Yue, the senior dispatcher with 11 years of work experience. According to him, he "sees off" three to four trains every day, and the number of freight trains departing from the demonstration area for SCO states and Belt and Road countries this year is much higher than before.

Situated near the Qingdao port, the multimodal transportation center, and the Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport, the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area enjoy "natural" advantages as a transport hub.

Photo shows the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in Jiaozhou, Qingdao, east China's Shandong province. (People's Daily Online/Xue Bing)

As Qingdao is seeing closer economic and trade ties with SCO states, more and more cargos engaged in trade with these countries are being handled in the Chinese coastal city.

"We have opened 17 international routes that reach 51 cities in 22 SCO and Belt and Road countries," said Li Gang, an official with the management committee of the demonstration area.

"Many of our products are sold to Chinese customers and we are receiving more orders. It has not only created economic benefits for our company, but also increased the income of our employees," said a man surnamed Victor, head of Minsk Milk Plant No. 1 in Belarus.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the milk plants had been troubled with overstocking of its milk and skim milk powder products, which were on high demand before.

The table was turned after a trade company in the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area contacted the milk plant and helped the latter find clients in China. In just two months, the Belarusian dairy producer sold over 1,100 tons of dairy products worth more than $1.1 million, according to Victor.

"I want to visit China with my family one day, to have a taste of Chinese food and see how popular our products are in the country," Victor told People's Daily.

Photo taken on July 17, 2022 shows a fully loaded cargo train in a logistics park in the Qingdao Area of China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone. (People's Daily Online/Xue Bing)

Introducing foreign trade entities, establishing trade cooperation platforms and launching trade facilitation policies are major approaches adopted by the demonstration area to advance local economic and trade cooperation.

At present, the demonstration area is home to over 1,800 foreign trade companies engaged in mechanical and electrical products, farm produce, textile and other industries. It has nurtured 10 trade platforms that offer one-stop cross-border e-commerce services. Besides, the demonstration area has delivered over 40 innovative outcomes with SCO characteristics, significantly improving the level of trade and investment facilitation for SCO and Belt and Road countries.

The cross-border e-commerce transactions in the demonstration area in the first seven months of this year are expected to reach $1.15 billion yuan ($166.15 million), and the total imports and exports may surge 38.3 percent to 21 billion yuan. In particular, the trade volume with SCO states is expected to increase 86.2 percent to 4.3 billion yuan.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Baylor University President Ken Starr testifies at the House Committee on Education and Workforce on college athletes forming unions on May 8, 2014, in Washington. (Lauren Victoria Burke/AP)

WASHINGTON  Ken Starr, a former federal appellate judge and a prominent attorney whose criminal investigation of Bill Clinton led to the presidents impeachment and put Starr at the center of one of the countrys most polarizing debates of the 1990s, has died at age 76, his family said Tuesday.

In 2020, he was recruited to the legal team representing President Donald Trump in the nations third presidential impeachment trial.

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For many years, Starrs stellar reputation as a lawyer seemed to place him on a path to the Supreme Court. At age 37, he became the youngest person ever to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia also had served. From 1989-93, Starr was the solicitor general in the administration of President George H.W. Bush, arguing 25 cases before the Supreme Court.

Despite his impressive legal credentials, nothing could have prepared him for the task of investigating a sitting president.

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In a probe that lasted five years, Starr looked into fraudulent real estate deals involving a long-time Clinton associate, delved into the removal of documents from the office of deputy White House counsel Vincent Foster after his suicide and assembled evidence of Clintons sexual encounters with Monica Lewinsky, a former White House intern. Each of the controversies held the potential to do serious, perhaps fatal, damage to Clintons presidency.

As Clintons legal problems worsened, the White House pilloried Starr as a right-wing fanatic doing the bidding of Republicans bent on destroying the president.

The assaults took a toll on the investigation, Starr told a Senate committee in 1999. A duly authorized federal law enforcement investigation came to be characterized as yet another political game. Law became politics by other means.

In a bitter finish to his investigation of the Lewinsky affair that engendered still more criticism, Starr filed a report, as the law required, with the U.S. House of Representatives. He concluded that Clinton lied under oath, engaged in obstruction of justice and followed a pattern of conduct that was inconsistent with the presidents constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws. House Republicans used Starrs report as a roadmap in the impeachment of the president, who was acquitted in a Senate trial.

In 2020, he was recruited to help represent Trump in the nations third impeachment trial. In a memorable statement to Congress during the Trump impeachment trial, Starr said we are living in what I think can aptly be described as the age of impeachment. He said that like war, impeachment is hell, or at least presidential impeachment is hell.

Clintons legal problems began during the 1992 presidential campaign. Questions arose over the candidates ties to the owner of a failed Arkansas savings and loan. The issue faded quickly. But it caught the attention of federal regulators, who began looking into whether money from the S&L had been diverted to a real estate venture called Whitewater in which Bill and Hillary Clinton and the S&Ls owner, Jim McDougal, shared a financial interest.

Bowing to intense political pressure from Republicans and some members of his own party, Clinton called for appointment of a special counsel to investigate Whitewater. A three-member appeals court for independent counsels selected Starr.

On the Whitewater front, Starrs prosecutors investigated Mrs. Clintons legal work for Jim McDougals S&L. Both she and the president were questioned by Starrs prosecutors and their videotaped depositions were played for juries in criminal trials of McDougal and his ex-wife Susan. Neither of the Clintons was ever charged in connection with Whitewater.

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The investigation of Clintons intimate relationship with Lewinsky was a Washington spectacle.

In 1995, Lewinsky went to work at the White House as an intern. During the government shutdown late that year, she and Clinton had a sexual encounter in a hallway near the Oval Office, the first of 10 sexual encounters over the next year and a half. Lewinsky confided the affair to a co-worker, Linda Tripp, who tape recorded some of their conversations and brought the tapes to Starrs prosecutors. Lewinsky was granted immunity from prosecution and became Starrs chief witness against the president, who had denied having sexual relations with Lewinsky.

Putting the investigation behind him, Starr embarked on a career in academia, first as dean of the law school at Pepperdine University where he taught constitutional issues and civil procedures, then as president of Baylor University in his home state of Texas. He also became an author, writing First Among Equals: The Supreme Court in American Life.

Born in Vernon and raised in San Antonio, Starr earned his B.A. from George Washington University in 1968, his M.A. from Brown University in 1969 and his J.D. degree from Duke University Law School in 1973. He was a law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger from 1975 to 1977.

As a young attorney at the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles, Starr worked with William French Smith, who became attorney general in the administration of President Ronald Reagan. Starr became counselor to Smith, and from there was nominated by Reagan to the federal appeals court.

Former Associated Press writer Pete Yost contributed to this report.
A 79-year-old woman who was reported missing Tuesday from Helms-Gordon Residential Care in Fort Lawn has been found alive, the Chester County Sheriffs Office said.

ALSO READ: Fight involving parents, students on Chester County school bus leads to arrest, officials say

Authorities said Thursday a drone spotted Judy Pate in a wooded area along Cemetery Road, which had already been searched.

Around 11 a.m., a group of guys looked at that map again that was reviewed a thousand times and said, This is what were going to do, said Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey. They got our drone operator and said, Lets go down and do this, and it happened. Theres no doubt God led them down there.

Family members were relieved.

Its really emotional because you expect the worse, but here today, weve come to realize that God had a plan, said David Elliot, Pates nephew.

Shes in good spirits, Elliot said. She was moving a little. She was found at the bottom of a ravine. A creek bed. She was talking.

Volunteers, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division helicopter and multiple agencies helped with the search.

Pates pastor, Rev. Trent McLaughlin, helped with the search.

She is a strong lady, McLaughlin said. She trusts God. She has faith in God and that is what were putting our hope and faith in that. That shes going to be found alive and safe.

An ambulance rushed her to a medical helicopter that flew her to the hospital to be checked out.

VIDEO: Chester County Schools makes safety changes




Forestine Williams stood in the South Shore location Tuesday morning where her daughter, Martina Standley, was struck by a Chicago police SUV almost three years ago. Now her daughter has died, and she doesnt know why.

Williams was joined Tuesday by other family members, including children, nieces and nephews near 71st Street and Jeffery Boulevard at a news conference to talk about her daughter, who was 32 on Nov. 13, 2019, when a police officer turned the wheel of his SUV, knocking her down near 71st and Jeffery, causing serious injuries. Bodycam video showed Standley lying on the sidewalk and bleeding from her head while officers at the scene waited for paramedics.

Standley died in her sleep on Jan. 30 of this year, Williams said, five days after her 35th birthday. But she has yet to receive an autopsy report or death certificate showing Standleys cause of death. She said she believes it was a direct result of the injuries she suffered in 2019.

I believe and am totally convinced that its a cover-up with the city of Chicago, she said.

Natalia Derevyanny, a spokeswoman for the Cook County medical examiners office, said in an email that the office was notified of Standleys death Jan. 30 and that an autopsy was performed the next day.

But she added, Ms. Standleys case is complex and was pended so the office could conduct a medical records review from her 2019 accident and perform tests, including neuropath and toxicology, to help determine her cause and manner of death. The MEO is in the process of assessing the results of the records review and tests in order to accurately determine Ms. Standleys cause and manner of death.

We send our deepest condolences to Ms. Standleys family and recognize they are awaiting our findings. The office is working diligently to close this case and bring closure to the family.

Community organizer William Calloway, who was heavily involved in the aftermath of Laquan McDonalds murder by Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke in 2014, has been fighting with the city since Standleys accident for accountability and joined Williams on Tuesday.

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Calloway said Standleys case feels very eerie and similar to that of McDonalds.

Williams said what happened to her daughter is especially sad for her family because Williams father was a Chicago police officer for 37 years.

For his granddaughters death to be played out like this is terrible, and its unacceptable, she said.

On Monday, Cook County Judge Alison Conlon ruled in favor of Calloway, who had sued the Chicago Police Department in 2019 for denying his FOIA request of all dashcam, bodycam, audio recordings, and police reports collected as part of the investigation into the squad car striking Martina Standley in South Shore, according to a news release about the case. He is being represented by Merrick Wayne, an attorney with Loevy & Loevy.

A Cook County judge last year ordered the release of two body camera videos as part of Calloways lawsuit.

The case is headed back to court next Wednesday to determine how much will be awarded in civil penalties, according to the news release. Calloway said he is seeking the maximum of $720,000 in civil penalties, and he is already getting $80,000 for lawyer fees following Mondays ruling.

In an email to the Tribune, Kristen Cabanban, spokeswoman for the citys Law Department, said The city does not comment on ongoing litigation.

Standleys younger brother, Misterrico Standley, said that Standley was staying at his South Shore home for her birthday weekend with some other family members when she died. He said he went to work that morning not knowing she was gone, then got a phone call at work from one of their cousins to tell him what had happened.

Were waiting, he said. I still want to know what happened, especially because it happened at my place.

Misterrico Standley said he cooked dinner for everyone, and they celebrated Standleys birthday with a movie and karaoke night combo because she liked to sing and rap.

She was full of life, full of joy, he said.

Rain Standley said her older sister was the type of person that would lighten up your day.

If you were down or you didnt feel right, she would make you feel better, Rain Standley said.

Calloway said he stands in solidarity with Standleys family to demand that the Cook County medical examiners office releases the autopsy report to Standleys mother.

Were demanding that the city of Chicago exercise the practice of transparency that theyve been running on for the past four years, Calloway said.

He said the whole purpose of FOIA is giving people the right to inspect their government, but my city government is not respecting the state law.

Theyre hiding something, he said. I cant speculate, but if theyre willing to risk the department losing $720-plus thousand, I could probably insinuate theres something sensitive in those emails they dont want to be released to the public.

sahmad@chicagotribune.com
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 13:17

Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, believes that the IAEA's visit to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) captured by the Russians did not bring the desired results: the world still underestimates the nuclear terrorist threat coming from the Russian Federation.

Source: Danilov in an interview with Wirtualna Polska, translation provided by the Office of Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council

Details: Journalists asked the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council whether the visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency mission to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which took place last week, had changed anything.

Quote: "No. It would be possible to talk about the improvement of the situation if the terrorists took away their weapons, explosives and left the power plant. Initially, the mission was supposed to go to Enerhodar [where the ZNPP is located] through Russia, but we protested. They eventually passed through Ukraine, but we agreed that the mission would be accompanied by independent journalists.

In the end, the press was not allowed there, and the IAEA did nothing; they should have insisted on keeping those agreements because the world needs to have information from independent sources. The world ignores the threat of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) seizure.

How much evil and misfortune must the Russians do for the world to finally see it? In 2008, Russia took part of the territory of Georgia, and everyone did not pay any attention to this. In 2014, they annexed Crimea, and the reaction was similar. A few months later, they killed 298 people on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 [reference to the MH17 tragedy - ed.]. These are the consequences of conniving with terrorists. The scale of violence is increasing."

Background:

On 1 September, the mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived at the ZNPP in occupied Enerhodar. On 5 September, four of the six participants of the IAEA mission completed their mission at the station, while two representatives of the organisation were to remain there.

On 6 September, the IAEA released a report on its visit to Enerhodar and confirmed that Russia had stationed military personnel and equipment at the ZNPP.

Sergiy Kyslytsia, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, said that the Russians had tried to put pressure on IAEA Director General Raphael Grossi while he was preparing the report on the ZNPP.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov

Read also: Putin seeks to avoid blame for Kharkiv defeat and step-up recruitment, ISW report says

In his remarks, Danilov noted that when World War II began, 26 countries formed an anti-fascist coalition.

Read also: Putin can only be negotiated with on battlefield, Ukrainian FM says

Now we see the need to form an anti-Putin coalition, he said during the interview. Its true, that the response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a meeting of more than 40 countries at the U.S. military base Ramstein, in Germany, but Im talking about something more. Im talking about protecting fundamental values.

According to Danilov, there are countries that do not consider Russia an aggressor or a terrorist state.

Read also: St. Petersburg local councilors who asked Duma to prosecute Putin for treason are summoned to police

The world should finally understand that Putin is no different from Hitler, he said. Hitler was obsessed with killing Jews, and Putin wants to kill Ukrainians.



Danilov thanked Ukraines allies for the support they give to his country, adding "I would like everyone to understand that this is our common cause."

Read also: What Russia and Putin's power are built on  NV interview with UK writer Peter Pomerantsev

But many leaders do not understand what war is, he said. We are paying with the lives of our people for the freedom and security of all of Europe, and some politicians are juxtaposing war and higher gas bills.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
(Bloomberg) -- In the almost 1,000 days since Xi Jinping last ventured abroad, China has found itself increasingly isolated within the US-led world order. Hes finally reemerging this week alongside Russias Vladimir Putin to showcase his vision for a viable alternative.

Xi and Putin on Thursday will hold their first in-person meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine, according to the Kremlin, in a sign that Beijing sees the relationship as crucial to countering the US. It will occur on the sidelines of a Chinese-founded security forum in Uzbekistan that gathers countries ranging from India to Iran -- a grouping that aims to accelerate the formation of a multipolar world.

Prior to that, Xi on Wednesday will stop in Kazakhstan, where he unveiled what would become his signature Belt-and-Road trade-and-infrastructure plan nine years ago. That foreign-policy initiative has since become a focal point of the US and its allies in the Group of Seven, which in June announced plans to raise $600 billion in financing so lower-income countries have an alternative to Chinese cash.

Both stops will reinforce Xis vision of a world where China can expand its interests without fearing the threat of economic or military pressure from the US. The Chinese leader will expound on that agenda at a twice-a-decade party congress next month, during which hes expected to secure a third term as leader of the worlds second-biggest economy.

Xi Jinping is trying to reorient global affairs in a direction that de-centers Western institutions and promotes groupings and institutions that are more favorable to Chinas interests and worldview, said Trey McArver, co-founder of research firm Trivium China. Xis meeting with Putin, he added, sends a very clear signal that China continues to tilt toward the side of Russia in that conflict.

The stakes are rising for both Xi and Putin, who declared a no limits friendship just weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. In recent days, Putin has seen Ukraine push back Russian forces and retake large swathes of land, while Xi has been under pressure to adopt stronger measures to prevent Taiwan from boosting relations with the US and its allies.

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China has so far avoided doing anything that would make it subject to US sanctions or help Russia win the war, even as Beijing provides Putin with diplomatic support and increases trade with its northern neighbor. Chinas interest in helping Russia appears more geared toward rebutting US moves that could also one day be used against Beijing.

In an article published in a Kazakh newspaper, Xi said the two countries should jointly push for an international order that is more just and more equitable. Top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi used similar language in a meeting earlier this week with outgoing Russian Ambassador Andrey Denisov.

China has not stepped up to supply Russia with weapons or advanced electronics during the war, said Iikka Korhonen, head of research at Bank of Finland Institute for Economies in Transition. They are mindful of not violating these actions, at least not in an obvious way, so there are limits about what these so-called allies are prepared to do.

Moscow has sought to trumpet Chinas support for the war. Last week it released statements citing Li Zhanshu, Chinas No. 3 official, telling Russian lawmakers that Beijings leaders fully understand the necessity of all the measures taken by Russia aimed at protecting its key interests, we are providing our assistance.

Russia and China will step up efforts to counter NATOs expansion and the US-led campaign to keep the two nations in check, Li also said, according to the TASS news agency. We will battle together their hegemony and the policy of force, it cited him as saying. The comments werent reported by Chinas Foreign Ministry or state media.

Putin last week attacked US-led democracies at an economic forum in the Russian port city of Vladivostok, whose participants included Myanmars sanctioned coup leader and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Western countries are seeking to preserve yesterdays world order that benefits them and force everyone to live according to the infamous rules, which they concocted themselves, Putin said.

Similar sentiments are likely to be expressed at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The group, set to meet Sept. 15 and 16 in the southeastern Uzbek city of Samarkand, accounts for 42% of the worlds population and 25% of global gross domestic product.

An appearance by Xi at the forum will reinforce the idea of an alternative to US power that includes Western-aligned powers like India and Turkey, according to Raffaello Pantucci, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. India has moved closer to the US in recent years, most notably through the Quad grouping that also includes Australia and Japan.

Although the SCO is more symbolism than substance, economic ties within the group are crucial. As inflation surges around the globe, Russia is a source of cheap energy for members such as India.

Chinas trade ties with Moscow have expanded despite the US sanctions since the war: Russias exports to China jumped nearly 50% to $40.8 billion in the first five months of the year, IMF data show. That includes big increases in oil and gas.

Putin aims to use talks with Xi to expand trade further with China and to obtain more industrial and technological imports to fill the hole left by the absence of Western goods because of sanctions, said Vasily Kashin, an expert on Russia-China ties at Moscows Higher School of Economics. Chinese exports of cars, televisions and smartphones have all helped Russia fill a void as foreign brands flee.

China sourced almost 40% of its coal imports from Russia this year as authorities reckoned with a domestic energy crisis, up from about 30% during the same period last year, according to customs data. China has also snatched up Russian liquefied-natural-gas shipments at a hefty discount as most other importers shun the fuel. LNG deliveries in August surged to the highest level in about two years, according to ship-tracking data.

Politically, the visits to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan also allow Xi a comfortable environment to return to the international stage ahead of the Group of 20 summit in Bali in November. Xi is prioritizing engagement with friends and partners rather than allowing the G-20 meeting to be his first overseas visit since the Covid lockdown, according to Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London.

China and Xi can effectively set the agenda for this visit, something they cannot be certain of for a G20 summit, he said. Engaging with the US and the West is not seen as equal in importance.

(Updates with Xis comments in eighth paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
A York County teenager was charged Tuesday with threatening to bomb a school.

The 14-year-old, who was identified only as a student at Bruton High School, is also accused of threatening to do bodily harm to a staff member of the school, according to a statement posted on the York-Poquoson Sheriffs Office Facebook page.

A public information officer for the York-Poquoson Sheriffs Office could not be immediately reached for more information.

This is an opportunity for us to remember our words have meaning and we cannot and will not dismiss reported threats as pranks, jokes, or lapses in judgment, said a statement attributed to the York County School Division in the Sheriffs Office Facebook post.

Ian Munro, ian.munro@virginiamedia.com
Golf Thanaporn/Apple TV+

War is hell, and so too is The Greatest Beer Run Ever, Peter Farrellys follow-up to 2018s Best Picture-winning Green Book, whose glib and corny template it duplicates to dismal ends. Another 1960s-set based-on-real-events tale about conservative-liberal frictions in a divided country that involves a road trip through enemy territory and concludes with empty cant-we-all-get-along platitudes, its a pat and wishy-washy rehash of the directors prior hit, except with a Saving Private Ryan hook and a sitcom-grade wartime sheen.

Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival before landing in theaters andaptly, given its limp visualsApple TV+ on Sept. 30, The Greatest Beer Run Ever is the story of John Chickie Donahue (Zac Efron), a 26-year-old Merchant Marine-turned-layabout in 1967 Inwood, New York. Chickie, who spends his days sleeping at his parents house and his nights drinking at the neighborhood pub with his buddies, is a going-nowhere loser whos meant to be winning because hes played by Efron, who boasts a goofy Welcome Back Kotter mustache and exudes aww-shucks charm with maximum effort and minimal results. Though hes disconnected from life, Chickie is a staunch supporter of the Vietnam Waraligning him with his mates, his parents and old-school bartender The Colonel (Bill Murray), but putting him at odds with his sister Christine (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, daughter of Andy), whos in with a protesting crowd that Chickie and his moron pal decide to fight.

Wendell & Wild Is a Stunning Marriage of Jordan Peele and Henry Selicks The Nightmare Before Christmas

Chickie spouts bromides about how the U.S. government must know what its doing, and that criticism of the war (by hippies and the media) is inherently bad because it undercuts the nations chances for successdumb takes that sound even dumber coming out of know-nothing Chickies mouth. One night, he seizes upon a jokey remark by the Colonel and agrees to support the troopsand, in particular, those servicemen hailing from Inwoodby going overseas and bringing them cans of beer transported in one of the Colonels duffle bags. Everyone thinks Chickie is full of it, both because this is an idiotic idea and because Chickie never follows through on anything he starts, be it a job, school or getting out of bed for church. Mocked by his friends and relatives, he decides to prove them all wrong by doing something, and thanks to his (oft-derided) military credentials, he hops aboard a transport ship and is in Saigon in no time flat with a stash of domestic brews.

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The ease with which Efrons Pabst-a Clause makes it to Nam is absurd, but its part and parcel of The Greatest Beer Run Evers chintzy plotting. No matter his newfound Oscar bona fides, Farrellywho made his name helming Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin and Theres Something About Mary with his brother Bobbyhas the storytelling instincts of a comedy director, as evidenced by the episodic structure of Chickies journey and, more pressing still, the simplistic and trivial nature of his sagas conflicts and resolutions. Scene after scene finds Chickie arriving somewhere, being looked at with amazement and scorn, discovering an obstacle in his path, and swiftly figuring out a (ridiculous) way to overcome it. Just in terms of basic narrative mechanics, the filmregardless of its general roots in realityis full of it every step of the way.

Farrelly compounds this shallowness by shooting The Greatest Beer Run Ever with zero verve and even less authenticity. Although Chickie describes Vietnam as chaotic, the country presented here feels like a bunch of makeshift sets populated by young actors playing Platoon dress-up. A few dutiful shots of carnage aside, Farrelly keeps the proceedings palatably bloodless lest he strike a nerve in the mainstream viewers hes so clearly courting, especially with every political conversation between Chickie and those he encounters, including jaded correspondent Arthur Coates (Russell Crowe, coasting through a gruff voice-of-reason supporting part). In those egregiously facile chats, Chickie contends that reporting disparaging or unflattering truths harms American morale and strength, and Arthur counters by stating that lies, not the truth, damage the nation. Despite one of these arguments pulling a lot more weight than the other, the discussion is left in a veritable stalematea both-sides-ism tack that Farrelly again employs with regard to Chickies climactic perspective on the campaign.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is superficially about Chickies desire to raise his buddys spirits by toasting a beer with them, as well as to find his friend Tommy (Archie Renaux), whos missing in action. Yet Farrelly, Brian Currie and Pete Jones script is, from the moment go, transparently about how this odyssey transforms Chickie. Consequently, the film feigns concern about enlisted American boys and the scores of dead Vietnamese lying in the street while shamelessly using them (and their suffering) as devices designed to teach Chickie lessons about the complex gravity of war. Worse, the film is so desperate to avoid taking a stancebecause that might offend someone on either side of the political spectrumthat it ultimately has Chickie undergo only the weakest sort of revelatory change of heart. He may learn that American leaders lie, and that Vietnam is a pointless endeavor, but Chickie cant come out and really speak his mind, both because he doesnt have one to begin with and because Farrelly is determined to wrap things up on a meek, non-confrontational note.

Efron embodies Chickie as a quasi-Forrest Gump doofus whos too dumb to get killed, stumbling and bumbling his way through combat zones by posing as a CIA agent, and undergoing the sorts of epiphanies about Vietnam that have long since become obvious, well-established facts. Farrellys infatuation with Dave Palmers parodically earnest soft-piano score suggests that he thinks hes delivering profound bombshells rather than cliches, which crescendo with Chickies experiences in the thick of the Tet Offensive, replete with the contrived death of a likable local. However, in its refusal to say something brave and meaningfulinstead indulging in wan dialogue about journalism, presidential deception, and the wisdom of foreign military intervention without assuming anything approaching an actual viewpointwhat the film really expresses is political and moral cowardice masquerading as timeliness.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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By Rachel Savage

LONDON (Reuters) -Zambia's international bondholders have criticised the International Monetary Fund's debt restructuring framework as "arbitrary" and for excluding the country's domestic debt, sources involved in the process have told Reuters.

Zambia has been in default for almost two years and an IMF Debt Sustainability Analysis published last week called for its debt-service-to-exports ratio to be cut to a 140% "threshold" from 153% quickly and to 84% by 2027.

"Now, all of a sudden, they have an arbitrary 84% number," said Kevin Daly, head of emerging market debt at Abrdn, who chairs a committee of bondholders estimated to hold around 45% of Zambia's $3 billion worth of international market debt.

"How did you arrive at that number? It's such a different figure than the (140%) threshold," he told Reuters, calling on the IMF to meet with bondholders, who have complained of being left out of the loop as the IMF and bilateral creditors worked out a plan.

An IMF spokesperson said it would brief Zambia's creditors on economic forecasts and policies and denied the 84% debt-to-exports ratio target was "arbitrary".

"The target is firmly grounded in the IMF-WB Debt Sustainability Framework for Low-Income Countries," they said in emailed comments. "It is consistent with a level of external debt-to-exports for country having space to absorb shocks."

Zambia's much-delayed debt restructuring is seen by analysts as a test case for what are expected to be a spate of defaults in poorer countries that have borrowed heavily not only in the capital markets but also from countries including China.

David Malpass, president of the World Bank, the IMF's sister organisation, said last week that "a deep debt reduction of 45% in net present value (NPV) terms... is essential."

Relief of that magnitude "would not be acceptable (to) creditors", including Chinese lenders, Daly said.

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He declined to say what other bondholders would agree to, but said that from his perspective, "If it was something more in the... 20-30% range, I think that would be acceptable."

A bond recovery value of $65 to $75, with an exit yield of 11-12% was "realistic"," he said.

Bondholders are also unhappy that $11.6 billion of local currency debt, $3.2 billion of which is owned by foreign investors, is being excluded from the restructuring, a second source involved in the process said.

The person, who is familiar with the committee's position but spoke on the condition of anonymity, said it implied that such debt would effectively then have precedence over the Eurobonds, which are governed by international laws.

He also questioned whether it would be right to include local currency debt not subject to restructuring in the debt targets, as it "squeezes the amount of debt service that's available to service external debt." Still, he said, bondholders were "mindful" that restructuring local debt could cause issues in Zambia's banking sector.

It was "the authorities' intention to exclude these bonds from the restructuring," the IMF spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Rachel Savage; Additional reporting by Marc Jones and Karin Strohecker in London; Editing by Andrea Ricci, William Maclean)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday promised "victory" on a visit to the strategic city of Izyum that was recently recaptured from Russia by Kyiv's army in a lightning counter-offensive.

The visit comes at a decisive moment in Russia's six-month invasion, with Ukraine expelling Moscow's forces from swathes of the east and seriously challenging the Kremlin's ambition to capture the entire Donbas region of Ukraine.

"Our blue-yellow flag is already flying in de-occupied Izyum. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and village," Zelensky said in a statement on social media.

"We are moving in only one direction -- forward and towards victory."

Pictures distributed by his office showed the Ukrainian leader wearing dark green and flanked by guards as he took selfies with soldiers and thanked troops at a flag-hoisting ceremony.

Ukraine has claimed sweeping successes in the northeastern Kharkiv region that borders Russia in recent days, and also says it has clawed back territory along a southern front near the Kherson region on the Black Sea.

Zelensky said Wednesday that Russia's occupation of Crimea -- annexed by Russia in 2014 -- was a "tragedy" and promised that his forces would eventually recapture the peninsula.

Kyiv's forces in the Kharkiv region have since September 6 recaptured around 8,500 square kilometres (3,200 square miles) and areas home to some 150,000 people, said deputy foreign affairs minister Ganna Maliar.

- 'They killed my son' -

In the reclaimed eastern Ukrainian village of Bogorodychne, 58-year-old Mykola told AFP he had "barely survived" the Russian occupation during which his brother was killed.

"How can I describe it in words? It was difficult. I was afraid," he said.

Wiping tears from her eyes with a veil, Mykola's mother Nina said:

"I cry every day. They killed my son."

Moscow said its forces were hitting back on areas recaptured in Kharkiv with "massive strikes", also claiming to have captured dozens of Ukrainian servicemen in the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Story continues

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz disclosed the contents of a 90-minute telephone conversation with Putin Wednesday, saying the Russian leader did not feel he had made a mistake in invading Ukraine.

"There was no indication that new attitudes are emerging," he said of Tuesday's conversation.

The Kremlin said Putin himself had discussed getting Ukrainian grain to those most in need in a telephone conversation with UN chief Antonio Guterres.

"Both sides emphasised the importance of meeting the needs, as a priority, of those in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America who need food," said a statement from his office Wednesday.

The Kremlin, which has made little mention of the setbacks in recent days, vowed to continue fighting, claiming that the perceived threat Kyiv posed to Russia remained.

The Ukrainian official in charge of the eastern Donetsk region, partially controlled by pro-Moscow separatists since 2014, said Russian forces had attacked the entire frontline region over the past 24 hours.

- 'Life and death' -

Pavlo Kyrylenko, the Donetsk governor, said one civilian had been killed and again urged all others to leave, describing the order as a "matter of life and death".

Military observers have credited the success of Ukraine's pushback into the east on Western-supplied arms, particularly long-range precision artillery, and on the training of Ukrainian forces by Western allies.

The Ukrainian military announced on social media Wednesday that some 5,000 Ukrainian military personnel had been trained as part of a joint programme with the United Kingdom.

Western countries have also hit back against Russia with waves of economic sanctions.

EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said the successive packages of EU measures against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine would remain and that Europeans had to keep their resolve against Moscow.

"I want to make it very clear, the sanctions are here to stay. This is the time for us to show resolve, not appeasement," von der Leyen said in the European Parliament during her annual State of the Union speech.

Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska attended the gathering in Strasbourg, receiving a standing ovation from lawmakers.

She also told MEPs that she would travel Wednesday to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

bur-jj/gw
STANISLAV POHORILOV  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2022, 15:00

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is convinced that Crimea and other territories will be liberated from the Russian invaders, and he has sent this message to people who are under occupation.

Source: Interfax-Ukraine

Quote from Zelenskyy: "My message is: we will return. It doesn't matter what they [people living in the occupied territories  ed.] have been hearing from propaganda TV during these eight years. That doesn't matter to us. We know the truth is on our side. I do not know when this will happen. No one knows. We will come, because this is our land and our people."

Details: At the same time, Zelenskyy said it was a tragedy that Ukrainians have been living under occupation for over eight years and Russia's information attacks have been able to influence many residents during that time. Nevertheless, Ukraine had to send them a message about their future liberation.

Background: Zelenskyy said on 10 September that the path to regaining all of the occupied territory is becoming clearer and clearer, and Ukraine cannot stop now.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II smiles while receiving Ignazio Cassis, the president of Switzerland, and his wife, Paola Cassis, during an audience at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on April 28, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britains longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. (Dominic Lipinski/Getty-AFP)

LONDON  The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II left Buckingham Palace for the last time Wednesday, borne on a horse-drawn carriage and saluted by cannons and the tolling of Big Ben, in a solemn procession through the flag-draped, crowd-lined streets of London to Westminster Hall. There, Britains longest-serving monarch will lie in state for the world to mourn.

Her son, King Charles III, and his siblings and sons marched behind the coffin, which was topped by a wreath of white roses and her crown resting on a purple velvet pillow.

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The queen will lie in state for four days until her funeral Monday, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to file past. Eight pall bearers carried the oak and lead-lined coffin into Westminster Hall, placing it on a raised platform known as a catafalque.

Shortly after 5 p.m., members of the public were allowed to file past the coffin, in the center of the vast medieval hall. People flowed in two lines in a silent river of humanity.

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They moved down steps under the halls great stained glass window, then past the coffin at a steady pace. There were parents with children, couples hand in hand, veterans with medals clinking on navy blue blazers, lawmakers and members of the House of Lords.

Some wore black or suits and ties, others jeans and sneakers. They had waited hours for a journey past the coffin that lasted only a few minutes.

Many were in tears as they approached the casket. Some doffed their hats and one curtseyed. One fell to one knee and blew a kiss.

The military procession from Buckingham Palace was designed to underscore the queens seven decades as head of state as the national mourning process shifted to the grand boulevards and historic landmarks of the U.K. capital.

The coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth II rests in Westminster Hall for the lying in state, in London, Sept. 14, 2022. (Dan Kitwood/AP)

Thousands who had waited for hours along The Mall outside the palace and other locations along the route held up phones and cameras, and some wiped away tears, as the procession passed. Applause broke out as the coffin passed through Horse Guards Parade. Thousands more sat in nearby Hyde Park watching on large screens.

The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard and topped with the Imperial State Crown  encrusted with almost 3,000 diamonds  and a bouquet of flowers and plants, including pine from the Balmoral Estate, where Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96.

Two officers and 32 troops from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in red uniforms and bearskin hats walked on either side of the gun carriage. The 38-minute procession ended at Westminster Hall, where Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby led a service attended by Charles and other royals.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you, Welby read from the Book of John.

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After a short service, the captain of The Queens Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, assisted by a senior sergeant, laid the royal standard of the regiment on the steps of the catafalque.

Four officers from the Household Cavalry - two from the Life Guards and two from the Blues Royals - began the first vigil at the coffin, taking their places at each corner and bowing their heads.

Thousands had queued up along the banks of the River Thames, waiting to enter the hall and pay their respects.

The crowds are the latest manifestation of the nationwide outpouring of grief and respect for the only monarch most Britons have ever known after her 70 years on the throne.

Esther Ravenor, a Kenyan who lives in the U.K. said she was humbled as she watched the procession.

I love the queen, I love the royal family, and you know, I had to be here, she said. She is a true role model. She loved us all, all of us. Especially someone like me, a migrant woman coming to the U.K. 30 years ago, I was allowed to be here and to be free and safe, so I really honor her. She was a big part of my life.

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Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, of the Household division, who organized the ceremonial aspects of the queens funeral, said it was our last opportunity to do our duty for the queen, and its our first opportunity to do it for the king, and that makes us all very proud.

Troops involved in the procession had been preparing since the queen died. So had the horses of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

Sgt. Tom Jenks said the horses were specially trained, including how to handle weeping mourners, as well as flowers and flags being tossed in front of the procession.

Heathrow Airport temporarily halted flights, saying it would ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with Charles to offer his condolences, the White House said.

Biden recalled the Queens kindness and hospitality she hosted them and the first lady at Windsor Castle in June, the statement said. He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.

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Crowds have lined the route of the queens coffin whenever it has been moved in its long journey from Scotland to London.

On Tuesday night, thousands braved a typical London drizzle as the hearse, with interior lights illuminating the casket, drove slowly from an air base to Buckingham Palace.

Earlier, in Edinburgh, about 33,000 people filed silently past her coffin in 24 hours at St. Giles Cathedral.

Hundreds of thousands are expected to visit the 900-year-old Westminster Hall, the oldest building in Parliament, before her state funeral Monday. The line snaking along the banks of the River Thames was nearly 3 miles long, according to a government tracker.

The hall is where Guy Fawkes and Charles I were tried, where kings and queens hosted magnificent medieval banquets, and where ceremonial addresses were presented to Queen Elizabeth II during her silver, golden and diamond jubilees.

Chris Bond, from Truro in southwest England, was among those waiting to see the queens coffin. He also attended the lying in state of the queens mother in 2002.

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Obviously, its quite difficult queuing all day long, but when you walk through those doors into Westminster Hall, that marvelous, historic building, there was a great sense of hush and one was told you take as much time as you like, and its just amazing, he said.

We know the queen was a good age and she served the country a long time, but we hoped this day would never come, he added.

Chris Imafidon, secured the sixth place in the queue.

I have 1,001 emotions when I see her, he said. I want to say, God, she was an angel, because she touched many good people and did so many good things.

Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui contributed.
IZIUM, Ukraine (AP)  Hand on heart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched his countrys flag rise Wednesday above the recaptured city of Izium, making a rare foray outside the capital that highlights Moscows embarrassing retreat from a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian forces left the war-scarred city last week as Kyiv's soldiers pressed a stunning advance that has reclaimed large swaths of territory in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region.

As Zelenskyy looked on and sang the national anthem, the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the burned-out city hall. After almost six months under Russian occupation, Izium was left largely devastated, with apartment buildings blackened by fire and pockmarked by artillery strikes.

A gaping hole and piles of rubble stood where one building had collapsed.

The view is very shocking, but it is not shocking for me," Zelenskyy told journalists, "because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories  the same destroyed buildings, killed people.

Bucha is a small city on Kyiv's outskirts from which Russian troops withdrew in March. In the aftermath, Ukrainian authorities discovered the bodies of hundreds of civilians dumped in streets, yards and mass graves. Many bore signs of torture.

Prosecutors said they so far have found six bodies with traces of torture in recently retaken Kharkiv region villages. The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said bodies were found in Hrakove and Zaliznyche, villages around 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Kharkiv city.

We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did. ... Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, listing places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities.

Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas Russia previously held, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted international demands to press war crimes charges against Russian officials.

Story continues

As he was returning from the front early Thursday, a passenger car collided with Zelenskyy's vehicle in a motorcade in Kyiv, but he wasn't seriously hurt, his spokesman said on Facebook. Spokesman Sergii Nikiforov said the driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskyys medical team and was taken by ambulance. Medics examined the president, who suffered no serious injuries in the accident, Nikiforov wrote. He did not specify what injuries Zelenskyy, 44, might have suffered.

Moscows recent rout in northeastern Ukraine was its largest military defeat since Russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv area months ago. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along a road.

As Zelenskyy visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, de-mined retaken ground and investigated possible war crimes. He said that life comes back as Ukrainian soldiers return to previously occupied villages.

The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian soldiers were preparing to retake the area, which borders the Kharkiv region and was has been mostly under Russian control since July. Intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued, he said.

Haidai told The Associated Press that Ukrainian troops were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk.

But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the (Ukrainian) flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

A Russia-allied separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult.

In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago.

The counteroffensive has left more weapons in Ukrainian hands.

Russian forces likely left behind dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east, a Ukrainian think tank said Wednesday. The Center for Defense Strategies said one Russian unit fleeing the Izium area left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles. Another unit left 47 tanks and 27 armored vehicles, it said.

The center said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces ruin equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it. However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently forced them to abandon untouched ammunition and weapons.

With the recent Ukrainian gains, a new front line has emerged along the Oskil River, which largely traces the Kharkiv region's eastern edge, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday.

Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose, the institute said.

In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing more casualties in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said.

The Nikopol area, across a river from the shutdown Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, with no injuries immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Fighting also raged in the eastern Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, an industrial area that Moscow set out to capture following an unsuccessful attempt to invade Kyiv.

Russian troops are targeting critical infrastructure. Eight cruise missiles aimed at water equipment hit Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih, a city on the Inhulets River 150 kms (93 miles) southwest of Dnipro, the deputy head of the presidents office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, reported on his Telegram channel. Zelenskyy said the strikes appeared to be an attempt to flood the city and that a dam on a reservoir was hit. Video posted online showed elevated water levels on the Inhulets and flooded city streets, and evacuations of residents were suggested.

U.S. President Joe Biden observed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have made significant progress in recent days but added, I think its going to be a long haul.

While criticism of the invasion seems to be increasing in Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that the realization has grown over there by now that this was a mistake to start this war.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he had spoken with Putin about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraines Black Sea ports to address a famine threat. The U.N. chief said at a news conference in New York that high prices for fertilizer have reduced the planting of crops, making it critical to increase Russian exports of ammonia  a key fertilizer ingredient  by shipping it through Black Sea ports now used to transport grain from Ukraine.

Western military and economic support has allowed Ukraine to keep fighting since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and the Ukrainian government received more assistance Wednesday.

An international group of creditors, including the U.S., finalized a deal to suspend Ukraines debt service through the end of 2023, helping the country ease liquidity pressures and increase social, health and economic spending.

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Arhirova reported from Kyiv. Associated Press journalist Jon Gambrell in Kyiv contributed.

___

Follow AP war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
In an effort to boost resources for fire departments, the Amherst County Board of Supervisors recently voted to allow county emergency medical services staff to serve in volunteer agencies in their personal time.

County Administrator Dean Rodgers said various past discussions have been held to look into ways to increase the availability of first responders. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act typically precludes employers from allowing staff to volunteer on the job, which caused the county to develop a volunteer services acknowledgment form for paid EMS staff.

This form exists to limit our risk, Rodgers said. It simply puts the employee on notice that they are volunteering and they shouldnt be expected to be paid.

County Attorney Michael Lockaby said the basic issue is a person cannot volunteer to do the same job they are paid to perform. A definite separation of job duties is legally defensible, in his view, and the consent form ensures parties understand and follow those parameters, he said.

Another way to reduce the countys risk is limiting the amount of volunteer hours a staff person can do, he said. Some are extremely dedicated to volunteerism and would put in as much time as they possibly could if allowed to, which makes such a measure beneficial as far as reducing risk, he said.

This is something we as a board have talked about for quite some time, said David Pugh, the boards chair, of letting paid EMS staff volunteer. I have no problem with it. I think its great. I think its a way to get some of the individuals that want to volunteer in our county to be able to do that, plus they have all the experience you could want and are willing to do this just to be part of the county, to give back.

Pugh said he was contacted by a volunteer agency with a concern that paid EMS staff, if allowed to volunteer, should not hold posts of chief or have a chief officer rank because of conflicts of interest. Both Pugh and Supervisor Tom Martin said they agree with that sentiment, which was included in the boards motion that received a 3-0 vote of approval with two board members absent.

In risk versus reward, I think the reward outweighs the risk, Martin said in supporting the move.

Sam Bryant, a county resident who at the end of August retired as the countys public safety director, expressed during public comments after the vote his concern the countys action will violate the federal law and cost the county money.

I dont want to waste the countys money, Bryant said. I just say you can get past this by just paying the people. If the volunteer fire companies need the help that much, pay them the overtime to help them because thats how you can get out of this.

Also during the meeting, Rodgers addressed the need for a larger pool of EMS workers, particularly emergency medical technicians, through a potential regional academy involving local governments and Central Virginia Community College.

Every community in the region has a shortage, they cannot fill all the positions they have for EMS, EMTs, Rodgers said.

He said county administrators in the Lynchburg area have conferred and agree a key piece to the puzzle is boosting the pipeline of potential workers, which CVCC can help with as far as training.

The issue really becomes one of recruiting, Rodgers said.

Martin, who volunteers as chief of the Amherst Fire Department, said volunteer chiefs in the county should be reached out to before any final decisions are made on a regional academy.

Rodgers said a regional EMS academy would not diminish the volunteers and noted their key role in fire response and prevention throughout the county.

We cannot afford to operate a fire system without the volunteers, Rodgers said.

In other news:

The board approved a resolution to support the countys application for projects in the Virginia Department of Transportations SmartScale funding program. Projects the county seeks funding through the program for include:

constructing a right turn lane on U.S. 29 Business northbound at the Seminole Drive intersection

building a right turn lane on U.S. 29 Business at the Dillard Road intersection

improving the U.S. 29 Business and Virginia 163 intersection by constructing an added turn lane on Virginia 163 and reconfiguring access to restrict through and left turn movements out of Lyttleton Lane

managing access points from Dillard Road to Lakeview Drive that allow for safer travel movement through median placement, which also will support safe pedestrian movement.
More Council Bluffs Community School District students than ever are earning additional credentials while attending high school.

In the Class of 2022, 73% graduated with a high school diploma and a second credential, according to Tracy Mathews, chief academic officer, who presented a report to the Board of Education Tuesday. That far exceeded the districts goal of having 60% graduate with a second credential by 2022.

Its a substantial increase from the Class of 2021, in which 63% graduated with a high school diploma and a second credential. That surpassed the districts goal of having 50% graduate with both by 2021.

Below is a breakdown on how many 2022 graduates earned each of the following credentials:

Early College Academy (associate degree)  25

Certificate Advancement program (NCA/Culinary/IT)  36

TradeWorks at IWCC (certificate/diploma)  31

College Credit Acceleration (24+ credits)  80

TradeWorks Academy NCCER credential  91

National Career Readiness Certificate  251

Transition Alliance Workplace Credential  23

JROTC Leadership Credential  1

Seal of Biliteracy  1

Superintendent Vickie Murillo was very pleased with the students achievements.

It has been so rewarding to see our students take advantage of the variety of Diploma Plus One pathways and credential opportunities, she said. We know this can be a game-changing experience for students  especially those who may not have otherwise pursued a career pathway if they would not have been given the exposure or experience while in high school.

With enrollment up in Diploma Plus One pathways, officials are expecting even more members of the Class of 2023 to earn second credentials. There are currently 882 students enrolled in the programs  84 more than last fall, Mathews said. The enrollment numbers break down as follows:

Early College Academy (associate degree)  49

Early Childhood Education (diploma)  28

Culinary Arts (food technician certificate)  32

IT (computer programming certificate)  39

Health Science  (Nurse Aide certificate)  75

TradeWorks at IWCC (certificate or diploma)  114

TradeWorks Academy (NCCER/OSHA credential)  410

College Credit Acceleration (24+ credits)  135

We are proud to make it possible for students to earn their associate degree, diploma or certificate at no cost to them or their families, Murillo said. We are fortunate to have Iowa Western in our community to help make so many of these opportunities available to our students. We are eager to develop additional pathways and second credential options so we can meet the interests of our students and the workforce needs of our community.
The Community Foundation for Western Iowa celebrated the launch of its new SHARE Iowa program Tuesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony at Iowa Western Community College.

SHARE Iowa is an initiative, modeled after SHARE Omaha, designed to connect Iowans to nonprofit organizations through charitable donations, in-kind gifts and volunteerism.

We really feel that theres kind of an unmet need to support the nonprofits and help them better connect with the folks that really want to help them do their work, and that is exactly why SHARE was created, said Donna Dostal, CFWI president and CEO. And so for us to be able to help facilitate that for folks in Pottawattamie County, for folks in Page County, for towns all the way from Fremont County up to Monona ... We could not be more excited and honored to be able to do that.

SHARE Iowa hopes to expand Iowas footprint with increased engagement and nonprofit capacity-building, with services now available in nine western Iowa counties: Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby.

The foundation partnered with SHARE Omaha to help get SHARE Iowa off the ground.

From day one, we knew that our service in southwest Iowa needed its own identity, needed its own brand, needed its own team, said SHARE Omaha executive director Marjorie Maas. This is so meaningful to have the team of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa really behind this, from a staffing perspective, but also from an ideological perspective of trying to generate more philanthropy and more goodness across the area that they serve.

Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh thanked SHARE Omaha, and now SHARE Iowa, for their ability to step in and assist people in need.

My office, almost every day, we get a call from people in need in the community, Walsh said. Its not always something that city government can help them with, so we rely heavily on our nonprofit organizations, and I want to thank all (of) them for what they do. Were a community with great need, and without our nonprofits, those people would go unserved.

The ribbon cutting also provided guests with an opportunity to meet with and learn about area nonprofits that will benefit from SHARE Iowas infrastructure, including American Midwest Ballet, Midlands Humane Society and the 712 Initiative.

Using the Share Good platform, Iowa nonprofits that have been partnering with SHARE Omaha will have their data migrated automatically to the new SHARE Iowa website, so there will be no need to create a new account.

For more information about how to help area nonprofits, visit sharegoodiowa.org.
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Dakhla, pearl of the Moroccan Sahara, signed on Tuesday a twinning agreement with Great Neck, located in the State of New York, within the frame of the decentralized cooperation set between Morocco and the United States, two allies & partner countries.

The agreement was inked by president of Dakhla municipal Council, Erragheb Hormatallah and mayor of Great Neck Pedram Bral in presence of local councilors, MPs, officials and American businessmen.

The signatories pledge to consolidate partnership in tourism, environment, culture, arts and education, in addition to sharing expertise in city management and investment.

Commenting the twinning agreement, mayor of Great Neck said Dakhla offers huge untapped opportunities to American businessmen, and voiced willingness to set up a mutually beneficial partnership with the Saharan Moroccan city in all sectors of common interest.

For his part, Mr. Hormatallah, who praised the U.S. recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara, said the agreement aims to deepen bilateral cooperation between Great Neck and Dakhla in high-value sectors, praising the U.S. recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara.

The Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region is witnessing, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, major changes thanks to the landmark socioeconomic projects which are turning the region into regional and African economic hub, he added.

The twinning was sealed on the sidelines of a visit of an American businessmen delegation to the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region to explore investment opportunities.

Eric Lalo, a U.S. investor & member of the delegation, said he was very impressed by the development efforts made in the region.
The United States has slammed in Geneva the serious human rights violations committed by Algerian authorities against civilians and pro-democracy activists.

Addressing the ongoing 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the U.S. Delegate denounced the growing restrictions imposed on freedom of expression, assembly and association.

The Algerian regime uses new penal code to prosecute and crackdown on activists, protesters and journalists in a bid to muzzle them.

The new American rebuke of the Algerian regime confirms the multiple alarming reports issued by regional and international organizations on the growing repression of Hirak activists in this country.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and several UN experts had exposed the rights abuses committed by Algerian authorities and their ill-treatment, intimidations and arbitrary detention of political opponents and vocal critics including, journalists, human rights & and civil society activists.

In its 2021 annual report on global human rights situation released last April, the State Department had denounced the continued serious human rights abuses committed by Algerian authorities against vocal critics, pro-democracy militants, journalists and civilians, as well as arbitrary arrests and detention of political prisoners, citing credible reports of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment of Algerian opponents by members of the security forces.

The report also condemned the serious restrictions imposed by Algerian authorities on free expression and media, using criminal defamation laws for unjustified arrests of journalists, government censorship and blocking of websites.

The document deplored the lack of judiciary independence and substantial interference with freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, including squelching a resumption of the Hirak and overly restrictive laws on the organization, funding, or operation of nongovernmental and civil society organizations.
Both Jeune Afrique and Charq Al Awsat announced that King Mohammed VI of Morocco will attend the Arab summit, a news that trapped an Algerian regime who made hostility to Morocco its doctrine.

Although there is no official confirmation yet from the Royal palace on who will attend the summit, the news in itself has sent a shockwave across Algeria.

The Algerian military regime and its civilian facade have blamed Morocco for the wildfires that ravaged the Kabylie region, accused Morocco of targeting Algerian trucks and of supporting Kabylie independence groups and other opposition movements and claims, in addition to many other accusations that all lack evidence.

The Algerian regime has also described Morocco as the enemy at the gate and tried so hard to foment hatred towards everything Moroccan among the Algerian people by going as far as poisoning ties between the two peoples through a heinous propaganda campaign.

The same regime that is sparing no effort to demonize Morocco is now obliged to send a minister to invite Morocco to attend the summit.

And in the case of the Kings participation, the same regime will be obliged to roll the red carpet for the King and play Moroccos national anthem and listen to Moroccos speech and its firm positions in support of the territorial integrity of all Arab states and rejection of Iranian interference.

Whether true or false, the news in itself sends a clear message that warmongering in the Maghreb is purely an unreciprocated Algerian business and that Morocco has no problem with the Algerian people.

Since his enthronement, King Mohammed VI has multiplied calls for opening borders and building an integrated Maghreb. The Arab Summit will be another chance to show who is struggling to achieve the ambition of the peoples of the regions to economic integration, freedom of movement, peace and stability and who strives- together with malign actors such as Iran -to sow divisions and support separatism.
Moroccos olive oil exports rose to 13,000 tons, up 47% by August this year, amid a surge in demand and market disruptions, the agriculture ministry said.

Sales stood at 456 million dirhams as demand from the European Union increased 3.6 times.

Despite a significant drop in rainfall, total olive production this year is expected to increase 21% to 1.96 tons.

Few days ago, the ministry announced a 40% increase in citrus exports which stood at 766,500 tons so far this year.

Exports to the American market grew three-fold while demand from Africa rose 2.2 times, the agriculture ministry said.

However, agriculture relying on rainfall has been hit by drought with the cereals harvest in particular diminishing to 3.2 tons this year from 10.3 tons last year.
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the launch of its Tangier factory, Renault said it will start making super-mini electric vehicles there by 2023.

The two-seat small urban car will be produced by Renaults affiliate Mobilize in a bid to tap into a growing market of electric vehicles.

The new car will be made in Tangier given the competitiveness and the investment that Renault has made to reduce production costs, Mobilize director general said.

The company did not specify which parts will be made in Morocco, where Citroen and Opel rivals are already producing similar cars.

In a bid to enhance its attractiveness to electric car makers, Moroccan industry minister said the country is in talks with investors for the setting up of a factory to produce up to 300,000 batteries annually, local media reported in July.

Last year, Morocco exported some 700,000 vehicles, while the production capacity of EV cars stood at 50,000, a figure that is set to double in the next two years, the minister said.

In a push to achieve zero emission quest by 2050, the EU imposed a ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2035. This means car makers have to adapt to EV or leave the EU market.

In March, Moroccos industry ministry signed deals with five wire harness suppliers to set up plants in Morocco for investments worth 180 million dollars as demand grows from EV manufacturers at home and abroad.

Morocco is also trying to foster its position in the global semiconductor supply chains. The country is already home to suppliers such as ST Microelectronics which expanded its solar-powered Casablanca plant.
A group of some 40 States reaffirmed on Tuesday in Geneva strong support for Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire Sahara territory, praising the Kingdoms serious efforts made to reach a lasting and peaceful resolution to the Sahara regional conflict.

In a joint statement read out by the UAE Delegate at the ongoing 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, the group said the Sahara issue is a political dispute currently handled by the Security Council which commends the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco as credible and serious for reaching a final political solution to this regional dispute.

The statement hailed the opening of consulates in the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune by several countries mostly from Africa and the Arab world, saying these diplomatic representations will contribute to strengthening economic cooperation & investment for the benefit of local populations and will spur regional development.

The Support Group for Moroccos territorial integrity welcomed the efforts made by new UN Sahara envoy Staffan De Mistura in a bid to re-launch the UN-led political process on the basis of the round-table format in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions 2602 of 2021, calling for a political, realistic, pragmatic, lasting solution to the Sahara issue.

The group affirmed that Morocco has been engaged for many years in a constructive and voluntary interaction with the UN human rights system, in particular OHCHR for the promotion and respect of human rights throughout its territory.

The Security Council welcomes the role played by the national and regional Human Rights Commissions in Dakhla and Laayoune and the positive interaction set between Morocco and the UN Human Rights Council, underlined the groups statement.
Kenya has announced this Wednesday its decision to rescind its recognition of the pseudo-Sahrawi Republic, self-proclaimed by the Algeria-backed separatist polisario front.

The newly-sworn President of kenya William Samoei Ruto announced that his country rescinds its recognition of the SADR when receiving this Wednesday, September 14, 2022, in Nairobi, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, who handed him a congratulations message from King Mohammed VI on the occasion of his inauguration.

Kenya will also initiate steps to wind down the entitys presence in the country, said a joint statement released after the audience and posted on the website of the State House.

Out of respect for the principle of territorial integrity and non-interference, Kenya fully supports the serious and credible autonomy plan proposed by the Kingdom of Morocco, as a unique solution based on the territorial integrity of Morocco, to resolve this dispute, the joint statement said.

Kenya supports the United Nations framework as the exclusive mechanism to achieve a lasting and permanent political solution to the dispute over the Sahara issue, the statement added.

In his message, King Mohammed VI congratulated Mr. William Samoei Ruto on his election as the 5th President of Kenya and welcomed the successful unfolding of democratic elections in the country in August 2022, stressing that these deadlines consolidate the position of Kenya as a beacon country in terms of democracy at the continental level.

The Sovereign also welcomed the promise made by the Kenyan President to strengthen and deepen the current bilateral relations between his country and various states in Africa and elsewhere.

President Ruto, for his part, hailed the leadership of King Mohammed VI in promoting policies of tolerance at the level of the Maghreb region, as well as its contribution to world peace and security.

He also expressed his willingness and commitment to work with the Sovereign to strengthen relations between the two countries, which are both committed to raising their bilateral diplomatic relations to the level of strategic partnership in the coming six months, the statement said, adding that the Republic of Kenya is committed to opening its Embassy in Rabat.

Similarly, it was agreed to immediately accelerate economic, trade and social relations between the two countries, particularly in the areas of fishing, agriculture and food security (import of fertilizers).

Cooperation will also cover the areas of health, tourism, renewable energy, security collaboration, as well as cultural, religious and people-to-people exchanges.

Being one of the greatest African powers, particularly in East Africa, Kenya, is currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, which is preparing to vote on October 27 on a resolution on the Sahara issue.

The decision made by Kenya, which had been among the supporters of the Polisario, is therefore important in more than one way. It corroborates the momentum of breakthroughs scored by Moroccan diplomacy and deals a hard blow to the separatists and their sponsors.

This new setback replaces the separatist front in its true dimension, that of an agent in the service of the Algerian junta.
The Fuller Center of Northwest Louisiana Awarded Partnership Grant Program Funds

SHREVEPORT, La., September 14, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana (Fuller Center NWLA) received $34,200 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP) funds. Representatives from Cadence Bank, Hancock Whitney, Origin Bank and Red River Bank joined the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) to award the grants during a ceremonial check presentation today.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005999/en/

FHLB Dallas and four of its member institutions granted a Louisiana nonprofit more than $34,000 in a ceremonial check presentation. (Photo: Business Wire)

The following FHLB Dallas members provided funding, which includes a 3:1 match from FHLB Dallas:

Cadence Bank: $9,054

Hancock Whitney: $8,382

Origin Bank: $8,382

Red River Bank: $8,382

PGP awards provide 3:1 matches of member contributions to provide grants up to $12,000 per member to help promote and strengthen relationships between CBOs and FHLB Dallas members. The PGP also complements the development activities fostered by FHLB Dallas Affordable Housing and Community Investment programs.

The Fuller Center NWLA builds new homes for low-income homebuyers who are unable to obtain adequate financing through other conventional means. Recipients receive a no-interest mortgage and affordable payments.

"Our work is very important to the citizens of northwest Louisiana, and I could not be more thankful to partner with institutions that believe in and support our purpose," said Lee A. Jeter Sr., executive director of The Fuller Center. "Its because of these partnerships that we are able to create more affordable housing options across our territory."

Adam Sistrunk, Cadence Bank president  Northwest Louisiana Division, said they continue to support life-changing organizations.

"We have a strong commitment to our local communities, and its evident on days like today where were able to assist organizations that are changing lives," said Mr. Sistrunk. "This organization has a long record of completing quality affordable housing projects across Northwest Louisiana."

Story continues

Hancock Whitney Assistant Vice President and Community Development Officer LaCarsha Babers said communities rely on PGP funding.

"Were thankful that FHLB Dallas makes PGP funds available because it allows our local communities to thrive," said Ms. Babers. "We are thankful for the opportunity to support The Fuller Center."

Origin Bank has been contributing to local organizations for years.

"Our dollars go further with FHLB Dallas, and we are thrilled to support local citizens alongside The Fuller Center with these funds," said Shelia Grayson, vice president, CRA and community development officer at Origin Bank.

Red River Bank has a longtime history of support for the organization.

"We have been a financial supporter of The Fuller Center for many years now because they continue to prove that theyre making a lasting impact and improving lives across northwest Louisiana," said Jannease Seastrunk, senior vice president, CRA and community relations officer for Red River Bank.

In 2022, FHLB Dallas awarded $400,000 in PGP funds, and its members provided an additional $158,895 in funding for an impact of nearly $559,000 to 38 community organizations in its five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas.

"These four members are reliable and trusted partners in the communities they serve," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. "Their reputation speaks volumes with local nonprofits, and were happy to support their work with The Fuller Center."

See the complete list of the 2022 PGP grant recipients. For more information about the 2022 PGP grants and other FHLB Dallas community investment products and programs, please visit fhlb.com/pgp.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $77.7 billion as of June 30, 2022, serves approximately 800 members and associated institutions across our five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. FHLB Dallas provides financial products and services including advances (loans to members) and grant programs for affordable housing and economic development. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005999/en/

Contacts

Corporate Communications

Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

fhlb.com, (214) 441-8445
Palladium and platinum mineralization defined at surface along 1.2-kilometre-long trend

Figure 1: Plan map of Nambi target, locating Trado auger holes and trenching along the main mineralized trend.

Figure 1: Plan map of Nambi target, locating Trado auger holes and trenching along the main mineralized trend.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corp. (ValOre; TSXV: VO; OTC: KVLQF; Frankfurt: KEQ0, the Company) today announced Trado auger sample assay results from the Nambi target (Nambi) at ValOres 100%-owned Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE, 2PGE+Au) Project (Pedra Branca) in northeastern Brazil. The Nambi target is located 1 kilometre (km) north of and along trend from the Trapia PGE deposit (NI 43-101 inferred resource 885,000 oz 2PGE+Au grading 0.96 g/t in 28.8 Mt) and 1 km south of the Massape PGE deposit (NI 43-101 inferred resource129,000 oz 2PGE+Au grading 1.21 g/t in 3.3 Mt).



We are very encouraged by the assay results received for Trado auger samples collected at the Nambi target, with 12 holes returning PGE mineralization from surface to a depth of 11 m, stated ValOres VP of Exploration, Colin Smith. Follow up exploration at Nambi has begun, with the excavation of 4 trenches along the 1.2-kilometre-long PGE-mineralized trend. Sampling and geological mapping highlights include 5 m of chromitite-rich UMs exposed in the central trench, TR22NB02.

Nambi Trado Auger Assay Highlights:

10 metres (m) grading 0.46 grams per tonne palladium + platinum + gold (g/t 2PGE+Au ) from surface;

11 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface;

3 m grading 0.92 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface;

1.5 m grading 1.83 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface;

1.5 m grading 1.43 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface.



Nambi 2022 Exploration Program

The Nambi target area, situated just a few kilometres from the 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource areas of Trapia and Massape (see Figure 1), is characterized by historical geophysical (magnetic high) and geochemical anomalies (PGE-in-soils and rock samples >7 g/t 2PGE+Au). ValOre conducted detailed geological mapping and prospecting along the anomalous trend and subsequently followed up with 75 Trado auger holes totaling 178 m. At-surface, ultramafic (UM) or UM-derived rocks were intercepted in 30 of 75 Trado holes, with significant PGE mineralization reported in 12 of the 30 UM-bearing Trado holes, defining a PGE-mineralized trend of 1.2 km.

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Trado auger assay highlights include some of the thickest UM intervals augered by the Trado at Pedra Branca to date, including holes AD22NB63 and AD22NB64, which returned 10 m grading 0.46 g/t 2PGE+Au and 11 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au respectively, and elevated PGE assay intercepts in the central portion of the target, including holes AD22NB12, which returned 1.5 m grading 1.83 g/t 2PGE+Au and AD22NB26, with 3 m grading 0.92 g/t 2PGE+Au. See Table 1 below for a summary of significant Trado assay results.

End-of-hole depths typically represent the onset of impenetrable unweathered bedrock, indicating that mineralization and UMs remain fully open at depth and require follow-up core or Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling.

Table 1: Trado Auger Drilling Highlights for Nambi Target.

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) 2PGE+Au (g/t) 2PGE+Au Interval Summary AD22NB05 0.00 4.00 4.00 0.17 4 m grading 0.17 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB11 0.00 2.00 2.00 0.23 2 m grading 0.23 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB12 0.00 1.50 1.50 1.83 1.5 m grading 1.83 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB21 0.00 1.50 1.50 0.52 1. 5 m grading 0.52 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB25 0.00 1.50 1.50 1.43 1.5 m grading 1.43 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB26 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.92 3 m grading 0.92 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB33 0.00 1.50 1.50 0.28 1.5 m grading 0.28 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB35 0.00 6.50 6.50 0.40 6.5 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB44 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.16 1 m grading 0.16 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB63 0.00 10.00 10.00 0.46 10 m grading 0.46 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB64 0.00 11.00 11.00 0.40 11 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB65 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.71 1 m grading 0.71 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface

The PGE-bearing Trado auger assay results warranted follow-up trenching to investigate in-situ continuity of the PGE-mineralized UM and UM-derived sequences along the 1.2-km-long trend.

Of the 4 planned trenches, 3 have been excavated to date (77 m total) with all 3 trenches confirming UM and UM-derived rocks continuity along strike. Sampling and geological mapping of all trenches are in progress, with highlights including 5 m of chromitites and chromitite-rich UMs intercepted in the central trench, TR22NB02.

Historical Core Drilling

One historical core drill hole (DD14NB01, see Figure 1) was drilled in 2014 by Anglo American Platinum at the south end of the central anomalous zone at Nambi. No PGEs were reported.

ValOre relogged and re-sampled a core interval interpreted to represent altered UM-derived rocks which were not previously sampled. Anomalous PGE grades were reported from 19 to 24 m, with results up to 0.10 g/t 2PGE+Au in two samples (at 19 m and at 24 m depth).

These reassay results, along with Trado, trenching and mapping data, suggest that the target PGE-mineralized UM sequence is locally thinning in the region of drill hole DD14NB01; however, the presence of PGE-bearing UM-derived rocks indicated geological continuity of the prospective layer towards the southernmost mineralized Trado holes, where 11-m-thick peridotites have been intercepted in trench TR22NB01 (assays pending).

ValOres interprets that the historical core hole targeted the magnetic anomaly but did not test the UM and chromitite showings occurring just a few metres to the north and south of the drill hole location.

PGE-bearing ultramafic rocks remain open and underexplored, at depth and along strike, over the 1.2-km-long trend that defines the Nambi target zone.

Figure 1: Plan map of Nambi target, locating Trado auger holes and trenching along the main mineralized trend.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f83f581e-05a0-44fb-8ef5-98a61250c37f

About the Trado Auger and Trenching methodology

CLICK HERE for more information regarding Trado Auger and Trenching methodology

Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QA/QC) and Grade Interval Reporting

CLICK HERE for a summary of ValOres policies and procedures related to QA/QC and grade interval reporting.

Qualified Person (QP)

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Colin Smith, P.Geo., ValOres QP and Vice President of Exploration.

About ValOre Metals Corp.

ValOre Metals Corp. (TSXV: VO) is a Canadian company with a portfolio of highquality exploration projects. ValOres team aims to deploy capital and knowledge on projects which benefit from substantial prior investment by previous owners, existence of high-value mineralization on a large scale, and the possibility of adding tangible value through exploration, process improvement, and innovation.

In May 2019, ValOre announced the acquisition of the Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE) property, in Brazil, to bolster its existing Angilak uranium, Genesis/Hatchet uranium and Baffin gold projects in Canada.

The Pedra Branca PGE Project comprises 52 exploration licenses covering a total area of 56,852 hectares (140,484 acres) in northeastern Brazil. At Pedra Branca, 7 distinct PGE+Au deposit areas host, in aggregate, a 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource of 2.198 Moz 2PGE+Au contained in 63.6 Mt grading 1.08 g/t 2PGE+Au (CLICK HERE for news release dated March 24, 2022). All the currently known Pedra Branca inferred PGE resources are potentially open pittable.

Comprehensive exploration programs have demonstrated the "District Scale" potential of ValOres Angilak Property in Nunavut Territory, Canada that hosts the Lac 50 Trend having a current Inferred Resource of 2,831,000 tonnes grading 0.69% U3O8, totaling 43.3 million pounds U3O8. For disclosure related to the inferred resource for the Lac 50 Trend uranium deposits, please CLICK HERE for ValOre's news release dated March 1, 2013.

ValOres team has forged strong relationships with sophisticated resource sector investors and partner Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) on both the Angilak and Baffin Gold Properties. ValOre was the first company to sign a comprehensive agreement to explore for uranium on Inuit Owned Lands in Nunavut Territory and is committed to building shareholder value while adhering to high levels of environmental and safety standards and proactive local community engagement.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Jim Paterson

James R. Paterson, Chairman and CEO

ValOre Metals Corp.

For further information about ValOre Metals Corp., or this news release, please visit our website at www.valoremetals.com or contact Investor Relations at 604.653.9464, or by email at contact@valoremetals.com.

ValOre Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: http://www.discoverygroup.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.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although ValOre believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to ValOre. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors including those set forth in other public filings could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the future operations of ValOre and economic factors. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and, except as required by applicable law, ValOre does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ValOre undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of ValOre, or its financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities.




Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images

Prince Harry has addressed recent reports that he is not allowed to wear military uniform to the Queen's funeral next Monday (19 September), despite having served ten years in the army and touring Afghanistan twice.

A rule is in place banning any non-working royals from wearing uniform to events, however an exception is being made for Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew (who is also no longer a senior working member of the family following accusations - that he has strenuously denied - that he slept with an underage victim of sex trafficking), when he guards the Queen's coffin during the Vigil of the Princes. He will be joined by Prince Edward, Princess Anne and the newly proclaimed King Charles III.

A statement shared by royal reporter, Omid Scobie, who authored the Meghan and Harry 'Finding Freedom' biography, makes it clear that the prince is very keen for the conversation to remain focussed on the life and loss of his grandmother, as opposed to what he will - or won't - be wearing next week.

The statement, attributed to a Sussex spokesperson, also stresses that Prince Harry's links to the army are no less strong due to him not being able to wear a uniform for the momentous and deeply sad occasion.

"Sussex spokesperson: '[Prince Harry] will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother. His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II'," the tweet reads.

Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images

This isn't the first time that Prince Harry's military uniform and service have been called into question in relation to a sombre event either: last year, following the passing of his grandfather, Prince Philip, King Charles' youngest son also attended the event in a morning suit, rather than military uniform.

The dress code for the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral was reportedly changed - by the Queen - at the last minute, and nobody wore uniform. Traditionally, men in the Royal Family would adopt military uniforms for such an event, however it was said that new dress code was implemented due to Harry having his honorary military titles revoked once he stepped down from his senior working role in the family.

Story continues

Those titles were gifted to him by the Queen, as opposed to garnered during his decade of service, meaning he would no longer be permitted to wear a uniform. Ex-servicemen and women are, however, able to wear their medals with pride to funerals, whilst donning a traditional morning suit or otherwise.

Our thoughts are with the Royal Family during this very sad time.

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Geopolitical considerations are likely to weigh heavily on Chinas decision to boost exports or not, notably its alliance with Russia.

In the U.S., distillate fuel inventories are about 23% below the five-year average for this time of year, suggesting it cant boost exports much further.

China has the refining capacity to process and export more fuels, but the Chinese government has been reducing fuel export quotas.

The tight European diesel market is set to become even tighter early next year when the EU ban on Russian seaborne oil product exports is planned to kick in. Among other energy product shortages this coming winter, the EU will have to contend with no supply of diesel from Russiastill a major supplier of diesel to Europeif the bloc follows through with its plans for an embargo on all Russian oil shipped by sea as of early February 2023.

The embargo is set to upend global oil product trade flows once again, made worse by an even tighter European diesel market during the winter when oil products are set to be used in oil-fired backup power plants amid a power and natural gas crunch.

Europe has already started to tap the U.S. diesel market for increased non-Russian supply, but, as U.S. refining executives themselves admit, there isn't too much room to substantially boost American diesel exports to Europe as U.S. inventories of distillate fuels continue to sit at multi-year lows.

One potential savior of Europe's diesel market could be China, which has aligned with Vladimir Putin and is growing increasingly close to Russia. In theory, China has the refining capacity to process and export more fuels, but Chinese authorities have been reducing the allocated fuel export quotas this year.

Of course, there is the geopolitical side to China boosting its fuel exports. Even if it didn't send diesel shipments to Europe, it could, in theory, ease diesel market shortages elsewhere. The question is whether China would be willing to help Europe and undermine Putin's oil revenues, as Reuters's Asia Commodities and Energy Columnist Clyde notes.

Europe is still importing relatively high volumes of Russian diesel, several months before the embargo enters into force. Europe imported 543,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Russian seaborne diesel last month, up from 520,000 bpd in August 2021, per commodity analysts Kpler cited by Russell.

In July, European diesel imports from Russia rose to an unseasonably high level of 680,000 bpd, up by 13% month-on-month and 22% year over year, and outpacing non-Russian supplies by about 200,000 bpd, data from energy analytics firm Vortexa showed last month.

China, for its part, issued the latest batch of fuel export quotas for refiners in July, and total quotas so far this year are 39 percent lower than the collective quotas this time last yeara sign that Chinese fuel exports are unlikely to ease the tight fuel market globally.

"China also has the power to change the fate of the global diesel market, if it were to ease off the brakes on rationalising its domestic refining industry," Vortexa Chief Economist David Wech wrote at the end of August.

The sector has run so far 7% lower this year than in January-July 2021, per Argus, and has ample spare capacity, which is expected to grow further with the current startup of the 320,000-bpd Lianyungang grassroots refinery, Wech added.

The U.S. can't help much, either, executives said earlier this summer. Distillate fuel inventories in America are now about 23% below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the latest EIA weekly petroleum status report.

According to U.S. refiners, there isn't much room for a further increase in diesel shipments from America to Europe.

Gary Simmons, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Valero Energy, said on the Q2 earnings call at the end of July that "It's going to be a real challenge for us to be able to supply a lot more diesel into Europe."

With U.S. inventories low and "the industry basically running all out," "it's very difficult for me seeing that there's going to be a lot of flow from the U.S. into Europe," Simmons added.

Amid tight global fuel markets, especially diesel, Europe's success in cutting off seaborne diesel imports from Russia could hinge on China's fuel export policy and geopolitical choices.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The Colorado River drought is so bad you can see it from space. Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which supply drinking water to millions of people in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, and California, are each currently down to just 27% of their capacity, a near-complete collapse from being 95% full in 2000. In China, record heatwaves and drought have dried up the Yangtze River. Yale Environment 360 is warning that the drying up of Europes great rivers, which function as the arteries of the continent's economy, could be the new normal. Nearly two-thirds of the worlds population, or about four billion people, suffer from severe water scarcity for at least one month each year, and half of the global population could face water scarcity by just 2025. This is terrifying for a wide number of reasons. Weve all heard that water is life, and most of us cant fathom our day-to-day tasks without abundant potable water at the twist of a tap. But water scarcity isnt just water scarcity. Its food scarcity and energy scarcity too. Scientists and academics are increasingly approaching issues of food, water, and energy not as separate fields of study and development but as one water-energy-food nexus which is inherently interdependent and interrelated. We cant hope to address the crises facing any of these sectors without discussing all of them.

Climate change poses an enormous and unprecedented threat to water, energy, and food, at the same time that demand for all three is steadily increasing. The current drought conditions around the globe are putting enormous pressure on the nexus and squeezing the energy supply even tighter amid a worldwide energy crisis spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic and compounded by the Russian war in Ukraine. The lack of water has devastated hydropower sectors and limited the navigability of waterways that are central to global supply chains of fossil fuels and cooling nuclear energy plants.

Just this summer, a Swiss nuclear facility scaled back operations as the volume of cooling water in the Aare river was so low that the temperatures were growing dangerous for the local wildlife. In France, several nuclear reactors were similarly shut down, but because the dwindling and warmed waters of the Rhone and Garonne were simply unable to cool the systems of nuclear power plants  and thats just the latest in a series of unfortunate events for the beleaguered French nuclear sector this year. And all along the Rhine, barges that carry coal and oil to millions of people are waylaid.

Related: Another European Steel Plant Scales Back Amid Ongoing Energy Crisis

The timing of this blow to Europe's already tenuous and tight energy supply could not be worse. As Russia plays a cat-and-mouse game with the European Union by conveniently experiencing infrastructural issues with its pipelines every time the bloc makes a political agreement that doesnt agree with Putin, Europe is staring down the barrel of a long, cold winter with insufficient energy supply.

Meanwhile, in China, a prolonged and severe drought in the Sichuan province  which was also rocked by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake last week  has slammed the brakes on the hydropower industry that much of the nation depends on. To fill the gap, China has begun to burn even more coal, fueling the very greenhouse gas emissions that contributed to the drought in the first place in a vicious cycle. While experts argue that the real lesson to be learned here is to diversify your energy mix, many Chinese people have instead become distrustful of hydropower and renewables in general.

Meanwhile, these water and energy troubles fuel a third looming crisis: a global food shortage. Remember that water-energy-food nexus? Soaring gas prices have caused a critical fertilizer shortage, which, coupled with a water shortage, spells serious trouble for agricultural yields.

Yes, the prognosis is grim. But the nexus approach also brings hope. The growing recognition of the interconnectedness of these problems also sheds new light on the potential for synergistic, long-term solutions instead of stopgap measures that fail to see the bigger picture. And these challenging times have made many people increasingly aware of the preciousness of these resources that once seemed infinitely abundant.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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State-owned Russian companies have directly funneled covert funding in Central America, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

U.S. intelligence believes $300 million is a "minimum" estimate and that Russia likely has transferred additional funds in cases that have gone undetected.

An anonymous U.S. official is alleging that Russia has spent hundreds of millions of dollars since 2014 to influence elections in over 24 countries.

Russia has covertly spent more than $300 million since 2014 on efforts to influence politicians and other officials in more than two dozen countries, the U.S. State Department alleged on September 13.

The money was spent to support think tanks backed by far-right nationalist political parties and on such things as front organizations that funnel money to preferred causes or politicians.

U.S. intelligence believes $300 million is a "minimum" estimate and that Russia likely has transferred additional funds in cases that have gone undetected, an official who briefed reporters said.

"We think this is just the tip of the iceberg, and we are engaging with allies and partners to gather more information about this threat," the official said.

U.S. diplomats were sharing their findings with governments in more than 100 nations.

The information follows a review by the U.S. intelligence community of Russia's efforts to influence other countries' politics, the official said.

The State Department is publicly providing some information from the review because of an expectation that Russia would "increasingly rely on its covert influence toolkit" in the coming months, they said.

The report does not name specific Russian targets but says Moscow likely will increasingly turn to covert political financing to undermine international sanctions over its war in Ukraine.

The official noted that President Joe Biden had recently extended a national emergency declaration addressing the continued threat of foreign election interference.

The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to RFE/RLs request for comment.

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, did not provide specific evidence about the alleged secret financing. U.S. officials previously have pointed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ecuador as countries where Russia has intervened directly through its financial power.

State-owned Russian companies have directly funneled covert funding in Central America, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, the assessment said. Russia has used cash, made payments in cryptocurrencies, and sent "lavish" gifts, the assessment said.

The Biden administration requested the assessment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which prompted international sanctions in an effort to isolate Moscow.

The official also declined to say how much money Russia is believed to have spent in Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his top deputies have long accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of meddling in domestic politics.

The official rejected comparisons between Russia's activities and U.S. financing of media and political initiatives.

The official said the difference was that Putin had spent huge sums in an attempt to manipulate democracies from the inside.

By RFE/RL

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as part of the OPEC+ pact led to a 790,000-barrel-per-day rise in global oil production in August, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its closely-watched Oil Market Report on Wednesday.

Production gains were partially offset by losses in OPEC member Nigeriathe biggest laggard in the OPEC+ deal  as well as lower output in the non-OPEC members of the OPEC+ alliance, Kazakhstan and Russia, the IEA said.

Growth in production is expected to slow toward the end of this year, edging up by just 280,000 bpd from August through December to 101.6 million bpd. Global oil production is forecast to rise by 4.8 million bpd this year, to an average of 100.1 million bpd. Next year, production is expected to grow by 1.7 million bpd to 101.8 million bpd, the IEA said.

In August, Libyas oil production rebounded to 1.211 million bpd, according to the countrys National Oil Corporation (NOC)a level last seen before the port blockades that began this spring. Libyas oil production has been recovering ever since the blockade was lifted in the middle of July.

At the other end of the supply spectrum, crude oil exports out of Nigeria plunged to below 1 million bpd, their lowest level on record, last month, oil export analytics firm Petro-Logistics said earlier this week.

The monthly report from the Paris-based agency showed still very resilient Russian oil exports, but flagged major losses in just a few months time when the EU embargo on seaborne oil imports from Russia enters into full force early next year.

Russian total oil exports actually rose by 220,000 bpd in August to 7.6 million bpd, which is down by just 390,000 bpd from pre-war levels.

However, the EU embargo on Russian crude oil and product imports that comes into effect in December 2022 and February 2023, respectively, is expected to result in deeper declines as an additional 1 million bpd of products and 1.4 million bpd of crude will have to find new homes, the IEA said.

Russian total oil production is forecast to decline to 9.5 mb/d by February 2023, a 1.9 mb/d drop compared to February 2022, the agency said.

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Oil giant trader Vitol Group raked in more profit in H1 this year than it did in all of last year, a new exclusive from Reuters shared on Tuesday.

While unofficial, Reuters sources shared that Vitol Groupthe largest oil trader in the worldsaw $4.5 billion in net profit in the first half of the year. It is a level that smashed earlier records and one that easily beat the full-year net profit Vitol recorded last year of $4.2 billion and the previous record of $3.2 billion that the trader made in the pandemic year of 2020 as the groupand other commodity traders as wellbenefited handsomely from the volatile oil markets.

In H1 2022, Reuters sources said that Vitol traded 7.6 million barrels of oil per day, and 13 million tonnes of LNG.

Vitol does not publicly disclose its net profit.

In April, the oil trading giant vowed to wind down its activities involving Russian crude oil by the end of this year, after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelesky asked it to cease doing business with Russia. Vitols plan was to diminish its Russian energy activities in Q2, with the wind down complete by the end of the year. This goal was complicated by the fact that Vitol held long-term contracts with Rosneft that ran through October.

Again in July, Zelensky called on Vitol to stop shipping Russian crude, saying that the trading firm was guilty of brazen profiteering from blood oil, after Refinitiv data compiled by Global Witness showed that Vitol chartered shipments of 11 million barrels through Russian ports in June.

Zelenskys chief economic advisor, Oleg Ustenko, claimed that Vitol was the largest western trader of Russian oil since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Vitol said in July that it had reduced its shipped volumes of Russian crude and crude products by 80% since January.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
PLATTSMOUTH, Neb.  The six times shes traveled from Topeka to attend court hearings for the man who destroyed her sisters car, destroyed her family, Tabitha Bracken has had to avert her eyes. Sometimes, she thumbs through her phone. Most of the time, she reads a book.

She cant bear to look at the cross that sits on the highway shoulder where her sisters car was flattened, instantly snuffing out two women, ages 22 and 21, and two girls, ages 5 and 4. Only Tabitha, who was sitting in the passenger seat, survived  in part because her sister swerved to avoid the oncoming tank. A 2000 red Chevy GMT truck, weighing about 5,000 pounds, had entered the southbound lanes and smashed into Ashly Brackens 2009 Cobalt, half its size.

Tuesday, Tabitha again lowered her eyes. This time, it was to ensure no one saw her tears.

In a cozy three-row, two-table Cass County courtroom, she listened as the driver of the red truck, Ronald Dubas, 57, of La Vista, quietly entered guilty pleas to four counts of misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide 20 months after the Jan. 31, 2021, wreck that killed driver Ashly Bracken, 21, and backseat passengers Tatiyana Wade, 22, Keniah Robinson, 5, and Malaysia Reece, 4, the latter two daughters of the best friends of the first two.

Tabitha emerged from court in a shirt with a photo of the four and the words: Our 4 beautiful angels. In loving memory.

Asked what she would want to convey to Dubas, Tabitha had no words.

Honestly, I dont know what to say, Tabitha said, sniffing away tears. I could kill him.

For taking away Ashly, the big sis who was so close in appearance and attitude that many believed they were twins. And Tatiyana, who went by Tati, a gregarious woman studying to become a nurse who was every kids favorite auntie. The very reason she was sitting in the backseat of Ashlys Cobalt was so she could be close to Keniah and Malaysia, strapped in their car seats.

Keniah and Malaysia, cousins and fast friends, would play, laugh and dance anything anyone threw their way, via TikTok.

Keniahs mom, Deja Bush, said she wouldnt choose death for Dubas. Just life, she said, in prison.

They wont get either. Under state law, Dubas faces up to a year in jail for each count of misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide  sentences that can be run either concurrently or consecutively. Judge David Partsch will sentence him Nov. 18.

Cass County Attorney Colin Palm said Dubas, who has been described as remorseful, had no alcohol in his system  and investigators couldnt find evidence of recklessness or of texting while driving. Under state law, felony motor vehicle homicide requires prosecutors to prove that the driver was drunk or reckless. Had recklessness been proved, Dubas would have faced up to three years in prison on each count.

Which brings up the survivors other want.

I want him strapped to a lie detector test so he can tell us, honestly, why he was in our lane, Tabitha said.

That weekend started with a trip from Topeka to Omaha.

Sentrez Buckley, who was dating Ashly Bracken, and Martez Gregory, dating Michaela Reece and a stepdad to Malaysia, traveled to Omaha for a funeral of a family friend. Malaysia rode with them.

A day later, Ashly, Tabitha, Tatiyana and Keniah followed, hoping to have a girls weekend in Omaha. They visited friends, shopped, had fun and were as loud as ever, Tabitha said.

Around 7 p.m. that Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, they headed out of Omaha, south on Highway 75 toward home in Topeka, Kansas. Gregory and Buckley were in a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer in front of Ashlys Cobalt.

The night well on its way to deep-winter darkness, Gregory said he saw an oncoming trucks headlights in his lane. Then the truck veered back into the northbound lanes. Then it came into Gregorys southbound lane.

At least twice, Gregory said.

Gregory said he pressed the brakes to give the oncoming vehicle room. But the weird thing was, Gregory and Buckley said, the truck wasnt passing any traffic in its own lane.

The last time the truck veered into his lane, Gregory swerved onto the shoulder, the truck barely missing him.

Behind them, the women had been singing and laughing and talking up a storm, Tabitha said. Subtlety was not their forte  part of the reason that Malaysia and Keniah loved being in the car with their aunties.

Ten minutes into the ride, Tabitha realized that she had promised to drive home. She told her sister to pull over. Remember, I pinky promised that I was driving home.

Ashly said she was fine. They continued on the highway, which goes from four to two lanes outside Plattsmouth.

Tabitha, who remembers most of the ordeal, said she could see the headlights bearing down, directly in her lane. And then her sister yanked the wheel to swerve to the shoulder, calling out: Why is he on my side of the ro ... 

Then smack, Tabitha said. She didnt get to finish her sentence.

The car, all but demolished, essentially stopped in its tracks, coming to rest only 10 yards from the collision point, just south of Union, Nebraska. Gregory and Buckley rushed to the women. The left side of Ashlys face was ripped away but Tabitha could see the right profile of her big sisters face, which looked fine.

Oh my God, Ashlys dead! the guys screamed, panicked.

No shes not, Tabitha said. Shes fine. Shes OK! Shes OK!

She tried to get out of the crumpled car but couldnt. She tried to rouse Tatiyana, Malaysia and Keniah in the backseat but couldnt.

Thats when I was like, OK, if I woke up from the guys screaming, why didnt they wake up?

The grim reality has set in, but the questions havent stopped. The biggest: Why was Dubas in the southbound lane?

Nebraska State Trooper Jake Arnold, in conjunction with the Cass County Sheriffs Office, investigated the crash, determining that Dubas was traveling between 55 mph and 64 mph after impact. In an affidavit, Arnold wrote that Dubas gave a couple reasons why he drove the wrong way on Highway 75.

He told paramedics that he swerved to avoid a deer. He told investigators that he was passing another car when he crashed. Gregory and Buckley disputed both versions, saying they saw no deer and no cars that Dubas was passing.

Dubas then gave a third reason.

Dubas stated he was distraught after leaving his brothers (house) and he may have been wiping tears away from his eyes with his forearm, Arnold wrote. A reason wasnt given for his distress, though the victims family say they were told something about Dubas going through a breakup.

That led Michaela Reece, Tabitha Bracken and April Cohagen, Brackens mother, to question the reason for Dubas two trips into the southbound lane.

Was he trying to kill himself? Reece asked.

Palm declined to get into Dubas statements to investigators other than to say: I dont have any evidence of (suicide).

Had there been, prosecutors could have determined that Dubas crossed the center line with intent  enough for reckless driving and a felony.

Instead, Palm said, investigators had evidence of only careless driving, which equates to misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide.

Why was he in the other lane? I dont know, Palm said. I just feel terrible for these families. What theyre going through, no one should ever have to go through. Its unspeakable.

Cohagen put some words to it. Four lives? Four lives is a misdemeanor? Ridiculous.

Ashly had been her sisters best friend  loud and loyal and always wanting to connect via Facetime. Long hair and long, natural eyelashes, she had wanted to start her own makeup line, especially focusing on mascara. She was going to call the business Ashs lashes. Tatiyana was studying at Washburn University to become a nurse. She needed no honing in the finer points of being an aunt, constantly spoiling her best friends kids with gifts and hugs and fun.

Hence her volunteering to ride in the backseat with Keniah and Malaysia. A kindergartner, Keniah was a by-request dancer and gymnast (I can do a cartwheel!), smart and at times, a smart aleck. She would question whether women might be pregnant based on their, um, girth. Malaysia also was a dancer and prancer. She was the sensitive child who, even at 4, could sense when something was wrong. Are you OK, mom, shed ask Michaela.

You could hear Ashly and Tati before they walked into the room, Cohagen said. They were loud and fun and full of personality. They all had long lives ahead. And now theyre gone. For what?
Two state senators are pushing for a law that would require all Nebraska law enforcement agencies to maintain and make public lists of officers who have misconduct or disciplinary histories that could affect their credibility.

State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha announced on Wednesday his intention to reintroduce such a bill. The announcement came two days after an Omaha police captain was awarded $700,000 by a jury in her federal lawsuit against the city and Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.

Former Omaha Police Capt. Kathy Belcastro-Gonzalez contended that Schmaderer retaliated against her when he bypassed her for a promotion to deputy chief after she scored No. 1 on a test.

The Brady list, or do not call list, stems from a U.S. Supreme Court case in 1963, Brady v. Maryland, that said prosecutors must share possible exculpatory evidence on officers with defense attorneys.

Officers on that list could have lied under oath or been the subjects of criminal or internal investigations that would deem them of questionable credibility by attorneys.

On the first day of Belcastro-Gonzalezs trial, former Deputy Police Chief Greg Gonzalez, Belcastro-Gonzalezs husband, mentioned the names of two OPD officers who he said were on OPDs list. Despite that, at least one of the officers has been promoted to lieutenant.

McKinney said the idea that officers on that list still get promoted is concerning.

After he heard about Belcastro-Gonzalezs trial, McKinney said, he determined it was time to garner support for his bill, which would make those officers names available to the public.

A lot of things around policing, weve been stonewalled, in my opinion, as far as getting true accountability, McKinney said. When you have a department that continuously promotes individuals that are on this list, I think the public should know.

State Sen. Justin Wayne, also of Omaha, will be a co-sponsor of the bill, McKinney said.

Brady lists are vital public information as they show which police officers have credibility issues and indicate whether prosecutors are following the law by maintaining and updating these records, Wayne said in a prepared statement. Juries should know, for instance, if the police employee testifying before them has been investigated and found to have committed misconduct in the line of duty.

McKinneys bill last session garnered opposition from law enforcement agencies and unions, as well as the Nebraska County Attorneys Association, according to the Lincoln Journal Star. The bill didnt make it to the floor for debate.

Tony Conner, the president of the Omaha Police Officers Association, had told the Legislatures Judiciary Committee that theres no clear standard for prosecutors putting officers on the list.

This bill does absolutely nothing to enhance public safety, Conner said in February. The clear purpose of (the bill), in our view, is to publicly and punitively jeopardize the reputations and careers of those who serve in law enforcement.

Conner said Wednesday that the union would oppose the bill again. He said the public  and even officers  dont understand what a Brady list means, so publishing a list would serve only to embarrass those officers.

Some officers on that list really have not had any misconduct, so its just a way to publicly shame an officer. It seems like thats the only goal for the bill.

McKinney said checks need to be in place to hold police officers accountable.

Its clear that the police cant police themselves at all, he said.
Longtime Omaha civil rights activist Charles B. Washington was honored 36 years ago today as the north branch of the Omaha Public Library was renamed for him.

About 300 people, including many Black community leaders, then-Mayor Mike Boyle and then-Nebraska Attorney General Robert Spire attended the rededication at the library at 2868 Ames Ave.

Washington, a reporter for the Omaha Star for 48 years, was remembered by several speakers at the event as a champion of the young and a believer in education.

Mildred Brown, owner and publisher of the Omaha Star, praised Washington's intellect, adding that naming a library after him was fitting.

"Mr. Washington was a reader," she said. "There was very little he couldn't tell you. He inspired all of us. Omaha will never forget him, and I don't think anyone who ever met him will forget him."

Washington touched the life of Omaha in a variety of ways. In his work as a writer for the Omaha Star and as a television host, he frequently focused on the struggle for minority rights.

A number of young athletes in the Black community treated him as a mentor. He encouraged youths to stay in school and study hard.

His was a familiar face at City Hall, where he sometimes spoke and sometimes picketed and where, after he died in April 1986, the flag was lowered to half-staff in his honor, on the orders of Boyle.

Washington's career covered a historic period of civil rights progress. He interviewed Malcolm X. He sparred verbally with Billy Graham over the depth of Graham's commitment to civil rights.

R. Jerry Hargitt, a member of the Omaha Public Library Board, said at the 1986 ceremony that not only the Black community, but also the White community should rededicate itself to what Washington stood for.

"He was after racial equality," Hargitt said.

Perhaps one of the reasons for Washington's effectiveness was the force of his personality. He had the ability to be an uncompromising advocate and a friendly person at the same time. He saw the worth in people, no better how humble, and let them know it.

Washington, who was 62 when he died, was active in the Urban League of Nebraska and was host of a league television show, "Omaha, Can We Do?"

Washington displayed his dedication to minority rights and better race relations in corporate boardrooms, government offices and even in his own home, where Black people and White people met to talk about easing tensions during periods of racial unrest in Omaha in the 1960s.

At the rededication event, Boyle; Washington's brother, Robert of Omaha; and his sister, Emmalyn Collins of Phoenix; unveiled a portrait of Washington and a plaque honoring him.

The plaque calls Washington "a leader, an activist and a fighter who championed the cause of blacks, young people, the poor, and the elderly."
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department said Wednesday that three Iranian citizens have been charged in the United States with ransomware attacks that targeted power companies, local governments and small businesses and nonprofits, including a domestic violence shelter.

The charges accuse the hacking suspects of targeting hundreds of entities in the U.S. and around the world, encrypting and stealing data from victim networks, and threatening to release it publicly or leave it encrypted unless exorbitant ransom payments were made. In some cases, the victims made those payments, the department said.

The Biden administration has tried to go after hackers who have held U.S. targets essentially hostage, often sanctioned or sheltered by adversaries. The threat gained particular prominence in May 2021 when a Russia-based hacker group was accused of conducting a ransomware attack on Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, which disrupted gas supplies along the East Coast.

Iran-based hackers have also been a focus over the last year, with the FBI thwarting a planned cyberattack on a children's hospital in Boston that was to have been carried out by hackers sponsored by the Iranian government.

The cyber threat facing our nation is growing more dangerous and complex every day, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement accompanying the indictment unsealed Wednesday. Todays announcement makes clear the threat is both local and global. Its one we cant ignore and its one we cant fight on our own, either.

The hackers named in Wednesday's indictment are not believed to have been working on behalf of the Iranian government but instead for their own financial gain, and some of the victims were even in Iran, according to a senior Justice Department official who briefed reporters on the case on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the department.

But the official said the activity, even if not directed by the Iranian government, exists because the regime permits hackers to largely operate with impunity.

In a related action Wednesday, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 10 individuals and two entities affiliated with Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who it says have been involved in malicious cyber activities, including ransomware. The Treasury Department identified the three defendants in the Justice Department case as employees of technology firms it says is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.

John Hultquist, vice president for threat intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said his team has been tracking the Iranian actors for some time and assessed they are contractors for the Revolutionary Guard who have been moonlighting as criminal hackers. He said they are especially dangerous because any access they gain could be served up for espionage or disruptive purposes.

The actions come amid an apparent stalemate in talks between the U.S. and Iran over the possible revival of a 2015 nuclear deal. Israel and some U.S. lawmakers of both parties are pushing the Biden administration to get tougher on Iran, calling the negotiations on Irans nuclear program a failure.

The three accused hackers are thought to be in Iran and have not been arrested, but the Justice Department official said the pending charges make it functionally impossible for them to leave the country.

The case was filed in federal court in New Jersey, where a municipality and an accounting firm were among the victims.

The alleged hacking took place between October 2020 through last month, when the indictment was issued under seal. The three defendants  identified as Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari  are accused of exploiting known or publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in software applications to break into the victims' computer networks.

Prosecutors say the victims were seen by the defendants as targets of opportunities.

They included a domestic violence shelter in Pennsylvania, which the indictment says was extorted out of $13,000 to recover its hacked data; electric utilities in Indiana and Mississippi; a county government in Wyoming; and a construction company in Washington state.

Associated Press writers Fatima Hussein and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report.

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  Political newcomer Lydia York won Delawares Democratic primary for state auditor on Tuesday against embattled incumbent Kathy McGuiness, who is awaiting sentencing on criminal corruption charges.

York, an attorney who was endorsed by the state Democratic party, had both outraised and outspent McGuiness during the campaign. York previously served as one of three of Delaware's Democratic presidential electors in 2016. She will now face Republican Janice Lorrah, also a political newcomer, in the November general election.

York said voters opted for competence and clarity and leadership," but acknowledged that McGuiness legal troubles played a significant role in the campaign.

It had to, because this was historic for the state of Delaware, she said. I think the voters felt a certain way about that.

McGuiness is the first statewide elected official in Delaware's history to be found guilty of criminal charges while in office. She is awaiting sentencing on misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest and official misconduct  charges that stemmed from the hiring of her daughter as a part-time employee in the auditor's office.

McGuiness said she planned to call York to congratulate her on the win

I have been a public servant long before I was a state auditor, and really not going anywhere anytime soon, said McGuiness, adding, Its not something where I am sad or my heart is sore, because I know how hard I worked and the effort that was put into it.

A jury convicted McGuiness of the misdemeanors in July, but acquitted her on felony charges of theft and witness intimidation. The judge later tossed the procurement conviction.

McGuiness had rejected repeated calls from several elected Democrats and party officials to step aside, both after she was indicted last October and again her conviction. A state Senate resolution to have her booted from office fizzled when House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, a longtime ally of McGuiness, refused to go along.

McGuiness has got legal issues ... It seems pretty serious, said Melanie Eleuterio, 69, a retired school psychologist from Magnolia who voted for York.

Campaign finance reports show York raised and spent more money than McGuiness in their primary contest. As of Sept. 5, York reported raising $62,415 and spending $62,095.26 since establishing a campaign committee in late May, while McGuiness reported raising $33,770 since January and spending $43,574.19.

In a surprise visit, President Joe Biden traveled to Delaware to vote in his home state Tuesday, even though he could have voted by mail or absentee ballot, like thousands of other Delawareans. Almost 12,000 absentee and vote-by-mail ballots had been returned by Tuesday afternoon, and more than 4,800 people took advantage of early in-person voting under a law that came into effect this year.

Overall, roughly 71,000 votes were cast in Tuesdays primary, representing about 12% of the electorate. All 362,000 registered Democrats in Delaware were eligible to vote, but not all of 209,350 registered Republicans could cast ballots because there was no statewide GOP contest.

In legislative races, Republican Sen. Colin Bonini finished last in a three-way primary in Senate District 16 and will give up the Dover-area seat he has held for 28 years. Kent County Levy Court commissioner Eric Buckson led the GOP primary with more votes than the combined total for Bonini and runner-up Kim Petters.

Kyra Hoffner of Leipsic was leading a five-way Democratic primary in state Senate District 14, where Bruce Ennis of Smyrna is retiring after 40 years in the legislature. Ennis has been a lone conservative Democratic voice in the state Senate for years.

In state House races, six Democratic incumbents faced primary challengers, with Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha of Wilmington holding a slight lead over his opponent hours after the polls closed, and Majority Whip John Mitchell of Elsmere narrowly trailing in his race.

Kerri Evelyn Harris, who made an unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Tom Carper in 2018, easily won a four-way Democratic primary for the Dover seat left open by state Rep. Andria Bennetts retirement.

Rep. Bryan Shupe of Milford was the only House Republican facing a primary challenge and easily defeated newcomer Patrick Smith.

Regardless of Tuesdays results, there is little danger that Democrats will lose control of the House or Senate in November.
BLOOMINGTON  Jay Pratte has been hired as the new director of Miller Park Zoo, the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department announced Tuesday evening.

Pratte has previously worked with the Dallas Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and the Utica Zoo, according to a news release.

As a founding board member and president of the international nonprofit The Bear Care Group, Pratte has spent the past several years involved with caregivers around the world working to improve behavioral husbandry programs and assess welfare.

With more than three decades as a zoo professional, his focus has been on progressive management, DEIA principles, and improving standards of animal care. He has provided expert care for animals in game farms, sanctuaries and AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, with species ranging from ant colonies to giant pandas.

Its a true honor to be chosen for the Directors position, Pratte stated in the news release. I look forward to working with the incredible staff across all areas of Miller Park Zoo as we face the exciting future ahead of us.
BLOOMINGTON  A Springfield man is charged with two firearm related felonies after being found with a gun this weekend.

Javon M. Robinson, 33, was arrested in Towanda on Sunday. He is charged with being an armed habitual criminal, a Class X felony, and possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 2 felony.

Robinson has prior convictions for a forcible felony of aggravated robbery in both McLean County and Cook County that prevent him from being able to legally possess a gun in Illinois. The McLean County case was from 2015 and the Cook County case was from 2009, court documents said.

Robinson's bond was set at $300,000, as a 10% bond, meaning he will need to post $30,000 plus fees to be released. His next court appearance is an arraignment on Oct. 7.
Suburban mayors called for better communication and coordination with Chicago and state governments after being surprised by busloads of migrants being sent to their towns  and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot pledged to work with the mayors.

Two CTA buses carrying about 90 migrants arrived Saturday at a Hampton Inn in Elk Grove Village, the latest group of asylum-seekers sent to the area by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as a way to criticize the nations immigration policies.

After being notified Friday afternoon that the buses were coming, Elk Grove Mayor Craig Johnson said he had many questions about whether theyd had health and safety checks, questions that federal immigration officials eventually answered satisfactorily.

Johnson said he had a cordial conversation with Lightfoot on Sunday, who, he said, apologized but said the state was overseeing the process. Johnson called for the state and city to work with suburban mayors to arrange an orderly transition for new arrivals.

Theyre upset with Texas, then youre turning around and doing the exact same thing to me, sending these people without notifying us, Johnson said. Lets work together on this.

He said dozens of cars were waiting at the hotel, including some from out of state, apparently with friends or relatives whod known the immigrants were coming.

Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso went further, saying it was hypocritical of Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker to criticize Abbott for shipping Venezuelan immigrants to Chicago, only to have them sent to Burr Ridge and Elk Grove Village with little or no notice.

Grasso said Lightfoot called him Sunday to say he should have been given notice of the arrivals to a hotel in Burr Ridge on Wednesday. But Grasso said Chicago still bore responsibility as the sanctuary city where the people arrived.

Initially, the governors office issued a statement in response to Grasso, saying that xenophobia has no home here.

At a news conference Monday, Pritzker explained that the state had very little notice from Texas, and had to almost immediately find shelter, food and medical care for the arrivals. The hotels were chosen, he said, simply because they had vacancies and were able to arrange accommodations quickly.

We give notice as fast as we can, he said.

The governor of Texas needs to stop sowing chaos and needs to work with states, he said. Pritzker said the immigrants also must be transported willingly, because otherwise its kidnapping.

Abbott sent the immigrants, with more expected to come, to sanctuary cities, including Washington, D.C., and New York City, to protest federal policies allowing large numbers of immigrants coming into Texas.

Lightfoots office issued a statement that the city continues to work closely with the county, state, and federal partners to welcome the migrants that Texas is inhumanely transporting.

As Mayor Lightfoot has said, we will work with Mayors across the metro area to maintain an open line of communication to provide adequate care and treat new arrivals with the dignity they deserve.

The Illinois Department of Human Services issued a statement that some 300 recent migrants were being placed in urban and suburban hotels, in some cases where previous refugees, such as those from Afghanistan, had been placed.

We will continue taking action to ensure everyone in Illinois has access to shelter, food, health care and other basic, essential supports, according to the statement. We anticipate that the state of Texas will continue to bus migrants to Illinois, and we remain committed to helping welcome new arrivals in a responsible, orderly and compassionate way.
Only one physiotherapist is serving the Oti Regions over 700,000 people out of a total of 300 therapists currently practicing in the country.

The sole Psychotherapist, Stephanie Lamptey, works at the physiotherapy unit of the Worawora Government Hospital.



The 71-year-old regional hospital has also been the only health facility in the Oti Region providing essential physiotherapy care and social service in the past years.



Housed in a little cubicle adjacent to two other units of the hospital, the physiotherapy unit has since 2019 managed 1,042 cases, with 399 cases managed so far just in the first quarter of 2022.



Cases recorded in the first quarter of 2022 ranged from medical, surgical, paediatrics, geriatrics, burns, musco skeletal and neurological cases.



A visit by the Daily Graphic to the unit revealed the size of the cubicle provided no privacy for patients, while some essential equipment was unavailable.



Aided by only two technical support staff, Ms Lamptey said she was overwhelmed by the situation, although she was aware of the constant healthcare needs of the patients, most of whom were farmers.



The physiotherapy field is a branch of allied health sciences that assesses physical dysfunction and pain, restores, maintains and improves such functional deficits.



The Deputy Minister of Health, Mahama Asei Seini, at the national celebration of World Physiotherapy Day in the Oti Region last Thursday, urged newly qualified physiotherapy graduates to accept posting to district hospitals to augment the number of staff in the region.



The ratio



There is low penetration of physiotherapy services, especially in non-urban communities.



Globally, the recommended physiotherapist to patient ratio is 1:500. Unfortunately, in Ghana, it hovers around 1:100,000.



The President of the Ghana Physiotherapy Association, Dr Paul Amankonah, on the occasion of the annual commemoration described the current situation at the hospital as unfortunate and disappointing.



He, therefore, appealed to the Ministry of Health to expedite financial clearance processes for graduates of the profession who would want to serve their motherland to do so.



He said it was also critical for the ministry and other relevant stakeholders to equip already existing facilities and perhaps undertake at least a one district, one physiotherapy facility approach.



Dr Amankonah said these efforts would improve arthritis management and prevention, as well as offer a more accessible and comprehensive physiotherapy care for Ghanaians.



Centre of excellence



The Administrator of the Worawora Government Hospital, Kingsley Effah, said the current vision of the hospital was to become the centre of excellence in healthcare delivery for a healthy population.



He said in recent years, management of the hospital had worked hard to introduce specialised services including dental, physiotherapy, accident and emergency unit, mother and baby unit, as well as advanced diagnostics services like x-ray, ECG, CTG and others.



Despite the progress, he stated that the hospital had woefully inadequate critical staff, including medical offices, although management had lobbied over the years to attract additional medical officers.



Out of the five, two are in school and the remaining three are at post taking care of the various healthcare needs of the population of about 195,000, serving four adjoining districts, Krachi East, Kadjebi and Biakoye, he said.



Mr Effah appealed to the government and the private sector to assist in equipping the hospitals physiotherapy unit, which he said was in dire need of a Hydrocollator, Treadmill, Static bike, Wobble boards, Shortwave diathermy, Microwave thermotherapy; Ultrasound-TENS Combo unit, Tilt bed, Lumbar traction and Paraffin wax.



Chiefs ready



Meanwhile, traditional leaders in the region have pledged their readiness to contribute to making the region, alluring to health workers to accept postings there.



The Nkosouhene of the Worawora Traditional Area, Nana Barima Owusu Afari, told the Daily Graphic that already, some 200 acres of land had been mapped out for the construction of bungalows for heath persons who will be posted to the area.



The Biakoye District Chief Executive (DCE) and mother to Ms Lamptey, Milicent Kabuki Carboo, said: Considering the important role physiotherapy plays in the well-being of mankind, I made a personal commitment to ensure my daughter became one.



She urged Ghanaians to celebrate practitioners in the profession for their roles in helping patients manage pain, balance, mobility and motor functions.



World Physiotherapy day marks the unity and solidarity of the global physiotherapy community. It is an opportunity to recognise the work that physiotherapists do for their patients and community.



To also mark the day, screening services were offered by a group of physiotherapists in the region for people in the community.

Source: graphiconline.com









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The Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana has stated that there is abundance of affordable food produce in the country contrary to some claims that the high cost of foodstuff had resulted in a scarcity.



President of the group, Nana Oboadea Boateng Bonsu II, at a press briefing yesterday indicated that Ghana had recorded bumper harvest of crops, especially this year resulting in the influx of foodstuff on various markets across the country therefore claims of scarcity of foodstuff were false.



He mentioned that though in some cases transport to convey the foodstuff from remote farming communities to urban areas contributed to the increase in cost of some foodstuff, it did not make the item impossible for the ordinary Ghanaian to afford by the time it got to the markets.



He said there are claims that there is scarcity of foodstuffs in the country please everybody should disregard all those claims. They are untrue because farmers are ready to attest to the fact that we are lucky to have food in abundance in this country. The quantity of harvest recorded is what has contributed to the affordability of the foodstuffs.



However, he bemoaned that some market women in urban areas, especially in Accra, deliberately sold their foodstuffs at exorbitant prices, making it difficult for some individuals to afford.



This, if not checked he said would continue to create the impression that there was food scarcity in the country when it was rather the inability of the populace to afford it that was the real problem.



Nana Bonsu II stressed that it was time for the market women to desist from contributing to the surge in food costs, adding that selling at reasonable prices would promote food security in the country.



Chief of the Farmers and Fishermen Association, Dromankese Bono East Nana Gyamfi Kunanin on his part supported the assertion that the country had recorded bumper harvest which had resulted in the affordability of food produce on the farms, adding that it was time for stringent measures to be taken to address the way foodstuffs were priced very high in some parts of the country.



He did not dispute the fact that prices of fuel had increased and affected the transportation of food items to Accra but was quick to add that this did not warrant the behaviour of market women in terms of pricing of commodities.



We must learn to have sympathy for each other. The bad pricing of foodstuff in Accra must stop as a matter of urgency because we the farmers do not do that. We give out our food produce at reasonable prices to these traders who end up selling them at exorbitant costs.



Let us come together and say no to such acts, he stressed.

Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh









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Tens of thousands of people cheered as William Ruto was sworn in as Kenya's president at a ceremony in the capital Nairobi following his narrow election win last month.



Mr Ruto hailed it as "a moment like no other", adding that a "village boy" had become president.



Defeated candidate Raila Odinga did not attend. He said he had "serious concerns" about his opponent's victory.



Mr Ruto won the election with 50.5% of the vote, to Mr Odinga's 48.8%.



Mr Odinga has alleged that the result was rigged, but the Supreme Court has ruled the election was free and fair.



Mr Ruto - the former deputy president - was handed a copy of Kenya's constitution and a sword to represent the transfer of power from President Uhuru Kenyatta.



With his hand on a Bible, the 55-year-old swore to preserve and protect the constitution.



"Standing here today is testimony that there is God in heaven. I want to thank God because a village boy has become the president of Kenya," Mr Ruto said, referring to the fact that he grew up in rural Kenya.



He also had conciliatory words for Mr Odinga, and all his opponents.



"Their supporters will be my constituents. I will work with all Kenyans irrespective of who they voted for," Mr Ruto said.



There was also a handshake between the outgoing Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, his former deputy with whom he fell out during their second term in office.



New Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said the Ruto administration marked "freedom" for Kenya, and the days when people were targeted because of their association with him "are over".



Earlier, at least eight people were reported to have been injured in a crush as they jostled to enter the stadium to witness the ceremony.



But inside the crowd was in high-sprits, with frequent cheering, waving of the Kenyan flag, and groups of people proudly wearing yellow - the colour synonymous with Mr Ruto's campaign.



About 20 heads of state from across Africa attended the event.



Religion was a persistent theme throughout the swearing-in ceremony, with leaders from the Christian and Islamic faiths offering prayers for the new president.



Bishop Mark Kariuki said God had showcased his might by elevating Mr Ruto, who was once a roadside chicken seller, to the presidency.



Mr Kenyatta has stepped down at the end of his two terms. He backed Mr Odinga in the election, saying Mr Ruto was unworthy to serve as president.



Mr Kenyatta congratulated Mr Ruto on his win only a day before his inauguration.

Mr Kenyatta said he was committed to a peaceful transition and urged the new president to serve all Kenyans.



In a statement, Mr Odinga said he had received a call from Mr Ruto inviting him to the inauguration, but that he would not attend as he was abroad and he did not believe the election was free and fair.



This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court handed down a unanimous judgment, confirming Mr Ruto's victory and dismissing Mr Odinga's concerns that the election was marred by widespread irregularities.



Mr Ruto won after portraying himself as a "hustler" who was challenging an attempt by two dynasties - the Odingas and Kenyattas - to hang on to power.



He promised a "bottoms-up" approach to the economy to tackle the high unemployment rate among young people, and to improve the lives of those less well off.

Source: BBC









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The Chairman of Parliaments Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Mr James Avedzi, has cautioned heads of institutions and accountants among other serving officers to do due diligence and ensure strong financial discipline during their tenure.



That, he said, would help them avoid queries by the PAC, Economic and Organised Crime Organisation (EOCO) and Auditors after retirement, adding: We want all serving officers not go in for loans without the approval from the necessary authorities, retirement cant save them.



Mr Avedzi gave the warning when the committee considered some infractions in the 2019 Auditor-Generals Report, during its sitting in Takoradi, which cited OLA College of Education for contracting a loan without prior approval from the relevant authorities.



When the new Principal, Dr Mrs Regina Okyere-Dankwa, and team appeared before the PAC, they reported that the principal and the accountant, who supervised the action under consideration, had retired.



She said though she invited the former principal to accompany them to the PAC hearing to explain the issues, he failed to show up.



The Auditor-General report found that the former Principal of OLA College of Education had contracted a loan of GHc250,000 with an interest of GHc300,000 from Akatakyiman Rural Bank to renovate the colleges chapel without the required approval from neither the College Council, Director General of Ghana Education Service ( GES), Ministry of Education nor the Minister of Finance.



It again noted that the principal was unable to provide any agreement on the loan with the bank.



However, the audit further disclosed that a total amount of GHS 206, 249.94 from a monthly installment of GHS 11,458.94, had so far been repaid, and that the principal indicated that students were billed to finance the loan, resulting in overburdening the students and guardians.



We recommend that the principal and the accountant should desist from the practice and always seek approval from the appropriate authorities before loans are contracted. We further recommend that the two officers should be duly sanctioned for non-compliance of the Act, the report added.



Meanwhile, on cash irregularities, the College raised 27 Payments Vouchers (PVs) totaling GHS 1,378,505.55, the AG report cited, which was due to poor supervision by management and the laxity of the accountant.



These undermined transparency and accountability, it said, indicating that the transactions did not provide reasonable assurance that the funds were used in the interest of the school.



It, therefore, recommended that the principal and accountant should refund the amount to the school.



Also, 11 staff of the College had defaulted in repayment of salary advance totaling GHc24,539, the AG report indicated, attributing the delays to the inability of the accountant to put in appropriate measures to recover same.



The non-recovery of advances could deny other staff from benefitting from the facility, we recommend that management should recover the amount from the staff concerned and further institute measures to strengthen the rate of recovery of advances, the report said.



The OLA College of Education was also flagged for breaching the procurement Act by engaging in non-competitive bidding contrary to section 20 of the Public Procurement Act (Amended) 2016 (Act 914) involving 27 PVs amounting GHc407,547.



Management failure to adhere to requirements of the Procurement Act resulted in the lapses and we could not ascertain whether the amount expended on goods were fair and reasonable and value for money obtained. We recommend the appropriate sanction against the Head and accountant, it said.



On the PVs, Mr Avedzi noted that 17 out of the 27 had been cleared, but we need to know how payments for the outstanding PVs were done.



He asked the College authorities to communicate to those persons to report to the auditors within two weeks, failure for which the PAC would recommend appropriate sanctions.



On the Akatakyiman loan, the PAC Chairman urged the principal and the accountant to endeavour to contact the retired staff to cooperate else they would be sanctioned in accordance with the laws.



Ranking Member, Mr Kofi Okyere Agyekum, MP for Fanteakwa South, said the EOCO, after retrieving monies on behalf of institutions, did not send them back and suggested that the committee took a serious view on that.





Source: GNA









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Tuesday inspected works on the second phase of construction of the Ho Central Market.



This comes under the World Bank Secondary City project, a 100-million-dollar infrastructure support for 25 selected municipalities in the country.



It includes close to 200 stores, a lorry terminal, toilet facilities, and a mosque.



President Akufo-Addo was in the company of the ministers for Local Government, and Roads and Highways, and was briefed on the project by Mr Divine Bosson, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive.



It was made possible through the reclamation of land, and the MCE said the market would be greatly transformed upon completion.



He led the President around the four-block project, being undertaken in two phases, which is about 90 per cent complete.



President Akufo-Addo arrived in Ho on Monday and opened the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Bar Association, before heading to the Eastern Corridor superhighway to inspect progress of work.



Prior to visiting the market, the President had a series of closed-door meetings with leaders of the 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho, inspected a guard of honour at the Volta Barracks, and received a 21-gun salute at the Ho Technical University when he arrived at the Bar Conference.



He is expected to commission a community day senior high school at Aflao and a District Court at Battor before heading back to Accra.





Source: GNA









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President Samia Suluhu Hassan of the United Republic of Tanzania has engaged Judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights at the State House in Dar es Salaam.



The engagement which was initiated by the African Court Judges offered the opportunity for the discussion of a number of issues, including the construction of the permanent premises of the African Continental Court in Arusha, Tanzania.



Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud President of the African Court commended the government of Tanzania for approving a budget of Tshs 4,000,000,000 (about US$1.7million) to commence the construction of the Courts permanent premises.



This is a big and bold step in ensuring that the African Court gets its permanent premises, Lady Justice Aboud said: This is a historic move and we are looking forward to its speedy construction, she said, adding that this was yet another demonstration of Tanzanias commitment to the cause of human rights, and generally, its unconditional support for the objectives of Pan Africanism.



Lady Justice Aboud reiterated the mission of the African Court which is to enhance through judicial decisions, the protective mandate of the African Commission by strengthening the human rights protection system in Africa.



She said the long-term vision is an Africa with a viable human rights culture. This vision is informative because it states that it is only by establishing and upholding a feasible human rights culture, that we can comprehend and attain the Africa we want.



President Hassan also commended the African Court for its commitment to promote and ensure the protection of human and peoples rights in Africa.



She reiterated the commitment of the government of Tanzania to the African Courts ideals and core values of human rights, good governance, democracy, and rule of law.



She reaffirmed that Tanzania would not renege on its commitment to support and continue its obligations as the host country in strengthening the existing cooperation with the African Union.



In May this year, the Parliament of Tanzania approved the budget estimates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation which, among others, included the costs for the construction of the African Courts permanent premises.



The African Court, which is located in Arusha, is currently operating from its temporary offices at the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) buildings.



The government of Tanzania had allocated about 25 hectares to the African Court in the Laki Laki area, on the outskirts of Arusha town, for the construction of the permanent premises.



The location is in the vicinity of the UN Mechanism for International Tribunals (ex-ICTR and ex-ICTY).





Source: GNA









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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) have cautioned the public about some 17 investment companies operating without a licence.



The commission in a statement has urged the public to be vigilant and to desist from investing in all unlicensed investment products.



SEC and EOCO have embarked on joint investigations into the activities of some entities, which they said are largely operating via online channels without a licence.



Below are the 17 unlicensed companies operating in Ghana



1. PatronPay Ghana/PetronPay Ghana

2. Cedi Network Ghana

3. Bitcash Investment

4. Solmax Group

5. Freedom Synergy

6. FxKash Investment

7. Binomo Investment

8. Hi Pay

9. Quick Earn

10. Lite Earn

11. Snap Finance

12. Faucet Wealth Investment

13. Opay Investment

14. Payme Financial Services

15. Passive Income

16. Yvonne Hanson Deals

17. Alpha Pay













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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has indicated his government through the Common Fund Administrator was committed to building over 100 new courts to promote rule of law "which governs the affairs of the nation."



He revealed government has already completed 60 per cent of the new courts, adding, "the rest 40 per cent will be completed in the first quarter of 2023 to help solve the issue where people find it difficult to have access to the courts."



Nana Akufo-Addo made this known during the commissioning of a new District Court at Battor in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region on Tuesday as part of his two-day working visit to the Volta Region.



He commended Mr Osborn Divine Fenu, the District Chief Executive for the area, as well as the chiefs and people of Battor for their hard work towards the realisation of the project.



President Akuffo Addo further assured the chiefs and people of the area among other things, the provision of a new Divisional Police Command at Battor, school infrastructure, and others.



The project, which was initiated by the North Tongu District assembly in 2020 with a total contract sum of GHC 480,770.00 funding from the Assembly, through the District Assembly Common Fund- Responsiveness Factor Grant (DACF-RFG), and executed within six months, was aimed at enhancing effective justice delivery in the area.



GNA observed that access to justice delivery in the area had brought some form of discomfort to many who travelled to other adjoining Districts such as Sogakope and Adidome before having access to the courts.



Mr Justice Victor Jones Dotse, Justice of the Supreme Court, who represented the Chief Justice, said the presence of the court would help to settle disputes peacefully in the district.



He however appealed to traditional authorities to adopt the ADR method to have their family issues and other differences settled in instances where going to court would not be necessary.



The new edifice comprises offices such as courtroom, Magistrate's office, Accountant office, Administrators office, Registrar's office, Ballif's office, the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), with other ancillary facilities.



In attendance were some government and judicial service officials.





Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh









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Eastern Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalists Association has co-opted the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, His Royal Majesty Daasebre Nana Kwaku Boateng lll as a member and a Patron of the Eastern Regional GJA.



The 2017 GJA code of ethics was presented to His Royal Majesty as a symbol of his admission into the Ghana Journalists Association as a patron and also to guide him on ethical issues relating to the media practice and journalism.



The Association conferred the member and Patron status on him when they paid a courtesy call on Daasebre Kwaku Boateng lll at the Yiadom and Hwedie Palace.



The visit was to welcome the Chief and reaffirm the GJAs commitment in supporting the development agenda of New Juaben.



Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr. Maxwell Kudekor indicated that, the conferment of GJA membership and Patron status on His Royal Majesty Daasebre Nana Kwaku Boateng lll is in pursuant to Article 16 (d) (v) of the GJA constitution 2004.



He said, the provision mandate the Regional Executives to co-opt members and resource persons to the association.



He called on the Traditional Council to help depeen their media relations in order to continue a very cordial working relationship with the media.



Mr. Maxwell Kudekor mentioned that, Article 11 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana recognise customs relative to communities as part of Ghanaian laws and that, our Traditional Authority and local democracy was well established before the introduction of the Western democracy.



He underscore the need for journalists to use their medium in upholding the sanctity and dignity of the traditional authority and promote development.



Maxwell Kudekor was optimistic the Omanhene will support journalism and promote independence and freedom of the press.



On His Part the Omanheneof New Juaben, Daasebre Nana Kwaku Boateng lll accepted the Patron status and pledged his support for the GJA and the media.



He said, his doors are wide open to all and sundry who wish to come to him.



Adding that, the development of New Juaben should be a priority to all.



He advised the media to be professional and ensure decency in their content whiles promoting peace.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Mr Osep Borrell, Vice President and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, says Africa and Europe need to deepen their ties and cooperation for mutual benefit.



He said both continents must work with multiple partners based on mutual respect and international law in accordance with the rules of the 21st century.



Africa and Europe should continue to prepare the future instead of falling back into the past, Mr Borrell said in an op-ed he authored ahead of his visit to Mozambique and Kenya.



Describing Africa as a vibrant continent preparing its future, Mr Borrell said the continent had grown to become the EUs most reliable partner.



He said a quarter of African trade was with the EU, adding that African exports entered the EU duty-free.



The EU works with African partners on building the continents first manufacturing sites for vaccines and we approved at the AU-EU summit a Global Gateway 150 billion investment package. With the European Peace Facility and our training missions, we help strengthen peace and security, he said.



Mr Borrell expressed concern about the Russia-Ukraine War, which he said, had had devastating impact on food security, energy prices, debt and security issues.



He said Africa was one of the main collateral victims of the war, and rallied the continent to act to ease the current food crisis.



Mr Borrell said the EU supported a call by President MackySall of Senegal for a G20 seat for the African Union.



We must uphold and reinvigorate the multilateral order, to defend the rule of law as we decided jointly at the recent EU-Africa Summit, he said.



Touching on security, Mr Borrell said Africa and the EU must step up their joint work to preserve Africas security and safety.



He said the EU had been a reliable partner, supporting African peace efforts in 11 missions across the continent.



Last April, we supported the African Union with a further 600 million to improve conflict prevention, crisis management and counter-terrorism, Mr Borrell said.

Source: GNA









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En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, a businesswoman, who has been arrested for engaging in illegal mining will appear before an Accra Circuit Court tomorrow, Wednesday, to answer charges preferred against her.



Aisha, who was deported in 2018 for allegedly engaging in illegal mining, is currently facing two fresh charges.



She is being held on the charges of sale and purchase of minerals in Accra without license and engaging in illegal mining without license.



At the last sitting, the court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright, could not take her plea because the court did not have a Chinese interpreter.



She is expected to stand trial with three other accomplices - Johng Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huaid Hun.



The three accomplices, who were without legal representation, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a license.



Aisha after her deportation, re-entered Ghana in 2022 and allegedly engaged in illegal mining at Bepotenten in the Amansie West, Ashanti Region.



The Office of the Attorney General has indicated it would take over the prosecution of Aishas previous and current cases in court.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo has declared his support for the AG in prosecuting Aisha and her accomplices.



It is likely the AG will discontinue the case at the Circuit Court and commence trial at the High Court as was done in Aishas previous case.

Source: GNA









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Galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang, will today September 14, 2022 return to an Accra Circuit Court where she is expected to answer two charges.



It will be recalled that Aisha Huang was rearrested with three others in the country for engaging in galamsey-related activities last week after she reentered the country after her deportation in 2018.



The Chinese national together with three other accomplices were slapped with charges of mining without license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals when they were last arraigned before the Court.



According to GNA , they all pleaded not guilty to the charges but the court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright, could not take her plea because the court did not have a Chinese interpreter. She was remanded into police custody to reappear on September 14.



GNA adds that she is expected to stand trial with three other accomplices  Johng Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huaid Hun.



The three accomplices, who were without legal representation, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a license.



Aisha Huang gained notoriety as an illegal mining kingpin in 2017. She was arrested for the same conduct but later deported in 2018 with the state discontinuing the trial against her. President Akufo-Addo in 2019 said the deportation of the Chinese galamsey queen was a mistake.



Meanwhile, the office of the Attorney General has given firm assurances that Aisha Huang will be prosecuted for her past and present crimes committed. The president has also assured of his full support for the trial.



GNA reports that it is likely the Attorney General will discontinue the case at the Circuit Court and commence trial at the High Court as was done in Aishas previous case.







Source: GNA









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Embattled Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency, James Gyakye Quayson, has described the ongoing legal battle challenging his qualification as a legislator as an attempt to frustrate the minority group in Parliament, to give political advantage to the majority group.



According to him, there have been different political gymnastics in the 8th Parliament under the guise of law, to give political advantage to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) side of the house.



He hinted that, when the government could not pass the obnoxious E-levy, they had to, under the guise of law, arraign him before the court to reduce the numbers of the minority group for the passage of the bill.



He said the same political gimmick was employed to oust him from office, just to reduce the strength of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) side in Parliament because of the equal numbers on each side.



Mr Quayson cited the time and how the clerk of Parliament was served with a ruling from the Cape Coast High Court prior to his swearing-in on the 6th of January 2021 to buttress his assertion that the arrangement on that day was more political than a legal battle.



You all heard that on the day of the swearing-in there were cars and motorcade on standby, ready to just deliver the ruling to the house even before the event started.



That was an arrangement done so they could rob us of the speakership, but it failed, said the politician.



In an interview with Angel News, Mr James Gyakye Quayson said he is confident of winning the case in the face of law and moral conscience.



In jurisdictions where democracy properly works, this suit would not have been entertained in the first place, because I know I have a political case and not a court case, he said.



He further expressed gratitude to all voices of conscience and urged them to always be on the side of the truth to save Ghanas revered democracy.



Touching on the economy, Mr Quayson believes the economic managers have woefully failed Ghanaians.



According to him, the rippling effects of the recent rampant fuel increases and the rise in prices of food items attest to their failures, whilst the high unemployment rate amongst university graduates discourages the need to pursue higher education, a situation he described as worrying.



He entreated the government to take practical and immediate steps to ease the economic hardships faced by Ghanaians.













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Lack of funding is denying a significant number of adolescents in the country the needed interventions to deal with challenges affecting their sexual reproductive health, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has said.

Although the GHS has the mandate to provide accurate health information and comprehensive health services for young people, it is unable to do so due to lack of both internal and external funding.



The Programmes Officer, Technical and Adolescent Health Communication of GHS, Sherifa Mohammed, has therefore, called for the establishment of a resource mobilisation plan for such interventions for young girls.



She was making a presentation at a workshop on the Economics of adolescent sexual and reproductive health (EcASaRH) interventions in the country.



The workshop, organised by the African Health Economics and Policy Association (AfHEA), was in line with adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) interventions in the country aimed at identifying and costing priority ASRH programmes to support advocacy for more resources.



In attendance were stakeholders from the Ministry of Health (MoH), the GHS, the UNFPA, UNICEF and researchers.



Among issues discussed were costing and validating reports of EcASaRH projects.



The AfHEA, which is the professional body of health economists and policy makers in Africa, was established in Accra in 2009 to strengthen and improve efficiency in health systems.



Ms Mohammed said since 2018, the GHS had not been able to reach out to many young girls with interventions, such as education on sexual and reproductive health and access to support (family planning and contraceptives), as expected.



The unmet need for contraception for married and unmarried girls aged 15-19 years stands at 36 and 61 per cent, respectively.



Among married adolescent girls of 15-19 years, 96.5 per cent have heard of a contraceptive method but usage is very low due to their inability to access support, she added.



The Principal Investigator of the project, Dr Ama Pokuaa Fenny, said it was a multi-country programme involving Ghana and Senegal, with funding from an international development research centre.



She said until 2021, the major programmes that received ASRH funding in the country were capacity building on ASRH and adolescent empowerment through comprehensive sexuality education.



Policy development



The acting Head of the Quality Management Unit of the MoH, Dr Selina Dussey, said the country had, over the years, made some efforts to advance the cause of ASRH in the core health delivery structure.



For instance, she said, the National Population Council (NPC) led in the development of an adolescent reproductive health policy, together with other stakeholders, which provided broad guidelines for the implementation of ASRH programmes and policies.



Currently, a new broad strategy has been developed under the Ghana Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition Strategic Plan (2020-20250).



All these have contributed significantly to the improvement in ASRH in the country over the years, Dr Dussey said.



Teenage pregnancy



A Programme Analyst of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Ishmael Kwesi Selassie, said issues concerning high numbers of adolescent pregnancy were a major worry to the organisation because it had implications on the overall economic output of the country.



We are working in different parts of the country to prevent child marriage and also help safeguard the rights of young adolescent people, he added.



For her part, the Executive Director of the NPC, Dr Leticia Appiah, underlined the need to develop actionable plans for the welfare of adolescents.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, has described the late Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II as an enigma who left a lasting impression on her memory after they first met when she was only 14 years old.

She said the Queen lived a full life filled with great achievements which will long continue after her death.



Nana Agyeman-Rawlings eulogised the late Queen when she signed the Book of Condolence opened in her memory at the British High Commission in Accra.



Condolence



Quoting the words of the British poet, Minnie Louise Haskins, she wrote: And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.



And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.



So, I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.



The former First Lady also prayed for the soul of the departed British monarch and an eternal rest for her, and indicated that both Ghana and the Commonwealth were mourning the loss.



While expressing her deepest condolences to King Charles III, she also congratulated him for being the new monarch.



Lasting memories



Earlier in an interview with British Broadcasting Corporations (BBC) Bola Musuro, following the death of the Queen on September 8, Nana Agyeman-Rawlings recollected her meetings with the late Monarch.



I met the Queen the first time when I was 14 years, performing for her in my secondary school which used to be the Prince of Wales secondary school, now known as Achimota. I was the one who gave her the flowers and I still remember it till today.



During the time of my husband, and indeed, during the period of his governance, it was very interesting to meet the Queen in various settings, she said fondly.



British High Commissioner, Harriet Thompson, was grateful Nana Agyeman Rawlings found time to sign the book of condolence and commiserate with the government and people of the United Kingdom.



We appreciate you being here to commiserate with us and grateful for the kind words, Ms Thompson said.











Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker has caused the arrest of staff of the ministry for extortion.



The suspect, Gabriel Sarpong was arrested for extorting monies from illegal miners and engaging in mining-related activities in the excess of GH200,000 in the name of the Deputy Minister.



According to reports available to DGN Online, an informant blow the cover to the Deputy Minister who informed the Police to cause his arrest on Tuesday.



The suspect has since admitted to all counts of fraudulent activities leveled against him.



Mr. Duker, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, has asked the security apparatus to handle the matter diligently to ensure that, the law deals with Sarpong severely.



Meanwhile, the suspect Gabriel Sarpong is currently in the custody of the Ministries Police Station, Accra assisting in the investigation.











Source: Daniel Bampoe/Daily Guide









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The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, has commiserated with the family of the late Opanyin Samuel Kwame Agyepong, the father of the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC).



Sheikh Sharubutus visit came off last Sunday at the Teshie Nungua Estates residence of the late Opanyin Agyepong.



He extended a warm gesture of support and prayed for the grieving Agyepong family.



On his part, Dr. Siaw Agyepong, on behalf of his family, expressed gratitude to the National Chief Imam for the warm gesture.



Early on, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo joined the family and friends of Dr. Siaw Agyepong at the Service of Thanksgiving for Opanyin Agyepong at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) Graceland, at Teshie Nungua. Accra.



The service was in two parts. The first climaxed with the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Childrens Ministry in the Church of Pentecost (COP), which event was marked nationwide in all COPs across the country, while the second part was the thanksgiving service for the life of Opanyin Agyepong.



In a short address, President Akufo-Addo prayed to God to grant the Agyepong family the fortitude to withstand their loss.

Opanyin Agyepong passed away in June this year, aged 98, after a short illness.



He was buried on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that he is not fully benefitting from emoluments he is entitled to as a former Head of State.



He says all he receives from the government currently is his monthly pension and that all other bills the state must cater for have not been attended to since he left office in 2017.



In an exclusive interview with TV3, Mahama said he is currently footing a myriad of bills among others his own light bills, fuel, office rent and travel bills.



I receive only my monthly pension, like President Kufuor or President Rawlings was receiving until he died. That is all I get.



I pay the electricity bill for my house, for my office. I pay the water bill for my house and my office. I live in my own accommodation so the state does not pay me anything for accommodation.



They havent given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay for my own fuel, the state doesnt give me fuel. I pay my own domestic staff, I pay my own medical bills. I pay my own air tickets when I travel, he added.



Mahama was responding to recent claims by New Patriotic Party chairman for the Bono Region, Kwame Baffoe Abronye, who claimed the former president has been paid millions in lieu of ex-gratia payments.















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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President Akufo-Addo is receiving backlash for reportedly saying he's not sure whether or not 'galamsey queen' Aisha Haung was deported.



Speaking in an interview on a Ho-based radio station on Monday, as part of his tour of the Volta Region, President Akufo-Addo said: Im not still sure whether she was in fact deported. Or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back. There still seems to be some uncertainty about it. But whichever way it is, shes become the sort of nickname for all that galamsey represents.



We have concerted to work at it. We need to have the cooperation of the courts. Until recently when I came, the punishment for people caught was relatively light. [But] weve changed the law to stiffen the punishment for people caught, he added.



Responding to the critics, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says the President was misrepresented.



In a tweet, he wrote:





Prez @NAkufoAddo has never said he isn't sure if Aisha Huang left Ghana. Please quote him well. He said he wasn't sure whether she was deported or she fled.



The reason for the President's comment is that there is a difference between deportation and repatriation.  Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) September 13, 2022

In an interview on Newsnight on Joy FM, Tuesday, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi said the President "was not speaking in a vacuum. There was a question about deportation and the President proceeded to respond that he is not too sure whether it is about deportation or whether she fled but then the substantive thing is this and then he proceeded to provide the substantive answer."



"I have heard several commentators suggest that there should have been more clarity in the Presidents words etc. I mean in a democracy I am sure that we can always raise questions about the choice of words, he clarified on Tuesday.

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.

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Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe, an executive assistant to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has challenged two aides of former President John Dramani Mahama to deny receipt of August 2022 salaries.



His challenge stems from recent comments by the former president to the effect that he has been taking care of his own expenses including those covered under his emoluments as an ex-Head of State.



I receive only my monthly pension, like President Kufuor or President Rawlings was receiving until he died. That is all I get.



I pay the electricity bill for my house, for my office. I pay the water bill for my house and my office. I live in my own accommodation so the state does not pay me anything for accommodation.



They havent given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay for my own fuel, the state doesnt give me fuel. I pay my own domestic staff, I pay my own medical bills. I pay for my own air tickets when I travel, he added in a September 12 interview on Accra-based TV3.



Reacting to Mahama's claims, Teiko Tagoe posted on his Facebook page (September 13) a Ghana government payment voucher for August 2022 which outlined the salary payment details of 12 people believed to be staff of a former president.



Among those listed are Felix Kwakye Ofosu and Joyce Bawah Mogtari, senior aides to John Dramani Mahama.



"And where is that Felix Kwakye Ofosu? I thought your boss, Former President John Dramani Mahama said hes been paying you and Joyce Bawah Mogtari or this is a case of another double salary?" the presidential staffer captioned his post.











Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has urged the media to hold the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), to hard facts on issues concerning the current state of the economy and governments decision to seek an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.

Mr Ahiagbah made the call while reacting to a Facebook post on comments made by the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, where she said the countrys current economic challenges were not locally generated but were as a result of external shocks.



The inability of the NDC to communicate the causes of the economic challenges facing Ghana is evidence that Ghana would have been worse off if they were in charge of the economy because they would have misdiagnosed the problem. The IMF has spoken now NDC must speak to the facts Richard Ahiagbah wrote on his Facebook wall.



IMF boss comments



At a meeting last week Monday with President Akufo-Addo on the sidelines of the Africa Adaptation Summit, a conference on climate change in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, the Ms Georgieva described Ghana as a superb country adding that countrys current economic were due to external shocks.



That, Ms Georgieva, said was in sharp contrast to some narratives that the country found itself in the current situation due to bad policies of the Akufo-Addo administration.



Like everybody on this planet, you have been hurt by exigenous shocks. First the pandemic, then Russias war in Ukraine. We need to realise that it is not because of bad policies in the country but because of these combination of shocks and, therefore, we have to support Ghana, the IMF boss said.



Mahamas stand



However, following her comments, former President Mahama on his Facebook wall has asked Ms Georgieva to be truthful when commenting on Ghanas economic woes.



Mr Mahama insisted that the reasons for the mess the country found itself currently were clear for all to see.



He said even though he appreciated that comments from IMF officials should be guarded due to international diplomacy, facts must not be ignored.



While the norm in international diplomacy of being guarded in what one says is appreciated, comments by high-ranking officials must be grounded on facts that take into consideration local realities and opinions, he said.



Mr Mahama said the incontrovertible fact was that Ghana is in a mess due to the bad policies of this government which have contributed massively to the dire state of affairs.



International diplomats must consider these facts and not just ignore them; lest they make a wrong diagnosis and prescribe inappropriate remedies, former President Mahama said.



Reaction



Reacting to the comments by former President Mahama, Mr Ahiagbah said the IMF had laid bare the facts about the economy and therefore the NDC must speak to those facts.



He urged the media to hold the NDC to hard facts on issues of the economy and the IMF bailout instead of propaganda which had been the style of the NDC to sway the electorates.



The IMF says a deal with Ghana should be reached and finalised before the end of the year.









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Former President John Dramani Mahama has challenged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to demonstrate the political will to fight illegal gold mining, popularly known as galamsey.

That, he said, was because some of his appointees were complicit in the illicit activity.



If you go to the districts, they talk about community mining but the NPP executives and the District Chief Executives (DCEs) are the ones doing the community mining.



How can you expect him to fight galamsey when his own people are involved in it? he said.



The former President made the statement in an interview on TV3 last monday.



His own people



According to Mr Mahama, the Presidents own loyalists and party members had been found to be engaging in the activity because the partys executives had had concessions to illegally mine gold in forest reserves.



It is close to home and thats why he cant deal with it, he emphasised.



The former President, therefore, said the President had failed in his fight against illegal mining because the government was aware of who the perpetrators of the activities were but had failed to take action.



They all know who is doing it. The Changfang machines are there, its not something that you can put in a handbag so how come you cant find the machines that are washing all that mud into our river bodies, he explained.



Territorial integrity



Touching on the issue of Aisha Huang, Mr Mahama said the countrys territorial integrity was at stake if foreigners were allowed to penetrate without check.



Anybody who is engaged in illegality must be sanctioned. Ghanaians who are engaged in illegal mining are languishing in prisons, they have been sentenced and jailed, he added.



Mr Mahama, therefore, said Ghanaians would feel cheated if the woman who had been accused of illegal mining was let go without prosecution.



If youre a Ghanaian and you are engaged in an illegality in China, youll face the full rigours of the law and I do not doubt that there are some of our citizens in jail in China, he added.



He also used the opportunity to address claims that he received an ex gratia of GH 14 million in 2014



The only payment that was made to me by the government was my salary arrears of GH 230,000 in 2013, Mr Mahama explained.

Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Some Branch Executives and members of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kwahu Afram Plains North have issued a 5-day ultimatum to their leaders over some important issues which might affect the party if not addressed.



Addressing journalists in Donkorkrom on Monday, 12th September, 2022, the Branch Chairman for Kwaekese Bampoe, Mr. Ayitey Sampson raised concerns over the NDC decision to inaugurate the branch registration exercise to record database of its members nationwide.



Speaking on behalf of the grass roots, he stated; "Unfortunately, this beautiful initiative of the NDC here in the Kwahu Afram Plains North is annihilating the party and will wreak more havoc on the fortunes of the party in the coming elections and beyond."



He accused the constituency Chairman, Secretary and some other executives saying "these executives are engaged in acts that are only pernicious or pervasive but will lead to what no political party will wish in the long run. While some Branches have been denied access to their registration books for the two weeks window registration, others who were fortunate to access their books have had names of their members cleaned using correction fluid".



Read below press release from the NDC members at Afram Plains North:



Press Release



Fmr. President Mahama, Father, leader of the NDC and the Ultimate Hope of the Ghanaian People, National Chairman Hon. Ofosu Ampofo, General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National and Regional Executives, Party Fathers and Mothers, and All other well-meaning Party Stalwarts.



We members of the National Democratic Congress Afram Plains North welcome you men and women of the Press to this very important and urgent address.



This is the first time in the life of Afram Plains North NDC since 1992 that we branch executives have assembled the pain and anguish to use this medium in the channeling of our grievances. Afram Plains Is the food basket of the nation and also the Vote basket of the National Democratic Congress.



In addition to the perennial problems that have bedeviled Afram Plains over the years, theres now a colossal systemic failure on the part of the NDC in Afram Plains North; a Party that should be the ultimate alternative for the rotten Nana Akufo Addo-Bawumia leadership is now at a midlife danger in Afram Plains North.



THE ISSUES



1. PROBLEMS WITH THE BRANCH REGISTRATION BOOKS



It was an outright clarity of thought when the NDC decided to inaugurate the Branch Registration to grab a database of its members nationwide. Unfortunately, this beautiful initiative of the NDC here in the Kwahu Afram Plain North is annihilating the party and will wreak more havoc on the fortunes of the party in the coming elections and beyond. The Constituency Chairman, the Secretary, and some other executives are engaged in acts that are not only pernicious or pervasive but will lead to what no political party will wish in the long run.



While some branches have been denied access to their registration books for the two weeks window registration, others who were fortunate to access their books have had the names of their members cleaned using correction fluid. Even more alarming are cases where various pages of some branches were strategically torn away. All these self-inflicted discrepancies authored by some of the Constituency executives are targeted to disenfranchise their victims at the branch levels. To those cabals at the center of this heinous crime against party members, they have only one agenda, to eliminate perceived members who stand against their clandestine, unlawful, and evil agenda.



To the NDC party at large, these victims are unable to pay their dues because their names have been cleaned, their ID Numbers changed and hidden from them.

Upon all the petitions that have been forwarded to the National Secretariat for redress, all of them yielded but nothing. No one has responded to us or even tried to call us in a bid to assuage feelings. The National leadership shares equally in the pollution of the guilt of these cabals, consciously associating with them and refusing to purify them.



2. REFUSAL OF NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DELEGATIONS TO MONITOR THE TWO WEEKS WINDOW REGISTRATION



Ladies and Gentlemen, Men and women of the Press. We want to explain this clearly to Former President Mahama who serves today as the father and leader of the NDC in opposition. This will help Mr. Mahama to understand why the NDC is in opposition today. Since 1992, the Afram Plains North has had a smooth transition of power from one NDC Member of Parliament to the other by free, fair electioneering procedures. To the best of our knowledge, the Current Member of Parliament Hon. Betty Krosby Mensah is eyeing a third term after 8 successful years in parliament. It is apparent also that some National, Regional, and Constituency executives are aiding her third term. Those executives at National and Regional fronts are sacrificing party procedures and have technically refused to be present in the constituency for the two-weeks limited registration exercise. Despite all other 32 constituencies within the Eastern region have had a smooth registration plan for the Branch elections, only Afram Plains North was treated as if the party was under martial law. All attempts to get these National And Regional delegations to work in the constituency ended in stone. They blatantly refused to be here indicating that a higher authority was remotely controlling them. The Limited Two weeks window registration exercise ended on the 8th of September. A political quagmire?



3. COLLATION OF A NEW BRANCH DELEGATE REGISTER



It is an ordinary reality and a natural law of succession in which one generation plays out its role and yields the stage for another, as a way of advancing the course of the human experience. Well, maybe not as much in Afram Plains North Here, there appears the notion of a divine right to leadership, which transcends the categories of time, and persists among a coterie, a chosen breed, even in the face of changing norms and times. A monstrous phenomenon that encourages the creation of hate for the NDC party in which angry thousands of youths are cross carpeting to the Npp here at Northern Afram Plains.

After having successfully blocked the Regional and national teams from monitoring the registration of new members in a bid for the Branch elections, the member of Parliament Hon. Betty Krosby Mensah and her Constituency Secretary along with others have moved across all the Branches to collate their delegate register. An exercise that is illegal, and unlawful in the absence of a new election of branch executives. How did we arrive here as a party?



4. SEVERE DIVISION AND APATHY



Hardworking men and women of the Press, fellow party members, we would like to take this opportunity to remind His Excellency Former President Mahama and everyone else who wishes well for the NDC of the results of both NDC and NPP in the 2016 and 2020 Parliamentary elections.





2016 Election

Betty Krosby Mensah NDC

...18,121 votes



Isaac Okoree NPP

.....4,795 votes





2020 Election

Betty Krosby Mensah NDC

....18,543 votes



Isaac Okoree NPP

8,605 votes.



In 4 years, the NDC candidate added only 422 votes to what she got in 2016. While the Npp candidate added whopping 3,810 votes. Similarly, President Mahama who was not a resident of the Constituency harvested 21,793 in 2020. An extra vote of 3, 250 more than the NDC candidate who is a resident of the Constituency. Are these figures pointing something out to the political elites?



Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, the story at Northern Afram Plains NDC are not good. Theres mediocrity, theres nepotism, theres ineptitude, theres incompetence, theres propaganda, and theres a dictatorship. Every year we are losing our members to the Npp due to these self-inflicted divisions.



Things have fallen apart and the center cannot hold anymore. Under the watch of the Constituency Chairman, and Constituency Secretary, NDC Afram Plains North has gone from being a failed party to a dead one. Theres no conscience in Constituency, Theres no conscience at the Regional level. Theres no conscience at the National level.The result is a party groping in the dark, a party at a crossroads, and members being thrown into unprecedented confusion.



Although the NDC here at Afram Plains North has habitually been plagued by bad leadership and corporate ineptitude, it has never been this bad. The party has never been divided along ethnic and religious lines as they are today.



The tension in the party is palpable with another poor -performance seemingly imminent. Theres anger, theres anxiety, and theres age-long resentment. There is something to be learned from the Political evolution in Hohoe Constituency in the Volta region where we kept our pot unwatched and our food now burns. The woes of Hohoe indeed started all this way until today when we have auctioned that seat to the NPP. We are not prophets of doom but the writings are clear on the wall.



We are fairly certain Ladies and Gentlemen, that when the Party attends to these seeming divisions and mafiarism intelligently at Afram Plains North, we could regain our past glory and power by finding a man who understands the subtle alchemic art of appealing to the people.



We use this medium to appeal to His Excellency Former President Mahama to help in these times of seething vortex of disagreements by assuaging feelings. It is also our plea that Mr. Mahama himself would ponder over the implications of these atavistic and anti-villain proclivities. As social democrats, we will be available for any committee that will be inaugurated with the foresight to rebrand and unite the party here at Afram Plains North. A committee that will work with systemic methodology, sangfroid disposition, and calculation minds, as cool as Cucumber.



Ladies and Gentlemen, Men and Women of the Press, Thank you and thank everyone for coming. God bless us all and the NDC.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, has scolded Ex-President John Dramani Mahama for claiming the Judiciary's image is broken under the current leadership.



John Mahama, speaking at a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lawyers Conference, claimed the Judiciary has become a mockery to the public.



So badly has the image of our Judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make mockery of our justice system and of our justices. The phrase Go to Court is these days met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice.



There is, therefore, the urgent need for the Ghanaian Judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry, and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land.



Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our Judiciary can lead such a process of change. We can only hope, that a new Chief Justice will lead the process to repair the broken image that our Judiciary has acquired over the last few years, he said.



But Kwamena Duncan, in reply, says the former President should be the last person to be talking to Ghanaians.



"The last person who should be talking is former President Mahama . . . There is not a single sector of managing this country that you will place President Mahama and say that, look, we give him some thumbs up. Not one! I tell you that he has got space to talk today [it is ] because clearly and it is not in doubt we have challenges," he said on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show.



He expounded that Mahama's regime was characterized by various scandals that makes him irredeemable.



"He was a disaster of a President," he exclaimed.



" . . that President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia should step aside and Mahama should come and pick it up today, are you telling me that he has a certain magic wand?", he asked.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia North constituency, Collins Owusu Amankwah, has asked former President John Dramani Mahama to behave like a statesman and also learn to keep quiet.



According to him as a former President, it is not everything that he has to come out and complain when he can officially write to the seat of government to have the problem addressed.



Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that though the former President may be exercising his constitutional right to freedom of speech, it is not everything that he must come to complain for official documents to be released to counter his claim or otherwise from the government in power.



He must understand that somethings are of National Security interest and that they must be brought to public domain for discussion for further documents or classified documents to be released and discussed like nobody's business.



"When was the last time you heard former President John Agyekum Kuffour come out to complain about his entitlements, even when he was in opposition and the NDC was in power? Even when things didn't go as planned, he went through the formal process without making a public outcry about it."



" . . the former President draws his emoluments and other entitlements from the Consolidated Fund which makes him deal with the Controller and Accountant General directly, so if there are lapses or default in payment, and as a former President, he knows how to follow protocol for such matters to be addressed. You don't have to score political points with everything," he said.



He reiterated that the former President should understand that despite his current position, he should first admit that he is a former President and a Statesman and everything he says will string chords which will warrant response from government or agencies which is not good for his caliber as a former President.



"So I will plead with the former President to kindly behave like a Statesman and know when to speak to voice out his grievances," he added.



Watch video below





Former President John Dramani Mahama has described as "absolute lies" claims by the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye DC, that he (Mahama) received an ex-gratia of GH14 million in 2013 and GH15 million in 2017.According to Mr. Mahama, in 2013 the only payment made by the government to him in 2013 through the Accountant General was GH230,000."No ex-gratia, I was paid 230,000 as salary arrears in 2013," Mr Mahama said in an interview on TV3.Mr. Mahama said he was willing to show his bank statements to the press in his defence, adding that the only privileges he had received since leaving office was his monthly pension.

Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Photo illustration of two kidnap victims. The Chinese Embassy in Manila has requested authorities in the Philippines to protect its citizens amid the spate kidnapping cases involving Chinese nationals.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has urged authorities to protect the "legitimate rights and interests" of Chinese citizens in the country, amid a series of kidnapping cases with Chinese victims.

According to a statement sent to Inquirer, the embassy noted the frequent cases of "kidnapping, blackmailing, illegal detention, and other vicious cases" targeting Chinese nationals due to online gaming and telecommunications fraud.

While urging Philippine agencies to strengthen law enforcement cooperation, it also reminded Chinese citizens to "keep away from immoral activities" and to avoid online gambling and telecommunications fraud.

A Senate hearing on the "kidnapping wave" that has reportedly victimized dozens, including Chinese and Filipinos, has been set for Thursday (September 15). The hearing will also address videos showing supposed victims being tortured by their captors, some of whom appeared to be foreigners, that have circulated.

Senators Grace Poe and JV Ejercito pushed for the inquiry in separate resolutions, noting that the Philippine National Police had so far presented conflicting statistics about the number of cases.

Poe noted that the cases had created a "state of fear, anxiety and vulnerability among Filipinos", while Ejercito was particularly disturbed by the proliferation of video clips of alleged kidnap victims being tortured. One clip showed a blindfolded man whose left ear was severed as two other persons held him down.

Ejercito also urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to direct police to solve the kidnappings, claiming that criminal syndicates are "testing the waters."

PNP chief denies kidnappings

Separately, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has denied the supposed kidnappings of Chinese-Filipino nationals in Metro Manila, claiming that the clips circulating actually show old incidents made to look as if they happened recently.

Nevertheless, more policemen have been deployed near Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) establishments in the capital region, amid an increasing number of abducted POGO workers.

Story continues

According to PNP data, out of 27 kidnapping cases from January to September this year, 15 were POGO-related. This is slightly higher from the 12 recorded in the same period in 2021.

Azurin noted that identifying foreign nationals in POGO companies, as well as legitimate operators, is difficult because of a lack of records. He added that members of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. had told him that "the [recent] reported kidnappings are not true."
Predicted marginal effects of antimicrobial use on the incidence of resistance to the number of antimicrobial classes in E. coli isolates (nCR E. coli ) of turkeys. The antimicrobial used was represented by the number of defined daily doses per 1,000 kg-animal days at risk. Credit: Frontiers in Microbiology (2022). DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.954123

Antimicrobial resistance in gut bacteria is constantly being detected on poultry farms and in poultry retail products worldwide, including in turkey flocks. Concerningly, surveillance information and studies on the associations between antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use in turkeys have been scarce during the last decade. In a new study, researchers across North America have modeled how antimicrobial use impacts the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from Canadian turkey flocks.

Antimicrobial resistance has long been identified as a threat to global health, with limited options for treatment in animals and humans. Although antimicrobials help to treat and control bacterial infections in poultry flocks, they also lead to increased resistance because the surviving bacteria pass on their resistance genes not only to their offspring but also to other bacterial species. Moreover, these bacteria can also be transferred to humans through the consumption of contaminated food or contact with infected poultry.

Csaba Varga (IGOH), an assistant professor of epidemiology, and his research group used data that had been collected by the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance. From 2016-2019 veterinarians from each province in Canada visited turkey farms annually to collect data on antimicrobial use and obtain fecal samples from flocks that were chosen at random.

"Most researchers work on poultry, especially chickens. Not many researchers work on turkeys," said Rima Shrestha, a postdoctoral research associate in the Varga lab. "In Canada, they have integrative surveillance, which provides us data about antimicrobial use and resistance."

The researchers used E. coli as an indicator of antimicrobial resistance because these bacteria are a part of the intestinal flora in humans and animals. They can also be detected easily in fecal and environmental samples. "E. coli can harbor antibiotic resistance genes that they can preserve and transmit to other bacteria in the gut, making them good indicators of antimicrobial use," Varga said. The E. coli isolates from the fecal samples of turkeys were tested for their susceptibility to 14 different antimicrobials.

To study the association between antimicrobial use and resistance, the researchers employed new modeling techniques that considered the disease indications for antimicrobial use, the quantity of antimicrobials used, the length of treatment, the weight of birds, and the administration route.

"Our study shows that the use of antimicrobials in the feed is the main driver of resistance," Varga said. "In addition, antimicrobials were also injected into the eggs at the hatchery, which produced resistance in E. coli." The researchers also found that treating certain diseases, including intestinal infections and blood infections caused by E. coli contributed to the development of resistance to antimicrobials.

"We are currently working on looking at antimicrobial resistance in other pathogens, including Salmonella and Campylobacter," Shrestha said. "We also want to look at data from the US so we can compare it to the Canadian data and understand how to mitigate antimicrobial resistance. We need to have stewardship efforts from turkey producers and veterinarians because it cannot be controlled by just one person or even one farm."

The study was published in Frontiers in Microbiology.

Explore further Antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic bacteria still high in humans, animals and food

More information: Rima D. Shrestha et al, Associations between antimicrobial resistance in fecal Escherichia coli isolates and antimicrobial use in Canadian turkey flocks, Frontiers in Microbiology (2022). Journal information: Frontiers in Microbiology Rima D. Shrestha et al, Associations between antimicrobial resistance in fecal Escherichia coli isolates and antimicrobial use in Canadian turkey flocks,(2022). DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.954123
Researchers from the PetroChina Huabei Oilfield Company analyzed the revervoir forming conditions and modes in the Ordovician buried hills to identify the most favorable targets for further oil and gas exploration. Credit: Zhang Ruifeng and Earth Science Frontiers

Oil and gas are two of the most important natural resources, contributing to over half of the world's energy supply. Reserves of these resources are thus, of high economic and strategic interest.

The Jizhong depression of the Bohai Bay Basin in China is home to multiple buried hills, i.e., elevations on old land surfaces which are now covered by younger sedimentary rocks. These hills are abundant in oil and gas reserves and have optimal oil and gas accumulation conditions.

The Ordovician buried hills in particular, have been extensively explored since 1977. Unfortunately, further exploration in this region is difficult due to the exhaustion of high-amplitude and easily identifiable mediumshallow buried hills. The complex geology and reservoir heterogeneity of the Ordovician buried hills has added to this challenge in exploration.

To enable further unrestricted exploration of this region, a team of researchers led by Professor Ruifeng Zhang from the PetroChina Huabei Oilfield Company conducted a study, which was published in Earth Science Frontiers, to analyze the reservoir-forming conditions and modes in the Ordovician buried hills, including the source rock conditions, reservoir types, and trap genetic types. "Our analysis was largely derived from a large volume of logging, core, thin section, seismic, and geochemical data," says Prof. Zhang while discussing the study.

Formation conditions and reservoir-forming models of the Ordovician buried hill reservoirs in the Jizhong depression. Credit: Earth Science Frontiers

Prof. Zhang and his team discovered that three sets of source rocks from the Carboniferous-Permian and Paleogene geologic periods developed in the Jizhong depression. Notably, these rocks provide adequate quantities of important materials such as hydrocarbons required for the formation of oil and gas reserves in the Ordovician buried hills.

In addition, they clarified the mechanism of reservoir control and identified three types of reservoir models with high exploration potential. These included the Karst cave, fracture-fissure pore, and cloud pore.

On further analysis, the team also identified the two most favorable buried hill genetic traps, namely, upliftdepression and depressionuplift, which were formed as a result of the Indosinian, Yanshanian, and Himalayan tectonic processes in the Ordovician buried hills.

Researchers from China have identified the most favorable oil and gas reservoir forming conditions that can guide further exploration in the Jizhong depression. Credit: Earth Science Frontiers

Three oil and gas reservoir-forming modes, which include the low-level tectoniclithologic composite quasi-layered buried hill, medium-level paleo-storage paleo-block buried hill, and the high-level paleo-storage new-block buried hill were identified in this region. Of these, the reservoir forming conditions of the low-level tectonic-lithologic composite quasi-layered buried hill is considered as the most favorable for further exploration at present.

Importantly, the team identified the most favorable areas for further exploration as the Sicundian and Xinzhen buried hills.

"Exploring the newly identified reservoir-forming conditions and modes in the Jizhong depression will allow unhindered oil and gas exploration to continue, which is essential to avoid the depletion of energy resources in the coming years," says Prof. Zhang.

Explore further Reassessing geohazards of buried landslide deposits and their impacts on seabed ecosystems

More information: Formation conditions and reservoir-forming models of the Ordovician buried hill reservoirs in the Jizhong depression, Earth Science Frontiers (2022). Formation conditions and reservoir-forming models of the Ordovician buried hill reservoirs in the Jizhong depression,(2022). DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2022.8.15-en

Provided by Cactus Communications
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Recent efforts using computational modeling to understand how melting ice in Antarctica will impact the planet's oceans have focused on ice-sheet geometry, fracture, and surface meltingprocesses that could potentially trigger or accelerate ice-sheet mass loss. Now, researchers from Stanford University have identified an additional process that could have a similarly significant effect on the ice sheet's future: thawing of the bed, known as basal thaw, at the interface of the land and the miles-thick ice sheet above it.

The new study identifies areas that are not currently losing large amounts of mass but could be poised to match some of the largest contributors to sea-level risesuch as Thwaites Glacierif they thawed. Antarctica is roughly the size of the United States, and the susceptible regions comprise an area greater than California. The research was published Sept. 14 in Nature Communications.

"You can't necessarily assume that everywhere that's currently frozen will stay frozen," said senior study author Dustin Schroeder, an associate professor of geophysics at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. "These regions may be under-appreciated potential contributors."

Unusual suspects

The simulations were built on recent theoretical work showing that basal thaw could occur over short time scales. Using numerical ice sheet models, the study co-authors tested hypotheses about whether the onset of such thaw could lead to significant ice loss within a 100-year period. They found that triggering thaw led to mass loss in regions of the ice sheet that are not usually associated with instability and sea-level contributions at that time scale.

"There really has been little to no continental-wide work that looks at the onset of thawingthat transition from frozen ice to ice at the melting point, where a little bit of water at the bed can cause the ice to slide," said lead study author Eliza Dawson, a Ph.D. student in geophysics. "We were interested in learning how big an effect thawing could have and what regions of the ice sheet were potentially most susceptible."

The researchers modeled temperature changes at Antarctica's base according to shifts in friction caused by the ice sheet sliding over the land beneath it. The simulations revealed that in East Antarctica, which is currently considered a relatively stable region compared to West Antarctica, the Enderby-Kemp and George V Land areas would be most sensitive to thawing at their beds. Within George V Land, they also highlighted the Wilkes Basin as capable of becoming a leading sea-level contributor if thawing were to occura feature comparable in size to the rapidly evolving and likely unstable Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica.

"The whole community is really focusing on Thwaites right now," said Schroeder, who is also an associate professor of electrical engineering. "But some of the regions that are the usual suspects for big, impactful changes aren't the most provocative and impactful areas in this study."

Temperature matters

Because of Antarctica's location and extreme conditions, information about the ice sheet is sparse. Even less is known about the land beneath its frozen facade.

"Measuring the bed is a massive effort in these remote placeswe have the technology to do it, but you really need to pick the spot, and sometimes it takes years, and field camps, and special equipment to go do that," Schroeder said. "It's difficult and expensive."

To fill in information gaps, the researchers relied on the physics of how ice slideshow changes in temperature affect the way the ice sheet flows and evolves. In follow-on work, the authors plan to develop and apply radar-based analysis approaches to study the temperature of the ice sheet bed in these critical areas.

"You need to know the regions where it matters, and that's the transformative contribution of Eliza's paper," Schroeder said. "It asks these broad questions: Does this matter? And if it matters, where? We hope this approach gives the community some priorities into where to look and why, and to avoid going down blind alleys."

Sleeping giants?

Scientists do not currently know what forces are most capable of triggering thawing at the bed in the potentially susceptible regions identified in this studyor how soon they may be able to do so. One possible driver could be changing ocean conditions, which is the case elsewhere in Antarctica.

"Warm ocean water does not necessarily reach these East Antarctica regions as it does in parts of West Antarctica, but it's nearby, so there's potential that could change," Schroeder said. "When you consider the recent theoretical work showing that thermal processes at the bed can be easy to activateeven spontaneousit makes near-term thawing of the ice-sheet bed seem like a far easier switch to flip than we'd thought."

The study shows that measuring, understanding, and modeling the temperature at the base of ice sheets is important for understanding our future, as the biggest uncertainty in sea-level rise projections is the contribution from processes that can shift the behavior of massive ice sheets like Greenland and Antarctica.

"Follow-on work will be needed to take a closer look at these regions that this paper identified," Dawson said. "Showing that thawing at the bed can result in mass loss from the ice sheet is a process that the community needs to understand and really start looking atespecially in these potentially vulnerable areas."

Explore further The world's biggest ice sheet is more vulnerable to global warming than scientists previously thought

More information: Ice mass loss sensitivity to the Antarctic ice sheet basal thermal state, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Ice mass loss sensitivity to the Antarctic ice sheet basal thermal state,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32632-2
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Scientists looking at the meteorological impacts of climate change have typically looked at increases in severe weather and hurricanes. Now, they are studying another consequence of global warming that will have significant economic ramifications: drought.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new method to assess the likelihood of extreme drought conditions in several different regions of the United States over the remainder of the century. Using this method, based on highly detailed regional climate models, they have found that droughts are likely to be exacerbated by global warming. This finding is especially likely in regions like the Midwest, Northwestern U.S. and California's Central Valley.

"The projected worsening of droughts as a result of global warming is likely to have significant consequences in terms of crop loss, wildfires, and demand for water resources," said Rao Kotamarthi, an Argonne environmental scientist and author of the new study.

In looking at future forecasts of droughts over the course of the remainder of the century, the researchers believe the new technique can help them to understand "flash drought" events that have a quick onset period that could be as short as few weeks. "Flash droughts, as their name implies, happen really quickly," Kotamarthi said. "While conventional droughts are related to a prolonged lack of precipitation, flash droughts occur because of high temperatures and extremely high evaporation rates."

Unlike hurricanes, which have a rigorous classification scale, scientists use various methodologies to classify droughts. These range from reports from farmers to noted precipitation deficits to assess which regions were experiencing a drought. In some regions of the country that typically experience fairly low precipitation to begin with, such as the Southwestern U.S., lack of precipitation may not be sufficient to adequately represent the impact of a drought, Kotamarthi said.

Instead of using precipitation deficit to identify drought, the researchers turned to a new measure called vapor pressure deficit, or VPD. VPD is calculated based on a combination of temperature and relative humidity and consists of the difference between how much water vapor the air can hold when saturated and the total amount of water vapor available. "An extended period of higher-than-average VPD can mean that a drought is occurring," said Argonne environmental scientist Brandi Gamelin. "We're looking at drought differently by bypassing precipitation altogetherto primarily look at the effect of temperature and future temperature changes on drought."

Because the amount of water that air can hold is dependent upon its temperature, hotter air typically has a higher VPD than colder air. "Cold air retains less moisture than hot air, so the warmer the air temperature, the more water vapor it can hold, which can draw moisture out of the surface, drying it out," Gamelin said.

According to Gamelin, positive values of the Argonne-produced Standardized VPD Drought Index (SVDI) represent drying conditions.

Because current drought monitoring indices rely on weekly or monthly data, they typically represent lagging indicators of actual droughts. Because the SVDI uses daily data, it is useful in identifying flash droughts that happen over a shorter period of time, Gamelin said.

A paper based on the study, "Projected U.S. drought extremes through the twenty-first century with vapor pressure deficit," appeared in the May 21 issue of Scientific Reports.

In addition to Kotamarthi and Gamelin, other authors of the study include Argonne's Jeremy Feinstein, Jiali Wang, Julie Bessac and Eugene Yan.

Explore further Droughts self-propagate, just like wildfires

More information: Brandi L. Gamelin et al, Projected U.S. drought extremes through the twenty-first century with vapor pressure deficit, Scientific Reports (2022). Journal information: Scientific Reports Brandi L. Gamelin et al, Projected U.S. drought extremes through the twenty-first century with vapor pressure deficit,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12516-7
A new automated system could provide a warning when an eruption on Whakaari (White Island) in the Bay of Plenty becomes more likely. Credit: Professor Shane Cronin

Kiwi volcanologists and engineers have finished testing an automated system that provides a warning when an eruption on Whakaari (White Island) becomes more likely.

The new system, which uses machine learning to detect patterns in seismic data, provides constant monitoring in real-time, and could provide warnings hours or days before an eruption occurs.

Lead researcher, University of Canterbury Civil and Natural Resources Engineering Senior Lecturer Dr. David Dempsey, says the system, which has been tested operationally over the past two years, compares well against the existing system which is based on the opinions of expert volcanologists.

"We hope that this can help volcanologists as they grapple with the tricky job of determining the odds of an eruption."

He says active volcanoes often attract tourists, but the safety of tourist access depends in part on how accurately volcanologists can estimate the probability of an eruption.

"If an eruption is more likely, then access can be restricted. Our system provides information for decision-makers as they weigh those choices. It is also fast, always watching, and has perfect memory of the past, which makes it a great assistant for human operators."

An article describing the testing and accuracy of the system, a collaborative project between the University of Canterbury and the University of Auckland, has been published in the international Bulletin of Volcanology this week.

One probability model developed by Dr. Dempsey and his team was a warning system that would anticipate six out of seven eruptions at the cost of 14 warning days each year.

During a warning, the chance of an eruption is about 8% in 48 hours, which is more than 100 times higher than normal.

A second, more sensitive model, estimated eruption odds 400 times higher than normal when it was shown the 48 hours of data from just before the December 2019 eruption on Whakaari.

"Alongside our operational tests, these retrospective analysesreplaying a model on the pastare the best way to understand how systems like these might work in future eruptions," Dr. Dempsey says.

More information: D. E. Dempsey et al, Evaluation of short-term probabilistic eruption forecasting at Whakaari, New Zealand, Bulletin of Volcanology (2022). D. E. Dempsey et al, Evaluation of short-term probabilistic eruption forecasting at Whakaari, New Zealand,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s00445-022-01600-5
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A quartet of researchers from Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Basicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, and Sao Bernardo do Campo, all in Brazil, has conducted a study of the effectiveness of different types of camouflage strategies in animals. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Joao Vitor de Alcantara Viana, Camila Vieira, Rafael Campos Duarte and Gustavo Quevedo Romero describe their study and which strategy they found to be the most effective.

A lot of work has been done studying the camouflage strategies of different animals, from color changing chameleons, to caterpillars that look like leaves or twigs. But, as the researchers with this new effort found, very little, if any work has been done to compare the different strategies between different creatures. Surprised by that finding, they carried out a study of their own.

The study by the researchers involved searching for published papers regarding camouflage in any creature for the period 1900 to 2022 and then comparing what they found. As their work progressed, they narrowed down their focus to just 84 studieseach had involved conducting experiments to rate how well a given camouflage strategy worked and also how long it took a predator to find the camouflaged prey. Also, some of the studies included data on how often certain camouflaged animals were attacked.

The researchers then split up the studies by categorycreatures who used "background matching" as a strategy and creatures who used masquerading as a strategy. The latter meant those species that look like a non-prey type object, such as a leaf.

In looking at their data, the researchers found that those animals that used masquerading (as compared to background matching) were less likely to be seen by a predator, much less chased or eaten. This was most evident in those that were very good mimics, such as caterpillars that very closely matched the trees they lived on. The researchers also found that camouflage was an effective survival strategy in generalsearch times for them were 62% longer than for similar non-camouflaged creatures.

The researchers suggest that the reason more creatures do not use masquerading as a camouflage strategy is that it generally requires the creature to be roughly the same size as the object it is trying to match. They also noticed that most studies involved in the study of camouflage were conducted in the Northern Hemisphere. They suggest much more work needs to be done to learn about the true effectiveness of the different types of camouflage used by animals across the globe. They also note that similar work regarding predators using camouflage to help them capture prey are understudied.

Explore further Frogs use brains or camouflage to evade predators

More information: Joao Vitor de Alcantara Viana et al, Predator responses to prey camouflage strategies: a meta-analysis, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Joao Vitor de Alcantara Viana et al, Predator responses to prey camouflage strategies: a meta-analysis,(2022). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0980

 2022 Science X Network
Volvox daughter colonies within a Volvox mother colony. Credit: Frank Vox

New studies by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology show that competition between different evolutionary developmental stages of multicellular life cycles can be important for the development of an entire population. Without direct competition, only the growth rate of a population determines which life cycle prevails.

Ecological competition, on the other hand, can lead to the selection of completely different life cycles.

The evolution of multicellular organisms is a central process in the course of the origin of life. In most cases, an organism is multicellular for only part of its life cycle: the simplest multicellular life cycle consists of the growth of the germ cell into a colony and its splitting into single cells to produce new germ cells.

So far, most theoretical models assume that selection between life cycles is driven by internal properties of multicellular groups, leading to growth competition. At the same time, however, the influence of interactions between groups on the evolution of life cycles is rarely considered.

Vanessa Ress (University of Hamburg), Arne Traulsen (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plon) and Yuriy Pichugin (Princeton University, U.S.) now present a new model that takes into account the ecological competition between the individual life cyclesa project that started in Vanessa Ress' master's thesis supervised by Dr. Pichugin.

The model shows that the result of evolution can be coexistence between several life cycles, which would be impossible without competition. Likewise, the research shows that models that neglect this competition can capture short-term dynamics but fail to predict evolution at the population level.

Multicellular organisms such as animals, plants, fungi or red and brown algae are often formed by their cells staying together after cell divisionunlike unicellular species where the cells separate before the next division. Organisms must, however, reproduce, otherwise their species will become extinct. For a multicellular organism, this means that some cells must migrate to develop into a new individual.

The combination of growth and reproduction of an organism forms a clonal life cycle. The emergence of clonal multicellular life cycles was the central innovation in the earlier stages of multicellularity evolution. There, characteristics that do not exist at all in unicellular species become crucial to the long-term success of even the most primitive cell colony. These include the number of cells in the colony, the frequency with which cells migrate to form new colonies, the size of the germ cells released and the number of germ cells produced.

Since reproduction, and thus the fitness of simple cell colonies, depends on these characteristics, they are immediately subject to natural selection, which favors some life cycles over others.

Since complex multicellular life descends from these simple cell colonies, understanding the evolution of primitive life cycles is crucial for understanding the evolution of complex organisms.

The research was published in eLife.

Explore further Evolution in real time

More information: Vanessa Ress et al, Eco-evolutionary dynamics of clonal multicellular life cycles, eLife (2022). Journal information: eLife Vanessa Ress et al, Eco-evolutionary dynamics of clonal multicellular life cycles,(2022). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.78822
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Deforestation has been an issue of global concern for many years. Deforestation is a major environmental concern because of its adverse effects on ecological sustainability, agricultural productivity and overall quality of life of the people. As populations increase, there is a higher demand for both forest products and forest lands for development activities. The Food and Agricultural Organization reports that only 4 billion hectares of the 6 billion hectares of forest that existed about 8,000 years ago are now available globally. Recent estimates by the FAO suggests that, globally, nearly 10 million hectares of forest was lost between 20152020.

World leaders have attempted to address this issue through global conventions and goals, including the sustainable development goals. Unfortunately, these substantial global commitments and investments in addressing deforestation have not been effective.

Ghana is one of the countries that has lost forest cover at a high rate. Between 1990 and 2000, Ghana lost about 135,000 hectares of forest annually. From 2001 to 2021, Ghana lost 1.4 million hectares of tree cover, representing a 20% decrease in tree cover since 2000.

Global Forest Watch (GFW) reports that Ghana lost 60% of its primary rainforest in 2018, which was the highest in the world.

One third of Ghana's land area of 238,500 km2 was forest at the start of the 1900s but now forest covers only 35.1% of the country . Forest resources are important in Ghana because most rural livelihoods are dependent on it for food and ecological balance.

The causes of the loss of forest cover are many. They include human activities such as logging, illegal mining and unsustainable farming practices.

The government of Ghana has over the years implemented a number of policies and programs to reduce deforestation. Still, it has remained a major environmental problem. Programs were poorly planned and carried out. They lacked sufficient logistics, funding and political commitment. Policies changed as governments did.

In 2018, Ghana launched the Youth in Afforestation program. Its aim was to restore degraded forest cover through reforestation, rehabilitation and protection. The program also sought to create jobs for some unemployed youth in Ghana. The plan was to employ 65,000 young people to plant about 10 million tree seedlings of different varieties across Ghana within two years, with the option of an extension based on satisfactory results.

Little research has been done on the Youth in Afforestation program. We did our research to provide information about what the program had contributed to forest resources management. Our assessment of its prospects and challenges could be a guide for any necessary reforms to achieve the program's objectives.

In short, we found that the afforestation program did create jobs in the agricultural, industrial and service sectors of the economy and help to conserve the natural environment. But there's a need to minimize political interference and ensure that the requisite human, logistical and financial resources are in place. Otherwise the progress won't be sustained.

Youth in Afforestation

The current government of Ghana introduced the Youth in Afforestation program in 2018. Its challenges include financial, logistical, institutional and forest governance issues.

It has employed over 40,000 recruits since 2018. They are engaged in planting, tending, weeding, and thinning trees. But there are serious concerns about the sustainability of these jobs, because sustainable funding wasn't planned. As per the initial plan, the youths engaged in the program were to be employed for a period of two years, with the possibility of an extension contingent on satisfactory outcomes.

Most of the forest districts exceeded their targets from 2018 to 2019. Put together, 67.4 million seedlings were planted as part of the program. This must be interpreted with caution, though, because it did not take into account the seedling survival rates. We found that the program established about 525 hectares of forest in 2018 and 788 hectares in 2019. Put together, the program restored about 1,313 hectares of forested areas within two years of its implementation. This indicates that the program has been effective in restoring the country's lost forest cover.

Other afforestation programs in sub-Saharan Africa have been much more efficient. For example, the African Union's Green Wall initiative rehabilitated 3 million hectares of land in Burkina Faso from 2007 to 2019 and 15 million hectares of degraded land in Ethiopia. The same initiative led to the restoration of 5 million hectares of land in Nigeria and Niger.

The lack of sustainable funding resulting from change of governments and a lack of political commitment has led to other problems such as inadequate logistics and untimely payment of salaries to employees. We interviewed beneficiaries of the program and found that 40% of recruits and supervisors complained about inadequate logistics. Delayed salaries were a complaint among 38% of the beneficiaries interviewed.

Political interference appeared to be the major institutional and forest governance issue confronting the sustainable implementation of the Youth in Afforestation Program.

The Forest Services Division is the implementing agency for the program and is responsible for supervising the recruits. But the division is not involved in recruiting field officers. That's done by the Youth Employment Agency, whose head is appointed by the ruling party. Also, 60% of the field officers interviewed said they got their appointments through their members of parliament, most of whom were members of the ruling party.

The politicized nature of the implementation process threaten its sustainability, especially when there is a change in government.

Way forward

The rapid depletion of forest resource continues to threaten sustainable economic, social, and ecological development in Ghana. The current forest restoration strategy adopted by the government through the Youth in afforestation Program is unsustainable. To move it from rhetoric to reality, there is a need to reduce political interference and put the necessary human, logistical and financial resources in place.

The current approach should shift to a community-based and voluntary approach to forest restoration and conservation. This has been shown to work in the Philippines, for example, where students at elementary and high school and college plant 10 trees as a graduation requirement. This initiative has resulted in 175 million new tree seedlings being planted every year in the country.

Explore further Climate change driving unprecedented forest fire loss

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Artists rendition of the hypothetical Planet 9, with Neptunes orbit displayed as a bright ring orbiting the sun. Credit: European Southern Observatory/Tom Ruen/nagualdesign

In a recent study submitted to Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, an international team of researchers discuss the various mission design options for reaching a hypothetical Planet 9, also known as "Planet X," which state-of-the-art models currently estimate to possess a semi-major axis of approximately 400 astronomical units (AU). The researchers postulate that sending a spacecraft to Planet 9 could pose scientific benefits much like when NASA's New Horizons spacecraft visited Pluto in 2015. But does Planet 9 actually exist?

"It is hard to put a specific number on the confidence level because so many uncertainties remain," said Dr. Manavsi Lingam, who is an Assistant Professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, and a co-author on the study. "For now, I would say that it seems likely that there is an unusual clustering of extreme trans-Neptunian objects. We do not know what is causing this clustering, but Planet 9 appears to be a promising candidate."

Before NASA's New Horizons arrived at Pluto in 2015, the only images scientists had of Pluto were fuzzy pictures from Earth-based telescopes, and even the Hubble Space Telescope couldn't get anything better. The science about Pluto was equally scant, as we had an estimate for its mass, but since we couldn't make out surface features, we knew very little about its atmosphere, geologic diversity, and interior. As the researchers point out, the "wealth of new data" from New Horizons surpassed the old, but could we be just as surprised with Planet 9 data if a spacecraft were to visit there?

"It is very likely," said Dr. Andrew Hein, who is an Associate Professor/Chief Scientist at the University of Luxembourg, and a co-author on the study. "Even the best telescopes are vastly inferior to close-up observations from a probe flying by a celestial body. This is even more true for bodies which are far away and faint, which is the case for Planet 9. The reason is physics. The fainter an object, the larger your telescope needs to be to collect more light from that object and the longer you need to observe. The farther away the object, the more light you need to collect and the larger the telescope needs to be."

For how to get to Planet 9, the researchers propose several mission designs. These include, Jupiter gravity assist, using either Jupiter's or the sun's gravity well to accelerate the spacecraft, chemical rockets, nuclear propulsion, and laser sails. With the exception of laser sails, the amount of time each method would need to reach Planet 9 ranged from just under 40 years to 100 years. With laser sails, the researchers estimated that a spacecraft could reach Planet 9 within 6.57 years. But what steps are being taken to make this technology a reality?

"Laser sail technology is currently being pursued by Breakthrough Starshot, a project I am part of, and which has significantly advanced the technology over the last 6 years, including laboratory prototypes," said Hein. "While flight technology is conceptual for now, some of the technology building blocks already exist in the lab. The project's aim is to launch a laser sail to another star, but a small-scale version should be feasible to develop within the next 1015 years or so with a budget of less than the one for a traditional space probe (few hundreds of millions of dollars). This small-scale version could be used to reach Planet 9 within a few years, once developed. But once the laser beamer is developed, such probes could be launched on a weekly basis at costs hundreds of times cheaper than current probes."

For now, Planet 9 remains purely a hypothesized member of our vast and illustrious solar system, but would the vast time it takes to get there using conventional methods prevent us from potentially visiting this mysterious object so far from the sun?

"Although we find that minimum mission times of 4050 years are required (except for light sails), this long flight time ought not deter us," said Lingam. "The Voyager spacecraft have been functional for roughly the same duration and continue to provide a wealth of data. A putative mission to Planet 9 (should it exist) would not only revolutionize our understanding of the outer Solar system, but it can also enable us to study other targets along the wayfor instance, some of the maneuvers take us close to Jupiter and the sun, indicating that these worlds could also be surveyed."

Explore further Tiny probes could sail to outer planets with the help of low-power lasers

More information: Adam Hibberd, Manasvi Lingam, Andreas M. Hein, Can We Fly to Planet 9? arXiv:2208.10207v1 [astro-ph.EP], Adam Hibberd, Manasvi Lingam, Andreas M. Hein, Can We Fly to Planet 9? arXiv:2208.10207v1 [astro-ph.EP], arxiv.org/abs/2208.10207
Invasive alien species are a growing concern for both the environment and economy. Credit: Shutterstock

Economic growth and globalization have connected the world's most distant places. Rapid trade and transport have boosted economic growth globally, but not without consequences: many species have been introduced to new regions, far from where they evolved.

Alien species are those introduced by humans to regions outside their natural range. Invasive alien species are a growing concern for both the environment and economy.

In recent decades, alien herpetofaunaamphibians and reptileshave increasingly gained attention on social media, with more information being circulated about the impacts these species have on native flora and fauna.

And yet, the number of invasive reptiles and amphibians is increasing, facilitated by the persistently high globalization of human activities.

Detrimental effects

Some invasive species arrive unintentionally as hitchhikers on planes, ships and cars. Others are sold intentionally as exotic pets, which then escape or are released into the wild. Of those that survive and establish, some are able to spread with severe negative impacts, giving them the title of "invasive."

These impacts can be massive. Alien species are a leading cause of biodiversity loss and extinction worldwide, affecting human welfare and quality of life.

While alien species can also have detrimental effects on the economy, this is often complex to assess. Available information is often scattered, covers different scales or periods, recorded using variable measurements and currencies and presented in many languages.

The InvaCost database, the most comprehensive database of the cost of alien species and a global initiative of scientists, gathers this information and makes it accessible to researchers and the public.

The alien Burmese python has successfully established itself in the Everglades National Park in Florida, where it has decimated local mammal populations. Credit: Shutterstock

Surprising impacts

The most common pathway for invasive reptiles and amphibians is the often-illegal trade of exotic snakes and frogs as pets.

Another common pathway is release for biological control, where a new species is introduced in an attempt to control a pest species. This is how the cane toad was introduced in Australia.

Other pathways include aquaculture enterprises, such as those that raise American bullfrogs for human consumption and species hitchhiking on planes or boats.

Alien reptiles and amphibians can have quite unusual and surprising economic impacts. For instance, after the arrival of the coqui frog to Hawaii via contaminated nursery plants, its very loud mating song caused severe declines in property values in infested areas.

More typical economic impacts stem from programs for the control or eradication of these species. Management programs are needed due to the damage these invaders cause on biodiversity by eliminating native species, including at-risk amphibians and reptiles.

This is the case for one of the most famous snakes in the pet trade, the California kingsnake, for which numerous eradication programs on the Canary Islands exist.

Quantifying the damage

Our team of researchers quantified and synthesized, for the first time, the economic costs of invasive reptiles and amphibians worldwide using the InvaCost database. Between 1986 and 2020, we found that the cost of invasive reptiles and amphibians was massive, totalling approximately US$17 billionwith US$10.4 billion due to reptiles and US$6.3 billion due to amphibians.

Further, the bulk of these costs was from a small subset of highly impactful species. Most notably, the brown tree snake alone has resulted in a loss of US$4.5 million per year in Guam due to island-wide power outages and costing a total of US$10.34 billion during the study period (19862019).

American bullfrogs have the largest reported economic impacts of any amphibian. Credit: (Rusty Clark/Wikimedia Commons), CC BY

The runner-up in terms of total impacts was the American bullfrog, whose impacts of US$6.04 billion accounted for approximately 97% of the total amphibian cost, mostly due to control and eradication measures in Europe.

The types of costs incurred varied across species. In the case of amphibians, costs mostly originated from government expendituresUS$6.25 billion, or 99.6%. These costs are derived from mitigating the spread or impacts of invaders through prevention, control, research, long-term management or eradication.

Reptile costs, however, mostly affected the public and social welfare sector, reportedly causing staggering damagesUS$10.02 billion, or 96.6%. These costs are incurred directly due to the impact of invaders, such as yield loss, infrastructure damage or income reduction.

Geographically, we found that economic impacts were present across all continents, except for amphibians in Africa, likely due to the lack of information. The geographic regions most affected were Europe by amphibians (US$6.04 billion), and Oceania and the Pacific Islands by reptiles (US$10.35 billion, 99.61%).

Prevention is the better solution

The economic costs of herpetofauna invasions are massive across all continents, but also underestimated. The vast part of our estimated total cost originated from only two species: the brown tree snake and the American bullfrog, which is likely, at least in part, due to missing data.

Further, only 21 species (six amphibians and 15 reptiles) were reported in InvaCost, out of 280 alien amphibians and reptiles recorded worldwide.

It should nevertheless be acknowledged that not all invasive reptiles and amphibians will have tangible monetary impacts, so some gaps are expected. Nonetheless, a greater research effort is needed to distinguish the true absence of economic cost from gaps in cost detectionespecially for those species known to cause detrimental ecological impacts.

And as shown, investments in preventive measures can be an important money-saving measure for the public over the long term, compared to reactive control approaches once a species has successfully invaded.

We propose the compilation of national lists for species facing import and selling bans, better screening for potentially harmful species and a more comprehensive effort to obtain information on the actual and species-specific costs. Our research highlights the importance of these measures to prevent future immense economic costs.

Explore further Costs of amphibian and reptile invasions exceeded US$17 billion between 1986 and 2020

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Swiss playwright Antoinette Rychner's work L'enfant, mode d'emploi envisions a world where children are like commodities that can be customized and ordered online.

This science fiction story tells of a young couple's struggle while expecting their first child, in particular the different levels of concern and quandary experienced by the two.

At the recent Sound and Fury Play Reading Festival in Beijing, the audience gathered at an exhibition hall of the U2 by Ullens Center for Contemporary Art to watch the actors, with scripts in hand, giving a performance of the play's Chinese rendition.

"In this setting, supposedly it should not be difficult to achieve gender equality within a family," says Chen Ran, director of the play and co-curator of the festival. "But as the story progresses, the audience will see how the age-old division of labor in families influences this couple."

In June 2021, the team hosted a one-week translation workshop on Swiss plays, where the directors, Swiss playwrights, more than 40 translators of French and German and a dozen actors and actresses together discussed the scripts via video conferencing.

At the workshop, Chen learned that Rychner wrote the script based on her personal experience of giving birth and raising children, who also highlighted that in Swiss families, mothers usually need to reduce their working hours after giving birth.

"Apart from answering our questions, she generously shared with us her life experience, that she gave birth to her first child at the age of 19, which required her to 'grow up' overnight. And when she was writing this play, she was pregnant with her second child," Chen says.

Rychner also showed a great interest in the team's opinions on having children, team members' personal experiences, and China's relevant policies.

Chen says the works she chooses to stage are always related to the social issues she is interested in. The play is based on the writer's individual experience and the issues discussed in it are relevant to Chinese society.

The play-reading festival started in 2018 as a platform for scriptwriters and theater practitioners, aimed at building an environment where young talent can generate and exchange ideas.

This year, the festival was hosted at the U2 by UCCA from Aug 12 to 14, with support from the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and One-Way Street, a Chinese literary periodical.

Four representative contemporary plays from Switzerland were presented during the festival, covering the themes of life and death, feminist utopia, childbearing and aging.

While focusing on the script, Sound and Fury's productions strive for the integrity of live performances.

Instead of merely listening to the script being read, the audience can watch the director's rendition and get a feel for a complete production via the performances.

"Our performances are very close to a full-scale theater production. They are demos, concentrating more on the ideas rather than the production. The purpose is cultural exchange, to introduce the latest international theater scripts to the Chinese audience in an efficient way," Chen says.

According to her, each year Sound and Fury attracts a number of theaters, troupes, production companies and practitioners. Some works that were well-received have been selected by organizations and presented as complete theater productions.

"This seemingly simple and crude combination of script-reading and performance maximizes the power of the script that goes to permeate the entire space, so that the audience can access the core issues without being confused by the styles of performances or the techniques of the directors," theater critic Shui Jing says.

Over the past five years, the team of Sound and Fury has been hosting events, including play-reading performances, lectures in playwriting, translation workshops and screenings.

The performances were livestreamed in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Chen Si'an, artistic director of the festival, the team is working on conducting a writing group for young dramatists next year, who will work together for a period of six to eight months.

It will also continue to host translation workshops to facilitate exchanges among different theater roles and cultural backgrounds.

"What we can do is to create a small but lively creative community, where playwrights and theater practitioners can exercise their talents in a free, tolerant, uninhibited and cooperative atmosphere," Chen Si'an says.
Measurement of the height of Kebnekaise's southern peak on September 9, 2022. Photo: Tarfala Research Station. Credit: Tarfala Research Station

Since September 2019, Sweden has had a new official highest point. Researchers at Stockholm University's research station in Tarfala established that the southern peak of the Kebnekaise mountain, at 2095.6 meters, was now lower than the northern peak, with a height of 2096.8 meters. Scientists had long predicted that the south peak, consisting of a snow-covered glacier, would shrink due to the warmer climate, and thus fall below the height of the north peak, the summit of which consists of rock, which does not change in elevation.

The annual measurement of the height of Kebnekaise's southern peak was carried out on September 9, 2022. The elevation was measured as 2094.6 meters above sea level, the same height as measured at the end of the summer 2021.

"In contrast to reports on extreme glacier mass loss in the Alps, glacier mass loss in Sweden was moderate during the summer of 2022, and Kebnekaise's southern peak was able to maintain its elevation," says Nina Kirchner, director of Tarfala Research Station (TRS) at Stockholm University.

The annual measurement of the southern peak is carried out by staff from TRS, who this year climbed the southern peak instead of visiting it by helicopter. "Species found here in the Arctic are already living in difficult conditions and climate change adds extra pressure on them. The climate crisis can be seen as an evolutionary process, created by humans, and we do our best to avoid escalating it," explains Annika Granebeck, operative station manager at TRS.

TRS is also responsible for reporting mass balance data from Swedish glaciers to the World Glacier Monitoring Service in Switzerland, where information about the state of glaciers worldwide is gathered.

"While 2022 again saw a continued trend of negative mass balance among the glaciers studied by TRS, mass losses were subdued compared to recent years. We thus hoped to find little change at the southern peak, too, and are happy to confirm this with our measurement," adds Jamie Barnett, research engineer at TRS.
Greenland ice cap. Credit: Photo: Doc Searls

Around the planet, ice is rapidly disappearing. From mountain tops, the poles, the seas, and the tundra. As the ice melts, it's exposing new surfaces, new opportunities, and new threatsincluding valuable mineral deposits, archaeological relics, novel viruses, and more.

Melting glaciers and sea ice

The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, and this means that glaciers, which sit on land, and sea ice, which floats on the ocean surface, are melting rapidly. Two-thirds of Arctic Sea ice has disappeared since 1958 when it was first measured. Between 2000 and 2019, the world's glaciers lost 267 billon tons of ice each year. Himalayan glaciers are on a trajectory to lose one-third of their ice by 2100, and Alpine glaciers are projected to lose half of theirs.

"I can tell you from our research that the bedrock underneath the ice will become exposed at a much higher speed than we think," said Joerg Schaefer, a climate geochemist at the Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory who is researching the Greenland ice sheet. "All of the predictions are way too conservative in terms of changethe change will be much faster. That's true globally. But Greenland might be one of the areas where these predictions of ice change are way, way, way too conservative because of a variety of climate factors."

Because of the global warming human activity has already caused, Greenland's melting will cause sea levels to rise 10.6 inches, according to a new study. This amount of melting is already locked in, said the study authors. They added that 10.6 inches is a low estimate; if emissions continue and Greenland's record-breaking melting of 2012 becomes the norm, we could be facing 30 inches or more of sea level rise. The loss of ice from the West and East Antarctic ice sheets and from other glaciers would add to this.

The resulting potential sea level rise would spell disaster for the 680 million people who live in low-lying coastal areas around the world, a number expected to top one billion by 2050.

What lies under melting ice?

Fossil fuels and precious metals

Until recently, most exploitation of the Arctic's oil and gas resources were on land. But summer ice cover in the Arctic could disappear as early as 2035, making the region more accessible to ships and providing new opportunities for fossil fuel extraction and mining.

The United States Geological Survey has estimated that about 30% of the world's undiscovered gas and 13% of the world's undiscovered oil may be found north of the Arctic Circle, mostly offshore in the ocean. In addition to these fossil fuels, the U.S. Congressional Research Service estimated that the Arctic contains one trillion dollars' worth of precious metals and minerals.

The southwestern tip of Greenland. Credit: Photo: Doc Searles

Greenland has deposits of coal, copper, gold, nickel, cobalt, rare-earth metals, and zinc. As the melting ice uncovers land that has been inaccessible for thousands of years, prospectors are moving in.

Schaefer's research involves sampling underneath Greenland's ice and using isotope tools to figure out when the area was last ice-free in order to identify the most vulnerable segments of the Greenland ice sheet. He is often questioned by mineral consortiums. "They just want to know what is underneath the ice sheet. "Send us your rocks, we need to know what minerals are in there. And when is it gone? Or what does it take to melt it?" They just want to get into these mineral deposits," he said.

Valuable metals are also found in the deep seabed in the Arctic and elsewhere. Potato-like nodules on the Arctic Ocean floor contain copper, nickel, and rare earths such as scandium, used in the aerospace industry. Norway is exploring deep sea mining of the ocean floor to exploit deposits of copper, zinc, cobalt, gold, and silver. The International Seabed Authority has already approved 30 contracts for seabed exploration.

Mining the ocean floor could cause serious harm to marine ecosystems, including to the plankton that are the basis of the food chain. And while deep sea mining companies claim their environmental impacts are less than those of land mining, much of the deep sea and its ecosystems remain largely unexplored. Several companies and environmental groups are calling for a global moratorium on deep seabed mining until its environmental impacts are better understood.

However, avoiding the worst impacts of climate change means transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, which requires large quantities of minerals. As much as three billion tons of metalsincluding lithium, nickel, manganese, cobalt, copper, silicon, silver, zinc, iron ore, and aluminummay be needed for technologies such as batteries for electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels, and other clean energy technologies. The World Bank estimates that the production of minerals could increase by nearly 500% by 2050 to meet the growing demand for renewable energy technologies.

One ecologically sound alternative to mining the exposed land or deep seabed would be to extract valuable metals from recycled electronic waste, but the reality is that only about 20% of e-waste is recycledthe rest is discarded. In any case, more precious metals than are currently in circulation will be needed to supply materials for the transition to clean energy. As a member of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition said, "You can't recycle what you don't have."

More shipping

Melting sea ice has opened up waterways in the Arctic, enabling shipping to increase by 25% between 2013 and 2019.

As more oil tankers and bulk carriers traverse the region, the result has also been an 85% increase in black carbon mainly from their use of heavy fuel oil. When black carbona form of air pollution that results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuelslands on snow or ice, it darkens it and hastens melting. Black carbon also causes respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses in humans. The U.N.'s International Maritime Organization has banned the use of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic, but the ban won't go into effect until 2029.

With the melting summer ice, cruise tourism is also increasing. In 2016, the first large cruise ship traversed the Arctic and stopped at Nome, AK. This summer, 27 cruise ships were scheduled to dock there. More cruise ships mean more carbon emissions that blacken the ice and disrupt marine ecosystems.

Permafrost thawing near the Yukon. Credit: Photo: Boris Radosavljevic

Thawing permafrost

Global warming is also causing the thawing of permafrostground that remains frozen for two or more consecutive years. It is found at high latitudes and high altitudes, mainly in Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau, Alaska, Northern Canada, Greenland, parts of Scandinavia and Russia. Permafrost, some of which has been frozen for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, stores the carbon-based remains of plants and animals that froze before they could decompose. Scientists estimate that the world's permafrost holds 1,500 billion tons of carbon, almost double the amount of carbon currently in the atmosphere. As permafrost thaws, the microbes within consume the frozen organic matter and release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. This accelerates warming, precipitating even more permafrost thaw in an irreversible cycle. Scientists project that two-thirds of the Arctic's near-surface permafrost could be gone by 2100.

When the ice in permafrost melts, the ground becomes unstable and can slump, causing rock and landslides, floods, and coastal erosion. The buckling earth can damage buildings, roads, power lines, and other infrastructure. It is affecting many Indigenous communities that have lived and depended on the stability of frozen permafrost for hundreds of years.

What lies under thawing permafrost?

Microbes

As permafrost thaws, bacteria and viruses that have been hidden underground for tens of thousands of years are being uncovered. One gram of permafrost was found to harbor thousands of dormant microbe species. Some of these species could be new viruses or ancient ones for which humans lack immunity and cures, or diseases that society has eliminated, such as smallpox or Bubonic plague. In 2016, a hundred people in Siberia were hospitalized and a boy died after contracting anthrax from an infected reindeer carcass that had frozen 75 years earlier and become exposed when the permafrost thawed. Anthrax spores entered the soil and water, and eventually the food supply.

Much older specimens have also been uncovered. Scientists have revived a 30,000-year-old virus that infects amoebas and discovered microbes more than 400,000 years old. Some of these microorganisms may already be resistant to our antibiotics.

Pollutants

Because the Arctic has been covered by ice and permafrost for much of human history and was largely inaccessible, it was an ideal place to dump chemicals, biohazards, and even radioactive materials. The risks these materials pose in the light of thawing permafrost are poorly understood.

Radioactive waste from nuclear reactors and submarines, nuclear testing, and dumped nuclear waste can be exposed by melting ice and thawing permafrost. Chemicals and pollutants, such as DDT and PCBs, that were transported through the atmosphere and frozen in the permafrost, may also resurface. Heavy metal mine waste resulting from decades of extensive mining in the Arctic is found in permafrost as well.

Melting ice sheet in Greenland. Credit: Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The increased water flow resulting from thawing permafrost will enable pollutants and microorganisms to spread more easily, with potential risks to ecosystems, local communities, and the food chain. The increase in cruise ships, tourism, mining, and commerce in the Arctic could also expose more people to pathogens and pollutants.

Is there anything positive about melting glaciers and thawing permafrost?

There are many disasters that could result from melting glaciers and thawing permafrost, but there may also be a few potential benefits.

One study found that the new shipping routes opened by melting ice in the Arctic could reduce the travel time between Asia and Europe substantially. The Arctic routes are 30 to 50 percent shorter than the Suez Canal and Panama Canal routes and can cut travel time by 14 to 20 days. Ships will thus be able to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 24 percent, while saving money on fuel and ship wear and tear.

New mining opportunities in previously inaccessible areas and in the deep sea will make it possible to obtain the quantities of rare and precious metals needed to transition to a clean energy economy. The chairman of the Metals Company said, "The reality is that the clean-energy transition is not possible without taking billions of tons of metal from the planet."

The microbes and viruses that have lived in the permafrost for millennia had to develop many adaptations to withstand the harsh environment and may help to develop new antibiotics. To survive, bacteria competed with each other by producing antibiotics, some of which may be entirely new. While some microbes have been found to be antibiotic resistant, others might be able to help develop new antibiotics for medical use. In Arctic soil uncovered by thawing permafrost, scientists discovered new bacteriophagesbacteria eaterseach one of which consumes a different bacterium.

Researchers found one bacterium that could survive in cold and biodegrade oil in contaminated Arctic soil; the bacterium was able to take up 60 percent of the oil around it. This could potentially help clean up oil spills in the Arctic. Two other bacteria species recovered from thawing permafrost were found to degrade dioxins and furans, volatile liquids, which could aid in remediating contaminated sites. One researcher is studying whether organisms in permafrost can produce enzymes that break down plastics.

The melting ice and thawing permafrost have also revealed geography and ancient artifacts that are deepening archaeologists' understanding of history and culture. In the mountains of Norway, melting ice revealed a remote ancient mountain pass and artifacts from the Roman Iron Age and the time of the Vikings. The pass was an important path for moving livestock between grazing sites and a passageway for travel and trade. Researchers also found numerous tools, artifacts, and weapons that had belonged to the Vikings. In the Jotunheimen Mountain Range of Norway, archaeologists discovered an iron arrowhead dating back to the Norwegian Iron Age.

This year, when Antarctic sea ice cover hit a record low, researchers in the Weddell Sea, a remote part of the Antarctic, were searching for the wreckage of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship, Endurance. It had been trapped by the sea ice and sunk in 1915.

They were able to find the ship almost 9,900 feet underwater, due in part to reduced ice cover.

Map of the Arctic. Credit: Photo: Rosie Rosenberger

In the thawing permafrost of the Yukon, scientists found a perfectly preserved wolf pup that lived 57,000 years ago during the Ice Age, camel bones from 75,000 to 125,000 years ago, and teeth from a hyena-like creature that lived 850,000 to 1.4 million years ago. Because the specimens are well-preserved and contain genetic material, they can help scientists understand how species responded to climate change and human impacts long ago.

As the planet warms, some countries and regions will lose out, while others will benefit. For example, Siberia will likely become a huge wheat producer, and Canada a major wine producer.

Greenland's economy currently relies on fishing, tourism, and hunting but it will need to exploit its natural resources to support an aging population. The sand and sediment released by Greenland's melting glaciers could be worth more than $1.11 billion because the world faces a severe shortage of the sand needed to make concrete, computers, and glass. While dredging sand and transporting it could cause environmental damage, a clear majority of Greenlanders polled want their government to explore the extraction and exportation of sand.

As Greenland's glaciers retreat, they also leave behind silt crushed into nano-size particles by the weight of the ice. This nutrient-rich mud, called glacial rock flour, gives plants more access to nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and silicon, while absorbing CO 2 from the air. Adding 27.5 tons of glacial rock flour per hectare increased barley yields in Denmark by 30 percent. Applying 1.1 tons of it to fields absorbs between 250 and 300 kilograms of CO 2 . The more than one billion tons of glacial rock flour deposited yearly on Greenland could enable farmers to sell carbon credits because of the CO 2 absorbed, and boost the country's economy.

The changes raise complex questions

Ultimately, these relatively small potential benefits cannot outweigh the enormous impacts climate change will have on local communities and the planet. "Do I believe that these kinds of changes [mining and shipping opportunities] are translating into something positive for the broader society on the planet? Absolutely not," said Schaefer. "[They] will further enrich an already incredibly rich tiny minority of capitalists."

Eight countries claim territory in the Arctic: Canada, Denmark (because Greenland was its former colony), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States, some with overlapping geological claims. As the region warms, and new opportunities for exploitation arise, "near-Arctic" countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Britain, and EU members are becoming more focused on the region as well. Intelligence analyst Rebekah Koffler has warned, "The Arctic is going to be the future battlefield for economic dominance and possession of natural resources."

It is a geological reality that as ice melts and permafrost thaws, many surfaces will get exposed. Schaefer believes the best thing to do is to tighten laws so that outsiders or wealthy private companies cannot simply exploit resources without any responsibility to the planet or the people who own the land.

The question of who will benefit from climate change impacts, and from the melting and thawing regions in particular, is complicated. Schaefer believes these issues are moving away from climate science and into law and ethics, and that perhaps the best framework for resolving them is to prioritize climate justice. He said, "The voices and votes of the people who live there and own the land need to be at the center of everything."

Explore further Minimal evidence of permafrost carbon in Siberia's Kolyma River

This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu.
Published in Physical Review Letters and a special issue of Classical Quantum Gravity on September 14, the final results from the MICROSCOPE mission measured accelerations of free-falling objects in a satellite orbiting Earth. The team found that the accelerations of pairs of objects differed by no more than about one part in 10^15, ruling out any violations of the Weak Equivalence Principle or deviations from the current understanding of general relativity at that level. Credit: (c) ONERA

In new studies published in Physical Review Letters and a special issue of Classical and Quantum Gravity on September 14, a team of researchers present the most precise test yet of the Weak Equivalence Principle, a key component of the theory of general relativity. The report describes the final results from the MICROSCOPE mission, which tested the principle by measuring accelerations of free-falling objects in a satellite orbiting Earth. The team found that the accelerations of pairs of objects differed by no more than about one part in 1015 ruling out any violations of the Weak Equivalence Principle or deviations from the current understanding of general relativity at that level.

"We have new and much better constraints for any future theory, because these theories must not violate the equivalence principle at this level," says Gilles Metris, a scientist at Cote d'Azur Observatory and member of the MICROSCOPE team.

The theory of general relativity, published by Albert Einstein in 1915, describes how gravity works and relates to time and space. But because it does not account for the observations of quantum phenomena, researchers look for deviations from the theory at increasing levels of precision and in various situations. Such violations would suggest new interactions or forces that could unite relativity with quantum physics. Testing the Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP) is one way to look for potential expansions to general relativity.

Credit: (c) ONERA

According to the WEP, objects in a gravitational field fall in the same way when no other forces are acting on them, even if they have different masses or compositions. To test the principle, the MICROSCOPE team designed their experiment to measure the Eotvos ratiowhich relates the accelerations of two free-falling objectsto an extremely high precision. If the acceleration of one object differs from the other's by more than about one part in 1015, the experiment would measure it and detect this violation of the WEP.

To measure the Eotvos ratio, the researchers monitored the accelerations of platinum and titanium alloy test masses as they orbited Earth in the MICROSCOPE satellite. The experimental instrument used electrostatic

forces to keep pairs of test masses in the same position relative to each other and looked for potential differences in these forces, which would indicate differences in the objects' accelerations.

A major challenge of the experiment was finding ways to test the instrument on Earth to make sure it would work as designed in space. "The difficulty is that the instrument we launch cannot operate on the ground," says Manuel Rodrigues, a scientist at the French aerospace lab ONERA and member of the MICROSCOPE team. "So it's a kind of blind test."

The MICROSCOPE mission tested the Weak Equivalence Principle by measuring accelerations of free-falling objects in a satellite orbiting Earth. Researchers found that the accelerations of pairs of objects differed by no more than about one part in 1015, ruling out any violations of the Weak Equivalence Principle or deviations from the current understanding of general relativity at that level. The final results will be published in Physical Review Letters and a special issue of Classical and Quantum Gravity on September 14. Credit: (c) CNES 2015

Once the instrument was ready, the team launched it in 2016. They released preliminary results in 2017, but they continued to analyze the data, accounting for glitches and systematic uncertainties, after the mission ended in 2018. They ultimately found no violation of the WEP, setting the most stringent constraints on the principle yet.

The team's work paves the way for even more precise tests of the WEP with satellite experiments. Their analysis includes ways to improve the experimental setup, like reducing crackles in the satellites coating that affected acceleration measurements and replacing wires in the setup with contactless devices. A satellite experiment that implements these upgrades should be able to measure potential violations of the WEP at the level of one part in 1017, the researchers say. But the MICROSCOPE results will likely remain the most precise constraints on the WEP for a while.

"For at least one decade or maybe two, we don't see any improvement with a space satellite experiment," Rodrigues says.

More information: MICROSCOPE mission: final results of the test of the Equivalence Principle, Physical Review Letters (2022). Journal information: Physical Review Letters MICROSCOPE mission: final results of the test of the Equivalence Principle,(2022). journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/  ysRevLett.129.121102
Working in the lab of Megan Ryerson (above), Ph.D. candidate Josh Davidson found that during the pandemic, bike share trip duration increased regardless of socioeconomic status. Credit: Thomas Orgren

Reliable transportation is crucial for reaching basic necessities like employment, education, and health care, but racial and economic factors often create barriers to transportation access. Many city bike-share programs concentrate infrastructure in upper-class neighborhoods, contending that there has been historically lower use of bike-share programs in low-income communities.

A new study led by Penn's Stuart Weitzman School of Design questions this assumption, finding that people in low-income neighborhoods of Philadelphia increased their bike-share usage during the pandemic as much as the general population.

The study, published in the Journal of the Transportation Research Board, analyzed how different geographical populations used bike-share services before and after onset of the coronavirus lockdowns. The researchers found that after March of 2020, the average length of these bike trips in Philadelphia increased regardless of socioeconomic status (SES). These findings support the notion that low SES populations may be just as likely to utilize bike shares as higher SES populations.

The effects of the pandemic lockdowns were like "experiments in the streets" for transportation researchers, says Josh Davidson, a Penn Ph.D. candidate in city and regional planning and senior author on the study. "All these different ideas that people had talked about doing for years"closing roads to cars and using bikes instead, for instance"suddenly just started happening."

Davidson primarily studies transportation, and his dissertation focuses on how circumstances beyond people's control affect their commuting patterns. With guidance from city and regional planning and electrical and systems engineering professor Megan S. Ryerson, Davidson wanted to see how the pandemic had influenced bike-share usage and whether that influence fell along racial or economic lines.

Using data from Indego, a Philadelphia bike-sharing company that has long worked to prioritize services in low SES neighborhoods, Davidson and three undergraduates in the Center for Safe Mobility calculated the daily average duration of bike trips in 17 different city planning districts. According to census data, these districts closely mirror racial and economic demographics. By following which city planning district a trip occurred in, the researchers could reasonably estimate its rider's SES.

An interrupted time series approacha statistical method that analyzes long-term data before and after a major interruptionrevealed that "at the start of the pandemic, there was a huge spike in bike-share trip duration," says Shriya Karam, a fourth-year in the School of Engineering and Applied Science from Nashville, and one of four undergraduate student co-authors on the paper. Across Philadelphia, the duration of bike-share rides rose an average of 7 to 12 minutes.

This increase was observed regardless of city planning district and provides evidence that bike-share programs offered resilient backup public transportation when other forms, like buses and subways, felt unsafe or weren't available, the study found.

These results challenge the long-held assumption that low SES populations are less likely to use bike-share programs. "In the literature, bike shares were characterized to be used by a very specific audience, which was white, upper-income, and male," says Stephanie Nam. Nam, who is in the School of Arts & Sciences and from Long Beach, California, has worked for two years in Ryerson's Center for Safe Mobility. Questioning such notions is essential for building an equitable society, says Penn Engineering student co-author Fatima Koroma, from Olney, Maryland.

"Transportation is more than just getting from point A to point B," she says. "It's about accessing school, accessing jobs, and maintaining a consistent lifestyle."

The research team says this work has implications for how city planners and bike-share operators should build transportation infrastructure. "What I would like planners to think about," Ryerson says, "is how allocating resources based on historical use continues to perpetuate the biases in our transportation systems."

Expanding bike-share services into lower-income areas could be a start, Davidson says. "This system has an enormous amount of potential to make a lot of people's lives a lot better."

Explore further Bike commuting accelerated when bike-share systems rolled into town

More information: Joshua H. Davidson et al, New Equity Inputs to Prioritize Bikeshare Infrastructure Allocation: Learning From the COVID-19 Period, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board (2022). Joshua H. Davidson et al, New Equity Inputs to Prioritize Bikeshare Infrastructure Allocation: Learning From the COVID-19 Period,(2022). DOI: 10.1177/03611981221098390
According to a recent analysis, the Green Revolution narrative was based on a misinterpretation of a case study in Guatemala. Credit: Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT / Manon Koningstein

One of the founding narratives of the Green Revolution (a push towards technology-driven modernization of agriculture starting over 50 years ago) has been found to be false, according to a recent analysis by a researcher at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.

The Green Revolution is often credited with tripling production of staple crops while using only 30% more cultivated land in the latter half of the 20th century, largely through the use of technology like breeding higher yielding plant varieties and the application of pesticides and fertilizers.

Policy thinkers paved the way for the Green Revolution and as part of his 1964 book, Transforming Traditional Agriculture, Nobel Prize-winning economist Ted Schultz told the story of Maya Kaqchikel farmers growing onions and other crops in the delta of a small river and the surrounding hills in Panajachel, Guatemala. He used this tale of a technologically-stagnant rural village fully embedded in a market economy to support his global vision of technology-centered agricultural development. For Schultz, this village was a well-documented example of a much wider trend in global agriculture.

This story, Jacob van Etten, Principal Scientist and Director of the Digital Inclusion research program at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, said, became the narrative basis of the Green Revolution, along with the population growth and food security aspects from Norman Borlaug, who also helped to develop the dwarf strain of wheat that dramatically increased crop yields.

Van Etten said that by revisiting the history and context of the 1930s, it became clear that Schultz had "got the story wrong" and that new narratives about the Green Revolution should reserve a much more important place for institutional change in agricultural development.

In his paper, Revisiting the adequacy of the economic policy narrative underpinning the Green Revolution, published in the journal Agriculture and Human Values, van Etten showed that Schultz deliberately tried to hide that the village's Mayan farmers were not challenged in technological terms and were able to reach relatively high economic returns.

"I hadn't expected this What I thought I would find would be that the story only represents one kind of experience in agriculture, but actually it's not even about this village, it's a story about Schultz's version of the village that influenced the world," van Etten said, "and it's a wrong story."

The researcher explained that Schultz presented a distorted narrative which painted a picture of a population held back by a lack of access to modern varieties and fertilizers.

"What limited farms in that village wasn't technology, it was access to land, to markets, to credit," van Etten said, adding that Schultz's parable ignored ethnic tensions dominating market exchange, a main barrier for agricultural development.

Lessons for the future of agricultural research

In the paper, van Etten explained that Schultz told his own story rather than the narrative-as-lived of the farmers he portrayed and as a result, the Panajachel story neglected the institutional and ethnic reasons behind the farmers' struggles harnessing technological change.

The reason why it matters, van Etten said, is that these founding myths continue to influence how researchers and the general public perceive the Green Revolution.

"It helps to look back at history and look at the Green Revolution as a broad process of change that was not only about crop seeds and fertilizers," he said, adding that for example, historian Kapil Subramanian found in a 2015 study that the Green Revolution's impact on productivity in India did not only rely on improved varieties.

There were also major infrastructural investments in rural electricity to power irrigation pumps, as well as strong government management of markets for inputs, credit and food grains.

According to van Etten, agricultural development is not just about technology but about a mix of things, in which markets and other institutions play the most important part.

"Our founding myth might be wrong, but if it gained influence, it was because of human choices," van Etten said, "These choices become enshrined in the way we run research organizations, but we can take a new course in defining the goals of where we should go next."

In addition, van Etten said that much of the work of CGIAR is already correcting old technology-centric thinking.

"We take a critical look at the delivery of new technologies, gender and inequality aspects, and look beyond technologies to policies and institutions," van Etten said, "Being aware about our own history helps to remove blinkers."

Another lesson was that in Panajachel, far from stagnation, there was a traditional knowledge base that was innovative in its own way.

"A lot of innovation was happening... The local varieties are not just the result of 10,000 years of slow work and in Panajachel, farmers got seeds from all over the place and tried them on their farms," van Etten said.

As agricultural research moves into a new phase, van Etten said, it's important to give farmers and their communities more agency to mix new technological solutions with their local knowledge.

"Agricultural research can tap into local inventiveness and amplify it and Schultz was wrong in painting farmers as helpless and stagnant," van Etten said.

"But Shultz was right in claiming that agricultural research is a good public investment and it can further accelerate farmer innovation, as we need all hands on deck to deal with current challenges, such as climate change."

More information: Jacob van Etten, Revisiting the adequacy of the economic policy narrative underpinning the Green Revolution, Agriculture and Human Values (2022). Jacob van Etten, Revisiting the adequacy of the economic policy narrative underpinning the Green Revolution,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s10460-022-10325-2

Provided by The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Study area showing the mesic, oasis, and xeric landscape with their surface features; red stars in each landscape indicate the weather station used for the model validation. Credit: Hydrology (2022). DOI: 10.3390/hydrology9060104

As Las Vegas and other Southwestern cities look for ways to reduce water use during a historic drought, the removal of grass lawns and other areas of "nonfunctional turf" has been recommended by the Southern Nevada Water Authority and written into Nevada state law with AB356. But, will this change from turf-grass to other landscaping types result in other unintended climate impacts in urban areas, such as increased air or surface temperatures?

In a new study in the journal Hydrology, a team of scientists from DRI, Arizona State University (ASU), and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), examined the irrigation water requirements of three common types of urban landscapes. Then, they compared air temperature, surface temperature, and wind speed around the three sites to learn how differences in landscape types impact their surrounding environment.

The three landscape types analyzed in the study were a "mesic" tree and turf-grass landscape with water-intensive plants; a "xeric" landscape consisting primarily of desert plants on drip irrigation; and an intermediate "oasis" landscape type with a mix of high-and low water use plants. The sites were located around buildings in an experimental study area at ASU in Phoenix.

As expected, the mesic (tree and turf-grass) landscape showed the highest water consumption rate. However, the mesic site also had the lowest surface and air temperatures, both in the daytime and nighttime, thus creating better conditions for outdoor thermal comfort.

The site with xeric (desert) landscaping had the lowest irrigation water requirement but the highest temperatures. Air temperatures in the xeric landscape plot averaged 3oC (5.4oF) higher than in the other two landscape types.

The oasis landscape, with a mix of high- and low-water use plants, provided the best of both worldslower irrigation water requirements than the mesic site but more daytime cooling than the xeric landscape.

"The simple take-home message from what we learned was that xeric (desert) landscaping is not the best long-term solution and neither is mesic (tree-turf)," said the study's lead author Rubab Saher, Ph.D., Maki postdoctoral research associate at DRI. "An 'oasis' style landscape, which contains trees like Acacia or ghost gum, and shrubs like dwarf poinciana, requiring light irrigation, are the best solution, because it conserves water but also contributes to cooling through the evapotranspiration of the plants."

The study also examined the role of buildings and open sky to understand the effect of shade on the landscape. They found that shade in the narrow space between buildings created shade of comparable temperature to that under a tree in a mesic landscape and are interested in doing follow-up studies to learn more about the impact of building orientation on maximizing summer shade.

"I became interested in this topic because urban irrigation and water efficient landscaping are really important issues in the Western U.S., but haven't been studied very thoroughly," said Saher. "People have been applying methods for calculating irrigation from agricultural fields, but urban areas are very different landscapes, and the ways that homeowners irrigate are very unpredictable."

The authors hope that their findings are helpful to homeowners, city planners, or anyone trying to help conserve water but prevent warming temperatures in arid urban regions.

"Removing turf grass from the landscape is an excellent approach for saving water, but if we remove all the turf grass, the temperature will go up," Saher said. "For every acre of turf grass removed, we also need to plant native and/or rainfed trees to make arid cities livable in the long run."

Explore further Evapotranspiration in an arid environment

More information: Rubab Saher et al, Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes, Hydrology (2022). Rubab Saher et al, Assessing the Microclimate Effects and Irrigation Water Requirements of Mesic, Oasis, and Xeric Landscapes,(2022). DOI: 10.3390/hydrology9060104
University of Michigan research scientist Andrew McKelvey inspects a prototype vacuum compatible mirror mount inside the ZEUS laser facility on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The newly constructed facility will be home to the most powerful laser in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Mike Householder

A newly constructed University of Michigan facility that will be home to the most powerful laser in the United States is hosting its first experiment this week as the nation seeks to become competitive again in the realm of high-power laser facilities.

The experiment will be conducted at ZEUSshort for Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser Systemby researchers from the University of California, Irvine. They traveled to Ann Arbor as part of their study of extremely intense interactions of light and matter, and how such interactions can be harnessed to shrink particle accelerators.

At the height of its power, ZEUS will be a 3-petawatt laser.

Three petawatts is "3 with 15 zeroes after it," said Louise Willingale, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Michigan.

And "3 petawatts is 3,000 times more powerful than the U.S. power grid," she said.

Michigan was awarded $18.5 million by the National Science Foundation to establish ZEUS as a federally funded international user facility.

Initially, the facilityhoused in a building that is home to U-M's Gerard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciencewill host research teams conducting experiments that use a fraction of the laser's full power potential. The system gradually will ramp up, and ZEUS is expected to begin its signature experiments in the fall of 2023.

University of Michigan research scientist Andrew McKelvey inspects a prototype vacuum compatible mirror mount inside the ZEUS laser facility on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The newly constructed facility will be home to the most powerful laser in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Mike Householder

The U.S. built the world's first petawatt laser a quarter-century ago, but hasn't kept pace with more ambitious systems in Europe and Asia. While ZEUS doesn't feature the same raw power as its contemporaries overseas, its approach will simulate a laser that is roughly 1 million times more powerful than its 3 petawatts.

ZEUS primarily will study extreme plasmas, a state of matter in which the electrons have enough energy to escape atoms, creating a sea of charged particles. Nearly all of the seen universe is made of plasma. The sun is an example of a plasma.

Experiments are expected to contribute to the understanding of how the universe operates at the subatomic level and materials change on rapid timescales. Scientists also hope they lead to the development of smaller and more compact particle accelerators for medical imaging and treatment.

ZEUS will "have a huge range of applications across science, technology, engineering and medicine," Willingale said.

Proposals to use ZEUS will be evaluated by an external panel comprised of scientists and engineers. Because of the NSF funding, there will be no cost to users whose experiment proposals are selected to conduct research, beyond providing their own travel costs to the facility.

The proposals will be selected on scientific merit and technical feasibility, Willingale said.

Franklin Dollar, an associate professor in Cal-Irvine's Department of Physics & Astronomy, and four UCI graduate students arrived at Michigan last week to begin preparing for their experiment.

University of Michigan research scientist Andrew McKelvey views a beam alignment camera inside the ZEUS laser facility on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The newly constructed facility will be home to the most powerful laser in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Mike Householder

"One of the major challenges in our field is access to high quality, intense laser light," Dollar said. "ZEUS will not only be the most powerful laser beam on the continent, but perhaps more importantly will provide multiple powerful beams.

"Rather than solely making highly energetic plasmas from a laser, there is a second beam which can interact with the plasma as well," he said.

ZEUS is an upgrade over the University of Michigan's 0.5-petawatt laser, known as HERCULES.

While Michigan researchers are thrilled with the birth of ZEUS, they are cognizant of how their naming conventions aren't exactly in keeping with the chronology of Greek mythology.

"HERCULES was the predecessor to ZEUS," Willingale said. "It's slightly backward, because Hercules was the son of Zeus.

"So, we're building the father after the son."

Explore further Egypt: Ruins of ancient temple for Zeus unearthed in Sinai

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Geospatial distribution of the violence index in relation to company tax delinquency. Credit: PLOS ONE (2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273718

Negligent landlordsthose who allow their properties to become dilapidated despite having tenantsare a significant predictor of violence in Richmond neighborhoods, even more than personal property tax delinquency, population density, income levels and other factors, according to a new study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University.

"Negligent landlords contribute significantly to violence in Richmond neighborhoods via the environment," said lead author Samuel West, Ph.D., an alum of the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences and an assistant professor of psychology at Virginia State University. "This impact was above and beyond the impact of those who live in these neighborhoods in terms of the state of their respective properties."

West and other researchers at VCU collected data on violence events, tax delinquency of company-owned properties (such as rental homes and apartments), tax delinquency of personal properties, population density, race, income, food stamps and alcohol outlets for each of Richmond's 148 neighborhoods.

Tax delinquency of company-owned properties was the only variable that predicted violence in all but four of Richmond's 148 neighborhoods.

The researchers replicated the analysis using violence data for a different time period and found the same result.

"The key finding here was that the company delinquency was a stronger or more important correlate of violence than personal delinquency," said West, who initiated the project while serving as a postdoctoral researcher with the Injury and Violence Prevention Program at VCU Health.

The study, "Comparing Forms of Neighborhood Instability as Predictors of Violence in Richmond, VA," was published in PLOS One.

In addition to West, the study was authored by Diane L. Bishop, an instructor in the Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health in the School of Medicine; Derek Chapman, Ph.D., interim director for research at the VCU Center on Society and Health and an assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health; and Nicholas Thomson, Ph.D., director of research for the Injury and Violence Prevention Program at VCU Health Trauma Center.

The findings are consistent with previous research that suggests "slumlord buyout programs" are tied to reduced violence in cities, West said. For example, a program in Philadelphia purchased neglected properties in the East Liberty neighborhood and provided them to community residents to renovate and rehabilitate. It led to a decline in violence over a sustained period of time, West said.

"Although we acknowledge this would be a massive effort, the data do support the use of such programs to curb violence among other social difficulties," West said. "I believe that Richmond is a perfect place to attempt a program like this at a larger scale than was done in Philadelphia (i.e., a single neighborhood)."

There are no laws in Virginia protecting tenants from eviction if their landlord loses their rental property to state property auction, West said. In Richmond, along with most medium to large cities, delinquent properties are seized and auctioned off to recoup costs, he said.

"When this happens, the winners of the auction are typically given carte blanche to decide what to do with the tenants as they no longer have a valid contractual agreement," he said. "This aspect greatly endangers the residential stability of our neighborhoods."

West was inspired to explore this topic through his observation of dilapidated buildings next to new construction in Richmond.

"Given the preponderance of real estate development and the aggressive housing market in Richmond, it seemed important to better understand how these seemingly inane facets of our society may impact some of our deepest problems," he said.

The researchers hope their findings will contribute to a growing perspective by scholars that research should break away from the traditional view that members of a community hold the majority of the blame for violence that occurs there.

"Our work, along with other recent research, emphasizes that we need to be examining and addressing the impacts of forces from outside high-violence communities that carry such major consequences," West said.

He added, however, that individual autonomy might also be considered a key factor.

"Social psychologists place a major emphasis on autonomy as a psychological need. In the case of a negligent landlord, the tenant(s) may live in a constant state of highly salient violations of their own autonomy which may further undermine attempts to improve the conditions of their own communities," he said. "As evinced by the East Liberty project from Philadelphia, when this autonomy is restored, it is used in a productive fashion such that it improves the quality of life and safety of all in their communities through restoring their collective efficacy."

Explore further Understanding neighborhood dynamics associated with gun violence during COVID-19

More information: Samuel J. West et al, Comparing forms of neighborhood instability as predictors of violence in Richmond, VA, PLOS ONE (2022). Journal information: PLoS ONE Samuel J. West et al, Comparing forms of neighborhood instability as predictors of violence in Richmond, VA,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273718
(a) Phylogenetic definition of the strata used in the analyses for A. thaliana (top) and D. melanogaster (bottom). The number of genes mapped to each clade is shown. (b) Relationship between the rate of protein evolution (), nonadaptive nonsynonymous substitutions (na), and adaptive nonsynonymous substitutions (a) with gene age in A. thaliana (top) and in D. melanogaster (bottom). Clades are ordered according to (a). In D. melanogaster, the results for X-linked, autosomal, and total genes are shown. Mean values of , na, and a for each category are represented with the black points. Error bars denote for the 95% confidence interval for each category, computed over 100 bootstrap replicates. Credit: PLOS Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001775

A new study from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plon and the University of Sussex in the UK shows that the age of a gene determines how fast they adapt. These findings demonstrate how gene evolution occurs as an "adaptive walk" through time.

New species arise and evolve because individuals accumulate mutations in their genome, some of which have no effect. Others lead to changes that give their carriers distinct competitive advantages. As early as 1932, Sewall Wright introduced a metaphor that inspired decades of theoretical and experimental research in evolutionary biology to describe the process of adaptation. Wright described the model of the "fitness landscape."

Here he described an evolving population as "hikers" moving towards a fitness peak. Much like a mountaineer slowly climbing to the top of a mountain. In 1998, Orr demonstrated that this "adaptive walk" follows a simple rule of diminishing returns: The further a population is from its fitness peak, the greater the steps it takes.

One prediction of this theory is that recently evolved, i.e. "young" genes tend to accumulate more adaptive mutations with greater effects than older genes because they are further away from their fitness peak. This is precisely the hypothesis that Ana Filipa Moutinho and Julien Dutheil from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, together with Adam Eyre-Walker from the University of Sussex, wanted to test.

However, testing this hypothesis proved to be quite difficult. The historical record of mutations accumulated in a gene is usually not available, and their effects on fitness are largely unknown. Moreover, other properties of genes, such as their length, can distort the effect of gene age. Therefore, the authors proposed a new approach to test the adaptive walk model of gene evolution.

First, they used population genetic models that can assess variation in the fitness effect of mutations. To do this, they compared the genomes of several individuals in a population and measured the rate of adaptive evolution in different gene categories. Likewise, they took advantage of the fact that not all genes in a genome are the same age.

Some genes are young and shared by only a few closely related species, while others are older and shared by species that separated millions of years ago. Finally, they used the distribution of mutations among genes of different ages to understand how adaptive mutations spread over time.

Using two distinct species, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the small flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana, this study showed that a gene's age significantly impacts the rate of molecular adaptation and that mutations in young genes tend to have larger effects. These results provide the first strong empirical evidence that molecular evolution follows an adaptive walk model over a deep evolutionary timescale and adds a new layer of evidence to the fitness landscape theory proposed almost 100 years ago.

The research was published in PLOS Biology.

Explore further Gene fusion as an important mechanism to generate new genes in Oryza genomes

More information: Ana Filipa Moutinho et al, Strong evidence for the adaptive walk model of gene evolution in Drosophila and Arabidopsis, PLOS Biology (2022). Journal information: PLoS Biology Ana Filipa Moutinho et al, Strong evidence for the adaptive walk model of gene evolution in Drosophila and Arabidopsis,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001775
FORT EDWARD  John Fox, who admitted setting fire to a downtown Greenwich building in February, was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan also ordered Fox to pay $500 in restitution.

Fox, 49, was indicted in March on multiple felony counts of second-degree arson, first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree criminal mischief for the Feb. 6 blaze that destroyed the Wilmarth Building, a local landmark.

The fire displaced seven residents and five businesses.

Fox was also indicted on one count of second-degree assault for injuring a guard at the Washington County Jail after his arrest. In August, Fox took a plea deal admitting to one count of second-degree arson.

A pre-sentencing investigation recommended a sentence range of 8 to 18 years.

First Assistant District Attorney Christian Morris, handling the case for Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan, asked for the full 18 years plus five years of post-release supervision.

Fox was a drug abuser who had been kicked out of two other temporary living arrangements, Morris said. He was taken in the day before the fire by a cousin who had recently moved into the Wilmarth Building, but Fox became belligerent when she told him he had to behave himself.

Fox admitted to buying candles and isopropyl alcohol that he used to start the fire, Morris said.

Although no one died or was injured in the blaze, it was only by chance that one of the tenants, a woman with dementia, was kept from going back into her apartment, Morris said. The building was not only an important part of the community, the building had its own community life, he said. John Fox killed that life.

The building and its contents had an estimated replacement cost of nearly $4 million, at the highest end this court has ever seen, Morris said.

After the fire, the community banded together to care for the victims and raise money for them.

The community paid John Foxs debt, Morris said. The only thing we have to take from him is time.

Public Defender Dustin Bruhn, representing Fox, said Fox had stopped abusing alcohol but turned to marijuana and nitrous oxide. Before the fire, he was inhaling as many as 500 nitrous oxide canisters a day, was behaviorally disturbed, and was seriously sleep deprived.

Fox told police that he had set the fire to wash Satan out, Bruhn said.

Mr. Fox recognizes hes committed a serious crime, but it was a crime against property, not a crime against people, Bruhn said. He never intended to harm another person.

Bruhn asked for a sentence of eight years.

Fox made a brief statement, recognizing the crime I committed and apologizing to the people who were harmed.

I accept full guilt, he said.

McKeighan pointed out that Fox had made contradictory statements before about his involvement with the fire.

Is what you said today true and accurate? McKeighan asked.

Yes, Fox said.

Samantha Cross, Teresa Carlson and Judith Klingebiel made victims statements in court.

Cross spoke of the obstacles she overcame before she finally got her apartment in the Wilmarth Building. She said she kept going because of her cat, but the cat died in the blaze.

John Fox didnt just light my house on fire, he killed my only reason to live, Cross said.

Teresa Carlson, who had an apartment on the third floor, wept as she described losing all my personal things and my cat Sassy. Sassy hid when the smoke alarms went off and Carlson couldnt catch her.

On her way downstairs, Carlson encountered the tenant with dementia. The woman had panicked and was trying to return to her apartment. Carlson pulled her downstairs.

We had five minutes to get out of the building, Carlson said. If Id taken a shower that morning, I wouldnt be here.

Carlson said she still cant sleep at night and has been diagnosed with PTSD.

Ill never forgive him, she said.

Klingebiel, an accountant, had her office in the building. She lost all her office equipment and her clients paper records. Some of the losses were covered by insurance, but it took 50 hours to recover her digital records. She asked that Fox receive the maximum sentence.

Morris read statements from building owner Marta Ward and tenant Clifford Oliver Mealy, who had his photography studio in the building. Ward called the fire my personal 9/11. She had restored the late 19th century building over the last 35 years.

I was overwhelmed when the police told me the cause was arson, Ward wrote.

Insurance paid her the buildings current market value plus $400,000 for debris removal, but she lost her office and family mementos she kept there, the tenants lost their homes and offices, and her maintenance and restoration team lost their income. She asked for an 18-year sentence.

Oliver wrote that 126 Main St. housed my career. It was a museum to my life and work. All gone in a fit of anger, not my own.

In his sentencing, McKeighan agreed that second-degree arson was the appropriate charge.

Whatever this court does, it will not be satisfactory, McKeighan said. He noted that Fox brought the materials to set the fire with him and acted out of anger. If each tenant had had a free-standing building that Fox had burned down, the impact might be easier to understand, McKeighan said. He quoted Cross: It was my safe place, now nothing. Back to square one.

McKeighan told Fox he had 30 days to appeal the sentence. Fox signed the papers to start an appeal before he was led away.
The upcoming 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers' meeting (AEM) and related meetings will bring about economic benefits and closer cooperation among all countries involved, a senior Cambodian official has said.

The 54th AEM and related meetings, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ministers' meeting, the East Asia Summit (EAS) economic ministers' meeting and the AEM-Dialogue Partners Consultations, will be held both in person and virtually from Sept. 14 to 18 in the cultural province of Siem Reap in northwest Cambodia.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, the Ministry of Commerce's Undersecretary of State and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said it will be another historic milestone for Cambodia to host the AEM for the third time since the kingdom joined the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) family in 1999.

He said the participants will discuss the progress of achieving the ASEAN Economic Community integration, the progress of Priority Economic Deliverables, post-COVID-19 economic recovery, and ASEAN external economic relations.

Four strategic issues will be focused on during the upcoming meetings, Sovicheat said, adding that they include enhancing digital connectivity, science and technology; narrowing the development gap for ASEAN's competitiveness; promoting a more integrated, inclusive, resilient and competitive ASEAN; and strengthening global ASEAN for growth and development.

"Among these four key strategic thrusts, we've proposed 19 economic deliverables, so that's quite ambitious for the discussions," he said. "We're confident that the 54th AEM and related meetings will raise Cambodia's reputation higher and bring about economic benefits and closer cooperation among all countries involved."

Sovicheat said as ASEAN has become a community, the concepts of free flows of trade, movement, capital, and services have been in place that signified very close economic cooperation among all member states.

"Looking toward the future, I can say that it's going to be a strong ASEAN because ASEAN has many external partners and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has provided the bloc larger market access to its five dialogue partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand," he said.

Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said ASEAN's economic cooperation has seen steady progress, which can be considered a successful example of economic integration by developing countries.

"The latest great achievement in the ASEAN economic cooperation is the creation and the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade deal earlier this year," he told Xinhua. "This mega-regional trade pact will be a booster for the region's economic recovery in the post-pandemic era."

Matthews said closer ASEAN economic cooperation has played an important role in ensuring long-term peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region.

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said ASEAN has launched many initiatives and blueprints to promote regional economic integration, including the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025, and the conclusion of negotiations for RCEP.

"The future of ASEAN is brighter and clearer than before thanks to the steady growth of member state's economy and interconnectivity between them," he told Xinhua.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
ALBANY  General Electric will investigate the lower Hudson River portion of the PCBs Superfund site to determine next steps for addressing contamination, under the terms of a legal agreement announced on Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.

GE will develop a plan for extensive water, sediment and fish sampling between the Troy Dam and the mouth of New York Harbor. The purpose is to look for PCBs, known as polychlorinated biphenyls, and other contaminants as well, according to a news release.

The new data is needed to determine the best path forward for further steps, even in advance of a formal set of studies that would be required for a formal plan for cleanup. Data collection will begin in early 2023.

The sampling that GE is conducting will allow us to better understand and evaluate the conditions and potential contamination in the lower Hudson River environment, said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia in a news release. The information will help us determine whether and how to prioritize investigations in each portion of the lower Hudson and how to best address contamination.

GE had dumped PCBs, a potential cancer-causing chemical, into the river from the 1940s to the 1970s. After a 7-year legal battle, dredging of the 40-mile stretch of the upper Hudson River between Hudson Falls and Troy began in 2009 and was completed in 2015.

The company will sample multiple fish species, sediment and water. There will be three different sediment sampling programs  each done from a different range of depths of the river bottom.

GE will implement two of the three programs in 2023 and the third program, which will include collection of deeper sediment samples, will occur in 2024.

EPA officials said GE remains legally responsible for PCBs that migrated to the area.

The agency is also investigating whether other parties may be liable for PCBs and other contamination in that area.

The EPA plans to keep the Community Advisory Group for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund site and the public informed about the data collection. CAG is meeting on Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. to discuss this issue further.

GE is reimbursing EPA for the costs incurred.

New York Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said that this additional sampling in the lower Hudson River is a crucial step to address the contamination.

This new data will supplement the extensive sampling efforts previously conducted by DEC, EPA, and GE to evaluate the health of one of New Yorks most important waterbodies. New York State DEC looks forward to continuing to work with EPA to understand what further actions can be taken to address unacceptable levels of contamination that remain in the river, he said in a news release.

GE spokesman Mark Behan said the company is voluntarily working with EPA to collect the data.

This will enable more learning about environmental conditions and multiple sources of industrial and municipal contamination in the 150 miles of the Hudson south of Albany, he said in a statement.

The company added that dredging the 40-mile upper Hudson River section removed the vast majority of PCBs and sharply reduced the flow of PCBs into the lower river. In addition, 99.8% of sediment samples taken from the upper Hudson River after dredging met EPAs criteria  PCB levels dropped as much as 96% and PCB levels in samples representing all species of upper Hudson fish dropped 60%.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/hudsonriver.pcbs.
CAPE MAY  On Monday, Tom Medvecky, 33, entered the ocean at Grant Street near the lifeguard stand for the 365th day in a row.

Now he has to decide whether he should try for another year, possibly as a fundraiser this time.

The father of two and teacher at Cape May Elementary School said he set himself the challenge on Sept. 12, 2021, to get in the water every day for a year, no matter what the temperature or conditions.

It was kind of impromptu. It was one of those challenges that you make for yourself, Medvecky said Monday.

Medvecky, who has been a lifeguard in Cape May for the past 12 summers, knows the water well. He started his self-imposed challenge when it was easy, then braved the bitter cold through the winter, even had a brief moment where the streak almost ended.

It was going on 11 p.m. as Medvecky was getting ready for bed one night when he had an oh no! moment. He realized hed forgotten to plunge into the ocean that day. With determination that even his wife, Kelsey, could not believe, he headed out into the dark to get in a plunge.

Fallen Heroes Polar Plunge Dips into North Wildwood on Saturday, April 9 THE WILDWOODS  Get freezin for a reason during the 14th annual Fallen Heroes Polar Plung

As the winter came on, it got increasingly difficult to keep the streak going, Medvecky said. But he stayed motivated, in part by thinking about how he had gotten in each day so far.

When you make it through February, it starts to get a lot easier, he said.

The midwinter cold water was not as bad as the anticipation of that cold, he said. Hed think about it while teaching his sixth graders.

You knew what it was the day before. You knew it was going to be like that again, he said.

But actually getting in was great, he said. Most days he would take his plunge after school. It tended to change his perspective and wash off the stress of the day.

After jumping in, no matter how bad the day was, I was like, I feel better. Im rejuvenated. I feel good, he said. That did not mean he did not feel the cold in the winter plunges. I sprinted for my towel. Then I sprinted for the car and turned the heat on.

Sea Isle City still active this Presidents Day weekend sans polar plunge SEA ISLE CITY  Presidents Day weekend seems to be the one time in the winter when it doesn

Medvecky said he did not cheat, even during a serious snowstorm.

The streets werent plowed. I couldnt get out. At first I just jumped in the snow, he said. After shoveling out some neighbors driveways in his Lower Township neighborhood south of the Cape May Canal, he decided that jumping in the snow would not be enough.

It came over me, No, Ive got to do it for real, he said. He went to the canal, took off the winter gear and boots, pushed past some ice and entered the water.

There was a family on the other side of the canal who were just like, What is going on over there? he said.

While the idea started on a whim, it turned into a commitment, and eventually a fundraiser for a cause he and his family care deeply about  neonatal care.

It was last-minute thing, Medvecky said, but they ended up raising more than $500, with the funds going to families with children in the neonatal unit at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point. They also collected close to 50 books. He is considering making a second years worth of plunges as a way to raise more money for the effort.

Extra Points: Ocean City surfer Rob Kelly numb to winter's chill Ocean City surfer Rob Kelly carried his board down to the waters edge on Feb. 7, pausing to

All of the proceeds will go to making care packages for families with a child in the NICU at Shore, and the books will be donated to the pediatric unit, said Kelsey Medvecky, Toms wife.

The couple had a child born 14 weeks early in 2020. They said Callan is turning 2 and is thriving but spent 111 days in a NICU in Philadelphia.

Books were a big help, Tom said.

Youre sitting with this baby with the cords and feeding tubes. The one thing you can do to make it feel like youre a parent is to be able to read them a book, he said.

They also collected other items that parents and older siblings might need if a child has an extended stay in a NICU. Callan has an older brother, Cooper, who is 3.

Kelsey came up with the idea; what are the mothers and fathers going through this going to need? he said.

About 800 take polar plunge in freezing temps in Wildwood WILDWOOD  Shawn Richards has been participating in the Polar Bear Plunge at Wildwood since 2010.

Those wishing to donate to the cause can reach out to Kelsey Medvecky at ksmedvecky@gmail.com.

Recently, the ocean has been rough, with several warnings issued locally about potentially dangerous currents.

I do know the conditions, Medvecky said. If the water is really tumultuous, Ill go at lower tide and I wont bring anybody in with me those days.

But the summer has been easy. In fact, even though water temperatures stayed cold through July this year, he said the immersions have been fine since the spring.

So far, Medvecky has not done any of the organized winter polar plunges, when hundreds enter the icy ocean at once. Since he started the effort, he said, he has seen articles suggesting there are good reasons to get in the cold water. Many were sent by friends.

Im going to keep jumping in while its warm. I can make the call if I want to keep doing it as the temperature drops, he said.
ATLANTIC CITY  Whether casinos should continue to allow smoking is a contentious issue in numerous states, particularly New Jersey, where the governor and more than half the state Legislature supports a bill to ban indoor smoking in gambling halls.

A now-canceled discussion between a casino executive and smoking foes was shaping up to be a highlight of a major gambling conference later this month in Atlantic City, and wouldve been the first detailed public airing of the issue.

But the casino executive, Resorts Casino Hotel President Mark Giannantonio  who has since become head of the Atlantic City casinos trade association, which vehemently opposes a smoking ban  pulled out of the session.

Its the latest indication of how thorny this dispute has become, and how difficult it will be to find a resolution that will satisfy everyone.

Hundreds of Atlantic Citys casino workers have been pushing for two years for an indoor smoking ban, saying secondhand smoke harms their health and that of casino customers. They note that casinos are the only exception to New Jerseys clean air law, which bans smoking from other indoor workplaces. The casinos, however, predict that smoking customers will abandon the casinos if theres a ban, causing lost jobs and plunging revenue as casinos still struggle to return to pre-pandemic performance levels.

A bill that would end smoking in Atlantic Citys nine casinos is pending in the state Legislature, where it enjoys broad bipartisan support but has remained stalled. No vote has yet been scheduled on it. An identical bill died in last years session, even though Gov. Phil Murphy has said he will sign it if it passes.

Could outdoor gambling satisfy smokers and casino workers? ATLANTIC CITY  Could outdoor gambling be at least a partial solution to an impasse between 

Giannantonio said Tuesday the groups position remains unchanged.

The Casino Association of New Jersey has been very transparent in its position that an immediate smoking ban would have a significant adverse effect on Atlantic City, he said. We believe that more time is needed to devise and implement a solution that will address the concerns of our employees without jeopardizing jobs and benefits to seniors.

Cancellation of the Atlantic City smoking discussion means that two of the industrys biggest annual gatherings  the East Coast Gaming Congress and the Global Gaming Expo, which is due to take place next month in Las Vegas  will both lack any discussion on ending indoor smoking. Thats despite moves in numerous states including New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and others to implement casino smoking bans.

Michael Pollock, managing director of Spectrum Gaming Group, which helped organize the East Coast Gaming Congress, said the group tried to find a replacement from the casino industry after Giannantonio withdrew from the panel, but was unable to secure one on short notice.

Organizers of the conference issued a revised schedule Friday that did not include the planned session on casino smoking.

Aside from Giannantonio, other panelists were to have been Cynthia Hallett, president and CEO of Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Foundation, and Eric Hausler, CEO of Greenwood Racing, which owns the Parx Casino in Pennsylvania, where smoking is banned.

Outdoor smoking only acceptable option, say advocates for closing casino loophole LINWOOD  As long as there is no indoor smoking in casinos, and no casino worker is exposed 

Hallett said Atlantic City casino executives are avoiding the issue.

Its remarkably telling that Atlantic City casinos couldnt find one person to publicly defend their position in favor of indoor smoking, Hallett said. They know that they cannot win on the facts  even their economic arguments have been thoroughly rebutted  so they are avoiding a public discussion.

We are disappointed that this conversation will be missing from the formal conference program, but rest assured: The presence of casino workers who have been fighting for their health will be felt next week, she said.
A battle over a vacant seat on the Burlington County Regional school board has ended for now with the appointment of a political newcomer who will become the board's youngest member.

Burlington County Executive County Superintendent Raymond Marini selected Adwoah Adomako last week to succeed Kerri Tillett until the end of the calendar year, according to a spokesperson for the state Department of Education.

The seat became open in June after a failed recall effort to oust Tillett by science teacher Kelly Stobie and three others. Tillett resigned when her family moved to North Carolina; she then threw her support behind Adomako.

Marini was tasked with filling the vacancy after the bitterly divided board was unable to decide between Adomako and Stobie. Both had supporters, but neither candidate received the required five-vote majority.

Adomako, 23, was sworn in as an interim board member Monday at the board's monthly meeting. She will represent Mansfield Township in the regional district, which enrolls middle and high school students and includes Chesterfield, North Hanover, Springfield Township and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

The future of the seat is uncertain. Stobie, who teaches in the Burlington County Special Services school district, is on the ballot for the November election to complete the remaining year of the term, and Adomako is running as a write-in candidate. (Adomako could not be certified for the ballot after election officials determined two signatures from her petition were from residents who were not registered voters.)

The board overseeing the sprawling rural district just south of Trenton has been in upheaval since Tillett was targeted in January in what the three petitioners once said would be the first of several efforts against the school board. (They had threatened to next target Radiah Gamble, the only other Black member of the school board.) Stobie and the two others who filed the petition provided no reason for the recall.

Tillett, an attorney and an associate vice chancellor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, vowed to fight to retain her position on the nine-member board, but the recall ultimately failed because the petitioners were unable to gather signatures from the required 25% of the town's 7,662 registered voters.

Adomako, a program manager for a nonprofit and a 2017 Northern Burlington graduate, has said she plans to host coffee chats and speak with students for her write-in campaign. School board elections in New Jersey are nonpartisan, and candidates run under a slogan and not a party affiliation.

"I'm excited for what this means," Adomako said in an interview Monday. "I feel overwhelmed with a lot of good emotion. I want people to be inspired: 'If Adwoah can do it, why can't I?'"

During a meeting in August, some board members argued that Stobie, a mother of five, should get the nomination because, with her name on the November ballot to complete the unexpired term, she would likely win and that would enable a smooth transition. Others said Adomako should be given a chance to mount a write-in campaign.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  Stockton University will unveil its Holocaust Survivors of South Jersey Digital Archive on Sunday.

The archive and associated website will document the names and stories of more than 1,500 Holocaust survivors in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties.

Stockton Associate Professor of History Michael Hayse began working on the project in 2019 and said he was awed by how the project has grown over the past three years.

I thought there might be a few hundred, but the number of names just grew and grew, Hayse said in a university news release issued Tuesday. We were quickly in the hundreds, and it was clear we were going to go into the thousands.

The creation of the archives is a project from the Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton. The digital archive housed inside the Schoffer center will include ancestry information, copies of memoirs and other documents that survivors and their families can access. The website will include the individual profiles of 50 to 75 survivors.

The Schoffer center is scheduled to officially launch the project at 12:30 p.m. Sunday in the event room of the Stockton Campus Center, with a buffet lunch provided.

Hayse described how researchers continued to learn more and find new avenues of study to explore, such as the relationships between different survivors and their families. He noted that with every interview it seemed like we had more to do.

Hundreds of students have worked on the project to expand the list of survivors to its current size. In April, then Stockton senior George Quinn launched a website documenting businesses owned and operated by South Jersey Holocaust survivors.

(The archive) is both a project that aims to document the stories of Holocaust survivors for historical purposes, but its also a way to engage students in the documentation of history, the telling of historical narratives and get them to understand hands-on research, Hayse said.

Regular updates will be made to both the archive and website as new survivor profiles are complied and as new projects are pursued. The Schoffer center is set to release a digital exhibition in fall 2023 that will provide a comprehensive overview of the Holocaust, issues facing refugees and the contributions that Holocaust survivors have made to South Jersey. Earlier this year, Stockton hosted an exhibit created by the United Nations Archive of Global Communications and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research that explored the lives of people who were displaced by the Holocaust.

It will never really be done because there are always going to be stories to tell, Hayse said of the planned updates to the archive. We are constantly getting more information and new people coming forward to talk to us.

Hayse said he was hoping Sundays gathering would connect families of Holocaust survivors so they could learn more about their experiences.

Stockton plays based on memoirs of Holocaust survivors The stories of Holocaust survivors from South Jersey will be told next month in original sho

We have seen many people, second-generation survivors, who grew up in this area and many of them havent seen each other in a long time, Hayse said. Most of their children have been interested in the history of their Holocaust survivor family, and now this is a way for the second and third generations after the Holocaust to learn more about the stories of their parents and other family members before, during and after World War II.

He noted that with survivors aging, preserving this history was especially important.

If we dont get these stories now, they could be lost, Hayse said.

Those interested in attending are required to RSVP to Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center Director Gail Rosenthal at gail.rosenthal@stockton.edu or 609-652-4699.
Over 500 firefighter associations made up of around 56,000 firefighters from all over the state of New Jersey will head to the Wildwoods for the annual State Firemens Convention, hosted by New Jersey State Firemens Association and held at The Wildwood Convention Center.

This three-day convention is only open to firefighters, but has been an annual tradition in Wildwood for more than 30 years, and continues to be a popular event. The purpose is to bring all the firefighters in the state together, allow them to help each other and create relationships between the firefighters and the association.

The convention also serves as a way to explain the different programs offered by the Association to firefighters.

This convention really just brings people together, creates fellowship between the different groups, helps bring everyones different ideas together. It also reminds them of the associations purpose and explains all the programs we offer to help firefighters who are in need of it, says Rob Ordway, president of the New Jersey State Firemens Association.

Due to the mass amount of firefighters who are present during this convention, there is no space for the public to join, but fear not, as there will be plenty of firefighting fun for all this weekend as well.

The 5 Mile Beach Volunteer Firemens Association will host a Firemens Parade and a New Jersey State Fire Expo along the streets in Wildwood this weekend.

The State Firemens Convention and these other two events are in conjunction with each other, but run by two different associations. The first convention was held in 1975 and the 5 Mile Beach Volunteer Firemens Association was formed the following year.

In the Wildwoods, there are six volunteer fire companies, Wildwood Crest Volunteer Fire Company, West Wildwood Volunteer Fire Company, Pine Avenue Volunteer Fire Company, Holly Beach Volunteer Fire Company, North Wildwood 15th Street Volunteer Fire Company and Anglesea Volunteer Fire Company.

These six companies make up the 5 Mile Beach Volunteer Association and run this weekends other two events.

The Expo runs from Montgomery Avenue to Rio Grande Avenue, and vendors will be lined up along the streets Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Attendees can look forward to five full blocks full of trucks, ambulances, support vehicles and just about every piece of fire or rescue tools one would need, all for sale.

Wildwoods show sells more fire equipment and tools than any other and fire venders for this show come from all over the country.

Its a lot of work to put on, but my favorite part is just getting to greet the firemen who come from all over. Its a great weekend not just because of the convention, expo and the parade but also because of Wildwood, with the beach and just the town in general, says Dave Thompson, President of the 5 Mile Beach Volunteer Firemens Association.

The paradeSaturday will also offer family fun in the form of The Firemens Memorial Parade which kicks off at 2 p.m.

The parade runs along New Jersey Avenue, from Cresse Avenue in Wildwood Crest, proceeding north to 26th Avenue in North Wildwood.

Fire trucks, ambulances, firefighters and more will parade down the streets as hundreds of people flock to enjoy a perfect finale to the firefighters weekend.
Amy DeGise should be terribly ashamed of her behavior, but hasnt shown any sign of that.

She is the Jersey City councilwoman who hit a bicyclist at speed with her SUV and kept going  didnt even seem to slow down in the widely shown video of the accident.

The cyclist was crossing the intersection against a red traffic light, so theres no question he was at fault for the accident. Whether he intentionally ran the light thinking the path was clear or failed to see the light change doesnt matter. Fortunately, although he flew through the air, he suffered only minor injuries. Although being hit by a car is always punishing, he should be charged for his traffic infraction.

If DeGise had stopped to make sure he was OK and called police and an ambulance, she wouldnt have been charged. Instead she was cited for failure to report an accident and leaving the scene of the accident. Her case is pending.

DeGise did not call police for six hours. Sometimes drunken drivers wont stop or immediately report an accident to avoid prosecution for that serious offense.

Two fellow members of the Jersey City Council called on her to resign, a brave stance considering she is the daughter of powerful Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise. Others have defended her.

For his part, Tom DeGise, a top Democrat in a county controlled by Democrats, attacked the media for its reporting about the accident and his daughters behavior and background. The Jersey Journal newspapers reporting included her troubling driving record, dozens of parking tickets, an unpaid veterinarian bill and her residence in an apartment complex meant for low- to moderate-income families even though she earns nearly $200,000 a year.

Amy DeGise hasnt resigned and hasnt said much of anything despite numerous opportunities, including a council meeting. Many citizens want her to leave on her own or through a recall election.

City resident Megan Carolan responded to the behavior of her council representative by launching an online petition calling for her to resign. It soon gathered more than 6,000 signatures.

Carolan then discovered, however, that if DeGise refuses to resign, mounting a successful recall campaign would be almost impossible under New Jersey law.

The state Constitution rules out trying to recall an official before theyve had a full year in office, a sensible rule to prevent hasty attempts to overturn an election result. It also requires a hefty 25% of voters in favor of putting a recall question on the ballot.

A 1995 law made it tougher still. Instead of a quarter of those who voted in the most recent election, a standard used by many states that allow recall, a successful ballot question changed that to 25% of registered voters, a much higher number.

In Jersey Citys election last November, 44,920 voters turned out. A quarter of them would be about 11,000 signatures on a recall petition. Since the city has 170,000 registered voters, the 1995 law requires more than 42,000 signatures for a valid petition.

Legislative proposals to make recalling elected officials easier have gone nowhere, which is for the best.

There are laws for removing officials who commit serious crimes. Recalling an elected official for bad behavior shouldnt be too easy. Whatever is gained by punishing and preventing future misbehavior by removing someone from office is heavily offset by disrupting representative government and destabilizing politics.

Most states dont allow recall of elected officials. Of the 19 that do, California is the most liberal and its partisans have sought to recall governors a ridiculous 55 times. The California experience suggests voters may not take their responsibility seriously enough if an election result may be readily reversed.

The prosecution of Amy DeGise will draw public interest and scrutiny. She has significant political backing, and if she wants to remain on council, she probably wont be removed.

Thats OK. Shell then serve as a reminder to voters to try harder to make good choices the first time or risk being ashamed later.
The singer is currently on trial for federal charges of child pornography and enticement of sex from a minor, Billboard reports. The current trial also seeks to fix his 2008 state trial, in which he was acquitted from child pornography charges. Judge Harry Leinenweber asked Kelly on 1 Septem
Iowas Republican U.S. senators shied away from supporting a proposed nationwide ban on abortions when asked about that possibility Wednesday.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley told reporters he prefers to leave the issue to states.

Finally, after 50 years, this issue has been returned to the states so voters can have a voice through their elected representatives at a state level and not by unelected judges, Grassley told reporters. So this is a state issue.

Grassley is running for re-election to an eighth term. He faces Democratic challenger Mike Franken, a retired U.S. Navy admiral from Sioux City, in the Nov. 8 election.

South Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced a bill Tuesday that would create a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, did not answer whether she supported Grahams bill, instead reiterating her broader stance on abortion rights.

Iowans know that I am proudly pro-life, Ernst told reporters.

But on Tuesday, Ernst told Axios, We really should let the states take that initial role.

Ernst was rumored to be planning to introduce a bill to limit abortion federally in May, according to the Washington Post.

In July, soon after the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion came down, Ernst suggested the decision on how to regulate abortion should be made by the states.

Again, this has been referred back to the states and local authorities by our United States Supreme Court. So this is not a national emergency, she said.

Graham has previously introduced bills that sought to ban abortions nationally from 20 weeks of pregnancy, which both Ernst and Grassley previously supported. The pair were listed as co-sponsors on a bill Graham introduced in the Senate last year, which would establish criminal penalties  including a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both  for physicians who perform or attempt to perform an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the pregnant woman.

Iowas Republican U.S. House members, Reps. Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Randy Feenstra, are listed as co-sponsors of the House counterpart to Graham's 15-week abortion ban bill introduced Tuesday.

Abortion politics

Grahams proposal  which includes exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the woman  comes less than two months out from the midterm elections at a time when Republicans have been working to shift attention and messaging away from abortion to other issues after several recent elections have shown the issue energizing Democrats, female voters and abortion rights advocates.

Democrats have warned for months that Republicans would move ahead with a federal abortion ban if they win back control of Congress, a message that has helped drive an increase in voter registration among women in several states.

Voters last month in Kansas roundly rejected a proposed amendment to the states constitution that would have removed protections for abortion. Abortion rights advocates and GOP strategists said the result was a warning sign for Republicans, showing that voters, even in conservative, rural states and across party lines, broadly support abortion rights after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Republicans split

National polls, as well as those in Iowa, have consistently shown that a majority of voters oppose ending federal abortion protections.

Graham, though, said he thinks a federal abortion ban should be part of the campaign process and force Republicans to adopt a partywide consensus on the issue, NPR reported.

The issue has split Republicans, putting Graham and other abortion opponents at odds with the views of many congressional Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has said the issue of abortion should be left to the states.

McConnell on Tuesday poured cold water on the prospect of Grahams bill making it to the Senate floor.

Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn, in a statement, called on Iowa Republicans to answer whether they support a national abortion ban.

Reproductive freedom is about personal liberty and ensuring Iowans can make important decisions about their health care with their doctors and the people they love and trust, Wilburn said.   Control over your own body gets at the heart of what it means to be free, and Iowa Democrats believe that everyone has the right to decide their own destiny.
Beginning that month, Genesis invited more than 30 health care systems to submit proposals aimed at helping Genesis expand, whether through a merger or acquisition or some other arrangement. Genesis employs 5,100 in the Quad-Cities, behind only the Rock Island Arsenal and John Deere.

MercyOne is part of Trinity Health, one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the country with 88 hospitals in 25 states. It's headquarters is in Livonia, Michigan.

MercyOne and Genesis Health System are both mission-driven organizations committed to delivering the highest quality care and best patient experience to all we serve across Iowa, said Bob Ritz, MercyOne president and CEO. We look forward to continuing discussions and shaping a framework to enhance access to personalized, convenient health care across eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

Cropper, the Genesis CEO, said the partnership will help retain workers and recruit new ones.
Shanghai Spirit of more significance under current international circumstances

09:07, September 14, 2022 By Rashid Alimov ( People's Daily

The upcoming 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to be held in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, is of special significance as the international relations system is going through profound restructuring. The meeting has aroused huge attention from the international community.

The eight member states of the SCO are home to nearly half of the world's population and contribute over 20 percent to world GDP. Today, the SCO stands as a comprehensive regional cooperation organization that covers the largest area and population in the world.

In the past some 20 years since the organization's establishment, the SCO has created a new model based on partnership and dialogue, rather than alliance or confrontation. It is always committed to safeguarding regional security and promoting common development.

It is obvious that, under the joint efforts of all SCO member states, they have constantly made new steps in their cooperation and consolidated regional stability.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the SCO Charter and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO Member States.

Since the founding of the organization, it has been closely obeying the above two documents and following the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development. The SCO upholds openness and inclusiveness in its cooperation, properly deals with regional issues and actively joins international affairs.

SCO member states' commitment to the Shanghai Spirit is of more significance under the current international circumstances, and sheds light on the building of a new type of international relations.

The SCO has set a great example of mutually beneficial cooperation for the international community and constantly expanded its global influence. More and more countries and international organizations are hoping to enhance their cooperation with the SCO and more countries are expecting to become a part of the SCO family.

At the 2017 SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, India and Pakistan joined the SCO as full members. Last year, the SCO launched procedures to admit Iran as a full member state and granted dialogue partner status to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar.

One of the important reasons for the SCOs enhanced attractiveness is that it serves as a platform for equal dialogue for both small and major countries.

SCO countries, regardless of their sizes, can seek cooperation and development as equals. They listen to each other's views and suggestions and jointly find solutions to their common problems.

Under the guidance of the Shanghai Spirit, the SCO makes decisions based on its member states' consensus, and the decisions conform to the interests of each member state and the region at large.

Currently, the complicated and serious international situation is creating challenges for the development of the SCO. However, I believe that as long as SCO member states continue upholding the Shanghai Spirit and enhancing dialogues, no dispute is able to hinder SCO cooperation or prevent the organization from playing a constructive role in regional issues.

There was a popular proverb along the ancient Silk Road - "The dogs are barking while caravans keep going forward." Facing the future, the SCO will eliminate interference and keep its steady and confident steps toward the future, and build bright prospects for regional cooperation.

(Rashid Alimov is the former secretary-general of the SCO.)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
You are here: China

China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has announced its decision to arrest Huang Yi, a former senior political advisor in southwest China's Yunnan province, for suspected bribe-taking.

The National Commission of Supervision completed an investigation into Huang's case and has transferred it to procuratorial authorities for prosecution, the SPP said in a statement on Wednesday.

Huang, former vice chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was earlier found to have accepted others' money, gifts and banquets, and have visited private clubs.

Handling of the case is underway.
The Moline-Coal Valley School District No. 40 is hosting a school board candidate forum Thursday night to inform community members interested in running for local school board seats.

The event will run from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Bartlett Performing Arts Center, located at 3600 Avenue of the Cities in Moline.

"This is a free informational session and a great opportunity for anyone thinking about running for a local school board seat," district representative Candace Sountris said. "The event will go over the roles and responsibilities of a typical school board member in Illinois."

There will also be a Q & A session with current local board members from Moline-Coal Valley, United Township and Rock Island-Milan school districts.
Eastern Iowa residents detailed to federal regulators on Tuesday a flood of concerns about the proposed merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern.

The two north American rail companies want to merge and create a single-line rail system connecting Mexico through the U.S. to Canada.

Eastern Iowa, including the Iowa Quad-Cities, is expected to shoulder the brunt of additional train traffic as a result of the proposed deal.

Resident concerns were wide-ranging  more trains could mean blocked access for emergency responders to homes and parks, greater likelihood of a derailment, accidents, hazardous spills, and more noise impacting residents' and businesses' quality of life. The rail bisects riverfronts in Davenport  which sees thousands of people attend events  Bettendorf, Leclaire, Princeton, and Camanche, among others.

"When one of these trains derails while passing through this area of mega public events, thousands of people could be killed," said former Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba. "This is a disaster of monumental proportions just waiting to happen and you have the power to prevent it."

By Canadian Pacific's estimates, the number of trains is expected to increase from eight trains a day to 22 by 2025 between Sabula, Iowa, and St. Louis, Missouri. That's because Canadian Pacific expects the more efficient route to attract more freight customers. Canadian Pacific officials have pointed to local jobs created, reduced global emissions, and improvements to the efficiency of the nation's supply chain as benefits of a merger.

"Here in Eastern Iowa, the projected increase in traffic is the largest increase of anywhere in the combined network," said Joshua Wayland, a manager with the Office of Environmental Analysis, which is analyzing the environmental impacts of the merger.

As part of the proposal, the federal Surface Transportation Board responsible for reviewing and deciding whether to approve the merger, heard from the public in Davenport on on its drafted statement of environmental impact. Next, it will respond to comments in a final environmental impact statement  expected sometime this winter. A decision by the Surface Transportation Board is expected to come in the first quarter of 2023.

More than 100 people filled a room in the River Center, and dozens spoke against the merger in a public meeting that lasted more than three hours.

The Surface Transportation Board's Office of Environmental Analysis published a draft environmental impact statement in early August, which found the overall impact of the merger "negligible, minor, and/or temporary."

Wayland in a short presentation said the merger would take more than 60,000 semi trucks off highways, reducing global carbon emissions because transportation by rail, he said, is more efficient than by truck.

However, Wayland said, locally, where the train traffic is expected to increase the most, and there would likely be more delays and slight increased risks of spills, accidents, and air pollution.

Wayland told the crowd the environmental analysis found the biggest adverse impact would be from increased train noise. Scott County has the most sensitive locations to noise, such as residences and nursing homes, out of anywhere on the route, according to the environmental impact statement.

Wayland said because rail traffic is projected to increase on rail lines, the risk of an accident, such as a derailment, spill, or collision with another train or motor vehicles would likewise increase on those rail lines, such as through Eastern Iowa.

"However, we think that the absolute risk would remain low on all effective rail line segments," Wayland said.

A common theme residents asked the board to consider a more localized environmental impact statement.

"I would urge you to back this train up quite a bit," said Supervisor Ken Croken. The Scott County Board of Supervisors penned a letter to the STB opposing the merger.

Croken is also a part-owner of the Quad Cities River Bandits, and said the Davenport ball diamond's current plan for emergency response in case of a train stoppage is to do a rescue by boat and take the person in need of care to a hospital in Illinois.

Camanche City Administrator Andrew Kida expressed concern for more than 400 households that are between the railroad tracks and the river. He asked the board to force Canadian Pacific to make needed upgrades to the city's seven intersections. The city turned down what it saw as a meager offer of $200,000 from Canadian Pacific. He also said city officials were pressured by Canadian Pacific to take the deal or get nothing.

"Blockage of these crossings, which happens frequently already, results in delays of emergency services and residents' travel," Kida said. "Increasing the volume will only increase the delays. In case of a derailment, the only means of egress for these 1,200 citizens would be via the Mississippi River."

Residents can make online comments until Oct. 14, an extended date. One remaining online meeting will be 6-8 p.m. Sept. 19 More information is available at www.cp-kcsmergereis.com
DES MOINES  The number of Iowans who have chosen health care plans in the federal marketplace has risen in the past decade.

Doug Ommen, Iowas state insurance commissioner, said the marketplace  which was created by the federal Affordable Care Act  in Iowa has developed an equilibrium and is providing a fair amount of coverage.

Ommen, however, also expressed concern that the market is becoming increasingly reliant upon federal financial assistance to make the insurance plans affordable.

The next open enrollment period for the federal marketplace starts Nov. 1.

Id say the market is finding its new equilibrium, Ommen said Tuesday. Weve had some stable participation for a number of years now from carriers, and weve got options for people on the individual market again this year.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for and conducts research on health care, the number of Iowans who have selected marketplace plans has risen steadily since 2014.

More than 72,000 Iowans enrolled in a marketplace plan this year, which is more than double what it was  roughly 30,000  in 2014, according to Kaisers data.

Kaiser uses multiple federal sources, and its figures represent the number of people who selected or were automatically re-enrolled in a marketplace plan at the end of the open enrollment period.

Data from the state insurance division also shows that marketplace enrollment has increased on a steady curve over the past decade, but that total enrollment peaked in 2015 and 2016 and has not yet returned to those levels.

The state records its enrollment data at a different point on the calendar, after some individuals who originally signed up for plans dropped them  perhaps because they later received employer-based insurance, became eligible for Medicare or were dropped from their plans, a state spokesman said.

The numbers are good. Were really glad that these plans are available to people, Ommen said.

Ommens concern lies with what he said is an increasing need for the plans to rely on subsidies in order to remain affordable. He pointed to state data that shows 90 percent of Iowans who select a marketplace plan receive significant monthly subsidies.

The reality is that the rates that people experience are not reflective of the actual costs associated with claims that are in those pools, Ommen said.

Ommen said he believes many of the marketplace plans seem tailored for older individuals and do not appeal to younger, healthier people whose presence could help stabilize the cost of marketplace plans.

Ommen said any Iowans who are considering a new marketplace plan should visit healthcare.gov to start researching plans as soon as possible. He also recommended speaking to an insurance provider.

Getting engaged early is really important so people can better evaluate their circumstances and what works for their family, Ommen said.
Amid a slew of policy reviews, the Douglas Board of Education took a closer look at their methods of self-evaluation at their regular meeting Monday evening.

Board Policy BKEvaluation of School Board Operational Procedures and Board Policy Exhibit BK-EAnnual Self-Appraisal of the School Board were up for discussion, revealing concern from some members that the methods used werent far-reaching enough.

Board President Tanya Gray summarized the current evaluation process, saying the intent was to go through the existing process for the current year and potentially discuss and make changes for the future, using the current process as a springboard.

Board member Chris Misselt had previously expressed concerns with how the boards self-evaluation was conducted, which Gray noted, saying that she felt in order to get an evaluation completed this year, they needed to work with the current one, and use discussion on improvements as a springboard for future improvement.

Misselt agreed that in the interest of expediency, he felt Grays suggestion was a very viable solution for the current year, but said he remains committed to attempting a 360-degree evaluation of both a self-evaluation with our own opinions of our own work, as well as the opinions of our subordinate leadership, even our constituency out there.

Misselt said that while he thinks the information they provide themselves is valuable, he wants to not just listen to ourselves and provide them with external information to either validate their own opinions or provide opportunities for additional perspective. He suggested they could accomplish this within the existing structure.

Gray agreed that they could grow the process, but discussed whether or not the current format would need to be changed. Misselt argued it could be utilized for other parties as is, with other board members noting the use of the word self appearing in the evaluation.

Gray said she was in agreement on the broader vision Misselt was proposing, but wanted it to be a very well-thought out process where we get the right people involved.

The discussion was an informational item, with no action taken. Superintendent Kevin Case summarized the discussion by saying Phase 1 would be the boards self-evaluation and Phase 2 would be deciding what a broader participation would look like, and talking through some of those implications.

Well start working on it, he said.

In other business, the board discussed a policy regarding device use and an insurance agreement, primarily discussing the use of district-provided devices versus allowing students to bring their own.

Board member Tonya Amaral asked why students weren't allowed to fill out an exemption form to be able to utilize their own device.

Case said bring your own device, or BYOD, as it was referred to in the meeting, was a much bigger discussion, noting that a current advantage of providing all students with devices is that theyve eliminated some challenges by having a platform to provide computers to all kids.

Second Vice President Cathleen Melendez said one disadvantage of allowing students to "BYOD" could be the schools liability if damage occurred to the device. Amaral said the school isnt responsible for student cell phones, suggesting damage to student-owned devices would be the responsibility of their parents.

If we want to go down this path, this is a much different conversation, Case said. How far down this path do you all want to go as a board? If we want to look at this differently, then I need some direction.

First Vice President Amy McGovern suggested the policy be approved as is, and entertain further discussion moving forward.

Misselt noted that the policy being discussed was specifically about insurance and not BYOD, agreeing with McGovern, and suggesting they approve the policy in front of them and discuss BYOD at a later time.

Col. Patrice Holmes, associate board member, noted BYOD could present security concerns that would feed back into insurance pieces of the device, saying their security policy wouldnt be covered under the device.

A motion to approve all operational support items together, which included the policy being discussed, passed 4-1, with Amaral voting no.
A hearing Wednesday in Pennington County court lined out some of the evidence prosecutors are using to charge a New York City man with three counts of first-degree murder.

Arnson Absolu will face a jury trial in January for the August 2020 shooting deaths of Charles Red Willow, 26, of Rapid City, Ashley Nagy, 29, of Greeley, Colo., and Dakota Zaiser, 22, of Rapid City.

Red Willow and Nagy were found dead Aug. 24, 2020, with multiple gunshot wounds in a vehicle at Thomson Park in Rapid City after a 911 call around 10:40 p.m. that day.

Zaiser, the third victim found, was initially identified as a possible witness in the deaths of Red Willow and Nagy. His body was discovered on Sept. 24, 2020 in a forested area north of Sheridan Lake.

Police previously stated they believe Zaisers body was moved to that location. Court documents estimate that Zaiser was killed sometime between Aug. 24 and 25, 2020.

Prosecutors called Rapid City Police Department Sgt. Barry Young to the witness stand Wednesday in Judge Robert Gusinky's courtroom. Young was a detective assigned to investigate the shootings.

Young said several pieces of evidence were used to tie Absolu to the Rapid City crime scenes including a rental car, a cell phone photograph of a guns and evidence that the victims and Absolu were connected to illegal heroin trade.

The rental car, a blue Chevrolet Malibu, was identified as being at Thomson Park  which is the same make, model and color of vehicle Absolu was driving when he was arrested in New York on a separate case. Absolu was extradited from New York to Rapid City.

Young also testified there were missing pieces and damage to the undercarriage of the rental car that matched evidence found at the scene where Zaiser's body was found.

Defense attorney Tim Rensch countered Young's testimony about location data from the rental car's GPS system, which did not indicate the vehicle was in the area of Thomson Park.

Upon search of the vehicle, heroin and a 9mm handgun were located, Young testified. The 9mm was not used in the killing of Red Willow and Nagy, but a photo of a 9mm handgun and a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson was later found on Absolu's cell phone. A Smith & Wesson pistol was recovered from Rapid Creek.

Young testified that ballistic testing showed the recovered pistol was the weapon used to kill Red Willow and Nagy and that the weapon had unique damage and markings. Young testified that the damage and markings closely matched the Smith & Wesson in the photo found on Absolu's phone.

In cross-examination, Rensch asserted there was no positive identification or forensic proof that the Smith & Wesson and the 9mm handgun in the photo were the same used in the killings or found in Absolu's rental car.

Gusinsky questioned Young on whether or not the data on the photo indicated it was taken before the killings, to which Young affirmed, but he was unable to give the metadata proof that would show the date. Young told the judge he did not have that information in front of him but he is certain the photo was taken prior to the shootings.

Additional testimony hinged on the heroin found in the vehicle. Rapid City police contend that Red Willow, Nagy and Zaiser were involved in drug trade. Young testified there is evidence to suggest the three victims were involved with "China White" heroin  named for the substance's color and purity.

Young testified the heroin found in Absolu's car was not white in color, but was "sandy beige." That testimony was also questioned by Rensch.

Gusinsky ordered the court reporter to prepare a transcript of Wednesday's testimony and to provide copies to the prosecution and defense. The judge said prosecutors will have two weeks to prepare a brief, the defense will have two weeks and rebuttals would be due seven days after the briefs being filed.

Absolu is scheduled for a pretrial conference at 9 a.m. Dec. 19. A jury trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 9.
A few days before Rapid City middle school teacher Shaun Nielsen joined a work group to develop South Dakota's social studies standards, he got a thick package in the mail.

Sent from Hillsdale, Mich., the location of a conservative private college, it contained materials that would ultimately form what the state's public schools students could be expected to learn about American history and civics.

Whoa  these are already written, Nielsen remembers thinking as he opened the document this spring.

Hillsdale College, which has sought in recent years to revive the American tradition of K-12 education by fostering a nationwide network of schools, won new prominence when then-President Donald Trump tapped the school to help develop a patriotic education project. Now, in a sign of Hillsdale's growing influence in public education, South Dakota has proposed statewide standards that contain distinct echoes of Hillsdale's material.

While Republican governors such as Tennessees Bill Lee and Floridas Ron DeSantis have embraced Hillsdales education for K-12 students, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been perhaps the most enthusiastic. Larry Arrn, the school's president, even said in a speech last year that Noem had offered to build us an entire campus in South Dakota.

That doesn't appear to be in the works. But it was Noem who turned to former Hillsdale politics professor William Morrisey to develop the states social studies standards. The state paid him $200,000, and he tapped Hillsdales material, according to members of the standards commission.

The college played an integral part in Trump's 1776 Report," a conservative response to work like the New York Times' 1619 Project," which re-examined the founding of the United States with the institution of slavery at the center. Hillsdale followed up by producing The Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum, which offers nearly 2,400 pages of lesson plans on American history.

South Dakotas proposed standards released in mid-August align with the 1776 Curriculum. Both emphasize the ideals of the countrys founders as an argument for American exceptionalism  an idea popular in conservative circles that the U.S. is uniquely worthy of universal praise.

The documents both define patriotism similarly, as preserving the good of the country while correcting its flaws. They teach that progressivism conflicts with the nation's founding ideals, and assert that most of the founders  including such slave owners as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison  wanted to end slavery.

Morrisey declined an interview, and Hillsdale did not grant a request to interview a member of its K-12 Education Office.

Noem's administration referred questions to Ben Jones, who oversees the South Dakota Historical Society and worked on the commission to develop the standards. Jones defended the scholarship at Hillsdale as respected in higher education and said Morrisey brought the commission a generic version of U.S. history that could be found in most textbooks.

Frankly, its a logical fallacy to say that something is bad because its associated with this group that I dont agree with over this other thing, he said of criticism of Hillsdale.

`

Jones pointed out that Morriseys draft included descriptions of how the first Africans were enslaved and brought to the colonies and how the U.S. broke treaties with Native American tribes.

The good, the bad, the ugly was all there, he said.

Jones added that the group discussed and debated the standards over several meetings and by the end, my sense was that we all made this very much our own.

When Noem's administration formed the 15-person commission, it chose three people, including Nielsen, currently certified to teach in South Dakota public schools. The group decided which grade levels should learn the standards and added South Dakota and Native American components to the proposal, Nielsen said.

As the proposal became public last month, Nielsen said he felt conflicted. He said he is a conservative but is careful to separate his political opinions from his classroom teaching. He said he agreed with Noem's desire to make South Dakota a national leader in social studies education and even with much of the content it covered.

Ultimately, he said, he decided to speak out against the standards because they didn't originate with South Dakota educators.

The 1776 curriculum  its pretty much close to that," he said.

When youre handed a set of standards to approve, its not a collaborative process at all, he added. The standards, he worried, were not written with the practical needs of a classroom in mind.

Prominent voices among South Dakota educators agree. The standards  which will be subjected to public hearings this fall before the governor-appointed Board of Education Standards decides whether to adopt them  have been greeted coolly by organizations representing teachers, school boards and school administrators.

Its coming from a private, out-of-state college," said Tim Graf, the superintendent of Harrisburg School District outside Sioux Falls. "I just dont want it to be political in any way.

Jennifer Lowery, the superintendent at Tea Area School District, worried teachers for younger grade levels would have to spend more time on social studies at the expense of foundational skills like basic math and reading.

Were not stomping our feet because our feelings got hurt or our profession was disrespected, she said. Youre hearing the outcry because this isnt whats best for our kids.

Several educators said the standards rely too much on memorization and too little on inquiry-based learning that teaches students to question and analyze. Jones, the state historian, countered that memorization at younger grade levels will pave the way for analysis later.

Stephen Jackson, a history professor at the University of Sioux Falls, said that runs counter to criteria for state standards from the American Historical Association, which says inquiry engages students and helps them connect historical events to modern contexts.

Jackson was part of a group that created social studies standards last year, only to have its work scrapped by the governor. As conservatives began pushing back against historical analyses that argued racism and U.S. history are inextricably intertwined, Noem called for teaching how the U.S. is the most special nation in the history of the world.

Noem said the new standards are the best in the nation, calling them a true, honest, and balanced approach to American history that is not influenced by political agendas. Hillsdale College used similar language when it launched its curriculum.

Jonathan Zimmerman, an education historian at the University of Pennsylvania, suggested high school students could benefit from analyzing the 1619 Project alongside the Trump administration's 1776 Report and learning how to evaluate and debate them. That's unlikely in South Dakota, since Noem has moved to block teachings like the 1619 Project from public schools.

People like Kristi Noem are correct when they say that the fundamental narrative of America is under challenge like never before, Zimmerman said. I just think it's a good challenge.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem disclosed Monday that she recently underwent back surgery to treat an injury impacting her spine and that her activity would be limited during several months of recovery.

The 50-year-old Republican governor said she traveled to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for the surgery after receiving medical treatment for several weeks in South Dakota. She said in a video posted on Twitter that she injured her back about two months ago. She said she will be restricted in the amount of travel she can do and the time she can spend standing while she recovers.

Noem is in the midst of a reelection campaign and is also considered a potential 2024 White House contender.

I won't be able to stand for more than 10, 15 minutes at a time, I won't be able to get out and about South Dakota like I love to do so much, the governor said in the video where she appeared slightly dispirited.

Dr. Mohamed Bydon said in a statement released by the governor's office that he treated her for an acute condition impacting her lumbar spine.

He added that the surgery was successful and that the governor is in excellent health.

The governor's office and her campaign spokesman did not immediately respond to a question on how she was injured.
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City, local fire officials and community members gathered at the corner of Foxfield Street and Skeels Avenue in Hamilton on Monday to celebrate a groundbreaking for the new fire hall.

At approximately 12,500 square feet, the new location will give firefighters some much needed room for equipment, along with common spaces and living quarters designed with firefighter safety in mind. The new station design includes four bays to house fire trucks, a fire hose tower and decontamination space, as well as offices, counseling boxes and a fitness center.

This is an exciting day for the Hamilton Fire Department as well as the city and the community that we serve, Hamilton Fire Chief Brad Mohn said. This is a state-of-the-art designed station for firefighter safety. Its designed with expansion of services in mind and our goal is to serve the city and the area for 50 years, if not 75 years with this station  The mayor and city council has been instrumental in making this hope a reality, or this need come to fruition. I'd like to thank the city staff as well as the residents of the area. The Hamilton community has always been very supportive of the fire department, and continue to be.

The current fire hall located in downtown Hamilton was built in 1907, posing challenges for the department when it comes to space, as well as keeping up with equipment and safety protocol changes. When the downtown station was built the department relied on horse-drawn wagons. Currently the department is forced to special order vehicles because the bays at the station are not large enough to fit standard trucks. Ventilation systems in the building are also aging and inadequate, posing a possible health hazard for firefighters. Fire trucks and equipment that are unable to be properly decontaminated can bring dangerous carcinogens into living quarters. The new fire hall will be equipped with hot and cold zones that allow for proper equipment storage and decontamination.

"It has larger bays  so that will save the taxpayers some money because we've had to order custom-made fire trucks to fit the station. Now we can order a conventional type fire truck, Mohn said. The other big thing is firefighter health. Firefighter cancer has skyrocketed over the last decade or so, and this station is designed with a hot zone and a cold zone to keep the carcinogens and the diesel exhaust and stuff away, out of the office area, out of the living quarter areas.

Considerable concern exists surrounding cancer among firefighters. A 2020 study cited by the Center for Disease Controls firefighter resources confirmed previous findings of excess mortality rates in firefighters from all cancers and several site-specific cancers as well as positive exposure-response relations for lung cancer and leukemia. The study looked at approximately 30,000 career firefighters from the San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia fire departments and found these firefighters had a 9% increase in cancer incidence and a 14% increase in cancer mortality compared with the U.S. general population with elevations observed for respiratory, digestive and urinary cancers as well as mesothelioma.

It's sort of the big difference between old fire stations and modern fire stations, said architect Mike Dowling. We've recognized over the years that firefighters have safety equipment, but when they go into a fire they're getting ash and all kinds of stuff that collects on their clothing. So they always come back into a decon room where they put their gear immediately off the truck, but the trucks might have stuff on them. So what we've learned over the years is that we actually create a pressurization zone where the pressure is more on the cold zone side so that any carcinogens actually get pushed back into the bays  There's a sort of hard line between the hot zone of the building and the cold zone of the building. So we have air locks that keep that space separated. So as firefighters come back from a fire, any carcinogens that would be on their gear would be separated and cleaned.

Cancer risk in firefighters is a subject that hits especially close to home around the Hamilton fire hall these days, as one of their own is currently fighting a battle with the disease.

We've just had one of my assistant chiefs diagnosed with cancer, Mohn said. He's battling it. He's doing well, but it is one of the cancers qualified for the presumptive illness disease. He has been on the department for 19 years, and he's been diagnosed with cancer and he's fighting that now.

Hamilton Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf also discussed the safety concerns for firefighters and how the new design aims to address those issues.

Just in speaking with the chief, a lot of things that catch fire in houses, now there's synthetic products. It's not like wood furniture anymore. The plastics and the fibers, the synthetic fibers, the paint, everything on new construction and furniture  it's all burns different. So when you're exposed to that, it's very important to try to limit how much exposure you have. And so having a hot zone and that cold zone, it is very important to firefighter safety and health.

The new fire house has been a long-term goal for Farrenkopf since becoming mayor.

When I took office five years ago, Chief Mohn and I immediately assessed the need of the Hamilton volunteer fire department recognized that getting a fire station that would better serve the community and the volunteers, Farrenkopf said. We recognized right away that it was a necessity and we began working on this project  its been years in the making, it's certainly not something that comes overnight. We've been working extremely hard as to finance the project.

The city is still raising funds to meet the $7.1 million overall project costs for the fire hall. The City of Hamilton currently has $1.7 million set aside for the project and has received a $600,000 Community Development Block Grant for the station. The city has also been approved for a $3.2 million loan from the Board of Investments, leaving a shortfall of approximately $1.6 million in funding to be raised. Those who wish to donate can send a check to Hamilton City Hall, 23 South 2nd St., Hamilton, MT, 59840. Please include fire hall in the memo line of the check. Donors will be recognized on plaques in the new building.

This is one of those things that is going to take the entire community's support to make it a reality, Farrenkopf said. It just feels really good that we're at this stage today breaking ground on the station.
How is the digital weather space changing? We talked with the team of meteorologists at WeatherBrains, the long-running video and audio podcast based in Birmingham, Alabama.

We discussed how our careers brought us to this point and how we envisioned digital weather content for local audiences in the years to come. How do we compete with a new generation of social media influencers, and how do we deal with some of the plusses and minuses of working in an exclusively digital space?

And check back Monday for the next episode when the team chats with Ashley Morris, emergency management planner in Baltimore County, Maryland.

About the Across the Sky podcast

The weekly weather podcast is hosted on a rotation by the Lee Weather team:

Matt Holiner of Lee Enterprises' Midwest group in Chicago, Kirsten Lang of the Tulsa World in Oklahoma, Joe Martucci of the Press of Atlantic City, N.J., and Sean Sublette of the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia.
Del. John McGuire (R-Goochland) rented out a facility in Hanover County to screen the right-wing film What is a Woman on Tuesday evening. But the nonprofit that runs the facility canceled the screening, and McGuire blamed cancel culture.

He instead attended a meeting of the Hanover County School Board, which has been embroiled in controversy over transgender issues for nearly a year.

McGuire, who is running for the state Senate next year in a newly configured conservative district that includes part of Hanover County and nine other largely rural counties, said cancel culture has deeply infiltrated the Hanover school division.

I think this woke culture is alive and well in Hanover County and across the commonwealth, McGuire said in an interview. We have to have diversity of thought. If you and I had a conversation and we were so worried about what were gonna say, stepping on eggshells, wed never develop any new ideas.

At its meeting last month, the Hanover County School Board voted 5-2 to pass a controversial policy that requires transgender students to submit a written request to school administration asking for access to the schools facilities that align with the students gender identities.

McGuire said he thinks that the policy is a step in the right direction, but he believes that it should go further and should require students to use the bathrooms that align with their sex assigned at birth.

On Tuesday afternoon, McGuire encouraged his supporters through a newsletter to attend the meeting. He did not speak at public comment, instead speaking with residents.

The documentary What is a Woman, which was scheduled to screen at the Montpelier Center for Arts and Education on Tuesday evening, is a documentary from The Daily Wire that criticizes the transgender rights movement.

At Tuesday evenings meeting, several Hanover residents who spoke at public comment addressed transgender issues, although the board voted to approve a new policy last month.

While the public comment portion of school board meetings over the past few months has been filled by residents and parents on both sides of the issue, Tuesdays meeting was largely filled by hardworking people with conservative values, as one resident described the group. Residents thanked the board for voting for the policy and not being tricked.

While the policy was approved Aug. 30, Chickahominy District representative Bob Hundley said he wants to work with interest groups going forward to make the policy better.
Virginia allotted $100 million earlier this year to launch college partnership laboratory schools throughout the state. While the budget language limits recipients of the funds to public colleges, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera wants to offer the money to private schools, too.

Democratic members of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee pushed back Wednesday against the idea of opening the funds to private colleges, saying the law doesnt allow for that.

Some private schools, including Virginia Union University and Liberty University, have expressed interest in opening lab schools, and the future of their efforts may hang in the balance.

What matters is the language that was put in the budget and signed by the governor, which is unambiguous, said Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond.

In June, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a budget that includes $100 million to help launch lab schools  free, K-12 public schools that have the freedom to innovate and control their own budgets.

The budget language allows only public colleges in Virginia to receive the funds. That limitation was written on purpose, said Sen. George Barker, D-Fairfax. The state should see if lab schools work for public schools before opening up the funding to private schools, Barker said. He added that private colleges shouldnt receive funds when some K-12 school divisions are still in need.

That language is not squishy, Barker said. That language is very clear as to what it means.

But Guidera said the administration has a different opinion. The budget also included a clause that redefines lab schools in general as institutions built by public or private colleges. Attorney General Jason Miyares has not offered an opinion on the matter.

Two attorneys for the Division of Legislative Services wrote in July, saying the more restrictive budget language that prohibits private schools from receiving the funds takes precedent.

Its unclear if private colleges would be forced to stop their efforts without the funding. A spokesperson for Virginia Union did not respond to a request for comment.

Last month, Guidera said shed like to see lab schools open as early as next fall. On Wednesday, she offered a more tempered prediction, saying a couple could open in the fall of 2023 but that the majority will likely open in the fall of 2024.

Supporters of lab schools say that some students arent receiving a high quality education and are in need of an alternative. Some schools do very well, Guidera said. But excellence isnt available to all families in Virginia.

Barker disputed the idea that Virginias K-12 public school system is underperforming.

I do take a little bit of exception to saying weve been failing our students, Barker said. In reality, our school divisions are not failing our students.

Lab schools would offer children the opportunity to learn in different ways, Guidera said. Corporations such as Microsoft, Google-owner Alphabet Inc. and Amazon have pledged either financial assistance, employees to staff the schools or classroom space. Each school could have a different approach or focus.

The administration would like to see colleges partner with K-12 school districts, nonprofits, museums and other entities. Virginia Union University intends to partner with Richmond Public Schools, a spokesperson for the university said. Virginia State University, which is public, intends to partner with Petersburg schools.

Guidera pledged that no money will leave public school systems to fund their lab schools.

The schools will likely launch in existing buildings. Colleges cant use government funds to erect new buildings for their lab schools.

No colleges have submitted applications yet, Guidera said.
Richmond city voters who choose to vote early and in person for this falls general election may notice a slight change in the process when they cast their ballots.

Rather than simply filling out paper sheets, voters will use a machine to select their preferred candidates and print out their ballots.

Richmond General Registrar Keith Balmer said the new voting process is intended to comply with a new state law requiring local election offices to report the local precinct of each person who decides to vote absentee or early.

With this new law on the books, one of the things I find encouraging about it is it will allow people who maybe have skepticism about the results to see how vote totals break down all at once rather than a late dump of the absentee votes, Balmer said.

A precinct might have 2,000 votes, but the [central absentee precinct] might have 20,000 or 50,000 votes, he said. Those votes are usually reported later at night.

The new requirement is based on legislation that passed with bipartisan approval in the General Assembly earlier this year. Balmer said he finds that reassuring, especially following the criticisms and doubts that were raised after the 2020 presidential election.

Balmer said the process for voting by mail will remain largely the same.

We are in the process of getting those ballots ready to be mailed to our voters, he said. In fact, that is something that all [voter] registrars across the state are doing now.

The only race on Richmond city ballots this year will be U.S. House District 4, where incumbent Democratic Rep. Don McEachin will again face Republican challenger Leon Benjamin Sr.

Early voting in Richmond begins Sept. 23 and ends Oct. 30 at the Richmond Office of Elections, City Hall and the Hickory Hill Community Center.
Virginias Medicaid program has begun a potential fraud investigation into allegedly improper use of a program for stabilizing people in mental health crisis, with its focus on a relatively small number of providers in Henrico County and other parts of central Virginia.

An audit of the community stabilization program revealed that a service budgeted for $12.5 million in the last fiscal year had been billed $88.5 million from providers through the states contracts with six managed care companies. In the new fiscal year, which began July 1, the insurers already have spent $28.9 million on services authorized for $21.2 million.

The Department of Medical Assistance Services, the state Medicaid office, said it has referred the issue to the attorney generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which is working with the FBI and Henrico police to investigate alleged misuse of a service designed to bridge the gap between people in crisis and community-based care.

This is really a central Virginia problem, Tammy Whitlock, deputy director for complex care services, told the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

Whitlock said the department is auditing the use of service and referring potential misuse to the attorney generals Medicaid fraud unit. She said it is likely to result in financial retractions that will return the funds to the commonwealth and to managed care companies that oversee the service.

A spokesperson for Attorney General Jason Miyares had no comment on the investigation.

The department also has instituted a new requirement, effective Sept. 1, for providers to receive authorization from managed-care companies before providing the service and billing for it. It also held a training session for 250 providers on Aug. 29 to review the new authorization requirement.

This is definitely a problem we saw, and we need to fix it, Whitlock said.

The department said that 61 providers  or about 18% of the 348 participating providers  accounted for 80% of the cost of the service in the fiscal year that ended June 30 and the first two months of this fiscal year. Those providers billed for almost $94 million of the $117.4 million spent on the service.

Twenty-seven of those providers each billed for more than $1 million in six months, the department said.

The central Virginia area showed a high and disproportionate density of providers and utilization, with four to five providers driving utilization, Whitlock said. The department did not name any of the providers in its presentation to the committee.

The problem was not a surprise to the insurance companies that manage the care for the state. Doug Gray, executive of the Virginia Association of Health Plans, said his companies had recommended that the state require vendors to receive prior authorization before providing the service, based on similar experiences with other community-based behavioral health services in previous years.

The state did not require prior authorization, Gray said. The providers ran wild with it.

The good news is, theyre trying to get it under control, he said.

Whitlock said the Medicaid office became aware of the problem during an audit of the service in April. We didnt act as quickly as I thought we should have on this, she acknowledged.

The department is reviewing all major services to spot any other unusual utilization anomalies by the end of the year. It also is beginning a process for reviewing new services during their implementation, including monitoring plans and thresholds for further analysis and intervention.

The community stabilization service is part of a broader initiative, known as BRAVO, or Behavioral Health Redesign for Access, Value and Outcomes, meant to improve services provided through Medicaid for people with behavioral health needs.

Community stabilization is meant to help people after theyve undergone a behavioral health crisis as a transition either to a lower level service thats not immediately available or diversion to a higher level of care.

We want to see some growth [in the service], Whitlock said. There is some pent-up demand there ... but we want it to be appropriate utilization, and clearly $88 million is not appropriate.

Local and regional community services boards are not involved in the administration of the service, but they have a strong interest as providers in ensuring its viability to help people emerging from psychiatric crises.

Its unfortunate that this has occurred ... because it has the potential to impact the availability of the service for the folks who need it, said Jennifer Faison, executive director of the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards. Its an essential service.
Brent Tarter, retired chief historian of the Library of Virginia, remembers with a chuckle the sign on Interstate 64 outside Hampton. Motorists werent entering just any city but the oldest continuously inhabited English-speaking community in the New World.

These days, drivers on that busy highway  if theyre aware of the city and states links to the Old World, translated: England  might notice an electronic billboard on which appears a black-and-white image of the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose death was more than a reminder that her royal ancestors 400-plus years ago started Virginia as a get-rich scheme.

Virginia, as a Colonial culture and society, viewed itself as a little Britain and bought entirely into that until it felt betrayed in the 1770s, said Tarter.

Nelson Lankford, an historian and former vice president of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, said Virginia came by its Anglophilia organically.

The direct economic connection to England, by which ships traveled directly between large plantations along Virginia rivers and ports in England, kept the links between the dominant ethnic group of Virginia and its country of origin, said Lankford. And that meant most Virginians thought of themselves as English men and women up until the Revolution and even in some cases beyond.

Among the 13 British colonies that, as the United States of America, declared themselves in 1776 independent of the crown, Virginia to this day goes to great lengths to nurture its bond to Great Britain and only in recent years has acknowledged the knotty legacy of that relationship, most notably Black slavery and the exploitation of Indigenous people.

Unlike Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, colonies predicated on religious dissent, Virginia, until the eve of the Revolution, was about concurrence  commercial, cultural and spiritual. When it came to the monarchy, Virginians were team players. Some remained so well into the deadly clash with England.

George Washington traded tobacco with London for the English-made finery befitting a self-styled American aristocrat. Only with the break with Britain did Virginias legislature direct that struck from the Book of Common Prayer should be all references of loyalty to the crown as head of the Church of England. Its American cousin, the Episcopal Church, remains distinctly English in rite and ritual.

Virginia has a $2 million-a-year state agency that promotes early Anglo-Virginia history for cultural, economic and educational purposes. Seats on the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, the focus of which is Virginias Colonial and Revolutionary periods  eras long viewed from a largely white perspective, are prized and often reserved for a governors closest allies.

The most recent appointees include Charles James, Virginias personnel director three decades ago under Gov. George Allen and the husband of Kay Coles James, who  as secretary of the commonwealth  dispenses the patronage for Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Allen democratized the board, naming in 1997 its first Native American member, Shirley Little Dove Custalow McGowan of the Mattaponi tribe.

The marriage in 1614 of Pocahontas, a Powhatan princess, to English planter John Rolfe distinguished a narrow number of white Virginians as tied to crown and colony. For them to do so  and remain legally white  required an exception to Virginias Racial Integrity Act of 1924.

With Jamestown as its beachhead, Virginia  settled in 1607  wasnt as much an outpost as it was a wholly owned subsidiary of Elizabeth IIs 17th century forebears that would become the largest and most populous state.

Four centuries on, trade and investment continue to shape the relationship between Virginia and the United Kingdom. According to Britains trade agency, English companies employ 40,000 people in Virginia. England is the states second-largest export market, absorbing at least $1.9 billion in goods and services in 2019.

Though wealth-building  in the name of the crown and the Church of England  was the first priority of the Virginia colony, it would inherit from the mother country institutions and principles on which a new country would be built, most notably, common law and representative government.

Never mind that the protections of both were for more than two centuries restricted to property-owning white males. And when they were extended to Black men  enslaved by the English in the 1600s and emancipated by Lincoln in the 1800s  it was a half-century before they were clapped in the shackles of Jim Crow.

Virginias English origins meant it shared with Britain a contradictory foundation. But that, at least to those Virginians unscathed by a system that rewarded few at the expense of many, argued that the commonwealth could perfect what the crown had plundered.

In May 1857, in a 2-hour speech marking the 250th anniversary of Jamestown, former President John Tyler  later a secessionist and Confederate congressman  framed this as an ideal as old the Virginia Company of London, the enterprise that dispatched three ships and 144 settlers to a marshy patch 3,700 miles from England.

The inhabitants may, therefore, be justly said to have been reared, under the influence of the Virginia Company, in a knowledge of free principles, said Tyler.

In their assertion they were always in advance of the parent country, and if at any time they have seemed to slumber over them, it was but the slumber of the infant Hercules, to be followed by a vigorous grasp of the tyranny which had coiled itself around them. Their determination to maintain their rights and privileges became more manifest in their subsequent history.

Tyler was an emblem of a tradition Britain knew well: born to an old family whose fortune and influence were rooted in the land, perpetuated by marriage and inheritance. Tyler also was of an age marked by lost opportunity for Virginia  its failure to recognize as England did that the future lay in industrialization and improved transportation.

Virginias ultimate embrace of both is reflected in the sprawling natural port which Hampton abuts and where spoken is a language older than English: commerce.
FREDERICK, Md. (AP)  Five western Maryland police officers wont face charges in a Virginia man's death that occurred days after officers shocked him with a stun gun during an altercation, officials announced Monday.

Frederick Police said Daniel Michael Holley, 23, died at a hospital on Nov. 14, two days after officers used a stun gun to subdue him, news outlets reported. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is still trying to determine the exact cause of Holleys death, but the report rules out the officers actions as a cause, officials said.

The Office of the Attorney General looked into the incident and nothing in the initial report from the office's Independent Investigations Division led officials to believe that there was a basis for prosecution, Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith said.

Officers were called to a home for a report of a person behaving erratically and found Holley nude, pacing and talking incoherently, police said. Body camera footage showed an officer use a stun gun after Holley tackled another officer.

Officers requested emergency medical services and Holley was taken to a hospital, where he died, officials said.
Virginias push to help active-duty military personnel find work as they leave the service and to connect veterans with employers has done just that for 100,000 over the last decade.

The Virginia Values Veterans Program offers grants for companies that go through its certification process up to $1,000 for each eligible veteran hired and up to $10,000 in all.

It started in 2012 with the basic philosophy that Virginia businesses will be better with more veterans working for them, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Wednesday at an awards luncheon at the Greater Richmond Convention Center to honor employers in the program.

At the core of the Virginia Values Veterans program is a course that teaches employers about what often unfamiliar military specializations really mean in terms of civilian skills. The program shares nationally recognized best practices for recruiting, hiring and retaining veterans, too.

Translating military expertise into civilian credentials has been a major push of Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., through his work with the Capitol Hill Career and Technical Education Caucus.

More than 2,100 companies in the state have earned Virginia Values Veterans certifications.

The 100,000 veterans and departing military personnel who have found work through the program over 10 years account for a healthy portion of Virginias 700,000 veterans and more than 150,000 active-duty military.

It is so exciting to see so many of them start the next chapter of their life here in the commonwealth, Youngkin said.

This is the beginning, he added. We know there is more work to do, taking care of our veterans and veterans families, taking care of our active duty heroes and their families, making sure they want to stay here.
A former state employee who used her position to defraud Virginia and the United States out of $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds was sentenced Tuesday to nearly seven years in prison.

Sadie Mitchell submitted bogus applications using the identities of state prison inmates and exploited the personal information of Virginians she obtained from a government database.

Mitchell, 30, and a co-conspirator identified in court Tuesday as Lamar Jones, 31  who was fatally shot in Shockoe Bottom in December  used the diverted funds to line their own pockets. Mitchell used a portion to buy luxury goods that included gold and diamonds for herself, federal prosecutors said.

It is striking and egregious that the defendant indulged in luxuries with the fraud proceeds while unemployed workers and their families suffered and struggled during the pandemic, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan Pathan said. By looting the unemployment program, the defendant stole funds from those who needed it most during the pandemic.

Pathan noted Mitchell had attempted to steal $1.8 million and that she reaffirmed the fraud 200 times monthly by re-certifying each week the 50 bogus unemployment claims she filed.

It became a routine, normal part of her life, Pathan told the court.

Following a two-hour sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Judge M. Hannah Lauck sentenced Mitchell to 70 months in prison on her earlier guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. The judge noted that Mitchells actions over 15 months resulted in one of the largest COVID fraud cases in Virginia in terms of total funds diverted.

The punishment was at the low end of discretionary sentencing guidelines, which for Mitchell was calculated at a range of 70 to 87 months. Her attorney, Edwin Brooks, sought a significant downward departure of 36 months.

Brooks argued that Jones, Mitchells boyfriend, received the bulk of the stolen funds, and she couldnt really escape the person who came up with the scheme during the pandemic lockdown  which triggered mental health problems for his client. If not for Jones, she would not have been involved, he said.

But Lauck responded that Mitchells role was an important one, and this wouldnt have been possible if your client didnt participate.

In addition, the judge told Mitchell she couldnt give her credit for being undone by the pandemic because that was the source of your crime.

Prosecutors noted that Mitchell not only used the personal identifying information of state inmates to file at least 20 fraudulent unemployment claims, but also accessed a government database and used similar information of unsuspecting and unaware identity theft victims to file at least 30 additional bogus claims.

At the time, Mitchell was a program support technician with the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, earning $39,864 annually. Her employment gave her access to a government database that she exploited, prosecutors said.

Instead of safeguarding the sensitive and confidential information she had access to by virtue of her employment, the defendant monetized this information to defraud the VEC and to enrich herself and her co-conspirator, Pathan said.

During a 15-month period, they obtained $1,278,636 in pandemic unemployment assistance, unemployment insurance, paycheck loan fund and economic injury disaster loan payments in two separate fraud schemes that ran from May 19, 2020, to Aug. 9, 2021, according to federal prosecutors summary of evidence.

The conspiracy involved Mitchells accomplice obtaining the names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers of inmates serving sentences at state prisons. Mitchell then used that information to electronically file at least 20 fraudulent claims.

The applications listed a physical address rather than the state prison at which the inmates were housed and included a bogus last employer since the inmates were incarcerated and not employed. The VEC would then mail Way 2 Go debit cards loaded with benefit funds to the addresses listed by Mitchell in the applications. In some cases, Mitchell and her accomplice requested the benefits be directly deposited into bank accounts they controlled.

On a weekly basis, Mitchell and her accomplice would submit recertifications for unemployment status, resulting in the VEC disbursing additional funds.

In addition, after Mitchell and her accomplice obtained the names of Virginians from the government database, Mitchell would query the database for the dates of birth and Social Security numbers for those individuals, and then use that information to electronically submit at least 30 false and misleading applications.

Prosecutors said the vast majority of those individuals had no knowledge that their personal identifying information had been compromised and used by Mitchell and Jones.

In addition to pandemic-related unemployment assistance, Mitchell and Jones filed five fraudulent applications for money through the federal Paycheck Protection Program, a Small Business Administration initiative that provided forgivable loans through participating financial institutions to small businesses for job retention and other expenses.

Mitchell submitted three applications for businesses that she claimed she owned and operated, and two more that Mitchell claimed were owned and operated by other people.

Lastly, Mitchell submitted six applications for federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans for businesses she claimed to own and operate, and two additional applications for businesses purportedly owned by Jones.

As part of her plea agreement, Mitchell is required to make restitution to the VEC in the amount of $1,158,674; to the Small Business Administration in the amount of $64,166; and to Prestamos CDFI, LLC, a financial institution in Phoenix, Ariz., in the amount of $55,796.

Judge Lauck had earlier granted a defense motion to seal Mitchells sentencing position filed by her attorney because it contained sensitive personal matters regarding Ms. Mitchell that are not in the public domain. Making those details public would make Ms. Mitchells difficult situation even worse, Brooks wrote.

Prosecutors noted in court papers that Mitchell, who is the mother of two young girls, ages 4 and 9, experienced a harsh and difficult upbringing in Church Hill in a neighborhood with an abundance of crime. She was abused as a child and left home at age 15.

She has suffered from depression and anxiety since 2019, and has been undergoing individual mental health counseling.

When given a chance to speak, Mitchell apologized for her crimes, saying she had no father figure in her life and, in a reference to Jones, said, My significant other clouded my judgment.
Hindu temples in Bangladesh are at risk !

The intention underlying the display of this image is not to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus, but to make them comprehend the denigration  Editor, Dainik Sanatan Prabhat

Kushtia (Bangladesh)  Extremists recently vandalised the Idol of Shri Durgadevi in Lahini Karmakar village of Kushtia District in Bangladesh. This is the third attack on the Idol of Shri Durgadevi before Durga Puja during Navratri festival. Terrorists are planning to prevent Hindus from celebrating Navratri.

Extremists vandalized Durga idol in Lahini Karmakar village of Kushtia,last night.They will not allow us to celebrate Durga Puja like last year. This is the third attack on the Durga idol before Durga Puja. We want quick and speedy action in this regard. These should be stopped. pic.twitter.com/49LKiohHgL  Voice Of Bangladeshi Hindus  (@VoiceOfHindu71) September 12, 2022

The intention underlying the display of this image is not to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus, but to make them comprehend the denigration  Editor, Dainik Sanatan Prabhat

This oppression of Hindus must stop. We want quick and speedy action from the Government in this regard, Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus has demanded.
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There was no relief, just like for usThere was no relief, just like for us
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A new project led by Associate Professor Halil Kilicoglu and Associate Professor Jodi Schneider in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will assist researchers and journals in evaluating citation behavior in biomedical publications. They recently received a two-year, $300,000 grant from the Office of Research Integrity of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for their project, "Natural Language Processing to Assess and Improve Citation Integrity in Biomedical Publications."

While citations play a fundamental role in the diffusion of scientific knowledge and assessment of research on a topic, they are often inaccurate (e.g., citation of nonexistent findings, inappropriate interpretation). This inaccuracy undermines the integrity of scientific literature and distorts the perception of available scientific evidence.

"A recent meta-analysis showed that 25.4 percent of medical articles contained a citation error," said Kilicoglu. "A bibliometric analysis revealed that inaccurate citations of a letter published in 1980 may have contributed to the opioid crisis."

For their project, Kilicoglu and Schneider will develop and validate resources and natural language processing/artificial intelligence models to aid stakeholders in assessing biomedical publications for citation accuracy and integrity. Stakeholders who will benefit from these new models and tools include authors, journals and peer reviewers, research administrators, funders, and policymakers.

"In the long term, these new resources can mitigate the detrimental effects of poor citation practices," said Kilicoglu.

Kilicoglu's research interests include biomedical informatics, natural language processing, knowledge representation, scholarly communication, and scientific reproducibility. Prior to joining the iSchool faculty, Kilicoglu worked as a research scientist at the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Concordia University.

Schneider studies the science of science through the lens of arguments, evidence, and persuasion. Her long-term research agenda analyzes controversies applying science to public policy; how knowledge brokers influence citizens; and whether controversies are sustained by citizens' disparate interpretations of scientific evidence and its quality. Schneider holds a Ph.D. in informatics from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and master's degrees in library and information science from the University of Illinois and mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin.

Provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The silkmoth (Bombyx mori) will be one moth species included in this study by the Walters lab. Credit: Andrew Mongue

Researchers from the University of Kansas will join a multi-institution effort to better grasp mechanisms and evolutionary history of sex differences in aging across an array of animal species.

The research project, organized as the IISAGE Biology Integration Institute, is funded by a five-year, $12.5 million award from the National Science Foundation (of which about $1 million will come to KU).

"This project has its genesis in the observation that the average lifespan of males and females is often strikingly different, but the extent and direction of these differences varies widely among animal species," said Jamie Walters, associate professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, who is leading the KU portion of the grant work.

"In some species, like humans and many other mammals, females live longer than males," Walters said. "However, in many other species, like some bats, some birds and many insects, the opposite pattern is found. There are many hypothesized explanations for why such differences in aging exist, but which ones are the most common or prominent has not been resolved. This is why our IISAGE integration institute is such an exciting projectwe'll be collecting comparable data from many different animal species with the aim of finding the common mechanisms underlying sex-differences in aging."

The KU researcher said the consortium includes experts in mice, fish, lizards, turtles, flies and moths, "as well researchers with expertise in computational biology and machine learningstatisticswho will help weave together the data collected from diverse animals into an integrated inference."

Beyond a better scientific understanding of sex differences in aging, the project could lead to medical advances and inform society as it deals with the challenges of climate change in coming years.

"Understanding the common principles and mechanisms in sex-specific aging has notable implications not only for human health, but also for how organisms will be impacted by changing climate, including animal agriculture and the conservation of biodiversity," Walters said.

Walters' lab at KU integrates advanced genomic methodologies with basic organismal biology to better comprehend evolutionary processes at the molecular level. His primary role in the IISAGE Biology Integration Institute project will be to contribute data from Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies).

"This work dovetails with my long-standing interest in studying sex chromosomes, which are the foundation of one major hypothesis explaining sex differences in aging," he said. "In many animals, it is the males who carry 'different' sex chromosomesthe X and Y. And often it's also the males that age faster, suggesting there is something important about having a Y chromosome, or at least having 'different' sex chromosomes, that determines longevity. However, moths and butterflies have 'reversed' sex chromosomes, with females having 'different' sex chromosomes and carrying the Y. Notably, it seems often female Lepidoptera are shorter lived. But in any case, including Lepidoptera in the study allows us to separate having a Y chromosome from being male, thus separating the impact of sex chromosomes on aging from the impact of being male or female."

The IISAGE collaboration is led by Nicole Riddle, associate professor of biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She said the results of the investigation someday could benefit human health.

"There are significant variations that we see in nature with regards to lifespan and sex differences in aging," Riddle said. "It has long been a puzzle why in some animal species the females live longer and in others, males outlive their counterparts. We don't know why this is, and our findings will help us better understand these diverse patterns of aging, and how those could potentially be manipulated to our benefit. This understanding can impact our food supply, how we adapt to rising temperatures or even how to defy the frailty that accompanies older age altogether."

In addition to KU and UAB, researchers involved in the IISAGE Biology Integration Institute come from sites including Michigan State University, Cornell University, Marquette University, Brown University, the University of Houston and the University of Maryland.

The new institute also will include a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, a traveling museum exhibition and a citizen-science project tailored for K-12 school students in after-school programs.

Provided by University of Kansas
Credit: SUSU

South Ural State University has successfully passed the competitive selection for receiving grants in the field of science for conducting joint research with organisations from the CIS and the Near Abroad countries as part of the implementation of the program of scientific and technological collaboration. Jointly with the Rudny Industrial Institute, Kazakhstan, SUSU will be working on a project on creating new composite materials for three years.

The New Composite Materials and Coatings Based on Phases with a Multicomponent Base for Use in Manufacturing, Transport Systems and the Production of Armour Elements project by SUSU received funding in the amount of 45 million roubles.

Within the frameworks of the project, it is planned to create new materials with high strength, hardness, as well as high heat resistance for their use in manufacturing (for the production of dies and metal-cutting tools, as well as for plain bearings and for the application as anti-friction coatings) and in transport (for the production of parts for jet and turbojet engines).

"The creation of new composite materials with a high level of the above-mentioned properties is planned. A specific feature of the work will be the use of solid solutions with an equimolar (or close to equimolar) ratio of three or more components as a matrix for creating new composite materials", explains the project head Marina Samodurova. "Major part of the work will be performed at SUSU. The Rudny Industrial Institute, Republic of Kazakhstan, will act as an international partner of the project. Our colleagues from Kazakhstan will be working in areas of research in which they have extensive experience and all the necessary competencies."

The work on obtaining the materials that scientists plan to deal with began to be conducted over the recent years. However, to date, this potentially promising area has not yet received proper development, not only in Russia, but in world science in general.

The funding will be used to purchase materials and equipment necessary for the research, as well as to pay for work of all members of the project team. OOO Avers Production and Commercial Company will act as an industrial partner of the project.

South Ural State University is a university of digital transformations, where innovative research is conducted in most of the priority fields of science and technology development. In accordance with the strategy of scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation, the university is focused on the development of big scientific interdisciplinary projects in the field of digital industry, materials science, and ecology. In 2021 SUSU became the winner in the competition under the Priority 2030 program. The university acts as a regional project office of the World-class Ural Interregional Research and Education Centre (UIREC).

Provided by South Ural State University
 "'Take the Motherless Children off the Street': Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and the Criminal Justice System" | Main | Rounding up lots of notable headlines and stories 

September 14, 2022

Hoping and pushing for SCOTUS finally taking up acquitted conduct sentencing enhancements

Long-time readers know I have long bemoaned the use of so-called "acquitted conduct" to enhance sentences in the federal system. My moans have sometimes found expression in amicus briefs in support of efforts to get the Supreme Court to take up this issue, and I surmise any number of defendants have brought this issue to SCOTUS in cert petitions over the last two decades. But the Justices have persistently declined to take up this issue (though, back in the 2014 Jones case, Justice Scalia joined by Justices Ginsburg and Thomas dissented from the denial of cert on this topic).

But hope springs eternal, and this month I had the pleasure of working with great lawyers at Squire Patton Boggs to file another amicus brief on this issue, this one in support of petitioner Dayonta McClinton. I blogged here about McClinton's case after the Seventh Circuit affirmed his 19-year sentence that was based heavily on the judge's determination that McClinton was to be held responsible for a murder even after a jury had acquitted him of that killing. As detailed in this SCOTUS docket sheet, a number of notable interest groups have also filed amicus briefs in support of cert in this case.

Excitingly, Michael Pepson and Jeremiah Mosteller have this new Bloomberg Law commentary, headlined "US Supreme Court Should Tackle Acquitted Conduct Sentencing," which focuses on the McClinton cert petition and makes this notable assertion: "Taking up the issue of acquitted conduct sentencing this next term will give the court another opportunity to tackle a criminal justice issue that unites people from across the spectrum." Here is more from the piece that I recommend in full (with links from the original):

This practice allows judges to use conduct a defendant was acquitted of by a jury to increase a defendants sentence or punishment for a separate crime. This tool essentially allows judges to veto a jurys decision when they merely disagreed with their conclusion. At least three current justices have questioned or called for an end to this unjust practice. And they do not stand alone, as other recent members of the court have also noted this issue demands action, including former justices Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Anthony Kennedy. There is reason to hope other members of the court would also agree acquitted conduct sentencing is unconstitutional given their professional backgrounds and experience on the front lines working in the criminal justice system. The justices are not alone. For years, many lower federal court judges have also forcefully argued that acquitted conduct sentencing is unconstitutional. And a growing number of state courts have also broken ranks with the federal courts, calling this sentencing practice what it is: unconstitutional. This broad criticism underscores the appalling nature of this practice. It is not only unjust to defendants but also undermines the legitimacy of our criminal justice system and eviscerates the role of juries as a check on government abuse and overreach. We both frequently have conversations with friends, advocates, and partners who have no idea this practice occurs. The response is always shock and confusion about how such a practice can exist in America. This horrified reaction mirrors our own, which is why we continue to advocate for the end of this practice. The Supreme Court has a perfect opportunity to reconsider this practice by accepting a case called McClinton v. United States.

A few recent of many, many prior related posts:

September 14, 2022 at 02:54 PM | Permalink

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Doug --

I admire your persistence as much as my results.

Posted by: Bill Otis | Sep 14, 2022 9:50:11 PM

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A signed article by Chinese President Xi Jinping titled "Build on the Past to Make Greater Strides in China-Kazakhstan Relations" was published Tuesday on the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper ahead of his state visit to Kazakhstan.

Following is an English version of the full text of the article:

Build on the Past to Make Greater Strides in China-Kazakhstan Relations

Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

In the charming season of autumn, I will be making a state visit to the friendly country of Kazakhstan at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. After an interval of five years, it will be my fourth visit to the beautiful country known for its vast steppe, majestic landscape and hospitable people. I very much look forward to the visit.

Bound together by mountains and rivers and common interests, China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors, good friends and good partners. For thousands of years, the two peoples have had amicable ties, jointly writing an epic of east-west interactions along the ancient Silk Road. Huen Tsang, an eminent Tang Dynasty monk (602-664), and Chen Cheng, a Ming Dynasty envoy (1365-1457), both set foot on Kazakhstan. Al-Farabi the "Eastern Aristotle", Abai Kunanbayev the "sage poet", and other towering cultural figures of Kazakhstan enjoy widespread fame in China. To this day, their stories are still being told among the two peoples.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Kazakhstan. Over the past three decades, we have braved wind and rain, with our hands always held firmly together. Our interactions and cooperation have become ever more vibrant, and we have travelled an extraordinary path side by side.

-- Over the past 30 years, China-Kazakhstan relations have made big strides. We have continuously advanced our relationship from good neighbors to strategic partners and to permanent comprehensive strategic partners. This incomparable characterization of our ties has enabled us to develop a new type of state-to-state relations featuring mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, solidarity in trying times, and win-win cooperation. We always give each other unwavering support on the core issues bearing on our respective sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. We always respect each other's choice of development path based on national conditions. And we always take pleasure in each other's sustained progress in development and national rejuvenation. We are friends to trust and partners to count on for each other, and our peoples always stand shoulder to shoulder with each other.

-- Over the past 30 years, China-Kazakhstan cooperation has yielded remarkable results. In recent years, China has been solidly one of Kazakhstan's leading partners for trade and investment. Navigating the impact of COVID-19, we were able to again bring our bilateral trade above the US$25 billion mark last year, jointly giving a boost to global economic recovery. China and Kazakhstan are pioneers in production capacity and investment cooperation; our cooperation list includes 52 projects worth a total of more than US$21.2 billion. We have completed a number of major strategic projects, such as the 100-MW Zhanatas wind farm, the JAC automobile factory, and Shymkent Oil Refinery modernization. They have been a strong driving force for economic and social progress in Kazakhstan, and have delivered tangible benefits to our two peoples.

-- Over the past 30 years, China and Kazakhstan have built extensive infrastructure links. We have put in place a multidimensional transportation network composed of road, railway, aviation, and oil and gas pipelines. And we are resolved to build a Eurasian land-sea multimodal "transportation artery" to offer convenient and efficient services. At all of our five road crossings and two rail crossings, normal cargo flows have resumed. And we are in close communication about opening another rail crossing. At the China-Kazakhstan International Logistics Base in the eastern Chinese port of Lianyungang, products from Kazakhstan set sail for the Pacific Ocean. The China-Europe freight trains are running through Kazakhstan via more routes, making an important contribution to the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

-- Over the past 30 years, China-Kazakhstan friendship has taken deep roots among our peoples. In Kazakhstan, there are five Confucius Institutes; in China, four universities have opened institutes on Kazakhstan studies and two have added the Kazakh language as a major. The heart-warming story of Xian Xinghai and Bakhtzhan Baikadamov, two great composers in our respective countries, has been turned into a movie. Dr. Saulebek Kabilbekov of Kazakhstan has been working for 24 years in the Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital of Heilongjiang Province, treating nearly 200,000 Chinese patients. China and Kazakhstan will soon establish cultural centers in each other's countries, and Kazakhstan will host a center of traditional medicine and a Luban Workshop. Our cultural and people-to-people exchanges will make greater strides, and the friendship between our peoples will continue to thrive on an increasingly solid foundation.

Having stood the test of the changing circumstances and the passage of time, China-Kazakhstan relations have long become rock-solid. We should cherish this hard-won achievement, and work harder to carry on the cause of friendship between our two countries. During my upcoming visit, I will have in-depth discussions with President Tokayev on how to further the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership and how to advance our mutually beneficial cooperation across the board. We will set out plans for working together to promote China-Kazakhstan relations with the objective and vision of building a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future.

First, we need to carry forward our good-neighborly friendship. Deep political mutual trust is the bedrock of the steady and sustained development of China-Kazakhstan relations. China is willing to work with Kazakhstan to make top-level designs for the relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective, maintain close high-level interactions, and enhance exchanges and cooperation between our governments, legislatures, political parties and localities at various levels. We should make good use of the regular Prime Ministers' Meetings and the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee and its sub-committees, continue to give each other firm support on issues concerning our respective core interests and major concerns, and make continuous efforts to cement the political foundation of China-Kazakhstan relations.

Second, we need to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Next year will be the tenth anniversary of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative that I first proposed during my visit to Kazakhstan in 2013. From laying the groundwork to building pillars and frameworks, to delivering results on the ground, and to achieving sustainable progress, the Belt and Road Initiative has become a platform for international cooperation that is open, inclusive, mutually beneficial and promotes win-win cooperation and a global public good widely welcomed by the international community. Setting our sight beyond the pandemic, China would like to partner with Kazakhstan to remain pioneers in Belt and Road cooperation. We should improve investment and trade facilitation, fully unleash the potential of border ports and cross-border transportation, and cultivate new sources of growth such as artificial intelligence, big data, digital finance, e-commerce and green energy. We should commit ourselves to a series of new quality projects that are high-standard, sustainable, and beneficial to the people, bring bilateral cooperation to a higher level, and put the Global Development Initiative into action, so as to contribute our shares to world economic recovery.

Third, we need to firmly safeguard common security. In the face of complex regional and international landscapes, only by embracing unity and cooperation can we overcome difficulties of our times and resolve challenges in security governance. China would like to deepen law enforcement, security and defense cooperation with Kazakhstan. Guided by the Global Security Initiative, we should act on the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together to promote the implementation of the Data Security Cooperation Initiative of China+Central Asia. We should join hands to combat terrorism, separatism, extremism, drug trafficking and transnational organized crimes, and ensure the security of oil and gas pipelines and other large cooperation projects and their personnel. We should resolutely oppose interference by external forces and work together for lasting peace and long-term stability of our region.

Fourth, we need to strengthen international coordination in all respects. We need to enhance coordination within multilateral frameworks such as the UN, the SCO, CICA, and China+Central Asia. We should exchange views timely on international governance, food security, energy security, industrial and supply chains stability, and regional hotspots. We should reject unilateralism and bloc confrontation, and jointly push for an international order that is more just and more equitable.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) will convene its 20th National Congress soon. It will be a gathering of great significance at an important moment as the CPC embarks on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects and marching toward the second centenary goal. We are glad to see that the construction of a New Kazakhstan has been fully launched, and that Kazakhstan is making strides toward the goal of becoming one of the world's top 30 most developed states. China stands ready to continue to share development achievements with Kazakhstan and learn from each other's development experience. China's door of opening-up and friendly cooperation will always be open to Kazakhstan.

As a Kazakh proverb goes, "Friendship is an inexhaustible wealth." China believes that as long as we keep to the principle of good-neighborly friendship and deepen all-round win-win cooperation, we will surely usher in a more splendid thirty years in China-Kazakhstan relations.
By Sergio Goncalves

LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa has urged France to stop blocking the proposed MidCat gas pipeline across the Pyrenees noting it would help central and eastern Europe wean themselves off of Russian gas.

Spain and Portugal have seven liquefied natural gas terminals that could supply central Europe via additional pipelines such as the proposed Spain-to-France Midcat pipeline.

"I hope that France understands that it is no longer possible to block this project. I hope it happens as soon as possible," Costa told TVI and CNN Portugal late on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron said last week he opposed the MidCat project, arguing that two existing pipelines across the Pyrenees which divide the Iberian Peninsula from France are under-utilised with flows going mainly toward Spain.

Costa said he understood France position as it seeks to protect its nuclear energy industry, but central and eastern European countries urgently need to diversify their energy sources.

"Today, with the energy crisis in Europe, there cannot be this competition between types of energy," he said.

First launched in 2013, the MidCat project was suspended in 2019 for environmental and economic viability reasons.

However, Spain, Portugal and more recently Germany have argued that the energy crisis has changed matters and shown that the pipeline is needed.

According to Costa, the European Commission has identified a subsea pipeline between Spain and Italy as an alternative to MidCat if France continues to block the project.

That project is likely to be more costly and take longer to build, Spanish officials argue.

(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Andrei Khalip and Jason Neely)
SIOUX CITY -- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 111 Third St., will host a free Halloween Karaoke and Costume Party, beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 inside Anthem.

There will be 20 available spots for anyone to belt out their best karaoke on the Anthem stage. Q102 Radio's Moose and Google will determine which top three winners will receive up to $500 in best individual and group/duo categories.

Moose and Google will also award up to $500 in prizes for best individual and group/duo costumes. Elaborate makeup or masks must be removed to enter the casino. It can be reapplied inside of Anthem. Nothing resembling or which can be used as a weapon is allowed.

All Anthem events are for guests, 21 and older.

All winners will be announced following the Live Band Karaoke performance. Karaoke contest registration is based on a first-come, first-serve basis. Only one prize per person.
SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa  Officials from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are doing battle this week with an invasive aquatic plant species threatening the Iowa Great Lakes.

According to a press release from the Iowa DNR, workers are now treating the East Okoboji, Upper Gar, Lake Minnewashta and Lower Gar lakes with an aquatic herbicide, known as Sonar A.S., to eliminate a rooted plant species known as Eurasian watermilfoil.

The species was found in the Great Lakes region back in early August and is considered a threat because it can "outcompete native plants and take over areas of a lake" (per the DNR release).

A release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which has also dealt with Eurasian watermilfoil, asserts that the plant also provides "unsuitable shelter, food, and nesting habitat for native animals."

The Iowa DNR asserts that the herbicide being used has proven effective in eradicating Eurasian watermilfoil from other lakes in Iowa. Treatments at the Great Lakes are set to go into next spring and DNR officials are testing the Great Lakes area every two weeks to check concentration levels.

To assist in the effort, local groups have raised more than $335,000 in funds.

"This is a threat to all the lakes in the chain and to other surrounding lakes in the region," East Okoboji Lakes Improvement Corporation's Terry Wilts said in the press release. "We are in this together and if there is a chance to take out this plant, wed regret not taking that opportunity."

At the same time as the treatment, the DNR said they're working with local partners to "build a long-term management plan for the chain of lakes."
SIOUX CITY  Vangarde Arts announced it's in the running to bring a free outdoor series to Cook Park, 505 Cook St., beginning in 2023.

A Sioux City-based nonprofit, Vangarde Arts recently submitted the concert series proposal to the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which regularly grants funds to projects utilizing music in public spaces.

"Vangarde Arts is thrilled about the opportunity to bring an amazing new concert series to Sioux City," director Brent Stockton said. "We chose Cook Park to be part of the west side revitalization and breathe new life into a great midtown park and neighborhood."

Stockton said Vangarde Arts will need to qualify as one of the top 20 finalists in the public voting phase of the Levitt AMP Sioux City Grant Awards.

The public is encouraged to support Vangarde Arts' proposal by voting for it at vote.levitt.org or via text as 866-AMP-2023 (866-267-2023) with the keyword VOTESUX.

Public voting is now open and will continue until 7 p.m. Sept. 21. The top 20 finalists will be selected through the online and text-to-vote public voting phase. The Levitt Foundation will then review the top proposals and will select up to 10 Levitt AMP grant recipients, which will be announced on Nov. 15.

"It is our plan to offer a mix of local talent and national touring artists," Stockton said of the Cook Park music series.

Over the years, Vangarde Arts has musicians like Ray Wylie Hubbard, John Primer and David Lindley at its 416 Pierce St. location.
HUDSON, S.D.  South Dakota authorities have released the name of a motorcycle driver who was killed Saturday in a crash near Hudson.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety said Donald Farnsworth III, 57, of Canton, S.D., was westbound on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on 294th Street when he turned left onto Spur Avenue and failed to negotiate the curve. The motorcycle left the road and went into the west ditch.

Farnsworth and his passenger, Glenna Farnsworth, 59, also of Canton, were thrown from the motorcycle, and Donald Farnsworth was pronounced dead at the scene. Glenna Farnsworth was flown to a Sioux Falls hospital with life-threatening injuries. Neither rider was wearing a helmet.
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiated a cease-fire to end a flare-up of fighting that has killed 155 soldiers from both sides, a senior Armenian official said early Thursday.

Armen Grigoryan, the secretary of Armenia's Security Council, announced the truce in televised remarks, saying it took effect hours earlier, at 8 p.m. (1600 GMT) Wednesday. A previous cease-fire that Russia brokered Tuesday quickly failed.

Several hours before Grigoryan's announcement, Armenia's Defense Ministry reported that shelling had ceased but it didn't mention the cease-fire deal.

There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijan's government.

The cease-fire declaration followed two days of heavy fighting that marked the largest outbreak of hostilities between the two longtime adversaries in nearly two years.

Late Wednesday, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Armenia's capital accusing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of betraying his country by trying to appease Azerbaijan and demanding his resignation.

Armenia and Azerbaijan traded blame for the hostilities, with Armenian authorities accusing Baku of unprovoked aggression and Azerbaijani officials saying their country was responding to Armenian shelling.

Pashinyan said 105 of his countrys soldiers had been killed since fighting erupted early Tuesday, while Azerbaijan said it lost 50. Azerbaijani authorities said they were ready to unilaterally hand over the bodies of up to 100 Armenian soldiers.

The ex-Soviet countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

During a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories held by Armenian forces. More than 6,700 people died in the fighting, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.

Pashinyan said Wednesday that Azerbaijani forces have occupied 10 square kilometers (nearly 4 square miles) of Armenias territory since the fighting began.

He told lawmakers that his government has asked Russia for military support under a friendship treaty between the countries, and also requested assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Our allies are Russia and the CSTO, Pashinyan said, adding that the collective security pact states that an aggression against one member is an aggression against all.

We don't see military intervention as the only possibility, because there are also political and diplomatic options, Pashinyan said, speaking in his nation's parliament.

He told lawmakers that Armenia is ready to recognize Azerbaijans territorial integrity in a future peace treaty, provided that it relinquishes control of areas in Armenia its forces have seized.

We want to sign a document, for which many people will criticize and denounce us and call us traitors, and they may even decide to remove us from office, but we would be grateful if Armenia gets a lasting peace and security as a result of it, Pashinyan said.

Some in the opposition saw the statement as a sign of Pashinyan's readiness to cave in to Azerbaijani demands and recognize Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh. Thousands of angry protesters quickly descended on the government's headquarters, accusing Pashinyan of treason and demanding he step down.

Pashinyan angrily denied reports alleging that he had signed a deal accepting Azerbaijani demands as an information attack. Grigoryan, the Security Council's secretary, denounced the protests in Yerevan, describing them as an attempt to destroy the state.

Arayik Harutyunyan, the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, reacted to the uproar by saying that the region will not agree to come into the Azerbaijani fold and will continue pushing for its independence.

As tensions rose in Yerevan, Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act in seeking to maintain friendly ties with both nations. It has strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, but also maintains close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

Some observers saw the outbreak of fighting as an attempt by Azerbaijan to force Armenian authorities into faster implementation of some of the provisions of the 2020 peace deal, such as the opening of transport corridors via its territory.

Azerbaijan has bigger military potential, and so it tries to dictate its conditions to Armenia and use force to push for diplomatic decisions it wants, Sergei Markedonov, a Russian expert on the South Caucasus region, wrote in a commentary.

Markedonov noted that the current flare-up of hostilities comes just as Russia has been forced to pull back from areas in northeastern Ukraine after a Ukrainian counteroffensive, adding that Armenias request for assistance has put Russia in a precarious position.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of other CSTO members discussed the situation in a call late Tuesday, urging a quick cessation of hostilities. They agreed to send a mission of top officials from the security alliance to the area.

On Friday, Putin is set to hold a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they both plan to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security grouping dominated by Russia and China. The Armenian government said that Pashinyan, who also was due to attend the summit, would not show up because of the situation in the country.

In Washington, a group of lawmakers supporting Armenia lobbied the Biden administration. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, the influential Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and four other members of Congress called on the White House and State Department to unequivocally condemn Azerbaijans actions and cease all assistance to Azerbaijan.

Aida Sultanova in London, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Nomaan Merchant in Washington and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina's electricity regulators began listening Tuesday to potentially weeks of testimony over proposals by Duke Energy Corp. subsidiaries on how to carry out a state law demanding greenhouse gas reductions in the next decade.

In keeping with the landmark 2021 law, the Charlotte-based utility pitched to the state Utilities Commission earlier this year how it could cut carbon dioxide emissions in the state 70% by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels. Net-zero emissions by 2050 are also required.

The expert testimony comes before the seven-member commission must rule on a formal path forward by Dec. 31. It follows a wave of document filings by environmental and clean energy groups, major corporate electricity users, rank-and-file customers and the Attorney Generals Office. About 40 different entities are listed as third-party intervenors in the matter before the commission, giving their lawyers the ability to cross-examine Duke executives and offer their own witnesses.

Dukes carbon plan unveiled in May envisioned four different energy production and efficiency portfolios, three of which didnt reach the 70% mandate until 2032 or 2034. The law gives the commission leeway to push back the 70% reduction deadline to 2032 or even further in some circumstances.

Duke Energy has said it wants the commission to approve multiple options to give it flexibility and time to evaluate emerging electricity sources. A slower reduction roll-out also would result in lower rate increases on customers and more assurance of reliable energy supplies, the utility said. The law says the panel can examine the latest technological breakthroughs to achieve the least cost path, among other considerations.

Were not asking the commission to go ahead and utilize the discretion to delay. What were asking for is a suite of near-term procurement and development actions that need to take place, said Tuesday's first witness, Kendal Bowman, vice president of regulatory affairs for Dukes North and South Carolina subsidiaries. Those near-term actions would include retiring more coal-fired plants, boosting solar and battery supplies and creating natural gas-powered plants, which can provide energy on cloudy or high-demand days.

Duke's critics say the proposals rely too much on natural gas or make customer bills too costly. Some have offered their own carbon-reduction plan that reaches the 70% reduction mandate by 2030 while relying more on solar and wind power and battery storage use.

Do you think it would be appropriate for the commission given that Duke has only got one 2030 compliance portfolio to consider 2030 compliance portfolios put forth by other parties? Benjamin Snowden, an attorney representing independent solar generating facilities, asked Bowman. She replied the commission can consider anything brought before it.

Duke Energy and the commission's Public Staff  representing customers  developed two additional portfolios this summer. But they would also reach the 70% reduction threshold in 2032 and 2034.

Catherine Cralle Jones, an attorney for Appalachian Voices, questioned how much was being done to address affordability. Nearly 1 million customers of Duke Energy Progress or Duke Energy Carolinas  almost a third of their North Carolina customer base  qualify as low-income through federal poverty guidelines.

If we cannot address affordability in the carbon plan itself for the customers, then we are missing an opportunity here for these investments, for these priorities, Jones said.

Bowman said the company believes transitioning to clean energy will help keep affordable rates that are historically below the national average, and that efficiency efforts to reduce electricity use will help as well.

The commission held six public hearings in July and August on the plan. All commission members are appointees of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who signed the 2021 bill into law and is a strong clean-energy advocate. The panel sits as a quasi-judicial body; Chair Charlotte Mitchell refereed objections by Duke's attorney about specific questions for Bowman.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Twitter's former security chief told Congress Tuesday there was at least one agent from China's intelligence service on Twitter's payroll and that the company knowingly allowed India to add agents to the company roster as well, potentially giving those nations access to sensitive data about users.

These were some of the troubling revelations from Peiter Mudge Zatko, a respected cybersecurity expert and Twitter whistleblower who appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to lay out his allegations against the company.

Zatko told lawmakers that the social media platform is plagued by weak cyber defenses that make it vulnerable to exploitation by  teenagers, thieves and spies and put the privacy of its users at risk.

I am here today because Twitter leadership is misleading the public, lawmakers, regulators and even its own board of directors," Zatko said as he began his sworn testimony.

They dont know what data they have, where it lives and where it came from and so, unsurprisingly, they cant protect it, Zatko said. It doesnt matter who has keys if there are no locks."

Twitter leadership ignored its engineers, he said, in part because their executive incentives led them to prioritize profit over security.

In a statement, Twitter said its hiring process is independent of any foreign influence and access to data is managed through a host of measures, including background checks, access controls, and monitoring and detection systems and processes.

One issue that didn't come up in the hearing was the question of whether Twitter is accurately counting its active users, an important metric for its advertisers. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is trying to get out of a $44 billion deal to buy Twitter, has argued without evidence that many of Twitters roughly 238 million daily users are fake or malicious accounts, aka spam bots.

Even so, that doesnt mean that Musk wont use Zatkos allegation that Twitter was disinterested in removing bots to try to bolster his argument for walking away from the deal, said Insider Intelligence analyst Jasmine Enberg.

The Delaware judge overseeing the case ruled last week that Musk can include new evidence related to Zatkos allegations in the high-stakes trial, which is set to start Oct. 17. During the hearing, Musk tweeted a popcorn emoji, often used to suggest that one is sitting back in anticipation of unfolding drama.

Separately on Tuesday, Twitter's shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the deal, according to multiple media reports. Shareholders have been voting remotely on the issue for weeks. The vote was largely a formality, particularly given Musk's efforts to nullify the deal, although it does clear a legal hurdle to closing the sale.

Zatko's message echoed one brought to Congress against another social media giant last year. But unlike that Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, Zatko hasn't brought troves of internal documents to back up his claims.

Zatko was the head of security for the influential platform until he was fired early this year. He filed a whistleblower complaint in July with Congress, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among his most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.

Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who heads the Judiciary Committee, said Zatko has detailed flaws that may pose a direct threat to Twitters hundreds of millions of users as well as to American democracy.

Twitter is an immensely powerful platform and cant afford gaping vulnerabilities, he said.

Unknown to Twitter users, theres far more of their personal information disclosed than they  or sometimes even Twitter itself  realize, Zatko testified. He said Twitter did not address basic systemic failures brought forward by company engineers.

The FTC has been a little over its head, and far behind European counterparts, in policing the sort of privacy violations that have occurred at Twitter, Zatko said.

Zatkos allegation that Twitter was more concerned about foreign regulators than the FTC, Enberg said, could be a wakeup call for U.S. lawmakers, who have been unable to pass meaningful regulation on social media companies.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said one positive result that could come out of Zatkos findings would be bipartisan legislation to set up a tighter system of regulation of tech platforms.

We need to up our game in this country, he said.

Many of Zatkos claims are uncorroborated and appear to have little documentary support. Twitter has called Zatkos description of events a false narrative ... riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies and lacking important context.

Still, Zatko came off as a convincing whistleblower who has a lot of credibility in this space, said Ari Lightman, professor of digital media and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University. But he said many of the problems he raised can likely be found at many other digital technology platforms

They avoid security protocols in a sense of innovating and running really fast, Lightman said. We gave digital platforms so much autonomy at the beginning to grow and develop. Now were at a point where were, Wait a minute ... This has gotten out of hand.

Among the assertions from Zatko that drew lawmaker attention was Twitters apparent negligence in dealing with governments that sought to get spies a job inside the company. Twitters inability to log how employees accessed user accounts made it hard for the company to detect when employees were abusing their access, Zatko said.

Zatko said he spoke with high confidence about a foreign agent that the government of India placed at Twitter to understand the negotiations between Indias ruling party and Twitter about new social media restrictions and how well those negotiations were going.

Zatko also revealed Tuesday that he was told about a week before his firing that at least one agent from the Chinese intelligence service MSS, or the Ministry of State Security, was on the payroll at Twitter.

He said he was similarly surprised and shocked by an exchange with current Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal about Russia  in which Twitter's current CEO, who was chief technology officer at the time, asked if it would be possible to punt content moderation and surveillance to the Russian government, since Twitter doesn't really have the ability and tools to do things correctly.

And since they have elections, doesnt that make them a democracy? Zatko recalled Agrawal saying.

Sen. Charles Grassley, the committee's ranking Republican, said Tuesday that Agrawal declined to testify at the hearing, citing the ongoing legal proceedings with Musk. But the hearing is more important than Twitters civil litigation in Delaware," Grassley said. Twitter declined to comment on Grassley's remarks.

In his complaint, Zatko accused Agrawal as well as other senior executives and board members of numerous violations, including making false and misleading statements to users and the FTC about the Twitter platforms security, privacy and integrity.

Zatko, 51, first gained prominence in the 1990s as a pioneer in the ethical hacking movement and later worked in senior positions at an elite Defense Department research unit and at Google. He joined Twitter in late 2020 at the urging of then-CEO Jack Dorsey.

O'Brien reported from Providence, R.I.; Ortutay reported from Oakland, Calif.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here Wednesday for a state visit to Kazakhstan.

Upon arrival at the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport, Xi made a statement, in which he said he was "delighted to visit the beautiful country of Kazakhstan again after five years at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev."

"I wish to extend, on behalf of the government and people of China, warm greetings and best wishes to the friendly government and people of Kazakhstan," Xi said.

"China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors, good friends and good partners connected by mountains and rivers and standing together through thick and thin. Over the past three decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations, our two countries have enjoyed mutual respect, good-neighborliness, mutual support and cooperation for mutual benefit," he said.

"The bilateral relationship has grown by leaps and bounds, and reached the high level of a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership. Our two countries have consolidated political mutual trust, conducted fruitful Belt and Road cooperation, and engaged in close and efficient coordination on international affairs, to the benefit of our two peoples," the Chinese president said.

"During this visit, I will hold talks with President Tokayev for an in-depth exchange of views on growing the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era. Together, we will draw a new blueprint for comprehensive cooperation between our two countries," Xi said.

"I believe that the visit will bring new and strong impetus to the shared progress and prosperity of our two countries," he added.

Xi left Beijing on Wednesday morning to attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan at the invitation of Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

His entourage includes Ding Xuexiang, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee; State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi; and He Lifeng, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

When the Chinese president arrived at the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, he was warmly welcomed by Tokayev, and a group of senior officials including Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi and Nur-Sultan Mayor Altai Kulginov.

Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao also welcomed Xi at the airport.
A candidate for Louisville mayor who was shot at by an assailant is pledging to crack down on confiscated firearms that police send to auction. Democrat Craig Greenberg says if he is elected mayor, he will direct Louisville police to render seized firearms inoperable before they go to auction. State law requires confiscated guns be sent to auction. The sale proceeds are used to buy such equipment as body armo, for police officers. Greenberg says some of those guns end up back in criminals' hands. Back in February, an assailant shot at Greenberg in his campaign office. He was not injured.
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP)  Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors has voted to change the name of two major highways recognizing Confederate generals.

The 9-1 vote Tuesday would change the name of Lee Highway in the county to Route 29 and Lee-Jackson Memorial Highway to Route 50.

The route numbers have already been linked to the highways for many years.

The board's lone Republican, Pat Herrity, was the sole vote against the change.

A county task force recommended the changes, even though a majority of people in an unscientific survey conducted by the task force supported keeping the names in place. The survey received more than 30,000 responses.

The county estimates the cost of the name change at $2.9 million, including $1.5 million for affected property owners to deal with the cost of renaming.

The county's vote is not the final word; the proposal now goes to the state's Commonwealth Transportation Board for consideration.

A survey found that dozens of Fairfax County streets are named for Confederate leaders. While the county moved forward with plans to change the highway names, it has left it up to local residents to petition for renaming side streets if they so choose.

The Lee and Jackson names recognize Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.
Heres a look at how APs general news coverage is shaping up for select Nebraska stories. For up-to-the minute information on APs complete coverage of Nebraska and the rest of the world, visit Coverage Plan at newsroom.ap.org

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This information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Coverage Plan will keep you up to date. All times are Central unless specified otherwise.

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RAILROAD CONTRACT TALKS

OMAHA, Neb.  Members of one union rejected a tentative deal with the largest U.S. freight railroads Wednesday while three other unions remained at the bargaining table just days ahead of a strike deadline, threatening to intensify snarls in the nations supply chain that have contributed to rising prices. By Josh Funk. SENT: 360 words, photos. Will be updated.

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RAILROAD CONTRACT TALKS-LOCALIZE IT  The nations largest freight railroads are negotiating contracts with their 12 unions ahead of Fridays looming strike deadline. The 13 contracts being negotiated cover roughly 115,000 workers at Union Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Kansas City Southern and other railroads that carry thousands of carloads if imported goods, packages, chemicals, cars, coal, grain and other raw materials across every state in the nation. The Association of American Railroads trade group estimates a railroad strike would cost the economy some $2 billion a day and disrupt businesses and passenger traffic nationwide. We offer some tips and resources for localizing the story. Find the latest Localize It guides here.

BACK TO SCHOOL-LOCALIZE IT  American children have returned to classrooms for the start of another academic year  the fourth to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit when this years seniors were first-year high school students. As worries about the virus begin to recede  along with quarantines and the staffing crunches they cause, educators hope  schools are confronting the legacies of the pandemic. Theyre staring down strains on mental health, large numbers of students who are behind academically, threats to school safety and heightened political tensions around how and what they teach. We provide a look at some of the top stories to follow this school year, along with tips on how to cover them locally. Find the latest Localize It guides here.

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ELECTION 2022-ABORTION  GOP Sen. Lindsey Grahams legislation creating a national abortion plan is putting Republican candidates across the country in a tough spot in the final stretch of the midterm campaign. UPCOMING.

IOWA TRAFFICKING VICTIM-Q&A  Supporters of 17-year-old Pieper Lewis, who was ordered to pay $150,000 to the family of a man she stabbed to death after being repeatedly trafficked to him for sex, have raised most of the restitution money in less than a day. Lewis was sentenced to probation, but the payment order struck many as outrageous, even as the judge said Iowa law gave him no choice. What are the rules in Iowa and other states for restitution? And as a crime victim, why was Lewis not protected from prosecution? UPCOMING.

BIDEN  Car guy Joe Biden will showcase his administrations efforts to promote electric vehicles during a visit to the Detroit auto show. SENT: 610 words, photos. Developing from 1:45 p.m. EDT remarks.

R KELLY  Jurors deliberate for a second day at R. Kellys federal trial in Chicago on charges of producing child pornography, enticing minors for sex and rigging his 2008 child porn trial. SENT: 500 words, photo, video. Developing.

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A few weeks after I began teaching in 1979, my wife and I took a sad walk.

With hope in her eyes, clutching my first paycheck, she asked, Do you get paid biweekly?

No, this is our monthly income, I answered.

You made more working in the summer, she said.

Not long after, we were with friends, and someone at the table laughed and said, You know, I pay your salary.

Since wed been practicing poverty since paying deposits on water, electricity, and heat, I was in no mood for jokes about salary. I snarled back, Youre doing a damned poor job of it.

Silence filled the table.

That happened 43 years ago, and it still rings in my ears. Teachers have lived with this myth and others for decades.

I know there ought to be a statute of limitations on stupid, but there isnt, and so these myths persist. Some fueled by people believing theyre qualified to teach 3rd grade since they attended 3rd grade. Others are spread by politicians believing their office qualifies them as curriculum specialists and book monitors.

Here are three of those teacher myths.

 Those who can, do; those who cant teach.

Originally this came from Man and Superman, a 1903 four-act play by George Bernard Shaw. Since then, the phrase has been used to insult teachers and degrade the profession.

After all, people think those with highly prized skills can demand more salary than they can ever earn teaching. So, only low skilled people settle for teaching.

The myth is ugly, helps cause the decline in the number of students willing to teach, and it provides cover for politicians who think teachers are paid enough for nine months of work. Its also grossly unfair to the gifted people devoted to teaching.

Remember during the pandemic when schools were shuttered, and parents were forced to teach their own children? Those cozy teaching sessions around the kitchen table often devolved into the battle scenes from Saving Private Ryan.

Teaching is hard. Teaching 30 kids with different attention spans, abilities, and interests is extremely hard. Then add in lunch count, early outs for track meets, intercom interruptions, assemblies, administrator visits, phone calls, and discipline problems.

Teachers dont have waiting rooms like doctors where they take one problem at a time. Teachers deal with 30 individual problems at once and make quick decisions on their feet. George Shaw was wrong and all the people repeating his cliche need to visit a classroom.

 Teachers work for 9 months and have 3 months paid vacation.

Teachers are under contract for 9 months and then are forced into unemployment with no unemployment compensation. In the summer, thats why you see teachers painting houses, working as clerks at stores, mowing lawns, and waiting tables. According to the economic Policy institute, teachers earn 16.3% less than other college educated workers in Iowa. Also, they daily bring work home and work beyond their contracted time.

 Anyone can teach without student teaching or education courses.

Student teaching allows students to work with a veteran teacher and decide about education as a career. Now, Arizona and Florida have waived the need for a finished college degree and the student teaching requirement. This cheats kids and undervalues the profession. Iowa led by a Republican majority may well follow these two states.

Student teaching isnt fun, but skipping it is like sending a soldier into battle without basic training.

Lets not make other young teachers take a sad walk to explain their first paycheck. Iowa needs to wake up and honor teachers instead of repeating myths.

Bruce Lear, who lives in Sioux City, has been connected to public schools for 38 years. He taught for 11 years and represented educators as an Iowa State Education Association Regional Director for 27 years until retiring.
On Tuesday, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham unveiled a bill that would impose a federal ban on abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy with a few very narrow exceptions. The senator, reversing his prior position that abortion should be left to the states, now seeks to override blue states more liberal laws by establishing a nationwide cutoff. If enacted, Grahams bill would criminalize abortion at the exact moment in pregnancy when dangerous fetal anomalies and maternal health problems come to light. It would force many patients with high-risk pregnancies and severe fetal defects to flee the United States in search of legal termination. It would condemn countless sexual assault victims, including children, to bear their rapists child. In short, Grahams measure would spread the tragic, potentially deadly consequences of red state abortion bans to the entire country.

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Republicans have sought to cast a 15-week limit as the moderate alternative to an absolute federal prohibition, though it would leave stricter state-level bans in place. It would also federalize some of the most extreme and unpopular aspects of these existing bans. Like those laws, the Graham bill allows abortions only when necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman, rejecting a broader exception for maternal health. It includes no exception for fetal anomalies, no matter how grave.

Unfortunately, many genetic and physical defects can only be detected after the 15th week of pregnancy. As The 19th reported in August, the earliest point when doctors can detect anomalies is between 15 and 22 weeks, when scans show fetal organ structures. Certain abnormalities detected at this stage, like Trisomy 18 and anencephaly, render fetuses incompatible with life, meaning they will die during birth or shortly thereafter. At most, if carried to term, these children will live just for hours or days in immense pain. And continuing the pregnancy often puts the patient at heightened risk of medical complications.

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The lack of an exception for fetal anomalies in Grahams bill is intentional. For years, the anti-abortion movement has sought to outlaw abortions due to fetal disability. Before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, at least nine states had passed these bans. Three states also gagged doctors from even raising the possibility of termination with patients after diagnosing fetal abnormalities.

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These bans are largely irrelevant now that most of those states have passed laws outlawing abortion across the board. But conservative activists are fighting to ensure that federal legislation includes no carve-out for abnormalities. The anti-abortion Lozier Institute rejects the very concept of an anomaly thats incompatible with life, arguing that patients should be forced to give birth if theres a possibility that the child might live for minutes or hours. The institute argues that patients must undergo induced labor or a C-sectionboth of which are exponentially more dangerous than an abortionso a grieving family can show love and say good-bye.

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CNNs Elizabeth Cohen and Danielle Herman recently reported a devastating story that illustrates the inhumane ramifications of the Graham approach. They profiled Kailee DeSpain, a Texas woman forced out of state to terminate her pregnancy. DeSpain and her husband desperately wanted to have a child. After suffering three miscarriages, they were thrilled to learn that a seemingly healthy boy was on the way. But in the second trimester, the couple discovered that the fetus had a lethal anomaly called triploidy. This genetic disorder causes serious defects in the fetus heart, lungs, brain, and kidney, ensuring (at best) a brief, painful life outside the womb. Triploidy can also kill the patient in the third trimester.

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Because of Texas draconian abortion ban, however, DeSpain could not terminate immediately. Instead, she drove ten hours to New Mexico to get the procedure at 19 weeks. If Grahams bill becomes law, patients in her situation cannot flee the statethey will have to flee the country.

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If the doctor fails to persuade a jury of their proper judgment, they face five years in prison.

Formerly a quintessential pro-life Texan, DeSpain now vocally opposes the heartbeat bill that forced her to New Mexico for crucial health care. I had to leave my baby with an out-of-state funeral home and have his ashes shipped home, DeSpain wrote. Im still so angry and hurt about it that I can hardly see straight. She added: Its hard for me to wrap my head around the thought process of lawmakers that would rather a full-term baby suffocate to death than allow a mother to make a decision that spares her child that pain.

Although triploidy can kill a patient, Texas doctors told DeSpain that they could not terminate until her death was imminent. This impediment reveals another flaw in Grahams proposal: Like Texas heartbeat bill, its exception for the mothers life is incredibly narrow. If Grahams bill were to become law, abortion after 15 weeks would only be permissible when its necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman who is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury.

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When, exactly, does a complication become so severe that termination is necessary to save the patients life? Thats up to the doctors reasonable medical judgment. If prosecutors disagree with their decision, they can bring federal felony charges. If the doctor fails to persuade a jury of their proper judgment, they face five years in prison.

In the real world, second trimester complications are far too complex to fit neatly into the two categoriesfatal and survivablelaid out in Grahams bill. Many women, for example, experience premature rupture of the amniotic sac before viability. This condition can lead to septic infection, which in turn can lead to lethal organ failure. But when, exactly, could doctors legally terminate under Grahams bill? How sick must a patient be? As one provider wondered: Will I have to wait until she gets a fever, so I can check off that box, that shes in danger? Is that sufficient or will it require her heart rate to go up or her blood pressure to go down? Will she have to wait until shes unstable to have this option offered to her? At what point, exactly, will I be risking jail for helping my patient through this, unharmed?

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This blurry line has already inflicted agony on patients in Texas and other red states. Hospitals fearing prosecution have waited until patients are actively dying before providing abortions. Doctors can sometimes detect a fetal heartbeat even after the pregnancy has failed, triggering the criminal ban. Their hospital ethics committees may advise them to hold off while the patient continued deteriorating, waiting to terminate until theres proof that shes approaching death. Theres also the separate issue of pregnant women who have a condition requiring treatment that could imperil the fetus, like chemotherapy. As the New York Times noted, the standard of care is an abortion before chemo, but thats now criminalized. Texas doctors are thus delaying cancer treatment until a patient gets so sick that an abortion is demonstrably necessary to save her life.

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Then there is the other ostensible exception in Grahams bill: a carve-out for rape and incest. The anti-abortion movement has long opposed this exception; it insists that children conceived in rape deserve to live, and that women will lie about being raped to circumvent a ban.

Graham catered to these reservations by compelling patients to overcome substantial obstacles. An adult victim of rape must obtain counseling or medical treatment from a government-licensed facility then wait 48 hours. Before assisting a child victim, providers must report their rape to a child welfare or law enforcement agency. Even then, in all circumstances, they must use a method that provides the best opportunity for the unborn child to survive. This language indicates that, at least in the second trimester, doctors must induce labor rather than performing a D&E, an extremely safe procedure used to remove a pregnancy. D&E is far safer than induced labor, so Grahams bill ensures that some rape victims will experience totally unnecessary and possibly life-threatening medical complications.

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Its easy to see the motivation behind this proposal: Americans are, on average, more favorable to restrictions in the second trimester, so a 15-week ban sounds more politically feasibleand maybe even popular. Fewer than 5 percent of abortions occur at this stage, so the bill would have no impact on a majority of patients. Yet, perversely, Grahams legislation disproportionately affects those in the most dire circumstances, when a second-trimester abortion may spare them severe and excruciating health crises. For now, these patients can still flee to blue states for urgent medical care if these abortions are banned in their home states. If Graham and Republican congressional candidates who support his bill have their way, those who cannot afford to travel internationally will have nowhere left to escape.
For most of Putins authoritarian rule, Russians could enjoy the fruits of globalization like smartphones and social media and be left well enough aloneas long as they stayed out of politics. Seven months into the brutal war in Ukraine, Russias military is losing territory to a surprise Ukrainian counteroffensive ,and opponents of the war feel emboldened enough to call for Putins resignation. But the regime is playing a long game, and today every Russian is at greater risk of being monitored, tracked, and arrested simply for liking the wrong social media post.

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As the invasion was met with near-universal condemnation, sanctions, and unrest at home, the Russian government arrested and detained more than 16,000 people for opposing the war. Then, it focused on expanding its toolbox for stifling domestic dissent. The authorities blacklisted and blocked more than 7,000 websites, banned Meta (aka Facebook) over alleged extremist activities, and fined Telegram about $178,000 for failing to take down content about Ukraine. Going after popular platforms like Facebook and attacking websites unfavorable to the regime are not new phenomena in Russia. But the war has accelerated the pace of digital surveillance, which in turn enables far-reaching political repressions. While the Russian authorities may not have the technical capacity to forecast undesirable social behavior from a single post, they are definitely working on itand the world should be paying attention.

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In March, Russias parliament adopted a series of bills imposing administrative and criminal liability and prison terms up to 15 years for disseminating fake news, or fakes, about the Russian Armed Forces. Of the 236 criminal cases currently open against Russian citizens for opposing the war in Ukraine, 80 are being prosecuted under the fakes law.

The key goal of the law on fakes is to ensure that only the official government position about socially significant issues remains in the public discourse, said Stanislav Seleznev, a lawyer at Net Freedoms Project, a special project of Agora International Human Rights Group.

A joint analysis of Net Freedoms and BBC News Russian found that more than 55 percent of criminal cases opened under this law target ordinary citizens, as opposed to the Russian journalists, activists, and opposition figures who have long been subject to prosecution. Among the people charged with publicly and knowingly spreading false information about the armed forces this time are three pensioners, three police officers, two students, a teacher, a doctor, and a priest. One of the first to be prosecuted was a grandma from Seversk who criticized the authorities in her Telegram channel. A history teacher from Barnaul had to pay about $500 for reacting to anti-war posts on Odnoklassniki (a Russian social network) with sad emojis. Luckily, he got off with an administrative fine, not a criminal trial.

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Its a trend with social media, of being arrested for likes. It looks like with the invasion, its picking up more in Russia, Natalia Krapiva, tech legal counsel at Access Now, told Future Tense. Regular peoplenot just activists but anybody who says anything mildly against the war or likes something the government doesnt liketheyre more at risk.

The bulk of criminal cases under the fakes law were opened in March and April when anti-war sentiments were strong. But thats changed. Public willingness to openly oppose the war has waned with only 9 percent of Russians prepared to attend a protest, down from about 20 percent six months ago. (It is worth noting that, of course, it is hard to find or collect unbiased polling data in Russia, especially since the war started.) But staying off the streets is not enough to escape targeted surveillance.

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In June, Russias Ministry of Emergency Situations unveiled plans to spend about$265 million to deploy Safe City facial recognition technology in three regions bordering Ukraine. Safe City appeared in Moscow in 2020 with cameras installed in metro and train stations to scan crowds against a database of wanted individuals. (In Moscow, you can even use your face to pay for your ride.) Since the invasion, Access Now has heard reports of people detained in the Moscow metro in connection with their war-related social media posts. The evidence is anecdotal, but it suggests that facial recognition tools are being used to identify and track armchair critics of the regime.

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Russian security services have a history of weaponizing public safety technology for blatantly political ends, like harassing supporters of imprisoned dissident Alexei Navalny. But security ministries have now gone a step further to tap into a wealth of personal data collected across the country. In 2020, the Ministry of Internal Affairs allocated $3.9 million to integrate regional systems of data collection into a centralized federal database containing biometrics, police records, and other personal data. The project was scrapped in July over disagreements with the developer, but it shows a desire to create one honeypot of all the data in one place, a terrifying prospect, Krapiva says. Such a database means local and federal law enforcement can more easily monitor and harass people based on arbitrary characteristics, like Ukrainian citizenship. Plus Russia has a notorious reputation of having weak security measures to protect personal data, resulting in leaks and sale of data.

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According to a 2022 Net Freedoms report on political profiling, terminating this project is just a temporary setback. Russia has a host of additional surveillance tools. For example, a private company, SEUSLAB, registered a database that tracks social media users who are active during periods of peak protest activity and collects information about their friends, posts, shares, and comments. Security services used this tool as early as 2019 to identify socially dangerous content. The report concludes that there is no reason to assume that Russian authorities have abandoned its plans to create a comprehensive monitoring and profiling system.

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That grim prediction is bearing out. Last month, Roskomnadzor, Russias internet regulator notorious for its heavy-handed censorship, signed a roughly $886,000 contract with a private firm to develop Oculus, a neural network system that analyzes images, video, and text across social media and messaging platforms to flag content prohibited under Russian law. Experts are skeptical that $886,000 is enough to get this system up and running by the advertised December deadline. Krapiva told Future Tense that even before the 2022 invasion, Russia likely didnt have the technological and financial capacity to implement AI-driven predictive policing. New sanctions and the exodus of Western companies will further hamper Russias progress. But Russias protracted efforts to beef up its technological arsenal demonstrate a clear commitment to using modern surveillance tools to increase its capacity for targeted repression.

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Sophisticated tools, from facial recognition to predictive profiling, are not a silver bullet for ensuring total control over a countrys populace. But, Krapiva says, where Russia fails technologically, it compensates with traditional spying methods like physical surveillance and social engineering. These tactics proved successful in tracking and poisoning Navalny in 2021.

It doesnt mean that we should just sit and wait for things not to work, for things to break, Krapiva says. If we look at how governments use the kinds of technologies that give them more control, they tend to adopt them, and there is this mission creep. Even in democratic states, let alone in countries like Russia.

An algorithm that can accurately forecast your protest potential based on your use of emojis or the types of posts you comment under, is unlikely to yield accurate results. But in an authoritarian country like Russia, an omnipotent piece of tech doesnt need to work perfectlyjust well enough to remind Russians that theyre always being watched.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Companies say the state needs to come up with a compensation programme for steep energy bills.

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The chemical company Fortischem, a major employer in central Slovakia, may be about to lay off hundreds of its employees.

Fortischem, located in the mining town of Novaky, Trencin Region, says that it is in a difficult economic situation due to the increasing prices of utilities and the sanctions against Russia. The company, which had been in financial difficulties already last year, is complaining about missing government compensation system for businesses.

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362 job positions are at risk due to the critical situation.

The different approach to the regulation of energy prices in Europe does not allow our company to translate energy costs into the prices of our products, making our company uncompetitive," noted chairman of the companys board, Jan Kricka, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

Major role in pandemic

Fortischem is based in the central-Slovak town of Novaky in the Trencin Region, mainly known for coal mining. It produces raw chemical materials, and played a crucial role during the Covid-19 disease as Slovakia's only producer of chlorine used for water purification and as a disinfectant, TASR wrote.

The chemical company is one of the largest employers in the region. However, it has been experiencing problems for a long time. Since 2021, Fortischem has been controlled by the Prague-based CM-CREDIT company of the KAPRAIN financial group.

Last year, Fortischem ended up in the red with a loss of more than 9.9 million euros, and is currently under temporary protection due to the threat of bankruptcy, TASR reported.

The war in Ukraine exacerbated the company's problems. The Dennik N daily reported in April this year that Fortischem cut production down to 30 percent.

"Our company's existence is at risk due to the extremely high energy demand of our production and our dependence on eastern markets," the company told the daily back in April.

Major players in employment out

Several production companies have already reported difficulties due to increasing energy prices and missing state support.

In early July, the Orava-based metallurgical company OFZ announced lay-offs of about 150 employees. About 200 more employees are currently on vacation leave. With energy prices increasing, the company said that it could not compete with other EU companies.

In the same month, the aluminium manufacturer Slovalco, based in Ziar nad Hronom, Banska Bystrica region, laid off hundreds of employees in response to increasing energy prices, emissions restrictions and decreasing aluminium prices. The company is considering a complete shutdown of its plant, the only aluminium manufacturing facility in Slovakia. Slovalco is of strategic importance for Slovakia, since it supplies car companies with products.

Earlier this week, the Kosice plant of the American steelmaker U. S. Steel started the planned temporary shutdown of a blast furnace. However, USSK insisted that the temporary shutdown is not linked to the current situation on the market. The company did not specify how many of their employees were affected by the shutdown. On the other hand, the companys representatives called for the Slovak government to react in relation to increasing energy prices. At the same time, U.S. Steel Kosice unveiled what it calls its motivation programme for employees to file resignations by agreement.
Government yet to outline plans for schools if heating becomes unaffordable.

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Parents have demanded schools remain open despite the looming energy crisis, telling ministers they will not accept more distance learning for their children after two years of disrupted teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Schools are facing huge hikes in energy costs ahead of the winter and some have warned they may have to close during the coldest months.

But the Dajme Detom Hlas (Let's Give Children a Voice) initiative, along with civic associations Rodicia.sk and IPcko, have said schools must be kept open for students.

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While he still served as education minister, Branislav Grohling of SaS together with the Union of Cities of Slovakia (UMS) asked the Finance Ministry to increase funding for schools to cover higher energy costs. But the Finance Ministry said the matter would be part of a complex package of measures for all sectors of society.

This package has to bring clear guarantees that schools will not be closed and switched to distance learning, Andrea Settey Hajduchova from Dajme detom hlas said.

Grohling has since resigned as education minister with PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) appointed acting education minister on September 13 until the ruling coalition finds a replacement.

Distance learning a strain on families
Slovenska Posta also used an image inspired by the war

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The state-owned postal service Slovenska Posta has released a stamp symbolically named Solidarity with Ukraine. The stamp captures the portrait of a weeping Ukrainian refugee who has found asylum in Slovakia.

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At the beginning of Russia's invasion, more than 10,000 Ukrainians fled over the border into Slovakia every day.

Over 90,000 people have received temporary protection status in Slovakia. The status is intended for citizens of Ukraine and foreigners with legal residence in Ukraine, granted as soon as they cross the border to Slovakia.

Along with the stamp, an official Solidarity with Ukraine envelope and an impression are announced for release, Slovenska Posta wrote in its press release.

The motif for the envelope is a winning gesture with detached fingers as a metaphor for victory and sacrifice. The impression bears a ship, a metaphor for the sunken Russian warship near Snake Island, created by a Ukrainian artist based in Slovakia, Mykola Kovalenko. The creators were chosen from a circle of Slovak and Ukrainian artists. The stamp was created by Peter Konecny. The Solidarity with Ukraine postal package is set for a release on September 16, 2022. The nominal price for the stamp is set for 0.75.
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/are-we-the-baddies-nazi-ss-deaths-head-insignia-spotted-during-zelensky-selfie-session-with-troops-1100771059.html

Are We the Baddies? Nazi SS Deaths Head Insignia Spotted During Zelensky Selfie Session With Troops

Are We the Baddies? Nazi SS Deaths Head Insignia Spotted During Zelensky Selfie Session With Troops

Western media have dramatically downplayed the presence of ultra-right forces in the ranks of the Ukrainian Army and National Guard to make them more palatable... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

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russia's special operation in ukraine

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has published a photo to his official Telegram page posing with a trooper sporting an SS-Totenkopf badge.The trooper stands out against the background of other fighters in the photoset, and appears to be armed with an M4 assault rifle and wearing a tan US-made GN-501-S ballistic helmet, with its characteristic side ridges and front camera/flashlight mount.The soldier isnt the only one with interesting insignia, with the president himself sporting a Ukraiina abo smert (Ukraine or Death) patch featuring a stylized skull. Ukraines military officially approved the patch in 2019, with multiple motorized infantry and mechanized units subsequently making use of it, including the 72nd Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Cossacks.The latter distinguished themselves in fighting in the Donbass from the summer of 2014 onward against fighters and civilians in the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics.The Totenkopf badge (lit. dead persons head) was used extensively by the Prussian and German militaries in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but made infamous after being taken up by Nazis, who used it extensively among military units, including the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, and the SS-Totenkopfverbande  the organization which administered death camps and carried out some of the Nazis most heinous crimes.Wednesdays photoshoot isnt the first time Zelensky has been spotted surrounding himself with Totenkopf imagery. On May 9, when people across Russia and the rest of the former Soviet Union celebrate Victory Day, he posted a photo of a Ukrainian artilleryman with a skull and crossbones patch featured prominently on his chest. The image was deleted after an outcry.

https://sputniknews.com/20220901/jon-stewart-us-military-spark-outrage-by-honoring-ukrainian-nazi-at-disney-world-1100250887.html

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volodymyr zelensky, ukraine, ss, nazi, symbols
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/biden-has-settled-on-nominee-for-ambassador-to-russia-reports-1100785183.html

Biden Has Settled on Nominee for Ambassador to Russia: Reports

Biden Has Settled on Nominee for Ambassador to Russia: Reports

US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan retired in early September after completing a two-and-three-quarter year stint in the job, leaving the post temporarily... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T19:02+0000

2022-09-14T19:02+0000

2022-09-14T19:16+0000

world

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President Joe Biden plans to nominate US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy as the USs top diplomat in Moscow, CNN, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post have reported, citing diplomatic sources said to be familiar with the deliberations.Tracy has been US ambassador to Armenia since 2019, and before that worked as the deputy chief of mission in Moscow between 2014 and 2017 and the first years of the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis.Before that, she served as a senior advisor on Russia matters at the State Department under Victoria Nuland, and has also worked in US diplomatic postings in Central Asia and Pakistan.She received an award for "heroism" from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009, with the award given out for acts of courage, sacrifice and exceptional performance at the risk of personal safety. During her posting at the US consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan in 2008, Tracy is said to have had a close encounter with gunmen who attacked her vehicle, but to have remained at her post and rejected transfer.Tracys nomination will require approval from the Senate, and from the Russian side. She is said to be a career diplomat with knowledge of the Russian language.The diplomat has received flak from Armenia's opposition forces over alleged meddling in the country's internal affairs.In the interim, US deputy chief of mission Elizabeth Rood is acting as US top diplomat in Moscow. Rood has been nominated for the post of ambassador to Turkmenistan.

https://sputniknews.com/20220904/us-to-tap-new-ambassador-to-russia-soon-to-maintain-critical-contacts--state-dept-1100369162.html

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Ilya Tsukanov

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/bidens-crude-measures-1100742638.html

Biden's Crude Measures

Biden's Crude Measures

The United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is at its lowest level since 1984, as the U.S. has been steadily depleting it since 2016. The SPR was first... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T00:06+0000

2022-09-14T00:06+0000

2022-09-14T00:06+0000

americas

biden

oil prices

gas prices

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The Biden administration is hoping to balance a surge in oil prices against a crash in oil prices in an effort to make both consumers and the U.S.-based oil sector happy by strategic releases of the oil reserve. Since the beginning of the year, the Biden administration has dropped the SPR from 600 million barrels down to just 442 million barrels. This was in an effort to protect consumers from inflated prices following Russias special military operation in Ukraine.In March, the Biden administration released a historic amount of 180 million barrels from the SPR in an effort to reduce oil and gas prices for American consumers. And just last week, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped to about $81 a barrel.Due to the move, gas prices have fallen from $5 a gallon in June to around $3.71 a gallon as of this week. If oil drops to around $80 a barrel, the Biden administration may purchase more than 100 million barrels in order to refill the SPR, as was reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday. If they do, gas prices may stop falling and finally hit their floor until the SPR is finished being filled.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/bill-on-irans-accession-to-sco-handed-over-to-parliament-1100779396.html

Bill on Iran's Accession to SCO Handed Over to Parliament

Bill on Iran's Accession to SCO Handed Over to Parliament

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The bill on Iran's accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has been submitted to the country's parliament by the... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T16:00+0000

2022-09-14T16:00+0000

2022-09-14T16:00+0000

sco summit in samarkand

iran

middle east

shanghai cooperation organization

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Iran's government has completed verification of the bill and handed it over to the country's parliament for further legal process, according to the spokesman. He also added that Iran's membership in the SCO would contribute to the promotion of economic interests of his country, and help develop a more balanced foreign policy.Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has arrived in Samarkand on Wednesday to participate in the SCO summit, which will be taking place on September 15-16.On Tuesday, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Iran will participate in the 2023 SCO summit in India as a full member of the organization.The SCO is an international organization founded by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia and Uzbekistan in 2001. In 2017, India and Pakistan were also admitted to the organization. The SCO observer countries include Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia, while the partner countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey. In July, Belarus submitted its application to join the organization as a full-fledged member.Earlier on Wednesday, Uzbekistan said Egypt and Qatar have been granted the status of SCO dialogue partners.

https://sputniknews.com/20220912/irans-sco-permanent-membership-deal-to-be-signed-at-groups-uzbekistan-summit-1100683591.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/corbyn-backs-tory-mps-call-to-drop-charges-against-royal-funeral-protesters-1100778388.html

Corbyn Backs Tory MP's Call to Drop Charges Against Royal Funeral Protesters

Corbyn Backs Tory MP's Call to Drop Charges Against Royal Funeral Protesters

Four people have so far been arrested for protesting against the monarchy and new sovereign King Charles III, often silently. The royal family, currently... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T16:48+0000

2022-09-14T16:48+0000

2022-09-14T16:48+0000

jeremy corbyn

david davis

queen elizabeth ii

free speech

prince andrew

king charles iii

world

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Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has backed a Tory former minister's calls for police to drop charges against protesters against the monarchy.The two veteran backbench rebels found themselves on the same side over the arrests of up to four people in Edinburgh and London for holding placards with republican slogans during the official mourning for Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away last week at the age of 96."I wrote to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland yesterday, expressing my concern that an anti-monarchy protester has been charged by police. Since I wrote to him, a second protester has been charged," Davis, the former Conservative Party chairman and Brexit secretary, tweeted on Tuesday."Well said David," Corbyn replied.A woman was arrested on Sunday outside Edinburgh's St Giles Cathedral, where the queen's coffin was to lay in state, and charged with breach of the peace for holding up a cardboard sign reading: "F*** imperialism. Abolish monarchy." And on Monday, Police Scotland said two men, one aged 22 and another aged 52, had been arrested for the same offence on the Royal Mile, where the queen's funeral procession was accompanied by Charles, his sister Princess Anne and brother Prince Andrew on foot.It was unclear whether either of those arrests were linked to a heckling incident where one spectator shouted "Andrew, you're a sick old man!" as the group passed. Also on Monday, Barrister Paul Powlesland was threatened with arrest outside the Houses of Parliament after holding up a hand-written card reading: "Not my King"  in apparent reference to new monarch Charles III.Powlesland said he travelled to the capital after hearing that police were clamping down on free speech. He said constables asked for his name and address, saying "I wanted to make sure you didnt have bail conditions."Corbyn had already tweeted his objections to the arrests earlier that on TuesdayCorbyn, who has served as an MP since 1983, now sits as an independent MP after his successor Sir Keir Starmer ordered his suspension from the Labour party and withdrew the parliamentary whip from him.

https://sputniknews.com/20220912/sick-old-man-prince-andrew-heckled-as-queens-funeral-procession-passes-through-edinburgh---video-1100691005.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/delaware-democrats-avoid-embarrassing-situation-in-primary-race-1100743343.html

Delaware Democrats Avoid Embarrassing Situation in Primary Race

Delaware Democrats Avoid Embarrassing Situation in Primary Race

Delaware, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island finished out the primary season on Tuesday. There is only one newsworthy race in the Delaware primary that took place... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T02:19+0000

2022-09-14T02:19+0000

2022-09-14T02:19+0000

americas

us

delaware

primary

democratic primary

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Auditor is not a position that gets much attention nationally, but Delawares race has managed to do that because the incumbent, Kathy McGuiness, gained the unfortunate distinction of being the first sitting statewide office holder in Delaware to be charged with a crime in October of last year. Then in July of this year, she followed that up by becoming the first sitting statewide office holder in Delaware to be convicted of a crime.Despite the convictions and calls from fellow Democrats to resign, she has refused to step down or take a leave of absence, causing lawyer and accountant Lydia York to challenge her for the partys nomination in Tuesdays primary.McGuiness was convicted of two misdemeanors: official misconduct and conflicts of interest.Lydia won the nomination with 69.9% of the vote, with 60% reporting.According to the state indictment, McGuiness hired her daughter and her daughters friend to work in her office while they were high school seniors. She hired them after several employees had to stop working at the office because of a lack of available hours. Despite this, McGuiness daughter and her friend were allowed to work the maximum number of hours allowed for seasonal employees. McGuiness has stated that her daughter still works in the position.McGuiness was also found guilty of a third misdemeanor charge of non-compliance with state procurement rules, after allegedly constructing a contract to keep it as a no-bid contract and then awarding it to a campaign consulting firm that her campaign worked with. However, that charge was thrown out by a judge last month.The auditors office oversees spending by state agencies and school districts in Delaware. The Democratic party in the state officially endorsed York, a rare move, as the party usually backs incumbents.McGuiness sentencing date on the two remaining charges has not been set, and her defense team plans further appeals. She previously called the charges politically motivated.Had McGuiness won the primary, Delaware Governor John Carney would have been faced with an interesting decision. Carney has indicated that he may move to remove McGuiness from office after her sentencing. Had McGuiness won the primary and then went on to win the general election, she could have been reinstated by voters in January.After McGuiness conviction, York called it a sad day in Delaware politics.Lydia will face Republican Janice Lorrah in the general election in November.

https://sputniknews.com/20220913/us-considering-sanctions-package-against-china-pressuring-eu-to-join---reports-1100741249.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220913/us-stocks-collapse-after-high-inflation-report-dow-loses-1200-points-in-worst-day-of-2022-1100739914.html

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Ian DeMartino

us, delaware, primary, democratic primary
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/denmark-to-train-ukrainian-soldiers-on-its-soil-pledges-more-arms-to-kiev-1100745590.html

Denmark Vows More Training for Ukrainian Troops Despite Conflict's Economic Blowback

Denmark Vows More Training for Ukrainian Troops Despite Conflict's Economic Blowback

Russia's Embassy in Denmark slammed the Nordic country's previous efforts to train Ukrainian soldiers and deliver arms as betting on Kiev's military victory... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T05:13+0000

2022-09-14T05:13+0000

2022-09-14T11:03+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

news

denmark

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ukraine

military & intelligence

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Denmark is ramping up its support for Ukraine, despite previous warnings from Moscow and the heavy toll that anti-Russian sanctions have levied on the Danish economy, undermining its growth and threatening with power outages. Copenhagen forged an agreement with Kiev, whereby Ukrainian soldiers will be trained on Danish soil.Denmark has been increasing its military support for Ukraine despite numerous cautionary statements from Moscow directed against the West. Earlier, in August, it was reported that Denmark would contribute 130 instructors to the UK-led project this autumn to train Ukrainian soldiers with limited or no military experience. At the time, Defense Minister Morten Bdskov also proposed additional training in Denmark, including for Ukrainian commanders.Russia's ambassador to Denmark slammed the country's previous decision to train Ukrainian soldiers as delaying the peace. Instead of calling on Ukraine to end the conflict through negotiations, Denmark is betting on Kiev's military victory, Vladimir Barbin said. The embassy added that this would lead to a further escalation of the conflict and inevitable losses for Ukraine.Danish arms assistance in the past has included armored personnel carriers, anti-tank mines, Harpoon naval missiles, and mortar bombs. By the end of May alone, Denmark contributed DKK 2bln ($270mln) worth of arms to Ukraine. Moreover, Copenhagen has condemned Russia's special operation in Ukraine and has eagerly supported all rounds of EU sanctions against Moscow. Furthermore, Denmark was in favor of a blanket EU ban on Russian tourists, a measure backed by Poland and the Baltic nations.However, as a result of self-maiming EU sanctions against Russia, Denmarks inflation rate reached its highest level in nearly four decades, with the consumer price index in August soaring by 8.9 percent from last year, fueled by a rise in food and energy prices that threatens to thwart economic growth in the Nordic country.Earlier in September, the Danish National Bank raised the key interest rate by 0.75 percent to 0.65 percent, abandoning its minus rate in the highest increase since 1998. Furthermore, amid Europe's unprecedented power crisis exacerbated by Brussels' sanctions against Russian energy, Danish authorities have warned citizens of looming outages during the coming winter.

https://sputniknews.com/20220811/another-step-up-the-escalation-ladder-denmark-sends-130-instructors-to-train-ukrainian-soldiers-1099468999.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/four-hindu-monks-brutally-assaulted-in-indias-maharashtra-on-suspicion-of-kidnapping-1100745889.html

Four Hindu Monks Brutally Assaulted in India's Maharashtra on Suspicion of Kidnapping

Four Hindu Monks Brutally Assaulted in India's Maharashtra on Suspicion of Kidnapping

Maharashtra has been an unsafe state for Hindu monks who have the targets of a slew of attacks in the past few years. In 2020, during the national COVID-19... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T08:17+0000

2022-09-14T08:17+0000

2022-09-14T08:29+0000

india

maharashtra

hindus

hinduism

sadhu monk

monks

attack

assault

assault

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Four Hindu monks were attacked in the Indian state of Maharashtra on Tuesday after villagers suspected them of kidnapping.The assault took place in the village of Lavana in the state's Sangli district. Footage of the attack is now circulating on social media. In the video, an angry mob can be seen beating the monks with sticks outside a shop as several bystanders watch the scene.According to media reports, before they were attacked, the monks were on their way to Pandharpur, a temple town in the state's Solapur district. Since they were unfamiliar with the exact route, they asked a village boy for help, which led locals to think they were intent on kidnapping.The district's chief of police has said that nobody has filed a complaint, but the authorities are examining videos of the attack to ascertain what happened and take necessary measures against the culprits.Ram Kadam, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker reacted to the incident saying such "misbehavior" will not be tolerated by the state government.

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maharashtra, hindus, hinduism, sadhu monk, monks, attack, assault, assault
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/greece-reportedly-intercepts-turkish-f-16-jets-flying-over-greek-islands-1100780066.html

Greece Reportedly Intercepts Turkish F-16 Jets Flying Over Greek Islands

Greece Reportedly Intercepts Turkish F-16 Jets Flying Over Greek Islands

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Turkish F-16 jets were spotted flying over the Greek islands of Agathonisi and Anthropofagoi on Wednesday, the Greek media reported. 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T16:13+0000

2022-09-14T16:13+0000

2022-09-14T16:13+0000

military

turkey

greece

f-16

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According to the Ekathimerini newspaper, a pair of Turkish F-16 jets were spotted in the Greek airspace over Agathonisi at 11:33 GMT and another pair of F-16 flying over Anthropofagoi at 11:34 GMT. The jets were later identified and intercepted in accordance with international rules, the media added.Turkey has been at odds with Greece for decades. The countries were on the verge of an armed conflict several times. A new round of tensions flared up on August 23, when Greece allegedly used S-300 air defense systems to escort F-16 fighters of the Turkish air force performing a reconnaissance mission west of Rhodes Island at the altitude of 10,000 feet. Sources in the Greek Defense Ministry have denied Turkey's claims they used S-300 to target the aircraft.Tensions between Athens and Ankara further escalated on September 3, when Erdogan warned that Greece would pay a "heavy price" if incidents with Turkish planes continue. Turkish Defense Minister said that Ankara expected objectivity from NATO in connection with the use of S-300 systems by Greece against Turkish aircraft. According to Akar, Athens ignores international law, good neighborly relations and friendship with Ankara.

https://sputniknews.com/20220829/greece-accuses-turkey-of-distorting-facts-in-f-16-jet-tracking-case-1100137956.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/israel-to-continue-attacks-on-iran-peace-in-ukraine-coalition-kicks-off-ukraine-kill-list-ignored-1100741905.html

Israel to Continue Attacks on Iran; Peace in Ukraine Coalition Kicks Off; Ukraine Kill List Ignored

Israel to Continue Attacks on Iran; Peace in Ukraine Coalition Kicks Off; Ukraine Kill List Ignored

In an attempt to disrupt JCPOA negotiations, Israeli intelligence officials have vowed to continue their unprovoked attacks on Iran. 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T08:31+0000

2022-09-14T08:31+0000

2022-09-14T08:31+0000

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Israel to Continue Attacks on Iran; Peace in Ukraine Coalition Kicks Off; Ukraine Kill List Ignored In an attempt to disrupt JCPOA negotiations, Israeli intelligence officials have vowed to continue their unprovoked attacks on Iran.

Scott Ritter, former UN weapon inspector in Iraq, joins us to discuss the Ukraine conflict. Scott Ritter argues that Russia will still accomplish its goals in Ukraine. Dr. Margaret Flowers, pediatrician, and activist, joins us to discuss health policy. The Biden administration is getting considerable pressure due to its decision to stop funding COVID mitigation measures. Also, the US is experiencing a marked decline in life expectancy.Dr. Ken Hammond, writer, and professor of East Asian and global history at New Mexico State University, joins us to discuss China. The SCO, unlike NATO, is a non-aggressive mutually beneficial economic body. Also, we discuss the history of Taiwan and why the Chinese see the USS meddling in their province as an existential threat.Gary Flowers, radio talk show host, and public policy analyst, joins us to discuss Queen Elizabeth. A number of scholars and modern philosophers are taking the position that the days of a monarchical government structure in the UK should be behind us.Dr. David Oualaalou, international geopolitical consultant, veteran, and author of many books, including "The Dynamics of Russia's Geopolitics: Remaking the Global Order," international security analyst, and host of the "Geopolitics in Conflict" Show on YT, joins us to discuss the Middle East. In an attempt to disrupt JCPOA negotiations, Israeli intelligence officials have vowed to continue their unprovoked attacks on Iran. Also, European leaders are concluding that the US will likely refuse to rejoin the JCPOA and Imran Khan argues that a relationship between Pakistan and the US should not be based on slavery or vassalage.Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Code Pink, joins us to discuss the Codepink peace initiative. The world-renowned anti-war organization "CODEPINK" is kicking off a national initiative aimed at persuading the US government to settle the Ukrainian conflict using diplomatic principles.Ricardo Vaz, political analyst, and editor at Venezuelanalysis, joins us to discuss the Global South. Chilean people who are commemorating the 1973 US-backed coup have been facing police repression. Also, we examine the attempted assassination of the Argentine vice president.Craig "Pasta" Jardula, co-host of The Convo Couch & AM Wakeup on Rokfin, joins us to discuss the media. A BBC assault on dissident antiwar academics was the product of a UK intelligence plot.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/kremlin-on-kievs-draft-security-guarantees-proposal-ukraine-still-seeking-to-join-nato-1100758738.html

Kremlin on Kiev's Draft Security Guarantees Proposal: Ukraine Still Seeking to Join NATO

Kremlin on Kiev's Draft Security Guarantees Proposal: Ukraine Still Seeking to Join NATO

The office of the Ukrainian president released a draft document entitled the 'Kiev Security Compact' on Tuesday outlining a package of proposed recommendations... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T10:59+0000

2022-09-14T10:59+0000

2022-09-14T11:57+0000

nato

russia's special operation in ukraine

dmitry peskov

ukraine

russia

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The document on security guarantees published by the Ukrainian president's office confirms Kiev's intention to join the Western alliance, making Russia's continued military operation in the country all the more "relevant," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has indicated."In the present situation, it's unlikely that anyone can provide Ukraine with a greater guarantee of security than the leadership of the country itself. Only the leadership of this country should take actions which will eliminate the threat being posed to the Russian Federation. Kiev knows perfectly well what these actions should be," Peskov said, speaking to reporters on Wednesday.Peskov recalled that the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations that were conducted in the spring similarly featured proposals of security guarantees for Kiev, but emphasized that they were carried out under a "completely different text, which, by the way, was initialed" before the Ukrainian side rejected the talks outright.The Kremlin spokesman said that because the new security guarantees proposals outlined by Kiev don't commit the country to bloc neutrality, this "once again emphasizes the urgency and need for a special military operation to ensure our security and national interests."On Tuesday, the Ukrainian president's office published a draft proposal on security guarantees for Ukraine. Entitled the 'Kiev Security Compact. International Security Guarantees for Ukraine: Recommendations', the document outlines a series of provisions for ensuring Kiev's security in the aftermath of the current crisis. Unlike previous iterations of security guarantee provisions hammered out in talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in February and March, the newly tabled proposals do not commit Ukraine to neutrality, and do not list Russia as a guarantor of the nation's security.Instead, the document emphasizes that "Ukraine's aspiration to join NATO and benefit from its mutual defense arrangements is safeguarded in its Constitution," and that "this aspiration is the sovereign decision of Ukraine."Commenting on the proposal, former Russian president and Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev warned that it would serve as a potential "prelude to World War three" if it were implemented.Russia kicked off what President Vladimir Putin termed as a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" and "de-nazify" Ukraine in February after weeks of escalating shelling, sabotage and sniper attacks along the line of contact between Kiev and Donbass forces in the long-running dormant conflict in Ukraine's east, and fears that Ukrainian forces were preparing an offensive to crush the fledgling Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.Before the escalation, Russia sent the US and NATO a pair of comprehensive security proposals aimed at dramatically cooling tensions between Moscow and the West, chief among them demand that the Western alliance drop its stated goal of eventually incorporating Ukraine into the military bloc. Washington and NATO rejected the proposals outright, informing the Kremlin that no one would be able to influence their "open door policy" on alliance membership for Eastern European countries.The current crisis was preceded by the 2014 US and EU-backed coup in Kiev, and by several decades of continued eastward expansion by NATO toward Russian borders, in spite of commitments made to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev not to push the alliance "one inch east" of a reunified Germany.

https://sputniknews.com/20220913/medvedev-kievs-security-guarantees-project-is-prelude-to-world-war-three-1100731461.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220913/top-hungarian-diplomat-says-necessary-to-prevent-direct-nato-russia-conflict-1100727240.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220831/gorbachev-was-promised-non-expansion-of-nato-his-mistake-was-to-believe-it-ex-us-official-says-1100199807.html

russia

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Ilya Tsukanov

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US to Ensure Provision of Equipment to Ukraine to Continue Offensive Operations - Kirby

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States will ensure the provision of equipment to Ukraine needed to continue that country's offensive operations, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said.

"They are on the offense in the Donbas, and they are on the offense down in Kherson. We want to make sure that we are giving them the tools that they need to continue those offensive operations and be as successful as possible," Kirby said on Wednesday.

Kirby pointed out that the United States will continue to provide artillery as well as long-range missile-type weapon systems.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Sputnik that the United States will be dragged into a military confrontation with Russia if Ukraine receives longer-range missiles or strikes Russian territory.

Antonov said Kiev has already demonstrated that it will not hesitate to use long-range missile systems to attack Russian territory as it has been the case with the Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics, where Ukrainian troops constantly violate the norms of humanitarian law and target civilians.

On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Kiev had requested Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and the US Defense Department is worried Ukrainian forces might use those to strike Russian territory and escalate the conflict.

The list of arms requested for future offensive operations also includes tanks, drones, artillery systems, anti-ship missiles and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
Armenian Security Council Secretary Announces Agreement on Ceasefire With Azerbaijan

YEREVAN (Sputnik) - Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan announced an agreement on a ceasefire on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"With the involvement of the international community, it was possible to reach an agreement on a ceasefire," Grigoryan said in an interview with the Armenian public television.

Earlier, the Armenian Defense Ministry stated that at on Wednesday evening, the fire on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border was stopped.

Late on Monday, hostilities broke out on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The sides accused each other of starting an escalation. Both sides reported losses among military personnel. By next morning, the parties agreed on a ceasefire.

Head of the Russian Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee Grigory Karasin told Sputnik the ceasefire was achieved thanks to the efforts of Russia, including after a conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and the work of the Russian Foreign Ministry. According to the senator, there is a lot of work to be done, since Yerevan applied to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

As CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov said earlier, on September 13, an emergency meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council was held, which expressed extreme concern about the situation on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and considered proposals for using the CSTO mechanisms for settlement.
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/multiple-famines-possible-this-year-despite-grain-deal-guterres-says-1100781162.html

Multiple Famines Possible This Year Despite Grain Deal, Guterres Says

Multiple Famines Possible This Year Despite Grain Deal, Guterres Says

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The world risks facing multiple famines this year despite the UN-brokered grain deal and the agreement to get Russian food and... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T16:59+0000

2022-09-14T16:59+0000

2022-09-14T17:03+0000

world

grain

famine

un

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"Despite the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the agreement to get Russian food and fertilizers to global markets, there is a real risk of multiple famines this year," he said in his remarks at a press briefing about the 77th session of the General Assembly. Guterres noted that global hunger started to rise before the COVID-19 pandemic and "has never recovered." On July 22, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey signed a UN-brokered initiative to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from Black Sea ports. Three key Ukrainian ports  Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhnoye  were unblocked to resume exports. The Istanbul-based Joint Coordination Center (JCC) was set up to monitor the implementation of the initiative, including ensuring that cargo ships do not carry unauthorized goods or personnel.Since the signing of the deal, only 28% of grain shipments from Ukraine went to low-income countries, and 44% to high-income countries, according to a report of the JCC on September 12. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he will discuss a revision of the deal with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during the upcoming SCO summit in Samarkand. Moreover, Russia's envoy to the UN said the part of the deal concerning Russian food exports was not working altogether, which may lead to the termination of the agreements.

https://sputniknews.com/20220914/russia-urges-eu-to-disclose-final-destination-of-ukrainian-grain-exports-1100758474.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/namibian-opposition-demands-genocide-recognition-deal-with-germany-be-renegotiated-1100786306.html

Namibian Opposition Demands Genocide Recognition Deal With Germany be Renegotiated

Namibian Opposition Demands Genocide Recognition Deal With Germany be Renegotiated

The leader of the opposition in the Namibian parliament has written a letter to the German foreign ministry insisting that negotiations for payments in... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T20:09+0000

2022-09-14T20:09+0000

2022-09-14T20:09+0000

africa

namibia

germany

genocide

recognition

objections

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McHenry Venaani, leader of the People's Democratic Movement (PDM), has written a letter to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock asking for the $1.3 billion settlement to be "renegotiated" and "restructured, Deutsche Welle reported."Reparations have not been recognized as a consequence of the admission of genocide," Venaani said, according to AFP, calling on Germany "to come back to the negotiating table and rework an agreement that would satisfy both groups."It seems like this issue in Germany is only about gaining political power," OGF chairman Nandiuasora Mazeingo also told DW. "But we will outlast these governments because we are on the right side of history!"Venaani told DW he wants a clear, legal recognition of the genocide, and to push for both a larger monetary sum as well as a package that will sustainably improve the socio-economic conditions of the affected communities. That could also include a formal apology from Berlin.The German foreign ministry told DW it doesnt reply to open letters. Last week, Berlin rejected appeals for new negotiations.Fake Genocide DealThe deal was agreed to by the German and Namibian governments in May 2021, the product of six years of negotiations, in which the German government will admit that it carried out a genocide in Namibia while the country was a German colony in the early 20th century, and will pay out a $1.22 billion settlement over the next 30 years, amounting to $40.67 million per year.The tribes have also accused their own government, led by the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), of failing to take their considerations into account. SWAPO is dominated by the Ovambo people, who were not targets of the German massacres. In September of last year, protesters stormed the Namibian parliament demanding the deal be rejected, which they called the fake genocide deal.Lasting Legacy of ColonialismGermany claimed the territory of Namibia for itself in 1884, calling it German South West Africa, and settlers poured into the arid land, coming into conflict with local tribes like the Herero and Nama. In 1904, several tribes launched a joint revolt against German land seizures and plans to force them into reservations, and the German response was devastating. German commander Lothar von Trotha, who was sent to crush the uprising, ordered that every Herero, with or without rifles, with or without cattle, will be shot, giving a similar order for the Nama people the following year.After World War I, the territory was ceded to the victorious United Kingdom and became a colony of South Africa, being subjected to the same apartheid white supremacist system as the rest of the country. However, SWAPO led an insurgency against South African rule and secured independence for Namibia in 1990, as South Africas invasion of neighboring Angola collapsed and the anti-apartheid movement inside South Africa grew stronger. White Apartheid rule in South Africa ended just four years later, in 1994.SWAPO has been the ruling party ever since and has overseen attempts at reforming land ownership and the legal code. However, the countrys colonial legacy persists in many ways, including in the distribution of wealth: white descendants of German and South African settlers constitute just 6% of Namibias population but hold roughly 80% of its wealth, including 72% of all agricultural land.

https://sputniknews.com/20210528/germany-to-pay-namibia-13bln-in-recognition-of-20th-century-genocide-1083014999.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/primary-season-ends-with-new-hampshire-as-gop-intraparty-fighting-breaks-out-1100744483.html

Primary Season Ends With New Hampshire as GOP Intraparty Fighting Breaks Out

Primary Season Ends With New Hampshire as GOP Intraparty Fighting Breaks Out

In a recent poll conducted by Saint Anselm College, retired Army Brigadier General Don Bolduc was seen having a strong lead over his GOP rivals with 32%... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T04:28+0000

2022-09-14T04:28+0000

2022-09-14T04:28+0000

americas

new hampshire

gop

gop primary

senate

us house of representatives

governor

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With some winners championing and others too close to call, the New Hampshire primaries rounded out with Governor Chris Sununu, the current governor of New Hampshire, winning as the GOP gubernatorial candidate for his state. Sununu held a strong win with 67,045 votes (79.3%) with 61% of votes being counted at 11:50 p.m. He was followed by Karen Testerman who had 8,534 votes.Tom Sherman ran unopposed and won as the Democratic gubernatorial candidate for the state.Incumbent Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan secured a landslide victory with 60,196 votes (94%) going to her, followed by Paul Krautmann with 2,749 votes (4.3%).At 11:57 p.m. on Tuesday night the race appeared too close for the race between Donald Bolduc and Chuck Morse, both of whom are running to represent the state of New Hampshire in the United States Senate. Bolduc led with 32,659 votes (38.3%) and was followed closely by Chuck Morse who had 29,367 votes (34.4%).A similar fate for New Hampshires 1st Congressional District GOP candidates occurred when Karoline Leavitt, who is 25 years old, led with 17,135 votes (33.8%) and was followed by Matt Mowers who had just 12,944 votes (25.5%).Incumbent Congressman Chris Pappas, who is a Democrat, ran unopposed in the 1st Congressional District race.For New Hampshires 2nd Congressional District race, incumbent Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster, who ran unopposed, won for the Democratic party. The GOP candidates for the 2nd Congressional District race was a toss up, with Robert Burns leading at midnight with 12,603 votes (32.5%) and being followed by George Hansel who had 12,317 votes (31.6%) at the time.Bolduc is a 2020 election denier who more moderate Republicans view as too extreme to win in November against incumbent Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary alongside Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas.Bolduc first ran for New Hampshires seat in the U.S. Senate in 2020 but lost to Bryant Messner, who then lost in the general election to Democrat Jeanne Shaheen.Bolduc has stood by debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen and that former President Donald Trump had actually won. After Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida was searched last month by the F.B.I.---who then retrieved boxes of classified documents which Trump was supposed to turn into the National Archives at the end of his presidential termBuldoc proposed abolishing the F.B.I. He has also endorsed closing the Education Department.Sununus endorsement of Morse was expected considering that the two had worked together for five years on legislation. Morse served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1998 through 2002 before serving in the New Hampshire Senate from 2002 through 2006 and was re-elected in 2018 and 2020 to his Senate seat. He acted as governor for his state for about two days following Hassans resignation in early January of 2017.Hassan, 64, was born and raised in Massachusetts before attending Brown University where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree. She then went on to receive her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law. She became New Hampshire's second female governor after being endorsed by former United States President Bill Clinton and served from 2013 to 2016.As governor, Hassans successes included resolving an internal dispute within the supermarket company, Market Basket, to save 9,000 jobs, and vetoing a bill that proposed to remove licensing requirements for carrying concealed firearms in New Hampshire.More recently in April 2022, she called on the Biden administration to keep Title 42, which was created during the former President Donald Trumps administration to limit migration and asylum-seeker movement across the U.S.-Mexican border. Hassan has also blocked efforts to raise the minimum wage, and condemned President Joe Bidens claim that MAGA Republicans are semi-fascist as divisive rhetoric.Hassan is, however, a proponent of protecting abortion rights and has accused GOP members of being anti-choice extremists.When women are faced with difficult life decisions ... the last thing they need is politicians like Chuck Morse in the examining room," Hassan answered when she was asked whether or not she supports a 24-week abortion ban.Morse has supported the outcome of the 2020 election, but also supported efforts by most House Republicans to challenge electoral votes for Biden in Arizona and Pennsylvania, according to the Washington Post. He has echoed some of Trumps policies such as completing Trumps wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.Morse reportedly met with Trump to discuss a possible endorsement, but after their meeting and Trumps subsequent refusal to endorse any Republican candidate in New Hampshire, Morse said that Trump certainly has some strong opinions.Supporters of Morse in combination with the National Republican Senatorial Committee paid $4.6 million in ads to boost Morse, but Hassan had already raised more than $30 million for her TV ad which aired earlier than Morses. National Democrats, meanwhile, had been playing a dangerous game in bolstering extremist Republicans who they think will be easier to defeat in the general elections, and have spent millions to boost Bolduc.Sununu, a popular moderate who Bolduc had accused of being a communist sympathizer whose family supports terrorsim, is seeking a fourth term as governor, and recent polls showed he was most likely to win against rival candidates including U.S. Marine Corps veteran Julian Acciard, Jay Lewis, professional logger Richard McMenamon II, small business owner Thad Riley and Karen Testerman. Sununus polls showed him with 72% support, and his closest competitor, Riley, with just 7% support.Sununu is the 82nd governor of New Hampshire and is currently serving his third term, according to his website.New Hampshires GOP primaries also determined who would go on to challenge Representative Chris Pappas in the states 1st congressional district. Pappas is 42 years old and has been serving as the states representative since 2019. He is also the first openly gay man to represent the Granite State in Congress.The leading GOP contenders for New Hampshires 1st congressional district were two former Trump administration officials who had mirrored their own policies off of the former presidents. Matt Mowers, 33, led with 26% support and was backed by Texas Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw. Mowers worked as Senior White House Advisor at the State Department under Trumps administration and lost to Pappas in 2020.Karoline Leavitt, who worked as Trumps assistant press secretary, was behind Mowers with 24%. She is 25 years old and had received an endorsement from Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. Leavitt is a MAGA-style Republican who campaigned on the notion that she is anti-establishment whereas Mowers is a part of the swamp, while those campaigning for Mowers described Leavitt as a woke Gen Z-er. Neither Leavitt nor Mowers received endorsements from Trump this year.Seven Republican candidates ran against each other on Tuesday for New Hampshires 2nd congressional district. The winner will have to square off against Democratic Representative Annie Kuster in November. Kuster is a 66 year-old lawyer and has been a representative for the state since 2013. She has worked as a lobbyist and comes from a family of politicians.Those who competed for the right to face Kuster include bar manager and bartender Scott Black, Bob Burns, who acted as a former deputy state director for Newt Gingrichs 2012 presidential campaign, an artist named Michael Callis, George Hansel, who is the current mayor of Keene, Jay Mercer, Dean Poirier, and Lily Tang Williams. The most recent poll for this race showed Burns leading with 32%, followed by Hansel with 18%.

https://sputniknews.com/20220914/delaware-democrats-avoid-embarrassing-situation-in-primary-race-1100743343.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220914/nancy-pelosi-has-to-tell-audience-to-clap-while-touting-inflation-reduction-bill-1100743771.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220914/us-house-unanimously-adopts-resolution-honoring-queen-elizabeth-1100743195.html

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new hampshire, gop, gop primary, senate, us house of representatives, governor
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/prince-harry-not-allowed-to-wear-military-uniform-to-grandmothers-funeral-says-buckingham-palace-1100744073.html

Prince Harry Not Allowed to Wear Military Uniform to Grandmothers Funeral, Says Buckingham Palace

Prince Harry Not Allowed to Wear Military Uniform to Grandmothers Funeral, Says Buckingham Palace

On Monday, Buckingham Palace informed media outlets that only working members of the royal family will be allowed to wear their military uniforms during the... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T03:49+0000

2022-09-14T03:49+0000

2022-09-14T03:49+0000

prince harry

queen elizabeth ii

viral

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Prince Andrew, Duke of York, who was often rumored to be the Queens favorite child, fell from the good graces of his mother, his country and the entire world after he was accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl who was a victim of the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a man who was responsible for attacking at least 36 children, with some as young as 14 years old.Andrew was stripped of his honorary military ranks, patronages, and the use of his His Royal Highness title after he was sued for sexual assault in United States federal court. But despite the cloud of scandal he has brought to the royal family, Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew will be allowed to wear his military uniform to one event, while Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, will have to be dressed in civilian uniform.Both are non-working members of the royal family, but are still military veterans. Andrew served in the Royal Navy for 22 years and fought in the Falklands War as a helicopter pilot, while Harry served in the British Army for 10 years and served two active-duty tours in Afghanistan before becoming captain.Andrew will be wearing his military dress for the Queens final service in Westminster Hall as a special mark of respect. Oddly enough, his siblings will also appear in military uniform, including Anne, Princess Royal, who has no military training or experience, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, who dropped out of the Royal Marines.The snub was seen as outrageous amongst those on social media, with one Twitter user bashing the order as deplorable.The snub seems even more offensive given that Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games, which works to bring together and rehabilitate wounded service members and veterans in sporting events. The international sport event first began in 2014 after Prince Harry visited the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013.It may be possible that none of the royal family members end up wearing their military uniform, as was the case for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's funeral last April.

https://sputniknews.com/20220912/biden-on-a-bus-foreign-leaders-expected-to-be-bussed-into-queens-funeral-1100700792.html

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prince harry, queen elizabeth ii
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/republicans-call-for-fed-intervention-as-looming-rail-strike-threatens-to-wallop-us-economy-1100782375.html

Republicans Call for Fed Intervention as Looming Rail Strike Threatens to Wallop US Economy

Republicans Call for Fed Intervention as Looming Rail Strike Threatens to Wallop US Economy

A federally-mandated cooling off period in talks between railroad companies and unions accounting for nearly 150,000 industry workers is set to expire on... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T17:45+0000

2022-09-14T17:45+0000

2022-09-14T17:55+0000

americas

strike

railway

railroad

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Republican Senators Roger Wicker and Richard Burr introduced legislation this week aimed at preventing a devastating nationwide rail strike by forcing companies and unions to accept the recommendations of a Joe Biden-appointed panel of experts known as the Presidential Emergency Board to resolve a years-long stalemate in negotiations.All 12 of the US major rail labor unions have been negotiating with the National Carriers Conference Committee freight rail association since 2019, demanding improved working conditions and calling for more staff to be hired. Two major unions rejected the PEBs recommendations last month, citing the compromise agreements failure to address employees frustrations over financial penalties for missed time caused by illnesses, crippling staff shortages, and 24/7, 7/7 on call status with no paid days off.Windfall corporate profits and the payment of tens of billions of dollars in dividends to stockholders in 2021 have also played a role in incensing union organizers.The PEBs proposed recommendations include a 24 percent wage hike, $1,000 annual bonuses paid retroactively, including for the year 2020, and increased health care and other benefits. 78 percent of employees of SMART-TED, a massive union representing nearly half of the industrys workers, rejected the proposed deal as it stands. 99.5 percent of employees of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, another major union, voted in favor of authorizing a strike in July.Although private automobiles and buses squeezed trains out as a major means of transporting passengers across the country decades ago, freight rail continues to serve as a strategic means for the delivery of goods from coast to coast, with a 30-40 percent of all freight estimated to be moved by rail. A disruption of freight rail due to a strike would have a near-immediate impact on gasoline and food prices, as well as industry and a broad variety of consumer goods, according to economists.Senator Wicker echoed his colleagues sentiments, saying a rail strike would be counterproductive for everyone involved and that it would have devastating impacts on our entire economy.Burr and Wicker are expected to introduce their bill as soon as later on Wednesday, depending on whether the Democrat-controlled Congress allows for a debate on the matter.The deadline for the rail strike will run out on 12:01 am Eastern Standard Time on Friday, after which virtually the entirety of the US network of freight railways could be affected by industrial action. The country has not experienced a major rail strike since 1992, when industrial action launched by the International Association of Machinists caused 40 railroads to halt their operations in solidarity, sparking immediate government intervention banning strikes and lockouts outright.

https://sputniknews.com/20220913/biden-called-unions-companies-in-effort-to-avert-looming-rail-strike---white-house-1100741117.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220912/us-chamber-of-commerce-says-national-rail-strike-would-be-economic-disaster-1100692258.html

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strike, railway, railroad
https://sputniknews.com/20220914/russian-energy-official-says-global-oil-output-short-of-6mln-bpd-due-to-western-policy-1100769384.html

Russian Energy Official Says Global Oil Output Short of 6Mln BPD Due to Western Policy

Russian Energy Official Says Global Oil Output Short of 6Mln BPD Due to Western Policy

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Sputnik) - A significant investment shortage into traditional energy sources caused by the Western sanctions and environmental, social... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T13:50+0000

2022-09-14T13:50+0000

2022-09-14T13:50+0000

world

oil

output

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"The current situation on the energy market is not a result of the last few months but a consequence of the policy that was being created by the West during the last decade. The sanctions, which were imposed not only on Russia but on other countries, as well as the green agenda and the ESG policy of the last 10-15 years caused a significant shortage of investments into traditional energy sources. It has deprived the world of 5-6 barrels of oil per day, according to our estimates," Sorokin said at the 11th St. Petersburg International Gas Forum.The official also said that traditional energy sources are short of at least 250-270 billion euros ($25.1- $27 billion) in investments per year, adding that the slowdown in demand for oil and gas in the developing countries in Latin America, Africa and in the Asia-Pacific region affect the global economy, increasing the risks of economic recession.The 11th St. Petersburg International Gas Forum (SPIGF), which is taking place from September 13-16 in the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Centre, is hosting more than 80 events with the participation of 700 speakers from 20 countries. It aims to outline prospects for the further development of the sector, according to the organizers.Among the main events of the SPIGF 2022 convention program are the international scientific and practical conference "Underground Gas Storage: Reliability and Efficiency" and plenary session "Gas Engine Fuel: a Reliable Solution in the Face of New Social-Economical and Environmental Challenges."

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/russian-foreign-ministry-official-says-eu-trying-to-push-moscow-out-of-transcaucasia-1100749032.html

Russian Foreign Ministry Official Says EU Trying to Push Moscow Out of Transcaucasia

Russian Foreign Ministry Official Says EU Trying to Push Moscow Out of Transcaucasia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union aims to dislodge Russia from Transcaucasia and force its way into Moscow's trilateral work with Baku and Yerevan... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T07:08+0000

2022-09-14T07:08+0000

2022-09-14T07:08+0000

world

armenia

azerbaijan

european union (eu)

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European Council President Charles Michel held a trilateral meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on August 31 in Brussels.He said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has already assessed all EU attempts to interfere in Moscow's trilateral work with Baku and Yerevan, adding that Brussels has stepped up its efforts in Transcaucasia against the backdrop of the anti-Russian sanctions campaign.Tensions flared up on the Armenia-Azerbaijani border on Monday night, in an area unrelated to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The two countries fought several wars over Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-populated region that unilaterally proclaimed independence from Azerbaijan in 1991.The long-standing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh flared up in September 2020, marking the most serious escalation in years. The hostilities ended with a Moscow-brokered trilateral declaration signed in November 2020. Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to completely cease fire and exchange prisoners. However, the situation in the region has remained tense, with occasional clashes happening between the two countries.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/swedish-pm-andersson-to-resign-after-right-wing-bloc-wins-general-election-1100781933.html

Swedish PM Andersson to Resign After Right-Wing Bloc Wins General Election

Swedish PM Andersson to Resign After Right-Wing Bloc Wins General Election

Swedes took to the polls for national elections to the Riksdag parliament on Sunday, with the national-conservative populist Sweden Democrats enjoying a surge... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T17:36+0000

2022-09-14T17:36+0000

2022-09-14T18:46+0000

world

europe

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Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has conceded defeat in the weekend's elections, and announced plans to resign as head of government on September 15."The preliminary result is clear enough to draw a conclusion" that the center-left has lost power, Andersson said, speaking at a news conference Wednesday and referring to the latest vote count, which showed that the right and populist right was leading the center-left, left, and greens 49.6 percent to 48.9 percent as of Wednesday evening."The four right-wing parties appear to have received just under 50 percent of the votes in the election, and in the Riksdag, they have gained one or two mandates. A thin majority, but it is a majority," Andersson said.Official final results are expected to be tallied by the weekend at the latest, but the governing coalition led by Andersson's Social Democrats has been collectively outperformed by the Sweden Democrats, Moderates, Christian Democrats, and Liberals, who are poised to take 176 seats in the country's 349-seat parliament - enough for them to form a slim majority.The Social Democrats still maintain a plurality of seats (100), with the Left Party taking 27 seats, and the Greens 16.The Sweden Democrats party was founded in 1988 by right-wing forces, with some early members active in extreme-right politics and allying themselves with other European ultra-right parties. In the mid-1990s and 2000s, the party gradually mellowed toward more moderate and populist views, taking their first seats in the Riksdag in 2010, and enjoying a surge in popular support amid the European migrant crisis in the mid-2010s before becoming a mainstream political force in the late 2010s.Until recently, mainstream parties from the center-right vowed not to work with the national-conservative party under any circumstances. However, in 2021, Moderates party leader Ulf Kristersson said that the Sweden Democrats' shift in rhetoric, branching out politically to "take part much more seriously in parliamentary work" and "constructive" positions on issues ranging from law and order to migration and the pandemic had made his party more willing to cooperate with the SD.While the election upset could mean changes in Sweden's domestic politics on issues such as immigration and gang crime, little is expected to change in the country's foreign policy, with both the Social Democrats and the Sweden Democrats in favor of joining NATO, with the Left calling for a referendum on the matter (Andersson rejected that idea in April) and the Green Party remaining opposed to Sweden's entry into a military bloc.Andersson assumed office in November 2021, taking over from fellow Social Democrats politician Stefan Lofven, who became prime minister in October 2014.

https://sputniknews.com/20220912/people-are-dying-greta-thunberg-clone-weeps-at-tv-debate-as-she-scolds-swedish-pm-over-climate-1100667649.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220911/a-coin-toss-swedens-2022-general-election-explained-1100654511.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/time-and-demographics-on-our-side-swedish-rapper-consoles-blacks-and-browns-after-election-1100748011.html

'Time and Demographics on Our Side': Swedish Rapper Consoles 'Blacks and Browns' After Election

'Time and Demographics on Our Side': Swedish Rapper Consoles 'Blacks and Browns' After Election

Despite attempts to portray them as Nazis by the Swedish establishment, the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats have had their best election, pledging to crack... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T06:49+0000

2022-09-14T06:49+0000

2022-09-14T11:51+0000

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In the wake of the Swedish election that resulted in a peerless advance by the national-conservative Sweden Democrats and a possible right-wing government, award-winning Swedish rapper Jason Diakite, also known as Timbuktu, has urged immigrants in the Scandinavian country to be extra vigilant.He also tried to console fellow blacks and browns by saying that soon ethnic Swedes would become the minority and the problem would have solved itself.His post sparked controversy on social media.Why does the rapper Timbuktu spread far-right myths about an ongoing population replacement? 'To all black and brown people in Sweden [] time and demographics are on our side', right-wing journalist Ivar Arpi tweeted.Hanif Bali, an MP in the Moderate party and a native of Iran, also expressed doubt.Award-winning artist and BMW advertiser Timbuktu claims that 'time and demographics' are on the side of 'black and brown' people. Would be exciting to hear him elaborate on how time and demographics are not on white people's side, the 35-year-old tweeted.Diakite is a Swedish rapper, reggae artist and presenter. He took his stage name from the city in Mali - a country where his father has roots.The Sweden Democrats, often dismissed by mainstream media as racists and borderline Nazis, have run on the platform of stopping mass immigration and launching a crackdown on related problems including ethnic gangs and deportation of criminal migrants.In Swedish politics and mainstream media, just as much of the western world, criticism of immigration based on the notion that ethnically homogeneous populations in European nations are being demographically replaced by people of non-European origin is dismissed as a myth and a fringe conspiracy theory.However, since adopting mass immigration several decades ago, Sweden has become one of Europe's most ethnically diverse countries, taking in asylum seekers and economic migrants from all continents. Combined with demographic trends such as a low birthrate among ethnic Swedes, the share of the population with a foreign background has soared.According to Statistics Sweden, more than a quarter of the country's registered inhabitants have a foreign background, compared with only 15 percent in 2000. If gauged using the method, now considered outdated, where having at least one foreign-born parent means you are of foreign descent, the proportion rises to a third of the population.Numerous forecasts have envisaged Swedes becoming a minority in their own country in a matter of a few decades, depending on the level of immigration.* Instagram is banned in Russia

https://sputniknews.com/20220912/swedens-right-wing-opposition-takes-slim-lead-in-hard-fought-election-1100665391.html

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Igor Kuznetsov

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/us-to-be-dragged-into-conflict-with-russia-if-kiev-gets-long-range-missiles--antonov-1100785569.html

US to Be Dragged Into Conflict With Russia if Kiev Gets Long Range Missiles  Antonov

US to Be Dragged Into Conflict With Russia if Kiev Gets Long Range Missiles  Antonov

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States will be dragged into a military confrontation with Russia if Ukraine receives longer-range missiles or strikes Russian... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T19:36+0000

2022-09-14T19:36+0000

2022-09-14T19:37+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

us

ukraine

us-russia relations

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us arms for ukraine

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"Of particular concern is the fact that for many months Ukraine has been soliciting the supply of ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, which are designed to strike targets at a distance of up to 300 km [187 miles]. If Kiev obtains such weapons, large Russian cities, as well as industrial and transport infrastructure facilities will fall into the area of possible destruction," Antonov said. "Such a scenario would mean direct involvement of the United States in a military confrontation with Russia."According to Antonov, Kiev has already demonstrated that it will not hesitate to use long-range missile systems to attack Russian territory as it has been the case with the Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples republics where the Ukrainian armed forces constantly violate the norms of humanitarian law.On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Kiev had requested Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and the US Defense Department is worried Ukrainian forces might use those to strike Russian territory and escalate the conflict.The list of arms requested for future offensive operations also includes tanks, drones, artillery systems, anti-ship missiles, and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

https://sputniknews.com/20220913/nato-reportedly-mulls-giving-ukraine-fighter-jets-air-defense-in-medium-to-longer-term-1100720892.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/uzbekistans-samarkand-readies-to-welcome-sco-leaders-showcasing-rich-culture--history-1100760538.html

Uzbekistan's Samarkand Readies to Welcome SCO Leaders, Showcasing Rich Culture & History

Uzbekistan's Samarkand Readies to Welcome SCO Leaders, Showcasing Rich Culture & History

Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organizations (SCO) member nations, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, will gather in Uzbekistan on September... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T14:38+0000

2022-09-14T14:38+0000

2022-09-14T14:38+0000

sco summit in samarkand

shanghai cooperation organization

asia

uzbekistan

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The streets of Samarkand are almost traffic-free on Wednesday morning. Even though the majority of delegations arriving for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit wont be here until Thursday, police have already cordoned off many local landmarks, but one of them  Registan Square, which is home to an architectural ensemble of 15th-17th century mosques and madrassas, is still overflowing with tourists.Samarkands economy depends largely on tourism, and one can see that the city, the third largest in Uzbekistan, is pretty much free of "sanction wars" typical for Europe and the US nowadays. Russian visitors, who are being banned from European nations, which recently introduced travel restrictions for them, are welcome here, and so are those from China, Europe, and the US.Uzbekistan, and Samarkand in particular, combine rich local, Russian, and Chinese cultures. From the square with its Confucius statue, one can see the top of the Russian Orthodox St. Alexis Cathedral, and in the square itself, Uzbek kids are practicing a Chinese dance routine which will be performed for Shanghai Cooperation Organization delegations.Chinese influence can also be seen at the Great Silk Road exhibition in the center of Samarkand, with traditional arts and crafts on display. A replica of a Terracotta warrior, which was donated by the Chinese delegation, is here alongside a collection of 19th century porcelain dishes and a big magical mulberry tree.Samarkand is also unique for its religious traditions. It's rare to find a place where Jews, Orthodox Christians, and Muslims can come to pray, but this city has such a location  the Tomb of the Old Testament Prophet Daniel, also known as Daniiel, or Doniyar, located in the residential neighborhood of Afrosiab. Daniel was born in 603 BC in Jerusalem and is known as a great prophet. The landmark is visited by thousands of tourists annually.Being as diverse as the SCO itself, Samarkand seems to be a perfect place for top level talks, with leaders of member nations already arriving and meeting with Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, focusing on political, economic, and security cooperation. They were later joined by India and Pakistan.The big news, which is expected to come out of this years SCO summit, is the acceptance of Iran as a full-time member, with Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia joining the organization as dialogue partners. A trilateral Russia-China-Mongolia leaders meeting is also expected to be held in Samarkand. The organizers plan to focus on accelerating cooperation with Afghanistan, which is seen by Uzbekistan and other organization members as an integral part of the bigger SCO environment.The leaders of SCO nations will hold talks in Samarkand on September 15-16.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/western-sanctions-doomed-to-failure-as-russian-exports-growing-ambassador-to-us-antonov-says-1100781876.html

Western Sanctions Doomed to Failure as Russian Exports Growing, Ambassador to US Antonov Says

Western Sanctions Doomed to Failure as Russian Exports Growing, Ambassador to US Antonov Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The sanctions policy of the West is doomed to failure since Russia's export earnings are growing, and the situation ordinary people in... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-14T18:03+0000

2022-09-14T18:03+0000

2022-09-14T19:55+0000

world

sanctions

us

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"The thoughtless and completely illiterate sanctions policy, the open sanctions-information war of the collective West against our country is doomed to failure. Russia is strengthening its independence. The income from energy exports is constantly growing. The situation which ordinary citizens in Western countries have been facing is rapidly deteriorating," he said.US energy giants are benefiting from the current energy crisis as they make revenues they could only dream of, the ambassador said. Antonov also said Russia believes that "curators of Kiev" will not agree to a peaceful settlement."American arms manufacturers have always been getting rich in wars. This is happening even now, when millions of shells and a huge amount of weapons made in the US are sent to Ukraine. That is why the peaceful scenario cannot suit Kiev's curators, who are hungry for power and money. They will not stop pushing Ukraine into further suicidal adventures, such as the initially doomed offensives," he said.According to Antonov, the US has been turning Ukraine into a test range to dispose of old weapons and test new arms in an effort to counter Russia. He stressed that the US will be dragged into a military confrontation with Russia if Kiev receives longer-range missiles and carries out strikes on Russian territory. "Of particular concern is the fact that for many months Ukraine has been soliciting the supply of ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, which are designed to strike targets at a distance of up to 300 km [187 miles]. If Kiev obtains such weapons, large Russian cities, as well as industrial and transport infrastructure facilities will fall into the area of possible destruction," Antonov said. "Such a scenario would mean direct involvement of the United States in a military confrontation with Russia."The United States' claims of its non-involvement in the Ukraine conflict are untenable, especially after the "bravado" of the Biden administration and the top brass about their role in planning Ukraine's counteroffensive, the Russian ambassador to the United States emphasized.Antonov noted that Russia is "deeply concerned" by "the open bravado of the US administration," including generals, who claim that Ukraine's "battlefield" gains were achieved thanks to the direct role of the Pentagon in planning Ukraine's strategy.The ambassador added that videos circulated by Western TV channels clearly show that soldiers and officers fighting Russia in Ukraine speak English fluently and many have British and American accents.Sputnik: What will happen if Washington satisfies Kiev's request for the supply of new weapons, including heavy armored vehicles, new batches of shells for HIMARS systems, operational-tactical missiles, and this time even fighter jets?Anatoly Antonov: We see how the American printed and electronic media vie with each other to report on the new package of military assistance requested by Kiev. In addition to the ones you listed, we are talking about dozens of types of weapons: strike UAVs, Harpoon anti-submarine missiles, etc.If Kiev receives such weapons, large Russian cities, as well as industrial and transport infrastructure facilities, will fall into the area of possible destruction. The Armed Forces of Ukraine constantly violate the norms of humanitarian law, even in those territories that were considered part of Ukraine. Donbass localities are being shelled; peaceful, innocent people are dying. Look how many swastikas and Nazi symbols are on Ukrainian military equipment. If this happens in relation to the DPR and LPR, then obviously, if these warriors have long-range American missiles, they will use them without hesitation against our country.Such a scenario would mean direct involvement of the United States in a military confrontation with Russia.Sputnik: Will the American side satisfy Kiev's request for new deliveries of missile systems? Will the moral, material, and military support of the Zelensky regime by Washington continue?Anatoly Antonov: The current situation of Washington inciting Kiev against us is an indisputable, obvious fact. If all the insane requests are satisfied, then this will not lead to real changes on the fronts anyway. Only naive, short-sighted politicians, who know history poorly, can talk about victory over Russia on the battlefield.I would like to draw attention to the fact that we are no longer talking about defensive, but about offensive weapons, and this is not a characteristic that was invented in Moscow, but a UN definition. Fighters, long-range missile systems, tanks have never been classified as defensive weapons.The United States is increasingly drawn into the abyss of the Ukrainian crisis, and, as we see, it is doing it consciously with the constant instigation of partners in the Alliance.Pay attention, there is no talk about the need to start negotiations today. And if they do sound, then either in a whisper, or through clenched teeth, and more often quite the opposite: "more weapons, hit harder on the allied forces." Allegedly, the current situation provides Ukraine with the best negotiating position, regardless of what their price is. The main goal is to defeat Russia by any means, and subsequently to prevent it from playing a key role in the international arena, and if possible, break it into pieces.Sputnik: What to do in such conditions, what should we focus on now?Anatoly Antonov: The answer is simple - continue to work, and support the army and navy in fulfilling the tasks set by our Supreme Commander-in-Chief. We have no doubt that we will achieve victory.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/why-does-big-tech-censorship-remain-unchecked-1100737287.html

Why Does Big Tech Censorship Remain Unchecked?

Why Does Big Tech Censorship Remain Unchecked?

On this episode of Fault Lines hosts Manila Chan, Melik Abdul, and Reese Everson cover all the breaking topics from international to domestic. We have guests... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

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Why Does Big Tech Censorship Remain Unchecked? On this episode of Fault Lines hosts Manila Chan, Melik Abdul, and Reese Everson cover all the breaking topics from international to domestic. We have guests on to talk about Google employees speaking out against 'Project Nimbus', the Swedish elections causing more anti-immigration policies, and what is next in Ukraine.

Chris Garaffa- editor of TechforthePeople.org and co-host of the CovertAction Bulletin PodcastBrad Blankenship - Prague-based American journalist, political analyst and freelance reporterEd Martin - President of the Phyllis Schlafly Eagles and political commentatorMark Sleboda - International Relations and Security AnalystIn the first hour, Fault Lines was joined by Chris Garaffa to discuss a group of Palestinian, Jewish, Muslim and Arab Google employees are speaking out against the tech giants Project Nimbus - a $1.2 billion contract involving Google, Amazon and the Israeli government and military.In the second hour, our hosts were joined by Brad Blankenship to discuss the movement of Swedish Democrats to a more anti-immigrant platform similar to one of Former President Trump and the southern border. Fault Lines was also joined by Ed Martin to further discuss the DOJ's subpoena of 30 people formally connected to Donald Trump.In the third hour, Fault Lines spoke with Mark Sleboda about all that's happening in Ukraine. Also, what is going on in Azerbaijan and Armenia? Mark explains for us.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik

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https://sputniknews.com/20220914/will-freedom-of-speech-survive-the-attacks-by-the-biden-doj-1100742426.html

Will Freedom of Speech Survive the Attacks by the Biden DOJ?

Will Freedom of Speech Survive the Attacks by the Biden DOJ?

On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including Twitter's shareholders okaying the sale of Twitter to Elon Musk, and... 14.09.2022, Sputnik International

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Will Freedom of Speech Survive the Attacks by the Biden DOJ? On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including Twitter's shareholders okaying the sale of Twitter to Elon Musk, and Peiter Zatko the Twitter whistleblower testifying before a Senate hearing.

Ian Shilling - Geopolitical Analyst, Researcher, and Blogger | The British Monarchy, Energy Price Caps, and King Charles IIINebojsa Malic - Investigative Journalist, Blogger, and Author | Armenia - Azerbaijan War, Russia's Treaty with Armenia, and Allegations of America's Involvement in this ConflictIn the first hour, Lee and Jason Goodman spoke with Ian Shilling about the British police arresting protestors, Twitter employees able to dox users, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth. Ian explained the energy cap proposal by Liz Truss and the British police arresting protestors of the British Monarchy. Ian spoke about the unpopularity of the newly crowned King Charles III and his connections to the WEF.In the second hour, Lee and Jason Goodman spoke with Nebojsa Malic about Russia's defense treaty with Armenia, America's possible involvement in the conflict, and Turkish drones. Nebojsa talked about the origin of the conflict between Armenia - Azerbaijan and how the United States has instigated the issue. Nebojsa spoke about the response of the Biden White House and Turkey has supplied drones to Ukraine.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik

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Culpeper County is another step closer to restoring the name George Washington Carver Regional High School to the front of the historic Black school, after its removal 50 years ago.

At its meeting Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors Building & Grounds Committee endorsed the sole bidder for the project, Dominion Traditional Building Group, of Marshall. The Fauquier County company specializes in historic preservation and construction of masonry structures.

Hallelujah! exclaimed Salem Supervisor Tom Underwood. Theres been a lot of support for that, and I am glad we are doing it.

For years, alumni of the school have asked that the name of the famed African-American botanist and inventor be put back on the buildings stone facade.

Piedmont Vocational School was the replacement name put in place soon after the regional high school closed, when Virginia integrated its public schools in the late 1960s.

For 20 years during racial segregation, the regional school was a vibrant community hub for local families and a place of education for African American youths from Culpeper, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock counties.

Now, it could be that the Carver name remains on the backside of the facades limestone blocks, flipped around when the stonework was altered.

Or it could be that the original stone blocks were removed altogether and new ones put in their place.

A third scenario is that the blocks were turned around and an anchor was embedded to hold them in place, meaning they will have holes in them when turned back around.

Additionally, there may be staining on the back of the stones if cement was used to attach them, according to Dominion Traditional Building Group.

Dominions masons will determine which is the case when they commence work at the site, on a date to be determined.

Depending on the scenario, the projects cost will range from around $51,000 to $60,000, according to Dominions bid. If the back of the stones are blank, carving work to restore the Carver name will be done off site.

Dominion provided examples of work it has done on much older masonry projects, including at Menokin, the circa-1769 home near Warsaw of Francis Lightfoot Lee, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The company also did masonry work at the circa-1889 St. Andrews Roman Catholic Church in Roanoke, and at circa-1757 Shadwell Plantation, the Albemarle County birthplace of Thomas Jefferson.

Culpeper County Environmental Sciences Director Paul Howard said Tuesday that his agency and Dominion are collaborating to schedule the work here.

Its an interesting project, he said.

We will have a lot of happy alumni if the name is still there and in good shape! Howard said.

In 2023, alumni of the Culpeper County school will host the Carver Jubilee, marking 75 years since it opened to students.
For 20 years now, Dove House Childrens Advocacy Center has served Alexander and Iredell county children that have found themselves as victims of childhood sexual abuse.

We know that the topic is hard, but we have people that run to the darkest corners of the world and fight these crimes that a lot of people cant even stomach, Beth McKeithan said. She is the executive director at Dove House Childrens Advocacy Center.

But despite the serious work, Dove House wants to take a moment this weekend to say thank you to donors and the community for supporting it for 20 years now.

This Saturday from noon until 3 p.m., the Dove House invites the community to enjoy music, food trucks, dance groups, tours and more as it thanks its supporters and looks to educate those who might not fully understand the organizations work.

Since opening in September 2002, Dove House said its existence has enhanced coordination among the community agencies and professionals that are involved in responding to reports of child sexual abuse.

According to Dove Houses statistics, it has helped 12,063 total primary and secondary victims served since opening, with just over 4,000 of them being the primary victims.

Dove Houses mission

When the door to Dove House opens, a wall of stuffed animals greets you. There is a point to that as it hopes to make children and their families comfortable and safe. However, with the trauma inflicted on children through sexual abuse, there are rooms for treatment, therapy and other services that hope to begin the healing process for those involved.

We exist, our primary purpose, is to serve the child victims of sexual abuse, and their non-offending caregivers, McKeithan said. The idea of having a very warm, child-friendly environment where the family can come and the child feels not only physically safe from whoever has done this to them, but they also feel psychologically safe.

Its traumatic for the child, what theyve endured, but its traumatic for the family as well.

A victim is interviewed, as well as their family, to begin a process that tackles both legal and treatment aspects of the case. That is the beginning of Dove Houses service as a hub of resources for victims and their families.

Part of becoming that hub after a case has been referred to them through law enforcement or from the North Carolina Department of Social Services is coordinating with those groups to make sure each case gets the attention it deserves. Those groups, along with the district attorney, meet twice a month in an effort to make sure all of those cases are covered, McKeithan said.

Its all about teamwork.

That work can be difficult, McKeithan said, but having the right people with the drive to seek justice and provide healing for victims is what has made Dove House an important part of the community for two decades now.

Another newer aspect of Dove Houses work in educating the public has been with programs for first and fifth-graders in local schools. McKeithan said teaching age-appropriate body safety information to children, as well as adults, can help stop some problems before they even happen.

We realize a big piece of serving the community is through prevention and education. If we can prevent one of our cases, thats our goal: stopping child abuse McKeithan said.

And while they cant prevent all cases, the hope is children can feel safe coming forward if they are abused.

Along with that, part of the prevention is educating children, including teens, as well as adults on what to watch out for, especially online. Whether physical abuse, blackmailing, or other forms of exploitation, there are ways to keep children safe and help them make wiser decisions to protect themselves.

The internet has rocked our world in this field, McKeithan said. I tell parents these days its not if your child is going to be exposed, theyre going to be exposed at some point, and so how do we properly educate and do enough to keep our children safe without doing too much.

She said providing education on how to avoid certain situations and preventing the possibility are important to stop a child from being exploited or abused.

McKeithan said preventing abuse from happening is of course their number one goal, even if it will always exist.

Wed love to work ourselves out of a job, but we know thats not the case, McKeithan said. She said anytime a case is successfully prosecuted, thats a reason to celebrate. Whether the justice system or helping the children deal with the trauma theyve faced, there are victories for the Dove House.

The desire to make these childrens lives better, when they come into our doors, I want to tell them, Baby, this is when things are going to change for you. This is not going to happen to you anymore. We know we cant always guarantee that, but we want to do whatever we can to make their lives better from here on.

How you can help

McKeithan said Dove House looks to expand and upgrade its facilities and possibly add services, as well as continue to train its staff in best practices to make sure to provide victims the best services it can.

Thats also why the organization is asking those who can to donate $20 as a nod to Dove Houses 20 years of service. Donations can be made at www.dovehousecac.org.
A large American flag hung suspended from the the extended ladder of Mooresville Fire Departments Engine 5. Under it, hundreds of Pine Lake Prep students stood silently as the band played The Star-Spangled Banner followed by a moment of remembrance to honor those that died on Sept. 11, 2001  a tragic event that predates the birth of any of the students who participated in the ceremony.

Its important for these students, who did not experience that day, to see their teachers talk about it and remember it, Kristen Sutek, Pine Lake Preps community relations manager, said. This event is a good conversation starter for them to talk to people who lived through it. It keeps it at the forefront of peoples minds.

The ceremony, which has become a long-standing tradition at Pine Lake, also included performances by chorus and the schools orchestra as well as an appearance by the Statesville High School Junior ROTC color guard.

Im proud of how the kids handled themselves with respect and dignity, Sutek said. Everything was a bit chaotic this morning because of a delay, but everyone adapted.

As the featured part of the ceremony, senior Parashi Patel delivered an address to those at the event. Patel was the first choice to deliver the address by a number of her teachers in the Pine Lake Upper School.

Weve heard the stories (of 9/11) from our parents and our teachers, she said. It was a day in our history that no one will be able to forget. It is seared into the memories of all of those that survived that day.

(Parashi) did a great job up there, Sutek said. She was able to fight back the emotions she was feeling and deliver a strong statement.

Following the conclusion of the ceremony held by the middle and upper schools, the first responders in attendance gave a quick parade to the students in the lower school, who greeted them with cheers and waving American Flags.

This day is something that bonds us all, Sutek said. Even when we dont seem like we are one community, we still have a shared history.
Parents and caregivers of people with eating disorders can attend a free workshop Saturday.

Cowlitz County nonprofit Hello Life Eating Disorder Recovery Services is partnering with Food is Not the Enemy, a Vancouver-based therapy group, to hold the virtual workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Student intern therapists under the supervision of a licensed therapist will facilitate the workshop.

The workshop will include education on common eating disorders challenges and building communication, self-care and emotion regulation skills. It will also give caregivers an opportunity to connect, receive and give support to others.

We are so grateful to come together with the incredible therapists at Food Is Not The Enemy to provide this critically needed workshop for those in our community who have a loved one who struggles with an eating disorder, said Shira Lile, Hello Lifes executive director. Eating disorders affect entire families, not just the individual who is battling it.

To sign up for the workshop, email intakes@foodisnotheenemy.com or call 360-726-4141 ext 9. To learn more about Hello Life, visit www.helloliferecovery.org and for more about Food Is Not The Enemy, visit www.foodisnottheenemy.com.
Woodworkers at a local timber giant, with strong local roots, are striking for the first time in nearly four decades.

The Weyerhaeuser sawmill in Longview opened in 1929, with the companys first pulp mill opening in the city two years later. The pulp mill helped Weyerhaeuser survive the Great Depression, the company reports, because the mill earned profits, while the rest of the company saw loses.

Longviews mills came about 30 years after Weyerhaeuser purchased 900,000 acres of timberland in 1900 from Northern Pacific Railway and opened its first sawmill in Everett.

Unionized woodworkers at the timber company last voted to authorize a strike vote during their 2018 negotiations with Weyerhaeuser, but ultimately came to an agreement that prevented a strike from its 400 Longview employees at the time.

The company at its peak employed 5,000 people locally, according to TDN archives, while the current strike includes the roughly 350 hourly woodworkers only.

The Longview mill was the largest in the world at the time it was built, according to Weyerhaeusers website.

Now, Weyerhaeuser is headquartered in Seattle and owns or manages about 1.3 million acres, along with two mills, two nurseries and several other sites in Washington, according to TDN reports.

Weyerhaeuser in July 2021 sold a portion of the old Longview Timber lands to Oregon-based Hampton Resources, according to TDN archives.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Weyerhaeuser was considered one of the essential businesses exempt from Gov. Jay Inslees stay-at-home order.

In April 2020, the company said it expected supply chain disruptions to result in lower lumber operations; the Longview mill was not affected by curtailments or reduced shift postures that rippled through the company at the time, according to TDN archives.

Weyerhaeuser last year reported a record high $2.6 billion in earnings, triple what it had earned in 2020.

Weyerhaeuser CEO Devin Stockfish partially attributed the success to its timberland transactions from Washington and Alabama. The company at the time said it planned to see similar growth this year and reported $770 million income during its first financial quarter of 2022.

The timber company has also faced some legal challenges and government fines, agreeing to settle with Columbia Riverkeeper in May for $600,000 after alleged water quality violations at its Longview mill.

The state Department of Ecology in February dropped a $40,000 water quality fine on the company after it said there were several stormwater outfall monitoring issues.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Sitting on top of more than $115 million across several political committees, Donald Trump has positioned himself as a uniquely indomitable force in the GOP who would almost certainly have the resources to swamp his rivals if he launched another presidential campaign.

But that massive pile of money is also emerging as a potential vulnerability. His chief fundraising vehicle, Save America PAC, is under new legal scrutiny after the Justice Department issued a round of grand jury subpoenas that sought information about the political action committee's fundraising practices.

The scope of the probe is unclear. Grand jury subpoenas and search warrants issued by the Justice Department in recent days were related to numerous topics, including Trump's PAC, according to people familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. The subpoenas seek records as well as testimony and ask at least some of the recipients about their knowledge of efforts to engage in election fraud, according to one of the people.

The subpoenas also ask for records of communication with Trump-allied lawyers who supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and plotted to line up fake electors in battleground states. A particular area of focus appears to be on the Save America Rally that preceded the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the person said.

The investigation is one of several criminal probes Trump currently faces, including scrutiny of how documents with classified markings wound up at the former president's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Regardless of Save America's ultimate role in the investigations, the flurry of developments has drawn attention to the PAC's management, how it has raised money and where those funds have been directed.

Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich slammed the subpoenas, saying a weaponized and politicized Justice Department was casting a blind net to intimidate and silence Republicans who are fighting for his America First agenda. Representatives for the Justice Department have declined to comment.

While Trump has more than $115 million held across various committees, the vast majority of it is stored at Save America. The PAC ended July with more than $99 million cash-on-hand, according to fundraising records  more than the Republican and Democratic national campaign committees combined.

Trump has continued to shovel up small-dollar donations in the months since, frustrating other Republicans who have been struggling to raise money ahead of the November midterm elections.

Save America is set up as a leadership PAC designed to allow political figures to fundraise for other campaigns. But the groups are often used by would-be candidates to fund political travel, polling and staff as they test the waters" ahead of potential presidential runs. The accounts can also be used to contribute money to other candidates and party organizations, helping would-be candidates build political capital.

Much of the money Trump has amassed was raised in the days and weeks after the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Thats when Trump supporters were bombarded with a nonstop stream of emails and texts, many containing all-caps lettering and blatant lies about a stolen 2020 election, soliciting cash for an election defense fund.

But no such fund ever existed. Instead, Trump has dedicated the money to other uses. He's financed dozens of rallies, paid staff and used the money to travel as he's teased an expected 2024 presidential run.

Other expenses have been more unusual. There was the $1 million donated last year to the Conservative Partnership Institute, a nonprofit that employs Cleta Mitchell and former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, both of whom encouraged Trumps failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

There was the $650,000 charitable contribution in July to the Smithsonian Institution to help fund portraits of Trump and the former first lady that will one day hang in the National Portrait Gallery, according to the Smithsonian spokesperson Linda St. Thomas.

Much of the money has also funded a different sort of defense fund  one that has paid the legal expenses of Trump confidants and aides who have been called to testify before the Jan. 6 committee.

Overall, Trumps sprawling political operation has spent at least $8 million on legal consulting and legal expenses to at least 40 law firms since the insurrection, according to an analysis of campaign finance disclosures.

Its unclear how much of that money went to legal fees for staffers after a congressional committee started investigating the origins of the attack. But at least $1.1 million has been paid to Elections LLC, a firm started by former Trump White House ethics lawyer Stefan Passantino, according to campaign finance and business records. An additional $1 million was paid to a legal trust housed at the same address as Passantinos firm. Passantino did not respond to a request for comment Monday night. Payments have also been made to firms that specialize in environmental regulation and real estate matters.

As of July, only about $750,000 had been doled out to candidates for Congress, with an additional $150,000 given to candidates for state office, records show. Trump is expected to ramp up his political spending now that the general election season has entered full swing, though it remains unclear how much the notoriously thrifty former president will ultimately agree to spend.

Trump has long played coy about his 2024 plans, saying a formal announcement would trigger campaign finance rules that would, in part, force him to create a new campaign committee that would be bound by strict fundraising limits.

In the meantime, Trump aides have been discussing the prospect of creating a new super PAC or repurposing one that already exists as gets he closer to an expected announcement. While Trump could not use Save America to fund campaign activity after launching a run, aides have discussed the possibility of moving at least some of that money into a super PAC, according to people familiar with the talks.

Campaign finance experts are mixed on the legality of such a move. Some, like Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School and an expert in campaign finance, said he didn't see a problem.

There may be some hoops he has to jump through, he said. But I don't see a problem with it going from one PAC to another ... I dont see what would block it.

Others disagree.

It is illegal for a candidate to transfer a significant amount of money from a leadership PAC to a super PAC. You certainly cant do $100 million, said Adav Noti, a former Federal Election Commission attorney who now works for the Campaign Legal Center, a Washington-based good governance group focused on money and politics.

And whether or not Trump would face any consequences is a different matter.

For years, the FEC, which polices campaign finance laws, has been gridlocked. The commission is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, and a majority vote is needed to take any enforcement action against a candidate.

Indeed, legal experts say Trump has repeatedly flouted campaign finance law since launching his 2016 White House run, with no consequence.

More than 50 separate complaints alleging Trump broke campaign finance laws have been filed against him since his 2016 campaign. In roughly half of those instances, FEC lawyers have concluded that there was reason to believe that he may have broken the law. But the commission, which now includes three Trump-appointed Republicans, has repeatedly deadlocked.

The list of dismissed complaints against Trump is extensive. In 2021, Republicans on the commission rejected the claim, supported by the FECs staff attorneys, that a Trump orchestrated hush-money payment by his former lawyer to pornographic film star Stormy Daniels amounted to an unreported in-kind contribution. In May, the commission similarly deadlocked over whether his campaign broke the law by hiding how it was spending cash during the 2020 campaign.

And over the summer, the commission rejected complaints stemming from Trumps threat to withhold $391 million in aid for the Ukraine unless the Ukrainian officials opened an investigation into the relationship President Joe Bidens son Hunter Biden had with a Ukrainian gas company called Burisma, which the FECs attorneys determined was a potential violation of campaign finance law.

There is no legal basis whatsoever for believing that Congress intended the FEC to police official acts of the government that may be intended to assist an officeholders reelection, the commissions three Republicans said in a written statement late last month.

That means any enforcement action would likely have to come from the Justice Department.

He has nothing to fear from the Federal Election Commission until either its structure is changed or there is turnover among the FEC Commissioners, said Brett G. Kappel, a longtime campaign finance attorney who works at the Washington-based firm Harmon Curran and has represented both Republicans and Democrats. That doesnt mean he doesnt have anything to fear from the Justice Department, which is already apparently investigating Save America. From what I can see, there are multiple wire fraud allegations that could be the subject of a Justice Department investigation."

In the meantime, Trump and Save America continue to rake in contributions from grassroots supporters, blasting out fundraising solicitations with aggressive demands like this needs to be taken care of NOW and threatening donors that their Voter Verification canvass surveys are OUT OF DATE," even as some of the Republican Senate contenders Trump endorsed and helped drag across the finish line in primaries are struggling to raise cash.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has urged those candidates to ask Trump for money, which the former president has so far proven reluctant to provide. That has left the candidates, some of whom presented themselves as McConnell antagonists during their primaries, to grovel to McConnell and the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC he controls and has $100 million in reserve.

It also strengthens McConnells hand in his long-simmering feud with Trump, who has urged GOP senators to oust the Kentucky Republican. Some close to Trump acknowledge the candidates could use the money, but said he doesnt see it as his responsibility to fill the void.

Colvin reported from New York.
After weeks of surging cases, monkeypox is on the decline in Washington state though vaccination levels in King County, the states primary hot spot, are still well below the level estimated to adequately combat the virus.

The drop in infections statewide is directly linked to the drop in cases in King County. Since a peak in late July, the weekly case rate in King County fell 66% to 22 cases in the week of Aug. 28. Early counts for the week of Sept. 4 show 10 cases have been detected so far.

King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin says the decline in cases is likely due to a combination of factors including behavioral change and the vaccination of high-risk communities.

The health department also said more people may have some immunity from infection as more susceptible people have been exposed to the virus.

Health officials are hesitant to claim the outbreak is under control.

It can be a painful and difficult illness, so ideally, we wouldnt want to see any cases of the illness. But it will take some time to see what type of trajectory the outbreak takes, said spokesperson Sharon Bogan.

Vaccine distribution

So far, 10,444 residents across Washington have received at least one shot of the Jynneos vaccine as of Sept. 7, according to state health department data. About 6% of these people got a second dose after 28 days. The Jynneos vaccine is a two-dose vaccine series, with two doses administered four weeks apart.

In King County alone, over 9,800 residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine  about a quarter of the 40,000 King County residents the county health department estimates are either at the highest or at an elevated risk for exposure.

The health department estimates 80,000 doses are needed to adequately address the outbreak.

Monkeypox can affect anyone  regardless of gender or sexual orientation  who has close contact with an infected person. So far, the virus has disproportionately affected the LGBTQ+ community, particularly men, who report intimate contact with other men.

Many of these King County cases have been identified in the Hispanic community, with the majority between the ages 18 to 49.

Distribution inequities

Within King County, more than half of all cases were reported in Central Seattle. So far, the countys vaccination drives have been concentrated in this region.

Community workers say current vaccination efforts are inequitable and dont address the socio-economic and geographical barriers people of color, especially queer people of color, may face in accessing the vaccine.

The most affected and vulnerable group, which is LGBTQ+ people of color, mostly congregates and resides in South King County, said Sasha Samuelu, a community care program coordinator at UTOPIA, a community organization focused on helping trans people of color.

So far, UTOPIA has organized two monkeypox vaccination events in Kent, giving 100 people their first doses.

Agencies should provide vaccine clinics in areas like Kent, Auburn and Federal Way, where the most vulnerable populations live, Samuelu said.

Im really appalled that both health agencies and folks are quick to say this is a disease that is affecting gay people but when it comes to vaccine distribution, they find it difficult to prioritize vaccine distribution among these same vulnerable groups, said Diana Krishna, wellness navigator at UTOPIA.

Public Health  Seattle & King County said it has encouraged, though has not been directly involved with, targeted vaccination events hosted by community-based organizations, including UTOPIA, Gay City and University of Washington. Some of these were focused outreach events and were not broadly publicized.

Since the outbreak, the health department said it has worked closely with organizations on messaging, resources and to vaccine distribution coordination.

Bogan said its important to have a range of approaches to reach communities, because first-come, first-served strategies may not always reach those at higher risk. Some people, she added, may be more likely to get a vaccine at a clinic they have already been to, while others may be interested in a community-based health care site, where their family and others can get vaccinated at the same time.

A look at vaccine distribution at the state level shows 81 doses were given to Thurston County residents, though no monkeypox cases have been recorded there.

In fact, Thurston County has administered more doses than Snohomish County, which has become a virus hot spot. There are six other counties recording monkeypox cases where fewer than 10 doses have been administered so far.

Chris Porter, an LGBTQ+ activist in Seattle, said a pandemic-epidemic is weighing on the queer community, especially men of color. Be it the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic or now monkeypox, queer men of color continue to be disproportionately affected, he said.

As Black gay men, how do you navigate all of that?

Enduring stigma

DOH recently expanded its vaccine eligibility requirements to include gay, bisexual and other men who have had sex with men with multiple sexual partners in the last three months. Previously it specified only those with more than 10 sexual partners or those who had group sex in bath houses.

The expanded criteria now also includes sex workers and people who experienced homelessness, unstable housing or were incarcerated in the last three months.

Community organizers in the LGBTQ+ community criticized health officials past communications about the disease. They say the language, especially the vaccine eligibility questionnaires focus on number of sexual partners, felt invasive and contributed to the stigma that has already deterred many from getting the vaccine.

The messaging should have emphasized more on the fact that the virus spreads through skin-to-skin contact, said Krishna.

So much emphasis has been on the sexual part, she said. It causes people to isolate themselves from accessing these resources or vaccines, and leaves them further marginalized.

She added that after this was pointed out, the county health department worked quickly to improve the language.

But Porter said messaging, alone is not enough.

Its one thing if youre coming to me and youre providing this information, Porter said. And then my question is, Where can I get the vaccine and then you tell me, Well, its only available in certain situations and in certain locations, but not necessarily where you live.

You have to wonder what is the weight and wealth of that information?
A number of stores are giving away exciting deals on the newly launched iPhone 14 Pro in the UK including Apple Store as well as from the most popular mobile networks like EE, Three Mobile, and more.

Want to grab the newest iPhone 14 Pro, but running low on budget? Don't worry, we have brought you one of the best Apple iPhone 14 Pro deals here. Regardless of whether you're going for an unlocked device, prepaid, or via a big carrier, you'll find one of the best discounts here. iPhone 14 Pro was launched by Apple a few days back on September 7 at the company's Far out event. The handset packs the latest and most powerful A16 Bionic processor along with 48MP upgraded cameras and other exciting features. If you want to grab a feature packed iPhone, you can get some exciting deals on iPhone 14 Pro in popular online and high street stores like Apple Store UK, EE and others.

iPhone 14 Pro deals and discounts in UK

The iPhone 14 Pro is available for pre-order on Apple store and a few other partner stores. The device is priced at 1,099, however, a few online stores are offering exciting deals on the same including Apple store UK, EE, O2, Sky mobile and others. While Apple Store is giving away a chance to save upto 625 discount when you trade-in an older handset. However, the most affordable way to grab the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is to sign-up a monthly instalment contract with mobile networks like O2, Vodafone, EE, Three, Sky Mobile, and others.

Three is giving away HALF PRICE discount on its iPhone 14 Pro pre-order plans for the first six months of the contract. The offer is clubbed with unlimited 5G data and access to Three+ for discounted cinema tickets each month as well as free food and drink from high street chains.

EE, Virgin mobile, O2, Vodafone, and others too are offering exciting offers and deals on iPhone 14 Pro.
UChicago owns Concrete Book #83. Its roughly two inches thick and supposedly contains a copy of artist Wolf Vostells book on concrete as an artistic medium. Credit: Jason Creps/Argonne National Laboratory

Using Argonne's Advanced Photon Source, scientists are trying to determine if Wolf Vostell's piece "Concrete Book" does, in fact, contain a book. The answer may change how this artist's work is studied and presented.

When is a book not a book?

This seems like a simple question, but in the case of one curious piece of art, researchers have enlisted the resources of one of the world's leading X-ray facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory to answer it. What they find might end up rewriting a chapter of modern art history, and might shine new light on one of the pioneers of an artistic movement.

The piece in question is called "Betonbuch," or "Concrete Book," and is the work of German-born artist Wolf Vostell. He was part of Fluxus, an international community of experimental creators that flourished in the 1960s and 1970s, and was a pioneer of using concrete as a material for art, not just construction. In 1971, Vostell wrote a short book called "Betonierungen," or "Concretifications," and as evidence of his commitment to the material, he purportedly encased 100 copies of that book in numbered slabs of concrete.

Six years ago, as part of an exhibit on Vostell and Fluxus organized by art history professor Christine Mehring, the University of Chicago purchased "Concrete Book #83," and it immediately intrigued Patti Gibbons. As the head of collection management at the UChicago's Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, Gibbons works at the University's Joseph Regenstein Library and is involved in curating displays of the institution's collections.

Maria Kokkori, left, of the Art Institute of Chicago and Patti Gibbons of UChicago with the "Concrete Book" at Beamline 6-BM of the Advanced Photon Source. Credit: Jason Creps/Argonne National Laboratory.

"The mystery of what's supposed to be inside of there intrigued me," Gibbons said. "I always thought it would be a good idea to look."

Gibbons teamed up with Maria Kokkori, associate scientist at the Art Institute of Chicago, to finally turn the page on this mystery. Kokkori uses "Concrete Book" in her classroom, teaching materials science as it relates to art. For her, Vostell's work represents a turning point in the use of concrete to create art, instead of to construct buildings and bridges.

"Concrete is a material you would see in construction, but not in the art world in the '70s," Kokkori said. "Construction and art are often considered different fields and disciplines, but Vostell was a pioneer of new technologies to use concrete as an artistic material."

The pair first tried to peer inside the 20-pound, two-inch thick chunk of concrete using ultrasound and X-ray machines at the UChicago, but were only able to detect metal wires inside, not the book. The wires may hold the book between them, or may be there to provide reinforcement of the concrete.

They knew they'd need a more powerful X-ray beam to truly crack the case, so they turned to the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at Argonne. The APS generates some of the brightest X-ray light in the world, at energies that allow it to penetrate thicker objects. At beamline 6-BM, they used a technique called X-ray diffraction to search for signs of paper and vellum inside the concrete.

Credit: Argonne National Laboratory

"First we scanned a different copy of the book itself, the book that is meant to be inside the concrete," said Argonne beamline scientist John Okasinski. "This gave us a signature to look for in the object itself. Although the sample is different, the techniques we are using are the same we would use for materials science experiments."

Kokkori said the results of the X-ray scans will be published in a journal. The pair presented details of the experiment as a work in progress at a recent Art Libraries Society of North America conference. Whatever the answers may be, Kokkori said, they would illuminate questions both artistic and scientific.

"How do we define a book?" she asked. "If Argonne scientists do find a booklet there, how do we contextualize this information? If they don't, then the answer is equally important, because it provides more context and informs history. It will inform how we share this piece with the public."

"We have the artist's testimonial, and no reason to doubt there is something there, but we still need scientific proof," she said. "It's an important message to students to question the reliability of sources. It's a great intellectual exercise to question, and then to question the questions."

Explore further Controlling the concrete manufacturing process increases the strength by 30%
Tech giants have been targeted by the EU for a number of allegedly unfair practices.

The European Union is on a mission to rein in US tech giants, which have been accused of tax avoidance, stifling competition, raking in billions from news without paying for it and spreading misinformation.

In the past few years, the EU has slapped eye-watering fines on Apple and Google in tax and competition cases, and drawn up a landmark law to curb the market dominance of Big Tech. Brussels has also toughened its code of conduct on disinformation and hate speech.

As a European court on Wednesday rejected Google's appeal against a 4.3-billion-euro antitrust fine ($5 billion at the time it was levied), we look at the battle between Brussels and Silicon Valley:

Stifling competition

The digital giants are regularly criticised for dominating markets by elbowing out rivals.

In July, the European Parliament adopted the Digital Markets Act to curb the market dominance of Big Tech, with violations punishable with fines of up to 10 percent of a company's annual global sales.

Brussels has slapped over eight billion euros in fines on Google alone for abusing its dominant market position.

In 2018, the company was fined 4.3 billion eurosthe biggest ever antitrust penalty imposed by the EUfor abusing the dominant position of its Android mobile operating system to promote Google's search engine.

Google lost its appeal against that decision on Wednesday, though the fine was reduced to 4.1 billion euros.

The firm is also challenging a 2.4-billion-euro fine from 2017 for abusing its power in online shopping and a separate 1.5-billion-euro fine from 2019 for "abusive practices" in online advertising.

The EU has also gone after Apple, accusing it of blocking rivals from its contactless iPhone payment system, and fined Microsoft 561 million euros in 2013 for imposing its search engine Internet Explorer on users of Windows 7.

Italy joined in the action last year, hitting Amazon with a 1.1-billion-euro antitrust fine for abusing its dominance to push its logistics business.

Taxation

The EU has had less success in getting US tech companies to pay more taxes in Europe, where they are accused of funnelling profits into low-tax economies like Ireland and Luxembourg.

In one of the most notorious cases, the European Commission in 2016 found that Ireland granted illegal tax benefits to Apple and ordered the company pay 13 billion euros in back taxes.

But the EU's General Court later overturned the ruling, saying there was no evidence the company broke the rules.

The Commission also lost a similar case involving Amazon, which it had ordered to repay 250 million euros in back taxes to Luxembourg.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, France, Italy and several other European nations forged ahead with their own taxes on tech companies while waiting for a global agreement on the issue.

That came in October 2021 when the G20 group of nations agreed on a minimum 15 percent corporate tax rate. Nearly 140 countries signed up to the deal.

Personal data

Tech giants are regularly criticised over how they gather and use personal data.

The EU has led the charge to rein them in with its 2018 General Data Protection Regulation, which has since become an international reference.

Companies must now ask for consent when they collect personal information and may no longer use data collected from several sources to profile users against their will.

Amazon was fined 746 million euros by Luxembourg in 2021 for flouting the rules.

Earlier this month, Irish authorities fining Instagram, a Meta subsidiary, 405 million euros for breaching EU regulations on the handling of children's data.

Fake news and hate speech

Social networks, particularly Facebook and Twitter, are often accused of failing to tackle disinformation and hate speech.

In July, the European Parliament approved a Digital Services Act that forces big online companies to reduce risks linked to disinformation or face fines of up to six percent of their global turnover.

Paying for news

Google and other online platforms are also accused of making billions from news without sharing the revenue with those who gather it.

To tackle this, an EU law in 2019 created a form of copyright called "neighbouring rights" allowing for print media to demand compensation for use of their content.

France was the first country to implement the directive.

After initial resistance, Google and Facebook agreed to pay French media, including AFP, for articles shown in web searches.

That did not stop the company being fined half-a-billion euros by France's competition authority in July 2021 for failing to negotiate "in good faith", a ruling Google has appealed.

Facebook has also agreed to pay for some French content.

Explore further Europe's battle to curb Big Tech

 2022 AFP
Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn will invest more than $19 billion to make semiconductors in India.

Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn will invest $19.4 billion to make semiconductors in India with local conglomerate Vedanta, backed by New Delhi's push to boost tech self-reliance after a global chip shortage.

Semiconductors are an essential component of nearly all modern electronics, from smartphones to kitchen appliances and cars, but the coronavirus pandemic kneecapped global production and leading manufacturers are still struggling to meet demand.

India approved a $10 billion incentive plan last December to kickstart its own domestic industry by covering up to half of all project costs.

The deal announced Tuesday is the scheme's most ambitious investment to date and will see a manufacturing facility built in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.

"India's own Silicon Valley is a step closer now," Vedanta group chairman Anil Agarwal tweeted on Tuesday, thanking the government for helping "tie things up so quickly".

Vedanta, one of India's biggest mining companies, will take a 60 percent share in the joint venture for its first step into chip-making.

Foxconn, the world's top iPhone assembler, will take the minority stake.

"The improving infrastructure and the government's active and strong support increases confidence in setting up a semiconductor factory," Foxconn vice president Brian Ho said in a statement.

The facilities will be operational by 2024 and will also manufacture display screens for phones and tablets, the companies said.

Shares in Vedanta rose six percent in Mumbai a day after the announcement.

India has sought to boost its domestic production capacity in a range of strategic sectors, including military hardware and advanced technology.

"In the current geopolitical scenario, trusted sources of semiconductors... are key to the security of critical information infrastructure," India's technology ministry said earlier.

The government's semiconductor incentive scheme has already successfully wooed several investors, with Singapore's IGSS Ventures announcing $3.2 billion in July to make chips in Tamil Nadu state.

Another partnership between NextOrbit of the UAE and Israel's Tower Semiconductor signed on in May for a $2.9 billion plant in Karnataka state.

The vast majority of the world's top chips are made by just two companiesTSMC of Taiwan and South Korea's Samsungboth of which are running at full capacity to alleviate the ongoing global shortage.

Explore further India unveils $10.2B plan to attract semiconductor makers

 2022 AFP
A Buick Wildcat EV concept is shown during the media previews for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. This year's auto show will have fewer new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and possibly lower attendance. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

When it came time to showcase its electric Chevrolet Equinox SUV to the public this year, General Motors decided against doing so at the big Detroit auto show, as it typically would have done in the past. Instead, it unveiled the Equinox six days earlier.

GM's decision symbolized just how much smaller this year's auto show will be, with few new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and possibly lower attendance.

Though the pandemic is partly to blame, larger forces are at play, too: Automakers have figured out that new models can make a bigger splash when they're unveiled to a digital audience on a day where they don't have to share the spotlight with their rivals. Not to mention that making a debut at an auto show can be hugely expensive.

So despite moving the show from January to balmy September and adding outdoor events, the North American International Auto Show won't be the glitzy event it was the last time it was held in chilly January, more than three years ago.

"The industry has changedthe world has changed," said Karl Zimmermann, vice president of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, which runs the show. "Do I think it's going to be the same as it was before? No. It's a much different format. We're using indoors. We're using outdoors."

Dodge Ram pickup trucks during the media previews for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. This year's auto show will have fewer new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and possibly lower attendance. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

This year's show will be geared more toward consumers and less toward the industry. General Motors and Volkswagen will offer test drives. There will be ride-alongs in new electric vehicles from Ford and others.

"I think that's the likely track of the futuremore consumer-focused than industry-focused, because the consumers don't need all the the fanfare," said Jeff Schuster, president of global forecasting for LMC Automotive, a Detroit-area consulting firm. "They can essentially have it look like a showroom."

Gone from Detroit's Huntington Place convention center are the elaborate multi-story displays that cost millions and took months to construct. There won't be any attention-grabbing stunts, like driving cars up steps and through the front doors or an ice rink with figure skaters. Though many automakers, including some from Europe and Asia, decided not to attend, area dealers stepped in to provide cars and displays for their brands.

Jim Morrison, foreground, Head of Jeep Brand North America, introduces the audience to the 2023 Wrangler Willys 4XE at the North American International Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP Photo/Jose Juarez

Instead of around 50 new model debuts as in past years, there's only one truly new one: The Ford Mustang, to be unveiled Wednesday night at a big outdoor event along the Detroit River. Instead of the usual 5,000 journalists, only about 1,900 received credentials this year. The press conference list has been pared back and supplemented with auto parts makers, EV charging companies and aviation startups.

"We're trying to show the whole gamut of mobility," spokesman Frank Buscemi said.

Zimmerman said it's all part of worldwide trend that started about a decade ago and this year forced the cancellation of the auto show in Geneva, Switzerland. Other auto shows, too, are shifting toward becoming a place for customers in their region to see and even drive what's new.

Even with the changes, the show still amounts to a major production. So much so that President Joe Biden, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other cabinet members will attend.

A Ford Bronco gives a test drive during the media previews for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. This year's auto show will have fewer new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and possibly lower attendance. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Biden, a gearhead who owns a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, sat in a high-performance Corvette when he toured the show floor Wednesday. He also slowly drove a Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV down an aisle in the convention hall.

The president is expected to tout his new new climate, tax and healthcare law that offers tax incentives of up to $7,500 toward the purchase of an electric vehicle. Whether Biden will get behind the wheel of a snazzy new car, as he has done during past visits to Detroit, remains to be seen.

The show won't be entirely devoid of glitz. Ford, Jeep and Stellantis' Ram brand have built displays that will hold vehicles as they drive over steep slopes. Dirt and trees were trucked in for a natural look. There will be tracks where customers can ride in new electric vehicles, including Ford's F-150 Lightning pickup. Outside, there's a 60-foot-tall inflatable rubber duck, paying homage to a Jeep tradition of enthusiasts leaving a small yellow duck on a Jeep they think is cool.

Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand North America, introduces the audience to the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE 30th Anniversary Edition at the North American International Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP Photo/Jose Juarez

From left, Christian Meunier, Jeep Brand CEO, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, and Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand North America, stand next to the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE 30th Anniversary Edition at the North American International Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP Photo/Jose Juarez

Workers set up for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. The show will be smaller with few new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and lower attendance that past years. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

A section of the floor is shown during the media previews for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. This year's auto show will have fewer new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and possibly lower attendance. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Workers set up for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. The show will be smaller with few new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and lower attendance that past years. Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya

President Joe Biden sits in a Corvette during a tour of the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden listens as Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, left, speaks during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Ray Curry, President of the United Auto Workers, second from right, listens. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden listens during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, Biden and Ray Curry, President of the United Auto Workers. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden listens during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. From left, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, Biden, Ray Curry, President of the United Auto Workers, obscured, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden listens during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. From left, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, Biden, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Ray Curry, President of the United Auto Workers, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden listens as Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, speaks during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is at left. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden speaks with Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden speaks with Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., right, during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

President Joe Biden speaks with Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, during a tour at the Detroit Auto Show, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, in Detroit. Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Zimmermann agreed that attendance will likely be smaller than the roughly 800,000 the show drew during peak years of the past. He said he would be pleased with 500,000 for the 12-day show. This year, those who attend outdoor activities alone won't be counted, which will hold down the total.

One thing is sure: Electric vehicles will be big draws for the public. Many will be on display for the first time to customers even though automakers unveiled them earlier.

"They want to know how they ride, how they drive and have experience with them," Zimmermann said. "It's not just enough to see a car on a carpet or to see just a digital display on a screen, but to really interact with the vehicle."

It's the interaction, with vehicles and with other people, that Zimmermann says will enhance the show after the lengthy pandemic pause.

"We like to think that after 3 1/2 years away, we'll do nothing but grow," he said.

Explore further After pandemic hiatus, Detroit Auto Show reboots itself

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The impact of Airbnb rentals on different neighborhoods reveals a need for designated zoning laws, say Business School researchers Dr. William Cheung and Associate Professor Edward Yiu.

Their paper, published in Tourism Management, explores the effects of touristification on rent, catalyzed by Airbnb. Touristification, says Dr. Cheung, is a process that sees unplanned tourism transform a space into one that caters mainly to tourists, provoking displacement pressures on local neighborhoods.

The researchers' study shows that while increases in Airbnb listings raise rents in apartment-heavy areas like the central city, more Airbnb rentals can reduce residential rental prices within low-density, house-dominated neighborhoods.

The impact of short-term Airbnb rentals is much more problematic in residential neighborhoods, says Dr. Cheung. "In low-density residential neighborhoods locals are more likely to notice strangers or increases in noise, and their area may not have the resources to cater to influxes of visitors. When visitors begin to swamp a community, local residents will be less willing to pay rent for that location and will move elsewhere."

"Whereas in the central city, residents are unlikely to notice this kind of change in population, and the area is typically more equipped to handle more people."

"Tourists are also prone to paying higher rents to enjoy convenience, and in high-density inner city areas, rents will be higher as visitors compete with individuals who would like to live in the city center in order to enjoy better accessibility."

Dr. Cheung says the study shows that the effects of Airbnb listings in an apartment submarket are very different to those in a house submarket. "To partly resolve this, and in line with our findings, we propose a policy agenda for considering neighborhood compatibility with short-term rental accommodation."

As apartment-type properties in high density areas are more compatible with Airbnb, designated zoning could provide cities like Auckland with more flexibility to supply tourism accommodation while avoiding creating severe urban conflicts in low-density suburbs, says the researcher.

"Identifying properties and neighborhoods compatible with Airbnb is essential for strategic tourism development and management, allowing tourism to continue without negatively impacting local communities."

The study authors utilized more than 22,000 Airbnb and 200,000 residential rental listings to provide evidence on how touristification creates a tourism-led rent gap in high-density locales and a conflicts-led negative rent gap in low-density neighborhoods.

"We used the Melbourne region as the case study because both the Airbnb and residential property rental markets are very active in this area."

Dr. Cheung says the findings are relevant to many cities, particularly Auckland, which has a high number of Airbnb listings. "Tourists affect the rental market, retail sales, and the diversity of neighborhoods in both positive and negative ways, and it's important to develop policies to manage and regulate short-term rental accommodation by type or location."

Explore further What impact does Airbnb have on local housing prices and rents?

More information: Ka Shing Cheung et al, Touristification, Airbnb and the tourism-led rent gap: Evidence from a revealed preference approach, Tourism Management (2022). Ka Shing Cheung et al, Touristification, Airbnb and the tourism-led rent gap: Evidence from a revealed preference approach,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104567
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a State Department careers conversation at Purdue University, on September 13, 2022, in West Lafayette, Indiana.

The United States should take on a greater role in the global semiconductor industry for the sake of its economy and security, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday.

Addressing students and researchers at Purdue University, home to one of America's top engineering schools, Blinken stressed the importance of "getting into that tech diplomacy, making sure that the United States is at the table when decisions are being made."

He added: "We need to be there, and not only do we need to be there, we need to be able to carry the debate."

The United States is leading an unprecedented effort to supercharge domestic semiconductor research and production, both to alleviate COVID-19 supply chain issues and shift away from reliance on Chinese technology.

The electronic components are essential for multiple global sectors, including the auto industry and smartphones.

The Chips and Science Act, which US President Joe Biden signed into law last month, includes around $52 billion to promote domestic production of the microchips.

"What we do here resonates around the world," Blinken said at Purdue, noting that the technology affects all sectors, including foreign policy and defense.

Despite being far from Silicon Valley, the stereotypical hub of US technological innovation, Purdue boasts a prestigious engineering school and has several laboratories specializing in semiconductor research.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo accompanied Blinken on a tour of several research facilities at the Midwestern institution.

"The Chips Act is an investment in America," she said, adding that the United States needs to go from "lab to fab," meaning fabrication.

The two senior officials had just returned from a visit on Monday to Mexico, where they invited the country to join the United States in its multibillion-dollar push to boost semiconductor manufacturing to compete with China.

Supply chain snarls due to COVID-19 have disrupted production in all sectors, including advanced technology, and also revealed the dependence of the United States and other countries on China for technological components.

Biden recently called semiconductor production a matter of national security.

Explore further Semiconductor giant Micron to invest $15 bn in Idaho

 2022 AFP
SCO to further promote global security, stability, prosperity

09:09, September 14, 2022 By He Yin ( People's Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the city of Samarkand, and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from Sept. 14 to 16.

As the world is going through profound changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, and international and regional situations continue to undergo complex and profound changes, President Xi's trip to Central Asia will inject new vitality into the building of a closer SCO community with a shared future and kick off a new chapter of deepening regional solidarity and cooperation.

This year is of landmark significance for the SCO, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the SCO Charter and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the SCO Member States.

Since the founding of the organization, it has been closely obeying the above two documents and following the Shanghai Spirit, exploring a new development path for regional organizations and setting a good example for regional and international cooperation.

As the world has entered a period of new turbulence and transformation, the role of the SCO is not diminishing, but expanding, and SCO member states are not seeing a shrinking demand for cooperation, but an increasing one.

It is expected that the SCO can contribute its strength to safeguarding and practicing true multilateralism and protecting international justice and equity, when the world is seeing a complicated international situation, frequently emerging hotspot issues and a relapse into unilateralism and protectionism.

As an important founding member of the SCO, China always values, supports and promotes the development of the organization.

Since 2013, President Xi has attended multiple SCO summits where he raised a series of important proposals and initiatives to promote SCO development and regional cooperation. These proposals and initiatives have received warm response from relevant parties.

In the Qingdao Declaration, the SCO members made "building a community with a shared future for humanity" a common concept, and organization is promoting synergy between the Belt and Road cooperation and the development strategies of various countries and regional cooperation initiatives such as the Eurasian Economic Union, creating important opportunities for regional development.

The Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi has been recognized by relevant parties under the SCO framework. They believe that the initiative is of great significance for alleviating today's global development predicament.

Besides, many member states speak highly of President Xi's Global Security Initiative, and recognize the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

China advocates independence and security for all, and opposes creating bloc confrontation and undermining regional stability. At the SCO Samarkand Summit, President Xi will exchange views with relevant parties on enhancing SCO construction in the new era and better dealing with major international and regional challenges, which will be conducive to safeguarding true multilateralism and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and make important contributions to promoting regional peace and development.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the five Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Over the past 30 years, China and the five countries have established strategic partnerships, deepening political trust and mutually beneficial cooperation, blazing a new trail of good-neighborly friendship and win-win cooperation, and setting a good example of fostering a new type of international relations. The two sides have also reached important consensus on building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

President Xi's upcoming visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will definitely further deepen China's cooperation with the five Central Asian countries.

Over the past 30 years, China's relations with Kazakhstan have been constantly lifted to new levels, and the two countries have established a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, which is important for regional and even international peace and stability.

It was in Kazakhstan nine years ago that President Xi proposed the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt, a component of the landmark Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which also includes the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The two countries implemented a series of cooperation projects of strategic importance and achieved fruitful results, which brought tangible benefits to the two peoples and set a good example for win-win cooperation.

Over the past 30 years, China-Uzbekistan relations have achieved leapfrog development. The two countries have become good neighbors sharing mutual respect and trust, good partners for mutually beneficial cooperation, and good friends benefiting from people-to-people exchanges.

At present, the two countries are facing important opportunities to enhance their comprehensive strategic partnership. They have pledged to achieve an annual trade turnover of $10 billion as soon as possible and set new targets, and decided to jointly implement the five-year plan for economic, trade and investment cooperation, and draw up a list of priority cooperation projects for the future. The two sides will continue deepening cooperation on connectivity, poverty alleviation and medical care.

China fully supports Uzbekistan's chairmanship of the SCO and is willing to work with the country to jointly achieve national development and vitalization.

Changes of the world, of our times and of history are unfolding today in ways like never before. At the critical stage that concerns world peace and development, the coordination and solidarity between China and regional countries will inject positive energy into global peace, development and cooperation, and make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
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The ongoing sewer system replacement project at Central Nebraska Regional Airport has upset at least one landowner in the area.

Petersen Farms is not happy about what the project is doing to underground moisture in the area. The airports sewer system, which was built during World War II, is currently being replaced.

Groundwater has had to be removed from the area so that the system can be built. Temporary wells are installed to extract the groundwater. For this project, the contractor installed a series of dewatering wells equipped with smaller pumps.

The people at Petersen Farms didn't want to be directly quoted for this story. But they told The Independent they were not able to irrigate one of their fields this year because of the airport project.

Petersen Farms has three irrigation wells within a quarter mile of the sewer line work, and two of them have less pumping pressure than normal. One well was surging so much that it was shut down June 30.

Petersen Farms also worries about what the project is doing to the aquifer in the area. Petersen Farms has retained a Lincoln lawyer, who sent a letter to the city of Grand Island.

Petersen Farms said it would like to be compensated for the 34-acre field that couldnt be irrigated this year. Its fortunate that the field was planted with soybeans this year.

But Petersen Farms is worried about the future crop rotation. Raising seed corn has high input costs, so its important that future moisture needs are met.

Because aquifers run in veins, some area landowners might not notice a water supply problem this year, but may in the future.

The sewer replacement is a city-run project, but it is a partnership between the county, the city and the Hall County Airport Authority, said Keith Kurz, Grand Island's interim public works director.

The current airport sewer system is not owned or operated by the city of Grand Island. Its owned by the county and operated by the airport, he said.

After the project is done, it will all be owned and operated by the city, Kurz said.

Petersen Farms believes some of the work was done without the necessary permits.

Kurz says there was some misunderstanding, but permits have been obtained. The project was delayed for a number of reasons, including supply issues.

The contractor obtained permits from the Natural Resources District, but the permits weren't registered with the state, partly because of technical issues and miscommunication, Kurz said.

A permit isn't needed for a dewatering well unless a project is going to exceed 90 days, said Dan Clement, a water resources specialist with Central Platte NRD. Sometimes, a contractor won't obtain permits because he assumes a project won't take more than 90 days.

Petersen Farms believe the permits were obtained only after the city heard from Petersen Farms' lawyer.

The lawyer has requested copies of the permits. He also suggested that the city engage in a monitoring effort to see what the long-term moisture effects are on the area.

Some of the wells are not being operated at this point, Kurz said.

Its possible that the city may sit down with the lawyer and discuss monitoring and possible cost-sharing.

Petersen Farms pointed out that farmers and businesses have to strictly comply with permit regulations, or they will be fined.
For the last several decades, visitors to Husker Harvest Days have had the opportunity to learn more about the Bureau of Land Managements Adopt a Wild Horse or Burro program. Visitors have had the opportunity to see Ron Knodel in action gentling wild horses.

This years show also carries an important message about the wild horse population in the United States and the impact climate change is having on their population.

Joe Stratton works at the Bureau of Land Managements Wild Horse and Burro Facility in Elm Creek. BLM has provided the horses for Knodels gentling demonstration.

The wild horse gentling demonstration returned to Husker Harvest Days outside Wood River and Alda this year after being absent from the show last year.

The Wild Horse and Burro Corrals have s been in place since 1994. Elm Creek is the mid-states resting point for animals on their journey to either off-range pastures in the Midwest or adoption events in the Midwest to the East Coast.

The Elm Creek facility can house up to 500 animals, but has an average population of 350-450 animals year-round. The animals at the facility are a mix of mares, geldings, burros and yearlings from most of the western states that have wild horses and burros.

The wild horses at the demonstration were from off-range pastures located in Nebraska.

Stratton said the term horse whispering is a misnomer.

He said horse gentling is a way of interacting with a horse that has no knowledge of people and to gain the respect of the horse. It refers to working with a wild horse until it becomes responsive to a trainers commands.

They grew up as wild horses and not as someones pet, Stratton said. Theres a whole different way they interact among themselves. If you can kind of mirror that with your behavior, you can build confidence and they learn how to react to what you want them to do. Its a pretty unique skill.

Horses have played an important part in Americas past since they were reintroduced to North America by the Spaniards in the 1500s. While they have been replaced by mechanization, they are still revered as a symbol of this countrys heritage.

At a farm show like Husker Harvest Days, among the advancements in farm and ranch technology, the horses are a reminder of the role they played in the making of this country.

Stratton said that the wild horses that roam Americas ranges, mostly in the Western United States, are facing the challenges of a changing climate. He said wild horse populations are overpopulated in the ranges they roam in the West.

They are very prolific, Stratton said. Every year their population will increase by 20%.

He said the Bureau of Land Management estimates that the current wild horse population is about 82,000. But BLM regards the appropriate management level as 26,700 horses.

Currently, Strattron said, they have about 39,000 wild horses on off-range pastures. Those horses are either for sale or adoption. Older horses are there to live out the rest of their lives.

That still leaves a lot of wild horses ranging in areas of the West where climate change has reduced the carrying capacity of the land.

Managing wild horses and burros are just one of the many things that BLM is responsible for on public lands.

Since the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed, the number of wild horses has greatly expanded.

Also, the number of challenges has increased, such as the amount of rangeland available for the increased wild horses to roam.

The high growth rate of both wild horses and burros can also put stress on public forage land with overgrazing and water resources. Since wild horses can travel as far as 40 miles per day, that can also create conflicts with the animals on private lands.

Wild horse and burros share the range with wildlife and livestock on 26.9 million acres of public land across 10 Western states. The largest number of wild horses are located in Nevada.

Husker Harvest Days continues through Thursday.
A Lancaster County jury has found a Grand Island man guilty of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old college student in Lincoln last year.

At his sentencing next month, Victor Osuna-Velize, 28, faces up to 50 years in prison on a charge of first-degree sexual assault.

At trial last week, the woman, who is 19 now, said on the night of Sept. 22, 2021, she was a freshman and at her dorm at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with two friends when one wanted to go meet a man she had met on Tinder. The friends decided to go with her.

When they got to Sky View Homes off North 48th Street it was dark and she remembered being scared. But her friend said: "We would be OK, that nothing would happen," the victim said, fighting back tears.

They met up with the man and two of his friends, who gave them alcohol. Four of them eventually went into a camper, where Osuna-Veliz, who went by Hector, led her to a bedroom.

She was OK with the kissing, but not with what came next, she said.

"I don't think I knew what was happening. I was in shock," she told the jury.

She said she kept telling Osuna-Veliz "no" and that she needed to go. But he just shushed her, pushed her onto the bed and undressed her and had sex without her consent three times.

When she got back to the dorm with her friends and saw the blood and her fat lip, she realized what happened and started crying, she said. She went to a hospital, where the incident was reported to police.

The defense argued it had been consensual.

The jury found Osuna-Veliz guilty Friday.
Two people died and four others were injured in a three-vehicle crash near Grand Island on Sunday evening.

According to the Merrick County Sheriffs Office, authorities were called to a crash on Highway 30 shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday. Two people, both Nebraska residents, were declared dead at the scene: Brady Buechter, 18, of Belgrade, and Dustin Geier, 39, of Columbus.

Four people were taken to CHI Health St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

Authorities have not released any information regarding what led to the crash. Buechter was not wearing a seat belt, but all other occupants were restrained.

The Hall County Sheriffs Office and the Nebraska State Patrol assisted in the investigation.
YORK  The York Public School Board of Education met Monday, September 12 to discuss a line of business items including the 2021-22 budget update, the 2022-23 budget update, the YES Cornerstone Duke Branch, and the approval of York Education Association as exclusive bargaining agent for the 2024-25 contract year.

Superintendent Dr. Mitch Bartholomew presented the 2021-22 budget report. YPS spent just over $18.1 million as result of the rising costs of school supplies, equipment, medical claims and substitute teacher costs. Bartholomew noted they spent $220,536 alone on subs for teachers who were either on maternity or medical leave.

Due to the costs, Bartholomew said theyve had to delay key expenses such as purchasing new desktops for 20 staff members that would cost about $45,000.

It was an expensive year, but we were conservative and our receipts ended up just a bit above $100,000 over what we spent, said Bartholomew.

Another item that was discussed was the proposed 2022-23 budget. The York Public School Board will propose a $14,762,637 property tax request, close to last years $14,134,370. The board will have its public hearing for the budget on Monday, Sept. 26.

In the request, $12,373,737 of that would go towards general funds and $1,565,657 will go towards bond funds. Bartholomew said there was a slight increase due to raised salaries, benefits, anticipated high sub costs and bond payments.

The proposed budget calls for a $1.19 levy, which is the same as it was in the last fiscal year.

By December of this year, YPS will pay off two out of five bonds. The York High School bond is their biggest payment sitting at $9,765,746, and that will be paid off in December of 2030. Overall, 2022-23 is going to be another costly year for YPS, but the York Public School Board of Education is going to continue to focus on their financial priorities they have set.

Bartholomew reported YPS will be receiving $2,342,545 in state aid in the 2022-23 fiscal year compared to $1,500,366 in 2021-22.

Also covered at the meeting was YES Cornerstone Duke Branch. Kim Mortensen from York Cornerstone Bank introduced the in-school savings bank for York Elementary. Mortensen said the Duke Branch is designed to enhance the schools economics curriculum, to further education in finance, and to give every student success in building better, lifelong financial habits.

Every student at YES will have an opportunity to open an in-school saving account. Every Thursday from 7:45 am to 8:15 a.m., students can deposit money in to their account. Each childs deposits will be maintained separately and once the student graduates from the fifth grade or leaves YPS, a check will be issued for the money that was saved in this account. Withdrawals from the account are not allowed. YES Students have been already given permission slips for parents to sign.

On Oct. 6 at 1:30 p.m., YES, Cornerstone Bank and the Nebraska Council on Economic Education will be having a special, grand opening for this new branch at the York Elementary School.

Kenny Loosvelt also gave an update on York Middle School activities and sports, saying they have high participation numbers across the board and the school year is off to a great start.

To finish out the agenda the board approved the YEA exclusive bargaining agent for the 2024-25 contract year.
K12 Cybersecurity

LAUSD Chief Gets Unlimited Emergency Spending Powers After Vice Society Claims Stolen Data From Ransomware Attack

New details about the Labor Day weekend ransomware attack on Los Angeles Unified School District have trickled out over the past week, indicating that district officials may be negotiating with the threat actors to preserve district data stolen during the incident  and that they are definitely diving into major IT and cybersecurity upgrades.

Late Tuesday, the LAUSD school board unanimously voted to approve unfettered emergency spending authority for Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to enable a swift response and recovery as well as upgrades to the districts IT infrastructure and cyber defenses, Carvalho said on his Twitter account.

There is no time to wait on the strategic decisions and implementation of prudent solutions to address short- and long-term cyber-risks, the superintendent tweeted this morning along with a link to the LA Times report on the boards decision. Carvalho had shared a list of IT infrastructure and security improvement goals immediately after the attack was disclosed, which he will be able to immediately put into motion district-wide thanks to the emergency spending powers approved Tuesday.

A full picture of the ransomware attacks impact and aftermath continues to come into focus. Carvalho told the LA Times after Tuesdays board meeting, the newspaper reported today, that the hackers had left behind silent, almost invisible tripwires with the potential to set off another chain of damage or compromised information, which were discovered during the investigation by local and state authorities alongside the FBI and Department of Homeland Security. Those agencies also issued a warning to all U.S. school districts last week about Vice Societys uptick in activity targeting schools.

During the attack the facilities network was encrypted and taken down, the Times reported today. District officials said they prevented a similar outcome elsewhere by shutting down other systems, then bringing them back online gradually and safely.  Because the hackers compromised a significant number of passwords, officials ordered a districtwide wide reset of more than 600,000 credentials. Then technicians discovered that the password reset system was partially compromised as well  and the reset process had to slow down.

The district has said it received no ransom demand; but Vice Society claimed the attack late last week, telling several journalists via email that it stole 500GB of sensitive data before the ransomware was detected the Saturday night before Labor Day.

The absence of a ransom demand doesnt add up, cybersecurity experts said, noting that other districts known to be recent victims of Vice Society initially denied experiencing ransomware at all, or denied getting any ransom demand, then days or weeks later details emerged that proved otherwise. One such recent example was Iowas Linn-Mar School District; images of the actual demand from Vice Society were shared online by district employees after officials initially said they were simply having technical difficulties.

Doug Levin, national director at cybersecurity nonprofit K12SIX, is tasked with tracking all publicly disclosed cyberattacks at K12 schools in the United States. He helps school district IT leaders across the country to improve their protections, and he advocates for more resources and stronger security standards alongside cybersecurity officials at the state and national level as well as with tech companies whose IT and security products are used in public school districts.

In several interviews with THE Journal, Levin has bemoaned the lack of transparency when it comes to public schools cybersecurity posture and student-data protections. From his many discussions with tech and IT professionals across the K12 sector, he has concluded that cyber incidents at K12 schools are being kept secret all the time  including incidents where student and staff data has been compromised.

In our State of K12 Cybersecurity report, we featured some investigative journalism where cyber attacks were not disclosed until the journalists began looking into them or published documentation of them; they wouldnt disclose it at all unless they were called on it, he said in March. Then theres another set of schools that didnt even know they had a cyber incident or data breach: There are plenty of examples of security researchers finding student data on the dark web and when they reached out to the district, the district apparently had no idea that it had happened.

Since the LAUSD ransomware attack, the statements that have been shared make Levin and his cybersecurity colleagues think theres a lot that is not being said  and a lot of taxpayer funds about to be spent outside the public eye, ransom or no.

The fact Carvalho pushed to be open on Tuesday after the attack on Labor Day weekend and hes said wants schools to be open for the kids no matter what, coupled with the fact Vice Society  which has no compunction at all about dumping its victims data on the dark web  hasnt published any of the stolen data, well these are good indicators that LAUSD could be negotiating and preparing to pay an extortion demand, Levin told THE Journal.
CARBONDALE  A new vacant building registry was created for the City of Carbondale during the city councils regular meeting Tuesday evening.

The issue of creating a vacant building registry brought questions and comments from both the council and community members at the meeting.

Commissioner Jeff Doherty said the definition of vacant structures were ones that were empty for 90 days. How are houses for sale treated? Doherty asked.

City Attorney Jamie Snyder said there were no exclusions for houses for sale, adding that some of those homes have had windows broken out or seen other damages. He said it might be a good idea to include homes for sale on the registry.

I have a problem with homes for sale, and some houses dont sell in 90 days, Doherty said.

City Manager Gary Williams said the council should exclude homes for sale. He added that the city was looking for property that was vacant and may remain vacant for a period of time.

Councilman Adam Loos suggested they pass the ordinance and amend it during the next council meeting to exclude homes for sale in the registry.

Mayor Pro Tem Carolin Harvey asked if the council wanted to vote on the ordinance or send it back to staff to fix before the next meeting. A majority of them wanted to vote on the ordinance.

Councilman Lee Franabarger asked how property owners would be notified of the new registry. John Lenzini, community development manager for the city, said property owners would get a form similar to the rental registry forms.

Harvey then asked for citizen comments.

Ron Diederich, local government affairs officer for Egyptian Realtors, read a list of more than a dozen problems with the ordinance. They ranged from who will be making decisions required in the ordinance to questions about using the word premises to define an area of criminal activity to suggesting using a set radius rather than adjacent counties in a part of the ordinance.

Loos asked why he was bringing up potential problems. Diederich did not give him an answer and went on reading from his list.

Don Monty said the ordinance needs clarity on the type of building.

Justin Zurlinden asked why the city was putting a time limit on vacant properties.

Harvey asked if the council still wanted to vote on the ordinance.

Loos said he believed they needed to vote on it and made a motion to approve the ordinance to establish a vacant building registry. Lee Fronabarger seconded his motion.

The ordinance passed with Doherty and Harvey voting no.

During a Liquor Control Board meeting that preceded the council meeting, they voted to give a secondary liquor license to Carbondale OpCo LLC, doing business as Buffalo Wild Wings. The new license is necessary because the business is changing hands. With the new secondary license, the first license will be surrendered.

During public comments for the council meeting, Sandy Litecky made several announcements.

Keep Carbondale Beautiful needs volunteers to pick up trash and debris along Illinois 13 at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. They will meet at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Those volunteering are asked to wear closed-toe shoes. Safety vests, gloves and bags will be provided.

Keep Carbondale Beautiful will host its tree sale on Oct. 1. Trees can be ordered now on the groups website or by calling 618-525-5525.

The League of Women Voters will host a couple meetings of candidates on Zoom. Candidates for Regional Superintendent of Schools will be 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Candidates for judge will be 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21. A program on home rule will be at noon Oct. 5.

To attend the Zoom meetings, register on Carbondale Public Librarys website.
People visit a booth at the 34th edition of Sahara Expo, or the International Agricultural Exhibition for Africa and the Middle East, in Cairo, Egypt, Sept. 11, 2022. The expo attracted more than 250 brands of various agriculture-related products such as tractors, weed cutting machines, irrigation systems, as well as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Over 150 companies from more than 20 countries are displaying their agricultural products and machinery at an international agricultural expo held in Egypt's capital Cairo from Sept. 11-14.

The 34th edition of Sahara Expo, or the International Agricultural Exhibition for Africa and the Middle East, attracts more than 250 brands of various agriculture-related products such as tractors, weed cutting machines, irrigation systems, as well as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals.

Agriculture has been a key field in Egypt since ancient times, said Hany Khafagy, general manager of Informa Markets, the organizing company of the expo, noting that the sector contributes 15 percent of Egypt's gross domestic product and employs 25 percent of the country's workforce.

Egypt exports more than 350 kinds of agricultural products to over 150 countries across the world, and is among the world's top exporters of citrus, dates and other crops.

"The expo provides a big opportunity for local and foreign companies to meet and do business together. It's a good chance to learn about new products, whether from Europe or China, without having to travel abroad," said Ahmed Fouad, a marketing official with Tractors and Engineering Co., a company at the expo that features tractors and cutting tools.

Among the overseas exhibitors are companies from China, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, France, India and Jordan.

One of the Chinese exhibitors is agrochemical company Rainbow, whose products include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, bio-pesticides and plant growth regulators, with a presence in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Zhang Kailin, Rainbow's general manager for North Africa and the Middle East region, saw the expo as a good opportunity to promote the company and its products in the region.

He said that the distinguished relations between China and Egypt provide "big support" for the company that just opened its office in Egypt last year.

"The Egyptian people are very friendly. We visited agencies and farms and had friendly talks with all the people we met. Good relations between China and Egypt will give us big support to do business here," Zhang told Xinhua.

Jacek Grad, head of the foreign trade office of Polish Investment and Trade Agency, said that the expo offers "the best platform to meet potential partners in Egypt and to grow our network in the agricultural sector," adding that there's a growing interest among Egyptians in Polish agricultural technologies.

Visitors coming to the expo include agricultural producers, businessmen, consultants, engineers, researchers, students and farmers. Khafagy, the organizer, said they expected about 25,000 visitors this year. 

People visit a booth at the 34th edition of Sahara Expo, or the International Agricultural Exhibition for Africa and the Middle East, in Cairo, Egypt, Sept. 11, 2022. The expo attracted more than 250 brands of various agriculture-related products such as tractors, weed cutting machines, irrigation systems, as well as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
MARION  Williamson County Election Board split a decision Wednesday morning on the objections filed by Jeff Diederich, chairman of the Republican Party in Williamson County, against the candidacy of Marsha Marcy Cascio-Hale for Williamson County States Attorney.

By voting in favor of the petitioner in one count of the objections, Cascio-Hale will be removed from the ballot, but Cascio-Hale said she will be appealing the decision.

Diederich, Amy Eckert and Alexia Denly filed two counts of objections to Cascio-Hales candidacy on Sept. 9. Eckert is president of Williamson County Republican Women and Denly is a former member of Williamson County Republican Central Committee.

The petitioners allege in the first count that Cascio-Hale did not meet eligibility requirements to appear on the ballot because she did not complete the filing documents as prescribed by law. She failed to include the name of Brandon Zanotti and the office he vacated on her notice of appointment to fill a vacancy, which they say voids the document and her candidacy.

The second objection alleges that Cascio-Hales appointment as a candidate was done by Williamson County Democrats after new precinct committeemen were elected but before the Democratic Party held its convention to reorganize after the primary. The party lacked standing, and as a result the signatures of Tom Caliper as chairman and Brandi Bradley as secretary of the Democratic Party in the county are invalid.

The election board usually consists of the Williamson County Clerk Amanda Barnes, Circuit Clerk Justin Maze and the states attorney. Because Cascio-Hale is the respondent, Treasurer Ashley Gott filled her spot.

The Republican Party was represented by Sharee Langenstein. She said the objections are valid because this is a special election being held with the general election. That means Cascio-Hale had to meet requirements set aside for this years general election due to the primary being held late.

She also argued that the Democratic Party did not have authority to fill the vacancy left by Brandon Zanottis resignation or to nominate Cascio-Hale as a candidate for the office between the primary election and their county convention.

Shari Rhodes, attorney for Cascio-Hale, argued that the Illinois Board of Elections had clearly set different rules and dates for this years election which said candidates had to file their petitions to run by July 25 with objections due by Aug. 1. She said the objections were invalid because they were filed after Aug. 1.

She also argued that the Democratic Party can fill vacancies until the new elections are held during the convention, which is what happened in this case.

The election board was required to vote on each count separately. On count 1, Barnes and Maze voted to sustain the objection (in favor of Diederich) and Gott voted to overrule (in favor of Cascio-Hale). On count 2, Maze voted to sustain the objection, and Barnes and Gott voted to overrule.

Barnes said a final decision will be given at 9 a.m. Friday.

This case is about ensuring that anyone who appears on the ballot has followed the law and is subsequently eligible to be elected to office, Diederich said. In this case it has heightened importance given that this sitting states attorney and candidate is the very person empowered to ensure election integrity and make sure our election laws are adhered to.

It is very clear that the Republicans do not want to have any races in this election. This is why people dont trust politics. These political games that just distract from the real issues. The facts presented were clear, and the law is clear. With this outcome, the voters have to ask themselves what are they so afraid of? Why do they not want the voters to have a choice? Cascio-Hale said after the hearing.

She said she has been a fighter her entire life and has fought for her family to have a better life, which is why she came to Southern Illinois.

And I will continue to fight for the people of Williamson County, the victims of crime, and to ensure the safety of the entire community. We will appeal this decision, and I will be on the ballot. We all need to fight to have the right to choose and the right to decide. Cascio-Hale said.
There have been millions of drumbeats, thousands of miles and at least 25 years since Brice Williams first played drums at the Marion Cultural Civic Center.

In fact, Brice Williams was the last drummer to play the former venue before the landmark was destroyed by fire in 1997. Then, accompanying those on stage for Marion High Schools performance of Bye-Bye, Birdie, he was playing drums in the orchestra pit. Next week, hell be back at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center, this time on the stage, but still drumming, accompanying one of the biggest names in country music.

Williams is the drummer and tour manager for Mark Wills, who, along with Lorrie Morgan, will be in concert in Marion, on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Basically, Im doing my dream job; its all I ever wanted to do, Williams, told The Southern from his home in suburban Nashville. I got bit by the drumming bug early and I was attracted to it.

He grew up with music all around. His father was a member of Jackson Junction, a popular Southern Illinois country band. Then, a 1992 concert at Southern Illinois University Carbondale sealed the young Williams fate.

Diamond Rio was opening for Alan Jackson and I became just absolutely enamored with Diamond Rios drummer, Brian Prout, at that show. I loved his playing and wanted to emulate him, Williams recalled. It was that concert in 1992 that just solidified that drumming is what I wanted to do.

He said since, not only has he become a professional country musician like Prout, but the two have become friends.

This has become one of those things that 14 year-old me never would have thought could happen, he added.

Plenty has happened since the concert at SIU and playing drums at Marion High School. Williams attended Belmont University in Nashville, studying music and learning from other musicians he idolized including drummer Chester Thompson, best known for his work with Genesis and Phil Collins. He said he learned a great deal from Thompson, as well as other drummers he has studied with including jazz drummer Dave Weckl and a award winning drummer known as Zoro.

While a student, Williams landed his first real country touring gig in 2002 with Kevin Sharp. A couple of years later, Williams started playing drums with then-brand-new country artist Luke Bryan, then filled in as a drummer for Sawyer Brown. In 2006, he began recording and touring with the trio now known as Lady A, playing on the groups first album and first hit record.

The job with Mark Wills came along in early 2011 and Williams became Wills tour manager in 2016, responsible for all aspects of travel, concerts and more.

When you are on the business side of things, you get to see another world of the music industry and it opens your eyes to a lot of thigs. Theres a lot of working parts to a tour and thats been the cool part for me  wearing two hats: drummer and tour manager, he said.

He said playing with Mark Wills is fantastic, and called his bandmates and travel companions family. He said he especially is proud of the product they create on stage.

Were one of the only bands in this industry where you will not see a computer onstage running vocal tracks or other instrumental tracks or even background vocals. Everything you are hearing in the audience is us on stage, he explained. We take great pride in that.

Wills has had 16 singles crack the Billboard Top 40 Country Charts and was invited into the Grand Ole Opry in 2018.

Ive gotten to play on the Opry between 150 and 200 times, Williams said. It is my all-time favorite venue to play and I guess the only career dream I have that has not been achieved is to be a member of the Opry house band. Thats something I dream of.

Williams said the only negative to his career is the travel and being away from his family, but he outlines a long list of positives to being a touring musician.

Ive been to most of the 50 states, Ive been to Canada, Italy and Japan. Ive literally been everywhere playing drums, he said, adding that he always is aware that there might be a junior high school drum student carefully studying his every move on stage.

Thats the thing. You never know who is in the audience and thats why every time we step on stage, we make sure that were putting on the best show we possibly can, he said.

I am able to do what Ive always wanted to do, he said. Its a blessing.
Commuters, food producers, refineries and others could all be affected if there is a nationwide rail strike at the end of this week.

The Biden administration was putting pressure on railroads and unions Wednesday to settle their differences and avert a strike. But just in case that doesn't work, the administration was also working on a plan to use trucks and planes to move goods that are normally carried by freight railroads.

Business groups are telling Congress to step in and block a strike.

Here are key things to know ahead of a possible strike this Friday.

___

HOW DID NEGOTIATIONS GET TO THIS DIRE POINT?

The nation's biggest freight railroads began negotiating with a dozen different unions representing about 115,000 workers in late 2019, but talks were slowed by the pandemic, which limited face-to-face meetings.

Many of the unions have reached tentative agreements with the railroads, but two large unions representing engineers and train conductors have held out for better terms.

Government mediators tried to broker agreements, but that didn't work. President Joe Biden then appointed a presidential emergency board, which held hearings and issued recommendations last month that included 24% pay raises and thousands of dollars in bonuses.

___

WHEN CAN WORKERS STRIKE?

By federal law, the unions can't legally strike until after Friday morning, just after midnight. That's when a 30-day "cooling-off" period ends, under terms of a law called the Railway Labor Act, which governs contract talks in the railroad and airline industries.

___

COULD A STRIKE BE BLOCKED?

Congress could intervene and impose settlement terms, as it has done in previous nationwide rail-labor disputes.

Lawmakers could adopt the recommendations of the emergency board, or they could order additional negotiations or arbitration to settle the standoff.

Congress is widely expected to block a strike if it comes to that, but it is not clear how quickly lawmakers would act.

___

WHAT ARE THE BIG ISSUES?

Rail workers stayed on the job throughout the pandemic but have not received a raise since 2019.

The unions sought raises of 31% over the five-year term of the new contracts, while the railroads offered 17% before the emergency board's recommendations. The largest railroads endorsed the board's middle-ground proposals, and most of the unions have reached tentative agreements based on those details.

However, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the transportation division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, which represents conductors, have held out in hopes of better terms. They want railroads to increase staffing  the major railroads have cut nearly one-third of their jobs in the last six years  and to ease strict attendance policies that make it difficult to take time off.

___

HOW WOULD A RAIL STRIKE AFFECT THE COUNTRY?

Railroads such as Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX and Norfolk Southern carry cars, coal, chemicals, grain, imported goods and other products and raw materials throughout the country. A shutdown  even a brief one  would delay critical shipments and ripple across the economy.

The Association of American Railroads trade group estimates that a strike would cost the economy $2 billion a day.

About 300,000 barrels of crude oil is shipped by rail every day, and refineries might have to slow production if deliveries are delayed, according to the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers. Analysts warn there could be shortages of gasoline and diesel in some places such as the Northeast.

___

WHAT ABOUT NEW CARS?

Most new vehicles are shipped from the factory or dock by rail, and analysts say there is not enough truck capacity to handle all those vehicles in case of a strike. That would mean even longer wait times for dealers and motorists to get their hands on new cars.

A strike could also interfere with production because automakers receive some parts and raw materials by rail.

___

WILL SOME STORE SHELVES BE BARE?

The railroads have announced plans to stop shipping refrigerated items ahead of the strike deadline, so there could be disruptions in deliveries of produce, meat and other items.

Food producers could be affected too, leading to longer-lasting effects. Agricultural groups say that even a brief strike would interrupt shipment of feed to livestock and poultry producers.

___

COULD A FREIGHT STRIKE AFFECT PASSENGER RAIL?

Disruptions are likely because many passenger railroads operate on tracks owned by the big freight railroads.

Amtrak uses its own track in much of the corridor from Washington to Boston, but relies on freight track most everywhere else. Earlier this week, Amtrak suspended the California Zephyr and Empire Builder lines that run from Chicago to the West Coast, and planned to stop several other long-distance lines on Wednesday.

The Chicago area's Metra commuter line said Wednesday that if there is a strike it will suspend operations on four of its 11 lines Friday.

___

COULD THERE BE POLITICAL FALLOUT?

The White House is clearly worried that any disruption in supply chains just weeks before the November midterm elections could anger consumers, who are already facing the highest inflation in 40 years. That could hurt Democrats, who are trying to protect razor-thin control of the Senate and House.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration has told the railroads and unions that American families, business and farms would suffer. She said a strike is "not acceptable."
A 45-year-old has pleaded guilty to hit-and-run in a fatal crash that occurred on Sept. 7, 2019.

Robin Clark, of 136 Pinedridge Road, Elloree, pleaded guilty to hit-and-run with a failure to perform her duties in an accident involving death.

Circuit Judge Ed Dickson sentenced Clark to 10 years in prison, suspended to five years of probation.

He stipulated that Clarks probation term may end after 30 months if her probation officer deems it appropriate.

Clark was driving her 2014 Chevrolet sedan south on Cleveland Street, about two miles from Santee, when she struck 52-year-old Kelly Annis of Elloree.

S.C. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Tyler Tidwell said Clark left the scene, but returned later.

In other recent guilty pleas:

 Rayquan Omar Evans, 24, of 2244 Bass Drive, Santee, pleaded guilty to first-offense failure to stop for blue lights and first-offense distribution of methamphetamine.

Dickson sentenced him under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed six years. After he serves 90 days, the remainder of his sentence is suspended to four years of probation.

Dickson gave Evans credit for having already served 10 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center and is allowing him to serve his jail time on weekends.

Prosecutors dismissed the following charges: open container, unlawful turning and first-offense possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.

 Howard Winfred Daniely, 19, of 202 Dena Lane, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to strong-arm robbery and attempted murder.

Daniely was originally charged with armed robbery, but pleaded guilty to strong-arm robbery instead.

Dickson sentenced him to prison under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed six years.

Prosecutors dismissed Danielys charge of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

 Devon Donaldson, 29, of 321 Bech 57 Street 6F, Arverne, New York, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree assault and battery.

Dickson sentenced him to time served.

Prosecutors dismissed the charges of first-degree burglary and two additional counts of third-degree assault and battery.

 Roman Valeryevich Dulgarov, 44, of 112 N. Pembroke Drive, Goose Creek, pleaded guilty to first-offense failure to stop for blue lights, possession of a stolen vehicle and first-offense driving under suspension license not suspended for DUI.

Dickson sentenced him to one year in prison and gave him credit for having already served 18 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

He also ordered Dulgarov to pay restitution.

 Lavincent Shaquille Felder, 21, of 130 Lakeview Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession with intent to distribute a scheduled drug and unlawful carrying of a pistol.

Dickson sentenced him to prison for five years, suspended to three years of probation.

 Marshall Bernard Felder, 32, of 143 Cold Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic violence.

Prosecutors dismissed charges of attempted murder and violation of court order of probation.

Dickson sentenced him to prison for three years, suspended to two years of probation.

 Craig Olajuwon Council, 27, of 205 Cramer Road, Rowesville, pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic violence.

Circuit Judge Maite Murphy sentenced him to prison for three years, provided that after he served 35 days, the remainder of his sentence would be suspended to two years of probation.

She gave Council credit for having already served 35 days in jail.

She also ordered him to obtain his GED.

 Don Wayne Gresham Jr., 44, of 631 Azalea Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic violence.

Murphy sentenced him to 51 days in jail.

 Joseph M. Lyons, 43, of 150 Willnet Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to forgery valued less than $10,000.

Murphy sentenced him to prison for three years, provided that after he served 184 days, the remainder of the sentence would be suspended to two years of probation.

Murphy gave him credit for having already served 184 days in jail.

Lyons is required to undergo random drug/alcohol testing and pay restitution.
New council members were elected in Elloree and Norway on Tuesday.

In addition, a referendum was held - and voted down  that asked all voters in the Town of Norway if they want to move from single-member council districts to electing members at-large, with all voters being able to vote for all council seats.

Elloree

Lakeisha P. Ellison was the sole candidate who filed to fill the unexpired term of former Elloree Town Council member Laurence Livingston.

Ellison won the seat with seven votes.

Livingston resigned from Seat 2. The seat carries a four-year term, which expires in November 2023.

Orangeburg County Voter Registration and Elections Director Aurora Smalls said the election result will be certified at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Elloree Town Hall, 2719 W Cleveland St. in Elloree.

Norway

Jackie Tyler, a write-in candidate, was the winner of a special election held Tuesday to fill the unexpired term of former Norway town councilwoman Shirley Spires.

Tyler won the seat with four write-in votes.

Filing for the seat ended July 27. No one filed for the seat.

Spires resigned from Seat 4 on Norway Town Council. Her seat carries a four-year term, which expires in November 2025.

A referendum was also held Tuesday, asking all voters in Norway if they want to move from single-member council districts to electing members at-large, with all voters being able to vote for all council seats.

Voters rejected the move to at-large voting, with six votes cast in favor of the question and 34 voting in opposition.

Smalls said all election results in the town of Norway will be certified at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Orangeburg County Voter Registration and Elections Office at 1475 Amelia St. in Orangeburg.
Calhoun County Council rejected a rezoning plan on Monday that would have allowed a controversial residential development in the Sandy Run area.

Gateway One Development asked the county to rezone 131 acres on Old Sandy Run Road to a planned-use district to allow the construction of 170 homes.

The land is currently zoned for a mix of industrial, community commercial and rural neighborhood property. Rural neighborhood property is allowed to have one home per two acres.

Council voted in favor of rezoning the property two weeks ago, but rejected it on second reading after hearing from concerned residents.

Sandy Run resident Julie Taylor, who lives next to the property, said We don't have the resources to support another neighborhood.

Last night, we had something at CA (Calhoun Academy). Luckily, it wasn't like any given Sunday when I-26 is at a complete standstill. Otherwise, our 25-minute commute would have been much longer. When there's an issue on I-26, we'll have a very hard time getting back across the interstate to service these new 170 homes, Taylor said.

Opponents also questioned the cost of serving the new residents, including with first responders.

If you look at this and look at the numbers, you have two decisions to make. Either you're going to raise taxes for all to cover for a few, or you're going to tell these departments to do without, Tris Waystack said. Waystack recently announced he will be running as an independent for Calhoun County Council District 5 against Council Chairman James Haigler.

Councilman John Nelson said that, at a certain point, the new growth will require additional infrastructure. He represents the Sandy Run area.

We need to focus on getting the commercial, industrial, getting that tax base up, and planning for it so that when we have to do it, we'll have the resources available to do it, Nelson said.

Haigler said there was no effort to hurt the Sandy Run area.

I personally I wanted to hear this. I enjoy hearing from y'all, Haigler said.

Initially, Gateway had requested the construction of about 304 homes on the property. The Calhoun County Planning Commission unanimously rejected that plan in June.

The developer returned with the latest plan, which was rejected Monday.

The developer has another opportunity to change the proposal. If it does, itll have to take the proposal through Calhoun Countys planning commission and county council again.

Also during Mondays meeting, council gave second reading to an ordinance allowing a partnership between the Regional Medical Center and the Medical University of South Carolina.

The county council will have another meeting on Sept. 26 to discuss the ordinance.

RMC is owned by Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. Orangeburg County Council also has to approve the partnership.
Hunters, processors and taxidermists should be aware of new restrictions on bringing deer carcasses from North Carolina into South Carolina.

With North Carolinas first positive cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) this year, the state joined a list of what is now 30 states and four Canadian provinces with restrictions on importing deer carcasses into South Carolina. The measures are meant to help prevent CWD from spreading to the South Carolinas deer population.

What is allowed to come into South Carolina:

Quarters (hams and shoulders) or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached.

Meat that has been boned out.

Hides with no heads attached.

Clean skulls with no meat or tissue attached, clean skull plates with antlers attached, antlers detached from the skull plate and finished taxidermy heads.

What IS NOT allowed to come in from North Carolina or any other state with CWD cases:

Any whole deer, field dressed deer or intact carcass.

Any deer head except finished taxidermy, clean skulls or clean skull caps.

Any portion of the neck or spine.

The restrictions are aimed at preventing the deer parts with the highest risk for carrying CWD infection from entering the state.

CWD is a transmissible and always fatal neurological disease that affects cervids, including white-tailed deer. The disease is slow to advance and infected deer may appear healthy, making proper transport or disposal important.

An infected carcass or carcass part, if not disposed properly, can contaminate the environment, persist for years and potentially infect deer in the area.

South Carolina has regulated the transportation of hunter-harvested deer, elk and moose from CWD-positive states since 2004. This year, state lawmakers stiffened the penalty for violating the restrictions.

Violating the state statute is a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to 30 days in jail. Read the full text of the law here.

For more information, visit www.dnr.sc.gov/cwd/index.html. For information from North Carolina, visit www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Chronic-Wasting-Disease.
Charles S. Charlie Way Jr. never forgot his hometown of Orangeburg.

Way, who died this past week in Mount Pleasant at age 84, was a noted South Carolinian. In business alone, he became legendary.

In 1975 Way joined The Beach Co. and over the next three decades transformed it into a full-service real estate firm offering development, construction, property management and real estate brokerage.

He led the group that purchased the Kiawah Island development from the royal family of Kuwait for $105 million in 1988.

Way later put his skills to work for South Carolina as chairman of the South Carolina State Retirement Systems Investment Panel and as secretary of commerce, serving for four years.

And he was deeply involved in other endeavors. Way was a former Spoleto Festival chairman and was known for his work on behalf of the S.C. Aquarium, the College of Charleston and the University of South Carolina.

He received recognition and awards from numerous organizations for his service. He was awarded South Carolinas highest civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto twice, by Gov. Carroll Campbell in 1994 and by Gov. Jim Hodges in 2002.

But Orangeburg remained near to his heart.

Way was born here on Dec. 18, 1937, to the late Charles S. Way Sr. and the late Sally Wise Way. He left Orangeburg when he was a junior in high school to attend military school in Georgia.

Though living elsewhere, he always cited happy memories of his childhood growing up in Orangeburg. "Orangeburg was such a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful place to grow up," Way said.

His work much later at South Carolina State University will be remembered as a major accomplishment.

In May 2015, the university was struggling under a huge burden of debt and had been placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges because of governance and financial issues. At one point, members of the legislature threatened to close the school, but instead decided to remove the trustees and appoint a new interim board.

Way was named one of seven new trustees in May 2015. At the first board meeting, he was elected chairman.

More than a year later, Way said getting this ox out the ditch at S.C. State was one of his greatest challenges. He retired from the board in 2017.

In 2016, he received a double honor from the Orangeburg community. He was The Times and Democrats Person of the Year and has been inducted into the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame.

T&D Publisher Cathy Hughes said then: The year 2016 stands out among this Orangeburg natives body of work over a lifetime of achievements as a successful businessman, family man and community servant that would certainly qualify him for this award," Hughes said. "But the outstanding contribution he has made to the Orangeburg community as a whole and to South Carolina State University in particular over the past 12 months is remarkable.

Charlie Way said hed like to be remembered as being a good person, an honest person and a generous person. He certainly will be.
TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Iran Saif Mohammed Al Zaabi, who has returned to Tehran six years after ties were downgraded, on Tuesday met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

During the meeting, Amir-Abdollahian said Tehran is interested in expanding relations with the UAE based on the neighbor-oriented policy.

The Iranian foreign minister noted the need for regional countries to cooperate for stability and peace and the necessity to use the existing capacities in the development of relations between the two countries.

The UAE ambassador, who said he is glad to return to Iran, highlighted that the economic and commercial capacities of both countries is an important factor in promoting bilateral relations.

The decision for the UAE ambassador to resume his duties in Tehran was announced by the Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in August, in a move "to contribute to further advancing bilateral relations in cooperation with officials in the Islamic Republic of Iran to achieve the common interests of the two countries and the wider region."

Abu Dhabi recalled its ambassador from Tehran in 2016 in support of Saudi Arabia, which cut diplomatic ties with Iran in protest against the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran following the Saudi execution of a Shiite cleric. 
On September 12, 1962, then US president John F Kennedy informed the public of his plan to put a man on the Moon by the end of the decade.

It was the height of the Cold War and America needed a big victory to demonstrate its space superiority after the Soviet Union had launched the first satellite and put the first man in orbit.

"We choose to go to the Moon," Kennedy told 40,000 people at Rice University, "because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win."

Sixty years on, the United States is about to launch the first mission of its return program to the Moon, Artemis. But why repeat what has already been done?

Criticism has risen in recent years, for example from Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, and the Mars Society founder Robert Zubrin, who have long advocated for America to go directly to Mars.

But NASA argues re-conquering the Moon is a must before a trip to the Red Planet. Here's why.

- Long space missions -

"We choose to go to the Moon," Kennedy told 40,000 people at Rice University, "because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win" /  NASA/AFP

NASA wants to develop a sustainable human presence on the Moon, with missions lasting several weeks - compared to just a few days for Apollo.

The goal: to better understand how to prepare for a multi-year round trip to Mars.

In deep space, radiation is much more intense and poses a real threat to health.

Low Earth Orbit, where the International Space Station (ISS) operates, is partly shielded from radiation by the Earth's magnetic field, which isn't the case on the Moon.

From the first Artemis mission, many experiments are planned to study the impact of this radiation on living organisms, and to assess the effectiveness of an anti-radiation vest.

What's more, while the ISS can often be resupplied, trips to the Moon -- a thousand times further -- are much more complex.

To avoid having to take everything with them, and to save costs, NASA wants to learn how to use the resources present on the surface.

In particular, water in the form of ice, which has been confirmed to exist on the lunar south pole, could be transformed into rocket fuel by cracking it into its separate hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

- Testing new gear -

ASA also wants to test on the Moon the technologies that will continue to evolve on Mars /  AFP

NASA also wants to pilot on the Moon the technologies that will continue to evolve on Mars. First, new spacesuits for spacewalks.

Their design was entrusted to the company Axiom Space for the first mission which will land on the Moon, in 2025 at the earliest.

Other needs: vehicles -- both pressurized and unpressurized -- so that the astronauts can move around, as well as habitats.

Finally, for sustainable access to an energy source, NASA is working on the development of portable nuclear fission systems.

Solving any problems that arise will be much easier on the Moon, only a few days away, than on Mars, which can only be reached in at least several months.

- Establishing a waypoint -

A major pillar of the Artemis program is the construction of a space station in orbit around the Moon, called Gateway, which will serve as a relay before the trip to Mars.

All the necessary equipment can be sent there in "multiple launches," before finally being joined by the crew to set off on the long voyage, Sean Fuller, responsible for the Gateway program, told AFP.

"Kind of like you're stopping at your gas station to make sure you get all the stuff, and then you're off on your way."

- Maintaining leadership over China -

Apart from Mars, another reason put forward by the Americans for settling on the Moon is to do so before the Chinese, who plan to send taikonauts by the year 2030.

China is the United States' main competition today as the once proud Russian space program has withered.

"We don't want China suddenly getting there and saying, "This is our exclusive territory,'" NASA boss Bill Nelson said in a recent interview.

- For the sake of science -

While the Apollo missions brought back to Earth nearly 400 kilograms of lunar rock, new samples will make it possible to further deepen our knowledge of this celestial object and its formation.

"The samples that we collected during the Apollo missions changed the way we view our solar system," astronaut Jessica Meir told AFP. "I think we can expect that from the Artemis program as well."

She expects further scientific and technological breakthroughs too, just like during the Apollo era.
This vaccine was specifically adapted for the BA4 and BA5 Omicron variants and was recommended for approval in the EU on Monday.

At the earliest, the first deliveries of the latest coronavirus vaccine developed by BioNTech/Pfizer are expected to arrive late next week, otherwise early the following week. High Commissioner for National Security Luc Feller confirmed this to our colleagues from RTL.lu upon enquiry. BA5 is currently the most prevalent coronavirus variant in Luxembourg.

Last week, the Grand Duchy already received deliveries of adjusted coronavirus vaccines from BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna. The 85,700 doses are being used for booster shots as of this week. These vaccines were developed on the basis of the BA1 Omicron variant.
Viviane Reding, 71, will retire from the scene on 1 October - one year before the crucial legislative elections for her party.

"Addi to politics!", Viviane Reding says in a press release on Tuesday. The former vice-president of the European Commission, European Commissioner, MEP, vice-president of the CSV between 1995 and 1999 and Luxembourg MP since 1979, will retire from active political life on 1 October 2022.

One year before the crucial legislative elections for her party, which has failed to return to government both in 2013 and 2018, she will resign from her mandate as an MP. This is a choice that she has accepted and which is intended to be transparent with regard to her loyal voters. The MP also thanks the citizens who have supported her in ten elections since 1979.

For 43 years, I have tried to do my best to make Luxembourg and Europe a better place to live, Reding tells her CSV colleagues on Tuesday.

The political CV of this former journalist for the Luxemburger Wort from Esch-sur-Alzette is impressive. Reding was elected four times at the Chamber of Deputies in 1979, 1984, 1989 and 2018, where she was primarily responsible for social affairs, international issues and digital issues. She was also elected six times to the European Parliament between 1989 and 2014.

At the European Commission, she was successively Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth, Media and Sport between 1999 and 2004; Commissioner for Information Society, Technological Research and Media from 2004 to 2010 and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship between 2010 and 2014.

Martine Hansen, co-president of the CSV in the Parliament, believes that with the resignation of Reding, a central figure will be missed in Luxembourg and European politics. Even within the CSV group, Reding has always been a collegial and competent leader.

Gratitude was expressed from various party colleagues. Gilles Roth, co-chair of the CVS group, thanked Reding for her political achievements in the interest of Luxembourg and European citizens. Her voice and advice will continue to carry weight in our group in the future, he added.

CSV President Claude Wiseler too, acknowledged her political and personal commitment to the country and its people, and to the Christian-social cause over the years. Her voice will continue to be heard within the party, Wiseler concluded.
Since drinking water is an essential resource, it is critical that the population is informed easily and quickly in the event of a disruption.

As part of the "Smart City" initiative, the municipal council of Luxembourg City has presented a new system, which will inform the population if a problem occurs on the drinking water network.

In the event of a disruption, the system will display a message on the website of the City of Luxembourg. By clicking on this message, users will be directed to a page that summarises the most important details regarding the incident. This information will be constantly updated until the alert is lifted.

The site will also provide answers to frequently asked questions, such as the average duration of an outage or what to do if the drinking water smells funny.

On the Cityapp-VdL app, users will have a widget that gives them direct access to essential information about the drinking water network. If notifications for this widget have been activated beforehand, users will be notified if network problems occur.
Top 5 Awesome Road : Adventure awaits, go fin it RoadTrips | siliconindia

You must have guessed it by now. Yes, its the legendary 'Dil Chahta Hai' route.The road trip between Mumbai and Goa needs no introduction. I'm sure, this is one trip that all travel lovers have mentioned in their bucket lists and wish to experience at least once in their lives and rightly so, because of the immensity of the trip appendage to the growth of the individual experience. Driving on National Highway 17 is a pleasure and the picturesque route has several food joints to answer your food cravings en route to the beach party capital of India - Goa.Isn't it great when you are able to find gems in the unlikeliest of places? You can find several of them on this road trip from Ahmedabad.The journey to Kutch from Ahmedabad is fun and compliments the experience one gets on reaching the destination. The endless expanse of the white salt desert is brilliantly complimented by the colourful life of the people of Kutch and the neighbouring handicraft villages, including Nirona, Nakhtarana and Hodko.Sikkim, we were told, was a fairy-tale kind of place and A bright yellow sign on the winding road to Sikkim roads. Known for its isolation, its mystical monasteries, its princesses and chogyals and Himalayan people estranged from modern life, this tiny thumbprint of a state was said to possess an air of myth and magic quite unlike anywhere else in India, IT'S NOT A RALLY, ENJOY THE VALLEY. Another pronounces, THE ROAD IS HILLY, DON'T BE SILLY.Snuggled in the western ghats, Coorg, an anglicised name for Kodagu, is a district of the state of Karnataka, India. Populated with a warrior clan, it is an epicurean haven wearing cozy attributes - hills, plantations, a famous river, wildlife and coffee. A whiff of mystery surrounds the origin of the natives, Kodavas. Nevertheless, results are rather exotic with agriculture, wealth and success in the blood. The region is also referred as 'Scotland of India'.There are two popular road routes to drive to Coorg to, the first option is to drive to Coorg from Bangalore, first is via Mysore, the second is via Channarayapatna on the NH48 towards Hassan from Bangalore.Start early from Shimla so you can spend more time on the way towards Manali and reach before dark. Shimla to Manali is one of the popular tourist routes in Himachal Pradesh. Tourist arrive at Shimla by toy train or by bus from Delhi, Chandigarh , Kalka etc. After staying one day or half day at Shimla you can start for Manali.Start early from Shimla so you can spend more time on the way towards Manali and reach before dark.
World's 10 Scariest Haunted Place to Visit | SiliconIndia

Australia, as a settled country, isn't that old. Sydney and Melbourne are the two largest and oldest cities on the continent, yet we can only look back to the late 1700s for a Western history of the country. With such a short time-frame to work with, Australia has more than its fair share of reputedly-haunted locations. The abandoned asylum is made up of 64 buildings, spread over more than 40 hectares.Its empty corridors and deserted grounds resemble the film set of a post-apocalyptic horror film. There is a tales of Old Margaret, supposedly one of the many patients who were kicked out in the late 90s, when Aradale closed, who still hangs around the facility because it was her home for her entire life.The extent of the hauntedness of the Bhangarh Fort is evident from the fact that the Archaeological Society of India has put up warning signs forbidding the tourists to be present in the precincts of the fort after sunset. Hence, no wonder, the fort ranks on the top of the list of most haunted places in India. Today, villagers who live in the area continue to build roofless dwellings because everytime they do build a roof, it inexplicably collapses. People have also mysteriously gone missing after-hours inside the fort. It's an hour and a half by road from Jaipur on the Jaipur-Alwar road.Witnesses say they have seen a "floating" man in a Victorian suit and top hat apparently gliding through locked gates.Legend has it the vampire was a medieval nobleman who had practised black magic in medieval Romania.He was brought to England in a coffin in the 18th century but was awoken from the dead by modern Satanists at his resting place at Highgate Cemetery in North London.The Chase Vault located in the Barbados cemetery of the Christ Church Parish is a fairly unremarkable semi-sunken tomb save for the repeated stories of the coffins inside being thrown around around by mysterious forces. The Mysterious Moving Coffins Of Barbados. Just one month later, their father Thomas Chase committed suicide. He was to be placed in the vault next to his daughter for eternity. But something strange occurred when the vault was opened. When the vault was opened, the coffins were no longer placed neatly aside each other, as they were after the previous funeral. Everything was completely out of place and moved around as if the tomb had been ransacked by grave robbers. The devasted family reorganized the coffins together in a row and placed the 240-pound casket of Thomas alongside them. The huge marble slab was once again rolled over to the front to seal the vault.It has been called the most haunted house in Britain though how exactly one might measure, rank or quantify such a thing is beyond me. Nevertheless, there are countless stories of ghostly sightings at The Ancient Ram Inn; and worse still are the tales of forceful interference, physical assault and even demonic rape at this little old Gloucestershire pub. One popular legend surrounding the Ancient Ram Inn is that of the witch burned at the stake. She was burned at the stake in the 1500s. It was the prosecution of people who did not believe and practice Christianity as sanctioned by the government. A lot of people believe that the woman's spirit still haunts one of the rooms of the house to this day. It is believed that the woman took refuge in one of the rooms of the house before she was captured and killed. Today, that room is called "The Witch's Room".The Corvin Castle, also known as the Hunyadi castle is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval castles in Transylvania. The castle was built in the 14th century, being the most famous property of Romanian ruler Iancu of Hunedoara. To this day, this impressive castle dominates the city of Hunedoara with its Gothic architecture. It only takes one visit to the Corvin Castle for a traveler to imagine this as the perfect setting for Edgar Allan Poe's "ghost stories". Still, the most interesting aspect about Hunyadi Castle is represented by the hauntings. This castle is one of the most haunted castles in the world. Ghostly silhouettes appear in photographs and violent ghosts are thought to wander the halls and chambers at night. When some tourists tricked the guards to remain in the castle at night, they came out the next day bruised, beaten, and terrified - they had supposedly suffered the wrath of an angry ghost. The ghost had tortured them until the early morningIf ghosts exist anywhere in the United States, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is perhaps the right place to look for them.The rolling green hills where the armies of the Union and Confederacy clashed still seem haunted by the more than 50,000 soldiers who were killed, wounded or went missing in the Battle of Gettysburg.I've often heard that the Forbidden City in Beijing is one of the scariest places in China. When I was there, I didn't think so, but I still have some tingling memories of my visit. The Forbidden City (Zijin Cheng, in Chinese; literally "Purple Forbidden City") has over 600 years of history of assassinations and plotting behind it, so no wonder that it's also said to be occupied by several ghosts. When I was walking inside its tall and wide walls, I wasn't familiar with this folklore - unfortunately. But if I ever go there again, I will look at the Forbidden City with entirely different eyes. There are many Ghost Stories we cant forget that.It's by far the most-haunted spot in Australia," our guide claims, which is why the nightly ghost tours here are so popular. "Nothing is fabricated, there are no tricks -- it is about real people's storiesOriginally a summer house built by an Indian business in the British era, the famous Mohatta palace in Karachi now serves as a museum to display various artifacts. Many of the workers claim that things have a tendency to move themselves, from one place to another, claims have been made of lights moving around, when no one is inside.
FICTION: A page-turning historical thriller about a manhunt for the killers of an English king.

"Act of Oblivion" by Robert Harris; Harper (480 pages, $28.99)



Two of Robert Harris' finest novels turned history on its head. His stellar debut, "Fatherland," revolved around the counterfactual scenario of Hitler winning the war. His more recent offering, "The Second Sleep," was an ingenious blend of dystopian future and medieval past. But with a few notable exceptions, the British author's novels have sourced their thrills from real historical events.

Sometimes he has woven a fictional story around documented facts (the attempts to avert war in "Munich," the eruption of Vesuvius in "Pompeii"); at other times, such as his retelling of the Dreyfus Affair in "An Officer and a Spy," he has clung more closely to the truth.

Harris' latest novel  his 15th  sees him once again re-creating a true story. He describes it as "the greatest manhunt of the seventeenth century." His fugitives are Edward Whalley and his son-in-law William Goffe, wanted for the murder of King Charles I. Their pursuer, and the novel's only invented character, is Richard Nayler, private secretary to the Lord Chancellor of England and "a shadow who causes things to happen."

"Act of Oblivion" could have been a dusty, distant, long-winded yarn. Instead, Harris delivers a gripping, well-paced tale rich in color, suspense and adventure.

It opens in the summer of 1660. Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate is no more. The Stuart monarchy has been restored, and the search is on to apprehend the traitors involved in the trial and execution of the last king 11 years ago. Nayler is tasked with locating the 13 renegades  or "regicides"  still at large. Most are rounded up in mainland Europe. But Whalley and Goffe have fled to America.

Nayler sets about finding the families of the men ("Love is their weak point"), then draws up a document advertising a considerable reward for the regicides' capture and dire punishment for anyone who harbors them. He then embarks on his assignment in earnest by boarding a ship and sailing from Old England to New.

Harris' narrative switches between hunter and hunted. Whalley and Goffe divide their time in hiding or on the move, and find their faith tested as they battle homesickness, harsh conditions and hostile encounters. "This is how we die," muses Whalley, "running from pillar to post, forced to put our trust in strangers, each one less known to us than the last."

Nayler endures his own ordeals and is regularly thrown off the scent by puritans who view his quarry as heroes. But he will stop at nothing to track down the condemned men, for his official mission is also a quest for personal revenge.

At various intervals, Harris flashes back to the English civil war and the last moments of a dethroned king. He serves up equally memorable depictions of plague, the Great Fire of London and a stormy voyage. But when he cuts back to the chase and charts the progress of three desperate men, he has his reader truly hooked.



Malcolm Forbes has written for the Times Literary Supplement, the Economist and the Wall Street Journal. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Nearly 1,200 people attended Wednesday's Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming breakfast fundraiser, which was the culmination of a giving campaign that totaled $942,000, the group said.

I want to thank the community for its unstoppable support of the Clubs mission in making a difference in the lives of youth," said the organization's CEO Ashley Bright. "We are serving more youth than ever and helping them discover their passions, and its all because of you.

The annual event featured keynote speaker and "Duck Dynasty" reality star Willie Robertson and was attended by guests including Gov. Mark Gordon.

Casper's Brad and Jan Cundy were honored for their work helping young people. Isabell Norris, a sophomore from Dubois, was named the group's Youth of the Year. As part of the award, she received a $7,500 scholarship.

Brad Hopkins, executive director of the Wyoming Rescue Mission, received the Mick and Susie McMurry Cowboy Code Try Award. The award is a bronze sculpture by well-known Wyoming artist Chris Navarro.
CHEYENNE  A draft bill to create specific offenses for assault, threat of violence and battery against health care providers failed a Tuesday vote. Wyomings Joint Judiciary Committee rejected the measure.

According to testimony, instances of such violence have increased in recent years. Witnesses sought stronger penalties.

After lengthy discussion, the committee entered five yes and eight no votes.

It had requested the Legislative Service Office draft such a bill at the committees last meeting in Lander in May.

The proposal used the same definitions of assault and battery currently in Wyoming law, as well as the penalties. Simple assault  an attempt to cause bodily injury  or a threat of violence against a health care worker would have been a misdemeanor punishable with a fine up to $750. Battery  intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing another person bodily injury by using physical force  against a health care worker would have been a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months of incarceration and up to $750. This would have required an offender to have reasonably known a person was a health care provider, and the provider must have been performing duties within the scope of his authority or employment as a health care provider during the incident.

Josh Hannes, vice president of the Wyoming Hospital Association, and others voiced concern that Wyoming not having this new law may put the state at a disadvantage for recruitment.

The industry is struggling to fill existing positions, the committee heard.

Between January 2021 and June 2022, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services received 121 workers compensation claims following an alleged attack in a health care setting, according to Hannes.

Lisa Harry said that before she was a member of the Campbell County Health Board, she worked in emergency services.

Ive been spit on, Ive been pushed, kicked, knocked over, had a lot of that, and, like I say, you expect that. But these kinds of incidents have increased so much that I have to question: Is this enough? Harry testified. We arent protecting our workers.

Harry and others mentioned recent incidents, including a lab technician punched in the leg by a patient while drawing blood.

Harry said an off-duty law enforcement officer became angry at a hospital and began throwing things at a nurse.

We need to impose stronger penalties and send a message to these people who come in to emergency services, into the hospital, and knowingly and purposefully abuse our workers, Harry continued. Its bad enough that we cant get enough nurses, but to have people coming in there and fear for their safety ... The hospital should be their first place for safety.

She added that state laws should also protect first responders like EMTs, as well as people like hospital receptionists, who are often the first to encounter patients.

Tracy Garcia is the chief nursing officer at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.

She said that even CRMCs very robust security program ... is not deterring people from misbehavior in our organization.

Within four months, the hospital saw 25 incidents of violence by patients, Garcia said.

There were physical assaults and others involved 12 verbal threats, a lot of them including threat of life.

Garcia and others said these incidents increasingly dont involve substances or mental health conditions.

When asked about the rate of prosecution of these violent incidents, Garcia said it had seemingly been low in recent years.

Stakeholders argued health care workers should be afforded similar protections as law enforcement. Harry said such medical employees arent trained before they enter the workforce to deal with violence, and they dont carry weapons.

Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, said hes concerned about the possibility of someone being brought up on charges for looking at somebody wrong.

Im worried about that bar being so low itll turn into, Ill use the word, a woke situation, where its perceived incorrectly, the senator said.

Hannes and others rejected this idea, saying that the threats theyd encountered or heard from patients or patients families had been explicit threats of violence.

Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, and some other lawmakers had said they may not support this bill, because this penalty seemed unlikely to reduce violence.

Although states have recently enacted similar laws, Hannes said this type of legislation is too new to have sufficient data on whether it works. He added that such a law in Wyoming would simply be a piece of braided initiatives.

While the state doesnt currently require health care facilities to have violence prevention programs in place, many do, Hannes said, and federal legislation is currently moving through congressional committees.

Some lawmakers favor the legislation.

Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, said Wyoming seems to be the only state that doesnt have any type of, lets say, enhancement or acknowledgment of violence toward people in the health care industry.

Some enhancement is appropriate (and) necessary, Zwonitzer said.

An amendment by Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, to increase the penalty for battery to up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, was widely supported by committee members. This is the same consequence as interference with a peace officer.

Sen. R.J. Kost, R-Powell, said such a law is the right thing to do, and it bothers him that someone could be cited for such an offense and walk away.
In the middle of a lawsuit contesting Wyomings abortion ban, attorneys for the state want the Wyoming Supreme Court to weigh in on the constitutionality of the ban.

But, plaintiffs in that case argued last week, it may be too early to send that question to the high court.

There are already relevant precedents from the state Supreme Court that the Teton County judge presiding over the lawsuit can use, they argued in a motion filed Friday.

The state argues that the high court should answer the question at the center of the lawsuit  whether or not the abortion ban violates the Wyoming constitution, which provides rare and explicit protections for health care.

They also want justices to answer whether the ban is too vague, which health care providers involved in the lawsuit have alleged.

The plaintiffs, which include Wyoming health care providers, women and a nonprofit abortion fund, asked Judge Melissa Owens last week to strike down the states request and move forward with the case in the lower court.

Both sides, as well as Owens herself, have said in court that they expect any decision in Teton County to be eventually appealed to the Supreme Court anyway.

Plaintiff suspects our States high court would hope, ideally, to hear this case once  not at multiple times throughout the litigation and being asked to address issues piecemeal, the motion filed Friday says.

Owens put a pause on the bans enforcement last month, meaning abortion is still legal in Wyoming as the case moves along.

Lawyers opposing the ban say sending those questions to the Supreme Court now would mean they dont have enough time to gather and present relevant evidence to the lower court.

A pair of Wyoming lawmakers and Alliance Defending Freedom, a national conservative legal network, are also asking the Teton County judge for permission to join the case and enter their own set of evidence.

Owens has yet to allow them to join. The state said in a recent filing it has no issue with the intervenors, but asked that they stick to legal arguments rather than opposing views on the ethics of abortion.

Sending questions to the Supreme Court now would make it less likely for the justices to overrule Owens decision in the lower court, and could also speed up the case.

But in the past, plaintiffs said, the Supreme Court has declined to answer questions it deems premature.

These legal issues ... are mixed questions of law and fact, their motion says.

Health care providers have said the ban puts them at risk of prosecution for providing care related to abortion, and that it could delay or deny care even to those with wanted pregnancies.

The ban includes exceptions for pregnancies that result from rape or incest, or those that threaten the life of the mother. But Dr. Giovannina Anthony, a provider at the states only active abortion clinic, previously said the clinic would likely not offer abortions even for those who qualify under the exceptions out of fear of prosecution.

Jay Jerde, the attorney representing the state, said in an August hearing that taking the exceptions out of the ban could make it less vague.

Owens likely wont decide whether or not to involve the Supreme Court at this stage until after an Oct. 27 scheduling meeting, which may lay out a timeline for the rest of the case.
BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Nine years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road successively in Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

This is how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at building a trade, investment, and infrastructure network that connects different regions along the ancient trade routes, took shape.

Nine years on, the BRI has achieved more than connectivity. The Belt and Road cooperation, following the guiding principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, has grown into a global platform where countries along the routes work together to promote people's wellbeing and give a further boost to global development amid daunting challenges.

GREATER CONNECTIVITY

After years of Belt and Road cooperation, a general connectivity framework consisting of six corridors, six connectivity routes and multiple countries and ports has been put in place. Landmark accomplishments include the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Africa, China-Laos Railway in Asia, the new Haifa port in Israel, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, among others.

Besides infrastructure projects, a new logistics channel between Asia and Europe has been established through China-Europe freight train services. With 82 routes, the trains now reach 200 cities in 24 European countries, forming a transport network covering the whole of Europe.

Connectivity means fewer barriers, whether in terms of policy coordination, road travels, trade, financial flows or people-to-people exchanges. It also entails more resilience to uncertainties. The China-Europe freight train service has acted as "a passage of life" when sea and air transportation was hit hard during the pandemic.

With such connectivity, the Belt and Road cooperation has scored growth despite global economic recessions. From 2013 to 2021, the total volume of trade of goods between China and countries along the BRI routes amounted to nearly 11 trillion U.S. dollars, while two-way investment exceeded 230 billion dollars, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

In Central Asia, with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway and the China-Tajikistan expressway, road transport has been largely improved. And the Central Asian countries are expected to unlock greater transit potential through the upcoming China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.

The BRI gives the Central Asian region an opportunity to fulfill the strategic task of direct access to seaports and turn the region into a transportation hub of transcontinental highways from east to west, and from north to south, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov has commented.

POVERTY REDUCTION

In the eyes of Lewis M. Ndichu, a researcher at Nairobi-based think tank Africa Policy Institute, one of the BRI's contributions to the African continent is on poverty alleviation and agricultural development.

China has set up poverty reduction projects, sent agricultural experts to Africa and facilitated modern agro-technology exchanges between the two sides, which is significant to regional development, he pointed out.

Burkina Faso is among the countries that have witnessed the changes brought by the BRI. Chinese experts have helped increase its rice production, which in the past could barely meet the population's needs.

With their assistance, rice production in the demonstration area, Nariou village, has doubled or even tripled the output in previous years, and the rice quality has also been significantly improved.

This is just a miniature of how the Belt and Road cooperation improves people's wellbeing around the globe. By the end of 2021, China has built 79 zones for economic and trade cooperation in 24 countries along the BRI routes, investing 43 billion dollars and creating 346,000 local jobs, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

More projects focus on basic needs of people in developing countries are prioritized under the BRI framework. In Senegal, a rural well-drilling project, consisting of 251 wells and 1,800 km water pipelines that China had pledged to fund, has brought clean water to one-seventh of Senegal's population. While in Argentina, the photovoltaic plant in the country's northern province of Jujuy powers some 160,000 homes.

A World Bank report has predicted that BRI transport projects could, by 2030, help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million people out of moderate poverty globally.

CLOSING DEVELOPMENT DIVIDE

The world today is undergoing a sea change amid a lingering COVID-19 pandemic, sluggish global growth, a changing climate and escalating tensions. Great strides have been made towards global prosperity, but the gap between the richest and the poorest countries continues to widen. Reducing destitution is not enough.

To improve equity and social justice, countries need to be equally entitled to development opportunities.

Upholding that spirit, the BRI offers an open platform and a win-win mechanism. By the end of July 2022, China had signed more than 200 BRI cooperation agreements with 149 countries and 32 international organizations, according to China's National Development and Reform Commission.

"Through the Belt and Road Initiative, it has therefore brought new thinking about development -- from being mere loan recipients to actual projects on the ground that bring development through trade and enterprises," said James M. Njihia, dean of Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, University of Nairobi.

"This will have great multiplier effects in future by increasing local, regional and international integration," he said.

Echoing that view, Khairy Tourk, professor of economics with the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, has said the China-proposed BRI puts developing nations on the right track to achieving their long-term development goals.

Infrastructure has not been the main focus of post-1945 multilateral institutions. "The BRI has drawn world attention to the importance of infrastructure as an essential pillar of economic development," Tourk said.

For decades, these countries couldn't modernize their antiquated infrastructure, he said. "Now China is providing them funds, the construction expertise to build modern infrastructure, and this is the basis for sustained development, and bodes well for the economic future of developing nations." 
A former Rock Springs community center director was arrested Tuesday following allegations that she embezzled more than $2 million of daycare tuition and pandemic funding.

Candace Rachelle Morris faces multiple charges of theft and one count of forgery, according to filings in Sweetwater County.

According to the Sweetwater County Sheriffs office, she is suspected of stealing $2.3 million and funneling it into a personal account associated with a fake shell corporation. She then allegedly used the money to pay for cars, jewelry, international vacations and home improvements.

The criminal charges come after the community center, Young at Heart, filed a civil complaint against Morris in July, alleging various forms of fraud.

Court filings allege Morris, while the director of Young at Hearts Early Learning Center, registered an LLC called The Early Learning Center in Wyoming in 2016, to her own home address.

She also allegedly created a bank account for the LLC around the same time, which coincided with the real daycare center starting to use an online tuition payment system set up by Morris.

Around $1.6 million was transferred from tuition payments to the fraudulent account, according to court filings.

Morris reportedly received another approximately $530,000 in COVID assistance for the shell corporation, repaying around $113,000 of that. The actual Young at Heart center received around $400,000 in pandemic assistance, according to investigators.

Court filings state that Morris husband, whose name and signature are on the bank account, did not know about the account or any of the suspected embezzlement until the investigation began this summer.

Morris, who worked at Young at Heart starting in 2013 and became its executive director in 2020, was fired in July. She also resigned her position on the Sweetwater County school board in June.

An analysis of Morris shell bank account found she likely began the embezzlement in 2016, when around $13,000 of suspected tuition payments was deposited, according to a law enforcement affidavit. That amount jumped to around $142,000 in 2017, and rose each year  in 2021, investigators allege, she deposited roughly $412,000 in embezzled funds. So far in 2022, she had allegedly deposited more than $227,000.

Court documents allege Morris would issue refunds to daycare parents through her own personal Venmo account, without seeking approval from the board. The investigation found that the majority of cash payments for tuition were also never deposited in the daycares account.

In June, the board reportedly became suspicious after finding the daycare centers account to be too low to pay a $3,000 insurance premium, even though parents had just paid tuition.

According to an affidavit in her case, Morris allegedly bought around 14 cars during that time period. She also paid for vacations, jewelry, home improvements and various cosmetic surgeries.

When confronted about the alleged embezzlement, court documents state, Morris initially denied it but quickly admitted to taking the money and apologized.
Campbell Countys chief elections officer has filed a complaint against Coal Country Conservatives Political Action Committee, calling on the Federal Elections Commission and the Wyoming secretary of state to undertake a swift and robust investigation.

The complaint, filed Friday by Campbell County Clerk Susan Saunders, names both the federal PAC and a Wyoming entity of the same name.

It is my professional judgement the organization of these entities and their activities can, at best, be described as a scheme to thwart transparency in a way that is deceptive to the public and may be illegal, Saunders wrote in the complaint.

Chief among Saunders concerns is a potentially improper campaign-finance relationship between the two organizations and a lack of disclosure on the part of both.

A voter guide with the disclaimer paid for by Coal Country Conservatives Action Committee was mailed to Wyoming residents and appeared as an advertisement in a local print magazine, according to attachments included with the clerks complaint. The guide supported one federal candidate  Harriet Hageman, who is running for Wyomings lone U.S. House seat  and more than 100 statewide, legislative, local and precinct candidates.

The first question that needs to be answered is who engaged in the electioneering activities? Saunders wrote. Was it the Wyoming corporation exercising its First Amendment rights (CCCPac1), the federal PAC (CCCPac2) or some combination?

How much either entity raised for or spent on the 2022 primary election is unclear, since neither filed a requisite campaign finance report with the federal government. The Federal Elections Commission sent the PAC a request for such a report in August but the PAC has failed to submit it. Meanwhile, its donors also remain unknown to the public.

Saunders cited the November general election and the expected resignation of Secretary of State Ed Buchanan at the end of this week as reasons for urgency.

The need for a timely and complete investigation and resolution using all the tools at your disposal is paramount as the potential for continued activities by CCCPac presents a clear and present danger to the integrity of the 2022 general election and the rule of law in Campbell County, Saunders wrote.

Coal Country Conservative Political Action Committee was incorporated in the state of Wyoming on May 18 as a domestic for-profit corporation, according to secretary of state records. A federal political action committee by the same name filed with the FEC on that same day, federal records indicate.

Both entities list Colleen McCabe as treasurer. Laura Cox is listed as the president of the PAC and the registered agent for the corporation.

Neither McCabe nor Cox responded to WyoFiles requests for comment by press time.

Wyoming law does not require federal PACs to file contribution and expenditure reports with the state. The federal government, however, does require federal PACs to file such reports, including information about spending and fundraising.

The failure to timely file a complete report may result in civil money penalties, an audit or legal enforcement action, the FEC said in an August letter to the PAC after it did not file the required July report. As of press time, the PAC had not filed a report with the federal government.

The civil money penalty calculation for late reports does not include a grace period and begins on the day following the due date for the report, according to the letter. The filing deadline was July 15. The next one is Oct. 15.

While a federal PAC is not required to file with the state, the clerk is asking the state to clarify whether that statute relieves Coal Country Conservative PAC of all legal requirements under state law or just those associated with the single federal candidate.

This question is relevant as the electioneering materials CCCPac distributed lists only one federal candidate and numerous statewide, legislative, local and precinct candidates, Saunders wrote.

The federal PAC filed as nonconnected, which means it is not a separate segregated fund established by a corporation  such as the Wyoming entity  or labor organization.

This seems dubious as the officers for both [organizations] are identical, Saunders pointed out in the complaint.

In addition to being mailed and published in a magazine, the voter guide was distributed on the Campbell County Courthouse steps on at least one day during the absentee voting period, according to the complaint. It is illegal to distribute electioneering materials within 100 yards of an active polling place in Wyoming on Election Day, and within 100 feet all other days. The clerk requested that action cease. A voter also notified Campbell County elections staff, according to the complaint, that such materials were distributed at the individuals church.

The voter guide directed residents to vote for certain candidates but offered no additional information, such as candidate platforms or how the candidates were selected.

In statewide races, it endorsed Brent Bien for governor, Chuck Gray for secretary of state, Curt Meier for treasurer and Brian Schroeder for superintendent of public instruction. For legislative races, the voter guide suggested Abby Angelos for House District 3, Reuben Tarver for House District 52, Roger Connett for Senate District 1 and Patricia Junek as a write-in candidate for Senate District 23. Additionally, it endorsed more than a dozen county and city candidates and over 100 candidates running for Republican party precinct positions.

Saunders is not seeking reelection. The candidate endorsed by the CCC PAC, Cindy Lovelace, won the primary contest for the clerks seat against the current chief deputy county clerk.
It helps us know when presidents abuse their power, or when Congress passes a law that infringes on the rights of U.S. citizens. And you might have very different opinions about it, depending on where you live.

Its the Constitution: the document responsible for the basic structure of the United States government, and the rights owed to its people.

Constitutional expert David Adler is coming to six Wyoming cities to talk about how the Constitution works, what it means and why it matters.

The tour began with a lecture in Sheridan on Monday. His next stop is Wednesday evening at Casper Colleges McMurry Career Studies Center.

Adler is president of the Idaho-based Alturas Institute, which focuses on educating the public about the Constitution and other civics topics.

Its practically in the DNA of Americans to idolize the Constitution  its regarded as a symbol of the countrys core values, Adler said. Americans know the document is important to keeping the government intact, and protecting their rights.

But most people dont know much beyond that, Adler said, and thats a problem.

If citizens dont have a satisfactory understanding of the Constitution, then its going to be very difficult for them to hold the government accountable, he said.

Adler plans to start each lecture with a brief history of the Constitutions origins, and what its authors had in mind what they wrote it.

Knowing the Constitution requires being familiar with its many nuances, too, he said. For one, many people interpret the document differently.

Theres geographic constitutionalism, for example, where people in different parts of the country develop varying views of the Constitution as part of the local culture, Adler said.

Western states like Wyoming are known for supporting a broad interpretation of the Second Amendment, which says citizens should be allowed to keep and bear arms and that they have a right to maintain a militia.

The event will also involve local students in the We the People program, an annual competition that invites high schoolers from across the country to participate in a simulated congressional hearing.

Adler will take questions from audience members during the lectures, too.

Each lecture is free and open to the public, and begins at 7 p.m.

Upcoming dates and locations include:

Jackson Hole: Sept. 20 at Jackson High School

Sweetwater County: Sept. 27 at Green River High School

Cheyenne: Oct. 10 at Laramie County Community College

Laramie: Oct. 11 in the University of Wyomings Arts and Sciences Auditorium

Casper College is also hosting its annual School of Social and Behavioral Sciences Seminar on Wednesday and Thursday. The seminar will touch on the intersection of about political discourse, social media and civic duty. Scott Cooper, a Casper native and 2020 Congressional candidate, will deliver the seminars keynote lecture, titled Citizenship isnt a spectator sport.

Schedule for "Influence: It starts with us" Wednesday 6:30 p.m., Robert and Ruth Dove Conference Center - Casper Colleges forensics team will debate whether or not elected officials should be able to block constituents on social media Thursday 9 a.m., Wheeler Concert Hall - Nathan Blank, chair of Casper Colleges history, political science and legal history department, will present a lecture titled The Elusive Middle.

9:30 a.m. - Casper College psychology instructors Kristina Pham and Jennie Miller will deliver a talk on the psychology of language and influence.

10 a.m., Wheeler Concert Hall - Chad Hanson, a Casper College sociology instructor, will give a talk titled What if Socrates had a Facebook page?

10:30 a.m., Wheeler Concert Hall - Heather Lloyyd, co-chair of the seminar and a criminal justice instructor at the College, will present I respectfully dissent: the Supreme Court and the discourse of disagreement

11 a.m., Wheeler Concert Hall - Seth Cooper, a former Marine and Casper native, will deliver the seminar's keynote lecture, titled "It starts with us".

1 p.m., Union/University Building - Casper College will host a Living Room Conversation, a guided talk focused on building connections between people of different backgrounds
San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello says the city was now on the road to recovery, after being
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FLASHBACK: Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, Farley Augustine, left, and Dr Faith B. Yisrael, Secretary of the Division of Health, listen attentively to Deputy Chief Secretary Watson Duke during the Bastille Day celebrations hosted by Didier Chabert, French Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, at his official residence in St Clair in July. Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK
ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Experts and policymakers have commended the existing linkage between China and Africa in the use of solar energy technologies.

Speaking to Xinhua recently, Ajay Mathur, director general of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), underscored China's involvement and huge potential in terms of realizing Africa's quest for solar energy development.

"There is the greatest linkage that exists between the Chinese manufacturers of solar energy technology and the African users of that technology," Mathur said.

Highlighting that the global experience in the development of solar mini-grids is limited, Mathur called on international companies to focus on off-grid photovoltaic power station projects in Africa so that people living in rural and remote areas of the continent would get light.

"China is the largest supplier of solar energy equipment across the world and in Africa in particular," said the director general, noting that many solar panels and batteries being used in Africa are of Chinese origin.

According to the director general, the African region is blessed with unlimited potential for renewable energy, including abundant solar energy.

Mathur, however, said despite high technological potential in Africa and the pressing need for accelerated adoption of solar systems, there has not been a uniform deployment due to financial constraints and inappropriateness of technologies being used in the continent.

"We are working towards mobilizing 1 trillion U.S. dollars of investment for a massive deployment of solar energy technologies and expanding solar markets in the continent," said Mathur.

According to the director general, the ISA is facilitating diverse solutions including solar water pumps and solar parks, and creating mechanisms for blended finance.

The ISA held its 4th Regional Committee Meeting in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, in late August, bringing together African energy ministers to discuss ways of bringing long-term solutions to energy shortages in Africa using solar energy resources.

Ethiopian State Minister of Energy Sultan Wali said there are 25 solar energy projects being undertaken by China Electric Power Equipment & Technology Co., Ltd. in different parts of Ethiopia with funding obtained from the World Bank.

According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Energy, Chinese companies have undertaken off-grid photovoltaic (PV) power station projects in the country's Somali and Gambella regional states, eventually helping thousands of people get access to electricity.

"The involvement of China in renewable energy development in Ethiopia is very large. Ethiopia is making use of Chinese technology and manpower to develop its renewable energy resources" Wali told Xinhua.

The 4th Regional Committee Meeting featured a discussion with the private sector focusing on manufacturing, electric mobility based on solar, mini-grids, solar pumps, and other productive use applications.

The meeting highlighted that with the right interventions, planned approach, and support of the leadership, Africa can move toward providing electricity to 600 million people while supporting economic growth, jobs, and a safe and healthy environment in the region. 
FOUR swimmers are hoping to achieve what has so far been impossible, as they attempt the gr
Thursdays speech by Watson Duke is undoubtedly the start of his campaign for the next Tobag
A police effort last weekend to target street racing across Tucson resulted in nearly 200 arrests, officials say.

In the operation, police identified two locations where big street racing gatherings called sideshows were going to happen: near South Alvernon Way and East Los Reales Road; and private property near South Kolb Road and East Century Park Drive.

At the end of the enforcement effort a total of 124 adults and 53 juveniles were arrested, nine vehicles were impounded, and five guns were recovered during sweeps on Friday and Saturday nights. Misdemeanor criminal summons for trespassing also were issued to several drivers and spectators, police said.

Police had been working to curb street racing since an Aug. 27 incident along South Kolb Road  between East 22nd Street and East Escalante Road  in which the department received 55 emergency calls reporting racing and gunfire. While police were able to stop some vehicles at that gathering, several people sped off.

Tucson police say they are working with the Pima County Sheriffs Department, the Arizona Department of Public Safety as well as property owners to continue developing enforcement efforts.

Anyone with information regarding the weekend street racing events are asked to call 88-CRIME and refer to case number P2208310150.
PHOENIX  A controversial Arizona law that would restrict taking video of police will not take effect, at least not this year.

Rep. John Kavanagh told Capitol Media Services on Wednesday that he has been unable to find an organization willing to go to federal court to defend his legislation. It would make it a crime to take video of police activity within 8 feet without permission.

Violators would be subject to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.

Attorney General Mark Brnovich, named as a defendant in the lawsuit, did not show up at a hearing last week.

So U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi issued a preliminary injunction to bar the law from taking effect as scheduled on Sept. 24. And he set a Friday deadline to see if legislative leaders are willing to take up the fight that Brnovich would not.

The Senate will not be pursuing an appeal, Senate President Karen Fann said Wednesday.

And House Speaker Rusty Bowers said he sees no reason to intercede.

There is a general feeling that the idea needs refining, he said. And I dont think I am going to push any defense from the House point of view.

So that leaves only Kavanagh, who crafted the measure and is a former police officer. And he said he approached various organizations that represent police officers, believing they would have an interest in having the law take effect.

No takers, Kavanagh said Wednesday of his effort.

They looked to see if they could get some other groups, he said, like those involved in legal matters. But nobody was buying.

Absent any effort to defend the law, that clears the way for Tuchi to permanently enjoin enforcement, effectively killing the measure.

What that leaves as an option for Kavanagh is re-crafting the measure when legislators convene in January. But he said the form that new version will take will depend on Tuchis final order  and what the judge says he finds legally unacceptable in HB 2319.

It remains unclear, however, how much discretion Kavanagh will have to find something that passes legal muster.

Tuchi, in issuing the preliminary injunction last week, said he believes that individuals have a First Amendment right to record police activity.

And he dismissed Kavanaghs claim, made during legislative debate, that HB 2319 is necessary to prevent interference with or distractions of law enforcement.

Arizona already has other laws on its books to prevent interference with police officers, the judge wrote. The court fails to see how the presence of a person recording a video near an officer interferes with the officers activities.

One option for Kavanagh could be changing the distance to allow people with cameras to get closer.

He originally had proposed a 15-foot buffer.

But I went to 8 feet because the U.S. Supreme Court said, with respect to First Amendment rights, keeping abortion protesters at 8 feet from clinic entrances was constitutional, Kavanagh said. So I thought that same distance would easily apply here.

He said, though, collapsing the ban to a lesser distance makes no sense.

From 2 feet, you cant even capture the whole scene, Kavanagh said.

What are you going have, a shot of the persons shoulder? he continued. What good is that?

But distance is not the only concern raised by Tuchi.

HB 2319 prohibits only video recording and does not address audio recordings or photographs taken from the same distance or device, the judge pointed out. Nor does it address persons who may be using their mobile phones for other purposes, such as texting.

What that shows, Tuchi said, is that the laws purpose is not to prevent interference with law enforcement, but to prevent recording.

Kavanagh said thats easy enough to fix.

If its only singling out people videotaping, then I could expand it, he said of the scope of the law, barring anyone from being in that 8-foot bubble.

That, however, may not resolve the legal issues that Tuchi has with the concept of keeping people away from police activity.

He said restrictions on First Amendment rights can exist only if they serve a compelling state interest, and only if they are narrowly drawn to achieve that end. And, he said, HB 2319 is neither.

Kavanagh said he doubts that the judge will conclude the law gives too much discretion to police on when and how to enforce it.

Theres just as much, if not more discretion on stop, question and frisk, he said. That allows a police officer to stop and question a person when the officer has reasonable suspicion someone committed, is committing, or has committed a crime. It also allows an officer who believes someone has a weapon to pat down an individual.

The legality of that process was upheld in 1968 by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The challenge to HB 2319 was filed by a coalition of media organizations as well as the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona.
Migrant deaths in Arizonas deserts have fallen sharply this year, even as the number of immigrants caught trying to cross the states border with Mexico has been soaring.

Records kept by the Pima County Medical Examiners Office show that there were 136 bodies recovered in the desert from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1 this year, compared to 163 in the same period in 2021.

Customs and Border Protection numbers are not yet available for August, but the agency reported that migrant apprehensions in its Tucson and Yuma sectors jumped 75% through the end of July, going from 193,774 in the first seven months of last year to 340,399 in the same period this year.

Dr. Gregory Hess, Pima County medical examiner, said it would not be surprising to see a surge in deaths later this year, noting that the number kind of just seesaws over time. But for now, deaths are down despite punishing heat and drought gripping the state. Hess said he cannot pin down an exact reason why deaths have dropped so far.

We had kind of a hot start to this year, and then we had a fairly active monsoon season, and now it got a little bit hot again, Hess said. We will see what happens for the rest of the year.

The medical examiners numbers are supported by data from Humane Borders, a migrant-focused nonprofit that has been recording migrant deaths in the Arizona desert since 1981. It reported 126 deaths through the end of July, compared to 151 for the same period last year, when a record 225 bodies were recovered for the full year.

Despite the decrease in reported deaths, immigration advocates argue any death is one too many.

Paige Corich-Kleim, a volunteer for No More Deaths, an Arizona-based immigration advocacy group, said that just because reported deaths have fallen, it doesnt mean immigrants arent suffering as they cross into the U.S.

Ultimately, its not on the individuals to try to stay safer, Corich-Kleim said. The government should stop having deadly policies, and that would keep people safe.

Corich-Kleim blamed U.S. policy that actively funnels people into harms way by forcing them to cross at the most inhospitable parts the border. That was echoed by Jason DeLeon, executive director of the Colibri Center for Human Rights, who pointed to the prevention through deterrence immigration policy of the last three decades.

We have a policy in place that we continue to use, and yet nobody wants to say it out loud, DeLeon said. Despite the fact that we rely on it so much and despite the fact that it has killed, and continues to kill, so many people.

He said prevention through deterrence was introduced by U.S. Border Patrol in 1994. DeLeon is also head curator of the Undocumented Migration Project, an anthropological analysis of border crossings in northern Mexico and southern Arizona, that said the policy was designed to discourage undocumented migrants from attempting to cross the U.S/Mexico border near urban ports of entry.

It has remained in place through Republican and Democratic administrations, he said, despite what he called Democratic lawmakers virtue-signaling when it comes to border policies.

On the Republican side, its always being tough on immigration as a way to pander to the right, DeLeon said. On the Democratic side there is always a lot of uproar about these perceived humanitarian crises.

You know, a bunch of migrants die in Texas in the back of a truck, and suddenly everybody is really concerned about border enforcement strategies, DeLeon said. Migrants die every single day, and they have been every single day for the last 20 years.

DeLeon maintains that the migrant deaths in the desert are not collateral damage but the result of the policy that he said needs to change. Deterrence is clearly not working, he said.

But he also said he had not seen any politicians propose policy that meaningfully speaks to a type of immigration reform that would stop migrant deaths in the desert along the US-Mexico border.
A Broken Arrow man was arrested on child pornography and other charges after hidden cameras were discovered in a cabin rented for his child and four minor friends at Keystone State Park campgrounds west of Sand Springs.

Oklahoma park rangers asked for assistance from Homeland Security Investigations special agents and task force officers on Aug. 14 after a Keystone State Park salesclerk received a report from a parent that their child had been video recorded by a hidden camera in one of the cabins that morning, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security.

Assistance from Homeland Security Investigations was also requested by the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office due to the agencys strength in investigating cases associated with child exploitation, according to an affidavit for Philip Sprengers arrest.

Sprengers daughter and four of her friends were celebrating her birthday when they found a hidden camera disguised as a USB wall charger in the bathroom, according to the affidavit. They searched the cabin and found more. They took them to a public place, where Sprenger met them, and they gave him the cameras, according to the affidavit.

The cameras still had the memory cards in them when Sprenger received them. When agents asked Sprenger about the cards in a later interview, he said he had burned them, according to the affidavit.

A father of one of the youths went to the park later and expressed concerns that he thought Sprenger might be the one who had placed the cameras, but that parent did not want to accuse him, according to the affidavit.

On Aug. 24, Homeland Security Investigations and task force officers with the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, along with Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department park rangers, served a search warrant at Sprengers residence.

Forensic examination revealed that Sprenger was in possession of infant/toddler child sex-abuse material and hidden camera footage containing nude images/videos of three minors from inside his residence. Sprenger also reportedly recorded himself soliciting a sexual act from a minor in his home, even offering to pay for the act.

Sprenger was arrested on federal charges of lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16; Peeping Tom  use of photographic, electronic or video equipment; possession of child pornography; manufacturing child pornography; and destruction of evidence, according to a news release.

Investigators have learned that Sprenger holds a ministers license, has been on missionary trips and performs handyman work for multiple community members, a news release states.

Investigators are asking anyone with more information regarding this case or additional witnesses or victims to contact the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office tip line at 918-596-8836 or at tips@tcso.org or the HSI tip line at 1-866-347-2423 or at ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.

Sprenger was released Tuesday from Tulsa County jail after posting a $250,000 bond, according to online records.

Video: Apple to scan iPhones for images of child sexual abuse
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  President Joe Biden made a quick jaunt to his home state on Tuesday evening to vote in Delawares primary, one of the last round of contests ahead of the November elections.

Biden is well known for taking any excuse to escape the White House for his family home, but most of his trips are during weekends. This time he and first lady Jill Biden were gone for only a few hours, which still required the usual assortment of security and motorcades, plus a flight on Air Force One.

The president didnt say why he declined to cast a mail ballot, which is allowed in Delaware, a voting strategy that Democrats have emphasized to increase turnout.

Biden voted at the Laird Performing Arts Center at the Tatnall School before making a quick stop at his house in Wilmington. During the last election, when he was the Democratic presidential candidate, he cast an early ballot at the Carvel State Office Building in October 2020.

Presidents often look for opportunities to return to their home states to vote in person. In October 2020, Donald Trump voted early at his West Palm Beach, Florida, precinct before a full day of campaigning in key swing states for his failed reelection bid. Barack Obama did the same in Illinois during the 2014 midterms as he campaigned for the states incumbent governor and Democratic senator.

Rhode Island and New Hampshire also are holding primary contests on Tuesday.

The sole competitive statewide contest in heavily Democratic Delaware is for state auditor, where incumbent Kathleen McGuiness is running for reelection despite being convicted of conflict of interest and other misdemeanor charges in July. Under Delaware law, McGuiness  who is awaiting sentencing  was allowed to stay on the ballot.

The conviction, stemming from the hiring of McGuinesss daughter in her office, made the auditor the first statewide elected official in Delawares history to be convicted of criminal charges while in office. She is being challenged by Lydia York, a lawyer who has the backing of the states Democratic Party and would be the first Black person in that role if elected.

This story has been corrected to show that McGuiness is the first statewide elected official in Delawares history to be convicted of criminal charges while in office, not first ever convicted.
Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2022 shows al-Jalama checkpoint near the West Bank city of Jenin. An Israeli army officer and two Palestinians were killed Wednesday in an exchange of fire at the Israeli army checkpoint, Israeli military and Palestinian medics confirmed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli army officer and two Palestinians were killed Wednesday in an exchange of fire at an Israeli army checkpoint, Israeli military and Palestinian medics confirmed.

An Israeli army spokesman said in a statement that their troops noticed two Palestinians holding arms approaching the checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

When the soldiers tried to arrest them, the Palestinians opened fire, killing the officer, and were then shot dead, the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry said that two Palestinian men with unknown identities were killed by Israeli soldiers.

Local sources in Jenin said the Israeli army held the bodies of the two men and one of them was a member of the Palestinian security apparatuses.

The violence was the latest in a string of clashes between Israel and Palestine.

Israeli forces have carried out frequent nightly arrest raids in the West Bank since March, triggering clashes with Palestinians, in which dozens of Palestinians were killed or injured. 

Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2022 shows al-Jalama checkpoint near the West Bank city of Jenin. An Israeli army officer and two Palestinians were killed Wednesday in an exchange of fire at the Israeli army checkpoint, Israeli military and Palestinian medics confirmed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2022 shows al-Jalama checkpoint near the West Bank city of Jenin. An Israeli army officer and two Palestinians were killed Wednesday in an exchange of fire at the Israeli army checkpoint, Israeli military and Palestinian medics confirmed. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Mourners and soldiers attend the funeral of killed Israeli Major Bar Falah in Netanya, Israel, on Sept. 14, 2022. The Israeli army officer and two Palestinians were killed Wednesday in an exchange of fire at an Israeli army checkpoint, Israeli military and Palestinian medics confirmed. (Nimrod Glikman/JINI via Xinhua)

Mourners and soldiers attend the funeral of killed Israeli Major Bar Falah in Netanya, Israel, on Sept. 14, 2022. The Israeli army officer and two Palestinians were killed Wednesday in an exchange of fire at an Israeli army checkpoint, Israeli military and Palestinian medics confirmed. (Nimrod Glikman/JINI via Xinhua)
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  Retired Army Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc won New Hampshires Senate Republican primary on Wednesday and will face potentially vulnerable Democratic incumbent Maggie Hassan in November  setting up another test of whether a fierce conservative can appeal to more moderate general election voters.

Bolduc wasnt formally endorsed by former President Donald Trump but has said he believes Trump won the 2020 election and has espoused conspiracy theories about vaccines. The former president called him a strong guy, tough guy.

Two other pro-Trump candidates won their U.S. House primaries in New Hampshire  Karoline Leavitt in the 1st Congressional District and Bob Burns in the 2nd Congressional District  leaving some in the party questioning whether they will be able to broaden their appeal beyond the GOP base in November.

Nice! The Trumpiest people ALL won in New Hampshire last night. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.

Primaries in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware on Tuesday capped the nations primary season just eight weeks before Election Day, when majorities in both chambers of Congress, key governorships and scores of important state offices will be up for grabs.

Dozens of candidates around the country who were openly championed by Trump  or at least hewed closely to his brand  helped extend his hold on the national GOP. They notched primary wins up and down the ballot from Maryland to Arizona, Florida to Michigan. Some defeated Republican incumbents who had been open Trump antagonists.

The former president and the larger movement of Trumpism, which President Joe Biden and other top Democrats have decried as presenting a major threat to American democracy, didnt win every major race of the primary cycle. But those candidates who used the former presidents support to win GOP nominations now will likely have to prove they can appeal to a broader swath of the electorate in general elections, where larger numbers of voters tend to be more moderate than those who turn out for primaries.

The results of Tuesday's primaries mean the general election for Senate in New Hampshire should provide another such test. Biden carried the state by more than 7 percentage points. Republican primary voters also picked conservative candidates this year in moderate or Democratic-leaning states including Massachusetts, potentially putting competitive races out of the partys reach.

Bolduc's victory likely reignites disappointment among some in the national party that Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, a relatively popular moderate who might have posed more of a threat to Hassan, chose instead to run for reelection. In his primary, Bolduc defeated New Hampshire state Senate President Chuck Morse, a mainstream Republican endorsed by Sununu, who called Morse the candidate to beat Sen. Hassan this November and the candidate Sen. Hassan is most afraid to face.

By contrast, Sununu called Bolduc a conspiracy theorist and suggested he would have a tougher time in the general election. Bolduc wasnt bothered by Sununus criticism, calling the governor a Chinese communist sympathizer.

Some Democratic groups, meanwhile, sponsored primary ads promoting Bolduc, predicting hed make an easier opponent for Hassan. Thats consistent with Democratic-aligned organizations backing pro-Trump candidates in key races around the country  a strategy some have criticized, arguing that it could backfire if those candidates go on to win their general elections.

Our campaign overcame the odds and millions of dollars in spending from outside special interest groups because we built a true bottom-up grassroots campaign, Bolduc tweeted in the wee hours of Wednesday. Throughout the primary, I have felt the concerns of the voters, and heard time and again we need to send an outsider to Washington.

New Hampshire, known for kicking off the primary season during presidential campaigns, instead concluded the nominating process for this year's midterms. The races were less high profile in Rhode Island and Delaware, where Biden traveled late Tuesday to cast his ballot.

The Supreme Court's decision overturning a constitutional right to an abortion may provide Democrats with the energy they need to turn back the defeats that historically accompany a new president's first midterms.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged the challenge last month, saying his party may be more likely to end Democrats' narrow control of the House than the Senate. He bemoaned candidate quality as a factor that could sway some outcomes in his chamber.

Many of the same dynamics swirling around the former president were also at work Tuesday in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District, where Leavitt, who worked in the Trump White Houses press office, topped some more experienced Republicans with ties to the former president. She'll square off against Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in another November contest that could be close.

Leavitt, who just turned 25 and could be among the first members of Gen Z in Congress, said she was sending a strong and clear message to the Washington, D.C., establishment, and our Democratic opponent that our votes cannot be bought, our conservative voices can not be silenced. She also laced into Pappas, saying he "has campaigned his entire political career as a moderate, bipartisan voice for our district. But he has voted as a far left socialist Democrat.

Pappas also wasted little time going on the offensive against Leavitt, saying, I will fight with everything Ive got to stop extreme politicians like Karoline from hijacking our democracy."

In New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District, the pro-Trump Burns won the Republican nomination to face five-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster in a general election race the GOP sees as potentially very competitive.

Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Kathy McCormack in Concord, N.H., contributed to this report.
People convicted in Cherokee Nation District Court could soon find themselves serving their sentences in a facility near Waco, Texas.

The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council approved a resolution Monday on a 15-1 vote that endorses an agreement with the Limestone County, Texas, government and a detention facility operator to hold those convicted in tribal court.

Cherokee Nation Attorney General Sara Hill told the Cherokee Nation Rules Committee earlier Monday that this is the best deal that she could find to house those convicted in the tribes district court.

The problem that weve been dealing with is detention, Hill said. Weve noticed, especially in recent weeks, particularly since the decision in Castro-Huerta, that many of the beds we had been relying on in the county jails, fewer and fewer are available for tribal use, Hill said, referencing the U.S. Supreme Court decision that gave the state of Oklahoma concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute non-American Indians who victimize American Indians on tribal land.

Those convicted in tribal court and currently serving sentences are doing so in county jails located within the reservation, Hill said.

Under the agreement, she said, the Cherokee Nation will prioritize those serving sentences of six months or longer to serve the bulk of their terms at the Limestone County Detention Center in Groesbeck, Texas, about 40 miles east of Waco.

The Cherokee Nation currently has about 72 people who would qualify to serve their sentences at the Texas facility, Hill said in an interview Tuesday.

This is not our long-term solution, Hill said, adding that Cherokee Nation officials would like to establish a detention facility somewhere within the tribes reservation.

The Texas facility, with a capacity of of 1,006 people, is operated by LaSalle Corrections LLC, a private company that operates correctional facilities in Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana and New Mexico as well as Texas, according to its company website.

The agreement calls for the Cherokee Nation to pay $97.50 per day for each of 150 inmate beds, or a guaranteed $5.3 million per year, Hill said.

The two-year agreement includes three two-year options to renew the deal.

Hill said those facing trial who have not been released on bond will continue to be held in local county jails under existing contracts.

Tribal members convicted in Cherokee Nation District Court will be transported to the Limestone County Detention Center on buses provided by LaSalle Corrections that will depart weekly, Hill said.

Those convicted in tribal court will be housed together and separate from the rest of the jails population, Hill said. Those serving their sentences there will be brought back to Oklahoma prior to their release, she said.

The $97.50 daily charge includes acute medical care and transportation costs, Hill said, but the tribe will be required to pay for any hospitalization costs.

Hill said those who serve their sentences at the Texas facility will have access to web video services to contact family members and access to an attorney in the case of an appeal.

Hill said she and the Cherokee Nation marshal explored other options before deciding to go with the Limestone County facility.

The Cherokee Nations problem is not unique, she said.

I do know all the tribes are having problems with detention, Hill said.

While other facilities in the state may charge less, Hill said they typically dont cover medical care and transportation costs or have the number of available beds the nation needs.

While Oklahoma Department of Corrections officials were cordial, she said, DOC had no appetite to work a deal to house tribally convicted inmates.

Under federal law, people convicted in tribal court can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison. However, in cases where someone is convicted of multiple crimes, tribal prosecutors can seek sentences of up to nine years by asking a judge to make the sentences run consecutively rather than at the same time.

Since the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled in March 2021 that the Cherokee Nation reservation had never been disestablished, tribal prosecutors have filed more than 5,500 criminal cases, according to Cherokee Nation officials.

Federal and tribal courts began prosecuting cases involving tribal citizens after the U.S. Supreme Courts found in its 2020 landmark McGirt decision that Congress had never disestablished the Muscogee Nation reservation boundaries and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals expanded that rationalle to four other nations reservations  those of the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Quapaw and Seminole nations.

In June, the Supreme Court limited its McGirt ruling, saying the state of Oklahoma shares jurisdiction with federal prosecutors when a nontribal member victimizes a tribal member in Indian Country.
Women who fight back against domestic abusers often find themselves the subject of criminal prosecution, and those prosecutions are a major reason Oklahoma still ranks second for female incarceration, a state House of Representatives panel was told Tuesday.

This is Oklahoma. Its very frustrating that women cannot defend themselves when we are looking at a situation where we are trying to save our lives and save the lives of our children, said Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, who requested the interim study on the criminalized domestic violence survivors.

Witnesses, including domestic abuse survivors, advocates and prosecutors acknowledged that the states domestic abuse rates are high and getting higher and that the use of survival strategies in many cases lands targets of that abuse in prison.

Deterring abuse before it turns deadly, though, is difficult, in large part because victims are afraid to file charges.

In my past, I had an abusive relationship, and I never filed (for a protective order) because the police arent there. Im dead before they show up, said state Rep. Carol Bush, R-Tulsa.

There is that thought process: Well, wait a minute. Ill take my chances because  and the cops told me, they said, Youve got to file it. Well, you dont live with me 24/7. Whos to say hes not coming back in and abusing me?

Among the cases highlighted was that of Tulsan April Rose Wilkens, who remains in prison for the 1998 killing of her former fiance. According to attorneys Collen McCarty and Leslie Briggs, Wilkens shot Terry Carlton after he raped and handcuffed her and said he was going to kill her. This, they said, followed years of abuse, including several rapes and at least a dozen stalking complaints.

The attorneys said Wilkens did not fit the profile of a battered woman in that she did not come across as meek.

A Tulsa County jury convicted Wilkens in 1999 of first-degree murder and sentenced her to life with the possibility of parole, rejecting her battered woman defense.

Others testifying Tuesday included Okmulgee attorney Brenda Golden, who contrasted her life with that of Mary Fish. Both are Muscogee women who grew up in rural Oklahoma not far from each other.

Fish has spent most of the last 40 years in prison, in large part because of the 1982 stabbing of a man Golden said tried to rape Fish. Golden said she also stabbed a man, her abusive ex-husband, who had gotten into a fight with a family member who was trying to protect Golden.

The difference between Mary and me is that I got a break. My ex didnt file a report. And now Im a lawyer and shes incarcerated.
Oklahoma will offer start-up grants to ease a shortage of child care across nearly half the state, officials said Tuesday.

The Department of Human Services will provide up to $10,000 per child for new day care centers that open in what the state considers child care deserts, officials said. That includes Tulsa and 33 other counties, with more than half the states population living in areas where there arent enough licensed child-care providers to meet the needs of working families, according to DHS.

Some areas have faced a chronic shortage of child care, but the problem grew worse after facilities closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Jackie Evans, who owns Aunt Jackies Childcare Home in Tulsa.

A lot of places never reopened, said Evans. Weve never recouped from the pandemic, and now there are lot more children who need child care than there are places for them.

As a licensed child care provider for 42 years, Evans wont be eligible for a start-up grant, but she will welcome new facilities in her neighborhood, where she has a long waiting list for children to enroll at her day care.

The community needs it, she said.

Grant recipients will participate in the states Human Services Quality Rating Improvement System to create enriching, quality early childhood learning environments, officials said.

We are providing funding and startup capital for people to go into a child care desert and open up a new business by becoming a child care provider, said Brittany Lee, director of Child Care Services. Not only will this bring new jobs into communities across Oklahoma, but it will also enable parents and guardians to rejoin the workforce with the peace of mind that their child is in a safe and enriching environment.

Applications will be available at okchildcaregrants.com until funds are depleted or until July 31, officials said. An initial $5,000 per child will be paid upon approval of the grant, with the remaining $5,000 per child distributed after 12 months, officials said.

Child care deserts The Oklahoma Department of Human Services classifies these area counties among child care deserts: Adair, Creek, Delaware, LeFlore, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Rogers, Tulsa, Wagoner

Featured video: Back to work and lack of child care
When an Oklahoma statute is so vague that it looks like a different law from courtroom-to-courtroom, its a bad law.

Thats how the legal process for eviction is described in a recent report from the Oklahoma Access to Justice. Tenant rights are interpreted so widely among judges that it has created inequities based on geography.

Glaring divides are among rural and urban courtrooms and among those who cannot afford representation.

Disparities include how some judges give 48 hours to leave while others offer up to two weeks; no sound reasoning is given for the difference. Outcomes vary between the landlord bringing one or two evictions a year and the corporate landlords filing hundreds with the backing of a litigation department.

Mediation and tenant legal representation are rare. Tenants representing themselves are typically at a disadvantage.

Consistency of due process and justice is not apparent in Oklahomas housing courts, the report states.

Evictions are guided by the Landlord Tenant Act, but it literally feels like you can see like a different law, one county to the next, based on just where you are, Katie Dilks, executive director of the Access to Justice Foundation, told reporter Michael Overall.

The law received some updates in the past session that require landlords make prompt repairs that are vital to health and safety. It was the first time since the 1970s that portion of the law was updated.

Legislators dont like to tinker with that law. Part of the pushback comes from lawmakers who are landlords and fear a loss of power.

We urge these lawmakers to consider this from another perspective. It is in everyones best interest to keep people in homes when possible and to get rid of predatory landlords. Consistent housing strengthens communities.

This does not mean renters get free housing. It means identifying problems that lead to substandard housing, homelessness and uneven evictions.

Evictions should be a last resort.

Most landlords in Oklahoma are good, contentious business people. But, lawmakers have a responsibility to ensure all Oklahomans are treated fairly. The report lays out the survey data, collection details and some heartbreaking anecdotes.

An elderly couple had current and back-due rent ready to pay, but the judge ordered they vacate because the landlord filed the proper 30-day notice on a month-to-month lease. When asked for more time due to a disability that required oxygen tanks, the judge gave 48 hours.

A woman showed a judge a text message notifying her landlord of necessary mold removal and air conditioning repairs. The judge refused to accept a text message as sufficient legal documentation.

A woman holding a stack of papers of various communication with her landlord was ignored by the judge, who only asked if she had a lease and was late on rent.

The report offers commonsense recommendations such as enhanced filing requirements, judicial training and mediation. A recent legislative interim study will also offer suggestions. Oklahoma must do better with housing, and this is a start.
Eight cheetahs will be sent to India where they will be personally welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday, officials said Tuesday, in an ambitious project to reintroduce the speedy big cats to the country.

India in the past was home to Asiatic cheetahs but the species was declared extinct domestically by 1952. A prince is believed to have killed the last three specimens.

However, New Delhi has since 2020 been working to reintroduce the animals after the Supreme Court announced that African cheetahs, a different subspecies, could be settled in a "carefully chosen location" on an experimental basis.

The five males and three females will arrive from Namibia on Saturday and will initially be kept in a quarantine enclosure at the Kuno National Park in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

India is also planning to ship in more cheetahs from South Africa at a later date.

"The prime minister himself will be releasing the animals into the quarantine enclosures," an environment ministry official told AFP.

The cats will then be moved to larger spaces and once they acclimatise will be released into open forest in the park.

Local media reports said the cheetahs will touch down in the western city of Jaipur after a 10-hour journey and will then travel by helicopter to the Kuno park.

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the project was part of global efforts to conserve the animal.

Modi's presence for the launch "will give enthusiasm and energy to all of us", he added.

Leopard conflict

The Kuno park was selected as a home because of its abundant prey and grasslands.

But critics have warned that the cheetahs may struggle to adapt to the habitat and may clash with the significant number of leopards already present.

Adrian Tordiffe, a veterinary wildlife professor at the University of Pretoria who is involved in the project, said South Africa had pressed India to use additional parks to help separate the two species.

"I don't think it's going to be a big problem for the adults... they are very familiar with coexisting with other predators," Tordiffe told AFP.

"But we might have a situation where we have a problem with cubs' survival."

Cheetahs became extinct in India primarily because of habitat loss and hunting for their distinctive spotted pelts.

An Indian prince, the Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo, is widely believed to have killed the last three recorded cheetahs in India in the late 1940s.

The incoming animals have been prepped for the journey with health check-ups, vaccinations and radio collaring, the Indian Express newspaper reported.

Considered vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, there are fewer than 7,000 cheetahs left around the world -- primarily in the African savannas.
Read what is in the news today:

Society

-- Police in northern Quang Ninh Province announced on Tuesday night the arrest of three men and one woman for stealing nearly 3,000 meters of electric cables from the Van Don - Mong Cai Expressway after the route was opened to traffic on September 1.

-- The Ministry of Finance has agreed with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs proposal to let workers enjoy a break of nine days for the coming Lunar New Year holiday.

-- The situation of vendors selling street food and tourists filming and photographing near rails, violating railway traffic safety, has recurred in some districts in Hanoi with railways passing through in recent days, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

-- High tide occurred on Tran Xuan Soan Street in District 7 and Rach Cung and Dinh An Tai Streets in District 8, Ho Chi Minh City late on Tuesday afternoon, hampering the daily activities and travel of people.

Health

-- Ho Chi Minh City is running out of measles and DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) vaccines -- which are included in the free-of-charge expanded program on immunization for children, the municipal health department reported to the Peoples Committee and the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.

-- The Ministry of Health reported 3,301 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, raising the national tally to 11,444,927.

Lifestyle

-- Drama thriller The Brilliant Darkness! won the Best Feature Film at the 2022 Golden Kite Awards, Vietnams version of the Oscars, at a ceremony held in south-central Khanh Hoa Province on Tuesday night.

World news

-- Some U.S. railroads will start halting crop shipments on Thursday, a day ahead of a potential work stoppage, threatening exports and feed deliveries for livestock, Reuters quoted an agricultural association and sources at two grain cooperatives as saying on Tuesday.

-- Higher temperatures and rainfall that weaken ice walls caused part of a hanging glacier to break off at a national park in Chiles Patagonia region in an event captured on video by tourists, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

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Police in the northern Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh announced the arrest of three men and one woman on Tuesday night for stealing electric cables from the Van Don - Mong Cai Expressway.

Vu Van Quan, 34, Tang Quay On, 33, Nguyen Van Thach, 31, and Mai Thi Hue, 38, were arrested for the theft.

The investigation into the case showed that the most recent theft was carried out by Quan and On on the night of September 1, when they broke into the construction site of Cai Bau Bridge in Van Don District, which is part of the Van Don - Mong Cai Expressway, to steal electric cables.

The two men pulled the electric coils to a mangrove area next to the construction site, operated by Huy Hoang Company, then used foam boards to transport them to the other end of the bridge in order to transfer them to a buyer.

Quan and On had offered the electric cables for sale to Thach, who runs a scrap collection warehouse, in advance and had the latter let them borrow a vehicle to facilitate the transportation.

Thach paid Quan and On about VND25 million (US$1,060) for 350kg of stolen electric cables, and resold the amount to Hue for VND33 million ($1,400) on September 2.

During the investigation, police officers in Quang Ninh also conducted an urgent inspection at Thachs warehouse.

The group admitted to sneaking into several construction sites of the Van Don - Mong Cai Expressway to steal materials and scrap for sale since July.

Besides Huy Hoang Company, An Phu Company, the contractor of electric cable installation on another section of the route, said it recorded similar thefts between March and August 20.

Local media started reporting on the thefts with 3,000 meters of missing cables last week, shortly after the expressway was opened to traffic on September 1.

The probe into the case is ongoing.

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More than 90 karaoke parlors in Ho Chi Minh City were fined for various violations, including those related to fire safety, as police have been carrying out a campaign to inspect these venues since mid-August.

The Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue Police Division under the municipal Department of Public Security is carrying out a drive to examine all karaoke parlors, bars, and discos in the city from August 17 to September 15.

Ninety-one out of 414 karaoke parlors in the metropolis were fined a combined VND247 million (US$10,400) for multiple violations so far, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Luong Nguyen Hoang, deputy head of the firefighting police unit, said earlier this week.

Most of the violations were related to the installation of billboards, emergency exits, and fire safety equipment.

Officers also suspended two facilities as their fire prevention and control systems were not approved.

"At many karaoke shops, the billboards cover the front and balconies of the facilities, thus limiting their emergency exits and blocking the way of firefighters in case of a blaze, Hoang elaborated.

An official inspects the fire alarm system of a karaoke parlor in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre

On Sunday, a delegation in District 10 inspected Ban karaoke parlor on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street and ICOOL karaoke shop on Thanh Thai Street and detected several violations related to the use of rooftops and the installation of billboards.

A lot of karaoke bars invest in eye-catching billboards decorated with colorful lights and combustible materials, according to Le Minh Duc, head of the firefighting police unit in District 10.

These billboards pose a high risk of electrical problems that can lead to a fire, Duc explained.

On September 7, officers examined Thanh Ruby karaoke parlor in Go Vap District and discovered that the venue had no balcony or emergency exits.

The staircase of the facility was too small, and the fire alarms on the fourth and fifth floors did not work.

Fire safety at karaoke parlors has become a major concern to residents and authorities, especially after the deadly blaze that killed 32 people at a venue in southern Binh Duong Province last week.

On Sunday, a flame broke out at another karaoke shop in neighboring Dong Nai Province but all customers and employees managed to escape with no harm.

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BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The three Shenzhou-14 taikonauts have completed their first 100 days in orbit as they prepare for their second spacewalk outside China's planned space station.

To mark the first 100 days of what will be a six-month mission, the China Manned Space Agency shared several photos on social media platforms this week. It showed the trio testing spacesuits, playing with food, and doing physical exercises in the challenging microgravity conditions on board the core module Tianhe and lab module Wentian.

Two taikonauts, Chen Dong and Liu Yang, emerged from the space station on Sept. 2 to perform tasks. The third taikonaut, Cai Xuzhe, provided support inside the cabin. They completed tasks such as installing additional pumps and lifting a panoramic camera on the lab module.

They also became the first Chinese people to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in space, a traditional event symbolizing family reunions.

All is going well for the crew, who have been preparing for their next spacewalk, said the Chinese space agency on the microblogging site Sina Weibo.

The Shenzhou-14 crew has been in space since June 5. During the second half of their six-month stay in orbit, they will oversee the arrival of the other lab module Mengtian and be involved in the first Chinese space station crew handover when the Shenzhou-15 crew arrives. 
The Poison Control Center under Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital, a leader in treatment for poisoning in Vietnam, is lacking many antidotes, a worrying situation that poses danger to patients.

All the antidotes in shortage are scarce, including serum against the venom of Malayan krait (bungarus candidus) snakes, and specific drugs for patients poisoned with arsenic, mercury, or toxic bacteria Clostridium botulinum, among others, Dr. Dao Xuan Co, director of the hospital, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday.

In the face of the dearth of specific antidotes, the hospital has to use alternatives that require longer treatment periods while bringing low efficacy and causing side effects, Dr. Co said.

The hospital proposed that the Ministry of Health should establish reserve storage of rare antidotes to save the lives of patients, the director added.

Such storage can be in place in one of the hospitals where poison control units are set up, and drugs from the storage will be delivered to anywhere nationwide when needed, Dr. Co recommended.

Dao Hong Lan, acting Minister of Health, said she directed the Drug Administration of Vietnam to take solutions to ensure it fully provides antidotes for Bach Mai soon.

Shortages of antidotes pose a risk to patients and are not a new problem in the country.

Four months ago, a four-year-old Vietnamese girl in Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam passed away a week after she was bitten by a venomous Malayan krait snake, but no venom antiserum against the species was available to save her.

We contacted Childrens Hospital 1 and Childrens Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City for transferring the girl to either of them, but they said that they had no specific venom antiserum for the snake species, Dr. Phan Van Minh, director of the Phu Yen Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, said after the girls hospitalization on May 16.

Last year, some people died and many others suffered from motor paralysis and speech impairment after consuming domestically-produced pate products, which were found to contain clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that produces dangerous toxins under low-oxygen conditions.

Vietnam had no specific antidote for clostridium botulinum at the time of poisoning, and when the World Health Organization could arrange to deliver antidotes to Vietnam later, many poisoned patients had already entered the late stages of the disease, when the efficacy of antidotes is very low.

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The situation of vendors selling street food and tourists filming and photographing near rails, violating railway traffic safety, has recurred in some districts in Hanoi with railways passing through in recent days, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The Hanoi Railway under the Vietnam Railways Corporation asked for assistance from the Peoples Committees of Ba Dinh and Hoan Kiem Districts and related wards, where the encroachment has repeated, to handle the issue thoroughly.

Vendors started selling beverages along the corridor of the Hanoi - Dong Dang railway route, which snakes through several crowded neighborhoods across the two mentioned districts, around the beginning of 2018, according to the Hanoi Railway.

The operation of the coffee shops just inches from the active railway attracted foreign tourists and local people to this area to take photos and videos, especially when a train passed by.

The authorities implemented many drastic measures, including coercive clearance and making records of administrative violations, and the situation basically ceased in October 2019.

However, the Hanoi Railway saw the cafes resume operation along the railway routes sections in Hang Bong, Cua Nam, and Dien Bien Phu Wards, though without encroaching upon the safety corridor, during an inspection on August 3, until the recent four-day break to celebrate Vietnams National Day (September 2).

The railway safety corridor violations in those areas have since recurred, with visitors gathering and photographing near the tracks again.

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Entries have opened for the annual AACTA Reg Grundy Award -a rare contest seeking TV format ideas with a prize worth $50,000 -the largest of its kind in the world.

Now in its third year, the AACTA Reg Grundy Award is open to any Australian with an original idea for the nations next favourite unscripted television show.

Reg Grundy pioneered the international trade of television formats, allowing Australian unscripted television shows to be adapted and enjoyed around the world.

It comes with a prize comprised of $20,000 in cash and $30,000 in development funding.

Previous recipients include Jason Chong, who took out last years top prize for his winning concept Stealing Second, and inaugural recipient Geraldine Coy and Bryan Cockerill for Seven Pups. Stealing Second went on to be considered by the development department at Banijay and the pilot and sizzle reel, funded by the Reg Grundy Award, is ready for domestic commissioners.

Being awarded the 2021 Reg Grundy Award has been incredibly positive for my career. AACTA and the Reg Grundy judges have been extraordinarily supportive and encouraging in supporting my original idea and helping it develop into a rock-solid format before hitting the market. The generosity they have afforded me  with their time, advice, and industry contacts  have shown a genuine interest in helping me and Stealing Second succeed, said Jason Chong, 2021 AACTA Reg Grundy Award Recipient.

The Reg Grundy Award is a development initiative that embodies Australias give-it-a-go attitude, and we encourage everyone toying with an idea for a show to enter. The appetite for shows that fit within the unscripted genre is only growing, and we think one of the best ways to find a fresh concept is by asking the Aussie audience what they want to see, said Ivan Vukusic, AACTAs Awards and Industry Development Manager.

In partnership with Reg Grundys wife, Chairman of RG Capital, author and businesswoman Mrs Joy Chambers Grundy, the Reg Grundy award asks Australians from all walks of life and across all experience levels to pitch an idea that is original, viable and possesses a shimmer of Grundy magic.

The recipient of the Reg Grundy Award is determined by a judging panel made of up industry experts. Debbie Cuell, Head of the newly formed Sparkle Pictures, and previously Head of Entertainment at the ABC and an AACTA Award winning executive at Endemol Shine Australia (Old Peoples Home For 4 Year Old), and Steve Oemcke, co-founder of WTFN, one of Australias most successful, innovative and prolific content businesses (Postcards, Bondi Vet) join returning judges Sharon Wheeler (Award-winning Senior Entertainment Executive), Marion Farrelly (Speaker, Consultant, Creative Strategist), and Ian Hogg (Media CEO, Advisor, Australian Idol, Australias Got Talent, Family Feud).

I had the great pleasure of working for Grundy in the early 2000s  when I hosted iconic game show Wheel of Fortune. I learnt a lot about Reg Grundy and his genius with formats, which helped ignite my creative passion, said 2022 AACTA Reg Grundy Award Judge, Steve Oemcke. Im really excited to join this group of highly regarded industry experts, to help mentor the next generation of format creators. As the content world explodes across countless new global platforms  theres never been a better time to be in the ideas business.

Round 1 entries call for your shows title, a logline (1  2 sentence description), and a synopsis thats up to 1 page long by 5pm AEST Friday 14 October 2022.
Nine staged its first in-person Upfront in 3 years at Luna Park, followed by a party at the House of Nine, at The Rocks.

It was a big crowd of clients and media attending the lavish event by Nine in which CEO Mike Sneesby unveiled the theme, Australia Belongs Here across all of Nines Television, Radio, Publishing and Digital assets.

The event began with an acknowledgement of country and concluded with Great Southern Land fabulously performed by MItch Tambo and Reigan Derry.

Head of Content Production & Development Adrian Swift announced new and returning shows (which you can read here) and staged a Live cross to Sophie Monk in Spain, filming Love Island.

Andy Lee and Brooke Boney introduced several sections with Lee joking that he was ready to succeed Tracy Grimshaw on A Current Affair -it didnt get too many laughs from the crowd. Roz Kelly presented Sport, Nick McKenzie & Sarah Abo spoke to Nine News with a Live cross to Amelia Adams outside Buckingham Palace.

Performers at the Nine after-party were Peking Duk, with DJs Lauren Mac, Tigerlily. Inside were three floors of activations to highlight Lego Masters, Parental Guidance, Snackmasters, a ping pong tournament, dance floor, and even an outdoor ferris wheel.
(Bloomberg) -- Checkout.com is eliminating 5% of its staff, the latest in a series of job cuts thats swept technology companies this year as investors pull back on funding.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The company confirmed that it was reducing its workforce by about 100 people in a statement in response to Bloomberg questions on Tuesday.

This decision did not come lightly, but will allow us to focus on the strategic priorities against our mission, a company spokesperson said in the statement.

A wave of layoffs is hitting technology startups that rely on funding from increasingly cautious investors. Publicly announced job cuts jumped to 37,000 in the second quarter from under 3,000 a year ago, according to Layoffs.fyi, which collects data on jobs in the tech industry. Buy-now-pay-later giant Klarna Bank AB said in May it would trim about 10% of its workforce and in July announced a down round that cut its valuation to $6.7 billion from $45.6 billion.

Read More: Startups That Grew Fast Learn Shrinking Can Be Just as Tough

Checkout.com separately fired several employees earlier this year due to harassment complaints that arose from an off-site trip to Cyprus, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.

Checkout.com was last valued at $40 billion in January after raising $1 billion from investors including Tiger Global Management and the Qatar Investment Authority. At the start of the year, the company said it employed more than 1,700 people in 19 countries.

It processes payments for companies such as Pizza Hut Inc. and Farfetch Ltd., according to its website. In recent years it also made a significant push into working with cryptocurrency companies such as Coinbase Global Inc. and Binance.

Story continues

Read More: Checkout.com Fires Staff Over Harassment Claims From Cyprus Trip

Fintech and cryptocurrency transactions accounted for more than half of the companys payments volume, its chief financial officer told the Wall Street Journal in January. Many crypto trading platforms have seen transactions drop amid a broader downturn in valuations for the digital currencies.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
France has said it will ask the UN Security Council to debate the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan after fresh border clashes between the historic rivals left dozens dead.

"France will take the situation before the Security Council of the United Nations, of which it currently holds the presidency," President Emmanuel Macron's office said following a call between Macron and his Armenian counterpart Nikol Pashinyan.

Macron called for both a ceasefire and "strict respect" for Armenia's territorial integrity, the presidency said.

Macron was available for talks with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, as well as any discussions about resolving issues between both sides "by negotiation only", it added.

Russia steps in

Armenia said Tuesday that nearly 50 of its soldiers had been killed in the worst clashes with Azerbaijan since their war two years ago, but Russia said it had convinced the historic rivals to agree to a rapid ceasefire.

After several hours of fierce border fighting overnight, Armenia appealed to world leaders for help, saying Azerbaijani forces were trying to advance on its territory.

The fighting was the worst since the end of a 2020 war between the ex-Soviet republics over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region that left more than 6,500 killed on both sides.

It came with Yerevan's closest ally Moscow, which deployed thousands of peacekeepers in the region after the war, distracted by its six-month invasion of Ukraine.

Russia said it had succeeded in bringing the clashes to a halt, with the foreign ministry in Moscow saying a ceasefire had been agreed from 9:00 am Moscow time.

Armenia's defence ministry said later that clashes had subsided but that the situation on the border "remains extremely tense".

The ministry said the clashes started early Tuesday, with Armenian territory coming under fire from artillery, mortars and drones in the direction of the cities of Goris, Sotk, and Jermuk.

Story continues

'Limited and targeted steps'

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan said it had also suffered casualties but did not specify the number killed.

Azerbaijan accused Armenia of "large-scale subversive acts" near the districts of Dashkesan, Kelbajar and Lachin and said its armed forces were responding with "limited and targeted steps, neutralising Armenian firing positions".

Baku's long-standing political and military sponsor Turkey blamed Armenia and urged Yerevan instead to "focus on peace negotiations".

Gas complications

France's position on the conflict is complicated as it is home to a large Armenian diaspora.

Paris is also part of a wider accord between the EU and Azerbaijan, signed on 19 July, for closer energy cooperation aimed at "doubling the capacity" of the Southern Gas Corridor that starts in Azerbaijan, then snakes through Georgia and Turkey  but avoiding Armenia  into Greece and the rest of the EU.

The deal provides for the delivery of "at least 20 billion cubic metres to the EU annually by 2027".

Sixty French lawmakers wrote an open letter in daily newspaper Le Monde, arguing that the deal would provide gas revenues for Azerbaijan which, they say, is "desperately seeking to finance arms being used to exterminate Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and in the Republic of Armenia."

(with wires)
RAMALLAH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has received a donation of 1 million U.S. dollars from China to support education in the West Bank, the agency announced on Tuesday.

China donated 1 million U.S. dollars to provide Palestine refugee school children with access to quality, equitable and inclusive basic education through the UNRWA's education program, UNRWA said in a statement.

"The generous donation from China will be used by UNRWA to educate about 9,200 students in 19 schools in the West Bank for two months this year," the statement added.

UNRWA expressed its deep appreciation to the Chinese government for its continuous support and dedication to safeguarding the rights of Palestine refugees, it said.

"We greatly appreciate our strong partnership with China, which continues to grow and expand," said Karim Aamer, a UNRWA official.

According to the UNRWA statement, "China is a valuable partner and long-term donor to the agency."

"Thanks to the constant support of donors such as the Chinese government, the agency has been able to provide vital services to Palestine refugees throughout the Middle East in the face of its ongoing challenges," the statement noted.

In 1949, UNRWA was established under the decision of the UN General Assembly and was mandated to provide assistance and protection to Palestine refugees registered with it in the agency's fields of operations. 
Was an asteroid really responsible for the death of the dinosaurs? (Getty)

Around 66 million years ago, a giant asteroid smashed into our planet, unleashing a terrible firestorm that blotted out the sun and killed the dinosaurs.

Or did it? A new study has thrown doubt on the theory that the dinosaurs were wiped out solely by a mountain-sized asteroid - instead pointing the finger at volcanoes.

Researchers believe that huge, continent-spanning 'flood basalt' eruptions are what caused the mass extinction  and others in Earth's history.

The presence of an asteroid just made things worse, they said.

Their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), claims volcanic activity appears to have been the key driver of mass extinctions.

Read more; Ancient remains could rewrite history of human intelligence

In fact, a particular kind of volcanic activity may also explain other mass extinctions in history, the researchers said.

Co-author Brenhin Keller, an assistant professor of earth sciences at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, said: "All other theories that attempted to explain what killed the dinosaurs, including volcanism, got steamrolled when the Chicxulub impact crater was discovered."

But, he added, there is very little evidence of similar impact events that coincided with the other mass extinctions despite decades of exploration.

Keller said: "While it is difficult to determine if a particular volcanic outburst caused one particular mass extinction, our results make it hard to ignore the role of volcanism in extinction."

The researchers found that four out of five mass extinctions happened at the same time as a type of volcanic outpouring called a flood basalt.

These eruptions flooded vast areas  even an entire continent  with lava in a mere million years, the blink of a geological eye.

They left behind giant fingerprints as evidence  extensive regions of step-like, igneous rock (solidified from the erupted lava) that geologists call "large igneous provinces".

To count as "large", an igneous province must contain at least 100,000 cubic kilometres of magma.

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Read more: Mysterious rogue planet could be even weirder than we thought

For context, the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens involved less than one cubic kilometre of magma.

A series of eruptions in present-day Siberia triggered the most destructive of the mass extinctions about 252 million years ago, releasing a gigantic pulse of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and nearly choking off all life.

Bearing witness are the Siberian Traps, a large region of volcanic rock roughly the size of Australia.

Volcanic eruptions also rocked the Indian subcontinent around the time of the great dinosaur die-off, creating what is known today as the Deccan plateau. This, much like the asteroid strike, would have had far-reaching global effects, blanketing the atmosphere in dust and toxic fumes, asphyxiating dinosaurs and other life in addition to altering the climate on long time scales.

The researchers compared the best available estimates of flood basalt eruptions with periods of drastic species kill-off in the geological timescale, including but not limited to the five mass extinctions.

Paul Renne, professor-in-residence of earth and planetary science at University of California, Berkeley, said: "Our results indicate that in all likelihood there would have been a mass extinction at the Cretaceous tertiary boundary of some significant magnitude, regardless of whether there was an impact or not, which can be shown more quantitatively now.

"The fact that there was an impact undoubtedly made things worse."

The eruption rate of the Deccan Traps in India suggests that the stage was set for widespread extinction even without the asteroid, lead author Theodore Green said.

Green, who conducted this research as part of the senior fellowship program at Dartmouth and is now a graduate student at Princeton, added that the impact was the double-whammy that loudly sounded the death knell for the dinosaurs.

Flood basalt eruptions aren't common in the geologic record, Green said. The last one of comparable but significantly smaller scale happened about 16 million years ago in the US Pacific Northwest.

"While the total amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in modern climate change is still very much smaller than the amount emitted by a large igneous province, thankfully," Keller said, "we're emitting it very fast, which is reason to be concerned."

Watch: Dinosaur tracks appear after drought in Texas
The family in Palma Majorca in July 2021 (Collect/PA Real Life)

An adventurous family-of-six who have lived in 25 different countries in just eight years say they have saved 100,000 and holidayed non-stop for free by swapping their home with stunning chalets and villas across the globe.

Daniel Prince, 46, and his wife, Clair, 46, both originally from Essex, had moved abroad to Singapore for Daniels work  but by 2014, he found himself tied constantly to his desk while she juggled four young children at home and they knew they needed a dramatic life change.

Selling their family home and most of their belongings, the couple gambled everything for a nomadic life, swapping their holiday home in Thailand for glamorous properties in locations including America, Canada, Australia and Europe.

While home-schooling their four children, Kaitlyn, now 17, Sophia, 14, and twins Lauren and Samuel, 11, the family ticked off an incredible 80 properties across the globe before settling in France for a few years, including during the pandemic.

Now raring to travel again through house-swapping, Clair said: Eight years ago, we thought, this cant be what life is meant to be.

Daniel was constantly working and I was here, there and everywhere looking after four children.

All of the homes were so peaceful and comfortable and we were able to live on a reasonable budget.

Clair Prince

She added: We just thought, life has to be more fun than this. And we have done exactly that  we made life fun.

We could never have travelled the world like this with such a big family without house swapping, which has saved us so much money and allowed us to travel in a luxurious way without compromise.

It has been amazing  and it doesnt need to stop yet.

Moving to Singapore in 1999 for Daniels work in foreign exchange, the couple enjoyed travelling around Asia, before settling down with the kids.

But they found themselves stuck in a frustrating cycle.

Clair said: The cost of childcare was so expensive that it was cheaper for me to look after the kids.

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She continued: I was at home with the four kids, trying to keep up with the Joneses, while travelling here, there and everywhere for the kids ballet and music and school.

Meanwhile, Daniel was working 24/7 to get food on the table but we would never see him.

Holidays were also a rarity because of the cost.

We could never have travelled the world like this with such a big family without house swapping.

Clair Prince

Clair said: We would need two hotel rooms, which would be 150 a night, plus lunch and dinners every day, which could be 500 a day.

It just wasnt affordable.

Desperate for a change, the couple began looking for a way out and stumbled on lovehomeswap.com.

It sounded amazing and we immediately thought, should we do this? she said.

For months, the couple agonised over the decision but decided to take the leap of faith in early 2014.

Selling their Singapore home and most of their belongings left Clair and Daniel their holiday home in Thailand to swap with other travellers.

She said: We sold pretty much everything we owned so that gave us a bit to live off  and by 2014, we were off.

Heading to house swaps in the UK first, to visit family and friends, the Princes then headed off to Croatia, Dubai, Thailand and Cambodia before arriving in Australia for Christmas 2014.

We stopped in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, and ended our year of travels in New Zealand for three months, which was incredible.

We couldnt believe how amazing it was  we thought, why isnt everyone doing this?

With a steady income of around 1,000 a month they earned by renting out their Thailand home in between house swapping guests, while paying just 120 for their lovehomeswap.com annual membership, Daniel and Clair were able to live humbly.

When you swap your home, you pay for the electricity in your own home but the rental money we made would offset any bills we accrued, she said.

There were so many moments that blew our minds

Clair Prince

She added: All of the homes were so peaceful and comfortable and we were able to live on a reasonable budget.

Some days we would have zero-dollar days, where we wouldnt spend anything and go explore and take a picnic or find a free activity to do.

And while they quickly settled into their exciting new life, Clair admitted it took some settling in.

It took a long time to realise this was our reality, she said.

With home-schooling we kept it very flexible, depending on where we were  so for example, when we were in Rome, it was a history lesson wherever we walked.

Whereas in New Zealand, we had time to chill outside the house and sit and do schoolwork.

After a stint in New Zealand, the family upped sticks again to home swap across the United States, starting in San Francisco before going into Seattle, Vancouver, New York and Virginia.

Of all the places, Croatia was probably our favourite place because it was stunningly beautiful and had such a lovely community feel among the village we stayed in, she said.

There were so many moments that blew our minds  like horse riding along the beach in New Zealand or sailing on a yacht out of the port of Marbella or having a picnic at Sydney Opera House on Christmas Eve.

There is a big world out there with plenty to explore.

Clair Prince

Heading back to Europe after two years of travelling, to visit the UK and Italy, Daniel and Clair then decided to slow down their travels.

We had been travelling for two and a half years which was incredible but we wanted our kids to learn another language and the best way to do that is to be completely immersed into it, she said.

So we house swapped around France until we were offered to rent one of the properties out and we ended up staying for the next two years.

She added: We still did a bit of house-swapping for holidays while we were in France in 2018  including a ski house swap in the French Alps.

We borrowed clothes so we only had to hire the ski boots and ski passes.

While the family only briefly settled, the pandemic elongated their stay by a few years, and Daniel began working as an online consultant, before starting a financial podcast co-hosted by daughter Lauren  Once Bitten! A Bitcoin Podcast.

Now with the borders open again, Daniel and Clair are itching to get back out travelling.

Daniel is now being invited to speak at conferences for his podcast so he is going to tie in house-swapping with work.

Its hard to put a finger on how much we must have saved, but it could well be 100,000  all we have ever had to pay for is the travel to get to each place, she said.

She added: The difference it has made to the kids lives is amazing  they have such an incredible outlook on life and acceptance of different people regardless of wherever we are in the world.

For the twins especially, who were three when we started this, this is the life they have only ever known.

They are all so independent, adventurous and confident.

We borrowed clothes so we only had to hire the ski boots and ski passes.

Clair Prince

She added: Weve probably made it harder for us as parents in the future though, because they all have plans to live in different corners of the world.

With plans to start home-swapping again, Daniel said: Its nearly ten years since we made the decision to go for it, and if we hadnt, we would never have had the experiences we have had sat in an office or classroom.

There is no way we could have ever done what we have done without house swapping and I cant wait to get going again.

He added: There is a big world out there with plenty to explore and we would be crazy not to make the most of it while we can.
The University of North Georgia (UNG) hosted the annual Senior Military Colleges Conference Sept. 6-8. UNG is one of six federally designated senior military colleges (SMCs). UNG partnered with the Association of Military Colleges & Schools of the United States (AMCSUS) to hold the event.

The SMCs also include The Citadel, Norwich University, Texas A&M University, Virginia Military Institute, and Virginia Tech.

"UNG shares your deep commitment to helping students become successful leaders wherever their journey takes them," UNG President Bonita C. Jacobs told the conference attendees.

In addition to the SMCs, three other military colleges attended the conference: Tarleton State University, Texas A&M Maritime Academy, and Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership at Mary Baldwin University. Leaders and cadets from the schools visited UNG's Dahlonega Campus to learn from each other's best practices. Leadership from U.S. Army Cadet Command also attended.

Hosting the SMC Conference coincided with UNG's Sesquicentennial Celebration. Founded in 1873, UNG is celebrating 150 years of scholarship, leadership, and service this academic year. The Sesquicentennial Celebration honors UNG's legacy of producing outstanding civic, professional and military leaders who serve throughout Georgia and beyond.

"The Senior Military College Conference is a great opportunity for us to come together once a year and discuss the similar challenges we face educating future military and civilian leaders," retired Col. Joseph Matthews, UNG commandant of cadets said.

The directors of each SMC's cyber institute also met throughout the conference to forge plans for the future. They had experts from Army Cyber who spoke about how to become an Army Cyber officer or civilian. Retired Col. Christopher Mitchiner, executive director of UNG's Institute for Cyber Operations, hosted the group at the new Cottrell Center for Business, Technology & Innovation.
Your grandson found photos of you on eBay this morning. They're archival newspaper photos -- from the San Antonio Express-News, or maybe from the San Antonio Light which hasn't existed in decades. It's disconcerting to think of a stranger buying these black-and-white 8 x 10s. Because they have a yen for pictures that give off that 1980 vibe? Because they like the jut of your nose, the spark in your eye? They're "vintage originals." No one knows they're part of my family history. Someone could pick these up for their visual appeal, the way I used to browse for hand-tinted postcards of the Mohawk Trail. When we were cleaning out your house, we recycled all of the yellowed newspaper clippings -- none of us wanted more clutter. You might say, "Who cares, they're just old photos!" But I can't resist these old photographs of you, cropping up in my browser this morning like you're waving hello from olam ha-ba.
by Wu Qiang, Sun Yi

YINCHUAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- When asked about the similarities between wines produced in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of northwest China and Bordeaux in France, French Embassy in China's Counselor for Agriculture Francois Blanc said that people are the key to the success of wines.

At a wine and tourism expo in Ningxia that concluded this week, Blanc said he is confident that exchanges between French and Chinese people will be promoted through wine.

Although there are many differences between France and China, such as those in natural conditions, history and geography, both countries share a love for wine and work hard to produce quality wine, he said.

What matters to the development of the wine industry is the people, as well as how they develop the land, agriculture and vineyards, Blanc said.

The six-day expo has drawn international attention, with many attendees being foreign diplomats in China. The speed at which China's wine industry is developing and maturing has taken many by surprise.

Uruguay's Ambassador to China Fernando Lugris said his country is also a wine producer and can seek exchanges with China in wine-production techniques, promotion, trade and tourism.

The two countries can promote exchanges between young people who are interested in wine production, facilitating exchange visits to learn each other's wine culture, Lugris said.

Ambassador of Mauritius to China Alain Wong Yen Cheong said the developing wine culture in China could attract more overseas investors in tourism, including those from Mauritius, a country with a highly developed tourism industry.

The people here are hospitable and their local tourism is fascinating, said Wong. If more overseas people learn that there is such a rich wine culture here, they will come, he said.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Palitha Kohona said there are similarities between his country and Ningxia, as both have great tourism potential and enjoy advantages in the beverage industry, in addition to their rich culture. 
To become an ideal destination for foreigners in HCM City, Phu My Hung City Center has retained its high living quality and safe living environment covered by modern security systems.

Bedsides, the education system in the area has been developed strongly since the day the Phu My Hung New City began to be developed.

Notably, education programmes at these schools are diverse, offering in addition to the European and US education systems that schools like Saigon South International School (SSIS), Canada and Royal School have, also many other international systems such as from Japan, Taipei and South Korea. Some such the Lawrence S. Ting School teach Vietnamese curriculums, combining them with international teaching programmes to help their students easily adapt integrate.

All schools in the Phu My Hung City Center are located in ideal places close to nature with convenient connectivity and large spaces so that students can easily enjoy outdoor activities.

On average, there is a school every 500m from all resident areas in the Phu My Hung City Center.

The Horizon, a new project recently launched by the Phu My Hung Development Corporation, is also close to many schools.Opposite The Horizon on Tran Van Tra road is a complex with a kindergarten, elementary school, secondary school, high school, and a college. In the other direction are the Lawrence S. Ting and SSIS, situated only 1.3km from the project.

Not far from there on Tan Phu Street are other international schools from Japan, Taipei and South Korea. Fulbright University is located in The Crescent District, a five-minute walk from The Horizon.

The Phu My Hung Development Corporation plans to sell Phu My Hung The Horizon project this month. This is the first for-sale residential project that the Phu My Hung Development Corporation has built in The Crescent District, which it has focused on developing as a community area with high-quality services, amenities and sightseeing.

The recent Crescent Residence 1-2-3 projects are just for leasing and have an occupation rate of over 95 per cent.

The selling of Phu My Hung The Horizon, whose construction is almost complete (around 70 per cent) is expected to heat up the HCM City housing market. This project will be handed-over in the end of 2023.

Thanks to its ideal location, ease of leasing and reselling, Phu My Hung The Horizon, expected to be handed over by the end of 2023, is likely to enjoy high demand.

Phu My Hung The Horizon has two buildings of 9 and 24 floors with 166 condos. Its building density and floor area ratio will be 49.6 per cent and 5.33.

The Phu My Hung Development Corporation said Phu My Hung The Horizon is the first luxury project in the Phu My Hung City Center.

The next would be more luxurious and so this is a good opportunity to buy Phu My Hung The Horizon at a good price, it said.

For more information about the project, see https://phumyhung.vn/en/project/the-horizon/
CA MAU  The southernmost province of Ca Mau is supporting seafood enterprises to make good use of the United Kingdom-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) to foster exports to the UK in the near future, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade said.

The province was focusing on helping local firms participate in trade promotion activities to find customers, and expand and develop their markets in the UK, it said, adding that sufficient attention was being paid to disseminating information about the agreement and the UK market to local enterprises.

At the same time, the province was supporting businesses in training to maintain basic knowledge and information on international integration, import and export, tax, customs, and trade promotion skills while enabling enterprises to access preferential loans to improve production and processing efficiency for export.

Top priority was also being given to providing the firms with the technical barriers in trade to limit risks and assisting them to apply advanced quality management systems to meet international standards, technical regulations and regulations in export activities, including those from the UK market.

Besides the support by local authorities, export enterprises should continue to improve their competitiveness, expand production scale, invest in technology, improve the quality of their products and diversify product designs while ensuring food safety and complying with technical standards for exported products, according to the department.

Seafood export is a key industry of the province, accounting for 92 per cent of its total export turnover, according to the department's deputy director Duong Vu Nam.

Typically, the locality is regarded as the country's shrimp capital where shrimp farming takes up approximately 280,000ha of the total existing aquaculture area of over 300,000ha. Currently, Ca Mau's shrimp has been shipped to more than 90 countries and territories around the world.

The country's participation in many free trade agreements, such as the UKVFTA, has provided tax incentives for the province's exporters, especially seafood exporters.

Under the UKVFTA commitments, 50 per cent of tariffs on seafood imported from Viet Nam has been eliminated while the remaining 50 per cent of tariffs will be removed after two, four or six years.

Thanks to the tax incentives, the province's seafood exports to the UK saw a positive increase of 53.3 per cent in 2021. In the first seven months of 2022, its seafood shipments to the market surged significantly by 70 per cent year-on-year.

The latest report from the department revealed that the province exported $848 million worth of seafood to overseas markets in the seven-month period, surging 42 per cent over the same time last year or accounting for 73 per cent of the yearly target.

Besides to the UK, its seafood exports to the EU also witnessed a yearly hike of 45 per cent to $135 million.

With this good performance, the seafood export of the province is well on track to surpass $1.1 billion by the end of this year.  VNS
HCM CITY  Seafood exports to the Russian market are set to bounce back in the remaining months to exceed US$190 million this year, up 16 per cent year-on-year, after months of disruption due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict since the end of February.

Seafood exports to the market reached more than US$94 million as of the end of August, down 20 per cent year-on-year due to the conflict, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Exports dropped by 86 per cent and 46 per cent in March and April, respectively, due to trade traffic disruption and difficult payment and banking risks, according to VASEP.

However, exports have recovered since May and witnessed a turnaround from July with a 36 per cent surge year-on-year, before jumping 98 per cent last month.

Le Hang, deputy director of VASEP.PRO Centre, said exports of catfish, the leading export to Russia and accounting for 22 per cent of total seafood exports to the market, were worth $21 million in the first eight months, down 12 per cent year-on-year.

While exports of most seafood products to Russia saw a decline due to disruptions in the early months of the year, exports of snapper, tuna, and anchovy to Russia managed to grow, including tuna exports soaring 97 per cent year-on-year in the first eight months to reach $16 million.

Exports of snapper rose 6 per cent to reach $14.6 million, and export of anchovy jumped 27 per cent to $4.6 million.

In the first eight months, 39 Vietnamese firms exported seafood to Russia.

Major exporters include Nam Viet JSC holding at 13 per cent of exports, followed by Saigon Food Import Export JSC (12 per cent), Hai Vuong Co Ltd (12 per cent), Anh Long Food Co Ltd (8 per cent), and Minh Phu Seafood Corporation (7 per cent), among others.

Duong Hoang Minh, Viet Nams Trade Counselor in Russia, said exports of goods to Russia have been facilitated by freight transport.

Russias transport group Fesco in May launched a direct maritime line connecting HCM City, Hai Phong, and Vladivostock in Russias far east.

Several other shipping lines have launched new routes, speeding up transport to Russia.

Viet Nams total seafood exports reached $7.55 billion in the first eight months, up 35.5 per cent on-year. VNS
HA NOI  Honorary Chairman of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia Samdech Heng Samrin met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Nguyen Phu Trong in Ha Noi on Tuesday as part of his official visit to the country.

Heng Samrin conveyed greetings from Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Chair of the CPP, Prime Minister Hun Sen and other leaders to the Vietnamese Party chief, expressing his pleasure in making an official visit to Viet Nam on the occasion of Viet Nams 77th National Day (September 2, 1945) and during the Viet Nam - Cambodia Friendship Year.

The Cambodian top legislator congratulated the great and comprehensive achievements of historical significance that Viet Nam has obtained in oi moi (renewal), national construction and defence, and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam headed by General Secretary Trong, the Vietnamese people will continue to achieve many new and greater achievements, successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, and build Viet Nam towards a developing country with modern industry and an increasingly elevated position in the international arena.

Heng Samrin expressed his delight that the good neighbourly relations, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation for long-term sustainability between Viet Nam and Cambodia are consistently growing for the benefit of each country's people.

The President of the Cambodian NA sincerely thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for helping Cambodia in national liberation from the Pol Pot genocidal regime.

Cambodia will work with Viet Nam to protect, preserve and nurture the relationship between the two countries, bringing it to new heights and pass on this good relationship to future generations.

The Cambodian official also informed Party leader Trong about the recent situation in Cambodia, especially the successful organisation of the 2022 communal elections, the CPP's great victory in these elections, and good outcomes from the meeting with Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong inh Hue on Monday.

General Secretary Trong characterised the tradition of Viet Nam - Cambodia relations as two close neighbours and close brothers standing side by side in the cause of national liberation and reunification in the time before, as well as in the construction and development of each country today.

The Vietnamese Party leader also expressed his delight at the ever deepening, practical and effective cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples, bringing benefits to the citizens of each country.

General Secretary Trong affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always support the construction and development of Cambodia, thanking them for the valuable support and help they have given Viet Nam.

He also underlined the tradition and importance of the relationship between the three countries Viet Nam - Laos - Cambodia and wished the three together would preserve and nurture this relationship for the sake of prosperity of each country, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.  VNS
HA NOI  Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged Viet Nam and Cambodia to maintain momentum and further improve the efficiency of economic cooperation in the context of increasing bilateral trade.

He was speaking during a meeting with President of Cambodias National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin on Tuesday in Ha Noi.

The top legislator was the first high-ranking leader of Cambodia to visit Viet Nam since the two countries have successfully contained COVID-19, and on the occasion, he conveyed greetings from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and other leaders to Vietnamese PM Chinh.

PM Chinh and Cambodian NA President Heng Samrin expressed delight at the stable development of Viet Nam-Cambodia relations, with senior leaders of the two countries maintaining regular contact and exchanges, and effective bilateral cooperation mechanisms in various fields.

Notably, despite COVID-19, two-way trade in 2021 hit nearly US$10 billion, and in the first seven months of 2022, the figure has already reached US$7 billion, up 17.8 per cent over the same period in 2021.

Viet Nam currently has 188 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of $2.8 billion, maintaining the leading position in ASEAN and ranking in the top five largest direct investment countries in Cambodia.

The two sides agreed to continue coordinating to effectively implement defence-security cooperation agreements and plans, closely coordinate border management to prevent cross-border crime, continue efforts to demarcate the remaining 16 per cent of the land border to build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.

The leaders also underlined the need to further strengthen linkages between the two economies, especially in transport, telecommunications, finance - banking, in order to boost cooperation in other fields such as trade, investment, energy, tourism, education and training and cooperation among localities, especially border provinces.

The two countries should also quicken the completion of the "Master Plan for Linking Viet Nam  Cambodia Economies until 2030, soon sign the Border Trade Agreement, and effectively implement the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement.

PM Chinh thanked and asked the parliament and Government of Cambodia to continue to pay attention to and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people in Cambodia in their lives and work, enabling them to integrate well into the host society and act as a bridge of friendship between the two countries.

He also wants Cambodia to facilitate Vietnamese enterprises investment and doing businesses in a stable and long-term manner in Cambodia.

PM Chinh thanked Cambodian authorities for their effective coordination with Viet Nam in the successful rescuing of many Vietnamese citizens who were scammed and forced to work at illegal foreign businesses in Cambodia, suggesting that the two sides continue to work closely to rescue and support victims and put a definitive end to this problem.

Discussing multilateral cooperation, the two leaders agreed to continue to coordinate and support each other at international and regional forums.

PM Chinh affirmed that Viet Nam supports and believes that Cambodia will successfully carry out its role as ASEAN and AIPA Chair in 2022, requesting the two countries and other ASEAN member states make efforts to maintain the solidarity, unity and the central role of ASEAN in strategic issues of the region, including the South China Sea issue.  VNS
HA NOI  A joint investigation into the An Phu karaoke bar fire has revealed that the owners had been made aware of the risk of an electrical short circuit as recently as April 2022, but failed to act.

Initial investigations suggested that an electrical short circuit on the second floor of the karaoke bar started the fire.

The Police Department of Binh Duong is working with the Ministry of Public Security to investigate the cause of the fire at An Phu karaoke bar last Tuesday which killed 33 people.

The An Phu karaoke bar, located at An Phu Ward, Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province, was a 30-room karaoke service built on an area of 500 square metres. It opened six years ago and has been inspected for fire safety three times, in 2019, 2021 and 2022. It passed every time.

However, in the most recent inspection in April 2022, the authorities noted the risk of an electrical short circuit due to the karaoke bar's high electricity consumption and ordered it be remedied.

However, the karaoke bar failed to implement the order.

Vo Van Minh, chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said on Tuesday that the local administration shares the loss with the victims' families.

The locality has provided VN97 million (US$4,100) to each dead victim's family and two seriously-injured victims, he said.

Minh also said local police were informed about the fire at the karaoke bar at 8:40 pm last Tuesday.

About five minutes later, a local government representative arrived at the scene. Police and fire-fighting units arrived about 12 minutes later.

The fire was extinguished at about 9:30 pm, he said.

The scope of the fire was small, and the length of time it took to put it out was short, but the consequences were great, he added.

Due to the karaoke bar being shaped like a 'tube', toxic smoke quickly filled the air, causing great damage to people, he said.

After the fire, the province directed relevant units to hold a press conference to provide complete, accurate and clear information to the media. In addition, local police have begun an investigation to clarify the responsibility of organisations and individuals in the case.

At the same time, local authorities are checking all karaoke establishments in the province. As of Monday morning, local police forces have fined 118 karaoke establishments and suspended the operation of 24 establishments for violating regulations, he said.

Minh said after the fire, the locality learned many lessons. Firstly, for rescue work, the top commander at the scene must perform well in commanding and operating the forces to promote the effectiveness of rescue work.

Secondly, he said that for fires at karaoke establishments built in with this 'tube' design, which enables flammable materials and toxic gases, walls must be quickly demolished to release toxic gases and save victims.

Although the ministry of public security and local administrations have invested in fire-fighting equipment, drilling concrete walls took nearly an hour.

Therefore, Minh submitted to the ministry of public security to arrange more resources for rescue, especially specialised equipment for drilling concrete in the shortest time. For example, specialised equipment for drilling and cutting concrete within three minutes.

He also proposed that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh continue paying attention to direct relevant ministries and sectors to review standards and criteria on fire prevention and fighting for business establishments, especially for establishments such as karaoke and discos, he said.  VNS
ONG THAP  The ong Thap Province Peoples Committee has decided to switch to other crops on 9,386ha of rice fields this year.

A part of the area will see corn, watermelon, red chilli, lotus, and other high-value crops and aquatic species rotated with rice, while rice will no longer be grown in the remaining area.

The conversion is aimed at increasing the value of crops and improving the efficiency of land use, thus increasing farmers incomes.

Huynh Tan at, deputy director of the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the conversion is in line with the provinces land zoning, market demand, water resources, and weather conditions.

It will also establish concentrated farming areas for various crops under value chains, he said.

The Peoples Committee has ordered localities to zone concentrated farming areas for vegetables and fruits, invest in infrastructure for cropping and processing.

Localities should instruct farmers to link up with companies that buy produce, it said.

Farmers are also encouraged to switch to short-term crops in summer  autumn on unproductive rice fields to cope with the shortage of water in the dry season.

In areas protected by flood prevention embankments, farmers can switch to two rice crops and one vegetable crop a year, one rice crop and two vegetable crops, or one rice crop and one vegetable crop.

The switch will offer farmers higher profits than growing three rice crops a year, according to the department.

at said farmers could earn two to three times the income they get from rice by switching to other crops, with perennial trees yielding two to eight times.

Mango, jackfruit, longan, and lime, for instance, fetch VN50 - 200 million (US$2,100  8,500) per hectare per year, he said.

Mai Thi Thoa in Hong Ngu Citys Tan Hoi Ward has turned her one hectare of unproductive rice field into a lotus pond and offers tourism services.

Her income has increased by two or three times to VN60 million ($2,600) a year as a result, she said.

The province encourages farmers to mechanise agriculture to increase efficiency, and 70 per cent of areas growing industrial and short-term crops are equipped with automatic, semi-automatic or drip irrigation, according to the department.

The use of efficient irrigation has increased yields by 25 per cent and reduced labour costs by 30 per cent and water use by 30  40 per cent.

Linkages

ong Thap has taken measures to develop more linkages between farmers and agricultural companies in recent years to ensure steady demand and prices for the former and supply of large quantities of agricultural produce of consistent and high quality for the latter.

In the winter  spring and summer  autumn rice crops this year, companies and traders had contracts with farmers to grow rice on 60,000ha, and it helped the latter increase their income by VN3 - 8 million ($130 - 340) per hectare per crop, according to the department.

The province has 195,383ha under rice, 48,229ha of fruits and 11,587ha of vegetables, and issued production codes for 52,777ha of the grain and 5,714ha of mango, longan, seedless lime, and dragon fruit this year.

To get the codes, a fruit farmer should have at least 10ha and apply Vietnamese good agricultural practices (VietGAP) or other equivalent quality standards.

The province wants to have 190,169ha of rice, 40,810ha of fruits and 10,549ha of vegetables with production codes by 2025.  VNS
AB InBev collaborates with 5Desire to launch the 100+ Labs in Vietnam. The programme is meant to drive the local startup ecosystem and enable global exposure to Vietnamese ones.

The programme will enable mentorship and training opportunities, as well as a golden ticket to the global AB InBev 100+ Accelerator programme which offers to fund startups of up to $100,000.

The 100+ Accelerator has supported 70 companies in over 20 countries to solve supply chain challenges with the most pressing sustainability challenges globally.

The 100+ Labs in Vietnam will enable partnerships with scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and AB InBev to identify and scale out-of-the-box solutions as it works towards creating a sustainable and inclusive future.

The challenge statements will be in line with the companys 2025 Sustainability Goals, around water, circular economy, climate, agriculture, inclusive growth, and biodiversity. The challenge is open to all startups from all stages.

Ashwin Kak, director of Procurement & Sustainability for India & Southeast Asia at AB InBev said, Our sustainability ambitions are pivoted on our vision of building a company that will last for 100+ years. However, we do realise that we cannot solve todays sustainability challenges alone. The 100+ Labs aims to deliver systemic change through collaborations with new-age scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and companies."

Kak further explained, "For the 2022 edition, we are calling on startups with new technologies and innovations to address the most pressing issues across six areas closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We will leverage our resources, systems, and knowledge to accelerate the worlds shift towards sustainable solutions and do business the right way, not the easy way.

Hoang Phuong, general manager of AB InBev Vietnam said, "From 2020, the world situation continues to be complicated, non-traditional security issues are climate change, the pandemic becoming more and more severe, increasing challenges in the implementation of sustainable development goals not only in Vietnam but also in other countries around the world. Therefore, I do believe that the 100+ Lab programme will remain at the heart of our purpose, culture, and business together to accelerate our contribution to an inclusive and sustainable world.

Multiple startups including Kisan Hub, Erthos, and Craste have successfully implemented pilots in India since the inaugural edition of the accelerator programme, and the company aims to replicate the success in Vietnam.

Applications to the 100+ Labs will open from September 13 to October 7. Once the applications are filed, following an initial screening process, the selection team will carefully review each application and announce the shortlisted companies.

Please scan the QR code to apply to the programme or send your application to Inesh Singh Inesh via singh@in.ab-inbev.com or Tu Nguyen Vi at mytu.nguyen@vn.ab-inbev.com.

AB InBev supports orphans with scholarships amid COVID-19 To bring people together for a better world, this late November, AB InBev Vietnam launched the scholarships named Lets go back to school to support orphans during this hard time.

AB InBev Vietnam honoured with Most Reliable Brand award Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) Vietnam was honoured with the Golden Dragon Award for the first time at the annual programme.
Vietnam has opened up many development opportunities for law firms in its territory. Why did ASL Law decide to open an office in Singapore instead of focusing on the domestic market?

Pham Duy Khuong, managing director of ASL Law

Since its establishment, ASL Law has made great efforts to reaffirm its position as one of the leading law firms in Vietnam. More than 670 domestic and foreign enterprises have enlisted our services.

ASL Law and its member lawyers have been honoured multiple times by prestigious international magazines and organisations such as Asia Business Law Journal, World Trademark Review 1000, and the Legal 500. We opened a new office in Ho Chi Minh City three months ago to expand the previous representative office.

On August 12, the firm conquered a new stage in its development by opening a new representative office in Singapore. Many foreign law firms have come to Vietnam, but no Vietnamese firm had expanded into the international market.

With a team of prestigious lawyers from Vietnam and other countries and nearly 20 years of professional experience, we have enough determination and capacity to officially reach out into ASEAN. Singapore was the first country selected, marking an important milestone for the firms growth as it entered one of the regions most challenging and strict legal markets.

What is the strategy of ASL Law, and how can a law firm from Vietnam compete with well-known firms in Singapore?

In addition to the head office in Hanoi, we aim to build a team of qualified personnel, including Vietnamese and foreign lawyers, in Ho Chi Minh City to turn it into a new capital for ASL Law, besides developing the office in Singapore.

In the long term, we will gradually shift focus from Vietnam to other regional countries, but need a specific plan to realise this ambition. We choose to develop strengths in intellectual property (IP) as our first weapon to conquer the Singapore market.

We have also made proud achievements over the years as one of the leading law firms in intellectual property.

IP laws in countries in the region are often similar, so it will be easier to become a leading IP law office in these foreign countries. From my personal working experience, as well as ASL Laws consulting scope in 22 countries, I believe we have enough determination, finance, and support from partners to shape ASL Law more firmly, In addition to IP issues, we will also prioritise expanding the scope of consulting related to blockchain.

ASL Law has a strong team of legal experts in blockchain, so we are confident we can successfully advise in many different countries. Corporate service is also a priority for our development.

Vietnamese businesses doing business abroad can be confused about legal issues, especially startups or those who do not have their own legal department. The firm will accompany and support them with procedures of company establishment, settlement, and tax to help Vietnamese businesses follow the host countrys law, avoiding risks and minimising losses.

Opening a representative office in a foreign country does not necessarily mean that the enterprise is at an international level. Can you more specifically explain ASL Laws position in the region?

ASL Law is home to many experienced lawyers from Vietnam and other countries where Vietnamese businesses are active, such as Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, the US, and more.

They are all experienced in fields affecting the operation of most businesses, such as anti-dumping, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, finance, banking, foreign investment, arbitration, and intellectual property.

As a member of the International Bar Association with relationships with investors from many economic powers worldwide, the firm also brings quality investors to do business in Vietnam  and helps Vietnamese businesses expand abroad.

Our success proves that several Vietnamese law firms are strong enough to cover complicated multinational legal cases.

What makes ASL Law different from other firms?

What makes us stand out is the 1-2-2 principle: a client request receives independent advice from two senior lawyers at ASL Law, including connecting the client with foreign lawyers when they need legal advice from outside of Vietnam or when the contract consultancy requires a legal assessment based on Vietnamese and international legal systems.

As a result, the client will receive complete consultancy covering all bases while saving time and cost.

The firm also offers solutions based on the requirements of investors and businesses who are or will be doing business in Vietnam and Vietnamese businesses investing abroad.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last week urged ministries, authorised agencies, and localities to soon quicken the deployment of the governments Resolution No.11/NQ-CP dated January 30 on the countrys Programme on Socioeconomic Recovery and Development (PSRD) for 2022-2023 and the National Assemblys (NA) Resolution No.43/2022/QH15 dated January 11 on a fiscal and monetary policy worth $15 billion to support the PSRD.

The stimulus package includes billions of US dollars for various types of enterprises, Le Toan

Many enterprises and people are in need of more support from the programme, so disbursement must be sped up effectively, the PM said.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung told the government last week that efforts were being made to carry out Resolution 11 nationwide. Disbursement of spending under the programme hit $2.41 billion in early September, with financing going into a range of areas.

These included $438 million for concessional loans via Vietnam Bank for Social Policies; $132.4 million for housing rental support for nearly 4.54 million workers; $587,000 for a 2 per cent bank lending rate; $1.52 billion for a reduction of VAT and environmental protection tax for aviation fuel; and $321.74 million to extend the tax payment and land rental deadlines until June.

Additionally, $2.26 billion was used for an extension of assorted taxes and land rentals.

Nguyen Cong Bang, owner of Cong Bang Confectionery Co. Ltd., in Hanoi, said he successfully obtained a preferential loan worth VND500 million ($21,700) from Vietnam Bank for Social Policies.

We used the capital to buy two machines to grind soybeans. Our productivity has significantly increased, he said. However, we are now also seeking new loans with a 2 per cent lending rate assistance, but are yet to produce any results.

In Xuan La area of Hanoi where this company is located, several other companies have also been successfully obtained concessional loans as Bang has done.

Under Resolution 43, the NA has allocated about $7.65 billion, with the vast majority earmarked for completing investment procedures for 264 duties and projects. The remaining $150 million includes $108.7 million that fails to meet conditions for investment and $41.3 million that has been returned without being spent.

Of the $7.5 billion, 94 tasks and projects worth $6.4 billion have completed investment procedures, while those for 168 projects valued at $1.1 billion are ongoing.

The use of the capital must be reviewed in line with the public investment law. Seven months since Resolution 43 was enacted, the government has been able to collect a portfolio of projects for the programme, said Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong at a National Assembly Standing Committee meeting held on August 29.

At the NAs third session in June, legislators urged the government to review the $15 billion policy to assist businesses and people, as the package was being rolled out too slowly.

The policy is the first of its kind in Vietnam and came as businesses were struggling to deal with the impact of the pandemic. It aims to help the economy to achieve growth of 8-8.5 per cent this year and 6.5-7 per cent per annum from 2021-2025.

The stimulus includes $2 billion used for purchasing vaccines and medical equipment. The remaining $13 billion consists of two packages, with one worth $5.43 billion and the other valued at $7.65 billion.

The $5.43 billion embraces four sums, including $2.78 billion worth of a 2 per cent reduction of VAT for enterprises, from 10 per cent  this initiative has been implemented so far; $1.67 billion as a credit policy implemented via Vietnam Bank for Social Policies  about one third of this initiatives value has been already disbursed; $260.87 million as extension of tax payment and reduction of special consumption tax for automobiles and some other types of taxes  implementation of this initiative will be completed at the years end; and $286.95 million as assistance for labourers to hire houses  of which only $87,000 has been disbursed.

Meanwhile, the $7.65 billion involves public investment, including $1.82 billion as lending rate support of 2 per cent for enterprises through commercial banks and Vietnam Bank for Social Policies as of January 1; and the remaining $5.83 billion for infrastructure development including $4.48 billion for road and highway construction  however, this sum is slow for disbursement due to incomplete procedures.

Deputy PM asks Hanoi to accelerate public investment disbursement Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has asked Hanoi to clarify the causes behind the sluggish disbursement of public investment.
Chinese ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian speaks at the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

BEIRUT, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Lebanese university and a Chinese institute signed here on Wednesday a cooperation agreement regarding the scientific research on the peaceful development and use of nuclear energy.

The agreement was signed by the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), one of the most important laboratories in China on plasma physics.

The signature ceremony, which took place at AUB, was attended by AUB Provost Zaher Dawy, the Chinese ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian, the Director General of the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission Bilal Nsouli, and a number of officials and scholars from the two countries.

"This cooperation marks a breakthrough in the cooperation between China and Arab states in the field of peaceful development and use of nuclear energy," the Chinese ambassador said.

China firmly supports the inalienable right of all countries, particularly developing countries, to use nuclear energy peacefully, he added.

"With the steady development of the global nuclear energy industry, promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear technology is of great significance to ensuring energy security, coping with climate change, and promoting economic and social development," he said.

Lu Kun, ASIPP's vice director who could not attend the signing ceremony, said via video that the collaboration agreement would be an essential step for ASIPP's future strategy.

"Through this agreement, AUB and ASIPP will carry out more detailed collaborating activities, from fusion and plasma research to students training and scientists' exchange," he said.

For his part, Nsouli said this initiative opens new doors for future regional leaders to receive a high-quality education in science and technology. 

A cooperation agreement is signed between the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Institute of Plasma Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) at AUB in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

Zaher Dawy, provost of the American University of Beirut (AUB), speaks at AUB in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)
Hanoi - Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Sons official visit to New Zealand from September 13-15 is a chance for the nations to review their strategic partnership and set out measures to beef up multifaceted cooperation in line with regional and international developments, Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Van Trung has said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (left) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Nanaia Mahuta signing the action plan to implement the Vietnam-New Zealand strategic partnership framework for 2021-24. - VNA/VNS Photo

At the outset of the trip at the invitation of New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta, Trung informed the press that it is Sons first official visit to the nation and the first ministerial visit by a Southeast Asian country to New Zealand since it opened borders on August 1.

The ministers will co-chair the first face-to-face meeting of the annual foreign ministers' meeting (FMM) mechanism under an action plan to implement the Viet Nam-New Zealand strategic partnership framework for 2021-2024.

The action plan was signed in December 2021, focusing on strategic link formation, economic integration, and people connection. As a result, a series of activities and meetings in the fields of agriculture, defence, diplomacy, trade-industry and cooperation among localities have been organised since the beginning of 2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Zealands official border reopening has allowed the two countries to conduct delegation exchange activities in education, economy - trade and investment, judicial cooperation, information and communication, and tourism in the last months of the year.

In addition, while in New Zealand, the Vietnamese FM and local officials will discuss the preparation for delegation exchange activities between senior leaders of the countries, Ambassador Trung noted.

According to the diplomat, the visit takes place in the context that both nations have opened their borders and are making efforts to reconnect with the outside world after more than tuo years of dealing with the pandemic. They share the common interest of quick economic recovery and development, consolidating and diversifying international relations, given the fact that the political, security and economic environments in the world and Asia-Pacific are experiencing many changes this year.

Through the trip and associated meetings by Minister Son with senior leaders of New Zealand, Vietnam affirms its desire to strengthen and deepen the strategic partnership to be commensurate with the nations high level of political trust and goodwill, said Trung.

He stated that Vietnam is also determined to cooperate more deeply with New Zealand in accordance with the spirit of the agreement on establishing their strategic partnership signed on July 22, 2020, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Trung stressed New Zealand is one of Vietnam's important partners in trade and official development assistance.

According to Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa, New Zealand's official data agency, two-way trade turnover in 2021 hit 2.2 billion NZD (US$1.34 billion), an annual increase of 14.7 per cent. The figure was 1.255 billion NZD in the first half of 2022, up 20,8 per cent year on year.

Notably, New Zealand freshly offered Vietnam an economic recovery package worth 2 million NZD. The two sides are working to tap new opportunities in development cooperation with a focus on their new priority areas such as green growth, digital transformation, and digital economic development.

New Zealand fruit companies support vulnerable children in Vietnam Seven of New Zealands top fruit exporters to Vietnam will come together to donate nearly 10 tonnes of fruit to several childrens and womens charities in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi this July.
Investigations into the two US tech giants found they had been "collecting and analysing" data on their users, and monitoring their use of websites and applications, the Personal Information Protection Commission said.

Google, Meta face record fines in South Korea over privacy violations

The data was used to "infer the users' interests or used for customised online advertisements", it said, adding that neither Google nor Meta had clearly informed South Korean users of this practice or obtained their consent in advance.

As a result, Google was fined 69.2 billion won ($49.7 million) and Meta 30.8 billion won ($22.1 million).

"It is the largest fine for the violation of the Personal Information Protection Act," the commission said in a statement.

Regulators said the majority of the users in South Korea -- 82 percent for Google and 98 percent for Meta -- had unknowingly allowed them to collect data on their online use.

"It can be said that the possibility and the risk of infringement of the rights of the users are high," the statement said.

Last year, South Korea fined Google nearly $180 million for abusing its dominance in the mobile operating systems and app markets, saying it was hampering market competition.

Giant US tech companies are regularly criticised for dominating markets by elbowing out rivals, with multiple governments globally seeking to rein them in.

The European Union has slammed Google with record antitrust penalties, and also gone after Apple and Microsoft.

Russia fines Google $360 mn over Ukraine content A Moscow court has fined Google 21 billion rubles ($360 million) for failing to remove content concerning Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, the nation's telecommunications regulator said Monday.

Google says to open payments app to meet EU regulations Google has announced that it will open its Google Play application to alternative payment methods in order to meet new EU regulations.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority, late this year and early next, a series of transport infrastructure works across the city that temporarily suspended construction due to space issues will restart after the associated obstacles were resolved.

These projects include Tang Long, Ong Nhieu, Nam Ly, and Ong Bon bridges, Luong Dinh Cua Road (Thu Duc city), Vam Sat 2 Bridge (Can Gio district), Ten Lua Road, Tan Ky-Tan Quy Road (Binh Tan district), and renovating Hoang Hoa Tham Road and Cong Hoa Road in Tan Binh district.

The Tang Long Bridge project in Thu Duc city faced delays due to acquisition woes, leading the investment value to surge from $19.5 million to $29.9 million

The local authorities noted that delayed construction at many such projects has negatively impacted progress and triggered cost overruns.

In July, Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Council greenlit a resolution revising the investment proposals for eight transport infrastructure works with the total investment value surging by more than $213 million.

Delayed construction at many projects has negatively impacted progress and triggered cost overruns.

Among these eight projects were the aforementioned Ong Nhieu and Tang Long Bridge building projects.

Vo Van Hoan, Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee noted that compensation and land acquisitions are key in deploying transport infrastructure investment projects.

To break the impasse with site clearance as seen in the previous months and in respect to the upcoming proposals to the government regarding amendments to the Law on Land, Ho Chi Minh City envisages introducing a compensation price that is closer to the market rate, with a separate price set enacted by the city authority that does not rely on the common price set.

This new price set will analyse a combination of factors such as population characteristics, urban conditions, and project location to set the compensation price. This aims to harmonise state interests and the interests of those who have acquired land.

Prime Minister outlines development policies for Ho Chi Minh City Despite Ho Chi Minh City's leading position in socioeconomic development, the government still needs to remove bottlenecks to create a stronger and faster development momentum.
The Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) is planning to submit a proposal to the Ministry of Health (MoH), seeking to withdraw from the list of central hospitals with comprehensive autonomy in October when its trial period comes to an end.

Hospitals may need further investment in order to successfully reach full autonomy, Le Toan

Hospital director Le Van Quang said, We faced many challenges since piloting autonomy as we could not make our own decisions about hospital fees. The hospital has to follow the common regulated price frame. We also have no right to decide about human resources, but instead must report to the MoH.

K Hospital will follow Bach Mai Hospital, which proposed a halt to hospital autonomy at a meeting with acting Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan on August 18.

Dr. Duong Duc Hung, chairman of the Hospital Management Council, blamed a lack of a comprehensive legal framework for the situation. Since 2020, Bach Mai has been assigned to do comprehensive autonomy. However, it has never had sufficient conditions for autonomy, including the right to self-control its organisation, prices, and other matters. This means that the hospital only carries out autonomy on paper.

Bach Mai director Dao Xuan Co added, There should not be any comprehensive autonomy at central hospitals in this period of time, but instead autonomy of regular spending. We need support from the government and the MoH during this.

Bach Mai Hospital and K Hospital are among four state-owned central hospitals piloting comprehensive autonomy, together with Viet Duc and Cho Ray since 2020. Like others, Bach Mai suffered a serious pandemic impact as revenues fell by around $174 million compared to 2019.

Under Resolution No.33/NQ-CP issued in 2019 approving the pilot of comprehensive autonomy, hospitals are able to make decisions about the prices of medical and treatment services in line with the price frame issued by the MoH. However, according to the four hospitals, the medical pricing framework is now outdated. Meanwhile, there is no ceiling price for customised medical services, making it difficult to decide on reasonable prices.

Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung from Bach Mai Hospitals Financial Accounting Division said, A hospital cannot do comprehensive autonomy if the medical price framework is comprised of just four out of seven price components. In fact, there are some medical services whose prices are comprised of just one price component, especially surgery services.

Moreover, the autonomy model at hospitals has proved problematic as the roles of the management board and the board of directors are overlapping, making it difficult to define who truly has the final say on matters.

With the trial difficulties, operating central hospitals in the model of private-run ones without state funding could be a diminished prospect.

According to experts, hospital autonomy should enable the healthcare industry to ensure financial resources for development. However, the lack of support at the same time as hospitals had state funding cut and suffered hardships from the pandemic played against the goals. To enable hospitals to carry out part-autonomy, regular spending autonomy, or comprehensive autonomy, it is necessary to have a more concrete legal framework.

Nguyen Anh Tri, former director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, said, The state asks hospitals to do autonomy, but did not craft a mechanism to allow them to self-control finance, medical service prices, and manpower. To enable the success of hospital autonomy, a number of regulations must be amended first.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Kien, head of the Economic Advisory Group to the Prime Minister, blamed the trial failures on the pandemic, lack of experience in implementation, and insufficient preparations and investment. The MoH should therefore encourage the hospitals to continue the autonomy process.

Each hospital has its own peculiarities. Therefore, to enable autonomy, there should not be the same model for all. There should be specific decisions or decrees about the trial for each hospital. From now to the end of 2022, the MoH should submit to the prime minister for issuance four specific decisions about the trial of autonomy for the four hospitals already involved.

In the long term, the MoH should study and submit by 2025 to the prime minister a draft resolution on renovating the organisation of the health sectors apparatus to ensure innovation in health work in the context of industrialisation and increasingly global economic integration, according to Kien.

Accelerating the vital digital transformation of hospitals In recent years the healthcare sector has made breakthroughs in IT application, and approaching digital technologies like the Internet of Things, AI, VR, cloud computing, big data, and more. All hospitals nationwide deploy hospital management information systems, while interconnectivity with the healthcare insurance payment verification system has reached 99.5 per cent. Around 20 health facilities deploy electronic medical records in substitution for paper ones, and 23 hospitals deploy picture archiving and communication systems.

Drugs shortfall requiring clean-up via authorisations Vietnams health sector is still challenged by a shortfall of drugs and medical devices in the post-pandemic landscape, urging a strong legal reshuffle ahead to increase business facilitation and market certainty.
Wealthy residents today are no longer attracted by superficial luxury alone. The true value of deluxe apartments lies in their sophistication, modern aesthetics and conveniences that deepen the experience of living.

The luxury apartments are fully finished with a sophisticated beauty

All these needs can now be satisfied at The Filmore Da Nang, a project that appeals to aesthetes who will soon form a new elite resident community in Danang, and not just because of the luxury million-dollar houses.

Exceptional view

The Filmore Da Nang comprises 206 apartments, each with one to three bedrooms, a sky terrace or loft.

The prime location and stunning landscape of The Filmore Da Nang are optimised with floor-to-ceiling glazing, giving a sense of open and expansive spaces, which you cannot find in regular apartments.

Graced with a 360 degree view of the magnificence of the city, The Filmore Da Nang fascinates customers longing for an extraordinary living space.

This means all apartments retain a strong connection with nature through the exceptionally captivating views.

Almost every side of each apartment faces one of the most beautiful corners of Danang, such as the Dragon Bridge, Han River, and My Khe Beach.

The Filmore Da Nang is one of the very few projects that feature a cantilevered balcony design. These elegant balconies adorn each apartment with a unique corner, offering an uninterrupted view, total immersion in nature and a complete emotional release.

Graced with a 360 degree view of the magnificence of the city, The Filmore Da Nang fascinates customers longing for an extraordinary living space.

Delicate colours, good Feng Shui

Imbued with the style of Western contemporary architecture, the complex uses grey and white as the dominant colours with quality materials from Italy and Spain, in line with unique local elements. This colour palette enhances the elegance, cosiness, and calmness of the complex, while mitigating the constant stress of modern urban life.

The nature-inclusive space, layout and colour balance are considered to be in harmony with the rules of feng shui. The fresh air in each apartment helps homeowners enjoy a good sleep and stay healthy physically and mentally, forming an ideal environment for creative inspiration and new ideas.

Luxury interior and cutting-edge technology

All apartments at The Filmore Da Nang will be handed over to the residents on completion.

The apartments feature state-of-the-art interior systems from leading brands, such as Yale electronic locks, bathroom components from Kohler, kitchen appliances from Bosch, and much more.

With requirements to match its specific style and position, vetted products at The Filmore Da Nang have differentiated designs with the most useful functions available.

The Filmore Da Nang is setting a new standard for luxury apartments

By just adding a few pieces of furniture depending on individual taste, the owner can quickly perfect their signature living space based on these uniform high-quality utilities.

The project is pioneering in its use of high-tech services and management infrastructure.

The smart home features, Face ID and touchless technologies picked for the project are state-of-the art, not only elevating convenience but also ensuring better safety.

Owners can control what's going on in their homes from outside through a mobile app customised for the project.

In addition to their apartments, residents are surrounded by a civilised and enjoyable living space with a well-ness by well-tech facility, and a high-tech application utility system to satisfy a prosperous lifestyle.

For more information about The Filmore Da Nang visit: filmore.com.vn; Hotline: 0937 883 888 or visit the sales gallery at Lot B10 - B11, street 2/9, Hai Chau district, Danang.

Tourists to Da Nang on holiday surge The central city of Da Nang welcomed more than 254,000 tourists in the four-day holiday of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1), a 3.4-fold increase compared to that of the same period last year.
Hanoi - President Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his delight at the growing ties between Vietnam and Cambodia at a reception in Ha Noi on Tuesday for President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin.

Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc welcomes President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin in Ha Noi on Tuesday. - VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

The Vietnamese President praised the results of the talks between Heng Samrin and Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Vuong inh Hue on Monday and the cooperation achievements between the two legislatures over the past years.

He hopes that Heng Samrin will continue promoting bilateral ties in the future.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, two-way trade still hit nearly US$10 billion last year, up 80 per cent year-on-year. Vietnam now invests in 188 projects worth $2.8 billion in Cambodia, becoming the biggest ASEAN investor and among the top five in the country.

He said both sides are striving to accelerate the border demarcation on the values of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development.

The host suggested both sides maintain the exchange of high-level visits and cooperation mechanisms via all channels.

The Vietnamese President hopes the two legislatures further consolidate the laws and regulations to facilitate bilateral ties in various areas, especially in linking the two economies, enhancing education, and raising public awareness of the traditional ties, particularly among the younger generations.
The reception was attended by Vo Van Minh, Chairman of Binh Duong People's Committee, Nguyen Van Hung, chairman of the Board of Directors of Becamex IDC Corporation and co-chairman of VSIP Group, and Kelvin Teo, CEO of Sembcorp Development and co-chairman of VSIP Group, together with leaders of the departments and agencies of Foreign Affairs, Planning and Investment, Industry and Trade, Natural Resources and Environment, and the Binh Duong Industrial Park Management Board.

The objective of this visit was to understand more about VSIP's presence and contribution to the industrialisation and development of Vietnam and the success of the VSIP model, from the very first VSIP project in Binh Duong province to the latest  VSIP III  which has just been built on the basis of applying smart and sustainable innovations.

After the solemn reception at the office showroom of VSIP I, deputy prime minister Keat and his delegation visited the 500-hectare VSIP I IndustrialPark.

Established in 1996, VSIP I is the first project formed on the basis of friendship and economic cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore.

Up to now, in Binh Duong province alone, a total of three VSIP projects (VSIP I, VSIP II, and VSIP III) have built and attracted nearly 600 investors from more than 22 countries and territories with a total investment capital of over $8.6 billion, creating 150,000 jobs.

VSIP III - Binh Duong, with an area of 1,000ha, marks a new important milestone for the VSIP joint venture, implementing a strategic transformation to smarter and more sustainable development.

VSIP III is designed to integrate smart technology in all activities in the industrial park, from the use of energy, water, and waste, to traffic management and security.

VSIP is a joint venture between Singapores Sembcorp Group and the domestic Becamex IDC Corporation

Up to now, there have been many outstanding projects registered to invest in VSIP. Among those are more than $1 billion from LEGO Group, the $100-million project from Pandora Group, and more than 40 domestic and foreign corporations and companies that are interested in the park.

Currently, Singapore is the fourth largest investor in VSIP Binh Duong with 56 projects and total investment capital of $1.1 billion.

This visit by the deputy prime minister and his delegation reaffirms VSIP as a symbol of the effectiveness of Singapore's investment projects in Vietnam and the important contribution of the joint venture in strengthening the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Singapore.

VSIP is a joint venture between Singapores Sembcorp Group and domestic Becamex IDC Corporation.

Starting in 1996, after 26 years of establishment and development, it has grown to become the VSIP Group investing in 11 projects across the country with a total land area of nearly 10,000ha, attracting $17 billion of investment capital and 860 tenants coming from 30 countries and territories to create jobs for more than 300,000 workers.

Trend to develop eco-industrial parks dominates at forum Stakeholders at the Industrial Property Forum 2022 agreed that developing eco-industrial parks and combining several functions with environmental protection shall be the new direction.

VSIP  from green industrial zones to integrated megacities VSIP Group is one of the pioneers in building a chain of industrial parks and urban service complexes in cities and provinces in Vietnam.

Binh Duong commits to resolve land problem for Lego Binh Duong Peoples Committee has committed to resolving the problems relating to planning and land handover for the $1-billion factory project that the Danish group Lego has invested in.

HR Asia Award honours VSIP JV as Best Place to Work in Vietnam 2022 VSIP Joint Venture Company (VSIP JV) has just been honoured as one of the Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2022 by HR Asia, the leading magazine on human resources in Asia.
Takeda was ranked 23rd in the multinational category for Asia. The award is based on over 1 million survey responses across Asia and the Middle East, representing the experience of more than 4.7 million employees in the region.

This recognition is based on confidential survey data assessing employee experiences of trust, innovation, company values, and leadership. Companies are also evaluated on how well they are creating a workplace that is inclusive of all employees no matter who they are or what they do.

The award shows that investing in people is a proven path to business success. Those that can create a fair work environment that fills employees with pride will outperform the competition.

Takeda Vietnam is a biopharmaceutical company present globally, dedicated to improving patient lives through an access-first approach, delivering highly innovative, life-transforming treatments to patients.

Katharina Geppert, country manager of Takeda Vietnam said, We are incredibly proud to be recognised for the unique culture that we continuously strive to foster among our employees and within every aspect of our business. It is a philosophy that we live and breathe ever since we began our operations over 240 years ago.

Takeda Vietnam is a biopharmaceutical company present globally, dedicated to improving patient lives through an access-first approach, delivering highly innovative, life-transforming treatments to patients.

With the mission to be a long-term trusted healthcare partner, providing innovative medicines and solutions to address healthcare challenges in Vietnam, Takeda fosters a diverse, equitable, inclusive, open, and collaborative working environment in which employees can contribute, perform, and grow as individuals.

All benefits at Takeda Vietnam are made with care. We aim to create an exceptional people experience, offering a comprehensive range of benefits to meet the unique and diverse needs of our people, while continuously emphasising diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of our people strategy. We believe diversity provides the potential for greater innovation and creativity, while inclusion helps the company realise the business benefits of this potential. This enables every employee to be heard, recognised, and cared for, Geppert added.

Igor Gomes, cluster head of Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore shared, The two recognitions received in less than a year reaffirm our commitment to continuously build Takeda as a great place to work and a workplace that empowers all our employees to bring their best self to work daily.

In alignment with the global vision Better Health, Brighter Future for its employees, Takeda Vietnam focuses on health and welfare with its healthcare programme for individuals and families, vaccinations for employees, COVID family support programme, and physical and mental health programme for employees.

The company celebrates a culture of appreciation and pays attention to work-life balance by providing a flexibly working arrangement, hybrid working policies, and a half-day Friday off. Moreover, the company adds more days for employees to spend more time on themself and family on special occasions.

Takeda commits to people development as the company aspires to cultivate and maintain lifelong learning and an inclusive environment, where every employee is encouraged to grow and perform to their full potential.

Quynh Hoang, Takeda Vietnams senior HR manager said, Takeda is an outstanding place to work where I am blessed to work with an amazing team and we genuinely have a warm affection for each other and a supportive, welcoming environment. They prized collaboration good work ethics and truly put patients above all else. It is a great place to both contribute and grow professionally and personally. Together, we continue to improve our peoples strategies to create a truly pleasant and desired workplace.

In May, Takeda Vietnam was ranked fourth among the Best Workplaces Vietnam 2022 by Great Place to Work ASEAN & ANZ for its commitment to continuously strive for an exceptional people experience, promoting individual growth and making Takeda Vietnam a truly inspiring and purposeful place to work.

Takeda Vietnam listed in the inaugural 2022 Vietnam Best Workplaces Takeda Vietnam was recognised as one of Vietnams best workplaces in 2022 by Great Place to Work ASEAN & ANZ, the global organisation on workplace culture.

Takeda Vietnam and Gaia plant over 500 trees in Can Gio Biosphere Reserve Takeda Vietnam is demonstrating its commitment to protecting the planet through the planting of more than 500 trees in Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, located about 50km from Ho Chi Minh City.
This dramatic increase in speed and connectivity is a boon to innovation, enabling the development of new products and services, and spurring economic growth and activity.

Philip Ziter - Senior associate Russin & Vecchi

Along with innovation and new developments, 5G will enhance and enable critical services and management of important resources. Precision agriculture, construction and mining, digitalised education, connected healthcare, smart manufacturing, intelligent retail, and connected smart cities are areas where development will be catalysed and enabled by 5G coverage.

Security of data on 5G communications infrastructure  that is, data and information that is transmitted and stored on it  is a key security interest of national significance. The security of 5G networks, as it relates to equipment or software, including any part of the network, is of critical importance.

Thus, great care is placed on avoiding the implementation of products developed, manufactured, or supplied by companies under the control or influence of a foreign government whose national security interests are perhaps not aligned with those of Vietnam.

By virtue of its high capacity and ultra-low latency, 5G will enable meaningful adoption of AI-enabled technologies and applications through the Internet of Things (IoT) across a range of sectors. As enterprises employ 5G to process and analyse increasingly greater volumes of data, and as businesses become better equipped to monetise these huge volumes of data, revenues and valuations are expected to increase.

Digital transformation is viewed as a key factor in boosting the economy and fostering sustainable development. 5G enables initiatives aimed at improving smart water use, innovative energy inventory and management for large buildings, smart traffic management technology, and remote sensors that compile air quality data.

For example, reducing vehicle emissions with the use of intelligent traffic signal control systems has been shown to lead to up to 20 per cent lower emissions. Radar and cameras are used to respond to traffic conditions as they change in real time. The result is that vehicles spend significantly less time stopping or idling at intersections, leading to significant reductions in emissions.

Smart water monitoring for agricultural applications  tracking rainfall, plants water requirements, sun exposure, and weather predictions  rely on precise measurements enabled by 5G-powered devices. While this technology already exists, 5G promises to make it more efficient and accessible.

Private 5G networks have the potential to revolutionise container ports, warehousing and logistics, airports, hospitals, hospitality, manufacturing, farming and more.

In the healthcare context, for example, doctors and patients will be more connected than ever. For example, an internal defibrillator could automatically alert emergency room cardiologists of a patient experiencing symptoms, allowing physicians to prepare for the incoming patient  complete with a full record of data collected by the device.

Data will fuel the growth of most sectors, and agriculture is no exception. Farms will continue to consume more data, resulting in the need for fewer chemicals. Sensors installed directly in fields, allow farmers to identify, with incredible precision, which areas require additional water, pest management, or show signs of invasive disease.

As economies of scale and manufacturing efficiencies make wearable technology more affordable, 5G enables networks with large numbers of IoT devices. For example, farmers can use health monitoring devices for livestock, gaining much more accurate and timely health data. This allows for significant reductions in the use of antibiotics, without risking the safety of food supply chains.

Meanwhile, in logistics and shipping, 5G allows greater communication between vehicles of a fleet. Vehicles can also communicate with infrastructure along the route. Navigation and monitoring of vehicles will improve with 5G, resulting in better route planning, shorter delivery times, and lower instances of driver error and accidents. AR systems used to identify potential hazards, without diverting a drivers attention away from the road, could be employed and powered by 5G.

There are challenges, of course, and there are policy recommendations out there. As technology advances, legal developments often lag. Recent and impending changes to Vietnams data protection law have the potential to restrict the free flow of data.

The implications of data-intensive technologies powered by 5G are yet to be seen. A clear legal framework is needed to bolster investor confidence and drive innovation.

Localities focus on digital overhaul to boost trade A series of cities and provinces up and down Vietnam are rushing to accelerate digital transformation in order to increase business and trade facilitation.
The MoU signing ceremony between the University of Auckland and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology

With the borders now fully open, the University of Auckland is keen to get Southeast Asian students back on campus and has launched the University of Auckland ASEAN High Achievers Scholarship.

Applications for the scholarship open on October 10, and both undergraduate and postgraduate students can apply.

This new scholarship offering is set to reduce financial barriers for incoming students from the region to support them with the transition from online to on-campus learning. These scholarships underpin the University of Aucklands support of its students from Southeast Asia throughout the period of border closures.

University of Auckland Interim Director International Ainslie Moore says the scholarships will be awarded biannually to students who have demonstrated high academic achievement in their previous study and are studying full-time on a wide range of undergraduate degrees, master's degrees, and postgraduate diplomas.

This is a significant investment for the university, and we very much look forward to welcoming these top students to Auckland, especially after the past few years of lockdowns. International students add diversity and richness to our campuses as well as play a major role in research and in the New Zealand workforce outside the university, said Moore.

This work has also included the development of a Vietnam Study Hub in central Ho Chi Minh City to enhance the online learning experience for students in Vietnam while they were unable to enter New Zealand.

The Hub provided a shared space for University of Auckland students who were based in Vietnam to connect with their peers, tutors, and teachers in person while helping them to maintain their motivation and prepare for on-campus study now that border restrictions have been lifted.

Located in the Sunwah Inno Innovation Centre  a modern shared workspace in central Ho Chi Minh City  the Vietnam Study Hub provided students with a bright and freshly designed ambience to create an exceptional online learning environment.

Additionally, it provided complementary tailored services such as tutoring and career counselling, which were very beneficial for students progress.

The university also supported students from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand by offering online learning support with a high-contact, personalised learning support programme to help students achieve their educational goals whilst the border restrictions were in place.

Dedicated Learning Advisors were made available to undergraduate students from these countries to assist in their local time zone anytime they needed a helping hand.

Throughout the pandemic, the University of Auckland continued to develop institutional partnerships across Southeast Asia to strengthen ties within the region.

This included an MoU with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology whereby several long-term goals were identified in areas such as joint research and credit transfer agreements allowing students the opportunity to study at both institutions throughout their degree.

New Zealand Trade Commissioner and Consul-General to Vietnam Joseph Nelson said he was pleased to see two top institutions, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and the University of Auckland, working together.

Partnerships like this are hugely important, and I look forward to seeing them progress their relationship with the creation of new pathways and new opportunities for their students, he said.

With the New Zealand borders having opened to international students from August 1, the University of Auckland welcomes students from Southeast Asia back to campus with the hope that the initiatives that have been put in place throughout the pandemic will have set students on the right track to commence their studies in New Zealand in 2023.

Resiliency sets stage for New Zealand trade The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will unlock the potential for trade and investment ties between Vietnam and New Zealand. Tredene Dobson, New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam, pointed out to VIRs Thanh Van the brand new prospects of economic partnership between the two countries.

New Zealand and Vietnam to broaden cooperation On April 6, New Zealand and Vietnam voiced their commitment to extending the two countries trade relationship at the second New Zealand-Vietnam Agricultural Dialogue.
SCO to create brighter prospects of common development

09:19, September 14, 2022 By Gong Ming ( People's Daily

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries have maintained sound development since the regional organization was established.

Since the SCOs founding in 2001, the total economy and foreign trade volume of its member states have grown by 12 percent on average per year. In 2020, the two figures have increased eleven fold and eight fold respectively.

Last year, the combined economic size of SCO member states exceeded $20 trillion, taking a larger share of the global economy and contributing more to global growth.

Russia's Sputnik said that over the past 20 years, SCO member states have achieved fruitful results in trade, investment and engineering contracting, and enhanced regional connectivity, which boosted economic development and livelihood improvement. As the SCO further expands its membership, it will enjoy greater potential for cooperation and brighter prospects.

The in-depth Belt and Road cooperation is leading to closer alignment among the development strategies of SCO countries and an improving level of trade and investment. A high-quality regional connectivity network is taking shape, and highlights are showing in agricultural and regional cooperation.

Melons from Uzbekistan, sunflower seed oil from Kazakhstan, and cherries from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have become available on Chinese markets, and China-Central Asia cooperation has expanded from the traditional areas of petroleum, natural gas and mineral resource exploitation to electricity, telecommunication, chemical engineering, agriculture and commercial services.

A record 15,000 China-Europe freight train trips were made in 2021, and the first China-Russia highway bridge opened to traffic. Besides, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is well underway.

SCO member states firmly safeguard the multilateral trading system and promote synergy between the Belt and Road cooperation and the development strategies of various countries and regional cooperation initiatives such as the Eurasian Economic Union, so as to smoothen the regional economic cycle and protect the security of global industrial and supply chains, as well as international food and energy security.

In March last year, the 75th session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 75/268 that recognized SCO's constructive role in ensuring peace and sustainable development, promoting regional cooperation and enhancing good-neighborly partnerships. It said that the quality of cooperation among SCO member states has significantly improved, which further enhanced the role of the multilateral mechanism.

SCO countries boast rich resources, huge market size, strong capability in scientific innovation and other unique advantages. They enjoy robust development momentum and bright cooperation prospects.

In recent years, the SCO has approved a series of documents on enhancing cooperation in digitalization, telecommunication technology and scientific innovation. SCO member states all agree to deepen exchanges in the digital economy to make their own economies more innovative.

Zhang Ming, Secretary-general of the SCO, noted that SCO countries have rich human and financial resources, adequate raw materials and sound technological potential. These countries' efforts to share their development outcomes in the digital economy and launch digital trade cooperation will promote regional peace and stability and sustainable development, and create broader prospects for the implementation of the Global Development Initiative.

Since this year, SCO member states have reached new consensus in their cooperation in technology, energy, and finance, to seek new directions and opportunities for regional development.

In April, the 6th meeting of ministers of science and technology of the SCO adopted the Action Plan on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Priority Areas for 2022-2025, the Mechanism for Implementing Joint Multilateral Research and Innovation Projects within the SCO Framework and the Plan of Cooperation on Artificial Intelligence.

In June, the 2nd meeting of energy ministers of the SCO was convened. SCO member states agreed to coordinate energy security and low-carbon energy development, actively build demonstration projects of renewable energy, deepen cooperation in innovative sci-tech development and upgrade energy cooperation.

In August, the SCO Inter-bank Consortium signed a cooperation document. Member banks will launch financial cooperation in infrastructure connectivity, low-carbon development, digital economy and livelihood, to offer strong support for the region's stable economic recovery.

As of the end of June, China's direct investment in other SCO member states totaled $37.5 billion. To help with SCO countries' post-pandemic recovery, China will strive to reach $2.3 trillion in its cumulative trade with other SCO countries in the next five years.

Earlier this year, the China Development Bank set up a special loan for the second phase of the SCO Inter-bank Consortium, with a scale of 30 billion yuan to support high-quality joint construction of key areas of the project under the Belt and Road Initiative.

China is building a new development paradigm and striving for high-quality development. It will work with all relevant parties to implement the Global Development Initiative, make more cooperation highlights, and improve practical cooperation, so as to achieve new achievements in regional economic cooperation and create a brighter future together with the SCO.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
BEIRUT, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The border demarcation negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have made progress, and only a few technical details remain to be solved, said Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Wednesday.

"The results that Lebanon has achieved in negotiations will enable it to invest its oil and gas wealth. We are currently studying some technical details to solve them in a way that would serve the interest of Lebanon, its rights, and sovereignty," Aoun was quoted as saying in a statement released by Lebanon's Presidency.

Aoun added that completing the negotiations will enable Lebanon to launch the oil and gas exploration process in the Exclusive Economic Zone.

"This will be a positive step for the Lebanese economy which will start emerging from its crisis," he said.

Lebanese authorities are trying to end a dispute with Israel over maritime borders, which has escalated after Israel on June 5 sent a vessel to the Karish field, which Israel claims is within its economic zone, while Lebanon claims it is in disputed waters.

Israel previously announced that it plans to extract gas from the disputed area as early as September, prompting Hezbollah to threaten attacks if Israel proceeds without first resolving the maritime border dispute with Lebanon. 
The modelling, published in Rethinking Energy in Southeast Asia, shows that a combination of renewables plus flexibility, provided by balancing engines and energy storage, can reliably meet Vietnams increasing power demand, which has risen at around 10 per cent per year in the last decade, faster than all other Southeast Asian countries.

Critically, when factoring in the International Energy Agencys upper forecasted carbon prices, the study shows that the LCOE in the net zero power system is at least 20 per cent lower than in the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario of the modelling which did not restrict emissions.

Wartsila modelled four scenarios for the energy transition in Vietnam by 2050. The first  the BAU scenario  had no restrictions on emissions. Under this scenario, Vietnam would release 320 million tonnes of CO 2 emissions by 2050, a three-fold increase in 2020, putting net zero well out of reach.

The report also modelled a scenario where emissions are reduced by 50 per cent by 2050, compared to the BAU scenario, as well as a scenario demanding emissions are reduced by 80 per cent by 2050 and another where the power system operates with net zero emissions by 2050.

The modelled scenarios all agree that flexibility, in the form of energy storage and balancing engines, is the crucial technological fix to enable renewable energy to become the dominant source of power. In every scenario, 7GW of balancing capacity is needed by 2030 for the system to meet peak demand. To reach net zero by 2050, Vietnam will need to install a total of 87GW of balancing capacity.

The findings show that building a net zero system would enable Vietnam to cut its LCOE by 20 per cent and avoid nearly $28 billion per year in forecasted carbon taxes by 2050. Meanwhile, renewables (including hydro, solar, wind, and bioenergy) should provide almost half of Vietnams power generation by the end of 2030.

Other key findings include 7GW of grid balancing engines being needed by 2030 to balance its new renewables; and up to 1GW of short-duration battery energy storage (1-2 hours), which should be installed by 2035.

To reduce 80 per cent of Vietnams emissions, renewables should provide 76 per cent of the power generation by 2050 to achieve a net zero power system. Investments in renewables and flexible generation would make it possible for Vietnam to phase out most coal capacity by 2040.

In the net zero scenario of the report, a 646GW system is built by 2050 which, aside from creating enough power for Vietnams growth, would provide excess electricity to produce 52TWh of green hydrogen.

Thanh Pham, country manager of Wartsila Energy in Vietnam said, The results of the study show that the opportunity of a generation is in reach for Vietnams energy leaders. By creating a renewable and scalable power system, Vietnam can address the new normal of fossil fuel volatility and emission constraints while creating future growth, jobs, and prosperity.

Pham added, Decarbonisation is a multi-year process, demanding stringent planning, but Vietnams aim to become a net zero economy is viable if the power sector takes the necessary actions today, he added.

By adopting flexibility and renewables at scale, Southeast Asia can also curb emissions and create the right conditions for new technologies  such as green hydrogen produced domestically through electrolysis  to be scaled up. In the net zero scenario of the report, a 646GW system is built by 2050 which, aside from creating enough power for Vietnams growth, would provide excess electricity to produce 52TWh of green hydrogen.

To achieve the major benefits of net zero power systems, Vietnams policymakers and regulators need to incentivise the addition of more flexible capacity, while creating a more competitive energy market. Wartsila recommends considerations for capacity planning and policy development.

Accordingly, Vietnam should recognise that inflexibility comes at a cost, for example in the form of higher fuel consumption or the need to curtail renewables (which cannot be fully utilised by inflexible power systems).

The country should encourage and plan for more flexible capacity through power system planning, regulations, and additional revenue mechanisms to ensure the financial viability of flexible assets.

In addition, it is important to establish well-functioning ancillary services and balance markets to support grid stability and renewable integration.

Another key area is designing the next generation of power purchase agreements so that incentives for flexibility are built-in to the agreements to encourage and effectively value operational flexibility.

In the long term, Vietnam should develop competitive wholesale markets with real-time and short-interval pricing that better reflects the reality of the changing power market.

Private sector expected to support the green growth model in Vietnam Last year Vietnam made a remarkable commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Patrick Lenain, senior associate of the Swiss-based Council on Economic Policies, shares some recommendations to encourage the private sectors role in this ambitious target.

Backing up Vietnams COP26 goals Vietnams strong commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next few decades is receiving major support from the international community.
The Vietstock Expo & Forum 2022 is expected to attract more than 150 exhibiting companies including international and local brands such as Famsun, Big Herdsman, Pigtek, Big Dutchman, De Heus, Thuan Nhat Automation, Provimi, Peja, Buhler, Miavit, Stolz Asia, Amandus, Pericoli, CPM, Nabel Asia, and many more.

During the three days of the exhibition, there will be featured activities and events such as seminars to provide visitors with various industry knowledge and the latest market insights.

Beyond that, the exclusive business-matching programme offers exhibitors and buyers to meet and trade at the show. Vietstock 2022 will be the perfect business platform not only for showcasing the latest technologies and products but also for great face-to-face business meetings, learning, and updating new industry knowledge.

Vietstock Awards 2022 which is held alongside with Vietstock Expo & Forum 2022, is the prestigious livestock award series hosted and approved by Informa Markets and the Livestock Production Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to honour all organisations that have made positive and meaningful contributions to the overall development of Vietnam's livestock industry.

This year at the Vietstock Expo & Forum 2022, for the first time, the Waste-to-Energy Pavilion is a new feature with an emphasise on biogas and biomass technologies applied to farming and livestock production, aligning with the Sustainable Development Strategy of the country.

Vietstock Expo & Forum 2022 will welcome more than 10,000 trade delegates and buyers. The show is expected to be the biggest event serving one of the fastest recovered markets in ASEAN.
What is your assessment of the existing performance of the overseas Vietnamese community?

The overseas Vietnamese (OV) community has gone from 4.5 million people in 109 countries and territories in 2013 to over 5.3 million people living and working in 130 countries and territories today.

Pham Quang Hieu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and chairman of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs

OV communities have been developing strongly and are recognised by local authorities and people as a resource for development. They are increasingly involved and hold many important positions in local politics.

Generations of expatriates growing up now enjoy a higher education, and the number of students going abroad to study and live has significantly contributed to the increase in the quality of young expatriates. Many young Vietnamese have also achieved success in the international arena.

What are the key OV contributions to Vietnams socioeconomic development?

There are two characteristics that I think will never change for OV: the tradition of solidarity and their love for the homeland.

Regarding the tradition of solidarity, via thousands of associations, OV are increasingly closely connected, sharing, caring, and supporting one another to develop.

The connection needs of the OV communities today do not stop at the national level but have reached out across the continent through the Union of Vietnamese People Associations in Europe or the network of OV intellectuals who support innovation run by 21 associations in 15 countries.

Most recently, when the conflict broke out in Ukraine, the Vietnamese community in European countries responded to the states call and donated, supported, and urgently provided necessities, food, and accommodation for thousands of Vietnamese in Ukraine who had to evacuate to neighbouring countries.

During the pandemic, OV associations such as the Student Union and the Businessmens Union organised many campaigns to raise funds and support individuals and families in difficulty.

In each period of national development, there is always a significant contribution from our compatriots abroad.

Economically, remittances to Vietnam in 2021 have increased, reaching $18.1 billion. There were also nearly 400 overseas investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of over $1.7 billion.

Large and regional-level enterprises and groups established by OV entrepreneurs have contributed to job creation, technology transfer, and socioeconomic development in many localities across the country.

During 2020-2021, OV contributed VND80 billion ($3.48 million) and many items to support the national vaccine fund and to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Since 2012, OV have contributed over VND10 billion ($435,000) to the Truong Sa [Spratly] island district and DK1 platform, along with two sovereign boats, and more than VND3 billion ($130,400) to the Fund for Vietnamese Sea and Islands and many valuable artefacts.

Moreover, many OV intellectuals have been participating in the governments advisory boards, and 17 are members of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front for the 2019-2024 tenure.

Networks of expatriate experts and intellectuals connect across many countries and regions with agencies, scientists, and research centres in Vietnam. They have organised many forums and conferences, gathering hundreds of OV experts and scientists.

Additionally, they also play an important role in promoting Vietnams image and status to the countries they are living in and beyond.

However, in some regions, OV still have many difficulties in legal status, with their basic rights yet to be guaranteed. They have not really integrated into the host society, and this will require more attention and care from our Party and state.

The OV community has been extending support to Vietnams fight against the COVID-19 pandemic

After Conclusion No.12-KL/TW was issued last year on the work of foreign affairs in the new situation, how has this work been implemented, especially with the conclusions new points?

Over the past year, the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs has been carrying out all aspects of work, especially focusing on the breakthroughs required by Conclusion 12 and Resolution 169.

The commission has developed and submitted that Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) leaders roll out the ministrys Action Programme and have held a conference to thoroughly grasp Conclusion 12 and Resolution 169 for 63 provinces, cities, departments, agencies, socio-political organisations nationwide, and nearly 100 representative agencies abroad, in order to disseminate the policy, tasks, and solutions to effectively implement of the OV work in the new situation.

Work for greater solidarity is one of the key areas the commission has been focusing on since the new regulations came into force. We are working to develop many programmes to strengthen national unity with compatriots abroad.

National and MoFA leaders all take opportunities to meet, interact, listen to comments, and respond to feedback from their compatriots overseas.

Events hosted by the commission have been significant to the work of national unity and connecting OV with the homeland, such as the Spring Homeland 2022 programme, the Hung Kings Commemoration Ceremony, a delegation visiting Truong Sa island district, and the Vietnam Summer Camp 2022 Programme.

At the same time, community support has been promoted, showing the responsibility and affection of the country for our compatriots abroad, especially supporting them in difficult countries such as Cambodia and Ukraine. Also, the work of mobilising and promoting the resources of OV has continued to be strongly implemented.

How can OV resources be tapped in service of national development?

The MoFA is coordinating with government agencies across the board to develop a scheme for strengthening the resources of OV in service of national development.

We are now working on forming a network of presidents of overseas business associations (32 presidents in 26 countries) and an overseas intellectuals association (30 presidents in 26 countries), especially focusing on innovation networks established in economies such as Europe, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia.

Since the Since Conclusion 12 came into force, the commission has organised about 50 events connecting overseas businessmen and intellectuals with agencies and domestic enterprises.

The commission has also reviewed legal policies for OV, and launched a programme to survey OV opinion on laws and administrative procedures.

The commission also strives to diversify forms of support and promote the inclusion of Vietnamese in the curriculum in countries with many OV. On August 3, the prime minister approved the project Honouring Vietnamese language in the OV community for 2023-2030, taking September 8 every year as a milestone for honouring the beauty of the Vietnamese language and enhancing the teaching and learning of Vietnamese abroad.

Additionally, OV have been provided timely information about the countrys situation and policies, contributing to strengthening national unity.

Can you share your thoughts on your role as chairman of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs?

The OV work is closely directed by the Party and the government, and requires the participation of almost all ministries, agencies, sectors and localities throughout the country. The MoFA has also identified the OV work as one of the four key contents of foreign affairs.

The effective implementation of this work will contribute to building a stable, developing, and country-oriented OV community, and at the same time directly help boost national socioeconomic development strategy.

I am very proud to see our OV community succeed, develop, and always have a heart towards the homeland. However, I also worry many times when I see the difficulties that people in some areas are facing.

I think that as a state management agency in charge of OV, in the coming time, we need to strongly and comprehensively carry out the work of supporting and mobilising OV, further enhancing awareness and roles of agencies, ministries, sectors, and localities in the deployment of OV work, in order to widely gather our overseas Vietnamese into a great national unity bloc.

This will contribute to the strong promotion of aggregate strength so that we can soon realise the aspiration of developing a strong, prosperous, and happy country.

Action programme aims to promote overseas Vietnamese-related affairs Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has signed a resolution on the issuance of a government action programme to continue accelerating the implementation of the Politburo's directions regarding overseas Vietnamese (OV) affairs in the 2021-2026 period.

Overseas Vietnamese strengthen Danangs investment climate The central city of Danang is expected to become more vibrant with a flow of investments from overseas Vietnamese.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Lawyers for Iowas largest abortion provider argued in court documents Tuesday that there's no precedent or legal support for bringing back a law banning most abortions, which a judge had permanently blocked in 2019.

Planned Parenthood's lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa were responding in state court filings to arguments made by lawyers for Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds last month.

Reynolds contends that recent decisions by both the Iowa and U.S. Supreme Court have changed the legal landscape, and states must individually decide whether abortion is legal. The governor says these changes justify reversing a state court judge's decision that the abortion ban law was unconstitutional  and therefore unenforceable. Reynolds did not appeal the decision at the time.

The judge based his opinion on U.S. Supreme Court precedent, as well as an Iowa Supreme Court decision in 2018 that declared abortion a fundamental right under the Iowa Constitution.

The 2018 law would block abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know theyre pregnant. The law contains exceptions for medical emergencies including threats to the mothers life, rape, incest, and fetal abnormality.

Current Iowa law bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Abortions up to that point remain legal in the state.

ACLU lawyers argue there is no precedent to reverse a case finalized years ago. They said that in Iowa, even though the state Supreme Court removed the fundamental abortion protections in its June decision, abortion remains legal under earlier court decisions that have not been reversed.

ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen said the governors recourse should be to go back to the legislature and pass a new law instead of trying to resurrect one declared void years ago.

She said in court documents that if the state wants to ban abortion at six weeks and believes it has the authority to do so consistent with the Constitution, it may instead petition the current Iowa Legislature to pass such a law now, rather than attempting to revive a law that was clearly unconstitutional and void at the time it was passed by an earlier legislature.

The judge in the case has given Reynolds lawyers until Sept. 26 to file a response and has set a court hearing for Oct. 28.

Reynolds, who has made clear her intentions to end most abortion in Iowa, decided to turn to the courts to impose stricter abortion limits instead of calling a special session of the legislature to pass a new law.

The strategy was likely to avoid a noisy political debate weeks before the November election where she and GOP legislative leaders are seeking reelection. And abortion may not be a winning political issue for Republicans, since 60% of Iowans support keeping abortion legal in most or all cases, according to a Des Moines Register Iowa poll from July. The poll results indicated 34% favored making abortion illegal in most or all cases.

A statewide vote in traditionally conservative Kansas last month came down decisively in favor of abortion rights.

Laws such as Iowas 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.

This story was first published Sept. 13, 2022. It was updated Sept. 14, 2022, to correct the date of an upcoming court hearing scheduled for Oct. 28, not Dec. 28.
Dozens of first responders rushed to Waco High School on Tuesday following a report of a school shooting. Parents received anguished phone calls from frightened students and hurried to pick them up. School officials soon reported the situation was the result of a hoax, and an hour and 40 minutes after the first call, police had fully cleared the campus and found no indication of a credible threat.

Waco police responded at about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday to a call reporting an active shooter and injured students at Waco High School, but determined there was not an active threat on the campus and there had been no injuries.

Officials gave the all clear by 3:40 p.m., and parents were picking up students soon afterward at the Base at the Extraco Events Center, 4401 Bosque Blvd.

There was no credible threat on the campus at 2020 N. 42nd St., Waco Police Department spokesperson Cierra Shipley said.

No one at the school was found to have had an unauthorized weapon, she said. She said police are looking into the possibility a fake weapon was present, but that no real weapons were found.

As police arrived, they all followed the safety plan, clearing the campus room by room and building by building, Shipley said. The 320,000-square-foot campus has about 150 classrooms, Waco ISD spokesperson Alice Jauregui said.

The district put out a call at 2:23 p.m. to all families and employees describing the situation at Waco High and notifying them enhanced safety measures were in place at three other schools in the area, according to Jauregui. The district followed up with a text at 2:47 to all Waco High families and employees saying there was no active threat, that families should go to the Base, not the school, and that police were working to secure the campus.

As police cleared the school, hundreds of parents and guardians, some who rushed over still in hairnets or work clothes, were directed to the Base at the Extraco Events Center.

Bosque Boulevard was backed up with cars going both ways by 2:45 p.m. Parents said they did not know where to go or park, and all the neighborhood streets in a half-mile radius were completely full of parked cars.

Parents at the Base discussed their anxiety over the situation and frustration with a lack of communication. One said she heard from her daughter, who was locked in a closet and told her the principal sounded scared as he gave the lockdown announcement.

By about 3 p.m., Waco Police Department social worker DeAngela Bynum was walking around telling people standing outside the Base they would soon be allowed inside to get away from the afternoon heat, and that police would be briefing parents on what happened and how to pick up their student. At that point Bynum said they had cleared every room at the school.

The district put another call to Waco High parents at 3:02 confirming the threat was a hoax and describing dismissal plans, Jauregui said in an email. The district sent at least seven rounds of calls or texts with updates between 2:23 and 3:48 to families with either Waco High or the three other campuses that went on a secure status. All adults who register students provide contact information, she said.

Our teachers, our students and our Waco ISD Police Department have all trained for this, Jauregui said at the scene Tuesday afternoon. Everyone knew what to do and followed the training. Were very thankful that no actual credible threat was found.

After-school activities were scheduled to continue as normal, and Wednesday will be a normal school day, she said.

Agencies that responded Tuesday afternoon included Waco police, Waco ISD police, Lacy Lakeview police, the McLennan County Sheriffs Office, McLennan County Constables, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Waco Fire Department and American Medical Response.

Shipley said there was only one phone call to police dispatch reporting an active shooter, during the entire incident. Officials would expect to be flooded with calls in an active shooting situation.

The lack of follow-on calls from the campus reporting anything going wrong was an indicator that there was no threat, Shipley said.

As officers entered school buildings and began clearing the rooms, they found no chaos, no one injured and these were additional indicators no threat was present, Shipley said.

When she reported the all clear at 3:40, she confirmed police agencies clearing the campus had found no weapons, no destructive devices and no threatening people.

By the time of the all clear, Waco police had not determined whether the caller making the report about Waco High sincerely believed the incident was happening or was actually part of an attempt to deceive, she said. Later Tuesday, school officials referred to the incident as a hoax.

Also Tuesday afternoon, officials in Dallas and Houston responded to false reports of shootings at schools. Dallas-area police received a call and responded Tuesday afternoon to Lincoln High School, cleared the school and determined the call was a hoax, Dallas ISD spokesperson Caren Rodriguez said.

Houston police received a report of a shooting with injuries in a specific room at Heights High School, which they quickly determined was false, police reported. There was no credible threat at the school, and there were no injuries in the school.

Shipley said that Waco police would work with Dallas police and police from other cities, including Houston and Austin, where similar threats had been reported but not found in order to determine if it was a coordinated hoax.
NARFE meeting

The Waco Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association will meet at noon Thursday at Hampton Inn & Suites, 2501 Marketplace Drive.

Signs in the lobby will direct attendees to the meeting. An officer of the Texas Federation will speak about the upcoming state conference to be held in Waco next year.

All active and retired federal employees, as well as potential members, are invited to the meeting.

Young Marines signup

The Heart of Texas Young Marines will be accepting registrations from boys and girls ages 818 interested in joining the program.

Registration will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 3310 N. 15A St.

For more information, call 254-405-0649.

Senior Source Health Fair

The AmeriCorp Retired and Seniors Volunteer Program will hold its 30th annual Senior Source Health and Information Fair from 10 a.m.to 2:30 p.m. Friday at Richland Mall. The community outreach event will provide free health services to senior adults, caregivers and the general public.

This years fair will offer several service booths providing a variety of health services, including flu shots and COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as free blood pressure checks, hearing testing, glucose testing and cholesterol testing.

For more information, call 254-299-8766. The RSVP office will be closed Friday for the event.

MCC Fall Convocation

McLennan Community College will be closed from noon to 5 p.m. Friday to allow all employees to participate in its Fall Convocation.

Tarleton State University, Texas Tech University and the Community Clinic at MCC will be open for regular business hours.

Constitution Day event

McLennan Community Colleges government department will host a Constitution Day event at 2 p.m. Thursday in room 101 of the Math, Wellness & Fitness building at MCC.

The event is free and open to the public, and will feature an author panel webinar titled Practical Optimism for Today and Tomorrow: Lessons from History and Political Science.

For more information, email Larry Salazar at lsalazar@mclennan.edu.

Business After Hours

McLennan Community College will host the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerces Business After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Business & Technology Center on the MCC campus.

Business After Hours is a free networking event to enjoy food and drinks while connecting with fellow community and chamber members in a relaxed, casual atmosphere.

For more information about Business After Hours at MCC, email Frank Graves at fgraves@mclennan.edu.
NEW YORK (AP)  A compilation of radio commentary by the late Rush Limbaugh, from his early years on the air to his decades as a bombastic and influential voice in conservative politics, will be published Oct. 25.

Threshold Editions, a conservative imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced Wednesday that Radio's Greatest of All Time" will include contributions from former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The book was curated in part by Limbaugh's widow, Kathryn Adams Limbaugh, and his brother, David Limbaugh.

This book is written in appreciation of the millions of listeners who Rush considered to be his extended family and the greatest audience in the world,'" Threshold's announcement reads in part.

Limbaugh died of lung cancer in 2021 at age 70. In his lifetime, he published the bestsellers The Way Things Ought to Be and See, I Told You So.
When a pregnant North Texas woman was pulled over for driving alone in a high-occupancy vehicle lane, she protested.

I just felt that there were two of us in [the car] and I was wrongly getting ticketed, the driver, Brandy Bottone, told The Dallas Morning News in July.

Bottone argued that under Texas abortion laws, which went into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, a fetus is considered a living being. She argued the same should be true when it comes to the states traffic laws.

Im not trying to make a political stance here, Bottone said, but in light of everything that is happening, this is a baby.

Dallas County officials are now facing unprecedented legal questions about what defines personhood. While the district attorneys office dismissed Bottones first citation, she was ticketed a second time in August.

Legal experts, meanwhile, warn that this traffic incident is just a small piece of a larger puzzle considering what it means to treat a fetus the same as a person. Debates about fetal personhood have been happening nationwide since the 1960s, when many abortion opponents started championing the idea. In Texas, abortion opponents are divided over whether a fetal personhood law is worth pursuing. But the concept is gaining traction nationwide and could become increasingly salient in Texas, where nearly all abortions have been banned and fetuses already have some legal rights.

Historically, conversations about fetal personhood have been about introducing increasingly harsh penalties for people who either perform abortions or aid and abet abortions, said Mary Ziegler, a legal historian focusing on abortion at University of California Davis School of Law. That isnt the only way you can think about personhood.

An expansive concept

During the 1960s and 70s, abortion opponents pushed for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define life as beginning at the point of fertilization. Such an amendment would have automatically criminalized abortion across the country. But it would also raise all sorts of new questions such as whether a fetus should be included when determining child tax credits, in census counts  or even as a passenger in an HOV lane.

Critics say that lawmakers havent fully considered these legal questions. Georgia is the only state with a fetal personhood law in effect, according to The Guttmacher Institute, and that state is still trying to figure out exactly how to apply that law.

Kimberley Harris, who teaches constitutional law with an emphasis on reproductive rights at Texas Tech University School of Law, warns that the ultimate impact of fetal personhood laws would be to regulate the decisions of pregnant people.

If the fetus is now a person, Harris said, someone who consumes alcohol while pregnant could be guilty of child endangerment.

You could potentially be guilty of manslaughter or murder if you had a miscarriage and werent taking proper precautions, she said.

Already, such cases are underway in states like Alabama, where voters have adopted a constitutional amendment protecting fetal rights. The state can legally sentence women to up to 99 years in prison for using drugs during pregnancy and then miscarrying. At least 20 women in the state have faced the harshest possible criminal charges for using drugs and then suffering pregnancy loss, The Marshall Project reported.

Rebecca Kluchin, a reproductive health historian at California State University, Sacramento, said that fetal personhood laws hark back to the era of forced sterilization, when states could forcibly sterilize people deemed unfit to procreate. She said that if fetal personhood is more widely recognized, more women could be forced to undergo unwanted medical interventions, such as cesarean sections, if a doctor believes that treatment is in the interest of the fetus.

A doctor can say, You need this to save your fetus, and it doesnt matter what you want, Kluchin explained. And that takes womens ability to consent out.

No US or Texas laws on fetal personhood

Although a constitutional amendment granting fetal personhood has been introduced more than 300 times in Congress, it has never gained significant traction. The U.S. Supreme Court has also declined to weigh in on fetal personhood. In the recent Dobbs decision, Justice Samuel Alito wrote: Our opinion is not based on any view about if and when prenatal life is entitled to any of the rights enjoyed after birth.

At the state level, lawmakers in several conservative states have championed fetal personhood laws, though only Georgias and Arizonas have passed, and Arizonas is currently blocked by a judge.

Texas Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, filed a bill in the last legislative session that would provide due process to a fetus. That bill died in committee.

Toth did not respond to an inquiry about his agenda for the upcoming session.

State Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, filed a bill last year that would allow families to apply for life certificates for their preborn child. Similar to a birth certificate, the document would acknowledge the personhood of a fetus, although its unclear what types of rights such a certificate would grant. That bill died on the House calendar.

Texas abortion opponents remain divided

While certain conservative legislators are advancing bills granting legal rights for the fetus, anti-abortion activists said fetal personhood is not a priority. John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life  a statewide anti-abortion organization  said that while he ethically supports fetal rights, he is more focused on ensuring that current abortion laws are enforced.

We have district attorneys who are not enforcing pro-life laws, Seago said. And so instead of adding a new law, we need to enforce whats already there.

At Texas Alliance for Life, another anti-abortion nonprofit organization, president Joe Pojman said he did not support Toths personhood bill because fetuses already have sufficient rights in Texas.

I didnt see anything that was not already in the Texas law, Pojman said, adding that references to fetal rights are scattered throughout Texas legal code. Texas Estates Code, for example, protects inheritance rights for fetuses. And Texas Advance Directives Act, which would allow a doctor to end life support for certain patients, does not apply to pregnant women.

For nearly 20 years, Texas has also afforded fetuses legal rights when it comes to criminal cases. The Texas Penal Code was updated in 2003 to identify an unborn child at every state of gestation from fertilization until birth as an individual for cases of murder and assault. That law has been upheld by Texas highest criminal court of appeals, allowing the state to prosecute individuals who cause the death of or injury to an unborn child.

In one recent case, a Texas man was imprisoned for life without parole after being found guilty of capital murder. A jury found the man guilty of causing the death of his ex-wifes 5-week-old fetus.

Since Texas banned nearly all abortions, a person could conceivably be prosecuted for capital murder for performing a medical procedure that was legal just three months ago. Texas law explicitly exempts the pregnant patient from being charged with murder in the death of their fetus. And no prosecutor has yet tried to use the capital murder charge for abortion. Experts say prosecutors are more likely to charge Texas abortion providers under the states trigger law, which makes performing an abortion punishable by up to life in prison.

Eleanor Klibanoff contributed to this article.

Disclosure: Texas Tech University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/09/13/texas-personhood-laws-abortion-law/.

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ASHLAND  The safety and appearance of the railroad underpass on Silver Street brought local government and business officials together to talk to railroad representatives last week.

On Sept. 9, members of the Ashland City Council, Ashland Planning Commission, Ashland Area Economic Development Corporation, Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, Ashland Creative District and Saunders County Board of Supervisors took part in a teleconference with Jeremy Wegner, BNSF Railway manager of public projects for Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, and Jeff Davis, from the railroads public affairs office.

Susan Cerny, chairperson of the Ashland Planning Commission, set up the meeting, the first of what she said will be exploratory discussions about the underpass, which is an ugly front door to the community.

Cerny told the group of 15 gathered for the teleconference at Ashland Public Library that the three issues she wanted to discuss were safety, aesthetics and lighting.

She asked Wegner if there was a record of the number of times the underpass has been struck by a vehicle per year. Wegner said no, but acknowledged that it happens often.

This is a location that does regularly get hit by vehicles, he said.

The underpass has a clearance of 11 feet, 3 inches. Wegner did not know when the structure was built, but some local officials guessed it may have been installed in the 1930s when the highway was rerouted.

Even though the exact date of the underpass construction is unknown, it is clear that the structure was built well before the modern vehicles of today were invented. Mayor Rick Grauerholz said the legal height for trucks is now 12 feet, 6 inches, and RVs can be over 13 feet tall these days, according to Bob Luebbe, owner of Ashland RV Campground just a few blocks from the underpass.

Luebbe said he warns people who come to stay at his campground of the low bridge. But he said some people dont pay attention to his warnings, and mapping services frequently send people through the underpass rather than via the overpass (Highway 66).

Its a real safety hazard, he said.

The city installed a sign on Silver Street that warns of the low bridge in the hopes that visitors to the RV park would see it before they turn onto Silver Street.

Luebbe said if the driver gets to the underpass and realizes the vehicle they are towing is too tall, they have no room to turn around. Traffic is then backed up on Silver Street in both directions.

Of course, recreational vehicles are not the only ones to hit the underpass. Over the years, The Ashland Gazette has taken photographs of numerous incidents where semi trailers or cargo vans have gotten stuck under the structure.

Ashlands rapid residential and commercial growth currently appears to be centered on Highway 6, which will only increase the problems at the underpass, Luebbe said.

If you look at the bridge, you can see the multiple times its been hit by RVs and semis and so on, Luebbe said.

Wegner said the railroad does an inspection on the structure once a strike has been reported. Cerny and Luebbe said many strikes go unreported, which Wegner said was concerning.

It sounds like its feasible that theres more strikes than that are being reported, Wegner added.

Every time a strike is reported, the bridge is inspected by BNSF, according to Wegner.

For safety purposes we would like to inspect a bridge if somebody is going to hit it and make sure its safe to travel, he said.

Davis added that each of BNSFs 13,000 bridges are inspected at least every six months.

While this meeting was not about finding solutions right away, Wegner did ask if the city could put up additional signage to warn drivers. City Administrator Jessica Quady said they are limited to what they can do on the east side of the underpass, as the Nebraska Department of Transportation restricts signs in its right-of-way. But she acknowledged that more signs could be placed on Silver Street to the west of the structure.

City Council Member Bruce Wischmann asked if the road could be lowered to increase the bridge height. City Building Official Bill Krejci said dropping the road would increase the grade, while City Engineer Julie Ogden said that would cause increased drainage issues.

Wegner also nixed the idea. He also said that BNSF has nothing in the works for the underpass in the future.

There are no capital improvements planned at this location now, he said.

Wegner said BNSF would like to reduce the number of strikes, but that is not going to equate to a new bridge. Neither will the existence of taller vehicles.

Its not my responsibility to build a new bridge because people buy taller vehicles, Wegner said.

Earlier in the discussion, Wegner said the typical lifespan of a railroad bridge is 100 years. However, that number is just arbitrary when it comes to whether or not to replace the structure. They do not replace a bridge just because it has hit the century mark, according to the railroads public projects manager.

Bridges are replaced as needed, he said.

While the bridge (underpass) is the responsibility of the railroad, the street that runs through it is under the control of the city. If the city would come up with an idea that would change the roadway, they must present their plans to BNSF for review and approval.

The same goes for the pedestrian tunnel that runs on one side of the underpass. Council Member Jim Anderson said the tunnel is beyond repair.

Anderson said he observed a woman pushing a stroller who chose to walk through the underpass on busy Silver Street rather than go through the tunnel.

If something would happen and somebody would get hurt, it would be terrible, terrible, he said.

Oddly enough, the pedestrian tunnel is the responsibility of Saunders County. Grauerholz said this stems back to the days when a highway ran through the city. That highway was under the countys jurisdiction. When highway was rerouted, the county gave the road back to the city. But the pedestrian tunnel remained in the countys control.

David Lutton, who represents Ashland in District 1 on the board of supervisors, asked what would be needed to work on the pedestrian tunnel. Wegner said just like any proposed project that involve a railroad bridge, the county would have to provide engineered plans to BNSF, which uses a third party consultant to review possible projects to determine if they are in compliance with the railroads operations. If it is approved, the railroad would issue a permit.

The appearance of both the underpass and the pedestrian tunnel was also a subject of discussion. Steve Nabity is president of the Flora District, the committee appointed by the mayor to oversee the citys new creative district status. The group is focusing mainly on the downtown district, but it is also concerned with the Silver Street corridor.

Nabity asked about cosmetic improvements to the underpass. Wegner said they have a process for street-scaping and landscaping that also require permission from the railroad.

City Council Member Chuck Niemeyer said the city council has started discussing a revamp of Silver Street from downtown to Highway 6, but the underpass and pedestrian tunnel have put the project on hold.

The teleconference meeting lasted about an hour. No plans have been announced for a similar meeting in the future.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo sex offender has been arrested for allegedly stalking an ex-girlfriend.

Police arrested Revar Ephaim Harrell, 43, on Wednesday on one count of stalking. He was also detained on a probation violation and is being held without bond pending a hearing.

According to court records, police had warned Harrell twice about contacting the woman after she filed complaints following their breakup more than a year ago.

Despite the warnings, witnesses told police Harrell regularly shows up at the womans home, honking his horn and throwing rocks at the house. On Sept. 4 he allegedly approached her at a Broadway Street laundry mat and threated to assault her if he sees her with anyone else, according to court records.

Harrell has a 2019 conviction for aggravated sexual abuse in Cook County, Illinois, where he allegedly had contact with a 12 year old.

In 2021, he was arrested in Iowa for violating his sex offender registration for allegedly failing to notify authorities that four juveniles  ranging in age from 4 to 15 years  were living with him, according to court records.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Samarkand to pay a state visit to Uzbekistan and attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Sept. 14, 2022. At the airport, Xi was warmly greeted by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, Governor of Samarkand region Erkinjon Turdimov and other high-level officials. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here Wednesday evening to pay a state visit to Uzbekistan and attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

At the airport, he was warmly greeted by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, Governor of Samarkand region Erkinjon Turdimov and other high-level officials.

Mirziyoyev held a grand welcoming ceremony for Xi at the airport. Nearly a hundred national flags of China and Uzbekistan were waving in the breeze. The hundred-meter-long carpet was flanked by valiant honor guards. The two presidents stepped onto the reviewing stand adorned to reflect distinctive Uzbek features. A fanfare was played on Karnay, a traditional Uzbek long wind instrument, as a signal of welcome. Local young people, dressed in festive national costumes, were singing and dancing to the most invigorating beat to welcome the most honorable guest.

In a written speech, Xi extended warm greetings and best wishes to the government and people of Uzbekistan on behalf of the government and people of China. Xi underscored that spanning over two thousand years, the friendship between China and Uzbekistan and their people is still brimming with vigor and vitality.

The China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership has steered onto the fast track of development, not only benefiting people of the two countries, but also giving a strong boost to peace, stability, prosperity and development of the region, said Xi.

He noted that he will hold talks with Mirziyoyev for an in-depth exchange of views on deepening bilateral cooperation, and on regional and international issues of shared interest, and jointly draw the blueprint for the development of China-Uzbekistan relations. He looks forward to attending the SCO Samarkand Summit, and working with all parties to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote the sound and steady development of the SCO.

Accompanied by Mirziyoyev, Xi walked through the VIP lounge at the airport where the digital screen displayed a giant photo of Xi with the words "Warmly Welcome President of the People's Republic of China H.E. Xi Jinping to Pay State Visit to Uzbekistan" in both Chinese and Uzbek.

Xi said goodbye to Mirziyoyev before leaving in the convoy. The two presidents reaffirmed the scheduled official talks Thursday and agreed to have an in-depth exchange of views on deepening China-Uzbekistan friendship.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and other members of the entourage arrived by the same flight.

Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jiang Yan also greeted Xi at the airport. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Samarkand to pay a state visit to Uzbekistan and attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Sept. 14, 2022. At the airport, Xi was warmly greeted by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, Governor of Samarkand region Erkinjon Turdimov and other high-level officials. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Samarkand to pay a state visit to Uzbekistan and attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Sept. 14, 2022. At the airport, Xi was warmly greeted by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, Governor of Samarkand region Erkinjon Turdimov and other high-level officials. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)
WATERLOO  Attorneys for Tyson and a group of the plants executives and supervisors are asking for the court to throw out wrongful death lawsuits brought by relatives of four workers who died of COVID-19.

During a Monday hearing, the meatpacking plants lawyers argued that Iowa law dictates the matter should be handled through the states workers compensation system and not as a civil suit in district court.

Attorneys for the estates of Isidro Fernandez, Sedika Buljic, Reberiano Leno Garcia and Jose Luis Ayala Jr. are fighting to keep the cases in court, where there is a greater opportunity for recovery and punitive damages.

The plaintiffs allege Tyson officials misled employees at Tyson Fresh Meats in the spring of 2020 about the dangers of the coronavirus and the presence to the virus at hog-processing facility.

Tyson attorneys told the court the plaintiffs suit was an attempted end run around Iowas workers compensation act. The allegations amount to workplace injury claims, which should be addressed by the Iowa Division of Workers Compensation, they argued. The court system doesnt have jurisdiction over the matter, Tysons attorney argued.

A similar argument prevailed in a Philadelphia court where Tyson Foods was facing a COVID-19 lawsuit brought by the widow of a deceased employee.

Attorneys for the workers estates said Iowa case law stemming from a suit brought against Winnebego Industries  by an employee who was accidently dropped on his face after he was duct taped and dragged to the showers as part of a prank on his last day of work in 1995  established criteria that could allow such lawsuits.

Workers compensation claims are also being pursued as a matter to due diligence, attorneys said. In those proceedings, the company is challenging allegations the workers contracted the virus at work instead of by community spread, according to court records.

Tysons attorneys are also arguing that the suits are barred under the states COVID-19 Response and Back-to-Business Limited Liability Act. The act limits who can bring lawsuits based on coronavirus exposure.

District Court Judge John Sullivan took the matter under advisement and will rule at a later date.







Counties with the highest COVID-19 death rate in Iowa
WATERLOO  The city will move forward with using $20 million in general obligation bonds for building a fiber network to support a municipal broadband utility.

More than 84% of residents voted yes on the measure Tuesday.

A total of 2,762 ballots were cast, which is 6.57% of the registered voters in Waterloo.

Mayor Quentin Hart attended a watch party at Jamesons in downtown Waterloo and cheers erupted as the results rolled in.

This is about our community and future and were grateful our residents and businesses feel as strongly as we do about Waterloo positioning itself with a fiber network that will propel us into the future, Hart said.

Hart also stated that Tuesdays result fulfilled what citizens chose in 2005, when voters approved the creation of a municipal broadband utility.

One Waterloo resident was ecstatic when she found out the measure passed. Marianne Kurtenbach said she currently uses Mediacom as her internet provider. Sometimes when shes at home, she has to use her cellular data instead of the wi-fi on her smartphone.

Waterloo has such a bright future  having this option that has internet that works and is reliable, Kurtenbach said.

With the approval, $20 million of GO bonds can be used to fund a fiber optic backbone and fiber to the premises broadband communications system.

The projects goal is to connect all city buildings and, eventually, all the homes in Waterloo to a municipal service.

The price of the services is still unknown but Andy Van Fleet, chairman of the citys telecommunications board, said the price would be very competitive if not priced below market.

A survey done by Magellan Advisors said residents pay an average of $108.78 for one gigabit per second  the same speed Waterloo is saying it will provide.

As for effects on taxpayers, Speer Financials Senior Vice President Maggie Burger said the city is not looking for any tax increases based on the bonds that will be issued. Van Fleet said when the broadband utility generates revenue, that revenue would go back to repay the bonds.

Hart said the citys next step is to go out for bids on both the fiber backbone and fiber to the premises project. The total project is estimated at $115 million. The backbone will cost about $29 million and the fiber to houses is estimated at around $86 million.

Hart said construction could begin in early spring.
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Irene Papas, the Greek actress and recording artist renowned for her dramatic performances and austere beauty that earned her prominent roles in Hollywood movies as well as in French and Italian cinema over six decades has died. She was 93.

The Greek Culture Ministry confirmed her death Wednesday.

Magnificent, majestic, dynamic, Irene Papas was the personification of Greek beauty on the cinema screen and on the theater stage, an international leading lady who radiated Greekness, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described her as a source of admiration and inspiration to generations of Greeks.

Papas became known internationally following performances in The Guns of Navarone in 1961 and Zorba the Greek in 1964, acting alongside Hollywood stars Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. In all, she starred in more than 50 movies.

Born Irene Lelekou in the mountainous village of Chiliomodi, Papas was the daughter of two schoolteachers. Her father also taught drama.

She left home at 18 to marry Greek film director Alkis Papas despite her familys disapproval. They divorced four years later. After the death of American Actor Marlon Brando in 2004, Papas revealed in an Italian newspaper interview that the two had been romantically involved.

A supporter of the Greek Communist Party, Papas was a vocal opponent of the military dictatorship that governed the country between 1967 and 1974 and lived much for life outside Greece, including in Rome and New York.

Papas was also known for her appearance in ancient Greek tragedies. Many of her iconic international movie roles were earned portraying Greek characters. But she also starred with Kirk Douglas in the 1968 crime drama Brotherhood and with James Cagney in the 1956 Western Tribute to a Bad Man.

Greek arts institutions thanked Papas for her support for younger actors. The Athens-based Greek Film Center described her as The greatest Greek international film star, adding: Her image is a timeless imprint of Greek female beauty.

Papas publicly joked that she was often quoted as being three years older than her actual age. She started a 2004 interview with Greek state television by saying, I was born on Sept. 3, 1929. All the papers are there in Chiliomodi, which is located near the southern Greek city of Corinth.
Dear brother, Hero of Russia, Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Adam Delimkhanov @adelimkhanov_95, at the head of units from the Chechen Republic, began to carry out the tasks of a special military operation on the territory of Ukraine and the DPR.

After the liberation of Mariupol, Severodonetsk, Lisichansk, Popasna and other cities occupied by the Ukrainian fascists, the elite fighters went on a vacation provided by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and now they have returned to the front line with renewed vigor. The experience is fresh, the weapons are clean, the stores are full of cartridges, the spirit is fighting!

Previously, I always told you to wait for good news, and after my words, you always received them. And now, be patient and wait for excellent results from the front line from our fighters. They will definitely be!

Bandera, Im not talking to you  for you the results will be deplorable. The combat officer and hero Adam Sultanovich does not throw words into the wind. Keep a white cloth with you  you will need it. And learn the saving phrase: AKHMAT-POWER!

Kadyrov

WtR
Russia is giving the warnings

The Kyiv camarilla gave birth to a project of security guarantees, which in fact are a prologue to the third world war. Of course, no one will give any guarantees to the Ukrainian Nazis. After all, this is almost the same as applying Art. 5 of the North Atlantic Pact (Washington Treaty). For NATO  the same , only a side view. Therefore, its scary.

Our sworn friends  Western bosses of various calibers, to whom this hysterical appeal is addressed  must finally understand one simple thing. It directly concerns NATOs hybrid war with Russia. If these half-wits continue the unrestrained pumping of the Kyiv regime with the most dangerous types of weapons, then sooner or later the military campaign will move to another level. Visible boundaries and potential predictability of the actions of the parties to the conflict will disappear from it. She will follow her own military scenario, involving new participants in it. It has always been so.

And then the Western countries will not be able to sit in their clean houses and apartments, laughing at how they carefully weaken Russia by proxy. Everything flares up around them. Their people grab grief in full. They will literally burn the earth and melt concrete. We will also get a lot. Everyone will be very, very bad. After all, it is said: From these three plagues, from fire, smoke and brimstone that went out of their mouths, a third part of the people died (Rev. 9:18).

But while the narrow-minded politicians and their stupid think tanks, thoughtfully twirling a glass of wine in their hands, talk about how they can deal with us without entering into a direct war. Dull idiots with a classical education.

Medvedev

It is simple: If the Western Empire wants WW3? Then Russia will bring it to the Empire of Lies and Chaos own doorstep

Fire and Brimstone upon the Evil in the west

WtR
Someone Zelensky said that he would not engage in dialogue with those who put forward ultimatums. The current ultimatums are a childrens warm-up for the demands of the future. And he knows them: the total capitulation of the Kyiv regime on Russias terms.

The other day, the Americans called for some compromises in reforming the UN Security Council and the rejection of maintaining the status quo. Compromises are different. If we are talking about an attempt to hack into the powers of the permanent members of the Security Council, undertaken by the United States in a zoological anti-Russian frenzy, then they are tormented to swallow the dust. Otherwise, the UN will suffer the fate of the bankrupt League of Nations.

Medvedev

WtR
 Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (September 14, 2022)

 Russian Aerospace Forces, missile troops and artillery launch massive fire attacks at the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) at all operational directions.

 8 Ukrainian tanks, 13 infantry combat vehicles, 11 other armoured vehicles and over 150 Ukrainian servicemen have been eliminated within unsuccessful offensive of the 24th, 28th mechanised, 46th Airmobile and 60th Infantry brigades of the AFU near Mirnoye, Sukhoi Stavok, Belogorka, Bruskinskoye, Olgino (Kherson region) and Ternoviye Pody (Nikolayev region) at the Nikolayev-Krivoy Rog direction.

 High-precision attacks launched by Russian aviation at the temporary deployment points of the 53rd, 54th and 110th Mechanised brigades, 128th Territorial Defence Brigade and 68th Infantry Brigade of the AFU near Seversk, Verkhnekamenskoye, Nikolskoye, Avdeyevka, Novokalinovo, Petrovskoye, Novosyolka and Vremevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic) have resulted in the elimination of up to 250 Ukrainian servicemen and over 20 units of military equipment.

 The positions of the 65th Mechanised and 68th Chaser Infantry brigades near Novosyolovka and Dobropolye (Zaporozhye region), up to 70 Ukrainian servicemen and 5 units of military equipment have been eliminated as a result of high-precision strikes of the Russian Air Force.

 Massive fire attacks have been launched at the manpower and military equipment of the 14th and 93rd mechanised brigades of the AFU near Dvurechnaya, Balakleya and Kupyansk (Kharkov region). The enemy has lost up to 150 Ukrainian servicemen and over 10 units of military equipment.

 ombat and temporary deployment positions of the 25th Airborne Brigade, 9th National Guard Regiment, 56th and 61st mechanised infantry brigades of the AFU, 103rd Territorial Defene Brigade, Kraken national group near Zoryanoye, Nikolayevka, Krivaya Luka and Ray-Aleksandrovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Kamyshevakha (Zaporozhye region) and Ternovka (Nikolayev region) have been struck by operational-tactical aviation, missile troops and artillery.

 4 missile, artillery armament and munitions depots near Seversk and Raigorodok (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and the cities of Kharkov and Izyum (Kharkov region) have been destroyed.

 1 Ukrainian combat vehicle for Uragan MRLS has been destroyed near Krasny Liman (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

 1 U.S.-manufactured counter-battery interception radar (AN/TPQ-64) and 1 radar for illumination and guidance of Ukrainian S-300 air defence missile system near Lepetikha and Lozovoye (Nikolayev region) have been destroyed.

 1 Mi-8 helicopter with a sabotage and reconnaissance group on board near the Kinburn logjam (Kherson region) has been destroyed by fighter aviation of the Russian Air Force.

 4 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Maksim Gorky, Ukrainka (Kherson region) and Svetloye (Zaporozhye region), as well as 1 Tochka-U ballistic missile near Aleksandrovka (Kherson region) have been shot down by air defence means.

 In addition, 33 shells of MRLS, including 7 projectiles launched by Olkha systems have been intercepted near Kiselyovka, Burgunki (Kherson region) and Donetsk, as well as 26 launched by HIMARS near Musikovka, Novaya Kakhovka, Vesyoloye, Rakovka, Tomarino, Kakhovka hydroelectric plant, Antonovka bridge (Kherson region) and Staromlinovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

 In total, 293 airplanes and 155 helicopters, 1,948 unmanned aerial vehicles, 374 air defence missile systems, 4,921 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 835 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 3,386 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 5,552 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #report

@mod_russia_en

WtR
World Nuclear Association joins UN movement dedicated to delivering 24/7 carbon-free energy

Issued: 13 September 2022

World Nuclear Association has become a signatory of the UN 24/7 Carbon-free Energy Compact. This means the Association is now part of a global movement that aims to create a future where all electricity consumption worldwide is served by carbon-free energy sources  every hour of every day.

World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y Leon said,

The UNs 24/7 Carbon-free Energy Compact distinguishes itself from other similar initiatives by embracing a low-carbon, technology-inclusive approach that does not rely on carbon offsets. It commits to concrete actions and promises to genuinely help companies introduce pragmatic pathways to achieve full decarbonization.

Major technology companies such as Microsoft and Google are already signatories, and the Compact is coordinated by United Nations bodies and the UN-affiliated organisation Sustainable Energy For All. The Compact aims to form a global community that will provide the support, tools, and partnerships that will help organizations meet this demanding yet necessary climate commitment.

Director General Sama Bilbao y Leon noted,

It is vital that the world successfully decarbonizes as quickly as possible and that countries continue to achieve their sustainable development goals. It is equally important to do so in an equitable manner, and that will require increased access to affordable 24/7 carbon-free energy.

"Companies can play their part by investing in a diverse portfolio of low-carbon energy options. As one of the few technologies capable to provide round-the-clock low carbon electricity and heat, nuclear contributes to both affordable and reliable energy supply and will be a big part of the climate solution in the years ahead.

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Weather Alert

...Lingering Smoke Concerns through Sunday Morning, but a Change to Cooler and Wetter Conditions Is Coming... * Deeper southerly flow will push smoke from the Mosquito Fire smoke northward later today. Conditions may deteriorate in the Sierra Valley and from Truckee eastward to Highway 395 between Stead and Doyle from late afternoon into this evening, with some eastward spread across Pyramid Lake and into west central Nevada overnight into Sunday morning. Elsewhere, improved air quality conditions are expected through the rest of today, with fewer smoke concerns from midday Sunday through Monday. * An early season storm moves near the west coast this weekend, bringing much cooler temperatures, and chances for rain and high elevation snow Sunday through Wednesday. The west side of the Sierra is favored for the highest liquid totals, with limited precipitation chances into western Nevada until late Monday or Tuesday. There are decent chances for wetting rainfall through much of the Sierra near Tahoe and Alpine County, northeast California, and far northwest Nevada over this four-day period. * Higher passes such as Mt. Rose, Tioga, Sonora, and Ebbetts could see light slushy snow accumulations, but overall travel impacts will be minimal due to the recent warmth. * It will be rather chilly Sunday through Wednesday with daytime temperatures 15-20 degrees below average. Overnight lows could drop into the 20s in colder Sierra valleys, so be prepared for these chilly conditions if planning backcountry recreation activities. Most western Nevada valleys should remain above freezing, but some of the typical cooler spots could see temperatures drop into the 30s by Monday or Tuesday morning, which could affect cold-sensitive vegetation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping receives the Order of the Golden Eagle, or "Altyn Qyran" Order, awarded by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

NUR-SULTAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday afternoon received the Order of the Golden Eagle, or "Altyn Qyran" Order, awarded by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan.

In the splendid marble hall of the palace, national flags of China and Kazakhstan lined up neatly, filling the room with a warm and dignified atmosphere.

Tokayev delivered remarks before awarding the order. He noted that the visit of Xi today, the great Chinese president, is a tremendous honor for Kazakhstan.

President Xi is a genuine great leader who has the wholehearted support of the Chinese people, Tokayev said, adding that under the remarkable leadership of Xi, China has made enormous development progress, eradicated extreme poverty, and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and the Chinese nation is marching on a new journey toward great rejuvenation.

He said he believes that under the wise leadership of Xi, China will realize the grand goal of fully building a modern socialist country as scheduled.

Xi put forward the great initiatives including Belt and Road cooperation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and has made outstanding contribution to building a new type of international relations, Tokayev said, adding that the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative put forward by Xi are of particular strategic significance in resolving risks and challenges faced by today's world.

Tokayev highly commended the historic role and extraordinary contribution of Xi in consolidating friendship between the two peoples and in promoting Kazakhstan-China relations, and noted that Xi's visit today will go down in the history of Kazakhstan-China relations.

Kazakhstan is ready to work with China to advance shared prosperity and development of the two countries, deliver for the wellbeing of the two peoples, and join hands to create an even brighter future, he said.

Tokayev awarded the Order of the Golden Eagle to Xi. The two heads of state took pictures together.

Delivering remarks upon receiving the order, Xi described Tokayev's awarding him the order as a demonstration of the great importance Kazakhstan places on China-Kazakhstan ties and the reservoir of goodwill of the people of Kazakhstan towards the people of China.

Over the past three decades since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Kazakhstan relations have kept growing on a high level, Xi said, adding that the two sides have cemented political trust, cooperation has flourished in various fields, efforts to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation have delivered fruitful results, and the two sides have also engaged in close coordination in international affairs, all of which have provided strong support to the development and rejuvenation of both countries and injected strong impetus into regional peace and stability.

A bright future lies ahead for the lasting friendship, win-win cooperation and shared prosperity between the two countries, Xi said.

Xi said that he deeply cherishes the order, which symbolizes the friendship between the two peoples, and shared his conviction that with the concerted efforts of both sides, China-Kazakhstan relations will soar high and fly far like a golden eagle and deliver more benefits to the people of the two countries.

The Order of the Golden Eagle is the highest order of Kazakhstan awarded to individuals in recognition of their significant contribution to Kazakhstan's national development and friendly external relations.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi and He Lifeng, among others, attended the ceremony. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping receives the Order of the Golden Eagle, or "Altyn Qyran" Order, awarded by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)
Offshore wind developer announced Otary announced it is seeking value propositions in technological innovation, energy market trading and balancing, and sustainable maritime (building) materials ahead of an upcoming offshore wind tender in Belgium.





The Belgian marine spatial plan has designed a new zone for offshore energy production, the Princess Elisabeth Zone, with a production objective of a minimum of 3.15 GW and a maximum of 3.5 GW. The Belgian government will launch a tender procedure to grant a domain concession for the construction and operation of offshore wind capacity. The selected bidder will automatically be granted all necessary permits, based on its project proposal.







Otary develops, finances, builds and operates offshore wind farms and owns a several projects in Belgian waters. This includes the

Rentel

,

Mermaid

and

Seastar

wind farms.



The 309 MW Rentel offshore wind farm is 100% owned by Otary and located approximately 34 km offshore. It became operational end 2018 and features 42 Siemens Gamesa

SWT-7.0-154

turbines. It powers around 300,000 households annually





The Mermaid and Seastar project, collectively known as SeaMade, have been fully operational since end 2020. The 235 MW Mermaid concession is located approximately 50 km offshore and the 252 MW Seastar concession is located approximately 38 km offshore. The two consist of 58 Siemens Gamesa

SG 8.0-167 DD

turbines, each with an individual installed capacity of 8.4 MW, mounted on monopile foundations. SeaMade is a joint venture of Otary (70%), Ocean Winds (17.5%), and Eneco (12.5%) and powers around 500,000 households annually.





Eight Belgian companies active in the field of renewable energy form Otary. They include SOCOFE, S.R.I.W. Group, Power at Sea, Z-Kracht, Aspiravi, Green Offshore, Elicio and DEME Group.

For more information on offshore wind farms worldwide,

click here

.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony held by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

NUR-SULTAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here Wednesday afternoon and began his state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Xi was warmly received by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accompanied by senior Kazakh officials including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi and Mayor of Nur-Sultan Altai Kulginov at the airport. Some 70 ceremonial guards stood in two ranks saluting the leaders as the military band played a fanfare. Two beautifully dressed Kazakh girls, with flowers in their hands, welcomed the arrival of Xi.

Xi issued a written address, in which he extended, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, sincere greetings and best wishes to the Kazakh government and people.

He pointed out that China and Kazakhstan, connected by mountains and rivers, are good neighbors, good friends and good partners with a shared future, adding that over the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Kazakhstan relations have progressed by leaps and bounds and reached the high level of permanent comprehensive strategic partnership.

He noted that, during the visit, he will hold talks with Tokayev to jointly chart a new blueprint for all-round China-Kazakhstan cooperation. He also expressed his confidence that this visit will inject fresh and strong impetus into the common development and prosperity of both countries.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and other accompanying officials arrived on the same plane.

Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao also came to the airport to receive the delegation.

The golden autumn brought fair winds and wispy clouds to the city of Nur-Sultan. On the flagpoles lining the streets, five-starred red flags were flying high. Accompanied by a motorcycle escort, the state guest motorcade of Xi arrived at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace. He was warmly received by Tokayev as he exited the car. The two heads of state then proceeded together to the main hall of the Presidential Palace.

In the brightly lit, elegant and august main hall, ceremonial guards stood tall and straight.

Tokayev held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi. The two heads of state jointly stood on the podium as the military band played the national anthems of China and Kazakhstan. Accompanied by Tokayev, Xi inspected the honor guard.

After the welcome ceremony, Tokayev invited Xi to an art exhibition titled "Kazakhstan-China: A Dialogue Across Millennium. On display were Chinese and Kazakh art treasures from the State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The exquisite Chinese paintings and porcelains and the Kazakh silks and ceramics are vivid testaments to the mutual learning between the splendid Chinese and Kazakh civilizations over the millennium. They also bear historical witness to the friendly exchanges between generations of Chinese and Kazakh people.

The two Presidents held formal talks.

Xi pointed out that over the past three decades since China and Kazakhstan established diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has stood the test of the changing international landscape, achieving greater substance, higher levels and more fruitful outcomes.

The two countries have created many "firsts" in their relations, including the first in settling the boundary question, the first in laying cross-border oil and gas pipelines, the first in conducting international production capacity cooperation and the first in building a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi said.

China highly values its relations with Kazakhstan, and firmly supports Kazakhstan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in taking reform measures to preserve national stability and development, Xi said, adding that China will always be a trustworthy and reliable friend and partner of Kazakhstan.

China is ready to work with Kazakhstan in firmly supporting each other's development and rejuvenation, and helping each other achieve development and prosperity. The unbreakable friendship between China and Kazakhstan will contribute to the growth of positive and progressive forces in the world and to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

Xi stressed that China-Kazakhstan cooperation enjoys a solid foundation, huge potential and broad prospects, adding that the two sides should make good use of the existing mechanisms such as the regular Prime Ministers' Meetings and the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee to synergize development strategies, leverage each other's comparative strengths and bring bilateral cooperation to a new scale and new level.

It is important that the two sides work together for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, boost cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, production capacity, connectivity and COVID-19 response, and expand innovation cooperation in such fields as big data, artificial intelligence, digital finance, cross-border e-commerce, green energy and green infrastructure, Xi said, adding that the two sides need to forge closer people-to-people ties and promote friendly exchanges and mutual understanding between their peoples.

Xi underscored that China supports Central Asian countries in safeguarding political security and social stability and in enhancing cooperation for integration.

China will maintain close communication with Kazakhstan to properly handle various new problems and new challenges, oppose external forces' interference in the affairs of Central Asian countries, and jointly uphold lasting stability and security in the region, Xi said.

The two sides need to enhance cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and China+Central Asia, and jointly support efforts for a successful SCO Samarkand Summit, in order to inject new impetus into the Organization's future development. The two sides should also step up international coordination, practice true multilateralism and contribute their shares to building a more just and equitable global governance system, he added.

Tokayev expressed warm congratulations to China on its great development achievements under the leadership of Xi, and wished the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China a full success.

Tokayev said the fact that Xi chooses to visit Kazakhstan on his first overseas trip since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of China-Kazakhstan diplomatic relations, fully reflects the high degree of mutual trust between the two countries and the high-level nature of the Kazakhstan-China permanent comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two sides will sign a joint statement to demonstrate their firm commitment to another golden 30 years of Kazakhstan-China relations, which is of special and great significance in the current volatile and complex international environment, Tokayev noted, adding that it is believed that Xi's visit will mark a new milestone in the history of Kazakhstan-China relations and bring new substance and impetus to the growth of the permanent comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Kazakhstan will continue to firmly uphold the one-China policy and be a good partner and good friend that China can always rely on under all circumstances, Tokayev said.

Noting that next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by Xi, Tokayev said that the BRI has become an important engine driving the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and Kazakhstan will continue to actively support and participate in the BRI.

Tokayev expressed appreciation to China for the valuable support Kazakhstan had received in its battle against COVID-19 and pursuit of economic development, adding that Kazakhstan hopes to better synergize development strategies with China, intensify exchanges at various levels, and deepen cooperation across the board including in economy and trade, infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, science and technology, tourism and people-to-people engagements.

Kazakhstan stands ready to work with China to implement the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative, enhance coordination and collaboration within frameworks such as the SCO, CICA and China+Central Asia, and jointly safeguard security and stability in the region and promote common development, Tokayev said.

The two heads of state signed and issued the Joint Statement Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, and announced that China and Kazakhstan will work for the goal and vision of building a community with a shared future defined by lasting friendship, a high degree of mutual trust and sharing weal and woe.

Relevant departments of the two sides signed bilateral cooperation documents in such areas as economy and trade, connectivity, finance, water conservancy and the media. The two sides decided to set up consulates general in China's Xi'an and Aktobe in Kazakhstan respectively.

After the talks, Xi attended the welcoming banquet hosted by Tokayev, and the two leaders had an in-depth exchange of views on issues of shared interest.

After the banquet, Xi concluded his state visit to Kazakhstan and left Nur-Sultan for Samarkand. He was seen off at the airport by Tokayev and other senior Kazakh officials.

Tokayev said that Xi's visit, albeit a short one, is highly productive and fruitful, adding that the two leaders reached much important consensus, which will steer Kazakhstan-China relations to an even higher level.

Xi pointed out that his visit is a new starting point for bilateral relations and believed that with the joint efforts of the two sides, China-Kazakhstan relations will enjoy greater development in the future.

The two heads of state agreed to keep in close contact through various means.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and other officials attended the relevant events. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony held by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony held by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pose for a photo before their formal talks, Sept. 14, 2022. Xi arrived in Nur-Sultan Wednesday afternoon and began his state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hold formal talks on Sept. 14, 2022. Xi arrived in Nur-Sultan Wednesday afternoon and began his state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sign and issue the Joint Statement Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, and announce that China and Kazakhstan will work for the goal and vision of building a community with a shared future defined by lasting friendship, a high degree of mutual trust and sharing weal and woe, Sept. 14, 2022. Xi arrived in Nur-Sultan Wednesday afternoon and began his state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping receives the Order of the Golden Eagle, or "Altyn Qyran" Order, awarded by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping receives the Order of the Golden Eagle, or "Altyn Qyran" Order, awarded by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping concludes his state visit to Kazakhstan and leaves Nur-Sultan for Samarkand, Sept. 14, 2022. Xi was seen off at the airport by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior Kazakh officials. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Chinese President Xi Jinping concludes his state visit to Kazakhstan and leaves Nur-Sultan for Samarkand, Sept. 14, 2022. Xi was seen off at the airport by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior Kazakh officials. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico filed a wide-ranging opioid lawsuit in 2017 alleging that companies at all levels of the supply chain profited by selling large quantities of prescription painkillers throughout the state.

A district court judge in Santa Fe heard opening statements last week in what is expected to be a seven-week bench against three of the states largest pharmacy chains. The case will be decided by 1st Judicial District Judge Francis Mathew and not a jury.

The suit alleges Walgreens, Walmart and Kroger pharmacies failed to investigate suspicious opioid orders and reaped large profits selling addictive drugs to New Mexicans.

Attorneys for the pharmacy chains responded that pharmacists have a responsibility to fill prescriptions ordered by physicians who for years stressed treatment of pain as a top medical priority.

The evidence will also show that Walgreens, Walmart and Kroger did not dispense opioid medications without prescriptions from prescribers, Walgreens attorney, Dan Taylor, said during his opening statement.

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said in his opening statement that dozens of other companies named in the original lawsuit have settled with the state.

The remaining defendants in this case, Walmart, Walgreens and Kroger, are responsible for one out of every two pills sold in New Mexico, yet they steadfastly claim that theyve done nothing wrong, Balderas said.

Balderas said that a single Walgreens pharmacy in Espanola dispensed 12.4 million opioid pills from 2006 to 2019.

Thats enough to give every man, woman and child in Espanola 841 pills for that time frame, he said.

Without stating a dollar amount, Balderas said New Mexico is seeking the funds necessary to rebuild and strengthen communities and infrastructure devastated by opioids.

Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman said the Deerfield, Illinois-based pharmacy chain does not manufacture or market opioids, nor did we distribute them to the pill mills and internet pharmacies that are largely responsible for the problem.

The only place Walgreens ever dispensed opioid medications was at the pharmacy window when presented with a valid prescription written by a licensed physician for a legitimate medical need, Engerman said in a written statement.

John Majoris, an attorney for Walmart, said in his opening statement that New Mexicos policy on opioid prescribing shifted over the years from one that encouraged aggressive treatment for pain to a later position that imposed restrictions on opioid prescribing. Walmart is based in Bentonville, Arkansas. Kroger, the parent company of Smiths Food and Drug Centers, is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Majoris presented the common arguments for all three defendants.

When the state encouraged prescribers to treat pain aggressively, they wrote more prescriptions, which increased the supply in the state, Majoris said. In later years, the state encouraged prescribers to be more judicious in their opioid prescribing.

Prescribers drove the supply of opioids throughout this period, Majoris said. Pharmacists filled prescriptions as directed by prescribers, he said.

Theres no doubt that New Mexico prescribers  not retail pharmacists  are responsible for the volume of prescriptions in the state at any given time, Majoris said. Pharmacists dont set social or medical policy.

New Mexico became the eighth state to sue opioid manufacturers and distributors in September 2017, alleging the sheer volume of prescription opioids distributed to (New Mexico) pharmacies is excessive for the medical need of the community.

In February 2019, the state expanded the lawsuit to include several retail pharmacies. New Mexico subsequently reached settlements with a number of opioid manufacturers and distributors in a deal that Balderas office estimates will bring $190 million to the state.

Four large manufacturers, including Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy as a result of the litigation and New Mexico continues to pursue them in that forum, Balderas office said in a statement.

In March 2023, the state expects to begin a trial in Santa Fe against pharmaceutical manufacturers Teva, Allergan and KVK-Tech.
Homicide detectives have opened a new case after a man died a month after being shot on East Central.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the Aug. 16 death of Daniel Gardner, 37, is now being investigated as a homicide.

Gallegos said police responded around 1 p.m. to a parking lot near Central and Pennsylvania NE and found Gardner injured. He said Gardner was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died on Sept. 9 as a result of his wounds.

APDs Homicide Unit has assumed responsibility for the investigation, Gallegos said.

Gallegos also identified a victim from a homicide Saturday as Leon Rozzi, 27.

In that incident, police responded sometime before 2:30 p.m. to a shooting at Central and Yucca, near Old Coors, and found Rozzi dead. Police have not given any other details on Rozzis death.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Former friends and relatives said they knew for years the place on Curry Road in Texico, New Mexico, was a house of horror. They recently told New Mexico State Police how they notified authorities that the hungry children who lived there were physically abused, locked in dog kennels, and more recently, chained to their beds.

But nothing seemed to change.

Their disturbing allegations have led to the arrest of a third woman in the alleged child abuse conspiracy, which was discovered after New Mexico State Police and investigators with the state Children Youth and Families Department went to the home July 22 after receiving an anonymous report.

A subsequent State Police search recovered chains, wooden paddles and cellphone video showing the abuse, including an 11-year-old boy in a fetal position chained to his bunk bed.

Based on interviews with witnesses who have come forward since the Aug. 22 arrests of Jayme Kushman and Jaime Sena, who lived at the home with her children, State Police have also questioned the Texico police chief. They wanted to know why his agency never found abuse at the home, or followed up on reports that the home had alarms that State Police found were attached to chains used to restrain the children to their beds.

Court records show the investigation is now delving back to at least 2016, when State Police allege Kushman and her then-girlfriend Lora Melancon were living together.

Melancon, 41, of Clovis, was arrested Sept. 2 on four counts of abuse of a child and bonded out of jail Sept. 7. She is set for a preliminary hearing on Thursday. Kushman and Sena, meanwhile, are being held without bond on multiple child abuse and obstruction of an investigation charges. Six children have been removed from the home.

The reaction I get from people that I talk to is really one of horror, 9th Judicial District Attorney Brian Stover told the Journal last week. They cant believe this happened first of all, and that it happened for as long as it did.

He said his office is working with the state Attorney Generals Office to help with forensic interviews of the children and with CYFD to ensure the children are receiving the proper services and counseling.

Its also clear from the documents and a redacted State Police lapel camera video that CYFD had responded to the home multiple times and removed the children at least once after they were found in dog cages.

Since the more recent removal, the 11-year-old boy has now gained more than 10 pounds. Seized video from Kushmans cellphone shows him saying he hadnt eaten in two days, State Police reported at a Sept. 2 detention hearing for Kushman.

CYFD, local police

Asked about allegations involving Texico Police Chief Douglas Bowman, Stover said, At this point, all I can say about that is every aspect of this case is being investigated by the New Mexico State Police and if we have sufficient evidence that there were individuals who knew the abuse was happening and did not report it or did not take steps to stop it, we will pursue that. He added that Bowman has been cooperative with State Police.

Lawyers for Melancon, Kushman and Sena couldnt be reached for comment, but Kushman testified at a Sept. 2 preliminary hearing that she chained up two of her children, not to torture them, but because they had emotional disorders.

Police Chief Bowman told the Journal in a phone interview on Monday that he never saw any evidence that there was abuse in the home.

He told State Police investigators last month if he knew something like this was happening, he wouldve acted on it, according to the criminal complaint in Melancons case. During the State Police interview, Bowman said there was a time he felt CYFD was targeting Kushman.

Bowman went on to say If I was there by myself, it was one thing, but I was always there with CYFD and they felt like it was fine, according to the complaint. Bowman said every time he responded there was water and food and (the children) never appeared malnourished.

One State Police investigator reported asking Bowman how something like this (was) happening for numerous years and numerous CYFD referrals (and) nobody knew anything or did something for these children. It is surreal and baffling that this was happening and nobody acted until New Mexico State Police got involved, the criminal complaint states.

In the interview with the Journal, Bowman questioned whether someone tipped off Kushman and others before the visits for us not to find anything.

Im maintaining Ive done what I was able to do at the time. Had there been more, I assure you I would have made an arrest. The people of this community know that, said Bowman, who has been police chief for 14 years.

A State Police lapel camera video of the July 22 encounter at the home suggests CYFD had been involved in inspecting the home in the past. And at least one CYFD investigator on the scene was already familiar with Kushman, Melancon, and the layout of the home.

At one point, the CYFD investigator told a State Police officer they used to keep them in dog cages. Weve taken these kids away from them before for being in dog cages.

There was no explanation of why the children were returned to the home.

Conflicting reports

So far, the criminal complaints filed in the case, along with other court records, show:

Since 2012, Kushman has been appointed kinship guardian for three of the six children found in her care  a boy who is 11 and receives Social Security disability, and two nieces, ages 14 and 15, whose mother Kristina Kushman was charged with child abuse in 2015. Those charges were dropped after Kristina was found to be incompetent to stand trial.

The three Kushman children and Senas two children were removed from the home July 22, along with a 16-year-old who told authorities she had been staying there for a few months.

The criminal complaint filed Sept. 2 against Melancon by Sgt. Jerry Hernandez, the lead State Police criminal investigator on the case, documents interviews with six people in recent weeks who said they wished they could have stopped the abuse. One produced a photo she took of a wooden kennel she saw at the home in 2016 with a pillow and blanket inside. Two broke down in tears during their interviews.

One was a former babysitter for the boy, AB, and one of the girls, CK, who came forward the day after Kushmans arrest to say that she had witnessed abuse of the children when Kushman was living with her longtime girlfriend Melancon as far back as 2016.

The babysitter told State Police she saw CK placed inside a dog kennel at the home and she saw then Chief Bowman go by the residence and look (at)CK inside a dog kennel with a single blanket while in the winter and do nothing about it. Bowman denied that account in his interview with State Police.

The babysitter also recounted visiting Kushman and Melancon in the nearby town of Farwell, Texas, and recalled the time she said they poured about seven gallons of milk and a pudding mixture into a baby pool outside. Both AB and CK were placed inside the pool because Kushman and Melancon thought it was funny. But the boy got into trouble after he began to eat the pudding from the pool because he was hungry, she reported to the State Police.

In early 2020, the same former babysitter returned to the Texico home and noted the dog kennels with CK and AB locked up inside. She left the home, and called CYFD three times over the next two weeks and had called CYFD in the past as well, the complaint states.

The woman, now 29, said Bowman had responded to the Texico household multiple times in reference to the child abuse allegations.

Numerous complaints

A former best friend of Kushmans told officers she and her mother went to the home in 2016, couldnt find CK anywhere, and discovered the girl in what was appeared to be a 4 x 4 locked cage located on the front porch. When the girl asked to get out to use the restroom, Kushman reportedly told her to sit back down or lay down. At the time it was about 25 degrees outside, and the girl had no jacket on. When the former friend left the home she called Child Protective Services but does not know what happened to the case, the complaint states.

The womans mother confirmed that account in her recent State Police interview, noting that Kushman has cheated the State System for years, and has had the Texico Police Chief Douglas Bowman in her back pocket.' Other witnesses said Bowman and Kushman were friends, which Bowman denies.

A man who knew Kushman and Melancon told State Police that he alerted CYFD as far back as 2018 or 2019 that he saw the boy, AB, chained by his ankle to the fireplace inside the home. One time, he said, the boy began to eat leftover rice from a dogs bowl after the dogs had finished eating.

But he said he knew that every time CYFD was called Kushman and Lora would get a heads up from Bowman or someone else. When the women were alerted they immediately began to clean the residence and dress AB and CK in matching outfits, unchained.

That man told State Police he knew the two women were untouchable because of them being alerted CYFD was going to check on them.

In 2019, the man said he called the dispatch for the Clovis police to report the abuse and specifically told the dispatcher not to notify the Texico Police Department. The small town of Texico is about 20 miles from Clovis.

But the complaint states the man got a call from a Texico police officer anyway. He explained what he saw, only to be confronted by Kushman later for what he had done.

No action was taken, he contended, telling State Police that he didnt know who to call that he could trust. Later the man had to pick up an engine he had left at Kushmans home and Bowman showed up.

The man contended he asked the police chief about the status of his child abuse complaint, and the police chief told him his story did not check out, but Kushmans did, the State Police complaint stated.

Bowman told the Journal he doesnt recall the man asking him about the case, which was assigned to an officer who has since died of COVID-19.

Bowman told State Police he had been at the Kushman residence numerous times years back when CYFD claimed children at the residence were being kept inside cages on the front porch.

He said he learned from one of his officers about the alarm that would alert Kushman and Melancon when AB and CK would leave their room.

But his agency didnt follow up on the alarm, he told State Police, noting it wasnt against the law to have an alarm or motion detector in the house.

I then explained to Bowman a follow-up was required to see what type of alarm was being used, State Police Sgt. Hernandez said in his complaint. He told the police chief that the alarm was attached to a chain used to restrain two of the children to their beds by their ankles.

So, if there was to be a follow-up, maybe this wouldve been discovered sooner but there wasnt, Hernandez wrote.

In the Journal interview, Stover underscored the importance of reporting suspected child abuse to CYFD and law enforcement.

Asked about CYFDs response in the Texico case, Stover said, I do have opinions about things with that agency but I know a lot of times theyre fighting with at least one, maybe two arms, tied behind their back.

To realize that it (the Texico abuse) went on for this long is heartbreaking to us, and that we didnt get to it sooner.

CYFD response to Journal questions

Here is the full statement New Mexico Children, Youth and Families sent in response to Journal questions about the Texico case:

We are grateful that we were able to work with our partners at the State Police in order to get these children out of this situation, said CYFD Cabinet Secretary Barbara J. Vigil.

CYFDs new critical-incident review process focuses on how we can improve our work and how agencies, including law enforcement, can better work in tandem to collaboratively protect New Mexico children. The Department will now examine every action taken or failed to be taken  and why. We are committed to building a stronger system which is capable of responding rapidly and effectively based on safety science. That in-depth review of this particular case is ongoing, she said.

CYFD makes every effort to take appropriate action in response to complaints or referrals regarding harm to children.

Incident reports require a safety assessment, and may require intake, investigation, prevention services or intervention services.

That said, New Mexico Childrens Code, which protects the rights and privacy of New Mexicos children and families, requires that the Department keep confidential specific case information about steps taken in any case, so we cannot comment on the specifics referred to by the witnesses in the complaint.

The fact that CYFD cannot comment on case specific information does not mean CYFD did not take action.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Bernalillo County has bought further into the city of Albuquerques planned homeless shelter and services hub, agreeing Tuesday to kick in nearly $4.4 million for a medical sobering center inside what is now called the Gibson Health Hub.

The County Commission approved the appropriation on a 4-1 vote after a broader, and spirited, discussion about the countys use of its behavioral health tax and its partnership with the city. The Gibson Health Hub and Gateway Center in the old Lovelace hospital in Southeast Albuquerque is one of Mayor Tim Kellers signature projects. City officials say the first phase  including a 50-bed emergency shelter for women  will open this winter, while other elements, including the medical sobering center, should debut next summer. The countys contribution will go to construction, helping cover half of the estimated $8.7 million needed to build the sobering center and run it for the first year.

We have such a huge need out in our community, which is why I support the initiative. My concern is we would love to work with the city more; usually its only the city asking us for additional resources, said County Commissioner Walt Benson, who voted with Adriann Barboa, Debbie OMalley and Steven Michael Quezada to approve the county contribution.

The countys special, tax-funded Behavioral Health Initiative brought in over $160 million in its first seven years. Only half was fully spent in that span, though other portions have been allocated to future projects. Some have criticized the county for running a haphazard program without a solid plan and a 2021 behavioral health gaps analysis found no effective collaboration at all levels (of the city and county) to improve the lives of citizens.

Some commissioners called the sobering center a step in the right direction. Barboa said the community does not care which government entity actually funds a service when its needed, adding that there is widespread agreement that this facility is important. OMalley, meanwhile, noted that 80% of the taxes Bernalillo County collects come from county residents who also live within Albuquerque city boundaries, so it does not make sense to withhold it from city projects.

The city has said the sobering center is expected to open next summer with 20 beds. It is intended as a short-term drop-off site for appropriate clients encountered in the community who are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and are without other acute medical needs, according to a memo city officials sent the County Commission.

Registered nurses and emergency medical technicians will be on-site 24/7.

Officials believe it will provide a needed alternative for individuals with moderate acuity intoxication who instead wind up in emergency rooms or jail.

City and county government staff members brought the request before the commission Tuesday, noting that it had been vetted by a community-based steering committee that helps guide Behavioral Health Initiative spending.

Gilbert Ramirez of the citys Family and Community Services Department said there are about 40 medical sobering centers across the country, but none in New Mexico.

It allows you a space to get sober in a medical oversight environment and return  to society and hopefully with many of those clients, theres an opportunity there for change and access into services, Ramirez said Tuesday.

Commissioner Charlene Pyskoty cast the lone vote against the funding, citing community concerns about the BHI described in a recent Journal story and her own difficulty as a commissioner getting clear information about BHI. She said she was told earlier this year that all the BHI money was tied up and there was none left, but learned after asking in an August meeting that there was $32 million available for such projects as the sobering center. She said the BHI needed to be more transparent and that she shared others fear that the county was running a piecemeal operation.

Its a significant amount of money, Pyskoty said of the sobering center allocation. Im concerned its not just going to become another piece of that patchwork.

But Quezada fired back against criticism that the county was operating willy-nilly, blaming former New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez for creating a behavioral health services void in New Mexico and leaving entities like the county to pick up the pieces.

We had a great system in place and it was destroyed; now, were going to spend the next 20 years trying to figure that out and fix it, he said.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Baroque period composer Johann Sebastian Bach once commented that theres nothing remarkable about the piano. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.

Bach never met Ray McGee. Hitting the right keys can be challenging when he and the electric upright piano hes sitting at are in constant motion, winding through the crowds at the New Mexico State Fair, rotating suddenly in one direction and then pivoting to the other.

In a seamless musical stream of consciousness, McGee sings into a microphone, going from one song and style to another, looking like a man without a care in the world in his stylish turquoise western hat.

He is one of two piano players at the State Fair who are part of The Strolling Piano, which is the name of the act, as well as the Florida company that created the concept.

Its not something one sees every day. And, as soon as people hear the piano and McGee belting out a tune, they immediately turn toward him, clearly enjoying the music, McGee said, as much as the mystery of who is steering that contraption.

We get people checking to see if theres someone inside the piano doing the driving, or they look at my feet to see if Im propelling the piano the way Fred Flintstone powered his car, McGee said.

Some look to see if McGee is leaning one way or the other on his piano stool to somehow make the platform change direction in the manner of a Segway. There is speculation that it operates like a Roomba vacuum cleaner, navigating on its own with the help of sensors.

And there are those who hypothesize that someone stands nearby, steering with a remote control device, or that a drone from above is relaying real time video to an operator at some removed location.

The simple explanation, offers McGee, is that its powered by magic and music.

And whos to disagree?

Great ideas dont always spontaneously pop into existence fully formed, the way Athena sprang from the head of Zeus. Sometimes, as in the case with The Strolling Piano, they evolve, explained Theo Nelson, a talent manager for the company.

About eight years ago, two owners of the company, both Florida-based musicians, were playing a gig where the client, for aesthetics, wanted them to encase an electronic keyboard in an old-timey hardwood piano shell.

The shell was extremely heavy, so they mounted it to a platform on wheels. Then, instead of removing it from the platform, they decided the piano player should just play the dang thing on the platform, said Nelson. From there, they had the idea of physically pushing the piano around while it was being played. Finally, it evolved to having the platform motorized so it could drive itself around as it was being played. Thats when it occurred to them, holy smokes, weve got a strolling piano. 

McGee, 60, originally from Detroit, said he began studying piano when he was 5 years old. His mother owned a neighborhood tavern that regularly featured live music. I would go in there, and just sit and watch and listen, and thought this is what I want to do, he recalled.

And he did. At age 15, armed with an ID card that made him older, McGee began his professional career playing at nightclubs around Detroit. Eventually, he got a job with Disney World in Orlando, where he played on a stage for 24 years. He continues to entertain there and at other Disney properties. In more recent years, he travels during the summer months with The Strolling Piano, entertaining at state fairs, festivals and similar venues.

And he never seems to run short of material. Ive got about 1,200 songs in my head and another 1,200 on my iPad, he said. Over the years, you accumulate them.

Nelson describes McGees style as smoky lounge, with a range that includes pop, rock, blues, New Orleans boogie-woogie and some jazz. The other Strolling Piano player, Ingrid Rey, from Lubbock, Texas, and now living in Orlando, is described as more Disney princess, whose repertoire is heavy with tunes from the 1990s and 2000s made famous by female musicians, said Nelson.

The two recently started a new dueling pianos routine, where they play and sing songs while their pianos seem to dance around one another in a bit of keyboard choreography.

McGee said his career as a musician perfectly fits his personality and lifestyle.

Im not married, not even interested, he said. Im married to my piano; its been a much easier life that way.
IZIUM, Ukraine  Hand on heart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched his countrys flag rise Wednesday above the recaptured city of Izium, making a rare foray outside the capital that highlights Moscows embarrassing retreat from a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian forces left the war-scarred city last week as Kyivs soldiers pressed a stunning advance that has reclaimed large swaths of territory in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region.

As Zelenskyy looked on and sang the national anthem, the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the burned-out city hall. After almost six months under Russian occupation, Izium was left largely devastated, with apartment buildings blackened by fire and pockmarked by artillery strikes.

A gaping hole and piles of rubble stood where one building had collapsed.

The view is very shocking, but it is not shocking for me, Zelenskyy told journalists, because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories  the same destroyed buildings, killed people.

Bucha is a small city on Kyivs outskirts from which Russian troops withdrew in March. In the aftermath, Ukrainian authorities discovered the bodies of hundreds of civilians dumped in streets, yards and mass graves. Many bore signs of torture.

Prosecutors said they so far have found six bodies with traces of torture in recently retaken Kharkiv region villages. The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said bodies were found in Hrakove and Zaliznyche, villages around 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Kharkiv city.

We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did.  Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, listing places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities.

Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas Russia previously held, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted international demands to press war crimes charges against Russian officials.

As he was returning from the front early Thursday, a passenger car collided with Zelenskyys vehicle in a motorcade in Kyiv, but he wasnt seriously hurt, his spokesman said on Facebook. Spokesman Sergii Nikiforov said the driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskyys medical team and was taken by ambulance. Medics examined the president, who suffered no serious injuries in the accident, Nikiforov wrote. He did not specify what injuries Zelenskyy, 44, might have suffered.

Moscows recent rout in northeastern Ukraine was its largest military defeat since Russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv area months ago. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along a road.

As Zelenskyy visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, de-mined retaken ground and investigated possible war crimes. He said that life comes back as Ukrainian soldiers return to previously occupied villages.

The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian soldiers were preparing to retake the area, which borders the Kharkiv region and was has been mostly under Russian control since July. Intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued, he said.

Haidai told The Associated Press that Ukrainian troops were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk.

But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the (Ukrainian) flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

A Russia-allied separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult.

In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago.

The counteroffensive has left more weapons in Ukrainian hands.

Russian forces likely left behind dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east, a Ukrainian think tank said Wednesday. The Center for Defense Strategies said one Russian unit fleeing the Izium area left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles. Another unit left 47 tanks and 27 armored vehicles, it said.

The center said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces ruin equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it. However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently forced them to abandon untouched ammunition and weapons.

With the recent Ukrainian gains, a new front line has emerged along the Oskil River, which largely traces the Kharkiv regions eastern edge, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday.

Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose, the institute said.

In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing more casualties in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said.

The Nikopol area, across a river from the shutdown Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, with no injuries immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Fighting also raged in the eastern Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, an industrial area that Moscow set out to capture following an unsuccessful attempt to invade Kyiv.

Russian troops are targeting critical infrastructure. Eight cruise missiles aimed at water equipment hit Zelenskyys hometown of Kryvyi Rih, a city on the Inhulets River 150 kms (93 miles) southwest of Dnipro, the deputy head of the presidents office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, reported on his Telegram channel. Zelenskyy said the strikes appeared to be an attempt to flood the city and that a dam on a reservoir was hit. Video posted online showed elevated water levels on the Inhulets and flooded city streets, and evacuations of residents were suggested.

U.S. President Joe Biden observed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have made significant progress in recent days but added, I think its going to be a long haul.

While criticism of the invasion seems to be increasing in Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that the realization has grown over there by now that this was a mistake to start this war.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he had spoken with Putin about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraines Black Sea ports to address a famine threat. The U.N. chief said at a news conference in New York that high prices for fertilizer have reduced the planting of crops, making it critical to increase Russian exports of ammonia  a key fertilizer ingredient  by shipping it through Black Sea ports now used to transport grain from Ukraine.

Western military and economic support has allowed Ukraine to keep fighting since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and the Ukrainian government received more assistance Wednesday.

An international group of creditors, including the U.S., finalized a deal to suspend Ukraines debt service through the end of 2023, helping the country ease liquidity pressures and increase social, health and economic spending.

___

Arhirova reported from Kyiv. Associated Press journalist Jon Gambrell in Kyiv contributed.

___

Follow AP war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
JUBA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan said Wednesday that it will offer 14 new oil blocks to investors in a bid to increase production to pre-war levels of 350,000 barrels a day.

Chol Deng Thon Abel, Managing Director of South Sudan's state-owned oil consortium, the Nile Petroleum Corporation Limited (Nilepet), told this to journalists in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, during the closure of the 5th annual oil and power conference.

"We have 14 oil blocks that are not been taken, and we invite international companies that are here to seize the opportunity to apply for these blocks. South Sudan is actually very busy nowadays attracting international companies to come and invest in the oil industry and this conference is a very good platform to exchange ideas with international companies," Thon said.

South Sudan is currently producing 175,000 barrels a day in blocks 1, 2 and 4 and blocks 3 and 7, and block 5A in Unity state.

"We have a lot of countries now saying that we actually need to increase production because there is a huge need for crude because you have the sanctions on Iran, Venezuela and of recent Russia and this is where South Sudan is positioning itself to do production enhancement," Thon said.

Nilepet is among 15 entities sanctioned in 2018 by the U.S. State Department on allegations of funding the conflict that broke out in December 2013. However, Thon disclosed plans by Nilepet to take over blocks 3 and 7 by 2027.

He said the consortium would be operated by Nilepet, South Sudan's Ministry of Petroleum, and the South Sudan National Petroleum and Gas Commission.

"The current Exploration Production Sharing Agreement, especially in blocks 3 and 7 will actually come to an end, and so we are actually approaching financial entities to step in, and also companies with new technologies which can come and help us realize the vision 2027 when Nilepet becomes an operator," Thon said. 
NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday started his first foreign trip since the outbreak of the pandemic with a stop in Kazakhstan ahead of a summit with Russias Vladimir Putin and other leaders of a Central Asian security group.

Wearing a blue suit and a face mask, Xi was met on the airport tarmac by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and an honor guard, all of whom wore masks.

Xis trip underlines the importance Beijing places on asserting its role as a regional leader amid tension with Washington, Japan and India.

Tokayevs government said the two leaders would discuss energy and trade. Kazakhstan, a sparsely populated country of 19.4 million people and sprawling grasslands, is a major oil and gas producer. China is a leading customer.

Tokayev thanked Xi for his visit, which he said was of historic significance and came at a time of unprecedented, after the end of the Cold War, escalation of international tensions. He also hailed Chinas support of the economic development of Kazakhstan and our international initiatives.

The Chinese leader promised to resolutely support Kazakhstan in protecting its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, firmly support your ongoing reforms to ensure stability and development, and categorically oppose the interference of any forces in the internal affairs of the country no matter how the international situation changes.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that after his visit to Kazakhstan, Xi flew to Samarkand in neighboring Uzbekistan for a summit of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, led by China and Russia.

Beijing and Moscow see the SCO as a counterweight to U.S. alliances in East Asia.

Other SCO governments include India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. Observers include Iran and Afghanistan.

The Chinese leader is promoting a Global Security Initiative announced in April following the formation of the Quad by Washington, Japan, Australia and India in response to Beijings more assertive foreign policy. Xi has given few details, but U.S. officials complain it echoes Russian arguments in support of Moscows attack on Ukraine.

Xi and Putin plan to hold a one-on-one meeting and discuss Ukraine, according to the Russian presidents foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.

Kazakhstan is part of Chinas multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative to expand trade by building ports, railways and other infrastructure across an arc of dozens of countries from the South Pacific through Asia to the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

The initiative and Chinas economic inroads into Central Asia have fueled unease in Russia, which sees the region as its sphere of influence. Kazakhstan and its neighbors are trying to attract Chinese investment without upsetting Moscow.

This visit is extremely important, said Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko this week ahead of Xis arrival. We certainly hope that it will advance political and economic and commercial relations with China.

Pope Francis was in Kazakhstan at the same time as Xi, but there was no indication they might meet. Aboard his flight, the pope was asked about a possible meeting and replied, I dont have any news about this. But I am always ready to go to China.

Xis trip  at a time when his government is urging the Chinese public to avoid foreign travel under its zero-COVID strategy  underlines the importance to the ruling Communist Party of asserting Chinas strategic ambitions.

Relations with Washington, Europe, Japan and India are strained by disputes over technology, security, human rights and territory.

The summit takes Xi abroad while the party prepares for an October congress at which he is expected to break with political tradition and try to award himself a third five-year term as leader.

That suggests Xi, Chinas most powerful leader since at least the 1980s, is confident his third term is secure and he doesnt need to stay home to make last-minute political deals. His trip also might help to promote his standing with nationalists in the ruling party.
EDITORS NOTE: The Albuquerque Journal continues its participation in a series of stories on the Colorado River as the 100th anniversary of the Colorado River Compact approaches.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Colorado River tributaries in New Mexico bring water to the alfalfa fields in the Four Corners and the forested hills of the Gila wilderness in the southwestern part of the state.

But Colorado River and reservoir management was designed during a much wetter period.

And now, water officials are grappling with how to make do with less.

State Engineer Mike Hamman, New Mexicos top water manager, said the state really feels the shortages because it doesnt have the big reservoirs of other states in the Colorado River Basin.

Thats the dilemma  looking at how we can reduce demand with as soft a blow as possible, Hamman said.

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton this year tasked Colorado River states with creating an ambitious conservation plan.

Touton said the states need to conserve an additional 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water next year to protect levels at Lake Powell in Arizona and Utah and Lake Mead in Nevada and Arizona.

A basinwide conservation plan had not materialized by the mid-August deadline.

Nevada, Arizona and Mexico will all receive less water from the Colorado River next year because of rapidly-declining reservoirs, the Interior Department announced on Aug. 16.

Interior officials did not issue any mandatory water cuts for New Mexico.

But the states existing water conservation programs could be under increased scrutiny.

The Upper Basin states of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming did release a five-point plan this summer that points to the regions limited conservation options.

For two years, the states have released water from at least two reservoirs  Blue Mesa and Flaming Gorge  to prop up Lake Powell levels.

Those Upper Basin reservoir releases will likely continue next year, Interior officials said.

A more arid climate means all water users need to work harder to live within our means, said Estevan Lopez, New Mexicos representative on the Upper Colorado River Commission.

It certainly seems that we have to reset our expectations for what we might be trying to get out of the river, said Lopez, a former Reclamation commissioner.

In 2021, water managers considered releasing more water from Navajo Reservoir to help water levels in downstream reservoirs.

But Lopez said the additional release could have jeopardized regional water supplies.

Ultimately, we argued against it, he said. Reclamation would perhaps not have been able to fulfill its contractual obligations to folks like the Navajo Nation and Jicarilla Apache and others that depend on water out of Navajo.

The same issues could resurface next year if officials look to the New Mexico reservoir as an emergency supply for downstream users.

The Upper Basin plan hinges on existing conservation programs.

Strategies include fallowing fields and making irrigation more efficient.

But the entire region must work together, Lopez said, to avoid more mandatory cuts.

If we can get water users within places like the San Juan Basin to agree to shortage sharing agreements, then theres no need for strict priority administration, he said. Its a more acceptable solution, generally.

Colorado River tributaries serve relatively small portions of northwest and southwest New Mexico.

But the basins water is essential for the states largest city: Albuquerque.

Rio Grande flows in Albuquerque are closely tied to the Colorado via the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project.

The system of tunnels and dams at the New Mexico state line diverts water into the Rio Grande Basin.

Albuquerques municipal supply is entitled to as much as 15 billion gallons of San Juan-Chama water every year.

David Morris, the water utility spokesman for the city and county, said the Colorado River water has allowed the region to wean itself off of unsustainable groundwater pumping.

Since 2008, aquifer levels underneath the city have rebounded as much as 40 feet.

Thats exactly what we were hoping that our use of surface water would allow the aquifer to do, Morris said. Were in a very fortunate situation here in Albuquerque to have two different and distinct sources of supply.

But less snowpack and spring runoff resulting from climate change have led to several consecutive years when the utility and other New Mexico entities have received far less water than expected from the inter-basin project.

Its important for us to invest in things like outdoor water conservation and reuse, Morris said. Its quite possible that there just wont be as much San Juan-Chama water available in the future because of drought and climate change.

The Colorado River Compact was signed in 1922  just 10 years after New Mexico became a state.

New Mexico still uses only about half of its allotment under the compact each year.

That could change as more tribes reach water rights settlements and build out infrastructure to use those rights.

Agencies are making progress on large projects to deliver water to Navajo communities in western New Mexico.

A resilient future on the Colorado must have tribal sovereignty at the forefront, said Daryl Vigil, Jicarilla Apache Nation water administrator and a staunch advocate for tribal inclusion in water management issues.

The term consultation gets thrown around in the basin a whole lot, Vigil said. But if you know one tribe, you only know one tribe. Having a seat at the table means working with every tribe to learn their specific water rights and needs.

The U.S. Interior Department has said it will engage with tribes in the basin as parties hammer out some management details of the compact that are set to expire after 2026.

A historic influx of funding for infrastructure and drought response could also help New Mexico and other basin states reduce water use and prepare for a drier future.

Im optimistic that were going to sort through some of these more sticky problems with a good collaborative solution, Hamman said.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

A coalition of South Valley residents and neighbors, with the help of county zoning rules, has successfully pushed back against another proposed asphalt plant.

Bernalillo County commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to deny an appeal by the sites property owners about allowable land uses.

A successful appeal would have paved the way for the plant to be built.

County zoning administrator Nicholas Hamm made the decision that the owners appealed.

None of the businesses that are out there are going to be asked to leave, Hamm said. No ones going out of business as a result of this.

The 45-acre property on which Star Paving had proposed to build an asphalt plant is located west of Broadway near Bernalillo Countys southern border with Isleta Pueblo.

The land is zoned for agricultural use, with a long-held county exception for storing and processing landscaping materials such as sand and gravel.

Tuesdays board decision essentially keeps the property activity under its current uses.

Kathleen Ahghar, the landowners lawyer, said that a 2005 letter from the countys previous zoning administrator and a 2008 site plan allow for an asphalt plant on part of the property.

No shenanigans were going on, Ahghar said. It followed the rules and got there appropriately.

But Hamm said his predecessor did not have the authority to override a commission decision about permissible land uses, especially without a public hearing.

The land is a few miles southeast of the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge.

Isleta Pueblo officials and residents had spoken out against the plant.

Blane Sanchez, Isleta Pueblos 2nd lieutenant governor, said another industrial development in the region would be a step back.

As the pueblo has been learning from our neighbors, polluting industries concentrated in the South Valley significantly diminish their health and quality of life, Sanchez said.

The property owners have the option to appeal the commissioners decision in court.

South Valley residents in recent months have also fought against a proposed asphalt plant by New Mexico Terminal Services.

I feel like were in a detrimental area anyway, said Mountain View neighborhood resident Cathy Potts. I really dont want to breathe the fumes.
LUSAKA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government said Wednesday it was happy with the progress made during the first-ever electronic Census of Population and Housing exercise.

Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane said preliminary data showed that the exercise, which commenced on Aug. 18 and came to an end Wednesday, has progressed well countrywide with respect to its main objective of universal enumeration.

"I am delighted that this notable performance has been achieved despite reported challenges, in particular during the earlier days of the census," he told reporters during a press briefing.

He also said the government will conduct a mop-up exercise from Sept. 15 to 21 for households that were not fully enumerated.

The census, initially supposed to have been held in August 2020, was postponed to 2021 before being postponed again to August this year.

Zambia conducts a Census of Population and Housing every decade. The last census was conducted in 2010. 
As the world paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on her death aged 96. Britain lost its longest-serving monarch and entered 10 days of national mourning. On the other hand the UK advertising industry also tributes to The Queen. Various broadcasters, news outlets and media companies have spent years planning special editorial coverage and industry executives had to spend Thursday afternoon (8 September) rearranging schedules and media plans, ahead of the formal announcement of her passing at 6:30pm. Many media owners from ITV to MailMetroMedia to Ocean Outdoor said they have suspended some or majority of advertising temporarily.

Paul Bainsfair, director-general of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), said: It is with a heavy heart that we hear the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She has been head of state and our Queen for all of our lifetime and she was revered across the world for her wisdom and her sense of duty. The greatest honour bestowed upon the IPA in its long history was when Her Majesty awarded our Royal Charter in 2015. We extend our sincerest condolences to the Royal Family as the nation enters a period of mourning.

The Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (ISBA) said: Everyone at ISBA is deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty the Queen. The thoughts of all of us are with the Royal Family at what will be a time of great sorrow. ITV said its main channel would carry special news programming and no ads during its coverage about the Queens death in the first 24 hours, Mail Metro Media told agencies it would not run any advertisements across all of its print and digital platforms for a minimum of 24 hours, and Ocean Outdoor dropped all ads on its digital screens, including the Piccadilly Lights, in favour of a tribute message to The Queen.

One agency leader, who was involved in rearranging plans, said: We have been talking to our clients all day. It has a considerable effect on all of our clients  not just pulling their ads but also re-arranging their media placements for when things come back. When your brand starts to re-advertise, you want to make sure your ads are appropriate.

A second agency executive said: I have practically every advertiser wanting to be off-air for at least 24 hours. Some advertisers will be making a commercial decision, some will be just protecting their brand.

After the funeral the industry executives do not expect a return of all advertising.
Clensta, a new-age start-up that specializes in personal and home care goods with a strong sustainability commitment, is assertive of the fact that technology can help us address and deal with several challenges we encounter on a daily basis, thereby making life way easier. Clensta is currently moving towards adopting these technologies to meet every household's needs after establishing and strengthening its presence over the last few years. Despite outstanding earlier findings, the 21st century is opening up to new possibilities for scientific and technological innovation in the health and personal care sector and Clensta intends to leverage the first mover advantage with groundbreaking innovations and technologies to capture the mind space of the contemporary, new age consumer.

Puneet Gupta, CEO, and Founder, Clensta said, At Clensta, we believe that there are many issues we deal with on a day-to-day basis that technology can help us tackle in a better way. The essence of our vision is to develop products deploying technologies that can take care of the needs of every household and provide maximum benefits to our consumers. Behind every product that we offer to the consumer is the identification of gaps and extensive research on how we can address them and fulfill consumer expectations.

The team at Clensta believes that they can use the six technologies they have developed almost like APIs and they can be scaled and deployed for various problem statements. Clenstas research collaboration with IIT Delhi has assisted it in patenting several ground-breaking innovations. Therefore the team is confident that the effort they have put in R&D over their six-year journey will now reap dividends and enable them to truly solve problems for every household in a more focused manner. added Ankita Arora, Research and Development Head, Clensta.

The top layer of the skin is where all skincare products are administered. These products rarely have any therapeutic effects or nutrients and only serve as cleansers or temporary beauty enhancers and even if they have nutrients they sometimes cannot be absorbed by the skin. To provide a long-term solution, the STAR technology developed by Clensta which stands for Safe Transdermal Absorption of Reactive Ingredient ensures that nutrients are absorbed from the upper layer of the skin to the lower layers by using particles that are smaller than the size of our skin pores. Clensta ensures its range contains active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, alpha arbutin, etc in proper proportions and natural ingredients such as red aloe vera and egg extract, which makes them completely safe for use.

STAR technology can also be used to help consumers meet daily vitamin needs and to solve the challenge of nutrient deficiency in women in tier 2 and 3 locations, Clensta is currently developing cutting-edge lipsticks and bindis. The products will soon be available in the market and will include nutrients that enter the bloodstream transdermally, such as iodine, iron, vitamin B12, etc. The products and their underlying standards constantly align with Clensta's overarching mission, which emphasizes sustainability, thoughtfulness, feasibility, integration of nature and technology. In addition, the EBDC-based home care product line is another illustration that increases the activity and effectiveness of the active substances by using additional excipients in the product formulation. These products are sold in the form of smart concentrates, and thus, reduce the generation of single use plastic.

Clensta began its journey in 2016, when Puneet Gupta, the founder, realized how consumers are completely dependent on water for personal hygiene. They developed the first set of products the shampoo and body bath products in partnership with IIT Delhi, powered by in-house waterless technology. This technology is an advancement in the practical application of a relative amount of ingredients and the ratio of every ingredient and its synergism makes the product unique and maintains the same level of cleansing effect without leaving the same high level of residue which can be wiped with a towel/tissue without the use of water to wash it off. This product has seen widespread acceptance in the health care, defense, and export markets.

Some of Clenstas initial work also included PAR & PAP technology, which helped it create more efficacious covid protection products. Going forward, Clensta aims to commercialize a brand new technology, CRAN (Controlled Release of Active Nutrients), especially for the maintenance of gray hair through a unique product that would solve a very specific problem for a targeted audience. It is enabled by a composition where specific concentrations of Ginkgo biloba & Indian lilac extracts maintain grey hair and also increase its life.
CNN has announced the hiring of Marc Stewart as an international correspondent to be based in Asia. He will be responsible for reporting on key stories from the Asia-Pacific region for the networks television and digital platforms.

A journalist for more than 25 years, Marc is both highly skilled and passionate about getting to the heart of the story, said Senior Vice President & Managing Editor APAC, CNN International, Ellana Lee. Were delighted to welcome Marc to the CNN family as we continue to strengthen our newsgathering capabilities in this vitally important region.

Stewart has reported from a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region during his career, including India, North and South Korea, and from Hong Kong. Prior to joining CNN International, Stewart worked for the Wall Street Journal in London where he hosted its flagship morning podcast, Whats News. Before that he reported for ABC News in New York, appeared on Yahoo Finances video streaming service, and contributed regularly to the aviation-focused publication The Points Guy.

Stewart started his career in journalism as a news anchor and reporter in cities across the United States, including Denver, Nashville, Knoxville and Lansing. He has a Masters Degree in business & economic journalism from New York University as well as a Bachelors Degree in international relations from Michigan State University. Currently based in New York, Stewart will relocate to Asia in the coming months
Google is going to face two suits for damages claims for almost 25 billion in British and Dutch courts with regard to its digital advertising practices.

Law firm Geradin Partners has announced that it will bring parallel damages actions in the UK and the Netherlands (covering the EEA) on behalf of publishers who have suffered harm from Googles anti-competitive conduct in relation to ad-tech. Funding for both actions has been secured from Harbour, a top-tier litigation funder, said a press release by the legal firm.

During a time when many media organisations struggled to pay journalists wages, Google deprived them of billions of revenues through anti-competitive conduct. For many publishers it would be too expensive to sue a gigantic company like Google. Without this action, these damages would go unaddressed, said the release.

Damien Geradin (Geradin Partners) said: Publishers, including local and national news media who play a vital role in our society, have long been harmed by Googles anticompetitive conduct. It is time that Google owns up to its responsibilities and pays back the damages it has caused to this important industry. That is why today we are announcing these actions across two jurisdictions to obtain compensation for EU and UK publishers.

In the Netherlands, Geradin Partners has teamed up with Dutch law firm Stek to bring a collective claim representing EU publishers. The legal analysis is supported by independent economics consultancy Charles River Associates.

In the United Kingdom, Geradin Partners has teamed up with litigation law firm Humphries Kerstetter to bring an opt-out collective damages claim in the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal. The UK claim will focus on recovering compensation for lost revenue from the sale of advertising space on the websites of all class members. Counsel for the case will be Ronit Kreisberger QC and Julian Gregory from Monckton Chambers and David Wingfield and Niamh Cleary from Fountain Court Chambers. The legal analysis is again supported by CRA for the economic analysis.

Google, meanwhile, attacked these lawsuits, claiming that it works constructively with publishers all over Europe.

Last year, the French Competition Authority found Google had abused its dominant position by engaging in various forms of self-preferencing in breach of Article 102 TFEU. Specifically, Google was accused of using its publisher ad servers by favouring its own ad exchange and had used its ad exchange to favour its publisher ad server. Both practices had been in place since 2014. Googles anticompetitive conduct was found to have caused harm to publishers. Google did not contest the findings. Geradin Partners and CRA acted for complainants in the French Competition Authority case.

In 2021, the French Competition Authority imposed a fine of 220m on Google in relation to its conduct in ad tech. Ad tech is the short name for the technologies powering the online adverts billions of consumers see in their everyday lives when surfing the web and using their smartphones. Selling digital advertising is a key source of revenue for publishers of online content including news media. As consumers spend an increasing amount of their time online to communicate, shop, and entertain themselves, digital advertising has experienced spectacular growth, exceeding $490 billion in 2021.
YAOUNDE, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon's Defence Minister Joseph Beti Assomo on Wednesday announced the deployment of more than 1,000 soldiers to maintain peace and stability in the neighboring Central African Republic (CAR).

The 750 soldiers and 360 gendarmes make up the ninth contingent of Cameroonian troops tasked with carrying out stabilization and peacekeeping mission in the CAR.

The contingent is part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which began protecting civilians in CAR in 2014 under the UN Charter, Assomo said during a ceremony in the country's East region to award medals to soldiers who underwent special training in the region.

"I urge you to represent your country in the right way," Assomo said, and demanded the soldiers execute their assignment in strict respect of the rules guiding MINUSCA.

The contingent is taking over from predecessors who spent a year building peace in the war-torn country.

The CAR has been wracked by violence since the Seleka rebels ousted then President Francois Bozize in 2013. The conflict has forced nearly half of the country's population to migrate and depend on humanitarian assistance, according to the UN. 
Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited (formerly known as Max Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited) onboards Leo Burnett as its advertising agency partner, following a multi-agency pitch. The brand transitioned from Max Bupa to Niva Bupa last year, following a change in the shareholding pattern of the company. Niva Bupa is on a mission to democratise health insurance to make quality healthcare accessible for the masses. The company intends to bring in a fresh perspective to the health insurance category by enabling consumers to live a carefree life, without worrying about the financial constraints related to hospitalization. This partnership with Leo Burnett will aid the brand in fulfilling its vision of creating ground-breaking work to give people more control over their health and well-being.

Mr. Nimish Agrawal, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing at Niva Bupa Health Insurance said, At Niva Bupa we are evangelizing insurance for freedom and not constraints and the brand philosophy around claiming life captures the brand mission. There is a massive need to simplify the category and lifting the category narrative to be more positive and empowering. During our interaction we found the approach of Leo Burnett to be bold yet extremely intuitive and in line with our vision for the brand and are delighted to partner with them.

Dheeraj Sinha, CEO Leo Burnett, South Asia & Chairman BBH India said, Health Insurance category has come into sharp focus owing to the pandemic. Niva Bupa being one of the leaders in this segment offers some of the most comprehensive products making health insurance more accessible to all. We look forward to partnering with them to enhance consumer understanding about the benefits of health insurance using data, technology and creativity; encouraging everyone to take a health-first approach.

Adding further Samir Gangahar, Head of North Leo Burnett said This is fantastic opportunity for us to create conversation around a category that has immense growth potential. The brand needs a strong communication plan that addresses their business problems backed by new age thinking and creative solutions. We are looking forward to working together with the team.
Dedicated to experts from the medical field, who work round the clock to save precious lives and are considered 'God on Earth, PTC Network organised 'PTC Medical Excellence Awards' in recognition of their services.

The grand ceremony, which was organised at Hyatt in Chandigarh on 8th September, aimed at expressing gratitude to doctors for their selfless services and to recognise their importance and value in society.

Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, was the chief guest while Vijay Kumar Sampla, Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, was the guest of honour.

As many as 30 doctors, including experts from Ayurveda and allopathy fields, and medical institutions were honoured on the occasion.

Earlier, MD & President, PTC Network, Rabindra Narayan accorded a warm welcome to the Union minister. Addressing the gathering, he said, "Although it is the duty of governments to honour those who save precious lives, PTC Network has taken an initiative to convey its gratitude to the medical fraternity for selfless services."

Greeting the gathering in Punjabi, Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar said, "Sat Sri Akal" and thanked doctors for their contribution to society. She said Punjabis had won accolades in every field worldwide.

The felicitation ceremony started with doctors striving to create a disease-free society through the ancient field of Ayurveda. In this category, Dr Mandeep Verma, Dr Deeksha and Pannu Vaid were honoured with "Excellence Award" for playing an important role in the field of Ayurveda in Punjab.

Yogesh Mittal and KK Mittal of Old Forest Ayurveda were honoured with "Best Innovation Ayurveda Award".

Kundan Kidney Care Centre (Ayurvedic) was awarded "Best Services Kidney Care (Ayurvedic) Award " for treating kidney diseases through Ayurveda.

The PGIMER, Chandigarh, was declared "Best Medical Institute of North India" while Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Amritsar, was felicitated with "Best Charitable Medical Institute Award".

Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Sangrur, was given "Best Medical Institute for Cancer Award". Amandeep Hospital, Amritsar, was honoured with "Excellence in Contribution - Orthopedics (North India)" Award for outstanding services in orthopedics. The award was received by Dr Avtar Singh.

Dr CS Pruthi of Capitol Hospital received the award of "Best Private Hospital, Cardio (Punjab)" while Ivy Hospital was honoured with the title of "Best Hospital Network".

Dr Gurdaver Singh, who came especially from Fresno, USA, was honoured with "Special Recognition Award in Family Medicine and Care" .

Radiologist by profession, Dr Varinder Garg from the PGIMER, Chandigarh, was honoured with "Best Services Radiology Award".

The award for "Best Administration Services (Hospital) in Tricity" was given to Dr Vipin Kaushal, who has been serving as Medical Superintendent and Head, Department of Hospital Administration, PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Dr Manmohan Singh was awarded the title of "Best Cardiologist, Patiala." Dr Manmeet Batra was honoured for her outstanding services in the field of "Obstetrics and Gynaecology".

Dr Raj Bahadur, who has dedicated his entire life to the service of the mankind, was honoured with "Special Recognition Award". Former Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Dr Jagat Ram was given "Lifetime Achievement Award". Dr Ashish Bhalla from PGIMER, Chandigarh, was felicitated for his outstanding services in "Emergency Medicine". Instrumental in instilling hope in patients suffering from the deadly disease of cancer, Dr Harnoor Singh Pruthi was given "Best Private Hospital Oncology Award" for Capitol Hospital. "Best Path Lab Centre Award" went to Jerath Path Lab and Allergy Testing Centre of Dr Prashant Jerath.

Simardeep Singh Chhabra, who has been contributing to the medical field through technology, was given "Award of Honour". Dr KK Arora was honoured for providing excellent services in the field of hair transplant. Having served as Director, Health Services, in Chandigarh, Dr G Dewan was honoured with "Best Health Services During Pandemic Award". Dr Parmjit Singh Walia was honoured with "Best Doctor-Skin (Tricity) Award'. Dr Shubh Mohan Singh from the PGIMER, Chandigarh, was honoured for his outstanding services in "Mental Health Management". Dr Tarunpreet Singh Taneja was honoured with "Excellence in Contribution -Ortho Award" for his outstanding services.
Wiggles engages with 100+ pet influencers for Indias first petfluencer party in association with The Good Creator Co.

Indias leading pet care brand Wiggles continues to leverage innovative marketing opportunities as a part of its brand-building exercise. Firmly positioned as the only pet care brand in the category with expert-driven strategy, Wiggles continues to make the complexities of animal care simpler and more engaging for pet parents and animal lovers.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Wiggles collaborated with creator platform The Good Creator Cos, Co-Founder Malini Agarwal, popularly known as MissMalini to engage with influential pet parents and animal lovers to drive the conversation around the right nutrition for every dog. They hosted Wiggles' maiden Petfluencer Party on September 11 in Mumbai - a fun evening that saw participation from over 100 influencers and celebrities such as Anusha Dandekar, Poonam Pandey, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, Bandagi Kalra, Lakshya Kapoor and many more came along with their pets.

The campaign kicked off with a contest inviting participants to attend the exclusive by-invite event. The Petfluencer Party hosted an insightful discussion on right nutrition for every dog led by Malini Agarwal with her pet Mylo, Cyrus Broacha, TV Anchor, Comedian, Podcaster and parent to Peter and Mary, Anushka Iyer, Founder and CEO and parent of Wiggles along with Dr. Sanjiv Rajadhyaksha, Medical Director, Wiggles and Tanushree Rakshit, Founder of Pro Paws Academy and animal rights activist. The discussion focused on the confusion dog parents have about food and nutrition, leading to the showcase of their new dog food, EveryDawg.

The afternoon was marked with fun activities like a paw-pup bar, a pet psychic, a cuddle booth, and a stand-up act on the eccentric habits of Indian pet parents by Nitinn R Miranni who attended with his pet Marshall.

On kickstarting an influencer-led awareness campaign, Anushka Iyer, Founder and CEO, Wiggles said, At Wiggles, we always look for meaningful and exciting ways to keep our pet parent community engaged while creating awareness about responsible pet care. 60% of Indias population comprises GenZ and millennials who want delightful customer experiences and the very best for their pets. Wiggles Petfluencer Party with The Good Creator Co. has enabled us to reach out to these new parents through a medium they love. We hope that through this partnership, we can dispel some myths and confusion about dog nutrition, and build a culture of responsible pet care. Mumbai is just the first of the many we have in store and we look forward to adding value to the pet community and industry at large.

Malini Agarwal, Founder and Creative Director of MissMalini and Co-founder, The Good Creator Co, said, I am delighted to host a Creator experience as MissMalini with the Good Creator Co for the launch of Wiggles EveryDawg food. Wiggles has always been a wholesome and positive brand that I trust and being a pet parent myself I know how much I worry about my pup's nutrition from the myriad options out there. Ive seen Mylo enjoying all his Wiggles goodies. I am super excited to bring together our creator community to connect over our love for our furry friends and create fun and engaging content while educating our guests about proper nutritional care for our fur babies. Opportunities like these allow the creator community to bond and connect in person in ways that are super special and memorable for creators big and small"
A teacher shows a woodblock printing work during a cultural exchange activity held between the young people of Egypt and China's Shandong province via video link, in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Woodblock printing, making thread-binding notebooks and dying and block-printing fabrics, some Egyptian students from different universities created their own souvenirs by experiencing traditional Chinese handicrafts in a cultural exchange activity.

Entitled "China in Classic Books," the activity held on Wednesday between the young people of Egypt and China's Shandong province via video link, was organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Provincial People's Government in cooperation with the Chinese Bridge Club in Cairo and the Egyptian Chinese University (ECU).

Adham Ehab, a student in the Chinese department at Cairo University, was making the thread-binding notebooks in the same way it's traditionally made in Shandong.

"Such activities make us know more about the Chinese culture and love the Chinese language more," the Egyptian student told Xinhua during the event.

The participating Egyptian students and graduates came from different universities including Cairo University, Ain Shams University, Al-Azhar University and the Egyptian Chinese University (ECU).

Jiao Xinyue, a Chinese teacher at Cairo University who also teaches at the Confucius Institute of Cairo University, said that the increasing Chinese economic power and the growing cooperation between China and Egypt provide more opportunities for students learning Chinese.

The number of students in the Chinese language at Cairo University is on the rise every year, she added.

ECU vice-President Rasha El-Kholy said that "the event aims at connecting between the Egyptian and the Chinese cultures through learning about some traditional Chinese ways of printing and handicrafts, which resemble some of their counterparts in ancient Egypt."

"Connecting ancient civilizations can push us forward towards a future of innovation, research and development," he added.

Gianna Xu, head of the Chinese Bridge Club in Cairo, said "the cultural exchange between the youths of the two countries will deepen the friendship among future generations," hoping that such cultural activities will nourish "the tree of friendship and cooperation between China and Egypt." 

Students pose for group photos during a cultural exchange activity held between the young people of Egypt and China's Shandong province via video link, in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Students take part in a cultural exchange activity held between the young people of Egypt and China's Shandong province via video link, in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China is an important trade partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and greater ASEAN-China economic cooperation could further promote peace and stability in region, Asian Development Bank (ADB) country director for Cambodia Jyotsana Varma said Wednesday.

As the global economy gets more intertwined over time, China has become a major contributor to trade and investment growth for the region, according to Varma in an interview with Xinhua.

China is also a key driving force in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) with growing contribution in the creation of various hubs for regional transportation, communication and energy systems, and in fostering competitiveness to drive the economic development of this region, she added.

"Therefore, ASEAN-China economic cooperation is important to maximize the opportunities and manage the cost of this growing economic interdependence between ASEAN and China," Varma said.

"In the future, greater ASEAN-China economic cooperation could also help promote greater peace and stability in the region. This is important as peace and stability is an important regional public good that can help promote the growth of commerce, trade and investment between ASEAN and China," she added.

Varma's comments came as Cambodia is hosting the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting (AEM) and related meetings, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ministers' meeting, the East Asia Summit (EAS) economic ministers' meeting and the AEM-Dialogue Partners Consultations, in the province of Siem Reap in northwest Cambodia from Sept. 14 to 18.

Varma said the full and timely implementation of the RCEP free trade agreement is the key to its contributing to ASEAN's economic growth.

Coming into force in January 2022, the mega regional trade deal comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries including 10 ASEAN member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and their five trading partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

"It would take some time before we can actually measure its actual economic impact on the region," she said.

"The main anticipated impact of the RCEP is its ability to manage some of the challenges presented by multiple FTAs (free trade agreements) in the region and further liberalization of economic cooperation," she added.

Varma said the RCEP has provided better access for trade in goods, and delivered other benefits in trade in services, investment and e-commerce.

She also said the ASEAN economic cooperation has been an important ingredient for the region's economic success.

"Through its open trade and investment policy, the ASEAN region has become a key player and important hub in global trade and production network," she said. "This has supported the region's outward-oriented growth strategy based on exports."

According to Varma, through the strong macroeconomic fundamentals of most ASEAN economies, supported by large foreign direct investment inflows, and with strong participation in regional trade agreements, the region has managed to position itself as one of the most competitive regions for global value chains, achieving immense development benefits.

She said most of the ASEAN economies have created stronger manufacturing and export bases, generated more and better-quality jobs, fostered innovation, technology, and knowledge diffusion, and reduced poverty rates.

"Going forward, regional cooperation in the region is becoming even more entrenched as crisis forge stronger cooperation among ASEAN economies," she said.

"This stronger regional cooperation in the future will build the region's resilience as it provides a buffer for the region to withstand possible global shocks in the future," she added. 
"For want of a nail, a kingdom was lost..." This maxim has been around for hundreds of years with its authorship variously ascribed to such notables as Benjamin Franklin, King Richard the Third, and Freidank Bescheidenheit. Regardless of the origin, the truth of this proverb is timeless and highlights the potential devastation that can happen when an essential action is carelessly ignored. This could be one of the reasons standard operating procedures are commonly used in industry, government, and the military, to name a few. Of course, no SOP, or set of policy and procedures, is even relevant if no one ensures they are followed.

The most glaring and vastly underreported example of failing to adhere to its own policies and procedures is the federal agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The trademarked motto under their title is: CDC 24/7: Saving Lives, Protecting People. But are they? As multitudes of people in the United States are facing devastating injury and even death from the COVID-19 shot, they are largely left on their own. Watching countless vaccine-injured people giving their testimonies on the Internet and seeing their convulsions, paralysis, heart problems, and other consequences from the jab is nothing short of heart-wrenching. Have these vaccine injury and death accounts been reported on legacy news stations? Why not? The Internet is replete with vaccine horror stories; the mainstream media is mute.

In March 2022. Senator Ron Johnson wrote a letter to the federal agencies of HHS, FDA, NIAID, and CDC asking questions relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2022, Senator Johnson sent a follow-up letter to Rochelle Walensky, Director of the CDC, requesting clarification of conflicting statements made by its officials in regard to their January 29, 2021 SOP on the reporting of Vaccine Adverse Reporting Events. The CDC officials had issued two conflicting statements on Proportional Reporting Ratio, and Senator Johnson stated the obvious that both could not be true and requested clarification. It is unclear whether the CDC responded to Senator Johnsons request. Considering the lack of apparent cooperation with congressional inquiry, the CDCs latest compilation of U.S. COVID-19 Cases and Death may be meaningless as to accuracy.

It must not be forgotten that the COVID vaccines are not FDA-approved, but only authorized to be used under the Emergency Use Authorizations Declaration of January 2017. Was this whole pandemic really another government medical experiment foisted upon American citizens (but not on illegals overrunning our borders)? If so, this wouldnt be the first time the U.S. government did that. The Tuskegee Experiment should serve as a reminder of what the federal government is capable of doing to its citizens.

The COVID-19 vaccine injury, deaths, and horrifying microscopy results from cadavers demand high-level government investigation with transparency and accountability. If none is forthcoming, the question honestly deserves to be asked if we have devolved into a country that ignores and is complicit in the plights of millions of its citizens suffering from government-sponsored medical experiments. If an investigation into the shots prove that Pfizer, Moderna, et al, knew the vaccines would cause harm to people, would that not nullify their immunity shield under the EUA Declaration?

COVID-19 has opened an ugly and possibly irredeemable gash right in the heart of America, as well as countries around the world. Has this really been a depopulation scheme all along, concocted by eugenicists and transhumanists who view people as nothing more than chattel to be killed or enslaved? Is this premise too bizarre to even be considered?

Take Yuval Harari. He is a leading globalist, history Professor at Hebrew University, and a top advisor to Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum. A recent Rio Times article contained a video with chilling excerpts from several talks where Harari shares his, and presumably the WEFs, position on the fate of humans (as hackable animals) now and in the future. As Harari states at one point in an interview, the COVID-19 virus pandemic initiated surveillance under the skin to analyze biometric data. Did the substance(s) used for this surveillance and analysis affect the composition of patients blood? Dr. Joel S. Hirschhorn in a September 5, 2022 article stated,

The alterations found after the injection of our patient/cases with mRNA materials (whatever may be in them), we found what we believe is conclusive evidence that the modifications observed, as these persons went from normal blood profiles to very abnormal ones, must be attributed to the proximate mRNA injections.

The lack of a national COVID-19 dialectic has been ongoing for nearly three years. Why have scientists, doctors, drug researchers and others been discredited and/or silenced? What happened to healthy debate around scientific inquiry? What happened to moral turpitude, basic decency, courage, truth?

In his book, The Doctrine of The Lesser Magistrates, Matthew J. Trewhella posits the notion that if an official or magistrate fails to do his job, a lesser official has the right and obligation to do it for him. On page 16, Trewhella quotes Christian author, C.S. Lewis:

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

On the back cover of his book, Trewhella quotes Roman Emperor Trajan speaking to one of his subordinates:

Use this sword against my enemies, if I give righteous commands; but if I give unrighteous commands, use it against me.

The antidote to tyranny from any source is truth and the courage to speak and act on it. But where is a Trajan today, or an honest and courageous subordinate willing to even fall upon his sword if it were the only way to stop this national tragedy? Will the lack of a nail or an honest magistrate to adjudicate the death and destruction caused by the COVID-19 shots lead to the loss of our kingdom, our country?

Image: RickP
Im a cultural pessimist. I think our nation is on a catastrophic moral path. But I must admit that despite my red-pilled perspective on our rotting culture, radical trans ideology has shocked me. Of course, there have always been people who wish they were what they are not, and that includes (in rare instances) men who wish they were women and women who wish they were men. These people are generally deeply unhappy and suffer greatly. They should be treated with understanding and compassion -- each of us struggles in life and their struggle is particularly difficult. But the wide-spread acceptance of radical gender ideology is cultural insanity.

Radical gender ideology itself is nonsense at best and radical evil at worst. The best place to start with understanding radical gender ideology is to ask: does it even make sense?

On Dr. Phils television show, conservative commentator Matt Walsh asked of Dr. Phils trans guests a remarkably simple question: what is a woman? His interlocutors couldnt answer the question, although it is at the heart of their claim to be women. A trans-woman asserts that he (I insist on using real pronouns) is a woman. He doesnt merely insist that he feels like a woman or wants to be a woman. Those are meaningful assertions and can be true. Instead, he insists that he is a woman, misplaced in a mans body. That is not a meaningful assertion, nor can it be true. In order to assert I am a woman, one must have a definition of woman. An assertion must be pointed at something -- being a woman, in this case. One must be able to define woman to meaningfully assert that he is one.

However, all cogent definitions of woman are inconsistent with the assertion that a man can be a woman. A woman is a human being with two X chromosomes and who has at least the potential to have secondary characteristics of womanhood, such as an actual uterus, ovaries, breasts, etc. This is simple biology, and you dont need to be a biologist to know it.

A man who has had pharmacological or surgical alterations to mimic some aspects of womanhood is not a woman -- he is a pharmacologically altered or surgically mutilated man.

So how can a trans-activist answer the question what is a woman? The only answer available to a trans-activist is for the activist to reply: it is what I want to be. But that is not an answer -- it is merely circular:

I am a woman. So, what is a woman? It is what I am.

The assertion I am a trans-woman is literally nonsense. A person may be a man who wants to be a woman or be a man who believes he is a woman or be a man who feels like a woman. But he cannot be a woman, because woman necessarily has meaning, and no man fits that definition.

Despite the logical gibberish, trans-activism has had a frightening impact on medical practice and medical ethics. Gender affirmation clinics exist in medical centers across the country, and many clinics offer hormonal treatment and even radical surgery to children and adults. Boston Childrens Hospital -- probably the most prominent childrens hospital in the country -- has offered mastectomies to girls as young as 15 for gender reassignment, and has offered patients phalloplasty (the surgical creation of a penis), metoidioplasty (cutting tissue to lengthen the clitoris), creation of a scrotum with testicular implants, hysterectomy, vaginoplasty (amputation of the penis and testicles with construction of a vagina) to older adolescents. In response to intense public criticism, Boston Childrens Hospital recently changed its website to claim that going forward it will restrict operations to people over 18 years of age, although it continues to treat mentally ill children with hormones in anticipation of surgical alterations when they come of age. Seattle Childrens Hospital was exposed recently for recently for offering medicalized transition to children as young as nine years old.

Please note that these radical medical treatments and surgical procedures are performed on mentally ill children and adults. These patients are mentally ill by definition -- if they were not ill, they would not be in need of medical treatment, and their illness is not physical (their sexual organs are healthy). Their illness is mental, and for that they are subjected to radical medical intervention (including hormones of the type administered to sex offenders) and mutilating surgery.

In Europe, there has been a shift away from radical and mutilating medical treatments for children and adults with gender dysphoria. The British National Health Service is closing its only youth gender clinic amid concerns about the extreme and irreversible nature of its treatments.

Radical gender ideology in the medical profession is extreme medical malpractice dressed up in professional attire. How do we explain the astonishing emergence of this bizarre ideology, its chilling perversion of medical practice and ethics, and its pervasive influence in our culture? It seems like mass psychosis, not medical care.

I propose that the rise of gender ideology is a byproduct of the rapidly emerging paganization of our culture. Theologian John N. Oswalt has noted that the central distinction between the pagan mythology and the Christian understanding of nature is that paganism asserts the essential continuity of all things -- both within nature and between nature and the divine. The pagan view extends to abstractions and symbols -- there is no distinction between symbols and reality -- the abstract symbol is the reality. In this pagan view, the assertion by a man that he is a woman makes real that which it invokes. Maleness and femaleness are on a continuous spectrum and gender identity and can be invoked by mere incantation. The distinction between men and women is only apparent. Pagan ideology denies fixed essences -- nature is fungible and pagan reality can be conjured by incantation. Only desire, not biology, is real.

This bizarre assertion of continuity between symbolic thought and tangible reality is a peculiarly pagan way of understanding man, and it is radically different from the Christian understanding. In the Christian understanding, nature and man are creations of God, and we are essentially and irrevocably distinct from each other and from the Divine. Human beings are distinct from non-rational animals, men are distinct from women, and all of creation is distinct from God. In the Christian understanding of nature, things have essences that define them, and these essences -- manhood and womanhood for example -- cannot be altered merely by wishing or incantation.

What is the impact on society of this pagan homogenization of nature and symbol, aside from the scandalous medical mistreatment and surgical mutilation of mentally ill children and adults? Philosopher Rene Girard warns that homogenization leads to mimetic rivalry -- a homogenization of society that ends in a war of all against all. We already see this conflict growing -- for example, between trans-activists and LGB activists, and between trans-activists and feminists. Trans-activism has already caused great conflict in women's sports.

Trans-activism is just the latest pagan cult, akin to the flourishing modern cult of child sacrifice. From the Christian viewpoint, it is logical gibberish, medical malpractice, and moral atrocity, but from the pagan viewpoint, it is the natural outworking of the pagan belief in the continuity and homogeneity of symbol and reality in nature. It arises from ancient pagan ways of understanding man and nature, and, like child sacrifice, it poses a lethal threat to our rapidly de-Christianizing culture.

Image: Vatican Library
The State Bar of California is the "regulatory arm of the California Supreme Court responsible for licensing and disciplining attorneys." The State Bar's mission is "to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system."

In accomplishing its mission, the State Bar should follow the law. Therefore, the State Bar should explain why its encouragement of employers to match the racial composition of their attorney workforce with the racial composition of California is not encouraging employers to violate the 1964 Federal Civil Rights Act.

On September 9, 2022, the State Bar issued "a special update for all California licensees on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the State Bar." The update states:

In early August, the State Bar released its 2022 Report Card on the Diversity of California's Legal Profession. The report is based on surveys conducted by the State Bar. ... The findings will help inform State Bar policies and programs in furtherance of our public protection mission. We share them also to help workplaces and members of the profession promote diversity, equity, and inclusion themselves. Here are some key findings in the report: White people account for 39 percent of the state's population yet comprise 66 percent of California's active attorney population. California admitted its most diverse cohort of new lawyers on record last year, with women and attorneys of color comprising 53 percent and 51 percent of the class respectively. Hispanics/Latinos are particularly underrepresented, comprising 36 percent of the state's population but only 6 percent of all California's licensed attorneys. Asian attorneys comprise 14 percent of all attorneys, while Asian people make up 16 percent of the state's population. Black people represent 6 percent of the adult population in California and comprise 3 percent of all attorneys. Compensation and benefits are ranked as the top areas of desired improvement by all attorneys and demographic groups analyzed. Women of color are underrepresented in leadership positions in all employment settings.

The "Report Card on the Diversity of California's Legal Profession" states in its introduction:

As this report shows, the profession has become increasingly diverse in recent decades, with newly licensed attorneys better reflecting California's rich and varied demographics. However, much work remains. The analyses highlight areas of the legal profession where the greatest opportunities for improvement exist. The "Calls to Action" section shares strategies to help employers and attorneys advance an inclusive workplace in support of a profession that reflects the diversity of our state.

The Report Card's section entitled "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Calls to Action" directed at "Private Sector Employers" states on page 1: "Employers and attorneys are encouraged to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their workplaces, and in the profession, by taking the steps outlined below." The steps presented on pages 23 include these:

Collect and analyze demographic data on recruitment, hiring, promotion, and attrition. . . . Use the data to tailor specific interventions based on your organization's size and geographic locations to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in recruitment, hiring, and promotion ... Cultivate a workplace that encourages voluntary self-identification by all staff. Create a strategic DEI plan for your organization with timelines for specific objectives, metrics, and benchmarks. ... Set equity and inclusion goals for specific programs and teams within the organization based on communities served. ... Support retention and promotion from within; don't rely solely on external lateral hires to meet diversity goals. ... Evaluate and modify, as needed, your orientation and onboarding process with an eye toward inclusion. ... Update your organization's website to be more inclusive, such as adding photos, names, and pronouns on the staff webpage. ... Tie diversity goals to business growth objectives and opportunities.

The steps presented on pages 56 include:

Ensure that new entry-level hires reflect the diversity of new State Bar licensees. Review updated demographic data for new licensees and other available DEI-focused reports annually to ensure your organization is keeping pace. ... Analyze the demographic data among your mid-level attorneys. Determine if it reflects the diversity of new licensees from five to 10 years ago. If not, revisit your hiring strategies to determine whether your equity and inclusion goals are being prioritized. ... Identify and remedy supervision and promotion practices that may contribute to any diversity imbalances in your organization's leadership positions.

The Report Card concludes:

Despite significant growth in the proportion of attorneys who are women and people of color over the past 30 years, California's attorney population does not reflect the state's diversity, with Latinos being particularly underrepresented. Women of color now comprise the largest group of newly admitted attorneys. Most (80 percent) of California attorneys work in the private sector. Increasing the diversity of this sector alone will have a transformative impact on the profession. Women are overrepresented in government and nonprofit sectors, comprising 55 percent and 67 percent respectively. Attorney salaries are among the lowest in these sectors. Women of color are underrepresented in leadership positions in all employment settings. ... The State Bar is committed to ensuring this research will translate into results. To that end, employers and attorneys are encouraged to take the steps outlined in the "Calls to Action" section that follows.

The Civil Rights Act does not require, authorize, or encourage employers to match the racial composition of their workforce with the racial composition of people in a geographic location. Instead, the Act prohibits this practice by stating:

It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer (1) to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; or (2) to limit, segregate, or classify his employees or applicants for employment in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect his status as an employee, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

When debating the definition of "discrimination" as used in the Civil Rights Act, one of the Act's primary sponsors, former senator Hubert Humphrey, explained that if race is a factor, then there is discrimination on the basis of race:

Webster's New International Dictionary defines discrimination as: "A distinction, as in treatment; esp., an unfair or injurious distinction." ... What it really means in the bill is a distinction in treatment ... given to different individuals because of their different race, religion or national origin. ... The answer to this question [what was meant by "discrimination"] is that if race is not a factor, we do not have to worry about discrimination because of race. ... [T]he word "discrimination" ... is simply defined. It means "different treatment." That is all it means.

Senator Humphrey said the Act "would prohibit preferential treatment for any particular group." He also said: "If the Senator can find in Title VII ... any language which provides that an employer will have to hire on the basis of percentage or quota related to color, race, religion or national origin, I will start eating the pages one after another, because it is not in there."

The State Bar's goal of matching workforce racial composition with racial composition of people in a geographic location is not new. The faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law built their racially discriminatory admissions program on a similar goal as applied to racial composition of the student body. (A previous article at AT discussed the policy arguments regarding UCLA Law School's racially preferential admissions program.) Racial discrimination is bad enough when it is committed by a California government law school. It is worse when committed by the regulatory arm of the California Supreme Court.

Allan J. Favish is an attorney in Los Angeles. His website is allanfavish.com. James Fernald and Mr. Favish have co-authored a book about what might happen if the government ran Disneyland, entitled Fireworks! If the Government Ran the Fairest Kingdom of Them All (A Very Unauthorized Fantasy).

Image via Max Pixel.
According to a recent Gallup poll, more Americans are now smoking more marijuana than cigarettes.

That's progress, right? In a poll conducted July 5 to 26, only 11% of Americans surveyed said they smoked cigarettes. That's as compared to 45% in the mid-1950s.

Yet 16% of Americans admitted to smoking pot, 48% saying they have tried it at some point in their lives. Contrast that to 1969, when only 4% of Americans said they smoked weed.

The tobacco/cigarette industry has been constantly harassed, taxed, fined, and demonized by government entities and liberals everywhere...whereas the production and sale of marijuana has effectively been subsidized  and almost glorified.

This may be an indication that they, too, are stoned.

A marijuana cigarette, or "joint," contains more carcinogens than does a tobacco cigarette. Moreover, the amount of the intoxicating substance in a joint, THC, has been steadily rising over the years. (Unlike virtually all other consumables, apparently there is no market for "light marijuana." Quite the opposite, apparently. And none of this is regulated.) The long-term effects of this aren't yet fully known, but they include damage to a person's lungs, heart, and brain...three fairly important organs.

This tracks with numerous other trends  most reversals of conventional wisdom, some flying in the face of traditional morality.

To wit: Saying "all lives matter" is now considered not only somehow controversial, but racist and offensive. Proclaiming that one wishes to "Make America Great Again" not only is frowned upon, but might trigger an FBI raid on one's abode. All sentient and sane people wonder how this can possibly be.

"Thought leaders" and influencers flat-out aver that all whites are racist, because of their skin color, utterly ignoring the stupendously racist nature of their own remarks and beliefs, not to mention the mind-boggling hypocrisy.

Nearly all erstwhile taboos and modes of depravity are being legitimized  and indeed lionized  even as Christianity is being mocked, altered, and demonized.

Violent criminals are being repeatedly set free without bail, yet Trump-supporters deemed guilty of "trespassing" are being held in prisons  if not solitary confinement  for lengthy and often indefinite periods of time.

The Biden administration considers other nations' borders inviolate, while effectively refusing to even acknowledge our own. Our elites disparage a wall on our southern border, but almost without exception make certain their own properties are protected by fences and/or walls. And often armed security, though most purport to be for gun control. Our current leaders neglect our own aging nuclear deterrent while doing everything they can to make certain Iran has "the bomb" ASAP.

Perhaps most detrimental of all, the divine complementarity of the two sexes, male and female, is being summarily dismissed as arbitrary, unreal, a mere figment of the imaginations of white male scientists from yesteryear. It's something simply "assigned" to one at birth (signifying nothing of note) by an overworked  and probably toxically masculine  medical professional.

We have traded independence for groupthink, education for indoctrination, pants hitched up firmly around our waists for masks hitched firmly over our faces, reason for unmoored emotion, cognitive intelligence for artificial intelligence, Main Street for Wall Street, limited government and small business for unlimited government and Big Tech, Bible study for drag queen story hour, the Founders' vision for a false socialist utopia, gratitude for an entitlement mentality...and reality for "virtual reality."

In doing so, we have traded traditional American optimism for ennui and despair.

One might well think it's time to make America great again (if it's not already too late to do so).

Just don't say so publicly, or Biden's FBI might raid your home. And your spouse's closet.
I believe that the General Election to be held this year on November 8 may well be the most important election in our over 200-year history. This election may keep us a Constitutional Republic, or turn us into another socialist nation, a national disaster.

It is going to take only the winning of a few tight races for the patriotic Republicans to regain control of Congress and thereby stop much of the madness of the present administration.

The challenge, however, is that many people do not vote, especially when they are discouraged.

Adding to this feeling is the very real possibility that the last presidential election was stolen, although the press would have you believe that it was the most secure election in history.

However, we watched countless hours of sworn testimony, where many folks shared about the irregularities they saw. They saw windows covered up so no one could see vote-counting. They saw counting closed with workers sent home in the middle of the night, only to see, after every worker was gone, the removal of some ballots from under a table and counted.

In some states, voting was stopped in the middle of the night, when Donald Trump was ahead, only to resume later in the night with Biden winning the state.

Some have let their personal feelings about Donald Trump affect their public pronouncements concerning the coming election. Rather than being cheerleaders to help us to victory, they have said the winning goal cannot be achieved  that we are lost.

One who ought to know better was Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell. Here is what he said.

WASHINGTON  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday downplayed expectations of Republicans capturing control of the Senate in the fall elections, describing "candidate quality" as an important factor.

These comments from a Republican official are nonsense. The left knows that if discouragement keeps you from voting, they will be the winners.

Some polls show Republicans behind in races, but one has to keep in mind that polls are not always reliable. Examples abound.

But what about the 2020 election? While Biden campaigned mainly from his basement, Trump was traveling the country holding huge rallies.

It is not so much that Trump controls much of the Republican Party, but it is the fact that he stands where traditional Americans have stood. His campaign to Make America Great Again hit a nerve with patriotic Americans.

There is no doubt that Trump was a good president, and what he tried to do was good for America. Most people liked him because he was not a typical politician. The important point is that Trump and his supporters have kept a positive attitude of the election.

We need every patriotic American, who supports our great history and our Constitutional Republic, to vote, and not only to vote, but to be sure that elections are run true and safe.

It is easy to become discouraged by what the left is saying about the coming election. It is far better to keep a positive attitude and be reminded of all the great things that Trump did while president. The present administration is determined to undue all the good from the former. This is discouraging some folk.

While Donald J. Trump was president:

1. We were energy independent.

2. Prices were fairly stable.

3. A border wall was being built and was almost complete in some places.

4. Our enemies respected us.

5. Man-caused climate change was not an issue; we withdrew from the Paris Accord.

6. People were proud to be Americans.

Now consider America under Biden.

1. We left Americans and billions of dollars of state-of-the-art military equipment behind in Afghanistan to be used against us.

2. Trillions of dollars were given away; dollars that were simply "printed."

3. Our enemies laugh at us.

4. Work was stopped on the Keystone XL Pipeline, and oil leases on federal lands were stopped including offshore.

5. Work was stopped on drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.

6. Children are being encouraged to see themselves as something other than what God made them.

7. It is probable that there were many irregularities in the last election.

8. The current president has serious cognitive issues.

9. The president has done nothing to unify the nation.

10. The Congressional January 6 Committee is a farce, with Republicans rejected by the speaker.

11. The price of gasoline went to over $5.00 in most places.

12. The military is having trouble with recruitment because of phony demands placed on all soldiers.

13. The popularity of the current president is the lowest ever.

14. Coastal shipping has been heavily stalled.

15. While restricting American energy production, the president has pressured other nations to provide more oil.

16. There is an effort to rejoin the Paris Accord, a climate disaster.

17. Electric vehicles are projected to take the place of gasoline vehicles.

18. Subsidies for wind and solar are counterproductive. These machines wear out and cannot be recycled, plus they are killing many rare birds.

19. Work on the border wall was stopped, even contracts canceled. Illegal immigration has now reached well over a million.

20. Plans to make D.C. a state.

21. Desire to pass a law making abortion legal in every state.

22. Raid on the home of the former president.

23. Protests at homes of Supreme Court justices, which are illegal.

24. Attempt on the life of one Supreme Court justice.

25. The burning of businesses and homes has been called "peaceful protests" by the Democrats.

26. Elimination of the Electoral College.

We need to keep in mind that we only have to hold on to the Republican seats in the Senate and add just one more person to have control of the Senate. The Democrats are vulnerable in many races.

Trump-endorsed candidates are winning in about 90% of the races. We can win if we work at it. Not only that, but 6 senators and 49 representatives are not seeking re-election. This is a real cause for encouragement.

States can win also. It is not so much Trump, and him having the power to influence elections. It is that he has hit a nerve in Make America Great Again, Again, and he agrees with most Americans.

We only need to gain five seats in the House to take back control. We need strong leaders for both the Senate and the House once we take control. There are some really great people in both chambers who are fearless and have America's best interest at heart.

While it may not be evident, we are actually winning battle after battle. Sure, we are losing a few, but not very many, and we are going to win the war for America if we will just be sure to encourage one another. Fear is a tremendous motivator, and if the enemy can get you to fear enough, he can enslave you. Please don't let fear run your life.

Jim Hollingsworth has a Master's degree from Pensacola Christian College. He has written two books: Climate Change: A Convenient Truth and Abortion Compassion.

Image: cagdesign via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
Yesterday evening, John Solomon broke yet another story of FBI chicanery in the connection with the Russia hoax the Democrats and the Deep State created to destroy Donald Trump's presidency. It turns out that the FBI knew that the FBI paid money for years to an alleged "informant" against Donald Trump, despite concerns about the informant's ties to Russia's intelligence services. In other words, when it came to "Russia, Russia, Russia," the real collusion was taking place within the Deep State itself.

The genesis for the Democrat and Deep State persecution of Donald Trump was the Steele Dossier, something that proved to be fabricated in all significant respects. The primary source for Steele's libelous fantasies was Igor Danchenko, a Russian businessman. But he may well have been more than that  and even as it was paying Danchenko for information, the FBI had reason to believe he might be a Russian asset:

"In March 2017, the FBI signed the defendant up as a paid confidential human source of the FBI," Durham's unsealed court filing disclosed for the first time. "The FBI terminated its source relationship with the defendant in October 2020. As alleged in further detail below, the defendant lied to FBI agents during several of these interviews." The revelation means that the FBI first fired former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, the author of the Hillary Clinton-funded dossier, as a human source in November 2016 for having unauthorized contacts with the news media. And it then turned around a few months later and hired Steele's primary informer to work with the bureau even after determining some of Danchenko's statements in the Steele dossier were uncorroborated or exaggerated. Even more stunning, Durham confirmed that the FBI had concerns about Danchenko's ties to Russian intelligence a decade earlier, opening up a counterintelligence probe on him after learning he was trying to buy classified information from the Obama administration.

There's much more. You can read the rest of John Solomon's helpful analysis here or read Durham's pleading here.

To summarize, Trump won an election fair and square, in part because the Democrats' hubris made it impossible to believe that Hillary could fail. Before he was even elected, the Obama administration had begun to spy on his campaign. The basis for this spying was the baseless Steele Dossier  and the FBI knew by October 2016 that the Steele Dossier's allegations were false.

Nevertheless, Durham has revealed that two months after Trump's inauguration, the FBI began to pay as an informant Igor Danchenko, the main source behind the discredited dossier. The FBI did this despite having reason to believe that this same source was unreliable and had ties to Russian intelligence. The investigation  which the DOJ, FBI, and Democrat party knew from the get-go was false  significantly impaired Donald Trump's ability to govern. (It probably also shook his confidence, contributing to his weakness before BLM and Fauci in 2020.)

If you're not outraged by all of this, what the heck is wrong with you?



Montage made using public domain images and "splat" by Pharion (CC BY-SA 3.0).
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must speed up the initiatives under the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) to face rising uncertainties in the current global economic environment, a Malaysian official said on Wednesday.

Speaking during the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers' meeting and related meetings in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Mohamed Azmin Ali also expressed Malaysia's support for the recommendation to expand the scope of the ACRF, the ministry said in a statement.

The ACRF serves as the consolidated exit strategy for the bloc's post-pandemic recovery by focusing on key sectors and segments of society that are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, setting broad strategies and identifying measures for recovery in line with sectoral and regional priorities.

The minister stressed the paramount importance of capacity building for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as the initiatives that would bring real and direct benefits to the people, particularly the youth, including job creation and value-add for local enterprises and industries.

Given the importance of enhancing supply chain security, he also proposed the introduction of a regional stockpile initiative, where each country would keep a national stockpile of critical products that the particular country has a comparative advantage relative to other trading partners. 
We may be getting a small Google Pixel smartphone, as Google seems to be working on one. Well, at least according to a well-known tipster, Digital Chat Station. His recent post on Weibo revealed the information.

A mysterious small Google Pixel flagship is allegedly on the way

The tipster claims this phone is codenamed Neila. Unfortunately, though, thats all the information that was revealed. He was very clear about the fact this is Googles phone, that its small, and that its flagship-grade.

Now, despite the fact this is a well-known tipster, do take this information with a grain of salt. This is the first time were hearing about such a device. The tipster may be right, though, of course.

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The Pixel 5 was, technically, the companys last compact flagship handset

We havent really seen a proper small flagship from Google in quite some time. The Pixel 5 is the latest in memory, and even though it was technically Googles flagship at the time, it wasnt a high-end phone. It included a mid-range chip.

Last year, Google announced the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro flagships. Both of which are quite large. They feature 6.4 and 6.7-inch displays, flat and curved, respectively. The Pixel 6 is not much smaller than the Pixel 6 Pro, and the Pixel 6 Pro is huge.

In less than a month, Google will unveil the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The Pixel 7 will include a 6.3-inch display this time around, and it will be smaller than the Pixel 6, but still not small by any means.

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Judging by this post, this mysterious Neila device will be a proper small flagship. If we had to guess, wed say that it will include a sub-6 display. It would be nice to see Google aim for a 5.8-inch display, the same display size included on the Pixel 4a.

If real, chances are it wont launch this year

Unless Google, by some miracle, managed to keep this phone under wraps, and didnt mention it back in May on purpose, it may launch alongside the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. That is highly unlikely, though.

If this device truly exists, and Google plans on launching it, chances are it will arrive in 2023, perhaps alongside the companys first foldable. Were only guessing, of course. Well have to wait and see.
U.S. senator introduces legislation to ban 15-week abortion nationwide

Xinhua) 09:28, September 14, 2022

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, introduced legislation on Tuesday that would ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The bill would prohibit doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks gestation except in situations involving rape, incest, or risks to the life and physical health of the mother.

Graham told reporters that the measure "will put the United States abortion policy in line with other developed nations."

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded by issuing a statement that "this bill is wildly out of step with what Americans believe."

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in late June, which eliminated the constitutional protection of abortion rights for women.

Without Roe v. Wade, states are able to impose their own legislation on the medical procedure.

Abortion has been one of the most divisive issues in the United States.

According to a Pew Research Center survey last month, a majority of American voters said the issue of abortion would be very important in their midterm vote.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
TOKYO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A male giant panda, Eimei, at a zoo in western Japan's Wakayama Prefecture celebrated his 30th birthday on Wednesday, local media reported.

The Adventure World theme park in the town of Shirahama marked Eimei's landmark birthday by presenting him ice blocks that spelled out "Happy Birthday" and "30".

Eimei, who has fathered more than a dozen cubs, would be around 90 in human terms, officials of the facility said.

Eimei is not the oldest giant panda in the world, but he is the oldest to have naturally fathered cubs while in captivity. He has fathered 16 cubs to date, with the youngest named Fuhin, born in November 2020, according to Adventure World.

"I am deeply moved and very happy that Eimei turned 30 years old," said zookeeper Yuka Shinagawa, adding that "We hope he will continue to live in good health for a long time."

Born in China in 1992, Eimei arrived in Japan two years later. 
LISBON - 'Ciao Lina!' is the event with which the Italian embassy in Lisbon paid homage to the director Lina Wertmuller, with a selection of her most emblematic films screened outdoors during four evenings. A vast public, including several members of the Portuguese government and parliament, attended. The screenings were organized in the patio of the Palace Conde de Pombeiro, seat of Italy's residence, a well-known building for the precious azulejos (decorative majolica) adorning the external portions of the palace.



With Portuguese subtitles, the films chosen to pay homage to the Italian filmmaker who died in 2021 are: Mimi metallurgico ferito nell'onore (Mimi the metalworker, wounded in honor'), Film d'amore e d'anarchia (Love and Anarchy), I basilischi (The Lizards) and Pasqualino Settebellezze (Pasqualino Sevenbeauties). The event wraps up on Thursday, September 15, but continues online for the entire weekend. In order to extend the event to the widest public possible, the embassy is streaming the movies that opened the homage for free. Mimi the Metalworker will be available on the platform Vimeo from midnight on Friday, September 16, until 11:59 pm on Sunday, September 18 (here the link: https://vimeo.com/742229778/50dba2af34#_blank).



"Crossing a century of Italian cinema and history, always attuned to the social dimension of art and the fight for women's emancipation, with a very peculiar satirical and irreverent regard, Wertmuller drew unforgettable frescoes of a country that learned to look at itself through the lens of irony thanks to her films", said Ambassador Carlo Formosa at the presentation of the event.
NAPLES - For the first time in its history, COP will host a Mediterranean Pavilion. The 27th edition will take place in Egypt, in Sharm el-Sheikh, on November 6-18 and was conceived to highlight both urgent challenges that the region is currently facing, and innovative solutions already developed across the Mediterranean, increasing awareness on a region neglected by talks on climate change. The announcement was made by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in a statement. Located in the Blue area of COP 27, the Mediterranean Pavilion will host relevant events and meetings and will offer an exceptional opportunity to highlight these grave challenges as well as illustrate, share, widen and discuss the advanced initiatives implemented and planned in the region.



The Mediterranean Pavilion is conceived as a space for all regional actors - public and private, scientific and academic, financial, technical, political, of civil society and businesses - which are actively engaged in dealing with the climate crisis in and around the Mediterranean Sea, stressed UfM, which leads the initiative through its Secretariat together with the UN Environment Program/Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP-MAP) and the Foundation PRIMA, as well as a coalition of the most important organizations that deal with climate change in the region.



In the context of the global climate crisis, the Mediterranean area is facing challenges that can lead to regional instability: with an extremely grave and accelerated impact, it is the second region dealing with the fastest warming on the planet (20% faster than the global average), in addition to a dangerous socio-economic asymmetry and lack of integration, UfM recalled.



With an innovative approach, the Mediterranean Pavilion will have an independent network of Mediterranean experts on environmental and climate change (MedECC) for scientific advice on its activities. The MedECC gathers more than 600 scientists from 35 countries and has published in 2019 the first report of scientific evaluation on the impact of environmental and climate change in the Mediterranean region.



"A quick and effective transition requires a joint effort by all the actors interested", said organizers. The Pavilion was conceived to serve the region and will operate as a hub for activities and collaborations undertaken by regional public institutions, civil society organizations and private sector actors that encourage a sustainable transition through collective innovation.
ALGIERS - Over 100 Algerian journalists attended a protest in Algiers to demand the release of a colleague who was arrested for writing an article on the export of dates.



As witnessed by ANSA, during a sit-in organized at the "Maison de la Presse" (Press House) in Algiers, demonstrators showed leaflets and slogans demanding the release of journalist Belkacem Haouam.



Slogans said, among other things, "journalism isn't a crime", "Belkacem Haouam's place is in a newsroom, not in prison" and "No to the detention of reporters".



Moreover, a statement was read, asking President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, as the "country's first judge", to release the detained journalist.



The statement said that Haouam "only abided by his duty to enlighten the public opinion" and to "warn authorities on the need to adopt the necessary measures to preserve" a "national product" - dates.



The statement stressed that the colleague's imprisonment "is absolutely unacceptable, because it is a measure that goes against the Constitution and the laws of the Republic guaranteeing freedom of expression" and information.



Haouam, of independent newspaper Echorouk, which has the largest circulation in Algeria, was detained last Thursday after the publication of an article on the alleged halt to date exports in France prompted by the discovery of a banned pesticide. The ministry of trade claimed the article was based on "unfounded information" which "damaged the national economy" and announced "legal actions". Echorouk removed the article from its website but the newspaper has not been available in newsstands since Thursday.




MADRID - Two bodies, presumably of migrants, were found on Tuesday and on Wednesday morning in the waters of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, Spanish news agency Efe reports, quoting Guardia Civil sources.



According to these sources, the most likely hypothesis is that both died by drowning. One of them was a youth of around 20 years of age, Efe added.
Patients being treated by burned-out doctors may face additional risks when they receive care, a new study suggests.

A new review concluded that doctors experiencing burnout are twice as likely to be involved in patient safety incidents such as medication errors and suboptimal care.

The link between burnout and patient safety incidents was highest among younger doctors and emergency medicine physicians.

Patients are also less likely to be satisfied with the treatment provided by burned-out doctors.

The study, published in the BMJ, comes as senior health leaders in the UK have raised serious concerns over burnout among doctors working in the NHS.

On the back of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors are now facing record waiting lists in hospitals while GPs try to keep waiting patients well in the community.

Even before the pandemic doctors were dealing rising demand and increasingly complex cases as patients live longer, many with multiple health conditions.

And a damning report from the influential Health and Social Committee of the House of Commons, published last summer, found NHS and social care staff burnout has reached an emergency level and poses a risk to the future of services.

NEW REPORT: Workforce burnout and resilience in the NHS and social care report is now published. We explored: Burnout before and during covid-19 Workplace culture and support for staff Workforce planning Read our report and recommendations: https://t.co/bAQ09xXFhI pic.twitter.com/d886R1voDL  Health and Social Care Committee (@CommonsHealth) June 7, 2021

Burnout is defined as a syndrome related to emotional exhaustion, a sense of reduced personal accomplishment, and a sense of cynicism and detachment from work.

The new study, led by academics at the University of Manchester, set out to examine the effects of burnout on a global scale.

They conducted a systematic review of all available research on doctor burnout.

They analysed statistics from 170 studies, involving more than 239,000 doctors, and found:

 Burnout was linked to an almost four-fold decrease in job satisfaction and medics were more likely to regret their career choice.

 They were more than three times as likely to have thoughts or intentions to leave their job.

 Overall physician burnout doubled patient safety incidents.

 The association between burnout and patient safety incidents was greatest in physicians aged 20-30 and people working in emergency medicine.

 As burnout increased, low professionalism was twice as likely, as was patient dissatisfaction.

 Burnout and poorer job satisfaction was greatest in hospital settings, among doctors aged 31-50 and among those working in emergency medicine and intensive care.

The authors concluded: Burnout is a strong predictor for career disengagement in physicians as well as for patient care.

Moving forward, investment strategies to monitor and improve physician burnout are needed as a means of retaining the healthcare workforce and improving the quality of patient care.

Commenting, Dr Latifa Patel, chair of the British Medical Associations representative body, said: Burnout is not just a question of personal wellbeing or career satisfaction  it is a matter of patient safety.

Tired, undervalued and understrength doctors cannot work to the best of their abilities and these figures throw into disturbing relief what that means for patient care.

Doctors want to do the best by their patients but that is becoming increasingly difficult as they tackle record backlogs, regularly missing rest breaks, going without food breaks, and working themselves to their very limit often at the detriment to their own health.

Action must be taken and fast if we are to protect the workforce and patients are to get the care they deserve.

The data here and from the recent GMC National Training Survey suggest this is particularly an issue among junior doctors, and the Government can take a first step by meeting with junior doctors to address the unacceptable 26% real terms cut to pay they have suffered since 2008, which has left them feeling demoralised, undervalued and in many instances forced them to leave the NHS.

The tragic consequences of burnout have their root in the workforce crisis, and if the NHS cannot recruit or retain its staff, the vicious cycle of poor patient care will only accelerate.

Only a full plan to restore the NHS workforce, and a pledge to listen to what doctors are telling the Government about their work conditions, will be capable of tackling this burnout epidemic and the horrible consequences we see here.

Dr Rob Hendry, medical director at Medical Protection Society (MPS), added: When doctors are exhausted and burnt out, it is not only damaging for their personal wellbeing but also jeopardises patient care.

If we dont act now sadly many more passionate and committed doctors will become burnt out and disillusioned, others will choose to leave the medical profession, resulting in a loss of expertise for patients and even more pressure on stretched resources.
Four leaders of Pacific Commonwealth nations will join the Australian prime minister at the Queens state funeral.

Anthony Albanese told a press conference shortly before midday (3am BST) on Wednesday that the respective leaders of the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Samoa and Papua New Guinea have accepted Australias offer of help with transportation to London.

The delegation which is due to leave Thursday evening will also include governor-general David Hurley as well as ten Australian citizens who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities.

Anthony Albanese assumed office as Australias prime minister in May (Mark Baker/AP)

The state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey at 11am next Monday and members of the royal family, senior UK politicians and heads of state from across the world are expected to attend.

Earlier on Wednesday, the countrys national cabinet said that when Australia observes a one-off bank holiday to mark the Queens death on September 22, a National Memorial Service will be held at Parliament House in Canberra with all state and territory leaders in attendance.

The service will be broadcast live across the nation at 11am (AEST) and begin with a minutes silence.

National Cabinet encourages all Australians, wherever you may be, to take time to pause and reflect on The Queens faithful service, that will be remembered for centuries to come, it said in a statement.

At the Palaces invitation, 10 Australians who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II alongside the Prime Minister and Governor-General on September 19. Here's more about who they are: (1/11)  Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) September 13, 2022

The Queen was the only reigning monarch most Australians have known and the only reigning monarch to ever visit Australia. On her first visit in 1954, the Queen travelled around the country, to almost 60 cities and towns, in every state and territory.

It was clear from her first trip that she had a special place in the hearts of Australians. The National Day of Mourning will provide time to grieve this collective loss and commemorate our late Queens extraordinary life of service, devotion and loyalty.

Also on Wednesday, the PM was joined by the New South Wales premier Dom Perrottet in opening a new park in Sydney in the late Queens honour.

Queen Elizabeth II Park in Sydney will be a place for people to come together, Mr Albanese wrote on Twitter. I announced plans to create a new open space off Macquarie Street commemorating the Queen  a public plaza to be enjoyed by Australians for many years to come.

Queen Elizabeth II Park in Sydney will be a place for people to come together. Today NSW Premier @Dom_Perrottet and I announced plans to create a new open space off Macquarie Street commemorating the Queen  a public plaza to be enjoyed by Australians for many years to come. pic.twitter.com/GP6qUV4dgL  Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) September 13, 2022

The Australian PM earlier revealed that Buckingham Palace had extended the invitation to 10 Australians for their extraordinary contributions to their communities.

They include this years Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott, senior Australians of the Year from this year and last, Valmai Dempsey and Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, local heroes Shanna Whan, Saba Abraham and Kim Smith, Western Australian of the Year Helen Milroy, South Australian young Australian of the Year Trudy Lin, i4give day founder Danny Abdallah and the Australian Racing Hall of Fames Chris Waller.

For each one of them, Mr Albanese wrote a bit more about who they are on Twitter.

The Sydney Opera House was illuminated with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in Sydney (Mark Baker/AP)

He said the horses trained by Mr Waller include the record-breaking Winx as well as Chalk Stream, a UK-born thoroughbred owned by Queen Elizabeth herself.

Professor Milroy was Australias first indigenous doctor, while Mr Alcott is the first male in history to win the Golden Slam.

In May, the Queen held a Zoom call with the Australians of the Year to commend them on their marvellous work.

During the call with the six award recipients, who included Mr Alcott, the monarch remarked on the splendid technology which enabled the virtual meeting to take place.

Wednesday also saw New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern departing for the UK for the Queens funeral with a delegation of compatriots from different walks of life, including the Maori king, Kiingi Tuheitia, former governor-general Dame Silvia Cartwright, Victoria Cross for New Zealand recipient Bill Apiata and former secretary-general of the Commonwealth Sir Don McKinnon.
The High Court in Dublin has rejected an application by an Irish schoolteacher for an injunction to prevent his school from continuing his paid suspension from work.

Enoch Burke, who is an evangelical Christian, was suspended from work on full pay last month pending the outcome of a disciplinary process after a number of incidents stemming from a transgender row in school.

Burke voiced on several occasions his opposition to a request from the secondary schools principal to address a transgender child by their name and refer to them by the pronoun they.

Subsequent events led to his suspension from his job at Wilsons Hospital School in Co Westmeath.

Mountjoy Prison (Haydn West/PA)

Burke was committed to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin earlier this month by a High Court judge after he breached a temporary court order to stay away from his workplace.

The teacher returned to prison on Wednesday after the orders he sought were rejected by Ms Justice Eileen Roberts.

Ms Justice Roberts said she was not convinced Burke had a strong chance of succeeding at a full trial between him and his employers.

The school accused him of confronting the principal at a school event in June, which led the principal to raise concerns about his future behaviour.

The principal then compiled a report last August which led to the disciplinary process.

Burke made an application seeking an injunction against the process. He told the court on Wednesday that the process was unlawful and in breach of his constitutional rights.

He also claimed that any conclusion reached as a result of the disciplinary process would be legally unsustainable.

Enoch Burke leaving the High Court in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

He told the court there is no lawful basis for his paid administrative leave and he should be allowed to resume his teaching at the school.

He claimed the entire process had been invalid.

He also said the report went far beyond mere gathering of evidence and the statement of the principal was entirely false.

Ms Justice Roberts told Burke he could have challenged the decision to suspend him at an earlier stage, and that he was now seeking to re-run arguments he made at previous hearings.

She said the application was procedurally misconceived, but that as he was a lay litigant, she would consider it.

Ms Justice Roberts said that while Burke was entitled to his religious beliefs, which were genuinely held, they were not attacked by the decision of the school to put him on paid administrative leave.

She gave Burke an opportunity to purge his contempt but he said he could not do that.

He said: The court is asking me to purge my contempt but the court has robbed me of my constitutional rights.

I do think it is a gross injustice that the plaintiff and the court is seeking to deny me my religious beliefs and take away something that ultimately guaranteed.

I go back to jail as a law-abiding subject of this state always but a subject of God first.

The judge said the two issues should not be conflated, and that Burke was in jail because he had violated court orders.

Rosemary Mallon, barrister for the school, said the applications were not about transgenderism but about his failure to follow lawful directions of the schools board of management and to comply with court orders.

She said Burkes application sought to render moot the courts previous orders.

The defendant in previous hearings has indicated he does not intend to purge contempt. He is, by this application, seeking to be released from prison without purging contempt, Ms Mallon added.
BANGKOK, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Constitutional Court announced on Wednesday that it is set to rule on the case of Prayut Chan-o-cha's term limit as prime minister on Sept. 30.

"The court has sufficient evidence to make a ruling," the Constitutional Court said in a statement released Wednesday, adding that examination has been ended and the court is scheduled to issue the decision on Sept. 30.

The statement was issued after the court held a meeting Wednesday to discuss the case.

Last month, judges of the court agreed by five votes to four to suspend the premiership of Prayut, effective on Aug. 24, following a petition filed by the opposition parties for a ruling on when Prayut's eight-year tenure should conclude, which the opposition parties believed should have ended. The opposition parties also urged Prayut to step down.

During the period, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has been serving as the interim prime minister.

Prayut was selected as the interim prime minister after a 2014 coup and was later royally endorsed as the 29th prime minister of the country on Aug. 25, 2014.

Prayut's supporters argue that the clock on his tenure should begin when the 2017 constitution was instituted, or even after the 2019 general election when Prayut was elected as the prime minister. 
The Queen has left Buckingham Palace for the final time.

The King and the royal family walked behind her coffin in solemn procession to the lying in state.

The ceremonial procession went from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall (Vadim Ghirda/PA)

Members of the royal family, including the King, follow the Queens coffin (James Manning/PA)

The coffin of the Queen (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

King Charles and the Princess Royal walk behind the coffin of the Queen (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The coffin was pulled on a gun carriage of The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

The coffin of the Queen draped in the Royal Standard (Sgt Lee Goddard/MOD/PA)

The ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The coffin is carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery (James Manning/PA)

It was draped with a Royal Standard and adorned with the Imperial State Crown.

The coffin of the Queen, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown placed on top, is carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage (Ian West/PA)

Crowds on The Mall watch the procession of the Queens coffin (Martin Meissner/PA)

The Queens children join the procession (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Brothers the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex follow the coffin of the Queen (Ian West/PA)

Thousands of mourners flocked to see the moving sight of the Queen departing the palace.

Yeomen Warders arrive ahead of the procession of the coffin (Richard Heathcote/PA)

Mounted police pass along The Mall ahead of the ceremonial procession of the coffin of the Queen (Victoria Jones/PA)

Military personnel cleaning a gun carriage as they made their final preparations at Wellington Barracks ahead of the ceremonial procession (Ben Birchall/PA)

A closer inspection of the gun carriage (Ben Birchall/PA)

People join the queue to view the Queen lying in state (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Many people have already joined the queue to see the Queen lying in state.

The Queen is lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Signage on the South Bank, London, for those joining the queue (David Hughes/PA)

Some people in the queue brought chairs (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
Irelands Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney is visiting Ukraine to establish facts about the ongoing war and reiterate support for the country.

Mr Coveney will visit Odesa port in southern Ukraine on Wednesday to see the operation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The Fine Gael minister will also meet Ukraines foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba during the one-day visit.

It is the second time Mr Coveney has travelled to Ukraine in recent months.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, @simoncoveney, is in Ukraine today. The Minister will meet with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and reiterate Irelands continued support for Ukraine and staunch opposition to Russias illegal invasion. Read more  https://t.co/een61bJPP5 pic.twitter.com/nU1bnZvG55  Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) September 14, 2022

He said the purpose of the trip was to continue to show solidarity with Ukraine and get a detailed update from Mr Kuleba.

Mr Coveney is in Ukraine along with his Lithuanian counterpart, foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said the visit will help Ireland in making appropriate contributions based on facts from the ground.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative is part of a mechanism to export grain and other crops from Ukraine to ease the pressure on the global food crisis.

This has been one of the successes over the last number of months for the UN to get agreement, and co-ordinate with Turkey, between Russia and Ukraine to facilitate the export of millions of tonnes of grain and other agricultural products out of Odesa, where they had effectively been piling up and were in danger of rotting, Mr Coveney told RTE.

Almost a quarter of the worlds traded grain comes from Ukraine and Russia, so it has been having an enormous impact on food security in parts of the world that are already finding it difficult to feed their people. It has also had a huge impact on grain prices and food prices in Ireland and around the world.

Mr Coveney said Ireland is already doing a lot to support Ukraine.

Its important that we understand what is actually happening on the ground because there is a lot of misinformation out there, he added.

So far this initiative has allowed three million tonnes of grain to get out of Odesa and to ports.

Ships get escorted by the Ukraine coastguard and then guided effectively to Istanbul where they get inspected by Ukrainian, Russian and UN officials and then they are allowed on their way.

So far, around 140 ships have been allowed into the port of Odesa through this mechanism and we think that as this initiative progresses and more confidence grows in its safety it could export up to five million tonnes of grain out of Odesa on a monthly basis, which would make a huge difference in terms of food security and grain prices across the EU.
Sir Keir Starmer has urged protesters to respect those mourning the Queen, and not ruin their opportunity to say a private thank you to the late monarch.

The Labour leader said he will return to Westminster Hall with his family to personally pay his respects at the lying in state after he joins the committee receiving the coffin in a professional capacity.

He said the countrys response to the Queens death has been very moving, and encouraged those who might want to protest to be considerate of peoples grief.

On Tuesday, activists gathered outside St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh carrying blank canvases to protest in solidarity against several arrests that have been made in relation to incidents during royal ceremonies.

Police Scotland have charged two people in connection with allegedly breaching the peace following two separate incidents earlier in the week.

A protester bearing a handmade sign saying not my King was also spoken to by police and escorted away from the Palace of Westminster in London.

Today, we are united in mourning for Queen Elizabeth II, our country's greatest monarch. Though our Elizabethan age is now at an end, her legacy will live on forever. pic.twitter.com/ReySULPy6K  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 9, 2022

Asked about the police response to those wishing to protest, Sir Keir told BBC Breakfast: The word Id use around that issue is respect.

I think if people have spent a long time waiting to come forward to have that moment as the coffin goes past, or whatever it may be, I think: respect that, because people have made a huge effort to come and have that private moment to say thank you to Queen Elizabeth II.

Obviously we have to respect the fact that some people disagree. One of the great British traditions is the ability to protest and to disagree, but I think if it can be done in the spirit of respect

(PA Graphics)

Respect the fact that hundreds of thousands of people do want to come forward and have that moment, dont ruin it for them.

The King and his sons will walk behind the Queens coffin as she leaves Buckingham Palace for the final time on Wednesday, ahead of her lying in state.

The royal family will accompany their matriarch on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queuing for hours.

Sir Keir said he and his family will be among those attending.

Today Ill be there as part of the reception committee to receive the coffin, he said.

Then later on this evening in a private capacity, because my wife and our children they want to come in, and as a family we will then pay our own personal respects to a remarkable sovereign.
As Charles comes to terms with the reality of becoming King he is being supported through the turbulent first days of his reign by his darling Camilla.

She joined him in rushing to Balmoral Castle in the north of Scotland when serious concerns were first raised about the Queens health, and has been by his side almost all the time since, in the full glare of the public eye.

The ex-royal mistress who went on to become a duchess is now a Queen and will be crowned alongside her husband.

The Queen Consort and the King meet well-wishers outside Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland (Niall Carson/PA)

The publics perception of the former Mrs Parker Bowles appears to have softened in the 25 years since the death of the Princess of Wales.

Once the object of scathing criticism for being the other woman in Charles and Dianas marriage, Camilla has been eased into a more public role since she married him in 2005.

And her dutiful support for her 73-year-old husband in these bewildering first days will not have gone unnoticed by the people.

For years she has been Charless solid support, staying one step behind him on royal engagements, and he has always maintained that her role alongside him when he stepped up from being Prince of Wales was non-negotiable.

Royal expert Anita Atkinson and her collection of royal memorabilia (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Anita Atkinson, a royal expert and memorabilia collector, told the PA news agency: Historians in the future who look back on this time will realise that it was Camilla who saved the monarchy, because she saved the King.

Those who know her have always spoken of her witty, warm, down-to-earth attitude and her fruity laugh.

Over these last days, the King will have leant on her good humour as he deals with the grief of losing his mother, as well as a tight schedule of formal public appearances in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and, later, Cardiff.

It was during a signing in Belfast that a TV camera caught the strain Charles must be feeling as a leaky pen caused him to exclaim I cant bear this bloody thing and Camilla calmly took it from him and passed it to an aide.

The Queen Consort deals with the leaky pen (Niall Carson/PA)

Charles used his first speech as King to praise his wife.

I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla, he said.

In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort.

I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much.

Camilla on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the Queen at Trooping the Colour in 2015 (Jonathan Brady/PA

There had previously been controversy over whether Camilla would become Queen Consort but Elizabeth II delivered a masterstroke on the eve of her Platinum Jubilee in February 2022 by endorsing it.

Smoothing the transition when the time came, the Queen said it was her sincere wish that Camilla would take the title, and called on the public to back her son and his wife.

And the public appear to have accepted the new Queen in her first week.

Royal watchers say her relatively low-key public profile until later in her life will make Camilla, 75, a useful sounding board for the King as she has a strong perception of ordinary life.

The couple married at St Georges Chapel, Windsor, in 2005 (Reuters/PA)

Since her marriage to Charles, she has gradually taken on more prominent royal roles, attending the State Opening of Parliament and riding next to the Queen in her Diamond Jubilee carriage procession.

She has undertaken charity work highlighting the problems of domestic abuse and sexual violence, as well as championing literacy and becoming patron of the National Osteoporosis Society  the condition which affected her mother and grandmother.
Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

As of March, the average monthly Social Security benefit is $1,618.29 for an individual, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Doubling up for a couple, that's $3,236.58.

Explore: Your Biggest Money Etiquette Questions Answered

Read: 7 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Reach Your Retirement Goals

Not a bad haul, if it's supplementing other income or padding a nice, big nest egg. If Social Security is all you're living on, however, you're going to have to pick your retirement city very carefully to stretch those dollars to their absolute limit -- particularly on the notoriously expensive West Coast, which, for the purposes of this study, includes Alaska.

To determine the best places for couples to live on the West Coast on only their combined Social Security checks, GOBankingRates used cost-of-living data from Sperling's Best Places. The ranking also includes ApartmentList data on the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment, as well as each city's livability score, sourced from AreaVibes.

Each city was then given a combined score -- which represents a summation of all those factors -- with lower scores being better. The list is ranked in order of the worst score to the best. Read on to learn about the West Coast spots that are most welcoming to retirees living on Social Security.

jared ropelato / Shutterstock.com

Vallejo, California

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,607

Vallejo has a lousy livability score of 56 -- livability scores are calculated by algorithms that factor in dozens of variables like proximity to amenities, crime and schools. The cost-of-living index is a high 131.3, with 100 representing the national average. The average one-bedroom apartment will run you $1,607 per month, the highest on this list.

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Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com

Riverside, California

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,508

At 133.1, Riverside's cost-of-living index is even higher than even Vallejo's -- a full one-third more than the national average. The town's livability score is an unimpressive 59, mostly because of its relatively high crime rate. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,508, one of the three highest on the list.

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Seattle, Washington

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,596

Moving up the coast to Washington is Seattle, a pricey city where the average one-bedroom costs $1,596. That contributes to a bruising 172.3 cost-of-living index -- the highest on this list, by far -- which means that daily living in Seattle is 72.3% more expensive than the national average. All in all, its livability score is an underwhelming 65 thanks to high crime rates, high housing costs and, of course, a high cost of living.

Manny Chavez / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Sacramento, California

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,432

The capital city of California, Sacramento has a below-average livability score of 62, mostly because of its crime statistics and relatively high prices. The cost-of-living index there is 118.2, making the city nearly 20% costlier to live in than the national average. The typical renter will shell out $1,432 for a one-bedroom.

JMcQ / Shutterstock.com

Anchorage, Alaska

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,176

In Anchorage, crime and real estate prices are high even by Alaska standards, both of which contribute to the city's drab livability score of 60. Although the average one-bedroom there costs $1,176 per month, one of the least expensive on this list, Anchorage residents still struggle with a rough cost-of-living index of 123.5.

Spondylolithesis / Getty Images

Napa, California

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,522

Known for its legendary vineyards, daily life in Napa is nearly as pricey as its wine -- the cost-of-living index is 162.1, second only to Seattle. With an average monthly rent of $1,522, it's one of only four cities on this list where the typical one-bedroom costs more than $1,500. Overall, its livability score is a middling 70.

Kyle Sprague / Shutterstock.com

Portland, Oregon

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,344

The cost of living in Portland is 30.8% higher than the national average. Although its $1,344 average rent makes it one of just five cities on this list where a one-bedroom goes for less than $1,400, its very high crime rate contributes to a dreary livability score of 65.

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Fresno, California

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,025

Just two cities on this list are less expensive than Fresno, which boasts a forgiving cost-of-living index of 102.6. With an average monthly rent of $1,025.00, a one-bedroom is cheaper in just thee other cities. Unfortunately, high crime contributes to a subpar livability score of 58.

Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock.com

Bremerton, Washington

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,440

Bremerton comes up with an average livability score of 70. With a cost-of-living index of 108.9 and an average rent of $1,440 for a one-bedroom, it's certainly one of the more affordable cities to make the cut.

GarysFRP / Getty Images

Eugene, Oregon

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $928

With a cost-of-living index of 105.3, Eugene is even more affordable than Bremerton. A lot of that has to do with the fact that it's one of only three cities on the list with a three-figure monthly rent -- $928 per month, to be exact, which makes it the cheapest on the entire list. Thanks to its high crime rate, however, Eugene earns a meh livability score of 65.

John T Callery / Shutterstock.com

Olympia, Washington

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,436

The capital city of Washington has a cost-of-living index of 106.1, which puts it on the lower side of this list. Olympia's livability score is 74 -- the highest of any city profiled here -- and a $1,436 average monthly rent.

benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Spokane, Washington

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $947

Just one city on this list is cheaper to live in than the national average -- Spokane, whose cost-of-living index is an impressive 92.3. Although the city's paltry livability score of 67 leaves plenty to be desired, its $947 monthly rent makes it the No. 2 least expensive place to rent an apartment.

Shutterstock.com

Salem, Oregon

2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $979

With a cost-of-living index of 101.8, Salem is less expensive to live in than any city on this list except for Spokane. One of just three cities with a sub-$1,000 average rent, a one-bedroom goes for just $979 per month. That's all good news, despite Salem's low livability score of 69.

More From GOBankingRates

Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places for a couple to live on the West Coast on only their combined Social Security checks based on the (1) average monthly benefit for retired workers, $1,618.29, sourced from the Social Security Administration, and doubled ($3,236.58); (2) the overall cost of living in each city, sourced from Sperling's Best Places; (3) average 2022 rent for a one-bedroom apartment as sourced from ApartmentList; and (4) livability scores sourced from AreaVibes. Factors (2) through (4) were scored and combined, with the lowest score being the best. Factor (4) was weighted double in final calculations. All data was collected and is up to date as of April 22, 2022.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 13 Best Places on the West Coast for Couples To Live on Only a Social Security Check
From Jackson, Mississippi to Flint, Michigan, aging water infrastructure is wreaking havoc in predominantly Black and brown communities. Leaders say help is on the way with federal funding from President Bidens infrastructure law.

Water is Earths most essential resource, yet access to it has been historically elusive for many Black and brown communities across the United States.

If you cannot wake up in the wealthiest country in the history of the world and turn your faucet on and be able to use that water to cook, to drink, brush your teeth in  that is something we should never have to fathom with the amount of money that we have, said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott during a recent interview with theGrio.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott speaks during a news conference on May 17, 2021, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Scott governs one of the nations oldest water systems in the U.S. and recently led Baltimore through a short-lived emergency involving E. coli contamination in the citys water. While city officials were able to treat the water and end a days-long boiled water advisory, what happened in Baltimore is emblematic of a larger issue happening in many predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods throughout the country.

Days before Baltimore announced that part of its city water tested positive for E. coli, most of the national attention was on Jackson, Mississippi. There, the predominantly Black city grappled with its own, larger crisis that left more than 150,000 residents without clean and safe water as a result of both the effects of climate change and an aging water system. The impact of unusually heavy rainfall in Mississippis capital caused flooding and an overflow at its local water plant, already in great need of repair.

The crisis prompted a federal emergency declaration by President Joe Biden and visits from Biden-Harris administration officials, among them Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan.

Regan sat down with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves after the two leaders publicly blamed each other for Jacksons water crisis. Their joint meeting eventually led to all leaders vowing to do whatever is necessary on the federal, state and local levels to ensure that Jacksons water system gets the repair funding it needs. Mayor Lumumba estimated the price tag to be as much as $1 billion.

Whether in Jackson, Baltimore, or Flint, Michigan  which became the poster child for environmental justice after the city was left crippled by lead contamination in its water in 2014  there is a common thread of underinvestment over the years in majority-Black zip codes.

There is no question that Black and brown communities disproportionately suffer from a lack of access to clean safe water, more so than white communities, EPA Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox, who runs the agencys water office, told theGrio. There are a lot of factors that have led to this, but underinvestment is a huge problem.

President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan, she said, share a deep commitment to environmental justice and equity, adding, we are working hard to make sure that all communities get their fair share.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan speaks at a news conference on May 5, 2022, at the Department of Justice in Washington. The EPA is warning residents in 13 states and Puerto Rico about potential health risks from emissions of ethylene oxide, a chemical widely used to sterilize medical equipment and decontaminate spices. (Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP, File)

Fox said the EPA is providing technical assistance to disadvantaged communities so they can access federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden last year, which allocated $50 billion for water infrastructure improvement. However, states will have to apply for those dollars on behalf of their cities and towns. In the case of Mississippi, Regan  whose agency would have to approve any application for environmental infrastructure projects  committed to ensuring that a significant portion of the $400 million available goes to Jackson.

In a statement to theGrio, Regan recalled meeting with Jackson residents, including a 98-year-old woman, Ollie Mae Anderson, who had to rely on bottled water to brush her teeth and bathe. This is unacceptable in the United States of America, he said. The people of Jackson  like all people in this country  deserve access to clean and safe water. EPA will continue to work with city and state officials to make that a reality.

Leaders like Mayor Scott in Baltimore say federal investment from Bidens infrastructure law is long overdue. Infrastructure has been ignored in what we call legacy cities for far, far too long  especially in cities where much of this infrastructure was built with federal assistance, said Scott. The 38-year-old mayor  who said that growing up in Baltimore, the water not being safe to drink was commonplace  described the soon-to-come federal funding as heaven sent.

It is the most significant assistance that cities have received in generations, said Scott. No, this alone will not solve the infrastructure issues for Baltimore or any other city, but when youre talking about decades of neglect and decades of mis- and disinvestment, you have to have a significant starting point.

U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), who sits on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, noted that this country was built during the industrial age. He told theGrio, Many of the underground systems that are in place are extremely old. Some go back to the early 1900s. Whether its Baltimore, Maryland, or Jackson, Mississippi, or Flint, Michigan  underserved communities are the first to feel the pinch and the pain of aging infrastructure.

The O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, shown on August 31, 2022, in Jackson, Mississippi. The state capital is currently struggling with access to safe drinking water after a disruption at a main water processing facility. (Photo: Brad Vest/Getty Images)

The road to fixing Americas aging water infrastructure is underway in some affected communities, but it is also a long one. For example, despite multimillion-dollar settlements on behalf of the residents in Flint, thousands of lead pipes have yet to be replaced more than eight years after its nationally publicized water crisis.

Flint has become a cautionary tale for many cities as its water crisis led to a judge issuing a more than $625 million settlement and several state officials being indicted on criminal charges, though prosecutions have since been upended by a Michigan Supreme Court ruling earlier this year.

Melissa Mays, an organizer for the advocacy group Flint Rising, told theGrio that though more than 10,000 lead pipes have been replaced in Flint by court order, residents continue to deal with bacterial outbreaks and occasional water shortages. Despite paying high water bills, Mays said the people of Flint still filter their water and boil it before usage.

For a lot of people, its exhausting, so theyre still going and buying bottled water on top of paying our water bills, explained Mays, who said water bills cost as much as $150. People are still showering obviously in it, and you get rashes, hairs falling out, the smell is terrible. I have people on the daily that are sending me videos and photos of discolored water.

Its like 2015 all over again, she added, and for some people, it never went away.

Mays, who was a plaintiff on behalf of her children in the Flint settlement case, said that federal, state and local leaders must make sure that any money coming from the infrastructure law is actually going to communities in need.

A lead service line water pipe is exposed by a Flint, Michigan, work crew as they prepare to replace it at the site of the first Flint home with high lead levels to have its lead service line replaced under the mayors Fast Start program in March 2016. (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

They have to make sure this isnt going to be like another PPP loan disaster, where the wealthy folks got it, even though they can afford to have the lines replaced, and make sure it goes to communities who cannot afford to take out these State Revolving Fund loans and to make sure that more debt isnt taken on and passed on to [residents], she explained.

Danyelle Holmes, an organizer at Repairers of the Breach in Jackson, told theGrio she is remorseful that she did not take the water crisis in Flint as seriously as she needed to now that she and other Jackson residents are experiencing the same plight.

I took it for granted what they were actually facing, Holmes said. In the same way that people are rushing to save Jackson, Mississippi, I should have been one of the very main ones who had boots on the ground going to Flint, Michigan, but it was my ignorance and a lack of knowledge.

This has put me on notice not to ever take anyone who is dealing with this kind of crisis for granted, she added. Clean water is a basic human right, and we shouldnt have to argue about it. The earth couldnt survive without water, how much more so can a human being survive without water?

Members of the Mississippi National Guard hand out bottled water at Thomas Cardozo Middle School in response to the water crisis on Sept. 1 in Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson has been experiencing days without reliable water service after river flooding caused its main treatment facility to fail. (Photo: Brad Vest/Getty Images)

Holmes, who recently participated in a virtual rally hosted by the Poor Peoples Campaign to give residents of Jackson a platform to share their grievances, said she blames Jacksons water infrastructure woes on Republican leadership in Mississippi and extreme racist politics. She said she is appreciative of the leadership of EPA Administrator Regan, who is Black.

Regan is not ignorant to what is happening in the Black and brown communities. I dont think it was really a hard position to take because hes seen the neglect, Holmes contended. Hes seen the disparities amongst Black communities, versus a white affluent community and how theyre funded and how the Black communities are underfunded.

In Baltimore, Mayor Scott said new federal funding from Washington would not only begin the work of rebuilding infrastructure in some of Americas oldest Black and brown communities, but also create jobs and opportunity for people that have been left out so that the neighborhood is not only becoming a more sustainable, 21st-century neighborhood  but people who have been locked out in jobs and opportunities are actually able to work on those projects.

This is why this is important, he maintained, because were talking about giving people the basic necessities of life for them to grow into the best version of themselves.

Gerren Keith Gaynor

Gerren Keith Gaynor is the Managing Editor of Politics and Washington Correspondent at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.

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The post Why is access to clean, safe water such a problem in majority-Black cities? appeared first on TheGrio.
President Biden on Wednesday spoke with King Charles III for the first time since his ascension to the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

In a readout of their call, the White House said Biden offered the king his condolences on the death of the queen.

Biden, who met with the queen last year on his first overseas trip as president, recalled fondly the Queens kindness and hospitality, including when she hosted him and the First Lady at Windsor Castle, the White House said.

He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, the White House added. The President conveyed his wish to continue a close relationship with the King.

President Biden and King Charles III, seen here in Scotland in November 2021, spoke by phone on Wednesday, the White House said. (Jane Barlow/PA Wire via ZUMA Press)

The queen died Thursday at age 96 as Britains longest-reigning monarch.

Biden has formally accepted an invitation to attend Elizabeths state funeral service next week. He will be accompanied by first lady Jill Biden, who also received a personal invite.

Other former presidents, however, are not expected to attend, as Buckingham Palace did not ask the White House to bring a U.S. delegation.

According to Politico, only the heads of state and their spouses or partners from each country have been invited to attend the funeral, which will be held inside Westminster Abbey, in London.

Charles will also host a reception for all the overseas leaders at Buckingham Palace on the evening before the funeral service.
Florida saw a sharp increase in anti-Semitic incidents last year, according to a new report from the Anti-Defamation League, the New York-based organization that tracks anti-Semitic incidents and other extremist activity across the country.

The state saw a 50% increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2021 compared to the year before, and Florida had the third most anti-Semitic incidents of any state in the country, behind only New York and California, according to the report. Nationally, 2021 saw a 34% increase in anti-Semitic incidents across the country.

The ADL found that Florida is home to an overlapping network of white supremacists and anti-Semitic groups responsible for organizing numerous rallies and distributing hateful propaganda. All told, the ADLs Center on Extremism found more than 400 instances of white supremacist propaganda being distributed between January 2020 and August 2022.

The report also notes that Florida is home to the most people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection, including members of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers.

The report fills a gap left by Floridas notable undercounting of hate crimes, according to experts. Last year, for example, then-Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo told the Miami Herald he was ordering a review of why the department had mistakenly reported no hate crimes as part of the Federal Bureau of Investigations annual collection of hate crime data.

Florida has been undercounting hate crimes for some time, said Brian Levin, a criminal justice professor at California State University San Bernardino and director of the universitys Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Theres no state in the country that has this poor of a response from its largest cities.

Levin said that his centers analysis of crime stats in 2022 and 2021 has also shown sharp increases in anti-Semitic hate crimes.

The ADL report highlights national anti-Semitic groups, such as the Goyim Defense League, which has a Florida presence and has organized events in Florida, as well as groups such as the National Socialist Movement  an openly pro-Hitler group  that is led by a Florida man, Burt Colucci, of Kissimmee.

The groups organized numerous rallies throughout the year, including demonstrations outside the conservative group Turning Point USAs Student Action Summit in Tampa in July 2022, a May 2022 protest outside Walt Disney World and a February demonstration outside the Daytona 400. The groups displayed signs with anti-Semitic slogans and Nazi imagery, such as swastikas, along with anti-LGBTQ and racist messages.

At a January 2022 rally in Orlando near the University of Central Florida campus, three demonstrators, including Colucci, were charged with assault after allegedly attacking a Jewish student and stealing the phone he was using to record them. The three men are scheduled to go to trial at the end of October.

The Goyim Defense League, meanwhile, led a 15-day anti-Semitic tour in Central and South Florida in May 2021, in which the group demonstrated outside Jewish institutions and drove around in a van covered in anti-Semitic slurs. Dominic Di Giorgio, a Port St. Lucie member of the group who helped it establish its online presence, drove five other Florida members on a similar tour of southeastern Texas later that year during which Di Giorgio was arrested and charged with using a device that allowed him to flip between two different license plates on his van.

The report notes that 11 Florida members of the Proud Boys were among those arrested in connection with the storming of the Capitol, though the groups then-leader, Enrique Tarrio, of Miami, didnt participate because he had been arrested two days earlier in connection with the burning of a Black Lives Matter banner stolen from a church in Washington. Tarrio nevertheless faces charges of seditious conspiracy for his alleged role in planning the assault on the Capitol.

Tarrio, who has reportedly been a government informant in the past, indicated earlier this year to the Miami New Times that he was stepping down from leadership of the group and would start a new organization. Several members of the Proud Boys hold seats on the Miami-Dade Republican Executive Committee.

At least seven members of the Oath Keepers arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attack are Florida residents. A leak of data from the group showed thousands of Florida residents had signed up for the organization, which specifically targets current and former members of the military and law enforcement for membership, though it isnt clear how many of those people are active members and still live in Florida.
It was Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998, and I was feverishly trying to nail down what I expected would be the biggest political scoop in Washington in years. I had learned that independent counsel Ken Starr had launched a secret investigation into President Bill Clintons affair with Monica Lewinsky.

Special Prosecutor Ken Starr on the phone in his office in Washington, D.C., during the Whitewater investigation on Dec. 13, 1996. (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images)

That afternoon, I confronted Starrs top aides in their office and told them I would need them to comment  one way or another  in the next two days, in time for my deadline at Newsweek. After some tense discussions, I headed out, but took a detour for the mens room.

It was there that I ran into Ken Starr himself  washing his hands in the sink, a conspicuous ink stain on his white shirt, and as cheery and amiable as they come.

Mr. Isikoff, good to see you, he said with a broad smile on his face.

It was a surreal encounter to say the least. Did Starr even know what I was talking to his top aides about? A few moments of awkward, irrelevant conversation ensued, during which Starr never lost his bonhomie. As I later wrote in Uncovering Clinton, my book about the Lewinsky matter: If Starr had the slightest idea that he was about to plunge the country into a political crisis, he didnt show it. The affable prosecutor seemed oblivious.

Special Prosecutor Ken Starr (left) in a meeting in Washington, D.C., with Daniel Klaidman and Michael Isikoff, both Newsweek journalists at the time, during the Whitewater investigation, on Dec. 13, 1996. (David Hume Kennerly/GettyImages)

There were lots of twists and turns during my reporting on all this, including a last-minute decision by Newsweek editors to hold my story a few days later  a journalistically inexplicable move that Matt Drudge soon blasted out to the world.

But the bizarre bathroom scene came to mind Tuesday night, when I read about Starrs death from complications during surgery at the age of 76.

Starr had many accomplishments during his long career  serving as a federal Court of Appeals judge and a U.S. solicitor general among them. At one point, he was on the short list for the Supreme Court. But he will always be most remembered for his tenure investigating Bill Clinton  a politically fraught assignment for which he was singularly unsuited.

Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr is sworn in before testifying to the House of Representatives Judicial Committee on Nov. 19, 1998. Seated to the right of Starr is associate counsel Brett Kavanaugh. (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images)

Starr had no prosecutorial experience when he was tapped by a three-judge panel to serve as independent counsel to investigate Bill and Hillary Clintons involvement in an obscure Arkansas land deal known as Whitewater. The investigation dragged on for years, driven in part by the determination of some of his senior aides to nail the first couple, for what they were convinced was a massive cover-up of fraudulent dealings from years before Clinton even became president.

Despite some early successes (Starr did convict the Clintons Whitewater business partners of fraud, as well as the governor of Arkansas), the investigation hit a roadblock, and Starrs probe seemed to be winding down. Then, through the back door, Starrs aides got the Lewinsky allegations  explosive to be sure, but far afield from the land deal he was assigned to investigate.

Holding a copy of his report, Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr testifies to the House of Representatives' Judicial Committee on Nov. 19, 1998. Starr alleged in his testimony and report that President Bill Clinton had engaged in "an unlawful effort to thwart the judicial process." (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images)

More savvy and experienced prosecutors, with a better feel for the real-world political fallout from their actions, might have hesitated and questioned whether launching a full criminal investigation to get to the truth of this particular matter, using the full resources of the FBI, was warranted. But when it came to politics, Starr was a babe in the woods. He breezily went along with his staffs decision to launch the probe and then relentlessly pursued it in the face of ferocious attacks by Clintons defenders.

In the end, of course, Starr proved his case. A DNA test of Lewinskys semen-stained blue dress showed that she and Clinton did indeed have a sexual affair that began during a period she was a White House intern. But for many Americans, the seemingly ham-handed efforts by Starr to nail Clinton seemed the bigger crime  and forever tarnished his reputation.

What toll it took on Starr himself is hard to say.

During the height of the attacks on his character and conduct, Starr  a man of deep faith  would console himself every night with prayer, bucking himself up for the next days combat. But as always, he was just as he was in the bathroom on that fateful day I encountered him: upbeat, cheerful and completely out of touch.
LONDON (Reuters) - Household staff who served King Charles while he was heir to the British throne have already been told they could lose their jobs, drawing criticism from a labour union that called the move "heartless" before Queen Elizabeth is even buried.

Charles, who succeeded his mother on her death last Thursday, and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be moving from Clarence House, his London home for decades, to the monarch's main official residence, Buckingham Palace.

A Clarence House spokesman said operations there had ceased and a consultation process with staff over redundancies had begun.

"Our staff have given long and loyal service and while some redundancies will be unavoidable, we are working urgently to identify alternative roles for the greatest possible number of staff," the spokesman said.

The Guardian newspaper reported that up 100 employees had been told they could lose their jobs, some who had worked there for decades. They include personal servants such as footmen, valets, dressers and cooks, as well as clerical staff.

The notifications were issued even as they were working to assist the new king during the accession process  including while a thanksgiving service for his mother was under way in Edinburgh, it said. Monday will be a national holiday for the queen's funeral.

The Public and Commercial Services Union condemned the decision to announce redundancies during the mourning period as "heartless".

"While some changes across the households were to be expected, as roles across the Royal Family change, the scale and speed at which this has been announced is callous in the extreme," union general secretary Mark Serwotka said.

The Clarence House spokesman said the law required staff to be made aware of the situation at the earliest opportunity.

"Despite every effort to delay until after the funeral the advice remained the same," he said. "Any staff being made redundant will be offered enhanced redundancy payments."

No staff would be affected for at least three months, he added.

(Reporting by Angus MacSwan; Editing by Peter Graff)
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Wednesday called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to continue attracting other big economies to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement.

"ASEAN should continue enhancing cooperation with external partners based on the principles of equity and mutual interest through maximizing the benefits of RCEP," Hun Sen, who was also the ASEAN chair for 2022, said in a speech during the opening ceremony of the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

On maximizing the benefits of RCEP agreement, he pointed out that ASEAN member states should do their utmost to implement their commitments and continue the negotiations on opening up the markets, with the aim of attracting more big economies to join the pact.

Entering into force on Jan. 1, 2022, the world's biggest free trade agreement includes 10 ASEAN members, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The 15 states' total population, gross domestic product and trade all account for about 30 percent of the world total.

"RCEP will enhance the roles of multilateralism based on a rule-based international order, henceforth, promoting more cooperation and peaceful trade activities in the region," Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. 
Kansas City and Independence had the highest number of untested rape kits in the state, according to an August report released by the Missouri Attorney Generals Office.

The Kansas City Police Department had 190 untested kits while the Independence Police Department reported 156. The third most was the St. Louis County Police Department with 79. While Kansas City has the largest population in Missouri, Independence ranks fifth, census data shows.

The numbers represent a snapshot of the status of rape kits in law enforcement custody across the state. Evidence from the kits can be key to solving cases, but only if they are processed for DNA.

Though widely recognized as a crucial part of criminal investigations, sexual assault kits have sat untested in police property rooms as widespread backlogs across the country in recent years were brought to light.

There were 1,536 untested kits in Missouri, with the Kansas City area accounting for nearly one-third of that total, the 2022 report shows.

These were reported kits, meaning the survivor filed a police report. Another 769 kits were untested and unreported, meaning the survivor has not filed a report. It is a national best practice to not test the kit until the person wants to proceed, the attorney generals office said.

According to the Kansas City Police Department, 292 rapes were reported last year. The KCPD and law enforcement agencies in the St. Louis area have their own crime labs. Kits from other parts of the state are generally sent to one of the Missouri State Highway Patrols three labs.

Earlier this year, the Police Foundation of Kansas City spent $340,000 on robots that can be used in the DNA testing process and will help reduce the backlog, said Capt. Leslie Foreman, a spokeswoman with the KCPD. The police department also added a forensic scientist and has plans to add more staff to support its labs operations.

The departments 190 kits were reported cases, but testing had not been sought by a detective or prosecutor. They may not have made the request because the evidence would not impact the investigation, the case was beyond the statute of limitations or the victim was unavailable, Foreman said.

The 190 kits have been shipped to a private lab for testing, but testing has not been completed, Foreman said Tuesday.

Matthew Huffman, spokesman for the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said the higher number of kits could also indicate that Jackson County has more robust services which help survivors feel more comfortable coming forward.

The Independence Police Department said they regularly send kits to get processed. Officer Jack Taylor, a spokesman for the department, also said that some of the 156 reported kits were supposed to be unreported. They were incorrectly categorized by area hospitals which forced the department to list them as reported cases.

Statewide efforts

Missouri has made progress on the backlog. According to the 2019 inventory report, there were more than 4,400 untested kits.

Huffman attributes the improvement to better statewide coordination between police, prosecutors, hospitals and advocates, who can identify gaps in services and resources.

Were moving in a good direction while recognizing we still have a lot more to do, he said.

The state appropriated $1.1 million for sexual assault kit testing in June. It is also developing a telehealth network for forensic examinations that will provide 24/7 access to a sexual assault nurse examiner. Implementation is expected to start next year.

Huffman said getting the kits tested is an important signal to the survivor and it can help a criminal case. Since the state launched the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative in 2018, there have been more than 250 DNA matches in the FBIs DNA database known as CODIS.

For those serial perpetrators of sexual violence, weve now been able to find that pattern ... its helping to really bring justice to survivors, he said.

Testing all of these kits, putting out this inventory report, part of the reason all of this work is because at a statewide level, it shows to survivors that Missouri is invested in developing a better statewide response, that as a state weve recognized we can be doing so much more to help sexual assault survivors.

Survivors of sexual violence can get help by calling the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault. The Kansas crisis line can be reached at 913-642-0233. The Missouri hotline is at 816-531-0233.

The Stars Kacen Bayless contributed to this story.
U.S. intelligence has played a significant role in Ukraines once quiet but now widely praised counteroffensive, a member of Ukraines security service tells Newsy.

The source believes that Ukrainians first struck bridges in the southern region of Kherson, where Russian troops amassed, so that Ukraine could hinder them from resupplying or crossing the Dnipro River to travel north to the Kharkiv region, as a major counterattack started.

"They were running like mice," said one Ukrainian Air Assault soldier. "They were running and abandoning everything  vehicles, their own men. They even shot one of their own who was wounded just to get away."

Two former senior U.S. intelligence officials tell Newsy that intelligence sharing remains robust, and includes insight into the locations of Russian units. The U.S. has provided intelligence that helped Ukraine kill Russian generals and sink the prized Russian warship, the Moskva.

Officials in the Biden administration dont want to discuss specific intelligence assessments, for fear they could jeopardize Ukrainian security or military operations. A senior U.S. defense official said this week that the U.S. provided information on conditions, but the Ukrainian military and political leadership decided how to conduct the counteroffensive.

SEE MORE: Ukraine's Fighters Share What They've Seen In Newly Retaken Territory

Ukraines lightning advance has had a major impact in Moscow. Vladimir Putins spokesperson says a mobilization to replace lost and exhausted troops is not on the agenda and the Russian president is aware of all developments:

The president is in constant contact, we can say, 24-hour contact with the defense minister and all the chiefs," said Dmitry Peskov, a Russian presidential spokesman. "It can't be any other way during the special military operation. The special military operation is ongoing and will continue until it reaches all of its goals."

Jeffrey Edmonds, the former Russia director on the White Houses National Security Council, tells Newsy Putins position weakens the longer that Russia experiences losses, and the more he loses, and knows he [is] losing, the higher the risk he will escalate in some way.

"He does not know what to do and he will strike here even more," said Serhii, a Kharkiv resident. "Just on infrastructure. He will strike so we don't have water, electricity, to create more chaos and intimidate us. But he will not succeed because we will survive, and Putin will soon croak!"

With Ukraines swift military gains  some 6,000 square kilometers, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy  come honors for military intelligence officers.

Your operations are not usually written about in the news, but they will definitely be written about in military science textbooks," Zelenskyy said. "Your successes are often quiet and imperceptible to our people, but always painful and tangible to our enemy.

According to British intelligence, Russian forces that hastily retreated from the northern Kharkiv region were from one of Russias most prestigious armies, meant to defend Moscow and lead potential counterattacks in the event of war with NATO. It will likely take years for Russia to rebuild that capability.
A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of 28-year-old Hollie Thomson from the Greenan area in west Belfast.

He is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Police arrested the man a day earlier following the sudden death of Thomson on Sunday morning at a property in west Belfast.

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Irelands major investigation team launched a murder investigation following a post-mortem of her body.

A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of 28-year-old Hollie Thomson from the Greenan area in West Belfast.He is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court on Wednesday September 14th.As is usual procedure all charges will be reviewed by the PPS.  Police West Belfast (@PSNIBelfastW) September 13, 2022

Detective Inspector Michelle Griffin earlier said police arrested him on on suspicion of murder and of being concerned in the supply of a Class A controlled drug.

Anyone who believes they may have information which could assist detectives with their investigation are being urged to contact the major investigation team at Ladas Drive Police Station on 101, quoting reference 626 of 11/09/22.

Alternatively, information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The Queen has left Buckingham Palace for the final time, with the King and the royal family walking behind her coffin in solemn procession to the lying in state.

Pulled on a gun carriage of The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the coffin was draped with a Royal Standard and adorned with the priceless, glittering Imperial State Crown.

Taking the lead was the pomp and pageantry of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and military bands.

Watch live as thousands line the streets of London to watch the Queen's coffin leave Buckingham Palace for the final timehttps://t.co/TP0oDDbO2Z  PA Media (@PA) September 14, 2022

Thousands of mourners flocked to see the moving sight of the Queen departing the official residence where she spent so much of her working life at the heart of the nation, with viewing areas declared full ahead of the procession starting.

The Queen had arrived at her former home on Tuesday evening in gloom and rain but for her departure from the palace the weather was bright and warm.

The King walked in line with the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.

Behind the quartet were the Queens grandsons in a line  Peter Phillips, the Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales  who were followed by the late monarchs son-in-law Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Gloucester, the Queens cousin, and her nephew the Earl of Snowdown.

The Queens coffin was transported on the George Gun Carriage, which carried King George VIs coffin from Sandringham Church to Wolferton Station in February 1952 and was used during the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.

The journey from the palace to the ancient Westminster Hall, where King Charles I was tried, is expected to take 38 minutes  passing landmarks the Queen knew well like Horse Guards Parade, the Cenotaph and Downing Street.

Accompanied by her family, the Queen is effectively being handed over to the the nation for her lying in state over four days ahead of the state funeral on Monday.

The bearer party who will carry the Queens coffin into Westminster Hall and provide an escort are soldiers who were flown back from Iraq to take part in the procession, because of their unique association with the monarch.

The Guardsmen are from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards whose Company Commander is the Queen, and although a senior officer took day-to-day control, the former sovereigns connection with her men was strong.

King Charles III and the Princess Royal walk behind the Queens coffin (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The Queens coffin was flanked by her equerries  military men who had served the monarch by organising her diary of events and providing a helping hand when the monarch was handed a present.

Flanking them were the Grenadier Guardsmen who have their special tie with the late monarch.

In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment.

The King looked expressionless as he stared straight ahead with his siblings to his left, who also showed no emotion.

King Charles III, the Princes Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex took part in the procession (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Harry and William had walked behind the coffin of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales during her funeral in 1997 and Harry later said I dont think any child should be asked to do that.

But now a father-of-two it was a fitting public gesture for his grandmother the late Queen.

The Queen Consort and Princess of Wales did not join the procession but left for Westminster Palace by car, followed by another vehicle carrying the Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex.

(PA Graphics)

The royals moved in time to the imposing funeral marches, in step with one another and the troops.

William stared straight ahead as he processed directly behind his father the King, in keeping with his place as the new heir to the throne.

Charles, in his Field Marshal uniform, held on to the end of his Field Marshal Baton, which was presented to him by his mother when he became Field Marshal in 2012.

At Horse Guards Parade, crowds of mourners, many in tears, applauded as the Queens coffin and procession entered the vast ceremonial parade ground, with the bells of Big Ben continuing to sound every minute.
Vladimir Putins forces are being forced to source equipment from North Korea and Iran as the impacts of sanctions and military losses in Ukraine bite, defence experts believe.

British defence intelligence analysts think that Moscow is increasingly sourcing weaponry from other heavily sanctioned states as its own stockpiles are depleted.

An update published by the UKs Ministry of Defence pointed to claims that Ukrainian forces had shot down an Iranian-made drone as evidence of Moscows use of systems sourced from Tehran.

Ukraine claimed it shot down the drone near Kupiansk as part of the offensive that has punched through Russian lines around Kharkiv on the eastern front.

The image suggested the Shahed suicide drone had been shot down by Ukrainian forces and had not detonated on impact as designed, though little information was released by the authorities in Kyiv.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  14 September 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/peo4DTIuvL  #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/op9M362TuQ  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) September 14, 2022

The UKs Ministry of Defence said: Russia has highly likely deployed Iranian uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) in Ukraine for the first time.

On September 13 2022, Ukrainian officials reported that their forces had shot down a Shahed-136 UAV near Kupiansk, in the area of Ukraines successful ongoing offensive.

The Shahed-136 is a one-way attack UAV with a claimed range of 2,500 kilometres.

Similar Iranian-manufactured systems have likely been used in attacks in the Middle East, including against the oil tanker MT Mercer Street in July 2021.

Iranian attack UAV Shahed-136, eliminated by the #UAarmy near Kupiansk, Kharkiv region. and : A perfect union of two despots. @kms_d4k pic.twitter.com/M7sQ9PX1hJ  Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) September 13, 2022

Russian forces have sustained heavy losses since the invasion of Ukraine began in February, and sanctions have restricted access to key components for its weapons systems.

The MoD update said: Russia is almost certainly increasingly sourcing weaponry from other heavily sanctioned states like Iran and North Korea as its own stocks dwindle.

The loss of a Shahed-136 near the front lines suggests there is a realistic possibility that Russia is attempting to use the system to conduct tactical strikes rather than against more strategic targets farther into Ukrainian territory.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also underlined the impact of sanctions on Russias defence industry.

The Russian military is taking chips from dishwashers and refrigerators to fix their military hardware, because they ran out of semiconductors, she said.

Russias industry is in tatters.
Invitations to the Queens state funeral have not been sent to Syria, Venezuela or Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

While most countries around the world have been invited to send their head of state, those three countries join Russia, Belarus and Myanmar on the list of nations not asked to send a representative.

North Korea and Nicaragua have been invited only at ambassadorial level, joining Iran in that category.

Mounted police pass along The Mall ahead of the ceremonial procession of the coffin of the Queen from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall (Victoria Jones/PA)

All holders of the Victoria Cross or George Cross will be able to attend the Queens funeral, the PA news agency understands.

Invitations are being sent to most nations with which the UK has diplomatic ties.

The UK does not have diplomatic relations with Syria or Venezuela, while the political situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power a year ago means no representative has been invited from Kabul.

While most nations can send their leader or appointed delegate plus a guest, the Commonwealth realms, which retain the monarch as head of state, are being granted extra representation.

The realms can send prime ministers plus a guest, governors general plus a guest and the high commissioner.

At the Palaces invitation, 10 Australians who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II alongside the Prime Minister and Governor-General on September 19. Here's more about who they are: (1/11)  Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) September 13, 2022

They are also allowed to bring 10 ordinary citizens  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already said his countrys representatives had been invited by Buckingham Palace for their extraordinary contributions to their communities.

The complexity of organising the funeral, with dignitaries from around the world expected, has been compared by Whitehall insiders to organising hundreds of state visits within a matter of days, while normally there might only be two or three a year.

It presents a huge logistical, diplomatic and security challenge, with practice runs taking place in the dead of night.

The complex seating plan can only be formalised once guests have responded to the invitations  the deadline is on Thursday.

Officials will have to consider various factors including the levels of seniority of the mourners and their guests.

Overseas dignitaries are also invited to attend the lying in state in Westminster Hall, with representatives of the realms expected to attend on Saturday and other leaders on Sunday.

A book of condolence for leaders will be opened at Lancaster House in London, while officials are hand-writing around 1,000 invitations for the Kings reception on Sunday and the funeral service itself, which will go to heads of state and government and other VIPs.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is also expected to hold a reception for world leaders at Church House in Westminster on Monday.

The coffin of the Queen, draped in the Royal Standard, is carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage during the ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall (Vadim Ghirda/PA)

No guest list has been published yet, but US President Joe Biden was among the first to declare he will be flying in with his wife Jill.

The leaders of most Commonwealth countries are expected to be at the funeral, with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying she will make the nearly 24-hour journey with a delegation including Maori King Kiingi Tuheitia.

Canadas Justin Trudeau has also confirmed his attendance.

Frances Emmanuel Macron, Germanys Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italys Sergio Mattarella, Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazils Jair Bolsonaro are among the presidents attending, along with the European Commissions Ursula von der Leyen.

King Felipe of Spain and his wife, Queen Letizia, are among the European royals who will attend.

The Japanese government confirmed Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will travel for the funeral.

Traditionally, Japanese emperors stay away from funerals because of a cultural belief based in the Shinto religion that considers death impure, so the decision to attend the Queens funeral on Monday underscores the importance and the deep bond between the royal families.
Expats across the pond will be able to savour a little piece of tradition, through special events to mark the upcoming state funeral of the Queen.

Since the historic news was announced on Thursday, patrons have been flocking to Ye Olde Kings Head pub in Santa Monica, California, to pay their respects and come together with fellow members of the British community in the US.

Though the funeral is due to take place during the middle of the night in California, the pub will be open from 9am (5pm BST) and coverage from London will be shown throughout the day and night.

Staff members will be encouraged to wear black clothing, but given a choice between more sombre attire and the red, white and blue of the Union flag.

Ye Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica, California, will show footage from London of the historic event throughout the day and night (Mike Bedigan/PA)

Pub manager Lisa Powers said it was an honour to be able to be there for the community and help recreate the atmosphere back in London during a time of national mourning.

Were going to be open at 9am on Monday, and we are going to be having the TVs on throughout the day, showing whatever coverage we can get that day, she told the PA news agency.

Were going to have a funeral theme turning the lights down and were going to have the little Union Jacks around.

Ms Powers continued: We actually have a special afternoon tea that we put together specifically dedicated to Her Majesty the Queen, and thats going to be available from Thursday through to Monday.

Weve got all of her favourites. Weve done our research.

As well as the special spreads and traditional British menu items, the pubs gift shop, which stocks home-side goodies, will sell commemorative items including tea towels and Paddington Bears.

Ms Powers said the pub had been busy since Thursday, with people stopping by, sometimes dressed in black, to honour the Queen.

Following the announcement of the monarchs death, a shrine featuring candles, roses and pictures was placed outside the pub (Mike Bedigan/PA)

Its felt really special to be able to be there for others, she told PA.

From getting the news on Thursday, the amount of phone calls that we had and people just coming by to be together, its nice that we can be there for the community.

If you cant be in the UK at the moment and youre here in LA then its a great place to meet somebody that youre going to have a chat with and talk about different memories, whether its from when you were growing up or what the Queen meant to us.

She added: I do consider it an honour  thats what the Kings Head is about: bringing people together and instilling a sense of community in the crazy world that we live in right now.

People are wanting that little piece of tradition right now and were here to do that.

Following the announcement of the monarchs death, a shrine featuring candles, roses and pictures was placed outside the pub.


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WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A staff member of Northeastern University in Boston, the U.S. state of Massachusetts, was injured after a package delivered to a building at the university exploded when it was opened Tuesday evening.

A university spokesperson said the staff member "sustained minor injuries and is being treated."

Boston police told reporters that the injured is a man in his 40s and that officers were called to the scene around 7:18 p.m. (2318 GMT).

A second package was also found and rendered safe by the bomb squad, said the police.

An investigation is underway as the Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is coordinating with local law enforcement authorities. 
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Pro-Life Sidewalk Counselor Will Appeal for Attorney's Fees

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Sept. 14, 2022

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 / Christian Newswire / -- Liberty Counsel will appeal to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals regarding the lower court's decision to deny defendant pro-life sidewalk counselor, Larry Cirignano, attorney's fees in Two Rivers Public Charter School's lawsuit against him.

The appeals court previously unanimously reversed the lower court's decision and ordered that Two Rivers Public Charter School's lawsuit against Cirignano be dismissed. However, the school attempted to avoid paying attorney's fees by claiming "immunity" from the consequences of trying to chill Cirignano's free speech by arguing that it is the same as "The District" (of Columbia), and therefore falls under an "emergency" amendment that the District passed to exempt itself from the Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law. An anti-SLAPP motion is brought to protect the valid exercise of free speech against improper lawsuits.

However, the charter school is not "The District" and cannot claim immunity to avoid paying fees.

The lower court agreed that Two Rivers is not immune, and further agreed that Cirignano is presumptively entitled to attorney's fees, but held that "special circumstances" justify denying the fee award. The decision is contrary to the law and is being appealed. The lower court awarded costs against Two Rivers because the school did not dispute them.

The first "special circumstance" the lower court states is, "Two Rivers brought the case not for its own benefit but for the sake of the young children who attended the school and for whom the school was responsible, including when they were entering or leaving the school grounds."

Second, "Two Rivers did not seek out any dispute with defendants. Two Rivers and its students were essentially caught in the middle of a dispute between defendants and Planned Parenthood."

Third, "Two Rivers operates a lower and middle public charter school serving children as young as three years old, and Two Rivers had a reasonable concern that the alleged actions of various defendants, including boisterous protests by angry demonstrators, some of whom displayed graphic images of aborted fetuses, were upsetting and even traumatic for young children."

Two Rivers sued Cirignano after he peacefully stood on a sidewalk ONE TIME in 2015 near a Planned Parenthood abortion facility situated in between an elementary and middle school in the District of Columbia. It appears that if the charter school is really concerned about its children, school officials and parents would not want to expose them to the violence of abortion right across the street.

The lawsuit by Two Rivers contained one allegation that on November 23, 2015, Cirignano appeared on a public sidewalk holding a sign raising awareness about abortion. The Planned Parenthood building shares an alley with, and is located between, the two buildings of the Two Rivers Public Charter School. The school sued Cirigano even though he never trespassed on school property or otherwise broke any laws.

Two Rivers was put on notice that its lawsuit lacked merit when Liberty Counsel filed its motion to dismiss the case and argued under the District's Anti-SLAPP law that Two Rivers would be liable to pay attorney's fees and costs if it did not dismiss the case. Two Rivers chose to litigate its frivolous lawsuit. It cannot now escape liability.

Liberty Counsel's Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "Liberty Counsel will now appeal this decision from the lower court regarding attorney's fees. Two Rivers Public Charter School cannot avoid the consequences of trying to silence the free speech of pro-life sidewalk counselor, Larry Cirignano."

Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.



SOURCE Liberty Counsel



CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org



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The United Nations concludes that the charges against China for crimes against humanity with respect to Turkic-speaking minorities in Xinjiang are credible. The proposed EUs policy would be hard to enforce. Taiwan urges the EU to impose sanctions on China. Beijing prevents a visit by the EUs intelligence chief.

Brussels (AsiaNews)  The European Commission today proposed a ban on goods produced by forced labour.

The measure, which must be first approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, does not officially target any specific country or sector, but it is clearly aimed at China.

The Commissions decision comes just a few months after a majority in the European Parliament called on the EU to equip itself with the tools to respond to human rights violations committed by the Chinese government in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

In a report published on 31 August, the UN Human Rights agency deemed credible accusations made against China by experts, human rights groups, and international media over its treatment of indigenous Turkic-speaking Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

One of the charges against Chinese authorities is placing up to two million Uyghurs in internment camps and forcing them to work.

China has always denied such accusations, claiming that the camps in Xinjiang are vocational training facilities, part of a plan to reduce poverty and fight terrorism and separatism.

Since June, a US law bans imports from Xinjiang in the absence of proof that local goods are not made by forced labour.

The proposed EU rule would be less draconian. The burden of proof would be w/ EU and national authorities, which can request access to the information and data from importers.

According to human rights groups, such an approach is toothless, and will anger the Chinese, who are just waiting to see if the EU takes steps to protect the Union from commercial threats from an external country, like Chinas boycott of Lithuania, because of its overture to Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Taiwan is pressuring the EU to adopt sanctions to dissuade China from invading the island, which Beijing considers a rebel province.

Meanwhile, the Politico Europe newspaper reported that EU intelligence chief Jose Casimiro Morgado cancelled a "secret visit to Taiwan after China found out about it.
by Shafique Khokhar

The victim is 62-year-old Boota Masih, forced to work on a cattle farm to repay his son's debts. The murderer is the owner of the farm, a Muslim who is also a police officer. He used his role as an officer to cover up the investigation. The corpse showed clear signs of abuse and violence.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews) - A new case of brutal violence against minorities and justice denied comes from Pakistan, in a story that encapsulates all the distortions, abuses and abuse in a nation where non-Muslims struggle to assert their rights. Even in the case of a murder, the contours of which are clear, but weeks later the police - either because the main suspect is also a police officer - have done nothing to arrest those responsible.

The victim is 62-year-old Christian Boota Masih (pictured) and the brutal murder took place on 26 August in Chak 226RB, a district of Faisalabad, Punjab. Since July, the man had been replacing his son Sohail in a cattle farm owned by Muslim Fakhar Cheema, as the young man had abruptly run away, leaving unpaid a portion of money he had previously received from his employer. The farmer - and police officer - thought of retaliating against the parent, according to the principle of 'bonded labour' and better known as 'debt bondage'.

Fakhar Cheema and Shaan Cheema forcibly took and forced the parent to work on the farm, subjecting him to harassment and abuse for weeks. On 23 August, two other sons of the Christian elder Rafaqat Masih and Ashfaq Masih tried to meet their father and bring him home, in vain. However, the two were able to see with their own eyes the man's extreme physical and psychological suffering.

Hence the attempt to mediate the release of the parent, but at Rafaqat and Ashfaq's request, the employer Fakhar Cheema flatly refused, accompanied by further threats. Three days later, the sons received a phone call from the police station in Saddar, informing them that their father's corpse had been found near the farm, in a condition described as 'miserable' and abandoned for more than 24 hours in a cultivated field. When the two brothers recognised their elderly parent's body, they were 'shocked' by the signs of violence and abuse in several places.

The police have opened a file against the Muslim farming family for multiple counts, but so far the investigation is at a standstill due in part to pressure from the main suspect on his colleagues. Hence the decision of one of the victim's relatives - whose family has been subjected to repeated death threats - to appeal to Voice of Pakistan, an NGO that also defends minority rights, in an attempt to obtain justice that has so far been denied. Zohaib Newton, executive director of the organisation, confirms the background of the case and speaks of a 'brutal murder' that is a further example 'of the violation of minority rights in Pakistan'.

"These modern day slaves," he adds, "are in miserable conditions and are abused by landowners. However, when it comes to minorities the vulnerability doubles' and therefore 'the government should intervene' by countering the phenomenon.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Catholics from Central Asia and Russia travelled to Nur-Sultan to take part in the papal Mass. Inspired by the meeting between the worlds religious leaders, the pontiff calls for a Church open to Gods future, never brandishing the cross of Christ against our brothers and sisters for whom he gave his life! He ended the service, appealing for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the wake of the latest fighting.

Nur-Sultan (AsiaNews)  The second day of Pope Franciss stay in Kazakhstan was centred on interfaith dialogue, the main reason for the visit, and meeting local Catholics, for whom he celebrated Mass on the grounds of the 2017 International Exhibition on Future Energy, a topic, future, the pontiff cited a few times.

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which gave Francis an opportunity to come to Nur-Sultan, is held every two to three years in the Kazakh capital, to solemnly confirm the vocation of its people to dialogue and overture.

Former President Nursultan Nazarbayev came up with the idea in the 1990s, then set out to implement it over the following 20 years in order to boost the capitals symbolic value. Then called Astana, the city was renamed in his honour last year. And behind the scenes, he still plays a role in the countrys political and social life.

For such a special meeting, a special place was needed: the great "pyramid" of the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, a structure inspired by Nazarbayev himself. Created by British architect Norman Foster, it was built for the 2nd Congress held in 2006.

The palace covers an area of 28,000 square metres, but this year it was considered inadequate for the meeting. In the past, the leaders met in the hall at the top of the building, in a mystical-elitist ambiance, while this time, feelings of democratic sharing led to another location.

For this reason, the Congress is taking place in the Palace of Independence, not far from the pyramid. In fact, all of Nazarbayevs post-modern buildings are in fact visible from each other, with nothing to block the view, since residential areas are all rise around the citys centre, an endless space for celebrations of the new temporal and spiritual power of the post-Soviet era.

The Palace is centred on a hall where religious leaders sit around a large roundtable, surrounded by the various delegations. Outside the hall, other halls and rooms allow leaders to meet one-on-one.

Todays session began with a silent prayer in front of a great memorial wall immortalising the sacrifices made by the people of Kazakhstan in their struggle to achieve independence and their long history of suffering and division.

Francis turned to local history in his first address, metaphorically referring to the dombra, a two-stringed instrument played by the nomads of the steppes, and cited the countrys national poet Abai Qunanbaiuly, a master of harmony and beauty.

Comparing him to Italys Giacomo Leopardi, author of Night Song of a Wandering Shepherd in Asia,[*] Francis noted that the true spirit of religiosity disregards earthly interests and offers the entire human community the foundations for a shared life in society.

Memory and shared communion are the two strings of the "papal dombra", which also echoed during the festive celebration by the local Catholic community. Local bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, seminarians, and pastoral workers from Kazakhstans three dioceses (Astana, Karaganda and Almaty) were invited to take part in the papal Mass, joined by pilgrims from other Central Asia countries, as well as Russia, from both sides of the Urals, who arrived by bus especially for the pope.

Back in 2001, John Paul II visit to Kazakhstan was reportedly organised as a way to compensate for his inability to go to Moscow, something he had entertained for more than a decade. But history goes on, especially in our tense times as the war in Ukraine attests. Kazakhstans large Russian community still feel at home in Kazakhstan, but now its Catholics can also feel at ease, finally, for the Holy Father has come from Rome.

The two strings in the popes "Catholic dromba rest on the notes of dialogue  on the legacy and pledge inspired by the persecution experienced by the Poles and Germans deported to the country, together with so many other victims of the Soviet Unions atheistic regime  as well as on Christianitys ancient ecumenical roots in these lands, trodden by missionaries and evangelisers since apostolic times.

Yet, for the pontiff, one cannot turn to nostalgia or self-centredness. Grace hides in a small Church, a small flock", a model for the whole universal Church, but is open to Gods future, lit by the fire of the Spirit.

The outstretched arms of Jesus are the embrace of tender love with which God wishes to embrace us. They show us the fraternal love that we are called to have for one another and for everyone.

They show us the way, the Christian way. It is not the way of imposition and force, of power and status; it never brandishes the cross of Christ against our brothers and sisters for whom he gave his life! Jesus way, the way of salvation is different: it is the way of a humble gratuitous and universal love, with no ifs, ands or buts.

While the popes message is for local Catholics, who are often tempted to "turn inward, into their own shell, proud and often very factional and traditional, as is often the case in peripheral missions and ethnic diasporas, it is also for everyone, inside and outside every country and the Church herself.

In todays times of wars and invasions, Francis urges all to actively commit themselves to peace, a theme he reaffirmed at the end of the liturgical service, openly citing Ukraine but also the new violence between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

May we never grow accustomed to war, or resigned to its inevitability. Let us come to the aid of those who suffer and insist that genuine efforts be made to achieve peace. What still needs to happen, and how many deaths will it still take, before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity?

I am troubled to learn that in these very hours there have been new outbreaks of tension in the Caucasus region. [. . .] Let us continue to pray that, in these lands too, peaceful discussions and concord will prevail over disagreements. May our world learn how to build peace, not least by limiting the arms race and converting the enormous sums spent on war into concrete assistance to peoples.

[*] Canto notturno di un pastore errante dell'Asia.
Francis' words to leaders of all confessions gathered from 50 countries in Nur-Sultan: "Religion is not a problem, but part of the solution for a more harmonious life in society. We never justify violence". The vulnerable world bequeathed by the pandemic, peace, the fraternal acceptance of migrants, and the custody of creation mentioned as common challenges for people of faith today.

Nur Sultan (AsiaNews) - "The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred!". So that religions, beyond the prejudice inculcated in these very lands by decades of state atheism, may once again be recognised as "an essential condition for genuinely human and integral development".

This is the message that Pope Francis wished to deliver this morning from Nur-Sultan to the religious leaders who are taking part with him in the interreligious conference promoted by the government of Kazakhstan for the past 20 years.

The pontiff spoke to an audience of over 100 delegations from 50 countries: Seated around the same table with him were personalities such as Metropolitan Anthonij - the 'foreign minister' of the Russian Orthodox Church -, the Russian Grand Mufti Ravil Gaynutdin, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus III, the two Chief Rabbis of Israel, the Ashkenazi Rabbi David Lau and the Sephardic Yitzhak Yosef, representatives of Hinduism, Shintoism and Zoroastrianism.

The Pope's address focused on the role of religions in society. Speaking at the opening session of the meeting held in the Nur-Sultan Palace of Independence, he repeatedly quoted the verses of the Kazakh national poet Abai (1845-1904): "What is the beauty of life, if one does not go deep?".

Francis commented, "tIt is time to realize that the fundamentalism defiles and corrupts every creed; time for open and compassionate hearts. It is also time to consign to the history books the kind of talk that for all too long, here and elsewhere, has led to distrust and contempt for religion, as if it were a destabilizing force in modern society. Inhese lands are all too familiar with the legacy of decades of state-imposed atheism: that oppressive and stifling mentality for which the mere mention of the word religion was greeted with embarrassed silence. Religion is not a problem, but part of the solution for a more harmonious life in society. TThe pursuit of transcendence and the sacred value of fraternity can inspire and illumine the decisions that need to be made amid the geopolitical, social, economic, ecological, but fundamentally spiritual crises that many modern institutions, including democracies, are presently experiencing, to the detriment of security and concord among peoples'.

He spoke of religious freedom as a "fundamental, primary and inalienable right" not to be limited only to freedom of worship because "relegating to the sphere of the private sphere the most important creed in life would deprive society of an immense wealth," before going on to note that religions today are called upon to take up four great global challenges.

The first is the legacy left by the pandemic: "Iit is up to us, who believe in the Divine, to help our brothers and sisters at the present time not to forget our vulnerability. Not to fall into illusions of omnipotence fostered by a technological and economic progress that is of itself insufficient. Not to let ourselves be entangled in the web of profits and earnings, as if they were the solution to every evil. Not to back an unsustainable development that fails to respect the limits imposed by creation. Not to let ourselves be taken in by the superficial allure of consumerism, since material goods are for man and not man for material goods."

And the path is that of caring for humanity in all its dimensions, starting from listening to the weakest: "the poor, the needy who have suffered most from the pandemic, those who, still today, do not have easy access to vaccines", the pope listed. Because "the greatest risk factor of our times remains poverty. As long as inequality and injustice continue to rage, the worst viruses of the Covid will not cease: those of hatred, violence, terrorism'.

Alongside this is the question of peace: the Pope recalled how many times in recent years religious leaders have come together to talk about this issue, "and yet, we see our days still marked by the scourge of war, by a climate of exasperated confrontation, by the inability to take a step back and extend a hand to the other".

Francis invited men of faith first of all to "purify ourselves of the presumption of feeling self-righteous, with no need to learn anything from anyone. Let us free ourselves of those reductive and destructive notions that offend the name of God by harshness, extremism and forms of fundamentalism, and profane it through hatred, fanaticism, and terrorism, disfiguring the image of man as well. We never justify violence. Let us not allow the sacred to be instrumentalised by the profane. God is peace and always leads to peace, never to war'. And he pointed to 'the only means blessed by Heaven and worthy of man' for resolving conflicts: 'encounter, dialogue, patient negotiations, which are carried out with children and the younger generation in mind'.

Another challenge is that of fraternal acceptance: ' Each day children, born and unborn, migrants and elderly persons, are cast aside, discarded. There exists a throwaway culture. Many of our brothers and sisters die sacrificed on the altar of profit, amid clouds of the sacrilegious incense of indifference." A great exodus fuelled by wars, poverty, climate change, and the search for a well-being that the globalised world makes possible, but which is often difficult to access, is underway. "This is not just another item on the daily news; it is an historic event demanding concordant and farsighted solutions. To be sure, we instinctively defend our own hard-won securities and close our doors out of fear; it is easier to suspect strangers, to accuse them and condemn them, than it is to get to know and understand them. Yet it is our duty to be mindful that the Creator, who watches over each of his creatures, exhorts us to regard others as he does, and in them to see the face of a brother or a sister. Our migrant brothers and sisters need to be accepted, accompanied, promoted and integrated'.

Finally the last challenge, that of the care for our common home.: "WWith loving care, the Most High provided a common home for all life. How can we, who claim to be his, allow it to be polluted, mistreated and devastated? Let us also join our efforts in meeting this challenge. It is not the least in importance." "The mindset of exploitation is in fact destroying the home in which we live. And not only that. It is leading to an eclipse of the respectful and religious vision of the world willed by the Creator. It is essential, then, to encourage and promote the protection of life in every one of its forms".

The Pope concluded: "Dear brothers and sisters, let us go forward together, so that the journey of the religions may be increasingly marked by friendship. Abai said that a false friend is like a shadow: when the sun shines on you, you cant get rid of him, but when clouds gather over you, he is nowhere to be seen (Word 37). May this never happen with us! May the Almighty set us free from the shadows of suspicion and insincerity, and enable us to cultivate open and fraternal friendships through frequent dialogue and luminous sincerity of purpose."
The outbreak began three weeks ago and is likely to threaten the whole region, beginning in Aleppo and Deir al-Zour provinces. Contaminated water from the Euphrates River is blamed. War and climate change are other risk factors. Expert calls for swift and urgent action.

Damascus (AsiaNews)  Over the past three weeks, Syria reportedly saw its first cholera outbreak in years, something that is posing a serious threat to whole country and the region.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the new health crisis in a country whose healthcare system has virtually collapsed after more than a decade of war.

The outbreak is centred on the provinces of Aleppo and Deir al-Zour with at least 936 possible cases and at least eight related deaths.

Unsafe water from the Euphrates River used for human consumption and irrigation is blamed.

According to experts, the outbreak highlights the serious shortage of drinking water in the country, resulting from war but also the devastating impact of climate change in the Middle East.

Rising temperatures, well below average rainfall, a reduced flow upstream from the Turkish section of the Euphrates, and poorly maintained infrastructures have contributed to the situation.

As a result, five million people who depend on water from the Euphrates for personal use and irrigation have been left without water.

On Monday, the Syrian health ministry confirmed 20 cases of cholera (out of 670), including two deaths, in Aleppo province, the SANA news agency reported. Four more cases were recorded in Latakia province and two in Damascus among patients from Aleppo. Some 201 cases were reported in Deir al-Zour province.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera. In severe cases, the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.

"The outbreak presents a serious threat to people in Syria and the region," said Imran Riza, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria. "Swift and urgent action is needed to prevent further illness and death.

Until recently, no cases of cholera had been reported in Syria since 2009. Now, according to the latest estimates, at least five of the countrys 14 provinces are affected.

UNICEF data show that at least half of Syrias population relies on unsafe water sources, while 70% of sewage goes untreated.

Worldwide, the disease affects between 1.3 and four million people each year, killing between 21,000 and 143,000.
Duke Energy has asked North Carolina state regulators for permission to launch a pilot program that will reduce vehicle lease payments for program participants who lease an eligible electric vehicle, including Ford F-150 Lightning trucks. In exchange, customers will allow their EVs to feed energy back to the grid---helping to balance it during peak demand.

The Lightning is one of several new EVs that can provide energy as well as use it.

Shoppers can also find so-called bi-directional charging on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and some newer Lucid Air models. The GMC Hummer is capable of limited bi-directional charging to run power tools in the field but doesnt provide enough energy to power a home like the Lightning does.

To read more, see Kelley Blue Book.
Share This: Invisible Urban Charging (IUC) announced Sept. 13 it is partnering with EV Charging of Arizona to roll out 13,980 chargers for electric vehicles into the State of Arizona, increasing its total number of EV chargers seven times.

Arizona has more than 40,000 registered electric vehicles, according to a June report from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Installation will commence in Q1 2023. EV Charging of Arizona is managed by developer S3 Biotech, which is developing several sites in Arizona with a focus on creating Smart City facilities, including a new state-of-the-art medical campus in Maricopa.

Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL), a global leader in property development and management, serves as installation partner, along with a nationwide installation capability through its network of electrical contractors, logistics and signage partners.

IUC is proud to be working with S3 Biotech to get ahead of the growing demand from staff and visitors to their development in the City of Maricopa, and also to other cities in the great state of Arizona, said Nigel Broomhall, co-founder and CEO of IUC. More EV chargers help reduce range anxiety and encourage more Americans to drive electric, something that is good for everyones long term health, and ultimately their wallets. Next-generation facilities like those that S3 Biotech is developing attract businesses and employees that want to move to electric and having chargers on-site makes these campuses highly attractive places to work.

JLL is pleased to expand our relationship with IUC and begin our partnership with S3 Biotech on the progressive projects, said Ken Demske, managing director, project development services for JLL. We look forward to building a greener future and supporting IUC, S3 Biotech and the State of Arizona.

IUC was founded in 2019 with the mission to...
These trucks, which have been made by Chevy from 1947 to 1955, have become today almost just as cherished by the aftermarket and collector crowds as the muscle cars of one or two decades later.As such, the market is drowning in custom Advance-Design builds, which dont spend much time out in the open before someone decides to buy them. Mecums upcoming October auction in Chicago, Illinois, is no exception in this regard, hosting some incredible trucks of that series, like is the case with this here example.A half-ton 3100 by trade, this 1948 truck has been seriously tampered with decades after it was born, to the point that is now a sight to remember. It may look from some angles as one of those rendered beauts we keept seeing, but it is as real as they get. In fact, were even told its the recipient of multiple awards at various shows it attended over the years.Theres no info on the year when the trucks build was completed, but we do know that since it first moved its Jet Black and Anniversary Red body out the unnamed shops doors, it only traveled for 235 miles (378 km), so it's practically brand new.The truck rocks a Curbside Hot Rod Parts custom frame, sitting on top of heavily customized air ride suspension (independent at the front), which, like many other parts on this build, comes heavily polished. The all steel body hides up front a 350ci V8 engine, running an automatic transmission, a 9-inch Currie rear end, and is rated at 385 hp. The engine breathes out a polished stainless exhaust system, while stopping power is ensured by means of Wilwood hardware.Sitting close to the ground, and with its body wider than we remember it from the original truck, the 3100 has a 3-inch chopped top, underneath which a Burgundy interior put together by Ohio-based Portage Trim can be found. Access to the interior is achieved by means of remote-controlled doors, which once open also reveal things like Dakota Digital gauges and an Alpine stereo system with DVD player.Propped on Billet Specialties wheels, the chopped and low 1948 Chevrolet 3100 is going under the hammer on Saturday, October 15. Its listed as a star of the auction, and that means it has a reserve on it, but no mention of its value is made - nor do we have an estimate of how much it could go for.
DOHC

As some of you may remember, years ago, this was an option for customers of the Z06, but that program had to take a break because of the pandemic, as well as the Corvette generation shift. Well, according to reports, the program will make a comeback at the Performance Build Center inside the Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky.The option will reportedly be available starting from Q2 2023, as Corvette Blogger notes, and it is expected to cost more than the $5,000 of yesteryear, back when this possibility was last offered to Corvette customers. That is not the only change in the program, mind you, as customers will have a dedicated workspace for the completion of their engine build.In case you were unaware, in most factories around the world, the just-in-sequence production process is enabled on the production lines, and a product must go through several stages on the line to become ready for its customer. In this case, the milled engine block would be mated to its internals, one step at a time, on dedicated spaces on a production line, each with a specialized worker.Previously, when the customers who wanted to assemble the engine of their Corvette themselves were in the facility, they would have to walk beside the engine through all the steps of the build.Now, the program involves having a dedicated workspace arranged for them, complete with all the parts brought there. It is a more bespoke approach, which is usually done for one-offs, but it will yield results equal to those of a conventional production line.We already know that it takes three and a half hours to build one of these new LT6 Engines for the C8 Corvette when just professionals are involved. With a regular client who is guided by an expert, it may take several hours more, depending on the skill of that customer, along with their willingness to follow instructions.It is important to note that the newmotor with a flat-plane crank is more complex than its push-rod predecessor, so even customers who have previously assembled an older Corvette engine will not be able to say I have done this before, time me.Each assembled Z06 engine will be taken to a dyno test to ensure that it provides the claimed 670 horsepower and that it can reach its 8,600 rpm redline without any issues. Once the test is completed, the approved engine is put aside, and it begins to wait for it to be sent to the Corvette factory where it will meet the chassis that it will serve.
From as early as the 70s, the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 has been the easiest route into prancing horse territory. It was a cheap (by Ferrari standards) 2+2 coupe that came with a mid-engine V8.The Ferrari Dino got its name after Ferrari Enzos son, who unfortunately died at 24 after suffering from a life-long illness. This production was in his honor, and its believed that the young engineer had been working on the engine that came with this car.Jack of Number 27 YouTube channel got the chance to drive this classic car debunking its age-long controversy.Many people for years and years have said that this is not a real Ferrari. Theyve said that because of issues with the badge, because of the engine, most importantly perhaps because of the way it looks, Jack revealed in a recently posted video.So, really whats all the controversy with the Dino 308 GT4?The 308 GT4 was a replacement for the Dino 246 . Its important to note that the GT4 2+2 was a revolutionary model for the Italian manufacturer since it featured a 2.9-liter 90-degree transversely mounted mid-engine V8 (non-V12). It was good for 251 hp (255 ps) and 209 lb-ft (283 Nm) of torque. U.S. imports had a little less horsepower.The company would also shift from Pininfarina (for the first time) to Bertone, a Lamborghini oriented designer, which meant the design took a departure from curvy (as featured on the Dino 246) to angular with the 308 GT4.Critics said it resembled other Bertone designs such as the Lamborghini Urraco and Lancia Stratos.Also, since it was meant to pay homage to Enzos son, its release didnt come with Ferrari badging. Jack says the Dino was supposed to be sort of Ferraris junior car  this wasnt well received, and hence the notion it wasnt a real Ferrari.However, the Dino eventually got the Ferrari badge at the end of its production run between 1975 and 1976.Despite failing to achieve the kind of legend status the 246 gets, I must admit the 308 GT4 has aged gracefully. It dons the embodiment of the 70s era supercars cars, which is quite appealing to the eyes in 2022.The ride is good. This car is so much better on this road than I was anticipating. It just works really well, and although its a little bit longer than a 308, I have to say it actually to me it feels like it drives a little bit better, Jack confessed.
The last time we heard about Dronamics was back in July when the Bulgarian drone developer teamed up with Australian company Quickstep to accelerate the production of its Black Swan cargo drone. Quickstep promised to bring to the table its manufacturing and engineering expertise to help produce the aircraft in its Australian facilities.Now Dronamics is back with another partnership, this time with Cotesa, which specializes in making high-quality composite fiber components for both the automotive and aerospace industries. Cotesa will act as a Dronamics manufacturing partner in Europe and will produce the Black Swan cargo drone at its facility in Germany.The new collaboration will support the start of Dronamics commercial operations, which are scheduled to begin next year, with the Bulgarian company boasting of being the first one to obtain a European drone airline license. Dronamics plans to use its drones for same-day deliveries, not just in Europe, but eventually, throughout the globe.Its LUC (Light UAS Certificate) was issued back in May and is recognized in all the EU member states, allowing Dronamics to run commercial, BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) flights all across Europe.The Black Swan is Dronamics pride and joy, touted as the most fuel-efficient cargo airplane ever built. Unveiled in December 2021, the UAV has a wingspan of 52 ft (16 m) and can fly at altitudes of 22,000 ft (6,700 m). It can carry a variety of items and boasts an impressive payload capacity of 770 lb (350 kg). The Black Swan claims to offer ranges of over 1,550 miles (2,500 km) at 50 percent of the cost of other airplanes.
A food delivery robot forces its way across a police crime scene. pic.twitter.com/T5DaET5Q5b  Film The Police LA (@FilmThePoliceLA) September 13, 2022

Two decades ago, the modern human would get out of his apartment, walk to the nearest street, and hail a cab. Uber changed the entire process. Today, the taxi comes to the client. It's revolutionary and yet another example of the human need to simplify tasks further.Uber up-ed their game with food deliveries, and with AI (Artificial Intelligence) kicking in, they've partnered with Serve Robotics and introduced self-driving food delivery robots with the capability to operate without human intervention.Even though these autonomous robots have achieved level-4 autonomy and are successfully delivering orders to their rightful destinations, Serve Robotics, will need to go back to the drawing board about boundaries.A recent tweet by @FilmThePoliceLA shows a video of a food delivery robot crossing a police crime scene that had been cordoned off. The robot slowly moved towards the restricted area in the full glare of deputies and proceeded to cross the crime scene."What if there's a bomb?" a person was overhead asking in the video. "I was thinking that. You know we are all thinking that. That's going to be like the easiest way to bomb people." Someone responded.There's no doubt that these robots are making our lives a lot better, but there's clearly a need for better enhancement of their operation. Its also good that the Police took the whole incident lightly and didnt site it as a nuisance.Update: Serve Robotics have reached out to us and they were kind enough to provide us with details on how their autonomous robots work. They let us know that their standard operating procedure is to reroute and not cross barrier tapes. In the incident, the human supervisor ensuring the safe operation of the robot made an error in guiding the robot to navigate the police barrier tape.
SUV

That means the return of the Durango SRT Hellcat for the model year 2023 was rendered mute. And believe it or not, this might serve as an advantage for the huge bunch of Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk enthusiasts who were openly or secretly mad at Dodge for snatching the honor. Now that another 725 ps (715 hp) hero is lurking around, everyone is free to pursue their high-performancedreams.And for those who are fond of the decommissioned, previous-generation Grand Cherokee, the good folks over at Atlanta, Georgia-based Road Show International have yet another quirky treat for the culture that may or may not be up for grabs. This Jeep Trackhawk looks pretty clean from a distance, but one will soon find out that appearances can be deceiving.First of all, we are dealing with a Trackhawk of the fabled RS Edition variety , which can usually take many different forms. The latest one is (mostly) dressed up in Satin White Pearl thanks to a comprehensive wrap but also comes with a series of contrasting ideas courtesy of the red/black stripe package, crimson brake calipers, or the 24-inch Forgiato Designs, powder-coated Gloss Black wheels.Inside, the custom SUV flaunts a red lighting package to shine a crimson light on the Black Leather and Suede atmosphere and can also turn into a Rolls-Royce impersonator thanks to the ritzy shooting star headliner. Thats not all, as the highlights also include stuff like the two-tone Gloss Red/Black emblems, lowered suspension setup, or the special RS Trackhawk bird emblems on the side.Unfortunately, this RS Edition is merely a cosmetic makeover project, and the power specification remains the same at 707 horsepower. At least, that is still enough to send the SUV behemoth to 62 mph (100 kph) in merely 3.5 seconds on its way to a 190 mph (306 kph) maximum speed.
Well, sort of, since to some it might not feel quite right that while an entire world is mourning the passing of the Land Rover-passionate Queen Elisabeth II, the British company is carelessly minding its automotive business. Well, these are hard times, when even King Charles III's first royal ride to Buckingham Palace is a traditional Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, so as not to elicit unwanted attention towards the means of transportation.Anyway, the British off-road specialist is getting ready for a stunning 2023 with a special model that may only be the first in an entire anniversary series. So, behold the new Defender 75th Limited Edition, a direct nod to the 1948 introduction of the Land Rover Series I at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It is available in both 90 and 110 body styles (no word on the utilitarian 130 , though) and comes with a few exclusive perks.Chief among them would be the introduction of the Grasmere Green paintjob, the bespoke 75 Years graphics pack, as well as the complementing wheels and interior finishes. Technical options for interested fans include the D300 mild hybrid and P400e plug-in hybrid , while standard perks arrive in the form of the 3D Surround Camera, Matrix LED headlights and Configurable Terrain Response.A warning, though: its quite pricey! At home in the United Kingdom, the Defender 75th Limited Edition kicks off at 85,995 for 90 versions and 89,995 for the 110 body style. That means some $99,442 and $104,068 at the current exchange rates, a far cry from the U.S. MSRP of $53,500 for Defender 110 and $55,100 for Defender S 90, right?
Jack Daniels doesnt need any presentation. It is one of Americas favorite whiskeys, with more than 155 years of history in the whiskey crafting world. This is their first foray into Formula One, and they hope the new collaboration with McLater will help the brand extend its global presence and reach new consumers.Entering the fast-growing world of Formula 1 with McLaren Racing aligns perfectly with our vision to make Jack Daniels the most iconic spirits brand globally, said Sophia Angelis, Jack Daniels SVP, Global Managing Director.Jack Daniels and McLaren Racing have always been bold, confident brands and we are excited about the platform that this partnership presents for Jack Daniels and McLaren to take our responsible drinking message to a new audience and engage fans all over the world.As part of the deal, Jack Daniels name will be plastered right on the nose of McLarens two racing cars , as well as on the drivers racing suits and the pit crews helmets.Additionally, the two brands will co-host various events and hospitality programs, will have media appearances, and will develop McLaren and Jack Daniels-themed programs at retail outlets throughout 2023 F1 season.Custom marketing and advertising campaigns on digital and social media will also be created, including a special edition bottle in select markets.2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the McLaren Racing team, and the CEO of McLaren Racing Zak Brown has said they are happy to have such an iconic brand like Jack Daniels by their side to celebrate the occasion.The discussion about a potential collaboration between McLaren and the worlds best-selling whiskey started last year when several executives from the racing team visited Jack Daniels headquarters in Lynchburg, Tennesse, to initiate the talks.Were not privy to the terms of the contract or the payment fee from Jack Daniels to McLaren, but considering F1 team sponsorships usually run well into the seven figures, this is probably the case here as well.
The engine is called XA100 , and its being put together by GE Edison Works. Its of the adaptive cycle kind, meaning it has a high-thrust mode for maximum power and a high-efficiency mode for fuel saving. It should provide around 45,000 lbf of thrust (10 percent more than current engines), will have 25 percent more fuel efficiency, and significantly higher heat dissipation. All in a package that is no larger than present-day designs.GE built two prototypes of the XA100 and completed testing of the first one back in May 2021. The second one wrapped up its duties inside the Air Forces Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) earlier this week, thus allowing the company to achieve the final major contract milestone in the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP).Although this is a major achievement, the engine is nowhere near ready for deployment. More prototypes will have to be made and tested, but GE is ready to transition to an engineering and manufacturing stage. The F-35 rocking this engine should fly in the skies of the world by the end of the decade.Compared to existing F-35s, which use Pratt & Whitney engines, the upcoming versions will be able to fly for longer distances (30 percent more, with current range being 1,350 miles/2,173 km for the F-35A), and accelerate 20 percent faster.The XA100 is the only F-35 propulsion modernization option that has been built, fully tested, and evaluated against Air Force performance targets, and the only option that provides the Air Force the capability it needs to outpace its adversaries for decades to come said in a statement David Tweedie, GE Edison Works vice president and general manager for Advanced Products.Most importantly, the sixth-generation fighter aircraft now in development, the so-called Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), will get this engine too.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NHTSA

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A document filed with thestates that a technician bears the blame for this condition. The investigation determined that a technician completing the installation failed to use a drill stop on his tooling to prevent drilling through the other side of the crossmember, puncturing the fuel tank. The upfitter inspected six fleet vehicles awaiting shipment. One of them exhibited the subject condition.In light of these findings, Nissan launched a dealer quality hold on the very same day to quarantine all potentially affected vehicles. Not even a month later, the Japanese automaker decided to recall a grand total of 190 vehicles for extra peace of mind. The Rogues in question were upfitted for a fleet customer by a third party between March 31st and April 18th. Nissan doesnt name the fleet customer and the third party in thes recall report.17 percent of the recalled vehicles are believed to contain the subject condition. The company lists two part numbers in the attached report: 17202 6RR0A for the 2WD fuel tank shell and 17202 6RR1A for the all-wheel-drive variant. September 23rd is the planned owner notification date, and obviously enough, dealers have been instructed to inspect the fuel tank. If necessary, the fuel tank will be replaced free of charge for parts and labor.The affected population comprises 2022 models. Back in November 2021 when it was priced, the 2022 Nissan Rogue used to retail at $26,700 for the S. The most affordablespec retailed at $28,200, and the best-equipped trim level  the Platinum AWD  carried an MSRP of $37,980.
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Tune in as I deliver remarks highlighting the electric vehicle manufacturing boom in America. https://t.co/LYg1ttqDYK  President Biden (@POTUS) September 14, 2022

At the 5:53 mark of the featured clip, the President of the United States claims that he drove all three of these vehicles, pointing at the Cadillac Lyriqand two vehicles that dont come from General Motors. The culprits are the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck, which features independent rear suspension rather than the combustion-engined models leaf springs, and what appears to be a blue-painted Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe . Indeed, thats a plug-in hybrid rather than a bonafide battery-powered electric vehicle.The victory lap at the Detroit Auto Show is more than meets the eye, though. Joe Biden is anbeliever whose administration has already committed billions of dollars in this regard. But more importantly, the victory lap in Detroit Motor City has plenty to do with the midterms. All 435 of the U.S. House of Representatives seats and 35 U.S. Senate seats are contested.Turning our attention back to General Motors, the biggest of the Big Three in Detroit waxes lyrical about its brand-new EVs. Spread across four brands, the exhibits include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Blazer EV, Silverado EV, Bolt EV, Bolt EUV, GMC Hummer EV and SUV, Cadillac Lyriq, and Buick Wildcat EV Concept. Strangely enough, General Motors didnt bring the long-awaited Celestiq to the most important auto show in North America.The Detroit-based automaker further pats itself on the back for the billions of dollars in U.S. investments. The Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan is getting the lions share in the guise of $4 billion which will create 2,350 jobs and retain 1,000 jobs. Together with LG Energy Solution, General Motors is also pouring billions of dollars into three Ultium Cells battery plants.Last but certainly not least, the photos uploaded by GM on their media website include a photograph of POTUS in the driver's seat of the brand-new Z06 . The second Corvette with aengine after the ZR-1 from the fourth generation, this corner-carving machine is much obliged to spin to 8,600 revolutions per minute and crank out 670 hp at 8,400 rpm.
Over five million people tracked the plane that carried Queen Elizabeth's casket from Edinburgh to London. The great number of people accessing the website to check on the Boeing C-17A Globemaster military jet affected the stability of the platform, but established an all-time flight tracking record.

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In 2017, GM sold its Opel/Vauxhall business to the French group PSA (now part of Stellantis) in exchange for $2.32B (2.2B). As part of the agreement, PSA issued GM equity warrants of some $685M (650M). The values in this paragraph are based on March 1, 2017, USD-Euro exchange rate, 1 USD = 0.95 EUR.According to the PSA-GM deal terms , these warrants have a nine-year maturity and are exercisable at any time in whole or in part commencing 5 years after the issue date, with a strike price of 1" ($1.05 at the moment  editors note).In 2021, PSA joined Fiat-Chrysler in what has now become Stellantis. With General Motors exercising its mentioned equity warrants right and becoming a Stellantis shareholder of over 69 million shares, todays transaction is not very surprising.Apart from the primary buyback value of $923M, Stellantis will issue General Motors 1.2 million common shares in the components manufacturer Faurecia, adding some $17M to the repurchase. On September 14, 2022, the average value for one Faurecia share was $14.21 (14,22). In addition, a further $129.95M in cash (130 million at the September 2022 exchange rates) will compensate GMs rights to dividends paid by PSA and Stellantis.Under the Share Repurchase Agreement (SRA) terms, the issuing and subsequent repurchasing of Stellantis common shares will take place on September 15. The total value of all the common shares - $922.878.526,59, or 923,247,678 - is based on the average price of one Stellantis common share on the regulated market of Euronext in Milan over the last five trading days.According to the press note from the automotive group, this purchase of Stellantis common shares by Stellantis from GM will be carried out under the authority granted by the general meeting of April 13, 2022.
Theres nothing fancy about this tiny homes exterior, but once you open its door, youll be surprised to discover a bright atmosphere and a well thought-out layout thats modern yet minimalistic. This is Sunshine , one of the models created by Vagabond Haven.At a length of 7.6 meters (25 feet) and a height of 4 meters (13 feet), it falls in the builders medium range. The main difference compared to the larger models is that those have dual lofts, typically a bedroom and a living area, while Sunshine only has a storage loft.That loft is part of the home s smart storage solutions, which include things like a shelf over the couch and a mounted cabinet. The result is an efficient use of space without overcrowding it. The place feels airy and bright, with a lot of natural light.The large sofa bed stands out as soon as you walk in  its large and bright-colored. The small kitchen, equipped with all the basics, doesnt have room for a separate dining table, but the laminated oak countertop is an efficient alternative.At the other end of the house, a stylish bathroom includes a shower cabin with either a curtain or a glass door. The staircase that leads to the storage loft also has a built-in storage itself. All of this is integrated within 21 square meters (226 square feet) of living space.Customers can completely customize their home on wheels , with pricing starting at 34,660 ($34,600), or they can opt for the ready-built model that is available for delivery this month. Like all Vagabond Haven houses, this tiny home can be pulled behind a car at 80 kph (49.7 mph), with a maximum weight of 3.5 tons.
AMG

4MATIC

C.J., whose brand on social media is cj_on_32s, is all about flashy, outrageous rides. He owns an orange Lamborghini Urus, a white and bronze Mercedes-GT 63 S Four-Door Coupe, and a 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge , among others. What do all of these have in common? They all sport aftermarket wheels from Forgiato.So, the YouTuber decided that he didnt have enough cars, so he wanted a new one. He had to decide between a Bentley Flying Spur and a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Since he wanted a low key car for when he was traveling to Dallas, Texas, he opted for the latter.The vehicle in question is a 2021 model year and comes with a metallic black with a black leather upholstery interior. The odometer reads approximately 6,000 mi (9,656 km).He couldnt wait any longer and, immediately after taking delivery of it, he took it to Omars Wheels to get some aftermarket wheels. He went for 24-inch Forgiatos, but replaced the brands logo on the cap with the Mercedes-Benz one.Currently, apart from the Maybach S 580, in the U.S, there are only the Mercedes-Benz S 500 and S 580, with the YouTuber opting for the latter. Under the hood of the S 580 , the German premium car manufacturer put a 4.0-liter V8 bi-turbo engine with a mild-hybrid drive, delivering a total of 496 horsepower (503 ps) and a maximum torque of 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) to both axles via a nine-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission and thefour-wheel-drive system.Based on these figures, the S 580 can hit 60 mph (97 kph) in 4.4 seconds, with a top speed electronically limited to 130 mph (210 kph).You can check out C.J.s journey for the wheels in the video attached below.
Nepal and China sign agreement under BRI

Kathmandu





Nepal and China have signed a six-point agreement under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to increase the countries' engagements and exchanges on governance, legislative and supervisory practices.

Parliament Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota and Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's NPC, signed the agreement at an event held on Monday evening at the Federal Parliament Building in Kathmandu.

According to the agreement, the two sides will exchange information on each other's legislative, supervisory and governance practices.Li is in Kathmandu on a four-day official visit at the invitation of Sapkota. As soon as he landed in Kathmandu leading a 67-member delegation, Sapkota and Li held delegation-level talks followed by the signing of the agreement.The MoU between the two Parliaments also mentions the BRI, an ambitious project promoted by China. Nepal and China had signed the BRI in 2017 but no substantive progress has been made in the last five years.

According to the agreement, the two governments would accord priority and facilitate promotion of relationship, mutual benefits and commitments between the two countries, including through the BRI, the fifth point of the MoU read.

During the talks, the two dignitaries while expressing happiness over the excellent state of bilateral relations and cooperation subsisting between Nepal and China, held discussions on different matters of mutual interests, said the Foreign Ministry in Kathmandu. In the meeting, Sapkota reiterated Nepal's commitment to 'One China' Policy and not to allow any activity against Beijing in Nepali territory. Li expressed China's continued support for Nepal's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, the Foreign Ministry added.

Sapkota appreciated the people and the Chinese government for their generous support and cooperation to the Himalayan nation's development endeavour and expressed hope for an enhanced level of support from Beijing for post-pandemic recovery and other development priorities.

He added that the people and government of Nepal are grateful to the Chinese government for with a substantial amount of medical supplies, equipment and vaccines during the pandemic.

"During the meeting, both sides agreed to further strengthen inter-parliamentary exchanges and cooperation. They also underscored the role of Parliamentary Friendship Group in each other's parliament in further promoting goodwill and understanding between the two legislatures," said the Ministry statement.

Li also promised to provide assistance to the Nepali Parliament as per its need and requirement at the institution level. The two diplomats also exchanged views on the importance of implementing connectivity infrastructures, including under the BRI, the statement said. On the request of the Nepalese delegation, the Chinese side also assured that it will take necessary measures to address the widening trade gaps between the two countries and encourage its entrepreneurs to invest in Nepal, particularly in areas that support the livelihood of the Nepali people.

Both parties have agreed to strengthen cooperation under the framework of international and regional parliamentary organizations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, on matters of common interest.On Tuesday, the second day of his visit, Li will call on the Chairman of the National Assembly Ganesh Timilsina at the parliament building following meetings with CPN-UML Chairman K.P. Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre).

Later, Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka will call on Li at Hotel Soaltee. He will then meet Prime Minister Deuba again and discuss the strengthening of bilateral ties between Nepal and China.

On Wednesday, the Chinese delegation will see President Bidya Devi Bhandari and visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square. The delegation will leave for South Korea after rounding up the Nepal trip on Thursday. Li's visit is the third high-level visit from China after the formation of the incumbent government in July last year.
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You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.
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LONDON (AP)  The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II left Buckingham Palace for the last time Wednesday, borne on a horse-drawn carriage and saluted by cannons and the tolling of Big Ben, in a solemn procession through the flag-draped, crowd-lined streets of London to Westminster Hall. There, a steady stream of mourners paid their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

As the cortege left the palace, her son, King Charles III, and his siblings and sons marched behind the coffin, which was topped by a wreath of white roses and her crown resting on a purple velvet pillow.

The military procession underscored Elizabeths seven decades as head of state as the national mourning process shifted to the grand boulevards and historic landmarks of the U.K. capital.

At 900-year-old Westminster Hall, where the queen will lie in state until her funeral Monday, crowds shuffled past her coffin well into the night. They moved silently down the steps of the hall under a great stained glass window, then past the coffin that was covered with the Royal Standard and had been placed on a raised platform known as a catafalque by eight pallbearers.

There were couples and parents with children, veterans with medals clinking on navy blue blazers, lawmakers and members of the House of Lords. Some wore black or suits and ties, others jeans and sneakers, and all had waited hours to stand in front of the coffin for a few moments

Many bowed or curtseyed and some were in tears.

Thousands who had waited for the procession for hours along The Mall outside the palace and other locations along the route held up phones and cameras, and some wiped away tears, as the casket rolled by. Applause broke out as it passed through Horse Guards Parade. Thousands more in nearby Hyde Park watched on large screens.

The coffin was topped with the Imperial State Crown  encrusted with almost 3,000 diamonds  and a bouquet of flowers and plants, including pine from the Balmoral Estate, where Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96.

Two officers and 32 troops from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in red uniforms and bearskin hats walked on either side of the gun carriage. The 38-minute procession ended at Westminster Hall, where Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby led a service attended by Charles and other royals.

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you," Welby read from the Book of John.

After a short service, the captain of The Queens Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, assisted by a senior sergeant, laid the royal standard of the regiment on the steps of the catafalque.

Four officers from the Household Cavalry - two from the Life Guards and two from the Blues Royals - began the vigil, taking their places at each corner and bowing their heads.

Thousands had queued up along the banks of the River Thames, waiting to enter the hall and pay their respects to the only monarch most Britons have ever known after her 70 years on the throne.

Esther Ravenor, a Kenyan who lives in the U.K. said she was humbled as she watched the procession.

I love the queen, I love the royal family, and you know, I had to be here, she said. "She is a true role model. She loved us all, all of us. Especially someone like me, a migrant woman coming to the U.K. 30 years ago, I was allowed to be here and to be free and safe, so I really honor her. She was a big part of my life.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, of the Household division, who organized the ceremonial aspects of the queens funeral, said it was our last opportunity to do our duty for the queen, and its our first opportunity to do it for the king, and that makes us all very proud.

Troops involved in the procession had been preparing since the queen died. So had the horses of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

Sgt. Tom Jenks said the horses were specially trained, including how to handle weeping mourners, as well as flowers and flags being tossed in front of the procession.

Heathrow Airport temporarily halted flights, saying it would ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with Charles to offer his condolences, the White House said.

Biden recalled the Queens kindness and hospitality" she hosted them and the first lady at Windsor Castle in June, the statement said. He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Crowds have lined the route of the queens coffin whenever it has been moved in its long journey from Scotland to London.

On Tuesday night, thousands braved a typical London drizzle as the hearse, with interior lights illuminating the casket, drove slowly from an air base to Buckingham Palace.

Earlier, in Edinburgh, about 33,000 people filed silently past her coffin in 24 hours at St. Giles Cathedral.

The line of people snaking along the banks of the River Thames to enter Westminster Hall, the oldest building in Parliament, was nearly 3 miles long in the afternoon, according to a government tracker.

The hall is where Guy Fawkes and Charles I were tried, where kings and queens hosted magnificent medieval banquets, and where ceremonial addresses were presented to Queen Elizabeth II during her silver, golden and diamond jubilees.

Chris Bond, from Truro in southwest England, was among those waiting to see the queen's coffin. He also attended the lying in state of the queens mother in 2002.

Obviously, its quite difficult queuing all day long, but when you walk through those doors into Westminster Hall, that marvelous, historic building, there was a great sense of hush and one was told you take as much time as you like, and its just amazing, he said.

We know the queen was a good age and she served the country a long time, but we hoped this day would never come, he added.

Chris Imafidon, secured the sixth place in the queue.

I have 1,001 emotions when I see her, he said. I want to say, God, she was an angel, because she touched many good people and did so many good things.

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Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui contributed.

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Follow AP coverage of Queen at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
The State Fair of Texas is virtually synonymous with the choicest of decadent eats and deep-fried concoctions and this year's event is no different.

On Monday, the State Fair of Texas Twitter account posted a photo highlighting all of the new food options available at this year's event as well as a warning to let viewers know these food porn shots could make people very hungry.

"WARNING: These might make you hungry!" reads a portion of the tweet with a link to the full list of the new food options available at the 2022 State Fair of Texas.

The posted photo includes 31 food and drink items in total including but not limited to a Bayou bowl, chamoy pickle, chismosa, Cajun lobster bisque croquettes, cherry-dipped waffle cone, crispy dilly dog, dim sum loco burritos, doh-muff, a Fat Elvis, Fernie's funnel cake chicken sandwich, pickle pizza and more.

There's also no shortage of deep-fried options with fare including everything from deep-fried honey and a deep-fried praline cheesecake egg roll to deep-fried southern dessert dumplings and deep-fried strawberry shortcake crunch.

There's also a food item called the deep-fried Texas country cookout with the full state fair new food page providing a full rundown of the ingredients and presentation.

"This hearty dish includes an array of flavors celebrated throughout the Great State of Texas! We start with a healthy serving of well-seasoned pulled pork, then mix in a generous amount of herbed goat cheese and house-made special sauce," the page states.

"Our tasty, Texas sized patty is then coated in panko crumbs to give it just the right amount of crunch in every bite," the post continues. "To finish, we place a dollop of coleslaw and potato salad on top of this deep-fried masterpiece, drizzled with sweet & Homemade Jalapeno BBQ sauce, giving you that delicious Texas Tang!"

The State Fair of Texas is set to run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 23. For those looking for a visual tracker leading up to the event, the State fair of Texas website offers a full countdown clock down to the very second the event kicks off.
South Africa: Dhlomo calls for bold steps to tackle TB in SA

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa, with National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) diagnoses and case notifications dropping by 35% to 40% within the first six months due to the lockdown.

As a clinician, I can also tell you that we cannot address a disease unless we sufficiently understand its epidemiology and have data to effectively combat it, said Health Deputy Minister, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, on Tuesday.

The Deputy Minister was speaking during the opening plenary of the 7th SA TB Conference in Durban.

A basic question to start with, why does the disease continue unabated, despite the remarkable biomedical progress we have had in the past decades? It is well known that tuberculosis is a by-product of poverty.

According to Dhlomo, most countries with a high burden of TB are impoverished nations.

He believes that the first step to addressing the prevalence of TB is to stop thinking of only biomedical solutions.

TB is a social disease made worse by poor political will and commitment to its control. I strongly believe TB control needs to be taken up by all of us as a developmental issue.

I would also say that the responsibility of TB control needs to move from doctors to medical administrators and politicians. We need to tackle tuberculosis with the same audacity we amassed to fight COVID-19.

Dhlomo said the people afflicted by TB, often known as a disease of the poor, are among the most disadvantaged.

We need sound research to make meaningful strides and improve the experience of our TB clients.

Shifting his focus to COVID-19, he said the disease claimed over 102 000 lives in South Africa, with 92 000 people having died by the end of 2021.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over 110 000 people were killed by TB in the country between 2020 and 2021.

Since 2010, over one million South Africans are said to have succumbed to the infectious disease.

Currently, South Africa is one of the high-burden countries for TB, HIV-associated TB, and drug-resistant TB.

Year after year, we look at statistics and somehow, we have become immune to this reality. Behind these numbers are human individuals, families and communities facing unthinkable tragedies afflicted by a disease that is perfectly preventable and curable.

He acknowledged that solutions offered are often complicated, tedious and timid, which compounds the problem.

I fear tuberculosis control may become a victim of this timid thinking and actions. Perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic was a rude awakening for us. History also tells us that bold and audacious steps offer the greatest opportunity for success. For TB, that is the only hope.

Outlining governments TB Recovery Plan, Dhlomo said the programme is target-driven and evidence-based, and is aimed at finding people with undiagnosed TB, strengthening the linkage of diagnosed people to treatment, and strengthening care and prevention.

Dhlomo said there are new interventions in the pipeline, including expanded screening activities with the TB Check app, as well as the use of digital chest x-ray for screening.

Using an SMS to provide patients with their TB results is also being introduced to link people to care faster, and save people the trouble and cost of returning to the clinic when unnecessary.

We are also planning to introduce more patient-friendly treatment regimens such as four-month paediatric drug-susceptible and six-month drug-resistant TB regimens to improve retention in care.

In addition, he said government is planning to scale up the implementation of TB preventive therapy, including 3HP, three months of weekly rifapentine and isoniazid oral treatment, to improve TB prevention and reduce transmission, especially among people staying in the same home as someone who recently developed TB.

Over the next five years, we will work toward a system that supports people from the moment they come into contact with a health provider  public, private or traditional  to know their test result and link to care within a week.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Xi's visits to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan to promote regional cooperation, advance bilateral ties

Xinhua) 09:39, September 14, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, politicians and scholars from the two countries said Tuesday that they expect the trip to promote regional cooperation and bring bilateral ties to a higher level.

The Chinese president will attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from Wednesday to Friday.

ENRICHING CHINA-KAZAKHSTAN TIES

This year marks the 30th anniversary of China-Kazakhstan relations.

On Tuesday, a signed article by Chinese President Xi Jinping titled "Build on the Past to Make Greater Strides in China-Kazakhstan Relations" was published on the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper.

In the article, Xi said that "China-Kazakhstan relations have long become rock-solid. We should cherish this hard-won achievement, and work harder to carry on the cause of friendship between our two countries."

"The article impressed me so much. It was so global, filled with deep thought," said Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of the Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper. "President Xi outlined directions for the further development and strengthening of bilateral relations."

Recalling the Silk Road Economic Belt initiated by Xi in a speech delivered at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan in 2013, Chairman of the People's Party of Kazakhstan Yermukhamet Ertysbayev said "this will give a powerful additional boost to the socio-economic development of a huge intercontinental region from the Pacific Ocean, to the Baltic, to the Mediterranean Sea."

"This (visit) is the first in five years. It is symbolic in the sense that this year marks the 30th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations (between the two countries). This is a very important milestone," said Timur Shaimergenov, deputy director of the Library of the First President of Republic of Kazakhstan.

Shaimergenov expressed the hope the visit will help facilitate the implementation of the consensus reached between the two countries and promote the Belt and Road cooperation.

Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the China Studies Center in Kazakhstan, said that Xi's visit demonstrates that China attaches great importance to its relations with Kazakhstan, and will give a strong impetus to the further deepening of bilateral relations.

"President Xi's visit is of extraordinary significance for the development of the permanent comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries," said former SCO Secretary-General Bolat Nurgaliyev.

BRINGING BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR CHINA-UZBEKISTAN TIES

On Tuesday, a signed article by Xi titled "Working Together for a Brighter Future of China-Uzbekistan Relations" was published on leading Uzbek newspaper Narodnoe Slovo and Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA).

In the article, Xi said "this year marks the 30th anniversary of China-Uzbekistan diplomatic ties. Over the past three decades, the giant tree of our relationship has taken deeper roots and grown more exuberant. The two countries have respected each other, fostered good-neighborliness, strengthened solidarity and pursued mutual benefit. Cooperation across the board has yielded concrete results."

"I am particularly proud that the signed article has been published on our newspaper," said Ruslan Kenzhaev, deputy editor-in-chief of the Narodnoe Slovo newspaper.

"The article made an excursion into the 2,000-year history of friendly exchanges, and summarized the achievements of 30 years of diplomatic relations in the modern era. The Chinese leader outlined his vision of the direction in which the strategic partnership will develop for the benefit of the people of the two countries," he added.

Abduvali Saibnazarov, an Uzbek expert on socio-political issues, said that Xi's article contains ways to solve some social issues that Uzbekistan will have to study in further cooperation with China, like in the field of poverty reduction.

"President Mirziyoyev has repeatedly stated that Uzbekistan will cooperate with China in the field of poverty reduction," he added.

Gulshada Urazalieva, an associate professor of the Uzbek National University, said that she is mostly concerned with enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Uzbekistan and China.

The professor expects the two countries to continue expanding cooperation in areas including exchanges between women, and "jointly build a wonderful future for the Chinese and Uzbek people."

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
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Rhonda Evans would make the rounds with her mailman, Mr. Green, on Saturdays and in the summer when she was a young girl in Kansas City, Kansas.

Evans said she felt as if it was her job to protect Mr. Green.

When she got older and moved to Florida, Evans started working with the United States Postal Service.

Evans worked at post offices in Dallas and Houston before she became the first African-American female postmaster in Winter Haven, Florida. Then came July 12, when she officially took the reins as Beaumont's postmaster  a role that was vacant for over a year.

RELATED: Beaumont investing more in streets, drainage and water than ever before

A celebration to welcome Evans to Beaumont and introduce her to community members was held on Friday at the post office at 5815 Walden Rd. in Beaumont.

The event featured speeches from several elected officials and Evans' own brother, Steven Hendricks.

Hendricks talked about their childhood and the kind of person Evans is.

"She's three things. One she's professional, she will always be professional," Hendricks said. "Two, she is very, very curious. But that's a good thing because Rhonda knows how to read people, she knows people and she does a really, really good job of helping you. And the last thing Rhonda is based on principle and that's why I love her so much because having principles also means she has a wonderful heart."

RELATED: Track your holiday packages with these apps

Evans said she's really enjoyed her time and the people she's met in Beaumont thus far.

"Everybody's been really nice," Evans said. "I've only been here a couple of weeks so I'm getting my feet wet and I'm excited."

She said that she's talked with other post office employees about the direction she wants to move in, and everyone seems to be on board.

"We got to change the image of the Postal Service," Evans said. "I know there's been some negative press and stuff. So, we just got to change the image, get some people retrained, remotivated, change their mindset and move forward."
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WATERBURY, Conn. (AP)  A representative for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars empire acknowledged on the witness stand Wednesday that the show and website spread falsehoods about the Sandy Hook school shooting.

I dont think that we disagree that there were false statements made, Brittany Paz testified at a civil trial involving Jones' claims that the nations deadliest school shooting was staged as a pretext to tighten gun regulations.

Paz, a lawyer hired by Jones' defense to testify on the companys workings, said she believed Jones didn't personally investigate the massacre. Nonetheless, he and Infowars repeatedly and falsely said it was a hoax, propped up by actors posing as grieving parents. Multiple Infowars videos featured what Paz called the crisis actor theory.

You mean lie? plaintiffs' lawyer Christopher Mattei said, to objections from Jones' attorney.

They're not actors. Correct, Paz ultimately responded.

Soon after the killings, Jones disseminated the notion that one slain childs father was reading a script devised by the government or media to shape public opinion, and Jones said the claim needs to be looked into.

Later on, another young victim's father told Infowars in an email that the families were distraught at being harassed over the lies about the supposed hoax and crisis actors. An Infowars employee replied that the company was distancing itself from the claims. But another Infowars employee continued to develop the theory, Paz testified.

The jury is tasked only with determining what Jones has to pay to eight victims families and an FBI agent  a judge already found the Infowars host liable for damages, by default. She made that determination after he failed to turn over documents as ordered during the lawsuit.

Jones is expected to testify eventually, but he hasn't attended the trial so far. On his Infowars web show Wednesday, he called the proceeding a show trial meant to squelch dissent. He has cast the case as part of a dark campaign against him, his audience and Americans free speech rights under the First Amendment.

We knew they were using Sandy Hook to get the Second, but now theyre using it to kill the First, he said. The trial comes about a month after a Texas jury ordered him to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of a child killed at Sandy Hook.

Jones' lawyer, Norm Pattis, has urged the Connecticut jury to keep any damages minimal, arguing that the families are making overblown claims of harm.

The families say the emotional and psychological harm was profound and persistent. Relatives say they were subjected to social media harassment, death threats, strangers videotaping them and their children, and the surreal pain of being told that they were faking their loss.

Its hurtful. Its devastating. Its crippling. You cant grieve properly because youre constantly defending yourself and your family and your loved ones, Carlee Soto Parisi testified Tuesday.

Her sister, teacher Vicki Soto, was among the 26 people killed on Dec. 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty victims were children.

Soto Parisi described seeing social media comments claiming that she was a crisis actor, that her sister wasnt shot or didnt exist, and that the massacre never happened. She testified about getting ominous social media messages with gun emojis and finding a note on her door from a stranger saying she needed to go to church.

And one time, she said, a conspiracy theorist showed up and shouted, This never happened! at a fundraising run that the family holds in Vicki Sotos honor.

The families argue that Jones trafficked in lies to boost his audience and, with it, customers for Infowars merchandise. Data shown in court Wednesday charted spurts in people viewing his websites and social media accounts after he started talking about Sandy Hook.

By 2016, Jones' show aired on 150 affiliate radio stations, and the Infowars website got 40 million page views a month, according to statistics that the company used to pitch advertisers. Paz said she believes Jones has made hundreds of millions of dollars in the decade since the Sandy Hook slayings.

Jones now acknowledges the shooting was real. At the Texas trial, he testified that he realizes what he said was irresponsible, and he apologized.

He insists, however, that his comments were protected free speech.

I don't apologize for questioning it, he said on his show Wednesday. I apologize if, out of context, I hurt somebody's feelings.

___

Peltz reported from New York.
NEW YORK (AP)  Five years after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico and exposed the funding problems the Caribbean island has long faced, philanthropists warn that many of those issues remain unaddressed, just like the repairs still needed for the American territorys physical infrastructure.

The Category 4 storm, with winds reaching 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour), killed dozens immediately on Sept. 20, 2017 and researchers estimate thousands more died in the aftermath due to the lack of permanent shelter and power. According to a Hispanic Federation report released Wednesday, Hurricane Maria did an estimated $90 billion in damage to the island.

It was just such a scary moment, said Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who helped mobilize millions in aid for Puerto Rico. But one of the silver linings has been the coalition building between the diaspora and residents on the island that was really formed out of those challenges.

That coalition building was sorely needed, because Puerto Rico and its residents have an unusual image problem in philanthropy, said Hispanic Federation President and CEO Frankie Miranda. International nonprofits generally left it out of donations given to the neediest populations because it is part of the United States, while American nonprofits often left it out of programs by earmarking donations only for the 50 states.

That long-running problem was intensified by what critics say was former President Donald Trump's administration's slow response to Hurricane Maria, which extended the impact of the storm, including the longest blackout in American history.

It was about fairness, said Frankie Miranda, adding that some federal recovery funds are only getting to Puerto Rico now. It was about equity. We were not getting the fair share for people on the island compared to other disasters happening in the United States. So we needed to act.

Frankie Miranda will lead a delegation from the Hispanic Federation  including Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is not related  to Puerto Rico on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of Hurricane Maria and survey what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done.

For Lin-Manuel Miranda, the storm was personal. He had family on the island who he couldn't reach because phone service was knocked out. He remembered learning that his uncle survived the storm from a photo on Facebook showing his uncle volunteering help.

However, his most successful initial fundraising campaign was not planned. Lin-Manuel Miranda, known for being level-headed and upbeat almost as he is known for his creativity, got mad about Trumps reaction to the suffering he saw in Puerto Rico.

Youre going straight to hell, @realdonaldtrump, he tweeted, along with a link to the Hispanic Federation's fund for Puerto Rico.

The reaction was fast and intense. Donations skyrocketed, eventually topping more than 200,000 separate gifts, as did attention for the victims of the hurricane. The next day, Lin-Manuel Miranda's photo and tweet was on the front page of the New York Daily News next to Trump.

I didnt anticipate any of that, he said. But, anger can be a galvanizing force. And the widespread frustration with that presidents inability to engage with reality, sort of galvanized a lot of donations. That was the biggest moment in terms of fundraising.

Lin-Manuel Miranda then worked to keep the momentum going. I burned up my Rolodex to make that almost like praying, he said, as he sought donations. And then I burned up my Twitter DMs for people I didnt know. The first six months it basically became our entire lives. I just put everything else in our lives on hold.

Initially, the focus was on the really nitty gritty things, like food, water, basic recovery supplies. Then, he began to expand the scope of the aid, eventually bringing a production of Hamilton to the island as a fundraiser.

Proceeds from those shows helped launch the Flamboyan Arts Fund, which helps preserve and support the arts in Puerto Rico with support from major nonprofits, including Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Mellon Foundation.

We realized that the arts never get included in recovery efforts, the In the Heights star said. Yet, when you think about this tiny part of the world 100 miles across and how much it has given to the arts  it's absurd how much Puerto Rican artists have enriched global culture. The No. 1 artist in the world, Bad Bunny, is from the island. So we need to protect Puerto Rican culture and Puerto Rican art on the island.

Working with the Hispanic Federation, Lin-Manuel Miranda also helped support the Puerto Rican coffee industry, long a point of pride for the island because it could count popes and royalty among its customers.

Coffee plants arent sunflowers  they dont grow back in a season, he said, adding that about 85% of the coffee crop was wiped out by Hurricane Maria. We talked to anybody who was in the coffee business, in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, to figure out how to jumpstart this and also empower coffee growers. And now, at the five-year mark, coffee is back and exceeding pre-Hurricane Maria levels in terms of production.

Sara Lomelin, CEO of Philanthropy Together, a nonprofit that uses grassroots giving to diversify donations, said she worried that the underfunding of Puerto Rico by major donors would return once the emergencies caused by Hurricane Maria had passed.

Everybody responds to disasters because you are seeing the direct effect, Lomelin said. What people forget is that when there is a disaster like Hurricane Maria or the wildfires in California or the pandemic, is that you can't just put a Band-Aid on it. These things take years. And the problem is people move to the next disaster or move to the next issue after a couple of weeks or months and they forget the problem is still there.

However, she said the current mix of medium-term and long-term donations in Puerto Rico gives her hope and that attention tied to the anniversary and Hispanic Heritage Month, which starts on Sept. 15, will provide momentum. I love that the Hispanic Federation has these initiatives right now, where they are focusing on long-term things that need to happen, she said. I do believe that disasters can be the perfect time for people to get organized.

Lomelin said that works best when donors listen to the communities receiving the funds. And that's something that Hispanic Federation's Frankie Miranda believes in and has invested more than $50 million in the island so far.

There is so much that philanthropy can do, he said. But we also can be advocates so that organizations in Puerto Rico continue to be part of a participatory process, ensuring that the funds go to the neediest cases. Puerto Rico needs to remain on the philanthropy map for all of these major institutions.

____

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
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We all know how difficult it is to forgive someone, especially if you dont want to. Jesus is the only reason why we have the strength to forgive those who wrong us. The old phrase forgive and forget doesnt have biblical origins. We can forgive others, but that doesnt mean we have to forget what they did. When we choose to forgive, we give our issues to God, but we dont forget how they made us feel. Even though forgiving is difficult, here are some reasons why we should forgive when we cant forget.

God wants us to forgive.

The first reason we should forgive even though we cant forget is that God wants us to forgive others. Ephesians 4:32 says, Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. God understands that its hard to forgive those who trespass against us, especially when theyve done something terrible to us. However, He still wants us to forgive them. Forgiveness isnt the same as forgetting. It would be difficult to forget what someone did to us, but its not impossible to forgive them, even when it feels like it is. Struggling with forgiveness isnt a great place to dwell.

God wants us to release our unforgiveness because itll only hurt us in the end. Unforgiveness will only weigh you down and swallow you up in pain. We must listen to God and forgive the person who hurt us. Many believe forgiveness means forgetting what happened, but thats not the case. Naturally, we cant forget the betrayal, but we can choose to give it to God. He wants us to give Him all our fears and worries, as stated in 1 Peter 5:7.

Forgiveness improves your mental health.

Another reason we should forgive when we cant forget is forgiveness uplifts our mental health. If you keep a firm grasp on unforgiveness, it will cause depression, stress, and anxiety. Holding a grudge will only create these problems or worsen them if you already have them. The best thing you can do is forgive and move on.

Forgiving someone doesnt excuse their actions. Instead, it means that youre turning the problem over to God. Youll have peace of heart and mind by giving Him your pain, bitterness, and unforgiveness. It can be hard to forgive, but forgiving comes with numerous benefits. Holding a grudge will only cause more problems and pain in the long run. Your mental health depends on you letting go and letting God take care of the rest.

Forgiveness brings freedom and healing.

A third reason we should forgive even when we cant forget is that healing comes with forgiveness. When we decide to forgive and give our problems to God, well experience freedomchoosing not to forgive leaves us in the shackles of unforgiveness, which will only restrict us. Jesus died so we could have an abundant life, not a restricted one. Holding grudges steals our joy and freedom, while choosing forgiveness grants us freedom.

Some things are more challenging to forgive than others, yet we will feel more accessible and weightless when we forgive the more significant items weighing us down. Well be free from carrying the weight of unforgiveness because weve chosen to forgive. Forgiving others will give us the freedom to live our lives with Jesus peace. Dont let grudges stop your liberty any longer.

Everyone makes mistakes.

Nobody is perfect. The Bible says that we all sin and fall short, specifically in Romans 3:23. No one is protected from the outcomes of sin. Theres a song by Two Door Cinema Club that says, We all get it wrong/So dont stay mad for long. As these lyrics say, everyone will eventually get it wrong, so we should forgive people for their mistakes.

If we look inward, well see that weve messed up and made mistakes. God is the only perfect person. Therefore, well keep making mistakes. When we mess up, we want the other person to forgive us, so we should extend the same grace to others. Forgiveness is the main component of healing from the past and moving forward.

Forgiveness shows maturity and growth.

A final reason to forgive is that it shows your Christian maturity and growth. Mature Christians choose to forgive because they know theyre giving their pain to Jesus. They decide to let go of unforgiveness and move with Gods plan for their life. Forgiving others shows excellent maturity and strength.

God wants us to show strength and forgive those who trespass against us. Forgiving others can be challenging. Its easier to be bitter and upset toward the other person than excuse them. When we decide to forgive, were showing our maturity. Its hard to forgive, but its crucial to our Christian growth.

Christian maturity and growth are difficult to develop by ourselves, but God is always willing to help us heal. When you dont know where to turn, pray to God and ask Him to help you with unforgiveness; itll be a big help. He can soften your heart and let you forgive the other person, even if they dont deserve it. In Mark 11:25, Jesus says, And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

The best decision is always to forgive others and give your problems to God. It may be challenging, but its what we have to do. We dont need to stay in the shackles of unforgiveness forever. Staying in the chains of unforgiveness will only hinder our Christian growth and hurt us more. If you find yourself holding onto unforgiveness, its time to consider letting it go. Give all your problems to God. He knows what youre going through and can help you get the healing you need. Choosing to forgive doesnt negate your experience or make it go away. Forgiveness isnt about the other person; its about you. Choosing forgiveness will free your heart from bitterness and allow you to live the life God intended for you.
A portrait of the late Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong is displayed at a market stall in Beijing on Sept. 5, 2022.

As the ruling Chinese Communist Party marks the 46th anniversary of the death of its leader Mao Zedong, concerns are being raised in some quarters that current leader Xi Jinping is hoping to emulate the Great Helmsmans supreme status in the party hierarchy.

At the CCPs 20th National Congress on Oct. 16, Xi will be seeking an unprecedented third term in office, after amending the constitution to abolish presidential term limits in 2018.

The move comes amid growing fears of a Mao-style personality cult around Xi, as institutions and political figures compete to show the utmost loyalty to Xi and his personal brand of political ideology.

Cai Xia, a former professor at the CCPs party school now living in exile, said Xi has angered many in the ranks of the ruling party, who feel he has abandoned the more collective style of leadership established after the death of late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping.

Xi, a devoted student of Mao and just as eager to leave his mark on history, has worked to establish his absolute power, Cai wrote in a recent analysis in Foreign Policy magazine.

And because previous reforms failed to place real checks and balances on the party leader, he has succeeded, she wrote. Now, as under Mao, China is a one-man show.

Cai said she was unable to schedule an interview when Radio Free Asia contacted her about the article. RFA is an online news service affiliated with BenarNews.

Xi is certainly drawing on Maos legacy as he consolidates his personal power, said Deng Yuwen, a former newspaper editor for a CCP party school publication.

He wants to portray himself as another Mao Zedong, and portray himself as a kind of god to replace Mao Zedong among the people, but this is actually impossible, Deng told RFA.

This kind of personality cult is an officially sponsored form of worship, so everyone knows theyre just going through the motions, Deng said.

Just because someone shouts Long live Xi! in public, doesnt mean theyre going to be shouting that in private, Deng said. Its just pretend.

Chen Kuide, executive chairman of the Princeton China Society, said Xis approach isnt without risk, however.

There is a group of people who have gained political and economic benefits since Xi came to power, but there arent actually very many of them, Chen said.

They also lack the political clout of the other factions.

They just have a lot more power in the party and hold their posts because of Xi Jinping, he said.

Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a New Year's event held by the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Dec. 31, 2021. [Yan Yan/Xinhua via AP]

Extending power

Xi is widely expected to secure a third five-year leadership term at the 20th party congress next month, cementing his status as Chinas most powerful leader since Chairman Mao.

The CCP will amend its constitution in October during a leadership reshuffle held over five years, according to a report on Sept. 9 from state news agency Xinhua.

The Politburo of the CCPs Central Committee discussed the draft amendment to the party charter, the agency reported, but gave no specific details.

Reuters quoted political analysts as saying that the amendment could shorten the title of Xis personal brand of ideology to Xi Jinping Thought, which would bring it closer in status to Mao Zedong Thought in the popular consciousness, the agency said.

Other possible changes could see the establishment of Xi as the core of the party, and his ideas as its guiding principles, or the reinstatement of the post of party chairman, which was abolished in 1982, it said.

The party constitution can only be amended during a CCP National Congress, which take place every five years.

According to Cai, stealth infighting within party ranks will likely intensify, with possible arrests and trials of more high-ranking officials as his critics seek to leak more information unfavorable to the Chinese leader.

She said that, if successful, Xi is likely to take a third term as a mandate to carry out further steps on his national rejuvenation plan for China.

Xi will double down on his statist economic policies, Cai predicted. To maintain his grip on power, he will continue to preemptively eliminate any potential rivals and tighten social control, making China look increasingly like North Korea.

An emboldened Xi may well accelerate his militarization of disputed areas of the South China Sea and try to forcibly take over Taiwan, she warned. As he continues Chinas quest for dominance, he will further its isolation from the rest of the world.

She said the most likely downfall for Xi would result from Chinas defeat in an invasion of the democratic island of Taiwan.

This report was produced by the Mandarin Service of Radio Free Asia (RFA), an online news service affiliated with BenarNews.
Blackouts have hit the Philippines biggest and most populated island after 10 power plants went down or reduced output because of coal shortages, as experts warn of a possible crisis in a country with some of the highest electricity costs in Southeast Asia.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the grid throughout Luzon on red alert status Monday after power plant outages, which began at the weekend, led to shortages of electricity. A red alert is a warning that blackouts are possible.

By Wednesday, the state-run utility announced several blackouts. Seven plants had gone down and three others decreased their output, NGCP said, leading to the outages that affected about 1 million people across Luzon.

We are ready  [to implement] rotating power interruptions ... as part of our responsibility to manage the system, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said in a statement on Monday.

Coal-fired plants account for more than 50 percent of electricity generation for Luzon while about 30 percent are powered by natural gas from the deep-water Malampaya gas field, according to the government.

In September 2021, the U.S. International Trade Administration noted that the Philippines faced a mounting energy crisis because the Malampaya field was expected to be used up by 2024.

Elsewhere, the nations two other grids, in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, experienced similar outages, according to authorities. The Luzon and Visayas grids are connected, while the Mindanao grid is a standalone.

Between 2016 and 2021, the NGCP issued 22 red and 154 yellow alerts across all three grids. Red alerts warn of potential blackouts while yellow alerts warn of potential brownouts because of excessive demand.

The latest blackouts occurred just weeks after Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla told a Senate hearing in August that the country had enough electricity supplies through February 2023.

Regular occurrence

In July, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed concerns that power outages had become a regular occurrence especially during the summer months when the output of our hydroelectric power plants decrease significantly, even as Filipino consumers pay higher rates than their counterparts in other Southeast Asian countries.

Studies have shown that electricity rates for residential, commercial and the industrial sectors in the Philippines have been significantly higher from between 25 percent to as high as 87 percent than its ASEAN neighbors, namely, Malaysia (87.5 percent), Indonesia (87.5 percent), Vietnam (50 percent) and Thailand (36 percent), the chamber said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, a senator has warned of a potential crisis in the country where growth in electricity production has failed to keep pace with demand.

Last year, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, former chairman of the energy committee, said the country could be facing a major energy crisis in less than six years unless it found alternative sources for natural gas.

In the medium to long run, a new power supply should come on in a timely manner, Gatchalian told BenarNews in a text message on Wednesday. If not, we will experience power interruptions as the country opens its economy and the demand for electricity is growing.

In 2018, Manila and Beijing began talks on possible joint exploration of offshore oil and gas resources in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

The Philippines abandoned those discussions over constitutional and sovereignty issues at the end of former President Rodrigo Dutertes term in June.

An international arbitration court ruled in 2016 that the Philippines had sovereign rights to energy reserves inside its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. China, which claims about 90 percent of the South China Sea as its territory, has refused to recognize that decision.
Activists protest in Manila during the inauguration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., June 30, 2022. Marcos said he would protect his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte from any international probe over thousands of deaths under his war on drugs.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. indicated in a television interview that he would shun his predecessors hardcore approach to fighting drugs, but said he still intended to shield former leader Rodrigo Duterte from international prosecution over alleged extrajudicial killings.

Marcos also defended his late namesake fathers decision to impose martial law in 1972, saying Ferdinand E. Marcos believed this was necessary back then to fight twin threats from a communist insurgency and an armed separatist movement in the south.

In the interview that aired on the ALLTV channel on Tuesday  his first sit-down interview since taking office June 30  Marcos Jr. said his administrations anti-drugs campaign would not be the same as Dutertes and would focus on prevention and rehabilitation.

The war on drugs will continue but we have to do it in a different way, Marcos said during the interview, portions of which were released to the media Wednesday.

We are looking more for  prevention. Let us teach the children: Do not go there. You wont achieve anything. Most of those who went there were either jailed or are now dead. So why would you want that?

In his six years in power, Duterte drew scrutiny from local and foreign groups for his administrations crackdown on narcotics that killed over 8,000 suspected drug dealers and addicts, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

However, some groups have said the number of those killed could be three times higher. The alleged extrajudicial killings were often carried out by masked assassins, and the targets often were small-time drug pushers and dealers in poor communities.

In 2019, Duterte unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the International Criminal Court following its initial probe into his administrations drug-related killings.

In the interview, Marcos reiterated his stance not to rejoin the ICC, saying the Philippines should investigate the alleged crimes on its own. Duterte is the father of Marcos running mate, Sara Duterte who is now the vice president.

I dont see any reason why we should [rejoin the ICC], he said.

The ICC is, very simply, supposed to take actions when a country no longer has a functioning judiciary, no longer has some of the organs of the state, the police. And that condition does not exist in the Philippines so I do not see what role the ICC is going to play here in the Philippines.

In June, top ICC prosecutor Karim Khan filed a motion with the courts pre-trial chamber to resume its probe of Dutertes war on illegal narcotics from 2011 to 2019. The period encompassed Dutertes first three years as president and the five years before, when he served as vice mayor and mayor of Davao City, his hometown in the southern Philippines.

Last week, the Philippine Office of the Solicitor General officially rejected Khans request to reopen the investigation.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents and police secure a part of a street as they search a house looking for a drug dealer during a raid in Maharlika Village, Taguig, south of Manila, Feb. 28, 2018. [Noel Celis/AFP]

Meanwhile, human rights advocacy groups, including New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), criticized Marcos anti-drugs plan.

Marcos should first order a stop to Dutertes drug war, said Phil Robertson, HRWs deputy Asia director.

President Marcos promise to tackle the Philippines illegal drugs problem in a different way glosses over the urgent need to first issue a clear public order ending the drug war in toto, Robertson said in a statement on Wednesday.

Using a drug rehabilitation approach means little when police and mystery gunmen are still executing suspected drug users and dealers. Law enforcers should receive clear orders to stop the drug war enforcement once and for all.

Without a clear directive, Robertson said, Marcos was only aiming to look good in the eyes of the international community ahead of attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month.

Marcos is scheduled to speak at the General Assembly in New York on Sept. 20, according to the Philippine foreign office.

On Tuesday, the U.N.s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said it felt that the victims of the Philippine drug war still faced challenges in seeking justice.

In a report, the office called for the Marcos government to adopt a transformative approach that looks to rights-based solution in addressing various issues, including the drug war. It also advised the government to end divisive rhetoric that puts human rights advocates at risk.

The Government took some initiatives to advance accountability for human rights violations and abuses, the report said.

However, access to justice for victims of human rights violations and abuses remained very limited. Institutional and structural shortcomings in law enforcement and the judiciary remained, despite efforts to address some cases.

The U.N. report also noted limited oversight of rights investigations, lack of cooperation among investigating agencies, a woeful forensic capacity and a slow justice system. In addition, it said that victims and witnesses faced inadequate support and protection from reprisals.

The U.N. office suggested that the justice department accelerate its review of all killings related to the governments anti-drug operations.

War was really raging already at the time

Marcos also spoke about his late father, the dictator who ruled the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, including 14 years of martial law under which activists have documented thousands of cases of deaths and enforced disappearances.

The president said he was not hurt by media references to him as being a dictators son.

No. It would hurt me if they were right, but they are wrong, he said.

Marcos said his father always arrived at decisions through consultation.

How many times have I been here in this room where he was in consultation with different groups? A dictator does not consult. A dictator just says, this is what you do whether you like it or not.

It was necessary to  in my fathers view at the time  to declare martial law because a war was really raging already at the time, he added, referring both to a communist insurgency and the Muslim Moro rebellion in the southern Mindanao region.

Still, he acknowledged without elaborating that abuses happened during his father's regime, adding that he and his family have their own evidence, which he did not release.

Some 10,000 victims of torture under his fathers regime, meanwhile, have won a class action suit against the Marcos estate.

Jeoffrey Maitem in Davao City, southern Philippines, contributed to this report.
Analysts have had mixed reactions to a Philippine senators suggestion to negotiate a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea among claimant countries, rather than between ASEAN and China.

During a hearing at the Philippine Senates Foreign Relations Committee last week, Sen. Imee Marcos, the committees chairwoman, asked if there was a possibility for a code of conduct that includes only us claimants in the South China Sea, parts of which are known in the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea.

Why dont we formalize and come up with some kind of code, just between us. The first step of consensus-building is a long and torturous path, Philippine media quoted her as saying on Sept. 8.

Six parties  Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and China  hold claims over the sea. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesia's exclusive economic zone.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations comprises 10 member countries, of which Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand are not South China Sea claimants.

China claims historical rights to almost 90 percent of the South China Sea, an area roughly demarcated by the nine-dash line. Other claimants have rejected those claims. Additionally, 2016 international arbitration tribunal ruled that Chinas claims had no legal basis.

ASEAN members and China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea 20 years ago and embarked on the negotiation on a Code of Conduct (COC), which is expected to be legally binding and play a decisive role in diffusing regional territorial disputes.

A draft text of the COC was released in 2018 and has now entered the second reading, but the prospect of a final agreement remains dim despite Chinas efforts to speed it up.

Activists protest outside the Chinese Consulate on the fifth anniversary of the ruling invalidating Beijings claims over the South China Sea, in Makati City, Metro Manila, July 12, 2021. [Reuters]





The ship has sailed

Some Philippine analysts were quoted in local media as saying that Imee Marcoss idea was worth exploring.

Political analyst Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy wrote theres no harm if the Philippines initiates a COC among the claimant-states, which include China.

This could be faster, more efficient, effective, and less tedious, she wrote in the Asian Century Journal.

It will probably hasten the process, given the number of countries involved in the negotiation is fewer, Malindog-Uy wrote.

Another analyst, Lucio Blanco Pitlo III from the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, suggested one of the best ways to go forward is for the ASEAN claimants to have some consensus first.

Pitlo was quoted in BusinessWorld as saying that if, after that, all 10 members of ASEAN could reach an agreement, they can have better leverage in negotiating with their bigger neighbor and the biggest claimant, China.

Regional analysts however seem uncertain about the proposal.

I think the ship on this sailed a long time ago, said Shahriman Lockman, Director of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia.

To exclude the non-claimants at this stage would be a non-starter as all 10 countries have been involved for so many years, he said.

Besides, non-claimant Indonesia has overlapping jurisdictional claims with China in the South China Sea and Singapore is a major user state given its central role in international shipping.

Singapore also administers the flight information region (FIR) in the airspace above the South China Sea. It is not a claimant, but obviously has a huge stake in what goes on there, Shahriman told Radio Free Asia (RFA), an online news service affiliated with BenarNews.

External factors

Philippine analysts, such as Malindog-Uy, warned against what they called external factors.

Countries not parties to the South China Sea dispute, like the United States, should not be involved, for it will just complicate and muddle the situation, she wrote in her column.

Malindog-Uys statement resonated with those of Chinese scholars who said some extra-regional countries with ulterior motives hope to realize their regional strategies by exaggerating the tension in the South China Sea.

Hu Bo, Director of the Center for Maritime Strategy Studies at Peking University, wrote in an article on the South China Sea Probing Initiative website that the United States ostensibly emphasizes maintaining a rules-based international order, but [is] actually trying to create a maritime order to exclude China in the South China Sea and even the Indo-Pacific region.

Hu also accused some ASEAN countries of having some unrealistic expectations, adding that neither the DOC nor the COC is a platform for resolving disputes in the South China Sea.

Any attempt to raise a negotiating price is intended to prevent or destroy consultations.  Demanding too much from China is not the way to be a good neighbor and friend, nor does it serve the interests of all parties as well as the whole region, the Chinese analyst wrote.

Chinas behavior, on the other hand, is seen by several stakeholders in the South China Sea as aggressive and not helpful to the COC negotiating process.

Huynh Tam Sang, a lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Vietnam, said a major obstacle in the negotiation is Chinas maritime aggression.

As the U.S. has been more determined to boost its engagement in the South China Sea under the motto of freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs), China has at the same time stepped up its military exercises in the contested sea, he said.

In essence, China wants the COC to be built upon the PRCs interests rather than those of ASEAN states, Sang told RFA, using Chinas official name - the Peoples Republic of China.

Yet the analyst argued that as the role of ASEAN has increased in the eyes of great powers like the U.S., Japan, Australia and India, the determination of middle powers like Vietnam and the Philippines will likely increase and make the conclusion of the COC within this year unlikely.

This report was produced in collaboration with Radio Free Asia.
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An arrest of two Massachusetts men for a kidnapping resulted in the seizure of about 8 grams of suspected fentanyl, 20 blue pills suspected to be fentanyl and 31 grams of suspected cocaine, in Bennington on Tuesday. Police also located a black and silver Ruger LCP .380-caliber handgun, with ammo.
PITTSFIELD  City officials are welcoming influencers and bloggers to local attractions in an attempt to market and anchor Pittsfield in the region as a destination for millennial tourists.

And those efforts are beginning to pay off.

Jen Glockner, the citys director of cultural development, told the City Council on Tuesday that in the first two months since Pittsfield hired a PR firm and launched a targeted marketing campaign, the city has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Forbes and Vogue, among other outlets. She said these articles and content from influencers who visited the city have received an estimated 4.2 million views.

Mayor Linda Tyer allocated $510,000 of the citys nearly $41 million in American Rescue Plan money at the start of this year to a marketing campaign aimed at rebuilding Pittsfields travel, tourism and hospitality economy-post pandemic."

This particular portion of the citys marketing efforts is budgeted to use between $300,000 and $350,000 of that ARPA money  about 40 percent of which has been spent so far.

The campaign kicked off when the city hired Roger Matus, a local marketing consultant who led the citys Love Pittsfield campaign to answer the question: How could public relations and media be used to improve the economy in the city?

Matus told councilors that as he set out to study Pittsfields tourist base and found that the demographic of visitors changed dramatically between 2013 and 2021.

In a presentation to the council, he said that today, 65 percent of city visitors are between the ages of 18 and 44. And the city is already well-stocked in the things that millennial visitors are looking for.

They want a daytime of active outdoors and scenic beauty and a nighttime of music especially, shows, craft food, craft drinks and craft beer," Matus said.

The trick of this PR campaign, Matus said, is to meet millennials where they naturally seek out travel information: Google, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. To this end, the city hired San Francisco-based PR firm Bospar.

The firm was selected after a request for proposal process, and began working with Pittsfield on May 1.

Between July and August, Bospar set up 10 trips with influencers to experience Pittsfield. Another four trips are set up through the end of the year.

We inform [the influencers] that Pittsfield is the premier destination for the Berkshires, daytime and evening, Matus said. We have what are called FAM trips  that's familiarization trips  and we hook them up with local experts, we give them an opportunity to see what the city has.

The next step in the campaign: repeat.

What we have to do is create a regular cadence of coverage, Matus said. The more that happens, the more top of mind [Pittsfield is]. It builds on [itself], and influencers look at other influencers and they start to see, 'Hey, there's something going on here.' 
PITTSFIELD  Susan Birns was working on her thesis about domestic violence, interviewing survivors. That was about when her 12-year-old daughter, Sylvia, asked her for practical advice.

Mom, how do I guarantee I dont get into a violent relationship? recalled Birns.

Quote In the past year, a hotline run by the Elizabeth Freeman Center has been getting 77 percent more calls about domestic and sexual violence than before the pandemic.

Birns, a board member of the Elizabeth Freeman Center, which provides help to people facing domestic violence, told her daughter there was no sure way to avoid a violent relationship. But she said it is important to watch for signs of control, such as attempts to isolate her. If so, a person should end the relationship as soon as those red flags appear.

Beyond the individual, one approach to reduce domestic violence is to educate the community, Birns believes.

The first person that somebody discloses [their domestic violence story] to can have a huge impact on whether or not [the victim] keeps talking about it, she said. Believing the victim and offering support are keys.

In the past year, a hotline run by the Freeman center has been getting 77 percent more calls about domestic and sexual violence than before the pandemic. Just a few months ago, Jillian Tatro, a North Adams resident, was killed by her husband.

Thats why, starting in October, a One Book, One Community project will bring the issue of gender-based violence to reading groups around Berkshire County.

The project is led by the Berkshire Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force, sponsored by the Berkshire District Attorneys Office. (Editors note: An earlier version of this story misidentified the sponsoring group.)

The topic will be explored through Tanya Selvaratnams book Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence.

In 2018, Selvaratnam came forward, along with other women, to tell Jane Mayer and Ronan Farrow of the New Yorker magazine about physical and psychological abuse experienced with Eric Schneiderman. Schneiderman was then New York States Attorney General and had become an outspoken advocate of the #MeToo movement, suing Harvey Weinsteins company.

Last year she published a memoir recalling her experience. By discussing Selvaratnams book, organizers want to show domestic abuse can be committed by anyone. Schneiderman was educated, financially independent and had a successful career.

It also shows abuse can be perpetrated by supposed allies. One of the realities is that a lot of [abusers] have Jekyll and Hyde personalities. Like Eric Schneiderman, theyre horrible in their intimate relationship, but they look like the life of the party to the rest of the world, said Birns.

About two dozen reading groups have formed and the easiest ones to join are attached to libraries. The Becket, North Adams, Sheffield, North Adams, Pittsfield, and Lenox libraries each have a group.

Birns said there is still time to form a group, as the discussions will take place between October, the National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and April. The center will provide a facilitator and a list of discussion questions. If buying the book is an issue for its members, the center can provide the book. On April 13, Selvaratnam will meet the readers through a Zoom seminar.

The goal is to create an environment where speaking out is easier.

We want survivors to know that were out here and we care and its safe to come forward, said Birns, who serves on the executive committee of the Berkshire Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force.

We certainly want them to know about the Freeman center, whose services are free and confidential. We want abusers to know that the community doesnt welcome that kind of behavior, that we want to be a zero tolerance community, she said.
Letter: While democracy struggles at national level, it remains healthy at the local level in New Marlborough
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Tuesday that the city is challenging the 2020 U.S. Census results.
Many Christians look forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ back to earth, where He is expected to rule for 1,000 years. As it draws near to the end of the ages, the church continues to live in great expectation and anticipation of the soon-coming King, who is Israels Messiah and the Savior of the Gentile race.

The second coming of Jesus and the churchs rapture are separate events; we should not confuse one with the other. Many Bible scholars say the rapture will happen before the great tribulation, and Christ will remove His church to protect His people from the evil unleashed on the earth during the Antichrists reign. Other Christians believe that the tribulation will take place before the rapture. These two events are expected to occur before the second coming of Christ. The masters second coming will happen seven years after the tribulation period. The prophet Daniel in the Old Testament had a peek into the future when he saw a little of what will happen just before the 1,000-year reign of Christ (Daniel 12:1-3).

The Lord Jesus second coming will be to rule, bind Satan for 1,000 years, and defeat the Antichrist by throwing him into the lake of fire. Pastor David Jeremiah states the following differences between the rapture and Jesus second coming:

At the rapture, Jesus will return for His saints. At the second coming, He will return with his saints. At the rapture, Jesus will not descend to earth. At the second coming, He will descend to the Mount of Olives as a prelude to His earthly reign. At the rapture, Jesus will bring a blessing to His saints. At the second coming, Jesus will bring judgment to those who have rejected Him. The rapture could occur at any moment. The second coming will occur seven years later.

During the millennium, Jesus will reign and rule for 1,000 years on earth after His second coming, and Satan will have no say whatsoever in anything about activities in the world. There will be a new heaven and earth, and people will live in peace and harmony. The new heaven and earth God will give us will be known as the New Jerusalem. Everyone in the New Jerusalem will live and reign with Christ (Revelation 20:4). The 1,000-year reign with Christ will be a joyous time for the saints.

Why Did Jesus Say the Kingdom of God Had Come?

Jesus declared the kingdom of God had come because He was trying to let the people know that the Lord God was ruling in their midst. Many Jews in those days were expecting and eager to see the kingdom established through violence and bloodshed. They were looking for a king who would come and defeat the Romans once and for all. However, they did not realize that the real King was already in their midst because He was teaching and preaching it to them. Jesus was carrying the Kingdom of God in His heart. Everywhere He went, He shared it with those He came into contact with.

The mighty acts that Jesus did were also living testimonies that the kingdom of God was in operation in the midst of the people. As Jesus walked among the Jews, apart from teaching and preaching about the kingdom of God to the people, He conducted many healings, signs, wonders, and miracles. Many people that saw the miracles of Jesus were amazed. One day while out in the boat with His disciples, a frightening storm arose so that all the disciples were sore afraid. The disciples feared for their lives and woke Jesus, who was asleep. When Jesus awoke, He rebuked the storm and the waves. Immediately, the storm calmed. The disciples in the boat saw what He did and said, what kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him! (Matthew 8:27 NIV). The Lords mighty acts that He did while physically here on earth were all proof that the kingdom of God had come to a dark and dying world. (Acts 2:22) (1 Corinthians 4:20).

Did Jesus Know When the Second Coming Would Arrive?

When the disciples asked about the end of the age, Jesus replied that no one except God the Father knew its day or hour (Matthew 24:36). When Jesus described the end of the age, he included details that many scholars identify as the rapture: two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left (Matthew 24:40). If the rapture comes before the second coming, and only God the Father knows when it will happen, we can assume that Jesus does not know when the rapture or second coming will occur. Only God the Father knows of such matters. In due course, He will pass on this information to His Son.

Do We Know When the Second Coming Will Take Place?

As stated earlier in the text, no one except God the Father knows when the second coming of Christ will happen. We are given hints in the Scriptures concerning this great future event, but no definite date. We remain in the unknown concerning these two great events.

How Can We Prepare For the Second Coming of Jesus?

We can prepare for the second coming of the Lord by doing the following:

1. By drawing closer to the Lord

Spending quality time with God in prayer and fellowship with the Lord is one of the greatest ways we can prepare for the Lords second coming. Prayer will bring us into a close relationship with our Creator and create a desire to stay close to Him. If we remain close to the Lord, the second coming will not catch us unaware or unprepared.

2. By reading the Scriptures

Each time we read the Word of God, we are drawn closer to the Lord because of the power residing in the Scriptures. In addition, as we read the Word of God, we will receive directions about how we can live right and prepare for His second coming.

3. By living holy

Living a life of holiness will please the Lord. Without holiness being evident in our lives, we will not be prepared for the Lords second arrival. Holiness must become a lifestyle for us to live out in our everyday lives if we are to live and reign with Christ.

4. By keeping our focus on the Lord

Our focus must be on the Lord if we want to remain on high alert for the coming of the risen Savior. The devil intends to cause us to lose focus so that we become too busy, confused, discouraged, and even go off course. If the devil can cause those bad things to happen to us, he stands a good chance of causing us to miss out on Christs second coming. We will be so busy trying to find happiness in our own strength that we wont depend on the Lord to help us. We can easily lose our zeal to continue serving the Lord  which will ultimately cause us to miss out on the Lords second return.

5. By loving and forgiving each other

The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8) and that God the Father will not forgive us if we dont forgive others (Matthew 6:15). If we cannot love and forgive each other, we are in big trouble with God and cannot be a part of the 1,000-year reign with Christ. Love is the ingredient that keeps us together. Without it, we will become cold towards one another, quarrelsome, and unforgiving.

As the clock continues ticking and we draw closer to the end of the age, we should live in holy readiness, knowing that the coming of the Lord is near.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/grace21

Lancelot Tucker is a book author and freelance writer who writes on a vast amount of topics. In addition, he serves as an associate pastor in his hometown, Spanish Town. Lancelot loves to do research and write, and is an avid reader of other authors' works. When not writing or reading, he spends his time reaching out to the less fortunate residing in his community.

This article is part of our larger End Times Resource Library. Learn more about the rapture, the anti-christ, bible prophecy and the tribulation with articles that explain Biblical truths. You do not need to fear or worry about the future!

Seven Churches of Revelation

Antichrist

Seven Trumpets

New Heaven and New Earth

Who Are the 144,000?

Listen to our podcast, The Bible Never Said That. All of our episodes are available at LifeAudio.com.








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.

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Following the actions of some local journalists at the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, which is of huge public interest, the trial proceedings will not be broadcast live.

The Citizen Source:  The Citizen The hounding of a state witness by three media houses has led to the baning of the live broadcasting of the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

This follows three media houses, SABC, eNCA and Newzroom Afrika pursuing and trying to corner state witness, Tumela Madlala as he came into court.

Eyewitness News (EWN) reports that the journalists have been banned from court.

The presiding judge in the Pretoria High Court has lambasted a group of journalists at the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial for attempting to interview a State witness before court proceedings started, says EWN.

The article quotes that Judge Maumela ruled that the behaviour of the journalists could not go without consequence.

"The media has to toe the line and it has to toe a line it knows already, there's nothing new here, this is not the first time to plead in the court and those misdemeanours are committed from a situation of knowing very well what the rules are," says Maumela.

He adds that the media should not be above the law and especially if it affects people coming to give testimony.

Media houses apologise

State advocate, George Baloyi, told the court that the incident had left Madlala petrified and unsettled.

"Intrusive and overbearing conduct by members of media against witnesses is a cause for serious concern, my lord," Baloyi says.

He adds: While we support the coverage from the media, events from this morning are unacceptable."

According to the The Citizen Baloyi says that the three media houses have apologised for their reprehensible behaviour.

Journalists not above the law

In reaction to the incident, the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has reiterated that journalists are not above the law and are also not beyond criticism.

The journalists overstepped the line and as such, we appreciate the apologies from the media houses involved. We also commend the journalists involved for apologising and recognising the error of their ways, says Sanef in a media statement.

While it says that the actions of the journalists were uncalled for, it adds that the immediate reaction to ban them from the court proceedings is unfortunate as it means that most television viewers privilege of watching the live proceedings was taken away from them.

A duty to care

Our newsrooms must always be reminded that they have a duty to care about how they treat stories and the subjects of their reporting, says Sanef.

The Forum encourages journalists to familiarise themselves with court proceedings and how to behave when it comes to witnesses - more importantly, the implications of their behaviour.

Sanef has put together an exhaustive court manual that is meant to assist editors, news editors, and ultimately, journalists who cover court matters, it adds.

The journalists overstepped the line and as such, we appreciate the apologies from the media houses involved. We also commend the journalists involved for apologising and recognising the error of their ways.
As part of its long-term leadership transition plan, KWV has announced the creation of a COO role, appointing John Loomes to this position. The present CEO, Boyce Lloyd, will exit his role early 2024, whereafter Loomes will take over as CEO and the COO role will fall away.

John Loomes, KWV COO

Lloyd became KWVs first CEO under the new ownership of Vasari in 2016, shortly before the companys centennial celebrations in 2018. During his tenure, his pacesetting leadership style helped KWV grow its global footprint while also enjoying international acclaim for its wine and spirits. The company also step-changed its brand offering and focus at home, a strategic focus which Loomes will maintain. Boyce has done a fantastic job as CEO and Im honoured to learn from him as I prepare to take on this role in due course, said a motivated Loomes.

Loomes previously served on the companys executive, where he led the South African business across all commercial functions. John has 25 years of experience and knowledge from various positions in FMCG, spirits, drinks and alcoholic beverage companies which has provided him with a deep understanding of the drivers needed to keep KWV on the right track and to take advantage of existing and new opportunities, said Lloyd.

Loomes looming CEO role comes at an interesting time for the industry. While there is reawakening following the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions the lockdowns imposed, the industry is facing major new challenges that are impacting input costs  this in an already competitive and pressured market. Navigating logistical and supply chain issues, dwindling stocks of locally made glass and power outages are some of the major drivers impacting suppliers, retailers and consumers. Addressing these will be one of the first balancing acts for Loomes in the CEO seat. Undeterred, Loomes revealed that they have already mapped a plan to navigate these challenges, noting the strength in KWVs multifaceted approach to the market. A key focus will be to secure consumers from new markets that the company has traditionally not been very strong in, as well as keeping cost impacts as low as possible, added Loomes.

Winning at home will remain one of our strategies and our approach will be to use appropriate brands to light little fires or pockets of interest in new markets. While KWV can be viewed as a traditionalist brand, there is also a lot of trust in the brand and many of KWVs new innovations are proving extremely successful. KWV represents quality and innovation, and these are attributes we can trade on, said Loomes.

While the industry still awaits calmer seas, Loomes visionary leadership style will provide this award-winning company with a strong compass: I value transparency, honesty and accountability. I believe in the vision for the company, which is to remain a company that is consumer and customer focused with brands they can trust, and I hope to be held accountable to that.




Employee branding is a critical component of the customer experience. When employees are treated fairly and feel empowered, they deliver better experiences for customers.

Source:  Vadim Guzhva 123rf Employee branding is a critical component of the customer experience

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the business landscape forever. Employees are rethinking what they want from work and customers now expect more from brands than ever before.

Brand trust has moved to the fore. Customers and employees expect brands to not only live their brand purpose but to demonstrate honesty, integrity and transparency by securing customer and employee data, respecting personal information privacy, and consistently delivering value and better customer experiences.

This is supported by the Adobe 2022 Trust Report which found that 75% of global leaders say that since the onset of the pandemic, it is harder to build and maintain trust with their customers.

The report further states that taking care of employees earns trust across the board. Although there are several factors involved in building and maintaining trust, the findings from the report confirm that employee well-being is a key factor contributing to trust and the customer experience.

Employees as brand ambassadors

In the eyes of your customers, your employees are often the face of your organisation. They answer calls, respond to queries, send content, and are trusted to deliver a consistent customer experience across all interactions.

It is for this reason that Gartner* cites that employees are the most trusted spokespeople for organisations and, with more platforms available to share their message, they have the power to be a companys best supporters or its worst detractors.

Employees need to be prioritised as a key audience that experiences the brand daily, witnessing the company living its brand values and brand purpose from the inside out.

To achieve this, employers must treat employees with honesty and empathy to build trust and improve the employee experience; this includes treating employees personal information with respect.

When employees feel respected and empowered, they are more likely to go the extra mile and engage with customers authentically and contribute to a consistent brand experience across all customer touchpoints.

Fair treatment of employees is not enough, and employees also need to be equipped with tools and easy-to-use tools and technology solutions that simplify their lives.

Gartner supports this, identifying that these experiences should be balanced by providing employees with autonomy to use their authentic voice within specific brand guidelines.

The personal touch

Companies have been collecting customer data for several years and now customers believe that these companies know enough about them to add value to the experience. According to Adobe, personal experiences are a trust multiplier with trust increasing with good personalisation and decreasing with bad personalisation.

With personalised content inspiring trust amongst consumers, it is important that employees have easy access to the right content to empower them to provide personalised content in all customer interactions.

This is further supported by the fact that 71% of consumers say that relevant content delivered at the right time and place boosts their trust.

The lack of employee empowerment is a root cause of bad employee engagement.

Employee experiences are improved when employees have access to easy-to-use tools and technologies that simplify their lives and provide the information they need to be able to work effectively and make decisions.

This improves job satisfaction levels and customer experiences.

Improving productivity improves experiences

According to Gartner, employees are aware of the link between their experience and those of their customers.

Nearly two-thirds of employees cite unnecessary effort hampering their company from consistently excelling in customer experience.

However, while companies often strive to improve efficiencies by implementing technologies to help employees with workloads, these technologies are introduced in an already complex environment, adding to employee frustration and stress.

This is supported by the Gartner Digital Friction Survey 2020. It states that two out of three employees reported that they need to exert too much effort to use the technology their company provides, wasting more than five hours per week to be able to perform their job function.

To overcome this, Forrester Research suggests automating mundane tasks for employees with easy-to-use tools and technologies.

This will allow employees to focus on higher-value strategic work which improves the overall employee experience. Engaged employees are the key to creating memorable customer experiences.

However, to achieve engaged employees, companies need to focus on employee branding, reinforcing the brand values in every employee engagement and, in turn, empowering employees to deliver on-brand experiences in every customer interaction.

Providing employees with easy-to-use tools enables them to access the right content at the right time and streamline processes.

It simplifes employees lives and enables them to add strategic value to the organisation rather than searching for content and learning how to use new technologies in an already complex technology environment.

Companies that create positive employee experiences result in positive customer experiences delivered consistently to build trust.
There is much to look forward to this summer. This is the first time in over two years that we can return to our familiar ways of celebrating the warm months and festive season. In the time since lockdown officially ended and people removed their masks, an undercurrent of relief and bonhomie has lingered within our society. We are offering one another more smiles, dusting off the asocial cobwebs and basking in group gatherings once again.

The effects of remote working remain. Many South African businesses have embraced a hybrid way of working, giving employees the option to manage their work hours between home and the office. But as more businesses are nudging staff to return to the office, so the need to focus on company culture and reignite affable relationships amongst colleagues has become more important than ever.

Many companies are relying on their year-end functions to rally their teams and take one more step toward the old normal of in-person socialising and working together. The traditional end-of-year bash will not only mark the end of a hard-fought year but remind colleagues that conversations and relationship building come more naturally when done face to face and with a drink in hand. It is these kinds of relationships that lead to effective teamwork, knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Thirst can make the perfect end-of-year soiree a reality for you and your team. With over 20 years experience, they have become South Africas number one choice for mobile bars and eventing of any scale. Their service operates in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, where they have added atmosphere and elegance to weddings, parties, and corporate functions.

Whether your company is looking to host an intimate gathering on the buildings rooftop or a more elaborate event, Thirsts variety of mobile bar designs and skilled bartenders are guaranteed to add a touch of sparkle to the occasion. They can provide the perfect ingredient for the perfect outcome, which will remind your team that some things  like celebrating  are best done in person.

Contact Thirst to find out how they can make your end-of-year event the team function you need.




New KZN addition marks 7th store in the province

As part of ongoing expansion plans, Tiger Wheel & Tyre, a division of TiAuto Investments, is pleased to announce the opening of its newest store on the east coast.

Our goal is to provide our customers with not only vehicle fitment expertise and value for money, but convenience and ease of access too, said Farishta Singh  group marketing executive at TiAuto Investments.

Adding, Its been 13 years since we opened our last store in KZN, and over the years, we have continued to receive such warm praise and loyalty from residents. And, with 2022 marking the 55th anniversary of Tiger Wheel & Tyre, it just felt like the right time to accelerate our expanding presence in the province.

Newly appointed store manager Mohammed Sayed has been with the group for over a decade and brings with him a breadth of industry expertise and Tiger Wheel & Tyre brand savvy. Having swiftly worked his way through the ranks, Sayed proved to excel in ways of sales, management, leadership and customer service, significantly improving store performance and team morale at multiple locations.

We are very excited to be handing the reigns of this new store to Mohammed, who has over the years earned his place within the business. His eagerness to do and constantly educate himself has certainly rubbed off on the team surrounding him. Customers can trust that the La Lucia fitment centre will continue to bring them the same outstanding service that theyve come to know and rely on, as reflected in our brand values, continued Singh.

Tiger Wheel & Tyre are committed to providing consumers with expert advice, superior fitment services and quality products for every budget from leading brands in wheels, tyres and batteries.

For current promotions, visit Tiger Wheel & Tyre La Lucia at 47 Armstrong Avenue, La Lucia, Umhlanga or call them on 031 562 9143. For more information visit www.twt.to or follow @TigerWheelnTyre on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.




Proctoring software monitors a student's computer or phone while they write exams. These programs have been around for some time but became ubiquitous during online learning in the pandemic.

Image source: Kampus Production from Pexels

Proctoria, Respondus and Proctor U, the most popular programs, have enjoyed a 500% increase in usage since the start of Covid-19 and proctoring software is now a US$19 billion global market.

Some proctoring programs work by checking that the student has only the test software and no other programs open; others monitor keystrokes. Some use the computers camera or cellphone audio to check that the student is working alone. A number of South African universities have taken up cellphone monitoring programs.

But this software is not innocuous.

I argue in a recent article that the uptake of proctoring software is a symptom of a much larger problem.

Universities have neglected their educational responsibilities in service of a neoliberal ideology. This positions students as customers and higher education as a business. Its a problem because when universities become businesses selling qualifications, it narrows their potential to be places where students enjoy transformative relationships with knowledge, and where knowledge is created to serve people and the planet.

The ability to memorise information and regurgitate it within a short time limit is required in only a small handful of situations. What most students need is to understand how knowledge is made in their field of study, what contributions that field makes to society, and how they can source and evaluate information to answer questions and resolve problems. They need to learn how to be ethical, critical citizens.

Assessment directed towards such ends looks very different from current practices, which are obsessed with both memorisation and cheating.

Whats wrong with proctoring

Proctoring raises three issues of concern: privacy, racism and ableism.

Privacy: Those selling the software insist that students give consent to its use. But if students dont, they are excluded from the exam. Universities have ethics committees to make sure their researchers dont use such coercive tactics and yet they use them on students. Researchers have to ensure that potential participants fully understand a studys potential risks and benefits before they can offer informed consent.

The invasiveness of the software is well documented and many scholars have said it has most of the characteristics of illegal spyware.

Allowing a stranger to listen in on a students family home as they write a test is surely an indication that its the wrong way of doing assessment.

Racism of facial recognition software: Whether it is the photo tagging suggestions of social media, border security systems, or proctoring software, facial recognition remains poor at recognising people with darker skin. The artificial intelligence that compares the face on the student card to the person in front of the computer camera is far more likely to flag a suspicion if that student is black than if they are white.

Ableism of facial recognition: Anyone with a body shape that does not meet the programs expectations can find themselves flagged as suspicious. This includes the tics and stimming of people with Tourettes syndrome, cerebral palsy, Huntingtons syndrome and autism.

Many American universities have now opted out of proctoring software in response to protests by academics and students.

But opting out attends to the symptom  universities spying on their students  and not to the causes of such activities.

Neoliberal ideology

The underlying cause is that many universities around the world have taken on a neoliberal ideology, whereby the worth of any person, object, creature or activity is thought to be measurable in terms of its contribution to the economy.

A neoliberal university believes, firstly, that it is a business in the knowledge market. In commercialising education, universities increasingly outsource educational activities  such as monitoring examinations using proctoring software.

When Ian Linkletter, an educational technologist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, tweeted criticisms of the proctoring software used in his university, he was sued by the company. The market cannot allow the critical engagement that should be at the heart of a university.

Secondly, the neoliberal university treats the student as a customer. In a world where knowledge is packaged and sold as a commodity, software companies convince universities that their product, the qualifications they award, can be devalued if they are not policed.

In such an understanding of the university, proctoring software makes sense.

It should come as no surprise that students are quickly learning to game the system. The internet is replete with tips on how to confuse the software and get assistance online even while the software is running.

The third characteristic of neoliberal ideology is that power is accorded along lines of wealth. This characteristic is also in evidence in most universities worldwide. The university, as a relatively wealthy institution, has the power to implement invasive technology without much challenge. The average student must simply comply.

Universities for the common good

It becomes impossible to implement proctoring software if the conception of the university is that it is a social structure that contributes powerful, principled knowledge in service of people and the planet.

Such a social structure would need to expend significant energy in inducting students into their role as knowledge creators and encouraging them to take on this identity responsibly. This would require shifts in how academics interact with students and articulate the purpose of a higher education to students and the public. It would also require a rethink of the form and function of assessment.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Ronald Lamola, says that work on a multi-disciplinary anti-corruption agency is progressing in order to ensure that the looting and corruption that took place during the execution of the State Capture project is not ever repeated.

Image source: Andriy Popov  123RF.com

Lamola was speaking at the RMB Morgan Stanley Big Five Investor Conference held in Cape Town on Tuesday, 13 September 2022.

The...critical work...is ensuring that the current investigative framework evolves into a multi-disciplinary anti-corruption law enforcement agency. By multi-disciplinary agency, we are referring to an agency which has the intelligence capacity, forensic depth, digital forensic capabilities and highly skilled prosecutors.

A number of these skills sit in the private sector, especially forensic accountants, digital forensic skills, etc. At this point in time, the state cannot compete with the financial incentives that private sector provides for such skills, he said.

Lamola added that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is also being strengthened to deal specifically with matters of ethics.

We are establishing an Office for Ethics and Accountability for the NPA to detect and address any future unethical behaviour. After considering the necessary draft legislation, we should be able to establish this office by the end of this financial year.

We are also in the process of putting in place all the necessary measures to ensure that the [NPAs] investigative directorate becomes a permanent feature of our anti-corruption law enforcement framework, he said.

The Minister said it is critical that accountability and justice become the norm and not the exception.

The biggest crime deterrent is that whoever commits crime should be aware that the chances of he/she is being arrested, prosecuted and convicted are very high. This is an environment the criminal justice cluster is working to create. Without the rule of law, our democracy will be derailed and ultimately irretrievably deferred.

There are a number of areas in which progress has been made from the establishment of special commercial crime courts in all our provinces, to the ever-increasing number of civil recoveries in special tribunal of special investigating unit amounting to billions of Rands recovered through our Asset Forfeiture Unit in criminal matters, he said.

Lamola emphasised that government is committed to ensuring that the NPA does its work independent of any influence and that the Constitution guarantees the NPAs prosecutorial autonomy.

Weve been very clear that the NPA must do their work without any fear or favour and that there will be no political interference from myself or the President. Section 32 (1) (b) [says]...no organ of state and no member or employee of an organ of state nor any other person shall improperly interfere with, hinder or obstruct the prosecuting authority or any member thereof in the exercise, carrying out or performance of its, his or her powers, duties and functions.

Section 41 (1) [says]...any person who contravenes the provisions of section 32 (1) (b) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

All [of] this progress is crucial to safeguard our democracy, he said.
The world around us is constantly changing. Business requirements are changing too, and chances are great that organisations now require a wider variety of communication needs for a workforce made up of various generations, situations and destinations - each preferring a different medium of communication. Voice alone, be it fixed, mobile or a combination of fixed and mobile, will no longer cut it.

In addition, and even more important than how employees in the organisation connect with each other, is how the outside world seeks to interact with the organisation. External stakeholders interface differently, with different departments and internal stakeholders, so it would make sense that the business communication needs are determined more broadly by a team of subject matter experts that understand each stakeholder.

The role of business communication management, therefore, in this digital age, must strategically include the CIO, customer service, sales and marketing and a person charged with communication. The collaborative role of the business communication management team has become a strategic one that directly contributes to sustainability and profitability of the organisation.

It entails finding and implementing a solution that replaces legacy systems with something that does it all in terms of meeting every communication need, internal and external to the organisation in the most cost effective way possible. Furthermore, the selected solution should help improve efficiencies, encourage collaborative teamwork and introduce a level of flexibility that makes the organisation attractive from a talent attraction and retention perspective.

In order to embark on this journey of digital transformation, the team needs to be in touch with all the latest developments in business telecommunication technology and even the decision to leave their legacy telephony system behind has already been made, with so much out there to digitally transform to, it can all be pretty daunting. To help you with your decision, we have put together this Unified Communications White Paper, which addresses the following:

Evolution of the role charged with managing business communications

Unified Communications market overview in South Africa

Benefits of UCaaS

Building your strategy for enterprise UC

Top UC features to look for

Conclusion

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South Africa's largest property owner Growthpoint Properties said on Wednesday, 14 September, its full-year distributable income rose by 5.1%, on lower vacancies and rental discounts.

Waterfront district in Cape Town. 2021. Source: Reuters/Mike Hutchings

Growthpoint said its distributable income per share, the primary measure of underlying financial performance in the listed property sector, rose to 155.6 cents in the year ended June from 148.1 cents a year earlier.

However, the co-owner of the upmarket V&A Waterfront development, which is home to several corporate head offices, hotels, shops and restaurants, said its revenue fell by 0.6% to R13bn as a result of 37 property sales.

Growthpoint, with a portfolio of 408 properties in South Africa, said the vacancy rate in retail had fallen to 5.5% from 6.2%, while in industrial it fell to 5.7% from 9.4%, but the rate increased in office to 20.7% from 19.9% due to remote working.

Office sector oversupplied

"The office sector remains oversupplied, but until the South African economy enters a growth phase, conditions will remain challenging for businesses and consequently the office sector," Growthpoint said.

Growthpoint, which also owns a 62.2% stake in Growthpoint Properties Australia and a 60.8% interest in UK's Capital & Regional Plc, also said the local retail sector was largely back to pre-Covid levels, and although consumers remain under financial pressure, it anticipated modest growth from it.
Mushroom farming, often shied away from by many established and aspirant farmers has been identified as one agricultural sector that has the potential to stimulate equitable and inclusive growth, while boosting SA's economic recovery plan.

According to the South African Farmers Association, South Africa produces about 21 000 tonnes of mushrooms per year, and these are exported mostly to neighbouring countries, including Namibia and Mauritius.

However, the mushroom industry does not have many players because most people, including farmers, are reluctant to venture into mushroom farming due to a lack of information on access to the market.

To encourage farmers and small businesses to venture into the market, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) hosted a masterclass webinar on mushroom farming as a business model.

The webinar, held on Tuesday, aimed to educate the public on mushroom farming and outline the processes involved in starting up a mushroom farming business.

Managing director of Tropical Mushrooms, Peter Nyathi; managing director and owner of Mushroom Guru, Craig Fourie and private consultant, Dr Susan Koch, led the webinar and shared their own journey in the mushroom market and economic opportunities available in the industry, and encouraged the public to look into mushroom farming as a business model.

Nyathi, whose Tropical Mushroom farm, which is situated in Magalies and been operational for the past 22 years, admitted that the entry-level (capital expenses), and technical knowledge is a big limiting factors.

"Unlike overseas, here we have to be knowledgeable to make our own growing medium and you have to also have the knowledge to grow mushrooms.

"It also requires you to have enough capital to build the two separate entities [manufacturing and agriculture], and that creates a barrier for many people to enter.

"Overseas, they have big companies that make the growing medium and everyone else would buy from them and grow mushrooms. Its a bit easier and very effective, in terms of the quality of your growing medium because they [invest] a lot of money [in it].

"[In South Africa], individually, we dont have enough capital and the industry has a lot of instability in terms of production consistency, due to that, Nyathi said.

However, Nyathi believes that this can be changed.

"It needs someone, somewhere to have capital to be able to break it (sic)."

Nyathi said the market itself is fairly open, except when one needs to participate in the chain supermarket, where one must have the necessary quality, which is compulsory because it needs to meet the quality standard for food.

Opening up the market

Through funding from the Department of Agriculture and Land Reform Rural Development (DALRRD), in 2005, Nyathi was able to open an employee trust, funded through a grant from the Department of Agricultures Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development.

Qualifying employees received their grants, and the trust received an 18% shareholding in the company. In 2013, Nyathi applied for another grant and increased the shareholding to 35%.

Nyathi has also received funding support from one of the countrys leading banking institutions.

"That is something I feel personally quite happy about, that one would work and do something together with people you work with, because our staff is around 175, and one individual cannot take [it all].

"To me, its part of my contribution to society that if its possible, you involve as many people as possible to improve their business knowledge," Nyathi said.

Fourie advised anyone who wants to go into mushroom farming to decide which mushroom they plan on growing - whether exotic or medicinal mushrooms.

Fouries business, The Mushroom Guru, runs workshops and trains people how to pack their own mushroom bags. Since 2014, over 750 people have been trained to cultivate mushrooms and source their own material, amongst others.

"The idea is to train as many people as we can to cultivate mushrooms so that they address food security," Fourie said.

He said when he started his mushroom business 28 years ago, he used his logical skills gained through mechanical engineering, which helped him in making various items and machinery that he used in the industry.

For people entering the industry that dont have the skills, it would be a little difficult to make certain things because not all the machinery is going to be available, Fourie said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the investment commitment by both Ford and Metair Investments reflects long-term confidence in South Africa as a key link in the global automotive value chain.

On Tuesday, President Ramaphosa officiated the launch of the Metair Investments subsidiary Hesto Harnesses, where a new 35,000sqm2 state-of-the-art manufacturing plant was unveiled in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal.

In partnership with Yazaki Corporation, Hesto Harnesses manufactures wiring harnesses and instrument clusters for supply to South African-based automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) Toyota, Isuzu, Nissan and Ford.

The president was very impressed at the grand opening of Metairs R500m manufacturing facility for automotive sector parts.

Ive never been as impressed as I am this morning by just walking on the floor of this factory and seeing the great enthusiasm on the faces of the workers. I saw not only enthusiastic faces and people, 70% of them women, all of them so beautiful.

The youthfulness of the people who work here and the cohesion. Just meeting the people here made my day. This has been a great exposure what Hesto does and exhibition of what we have achieved here, the President said.

The President said that the reindustrialisation of South Africas economy is a key pillar of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Programme.

He said that government has developed several industrial policy measures and is implementing far-reaching reforms to unlock growth opportunities in priority industries.

These include the automotive industry and extend to areas such as clothing and textiles, chemicals and plastics, steel and metals fabrication, green industries, the digital economy and network industries like energy and transport.

Localisation

Speaking on the concept of localisation, President Ramaphosa said that government will continue to drive increased localisation as the domestic sector moves into electric and other new energy vehicle assembly platforms.

Wherever we go as we push forward with the concept of localisation, we are finding that industry players are responding quite positively to it and I would like to thank you for having responded positively to localisation, I have seen the localisation effort at play here.

I was also impressed to hear how much localisation you have paid attention to, by getting certain percentage of workers from around the factory, which makes various communities to feel as one with the companies. As we move forward with our localisation efforts into various other platforms, we are moving forward with the objective that we have set ourselves, the president said.

He added that he understood that Metair is both supplier and a business partner to the vehicle assemblers and that the company has been a driving force in achieving localisation targets.

Through these efforts, he said the company has secured multiple contracts from Ford South Africa to support their production expansion strategy in South Africa.

The President emphasised that the automotive sector in South Africa is one of the biggest beneficiaries of foreign direct investment in the country.

Despite all the challenges, 2021 was a significant year for automotive investments.

We need to work together to unlock new business opportunities, transformation and employment creation in South Africas component manufacturing landscape, just as we need to promote new investments in technology and skills. That is why the localisation rate in the Automotive Production Development Plan is targeted at 60% by 2035, he said.

The president reiterated that South Africa remains one of the preferred investment destinations in Africa and is an important gateway for markets and other business opportunities throughout the continent.

He said that the African Continental Free Trade Area will further open opportunities for the development of export markets, the growth of industrial bases and the expansion of regional value chains.

The South African economy has the potential to achieve a higher growth trajectory through unlocking competitive advantages in key sectors of the economy. As government, our role is to create an enabling environment for businesses such as this one to flourish. We are hard at work to implement institutional and governance reforms to support a sustained recovery in business and investor confidence, he said.

Job creation

The president has reiterated that unemployment remains one of the greatest challenges affecting the livelihoods of individuals, the well-being of families and the development of society.

It is therefore significant and most welcome that this facility will create over 4,000 employment opportunities, which will translate into a R30m monthly spend on salaries and wages being injected into the iLembe District, the President said.

He said that the benefits of this investment will also be felt by maintenance, catering and other service providers that will be contracted to support these operations.

Skills development

The President highlighted the strong skills development mandate that is being implemented across the Metair stable, including a new multi-million rand bursary and apprentice training programme.

It is pleasing that there is a strong focus on female candidates, as is the fact that Hesto Harnesses is predominantly a female-driven operation with 70% of employees being female, he said.

President Ramaphosa commended Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ibrahim Patel, KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, the Mayors of Illembe and KwaDukuza and iNkosi uDube and their teams for their contribution in making the project come to fruition.

He said that this project, like many other projects in the automotive sector, was made possible because of the policy certainty created by the Automotive Master Plan and the Automotive Production and Development Programme.

In this project, we have demonstrated that we can build and rebuild together. We commend Ford for the confidence demonstrated by this major investment. We also laud the partnership between Hesto and Japanese company Yazaki, the President said.
Stellenbosch University Faculty of Law (with the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences) and the Institute for Global Law & Policy at Harvard Law School are pleased to announce a new collaborative initiative: The Global Scholars Academy, to be held 16-20 January 2023 in South Africa.

The 2023 Global Scholars Academy will be held 16-20 January 2023 in Stellenbosch, South Africa

Apply at iglp.law.harvard.edu before 7 October 2022

Stellenbosch University Faculty of Law (with the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences) and theInstitute for Global Law and Policy (IGLP) at Harvard Law School offers up to 90 junior scholars from the GlobalSouth and the rest of the world the opportunity to enrol and participate in the Academy

The Global Scholars Academy is an intensive residential experience designed to enable junior faculty and postdoctoral scholars to engage in sustained, interdisciplinary, peer-to-peer collaboration under the close mentorship of research faculty drawn from the worlds top universities. The Academy is open by application to junior scholars working to understand and map the levers of political, economic, and legal authority in the world today. We particularly welcome applications from scholars from the Global South and those working on policy challenges of particular concern to communities in the Global South.

The partnership in the Global Scholars Academy between Stellenbosch University Faculty of Law (with the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences) and the Institute for Global Law and Policy (IGLP) at Harvard Law School serves as an endorsement of the academic and research excellence to be found at SU, offering up to 90 junior scholars from the Global South and the rest of the world the opportunity to enrol and participate in the Academy. The Global Scholars Academy is a prime example of how Stellenbosch University focuses on creating ground-breaking experiences in an immersive expanding learning culture, says Prof. Nicola Smit, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University.

The shared aim is to strengthen the next generation of scholars by placing them in conversation with their global peers and strengthening their ability to think in new ways about a global architecture manifestly ill-equipped to deal with the worlds most urgent challenges, from global poverty, inequality and injustice to conflict, migration, and environmental change. The programs developed between our two institutions focus on the next generation of scholars from the global South working on these global challenges together with colleagues and mentors from around the world. We will launch our collaboration with a five-day Scholars Academy in South Africa in January 2023, says Prof. Smit.

Building on the IGLPs decade of successful workshops and Stellenbosch's dedication to high-level interdisciplinary research, the Global Scholars Academy will engage a growing community of scholars developing new thinking about the worlds most pressing policy challenges. While in residence, participants will workshop their ongoing research, review current scholarship developments, reconsider canonical texts, and network with colleagues from across the world.

The 2023 Academy will offer a unique interdisciplinary curriculum and will include thematic mini- courses, plenary lectures, and writing workshops. Writing workshops will offer participants the opportunity to receive detailed, valuable feedback on their research from their peers and senior colleagues in small group settings.

Preference will be given to scholars who hold postdoctoral junior faculty positions. Students completing their doctoral work are also encouraged to apply. All accepted participants will be expected to submit an 8000-word draft or work in progress of academic writing in advance of the Academy to be discussed with colleagues in our intensive Writing Workshops.

Drawing on the interdisciplinary resources and global networks of both institutions, this exciting new initiative will convene junior scholars for peer-to-peer mentoring with guidance from senior colleagues addressing issues of mutual concern. The research and network relationships gained will strengthen scholarship and university education across the world.

The collaboration will encourage scholarship exploring such pressing issues as the structural reproduction of poverty and inequality; the policy challenges and benefits of new technologies; links between local and global security; environmental sustainability and the impact of environmental change on communities across the global South, womens empowerment, SDGs; as well as the management of cultural difference, exclusion, and intolerance in a world of ever-increasing movement and communication.




Black women, young people, and people living with disabilities continue to be excluded from meaningful ownership in the South African film and television industry.

This is according to a report titled The state of transformation in the South African Film and Television industry commissioned by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). The NFVF found that although Black individuals have made way in achieving decision-making roles this does not apply in business and economic decision-making such as crewing and finance. The report used research from 1000 individuals who identified as black, from which 295 questionnaires were collected from all nine provinces. Forty in-depth interviews were undertaken.

Ownership but limited funds

In the case of companies owned by youth and people living with disabilities, the survey results showed limited meaningful participation, and little to no participation, in each of the two categories respectively. On the other hand, while large numbers of youth-owned companies participate in the industry broadly, the number drops off steeply when annual turnover reaches above R500,000. Similarly, at an individual level, there is a high representation of youth at low-income levels, but this tapers off as income levels rise, it states.

Similarly Black women do have ownership in creative companies but this is usually in companies that are worth less than R10 million.

In the case of respondents to this survey, no companies earning more than R10 million were recorded as having Black female ownership. This points to both race and gender as a compounded barrier to transformation at the intersection of participation and access to the sector. Again, we see that female ownership of companies is not the same as meaningful participation of women in the industry, and this is particularly the case for Black women, states the report.

Networking

Some of the respondents of the survey said they believe networking is how many creatives get successful in the industry, and that previously disadvantaged people did not have the same access and networks as White creatives.

Individual survey respondents have noted that referrals and networks were by far the most efficient and successful mode of finding work opportunities, outstripping that of project advertising or working with an agent. The interviewed respondents felt that this could set limits on transformation. New entrants who are Black, young, women and people living with disabilities often find it difficult to enter the industry as they lack the support of viable networks, it states.

Fifty-three percent of respondents said they get jobs through referrals and word of mouth.

The survey data indicate clearly that jobs are in the main accessed through referrals, networks and word of mouth at both individual and company level. At the individual level, these referral networks are managed and controlled by heads of department (HODs), who are responsible for hiring crew members. This has been identified as one level of gatekeeping. Respondents said that non-Black HOD roles often stood in the way of Black individuals chances of being hired. Black and female practitioners perceive themselves as being seen as perpetually inexperienced in certain positions, despite them working in the industry for many years.

But the report found that more Black-owned companies are likely to hire women and young people meaning transformation can be self-reinforcing.

Financing

Seventy-three percent of respondents said accessing funding was difficult. Some respondents said issues include misaligned deadlines and mistimed responses from funders which force companies from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to bear the brunt.

To access funding, awareness of open calls and knowledge of existing financing schemes is required, assuming other requirements are met. Interviewees indicated that the requirements are often bureaucratic and inaccessible, states the report.

Interviewees spoke to misaligned requirements for funding across the different funders, with each requiring slightly different engagement, creating additional administrative labour from already stretched companies."

Growing the market

According to the report, respondents felt there is little growth in the South African film industry, and this means established companies compete with newer companies for jobs.

Without growth, there are simply too few roles and too little work available to enable healthy competition and advancement. For young people, this means that established practitioners take up all available space within the industry including entry level projects, as there are not enough opportunities at the established end of the industry. Similarly, entry-level companies must compete against established businesses for early career work, with established businesses unable to find advanced projects, states the report.

Recommendations

Government and enabling bodies should consider adjusting some of their funding and creating better coordination.

Funding should keep up with international market demands.

Development of transformation charter that is industry led.

A deeper focus on new digital markets and content production and how this affects the South African industry.

Reports on the Film and TV industry can be found here.
Filmmakers from Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda are invited to apply for film development funding and training offered by DW Akademie.

Source:  Kal Visuals https://unsplash.com/ Unsplash]] The DW Akademie Film Development Fund is calling filmmakers based in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda to apply for a one-year fellowship programme

The open call will run until October 26, 2022 to apply for the one-year fellowship programme.

Potential applicants who have made at least one film and have a concept or script for a feature-length documentary, fiction or hybrid film will be considered. The programme is designed to take proposed films through the development stage and make them ready for production.

Natascha Schwanke, DW Akademie director of media development, says: "The continued success of African films in international festivals, in theatres and even on Netflix has shown that filmmaking in Africa is on the rise. The goal of the Film Development Fund is to further support filmmakers  both established and aspiring  who are working to bring African stories to a wider audience."

A commitment to African filmmaking

The programme, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), will bring together five candidates from each country to work on the development of their films.

Successful applicants will receive 10,000, be matched with an experienced mentor for the duration of the programme and have access to tailor-made training and networking opportunities. Workshops and skills development trainings will be led by industry professionals.

The first five fellows from Ethiopia have successfully completed their one-year fellowship. The fellowship for the respective first five filmmakers from Tanzania and Uganda is currently underway.

The 2022 call for applications will run simultaneously for all three countries.

Esther Dorn-Fellermann, DW Akademie project manager, says: "The positive and constructive engagement between the filmmakers, mentors and experts made the inaugural programmes in all three countries a success. Opening the call for applications for all three countries at once shows DW Akademie's continued commitment to African filmmaking."

Eligibility and requirements

To apply, you must be a permanent resident in one of the countries for which the call for application is open. Applicants who live in the diaspora do not qualify. Applicants should normally have released at least one production locally or internationally.

Further information about the programme and submission guidelines is available here.

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For any inquiries, please contact dw-akademie.film-fund@dw.com.
U.S. drug regulators are refusing to provide key analyses of a COVID-19 vaccine safety database, claiming that the factual findings cannot be separated by internal discussions protected by law.

The Epoch Times asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July for all analyses performed by the agency for the COVID-19 vaccines using a method called Empirical Bayesian data mining, which involves comparing the adverse events recorded after a specific COVID-19 vaccine with those recorded after vaccination with non-COVID-19 vaccines.

According to operating procedures laid out by the agency and its partner in January 2021 and February 2022, the FDA would perform data mining at least biweekly to identify adverse events reported more frequently than expected following vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines. The agency would perform the mining on data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

In a recent response, the FDA records office told The Epoch Times that it would not provide any of the analyses, even in redacted form.

The agency cited an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act that lets the government withhold inter-agency and intra-agency memorandums and letters that would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency.

The agency also pointed to the Code of Federal Regulations, which says that all communications within the Executive Branch of the Federal government which are in written form or which are subsequently reduced to writing may be withheld from public disclosure except that factual information which is reasonably segregable in accordance with the rule established in  20.22 is available for public disclosure.

Its not clear why the FDA could not produce copies of the analyses with non-factual information redacted. The Epoch Times has appealed the determination by the records office. The FDA declined to comment, citing the appeal.

Unacceptable

Kim Witczak, co-founder of Woodymatters, a nonprofit that advocates for a stronger FDA and drug safety system, said the agencys refusal to provide the analyses was not acceptable.

The secrecy is unacceptable for an agency that said it is transparent with the public about vaccine safety, Witczak, who sits on one of the FDAs outside advisory panels, told The Epoch Times.

Whats the point of having VAERS if youre not releasing it to the public? she added.

Witczak said her concerns about vaccine safety were heightened by a recent paper from Dr. Joseph Fraiman and others that found a higher incidence of serious adverse events in vaccinated participants in the original Pfizer and Moderna vaccine trials than in placebo recipients. She noted that the FDAs 2004 warning for antidepressants that the drugs could increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior came over 10 years after the trials on which it was based.

If this data is available, shame on you for not making it known to the public, Witczak said. Its as if they dont trust the people to make their own best decision for whats good for them and their families.

CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to the documents outlining operating procedures, was going to perform a different type of data mining analyses, called Proportional Reporting Ratio (PRR) mining.

The CDC has also refused, so far, to provide the results for those analyses.

It has also twice provided false information when responding to questions.

The agency initially said that no PRR analyses were done and that data mining is outside of th[e] agencys purview. The agency then said that it did perform PRRs, starting in February 2021.

Later, the agency acknowledged that wasnt true. The agency did not begin performing PRRs until March 2022, a spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

Roger Andoh, a records officer, gave the initial response, citing the CDCs Immunization and Safety Office. Dr. John Su, a CDC official, gave the second response. It remains unclear with whom the information originated.

The Epoch Times has submitted Freedom of Information Act requests for internal emails that may provide answers.

Data Mining Reports

The Empirical Bayesian (EB) is focused on identifying disproportional numbers of adverse events, CDC scientist Dr. Tom Shimabukuro said in January 2021. It identifies with a high degree of confidence, adverse event-vaccine pairs reported at least twice as frequently as expected for a COVID-19 vaccine compared to the VAERS database, he said, or a comparison between the incidence of a specific event such as kidney disease after COVID-19 vaccine compared to the incidence of the same event after all other U.S.-licensed vaccines.

The FDA and CDC have provided periodic updates on the EB data mining effort.

Importantly, there were no Empirical Bayesian data mining alerts detected for any adverse event COVID-19 vaccine pairs as of the last data mining run that the FDA performed on February 18th, Shimabukuro told members of the FDAs vaccine advisory panel on Feb. 26, 2021.

In a review memorandum (pdf) for an expansion of the emergency authorization granted to Pfizers vaccine, FDA researchers said that data through April 16, 2021, showed only a possible signal for body temperature.

In the journal Vaccine in June 2021, FDA researchers said an analysis of cases of blood clotting after the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines did not suggest a safety concern. The FDA and CDC paused the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April 2021 over cases of blood clotting, some fatal, but lifted the pause just 10 days afterward. The FDA later restricted use of the Johnson & Johnson shot.

In a paper in the CDCs quasi-journal in August 2021, FDA and CDC researchers said that the FDA used EB mining to monitor events in children aged 12 to 17 after vaccination. The results indicated a lack of a safety signal for post-vaccination heart inflammation, or myocarditis, though other surveillance systems had detected the issue as an adverse event.

In a preprint study in October 2021 later published in The Lancet, government scientists said no adverse health outcomes were identified with the EB mining.

And in a preprint in May 2022, scientists, including Su, said that EB mining analyzing data through Nov. 12, 2021, revealed only one signal for VAERS death reports, for vaccination failure after receipt of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not authorized in the United States.
China and Russia aim to lead the world towards a new international order, according to one of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) highest-ranking diplomats.

The Chinese side is willing to work with the Russian side to continuously implement high-level strategic cooperation between the two countries, safeguard common interests, and promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction, said CCP Politburo member Yang Jiechi, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry.

The relationship between the two countries has always been on the right track, and both sides firmly support each other on issues relating to their core interests.

Yang delivered the comments during a Sep. 12 meeting with Russian Ambassador Andrey Denisov in Beijing. In official statements, the Chinese regime regularly uses propaganda describing an attempt to achieve a fairer and more just international order, which Western officials and analysts note is an oblique critique of the U.S.-led rules-based global order that the CCP seeks to undermine and ultimately replace with one that is hospitable to the regimes authoritarianism.

The comment came closely behind similar remarks made by the CCPs third-in-command, Li Zhanshu, in which he explicitly approved of the war in Ukraine and assured Russia it would receive Chinese support.

China understands and supports Russia on issues that represent its vital interests, in particular on the situation in Ukraine, Li said, according to Russias State Duma. The quote was not corroborated by Chinas statement of the event.

The CCP has thus far presented a veneer of neutrality on the issue of Ukraine, repeatedly defending Russias invasion and blaming NATO for the war while stopping short of providing direct military aid that could draw international sanctions upon itself.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping will meet later this week on the sidelines of a regional security summit in Uzbekistan. It will be the first time the two leaders have met in person since February, when they declared a no limits partnership in Beijing, a mere weeks before the Ukraine invasion.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov announced the meeting at a Sep. 13 briefing in Moscow, saying that the two leaders would discuss issues of geostrategic significance, including Taiwan and Ukraine.

China has taken a well-balanced approach to the Ukrainian crisis, clearly expressing its understanding of the reasons that prompted Russia to launch the special military operation, Ushakov said. The issue will be thoroughly discussed during the meeting.

Ushakov added that the meeting would hold special significance for the two leaders.

Russian forces have suffered a string of setbacks in Ukraine in recent weeks, losing ground to a surprise Ukrainian offensive. The nation is still responsible for more than 40 percent of Europes natural gas supply, however, so it may leverage that fact to encourage Western nations to let up on sanctions that are hampering its war effort.

The Putin-Xi meeting is thus crucial to the ambitions of both leaders. For Russia, it presents the opportunity to demonstrate to the world that it is not isolated. For China, it means the chance to champion an alternative international system to the rules-based international order.

Combined, the two regimes aim to counter the liberal international order, analysts note, and to achieve a state of global affairs in which both can expand their interests without fear of repercussion from the United States and its allies.
Another one bites the dust...

Less than two weeks since Ravil Maganov, the vice president and chair of the board of directors of Russian oil giant Lukoil, died after falling out of a sixth floor hospital window in Moscow, another Russian energy executive has been found dead in mysterious circumstances.

39-year-old Ivan Pechorin, managing director of Putin's Far East and Arctic Development Corporation, fell off the side of a boat while sailing in the waters close to Russky Island near Cape Ignatiev, according to Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda.

For two days, rescuers searched for a man at sea near the coastline - unfortunately, he was found dead.

"On September 12, 2022, it became known about the tragic death of our colleague, Managing Director for the Aviation Industry of the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation Ivan Pechorin. Ivan's death is an irreparable loss for friends and colleagues, a great loss for the corporation," representatives of the Development Corporation said.

According to The Mirror's Russia correspondent, he was personally selected by Putin for his role, and was described by Newsweek as Putin's "key man" in the region.

Interestingly, Pechorin's death comes just months after the corporation's former CEO Igor Nosov, 43, also died suddenly in February, reportedly from a stroke.

Pechorin's death is the latest in a string of unexplained or untimely deaths of Russian magnates connected to the energy industry in the last months.
A Disney employee, a corrections officer, and several school teachers were among 160 people arrested in a seven-day long undercover human trafficking sting in Polk County, Florida.

According to WAFB9, the operation - "Fall Haul 2" - resulted in 52 felonies and 216 misdemeanor charges. One of the more notable arrests was that of 41-year-old computer technician for Oak Ridge High School, Cameron Burke, who was out on bond for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student that began in 2020.

Other notables include a deputy Georgia police chief, a high school math teacher, a bellhop employed by Disney, and a freelance photographer often contacted by Disney.

The bellhop, Guillermo Perez, 57, was arrested after trying to have sex with an undercover detective for $80, while the freelance photographer, 26-year-old Samy Claude, reportedly offered an undercover cop a bag of sour Skittles.

The correctional officer, Keith Nieves, 24, was arrested on two counts of soliciting a prostitute.

The Georgia Deputy Police Chief, Jason DiPrima, 49, allegedly gave an undercover detective $180 and a multi-pack of White Claws.

"He is no longer a police officer in Cartersville, Georgia, and he needs to work on reconstructing his life with his family. He did a very mean, nasty thing to his family and he certainly embarrassed all the people of Cartersville," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd during a press conference. "The Cartersville Police Department is a very professional police department in Georgia and they didnt deserve what Jason (DiPrima) did."

The oldest of the arrests is 64, while the youngest is 19 years old, according to officials. Out of the 160 arrests, 15 people were from states other than Florida, and one was from Puerto Rico. Of the people who were arrested, police say 26 of them said they were married. Detectives also said they seized cocaine, heroin, meth, MDMA and marijuana from those they arrested as well. -WAFB9

"Where would we be with an undercover operation and no Disney employees? Oh yes, we always have Disney employees," joked Judd.
Transhumanists and Technocrats in Big Pharma have cracked the U.S. government wide open to flood the bioeconomy with taxpayer money and labor to push the frontier of genetic modification of all living things and especially humans. This will ultimately spark the biggest public backlash in modern history. Biden pledges not only funding but an all-of-government transformation to support this anti-human scheme from top to bottom. It also automatically blocks any agency or department from dissent.  TN Editor

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to coordinate a whole-of-government approach to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing towards innovative solutions in health, climate change, energy, food security, agriculture, supply chain resilience, and national and economic security. Central to this policy and its outcomes are principles of equity, ethics, safety, and security that enable access to technologies, processes, and products in a manner that benefits all Americans and the global community and that maintains United States technological leadership and economic competitiveness.

Biotechnology harnesses the power of biology to create new services and products, which provide opportunities to grow the United States economy and workforce and improve the quality of our lives and the environment. The economic activity derived from biotechnology and biomanufacturing is referred to as the bioeconomy. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the vital role of biotechnology and biomanufacturing in developing and producing life-saving diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that protect Americans and the world. Although the power of these technologies is most vivid at the moment in the context of human health, biotechnology and biomanufacturing can also be used to achieve our climate and energy goals, improve food security and sustainability, secure our supply chains, and grow the economy across all of America.

For biotechnology and biomanufacturing to help us achieve our societal goals, the United States needs to invest in foundational scientific capabilities. We need to develop genetic engineering technologies and techniques to be able to write circuitry for cells and predictably program biology in the same way in which we write software and program computers; unlock the power of biological data, including through computing tools and artificial intelligence; and advance the science of scale-up production while reducing the obstacles for commercialization so that innovative technologies and products can reach markets faster.

Simultaneously, we must take concrete steps to reduce biological risks associated with advances in biotechnology. We need to invest in and promote biosafety and biosecurity to ensure that biotechnology is developed and deployed in ways that align with United States principles and values and international best practices, and not in ways that lead to accidental or deliberate harm to people, animals, or the environment. In addition, we must safeguard the United States bioeconomy, as foreign adversaries and strategic competitors alike use legal and illegal means to acquire United States technologies and data, including biological data, and proprietary or precompetitive information, which threatens United States economic competitiveness and national security.

We also must ensure that uses of biotechnology and biomanufacturing are ethical and responsible; are centered on a foundation of equity and public good, consistent with Executive Order 13985 of January 20, 2021 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government); and are consistent with respect for human rights. Resources should be invested justly and equitably so that biotechnology and biomanufacturing technologies benefit all Americans, especially those in underserved communities, as well as the broader global community.

To achieve these objectives, it is the policy of my Administration to:

(a) bolster and coordinate Federal investment in key research and development (R&D) areas of biotechnology and biomanufacturing in order to further societal goals;

(b) foster a biological data ecosystem that advances biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation, while adhering to principles of security, privacy, and responsible conduct of research;

(c) improve and expand domestic biomanufacturing production capacity and processes, while also increasing piloting and prototyping efforts in biotechnology and biomanufacturing to accelerate the translation of basic research results into practice;

(d) boost sustainable biomass production and create climate-smart incentives for American agricultural producers and forest landowners;

(e) expand market opportunities for bioenergy and biobased products and services;

(f) train and support a diverse, skilled workforce and a next generation of leaders from diverse groups to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing;

(g) clarify and streamline regulations in service of a science- and risk-based, predictable, efficient, and transparent system to support the safe use of products of biotechnology;

(h) elevate biological risk management as a cornerstone of the life cycle of biotechnology and biomanufacturing R&D, including by providing for research and investment in applied biosafety and biosecurity innovation;

(i) promote standards, establish metrics, and develop systems to grow and assess the state of the bioeconomy; to better inform policy, decision-making, and investments in the bioeconomy; and to ensure equitable and ethical development of the bioeconomy;

(j) secure and protect the United States bioeconomy by adopting a forward-looking, proactive approach to assessing and anticipating threats, risks, and potential vulnerabilities (including digital intrusion, manipulation, and exfiltration efforts by foreign adversaries), and by partnering with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to jointly mitigate risks to protect technology leadership and economic competitiveness; and

(k) engage the international community to enhance biotechnology R&D cooperation in a way that is consistent with United States principles and values and that promotes best practices for safe and secure biotechnology and biomanufacturing research, innovation, and product development and use.

The efforts undertaken pursuant to this order to further these policies shall be referred to collectively as the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative.

Sec. 2. Coordination. The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy (APEP) and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), shall coordinate the executive branch actions necessary to implement this order through the interagency process described in National Security Memorandum 2 of February 4, 2021 (Renewing the National Security Council System) (NSM-2 process). In implementing this order, heads of agencies (as defined in section 13 of this order) shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consult outside stakeholders, such as those in industry; academia; nongovernmental organizations; communities; labor unions; and State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to advance the policies described in section 1 of this order.

Sec . 3 . Harnessing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing R&D to Further Societal Goals . (a) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the heads of agencies specified in subsections (a)(i)-(v) of this section shall submit the following reports on biotechnology and biomanufacturing to further societal goals related to health, climate change and energy, food and agricultural innovation, resilient supply chains, and cross-cutting scientific advances. The reports shall be submitted to the President through the APNSA, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the APEP, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP), and the Director of OSTP.

(i) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the heads of appropriate agencies as determined by the Secretary, shall submit a report assessing how to use biotechnology and biomanufacturing to achieve medical breakthroughs, reduce the overall burden of disease, and improve health outcomes.

(ii) The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the heads of appropriate agencies as determined by the Secretary, shall submit a report assessing how to use biotechnology, biomanufacturing, bioenergy, and biobased products to address the causes and adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change, including by sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

(iii) The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the heads of appropriate agencies as determined by the Secretary, shall submit a report assessing how to use biotechnology and biomanufacturing for food and agriculture innovation, including by improving sustainability and land conservation; increasing food quality and nutrition; increasing and protecting agricultural yields; protecting against plant and animal pests and diseases; and cultivating alternative food sources.

(iv) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, and the heads of other appropriate agencies as determined by the Secretary of Commerce, shall submit a report assessing how to use biotechnology and biomanufacturing to strengthen the resilience of United States supply chains.

(v) The Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), in consultation with the heads of appropriate agencies as determined by the Director, shall submit a report identifying high-priority fundamental and use-inspired basic research goals to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing and to address the societal goals identified in this section.

(b) Each report specified in subsection (a) of this section shall identify high-priority basic research and technology development needs to achieve the overall objectives described in subsection (a) of this section, as well as opportunities for public-private collaboration. Each of these reports shall also include recommendations for actions to enhance biosafety and biosecurity to reduce risk throughout the biotechnology R&D and biomanufacturing lifecycles.

(c) Within 100 days of receiving the reports required under subsection (a) of this section, the Director of OSTP, in coordination with the Director of OMB, the APNSA, the APEP, the APDP, and the heads of appropriate agencies as determined through the NSM-2 process, shall develop a plan (implementation plan) to implement the recommendations in the reports. The development of this implementation plan shall also include the solicitation of input from external experts regarding potential ethical implications or other societal impacts, including environmental sustainability and environmental justice, of the recommendations contained in the reports required under subsection (a) of this section. The implementation plan shall include assessments and make recommendations regarding any such implications or impacts.

(d) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Director of OMB, in consultation with the heads of appropriate agencies as determined through the NSM-2 process, shall perform a budget crosscut to identify existing levels of agency spending on biotechnology- and biomanufacturing-related activities to inform the development of the implementation plan described in subsection (c) of this section.

(e) The APNSA, in coordination with the Director of OMB, the APEP, the APDP, and the Director of OSTP, shall review the reports required under subsection (a) of this section and shall submit the reports to the President in an unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

(f) The APNSA, in coordination with the Director of OMB, the APEP, the APDP, and the Director of OSTP, shall include a cover memorandum for the reports submitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, along with the implementation plan required under subsection (c) of this section, in which they make any additional overall recommendations for advancing biotechnology and biomanufacturing.

(g) Within 2 years of the date of this order, agencies at which recommendations are directed in the implementation plan required under subsection (c) of this section shall report to the Director of OMB, the APNSA, the APEP, the APDP, and the Director of OSTP on measures taken and resources allocated to enhance biotechnology and biomanufacturing, consistent with the implementation plan described in subsection (c) of this section.

(h) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology shall submit to the President and make publicly available a report on the bioeconomy that provides recommendations on how to maintain United States competitiveness in the global bioeconomy.

Sec . 4 . Data for the Bioeconomy . (a) In order to facilitate development of the United States bioeconomy, my Administration shall establish a Data for the Bioeconomy Initiative (Data Initiative) that will ensure that high-quality, wide-ranging, easily accessible, and secure biological data sets can drive breakthroughs for the United States bioeconomy. To assist in the development of the Data Initiative, the Director of OSTP, in coordination with the Director of OMB and the heads of appropriate agencies as determined by the Director of OSTP, and in consultation with external stakeholders, shall issue a report within 240 days of the date of this order that:

(i) identifies the data types and sources, to include genomic and multiomic information, that are most critical to drive advances in health, climate, energy, food, agriculture, and biomanufacturing, as well as other bioeconomy-related R&D, along with any data gaps;

(ii) sets forth a plan to fill any data gaps and make new and existing public data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable in ways that are equitable, standardized, secure, and transparent, and that are integrated with platforms that enable the use of advanced computing tools;

(iii) identifies  based on the data types and sources described in subsection (a)(i) of this section  security, privacy, and other risks (such as malicious misuses, manipulation, exfiltration, and deletion), and provides a data-protection plan to mitigate these risks; and

(iv) outlines the Federal resources, legal authorities, and actions needed to support the Data Initiative and achieve the goals outlined in this subsection, with a timeline for action.

(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce (acting through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)), the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Energy, and the Director of OMB, shall identify and recommend relevant cybersecurity best practices for biological data stored on Federal Government information systems, consistent with applicable law and Executive Order 14028 of May 12, 2021 (Improving the Nations Cybersecurity).

(c) The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Director of NIST and in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, shall consider bio-related software, including software for laboratory equipment, instrumentation, and data management, in establishing baseline security standards for the development of software sold to the United States Government, consistent with section 4 of Executive Order 14028.

Sec. 5. Building a Vibrant Domestic Biomanufacturing Ecosystem. (a) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA and the APEP, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Energy, the Director of NSF, and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), shall develop a strategy that identifies policy recommendations to expand domestic biomanufacturing capacity for products spanning the health, energy, agriculture, and industrial sectors, with a focus on advancing equity, improving biomanufacturing processes, and connecting relevant infrastructure. Additionally, this strategy shall identify actions to mitigate risks posed by foreign adversary involvement in the biomanufacturing supply chain and to enhance biosafety, biosecurity, and cybersecurity in new and existing infrastructure.

(b) Agencies identified in subsections (b)(i)-(iv) of this section shall direct resources, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, towards the creation or expansion of programs that support a vibrant domestic biomanufacturing ecosystem, as informed by the strategy developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section:

(i) the NSF shall expand its existing Regional Innovation Engine program to advance emerging technologies, including biotechnology;

(ii) the Department of Commerce shall address challenges in biomanufacturing supply chains and related biotechnology development infrastructure;

(iii) the Department of Defense shall incentivize the expansion of domestic, flexible industrial biomanufacturing capacity for a wide range of materials that can be used to make a diversity of products for the defense supply chain; and

(iv) the Department of Energy shall support research to accelerate bioenergy and bioproduct science advances, to accelerate biotechnology and bioinformatics tool development, and to reduce the hurdles to commercialization, including through incentivizing the engineering scale-up of promising biotechnologies and the expansion of biomanufacturing capacity.

(c) Within 1 year of the date of this order, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the heads of appropriate agencies as determined by the Secretary, shall submit a plan to the President, through the APNSA and the APEP, to support the resilience of the United States biomass supply chain for domestic biomanufacturing and biobased product manufacturing, while also advancing food security, environmental sustainability, and the needs of underserved communities. This plan shall include programs to encourage climate-smart production and use of domestic biomass, along with budget estimates, including accounting for funds appropriated for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and proposed in the Presidents FY 2023 Budget.

(d) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the heads of appropriate agencies as determined by the Secretary, shall:

(i) provide the APNSA with vulnerability assessments of the critical infrastructure and national critical functions associated with the bioeconomy, including cyber, physical, and systemic risks, and recommendations to secure and make resilient these components of our infrastructure and economy; and

(ii) enhance coordination with industry on threat information sharing, vulnerability disclosure, and risk mitigation for cybersecurity and infrastructure risks to the United States bioeconomy, including risks to biological data and related physical and digital infrastructure and devices. This coordination shall be informed in part by the assessments described in subsection (d)(i) of this section.

Sec . 6 . Biobased Products Procurement . (a) Consistent with the requirements of 7 U.S.C. 8102, within 1 year of the date of this order, procuring agencies as defined in 7 U.S.C. 8102(a)(1)(A) that have not yet established a biobased procurement program as described in 7 U.S.C. 8102(a)(2) shall establish such a program.

(b) Procuring agencies shall require that, within 2 years of the date of this order, all appropriate staff (including contracting officers, purchase card managers, and purchase card holders) complete training on biobased product purchasing. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy, within OMB, in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall provide training materials for procuring agencies.

(c) Within 180 days of the date of this order and annually thereafter, procuring agencies shall report previous fiscal year spending to the Director of OMB on the following:

(i) the number and dollar value of contracts entered into during the previous fiscal year that include the direct procurement of biobased products;

(ii) the number of service and construction (including renovations) contracts entered into during the previous fiscal year that include language on the use of biobased products; and

(iii) the types and dollar values of biobased products actually used by contractors in carrying out service and construction (including renovations) contracts during the previous fiscal year.

(d) The requirements in subsection (c) of this section shall not apply to purchase card transactions and other [a]ctions not reported to the Federal Procurement Data System pursuant to 48 CFR 4.606(c).

(e) Within 1 year of the date of this order and annually thereafter, the Director of OMB shall publish information on biobased procurement resulting from the data collected under subsection (c) of this section and information reported under 7 U.S.C. 8102, along with other related information, and shall use scorecards or similar systems to encourage increased biobased purchasing.

(f) Within 1 year of the date of this order and annually thereafter, procuring agencies shall report to the Secretary of Agriculture specific categories of biobased products that are unavailable to meet their procurement needs, along with desired performance standards for currently unavailable products and other relevant specifications. The Secretary of Agriculture shall publish this information annually. When new categories of biobased products become commercially available, the Secretary of Agriculture shall designate new product categories for preferred Federal procurement, as prescribed by 7 U.S.C. 8102.

(g) Procuring agencies shall strive to increase by 2025 the amount of biobased product obligations or the number or dollar value of biobased-only contracts, as reflected in the information described in subsection (c) of this section, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.

Sec. 7. Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Workforce. (a) The United States Government shall expand training and education opportunities for all Americans in biotechnology and biomanufacturing. To support this objective, within 200 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, the APDP, the Director of OSTP, and the Director of NSF shall produce and make publicly available a plan to coordinate and use relevant Federal education and training programs, while also recommending new efforts to promote multi-disciplinary education programs. This plan shall promote the implementation of formal and informal education and training (such as opportunities at technical schools and certificate programs), career and technical education, and expanded career pathways into existing degree programs for biotechnology and biomanufacturing. This plan shall also include a focused discussion of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions and the extent to which agencies can use existing statutory authorities to promote racial and gender equity and support underserved communities, consistent with the policy established in Executive Order 13985. Finally, this plan shall account for funds appropriated for FY 2022 and proposed in the Presidents FY 2023 Budget.

(b) Within 2 years of the date of this order, agencies that support relevant Federal education and training programs as described in subsection (a) of this section shall report to the President through the APNSA, in coordination with the Director of OMB, the ADPD, and the Director of OSTP, on measures taken and resources allocated to enhance workforce development pursuant to the plan described in subsection (a) of this section.

Sec. 8. Biotechnology Regulation Clarity and Efficiency. Advances in biotechnology are rapidly altering the product landscape. The complexity of the current regulatory system for biotechnology products can be confusing and create challenges for businesses to navigate. To improve the clarity and efficiency of the regulatory process for biotechnology products, and to enable products that further the societal goals identified in section 3 of this order, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, in coordination with the Director of OMB, the ADPD, and the Director of OSTP, shall:

(a) within 180 days of the date of this order, identify areas of ambiguity, gaps, or uncertainties in the January 2017 Update to the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology or in the policy changes made pursuant to Executive Order 13874 of June 11, 2019 (Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products), including by engaging with developers and external stakeholders, and through horizon scanning for novel products of biotechnology;

(b) within 100 days of completing the task in subsection (a) of this section, provide to the general public plain-language information regarding the regulatory roles, responsibilities, and processes of each agency, including which agency or agencies are responsible for oversight of different types of products developed with biotechnology, with case studies, as appropriate;

(c) within 280 days of the date of this order, provide a plan to the Director of OMB, the ADPD, and the Director of OSTP with processes and timelines to implement regulatory reform, including identification of the regulations and guidance documents that can be updated, streamlined, or clarified; and identification of potential new guidance or regulations, where needed;

(d) within 1 year of the date of this order, build on the Unified Website for Biotechnology Regulation developed pursuant to Executive Order 13874 by including on the website the information developed under subsection (b) of this section, and by enabling developers of biotechnology products to submit inquiries about a particular product and promptly receive a single, coordinated response that provides, to the extent practicable, information and, when appropriate, informal guidance regarding the process that the developers must follow for Federal regulatory review; and

(e) within 1 year of the date of this order, and annually thereafter for a period of 3 years, provide an update regarding progress in implementing this section to the Director of OMB, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the APNSA, the ADPD, and the Director of OSTP. Each 1-year update shall identify any gaps in statutory authority that should be addressed to improve the clarity and efficiency of the regulatory process for biotechnology products, and shall recommend additional executive actions and legislative proposals to achieve such goals.

Sec. 9. Reducing Risk by Advancing Biosafety and Biosecurity. (a) The United States Government shall launch a Biosafety and Biosecurity Innovation Initiative, which shall seek to reduce biological risks associated with advances in biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and the bioeconomy. Through the Biosafety and Biosecurity Innovation Initiative  which shall be established by the Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies as determined by the Secretary  agencies that fund, conduct, or sponsor life sciences research shall implement the following actions, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:

(i) support, as a priority, investments in applied biosafety research and innovations in biosecurity to reduce biological risk throughout the biotechnology R&D and biomanufacturing lifecycles; and

(ii) use Federal investments in biotechnology and biomanufacturing to incentivize and enhance biosafety and biosecurity practices and best practices throughout the United States and international research enterprises.

(b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of HHS and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with agencies that fund, conduct, or sponsor life sciences research, shall produce a plan for biosafety and biosecurity for the bioeconomy, including recommendations to:

(i) enhance applied biosafety research and bolster innovations in biosecurity to reduce risk throughout the biotechnology R&D and biomanufacturing lifecycles; and

(ii) use Federal investments in biological sciences, biotechnology, and biomanufacturing to enhance biosafety and biosecurity best practices throughout the bioeconomy R&D enterprise.

(c) Within 1 year of the date of this order, agencies that fund, conduct, or sponsor life sciences research shall report to the APNSA, through the Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor, on efforts to achieve the objectives described in subsection (a) of this section.

Sec . 10. Measuring the Bioeconomy. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce, through the Director of NIST, shall, in consultation with other agencies as determined by the Director, industry, and other stakeholders, as appropriate, create and make publicly available a lexicon for the bioeconomy, with consideration of relevant domestic and international definitions and with the goal of assisting in the development of measurements and measurement methods for the bioeconomy that support uses such as economic measurement, risk assessments, and the application of machine learning and other artificial intelligence tools.

(b) The Chief Statistician of the United States, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of NSF, and the heads of other appropriate agencies as determined by the Chief Statistician, shall improve and enhance Federal statistical data collection designed to characterize the economic value of the United States bioeconomy, with a focus on the contribution of biotechnology to the bioeconomy. This effort shall include:

(i) within 180 days of the date of this order, assessing, through the Department of Commerces Bureau of Economic Analysis, the feasibility, scope, and costs of developing a national measurement of the economic contributions of the bioeconomy, and, in particular, the contributions of biotechnology to the bioeconomy, including recommendations and a plan for next steps regarding whether development of such a measurement should be pursued; and

(ii) within 120 days of the date of this order, establishing an Interagency Technical Working Group (ITWG), chaired by the Chief Statistician of the United States, which shall include representatives of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, OSTP, the NSF, and other appropriate agencies as determined by the Chief Statistician of the United States.

(A) Within 1 year of the date of this order, the ITWG shall recommend bioeconomy-related revisions to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and the North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) to the Economic Classification Policy Committee. In 2026, the ITWG shall initiate a review process of the 2023 recommendations and update the recommendations, as appropriate, to provide input to the 2027 NAICS and NAPCS revision processes.

(B) Within 18 months of the date of this order, the ITWG shall provide a report to the Chief Statistician of the United States describing the Federal statistical collections of information that take advantage of bioeconomy-related NAICS and NAPCS codes, and shall include recommendations to implement any bioeconomy-related changes as part of the 2022 revisions of the NAICS and NAPCS. As part of its work, the ITWG shall consult with external stakeholders.

Sec . 11 . Assessing Threats to the United States Bioeconomy . (a) The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) shall lead a comprehensive interagency assessment of ongoing, emerging, and future threats to United States national security from foreign adversaries against the bioeconomy and from foreign adversary development and application of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including acquisition of United States capabilities, technologies, and biological data. As part of this effort, the DNI shall work closely with the Department of Defense to assess technical applications of biotechnology and biomanufacturing that could be misused by a foreign adversary for military purposes or that could otherwise pose a risk to the United States. In support of these objectives, the DNI shall identify elements of the bioeconomy of highest concern and establish processes to support ongoing threat identification and impact assessments.

(b) Within 240 days of the date of this order, the DNI shall provide classified assessments to the APNSA related to:

(i) threats to United States national and economic security posed by foreign adversary development and application of biomanufacturing; and

(ii) foreign adversary means of, and intended usages related to, acquisition of United States biotechnologies, biological data, and proprietary or precompetitive information.

(c) Within 120 days of receiving the DNIs assessments, the APNSA shall coordinate with the heads of relevant agencies as determined through the NSM-2 process to develop and finalize a plan to mitigate risks to the United States bioeconomy, based upon the threat identification and impact assessments described in subsection (a) of this section, the vulnerability assessments described in section 5(d) of this order, and other relevant assessments or information. The plan shall identify where executive action, regulatory action, technology protection, or statutory authorities are needed to mitigate these risks in order to support the technology leadership and economic competitiveness of the United States bioeconomy.

(d) The United States Government contracts with a variety of providers to support its functioning, including by contracting for services related to the bioeconomy. It is important that these contracts are awarded according to full and open competition, as consistent with the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-369, 98 Stat. 1175). In accordance with these objectives, and within 1 year of the date of this order, the Director of OSTP, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the DNI, the Administrator of NASA, and the Administrator of General Services, shall review the national security implications of existing requirements related to Federal procurement  including requirements contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement  and shall recommend updates to those requirements to the FAR Council, the Director of OMB, and the heads of other appropriate agencies as determined through the NSM-2 process. The recommendations shall aim to standardize pre-award data collection to enable due diligence review of conflict of interest; conflict of commitment; foreign ownership, control, or influence; or other potential national security concerns. The recommendations shall also include legislative proposals, as relevant.

(e) The Director of OMB shall issue a management memorandum to agencies, or take other appropriate action, to provide generalized guidance based on the recommendations received pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.

Sec. 12. International Engagement. (a) The Department of State and other agencies that engage with international partners as part of their missions shall undertake the following actions with foreign partners, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law  with a specific focus on developing countries, international organizations, and nongovernmental entities  to promote and protect both the United States and global bioeconomies:

(i) enhance cooperation, including joint research projects and expert exchanges, on biotechnology R&D, especially in genomics;

(ii) encourage regulatory cooperation and the adoption of best practices to evaluate and promote innovative products, with an emphasis on those practices and products that support sustainability and climate objectives;

(iii) develop joint training arrangements and initiatives to support bioeconomy jobs in the United States;

(iv) work to promote the open sharing of scientific data, including genetic sequence data, to the greatest extent possible in accordance with applicable law and policy, while seeking to ensure that any applicable access and benefit-sharing mechanisms do not hinder the rapid and sustainable development of innovative products and biotechnologies;

(v) conduct horizon scanning to anticipate threats to the global bioeconomy, including national security threats from foreign adversaries acquiring sensitive technologies or data, or disrupting essential bio-related supply chains, and to identify opportunities to address those threats;

(vi) engage allies and partners to address shared national security threats;

(vii) develop, and work to promote and implement, biosafety and biosecurity best practices, tools, and resources bilaterally and multilaterally to facilitate appropriate oversight for life sciences, dual-use research of concern, and research involving potentially pandemic and other high-consequence pathogens, and to enhance sound risk management of biotechnology- and biomanufacturing-related R&D globally; and

(viii) explore how to align international classifications of biomanufactured products, as appropriate, to measure the value of those products to both the United States and global bioeconomies.

(b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the USTR and the heads of other agencies as determined by the Secretary, as appropriate, shall submit to the APNSA a plan to support the objectives described in subsection (a) of this section with foreign partners, international organizations, and nongovernmental entities.

Sec. 13. Definitions. For purposes of this order:

(a) The term agency has the meaning given that term by 44 U.S.C. 3502(1).

(b) The term biotechnology means technology that applies to or is enabled by life sciences innovation or product development.

(c) The term biomanufacturing means the use of biological systems to develop products, tools, and processes at commercial scale.

(d) The term bioeconomy means economic activity derived from the life sciences, particularly in the areas of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, and includes industries, products, services, and the workforce.

(e) The term biological data means the information, including associated descriptors, derived from the structure, function, or process of a biological system(s) that is measured, collected, or aggregated for analysis.

(f) The term biomass means any material of biological origin that is available on a renewable or recurring basis. Examples of biomass include plants, trees, algae, and waste material such as crop residue, wood waste, animal waste and byproducts, food waste, and yard waste.

(g) The term biobased product has the meaning given that term in 7 U.S.C. 8101(4).

(h) The term bioenergy means energy derived in whole or in significant part from biomass.

(i) The term multiomic information refers to combined information derived from data, analysis, and interpretation of multiple omics measurement technologies to identify or analyze the roles, relationships, and functions of biomolecules (including nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites) that make up a cell or cellular system. Omics are disciplines in biology that include genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics.

(j) The term key R&D areas includes fundamental R&D of emerging biotechnologies, including engineering biology; predictive engineering of complex biological systems, including the designing, building, testing, and modeling of entire living cells, cell components, or cellular systems; quantitative and theory-driven multi-disciplinary research to maximize convergence with other enabling technologies; and regulatory science, including the development of new information, criteria, tools, models, and approaches to inform and assist regulatory decision-making. These R&D priorities should be coupled with advances in predictive modeling, data analytics, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, high-performance and other advanced computing systems, metrology and data-driven standards, and other non-life science enabling technologies.

(k) The terms equity and underserved communities have the meanings given those terms by sections 2(a) and 2(b) of Executive Order 13985.

(l) The term Tribal Colleges and Universities has the meaning given that term by section 5(e) of Executive Order 14049 of October 11, 2021 (White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities).

(m) The term Historically Black Colleges and Universities has the meaning given that term by section 4(b) of Executive Order 14041 of September 3, 2021 (White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities).

(n) The term minority serving institution has the meaning given that term by 38 U.S.C. 3698(f)(4).

(o) The term foreign adversary has the meaning given that term by section 3(b) of Executive Order 14034 of June 9, 2021 (Protecting Americans Sensitive Data From Foreign Adversaries).

(p) The term life sciences means all sciences that study or use living organisms, viruses, or their products, including all disciplines of biology and all applications of the biological sciences (including biotechnology, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, and pharmaceutical and biomedical research and techniques), but excluding scientific studies associated with radioactive materials or toxic chemicals that are not of biological origin or synthetic analogues of toxins.

Sec . 14 . General Provisions . (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

September 12, 2022.

Read full story here
Sydneys CBD, Blacktown and Campbelltown were among the worst weather-affected suburbs in the city this winter, as many residents brace for another La Nina event this summer that could see heavy rainfall and an increased risk of flooding.

The NRMA Insurance Wild Weather Trackers latest data shows there were 19,621 claims made in NSW caused by wild weather, making it the worst winter since 2016. Nationally, there were 26,515 claims from June to August.

About 68 per cent of all home claims were the result of severe weather, well above the seasonal average of 53 per cent, while 24 per cent of the states motor claims were as a result of the weather, 5 per cent higher than the seasonal average.

In Sydney, the 10 worst-affected suburbs were Campbelltown, Liverpool, Blacktown, Engadine, Castle Hill, the citys CBD, Ingleburn, Prestons, Casula and Penrith. Across the state, areas such as the Illawarra, Hunter Valley and Central Coast ranked among the highest for weather damage.
A man will face court on Thursday charged with murder over the alleged gang-related ambush and fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old in a car park in Brisbanes south.

Levi Johnston was allegedly ambushed outside the Goodlife Health Club in Mansfield by four men in two vehicles at 1pm on Monday.

Levi Johnston (inset) was stabbed to death outside a gym in the Brisbane suburb of Mansfield on Monday. Credit:Nine News

The attackers allegedly rammed Johnstons Mercedes-Benz as he was leaving the gym car park, smashed his drivers side window with a crowbar, and pulled him from the car.

Police say Johnston was stabbed with a knife and collapsed at the scene, on the corner of Brigadoon Street and Pine Mountain Road.
Queensland police are calling on the public to help solve the mystery behind the sudden death of a 12-year-old girl on the Gold Coast in April.

Police were called to the Bellagio Crescent residence at Coomera about 8pm on Monday, April 18, after Tiffani Scholten was found unresponsive.

The 12-year-old girl died five months ago at a Coomera home.

Emergency services attended, and the girl was found dead. A crime scene was declared.

Tiffani suffered from a number of health conditions. However, investigations have continued into the circumstances and cause of her death.
Homicide charges could be laid against a junior policeman who fatally shot a man found attacking his mother with a stick in a public park in Melbournes northern suburbs.

Constable Emmanuel Andrew fired three shots into Gabriel Messos chest after he was called to what police described as a dynamic and time-critical scene in July 2020.

Gabriel Messo and his mother, Lilla. Credit:Facebook

But State Coroner John Cain has been told in an inquest Messo, 30, may have dropped the stick before the third shot was fired.

That shot, Cain told the final day of the inquest on Wednesday, concerned him.
Businesses are calling for a radical overhaul of Victorias housing and payroll tax regimes as part of a push for far-reaching tax reform to reinvigorate the states economy.

In its state election pitch, Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls on the government to abolish payroll taxes completely for businesses operating in regional Victoria to encourage big companies to invest outside Melbourne.

Stamp duty has long been criticised as an inefficient tax blamed for exacerbating the housing affordability crisis and discouraging people from moving. Credit:Peter Rae

A complete root and branch review of the way taxes are collected and levied in Victoria should be undertaken, the chambers election policy document says.

The influential business lobby group has also joined calls from economists and policy experts to replace stamp duty charged on housing with an ongoing annual land tax, similar to council rates.
We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did ... Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Andriy Kostin, listing places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities. Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas Russia previously held, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted international demands for Russian officials to face war crime charges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visiting Izium. Credit:AP As he was returning from the front early on Thursday, a passenger car collided with Zelenskys vehicle in a motorcade in Kyiv, but he wasnt seriously hurt, his spokesman said. The driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskys medical team and was taken away by ambulance. The president suffered no serious injuries in the incident, Nikiforov said, but he did not specify what injuries Zelensky might have suffered.

In a video address released later on Thursday, the Ukrainian president criticised missile attacks on the water system at Kryvyi Rih, the largest city in central Ukraine with an estimated pre-war population of 650,000. The city has been forced to step up efforts to repair damage to the Karachunov reservoir dam, which officials said was hit a day earlier by eight cruise missiles. Zelensky said in the video that the water system had no military value and hundreds of thousands of civilians depend on it daily. The Ukrainian government says its army has liberated about 8000 square kilometres of territory so far this month, a swath of land nearly equivalent to the island of Cyprus. Russian forces still control about a fifth of Ukraine in the south and east, but Kyiv is now on the offensive in both areas.

Moscows recent rout in north-east Ukraine was its largest military defeat since Russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv area months ago. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along a road. As Zelensky visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, de-mined retaken ground and investigated possible war crimes. He said life comes back as Ukrainian soldiers return to previously occupied villages. The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian forces were preparing to retake the region, which borders the Kharkiv region and was has been mostly under Russian control since July. Mobile internet service was down, and intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued, according to Haidai. He said guerrilla forces were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk. But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the [Ukrainian] flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

A separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult. In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago. The counteroffensive has left more weapons in Ukrainian hands. Russian forces probably left behind dozens of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east, a Ukrainian think-tank said Wednesday. The Centre for Defence Strategies said one Russian unit fleeing the Izium area left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles. Another unit left 47 tanks and 27 armoured vehicles. The centre said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces ruin equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it.

However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently forced them to abandon untouched ammunition and weapons. With the recent Ukrainian gains, a new front line has emerged along the Oskil River, which largely traces the eastern edge of the Kharkiv region, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday. Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose, the institute said. Loading In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing more casualties in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Russian shelling of seven Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours killed at least seven civilians and wounded 22, Ukraines presidential office reported Wednesday morning. Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, said regional governor Vitaliy Kim. Settlements near the front line in Mykolaiv region remain under fire. The Nikopol area, across a river from the shut-down Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, with no injuries were immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said. Loading Fighting also raged in the eastern Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, an industrial area that Moscow set out to capture following an unsuccessful attempt to invade Kyiv.
The Duchy of Cornwall was established in the 14th century as a way to generate income for the heir to the throne and has essentially funded Charles private and official expenses. One example of its financial might: The $28 million profit he made from it last year dwarfed his official salary as prince  just over $1.1 million. Piecing together the royal familys assets is complicated, but the fortune falls generally into four groups. Loading First, and most prominent, is the Crown Estate, which oversees the assets of the monarchy through a board of directors. Charles, as King, will serve as its chairman, but he does not have final say over how the business is managed. The estate, which official accounts value at more than $19 billion, includes shopping malls, busy streets in Londons West End and a growing number of wind farms. The royals are entitled to take only rental income from their official estates and may not profit from any sales, as they do not personally own the assets.

The estates profits, valued at about $363 million this year, are turned over to the Treasury, which in return gives the royal household a payment called a sovereign grant based on those profits  which must be topped up by the government if it is lower than the previous year. In 2017, the government increased the familys payment to 25 per cent of the profits to cover the costs of renovating Buckingham Palace. The latest sovereign grant received by the royals was around $100 million, which the family, including Charles, has used for official royal duties, like visits, payroll and housekeeping. It does not cover the royals security costs, which is also paid by the government, but the cost is kept secret. The next major pot of money is the Duchy of Lancaster. This $949 million portfolio is owned by whomever sits on the throne. But the value of that trust is dwarfed by the Duchy of Cornwall, the third significant home of royal money, which Charles has long presided over as prince. Generating tens of millions of dollars a year, the duchy has funded his private and official spending, and has bankrolled William, the heir to the throne, and Catherine, Williams wife.

It has done so without paying corporation taxes like most businesses in Britain are obliged to and without publishing details about where the estate invests its money. When Charles took over at age 21, the duchy was not in a good financial state, Marlene Koenig, a royal expert and writer, said, citing poor management and a lack of diversification. Charles took a more active role in the portfolio in the 1980s and began hiring experienced managers. The $28 million profit Charles made from his duchy last year dwarfed his official salary as prince. Credit:AP It was at this time that the duchy became financially aggressive, she said. In 2017, leaked financial documents known as the Paradise Papers revealed that Charles duchy estate had invested millions in offshore companies, including a Bermuda-registered business run by one of his best friends.

The final pool of money, and the most secretive, is the familys private fortune. According to the Rich List, the annual catalogue of British wealth published in The Sunday Times, the Queen had a net worth of about $430 million. That includes her personal assets, such as Balmoral Castle and Sandringham Estate, which she inherited from her father. Much of her personal wealth has been kept private. Charles has also made financial headlines unrelated to his wealth but tied to the charitable foundation that he chairs and operates in his name. His stewardship of the foundation has been marred by controversy, most recently this spring, when The Sunday Times reported that Charles had accepted 3 million (about $3 million) in cash  including money stuffed in shopping bags and a suitcase  from a former Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani. The money was for his foundation, which finances philanthropic causes around the world. Charles does not benefit financially from such contributions. Hes willing to take money from anybody, really, without questioning whether its the wise thing to do, said Norman Baker, a former government minister and author of the book  And What Do You Do? What the Royal Family Dont Want You to Know. Baker described Charles as the most progressive, caring member of the royal family. But he said he had also filed a police complaint accusing him of improperly selling honorary titles.

Thats no way to behave for a royal, he said, referring to an ongoing scandal over whether Charles had granted knighthood and citizenship to a Saudi business owner in exchange for donations to one of Charles charitable ventures. Loading Charles denied knowing about this, one of his top aides who was implicated stepped down, and authorities began investigating. The Kings representatives did not respond to a message seeking comment. Charles has also courted controversy with his outspoken views and campaigning. He has lobbied senior government ministers, including Tony Blair, through dozens of letters on issues from the Iraq War to alternative therapies. Though English law does not require it, royal protocol calls for political neutrality. In his inaugural address Saturday, the king indicated that he planned to step back from his outside endeavours. It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply, he said.
London: The decision to deny Prince Harry the right to wear military uniform at events commemorating his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II cannot erase his decade of military service, his team has said.

The duke has been banned from wearing his military uniform for public events because he is not a working member of the royal family, along with his uncle the Duke of York.

Prince Philip and Prince Harry in 2014. Credit:AP

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother, his press secretary confirmed on Tuesday.

His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears, and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Slavery, racism connected to U.S. gun ownership: report

Xinhua) 09:43, September 14, 2022

NEW YORK, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Two recent studies have found more evidence that for many white Americans who advocate for gun rights, it isn't simply about owning and using a tool, but even more about identity and power, reported The Center for Public Integrity last week.

One of the research papers found that the larger the percentage of enslaved people a U.S. county had in 1860, the higher the rate of gun ownership its residents have today.

The second found that white Americans who express high levels of anti-Black sentiments associate gun rights with white people and gun control with Black people, and they are less likely to support gun rights if they believe Black people are exercising those rights more than they are.

"When white Americans talk about gun rights today, they're often not talking about Black Americans' rights. Some of the moments when politicians enacted stricter gun legislation came right after times when Black Americans exercised their rights to own guns," said the report.

Surveys have shown that two-thirds of gun-owning Americans say it's a way to stay safe, while people in other countries are more likely to believe the presence of a gun adds risk and danger to their lives, according to the report.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reunite to meet the mourners after Queen Elizabeth II's demise. (Photo: Bruce Detorres/Public Domain Mark 1.0 (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/))

Many celebrated Prince Harry and Prince William's reunion when they walked together with their wives, Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, outside Windsor Castle to greet the mourners following Queen Elizabeth II's death on Thursday, September 8. However, the surprising get-together still met criticisms, with some saying the Sussexes delayed the meeting.

It was the first time the Fab Four was seen together again. But before Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle finally reunited, there was said to be a big issue.

Royal watched Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were an "hour late" because King Charles III told his eldest son to "extend the invitation."

"They found out Meghan Markle had her U.S. PR firm book an 'alternate' walkabout, which was headed off," she said. "So, it was a last-minute invitation to head that off; she was breaking protocol (yet again)."

A rep for the former "Suits" star is yet to comment about the issue. Fordwich added that the controversial couple had to "scramble" to prepare for the event.

She even noted that the Duchess of Sussex normally had her hair and makeup team, though she couldn't confirm the truth about this. They weren't in their mourning clothes yet, and Prince Wiliam's offer of reconciliation took 45 minutes of negotiation before they finally reunited.

The negotiation was said to be about the Duke of Sussex's plea for his and his family's security. He's still facing a legal battle against the U.K. government as he fights for his right after stepping down as a senior royal.

The Prince of Wales is also reportedly "dismayed," seeing some coverage mostly focus on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's movements instead of mourning Queen Elizabeth's demise. "So, he then was resolved to make contact with Harry and Meghan," Fordwich continued.

Meanwhile, Prince William and Prince Harry will reunite again to walk together behind Queen Elizabeth's coffin in a procession in London on Wednesday, September 14, per BBC. The Dukes will be with their father, walking on foot from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where Her Majesty will lie in state.

They will also be joined by Princess Anne, Princess Andrew, and Prince Edward. Alternatively, Camilla, the Queen Consort, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, will travel by car.

The procession will begin at 14:22 BST and is expected to end at 15:00 BST. A service that will run for about 20 minutes will then follow, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
is fully committed to investing in Maharashtra, chairman Anil Agarwal, tweeted on Wednesday, amid a political brouhaha over Gujarat pipping the state to bag a $20-billion investment.

On Tuesday, announced that the Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant would be set up in Gujarat. It signed two memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with the Gujarat government to set up a semiconductor fab unit, a display fab unit, and a semiconductor assembling and testing unit entailing an investment of Rs 1.54 trillion and employment to around 100,000 people.

In a series of tweets late on Wednesday, Agarwal said that the investments in semiconductor and display glass production would create an ecosystem of industries across the country. We are committed to investing in . We will soon create a hub where will be part of our forward integration.

He also said that Vedanta-Foxconn had been engaging in dialogue with state governments for the last two years and hope to continue the conversations for the growth of the country in the years to come.

The assurances came on the back of a political controversy sparked by the MoUs with the Gujarat government. The Opposition in blamed the Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis-led government for losing the project to Gujarat.

However, through his tweets, Agarwal explained that Vedanta-Foxconn had been professionally assessing sites for the multi-billion dollar investment.

This is a scientific and financial process which takes several years. We started this about 2 years ago.

Our team of internal and external professional agencies shortlisted few states viz., Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, TN etc to help achieve our purpose. For last 2 years we have been engaging with each of these governments as well as central government and have received fantastic support.

Agarwal said that Gujarat met expectations and the decision was made a few months ago. But in July meeting with Maharashtra leadership, they made a huge effort to outbid other states with a competitive offer.

We have to start in one place & based on professional & independent advice we chose Gujarat. This multi-billion dollar long-term investment will change the course of Indian electronics. We will create a pan-India ecosystem and we are fully committed to investing in Maharashtra as well. Maharashtra will be our key to forward integration in our Gujarat JV."
Global tech major IBM, which employs over a lakh individuals in India, on Wednesday termed moonlighting an unethical practice.

Moonlighting, the practice of taking up secondary jobs after the regular work hours, has been highlighted by many tech of late.

IBM's managing director for India and South Asia, Sandip Patel said, at the time of joining, the company's employees sign an agreement saying they will be working only for .

notwithstanding what people can do in the rest of their time, it is not ethically right to do that (moonlighting), Patel told reporters on the sidelines of a company event.

Tech players in India are expressing varied opinions on moonlighting or side hustles, where an employee undertakes some other work for extra income.

Wipro's Chairman Rishad Premji had termed such behaviour by employees cheating.

You know Rishad's position on this, right? I share Rishad's position, Patel said.

When asked about the company's hiring plans for India, which holds a key role as a talent base and as a market for the company, Patel said migration of employees to their hometowns during the pandemic has not completely reversed and hence, the IT industry has adopted the hybrid model of working.

Calling tier-2 and tier-3 cities as emerging clusters, Patel said the company has plans of deepening its presence in the country.

India saw a delivery centre being inaugurated in Mysuru recently and also has offices in Kolkata and the National Capital Region.

Meanwhile, the company announced that it has signed up with Airtel to offer its secured edge cloud services to the telco.

The Airtel platform backed by cloud satellite will power Maruti Suzuki's initiatives to streamline play productivity and quality operations, a statement by IBM said.

Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar also spoke at the event.

He told the audience that the country has made progress since the launch of Digital India initiative and has reimagined its ambitions in the post-COVID world.

(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.)
Discoms' regulatory assets cumulatively rose to Rs 88,720 crore by June 30, showed government data, indicating that financial woes of utilities run deeper than their outstanding dues from states, reported The Times of India on Wednesday.

While the data says the amount recognised by state regulators is Rs 88,720 crore, industry players believe it is just the tip of the iceberg and the actual amount could be in excess of Rs 1 trillion with claims tied up in legal knots at the appellate level or in higher courts, reported TOI.

Delhi's tariff regulator has recognised regulatory assets of Rs 8,954 crore for the three operating in the capital, however, if the orders of appellate bodies and courts are added, the amount will be substantially higher, executives, quoted by TOI, said.



Also Read | Power shocks: Discoms need transparency

Regulatory assets are discom expenses that are recoverable in power tariff hikes.

Last year, a NITI Aayog-Rocky Mountain Institute India report said "regulatory assets create cash-flow problems for discoms, forcing them to borrow funds to cover the revenue deficit. The additional borrowing, coupled with the interest, adds to the burden of discoms".

Consumers also pay the price as regulators often levy a surcharge to cover their failure to allow tariffs to reflect costs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July said outstanding dues that stretch over several months threaten the financial stability of and gencos. According to the data from the power ministry, the states and the union territories (UTs) together owe Rs 1.3 trillion to .
on Wednesday said that it has inked a pact to develop a 4-MWp at Tata Motors' Pune plant.

" and have entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to develop a 4-MWp on-site at Tata Motors' Pune commercial vehicle manufacturing facility," a BSE filing said.

The installation is collectively expected to generate 5.8 million units of electricity, potentially mitigating over 10 lakh tonnes of carbon emission. This is equivalent to planting over 16 lakh teak trees over a lifetime, it stated.

Alok Kumar Singh, Plant Head, Commercial Vehicle Manufacturing Facility, Tata Motors, said, "In FY22, the total renewable energy contribution at our CV Pune plant was 32 per cent. With this agreement, we reaffirm our commitment to moving closer to our goals of cultivating 100 per cent renewable energy capacity."



Until FY22, at its Pune plant, including at its passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturing facilities, deployed 15 MWp solar project, generating 21 million kWh of renewable electricity.

Over the next few years, the company plans to expand the solar capacity of its Pune plant to meet the growing demand for renewable energy.

Shivram Bikkina, Chief Solar Rooftop, Tata Power, said, " is pleased to collaborate with in supporting the expansion of green energy utilisation through this 4 MWp power project at its manufacturing facility in Pune. We are committed to working closely with all our partners and creating clean energy solutions for making their operations green and sustainable."



In FY22, across all its plants in India, the company generated 92.39 million kWh of renewable electricity for its manufacturing operations, which is 19.4 per cent of the total power consumption.

(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.)
One person was killed and 11 others critically injured as two motorcycle-borne gunmen went on a rampage in Bihar's Begusarai district, firing indiscriminately at people in crowded areas, police said.

The assailants are yet to be identified, they said.

The gunmen opened fire at Malhipur Chowk in Begusarai town on Tuesday evening, targeting shops in the busy area, a police officer said.

Panicked people started running for their lives, while shopkeepers fled leaving shops open.

The miscreants then went to Barauni Thermal Chowk, Barauni, Teghra, Bachwara and Rajendra Bridge, and continued firing at people, he said.

A 30-year-old man, Chandan Kumar, was killed and 11 others were critically injured in the mayhem, Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar told reporters.

Some of the injured were admitted to the government hospital in Begusarai, while others were sent to Patna for better treatment, he said.

Security has been beefed up in the district, and all the entry points have been barricaded after the incident.

"Investigation is underway. We will soon nab the accused," the SP 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.)
Eleven people, including four women, died and 29 more were injured when an overcrowded mini-bus plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's district on Wednesday, officials said here.

The bus was on its way to from Gali Maidan when it met with the accident near Brari Nallah in the border belt of Sawjian around 8.30 am, they said.

The officials said a joint rescue operation by the Army, police, and local villagers was immediately launched.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and several leaders from the Valley expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.

The officials said nine passengers were found dead on the spot, while two more succumbed to injuries at a hospital.

The condition of nine of the 29 injured is critical, and six of them were airlifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment, they said.

The bus rolled down more than 250 feet into the gorge and hit the hard ground strewn with boulders, the officials said, adding that the vehicle, also carrying students headed for schools, was completely damaged.

Ten of the deceased have been identified as Bashir Ahmad Lone (40), his daughter Nazima Akhter (20), Shaida Akhter (32), Razia Akhter (18), Zarina Begum (40), Mahroof Ahmad (14), Mohd Hussain (65), Imran Ahmad (6), Abdul Kareen (70) and Abdul Qayoom (40).

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia for the kin of the deceased.

"Saddened by loss of lives due to a road accident in Sawjian, . Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Rs 5 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the deceased. Directed police and civil authorities to provide best possible treatment to the injured," he tweeted.

Sinha also visited the district hospital in Jammu to enquire about the health of those injured and announced Rs one lakh aid for seriously injured victims.

"Visited District Hospital, Poonch to enquire about health of civilians who were injured in tragic road accident today. Met the relatives & doctors treating injured. 6 seriously injured have been airlifted to Jammu for treatment. Rs 1 Lakh would be given to those seriously injured," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, a group of people staged a protest against the district administration over its failure to check frequent road accidents and put in place a well-equipped trauma centre.

"We have to shift critically injured accident victims to Jammu, as a result of which many of them lost their lives," a protester claimed.

Prime Minister Modi also announced financial aid of Rs two lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.

"The loss of lives due to an accident in Poonch is saddening. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery. Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured," he said in a tweet on the Twitter handle of the PMO.

President Murmu said, "The loss of lives in a tragic road accident in Sawjian, Poonch is deeply distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured."



Dhankhar tweeted: "Pained to learn about the loss of lives in a in Poonch, . My deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured."



Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said, "Very sorry to hear about the tragic loss of lives in a in Poonch. May the souls of the departed rest in peace & may the injured make a swift recovery."



PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed shock over the accident. "Deepest condolences to the grieving families & prayers for the injured," she tweeted.

(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.)
Bollywood actress Fernandez left the office of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police after being grilled by the cops for over eight hours in connection with the Rs 200 crore extortion-cum- case involving multimillionaire conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is presently lodged in jail.

had reached the office at around 11 am, but she didn't speak to the media and went straight inside. She was accompanied by her counsels.

The actress was confronted with Pinky Irani, her associate in the matter. The unit had prepared a long list of questions.

"She was asked about her relationship with Chandrashekar, and about the gifts and money she received from the conman. Irani and Fernandez both were confronted together," a source in the said.

She was also asked how much money she and her family members received from Chandrashekar.

"We asked why she was in touch with him even after knowing that Chandrashekar was a conman. Why did she take his help to take her family out of a financial soup," the source said.

reportedly confessed that Chandrashekar did help her family. She also said that a few gifts were returned by her.

Earlier in the first week of September, the EOW officials had recorded the testimony of another Bollywood personality, Nora Fatehi, in connection with the same case.

Chandrashekhar was arrested for allegedly and extorting money from some high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh.

Many Bollywood actors and models have been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for their alleged links to Chandrashekhar.

In April last year, Chandrashekhar was arrested in a money laundering case linked to the 2017 Election Commission bribery case, which allegedly involved a former AIADMK leader, among others.

--IANS

atk/arm

(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.)
As many as 141 passengers were evacuated from an Express plane at the Muscat airport on Wednesday after and smoke were noticed in one of the engines. Fourteen of the passengers suffered minor bruises during the emergency evacuation on the taxiway.

The Kochi-bound Boeing 737 aircraft was taxiing towards the runway when its pilots were alerted about fumes in the right engine by the crew of another aircraft.

The pilots carried out the checklist, switched the engines off and activated the on-board extinguishers. engines from the airport rushed to the spot.

Slides were deployed and passengers were evacuated.

Express said there was no fire warning indication in the cockpit.

The matter is being investigated by the regulatory authorities and the airlines flight safety department, it said.

A relief flight was arranged to bring the passengers back.

The aircraft fire will be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Oman (CAA) keeping the Indian civil aviation regulator in the loop.

The (DGCA), too, will carry out regulatory investigation to ascertain causes.

A source said mixing of lubricating oil with engine exhaust gases might have caused the fire.

According to International Civil Aviation Organisations (ICAOs) norms, an event is classified as an accident if there is a fatal or serious injury to passengers or if the aircraft involved suffers damage or structural failure.

In its statement, the Omani CAA referred to the event as an accident and said it was following up the developments along with the authorities concerned.

Videos and images on social media showed smoke emanating from the plane parked at the Muscat airport.

In a statement, an spokesperson said the plane was to depart Muscat at 11.20 am local time (which is 12.50 pm India time).

said full support was extended by Muscat Airport authorities and the passengers were brought to the terminal building. There are no major injuries reported, except for minor bruises to some passengers while evacuating.

An official at the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) said that due to the incident, flight IX475 from Kochi to Doha had been delayed.

According to the latest update provided by the CIAL official, the rescheduled IX442 flight from Muscat would arrive at Kochi at 2.30 am on September 15 and later leave for Doha as flight IX475 at 3.15 am.
Parts of and Howrah district turned into a battlefield on Tuesday as BJP supporters clashed with the police while trying to get past barricades erected to prevent them from marching towards the secretariat Nabanna'.

A police vehicle was also set on fire during the march organised to protest against the alleged corrupt practices of the Trinamool Congress government.

Several police officers and saffron camp members, including leaders Mina Devi Purohit and Swapan Dasgupta, were reportedly injured during the rally.

A Police officer said, "There was no report of any serious injury to any protestor though several police personnel have suffered injuries".

While the BJP alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government does not want to give space to opposition parties, the TMC described the saffron camp workers as hooligans'.

Sharing a video of people carrying BJP flags setting ablaze a police vehicle, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee tweeted, Today, not just Bengal but the nation saw a glimpse of what @BJP4Bengal hooligans are capable of doing to our City of Joy.

The saffron party's IT in-charge Amit Malviya shared another video of the same incident on his Twitter handle. He said, Mamata Banerjee sent TMC cadres to pelt stones at the police so that later BJP could be blamed for it



The police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the agitators, who tried to go past the barricades that were put in place at several points in and its adjoining areas.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and party MP Locket Chatterjee were detained by the police even before the start of the rally.

"Everyone got to see how the partisan police tried scuttling a leader of the opposition's democratic right to protest outside Nabanna. I was manhandled by a woman constable, people saw that too," Adhikari told reporters before being whisked away in a prison van.

In Santragachhi in Howrah district, the police were pelted with stones as they chased away the protesters. A police kiosk was damaged as the demonstrators were stopped from moving forward.

The pitched battle continued for several hours at Santragachhi as BJP activists went on throwing stones at the cops standing outside the station and police reinforcements were sent to quell the situation.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Howrah town, Kolkata's Lalbazar and MG Road areas where protesters engaged in a scuffle with the police.

Police used water cannons near Howrah bridge, Howrah Maidan area and Santragachhi.

Normal life was disrupted in Kolkata due to the protests, with common people facing huge inconveniences on the thoroughfares, many of which had plunged into chaos.

BJP leaders attacked the administration for the police action during its protest rally.

The party's state president Sukanta Majumdar staged a sit-in in Howrah after being stopped from taking forward the rally.

"This autocratic Mamata Banerjee government does not believe in giving space to opposition parties," he said.

The BJP state chief and senior leader Agnimitra Paul were later detained from a protest site at Howrah Maidan.

In a Twitter post, Malviya alleged that male police constables of Kolkata Police assaulted women protestors under the instructions of Mamata Banerjee.

Vowing to move court against the police action on BJP rallyists, Adhikari claimed, "This government will not last beyond January 2023.

BJP vice-president Dilip Ghosh, who led the protesters near Howrah bridge, left the site in the midst of a lathi-charge on his party's supporters.

"Only 15 per cent of the BJP workers could attend today's march to Nabanna as the rest were prevented from coming to the city and Howrah. And yet see the impact. Eighty per cent of state police had to be deployed with water cannons, batons, tear gas shells to tackle these 15 per cent party workers and supporters," BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya told PTI.

The state's ruling party shared videos showing alleged BJP workers attacking a policeman with wooden rods and a police vehicle.

Abhishek Banerjee tweeted: We shudder to imagine what they would've done had they come to power. WB, thank you for rejecting them! Now, it's time for India to reject them!



"Destroying and damaging government property, attacking police personnel, causing chaos and disrupting peace across the state -- today's activities of BJP that brought shame upon the entire nation. We strongly condemn such outrageous behaviour," the TMC said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court sought a report from the Home Secretary over the allegation that BJP supporters were forcibly prevented from attending its 'march to Nabanna' programme.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj also directed the state government to ensure protection of the BJP state headquarters in Kolkata.

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Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Tuesday held talks with his visiting Nepalese counterpart Bharat Raj Paudyal and took stock of the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, also covering trade, connectivity, culture and people-to-people relations.

Paudyal is on two-day visit to India from September 13.

The (MEA) said the two foreign secretaries noted with appreciation the progress on many projects.

Kwatra and Paudyal also reviewed the implementation of initiatives announced during Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's visit to India in April and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's trip to Lumbini in May.

"The foreign secretaries reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation between India and Nepal, including economic and commercial cooperation, enhancing connectivity, development cooperation, trade, culture and people-people relations," it said in a statement.

The MEA said the recent progress in bilateral cooperation in power sector, including export of power from Nepal to India, was appreciated by the two foreign secretaries.

"It was also agreed that both sides will work to further strengthen such cooperation in keeping with the joint vision statement on power sector cooperation adopted during the visit of PM of Nepal to India in April," the MEA said.

Both sides also welcomed recent signing of the Memorandums of Understanding between India's NHPC and Investment Board Nepal (IBN) on the development of West Seti and SR-6 projects.

"In terms of connectivity projects, the progress made in the operationalisation of Kurta-Bijalpura segment of Jayanagar-Bardibas rail link and Bathnaha-Nepal Custom Yard segment of Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link, which are significant steps in further strengthening the people-people links, was noted with satisfaction," the MEA said.

"The Nepali side appreciated the COVID-19 assistance provided by India during the pandemic and also thanked the Indian side for keeping the supply lines of trade open, even during the peak of the lockdown," it said.

The MEA said both sides agreed to expeditiously progress on project proposals for the Ramayana Circuit to further strengthen people-to-people links.

"Both sides also agreed to expeditiously implement the extension of petroleum pipeline from Amlekhgunj to Chitwan and construction of an LPG pipeline from Motihari to Chitwan," it said.

"The visit of the foreign secretary of Nepal is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries," the MEA said.

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India's first flex engine-run car, which has been manufactured by Toyota Kirloskar Motor, will be unveiled on September 28 in Delhi, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways said on Wednesday.

Flex engine is an internal combustion engine that can run on one fuel or a blended fuel, such as petrol mixed with ethanol.

The minister, in his address at 62nd annual session of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), said that 35 per cent of the pollution in India is due to the fossil fuel-driven vehicles.

So alternative fuels like ethanol should be developed that are indigenous, cost-effective and pollution-free, he added.

"Just like Brazil, Canada and the US, I have been appealing to the automobile industry to start flex engine vehicles in India," he mentioned.

"In this month, on 28th, I am going to launch Toyota's flex engine car in Delhi," he added.

He said this is the right time to accept new technologies.

"Just fifteen days back, I launched one LNG (liquified natural gas) truck in Pune. Today, I received an invitation from Mercedes to launch their electric car in Pune," the minister noted.

He said he is supporting all those people who are doing research related to alternative fuels.

The minister said he wants to discourage people who are using cars.

"I am not against your industry but this is also a big problem. How is it possible for us to keep increasing the roads' width and length?" he asked.
The on Wednesday cleared the proposal to notify several tribal communities under the (ST) category in Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda told media persons after the Cabinet meeting that these proposals were lying pending for several years.

Basically due to spelling errors and similar sounding names of several communities, these could not be brought under the ST category for a very long time, he added.

The Cabinet approved the ministry's proposal for the inclusion of Narikoravan, along with the Kurivikkaran, community of Tamil Nadu under ST category through the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

Similarly,it granted ST status to the Betta-Kuruba community as a synonym of Kadu Kuruba of Karnataka. This also would be done through the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

Further, Gonds, along with its five sub-castes, in Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh were included in the ST list of Uttar Pradesh.

The also granted tribal status to the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district. The decision marks the inclusion of the Hattee community in four blocks of the area.

--IANS

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The petitioners on Wednesday told the that according to the religious text, wearing of was 'farz' (duty) and the courts were not equipped to determine its essentiality.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, representing some petitioners, submitted before a bench comprising Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia that once it was shown that wearing a is a bona fide practice then it was permitted, while citing the apex court's decision in Bijoe Emmanuel case. Dhavan said that the conclusion of the Karnataka High Court was puzzling, as it said was not mandatory due to the absence of prescription of penalties.

The bench queried Dhavan that his argument was that the courts were not equipped to decide the matter, and if a dispute arises then which forum will decide it? Dhavan said what was the dispute? Whether hijab was an essential practice? He added that hijab was worn all over the country, and as long as it was bona fide and prevalent, the practice must be allowed and there was no need to refer to the religious text.

Dhavan argued that according to the tenets of the faith, if something has been followed, it was allowed, and if it was bona fide, there was no need to go back to the text. Also, if a belief of a community was proved then a judge was bound to accept that belief, instead of sitting on a judgment on that belief, he added.

Citing the Kerala High Court decision, he added that the analysis of the Quranic injunctions and the Hadiths would show that it was a 'farz' to cover the head. The bench queried, what was the basis of saying it was a 'farz'?

Justice Gupta told Dhavan, "You want us not to do what the Kerala High Court has done?" He replied that "if one were to interpret the text then the answer to it is farz, and if it is a ritual that is prevalent, and is bona fide, your lordships will allow."

Dhavan further added that the rationale in the Kerala case given by the Board was that it was a measure to prevent malpractices in the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) in 2016, but in Karnataka case, there was no rationale given. He added that hijab was permitted across the board in public places, so what was the basis to say hijab can't be allowed in a classroom and was opposed to public order? Concluding his argument, Dhavan said there was no foundation in the government order against hijab, it violates Article 14 and 15, and this was not permissible in the Constitution.

The hearing in the matter will continue at 2 p.m.

The apex court was hearing submissions on the fifth day against the Karnataka High Court's judgement of March 15 upholding ban on Hijab in pre-university colleges.

--IANS

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language is not a competitor but a "friend" of all the other languages in the country, Union Home Minister said here on Wednesday as he denounced the "disinformation" campaign to pit against regional languages.

He underlined the need to strengthen regional languages by keeping together.

Addressing the All India Official Language Conference in Surat city, Shah said that accepting the co-existence of languages was needed and stressed the need to make Hindi flexible by taking words from other languages to expand its dictionary.

"I want to make one thing very clear. Some people are spreading disinformation that Hindi and Gujarati, Hindi and Tamil, Hindi and Marathi are competitors. Hindi cannot be a competitor to any other language in the country. You must understand that Hindi is the friend of all the languages of the country," Shah said.

He said regional languages in the country will prosper only when Hindi prospers, and vice versa.

"Everybody should accept and understand this. So long as we do not accept the co-existence of languages, we cannot realise the dream of running the country in our own language. And I want to say with sincerity that it should be our aim to keep all the languages and mother tongues alive and prosperous. Only with the prosperity of all these languages will Hindi prosper," Shah added.

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will celebrate " Liberation Day" to commemorate 75 years of state in a year-long celebration. The celebrations will start on September 17, 2022, and end on September 17, 2023.

"The objective is to make the current generation, both from the region under consideration and the rest of India, aware of the story of resistance, valour, and sacrifice," the Centre said in a release.

At the time of partition in 1947, the princely states of India were under subsidiary alliances with the British. On July 18, 1947, the British passed the India Act 1947, allowing states to opt for full .

By 1948, most princely states had acceded to India or Pakistan. Hyderabad's ruler, Mir Osman Ali Khan, opted to stay independent. The state, however, was seeing a rise of Razakars, a voluntary paramilitary force.

"Although the rest of India celebrated freedom on August 15, the people of Samstan had to wait for the then home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's initiation of direct police action, 'Operation Polo', 13 months after Indian independence, to achieve freedom."

"While the states of Maharashtra and already commemorate this day as Liberation Day and Karnataka- Liberation Day, respectively, the 75th year celebrations of Hyderabad Liberation provide us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commemorate it across the three states in a way that honours the sacrifices made by the martyrs," the Centre said.

In September 1948, then home minister Vallabhbhai Patel launched "Operation Polo". Subsequently, Khan signed the instrument of accession and became a part of India.

The celebrations will be launched in Hyderabad on September 17. Union minister G Kishan Reddy will be the chief guest of the event. Chief ministers of Telangana, Maharashtra, and will also attend the event.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday that her recent visit to benefitted and she has not returned "empty handed" and emphasised that her trip has opened up a new horizon in the relationship between the two friendly neighbouring countries.

During Hasina's visit, and signed seven agreements, including one on sharing of waters of Kushiyara river which is expected to benefit the regions of southern Assam and Bangladesh's Sylhet region.

"They (India) have shown much sincerity and I have not returned empty handed," Hasina told reporters here, nearly after a week she returned home following a four-day visit to from September 5 to 8.

"I think that my visit, after a long break of three years due to the Covid pandemic, has opened a new horizon in Bangladesh-India relations, she said, adding that the people of both sides would be benefited from the cooperation in all the areas identified during her India visit and the decisions taken to solve the existing bilateral problems.

Her comments came as leaders of the main opposition outside parliament BNP alleged that gained nothing from her India visit while its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "Hasina is unable to deal with India".

Hasina said a MoU on the cross-border Kushiyara river was one of the major achievements of her tour as it was expected to protect over 5,820,000 hectares of land in Bangladesh's northeastern Sylhet region from sudden and protracted flooding.

She said that as per the MoU, Bangladesh would receive 153 cusecs of water under the Surma-Kushiyara project from the common river Kushiyara and as a result, 5,000 hectares of land would get irrigation facilities through Rahimpur Link Canal.

She said the water sharing issue of major Teesta also featured during her talks with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi while BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia even forgot to raise the long pending Ganges water issue during her New Delhi tour."



Bangladesh and India had signed the Ganges Treaty in 1996 during Hasina's ruling Awami League government.

She said the two countries reached an agreement on cooperation in the fields of environment, climate change, cyber security, space technology, and green economy, cultural and people-to-people communication.

"We agreed to complete the construction work of the second gate proposed by India at the Petrapol-Benapole border as soon as possible to expand trade. A delegation from Bangladesh will soon visit India to participate in the start-up fair," Hasina added.

Hasina said New Delhi agreed not to halt export of products like sugar, onion, garlic and ginger to Bangladesh without informing Dhaka in advance so Bangladesh could find alternative sources for those essentials.

She said that cessation of border killings, trade expansion, withdrawal of anti-dumping duty on Bangladesh jute products, repatriation of the Rohingyas, import of electricity from Nepal and Bhutan via India, were also discussed.

"After all, in the changed world situation, this visit would accelerate both the countries to move forward together in a new way, Hasina said.

She added that similarities of language and culture deepened the historic relations with our closest neighbour and friendly country, India.

"Apart from this, the support during the Liberation War and cooperation after the independence has reached this friendship at a special level, she added.

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The disengagement between the armies of India and China at the Patrolling Point 15 in eastern is "one problem less" on the border, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.

At a media briefing after his talks with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, Jaishankar also took an indirect pot shot at China while replying to a question about ''one country'' blocking proposals at the UN Security Council to designate proscribed terrorists.

"I do not think I will say anything new today except I would recognise that we have had disengagement at PP-15 (Patrolling Point 15). The disengagement as I understand was completed. That is one problem less on the border," Jaishankar said, in response to a question.

Indian and Chinese armies carried out a joint verification of the disengagement process at PP-15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in eastern after withdrawing their troops and dismantling temporary infrastructure from the friction point on Monday.

The disengagement that came days ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Uzbek city of Samarkand for the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, triggered speculations about a bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines the summit this week.

However, there is no official word on it either by the Indian side or by the Chinese government.

Modi is scheduled to reach Samarkand on Thursday evening and is set to return home late Friday.

On the sidelines of the SCO summit, Modi is set to have separate bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

To a question on "one country" blocking proposals at the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based terrorists, Jaishankar said the listing is done as terrorists are a threat to the entire international community.

"Regarding the listing where India and France have cooperated for many years, I think the listing of terrorists is done because the terrorists are a threat to the entire international community," he said.

"So it is not something which countries necessarily do in pursuit of a narrow national agenda. If somebody blocks listing particularly in cases where the merits of going ahead are very apparent, I think they do so frankly at peril to their own interests and their own reputation," he said.

Last month, China blocked a move at the UN Security Council to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) deputy chief Abdul Rauf Azhar as a global terrorist.

China put a technical hold on the joint proposal by India and the US to designate the JeM leader, who is the younger brother of the outfit's chief Masood Azhar.

All other 14 member states of the top UN body supported the proposal.

The Chinese action came less than a month after Beijing blocked a similar joint proposal by India and the US to blacklist Pakistan-based deputy leader of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba Abdul Rehman Makki.

To a question on China's military muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar said it is important for like-minded countries to work together to contribute to ensuring peace, stability, security and prosperity in the region.

"We consider France a very much Indo-Pacific player and also a country which has a long-standing presence in the Indian Ocean. So that is also something we specifically discussed," he said about his talks with Colonna.

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The Army's zonal officer in Jalandhar, Punjab, has told the state government that they may shift the recruitment rallies under the Agnipath scheme to other states due to a lack of support from the local civil administration.

"We are constrained to bring to your kind attention that supports from local civil administration is vacillating with no clear-cut commitments. They are usually citing their inadequacies due to lack of directions from the state government at Chandigarh or lack of funds," Major General Sharad Bikram Singh, zonal officer, Jalandhar, said in a letter to state authorities, as reported by Indian Express (IE). Also Read | 'You may be Veer, but not Agniveer': SC to lawyer challenging Agnipath

The letter also states that there are several "requirements" that the local administration needs to provide, including police assistance for law and order, security, crowd control, and essential barricading to enable controlled and smooth entry of candidates.

They also need to provide medical support, a medical officer, and a team for immediate assistance. IE report also stated that the authorities need to provide basic amenities like rain shelters, water, and food for 3,000-4,000 candidates every day for 14 days.

The letter stated that if the local authorities do not provide all the facilities, they may take up the case with the Headquarters. And they may "hold in abeyance all future rallies" or "alternatively conduct rallies in neighbouring states".

Currently, there is a recruitment drive going on in Gurdaspur. Another is scheduled to be held in Patiala from September 17 and 30.

Around 27,000 candidates are expected to participate in the upcoming Patiala rally.
The civic agency has identified several illegal structures that have come up on stormwater drains, which had recently caused severe flooding in parts of the city, particularly information technology (IT) corridors and arterial roads.

The anti-encroachment drive echoed in the state assembly as well.

Speaking in the House on Wednesday, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai reiterated that there will not be any discrimination in the drive to free illegal occupants of stormwater drains.

According to an Assistant Executive Engineer (Stormwater Drain-Mahadevapura zone) of the BBMP, Bagmane Techpark, Wipro, and Purva Paradise have encroached on drains across various survey numbers of Mahadevapura zone, which bore the brunt of the rain fury.

Real estate firm RBD was another encroacher which occupied drains in Junnasandra, Halanayakanahalli and Doddakannahalli, as per the list, along with 'Ecospace' in Bellandur and Gopalan Group in Hoodi and Bellandur, the AEE stated.

Bellandur has the biggest lake of the city, which has shrunk due to rampant encroachment.

Other alleged encroachers are: Adarsha, Columbia Asia Hospital, New Horizon College, Adarsha Retreat, Epsilon, Divyashree, Prestige, Salarpuria and Nalapad.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath said the civic body will first serve notices to the owners of the buildings who have built structures on the drains and after their response, it will take up action appropriately.

Chief Minister Bommai, while speaking in the Assembly, said he has given clear directions to the BBMP Chief Commissioner and other officials not to succumb to any pressure.

Two weeks before the torrential rains in Bengaluru, the Assistant Executive Engineer of the stormwater drain division had cautioned his superiors about the encroachment by "powerful people" in his letter dated August 17.

The AEE had apparently indicated possible flooding and its fallout on the IT corridor. The list was prepared on the oral instructions of the Zonal Commissioner of Mahadevapura.

According to government officials, there were 1,953 encroachment of stormwater drains, of which over 1,300 have been removed.

The BBMP, however, could not reclaim the drains in over 630 encroachment sites as residential buildings, apartments, firms, schools and hospitals have come up there, they said.

Most of them are located in Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli zone whereas the survey of encroachment in the illegal layouts in Yelahanka is underway.

According to them, Yelahanka zone has maximum illegal layouts. Last year, Yelahanka had witnessed flooding after which some major encroachments were removed.

BBMP officials said the total length of the stormwater drain network in the city is 860 kilometres. However, in most cases, the width of the major drains get reduced from 60 feet to a mere 10 or 20 feet following construction of illegal structures due to which flooding happened, they added.

"If the width is not brought back to its previous shape, then this problem will persist," a BBMP lake division official said.

The civic body continued its anti-encroachment drive for the third day on Wednesday following the that caused a major uproar prompting the government to act tough in clearing buildings that blocked stormwater drains.

The BBMP said it carried out anti-encroachment drives in Shantiniketan Layout, Papaiah Reddy Layout and Challaghatta in Mahadevapura zone and Satellite Town in Yelahanka.

Chief Minister Bommai said, "We have started this encroachment removal drive. We will not discriminate against anyone. The Karnataka Lokayukta has directed us to follow the due procedure of law, which we will do."



However, he said demolishing houses is not an "achievement". He insisted upon finding a solution to the problem instead of blaming others.

The Chief Minister's reaction came after JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy alleged that the city faced the consequences of "killing the lakes" to build bus stands and other structures on them.

The former chief minister blamed the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for the disappearance of many lakes in the city and flooding.

He also took a dig at the Congress for their march in Karnataka for a balancing reservoir on Mekedatu saying that had the lakes been saved, there was no need for Cauvery water in the city.

"Once, there were more than 1,000 lakes in the city. If we had saved them all, our water requirement would have been met but we did not do that. The Mekedatu padayatra was also not needed," Kumaraswamy said.

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Bollywood actress Fernandez on Wednesday appeared before the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of in connection with the Rs 200 crore involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

arrived at the EOW office at Mandir Marg earlier today.

A senior police officer told ANI that EOW has prepared a list of questions to be answered by . The questions were based on her relationship with Sukesh and the gifts she got from him. She will also be asked how many times she had met or contacted Sukesh over the phone during that period, the officer added.

Meanwhile, Pinky Irani, who had apparently introduced Jacqueline Fernandez to Sukesh Chandrashekhar, also arrived at the office of the Economic Offences Wing of on Wednesday in connection with the .

She has been summoned by EOW to join the investigation.

Irani has apparently helped Sukesh to contact Jacqueline Fernandez as she knew both of them. According to sources, Pinky and Jacqueline might be confronted during questioning to get more clarity in the case. Jacqueline has been communicated that her investigation might get stretched for a couple of days or back to back and hence told to plan her stay in Delhi accordingly.

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) named Jacqueline in their chargesheet in the that involves Sukesh.

The probe agency chargesheet stated that actor Jacqueline knew about Sukesh's involvement in criminal cases but she chose to overlook his criminal past and got involved in financial transactions with him.

"The set of questions prepared for Jacqueline is different from that were asked to Nora Fatehi, who was earlier called for questioning into the case," said another officer.

They have to also find out if both the actresses involved in the case were aware of each other receiving gifts, the officer added.

In September-October 2021, the enforcement agency recorded statements of Fatehi where she acknowledged having received gifts from the alleged conman and his actor wife Leena.

ED had registered a money laundering case in the alleged scam over the FIR registered by the Delhi Police. The agency had earlier stated that Fernandez's statements were recorded on August 30 and October 20, 2021, where she admitted to having received gifts from Chandrashekar.

It also said that Fernandez had used proceeds of crime and bought valuable gifts for herself and her family members in India as well as abroad which amounts to an offence of money laundering under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002.

Sukesh Chandrashekhar, a native of Bengaluru in Karnataka, is currently lodged in a Delhi jail and faces over 10 criminal cases registered against him.

Chandrashekhar has been accused of extorting Rs 200 crore when he was lodged in Rohini jail, from Aditi Singh, the wife of jailed former Ranbaxy owner Shivinder Singh, while posing as an official from the union law ministry and the PMO, on the pretext of getting her husband out on bail.

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Bollywood actor Fernandez on Wednesday appeared before Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing in connection with an linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, officials said.

Fernandez, a Sri Lankan national, joined the probe after being issued a third summons, they said.

The actor was accompanied by Pinki Irani who allegedly introduced her to Chandrashekhar, a senior police officer said.

The "Housefull 3" actor had been asked to join the probe on Monday but cited prior commitments and sought another date.

Earlier this month, another Bollywood actor, Norah Fatehi, was questioned by the agency got six to seven hours in the case and her statement recorded.

Chandrashekhar, who is currently in jail, is accused of cheating various people, including high-profile individuals such as former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh.

Fatehi was earlier questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case.

On August 17, the ED filed a charge sheet naming Fernandez as an accused in a multi-crore money laundering case linked to Chandrashekhar. According to the ED, Fatehi and Fernandez received luxury cars and other expensive gifts from Chandrashekhar.

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The Wednesday asked whether there is any authentic figure regarding dropping out of students from educational institutions in because of the ban and the subsequent judgement by the high court on the issue.

"Do you have those authentic figures that because of this ban and the subsequent judgement of the high court, 20, 30, 40 or 50 students have dropped out?," a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia asked after the counsel appearing for one of the petitioners raised the issue of students, especially girls, dropping out of school.

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing one of the petitioners, referred to a report and said it has testimonies of several students.

"My friend (one of the lawyers) informed me that 17,000 students had really abstained from the exams after this particular judgement," he said to the bench hearing arguments on a batch of pleas challenging the High Court verdict refusing to lift the ban on in educational institutions of the state.

Ahmadi said the effect of the government order in the matter would be that girls, who were earlier going and taking secular education in schools, will be forced to go back to Madrasas.

"Why should someone feel that one religious observance will obstruct in any manner legitimate or secular education or unity? Why should anyone get provoked if someone wears a Hijab and goes to school? Why should other students have a problem?" he said.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for another petitioner, argued that one of the most important parts of this case is that a person wearing a hijab cannot be discriminated against on the grounds of religion and sex.

"The reason why this case is important is when it was decided, the headlines were not that dress code was upheld, the headlines were hijab has been struck down by the High Court," he said.

The bench observed that it does not go by what is written in the newspapers.

Dhavan argued that across India and in the entire world, whether it is an Islamic state or otherwise, Hijab is recognised as valid.

He said if according to the tenets of the faith, something is being done in a particular way and it is bona fide, then that has to be followed.

"We do not have to go back to the text. We have to examine whether the practice is prevalent or not prevalent. If the practice is prevalent and it is not mala fide As long as it is bona fide and exists as long as practice, that is enough," he said.

Arguing that this is not a simple case of discipline, Dhavan said what is the justification, ocular or otherwise, to say that Hijab is opposed to public order.

"There is none," he said, adding that there is a campaign that hijab must go.

"This is not a 'yes', 'no' issue. This is not an issue where you say we have a disciplinary code, follow it. What are the obligations on the authority concerned to bring a measure of inclusiveness as far this is concerned and to apply the least restrictive approach," he said?



"It is probably targeting Muslims and Muslim women in particular and therefore contrary to Articles 14 and 15. And this kind of targeting without any sensitivity is contrary to law and the Constitution," Dhavan said.

When he said that today, there is a lot of discontent in the majority community to knock down whatever comes by way of a claim in the name of Islam and cited the example of cow lynching, the bench observed, "You will be well advised to confine to this case rather than others."



Ahmadi said if a woman chooses to wear a Hijab, why should that provoke anyone else?



"And if it does, you have to actually address that. Because otherwise, you are effectively allowing someone to be bullied," he said.

Ahmadi argued that to say, one would not tolerate someone wearing Hijab, is completely contrary to the spirit of fraternity as enshrined in the preamble.

"The GO (government order) does not say no Hijab," the bench observed.

When Ahmadi argued about the dropout of students, the bench said this argument has been raised at this stage and it was not part of the petition filed earlier before the high court.

"It is not a legal question, it is a factual question. Whether there is a dropout, . drop out rate of girls or the boys. What is the age group? These are all factual," the bench said.

Ahmadi said, "We all know why a person wears a Hijab. There is a level of conservativeness in those families".

Referring to the National Education Policy, he said the legitimate state interest should be to promote education.

"Does public interest lie in enforcing discipline or does it lie in promoting education? And what is the degree of discipline which is compromised by allowing someone to hear a Hijab," he said.

"It is that balance that your lordships will have to strike and the state will also have to strike," he told the bench during the arguments which would continue on Thursday.

The state government's order of February 5, 2022, by which it had banned wearing clothes that disturb equality, integrity, and public order in schools and colleges, was referred to in the apex court.

Several pleas have been filed in the top court against the March 15 verdict of the high court holding that wearing of hijab is not a part of the essential religious practice which can be protected under Article 25 of the Constitution.

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The newly-christened Kartavya Path can have a maximum of 120 ice-cream carts and water dispensing trolleys at six vending locations, said on Wednesday.

Municipal Council Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyay said that there are six vending zones on Kartavya Path between Central Vista Lawns and India Gate.

"Each vending zone can have a maximum of 15 ice cream trolleys and five water dispensing kiosks. So cumulatively, 120 trolleys -- 90 ice cream trolleys and 30 water kiosks -- can be allowed in six vending areas. This is for better and effective management of vending kiosks," Upadhyay told PTI.

He said that an order to this effect has also been issued.

The order said that ice cream trolley trade licences have been issued. According to the order, the six locations from where these trolleys will be operating are South of C-Hexagon Road, North of C-Hexagon Road, South of Man Singh Road (both sides), South of Rafi Ahmed Road, and North of Rafi Ahmed Road.

The NDMC has also asked district magistrates to ensure the deployment of civil defence volunteers for duty in the area for monitoring, and law enforcement at path.

"District Magistrate, District is requested to ensure that the deployment of Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) for duty in the area is rationalised as per the zonal plan so as to ensure that two CDVs per zone, per shift are available to assist the teams," NDMC's notice issued on Tuesday read.

Upadhyay said officials will also ensure that only licensed and prescribed numbers of carts are set up in each vending zone.

"They will also educate people not to jump in the water bodies on the Kartavya Path. They will also ensure effective parking management. The enforcement officials will ensure that the place is not littered with garbage and other rules are followed," Upadhyay said.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Kartavya Path -- a stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate.

According to the government, the refurbished road symbolises a shift from erstwhile Rajpath being an icon of power to Kartavya Path being an example of public ownership and empowerment.

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After chairman Rishad Premji and Infosys spoke against moonlighting, a senior executive of India has called the practice unethical. Sandip Patel, managing director of India, said the companys position is exactly what industry leaders had said.

All our employees, when they are employed, sign an agreement which says that they are going to be working for . So notwithstanding what people can do with the rest of their time, its not ethically right to do, said Patel at IBMs flagship event Think.

Moonlighting made headlines after food delivery firm said in early August that it would allow employees to work on external projects for money or pro bono.

Infosys, Indias second-largest IT services company, recently sent an email to its employees titled No Double Lives and said dual is not permitted as per the Handbook and the Code of Conduct.

The email said that the rule disallowing moonlighting is mentioned in offer letters and the companys consent is important. The consent may be given subject to any terms and conditions that the may think fit and may be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of the .

Premji, in a Twitter post on August 20, trashed the idea of moonlighting and termed it cheating.

For IBM, India is a core market in terms of both clients as well as employees. According to media reports, the has an base of 140,000 in India.

India is a place where we have a lot of good locations, which means we are making things in India not just for India but for the world, and those investments are being made in software and consulting, said Tom Rosamilia, senior VP, IBM Software.

Patel added that serves as the microcosm of the corporation with software labs systems in the country. Patel added that as it takes its hybrid cloud offering to enterprises in India IBM will be focusing much more on collaboration with the partner ecosystem.

As a part of this, IBM announced it will work with Airtels edge computing platform in India, which includes 120 data centres in 20 cities. Once deployed, the platform is designed to enable large enterprises across multiple industries including manufacturing and automotive to accelerate innovative solutions that deliver new value to clients and operations  securely at the edge cloud services.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has started to reroute its ships on the shipping lanes off the Sri Lankan coast to save the massive blue whales that have been on a deadly collision course with large ships.

The world's largest container carrier said it has voluntarily adjusted its routes around in the northern to reduce the risk of accidents involving whales, and porpoises. The container carrier has also encouraged other shipping lines to take a more southerly route south of the official Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) shipping lane to avoid colliding with the endangered mammal.

According to the report, Maersk, another major shipping line, is also considering the same. The coast, which has an unusually high density of blue whales, is one of the world's busiest international shipping lanes, where nearly 200 ships transit daily.

The blue whales are non-migratory and resident in these waters year-round and have been classed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The Geneva-based MSC has adopted a new lane for commercial shipping about 15 nautical miles south of the current TSS. MSC was also the first major shipping line to re-route its ships on Greece's west coast in January to reduce the risk of collision with endangered sperm whales in the Mediterranean.

The company said its move could reduce the strike risk by as much as 95 per cent.

"We believe that the commercial shipping sector has an important role to play in protecting cetaceans, specifically in helping to reduce the risk of ship collisions with whales," said Stefania Lallai, vice-president of sustainability at MSC, quoted The Hindu BusinessLine.

A spokesperson at Maersk, which is likely to follow suit, told BusinessLine, "We follow all mandatory speed reduction schemes at sea and avoid restricted zones to reduce risk of whale strikes and disturbing whales breeding, and we have in addition adopted voluntary restriction zones for whale protection, most recently adding two zones in the Mediterranean Sea."
The (NGT) has sought suggestions from the Centre and others on a plea to ensure the free flow of rainwater on the flanks of roads by preventing the dumping of building material on roadsides which causes during the rainy season.

The principal bench of NGT headed by its Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel was hearing an application moved by Dr. Bishwanath Prasad Singh against the Greater Noida Development Authority and other respondents in order to avoid the blockage of rainwater drainages in the city.

Noting the importance of the issue, the green court, in the recently passed order said: "This may require policy, programs, planning, implementation and close monitoring by the administrative authorities."

The order further said, on such issues, the role of the Tribunal can only be to forward the suggestions to the concerned executive authorities.

"Accordingly, let the Union Ministry of Urban Development, Central Ground Water Authority, Additional Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries, Urban Development Departments, Public Works Departments, and Panchayat Raj Departments of all the States/UTs may consider and take appropriate action in the matter," the bench ordered while disposing of the application.

It further directed to forward the copy of the order to the Ministry of Urban Development, Central Ground Water Authority, ACS/PS, Urban Development Departments, Public Works Departments, and Panchayat Raj Departments of all the States/UTs by e-mail for compliance.

--IANS

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In the midst of fresh fighting along the Armenia- border, on Tuesday called upon the "aggressor side" to "immediately cease hostilities" and said there can be no military solution to any conflict.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said believes that bilateral disputes should be settled through diplomacy and dialogue.

"We have seen reports of attacks along the Armenia- border, including targeting of civilian settlements and infrastructure on September 12-13. We call upon the aggressor side to immediately cease hostilities," Bagchi said.

He was responding to media queries on the reports of the attacks.

"We believe that bilateral disputes should be settled through diplomacy and dialogue. There can be no military solution to any conflict. We encourage both sides to pursue talks to arrive at a lasting and peaceful solution," Bagchi said.

There has been a raging military conflict between and over Nagorno-Karabakh, a strategically located mountainous enclave.

said around 50 of its soldiers were killed in clashes with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Nagorno-Karabakh is known to be a part of Azerbaijan. However, the majority of the people living in the enclave are Armenians.

took control of some parts of the territory in the 1990s. The situation deteriorated in September 2020 after Azerbaijan attempted to recapture certain areas.

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Under fire from the Opposition for losing out on the mega Vedanta- semiconductor project to Gujarat, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday said Prime minister has assured the state will get a similar project or even a better one.

Talking to reporters here, state Industries Minister Uday Samant said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke to the prime minister on Tuesday after Gujarat bagged the project.

The project was proposed to come up in Maharashtra but the Vedanta- finalised Gujarat and jointly inked a Memorandum of Understanding with that government on Tuesday, triggering a political blame game.

The chief minister put forth his views before the prime minister on Vednata ( semi-conductor project). The CM held a detailed discussion with the prime minister on this matter. The PM has assured the youth that a similar project, or a better one, will be given to Maharashtra, Samant said.

The minister claimed that discussions for finalising the project for Maharashtra were going on for the last eight months and meetings were also held in Davos.

He said the Centre and the Shinde government are committed to addressing the unemployment issues.

Shiv Sena leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray had said the project was almost finalised by the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. He alleged that the current dispensation has lost the confidence of potential investors.

A joint venture of the Indian conglomerate and Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government on Tuesday to set up a semiconductor and display manufacturing unit in the state.

Vedanta-Foxconn would invest Rs 1,54,000 crore to set up the facility, which would create one lakh job opportunities.

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President will be among an estimated 500 world leaders and foreign dignitaries, including kings and queens and heads of state and government, who will attend II's state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the President's three-day UK visit on Wednesday as India's head of state invited for the state funeral in . It marks the first state funeral in the UK in 57 years, last held at the Abbey for Britain's war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1965.

According to official reports in London, King Charles III will host a reception for the overseas leaders at in on Sunday evening before the funeral service on Monday at 11am local time.

Visiting heads of state, including President Murmu, are expected to attend the reception. Earlier on Sunday, she is expected to attend the Lying-in-State of the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall and sign a condolence book and deliver a condolence message on behalf of the Indian government at Lancaster House near .

After the funeral service on Monday, the Queen's coffin will be taken in procession from Westminster Abbey to St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. A reception in Windsor is likely to include the visiting heads of state from Commonwealth nations and key UK allies.

A second reception will take place at Church House within the Abbey grounds in for other visiting dignitaries, including senior government ministers and diplomats.

Meanwhile, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has had a dominating influence on what is one of the UK's most significant diplomatic events in recent history.

According to UK media reports, Russia, Belarus and Myanmar have not been extended an invitation to the state funeral.

Myanmar, which has also supported Moscow, is not on the invite list as the UK has not had formal diplomatic relations with the South-east Asian country since a military coup removed Aung San Suu Kyi's government last year. While invited, Ukraine President Volodymr Zelensky is unlikely to attend given the ongoing conflict.

In what is also considered one of the biggest logistical challenges in the days ahead for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), some countries with which the UK shares less than friendly relations, such as Iran, will only be represented at an ambassadorial level.

Some reports of world leaders being transported by bus to the Abbey on the day of the funeral do not apply to every visiting dignitary, with US President Joe Biden expected to arrive in his armoured Cadillac known as the Beast.

Many of the other world leaders will also use their own vehicles, with invitees being requested to be flexible in order to avoid gridlock in the heart of London on the day of the funeral.

Besides Biden, world leaders who have confirmed their attendance so far include the prime ministers of New Zealand, Canada and Australia, President Ramaphosa of South Africa and President Steinmeier of Germany.

Monarchs expected to attend include King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Mxima of the Netherlands and King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain.

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Defence Minister on Wednesday conveyed to US Defence Secretary India's concerns over Washington's decision to provide sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fighter jet fleet.

Singh apprised Austin about India's concerns on the issue during a telephonic conversation.

"I conveyed India's concern at the recent US decision to provide sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fleet," the defence minister said on Twitter.

The US has planned to provide Foreign Military Sales (FMS) worth USD 450 million for hardware, software and spares for the F-16 fighter fleet of .

"Had a warm and productive telephonic conversation with the US Secretary of Defence, Mr. . We discussed growing convergence of strategic interests and enhanced defence & security cooperation," Singh said.

"We also discussed ways to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration and also explore cooperation in emerging and critical technologies," he said.

Singh said he was looking forward to continuing dialogue with Secretary Austin to further consolidating the India-US partnership.

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The police will soon assign a support person for helping the victims in the state.

Suitable person will be assigned to the children through the Child welfare committees in the concerned districts to support and assist the abused children during investigation and trial.

Notably, the state police, in four southern districts, have embarked on a mission to support sexual abuse victims, including women and children. Police in Tirunelvelli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, and Kanniyakumari districts have started intimating the sexual abuse victims the position of their cases through SMS messages and Whatsapp messages.

Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Asra Garg told mediapersons that the project which is functioning in the four Southern Districts will soon be implemented in Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Madurai, and Virudhunagar districts.

Police sources told IANS that the project has been running effectively in the four districts and is planning to spread it across the state. The police have taken this initiative as many victims are not aware of the position of their case as also many don't know the rights they have to ensure that justice is delivered to them.

A senior officer in the Theni district told IANS: "This measure implemented by the South Zone Inspector General will help increase the conviction rates and thereby put a hindrance on people who are inclined to do such activities on women and children."

It may be noted that police have been effectively handling the cases related to sexual abuse and and victims are made aware of their rights. Cases that are registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act are given utmost priority by the state police.

The police update report on the victim, including preliminary details, about the victim and the offense committed against them within 24 hours of registering the First information report (FIR).

--IANS

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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said people of the country need to understand their "swa" (self) because the whole world is looking at for knowledge.

He was speaking at a seminar on the subject "Swadhinta Se Swatantrata Ki Aur", organised by the RSS' sister outfit Bharatiya Vichar Manch here.

"Other countries look toward ancient Indian philosophy for guidance. Our ancient scriptures and books are eternal. Even today, the whole world looks toward for knowledge. In such a situation, we all need to understand our 'swa' (self)," Bhagwat is quoted as saying in a release.

Even top judges have appealed to make necessary changes in the judicial process "on that basis", he said.

"It's the religion which teaches us the lessons of love, compassion, truth and penance. We never divided knowledge as indigenous or foreign. We always believed in adopting good thoughts coming from all directions. Countries which forget their history are destined to be wiped out soon," said Bhagwat.

The seminar was open only to select guests.

Bhagwat said though became independent in 1947, the people were "late" in understanding their "swa" (self).

He said B R Ambedkar had rightly said that social, economical and political independence is equally important.

"Wars always create misery. The Mahabharat is one of its examples. Gandhiji had rightly said that there are enough resources for everyone in the world but we suffer because of greed," the Sangh chief said.

He was also quoted as saying that "codes can be changed, not principles".

"We need to study books written by learned persons like Swami Vivekananda and Gandhiji, and then try to promote religion (Dharma Vruddhi). In government too, we are witnessing such change. New thoughts are finding a place in the system today," said Bhagwat.

On the occasion, he launched a mobile application and some books of the Bharatiya Vichar Manch.

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In March 2020, when the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed, 21-year-old Haseena Khatun (name changed), from Majgama village of Bihar's eastern Kishanganj district married Afaque Alam.

A week later, in spite of the lockdown, they moved over 1,600 km northwest to Chandigarh in a private vehicle. "I started doing flesh trade against my consent to protect my life," said Khatun, in a statement registered at Kishanganj district's Kochadhaman police station on August 25, 2022. After the wedding, her husband behaved well for a month and then forced her into flesh trade. When she refused, Alam beat her up, and once brandished a knife threatening to kill her if she resisted, she told IndiaSpend.

"Every day, he used to force me to do the flesh trade after intoxicating me [with alcohol]. When we (wife and husband) were having sex, my husband made a video of it. He has sent the video to my family members."

After three months, she met a man from her village, Saddam (he uses one name), in Chandigarh's Manimajra, who helped her escape after hearing her story, she said. She has now returned home.

Locals in Kishanganj say the problem of trafficking is endemic and women from poor families are the most frequent targets. A survey in 2008 in 19 districts including Kishanganj had found 683 cases of trafficking, of which 585 were girls and women while 98 were boys. "33 of these boys were below the age of 13," the survey by NGO Bhoomika Vihar noted.

"Seemanchal is the hub of women trafficking," said Shilpi Singh, a social activist and head of Bhoomika Vihar. "This region of Koshi-Mahananda is a hub of early marriage and trafficking. The trafficking increases during floods."

According to the Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), reported 111 cases in 2021, an increase from 75 cases in 2020. This is 5% of all cases (2,189) reported in India in 2021.

Khatun and her family's ordeal

"He took away my daughter after getting married to her," said 50-year-old Kalimuddin, Khatun's father. Alam would abuse him, threaten to take away Khatun's mother and to kill the family, added Kalimuddin, who is a labourer, and father of seven.

Kalimuddin said he came to know about what his daughter was going through when a video of her engaged in sex went viral. "We and people in our village were deeply troubled after seeing the video."

After Khatun returned home, Alam telephoned her and asked her to send another woman to take her place. Khatun told him to come to the village and take one with him. When he reached the village on August 24, 2022, villagers caught him, and took him to Kochadhaman police station.

Alam told IndiaSpend that he was part of a group, including two men named Mithun [whose last name is unknown] and Mohammad Kalam, that takes women from Kishanganj district and forces them into the flesh trade. He said he has four "wives" who are all in the flesh trade, and that he had forced 50 women from the district into prostitution in Chandigarh.

He has been booked under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.

IndiaSpend also spoke to three other women who were trafficked or to their families if they have gone missing.

Suman Kumar, the Station House Officer of Kochadhaman police station, where the case of Khatun is registered, told IndiaSpend that a special investigation team has been formed under the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Kishanganj to investigate the case. The SDPO, Anwar Javed Ansari, did not wish to speak to IndiaSpend about the progress of his investigation.

Kishanganj: A microcosm of a pan-India problem

Across India, in 2021, the NCRB recorded 2,189 cases of human trafficking, an increase from 1,714 cases in 2020. Across the 2,189 cases in 2021, 6,533 people were trafficked, of which 4,062 were female and 2,471 were male. Telangana (347), Maharashtra (320) and Assam (203) were the states with the most trafficking cases.

According to the Niti Aayog, Kishanganj, whose population has 67% Muslims, is the poorest among Bihar's 38 districts. About 65% of the district lives below the poverty line. The district falls under the region called 'Seemanchal', bordering West Bengal and Nepal.

Trafficking in people is rampant in the area, said Singh of Bhoomika Vihar, who has been working on women's issues, including trafficking, for the past two decades. Singh said she has personally rescued around 275 women from trafficking in the Seemanchal region.

On July 28, 2022, Nasik Nadir, a local leader who was recently elected to the Zilla Parishad, wrote to the Superintendent of Police of Kishanganj, Inamul Haque, accusing a man named Mohd. Kalam of trafficking in women. He said that trafficking has been an issue in the district, and when he was contesting in the civic elections, several families came to him with complaints about missing women, and that he has been raising the issue repeatedly.

"For the last 20 years, we have been hearing the name of Kalam in connection with disappearing women," Nadir told IndiaSpend. "We know that those men make sexual relationships with the women and make videos of them. Then, the men force the women to get involved in sex work by blackmailing them through the videos."

He accused Kalam of trafficking around 500 women to Chandigarh, but says no one raises a voice against him. "No FIR [First Information Report] was lodged at any police stationHe is being given political protection," he said, asking for the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe into the issue.

On political protection, Kochadhaman MLA Izhar Asfi said: "Who is giving political protection to him, I don't know. Nab him if he is really involved in this after a probe. But he should be genuinely involved in this." On the issue of tracking of women in the constituency, he said that no one had come to him with a complaint but that if there is such an issue, "the administration should probe the matter and take action to stop it."

When IndiaSpend asked Haque, the police superintendent about the trafficking in women, he said he was unaware of the problem and that no complaint had been filed in this regard. "Women go missing as they elope for loveLater, they are recovered. No such issue of (trafficking) came into our cognizance. If somebody is a well-wisher to those poor families, he should bring the family to the police station." He dismissed the letter Nadir had written to him saying it was written because of "personal rivalry."

Meanwhile, Khatun, relieved to have escaped the flesh trade, keeps herself busy with housework. But she is worried about her future, and is looking for a job so that she can sustain herself, she said. "It will be good if I get any government job."
India and on Wednesday agreed to set up an Indo-Pacific trilateral framework to roll out development projects, decided to expand strategic cooperation and vowed to work closely to deal with pressing global challenges such as food crisis triggered by the Ukraine war.

After wide-ranging talks with her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna described Russian attacks on Ukraine as waging a "devastating war of aggression" on the territory of a sovereign state and that is determined to work with India addressing the "terrible consequences" of the war.

Referring to the Indo-Pacific, she said many challenges have emerged because of China and both and India share the same concerns "because we know the role that the Chinese are playing and we want to make sure there is no imbalance" in the region.

India and France also decided to expand cooperation in the Indo-Pacific under separate trilaterals with Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

Colonna said France and India have always supported each other such a level of solidarity and trust is "rare and precious" in today's world.

On dealing with the global food crisis, she indicated that an initiative could be proposed at the upcoming G20 summit in Indonesia to ensure that the most vulnerable countries "don't remain too exposed to these food security issues."



"When the core principles of the international rules-based order are flouted anywhere, they are weakened everywhere, including in the Indo-Pacific, where respect for international law has been undermined for some time now. India knows this better than anyone else," she said about the conflict in Ukraine during a joint media briefing with Jaishankar.

"As an Indo-Pacific nation, our commitment to the region is unwavering. The war in Ukraine will not affect that. And India is and will remain at the core of our comprehensive strategy for the region," she said.

She said what applies to Europe and the Indo-Pacific applies everywhere, adding France and India reject a world where "might makes right".

"This is the significance of our cooperation at the United Nations Security Council, where France will continue to continue to push for a permanent seat for India," she added.

A French readout listed "Partnership for the Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order" as one of the three key initiatives agreed by the two ministers.

"France and India share a comprehensive strategy for the Indo-Pacific that seeks to provide tangible solutions for maritime security, regional cooperation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity protection, and healthcare," it said.

It said the two sides agreed to work towards the establishment of an Indo-Pacific Trilateral Development Cooperation Fund that will support sustainable innovative solutions for countries in the region.

The two ministers decided to resume cooperation under the India-France-Australia Trilateral mechanism.

The other two initiatives are: partnership for the planet and sustainable development, and cultural and people-to-people ties.

The readout said India will be the first "country of honour" at the Sea Tech Week in Brest, France, a major international event bringing together blue economy stakeholders.

The ministers also welcomed the inaugural meeting of the Focal Points of the India-France-UAE trilateral framework and urged the officials to prepare an agreed roadmap for cooperation.

Both Ministers also expressed their interest in resuming cooperation under the India-France-Australia Trilateral mechanism.

The French minister called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed to him President Emmanuel Macron's message of "friendship and cooperation. She also held talks with NSA Ajit Doval focusing on expanding defence and strategic ties.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar and Colonna reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening the strategic partnership in view of continuously evolving geopolitics, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where both countries are resident powers.

The ministers also appreciated progress in other existing areas of cooperation, including defence, civil nuclear, space, among others.

"As far as our relations with France are concerned, you are all aware that this is a strategic partnership. But perhaps even that term does not entirely capture how close and strong our ties have become in recent years," Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar said his talks with the visiting minister on international issues of the day including the conflict in Ukraine, the tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the developments in Afghanistan and the Iran nuclear deal.

On the Ukraine conflict he said there should be a return to dialogue and diplomacy.

"If you look...at the major countries of the world, two leaders who have been regularly engaging both sides to the conflict are PM Modi and President Macron. I think the end objective, which is a return to the negotiating table, is something that we share," he said.

Asked about China's aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific, Colonna said: "we want to make sure that there is a balance of powers so that we can continue to support each other so that each of us can develop our own strategic autonomy but we also like to develop it on behalf of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific as well as elsewhere."



"Of course, we need to do more with India and with other partners as well so that we are more present. France is an Indo-Pacific nation as well as an Indian Ocean nation. In terms of aid, we will look at projects on which we can work together," she added.

Colonna said there is a difference in the way France and India look at the Ukraine crisis, and noted that Paris know the history of New Delhi's relationship with Moscow.

"But that does not prevent us to have the same analysis of the causes, what we can do to deal with some of the consequences and what we need to say to the Russian president that is this conflict has to come to an end and we have to come back to respecting human rights and each other's rights," she said.

With regard to consequences of the war, food security issues are not a result of the western sanctions and that it was caused by Russia's war on Ukraine.

On energy cooperation, Colonna said the Jaitapur civil nuclear project is progressing well.

"I would like to recall that it would provide India with the largest nuclear power plant in the world to serve its goals of energy independence and the fight against global warming," she said.

Jaishankar said both sides agreed to work towards the establishment of an Indo-Pacific trilateral development cooperation that would facilitate development projects, especially in the framework of the International Solar Alliance.

"The Indo-Pacific trilateral would also provide a platform for Indian innovations and start-ups to demonstrate their relevance to the requirements of other societies," he said.

In their talks, both the ministers welcomed the launch of India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in France.

On defence industry cooperation, the ministers welcomed the Safran Group's decision to set up their largest and first aircraft engine MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) facility in Hyderabad.

The facility will be set up with an investment of Rs 1200 crore (USD 150 million) and is expected to create about 1,000 high-skilled jobs in Telangana.

Colonna also extended France's full support to India's upcoming G20 presidency.

In particular, France announced its support for Prime Minister Modi's Lifestyle for the Environment (LIFE) initiative, and will seek to work with India on promoting sustainable lifestyles to fight climate change.

(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.)
By Rajendra Jadhav and Mayank Bhardwaj

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's could fall by around a quarter this year as New Delhi's restrictions force buyers to switch to rival suppliers which are offering the grain at a cheaper price, trade and industry officials said.

Late last week, the world's biggest exporter of the grain banned shipments of broken and imposed a 20% duty on of various other grades as the country tries to boost supplies and calm prices after below-average monsoon rainfall curtailed planting.

"The duty has made Indian expensive. would drop by at least 5 million tonnes," B.V. Krishna Rao, president of The Rice Exporters Association (TREA), told Reuters.

That would leave exports this year at around 16.2 million tonnes.

Rice shipments reached a record 21.2 million tonnes in the 2021/22 fiscal year, more than the combined shipments of the world's next four biggest exporters of the grain: Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and the United States.

New Delhi has imposed the duty only on white rice, which could prompt some buyers to switch to parboiled rice, which is exempted from export duties, Rao said.

Rice exports had jumped to 9.36 million tonnes in the first five months of the current fiscal year that began on April 1, up from 8.36 million tonnes in the same period a year ago, according to government data.

"A lot of rice has already been shipped out so far in the current fiscal year, but we expect shipments to fall sharply in the coming months due to the recent policy decisions," said Dev Garg, the director of ViExport, a New Delhi-based exporter.

Lower supplies from have been prompting rival suppliers to raise prices and this would make Indian rice competitive in due course, said Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India's rice business.

Thailand, Vietnam and other suppliers have raised prices of white rice after imposed curbs the last week.

" was the cheapest supplier of white rice. With the duty, Indian rice would be expensive or at par with the other suppliers," said Himanshu Agarwal, executive director at Satyam Balajee, India's biggest rice exporter.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav and Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Kim Coghill)

(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.)
Any amendments to Indian laws should not change their basic structure that was derived from the Malhotra Committee on Reforms, said experts.

Low penetration of in India cannot be linked to statutory capital and solvency norms as they are entirely different, the experts added in the context of the Indian government planning to reduce the minimum capital for an insurance company.

"The cause for the low insurance penetration should not be attributed to the extant statutory capital and solvency norms, coupled with robust regulatory framework, which have withstood the test of time," D. Varadarajan, a Supreme Court advocate specialising in company/competition/insurance laws, told IANS.

It is more than two decades since the insurance sector was opened up on the pretext of increasing penetration with better products than that was vended by the government companies and additional funds for the infrastructure sector.

However, the twin objectives have not been realised as the insurance penetration is still low.

A large portion of insurance penetration in India can be attributed to the government insurance schemes - central and state.

Later, on the pretext of getting more foreign direct investments (FDI) the equity holding percentage for foreign joint venture partners in Indian insurance companies was hiked from 26 per cent to 49 per cent and then to 74 per cent.

Again not many foreign partners have upped their stakes in their Indian joint ventures to 74 per cent bringing in the earlier touted millions of dollars.

Now, again on the pretext of increasing penetration the government is planning to bring down the minimum capital for an insurance company and allow regional and niche insurance companies.

"Not very long ago, Parliament had advisedly kept the minimum capital requirement for an insurance company at Rs 100 crore and Rs 200 crore for a reinsurance company," Varadarajan said.

"As insurance is a capital intensive business, even the above limits are only moderate, going by the solvency requirement of 1.5 times of liabilities. Virtually, in today's context there is no insurance company which has pegged its capital at the threshold limit, and it is much more, to comply with the robust solvency requirements."

The government instead of reducing minimum capital for corporates can allow cooperative societies with lower capital and also relax application of certain sections of Insurance Act, said K. Subrahmanyam, a retired Executive Director (Actuary), IRDAI.

"There was amendment of Section 94A of the Insurance Act, 1938, vide Insurance Amendment Act, 2002, which gave sweeping powers to the IRDAI to register cooperative societies with any lower amounts of capital, and also to relax application of certain sections of the Insurance Act. During 2002 to 2014, there was no cooperative society. In 2014, this section was deleted," Subrahmanyam told IANS.

Now the IRDAI proposes to bring back Section 94A in different forms, with an intention to increase insurance penetration. Instead of doing such, the central government can restore Section 94, so that IRDAI can register any co-operative society as an insurer, according to the needs of the society, he added.

When the banking industry was embroiled in various issues like non-performing assets (NPA), financial scams and others, the insurance industry acquitted itself well and came out unscathed.

That was possible due to the statutory and regulatory dispensation, especially in regard to capital adequacy/solvency norms, strict investment regulations regarding investment of insurance assets, meticulous oversight by the appointed actuaries and their periodical reports to the insurance regulator, Varadarajan remarked.

Given the promoter exits, merger and acquisitions that have happened in the sector till recently the big question is whether there is a market space for more insurers.

The first Chairman of IRDAI N.Rangachary had told IANS that the insurable population should be properly estimated.

If insurance penetration should increase then the IRDAI should address the basic issue of public confidence that a claim will be settled fast and in a just manner.

"The IRDAI focus should be on (a) customer satisfaction-the major problem is that customer is not answered immediately in case of any issue; (b) mis-selling by intermediaries including banks and c) the behaviour of intermediaries and insurers towards customers," Subrahmanyam told IANS.

Varadarajan said the policymakers should bear in mind the conditions that led to the nationalisation of life and general insurance businesses.

"Hence, history should caution and not repeat. Instead, the focus should be on shunning micro-management of insurers and to provide the needed 'play in the joints'. It is also time to introspect as to what has been done by the Regulator towards insurance advocacy towards orderly growth of insurance business and protection of interests of policyholders, as enshrined in the preamble to the IRDA Act, 1999," he added.

"Therefore, any attempt at amending the statutory and regulatory framework, should clearly keep away from tinkering with the 'basic structure' of the insurance laws and regulations so as not to aim at low hanging fruits," Varadarajan said.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

--IANS

vj/ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Board of Direct Tax (CBDT) has clarified in a circular that the banks are not required to deduct 10 per cent on one-time settlement (OTS) or loan waivers.

said OTS on by a bank will not be treated as a benefit or a perquisite and not face Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) as they would have to bear the additional cost of tax deduction along with the haircut.

"It is true that waiver or settlement of loan by the bank may be an income to the person who had taken the loan. It is also true that subjecting such a transaction to tax deduction under section 194R of the Act would put extra cost on such bank, as this would require payment of tax by the deductor in addition to him taking a haircut already." the circular clarified.

This exemption from includes public financial institutions, scheduled banks, cooperative banks, rural development banks, state financial corporations, and state industrial investment corporations.

It would also be available to deposit accepting non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), systemically important non-deposit taking NBFCs, and public companies engaged in providing long-term finance for the construction or purchase of houses in India for residential purposes and asset reconstruction companies.

Background

In the Union Budget 2022-23, the government introduced a new section 194R in the Income Tax Act by the Finance Act of 2022. The section stated that any individual responsible for providing any benefit or perquisite to a resident has to deduct at 10 per cent if the total value of the benefit or perquisite exceeds Rs 20,000.

"Any person responsible for providing to a resident, any benefit or perquisite, whether convertible into money or not, arising from business or the exercise of a profession, by such resident, shall, before providing such benefit or perquisite, as the case may be, to such resident, ensure that tax has been deducted in respect of such benefit or perquisite at the rate of 10 per cent. of the value or aggregate of value of such benefit or perquisit"

The intention behind introducing section 194R was to cover cases where income under section 28(iv) escaped tax.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, noted that businesses pass their benefits to their agents as a strategy to promote their business. "Such benefits are taxable in the hands of the agent. In order to track such transactions, I propose to provide for tax deduction by the person giving tax benefits..." Sitharaman had said

Conflict

The act did not define the word "benefit" or "perquisite".

This led the bankers to assume that they are liable to TDS in case of OTS or loan waivers, which would be treated as benefits to customers. This made them approach the seeking clarity on the same.

On Tuesday, the finally clarified that loan waivers will not be considered as benefits and exempted banks from TDS on OTS.

The Board further clarified "...the tax under section 194R of the Act is not required to be deducted on issuance of bonus or right shares by a company in which the public are substantially interested...where bonus shares are issued to all shareholders by such a company or right shares are offered to all shareholders by such a company, as the case may be."

Therefore, the TDS would also not be charged on the issuance of bonus or right shares by listed entities.
Though there has been minimal impact of the lumpy (LSD) on milk production in the country, states are wary of the viral infections long-term effect on fertility.

Some of the worst affected states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh have so far unofficially pegged the decline in milk production at less than 1 per cent, even as the respective animal husbandry departments continue to collate data. Others like Bihar, which were the worst hit last year, have done better due to growing immunity.

Currently, milk production has not gone down but has actually improved for the cooperatives. However, there seems to be some impact on private dairies. But what needs to be seen is the long-term impact on the milking since the disease not only affects their fertility but may also impact the new progeny whose productivity might see an impact, said a senior official at Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF).

The dairy federation in has seen a 20 per cent growth in the month of September on a year-on-year (YoY) basis on the back of higher procurement pricing of Rs 850-900 per kilo compared with private dairies. In September 2021, RCDF had procured 2.4-2.5 million litres of milk. The growth in milk procurement this year is despite so far reporting cattle casualties of nearly 50,000 because of LSD.

A viral infection caused by the Capripox virus, closely related to the goat pox virus, LSD causes high fever, superficial lymph nodes, skin ulcers or scars, emaciation, and reduced milk production.

In Gujarat, which is the second worst affected state in terms of casualties at over 5,000, milk production had fallen to about 50,000 litres a day, but has recovered slightly to 100,000 litres a day now. Yet, the state records average daily milk procurement of over 20 million litres, placing the current loss of production at just 0.5 per cent.



Also read: Lumpy skin disease may be controlled in a month, says Sanjeev Balyan

Milk procurement has been down by almost 100,000 litres daily, up from the previous low of 50,000 litres a day. However, it is not easily possible to point out LSD as the sole reason for decline in milk production. Apart from LSD outbreak in large milk procuring districts such as in North Gujarat, there have also been festivals in these regions where villages suspend milk sale till mid-September, said R S Sodhi, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).

A senior animal husbandry department official in the Madhya Pradesh government, too, confirmed that was down by less than 1 per cent.

However, data is still being collated on the total number of infected animals. Initial surveys show that the share of milking cattle is relatively low compared to stray cattle affected by LSD. Moreover, the animals already infected over the last one year are expected to develop some natural immunity. Yet, time will tell the kind of impact LSD will have on overall productivity and fertility going forward, the senior official stated.

Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairying Sanjeev Balyan recently told Business Standard that the impact on the countrys milk production would be minimal.

The disease is more in cows and we in India have around 100 million breeding cows of which around 1 million have been infected. So, you can understand how much will be the impact on milk production. I dont think there will be any big impact of LSD on the countrys milk production. It will be less than 1 per cent, the minister told Business Standard on the sidelines of the World Dairy Summit (WDS) being held in Delhi.

Gujarat government sources said, so far, around 145,000 heads of cattle have been affected, of which roughly 116,000 have been treated. It is, however, in terms of casualties that Gujarat stands next to Rajasthan with over 5,200 heads of cattle succumbing to the disease since the outbreak in April.

Despite the high fatality rate, officials in the Gujarats animal husbandry department maintained that it is being brought under control through the inoculation drive.

According to a senior official in the animal husbandry department of Government of Gujarat, the administration has ramped up the vaccination in the last month or so, and that appears to be bringing the situation under control.

Of more than 26 million cattle in the state, already nearly 6 million have been inoculated with preventive vaccine doses. The vaccination drive has also brought down the number of daily new cases in Gujarat to 1,500-1,800 as against more than 2,000 a while ago, the senior official stated.

Meanwhile, based on government directives to provide 1 ml dose instead of 3 ml previously, Ahmedabad-based animal vaccine major Hester Biosciences has so far supplied 300,000-400,000 vials. As a result, the company has helped inoculate more than 40 million animals since each vial can vaccinate 100, said founder CEO and Managing Director Rajiv Gandhi, while adding that doses have been supplied to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Maharashtra.
Joint Entrance Examination Board (WBJEEB) will release the Counselling Round 2 seat allotment result on Thursday Candidates can check the result on the official website wbjeeb.nic.in.

All those candidates who will be allotted seats in round 2 counselling will have to complete the fee payment and seat acceptance process between September 15 and September 19.

Candidates who registered for round 2 counselling can check the result, students should be ready with their login credentials. These include application number or any other required details.

Heres how to check WBJEE round 2 seat counseling result:

Step 1: Visit the official site of WBJEE on wbjee.nic.in

Step 2: Click on WBJEE Counselling 2022 Round 2 seat allotment result link available on the home page

Step 3: Enter the login details and click on submit

Step 4: Your result will be displayed on the screen

Step 5: Check the result and download the page

Step 6: Keep a hard copy of the same for further need

Step 7: Candidates should make sure to go through the counselling schedule and complete the process well before deadline.
At least five people, including a peace committee member and two police officials, were killed in a in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district, officials said on Tuesday.

Security officials said a roadside bomb attack targeted the vehicle of the peace committee member, Idrees Khan, who was an ex-Village Defence Council (Aman Committee) Chairman of Kabal Tehsil, in Swat district.

The blast, which occurred in Bara Bandai area, resulted in the death of Khan, his security guards and two police officers, they said.

A search operation has been launched to nab the culprits, police said.

Not terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Mahmood Khan has condemned the incident, and has sought a detailed report and said those responsible would be brought to justice.

has witnessed an uptick in the targeted attacks on security forces since the Taliban takeover of Kabul last year in August after the withdrawal of US forces.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Northern high school staff member was shot on Tuesday after breaking up a fight on campus, authorities said.

The Vallejo High School staff member was struck at least once and is expected to survive, police said.

The staff member had just broken up a fight among several students and some unknown males" when the shooting occurred around 3.45 pm. Some of the brawlers fled in a sedan, firing back toward the remaining group before they left, police said.

This is a senseless act of violence committed by some individuals who do not value human life, Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said in a news release.

Enough is enough. It's a sad day anyone is shot in front of our children at school where they should feel safe.

The school was put on lockdown in the aftermath of the violence. There will be an increased police presence on campus on Wednesday.

Vallejo is about 32 miles (50 kilometres) north of San Francisco.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A flurry of Chinese cities are rolling out measures to boost housing demand, signaling the governments intention to arrest a crisis.

Various local governments have issued at least 70 easing measures since President Xi Jinpings Politburo called for efforts from local governments to defuse the crisis. Among them include a cut to the minimum down payment ratio, and asking parents to help children with home purchases by drawing on their own housing provident funds.

Chinas $2.4 trillion new-home market has shown little sign of recovery, adding to the woes of an that barely expanded in the second quarter. Mortgage boycotts by homebuyers waiting for apartments to be completed have damped consumer confidence, putting further pressure on home prices, which have fallen for 11 straight months.

While the central government has avoided outright stimulus, its been giving tacit approval to local authorities to unwind property austerity measures.

In late August, the state council led by Premier Li Keqiang said local governments should use city-specific credit policies to support necessary housing demand.

Similar signals were issued in April, after the Communist Partys Politburo led by President said local governments could refine housing measures to ensure stability in the property market.

Chinese cities are likely to continue optimizing property policies based on their own situation, adopting measures such as improving financing conditions of local property developers, Golden Credit Rating analyst Wang Qing was cited as saying.

Here are some of the policies coming out from local governments:
Chinese President on Wednesday started his first trip abroad since the outbreak of the pandemic with a stop in Kazakhstan ahead of a summit with Russia's and other leaders of a Central Asian security group.

Xi's trip underlines the importance Beijing places on ties with Russia and Central Asia as the ruling Communist Party promotes its strategic ambitions amid tension with Washington, Japan and India.

Xi, wearing a blue suit and a face mask, was met on airport tarmac President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and an honour guard, all of whom wore masks.

Tokayev's government said the two leaders would discuss energy markets and global economic turmoil. Kazakhstan, a sparsely populated country of 19.4 million people and sprawling grasslands, is a major oil and gas producer. China is a leading customer.

On Thursday, Xi is due to fly to Samarkand in neighboring Uzbekistan for a summit of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, led by China and Russia.

Beijing and Moscow see the SCO as a counterweight to U.S. alliances in East Asia.

Other SCO governments include India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. Observers include Iran and Afghanistan.

The Chinese leader is promoting a Global Security Initiative announced in April following the formation of the Quad by Washington, Japan, Australia and India in response to Beijing's more assertive foreign policy. Xi has given few details, but U.S. officials complain it echoes Russian arguments in support of Moscow's attack on Ukraine.

Xi and Putin plan to hold a one-on-one meeting and discuss Ukraine, according to the Russian president's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov.

(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.)
Queen Elizabeth II's coffin will leave for the last time Wednesday as it is taken amid somber pageantry on a horse-drawn gun carriage past crowds of mourners to the Houses of Parliament, where the late monarch will lie in state for four days.

Crowds began massing early along the flag-lined road outside the palace for the procession from the monarch's official residence to the historic Westminster Hall at Parliament. King Charles III and other members of the royal family will walk behind the coffin.

Thousands of people are gathering on The Mall outside and along the banks of the River Thames hours before the coffin procession begins.

The crowds are the latest manifestation of a nationwide outpouring of grief and respect for the only monarch most Britons have ever known, who died at her beloved Balmoral summer retreat on Thursday at age 96, ending a 70-year reign.

It's a very sad day, but it's our last opportunity to do our duty for the queen and it's our first opportunity to do it for the king, and that makes us all very proud, said Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, of the Household division, who is responsible for organizing the ceremonial aspects of the Queen's funeral.

Troops involved in the procession have been preparing since the queen died. So have the horses of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

Sgt. Tom Jenks, from the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, said that the horses have undergone special training for the funeral, including how to handle weeping mourners, as well as flowers and flags being thrown onto streets as the procession passes by.

People stood behind metal barriers or sat on folding chairs, umbrellas at the ready, takeout coffees in hand under gray skies hours before the coffin was scheduled to leave the landmark palace at 2:22 p.m. (1322 GMT).

Crowds have lined the route of the queen's coffin whenever it has been moved in its long journey from Scotland back to .

On Tuesday night, thousands braved a typical drizzle as the state hearse, with interior lights illuminating the sovereign's flag-draped casket, drove slowly from a military air base into the heart of London.

Geoff Colgan, a taxi driver who took the day off to witness the moment, stood stunned in the moments after the queen's coffin passed.

It's one of those things you know would happen, but when it does you can't believe it, he said, holding his toddler.

Earlier, in Edinburgh, some 33,000 people filed in silent respect past her coffin as it lay for 24 hours at St. Giles' Cathedral.

Hundreds of thousands are expected to do the same in London when the queen lies in state at the 900-year-old Westminster Hall, the oldest building in Parliament, for four days before her state funeral on Monday.

The hall is where Guy Fawkes and Charles I were tried, where kings and queens hosted magnificent medieval banquets, and where ceremonial addresses were presented to during her silver, golden and diamond jubilees.

Chris Bond, from Truro in southwest England, was among those lining up along the banks of the River Thames. He also attended the lying in state of the queen's mother in 2002.

Obviously, it's quite difficult queuing all day long, but when you walk through those doors into Westminster Hall, that marvellous, historic building, there was a great sense of hush and one was told you take as much time as you like, and it's just amazing, he said.

We know the queen was a good age and she served the country a long time, but we hoped this day would never come," he 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.)
The death toll in the blast claimed by the Pakistani in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district has climbed to eight as police on Wednesday recovered three more bodies from the site where a member of the local peace committee along with four was killed, officials said.

The roadside bomb attack on Tuesday targeted the vehicle of the peace committee member Idrees Khan, an ex-Village Defence Council (Aman Committee) Chairman of Kabal Tehsil, in Swat district of the province, a police official said.

The blast in the Bara Bandai area resulted in the death of Khan and seven more persons, including two police personnel, officials said.

A search operation was launched on Tuesday to arrest those behind the attack, police said.

Tehreek-e- (TTP) spokesman Mohammad Khurasani, claiming the responsibility of the blast, said Khan had been supporting security forces for the past several years.

Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Mahmood Khan, condemning the incident, said those responsible for the blast would be brought to justice.

has witnessed an uptick in the targeted attacks on security forces since the takeover of Kabul last year in August after the withdrawal of US forces.

(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 U.N. refugee agency said in a new report Tuesday that access to for refugees remains very limited compared to their counterparts in host countries and called for all youngsters forced to flee their countries to have access to quality schooling.

According to the report entitled All Inclusive The Campaign for Refugee Education, 42% of refugee children globally were enrolled in pre-school in the academic year 2020-2021, 68% were in primary school, 37% in secondary school, and 6% in higher .

Becky Telford, chief of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees education section, told a news conference launching the report that with the number of refugees and displaced people growing, it is increasingly urgent that those gaps are addressed.

The report, based on data from more than 40 countries, calls for strong partnerships to break down barriers to education for millions of refugee children, and for a renewed effort to include refugees in national education systems.

On a positive note, Telford said that while the number of refugees in higher education is very low, it has increased from 1% a number of years ago to 3% and now 6%.

(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.)
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi headed to Doha, the capital of Qatar, for a two-day visit, the first-of-its-kind in four years, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency office.

"The visit, that is made after a four-year rift between the two countries, comes upon an invitation by the Qatari emir," the statement said on Tuesday.

"The two leaders will discuss the most important aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries. They will also hold consultations and coordination on various regional and issues of common interest, which require concerted efforts to safeguard Arab national security," the statement added.

Qatari News Agency on Monday described the visit as marking "a new era in relations between the two Arab countries".

The Qatari emir visited Cairo in June. In late March, Cairo and Doha agreed to invest $5 billion in Egypt, Xinhua news agency reported.

In January 2021, the Arab quartet of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain signed the Al-Ula Declaration with Qatar, ending their all-around boycott of Doha since mid-2017.

--IANS

int/khz/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The wants to ban products made with forced labour in a broad proposal meant to address Chinas alleged abuse of labour, although the bloc would stop short of singling out goods from the region of Xinjiang.



The proposed Forced Labour Products Ban, from the European Commission, covers goods imported from third countries as well as those made within the EU. The blocs executive cited statistics from the United Nations Labour Organization that an estimated 27.6 million people work in forced labour.

Our aim is to eliminate all products made with forced labour from the EU market, irrespective of where they have been made, Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said in a statement.

The EUs proposal stands in stark contrast to a US law passed last year that targets the practice of forced labour in . The USs Forced Labour Prevention Act bans any item even partially produced in the region of Xinjiang from entering the US unless a company can prove it was not made with forced labour.

The EUs proposed ban however does not specifically target or its alleged use of labour to make everything from cotton to tomato products. Members of the European Parliament have called for a similar US-style ban, but EU officials said its proposal must comply with both World Trade Organization rules and law.

Beijing has dismissed allegations of rights abuses in Xinjiang as the lie of the century, and conducted tours for diplomats that emphasized the Alaska-sized regions political stability and economic transformation.

Global Issue



EU officials emphasized that forced labour is happening everywhere in every continent, thus the EUs proposal will be more effective by covering all products regardless of where theyve been made.

Still, under the commissions proposal, which requires the approval of the EUs 27 countries and the European Parliament, the bloc would be able to withdraw or ban any product that was found to use forced labour at any stage of production  a move that could increase tensions with in the future.

National authorities would first conduct investigations, gathering information from companies and conducting inspections, on any goods that could have been produced with forced labour. Customs authorities would also be able to stop any goods at the borders. The act would also create a database to coordinate risks across the union.
The UN agency, the Organisation for (IOM), has said it requires more than $50 million to reach 2.5 million people affected by the drought by the end of 2023.

IOM's Deputy Director General Amy Pope, who ended a four-day visit to Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, and Baidoa, said on Tuesday that the crisis in is deepening, noting that with the fifth failed rainy season imminent, humanitarian actors require greater resources to help communities in need survive, rebuild and foster resilience.

Pope added in a statement issued in Mogadishu that the situation in which is facing severe drought demands the world's urgent attention, solidarity, and support, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The communities I met are being devastated by climatic change, despite being one of the least contributors to global emissions. Millions do not have sufficient water or food. Hundreds of thousands of people could die," she said.

According to Pope, time is running out for Somalia where rural communities are facing the dire consequences of a climate emergency as they grapple with decades of instability, disease and economic crises.

Without a rapid increase in assistance, the Somalia Food Security and Nutrition analysis which was launched last week projects that will be a reality in parts of the country by October.

The drought has forced more than 1 million people to leave their homes in search of water, food, and humanitarian services, according to the UN.

According to IOM, over 80 per cent of the displaced are women, children and the elderly who are bearing the brunt of the crisis, and most people have settled in towns and cities where support services are already greatly overstretched, and sanitation is poor.

The last in Somalia was declared just over ten years ago in 2011, which led to the death of an estimated 250,000 people.

The current drought has already claimed the lives of at least 730 children, but the true figure could be much higher, as 7.8 million people are facing extreme food shortages, the IOM said.

"Without sufficient funding, millions of people in Somalia will be left to suffer the fallout of devastating hunger, disease and displacement. The impact of this crisis will be felt by generations to come," Pope said.

--IANS

int/khz/

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Palestinian gunmen opened fire on Israeli troops near a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, killing an Israeli army officer, the Israeli military said. Palestinian officials said that troops killed the gunmen.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said that two Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army, without providing additional details.

The military said soldiers spotted two individuals approaching the separation barrier in the northern West Bank and that it dispatched soldiers to the area. It said the two suspects shot at troops, who returned fire.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the Israeli army was holding the bodies of the two men. It identified them as Ahmad Abed, 23, and Abd al-Rahman Abed, 22, both from a village near the city of Jenin.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the attack, hailing the two gunmen as heroic martyrs. It said that the Ahmad Abed was a member of the Palestinian Authority security services.

Wednesday's violence was the latest in a long string of incidents involving deadly confrontations between soldiers and Palestinians in the West Bank in recent months, particularly around the city of Jenin, which has become a bastion for armed struggle against Israel.

Israel has been carrying out nightly arrest raids in West Bank cities, towns and villages since a spate of attacks against Israelis in the spring killed 19 people.

Israeli fire has killed scores of Palestinians during that time, making it the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2016.

The Israeli military says the vast majority of those killed were militants or stone-throwers who endangered the soldiers. But several civilians have also been killed during Israel's months-long operation, including a veteran journalist and a lawyer who apparently drove unwittingly into a battle zone.

Some local youths who took to the streets in response to the invasion of their neighbourhoods have also been killed.

Israel says the arrest raids are meant to dismantle militant networks that have embedded themselves. The Palestinians say the operations are aimed at maintaining Israel's 55-year military occupation of territories they want for an independent state.

Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war and the Palestinians seek those territories for a future state.

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Lebanon, and have signed a tripartite agreement to strengthen their cooperation on diaspora affairs, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Lebanon's caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister of Diaspora Greeks Andreas Katsaniotis, and Cyprus' Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues and Overseas Cypriots Fotis Fotiou signed the agreement at Lebanon's foreign ministry, according to NNA on Tuesday.

The agreement is "essential for exchanging expertise in diaspora affairs, participating in expatriates' activities organised by the three countries, and benefiting from the experience of expatriate delegations," said NNA as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Meanwhile, a statement released by Fotiou's office said the agreement "aims to bring the diaspora of the three countries closer together. Groups from all three countries will be able to organise joint events and exchange know-how and best practices on diaspora topics through their cooperation on issues of common interests," according to a report on the website of the daily Mail.

--IANS

int/khz/

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Fighting on the border between and has killed about 100 troops as attacks on both sides Tuesday fed fears of broader hostilities breaking out between the longtime adversaries.

said at least 49 of its soldiers were killed; said it lost 50.

The fighting erupted minutes after midnight with Azerbaijani forces unleashing an artillery barrage and drone attacks in many sections of Armenian territory, according to Armenia's Defence Ministry.

The ministry said fighting continued during the day despite Russia's attempt to broker a quick cease-fire.

Shelling grew less intense but Azerbaijani troops still were trying to advance into Armenian territory, it said.

It added that the Azerbaijani shelling damaged civilian infrastructure and wounded an unspecified number of people.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said it was responding to a large-scale provocation by late Monday and early Tuesday.

It said Armenian troops planted mines and fired on Azerbaijani military positions.

The two countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh in a six-week war in 2020 that killed more than 6,600 people and ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow, which deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal, has sought to maintain friendly ties with both ex-Soviet nations.

The Russian Foreign Ministry urged both parties to refrain from further escalation and show restraint. Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act, maintaining strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, while also developing close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

As the fighting raged overnight Tuesday, Pashinyan quickly called Russian President Vladimir Putin and later also had calls with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Charles Michel, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the hostilities.

Blinken also spoke with Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said.

Speaking in parliament early Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan rejected the Azerbaijani claim that it was responding to Armenian provocations. He said his recent European Union-brokered talks with Aliyev in Brussels had revealed what he described as Azerbaijan's uncompromising stand.

On Facebook, Aliyev expressed condolences to the families and relatives of our servicemen who died on September 13 while preventing large-scale provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Kalbajar, Lachin, Dashkasan and Zangilan regions of Azerbaijan.

Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, also placed the blame for the violence on Armenia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called for Yerevan to halt its provocations, and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar condemned Armenia's aggressive attitude and provocative actions.

The governor of Gegharkunik province, one of the regions that came under Azerbaijani shelling, said there was a 40-minute lull in the fighting, apparently reflecting Moscow's attempt to negotiate a truce, before it later resumed.

The governor, Karen Sarkisyan, said that four Armenian troops in his region were killed and another 43 were wounded by the shelling.

The Armenian government said it would officially ask Russia for assistance under a friendship treaty between the countries and also appeal to the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated security alliance of ex-Soviet nations that includes Armenia.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said top officials from the security grouping held a meeting to discuss the fighting. Armenia's representative there emphasised that Yerevan expects its allies to take efficient collective steps to ensure security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from comment on Armenia's request but added during a conference call with reporters that Putin was taking every effort to help de-escalate tensions.

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A total of 26 cases have been confirmed in Syria, and a UN official expressed "serious concern about the outbreak of the disease".

The Syrian Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that two people died from in the northern city of Aleppo, while 20 cases were confirmed in Aleppo, four in the coastal city of Latakia, and two in the capital Damascus.

It stressed that necessary measures are taken to quell the spread of the disease and hospitals have been provided with extra stock of medication in case of any increase of the confirmed cases, Xinhua news agency reported.

The situation of the disease and the number of confirmed cases have been updated every 24 hours, the Ministry added.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that has also spread in the western part of Deir al-Zour, which is controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

It also said that six people died after contracting cholera in the Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern over the past week.

In northern Raqqa city, also controlled by the SDF, cholera cases are increasing gradually with 15 cases confirmed there, according to the Observatory.

The UK-based watchdog group cited sources speculating that the cause behind the outbreak is contaminated water.

For his side, Imran Riza, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Syria, expressed in a statement on Monday, serious concern over what he described as the "ongoing cholera outbreak in Syria".

The statement said that between August 25 and September 10, the surveillance data showed that a total of 936 severe acute watery diarrhoea cases were reported in Syria, including at least eight deaths.

It noted that based on a rapid assessment, the source of infection is believed to be linked to people drinking unsafe water from the Euphrates river and using contaminated water to irrigate crops, resulting in food contamination.

It pointed out that the outbreak of cholera is an indicator of severe shortage of water throughout .

It added that the UN agencies and non-governmental organisations are coordinating closely with health authorities to ensure a timely and effective response.

--IANS

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Russian President and Prime Minister will meet on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in this week and discuss issues of strategic stability, the situation in the Asia Pacific region and bilateral cooperation within the UN and G20, the Kremlin has announced.

Putin and Modi will attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on September 15-16.

"A conversation on the agenda with Modi will also take place, the sides will discuss issues of strategic stability, the situation in the Asia Pacific Region, and, of course, cooperation within major multilateral formats, such as the UN, the and the SCO," the official Russian news agency TASS quoted Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov as saying.

"This is particularly important, because India will preside in the UN Security Council in December, and, in 2023, India will lead the SCO and will also chair the G20," Ushakov told reporters on Tuesday.

The Ministry of External Affairs has not yet confirmed the meeting between Modi and Putin.

The Prime Minister is likely to hold a few bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, the MEA said on Sunday while announcing the visit of Prime Minister Modi.

On July 1, the two leaders spoke to each other and reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during President Putin's visit to India in December 2021.

Modi and Putin talked over phone on February 24 after Russia attacked Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the trade turnover between Russia and India is growing - in the first six months of 2022 the figure reached USD 11.5 billion, adding about 120 per cent year-on-year, the TASS report said.

"In the first half of 2022, the trade turnover reached an impressive level of USD 11.5 billion, adding almost 120 per cent compared to the same period last year," it said, citing an official statement.

The Beijing-headquartered SCO is an eight-member economic and security bloc consisting of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

The first in-person SCO summit since 2019 will be watched closely for the possibility of bilateral meetings on the sidelines with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Putin, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif among the leaders expected to attend.

While there was no official word on whether Modi will have a meeting with Xi or Sharif, it will be after a long time that all these leaders will be at the same venue in person for a summit meeting.

Pakistan's Dawn newspaper on Wednesday reported that Prime Minister Sharif has no plans to meet his Indian counterpart Modi in Samarkand, but did not rule out a brief courtesy meeting.

No meeting is envisaged with the Indian prime minister, Foreign Office spokesman Asim Iftikhar told the newspaper.

A Pakistani official, when contacted by the newspaper, said though a brief courtesy meeting between the two was possible, they would not be holding talks, saying none of the two sides have sought a meeting.

This will be the first in-person summit after June 2019 when the SCO summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The 2020 Moscow summit was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic while the 2021 summit at Dushanbe was conducted in a hybrid mode.

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has covertly spent more than $300 million since 2014 to try to influence politicians and other officials in more than two dozen countries, the State Department alleges in a newly released cable.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who signed the cable released Tuesday, cites a new intelligence assessment of Russia's global covert efforts to support policies and parties sympathetic to Moscow.

The cable does not name specific Russian targets but says the U.S. is providing classified information to select individual countries.

It's the latest effort by the Biden administration to declassify intelligence about Moscow's military and political aims, dating back to ultimately correct assessments that would launch a new war against Ukraine.

Many of President Joe Biden's top national security officials have extensive experience countering Moscow and served in government when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a wide-ranging campaign to influence the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections.

A senior administration official declined to say how much money is believed to have spent in Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top deputies have long accused Putin of meddling in domestic .

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under rules set by the administration, rejected comparisons between Russia's activities and U.S. financing of media and political initiatives around the world.

Putin was spending huge sums to manipulate democracies from the inside, the official said.

The State Department took the unusual step of releasing a diplomatic cable that was sent on Monday to many U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, many of them in Europe, Africa and South Asia, laying out the concerns.

The cable, which was marked sensitive and not intended for foreign audiences but was not classified, contained a series of talking points that U.S. diplomats were instructed to raise with their host governments regarding alleged Russian interference.

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Group Corp. founder has revived discussions of setting up a third Vision Fund, weeks after apologizing for the disappointing performance of his first two funds, according to people familiar with the matter.



The 65-year-old entrepreneur has raised billions of dollars in cash recently and sees another startup fund as one of several possible priorities for the money, said the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. Its not yet clear how much capital Son would want to inject into a third fund, they said. The first Vision Fund was slightly less than $100 billion with outside investors such as Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund, while the second has over $40 billion and was solely financed by .

A spokesman did not comment in time for publication.

After unveiling plans for the initial Vision Fund, Son said he anticipated raising similarly sized every two to three years. But he then made a series of disastrous mistakes, including investing in WeWork Inc., Wirecard AG and Greensill Capital. The plunge in tech stocks this year has prompted SoftBank to write down its portfolio, with more than $40 billion in losses in the past two quarters.

Son, a self-made billionaire who founded his company four decades ago, prides himself on his contrarian business strategies. He set up the first Vision Fund in part because he thought traditional venture firms were too stodgy and conservative. He may see the current moment -- with tumbling stock prices and fearful investors -- as just the right moment to prepare for big bets.

SoftBank had more than $50 billion in cash and equivalents on its balance sheet at the end of June, and that hoard has grown to more than $60 billion as the company sold down part of its stake in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., one of the people said. Its unclear what other options Son is considering for his money, but he has repeatedly talked internally about taking SoftBank private.

SoftBank Is Said to Discuss Slow-Burn Buyout to Go Private

If Son decides to proceed with a Vision Fund 3, hell have to overcome several hurdles. For one, his performance is subpar compared to the venture firms he hoped to best. The internal rate of return for the first Vision Funds limited partners was just 11% through March of this year, compared with an average of about 38% for the industry, according to the investment data firm Preqin. The second Vision Funds IRR is 0%, compared with an average of 45%.

In addition, it would be awkward for Son to unveil a new fund just as he lays off employees. SoftBank is planning to cut at least 20% of staff at the Vision Fund operation, Bloomberg News reported this month.

The Wall Street Journal first reported news regarding the potential third Vision Fund.
Residents of a city in China's far west region say they are experiencing hunger, forced quarantines and dwindling supplies of medicine and daily necessities after more than 40 days in a virus lockdown.



Hundreds of posts from Ghulja riveted users of Chinese social media last week, with residents sharing videos of empty fridges, feverish children, and people screaming from their windows. The dire conditions and food shortages are reminiscent of a harsh lockdown in Shanghai this spring, when thousands of residents posted online, complaining they were delivered rotting vegetables or denied critical medical care.

As more infectious variants of the creep into China, flare-ups have become increasingly common. Under China's zero-Covid strategy, tens of millions or people are experiencing rolling lockdowns, paralysing the economy and making travel uncertain.

The lockdown in Ghulja is also evoking fears of police brutality among the Uyghurs, the Turkic ethnic group native to . For years, the region has been the target of a sweeping security crackdown, ensnaring huge numbers of Uyghurs and other largely Muslim minorities in a vast network of camps and prisons.

Multiple people in the region told AP the posts online reflected the dire nature of the lockdown, but declined to detail their own situations, saying that they feared retribution. On Monday, local police announced the arrests of six people for spreading rumors about the lockdown, including posts about a dead child and an alleged suicide, which they said incited opposition and disrupted social order."



Leaked directives from government offices show that workers are being ordered to avoid negative information and spread positive energy instead. One directed state media to film smiling seniors and children having fun in neighborhoods emerging from the lockdown.

Those who maliciously hype, spread rumours, and make unreasonable accusations should be dealt with in accordance with the law, one notice warned.

The AP was unable to independently verify the notices. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The US has so far flown 10 missions into Pakistan, with C-17 and C-130 aircrafts to deliver over one million pounds of critical humanitarian supplies and equipment to Pakistani people affected by flooding from deadly monsoon rains, the has said.

The Department of Defence (DOD) is in support of the US Agency for Development's efforts to provide assistance to in the wake of massive flooding and the humanitarian assistance crisis there.

The current floods triggered by monsoon rains in have so far killed nearly 1,400 people and injured another 12,728, while damaging 6,674 km of road and destroying over 1.7 million houses.

"Our condolences certainly go out to those who've been impacted by this terrible natural disaster, Spokesperson Patrick Ryder told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday.

To date, the DOD has supported the US government's USAID-led response by providing critical airlift and staging support. US Air Force C-17 and C-130 aircraft assigned to US Air Force's Central Command have so far flown 10 missions into Pakistan, delivering over one million pounds of critical humanitarian supplies and equipment to aid the Pakistani people, and we expect this pace to continue over the next several days, he said.

Humanitarian relief supplies being transported include emergency food, drinking water, sanitation supplies and equipment, portable shelters, bedding, hygiene supplies and kitchen sets, Ryder said.

At the White House, John Kirby said that the devastation in is pretty severe, as 33 million people are affected. Infrastructure literally washed away, to include almost two million homes and more than four million acres of farmland, he told reporters.

The US continues to stand with Pakistan and the communities inside Pakistan and will help them as much as it can.

Last week the USAID administrator, Samantha Power, was in Pakistan to meet with flood affected communities. And during that visit, she announced that the US is providing an additional USD 20 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people of Pakistan, Kirby said.

That brings to USD 53.1 million total of US support this year just to support disaster resilience and flood response in Pakistan, with USD 50 million for emergency flood relief and USD 3 million in resilience programming.

According to Kirby, a total of nine aircraft run by US Central Command delivered more than 400 tonnes of relief supplies through USAID's Dubai Warehouse in support of the flood response. Our assistance to the people of Pakistan is being determined of course by US personnel on the ground, he said.

USAID has deployed a disaster assistance response team to lead the US government's humanitarian response efforts in Pakistan. We are going to continue to support them as much as we can, Kirby said.

Meanwhile, the State Department spokesperson, Ned Price at a separate news conference said that the US is deeply saddened by the devastation and the loss of life throughout Pakistan that these historic floods have caused.

We stand with the people of Pakistan at this difficult time. As of September 12th, earlier this week, a total of nine US Central Command flights delivered more than half of the 630 metric tons of relief supplies from US -- USAID's Dubai warehouse for the response to these massive floods, he said.

In total, CENTCOM will airlift more than 41,000 kitchen sets, 1,500 rolls of plastic sheeting, tens of thousands of plastic tarps, 8,700 shelter fixing kits, all in support of USAID's flood relief, he said, adding that in this fiscal year alone, the US has provided more than USD53 million in humanitarian assistance, including urgently needed support for food, nutrition, multipurpose cash, safe drinking water, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene, as well as shelter assistance.

We're going to continue to work very closely with our Pakistani partners to continue to assess the damage that has been wrought by these floods, and we'll continue to provide assistance to our partner, Price said.

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The United States has a very close defence relationship with India, the Pentagon has said as it dismissed questions about the latest multinational military exercises involving Russia, India and China.

India's a sovereign nation, they can make their own decisions in terms of who they're going to conduct exercises with, Pentagon Spokesman Brig Gen Patrick Ryder told reporters at his news conference on Tuesday.

Certainly, we have appreciated our partnership with India in the region. They're an important partner, as you know. And we'll continue to work closely with them, he said responding to a question on India participating in a war game with Russia and China.

They have participated in games -- war games with Russia and China, which seems a little bit troubling to some people, he was asked.

We have a very close partnership and relationship -- defence relationship with India. We obviously will continue to work with India and further develop that relationship, Ryder said.

The Vostok military exercise from September 1 to 7 is taking place at different locations in Russia's Far East amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the exercises number of countries, including India and China, are participating.

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Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro on Tuesday said his government will act as a guarantor in peace talks between Colombia's government and the National Liberation Army rebel group that are slated to begin later this year.

Maduro said on national television that he had accepted a request by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to take on the diplomatic role, adding that his socialist government was interested in fomenting peace, security and stability in Colombia and throughout the continent.

Previous peace talks between the Colombian government and rebel groups have included the participation of guarantor nations that have acted as observers of the negotiations and supported both sides with logistics.

was a guarantor nation in a previous round of negotiations between Colombia and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, that began in 2016. But the Colombian government asked the Maduro administration to step down from that role in 2018, as political tensions increased between the countries. The following year broke off diplomatic relations with Colombia after its government participated in a U.S.-led effort to force Maduro out of office.

Petro has begun to normalize relations with since he was elected earlier this year and became Colombia's first leftist president.

Diplomatic relations have been re-established and the border between both nations will be reopened to cargo trucks later this month.

The National Liberation Army operates along both sides of the porous 1,500-mile long border between both nations. In a report published earlier this year, Human Rights Watch said that some division of Venezuela's military had conducted joint operations with the National Liberation Army against another group of rebels operating within Venezuela, in order to obtain control of drug trafficking routes.

The Venezuelan government has denied claims that it supports the National Liberation Army.

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Binance Holdings Ltd.s billionaire Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao is tightening his grip on Indias market for trading in the fallout from a major tax change.



Downloads of Binances app in jumped to 429,000 in August, the highest this year and almost triple that of runner-up CoinDCX, data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower show. Only Binance among the top exchanges achieved higher downloads in compared with July.

The operator of the worlds largest crypto exchange stands out in a market where rivals are reeling from steep taxes and the difficulty of moving money in and out of trading venues. Daily volumes at key India-based platforms are down over 90% since a 1% tax on crypto transactions took effect in July.



While Zhao has outflanked competitors with low fees, varied offerings and a popular peer-to-peer marketplace that allows easier movement between tokens and cash, another factor is the contrast in the way foreign exchanges and those with Indian roots handle the transaction tax imposed on domestic residents.

Indian-origin platforms have begun deducting the levy but many foreign peers like Binance and FTX havent, prompting investors to switch to the latter, according to several users of the apps who asked to remain anonymous given the matter relates to tax law. Traders may see a loophole in lax enforcement and a gray area over whether the law applies to more complex transactions.

The recent tax regulation is not explicitly clear on whether the 1% tax deducted at source extends to crypto derivatives transactions involving futures, as it does to crypto spot transactions, said Rohan Misra, chief executive officer at SEBA India, a subsidiary of Swiss-based SEBA Bank AG.



Binance is currently monitoring the situation and will make further announcements in due course, a spokesperson said in response to questions about whether it has started collecting the levy. FTX declined to comment and Indias Finance Ministry didnt respond to emails seeking comment.

Binances gains come amid a rare public spat with WazirX, its partner in India, which led Zhao to encourage WazirX customers to defect to Binance. WazirXs monthly downloads tumbled to 92,000 in August from about 596,000 in January.

The 1% levy known colloquially as the TDS came on top of a new 30% tax on gains from the transfer of crypto assets, which is steeper than in many other jurisdictions like the US and the UK.

Rules introduced this year also bar losses from being offset against income. In addition, limited support from the banking system makes it hard to fund accounts or switch from tokens to fiat currency.

The wider embrace of the Binance app contrasts with declines for most other players. CoinDCX downloads, for example, shrank to 163,000 in August from 2.2 million in January, Sensor Tower data show.

Billionaire Sam Bankman-Frieds FTX saw almost 96,000 downloads in in July and 52,000 in August from about 40,000 in January.

San Fransisco-based Coinbase Global Inc. has said it complies with the crypto transaction tax rules. It saw downloads in India tumble to 16,000 in August from almost 31,000 in June.
Shares of India hit a record high of Rs 93.60 on the BSE, as the stock rallied 12 per cent in Wednesdays intra-day trade, amid heavy volumes. The stock surpassed its previous high of Rs 85.70 that it had touched on September 2, 2022. That apart, the stock also traded for the first time above its issue price of Rs 87 per share. The company had made a stock market debut on March 26, 2021.

At 02:27 pm; traded 9 per cent higher at Rs 91.10, as compared to 0.09 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. A combined 13.5 million equity shares, representing 1.3 per cent of total equity of jewellery company, changed hands on the NSE and BSE.

In the past one month, the stock soared 30 per cent, as against 1.9 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. Further, in the past three months, it zoomed 56 per cent, as compared to 15 per cent surge in the benchmark index.

One of Indias largest jewellery retailers, Kalyans key businesses include design, manufacture, and sale of a variety of gold, studded, and other jewellery products for various occasions, including weddings and daily wear.

Kalyans business has seen a significant acceleration in scale, growth and profitability, on the back of industry tailwinds and strong execution.

"The company reported consolidated profit after tax (PAT) in the last twelve months of Rs 383 crore, a 170 per cent rise than the pre-COVID (FY20) levels of Rs 142 crore," the company said.

Moreover, Kalyans retail expansion continued in the recently concluded quarter, with the launch of four new showrooms - three in non-South in India, and one in the Middle East. As of June 30, 2022, Kalyan Jewelers store network across India and the Middle East stood at 158.

The company said that the revenue momentum in the current quarter (July-September) was encouraging, and therefore, the management looks forward to the upcoming .

With the formalisation of the industry along with mandatory hallmarking prescribed by the Government, the company remains optimistic of capitalising new opportunities and demands in the coming years.

"The organised retailers are projected to grow at a faster rate of 14 per cent with strategic store expansions and the increasing consumer preference for organized players witnessed in the recent past. This growth will likely be accompanied by higher operating margins, supported by growing share of studded jewellery and better operating leverage," said in its FY22 annual report.

According to credit ratings agency, ICRA Ratings, analysts expect the gold jewellery demand in India to grow at a steady rate of 11 per cent during FY23. Hence, this would gradually supplement the strong growth witnessed in FY22  a 40 per cent surge than the pre-COVID levels seen in FY20.
Shares of Jyoti Resins & Adhesives locked at 5 per cent upper circuit as they hit new high of Rs 1,769.70 in Wednesdays intra-day trade, in an otherwise weak market. The stock of this company locked upper circuit for the fifth straight day as it surged 27 per cent, during the period. In comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 0.18 per cent at 60,463 levels at 12:43 pm.

On September 8, 2022, the stock of Jyoti Resins & Adhesives turned ex-date for bonus shares in the ratio of 2:1 i.e. 2 bonus shares for every 1 share held in the company.

In the past five weeks, the stock price of the company more-than-doubled or zoomed 106 per cent from Rs 858 (adjusted to bonus issue) per share. The stock has skyrocketed 527 per cent in a year, as compared to 3.8 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex.

Currently, Jyoti Resins & Adhesives is traded under XT group. XT comprises of all stocks listed only on the BSE and settled on a trade-to-trade basis. These companies have low-to-moderate market capitalization, lower contribution to overall trading turnover and requires relatively higher attention.

In the April-June quarter of this fiscal year (Q1FY23), Jyoti Resins & Adhesives reported strong growth on all fronts. Revenue, EBITDA, PAT (profit after tax) were up 137 per cent, 174 per cent, and 151 per cent, respectively, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis. Jyoti Resins & Adhesives manufactures various types of wood adhesives with different formulations like waterproof, anti-termite fast drying, weather proof, anti-fungle adhesives under the brand name of 'EURO 7000'. The companys headquarters are based in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The companys sales footprint extends largely across Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karntaka and Telangana. As the company imports raw materials from several countries, they are then processed at their plant in Sutlej, in order to manufacture white glue. Later, the finished product is packaged into different sizes starting from 500 gram up to 70 kilograms. Post the manufacturing process, the products are then sold through a mix of distributors and consignee & sales agents into the retail market (sold to dealers). Owing to the sharp demand and growth in market share, the company increased its production capacity to 2,000 total productive maintainence (TPM). With this, the company will set up a warehouse to enhance storage of raw materials and finished goods. Owing to the sharp demand and growth in market share, the company increased its production capacity to 2,000 total productive maintainence (TPM). With this, the company will set up a warehouse to enhance storage of raw materials and finished goods. Over the last 7 years, the company grew at 38 per cent CAGR, 73 per cent revenue, and combined 115 per cent EBITDA and PAT. Against this backdrop, the management remains optimistic of the Indian economy and targets 25 per cent CAGR for revenues over the next 3-4 years. 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.

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Digital Editor Read our full coverage on Buzzing stocks
In Goa, eight Congress MLAs joined BJP today, 14 September 2022. This includes former Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat, who led the party campaign in the state elections earlier this year, and the current LoP Michael Lobo.

The others are Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes.

Rebel Congress MLAs held party legislative meeting and submitted letter of merger with BJP. The switch leaves Congress with just 3 MLAs, and the opposition benches depleted to only 7 members.

With eight MLAs breaking away as a group, that is two-thirds of the party strength, they can avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.

In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Congress has 11 legislators and the BJP has 20 MLAs and support of 2 MGP MLAs and 3 independent MLAs.

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Bpost (Belgium Post) is Belgium's leading postal operator and a growing parcel and omni-commerce logistics partner in Europe, North America, and Asia.

Infosys announced that it has collaborated with Bpost to secure the cloud environment and build robust cyber resilience for Bpost's mail delivery and logistics services.

Infosys, along with Palo Alto Networks - a global cybersecurity leader, has equipped Bpost with solutions to identify and rapidly respond to suspicious security events.

Vishal Salvi, CISO & head of cyber practice, Infosys, said, "Our clients count on us to bring robust cybersecurity capabilities especially to their business-critical cloud transformations. Combining the strengths of Palo Alto Networks' portfolio and our own service-based offerings we believe we can equip them with the most effective path to navigate a rapidly changing threat landscape. In the case of Bpost, our partnership is helping them leapfrog to the next generation of cybersecurity maturity."

Rony Monnaie, CISO, Bpost, said "While we embarked on our cloud transformation journey, Infosys drove several well-considered cybersecurity initiatives to protect our environment and improve Bpost's overall security posture. Today, both our employees and customers benefit from the secure foundation we now have to deliver and track both mail and parcels."

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. The IT major reported a 5.7% decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 5,360 crore on 6.8% increase in net sales to Rs 34,470 crore in Q1 FY23 over Q4 FY22.

Shares of Infosys were up 0.61% to Rs 1545 on Tuesday, 13 September 2022.

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KEC International advanced 2.77% to Rs 441.25 after the company announced that it has secured new orders of Rs 1,108 crore across its various businesses.

The company's Transmission & Distribution (T&D) business has secured orders for T&D and Cabling projects in India, Middle East and Africa. The orders include a 400 kV Transmission line order in India, from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), a 132 kV Underground cabling order from a state utility in India, a 220 kV Transmission line and tower supply orders in Middle East, secured by the company's UAE subsidiary and a 330 kV Transmission line order in Africa.

The Railways business of KEC has secured orders in the technologically enabled and conventional/ emerging segments in India. The business has secured a contract for overhead electrification (OHE), auxiliary power supply, SCADA system and associated works for metro. It has bagged an order for signaling & telecommunication works of train collision avoidance system (TCAS) under 'Kavach' in consortium. It has secured a separate order for doubling of tracks and associated civil works.

The Oil & Gas Pipelines business has secured an order for laying of cross-country pipeline and associated works in India.

Vimal Kejriwal, MD & CEO, KEC International, commented, We are delighted with the new order wins, especially in Railways, which is witnessing a gradual uptick through orders in both conventional and new segments.

The business has secured its maiden order in the prestigious TCAS segment under 'Kavach,' which aims to enhance safety of Indian Railways with world class technology.

The orders in T&D have expanded our order book, especially the third order from PGCIL in quick succession. These orders, along with the orders announced earlier during the year, will significantly contribute towards our growth in the domestic T&D market.

The order in the Oil and Gas Pipelines further enhances the business' order book.

KEC International is a global infrastructure engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) major. It has presence in the verticals of power transmission and distribution, railways, civil, urban infrastructure, solar, smart infrastructure, oil & gas pipelines, and cables.

The company's consolidated net profit tumbled 32.8% to Rs 31.02 crore on 30.6% surge in net sales to Rs 3,318.08 crore in Q1 FY23 over Q1 FY22.

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An indigenously developed tracking and capturing system for rogue drones

RattanIndia Enterprises announced today the launch of 'Defender' by its company TAS (Throttle Aerospace Systems). The unveiling took place at the hands of honorable Minister, Gen. V.K. Singh, MOS, Civil Aviation, Govt. of India at Air Force Auditorium, Subroto Park, Delhi during the 'Unmanned Aerial Systems India, 2022' event.

Defender is an indigenously developed tracking and capturing system for rogue drones. Defender is loaded with 13 AI features to neutralize the rogue drones. With rising instances of drone-based aerial threats to restricted installations under defence and private airspace, this solution will provide a first-of-a-kind capability to the Indian defence establishment to get rid of drones flying over unauthorized airspace.

TAS product is developed with AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities to take real-time decisions to facilitate the capture and subsequent retrieval of drones. Defender employs a soft kill approach wherein a net capture mechanism is utilized. Defender is thus able to instantaneously neutralize emergent threat before it can render any harm. Moving at top speeds of 26 m/s with range up to 20 kms in a single flight, the fast response time of Defender will considerably limit the potential of the drone to inflict damage. Most importantly, this will be manufactured completely in India using indigenous technologies which contribute to the 'Make in India' program.

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Vedanta Ltd is quoting at Rs 295, up 6.29% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 3.97% in last one year as compared to a 2.98% jump in NIFTY and a 5.61% jump in the Nifty Media.

Vedanta Ltd is up for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 295, up 6.29% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.16% on the day, quoting at 18041.55. The Sensex is at 60481.3, down 0.15%. Vedanta Ltd has gained around 12.38% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Media index of which Vedanta Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 4.99% in last one month and is currently quoting at 6158.9, up 0.47% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 255.49 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 89.51 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark September futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 295.05, up 6% on the day. Vedanta Ltd is down 3.97% in last one year as compared to a 2.98% jump in NIFTY and a 5.61% jump in the Nifty Media index.

The PE of the stock is 6.56 based on TTM earnings ending June 22.

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Indias population is still young, with about 55 per cent below 30 and over a quarter below 15. Its billion-strong working age population embodies an enormous potential for jobs and economic growth. About 19 years ago, I had warned that this demographic dividend could be squandered in the absence of right policies (Business Standard, November 25, 2003, Can India grow without Bharat?). Since then, successive governments have persisted with wrong or weak policies and programmes, including a poor public education and skilling system, an extremely complex and anti-job-creating maze of labour laws and regulations, foreign trade and exchange rate policies that discourage labour-using exports and import-competing domestic production, weak infrastructure that undermines productivity and connectivity and avoidable policy shocks like demonetisation. The Covid pandemic hasnt helped. There is mounting evidence that the dividend is dissipating, with seriously adverse consequences for young India.

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.

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Digital Editor
The AAP is set to roll out a month-long campaign on Wednesday to highlight the BJP-controlled civic body's "failures" in the national capital, starting with organising trips for the public to three infamous garbage hills located at the city borders.

Announcing the party's decision at a press conference, Delhi Environment Minister and the AAP's city unit convener Gopal Rai on Tuesday said the party leaders, in the first phase of the campaign, will take people to the three landfill sites -- Ghazipur, Okhla and Bhalswa -- to show them the "biggest achievement" of the BJP, which has ruled the municipal corporation in the national capital for 15 years.

The trips to the three "mountains of garbage" will be organised on three days starting Wednesday under the theme ' ka chamatkar dekho, kude ka pahad dekho' (See the BJP's miracle, see the garbage hills), the AAP leader said.

He said if the dumping of garbage is stopped now, it will take at least 27 years to clear the landfill sites, going by "the BJP's style" of work at the current pace and plan.

"The people of Delhi gave the an opportunity to rule the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for 15 years, but the party completely failed in fulfilling its first and foremost responsibility, which is maintaining cleanliness. It has only given them garbage and dirt spread all across the city," Rai alleged.

He claimed the cleanliness in Delhi has gone from "bad to worse" since the municipal polls were postponed in the garb of unification of the three erstwhile civic bodies, even as "the BJP's top leadership took the command promising to bring a miraculous change" in the functioning of the .

According to Rai, party leader Atishi will take the public to the Ghazipur landfill site on September 14, while Saurabh Bharadwaj will lead the visit to Okhla on September 15. On September 16, people will be taken to the Bhalswa landfill site under the leadership of Durgesh Pathak "so that they see the situation there and understand the problems of the people living in the vicinity".

"The people are fed up as they do not know where register their grievances. Hence, the party has decided to organise the campaign in multiple phases. We won't let Delhi continue to remain in such a situation," Rai told reporters.

"Either garbage or the will leave Delhi," he said.

MCD, unified after the merger of three erstwhile civic bodies a few months ago, comes under the jurisdiction of the BJP-led central government.

The BJP ruled the three erstwhile municipal corporations and the AAP was the main opposition party till the terms of the civic bodies expired in May.

Elections to constitute a new civic body are yet to be held as an exercise for delimitation of municipal wards is underway.

The Office of the Delimitation Committee, set up by the Centre, on Tuesday said the work on draft delimitation of wards of the has been completed and has asked people to send their suggestions and objections.

(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.)
Congress leader on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "given" 1,000 square kilometres of Indian territory to China "without a fight", and asked the government how it will be retrieved.

He also claimed that China has refused to accept India's demand of restoring status quo on the border as on April 2020.

Gandhi's attack came after Indian and Chinese armies carried out a joint verification of the disengagement process at Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in eastern Ladakh after withdrawing their troops and dismantling temporary infrastructure from the friction point.

Both sides completed the disengagement in a phased and coordinated manner, according to people familiar with the development.

Attacking the government, Gandhi tweeted, "China has refused to accept India's demand of restoring status quo of April 2020. PM has given 1,000 Sq Kms of territory to China without a fight."



Can the government of India explain how this territory will be retrieved, he asked.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas.

Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers and heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.

The disengagement in the Pangong Lake area took place in February last year while the withdrawal of troops and equipment in Patrolling Point 17 (A) in Gogra took place in August last year.

(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.)
Goa Chief Minister said on Wednesday that the Congress party's "Bharat Jodo Yatra" has failed and elected representatives have instead started the "Congress Chhodo Yatra" from the coastal state.

His remarks come after eight Congress MLA switched to the BJP earlier in the day.

"I think a maximum number of Congress leaders will leave the party and join BJP. 'Congress Chhodo Yatra' has now started from Goa," Sawant said.

After merging with the BJP, Michael Lobo, one of the eight MLAs, said: "We have started the 'Congress Chhodo and BJP ko Jodo' yatra from Goa. While connecting with the BJP, we want to tell people of taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's visions and strengthen them. Government schemes should reach all people and smooth functioning should take place in Goa."

Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, said that instead of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress should organised 'Congress Jodo Yatra'.

Besides Lobo and Kamat, the others that joined the BJP are Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes.

With this, the number of BJP legislators has gone up to 28 and strength to 33 in the 40-member Assembly.

(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.)
Bihar Chief Minister Wednesday frowned upon the recalcitrance shown by his Agriculture Minister Sudhakar Singh, who belongs to the RJD, but sought to put the ball in the court of his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, the party's de facto leader.

Talking to reporters here, Kumar, who is the de facto chief, confirmed having met poll strategist-turned-activist the previous day but insisted that the meeting was "normal and not of any political significance".

"I had tried to enquire from him (Sudhakar) about his grievances. Instead of replying, he stormed out," said Kumar when asked about reports of the agriculture minister having created a scene at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Sudhakar Singh, whose father Jagadanand Singh is the state president, had spoken about rampant corruption at a public meeting in Kaimur district a couple of days ago.

The minister, who is said to be upset with bureaucrats in his department, has reportedly threatened to resign upon being admonished by the chief minister for the embarrassing situation in which the government has landed.

Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi has issued a statement claiming that Kumar was no longer his earlier assertive self and was unable to crack the whip out of "fear" of .

When Kumar was asked about Singh's contention that he would stick to whatever he has said, the longest-serving chief minister of the state said "Please ask deputy CM sahib (Tejashwi)".

The leader, who has been working on forging opposition unity since quitting the NDA last month, refused to share details of his meeting with .

"It was a normal meeting. There was not much to it. He was brought along by Pavan Varma who had met me a couple of days earlier too," Kumar said.

The chief minister said he shares an "old relationship" with Kishor and denied harbouring any bitterness towards the strategist whom he had berated in Delhi earlier this month. Kishor had been caustic in his response.

Kumar parried questions by scribes on whether plans were afoot to bring back Kishor into his camp by saying "Please ask him. I have nothing more to add on the issue".

When Kishor was contacted, he said he was away in the remote West Champaran district as part of his "Jan Suraaj" campaign.

He had worked in a professional capacity for Kumar in the 2015 assembly polls and upon the victory of the 'Mahagathbandhan', he was rewarded with the post of an adviser to the chief minister with the rank of a cabinet minister.

The IPAC founder subsequently got busy managing poll campaigns of other parties in other states until his induction into in 2018 by Kumar, who was then the national president of the party.

He was elevated to the post of its national vice-president in a few weeks, but was expelled along with Varma, then a national general secretary of JD(U), for striking notes of discord on the CAA-NPR-NRC controversy.

Kishor has admitted in media interviews that a few months ago when he met Kumar in Delhi he was given an "offer" to revamp JD(U), details of which he would not share.

Kishor's uncharitable assessment of the latest volte-face by Kumar had led the latter to remark that the former strategist, who had in 2014 managed the spectacularly successfully poll campaign of Narendra Modi, then the BJP prime ministerial candidate, might be batting for the saffron party.

(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 Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is planning to go alone in the upcoming civic elections in Mumbai and other major cities or towns in the state, a party official said on Wednesday.

spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande told media persons that his party would put up candidates in the 227 wards for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

He said the party chief has also directed that the should prepare to contest all other civic bodies independently, the schedules of which are likely to be announced soon.

Though he did not cite any reasons for the proposed move, the decision could prove to be a huge dampener for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group and Bharatiya Janata Party's Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

The two parties have been separately and jointly wooing hoping for a civic polls tie-up to beat the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) but with the MNS's suo moto announcement, the possibility appears remote for the present.

Late August and early September, Shinde and several BJP state and central leaders had called on amid speculation that he would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his Ganeshotsav trip to Mumbai.

Though the meeting with Shah did not materialise, received Shinde and many BJP leaders during Ganeshotsav festival at his home and later reciprocated their gesture.

In June, the - which has a solitary MLA supporting the Shinde-Fadnavis regime - had announced that it will contest Nashik Municipal Corporation polls solo, with the city considered its stronghold.

The party is expected to announce its tentative list of candidates for various civic bodies including BMC, NMC and others shortly, Deshpande indicated without giving details.

With this, the civic elections may witness multi-party contests in various cities with the Shinde group-BJP competing against Shiv Sena, Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, now the MNS, besides other smaller and local parties crowding the scene.

--IANS

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(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.)
Expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala lambasted the DMK government in the state over the revised power tariff, which came into effect recently, saying it will affect all sections of the people.

Sasikala was addressing a meeting after arriving here on Tuesday night to a warm reception by a section of AMMK and AIADMK volunteers. She demanded that the state government roll back the electricity tariff revision. In July, Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji announced a hike in the tariff for TANGEDCO consumers, proposing an increase of Rs 27.5 (per month) for those using up to 200 units and 65 paise per unit hike for railways and educational institutions. Sasikala, the former aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, also stressed on the importance of strengthening the AIADMK to capture power in Tamil Nadu.

"To combat the DMK and to capture power in Tamil Nadu, I will work hard to strengthen the AIADMK," she 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.)
Indian languages, including Tamil, should be made official languages of the Union government and Day should be celebrated rather than the Hindi Diwas, DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said on Wednesday.

Quoting from Union Home Minister Amit Shah's address to the All India Official Language Conference in Gujarat, Stalin claimed that Shah batted for learning Hindi to understand culture and history.

The nation comprises people who speak many languages and Shah's Hindi pitch went against the country's ideal of unity in diversity, Stalin alleged in a party statement. Hindi Diwas is observed by the Centre every year on September 14.

India is known for its integrity and there must not be any efforts aimed at dividing the country in the name of "Hindia," Stalin said, an apparent hint to his party's historical line against "imposing Hindi".

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister demanded Shah that all the 22 including Tamil, listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, be made official languages of the Union government.

"I urge that culture and history be strengthened by celebrating Day instead of observing Hindi Day," Stalin urged Shah.

(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.)
Chief Minister on Wednesday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in the state of indulging in during against her government and said action will be taken against those creating nuisance.

"People were harassed and public properties vandalised and destroyed. You can't have goons and bombs brought in, in the name of . Remember, police and fringe elements cannot go together. No anti-social activity will get any cover under the garb of politics, the police will take action if that happens," Banerjee said.

Her remarks came after clashes broke out in several parts of the state as workers left for Kolkata to take part in Nabanna Abhiyan on Tuesday.

Banerjee also claimed that had brought workers from other states for the . She also defended the police action against the protestors.

"The police officers could have fired in the air, but they were very measured in their response. This cannot happen, you cannot book trains and bring people from other states to create a nuisance in Bengal," she added.

Banerjee said she was not against democratic protests.

"Since they don't have numbers, they resorted to bombs and goondaism to create . I have never stopped democratic protests, you work in a democratic way, and no one will stop you. But in the name of andolan (agitation), you can't get bombs and break heads. I pray for those who were injured, and hope they get well soon."

Banerjee made the comments after addressing an administrative review meeting of Purba Medinipur.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kolkata Police detained Leader of Opposition in Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and MP Locket Chatterjee ahead of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) protest march to state secretariat 'Nabanna'.

The leaders were detained from Hastings in Kolkata when they were leading the Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan. Adhikari, Chatterjee and leader Rahul Sinha were taken to Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar.

Before the detention, Adhikari said Chief Minister had lost the support of people and turned into North Korea.

"Chief Minister Mamata does not have the support of her people and so she is enforcing dictatorship, similar to North Korea in Bengal. Police will have to pay for what it is doing since Monday. BJP is coming," Adhikari told ANI.

Kolkata Police has put up heavy barricading at Hastings near the state government's new Secretariat in Kolkata ahead of BJP's Nabanna Chalo march.

Buses carrying BJP workers, on their way to Kolkata to participate in the Nabanna Chalo march, were stopped by the police in North 24 Parganas. A clash also broke out between BJP workers and Police outside the Raniganj railway station as workers leave for Kolkata to take part in Nabanna Abhiyan on Tuesday.

Police took many workers into preventive custody in Raniganj.

(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.)
Yadav attended the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers' meeting at Bali, Indonesia on September 13-14, 2022

Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday underlined the need for improving employment conditions of workers for a strong and resilient recovery post pandemic.

Yadav attended the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers' meeting at Bali, Indonesia on September 13-14, 2022.

He spoke about the importance of countries coming together for promotion of responsive and robust policies relating to employment generation, social protection, skilling and formalization, in the post-pandemic period for ensuring a more resilient, equitable and sustainable recovery.

He also commended Indonesia for selecting the priority areas critical in the ever-changing world of work, a labour ministry statement said.

These priority areas are labour market integration of persons with disabilities, sustainable growth and productivity in human capacity development through strengthening community-based vocational training.

Other priority areas are promoting entrepreneurship and supporting small and medium enterprises (SME) as a job creation instrument and adapting labour protection for more effective protection and increased resilience for all workers.

The union minister also highlighted the exemplary achievements of India in all these areas.

He underscored the provisions made in the code for providing to the gig and platform workers,and emphasized that skill development is being aligned to the need of future of work.

Yadav said experiences gained from this year's G20 Employment Working Group meetings would aid India in its upcoming presidency and contribute to the country's pursuit of securing labour welfare, in light of the dynamic nature of the 21st century world of work.

He also held several bilateral meetings with countries including Germany, Singapore, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, and Turkiye.

He said the Migration and Mobility Agreement and Agreement should be signed at the earliest for facilitating ease of mobility and ensuring social security to the international workers.

(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.)
Chief Minister has embarked on a three-day tour of Mumbai to attend an investors' meet, as the eastern state gears up for its marquee business conclave after a hiatus of four years.

Patnaik is scheduled to hold discussions with major industrialists from different sectors, including Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Vedanta's Anil Agarwal and Mahindra Group's Anand Mahindra, officials said.

The chief minister, who left for India's financial capital on Tuesday, is also slated to visit the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and attend the ceremony to ring the opening bell, they said.

has already organised road shows in Mumbai, inviting investments in IT, metal downstream, renewable energy, chemicals, plastics and advanced electronic manufacturing sectors.

The third edition of the Make-in- Conclave, scheduled to be held here from November 30 to December 4, aims to showcase the manufacturing prowess of the state and investment opportunities across sectors, the officials said.

The earlier two editions were held in 2016 and 2018. In 2016, the state received investment proposals worth over USD 30 billion and in 2018, investment intents were valued at over USD 50 billion, they said.

Meanwhile Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra on Tuesday evening met some of the investors in the western metropolis, ahead of the chief minister's programmes.

(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 Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI/PNN): CBREX, a tech-based B2B talent sourcing platform, has announced the appointment of Chetan Anand as the company's Chief Revenue Officer.

Chetan has over 18 years of experience with leading firms such as PwC, GE and Artiman Ventures. At PwC, he led the growth of Entrepreneurial & Private Businesses practice and advised several large privately held businesses and growth stage companies. Prior to PwC, he was Director of Business at VuCast Inc., a US-based early-stage venture in the broadcast technology space, which was funded by Artiman Ventures, where he subsequently worked as a principal. Chetan is Computer Science graduate from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He holds an MBA in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT, Delhi). As a Chevening Scholar, Chetan specialized in Science & Innovation at the Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK.

In his role as the CRO, Chetan will work with the founding team and will be expected to drive a scalable, sustainable, and predictable revenue growth. His responsibilities will include owning the P & L, platform adoption, international expansion, and new business initiatives.

Welcoming Chetan Anand onboard, Gautam Sinha, Co-founder and CEO of CBREX said, "As CBREX embarks on an ambitious growth phase, we are pleased to welcome Chetan Anand onboard. I am confident that his rich and diverse experiences in helping companies grow rapidly, his creative insights and his skills in grooming high performance teams will be invaluable in chartering our path to success."

On joining CBREX, Chetan said "It is an absolute delight to be a part of a company which is redefining how employers source talent across the world. I have known the experienced and highly talented founding team for over 5 years and watched the company grow from an early stage. I am convinced that CBREX is uniquely positioned to transform the talent sourcing industry. It's a privilege to belong to something as revolutionary as CBREX and I look forward to working with Gautam and the founding team."

CBREX is a B2B tech platform connecting enterprises to recruitment agencies across the world. CBREX enables recruiting firms of all sizes access validated open requisitions from enterprise hirers, including high margin international mandates and niche talent requirements. Conversely, CBREX enables enterprises to engage with hundreds of talent sourcing firms to fulfill all their talent requirements - high volume, niche hard-to-fill and even international requirements. From onboarding bona fide firms, to setting up requirements screening criteria, to scoring resumes for fit and helping recruiters schedule candidates for interviews, CBREX does it all.

Today CBREX counts over 90 enterprises as customers, and over 5000 talent sourcing firms use the platform for accessing open recruitment requirements.

Visit (https://www.cbr.exchange/home/team) to know more.

This story has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/PNN)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Moonlighting made headlines after food-aggregator platform Swiggy early August allowed employees to work on external projects for money or pro-bono subject to certain guidelines and restrictions.

What is Moonlighting?

Moonlighting refers to employees taking up a second job or work assignments during normal work hours or outside them. Most companies in India prohibit staff from taking up additional jobs over concerns like conflicts of interest, job performance, or misuse of an employers resources.

The debate around moonlighting has divided the industry, drawing sharp reactions. Swiggy said a significant portion of the working population discovered new hobbies and perhaps even an activity that provides an additional source of income during the Covid-19 lockdowns. The company believes that working on such projects can significantly contribute to both the professional and personal development of an individual.

But a few days later, on August 20th, Wipro Chairman trashed the idea of moonlighting in the tech industry, calling it cheating - plain and simple.

The trend caught up during the two years of the pandemic -- when work from home became a norm. A survey of 400 people across the IT and ITeS space by Kotak Institutional Equities in July revealed that an astounding 65% of the respondents knew of people pursuing part-time opportunities or moonlighting while working from home.

Arjun Ramaraju, CEO, Conneqt Digital says, like WFH, views on moonlighting too will evolve. Staff take up projects secretly in absence of rules. Firms should not be dismissive of innovative options.

But the IT industry is not convinced. Infosys on Monday sent an email to its employees reminding them that dual employment is not permitted under the companys Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct.

Infosys also highlighted a clause from its offer letter which states that employees cannot take up such assignments without the companys consent.

The IT major said that the consent may be given subject to any terms and conditions that the company may think fit and may be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of the company.

No Two-Timing - No Moonlighting - No Double Lives - the email proclaimed, adding that any violation of the clause may lead to termination.



Will companies adopting moonlighting policies have an edge in attracting talent relative to those who bar it?

Ramaraju of Conneqt Digital says, firms with moonlighting policy can attract high end talent. This is similar to internal crowdsourcing policy. Coders saving on commuting time choose to take up paid gigs

Pune-based IT union NITES said the clause cited by Infosys in its mailer was arbitrary in nature and emphasised that what the employees do outside working hours is their prerogative.

Tech Mahindras CP Gurnani tweeted recently that it is necessary to keep changing with the times and that he welcomes disruption in the ways we work." He said that employees meeting their efficiency and productivity targets should be free to make the extra buck as long as there is transparency.

India Inc should see this as the right time to participate in the debate and be receptible to multiple perspectives, including those of the workforce.
Chinese miner Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. Ltd. (603799.SH) has clinched a deal with the Indonesian nickel unit of Brazilian mining giant Vale S.A. to build a second plant in the country that uses a controversial process to refine the metal for eventual use in electric-vehicle (EV) batteries.

Huayou and PT Vale Indonesia Tbk plan to build the facility in Sorowako, Indonesia, where they will use the high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) process to convert low-grade limonite laterite ores from the Sorowako mine into mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), an intermediary product that is roughly half nickel.
The city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, has been in the spotlight this week as the venue for the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. As a prominent trading hub on the original Silk Road traversing Central Asia, the citys history can be traced back to before the Roman empire. We take a closer look at the ancient city

Sep 16, 2022 08:19 PM
Xiplomacy: China-proposed initiatives focus on global development, security

Xinhua) 09:55, September 14, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- From Wednesday to Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The SCO summit takes place at a time when the world is witnessing the combined impact of a pandemic unseen in a century, a de-globalization trend and other complex factors, and the global economic governance system is facing challenges.

The Chinese president has proposed a number of important initiatives and proposals for global development and security, contributing Chinese wisdom and public goods to solving the pressing problems now facing humanity, which has been greeted with applause from the international community, not least the SCO countries.

DEVELOPMENT, SECURITY FOR ALL

Development and security are the common concerns of all countries and top priorities of global governance.

In a statement delivered via video at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, 2021, Xi proposed a Global Development Initiative (GDI) to steer global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated, and inclusive growth in face of the severe shocks of COVID-19.

The initiative calls for staying committed to development as a priority, to a people-centered approach, to benefits for all, to innovation-driven development, to harmony between man and nature and to results-oriented actions.

While delivering a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022 in April, Xi proposed a Global Security Initiative (GSI) to promote security for all in the world.

For Sudheendra Kulkarni, former chairman of Indian think-tank Observer Research Foundation, development and security are "two sides of the same coin and both are indivisible."

"No country can achieve security if other countries are insecure, and no country can achieve development if other countries' development is in danger. We must consider security and development in a global context," Kulkarni said.

The GDI will help accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said Rosalia Varfalovskaya, a leading researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"Openness and cooperation between countries are the key to economic recovery in the post-pandemic era," said the researcher.

PROMOTING COMMON DEVELOPMENT

The world is now living through drastic changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, both unseen in a century, while the global economy is still battling against significant headwinds on its path to recovery.

Despite such major setbacks to global development, China is always a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order and a provider of public goods.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Xi nine years ago, has become the most popular public good in the world. Moreover, China has been sparing no effort to provide COVID-19 vaccines to as more as possible people in the world.

China-proposed development initiatives exemplify a correct understanding of global issues as well as a focus on collective progress, said Farhad Javanbakht Kheirabadi, a China scholar at Shahid Beheshti University in Iran.

As to greater SCO cooperation along with Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said when addressing the 21st meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in September, 2021, that "Belt and Road cooperation offers a major platform of promoting common development for us all."

"We need to strengthen complementarity between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategies of SCO countries and regional cooperation initiatives such as the Eurasian Economic Union. We should keep industrial and supply chains functioning smoothly, promote economic integration and interconnected development of all countries and deliver shared benefits to all," Xi said.

Human development indices around the world have fallen in recent decades, and "only by combining technological and resource opportunities between countries can they be raised," said Russian expert Varfalovskaya.

Muhammadjon Obidov, chairman of the Fergana branch of the Union of Journalists of Uzbekistan, drew attention to the fact that in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, "China did not forget to take care of other countries."

"Uzbekistan received vaccines from China as well. Many Uzbeks received them, and as a result, they were protected against infection and serious illness," he said.

SHARED FUTURE FOR HUMANITY

Xi has long been calling for building a community with a shared future. Addressing the 21st meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO via video link last year, Xi put forward five proposals on building "a closer SCO community with a shared future."

The SCO countries, he said, need to follow the journey of enhancing solidarity and cooperation, upholding common security, promoting openness and integration, boosting interactions and mutual learning and upholding equity and justice.

Over the years, Xi has fleshed out his vision on SCO cooperation, inspiring the group to grow into a model in the building of a new type of international relations and a contributor to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

For example, while attending the 20th SCO summit in 2020 via video link, Xi expounded on the vision of building an SCO community with a shared future, putting forward "a community of health for us all," "a community of security for us all," "a community of development for us all" and "a community of cultural exchanges for us all."

In their interviews with Xinhua, many experts spoke highly of China's commitment to seeking common development with the rest of the world.

The Chinese proposals attest to the Chinese leadership's preference for peaceful coexistence with all states, regardless of their social systems, and demonstrate China's commitment to maintaining cooperation with others for common development, said Obidov.

Championing mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development, the Shanghai Spirit has over the past years underpinned the SCO's development and represents the trend in contemporary international relations.

"All the (member) states, small or big, it doesn't matter ... It (SCO) does not have any hierarchy system, and the decision-making is consensus-based," said Gulru Gezer, a Turkish foreign policy advisor and former diplomat.

The member states have successfully managed to cooperate and build mutual respect and security within the SCO framework, she added.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
Basically, there are two reasons why automakers would design and build a car. Either theyre doing it for the sheer passion of it, or becaus...
Back and in person this year, Irelands Kilkenny Animated, hosted by Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios, will kick off on September 30 and run through October 2.

The event, now in its 4th year, is dedicated to visual storytelling and incorporates animation, print cartooning, and illustration in a series of exhibitions, talks, performances, workshops, and experiences.

Highlights from the upcoming Irish event include:
Contemporary Chilean Animation

Curated by Chilean filmmaker Hugo Covarrubia, this sidebar is dedicated to the art coming from one of Latin Americas most exciting emerging territories for the medium of animation. According to Covarrubias, who is also a member of this years competition jury, Chilean animation is spontaneously breaking down the boundaries between the visual arts and animated film, placing these disciplines at the service of the questions that keep us alert in a world where chaos is constantly bursting into our lives.

Since Punkrobot scored Chiles first-ever animation Oscar win in 2016 with the animated short Bear Story, Chilean animation has seen an influx in both commercial and arthouse work that has made an impact at festivals and on major tv networks and platforms around the world. It was no surprise then that Covarrubias own stop-motion film, Bestia, was nominated for best animated short at this years Oscars.

Best of VR@OIAF 2020 and 2021

With the last two editions of OIAF relegated to a virtual format, those without their own vr rigs at home were unable to enjoy the award-winning works from those years. This years festival proposes to remedy that situation by bringing back the best vr award-winners from 2020 and 2021 to allow OIAF attendees to experience the projects in person for the first time.

Animation Expose Fair

Aspiring animators are invited to pack up their portfolios and meet with representatives from animation schools, studios, and more at the Animation Expose Fair on September 24th. Dozens of reps from Canadian and international companies will be on hand to network and discuss upcoming opportunities in the world of animation. Companies sending representatives to Ottawa include Netflix, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, Sphere Animation, Brown Bag Films, DNEG, and a wide range of animation schools and institutions, to name a few.

The artist talks that are part of Animation Expose are not to be missed either. Some key talks include a conversation with Scott Clark, head of the new Walt Disney Animation Studios outpost in Vancouver and a look at Netflixs upcoming interactive special We Lost Our Human with creators Chris Garbutt and Rikke Asbjoern (Pinky Malinky).

TAC 2022

Held at Ottawas Ottawas famous Chateau Laurier, TAC (The Animation Conference) is one of North Americas key networking events for the world of animation. Surely, everyone attending will be looking forward to meeting face to face once again after being kept apart by COVID.

This years TAC programs include a Toon Boom! Organized boat cruise, the dual pitching events Fast Track and Pitch This!, and a co-pro focus with a spotlight on the recently renewed Canada-France treaty, with plenty of French producers in attendance. There will also be a networking breakfast hosted by Women in Animation Vancouver, a talk presented by Covarrubias, a Meet the Festivals panel, and an Animators Picnic.

Special Delivery: The Films of John Weldon

There are few Canadian animators who can boast a career on par with that of Oscar-winning filmmaker John Weldon. While Weldons Oscar win came for his 1978 short Special Delivery, he may be best known, at least in Canada, for Log Drivers Waltz. He was also nominated for the Palme dOr at Cannes in 1990 for To Be.

Animators Picnic and Care Bears Party

The annual Animators Picnic is one of the highlights of OIAF and allows guests to hang out and chat in a relaxing and pressure-free environment. For nighttime fun though, theres parties and get-togethers every evening, including a Care Bears-themed party on Friday, September 23, in honor of the franchises 40th anniversary. The event promises vintage episodes, dancing, real-life Care Bears, and Care Bear-themed cocktails.

All Alone Except for Everyone: The Films of Jonni Phillips

Animator Jonni Phillips combines drawing, paper cutouts, and digital techniques to examine the banalities of everyday life. Characters in her work often have mundane jobs, ordinary relationships, and are just altogether unspectacular. Far from unspectacular, however, is how engaging the artist can make these characters empathetic and their worlds engaging, often fueled by an understated sense of humor.

Phillips most recent feature, Barber Westchester, is also playing in competition at this years fest and is surely one title that attendees wont want to miss. Other titles from her oeuvre include The Final Exit of the Disciples of Ascensia, Goodbye Forever Party, Wasteland, and Secrets and Lies in a Town of Sinners. Phillips is also a member of this years festival jury.

Best of Ottawa 2022

With everything going on at the festival, its not always possible to see all of the mind-expanding competition programs, programmed by artistic director (and Cartoon Brew writer) Chris Robinson, but thankfully OIAF does a wonderful job itself of providing a Cliffs Notes version for those who want to catch up on key highlights. The Best of Ottawa screening program includes fan favorites and award winners from the competition field  which we highlighted in July  including a broad selection of short films that provide a unique cross-section of what filmmakers from around the world are doing today.

The full OIAF program is available on the festivals website.

Pictured at top: Bestia, Barber Westchester, Log Drivers Waltz
As critic Ben Ettinger once wrote on Cartoon Brew, Shichiro Kobayashis expressive art helped define the shows he worked on in the 1970s, like Aim for the Ace! and Gambas Adventure.

Several years after he retired, Kobayashi was interviewed by the arts program Toco Toco which hosted segments speaking with Japanese artists about their favorite places in Japan. While discussing his life and career, he described art direction as creating the universe in which a film or series takes place. That being the case, Kobayashi leaves behind a multitude of deep and resonant universes that fans have and will admire for generations.

For the segment, Kobayashi chose a scenic but unspectacular riverbed which he sketched while describing how he found his way into a career as an artist.

According to Kobayashi, from a young age he always dreamed of being an illustrator. As color tv became more popular, he realized that a career as an animation artist was becoming a realistic possibility. In the end, this was the work I was meant to do, he said confidently.

Later during the Toco Toco segment, while sitting in his workshop, he explained how art always remained a vital part of his life, even in retirement, while sharing several paintings to give an idea of what he was doing at the time.

Pictured at top: Shichiro Kobayashi, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro
After two months of creativity, the 2022 Animation At Work contest for Cartoon Animator (CTA) has come to a close and the winners have been announced.

Reallusion would like to thank all of its wonderful sponsors including Xppen, Affinity, Magix, and ASIFA, the organization said at the conclusion of the contest.

In total, the event received 169 global entries, each with their work-in-progress videos. The events five categories included Business & Commercial, Comics & Art, Education, Vertical Shorts, and VLOG & VTuber.

A total of 26 winners from different backgrounds were selected, all with different levels of skill and experience. Additionally, a wide array of styles and topics were created, proving that CTA is streamlined for creative diversity. Several newcomers who were first-time CTA users were even able to use their newly acquired techniques to combine other software pipelines for their submissions.

Here are the first place finishers in each category:

Business & Commercial Animation  1st Prize

Songrea Travels TVC by Onome Egba (Nigeria)

Winner Onome Egba shared his thoughts after winning the category:

Cartoon Animator excels at simplifying a lot of complex processes naturally associated with character animation. The rigging tools and animation presets are especially good at helping you get your characters moving in no time. Real-time playback is also something youll quickly take for granted when using the software. No ramp previews, pre-render, or 1/4 resolutions are needed to actually see what youre working on which really helps with iterations.

Judges comments:

Congratulations to Onome Egba! This is a delicate 2D production that all judges immediately pictured seeing as a TV or YouTube ad. The voice acting, characters, and body motions were all well balanced, and we also loved the scene and camera changes. Well done!

Comics & Art Animation  1st Prize

Godly Princess by Eon De Bruin (South Africa)

Winner Eon De Bruin had the following to say about the win:

I have been working with Cartoon Animator 4 since 2017 and it has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me. Today I have my own streaming platform where I create numerous animation shows for kids, and CTA4 is my software of choice because it is so easy to work with, fast to create animations, and integrates well with Clip Studio Paint. I dont think I will be able to create as many animated shows for my platform if I were to use another software. I love Cartoon Animator!

Judges comments:

Our seasoned CTA user Eon De Bruin impressed us again with his entry and WIP Video. He took a chance to have the 2D princess interact with 3D people  and it all paid off! Congratulations Eon!

Education Animation  1st Prize

The Secret of Figs by LuckyPlanet (Thailand)

Winner LuckyPlanet said:

Cartoon Animator allows me to produce my animated series more quickly and easily. These animation tools make me feel like an actor myself.

Judges comments:

A 10 out of 10 winning entry for the Education category! We were very impressed with the final quality, and we cannot wait for more educational Cartoon Animator videos created by LuckyPlanet!

Vertical Shorts  Winners

Guard Duty by Jeremy Fisher (Canada)

Vertical Shorts  Winners

The Sisters AR by Kirill Klochkov (Russia)

VLOG & VTuber  Winner

Approaching Global Warming What measures can you take? by Hiromi Yamamoto (Japan)

Student Animation  Winner

The U.S. Declaration Of Independence by Andre Luiz Siqueira Alencar (Brazil)

As the contest ended, Reallusion was also pleased to announce the coming of Cartoon Animator 5. In this forthcoming release, the software maker is fulfilling the groundwork of animation productions and also elevating Cartoon Animators unique techniques. In the new version, secondary animations will be automatically created with simple keys, squash-and-stretch motions can be deformed freely, and vector graphics are supported for infinite resolution.

Take a sneak peek at whats inside Cartoon Animator 5, and click here to see the full list of Animation At Work winners with their respective judges comments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Uzbekistan on September 15 and 16 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit where he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Both leaders will discuss Russian-Indian cooperation within the UN and G20 during the SCO summit, Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Tuesday.

"A conversation on the international agenda with PM Modi will also take place, the sides will discuss issues of strategic stability, the situation in the Asia Pacific Region, and, of course, cooperation within major multilateral formats, such as the UN, the G20 and the SCO," Ushakov said, reported Russian news agency Tass.

It is reported that India will lead the SCO and will also chair the G20.

"This is particularly important, because India will preside in the UN Security Council in December, and, in 2023, India will lead the SCO and also chair the G20," he added.

PM Modi is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping besides Russian President Putin.

As per sources, PM Modi is likely to have bilateral meetings with Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand.

"PM Modi's bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev are almost fixed and the meetings will take place on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand," a source told ANI.

The Prime Minister would also have other bilateral meetings during the summit which begins on September 14 at Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

The Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat had said earlier that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the summit and hold bilateral meetings with several leaders.

"Leaders of SCO member countries are meeting after two years due to the COVID pandemic. Some bilateral meetings will take place on the sidelines of the SCO. Still, the programme of the meetings will be finalised in due course," Ambassador Prabhat had told ANI in an exclusive interview.

"Economic cooperation in the SCO is an important question, which will be discussed in the SCO meetings. When we are meeting with central Asian countries, we discuss connectivity which will promote trade, investment and other exchanges between Indian and central Asian countries," he told ANI.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are also expected to attend the summit. Uzbekistan is the chair of SCO 2022 and India will be the next chair of the SCO.

(ANI)

Also Read: Xi refreshes commitment of civil servants to re-inculcate principle of blind loyalty
Lafarge Zimbabwe Cement's new mill awaits hand-over

14 September 2022

Lafarge Zimbabwe has completed the construction of a new mill that will double its cement manufacturing capacity at its Manresa plant, but it cannot use the new grinding system because it owes the supplier US$5.2m, according to the online news service the Insider.

The new vertical cement mill is part of a US$25m investment in expansion by Lafarge and will increase capacity from 450,000tpa of cement to 1Mta. But the company that built the US$15m plant, CBMI of China, will only fully hand over the plant once Lafarge pays the US$5.2m outstanding for the project.

"We currently owe them US$5.2m because of the shortages that are happening in our market. Government has not been able to disburse the funds to CBMI of China," Lafarge Zimbabwe CEO, Geoffrey Ndugwa, told a group of MPs.

The current risk today is that the new plant has not been officially handed over to us by CBMI. We do not have control as Lafarge at the moment. We cannot obtain a certificate of completion before the debt owed is serviced.

Germanys Gebr Pfeiffer supplied the vertical roller mill, which has a capacity of over 94tph. The payment delays reflect the problems faced by many manufacturers in Zimbabwe as they try to pay for equipment to expand capacity. The CBMI debt could also delay Fossil Mining's takeover of Lafarge, which was announced earlier this year.

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President Joe Biden and world leaders have paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth and her influence across the globe following her death on Thursday (08.09.22).

The American leader, politicians from the Commonwealth and European royalty spoke of their sadness at the irreparable loss of the British monarch.

Shortly after Her Majestys passing at Balmoral, Scotland, at the age of 96, President Biden saluted the stability and constancy she brought to Britain and an uncertain world.

He also said he was ready to build on his relationship with her son Prince Charles, who will now succeed his late mother on the throne and become King Charles III.

President Biden said: In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her. An enduring admiration for Queen Elizabeth II united people across the Commonwealth.

Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States. She helped make our relationship special.

President Biden met the queen for the first time as a senator in 1982 and its understood was told of her death during a meeting at the Oval Office.

He had been scheduled to deliver remarks on COVID-10 vaccines at the White House but the event was pulled minutes after Buckingham Palace announced the queen had died peacefully at her Balmoral home.

President Biden met Prince Charles in 2021 in Glasgow on the sidelines of a major United Nations climate conference, where they shared worries over climate change.

President Biden, 79, added that he looks forward to America's special relationship with the UK continuing through King Charles and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla.

He said: "In the years ahead, we look forward to continuing a close friendship with The King and The Queen Consort.

Today, the thoughts and prayers of people all across the United States are with the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in their grief.

We send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, who are not only mourning their Queen, but their dear mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.

Biden's most recent meeting with the Queen was also in 2021 during a visit to the UK for a G7 summit of world leaders.

Among the globes other presidents, prime ministers and monarchs past and present speaking of their sorrow at the queens death was Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, who first met her 45 years ago as a boy when his father was Canadian Prime Minister.

He said: She was a constant presence in our lives  and her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our countrys history.

As we look back at her life and her reign that spanned so many decades, Canadians will always remember and cherish Her Majestys wisdom, compassion, and warmth. Our thoughts are with the members of the Royal Family during this most difficult time.

The queen ruled over Canada for nearly half of the countrys existence, visiting the nation 22 times.

Former US President Barack Obama also recalled his and his wife Michelles bond with the queen, saying: Michelle and I were lucky enough to come to know Her Majesty, and she meant a great deal to us.

Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humour and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the queen embodied the British nations continuity and unity for over 70 years, adding: I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century.

Germanys foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said: Germany remains forever grateful that she stretched out her hand to us in reconciliation after the terror of World War II.

Irelands PM Michael Martin was among the first of the world leaders to pay tribute after the queens death was announced.

He praised her state visit to Ireland in 2011 as marking a crucial step in the normalisation of relations with our nearest neighbour, adding: That visit was a great success, largely because of the many gracious gestures and warm remarks made by the Queen.

Ukraines embattled President Volodymyr Zelensky said he felt deep sadness at the irreparable loss on behalf of all Ukrainians.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander remembered his fellow monarch as steadfast and wise, saying: We feel a strong bond with the United Kingdom and its royal family, and we share their sorrow at this time.

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden said Queen Elizabeth II has always been a good friend to my family and a link to our shared family history.
City Council candidate Marie Mott cursed police and claimed racism during a traffic stop on Cooley Street shortly before midnight on Sunday.

Ms. Mott and interim District 8 Councilwoman Marvene Noel are in a Thursday runoff.

Police said her 2004 Nissan Xterra was stopped because the front passenger light was not working.

The officer said Ms. Mott "became agitated and aggressive" when she was asked for her driver's license, registration and proof of insurance.

She said the light law violation was not a reason to be pulled over and was not a crime.

Ms. Mott provided her driver's license, but refused to hand over her registration and proof of insurance, saying police did not need it.

She "began yelling and cursing at police, saying police only initiated the traffic stop because 'she was black.' "

When she was asked if the vehicle belonged to her, she said, "Are you f--king kidding me?"

Police said Ms. Mott continued to yell from inside her vehicle.

She asked a female officer who came to assist, "Who the f--- are you?"

The report says the female officer politely identified herself, and Ms. Mott continued to yell.

Police cited Ms. Mott for a light law violation, failure to have insurance, and improper display of the tag. After being told this, Ms. Mott said multiple times she was not getting a ticket for improper display.

Ms. Mott was allowed out of the car so she could be shown the tag display. She then said, "This is b--- s--t."

She pulled back her decorative display to show the year 2023 and said, "What the f--k are you talking about?"

Ms. Mott did eventually sign for the citations.
John A. Hart, who was twice elected mayor of Chattanooga, was among those living on the East Terrace of Cameron Hill.

He was born in Illinois, but his parents moved to Ohio. As a youth, John A. Hart made his way to Montgomery, Ala. He then joined the Union Army and rose to second lieutenant.

Hart returned to Alabama after the war and rose to be Speaker of the Alabama Senate.

However, he opted to move to Chattanooga in 1869 due to the lure of the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad. When its promoter, John C. Stanton, failed, John A. Hart and many others "suffered badly."

However, his father died and left him an inheritance so that he was able to invest in a lumber company in Chattanooga. He became a partner in the newly named Loomis & Hart in 1876. His partner was the fellow Cameron Hill resident J.F. Loomis.

Hart went on to become president of the Third National Bank in 1886.

He was defeated for mayor in 1878, losing to Jesse T. Hill. However, he won in 1880 and again in 1889. It was not surprising that he was elected since he was a "genial, kindly man and a general favorite."



Soon after coming to Chattanooga, John A. Hart lived at Missionary Ridge - McCallie Avenue Extension. He was residing at the Stanton House in 1882.

By the next year Hart was ensconced at 13 (later 113) East Terrace, where he lived for a number of years.

Though still a young man, Hart suffered a stroke. He went to Colorado to try to regain his strength.

A second stroke followed on Jan. 15, 1891, and he died an hour later. He was just 47. He left behind a wife, but no children.

The house at 13 East Terrace did not last so long either. James W. Berry, who was president of the Chattanooga Pottery Works, lived there several years. Mrs. M.E. Watkins was a later resident. It was vacant by 1910 and was apparently torn down afterward.

No photo of the Hart home on Cameron Hill has been found.
New County Mayor Weston Wamp has asked longtime County Attorney Rheubin Taylor to resign.

Attorney Taylor, who is 73 and has been in the post for 28 years, declined, saying he has two years remaining on his current contract and wants to stay.

County Mayor Wamp asked that County Attorney Taylor hire former General Sessions Court Judge Gerald Webb - apparently to be groomed as the future county attorney. County Attorney Taylor again declined, saying Mr. Wamp could add the former judge to his staff.

Former Judge Webb, who was the first African-American judge in General Sessions Court, lost his post in the August election to Larry Ables, a former public defender, prosecutor and chief magistrate.

The county mayor appoints the county attorney. However, the county mayor must get approval from the majority of the County Commission.

Polling by commission members has been underway, and is showing support for retaining County Attorney Taylor, it was stated.

On the other hand, Chairman Chip Baker said, "Rheubin Taylor has given valuable service to the county for many years, but there comes a time for a transition."

Chairman Baker said he had not been told that County Attorney Taylor had been asked to resign, but he said he understood that former Judge Webb is County Mayor Wamp's choice for county attorney.

Ironically, sources said Rheubin Taylor was a key factor in Mr. Wamp's narrow election victory over two strong fellow Republican candidates. Sources said attorney Taylor urged other black ministers to encourage support for Mr. Wamp in the GOP race. A blast email went out from the ministers asking support for Weston Wamp.

The move was believed to have brought in a considerable number of crossover Democratic votes for the Wamp campaign. Candidate Sabrena Smedley filed an appeal of the election based on that factor.

County Attorney Taylor has been the pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church at LaFayette, Ga., for 27 years.



He gained his law degree from Howard University School of Law. During his college years in Washington D.C. he worked in the White House and the Department of Commerce.

Upon his return to Chattanooga in 1973, he was the first African-American hired by the Crutchfield, Moore and Jenkins law firm becoming the only African-American licensed attorney in Chattanooga.



Attorney Taylor, along with Rev. Paul McDaniel, became the first African-American Hamilton County Commissioners in 1978. He was the first African-American Hamilton County Attorney.

The Wamp office was asked through policy advisor Davis Lundy for comment., but did not provide any statement.


A member within Summers, Rufolo and Rodgers law firm announced a $1.2 million gift to UT Promise, an innovative, free tuition program through the University of Tennessee System.



The gift will help graduates from 12 high schools in the Chattanooga area attend an undergraduate campus within the UT System. UT Promise is a last-dollar scholarship program that guarantees free tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying Tennessee undergraduate students with a family income of under $60,000 after other financial aid is received. The twelve schools include Soddy Daisy High School, Red Bank High School, The Howard School, Tyner Academy, Central High School, Lookout Valley High School, East Ridge High School, Sale Creek High School, Ooltewah High School, Brainerd High School, East Hamilton High School and Hixson High School



Working families have relied on our firm to protect their interests and their lives since 1969, and we hope that this gift continues that work by creating pathways for students to find their future through UT. This is our way of giving back to the community, said firm member Jimmy Rodgers, who earned his bachelors degree from UT Knoxville in 1991 and his law degree in 1994.



The firm is currently comprised of five attorneys and serves clients in several practice areas such as personal injury, criminal defense, workers compensation, labor law and products liability.



In addition to Rodgers, Jerry H.

Summers, the firms founder, earned his law degree from UT Knoxville in 1966, Jeff Rufolo in 1991 who also earned a bachelors degree from UT Chattanooga in 1988 and Marya Schalk in 2005. The fifth attorney, Ben McGowan, is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law.During the Sept. 13 UT Promise statewide tour stop at Central High School, Rodgers joined UT System President Randy Boyd to announce the $1.2 million gift to the endowment. Summers graduated from Central High School in 1959.Across the state, UT Promise is making higher education a possibility, and donations like this are laying the foundation to ensure that future generations will have this benefit, UT Foundation President Kerry Witcher said.

The UT System announced plans for UT Promise in March 2019. Students must qualify for the Hope Scholarship and meet the academic qualifications for the institution to be eligible for UT Promise. To learn more about UT Promise, visit https://tennessee.edu/ut-promise/.
From left to right are Assistant EMA Director Steven McMillian, County Commission and Fire Board Chairman Jim Reed, County Executive Jim Vincent, EMA Director Brad Harrison and Carson Dye, EMA operations manager

A lively discussion over the new rules of the Rhea County Commission erupted between Commission Chairman Jim Reed and audience member Tina Pearce.

At a special called meeting, Commissioner Emily Fugate introduced changes to the commissions format of allowing the public to speak to the commission. She proposed that a person fill out a form prior to the meeting and turn it in on what they were going to be speaking on. The person would still only have three minutes. The person would still only have three minutes.

Chairman Reed said if something was of an emergency nature those would be permitted to speak, but they would have to go through their county commissioner first.

He said it had always been the policy of the commission to allow people to speak, but they had gotten lax about controlling the content.





One of the more famous speakers to the commission was local activist June Griffin who would use her time to talk from issues ranging from the Ten Commandments to letting the commission know the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Dayton was ranked third in the United States in chicken sales. Most of Ms. Griffin's speeches maintained around abuses of the Constitution and keeping prayer and the pledge at meetings.

Ms. Pearce is a frequent speaker at the County Commission as well as the county School Board meetings.







No one is trying to stop anyone from speaking, said Chairman Reed. It just has to be about an item on the meetings agenda.







Upon research, it was found t here is no absolute right to speak at a public meeting. In a United States Supreme Court decision it was written, The Constitution does not grant to members of the public generally a right to be heard by public bodies making decisions of policy." Minnesota State Bd. for Community Colleges v. Knight, 465 U.S. 271 (1984).





Chairman Reed did brief the commission on a meeting that occurred on Monday.



He said, With the hard work of the Commission and County Executive Jim Vincent we are paying back some $2.7 million of the loan on the new Justice Center. This will be a savings to county taxpayers. They told us we could not complete the center for what we got a loan for, but we did.

Also, Rhea County EMA Director Brad Harrison unveiled two new fire trucks. The county just purchased a 2002 American LaFrance 93 foot Aerial Ladder Tower. The truck was purchased from an agency in Connecticut and driven back to Rhea County.

County Executive Vincent said the county got a good deal on the truck which if purchased new would run over $800,000, but the county was able to purchase the truck for $565,000. The money had been approved in the 2001-2002 budget.

Director Harrison said that the truck was capable of pumping 2,000 gallons per minute from its pump. It will be stationed at the Evensville Fire Hall. He said this truck would be used throughout the county, but Evensville was the only hall that was long enough to store the truck in.

The new tanker truck, which will be housed at the Morgantown Fire Hall, was also shown off to the commissioners. It will also be used countywide.
Lookout Mountain, Ga., Mayor David Bennett was arrested Tuesday night on a charge of driving under the influence.

Authorities said the Lookout Mountain, Tn., Police Department tried to stop a vehicle for failure to maintain lane and a headlight violation, but he kept driving into Georgia.

Lookout Mountain, Ga., officers then took up the case and stopped the vehicle. When officers recognized the driver was the mayor and "smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage," the Georgia State Patrol was called in to handle the case.

The arrest was made after field sobriety tests were conducted.

Mayor Bennett was taken to the Walker County Jail.

City Manager Kenny Lee issued this statement, "We are aware of the charges. Mayor Bennett has advised that he was not intoxicated and offered to take a breathalyzer. He is looking forward to his day in court to prove his innocence and he feels confident he will be exonerated."

According to online records, Mayor Bennett, 51, was arrested last month for DUI and tampering with evidence in Cedar Bluff, Ala.
With the city council approval of a $10 million loan, the city of East Ridge is moving forward with several large projects. The loan agreement with the Public Building Authority of the city of Clarksville will provide funding for three developments. Those projects include building a road from both ends of North Mack Smith Road into the new Gateway development near the Red Wolves stadium. It also will allow for the multi modal construction along Ringgold Road to continue and the city is hoping that there will be enough money left to begin building the citys new animal shelter.

Finance Director Diane Qualls told the council that interest will only be paid on the amount of the loan as it is being used and that the rate is locked in for five years of the 20-year loan. It is also important to know, said Mayor Brian Williams, that the costs of the road and multi modal work are eligible to be submitted as reimbursable costs related to the Border Region status of the city. The animal shelter does not qualify for reimbursements.

The city will also be spending $250,000 to build an ADA accessible boardwalk and fishing pier at the Dickert Pond on the south end of Camp Jordan. This money will come from a grant given to the city by American Water Charitable Foundation. City Manager Chris Dorsey said these projects will give more people the opportunity to enjoy these resources that the city has. He thanked Sandy Kurtz with the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Alliance for helping to secure the grant and for the help and guidance she will be providing for water education and sustainability in the park.

Mr. Dorsey received approval for emergency funding to repair one of the citys garbage trucks. The city needs to get it back into service as quickly as possible, he said, and things are taking longer to get done now. The estimate to do the repairs is $15,192, but the approval given is for an amount not to exceed $20,000 so the work can proceed in case other problems are discovered.

The city manager was also authorized to purchase two SUVs. A 2023 Ford Interceptor sport utility vehicle for the police department in the amount of $49,974 will replace one that was wrecked. The accident that caused all airbags to deploy was no fault of the police, said Assistant Police Chief Clint Uselton. That vehicle was totaled by the insurance company, which paid the city $42,500 that will be used for the new car. Chief Uselton said the officer involved was not hurt in the wreck. A second vehicle, a Ford Explorer SUV, will be bought for $30,051. It will replace a 2013 Passat that will now be used by the Parks and Recreation department.

Mr. Dorsey announced that Lt. Josh Creel will move into the position of assistant police chief once East Ridges designated Police Chief Clint Uselton takes the place of Chief Stan Allen, who will be retiring in the next few weeks.

Mayor Williams congratulated Council Member Mike Chauncy, who was sworn in as a Hamilton County Commissioner last week. And he welcomed Tracy Cox as the new city judge.

Two special events will be taking place at the East Ridge Library in September. There will be a free movie night on Sept. 23 starting at 6:30 p.m. and on Sept. 27 the Chattanooga Zoo will present Super Duper Senses for pre-K and kindergarten age children. Live animals will be there to demonstrate how humans and animals use their five senses. On Oct. 22, the city will hold a Fall Festival at Camp Jordan.
Lara Spencer is an author, producer, and television personality who has hosted multiple programs and reported on several events over the years.

These days, Spencer is a co-anchor on Good Morning America. Shes also a mom-of-two and married to MarketAxess CEO Rick McVey. Spencer previously gave a house tour of the familys beautiful home in Connecticut. Heres a look inside, plus some key design tips she shared.

Co-Anchor Lara Spencer on the set of Good Morning America | Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images

A look inside Spencers house in Connecticut

Spencer has shared several snaps on social media that show glimpses of different rooms in her home. After she renovated her guesthouse during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic though, she gave a full tour of her place including the good finds she picked up from flea markets and thrift stores.

The video clip begins outside the home where a statue of a dog sits on the porch. Spencer, who used to host the HGTV series Flea Market Flip, proudly states: Yep, found him at a flea market.

After entering the house, Spencer walks through her living room and shares an important design tip explaining: If you want to go monochromatic make sure that you have different textures. Next up is the dining room before heading to the family room. The Flea Market Fabulous: Designing Gorgeous Rooms with Vintage Treasures author revealed that the family room is one of her favorite spots in the house saying, We live in this space, its a little yard sale, its a little redo.

When touring her basement Spencer noted thats where she was taping GMA segments during the COVID lockdowns calling it the studio.

Another highlight is her picture wall. At the time of the tour, it wasnt yet completed and the news anchor admitted she still had a lot of work to do before its finished.

Spencer looked at over 100 houses before buying in Los Angeles

That isnt the first time Spencer gave a tour inside her home. Several years back she invited cameras into her Hollywood Hills pad and said that she looked at more than 100 houses before deciding which to purchase.

We looked at 104 houses and when we walked in there was this huge parrot that cursed at us  we didnt see that as a good omen, the HGTV host jokingly recalled, adding, Once we got past him and the statues and the heavy drapes  I just felt like it needed some love and I was the girl to give it.

Lara Spencer sitting on the couch in her Los Angeles home | Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

And she did just that as she transformed the abode into a lovely open space with decor that adds pops of color throughout. When decorating your home, Spencer recommends using one-of-a-kind objects that speak to who you are.

Another important tip is to remember if you buy a vintage light fixture, take the time to rewire it to avoid potential fire hazards. She also says that chandeliers are a great light choice because thats the jewelry for your home.

RELATED: Inside Michael Strahans Rarely-Seen New York City Home
More than 20 years have passed since John F. Kennedy Jr. met his maker in an untimely manner. JFK Jr. was piloting an aircraft with his wife and her sister, and they all died in a tragic accident. Years later, people are still obsessed with the younger Kennedy and his life. Heres an inside look at the Wyoming ranch where JFK Jr. spent a summer and Grateful Dead also wrote music.

John F. Kennedy Jr.s ties to the Wyoming ranch

John F. Kennedy Jr. grew up in the spotlight. Although he created his own path in life as a prosecutor, an actor, and a philanthropist, he was still the son of a former president. In 1977, years after his fathers death, JFK Jr.s mother, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, sent him to a cattle ranch in Wyoming for the summer.

JFK Jr. worked as a ranch hand and was responsible for branding cattle. He also rode horses and formed a close bond with the ranch owner, John Perry Barlow. According to E! Online, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sent JFK Jr. to the ranch after the child was caught pouring glue down the mail chute of their building.

The 12,000-acre ranch is located in a tiny town 60 miles south of Jackson Hole and includes a 1910-era home with two bunkhouses, four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a foremans home, and a managers house. There is also a shop with a one-bedroom apartment.

Bar Cross, as its called, also features barns, a round pen for horses, and an outdoor arena. The ranch operates on over 30,000 acres with a large cattle operation, great water access, and top-of-the-line fishing and hunting.

Bar Cross was started by a Wisconsin math teacher named P.W. Jenkins. Jenkins moved to Wyoming in 1904 and worked for his uncle as a ranch hand before starting his own ranch, the Bar Cross Ranch.

Grateful Dead artist Bob Weir wrote songs on the ranch

Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead | Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

Grateful Dead was a rock band known for its eclectic music style. The groups founder Bob Weir stayed at Bar Cross Ranch, where he wrote music with the owner Barlow. According to Business Insider, Barlow and Weir wrote 30 songs together, including Black-Throated Wind, Mexicali Blues, and Cassidy.

Weir and Barlow met when the former left home at 15 and went to work at the ranch, which belonged to Barlows parents at the time. Weir reminisced about his time at the Wyoming ranch in his 2016 album Blue Mountain. He told NPR he loved returning to the ranch to work with Barlow. He said, Wed live on the ranch and if I helped out, wed have more time to write. The ranch recently went on sale for $35 million.

Celebrities who live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

The city of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has become the go-to locale for celebrities as they flock to buy homes in the area. Celebrities like Harrison Ford, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Sandra Bullock are the few A-listers who kept a low profile with their home purchases in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Rapper Kanye West purchased two ranches in Cody, Wyoming but preferred to vacation with his family and then-wife Kim Kardashian in Jackson Hole. So, why is Jackson Hole a safe haven for celebrities looking to lay low?

We caught up with a real estate agent who discussed the culture and life in Jackson Hole. He said, It affords a lifestyle or privacy, easy air access, rich sense of community and wellbeing, an outdoor playground that is second to none, and great for both mental and physical health.

RELATED: Inside John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessettes Marriage Struggles
Researchers around the world are working to develop efficient materials to convert CO 2 into usable chemical substances  work that is particularly pressing in view of global warming. A team from the University of Gottingen, Germany, and the Ulsan National Institute for Science, South Korea, has discovered a new and promising approach: catalytically active molecules are nanoconfined  meaning they are put into an environment that leaves very little space for the single molecules  on a surface that serves as a conductive electron supplier. These molecules promote specific chemical reactions. Such hybrid systems make use of both the properties of the molecules and the properties of the substrate. The results were published in Science Advances.

The first step for the team was to deposit the catalytically active molecules as a vapour onto polished silver before examining them with a high-resolution scanning tunneling microscope built in Gottingen. "To our absolute astonishment, the molecules arrange themselves, as if by magic, into almost perfect single-layer structures on the surface," says Lucas Paul, PhD student, University of Gottingen, and co-author of the study.

"In addition to imaging individual molecules, the energy of the injected electrons can be adjusted so precisely in the scanning tunneling microscope that chemical reactions can be induced and observed in a single molecule," explains physicist Professor Martin Wenderoth. Wenderoth led the project together with chemist Professor Inke Siewert, at the University of Gottingens Collaborative Research Centre Atomic Scale Control of Energy Conversion. Siewert adds, "We are able to very precisely break individual chemical bonds."

The researchers show that molecules that are particularly densely packed on the surface have altered chemical properties. Thus, exclusively for the "trapped" molecules the bond can be broken and subsequently also restored, since the separated part of the molecule can only move very slightly away from the rest of the molecule. "This shows how a lack of space, at an atomic level, can be used to manipulate chemical reactions," says first author Ole Bunjes, University of Gottingen.

The research team wants their experiments to contribute to the development of efficient molecular surface systems with precisely determined properties. In addition, they want to investigate whether their new system is suitable as a molecular data memory.
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The bride wanted a rustic aesthetic.

The mother of the bride wanted the wedding in a church.

Sean Strelec, who runs VIP Weddings and Events with his wife, Sanya, realized he had the answer. It came to himlike some answers to prayer doon the internet. There was a Craigslist ad from a Northern California church that was moving. The congregation had to get rid of its 125-year-old pews.

I ended up buying the entire lot, Strelec said. Loaded them up and brought them down to Orange County.

Strelec moved the pews to an outdoor venue and arranged them in rows for the ceremony, giving the wedding a vintage feel with just a touch of religiousness. Both the bride and her mother were pleased. And Strelec discovered a new service he could offer as part of his wedding venue business.

Today, he and his wife rent pews to seat up to 180 wedding guests.

For the Avant-garde couple with the family that revels in tradition, the company website says, there is no better option for ceremony seating than vintage church pews.

From California to Colorado, New York to North Carolina, and many points in between, wedding vendors are offering pews for rent.

Having our authentic church pews creates an elegant foundation that sets the scene for the whole day, one company promises. The guests will be pleasantly surprised by the beauty and thoughtfulness that our pews bring to the ceremony.

Nearly 2.5 million weddings will take place in America in 2022, according to industry estimates. Most will not be held in churches. As recently as 2009, more than 40 percent of weddings were held in churches, but today houses of worship dont even rank in the top three preferred wedding venueswhich are, in order, banquet halls, barns, and the grounds of historic homes.

Almost 7 out of 10 weddings take place outdoors. During the two peaks of wedding season, October and May, the percentage is even higher.

But some of those outdoor ceremonies will have a hint of old-time religion in the seating arrangements. Wedding planners will invoke a sense of solemnity through rented pews.

Although pews evoke a sense of tradition today, the history of pews in churches is rather haphazard. According to Katherine French, a medieval historian at the University of Michigan and author of People of the Parish, pews came into common use in the 1400s.

We think they came out of a growing importance of sermons and the recognition that people just arent going to hang around for a long sermon if they cant sit down, she said. Before the advent of pews, there were benches built into the masonry that would be built around columns and along the walls.

Right about the same time that pews became common, medieval churches developed another innovation: pew rentals. In market towns and urban centers, people started paying to reserve their seats. Prices in England ranged from fourpence to 80 pencethe cost of about 30 ears of corn up to the cost of a cow.

Families want status, visibility, and security, and they want to know that theyre going to have their seat in the church, French said. Parishes need money.

By the 17th century, many churches put boxes around special pews, separating the seating space from the rest of the church. A family box could be passed down from generation to generation.

When the practice of pew rentals made its way to America, it became a main source of church funds. Records from one Baptist church show annual rents came out to $407 a few years before the Civil War. In the 1870s, a Baptist church in Westchester County, New York, rented a pew for $5 every quarter, while the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina, rented pews for $4.

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Despite the financial security brought by the practice, some Christians started to critique it. Revivalists and evangelism-minded churches started arguing it prevented people from hearing the gospel.

According to historian Jeanne Halgren Kilde, an emphasis on equality before God and in worship swept through evangelical churches in the 19th century. They embraced what they called free worship, allowing white people to sit wherever they liked, regardless of social status. The well-off had to find their seats with everyone else.

Some churches, such as the Free Methodists, put free in their names to signal that seating wouldnt cost anything.

Catholics and Protestants who put more emphasis on respectability continued to practice pew rentals into the 1940s. Pew rentals largely vanished in evangelical churches by the end of the 1800s.

Evangelicals still mostly had pews, though, until the 20th century, when a new emphasis on being seeker sensitive led many churches to opt for more comfortable seating. Pewseven ones where anyone was free to sitcame to signify tradition and formality, which made them bad for churches attempting to appeal to baby boomers in the 1980s and 90s.

But the same connotations work perfectly for millennial and Gen Z weddings in the 2020s.

Monique Gonzalez Koyias wanted pews for her outdoor wedding in Colorado in 2021. When she couldnt find a vendor to provide pews for her marriage ceremony, she bought some from a church closing in Bennett, Colorado. Today, as owner of Now and Forever Vintage Furniture & Church Pew Rentals, she provides pews for ceremonies and events across the state.

I feel its an honor and privilege to provide our church pews for rent, she said. Its keeping a part of history and tradition alive that otherwise would be lost.

Photos of rustic wedding decor on Pinterest and other social media platforms fuel the demand for pews. The website WeddingWire urges brides to look for repurposed church pews from vintage event rental companies if you want an eclectic, shabby chic aesthetic.

As the popularity of outdoor weddings increased because of COVID-19, the demand for church pews went up too. The average cost for a venue in 2022 is about $10,000, so couples planning their weddings are encouraged to evaluate every aspect of the space, including the seating. Pews rent from anywhere between $100 and $300 each, not including delivery and setup fees.

Pews seem to be especially popular in the South. Stephen and Joanne Kramer, who run I Do Pew Rentals in North Georgia, have posted hundreds of photos of their pews at weddings in the South. The pews appear at waterfalls, wineries, mountain overlooks, and historic plantations. Sometimes the seats are in the background, behind kissing couples and celebrating wedding parties, and sometimes the camera focuses directly on the pews.

Theyre the original pews out of an old Kentucky church built in 1890, one photo caption says. Imagine the celebrations, events, and stories.

Back in California, Strelec says that people who rent out pews have to think about their history for more practical reasons, too. They werent built to be transportable, and they have to be handled with care.

The more you move the pews, the more likely they are to be damaged, he said. Being that they are historical, we do our best to take care of them.

He doesnt mind being a caretaker, though. He thinks of all the weddings hes made a little better with his pews. The brides and families who were happy. And what would have happened to the church seating if he hadnt answered that internet ad.

These little pews that were destined for the landfill have traveled around the world, he said, and have been involved in a lot of different things.

Susan Fletcher is director of history and archives for The Navigators.

Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.
Hyderabad: In a matrimonial dispute related to an NRI, Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the ministry of external affairs and additional DGP (CID) of Telangana to take steps to extradite the accused against whom non-bailable warrants were issued against him in 2011, from the United States.

The court directed officials to consult US authorities with material facts as it was involved in visa malpractices. The court was dealing with a petition filed against one Dr Dabeeruddin Khaja from Gulbarga that was filed by his father-in-law Gulam Afzal. The petitioner lamented officials were not taking steps to extradite Dr Khaja, even after a 498-A and other domestic violence case were registered against him in the Sanjeevareddy Nagar police station on the complaint of his daughter. Chandrasen law office, on behalf of the petitioner, argued that the external affairs department was stating since 2011 that they had send a request to the Embassy of India in Washington, but there has been no tangible development in bringing the accused.

T. Suryakaran Reddy, additional solicitor general, on behalf of the external affairs department, submitted that they were in regular dialogue on this issue, till the US Department of Justice on April 4, 2018, sent a message we have determined that there is no dual criminality for the charges on which the fugitive is sought. He further submitted that the United States has denied their request.
New research shows that 45 percent of Americans watched an online church service during the pandemic, including about 50 million Americans that didnt regularly attend in-person worship services.

While some enjoy the convenience of watching an online sermon and others look to plug into a local congregation, almost everyone is turning to the internet to find a church home. From weighing worship styles to deciding if a churchs class schedule begins too late for their toddlers early mornings, church seekers make over 823,000 monthly searches for churches near me as they seek to connect.

Unfortunately, many congregations fail to make a good first impression. Their sites are bulky and outdated or are slow to load and lack relevant details. Most church websites seem like an afterthought instead of the entryway many people are walking through.

A strong online presence is the first step toward welcoming people to your church. As you consider how best to greet them, consider these five must-haves that will enhance your digital outreach and grow your church.

Reaching the Masses Through

A strong domain name

Location is everythingespecially on the internet. An effective web address should match your churchs name and avoid unnecessary clutter like hyphens or numbers. Having your domain name match your church name exactly can mean getting up to 25 percent more traffic to your churchs website. Examples of churches with great domain names include Canvas.church and Newlife.church.

An effective website builder

Your church website builder should be reliable and user-friendly. Having clearly integrated links to frequently used content like service times and locations, worship service streams, and online giving is imperative. Two very effective church website builders are the Digital Church Platform and The Church Co.

Compelling web design

People are visual first and verbal secondthey want to be inspired and then informed. Your website has less than 50 milliseconds to make an impression, so be selective about how you engage people with a simple, dramatic, or minimalist design. Your website aesthetic should match the feel people would experience walking through the doors of your church. People are looking for ways to get basic information quickly, so content should be clean and concise.

A website that loads fast

Over half of mobile site visitors will leave a page if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Thats not much time to deliver a lot of data, so be sure to optimize the digital payload associated with videos and images. Your church website has to be fast and high-performing to keep users engaged and ensure your website ranks well on Google.

Excellent, relevant content

Theres nothing worse than visiting a website for the first time and feeling confused. Unlike social media that flashes by someones screen for a short moment, your church website is a hub for reliable content. People want to know when and where your church meets, what to expect from the community culture, and who they will find on the other side of the door. Making sure information is accurate and transparent is pivotal in keeping people engaged.

Its All About the Domain

The goal of building a church website is ultimately to serve the people searching for information, and that starts with an easy-to-remember domain. A .church domain can help maximize engagement through promotional redirects, social links (like using it to link to your Facebook page), and shortcut URLs for donation or giving campaigns. This simple, versatile tool offers a clear, easy entry for people to get plugged into your ministrywhether they are eager for connection or simply looking to revisit a favorite sermon. Interested? Learn more about why a .church domain is right for you.

DJ Chuang is a brand ambassador for .church domain names, a part of Identity Digital powering the most relevant domain names on the internet. DJ is known as a thought leader who helps churches and nonprofits learn how to use the latest digital technologies.
Max Lucado reflects on how Holy Spirit comforts him amid battle with ascending aortic aneurysm

When Max Lucado was diagnosed with an ascending aortic aneurysm just over a year ago, he doesn't believe he "set the best example."

"As far as dealing with anxiety, I really spiraled downward," the famous author and leader of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, told The Christian Post.

An ascending aortic aneurysm is defined by Johns Hopkins as an "abnormal bulging and weakening in your aorta at the point before the curve." In Lucado's situation, the aneurysm is "pretty large," he said, about "two centimeters shy of needing open heart surgery."

"I'm 67, almost 68 years old. And I'm finally coming to grips with the fact that I'm not getting younger. I'm a slow learner," he said. "I kept thinking, 'I'm going to dodge all these major health issues.' So for the first two or three days, it was really a wake-up call."

That diagnosis came on a Monday. But by that Thursday, something miraculous happened: The bestselling author, whose sermons and books have brought hope and encouragement to millions worldwide, felt his anxiety lift.

"I really felt, in a supernatural way one morning  I felt it lift," he said. "I really did it just lift. And it's not that I was healed, because I'm not, but the fear or the anxiety was lifted. And I attribute that to the Holy Spirit. I sought prayer and I received prayer, and so I can say now honestly, I do not live in fear of that."

Days still aren't easy. Lucado said he suffers from "severe" mood swings due to his medication, which for him is uncharted territory.

"I've always been a pretty happy-go-lucky guy. But when I started taking this beta blocker, I found myself just kind of a bit sad," he said.

But in these times, the pastor has learned to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit and ask God for help. And in the process, Lucado says he's gained greater compassion for himself and others struggling.

"In that sense, it's been a blessing because it's caused me to be more aware of leaning on the Holy Spirit more, and it's also caused me to be more compassionate toward people who have battled mood swings or depression, whether slight or severe, all of their lives because I do not," he said. "I have been spared that particular struggle. But now I'm much more compassionate with a person who goes through that what they may be feeling."

Now, the New York Times bestseller is sharing what he's learned about the Holy Spirit, both recently and over his decades in ministry, in his new book Help is Here: Finding Fresh Strength in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit.

In the book, Lucado candidly discusses his journey of getting to know the Holy Spirit and encourages others to rely on the power, freedom and comfort He brings  something he said is desperately needed as mental illness, exhaustion and stress levels continue to rise nationwide.

"We're a worn out people, we're worn out or absolutely exhausted," he said, citing statistics revealing that 84% of Americans feel stressed at least one day in a typical week.

"That means that nearly nine out of 10 people you see walking down the street feel stress. That's not how we're intended to live. So the Spirit gives life; the flesh is of no help at all. That is to say, my pep rallies, my self-motivation talks, that they're not helping me. I need help from outside, help from above," he said.

Lucado knows that for many in the Church, the Holy Spirit is a somewhat uncomfortable topic. A recent study found that most of America's self-identified Christians, including many who identify as Evangelical, believe God is all-powerful and the Creator of the universe.

Yet, more than half reject several biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit.

Often, those in the Church fall into two categories when it comes to the Holy Spirit, Lucado said. The first group believes they have a "backstage pass" to the Holy Spirit, possessing superior strength and insight. The second group feels the need to police everything others say and believe about the Holy Spirit, condemning viewpoints other than their own.

"I think those are the two challenges that are going to always be around," he said.

Instead of going to either extreme, approaching the Holy Spirit from a posture of humility allows the fruits of the spirit to grow, Lucado contends.

"Somewhere in the middle is the God-fearing person, the Bible reading student, the disciple, the follower of Jesus, who truly wants everything that the Holy Spirit will give him or her and is not seeking any platform, not trying to show off, but always just keeping a humble heart. And I believe that's the best posture in which to be; that's the posture that really creates the soil out of which the fruit of the Holy Spirit can grow."

According to Scripture, the Holy Spirit is "our comforter or our friend; the one who comes alongside to help us as we as we journey through life," Lucado posited.

In his book, in which he describes the Holy Spirit as "a life-giving friend, here to lead you home," he delves into the significance of the metaphors used to describe the third person of the Trinity: "Fire, wind gift giver, intercessor, advocate all."

"Let Jesus teach you," Lucado said. "I mean, ... who knows more about the Holy Spirit than one of the other two members of the Trinity? When Jesus describes the Holy Spirit, first of all, one of the great lines is, 'The Spirit gives life, the flesh is of no help at all.' So the Spirit exists to give life to us. And boy, don't we need that today?"

If the Body of Christ fully embraced the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, it would "spend much more time in prayer," a "little less doing and a lot more praying," Lucado said. He cited Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

"When Peter preached, 3,000 people responded because the Holy Spirit touched their lives. And when they declared the Gospel, everyone that day heard the Gospel, Scripture says, in their own language, so something miraculous was happening that caused the wonders of God to be articulated in the heart languages of the people. So what would that be like today?" he asked.

The pastor stressed that the Church is "hungry" for a simple Gospel and renewal of power.

"We seem to have gotten a bit off track in terms of politics and controversies," Lucado said. "May the Lord bring us a new day in which we return to the simple message of the fact that God loves us. He came for us, and now He gives us power. And if we were to be a Church of the Holy Spirit, I think that we would see those kinds of outpourings yet again."

Lucado said that in the Church, there's often the misconception that Christians won't have trials, whether relational, mental or physical. But that's "just not the case in this world," Lucado said, and that's why the Holy Spirit is so desperately needed.

"Jesus didn't say, 'In this world, some people have tribulation.' 'In this world, you will have tribulation,'" Lucado maintains. "But then He said, 'Be of good cheer, because I've overcome the world.' So whatever you're facing, Christ has already overcome it, and He will help you as you move forward."

"Do not buy into that lie that says if you were a better Christian, you wouldn't have these struggles," he stressed. "The fact of the matter is, sometimes, the fact that you are a Christian creates these struggles because the devil sees you as a candidate for his attack."

As he struggles with his own health battles, Lucado encourages others in similar situations to "turn to your Heavenly Father, who can help you face the struggle, and also turn to others."

"Don't try to shoulder this on your own. And don't beat yourself up," he said. "I do think it's important for us to remember this life is not intended to last forever. We all will have afflictions, and we all will get sick. And unless Christ returns, we're all going to have a heart that stops beating at some point. And that's not bad because the minute we close our eyes to this earth is a minute we open our eyes to the New Kingdom. And that will be the great thing; the great victory."

Help is Here: Finding Fresh Strength in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit is now available.
Christian college continues legal battle against Biden admin. trans discrimination policy

A Christian college in Missouri has filed an en-banc appeal to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seeking protection from a Biden administration policy that its officials believe will force the institution to allow biological males to live in dormitories and use showers reserved for women.

College of the Ozarks, also known as School of the Ozarks, filed a request last week for all 8th Circuit judges to rehear its case against an order from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that defines housing discrimination based on sex also to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

A three-judge panel ruled against the college in July because the federal agency had not taken any enforcement action against the institution.

"The College states that sex is based on male-female biology, not gender identity, and that students must agree not to engage in sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman," the petition reads.

"Those views necessitate that the College have single-sex residence halls, roommate selection, intimate and communal.  The College regularly communicates this policy to its 1,300 students."

The petition claims that obeying HUD's directive on sex discrimination in housing would "fundamentally compromise the College's religious mission, free speech, and student privacy."

"But if it does not comply, the Directive triggers complaints, investigations, lawsuits, and substantial fines because the College separates its dorms by biological sex and communicates that policy to students," the appeal continued.

The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy organization that has successfully argued religious liberty cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, represents the College of the Ozarks.

ADF Senior Counsel Julie Marie Blake said in a statement that the school "should be free to follow the religious tradition on which it was founded."

"The government can't strip a private, faith-based institution of its constitutionally protected freedoms because it disagrees with its views about marriage and biological sex," stated Blake.

"By redefining 'sex' in federal law to include gender identity, President Biden has grossly overreached his authority and is mandating that Christian colleges must allow boys into girls' dorm rooms and showers, and vice versa."

The college filed its lawsuit in April 2021. U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark of the Western District of Missouri, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, ruled against the Christian school in May 2021.

In July, a three-judge panel of the 8th Circuit ruled 2-1 to reject the request for relief. Circuit Judge Steven Michael Colloton authored the majority opinion, contending that the college was not affected by the HUD policy because a complaint hadn't been filed against the school. Colloton, a President George W. Bush appointee, said that current religious freedom protections were sufficient.

"The College's alleged injury also lacks imminence because it is speculative that HUD will file a charge of discrimination against the College in the first place," wrote Colloton.

"Title IX provides that its anti-discrimination provision 'shall not apply to an educational institution which is controlled by a religious organization,' if applying the prohibition 'would not be consistent with the religious tenets of' the organization."

Colloton wrote that "even when HUD interpreted the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity between 2012 and 2020, the Department brought no enforcement action against the College."

"HUD has never filed charges of housing discrimination against a college that is exempt from prohibitions on sex discrimination in housing under Title IX," he continued.

Circuit Judge Leonard Grasz, an appointee of President Donald Trump, authored a dissent opinion, arguing that the directive went against the proper process of federal guidance, which includes allowing public comments.

"An agency's issuance of a guidance document that fails to adhere to the proper administrative procedures may achieve compliance with the government's desired policy outcomes by in terrorem means, but it skirts the rule of law and undermines our values," Grasz worte.

"This is especially true where regulated entities are placed under a sword of Damocles but are denied access to the courts because the sword has not yet fallen."

Grasz said, "if the government acts as the Memorandum facially requires, it is only a matter of time before the government concludes the College's housing policy violates the FHA."
Church security guard killed, pastor kidnapped by radicals in Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria  Suspected Fulani herdsmen on Sunday killed a Christian security guard as they abducted a pastor in central Nigeria and wounded the church leaders wife, sources said.

James Ngyang, a member of the church led by Pastor Bung Fon Dong of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), was killed in the attack at the residence of Pastor Dong on church premises in Ganawuri, Riyom County, Plateau state, said area resident Danjen Bagu Gang.

Armed gunmen we believe are Fulani terrorists attacked Ganawuri and abducted the Rev. Bung Fon Dong alongside James Mann, who later escaped from the hands of the kidnappers, Gang told Morning Star News in a text message.

The gunmen stormed the RCC [Regional Church Council] chairmans residence, at about 10 p.m., shot and wounded the pastors wife, and killed one James Ngyang, a member of the church and security church worker, before they forcefully took away the pastor at gunpoint.

On Monday, the gunmen contacted the pastors family and demanded 20 million naira ($46,650) for his release, Gang said, adding that Ngyangs body was buried on that day.

Police confirmed the kidnapping of Pastor Dong. Alfred Alabo, deputy superintendent of police of the Plateau State Police Command, said in a press statement that the attack happened Sunday night, and that Mann is the principal of the Government Secondary School in Ganawuri.

We have deployed operatives to track down the criminals and rescue the hostage, Alabo said.

In Ruku village, Gashish District in Plateau states Barkin Ladi County, suspected Fulani herdsmen on Sept. 7 attacked the predominantly Christian community, shooting and wounding three Christian women who were working at a tin mining site, said Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, director of the Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria.

Saying the three women were receiving treatment at Barkin Ladi General Hospital after being shot at about 10:45 p.m. by armed men suspected to be Fulani militias, Mwantiri identified the victims as Rose Bitrus, 41; Polina Mathew, 43; and Grace Pam, 42.

Pastors son kidnapped

In the Abaji area of Nigerias Federal Capital Territory, gunmen on Sept. 4 kidnapped dozens of people, including the son of Evangelical Church Winning All Pastor Bala Akpeni, in an attack on predominantly Christian Kutaru village, according to the ECWAs Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS).

On the night of Sunday, Sept. 4, many Christians were kidnapped from one of our mission fields, EMS Coordinator James Saleh said in a request for prayer. Among those kidnapped is Steven Bala, the son of Pastor Bala Akpeni, the missionary taking care of the prayer house there. Please pray for Gods intervention.

An ECWA pastor and two members of his church taken into captivity by terrorists for two months have been released and are now recovering from the trauma, Saleh said.

Praise God for the release of our missionary, the Rev. Ahmadu Maikudi, and two members of his prayer house after over two months of captivity in the den of terrorists and a lengthy negotiation process for their release, Saleh said. We appreciate all those who contributed in one way or the other to facilitate their release. We pray that God will heal them from the trauma of that harrowing experience and give them peace in their hearts.

Area community leader Alhassan Isah said in a Sept. 5 statement that incessant invasions of the area by terrorists and bandits have come at alarming rates and called on security authorities to act.

Its no longer rumors but a fact that there is a serious state of insecurity in many parts and village areas of the nations capital (Federal Capital Territory-Abuja), with Abaji Area Council not being an exception, Isah said. Leaders of these communities have reported on the siege and rampaging killings and abductions of residents on daily basis by terrorists, kidnappers and bandits, thereby displacing thousands among the people and forcing them to flee out of their communities.

Recent killings and abductions of Kutara residents Rafin Daji, Paikon Bassa, Guridi and Adagba villages in Abaji Area Council are worrisome and condemnable, he said.

As matter of urgency and importance, theres the need for security agencies to take more proactive measures before the acts of terrorism, kidnapping and banditry completely take over Abaji Area Council, Isah said.

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.
Detransitioners share regrets, speak out against body mutilation in 'Transgressive' documentary

A new documentary produced by Fox News host Tucker Carlson examines the consequences of body-disfiguring transgender surgeries and highlights the stories of people who underwent experimental medicalization and how it impacted their physical and mental health.

The two-part "Transgressive: The Cult of Confusion," which premiered last week on Fox Nation, features the first-hand accounts of people who once believed they were the opposite sex and underwent experimental hormones and surgeries but have since detransitioned and reintegrated into their natal sex following immense regret and bodily harm.

The filmmakers take viewers on a journey, explaining in eight distinct stages how transgenderism functions and operates like an actual "cult." The project shows how struggling children are indoctrinated and sent down a pathway of irreversible harm.

One such featured detransitioner is Helena Kerschner, a biological woman who started identifying as a boy at 15 and struggled with an eating disorder and depression. She explains in the film how the social media website Tumblr contains considerable content encouraging people to undergo a gender transition.

Filled with regret over the decision several years later, Kerschner eventually stopped identifying as the opposite sex.

"I had like a big realization moment where I just realized how much I just regretted this whole thing, and I was wrong, and that I'm not trans," she said. "And it was like the cloud just lifted, and I immediately became a normal person again. I immediately became myself again."

Another detransitioner who testifies in the documentary is Walt Heyer, a biological man who previously presented as a woman named Laura Jensen. He is now using his experiences to help others through a website called "Sex Change Regret." He seeks to educate others about what he says are the harmful effects of attempting to change one's sex. He claims that around 60% of the people he works with were sexually abused as children.

A 2018 American Academy of Pediatrics study and a 2016 study published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology suggest that many children with a history of gender dysphoria have mental health or neurodevelopmental condition. However, more research is necessary before a definite conclusion can be made.

In part two of the documentary, filmmakers highlighted Heyer's path toward recovery, noting how he struggled with substance abuse and nearly took his own life before his condition improved.



"Eventually, I found my way to the Lord, Jesus Christ," he said.



Offering a psychological perspective, Dr. Michael J. Bailey of Northwestern University delineated the three types of gender dysphoria: child onset gender dysphoria, autogynephilia and rapid onset gender dysphoria. Child onset gender dysphoria is when children express a desire to identify as the opposite sex at a young age. According to Bailey, these children typically outgrow this confusion.

However, proponents of allowing youth to socially transition at young ages have argued that the desistance trends in gender dysphoric children are often overblown.

The second form of gender dysphoria, autogynephilia, is seen in biological males with a strong urge to dress as women and possess female body parts. Individuals experiencing this form of gender dysphoria may start by dressing as a woman with the desire to have female body parts potentially motivating them to undergo surgery.

Rapid onset gender dysphoria involves individuals  typically female  suddenly identifying as transgender without any prior signs.

Interspersed with Carlson's narration, the Fox News host observes in the documentary that the "key to the success of any cult is to drive a wedge into the family."

"If parents and family members do not capitulate to the new identity of the child, those relationships are labeled toxic and must be destroyed," Carlson said.

On that same theme, Christian Post Senior Investigative Reporter Brandon Showalter highlights the conversations he has had with parents desperately looking for ways to help their children identifying as the opposite sex.

"I've had some of these moms and dads in my house for dinner just to try and console them as they're grieving. They have nowhere to turn. They call me in absolute excruciating agony," he explains.

"I've never heard such anguish and terror, utter horror and pain as they are sometimes forced to watch the slow-motion dissociation and chemical disintegration of their own children."

Showalter has extensively documented numerous reports of operations done on trans-identified minors, including the removal of breasts and genitals.

"By what standard of medical evidence are you legitimizing the removal of healthy body parts?" he asks in the film, referring to the practice as the "worst form of child abuse."

Showalter has previously reported that a study claiming that puberty-blocking drugs yield positive mental health outcomes for trans-identifying youth contains several flaws. The study is titled "Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care," published in February on JAMA Network Open in partnership with Seattle Children's Hospital.

The university ceased promoting the study after a series of profound edits. The data they initially gathered claimed that gender-affirming care  which involves sterilizing hormones and body-altering surgeries  "dramatically reduces" depression and is "lifesaving."

A press release further claimed that interventions "caused rates of depression to plummet" in adolescents who identify as nonbinary or transgender. The research team also criticized efforts in Texas and Idaho to restrict or scrutinize "gender-affirming care."

But journalist Jesse Singal noted several flaws with the study in an April 6 essay on Substack, claiming it revealed no statistically significant mental health improvement among those who underwent such procedures and therapy.

Showalter has also reported on how consent documents obtained in 2020 by the California Family Council from Children's Hospital in Los Angeles indicate that giving experimental cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers to youth can cause infertility. The hospital has even warned patients and parental guardians that infertility is a side effect of prescribing such drugs.

Showalter previously reported that in the United Kingdom, where they have centralized medical care and can compile the data more efficiently, reports of a 4,000% spike in the referrals of young people to the national gender service for gender transitions led to a formal investigation.

The U.K. National Health Service announced this summer that it will close down the London-based gender identity clinic at the Tavistock and Portman Trust and move to a "new provider model through specialist children's hospitals." The announcement came in light of recommendations from an independent review and report that was critical of using experimental puberty-blocking drugs to treat gender dysphoria.

"We do not fully understand the role of adolescent sex hormones in driving the development of both sexuality and gender identity through the early teen years, so by extension, we cannot be sure about the impact of stopping these hormone surges on psychosexual and gender maturation," Dr. Hillary Cass wrote in the report. "We therefore have no way of knowing whether, rather than buying time to make a decision, puberty blockers may disrupt that decision-making process."

Abigail Shrier, author of Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, notes in Part 1 of the documentary that gender dysphoria previously affected .01%, or roughly one in 10,000, males. For females, gender dysphoria affected one in 30,000.

But today, the author claims that the number of females with gender dysphoria has increased to one in 20 college-aged women.
Lindsey Graham introduces 15-week abortion ban as pro-lifers seek to put Democrats on defense

WASHINGTON  A 15-week abortion ban has been introduced in the United States Senate, the first pro-life legislation introduced at the federal level since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., held a press conference alongside pro-life leaders on Capitol Hill Tuesday, unveiling the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act.

The legislation would ban abortion after 15 weeks of gestation and is similar to the Mississippi law that the Supreme Court upheld in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Along with upholding the Mississippi law, the court declared in Dobbs that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start and reversed the 1973 decision.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., has introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. A statement from Smiths office confirms that the bill has secured the support of more than 80 members of Congress, including Reps. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., and Andy Harris, R-Md.

The Dobbs decision does not ban abortion nationwide but gives state and federal lawmakers the authority to set limits on abortion or increase gestational ages for abortion. Several states have moved to ban abortion in the weeks following the Dobbs decision, while abortion remains legal up to the moment of birth in other states.

In response to the Dobbs decision, congressional Democrats have restarted their previous efforts to pass the so-called Womens Health Protection Act, which would codify abortion into federal law and limit the ability of states to pass pro-life laws. Graham characterized his legislation as a response to the Womens Health Protection Act, which has passed the House but failed to pass the Senate.

At the press conference, Graham compared both the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act and the Womens Health Protection Act with the abortion laws on the books in other countries. If we adopted  our bill, we would be in the mainstream of most everybody else in the world. I think there are 47 of the 50 European countries [that] have a ban on abortion from 12 to 15 weeks, he said.

A graphic on display at the press conference highlighted that France, Denmark and Norway ban abortions after 12 weeks gestation, while Belgium, Germany and Spain prohibit the procedure after 14 weeks gestation. A separate graphic noted that the Democrats' so-called Womens Health Protection Act places America in the company of only seven other countries who allow abortion on demand, including North Korea and China.

Carol Tobias, president of the pro-life group National Right to Life, was among the pro-life leaders who attended the press conference. There, she spoke about the adverse impact the Womens Health Protection Act would have if passed: Reasonable limits such as parental consent or womens right to know laws, which were possible under Roe v. Wade, would not be allowed under the WHPA.

Graham and the pro-life leaders touted the pro-life legislation as reflective of a consensus on abortion, pointing to a Fox News poll showing that 54% of Americans support banning abortion after 15 weeks gestation, with exceptions for medical emergencies, while just 41% opposed.

The Womens Health Protection Act is out of touch with mainstream opinion on the issue of abortion, they added, citing a Harvard-Harris poll finding that just 10% of Americans support abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy.

Additional polling from CBS News and the Pew Research Center measured support for legal abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy at 17% and 19%, respectively. Emphasizing that Grahams bill is in keeping with a national consensus on abortion, supporters of the bill also see it as consistent with scientific evidence about fetal development.

As Concerned Women for America President Penny Nance explained at the press conference, At 15 weeks, a little baby girl can feel pain. She can move her fully formed fingers and her toes. She can suck her thumb and she has a fully developed heart that is pumping 26 quarts of blood per day. This is a human life that deserves our protection.

Pro-life activists and Republicans see this legislation as an opportunity to put Democrats on defense with less than two months to go until the midterm elections. Should we look like Iran and North Korea when it comes to national abortion policy or maybe France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Denmark and Norway? Graham asked. If you vote with us, then well look more like these countries. If you vote with the Democrats, well look more like Syria and North Korea and Iran.

I want to be a nation as a whole that recognizes at 15 weeks, the baby feels pain, that to save the babys life, you have to provide anesthesia because you dont want to hurt the baby in the process of saving its life, and we are not a better nation by just dismembering that child, Graham added.

March for Life President Jeanne Mancini, added, Politicians voting against this bill will stand not only against science, but they will stand against the American public, not to mention standing against basic compassion for women and unborn children.

Since Dobbs, Republicans have found themselves on defense about abortion. Special election results that have occurred this summer to fill vacancies in the House have caused concern that the issue of abortion is motivating pro-abortion Democratic voters to turn out in higher numbers and will lead to the party overperforming in special elections compared to their districts voting patterns in the 2020 presidential election.

Public opinion polling has shown that while most Americans support legal abortion at some point in pregnancy, most remain opposed to late-term abortions. A handful of Republicans running for office in swing states have amended their rhetoric about abortion in an effort to appeal to swing voters who take a more nuanced position on abortion.

Specifically, Blake Masters, the Republican nominee running for the Senate seat in Arizona, removed a statement from his website declaring that he would support a federal personhood law (ideally a constitutional amendment) that recognizes that unborn babies are human beings" and should not be killed. The section of his website devoted to highlighting Masters pro-life platform now outlines his intention to support a law or constitutional amendment that bans late-term (third trimester) abortion and partial-birth abortion at the federal level.

Masters also revised his vow to strip funding from Planned Parenthood by removing his initial inclusion of all other abortionists and any organization that promotes abortion as those worthy of defunding. Masters also deleted a section of his website promising to remove funding for any research that uses embryonic stem cell research or aborted fetal remains.

Scott Jensen, the Republican nominee running for governor in Minnesota, released an ad last week of him insisting that abortion was a protected, constitutional right in the state. He also stated that no governor can change that and Im not running to do that. When running for the Republican primary in March, before the Dobbs decision, Jensen said in a Minnesota Public Radio interview that he would try to ban abortion if elected.

Graham rejected the idea that the Republican Party and the pro-life movement is on the run. The senator vowed that were going nowhere, adding, We welcome the debate, we welcome the vote in the United States Senate as to what America should look like in 2022.

I dont think this is going to hurt us. I think it will more likely hurt them when they try to explain to some reasonable person why its OK to be more like Iran and less like France on abortion, he said.

Pro-life groups and Republican candidates for office agree that a refusal to condemn late-term abortion presents a vulnerability for Democrats, especially those running for office in swing states. Masters website amended its section on abortion to emphasize the position of his opponent, Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly, on the matter.

Mark Kelly believes in nationwide abortion on-demand up until the moment of birth, with zero limits, the website reads. Only China and North Korea support the extreme no-limits policies that Senator Mark Kelly supports.

The pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America noted in an advertisement that Kelly voted against the Kennedy Amendment to the federal governments budget for fiscal year 2022, which would have established penalties for physicians who perform abortions after 20 weeks gestation.

Kelly is not the only swing-state Democrat to implicitly express support for abortion to the moment of birth. Another ad from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America highlights the refusal of Rep. Tim Ryan, the Democratic nominee for the open Senate seat in Ohio, Beto ORourke, who is running for governor of Texas, and Stacey Abrams, who is seeking the governorship of Georgia for the second time, declining to explicitly support any restrictions on abortion when asked.

A majority of Americans support common sense limits on abortion. (See: https://t.co/xBGvPracxj)



But these Democratic Senate candidates seem unable to name a SINGLE limit on abortion that they would support: pic.twitter.com/9rIDSeNl4s  SBA Pro-Life America LifeSavingLaws.com (@sbaprolife) August 31, 2022

John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee for the open Senate seat in Pennsylvania, responded with a No when asked if he supported any limits on abortion.

"Are there any limits on abortion you would find appropriate?"



PA Democrat John Fetterman: No."pic.twitter.com/WaYJke2I2J  RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 5, 2022

Graham stressed that the results of the midterm elections will likely determine the fate of his bill: If we take back the House and the Senate, I can assure you well have a vote on our bill. If the Democrats are in charge, I dont know if well ever vote on our bill.

The bill is unlikely to be brought up for a vote in either chamber of Congress as long as Democrats remain in charge. The FiveThirtyEight Deluxe model, which predicts the results of elections based on polls, fundraising, past voting patterns as well as the opinions of political experts currently gives Republicans a 72% chance of retaking the House, while giving Democrats a 72% chance of maintaining control of the Senate.

Even if the bill were to pass both chambers of Congress, President Joe Biden, an outspoken opponent of the Dobbs decision, would likely veto it. Graham expressed optimism that if we stay on this and keep talking about it, maybe less than a decade from now, this will be law.
Black lies matter

America was hoodwinked.

Some of us knew it from the start. Some of us should have known better from the start.

The Black Lives Matter movement pretended to be about racial injustice. Mainstream media swooned. Churches centered the propaganda instead of Scripture. And Corporate America groveled at their feet. Seven years and nearly $200 million dollars later, the world has been conned.

Several years ago, I published my Top 10 Reasons I Will Never Support the Black Lives Matter Movement. I received lots of love for it as well as some predictable hate from those who accused me of being a traitor, an Uncle Tom, not black enough, and a self-hater. It never ceases to amaze me when people think calling me an Uncle Tom is a put-down. To be compared to an individual who gave up his life so that others could be set free is an honor. So, thank you. And I love people regardless of their color. I dont excuse bad behavior because of someones color.

The Black Lives Matter movement isnt about self-sacrifice. Its about sacrificing the truth for personal gain. And a lot of it. Just ask Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) co-founder Patrice Cullors, a self-proclaimed trained Marxist, about her not-so-secret love of capitalism. Mostly white corporate CEOs lavished her black-led organization with loads of white guilt in the form of a color hucksters love: green. Who knew that BLM actually stood for Buy Large Mansions or Become Loaded Marxists. Cullors, who is married to a woman, now owns a reported four homes worth over $3 million, you know, because economic egalitarianism is her goal. Her house-buying binge (in white neighborhoods, by the way) started in 2016. Cullors pretended that her massively increased income wasnt a direct result of her involvement in BLM.

Now, theres a lawsuit accusing yet another BLMGNF leader  Shalomyah Bowers  of stealing $10 million from the organization. Follow me here. The Black Lives Matter Grassroots coalition filed the lawsuit against the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (the one with all the money). There are only three Board members of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, an organization that received $90 million in donations in 2020 and another $77 million in 2021. Three! And one of them is Shalomyah Bowers. According to the lawsuit, he only made $2,167,894 million dollars from BLMGNF in less than eight months. Whats a trained Marxist to do when your shady organization is awash in cash?

Whos to blame? White people, of course. The 3-member Board fired back at the lawsuit, brought on by other black BLM activists, with this classic response: To the contrary, they would rather take the same steps of our white oppressors and utilize the criminal legal system which is propped up by white supremacy (the same system they say they want to dismantle) to solve movement disputes.

Black lies matter. In fact, all lies matter. Youre not being oppressed BLM. Youre being held accountable.

Frederick Douglass famously proclaimed on his North Star papers masthead: Right is of no sex. Truth is of no color. God is the Father of us all. And all men are brethren.

Amen!

I dont care what beautiful hue of skin you have. If youre a crook who steals donated money, you should be in jail. Yeah, the same prisons that the BLM movement wants to abolish. How convenient. How many times do we have to hear the pathetic and racist justifications of BLM leaders? I run a non-profit organization. Im brown. I dont complain about the same IRS laws that apply to every non-profit organization. To say that Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is corrupt is an understatement. Good luck trying to follow the trails of cash. Even BLM chapters cant get any transparency. Some of them have been calling for it for years.

BLMGNF Board writes (and Im trying not to laugh): Our hearts are broken at this moment because white supremacy is the winner when movement leaders take the approach of publicly calling out comrades instead of calling-in. Yes, Marxist comrades dont like to be called out when they give capitalism a bad name by taking millions (they didnt earn) for personal gain. Its not white supremacy thats the problem. Its greed, dishonesty, pride, and jealousy. Thats sin supremacy.

Corruption knows no color. It can be carried out by people of any hue, either gender, or any political affiliation.

With all the hyperbole and racist rhetoric that continues to serve as the foundation of the BLM movement, its almost like the whole predictable imploding situation of BLM Grassroots versus BLM Global Network Foundation is a case of Black-on-Black crime. The movement swindled the nation and the entire world  even its own grassroots activists. The movement repeatedly failed to distinguish between what was true and what was a lie. It failed to identify between truly systemic (i.e., the inherent racism of the abortion industry) and specific instances (i.e., the exploited and tragic death of Ahmaud Arbery). Now, it seems, BLM leaders cannot distinguish between what money belongs to a public charity (yes, BLMGNF files as a 501c3 entity) and what goes into their personal piggy banks. The IRS is hiring 87,000 more agents, so Im sure theyll have time to look into BLMGNF and any questionable grassroots chapters of BLM. (Who am I kidding? Accountability and public scrutiny are soooo racist, obviously.)

Maybe some of that $42 million in BLM assets could help begin to defray the $2 billion worth of destruction BLMs mostly peaceful protests caused to cities (including many minority-owned businesses) across the country.

Sorry, BLM. Look into the mirror. The real oppressor just might be looking back at you.
Queen Elizabeth and transcendence

Perhaps the greatest danger in our time is due to the loss of the sense of Gods transcendence from the hearts of national leaders and the worldview and values of the nations over which they rule.

In my book, Who Will Rule the Coming Gods?  The looming spiritual crisis of artificial intelligence, I have explored the threatening implications of this trend as we move deeper into the cyber age and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

However, the death of Queen Elizabeth II puts the focus on the importance of national leaders understanding and committing themselves to Gods transcendent majesty and the humility and accountability that goes with it.

Leaders resemble what they worship. If it is themselves or even the nations or organizations they dominate, the people will suffer, and the wider world will be endangered.

Think about the people of Germany in the era when Hitler was becoming the transcendent figure for a new world kingdom ruled over by him and his henchmen. Think dictatorships today where there is much pomp, but all of it on a horizontal scale.

One is reminded of Daniels prophecy that the day would come when a ruler would arise who will magnify himself above all his predecessors, do as he pleases no matter the outcomes, and worship and honor a god of fortresses (Daniel 11:1-39).

The type has manifested all across history.

I lived in Nuremberg just 20 years after the Second World War and could see the ruins of the mighty edifices that would be the temples of the Third Reich, and the podium where the Nazi dictator would present himself for the crowds to worship.

Now, on the positive side, Elizabeth II underscores the importance of the recognition of Gods transcendence.

In fact, both Queen Victoria and Elizabeth reveal how a healthy theology of Gods transcendence equips a leader to best serve his or her people.

It was Queen Victoria, Elizabeths great-great grandmother who most eloquently expressed the importance of leaders seeing God as transcendent and sowed the idea into her family heritage. Victoria once told a preacher that she wished Christ would come in her lifetime. Why? asked the minister. Because I should like to lay my crown at His feet, she replied.

Victoria lived and reigned long enough to recognize to Whom she should bow her own knees to, as people bowed to her. That spiritual heritage formed Elizabeth and the best of her reign.

Decades later, Elizabeth would declare her own testimony: For me, the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christs words and example.

In her 2014 Christmas message, Elizabeth declared: For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role model of reconciliation and forgiveness, He stretched out His hands in love, acceptance, and healing. Christ's example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none. This belief and practice, along with reliance on Christs words and example gave her great comfort in times of crisis.

Further, the sense of personal accountability to God provides a framework in which I try to live my life. Perhaps the understanding of transcendence modeled by Christ was the secret that made Queen Elizabeth the unique person and leader she was

Elizabeth shows that whatever a leader regards as transcendent determines the style, fruits, and outcomes of his or her period of leadership.

There is also much ceremony in secular cultures and their leaders. The contrast between that and the transcendent view is striking. In the strictly secular society, the only transcendence is in the supreme leader or whatever the powerholder is called, usually coupled with parades of the regimes massive weaponry.

In a culture without a sense of true transcendence, the ceremony is horizontal, glorifying the human, while in a society with a view of Gods transcendent majesty and the sense of accountability that it nurtures, the celebration and ceremony are ultimately vertical, pointing to the Lord as the only transcendent being. It stresses the fact that the human leader is not the most high and is therefore answerable to God Himself for the way he or she handles the power entrusted to them.

Elizabeth understood that transcendence means a person  whether a peasant or a potentate  would have to stand in judgment and give an accounting to the Lord of all of the ways they used the gifts and very life given to them. Cardinal Vincent Nichols said that Elizabeths sense of accountability underpinned her whole life.

Thus, she understood that God is transcendent over every human, including those who sit on the thrones of great nations. And where there is that sense of Gods transcendence nations are blessed because the leaders know their own limits.

Hopefully, the sense of Gods transcendence that perhaps entered the family heritage through Queen Victoria and was sustained by Elizabeth will impact King Charles III and all the rest of the royals, not just in the U.K., but globally.

If it does, the nations will be blessed.
American economics came from a conflict between ministers and merchants Christian entrepreneurs educated clergy about markets

An underlying reason the United States became so economically prosperous is tied directly to the conflict between colonial churches and merchants. Well before 1776 the change began as merchants in Boston would depart from the puritan First Church to start another church which would be a friendly congregation for the commerce orientated puritans.

Theologian Mark Valeri reports about this Third Church created in 1669 that In such a religious community, merchants could practice their trade and piety at once, surrounded by fellow church members who knew firsthand the demands and customs of commercial life (Mark Valeri, 2010, Heavenly Merchandize, p. 87). Thus setting the trajectory which would fully develop in the 18th century and give the eventual United States economic prowess never seen before in the history of mankind. (For a detailed discussion on this transition see Jim Huntzinger, October 20, 2017, How Christian Entrepreneurs Debating with Pastors Created American Economics.")

The Colonial merchants essentially followed eternal truths of economic natural law articulated by Jesuit Priest Leonardus Lessius in his 1605 treatise, De iustitia et iure (On Justice and Law). In his most famous treatise Lessius scripturally explained and upheld industrious merchants making a profit as just and moral; meshing together religious beliefs with real world commerce.

While Adam Smith is credited for his brilliant treatise on the free market, The Wealth of Nations, free market principles and practices had already been well articulated by theologians for many centuries; the Scholars of Salamanca and the likes of Jesuit Leonardus Lessius. Lessius details the just price theory in his On Justice and Law treatise writing that a good is worth what it can be sold for, and defining a just price as the common estimation of knowledgeable people, also described by Lessius as a natural price (Leonardus Lessius, 1605, On Buying and Selling). Lessius is describing the free market of free exchange.

But well above all civilizations, the ancient Hebrews were the structure and law followed by our Founding generation. While they gave significant study of others, like the Greeks and Romans and others evaluated by Charles de Montesquieu, the most perfect was the Hebrew Republic as it was directed by God through Moses. The Founding generation viewed this superior to even the other great civilizations such as the Roman republic and Greek democracy, as Reverend Langdon explained at the time of the Constitution. [The Greek laws] were far from being worthy, preached Langdon, to be compared with the laws of Israel in regard to the security of life, liberty, property, and public morals (Samuel Langdon, 1788, The Republic of the Israelites an Example to the American States). Pastor Langdon was also directly linking the fundamental law reiterated in the moral compact of the Declaration with the structural compact of the Constitution in his sermon and equated it to the superior Mosaic laws of ancient Israel. Langdon also directly compares the 12 tribes of Israel to the 13 colonies which form the Union; as well as, linking virtue and morals directly to liberty  and Jesuss sacrifice as a final victory for liberty. These were attributes of the Hebrew nation and must also be the same attributes of the new Union. Langdon explains:

history is the best instructor both in polity and morals. I have presented you the portrait of a nation highly favored by heaven with civil and religious institutionsinstead of the twelve tribes of Israel, we may substitute the thirteen states of the American union, and see this application plainly offering itself; God, in the course of his kind providence, has given you an excellent constitution of government, founded on the most rational, equitable, and liberal principles, by which all that liberty is secured which a people can reasonably claim, and you are empowered to make righteous laws for promoting public order and good morals. He has moreover, given you by his son Jesus Christ  who is far superior to Moses  a complete revelation of His will and perfect system of true religion plainly delivered in the sacred writings. It will, therefore, be your wisdom in the eyes of the nations, and your true interest and happiness, to conform your practice in the strictest manner to the doctrines and commands of your government adhere faithfully to the doctrines and commands of the gospel, and practice every public and private virtue (Samuel Langdon, 1788, The Republic of the Israelites an Example to the American States).

Fundamental law is developed directly from Gods word in scripture. Langdon, as does many of the colonial clergy, defines happiness (which is articulated in the Declaration of Independence) to a moral and behavioral alignment with God; that is a direct relationship with God, not the contemporary definition of happiness erroneously portrayed today. The happiness of the moral compact is the property of an individual bestowed to them by God as a result of Him creating each individual and gifting them the property of conscience, labor, and ownership. An individual must build a personal relationship with God to fully comprehend and achieve this transfer of property  happiness.

This was the American happiness, which colonial merchants, as a result of embattlement and learning with the colonial clergy, would forge to create a historically unique economic pattern of behavior and prosperity founded in Gods Law.
Thousands attend Getty Music conference to rediscover how worship cultivates devotion for Christ

Over 80 Christian speakers and artists gathered with thousands of attendees at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, for the annual Sing! 2022 Getty Music Worship Conference.

Over 7,000 attended the annual conference, both in-person and virtually, from last Sunday to Wednesday. Hosted by hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty, the event featured sermons from well-known speakers and performances from various Christian artists.

The four-day festivity had the stated aim of guiding participants in rediscovering how the patterns of a [Christians worship] can cultivate [their] devotion to Christ.

Placing God at the center of worship

On the second day of the event, a Texas megachurch director of music and liturgy offered tips for cultivating singing and worship for multi-cultural churches in ways that reflect the "diversity of God's people."

Eric McAllister of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin emphasized that developing and growing worship in multi-ethnic church cultures requires specific actions.

The pastor is the creative director for Sunday Morning Songs, which he described as a cohort of songwriters and musicians [who] aim to help local churches sing the timeless truths of Scripture in fresh, faithful ways that embrace and transcend our cultural context.

He stressed the need for church leaders to ensure they place God, not man, at the center of their worship.

Our primary aim when we gather and the primary aim of our lives as believers is to give praise and glory to God and to edify and pursue the unity of His people, said McAllister.

McAllister noted that God should not only be central to every gathering of worship, but every person who engages in singing within churches should have motives driving their worship that stem from a supreme love for God.

[God] is the very center of our gatherings because He is the one who initiates our gatherings  who has called us to Himself. Though we were straying like sheep, He's called us back to Himself through Christ Jesus, the shepherd of our souls, he said.

McAllister warned, if congregants and leaders arent careful, worship can become a habit and not an act of affection towards God.

The aim of our services and the songs that we sing should be first and foremost to sing and retell the story of our God to give praise to Him and to call attention to His works, His Words and His ways, McAllister stated.

Regardless of how you sing, it is all in vain if we're not a people who abide in God and allow His words originally to abide in us. The aim of our gatherings is vertical; of course, we address God, and He addresses us through His Word. But, the aim of our gatherings is also horizontal. We are also concerned with others in the Church and in our gatherings.

McAllister said the ability to make God the focus of worship doesnt happen naturally.

I would stir you up by way of reminder to avoid a certain familiarity with the wonder of our God. Cultivate in your own heart an affection and wonder toward God by studying his Word deeply, praying and seeking His help, seeking His grace that He has promised to provide by seeking Him, McAllister said.

Loving all church members is a crucial step towards achieving effective worship in the same way that appreciating new diversity in the Church is fundamental to increasing diversity in worship within churches, according to McAllister.

We are called to embody a love that recognizes every member as brothers and sisters, as new creatures, as beloved, redeemed, adopted, glory-bound fellow servants of the risen Christ, McAllister preached.

We recognize and give thanks for and consider one another showing tender affection in light of a host of differences that may be represented in our local bodies. But we're called to recognize one another chiefly according to our new identities in Christ Jesus.

The service order and the various elements that comprise the service should be a way to glorify God and serve fellow congregants, McAllister stressed. Worship singing should also be for edifying and uplifting one another in good and challenging times, he said.

Do we consider what it looks like to really get in the trenches of life with God's people? What it looks like to be present with them in the most difficult and uncomfortable times? McAllister asked.

Uplifting one another through song, word and deed should be a common practice in all churches today, McAllister added.

As we apply this principle to our service planning, just as the Sabbath was made for man and not the other way around, our liturgy  are made for the spiritual formation and upbuilding and ultimate good of God's people as we turn our eyes to Christ the Savior and invite others to do the same, and seek to glorify Him in our time together.

Practicing authentic worship

During his speech last Monday, pastor and theologian John Piper shared that the only way to sing authentic worship is by practicing united diversity in which each member participates.

The 76-year-old chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis preached a sermon titled Treasuring Christ Together: The Power of Gathered Worship, urging members of the audience to evaluate their current approach to worship.

Piper emphasized the importance of every church member approaching worship with the mindset that if one person neglects, forgets or minimizes" their individual and "essential" part in singing to the Lord, then the "whole Bride of Christ will suffer."

"Don't ever forget that. Don't ever minimize that. Don't ever neglect that. Don't ever think that there can be God-centered worship without that," Piper said in his Sept. 5 speech.

Piper said Christians need to understand "the relationship between the individual soul and the ultimate purpose of God" to comprehend the essential components of effective worship.

The Don't Waste Your Life author noted that one of "the clearest statements" about how God created everything can be found in Isaiah 43:6-7.

"Every son [and] every daughter [are] created to display the glory of God," Piper said.

"God created the world. He sustains the world. He governs the world. He does everything in the world to display His glory; that is His greatness, His beauty, His worth. Those are my three efforts to get at the meaning of the word 'glory,'" he continued.

Piper said it's equally important that each member come together in unity to sing as a whole and diverse Bride of Christ.

The totality of Christ-exalting affection that comes into being in corporate worship is not merely the sum of the parts. It's more; a new reality has come into being in the Bride worshiping together, the pastor said.

The great mystery comes into being.  The interpenetration of Christ-exalting joy is something new. [Its] something greater, something more God-glorifying than the assembly of individual flames of affection.

Worship also must be done with the correct posture, discipline and attitude, he stressed.

[Singing worship must be done] with your heart [or] from your heart,  to the Lord [and by] always addressing one another.  That's corporate worship, Piper said.

Piper referenced Ephesians 5:18-19: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord."

The pastor said that the quality of the singing voice shouldnt matter because true worship for Christians should be about bringing Heaven to earth through their love for God and based on a love for one another.

The unified harmony of diverse voices is more beautiful than the greatest sound of voices in unison. Not the individual soul aflame with love to God, but rather, the Body of Christ [or] the Bride of Christ united in corporate worship is the end of creation, Piper said.

It is a glorious thing not to minimize unison. It is a glorious thing. When say, 50,000 people blast with unison, like an army going to war and singing their ballad of hope land, that's a glorious thing.

God has made the Church diverse for a reason, Piper noted.

Theres such diversity that God is doing in the gathering of the Bride of Christ. In united diversity of the worshiping Bride, something more beautiful is created than if she were all of one kind on any number of scales, he concluded.

Creation was made to exalt the worthiness of love.  The glory of Christ in honor of the Lamb shines more brightly because He's the kind of Redeemer leader who can hold together the allegiance of unbelievably, believably diverse people and hold us together in song and in many other ways.

Other speakers at the Sing! Conference included John MacArthur, Joni Eareckson Tada, Tim Challies, Foley Beach and more.
CBI officials arrested former Araku MP Kothapalli Geeta in the city and shifted her to Bengaluru

HYDERABAD: CBI officials arrested former Araku MP Kothapalli Geeta in the city and shifted her to Bengaluru in connection with Punjab National Bank (PNB) cheating case. The court had earlier convicted Geetas husband and managing director of Visweswara Infrastructure P. Ramakoteswara Rao but acquitted Geeta.

A fresh case was registered by the CBI based on a complaint lodged by PNB officials in connection with the Rs 25 crore fraud.

Sources said that the CBI had filed a chargesheet framing charges against the couple for duping the bank to the tune of Rs 42 crore. The CBI also registered cases against a former assistant general manager and manager of the banks Mid Corporate Branch in the loan fraud.

During the trial, the court convicted Rao, slapped two years jail and directed him to pay Rs 25 crore to the bank.
Satan readying world for Antichrist with rise in demonic content, authoritarian regimes: Michael Youssef

Michael Youssef, bestselling author and cultural anthropologist, doesnt want to give folks the wrong impression.

I am not an End Time preacher, the 73-year-old Egyptian-American pastor told The Christian Post during an interview Tuesday.

Instead, said Youssef, his new book, Is The End Near?, which walks Christians through Jesus depictions of the biblical end times in the Gospel of Matthew, is merely pointing out what many have already chronicled, namely, the rise in demonic content in popular culture and an increase in the frequency of global catastrophes.

Popular shows like TV's "Lucifer" and Little Demon," said Youssef, underscore a common theme of acceptance and humanization of the biblical Antichrist figure referenced in the book of Revelation.

"Little Demon," a Disney-owned animated program, features a woman who is impregnated by Satan and gives birth to an Antichrist daughter. The show contains nudity, violence, and witchcraft.

The series has earned warnings from pastors and condemnation from groups like One Million Moms, which said the show makes light of hell and the dangers of the demonic realm.

Youssef called such programming content an example of how secular media plays a major role in practicing a form of indoctrination when it comes to truth-telling.

So many so-called journalists are saying that objectivity is really a passe among journalists and broadcasters, that there ought to be no objectivity, he said. So theyre already sanctifying and praising subjectivity, so that when the Antichrist comes, theyre all going to be ready.  The media is playing a major role in all of that."

If anybody had doubts about that, the last six years should have cured us of that doubt.

He compared the current state of the media to the high-profile push for mass vaccinations during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

You see the sheep. Weve got a sheep mentality, he said. When I see the preparation in the hearts of people  Oh yeah, yeah, the Antichrist is good for us just like the vaccine is good for us.'"

He then clarified, Im not against vaccines, but Im just saying, weve all got to fall in line. Not all, of course, because some of us are going to stand up and say, Absolutely not.

The global COVID shutdowns, such as the harsh restrictions implemented in Australia, where Youssef lived and was ordained, taught us how easily and how quickly some authoritarian power rises in democracies, the pastor said.

As authoritarian regimes are rising even in Western democracies, you see this is Satans way of preparing the world for the Antichrist, he added.

Youssefs book focuses on six signs explicitly mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24 and 25, which include the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army in 70 AD and the time just before Jesus return.

While he acknowledges the world has always had earthquakes, famines and storms, Yousseff said the difference is that now theyre coming faster and faster.

Using his expertise as a trained anthropologist, Youssef said after studying those passages, he became convinced that what Jesus is talking about, those days before the return of the Son of Man, are the days were living in.

Now, have these things happened before? Sure, he added. But the image that our Lord gives us of labor pains, of a pregnant woman ... is that when the labor pains start coming in close intervals, you better get ready for the big event.

He said one of those signs mentioned in the Bible is a great falling away from the faith mentioned in Matthew 24:10  a trend Youssef believes to be currently underway.

Youssef pointed to a study from last October which found up to 70% of Evangelicals believe there are many ways to God, rather than exclusively through faith in His Son, just as Jesus said in John 14:6.

[Jesus is] not talking about the world falling away, because the world doesnt know Him, said Youssef. This is the falling away of Christians, of people who claim to be believers.

Youssef, who has authored over 50 books and whose programs are broadcast in 28 languages worldwide, said apostasy  a total desertion of or departure from ones faith  is underway not just in America but in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other Western countries.

But even as more Christians stay home on Sundays, Youssef said thousands of Muslims are coming to Christ in the Arabic world, where Youssef reaches up to 195 million homes with his Arabic TV station, The Kingdom SAT.

That is an indication to me the Lord is gathering His elect, Youssef said. Hes bringing his faithful ones together in preparation of His return.

Youssef hopes the book will stir pastors and other church leaders to prepare their people for some potentially hard times ahead  even persecution.

We need to train people how to be faithful in the midst of difficulties, he said. Here in America, this is new to us. As much as we should resist it  we should also be prepared as the onslaught comes; how are we going to stand?
Christians could lose majority status in America by 2045: study

Barring any limiting event such as war or economic depression, if the pace at which Christians abandon their faith before the age of 30 were to accelerate beyond its current pace, America could no longer be a majority Christian nation by as early as 2045.

And Christians wouldnt just lose their majority status in America in this scenario. They would also be outnumbered by the religiously unaffiliated, also known as nones, according to the findings of a new analysis by the Pew Research Center.

The findings are based on work from the Pew Research Center which projects religious composition in the United States under multiple switching scenarios for the first time, as part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project. The project analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world.

In the study, Pew highlights four hypothetical scenarios out of several possibilities to demonstrate how the U.S. religious landscape might change over the next half century. The impact of younger Christian adults abandoning their faith without limitation was modeled in one of those scenarios.

While the other three scenarios reflect varying degrees of religious disaffiliation, they all show Christians continuing to shrink as a share of the U.S. population, even under the counterfactual assumption that all switching came to a complete stop in 2020. The ranks of the unaffiliated, however, are projected to grow under all four scenarios.

Of course, it is possible that events outside the studys model  such as war, economic depression, climate crisis, changing immigration patterns or religious innovations  could reverse current religious switching trends, leading to a revival of Christianity in the United States, the researchers noted. But there are no current switching patterns in the U.S. that can be factored into the mathematical models to project such a result.

Data highlighted in the research show that while Christianity remains the stickier religious affiliation for older Americans, among younger adults it is the religiously unaffiliated identity that is enduring. If that trend is sped up with nothing to stop it, according to projections of the third of the four main models, the number of Christian adherents in the U.S. is likely to decline at a much faster rate.

If the pace of switching before the age of 30 were to speed up throughout the projection period without any brakes, Christians would no longer be a majority by 2045, Pew researchers said.

In this model, the religiously unaffiliated would be Americas most dominant faith expression by 2055, with about 46% of the population claiming that identify. Christians would represent just a 43% share of the population. By 2070, 52% of Americans would be unaffiliated, while only 35% would be Christian.

In 2020, the Pew Research Center estimated that about 64% of Americans, including children, were Christian. The religiously unaffiliated accounted for 30% of the U.S. population, while all other religions  including Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists  totaled about 6%.

While rising disaffiliation among younger adults assumes there is a kind of ever-increasing momentum behind religious switching among that cohort under 30, researchers suggested that trend isnt plausible as highly religious parents tend to raise highly religious children who are less likely than children of less religious parents to disaffiliate in young adulthood.

As a result, there may continue to be a self-perpetuating core of committed Christians who retain their religion and raise new generations of Christians, researchers said.

Of the four models presented, researchers selected the second which projects that rising disaffiliation from Christianity with limits could lead to nones becoming the largest religious identity in America by 2070 but not the majority identity.

The projected outcome for that model suggests that if the pace of disaffiliation before the age of 30 were to speed up initially but then hold steady, Christians would lose their majority status by 2050, when they would be 47% of the U.S. population compared to 42% for the unaffiliated. In 2070, nones would constitute a plurality of 48%, in this scenario while Christians would account for 39% of Americans.
Megachurch Pastor Matt Carter stepping down at 48, citing advancing heart disease

Just over two years after becoming the second senior pastor of the 16,000-member Sagemont Church in Houston, Texas, Matt Carter announced his retirement Sunday at the age of 48, citing a rapidly advancing buildup of plaque in the arteries of his heart.

I found out that the kind of plaque that I have in my heart is a rapidly growing plaque. I [didnt] know you could have that. There are two kinds. There is the slow-growing kind that develops over years, and then theres the rapidly growing kind which is the kind that I have, Carter told his congregation Sunday.

Vascular plaque, which puts people at risk for heart attack and stroke, form and grow when there is a high level of cholesterol in the blood, according to a report from Harvard Medical School. It is particularly dangerous because doctors haven't yet figured out how to remove the buildup.

"Making plaque disappear is not possible, but we can shrink and stabilize it," cardiologist Dr. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard Medical School professor, explained in the Harvard Health Publishing piece, "Can we reduce vascular plaque buildup?"

In addition to high levels of cholesterol in the blood, stress also increases the rate at which plaque accumulates in the arteries, and causes them to constrict, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Carter said the rapid growth of plaque in his arteries appears to have coincided with his short time as senior pastor of Sagemont Church.

When I did a heart scan (also known as a calcium score test) two-and-a-half years ago  the score goes from zero to nothing, 400 or above is significant heart disease. When I did the heart scan almost three years ago now, it was a 40. It was in the low range almost nothing when I took it, Carter said. A couple of months ago it was 440. And so, its advanced incredibly rapidly over the last two years.

Carter noted that he missed church a week earlier because he had to go to the hospital to attend to his health.

For those of you that know about a heart condition, they put in a stent a couple of months ago for a blockage and during my time in the hospital last week, I found out two things I was not aware of before I went there, he said.

The first is that, and Ive shared this before, is that I have a 90 percent blockage in one of my arteries. What I found out that I did not know was that that 90 percent blockage was in my widow-maker part of my heart. So that was news to me. Somehow I missed that part, he added.

The widow-maker artery refers to the left anterior descending artery which when blocked stops all the blood flow to the left side of the heart, causing the heart to stop beating normally, a Novant Health report notes.

And when this happens, according to Dr. Gary Niess, an interventional cardiologist with Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute, death is more likely compared to a blockage in another artery.

The widow-maker is a lay term for a particular type of heart attack, Niess said. Any artery closure can cause a heart attack where the heart muscle dies, but the widow-maker has a higher rate of mortality.

In addition to the blockage in his widow-maker, Carter said he also discovered that he has another blockage at 50% in another branch of his widow-maker that cannot be stented until it is 70% blocked, he said.

Cater said his doctors advised him to make some radical changes in his life and after a ton of prayer and wise counsel, I have decided to retire as the senior pastor at Sagemont Church. He now plans to take on a less stressful role as vice president of church planting and church mobilization at the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention starting on Oct. 1.

I talked to several pastors that left the pastorate and came to NAMB and all of them said that its significantly a less stressful situation than pastoring a local church, he said. Bottom line guys, Im 48 years old, Im about to turn 49 in a couple of weeks, I got cancer twice and Ive got rapidly advancing heart disease. Its time for me to make a change.
Florida, Arizona top 'Educational Freedom Report Card' Heritage Foundation ranks NY, NJ, DC as least parent-friendly

Parents looking for more options and transparency when schooling their children may want to head toward the Sunshine State.

A new report from conservative public policy think tank the Heritage Foundation ranked Florida as the most parent-friendly jurisdiction in the union, followed by Arizona, Idaho and Indiana.

The inaugural 2022 edition of the "Education Freedom Report Card" also ranked New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia as the least favorable for parents seeking choice and transparency in their child's education.

The report card uses a metric of four broad categories  school choice, transparency, regulatory freedom and spending  and utilizes 30 "discrete factors" to determine each state's score.

Florida's top ranking is mainly due to its academic transparency and a "strong" education savings account (ESA) program, more commonly known as school vouchers, the report stated.

Florida adopted its ESA program in 2014, followed by several other states, including Mississippi (2015), Tennessee (2015), North Carolina (2017) and West Virginia (2021).

Florida ranked first in "academic transparency," meaning that "Florida lawmakers set a high standard for academic transparency and rejecting critical race theory's pernicious ideas in 2022."

"State officials approved a proposal that prohibits teachers and administrators from compelling students to affirm the prejudiced ideas of critical race theory," the report reads. "Lawmakers also approved a proposal that requires academic transparency so that parents and taxpayers can review classroom assignments before educators use such materials as part of K12 instruction."

Earlier this year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits public school teachers and third parties from instructing students about sexual orientation or gender identity in grades three and younger. The law also requires schools to notify parents about changes affecting their child's mental, physical and emotional health.

The law also prevents school districts from withholding information from parents at a time when many school districts nationwide are barring teachers from discussing trans-identified students' social gender transition with their parents at the students' request.

Florida ranks seventh overall in return on investment (ROI) for education spending, a variable that measures academic achievement for the investment in terms of spending per pupil. Florida also ranked second in regulatory freedom, meaning the state's teachers and students are able "to pursue education largely devoid of red tape."

"An impressive 42 percent of Florida teachers are alternatively certified, making their way to K12 classrooms through a means other than a traditional university-based college of education," the report added. "The state has full reciprocity of teacher licensure, allowing anyone with a valid teaching license from another state to teach in Florida, or anyone who holds a certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards."

Arizona, which expanded its ESA option to every child statewide in July, ranked second on Heritage's report card. However, data for the ranking was collected in the early spring of 2022 before the passing of Arizona's universal ESA program. This means next year may see the state catapult over Florida to the top ranking.

That didn't stop Arizona from ranking first for school choice on the 2022 report card.

According to the report, Idaho's third-place ranking stems largely from its high ROI and transparency.

On the other end of the ranking, New Jersey, New York and D.C. are "doing little to provide transparency, accountability, and choice to families," the report finds, citing those jurisdictions' 49th, 50th and 51st rankings, respectively.

The report also underscored that while school choice remains vital, a growing number of existing schools are embracing critical race theory as "teachers have abandoned the practice of teaching their students about a shared sense of national identity, and districts are coercing teachers and students to affirm ideas that violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964."

"Schools are teaching children to affirm the lie that America is systemically racist, despite seminal laws, such as the Civil Rights Act, and the monumental cultural shifts and racial progress brought on by the civil rights movement," the report states.

The report's authors  Lindsey Burke, Jay Greene, Jonathan Butcher and Jason Bedrick  urge lawmakers to consider legislation that would prohibit "any public official from compelling teachers or students to affirm or profess any ideas, especially concepts that violate state and federal civil rights laws."

The report's authors also contend that parents, taxpayers and policymakers should also have access to curriculum and instructional materials and that such access was a welcome benefit gleaned from remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"[P]arents should know if teachers assign homework from the Black Lives Matter Week of Action website, for example, so that they can have informed discussions with their children, school administrators, and board members," the authors wrote. "Our report card accounts for state policymakers who have adopted provisions reaffirming state and federal civil rights laws and academic transparency provisions."

The ongoing debate comes as American public school systems have seen an exodus of students since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

One report from the nonpartisan research group Education Next found that 2 million fewer students have been enrolled in non-charter public schools since spring 2020 when many public schools were closed for in-person instruction.

While conservative organizations have issued resounding endorsements of school voucher programs, those programs are mostly opposed by public school teachers' unions. The American Federation of Teachers argues that vouchers will primarily serve as tax breaks for wealthy families that can afford to send their kids to private schools.

Zeph Capo of the Texas American Federation of Teachers told KHOU-11 in August that voucher programs "really haven't worked out well."

"As a matter of fact, most of the evidence shows that it's actually been a waste of money and it hasn't actually improved education," Capo was quoted as saying.

But Burke, the director of the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, told The Christian Post the study seeks to change the national conversation.

"We hope this report card catalyzes education freedom across the country," said Burke. "That more professionals are able to enter the classroom without having to go through woke colleges of education; that parents have radical transparency around the content their children's schools are teaching, that school boards become more responsive to parents than to teachers unions by moving more school board elections on-cycle; and that, most importantly, every child can choose the learning environment that's right for them through universal education choice."
Chick-fil-A explains use of community in tweet that some thought addressed black mans race

Chick-fil-A has clarified its use of the term "community," calling it a "poor choice of words" after backlash online over a tweet that some people thought referenced a black man's race during a conversation about adding spicy chicken nuggets to its permanent menu.

"The response was a poor choice of words but was not intended in any way to be insensitive or disrespectful," a spokesperson told "TODAY" in a statement. "We often use the term 'community' in a broader sense to talk about places where we operate restaurants and serve the surrounding community."

The row was triggered in a response to a tweet from a user profile of a black man named Don complaining in the Friday tweet that the fast food giant had "grilled spicy deluxe" on the menu "but still noooo spicy nuggets."

Chick-fil-A responded: "Your community will be the first to know if spicy items are added to the permanent menu, Don!"

That response appeared to set off a firestorm of replies from people who took offense at the suggestion that Chick-fil-A was possibly stereotypically referring to the black community. Many users replied using a variety of memes asking the company to explain the tweet.

Other Twitter users pointed out that Chick-fil-A had referenced the term "community" in other responses before and that the company was merely trying to make the customer "feel heard and special."

A screenshot of a Chick-fil-A tweet from August explaining that the company is currently experimenting with spicy items in different markets around the country shows the company again using the word "community" in response to a question from a white Twitter user.

The Atlanta-based company, the leader in the U.S. chicken fast-food industry, recently announced that it is bringing back its Grilled Spicy Deluxe Sandwich this fall.

The sandwich  a lighter, grilled version of its spicy chicken sandwich  features grilled chicken marinated in a spicy seasoning served on a toasted multigrain brioche bun with Colby jack cheese, lettuce and tomato.

"We've heard loud and clear from our guests that they want the Grilled Spicy Deluxe Sandwich back on the menu," said Leslie Neslage, director of menu and packaging at Chick-fil-A. "It's my favorite seasonal sandwich, and for those trying it for the first time, I suggest pairing it with our cool and creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce to balance the sandwich's heat. You won't be disappointed by the flavor combination."

The company's new Autumn Spice Milkshake will also be added to the Chick-fil-A menu nationwide from Sept. 12 through Nov. 12.



"Guests love our milkshakes, especially our seasonal flavors, so we are excited to introduce the perfect treat to welcome the fall season," Neslage said. "We tested the Autumn Spice Milkshake last October in Salt Lake City, and we received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback which inspired our decision to launch this new milkshake nationwide. We're eager for our Chick-fil-A milkshake enthusiasts to try the Autumn Spice Milkshake this fall!"
Mormon father, wife and 3 children found fatally shot at Maryland home

Three years after losing his youngest son to cancer, a father who served as a missionary with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was found fatally shot at his Maryland home along with his wife and their three children Friday in what police are investigating as an apparent murder-suicide.

Cecil County police identified the father as Marcus Edward Milligan, 39, and his wife as Tara Devina Ricker Milligan, 37. The couples daughters, Teresa Milligan, 14, Nora Milligan, 11, and their 8-year-old son, Finn Milligan, were also identified.

"This is a tragic and terrible day for our county and our community," Sheriff Scott Adams noted at a press conference Friday, WBAL-TV11 reported. "Any time you have a loss to these levels  any loss is terrible, but a loss of this level, which is not a common thing, it's certainly not a common thing here in Cecil County  it's tragic and terrible and takes a long time for people to process."

Police received a call about the shootings near Elk Mills Road shortly after 9:15 a.m. by a man who said that the children and a woman were fatally shot, The Daily Voice reported.

The sheriffs office said the man hung up shortly after giving brief details about the shootings. When they tried calling him back, they got no answer.

When they got to the home, Marcus Milligans body was found in a detached garage next to a semiautomatic weapon. The bodies of his wife and children were found scattered inside the home.

Its a horrific day, and I know everybodys prayers are appreciated, Adams said on Friday. My phone hasnt stopped ringing from people concerned about this and upset about this.

In a comment on the Facebook page of the California Los Angeles Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mike Murphy said Marcus Milligan was his companion at the Missionary Training Center and had served as a missionary with him from 2003 to 2005

He was my companion in the MTC, and then got to serve with him again in LA. So many good memories, he wrote.

Officials at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by The Christian Post on Monday.

The shootings come just under a week after Tara Milligan openly mourned the loss of their son Conor to cancer three years earlier. She said she was yearning to spend a moment with her deceased son.

Time passes so strangely in grief. Somehow its been three whole years since we had to say goodbye to Conor. What wouldnt I give for another perfect moment like this one, even if just for a heartbeat, she wrote in a Facebook post.

An obituary for Conor shows that he died on Sept. 3, 2019, at the age of 3.

Although Conor was not with us very long, he left a great impact on all of the lives that crossed his path. He was known for his infectious smile and strong spirit. While at Johns Hopkins Hospital, he amazed all of his doctors and nurses with how strong he was, the obituary said. Conor enjoyed playing outside and loved puppies. He had four stuffed animal puppies that were always with him for comfort. He also enjoyed playing with toy helicopters and he liked sharks.

Alisha Minter, who said she worshiped with the family at their local temple, grieved for the family on Sunday morning and shared how the family had inspired her.

I dont understand. My words fail me as I type this post. When we moved to Maryland Marc and Tara Ricker Milligan were one of the first families we met. The light they and their beautiful children brought in, you immediately fell in love with. Watching them from the church pews smiling and laughing. Having dinner and lunch dates with this family was a highlight of our day, she wrote on Facebook.

Conor was diagnosed with cancer around the same time Claire was diagnosed with her rare genetic disorder. Tara and I spoke a lot about our babies and the hardships that would soon follow, but I never ever thought this would be the end of their loving family. Tara held my hand many times and I hers. Conor fought a hard and long battle and earned his wings all too soon. I know that the reunion is a beautiful one for this family, she added.

Minter urged members of the public to reach out for help if they feel suicidal and suggested that their church perhaps could have done more to help even though it is still unclear what triggered the shootings.

Please. Please. I beg of you all, if you are having these thoughts, call someone. Anyone. This tragic loss of life is preventable! Marc Im so sorry. Im sorry that we as a congregation failed you in these dark times. Im so sorry that you felt this was the only way out of it. Tara and the children should be alive today. They didnt deserve this, she wrote.

Marc should be live today. You didnt deserve this either. Im heartbroken. This family should still be here. We need to do better about checking on one another and making sure they are ok. Mental illness is a debilitating disease that effects an entire family. Please heed this warning and check on your kin, and your friends, especially when they go quiet. Please.
Orthodox Jewish university doesn't have to approve LGBT club for now, Sotomayor rules

An Orthodox Jewish college does not have to approve an LGBT club for students as litigation between the school and those hoping to start the group is expected to move forward.

On Friday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor ruled that the New York City-based Yeshiva University does not have to approve the establishment of a "Pride Alliance" for LGBT students at the Orthodox Jewish school.

Sotomayor's stay temporarily reverses a lower court decision as litigation surrounding the matter continues. The stay will remain in effect until either Justice Sotomayor or the court makes additional orders.

"We are pleased with Justice Sotomayor's ruling which protects our religious liberty and identity as a leading faith-based academic institution," Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman said in a statement. "Make no mistake, we will continue to strive to create an environment that welcomes all students, including those of our LGBTQ community. We remain committed to engaging in meaningful dialogue with our students, Rabbis and faculty about how best to ensure an inclusive campus for all students in accordance with our Torah values."

Eric Becker, a senior counsel and vice president at Becket Law, a nonprofit representing Yeshiva in the ongoing litigation, praised Sotomayor for issuing a "commonsense ruling in favor of its First Amendment rights."

"Justice Sotomayor stepped in to protect Yeshiva's religious liberty in this case," Becker said, adding that the university "shouldn't have been forced to go all the way to the Supreme Court" to achieve such a result.

Yeshiva University sought relief from the U.S. Supreme Court after the New York State Supreme Court ruled that Yeshiva University leaders are "permanently restrained from continuing their refusal to officially recognize the YU Pride Alliance as a student organization because of the members' sexual orientation or gender and/or YU Pride Alliance's status, mission, and/or activities on behalf of LGBTQ students."

The ruling required the university to grant the organization the privileges afforded to all other student organizations.

The New York Supreme Court concluded that Yeshiva's primary purpose as an institution was not religious in nature but academic, specifically that it serves as an "educational corporation" instead of a "religious corporation."

The Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court declined an appeal of the State Supreme Court's decision. In its request for a stay, the counsel for Yeshiva University elaborated on the adverse impact of the lower court's ruling.

"As a deeply religious Jewish university, Yeshiva cannot comply with that order because doing so would violate its sincere religious beliefs about how to form its undergraduate students in Torah values. The club application process opens on August 26 and runs through September 12. Absent this Court's intervention, Yeshiva has been ordered to approve an official Pride Alliance club  which it cannot do consistent with its Torah values  on pain of contempt," the document states.

Sotomayor's ruling came three days before the conclusion of the club application window. Sotomayor did not explicitly weigh in on Yeshiva's request for the Supreme Court as a whole to weigh in on the case.

Students seeking to start a "Pride Alliance" on campus contended that the university's refusal to approve their club constituted a violation of the New York City Human Rights Law, which prohibits places of public accommodation from engaging in discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Writing on behalf of the school, Becket Law characterized the lower court ruling as a violation of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Yeshiva's efforts to reverse the decision come as the U.S. Congress has repeatedly tried and failed to pass the Equality Act, which would codify nondiscrimination protections for the LGBT community into federal law.

At a panel discussion last year, Maria Keffler of the group Partners for Ethical Care warned that under the Equality Act, "there is no exemption for religious services, there is no exemption for religious foster care providers, there is no exemption for religious schools."

Last year, a coalition of Christian activists wrote a letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate warning that the Equality Act is "a danger not just to Christian institutions but those belonging to our Jewish, Sikh, Buddhist, and Muslim neighbors as well."

They predicted that the federal government would "revoke federal security, disaster relief, and school lunch money from thousands of religious schools" for failing to comply with provisions of the Equality Act that violate their deeply held religious convictions.

In February 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act by a 224-206 vote that fell mostly along party lines, with all Democrats supporting the measure and nearly all Republicans voting in opposition. The bill has stalled in the evenly divided U.S. Senate, where most legislation requires 60 votes to pass as opposed to a simple majority of 51.
Since when does freedom from discrimination require destroying religious freedom?

An op-ed Wednesday in The Washington Post laid out how the left is attempting to dismantle what Congress once unanimously recognized as undergird[ing] the very origin and existence of the United States: religious freedom.

Specifically, Louise Melling, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, argues in the op-ed that the constitutional right to exercise religious faith always must yield to the civil right against discrimination.

Ironically, the ACLU was part of the Coalition for the Free Exercise of Religion, which helped develop and promote the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

Recognizing that religious freedom is important, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act allows the federal government to burden the exercise of religion only if it is a narrowly tailored means for achieving a compelling government purpose. About half the states have a similar law.

The principle that held the coalitions ideologically diverse groups together was that this standard would apply to all claims in court based on the free exercise of religion. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act neither shielded nor targeted particular religious practices, but set a standard that courts would use to decide actual cases, based on real facts, and with each side able to make its arguments.

Mellings column in the Post shows that the ACLU has completely rejected the approach it once supported. Now, she argues, any claim of discrimination should automatically defeat any assertion of religious freedom.

Same-sex couples, for example, must be able to obtain the cake, flowers, website, or photographer for a wedding anywhere they choose, including where doing so forces a particular business owner to violate his religious beliefs.

Melling makes several particularly outrageous claims.

First, she insists that allowing religious exercise to excuse discrimination is simply incompatible with a pluralistic constitutional democracy that values both equality and religious freedom. The opposite is true. By definition, a pluralistic society that values both equality and religious freedom will seek to advance both objectives. Melling, in the name of pluralism, would weaponize equality to destroy religious freedom.

Second, Melling claims that the exercise of ones faith means impos[ing] religious beliefs on others. The imposition, if there is any in these situations, actually works in the opposite direction.

The decision by a church-affiliated adoption agency not to place a child with a same-sex couple, for example, affects that couple; however, the couple has other choices for achieving its objective that do not involve a conflict with religious freedom. A couple becomes the imposer when it demands the right to adopt from that agency and, by doing so, forces the agency to violate its religious beliefs.

Third, Melling falsely equates religious exercise claims today with a white supremacist in the 1960s who refused to serve black patrons in his restaurant. Offensive innuendo, however, is no substitute for a real argument. Melling even admits that the Supreme Court rejected the racial argument  but throws it out there anyway, perhaps hoping the argument will just leave a bad taste behind.

The right to freely exercise religion has been a central theme in Americas story for more than 350 years. It was recognized as a natural right of mankind long before the Constitution was drafted, before America was America.

Laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity exist against that backdrop, not the other way around.

Demanding that a civil right advancing a particular political interest always must defeat this constitutional right turns our basic constitutional principlesand, yes, even the definition of a pluralistic society  inside out.

Originally published at The Daily Signal.
MACGA: Make the Church godly again!

On September 6, I conducted a poll on Twitter, asking, If you had to choose between the two, which do you feel is more important for the good of America? That we have the best potential president in the White House or that the Church maintains a good witness before the world?

What do you think the final results were? Whats your guess?

To give you an idea of the demographics of my 46,000 Twitter followers, among those who responded to a previous poll I did on September 1, 68.7% voted for Trump in 2020, 7.5% for Biden, 8.9% for another candidate, and 14.9% did not vote for president.

So, it was people like this who responded to my September 6 poll. How do you think they voted?

Less than 3% (2.9%, to be exact) were not sure which was more important. Even less (2.7%) answered with having the best potential president in the White House. And a massive 94.4% responded with the Church maintaining a good witness.

What an encouraging, positive response. In fact, I cant remember a polling question I have asked on Twitter that ended with such one-sided results. The people have spoken, loudly and clearly.

More importantly, their answer is absolutely right.

Thats because, in a country like America, where there are tens of millions of believers and where the church still has a major influence, a church with a compromised witness will do far more to harm the nation than the right president will do to help the nation.

And if the nation will not listen to our message because we have disqualified ourselves from being taken seriously, if we cannot serve as moral examples because we have compromised our standards, then we have failed in our mission to the nation.

Of course, the ideal scenario is to have the best possible candidate in office while the people of God also shine brightly. And in many cases, theres no reason why we cant have both.

Why cant we help the best candidates get elected without sullying ourselves in the process? Why cant we retain our testimony while advocating for our political causes?

But if we had to choose between the two, the first and greatest priority is simple: we cannot sell our souls for the sake of political expediency.

Not only is that spiritual suicide for us as a body of believers. It is also a recipe for disaster for the nation. If our light doesnt shine, the darkness will only increase.

As noted by New Testament scholar D. A. Carson, quoting another biblical scholar, R. V. Tasker, if Jesus disciples are to act as a preservative in the world by conforming to kingdom norms, if they are called to be a moral disinfectant in a world where moral standards are low, constantly changing, or non-existent ... they can discharge this function only if they themselves retain their virtue. (Carson and Tasker were commenting on Jesus calling His disciples to be the salt of the earth.)

Yes, to function as salt and light, we must retain our virtue. After all, if we lose our saltiness, of what use are we? And what is the use of a light that does not shine?

Martin Luther King once said,

The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.

He also said this:

There was a time when the church was very powerful, in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.

We must function as a thermostat once again, lest Americas temperature drops to fatal levels.

That means that, if we call ourselves the "values voters," we need to live out those values ourselves. If we shout to the world, Morality matters, we ourselves need to be moral. If our motto is, Character counts, we need to be people of character. This applies to the world of politics too. We dont take off our Christian hats when we vote or when we lobby or when we run for office or when we post on social media.

Put another way, we should be better known as followers of Jesus than as supporters of a candidate or members of a party. Let our priorities be unmistakable. (For more on all this, see my latest book.)

Of course, this is easier said than done. As believers, we face many serious battles and are confronted by many powerful temptations. And when it comes to the political realm, the stakes are incredibly high, and emotions will be at a fever pitch during the midterms in November and the presidential election in 2024.

But let us always remember: Political leaders will come and go. Political parties and movements will come and go. Nations and even empires will come and go. But the church of Jesus is eternal, and the consistency and quality of our witness will make the difference between Heaven and Hell.

In that light, I suggest we introduce a new slogan. It may not be as catchy as MAGA, but its even more relevant. How about MACGA? Make the church godly again!
When God offers you a taste test

Imagine going to a restaurant and eating your meal in the dark. The first venture of this kind took place in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1999, and is claimed to be the worlds first dark restaurant. Since then, dark dining has popped up in cities all around the world. Without any visual stimulus, people who eat in the dark focus even more than usual upon how the food tastes while dining in this bizarre manner.

A woman who attended Dinner in the Dark at a restaurant in New York City said, It really heightens your other senses, and your connection with the people you are with becomes more intimate and enjoyable. Someone in Singapore said, I had a really unique and sensory dining experience. I had to depend on smell, touch and taste to figure out the food in the dark.

Now compare dark dinners to what people experience when they eat spiritual food. In both cases, you dont see what you are eating, but you definitely know whether or not it tastes good. When dining in the dark, your other senses are heightened. When eating spiritual food, your soul is nourished with peace and power if your faith is in the Prince of Peace.

Scripture invites us to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). God essentially offers man a taste test, but you have no idea how good this spiritual food tastes until you actually trust Christ as your Savior. This is one reason millions of grateful Christians today encourage their family members and friends to come to Christ in order to experience deep satisfaction. Evangelism has been described as one beggar telling another beggar where he has found bread.

Jesus said, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).

The taste test God offers people is not complicated. Repent. Come to me and believe the good news. Trust me to forgive your sins. This straightforward proposition has eternal ramifications. Your soul is immortal, but it must come alive through faith in Christ, and it must be nourished by the bread of life.

Jesus said, I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him (John 6:53-55).

God is offering you a taste test in this holy moment. It is your opportunity to take God at his Word as you taste and see that the Lord is good. Will you take God up on His offer, or instead, refuse to come to the One who died on the cross to pay for your sins? If you refuse to feed your soul on Christ, you are turning down Gods gift of everlasting life in Heaven.

Jesus said, Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you (John 6:27). And this fact is what led Peter to tell Jesus, You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God (John 6:68-69).

You too can come to know what Peter and the other apostles knew. The Lord will feed your soul as you rely upon Christ's death on the cross as the basis of your forgiveness. But the words of eternal life will not benefit you if you reject them and refuse to believe Gods promise.

Jesus said, God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of Gods one and only Son (John 3:1-18).

Condemnation is horrible, while salvation is wonderful. Do you desire to be saved from your sins? The Lord satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things (Psalm 107:9).

It is impossible to know how much satisfaction this spiritual food provides until you come to Jesus in faith and take the taste test. Those who are critical of Christianity have never tasted Gods grace within their soul. And until you humble yourself before the Lord in repentance and faith, you will never experience the joy of salvation. Whether you currently realize it or not, you desperately need the soul food that only Jesus can provide.

Are you hungry and thirsty for God? You would be wise to ask the Lord to impress upon your heart and mind your sin and your Savior. Gods Word reminds us, You do not have, because you do not ask God (James 4:2).

John Calvin said, Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection. Are you craving material prosperity, or spiritual satisfaction? There is still time to accept Gods offer.

Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life (Revelation 22:17).

Simply accept Gods offer by faith.
KHAMMAM: Registration of as many as 532 votes on a single house number in the 20th ward of Khammam Municipal Corporation has come as a surprise. The house belongs to state transport minister Ajay Kumar.

Activist Koyinni Venkanna collected details from the Khammam collectorate under RTI Act. The house numbered 5-7-200 is located at Gollagudem Area on Mamata Hospital Road. It is suspected that electoral malpractice was aimed at by the minister.

The votes of Puvvada Ajay Kumar, his wife Puvvada Vasantalaxmi and Puvvada Nayanraj were listed in the same house number.

The RTI activist explained how the voters number changed year to year. There were 453 votes on the same house number in 2014, 657 votes in 2018, 561 votes in 2019 and 532 votes in 2021. The figures used to be changed before the elections to parliament, state assembly and municipal corporation.

Many are wondering how election commission officials kept a blind eye to such malpractices and did no scrutiny.

Many of the names were found in the voters list without their surnames. The names like G Ramakrishna, M Mohan, P Sankar, D Sarath and N Murali and the like were all fakes. The names should be complete with surnames, the activist said.

He also pointed out there are 6000 voters on the house numbers linked to Puvvadas medical college. The election commission should hold an inquiry into these, he suggested.

Large numbers of voter names were registered on the house numbers like 5-7-200/1, 5-7-200/2, 5-7-200/3, 5-7-200/4, 5-7-200/6, 5-7-200/7, 5-7-200/8, 5-7-200/9 and 5-7-200/10. There were 698 voters on the house number of 5-7-200/1 and 1119 votes on house number 5-7-200/10 as per the list of 2021.

There were 1119 votes on the house number of 5-7-200/10 in 2021 against 890 votes in 2019. All these voters have been registered in two to three polling booths to suspectedly cast bogus votes.

Many guest houses attached to the Mamata Medical College and camouflaged as hostels have large numbers of voters. The guest house numbering 5-7-200/10 has names including Kinnerasani, Krishna, Godavari etc.

There were names of boys in the voter list of girls' hostels when only girls are accommodated. Likewise, names of girls were in the voters list for the boys hostels. Clearly, they are all bogus votes. The vote scam will be exposed if the Election Commission conducted an independent inquiry, the activist said.

A glaring example of misuse of the election department is Nama Shilpa, my cousin studying in Mamata Medical College. She is residing in an independent house and yet, her name was shown in the voters list of one hostel, Venkanna said.
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LONDON (AP)  Queen Elizabeth IIs lying-in-state will be an occasion of regal symbolism, strong emotion  and an extremely long line.

Marshaling the hundreds of thousands of people who want to view the late monarchs coffin will test Britains famous queuing skills to their limit.

Authorities overseeing the mammoth logistical challenge have consulted queue management experts and behavioral scientists to create not so much a line as a temporary community. It features 10 miles (16 kilometers) of queuing infrastructure, including moveable barriers and more than 500 portable toilets along a route leading to Parliament's Westminster Hall, where the coffin will rest.

Hundreds of stewards, police officers and first-aid providers were assigned to look after the waiting crowds. Thirty multi-faith pastors and volunteers from a suicide prevention organization have been tasked with responding to the emotional needs of anyone who might be struggling. A pair of sign language interpreters also were expected to be on hand.

On Wednesday, the queens coffin was carried in a solemn procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where it will lie in state from 5 p.m. (1600 GMT) until 6:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) Monday, the day of her funeral.

Two hours before opening time, the line of mourners already stretched for 2 miles (3.2 km) from Parliament across nearby Lambeth Bridge and snaked along the south bank of the River Thames. The designated route stretches for 6.9 miles (11 kilometers) past the National Theatre, Shakespeares Globe, the Tate Modern art gallery and Tower Bridge to Southwark Park in south London, which can accommodate another 3 miles (4.8 km) of zigzagging queues.

Officials say they cant predict how many people will line up to pay their respects at Westminster Hall, but it is likely to be many more than the 200,000 who visited the Queen Mother Elizabeths coffin over three days in 2002. Transit operator Transport for London estimates that more than 1 million people will travel to the city center to be part of commemorations through Monday.

Transport for London Commissioner Andy Byford called it the biggest event and challenge that TfL has faced in its history.

The government has warned that navigating the line will be a feat of endurance.

You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving, it said in a set of detailed instructions for those wanting to come.

People will be able to check the lines length and waiting times on the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport's social media accounts. Those joining will be given numbered wristbands so they take food or toilet breaks without losing their place. A separate accessible line has been set up for people unable to stand for long stretches.

As ever in Britain, jumping the queue is a definite no-no. Officials hope mourners sense of fairness will make the line largely self-policing. Given the vagaries of British weather, people are advised to carry both an umbrella and sunscreen.

The government is offering other helpful hints: Bring food and drink, but be sure to consume it before reaching the front. Bring a portable power pack to keep phones charged.

When they reach Parliament, people will pass through airport-style security scans. Prohibited items include large bags, liquids, spray paint, knives, fireworks, flowers, candles, stuffed toys and advertising or marketing messages.

Those in the queue on Wednesday were convinced all the hassle would be worth it.

To give up my day queuing is nothing compared to what shes done for 70 years, Gina Carver from Tunbridge Wells in southern England said of the late queen. And she does feel like our grandmother.

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Follow AP coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
A murder occurs right as See How They Run begins and for a very good reason: It's a whodunit film about a real murder backstage at a whodunit play where all the murders are fake.

Got that? Good. Shall we continue?

Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan star as police officers who must unravel this knotty mystery in early 1950s London in a film that's as much a valentine to whodunits as an indictment of them, and it's not always clear which side the filmmakers are on.

There's a touch of noir, some mocking of the murder-mystery tropes, a dash of self-awareness, lots of fedoras and coats, mannered humor  Poppycock! says one character; Hitchcock, actually, comes the reply  and an archness that keeps everything at arm's length.

All in all, a pleasant diversion, if not a particular memorable one, although it has snagged a pretty impressive cast, all employing upper-class British accents as thick as Devonshire scones. It seems perfectly designed for folks who adore Acorn TV and PBS British mysteries. You know how many celebrities decide to star in kiddie films so that their children can finally appreciate what they do for a living? Well, See How They Run is for their grandparents.

It kicks off backstage in the West End at Agatha Christies The Mousetrap, a mystery that in this telling has celebrated 100 performances and Hollywood is noticing. But there's a catch: No film adaptation can be made while the play is still running. That may lead to some sabotage.

When the malignant, would-be film director  a delicious Adrien Brody, playing the only American  ends up the victim of a murder  sorry that's a MU-dur  Rockwell and Ronan show up to solve the crime, he a steely-eyed copper who drinks too much and she a nervous novice prone to jumping to conclusions.

The early death of Brody's character doesn't mean he's out of the movie. He's our narrator, snacking on the dialogue as if it were an overstuffed pastrami sandwich. "Its a whodunit, he says at one point. If youve seen one, youve seen them all.

Also along for the ride are Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith and Harris Dickinson. There's also a fancy intellectual screenwriter played insouciantly by David Oyelowo, who is derisively called Londons most sensitive writer. It is a hoot to see him play insufferable  as it is to see Ronan do comedy.

Director Tom George and screenwriter Mark Chappell revel in the time period  the cars and furs and vintage dialogue speckled with Darlings and "Hop to it!" This is a film for you if you like your police officers extremely polite. Constable, says Rockwell to his partner. Inspector, the underling replies. They do this approximately 400 times.

It is a film that adores commenting on its own conventions as it folds in on itself, as when stage props fool savvy characters or when it introduces a flashback and Oyelowo's screenwriter complains that such a device is the last refuge of a moribund imagination. Somewhere in here is an indictment of Hollywood but it is as blunt a weapon as the one that does the murder.

The filmmakers employ all kinds of ways to try to keep viewers interested, like split screens, some farce and a surreal dream sequence, but there's not enough humor or grit or anything other than actors swanning around in period clothing.

See How They Run fits perfectly in a vibe right now  Only Murders in the Building on TV and Knives Out at the movie theater. Add to the list Kenneth Branaghs Poirot adaptations Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Whodunits are hot. But if you've see this one, youve definitely seen them all.

See How They Run, a Searchlight Pictures release only in theaters starting Friday, is rated PG-13 for some violence/bloody images and a sexual reference. Running time: 98 minutes. One star out of four.

___

MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

___

Online: https://www.searchlightpictures.com/see-how-they-run

___

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
"History favors the winners," says Jorge Gaviria, author of the newly released book "Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple." You've probably heard of Maseca or Frito-Lay. But have you heard of Jose Bartolome Martinez?

Martinez, a Texan, invented a product that is foundational to the way we eat tacos and many other Mexican and Central American foods today: masa harina, a type of corn flour. Masaa dough made from ground corn that's been mixed with an alkaline solution, or "nixtamalized"has been used for thousands of years in Mesoamerica. It's the base for countless specialties, whether you're making tortillas or tamales, gorditas or pupusas.

Masa is a labor-intensive process, which is why Martinez was so important. Born in Mexico, he opened the first fresh masa mill in the U.S. in 1896 in San Antonio, but he noticed that his dough dried quickly. Martinez developed a recipe for a dehydrated version of masa that had a longer shelf life. Add a little water to masa harina, and you have a tortilla in minutes, versus 12 hours.

"He really helped set the groundwork for masa as we know it today," Gaviria says. "Without meaning to, he became the pioneer of this first-wave masa movement, which ushered in this era of convenience."

Graydon Herriott

Martinez's contributions to food culture didn't stop there. A "relentless entrepreneur," Gaviria says, he took excess masa from his factory every day and turned them into triangular chips, which he sold to restaurateurs who served them with salsa or guacamole. Sound familiar?

Today, we're more likely to know about Frito-Lay, whose founder was a former customer of Martinez's, or Maseca, the company established more than 20 years after Martinez's death that is now essentially synonymous with masa harina. Martinez, Gaviria writes in his book, has been relegated to "relative obscurity in the history of masa in the mainstream."

While his story is a satisfying aside fueling Texas bragging rights, it's only a small part of "Masa." Released Sept. 13 by Chronicle Books, the 240-page tome is at once history lesson, reference book and cookbook, a celebration of masa in all its forms, with beautiful photography by Graydon Herriott. It walks the reader through masa's ancestral roots, its evolution in three "waves," and the science behind the process of nixtamalization, followed by step-by-step recipes for making pretty much any variation you can think of, from memelas to tlayudas.

Noah Forbes

"Masa" is a natural extension of Masienda, the company Gaviria founded in 2014. While working at farm-to-table restaurants in New York City, he yearned to bring the same kind of connection between the staples he grew up eating, their places of origin and its farmers. Masa felt like a great place to start, as it's "a connective tissue across all of Latin America," he says. Gaviria set up supply chains from scratch with heirloom corn growers in Oaxaca, selling wholesale corn to restaurants, as well as masa harina and other related food items and paraphernalia to consumers.

"When I first started Masienda, my very naive idea was that I wanted to put Gruma out of business, stick it to the man," Gaviria says about Maseca's parent company, the largest corn flour manufacturer in the world. He's since gained an understanding of the importance of large-scale food production for everyday cooks, he adds, but he sees Masienda as a supplement to what's out there, when there previously wasn't that option in the U.S.

"But there's no judgment on what you end up using," Gaviria says. "The 50 recipes are designed with masa harina in mind because we know most cooks will probably be starting with that."

Graydon Herriott

While establishing Masienda, Gaviria says it was difficult to find a solid resource with extensive information on the subject of masa, a product that has been around for thousands of years. If he was going to build a supply chain for it in the U.S., he would need to educate people on what it is and how to use it. In 2017, his team put together a 50-page booklet as a primer, which was a hit. He knew the appetite for a full book was there.

"Masa" is a robust primer indeed, and a helpful guide to sinking your hands into dough yourself. Each corn delicacy has its own page with context like country or region of origin; whether it's a topper, a stuffer or both; detailed instructions on how to shape it; and even storage tips for leftovers. This section is followed by more specific recipes by renowned chefs such as Daniela Soto-Innes, Alex Stupak and Enrique Olvera.

To replicate the recipes with Masienda products, Houstonians can order them online or pick them up at Henderson & Kane in Fourth Ward. But they may also have eaten Masienda without even knowing: The chefs at Tatemo, Papalo Mercado, Degust and El Big Bad all source the company's corn for their food.
Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office

A Nuevo Laredo teen who had crossed the border illegally punched a Texas National Guard staff sergeant in the face, according to an arrest affidavit.

Guillermo Raul Castello de Aquino, 17, was charged with assault of a public servant, smuggling of a person by criminal conspiracy and criminal trespass.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  A 12-year-old boy who police say wounded a fellow student last month at an Oakland school after accidentally firing a gun he brought to campus has been charged in the case, authorities said.

The Oakland Police Department said in a statement Tuesday the boy was charged by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors did not specify what they boy was charged with, saying they couldn't discuss the case because it involves a minor.
NEW DELHI (AP)  A minibus tumbled into a deep gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday, killing 11 people and injuring 29 others, officials said.

At least 36 people were on board the bus when the accident occurred near Sawjian, a village in Jammus Poonch district, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Rescue efforts by the army, police and local villagers were underway, it quoted authorities as saying.

Nine people were killed on the spot and two others died later in a hospital. Officials said the 29 injured people were in critical condition, including six who were airlifted to a hospital in Jammu, PTI reported.

The bus, which was carrying a number of students, plunged about 75 meters (250 feet) down the steep gorge.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced in a tweet that compensation of 500,000 rupees (about $6,300) would be given to victims' families.

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, and president, Droupadi Murmu, both expressed their condolences on Twitter.

My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery, Modi wrote.

Last month, a bus carrying paramilitary soldiers in the Kashmir region skidded off a mountainous road and rolled down into a river, killing six people and injuring dozens.

Hundreds of thousands of people are killed or injured annually on India's roads. Most accidents are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Aziz Huq, University of Chicago; David Landau, Florida State University, and Tom Ginsburg, University of Chicago

(THE CONVERSATION) A county court in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Sept. 6, 2022, became the first in more than 150 years to disqualify a person from public office because they participated in an insurrection.

District Court Judge Francis Mathew found that Couy Griffin, a former county commissioner and founder of the group Cowboys for Trump, had participated in the violent U.S. Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021. Mathew invoked a nearly forgotten part of the 14th Amendment, called Section 3, which can disqualify certain people from state or federal office if they have engaged in insurrection or rebellion or given aid or comfort to the United States enemies.

The clause was first adopted after the Civil War to keep former Confederates from participating in politics. The amendment says that disqualified people are barred for life from either running for or being appointed to office. But Congress can vote by a two-thirds majority to waive this ban.

The clause fell into general disuse after 1872, when Congress gave amnesty to most former Confederates in a move toward reconciliation.

Some observers have argued that Section 3 disqualification should be dusted off to address the Jan. 6 mob and to stop other people who have threatened and committed violence  or tried to disrupt federal elections  from serving in government.

Mathews decision has also renewed talk among Democrats and good-governance groups about finding a way to use Section 3 against former President Donald Trump in order to disqualify him from ever holding office again.

We are scholars of comparative constitutional law who have worked on democratic backsliding around the world. In a forthcoming article, we point out that disqualification is potentially a useful tool to protect democracy, but it can also be dangerous  it rubs up against the basic idea of democracy as a system in which anyone can run, and voters can decide.

Recent attempts at disqualification

The disqualification of Griffin is one of several efforts voters and advocacy groups have lobbied for after Jan. 6. Most of these efforts have failed to remove someone from office or prevent them from running. But the examples are still useful in understanding how disqualification might be an alternative to more punitive criminal law options.

A suit filed by a group of voters to disqualify Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example, foundered in July when a Georgia court affirmed a lower court ruling that she had not engaged in insurrection.

Arizona and Wisconsin state judges have also rejected efforts to use Section 3 as a sword against those who supported the Jan. 6 insurrection. But none of these targets actually participated in the mob at the Capitol. Mere support of the rioters, or questioning the election outcome, is protected political speech under the First Amendment.

Griffin, though, engaged in a physical invasion of the Capitol.

Mathews careful opinion contains extensive factual findings and legal analysis. So it tees up nicely the question of whether and how disqualification from democratic office is legitimate, justified or effective in defense of democracy.

This is especially important in the U.S., where there is a lack of recent historical experience with disqualification of people working in politics.

When disqualification makes sense

Other countries make much more extensive use of political disqualification than the U.S. does, as we show in our forthcoming study.

Israels courts, for example, have repeatedly disqualified candidates for lack of good character. In Pakistan, the supreme court disqualified sitting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2017 after he was named in the Panama Papers because of corruption.

There are various costs and benefits to disqualifying someone from office, and there are also open questions of how to correctly interpret Section 3. We focus on the first question of costs and benefits here.

Democracies require robust protections for free speech and association. But these freedoms can be abused by those seeking to undermine democracy itself.

For example, Mathew documents Griffins persistent efforts to cast doubt on the legitimate outcome of the 2020 election and to instigate violence to derail President Joe Bidens inauguration. Most of Griffins actions, however, fell far short of the threshold necessary to justify criminal penalties for incitement  the First Amendment requires that the violence be imminent.

Griffin, nonetheless, participated in a concerted threat to American democracy. Disqualification is a way to address such threats without the heavy hand of the criminal law.

Section 3, more generally, is another way to address high-level misconduct in politics. As we have explored in another study published in 2021, Congress has rarely impeached a U.S. president  and an impeached president has never actually been removed from office. Given partisan dynamics, it is unclear if impeachment could actually remove and disqualify a sitting president.

This might leave Section 3 as the best alternative.

The risks of disqualification

Mathews opinion suggests that Section 3s aid and comfort language can go uncomfortably far. It could potentially chill legitimate political speech  including criticism of the government, or support for a foreign power  that doesnt threaten democracy.

For example, plaintiffs justified the need to disqualify Griffin by saying that he committed actions that normalized and incited violence by dehumanizing the opposition as wicked and vile.

Dehumanizing speech about political opponents is indeed often unhealthy for democratic practice, but it has become routine in politics.

Another challenge is that the text for Section 3 is not entirely clear about how disqualification actually works. Does it apply automatically to anyone who engages in insurrection? Or does it require some sort of either judicial or legislative process?

There is no settled answer.

In an 1869 decision, Supreme Court Chief Justice Salmon Chase suggested that Section 3 did not apply automatically  rather, disqualification occurred when Congress, or perhaps a state legislature, authorized it.

Mathew rejected the position that only Congress could make the determination and instead held that Griffin could be disqualified by order of a state court.

The potential breadth and ambiguity of Section 3 creates a risk that the measure could be repurposed, against its original aims, in a way that hurts democracy.

The bigger picture

Disqualification, then, is a superficial remedy to a profound problem. It might be effective against a low-level official like Griffin, but the bigger the target, the less power everyday voters have.

Imagine that some court was persuaded to disqualify Trump from a states 2024 presidential ballot. Such a move could be considered to disenfranchise his supporters. This could play into Trumps beliefs that the game is rigged.

Whatever the correct legal answer, there is a strong case for eliminating the uncertainty around how Section 3 works. Weve argued for a carefully crafted federal statute that clearly explains when it applies and how it works.

If disqualification is to become an effective sword to defend democratic politics, it must not become a two-edged one that later weakens the democratic process in the U.S.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/a-new-mexico-official-who-joined-the-capitol-attacks-is-barred-from-politics-but-the-little-known-law-behind-the-removal-has-some-potential-pitfalls-for-democracy-190402.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration has picked a veteran foreign service officer with years of experience in Russian affairs as its nominee to be the next ambassador to Russia.

Administration officials familiar with the matter say the nomination of Lynne Tracy, the current U.S. ambassador to Armenia, will be submitted to the Senate as soon as the Russian government signs off on the choice. Ambassadorial nominations must be approved by the host government under the rules of diplomatic protocol.

Such approval is generally routine, but Russia's acceptance of President Joe Biden's pick for ambassador cannot be taken for granted at a time of particularly fraught U.S.-Russian relations over Ukraine, the detention of Americans in Russia, allegations of Russian meddling in U.S. and other elections, and an escalating spat over the staffing of embassies in Washington and Moscow.

The ambassador opening comes as many Russia experts in the United States who might have been candidates for the Moscow post have been banned from Russia. Russia was informed of the administration's decision to choose Tracy's several weeks ago but has not yet given its formal approval, known as agrement in diplomatic parlance, the officials said.

Tracy, who speaks Russian, previously served as a senior adviser for Russian affairs in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, as the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. She also held several posts in Central and South Asia.

The previous U.S. ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, left earlier this month, in an departure that had been expected this fall but was accelerated by the failing health of his wife, who died a day after his return.

Tracy is well-regarded within diplomatic circles. She received a State Department heroism award from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009.

While leading the U.S. consulate in Peshawar in Pakistan's insurgency-ridden border regions, Tracy survived an attack on her by a gunman that left her vehicle riddled with bullets, but insisted on going to work that day and staying on post, even as security concerns compelled the consulate to trim its staff.

Tracy also received the State Department's distinguished honor award for her work as the embassy deputy in Moscow.

Sullivan ended his tenure as Americas top diplomat in Moscow this month after nearly three years. He had been expected to leave this fall, but his departure was sped up due to his wife's deteriorating medical condition. His wife, lawyer Grace Rodriguez, had not accompanied him to Moscow.

While the position remains vacant, Elizabeth Rood, the deputy chief of mission to Russia, is serving as the top U.S. diplomat in Moscow.

The ambassador post became vacant at a time when the United States is leading a campaign by NATO member nations to arm and fund Ukraine as that country fights to expel a brutal Russian invasion. The Biden administration also is playing the lead role in rallying international sanctions aimed at crushing Russia's economy to force it to end the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who sees NATO expansion and other Western partnerships with former Soviet states as the U.S. encroaching on Russia's security, launched the invasion in February, targeting Ukraine's Western-oriented government.

The next U.S. ambassador to Moscow also is likely to play a central role in negotiations to bring home two Americans the U.S. says Russia is detaining unjustly, WNBA star Brittney Griner and civilian contractor Paul Whelan.
PHOENIX (AP)  A debate among the four candidates seeking two seats on the commission that regulates Arizona utilities revealed sharp differences in their approaches to the job as the state adjusts to climate change and a shrinking water supply.

The two Republicans on the November ballot for the Arizona Corporation Commission said they would leave it up to the utilities to decide if they wanted to pursue clean energy sources such as solar and wind. And they said the state should not be involved in helping communities that are seeing coal-fired power plants shuttered  mainly on tribal lands or in small eastern Arizona communities  replace the jobs and tax revenue.

The Democrats strongly disagreed, saying that tribes and communities adjusting to life without coal plants need the commission's help and that setting standards for the minimum amount of energy utilities should get from renewable energy is critical.

We are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, Democratic candidate Lauren Kuby said in the Clean Elections Commission debate broadcast on Arizona PBS Monday night. But with crisis comes opportunity, and we need to lead a clean energy transition for our state. 

Kuby, a former Tempe city councilwoman, and Democratic candidate Sandra Kennedy, a current commissioner seeking re-election, said the commission needs to also work to encourage energy efficiency, which they said pays off in both lower consumer costs and avoiding building new power plants.

The state currently requires 15% of electricity be obtained from renewable sources by 2025 under commission rules adopted in 2006, but the commission has twice rejected much more robust requirements in the past 18 months. Kuby said current standards have saved huge amounts of water used in traditional power plants and saved ratepayers $2 billion.

So those rules that were established by the Corporation Commission, which sometimes our Republican opponents have said they want to roll back, had been supreme in saving consumers money, Kuby said.

They noted that solar is now the cheapest form of new power plants available.

The two Republicans, Nick Myers and Kevin Thompson, said the commission made mistakes by requiring utilities to build some renewable plants, pointing to one that Arizona Public Service had built near Gila Bend that is more costly to operate than expected.

Myers is a former software engineer and businessman who is now a policy advisor to current Republican commissioner Justin Olson. Thompson is a Mesa city councilman and Air Force veteran who worked as an engineer for Southwest Gas, one of the companies overseen by the commission.

We cant continue to mandate and force the companies to shift, Thompson said, arguing it leads to locked in costs that the commission is required to force ratepayers to fund.

Anytime you mandate a company to do something, you are virtually guaranteeing they will get that back and ratepayer money, Myers said. Youre basically taking away their accountability.

On whether to help tribes and communities that are seeing coal plants shuttered, they said the state should not be involved. Instead, Myers and Thompson said the federal government is responsible for helping tribes and communities recover, although they proposed placing new micro-nuclear plants in the region to replace the jobs.

This is something that the federal government has forced upon Arizona, and it should be the federal government, they should be the ones that are bailing out these communities if theres a bailout, Thompson said.

But the bigger issue here and is its not the job of the ratepayers in Arizona to get into foreign aid, Myers said. If youre talking about tribal lands, thats the foreign aid comes under the federal government.

They said a more fair transition is to work to pull in new technologies to the area.

For their part, Kuby and Kennedy said it absolutely is the commission's role to help. And Kuby noted that it is cheaper now to build and run a solar plant than to buy the coal needed to run an existing coal-burning power plant.

Weve been able to grow our cities, Tucson, Phoenix, all of our cities because of extracting resources from these coal-based communities, Kuby said. These communities have been dependent on coal, and we cannot leave them behind. 
River Godavari is in spate at Bobbilanka in Seethanagaram mandal of East Godavari district on Wednesday. (Photo by arrangement)

VIJAYAWADA: Water resources authorities have issued second flood warning after Godavari River crossed 13.75 feet at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram at 10:00 am on Wednesday, with 13 lakh cusecs of water being discharged at the time.

However, water level became stable at 14.40 feet with discharge of 13.66 lakh cusecs from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Authorities attributed this to water level at upstream Bhadrachalam falling to 49.60 feet at 6:00 p.m. from 50 feet at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

As a result, authorities may withdraw the second flood warning by Wednesday night or early hours of Thursday once the water level falls below 13.75 ft.

With no rainfall in upper catchment area of Godavari River, authorities are relieved, as Godavari has already witnessed floods thrice during the current rainy season.

Godavari River conservator R. Kasi Visweswara Rao said, Our officers are on flood duty all along the river course downstream, especially in vulnerable places, as a precautionary measure. So far, no untoward incident like breach of flood banks has been reported.

In East Godavari, district authorities are keeping a close tab at Mulakallanka and Maddurulanka in Rajahmundry and Kovvur mandals respectively for evacuating people to safety. East Godavari joint collector Ch. Sridhar said they are making arrangements to evacuate people from low-lying areas in case water discharge at Arthur Cotton Barrage touches 15 lakh cusecs.

In Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, district administration is keenly watching three vulnerable villages in P. Gannavaram and Ainavilli mandals, apart from villages in Mummidivaram, Sakhinetipalli, Mamidikuduru and Appanapalli mandals. Authorities have arranged boats as some causeways, especially in Appanapalli, are under flood water, affecting regular transport.

People living on island villages are, however, safe. With water level at Cotton barrage likely to fall, there may not be any impact on them.

A few villages in Kukkunuru and Velerupadu mandals of Eluru district have got marooned because of flood waters.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A pregnant 16-year-old girl panicked when she got a call from the only abortion clinic in West Virginia telling her that her appointment had been canceled and she needed to book one out-of-state.

She started crying and said, I dont know whats going on. Can I give the phone to my mom, so you can explain to her? Womens Health Center of West Virginia Executive Director Katie Quinonez said Wednesday, the day after state lawmakers passed a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

Clinic staff had dozens of similar conversations Tuesday night and Wednesday with frantic abortion patients trying to navigate their new reality. Quinonez said her staff provided them with resources to book appointments outside West Virginia and funding to help with travel and for the procedure.

The abortion ban has yet to be signed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice, but he is expected to make it law. Quinonez said the clinic's lawyer advised them to suspend abortions immediately.

Quinonez believes the ban is so comprehensive that almost no one will be able to get abortions in West Virginia.

The ban has exemptions for medical emergencies and for rape and incest victims until eight weeks of pregnancy for adults and 14 weeks for children. Victims must report their assault to law enforcement 48 hours before the procedure. Minors can report to the police or a doctor, who then must tell police.

The bill requires abortions to be performed by a physician at a hospital  a provision that at least two Republican lawmakers have said was intended to shut down abortions at the Women's Health Center, which has provided the procedure since 1976. Providers who perform illegal abortions can face up to 10 years in prison.

Quinonez said sexual assaults are already underreported because the reporting process is traumatic and people face shame and are not believed by law enforcement and their communities.

Not to mention, how are minors supposed to report sexual abuse or incest if theyre being victimized by their own parents? How are they supposed to just go to law enforcement to report that?" she said. "As an adult, its scary to go to law enforcement. Its scary to appear in front of a judge, but were going to expect teenagers to do it somehow. 

With the governor's signature, West Virginia would be the second state after Indiana to approve an abortion ban after the U.S. Supreme Courts June decision to end the constitutional protection of abortion rights. The ruling ignited intense state-level debates, especially in states controlled by Republicans, about when to impose the ban, whether to carve out exceptions in cases involving rape, incest or the health of the woman giving birth, and how those exceptions should be implemented.

West Virginia is a rural state that has multi-county regions with no hospital. People who do go to hospitals seeking abortions are often turned away, Quinonez said. Some religiously affiliated hospitals refuse to perform them. The Women's Health Center had to recruit doctors who travelled from out-of-state to work at the clinic because they couldn't find any willing physicians in West Virginia.

Quinonez was present at the Capitol throughout lawmakers deliberations Tuesday, listening with protestors outside the chamber doors. At one point, she became overcome with emotion and sat alone in one of the Capitol's marble stairwells remembering herself at ages 17 and 22 sitting in her bathroom holding a positive pregnancy test.

Tears just started welling up in my eyes then  it just took me right back there, said Quinonez, who has had two abortions in West Virginia, one at the Women's Health Center. I was envisioning all of the phone calls that I would be having to make later and how those patients were going to have those same feelings or possibly be in even more dire circumstances.

She said it's hard to say how she and her staff are coping. After they finished canceling abortion appointments Wednesday, she sent her staff home.

I dont really have a good answer for that question," she said. "Im feeling incredibly disgusted and angry with the people who are somehow in power in this state.

Quinonez said just because the clinic is shuttering abortion services doesn't mean it's going away. It also provides gender-confirming hormone therapy, HIV prevention and treatment and routine gynecological care  cervical exams, cancer screenings and testing and treatment for diseases spread through sex  mostly for low-income patients on Medicaid with nowhere else to go.

Theres a lot that we dont know, but the one thing that we do know is that were not closing our doors," she said.
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BRUSSELS (AP)  A top European Union official unveiled a plan Wednesday to cap the revenue of electricity producers that are making extraordinary profits because of the effects of Russia's war in Ukraine and climate change, saying the proposal could raise $140 billion to help people hit by spiraling energy prices.

It's one of several proposals aimed at containing an energy crisis in Europe that could lead to rolling blackouts, shuttered factories and a deep recession this winter. Others include slashing energy use and reforming the electricity market, which all need approval by the 27 EU countries. As the bloc supports Ukraine, Russia has reduced or cut off natural gas to 13 member nations, surging gas and electricity prices that are expected to go higher as demand peaks during the cold months.

Europe also has been hit by a drought that experts say is the worst in 500 years. Prices for natural gas  which is used to power industry, heat homes and generate electricity  are now 10 times higher in the EU than before COVID-19 took hold in 2020.

Russia keeps actively manipulating our energy market," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France. "So, this market is not functioning anymore.

Individual countries have passed subsidies, tax cuts and other relief for households and businesses as high energy prices drive record inflation. But with economies still recovering from the pandemic, money must be found outside of national budgets to provide more help to millions struggling to pay their electricity bills. Thats why the commission wants to tap the profits of power producers using oil, gas and coal as well as renewables and nuclear power. It estimates that some companies are making five times their usual profits.

These companies are making revenues they never accounted for, they never even dreamt of, von der Leyen said. In these times, it is wrong to receive extraordinary record revenues and profits benefiting from war and on the back of consumers."

During her State of the European Union address to the EU assembly, attended by Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, von der Leyen said company profits must be shared and channeled to those who need it the most.

Our proposal will raise more than 140 billion euros ($140 billion) for member states to cushion the blow directly, she said.

Most of the money would come by setting a price cap on electricity produced through renewable energy sources and nuclear power of 180 euros per megawatt hour, less than half the current price. EU countries would also collect a solidarity contribution from oil, gas and coal refineries earning 20% more profit than they averaged over the last three years.

With Russia tightening the natural gas taps, demand for gas and electricity also must be reduced, even if reserves of the fuel are on average 84% full across the EU. Capping prices will not draw down use, so the European Commission also wants people to consume less, particularly during peak hours.

The commission's goal is to reduce electricity consumption in the bloc by at least 5% during peak use hours.

Von der Leyen, sporting Ukraines national colors with a blue top and yellow jacket, also said the blocs electricity market must be reformed to properly tackle the energy crisis.

She said a deep and comprehensive reform of the electricity market is required to reduce the influence of natural gas on the way that prices are set.

Even before Russia started its war against Ukraine, many EU member states had been calling for reform of the blocs energy market because they believe that the influence of gas in setting wholesale electricity prices is disproportionate.

However, EU countries are deeply divided over what approach to take, and it remains unclear whether they will approve the commission's proposals. The bloc's energy ministers held emergency talks last week, without any real results, and they are due to meet again at the end of the month.

The next winters  not just this one  the next winters will be difficult, make no mistake about that," commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans told reporters after the plan was unveiled. "But I am confident that these measures will bring progress.

___

Associated Press writer Raf Casert in Brussels contributed to this report.
INDEX, Wash. (AP)  The growth of a wildfire northeast of Seattle near Stevens Pass has slowed, allowing mandatory evacuations to be eased for the town of Index, Washington, days after the blaze sent residents and hikers scrambling to leave.

Officials said Tuesday afternoon that movement of the Bolt Creek Fire had slowed in the past 24 hours and that residents of Index could return home. Those residents should be set to leave again at a moments notice if conditions change, officials added. Mandatory evacuations remained for Grotto and Baring.
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  A former Texas sheriffs deputy has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for killing his ex-wife, teenage stepdaughter and the stepdaughters boyfriend.

Former Travis County sheriffs deputy Stephen Broderick, 42, was automatically sentenced after pleading guilty to capital murder Tuesday in Austin in the 2021 deaths of ex-wife Amanda Broderick, 35; stepdaughter Alyssa Broderick, 17; and Willie Simmons III, 18. Broderick rammed his vehicle into ex-wife's vehicle and shot dead all three people inside.

Prosecutors set aside a possible death penalty in exchange for the guilty plea.

The ex-deputy killed the three during a custody visit with his son, whom he didnt shoot. Stephen Broderick was free on bond at the time of the shooting after being charged the year before with the sexual assault of a child and losing his job as a result.

Stephen Broderick was ordered to wear a GPS tracking device, but state District Judge Karen Sage ordered the removal of the device five months after his release, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Prosecutors dropped the sexual assault charge as part of Broderick's plea deal. Amanda and Alyssa Broderick's family said the dismissal denied justice to Alyssa, who was the victim of the sexual assault.

But prosecutors said they doubted they could obtain a conviction on the charge because the victim was dead.

Sage, who passed the sentence on Broderick, expressed sympathy with their anger.

I wish I could bring you justice, Sage said. But the truth is, the loss youre suffering, theres nothing I can do to make that loss go away. Its the best we can do in the system we have, and its never enough. My heart goes out to you. Three beautiful, wonderful people  I see their lives shine on through all of you. I hope that at some point you can find some peace.

___

This story was first published on Sept. 14. It was updated on Sept. 15 to correct that Broderick rammed his vehicle into ex-wifes vehicle and shot the three people inside, not that he rammed into her house and shot the three inside it.
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A former Massachusetts town official pleaded guilty on Wednesday to joining a mob in storming the U.S. Capitol after she organized a bus trip to Washington, D.C., for fellow members of a right-wing group called Super Happy Fun America.

Before her guilty plea, Suzanne Ianni had argued in February that federal authorities had selectively targeted her for prosecution based on her political beliefs. Prosecutors said her political views played no role in charging her with crimes for her conduct at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. A judge rejected Ianni's request to dismiss the case before she pleaded guilty.

Ianni, 60, of Natick, Massachusetts, faces a maximum sentence of six months of imprisonment and five years of probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols is scheduled to sentence her on Dec. 2.

Ianni was an elected member of Natick Town Meeting in a Boston suburb while serving as operation director of Super Happy Fun America, which gained national notoriety for organizing a Straight Pride Parade in Boston in 2019.

On its website, Super Happy Fun America calls itself a right of center civil rights organization focusing on defending the Constitution, opposing gender madness and defeating cultural Marxism. The group registered as a nonprofit with Massachusetts state regulators.

A Dec. 29, 2020, post on the groups Twitter account said Super Happy Fun America members would be in Washington to get wild. Ianni was listed as the contact for the trip. The account also tweeted a photo of Ianni and other members on a bus traveling to Washington on the eve of the riot.

After marching to the Capitol, she joined a crowd chanting Fight for Trump! and Our house! while rioters near her broke windows, forced open doors and breached police barricades. Surveillance video captured Ianni marching through the Capitol after she entered the building through a Senate fire-exit door. She raised her fist in the air in front of police officers who stopped her and other members of the mob, prosecutors said in a court filing.

Mark Sahady, another Super Happy Fun America member, was arrested on Capitol riot-related charges that haven't been resolved.

In April 2021, Natick Town Meeting members voted to condemn the Capitol riot. Ianni, who was elected to a three-year term that was due to expire in March 2022, told the MetroWest Daily News that the vote represented political persecution of conservatives.

Also on Wednesday, a Nevada man pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers at the Capitol with what appeared to be a table leg, injuring an officer. Josiah Kenyon, 35, of Winnemucca, Nevada, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15. Kenyon was dressed up as Jack Skellington, a character from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, when he attacked police.

More than 870 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. Approximately 400 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors, and over 250 have been sentenced.

___

This version of story has been corrected to reflect that Judge Carl Nichols did deny Suzanne Iannis request to dismiss her case before she pleaded guilty.
ST. ANN, Mo. - A patrol officer spotted a white minivan with an expired license plate, flipped on his lights and siren, and when the driver failed to stop, gave chase. The driver fled in rush-hour traffic at speeds of up to 90 mph, as other officers joined in the pursuit. Ten miles later, the van slammed into a green Toyota Camry, leaving its 55-year-old driver, Brent Cox, permanently disabled.

That 2017 police chase was at the time the latest in a long line of questionable vehicle pursuits by officers of the St. Ann Police Department. Eleven people had been injured in 19 crashes during high-speed pursuits over the two prior years. Social justice activists and reporters were scrutinizing the department, and Cox and others were suing.

Undeterred, St. Ann Police Chief Aaron Jimenez stood behind the high-octane pursuits and doubled down on the department's decades-old motto: "St. Ann will chase you until the wheels fall off."

Then, an otherwise silent stakeholder stepped in. The St. Louis Area Insurance Trust risk pool - which provided liability coverage to the city of St. Ann and the police department - threatened to cancel coverage if the department didn't impose restrictions on its use of police chases. City officials shopped around for alternative coverage but soon learned that costs would nearly double if they did not agree to their insurer's demands.

Jimenez's attitude swiftly shifted: In 2019, 18 months after the chase that left Cox permanently disabled, the chief and his 48-member department agreed to ban high-speed pursuits for traffic infractions and minor, nonviolent crimes.

"I didn't really have a choice," Jimenez said in an interview. "If I didn't do it, the insurance rates were going to go way up. I was going to have to lose 10 officers to pay for it."

Where community activists, use-of-force victims and city officials have failed to persuade police departments to change dangerous and sometimes deadly policing practices, insurers are successfully dictating changes to tactics and policies, mostly at small to medium-size departments throughout the nation.

The movement is driven by the increasingly large jury awards and settlements that cities and their insurers are paying in police use-of-force cases, especially since the 2020 deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Those cases led to settlements of $12 million and $27 million, respectively. Insurance companies are passing the costs - and potential future costs - on to their law enforcement clients.

Larger law enforcement agencies - like the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department or the New York Police Department - handle it in different ways, often by creating a special fund to finance settlements or by paying those costs from the county's or city's general fund. This insulates them from external demands by insurers.

Departments with a long history of large civil rights settlements have seen their insurance rates shoot up by 200 to 400 percent over the past three years, according to insurance industry and police experts.

Even departments with few problems are experiencing rate increases of 30 to 100 percent. Now, insurers also are telling departments that they must change the way they police.

In St. Ann, the impact has been profound.

Since the retooling, which took effect in January 2019, the number of police pursuits annually has increased slightly, but crashes during pursuits have dropped: from 25 in 2018 with eight injuries to 10 in 2021 with three injuries, according to data provided by the department. So far this year, the department says, there have been three crashes with no injuries.

The forced changes prompted Jimenez to equip his patrol cars with new technology to help nab motorists who try to outrun police. Sticky darts containing GPS trackers are shot from the front of patrol cars onto the backs of vehicles that speed away, so officers can fall back and catch up with them later.

While dozens of arrests have been made using the GPS technology, overall arrests in the city have fallen more than 30 percent since the change. Jimenez attributes that drop primarily to officers' inability to chase motorists for minor infractions. "If you're a proactive police department and you go out there and you search for a crime, your stats are higher because you're fighting crime, you're chasing more cars, you're making more arrests," he said.

John Chasnoff, a local activist who fought for years to get St. Ann to retool its chase policy, said he is dismayed that the catalyst for change was money - not the injuries to people including Cox.

"It's an indictment on St. Ann police and their priorities that the voice of their insurers spoke louder than human lives," Chasnoff said.

The insurer's demands for St. Ann police also affected departments beyond this blue-collar town of about 13,000 people. The city is just one of a dozen in the St. Louis risk pool, which has required each city to overhaul its police pursuit policy.

There is no public data tracking how many police departments have made policy changes at the behest of their insurers. But the changes are widespread, affecting thousands of departments, according to interviews with more than two dozen insurance analysts, police reform experts and a review of hundreds of pages of insurance documents.

In Vallejo, Calif., the city's insurance risk pool threatened in 2017 to end coverage because of mounting police use-of-force claims unless officials agreed to a higher deductible - a jump from $500,000 per claim to $2.5 million per claim. The city instead joined a high-risk insurance pool in California. Because of increased demand from troubled departments for its services, the California group has begun offering coverage nationwide. Vallejo officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Entire states are having to adjust to insurers' demands. In New Mexico, the largest risk pool - which provides coverage for one-third of the state's police officers - hired an instructor last year to travel the state and retrain officers in de-escalation skills after private insurance rates climbed by more than 60 percent. The risk pool that insures 30 of the state's 33 sheriff departments also saw coverage shrink while rates shot up 50 percent over the past three years because of police use-of-force claims.

Across the country, allegations over police conduct are often settled by departments at taxpayers' expense: A Washington Post investigation in March documented more than $3.2 billion spent over the past decade to resolve nearly 40,000 claims at 25 of the nation's largest police and sheriff's departments.

Concerns about insuring troubled departments have been building for years.

In 2009, a local insurance risk pool warned the 60-officer Maywood Police Department in California that it would lose its coverage if it did not enact more than a dozen changes focused on reducing violent encounters with the public. When police failed to do so, the risk pool pulled its coverage, and the department disbanded.

"When the officers had to turn over their badges and radios for the final inspection the last day, it was the most emotional thing I've ever experienced in my law enforcement career," said Frank Hauptmann, who was Maywood police chief at the time. "When we did our final salute, each officer had tears streaming down their faces."

For some police departments, insurers are refusing even to provide initial coverage unless they change their policies on a variety of matters including body cameras and chokeholds, according to industry experts.

"I've been doing this for 40 years, and this represents a major shift," said John Chino, a broker who secures insurance for cities and counties in six states. "They are asking lots of very detailed questions. 'Do they use chokeholds? What does their de-escalation training look like?' If they aren't doing something on the list, they are required to get it if they want coverage."

- - -

These forced changes are taking place at police departments in neighboring cities and counties that work together to create insurance risk pools. Their collective buying power helps them secure lower rates.

Members pay a "contribution" to the pool to provide a first layer of coverage, but most pools also purchase additional coverage on the private market.

For police departments within these pools, the serious risks they may take can also drive up rates and deductibles for other members. Because of this, the pool may threaten to expel a city, county or township if its police department refuses to take steps to minimize risk.

"The members help police themselves," said Alexander T. Brown, a lawyer who specializes in insurance settlements for civil rights plaintiffs. "It's a joint self-insurance program, and they are motivated to keep the pools solvent because it's the members' own money."

Working with insurers, cities and counties often will write checks to settle claims of police misconduct to avoid the additional costs of fighting the allegations in court. The increased scrutiny of police has led them to settle cases more quickly to avoid jurors who also may now be more likely to second-guess officers and their tactics.

"It's been such a shift, and it's happened so quickly," said Izaak Schwaiger, an attorney who has settled dozens of civil rights lawsuits for plaintiffs against police. "The last time I went to a settlement conference, the city basically told me they were going to capitulate to what I demanded. That never used to happen before."

Chino, the insurance broker who operates in six states, said settlement negotiations that once took years now take months. And the payouts have skyrocketed. "The settlement for Breonna Taylor was $12 [million]; that would have been $2 million just a few years ago," he said.

As a result, the number of insurers willing to provide coverage for police departments with a history of large settlements is shrinking.

Ben Eggert, a lawyer who represents municipalities in claims and settlements, said that five or six years ago, brokers such as Chino orchestrated bidding wars between insurers for coverage. "There was tremendous competition," he said. "The insurance broker could play the different insurance entities off one another."

Now that the power has shifted to the insurer, some have wondered whether this actually could threaten public safety.

Steve Hebbe, the immediate-past president of the New Mexico Association of Chiefs of Police, said he believes it is a conflict of interest for insurers to be crafting department policies. Some of the riskiest calls to which patrol officers respond - domestic violence, threats of suicide or disorderly conduct - might be curtailed or eliminated by insurers, he said.

"Their goal is to have no injuries or accidents, but that isn't realistic, and that isn't policing," Hebbe said. "We send officers to do dangerous things that other people don't want to do. Their profits are hurt by the risky things we do."

- - -

In Springfield, Ore., complaints and settlements involving excessive force by police became so costly two years ago that the city's insurance risk pool, Citycounty Insurance Services, was given oversight of overhauling the 82-member police department.

The tipping point came on March 31, 2019, when Springfield officers shot and killed Stacy Kenny, an unarmed 33-year-old motorist with schizophrenia who had been pulled over because she was exhibiting "weird" behavior, records show. (The Post previously reported on Kenny's death.)

A 911 recording captured the encounter that began with Kenny begging an emergency operator to explain why police had stopped her. Kenny then can be heard screaming. Officers smashed the windows of her red Nissan, used a Taser on her twice, punched her in the face more than a dozen times and tried to pull her out of her car by her hair, police and court records show.

But Kenny was anchored to the car by a locked seat belt. Her life ended when she tried to flee by driving away with one of the officers still inside the car. On the recording, there's a burst of gunfire, then an officer says: "We are all okay. Bad guy down."

Kenny had legally changed her gender but presented as male, so officers believed she was a man.

Her parents filed a wrongful death claim and sued the city. Barbara and Chris Kenny said that as they pressed for answers, they discovered serious deficiencies with the department's process for reviewing violent police encounters. Officers involved in the fatal incident later testified in depositions that the department never conducted an internal investigation of the shooting.

"A human being died that night and all they did was issue a one-page crappy memo. We asked ourselves, 'How do we prevent this from happening to someone else in the future?' " Barbara Kenny said. "It felt like we had the opportunity to make a difference because what happened was so egregious."

The Kennys told city officials during settlement negotiations that any agreement would need to include a plan for systemic use-of-force reforms and anti-bias training that would help officers better deal with minorities and people with mental disabilities. They insisted that an external monitor - not a city employee - provide unbiased progress reports on the changes.

As the city and Citycounty Insurance Services negotiated the settlement with the Kennys in summer 2020, city officials learned that the cost of insuring police in the community of 64,000 residents was about to spike.

Misconduct and employment claims against Springfield police over the past five years totaled $8.5 million, of which the risk pool had paid at least $2 million, according to city records and court documents.

The city's deductible would jump from $100,000 to $250,000 for each claim filed against the police department "due to several large police and jail claims in recent years," according to city records.

The city's insurance broker, Ron Cutter, looked elsewhere for coverage, but only Citycounty Insurance Services was willing to offer a policy, records show.

Cutter told city Risk Manager Ted Mugleston in an email that the city did not "have a ton of leverage to negotiate" a set of changes the risk pool was requiring for contract renewal, and Cutter hoped that did not give the police chief "any heartburn." Mugleston declined interview requests. Cutter did not respond to requests for comment.

Weeks later, one of Springfield's police officers was recorded on video laughing about a teenage protester being injured during a protest march, on July 29, 2020, according to a lawsuit filed by Civil Liberties Defense Center, a legal organization that defends activists in civil rights cases. The lawsuit alleges that police caused the injury.

"We finally did something!" officer Daniel Casarez can be heard saying on the video recording, as he and another officer laugh in the background at the protest, organized by Black Unity, a local police abolition group. "That stupid 12-year-old [inaudible] took it right in the f----in' face . . . at least we f----n' took a stand, just once."

Later that night, counterprotesters swarmed in and hit the Black Unity protesters with their fists, a flashlight and a flagpole, city records and video show. Police failed to intervene that night, according to an independent review of the episode commissioned by the city.

"There has long been a cowboy culture in the department," said Lauren Regan, an attorney with the Civil Liberties Defense Center that filed the lawsuit on behalf of Black Unity protesters. The lawsuit, which named former police chief Richard L. Lewis and 25 officers including Casarez, seeks numerous changes at the department, including establishment of a new hiring committee that will include people of color and civilians from the community.

Casarez declined to comment, and his attorneys did not respond to calls seeking comment. Police Chief Andrew Shearer, who took over the department last year, said he could not comment on pending litigation.

In September 2020, with the approval of the Springfield City Council and the city manager, the insurance risk pool agreed to pay the Kennys $4.55 million - the largest police settlement in the history of Oregon.

The city also met the family's other demands: In addition to de-escalation training and a new process for reviewing use-of-force incidents, the city agreed to create an awards program that recognizes officers who peacefully resolve potentially perilous encounters with civilians. The department also agreed to adopt a policy stating that officers "value and preserve human life" and "strive to use the minimum force necessary to accomplish their lawful objectives."

The city appointed its insurer to monitor the changes, something the Kennys' attorney, Dave Park, said he had never seen in his 40 years of litigating police civil rights cases.

To the Kennys, it made perfect sense.

"I couldn't understand why the insurance company wasn't mad as hell at the department," said Barbara Kenny. "They were the ones who had to keep paying out. They seemed like a natural partner for us on reforms. If we made the department better, don't you think the costs would go down?"

In June 2021, when Springfield officials took steps to renew the police department's insurance coverage, Citycounty Insurance Services gave them an ultimatum.

"Should the City see police and jail claims with the same frequency and severity as experience[sic] during the last 10 years, we will either be dropped from coverage, or general liability claim costs are anticipated to increase an average $300,000 annually for the foreseeable future," Mugleston wrote in a memo to city council members on June 7, 2021.

This summer, however, city council members were told that there would be no additional increase in Springfield's deductibles for fiscal 2022-2023, records show.

Citycounty Insurance Services declined to be interviewed. In a statement, Dave Nelson, a deputy director with the risk pool, credited city officials, including Shearer, with "the hard work necessary to change the culture in the police department. The change in leadership has made a significant difference."

Since assuming oversight of the overhauls, the insurance risk pool has required dozens of additional changes, including an updated cadet screening process to preemptively root out rogue officers. But accusations of misconduct persist.

Springfield Officer Brian Bragg, who is named in the Black Unity lawsuit, was accused in June of using excessive force.

At an abortion rights protest in a neighboring town, Bragg allegedly smashed a baton into a female protester's sternum. Another officer was recorded on video telling her to leave to avoid being struck again. Shearer said he has ordered an internal affairs investigation of the matter. Bragg and his lawyer did not return calls seeking comment.

"There's definitely a toxic warrior culture that has permeated SPD [Springfield Police Department] and been a driving factor there," said Brittney de Alicante, a member of the Springfield Police Advisory Committee, which acts as a liaison between the community and the department. "When it's that deeply embedded into your culture, it's a really hard cycle to break."

Shearer said there has been measurable improvement. A recent report from the chief to the city council shows that from 2020 to 2021, the number of use-of-force incidents dropped from 229 to 190. Shearer acknowledges, however, that more needs to done, and the insurance risk pool continues to identify problems that he said he is working to address. The more active role of insurers, he said, has also changed the nature of the job for police chiefs.

"Frankly, there's a hammer there because it's costing the city a lot of money," Shearer said in an interview. "Most police chiefs, when they take their job, they really think on a much wider scale: 'How can I create a community that is safe and reduce crime rates and build trust in our community?' But to have the actual dollar figure of the insurance rates at the front of their mind? That's a relatively new problem."

- - -

At dusk one day last summer, St. Ann Detective Daniel Rice pulled his car into a gravelly median along Interstate 70, which cuts through the city and is an ideal spot for catching speeding motorists.

Rice said some drivers think the cover of night will allow them to freely rocket down the highway with fraudulent plates and outstanding warrants. Because of the changes imposed by insurers, catching them now is harder, he said, something that he and other St. Ann officers resent.

"An insurance company should have nothing to do with a police department's policy," Rice said, adding that insurance representatives should spend time in the field with patrol officers. "You're not out here, and you don't know what's really going on."

In interviews, several officers said that on average, two motorists a week now successfully flee when officers try to pull them over. Word is out that St. Ann police don't chase people as they used to.

"It builds their confidence, so they keep doing it over and over," Officer Benjamin Freet said of drivers who refuse to stop.

How much the city has been forced to pay out over police pursuits since the policy revamp is unclear. St. Ann City Manager Matt Conley said he cannot determine the full cost because city officials neither handle nor track settlements. "I don't keep any of the paperwork; the risk pool does, " he said in an interview.

Because St. Louis Area Insurance Trust risk pool is a private entity, it does not have to disclose settlement costs, although its funding comes from taxpayers and its board of directors comprises city managers, including Conley. Officials with the pool did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.

"It may not be nefarious, but they are concealing a lot of information that should be public," said John Rappaport, a law professor at the University of Chicago who has studied insurance risk pools.

Despite the drop in the number of crashes, Chief Jimenez said he still believes that police chases, even for minor traffic infractions, are justified. If people are fleeing from police for expired license tags, he said they usually have other legal problems - outstanding warrants, unregistered weapons or illegal drugs.

He thinks the mere fear of a chase by St. Ann police in the past kept criminals away.

"I've not been advertising that our policy has changed," Jimenez said. "I have to follow the times and listen to the insurance company, [but] I think this will wreak havoc on our communities. I still wish we could use it."

Since the overhaul, arrests have declined from about 900 to 600 annually. Major crimes reported have remained unchanged, records show.

Jimenez said he thinks that the pandemic has had an impact on the arrest numbers but that the drop in arrests is largely driven by the policy change.

"It's because we're not being able to chase them," Jimenez said. "When someone is fleeing, 90 percent of the time it isn't because of a traffic violation. When we stop them, we find guns, drugs, outstanding warrants."

In St. Ann, the vehicle tracking system - called "StarChase" - allows officers to tag and track fleeing suspects without engaging in high-speed chases.

Officers fall back and, using the GPS coordinates, later catch up with suspects when they park. So far, St. Ann police officials say 58 arrests have been made using the technology, including one in June following a "road rage" incident. Officers let the suspect flee and later tracked her to a ditch where she had crashed her SUV, records show. The technology is not perfect - officers have to be close enough to hit the target, and weather and the surface of the fleeing vehicle can inhibit the dart's ability to attach. But Freet and other officers say that overall, they like the technology.

"You should see the look on their face when we pull up," Freet said of those who flee the police and are tracked down. "They think they've outrun us."

The revamp forced one other change in St. Ann: the motto.

Police no longer claim to chase "until the wheels fall off," Jimenez said.

"One of the things I've had to come to terms with is, since we changed our pursuits, our accidents are way down. We are doing a better job of keeping the public and our officers safe."

Cox, the injured motorist whose case helped trigger the changes in St. Ann, said the entire ordeal with police felt like something from a bygone era. The high-speed pursuit that left him drifting in and out of a coma for about a week started when police began chasing a motorist with an expired license plate - one that was overdue by only three weeks.

"It was like something from the '20s and '30s where you chase the bad guy in the car through town," said Cox, who is now 60 and settled with the city for an undisclosed amount this year. Cox said that because of the crash he was unable to continue working as an auto mechanic. He said he has metal plates in his back and left ankle and has permanent nerve damage, chronic problems with his digestive tract and persistent back pain.

"I'm lucky to be alive."

- - -

The Washington Post's Alice Crites and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department said Wednesday that three Iranian citizens have been charged in the United States with ransomware attacks that targeted power companies, local governments and small businesses and nonprofits, including a domestic violence shelter.

The charges accuse the hacking suspects of targeting hundreds of entities in the U.S. and around the world, encrypting and stealing data from victim networks, and threatening to release it publicly or leave it encrypted unless exorbitant ransom payments were made. In some cases, the victims made those payments, the department said.

The Biden administration has tried to go after hackers who have held U.S. targets essentially hostage, often sanctioned or sheltered by adversaries. The threat gained particular prominence in May 2021 when a Russia-based hacker group was accused of conducting a ransomware attack on Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, which disrupted gas supplies along the East Coast.

Iran-based hackers have also been a focus over the last year, with the FBI thwarting a planned cyberattack on a children's hospital in Boston that was to have been carried out by hackers sponsored by the Iranian government.

The cyber threat facing our nation is growing more dangerous and complex every day, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement accompanying the indictment unsealed Wednesday. Todays announcement makes clear the threat is both local and global. Its one we cant ignore and its one we cant fight on our own, either.

The hackers named in Wednesday's indictment are not believed to have been working on behalf of the Iranian government but instead for their own financial gain, and some of the victims were even in Iran, according to a senior Justice Department official who briefed reporters on the case on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the department.

But the official said the activity, even if not directed by the Iranian government, exists because the regime permits hackers to largely operate with impunity.

In a related action Wednesday, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 10 individuals and two entities affiliated with Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who it says have been involved in malicious cyber activities, including ransomware. The Treasury Department identified the three defendants in the Justice Department case as employees of technology firms it says is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.

John Hultquist, vice president for threat intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said his team has been tracking the Iranian actors for some time and assessed they are contractors for the Revolutionary Guard who have been moonlighting as criminal hackers. He said they are especially dangerous because any access they gain could be served up for espionage or disruptive purposes.

The actions come amid an apparent stalemate in talks between the U.S. and Iran over the possible revival of a 2015 nuclear deal. Israel and some U.S. lawmakers of both parties are pushing the Biden administration to get tougher on Iran, calling the negotiations on Irans nuclear program a failure.

The three accused hackers are thought to be in Iran and have not been arrested, but the Justice Department official said the pending charges make it functionally impossible for them to leave the country.

The case was filed in federal court in New Jersey, where a municipality and an accounting firm were among the victims.

The alleged hacking took place between October 2020 through last month, when the indictment was issued under seal. The three defendants  identified as Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari  are accused of exploiting known or publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in software applications to break into the victims' computer networks.

Prosecutors say the victims were seen by the defendants as targets of opportunities.

They included a domestic violence shelter in Pennsylvania, which the indictment says was extorted out of $13,000 to recover its hacked data; electric utilities in Indiana and Mississippi; a county government in Wyoming; and a construction company in Washington state.

___

Associated Press writers Fatima Hussein and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report.

___

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
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Jim Beam plans to ramp up bourbon production at its largest Kentucky distillery to meet growing global demand in a more than $400 million expansion to be powered by renewable energy.

The project will increase capacity by 50% at the Beam plant in Boston, Kentucky, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the same percentage, Beam Suntory said Wednesday.

The company behind the top-selling bourbon said it has reached production capacity at the Boston plant, about 36 miles (58 kilometers) south of Louisville, Kentucky. The expansion will be used to produce two mainstays  Jim Beam white and black label bourbons  and will mostly support expected sales growth overseas, especially in European and Asian markets, said Carlo Coppola, managing director of the Beam brands.

Jim Beam has registered mid-single-digit growth globally in the past two years, the company said.

Mixing renewable energy into crafting whiskey, Beam will use a process that produces renewable natural gas to power the plant, the company said.

Beam Suntory said it has entered into an agreement with 3 Rivers Energy Partners to build a facility across the street to convert waste from making bourbon into biogas, which will be treated to renewable natural gas standards and piped directly back to the distillery.

Once the project is completed, expected to be in 2024, the distillery will be 65% powered by renewable natural gas and 35% by fossil-based natural gas, the company said.

This expansion will help ensure we meet future demand for our iconic bourbon in a sustainable way that supports the environment and the local community that has helped build and support Jim Beam, said Beam Suntory President and CEO Albert Baladi.

Beam Suntory, whose products include Kentucky-crafted Makers Mark, said last year it wants to cut its companywide greenhouse gas emissions and water usage in half by 2030. The companys more ambitious goal is to remove more carbon than is emitted from its operations and among its supplier base by 2040. The spirits giant also is committed to planting 500,000 trees annually by 2030, with a goal of planting more trees than are use to make barrels to hold its aging whiskeys.

The new project will create 51 more jobs and includes additional storage warehouses. Bourbon ages in new, charred oak barrels, where it acquires its color and flavor, while stored in warehouses. Most bourbons typically age four to eight years before reaching consumers. Beam's continued growth "reflects the strength of our states signature bourbon industry," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.

Beam also is fully leveraging its capacity at its distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, where it produces Jim Beam, Basil Hayden, Knob Creek and Legent brands. The two Beam distilleries are about 14 miles (22 kilometers) apart in central Kentucky. At another distillery that opened last year at Clermont, the company produces such small-batch brands as Bookers, Bakers and Little Book.

The company broadly outlined its Boston plant expansion earlier in the summer, but the announcement Wednesday provided details about production and the use of renewable energy.

Beam Suntory, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan, isn't the first maker of bourbon to go green. Last year, spirits giant Diageo opened a carbon-neutral distillery of Bulleit bourbon powered by renewable energy in Lebanon, Kentucky.

Beam's expansion at its Boston distillery comes amid continued rapid growth in the state's $9 billion distilling industry. Kentucky distillers are in the midst of a more than $5 billion capital investment campaign that includes expanding production facilities and warehousing to meet the global thirst for Kentucky bourbon, according to the Kentucky Distillers Association. Kentucky is home to 95% of the worlds bourbon production, the association said.
BATON ROUGE (AP)  Louisiana legislators are once again discussing a possible path toward eliminating state income tax.

Lawmakers acknowledged, during Tuesdays tax-writing committee meeting, that proposals to rid income tax is bound to meet massive fiscal hurdles, but others say it is necessary to help keep and attract residents, businesses and corporations to Louisiana. Republican Rep. Richard Nelson, who steered the conversation, described an overhaul of the states tax system as a mousetrap  allowing it to compete with states without income tax, such as neighboring Texas, that have seen faster and more significant growth.

When you look at the state and you look at the trajectory that were going, I think the tax structure in Louisiana is one of the fundamental things thats holding us back, Nelson said during the House Ways and Means committee meeting.

Revamping the states complex tax code is likely to face fiscal and political challenges, considering personal income taxes are expected to raise $4.3 billion of the states $39 billion annual operating budget.

If income tax is removed, lawmakers will need to figure out how funds would be replaced  whether that means increasing sales and property taxes or reducing exemptions. Subcommittees will be tasked with conducting an analysis of the states tax structure, looking at what exemptions and credits are costing and what other taxes can be afforded to change.

Debbie Vivien, Chief Economist for the Legislative Fiscal Office, cautioned that it may not be the time for an immense change.

Were seeing really high revenue, we know its probably going to come down. We have hurricane recovery, we have a lot of federal money being dropped in. We know its going to come down so we just caution you if youre tempted to cut just keep in mind we have a far way to fall at this point, Vivien said.

Eight states  Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming  do not have personal income tax.

Texas, our neighbor to the west, grew six times faster than we did. Florida is about the same," Nelson said. What do they have in common? They have no income tax. Its one of the major things that attracts people from across the country."

Last year, Louisiana voters approved a constitutional amendment that decreases the maximum individual income tax rate from 6% to 4.25% beginning next year.

The Louisiana Legislature can tackle tax issues during odd-numbered years. The Ways and Means Committee is expected to make recommendations for tax structure changes to the Legislature for the 2023 regular session, which begins April 10.
Matias Delacroix/AP

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday said his government will act as a guarantor in peace talks between Colombia's government and the National Liberation Army rebel group that are slated to begin later this year.

Maduro said on national television that he had accepted a request by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to take on the diplomatic role, adding that his socialist government was interested in fomenting peace, security and stability in Colombia and throughout the continent.
China to hold conference on manufacturing development

Xinhua) 09:55, September 14, 2022

HEFEI, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The 2022 World Manufacturing Convention will kick off Sept. 20 in east China's Anhui Province, local authorities said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

The four-day event, scheduled until Sept. 23 in the provincial capital Hefei, is set to demonstrate new achievements in high-end manufacturing development through new products, technologies and applications.

The convention, covering an area of 59,000 square meters, features 38 key events, including seminars, thematic activities and project docking.

Exhibitions will also highlight the progress China has made in various manufacturing industries. Countries such as the United States, Germany and Japan will participate in the outdoor agricultural machinery exhibition for the first time.

Over 641 companies have so far confirmed participation, according to the organizer.

Reports on the development of China's new-energy vehicle, and the development and application of the industrial internet will be released at the conference.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
Petitioners counsel Yalamanjula Balaji argued that though the journalists purchased the land at government fixed price of Rs 61 lakh, the district administration did not give approval for the layout for some reasons. (Photo: Twitter)

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court suspended the Kurnool district collectors order to cancel the allotment of 15.44 acres land to journalists in Kurnool district.

A single judge bench headed by Justice D. Ramesh heard the petition filed by Y.V. Krishna Reddy here on Tuesday.

Petitioners counsel Yalamanjula Balaji argued that though the journalists purchased the land at government fixed price of Rs 61 lakh, the district administration did not give approval for the layout for some reasons.

After hearing both the parties, the court issued the direction to suspend the Kurnool district collectors order of cancelling allotment of land to the journalists.

The journalists who formed Kurnool District Journalists Mutually Aided Cooperative Housing Building Society Limited, Kurnool, got allotment of 15.44 acres land in Survey No 478 at Dinnedevarapadu village, Kurnool rural mandal in Kurnool district in 2009. Subsequently, the then district collector issued an order to alienate the land to the journalists in 2009. The journalists paid Rs 61,71,000 to the government and made layout and developed 218 residential plots and allotted to the members of the society who purchased the land through registered sale deeds from the Society.

The district collector issued an order cancelling the allotment of land to the journalists on 18-08-2022 for the reason as non-utilisation of the allotted land.
EL PASO, Texas (AP)  A Texas Panhandle man was sentenced Wednesday to life plus 300 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child and 10 counts of producing child pornography, including filming himself sexually assaulting children, officials said.

Johnny George Gonzalez, 35, admitted to filming himself sexually abusing at least six children, ranging in age from 4 to 10 years old, beginning in 2014. He then shared the material on the internet, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.

Gonzalez also admitted to secretly making sexually suggestive videos of children at stores across El Paso.

U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo sentenced Gonzalez to life imprisonment and added 300 years to the sentence, to be served consecutively with the life sentence.

Canadian authorities detected his activities late last summer and alerted the FBI, which executed a search warrant at Gonzalez's home in El Paso. Agents said they found more than 65 electronic devices, including laptop computers, desktop computers, computer hard drives, cellphones, thumb drives and tablets.

At least 13 different series of child sexual abuse material Gonzalez produced, as well as about 1 million images and videos of child pornography and erotica, have been found so far on the devices, prosecutors said.

For eight years, Gonzalez documented his depraved sexual abuse through photographs and videos, which he then shared with pedophiles around the world, said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. The heinous nature of his conduct will digitally live forever and continue to victimize these children. While this sentence will not repair their pain and damage, it will ensure he will never again have the opportunity to prey upon children.

Gonzalez has remained in federal custody since September 2021 and entered his guilty pleas on May 25.

The sentencing came almost a week after a Dallas-area man was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison after admitting to filming himself raping a 7-year-old girl. Mark Allen Miller, 35, of Rowlett, was arrested on Jan. 12 after the girls father, with whom Miller was staying, said he walked in on Miller raping the girl, who was 9 years old at the time. Miller admitted to police that he had been molesting the girl for years, prosecutors said.
SEATTLE (AP)  Monkeypox cases are decreasing in Washington state, likely because of a combination of factors including behavioral change and the vaccination of high-risk communities, health officials said.

The drop in infections statewide is directly linked to the drop in cases in King County, which includes Seattle, The Seattle Times reported.

Since a peak in late July, the weekly case rate in King County fell 66% to 22 cases in the week of Aug. 28. Early counts for the week of Sept. 4 show 10 cases so far.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health, Seattle & King County, also said more people may have some immunity from infection as more susceptible people have been exposed to the virus.

Health officials are hesitant to claim the outbreak is under control, however.

It can be a painful and difficult illness, so ideally, we wouldnt want to see any cases. But it will take some time to see what type of trajectory the outbreak takes, spokesperson Sharon Bogan said.

As of Sept. 7, 10,444 residents across Washington have received at least one shot of the Jynneos vaccine, according to state health department data. About 6% of these people got a second dose after 28 days. The Jynneos vaccine is a two-dose vaccine series, with two doses given four weeks apart.

In King County, more than 9,800 residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine  about a quarter of the 40,000 King County residents the county health department estimates are either at the highest or at an elevated risk for exposure.

The health department estimates 80,000 doses are needed to adequately address the outbreak.

Monkeypox can affect anyone who has close contact with an infected person. This outbreak has disproportionately affected the LGBTQ+ community, particularly men who report intimate contact with other men.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina's two major-party U.S. Senate candidates have agreed to participate in a televised debate next month.

Spokespeople for the campaigns of Democrat Cheri Beasley and Republican Ted Budd said on Wednesday they would participate in an Oct. 7 debate that will be aired on Spectrum News 1. The cable channel also confirmed the debate, which will occur in Raleigh.
CHICAGO (AP)  A shooting at a southside Chicago park has left two people dead and seven others wounded.

An argument between two groups in Washington Park about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday escalated into an altercation with members of both groups firing shots, police said.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued an emergency disaster proclamation Wednesday and activated approximately 75 members of the Illinois National Guard.

This is so state agencies can provide resources that are available to support asylum seekers arriving nearly daily to Chicago from Texas. The governor made the announcement via a press release and video posted on his Twitter page.

Support and resources include transport, emergency shelter and housing, food, health screenings, medical assessments, treatments, and other necessary care and services.

"While other states may be treating these vulnerable families as pawns, here in Illinois, we are treating them as people," Pritzker said in a statement.

The statewide response will include Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The groups of migrants arriving via Texas are residing in the United States legally, proceeding through the legal immigration and asylum-seeking process, the press release states.

Many of the families and individuals seeking asylum began arriving in Chicago Aug. 31and require medical care, including prenatal care for pregnant women, treatment for malnourishment, dehydration, and asthma in children, the release reads.
FLORENCE, Ala. (AP)  An Alabama inmate who authorities say escaped with the help of a jail supervisor who later killed herself in Indiana shared nearly 1,000 phone calls with the woman before the breakout, news outlets reported.

Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said Casey White and Vicky White, who were not related, may have planned his escape over the phone, but authorities must listen to each of 949 calls before making a determination.
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BALAKLIYA, Ukraine - Inside the dark, cramped rooms of the police station in this freshly liberated city in northeast Ukraine, prisoners held for weeks by the occupying Russian forces left behind clues about their treatment: Scratches on the walls marked how many days they were jailed, zip ties scattered on the ground and chairs lined up against a basement wall showed where they probably had been interrogated or worse.

Even as Ukrainian forces secretly prepared a counteroffensive to expel occupying Russian soldiers from the Kharkiv region, Moscow was so sure of its control on the territory that it began imposing Russian curriculum in some schools.

With that land and those schools back under the Ukrainian military's authority after the lightning-fast advances this month, Ukraine said it had arrested Russian teachers left behind by the retreating Russian soldiers. They face up to 12 years in prison on charges of violating laws and customs of war, according to Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.

Investigators are already combing through the piles of evidence those troops abandoned in their rushed departure - and questioning witnesses and victims as they begin to reconstruct incidents to build potential war crimes cases against the invaders. They're marking locations in the police station where they suspect torture sessions took place. They're also collecting fingerprints from empty liquor bottles there.

On Tuesday, the first day journalists were allowed to access Balakliya, the bodies of two men were exhumed from a makeshift grave in town. The investigators said Russian forces had shot and killed both last week.

Moscow has acknowledged the arrests of educators but said they were Ukrainian collaborators, not Russian citizens. And in a sign of the Kremlin's reality-bending claim of authority in the region, the head of the Russian Investigative Committee, a top law enforcement body, Tuesday ordered its own criminal probe into those teachers' arrests, according to the department's Telegram channel.

It all was part of the continuing reverberations of Ukraine's successful counterattack and Russia's swift and humiliating retreat.

With the Kremlin under pressure to explain the losses and rare public assertions in Russia that the country's military effort has proved inadequate, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman reiterated Tuesday that there were no plans for a general military mobilization.

"At the moment, no, it's out of the question," the spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said in a conference call with reporters.

Peskov also issued a warning to critics of Putin, including supporters of the war who have pushed for a general mobilization and tougher strikes on Ukraine. The Kremlin has made it illegal to criticize the fighting, which it calls a "special military operation," and has cracked down on dissenters.

"As for other, critical points of view, as long as they remain within the framework of the current legislation, this is pluralism. But the line is very, very thin," Peskov said. "You have to be very careful here."

Throughout the Kharkiv region, civilians who survived the assault are now adjusting to their new reality. They said that the fighting ramped up last week but that Russian forces soon realized they didn't stand a chance. The sudden silence of no shelling is almost eerie, they said.

"We can sleep at night not even being afraid," said Oleksander Hostrovykho, 29, who lives in the village of Verbivka, which Ukrainian forces retook last week. "Morning comes, and it's just beautiful quiet."

As Kyiv has reasserted authority over those liberated towns and villages, the Kremlin's plans for annexing the territory have become increasingly clear - from shaping what young Ukrainians would learn in class, particularly about their country's history, to preparing sham referendums.

"There was a new mayor, but I didn't see him or know who he was," said Oleksander Zakharov, 83, who collected food and other humanitarian assistance in Balakliya on Tuesday.

In occupied southern Ukraine, amid a slower-moving separate Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia has delayed its plans to stage referendums as a precursor to annexation. Such elections would be illegal and not recognized by the international community.

On his way home from the aid handout, Zakharov ran into his neighbor Maryna Rudenko, 56, the director of the local hospital. She fled months ago after Russians stole all of the hospital's supplies, accused staff of hiding members of the resistance and fired on the building - which was doubling as a civilian shelter.

Tuesday was Rudenko's first time in town since April. She was happy to be back - despite seeing so many damaged houses and people dealing with the trauma of occupation. "I didn't want to cooperate with the Russians," she said. "That's why I eventually left. I worried about my own life."

The Ukrainian liberation of these areas has quickly revealed how unprepared Russia was for Ukraine's advance. Its troops left behind so much equipment and weapons that military experts expect the country will now struggle even harder to capture any more ground.

When the Russians realized last week just how quickly Ukrainian forces were advancing through the region, the soldiers started running so fast "their pants were flying off," recalled Iryna Chmil, 55, who lived through the occupation in Verbivka for months. Russian troops held her and her husband at gunpoint last week to demand the keys to their minibus so they could flee, she said. The couple readily handed them over.

Outside the village council building, where civilians said top Russian officials had stayed, a damaged sedan with the Russians' signature "Z" emblazoned on the windshield had been abandoned. Leather boots and a military jacket were on the ground amid piles of discarded toiletries. The label on a soggy cardboard box linked it to a platoon from Russia's 202nd Regiment.

British intelligence said Monday that Russia's 1st Guards Tank Army, one of the most prestigious units in the country's military, was part of the forces that withdrew from the Kharkiv region and has been "severely downgraded" after suffering "heavy casualties" earlier in the war.

"Russia's conventional force designed to counter NATO is severely weakened," the intelligence agency said on Twitter. "It will likely take years for Russia to rebuild this capability."

In Verbivka, residents are still processing how quickly everything around them changed. Many spent more than a month of the occupation in their basements. When they heard drones overhead, they said, they would stand outside so that the operators could see they were civilians. At one point, they saw a shot-down Russian fighter jet falling from the sky.

At the beginning of the war, "it was very scary, we were hiding in the bomb shelter," said 12-year-old Anton Malychyn. "But then we started to get used to it."

The Russian troops would often go to a nearby river to wash themselves. "We would go play but keep our distance," the boy said, wearing a hat with a Ukrainian flag patch a soldier gave him when they retook the town.

Natalya Slabudova, 72, wept tears of joy as she described in simple terms the way her life had changed in the previous week.

"I'm not thinking about dying," she said. "I want to live."

- - -

Khurshudyan reported from Kyiv. Wojciech Grzedzinski, and The Washington Post's Robyn Dixon and Mary Ilyushina in Riga, Latvia, contributed to this report.
A global panel of experts Wednesday blamed the World Health Organization, the U.S. government and others for serious failures in coordinating an international response to covid-19, while laying out recommendations to protect against future pandemics and reviving disputed claims about the virus's origins.

In a 45-page editorial, the Lancet Covid-19 Commission warned that many governments proved "untrustworthy and ineffective" as the pandemic tore across the world, citing examples such as richer nations hoarding vaccine doses and refusing to fund global response efforts, and politicians such as President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro playing down the virus's risks, even as hundreds of thousands of their citizens died of it.

"What we saw - rather than a cooperative global strategy - was basically each country on its own," Jeffrey Sachs, a Columbia University economist who chaired the commission, told reporters in a briefing convened by the respected medical journal. "National leaders deciding . . . the strategy and the fates of their countries in an incredibly haphazard way."

As a result, the virus ripped through the world in "highly unequal" ways, the panel concluded, with severe consequences for the most vulnerable, among them children who suffered learning losses from disrupted schooling, people in low-income nations forced to wait for vaccine doses, and patients who endure continuing pain and other health problems attributed to long covid.

"Global and national decisions didn't consider the less vocal voices of our communities - the ones who do not vote, like immigrants and refugees, or who do not have the energy to raise their concerns, like our elders. People that were too busy taking care of us, like essential workers and women that were at the front lines fighting the virus without professional equipment," said Gabriela Cuevas Barron, a Mexican politician and member of the Lancet commission.

The Lancet report also criticizes the WHO, saying the global health watchdog "acted too cautiously and too slowly" on several urgent matters, such as recognizing the virus was spreading through airborne transmission. The commission calls for strengthening the United Nations agency by giving it more financing and authority, and it also urges the creation of a new global health board to help the WHO make timely decisions.

In a statement, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said the organization welcomed the commission's recommendations and concurred with its call for more funding. But Harris warned of "several key omissions and misinterpretations," saying the panel had wrongly characterized "the speed and scope of WHO's actions."

As health providers around the world brace for a third coronavirus winter, the commission contends that "globally coordinated efforts" can end the pandemic, urging a sustained approach to mass vaccinations, adoption of public health measures such as masking in some settings, social and financial support for infected people to continue isolating, and true cooperation among the world's most influential nations.

"China, the United States, the E.U., India, the Russian Federation, and other major regional and global powers must put aside their geopolitical rivalries to work together to end this pandemic and to prepare for the next one and for other global crises," the report concluded.

The Lancet commission report carries no legal or regulatory authority. But its recommendations, which draw on more than two years of work from more than 170 experts, represent one of the highest-profile attempts to identify lessons from covid-19 and how to better prepare for the next pandemic. U.S. efforts to conduct a bipartisan review of the pandemic response have stalled in Congress, and other independent bids have also struggled to win funding or capture widespread attention.

But the Lancet report also comes after Sachs, the panel's chairman, publicly embraced the "lab-leak theory," which posits that the virus may have escaped from a laboratory and could even have man-made origins, leading to backlash from scientists who warned that his advocacy for the disputed theory would cloud the panel's work.

Government officials such as Anthony S. Fauci "are not being honest" about the virus's origins, Sachs claimed on an August podcast with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spread conspiracy theories about vaccines. Sachs also co-authored a May article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that argued U.S. scientists may have had a role in shaping SARS-CoV-2 and called for a probe of the pandemic's origin through a "bipartisan congressional inquiry with full investigative powers."

Sachs' advocacy provoked a private, year-long fight with other commission members who say there is far more evidence that the virus has a "natural origin" and was first transmitted to humans from an animal, and who worked to reach a compromise over what the final report would say.

"Along with a couple of other commissioners, I helped lead efforts to keep the conspiracy nonsense and the whacka-doodle out of the final report," said Peter Hotez, a virologist at the Baylor College of Medicine and a panel member. "I will be disappointed if covid origin conspiracies wind up detracting from some of the important and legitimate deficiencies in our understandings of how SARS, MERS and covid emerged."

The commission's report urged further investigation into both the lab-leak and natural-origins theories, faulting the National Institutes of Health for failing to provide more information about the U.S. government's potential role in funding Chinese research into coronaviruses. "The search for origins requires unbiased, independent, transparent, and rigorous work by international teams in virology, epidemiology, bioinformatics, and other related fields," the report concluded.

The commissioners also called for the WHO to be empowered to inspect and regulate facilities where scientists study and experiment on viruses that could spark potential pandemics. "Gain-of-function research" may result in more lethal or transmissible versions of viruses, and the commission warned that there is too little oversight over the "manipulation of dangerous pathogens."

"Advances in biotechnology in the past two decades have made it possible to create new and highly dangerous pathogens," the report concluded. "Even today, there is little understanding and clarity about the research on SARS-like viruses that was underway just before the COVID-19 pandemic."

However, the report offered no new scientific information about the origin of the virus, and it did not mention two papers recently published in the journal Science that make the case the pandemic began in a market in China, not a laboratory.

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, said she found the report's assertions on the virus's origins and gain-of-function research "appalling."

"None of the relevant evidence was cited, and it's clear why: There's equivocation that implies an equal likelihood of natural and lab origin that is utterly inconsistent with our current scientific understanding," Rasmussen said. "It's hard not to think this omission is intentional to suggest that the 'lab leak' is more plausible than it is - as well as to advance the completely unfounded and baseless view that the pandemic resulted from so-called 'gain of function' research and there is a conspiracy involving both Chinese authorities and the NIH to cover it up."

The final report comes after more than two dozen experts asserted in the Lancet in February 2020 that it was a "conspiracy theory" to consider that covid-19 leaked from a laboratory. The publication and those authors have since faced scrutiny that the statement was rushed by scientists who were trying to preempt investigations into their own research.

The Lancet report also draws on long-held tenets in international development, arguing that universal health coverage and more financial support for international health efforts would provide necessary protections against newly emerging infectious diseases.

---

The Washington Post's Joel Achenbach contributed to this report.
IZYUM, Ukraine - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold visit Wednesday to the recently liberated city of Izyum in the eastern Kharkiv region, where he participated in a flag-raising ceremony to mark the nation's most important military victory since Russian invaders were repelled from the suburbs of Kyiv in late March.

Zelensky, striking a resolute tone, said that while Russia might temporarily occupy parts of Ukraine, "it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people."

"The heroes are here," he said, describing the significance of the blue-and-yellow national banner. "It means that the enemy is gone, ran away."

The swift and remarkably successful counteroffensive that liberated Izyum and towns and villages throughout the Kharkiv region has proved to be both a crucial military victory and a psychological triumph, lifting national spirits, reinforcing Ukraine's international support and sparking calls for additional weapons and equipment, in hopes of capitalizing on what seems to be a turning point in the nearly seven-month war.

Western military and intelligence analysts say Russia's forces appear to be severely depleted, largely incapable of offensive operations to retake ground, and potentially vulnerable to further attacks. Ukraine's military, in turn, seems intent on pressing its counteroffensive in the east and the south.

"We thank all of you for liberating our state from the enemy - from the terrorists of the Russian Federation and from the traitors who betrayed our state with the bills of artificial republics," Zelensky said, addressing Ukrainian soldiers as he stood in front of the city's bombed-out municipal building.

"The last few months have been extremely difficult for you. Therefore, I am asking you: Take care of yourself; you are the most precious we have," he said.

The president's appearance here was one of his many combat-zone trips since February. They have provided a contrast between the youthful Ukrainian leader and the aging Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who calls the war a "special military operation" and has not visited his soldiers in the field since launching the war.

Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukraine had recaptured just over 3,0oo square miles during offensives in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions.

In the hours after the president's visit Wednesday, the city remained nearly silent.

Soldiers milled about, directing vehicles over a pontoon bridge installed to replace a bridge destroyed by Russian troops. A few civilians wandered through downtown, where the majority of buildings were severely damaged by shelling or fires and most shops were looted.

Residents described the Russian occupiers as giving up without a fight.

One resident, Maksym, 29, who spoke on the condition that only his first name be used because of fears of reprisal, said the Russian forces enforced a curfew in the days before Ukrainian troops retook the town. "During that time, they left," he said. "They were just fleeing from here."

Maksym's wife, Toma, 27, said there was "absolutely not" a battle for the city. Russian forces seemed to know they would lose, she said, and opted to leave as nearby towns began falling to the Ukrainians.

Given reports of such utter collapse, Putin is coming under pressure from pro-war hard-liners for tougher action. On Wednesday, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a longtime Putin ally, called for martial law and mandatory military mobilization, moves so far ruled out by the Kremlin.

Putin has steered clear of such steps because they are likely to prove politically toxic, by undermining the passive Russian public support for the war, particularly in major cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, which have experienced very few war casualties.

Kadyrov also said Russia should use "all kinds of weapons," a hint at the use of nuclear or chemical weapons, claiming that Russia is fighting against NATO, not just Ukraine, which is now a common assertion from state officials and propagandists.

"If it were up to me, I would declare martial law all over the country and use all kinds of weapons, because today we are at war with the entire NATO bloc," the Chechen strongman said, adding that he would have mobilized long ago "and used every opportunity to finish with these evil spirits faster."

Meanwhile, Zelensky adviser Mykhailo Podolyak also doubled down, saying Ukraine must liberate the entire Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Parts of those regions have been under Moscow's control since the Kremlin instigated a separatist war in 2014.

"Time for the final strike against Evil Empire," Podolyak said on Twitter. Podolyak also called on the West to supply tanks, armored vehicles, multiple-launch rocket systems, air defense systems and more drones.

As Russia's military is struggling in Ukraine, Moscow's finances are coming under similar intensifying pressure. Government financial data released Wednesday showed a dramatic drop in oil and gas revenue in August because of sanctions and lower sales of energy to Europe.

Russia's economy has wobbled but not collapsed under Western punitive measures, performing better than expected thanks to high energy prices and aggressive state measures to shore up the ruble and avoid a currency collapse. But August revenue figures from the Finance Ministry signaled a longer-term problem, as Moscow gradually loses its most important energy market, in Europe, and must accept discounted prices in Asia.

Russia had reduced gas supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in recent months and finally cut supplies this month, in moves designed to tighten pressure on Europe and raise fears of a tough winter, as the continent tries to wean itself off cheap Russian gas.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned Russia during her State of the European Union speech Wednesday for "actively manipulating our energy market."

"They prefer to flare the gas than to deliver it," von der Leyen said. "This market is not functioning anymore," she added, warning that Europe faces tough months ahead as a result.

Von der Leyen said Russia's financial sector was "on life support" thanks to sanctions and that its industry was "in tatters." She also said Western powers had made a historic mistake by ignoring years of warnings about Putin from Poland and the Baltic countries. Leaders of those countries, including Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, are again calling on Western allies to quickly send more powerful weapons to Ukraine.

Putin insisted Monday that the West's "economic blitzkrieg, the onslaught they were counting on, has failed, which is already obvious to everyone, and to them, too." Russia has softened the impact of sanctions through social payments to families and pensioners and support for industry.

Still, Russia's heavy industry, including the automobile and manufacturing sectors, has been hit hard by Western bans on the transfer of computer chips and other technology, with many Russian fabricators heavily reliant on imported parts.

Since Ukraine's stunning weekend advance in the Kharkiv region, Zelensky and other top Ukrainian officials have amped up calls for Western military aid. They released a proposal Tuesday for security guarantees from a group of Western countries and called for a multi-decade effort involving major weapons transfers and industrial investment to reinforce Ukraine's military against Russian aggression.

But the Kremlin's top spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said only Putin and the Russian leadership could give Kyiv real security guarantees. And Peskov said Ukraine's call for security guarantees from Western countries proved it still wanted to join NATO. Ukraine's NATO aspirations were a main reason that Putin cited in threatening military action before the invasion.

"Therefore, the main threat to our country persists," Peskov said.
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IZIUM, Ukraine (AP)  Hand on heart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched his countrys flag rise Wednesday above the recaptured city of Izium, making a rare foray outside the capital that highlights Moscows embarrassing retreat from a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian forces left the war-scarred city last week as Kyiv's soldiers pressed a stunning advance that has reclaimed large swaths of territory in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region.

As Zelenskyy looked on and sang the national anthem, the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the burned-out city hall. After almost six months under Russian occupation, Izium was left largely devastated, with apartment buildings blackened by fire and pockmarked by artillery strikes.

A gaping hole and piles of rubble stood where one building had collapsed.

The view is very shocking, but it is not shocking for me," Zelenskyy told journalists, "because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories  the same destroyed buildings, killed people.

Bucha is a small city on Kyiv's outskirts from which Russian troops withdrew in March. In the aftermath, Ukrainian authorities discovered the bodies of hundreds of civilians dumped in streets, yards and mass graves. Many bore signs of torture.

Prosecutors said they so far have found six bodies with traces of torture in recently retaken Kharkiv region villages. The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said bodies were found in Hrakove and Zaliznyche, villages around 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Kharkiv city.

We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did. ... Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, listing places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities.

Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas Russia previously held, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted international demands to press war crimes charges against Russian officials.

As he was returning from the front early Thursday, a passenger car collided with Zelenskyy's vehicle in a motorcade in Kyiv, but he wasn't seriously hurt, his spokesman said on Facebook. Spokesman Sergii Nikiforov said the driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskyys medical team and was taken by ambulance. Medics examined the president, who suffered no serious injuries in the accident, Nikiforov wrote. He did not specify what injuries Zelenskyy, 44, might have suffered.

Moscows recent rout in northeastern Ukraine was its largest military defeat since Russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv area months ago. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along a road.

As Zelenskyy visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, de-mined retaken ground and investigated possible war crimes. He said that life comes back as Ukrainian soldiers return to previously occupied villages.

The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian soldiers were preparing to retake the area, which borders the Kharkiv region and was has been mostly under Russian control since July. Intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued, he said.

Haidai told The Associated Press that Ukrainian troops were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk.

But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the (Ukrainian) flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

A Russia-allied separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult.

In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago.

The counteroffensive has left more weapons in Ukrainian hands.

Russian forces likely left behind dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east, a Ukrainian think tank said Wednesday. The Center for Defense Strategies said one Russian unit fleeing the Izium area left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles. Another unit left 47 tanks and 27 armored vehicles, it said.

The center said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces ruin equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it. However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently forced them to abandon untouched ammunition and weapons.

With the recent Ukrainian gains, a new front line has emerged along the Oskil River, which largely traces the Kharkiv region's eastern edge, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday.

Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose, the institute said.

In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing more casualties in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said.

The Nikopol area, across a river from the shutdown Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, with no injuries immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Fighting also raged in the eastern Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, an industrial area that Moscow set out to capture following an unsuccessful attempt to invade Kyiv.

Russian troops are targeting critical infrastructure. Eight cruise missiles aimed at water equipment hit Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih, a city on the Inhulets River 150 kms (93 miles) southwest of Dnipro, the deputy head of the presidents office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, reported on his Telegram channel. Zelenskyy said the strikes appeared to be an attempt to flood the city and that a dam on a reservoir was hit. Video posted online showed elevated water levels on the Inhulets and flooded city streets, and evacuations of residents were suggested.

U.S. President Joe Biden observed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have made significant progress in recent days but added, I think its going to be a long haul.

While criticism of the invasion seems to be increasing in Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that the realization has grown over there by now that this was a mistake to start this war.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he had spoken with Putin about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraines Black Sea ports to address a famine threat. The U.N. chief said at a news conference in New York that high prices for fertilizer have reduced the planting of crops, making it critical to increase Russian exports of ammonia  a key fertilizer ingredient  by shipping it through Black Sea ports now used to transport grain from Ukraine.

Western military and economic support has allowed Ukraine to keep fighting since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and the Ukrainian government received more assistance Wednesday.

An international group of creditors, including the U.S., finalized a deal to suspend Ukraines debt service through the end of 2023, helping the country ease liquidity pressures and increase social, health and economic spending.

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Arhirova reported from Kyiv. Associated Press journalist Jon Gambrell in Kyiv contributed.

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Follow AP war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
State government has submitted a Techno Economic Feasibility report in this regard as required by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). (Representational Image/ANI)

WARANGAL / KARIMNAGAR: The decades-long dream of air connectivity to united Warangal and Karimnagar districts is to become a reality with two old airfields scheduled to be developed by union government under the new UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme.

The airports are Mamnoor on outskirts of Warangal city and Basant Nagar in Peddapalli district. State government has submitted a Techno Economic Feasibility report in this regard as required by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Central government had introduced the UDAN scheme in 2016 to make air travel affordable for masses and provide regional air connectivity between developing cities, state capitals and the national capital.

Incidentally, union government had introduced Vayudoot air services from Mamnoor airfield between 1970 to 1977 and from Basant Nagar airport between 1975 and 1982. Subsequently, government stopped these services in view of high costs. Plans are now afoot to re-introduce services from these two airports.

Groundwork for this had been done by municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao and state planning commission board vice chairman B. Vinod Kumar, who met civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri in New Delhi. They submitted proposals for setting up six mini airports in Telangana.

Thereafter, officials from Airport Authority of India (AAI) inspected the airfields at Mamnoor and Basant Nagar. They asked state government to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), along with details of high flood levels at Mamnoor and Basant Nagar airports.

Currently, 750 acres of land is available in Mamnoor against 1,140 acres. There is some government land available in the surrounding Nakkalapally and Gadepally villages, which the government has acquired.

Basant Nagar airport is spread over 40 acres of land at present and it requires an additional 700 acres. Officials of revenue department have conducted a survey and identified lands on survey numbers 363, 301 and 413 between Palakurthi, Kurmapally, Basant Nagar and Reginedu village panchayats and have submitted their report to the state government.

Armed with the information, state government has now submitted the Techno Economic Feasibility report to the central government. Among other things, the government has pointed out that apart from providing air connectivity to people, the two airports will also promote tourism in spots like Ramappa and Thousand Pillars temples, Warangal fort, Ramgiri Killa, Kaleshwaram, Bhadrakali, Dharmapuri, Kondagattu and Vemulawada temples. There are also scenic spots along River Godavari, apart from a tiger reserve in Adilabad district.

Once the mini-airports come, there is enormous development in areas of erstwhile Warangal and Karimnagar districts.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. refugee agency said in a new report Tuesday that access to education for refugees remains very limited compared to their counterparts in host countries and called for all youngsters forced to flee their countries to have access to quality schooling.

According to the report entitled All Inclusive The Campaign for Refugee Education, 42% of refugee children globally were enrolled in pre-school education in the academic year 2020-2021, 68% were in primary school, 37% in secondary school, and 6% in higher education.
Standing in 93-degree Houston heat at the corner of Arlington and E. 14th Street on Monday afternoon, parents of students at Heights High School fretted and compared notes in an attempt to piece together what was happening at their child's campus.

Around 1 p.m. CT a false alarm had been called into the Houston Police Department claiming a gunman had shot 10 individuals at the north Houston high school campus, and a rush of heavily armed and armored law enforcement officers from the Houston Police Department, FBI and other agencies had promptly descended on the school and set up a perimeter stretching blocks in every direction.

Officers at the scene directed arriving parents to a media staging area at Arlington and 14th Street, where many stood quietly and talked about all they'd heard had happened inside the school. Some had left their jobs and driven as fast as possible ("I drove 120 mph straight from Cypress," one said) to the area after receiving texts from their children detailing the sight of armed officers flooding the campus in response to reports of an active shooter.

Dan Carson

"I don't believe there are any children hurt," said Shantell Legaspi, whose daughter McKayla is a ninth-grader at Heights High School. Legaspi was joined on the sidewalk by Carly Browne, whose daughter Chloe is also a ninth grader Heights High School and is best friends with McKayla.

Browne said they were impressed by the size and speed of law enforcement's response. "I dont think Ive ever seen anything quite like this," she said. But with the current lack of information from law enforcement, and in the wake of the Uvalde shooting only four months ago, Legaspi wasnt sure if an immediate police presence was instead the sign of something more sinister.

"We're confused as parents because we don't know if this means it's really bad and they're not telling us something," Legaspi said, "or if it's because of what just happened at Uvalde and they're just taking extra precautions."

The incident, the moms would later be told, had been a false alert called in from an as-yet-unknown individual. At the time they remained cautiously optimistic that officers appeared calm, but circumspect about how their children would be affected by the event going forward, even in the event of a false alarm. "Hopefully they'll be able to put it behind them," Browne said. "Kids should not have to go through anything like this."

Jo Dunham said it was around 1 p.m. when she was first alerted to a possible shooting at the school. The initial messages she received about the incident came from her son Jaxon, a Heights High School sophomore she says was inside the school when officers arrived on the scene. She showed others in the staging area videos her son had sent her of police officers with machine guns entering a classroom, but said even he didn't know what was happening.

"He sent me a text saying 'Mom, I have no idea what's going on. We're on lockdown with cops and rifles and sh-t.'," Dunham relayed.

Dan Carson

A local construction contractor, Dunham said she left work and came to the scene immediately after her son's text and waited at the media staging area for more than an hour trying to decipher fact from fiction without clarification from officers. She held up her phone to show an email sent out by Heights High School after 2 p.m. alerting parents to a "threat" at the campus that was under investigation. Dunham said it wasn't until roughly 2:30 p.m. when a small group of officers walked up and told her no one inside the school was hurta relief for Dunham, who'd been on the phone with other parents who weren't present and had not heard from their children.

"The panic is when you see it on the news and you can't get to your kid," Dunham said. "Those are the parents of his friends that have been calling me going 'Oh my God, is your son safe? Mine isn't answering the phone.'"

At 3 p.m. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena arrived at the staging area at Arlington and 14th to conduct a press conference. They explained the false alarm authorities had received and thanked responding agencies for their swift action handling the bogus threat. Before Finner could begin his remarks, however, a man in an orange shirt emerged from the crowd and began demanding answers.

Dan Carson

"We parents are over here, we want to know what's going on," the man said, motioning to media cameras. "Not them. We want to know right here."

Finner embraced the man and said "We're all here together," before returning to conduct the conference.

"Listen to me, everybody. This is Houston. This is one family, the most important thing," Finner said. "We tweeted [an alert] out and tried to communicate from the scene. We have no injuries here, thank God for that."

Dan Carson

Some in the crowd remained less thankful for the day's events, fearing Monday's false alarm the beginning of a new pattern of events parents and students are being asked to accept as part of their daily lives.

You dont have enough notebooks, said the father of a ninth grader when asked how Monday's false alarm made him feel. How much are kids supposed to endure with COVID, monkeypox and Uvalde?
NEW YORK (AP)  Monica Lewinsky had a tempered, compassionate response to the death of Ken Starr, the former independent counsel whose investigation of Bill Clinton helped reveal her affair with the president and, she once wrote, made her life a living hell.

As I'm sure many can understand, my thoughts about ken starr bring up complicated feelings, she tweeted Tuesday after reports that Starr had died at age 76. But of more importance, is that i imagine its a painful loss for those who love him.

Lewinsky was a White House intern in the mid-1990s, in her early 20s, when she began a relationship with Clinton, one that Starr would document in exhaustive, explicit detail. Starr had initially been retained to look into an Arkansas real estate deal Bill and Hillary Clinton were involved in, but his investigation shifted after he learned of allegations about the president's private behavior. Lewinsky denied their affair in a sworn affidavit, but did not know that her former colleague, Linda Tripp, had been taping their phone conversations about Bill Clinton and would turn them over to Starr.

Lewinsky would recall with horror being interrogated for hours in 1998 by Starr's prosecutors  but not Starr himself  and threatened with prison if she didn't cooperate with their investigation, a demand she initially refused. Months later, she agreed to testify about the affair, and turned over to prosecutors a dress stained with the president's semen, in return for immunity.

Lewinsky later wrote that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, mainly from the ordeal of having been publicly outed and ostracized, and was for years subjected to crude jokes. But starting with a Vanity Fair essay in 2014 and a TED talk she gave in 2015 on The Price of Shame, she has become a widely respected anti-bullying activist. David Letterman and John Oliver are among those who have apologized for once mocking her.

Doug Mills/AP

Writing in Vanity Fair in 2018, Lewinsky remembered finally encountering Starr in person, at a Greenwich Village restaurant the previous Christmas Eve. Starr stepped forward with a warm, incongruous smile, and introduced himself to Lewinsky, who was dining with her family.

Ken Starr asked me several times if I was doing O.K. A stranger might have surmised from his tone that he had actually worried about me over the years. His demeanor, almost pastoral, was somewhere between avuncular and creepy. He kept touching my arm and elbow, which made me uncomfortable, she wrote.

"I turned and introduced him to my family. Bizarre as it may sound, I felt determined, then and there, to remind him that, 20 years before, he and his team of prosecutors hadnt hounded and terrorized just me but also my family  threatening to prosecute my mom (if she didnt disclose the private confidences I had shared with her), hinting that they would investigate my dads medical practice, and even deposing my aunt, with whom I was eating dinner that night."

Starr would write about Lewinsky in his 2018 memoir Contempt, describing how Monica screamed, she cried, she pouted, and complained bitterly about her scheming, no-good, so-called friend (Tripp). But their threats, and the urging of Lewinsky's mother to accept the prosecutors' terms, did not change her mind.

Monica overruled her mother. She would fall on her sword rather than implicate the president of the United States, Starr wrote. It was becoming increasingly clear: in thinking she was a naive, starstruck young woman in love who would quickly cooperate, we underestimated her. In her determination to protect the president, Monica kept a team of experienced FBI agents and career prosecutors twiddling their thumbs for much of the day.
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An Emerson College Polling survey released Wednesday showed U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal with a 13 percentage point lead over Leora Levy, the winner of a Republican primary in August after her endorsement by Donald J. Trump.

The survey of 1,000 likely voters conducted from Sept. 7 to 9 for WTNH and The Hill found Blumenthal, a two-term Democrat, leading Levy 49% to 36%, with 10.5% undecided and 5% preferring someone else.

With Levy unknown to many voters and Blumenthal a household name, there is both potential for the Republican to make gains  and for the Democrat to define her to the electorate as a Trump loyalist, a liability in blue Connecticut.

The candidates offer voters stark choices on abortion, gun control and funding for climate change. Blumenthal is a long-time supporter of reproductive rights, while Levy is a late-in-life convert to the anti-abortion movement.

So far, Blumenthals campaign is far better financed, and a super PAC organized to support Levy with attacks on the senator has yet to show signs of attracting national Republican donors as the GOP struggles to recapture the divided Senate.

The 76-year-old Blumenthal has the advantage of 99.8% name recognition after 32 years in statewide office  a dozen in the U.S. Senate and two decades as a state attorney general who fashioned himself as a media-savvy consumer advocate.

Fifteen percent of those polled had never heard of Levy, 65, a Republican National Committee member and GOP fundraiser on the ballot for the first time, and another 19% were unsure when asked if they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion.

Overall, Blumenthals favorable/unfavorable split was 53% to 43%, compared to 38% to 29% for Levy. Only 5% were unsure of their opinion of the senator.

But among those most passionate  labeled as very favorable or very unfavorable  voters had mixed opinions of both candidates. Blumenthals advantage among those voters was just 36% to 34%. Levy had strong favorable marks from only 19%, while 22% were strongly unfavorable.

Levy is trying to become the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Connecticut, but Blumenthal has a 29-point lead among women.

While the candidates are split on abortion, only 7% of both male and female respondents identified the issue as most important in determining their vote. The economy was named most important by 40%, followed by 15% concerned by threats to democracy.

Emersons previous poll for WTNH was conducted after Themis Klarides won the endorsement of the GOP convention in May and faced a primary with Levy and Peter Lumaj. It showed Blumenthal with a 10-point lead over Klarides and a 16-point cushion over Levy.

Blumenthal won by 55% to 43% in his first race for the Senate, defeating Republican Linda McMahon, who spent a record $50 million on her campaign. He was reelected in 2016 with a 63% to 35% win over a poorly financed Dan Carter.

Emerson collects its data using automated questions to likely voters on landlines and cell phones, plus an online panel.

The margin of error in the Emerson survey is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Emerson gets an accuracy grade of A- from the political data site, FiveThirtyEight.com. The grades are based on how closely polls conducted within 21 days of an election came to the actual results.

In 2018, Emerson was off by just two-tenths of a point in calling the 20-point victory margin of U.S. Sen. Chris Murphys reelection to his second term.
Gov. Greg Abbott leads his Democratic challenger Beto ORourke by 5 percentage points, according to a new poll from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.

The survey found that Abbott received 45% of support among registered voters, while 40% supported ORourke and 4% supported third-party candidates. Three percent of respondents named Someone else as their choice, and 8% said they have not thought about the race enough to have an opinion.

The result is almost identical to the margin from when the pollsters last surveyed the race in June, finding Abbott ahead of ORourke 45% to 39%.

The latest survey also gave Republican incumbents single-digit leads in two other statewide races. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick led Democrat Mike Collier by 7 points, and Attorney General Ken Paxton registered a 5-point advantage over Democrat Rochelle Garza. More voters remain undecided in those contests than in the gubernatorial election  20% in the lieutenant governors race and 21% in the attorney general one.

Abbott is seeking a third term against ORourke, the former El Paso congressman who had a near-miss loss to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. Forty-six percent of respondents approve of the job Abbott is doing while 44% disapprove, according to the poll. It marks an improvement over the June poll, when Abbotts approval rating was upside down, with 43% approving and 46% disapproving.

When it comes to issues, the poll showed voters continue to prioritize the border. Immigration/border security led the list of issues that voters said were most most important to their vote in the election, with 26% choosing it. It was followed by the state economy (13%), abortion (12%) and gun violence (11%).

Voters said they trusted Abbott more on the border and economy and ORourke more on abortion. They were equally divided on who had the advantage on gun violence.

ORourke has campaigned heavily against Abbott on abortion, highlighting that Abbott signed the trigger law that has banned almost all abortions in Texas following the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Voters registered clear disapproval with the post-Roe landscape in Texas, with 50% saying they support expand[ing] legal access to abortion services in the state now versus 31% who disapproved of that idea. And by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, voters said the state should not dedicate more resources to enforcing its abortion ban.

ORourke has also been highly critical of Abbotts refusal to support any new gun restrictions following the Uvalde school shooting. The poll found voters continue to want stricter gun laws, with 54% saying they should be more strict and 23% saying they should be left as is.

Abbotts biggest advantage remains the border. By a 12-point margin, voters said they trusted him to do a better job on immigration/border security than ORourke. And 51% said they support Abbotts program to bus migrants to other parts of the country that has captured headlines recently. Thirty-five percent opposed the initiative.

President Joe Biden remains unpopular in Texas, though not as much as he was earlier in the summer. The latest poll found Biden has a net approval rating of negative 12 points in Texas, a figure that was negative 20 in June.

The poll of 1,200 registered voters was conducted online from Aug. 28 to Sept. 6. The margin of error was +/- 2.83 points.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The full program is now LIVE for the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, happening Sept. 22-24 in Austin. Explore the schedule of 100+ mind-expanding conversations coming to TribFest, including the inside track on the 2022 elections and the 2023 legislative session, the state of public and higher ed at this stage in the pandemic, why Texas suburbs are booming, why broadband access matters, the legacy of slavery, what really happened in Uvalde and so much more. See the program.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/09/14/greg-abbott-beto-orourke-texas-gubernatorial-poll/.

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WFO LAS VEGAS Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, September 13, 2022

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FLASH FLOOD WARNING

The National Weather Service in Las Vegas has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

Southeastern Inyo County in south central California...

Southeastern Nye County in south central Nevada...

* Until 745 PM PDT.

* At 431 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing

heavy rain across the warned area. 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...

Shoshone, Death Valley Junction, Amargosa Valley and Lathrop Wells.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, September 14, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

Northwestern Brewster County in southwestern Texas...

Southeastern Jeff Davis County in southwestern Texas...

West Central Pecos County in southwestern Texas...

* Until 700 PM CDT.

* At 353 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing

heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 3 inches of

rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin

shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban

areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as

other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...

mainly rural areas of Northwestern Brewster, Southeastern Jeff

Davis and West Central Pecos Counties

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are

potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded

roads. Find an alternate route.

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Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
The colourful Bathukamma saris comprising 240 different designs are mainly made by handloom weavers from Sircilla, Pochampally and Gadwal. (DC File Image)

Hyderabad: GHMC is making arrangements to distribute saris for the Bathukamma festival. This year the aim is to distribute 9,02,084 saris compared to the 5,76,161 distributed last year. It is a gesture of goodwill by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao so that the poor could celebrate the festival on a joyous note.

The colourful Bathukamma saris comprising 240 different designs are mainly made by handloom weavers from Sircilla, Pochampally and Gadwal. Women can collect Bathukamma saris by showing their food security cards at their respective ration shops from September 25 to October 4.
Canada holds sixth all-program Express Entry draw since July CRS scores continues to decline as the number of ITAs increases. Edana Robitaille Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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On September 14, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3,250 invitations to apply in the most recent Express Entry draw, the sixth since all-program draws resumed on July 6.

The minimum cut off Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 510. There was no program specified for the draw, meaning that invitations were issued to candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Express Entry is one of the most prominent pathways for immigrating to Canada.

Until the last draw on August 31, the number of candidates receiving ITAs grew by 250 with each draw. Last week saw a marked increase of 500 ITAs and todays draw is a continuation of that trend. There has also been a gradual decline in the minimum CRS score, which has lost between eight or nine points each draw. However, this draw is different as there was only a six-point decrease. The minimum CRS score in the July 6 draw was 557.

IRCC paused all-program Express Entry draws for over 18 months, starting in December 2020. During this time, only candidates eligible for permanent residence under the CEC or the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were invited to apply. However, CEC draws were also paused in September 2021.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

Canada is on track to welcome nearly 432,000 immigrants

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has recently said that by the end of 2022 Canada will break its current record of 405,330 new immigrants in a year. As of the end of June, Canada has already welcomed over 300,000 new permanent residents in 2022.

So far this year Canada has welcomed 40,785 immigrants through Express Entry. It is possible that if immigration continues at its current speed, Canada could even exceed the 2022 Immigration Levels Plan target of nearly 432,000.

To facilitate these numbers, IRCC has undertaken measures such as making the application process 100% digital as well as hiring an additional 1,250 new staff members.

Canada continues to push for more immigration as it tries to cope with a historically low unemployment rate as well as over one million job vacancies. The increased amount of retirement over the next decade, combined with a low birth rate, means Canada is not able to support the labour force or economy without immigration.

Changes coming in 2023

To better target gaps in the labour force, IRCC plans to make a major change to Express Entry in 2023. Most notably, these changes would give the department authority to issue ITAs to individuals with specific work experience, education, or language ability. It could be any candidate from groups they believe will be well-positioned to support Canadas economy and labour force. This will have an impact on the relevance of CRS scores in some instances and they may become less vital in some future draws.

In June, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser explained the rationale for this proposal while on stage at Collision, a technology conference, stating If we can project skills that are needed over the next 20 to 30 years, we can bring people who can hit the ground running and make a major economic impact.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the application management system for three Canadian immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in the Express Entry pool are already eligible for at least one of these programs.

Express Entry uses a points-based system, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), to rank candidates profiles. The top-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and can then apply for permanent residency.

After the candidate applies, an IRCC officer reviews the application and makes a decision. The officer will ask for biometrics and may set up an interview or request more documents. Once this is complete, if approved, the candidate is now a permanent resident of Canada and one step closer to becoming a Canadian citizen.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
IRCCs #ImmigrationMatters campaign highlights the benefits of immigration #WelcomingWeek2022 aims to educate Canadians and newcomers about the positive impact of immigration.

IRCCs #ImmigrationMatters campaign highlights the benefits of immigration #WelcomingWeek2022 aims to educate Canadians and newcomers about the positive impact of immigration.

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Since 2018 Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been running its immigration matters campaign as part of IRCCs efforts to raise awareness of the benefits of immigration about all the ways immigration enriches Canada.

Also called #WelcomingWeek2022, IRCC runs this campaign both to educate Canadians on why immigration is so important, as well as make potential newcomers aware of all they have to gain by immigrating. The campaign features community events, as well as a website that shares immigration success stories, information on how the immigration system works and ways that Canadians can get involved with immigration initiatives in their communities.

In recent years, Canada has been inviting an increasing number of immigrants into the country and is on track to welcome nearly 432,000 new permanent residents by the end of 2022. Immigration is key to maintaining Canadas labour force and supporting the economy, as well as creating diverse and strong communities.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

Immigrants choose Canada

Newcomers to Canada choose to stay because of the countrys economic opportunities and stability. The result is an 85% retention rate of permanent residents in Canada. According to the campaign data, most immigrants make the same as a natural-born Canadian within 12 years of arrival. However, it often does not take that long for skilled workers who already have some Canadian work experience, such as those who immigrate through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or another Express Entry program.

Canada also has a history of opening up to refugees in times of crisis. UNHCR reports that Canada has settled over 700,000 refugees since 1959. This is ongoing even today as Canada invites refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan. Over 80,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Canada since the start of the conflict under the Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET). This allows Ukrainians to obtain temporary resident status visas. Canada has also seen record numbers of immigrants from Afghanistan. In the first half of 2022, 11,415 Afghans arrived, making them the fourth biggest source of immigrants for the year so far.

Why does Canada need immigrants?

Canada works hard to attract the best global talent possible in large part because the population is aging. By 2030, over nine million Canadians, baby boomers, will have reached the retirement age of 65. There are not enough new Canadians being born to make up for these numbers and Canada has a low birth rate of only 1.4 children per woman. This being the case, Canada relies heavily on immigration to fill gaps in the workforce.

There are presently over a million job vacancies in Canada and a historically low unemployment rate of 4.9%. This has led to shortages in several important sectors throughout the country. For example, the most recent data from Statistics Canada highlights that the health care and social assistance sector is experiencing a job vacancy rate of over 6%, or 147,500 unfilled positions.

Immigration plays a huge part in filling vacancies in the health sector. Data from the 2016 census says, one in four healthcare workers is an immigrant. In fact, 23% of registered nurses and 36% of physicians in Canada are immigrants. They make up a substantial percentage of other healthcare occupations as well:

35% of nurse aides and related occupations

37% of pharmacists

39% of dentists

54% of dental technologists and related occupations

Furthermore, immigrants account for 33% of all business owners with paid staff in industries such as construction, professional services, health care and retail trade. There are more than 600,000 self-employed immigrants across the country, and over 260,000 of them have paid employees.

Most newcomers are skilled immigrants

To keep growing Canadas population growing at a sustainable rate, that also supports the labour force and economy, each year the government creates an Immigration Levels Plan with projections for at least three years in the future. The present plan has new immigrants amounting to 1.14% of the Canadian population by 2024. The plan also cites a long-term focus on economic growth by admitting nearly 60% of all immigrants from the economic class.

The majority of immigrants who come to Canada do so as economic class immigrants. They are newcomers with in-demand skills that they can use to contribute to Canadas workforce and economy.

Nearly 138,000 of all new immigrants so far in 2022 have been economic class. This is important because as more Canadians retire, there will be fewer Canadians paying income tax and therefore less money available to support federal and provincial expenses such as infrastructure, pensions, and healthcare systems. Economic immigrants are often younger and will have most of their working years ahead of them when they arrive in Canada.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
To favour minister Malla Reddys hospitals in Quthbullapur area, the state government shifted TIMS hospital to Alwal, Sanjay (in picture) alleged.  DC File Image

HYDERABAD: BJP state president and MP Bandi Sanjay said on Tuesday that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is fearful of the likely arrest of him, his minister son K.T. Rama Rao and daughter MLC K. Kavitha if he dissolves the Assembly.

The Chief Minister is also shivering over a possibility that he would be made to cough up his ill-gotten wealth, Sanjay said, adding, KCR changed his plan to dissolve the Assembly after he met Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who advised him against it, the BJP leader said.

The BJP state president announced that the BJP, when it formed a government in TS, would construct houses for all needy families. He said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar ignored all his poll promises including the 2BHK houses for the poor. Numerous people turned homeless due to the negligence of the TRS government in the housing schemes," he alleged.

The Praja Sangrama Yatra of Bandi Sanjay continued through Qutubullapur and Kukatpally Assembly constituencies here on Tuesday. Sanjay addressed public gatherings and the media during the journey.

Residents of various colonies submitted memorandums to Sanjay. He assured them to find solutions to their problems.

Padayatra in-charge Manohar Reddy, co-incharge Veerender Goud, former MP Chada Suresh, former MLA KS Goud and others accompanied him.

Reacting to the VRAs agitation, Bandi Sanjay said the TRS government behaved with them in an inhuman manner. He extended the BJPs support to the agitating VRAs. Around 30 VRAs died recently, but the CM failed to respond to the issues they raised. VRAs only demanded the fulfilment of the promises KCR had made to them in the past, he said.

The BJP state president announced that the BJP, when it formed a government in TS, would construct houses for all needy families. He said the CM ignored all his poll promises including the 2BHK houses for the poor. Numerous people turned homeless due to the negligence of the TRS government in the housing schemes," he alleged.

Around a lakh of people had applied for the 2BHK houses in Quthbullapur constituency, but the state government promised to sanction only 13,000 houses, he said.

The work on at least 3,000 of these houses was not yet completed, he said.

Bandi Sanjay dared TRS MLAs, MLCs to declare how many 2BHK houses were completed and handed over to the people. If TRS MLAs have guts, they should question the CM over his ignored poll promises, he said.

KCR and his daughter Kavitha had promised people to set up bus depots in Qutubullapur and Jagadgirigutta but ignored the promise, he said.

Sanjay said BJP was holding the Praja Sangrama Yatra to resolve the problems of the people. There are no proper roads, drainage systems in Hyderabad city, but municipal minister Rama Rao is making false propaganda over civic amenities," he said.

To favour minister Malla Reddys hospitals in Quthbullapur area, the state government shifted TIMS hospital to Alwal, he alleged, and added that the Mana Basti-Mana Badi programme did not yield results and all government schools were facing a lot of problems.

The BJP state president alleged that TRS leaders encroached nalas, water tanks and the lands of the Jagadgirigutta Venkateshwara Swamy temple. Municipal minister Rama Rao assured the people safe drinking water under Mission Bhagiratha scheme, but the people are forced to drink contaminated water, he said and dared the municipal minister to visit the colonies in Hyderabad to know the ground reality.
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Becoming locally-led is an integral part of being an anti-racist organisation, aid charities were told at a conference this week.

Lena Bheeroo, engagement and equity manager at Bond, said it was important to recognise the interconnectivity between anti-racism, decolonisation, and shifting power; and being locally-led.

Locally led development means initiatives owned and led by people in their own context.

Bond and its international development charity members have developed a guide, looking at what behaviours and practices need to change if organisations are to become locally-led in each area of the organisation's work, which is soon to be published.

The framework is a way to show those complexities and interconnectivity, with anti-racism fundamentally underpinning this.

It is overwhelming because the problem is huge, said Bheeroo at the organisations conference, noting it is also the fabric of the sector.

Nonetheless, she said she had seen a lot of openness to recognising that these interconnections are necessary and we need to understand them.

Angela Zamaere Smith, programmes director at All We Can said organisations were compelled to be locally-led as it is the only way forward.

She added that being locally-led is an anti-racist practice, and the sector cannot talk about one without the other.

INGOs must dismantle the current system of development

Moses Isooba, the executive director of the Uganda National NGO Forum, said becoming locally-led is critically important and the current interest is very welcome  but long overdue.

He said the sector must dismantle the current system of development. Part of this means making a departure from poverty porn and white saviourism.

Isooba said this had become the rule of thumb and needed to stop. Moreover, mistrust must be changed as should the continuous lack of appetite for supporting overhead costs.

He also argued for a departure from development language, stating we need to decolonise aid.

Locally-led development is a response to shifting the power, though not to be used interchangeably, he added.

Other areas of focus should be on deconstructing the country office model, which is akin to colonial outputs and addressing pay inequality, the executive director said.

Ultimately, Isooba said those closest to the problem will have the solution and INGOS must make these changes.

He said there were three options. First, an INGO can transform, taking on these changes, or die well. He said INGOs must work not to die badly.

The current system has failed and the structures are pathologically ill, Isooba told delegates.

Listen to critical friends

Charlotte Timson, chief executive of Traidcraft Exchange, spoke about how the organisation began to put the principles of shifting power in its organisational strategy, two years ago.

She said every single part of the organisation is affected, and spoke of the importance of listening to critical friends.

Timson said the organisation made a mistake initially in not connecting anti-racism and shifting power, and have since realised we need to look much more specifically at the legacy of colonialism.

Therefore, it is now aiming to put decolonisation in its organisational purpose and mission.

Traidcraft is also looking internally, to decolonise structures and decision making. Do we mirror internally what we want to achieve externally? she reflected.

Timson said the process has been challenging, adding it is not easy to unlearn a way of working and does require resilience. She spoke of being mindful about how changes can affect staff and being people centred.

When an organisation commits to shift power it is not necessarily ready to do that or staff are not ready, so organisational preparedness is key, she continued.

The organisation has had to restructure, and has incorporated lived experience into its staff makeup. It has focused on becoming less UK centric and several trustees have decided they need to step down to create space.

Another key area the organisation has been focusing on is funding. Timson said it recognises the need to do more to support local wealth creation and to move away from a restrictive funding model.

The organisation now will not work with some donors, and will prioritise quality of income  it expects to reduce income, but thinks flexible funding will work better.

She said we recognise we will probably end up with less money but we believe we will have a bigger impact as the resource can go directly to partners.
In an interview last fall, journalism scholar Jay Rosen referred to journalistic objectivity as the surface upon which enemies of the press wield their war against the truth. Every time you are shown not to be behaving objectively, you are kind of in violation of your code, and you can be brought down because youre not perfectly objective, Rosen said. And thats a big attack surface, which the right wing has used very effectively to generate distrust in the news media. As the right-wing war on the press has intensified, many journalists and scholars have continued to reevaluate the purpose and utility of objectivity in the newsroom.

On Tuesday, a group of journalists took up the matter at The Objectivity Wars, a panel discussion cohosted by Columbia Universitys Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights and CJR and moderated by Kyle Pope, CJRs editor in chief. The discussion, which took place before a live audience at the Columbia Journalism School and was also streamed online, marks the schools first public event under its new dean, Jelani Cobb.

Wesley Lowery, a former Washington Post reporter who has urged journalists to replace the appearance of objectivity as the aspirational journalistic standard with being fair and telling the truth, as best as one can, based on the given context and available facts, pointed out that most journalistic processes are inherently subjective. What we know is that the act of journalism, no matter how much we fetishize the idea of objectivity, requires a series or pyramid of subjective decision-making, Lowery said.

Several panelists noted that Donald Trumps presidency had aggravated this fetishization tendency, generating an acute anxiety about objectivity in newsrooms. Throughout his presidency, journalists wrestled with the core tenets of objectivity, balance, and fairness, often suppressing their moral apprehensions toward the Trump administration in an effort to appear legitimate by virtue of neutrality. Commenting on the tepid coverage of Trumps xenophobic tweets targeting four congresswomen in 2019, Lowery argued that a less rigidly objective press wouldve called Trumps behavior out for what it was. It was racist, he said. And yet most of our news organizations refused to describe it as such.

This holding of the tongue that objectivity demands can be especially detrimental to journalists belonging to marginalized communities. Objectivity, to me, has been a silencing force, said Lewis Raven Wallace, a journalist who is transgender and whose book The View from Somewhere concerns objectivitys detrimental impacts and details historical acts of journalism that reveal objectivitys constraints.

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Objectivity also works against meaningful diversity and inclusion efforts, Lowery and Wallace both noted, holding news organizations back from reshaping historically white power structures. Such newsrooms, Wallace argued, are spaces of concentrated power and resources that white people run and make editorial decisions in, and should embrace lessons on subjectivity from advocacy journalism and grassroots news organizations, bypassing the objectivity roadblock to instead work for and with marginalized and oppressed peoples.

David Greenberg, history and journalism professor at Rutgers University, pushed back on some of these ideas, arguing that objectivity standards within legacy news organizations are essential to the health of the overall media landscape. Greenberg envisions a future in which both traditional journalism and advocacy journalism continue to exist in tandem, with the former abiding by its historical notions of objectivity and the latter more freewheeling. The strength of the American system over the past hundred years is that weve had both those models in play: legacy and advocacy, he said.

A loss of objectivity within traditional news organizations, Greenberg suggested, could result in a loss in confidence in the pressa shift that Andie Tucher, professor at Columbia Journalism School, worried might also be a boon for bad-faith partisan media outlets or fake-news entities. Throughout the early twentieth century, Tucher noted, American journalism was rife with false, partisan information; objectivity became the standard in order to stamp out fake news. Without objective reporting to counteract the proliferation of fake news, Tucher suggested, that dynamic might be at risk of reversing. And if we cant count on outlets like the Associated Press and Reuters for objective, albeit sterile, information, Greenberg asked at one point, then who can we count on?

But most people dont count on legacy media anymore, Wallace pointed out. Trust in the media is at an all-time low. Objectivity simply isnt getting the job done.

So what might be the solution?

If were going to have an ideal, then moral clarity is a much better ideal for journalism than objectivity, Masha Gessen, a writer for The New Yorker, said, referencing a guiding principle that Lowery has also suggested on numerous occasions.

Gessen appealed for a reconsideration of objectivity as a guiding principle in journalism, calling back to the muckrakers of the early twentieth century to reinforce the point. Its not a coincidence that the most important journalistic work of that era was accomplished by utterly unobjective reporters from underrepresented communities; perhaps its time to return to our muckraking roots, Gessen implied.

Ida Tarbell has a space in the journalism of our moment, Gessen said. Ida B. Wells has a space in the journalism of our moment.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Emily Ann Russell is a CJR fellow.
In the weeks leading up to Missouris Republican US Senate primary in early August, a closely watched question hung over media coverage of the race: Who would Donald Trump endorse? Axios called it one of several big tests for Trumps influence in the party; CNN listed it as one of three questions that would shape whether Missouri would be in play come fall; a local TV station referred to it as the needed edge to pull off a win in this primary, according to many. In early July, Trump made it known that he would not be backing Vicky Hartzler in the race (a blow to her candidacy, various outlets reported, even if she would press on through the resultant headwinds), narrowing media endorsement chatter to two candidates: Eric Schmitt, Missouris attorney general, and Eric Greitens, the states disgraced former governor. Domestic-abuse allegations against Greitensand his declining poll numbersput Schmitt in an enviable position for the endorsement, Politico reported, but Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former Fox host turned Greitens staffer (and partner of Don Jr.), was still lobbying Trump to pick her guy. Trump himself seemed to revel in the attention, telling the far-right One America News Network, They say whoever I endorse in Missouri is going to win.

Late on the day before the primary, Trump put an end to the suspense by endorsing ERIC. A last name was not forthcoming, leading confused media outlets to note that there were two Erics in the race and that Trumps endorsement could refer to either one. (Actually, this was fake news: there were three Erics in the race.) Apparently, the confusion was intentional, with Trump opting against making a firm decision after weighing polling in the race and hearing contrasting entreaties from different people in his orbit. Politico reported that, in the hours leading up to his ERIC announcement, Trump went in on the details, asking if the two candidates first names were spelled identicallynoting that it wouldnt work if they werent.

ICYMI: The threats facing student journalism

The furor over Trumps Missouri pick was the farcical nadir of a much longer-running media fixation that shaped coverage of primary season: the idea that Trumps endorsements were the factor to watch in Republican races, and that his batting average would speak authoritatively to his present political strength. I wrote, after this narrative first emerged, that treating the success or failure of individual Trump-endorsed candidates as a neat proxy for his broader standing was a bad idea for several reasons, including the facts that disparate local races are hard to cleanly lump together and that Trump could simply game the medias endorsement framing by strategically backing front-runners, then basking in whatever glory they reflected back onto him. Ultimately, the endorsement obsession seemed likely to induce confusing narrative whiplash, and so it proved. The result of the Senate primary in Ohio in May was A Trump Win. The results of primaries in Georgia in June were a string of embarrassing rebukes. The results of primaries in Wyoming and Alaska in August demonstrated the enduring strength of Trump. And so on.

As the primary calendar drew to a closeit ended yesterday, unless youre a pedant or from Louisianacoverage of Trumps endorsements persisted; in recent days, major outlets have tallied his overall success rate, and there was some media anticipation as to whether Trump would make a last-minute intervention in what was billed as the final big race of the cycle, the Republican US Senate primary in New Hampshire. The latter, though, sometimes seemed to lack energy. The New York Times assessed, for example, that while a Trump endorsement might still influence the race, its impact has diminished with each passing day, before wearily noting Trumps cycle-long strategy of waiting for a front-runner to emerge, letting him run up his win-loss record and boast of his political influence. (In the end, Trump didnt endorse, obviously because the leading candidates had different first names.)

At least as Ive observed things, this mirrors a broader waning of media interest in the Trump-endorsement story line, at least compared with its earlier saturation point. That might reflect that it ultimately offered the press no single, simple narrative to take away (I did try to warn you), but it also likely reflects the emergence of much bigger Trump stories in the meantime, not least the January 6 hearings over the summer and the subsequent FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. These stories are legitimately much more important than the endorsement one. Theyve also provided political reporters with the opportunity to pivot to fresheryet still hugely oversimplifiedproxies for Trumps political strength. (Down, we were told, after the damaging January 6 revelations; up, we were told, as Republicans rallied around him in outrage after the Mar-a-Lago search.)

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As the primary calendar advanced, these seismic stories fed into broader narratives around the midterms, while different, narrower midterm narratives took hold, too, with varying degrees of usefulness for the civic conversation. One prominent example has been the story of the Democratic Party meddling to boost extreme anti-democracy candidates in tight Republican primariesthe idea being that theyd be easier to beat in the fall, and the form, often, being ad campaigns that criticized the given candidates but in language (too conservative) likely to appeal to Republican primary voters. The trend prompted a great deal of coverage as well as chatter on cable news, often coming up in anchors interviews with senior Democratic politicians. In many ways, this was fairbig money in politics always merits scrutiny, and its totally legitimate to interrogate the risks of such a strategy. Still, the story seemed to me, at least sometimes, to cross the line into overblown territory, recurring as an easy both sides cudgel that reporters and pundits could use to beat Democrats for hypocrisy. Ultimately, Democrats werent the ones holding or voting for the extreme anti-democracy positions, which always mattered most here. And the implied dichotomy in some of this coveragebetween anti-democratic extremists and a rump of pro-democracy GOP moderatesalways demanded interrogation, too.

The intersection of the midterms and a much bigger story, abortion, has also been interesting to behold: the latter exploded into the news cycle in early May, when Politico published the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, then again in late June, when the decision was confirmed, with no little of the voluminous coverage assessing how the ruling might alter the midterm landscape. At least to my mind, though, the latter genre of coverage often seemed to downplay just how restructuring a development the overturning of Roe was likely to be in American politicsat least until early August, when, on the same day the Erics fought it out in Missouri, voters in Kansas overwhelmingly opted to protect abortion access in a ballot initiative that only really blew up as a major national story after the result came in. (Politico: Roe jolts the midterms; The New Republic: Kansas Voters Just Rewrote the Script for the Midterm Elections.) The Kansas result drove the greatest spike in discussions about abortion on cable news since Roe was overturned; those have since ticked down again, but Kansas, to my mind, wired abortion into the midterms news cycle more durably than it was before.

Of course, the electoral horse race is not the most important prism when it comes to covering reproductive rights. Ever since the leaked Roe opinion, theres been some great coverage of its immediate consequences across the country. Weve also seen some good coverage of other policy areas that feed into the midterms story. Still, as November has neared, a horserace framing has persisted and intensified across swaths of major media. The midterms, of course, are elections, and elections set policy, so its not inappropriate to cover who looks likely to win them, especially when they get close. Rather, when media watchers (myself included) criticize horserace journalism, its a criticism of proportion (the fact that such coverage can drown out everything else, including scrutiny of candidates policy stances) and framing (the boiling down of weighty matters, like the Mar-a-Lago search, to shallow questions of political advantage and strength).

As I wrote at the time, Bidens recent speech warning of extreme Republican threats to the future of American democracy was another recent example of a story that got distorted by a widespread media focus on horserace optics. That was particularly concerning because the state of democracy always should have been the overarching story line of this midterm cycle: after all, it underpins the basic fairness of the horserace, as well as the contours of every aspect of public policy. When Molly Jong-Fast, of The Atlantic, asked media-watchers (myself included) to offer midterm tips to the political press back in March, all of her interlocutors advised focusing first on anti-democratic threats; the academic Jay Rosen argued that the media should redraw the baseline for election-year conflict, moving past Democrats vs. Republicans in a familiar battle for control of government to a more urgent contest: those from both parties who still abide by the norms of American democracy vs. those who have demonstrated they do not. A full primary calendar later, its hard to conclude that this happened in a consistent way. Weve seen some very good coverage of election deniers maneuvering themselves closer to positions of immense political power. Weve also seen reams of coverage that has treated 2022 as a normal election year, including by framing election denialism through a prism of savvy politics, rather than clear threat.

The media obsession over Trumps endorsements was a prime example of coverage that put horserace considerations ahead of deeper questions about candidates actual stances. When I wrote about it earlier in the cycle, I noted another reason that endorsements were a limiting prism: their failure to account for the success of candidates who didnt win Trumps explicit backing, but nonetheless won on a Trumpian platform, not least around election denialism. In the run-up to the ERICS endorsement, both Greitens and Schmitt sought to cast themselves as reliably pro-Trump, including in their support for the former presidents lies about the 2020 election.

In the end, Schmitt won in Missouri. By FiveThirtyEights recent count, he is now one of 199 full election deniers running in a major race this fall; in all, 60 percent of Americans will have an election denier on the ballot when they go to vote. Now that the primaries are over, its not too late to pivot wholeheartedly to center the threat this poses. But its getting that way.

Below, more on the midterms:

Cover climate now: The editors of Covering Climate Now, a climate-reporting initiative founded by CJR and The Nation, wrote last week that the midterms are a climate story, too, and that the press should remember that in its coverage. It is not unprofessional editorializing for news coverage to make clear the implications these elections hold for civilizations futureit is factually accurate, the editors wrote. Nor is it partisan to make clear that one of the USs two main political parties has for decades refused to acknowledge the climate crisis, much less offer credible proposals for combating it. That, too, is simply factually accurate. Ultimately, voters deserve to know where candidates stand on this life-and-death issue, and they need journalists help to do it.

The editors of Covering Climate Now, a climate-reporting initiative founded by CJR and The Nation, wrote last week that the midterms are a climate story, too, and that the press should remember that in its coverage. It is not unprofessional editorializing for news coverage to make clear the implications these elections hold for civilizations futureit is factually accurate, the editors wrote. Nor is it partisan to make clear that one of the USs two main political parties has for decades refused to acknowledge the climate crisis, much less offer credible proposals for combating it. That, too, is simply factually accurate. Ultimately, voters deserve to know where candidates stand on this life-and-death issue, and they need journalists help to do it. Threats to democracy: Aliyya Swaby and Annie Waldman, of ProPublica, took a deep dive into a very old effort to stop certain Americans from voting: restrictions that affect those who struggle to read. For all of the recent uproar over voting rights, little attention has been paid to one of the most sustained and brazen suppression campaigns in America, Swaby and Waldman write, noting that more than a fifth of the adult US population struggles to read. Some states have required voters who needed help to sign an affidavit explaining why they need assistance; some have prevented voters who couldnt read from bringing sample ballots to the polls and limited the number of voters that a volunteer could help read a ballot. Time and again, federal courts have struck down such restrictions as illegal and unconstitutional. Inevitably, states just create more.

Aliyya Swaby and Annie Waldman, of ProPublica, took a deep dive into a very old effort to stop certain Americans from voting: restrictions that affect those who struggle to read. For all of the recent uproar over voting rights, little attention has been paid to one of the most sustained and brazen suppression campaigns in America, Swaby and Waldman write, noting that more than a fifth of the adult US population struggles to read. Some states have required voters who needed help to sign an affidavit explaining why they need assistance; some have prevented voters who couldnt read from bringing sample ballots to the polls and limited the number of voters that a volunteer could help read a ballot. Time and again, federal courts have struck down such restrictions as illegal and unconstitutional. Inevitably, states just create more. Poll position: Nate Cohn, the elections-data maven at the Times, issued a warning this week around horserace polling that seems to show Democrats in a strong position in certain midterm Senate races compared with others, noting that Democratic candidates are outrunning expectations in places, like Wisconsin, where polls also overestimated support for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. Nothing, obviously, is set in stone yet, but if the polls are wrong yet again, it will not be hard to explain, Cohn wrote. Most pollsters havent made significant methodological changes since the last election. The major polling community post-mortem declared that it was impossible to definitively ascertain what went wrong in the 2020 election.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The killing of Jeff German

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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.
Officials in three southeastern Indiana counties have declared local disasters following flash flooding last weekend that killed one woman and damaged numerous homes and roads.

Staffers with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security will now visit Ohio, Jefferson and Switzerland counties this week to assess the scope of flood damage there, said Anna Shei, a spokeswoman for the state agency.

Based on their findings, Gov. Eric Holcomb will decide whether to issue state disaster declarations for the counties and whether to seek funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Shei said.

Torrential rains fell on the counties Saturday night, turning normally small creeks into raging torrents after perhaps eight inches of rain fell in a short period of time, officials said.

The Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency said one woman died, two homes were destroyed and more than 20 buildings were damaged by floodwaters around the rural community of Manville.

Jefferson County officials closed at least two flood-damaged bridges indefinitely in the area about midway between Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, while the state highway department closed a bridge for Indiana 250 in Switzerland County for repairs.

Tara Flint said the deluge forced her and her family out of their home, sending them fleeing to a hill in their backyard where they watched floodwaters take their home and barn and other property.

It was just surreal to see that, Flint told WXIX-TV.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The minister said the Centre owed TS Rs 1,05,812 crore in the form of pending funds, grants and compensation in the last eight years.  DC Image

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has suffered a loss of Rs.15,033 crore the current fiscal (2022-23) as the Centre imposed restrictions on loans for the state under the FRBM Act, finance minister Harish Rao informed the state assembly on Tuesday.

Participating in a short discussion on the Centres dual policy vis-a-vis implementation of the FRBM Act and its impact on the states progress, the minister said the Centre owed TS Rs 1,05,812 crore in the form of pending funds, grants and compensation in the last eight years.

The Telangana government can clear one-third of its total debt of Rs 3.29 lakh crore if the Centre pays these dues to us. Let alone clearing debts, we would not even be required to seek fresh loans if the Centre released these funds to us," Rao said.

Accusing the Centre of unilaterally imposing restrictions on loans, he said, "The Telangana government is eligible to obtain loans of Rs 53,970 crore (3.5% of the GSDP) the current fiscal 2022-23 as per the FRBM Act through market borrowings. The union finance ministry recently communicated to TS that the NBC (net borrowing ceiling) for the state has been fixed at Rs 42,428 crore. If the restrictions on off-budget borrowings are also taken into account, the total loss for Telangana will be Rs 15,033 crore."

This apart, TS lost another Rs 6,104 crore for its refusal to implement power reforms which burden the farmers and the poorer sections, he said, adding that the Centre offered to increase the 0.5% FRBM loan limit to only the states that implement power reforms. If this loss is also taken into account, the overall loss to Telangana on account of the Centre's restrictions will increase to Rs 17,336 crore, the finance minister said.

The Centre wants states to be 'financially weak'. Without consulting the high-powered inter-governmental committee consisting of representatives of the Centre and states, the central government applied the modified FRBM norms only to states and that too with retrospective effect. And, the same was not made applicable to the Centre. This weakens the states financially, Rao said.

He said the Centre unilaterally decided to consider off-budget loans obtained through corporations and PSUs as state government's debt if these loans are repaid from the state budget. The Centre also ignored the 15th Finance Commissions recommendations to release Rs 6,268 crore to Telangana under various heads based on its performance, Rao said.

Through GST implementation, PM Modi promised to increase the tax share of states from 32 to 42 per cent. In reality, by imposing more cesses, the Centre reduced the tax component to the state. While the Centre was earning around 22.26 per cent of its revenue through cesses and surcharges, the states are losing their revenue and ending up with only 29.6 per cent share in the taxes they are getting from the Centre, he said.

Rao said the state spent the borrowings on capital expenditure and created assets. We took up irrigation projects like Kaleshwaram, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya etc which in turn created assets for the state, he said.

The finance minister said that as per the RBI report, Telanganas debt was ranked at 23rd among 28 states. In the last eight years, Telangana assumed top position in terms of increase in state-owned tax-revenue, it registering a 11.5 per cent growth.

Odisha came second with 9.7 per cent, followed by Haryana with 9.2 per cent growth in tax revenue. Similarly, Telanganas contribution to GDP increased from 4 per cent to 4.9 per cent in the last eight years, despite it having just 2.9 per cent of nations population.
Hyderabad: The ruling party ministers and MLAs will make a beeline to bypoll bound Munugode Assembly constituency to launch development programmes.

The TRS asked them to start touring Munugode till the bypoll is over. Animal husbandry minister T. Srinivas Yadav visited Munugode with energy minister G. Jagadish Reddy to distribute fishlings.

Yadav will distribute sheep units to Kuruma/ Yadava communities next week with an aim to lure voters from the Backward Classes, who comprise a sizable population in the Munugode Assembly segment. Until the byelection, programmes involving ministers from Transport, Health, Education, Roads, and Buildings have been planned.

While nearly 25,000 applications were received from across the state for the second phase of the sheep distribution scheme, nearly 5,500 were received from Munugode alone. The state government, it is learnt, has decided to sanction sheep units to Munugodu first on a priority basis.

TRS supremo and Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar held a meeting with few ministers and party leaders at Pragathi Bhavan on Wednesday to discuss Munugode bypoll and the strategy to be adopted to win the election in the wake of reports that the Election Commission of India might issue bypoll notification by this month end and the polling will be held in the last week of October or first week of November.

Party sources said the CM directed ministers and MLAs to tour Munugode more extensively after the conclusion of Telangana Integration Day celebrations in all the districts from September 16 to 18. He said each MLA should take the responsibility of two villages, camp there and meet voters until the bypoll is held. He asked ministers to take the responsibility of each mandal and each municipality in the constituency and work in coordination with MLAs.

Health minister T.Harish Rao will visit to inaugurated newly-constructed hospital in the constituency which has been pending for nearly three years now due to political reasons such as the constituency was represented by Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, who now quit the party to join the BJP forcing the bypoll. Harish Rao will also lay the foundation for the construction of new Primary Health Care centres (PHCs) in the constituency.

Roads and Buildings minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy and Panchayat Raj minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao will visit the constituency to launch road works in municipalities and gram panchayats. Transport minister Puvvada Ajay, education minister Sabitha Indra Reddy will also visit constituencies to launch development programmes of their respective departments like setting up of bus stands, schools and colleges.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharamans outburst at a meeting in New Delhi about the poor investment by Indian companies is one of rare occasions where the Narendra Modi government has acknowledged pain points in the Indian economy.

It is the first time since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 that a senior minister has said that the Indian industry was complaining that the environment for investment is not conducive. This observation paints a grim picture of the Indian economy under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, which came to power in 2014 by criticising its predecessor  the Manmohan Singh government  of causing policy paralysis which affected the investment climate in the country.

The finance minister spoke of foreign companies, which are moving out of China, want to come to India because of the governments policies and wondered why domestic companies did not increase their capital investment, which could have created more jobs.

As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), capital expenditure on new projects during April-June 2022 was Rs 4.28 lakh crores, which nearly half of Rs 8.18 lakh crores in the preceding quarter of January and March. Capital expenditure during October-December 2021 quarter was Rs 4.01 lakh crores and it was Rs 3.39 lakh crores July-September 2021 quarter.

The divergent attitudes of the domestic and foreign companies was always evident because foreign companies  as the finance minister rightly said  were looking for low-cost manufacturing to reduce their dependence on China. So the prime focus of such companies was the global market. Most Indian companies, on the other hand, primarily focus on tapping the domestic market. If the economic growth in the country is wavering or if major calamities like the Covid pandemic affect peoples purchasing power, it will impact the demand in the domestic market, raising red flags for Indian companies.

The finance minister referred to foreign portfolio investors investing in stock markets. While the government could claim that a soaring Sensex means a booming economy, nothing could be farther from the truth because the BSE Sensex reflects the performance of merely 30 companies. Even at the broader stock exchange level, the BSE is about the performance of 3,611 companies, leaving out lakhs of micro, small and medium enterprises. The stock markets, therefore, need not necessarily be a gauge for peoples economic prosperity or otherwise.

Referring to reports that MSMEs have not received their dues to the tune of Rs 10 lakh crores, the finance minister merely said that not all the payments were due from the government but corporates owe a considerable amount to small businesses. If the amount of pending dues is true, the government should find out why major companies are delaying the clearance of such dues. If an amount as big as Rs 10 lakh crores is infused into the countrys economic system, it will work as a major stimulus. So why is the government keeping mum? What is the reason for such inaction? Only madam finance minister can answer this question.
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The Mount Emily Shay No. 1 locomotive has a new home at the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation. Around 115 engines like this still exist today, though not all are operational.
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Why Chinese electric cars so popular in Israel?

09:56, September 14, 2022 By Wang Zhuolun ( Xinhua

JERUSALEM, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Geometry C electric car produced by China's automaker Geely Auto Group became the best-selling vehicle model in Israel in August, marking the first time that an electric car (EV) led the monthly list of all vehicle models sold in the country, according to figures recently released by the Israel Vehicle Importers Association (I-via).

This came as no surprise. With posh looks, reasonable pricing, and low energy consumption, Geometry C achieved almost 22 percent market share in Israel's EV market in the first half of 2022 and was also nominated by Auto, Israel's major car magazine, as the winner in the "Best Buy of the Year" category.

"The car can travel as far as 460 km on one charge, equivalent to the length of Israel, the longest of any electric vehicle in the country," Jerusalem Post reported when the Chinese EV model was about to enter Israel in July 2021.

A total of 10,460 new EVs had been reportedly delivered to customers in Israel as of late July, 70 percent higher than the same period of the previous year, among which, the best-selling were still Geometry C.

The impressive performance of the model is the epitome of the strong momentum of at least 10 Chinese EV brands in the Israeli market, including Hongqi, BYD, Weilai, Skyworth, and the Great Wall.

As a relatively small territory with a dense population, Israel is believed to have considerable potential for embracing EVs.

Israel has its own "sources of natural gas, relatively low electricity prices, and high fuel prices that can push the market to adopt EVs based on electricity produced from natural gas," said Israeli economic analyst Michal Reut-Gelbart, noting that the battery prices of EVs have dropped by 70 percent in the country during the last seven years.

Israel is also known as a country that tends to adopt technology and innovation, which could help with the transition to electric transportation, added Reut-Gelbart, who is also a former official at the budget division of the Israeli Ministry of Finance.

Interest in electric cars has spiked in Israel since Tesla's entering into its market in February 2021. Other EV models, especially those made by Chinese auto manufacturers, soon made great strides.

In 2019, there were only 12 models of EVs in Israel; while now the number of options for Israeli consumers has doubled with diverse brands and prices.

Like many others, the Israeli government has carried out policies to encourage the public to use EVs, hoping to lower costs and significantly decrease emissions.

In October 2021, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced that Israel had set a goal of net zero emissions by 2050. A plan drawn up by the Israeli Ministry of Energy pledges that from 2030, Israel will completely ban the import of gasoline and diesel vehicles, and the import of cars will be limited to electric or natural gas vehicles.

Tome Hadar, the automotive editor for Calcalist, Israel's largest financial newspaper, told Xinhua that taxation also explains why EVs are with huge potential in Israel.

"Currently in the Israeli market, buyers of electric cars are enjoying a 10-percent purchase tax, which is much lower than the tax for regular gas cars that gets up to as high as 83 percent," he said.

Recently, Chinese Leapmotor's T03 EV made Israel its first export destination, adding itself to the Chinese EVs running in the Israeli streets.

"China remains the leading global player in the battery industry," said a report published by The Institute for National Security Studies of Israel, noting that China's "breakthrough technologies for rapid charging and improved energy density could contribute a great deal" to the industry.

"Today over 76 percent of global production originates in China, and thus far, the West is unable to close the gap," the report added.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
(Posted Sept. 14, 2022)

By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor

Mount Sterling village council is considering legislation that would require general contractors doing business within village limits to register with the village.

The proposal calls for an annual registration fee of $75. The measure would allow the village to keep a list of contractors and track and prevent those who do poor work or who defraud customers from doing business in the village.

My main concern with this is storm chaserspeople who come in after hail, tornado, or a high wind event and take advantage of the most vulnerable people in our community, said council member Andy Drake, chair of councils zoning committee.

Should council approve the proposal, homeowners would be able to ask contractors if they are registered with the village or call the village to confirm their registration, Drake said.

He added that other municipalities in Madison County have registration requirements in place for general contractors. These business operators must register in each municipality that has such legislation on the books.

Mount Sterlings proposal was passed on first reading at councils Sept. 12 meeting. It will be up for a second reading at councils next regular meeting on Sept. 26.

Also up for a second reading on Sept. 26 is legislation that would establish building code compliance standards and a $40 permit fee for residential swimming pools. As new housing has come into the village over the last several years, the village is receiving inquiries from new residents about the standards, Drake said.

Mason Park

Environmental Engineering, a consulting firm out of Columbus, recently flew a drone over the Mason Park property to get a lay of the land. With input from councils parks and recreation committee and the community, the firm will put together a multi-year plan for improvements at the park.

Thanks to fundraisers and a $75,000 grant from the state capital budget, the village has approximately $100,000 to spend on a first phase of improvements. Becky Martin, chair of the parks and recreation committee, said the group hopes to nail down a list of projects for the first phase in the next few weeks.

Possibilities for improvements in the short- and long-term include memorial benches, a dog park, swings, a splash pad, a walking path that connects the village to the park, a concession stand with flushable restrooms, extension of the parking lot, and new or refurbished fencing. Martin said the committee welcomes other ideas from the public.

We have a lot of great ideas, but wed love more, she said.

The parks and recreation committees next meeting is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 5 in council chambers at town hall. The meeting is open to the public.

Water tower

Council held a second reading on a resolution authorizing Mayor Marci Darlington to apply for a loan through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to help cover the cost of a new water tower. The resolution will be up for a third reading and possible vote at councils next regular meeting.

Drake, chair of councils finance committee, emphasized that a loan isnt necessarily the way the village wants to go for funding the water tower. The resolution would just give the village the opportunity to do so.

Were going to look at all of the options in front of us, he said. My personal preference is to never borrow money.

The village plans to replace the current water tower, which is approximately 100 years old, with a new one with a capacity of 150,000 gallons. In April, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved a grant to cover 75 percent of the cost to erect a new tower. The estimated cost of the project is $1.37 million which means the grant would cover just over $1 million of the cost. The village is looking into options for covering its 25 percent share. Possibilities could include cash, other grants, a loan, or a combination thereof, Drake said.

The final engineering study for the project should be done sometime next year.

Stop signs and crosswalks

Council unanimously approved installation of stop signs at two intersections that currently do not have stop signsFriend and Market streets and Jefferson and Market streetsas well as one on the alley between the Tri-County Fire Department station and the Sunoco gas station, to take the intersection from a three-way stop to a four-way stop.

We had a lot of community input on this, Drake said about the sign placement.

This is one of many measures councils street committees are making to improve safety around town. Rebecca Brown, who lives outside the village limits but spends a lot of the time in the village for her childrens activities, had another suggestion. She said she would like to see crosswalks (paint, lights, and signage) in the main square in downtown Mount Sterling.

We have a very cute, quaint little town, but we get a lot of traffic, she said.

Drake said the street committee agrees with Brown and has discussed the need for crosswalk upgrades. He said the issue will be on the agenda at the committees next meeting set for 8 a.m. Oct. 5 in council chambers at town hall.
(Posted Sept. 14, 2022)

By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor

Take a trip back in time with the Madison County Historical Societys Pioneer Days. The festivities are set for 12-5 p.m. Sept. 24-25 at the museum grounds, 260 E. High St., London. Admission is free.

Well be giving residents a glimpse of what early Ohio life was like. Its a great opportunity for the public to come out and learn something about where they live, said J.T. Byrd, museum board president.

Each day, volunteers and other history buffs will conduct demonstrations including blacksmithing, rope making, leather working, wool spinning, sewing, the firing of flintlock muskets, and more. Members of the Kings American Regiment, a group of militia reenactors, will set up camp representing British soldiers of the late 18th century.

Some of the demonstrations are interactive. For example, visitors can try their hand at running the rope making machine. They also can try throwing a tomahawk at a wood block target. As for childrens games, young visitors can try playing naughts and crosses, a game that is similar to tic-tac-toe, nine pins which has similarities to bowling, or graces, a catch-and-throw game.

Music is on the schedule, too. The Springfield Dulcimer Club will perform from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday followed by the Silver Cornet Band at 3 p.m.

A few vendors will set up shop on the grounds throughout the weekend. One will be selling blacksmithed items and soap made with goats milk and lye as was done in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Another vendor will be selling baked goods. T&A Catering will be selling food.

All of the Historical Societys buildings will be open for tours, including the museum, the Jonathan Alder log cabin, the Elizabeth Kitchen log house, the one-room school house, the barn containing antique farm equipment, the blacksmith shop, and the caboose and train station.

Byrd said Pioneer Days is one of the many ways the Madison County Historical Society reaches out to the community to share information about the countys heritage.

It is an all-volunteer effort. We just want to teach history and what life was like back on the frontier of Ohio, he said.

For more information about the Madison County Historical Society, call (740) 852-2977 or visit Madison County Ohio Historical Society on Facebook.
Avant Theatres Sivagami captures a womans struggle to save her people

Avant Theatres upcoming production Sivagami throws light on one womans tale of ultimate sacrifice for her people. Adapted from Sivagamiyin Sabadam, the work of one of Indias most prolific Tamil poets is manifested through the medium of Bharatanatyam.

The character Sivagamis sufferings are seen as a personification of the plight of India during the freedom struggle. Photo courtesy: Avant Theatre

The specially abridged and transcreated production celebrates the richness of Indias cultural heritage, featuring the rule of Mahendra Pallava and Narasimha Pallava and their longstanding battle with the Chalukyas.

Sivagami is set to be performed at the Gateway Theatre in Singapore on September 16 and 17. Tickets are available online.

Sri Ganesh, who adapted and compressed Kalkis 1000-page epic novel into a 100-page musical script, said that he faced many challenges keeping the main storyline intact and establishing the necessary key characters.

The challenges in Kalkis works are manifold. Firstly, the extent of his research; then the level of his intertwining imagination with history which is often unrecognisable; thirdly, the way that he keeps breaking the fourth-wall, he told Connected to India.

Ganesh stated that Kalkis works humanised characters which history often put on a pedestal. He brought out the emotions and the feelings of the kings, queens and common citizens of 1,300 years ago and translated them for the modern age.

He added that though they tried to remain faithful to the source material, Sivagamis core theme highlights the way a woman has been used as a pawn in feuds between kings and how that woman defied them and used art - the only weapon at her disposal - to bring succour to her people.

Ganesh stated that Kalkis works humanised characters which history often put on a pedestal. Photo courtesy: Avant Theatre

History tells us that Mahendravarma Pallava lost the war to Chalukya king Pulikesi and his son Narasimhavarma Pallava avenged his fathers defeat after nine years. But the imagination of Kalki tied these events together with one woman - Sivagami - as the common thread. What if the wars were not just about usurping kingdoms? What if they happened because of a woman? Ganesh said.

Sivagamiyin Sabadam was written during the height of the Indian Independence movement; the character Sivagamis sufferings are seen as a personification of the plight of India's independence struggle and her ultimate release from Vatapi was equated to India attaining its freedom from the British rule in 1947, according to historians.

Over the past decade, Avant Theatre has staged more than 50 plays - mainly in Tamil and some in English - in Singapore, India and Malaysia. Recently, it has been promoting hybrid and collaborative productions, such as Marabu in 2019 with Bhaskars Arts Academy. It has also worked on different performances as part of its Kavicharal annual series, showcasing the works of Singapores literary giants (Uthuman Ghani, Se Ve Shanmugam etc.) through innovative methods such as poetic enaction, katha kalakshepam etc.

Sivagami could be termed as a Tamil play with three Bharatanatyam dance numbers with a high degree of collaboration with artistes and technicians from India, Malaysia and Singapore. Yes, the western world might want to call it a musical, said G Selva, director of the production. The collaborations were not just with theatre practitioners and technicians; but with three dance schools of Singapore  Bharathaanjali, Bhaskars Arts Academy and Kalpavriksha Fine Arts in producing the dance numbers.

Selva, one of the accomplished theatre directors of Singapore, has written, directed and acted in more than 80 plays in English and Tamil. He has created various genre of theatre performances for public viewing over the past 30 years in Singapore and in Australia.

Over the last 25 years of watching Tamil theatre in Singapore, I can say that the growth has been tremendous. From a lack of obvious support then from various parties  audience, government, private sector etc, it has moved to the establishment of different companies who focus on nurturing young and upcoming talent, he told Connected to India.

Avant itself runs several workshops every year in performance-making covering the entire gamut of a production  script writing, acting, technical production etc, which has become a breeding ground for budding talents; many of the graduates have moved on to perform well on stage and television.

Selva said it was a constant struggle to bring good theatre in Singapore, especially in Tamil.

"The support that one receives from the government and its agencies can take it to a particular level. To take it to the next level where the performers can become at least semi-professional needs sustained and generous support from the private sector and general public. With a limited audience pool, it takes great amount of passion to belt out good quality productions year after year. Having watched this space for the last quarter century both in India and Singapore, I can safely say that the quality of productions in Singapore are on par if not better in some areas. Thus, what is needed is more support which can take these works international to make the Singapore flag fly high, he said, signing off.

Read more Singapore News and Entertainment News here
Armenia's PM requested the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) allies to help as tensions with Baku threaten its borders. Yerevan said Azerbaijan is embarking on aggressive gestures in its territory.

Tension Escalates at Armenian Border

After provocations along the border with Azerbaijan flared up, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan convened an emergency security council meeting early on Tuesday to add extra defensive measures, reported RT.

In response to the aggressive behavior on the Republic of Armenia's territory, it was finally agreed to officially draw attention to the Russian Federation, the CSTO, as well as the UN Security Council to impose the terms of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance.

Following the national security meeting, the government in Yerevan made an announcement, note Hi India.

Armenia has not yet submitted formal appeals, and it is still unclear what kind of assistance from CSTO allies it seeks. A mutual protection pact comparable to the US-led NATO bloc comprised of six former Soviet republics, such as Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, is recognized as the CSTO.

Moscow and Yerevan also have a separate Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance, which applauded its commemoration on August 29.

Armenia PM Pashinyan had previous telephone calls about the "provoking, aggressive moves of the Azerbaijani military against the sovereign territory of Armenia" with Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The scenario along the boundaries stayed extremely tense as of 4:00 am on Tuesday, as indicated by the Armenian Defense Ministry, with continuing artillery and mortar fire from Baku as well as drone strikes supposedly attacking infrastructure, which is both military and civilian, citing the Good Word News.

Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Children: Does the Ukraine President Have Kids?

Baku asserted it was Yerevan, but the Baku defense military contended that saboteurs mined roads and infrastructure on the Azeri side of the border over the weekend, resulting in an undisclosed number of casualties.

Baku also dismissed as "falsified" reports of Azerbaijan's "military invasion" of territory, asserting it was only reacting to such provocative actions. Both countries have been at odds since their separation from the Soviet Union, primarily over Nagorno Karabakh, located inside Azerbaijan but with an ethnic majority Armenian population.

Armenians took possession of the enclave and the regions linking it to Armenia proper in the 1990s. Baku launched a plan to recapture the region in September 2020, assisted by Turkish-supplied drones.

A Moscow-mediated ceasefire left half of Nagorno-Karabakh populated by Armenians and kept safe by Russian peacekeepers, whereas all other regions traditionally dominated by Yerevan were returned to Azerbaijan.

Clashes on the Armenia and Azerbaijani border

Inhabitants of Vardenis, Jermuk, Goris, and Tatev, cities inside Armenia proper, reported artillery and drone explosions just after midnight last Tuesday. Armenians have faulted the attack on their neighbor, Azerbaijan, mentioned by Pressbee.

According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Azerbaijan's army used heavy artillery and drones.

A Bayraktar drone produced in Turkey was supposedly shot down over Vardenis, located in northern Armenia and not adjacent to the disputed area of Nagorno Karabakh. Armenian military units are replying sufficiently.

The Armenia PM called for CSTO allies to help resolve the problem with Baku to fix the tensions and hostilities.

Related Article: Moscow, Beijing To Benefit From Sanctions Chinese Firms Expand to Russian Markets

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Moscow reportedly carried a major strike on Ukrainian munitions as Russian forces attacked it. Destroyed in the attack are 45,000 tons in ammo stockpile located in Southern Ukraine, remarked the Russian Defense Ministry.

Kyiv Lost Ammunitions in Russian Attacks

According to the Russian Defense Ministry that it claimed on Monday, forces destroyed a large ammunition depot in southern Ukraine as they proceeded to undertake "high-precision strikes" on Ukraine's forces, reported RT.

The Ministry of Defense said the attack was on a large ammunition storage facility near the town of Voznesenski in the Nikolaev region. According to additional information, 300 Ukrainians were killed, and 1,000 were injured in the location in 24 hours, noted Opera News.

Based on the MoD, its forces also focused on Kyiv's military in the Kharkov region, where Russian forces recently backed away from several territories to regather amongst the Ukrainian offensive.

A statement declared that Moscow decided to carry out an attack on the nationalist unit Kraken, the 113th Brigade of Territorial Defense, as well as the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, massacring up to 250 service members and ruining more than 20 military vehicles, citing News Beezer.

Since launching its military offensive on February 24, Russia has repeatedly assaulted Ukrainian weapons caches in an attempt to eliminate Western-supplied Ukrainian munitions and weapons, all while significantly lowering Kyiv's overall military capacity.

The new attacks follow an evident advance of Ukrainian forces in the Kharkov region, with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky lauding the emancipation of 2,000 kilometers of land on Saturday.

Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy Is the Ukraine President?

In addition, Russia's Defense Ministry insinuated that Kyiv's five-day counterattack in the nation's east and south would have cost it more than 12,000 deaths and injuries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is getting 24-hour updates on the events in Ukraine and Kremlin's military involvement there, according to Dmitry Peskov, press secretary, after being asked regarding Russian troops' decision to withdraw from certain places to reorganize.

The spokesman remarked everything that occurred and all measures taken by the armed services during the special operation in Ukraine are now being disclosed to the commander-in-chief.

Russian Forces Regroup

Peskov said Putin can communicate with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Russian military commanders "at any time of day."

After Ukraine's successful attack last week, Russian journalists brought into question Peskov's statements regarding Putin's awareness and interactions with his commanders, mentioned Daiji World.

Kyiv's forces were able to drive Russian forces out of several settlements in the Kharkov region. The Russian Ministry of Defense made a few comments about the development, stating that a retreat was necessary to "regroup" the troops.

US Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia), who served as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, confirmed to CNN that the assault was planned with the guidance of the US and British intelligence community.

Giving an opinion regarding what the setback meant for the overall result of Russia's military campaign, Peskov reaffirmed that it would continue until the original objectives were achieved.

The official was responding to inquiries about a post on social media by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, currently the deputy chair of Russia's national security council, which also seemed to indicate that Moscow could perhaps step up its actions in Ukraine.

Moscow says that Russian forces have pinpointed and destroyed Ukrainian munitions that will impact Kyiv.

Related Article: Pentagon Allows Export of Advanced Artillery Shells in the Next Arms Shipment for Kiev

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The US Census Bureau shows that Russian metal imports have dropped drastically to almost zero due to the conflict in Europe. Steel and iron, which is crucial for the nation, are getting diverted to markets in Asia instead.

Almost Zero Imports of Russian Metal

Russian ferrous metal exports to the United States tumbled to $0.6 million in July, down from $201 million in the prior month, and are expected to reach $1 billion in the first quarter of 2022, as shown in the Russian business daily RBK, citing US Census Bureau data, reported RT.

Last June, ferroalloys made up the majority of shipments of ferrous metals exports to the United States, valued at $112.5 million, together with semi-finished steel products, valued at $88 million. Consignments fell to $0.4 million and zero in July, respectively.

Steadily in the past June, ferroalloys accounted for the vast majority of shipments of ferrous metals exported to the United States, costing $112.5 million, alongside quasi-iron and steel goods, worth $88 million.

Throughout July, consignments tumbled to $0.4 million and zero in both, noted the Good Word News.

The year before, remarked the US census bureau, imports of Russian metals such as cast iron, iron, steel, and rolled metal, amounted to $2.77 billion, or even an average of $230 million a month. At the time, the United States accounted for roughly 9% of all Russian ferrous metal exports, citing CSM Times.

Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President

Russia is not the most favored nation due to Ukraine. In reaction to the dispute in Ukraine, the Group of Seven nations rescinded Russia's "most preferred nation" trade position in April. The status has assured low fees on Russian products sold worldwide since 2012.

Washington issued the final list of Russian goods aimed at 35% tariffs on imports as a portion of Ukraine-related punitive measures through late June. Steel and assorted steel products are some of the items.

Exorbitant costs prompted Russia to shift its attention to emerging markets. Turkey was one of the top importers of Russian ferrous metals through June, spending $546 million on purchases.

As shown by the UN foreign trade data and the General Administration of Customs of China, China has increased its buying of Russian iron and steel from $163.5 in June to $337.4 a month later. Beijing shipped only $84.5 million in Russian ferrous metals in July 2021.

Mexico, Taiwan, Middle Eastern countries, and India have become the main consumers. Based on the Russian Trade Ministry, the Asian countries' share of steel exported goods exceeded 50% in August, slightly higher compared to 10-20% earlier.

Based on the most recent Fastmarkets data, which has been referenced in the mainstream press, Russian businesses are required to sell metals at big discounts of 25% or more.

Moscow Still Profits From the US Trade

It comes in the wake of Washington's trying to impose a slew of punitive measures on Moscow. As reported by the Associated Press last Thursday, hundreds of various types of unapproved goods worth billions of dollars are still entering US ports, mentioned New York Today.

As revealed in the report, more than 3,600 shipments of wood, metals, rubber, and other goods have shown up at American ports from Russia as of February. Based on the US census bureau, former large-scale Russia's metal imports are less than before as punitive measures are imposed.

Related Article: US Senator Expresses Doubt Over Transfer of US Aircraft to Kyiv Despite Claims

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One of the most prolific state-sponsored Iranian cyber espionage groups is targeting researchers from different fields by setting up sophisticated spear-phishing lures in which they use multiple fake personas inside the same email thread for increased credibility.

Security firm Proofpoint tracks the group as TA453, but it overlaps with activity that other companies have attributed to Charming Kitten, PHOSPHORUS and APT42. Incident response company Mandiant recently reported with medium confidence that APT42 operates on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)s Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO) and specializes in highly targeted social engineering.

Starting with campaigns in mid-2022, TA453 took "their targeted social engineering to a new level, targeting researchers with not just one actor-controlled persona but multiple," the Proofpoint researchers said in a new report. "This technique allows TA453 to leverage the psychology principle of social proof to prey upon its targets and increase the authenticity of the threat actor's spear phishing."

How multi-persona impersonation works

The recent email attacks observed and analyzed by Proofpoint started out with TA453 threat actors sending carefully crafted email messages to their targets on topics of interest to them. These emails usually impersonated another academic or researcher working in the same field as them.

For example, in one email targeting an individual specialized in Middle Eastern affairs, the attackers impersonated Aaron Stein, the director of research at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), to initiate a conversation about Israel, the Gulf States, and the Abraham Accords. In the email, the attackers also introduced Richard Wike, director of global attitudes research at the Pew Research Center, who appeared copied in the email thread.

Both spoofed identities belong to real persons who work for the respective institutions on the positions specified in the email. Moreover, a day after the initial message from the Aaron Stein persona, the attackers responded to the email thread as Richard Wike from their spoofed email address in CC, putting pressure on the victim by saying "looking forward to hearing from you." Both messages had signatures that included the logos of the two institutions.

In another case, the attackers targeted an individual who specialized in genome research with a spoofed email impersonating Harald Ott, a professor of surgery at the Harvard Medical School known for his work on organ regeneration. The email included copied not one, but two additional personas: Claire Parry, assistant director at the Centre for Universal Health in Chatham House's Global Health Programme, and Andrew Marshall, chief editor of Nature Biotechnology. When the victim responded to the email, the attackers used the Andrew Marshall persona to send a link to a maliciously crafted document hosted on Microsoft OneDrive.

In a third attack, TA453 targeted two researchers specialized in nuclear arms control who worked for the same university using a "Carroll Doherty" persona. The real Doherty is the director of political research at Pew Research Center. The message copied three other personas: Daniel Krcmaric, an associate professor of political science at Northwestern University; Aaron Stein; and Sharan Grewal, a fellow in the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

One of the targets responded to the initial email, which asked them to review an article, but then stopped responding for a week, so the attackers followed up with a OneDrive link to a malicious and password-protected document titled "The possible US-Russia clash.docx". Four days after that, they used the Aaron Stein persona to resend the document and password to reinforce the request and add credibility to it.

The technique of spoofing multiple personas in the same email thread is not new but is not common. Proofpoint has previously observed the technique used by a threat group tracked as TA2520 or Cosmic Lynx that specializes in business email compromise (BEC). BEC attacks are financially motivated with attackers inserting themselves into existing business email threads using compromised accounts and spoofing the participants' email addresses to convince an employee, usually from an organization's accounting or finance department, to initiate a payment to an attacker-controlled account. However, in most BEC attacks the spoofing is done to maintain the appearance of the original thread intact for the victim, including the CC field, without the other real participants receiving a copy of the rogue emails.

Until they adopted this multi-persona impersonation technique, TA453 has long been engaged in spoofing real identities, including academic researchers and journalists, but they only impersonated one individual at a time in their phishing emails.

Remote template injection

The malicious DOCX documents distributed in these recent attacks by TA453 use a known technique known called remote template injection to execute malicious code on victim machines. When opened, the document uses existing Word functionality to reach out to a remote host and download a DOTM template file which contains macro scripting. The template is then applied to the document and the macros are executed.

It seems that in this case, the rogue code was designed to only collect information about the victim's system such as username, a list of running processes, and the computer's public IP and then exfiltrate this information using the Telegram API, as described in a July report by researchers from PwC.

"At this time, Proofpoint has only observed the beaconing information and has not observed any follow-on exploitation capabilities," the Proofpoint researchers said. "The lack of code execution or command and control capabilities within the TA453 macros is abnormal. Proofpoint judges that infected users may be subject to additional exploitation based on the software identified on their machines."
Even though it has received warnings of possible spies in its ranks, Twitter lacks the resources and motivation to search for and remove foreign intelligence threats within its operations, according to former head of security Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, in his first public appearance since blowing the whistle on the company.

In his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Zatko remembered a time during his time at Twitter when another executive reportedly rejected concerns about a possible eavesdropping danger by claiming it was not worth addressing.

Whistleblower: There's Chinese Spy at Twitter

According to Zatko, Twitter got a specific warning from the FBI a week before his termination in January that the business may have had one or more Chinese spies among its employees.

Zatko's publicly stated tip to the US government did not include the crucial element tying the US official warning to China. Although it is unclear if Twitter acted on the report, Zatko told Senator Chuck Grassley that he and others at Twitter were aware that the firm was a target for foreign intelligence services.

Per CNN, the whistleblower expanded charges highlight what he claims are systematic issues that prohibit Twitter from preserving user data and jeopardize US national security.

During his testimony, Zatko also mentioned a chat he had with an anonymous Twitter official, who he said dismissed worries about spies infiltrating the firm. Zatko made the remarks during a two-and-a-half hour Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that ended only 30 minutes before Twitter shareholders formally accepted Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition deal, which the tycoon is now attempting to withdraw.

Read Also: Donald Trump Refused To Leave White House After 2020 Election Loss to Joe Biden, Claims New Book

Zatko Alleges Twitter Fraudulently Claims of Having Secure Program

Twitter shares were up more than 0.5% early Tuesday afternoon, trading at $41.70. During the session, legislators from both parties criticized Twitter for its claimed disregard for privacy and security concerns.

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the Committee's top Republican, has called on Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal to quit if Zatko's allegations are shown to be accurate. Grassley also chastised Agrawal for refusing to appear before the committee, NY Post reported.

According to Grassley, Agrawal denied the request because it would "jeopardize" the company's current legal battle with Elon Musk over his takeover bid. Zatko also claims Twitter breached an 11-year-old Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement by fraudulently claiming to have a sophisticated security program. According to the lawsuit, the corporation had never complied with the FTC order and was not on pace to do so.

According to Zatko, a lot of the information that regulators and Congress rely on originates from the firms themselves. He believes the FTC is "in over their heads." Some US senators proposed new government agencies, passed privacy legislation, or strengthened the regulatory structure to give it more teeth.

In his evidence, Zatko stated that Twitter had a culture in which staff respond to problems rather than working to prevent them. "Setting quantifiable targets and standards that can be monitored and audited independently," according to Zatko, would assist drive change at these companies.

Per CNET, it would also assist if the FTC and regulators had legislation or procedures in place that would provide whistleblower protection programs for persons while they were still employed by these firms, he added.

Related Article: Elon Musk Tries Again To Scrap Twitter Deal Before Shareholders' Vote To Decide on Merger

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BROOKFIELD  A 24-year-old New Milford man is facing a first-degree child pornography possession charge after police say hundreds of inappropriate images and videos of children were found on his cell phone.

Caleb Anderson turned himself in Sept. 1, on a warrant Brookfield police obtained following a forensic analysis of his iPhone 11 in July 2021.

The analysis was conducted as a result of another investigation, according to the warrant for Andersons arrest, which does not provide information on the investigation that led police to obtain a search warrant and conduct the analysis.

Andersons attorney nor the Brookfield Police Departments spokesperson could be reached Tuesday.

Through the forensic analysis, police said they found multiple digital photographs and digital videos depicting pre-pubescent, as well as many young females under the age of 18, performing physical, sexual acts with adult males on Andersons phone.

They also discovered a DropBox account administered by Anderson, containing videos suspected as being child pornography and files labeled with language articulating that young female are present in the videos, according to police.

According to the warrant for Andersons arrest, the titles of some of the videos indicated depictions of children as young as 7.

Police said Anderson also used an image and video storage application designed to ensure privacy and provide additional layers of security.

The Cellebrite software used to do the forensic analysis, however, revealed 196 images were stored in the Keepsafe application  all of which contained some form of adult pornography or what is believed to be child pornography, according to Andersons arrest warrant.

Police said some of the images in the application appeared to be downloaded off a web platform known to be used for disseminating and downloading child sex abuse material.

Armed with a search-and-seizure warrant, members of the Brookfield Police Department, New Milford Police Department and Connecticut State Police went to Andersons New Milford residence in September 2021 and seized an Xbox, laptop, three iPhones, a Nintendo DS and digital storage devices.

The Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory examined the seized property and recovered 21 videos and 1,001 images of suspected child pornography from one of the iPhones, according to Andersons arrest warrant.

Brookfield police sent images recovered from the device to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to see if any known child victims from previous law enforcement investigations could be identified, according to the warrant for Andersons arrest, which police secured last month.

Eight days after turning himself in to police, Anderson was arraigned at state Superior Court in Danbury, where he pleaded not guilty to the class B felony charge of first-degree child pornography possession.

He was released after posting a $100,000 professional surety bond and has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Sept. 30, according to court records.
WATERBURY  On the second day of the Alex Jones defamation trial Wednesday, an attorney for families of Sandy Hook massacre victims grilled a representative of Jones's company, trying to establish that the conspiracy theorist stoked false claims about the school shooting to boost sales from his online store.

Brittany Paz, an attorney representing Jones's Free Speech Systems, acknowledged that Jones controlled and continues to control all aspects of a far-right media empire that includes Infowars.com and an online market offering supplements such as Knock Out sleep aid and Brain Force capsules "to supercharge your state of mind."

Jurors are to determine how much Alex Jones should pay to eight Sandy Hook families and an FBI agent he defamed. The trial, which could last four to six weeks, began Tuesday with emotional testimony from the FBI agent and the sister of a Sandy Hook teacher killed in the December 2012 massacre. Both testified that the shooting and the victims were "real," countering Jones' false claims that the tragedy was staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors.

This is the second of three similar trials being held in Texas and Connecticut. In the first trial in Texas last month, Jones was ordered to pay $49 million in damages to the parents of a slain Sandy Hook boy.

Under questioning by plaintiffs' attorney Christopher Mattei, Paz agreed that Jones early on recognized the power of social media and touted Infowars as "The House of Truth." Although she often balked at specifics on company revenue and website traffic, saying she didn't know or couldn't recall, Paz agreed that Jones had made hundred of millions of dollars from his website and radio show carried by about 150 stations.

Jones had regularly labeled himself a journalist, but Paz, who was hired in January to represent the company in court proceedings and paid $37,000, testified that Jones told her this year that he was not a journalist. She said she had even written his words, "I am not a journalist," in capital letters in her notes.

Many of Mattei's questions to Paz concerned the exponential growth of Jones' social media engagement after the school shooting. On a screen and a large pad on an easel, Mattei showed reports, charts and figures detailing the rise of Infowars' audience. In 2011, Infowars.com had about 208.7 million page views. That increased to 286 million views in 2012, including 24.9 million in December alone. In 2013, page views totaled 427 million and the number of site users had grown from 49 million in 2012 to 73 million.

Mattei repeated a theme from his opening statement  that Jones's strategy even before Sandy Hook was to concoct claims about global events to boost product sales. So a story about water pollution would include a deal for Jones's water filters, or a segment about how global elites had cooked up the COVID-19 pandemic would carry a pitch for immunity boosting supplements.

The Infowars audience continued to swell over the next few years, according to reports Mattei showed, as Jones declared not only that Sandy Hook was staged, but that other mass killings, including the fatal shooting of 12 people in an Aurora, Colo. movie theater in July 2012, also were hoaxes and part of a government plot to disarm the American people.

One of Jones's regular guests starting in 2014 was Wolfgang Halbig, a ringleader of Sandy Hook conspiracists who has sent hundreds of emails to victims' families calling them actors. Halbig has cited the absence of trauma helicopters at the scene as one proof that the shooting never happened, despite the fact that Danbury Hospital is a drive away.

Jones broadcast a show within three hours of the shooting under the title, "Connecticut school massacre looks like a false flag, witnesses say." He ran a steady stream of segments focused on Sandy Hook, including one focused on a still shot from the 2012 Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," that showed a map with "Sandy Hook" clearly written on it. Jones and his acolytes said that somehow, that map forecast the fake shooting, apparently ignoring the fact that Sandy Hook, New Jersey is just south of New York City, the basis for the fictional Gotham.

He asked Paz if Jones did anything to actually investigate the shooting and she answered, "I don't think he's done anything."

Mattei also showed Infowars materials sent to advertisers that touted social media engagement figures and bragging that Jones' reach was wider than other right wing media stars, including Rush Limbaugh. By 2016, according to an Infowars media kit that Mattei displayed, the site was getting 40 million page views each month.

Mattei asked Paz if it was fair to say that Jones was "a very rich man." She answered, "I know he's made some millions." Mattei scoffed, "Some millions, Ms. Paz?" but she said she did not have specific figures on his income.

Jones's attorney, Norm Pattis, confirmed on Tuesday that the Infowars host will testify next week. Pattis said did not yet know which day Jones would take the stand.
A portion of Interstate 95 was closed for hours Wednesday as state police investigated an overnight shooting that left one person dead and two injured.

I-95 southbound was closed around midday Wednesday between exits 18 in Westport and 16 in Norwalk, Connecticut State Police Trooper First Class Pedro A. Muniz said.

The police investigation stems from a shooting that occurred on the highway early Wednesday morning.

State police said Earl Gayle, 31, and Rashawn McCalla, 28, were wounded and transported to Stamford Hospital. Gayle, who was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time the shootings were reported, was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to state police. McCalla, who was sitting in the left rear passenger seat, was reported to be in stable condition following surgery, state police said.

The driver was identified by state police as Jovel McKenzie, 29. They reported McKenzie had sustained a superficial wound to the right shoulder, but declined medical attention.

State police said they recovered 10 shell casings south of the Exit 16 on-ramp and also seized what they described as "numerous items of evidentiary value," including the vehicle in which Gayle, McCalla and McKenzie were found. It was identified as a 2013 Infiniti G37 registered to New York.

Muniz said Darien police contacted state police to report a vehicle containing three wounded people was found just off of Exit 10.

"Upon further investigation, it was found that the vehicle was traveling on I-95 southbound between Bridgeport and Darien when another vehicle came alongside and began to fire gunshots," Muniz said.

Muniz said the shooting is believed to have been an "isolated incident" and there was no threat to the public.

Darien police said it first came to light when a sergeant noticed a vehicle slowly traveling southbound on Noroton Avenue near Maple Street around 3:40 a.m. The operator then drove toward the sergeant to report that multiple people in the vehicle had sustained gunshot wounds, according to Darien police.

The incident startled Darien residents who awoke to flashing emergency lights and police vehicles on Maple Street Wednesday morning.

Darien Flower Shop owner Paula Glenges, 65, had assumed the car blocking the road had broken down when she arrived to open her nearby store Wednesday morning. She said she hadn't heard any sirens from her home, which is above the flower shop.

Her parking lot is often a dumping site for cars that break down considering its close proximity to the highway, she said.

She suspected there was something more unusual than a broken down vehicle when she saw gloved officers inspecting the sedan. Officers did not alert her to the reason for the investigation and only asked for any potential camera footage, which she did not have.

Im so used to seeing cops because a car has flipped, she said. Ive never heard of a shooting, to be honest, and Ive been here 18 years.

The Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crimes Unit has assumed the investigation, he said.
NEW YORK (AP)  Monica Lewinsky had a tempered, compassionate response to the death of Ken Starr, the former independent counsel whose investigation of Bill Clinton helped reveal her affair with the president and, she once wrote, made her life a living hell.

As I'm sure many can understand, my thoughts about ken starr bring up complicated feelings, she tweeted Tuesday after reports that Starr had died at age 76. But of more importance, is that i imagine its a painful loss for those who love him.

Lewinsky was a White House intern in the mid-1990s, in her early 20s, when she began a relationship with Clinton, one that Starr would document in exhaustive, explicit detail. Starr had initially been retained to look into an Arkansas real estate deal Bill and Hillary Clinton were involved in, but his investigation shifted after he learned of allegations about the president's private behavior. Lewinsky denied their affair in a sworn affidavit, but did not know that her former colleague, Linda Tripp, had been taping their phone conversations about Bill Clinton and would turn them over to Starr.

Lewinsky would recall with horror being interrogated for hours in 1998 by Starr's prosecutors  but not Starr himself  and threatened with prison if she didn't cooperate with their investigation, a demand she initially refused. Months later, she agreed to testify about the affair, and turned over to prosecutors a dress stained with the president's semen, in return for immunity.

Lewinsky later wrote that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, mainly from the ordeal of having been publicly outed and ostracized, and was for years subjected to crude jokes. But starting with a Vanity Fair essay in 2014 and a TED talk she gave in 2015 on The Price of Shame, she has become a widely respected anti-bullying activist. David Letterman and John Oliver are among those who have apologized for once mocking her.

Writing in Vanity Fair in 2018, Lewinsky remembered finally encountering Starr in person, at a Greenwich Village restaurant the previous Christmas Eve. Starr stepped forward with a warm, incongruous smile, and introduced himself to Lewinsky, who was dining with her family.

Ken Starr asked me several times if I was doing O.K. A stranger might have surmised from his tone that he had actually worried about me over the years. His demeanor, almost pastoral, was somewhere between avuncular and creepy. He kept touching my arm and elbow, which made me uncomfortable, she wrote.

"I turned and introduced him to my family. Bizarre as it may sound, I felt determined, then and there, to remind him that, 20 years before, he and his team of prosecutors hadnt hounded and terrorized just me but also my family  threatening to prosecute my mom (if she didnt disclose the private confidences I had shared with her), hinting that they would investigate my dads medical practice, and even deposing my aunt, with whom I was eating dinner that night."

Starr would write about Lewinsky in his 2018 memoir Contempt, describing how Monica screamed, she cried, she pouted, and complained bitterly about her scheming, no-good, so-called friend (Tripp). But their threats, and the urging of Lewinsky's mother to accept the prosecutors' terms, did not change her mind.

Monica overruled her mother. She would fall on her sword rather than implicate the president of the United States, Starr wrote. It was becoming increasingly clear: in thinking she was a naive, starstruck young woman in love who would quickly cooperate, we underestimated her. In her determination to protect the president, Monica kept a team of experienced FBI agents and career prosecutors twiddling their thumbs for much of the day.
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OAK GLEN, Calif. (AP)  Rescuers searched for a person missing in a mudslide Tuesday as big yellow tractors plowed through dark, thick sludge and pushed boulders off roads after flash floods swept dirt, rocks and trees down fire-scarred slopes, washed away cars and buried buildings in small mountain communities in Southern California.

With thunderstorms forecast and more mudslides possible into Wednesday, evacuation orders remained in place in parts of the San Bernardino Mountains while a wildfire raging 500 miles (805 kilometers) to the north forced residents to abandon their homes.

The Mosquito Fire burning 110 miles (177 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco erupted in the afternoon just hours after officials had reported making great strides in the battle.

We have all hands on deck, fire spokesperson Chris Valenzuela said as the fire burned near Todd Valley and Foresthill. Its burning very erratic and intensely.

The blaze was one of three large fires in the state.

East of Los Angeles, crews searched street by street for people who might be trapped by mudflows that washed rocks, trees and other debris with astonishing force the day before into Forest Falls, Oak Glen and Yucaipa and left a muddy mess and untold destruction.

Homes and other buildings were damaged, including a commercial building buried so high its roof collapsed, said Eric Sherwin, spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

We have boulders that moved through that weigh multiple tons, Sherwin said. It could take days just to find all the cars that are missing because they are completely covered by mud.

A video showed a slow-moving black river of sludge rolling past the sign for the Oak Glen Steakhouse and Saloon followed seconds later by a surging wave of deeper mud carrying logs. The mud appeared to be head-high in places the next day.

Sherwin said crews were searching for one missing person.

Residents who tried to return home found it tough going in the sticky mess.

Ive never seen anything like this before, said Perla Halbert, whose feet were caked in mud after trying to walk to her home. If you try and take two steps, you get submerged. You just get stuck.

Halbert had been out of town and returned to her Oak Glen home late Monday to find the driveway covered with a few inches of mud. Her family stayed the night with family members and returned after first light to discover several feet of mud and a fence washed away.

Her husband went to buy boots and coveralls before trekking through the muck to assess the damage.

Theres lots of rocks and so much mud. But hopefully the house itself is OK, she said.

Officials lifted some mandatory evacuation and shelter in place orders Tuesday evening.

Workers were able to clear most of Valley of the Falls Drive  the only road to Forests Falls  and teams were assessing damage. Other major roads in the San Bernardino Mountains were reopened.

For some homes in Forest Falls, it was too late to evacuate Monday. Residents were told to shelter in place through the night because it was safer than venturing out.

The rains were the remnants of a tropical storm that brought high winds and some badly needed rainfall to drought-stricken Southern California last week, helping firefighters largely corral the Fairview Fire that had been burning out of control about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the mudslides.

The mud flows and flash flooding occurred in parts of the San Bernardino Mountains where there are burn scars  areas where theres little vegetation to hold the soil  from the 2020 wildfires.

All of that dirt turns to mud and starts slipping down the mountain, Sherwin said.

One of the 2020 blazes, the El Dorado Fire, was sparked by a smoke device used by a couple to reveal their babys gender. A firefighter died, and the couple was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

The mudslides occurred about 175 miles (280 kilometers) east of Montecito, where enormous debris flows killed more than 20 people and destroyed hundreds of homes in January 2018, a month after a huge wildfire scorched hillsides.

About 40 miles (64 kilometers) west, Cal State San Bernardino reopened Tuesday, a day after the campus was closed when several buildings were flooded during heavy rains.

The powerful thunderstorms came after a week that saw California endure a record-long heatwave. Temperatures in many parts of the state rocketed past 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), and pushed the states electrical grid to the breaking point as air conditioners sucked up power. The Fairview Fire in Southern California and the Mosquito Fire burning east of Sacramento broke out and raged out of control.

The tropical storm aided crews battling the Fairview Fire about 75 miles (121 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. The 44-square-mile (114-square-kilometer) blaze was 62% contained by Tuesday. Two people died fleeing the fire, which destroyed at least 35 homes and other structures in Riverside County.

The Mosquito Fire has grown to nearly 79 square miles (nearly 204 square kilometers), with 25% containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

More than 11,000 people have been evacuated and nearly 6,000 structures are threatened  an increase in both figures as the blaze raged Tuesday near Foresthill and Todd Valley after a spot fire jumped the Middle Fork of the American River, officials said.

Increased winds earlier Tuesday pushed out a smoke -inversion layer that had been stifling the blaze and gave fresh oxygen to the flames, Valenzuela said. The area is full of extremely dry fuels that were rapidly igniting, challenging both firefighters on the ground and aircraft.

Scientists say climate change has made the West warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. In the last five years, California has experienced the largest and most destructive fires in its history.

___

Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles contributed.

___

For more AP coverage of the climate and environment: https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
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DENVER (AP)  The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a small plane that buzzed low over boats on a Northern Colorado reservoir before crashing, the board said Wednesday.

The pilot and a passenger aboard the single-engine plane survived the crash Sunday with minor injuries, the Larimer County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. The agency said it's supporting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and asked the public to share photos and videos of the event.

Photographer Stephanie Stamos was near the banks of Horsetooth Reservoir, just west of Fort Collins, Colorado, on Sunday night preparing to take high school photos for a student when she saw the plane flying unsteady over the water.

Stamos, 57, said she instinctively pulled up her camera and started snapping photos believing the pilot was in trouble and preparing for a crash landing. But instead of hitting the water, the plane flew toward a boat on the lake, swinging low over the craft as one of the boat riders through up their arm, the photos show.

The wheels were almost on top of the boat, said Stamos.

When the plane disappeared behind the mountains, I told everyone, Wait for the boom, she said, then I saw it fly back up through the mountains going sideways and I thought, Oh this guy is an idiot, this guys just messing around.

Stamos said she shared her photos with the Larimer County Sheriffs Office and that the NTSB reached out to her Wednesday asking for the same pictures.

Peter Knudson, spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the agency is investigating the Sept. 11 crash but declined to provide any details.

Carolina de la Torre had just finished swimming in a cove at Horsetooth Reservoir when the plane flew over. She said the aircraft got within 15-20 feet of her and her friends.

We thought they were going to crash down on (the other boat)," she said, "it was the most nuts experience Ive ever had.
State officials have confirmed the first local cases of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV2).

First identified in the United States in 2018, RHDV2, which is believed to have originated in Europe or Asia, is not a threat to humans but can be fatal to rabbits and other lagomorphs, according to officials. The disease has previously been detected in domestic rabbits in New Jersey and New York, officials said.

The sudden deaths of 13 of 14 domestic rabbits at a private residence in Hartford County were flagged to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture on Sept. 6; the 14th rabbit died two days later, according to officials. Testing at the USDA Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed the animals had died with RHDV2, officials said.

Symptoms of the highly contagious disease include fever, anemia, loss of appetite and internal bleeding resulting in bloodstains on the nose, according to officials. Infection with RHDV2 can only be confirmed by analyzing tissue samples collected postmortem, officials said.

Given the potential severity of the disease, officials advise Connecticut rabbit owners to take steps to protect their pets health. Recommended safety measures include washing hands thoroughly prior to interacting with rabbits; preventing contact between wild and domestic rabbits as well as domestic rabbits that do not reside in the same household; and requiring visitors to wear protective clothing when handling or spending time around rabbits.

Vaccination against RHDV2 has also been an option for rabbits since Connecticut State Veterinarian Jane Lewis approved the sale of a vaccine manufactured by the company Medgene Labs in Nov. 2021 after the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics authorized the vaccine for emergency use, according to officials. However, the vaccine can only be administered to domestic rabbits by veterinarians licensed in Connecticut, and vaccinated rabbits must be identifiable by a tattoo or microchip noted in their veterinary record because the vaccine is not licensed, officials said.

Experts say an outbreak of RHDV2 in the wild could spell disaster for Connecticuts only native wild rabbit species, the New England cottontail. Once abundant throughout the region, the cottontail faces steep population declines, mainly due to habitat loss. It was even considered a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act between 2006 and 2015, according to the New England Cottontail Conservation Initiative.

caroline.tien@hearst.com
After receiving its Connecticut debut in New Haven in July, Branford native and director Christopher Rucinski is bringing his pandemic thriller to Branford for its hometown premiere.

Northern Shade is a high-intensity thriller that follows the fictional character U.S. army vet Justin McLaughlin as he attempts to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of his brother as well as his recruitment into an extreme militia group. Meanwhile, Justin faces his own demons during the pandemic as he struggles to re-enter civilian life.

The film will receive a premiere during the first annual 2022 Legacy Theatre Film Festival on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The screening will take place at 10 a.m. at the Legacy Theatre, and it will be followed by a talkback with Rucinski. According to the theater's website, the venue has recently been refurbished and once served as the home for Orson Welles and his Mercury Players. The award ceremony for the festival will take place starting at 4 p.m. at the Gallery at Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library.

According to Rucisnki, key scenes for the movie were filmed at the H.W. ZuWalick Sawmill and Stony Creek Quarry, which are only a mile from where the movie will be screened in Branford. The movie was also filmed in the surrounding towns of Guilford, East Haven, New Haven and Voluntown.

Rucinski and Greg Gill, the movies cinematographer, are 2004 Branford High School graduates. Rucinski said he was inspired to pursue filmmaking after taking a class with Roger Reale, a local music and art legend.

Contributed by Chris Rucinski

Since their modest beginnings in Branford, the two have solidified themselves within the world of film. Gill has traveled the world documenting everything from ISIS prisoners in Iraq to searching for snow leopards deep in the Himalayas, he said. Meanwhile, Rucinski has become a notable post-production filmmaker with work in War for the Planet of the Apes, Ford v Ferrari and The Adam Project.

It was kind of easy taking all of the lessons that weve learned from bigger projects and applying them to our movie, which had a much smaller scale, Rucinski previously told Hearst Connecticut. It was a micro-budget film but we were definitely asking a lot of the cast and crew just in terms of the plot and the scope of the story.

The movie has since won Best Screenplay at the Phoenix Film Festival and Best Feature at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival, and was nominated for "Best Narrative Feature Film" at the Woods Hole Film Festival. It will have its Los Angeles premiere on Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Regal LA Live.
State officials on Monday confirmed the first cases of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV2) in Connecticut.

First identified in the United States in 2018, RHDV2, which is believed to have originated in Europe or Asia, is not a threat to humans but can be fatal to rabbits and other lagomorphs, according to officials. The disease has previously been detected in domestic rabbits in New Jersey and New York, officials said.

The sudden deaths of 13 of 14 domestic rabbits at a private residence in Hartford County were flagged to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture on Sept. 6; the 14th rabbit died two days later, according to officials. Testing at the USDA Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed the animals had died with RHDV2, officials said.

Symptoms of the highly contagious disease include fever, anemia, loss of appetite and internal bleeding resulting in bloodstains on the nose, according to officials. Infection with RHDV2 can only be confirmed by analyzing tissue samples collected after the animal dies, officials said.

Given the potential severity of the disease, officials advise Connecticut rabbit owners to take steps to protect their pets health. Recommended safety measures include washing hands thoroughly prior to interacting with rabbits; preventing contact between wild and domestic rabbits as well as domestic rabbits that do not reside in the same household; and requiring visitors to wear protective clothing when handling or spending time around rabbits.

Vaccination against RHDV2 has also been an option for rabbits since Connecticut State Veterinarian Jane Lewis approved the sale of a vaccine manufactured by the company Medgene Labs in November 2021 after the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics authorized the vaccine for emergency use, according to officials. However, the vaccine can only be administered to domestic rabbits by veterinarians licensed in Connecticut, and vaccinated rabbits must be identifiable by a tattoo or microchip noted in their veterinary record, officials said.

Experts say an outbreak of RHDV2 in the wild could spell disaster for Connecticuts only native wild rabbit species, the vulnerable New England cottontail. Once abundant throughout the region, the cottontail has suffered steep population declines, mainly due to habitat loss. It was even considered a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act between 2006 and 2015, according to the New England Cottontail Conservation Initiative.

Cases of RHDV2 have previously been detected in most U.S. states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The disease is particularly widespread in the Southwest and West. The first wild cases were reported in a black-tailed jackrabbit and several cottontails in New Mexico in April 2020. Border states Arizona, Texas and Colorado soon followed suit.

Wild rabbits infected with RHDV2 die at a rate of between 40 and 80 percent, according to Cornell Universitys Wildlife Health Lab. Those that survive can shed the virus for 30 or more days after recovering, potentially spreading pathogens far and wide. The virus is so lethal that its progenitor, RHDV, was intentionally introduced to Wardang Island in Australia in the 1990s as a form of rabbit population control.

caroline.tien@hearst.com
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham stunned fellow GOP members when he proposed a 15-week abortion ban on Tuesday, promising a vote to bar the procedure if the Republican Party takes back the majority of the House and Senate.

The Republican chose a uniquely tense moment on Tuesday to pitch his proposal, which is his party's first bill limiting abortion access since this summer's watershed reversal of Roe v. Wade. It was designed as a show of support for anti-abortion activists who have never felt more emboldened.

Lindsey Graham's Proposed Anti-Abortion Bill

However, Graham's bill also attempted to skate past a Republican Party that has become divided over whether or not Congress should even be legislating on abortion rights after the Supreme Court struck down a nationwide right to terminate pregnancies.

Furthermore, some fellow Republican lawmakers said that they were highly dumfounded at Graham's decision to introduce a new abortion ban which was more conservative than his previous proposals at a precarious moment for the party.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said, "I don't think there's an appetite for a national platform here. My state, today, is working on this. I'm not sure what he's thinking here. But I don't think there will be a rallying around that concept," as per Politico.

The South Carolina senator previously pitched ideas for a 20-week abortion ban that attracted the support of many Republicans and even some among the Democratic Party. Graham's latest proposal would leave in place state laws that are far more restrictive while also imposing new limits in blue states that currently have none.

Read Also: DOJ Issues 40 Subpoenas in a Week, Most Close to Trump, To Expand Jan. 6 Capitol Hill Riot Probe

Graham's proposal came less than 60 days before the midterm elections, causing concern among the GOP who is watching its once-dominant polling advantage shrink since the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

According to CBS News, the proposed bill is called the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act. It prohibits doctors from performing abortions five weeks earlier in pregnancy. It also includes exceptions for abortions that are necessary to save the life of the mother or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

Ban on Abortion

Graham spoke alongside anti-abortion rights advocates to unveil the legislation on Capitol Hill, saying that it will bring the United States in line with most European nations that impose limits on abortion.

He said, "Abortion is not banned in America. It's left up to the elected officials in America to define the issue. States have the ability to do it at the state level, and we have the ability in Washington to speak on this issue if we choose. I have chosen to speak. I have chosen to craft legislation that I think is eminently reasonable in the eyes of the world and I hope the American people."

The South Carolina official added that he was looking forward to the debate regarding the legislation and noted that he was looking forward to the vote. He assured his supporters that if Republicans win back the House and Senate, the bill will receive the votes that it needs, Yahoo News reported.



Related Article: White House Negotiates With Unions To Avoid a National Railroad Strike as Protesters Demand Better Working Conditions

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FARGO, N.D. (AP)  An accused prolific hitman for a Mexican drug cartel has been transferred to face federal charges in North Dakota, nearly 11 years after he was apprehended in Tijuana.

Juan Francisco Sillas-Rocha appeared Friday in Fargo on three charges, including conspiracy to commit murder for a continuing criminal enterprise. Authorities said Sillas-Rocha was a top lieutenant for the Arellano Felix cartel, which for decades smuggled cocaine, marijuana and other drugs into the United States.
BRIDGEPORT  As Steelpointes Christoph family aims to break ground this fall on luxury apartments at the harbor-front East Side site, construction of the affordable units the developers are backing a few blocks away per their contract with the city is delayed.

The project did compete for (state) low income housing tax credits this past January (and) lost by a couple points, said Elizabeth Torres.

Torres is the former head of Building Neighborhoods Together (BNT), the nonprofit which has partnered with the father/son team of Robert Christoph Sr. and Jr. to build 44 units of mostly-affordable apartments at East Main and Nichols streets, located a short walk under Interstate 95 from Steelpointe.

Now working with BNT as a consultant, Torres and BNT CEO Doris Latorre in a joint interview this week said they are aiming to submit a successful application for tax credits to the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority in January.

Were cautiously optimistic, Torres said.

If BNT obtains the tax break for the $14.3 million development, Torres said construction should be underway a year from now, with the units available by the end of 2024.

Recently the Christophs planned 1,500-unit high-end apartment complex, financed with the help of a 12-year municipal tax break, has been getting all the attention. Last week it was announced that they have partnered with Indianapolis-based Flaherty & Collins Properties on the endeavor.

That latter company, which describes itself as the Midwests largest and most experienced developer of multi-family properties, will help construct, then manage, the Steelpointe housing.

But under a several-years-old development agreement with the city, the Christophs must also build or help pay for new affordably-priced units representing 10 percent of their total market-rate ones. And most of those can be scattered around town rather than all at Steelpointe.

The Christophs have previously partnered with BNT to fulfill that commitment. In the case of the East Main and Nichols streets effort, Torres said the developers provided BNT a no-cost ground lease for the vacant site and $650,000 to help defray the overall price tag.

But, Torres explained, the state aid is the main chunk of funding that will allow BNT to break ground. She said this years tax credit application was rejected because the project did not meet the states really high sustainability and energy conservation priorities.

We lost a couple of points ... that we will correct this time around, she said.

We learned from the first one (application), said Latorre. And we think we have a good project and really believe in the project.

Latorre noted how its tenants will have easy access to the downtown bus and train stations, Interstate 95 and amenities at Steelpointe like the Starbucks coffee shop.

Still, there have been some concerns raised  particularly last winter when the City Council debated providing the Christophs a tax cut for their market rate housing complex  about Steelpointe becoming an exclusive community tucked between the harbor and the interstate. Besides moving ahead with the pricey apartments there, the developers have also built a marina which has hosted some luxury yacht events over the past few years.

City Council President Aidee Nieves, who represents the neighborhood, argued locating the affordable development at East Main and Nichols streets is an effort to extend Steelpointes success further into the East Side, not to segregate its residents.

Steelpointe is just an anchor, Nieves said. We need to make sure development continues up the East Main Street corridor and into the rest of the neighborhoods.

She said the goal is for residents and visitors at Steelpointe to also have reasons to travel further into the East End  and vice versa  making it all one vibrant neighborhood and making sure there are no invisible barriers created.

Nieves and her council partner, Maria Valle, were disappointed to learn that the 44 units had faced a setback with the tax credits.

Its a little disheartening, Nieves said.

I thought it (construction) would have started by now, said Valle.

Kyle Garnett has operated New Creations barber shop and beauty salon at 410 East Main Street for 15 years and has been looking forward to the new 44 units of housing opening across the street, noting the property has been vacant since he has been in business.

Just to see a change in the neighborhood and upgrade the neighborhood, Garnett said. Lift it up. Just to see new faces, new activity. It would definitely help out the neighborhood.
WASHINGTON (AP)  MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell said Tuesday that federal agents seized his cellphone and questioned him about a Colorado clerk who has been charged in what prosecutors say was a deceptive scheme to breach voting system technology used across the country.

Lindell was approached in the drive-thru of a Hardees fast-food restaurant in Mankato, Minnesota, by several FBI agents, he said on his podcast, The Lindell Report. The agents questioned him about Dominion Voting Systems, Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and his connection to Doug Frank, an Ohio educator who claims voting machines have been manipulated, he said.

The agents then told Lindell they had a warrant to seize his cellphone and ordered him to turn it over, he said. On a video version of his podcast, Lindell displayed a letter signed by an assistant U.S. attorney in Colorado that said prosecutors were conducting an official criminal investigation of a suspected felony and noted the use of a federal grand jury.

The circumstances of the investigation were unclear. The Justice Department did not immediately respond Tuesday night to a request for comment about the seizure or investigation.

Without commenting on this specific matter, I can confirm that the FBI was at that location executing a search warrant authorized by a federal judge, FBI spokeswoman Vikki Migoya said in an email.

Federal prosecutors have been conducting a parallel investigation alongside local prosecutors in Colorado who have charged Peters with several offenses, including attempting to influence a public servant, criminal impersonation and official misconduct. The Republican was elected in 2018 to oversee elections in Colorados Mesa County. A deputy clerk, Belinda Knisley, was also charged in the case, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation.

For more than a year, Peters has appeared onstage with supporters of former President Donald Trump who made false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. The charges against Peters and Knisley allege the two were involved in a deceptive scheme which was designed to influence public servants, breach security protocols, exceed permissible access to voting equipment, and set in motion the eventual distribution of confidential information to unauthorized people.

State election officials first became aware of a security breach in Mesa County in 2021 when a photo and video of confidential voting system passwords were posted on social media and a conservative website. Because each Colorado county has unique passwords maintained by the state, officials identified them as belonging to Mesa County, a largely rural area on the border with Utah.

Peters appeared onstage in August 2021 at a cybersymposium hosted by Lindell, who has sought to prove that voting machines have been manipulated and promised to reveal proof of that during the event.

While no evidence was provided, a copy of Mesa Countys voting system hard drive was distributed and posted online, according to attendees and state officials.

The copy included proprietary software developed by Dominion Voting Systems that is used by election offices around the country. Experts have described the unauthorized release as serious, saying it provided a potential practice environment that would allow anyone to probe for vulnerabilities that could be exploited during a future election.

Nearly two years after the 2020 election, no evidence has emerged to suggest widespread fraud or manipulation, while reviews in state after state have upheld the results showing President Joe Biden won.

The Mesa County breach is just one of several around the country that have concerned election security experts. Authorities are investigating whether unauthorized people were allowed to access voting systems in Georgia and Michigan.

Lindell said the federal agents had also questioned him about when he first met Frank, an Ohio math and science educator, who is among a group of people who have been traveling across the U.S. meeting with community groups claiming to have evidence that voting machines were rigged in the 2020 election.

In court records, prosecutors say Frank met with Peters and members of her staff in April 2021 in her office. During the meeting, Frank told Peters that the countys election management system was vulnerable to outside interference and the group discussed concerns the state was going to wipe the machines, according to the court records.

__

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Eric Tucker and Michelle R. Smith contributed to this report.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  The Wichita City Council on Tuesday voted to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana and fentanyl test strips in the state's largest city.

The move would eliminate between 750 and 850 prosecutions a year from the municipal courts. Marijuana possession is still illegal under state and federal law but local law enforcement agencies generally bring most minor marijuana possession cases to court, The Wichita Eagle reported.
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, September 13, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Upton NY has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Central Fairfield County in southern Connecticut...

Northwestern New Haven County in southern Connecticut...

* Until 630 PM EDT.

* At 537 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Trumbull, or

8 miles south of Newtown, moving northeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vehicles is possible. Expect wind

damage to trees and power lines.

* This severe thunderstorm will be near...

Shelton and Monroe around 555 PM EDT.

Derby around 600 PM EDT.

Seymour and Orange around 605 PM EDT.

Naugatuck and Beacon Falls around 615 PM EDT.

Hamden and Prospect around 620 PM EDT.

Cheshire and North Haven around 625 PM EDT.

Wallingford and North Branford around 630 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

This thunderstorm is capable of producing all types of severe weather

including extremely large hail, destructive straight line winds and

tornadoes. Move quickly to a safe shelter such as an interior room, a

bathroom, closet or basement.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
In the second trial of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, an FBI agent testified and struggled to control his emotions on Tuesday while describing on the witness stand the time he saw bodies inside Sandy Hook elementary school.

The witness, identified as FBI agent William Aldenberg, was the first to testify as a Connecticut jury began hearing statements in a trial to decide how much money the defendant owes for spreading conspiracy theories about the 2012 mass shooting in Newtown.

Alex Jones' Second Trial

Aldenberg broke down while he was describing how he felt being among the first law enforcement officers to enter the two classrooms where two children were killed. Attorney Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, asked the witness if what he witnessed at the school was fake.

The FBI agency replied simply, "No. It's awful. It's awful." Aldenberg also testified about how he and several others in the community and law enforcement were targeted with threats and conspiracy theories, including one that claimed he was an actor who also pretended to be the father of a victim, as per the Associated Press.

"It's one of the worst things that ever happened, if not the worst thing that ever happened here, what happened to them. And people want to say this didn't happen? And then they want to get rich off of it? That's the worst part," Aldenberg said.

Read Also: Graham Promises Vote on 'Abortion Ban' If GOP Retakes House, Senate After Midterm Elections

The trial, which was held in Waterbury, was attended by more than a dozen family members of the victims, including David Wheeler, the father who conspiracy theorists had claimed was the same person as Aldenberg. Wheeler simply nodded his head as the FBI agent apologized for what he had to endure because of their resemblance.

According to the New York Times, the trials came as, for years, Jones spread bogus theories that the September 2012 attack, which resulted in the death of 20 first graders and six educators, was part of a government-led plot to confiscate Americans' firearms. He also argued that the victims' families were "crisis actors" in the scheme.

Sandy Hook Shooting

The people who believed Jones' lies repeatedly harassed the families at their homes and at events honoring their slain loved ones, and in some cases, threatened their lives. The defendant had already been found liable by default in this case after he did not turn over documents and other records under court orders.

Judge Barbara N. Bellis, before the jury entered the courtroom on Tuesday, castigated the defense's lawyers for what she called a "stunningly cavalier attitude" toward discovery. It was a reference to a Google Analytics spreadsheet that described years of website traffic to Infowars, which lawyers for the families said had only been shared last Friday.

Furthermore, Jones' attorney suggested that parents of children who died during the brutal 2012 attack are exaggerating their claims to promote an anti-gun political agenda. Norm Pattis said during his opening remarks that the plaintiffs were attempting to silence his client for supporting the Second Amendment. Jones was nowhere to be seen during the Tuesday trial, Business Insider reported.



Related Article: FBI, Ex-Security Head Warned Twitter of Potential Chinese Spies in Company: Report

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The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Ukrainian forces were subject to artillery and missile bombardment, which was costly for Kyiv. Officials indicate that enemy troops were lost in the hundreds during the withering assault, claimed the MoD.

Russia Conducts Massive Attacks on Ukrainian Military

According to the Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday, military forces have opened a fierce offensive against the Ukrainian army on all fronts, with Kyiv experiencing more than 800 fatalities in only one day, reported RT.

It mentioned that the Russian Air Force, missile forces, and artillery are launching violent attacks on Ukrainian Armed Forces units across all command-and-control zones.

Conducting precise attacks through the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade's unit deployment in areas near the eastern Ukrainian towns of Slavyansk and Konstantinovka, noted CSM Times.

Both the 115th Mechanized Brigade adjacent to Artemovsk and the 53rd Mechanized Brigade just next to Kurdyumovka, located in the Donetsk Region, struck these locations.

Using the information from the Russian Ministry of Defense, several enemy units in the south and north, close to Kharkiv, were the targets of the fierce assaults. The strike was so severe that 800 Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries were killed or injured by artillery and missile bombardment, citing the Thread Times.

Although Ukraine refers to this as a retreat, Russia and its allies did withdraw from some areas to regroup. The Ukrainian army was able to take over the Russian-occupied territory, though not with a resounding victory, as President Zelensky claims.

Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy Is the Ukraine President?

On February 24, Russia dispatched troops into Ukraine, accusing it of not carrying out the Minsk agreements meant to grant the Donetsk and Lugansk regions special status inside the Ukrainian nation.

Protocols were first signed in 2014 after being mediated by Germany and France. Former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko now admits that the ceasefire was primarily intended to buy time and strengthen military forces.

The Kremlin acknowledged the Donbas republics as autonomous regions in February 2022 and requested that Ukraine proclaim itself a neutral country that will never join any Western military coalition. Kyiv continues to maintain that the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked.

No Mobilization of Armed forces

As said by Dmitry Peskov, the deployment of military reserves is not scheduled. The Russian government is not addressing military militarization "at around this time," remarked the Kremlin spokesman, per RT.

He was answering questions regarding Moscow's response to Ukrainian forces' breakthroughs in the Kharkov Region the other week.

Moscow withdrew its troops from several settlements in the area for a "regrouping" needed to continue the military campaign against Kyiv, based on the Russian Defense Ministry.

There was "neither discussion" of redeployment, and various pundits have critiqued the high command, the ministry for the retreat, and Ukrainian gains.

He added that the Russian public backed Russian President Vladimir Putin's choice to strike Ukraine and was extremely sensitive to happenings, suggesting that certain individuals would react emotionally to last week's shortfall.

For months, Western military experts have said that Moscow could well increase its deployment after their previous forecasts of a rapid fall of the Ukrainian government failed to happen.

The previous high point for such forecasts took place in early May when Moscow celebrated the commemoration of its victory over Nazi Germany.

Based on the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Ukrainian forces were hit hard with artillery and missile bombardment to kill many enemy soldiers and hardware.

Related Article: Russian Forces Destroy Ukrainian Munitions in Southern Ukraine

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Advertisement

Canadian Dollar Outlook:

The general risk-off tone across financial markets has been weighing on the Canadian Dollar in recent days.

USD/CAD rates are pushing towards their yearly highs, while CAD/JPY rates are at their lowest level since September 5.

However, according to the IG Client Sentiment Index , USD/CAD rates have a bullish bias in the near-term.

Recommended by Christopher Vecchio, CFA Get Your Free Top Trading Opportunities Forecast Get My Guide

Strong USD, Soft Oil Prices Weigh

The Canadian Dollar has turned lower over the past few days, in line with risk appetite more broadly. Rapidly rising Fed rate hike odds have pushed up the US Dollar (via the DXY Index) and US Treasury yields, while proliferating global recession concerns have weighed on energy prices. The net-result has been that USD/CAD rates are pushing their yearly highs, while CAD/JPY rates have dropped to their lowest level in over a week.

CAD/JPY Rate Technical Analysis: Daily Chart (September 2021 to September 2022) (Chart 1)

CAD/JPY rates pushed through resistance around 107.50 at the start of September, establishing a fresh yearly high at 110.52 yesterday before turning lower. The pullback has minimal thus far, with the pair sliding back to levels seen on September 5. Momentum is staring to erode, with CAD/JPY rates below their daily 5- and 8-EMAs but still above their daily 13- and 21-EMAs, while the EMA envelope remains in bullish sequential order. Daily MACD continues to trend higher above its signal line although a bearish crossover is becoming more likely, and daily Slow Stochastics are holding in overbought territory although an exit is nearing. The daily 21-EMA and the former yearly high area between 107.46/65 is first support to the downside.

USD/CAD Rate Technical Analysis: Daily Chart (May 2021 to September 2022) (Chart 2)

In the prior note at the end of August, it was observed that continued deterioration in US equity markets, noted by rising US 2-year yields and an elevated VIX, could help pave the path for USD/CAD rates to retest their yearly high above 1.3200 in short order. Since then, including today, the pair has traded above 1.3200 on occasions, but has not yet reached the yearly high at 1.3224. Having broken above ascending triangle resistance thats been forming since April, the near-term bias appears to be to the topside. USD/CAD rates are still above their daily EMA envelope, which is in bullish sequential order. Daily MACD is trending higher above its signal line, while daily Slow Stochastics are trending towards overbought territory. The yearly high at 1.3224 remains in focus.

The Quiz Discover what kind of forex trader you are Start Quiz

IG Client Sentiment Index: USD/CAD Rate Forecast (September 14, 2022) (Chart 3)

USD/CAD: Retail trader data shows 32.82% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders short to long at 2.05 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 22.73% lower than yesterday and 9.89% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 41.46% higher than yesterday and 0.58% higher from last week.

We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-short suggests USD/CAD prices may continue to rise.

Traders are further net-short than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger USD/CAD-bullish contrarian trading bias.

Trade Smarter - Sign up for the DailyFX Newsletter Receive timely and compelling market commentary from the DailyFX team Subscribe to Newsletter

--- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Strategist
This will be the greatest collective farewell of our lifetimes. The scenes playing out daily, from the country lanes of Aberdeenshire to the Mall in London, are a reflection of the visceral urge felt by millions to pay their respects to someone whose sudden absence has left us reeling.

But we have seen nothing yet. I have no doubt that in the next few days, we will be bowled over by the determination of millions  tens of millions  of people to salute their late Sovereign in person.

People are not just flocking from across the kingdom to say goodbye. They are crossing the globe.

And this is not a case of me-too selfie culture. This is a genuine manifestation of one of the Queens most famous quotes: Grief is the price we pay for love.

And that is why the current plans for the lying-in-state, which begins at 5pm today, are, I fear, going to be so deeply inadequate.

The scenes playing out daily, from the country lanes of Aberdeenshire to the Mall in London , are a reflection of the visceral urge felt by millions to pay their respects to someone whose sudden absence has left us reeling

This is not the Palaces fault, let alone that of the King, who is rallying every corner of the realm behind him in an exemplary way. This is down to the Government and the authorities.

And there is only so much that they can do to organise a steady flow of human beings through a fixed point over a fixed period, with strict rules governing security and decorum.

For the next few days, noble, medieval Westminster Hall is going to be like all four terminals of Heathrow Airport combined (that is to say, at best estimates, pushing through 100,000 people per 24-hour cycle).

We have to face the fact that not everyone who wants to will be able to process past the Queens coffin.

So if the people cannot come to the monarch, then the monarch needs to come to them.

Some of us, myself included, have been making this point to the relevant authorities for years, knowing that this day would come.

We have to face the fact that not everyone who wants to will be able to process past the Queens coffin. So if the people cannot come to the monarch, then the monarch needs to come to them

However, I have observed a number of recurring issues. First, there are so many departments and agencies involved  the Department of Culture, the Metropolitan Police, the Mayor of London, the Cabinet Office, the Royal Parks and the Ministry of Defence  that it is very easy to shunt any awkward questions on to someone else.

Second, these arrangements have been planned for so long that the people involved in making them have often moved on or switched jobs several times over.

Third, when talking to some of those involved over the years, I have been reminded of that old military phenomenon: Generals fighting the last war.

Time and again, I have been referred back to the Queen Mothers lying-in-state. That was based on the blueprint for Sir Winston Churchills in 1965 which, in turn, was modelled on George VIs in 1952.

However, Britain is another country today. People are less inclined to take no for an answer. What will happen when millions are told that they cannot join the queue, but then find that politicians and foreign dignitaries no one has ever heard of are sailing through a back-door VIP lane? Grief and anger are joined at the hip.

Many will, I am sure, decide instead to line the route of the funeral procession, either as the Queens coffin is carried from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall today, or on Monday, the day of the state funeral.

Some of us, myself included, have been making this point to the relevant authorities for years, knowing that this day would come. However, I have observed a number of recurring issues

On that day, the funeral parade will follow a processional route from Westminster Abbey to Hyde Park Corner, where the coffin will transfer to a hearse for its journey to the final committal at Windsor.

Once there, the coffin is expected to follow another processional route up the Long Walk to the castle. Even then, it is highly unlikely that these two funeral parades, lengthy though they will certainly be, will be enough.

So, what to do? I believe that a perfectly workable solution lies in looking back to two seismic moments during the Queens reign. One was the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in August 1997. The other was the 2012 London Olympics.

Halfway through the turbulent week before Dianas funeral, there were rows between the government and police as it became clear just how big the event might be.

Then someone came up with a simple suggestion that worked brilliantly: Extend the funeral route.

So, on the night before the funeral, the Princesss coffin was moved from its resting place at St Jamess Palace and returned to her old home at Kensington Palace, from where she would leave the following day.

Many will, I am sure, decide instead to line the route of the funeral procession, either as the Queens coffin is carried from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall today, or on Monday, the day of the state funeral. People are pictured above paying their respects to the Queen as her coffin arrives in London

This was presented as a final homecoming, as indeed it was. However, the main reason was to add another mile to the funeral route, thus absorbing a vast number of extra mourners.

Demand for Westminster Hall this week would certainly have been reduced had ministers stuck to a brilliant original plan dreamed up by a wise veteran of state occasions in the Lord Chamberlains Office at Buckingham Palace.

That plan had been for the Queen to travel from Scotland to London overnight in a special illuminated railway carriage pulled by the Royal Train.

The image of millions of people saluting their monarch from fields and embankments as she processed slowly through her borders and shires is a glorious, even poetic, one. Sadly, health and safety considerations later quashed this scheme.

For whatever reason, the powers that be have also decided against including the Thames in the Queens funeral arrangements, as they did so powerfully when Britain sent Churchill on his way. However, there is no reason why they cannot extend the parade route down to Windsor.

During the 2012 Olympics, the organisers used the Royal Parks to brilliant effect, including sending cyclists through Richmond Park.

Time and again, I have been referred back to the Queen Mothers lying-in-state. That was based on the blueprint for Sir Winston Churchills in 1965 which, in turn, was modelled on George VIs in 1952 (above)

At Windsor, as we saw at the wedding of Harry and Meghan in 2018, the stretch of the Long Walk from Datchet Road to the castle can cope with a maximum of 200,000 people.

Why not take the coffin on a longer route encompassing all three miles of the Long Walk, so that many times that number can be accommodated?

This has to be better than simply taking her down the A4, the route used for the Queen Mothers funeral in 2002.

I talked to the Lord Chamberlain of the day, Lord Luce, about that journey while writing my biography of the Queen. He said it was the most moving thing he had ever seen, with around a million people lining the route on a working day.

How many more, I wonder, can we expect for the Queen?

The original plan for her return to the Palace had been to make it purely operational  in other words, it was not to have been a public event.

The fact that the police then announced the route with 24 hours to go gave people the chance of being part of it and led to the huge crowds seen last night. Every time the UK has an opportunity to pay its respects like this, the pressure eases on Westminster Hall.

The trouble with well-laid plans (and few have been more well-laid than Operation London Bridge) is that they can become ossified.

Dianas procession and the Olympics showed how quick thinking and common-sense innovation can save the day. Lets ensure that the events of the next few days are the same.
Sanna Marin, the Finnish prime minister, endorsed the inclusion of all Russians affected by punitive measures. Despite the visa ban making it hard for Russians to visit the EU, Sanna Marin called it too little to make them feel the effects of their government's action.

Visa Suspension on Russians Not Enough

Finland's Prime Minister scoffed at the EU sanctions imposed on Moscow, and more should be done to allow pressure, but sanctions have had a negative effect, reported RT.

Instead, they boomeranged, and Helsinki is feeling the effects it brought on itself. She told the legislature that Moscow should take more measures to end the war, noted Mass News.

Earnings from gas and oil have permitted the Kremlin to pursue Kyiv, which has experienced severe losses in men and equipment. Since the start of the Ukrainian conflict, the Finnish PM has suggested punitive measures against ordinary Russians.

"Marius informed the Finnish state broadcaster Yle last August 8 that it's "not correct" for Russians to lead a normal life, take trips in Europe, and also be tourists."

The following day, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wrote on Twitter that "touring Europe is a privilege, not a basic right."

On September 9, the European Council declared the comprehensive suspension of the EU-Russia visa facilitation deal. The judgment does not lead to an absolute prohibition, but somehow it raises the visa application payment for Russian citizens from 35 to 80 for all those applying.

Read Also: Mark Zuckerberg Net Worth 2022: How Did Facebook Founder Lose $30 Billion in 1 Day?

In addition, the time duration may be expanded from ten days to 45 days if documentation is considered necessary, citing Euro News.

"To be a visitor in the EU is not a fundamental human right," says Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, who introduced the plan on September 6.

Based on the Russian Association of Tour Operators, nine European countries have declined to accept Russian tourist visa documents. Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands are all included in the list.

Nevertheless, a proposal to prohibit all Russian tourists from trying to enter the EU did not receive universal approval. Germany, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Austria have all expressed concerns. Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, also has warned it against the move.

On August 29, the top EU diplomat said on Austria's ORF TV, "Cutting the connection with the Russian civil population will not help, and this suggestion will not have the required majority."

In the meantime, Moscow has mentioned that it will not try to enforce reprisals against visa limitations on foreign citizens, according to President Vladimir Putin, who explained on Wednesday at the Eastern Economic Forum that even a tit-for-tat response would indeed be detrimental to Russia's best interest.

Last Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov clarified that Moscow deems punitive visa restrictions for EU nationals to be unseemly.

The Kremlin Won't be Harsh as the Bloc

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Monday that Moscow would not scramble to react to the EU's new visa requirements on Russian citizens, mentioned Press United.

He accused the EU of trying to differentiate "right and wrong" people through its new visa rules.Finnish PM Sanna Marin endorses more punitive measures to affect every Russian with no exception.

Related Article: European Commission Outlines Gas Price Cap To Limit Russian Revenue

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The nation's broadcasters were called upon once more to transmit the melancholy glory of another day in the death of our Queen.

And amid the massing of the military, resplendent in their scarlet and gold, complete with ceremonial trimmings of frogging and ruff, one question burned. How many more last journeys could Elizabeth II make?

'The Queen will leave for the final time shortly,' said Anna Botting for Sky News.

'The Queen will leave Buckingham Palace for the very last time,' said Chris Ship for ITV.

And even once the journey began, no one was sounding the last post for the last time. 'Now passing under the great arch for the last time, Queen Elizabeth II,' solemnly intoned the BBC's Fergal Keane, sounding for a moment as if he were reporting on the voyage of a cruise ship.

The cortege left Buckingham Palace and headed east, straight towards Alastair Bruce for Sky. 'The Mall is waiting to embrace the late Queen as she comes down through this canopy of trees for the last time,' he said

'The Queen will leave for the final time shortly,' said Anna Botting for Sky News

He was also thinking of the family members marching behind the coffin. 'The thoughts of the nation are with the King. And his siblings. And his two sons,' he added

'The Queen will leave Buckingham Palace for the very last time,' said Chris Ship for ITV

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown, into Westminster Hall

Majestic ceremony: Pallbearers from the Grenadier Guards lift the Queen's coffin on to a catafalque  a raised platform  in Westminster Hall as sunshine streams through the stained glass window of St Stephen's Porch

The cortege left Buckingham Palace and headed east, straight towards Alastair Bruce for Sky. 'The Mall is waiting to embrace the late Queen as she comes down through this canopy of trees for the last time,' he said.

He was also thinking of the family members marching behind the coffin.

'The thoughts of the nation are with the King. And his siblings. And his two sons,' he added.

He was not alone in his concerns. Earlier, ITV's very own Ship wondered about the mental and physical preparations for the grieving royals. 'How do we guess what is going through their minds at the moment?' he said, sympathising with a 'family about to say goodbye to their mother and grandmother and hand her over to the people'.

How did they cope? In the studio, ITV had Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton to provide some answers. As a former private secretary to the then Cambridges and also to Prince Harry, surely he would know? Of course he did. 'The duty thing is central to their being,' he explained crisply. 'That will see them through it.'

To be fair, it hasn't always seemed entirely central to the Duke of Sussex's being.

Still, it was lovely to see Harry back in the bosom of his family, even on this saddest of days. Yet as he marched onwards, his expression inscrutable, I itched to get out the nail scissors and give his tufty mess of a beard a neat trim. What would his grandfather have said!

How did they cope? In the studio, ITV had Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton to provide some answers. As a former private secretary to the then Cambridges and also to Prince Harry, surely he would know? Of course he did. 'The duty thing is central to their being,' he explained crisply. 'That will see them through it'

King Charles III, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Camilla, Queen Consort, Sir Timothy Laurence, Mr Peter Phillips, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Beatrice and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent are seen inside the Palace of Westminster for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

Around him, King Charles seemed shattered while the new Prince of Wales never looked more dashing. Anne, Andrew and Edward were just getting on with it, a study in stoic.

Sometimes the cameras roved into the crowds, because Tom Bradby and Julie Etchingham on ITV wanted to know what the ordinary people were doing. Well let's see. Someone was putting on ChapStick. Most were poring over their phones. A jewellery designer ordered the cameraman to 'zoom in' on her earrings.

'I have come all the way from Kensington. I am a royalist through and through. We all love the Queen,' she cried.

Tom Bradby looked horrified. 'It doesn't matter where you come from, many people have made the journey today,' he said, typically petrified of anything that smacked of elitism, excluding himself.

As the cortege swung into Horse Guards Parade people clapped  why? 'Appreciation of the Queen's life,' said Fergal Keane, which was good to know. Yet it was to the enormous credit of all these broadcasters and commentators that when it mattered most yesterday, they mainly fell silent.

During an incredible procession such as this, carrying the emotional freight of a nation along with the late Queen herself, amid the magnificent pomp only Britain can produce, words simply were superfluous. The guns firing in the Royal Parks, the muffled drums, the regimented clip of horses' hooves, the soldiers' boots ringing out to the rhythm of the funereal music  all of it spoke so eloquently for itself.

And if you had to break the silence, surely you had to have a good reason for doing so? Not always the case.

'The steady beat of the drums, the metronome of grief,' chirped Fergal Keane, sounding a bit pleased with himself as the cortege pulled into Parliament Square. 'Passing the statue of Winston Churchill,' he added, 'who had a particularly close bond with the Queen.'

'A very moving afternoon, dignified and solemn, some uplifting moments, too,' said Huw Edwards for the BBC. Pictured: King Charles III, Camilla, Queen Consort and Princess Anne, Princess Royal follow pallbearers carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall

He was right. Though it would have been a bit more dignified if Harry and Meghan (back-left) had managed to resist the urge to hold hands in front of the Queen as she lay in state in Westminster Hall

From leaving the Palace, to the guards taking their place on the catafalque, to Queen Consort Camilla casting a concerned, wifely look at Charles as they headed back to their car, the whole event had taken only one hour, yet so much had happened.

What a superb assembly, what a magnificent creation it all was. No theatre production could ever emulate such an occasion, nor do it justice. No Hollywood movie could ever dream this big, while few actors could deal with the extraordinary pressure of such extreme public exposure, knowing that there would be no second take if things went wrong.

I mention this because in the past, the Duchess of Sussex has been understandably confused by the difference between celebrity and monarchy. After being involved in such an occasion, complete with an elegant curtsey to a Queen she barely knew, surely now she can be in no doubt about the distinction?

'A very moving afternoon, dignified and solemn, some uplifting moments, too,' said Huw Edwards for the BBC. He was right. Though it would have been a bit more dignified if Harry and Meghan had managed to resist the urge to hold hands in front of the Queen as she lay in state in Westminster Hall. Still, everyone did their best. Meanwhile, the Royal Family and the nation are bound together in this uneasy time familiar to the bereaved everywhere; caught between the death and the funeral, the goodbye and the burial.

Yet the respect and the love pouring out for the Queen over these past days, both on the airways and in the streets, says something about who we are and what is important to us in the sweep of history.

Dust to dust, monarch to monarch. Onwards we go to the real last journey and the final toll of the bell on Monday.
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Throughout her extraordinary life as Britain's longest-reigning monarch, the Queen surrounded herself with a tight circle of friends upon whom she could trust and rely.

The group was eclectic, to say the least. From her beloved sister Princess Margaret, to her ladies-in-waiting and her dresser Angela Kelly, the monarch, who died last week at the age of 96, was supported by a select number of women.

The Queen's ladies-in-waiting, personally chosen by the monarch, had a variety of duties including attending to private and personal matters for the Queen and handling her correspondence.

They included her senior lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey, who was married to the late BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey.

The Queen's ladies-in-waiting were also been part of HMS Bubble - the name given to the reduced selection of around 20 staff attending to the Queen at Windsor during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some of the ladies-in-waiting had been with the Queen for more than 50 years and acted as both friends and loyal assistants, and their discretion and support proved invaluable to her.

Meanwhile she was close with her daughter Princess Anne, with whom she shared a love of riding and horses, as well as being particularly close to Prince Edward's wife Sophie.

Throughout her extraordinary life as Britain's longest-reigning monarch, the Queen surrounded herself with a tight circle of friends and loved-ones upon whom she could trust and rely (pictured, with Princess Margaret attending The Royal Ascot race meeting, on June 20, 1996)

From her beloved daughter Princess Anne (left) to her daughter-in-law Sophie Wessex (right), the monarch, who died last week at the age of 96, was supported by a select number of women

Meanwhile Lady Pamela Hicks (pictured right) had known Lillibet since her teens when a young Elizabeth fell in love with Pamelas cousin Philip

Princess Margaret

The Queen's sister Princess Margaret dedicated her life to service and to upholding the values of Monarchy (pictured left, the sisters on the terrace steps at the back of the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, April 1940, and right, on April 17th 1940, on the fourteenth birthday of Princess Elizabeth)

Princess Margaret spent her life dedicated to the monarchy, despite her public perception as a fast-living socialite who spent much time partying and lounging about in the Caribbean

The public perception of Princess Margaret remains that of a fast-living socialite who spent much time partying and lounging about in the Caribbean.

But less well known was that she also dedicated her life to serving her sister and to upholding the values of Monarchy.

It was a quality the Queen appreciated in full measure, and from time to time she defended her younger sister from what she considered to be unfair attack by MPs and others.

Margaret's attitude towards her sister, the Queen, was reportedly erratic and often discourteous. On the one hand, she was the most loyal of supporters. 'My task in life is to help the Queen,' she often said.

But on other occasions her actions betrayed a resentment and indifference towards her sister that left even long-serving courtiers who knew her well shaking their heads.

At a state banquet in 1957, when the Queen was complimented by a Government Minister on her evening dress, Margaret casually remarked in front of other guests: 'Darling, that does show your bosom too much.'

And when the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in the same year, Margaret missed a celebration dinner, to go to a West End musical with friends.

She returned to Buckingham Palace at midnight when the party was nearly over, without a present, a card or even an apology.

As the Queen made clear to Margaret, she had to protect the Monarchy. She was acting as Sovereign first, sister second.

By Margaret's funeral in 2002, the monarch's attitude toward her sister seemed to have softened. She took Anne Glenconner to one side and thanked her for bringing Roddy Llewellyn into Margaret's life.

She told her: 'I'd just like to say, it was rather difficult at moments but I thank you so much for introducing Princess Margaret to Roddy. He made her really happy.'

This was quite a remarkable turnaround by the Queen. It seemed as if she had learned, through her own travails with her children and their marriages, to be more accepting and understanding.

The final decade of Margaret's life had brought the Royal sisters together in a way they had not experienced for many years, the Princess proving herself time and again a loyal and devoted supporter. Particularly during the Queen's 'annus horribilis' in 1992, with the separations of the Duke and Duchess of York and of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne's divorce and the Windsor Castle fire.

After embarrassing photographs were published of the Duchess of York having her toes sucked by her 'financial adviser' John Bryan by the side of a villa pool in the South of France, Margaret, no stranger herself to compromising pictures, sent Sarah Ferguson a withering letter.

It said: 'You have done more to bring shame on the family than could have been imagined. Not once have you hung your head in embarrassment even for a minute after those disgraceful photographs. Clearly, you have never considered the damage you are causing us all.'

Princess Anne

Princess Anne was born in 1950 and was the the Queen's second child, after big brother Charles, becoming one of the Queen's closest confidantes

The two women are understood to have grown closer in recent years, with the Queen coming to rely on Princess Anne greatly before her death (left, on day three, Ladies Day, of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 20, 2019 in Ascot, England; right, Royal Ascot 2017 at Ascot Racecourse)

Princess Anne was born in 1950 and was the the Queen's second child, after big brother Charles.

The two women are understood to have grown closer in recent years, with the Queen coming to rely on Princess Anne greatly before her death.

The experts believe that the Queen has given her daughter more and more responsibility as she is someone she can trust.

She is similar to her father in character, with one biographer writing: She gets on with it  she never complains.'

Sources previously said Princess Anne's role in the family had also grown following the Duke of York's sex abuse scandal, with one saying she was 'likely to become a much more important figure' in the family following Andrew's 'early retirement'.

Royal author Phil Dampier told the Telegraph: 'Anne is much closer to the Queen than she used to be. She's always been close to her father, because she's very similar to him.

The expert also went on to claim that the Queen is much more reliant on the Princess Royal after Prince Andrew's involvement in the Epstein affair.

In an indication of their close bond, the Princess Royal accompanied the Queen on some of her final public appearances throughout the pandemic (pictured left, visiting the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute in July 2021 and October 2021)

And in her final official public appearance before her death, the two travelled to Maidenhead to visit Thames Hospice (pictured)

'Unlike her younger brother, she's extremely discreet and not likely to make any faux pas. She's a safe pair of hands,' Dampier said.

Despite Princess Anne's own scandals in the past the experts said that she's successfully managed to put them behind her, while its 'too late for Andrew to do the same.'

Strong and opinionated, she has a waspish wit and is a staunch believer in The Firm, once saying: I dont think this younger generation understands what we were doing in the past.

'Nowadays theyre much more looking for Oh, lets do it a new way and Im already at the stage of, Please do not reinvent that particular wheel. 

Of her mother, Anne said simply: She is remarkable.

Statement: Princess Anne released this statement (pictured). She offered her 'thanks to each and every one who share our sense of loss'

In the final years of the Queen's life, Princess Anne accompanied her on a host of different engagements including, poignantly, the monarch's first official visit north of the border following the death of her husband Prince Philip.

The pair made several appearances in Glasgow as part of the Queen's traditional trip to Scotland for Holyrood Week in 2021.

Meanwhile the Princess Royal also joined the Queen as she used a walking stick for support for the first time in public while attending a service of thanksgiving to mark the centenary of the Royal British Legion at Westminster Abbey in October 2021.

And in her final official public appearance before her death, the two travelled to Maidenhead to visit a hospice.

The princess was in Scotland when the Queen was taken ill, and stayed at her bedside at Balmoral Castle, as senior royals rushed to say their final farewells.

The Princess Royal watches as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is taken to a hearse as it departs St Giles' Cathedral

Princess Anne, Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence watch as pallbearers carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from St Giles' Cathedral

Anne has taken on the duty of accompanying her mother's body back to London, with the Queen leaving Scotland for the last time bound for RAF Northolt on Tuesday.

Lady Myra Butter Lady Butter, who was a descendant of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and the poet Pushkin, was among the friends oldest friends until her death earlier this year. She was a close friend of the Queen her entire life, having been amoung one of several youngsters enlisted by Buckingham Palace to join the Princess in childhood activities like swimming to girl guiding. She previously described the monarch as having 'very good sense of humour which has gone on for all her life'. Speaking to The Telegraph in 2021, she revealed how she got to know the Queen as a child, saying: '[Buckingham Palace] They got hold of some girls to be part of the thing to make it more fun. 'In the Guides and the Brownies it was a real mixture, which was really nice, some friends, friends of [the family], and all the people in the Royal mews, their children, they were Brownies and Guides. Just a normal sort of pack really.' And Lady Butter was also in the 1st Buckingham Palace Company of Girl Guides with the Queen, when it launched in 1937. The Queen was in the Kingfisher patrol, Lady Butter in Robin. Lady Butter previously told DailyMail about the experience, revealing: It was great fun. We learnt how to do Morse code and tie knots.' She could also remember listening to Edward VIII's abdication broadcast on the wireless, saying: 'I thought it was the end of the world. 'We haven't got a king, what's going to happen now?' And speaking to Tatler in 2020, she said: '[For our] social life, we had a few concerts and the local 82nd Airborne Division was stationed near us, so we got to know them, and the local Air Force used to appear. 'But really, the only place where there was some- thing going on was at Windsor Castle, because the Girls' Brigade was stationed there, and their parties were a highlight; if you were lucky enough to get asked to one, you had a really wonderful time. 'Everyone came up and everyone danced their heads off. A lot went on, because I think you would have gone crazy if you hadn't had fun.' The monarch later attended her wedding to the late Major David Butter in Westminster in 1946, with the couple going on to have five children with one another. And last year, she opened up about the Queen's grief for her husband Prince Philip, telling ITV his dedication to duty meant 'nobody could have done that job' as he had done. She said: 'There's nobody, in my mind, who could have done that job. Nobody. Dedicated to it, and very intelligent and youthful.' Offering an insight into the Queen's grief, she said the Duke was 'the Queen's world' and that she would be 'lost' without her husband. Advertisement

The Queen's oak coffin, accompanied by Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, travelled to Buckingham Palace where King Charles III, the Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be waiting to receive it.

She made history when she became the first royal woman to take part in the 'Vigil of Princes' - standing vigil by her mother's coffin alongside her brothers King Charles, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.

During the 20-minute vigil at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Princess Anne, who wore her navy ceremonial uniform, kept her eyes fixed towards the floor.

And yesterday, the Princess Royal paid tribute to her mother and said it had been 'an honour and a privilege' to accompany the Queen on her final journeys as she travelled with the monarch's coffin back to London.

Princess Anne, the late monarch's only daughter, told how she was 'fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother's life'.

She said the love and respect shown to the Queen on her journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh and onto London had been 'both humbling and uplifting'.

Anne also thanked the nation for the 'support and understanding offered to my dear brother Charles' as he takes on his duties as King.

Anne's full statement said: 'I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother's life. It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys.

'Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.

'We will all share unique memories. I offer my thanks to each and every one who share our sense of loss.

'We may have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted.

'I am also so grateful for the support and understanding offered to my dear brother Charles as he accepts the added responsibilities of the monarch. To my mother, The Queen, thank you.'

Her tribute was shared to the Royal Family's Instagram account along with a photo of Anne and the Queen, which was first released to mark the late monarch's 90th birthday in 2016. The mother and daughter posed on a sofa in the White Drawing Room of Windsor Castle.

Angela Kelly

The Queen and three-times-divorced Miss Kelly - a Roman Catholic crane driver's daughter from Liverpool - spent over 20 years forging an intriguingly close relationship.

Angela was born in 1952, barely eight weeks after the death of King George VI and Queen Elizabeths ascension to the throne, into a fiercely patriotic Roman Catholic family with strong seafaring roots and a tough work ethic.

Her father Thomas was, like his father before him, a merchant seaman, who risked his life to escort convoys across the North Atlantic during World War II and survived a torpedo attack by German U-boats. Her mother, Teresa, was a nurse who also drove wartime ambulances.

Post-war, money in the Bradley family was tight  along with space in their Liverpool council flat. Thomas worked as a crane driver in the docks and later as a factory hand and a train driver as he tried to make ends meet.

It was these days, a friend previously said, that taught Angela her resilience and fortitude.

Money was tight and so was discipline, a source said in 2014. Honesty and loyalty were traits she inherited from her strict but loving parents.

She learnt to sew at her mothers insistence, made clothes for her dolls, then progressed to pattern-cutting her own designs on material she could find in local flea markets.

Glamorous on a budget and always immaculately turned out, Angela was known for her love of The Beatles and for being gregarious and fun.

Married and divorced three times, she has three children whom she left to be brought up by their father, Frank Wylie, her first husband.

She married the shopfitter in 1971, a month after her son Frank, now 43, was born. A year later, she gave birth to Paul, now 41, and then daughter Michelle, 40.

But by the early 1980s, the marriage was over and the then Mrs Wylie went to Germany without her children  virtually unheard of at the time  to work in the catering department of the British Army.

A brief marriage to a German man later ended in divorce before she met husband number three, Irish Guardsman Jim Kelly, in 1989.

The Queen and three-times-divorced Angela Kelly - a Roman Catholic crane driver's daughter from Liverpool - spent over 20 years forging an intriguingly close relationship

They married in 1992, after returning to England, but split three years later.

The turning point in Angelas life came in March 1991 when the Queen Mother came to Germany to present the Royal Shamrock to members of the Irish Guards during the traditional St Patricks Day regimental ceremony.

As a housekeeper at the Ambassadors Residence, it was Angela who was responsible for preparing the Queen Mothers room and catering for her every whim.

Despite their close friendship, the pair have rarely been spotted in public with one another - although they did attend a London Fashion Week together in February 2018 (pictured left and right)

Lady Pamela Hicks Lady Pamela, 91, daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten, has known Lillibet since her teens when a young Elizabeth fell in love with Pamelas cousin Philip. She was a bridesmaid at the couples 1947 wedding, later serving as a lady-in-waiting. She was with the couple in Kenya in 1952 when King George VI died as the Royal party slept in the Treetops Hotel. She climbed up that ladder as a Princess and then, in the morning, she came down the ladder as Queen, Lady Pamela famously recalled. Lady Pamela remained a confidante of the monarch. She was by her side for some of her most defining moments. For her own wedding, she had Princess Anne as a bridesmaid alongside Princess Clarissa of Hesse, her goddaughter Victoria Marten and her niece's Jonna Knatchbull and Amanda Knatchbull. In recent years Lady Pamela has spoken more about the roles and relationships within the royal family via India's podcast, and shared her thoughts on the coronation in an ITV. Recalling the coronation in 1953, Lady Pamela said: '[The Queen] looked so frail, just this one young woman. 'Seeing her, this young woman of 27, utterly alone, I wondered how she'd have the strength to undertake this duty all her life. I think one knew she would, because there's such inner strength there.' She also shared her thoughts on the royal wedding, describing it as surprisingly chaotic. She told how the Queen's bouquet couldn't be found. Her pearls were also missing, until someone remembered at the last moment that they had been displayed with the wedding gifts. Advertisement

She also became close friends with the Queen Mothers own devoted personal dresser, Betty Leek, and witnessed the close working relationship between the two women.

'Theres always a job waiting for you back in England, a clearly impressed Queen Mother told her when Mrs Kelly dropped a farewell curtsey upon her departure back to the UK.

Mr Kelly recalled: Angela made sure her room was in tip-top condition and that whatever she needed was in the house. She had a great rapport with her. We were later invited to a drinks party at Clarence House to thank her.

Not long after, in October 1992, Mrs Kelly met the Queen herself when she and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Berlin and the two began building a friendship.

She was so close to the Monarch that she has written two books with the Queen's approval and lived in a grace-and-favour home in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Queen was often spotted 'nipping in for tea'.

The esteem in which Mrs Kelly was held is reflected in the fact that she was made a lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order.

She received this honour, which recognises personal service to the monarch, at an investiture at Buckingham Palace in 2012 with her daughter Michelle, son-inlaw Simon Anson and their two children.

While their relationship was a professional one  Angela addressed the Queen as Your Majesty or Maam, while the Queen called her Angela  the two women loved to discuss their families when they meet at Angelas home at Windsor.

The dresser's influence even extends to the younger Royals - with Prince George christened in a lengthy robe made by Miss Kelly, who learnt sewing from her mother and aunt.

It was a replica of the original Honiton lace and white satin christening robe designed for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter in 1841, which has since been worn by almost every member of the Royal Family but has now become too delicate to use.

Ms Kelly broke in Her Majesty's shoes by wearing them and she wa nicknamed AK-47  a play on her initials and the firepower of the Soviet-era assault rifle.

She said simply: 'I love the Queen and everything about her. She has allowed me to become closer to her over the years.

'We talk about clothes, make-up and jewellery. We are two typical women.'

Miss Kelly was famously accused of being part of a row with Prince Harry over which tiara Meghan would wear when the couple wed.

The row allegedly resulted in Prince Harry raising his voice at the Queen when he called her and said: 'I don't know what the hell is going on. This woman needs to make this work for my future wife.'

A source stringently denied that Harry yelled at his grandmother but made no mention of Miss Kelly in their rebuttal.

The two women remained exceptionally close over the Queen's final year - she was called upon to cut the Queen's hair when usual protocol could not be followed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

And earlier this year it was revealed the Queen moved Angela into Windsor Castle to aid her with ongoing mobility issues. A source reportedly told the paper that Kelly lives there now. She has moved in.

The stylist was understood to be staying in a suite next to the monarch's private quarters.

Miss Kelly was famously accused of being part of a row with Prince Harry over which tiara Meghan would wear when the couple wed

Sophie Wessex

Her Majesty's daughter-in-law Sophie, 56, was often been noted as the monarch's 'favourite' family member and closest confidante, after she married Prince Edward.

She ran her own PR company before marrying Prince Edward and earned the Queens trust by throwing herself into Royal life.

Sophie formed a close bond with the royal family after losing her own mother, Mary Rhys-Jones, to stomach cancer in 2005 aged 71, when her daughter Lady Louise Windsor was only two.

Speaking in 2021, one friend said: Sophie set herself a series of tasks. She learned how to ride properly and now rides with the Queen at least once a week.

Her Majesty's daughter-in-law Sophie, 56, was often been noted as the monarch's 'favourite' family member and closest confidante, after she married Prince Edward (pictured together at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2022)

She took up carriage-driving to be close to Philip. She had her own series of scandals before her marriage when she was accused of cashing in on her Royal connections, but she calmly put all that behind her and has been an exemplary daughter-in-law.

One former aide described the Queens relationship with Sophie  who lost her own mother, Mary, in 2005  as like mother and daughter, adding: There is a great deal of love and mutual respect between them.

Sophie previously explained to the Telegraph how these visits during lockdown involved the Queen standing on a 20ft high balcony and waving down.

A tearful Countess of Wessex described the queen as amazing as she and her husband Prince Edward comforted Her Majesty at Windsor Castle following the death of her husband Prince Philip.

One former aide described the Queens relationship with Sophie  who lost her own mother, Mary, in 2005  as like mother and daughter (pictured together in February 2015 at a reception at Buckingham Palace)

Royal sources over the years said that Sophie was among the Queen's most 'trusted' confidantes, with one saying she was 'relied on like few others'

Royal expert Duncan Larcombe said the Countess became the Queen's unlikely 'rock' as the monarch adjusted to life without her husband Prince Philip (pictured, together in October 2019)

The couple were the first to visit the grieving Monarch after his death, and as they left the castle Sophie was visibly upset.

At the time, she was described as one of a group of four who were providing support for the monarch.

Sophie is like another daughter to the Queen, they are that close, said a Royal source. She is trusted and relied on like few others.

The pair were said to speak at least once a day and enjoy regular Saturday movie afternoons when they would watch old films together.

And speaking in June last year, royal expert Duncan Larcombe told The Sun: 'Sophie has emerged as the Queens unlikely "rock" as the monarch adjusts to life without Prince Philip.'

Sophie Wessex (pictured left), the wife of the Queen's youngest son, showed her unwavering support to her husband this afternoon as she joined the royal family in procession to escort the Queen's coffin down Edinburgh's Royal Mile

Sophie, who was wearing all black, appeared deep in thought as she followed the procession in a car. Her husband Prince Edward was on foot

Since her mother-in-law's death Sophie has showed her unwavering support to her husband and the family as she joined the royal family in paying tribute to the Queen.

Earlier this week, she was among the procession to escort the Queen's coffin down Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Wearing a black suit and a matching headpiece, Sophie looked sombre as she joined her fellow royals for the deeply solemn 1,200 yard procession, which took place in bright sunshine, with hundreds of well-wishers lining the city's oldest streets.

Lady Sarah Chatto

Daughter of the Queens late sister, Princess Margaret, Lady Sarah is one of the most low-key Royals yet held a very special place in Her Majestys affections. Pictured: The Queen with Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones

Another key figure was her niece, the lively Lady Sarah Chatto, 52, Princess Margarets daughter who married artist Daniel Chatto.

Daughter of the Queens late sister, Lady Sarah is one of the most low-key Royals yet held a very special place in Her Majestys affections.

One royal insider previously said: The Queen adores Sarah and seeks out her company as often as possible. She is her absolute favourite younger Royal.

They are hugely at ease in each others company. Much giggling can be heard when they are together. They share a sense of loyalty, fun, duty and the ridiculous.

In a sign of her close relationship to the Queen, Lady Sarah was often photographed travelling with the monarch to church in Balmoral

Once her own children were grown up, Sarah frequently stayed with her aunt.

Friends said she so reminded the Queen of her younger sister Margaret, whom she desperately missed after her death in 2002.

Lady Sarah kept an eye on the Queen, and reportedly worried she worked too hard.

Margaret Rhodes Margaret Rhodes was among the Queen's closest confidantes until her death in December 2016. Her white-painted house in Windsor Great Park had been, for years, the Queens first port of call when she needed someone close enough to talk through private problems. The two, who were first cousins  Mrs Rhodess mother was the Queen Mothers elder sister  virtually grew up together. Mrs Rhodes was then one of the bridesmaids at the Queens wedding to Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey in 1947. Advertisement

In a sign of her close relationship to the Queen, Lady Sarah was often photographed travelling with the monarch to church in Balmoral.

Lady Chatto has not been seen since the Queen's death, and it is not currently known if she will join the royal family in London this week.

She is expected to be among the attendees who will be at the Queen's funeral on Monday.

Lady Farnham

Diana Maxwell, Lady Farnham, who had been the Queen's Lady of Bedchamber since 1987 and rode with the Queen on the way to her Diamond Jubilee service in 2012, died four days after Christmas aged 90.

She had joined the Queen on royal tours during her 44 years of service, including the highly successful tour of the Republic of Ireland in 2011 due to her Irish connections.

Lady Farnham was married to Barry Maxwell, the 12th Baron Farnham - a top City banker and Irish peer who died in 2001.

A royal source told The Telegraph: 'It is very sad for the Queen. Everyone loved Lady Farnham, she was always so good humoured. She was also a very glamorous and attractive woman.

'She was always very generous to new people joining the household.

'They were dear friends who supported the Queen on official duties. Unfortunately a sad consequence of living a long life is that you have to say goodbye to a lot of people you care about.'

Lady Farnham was a close friend and supported the Queen for decades, most notably sitting alongside the monarch during Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 when Prince Philip was unable to attend.

Born Diana Marion Gunnis, she married Lord Farnham in 1959.

The couple adopted two daughters, Harriet, 57, and Sophia, 54, and had four grandchildren - Araminta, 28, Henry, 26, Elsa, 15 and Celia, 13.

Lady Farnham joined the Royal Household in 1987, more than 30 years after Duchess of Grafton, but she was appointed Commander, Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1998 after the Queen recognised her personal service.

She was then appointed Dame Commander, Royal Victorian Order, an award made personally by the Queen for services to the sovereign, in 2010.

The Queen's longstanding Lady-in-Waiting Diana, Lady Farnham pictured accompanying the monarch during the State opening of Parliament in the House of Lords

Queen Elizabeth's Lady-in-Waiting Lady Farnham (pictured right) has died aged 90

Queen Elizabeth sat at the State Opening of the Houses of Parliament with husband Prince Philip and her ladies-in-waiting to the right
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The Queen was known for her strength, stoicism and her sense of duty - having looked to her father King George VI for inspiration throughout her 70-year reign.

Her Majesty, who was the longest reigning monarch in British history, heralded for her unparalleled devotion to royal duty during more than seven decades on the throne, died aged 96 in Balmoral last Thursday.

Born in Mayfair on April 21, 1926, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York was granddaughter of the King, third in line to the throne and unlikely ever to ever be crowned, which afforded 'Lilibet', a nickname given by her closest family members, and her sister Margaret, four years her junior, a sheltered if privileged upbringing.

But in 1936, when she was just 10, her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, making her father King and changing her destiny forever.

The Queen acceded to the throne on February 6, 1952, thrust on the rather shy and tentative 25-year-old while on a royal tour of Kenya with her beloved husband and soul mate Prince Philip following the death of her father George VI, who was her idol.

Those who knew the Queen as a child described her a serious and loyal daddy's girl who idolised her father, who at the time of her birth had no desire to be King George VI or make his beloved eldest daughter his heir to the throne.

It was this close relationship to George VI which shaped much of her rule - with the Queen even saying: 'I shall always work, as my father did throughout his reign, to advance the happiness and prosperity of my peoples' - and one which she continued to pay tribute to in her own ways.

The Queen, who died last Thursday in Balmoral, was known for her strength, stoicism and her sense of duty - having looked to her father King George VI (pictured together in 1946) for inspiration throughout her 70-year reign

Born in Mayfair on April 21, 1926, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York (pictured right with her father and sister) was granddaughter of the King, third in line to the throne and unlikely ever to ever be crowned, which afforded 'Lilibet', a nickname given by her closest family members, and her sister Margaret, four years her junior, a sheltered if privileged upbringing

In 1936, when she was just 10, her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, making her father King (pictured with his family on his coronation day) and changing her destiny forever

Baby Elizabeth, with her blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, entered the world at 2.40am on April 26 1926 in a Mayfair townhouse to her proud parents Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Within a decade the Yorks would be Britain's most reluctant king and queen after the abdication of Edward VIII.

The Queen's early life was blissful, the family - her parents then the Duke and Duchess of York - split their time between 145 Piccadilly - a large home in Hyde Park - and their country home Royal Lodge, Windsor, now the official residence of Prince Andrew.

Elizabeth was said to be her fathers pride, while Margaret his joy, When realising his daughter would be Queen, the King started to prepare her for her role as monarch.

With this in mind, he reportedly asked his eldest child to write an account of his coronation, so that she would perhaps feel more prepared for her own, reported Good Housekeeping.

Aged just 11, the then Princess Elizabeth penned a note to her parents to celebrate the Coronation of King George VI, which was addressed 'to mamma and papa' from 'Lilibet by herself'.

In Feburary 1952, Princess Elizabeth, then aged 25, was in Kenya with her husband of five years Prince Philip. Her father King George VI had been too ill with lung cancer to travel and so the princess was sent on his behalf.

The Queen acceded to the throne on February 6, 1952, thrust on the rather shy and tentative 25-year-old while on a royal tour of Kenya with her beloved husband and soul mate Prince Philip following the death of her father George VI (pictured together in 1947), who was her idol

Elizabeth's early life was blissful, the family split their time between 145 Piccadilly - a large home in Hyde Park - and their country home Royal Lodge, Windsor, now the official residence of Prince Andrew (Pictured right, on October 9, 1926 when she was almost six months old, and left, as a baby with her parents - then known as the Duke and Duchess of York and later the King and Queen consort)

Those who knew the Queen as a child described a serious and loyal daddy's girl who idolised her father, who at the time of her birth had no desire to be King George VI or make his beloved eldest daughter his heir to the throne

The couple had been relaxing at the now-famous Treetops Hotel, a game-viewing lodge in Kenya, and it was there in her sleep that she became Queen as her father passed away.

The official announcement of the King's death was made from Sandringham on the morning of 6 February 1952 and the BBC broadcast the news that he had died in his sleep that night.

A fellow guest, British hunter Jim Corbett, wrote in the Treetops guest book: 'For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a Princess and after having what she described as her most thrilling experience she climbed down from the tree next day a Queen.'

The news itself took time to reach Elizabeth and she was not informed until later when her private secretary, Martin Charteris was approached by a journalist for comment on the news, which had now broken worldwide.

The Queen took the news with what has since become her characteristic sense of duty. Her secretary later Martin Charteris recalled: 'She was sitting erect, fully accepting her destiny. I asked her what name she would take. "My own, of course".'

Queen Elizabeth apologised to her hosts for cancelling the rest of the tour and flew back to London the next day.

On February 8, she addressed the Accession Council at St James's Palace, saying: By the sudden death of my dear father I am called to assume the duties and responsibilities of sovereignty.

George VI; King of the United Kingdom, as Duke of York together with Elizabeth (the Duchess of York) and Princess Elizabeth later Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret

King George VI with the Queen Mother (then Queen Elizabeth) and his daughters Princess Margaret, left, and Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II), on Coronation Day, 1937

'My heart is too full for me to say more to you today than I shall always work, as my father did throughout his reign, to advance the happiness and prosperity of my peoples, spread as they are all the world over.

Although the King's death shocked the nation - he was only 56 and it had been thought his condition was improving - there was also a lot of excitement about Elizabeth's accession to the throne.

The Queen's close friend Lady Glenconner has said Her Majesty's father King George set a 'wonderful example' by putting duty first.

She shared her memories of the monarch as a young woman ahead of her Platinum Jubilee. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Lady Glenconner said the Queen would likely 'look back very sadly' on the day as it also marked the death of her father, George VI.

She described the 'moving' moment she watched Elizabeth on television returning from Africa with the knowledge she was to become Queen.

'It's so moving, standing at the top of the stairs in her black coat. And suddenly, somebody that we'd known, I'd known, since she was a child, was Queen.

'She was a very slight figure and she was very young but I felt that she had, from a very young age really, she knew she was going to be Queen. I think her father was a wonderful example to her because he put his every duty first.'

Animals were a key part of the Queen's early life - she kept corgis until her death. The Royal family are seen the Royal Lodge in Windsor. (From right to left) Queen Elizabeth (1900 - 2002), Princess Margaret (1930 - 2002), Princess Elizabeth and King George VI (1895 - 1952) with the family dogs Ching

The royal family at Buckingham Palace, May 1942. From left to right, Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), Princess Margaret and King George. The Queen is aged 16

In February, the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, paid tribute to the Queen's duty and service.

She was, he said, 'a constant reminder that we are never ruled by a mere idea', in contrast to the 'push and pull of conflicting opinion' and 'the divided tribal loyalties of our age'.

'No fanfare marked Accession Day for the Queen who was, that morning, in the foothills of Mount Kenya,' the Dean said. 'There was no job description and no strategy to deliver. Shaped and informed by the father she succeeded, she began what she has continued ever since, a life of duty and service.

'A life, her life at the heart of nation and Commonwealth - relationship, constancy and principle in the churn of world affairs.'

Earlier this year, the Queen kept her father close to her heart when celebrating her historic milestone of 70 years on the throne; she was pictured with her papers of state on a table in front of her and poignantly nearby was an image of the late King.

In a message released to mark her Platinum Jubilee the Queen said: 'It is a day that, even after 70 years, I still remember as much for the death of my father, King George VI, as for the start of my reign.

'As we mark this anniversary, it gives me pleasure to renew to you the pledge I gave in 1947 that my life will always be devoted to your service.'
A swimwear label endorsed by celebrities like Hailey Bieber have revealed why their 'unsized' costumes are catching the eyes of Aussie women this spring.

Bond-Eye Swim has earned a reputation in the fashion industry for being at the forefront of bikini trends, curating ribbed material, cut out designs and popping colours in every capsule collection.

And for its latest collaboration with Dominique Elissa the model and Bondi Beach-based beauty has spoken about why the 'one size' option has been such a success story.

'The Bond-Eye swim material lends itself to a size 6-14/16 AU. An estimated 85 per cent of all textiles go to the dump every year according to the world economic forum,' Dominique told FEMAIL.

And for its latest collaboration with Dominique Elissa (pictured) the model and Bondi Beach-based beauty has spoken about why the 'one size' option has been such a success story

The fabric itself is unique and stretchy, catering to a variety of different body shapes and sizes with everyone in between

'By creating unsized swimwear Bond-Eye is also cutting down on excessive stock from multiple size offerings and reusing fabric off-cuts, with 80 per cent of their range shaped from regenerated nylon derived from pre-consumer raw materials that would ordinarily go to waste.'

The fabric itself is unique and stretchy, catering to a variety of different body shapes and sizes with everyone in between.

The beauty of it is that you can buy a suit at one point in your life and it will grow and shrink with you as your body naturally changes.

Bond-Eye tests their products on a number of different women at the design stage, and from their High Summer '22 collection onwards, every single style is shot on a minimum of two different body shapes and types.

Bond-Eye tests their products on a number of different women at the design stage, and from their High Summer '22 collection onwards, every single style is shot on a minimum of two different body shapes and types

'All of their bound crinkle products are referred to with the term "unsized". This promotes a more inclusive message and doesn't assume that their products will fit every size and shape,' Dominique said

While the range is 'unsized', it's not claiming to be one-size-fits-all.

'All of their bound crinkle products are referred to with the term "unsized". This promotes a more inclusive message and doesn't assume that their products will fit every size and shape,' Dominique said.

Customers have been quick to praise the brand for being so 'inclusive' and say they have received a number of compliments for sporting Bond-Eye on the beach.

'I just bought the Sasha suit for the second time! I can't wait to wear it. I've finally found a top that can fit my large chest perfectly,' one woman said.

Social media images show women with various hair colours, skin tones and body shapes wearing the brand with ease

'I love how your swimwear fits and suits all of us the same way... and it feels so comfortable too,' said another.

A third added: 'Finally swimwear that loves my body just the way I am'.

Social media images show women with various hair colours, skin tones and body shapes wearing the brand with ease.
A trailer for Disney's live-action version of The Little Mermaid has racked up more than 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube after its star Halle Bailey faced racist backlash from trolls on Twitter after being cast in the leading role.

The negative response to the movie's official teaser trailer - the first real glimpse at the movie - has been so severe that YouTube has now disabled the dislike counter, but not before it reached more than 1.5 million.

For many, the trailer was an exciting first look at the live-action version of the iconic Disney princess story, with parents the world over sharing sweet videos of their young children watching in awe as the clip played.

But among the excitement and the praise surrounding the movie, there has also been a bitter wave of racist backlash over Disney's decision to cast a black woman in the lead role.

The Little Mermaid is the live-action adaptation of the popular Disney princess film starring Grown-ish actress Halle, 22, from Los Angeles, California, in the iconic role of Ariel.

The Little Mermaid has garnered over 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube after star actress Halle Bailey faced racist backlash over her casting from trolls on Twitter

The Little Mermaid is the live-action adaptation of the popular animated Disney princess film starring Grown-ish actress Halle Bailey, 22

The official teaser has surprisingly received 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube and even caused the video sharing platform to disable the dislike counter (dislike count from September 11)

And despite the hundreds of thousands of fans who have been awaiting the teaser for the film, the clip has been flooded with very mixed reviews.

Although YouTube has disabled the dislike counter, many social media geniuses have installed a popular extension that shows them just how many people didn't like a video.

Many critics have been slamming Disney for their visuals and noting that it doesn't appear as the princess is under water, while others have taken a swing at Halle and the director Rob Marshall for casting the star.

In the wake of Disney's announcement that Halle would be playing the mermaid Ariel in the adaptation, there has been no shortage of backlash.

Many of the online attacks have been tinged with racism, with trolls taking aim at Disney and its new leading lady over the decision to cast a black woman as the fictional character, who has largely been portrayed as white in previous pop culture offerings, including Disney's popular 1989 cartoon.

Trolls have taken to Twitter to spread racial attacks with the hashtag #NotmyAriel and have called Disney's choice to cast a black woman in the film #woke.

One Twitter user said: 'If Disney wants more diversity, they should have create another character Before respecting all the other ethnicities and cultures shouldn't they at least be respectful to the origin ??? #notmyariel.'

While others said 'race swapping is not okay' and claimed the movie was 'a waste of money.'

In response to the online criticism, Halle told PEOPLE that she has been focusing on the significance of her playing the character, rather than the hate.

Since Disney announced Halle would be playing the Disney princess in the adaptation, there has been no shortage of backlash

Much of the online attacks have been tinged with racism, as Halle Bailey is a black woman and Ariel, a fictional, animated character, appears to be white in the original 1989 film

Despite the backlash from trolls, Halle is focusing on the children whose parents have been sharing their happiness to seeing a Disney princess who looks like them online

She said: 'The fact that now it's getting to be played by me, a person who looks like me, woman of color, I'm just like, wow, I'm so grateful for what it will do for all the other little black and brown boys and girls who will see themselves in me.'

'Because I know if I had seen myself when I was younger, I think my whole perspective would've changed.'

She added that she put her own stamp on the princess and said: 'Well, I can only be myself when it comes to taking on something this grand and great.

'Sometimes it can be overwhelming to take the character that everybody has loved and known for years and make it your own.

'But I just listened to the little girl that's in me, and I listen to her and make her happy and then I know if I put my all and my passion and everything into it that I'll give it my best. And I feel like I did.'

She also opened up to Variety and revealed her grandparents offered her support amidst the trolling by reflecting on their own experiences of racism and discrimination.

'It was an inspiring and beautiful thing to hear their words of encouragement, telling me, ''You don't understand what this is doing for us, for our community, for all the little Black and brown girls who are going to see themselves in you'',' she said.

The trailer opened with waves crashing in the sea as soft music played while the cameras followed the mermaid throughout the

The trailer then showed an old ship wreckage resting on the ocean floor, paying homage to a scene from the 1989 animation where Ariel explored an abandoned shipwreck.

Trolls have taken to Twitter to spread racial attacks with the hashtag #NotmyAriel and have called Disney's choice to cast a black woman in the film #woke

Halle, or Ariel, appeared on screen sporting her long, flowy locks as her colorful mermaid tail reflected in the light.

Halle is heard beautifully singing the iconic song Part of Your World as she swiftly swam closer to the shoreline.

'Out of the sea, wish I could be, part of that world,' she sings.

The trailer concluded with a release date for next year in May 2023.

The upcoming live-action remake stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, along with other cast members such as Jonah Hauer-King as Principe Eric, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.

The plot will remain the same as the original, following Ariel's deal with sea witch Ursula to have human legs in exchange for her voice.

Despite the backlash, the teaser previously went viral for a more wholesome reason as a number of parents began posting their children's reaction to seeing a Disney princess who looked like them.

In one video shared on TikTok, a little girl with wide eyes and a huge grin can be seen watching the trailer, barley able to contain her excitement.

When Ariel is finally revealed, the young child kid asks in a heartwarming moment: 'That is her? That is Ariel?'

Other children sat in front of TV and locked in on the Disney princess who looked just like them and cheerfully smiled.
The Queen's beloved nephew was be among the members of the royal family paying their respects to the late Monarch this afternoon.

Lord Snowdon, 60, the son of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, will take part in the funeral procession for his aunt today.

Charles, William and Harry - along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex - will follow the coffin on foot as it makes its 38-minute journey in front of thousands of mourners lining the streets in central London.

The Earl of Snowdon followed behind alongside the Queen's grandson Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Queen's cousin the Duke of Gloucester.

Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of her London home before she was conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall - the ancient heart of Parliament - where there was be a short service. The Queen will lie in state for four days until her funeral on Monday.

Lady Sarah Chatto, his sister, also attended the service at Westminster Hall today.

The Queen's beloved nephew, Lord Snowdon, left, was be among the members of the royal family paying their respects to the late Monarch this afternoon

The Earl of Snowdon stood next to the Duke of Sussex, left, during the solemn procession to Westminster Hall

The Queen's nephew, who was also her godson, was seen walking behind the Monarch's coffin today

Lord Snowdon, who was previously styled Viscount Linley and inherited his father's title on his death in 2017, is the eldest child of Princess Margaret and photographer and filmmaker Anthony Armstrong-Jones.

He and his sister spent much time with their cousins, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, growing up and had a privileged relationship with the Queen.

The siblings holidayed with the Royal Family and hold particularly fond memories of their time aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Their close relationship with their aunt and uncle was illustrated by the fact that they were among the 30 mourners invited to the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Lord Snowdon, a furniture designer, lives a low-key life and runs a workshop in Dorking but has been spotted attending sporting events beloved by his royal cousins, including Wimbledon and Royal Ascot.

Lord Snowdon appeared deep in thought during the procession and was seen walking side-by-side with his cousins

Lord Snowdon, 60, the son of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, will take part in the funeral procession for his aunt today. Pictured, with the Queen at Royal Ascot in 2018

Lord Snowdon and his sister spent much time with their cousins, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, growing up and had a privileged relationship with the Queen. Pictured, Lord Snowdon (right) with his sister Lady Sarah Chatto (left) and Prince Edward (centre) boarding a train with the Queen in 1968

Princess Margaret and the late First Earl Snowdon with David, then known as Lord Linley and Sarah Armstrong Jones, now Lady Sarah Chatto, in 1974

Lord Snowdon attending Wimbledon's final with Mark-Francis Vandelli in the Royal Box on Centre Court earlier this year

The Earl of Snowdown with Peter Phillips, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral for the Queen's Jubilee in June

The furniture designer who has a workshop in Dorking, and his sister Lady Sarah Chatto enjoyed a good relationship with the Monarch, who was one of his godparents. Snowdon attended both Prince William and Prince Harry's weddings, pictured in 2018

Snowdown was born in Clarence House in 1961, where his parents lived at the time, and was christened in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, counting the Queen as his godmother.

As a child, he had lessons in Buckingham Palace with his cousin Prince Andrew, to whom is he close in age.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph in 2019, Snowdon reveled his mother Princess Margaret supported him when he announced he wanted to go 'from college to the workshop' and attended 'every workshop, every opening' once he launched his career.

Recalling his childhood, Snowdon said he spent time with his father in his workshop, describing it as the 'funnest place in the house [sic]'.

Snowdon was baptised at Buckingham Palace, took lessons with Prince Andrew and stood guard for the Queen Mother's funeral vigil with his three cousins, King Charles III, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex in 2002

Lord Snowdon and his daughter Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones with the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Lady Sarah Chatto in 2017 in Westminster

The Queen was seen enjoying a pleasant conversation with Lord Snowdon, his daughter and his then wife in 2017

And both parents were supportive when their privately-educated son decided he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and pursue a creative career.

'There was pressure on my parents from their friends saying, "Whens he going to get a proper job?",' he said. 'But when you made things and brought them back from school, that was high kudos.'

Snowdon, a father-of-two, lived at Kensington Palace with his mother in her later years from 2000 and 2002.

After the Queen Mother died, he stood guard at the lying-in-state of their grandmother on April 8, alongside King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.

The royal with his mother after the wedding of socialite Lady Elizabeth Anson at Westminster Abbey in 1972

The late Earl Snowdon with Princess Margaret and their two children, pictured going to church in Badminton, Gloucestershire, in 1973

Snowdon and his sister at the Investiture of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in Wales in 1969

He still enjoys a close relationship with the royal family, and his daughter Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, now 20, was a bridesmaid at Prince William and Kate MIddleton's royal wedding in Westminster in 2011.

Snowdon attended both Prince William and Prince Harry's weddings.

The Queen's affection, which extended to his children, saw his son, who is styled by courtesy as Viscount Linley since January 2017, being appointed by the Queen as a Royal Page of honour.

Snowdon as a child with his father and mother after the birth of his sister Lady Sarah Chatto in 1964

In 2020, it was announced Earl Snowdon has separated from his wife, Serena Alleyne Stanhope, whom he had married in 1993 at St Margaret's Church in Westminster.

This year, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal to mark his aunt's 70 years on the throne.

The medal has been awarded to people who work in public service, including the Armed Forces, the emergency services, and the prison services as well as members of the royal household with more than one year of service and reserve members of the Armed Forces.
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The Princess of Wales last night paid tribute to the Queen by wearing a pair of her earrings, it is believed.

Kate, 40, donned a simple pair of pearl and diamond earrings as she joined her husband Prince William and other senior royals including King Charles, the Queen Consort and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to receive the Queen's coffin at Buckingham Palace.

The earrings are believed to be an elegant pair the Princess has worn on a number of previous occasions, including the day she left hospital after the birth of Prince Louis.

Kate also chose them for a day of engagements in The Netherlands in 2016, her first official solo overseas visit without Prince William.

It is believed they previously belonged to the Queen with Her Majesty wearing them to a number of events over the years.

The Queen is known for being generous with her private jewellery collection and has passed on tiaras, earrings and necklaces to members of her family.

Kate, 40, donned a simple pair of pearl and diamond earrings as she joined her husband Prince William and other senior royals including King Charles, the Queen Consort and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to receive the Queen's coffin at Buckingham Palace. It is believed they previously belonged to the Queen with Her Majesty wearing them to a number of events over the years. Pictured, the Queen wearing the earrings in 1977 (left) and the Princess of Wales last night (right)

The Princess of Wales also wore a string of pearls - an unusual choice of jewellery for Her Royal Highness which has been interpreted by royal fans as a nod to the Queen, who was rarely seen without hers.

Arseiny Budrevich, founder of Budrevich Fine Jewellery Studio, told Express.co.uk that royals, notably Queen Elizabeth, loved pearls because they 'represent the aristocratic virtues of liberality, magnificence and generosity', and they 'symbolise purity and chastity'.

'Pearls have been associated with class, elegance and sophistication since the Ptolemaic dynasty in ancient Egypt, where the Royal Family wore pearls to show their status,' he added.

'This tradition was then passed down through the holy Roman empire to the French monarchs who carried it into fashion in the middle ages, where it was subsequently dispersed through Europe. This is when the British empire picked up the style.'

Today the Prince and Princess of Wales will join senior royals in paying tribute to the Queen at the funeral procession through central London.

The earrings are believed to be an elegant pair the Princess has worn on a number of previous occasions, including the day she left hospital after the birth of Prince Louis (left). Also pictured: Kate in 2019 (centre) and on Remembrance Day 2020

The Princess of Wales also wore a string of pearls - an unusual choice of jewellery for Her Royal Highness which has been interpreted by royal fans as a nod to the Queen, who was rarely seen without hers

The Queen was rarely seen without her pearls, prompting royal fans to believe Kate was paying tribute with her jewellery. Pictured, the Queen with her pearls in 2011 (left) and in 2017 (right)

The King was photographed arriving at the palace after leaving Clarence House, hours before Prince William and Prince Harry will set aside their feud and support their father by marching with him behind the coffin.

The royal family will accompany their matriarch on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall this afternoon where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queueing for hours.

Charles, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex, will form part of the procession. Anne's son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will also walk behind the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.

The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex will travel by car. The procession will leave the palace at 2.22pm and is expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arriving at Buckingham Palace last night, ahead of receiving the Queen's coffin

The car carrying Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex driving towards Buckingham Palace

Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she is conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall - the ancient heart of Parliament - where she will lie in state for four days until her funeral on Monday.

More than 1million people are expected to queue in central London for up to 35 hours to walk past her casket - but experts believe only 400,000 will make it inside meaning 600,000 people will be left disappointed.

The Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace last night to tears and cheers from the huge crowds who stood in the pouring rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday. The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed. There was a wave of lights as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed.

As the hearse drove through the gates, Charles could be seen bowing his head with Harry and Meghan stood solemnly behind the monarch.

At 2.22pm exactly this afternoon, the Queen's coffin will be placed on a gun carriage and lead a procession down a packed Mall, along Whitehall and then into Parliament Square before entering the Palace of Westminster followed by her son, the new King, and her children and grandchildren.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex could have an ally in Sophie, the Countess of Wessex as the monarchy adjusts during a period of change following the Queen's death last week.

Sophie, 57, has been married to Her Majesty's youngest son Prince Edward, 58, since 1999, with whom she shares two children: Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and James Viscount Severn, 14.

The Countess is reported to share close relationships within the royals family, and could offer a source of support to the Sussexes amid their alleged ongoing family tensions since stepping down as senior royals in 2020.

According to Valentine Low, writing in The Times, Sophie was the first member of the royal family to visit the Sussexes following the birth of Archie in 2019, going to the couple's Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.

A source told the outlet that Sophie is 'normal' and has empathy that perhaps others in the Firm 'don't naturally have'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pictured on their way to Buckingham Palace to join other royals in receiving the coffin of the Queen

Sophie, pictured after a memorial service near Balmoral last week, has been seen looking emotional following the death of the Queen, who she was incredibly close to

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle (pictured in 2019 in Windsor with their son Archie), were reportedly visited by Sophie at their Frogmore Cottage after the birth

They said: 'She did the right thing. She got in the car and went over. She has got the empathy and warmth that maybe people who grew up in that family dont naturally have.

'Normal people would think: this is what you do. You go; you make sure the new mum is OK and see the baby.'

Sophie has also been described as 'incredibly empathetic' by Mark Foster-Brown, who attended Cambridge university alongside Edward.

He told The Times that the Countess also shares a close bond with the Princess of Wales, describing the 'line of communication' between the two women as 'incredibly important'.

Mark added: 'Sophie is incredibly empathetic. If you are a supporter of the royal family, you would hope that that would be a key relationship.'

The teary-eyed Countess of Wessex, Sophie studies the floral tributes and loving messages left to her mother-in-law, the Queen, at Crathie Kirk church near Balmoral on Saturday

Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday in Edinburgh

The closeness of the relationship Sophie shared with the Queen - who she called 'mama' - has been brought into sharp focus since the death of Her Majesty at Balmoral almost a week ago.

At a service for her mother-in-law, who was said to treat her as a 'second daughter', near Balmoral the Countess of Wessex was seen teary-eyed while kneeling to admire tributes.

The pair are thought to have developed their relationship when the Queen cared for Sophie in 2005 after her mother, Mary Rhys-Jones, 77, died from stomach cancer in 2005.

Additionally, as Prince Edward's and Sophie's house, Bagshot Park, is only a short trip from Windsor it meant the Queen's youngest son and his family would regularly visit.

Walking their dogs together was a favourite past-time of the pair.

They also shared a love of military history, spending hours poring over ancient documents in the Royal Archives at Windsor, where Sophie and her mother-in-law indulged in their shared hobby, researching military history.

Sophie (left) is also a source of advice for the new Princess of Wales (right), with the 'line of communication' between the two women being described as 'incredibly important'

The close relationship between Sophie (pictured, right) and her 'mama' the Queen (centre) has been well reported. Here they are seen together at the Centenary Annual Meeting of The National Federation Of Women's Institute at the Royal Albert Hall in 2015

Now it has been speculated that the Countess may be elevated to a Duchess under King Charles, with The Telegraph reporting that her husband Prince Edward may become the Duke of Edinburgh - the title held by his father Prince Philip, who died in 2021.

The final say on rests with the King, the current Duke of Edinburgh after inheriting the role from Prince Philip, on whether he wishes to grant his youngest brother the title.

Prince Philip had said he wanted his youngest son to take on the title when it was the right time and his oldest son, then Prince Charles, was thought to have agreed.

However, some believed he had come round to changing his mind on the matter after the death of his father - but more recently experts believe Prince Edward will gain the Duke of Edinburgh title, the Telegraph reports.

For the title to change hands the king would need to write letters patent - an order from the monarch granting a title - to create a new dukedom of Edinburgh.

If gone ahead with, this move would be a touching and lasting connection between the late Queen and her much loved daughter-in-law, Sophie.
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The Queen Consort looked somber as she took part in the funeral procession and servcice for the King's mother this afternoon.

Camilla, 75, followed in a car as the Monarch's body was moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where she will lie in state until her funeral on Monday 19.

She was joined by the new Princess of Wales for the occasion, with the two women sitting side-by-side in the back of the car as it followed behind the Queen's coffin.

Members of the royal family including King Charles III, The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex followed the Queen's coffin on foot during the move through London.

The Queen Consort, who was wearing pearl earrings and a silver brooch which was given to her by her late father, passed thousands of mourners who had come to pay their respects.

This was the last time the Queen's body was moved before her funeral on Monday at Westminster Abbey. After the ceremony, it will be taken to her final resting place, her beloved Windsor Castle.

Dressed all in black, Camilla, who has been a constant support for King Charles III since it was announced his mother had died last Thursday in Balmoral, looked deep in thought as she arrived ahead of the convoy.

Camilla, Queen Consort, departed in a car after the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II on September 14

She appeared with tears in her eyes after the procession to convey Her Majesty The Queen's body from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

King Charles III's wife looked the picture of poise as she went to salute the Queen during the short service at Westminster Hall

The Queen Consort appeared solemn as she and King Charles led the royal family's tribute to the Queen at Westminster Hall today

Camilla wore an elegant back hat for the occasion, as well as the brooch, which was shaped like a stick insect and is believed to have been gifted to her by her father before she joined the royal family.

Arriving at Buckingham Palace earlier today, the Queen Consort was accompanied by her private secretary Sophie Densham, who looked solemn sitting by her side in the car.

Today's occasion was not only heavy with historical significance, but also saw Prince William and Prince Harry set aside their feud to support their father by marching with him behind the coffin. Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers have lined the route as they do so.

The royal family accompanied their matriarch on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall this afternoon where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queueing for hours.

The King and the Queen exited Westminster Hall together followed by the Princess Royal and her husband Sir Timothy Lawrence

Members of the Royal Family stood together in unison during the emotional ceremony which was attended by other members of the Monarch's extended family

The Queen Consort left with King Charles, who looked visibly moved after today's event at Westminster Hall and was seen tearing up

The Queen Consort closed her eyes and had a moment of reflection during the Wstminster Hall service today, where she stood next to the King

The Queen Consort led the senior women of the Royal Family as they stood in line while the Queen's coffin passed them in Westminster Hall

Camilla Queen Consort, Catherine Princess of Wales, Sophie Countess of Wessex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex Queen Elizabeth II's during the coffin procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, London, standing side by side looking somber.

Camilla Queen Consort, Catherine Princess of Wales, Sophie Countess of Wessex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex stood by Queen Elizabeth II's coffin procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, London

King Charles III, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Camilla, Queen Consort, Sir Timothy Laurence, Mr Peter Phillips, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Beatrice and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent pictured inside the Palace of Westminster for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles, the Prince of Wales and The Duke of Sussex, along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex formed part of the procession. Anne's son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence also walked behind the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.

A sombre King waved to huge crowds who had gathered along the Mall today as he arrived at Buckingham Palace hours before he was due to lead William, Harry and senior royals in a poignant procession behind the Queen's coffin.

The crowd burst into applause and cheers as the state Rolls-Royce passed the Victoria Memorial and dropped Charles off at the royal residence. Later, the eyes of the world were once again on the King as he walked with family members to Westminster Hall - the ancient building at the heart of the Palace of Westminster where his mother will lie in state.

Last night, Camilla was one again a figure of support for Charles as the royal family received the Queen's body at Buckingham Palace, where she stayed overnight.

The Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace last night to tears and cheers from the huge crowds who stood in the pouring rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday. The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed. There was a wave of lights as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed.

Queen Consort Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales, followed together in a car in the procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

The Queen's four children walked side-by-side behind the Monarch's coffin/ King Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward were in their military uniform. Prince Andrew wore a morning coat

The King was seen walking side-by-side with this siblings behind the Queen's coffin during the poignant procession this afternoon

Camilla arrived at Buckingham Palace moment before the procession began. The gun carriage, which carried the Queen's coffin, was followed by members of the royal family

The Queen Consort, who was wearing pearl earrings and a pearl necklace, looked deep in thought as she arrived at the Palace today

The Queen Consort gave royal fans a comforting smile as she made her way to Buckingham Palace ahead of the Queen's funeral procession

The Queen Consort, who was wearing a silver brooch and pearl earrings, was accompanied by her private secretary Sophie Densham

The Queen Consort, 75, looked somber as she took part in the funeral procession for the King's mother this afternoon from Buckingham Palace

The Queen Consort arrived at Buckingham Palace by herself ahead of her mother-in-law the Queen's funeral procession this afternoon

Camilla waved at royal fans as she made her way to Buckingham Palace today. She looked struck by grief as she gazed at the royal fans who had come to pay their final respects to the Monarch

The Queen Consort drove to the Palace in a Royce Rolls this afternoon, and looked deep in thought ahead of today's official proceedings

Royal fans watched as Queen Consort Camilla drove down the Royal Mile, to the Buckingham Palace gates this afternoon

The new Queen was driven around the monument to Queen Victoria as she made her way to the Palace's gates and to the court

The Queen Consort gently waved at royal fans as she arrived at Buckingham Palace, where the procession is departing from this afternoon

The sun shined down on Buckingham Palace as a pensive-looking Queen Consort, clad in black, was driven through the gates today

The King's wife, who was wearing pearls, looked deep in thought as she made her way to the palace, accompanied by her trusted aide this afternoon

The Queen's imperial state crown laid on top of a cushion, above her coffin, during the emotional funeral procession this afternoon

Mourners cheered and clapped in the rain as the new state hearse travelled down Constitution Hill and around the Queen Victoria Memorial as it slowed, then drove through the gates of the palace and through the central arch into the quadrangle.

Outriders stopped with their heads bowed at the end of the journey, while a police officer at the gate saluted.

People cheered 'hip hip hooray' after the coffin drove under the arch. Many lining the street put down their umbrellas as a sign of respect while some could be seen wiping tears from their eyes, while phone camera lights lit up the crowds.

Upon arriving at the Grand Entrance of the palace, a guard of honour was formed by the King's Guard.

The Queen Consort was wearing an elegant black hat with her outfit today, for the solemn occasion of her mother-in-law's funeral procession

King Charles III was seen arriving at Buckingham Palace, where he will be leading the Royal Procession behind the Queen's coffin

The Queen's granddaughter Princess Eugenie was seen waving at crowds from her car as she left Clarence House this afternoon

Edo, Beatrice's husband, looked serious in the car as he left Clarence House ahead of the Queen's funeral procession this afternoon

Princess Eugenie was seen waving at fans as she left Clarence House with her husband of two years Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi today

The gun carriage was filmed as it quietly passed by the gate of Buckingham Palace ahead of the procession this afternoon in London

Her Majesty was received by all her children and grandchildren, including the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Shortly after witnessing the arrival of the coffin, Charles and Camilla left Buckingham Palace.

Prayers and a service reserved for close family members took place shortly after the coffin arrived last night, with the King, Camilla, William and Kate and Harry and Meghan all in attendance.

Princess Anne, who has travelled with her mother's coffin from Balmoral to Edinburgh, and from the Scottish capital back to London, was also present with husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

Peter Phillips, his sister Zara, Mike Tindall, the Duke of York and daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, along with their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank - were also among those gathered.

But Sarah Ferguson, ex-wife of Prince Andrew and who still lives with the duke, did not receive an invite because of their divorce.

Last minute preparations were being overseen on the Royal Mile this morning as the nation prepared to watch the Queen's funeral procession

Royals fans gathered around Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse of the funeral procession to pay their respects to the Monarch

The Queen stayed in the Bow Room in the palace overnight before she was transported to the Palace of Westminster, where she will lie in state until Monday, September 19 - the day of her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and burial at St George's Chapel in Windsor.

Sophie was overcome with emotion on Monday as she joined the senior royals for the vigil at St Giles' Cathedral, with royal fans praising her 'dignity' despite the painful situation.

All four of Her Majesty's children stood guard around her coffin on Monday in a poignant evening vigil in Edinburgh.

Sophie, 57, joined the Queen's Consort at the vigil and was pictured sitting next to Camilla, looking sombre.

Social media users were quick to share their heartfelt words of support for Sophie, who enjoyed a particularly close relationship with her mother-in-law the Queen.

Earlier on in the day Sophie again joined the Queen's Consort in a fleet of cars as the Queen's children walked behind the hearse carrying the Queen to St Giles' Cathedral this afternoon, ahead of a service of thanksgiving.

King Charles III was driven to Buckingham Palace in London with a police escort this morning

King Charles III left Clarence House in London today ahead of the ceremonial procession of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin

King Charles III waved to the crowds as he arrives at Buckingham Palace in London this morning as he passed by

King Charles III left Clarence House in London today ahead of the ceremonial procession of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin

Wearing a black suit and a matching headpiece, Sophie looked sombre as she joined her fellow royals for the deeply solemn 1,200 yard procession, which took place in bright sunshine, with hundreds of well-wishers lining the city's oldest streets.

Following the Queen's Piper, King Charles, in full military regalia, lead his siblings on foot including the Duke of York, Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal - while the Queen Consort and other members of the monarchy followed in cars.

The mother-of-two appeared deep in thought as the coffin of the late Monarch left the Holyroodhouse Palace earlier this afternoon.

She has been showing unwavering support for her husband Prince Edward since the announcement of the Queen's death.

Sophie was seen entering St Giles, standing very close to her husband, who was wearing his military uniform and titles for the deeply emotional occasion.
China set to launch mass entrepreneurship, innovation week

Xinhua) 09:59, September 14, 2022

HEFEI, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China will hold a national mass entrepreneurship and innovation week from Sept. 15 to 21, according to the city government of Hefei in east China's Anhui Province, the main venue of this year's event.

Themed "Innovation drives vitality, entrepreneurship creates employment," the annual event will see nearly 1,000 activities kick off across the country, both online and offline, to display achievements in mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

Over 160 typical projects selected from around the nation will be showcased in Hefei, in a bid to provide a display platform for entrepreneurs and create a favorable business environment for entrepreneurship and innovation.

Summits related to high-quality entrepreneurship, innovation and investment will also be held in Hefei, alongside livestreaming events.

Hefei has been optimizing its business environment for entrepreneurship and innovation in recent years. The city is also home to 4,578 national-level high-tech enterprises.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
Dozens of long-serving employees of King Charles III's staff at Clarence House face layoffs as the incoming king prepares to relocate palaces.

According to the source, up to 100 staff were given redundancy notices at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral ceremony at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday. Employees at the king's previous official residence are working extra hard to help him adjust to life at Buckingham Palace.

100 Royal Palace Staff May Lose Their Job

Private secretaries, the financial office, members of the media team, and domestic staff are among those whose jobs are at stake. According to the Clarence House 2021-2022 annual assessment, the house employs 101 full-time staff members.

Many staff members were allegedly under the notion that they would be joining King Charles III in his new household until they got a letter from the king's senior assistant, Sir Clive Alderton, this week.

The publication obtained a copy of the letter, which purportedly stated that Charles' "change in position" would "also mean change for our home," indicating the closure of Clarence House.

"It is thus believed that the necessity for the employees largely headquartered at Clarence House, whose work supports these sectors, would no longer be required," the letter stated.

Employees are "absolutely livid," according to an unidentified source. Alderton said that some staff members who give "direct, close, personal assistance and guidance" to King Charles and Camilla will keep their jobs, and he stressed that no final decisions have been made. He stated that a time of deliberation will commence following the queen's state funeral next week, Insider reported.

A Clarence House official did not immediately answer to Insider's request for comment, but acknowledged that "some redundancies will be inevitable," adding that the house is "working urgently" to find replacement employment for as many people as possible.

According to the outlet, those who are laid off will be given support in finding new positions as well as a "increased" redundancy payment. The Royal Family has yet to clarify whether Charles and Camilla will eventually live at Buckingham Palace full-time. There is speculation that the king, who is said to dislike the residence, may use it for more official reasons while keeping Clarence House as his personal living space.

What Does King Charles III's Monarchy Look Like?

Royal observers say that King Charles III is unlikely to enlist the help of his mother's cousin, the Duke of Kent, who is most known for his involvement in giving out trophies to Wimbledon victors.

Rather, his narrow view of the monarchy will undoubtedly revolve on himself and his wife Camilla, whom the queen has determined will be known as Queen Consort on the 70th anniversary of her accession in February.

Camilla's rise in status - she was named Princess Consort when she married Charles in 2005 - is recognition of the way she has carried out her duties alongside her husband over the years. That etiquette included adopting the title Duchess of Cornwall to avoid repeating the Princess of Wales title, which had become synonymous with the late Princess Diana, as per USA Today.

Other members of King Charles' inner circle are expected to include his son, Prince William, and his wife, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, as well as King Charles' sister, Princess Anne, and his brother, Prince Edward, and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton's three children, are all expected to play active roles as they get older.

Prince Andrew, Charles' scandal-plagued brother, and Charles' son Prince Harry, who famously resigned from royal responsibilities and now lives in California with his wife Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, are unlikely to represent the monarchy.

While it remains to be seen if Prince Andrew's children with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are called upon, the list is unlikely to extend far beyond direct family, according to Nicoletta Gullace, associate professor of history at the University of New Hampshire.

Read Also: Britney Spears' Father Challenges Singer to Deposition, Appeals Judge's "Unfair Ruling" Over Conservatorship Case

Anti-King Charles III Starts Agonizing New Monarchy

A protester was led away by police this morning after holding a sign that read 'Abolish the Monarchy' and 'Not my King' outside the Palace of Westminster. The lady waved the sign as police led her away from the gates of Parliament, where King Charles and the Queen Consort had received condolences from members of the Houses of Commons and Lords this morning.

His Majesty also addressed Parliament for the first time in the nearly 1,000-year-old Westminster Hall, the ancient heart of the Palace of Westminster where his mother will lie in state beginning Wednesday evening and lasting four days until her funeral on Monday.

Despite the loud cheers of 'God Save the King' as the new monarch drove from Clarence House along The Mall this morning, one person used the moment to express their opposition to the monarchy.

A tiny handful of demonstrators booed a pronouncement of 'God Save the King' as thousands gathered in Edinburgh to hear the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is responsible for administering official ceremonial in Scotland, publicly declare the Queen's successor.

Following the anthem, another loud boo could be heard when Lord Lyon led three cheers of "hip, hip hooray," causing indignation among some in the audience, with someone yelling back "Oh shut up."

On Sunday, Our Republic, a Scottish campaign organization that thinks the monarchy should be eliminated, urged individuals who disagreed with the proclamation to "make those clear," Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: [Watch] "Rude" Meghan Markle Sparks Online Debates on What Duchess of Sussex Tells Royal Aide During Confrontation Over Bunch of Flowers

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The Queen Consort was joined by her right-hand woman today as she arrived at the funeral procession for Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace today.

Camilla was driven through the streets of London as she travelled to the palace, and was accompanied by her private secretary Sophie Densham.

The aide is considered a safe pair of hands and a key player in the tight-knit group of aides likely to continue to support the new King and Queen Consort.

Ms Densham has been in Camilla's service for more than a decade.

Ms Densham started her career as a secretary at the Memorial Gates Trust, a charity to ensure remembrance of people from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Caribbean who served in the two World Wars.

The Memorial Gates themselves were unveiled by Her Majesty The Queen in 2002.

She then joined the Royal household and moved to the then-Duchess of Cornwall's private office in 2008. She was made her private secretary in 2021.

The Queen Consort arrived at Buckingham Palace in London this afternoon, dressed in black and wearing a hat and accompanied by her private secretary Sophie Densham

Ms Densham has been Camilla's Private Secretary for more than a decade and is considered a key part of the royal aide make-up

Like her peers in the current royal household, Densham was present at the proclamation ceremony earlier this week, which saw her employer become Queen Consort.

She joined the Queen Consort ahead of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's coffin being taken to Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace to lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday.

Charles, William and Harry - along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex - followed the coffin on foot as it makes its 38-minute journey in front of thousands of mourners lining the streets in central London.

The occasion was heavy with historical significance and also saw brothers Prince William and Prince Harry set aside their ongoing feud to support their father by marching with him behind the coffin.

The Earl of Snowdon followed behind with the Queen's grandson Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Queen's cousin the Duke of Gloucester.

Her Majesty's coffin will lie in state in Westminster Hall under its ancient hammer-beam roof until her funeral on Monday.

The aide is thought to be an essential part of the tight-knit group of aides likely to continue to support the new King and Queen Consort (pictured in 2010)

The near 1,000-year-old building is where her father King George VI lay in state in 1952 and where the public could pass the coffin of her mother, the Queen Mother, in 2002.

Her Majesty's closed coffin was placed on a catafalque - a raised platform, covered in the Royal Standard with the orb and sceptre placed on top.

Members of the royal family including King Charles III, The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex followed the Queen's coffin on foot during the move through London today.

Sophie, the Queen Consort and the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton followed the procession in a car as it passed thousands of mourners who had come to pay their respects.

King Charles III waved to the crowds as he is driven along The Mall to Buckingham Palace this morning

Queen Consort Camilla was seen arriving at Buckingham Palace this afternoon ahead of the procession for the Queen

Princess Eugenie left Clarence House on the way to Buckingham Palace for today's procession to Westminster Hall

Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive at Buckingham Palace this afternoon

This is the last time the Queen's body was moved before her funeral on Monday at Westminster Abbey.

After the ceremony, it will be taken to her final resting place, her beloved Windsor Castle.

More than one million people are expected to queue in central London for up to 35 hours to walk past her casket - but experts believe only 400,000 will make it inside meaning 600,000 people will be left disappointed.

Well-wishers will begin filing past the coffin to mark the start of four-and-half days of the Queen lying in state.

The Life Guard dismounted detachment of the Household Cavalry and the Dismounted detachment of the Blues and Royals are seen entering the gates of Buckingham Palace ahead of the procession for Queen Elizabeth II this afternoon

The Household Cavalry headed along the Mall ahead of the procession carrying the Queen's coffin to Westminster today

Members of the Coldstream Guards left Wellington Barracks in London today ahead of the ceremonial procession

The Life Guard dismounted detachment of the Household Cavalry are seen entering the gates of Buckingham Palace today

A round-the-clock vigil is being mounted under the catafalque by officers of the Household Division, the King's Body Guards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, the King's Body Guard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers and the King's Body Guard the Yeomen of the Guard.

It will remain open 24 hours a day until at 6.30am on Monday. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the streets to pay their respects to the Queen.

The queue is expected to stretch for five miles, taking up to 30 hours to reach the front.


The two-and-a-half pound crown is part of the Crown Jewels and represents the sovereignty of the monarchy

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The Imperial State Crown adorned the coffin of Her Majesty The Queen as she was conveyed to Westminster Hall to lie in state.

The late monarch will remain in the Hall from Wednesday until Monday morning, the day of her funeral.

The Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels and represents the sovereignty of the monarch.

It will remain on the Queen's coffin on top of the Royal Standard and beside the Sovereign's orb and sceptre.

Queen Elizabeth II wore the crown after her 1953 coronation and was worn once every year by the monarch to and from the State Opening of Parliament.

It was adjusted for Her Majesty's head and its arches lowered by an inch to give it a more feminine appearance.

Traditionally worn by the Queen to and from the State Opening of Parliament, this headpiece has been passed down to her through the generations, after it was originally made for King George IVs coronation (pictured in 2002)

The crown has 2,868 diamonds in silver mounts as well as 269 pearls, 17 sapphires and 11 emeralds on it. It is part of the Crown Jewels

Queen Elizabeth II, dressed in royal regalia, posed for this special Jubilee picture in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace, after she had delivered the traditional Queen's speech at the 1976 official State Opening of Parliament. She wears the Imperial State Crown and the Robe of State, also known as the Parliamentary Robe. Around her neck is the Jubilee Necklace of diamonds and pearls and the chain is the Collar of the Order of the Garter, Britain's premier order of Knighthood. Her gown is of white silk with bands of gold and silver embroidery

At her Coronation, the Queen wore a crown glittering with jewels and wielded a sceptre boasting the world's largest white diamond. But a royal expert has predicted that Her Majesty will be buried with just two pieces of jewellery. Above: The Queen wears the Imperial State Crown as she returns to Buckingham Palace whilst holding the Orb and Sceptre after he coronation in 1953

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown and pulled by a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, during the procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday

King Charles III, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Camilla, Queen Consort, Sir Timothy Laurence, Mr Peter Phillips, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Beatrice and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent are seen inside the Palace of Westminster as the First Watch begins their duty during the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen's coffin is be draped with the Royal Standard, as it was in Edinburgh. The standard will be accompanied by the Imperial State Crown, which was worn once a year by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament. The Sovereign's Orb and Sceptre will also be on the coffin. The diamond on the sceptre - the Cullinan 1 - was cut from the largest rough diamond ever found. It was discovered in a mine in South Africa in 1905

The headpiece has been passed down to her through the generations, after it was originally made for King George IVs coronation.

Designed by Norman Hartnell, the gown features the emblems of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in gold and silver thread.

Designs for the crown were based on one designed for Queen Victoria in 1838.

The crown features 2,868 diamonds in silver mounts, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires and 11 emeralds. The crown weighs two and a half pounds.

It includes the 317 carat Cullinan II diamond, which is the second largest clear-cut diamond in the world and also known as the Second Star of Africa.

It was found by Frederick G S Wells in 1905 at the Premier Mine, around 20 miles from Pretoria in South Africa.

2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster

2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departed Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster

The extraordinary scene as the procession leaves Buckingham Palace - the Queen's home for most of her 96-year life

There were huge crowds again to see the Queen on her final journey before her coffin is handed to the nation

The Queen's coffin was adorned with the glittering, priceless Imperial State Crown on a purple velvet cushion

The Queen's funeral cortege makes its way along The Mall from Buckingham Palace during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II followed by her bereft family

The Life Guards march before the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is taken to the Palace Of Westminster

The Queen's funeral cortege makes its way along The Mall from Buckingham Palace

Huge crowds turned out to witness history with viewing areas full before the procession began

The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace in her coffin - with her crown on top - followed her family this afternoon

Members of the Coldstream Guards leave Wellington Barracks in London today ahead of the ceremonial procession

The stone is named after Thomas Cullinan, the Chairman of the Premier (Transvaal) Diamond Mining Company and was given to Edward VII on his birthday of November 9, 1907, after the Boer War, as a symbolic act of goodwill.

At the back of the band there is a large oval sapphire known as the 'Stuart Sapphire', which is around 104 carats.

The two stones are linked by an openwork frieze with eight step-cut emeralds and eight sapphires, between two rows of pearls.

It has a regal purple velvet cap and ermine band.

The crown also has the Black Prince's Ruby. Although it was thought to be a ruby for hundreds of years, it is actually a spinel, which is another red gemstone.

In her last few years the crown eventually became too heavy for the Queen and in 2019 she did not wear her Imperial Crown during the State of Opening of Parliament in a break with tradition.

Instead, the crown was carried in and placed on a table next to her.

Earlier this year when the then-Prince Charles attended the state opening of parliament instead of Her Majesty, the Imperial State Crown was placed on the throne next to him.
Viewers of the BBC's coverage of the Queen's funeral procession were delighted to see it being fronted by Sir David Attenborough.

The national treasure, who was born just two weeks after the Queen, joined Robert Hardman and Huw Edwards on the BBC broadcast on Wednesday afternoon.

Sir David, a friend of the Royal Family who met the Queen on a number of occasions, offered his insight into what Her Majesty was like as a person.

Royal fans were delighted to see the veteran broadcaster, 96, on screens, but also called for him to be 'wrapped in bubble wrap' and keep him 'protected'.

Viewers of the BBC's coverage of the Queen's funeral procession were delighted to see it being fronted by Sir David Attenborough, pictured

David Attenborough poses next to the Queen after accepting the annual Chatham House award, in London, Britain November 20, 2019

The Life Guard dismounted detachment of the Household Cavalry and the Dismounted detachment of the Blues and Royals are seen entering the gates of Buckingham Palace ahead of the procession for Queen Elizabeth II this afternoon

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex pay their respects today

Some Twitter users were concerned he had died when he started trending on Twitter following the coverage, with one saying that with the Queen's passing they couldn't 'take any more.'

William and Harry stood together with their wives Kate and Meghan today as they put aside their bitter feud to honour the Queen for her lying in state service inside Westminster Hall.

While the brothers walked side-by-side for the poignant 38-minute procession from Buckingham Palace, their spouses travelled in separate cars, with Meghan accompanied by the Countess of Wessex and Kate joined by Camilla, the Queen Consort.

Commenting on the outpouring of grief, Sir David said: 'The actions of today symbolized dignity, and that life has a serious side - expressed by tens of thousands of people in a very moving afternoon.'

The national treasure, who was born just two weeks after the Queen, joined Robert Hardman and Huw Edwards on the BBC broadcast on Wednesday afternoon

The broadcaster and environmentalist looked emotional as he discussed the Queen's passing today on the BBC

Sir David and the late Queen's friendship stretched back years. Pictured above Elizabeth II with David Attenborough Filming the Christmas Message in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace - 1986

He also commented on King Charles' passion for the environment, saying: 'He shares that point of view about the relationship with the natural world and took extreme lines when they were not as popular or widespread as they are now.

'It came from his heart it really meant it - it couldn't be more important now than ever.'

His unexpected appearance sparked a reaction on Twitter.

One person said: 'Excuse me? It is a grey day. Theres possibly damp air. WHY is he out? Where is the cotton wool? Where is the bubble wrap?

Another agreed saying: 'Please someone wrap David Attenborough in a bubble!'

One reassuringly said: 'It's alright everyone David Attenborough is still alive he's on the telly today!'

A correspondent called Catherine Phillips said: 'Omg David Attenborough is on the tv, please let it not be a terrible omen. The UK cannot cope.'

The Queen's coffin entered Westminster Hall as the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, sang Psalm 139. When the Queen arrived, Charles, William and Anne saluted.

Harry and Prince Andrew - barred from wearing military uniform - bowed their head instead.

Prince William, Prince Harry and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, stand in Westminster Hall alongside the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pay their respects to the Queen's coffin as Kate and William turn round to walk out of the hall

Harry put his hand on his face while reading the order of service for today's short ceremony in the heart of the Palace of Westminster

Kate and Meghan arrive at Westminster Hall, where the Queen's coffin will lie in state before her funeral at Westminster Abbey

The Archbishop of Canterbury then read the opening prayer, which the King led the royals in reciting. The family stood silently for the short service that the late monarch had put together with the Church of England before she died aged 96.

After the congregation was dismissed, cries of 'God save the King' could be heard as the King and the Queen Consort left Westminster Hall as Big Ben rang out at 3.30pm.

Royal couples left the building side by side, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding hands and the Princess of Wales rubbing her husband's arm reassuringly.

From 5pm mourners will be able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch with an estimated 1million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.
The earrings, made by Collingwood, mark a touching handover from one Princess of Wales to the other

The elegant pearl earrings worn by Kate were gifted to Princess Diana before her wedding to Charles

The Princess of Wales wore Princess Diana's pearl earrings for the procession in London this afternoon

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The Princess of Wales paid tribute to her mother-in-law Princess Diana by wearing her earrings for the Queen's procession today.

Kate, 40, donned pearl earrings that were gifted to Diana before her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.

The earrings, made by Collingwood, mark a touching handover from one Princess of Wales to the other.

The Princess of Wales paid tribute to her mother-in-law Princess Diana by wearing her earrings for the Queen's procession today. Pictured, Diana wearing the earrings in Washington DC in 1985

Diana loved the earrings and even wore them with what ended up becoming known as the Revenge Dress at a Vanity Fair party in November 1994

They became firm favourites of Diana and were sported on royal tours of Australia, Canada and Italy.

The earrings feature a round diamond stud, from which is suspended an additional round diamond and a bell cap set with three more rows of small diamonds. The bell caps each contain a pearl drop.

Diana began wearing the earrings before she was Princess of Wales. They were a gift from Collingwood, a jewellery firm that was a favourite of the Spencer family.

She wore them on several occasions throughout her marriage.

They made her gala outfits sparkle during her tour of the US in 1985, where she wore them with a lacy white gown and the Lover's Knot tiara for a gala dinner at the British Embassy.

She also wore them with the form-fitting black dress she sported as she attended the Vanity Fair party at the Serpentine Gallery in November 1994 in London, which then later become known as the Revenge Dress.

The Princess of Wales made a sweet nod to her late mother-in-law by wearing earrings that belonged to Princess Diana for the occasion

The Princess of Wales closed her eyes for a moment of quiet reflection during today's ceremony. The first members of the public will be allowed to pass the coffin from 5pm today

The Queen Consort, Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex stood side by side in the Abbey today

Her husband the Prince of Wales, who was wearing his uniform and military titles and medals, looked deep in thought during the ceremony

Today, Kate Middleton, who was made Princess of Wales by King Charles III when he was declared King on Saturday, wore the earrings as a sweet nod to her mother-in-law.

Kate has worn the earrings several times, including in her official portrait released to mark her 40th birthday earlier this year.

She paired them with a pearl brooch which belong to the Queen.

Collingwood also loaned jewels to Diana during the engagement period, including an elaborate diamond necklace and matching earrings, which she wore for a portrait session with Lord Snowdon.

The firm reportedly wanted to gift the necklace and earrings to Diana as a wedding present, but they were cautioned by the palace that the gift would be too extravagant. The diamond and pearl earrings were given instead.

A thoughtful Prince of Wales gentle touched his wife's back in a comforting gesture as they left Westminster Hall this afternoon

Kate and William paid their respects to the Queen's coffin before they departed from Westminster Hall at the end of the ceremony

The Princess of Wales followed the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Prince of Wales to pay her respect to the monarch's coffin

The Princess of Wales looked very dignified as she closed her eyes for a moment of reflection during the ceremony this afternoon

All members of the royal family looked solemn during the event at Westminster Hall this afternoon as they shared a moment of reflection
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The Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor joined her brother James, Viscount Severn at the service in Westminster Hall today following Her Majesty's procession from Buckingham Palace.

Lady Louise, 18, the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, enjoyed a close relationship with her grandmother the Queen and grew up just a stone's throw from the late monarch's home of Windsor Castle, in Bagshot Park.

During the occasion today, Louise performed a curtsy when stepping forward to say goodbye to her grandmother, alongside her 14-year-old brother.

It is the first time the Queen's youngest grandchild James has been seen since Her Majesty's death last week. His sister Louise joined other members of the royal family on a walkabout at Balmoral on Saturday following the Queen's death at the Scottish estate on Thursday, aged 96.

King Charles, his three siblings and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry had followed the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall today as the Royal Family handed her over to the nation.

James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor pay their respects in The Palace of Westminster after the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor joined her brother James, Viscount Severn at the service in Westminster Hall today

Lady Louise (pictured right), 18, enjoyed a close relationship with her grandmother the Queen and grew up just a stone's throw from the late monarch's home of Windsor Castle

Tearing up: James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor pay their respects in The Palace of Westminster

The Queen's grandchildren - including Lady Louise and Princess Beatrice - appear emotional as they attend the service today in London

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla led members of the royal family at the ceremony this afternoon (pictured)

Other members of the royal family including Zara Tindall, with her husband Mike, Princess Eugenie, with her husband Jack Brooksbank, and Princess Beatrice, with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi also attended

Peter Phillips, the Duke of Sussex, the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Wessex, the Earl of Snowdon, the Duchess of Sussex, the Princess Royal, King Charles III, the Duke of York, the Princess of Wales and the Countess of Wessex follow the bearer party carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall, London

Camilla, Queen Consort, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at the coffin procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

The Queen is placed in Westminster Hall to lie in state for the nation to pay their respects

During the walkabout at Balmoral on Saturday, Louise, who has previously been described as Her Majesty's 'favourite' grandchild and a 'secret weapon' for the Firm, spent around 10 minutes reading the tributes and admiring the flowers with her parents, before they returned inside Balmoral Castle.

Over the last two years, Lady Louise has taken on an increasingly public role as her parents Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex have been bumped up the royal food chain following the disgrace of Prince Andrew and the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

She was front and centre in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, joined her parents at the Commonwealth Games and made her successful TV debut in a documentary about her beloved grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh.

Indeed she has become such a well-known face that she is recognised by customers of the garden centre where she has been working for 6.63 per hour since finishing her A-levels in June.

Unlike her older cousins, Princes William and Harry, Louise was able to see a lot more of her grandparents growing up because she has always lived just 11 miles from Windsor and had the benefit of being born around the time the Queen and Prince Philip scaled back their long-haul travel.

Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace for her lying in state

Her Majesty was carried on the gun carriage that had also borne her parents when they died 50 years apart

The Queen's imperial state crown laid on top of a cushion, above her coffin, during the emotional funeral procession this afternoon

The King and his Queen Consort led the Royal Family into Westminster Hall

2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster

The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard

From 5pm mourners will be able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch with an estimated one million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.

Her Majesty's children and grandchildren, led by King Charles III, accompanied her to Westminster where she will lie in state after a short service that the late monarch had put together with the Church of England before she died aged 96.

What happens after today? - September 15: Lying in state continues and a rehearsal is likely to take place for the state funeral procession. - September 16: The King and Queen Consort are expected to travel to Wales while lying in state continues. - September 17-18: The lying in state continues and heads of state will begin to arrive for the funeral. Members of the public Me are invited to observe a one-minute silence at 8pm on Sunday to remember the Queen. - September 19: There will be a national bank holiday to allow as many people as possible to watch the Queen's funeral. Lying in state will continue until 6.30am. The coffin will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral. Senior members of the family are expected to follow behind - just like they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh. The military will line the streets and also join the procession. Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000. The service will be televised, and a national two minutes' silence is expected to be held. After the service, the coffin will be taken in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch and then travel to Windsor. Once there, the hearse will travel in procession to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle via the Long Walk, after which a televised committal service will take place in St George's Chapel. Later in the evening, there will be a private interment service with senior members of the royal family. The Queen's final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the main chapel - where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret. Philip's coffin will move from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen's. Advertisement

The Queen's coffin entered Westminster Hall as the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, sang Psalm 139. The Archbishop of Canterbury then read the opening prayer, which the King led the royals in reciting.

At 2.22pm today Her Majesty was carried down The Mall on a gun carriage - a tradition dating back to the death of her great-grandmother Queen Victoria in 1901 - as her children, grandchildren and other senior royals marched behind in time to a funeral march.

The Queen arrived at Westminster Hall 38 minutes later at 3pm - where she was placed on a catafalque - a raised platform, with her crown, orb and sceptre placed on top. The monarch will lie in state there for four days and five nights until her state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday.

William and Harry again set aside their feud and stood next to each other as they accompanied their beloved grandmother to Parliament. Their wives travelled separately in cars behind.

During the service, the senior royals stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform.

The King and Queen Consort stood together a metre or so apart, with the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind them, then the Duke of York alone, and in the next row the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Behind them were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Duke of Sussex behind William, and the Duchess of Sussex directly behind Kate. The Cross of Westminster was placed at the head of the coffin.

The Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace last night to tears and cheers from the huge crowds who stood in the pouring rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday. The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed. There was a wave of lights as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed.

Mourners cheered and clapped in the rain as the new state hearse travelled down Constitution Hill and around the Queen Victoria Memorial as it slowed, then drove through the gates of the palace and through the central arch into the quadrangle.

Outriders stopped with their heads bowed at the end of the journey, while a police officer at the gate saluted.

People cheered 'hip hip hooray' after the coffin drove under the arch. Many lining the street put down their umbrellas as a sign of respect while some could be seen wiping tears from their eyes, while phone camera lights lit up the crowds.

Upon arriving at the Grand Entrance of the palace, a guard of honour was formed by the King's Guard.

Her Majesty was received by all her children and grandchildren, including the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Shortly after witnessing the arrival of the coffin, Charles and Camilla left Buckingham Palace.

Prayers and a service reserved for close family members took place shortly after the coffin arrived last night, with the King, Camilla, William and Kate and Harry and Meghan all in attendance.

Princess Anne, who has travelled with her mother's coffin from Balmoral to Edinburgh, and from the Scottish capital back to London, was also present with husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

Peter Phillips, his sister Zara, Mike Tindall, the Duke of York and daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, along with their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank - were also among those gathered.

But Sarah Ferguson, ex-wife of Prince Andrew and who still lives with the duke, did not receive an invite because of their divorce.

The Queen stayed in the Bow Room in the palace overnight before she was transported to the Palace of Westminster, where she will lie in state until Monday, September 19 - the day of her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and burial at St George's Chapel in Windsor.

Camilla, Kate, Sophie and Meghan watch as the Queen's coffin is carried into her resting place for the next four days

A sombre Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stands during the service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, left. Pictured right: Prince Harry looks at the ancient roof alongside Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as they stand in Westminster Hall after participating in the procession of the coffin

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales reassure one another as they leave after a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin at Westminster Hall

Britain's King Charles III, Britain's Prince William, Britain's Princess Anne, salute the coffin. Prince Harry and Prince Andrew - no longer frontline royals, did not, bowing instead

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown and pulled by a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, arrives at the Palace of Westminster

Queen's flowers from her personal gardens: Coffin is adorned with lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor and pine from Balmoral during funeral procession The Queen's coffin was today adorned with lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor and pine from her Scottish home of Balmoral. The Queen's final and saddest journey to Westminster Hall is underway today with King Charles, his three siblings and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry following her coffin as the Royal Family hands her coffin to the nation. At 2.22pm Her Majesty was carried down The Mall on a gun carriage - a tradition dating back to the death of her great-grandmother Queen Victoria in 1901 - as her children, grandchildren and other senior royals marched behind. Atop the coffin, there was a wreath of flowers which contained a selection of flowers including pine from the gardens of Balmoral and lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor. The Queen 's coffin was today adorned with lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor and pine from her Scottish home of Balmoral It is a mark of the significance of the two residences for the late monarch. The Queen had spent the majority of her time over the past few years at her home of Windsor Castle. Meanwhile it was her Scottish home of Balmoral where she passed away earlier this month. It marks a change from yesterday's wreath, which was made up of her favourite flowers and served as a touching tribute to her late husband, Prince Philip. Atop the coffin, there was a wreath of flowers which contained a selection of flowers including pine from the gardens of Balmoral and lavendar and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown and pulled by a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery The wreath, which was prepared by Balmoral staff, included sweet peas, dahlias, phlox, white heather and pine fir  all gathered from the Aberdeenshire estate. Sweet peas  which were among the Queens favourite flowers  were also in the wreath laid on the Duke of Edinburghs coffin after his death in April last year. Sweet peas, which are associated with April birthdays, can symbolise departures and farewells while dahlias can represent a lasting commitment between two people. The Queen personally selected the flowers for her late husbands coffin with a wreath that included white lilies, roses and freesias. The Queen's children including the King and her grandchildren, including William, Harry and Peter Phillips make the mournful journey to Westminster Hall Hundreds of thousands of people lined the route but there was a silent reverence as the coffin appeared. There were some muted cheers and clapping and cries of God Save the Queen as well as many tears shed as the late monarch left her London home for the final time. All viewing areas on The Mall, Whitehall and Parliament Square were full by 1pm - with people turned away. The procession left the palace at 2.22pm and is expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm. A service lasting around 20 minutes will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster. Princess Anne, who has remained with her mother since she dies last Thursday, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also followed the coffin on the 1.2mile journey to Westminster Hall - the ancient heart of the Houses of Parliament where up to 1million Britons hope to see the Queen lying in state there as her father and mother did in 1952 and 2002. Queen Consort Camilla, the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sussex and the Countess of Wessex followed by car. Zara and Mike Tindall. Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank ar e also taking part. But Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson did not receive an invite because of their divorce. King Charles III waves to the crowds as he is driven along The Mall to Buckingham Palace this morning Queen Consort Camilla is seen arriving at Buckingham Palace this afternoon ahead of the procession for the Queen The occasion is heavy with historical significance, with brothers Prince William and Prince Harry setting aside their ongoing feud to support their father by marching with him behind the coffin. For William and Harry it will bring back painful memories of when they, aged 15 and 12, walked behind the coffin of their mother Princess Diana in 1997. Solemn members of the Royal Family gathered this lunchtime to prepare to accompany the Queen for her poignant final journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where she will lie in state for the next five nights. The crowd burst into applause and cheers as King Charles III passed the Victoria Memorial in his state Rolls Royce as he was taken into the residence, followed later by Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and Queen Consort Camilla. Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers are expected to line the route as they do so. The Queen's other children Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne will also form part of the procession through London. The Victoria Memorial and The Mall ahead of the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II this afternoon Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she will be conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall - where she will lie in state until 6.30am next Monday, the day of her funeral. More than one million people are expected to queue in Central London for up to 35 hours to walk past her coffin - but experts believe only 400,000 will make it inside meaning 600,000 people will be left disappointed. Mourners have also been joining the queue to attend the lying in state, opening at 5pm tonight. Government guidance says the queue is expected to be very long, with people standing for 'many hours, possibly overnight'. The queuing infrastructure for the Queen's lying in state is 10 miles in length, it is understood. This includes 6.9 miles from Victoria Tower Gardens to Southwark Park, with a further three miles inside Southwark Park. The Queen arrived at the palace last night to tears and cheers from the crowds who stood in the rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday. The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed. There was a wave of lights as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed. As the hearse drove through the gates, Charles could be seen bowing his head with Harry and Meghan stood behind. Advertisement

The rise of Lady Louise Windsor: How Edward and Sophie's horse-mad daughter has gone from a 'normal' childhood to a polished young royal who has been hailed the Firm's 'secret weapon'

A few years ago, it would have been possible for Lady Louise Windsor to walk down the street without prompting a second glance from passers-by.

The unassuming 18-year-old, often seen in country casuals or prim dresses, spent her childhood largely out of the spotlight, growing up in the leafy surrounds of the family's 30million home of Bagshot Park, just a few miles from Windsor Castle.

Now it is a very different story. Over the last two years, Lady Louise has taken on an increasingly public role as her parents Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex have been bumped up the royal food chain following the disgrace of Prince Andrew and the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

She was front and centre in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, joined her parents at the Commonwealth Games and made her successful TV debut in a documentary about her beloved grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh.

Indeed she has become such a well-known face that she is recognised by customers of the garden centre where she has been working for 6.63 per hour since finishing her A-levels in June.

Lady Louise is preparing for her next chapter as a student after learning in August that she has the grades she needs to read English at the University of St Andrews, where her cousin Prince William famously met his future wife.

Stepping into the spotlight: Lady Louise is headed off for university after receiving her A-level results. Pictured, the young royal with her mother Sophie Wessex during the Platinum Jubilee

Out of the spotlight: Lady Louise enjoyed a largely 'normal' childhood. She made one of her first high profile appearances as a bridesmaid at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding in 2011. Pictured, travelling in a carriage with her cousin Prince Harry at the event

Flourishing: Lady Louise, pictured with the Duchess of Cambridge at the 2012 Paralympic Games, has been dubbed the 'secret weapon' of the future of the Royal Family

Unlike her older cousins, Princes William and Harry, Louise was able to see a lot more of her grandparents growing up because she has always lived just 11 miles from Windsor and had the benefit of being born around the time the Queen and Prince Philip scaled back their long-haul travel.

Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, wanted to give their daughter and son James, Viscount Severn, 14, a 'normal' childhood with schoolfriends and extra-curricular activities.

Lady Louise, who was born with esotropia, a condition that causes the eyes to turn inwards, which was corrected in a 2013 operation, was enrolled at St George's School, Windsor Castle, before moving to St Mary's School Ascot from year nine.

Largely kept out of the limelight, her first major Royal outing came at the age of nine when she was a bridesmaid at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding in 2011.

Welcome to the world! Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex with their daughter Lady Louis following her birth in November 2003. She was born prematurely via emergency C-section

Daddy's girl: Lady Louise with her father Prince Edward on a family holiday marking Princess Anne's 60th birthday in 2010. She stands with her hands behind her back, just like her father

Proud Granny: The Queen places an affectionate hand on Lady Louise's head at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2011. Lady Louise spent a lot of time with her grandmother growing up

Happy family: The Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children in a photo marking his 50th

Many royal watchers noted her similarity to the Queen at the same age. But it was through her grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh that she discovered her passion for carriage-driving.

Following his retirement, Philip had more time to enjoy carriage-driving, which was one of his favourite past-times since the 1970s. He raced carriages near Norfolk before going on to represent Britain at several world and European championships.

Sophie Wessex previously revealed that Prince Philip was 'so pleased' when his granddaughter wanted to take up the sport.

'My father-in-law was always so good at encouraging, he was really encouraging of Louise. So when she not only said "please can I have a go", but then when she showed a flair for it, he was just brilliant with her,' she said.

On her best behaviour: Lady Louise Windsor joins her parents for the Easter church service at Windsor Castle in 2012. She prepares to present a posy to her grandmother the Queen

Shared interests: The Queen and Lady Louise chat at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2014

'They used to chat away about it and he would always turn up if she was competing in the Great Park, he would always turn up to watch her and watch her training days.'

Royal expert Ingrid Seward added in an interview with FEMAIL: 'Prince Philip took pleasure in watching Louise compete at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. He would have made sure she had some top-class tuition from one of his grooms and of course the availability of ponies and carriages to drive.'

Lady Louise now takes part in competitions and has driven her grandfather's ponies as a way to keep his memory alive.

The teenager, who was also a Girl Guide, also paid tribute to her grandfather by completing her Duke of Edinburgh award.

In the public eye: Lady Louise with her parents and younger brother at Trooping the Colour in 2013. The Wessexes were much further down the royal food chain when she was growing up

Confident: Lady Louise joins her father Prince Edward to ride out on the final night of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in 2016. The teenager is an avid equestrian

Dignified: Lady Louise was a 'special attendant' at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, pictured, and handled herself with poise when her dress blew up on the stairs

Royal events: The Wessexes arrive for church on Christmas Day at Sandringham in 2018

Prince Edward commented on how it had made his daughter 'more confident'.

'Its just broadened her horizons. I think shes probably got a little focused on, especially at the school she is at, just on the academics,' he said of his daughter, who studied Politics, English, History and Drama at AS Level.

The Countess of Wessex described her daughter as a 'committed person' who spent a lot of time on her bike during lockdown.

'This is the kind of thing that really ticks the boxes for her. But in terms of confidence, its given her a huge amount. Shes taken up fencing again as her skill, which she has really loved,' she said.

Lady Louise demonstrated her poise on the public stage when she suffered a brief mishap while acting as a 'special attendant' in the bridal party for Princess Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018.

Devastated: Lady Louise with her tearful mother the Countess of Wessex, father Prince Edward and brother James, Viscount Severn, at Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021

By their side: Lady Louise took on a public role in the days following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh. Pictured, delivering a tribute to Prince Philip with her parents

TV debut: Lady Louise reflected on her relationship with her grandfather in a BBC documentary aired after his death. It marked her first major interview on camera

'Remember how she helped the bridesmaids on the steps of St. George's Chapel as they went inside at Princess Eugenie's wedding and her skirt blew up in the wind in front of the TV cameras? She handled it very deftly,' Ingrid noted of the incident.

The end of her school career has coincided with a seismic shift in the Royal Family.

While she was growing up her father, as the Queen's fourth and youngest son, was given less responsibility than his elder siblings. By extension, his family was also afforded a more low-key existence.

Yet following the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2020 and the subsequent disgrace of Prince Andrew, the Wessexes have found themselves thrust into the spotlight.

Sophie, 57, is one of the Queen's most trusted confidantes and has been described as the Royal Family's 'secret weapon'.

She played a particularly public role in the days following the death of her beloved father-in-law the Duke of Edinburgh and she and Edward recently embarked on a high profile tour to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

Putting her best foot forward: Lady Louise with her family at the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh in March

Bright and beautiful: Lady Louise has been making more confident fashion choices, as seen in the Royal Family outing to the Easter church service at Windsor Castle in April

Country casual: Lady Louise at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May (left) and in a flowy pattern skirt and trainers at the Commonwealth Games this month

Public outings: Lady Louise joined her family for a beach clean-up in Southsea in 2020

Phil Dampier, who has covered the Royals for nearly 40 years, previously told the Daily Telegraph: 'She seems to be very mature for her age and shes shaping up to be precisely the kind of person the Queen can rely on in the future.

'Could there be a role for her in a slimmed-down monarchy? The Queen and Philip had 1,500 patronages between them.

'You have to ask yourself who is going to continue their legacy with Harry and Meghan and Prince Andrew off the scene? Theres a huge workload there.'

Over the last two years Lady Louise has taken part in royal engagements ranging from a beach clean-up to a training session with England Hockey.

Starring role: Lady Louise showed off her carriage-driving skills during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in May

Perfectly poised: In a carriage with her brother for the royal procession down the mall ahead of Trooping the Colour during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, she joined her parents on a number of outings to thank the public and members of the royal household for their kindness to the Queen.

After a dignified display at Prince Philip's funeral, the teenager was interviewed on camera for a documentary about his life in which she praised his sense of adventure and their shared interest in carriage-driving.

This year, things have ramped up yet again. Lady Louise was called upon to demonstrate her equestrian skills at the A Gallop Through History performance which kicked off the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

She appeared in the Queen's birthday parade, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace and at the parties and concerts at Buckingham Palace.

Most recently she joined her parents and brother for several days of action at the Commonwealth Games, including one with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their daughter Princess Charlotte.

Privately, Lady Louise has also been getting a taste of the 'real world' with her part-time job at a garden centre, the location of which has not been disclosed.

Family day out: Sophie Wessex with her children at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

Royal sports fan! Lady Louise cheers as she watches the hockey at the Commonwealth Games

Like any other young worker, the royal has been helping out on the tills, greeting customers, pruning and potting plants.

While the security arrangements for her job have also not been made public, her parents Edward and Sophie are thought to only receive police protection when on official duties and engagements.

One shopper told The Sun: 'I knew the cost-of-living crisis was bad, but I didn't think I'd ever see a grandchild of the Queen working in a garden centre.'

Another customer added: 'The staff seemed to adore her. It's not every day you buy your begonias off a royal.' And a third, who was served by the royal, said: 'I couldn't believe it was Lady Louise, I had to look twice.

'She is a really modest and sweet young woman who is polite and attentive to customers. She seemed to be loving the job. You'd never imagine the Queen's granddaughter would take on a role working behind a till.'

Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty magazine, said: 'Isn't it wonderful the Queen's granddaughter rolled her sleeves up and got her hands dirty with a summer job before going to university  just like any other normal teenager.'
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Kamala Harris' model stepdaughter Ella Emhoff has been making waves in the fashion world ever since she was propelled into the spotlight practically overnight when she wore a dazzling Miu Miu coat and a custom Batsheva dress to President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021 and completely stole the show.

Ella, 22, quickly went from an average college student to a style sensation after the event - and has since become well known for her funky sense of style, often wearing bright colors and clashing patterns and completely owning it.

Now, she has caught eyes once again by donning another bizarre look while walking the catwalk at the Maisie Wilen runway show during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday.

Kamala Harris' model stepdaughter Ella Emhoff has shot into the spotlight once again by donning another bizarre look while walking the catwalk at the Maisie Wilen runway show during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday

The 22-year-old - who is the daughter of the vice president's husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, and his first wife, Kerstin - donned a bright green, figure-hugging Balaclava dress for the event

She paired it with a matching headpiece, gloves, and socks to ensure that her entire body was covered in the eye-popping neon material from head to toe

The 22-year-old - who is the daughter of the vice president's husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, and his first wife, Kerstin - donned a bright green, figure-hugging Balaclava dress for the event, which she paired with a matching headpiece, gloves, and socks to ensure that her entire body was covered in the eye-popping neon material from head to toe.

After catching the world's attention by stunning at the the inauguration last year, Ella, who was studying design at Parsons at the time, soon became a top model. She is seen with her brother, dad, and stepmom

The tight gown contained a black and white circular pattern throughout; she paired the look with dark, platform heels and wore a pair of glasses on the catwalk.

After catching the world's attention by stunning at the the inauguration last year, Ella, who was studying design at Parsons at the time, soon became a top model - signing with agency IMG, releasing her very own knitwear collection, attending the Met Gala, posing for well-known magazines like Vanity Fair and Vogue, and walking in shows for big brands like Balenciaga and Proenza Schouler.

She was even present at the Vogue World event earlier this week, which saw a slew of other big attendees including Kendall Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Scott, Kanye West, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Jared Leto, Keke Palmer, Lori Harvey, Serena Williams, Brooklyn Beckham and his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Emily Ratajkowski, Lil Nas X, and La La Anthony, among others.

She was even present at the Vogue World event earlier this week, which was hosted by Vogue editor Anna Wintour and took place on Monday in New York City

The event saw a slew of other big attendees including Kendall Jenner (left), Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Scott (center), Kanye West, Gigi and Bella Hadid (right), Jared Leto, Keke Palmer, Serena Williams, Emily Ratajkowski, and La La Anthony

Ella strutted her stuff on the catwalk, and the fact asked to participate in the coveted show alongside some of the modeling industry's most well known members shows that Ella has already been given the ultimate approval in the fashion world

On top of all that, Ella was also named a style 'icon' at the 2022 Harper's Bazaar Icons & Bloomingdale's 150th Anniversary party last Friday. She is seen at the event

From how she turned her inauguration day attention into a full-time career and everything she has achieved since then to her love life and celebrity friends, here's everything you need to know about Kamala's fashionista stepdaughter Ella

Kamala's model stepdaughter has been making waves in the fashion world ever since she was propelled into the spotlight practically overnight when she wore a custom Batsheva dress to the inauguration in January 2021

Ella strutted her stuff on the catwalk, and the fact asked to participate in the coveted show - which was hosted by Vogue editor Anna Wintour and took place on Monday in New York City - alongside some of the modeling industry's most well known members shows that Ella has already been given the ultimate seal of approval in the fashion world.

On top of all that, Ella was also named a style 'icon' at the 2022 Harper's Bazaar Icons & Bloomingdale's 150th Anniversary party last Friday, and according to Ella, she never expected to gain so much fame.

The Parsons School of Design student-turned-catwalk queen told People magazine that she was 'shocked' but 'incredibly honored' to have been given the title, especially since she described herself as someone who still doesn't think of herself as a pro.

'It's kind of shocking,' she told the outlet. 'This is an incredible honor and as someone who doesn't really think of herself like that it's nice reassurance. And it makes me check myself and the way I perceive myself... So exciting.'

'I'm so grateful,' Ella continued. 'For some reason, I feel like I'm seeing myself from the outside. It's a very interesting experience that I will never forget. I feel like every day it sinks in a little more. It's a slow process.'

But how did Ella go from an average college student to style sensation practically over night? From how she turned her inauguration day attention into a full-time career and everything she has achieved since then to her love life and celebrity friends, here's everything you need to know about Kamala's fashionista stepdaughter Ella.

Where it all started: Ella gets shot to overnight stardom after catching eyes at the 2021 inauguration

Ella was skyrocketed into fashion fame practically over night, after she wore a Miu Miu tartan coat with crystal-encrusted shoulders and a wide collar over a burgundy Batsheva dress during President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021

It appeared that Ella completely stole the show, and she landed headlines across big outlets like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and The Hollywood Reporter due to her eye-catching look

Before the inauguration, Ella was already showcasing her strong sense of style on her Instagram account by sharing snaps of herself wearing funky clothing

She wore rainbow striped leggings, a shirt made out of all different patches, and other various bright and patterned outfits - most of which she made herself

The 22-year-old was skyrocketed into fashion fame practically over night, after she wore a Miu Miu tartan coat with crystal-encrusted shoulders and a wide collar over a burgundy Batsheva dress during President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021.

Though performers like Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, and John Legend hit the stage at the event, it appeared that Ella completely stole the show, and she landed headlines across big outlets like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and The Hollywood Reporter due to her eye-catching look.

Before the inauguration, Ella was already showcasing her strong sense of style on her Instagram account by sharing snaps of herself wearing funky clothing - like rainbow striped leggings, a shirt made out of all different patches, and other various bright and patterned outfits, most of which she made herself.

Ella, who was attending Parsons School of Design at the time, was a budding designer before the inauguration, and was attempting to launch her own line of crocheted clothing

According to Batsheva Hay, the designer behind her inauguration dress, a friend had discovered Ella's creations online and told her to reach out. She said: 'I became obsessed, and was like, wow can we make this happen?'

As for the inspiration behind her inauguration day dress, Ella (seen in the dress) told Vogue that she was trying to portray a 'little girl.' She said, 'This momentous of an event deserves a momentous outfit'

Ella, who was attending Parsons School of Design at the time, was a budding designer before the inauguration, and was attempting to launch her own line of crocheted clothing.

According to Batsheva Hay, the designer behind her inauguration dress, a friend had discovered Ella's creations online and told her to reach out.

'My friend was like, Kamalas stepdaughter is so cool, you have to check out her work,"' she recalled to Vogue, when asked how she came to design her look for the inauguration.

'I never thought shed know who I was, but my friend was like, You should definitely shoot her. Then ... we followed each other, and I went down the rabbit hole of seeing all of Ellas knitwear.

'I was literally trying to buy stuff, and it was all sold out! I became obsessed, and was like, what do I have for her? How can we make this happen?'

As for the inspiration behind her inauguration day dress, Ella told Vogue that she was trying to portray a 'little girl.'

'My mood board was very little girl, in a sense, a lot of scalloped collars and big silhouette shoulders and small buttons,' she dished.

'I was going for something girlier, to embrace my feminine side. How many times do you prepare yourself to attend an inauguration? This momentous of an event deserves a momentous outfit.'

Breaking onto the scene: Ella goes from stealing the show at the inauguration to landing her own modeling contract

Just by attending the inauguration in the custom Batsheva dress, Ella was propelled into the spotlight, and her career quickly took off. Batsheva teamed up with the then-student to launch her knitwear collection, which sold out in minutes

She then signed signing with modeling agency IMG, and made her runway debut at the Proenza Schouler show (seen above) during New York Fashion Week in early 2021

She also starred in her first Vogue shoot, graduated from college, posed for Vanity Fair, attended the Met Gala (left), walked in Balenciaga's show in Paris (right), and became the face of the Adidas by Stella McCartney line throughout 2021

Just by attending the inauguration in the custom Batsheva dress, Ella was propelled into the spotlight, and her career quickly took off.

According to the star, she never expected to come so far, especially because she was plagued with insecurities as a teen

Batsheva teamed up with the then-student to launch her knitwear collection, which sold out in minutes.

She then signed signing with modeling agency IMG, and made her runway debut at the Proenza Schouler show during New York Fashion Week in early 2021.

At the time, IMG president Ivan Bart gushed that she represented 'authenticity,' telling the New York Times, 'Ella communicates this moment in time. Theres a cheekiness and a joy she exudes.'

She also starred in her first Vogue shoot, graduated from college, posed for Vanity Fair, attended the Met Gala, walked in Balenciaga's show in Paris, and became the face of the Adidas by Stella McCartney line throughout 2021.

According to the star, she never expected to come so far, especially because she was plagued with insecurities as a teen.

'Growing up, I never saw myself as someone stylish, at all,' she admitted to Elle. 'Obviously, I loved fashion and cared a lot about it.

'But I was really into doing my own thing and being really comfortable in my own body, you know? I never saw myself as a "fashion person." And I dont know if my classmates did either.'

She told the outlet that she doesn't put too much thought into what she wears, and she simply puts on things that she 'feels good' in.

'If I had to describe my style right now, its not even a way of dressing. Its just wearing clothes that you feel good in, not really being influenced by what other people want you to be wearing,' she explained.

'Growing up, I never saw myself as someone stylish, at all,' she admitted to Elle . 'Obviously, I loved fashion and cared a lot about it. But I never saw myself as a "fashion person." And I dont know if my classmates did either'

Ella (seen walking the runway for Vogue World: New York) told the outlet that she doesn't put too much thought into what she wears, and she simply puts on things that she 'feels good' in

'And also, not getting boxed in by what you used to wear, or what people think you would be wearing. Because its not the actual clothes youre wearing. Its the confidence you have, and the ability to live your life, in those clothes.'

She also said her job felt like much more than selling clothes or posing for pictures.

'I think modelling now is not just about modeling, but its about creating space for people who do other things, whether it be art, activism, writing, any type of creation,' she added.

'I get really excited when Im able to do things and work with brands that actually let me not only be the model, but actually share my own thoughts and have [conversations] like this where I can talk about sustainability and activism in general. Thats what gets me so excited about the whole industry.'

Too far? Ella receives backlash after walking the catwalk with her breasts out

As 2022 New York Fashion Week kicked off last week, Ella made an even bigger splash when she walked on Prabal Gurung's catwalk and bared her breasts for the entire audience to see (seen above)

The 22-year-old stepdaughter of the vice president wore a revealing, barely-there, mint top for the show and a tiny leather skirt. The shirt was made by pieces of fabric tied together, and it left her chest on full display

As 2022 New York Fashion Week kicked off last week, Ella made an even bigger splash. She attended a slew of events and runway shows - and she made headlines when she walked on Prabal Gurung's catwalk and bared her breasts for the entire audience to see.

The 22-year-old stepdaughter of the vice president wore a revealing, barely-there, mint top for the show and a tiny leather skirt.

The shirt was made by pieces of fabric tied together, and it left her chest on full display; she paired the look with black, leather gloves, and strappy heels.

The nip slip appeared to be a deliberate choice, and there's no suggestion that there was a wardrobe malfunction - which left some people raising their eyebrows.

The nip slip appeared to be a deliberate choice, and there's no suggestion that there was a wardrobe malfunction - which left some people raising their eyebrows

Ella has also gained a lot of attention online for some of her other radical moves - including not covering up her tattoos or shaving her armpit hair, which is uncommon for models

While speaking to Harper's Bazaar last month, the model admitted that it's becoming 'harder' for her to 'feel iconic' amid some of the backlash she has received

One person said the look went against 'runway standards' and accused her of trying to be 'woke,' while another called it 'disgusting.'

While speaking to Harper's Bazaar last month, the model admitted that it's becoming 'harder' for her to 'feel iconic' amid some of the backlash she has received.

'These days, I think its harder to feel iconic. I think just with the state of everything, theres less moments where Im like, "Wow, Im doing something iconic," or, "Im being the most iconic,"' she admitted.

'But I felt really iconic when I was a kid. I really had a lot of confidence, and I would do things that just felt like Im the boss bitch of this world. I think whenever I try to feel iconic, I think back to little Ella and what would she do?'

Ella has also gained a lot of attention online for some of her other radical moves - including not covering up her tattoos or shaving her armpit hair, which is uncommon for models.

Inside her personal life: Ella's hoard of celebrity friends and adorable relationship with GQ fashion writer Sam Hine

The star is currently in a relationship with GQ fashion writer Sam Hine, 28, who defended her ability to be unapologetically herself to People magazine

'What always impresses me most about everything she does is she has her own way and through the lens of personal style,' he gushed. 'She is no pushover you know, she knows herself really, really well and what's going on inside'

The star is currently in a relationship with GQ fashion writer Sam Hine, 28, who defended her ability to be unapologetically herself to People magazine.

'What always impresses me most about everything she does is she has her own way and through the lens of personal style,' he gushed.

'You know, others, they wear whatever and in this position, they do what people tell them to do, and she is no pushover you know, she knows herself really, really well and what's going on inside.

'She does herself and that's the message. She is a true individual. And that's the most important. That's what being an icon really is.'

As for what makes their romance work, Ella added that 'open communication' is key, even if it's 'sometimes uncomfortable.'

'Communication, a lot of deep and sometimes uncomfortable open communication,' she told the outlet.

'We try not to worry too much about things that don't need to be worried about, even though some of us do,' she added, while pointing to herself.

As for what makes their romance work, Ella added that 'open communication' is key, even if it's 'sometimes uncomfortable'

'We try not to worry too much about things that don't need to be worried about, even though some of us do,' she added, while pointing to herself

During her whirlwind rise to fame, Ella has made a few celebrity friends, and back in May, she was seen hanging out with Steve Jobs' daughter Eve, 23, who signed with dna Model Management in March

'There's no sugarcoating it. Like, sometimes it's really hard. Life is not easy. So, talk about it, and then you do it together. In a relationship, you're sharing a life.'

During her whirlwind rise to fame, Ella has made a few celebrity friends, and back in May, she was seen hanging out with Steve Jobs' daughter Eve, 23.

The two women posed together at Louis Vuitton's 2023 Womenswear Cruise Collection show in Los Angeles, where they both dressed to impress.

Ella picked a gray tweed jacket from the designer's Spring 2022 Ready-to-Wear collection, which was embellished with rhinestones.

She layered it over a crisp white button-down, which had layered necklaces tucked under the collar, and finished off the look with black slacks, black boots, and a slicked-back hairdo with a center part.

Meanwhile, Eve - who signed with dna Model Management in March - was equally chic in a white bandeau top baring Louis Vuitton's LV logo print.

Her long black skirt, too, was covered in LVs, and she finished off with a jacket, heels, and a small pink leather handbag.

What's next? Where Ella plans to go from here

The Parsons School of Design student-turned-catwalk queen told People magazine that she was 'shocked' but 'incredibly honored' to have been branded as an 'icon' by Harper's Bazaar on Friday

She gushed: 'This is an incredible honor and as someone who doesn't really think of herself like that it's nice reassurance. And it makes me check myself and the way I perceive myself... So exciting. I'm so grateful'

When it comes to Ella's future, she said she's living in the moment, and keeping her plans 'loose and open.' She is seen with her stepmom, Kamala

'What I like now could be completely different from what I like next season,' she explained to People. 'So I just like the process and the journey of it. The only way to make it in this industry is to keep a level head, keep expectations level'

When it comes to Ella's future, she said she's living in the moment, and keeping her plans 'loose and open.'

'What I like now could be completely different from what I like next season,' she explained to People. 'So I just like the process and the journey of it, and I've already got to walk for so many great designers like Miu Miu, Balenciaga, Proenza - those are already above and beyond my lists.

'The only way to make it in this industry is to keep a level head, keep expectations level.'

She previously told Vanity Fair that her dad has other plans for her - he wants her to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer like him, but she doesn't see that in her future.

'My dad asks me very often, "So have you reconsidered law school?" and I keep saying, "Doug, not happening,"' she said. '"I'm going to leave it to you and I will be the artist."'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle came together after an emotional funeral procession for the Queen at Westminster Hall and were pictured holding hands as they left the ceremony today.

The US-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have remained in the UK following what was supposed to be a whistlestop tour of Europe having stepped back from royal duty last year, joined other members of The Firm for the occasion in London today.

The couple, who became known for their constant hand holding during their time as working royals, appeared keen to comfort one another after the service today, and immediately clasped hands as they came together.

While other couples like Zara and Mike Tindall also held hands, Kate Middleton and Prince William, as well as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, chose instead to avoid public displays of affection.

The loving gesture is just the latest in a long line of public displays of affection between Harry, 37, and Meghan - who haven't been able to keep their hands off one another since first going public with their relationship in 2017.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle came together after an emotional funeral procession for the Queen at Westminster Hall and were pictured holding hands as they left the ceremony today

The couple, who became known for their constant hand holding during their time as working royals, appeared keen to comfort one another after the service today, and immediately clasped hands as they came together

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave Westminster Hall on September

Pictured together at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, the pair, in the early stages of their courtship, leaned into one another and beamed in delight.

In a now famous picture, Harry leaned into Meghan's ear to whisper something, while Meghan crossed her legs and leaned forward clearly delighted by what the Prince was saying.

The Duchess of Sussex has been pictured dozens of times putting her hands on Harry's back, while Harry is fan of clasping Meghan's hair and gently caressing her ponytail.

The move is both to support Harry and for her own comfort. During her first Trooping of the Colour in 2018, Meghan put her hand on Harry from the Buckingham Palace balcony.

The loving gesture is just the latest in a long line of public displays of affection between Harry, 37, and Meghan - who haven't been able to keep their hands off one another since first going public with their relationship in 2017

Before they stepped back from the royal family, Meghan and Harry wowed royal watchers with their affection during a tour of Australia , New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji in 2018.

The couple were basking in the afterglow of their pregnancy announcement, with their son Archie, and were frequently seen stealing affectionate glances, holding hands and touching each other's backs supportively.

Today's occasion is not only heavy with historical significance, but it saw Prince William and Prince Harry set aside their feud to support their father by marching with him behind the coffin. Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers are expected to line the route as they do so.

The procession poignantly passed the statue of the Queen's parents King George VI and the Queen Mother which overlooks The Mall. The Imperial State Crown, worn by the Queen on the way back to Buckingham Palace after her Coronation, glittered in the daylight as the crowds held aloft their phones to capture the scenes.

Mike and Zara Tindall were also pictured holding hands after the ceremony this afternoon (pictured together)

Zara and her husband and Princess Eugenie walk as procession with the coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth arrives at Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace

A sombre King waved to huge crowds who had gathered along the Mall today as he arrived at Buckingham Palace hours before he was due to lead William, Harry and senior royals in a poignant procession behind the Queen's coffin.

The crowd burst into applause and cheers as the state Rolls-Royce passed the Victoria Memorial and dropped Charles off at the royal residence.

Later, the eyes of the world were once again on the King as he walked with family members to Westminster Hall - the ancient building at the heart of the Palace of Westminster where his mother will lie in state.

The royal family accompanied their matriarch on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall this afternoon where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queueing for hours.

Her Majesty has been handed to Britain by the King to lie in state until Monday for mourners to say their goodbyes

The Queen's coffin entered Westminster Hall as the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, sang Psalm 139 (pictured)

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, follow the Queen's coffin into Westminster Hall

Charles, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, along with the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex, are forming part of the procession.

Anne's son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence are also walking behind the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.

The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex are travelling by car. The procession left the palace at 2.22pm and are expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.

Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she was conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall - the ancient heart of Parliament - where she will lie in state for four days until her funeral on Monday.

Prince William stood next to his wife Kate, with Harry and Meghan, the Sussexes, behind them

Prince Harry brushes his hands across his eyes alongside his wife

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, curtseys and her husband bows as they look at the Queen's casket

Catherine, Princess of Wales, wore a brooch belonging to the Queen, and also curtseyed as she arrived

Kate and Meghan stood close to each other, as did their feuding husbands

At her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she was conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall - the ancient heart of Parliament - where she will lie in state for four days until her funeral on Monday.

More than 1million people are expected to queue in central London for up to 35 hours to walk past her casket - but experts believe only 400,000 will make it inside meaning 600,000 people will be left disappointed.

The Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace last night to tears and cheers from the huge crowds who stood in the pouring rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday.

The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed. There was a wave of lights as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed.

As the hearse drove through the gates, Charles could be seen bowing his head with Harry and Meghan stood solemnly behind the monarch.
A week ago, like the rest of the nation, I watched with horror as the TV screen went a solemn black and the moment wed all been dreading finally came to pass. My phone began to ping as friends and family responded to news of the Queens death with griefstricken messages.

In the emotion of the moment, I decided to do what my generation so often does: I turned to social media, where I posted an honest, tearful and utterly heartfelt tribute to our monarch.

Little did I realise that within hours my phone would be alight with thousands more messages  these ones dripping with vitriol directed at me by strangers, purely because of that tribute to our former Queen. A large part of my generation, it seems, has reacted to the nations grief, online at least, with a callous ignorance that makes me genuinely ashamed.

I had been honestly distraught that I would never see the Queens smile again, and it felt natural to express that on social media. TikTok  an app that allows you to create and share short videos  is the obvious platform to someone of my age.

Chiara King (pictured) turned to social media after the news that the Queen had died. The TikTok star, 23, said she was disappointed about the reactions she received

As a musician and actress, Ive steadily amassed 3.2 million followers there (and another 740,000 on Instagram) since singing for Simon Cowell on X Factor: The Band in 2019, while studying for my degree at Kings College London.

I created whats known as a duet, where a video plays on one side of the screen and your reaction to it on the other. It might sound odd to older generations, but for mine  at 23, Im at the upper end of Gen Z  its a completely normal, acceptable way to share your feelings.

The video I picked to honour the Queen switched between her joyful Paddington skit for the Jubilee and footage of her looking young and radiant at her coronation 70 years earlier.

On my side of the split screen was footage of me weeping to the camera  my face red and swollen from crying  deeply moved by what we had lost. Laid over the top of it all, Id written my own words in tribute, recognising the many millions of people whose hearts have been touched by Queen Elizabeth over her 70-year reign, and feeling thankful that at least she would be at peace with her beloved Philip.

Chiaras split-screen video featured her reaction to footage of the Queen, right. She said the video was a honest tearful reaction

Nothing prepared me for what would happen next. With millions of followers all over the world, its not as if Im not used to abuse. Gen Z has a horrible habit of pouncing on its own for transgressions that can get you cancelled in a heartbeat  misgendering; cultural appropriation; fakery; not checking your privilege  and even though most of my posts are innocuous bits of fun about dating and travelling, Ive had mean comments under plenty of them. Im well aware that internet pile-ons  where thousands of people post angry comments on someones social media account, encouraging others to do the same  happen all the time.

I suppose it was inevitable I would eventually be the victim of one myself, yet I never imagined that mourning the death of a 96- year-old woman  a mother, grandmother and great grandmother who was loved by her family as well as the nation she devotedly served  would be what prompted people to turn on me.

I posted my tribute at 9pm, and within a minute my phone had blown up with notifications telling me Id had hundreds of comments  the majority saying things that made me feel ashamed of my own generation: that they hoped the Queens death had been painful and she had gone to hell. Some were so awful that I started to delete them, blocking those who had posted them, which Ive never had to do before.

You can get cancelled in a heartbeat for transgressions

Some ranted about colonialism  as though Queen Elizabeth was personally responsible for the reach of the former British Empire  others accused her of murdering Princess Diana and stealing from people all over the world.

I know where the Diana stuff came from. My generation wasnt even born when she died, and most of what we know about modern royalty comes from watching The Crown on Netflix, in which the Queen and Prince Charles come across particularly badly.

Im stunned by how many think its a documentary instead of a drama with a very loose grip on real history.

Ive always known my generation is divided about the monarchy  in a YouGov poll ahead of the Platinum Jubilee, only 56 per cent of 18-24 year-olds said they thought the Queen had personally done a good job during her time on the throne, compared to 94 per cent of over-65s.

Republicans peacefully protesting their unhappiness at the fact we have a monarchy at all, by holding up Not my King placards or blank pieces of paper as has happened in the real world this week, is one thing. But using your keyboard to facelessly tear someone apart in the Wild West that is the online world, and encouraging others to do the same, is of a different order of cruelty altogether.

Queen Elizabeth II waves in the horse-drawn carriage, on June 2, 1953, on the way to the Westminster Abbey with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for her coronation, in London

Whenever it happens, its fuelled by the fake and unregulated news and conspiracy theories that get posted online, which my generation is quick to believe and slow to fact-check.

Along with a pack mentality that allows hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people to shout with what feels like one voice.

Some comments were about Prince Andrew. I understand why people feel angry about that, but I can also imagine motherly instincts will always rule your head, even if a crown sits on top of it.

There were accusations of racism too, based on Meghan Markles comments since stepping away from the Royal family. Again, I understand where theyre coming from  shes so much more relatable to my generation of young women than any other royal.

I was shocked by hypocrisy of those who claim to be so angry

But I was still shocked by the hypocrisy of those who claim to be so angry about how she was supposedly treated, yet had no qualms about telling me how pathetic I was for sharing my own feelings.

I couldnt believe I was being abused by the same generation Id hoped my tribute would offer some comfort to; people who, like me, saw our queen as the nations granny and bereft that shed gone.

On a personal level, the Queens death felt especially poignant because my grandfather  who has idolised her since serving her father as a teenage soldier during the Second World War  is the same age and similarly poorly with the frailties of old age.

I read the online bile with my head in my hands, glad that Grandad would never have to see what had been written.

A week on, and a million people have viewed my post from the United Kingdom to the United States  there are still a couple of thousand comments underneath it, although Ive stopped reading them now. I cant put myself through any more.

I already know Ill be incredibly upset when I watch the funeral on Monday, but I wont be sharing any of my emotions online.

Im too scared of what the pack of animals who prowl social media as their hunting ground, looking for people to tear apart, might say next.
Each morning as I descend the stairs from my bedroom to the kitchen, I pass my proudest possession  a framed certificate confirming my appointment as a Dame of the British Empire, signed, in July 2011, Elizabeth R.

Its a daily reminder of the woman I doubt would ever have used the word feminist to describe herself  she was never publicly outspoken on any political point  but who nevertheless changed British womens lives for ever.

My mother was the Queens contemporary, raised to follow the limited expectations available to women in the immediate post-war period. She was a civil servant and loved her job, but, when, in 1949, she married my father, she had to give up her career.

As a married woman, soon pregnant and giving birth to me in 1950, her duty was to her husband, her child and taking care of their home. No choice.

Princess Elizabeth (pictured in 1945) joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in the war, and learned to drive and became a competent mechanic

When I was three years old, watching the Queens coronation on television in the crowded sitting room of our council house, my future was as strictly planned as my mothers had been. Maybe I could train to be a teacher or nurse, but then I would marry, have children and my working life outside the home would be over.

I believe it was the Queens example, as a mother and Head of State, that changed my  and many other womens  lives.

We often underestimate how much influence the Queen had on the womens liberation movement. She never wore a mini skirt, or appeared without her bra and I dont think her hairstyle changed in 70 years in the public eye. Comfy tweeds and a headscarf were more her style but, by example, she began to change how girls and women viewed themselves.

I recall my mother being impressed but slightly shocked that Princess Elizabeth had joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in the war. She learned to drive and became a competent mechanic.

Jenni Murray (pictured) says that we often underestimate how much influence the Queen had on the womens liberation movement

My mother had wanted to join the WAAF (Womens Auxiliary Air Force). Her mother wouldnt let her. She didnt learn to drive until I persuaded her it was essential, when I was 15. My grandmother was clearly in Queen Victorias camp when it came to womens rights: feminists ought to get a good whipping and a womans role was to be a helpmate for a man.

The Queens pleasure behind the wheel must have staggered Saudi Arabias King Abdullah. He was driven around Balmoral by Her Majesty in 2003 when women in his own country were not allowed to drive at all.

I know Her Majesty was aware of how feminism developed and championed greater fairness and equality throughout her reign. We never discussed Equal Pay or Sex Discrimination but I know she was a fervent fan of Womans Hour, where all these issues featured.

When she opened the refurbished BBC Broadcasting House in 2013, she insisted upon visiting the Womans Hour studio. Earlier on making me a Dame, she had said she was sorry the broadcast had moved from 2pm to the morning. She often had to miss it as her mornings were so busy.

At the age of just 25, the Queen had unexpectedly found herself on the throne after her fathers untimely death. She was married and had two young children, but just got on with the job, insisting the family would keep her name, Windsor, and not her husbands.

Prince Philip complained he was the only man in the country not allowed to give his own name to his children. The Queen set the precedent for my generation: we began calling ourselves Ms, not Miss or Mrs, denoting our status as married or not. It became more common for a woman and her children to keep her family name.

I have no doubt she and her sister, Princess Margaret, changed my own mothers old-fashioned attitude to divorce.

When my first marriage began to go horribly wrong in the late-1970s, I didnt dare suggest to my mother that divorce might be on the cards. Her view was that marriage vows were sacrosanct, and a woman must stay no matter what.

Then, in 1978, the Queen allowed her sister to divorce Antony Armstrong-Jones. Suddenly, in my mothers eyes, it was OK. My divorce went ahead with no disapproval from her.

Its also thanks to the Queen that the line of succession to the throne is no longer dominated by male royal children, after she signed off the Succession to the Crown Act in 2013.

The latest list reads 1. The Prince of Wales; 2. Prince George of Wales; 3. Princess Charlotte of Wales; 4. Prince Louis of Wales. Its no longer necessary to have a second son as the spare. A girl has an equal right to succeed.

For my generation of women, the most vital example Her Majesty gave us was her determination, as a married woman with four children, to lead  to be a mother and a hard worker with a job to do.

She had power, but she gave us power, too. It became possible and respectable to have it all, for which I and millions of others like me will always thank her.

Jodies stalker nightmare

Jodi Comer (pictured) has been a victim of stalking and now on her latest film, she has been assigned a bodyguard

Jodie Comer is turning out to be the finest actor of her generation, but shes been terrified by a string of stalker scares. Now, on her latest film, she has been assigned a bodyguard.

Since 2012, stalking has been a serious criminal offence, but judging by the number of other stars  Emily Maitlis, Lily Allen, Keira Knightley among many others  this hasnt deterred men. It shouldnt be up to a woman, or a man, to have to protect themselves from such harassment.

So much has been put on the back burner due to Covid and strikes, but I was horrified to read about the domestic violence victims living in fear while facing court delays of up to three years. An abuser on bail is a severe risk for women, with the charity Victim Support reporting attackers breaking restraining orders or being free to date other women, even though they have a history of violence. This cannot go on. Women and their children deserve better than this.

Ill never give up salmon

Jenni Murray says that she won't give up her favourite smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel despite the warnings of the dangers of ready-to-eat smoked fish to children, pregnant women and the over 65s

I have a favourite lunch which I buy at a brilliant local deli. Its a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese. Then I read the warnings this week of the dangers of ready-to-eat smoked fish to children, pregnant women and the over65s. Listeriosis is the potential problem which can make you very sick indeed. Ive eaten smoked salmon for 50 years and Im still here. Can I, will I give up? No!

Hardest decision a mother can make

I picked up my returning Uhranian guests Zoriana and Ustym at Luton airport on September 1, a day before Ustyms 18th birthday.

At that age, since the war began, young men are not allowed to leave the country and could be asked to fight.

We went out for a celebratory dinner the next day. He smiled, but was not a happy young man.

Zoriana, mad with worry, insisted we find him a university place. What could he study? She settled for IT or International Relations at Middlesex.

Ustym had nothing to say on the matter. When his mother went out later, I asked what did he want?

He wanted to take up his place at Lviv University to study medicine and stay with friends in a flat there. Its a four-and-a-half-year course. He cant be called up as a student.

I told Zoriana this and said I thought he should make his own choice, otherwise he would come to resent her.

The next day she booked flights. And today, my honorary grandson, Ustym Zvir, begins his studies to become a doctor. Im proud of him  and of Zoriana.
The original star of The Little Mermaid has spoken out to defend actress Halle Bailey, praising her performance in an upcoming live-action remake of the movie - days after the official trailer for the flick received more than 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube amid racist backlash over Disney's casting of a black woman as Ariel.

Jodi Benson, 60, the original voice of the Disney princess Ariel, has backed live-action actress Halle Bailey, 22, after she was met with a bitter wave of racist backlash.

Jodi shared a picture of Halle on her Instagram Story along with the caption: 'Halle, you were absolutely amazing! 'I'm SO proud of you & your beautiful performance as Ariel.

Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel, has backed live-action actress Halle Bailey after she was met with a bitter wave of racist backlash

Jodi, 60, backed Halle, 22, in an Instagram Story post and shared that she was 'so proud' of the actress

The Little Mermaid has garnered over 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube after star actress Halle Bailey faced racist backlash over her casting from trolls on Twitter

'It was so wonderful to celebrate with your family here at #d23expo and to the brilliant director, Rob Marshall... I'm so thankful for our friendship of over 35 years. Thank you for creating such a stunning film!!'

Halle reposted the image to her Instagram Story with the caption: 'Thank you so much... this means the world to me coming from you! You made Ariel magical for us.'

The post came just days after the trailer for Disney's live-action version of The Little Mermaid racked up more than 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube after Halle faced racist backlash from trolls on Twitter after being cast in the leading role.

And this isn't the first time the star who voiced Ariel in the 1989 animated film has sent love to the actress.

When it was revealed Halle would be playing Ariel in the live-action film in 2019, in a statement to USA Today, Jodi said: 'I think the most important thing is to tell the story.

'We have, as a family, raised our children and for ourselves that we don't see anything that's different on the outside.

'I think that the spirit of a character is what really matters. What you bring to the table in a character as far as their heart and their spirit is what really counts.'

She continued: 'We need to be storytellers. And no matter what we look like on the outside, no matter our race, our nation, the color of our skin, our dialect, whether I'm tall or thin, whether I'm overweight or underweight, or my hair is whatever color, we really need to tell the story.'

The negative response to the movie's official teaser trailer - the first real glimpse at the movie - has been so severe that YouTube has now disabled the dislike counter, but not before it reached more than 1.5 million.

For many, the trailer was an exciting first look at the live-action version of the iconic Disney princess story, with parents the world over sharing sweet videos of their young children watching in awe as the clip played.

But among the excitement and the praise surrounding the movie, there has also been a bitter wave of racist backlash over Disney's decision to cast a black woman in the lead role.

The Little Mermaid is the live-action adaptation of the popular Disney princess film starring Grown-ish actress Halle, from Los Angeles, California, in the iconic role of Ariel.

This isn't the first time the star who voiced Ariel sent her love to Halle, as she previously defended her when it was revealed who'd be playing Ariel

The Little Mermaid is the live-action adaptation of the popular animated Disney princess film starring Grown-ish actress Halle

The official teaser has surprisingly received 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube and even caused the video sharing platform to disable the dislike counter (dislike count from September 11)

And despite the hundreds of thousands of fans who have been awaiting the teaser for the film, the clip has been flooded with very mixed reviews.

Although YouTube has disabled the dislike counter, many social media geniuses have installed a popular extension that shows them just how many people didn't like a video.

Many critics have been slamming Disney for their visuals and noting that it doesn't appear as the princess is under water, while others have taken a swing at Halle and the director Rob Marshall for casting the star.

In the wake of Disney's announcement that Halle would be playing the mermaid Ariel in the adaptation, there has been no shortage of backlash.

Many of the online attacks have been tinged with racism, with trolls taking aim at Disney and its new leading lady over the decision to cast a black woman as the fictional character, who has largely been portrayed as white in previous pop culture offerings, including Disney's popular 1989 cartoon.

Trolls have taken to Twitter to spread racial attacks with the hashtag #NotmyAriel and have called Disney's choice to cast a black woman in the film #woke.

One Twitter user said: 'If Disney wants more diversity, they should have create another character Before respecting all the other ethnicities and cultures shouldn't they at least be respectful to the origin ??? #notmyariel.'

While others said 'race swapping is not okay' and claimed the movie was 'a waste of money.'

In response to the online criticism, Halle told PEOPLE that she has been focusing on the significance of her playing the character, rather than the hate.

Since Disney announced Halle would be playing the Disney princess in the adaptation, there has been no shortage of backlash

Much of the online attacks have been tinged with racism, as Halle Bailey is a black woman and Ariel, a fictional, animated character, appears to be white in the original 1989 film

Despite the backlash from trolls, Halle is focusing on the children whose parents have been sharing their happiness to seeing a Disney princess who looks like them online

She said: 'The fact that now it's getting to be played by me, a person who looks like me, woman of color, I'm just like, wow, I'm so grateful for what it will do for all the other little black and brown boys and girls who will see themselves in me.'

'Because I know if I had seen myself when I was younger, I think my whole perspective would've changed.'

She added that she put her own stamp on the princess and said: 'Well, I can only be myself when it comes to taking on something this grand and great.

'Sometimes it can be overwhelming to take the character that everybody has loved and known for years and make it your own.

'But I just listened to the little girl that's in me, and I listen to her and make her happy and then I know if I put my all and my passion and everything into it that I'll give it my best. And I feel like I did.'

She also opened up to Variety and revealed her grandparents offered her support amidst the trolling by reflecting on their own experiences of racism and discrimination.

'It was an inspiring and beautiful thing to hear their words of encouragement, telling me, ''You don't understand what this is doing for us, for our community, for all the little Black and brown girls who are going to see themselves in you'',' she said.

The trailer opened with waves crashing in the sea as soft music played while the cameras followed the mermaid throughout the

The trailer then showed an old ship wreckage resting on the ocean floor, paying homage to a scene from the 1989 animation where Ariel explored an abandoned shipwreck.

Trolls have taken to Twitter to spread racial attacks with the hashtag #NotmyAriel and have called Disney's choice to cast a black woman in the film #woke

Halle, or Ariel, appeared on screen sporting her long, flowy locks as her colorful mermaid tail reflected in the light.

Halle is heard beautifully singing the iconic song Part of Your World as she swiftly swam closer to the shoreline.

'Out of the sea, wish I could be, part of that world,' she sings.

The trailer concluded with a release date for next year in May 2023.

The upcoming live-action remake stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, along with other cast members such as Jonah Hauer-King as Principe Eric, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.

The plot will remain the same as the original, following Ariel's deal with sea witch Ursula to have human legs in exchange for her voice.

Despite the backlash, the teaser previously went viral for a more wholesome reason as a number of parents began posting their children's reaction to seeing a Disney princess who looked like them.

In one video shared on TikTok, a little girl with wide eyes and a huge grin can be seen watching the trailer, barley able to contain her excitement.

When Ariel is finally revealed, the young child kid asks in a heartwarming moment: 'That is her? That is Ariel?'

Other children sat in front of TV and locked in on the Disney princess who looked just like them and cheerfully smiled.
Fox News reporters got footage of the immigrants climbing over a wall near Naco, using a rope to carefully drop through barbed wire before racing off into US territory.

The operation took barely 45 minutes to complete in broad daylight on Tuesday, and no migrants were caught by border police.

Migrants Unlawfully Cross US-Mexico Border by Disguising

Multiple top Department of Homeland Security officials have informed the publication that the year 2022 will see around 500,000 "gotaways," or migrants who unlawfully cross the border but are never apprehended.

According to the man directing the migrants over the Naco wall, he executes similar operations there every day, where DHS authorities estimate that roughly 160,000 "gotaways" have crossed the border.

According to the Border Patrol Union, the heavy traffic in the region is the result of agents being pulled from the field to conduct administrative and processing jobs instead. Tensions are high in Arizona, where Gov. Dough Ducey signed an executive order last month to build a makeshift border wall in Yuma to deter migrants from entering the state.

In response to the Biden administration's border failures, Ducey has joined his Texas counterpart, Gov. Greg Abbott, in busing undocumented migrants to left-leaning sanctuary communities.

Daily Mail reports that US President Joe Biden appointed Vice President Kamala Harris to address the "root causes" of immigration, while border officials have made over 2 million border apprehensions this fiscal year, an all-time high.

This figure exceeded the already-record-breaking 1.7 million interactions in fiscal year 2021. Despite the spike, Harris argued on Sunday on Meet the Press that the border was safe.

Meanwhile, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security announced the arrest and indictment of eight persons on Tuesday in connection with an operation that unlawfully trafficked hundreds of migrants across the US-Mexico border.

The operation headed by Joint Task Force Alpha resulted in the arrest of Erminia Serrano Piedra, better known as "Boss Lady," and seven others suspected of helping to the flow of illegal immigration into the United States.

Per Fox News, the announcement comes just one day after Vice President Kamala Harris declared the southern border "secure." At a press conference on Tuesday, officials said the eight people charged conspired to illegally transport and shield hundreds of migrants in "dehumanizing" conditions where the threat of serious harm and death was "ever-present," for a profit of nearly $2.3 million.

According to officials, these transitory criminal groups have become "intertwined" with the cartels and represent a "huge, multibillion-dollar piece of a wide jigsaw combining drug trafficking and criminal activities" along the southern border.

Read Also: FBI, Ex-Security Head Warned Twitter of Potential Chinese Spies in Company: Report

Immigrant Deaths in Southern Border Surge

According to CNN, fiscal 2022 is on course to be the bloodiest year on record for migrants at the US-Mexico border. According to the study, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recorded 748 migrant deaths at the border since October 1, 2018, when fiscal 2022 began.

This is on course to surpass the number of deaths recorded in fiscal 2021, when 557 migrant deaths were recorded, establishing a new low. As high temperatures remain in parts of the Southwest, the ultimate death toll in 2022 is almost expected to rise further in September.

Furthermore, the DHS data only include deaths confirmed by border agents, potentially undercounting hundreds of migrants who died in their attempts to reach the United States.

A multitude of variables are contributing to the increased lethality of border crossings, including hot temperatures, an increase in migrant crossings during the typically calmer summer months, and crossings in increasingly distant places, in part to circumvent border barriers.

Migration has also remained high throughout 2022, with additional migrants arriving from countries other than Mexico and Central America's so-called Northern Triangle, which includes Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Related Article: Oklahoma Inmate Found Dead in His Cell After Filing a Lawsuit Alleging Him, Other Prisoners Were Tortured with 'Baby Shark' Song by Jail Employees

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Two Australian sisters who launched a 'game changing' eyelash growth serum in lockdown have turned over $46,000 in just four days after releasing a new hydrating lip kit.

The Lash Rehab's Lip Kit, which includes a Hydrating Lip Oil and Lip Plumper, sold out quicker than anticipated over the launch period, and now the $44.10 kit is only available to preorder.

Byron Bay sisters Kea and Violet Rogers were 'overwhelmed with the positive feedback and response' from their community.

The lip oil is enriched with minerals and vitamin E to 'intensely hydrate the lips' while the ultra-conditioning lip plumper is designed to volumise the lips and leave them looking smoother.

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The Lash Rehab's Lip Kit, which includes a Hydrating Lip Oil and Lip Plumper, sold out quicker than anticipated over the launch period and the brand turned over $46,000 in just four days

The lip oil is enriched with minerals and vitamin E to 'intensely hydrate the lips' while the ultra-conditioning lip plumper is designed to volumise the lips and leave them looking smoother

More than 2,000 units of the product were sold and 87 per cent of total sales were of the lip kits, rather than buying the two products separately.

Some customers who managed to get their hands on the kit left five-star ratings on the brand's website and left positive reviews.

'Erm, WOW! Best purchase in a very long time!' one person wrote, another added: 'Can't wait for this re-stock, I have to get my daughter one!'

More than 2,000 units of the lip kit (left) were sold. The number one product is the Original Eyelash Growth Serum (right)

Both products are suitable for all skin types, vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free and do not contain any artificial fragrances or colouring

The Lip Oil is priced at $24.95 and the Lip Plumper is priced at $26.95, and both feature a non-sticky formula.

Both products are suitable for all skin types, vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free and do not contain any artificial fragrances or colouring.

The brand will restock the lip kit on October 26, but pre-order is available online.

Kea said multiple salons are reaching out to wholesale The Lip Kits, even new stockists who don't already stock The Lash Rehab.

Sisters Kea and Violet Rogers (both pictured) co-founded the Brow and Lash Co seven years ago in northern NSW before branching out into a teaching role with the Brow and Lash Co Academy. They launched The Lash Rehab while at home in lockdown

The number one product is the Original Eyelash Growth Serum that's is scientifically formulated without using harmful chemical ingredients to supercharge the lashes for significant natural growth (Before and after: Customers, models and makeup artists have praised the $79.95 product)

Prior to launching the brand, Kea and Violet were forced to close their beauty salons during the Covid lockdowns and created the at-home eyelash serum.

'Covid absolutely helped in being a game changer in the launch of The Lash Rehab,' Kea previously told Daily Mail Australia.

The number one product is the Original Eyelash Growth Serum that's is scientifically formulated without using harmful chemical ingredients to supercharge the lashes for significant natural growth.

Within six months the sisters had made $70,000 and after collaborating with MAFS star Martha Kalifatidis they generated $14,000 in revenue in a single day.

With 10 years of combined experience within the lashes and brow industry, Kea and Violet have created was a game-changer for targeting eyelashes effectively and seeing a noticeable change to their growth within eight weeks.

Customers, influencers and models alike have started turning to the serum in attempt to get thicker, fuller lashes swiftly.

It can take anywhere between four weeks to six months to notice a change to the eyelashes.
SHOPPING: Products featured in this article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com will earn an affiliate commission.

Celebrities have been spotted vacationing in Europe this summer and they've been treating us to some fashion inspiration.

Take Christine Quinn, who rose to fame thanks to reality show Selling Sunset. She's exiting the television show but is continuing to show us her flare for fashion by posting various ensembles on her Instagram account. For her holiday in the South of France, she's wearing a summery 'fit comprised of a white frilly crop top that she has paired with a blue floral print mini dress courtesy of Daze Dayz.

The good news is that we can all get our hands on this adorable miniskirt. Just a quick click and it can be yours for $183.

Flirty in florals! In the South of France, Christine Quinn wore this blue floral miniskirt by Daze Dayz that zoomed to the top of our must-have lists

Daze Dayz is a brand out of Sydney, Australia, that has been serving up resort and swimwear to clients since 2012. Fashion designer Haeyoung You is inspired by summer, travel and surfing so pieces are at once relaxed for the warm months, but also vibrant in terms of prints and colors.

Christine's miniskirt is the perfect example of the brand's vision: nature and adventure. This blue number can be worn as a substitute for shorts. Just add a crop top like Christine, or be more modest with a white peasant top or even a turtleneck. Add a shawl or blazer as the temperature drops in the evening.

Quickly pick up this miniskirt for yourself before it sells out for good. Alternatively, we've rounded up similar styles ranging from Raisa Vanessa to Forever 21, all budgets covered.
SHOPPING: Products featured in this article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com will earn an affiliate commission.

Katie Holmes is one of those celebrities whose fashion we've admired for years. The actress manages to look effortlessly cool in bohemian-inspired designers ranging from Ulla Johnson to Isabel Marant. She also favors brands like Khaite, Reformation and Wardrobe.NYC.

However, this week, we spotted her walking the streets of New York City wearing Mango's high-waist wide-leg jeans. We love the relaxed fit of these jeans and can easily envision them in our wardrobe.

The best part is that they are super-affordable. Just a quick click and they can be yours for $79.99.

Effortlessly chic! Katie Holmes stepped out in New York City wearing a pair of high-waist wide-leg jeans by Mango that are ticking all the trend boxes

Mango is one of those Spanish high-street brands that transcend status. In other words, well-heeled celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Ivanka Trump have often been seen rocking everything from the brand's coats to dresses.

Katie's pair of jeans are the perfect addition to your transitional ensembles. Wear them now with sandals and a light blouse now as warm weather holds, then add boots and a sweater as temperatures drop.

Quickly pick up these jeans for yourself. With this kind of celebrity exposure, they won't last for long. Alternatively, we've rounded up similar styles ranging from H&M to Lafayette 148 New York, all budgets covered.
SHOPPING: Products featured in this article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com will earn an affiliate commission.

She's one of the most celebrated models in the world and married to legendary athlete Tom Brady, and now we see Gisele Bundchen opening up to Elle Magazine about this new chapter in her life.

The Brazilian beauty once again showed off her model credentials as she worked her camera magic for the October Issue shot by Inez & Vinoodh in the Hamptons.

Here we see her rocking this brown shearling leather jacket by Prada with a pair of short shorts and ankle boots as she went full-throttle biker chic.

Gisele's golden locks were styled in a gorgeous curl as they fell towards one side, with the beauty striking a slew of poses as she draped herself over the bike.

Put on your helmet and hold on tight! The Brazilian supermodel smoldered in a series of photos shot for Elle Magazine by Inez & Vinoodh

Biker themes were seen this year at Alexander McQueen, Acne, and Balenciaga's fashion shows so you know this style is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Just in time for fall, the theme really comes through when you mix materials and textures when styling your look. Naturally, a biker look is never complete without the right shearling jacket to anchor the look.

Look at Gisele's oversized silhouette with dramatic fur tufts at the sleeves and adorning the collar. The play with proportions really make this a chic jacket!

Luckily you don't need to spend four figures on Gisele's plush Italian sheepskin to look just as fabulous... save with one of these similar styles we've selected from some of our favorite brands.

From a real bargain at Levi's for under $100, to a splurge on Pilcro at Anthropologie, you have an array of options to keep you warm in style this fall.
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Kaia Gerber just celebrated turned 21 last week and she shared photos of her celebrations with supermodel mom Cindy Crawford at Burning Man along with some famous friends.

The annual event centered on self-expression, self-reliance, art, music, and community, Burning Man was built on an anything-goes ethos and is known to ignite a deeper understanding of self in attendees. That is certainly a birthday to remember!

Now we see the brunette beauty joining an A-list crowd at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles for the release of British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful's memoir A Visible Man.

Kaia chose a sultry mini dress from Nensi Dojaka, pairing the rich chocolate brown mini dress with a pair of Alohas strappy high heel sandals.

She got it from her mama! The models looked stunning in elegant looks as they posed for snaps at the Sunset Tower Hotel for Edward Enninful's memoir A Visible Man

The Albanian womens wear designer won the notable 2021 edition of the LVMH Prize for Young Designers.

Nensi Dojaka is also based in London, and is a graduate of Central Saint Martins where she launched her namesake label in 2017.

We've been seeing the labels lingerie inspired dresses on numerous celebrities such as Megan Fox, Hailey Bieber and Rihanna to name a few. So you know this is an It-Girl must have.

Follow Kaia Gerber's lead and shop this chocolate colored mini dress that will be a surefire hit for any upcoming dinner date, dancing with the girls, or a holiday party.

Snap it up for $1126 at Saks Fifth Avenue or save with one of these similar finds below!
Steph Claire Smith has admitted to 'spying on her babysitters' and even using the microphone on her son's baby monitor to critique them from afar.

The 28-year-old fitness influencer from Melbourne was compared to Big Brother after revealing she will watch babysitters 'the whole time' she is away from her son Hervey.

'If it is their first time doing it I will watch,' she said in the most recent episode of the KICPOD podcast.

Scroll down for video

Steph Claire Smith has admitted to 'spying on her babysitters' and even using the microphone on her son Hervey's baby monitor to critique them from afar

Speaking to her co-host and friend, Laura Henshaw, Steph said she even spies on her husband, Josh Miller.

Steph once alerted friends she was watching and could hear them talking, after they suggested putting an outfit on the youngster that was 'too small'.

'I said hey I am listening to your conversation,' she said.

Before admitting she apologised to them for the intrusion.

'Are you Big Brother?,' Laura laughed.

The clip of the two friends and business partners was posted on Instagram, with the caption asking the show's followers what they think of Steph's baby monitor habits.

'Is Steph Claire Smith normal?' the post read.

'Spying is a bad choice of words,' Steph responded, adding: 'Laura you are going to be exactly the same.'

'It's the talking over the microphone for me,' Laura responded.

Prompting another comment from Steph.

'Family and friends know I do not spy. I check in. Mainly because I miss him and I'm envious. No one's gonna wanna babysit anymore.'

'Spying is a bad choice of words,' Steph responded, adding: 'Laura you are going to be exactly the same.'

'If it is their first time doing it I will watch,' she said in the most recent episode of the KICPOD podcast

But it appears she isn't the only person checking in on their friends and family's babysitting habits.

'Guilty. I spoke over the camera to let my Dad know that he hadn't put my son in the cot safely,' one mum said.

'I actually have to delete the Cubo app from my phone every time the babysitter comes cause otherwise I do this too and don't switch off,' said another.

'I'm howling. That awkward moment when you thought that was normal "sorry excuse me - the glow dreamer isn't set to the right volume and she doesn't use the light",' added a third.

The 28-year-old fitness influencer was compared to Big Brother after revealing she will watch babysitters 'the whole time' she is away from her son Hervey

And it isn't just parents.

'If someone dog sits for me I'm literally watching every minute and yelling over the cameras "cuddle him, he wants love",' one woman said.

Some people found the spying uncomfortable.

One nanny said she would have 'lost it' if she had found out someone was secretly watching her work all day.

'As long as they know they are being watched. I'd be really upset if that was me as a professional nanny or even friend,' she said.

'Video is fine but listening into other people's conversations is just wrong,' one woman said.

Steph Claire Smith has 1.5million followers on Instagram.
An Australian gigolo has lifted the lid on his very glamorous lifestyle which sees him raking in $10,000 a month from sleeping with up to seven women.

Samuel Hunter, from Sydney, is often put up in five star hotels by his wealthy clients and was even taken on 10-day trip to Phuket recently to accompany a woman on an exotic getaway.

The sex worker, who is in his early forties, sees women from all walks of life acquire his services, with his youngest client just 23 and the oldest 70.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, Samuel said Stan's show American Gigolo, starring Jon Bernthal, is 'accurate' in how glamorous the lifestyle is, as he really does get treated to luxury hotels by beautiful women.

'It's exactly as you'd expect it to be, and exactly the opposite,' he said.

An Australian gigolo has lifted the lid on his very glamorous lifestyle which sees him raking in $10,000 a month from sleeping with up to seven women

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, Samuel said Stan show American Gigolo, starring Jon Bernthal, is 'accurate' in how glamorous the lifestyle is, as he really does get treated to luxury hotels by beautiful women

The escort, who only has female clients, has been a full time sex worker for two years.

While admitting he's held hundreds of different jobs, including working for sex shop and writing blogs for a brothel, his interest in gigolo work peaked when he started working for a charity called Touching Base who put disabled people in touch with sex workers.

'It kind of built-up to my mind about whether or not I could do it, but it's been two years now and it's all I do'.

Samuel also revealed that being a male sex worker, his lifestyle is 'very different' to the women in his industry.

'The biggest difference is women can see multiple clients a day, but I limit it to just one.

'But women tend to get booked for shorter amounts of time, whereas most of my bookings are for a few hours or overnight.'

Samuel Hunter, from Sydney, is often put up in five star hotels by his wealthy clients and was even taken on 10-day trip to Phuket recently to accompany a woman on an exotic getaway

The escort, who only has female clients, has been a full time sex worker for two years

About a quarter of Samuel's clients are married, and it's these ones that tend to book him for two hours - at a rate of $600.

The package, called 'the business', is designed for 'something brief in a hectic life, with Samuel 'mixing up a cocktail' before 'play time'.

Most of his clients are in their early forties and are regulars, booking him overnight, or even multiple days at a time.

'I've got a dad bod, so most women that like me are 35 or older,' Samuel said.

'There is some of them five-star hotels in lovely dining involved.

'In July, I had a 10 day trip to Phuket, which was very glamorous'.

While he's never seen the 1980 film American Gigolo, Samuel notes the Richard Gere classic is 'on his to watch list'.

About a quarter of Samuel's clients are married, and it's these ones that tend to book him for two hours - at a rate of $600

The remake seems to be a sequel of sorts to the original movie, which starred a young Richard Gere as an escort called Julian Kaye framed for murdering a woman.

In the new trailer, the dashing Julian - now played by Jon, 45 - emerges from jail after being exonerated for the killing and goes right back to work.

'It's interesting that Richard Gere broke out in American Gigolo and then went on to play the other side in Pretty Woman,' Samuel adds.

While in the film and TV adaptations, the gigolos deal with some unsavory clients, Samuel has found that women seeking his services have never caused him trouble.

'They usually get in touch from my website, and they'll read every part of my website.

Then and now: The show (right) seems a sequel of sorts to the original movie, which starred a young Richard Gere (left) as an escort called Julian Kaye framed for murdering a woman

In the new trailer, the dashing Julian - now played by Jon, 45 - emerges from jail after being exonerated for the killing and goes right back to work

While in the film and TV adaptations, the gigolos deal with some unsavory clients, Samuel has found that women seeking his services have never caused him trouble

Is prostitution legal in Australia? Prostitution legislation is a State and Territory responsibility and differs throughout Australia. ACT: Under The Prostitution Act 1992, brothels are legal, but sex workers are required to register with the Office of Regulatory Services (ORS). NSW: Brothels are legal in NSW under the Summary Offences Act 1988 NT: Brothels are illegal under the Prostitution Regulation Act 2004 QLD: Brothels are legal and licensed by the Prostitution Licensing Authority SA: Brothels are illegal in South Australia, under the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 and the Summary Offences Act 1953 WA: The current legislation is the Prostitution Control Act 2000. Prostitution itself is legal, but many activities associated with it, such as pimping and running brothels, are illegal. VIC: Brothels are legal if registered with the state TAS: Prostitution is legal, but it is illegal for a person to employ or otherwise control or profit from the work of individual sex workers Advertisement

'I can check their socials and their WhatsApp easily to make sure they are who they say they are.

'Most of my clients are repeats, at any time I have between three and ten regulars, the only ones who aren't are couples who just want to try something as a one off'.

Samuel is also very open about his lifestyle, with his friends and family supporting what he does.

'I told my mum,' he explained.

'She was a bit apprehensive at first, but now she's fine with it. She always jokes with me about getting back to the grind. With the emphasis on grind.'

He also argues that it's 'absolutely possible' to have a relationship while being a sex worker, but he chooses not to have one.

'My clients get the best version of myself. They don't get the guy that sits around drinking coffee and looking at my phone all morning. And I get the best version of them too, which you don't see in relationships.

'Most do want "play time" it's rare that they only want company.'

Unlike many modern businesses, Samuel can't rely on Google search traffic to find him as the search engine doesn't allow sex workers to advertise.

Instead, he advertises through two male escort websites, but most of his business comes direct from his own website.

American Gigolo is airing on Stan Australia now
Gas stoves can give children asthma and put adults at risk of cancer by emitting the same particles belched out by cars and trucks - and can do so even when they're switched off, scientists warn.

Dr Jonathan Levy, an environmental health professor at Boston University, wrote for The Conversation that the stoves found in at least 40 million U.S. households pollute the indoor air with nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

That is the same pollutant associated with major highways. Because of the more enclosed nature of an indoor room when compared to outside, the pollution in a gas stove kitchen could be stronger than it is on a major freeway.

Continued NO2 exposure can cause significant lung damage. Children in the home may be more likely to develop asthma and adults are at an increased risk of suffering from respiratory conditions, or even cancer.

Gas stoves also continue to emit harmful chemicals when they are off.

They include Methane, which can cause a person to have trouble breathing and cause a rapid heartbeat. Benzene may also be leaked from switched off gas stoves. The chemical has been linked to the development of multiple cancers - though experts are unsure if the amount of benzene leaked by stoves is a enough to be of serious concern.

A study published in 2013 found that small increases in the levels of nitrogen dioxide matter in household air (green) could significantly increase a child's risk of developing asthma. In the most severe of cases, it could more than double a child's risk of suffering from the chronic condition (yellow)

Gas stoves emit the same NO2 pollutant often associated with road traffic, and even while switched off can be spreading methane and benzene into the household's air, an expert warns

'[NO2] is a byproduct of fuel combustion,' Levy explained.

'Nitrogen dioxide exposures in homes have been associated with more severe asthma and increased use of rescue inhalers in children.

'This gas can also affect asthmatic adults, and it contributes to both the development and exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.'

A 2013 study found that children living in homes with a gas stove were 42 percent more likely to be diagnosed with asthma than their peers.

Another 2013 study by researchers at Yale University found that every five parts per billion (PPB) increase of NO2 in the air led to a significant increase in wheezing and asthma in children in the home.

Levy also warns that size of the home, size of the room the kitchen is in and the home's ventilation are crucial factors as to how dangerous a gas stove may be.

He cites a study that found that NO2 levels in the home often exceeded typical safety standards when they were being used.

In many homes, the gas stove is a greater source of pollution than outdoor sources because of how concentrated the gasses can become in a small area.

The most frequent source of NO2 in the environment is road traffic, as combustion engines that are still used in a vast majority of cars are constantly emitting it.

Some people who live in larger homes with more-adequate ventilation may still be at risk from their gas stove as well.

While opening a window, having a range hood, or other strategies can significantly reduce exposure, the gas can still be emitted in worrying quantities.

Concerns go beyond NO2, though. Gas stoves not in use emit methane, a dangerous chemical that has been highlighted in recent years for both its negative impacts to human health and the environment.

Dr Jonathan Levy (pictured), a professor at Boston University, recommends for the 40 million American households still with a gas stove to make the switch to electric

The gas is not considered to be toxic, but does pose risks is a person is exposed to it in large quantities.

It can cause issues breathing - as the gas displaces oxygen - and as a result lead to shortness of breath, rapid heart beat, fatigue and other respiratory and circulatory problems.

Levy says that around five percent of homes with gas stoves are suffering from methane leaks that are large enough to require repair - without the occupant even knowing.

Benzene could be being emitted by a person's switched off stove as well. The gas in considered to be a carcinogen, having been linked to leukemia and other blood-based cancers.

The amount of benzene coming from the stove is limited, though, and does not reach levels considered to be toxic by health officials. There are still worries over continued exposure, though.

Most recently available data from 2015 estimates that around 40 million U.S. households are using a gas stove - or nearly a third of homes in the country.

This means that a large portion of Americans may be unknowingly exposed to dangerous chemicals on a consistent basis without even knowing.

Levy, like many other environmental health experts who have long warned against usage of these stoves, believes that the potential health risks should be enough to push people into making the switch to an electric device.

'In my view, even if youre not driven to reduce your carbon footprintor youre just seeking ways to cook pasta fasterthe opportunity to have cleaner air inside your home may be a strong motivator to make the switch,' he said.
Increasing majority of Australians want to remain under the British Monarchy

An increasing majority of Australians want to remain under the British Monarchy following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, new data from Roy Morgan shows.

The data comes as young members of the Australian Monarchist League posted a lengthy video following her death and sharing their hopes for the Royals' continuation as head of Australia.

'Like all Australians, I join them in being devastated by Her Majesty's passing. She served us exceptionally well, visited our country on 16 occasions,' a young male member said.

'She has reigned in Australia as long as my family have been in this country, we came here in the 1950s. She's the only Monarch my grandmother has known, the only Monarch my mother has known, and the only Monarch I have known.'

A female member added: 'Something we can take heart in is the values that animated our beloved Queen continue to animate her children, her grandchildren.

'She leaves a legacy that will never be quenched and will never go out, and will continue to burn for generations to come through our tried and true constitutional Monarchy that ties us all together.

Roy Morgan found 60 per cent of Aussies believe the country should remain under the rule of the Royal Family through an SMS survey conducted on Monday, following Charles being sworn in as King.

The study found support for the Monarchy rose five per cent since November 2012.

An increasing majority of Australians want to remain under the British Monarchy following the death of Queen Elizabeth II (pictured in 2000 in Sydney)

The poll, which surveyed 1,012 Australians, found support for the republic campaign was slipping in the wake of the Queen's death.

There has been a swell of prominent figures promoting the country separating from the Monarchy, however the lack of a clear plan has stifled public support.

The Roy Morgan survey asked people whether they wanted to remain under the Monarchy or with an 'elected President' in a republic, wording which may have influenced voting.

Nearly two-thirds of women voted in favour of remaining with the Royals at 66 per cent.

Men saw a more even split, with a slim 54 per cent majority favouring the Monarchy.

Age groups saw the biggest disparity, with 52 per cent of Aussies aged under 35 wishing to remain in the current system.

That figure climbs in Australians aged between 35-49, with 58 per cent preferring the Monarchy, and a massive 67 per cent of people aged between 50 and 64.

The poll, which surveyed 1,012 Australians, found support for the republic campaign was slipping in the wake of the Queen's death and Charles being sworn in as King (pictured in Australia in 2012)

Roy Morgan followed up the poll with a message asking people to explain their vote, with the majority saying there was no obvious reason to change.

'Why change what we have when it works?' one person replied.

Many believed the Monarchy brought a stable government, with an Aussie surveyed adding: 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.

The consensus among those who participated believe becoming a republic could lead to more power for untrusworthy politicians, and didn't want the country to end up like the United States.

As for those voting to become a republic, the overwhelming argument was Australia deserves its own head of state.

People said the Monarchy represented an outdated system that was no longer required for the modern form of the country.

Some added it brought up painful memories to the colonising of the nation, a period that saw the abuse of Indigenous Australians.

The consensus among those who participated believe becoming a republic could lead to more power for untrusworthy politicians and the Monarchy represent more stability (Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge in Australia in 2014)

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said the data showed support has only grown since the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

'Australians have given a vote of confidence in new Head of State King Charles III with a majority of 60% saying Australia should remain as a Monarchy, an increase of 5% points from November 2012, while only 40% say Australia should become a Republic with an elected President,' she said.

'Support for remaining as a Monarchy is far higher among women (66% in favour) than men (54%) and is strongest among older age groups with over two-thirds of people aged 50-64 (67%) and nearly as many aged 65+ (61%) in favour of remaining as a Monarchy.

'Although the results show an increase in support for the Monarchy from nearly a decade ago, just over a decade ago, during the former Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June 2012, an even larger majority of 62% of Australians favoured remaining as a Monarchy.

'A look at previous results on this question shows that more Australians have been in favour of remaining as a Monarchy than becoming a Republic consistently since November 2010. Prior to that point there was a consistent majority in favour of becoming a Republic from 1994-2008.'

Ms Levine referred to concerns from Aussies the country could move loser to America's polluted political system.

'The current system based on Monarchy has brought Australia decades of stability and stable government'. Alongside these themes were those who voiced their distrust of politicians to bring in a Republic, and do we want to end up like the USA?' she added.

'Those Australians advocating for a change and to move towards a Republic with a directly elected President mentioned that the Head of State should be Australian and that we should be a totally independent country as holding onto our colonial history is an insult to First Australians.

'The results of this latest Roy Morgan SMS Poll on attitudes towards Australia becoming a Republic or remaining as a Monarchy shows that despite the passing of the popular Queen Elizabeth II last week a clear majority of Australians are in favour of retaining the current system  and this has consistently been the case for over a dozen years now.'
A Thai court has today ordered for environmental rehabilitation work to begin on an iconic bay made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach after filming caused ecological damage.

The Supreme Court in Bangkok upheld a previous ruling by a Civil Court that the Royal Forest Department was liable for rehabilitating Maya Bay.

It ordered the department to set up a committee which will have to create a plan within 30 days.

The ruling came after local authorities filed the civil lawsuit for environmental damage against Thai government agencies, 20th Century Fox and a Thai film coordinator, seeking 100 million baht in compensation in late 1999.

Film-makers were accused of severely damaging the ecosystem while they shot The Beach, featuring DiCaprio finding a tropical paradise at Maya Bay, from 1998 to 1999.

Local officials say that they uprooted native plants and introducing alien species including coconut trees to give a more 'tropical' feel to Maya Bay on the island of Ko Phil Ley in southern Thailand.

They were also accused of tearing out bushes which naturally lined the beach and held sand together, preventing erosion.

Despite 20th Century Fox insisting that the beach was left how it was found, local officials say that Maya Bay is mired in an environmental crisis caused by the filming.

After the film came out, Maya Bay also had a huge number of tourists visiting- up to 6,000 per day.

Visitor numbers were recently capped came in a bid to prevent ecological damage after nearby coral was destroyed due to pollution from tourist activity.

The lawsuit was filed for environmental damage as film-makers were accused of severely damaging the ecosystem while they shot The Beach from 1998 to 1999. Local officials say that they uprooted native plants and introducing alien species including coconut trees to give a more 'tropical' feel to Maya Bay on the island of Ko Phil Ley in southern Thailand

Leonardo DiCaprio, who played the lead role in the film, pictured, had tried to reassure those criticising 20th Century Fox at the time that the island was going to be 'better off than it was before' by the time filming wrapped

The filming of The Beach occurred after two unsuccessful legal challenges to prevent it were launched by environmental campaigners worried about ecological damage.

Leonardo DiCaprio, who is now well-known for environmental activism, had tried to reassure those criticising 20th Century Fox at the time that the island was going to be 'better off than it was before' by the time filming wrapped.

He said 'From what I see everything is okay. I have seen nothing that had been damaged in any way.'

His team removed the palm trees, replanted plants they had uprooted and set up bamboo fences along the beach to hold sand in place.

But despite this, large amounts of sand continued to be washed out to sea.

The Guardian reported that witnesses described the beach as a 'forlorn scene of ugly bamboo fences and dead native plants.'

The 2000 adventure drama, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, drew criticism for the impact of the shoot on the pristine sands of Maya Bay

Huge numbers of tourists flocked to the beach after the film was released, with up to 6,000 people per day visiting.

Pollution from tourist activity destroyed nearby coral, according to Vice and the beach was shut in 2018.

When the pandemic struck, the entirety of the Phi Phi islands saw visitor numbers dwindle to nil due to tough Thai travel rules.

Tourists were welcomed back to Maya Bay at the start of 2022 but numbers of visitors and visiting hours were capped in a bid to limit ecological damage.

The beach was closed again last month for another period of environmental restoration, with plans to reopen it in October.
South Korea warned North Korea on Tuesday that deploying nuclear weapons would put it on a "path of self-destruction," using unusually severe rhetoric only days after North Korea passed a new legislation allowing it to use nuclear weapons prematurely.

North Korea is likely to be enraged by South Korean statements, since Seoul normally avoids using such harsh remarks to prevent inflaming tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul: North Korea's Nuclear Use Would Lead to "Self-Destruction"

According to South Korea's Defense Ministry, the law would only further isolate North Korea and force Seoul and Washington to "further bolster their deterrent and response capacity."

South Korea will sharply increase its own preemptive attack, missile defense, and massive retaliation capabilities in order to persuade North Korea not to use its nuclear weapons, according to the ministry, while seeking a greater US security commitment to defend its ally South Korea with all available capabilities, including nuclear ones.

North Korea's rubber-stamp parliament passed legislation overseeing its nuclear weapons last week. The law would authorize North Korea to deploy its nuclear weapons in the event of an impending invasion or to avert an unknown "catastrophic crisis" for its people, as per NY Post.

The broad phrasing aroused fears that the regulations are primarily intended to provide a legal foundation for using nuclear weapons to frighten its adversaries into making concessions amid long-stalled talks over its weapons stockpile.

Earlier, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that the US "remains fully committed to the defense of South Korea, using the full range of defense capabilities." Jean-Pierre also stated that the US has no hostile intent toward North Korea and is focused on advancing a shared goal of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in close coordination with its allies.

Read Also: Xi Jinping Set To Leave China To Meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Battle for Domination Over West

PPP Condemns Kim Jong Un's Vow

Earlier this year, Kim Jong Un stated that his nuclear weapons would never be used just as a deterrence and may be used offensively if his country's vital interests were challenged. Later, North Korea authorized plans to allocate additional responsibilities to front-line army troops, fueling concern that it was a step toward deploying battlefield nuclear weapons near its border with South Korea.

This year, Kim Jong Un has also conducted a record number of weapons tests, including the launch of a spate of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles aimed at both the US mainland and South Korea. For months, US and South Korean authorities have predicted that North Korea will conduct its first nuclear test in five years, NBC News reported.

Since assuming office in May, South Korea's new conservative administration, led by President Yoon Suk Yeol, has vowed it will be harder on North Korean provocations while simultaneously offering substantial assistance packages if the North denuclearizes. North Korea has flatly rejected the aid-for-disarmament deal and hurled vulgar insults at the Yoon administration.

Per Korea Times, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) proposed on Wednesday that rival parties draft a joint resolution condemning North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's promise to preserve the country's nuclear arsenal.

The idea comes only five days after North Korea's leader stated unequivocally that Pyongyang will not give up its nuclear arsenal and has no intention of resuming disarmament discussions.

North Korea enacted a new legislation proclaiming itself a nuclear weapons state and establishing the right to launch preemptive nuclear attacks for self-defense, which Kim Jong Un described as "irreversible." While the leader of the major opposition, Lee Jae-myung, expressed sadness in a Facebook post, his party has not released an official statement.

Related Article: Kim Jong Un's Strict COVID-19 Rules Put Dozens of North Korea's Prisoners Starving to Death

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David Marcus is a columnist and the author of 'Charade: The COVID Lies that Crushed a Nation.'

San Francisco is sunk in a rancid drug-ravaged pit of human misery and city leaders have no idea how to pull themselves out of it.

Here's an idea  quit digging.

In the City by the Bay, 1,700 people have died from drug overdoses since the beginning of 2020. That is nearly 700 more fatalities than the county suffered from the Covid pandemic.

Mayor London Breed says she's now ready to get serious about the problem, by putting an end to open-air drug markets, where users and dealers go about their crimes in full view of the public without any fear of law enforcement.

That's because the progressive lunatics running the city believe that every criminal is a victim. Don't arrest them, they say, give them a hug.

Now, as the bodies pile up and people flee the city they've apparently had enough.

Good. So, what's the plan to clean-up the city?

They don't really have one.

City supervisors released a resolution for a vague 'soft-touch' initiative called 'San Francisco Recovers.'

And here's the catch, and it's a doozy: the plan is being touted as, 'a way that nobody's going to jail but we're doing an effective job of interrupting the drug market and drug scenes.'

Is this a sick joke?

The permissiveness of progressives is getting people killed.

San Francisco is sunk in a rancid drug-ravaged pit of human misery and city leaders have no idea how to pull themselves out of it (Above) Homeless peopleuse illegal narcotics on the streets of San francisco's Tenderloin district in January 2022

The refusal to enforce the law is what landed the city in this predicament.

It is legitimate to ask whether selling highly addictive and insanely powerful fentanyl-laced narcotics that result in overdoses is flat out murder.

But the death merchants slinging this poison can't be arrested?

Oh sure, maybe they're talking a bit tougher now.

The plan calls for drug dealers in certain 'designated drug enforcement priority zones' to be arrested, but how about arresting ALL drug dealers?

And it gets worse.

As part of the plan the city government will task no fewer than 21 city departments and six city commissions with a 90-day challenge to come up ideas.

Here's an idea  arrest drug dealers!

Unless one has walked through the Tenderloin district of San Francisco of late they cannot fully understand the utter and complete breakdown of society on display.

I have.

Take anything you have seen on TV or read in the news and multiple that by ten.

I saw complete hopelessness in the eyes of haunted souls dragging themselves down the street looking for their next fix.

I saw men and women of all ages hunched over on the sidewalks with open wounds all over their bodies.

I saw the filthy tent cities stinking with human excrement and strewn with needles and pipes.

I saw children staring in horror at people dying right in front of them.

There is nary a cop to be found for vast stretches of beat, rundown byways.

Hardly a business open and barely a twinkle of legal commerce or sign of civilization.

But instead of letting law enforcement fix the problem, San Francisco is doubling down on this despair.

The suggestions in this clownish 'San Francisco Recovers' initiative are so bad, so out of touch with reality, and so insanely ridiculous that it would be comical if it wasn't so deadly.

First off, there's the idea of constructing 'supervised consumption sites,' which sound a lot like open-air drug markets with lifeguards.

Here addicts shoot up in safety, as if that's possible, like a sad amusement park for the desolate and destroyed.

The problem is  they've already tried this and it failed miserably.

A so-called 'linkage center' was opened in December 2021 with the goal of 'linking' addicts to substance abuse programs.

But as of April 2020, according to the city's own data out of 23,000-plus visits to the linkage center, 'only 18 people have received medical treatment for substance abuse or have been successfully referred to rehab,' according to information compiled by a San Francisco group called Mothers Against Drug Deaths.

Another winning idea is to expand a program of electronic monitoring of addicts so that police can see when they enter a known drug dealing area.

Unless one has walked through the Tenderloin district of San Francisco of late they cannot fully understand the utter and complete breakdown of society on display (Above) A homeless drug addict injects fentanyl into his arm near City Hall in in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco on September 2, 2022

Then the police are supposed to take their drugs away.

It's unclear what the cops in that situation would do were the user to say, 'Actually officer, I'd rather hold onto my drugs,' since taking them to jail is not an option.

Other examples of the pure policy genius include job training for drug dealers.

That's right  they want to convince the merchants of death to find a solid 9 to 5 gig.

Good luck with that!

Common sense should be enough to tell us that criminal penalties for those who peddle hard drugs for profit will not only clean up the streets but reduce overdose deaths.

Instead, Mayor London Breed and the spineless toadies who have spent the last few years running Frisco into the ground condemn their city's growing addict population to the slow, suffocating death of prolonged self-abuse.

San Francisco needs leaders, not enablers.

It needs a path forward where police can do their job, and yes, sometimes that means putting drug dealers in jail. That this has become a controversial proposition is frankly incredible.

Enforce the law, Mayor Breed, restore some semblance of order before it's too late, if it isn't already.

When you find yourself in a hole, the first step is to stop digging.

Now that's a winning idea.
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Rescuers searched for a person missing in a mudslide Tuesday as big yellow tractors plowed through dark, thick sludge and pushed boulders off roads after flash floods swept dirt, rocks and trees down fire-scarred slopes, washed away cars and buried buildings in small mountain communities in Southern California.

A shocking video showed a slow-moving black river of sludge rolling past the sign for the Oak Glen Steakhouse and Saloon followed seconds later by a surging wave of deeper mud carrying logs on Monday. The mud appeared to be head-high in places the next day.

In the clip, a man standing closer to where the sludge is pouring in, is forced to run for his life.

According to a statement on the restaurant's Facebook page, they are closed for business indefinitely 'due to unfortunate and catastrophic circumstances.'

The Oak Glen Steakhouse and Saloon co-owner Brandon Gallegos said through tears in a video on Facebook: 'Our building's covered inside and out by mother nature coming down from these mountains.'

He continued: 'We thank you all for your understanding during such a difficult time for our staff and family.'

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help to continue to pay the restaurant's staff while the restaurant is closed.

According to a statement on the restaurant's Facebook page, they are closed for business indefinitely 'due to unfortunate and catastrophic circumstances'

The Oak Glen Steakhouse and Saloon co-owner Brandon Gallegos said through tears in a video on Facebook: 'Our building's covered inside and out by mother nature coming down from these mountains'

The man who shot the shocking footage, Roger Seheult, told ABC Los Angeles that he was on his way to pick up his daughters from school when he came upon the slide. He said: 'The next thing I know, it's wave after wave after wave of mud, debris, coming down from this flash flood'

Paul Burgess, with the California Geological Survey, examines the damage in the aftermath of a mudslide in Oak Glen, Calif. Cleanup efforts and damage assessments are underway east of Los Angeles after heavy rains unleashed mudslides in a mountain area scorched by a wildfire two years ago

Mailboxes are covered in mud in the aftermath of the mudslide outside of the Oak Glen Steakhouse and Saloon

In an interview with KTLA, the owner's sister, Karen Pierce, said that even though the steakhouse's walls remain standing: 'Were devastated on the inside as pictures will show, the mud came up and over the roof and when it came over the roof it pushed through'

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help to continue to pay the restaurant's staff while the restaurant is closed

The man who shot the shocking footage, Roger Seheult, told ABC Los Angeles that he was on his way to pick up his daughters from school when he came upon the slide.

He said: 'The next thing I know, it's wave after wave after wave of mud, debris, coming down from this flash flood.'

While Gallegos told the station: 'The damage is pretty bad. As you saw, a lot of years that we put in to this place. A lot of staff that has helped me over the years. A lot of financial investment into everything. When you look at it all you just gotta thank God that everyone is OK.'

In an interview with KTLA, Gallegos' sister, Karen Pierce, said that even though the steakhouse's walls remain standing: 'Were devastated on the inside as pictures will show, the mud came up and over the roof and when it came over the roof it pushed through.'

She said that it was a miracle that nobody was inside when the building was hit.

Gallegos' father, Rick Knudsen, purchased the property where the restaurant is located after he won $180 million in the Mega Millions lottery in 2014, according to Redlands Daily Facts.

Southern California has been lashed with heavy rainfall thanks to the fallout from Tropical Storm Kay. At one point, the storm was a hurricane.

With thunderstorms forecast and more mudslides possible into Wednesday, evacuation orders remained in place in parts of the San Bernardino Mountains while a wildfire raging 500 miles to the north forced residents to abandon their homes.

A local resident, Eugene Gerber, told NBC Los Angeles: 'It's part of life. It's part of living in the mountain. If you want to live in paradise, there's always some kind of consequence. For us, it's floods, fires [and] heavy snow.'

Electric poles are seen half-fallen in the aftermath of the mudslide which occurred on the back of Tropical Storm Kay

A cyclist rides a long a mud-covered road, in the aftermath of the mudslide

Perla Halbert gets a look at the damage to her property, unable to access it due to deep mud in her driveway, in the aftermath of mudslide

Ive never seen anything like this before,' said Perla Halbert, whose feet were caked in mud after trying to walk to her home. 'If you try and take two steps, you get submerged. You just get stuck'

East of Los Angeles, crews searched street by street for people who might be trapped by mudflows that washed rocks, trees and other debris with astonishing force the day before into Forest Falls, Oak Glen and Yucaipa and left a muddy mess and untold destruction.

Homes and other buildings were damaged, including a commercial building buried so high its roof collapsed, said Eric Sherwin, spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

'We have boulders that moved through that weigh multiple tons,' Sherwin said. 'It could take days just to find all the cars that are missing because they are completely covered by mud.

Sherwin said crews were searching for one missing person.

Residents who tried to return home found it tough going in the sticky mess.

'Ive never seen anything like this before,' said Perla Halbert, whose feet were caked in mud after trying to walk to her home. 'If you try and take two steps, you get submerged. You just get stuck.'

Halbert had been out of town and returned to her Oak Glen home late Monday to find the driveway covered with a few inches of mud. Her family stayed the night with family members and returned after first light to discover several feet of mud and a fence washed away.

Her husband went to buy boots and coveralls before trekking through the muck to assess the damage.

'Theres lots of rocks and so much mud. But hopefully the house itself is OK,' she said.

A worker with the Yucaipa Valley Water District threads through knee-deep mud while repairing a reservoir used as a drinking source in the aftermath of the mudslide

In this photo released by the San Bernardino County Fire Department mud flows near homes in Oak Glen, in San Bernardino County, California

Diggers removing debris following the mudslide on September 13

Workers were able to clear most of Valley of the Falls Drive - the only road to Forests Falls - and teams were assessing damage. Other major roads in the San Bernardino Mountains were reopened

For some homes in Forest Falls, it was too late to evacuate Monday. Residents were told to shelter in place through the night because it was safer than venturing out

The rains were the remnants of a tropical storm that brought high winds and some badly needed rainfall to drought-stricken Southern California last week, helping firefighters largely corral the Fairview Fire that had been burning out of control about 20 miles south of the mudslides

Officials lifted some mandatory evacuation and shelter in place orders Tuesday evening.

Workers were able to clear most of Valley of the Falls Drive - the only road to Forests Falls - and teams were assessing damage. Other major roads in the San Bernardino Mountains were reopened.

For some homes in Forest Falls, it was too late to evacuate Monday. Residents were told to shelter in place through the night because it was safer than venturing out.

The rains were the remnants of a tropical storm that brought high winds and some badly needed rainfall to drought-stricken Southern California last week, helping firefighters largely corral the Fairview Fire that had been burning out of control about 20 miles south of the mudslides.

The mud flows and flash flooding occurred in parts of the San Bernardino Mountains where there are burn scars - areas where theres little vegetation to hold the soil - from the 2020 wildfires.

'All of that dirt turns to mud and starts slipping down the mountain,' Sherwin said.

One of the 2020 blazes, the El Dorado Fire, was sparked by a smoke device used by a couple to reveal their babys gender. A firefighter died, and the couple was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

The mudslides occurred about 175 miles east of Montecito, where enormous debris flows killed more than 20 people and destroyed hundreds of homes in January 2018, a month after a huge wildfire scorched hillsides.

About 40 miles west, Cal State San Bernardino reopened Tuesday, a day after the campus was closed when several buildings were flooded during heavy rains.

The powerful thunderstorms came after a week that saw California endure a record-long heatwave. Temperatures in many parts of the state rocketed past 100 degrees Fahrenheit , and pushed the states electrical grid to the breaking point as air conditioners sucked up power. The Fairview Fire in Southern California and the Mosquito Fire burning east of Sacramento broke out and raged out of control.

The tropical storm aided crews battling the Fairview Fire about 75 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The 44-square-mile blaze was 62 percent contained by Tuesday. Two people died fleeing the fire, which destroyed at least 35 homes and other structures in Riverside County.

Firefighter Matthew Gerzin of Alaska's Pioneer Peak Interagency Hotshot crew rubs his eye while battling the Mosquito Fire in the Volcanoville community of El Dorado County, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022

A firefighter monitors a backfire, flames lit by fire crews to burn off vegetation, while battling the Mosquito Fire in El Dorado County, California

Frefighter Davis Sommer lights a backfire to burn off vegetation while battling the Mosquito Fire

Meanwhile in the northern part of the state, the Mosquito Fire burning 110 miles northeast of San Francisco erupted in the afternoon just hours after officials had reported making 'great strides' in the battle.

'We have all hands on deck,' fire spokesperson Chris Valenzuela said as the fire burned near Todd Valley and Foresthill. 'Its burning very erratic and intensely.'

The blaze was one of three large fires in the state.

The Fire has grown to nearly 79 square miles, with 25 percent containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

More than 11,000 people have been evacuated and nearly 6,000 structures are threatened - an increase in both figures as the blaze raged Tuesday near Foresthill and Todd Valley after a spot fire jumped the Middle Fork of the American River, officials said.

Increased winds earlier Tuesday pushed out a smoke -inversion layer that had been stifling the blaze and gave fresh oxygen to the flames, Valenzuela said. The area is full of extremely dry fuels that were rapidly igniting, challenging both firefighters on the ground and aircraft.

Scientists say climate change has made the West warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. In the last five years, California has experienced the largest and most destructive fires in its history.
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Actress Margot Robbie appeared upset just hours after leaving the home of her close friend Cara Delevingne - as the British supermodel continues to spark health concerns with a series of disheveled public appearances.

The Oscar-nominated star was seen struggling to contain her emotions after leaving a rented home in West Hollywood to travel to Los Angeles International airport around 5pm

Earlier, Robbie, 32, had been spotted leaving Delevingne's $7m West Hollywood house on Monday around 1pm - two hours after Delevingne's socialite sister Poppy had also been seen exiting in a black SUV.

It's not clear if Delevingne was at home when Robbie was there.

Delevingne failed to show in NYC on Monday for the launch of her fashion collection honoring late designer Karl Lagerfeld held at chic restaurant Saga in the Big Apple's Financial District.

Nor was Delevingne present at the Emmy Awards, alongside her fellow Only Murders in the Building stars.

These distressing pictures come one week after the one-time 'it girl' drew concern from her devoted fans by appearing erratic and out of sorts at Van Nuys Airport.

Robbie could be seen holding her hand up to her face, and appeared to be emotional. Further details of what happened inside the property have not emerged.

Delevingne's loved ones have also reportedly voiced worries and considered a possible intervention, and Robbie's visit could be another sign that the model's friends and family are ready and willing to offer support.

Robbie was carrying a small piece of rolling luggage and what appeared to be a plastic bag full of toiletries or medication. The I, Tonya star appeared to struggle to compose herself as she left the home.

Margot Robbie was spotted a West Hollywood home on Monday just hours after meeting with Cara Delevingne in Los Angeles. It comes as Delevingne continues to spark concerns regarding her health following a series of erratic behavior

Prior to these pictures being taken, Robbie was at Cara Delevingne's $7 million dollar home

After loading into a waiting SUV, Robbie then headed to catch a flight at Los Angeles International Airport, where she checked in for a flight using the discreet 'private suites' facility

Robbie and Delevingne are longtime friends, and co-starred in the 2016 film Suicide Squad. Last month, Delevingne invited Robbie to celebrate her 30th birthday on a lavish yacht trip off Formentera, Spain

Delevingne had been due in New York City on Monday for the launch of her fashion collection honoring late designer Karl Lagerfeld

Cara (center, in black bathing suit) is pictured with friends including Margot Robbie (furthest left), Sienna Miller and Lady Mary Charteris in Ibiza earlier this month

The model held an object above her head while floating in the Mediterranean off Ibiza for a birthday trip

The Australian actress held a hand to her face and patted her hair into place as she met with a chauffer waiting outside.

After loading into a waiting SUV, Robbie made a brief stop at another home in West Hollywood before heading to catch a flight at Los Angeles International Airport, where she checked in for a flight using the discreet 'private suites' facility.

Like her sister, Poppy has been largely quiet on social media as of late. However on Monday night, Poppy posted a message of congratulations to her friend Zendaya following the actress's Emmy win.

Robbie and Delevingne are longtime friends, and co-starred in the 2016 film Suicide Squad.

Last month, Delevingne invited Robbie to celebrate her 30th birthday on a lavish yacht trip off Formentera, Spain.

Photos from the August birthday party in Spain showed a light-hearted celebration, with Delevingne eating frosting directly from a bowl, and playfully trying to smear it on her friends.

A friend who saw her in Ibiza observes: 'She was more messy out there than she had been in a while but says she is OK, fine about turning 30 and having a great time.

'She will think that the pictures are funny  she doesn't think there's anything wrong with the way she is living her life and says she is absolutely fine.'

Robbie and Delevingne pictured together in happier times following a special screening of Bombshell in October 2019

Delevingne and Robbie pictured with their Suicide Squad co-star Will Smith in August 2016

Last month: Cara Delevingne rang in her 30th birthday in style as she joined a plethora of A-list pals on a lavish yacht trip Formentera, Spain, with the star seen tucking into frosting

After enjoying lunch, Cara Delevingne and Margot Robbie are seen leaving a restaurant and enjoy a stroll on the beach before getting back on their yacht during in Formentera, Spain

The birthday girl looked to be having the best time as she smeared frosting over her lips and playfully tried to rub it on her pal Adwoa Aboah

Delevingne made her latest worrying appearance on September 6 in Los Angeles, appearing disheveled and jittery prior to boarding Jay-Z's private jet

But in the weeks since, fans have expressed growing concern after the model was seen sitting alone in a car smoking a pipe of some kind, and then behaving oddly before boarding Jay-Z's private jet at Van Nuys.

Delevingne made her latest worrying appearance on September 6 in Los Angeles, appearing disheveled and jittery prior to boarding Jay-Z's private jet.

According to DailyMail.com sources, the cover girl appeared unable to control her body movements at certain points as she was seen on the phone, bending over, dropping her phone, and walking around looking very jittery and as if she was unable to stop moving.

For reasons that are unclear, she boarded the jet, before she disembarked 45 minutes later, and was driven away from the airport with her luggage and wearing only socks on her feet.

Recently, Delevingne was known to spend some time at the Burning Man festival. Sources told DailyMail.com at that time the she didn't eat or shower while at the event.

The source said: 'She had just spent days in the desert, not eating all that much and she looked disheveled because she hadn't had time to scrub up yet.'

Cara Delevingne made her latest worrying appearance last week in Los Angeles, appearing disheveled and jittery prior to boarding Jay-Z's private jet wearing socks but no shoes

Cara Delevingne's feet are seen dangling out of an SUV as she leaves Van Nuys Airport in a black Chevrolet SUV

Delevingne appearing distressed alongside her dog Alfie after not taking off while a member of her security detail watches on

Now, her friends and family are searching for ways to help the troubled former 'it girl.'

'We are all incredibly concerned. The situation has been building for a few weeks now, and Cara's family is involved,' a close friend told The Sun last week.

'There is talk of staging some kind of intervention and making sure Cara gets the help she may well need,' the person added. 'She has been burning the candle at both ends of late, and it's clearly taking its toll.'

Delevingne's parents, the wealthy property developer Charles Delevingne and his wife Pandora live in England. The model also has three siblings, including socialite Poppy Delevingne.

At New York Fashion Week on Monday, Delevingne was notably absent from the launch party for her own collection, dubbed CARA LOVES KARL, a collaboration with the late Karl Lagerfeld's iconic fashion house

The British model who recently lauded Lagerfeld as one of the major influences on her career, was nowhere in sight as the sustainable collection of inclusive clothing and accessories was celebrated by a guest list of stars from fashion, film and music.

AWOL: Cara Delevingne, seen here in a new campaign for her latest capsule collection, was curiously absent from its official launch in New York City on Monday evening

Model Cara Delevingne is pictured smoking a mystery pipe while sitting alone in her car on August 31

Delevingne's absence from her own event was all the more curious by virtue of her very obvious presence on social media, where she paid tribute to the legendary designer on Monday evening while guests filed into the New York venue.

Reposting the collection's promotional video, she wrote on Instagram: 'Happy belated birthday @karllagerfeld. What an honor that the #CaraLovesKarl collection is now available! Im so proud of it.'

Many of her Instagram followers responded to the post with expressions of worry and concern for her well-being.

Lagerfeld, who passed away in 2019 aged 85 from complications related to pancreatic cancer, would have celebrated his birthday on September 10, two days before the official launch.

Recently, Delevingne spent some time at the Burning Man festival at Black Rock desert in Nevada. Sources told DailyMail.com at that time the she didn't eat or shower while at the event.

The source said: 'She had just spent days in the desert, not eating all that much and she looked disheveled because she hadn't had time to scrub up yet.'

He went on: 'Her friends are worried about her generally after some erratic behavior, but she has a good group around her. Her sister was at the festival with her. She wasn't alone and she has her back.'

The source continued: 'Burning Man isn't lined with burger vans like other festivals. You chuck everything you need in an RV and that's what you have to live on while you're there. Everything works on a swapping system.'
An FBI agent struggled to control his emotions as he described seeing bodies inside Sandy Hook primary school  a scene that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones later claimed was staged by actors.

Jones, who did not show up for the first day of the trial, faces being forced to pay unlimited damages to the eight families and one FBI agent suing him for defamation.

It is the second such trial, after a Texas jury ordered he pay almost $50 million in damages to another set of families.

In this trial, held in the Connecticut town of Waterbury, 20 miles from Sandy Hook, Jones has already been found guilty be default for refusing to comply with proceedings and hand over evidence.

He and his lawyers were admonished by the judge on Tuesday - the first day of a trial expected to last five weeks - for their 'stunningly cavalier' attitude to the proceedings, and failing to hand over discovery.

William Aldenberg was the first witness to give evidence as a Connecticut jury began hearing statements in the trial, to decide how much money Jones owes for spreading the lie that the 2012 mass shooting in Newtown did not happen.

Aldenberg broke down as he described being among the first law enforcement officers to enter the two classrooms where 20 children died.

'Was what you saw in that school fake?' asked Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.

'No,' Aldenberg said. 'It's awful. It's awful.'

William Aldenberg listens to lead plaintiff attorney Chris Mattei in the Connecticut courtroom on Tuesday

Aldenberg became emotional as he testified about the scene at Sandy Hook on December 14, 2012

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones did not show up for the trial on Tuesday, but is expected to testify during the course of the five-week proceedings

Jones, pictured in his studio, insists that he is protected by free speech

He also told how he and others in the community and law enforcement were targeted with threats and conspiracy theories, including one that claimed he was an actor who also pretended to be the father of a victim.

'It's one of the worst things that ever happened, if not the worst thing that ever happened here, what happened to them,' Aldenberg said.

'And people want to say this didn't happen? And then they want to get rich off of it? That's the worst part.'

The court heard how Jones made as much as $800,000 a day selling supplements, doomsday supplies and other products.

On Tuesday he was in his Texas studio, broadcasting live and calling all the cases against him as 'show trials,' where judges have predetermined the outcome.

The trial in Waterbury, less than 20 miles from Newtown, where the children and six teachers were shot dead, was attended by more than a dozen family members of victims, including David Wheeler, the father who conspiracy theorists claimed was the same person as Aldenberg.

Wheeler nodded as Aldenberg apologized for what he had to endure because of their resemblance.

The jurors were shown some of Jones's broadcasts, in which he claimed the shooting never happened

The Sandy Hook families and Aldenberg say they have been confronted and harassed for years by people who believed Jones's false claim that the shooting was staged by crisis actors as part of a plot to take away people's guns.

Some say strangers videotaped them and their surviving children. They have also endured death threats and been subjected to abusive comments on social media.

Some families have moved out of Newtown to avoid harassment, and accuse Jones of causing them emotional and psychological harm.

'You know, you can say whatever you want about me, I don't care,' Aldenberg said. 'Just say what you want. I'm frigging big boy. I can take it.

'But then they want to make profits, they want to make millions and millions of dollars. They want to destroy people's lives. Their children got slaughtered. I saw it myself, and now they have to sit here and listen to me say this.'

Norm Pattis, Jones' lawyer, is seen arriving in court on Tuesday

It is the second such trial for Jones, who was ordered by a Texas jury last month to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of one of the murdered children.

Jones was not at the trial on Tuesday but is expected to attend next week.

A jury of three men and three women along with several alternatives will decide how much Jones should pay relatives of eight victims and Aldenberg.

Judge Barbara Bellis found Jones liable without a trial last year after he failed to turn over documents to the families' lawyers.

The judge also sanctioned Jones on Tuesday for failing to turn over analytic data related to his website and the popularity of his show.

She told his lawyers that because of that failure, they will not be allowed to argue he did not profit from his Sandy Hook remarks.

In opening statements, Jones was described by Mattei as a bully and by his own lawyer as a crank who should be ignored.

Mattei showed jurors data indicating how Jones's audience increased as he spread lies about the shooting.

He also showed them photos and videos of things Jones had said, and told the panel they already had the tools from their own life experiences to decide what to do in this case.

'What your parents taught you, what your grandparents taught you to know the difference between right and wrong, to know the difference between the truth and a horrible lie, to know the importance of standing up to bullies when they prey on people who are helpless and profit from them, and to know unless you stop a bully, a bully will never stop,' he said.

'And when it comes to stopping Alex Jones, that will be the most important work that you do.'

Jones's lawyer Norm Pattis argued that his client has espoused a number of conspiracy theories over the years, which he has a constitutional right to do.

'At what point do we regard him as a crank on the village green, a person we can walk away from if we choose?' he asked.

Pattis told the jury that although Jones is liable for damages, any award should be minimal and alleged the families were overstating the harm Jones caused.

Infowars' Alex Jones made $232K off hoax Sandy Hook claims in online revenue in just 1 day, victims' lawyer says - at the start of his second defamation trial

Deep-pocketed conspiracy theorist Alex Jones reaped nearly a quarter of a million dollars in just one day off of the bogus claim that the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was a hoax, the lawyer for the families suing the InfoWars host said Tuesday.

The trial will determine how much money the Texas media mogul will have to pay to the families of the victims of the mass murder at the Newtown, Connecticut school. He was found liable for damages last November in a default judgment.

The civil case, the second of three, is a consolidation of lawsuits by 15 family members and an FBI agent against the shock jock. It could potentially be far more financially devastating than the $50 million Texas verdict against Jones last month in a civil case by the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, who died in the shooting on December 14, 2012.

Attorney Chris Mattei, who is representing 15 people suing the Texas media mogul, said that Jones made $232,000 in a single day when the InfoWars website published the story that the FBI said that there were no deaths reported.

Alex Jones made $232,000 in a single day when the InfoWars website published the story that the FBI said that there were no deaths reported

Chris Mattei, the lawyer for the families suing Jones, tried to draw a direct line between the lies on InfoWars about Sandy Hook and the money he made

'$232,000 in a day, just on that one platform,' Mattei said, according to the News Times. 'What you see there is the relationship between the lie, the audience, and the money tree.'

The lawyer said that the case is not just about the money, though.

'Unless you stop a bully, a bully will never stop himself,' he said.

In February, 2020, Jones sent an email about another single day take, this time the number had grown dramatically.

'We ended up about $810K yesterday,' he wrote.

'One day. Do the math,' Mattei told the jury.

Jones, who is expected to testify, didn't show on the first day of the trial, prompting Watertown, Connecticut, Judge Barbara Bellis to sanction the millionaire podcaster.

'This stunningly cavalier attitude toward their discovery obligations is what lead to the default judgement in the first place,' a clearly annoyed Bellis said. 'The defendants have consistently engaged in dilatory and obstructive discovery practices from the inception of these cases right through to the trial.'

She also admonished his lawyer, Norman Pattis, that they may not argue that he did not profit off his coverage of the brutal slaughter of adolescent children.

'The court hereby sanctions the defendants by precluding them from presenting evidence or argument that they did not profit from the Sandy Hook coverage,' she said from the bench.

Jones testified in the Texas trial, admitting that he was wrong to deny the massacre, which took the lives of 20 children and six adults.

'Especially since I've met the parents. It's 100 percent real,' the right-wing media mogul admitted on the stand.

Starting today a jury of six will hear evidence to consider how much Jones should pay. The trial is expected to last six weeks.

Alex Jones took the stand in Austin, Texas and admitted that the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School was '100 percent real'

Jones speaking to a Connecticut News12 reporter outside of the deposition in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Prior to this, Jones paid two separate fines of $25,000 and $50,000 for missing appearances in March

The podcast host's lawyer said that the goal of the families is to stop Alex Jones, but he questioned what the greater harm would be.

'Our suggestion is that if you stop Alex Jones you do a greater harm upon the public,' Pattis said during his opening arguments. 'They hate him because he says outrageous things and the haters want him silenced.'

Pattis pointed out that one of the flashpoints of the current culture wars is gun control and that the motivation for going after his client is not just because of the lies that he spun.

'It is our contention that the plaintiffs in this case exaggerated the harm that he caused them and they exaggerated it for political reasons,' he said.

Jones may have admitted that he spread lies about Sandy Hook, but he's still unrepentant about the harm the families say he caused.

Jones continues to argue that his coverage was protected by the First Amendment.

Recently, during an interview with YouTube journalist Andrew Callaghan, he pushed back against accusations of irresponsible journalism or wrongdoing.

'Do I feel responsible that someone that played shoot-em-up video games, on a bunch of drugs, went and killed a bunch of kids and then the internet questioned it, and I covered that?' he said. 'No, I don't feel responsible - and I don't apologize,'

In their lawsuits, the families and FBI agent William Aldenberg say that they have been subject to harassment, abusive comments on social media and even death threats because of the hoax conspiracy.

Some of the plaintiffs say strangers have videotaped them and their surviving children. And some families have moved out of Newtown to avoid threats and harassment.

'I can't even describe the last nine and a half years, the living hell that I and others have had to endure because of the recklessness and negligence of Alex Jones,' Neil Heslin, Jesse Lewis' father, testified during the Texas trial.

The Connecticut lawsuit alleges defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violations of the state Unfair Trade Practices Act. The families claim when Jones talked about Sandy Hook, he boosted his audience and raked in more profits from selling supplements, clothing and other items.

A parent with two children confers with an official on the day of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Dec. 14, 2012

The victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre are pictured here: starting on the top row, from left to right, are Ana Marquez-Greene, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Emilie Parker, and Noah Pozner; Jesse Lewis, Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Charlotte Bacon and Chase Kowalski; Daniel Barden, Jack Pinto, Catherine Hubbard, Dylan Hockley and Benjamin Wheeler; Grace McDonnell, James Mattioli, Avielle Richman, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy; Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach, Victoria Soto, Dawn Hochsprung and Nancy Lanza

Twenty children, between the ages of six and seven years old, and six adults were killed when 20-year-old Adam Lanza went on a shooting spree - with their families now setting their sights on Jones for his troubling assertions that the massacre was carried out by 'crisis actors'

A parent walks away from the Sandy Hook Elementary School with her children following a shooting at the school in Newtown, Conn., Dec. 14, 2012

Veronique De La Rosa, mother of Noah Pozner, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, wipes away tears during a news conference in Trumbull, Connecticut on February 15, 2022

The families have not asked for any specific amount of damages, some of which may be limited by state laws. There are no damage limits, however, under the Unfair Trade Practices Act.

In all the Connecticut and Texas cases, Jones and his lawyers repeatedly failed to turn over records as required to the families' attorneys. In response, judges handed down one of the harshest sanctions in the civil legal world  they found Jones liable for damages by default without trials.

Jones, who runs his web show and Infowars brand in Austin, Texas, also faces a third trial over the hoax conspiracy in another pending lawsuit by Sandy Hook parents in Texas.
Disney Cruise Line announced its famous boats will set sail from three major Australian ports and one New Zealand port for just four months.

Disney fans will be able to board the Disney Wonder ship in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland from October next year through to February 2024.

'We are so excited to bring the magic of a Disney cruise vacation close to home for guests in Australia and New Zealand,' Disney Parks, Experiences and Products chairman, Josh D'Amaro said.

Disney Cruise Line's ship, Disney Wonder (above), will set sail from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland for four months

The rooms inside the Disney Wonder. Picture: Disney

Disney Cruises offer guests the chance to immerse themselves in their favourite stories, meet characters, watch live shows (above) and experience themed dining

'On these limited-time sailings, the ship is the destination and our amazing Disney Cruise Line crew can't wait to welcome guests on board as they are immersed in their favourite stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.'

The cruise will offer kids the chance to explore a multi-level model of Andys Room from Toy Story, see characters perform in Broadway-quality shows and learn how to be a superhero at the Marvel Super Hero Academy.

Some of Disney's favourite characters including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Pluto will also be on the cruise for guests to meet.

The Australian and Kiwi cruises will sail from October 2023 to February 2024 and mark the first time the line has visited Down Under (pictured, Circular Quay in Sydney)

It also offers a range of adult-only experiences including Quiet Cove pool, Palo restaurant and the Senses Spa & Salon.

The Disney Wonder also features several themed restaurants including Tianas Place where guests can meet Princess Tiana and try her New Orleans food and the Animators Palate which shows how characters come to life.

Cruises setting sail in Australia will last for two nights with prices starting at about AUD$810 per person in Melbourne, AUD$1070 per person in Sydney and AUD$1120 per person in Brisbane.

The Australian cruises will run for two nights while cruises from Auckland will run for three nights (pictured, characters performing for a Disney Cruise Line show)

Auckland cruises go for three nights and start at about NZD$1270 per person.

It will be the first time Disney Cruises have visited Australia and NZ with the popular ships almost exclusively setting sail from North America and Europe.

Tickets for the Australian and Kiwi cruises will go on sale in two weeks time on Thursday, September 29, at 8am AEST and 11am NZDT.

To book or find more information, visit the Disney Cruise website.
A popular Melbourne pub has hit back at massive backlash over several 'tasteless' social media posts making light of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The general manager of Kelly's Hotel in Cranbourne was shocked over the outrage that erupted.

Despite being inundated with death threats, Michael Goldie told Daily Mail Australia he has no regrets.

He insists the posts are only intended to remind younger generations to spend time with and appreciate elderly loved ones while they're still alive.

Most of the posts have been deleted but not before sparking widespread anger as former, and potential patrons vowed to boycott the venue.

'Do lunch before they die. The opportunities after are extremely limited,' one post featuring a photo of the late Queen with her grandson Prince Harry was captioned.

The pub insists the posts intended to serve as a reminder to younger generations to spend time with and appreciate elderly loved ones

Hours later, the venue posted another picture of the Queen next to a photo of a distressed Harry after not making it to Balmoral in time before his grandmother died.

'Yep, he cancelled lunch, time and time again,' the post read.

'She'll keep till next week!' he said. 'It's not as if it's my Mum's Mum', he said. But next week never arrived for Grannie Windsor. Do lunch with your oldie!!'

Another post with a similar photo of Prince Harry read: 'Another grandson inconsolable because he was too miserable to take his auld granny out to lunch. Don't let it be you.'

A fourth post of several dressed-up corgis, the Queen's favourite dog breed remains on the pub's Instagram page.

'No doubt in everyone's thoughts, what about the Corgis!! Some say they are traditionally buried with the Queen others say not. I like to believe in a higher calling,' it states.

A post from the pub about corgis which refers to the Queen's death remains on Instagram

Kelly's Hotel in Cranbourne has come under fire over posts making light of Prince Harry missing out on seeing his grandmother one last time before she died

Kelly's Hotel in Cranbourne (pictured) has been inundated with death threats after posts about the Queen's death sparked widespread outrage

The pub general manager admitted the Facebook posts about Prince Harry after the Queen's death were 'wrongly shared'

The deleted posts also served to promote the pub and its takeaway and delivery services, which sparked community anger.

'It's time to drop the warped (and sometimes deranged) humorous posts. Some of them have not even been funny and they're not even relevant or related to your business. The moment you stray off track with polarising views it becomes damaging,' a customer commented on the pub's Facebook page

It also sparked many one star Google reviews vowing not to return

'Tasteless food just like their Tasteless posts they do, disgusting behaviour & hope you lose all your valuable customers that kept you all afloat. Won't be returning,' a former regular patron posted.

Another reviewer wrote: 'Complete lack of respect to our Queen. Totally embarrassing. Will never eat here.'

Kelly's Hotel general manager Michael Goldie has hit back at the backlash, which he claims is a big misunderstanding

General manager Michael Goldie admitted to Daily Mail Australia the deleted posts about Prince Harry were 'wrongly shared' but stands by the message they intended to serve.

He added similar posts about the importance of spending time with elderly loved ones have been shared long before the Queen died.

'I thought people would look at the posts as a reminder to phone their grandparents and go and see visit,' Mr Goldie said.

'They had a valid point in that Harry missed out on spending more time with his grandmother before she died.'

'We've been urging everyone to take out their grandparents for lunch a long time now.'

Mr Goldie has no regrets about the offence the posts caused, despite the pub being inundated with threats.

'Everyone is entitled to their opinion,' he said.

'Everything we do is a learning experience. Would I post them again? Possibly but I would probably do it differently.

The venue in Melbourne's south-east is a fourth generation hotel dating back to the early 1900s.
A man accused of 'beheading his ex-girlfriend with a samurai sword' in broad daylight, while her young children were inside her Northern California home, is believed to be a US citizen, despite previous reports claiming the contrary.

Karina Castro, 27, was beheaded with the weapon outside her Bay Area home Thursday last week by her ex-boyfriend Jose Raphael Solano Landaeta, 33, according to authorities.

Neighbors watched the horrific scene unfold, while her daughters, age 7 and 1, were lucky not to bear witness to the grisly murder of their mother.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told FOX News that they had 'no involvement with this individual' in response to reports made by the Santa Monica Observer claiming that Landaeta had been 'in the US illegally.'

The Observer also claimed that Landaeta, from Venezuela, had 'entered the country on a tourist visa about ten years ago' and 'never left.'

Landaeta is the father of Castro's 1-year-old daughter, authorities say, but she was granted a restraining order against him in April.

Karina Castro (pictured), 27, was beheaded with a 'samurai sword' outside her Bay Area home Thursday last week by her ex-boyfriend Jose Raphael Solano Landaeta, 33, authorities say

Castro's ex-boyfriend Jose Raphael Solano Landaeta (pictured), 33, was previously reported to be in the US illegally but authorities say that he is in fact a US citizen

Castro's (pictured), two daughters, age 7 and 1, did not bare witness to the grisly murder of their mom despite the incident taking place in front of neighbors in broad daylight

Castro's family now claim Landaeta is a diagnosed schizophrenic with a history of drinking alcohol while on his medication and someone they warned Castro to stay away from.

He allegedly left the scene of the crime, only to return minutes later when cops were arrived to Castro's San Carlos home.

The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office told Patch.com they believe the implement used during the incident was a 'samurai sword.'

'The defendant attacked the victim with a samurai sword, slashing numerous times causing the victim's head to be almost severed,' the DA's Office said.

Landaeta then put the sword in his car parked two blocks away and returned to the scene where Castro's lifeless body was laying in the street, the DA's Office added.

Sheriff's Office Lt. Eamonn Allen told reporters last week that a 'stabbing instrument was used' and that responding deputies found the victim 'obviously deceased.'

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Landaeta appeared in the San Mateo County Superior Court on Monday with lawyer Robert Cummings, who 'raised concern about whether the defendant was competent to stand trial.'

Landaeta's lawyer Robert Cummings, 'raised concern about whether the defendant (pictured) was competent to stand trial.' He is under evaluation, with results expected in eight weeks

Castro's family appeared at court (pictured). They recently spoke out about her allegedly abusive relationship with Landaeta, saying they'd worried about it for years before her death

'It is better to get this taken care of now than to do it in two years when we're about ready to start a trial,' San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

'If he's found not competent to stand trial that causes the criminal proceedings to be held until he is restored to competency  if ever.'

The court suspended criminal proceedings and continued the case to Tuesday where two doctors were appointed to examine Landaeta.

The evaluation results are expected to take about eight weeks. If convicted Landaeta could face 26 years to life in prison, according to Wagstaffe.

Landaeta is being held in custody on a no bail status at the San Mateo County jail.

The court has also issued a criminal restraining order directing him to not have any contact with the victim's two daughters.

The 33-year-old is charged with one felony court of murder, with two enhancements: use of a deadly weapon, and great bodily injury, according to charging documents from the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Castro's family recently spoke out about her apparently abusive relationship with Landaeta, saying that they had been worried about it for years before her death.

Her father, Marty Castro, told ABC7 how he took every chance to try to stop her from seeing him, saying: 'Every time I saw her, I would beg her, 'Don't talk to him, leave him.'

'And it seemed like the more I did that, the more she would see him.'

He and the victim's grandmother, Danielle Gannon, described Castro as an independent woman.

Landaeta is being held in custody on a no bail status, and the court issued a criminal restraining order directing him to not have any contact with Castro's daughters

Castro 27 (pictured) had attended Menlo-Atherton High School, from where she earned her GED, and was working as a DoorDash driver at the time of her death

She had attended Menlo-Atherton High School, from where she earned her GED, and was working as a DoorDash driver at the time of her death.

Castro was 'determined to raise her daughters on her own,' Gannon said.

But she apparently faced some problems in her relationship with Landaeta, whom Gannon alleged 'is a diagnosed schizophrenic on meds.' She claimed he 'would use that as an excuse for his behavior.

'He drank excessively and you're not supposed to do that on those kinds of medications,' Gannon explained.

Marty is now warning parents: 'If there's somebody out there abusing your daughter, don't take off. Don't let it go. Don't take 'no' for an answer.

'You will feel responsible no matter what anyone says.'

Meanwhile, Snapchat messages between Castro and Landaeta revealed that she had threatened to expose his alleged relationship with another man just moments before her death.

Landaeta then sent her threatening messages back in response, ultimately leading to the confrontation outside Castro's home, when her father says: 'He got really mad, went to the trunk of his car, pulled out whatever it was and killed her right there behind her car.'

Neighbor Chapel Thorborne said he saw the horrific scene from the steps of his home near the corner of Laurel Street and Magnolia Avenue, in San Carlos.

'The head was underneath the car and she was laying in the back of the car- just severed,' he told ABC7.

Some neighbors witnessed the tragic events of last Thursday, one neighbor claiming he saw the incident take place from the steps of his home around the corner from the incident

Castro's family is fighting to get custody of Karina's two daughters, who were put in the care of Child Protective Services in the aftermath of the 27-year-old's (pictured) murder

HEARTBREAKING: Relatives identified the young mother who was fatally stabbed on a San Carlos street Thursday as Karina Castro. Her father was at the crime scene today where he wept in the middle of the street as loved ones tried to console him. bit.ly/3Bua8tL Posted by KTVU Fox 2 on Friday, September 9, 2022

Authorities say the murder took place at around 11.50am, and officers were on the scene within minutes.

Once there, they saw Landaeta and two friends returning to the victim's home, where he was quickly arrested.

'After he cut her head off, he came walking up, him and his two friends,' Thorborne told ABC7. 'And they walked right by me and they arrested him.'

'He was hurt, shocked, disappointed,' he added about the suspect.

Police said they are still looking for the sword used in the beheading and an investigation is ongoing.

In the meantime, Castro's family is fighting to get custody of Karina's two daughters, who were put in the care of Child Protective Services in the aftermath.

'I want those girls,' Gannon told ABC7. 'That's what I want first, then I want Rafa to fry in jail. I don't care what happens to him.'

Marty said he has also reached out to animal control to try to get custody of Karina's dog and two cats, which were recovered from the scene.

A GoFundMe page set up in memory of Castro has seen more than $85,500 donated with supporters paying their respect for the mother of two.

Castro's grieving father, Marty (right), and her grandmother, Danielle Gannon, described her as an 'independent woman'

Authorities say the murder took place at around 11:50am, and officers were on the scene of Castro's San Carlos home within minutes

Once there, they saw Landaeta and two friends returning to the victim's home, where he was quickly arrested

One supporter wrote: 'So sorry about that happened to your daughter. Hope your grandkids will be safe. I can't believe my heart hurts so bad to hear this.'

Another wrote: 'As a mother of an 8-year-old girl, I cannot imagine how unbelievably painful this must be for your family and Karina's little girls. We are holding your family close to our hearts.'

A memorial Facebook page set up by the family has asked the community to post memories of the 'dedicated mother' and 'loving friend.'

'Please help us remember the loving Karina Castro,' said a post to the memorial page.

'Post your fondest memory of her, a funny story, a message for her daughters, a message for her family or any other positive message you can think of.

'Vigil and service announcements will also be posted on this page if you would like information about upcoming events.'

Her kindness and loving nature a sentiment echoed by many posting their condolences.

One user wrote: 'Karina was always so sweet and loving. She was an amazing mother and a hard worker.'

Another wrote: 'I'm going to miss your kindness overall I miss our random conversations and your voice on this messenger really broke me today.'
The customer said she thought the substance was banned in foods

MSG was listed under the ingredients section alongside 'Herbs and Spices'

The New Zealand woman posted a picture of a packet of KFC seasoning

An eagle-eyed KFC customer was shocked to discover one of the fast food chain's secret ingredients, claiming she thought the substance had been banned.

The woman, from New Zealand, shared an image of a packet of seasoning labelled 'COLONEL SANDERS' RECIPE Kentucky Fried Chicken Seasoning'.

The label shows the ingredients contain more than just the chain's famed 'secret herbs and spices' with the controversial salt MSG (monosodium glutamate) included.

The customer was left outraged and posted her displeasure on social media, sparking a heated discussion about the popular takeaway.

'It's like salt on crack,' she wrote on Facebook.

The eagle-eyed KFC customer posted an image of a packet of seasoning belonging to the fast food chain showing MSG (monosodium glutamate) was one of the ingredients in its chicken

Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, is shown here as he celebrates his 88th birthday after inventing the popular 11 spices recipe that has been a closely guarded secret since the '40s

Facebook users were split, with some sharing their shock that MSG was the secret to KFC's original recipe chicken, while others said it was OK in moderation.

'I've read a few articles on MSG or Chinese restaurant syndrome. It was mainly an attack on ethnic communities by some who were just being racist! It's OK in moderation! Umami seasoning is the same thing,' a woman responded.

'I'm certain that MSG has never been banned, and all the myths surrounding it been bad for you have been disproven,' another said.

Others who joined the debate were concerned about the additive being a crucial ingredient in the KFC chicken.

'Yuck, no wonder I always feel sick afterwards,' one wrote.

There have been extensive studies into MSG in the past 40 years but no medical bodies have found any convincing evidence it has links to serious illness or death in humans..

Many people say they experience adverse effects from eating foods with MSG in it, including headaches, sweating, fluttering heartbeats and nausea.

As a result, countries around the world ensure the additive must be approved for use before its used in products, and it must be clearly labelled.

A man in Mahad, northern India, was reported in 2017 to have lost his voice and ability to swallow after eating MSG.

According to a report in the Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine, the 23-year-old went to hospital with a difficulty speaking and unable to swallow his saliva.

Doctors found his mouth had swelled up and blamed it on MSG in the Chinese fried rice he had eaten for dinner the night before.

The man complained of giddiness, sweating, and itching all over his body, but recovered in a few of days

KFC say it uses MSG in line with the guidelines of Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the additive occurs naturally in many foods

KFC confirmed it uses MSG.

'Some of our food does contain MSG but rest assured, it's only present at levels that are safe for the general population,' the fried chicken chain say on its website.

'It's a recognised flavour enhancer that also occurs naturally in foods such as meat, fish, milk, vegetables, fruits and cheese.'

Food Standards Australia New Zealand say it has been conducting research into MSG for four decades and had deemed it safe.

'Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) reviewed the safety of MSG in 2003 concluding 'there is no convincing evidence that MSG is a significant factor in causing systemic reactions resulting in severe illness or mortality',' the group say on its website.

'In Australia and New Zealand, no food additive  including MSG  is approved for use in food until its safety has been established by FSANZ.

'MSG and other glutamates are among a group of food additives that are generally permitted in foods, due to their safety.'

WHAT IS MSG? Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavour enhancer derived from seaweed that is frequently used in takeaways and fast-food restaurants. The food additive is also often added to stock cubes, ready meals and crisps. Studies have suggested MSG, which is also known as 'hydrolyzed protein' and 'autolyzed yeast extract', crosses the blood brain barrier where it overstimulates receptors. This can result in the receptor's death and has been linked to chronic pain. Studies have also implied MSG causes brain damage when injected into young mice. Premature death also occurs when the food additive is given to fruit flies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US requires MSG be listed on relevant food labels despite classifying the ingredient as being 'generally recognized as safe'. This is due to reports of people experiencing headache, sweating, facial tightness, heart palpitations and nausea after consuming the flavour enhancer. Restaurants and takeaways are not obligated to declare the amount of MSG they add to food. Advertisement
Australian wildlife authorities have issued urgent warnings after two massive crocodiles believed to be targeting people were captured, including a five-metre monster.

Both deadly reptiles were trapped in north Queensland after it was decided they posed an 'unacceptable threat to humans'.

A 3.2metre saltwater crocodile was spotted 'approaching fishers and boats' at the retirement town of Saunders Beach, north of Townsville.

Australian wildlife authorities have issued urgent warnings after two massive crocodiles believed to targeting people had to be captured, including a five-metre monster

A 3.2 metre saltwater crocodile was spotted 'approaching fishers and boats' at the retirement town of Saunders Beach, north of Townsville

Wildlife officers captured the animal in a baited trap placed in Althaus Creek and removed it.

The croc will be rehomed to a zoo or crocodile farm.

North at Cairns, a much bigger five-metre giant was captured and restrained at the Cairns Wildlife Operations Base.

Wildlife Officers Dinouk, Corinna, Ash and Chris were photographed smiling beside the enormous beast, which had to be held down by nine ropes and straps.

North at Cairns, a much bigger five-metre giant was captured and restrained at the Cairns Wildlife Operations Base

Wildlife officers captured the croc bothering fishers at Saunders Beach in a baited trap placed in Althaus Creek and removed it for 'rehoming'

The latest survey of saltwater or estuarine crocodiles in mid 2021 found there were over 30,000 mature crocs in Queensland.

Urgent croc warning  Expect crocs in ALL North Queensland waterways even if no sign.  Stand back from the waters edge, or keep an object between you and the water at all times.  Never leave food, fish scraps or bait near water, campsites or boat ramps.  Never provoke or feed crocodiles.  Report crocodile sightings through the QWildlife mobile app or by calling 1300 130 372.  Be aware that crocodiles can be found in the ocean and freshwater.  Be extra cautious at dawn, dusk and at night.  Avoid using canoes and kayaks in croc country - the smaller the vessel, the greater the risk.  Stay well away from crocodile traps.  Camp at least 50 metres from the edge of the water.  Always supervise children near the water and keep pets on a lead. Source: Queensland DES Advertisement

In the mid 1970s studies found the state had only 5,000.

Across Australia there are believed to be over 100,000 full sized crocs in the wild, prompting calls from some for culling.

Nearly 500 crocodiles over two metres in length have been removed between Townsville and Cooktown since 2004.

The Department of Environment and Science issued issued a series of warnings, including that people should expect crocodiles in north Queensland waterways 'even if there's no warning sign'.

They advised against going into any crocodile habitats in a kayak or canoe - 'the smaller the vessel the greater the risk' - and to avoid camping anywhere near them.

'Camp at least 50 metres from the edge of the water,' the DES warned.

In one of the most horrifying attacks involving a crocodile, a man and a woman were almost killed when a 'saltie' ventured into their campsite 40metres from the water at Cape York Peninsula in 2004.

Andrew Kerr, 34, was dragged from his tent at a remote camp site by a 4.2m crocodile, before it turned on a grandmother who tried to save him.

The DES also warned fishers against leaving 'food, fish scraps or bait near the water, at camp sites or boat ramps'.

Queensland National Parks posted another photo of a team heading out into the Gulf of Carpentaria, between Queensland the Northern Territory, to 'spotlight for crocodiles'.

A Department of Environment and Science statement said its wildlife officers 'undertook day and night-time site assessments' around Althaus Creek to determine if the 3.2metre crocodile posed an 'unacceptable threat to humans'.

They found it was swimming near moored boats and a boat ramp.

Local fishers reported it was 'coming close to people fishing in the creek'.

Pictured: The 4.2metre crocodile that savaged 34-year-old Andrew Kerr and 61-year old Alicia Sorohan after it was shot in the head four times

Due to the crocodiles bold behaviour, large size and proximity to three popular boat ramps, a busy fishing spot and a camping area, DES declared the animal a 'problem crocodile'.

It was targeted for removal as a matter of public safety.

It's not the first time a large crocodile has been removed at Saunders Beach.

Just one year ago a 3.8m crocodile had to be removed after it was seen hanging around the boat ramps and pontoon 'because people had deliberately or inadvertently fed it discarded fish frames, fish scraps and leftover bait.'

Crocodile sightings in Queensland should be reported to DES by using the QWildlife app (available for Apple and Android phones); by using the sighting report online, or by calling 1300 130 372.

The Queensland government has warned the public crocodiles could be in 'all waterways' in north Queensland even if there's no warning sign
A music teacher who bombarded Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm with inappropriate emails has had his teaching licence revoked in a second Australian state.

Aurelio 'Bobby' Gallo taught at the prestigious all-girls Methodist Ladies' College in Perth when he bombarded Ms Malcolm with a series of inappropriate text messages and emails.

In August, Western Australia's State Administrative Tribunal suspended the 53-year-old's teaching licence for 3.5 years for 'serious misconduct' - with Ms Malcolm revealing she was the student at the centre of the incidents this week.

In the wake of news headlines about the case, Mr Gallo was on Saturday stood down as head of performing arts at John Paul College in Logan, Queensland, where he now works.

Australian Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm (pictured) was taught by Aurelio 'Bobby' Gallo at the prestigious all-girls Methodist Ladies' College in Perth

Gallo, 53, (pictured) has been suspended from teaching for 3.5 years after it was found he committed serious misconduct when he sent a series of inappropriate texts and emails to a student

The Queensland College of Teachers showed that Mr Gallo's teaching licence was suspended on Monday. The reason for his axing wasn't listed when viewed by Daily Mail Australia.

However, grounds for suspension by the teachers' body include posing an unacceptable risk of harm to children or being charged with a serious offence.

John Paul College Principal Karen Spiller told the West Australian newspaper she was unaware of any further allegations against Mr Gallo but is under investigation by the school.

'Upon learning of this decision, John Paul College took immediate steps to stand Mr Gallo down while we investigate this matter further,' Ms Spiller said.

'Parents and staff were advised of both the .... decision and that Mr Gallo was stood aside late on Saturday night.' Ms Spiller praised Ms Malcolm for courageously coming forward.

Ms Malcolm was a student at Methodist Ladies' College when her music teacher, Mr Gallo began to 'foster a friendship' with her in 2007.

The top model received emails, texts and phone calls from the Mr Gallo while she was a student and shortly after she graduated.

They included asking the then-teenager to send him photos, meet him for dinner and accept his Skype request, according to tribunal documents.

The emails showed Gallo asking for topless photographs from Ms Malcolm after she left school and signing off his messages with 'luv always'.

The 30-year-old model shared an emotional video on social media on Saturday, after it became 'public knowledge' that Mr Gallo's teaching licence had been suspended in Western Australia.

The one-time Australian Victoria Secret model (pictured) revealed she received inappropriate emails, texts and phone calls - including a request for a topless photo - from the teacher while she was a student and shortly after she graduated

In a clip shared on Instagram and TikTok on Sunday, Ms Malcolm told her followers she was 'still in shock' and was 'processing it' after hearing of the decision by West Australian authorities.

'I don't really know how to say this but I'm just going to come out and say it,' Ms Malcolm said.

'Today it became public knowledge that my high school music teacher lost his teacher's licence in Western Australia for three years.

'He lost it for serious misconduct against a student whilst he was teaching them, and I am that student.

'I've gone back and forth on whether or not to waive my right to anonymity because I was a minor when it all happened.

'But you know I'm not a minor anymore. I'm still in shock, I'm still processing and I've definitely had a lot of feelings today. I'm all over the place.

'I just want to say to my fellow survivors out there: you're not alone, you're stronger than you can possible imagine, and the future is waiting for you.'

Read some of the creepy messages Bridget Malcolm received Gallo asked for photographs and complained he hadn't received any 'topless' ones in an email sent on February 2, 2009. 'Glad to hear that you are being looked after and also becoming aware of people,' he wrote. 'Unfortunately you don't always see what you need to. 'The second hand accommodation news was courtesy of [name of another teacher], who went on to tell me that she spoke to you for an hour and inform of the topless photos which you obviously didn't send me!!! Why not may I ask!' Gallo sent another email a day later referring to a special charm he had given her. 'Remember when things get hard hold on to the special charm I gave you and think of all the special things that bring you happiness - I know it will give you strength,' he wrote. Advertisement

Ms Malcolm received an outpouring of support on social media for her 'courage and bravery', with the model saying she'd speak more on the matter at a later date.

The Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia first received an email about inappropriate behaviour by Gallo in March last year and the complaint was then investigated.

In a document published by the board detailing the decision to suspend Gallo's licence, it found the music teacher had engaged in 'grooming-like behaviour'.

The Board found the pair had initially emailed about school matters but the conversation changed its tone over time.

Gallo sent an email from his personal account asking for the student's number on July 14, 2007.

He later sent another two emails after Ms Malcolm and a group of students turned up to his property unannounced during the school holidays in the same month.

'By the way don't worry I didn't mind the stalking the other day,' he wrote.

'I will be trying to get something sorted regarding your [instrument] tomorrow, I will let you know how I go if you would like.

'Will you be dropping by this holiday!! HA HA'

In an emotional video shared on Instagram and TikTok, Ms Malcolm revealed she was the student Gallo had been found to have had 'serious misconduct' towards and encouraged 'fellow survivors' to stay strong

Gallo ended another email with the sign-off 'love' and made reference to it again in a separate email sent on December 19, 2007.

'I hope you and your family are having a well deserved rest,' he wrote. 'I sincerely wish you a safe and holy Christmas and special new year.

'By the way thanks for the birthday wish - NOT. Love Mr Gallo - sorry I mean regards Mr Gallo.'

Gallo continued to email Ms Malcolm after she graduated, requesting to see her when she returned to Perth after she moved overseas.

Ms Malcolm went on to become a model who worked with Victoria's Secret in 2015 and 2016 and for Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney.

Gallo asked for photographs and complained he hadn't received any 'topless' ones in an email sent on February 2, 2009.

'Glad to hear that you are being looked after and also becoming aware of people,' he wrote.

'Unfortunately you don't always see what you need to.

'The second hand accommodation news was courtesy of [name of another teacher], who went on to tell me that she spoke to you for an hour and inform of the topless photos which you obviously didn't send me!!! Why not may I ask!'

Gallo continued to email Ms Malcolm after she graduated, requesting to see her when she returned to Perth after she moved overseas

Ms Malcolm went on to become a model who worked with Victoria's Secret in 2015 and 2016 and for Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney

Gallo sent another email a day later referring to a special charm he had given her.

'Remember when things get hard hold on to the special charm I gave you and think of all the special things that bring you happiness - I know it will give you strength,' he wrote.

In another email in March, which Gallo wrote in Italian, the translated message showed him telling Malcolm 'it seems very difficult at times to say what I want'.

The board found Gallo's actions 'constitutes serious misconduct rendering him unfit to be a registered teacher'.

It also found he 'breached professional boundaries in his inappropriate interactions with the student'.

Gallo admitted to the 'serious misconduct' and accepted it was 'inappropriate'.

He denies grooming Ms Malcolm, and has shown 'insight and remorse' into his behaviour, the board found.

'The actions of the teacher were out of character and do not reflect his performance or conduct over the course of his career,' the document read.
Patreon is laying off yet another batch of its employees.

The popular creator subscription company has recently announced it is laying off 17% of its workforce while closing its offices in two European countries due to unsustainable growth following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Patreon's recent layoffs follow its confirmation that it is dismissing five employees from its security team, though there are reports saying that the company decided to release everyone from it.

Patreon Lay-Off Details

Patreon CEO and co-founder Jack Conte mentioned in the layoffs announcement that the company has decided to lay off 80 of its employees from its Go-to-Market, Operations, Finance, and People teams.

This amount means the company is letting go of around 17% of its workforce.

As a result of these layoffs, the company has decided to close its Dublin and Berlin offices, with Conte explaining that the company decided to close these offices to streamline where Patreon's resources go.

In the case of the Dublin office, Patreon wants to consolidate its engineering team to improve their collaboration and efficiency, as nearly all of them are located in its US offices.

Meanwhile, Patreon decided to close its Berlin office to adopt a more scaled approach to helping creators abroad, meaning that its US-based teams will soon support multiple regions.

Patreon has a good reason to close its Berlin office - it is exclusively focused on Sales and Marketing, which is an area Patreon has reduced its budget to shift its resources toward its products.

Why Is Patreon Laying Off Employees?

The Verge reports that Patreon decided to initiate the layoffs due to it changing its plans following its rapid growth during the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read More: Google Ends Development, Production of Pixelbook Laptops to Cut Costs

Tech Crunch previously reported in late December 2021 that Patreon's chief product officer, Julian Gutman, is planning to double in size by the end of 2022 thanks to its rapid growth and the $155 million it raised from venture funding.

To streamline its spending, Patreon decided to reduce the size of its teams in charge of "operations, recruiting, and other internal support functions," including Sales and Marketing.

This list may have included the company's security team as it also laid off five security team members on Sept. 9, per Emily Metcalfe's LinkedIn post.

Metcalfe is Patreon's now former senior security engineer who only stayed at the company for ten months since her first day in Nov. 2021.

Patreon eventually confirmed the layoffs of its security team members, with its US policy head Ellen Satterwhite confirming it in a statement to Tech Crunch.

Though Satterwhite did not mention if Patreon did let go of its own security team or how many members the team has, it did reveal that the company is working with external organizations to "develop our security capabilities and conduct regular security assessments."

Conte mentioned in his recent announcement that the layoffs for its security team were part of a longer-term strategy to continue distributing security responsibilities to its engineering team. It would also allow Patreon to bring in "new areas of expertise into Patreon internally, and continue partnering with external experts."

Related Article: Ukraine Raises $10 Million in Crypto Donations: European Country Accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT
A petition launched for an annual 'Queen Elizabeth Day' bank holiday in honour of the late monarch on the anniversary of her death has reached more than 100,000 signatures.

The campaign was started by John Harris on Change.org and proposes that September 8, the day she died, is made into a Queen Elizabeth II Day to honour her each year.

John's petition says: 'Queen Elizabeth II is our longest reigning Monarch, and arguably the Nations, and the world's most popular monarch.

'In the words of President Macron, 'to you, she was your Queen, to us, she was THE QueenThe most constant symbol of Great Britain.

'Britain has fewer bank holidays than most European countries; France has 11 compared with our 8, Spain has 14.

'I believe we need a new public bank holiday to mark our greatest Sovereign's lifetime; a Queen Elizabeth Day.

'A day for our Nation to come together and celebrate both the life of the Queen, and our gratitude for the institution of our Royal Family.'

John had aimed for 25,000 signatures on the petition and has currently racked up more than 100,000.

The petition was started by John Harris on Change.org and asks that September 8, the day she died, is made into a Queen Elizabeth II Day to honour her each year

John had aimed for 25,000 signatures on the petition and has currently racked up more than 100,000

Thousands have commented messages of support for the proposed bank holiday underneath the petition.

Tracy Easton wrote: 'After serving for 70 years, this outstanding service needs to be marked.'

And Grahame Gaddas said: 'Respect for a life of service'.

Peter Taylor said: 'What better way to keep the memory of a great woman.'

George Howard penned: 'A day to remember the greatest Queen, the greatest woman and probably the greatest Briton who ever lived.'

Paul Welch wrote: 'Wonderful idea and a fitting tribute to her Majesty.'

The petition comes as the UK prepares for a one-off bank holiday on September 19 for the Queen's funeral.

Thousands have commented messages of support for the proposed bank holiday underneath the petition
However despite planning to stay in Australia for two weeks, he was on a plane back to the United States within two days after the relationship did not work out

Caleb was allowed to leave the airport and travelled with Cecilia to her home

Immigration manage to track Cecilia down she confirms Caleb's story and says she is happy to support him during his two-week stay

The pair never met in person and Cecilia only ever saw one blurry photo of him

Caleb only had $100 for his planned two week stay and was relying on Cecilia

Visit did not go to plan after an encounter with immigration officials

An American man who spent 20 hours travelling to meet the love of his life for the first time flew home just two days later despite planning to stay in Australia for more than two weeks.

A resurfaced episode of Australian Border Security shows American Caleb and Australian Cecilia meeting for the first time after spending two years in an online relationship.

Caleb had just landed in Sydney when he was pulled aside by immigration officers wanting to check his story.

American Caleb (above) flew 20 hours to meet his online Australian girlfriend of two years, Cecilia

After talking to him for a short time authorities said they were concerned because Caleb planned to spend two weeks in Australia almost entirely supported by a person he'd never met.

When asked if he had enough money to keep himself off the streets if he and his mystery lover had a fight, Caleb said he had $100 in his wallet and access to maybe $30 in a debit account.

'I've stretched money worse than this situation,' Caleb told immigration.

He then tells the officer he has no way of contacting Cecilia and asks them to call Melbourne Airport, where she is waiting for him, in the hopes she's talked to an information desk.

Cecilia said she had only ever seen one blurry photo of Caleb before meeting him for the first time, despite being in a relationship for two years

When immigration manage to track Cecilia down she confirms Caleb's story and says she is happy to support him during his two-week stay.

'I met him over the internet about two years ago,' Cecilia said.

'We started emailing each other and at the beginning of this year he asked me for my number. We've been chatting on the phone ever since.'

Caleb said he was embarrassed by some of the 'details' of his trip, mainly his lack of funds, but was excited to meet Cecilia.

'Things have a weird way of working out and even though I haven't met her, we both love each other very much,' he said.

After immigration held Caleb for six hours to figure out his money situation, the pair finally met and returned to Cecilia's home, but the relationship did not work out and he returned to the United States within two days, despite planning to stay for at least two weeks

'I just need that closure of finally meeting her to solidify all the things that have been said and all the feelings and whatnot.'

After six hours in immigration, Cecilia and Caleb finally met for the first time in Melbourne Airport.

Before that moment, Cecilia said she had only ever seen one blurry photo of her online boyfriend of two years.

Video shows the pair awkwardly standing next to each other outside the airport gate and talking about the long flight.

They then hugged and headed to Cecilia's house.

However, the two-year romance didn't take long to die with Border Security confirming Caleb flew back to the US just a few days later, despite planning to stay in Australia for more than two weeks.
King Charles should pay inheritance tax on his late mothers estate, campaigners said yesterday.

Under rules signed in 1993, the Queen agreed to pay income and capital gains tax  but sovereign-to-sovereign bequests are exempt from inheritance tax.

Her late Majestys personal wealth, which included property, private investments and racehorses, was estimated to be around 370million. This would mean the King would be liable for an inheritance tax bill  usually charged at 40 per cent above a 325,000 threshold  of 148million.

Yesterday some members of the public agreed with tax campaigners that it was a joke that ordinary, middle-class families are forced to pay inheritance tax on their wealth while the King is exempt.

Campaigners are calling for King Charles to pay inheritance tax on his late mothers estate. Under rules signed in 1993, the Queen agreed to pay income and capital gains tax  but sovereign-to-sovereign bequests are exempt from inheritance tax

However, others said it was wrong for the Royal Familys wealth to be whittled away with each generation.

In 2016 the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, inherited 9billion almost tax free because his estate was held in trust.

The Royal Familys wealth has been estimated to be around 24billion, although this includes property such as Buckingham Palace, which only belongs to the monarch in an official capacity. The Queens death has sparked fresh debate about the tax advantages granted to the sovereigns private wealth. Supporters of the 1993 deal argue it is important the monarch has sufficient private resources.

The Royal Familys wealth has been estimated to be around 24billion, although this includes property such as Buckingham Palace, which only belongs to the monarch in an official capacity

But Robert Palmer, from Tax Justice UK, said: I dont think its fair that the King isnt going to be paying inheritance tax on the private fortune hes going to inherit from his mother.

Its important to make a distinction between money that is held by the Crown and the sovereign, like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle  that is a different question. But the King is also inheriting a big chunk of money in racehorses, property and private investments.

Richard Murphy, a tax campaigner and professor of accountancy at Sheffield University, said: Why should there be one rule for the monarch and another for everyone else? Shouldnt a constitutional monarch be our equal before the law?

There was broad agreement among callers to LBC radio station yesterday. A caller from Liverpool said: I think its a joke to say the Royal Family would have very little left after inheritance tax.
A woman hasn't been seen in four days after she vanished while bushwalking in a national park following a psychedelic festival in Far North Queensland.

Juliana Jaramillo Castrillon, 36, was last seen on a hike from Cedar Bay to Home Rule, near Rossville, north of Cairns, on Saturday morning.

Ms Castrillon, who was born in Colombia but now lives in Byron Bay, had been at the Orin Aya festival, a four-day music, arts and culture event described as a 'psychedelic global gathering' which finished on September 5.

Her best friend Alejandra Correa said she was supposed to return to Byron Bay on the weekend but never showed up.

Juliana Jaramillo Castrillon, 36, was last seen on a hike from Cedar Bay to Home Rule, near Rossville, north of Cairns, on Saturday morning

Ms Castrillon, who was born in Colombia but now lives in Byron Bay, had been at the Orin Aya festival, a four-day music, arts and culture festival described as a 'psychedelic global gathering' which finished on September 5

Ms Castrillon had left the festival and was on a hike from Cedar Bay to Home Rule when she went missing

'I know festivals people take drugs but she's not that kind of person, she's into spirituality and meditation,' Ms Correa told the Cairns Post.

An aerial search of the area was carried out on Monday and Tuesday but was called off due to the dense terrain making it difficult to see.

Police and SES volunteers will launch a ground search and rescue on Wednesday morning.

Police are urging anyone with information on Ms Castrillon's whereabouts to contact them

The 36-year-old is 169centimetres tall, with shoulder-length black hair and was last seen wearing a cap.

She has her nose pierced and has tattoos on her lower back, foot and her chest.

The walking track from Cedar Bay to Home Rule is about 15 to 17km long, and takes around eight hours.

Hikers are recommended to have a good level of fitness to take on the trek which takes walkers through thick rainforest.

Anyone with information regarding Ms Castrillon's whereabouts is being urged to contact police.

Police and SES volunteers are scouring the area in search of the 36-year-old
A homecoming, but the most sorrowful sort. Under shroud-black skies last night, the Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace for the final time.

Her flag-draped coffin was met by grieving members of the Royal Family  led by King Charles III and the Queen Consort  who will mourn privately. Such a source of stability, comfort and continuity for the nation for so many years, it is still scarcely believable she is no longer in our presence.

Scarcely believable, too, that a few short weeks ago thrilled crowds packed into the Mall to cheer her appearance on the palace balcony to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

What a poignant contrast to today, when solemn well-wishers will line London's streets as her coffin is transported to Westminster Hall, for four days' lying in state.

A homecoming, but the most sorrowful sort. Under shroud-black skies last night, the Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace for the final time

However, there are grave fears the Government and authorities (not, we hasten to add, the Palace) have failed to plan adequately for the huge public desire to salute the much-loved sovereign in person.

People, having flocked from across the kingdom, face 35-hour queues to file past her coffin. Logistics suggest only 400,000 will do so  with millions left bitterly disappointed.

But man has landed on the Moon, for goodness' sake. It shouldn't be beyond the wit of ministers and officials to find a common sense solution. What about extending the funeral route, to ease the immense strain?

As Robert Hardman writes today, this is to be the greatest collective farewell of our lifetimes. We won't get a second chance.

People, having flocked from across the kingdom, face 35-hour queues to file past her coffin. Logistics suggest only 400,000 will do so  with millions left bitterly disappointed

Breach of protocol

In a moving service of reflection in Belfast yesterday, attended by King Charles, the Archbishop of Armagh spoke powerfully of one of the Queen's finest achievements.

Driven by duty and empathy, he said, she was a major force for healing and reconciliation between Northern Ireland's divided Unionist and Nationalist communities, as well as Britain and Ireland.

Indeed, her historic handshake with the former IRA terrorist Martin McGuinness in 2012 signposted a better future, free from bloodshed and hatred.

On the first visit to the province by a British king in 80 years, Charles rightly pledged to follow her 'shining example'.

In a moving service of reflection in Belfast yesterday, attended by King Charles, the Archbishop of Armagh spoke powerfully of one of the Queen's finest achievements

After all, he himself has been touched by Troubles tragedy: The IRA murdered his great-uncle, Earl Mountbatten, in a brutal terror attack in 1979. He knows perfectly well that as sovereign he cannot overstep into political opinion  especially given the sensitivities in Northern Ireland.

It is hard, then, to understand what Simon Coveney seeks to achieve by hinting that the King wants a deal with the EU on the broken Northern Ireland protocol, which has already inflamed sectarian tensions.

Is the Irish foreign minister cynically seeking to exploit the mourning period for political ends? Or does he fundamentally misunderstand that the British monarch has to be strictly politically neutral?

Policing free speech

With wearying inevitability, a tiny number of anti-monarchist protesters have targeted public events to mourn the Queen and celebrate the new King.

But while these demonstrations were insensitive and inappropriate, the police's heavy-handed response to those expressing republican views is deeply troubling.

Should a man who yelled 'Who elected him?' at a proclamation of Charles III really be arrested? Was it honestly proportionate to charge a woman simply for holding up a sign that read 'Abolish the monarchy'? Their actions were hardly high treason.

Sadly, this was the latest disturbing example of officers overstepping the mark.

In this of all weeks, it's important the police remember the monarchy symbolises our democratic liberties. And the most essential one of those is freedom of speech.
Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian's romance with the barrister who represented her at a corruption inquiry is rumoured to have moved to a new level.

Arthur Moses - Ms Berejiklian's senior counsel when she first gave evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) - has bought some very fancy digs for $7.2million on Sydney's north shore.

And the word is the couple may have plans to live together.

Mr Moses' new home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a swimming pool and majestic views of Sydney's Middle Harbour.

It definitely has plenty of room for Ms Berejiklian to upgrade from her home in Northbridge, not far from where Mr Moses has moved to.

Gladys Berejiklian (left) is pictured with her boyfriend, senior counsel Arthur Moses (right)

Pictured is the $7.2million view from the north Sydney house Gladys Berejiklian's boyfriend Arthur Moses bought

Ms Berejiklian is now an executive with telecommunications company Optus, but has kept out of the limelight as she is still living under the cloud of the ICAC's investigation into her dealings as premier.

Mr Moses did not represent Ms Berejiklian when she was the subject of a 2021 ICAC inquiry into her secret relationship with disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire.

That inquiry finished almost a year ago, but the original expectation that ICAC would announce its findings by last February proved to be wildly optimistic.

A new book on Ms Berejiklian shed some light on her relationship with Mr Moses, revealing she had feelings for him for years before they got together romantically.

'Gladys has always held a torch for Arthur,' a senior Liberal is quoted as saying in The Secret, by journalist Alexandra Smith.

News of the couple finally hooking up was broken in a social media post by Ms Berejiklian's sister, Mary.

The staged photo of the then NSW premier and Mr Moses looking like they were in a 1950s period drama was posted to Instagram in June 2021.

Gladys Berejiklian (centre) is pictured with her boyfriend Arthur Moses (left) and sister Mary (right)

In the soft focus photo, Ms Berejiklian and Mr Moses were seen sitting on a couch, their hands almost touching.

Ms Berejiklian is smiling at Mr Moses as he says something, while Mary pouts at the camera in the corner of the picture.

'After work Friday feels with these two. Glad and her boo,' Mary captioned the photo.

It was part of a plan to let the public know about the relationship without making a big deal about it.

Pictured is the inside of the north Sydney house Gladys Berejiklian's partner paid $7.2million for

It soon garnered a lot of column inches, though, when Ms Berejiklian announced she was stepping down as premier because she was subject to the ICAC investigation.

She later left politics entirely.

When Ms Berejiklian resigned in October 2021, she became the third Liberal premier to be forced from office due to an ICAC inquiry.

When she was appointed to an executive role at Optus last February, its CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said the former premier was a proven leader who demonstrated strength, discipline and composure.

The secret relationship between former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) and disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire (right) was the subject of a corruption inquiry in 2021

Ms Rosmarin said she believed Ms Berejiklian would be a 'game changer' in her new role.

But that role could potentially be clouded by an adverse finding by the ICAC.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Ms Berejiklian through her employer seeking comment for this story but the offer was declined.

Mr Moses was also contacted and did not wish to comment.
Police are urging for public assistance as they investigate the shock death of a 12-year-old girl.

Tiffani Scholten was found unresponsive at a home in Coomera, Queensland on April 18 this year, as police continue investigations into her death.

Police were called to a Bellagio Crescent home around 8pm to attend to the young girl.

After emergency services had arrived on scene, she was declared dead.

Police are urging for public assistance as they investigate the shock death of 12-year-old girl Tiffani Scholten (pictured)

Detectives are asking for anyone who saw Tiffani between December 2021 and April 18, 2022 to come forward. They also asked for anyone who visited the home or had interactions with the family in the last two years to come forward

Detectives are asking for anyone who saw Tiffani between December 2021 and April 18, 2022 to come forward.

Police are also requesting for anyone who visited the home or had interactions with the family in the last two years to contact police.

It is understood Tiffani suffered from a number of health conditions, including the extremely rare Rett Syndrome, which affects how the brain develops.

The family had been living in the quiet neighbourhood for several years before police were called to the home on Easter Monday, 2022, where Tiffani could not be saved

Some children who are diagnosed with Rett Syndrome can live relatively normal lives, while others are completely debilitated by the condition.

Parents of the young girl had been told she may not live past four years of age, but she had managed to overcome the illness and had even started school.

The family had been living in the quiet neighbourhood for several years before police were called to the home on Easter Monday where Tiffani could not be saved.

Investigations into the circumstances and cause of her death are still ongoing.

Gold Coast Districts Child Protection and Investigation Unit are investigating with assistance from the Crime and Intelligence Commands Child Trauma Taskforce.
A man has been arrested in Saudi Arabia after claiming that he had travelled to the Holy City of Mecca to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The man, from Yemen, had posted a video of himself on social media inside the courtyard of Mecca's Grand Mosque, the holiest site in Islam, dedicating his Umrah pilgrimage to the late monarch.

Footage shows the man holding up a banner, which read in both English and Arabic: 'Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, may Allah grant her peace in heaven and accept her among the righteous.'

The clip was quickly shared online and gained attention sparking outrage among devout Muslims.

The man was later arrested by Saudi Police for 'violating the regulations and instructions' of the holy site.

A man has been arrested in Saudi Arabia after he posted a video inside the Grand Mosque (pictured) claiming that he had travelled to the Holy City of Mecca to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II

Footage shows the man (pictured) holding up a banner, which read in both English and Arabic: 'Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, may Allah grant her peace in heaven and accept her among the righteous'

Security forces then referred him to the public prosecutor to face charges.

In a statement, reported by Vice, the interior ministry of Saudi Arabia said: 'The special forces of the security of the Grand Mosque arrested a resident of Yemeni nationality who appeared in a video clip carrying a banner inside the Grand Mosque, violating the regulations and guidelines for Umrah.'

The Grand Mosque is off-limits to non-Muslims.

Saudi Arabia also bans signs and political slogans from the sacred courtyard for fear of offending Islamic sensibilities.

Visitors are also banned from dedicating their pilgrimages to deceased non-Muslims, therefore, the man attributing his pilgrimage to the late Queen, who was the head of the Church of England, would have broken the rules.

The mosque's white-and-grey marble complex is visible behind the Yemeni man.

Umrah is the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca, which can be performed at any time of the year.
Nearly 100 members of Congress bought or sold financial assets that intersected with the work of the committees they sit on, according to a New York Times report.

Of the 435 House members, 183 traded stocks through themselves or their immediate family members from 2019 to 2021. At least 97 bought or sold stocks, bonds or other financial assets through themselves or their spouses that directly intersected with their congressional work.

US lawmakers are not yet banned from making any stock trades, though insider trading is illegal for everyone.

The trades that intersect with committee work are split evenly on partisan lines - 49 Republicans and 48 Democrats.

The fact that nearly one-fifth of Congress has made trades that could represent a conflict of interest has sparked a slew of legislation proposals to ban lawmakers from making trades entirely.

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., has proposed her own legislation to ban trades, but was included in the list because her college-age son bought and sold stocks without her knowing.

Craig, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said she found out her son was trading stocks in Uber and Lyft when she filed her transaction paperwork.

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who traded stocks in 326 companies and had 43 conflicts

California Democrat Rep. Rho Khanna reported trades in 897 companies and had 149 potential conflicts

'As a mom, I would be grateful if my college student son was not allowed to own or trade stocks. And as a member of Congress, I'm working to pass a law to force him to listen to his mother,' she said in a statement to the Times.

Since 2012, Congress members have been bound by the STOCK Act which requires they report stock transactions of $1,000 or more by themselves or their family members.

Some of the most flagrant conflict of interest violators include Delaware Sen. Tom Carper, D, who traded in 138 companies and had 39 potential conflicts of interest, New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who traded stocks in 326 companies and had 43 conflicts and California Democrat Rep. Rho Khanna, who reported trades in 897 companies and had 149 potential conflicts.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul have come under fire for frequently trading millions - just this summer Paul bought $5 million of shares in a semiconductor chip manufacturer days before a vote that handed $52 billion to semiconductor manufacturers.
Sophie the Countess of Wessex is now in line to be elevated to become Duchess of Edinburgh if her husband Prince Edward takes his late father's title as Duke of Edinburgh as anticipated.

This raise in royal status for Sophie, 57, could be considered a touching tribute to the late Queen's daughter-in-law who lovingly called her 'mama'.

Queen Elizabeth II's title of Duchess of Edinburgh passing to Sophie would give her a front-and-centre role as one of a reduced number of working royals, as King Charles begins to slim down the monarchy.

The final say on rests with the King, the current Duke of Edinburgh after inheriting the role from Prince Philip, on whether he wishes to grant his youngest brother the title.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 04: Sophie, Countess of Wessex (right) and Princess Anne, Princess Royal (second-left) look on as Queen Elizabeth II (centre) cuts a cake celebrating 100 years of the Women's Institute at the Royal Albert Hall on June 4, 2015

The teary-eyed Countess of Wessex, Sophie studies the floral tributes and loving messages left to her mother-in-law, the Queen, at Crathie Kirk church near Balmoral on Saturday

Lady Louise Windsor, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Anne, Princess Royal wave to the public outside Balmoral Castle on Saturday

Prince Philip had said he wanted his youngest son to take on the title when it was the right time and his oldest son, then Prince Charles, was thought to have agreed.

However, some believed he had come round to changing his mind on the matter after the death of his father - but more recently experts believe Prince Edward will gain the Duke of Edinburgh title, the Telegraph reports.

For the title to change hands the king would need to write letters patent - an order from the monarch granting a title - to create a new dukedom of Edinburgh.

If gone ahead with, this move would be a touching and lasting connection between the late Queen and her much-loved daughter-in-law, Sophie.

At a service for her mother-in-law near Balmoral the Countess of Wessex was seen teary-eyed while kneeling to admire tributes - showing the depth of their relationship which had progressed to the point where the she was said to be treated as a 'second daughter' by the Queen.

The Queen cared for Sophie in 2005 after her mother, Mary Rhys-Jones, 77, died from stomach cancer in 2005.

As Prince Edward's and Sophie's house, Bagshot Park, is only a short trip from Windsor it meant the Queen's youngest son and his family to regularly visit.

Walking their dogs together was a favourite past-time of the pair. They also shared a love of military history, spending hours poring over ancient documents in the Royal Archives at Windsor, where Sophie and her mother-in-law indulged in their shared hobby, researching military history.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex attends a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday in Edinburgh

Sophie (left) has also become a source of advice for the new Princess of Wales (right), who sees that Sophie admires the way she is balances her royal duties with motherhood

Even if she was unable to see the Queen in person - the Countess of Wessex would always make sure to call 'mama' every day - and she was the first royal to speak about Prince Philip's death.

Along with the Kate, the Princess of Wales, and Princess Anne Sophie is just one of few female senior royals who will be guiding the Crown into its next era.

The PR guru from Oxford has won plaudits for her choice of work on preventable blindness and the issue of sexual violence in war, the Daily Mail reported on Monday.

She has also become a source of advice for the new Princess of Wales, who sees that Sophie admires the way she is balances her royal duties with motherhood.
Tesla's Chair, Robyn Denholm, confirms that they are building factories around the world.

At the National Press Club in Canberra, Denholm stated that they believe that the world will move forward towards electric vehicles and batteries that are lithium-ion based.

That is why Tesla is putting in the work to be present in all of the major markets around the world.

The Tesla Chair stated that they are building numerous Tesla manufacturing facilities around the world to support their goal of making 20 million vehicles a year by 2030.

In addition to its existing facilities in California and Shanghai, Tesla has only lately constructed manufacturing facilities in Texas and Berlin.

Tesla's Factories

Tesla's presence in various markets around the world plays a significant role for the company. Tesla's overarching objective is to produce 20 million electric vehicles by the year 2030.

One way to get there is to ensure that its manufacturing operations are effective and productive worldwide. Additionally, this is also the reason why the EV company is doubling down on its initiatives in markets where they have strong demand.

According to Bloomberg, Denholm stated, "Producing vehicles on continents is important because, again, when you're setting up a supply chain for the long term, you want those miles those cars travel before someone actually owns them to be the shortest possible, and that includes shipping and sea freight because all of those processes add to CO2 emissions."

One of Tesla's most significant markets is China. The company continues to receive a high level of demand for EVs. Tesla has a manufacturing facility in Shanghai, which also contributes a huge number to the overall production of EVs.

The EV company also experienced a turbulent operation during the past few months when China had a stringent COVID-19 lockdown due to the outbreak in the area.

However, after a production line renovation, the EV manufacturer's China operations are back in full swing. In total, Tesla shipped 76,965 Chinese-made cars in August, barely short of the record-breaking 78,906 deliveries in June.

Tesla Increases Hiring for Semi Service Program

Tesla has been reported to be increasing its hiring in different markets.

The EV company recently opened up a hiring program in the country called the Semi Service Program. This hiring project was launched as aligned with what the Tesla CEO has tweeted recently.

Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, stated that they would begin to ship out one of the most awaited vehicles in the company's lineup, the Semi Truck, this year.

It appears as though the Semi Service Program is looking to hire a new pool of talent that will help the company service the customers who will receive the trucks.

According to Tesla, some of the job descriptions include:

Being the first Semi Service technician.

Supporting the Tesla Service Centers if Needed.

Assisting Tesla's first customers with any and all fleet repairs that may be required.

Visit the company's clients and assist their mechanics and other technicians at their workshops.

Develop and continue to update a set of repair instructions that can be used by anybody who services a Tesla Semi.

Read Also: Apple Releases Patch for CVE-2022-32917 Exploit Affecting iPhones, Macs

Tesla in Thailand

Tesla is also building its presence in Southeast Asia. iTechPost previously reported the company's plan to open a branch in Thailand.

It has been detected that Tesla has submitted the proper legal documents needed to put its cars for sale in the country. It also posted 16 job offers in the possible store branch in Bangkok, Thailand.

It posted job positions like Public Policy & Business Development Manager, Senior Accountant, Senior Recruiter, and Consumer Engagement Manager.

Related Article: Tesla Increases Hiring in Thailand in Preparation for the EV Launch
A county court judge has ordered that a 132,000 Porsche Cayenne belonging to the Duke of Marlborough, can be seized by a finance company, after payments had defaulted.

Charles Spencer-Churchill, who owns spectacular Blenheim Palace, was not present in court in Oxford for the application to re-possess the top of the range luxury car.

Volkswagen Financial Services UK Ltd took the Duke to court for a hearing to recover the part paid-for car after it was alleged he failed to keep up payments - despite being worth 188 million.

The 12th Duke of Marlborough, Charles James Spencer Churchill, pictured, paid 68,000 towards a Porsche Cayenne in 2018 and agreed to settle the balance by installments

He failed to pay the remaining 64,000 of the balance to settle the original bill of 132k

The Duke, who owns Blenheim Palace, pictured, failed to turn up in court when the case was heard. He was ordered to hand over the car and pay 600 in costs

The Oxford Mail reported that Porsche Financial Services, trading as Volkswagen Financial Services UK Ltd, took the Blenheim Palace owner to court, claiming he owed almost 64,500 on the 132k Porsche Cayenne.

The newspaper reported that the Duke, whose name appears in court documents as Charles Spencer-Churchill, entered into the financial agreement in July 2018.

'He paid 67,721.64 for the Cayenne EST Turbo Tip S car - equating to little over half of the vehicle's total price of 132,194.34. That left an outstanding balance of 64,472.70 to pay,' the newspaper reported.

'In court papers Georgina Muschamp, for VW Financial Services, said a default notice was served on the Duke last September informing him about the unpaid instalments and warning him that the vehicle could be repossessed.

'The agreement was then effectively terminated in November.

'Ms Muschamp said VW Financial Services' solicitors wrote to the Duke in February demanding that he return the Porsche. The defendant [the Duke of Marlborough] has refused and/or failed to do so,' she said.

At the hearing, District Judge Richard Lumb ruled that the financial services firm could recover the Porsche, which had been 'wrongly kept' by the peer. He was also ordered to pay 602 in costs by September 13.

The newspaper said that Blenheim Palace had been approached for comment but no response was received from the Duke or his representatives.
A normally pristine creek in Australia's oldest national park has been turned black with a thick floating sludge after a US giant spilled coal mining waste into it.

James McCormack, editor of adventure publication Wild Magazine, took the horrifying photos of Camp Gully creek in Sydney's Royal National Park while running last Wednesday.

'I came through the bottom of Camp Gully creek, I stopped and caught my breath and looked at the water and went 'hang on, that looks surreal',' Mr McCormack told Daily Mail Australia.

A normally pristine creek in Australia's oldest national park has been turned black with a thick floating sludge after a US giant spilled coal mining waste into it

James McCormack, editor of adventure publication Wild Magazine, took the horrifying photos of Camp Gully creek in Sydney's Royal National Park while running last Wednesday.

How the waterways in Sydney's Royal National Park look after dry weather - without pollution

'The water was completely black as it flowed over the rocks, inky-black.

'It's an area that is pretty much unvisited, there's no tracks there marked on maps, but I go in there a lot, it's a beautiful rainforest, or usually it's beautiful.'

Looking closer he saw the water was blackened by dust with 'thick flows like black custard, black sludge', floating on top and settling on the sides of the creek.

'It was absolutely disgusting.'

Carefully avoiding the sludge, he rock-hopped up the Camp Gully creek to work out where the pollution came from.

It turned out the source was one of Australia's oldest coal mines, the Metropolitan Colliery, which sits adjacent to the park.

Runner James McCormack shows the actual colour of the water from a creek next to the Metropolitan Colliery south of Sydney

NSW government statements have confirmed the mine has polluted local rivers with spill from its coal mining activities.

The company managing the mine, which stretches under one of Sydney's water reservoirs, Woronora, is US giant Peabody Energy.

Peabody made made almost $5billion from operating 23 mines at home and in Australia in 2021, including the Metropolitan Colliery.

According to Peabody's website, 1.4 million tons of coal were sold from the Metropolitan Mine in 2019, and it produced $435million of 'direct and indirect economic benefits'.

The NSW Environmental Protection Agency fined Peabody $15,000 in June for polluting a local waterway in nearby Helensburgh, which is also in the Royal National Park.

Then on September 9, the EPA issued a Prevention Notice and told Daily Mail Australia it 'is investigating pollution from the site into Camp Gully Creek' and expects the company to start its clean-up 'next week'.

The Royal National Park is heritage-listed and became the second official national park in the world in 1872, after Yellowstone.

The general public has to pay $12 just to park a car anywhere in its 151-square kilometre boundary.

Several times in 2022 lumps of coal and coal particles have been found in the Hacking River, which had turned black in places, prompting outrage from environmentalists.

Another man who photographed the pollution this month, Cooper Riach, described it as 'horrifying'.

'The water in these photos flows directly into the Hacking River, through the Royal National Park, down to the Audley Weir, and out into the Port Hacking Waterway.'

Sydney's Royal National Park is heritage-listed and become the second official national park in the world in 1872, after Yellowstone

US giant Peabody Energy operates a coal mine on the edge of the Royal National Park, but environmentalists say they should be banned

The Hacking River, the water that runs through the heart of Royal National Park, has been impacted by yet another spill of coal waste,' said National Parks Association (NPA) CEO Gary Dunnett.

'The sight was truly unbelievable, the river looked more like flowing tar than the crystal-clear water youd expect in the deep rainforest of our first national park.'

The Sutherland Shire Environment Centre claimed life in the river had died and called on the NSW Government to ban Peabody from operating the mine.

Pollution in Camp Gully Creek in Australia's oldest national park, the Royal National Park

What trailer runner and magazine editor James McCormack saw - and filmed - in his local creek in the Royal National Park

'This company has shown they cannot be trusted to operate anywhere near the Royal National Park, the centre's spokesperson, Dr Catherine Reynolds, said.

This incident indicates they cannot be trusted to mine underneath Woronora Reservoir either.

'Camp Gully creek now appears barren of the aquatic life, and we are concerned about the extent to which this coal sludge is bioaccumulating in the riparian zones downstream.'

The NSW Minister for the Environment, James Griffin, told Daily Mail Australia he had 'spoke directly' to Peabody and stressed the need to fix the damage.

The University of NSW had intended to reintroduce platypus, a threatened species, to the Hacking River in the Royal National Park, but it could now be too polluted

Polluted water from Camp Gully flows into the Hacking River which runs through the Royal National Park to popular tourist spots such as Audley Weir

'I have spoken directly with the company to express my deep concerns and my immediate focus is on ensuring that remediation occurs as an urgent priority,' Mr Griffin said in a statement.

One of the main concerns is how the pollution affects fish, plants and animals, including the chances of platypus, which were intended to be revived in the area after not being seen there for decades.

The University of NSW had intended to reintroduce platypus to the Hacking River in the Royal National Park.

Platypus populations are in decline and the iconic mammal is thought to be a threatened species.

The NSW EPA said Peabody is now 'required to take immediate preventative actions'.

These include 'improving stormwater management practices and monitoring, increasing stormwater storage, and more stringent water quality standards prior to discharging from the site.'

A statement from Peabody Energy said it 'takes its environmental responsibilities seriously'.

'The company has taken immediate actions to rectify issues brought to light by extreme rain that affected the Illawarra region in the first half of this year.'

The company blamed the mine receiving 'almost 2500mm of rain, nearly double the expected annual rainfall in just seven months'.

Peabody said it is 'working closely' with the EPA 'to address the impacts of further heavy falls received recently' and that it had 'engaged external environmental experts to identify impacts to local waterways and advise on practical remediation measures'.

According to official Bureau of Meteorology data, rainfall in the area near the mine was less than half of the median for August.

Peabody added that its own environmental team has already carried out remediation work in the 'immediate vicinity of our site' but it was 'committed to undertaking any further activities that may be required'.
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A package that exploded at Northeastern University, sending a staffer, 45, to hospital with minor injuries to his hand was reportedly in a hard-sided Pelican case and contained a bizarre 'manifesto' railing against the Metaverse and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Northeastern University said the package, which exploded at 7.18 pm on Tuesday night, according to police, had been delivered to campus and detonated after being opened by the male staffer.

The package was delivered at about 7pm Tuesday night to Holmes Hall on Leon Street, and was detonated shortly after, authorities told NBC Boston.

Northeastern University Police Department tweeted that the building was secured three hours after the incident took place, just before 10pm.

Holmes Hall houses the Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies program, the journalism department and the campus Virtual Reality club and immersive media (VR) labs.

An anonymous student who is a member of the university's virtual reality club told DailyMail.com that he was disturbed by the incident - though he is unaware of any specific plot to target the organization.

He also said that the person who planted the bomb may simply have been 'hurt by an interaction they had' in the immersive digital space.

'I think it's possible that, given the loss of in-person communication during quarantine, some people (in the general public, not Northeastern students in particular) may have begun relying on virtual reality for social interaction,' they told DailyMail.com.

'We don't know what psychological effects this has yet, it's a very new space.'

'It's possible that someone was hurt by an interaction they had in VR and wanted to lash out. But that's just a guess - it seems odd to target Northeastern in particular.'

Holmes Hall houses the Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies program, the journalism department and the campus Virtual Reality club, according to twitter users

Theories that the explosion may have been targeted toward Northeastern University Virtual Reality emerged on social media just hours after the incident

While the theory remains unfounded, a former member of the group said 'VR and Zuckerberg' could be at the root of the attack because of a newly founded reliance on virtual platforms during the pandemic

Northeastern University said the package, which exploded at 7.18 pm on Tuesday night, had been delivered to campus and detonated after being opened by a staff member

The package was delivered at about 7pm Tuesday night to the Leon Street building

Holmes Hall was evacuated and Northeastern University Police Department tweeted that the area was secure three hours after the incident took place

A package that exploded at Northeastern University, sending a male staffer, 45, to hospital was reportedly in a 'Pelican case' and contained a bizarre 'manifesto'

A Pelican case is a hard often waterproof black case with a soft inner lining typically used to transport delicate items

Security expert Todd McGhee, a former Massachusetts State Police trooper, told NBC10 Boston that he expects that investigators will be able to learn information from the device despite the blast.

'Even in an explosion, the components of the device do not necessarily disintegrate,' McGhee told NBC10 Boston.

'So there will be tangible evidence that will be collected and then, in a sense, reassembled to a point to be able to understand all of the components that were utilized.'

Boston police also responded to a report of another suspicious package on Huntington Avenue, in the area of the Museum of Fine Arts. Police later said that was determined to be unfounded.

Cambridge police were also called to investigate a suspicious package in the 1100 block of Cambridge Street Tuesday night, but said it was 'an empty, abandoned suitcase'.

The area has been at the center of bomb threats before with the Boston Children's hospital, a five minute drive from Holmes Hall, receving a bomb threat just two weeks ago.

The threat came after weeks of harassment from rightwing campaigns that have targeted the children's hospital for working with transgender youth.

The Boston Police Department's bomb squad say a search revealed a second similar package that was ultimately rendered safe.

The Boston Bomb Squad, Boston Police, Boston fire and Boston Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to the Leon Street incident, shortly after the package detonated, at about 7.20pm.

In a press conference to media Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she is taking the incident 'very seriously' - but made no mention of any manifesto, which was first reported by WBZ-TV News.

Northeastern University said a package, which exploded at 7.18pm Tuesday night, had been delivered to campus and detonated when opened by a male staff member aged 45

Terrorism cannot be ruled out by authorities after a package exploded at the Boston University, leaving one person injured and taken to hospital

Northeastern University Police Department tweeted that Holmes Hall was secure three hours after the incident took place, earlier asking people to avoid the area

Harvard University tweeted they are working with authorities to keep their campus safe

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology tweeted for people to report any suspicious activity

#BREAKING: Firefighters and bomb squad investigating additional suspicious item on Northeastern University campus in Boston following explosion that left one hurt; nearby buildings evacuated pic.twitter.com/KGWg0IqyBO  I.E.N. (@BreakingIEN) September 14, 2022

What is the 'Metaverse'? Led by the Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, the 'Metaverse' is a set of virtual spaces where you can game, work and communicate with other people who aren't in the same physical space as you. Users' avatars are able to explore the online world and meet, interact and visit a fast-growing network of virtual locations such as cities, country scenes or cafes. Landowners can also use their virtual spaces to design experiences for others to enjoy. Zuckerberg believes the virtual world is the future and launched the Oculus Quest headset, now called the Meta Quest. Facebook explained: 'You'll be able to hang out with friends, work, play, learn, shop, create and more. 'It's not necessarily about spending more time online  it's about making the time you do spend online more meaningful.' While Facebook is leading the charge with the metaverse, it explained that it isn't a single product one company can build alone. 'Just like the internet, the metaverse exists whether Facebook is there or not,' it added. 'And it won't be built overnight. Many of these products will only be fully realized in the next 10-15 years.' Advertisement

'This city is home to everyone's young people, from our littlest learners up to our college students and university staff,' said Mayor Wu.

'So we want to make sure we emphasize that this is of the utmost priority, the safety and well-being of all of our young people here.'

Holmes Hall was evacuated and a notification was sent to the Boston campus at 7.55pm urging people to avoid the area.

Shortly after 8.30 pm, the university notified Northeastern students that evening classes at the Behrakis Health Sciences Center, Shillman Hall, Ryder Hall, Kariotis Hall, Dockser Hall and West Village F are canceled due to the ongoing investigation.

Other universities in the area including The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard also voiced concern.

MIT tweeted: 'MIT Alert: Explosion at Northeastern U. MIT Police are urging all MIT community to be cautious. Please report any suspicious packages.

Jacob Isaacs (pictured) who was in class in Holmes Hall when it was evacuated says there had been some confusion about what was transpiring to prompt the evacuation

Isaacs added that they did not hear anything that sounded like an explosion before they saw first responders arrive

There are no clear leads into the mystery explosion which injured a 45-year-old Northeastern staffer

Harvard University tweeted: 'Harvard Alert: HUPD is aware of reports of a detonation of a suspicious package at Northeastern.

'We are working with law enforcement and increasing patrols on Harvard campuses.

'Out of abundance of caution we urge community members to report anything suspicious to 617-495-1212.'

A 7News reporter speaking to authorities on the ground said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are currently coordinating with Boston Police and Terrorism had not been ruled out.

'FBI currently coordinating with Boston Police Sources say too early to say whether this is related to terrorism or not,' the tweet read.

Boston Police told NBC Boston that the explosion took place on campus at Holmes Hall on Leon Street and the building was evacuated.

The Boston Bomb Squad, Boston Police, Boston fire and Boston EMS responded to the Leon Street incident and the FBI is also involved

Boston Emergency Medical Services tweeted reports of the explosion and said at least one person had been taken to hospital earlier in the night

Jacob Isaacs who was in class in Holmes Hall during its evacuation told 7News there was some confusion about what had happened when the incident took place.

'We were in class and then we saw two policemen walk through the building and then as soon as we look out the window, we see a fire truck with the lights on blazing,' said Issacs.

'Our teacher is like 'I gotta see what's going on,' and he sees that the fire truck is going and there's a police car outside and as that happened, instantly the fire alarm starts going off.

Isaacs added that they did not hear anything that sounded like an explosion before they saw first responders arrive.

Investigations into the incident continues with Northeastern University Police Department asking people to 'avoid the area.'

It is still unclear where the package came from as investigations into the matter continue.
A teenager has died in a road crash, just minutes after police tried to stop the car he was travelling in.

The driver, who is also a teenager, is expected to be charged over the incident.

On Tuesday night, South Australia Police patrols saw the Holden Commodore, which had a defect notice, at Andrews Farm in Adelaide's north.

Officers did not chase the car when it drove off, but a short time later it crashed into a fence at the Edinburgh RAAF base.

A teenaged boy has died in a road crash, shortly after police tried to stop the car he was travelling in. Pictured is a stock image of a South Australian police vehicle

Three people were seen running from the scene and the teenager was found lying on the ground.

The 17-year-old boy was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital but died a short time later.

The three who fled the scene - a 16-year-old boy who was the driver, a 21-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman - were later picked up by police.

The driver is expected to be charged over the incident.

All three were taken to the Lyell McEwin Hospital with minor injuries.

The teenager's death takes the SA road toll for 2022 to 53, compared to 68 at the same time last year.
Four new mothers forced to watch a fellow mum beg for help as prison staff refused to help her child are set to front an inquest into the baby's death.

Daily Mail Australia reported this week a prison nurse who refused to perform CPR on the newborn baby inside Melbourne's Dame Phyllis Frost Centre's has been granted immunity from prosecution.

'Baby A' was just 12 days old when she died in the arms of her mother inside the jail's dedicated 'Mothers and Children Units' in 2018.

The jail houses some of the nation's deadliest women, including gangland matriarch Judy Moran and the 'Black Widow' serial killer Robyn Lindholm.

Women live together in large groups inside the women's prison

Black Widow killer Robyn Lindholm calls Dame Phyllis Frost home

Inside Dame Phyllis Frost: Inmates were forced into lockdown for four days after a baby died in the dedicated Mothers and Children Units in August last year

Victorian Coroner John Olle will spend up to two weeks hearing evidence about the tragic death of the infant in the hope of ensuring nothing like it ever happens again.

The inquest comes almost three years after an investigation by Daily Mail Australia exposed the shocking death of Baby A, who along with her mother cannot be named for legal reasons.

The coroner heard prison nurse Georgina Melody refused to provide CPR to the baby, arguing she was already dead when alerted by the baby's frantic mum.

On Thursday, four inmates, who can only be referred to as Cathy, Beth, Alice and Donna, will enter the witness box to recount the shocking night Baby A was abandoned by authorities.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal it was 5.30am when Baby As mother called out for help after finding her child was not breathing.

The court heard her fellow prisoners tried to help with CPR while waiting for prison guards to open the doors to 'permit medical attention'.

'The nurse on duty attended but did not perform CPR after making an assessment that Baby A had been dead for some time,' documents state.

'Country Fire Authority and Ambulance Victoria members responded but Baby A was pronounced dead at the scene.'

Despite the tragedy, counsel assisting the coroner Rachel Ellyard told the court the validity of the prison program itself would not make up any part of the inquest.

'I stress that inquest is not about the validity or appropriateness of the Mothers and Children Program or about whether, as a general rule, children should live in a prison setting. That broader question does not arise on the facts here,' she said in opening the inquest.

However, the inquest does hope to provide answers as to how Baby A even found herself locked in jail with her drug addict mum and jailers.

'Baby As case raises important questions about how children in her position are cared for and whether those with the power and responsibility to take action to protect Baby As welfare exercised those powers and responsibilities in a way which best protected her interest,' Ms Ellyard said.

A bird's eye view of Melbourne's notorious Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. It houses some of Australia's worst female prisoners

Dame Phyllis Frost Centre can hold 604 inmates and contains a dedicated unit for mothers and their children, from babies up to to pre-schoolers

Dame Phyllis Frost Centre now contains a room that no other inmate dares sleep inside of. It is the room where a newborn baby died

Ms Melody's barrister Robert Harper told the court his client would refuse to give evidence at the inquest unless the nurse was granted immunity from a 'civil penalty'.

'It's not in dispute that nurse Melody did not perform CPR,' he said.

The court heard the nurse's decision not to assist the baby shocked not only the baby's mother, but prison staff and investigators.

In a gut wrenching impact statement, the baby's mother addressed her dismay at the alleged failure of her jailers to help.

'I still cannot understand why none of the staff did CPR or anything for the baby until the firefighters arrived,' she told the court.

Multiple prison guards expressed similar concern about the nurse's alleged failure to provide assistance to the baby.

'I did not see the nurse perform any CPR on the child. I found this to be quite distressing to witness,' one guard said.

'I was surprised and distressed by this lack of action,' another said.

A prison operation supervisor told the inquest he too was upset about Ms Melody's 'inaction' on the night.

'I was taken aback by the fact that nobody was giving medical treatment to the baby,' he said.

Dr Julia Charlton, a Fellow at Murdoch Children's Research Institute who provided expert opinion to the inquest, condemned the nurse for her failure to act.

'The first responders could have provided earlier CPR , particularly the onsite nurse , who was a trained professional ... the actions of the other first responders cannot be faulted,' she stated to the inquest.

Inside a standard prison cell within the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. A coroner is expected to investigate how a baby died within its concrete walls

Babies are made to wait for treatment inside Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Melbourne.

TIMELINE TO DISASTER Baby As mother was in custody from late January 2018 and spent nearly the entirety of her pregnancy in custody. She had used ice and heroin prior to her incarceration and was prescribed methadone throughout her pregnancy. Mum made an application to enter the prison mother's program which was considered by a steering committee on May 8 that year. A child protection representative on the committee and her manager both felt the application should be refused. On May 20 the person responsible for the program emailed members of the committee seeking their agreement to support the application. 'For reasons which are unclear' the email did not go to the child protection representative. Other members of the committee supported the application, as did the General Manager of jail after a meeting she had with Baby As mother on May 25. On May 30 her application was ultimately approved. Advertisement

The four inmates to give evidence on Thursday have already provided a glimpse of the nightmare they each experienced alongside the distraught mum inside the jail.

The mother and underweight baby had only been discharged from hospital that afternoon.

Baby A's mum had awoken to find her unresponsive - a death later determined to be Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

'It's clear from her coronial impact statement that she felt that there was a delay. The statements of her fellow prisoners also indicate how long it seemed to them before any help arrived,' Ms Ellyard said.

'When help did come in the form of prison guards and then the nurse, it was distressing to some that no CPR was attempted.

'It may be that Baby A was already beyond help, but the evidence will consider whether overall Baby A and her mother received a timely response, remembering that they were locked in a prison unit with no access to the outside world other than through the assistance of prison officers.'

Coroner Olle granted Ms Melody the immunity certificate - saving her from any potential fallout from whatever it is she says in the witness box next week.

While the inaction of prison staff has come under scrutiny, the inquest is likely to determine how Baby A and her mother were let down by those employed by taxpayers to keep them safe.

The court heard Baby A's mum had been a long term drug addict, which saw the child born is custody with an addiction to methadone - a drug used to wean drug addicts off heroin.

Judy Moran lives in a disability unit inside a special section of Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. She was once the matriarch of the Moran crime family, which were all killed during Melbourne's gangland war

Despite concerns about granting Baby A's mum access to the child in prison, child welfare staff had been left out of the loop when the decision was ultimately made by a steering committee, and did nothing when they eventually found out just days before the child died.

The coroner will determine if the desires of Baby A's mother to be with her baby clouded the minds of those that made decisions placing the baby back in custody with her.

Baby A had been discharged from hospital just days after birth before returning for two additional nights due to weight concerns.

On the afternoon Baby A was discharged again she had weighed less than her birth weight just days earlier.

Under the prison program, children up to the age of pre-school are allowed to live with mothers inside the maximum security jail.

A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokeswoman refused to comment on a series of allegations put to it about the incident when questioned in 2019 and instead directed Daily Mail Australia to its website.

'Victoria Police was called to investigate and provide a report for the Coroner,' the spokeswoman stated then.

Multiple sources have told Daily Mail Australia the tragedy occurred during the night when staffing was at a minimum.

Prisoners in the dedicated unit were asleep when they awoke to haunting screams from the young mother.

One inmate allegedly saw the motionless child on a couch with the hysterical mother crying for help.

Another young mum in the unit, who had no CPR training, desperately tried to revive the baby, but was unsuccessful.

When guards arrived, they immediately called a 'code black' for the prison's nurse, but allegedly made no attempt to resuscitate the little girl themselves.

Prisoners were placed into lockdown for four days after the tragedy while police and prison authorities tried to piece together what had happened.

Under the prison initiative, jailed mums are only allowed two visits a week, however, they can apply to have their babies picked up by loved ones any other day.

Corrections Victoria claims mothers who have their child living with them in prison are housed in accommodation that 'meets acceptable community standards for the safe, and secure housing of children and adequately meets the nutritional, developmental and health needs of the child'.

It further states a maternal child health nurse visits the prison 'regularly' to assist with the nutritional and health requirements of babies and young children.

The inquest continues.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lost his patience at reporters asking about Queen Elizabeth II's appearance on the $5 note for the second day in a row.

Mr Albanese was left fuming on Wednesday when his press conference about Covid lick leave payments was interrupted by a journalist wanting to know about the Queen's place on Australia's $5.

'My view is that Queen Elizabeth's funeral is next Monday. Queen Elizabeth's funeral is next Monday, my focus isn't on who is on the $5,' Mr Albanese told the journalist.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told off another journalist for asking about the Queen's place on the Australian $5 note during a press conference about Covid payments

It comes after Mr Albanese roused another journalist for asking a similar question on Tuesday.

'I'm speaking about a funeral that will take place of Queen Elizabeth II next Monday - and I'm being asked a question about a replacement on the $5 note,' he said.

'I think this is a time for a bit of respect is required.

'And, you know, we will deal with these issues appropriately, in an orderly way, in a way that is respectful - so, I have not turned my attention towards that matter.'

Wednesday was the second day in a row Mr Albanese blew up over the monarch's appearance on Australian currency

Earlier in the conference, Mr Albanese announced Covid payments will continue past the September 30 deadline and remain in place as long as mandatory isolation periods of five days are applied by all states and territories.

The payment allows workers to access up to $540 in taxpayer funds to make up for lost pay while in isolation.

'The government has a responsibility to provide support during that period which is designated currently at five days, except for people in aged care, disability care, et cetera, which remains at seven days,' Mr Albanese told reporters on Wednesday.

Mr Albanese (pictured with partner Jodie Haydon) will travel to London on Monday for the Queen's funeral

'We remain obviously of the view that if people are sick, whether from Covid or from other health issues, they should not be at work and that is important.'

Mr Albanese also announced a new cap on payment that will stop people from claiming more than three payments within a six-month period.

'Services Australia data indicates that over the six months to the 30 June, 2022, of claims made by individuals who claimed more than once, about 13 per cent were claimed four or more times,' he said.

'That is a claim every 6.5 weeks or more.'

Mr Albanese will fly over to London for the Queen's funeral in Westminster Abbey on Monday.

The funeral will be followed by an Australian public holiday on Thursday declared a 'national day of mourning' for the monarch of 70 years and a Canberra memorial service.
Oceanic CEO of accounting giants Ernst and Young David Larocca has been trolled on professional social media website LinkedIn over the suicide of senior auditor, Aishwarya Venkatachalam

The Australian CEO of accounting giant Ernst and Young has been trolled on LinkedIn over the suicide death of a senior auditor after he refused to say her name in a conference call with staff.

David Larocca has come under fire over the Big Four firm's reaction to Aishwarya Venkatachalam, 27, falling to her death from the 11th floor of the company's Sydney headquarters.

A recent town hall speech by Mr Larocca to his 9,000 staff was slammed by some workers for not even mentioning Ms Venkatachalam's name when discussing the fatal incident.

Mr Larocca had insisted the company was 'working to maintain space and privacy for Ms Venkatachalam's family' - reasoning that did not pass muster with some staff, who complained to Daily Mail Australia.

Now he has been pursued on executive networking site LinkedIn - with a recent online comment by Mr Larocco about a fellow executive's selfie skills copping a damning three word reply from a furious businessman: 'Say her name'.

The CEO did not reply to the trolling, but the company released a lengthy letter about Ms Venkatachalam and the safety of its CBD headquarters when approached by Daily Mail Australia on Thursday night.

Aishwarya Venkatachalam's newlywed husband Nakul Mulari was on a flight home from Singapore to Sydney at the time of her death

A troll on LinkedIn replied to the EY CEO David Larocca's most recent online comment with the simple damning three-word message: 'Say her name.' Mr Larocca has not replied to the post

There is no suggestion EY - as Ernst and Young is now called - or Ms Venkatachalam's co-workers or her superiors were in any way responsible for her death.

'This has been an incredibly difficult time for the family, friends and colleagues of our audit colleague Aishwarya Venkatachalam, following her tragic death late last month. It has shocked and saddened all of us at EY,' the statement said.

'Since the tragic event, we have been consulting with independent experts specialising in workplace culture, healthy work practices and psychological safety to shape the framework for a rigorous and wide-ranging review of EY Australia.

'We will shortly be announcing details of the firm engaged to undertake this review. We are fully committed to transparency with the findings and implementation of the review recommendations.'

Ms Venkatachalam - who used the abbreviated Venkat form of her name professionally - was at a work drinks function at Sydney's The Ivy nightclub on August 26.

She returned to her George St office in the CBD later that night and fell to her death.

The incident sparked a furious backlash against EY's pressure-packed work culture.

It also raised accusations of racism and bullying among staff, which Ms Venakatachalam had alleged to friends she had faced.

But Mr Larocca's recent hour-long address to workers spent just four minutes on her death, infuriating many who branded it 'entitled', 'indulgent' and displaying a 'tin ear' to the trauma suffered by staff.

A recent town hall speech by Mr Larocca to his 9,000 staff was slammed by some for not even mentioning Aishwarya Venkatachalam's name (pictured, an EY careers event in Australia)

The anger increased when he took to LinkedIn to comment on a fellow executive's picture of himself at a conference, telling him he 'needs to work on his selfie skills'.

'EY's CEO commenting on LinkedIn a week ago to an unrelated public post only days after one of his employees ended her life,' one worker fumed to Daily Mail Australia.

A poster calling himself Patrick Chaperon, general manager of 'Victorian Lub Pty Ltd' then posted the 'Say her name' comment.

Others have also relived their grim experiences at EY after Daily Mail Australia revealed how Ms Venkatachalam spoke to Good Samaritans who tried to help her just 30 minutes before she died.

The claims of racism echoed similar comments Aishwarya Venkatachalam (right) had made to friend Neeti Bisht (left) in April that 'mean colleagues' had made her new life in Sydney a misery

EY'S FULL GROVELLING LETTER This has been an incredibly difficult time for the family, friends and colleagues of our audit colleague Aishwarya Venkatachalam, following her tragic death late last month. It has shocked and saddened all of us at EY. Our guiding principle throughout this tragic time has been to support and respect the wishes and privacy of Aishwaryas family. Now that many of her personal details have become public, we feel it is appropriate to refer to Aishwarya directly and personally. Aishwaryas colleagues knew her as a vibrant, happy and friendly team member and a generous and thoughtful friend who was always caring for others. The firm owes it to Aishwarya to not only understand fully the nature of her time working with EY but also to ensure that our workplace is as safe and positive as it can be for all our people. Since the tragic event, we have been consulting with independent experts specialising in workplace culture, healthy work practices and psychological safety to shape the framework for a rigorous and wide-ranging review of EY Australia. We will shortly be announcing details of the firm engaged to undertake this review. We are fully committed to transparency with the findings and implementation of the review recommendations. We continue to work closely with the police investigating the circumstances of her tragic death. The level 11 terrace of the EY building remains locked and inaccessible while Safe Work NSW is investigating safety matters and a Workplace Health & Safety assessment is carried out. EYs leadership remains focused on supporting all our people in every way possible while working through this difficult time. We want to know what we need to learn and change to do better, as we continue our focus on EY being a diverse, inclusive and safe workplace. The findings of the independent review will help us do that. Advertisement

They found her sobbing uncontrollably in a city centre car park where she told them 'everyone was so mean to her in her office and that white people are not nice and are mean people and racist.'

It echoed similar comments she had earlier made to her friend Neeti Bisht in April that 'mean colleagues' had been making her new life in Sydney a misery.

She told the three women she met in the car park that her house key was in her office but she couldn't get into the building to collect it and had nowhere else to go.

Her newlywed husband Nakul Mulari, whom she married in a spectacular three-day Tamil-Brahman ceremony in January 2021, was on a flight home from Singapore to Sydney at the time of her death.

Other bystanders helped her back to her office around midnight, but 20 minutes later she plummeted to her death onto the glass and wood awning over the building's front entrance.

Now others have taken to social media to reveal the racism they say they also faced at the firm.

Bystanders helped Aishwarya Venkatachalam back to her office around midnight, but 20 minutes later she plummeted to her death onto the glass and wood awning over the entrance

Newlywed Aishwarya Venkatachalam, 27, (pictured on her wedding day with husband, Nakul) plunged to her death amid claims she was bullied at work and was a victim of racism

'This is so EY Sydney,' posted one person claiming to be a former EY employee. 'Having experienced working at EY Sydney, I can totally understand this poor woman's state of mental health.

AISHWARYA'S TRAGIC TIMELINE OF EVENTS 2015: Graduates from Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce in Pune, India 2019: Joins Grant Thornton LLP in Bengaluru, India, as an Audit Senior January 2021: Marries husband Nakul in Chennai, India November 2021: Joins EY in Sydney as a Senior Auditor August 26, 2022: Confusion remains over Aishwarya's final movements. Conflicting reports say she left her office at either midday, 5.30pm or 7.30pm to join the EY social club drinks function at The Ivy nightclub. CCTV is said to show her returning to the office at about 7.30pm. She is said to have been seen moving between offices in the EY building. At 8pm she spoke on the phone to her husband in Singapore before he got on a flight back to Sydney. Several hours later, she is found allegedly drunk and distraught in a city centre car park just before midnight. She claims to have been kicked out of a work function and is unable to access her office to get her house key. Bystanders help back to her EY office building. August 27, 2022: At about 12.20am she falls to her death from the terrace on the roof of the 10th floor. Later that day, her husband returns to Sydney from a trip to Singapore to be told of the tragedy. Advertisement

'Those days with EY Sydney were just so miserable. One day, I literally broke down cause of unfairness and burnt out and cried so much at home.

'Luckily I have my family and friends to support me along.'

They added: 'The partners in that team tend to treat Asian workers like a dog as they expect those workers can always work hard and can deliver more.

'However, this doesn't mean that these people can get rewarded in the end and on the contrary, they tend to promote suckers and incapable people.

'One of the partners at EY Sydney always hires random people he meets in a restaurant or club. And he doesn't allow any managers above to say any constructive feedback at round table for those special people he has hired.

'If you do so, you will be in big trouble and you will be blacklisted. It is just so shocking how the practice can be allowed to run like this.

'The top management at EY Sydney should really take some action towards this toxic culture. Isn't the EY slogan to build a better working world?'

The tragedy has also caused anger among the Indian community, with some dismayed that Ms Venkatachalam felt she had no support from local compatriots.

Management consultant Sri Annaswamy has lived in Australia for 30 years but said it was 'disgusting and disappointing' that he couldn't find anyone who knew her or her family, 'including senior people at her own firm here in Sydney,' he said.

'This state of apathy in our Indian-Australian community is remarkable,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Thanks for at least breaking this heartrending story, I'm very grateful otherwise we would not have known about this at all. Yes, WE failed Aishwarya...no question.

'How is it even possible that despite becoming a part of our Indian-Australian community for almost a year, she felt that she didn't have anybody that she could confide in, trust and stay with (even till her husband's flight landed!!)?

'Community uncles, aunties, friends, Indian work colleagues - no-one.'

In a post to LinkedIn, he added: 'A full week has passed since the Daily Mail article [but] not a single Indian-Australian Association President, community bigwig, community stalwart could be bothered even commenting on this

'Not even condolences to the family or flower wreaths outside the place where she took her tragic end.

'Even on LinkedIn, this is the only post from Australia referencing the tragic plight and wondering what our community could have done.

'I cant even trace them through our own little Tamil-Brahmin community here. clearly our community has become a self-centred and insular lot.'

Aishwarya Ventkat and husband Nakul Murali married in a spectacular three-day Tamil-Brahman ceremony in January 2021
One of Australia's most high-profile radio hosts has reignited debate about solar panels, claiming the 'clean, green energy source' has environmental issues.

Sydney Radio 2GB host Ben Fordham raised questions over the 'fragile' and 'flawed' business case for panels after he was inundated with complaints from listeners now doubting a push to make the switch.

Solar power is expected to make up 50 per cent of Australia's energy capacity by 2030, which NSW treasurer Matt Kean hailed as 'critical in modernising our electricity system'.

But Fordham says authorities can't hide the fact that a lot of question marks remain about the panels, even though half a million NSW households alone have them installed, including himself.

A big question mark remains over the cost and environmental efficiency of solar panels, according to one broadcaster (pictured, panels being installed)

It costs Australians an average of $10,000 for the panels on top of up to $16,000 for the battery to make the most out of the system, the host claimed.

'People have installed solar panels in the hope of saving money in the long run,' he said.

'But more experts are pointing out that the 'savings day' is being pushed back further and further.'

'We've had listeners point out to us that after making the switch- they're not actually saving money.

'It sounds like people are starting to have buyer's remorse.'

One woman told Fordham her household is now paying $80 more a quarter than before going solar two years ago as they repay the cost of the panels.

Fordham quoted research from leading consumer groups to support his claims.

Review website Canstar Blue states there's no black and white answer of whether solar batteries are worth the investment as it depend on individual circumstances

'Despite the savings on ongoing electricity bills- it's unlikely the unit will pay for itself before the battery's warranty expires,' the site states.

Choice Magazine says results from an Australian-based multi-year trial of solar storage batteries weren't encouraging.

At least half a million NSW households have solar panels, according to the state government. Pictured is a new home with solar panels in Sydney's north-west

Ben Fordham (pictured with wife Jodie Speers) described the business case for solar panels as fragile and flawed, despite having them installed on his own home

Economist Judith Sloan warned this week a government push towards renewable energy won't bring down power prices soon.

'On sunny and windy days, the price can be low, sometime negative, during the day, but the price shoots up at night when the sun sets and the wind often dies down,' she wrote in The Australian.

'At this point, renewable energy is not useful and only reliable or firming generation can be used to meet demand.'

Fordham pointed out environmental factors are also a big concern as Australia braces for another chaotic La Nina system.

He added the vast majority of the world's solar panels are made in China, which will increase to 95 per cent over the next decade.

Many household had solar panels installed in the hope of saving money in the long run but have seen their power bills go through the roof

'So even though Australia played a key role in inventing solar technology we rely on China,' Fordham said.

'Then you've got waste. By 2025, NSW will generate up to 10,000 tonnes of waste annually - from solar panels and batteries. By 2035 - this could reach 70,000 tonnes a year.'

Fordham ended the segment by conceding solar power could be a big part of Australia's future.

'But at present - the industry is suffering a branding problem,' he said.

'The sun isn't shining as much as we're used to.

'People aren't saving money as much as they expected.

'And the so-called 'clean, green energy source' has environmental issues of its own!'
MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell said FBI agents have seized his cellphone while at a drive-thru restaurant over allegedly breached voting systems across the US.

The businessman, who is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, has strongly pushed the conspiracy theory that Dominion Voting Systems were rigged by foreign powers to influence the 2020 election in favor of Joe Biden.

Dominion is suing Lindell for $1.3billion, and now his connections to other pro-Trump election deniers is being investigated by the FBI, although the circumstances of the investigation are unclear.

Lindell said on his podcast The Lindell Report how he was approached at a Hardee's in Mankato, Minnesota, by several agents.

The agents questioned him about Dominion, Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and his connection to Doug Frank, an Ohio educator who claims voting machines have been manipulated, he said.

MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell said FBI have agents seized his cellphone while at a drive-thru restaurant in Minnesota

The agents questioned him about Dominion, Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters (pictured) - who was stripped of her job overseeing elections after allegedly breaching election security, and his connection to Doug Frank, an Ohio educator who claims voting machines have been manipulated

The agents then told Lindell they had a warrant to seize his cellphone and ordered him to turn it over, he said.

On a video version of his podcast, Lindell displayed a letter signed by an assistant US attorney in Colorado that said prosecutors were conducting an 'official criminal investigation of a suspected felony' and noted the use of a federal grand jury.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond Tuesday night to a request for comment about the seizure or investigation.

'Without commenting on this specific matter, I can confirm that the FBI was at that location executing a search warrant authorized by a federal judge,' FBI spokeswoman Vikki Migoya said in an email.

Federal prosecutors have been conducting a parallel investigation alongside local prosecutors in Colorado who have charged Peters with several offenses, including attempting to influence a public servant, criminal impersonation and official misconduct.

The Republican was elected in 2018 to oversee elections in Colorado's Mesa County.

The businessman, who is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, has strongly pushed the conspiracy theory that Dominion Voting Systems were rigged by foreign powers

A deputy clerk, Belinda Knisley, was also charged in the case, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation.

For more than a year, Peters has appeared onstage with Trump supporters who made false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

The charges against Peters and Knisley allege the two were involved in a 'deceptive scheme which was designed to influence public servants, breach security protocols, exceed permissible access to voting equipment, and set in motion the eventual distribution of confidential information to unauthorized people.'

State election officials first became aware of a security breach in Mesa County in 2021 when a photo and video of confidential voting system passwords were posted on social media and a conservative website.

Because each Colorado county has unique passwords maintained by the state, officials identified them as belonging to Mesa County, a largely rural area on the border with Utah.

Peters appeared onstage in August 2021 at a 'cybersymposium' hosted by Lindell, who has sought to prove that voting machines have been manipulated and promised to reveal proof of that during the event.

Dominion is suing Lindell for $1.3billion, and now his connections to other pro-Trump election deniers is being investigated by the FBI

While no evidence was provided, a copy of Mesa County's voting system hard drive was distributed and posted online, according to attendees and state officials.

The copy included proprietary software developed by Dominion Voting Systems that is used by election offices around the country.

Experts have described the unauthorized release as serious, saying it provided a potential 'practice environment' that would allow anyone to probe for vulnerabilities that could be exploited during a future election.

Nearly two years after the 2020 election, no evidence has emerged to suggest widespread fraud or manipulation, while reviews in state after state have upheld the results showing Biden won.

The Mesa County breach is just one of several around the country that have concerned election security experts.

Authorities are investigating whether unauthorized people were allowed to access voting systems in Georgia and Michigan.

Lindell said the federal agents had also questioned him about when he first met Frank.

The Ohio math and science educator is among a group of people who have been traveling across the US meeting with community groups claiming to have evidence that voting machines were rigged in the 2020 election.

In court records, prosecutors say Frank met with Peters and members of her staff in April 2021 in her office.

During the meeting, Frank told Peters that the county's election management system was vulnerable to outside interference and the group discussed concerns the state was going to 'wipe' the machines, according to the court records.
Fraudster Melissa Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti offered two theories for where she might have gone after vanishing from her Sydney mansion, the coronial inquest into her death has heard.

She may have been hiding at the Meriton hotel in Bondi Junction with a 'fat wad of cash' or planning to make a dramatic entrance at her court case on a specific day - November 27.

NSW Police Detective Sergeant Michael Kyneur returned to the NSW Coroners Court in Lidcombe on Wednesday for his second day of evidence about what happened after he took charge of the investigation into the missing conwoman.

Louise Coleman, the junior counsel assisting the coroner, took the policeman to his second interview with part-time DJ and hairdresser Mr Koletti on November 24, 2020.

'Alright where do you think she is?' Detective Sergeant Kyneur reads from their interview transcript.

'I have no idea where she is ... If she's going to turn up she's going to turn up to court,' Mr Koletti responded at the time.

The coronial inquest into the disappearance of conwoman Melissa Caddick (centre) was read Anthony Koletti's (right) police interview transcript. Mr Koletti told police his wife could have been hiding at the Meriton in Bondi Junction

'Friday the 27th is going to be the day she's going to rock up.'

'Alright why hasn't she contacted you?' Detective Sergeant Kyneur continues.

'Because there's no need to, do you think she wants to deal with the s*** storm that I'm dealing with?' Mr Koletti said.

'That's extraordinary, your wife's gone missing,' the detective responded.

Ms Coleman asked if it was fair to say that he did not accept Mr Koletti's theory.

'I always had doubts with his versions, if he had information she was safe and well and not sharing that with police,' he said.

Mr Koletti also suggested she was staying at the Meriton in Bondi Junction.

'It was quite a big spot for us in our early years,' he said.

'She would be at a hotel but it would be low budget because she's got no ID.

'She could have a fat wad of cash stashed under the bed for all I know. She's resourceful.'

Detective Sergeant Kyneur at this stage knew the Meriton at Bondi had no record of Ms Caddick having ever stayed, but he did not raise this with Mr Koletti.

Detective Sergeant Michael Kyneur returned to the NSW Coroners Court in Lidcombe for his second day of evidence. At the time of questioning Mr Koletti, the sergeant knew the Meriton had no record of Ms Caddick having ever stayed

'I didn't see any merit in taking it any further. He wasn't a suspect. I just took the information in the interview,' the witness said.

But early on he was suspicious.

'I had the view he knew something because of the confusion, he couldn't keep his story straight,' he said.

Before Detective Sergeant Kyneur was replaced as OIC of the investigation, he did not notify the homicide squad or set up a crime scene.

'There was no evidence any struggle or any violence or a murder having taken place,' he said.

Barrister Judy Swan, acting for Mr Koletti, asked the witness if people could provide confusing evidence if experiencing trauma.

'Yes,' Detective Sergeant Kyneur said.

'It's not unusual for a witness to give different answers at times, if they are under stress?' Ms Swan said.

'Correct,' he responded.

He also agreed Mr Koletti was enthusiastic about the police getting involved.

Mr Koletti said his wife was very resourceful and could have had a 'fat wad of cash under the bed'. Mr Koletti told police he and his wife would frequently visit the Meriton in Bondi Junction (pictured) in the early years of their marriage

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission raided Ms Caddick's Sydney eastern suburbs mansion on November 11, 2021.

This is the last verified sighting of the conwoman.

The next morning she was purportedly heard leaving in the early hours to exercise. Some 30 hours later her husband Anthony Koletti then informed police she never returned.

Months later, Caddick's foot was later found washed up at a beach on the NSW South Coast in an old Asics shoe.

The inquest before Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan continues.
A Labor Department audit resulted in Uber having to pay the state of New Jersey $100 million in taxes.

Uber confirmed on Monday that the ride hailing tech company and its subsidiary, Raiser LLC had paid $100 million in taxes to New Jersey following a driver misclassification case. An audit conducted by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development revealed that the company blocked thousands of drivers from receiving essential benefits such as unemployment, disability and family leave insurance in the state, by classifying them as contractors and not employees, as New Jersey argued.

CNN reported that by misclassifying drivers as independent contractors, Uber is not only able to skirt laws that require such benefits but that they are also no longer required to pay taxes for unemployment and other funds. On Tuesday, the New Jersey Department of Labor confirmed that Uber paid $78 million in past due taxes and an interest of up to $22 million.

Uber Pledges to Work With Legislators in New Jersey

Uber's $100 million tax payout is the largest of its kind ever received by the state of New Jersey. It covered almost 300,000 drivers in the state, who the Labor Department defended, saying that they are not at fault. New Jersey Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said in a statement on Tuesday that the state's legislators continue to work to make it the "one of the best states for workers."

Asaro-Angelo warned that they would not be swayed by "the whims of corporations' latest business models that are based on eroding long-standing protections." But Uber insists that New Jersey drivers are "independent contractors" who work anytime they please and promised that the ride-hailing tech company would work with local legislators to provide benefits to their drivers without compromising flexibility, Reuters reported.

Read Also: Uber Files: Here are the Big Revelations That We Have Learned From the Leak

Legislators Remain Critical of Gig Companies' Business Models

Uber's $100 million tax payout to New Jersey marks a step forward for drivers who have long been labeled by the company as simply "gig workers," Gizmodo reported. New Jersey Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin in a statement criticized Uber's business model, which has allowed them to grow exponentially while being exempted from paying for benefits of their "workers."

Platkin said that Uber had not only been denying benefits to their drivers but had been avoiding their "obligation" to contribute to benefit programs for them. He also warned that the state would pursue employee misclassification laws "aggressively" to defend employee rights.

The initial Department of Labor audit initially demanded that Uber pay more than $1 billion worth of back taxes when it first issued a fine for the ride-hailing tech girl back in 2019. The Labor Department sought $522 million from Uber and $528 million from Raiser LLC. But Uber agreed to pay only $12.1 million, while Raiser LLC said it would pay $88 million.

Uber denied that its $100 million tax payout was a "settlement," but the Labor Department is optimistic that employee classification will soon change to support workers' rights.

Related Article: Uber Enters Non-Prosecution Agreement with FTC Over 2016 Data Breach That Exposed Data of 57 Million People
Australia is at least a generation away from becoming a republic due to the love shown for the monarchy after the Queen's death, One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham has claimed.

Mr Latham said the nation had witnessed a 'phenomenal outpouring of grief and respect for someone who over 70 years seemingly has entrenched the monarchy as a permanent part of our governance arrangements.'

With Prime Minister Anthony Albanese having previously promised a republic referendum if Labor is reelected in 2025 - Mr Latham predicted Queen Elizabeth II would be the 'No' campaign's secret weapon.

'If you're running a monarchist campaign on a republic referendum you'd base it on advertising around the Queen.

'You'd be foolish not to.'

Mr Latham's comments come despite him not being a big fan of the new king.

One Nation's Mark Latham said there has been 'a phenomenal outpouring of grief and respect' for the Queen (pictured)

'We don't really know how Charles is going to shape up. He's way too woke for me, talking to plants and all this sort of thing.

'I wonder where his head is at, but if you're going to run the monarchist campaign in a referendum you'd base it the memory of the Queen,' he said.

Mr Latham said the outpouring of support for the monarchy won't fade any time soon, regardless of how King Charles III rules.

'I think this is a once in a decade experience that people will remember where they were when they heard the news (of the Queen's death) and how they felt about it.

'It's up there with the Moon landing, September 11, Diana's death, Kennedy's assassination. These are all landmark events in the age of the mass media.

'You can add the passing and grieving for Queen Elizabeth II to that list. I don't think it's going to be easily forgotten or just fade away into history,' he said.

'It's one of those things that gets embedded in people's minds. Love and respect for the Queen will obviously have an affect on future debate about the republic.'

Mark Latham (pictured) is not a big fan of King Charles, saying 'He's way too woke for me, talking to plants and all this sort of thing'

Mr Latham also had a go at how the republic campaign is run.

'Could anyone really have any confidence in this republican movement led by Peter FitzSimons, the red pirate,' he said - referring to the bandana Mr FitzSimons wears.

Poll Would you vote for Australia to become a republic? Yes No Depends on the type of republic Unsure Would you vote for Australia to become a republic? Yes 82 votes

No 438 votes

Depends on the type of republic 31 votes

Unsure 10 votes Now share your opinion





He added that the republican movement is 'fundamentally split' over what model of electing a president should to be taken to a referendum.

'The elites who run the republican movement don't like the direct election model.

'They said they didn't want Shane Warne to end up president when he was alive. I suppose they wouldn't want Nick Kyrgios or someone like that now,' Mr Latham said.

He said for a vote to have an Australian president as head of state to pass, it must lead to a direct election model, but claimed 'the elites don't want to do that.'

'The elites only ever want to manipulate and control the process - like every state parliament nominating a presidential candidate - but that's never going to fly.

'People don't trust the politicians to do this. People want a direct say,' he said.

Ultimately, Mr Latham said there are 'three big factors' dooming the possibility of an Australian republic for a very long time.

Pictured is a tweet from One Nation MP Mark Latham, saying the republican movement is doomed for a generation at least

Lisa Wilkinson (left) is pictured with her husband Peter FitzSimons, who is the chair of the Australian Republic Movement. Mark Latham calls FitzSimons 'the red pirate' due to the distinctive bandana he often wears

'You've got the current period of grieving for the Queen and the incredible high regard in which she's held.

'You've got FitzSimons there who as a strategist, you wouldn't feed him.

'And you've got the fundamental division in the republican movement, where they can never hit upon a popular model that's likely to be successful,' he said.

Despite his views on the campaign, Mr Latham himself is a republican. 'I wish we had a republic, but I just don't see, as a political realist, how it's going to fly,' he said.

And for those complaining that there has been too much media coverage of the Queen's death in Australia, he has a very simple message.

'It's saturation coverage, but it's saturation coverage because of the public sentiment,' he said.

Peter FitzSimons has been contacted for comment.
A man has been bitten on the ankle by a brown snake while at a popular nature reserve in Sydney's west.

The man, aged in his 30s, was rushed to hospital after he was bitten by the extremely venomous reptile at about 9.40am on Wednesday.

He'd been at the Lizard Log nature playground in Abbotsbury, in Western Sydney Parklands.

A man has been bitten on the ankle by a brown snake while at a popular nature reserve in Sydney 's west (stock image)

EASTERN BROWN SNAKES Eastern brown snakes can grow up to 2.5 metres in length They are found across all of eastern Australia from northern Queensland to southern Victoria The snakes are one of the most dangerous in the world and can kill humans if bites are left untreated in just half an hour They are responsible for killing the most people out of any other snake species. Advertisement

Bystanders quickly applied first aid to the man before paramedics arrived and rushed him to the Liverpool Hospital.

NSW Ambulance inspector Braden Robinson said the man had been in a 'tricky' location to access when paramedics arrived.

'Thank you to bystanders who applied initial first aid before paramedics took over to continue treatment,' he said.

Western Sydney Parklands is a popular spot for families, with children often playing on the Lizard Log play equipment.

Eastern brown snakes are one of the most dangerous snakes in the world and can kill humans if bites are left untreated in just half an hour

More to come
Dozens of migrants dressed in camouflage were filmed scaling the border wall along Naco, Arizona, adding to 500,000 'gotaways' who've entered the US so far this year.

The footage, captured by Fox News reporters, shows the immigrants climbing over a wall in Naco, as they use a rope to slowly descend past barbed wire before running off into US soil.

Fox reported that the operation, completed in broad daylight on Tuesday, took only 45 minutes and that none of the migrants were apprehended by border patrol.

Multiple senior Department of Homeland Security sources previously told the outlet that 2022 has seen about 500,000 'gotaways,' migrants who have illegally crossed the border but were never caught.

Dozens of immigrants crossed into Arizona illegally while dress in camouflage on Tuesday as they scaled a border wall and maneuvered past barbed wire fencing

EXCLUSIVE: In just a 45 minute span in Naco, AZ, our team saw over a dozen illegal immigrants dressed in camouflage use a rope to scale the border wall, then run into AZ. None were caught, making them gotaways. There have been over 500,000 gotaways so far this year. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/kV29qahnEY  Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) September 13, 2022

The group used ropes to lower each other safely as they reached US soil

The migrants then ran off into Naco, Arizona, which has seen an influx of about 160,000 undocumented immigrants in 2022

DHS officials have said that there were about 500,000 'gotaways' so far this year

Naco, Arizona, (above) has been at the forefront of illegal migrant crossing in 2022

The man leading the migrants through the Naco wall told Fox that he runs similar operations there everyday, where DHS officials estimate that about 160,000 'gotaways' have crossed the border.

The Border Patrol Union said in a statement that the high traffic in the area was a consequence of agents being pulled from the field to do administrative and processing duties instead.

Tensions are high over increased border crossing through Arizona, where Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order last month to create a make-shift border wall in Yuma to keep migrants from coming into the state.

Ducey has also joined his Texas counterpart, Gov. Greg Abbott, in busing undocumented migrants to left-leaning sancuatry cities in protest of the Biden administration's failings over the border.

Vice President Kamala Harris insisted the U.S.-Mexico border is secure in a jumble of words on her 'Meet the Press' interview Sunday

Tensions are high over increased border crossing through Arizona, where Gov. Doug Ducey (above) issued an executive order last month to create a make-shift border wall in Yuma

Pictured: A group of migrants sitting behind the Yuma wall on August 23

Joe Biden appointed Vice President Kamala Harris to tackle the 'root causes' of immigration, but so far border agents have made over 2 million border apprehensions, an all-time record, this fiscal year, which ends in October.

That number surpassed the already-historic 1.7 million encounters in fiscal year 2021.

Despite the surge, Harris insisted the border was secure during a Meet the Press interview on Sunday.

'The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system, in particular, over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed,' she said, deferring the blame to the Trump administration.

'We have a secure border in that that is a priority for any nation including ours in our administration,' Harris added.

'But there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix,' she said, calling for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

The latest figure shows there were nearly 200,000 crossing at the border in July

So far this year, more than 1.8 million immigrants have crossed the southern border

In July there were nearly 200,000 encounters, a decline for the second consecutive month after four months of increases climaxing in May with a record-breaking 241,116 encounters.

August figures should be released soon.

With one month still left to go in the fiscal year, almost 750 border crossers have died making the dangerous journey northward to the U.S.
A huge fire has erupted at a car wrecking yard with nearby residents told to close their windows as plumes of smoke fly into the sky.

Multiple fire crews are working to extinguish the blaze at the yard on the corner of Southpine Road and Duntroon Street, in Brendale, north of Brisbane, that started just before 12pm on Wednesday.

'If you reside in the area, keep windows and doors closed and stay inside due to thick smoke,' Queensland Ambulance tweeted.

Multiple fire crews are working to extinguish the blaze at the yard on the corner of Southpine Road and Duntroon Street, in Brendale, north of Brisbane

Thick plumes of smoke are seen soaring into the sky as the fire burns on

The fire ignited at the wrecking yard on Wednesday after midday

'This incident will be ongoing and may cause disruptions to traffic in the immediate area.'

Some residents reported hearing explosions as as many as 100 cars lit up in flames.

Aerial footage shows thick plumes of black smoke soaring into the sky while many cars are seen completely scorched.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said a 'number of vehicles' had caught on fire.

Road closures are in place with motorists urged to take caution in the area.

Residents should close doors and windows and keep respiratory medication on hand if needed.

No injuries have been reported.

More to come
Adelaide special needs dentist Trudy Lin says she's honoured to attend the Queen's funeral and hopes her invite brings added recognition to those who work in her field.

The 2022 Young Australian of the Year provides oral healthcare to people with physical and intellectual disabilities, psychiatric illness or complex medical issues including cancer.

Adelaide special needs dentist and 2022 Young Australian of the Year Trudy Lin was honoured and humbled to receive an invitation to attend the Queen's funeral. She hopes her invitation will bring recognition to other specialists in special needs dentistry

Dr Lin is one of 20 specialists in Australia who provide oral healthcare to people with physical and intellectual disabilities, psychiatric illness or complex medical issues including cancer

She is one of 20 such specialist dentists across the country.

'It is such an honour and so incredibly humbling to be selected to be a representative of South Australia and Australia,' Dr Lin said.

'I do hope the focus is not so much on me as an individual but me as a representative of all the other specialists in special needs dentistry who work for the same cause.'

Dr Lin said she had 'huge respect' for the Queen and her commitment to a life of service.

She initially felt disbelief after taking the call from the prime minister's office on Sunday and was quick to check her work diary.

'First and foremost my commitment is to my patients but I'm very fortunate to be supported by an amazing team,' she said.

'They were more than happy to be accommodating in assisting and supporting me to have this opportunity.'

Dr Lin was one of 10 'ordinary Australians' invited to Monday's funeral at Westminster Abbey.

She'll be joined by Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, Australian of the Year Local Hero Shanna Whan, i4give Day and Foundation co-creator Danny Abdallah and Australian Racing Hall of Fame Inductee Chris Waller.

Senior Australian of the Year Valmai Dempsey, Tasmanian Local Hero Kim Smith, 2021 Senior Australian of the Year Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann, 2021 West Australian of the Year Professor Helen Milroy and 2022 Queensland Local Hero Saba Abraham were also invited.
A man is fighting for his life after suffering serious head and neck injuries in a terrifying clifftop fall onto rocks from a famous Australian lookout.

The man in his 20s was working on trees on the boardwalk on Coolum Esplanade on Queensland's Sunshine Coast at 9.30am on Wednesday, when he experienced a medical episode.

He fell, plunging between 20 and 30 metres down a steep cliff onto rocks where he suffered significant head, chest and spinal injuries.

The man in his 20s was working on trees on the cliff's edge on the boardwalk at Coolum Esplanade on Queensland's Sunshine Coast at 9.30am on Wednesday, when he fell onto rocks below

A man is fighting for his life after suffering serious head and neck injuries in a terrifying clifftop fall onto rocks from a famous Australian lookout

His fall triggered a dramatic clifftop rescue.

Emergency workers abseiled down the sheer cliff face to reach the stricken man laying on the rocky shoreline.

The medical team worked alongside Queensland Fire and Emergency Services personnel to reach the badly injured worker.

At the bottom of the cliff, the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue critical care doctor and Queensland Ambulance Service flight paramedic helped the man.

Once the RACQ LifeFlight rescue chopper arrived around 10am, the pilot hovered above where the man had fallen so that a stretcher could be lowered down.

He was then secured into the stretcher, before being winched into the helicopter.

The patient was then airlifted to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane in a critical condition.

It is understood the man, who suffered serious head, chest and spinal injuries, experienced a medical episode before the fall

The man fell from the boardwalk at Coolum Esplanade down the cliff-face onto rocks below around 9.30am on Wednesday

'It's believed the man was working on some trees near a popular coastal lookout, when he fell ... landing on rocks at the bottom of the cliff,' a LifeFlight rescue statement said.

'He suffered a number of serious injuries, including to his head, chest and spine.'
Ukraine struck a deal with Russia that it would stay out of NATO but Vladimir Putin rejected it and pressed ahead with his savage campaign, it has been claimed.

The chief envoy on Ukraine told the Russian despot he had made a provisional agreement with Kyiv that would satisfy Russia's demands as war was breaking out, according to three people close to the Russian leadership.

The Ukrainian-born envoy, Dmitry Kozak, told Putin that he believed the deal he had hammered out removed the need for Russia to pursue a large-scale occupation of Ukraine, according to these sources.

Kozak's recommendation to Putin to adopt the deal is being reported by Reuters for the first time.

Putin had repeatedly asserted prior to the war that NATO and its military infrastructure were creeping closer to Russia's borders by accepting new members from eastern Europe, and that the alliance was now preparing to bring Ukraine into its orbit too.

President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a flag hoisting ceremony in Izium today after the Ukrainian forces took control of the city from the Russian forces

Ukraine struck a deal with Russia that it would stay out of NATO but Vladimir Putin rejected it and pressed ahead with his savage campaign, it has been claimed (pictured yesterday)

Putin publicly said that represented an existential threat to Russia, forcing him to react.

But, despite earlier backing the negotiations, Putin made it clear when presented with Kozak's deal that the concessions negotiated by his aide did not go far enough.

He informed him that he had expanded his objectives to include annexing swathes of Ukrainian territory, the sources said, and the deal was dropped.

Asked about Reuters findings, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'That has absolutely no relation to reality. No such thing ever happened. It is absolutely incorrect information.'

Kozak did not respond to requests for comment sent via the Kremlin.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, said Russia had used the negotiations as a smokescreen to prepare for its invasion, but he did not respond to questions about the substance of the talks nor confirm that a preliminary deal was reached.

The chief envoy on Ukraine Dmitry Kozak (pictured in January) told the Russian despot he had made a provisional agreement with Kyiv

'Today, we clearly understand that the Russian side has never been interested in a peaceful settlement,' Podolyak said.

Two of the three sources said a push to get the deal finalized occurred immediately after Russia's February 24 invasion.

Within days, Kozak believed he had Ukraine's agreement to the main terms Russia had been seeking and recommended to Putin that he sign an agreement, the sources said.

'After February 24, Kozak was given carte blanche: they gave him the green light; he got the deal. He brought it back and they told him to clear off. Everything was cancelled. Putin simply changed the plan as he went along,' said one of the sources close to the Russian leadership.

The third source - who was told about the events by people who were briefed on the discussions between Kozak and Putin - differed on the timing, saying Kozak had proposed the deal to Putin, and had it rejected, just before the invasion.

A residential building in Mykolaiv is completely destroyed by a Russian strike amid the savage invasion

The sources all requested anonymity to share sensitive internal information.

Moscow's offensive in Ukraine is the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II. It prompted sweeping economic sanctions against Russia and military support for Ukraine from Washington and its Western allies.

Even if Putin had acquiesced to Kozak's plan, it remains uncertain if the war would have ended.

Reuters was unable to verify independently that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or senior officials in his government were committed to the deal.

Kozak, who is 63, has been a loyal lieutenant to Putin since working with him in the 1990s in the St. Petersburg mayor's office.

Kozak was well-placed to negotiate a peace deal because since 2020 Putin had tasked him with conducting talks with Ukrainian counterparts about the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which has been controlled by Russian-backed separatists following an uprising in 2014.

Ukrainian servicemen fire an artillery gun as they continue their successful counter-offensive

After leading the Russian delegation in talks with Ukrainian officials in Berlin on February 10 - brokered by France and Germany - Kozak told a late-night news conference that the latest round of those negotiations had ended without a breakthrough.

Kozak also was one of those present when, three days before the invasion, Putin gathered his military and security chiefs and key aides in the Kremlin's Yekaterinsky hall for a meeting of Russia's Security Council.

State television cameras recorded part of the meeting, where Putin laid out plans to give formal recognition to separatist entities in eastern Ukraine.

Once the cameras were ushered out of the vast room with its neo-classical columns and domed ceiling, Kozak spoke out against Russia taking any steps to escalate the situation with Ukraine, said two of the three people close to the Russian leadership, as well as a third person who learned about what happened from people who took part in the meeting.

Another individual interviewed by Reuters, who helped in the post-invasion talks, said discussions fell apart in early March when Ukrainian officials understood Putin was committed to pressing ahead with the large-scale invasion.

Six months on from the start of the war, Kozak remains in his post as Kremlin deputy chief of staff. But he is no longer handling the Ukraine dossier, according to six of the sources who spoke to Reuters.

'From what I can see, Kozak is nowhere to be seen,' said one of the six, a source close to the separatist leadership in eastern Ukraine.
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Mourners lining the streets of London to see the Queen's coffin endured a wet morning today  although conditions are set to brighten up by lunchtime with 73F (23C) highs and sunshine in the afternoon.

The late monarch's lying in state at Westminster Hall opens to the public later today at 5pm and mourners will pass through 24 hours a day until it closes at 6.30am next Monday - the day of the Queen's state funeral.

People will also be packing the streets of London today to see a procession taking the late monarch from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, which will begin at 2.22pm. Viewing areas for the public along the route will open at 11am, with large crowds expected, and the procession is set to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.

A weather front was situated along the South of England in the very early hours of today, although high pressure from the Atlantic was trying to nudge its way in to potentially throw the rain off course of the capital.

But forecasters said the morning would still be a wet one for London, although the showers and any mist and fog patches will gradually clear to leave sunny spells for many later in the day.

People sit under umbrellas and wear raincoats this morning as they queue along the Albert Embankment in London

People sit under umbrellas this morning as they queue along the Albert Embankment to see the Queen's lying in state

Queues this morning for the Queen's lying in state at Westminster Hall which begins from 5pm this afternoon

BBC Weather forecaster Simon King said it would be 'a rather wet start to the day on Wednesday - especially so in London where people may be queuing to see the lying in state throughout the day'.

That rain was expected to clear before midday though, and by the afternoon temperatures were expected to get up to 73F (23C) and 'quite pleasant', with sunny spells developing across the whole of the UK.

The 'settled, fine, dry' conditions are then expected to last until the beginning of next week, the Met Office said, with conditions set to 'start to calm down a bit with the high pressure moving in'.

This evening will be generally dry with late sunshine and variable amounts of cloud cover, and overnight will then continue to be mainly dry with clear spells but with large areas of cloud cover and a chance of showers.

Tomorrow will be drier and brighter with spells of sunshine, but variable amounts of cloud cover will tend to build during the day. There is also a threat of showers developing, most frequent across northern Scotland.

Showers will ease and clear during the evening to reveal late sunny spells, before Friday will be mostly dry and bright with lengthy sunny spells although there is a chance of showers in the north and east.

Saturday will be dry with sunny spells although large areas of cloud will build in from the North and rain will spread into northern Scotland.

The Queen's coffin arrived at Buckingham Palace yesterday evening - where it was met by the King, his siblings and both his sons.

The casket remained in the palace's Bow Room overnight while outside in the dark and the rain, more and more mourners joined the queue to pay their respects.
A protest for Indigenous people will be held on the National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II.

Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, which has more than 60,000 Facebook followers, will take to Brisbane streets on September 22 to decry past atrocities and the impact of British colonisation in Australia.

'This is a stance against the continued crimes committed against marginalised First Nations, black, brown and Asian communities. We do not support benefactors or Stolenwealth (sic) and demand justice, truth and accountability for all. Justice for all,' the group wrote.

A protest for Indigenous people will be held on the National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II (pictured with King Charles III)

Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, which has more than 60,000 Facebook followers, will take to Brisbane streets on September 22 to decry past atrocities and the impact of British colonisation in Australia

Queen Elizabeth died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8.

While supporters have hailed her 70-year reign, some Indigenous leaders say the British monarchy represents a violent history.

Macquarie University academic and Wiradjuri woman Sandy O'Sullivan said they were subjected to racism for refusing to celebrate the Queen's reign.

'Along with many other Aboriginal people, I experienced a lot of racism and derision around raising the fact that we weren't celebrating the reign of the previous monarch, Queen Elizabeth II,' they told AAP.

'For many it's because during that reign there was little that she did to reset that relationship, to make reparations and to speak out.'

Macquarie University research fellow and Dharug community member, Jo Rey, questioned the monarchy's future.

Pictured: Indigenous protesters march during a rally on April 10, 2021 in Sydney

'While the Queen is dead, colonisation is alive and well, living in every bureaucracy. The fate of the monarchy is ephemeral. The fate of the planet is more important,' Dr Rey said.

First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria co-chair Aunty Geraldine Atkinson, who is a Bangerang and Wiradjuri elder, described the proclamation ceremony for King Charles III in Edinburgh as tone deaf.

'When our people are still dying behind bars due to unfair policies and the indifference of politicians who have ignored countless calls for reform, it's hard to swallow millions of dollars being spent on this kind of pomp and ceremony,' she said.

Macquarie University academic and Wiradjuri woman Sandy O'Sullivan said they were subjected to racism for refusing to celebrate the Queen's reign. Pictured: Protesters in Brisbane, 2021

Yet some Aboriginal supporters of the Queen paid tribute, including former Indigenous Advisory Council chair Warren Mundine, who criticised the AFL's scrapping of a planned minute's silence during the AFLW's Indigenous Round.

He also claimed colonisation should not be blamed for social and economic disparities.

'Young Aboriginal people will be ruined by the mindset that every problem Aboriginal people suffer today ... is explained by history's wrongdoings and traumas of colonisation supposedly continuing through current generations,' Mr Mundine wrote in an opinion piece for Sky News.
A Christian teacher who was jailed following his refusal to use gender-neutral pronouns is back behind bars after again refusing to stay away from school.

Enoch Burke, an evangelical Christian, was returned to Dublins Mountjoy Prison where has been held for more than a week for breaching a court order not to teach at Wilsons Hospital School in Co Westmeath.

His school told him to stay away after he was suspended on full pay in August for refusing to address a transitioning student as they rather than he, citing his devout Christian beliefs, which he maintained are against transgenderism.

But Mr Burke ignored the order and continued to attend school, leading to his arrest.

At Dublins High Court today, Mr Burke, who was representing himself, maintained that he would not purge his contempt of court for violating the order, insisting that he was being persecuted for his faith.

He will now face a hearing at the High Court at a later date, which yet to be confirmed. He will remain in custody until then unless he changes agrees to abide by the order to stay away from the school.

In court today when asked by Judge Eileen Roberts if he would abide by the order, he said: I cannot do that. I go back to jail as a law-abiding citizen of the state always. But God first.

Mr Burke also failed with an application to try and get the suspension imposed against him by the school thrown out, maintaining that his opposition to transgenderism was based on his religious faith and that freedom of religion and conscience is protected by the Irish constitution.

Enoch Burke, an evangelical Christian, has spent more than a week in Mounjoy jail in Dublin after he refused to comply with an injunction that forbade him to teach at his Irish school. Pictured: Mr Burke arriving at the High Court in Dublin on September 7

Addressing the court, Mr Burke said: The question is not will I purge my contempt but how this court order could have been granted?

The court is asking me to purge my contempt, but this court has robbed me of my constitutional right. It was wrong what the court did. How can I purge my contempt of that which is wrong?

But Judge Eileen Roberts disagreed with his argument with the History and German teacher escorted out of the court to prison by three prison guards to loud applause from the public gallery with many hollering: The country is with you Enoch.

Dozens of people packed the public gallery shouting disgrace and shame following the judges decision while others hurled abuse at Mr Burkes lawyer. Others protested outside the court in support of him wearing tee-shirts demanding that he be freed.

Mr Burkes parents, brother Isaac and sister Ammi, a qualified solicitor were with him in court and stared dispassionately as he was led away.

Barrister Rosemary Mallon, representing the school told the court: Mr Burke has no intention to purge his contempt of court. Hes brought this application to try and seek release from prison without purging his contempt.

Hes already said that if he was to be successful with his application, he would be back in the classroom the next day.

Mr Burke, who represented himself told Judge Eileen Roberts that his opposition to transgenderism is based on his devout religious beliefs and that the schools actions violated the Irish constitution which guarantees freedom of expression and religion.

He said: There is no caveat, no limitation pertaining to the content if its politically correct or otherwise.

This is an attack on my freedom of expression, conscience, liberty and reputation.

Mr Burke, who teaches History and German, was suspended from Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath (pictured) for refusing to address a transitioning student as 'they' rather than 'he', as requested by the pupil and their parents in May, and agreed to by the Church of Ireland school

Recalling his criticism of the schools edict on using the pronoun they which he raised at a chapel service in June 2022, he said: I said that this was opposed to scripture and the teachings of all churches. My views on transgenderism are based on my religious beliefs.

The suspension and the action taken against me by the school is unreasonable, unfair, unjust and unlawful. Freedom of conscience and freedom of religion is enshrined within the Irish constitution.

Ms Mallon told the court that Mr Burke only had himself to blame for being in prison and that if he had been successful in getting his suspension overturned, he would return to the classroom.

She also insisted that Mr Burke being locked up was not because of his views on transgenderism but because he violated a court order.

Ms Mallon said: The fact that hes in prison is a matter for Mr Burke.

Mr Burke has decided not to obey the orders of this honourable court. Mr Burke has decided not to purge his contempt. If this order is granted, he will go back to the classroom. Thats what Mr Burke wants.

That would be of grave concern to the school and would cause disruption to the students. There should be no further disruption.

A school disciplinary hearing against Mr Burke has been suspended with a full High Court trial expected to take place which will decide his future

A school disciplinary hearing against Mr Burke has been suspended with a full High Court trial expected to take place which will decide his future.

It comes as Mr Buke today told Ireland's High Court that he had suffered 'reputational damage' and 'significant damage to my teaching career' due to his Westmeath school's decision to suspend him after he refused to address a transitioning student as 'they'.

Mr Burke, who has spent more than a week in Mountjoy jail in Dublin for contempt of court, told the judge today that it would be 'unconscionable and against natural justice and fair procedure for the disciplinary process to continue further', reports the Irish Independent.

Mr Burke, who teaches History and German, was suspended from Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath for refusing to address a transitioning student as 'they' rather than 'he', as requested by the pupil and their parents in May, and agreed to by the Church of Ireland school.

Mr Burke was later arrested on Monday last week and jailed for breaching a temporary court order not to teach at the school, or be physically present there.

The teacher had refused to stay away from the school on paid leave, Ireland's High Court heard, and would sit in an empty classroom, declaring that he was there to work.

Today, Mr Burke appeared before a judge in Ireland's High Court to challenge the school's decision to suspend him from work, arguing that there is no legal basis for the suspension.

He asked Ms Justice Eileen Roberts for injunctions restraining the school from continuing to place him on administrative leave or taking any further steps in their internal disciplinary process pending a full hearing concerning the lawfulness of such a process.

Mr Burke claims that the paid suspension and disciplinary process breaches his constitutional rights to freedom of conscience and freedom of religious belief.

Mr Burke hopes that he will be released from prison if the judge agrees with his submissions. His application is being opposed by the school's board of management.

Last week, Mr Burke appeared before the High Court and said that abiding by the injunction that forbade him to teach at his school after he refused to address a transitioning student as 'they' would 'violate my religious beliefs and deny my God'.

Mr Burke told the judge last week: 'I can be a Christian in Mountjoy Prison or I can be a pagan acceptor of transgenderism outside it.'

Mr Burke indicated to the court that he has no intention to abide by the injuction.

He told the court: 'If this court so determines, I will never leave Mountjoy Prison if in leaving the prison I violate my well informed conscience and religious belief and deny my God.

'It seems to me that I can be a Christian in Mountjoy Prison or be a pagan and respecter of transgenderism outside of it. I know where I belong.

'My faith has led me to that place and will keep me there, God helping me.'

He told the court that if that choice was put to him 'every hour of every day for next 100 years', he would answer the question the same.

Mr Burke added: 'This court is seeking to deprive me of my religious beliefs.'

He also claimed there was an 'unlawful attempt' to persecute him for stating his opposition to transgenderism, and that the court was depriving him of his liberty and dignity.

He added: 'I have had much time to consider my actions and behaviour that brought me to that place and far from finding any instances of misconduct, let alone gross misconduct, I only found my actions to be commendable and that I had the courage to respond to the principal telling her that transgender was an abuse of children and a breach of my constitutional rights to free expression of religious beliefs.'

He told the court that what he was being asked to do was 'contrary to the work of God'.

The teacher (pictured left arriving in court on 7 September) was suspended from his Westmeath school for refusing to address the transitioning student as 'they' rather than 'he', as requested by the pupil and their parents in May, and agreed to by the Church of Ireland school

Mr Burke claimed that the 'demands' of the principal forced him to participate in transgenderism.

He further claimed that this demand was 'depriving' him of his religious beliefs.

'I can't involve myself in that, it is manifestly wrong, according to my religious beliefs and the scripture,' he added.

'I have considered my actions to be commendable as I have the integrity to obey God rather than man.

'My belief is that there are two genders, that is my religious belief and our constitution makes room for that belief.

'It guarantees freedom to have beliefs.'

He added: 'This court can't deprive me of my religion and can't deprive me of my dignity, it can't deprive me of my faith in God and those are things I intend to hold fast to.'

Barrister Rosemary Mallon, counsel for the school's board of management, said that it was 'very clear' from Mr Burke's commentary that he does not intend to abide by the court order.

She said that he 'knowingly and wilfully' breached the order.

She also said that the school was left with no option but to pursue court action when he continuously attended the school.

Ms Mallon said the case was not about transgenderism.

She said she sought the interlocutory injunction because Mr Burke ignored the nature and effect of the lawful decision to suspend him on full pay pending the outcome of the disciplinary meeting.

The court was told that the case satisfies the test for prohibitory interlocutory relief, and that damages would not be sufficient.

The court was told that the school principal had 'serious concerns' about Mr Burke's behaviour and his alleged conduct.

'This was not about his beliefs. He may argue about his beliefs, but it is about his alleged conduct,' Ms Mallon added.

She said the decision to place him on paid administrative leave was lawful and it had the effect of restraining him from attending the school premises.

'I also say that what Mr Burke, in opposing this application, is doing is asking the court to interfere with the disciplinary process,' Ms Mallon continued.

'Mr Burke is asking the court to interfere and to say 'don't let the suspension have effect. Let me to sit in classroom and teach'.

'That is interfering and it is not the function of this court to do at such an early stage of the disciplinary process.'

Mr Justice Max Barrett agreed to continue the interlocutory injunction, adding that the matter was not about transgenderism.

Teacher Enoch Burke (pictured on September 5 being brought into the Bridewell Garda station in Garda custody) was arrested last week for breaching a court order not to teach at his Westmeath school, or be physically present there

On Monday last week, Mr Burke was committed to Mountjoy Prison in Dublin by order of a High Court judge after he breached a temporary court order that he was to stay away from the school.

When Judge Michael Quinn made his ruling last week, Mr Burke said: 'It is insanity that I will be led from this courtroom to a place of incarceration, but I will not give up my Christian beliefs.'

Mr Burke told Judge Michael Quinn: 'I am a teacher and I don't want to go to prison. I want to be in my classroom today, that's where I was this morning when I was arrested.'

'I love my school, with its motto Res Non Verba, actions not words, but I am here today because I said I would not call a boy a girl,' he said.

He added: 'Transgenderism is against my Christian belief. It is contrary to the scriptures, contrary to the ethos of the Church of Ireland and of my school.'

Referring to his suspension, Mr Burke said: 'It is extraordinary and reprehensible that someone's religious beliefs on this matter could ever be taken as grounds for an allegation of misconduct.

'My religious beliefs are not misconduct. They are not gross misconduct. They never will be. They are dear to me. I will never deny them and never betray them, and I will never bow to an order that would require me to do so. It is just not possible for me to do that.'

He described his suspension as 'unreasonable, unjust and unfair'. He added: 'There has been a dumbing down of the seriousness of suspension. It is a serious step.

'It has tarnished my good character and my good name, particularly in the profession of a teacher, where one is so close to a large number of members of the local community. It leaves a stain on what has been, for me, an unblemished teaching record.'

He asked how he could return to school and bow to something he believed to be 'manifestly wrong', which he also described as a 'violation of my conscience'. Mr Burke told the court that he believed that 'around this country, teachers are being forced to participate... they are being forced to use the pronoun 'they' instead of either 'he' or 'she'.'

Enoch Burke (pictured centre with his brother Isaac receiving a SCCUL Enterprise Student Award in 2013) told Judge Quinn: 'I am a teacher and I don't want to go to prison. I want to be in my classroom today, that's where I was this morning when I was arrested'

Rosemary Mallon BL, for the board of management, told Judge Michael Quinn that her client had no choice but to ask the court to send Burke to prison for breach of a court order.

Judge Quinn said he was not ruling on the merits of Mr Burke's arguments regarding his religious belief or his suspension, but merely on the question of whether there had been a wilful breach of a court order.

He was committed to Mountjoy prison in Dublin.

The suspended teacher is one of 10 siblings, all of whom were home-schooled by their evangelical mother, Martina Burke.

The matriarch founded Burke Christian School in Castlebar, which she advertises in local newspapers.

The Burkes are a notable family from Mayo, who have previously campaigned and launched protests against the referendum on abortion, and marriage equality.

Some of the family have also been involved in high profile legal cases, including a high court appeal on religious discrimination.

During the pandemic, the family placed posters in the Castlebar Market Square and protested against Mayo University Hospital.

The evangelical family have also protested against gay marriage, and Castlebar's Gay Pride parade, the Irish Independent reported.

Four years ago, Mrs Burke called LGBT+ training for school leaders 'amoral', arguing that it would 'stigmatise modesty and inhibitions'.

And last year, four of her children, Ammi, Enoch, Isaac and Kezia Burke lost a legal case against University of Galway which stemmed from their views on gay marriage.

Martina Burke, mother of 10, is a qualified teacher and founded Burke Christian School in Castlebar

Pictured: Kezia Burke, Enoch Burke, Isaac Burke, and Ammi Burke in Dublin in 2021, outside the Four Courts. At the time, the siblings were fighting a religious discrimination case

They had been banned for life from becoming a member of its societies, after distributing flyers against gay marriage.

The siblings claimed that they were facing religious discrimination, however the college said that the ban was not about religion, the Irish Independent reported.

During Ireland's abortion referendum, the Burkes were regularly protesting outside the constituency office of then Taoiseach, prime minister, Enda Kenny, the paper also reported.
New York Federal judge ruled that the antitrust lawsuit against Google can move forward. With this, the tech giant will face a "multistate antitrust lawsuit" accusing the company of entering in an illegal pact with Meta's Facebook in 2018, as per CNET.

The lawsuit accused Google of controlling the technology behind online advertising. According to Judge P. Kevin Castel, the advertising deal that Google entered with Facebook violated the antitrust law.

Google Faces Antitrust Lawsuit Filed by 16 States

According to Bloomberg, in 2020, a lawsuit was filed against Google for allegedly "monopolizing the advertising technology market."

The lawsuit was filed by the attorney generals from 16 states plus Puerto Rico. Filing of the lawsuit was led by Texas.

Google, in its attempt to have the case dismissed, claimed that "all of the conduct that the states target is legal."

Google was accused of entering into a secret deal with Meta's Facebook in 2018. The secret deal, which was tagged as "Jedi Blue," provides advantages to the social media company on the "exchange it runs to buy and sell online ads."

As part of the deal, Facebook stopped its plans to employ a new type of technology. Based on reports, the new type of technology that Google abandoned could possibly "undercut" the online advertising monopoly of the tech giant.

But according to Castel "there is nothing inexplicable or suspicious" regarding what pushed the companies go into the deal, dismissing one of the claims. Yet, he allowed the lawsuit to proceed.

Regulators in the U.S. and EU has been criticizing the massive ad tech business of Google.

In an attempt to work around the ongoing antitrust investigation by the European Union, the tech giant said it would "allow third-party ad platforms on YouTube." Google reportedly did this to avoid paying a hefty fine.

Read Also: DOJ to Reject Google Concessions to Push its Antitrust Lawsuit

Google Says it Would Continue to Fight the States' Claims

As Castel ruled out that states can proceed with a "monopolization claim over nationwide markets for publisher ad servers, ad exchanges and ad-buying tools for small advertisers," Google stated that the company will keep on fighting the said claims.

Google said that they are looking forward to set the record straight, claiming that the advertising technology is a "fiercely competitive industry."

Furthermore, the company claims that their products increase choice for publishers, advertisers and consumers. Moreover, the tech giant claimed that their products also enable small businesses to "affordably find new customers."

Meanwhile, when requested for a comment, the Texas attorney general's office did not issue a statement.

According to Bloomberg, there are parts of Castel's ruling that went against the states who filed the antitrust lawsuit.

Castel reportedly found that the states failed to provide a reasonable allegation on the anticompetitive conduct tied to Reserve Price Optimization.

The original lawsuit was filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and 16 states in 2020. It accused Google causing harm to its competitors.

The original lawsuit alleged that Google is engaging in "false, deceptive, or misleading acts" while conducting its online ad exchange activities.

Related Article: Google Offers To Pay Developers $90 Million To Settle Antitrust Lawsuit
Legendary film director Jean-Luc Godard died by assisted suicide in Switzerland, it has been revealed.

The legendary Franco-Swiss movie-maker's lawyer confirmed this morning that Godard chose to end his life aged 91 after a long battle with 'multiple invalidating illnesses'.

Godard died at his home in the Swiss town of Rolle, on Lake Geneva, his family said in a statement, adding that he will be cremated and there will be no official ceremony.

While euthanasia in Switzerland is illegal because it involves an individual other than the patient taking an active role in their death, doctors can prescribe a cocktail of drugs, which, if ingested or injected via an intravenous drip, allow a patient to take their own life.

French daily Liberation cited a person close to the family as saying that 'it was [Godard's] decision and it was important to him that people know about it.'

Godard was one of the world's most acclaimed directors, known for French New Wave films Breathless and Contempt, which inspired a generation of directors including Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese.

His direction style broke with convention and helped kickstart a new way of filmmaking, with handheld camera work, jump cuts and existential dialogue.

French President Emmanuel Macron said of Godard's passing: 'We have lost a national treasure, the eye of a genius.'

The legendary Franco-Swiss movie-maker's lawyer confirmed this morning that Godard chose to end his life aged 91 after a long battle with 'multiple invalidating illnesses'. (the filmmaker is pictured in 2000)

Godard was one of the world's most acclaimed directors, known for French New Wave films Breathless and Contempt

Assisted dying in Switzerland In Switzerland, it is legal to provide an individual the means to commit suicide as long as the reason is not 'based on self-interest.' The process is primarily carried out with the assistance of assisted suicide organisations, the largest and most reputable of which are Dignitas and Exit. Dignitas, the larger of the two, was founded in 1998 and requires those wishing to end their life perform two consultations with the group and an independent doctor, with rival services enforcing similar safeguards. The process ensures each patient is reminded at regular intervals that they can stop and pursue other options, including up to the moment they are provided with a lethal drug cocktail to take their own lives. A signed affidavit is also produced as a show of proof that the suicide was conducted without malice, coercion or any other outside force, as per the country's law. If a patient decides to go through with assisted dying, they are given two options - an intravenous drip or a small drink, both of which contain a lethal dose of sedatives. In either case, the patient must administer the drugs themselves by either drinking the lethal cocktail, or pressing a button to insert the drugs into their veins via the IV drip. Switzerland has permitted assisted dying since 1942 and was the first country to do so. Advertisement

At the 2014 Cannes film festival, Godard told Swiss broadcaster RTS he did not think he would want to continue living at any cost if he found himself in dire straits.

'If I'm too ill, I don't have any desire to be lugged around in a wheelbarrow... not at all' he said.

Asked whether he would consider assisted dying in Switzerland, he said: 'yes... for now'.

Over a long career that began in the 1950s as a film critic, Godard was perhaps the most boundary-breaking director among New Wave filmmakers who rewrote the rules for camera, sound and narrative - rebelling against an earlier tradition of more formulaic storytelling.

For the low-budget 'Breathless,' Godard relied on a mobile, lightweight camera to capture street scenes and reach moviegoers in a new way.

He dispensed with contrived backdrops and the 'artifice' of Hollywood cinema of the time, said one film expert. The impact was immediate - 'Breathless' arrived like a cinematic thunderclap when it was released in 1960 - and lasting.

Quentin Tarantino, director of Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs in the 1990s, is often cited as one of a more recent generation of boundary-bending tradition that Godard and his Paris Left Bank cohorts initiated.

Tarantino was such a fan of Godard, he even named his production company after one of his films, A Band Apart.

Born in Paris in 1930, Godard grew up and went to school in Nyon, on the banks of Lake Geneva.

He returned to Paris after finishing school in 1949 where he soon became part of the post-war New Wave scene.

He began his career in movies by writing for film magazines before releasing his first feature, Breathless, in 1960, which immediately caught the attention of critics.

Godard went on to make back to back seminal movies throughout the 1960s, including Le Petit Soldat, a controversial feature that suggested the French government condoned torture, which was banned until 1963.

Godard was married twice, to actresses Anna Karina and Anne Wiazemsky, both of whom starred in several of his films.

It was during his four year marriage to Karina from 1961-1965, that Godard enjoyed some of his most memorable screen collaborations, including in Vivre sa vie (1962), Bande a part (1964) and Pierrot le Fou (1965).

Acclaimed filmmaker: Godard on the set of his 1963 movie Le Mepris with Brigitte Bardot

He was married to Wiazemsky from 1967 to 1979, with the actress starring in his movies La Chinoise (1967) and One Plus One (1968).

Godard met Swiss filmmaker Anne-Marie Mieville in 1970 with the two becoming collaborators before beginning a romantic relationship which continued until his death.

He also worked with the Rolling Stones on the film Sympathy for the Devil in 1968.

Godard had continued success in later life. His 2001 film In Praise of Love was selected for the Cannes film festival.

The film focused on an elderly Jewish couple whose life rights are potentially being bought by Steven Spielberg, which was reportedly meant as a manner of condemning Schindler's List.

Duo: Godard was married to actress Anna Karina from 1961-1965, a period in which he enjoyed some of his most memorable screen collaborations

Successful partnership: He was married to Anne Wiazemsky from 1967 to 1979, with the actress starring in his movies La Chinoise (1967) and One Plus One (1968)

Godard had continued success in later life. Pictured receiving an honorary Cesar Award in 1998

He once explained: 'Spielberg thinks black and white is more serious than colour.

'It's phony thinking. To him it's not phony, I think he's honest to himself, but he's not very intelligent, so it's a phony result.  '[He] used [Oskar Schindler] and this story and all the Jewish tragedy as if it were a big orchestra, to make a stereophonic sound from a simple story.'

His 2014 film Goodbye to Language saw him pick up the jury prize at Cannes, and 2018's Image Book, was awarded a 'special Palme d'Or' at the prestigious film festival.

The filmmaker was awarded an Academy Honorary Award in 2010 but did not attend the ceremony.
Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has hinted Donald Trump running in 2024 could hand power to the Democrats during her first MSNBC appearance since joining the network.

The ex-Joe Biden official, 43, appeared on last night's Alex Wagner Tonight in her first job since she was replaced by Karine Jean-Pierre in May, and said the former president would be an 'energizing factor' to voters.

The West Wing veteran, who also served in Barack Obama's administration, is serving as a political analyst for MSNBC during the midterms and the 2024 election, and will host her own show next year.

Her Democratic loyalties were immediately made clear on her debut show as she said Trump's campaign could be 'a reminder of what's at stake'.

She said: 'Nothing's more of a driving and excitement factor like Donald Trump for Democrats.

'They love to be opposed to him, because they are. Independents, many, don't want to see another reign of Trump, and the more he engages in the race, the more he puts himself out there, the more it's a reminder of what's at stake to people, and having Trump on the ballot is a hugely energizing factor in a lot of these races.'

Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has claimed Donald Trump running in 2024 could hand power to the Democrats

Elsewhere, Psaki said Democrats have 'flipped' the narrative on the midterm elections, saying the momentum is with the party.

Wagner asked her: 'What do you think of these Midterms right now, sitting as we are 60 days out, we see this back and forth among Republicans on abortion, Lindsay Graham, Mitch McConnell, they're having a hard time with this.

'We talk a lot about abortion being an animating factor here... In these ways, these midterms may end up being a referendum on Republican power more so than Democratic power. Do you see it that way?'

Psaki replied: 'Absolutely. And that is remarkable if you think about it. If you look back on the NBC poll in January, Democrats were not that into the midterms. They just weren't that into it.

'They were not thinking they were going to participate as many, it's gone up by 20 percentage points almost, the excitement and enthusiasm for participating.

The West Wing veteran, who also served in Barack Obama's administration, is serving as a political analyst for MSNBC

The ex-Joe Biden official, 43, appeared on last night's Alex Wagner Tonight in her first job since she was replaced by Karine Jean-Pierre (pictured) in May

'That is largely related to Dobbs, largely related to women across the country, young women across the country and even men being scared of a woman's right to choose being taken away from them.'

The Supreme Court's controversial decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health has energized the left's base and sparked a wave of voter registrations, while their ruling in Roe v. Wade has also been a divisive issue that could cause a bigger turnout.

Psaki added: 'The other truth is that when you're the party in power, and I've sat in White Houses where you're the party in power, it's almost always a referendum.

'People are looking at whether they're satisfied with how things are going in the country. That's hard to run as a referendum against you, it's much better when it's a choice.

'It's largely flipped now. The anger is among the members of the Democratic Party, which is the party in power, which is so rare for that to be the case.

Her Democratic loyalties were immediately made clear on her debut show as she said Trump's campaign could be 'a reminder of what's at stake'

'People are enthused, they're engaged, they want to get out and vote, they want to participate in the process, and many Democrats, women and independents who were not that excited, were going to be in their jammies on election night as of a few months ago, they don't want their rights to be taken away and that's been a huge factor which has changed the dynamic of the race.'

Psaki added: 'I'll also say, since you asked me broadly about the midterms, that while I think a lot of Democrats are feeling better  as they should  there's a long way to go here. If the election were tomorrow, I think the House would be a big uphill battle. That would be a bit of a leap.

'The Senate is more of a tossup, but there's different dynamics in each of these races that we should be paying very close attention to.'

Psaki is the latest member of the Biden administration to join the left-leaning network after it hired Kamala Harris' senior spokesperson Symone Sanders to Peacock.

Psaki's new salary is unclear, but it could be upwards of seven figures.

She was known during her White House tenure for her pointed exchanges with reporters, including Fox News' Peter Doocy, and faced criticism from correspondents at the back of the briefing room for not giving them the opportunity to ask more questions.

She was tight-lipped about the move in her final days in the Biden administration and faced pressure from ethics organizations to be transparent about any negotiations she had with MSNBC before she left her taxpayer-funded job.

Michael Chamberlain, director of ethics watchdog Protect the Public's Trust, told DailyMail.com of Psaki's announcement in May: 'We wish Ms. Psaki all the best in her new role.

'However, the lack of transparency and ethics concerns involved in her job search while serving as White House Press Secretary set a horrible precedent, especially for an administration touting itself as the most ethical and most transparent in history. We hope for better from the White House in the future.'

Psaki tweeted in May she was thrilled to join the Biden-friendly network and that 'breaking down the facts and getting to the bottom of what's driving the issues that matter most to people in this country has never been more important'

Psaki's new show, set to debut in the first quarter of 2023, will 'bring together her unique perspective from behind the podium and her deep experience in the highest levels of government and presidential politics,' the network said in a statement Tuesday.

Psaki most recently served as White House spokesperson for the first 16 months of the Biden administration.

She previously served as White House communications director under former President Barack Obama and as the spokeswoman for the Department of State.

'Her extensive experience in government and on the campaign trail and perspective as a White House and Washington insider is the type of analysis that sets MSNBC apart,' MSNBC President Rashida Jones said in a statement.

'She's a familiar face and trusted authority to MSNBC viewers, and we look forward to her insight during this consequential election season.'

Psaki said she was 'thrilled' to join the network in her own statement.

'My time in government, from the White House to the State Department, and years before that on national political campaigns will fuel the insight and perspective I bring to this next chapter.

'Fact-based and thoughtful conversations about the big questions on the minds of people across the country have never been more important, and I'm thrilled to join the incredible MSNBC team.'

'I can't wait to create a space on streaming where we break down the facts, get to the bottom of what's driving the issues and hopefully have some fun along the way.'

She also tweeted: 'Thrilled to join the incredible MSNBC family this fall. Breaking down the facts and getting to the bottom of what's driving the issues that matter most to people in this country has never been more important.'

In a Politico story in April, anonymous members of the White House press core said Psaki's aptitude for her job and quick wit made it 'boring' for reporters who tried to squeeze a story out of her during her daily briefings.
Former minister David Davis has written to police to urge them to 'continue to respect free speech' after an anti-royalist protester was charged.

A 22-year-old woman was arrested after holding up an anti-monarchy placard in Edinburgh on Sunday and was subsequently charged 'in connection with a breach of the pace'.

The sign, which read 'F**k Imperialism, Abolish Monarchy', could be seen amongst the crowd who had turned out to hear King Charles be formally proclaimed monarch.

Mr Davis announced on Twitter last night that he has written to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland to express his 'concern'.

He said in his letter if the individual was just 'stating an opinion', a 'liberal approach would be desirable'.

The former Tory leadership contender also pointed out that since writing his letter, a second person had been charged.

A 22-year-old man was charged with breaching the peace after a spectator heckled the Duke of York as he solemnly marched with a sorrowful King Charles and their siblings behind their mother's coffin in Edinburgh on Monday.

Meanwhile, outside the Palace of Westminster, another protester showed her opposition to the new monarch when she held up a poster that read: 'Abolish the Monarchy' and 'Not my King'.

Former minister David Davis has written to police to urge them to 'continue to respect free speech' after an anti-royalist protester was charged. A 22-year-old woman was arrested after holding up an anti-monarchy placard (pictured) in Edinburgh on Sunday and was subsequently charged 'in connection with a breach of the pace'

Mr Davis (left, file photo) announced on Twitter last night that he has written to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland to express his 'concern'. Right: The MP's letter

In his letter to Chief Constable Sir Ian Livingstone, Mr Davis wrote: 'It is not for me to interfere in the judicial process.

'However, with the accession of our new monarch, I would hope that the police will continue to respect the right to free speech.

'If the individual concerned committed acts of violence, or the police had reason to believe she would, then action was obviously necessary.

'But if the individual was simply stating an opinion, I trust you agree that a liberal approach would be desirable.

'I speak as a strong monarchist, but nevertheless, I hope that members of the public will remain free to share their opinions and protest in regard to issues about which they feel strongly'.

Announcing the 22-year-old woman had been charged, a Police Scotland spokesman said on Monday: 'A 22-year-old woman was arrested outside St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh on Sunday, 11 September, 2022 in connection with a breach of the peace.

The woman held up her sign whilst the Lord Lyon King of Arms (pictured with plumed hat), who is responsible for overseeing state ceremonies in Scotland, formally proclaimed Charles King in Edinburgh

'She was charged and was released on an undertaking to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.'

She held up her sign whilst the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is responsible for overseeing state ceremonies in Scotland, formally proclaimed Charles King in Edinburgh.

On Monday morning, another protester showed her opposition towards the new monarch when she held up a poster outside the Palace of Westminster which read 'Abolish the Monarchy' and 'Not my King'.

The woman was led by Met Police officers away from the gates of Parliament, where King Charles and the Queen Consort received condolences from members of the House of Commons and House of Lords.

She wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo for the Campaign To Abolish The Monarchy, which had called on people to protest against the new King at Parliament Square.

Thousands of people watched in near silence as the Queen's coffin made its journey up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh on Monday

A Met spokesperson said: 'A member of the public was asked to move away from the Carriage Gates outside the Palace of Westminster this morning in order to facilitate vehicle access and egress through the gates.

'She was not arrested and was not asked to leave the wider area.'

It comes after a man was filmed shouting at shamed Prince Andrew as his mother's hearse slowly made its way up the Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral.

Footage then showed the heckler being shoved to the ground by angry mourners as others in the crowd continue to shout 'God Save the King'.

Meanwhile in Oxford, a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of 'disorderly behaviour' after shouting 'Who elected him?' as Charles was proclaimed King. He was later de-arrested, Thames Valley Police said.

Video showed a man shouting at shamed Prince Andrew as his mother's hearse slowly made its way up the Royal Mile in Scotland's capital to St Giles' Cathedral. Footage then showed the heckler being shoved to the ground by angry mourners as others in the crowd continue to shout 'God Save the King'

Mr Davis said above an image of his letter: 'I wrote to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland yesterday, expressing my concern that an anti-monarchy protester has been charged by police. Since I wrote to him, a second protester has been charged.

'At a time of national mourning, we should all ensure that we behave respectfully. But we must not sacrifice the principle of free speech upon which modern Britain is built.

'I am a staunch monarchist, but republicans have as much right to voice their opinions as anyone else.'
A hilarious resurfaced video may hold the answer as to what kind of monarch King Charles III will be.

During a tour of New Zealand in 2019 with newly proclaimed Queen Consort Camilla, the royal couple are seen shaking hands with well-wishers in Auckland.

But one cheeky Kiwi, covered in tattoos, reaches over the barriers with a clenched fist offering up a very non-traditional greeting to which the then-Prince of Wales happily obliged.

The 'royal fist bump' video has now gone viral in the wake of Queen Elizabeth's death on Thursday, aged 96, with commenters saying it reveals the new King's down to earth personality.

King Charles III is captured fist bumping a man on tour in Auckland, New Zealand, back in 2019

The hilarious interaction brought a smile to the face of the then-Prince of Wales

To make the situation even more unusual, the New Zealander even dropped the Prince's official title and asked: 'Alright Chazza?'

Once Charles sees the man, he grins politely and indulges his unique request for a fist bump.

'Fair play to him. God save the king,' One person said commented.

Another wrote: 'Best ever...fist bump from his majesty, can't beat that really.'

'I think this guy is going to be good tbh,' a third commented.

'He's going be a brilliant king,' a fourth added.
A little girl has written a tear-jerking letter to the Queen telling her 'if you see a lady with short curly hair, her name is Dede then that is my great grandma'.

The heartfelt message was nestled in between the sea of flowers being laid down for the late monarch at Green Park following her death last Thursday.

Written by an eight-year-old girl, the sweet tribute is in memory of her gran who 'followed the life of her Queen until she sadly passed away a few months ago'.

The note said they were now 'reunited together'.

The tear-jerking note, left by eight-and-a-half year old girl, was laid down in memory of her gran who was a life-long fan of Her Majesty but sadly died a few months ago

The message read: 'Dear Queen Elizabeth,

'A few days ago my mum told me that you were very ill and a few hours later she came to me with the sad news that you had passed away.

'I am thankful for everything you've done as a strong leader.

'I hope you will be reunited with Prince Phillip and if you see a lady with short curly hair, her name is Dede then that is my great grandma.

'Thank you for everything you have done.

'I love you.'

Below the photograph is a polaroid picture of the little girl's gran smiling while holding up a picture of Her Majesty.

It said: 'Laid down in memory of my gran who followed the life of her Queen until she sadly passed away a few months ago but is now reunited together.'

Tens of thousands of people have now laid down flowers and other tributes to Queen Elizabeth II in Green Park, central London

The note was posted on social media by a mourner who had travelled to Green Park on Tuesday to pay their respects to Her Majesty, who died 'peacefully' at her Balmoral estate last week.

They accompanied the picture with the caption: 'Well, this tribute in #Greenpark finished me off! #queenelizabeth #kingcharles3'

The sea of tributes including flowers, cards, soft toys, drawings, Union Jack flags and balloons in Green Park keep pouring in as the steady stream of people travelling to the capital to express their condolences continues.

In emotional scenes last night, tens of thousands of well-wishers lined the streets and applauded as the Queen's coffin was transported by state hearse from RAF Northolt to Buckingham Palace for one final time.

Crowds of up to one million are expected to travel to the capital from today to see the Queen's coffin lying in state at Westminster Hall until her state funeral on Monday, September 19.

Large queues have started to form along the Embankment as people wait for the Queen's lying-in-state to begin. Her Majesty's coffin will be moved from Buckingham Palace during a poignant procession to Westminster Hall later today.

The procession will see members of the Royal family, including King Charles III and Princes William and Harry, walk behind the coffin as it is carried on a gun carriage.
A teenage human trafficking victim who stabbed her accused rapist to death was sentenced Tuesday to five years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 to the man's family.

Pieper Lewis, 17, was sentenced in an Iowa court after she pleaded last year to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury in the June 2020 killing of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks of Des Moines. Both charges were punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Polk County District Judge David M. Porter has deferred those prison sentences, meaning that if Lewis violates any portion of her probation, she could be sent to prison to serve that 20-year term.

Iowa requires those involved in a homicide to pay victims' families $150,000 under state law.

'This court is presented with no other option,' said Porter, noting that the law has been upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court.

Lewis was only 15 when she stabbed Brooks with a knife that was on a nearby bedside table more than 30 times after he raped her.

The now 17-year-old claimed the murder was not premeditated. She was arrested for murder a day later and initially charged with first-degree murder.

Officials have said Lewis was a runaway who was seeking to escape from an abusive adopted mother and was sleeping in the hallways of an apartment building when an older man took her in before forcibly trafficking her to other men for sex.

Brooks was one of those men, the court heard.

Pieper Lewis gives her allocution during a sentencing hearing, Tuesday, in Des Moines, Iowa. The 17-year-old was sentenced Tuesday in the Iowa court after she pleaded last year to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury in the killing of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks

The judge sentenced the trafficking victim to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the man's family

Zachary Brooks, 37, was stabbed 30 times by Lewis after she was forced to sleep with him when she was 15-years-old

Lewis' broken relationship with the woman who adopted her out of foster care at the age of 3 prompted her to run away, she said.

The older man she met while sleeping in corridors created a dating profile for her to have sex with men in exchange for money, according to court documents.

Later on, she met Brooks at a party and was forced to stay with him. Brooks allegedly gave the minor alcohol and drugs before having sex with her multiple times while she was unconscious.

On May 31, 2020, the day before she committed the crime, the older man held a knife to her and forced her to go to Brooks' Des Moines apartment.

'I did not want to have sex with Mr. Brooks,' Lewis wrote in a plea statement. 'I did not want to go to Mr. Brooks' apartment, but I had no other place to go.'

The court heard that Lewis' relationship with the 40-year-old man who took her in was a 'perfect example of human trafficking'.

'There was very clearly a power dynamic between her and [her boyfriend] where he used her to get what he wanted,' an Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault spokesperson previously told the Des Moines Register.

The victim has sat in a jail cell since her arrest and finished high school in July.

Brooks' body was found shortly after he was murdered. Prosecutors have argued that Brooks was asleep at the time he was stabbed and not an immediate danger to Lewis

Police and prosecutors have not disputed that Lewis was sexually assaulted and trafficked.

But prosecutors have argued that Brooks was asleep at the time he was stabbed and not an immediate danger to Lewis.

Iowa is not among the dozens of states that have a so-called safe harbor law that gives trafficking victims at least some level of criminal immunity.

However, Lewis' attorneys requested for the state law to be disregarded since the then 15-year-old was a victim of a crime.

Lewis, who earned her GED while being held in juvenile detention, acknowledged in a statement prior to her sentencing that she struggled with the structure of her detention, asking 'why I was treated like fragile glass' and adding that she wasn't allowed to communicate with her friends or family.

'My spirit has been burned, but still glows through the flames,' she read from a statement she had prepared. 'Hear me roar, see me glow, and watch me grow.'

'I am a survivor,' she added.

The killing took place at a Des Moines, Iowa home located at 1516 Evergreen Ave, where Lewis was forced to have sex with Brooks

Lewis said she was forced to go to Brooks' house the day before she killed him. She said an older man held a knife to her throat and forced her to sleep with other men

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual assault, but Lewis agreed to have her name used previously in stories about her case.

Prosecutors took issue with Lewis calling herself a victim in the case and said she failed to take responsibility for stabbing Brooks and 'leaving his kids without a father.'

The judge peppered Lewis with repeated requests to explain what poor choices she made that led up to Brooks' stabbing and expressed concern that she sometimes did not want to follow rules set for her in juvenile lockup.

'The next five years of your life will be full of rules you disagree with, I'm sure of it,' Porter said. He later added: 'This is the second chance that you've asked for. You don't get a third.'

Brooks is pictured driving a vehicle. Prosecutors took issue with Lewis calling herself a victim in the case and said she failed to take responsibility for stabbing Brooks and 'leaving his kids without a father'

Karl Schilling with the Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance said a bill to create a safe harbor law for trafficking victims passed the Iowa House earlier this year but stalled in the Senate under concerns from law enforcement groups that it was too broad.

'There was a working group established to iron out the issues,' Shilling said. 'Hopefully, it will be taken up again next year.'

Iowa does have an affirmative defense law that gives some leeway to victims of crime if the victim committed the violation 'under compulsion by another's threat of serious injury, provided that the defendant reasonably believed that such injury was imminent.'

Prosecutors argued Tuesday that Lewis waived that affirmative defense when she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and willful injury.
Mr Dorante-Day was born in Portsmouth, UK, on April 5, 1966 and was adopted at eight months old before his family later settled in Australia

A British-born Aussie who believes he is the lovechild of King Charles III and Queen consort Camilla has said it is a 'kick in the face' to see William named as the Prince of Wales.

Queensland-based engineer Simon Charles Dorante-Day, 56, was adopted at eight months old and maintains that his adoptive grandmother told him on her deathbed that he was the 'secret son' of Charles and Camilla.

He has for years spoken of his desire for the royals submit to a DNA test to prove his genetic heritage and has even sought senior legal advice after a letter penned to the Queen speaking of his plight was not dignified with a response.

'It's hard not to take Charles naming William as the Prince of Wales as anything other than a kick in the face,' Mr Dorante-Day told News7.

'I don't want to feel that way, but I do. I just think, the least Charles can do is give me an answer - acknowledge me. He gives William a title like that, well where's my answer? Where's my DNA test? If you are not my father, then prove you're not.'

The Aussie also reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing legal action in an attempt to force the King into a paternity test.

'There has been a discussion in there between a judge and myself and his barrister about the legal standing of Charles, and whether the monarch is protected by the law or is above the law,' Mr Dorante-Day explained.

'And the answer to that was no - they told me that we don't see any reason why he is. And secondly, Camilla and her family are certainly not above the law. So that argument's already been had and settled.'

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, arrive at Writer's Square ahead of a service of reflection in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at St Anne's Cathedral on September 13, 2022

Queensland-based engineer Simon Charles Dorante-Day, 56, was adopted at eight months old and maintains that his adoptive grandmother told him on her deathbed that he was the 'secret son' of Charles and Camilla

'It's hard not to take Charles naming William as the Prince of Wales as anything other than a kick in the face,' Mr Dorante-Day told an Australian news outlet (William pictured last week)

Mr Dorante-Day was born in Portsmouth, UK, on April 5, 1966 and was adopted at eight months old before his family later settled in Australia.

Both of Mr Dorante-Day's adoptive grandparents had worked for the Queen and Prince Philip in one of their royal households and he claims his adoptive grandmother told him he was the son of Charles and Camilla.

Mr Dorante-Day's case alleges King Charles and Queen consort Camilla began their close relationship in 1965, a year before his birth certificate says he was born.

He claims that Queen consort Camilla was absent from the British social scene and King Charles was sent on a trip to Australia nine months before he was born.

Mr Dorante-Day insists that Camilla kept him until he was eight months old, hiding him from the world with the help of the royal family and protection officers, and claims to have been told it was a condition of the adoption that his names Simon and Charles were not changed.

However by eight months he was growing too big to hide and it was arranged for the daughter of a royal household staff member - Mr Dorante-Day's adoptive grandmother - to take him under her care.

Mr Dorante-Day believes inconsistencies on his birth certificate and his name also prove he is of royal blood.

But his timeline of events contradicts official records that say the new King and Camilla met each other five years after Mr Dorante-Day's birth.

Mr Dorante-Day claimed his research suggests Charles and Camilla first became close in 1965, meeting at Winston Churchill's funeral in January of that year.

However, Charles and Camilla are widely reported to have met at a polo match in Windsor Great Park in 1970.

Legend has it that she introduced herself with the line: 'You know, sir, my great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather - so how about it?' - a reference to Edward VII and his mistress, Alice Keppel.

She eventually married Charles in 2005, 10 years after her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles in 1995.

Mr Dorante-Day has gone viral by frequently posting images comparing photos of himself and his children alongside members of the British royal family - in this case the King himself

Mr Dorante-Day believes King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are his biological parents after he was adopted at eight-months old

The Queen passed away aged 96 at Balmoral Castle on Thursday. Mr Dorante-Day shared his condolences via social media but reaffirmed his commitment to getting to the bottom of his biological heritage

Mr Dorante-Day last week shared a tribute to his supposed grandmother in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death.

He said his daughter Meriam told him Her Majesty had died when he woke up on Friday.

'Like everyone on the planet it would be hard not to be affected and saddened by her passing,' he wrote.

'Since finding out about the loss of my grandmother aka Lilibet, I've been inundated with messages of condolence for the loss. Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts, and concern.'

Mr Dorante-Day said the death of the monarch also marked the loss of him 'pleasantly' being able to get to the bottom of his biological heritage after she never responded to a letter he wrote to her.

However, he vowed to continue his efforts to try and determine conclusively that the new sovereign and his wife are his true parents.

'As many of you have expressed my family and I are mourning not just the loss of Her Majesty but the loss of another opportunity to resolve this issue pleasantly, the right way,' he said.

'So, despite the lost opportunity of getting to personally hear her version of events, and the great sadness we all feel at her passing, on a personal and public scale it will be business as usual.'

Mr Dorante-Day shared a photo of him next to the Queen during her younger years

The father-of-nine said he feels the Queen is now 'free' to do what she wishes in the afterlife without any judgement 'like she had her entire reign' and that she has now been 'reunited with her greatest love and closest friend', the late Duke of Edinburgh.

He said that he does not think she would want anyone to feel sad for her, and instead 'she would rather we all celebrate and remember her for what she stood for and the changes that she was able to make during her reign'.

As they mourn, Mr Dorante-Day, whose wife Elvianna and children are Indigenous Australians, said his family would be partaking in sacred Aboriginal cultural practices.

'Together we are all entering a period of what First Nations Australians would define as 'Sorry Business' as we all experience this loss!' he said.

'No matter what your feelings, political alignments, religious belief, or convictions - she has been a part of all of our lives for a lifetime. Elizabeth touched each and every one of us.'

'Dr. Elvianna, the family, and I would appreciate people's understanding and respect that we too are experiencing Sorry Business, for our own reasons, in our own way.

'Rest in peace Aka, you are in God's hands now, I know in me I will always carry a piece of you.'
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Royal fans have been flocking to tattoo parlours to pay tribute to the Queen following her death.

One tattoo shop in Windsor said that they have had numerous requests from Coldstream Guards, who have a strong presence in the region, to 'immortalise Her Majesty for their memory'.

They posted an image online of a tattoo which shows the Queen saluting while dressed in her military uniform, adorned with a medal on her chest. It depicts the late monarch using only black ink, except for the flash of crimson of the feather on her hat.

A popular choice for tribute tattoos is the Queen hand-in-hand with the endearing bear from Peru, Paddington.

A tattoo shop in Windsor said that they have had numerous requests from the Coldstream Guards to 'immortalise Her Majesty for their memory'

The illustration by Eleanor Tomlinson, which has gone viral since her Majesty's death, has been a popular source of inspiration for tattoo artists and clients

In one portrait of her majesty, the artist has incorporated the famous red bolt that was worn across the face of David Bowie's alter ego, Ziggy Stardust

One tribute to Her Majesty (left) shows the Queen wearing what appears to be a depiction of the crown worn by the Queen during her coronation. Her Majesty was also depicted across the upper-left side of a man's chest (right) wearing sunglasses, and with a tattoo of a pink-coloured rose across her own neck

'Well that's that done, tea?' reads the caption on a tattoo of the Queen on a man's shaven calf, with an illustration of Her Majesty wearing a pea-green coat.

The illustration by Eleanor Tomlinson, which has gone viral since her Majesty's death, has been a popular source of inspiration for tattoo artists and clients.

Paddington Bear is shown holding her hand as one of her beloved corgis, that seems to have mischievously run off with some bunting, joins them at her side.

There is also a marmalade sandwich, that the Queen comically pulled out of her handbag during the Platinum Jubilee as part of sketch with Paddington Bear, that has been left behind

One clients chose to wrap his leg with a portrait of the late monarch, from her days of youth, in black ink in front of a vividly coloured union jack.

She is illustrated with her tiara, a pair of stud earrings and a dark dress which begins just below her shoulders before being faded out.

One clients chose to wrap his leg with a portrait of the late monarch, from her days of youth, in black ink in front of a vividly coloured union jack

Paddington Bear is shown holding her hand heading into the abyss as one of her beloved corgis, that seems to have mischievously run off with some bunting, joins them at her side

Paddington Bear has become a popular motif for the monarch, particularly after this year's Platinum Jubilee which celebrated 70 years of the Queen's reign.

People have been flocking to their local tattoo parlour to pay tribute to our late monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

'I've done my duties Paddington, please take me to my husband,' read a tattoo on the side of one client's shin.

In another portrait of her majesty, the tattoo artist had incorporated the famous red bolt that was worn across the face of David Bowie's alter ego, Ziggy Stardust.

The Queen had been illustrated as a stencil in black ink with a shock of red and touch of blue across her face in the shape of a lightning bolt.

A tattoo which was only done yesterday shows a bust portrait of the Queen in black ink, and her royal cypher, EIIR, placed at the bottom of the illustration of the monarch in large.

'Just done today very read but I'm happy with the outcome,' said tattooist Brandan Roberts.

Her Majesty was also depicted across the upper left side of a man's chest wearing sunglasses, and with a tattoo herself.

The artist added a tattoo across the late monarch's of a pink-coloured rose that can be seen underneath a simple string pearls.

The Queen is shown to be wearing a pastel-pink dress and looking back at us behind a pair of shades.

In the background is a Union Jack that appears to have been given a watercolour effect by the artists, with outlines of famous London landmarks like Big Ben and the London Eye.

The tribute to Her Majesty by Magpie Tattoo Studio shows the Queen wearing what appears to be a depiction of the crown worn by the Queen during her coronation.

She is also surrounded by tall-stemmed fuchsia and blue flowers with a magenta watercolour-effect background, with her sceptre bearing a large gem behind her.
Liz Truss is expected to hold talks with Irish premier Micheal Martin about Northern Ireland's Brexit political impasse when he visits London for the Queen's funeral.

They are expected to meet after the Taoiseach represents Ireland at the Westminster Abbey ceremony on Monday.

It would be their first official meeting since Ms Truss became Prime Minister last week, although they both attended a memorial service for the late monarch in Belfast yesterday.

It comes after Mr Martin suggested the Queen's death was an opportunity to 'reset' relations between Britain and Ireland following bitter Brexit disputes.

Norther Ireland is currently gripped by heightened political tensions at Stormont and between the UK and Irish governments over post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland.

Sinn Fein became the largest party at the assembly in May's election but the DUP has refused to restore the power-sharing executive until the Northern Ireland Protocol of the UK/EU Brexit deal is replaced.

Ms Truss is also threatening to push ahead with legislation at Westminster to scrap key elements of the Protocol if negotiations with the EU on revamping trade rules continue to stall.

This has caused a furious response from both Dublin and Brussels, with the bloc launching fresh legal action against the UK.

It would be their first official meeting since Ms Truss became Prime Minister last week, although they both attended a memorial service for the late monarch in Belfast yesterday.

Mr Martin attended a memorial service for the Queen at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast yesterday.

The service was held as part of King Charles's Operation Spring Tide tour of all UK nations, following his proclamation as monarch.

In an interview with the BBC prior to the service, the Taoiseach suggested it could now be a moment to repair relations that have been damaged by the Northern Ireland Protocol row.

He described the Queen's historic visit to Ireland in 2011, the first by a British monarch in 100 years, as a 'watershed moment' for Anglo-Irish relations and said it had left his country with a 'fondness' for Her Majesty.

'I would like to think that the visit of Queen Elizabeth II first of all to Ireland, her passing would give us all time for reflection,' Mr Martin said.

'And will remind us of the need to proactively nurture the relationship between Britain and Ireland to enhance it in the time ahead.

'And that this moment gives us that opportunity for reflection and for resetting, in a good way, that relationship.'
A perfumer was sacked by one of the world's leading fragrance houses after sending 'suspicious' emails containing its top secret perfume formulas then trying to 'cover her tracks', a tribunal heard.

Madly Massengo sent a series of messages from her work system to a personal email account containing details of the company's 'only real intellectual property' including materials, formulas and pricing.

Bosses at British-based CPL Aromas were horrified when they realised Ms Massengo's emails meant they had 'lost all control' of the confidential information, the employment tribunal heard.

When she was quizzed by bosses, the French perfumer, who has a Masters Degree in Chemistry, Engineering, Aromatics and Perfumery from Montpellier University, claimed she sent emails to her personal account as she wanted to 'work from home'.

But Ms Massengo, who was 39, was sacked for gross misconduct.

She then sued her employer CPL Aromas Ltd for age discrimination, wrongful and unfair dismissal.

However these claims were dismissed by an employment tribunal held in East London.

Perfumer Madly Massengo worked at CPL Aromas' headquarters in Bishops Stortford, Herts, but she was sacked for gross misconduct, a tribunal has heard (stock image)

The hearing was told that in a 'very competitive market', the 'only real intellectual property' a fragrance house holds is the formula and costings of its scents.

Fragrances are often made up of up to 50 raw ingredients and the recipes, if leaked, could have 'serious repercussions for the business'.

The tribunal heard this information was 'tightly safeguarded' by CPL Aromas, who are described as 'fragrance pioneers', producing fragrances and acting as advisors to leading perfume brands.

The hearing was told Ms Massengo started work as a trainee perfumer at CPL Aromas in April 2017 and was later offered a permanent role in the perfumery department subject to qualifying from the programme, which was due to finish in July 2019.

CPL Aromas, which was founded by brothers Michael and Terry Pickthall in Essex in 1971, was described as 'a world leading fragrance house' with bases around the world.

Ms Massengo worked at the company's headquarters in Bishops Stortford, Herts.

In June 2019, in a review meeting with boss Alexandra Kosinski, Ms Massengo was told she was not on track to qualify by July and she may lack the 'requisite skills' to complete the programme.

Ms Kosinski also expressed 'concerns' about Ms Massengo's attitude, particularly when working as part of a tight-knit team.

She pointed to examples where Ms Massengo had 'refused to accept' any negative criticism and thought she 'already had all the skills that she needed'.

Ms Massengo told the tribunal she believed she had been deemed to be 'inflexible' or 'more likely to stand up for herself', because she was the only perfumer on the programme older than 30.

But the panel heard bosses all denied being aware of Ms Massengo's age and that she was older than 30.

When Ms Massengo then failed to complete the programme in July she was offered a role as a quality control technician - and Ms Kosinski personally offered to help mentor her for the final stage of her programme to ensure she could qualify as a perfumer.

However, Ms Massengo turned the role down.

A senior figure at the company encouraged her to reconsider her decision and was 'at pains to explain' that if she did not accept, and no other suitable position was found, her employment could end.

Later that month, as she continued in her trainee role, an automated alert showed bosses that two emails containing meeting invites had been sent from Ms Massengo's account to her private email address, which was considered a breach of security.

She was immediately suspended and an investigation was carried out which found Ms Massengo's conduct had been 'suspicious', emailing 'sensitive, confidential' information to herself - including details of the company's formulas and prices.

In a disciplinary meeting she was accused of misusing email and company information - sending herself 22 emails, with eight 'of concern'.

The tribunal heard that over a five month period Ms Massengo had sent emails containing sensitive information of raw materials used in fragrances and their pricing - even emailing herself Excel spreadsheet containing fragrance, formulas and prices.

A list of her 'log ins' to the confidential work system had been compiled. In the disciplinary hearing she contested that some of these 'looked strange' and claimed 'someone else' must have been logging in as her.

It was pointed out to her that only she knew her log in details and anyone else knowing them would also have been a breach.

On September 9, 2019, she was dismissed for gross misconduct.

Ms Massengo appealed this, but the decision was upheld. She was deemed to have 'broken the trust' of her employer.

The appeal process revealed she had deleted the emails from her 'Sent' and subsequent 'Trash' folder, leaving only the two she knew her boss had already seen.

She also said she had not been sent the company handbook informing her such behaviour was forbidden.

The tribunal dismissed all of Ms Massengo's claims.

Employment Judge Catrin Lewis said: 'We were unable to find any credible evidence to suggest, or from which we could infer, that someone who was younger than 30 would have been treated any differently in the same circumstances.

'The reason Ms Massengo was not offered the role of junior perfumer was because she had not performed well enough over the course of the training programme.

'We have not found any credible evidence from which we could infer that their assessments were influenced in any way by her age.

'We are satisfied it was within the range of reasonable responses for CPL Aromas to draw adverse conclusions from Ms Massengo's conduct in deleting her sent emails as being evidence that she knew what she was doing was wrong and was attempting to cover her tracks.

'Not only had Ms Massengo breached the policy, we have found, she had attempted to cover her tracks. As a result CPL Aromas could no longer be expected to have trust and confidence in her.

'We have not found the failure to provide the Handbook to mean that Ms Massengo ought not to have been aware that what she was doing was misconduct.'




Samsung Electronics said Wednesday its Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong will skip attending his trial this week as he continues to visit Samsung's overseas operation sites and drum up support for Korea's efforts to host the 2030 World Expo.







Samsung said Lee met President Laurentino Cortizo of Panama on Tuesday in the capital of Panama City to discuss ways to boost Samsung's business in the Central American nation.







He also asked Cortizo to support Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southern port city of Busan in his capacity as a presidential envoy for the campaign.







Lee, Samsung's de facto leader, is currently standing trial over the 2015 merger between two Samsung affiliates and alleged accounting fraud at the pharmaceutical unit Samsung Biologics. The merger and fraud are widely seen as key steps to strengthen his grip on the group.







With the ongoing business trip, he will not be attending his trial Thursday, Samsung said. The next trial is slated for next Thursday and Friday.







Panama is Samsung Electronics' first export destination of its color televisions back in 1977 and is where Samsung opened its first overseas office.







Prior to his visit to Panama, Lee visited Mexico to check Samsung's operations there and meet staffers, marking his first overseas trip since he was granted a presidential pardon in August over the bribery conviction that led him to serve a 2 1/2-year prison term.







As his next stop, Lee is speculated to travel to Britain or the United States in time for Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's visit there.







Yoon will be heading to Britain to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 19 before giving a keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 20.







During Yoon's visit, there could be promotional events for Korea's expo campaign.







The Bureau International des Expositions, the intergovernmental body that oversees the World Expo, will announce the host in November 2023. Korea is competing with Italy and Saudi Arabia. (Yonhap)


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It was shortly after 3am on a cold and wet February morning that the last of the solemn mourners filed past the majestic coffin of King George VI lying at rest in Westminster Hall.

The king had died peacefully in his sleep on February 6, 1952, when his daughter and heir - the then Princess Elizabeth - was in Kenya with her husband Prince Philip.

In the space of just three days up to February 15, just over 301,000 people queued for nearly four miles to pay their respects to the monarch who had led Britain through the dark days of the Second World War.

The Daily Mail reported at the time how, on the final day of the 72-hour lying-in-state period, more than 100,000 people filed past in the space of just 19 hours.

They persevered despite being battered by rain and sleet and having to cope with freezing temperatures and snow on the ground.

The 300,000 figure matched the numbers for Sir Winston Churchill lying in state in 1965 and outstripped the 200,000 seen for the Queen Mother in 2002.

The moving scenes will be repeated from later today when the coffin of Her Majesty the Queen arrives at Westminster Hall to lie in state in the same spot as her beloved father.

Around 10,000 mourners have begun forming an orderly queue that is set to stretch five miles and last up to 40 hours.

The queue for the lying-in-state of King George VI is seen extending along the south bank of the Thames by St Thomas's Hospital as far as the eye can see. The image was taken on February 13, 1952 - the second day of the lying-in-state period

The mourners persevered despite being battered by rain and sleet and having to cope with freezing temperatures and snow on the ground. Above: The queue is seen stretching down both sides of Lambeth Bridge

Policemen organise the crowds of people queuing in the rain to view King George VI lying in state at Westminster Hall. The line stretched across Lambeth Bridge down to Albert Embankment and Westminster Bridge, where it turned back on itself

Hundreds of people are seen inside Westminster Hall as they pay their respects to King George VI while he lies in state

King George VI passed away while suffering from lung cancer.

The notice announcing his death read: 'The King, who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning.'

Princess Elizabeth was then proclaimed Queen in her absence by the Accession Council before she and Philip returned to London from Kenya on February 7.

Her Majesty then formally proclaimed herself Queen and Head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith on at St James's Palace.

The King's casket was taken by train from Sandringham to London, where it then made its way to Westminster Hall.

Reporting on the last hours of the lying-in-state on February 15, 1952, the Daily Mail said: 'The queue outside Westminster Hall, which at one time stretched ten deep from Parliament Square across both sides of Lambeth Bridge, thinned after midnight.

'At 2.25 a.m. the last of the queuers entered the hall. The doors were kept open and hundreds of people continued to arrive. They were able to go in without waiting.

'At 3 a.m. 116,277 had filed past the catafalque - a total of 301,369 since Tuesday.'

The moving scenes will be repeated from later today when the coffin of Her Majesty the Queen arrives at Westminster Hall to lie in state in the same spot as her beloved father. Around 10,000 mourners have begun forming an orderly queue that is set to stretch five miles and last up to 40 hours. Above: The queue on the South bank

People queuing along Lambeth Bridge to pay their last respects to King George VI as he lay in state in Westminster Hall in 1952

The queue to see King George VI is seen stretching across the road near Lambeth Bridge. The line eventually stretched for nearly four miles

Hundreds of mourners queue along the Thames as the lights of Lambeth Bridge are seen glowing in the background

Lambeth Bridge is seen packed with people queuing to pay their respects to King George VI in Westminster Hall in February 1952

The enormous queue of people waiting to pay their final respects to King George VI is seen stretching down towards Parliament

The then famous boxer Alex Buxton is seen (centre in long coat) among the people queuing to pay their respects to King George

The Daily Mail's report of the lying-in-state noted how the former King Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, paid his respects to his brother

BBC presenter Richard Dimbleby said during the broadcast of the Westminster Hall proceedings, said: 'Never safer, better guarded, lay a sleeping king than this, with a golden candlelight to warm his resting place, and the muffled footsteps of his devoted subjects to keep him company.'

On the day of the funeral, February 15, George's coffin was draped in the royal standard, with a crown, orb and sceptre lain on top.

It then made its way in a formal televised procession to Paddington Station. It was carried on a gun carriage that was hauled by Royal Navy seamen as the Queen, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were among those who followed.

Mourners are seen today queuing along the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament to see the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall

People read books as they queue along the banks of the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament to see the Queen for the last time

Royal fans camped out overnight and sheltered under their brollies in central London. Above: People queuing in Lambeth

Royal fans claim their spots to watch the arrival of the coffin of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster

Queues start to build up on Lambeth Embankment in London to see the Queen lie in state from this evening at Westminster Hall

As it made it way through London, the bells of Big Ben rang out 56 times, with each chime representing a year of the late King's life.

Once at Paddington, the coffin was taken to Windsor, where a simple service was held for the King in St George's Chapel, where successive monarchs have been buried for centuries.

When the funeral got underway at 2pm, the nation fell silent, with even passengers on a transatlantic flight to New York rising from their seats to bow their heads.

The service, in which television cameras were banned, was presided over by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Geoffrey Fisher and the Archbishop of York Cyril Garbett.

Once the service was over, George was buried in the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel. Elizabeth's final tribute to her father was to drop a handful of earth that she had collected from Frogmore at Windsor on his coffin.

There were similar queues when Winston Churchill lay in state in Westminster Hall after his death in January 1965 at the age of 90

Members of the public pay their respects to Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) during his lying-in-state in Westminster Hall
The behaviour of Melissa Caddick's husband was extremely strange and when seen crying they weren't 'real tears', a policeman has told her inquest.

Sergeant Trent Riley was one of the first police officers to interview Anthony Koletti following his missing person's report on November 13, some 30 hours after he says she left their Dover Heights mansion.

'I thought it was strange a husband would ring the police station, report his wife missing two days later and wasn't prepared to come to the police station,' Sgt Riley said.

'Or didn't really want police to go around and see him (because) he had too much work on that day.'

Fraudster Melissa Caddick went missing in November 2020 after scamming more than $8million from clients, friends and family (pictured with Mr Koletti)

The inquest previously heard Mr Koletti impersonated Ms Caddick the day after she went missing and even falsely told friends he was with her at home.

Mr Koletti wrote a text message to their cleaner from his wife's phone cancelling an appointment and lied to her brother Adam Grimley and her friend Scott Little in messages.

The inquest heard Mr Koletti told them he was at home with Caddick when in fact, he hadn't seen her all day.

He reported Caddick missing to police 28 hours after he said she left the house to go for a walk or a run.

She was being investigated by ASIC over $23million she owed to 74 investors whose money she splurged on designer clothes, property, holidays and luxury cars.

On Wednesday, the inquest heard Sgt Riley's suspicions prompted him to visit the Sydney eastern suburbs home and his body-worn footage was played before the court.

'You can't be too careful these days,' Mr Koletti is heard saying as he unlocks one of the many doors in the multi-million dollar home.

Down in the couple's cellar Mr Koletti points out she 'hasn't even taken any grog'.

On the upstairs deck with the Harbour Bridge in the background Sgt Riley mentioned it was a good spot for New Year's Eve.

'I was looking forward to New Year's Eve, but I don't know now. It doesn't mean anything when you don't have the love of your life,' Mr Koletti responds.

'Did you go anywhere last night?' Sgt Riley asks again.

'Not that I know of,' Mr Koletti says.

Mr Koletti laughs and in a police interview after he reported Caddick missing (pictured)

Sgt Riley repeatedly says he doesn't believe the part-time hairdresser and DJ is telling him the whole truth.

'Like I said before I think there's something you're not telling me,' Sgt Riley says.

'I told you if something comes up I will tell you ... I've been on this for a long time now,' Mr Koletti responds.

Solicitor Judy Swan, on behalf of Mr Koletti, points out to the witness that at the end of the search and interview her client starts to cry.

'They weren't real tears in my opinion ... I'm very confident they weren't real tears,' Sgt Riley said.

He noted Mr Koletti gave two different versions of the last time he had seen his wife and that she was 'in good spirits'.

The officer was then unaware that the Australian Federal Police and Australian Securities and Investments Commission had raided the couple's Dover Heights mansion on November 11, 2020.

The couple's Dover Heights mansion which is being sold to repay investors (pictured)

The stunning view from Melissa Caddick's Dover Heights mansion (pictured)

Mr Koletti told police he wasn't worried about his wife, hadn't left home at all but later said he had spent the day scoping above the ocean near The Gap.

'(He says) he didn't think she was missing but he was checking the cliffs around Rodney Reserve all day,' junior counsel assisting Louise Coleman said.

'Extremely strange,' Sgt Riley responded.

Ms Coleman also asked him about the text message Mr Koletti sent to the cleaner from Ms Caddick's phone pretending to be her.

'I did think that was strange,' he said.

The hairdresser and DJ outside the Lidcombe Coroners Court in Sydney on Tuesday (pictured)

'(He) contacted her closest friends but hadn't let them know she was missing?' Ms Coleman said.

'He did. Very strange,' he said.

He was also bewildered why Mr Koletti described the clothes his wife was wearing when she left the house, despite not seeing her leave.

Earlier Detective Sergeant Michael Kyneur recounted an interview he had with the husband while he was officer in charge of the investigation.

Mr Koletti offered up a theory she was staying at the Meriton in Bondi Junction.

'It was quite a big spot for us in our early years,' he said.

'She could have a fat wad of cash stashed under the bed for all I know. She's resourceful.'

The inquest before Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan continues.
A teacher likened to a 'Benny Hill character' who waved a fake penis at colleagues and made suggestive movements has been found unfit to teach.

Derek Turkington was struck off yesterday following the incident at Newbattle Community High School in Dalkeith, Midlothian which took place between August 2017 and May 2018.

During this time Mr Turkington, a guidance teacher, was found to have put a prosthetic penis down his trousers and then through his trouser zip in front of staff.

He then made suggestive and provocative movements towards his colleagues and also placed his finger through his trouser zip while attempting to mimic male genitalia.

Mr Turkington claimed he had been carrying a box overflowing with fake penises from a sex education class and unintentionally must have held one of the mocked-up members up as he waved goodbye to a colleague.

He was also accused of screaming at a pupil and telling a pupil their 'dad clearly doesn't care about him and that he needs to move on and get a grip'.

A third accusation was that he nailed a piece of wood over a school door resulting distress to pupils' present.

Derek Turkington has been struck off the teaching register for making lewd gestures towards other colleagues with a fake penis at a school in Dalkeith, Scotland

The guidance teacher, originally from Glasgow, was described as a 'kind of Benny Hill character in his regards to sexual actions or language' by a former member of staff.

In a hearing in June, colleague Martin Newcombe said: 'There was a big box of prosthetic penis in the box room just off the guidance room and people would store their coffee and tea in there.

'Derek would often play about with these [prosthetics], I took no offence to what he did, other staff laughed at it too.

'I was very rarely in contact with Derek, he would interact with pupils but he had a sense of humour that the pupils liked, he broke down barriers and pupils seemed to respond well.

'It was all just the way he was, to someone who did not know him it was probably different but that was Derek, he was a kind of Benny Hill character in his regards to sexual actions or language.

'When he was messing around it was just Derek being Derek, it meant nothing to me, if I thought he had been deliberately offensive I would have reported it.'

Newbattle Community School in Dalkeith, Midlothian. Mr Turkington told the hearing he only picked up the fake penis because the box 'overflowed' and denied the accusations

Mr Turkington appeared in front of the GTCS panel to defend himself in June but did not show up for the final decision yesterday.

When giving evidence he said: 'The demonstrators were used for S4 classes to show how to put on a condom.

'They were kept in a box which at times overflowed and so you would have to carry a couple while putting a folder over the top of the box.

'This was to cause as little attention as possible and all I can think is that one of my colleagues was on the phone and I was waving to say I am off to teach.

'I would have maybe had the demonstrator in my hand but that is all I can think.'

Derek Turkington, a Personal and Social Education teacher in Midlothian, has been banned from teaching for two years following the tribunal

He added: 'I agree that if that [allegation] was done towards a colleague that would be far too far and out with being the appropriate humour for the workplace.

'I would say my sense of humour is friendly, outgoing, I like a laugh and a joke, I wouldn't say I was slapstick as such, a sense of humour helps in the workplace.

'I certainly wouldn't want to upset anyone, I would be appalled if that were to happen.'

Mr Turkington was also questioned over the allegation that he nailed a piece of wood to a door and caused distress to a pupil.

He said: 'I am a techy teacher, I have the skills and knowledge to cut a piece of wood which I did and I then went with a battery drill and carefully screwed in some screws.

'There were absolutely no nails involved as it would shatter the glass, I wish that people would give time and dates so that I could tell you exactly what I was doing.'

'It was done in a very calm and very structured manner.'

Mr Turkington taught at Newbattle Community High School, in Dalkeith and is also accused of placing his finger through the zipper of his trousers to mimic male genitals - which he denies

Arthur Stewart, the convenor of the panel, said: 'Our decision as to Mr Turkington is that he is unfit to teach and the panel must direct that his name be removed from the teaching register.'

Mr Turkington had denied the allegations that he placed one of the prosthetics down his trousers and that he placed a finger through his zipper to mimic male genitalia.

However all but one of the allegations against the Scots teacher was found to be true.

There was not enough evidence that he shouted at a pupil, although it was found that he made comments about the pupil's father

Following a four day hearing into his conduct, the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) panel decided to remove Mr Turkington from the teaching register.

Mr Turkington has been prohibited from reapplying to get back on the teaching register for two years.
At least 11 people have been killed and 29 injured after an overcrowded minibus carrying school children plunged down a steep gorge in northern India.

Nearly 40 people were crammed into the minibus, which was carrying a number of students, when the accident occurred in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday morning.

The bus veered off the road plunged about 250 feet down a steep gorge near the village of Sawjian in Jammu's Poonch district.

Nine people were killed on the spot and two others died later in hospital. Officials said the 29 injured people were in a critical condition, including six who were airlifted to a hospital in Jammu, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

At least 11 people have been killed and 29 injured after an overcrowded minibus carrying school children plunged down a steep gorge in northern India

Footage from the scene of the crash showed local villagers, police officers and soldiers rushing down the hillside to rescue the injured passengers from the bus, which had ended up on its side after rolling down the gorge

A passenger injured in a bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district is brought for treatment at a hospital in Jammu, India, on Wednesday

Footage from the scene of the crash showed local villagers, police officers and soldiers rushing down the hillside to rescue the injured passengers from the bus, which had ended up on its side after rolling down the gorge.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced in a tweet that compensation of 500,000 rupees (5,447) would be given to victims' families.

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, and president, Droupadi Murmu, both expressed their condolences on Twitter.

'My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery,' Modi wrote.

Nearly 40 people were crammed into the minibus, which was carrying a number of students, when the accident occurred in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday morning. Pictured: An injured passenger is rushed to hospital in Jammu on Wednesday

The bus veered off the road plunged about 250 feet down a steep gorge near the village of Sawjian in Jammu's Poonch district

Nine people were killed on the spot and two others died later in hospital. Officials said the 29 injured people were in a critical condition, including six who were airlifted to a hospital in Jammu. Pictured: Locals and soldiers helped with the rescue efforts

Last month, a bus carrying paramilitary soldiers in the Kashmir region skidded off a mountainous road and rolled down into a river, killing six people and injuring dozens.

Hundreds of thousands of people are killed or injured annually on India's roads. Most accidents are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow...
An American couple traveled through war-torn Ukraine to meet their surrogate and bring their baby home after going through six rounds of IVF and four miscarriages.

Audrey Quinones, 35, and her husband, George, 34, were desperate to become parents and began trying to conceive soon after getting married, in 2017.

However, after struggling to fall pregnant naturally as well as four unsuccessful years of fertility treatments, Audrey and George, from Atlanta, decided to go down the route of surrogacy.

Yet due to the high costs in the US, they decided to begin their surrogacy journey in Ukraine.

When news of the war broke, it meant the couple were going to have to cross into a warzone to be present for their son's birth before bringing him home with them to the US.

Audrey Quinones, 35, (left) and her husband, George, 34, (right) were desperate to become parents and began trying to conceive soon after getting married in 2017. The couple traveled through war-torn Ukraine to meet their Ukrainian surrogate and welcome their baby home (center)

Ukrainian surrogate Kate, pictured, was heavily pregnant when the war broke out. Audrey was terrified for Kate's safety as she lived in the middle of Ukraine, and despite trying to convince her to move as close to the border as possible, she waned to stay with her family in her hometown

Audrey and George are now the proud parents of Matteo Makai, pictured, who was born on 17 July in Ukraine

Audrey, an engineer, said: 'We'd both always dreamed of growing our own family, so we were devastated when we faced these challenges to fall pregnant.

'We suffered four miscarriages while trying to fall pregnant. We tried IUIs and IVF, but they were all unsuccessful.

'I gained 60lbs over the four years of fertility treatment and ended up having a gastric sleeve to help me lose weight, which meant I couldn't pursue pregnancy again for a year.

'I was also diagnosed with many reproductive issues, such endometriosis, PCOS, and reproductive immunology challenges, such as high natural killer cells and extreme high levels of inflammation in the body.

'All of this made a natural conception and carrying to term a slim possibility.

'We then decided to look into surrogacy. One of my friend's volunteered but medical, legal, and compensation costs were too high, so we looked into surrogacy abroad.

'In December 2020, we decided on Ukraine as we loved the idea of traveling the program there, so began our journey.'

It wasn't an easy ride for the couple who were on their fifth surrogate by the time a positive pregnancy test was read, due to embryos failing and not taking.

Audrey continued: 'By the time we met Kate, our surrogate for our son, I was heartbroken.

'Yet when we got the call saying she had a positive pregnancy test, I couldn't believe it. I was scared to get my hopes up too much.

'Everything was going great until 24 February when we heard the news Russia had invaded Ukraine.

Audrey decided to cross into Ukraine when she was 37 weeks so she could spent time with Kate and be there for the birth of her son. 'When I first met Kate, it was like going on a first date because we'd talked so much over text message but never in person,' she said

Kate went into labour at 39 weeks and text Audrey to let her know that the baby was coming

'It took my breathe away. I was in California and had a total breakdown. I had to seek help for my mental health. It was really hard on everyone involved.'

Audrey was terrified for Kate's safety as she lived in the middle of Ukraine, and despite trying to convince her to move as close to the border as possible, she waned to stay with her family in her hometown.

Initially, Audrey didn't want to have contact with Kate because of the heartbreak she'd experienced with previous surrogates, but because of the war, she needed to know she was safe and well.

Audrey said: 'We used an app to translate and to keep in contact.

'She would always send me pictures and videos and was so happy to finally have contact with us. We still talk all the time now.

'By the time Kate was 32 weeks pregnant, I begged her to move west towards the border, as I headed to wait in Germany were my best friend lives.

'She was not able to move west until 36 weeks pregnant, as I headed to be closer to Slovakia. The area she lived in was being shelled sporadically, so thankfully she agreed.

'Kate had a history of delivering between 38 and 41 weeks, so I decided to cross into Ukraine when she was 37 weeks so I could spent time with Kate and be there for the birth of our son.

George, Audrey and Matteo are pictured on the plane home after bringing their son with them

But the birth wasn't the only challenge Matteo had to go through. The couple had to wait for the baby's documentation before crossing into Slovakia, and then a few days later going on a six-hour drive to Poland

'It was terrifying as I didn't know what I was getting myself into as I was about to enter a warzone.

'When I first met Kate, it was like going on a first date because we'd talked so much over text message but never in person.

'We went for walks and ice cream, and she let me feel whenever the baby kicked.'

Kate went into labour at 39 weeks and text Audrey to let her know that the baby was coming quickly.

Air raid sirens began to belt out as they arrived, which meant they were locked outside for some time before the birth.

Audrey continued: 'Within an hour of getting the text, Kate gave birth to Matteo.

'I was there for her, to make sure she was okay and to advocate for her. I didn't know much Ukrainian, so I just held her hand through the pushes.

'It was a surreal experience. Matteo came out purple and I didn't know what to do. I was just staring at them both until a nurse shook me and told me it was time for skin-to-skin.

'He's already done so much travelling in his short life as we'd been to seven countries in four weeks,' said the baby boy's mother

'George was in the hospital but not in the delivery room, so he eventually came down to meet our son and we were united as a family of three.

'A couple of hours later, Kate came down to meet the baby. It was so special.

'Having our son was a dream come true and I kept having to pinch myself, however, I knew we faced the challenge of getting him back to the US.

'We had to wait for his passport and documentation. We first crossed into Slovakia, and then a few days later we had a six-hour drive to Poland.

'We then had to wait another week until our appointment in the embassy to submit documentation and do a DNA test in order to get our son's passport to be able to come back home.

'We then made our way to Germany and spent a few days with my friend and her family before returning to the states. Matteo was one month old when we eventually made it home.

'He's already done so much travelling in his short life as we'd been to seven countries in four weeks.

'We're now back home and adjusting to our new life, and of course loving it.

'It's such a beautiful process and I'm so grateful we've been able to go through it.

'Kate took care of our baby during a war and she is part of our family now.'

Audrey and George are now the proud parents of Matteo Makai, who was born on 17 July in Ukraine.
Prince Harry's autobiography is a 'ticking timebomb which Charles and William wanted to diffuse', a royal author said today - as he claimed it will be published as planned in November despite the Queen's death.

Tom Bower, whose biography of Meghan Markle was released earlier this year, said the book would be printed at Clays in Bungay, Suffolk, under conditions of great secrecy, with staff being checked on their way out for copies.

He added: 'The book is a timebomb which Charles and William wanted to defuse. Harry did not think that he would be in the UK when the Queen died and the circumstances are different to how they all envisaged it.

'That said I hear that it is being printed at Clays. It will take weeks to print and then weeks to distribute it globally.'

A source close to the duke disputed the accuracy of Bowers account, although they did not comment specifically on the planned publication date.

Tom Bower, whose biography of Meghan Markle was released earlier this year, claimed the Duke of Sussex was 'insisting' on the original date being honoured. Today, a source close to the Duke denied the claims Bower made to GB News

Last night, in an interview on GB News, he claimed the Duke of Sussex was 'insisting' on the original date being honoured.

'I am told tonight that Harry is insisting that his book is published in November,' he said. 'Apparently the publishers are not too certain, but he says if they don't publish it will be a breach of contract. That's what I'm told.

'It's extraordinary. But on the other hand it fits the bill, because Harry and Meghan's finances depend entirely on the book and on Netflix.

'And also, I think they are convinced they're in the right and they want to get their own back.'

Last night, a source close to the Duke denied the claims Bower made to GB News. Meanwhile, Penguin has previously announced that Harry will be donating proceeds from the book to charity.

Earlier this week, royal experts told MailOnline it would be a very bad look for Harry to publish anything controversial at this time.

Meanwhile, publishing sources have suggested that it may be pushed back to 2023 to allow Prince Harry time to write additional chapters on the passing of the Queen.

Phil Dampier suggested that despite Harry and William's walkabout at Windsor earlier this week, the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal family is 'as raw as ever'.

And fellow Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said he never thought the book should have been written but for it to be published now, even with an additional chapter discussing the late Queen, would be ill-advised.

He said: 'It is not a matter of a re-write, it's a matter of a re-think. Were it to be published, if it had anything sensational it would be tasteless.

'It is a matter for him how he wants to be perceived. With a new reign it is natural that his loyalty is to his father who is very fond of him.

'What better way to show his loyalty than by postponing, even permanently, the memoir which never should have been linked to the Queen's jubilee year.

Previously, sources have claimed that neither King Charles nor Prince William, or their lawyers and advisers, have been given the opportunity to preview any parts of the manuscript

Mr Fitzwilliams said the damage to Prince Harry's reputation would naturally depend on what the book discusses, which is still a mystery.

'But it would be inappropriate for him to publish anything that had any controversial content especially at this time,' he said.

Mr Dampier said publishing the memoir would ruin any chance of a family reconciliation, adding: 'If Harry makes things worse there is no way back for him. That would be a line crossed and Charles and William would find it hard to forgive him.'

Sources allege neither King Charles nor Prince William, or their lawyers and advisers, have been given the opportunity to preview any parts of the manuscript.

The family has also received no specific information about the expected release date of the book, which is being published by Penguin Random House.

It was revealed in July that Harry and ghostwriter JR Moehringer had finished the book and the final manuscript had been signed off by lawyers. But now there might be a frantic re-write if the Prince does still intend to release the memoir this year.

According to a report in Radar earlier this week, a publishing expert has said that the book will be delayed to allow Harry time to write additional chapters to talk about the passing of the Queen.

'They don't want the book to be out of date before it's even published,' the source added. 'It will also give Harry a chance to reflect on his thoughts about his father.'

Bower said the book would be printed at Clays in Bungay, Suffolk, under conditions of great secrecy

Even before the Queen's death, Page Six reported that publishers had been querying the imminence of the book's release as it was still not available on Amazon or elsewhere for very important pre-sales.

One source told the website: 'I have heard that Harry has some truth bombs in his book that he is debating on whether to include or not.'

Penguin Random House has described the book as 'a heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time'.

The publisher's website says: 'Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.

'Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, one that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous, and uplifting human story.'

Prince Harry, who will be donating any proceeds to charity, said he hopes his story will 'help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think'.

Penguin Random House has not yet released a statement on whether the explosive release will be delayed in light of Queen Elizabeth's death.

MailOnline has contacted the publisher and the Duke's lawyers for comment.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has been pictured alongside a mystery new female figure in recent months whose identity has stumped experts and raised suspicions the tyrant may be bringing more family members to the fore.

The unidentified woman was snapped standing close to Kim in several images published by the pariah state's official media organisation KCNA, typically wearing a plain dark suit and clutching a handbag.

She also featured prominently in state media coverage of a recent Kim speech in which he announced North Korea would never give up nuclear weapons and would be prepared to launch nuclear strikes if attacked.

The true identity of the 'assistant' remains unknown but North Korean defectors and NKNews - a US-based organisation dedicated to reporting and researching the isolationist nation - have suggested she may be Kim Jong-un's half-sister born in the 1970s.

North Korean defectors and South Korea's Ministry of Unification claim the dictator has a 48-year-old half-sister named Kim Sol-song, who would likely be involved in his government given his 34-year-old sister Kim Yo-jong's prominent role as her brother's de-facto deputy and chief propagandist.

The unidentified woman (right) was snapped standing close to Kim (centre) in several images and is typically seen wearing a simple black suit and carrying a large bag thought to contain important items for Kim

The true identity of the 'assistant' remains unknown but North Korean defectors and a US-based news organisation believe she could be the dictator's half-sister

South Korea's Ministry of Unification and North Korean defectors claim the dictator has a 48-year-old half sister named Kim Sol-song - though it is not clear whether the mystery woman is indeed related to Kim Jong-un

A North Korean defector who claims to have worked as a party secretary in Kim's government told NKNews he had seen Kim Sol-song in the flesh multiple times.

The US-based outlet claimed the description he gave of her closely matches the mystery woman pictured in state media images, but their relationship has not yet been officially confirmed.

If the woman in question is in fact Kim Sol-song she brings a wealth of experience to her role, having served her father - the former leader Kim Jong-il - as an event director before his death in 2011.

Mr Madden  who runs the North Korea Leadership Watch website  called it a 'critical' position.

'It involves coordinating the leader's schedule, his security arrangements, protocol and press coverage requirements,' he said.

'In a political culture like North Korea's, it is a pretty critical job as this individual controls what elite North Korean citizens have access to the leader  at least for public events.'

Madden added: 'Kim Sol-song has never been a public figure in North Korean media and political culture.

'In contrast to other political cultures in the world, a North Korean elite does not necessarily need a public profile in order to establish his or her power or influence.

'But it would certainly be quite fascinating if she were to transition to a public role, and to ponder the internal dynamics behind that kind of move.'

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a parliament in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sept. 8, 2022

The woman, who has been tentatively identified as Kim Sol-song, the dictator's half sister, has been seen watching over the dictator

The mysterious woman has been spotted following Kim Jong-un amid mounting speculation that another member of his family has entered the public eye

The North Korean leader is believed to have at least one other half-sister who has been named as Kim Chun-song, also born in the 1970s, but very little is known about her.

His younger sister however, Kim Yo-jong, has assumed a hugely influential role in the North Korean government and is arguably the nation's most important figure besides Kim Jong-un himself.

Yo-jong is one of three children born to former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and his third known partner, former dancer Ko Yong-hui, making her a full sister of Kim Jong-un.

'She is one of a very few people who can talk freely about anything with the leader Kim,' said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korea Studies in Seoul.

The North Korean tyrant's younger sister Kim Yo-jong has assumed a hugely influential role and is arguably the nation's most important figure besides Kim Jong-un himself

This photo provided on Aug. 14, 2022, by the North Korean government, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, delivers a speech during the national meeting against the coronavirus, in Pyongyang

'She must have far bigger capacity than any other North Korean official when it comes to decision-making and policy coordination with the leader,' he said, adding she is fluent in English and French, having been educated in Switzerland.

Yo-jong is the North Korean tyrant's de-facto deputy and often represents him on the international stage, calling out other world leaders and helping to curate his image.

The powerful sister in August said South Korea's president should 'shut his mouth' after he reiterated that his country was willing to provide economic aid in return for nuclear disarmament.

'It would have been more favourable for his image to shut his mouth, rather than talking nonsense as he had nothing better to say,' Kim Yo-jong said in a statement released by state news agency KCNA, calling Yoon 'really simple and still childish' to think that he could trade economic cooperation for the North's honour and nuclear weapons.

'No one barters its destiny for corn cake,' she added.

South Korea's Unification Minister, who handles relations with the North, called Kim's comments 'very disrespectful and indecent.'
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Putin's commanders have begun quietly fleeing Crimea as they try to sell their homes and get their families back to Russia, Ukrainian spies have claimed.

Russian FSB agents and those working for the occupying government are also trying to get off the peninsula, which has been occupied by Kremlin forces since 2014.

Officials have been spooked by the rapid advance of Ukrainian forces across the north of the country in recent days, the military intelligence service added, amid reports that soldiers are withdrawing from Melitopol - just 70 miles away.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukrainian deputy prime minister for Euro-Atlantic Integration, said the Russians are so rattled they have also tried to reopen peace talks.

Ukrainian soldiers use a French CAESAR mobile artillery gun to fire at Russian forces in Kharkiv, where they are now pressing their attack

Artillery pounds Russian forces in Kharkiv, as Ukraine tries to maintain momentum after a stunning counter-attack routed Putin's men

Ukrainian troops open fire with US-made HIMARS rockets on Russian positions as hopes grow that they can push Putin's troops off of their territory

Ukraine is attacking east out of Kharkiv and south towards Kherson, amid reports Russians are starting to quietly flee Crimea amid fears it will soon be attacked as well

'Theres been sort-of a public and un-public outreach from various groups of the Russian officials' since the Ukrainian attack, she told France24.

But given the gravity of the crimes Russian commits on our soil  which get more and more serious every month  the leverage for negotiations is far from the [ones that took place] in February.

'It is absolutely essential that we use this momentum for the massive de-occupation of our territory. Then we will be ready for negotiations.

'Not the ones Putin mentions, but something that would end the war and also avoid the next war on our soil, when Russia will be able to restore its reserves.'

Talks are unlikely for at least several months while Ukraine carries out planned military operations, Ms Stefanishyna added, with the aim of returning the whole of Donbas and Crimea to Ukrainian control.

President Zelensky has also made it clear that re-taking Crimea is a priority for his troops, adding to the fears of Russian citizens currently living there.

A spokesman for the military intelligence service said: 'The successful actions of the defenders of Ukraine force the so-called authorities of the temporarily occupied Crimea and the south of our country to urgently relocate their families to the territory of the Russian Federation.

'Representatives of the occupation administration of Crimea, FSB employees and commanders of some military units are secretly trying to sell their homes and urgently evacuate their relatives from the peninsula.'

That is despite Russia banning the sale of houses, restricting the movement of civilians through border crossing points, and keeping information on Ukraine's victories hidden, the intelligence service added.

While the Kremlin is trying to downplay risks to the peninsula, the actions of the Kremlin's troops tell a different story, the spies added.

A field is covered with craters left by the shelling close to Izium, Kharkiv region, Ukraine

A destroyed armoured fighting vehicle is seen on a road near the town of Izium recently liberated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Zelensky has said that re-taking Crimea - which has been under occupation since 2014 and is considered by the Kremlin to be part of Russia itself - is one of the main goals of the war against Russia.

The peninsula is of huge symbolic and practical value to both nations.

Legend has it that Vladimir the Great - ruler of the ancient kingdom of Kievan Rus' to which both Ukraine and Russian trace their ancestry - was baptized there by Saint Andrew, beginning the Russian Orthodox tradition.

The peninsula was later annexed by the Russian Empire under Catherine the Great, expanding territorial gains by predecessor Peter the Great, whose imperial ambitions Putin is trying to emulate.

Control of the peninsula allows easy dominion over the Sea of Azov and control over swathes of the Black Sea.

Crimea also houses a large naval base at Sevastopol and gives access to and control over numerous lucrative sea-trading routes.

Should Ukrainian forces advance into Melitopol, it would put Crimea at risk of coming under direct attack.

Russian troops armed with Kalashnikov rifles attempt to hold off Ukrainian advances which has seen Kyiv regain control of 3,000 square miles in a matter of days

A Russian soldier opens fire with a rocket launcher at Ukrainian troops, amid a lightning-fast offensive that has pushed Putin's men back

Russian artillery crews open fire as they try to stop Ukraine from capitalising on its rapid gains last week, amid growing hopes of victory

Kyiv's forces have already managed to strike Russian air bases, railway lines and ammunition depots on the peninsula - attacks alternately attributed to special forces sabotage operations and long-range missile strikes.

But, with large numbers of Russian troops concentrated in the city of Kherson - where heavy fighting is underway - Crimea has yet to be directly threatening.

Taking Melitopol would put Ukrainian troops just 70 miles away down a highway with few large settlements along route to stop their advance.

It would also sever the so-called 'land bridge' between Crimea and the occupied Donbas, cutting off easy military supply routes.

Soldiers based in Crimea would then be left with just one main resupply line - a literal bridge across the Kerch Strait, which would be vulnerable to missile strikes.

Taking back control of Crimea would likely deal a fatal blow to Russia's invasion, which could also prove fatal to the Putin regime.

As Zelensky put it in an address last month: 'It began with Crimea, it will end with Crimea.'

Ukraine's stunning counter-attacks east of Kharkiv and in Kherson - which has seen its forces recapture an area five times the size of London since the beginning of the month - have left Russia reeling.

Ukrainian servicemen ride atop of an armored vehicle on a road near the areas that have been liberated in Kharkiv region

Putin's goal of 'liberating' the entire Donbas region - already downgraded after the retreat from Kyiv early in the war - now appears all-but impossible.

Russia's forces are battered, struggling to hold their frontlines, and have few if any good options for how to respond.

Zelensky has hailed the success of the counter-attack while calling on western nations to give more weapons so his forces can finish the job.

Meanwhile Putin has been carrying on as if nothing has happened, insisting just a few days ago that Russia has 'lost nothing' in the war.

However, signs of dissent within the country are growing - with state media propagandists and allies such as Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov both acknowledging Russia has suffered a 'defeat'.

In broadcasts on Monday night, state media for the first time considered the possibility of total defeat in what they are now referring to as a 'war'.

Though they continued to insist that Russia is capable of winning, they warned that a shift will have to take place because the military is in a 'serious situation'.
The number of migrants reaching Britain's shores in small boats this year has topped more than 29,000 today, in the latest chapter of the nation's immigration crisis.

A total of 538 people were intercepted in dinghies crossing the treacherous English Channel on Tuesday in 11 separate incidents, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

A flotilla of Border Force vessels and RNLI lifeboats worked around the clock to intercept and rescue people sailing across the 21-mile stretch of water as weather conditions worsened.

The flimsy inflatable vessels have to cross two of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and are extremely difficult to spot from large container ships and tankers.

Most were brought into the harbour at Dover while others came in at Ramsgate in Kent.

More than 29,000 migrants have now arrived on Britain's shores so far this year, in a new record for the UK

The new figures are hugely embarrassing for the Government after vowing to curb arrivals

The record-breaking number of migrants crossing the Channel has shown no sign of slowing

The latest arrivals take the number of people brought ashore on the Kent and Sussex coast to 29,099 this year.

By contrast, during the whole of 2021 there were 28,526 migrants detained in what was then a record compared to 8,410 in 2020.

In the first two weeks of September alone 4,056 people have now arrived in 96 boats.

On Monday, 2022 became an official record year after the MoD said 601 migrants had arrived in the UK, taking the total at that time to 28,561 - with three months still left of the year.

Weather conditions in the Channel have deteriorated hampering chances of small boats risking the crossing today.

But with better weather expected next week, the record figures are expected to rise yet again.

Natalie Elphicke, MP for Dover, said: 'The numbers of arrivals are deeply concerning. Its vital to see the small boats crisis brought to an end as the seas will become colder and rougher as we head into Autumn and Winter.

'Action is needed now to avoid further tragic loss of life on the English Channel.'

The enormous numbers come despite hard line taken by the Home Office, ignored by migrants

Since the UK vowed to send economic migrants to Rwanda four months ago, 23,293 people have crossed the Channel

The news comes more than four months since former home secretary Priti Patel announced plans to send migrants to Rwanda to try to deter people from crossing the Channel.

Since then 23,293 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey.

2022's migrant record The number has increased steadily each year since 299 people were detected making the journey in 2018. There were 1,843 crossings detected in 2019, 8,466 in 2020 and 28,526 in 2021, according to the Home Office The current cumulative total for 2022, 29,099 is nearly double the number at this point last year (14,474). Of the 29,099 people who have been provisionally detected so far this year, 23,831 have crossed since the Government announced on April 14 that it had agreed a deal to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda. The first deportation flight - due to take off on June 14 - was grounded amid a series of legal challenges. In 2021 more than half of the people detected crossing the Channel were of Iranian or Iraqi nationality (30% and 22% of the total respectively). A further 10% were Eritrean, 9% were Syrian and 5% were from Afghanistan. Former home secretary Priti Patel said in the House of Commons on September 5 that Albanian nationals accounted for around 60% of the people arriving in the UK via small boats over the summer. The average has risen steadily since the start of 2021. In 2018 there were fewer than 10 people per boat, while in 2019 and 2020 the figure tended to fluctuate between single figures and the high teens. From 2021 the average started to increase, reaching 20 in March and 30 in August. Advertisement

On April 14 Ms Patel signed what she described as a 'world-first' agreement with Rwanda, under which the East African country will receive migrants deemed by the UK to have arrived 'illegally', and are therefore inadmissible under new immigration rules.

However, the first deportation flight, due to take off on June 14, was grounded amid legal challenges.

Several asylum seekers, the Public and Commercial Services Union and charities Care4Calais, Detention Action and Asylum Aid are embroiled in a court case with the Home Office as they challenge the legality of the policy.

The number of people reaching the UK in small boats from France after navigating busy shipping lanes has increased steadily in recent years.

Over the course of 2019 almost 1,900 people had made the treacherous journey and in 2020 a total of 8,410 asylum seekers had arrived on British soil by small boat.

Figures began to significantly increase by 2021 when 28,526 migrants crossed the Channel, according to data released by the Home Office.

August saw a record month with 8,644 people arriving on the Kent coast and the busiest day came on August 22 when 1,295 migrants crossed the Channel in 27 boats - an average of around 48 people per vessel.

On Tuesday, a rescue operation was launched by the RNLI, with a lifeboat bringing a number of men and women into Dungeness, Kent in the early hours of this morning.

They could be seen carrying their belongings in black bin bags.

A second group of asylum seekers are thought to have landed on the beach at Ramsgate, Kent around the same time.

Shortly after 9am Border Force vessel Hurricane could be seen escorting dozens more migrants into the port at Dover.

They clutched blue blankets around their shoulders after battling cold and windy conditions at sea.

Despite the growing numbers, the small boat arrivals are a fraction of the number of people going to mainland Europe.

Data from the UNs refugee agency shows at least 120,441 people arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean by land and sea last year.

Economic migrants have been told them could be deported to Rwanda from the UK

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: 'With record numbers of people crossing the Channel this year, we are seeing how the Governments policies enshrined in the recent Nationality and Borders Act and their Rwanda deal are doing absolutely nothing to deter desperate people jumping on boats because they do nothing to address the reasons people come.

'Lets not forget the men, women and children coming across the Channel are fleeing atrocities like those in Ukraine and Afghanistan. No-one risks their own or familys life unless they are running from dangers more acute than they face on these journeys.'

The Home Office has previously said its reforms to tackle the number of migrants coming to the UK would 'take time' but the Government was 'determined to bring lasting change' to the asylum system so that it is 'fair but firm'.

MailOnline has approached the Home Office for comment about the latest figures.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a millionaire's son after he failed to show up to court or carry out his community service for drunkenly threatening bar staff at a yacht club with a fake gun.

Oliver George, 29, has carried out just 27 hours and 15 minutes of his 200 hours unpaid work.

He was initially sentenced in 2019 - but only after a court allowed him to go on holiday to Barbados rather than deal with him first.

George's last contact with the probation service was in February 2021.

He was instructed to report to them via telephone but he failed to attend two meetings scheduled for July and August this year.

A summons was then sent to his address to inform him that the matter was going back to court for failing to comply with a court order under the Criminal Justice Act 2003.

A warrant has now been issued for Oliver George's arrest after he failed to show up to court in Poole

The incident occurred at Sandbanks Yacht club after George became so drunk staff refused to serve him more alcohol

Showing what turned out to be a fake gun, George told the terrified barman at the event: 'Don't be a pussy, give me a drink'

In 2019, the then 26-year-old Oliver had his sentencing for a drunken fake gun fracas at a yacht club delayed for two months while he went to Barbados for alcohol treatment

A Magistrates' Court heard that George's last contact with the probation service was in February 2021

But George did not show up for the hearing and magistrates had no choice but to issue a warrant for his arrest.

George, the son of millionaire market owner Brendan George, had got so drunk at the Sandbanks Yacht Club in Poole, Dorset, in September 2019 that bar staff refused to serve him any more prosecco.

He then became angry and lifted his cardigan to reveal to the barman the handle of what turned out to be a toy gun tucked into the waistband of his shorts.

He told the scared barman 'don't be a pussy, give me a drink'.

George was later arrested at his parents' 2m Sandbanks home.

He admitted a charge of possessing an imitation firearm in a public place but asked for his sentencing to be postponed for two months so he could jet off on a pre-booked break to Barbados.

His lawyer had argued that George would be getting treatment for his drinking problem during the holiday.

But during the luxury trip, photos emerged of George apparently drinking.

Sporting a red suntan, ginger-haired George, from exclusive Sandbanks, returned to a chilly Poole Magistrates' Court in Dorset to be dealt with for the fake gun offence.

On his return he avoided jail and was given the community order with unpaid work, rehabilitation activity days and was told to pay an 85 fine and 400 compensation.

But a representative for the probation service, a Mrs Greenslade, told the magistrates in Poole that George's last appointment with them was in December 2020.

She explained that their last contact with him was in February 2021 when he asked what was happening with a bid to extend the deadline for completing the unpaid work.

Mrs Greenslade said: 'Mr George is not here. He was given a community order on December 4, 2019, an 18-month order with 200 hours' unpaid work.

'The order for unpaid work returned to court on June 27 to extend the period for it to be completed. That was granted and it was extended to June 26, 2023.

'He completed 27 1/4 hours. His last appointment with probation was December 2020 and the last contact with him overall was February 5, 2021.

'Probation instructed him to report for telephone appointments to get it resolved, but he did not. A summons for today was sent to his address unfortunately I have to request a warrant.'

A spokesman for Dorset Police confirmed the warrant remains outstanding and their enquiries are ongoing.

The arrest warrant comes just months after George's brother, Edward George, pleaded guilty to drink-driving after his own parents called the police.

In April a court agreed to postpone his sentencing in order for him to receive help for a drinking problem at a private rehabilitation facility.




By Anna J. Park







Shinhan Life is expected to open up its new Vietnam business center in Hanoi later this year, aiming to strengthen its presence and competitiveness in the Southeast Asian country. The life insurer began its Vietnamese operation in January this year in Ho Chi Minh City, and its success in the southern city has encouraged the expansion into Hanoi later this year.







According to the insurance industry Wednesday, Shinhan Life is planning to sell low-priced insurance plans in Hanoi during the second half of this year. The life insurer's Hanoi branch is slated to begin operation as early as October.







Upon starting business in Ho Chi Minh City early this year, Shinhan Life has closely cooperated with other Shinhan affiliates including Shinhan Bank and Shinhan Card to gain quick access to the Vietnamese market.







Vietnam is regarded as a blue ocean for Korean insurance companies, as only 5 percent of the Southeast Asian country's population holds insurance plans as of the end of last year. The total revenue of Vietnamese insurers is expected to post year-on-year growth of 18 percent this year.







Seeing the growth potential in the country, Shinhan Life has been preparing to make inroads into the Vietnamese market since 2020 under the leadership of CEO Sung Dae-kyu. Vietnam is Shinhan Life's first foreign market in which it established an official business branch.







Shinhan Life says if its business in Hanoi becomes stable and lucrative, it will expand to other cities of the country as well, while introducing various insurance plans to its product line.


A vegetarian restaurant is stretching its green muscles by becoming the first in Britain to add carbon emissions to its menu - showing the environmental cost of every meal.

The Canteen in Bristol says it has received an enthusiastic response from customers after informing them about the global impact of their food choices.

Each meal is listed on its menu with its environmental impact - provided by carbon footprint calculator MyEmissions - as well as its ingredients and price.

The footprint includes the distance which ingredients travelled, seasonality of ingredients and emissions during production.

The idea was pitched to the restaurant by the UK's leading vegan charity Viva! The charity says it was delighted to get the thumbs up from The Canteen, after being turned down by restaurants offering meat dishes.

Vegetarian restaurant The Canteen in Bristol is the first in the country to publish carbon emissions of meals on its menu (Pictured: Junior sous chef Penny Jane Hartley at work in The Canteen)

The restaurant says it wants to help their customers stay informed about the global impact of their food choices

The menu details the carbon footprint of each meal and categorises them into A and B based on environmental impact

Currently the meal with the highest carbon footprint is vegan dish 'Miso and harissa aubergine, za'atar brittle, courgette baba ganoush & tabbouleh'. It costs 8.50 and measures 674g CO2.

The lowest on the menu is sharing plate of beetroot and carrot pakora with coriander yoghurt - measuring just 16g CO2.

Laura Hellwig, managing director of Viva! said: 'We partnered with My Emissions [a food carbon footprint calculator], as well as The Canteen to understand just how much impact carbon labels on our menus can have.

'Unsurprisingly, [restaurants] with meat on the menu have so far declined to take part which, we believe, is due to them knowing that meat-based dishes will have a considerably higher carbon footprint than vegan options.'

A study in May by the University of Wurzburg in Germany found diners were likely to be influenced in their choices by the environmental impact of meals.

One diner was shocked to see the emissions of a vegan burger came in at 3 kilos, while the menu noted a real beef burger's emissions is '10 times the amount of its vegan alternative'.

Anna Blightman, from The Canteen, said: 'The reception has been incredible and really positive, with many customers asking, 'why doesn't everyone do this!'

The Canteen says it has received an enthusiastic response from customers after publishign carbon footprints on its menu (pictured)

Currently the meal with the highest carbon footprint is vegan dish 'Miso and harissa aubergine, za'atar brittle, courgette baba ganoush & tabbouleh' (Pictured: three vegan dishes prepared at The Canteen)

Anna Blightman, from The Canteen, said: 'The reception has been incredible and really positive, with many customers asking, 'why doesn't everyone do this!' (Pictured: inside The Canteen vegetarian restaurant in Bristol)

'Our head chef Matt went through the whole menu and it was then sent off to MyEmissions - a food carbon footprint calculator.

'We were all waiting in anticipation, and the results were a complete eye opener.'

The menu reveals striking comparisons between different dishes, stating at the top: 'All dishes feature the total carbon emissions generated, per serving, in grams.

'For reference, eating just one UK produced beef burger can generate as much as 3,050 g CO2 - the equivalent of driving the average UK car up to 10 miles - 10 times the amount of its vegan alternative.'

Penny Hartley, a chef at the restaurant, said: 'We reuse everything here - from lemons to aquafaba - there is no waste.

Greg Picott, assistant manager, said having the carbon information available at the venue is getting people thinking in the right way (Pictured: a chef prepares a dish at The Canteen)

'This is an incredibly important step given the climate crisis we are in and our initiative, from a local small business, is something I'm really proud to be a part of.'

Greg Picott, assistant manager, said having the carbon information available at the venue is getting people thinking in the right way.

Mr Picott, who has been vegan for seven years, added: 'It helps people to consciously think about the impact their everyday decisions have on the environment, and ultimately inspire them to take positive steps forwards.

'I wouldn't want to work somewhere that doesn't take sustainability into account - we are in a climate emergency, and there is no denying that anymore.

'I really hope the initiative catches on - having this menu when it's broken down makes it much more visceral to people, and our menu reveals the numerical value of why being vegan is best for the environment.'
Woolven 'has shown no remorse for his actions', the court heard on Friday

Victim told police she thought she would die before passersby intervened

22-year-old snatched victim and dragged her into woods as she walked her dog

A rapist who dragged a woman walking her dog into woodland in broad daylight before carrying out a horrifying sex attack has been jailed for 11 years.

Brandon Woolven, 22, who lived in Brighton but had no fixed address, pleaded guilty to rape, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at an earlier court appearance.

On Friday, Woolven was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in prison and handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The assault took place in April 2022 as the victim, who is in her 20s, walked her dog through woodland near Pontefract Road in South Yorkshire at about 10am.

Brandon Woolven (pictured), 22, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to rape, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 11-and-a-half years in jail

Woolven grabbed the woman from the street and dragged her further into the bushes, where he began physically and sexually assaulting her.

She was saved by two joggers who saw the incident take place and intervened, pulling Woolven away from his victim and detaining him until police officers arrived.

One of the joggers was also assaulted in the incident.

The victim told police she believes she would have been killed if the two passersby had not intervened due to the 'ferocity' of the attack, the court heard on Friday.

The incident occurred as the victim walked her dog through woodland near Pontefract Road in South Yorkshire, near Barnsleyss Beevor Street Industrial Estate (pictured)

Detective Constable Becky Robinson, from Barnsley CID, told Sheffield Crown Court: 'Woolven is a truly dangerous individual and while he has pleaded guilty to the offences put before him, he has shown no remorse for his actions.

'I have been working as a police officer for 16 years now and in all my service have never been faced with an investigation quite as horrifying as this one.

'Woolven attacked his victim at random, in broad daylight, and subjected her to the most brutal and sustained physical and sexual abuse imaginable.'

Ms Robinson said the victim is recovering from the physical and psychological injuries she suffered as a result of the attack.

'I hope that with the sentence passed today, she is able to take another step forward on her journey to recovery,' she said.

The two members of the public who intervened were also recognised for their bravery during the sentencing hearing.
Fracking firms are believed to have lobbied the government to relax rules to allow them to cause stronger earthquakes while drilling.

Liz Truss announced she plans to relax the ban on new UK drilling sites after taking over as Prime Minister as the nation faces an energy price crunch.

The moratorium was put in place originally over fears about quakes and tremors caused by the process, which forces pressurised gas and water into underground fissures to force gas and oil out of seams.

Current rules force firms to stop drilling if tremors hit 0.5 on the Richter Scale.

But the Telegraph today reported that firms want the limit raised to the same level for processes such as geothermal heating in order to make it financially viable.

Environmentalists reacted with alarm at the suggestion. Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Danny Gross said: 'Local communities will be rightly alarmed if safeguards that protect people and their homes from earthquakes caused by fracking are watered down.

Fracking firms are considering offering a 25 per cent discount on bills if local residents agree to allow fresh drilling near their homes.

'When these regulations were introduced by the government 10 years ago, the fracking industry accepted them. But after triggering much larger earthquakes than expected, they now want to weaken them.

'Fracking has already proven to be deeply unpopular with communities - moves like this would only strengthen opposition.'

Ms Truss set herself up for a new fight with environmental groups and green Tories last week as she confirmed she would lift Boris Johnson's ban on fracking.

The Prime Minister told MPs last Tuesday, before the death of the Queen, that the moratorium in place since 2019 will be lifted in areas where local communities support the technology.

Fracking firms are considering offering a 25 per cent discount on bills if local residents agree to allow fresh drilling near their homes.

However it remains to be seen how many people will welcome a process that has been linked to earth tremors.

The technology sees high-pressure water and gasses pumped into gas and oil-rich seams to break them open and extract the mineral wealth.

Ms Truss told the Commons: 'We will end the moratorium on extracting our huge reserves of shale, which could get gas flowing as soon as six months, where there is local support for it.'

Labour has condemned the idea - and pointed out that many prospective sites are in marginal seats held by Tory MPs.

The technique has been widely used in the US, a country with wide open spaces.

But some senior Conservatives fear fracking is unsuited to a country as densely populated as the UK.

Senior ministers including Jaob Rees-Mogg, the Business secretary, are in favour of more fracking, but others like Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng have previously warned against it, saying it will do little to boost domestic energy production.
More than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for another bank holiday to celebrate the Queen's 70 years on the throne.

King Charles III confirmed over the weekend that Monday, September 19 - the day of the late monarch's state funeral - would be a public holiday.

A host of businesses and public bodies have already announced that they will close on the day as a mark of respect.

However, one campaigner is now calling for an additional bank holiday every year, on September 8, to mark Her Majesty's passing and her record-breaking reign.

More than 100,000 people have signed a petition calling for another bank holiday to celebrate the Queen's 70 years on the throne

Queen Elizabeth II smiling to the crowd from her carriage as she left Westminster Abbey, London after her coronation in 1953

Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at at Balmoral, Scotland on September 6, 2022

John Harris, who created the petition on change.org this week, wrote: 'Queen Elizabeth II is our longest reigning Monarch, and arguably the Nations, and the World's most popular ever Monarch.

'In the words of President Macron, 'to you, she was your Queen, to us, she was THE QueenThe most constant symbol of Great Britain'. She was indeed, an inspirational woman.'

Mr Harris pointed out that Britain has fewer bank holidays than most European countries with just eight each year.

By comparison, in 2022, France has had 12, Greece has had 14 and employees in Sweden have enjoyed 16 paid days off.

The petition creator added: 'I believe we need a new public bank holiday to mark our greatest Sovereign's lifetime; a Queen Elizabeth Day.

'A day for our Nation to come together and celebrate both the life of the Queen, and our gratitude for the institution of our Royal Family.'
More than 150 cinemas across the country will screen the Queen's funeral on Monday, with some also showing her procession to Westminster Hall this afternoon.

Movie theatre chains Curzon, Vue and Arc have all confirmed they will show Her Majesty's state funeral live on September 19, with free entry for those who wish to watch it.

The usual selection of snacks such as popcorn, hotdogs and sweets will not be available, while all other films have been removed from their regular schedules.

The likes of Cineworld, Showcase and Odeon, which are three of the largest chains in the UK, have confirmed they will not be showing the service and will remain closed all day.

It comes as many areas of regular life will slow to a halt on Monday as the country pauses to pay respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died last Thursday at the age of 96.

Many supermarkets across the country will be closed all day, while other cultural venues such as museums have also decided to shut their doors.

Official government guidance has said that businesses have 'no obligation' to close on the day of the state funeral and it is 'at the discretion of individual organisations'.

Some movie theatres are set to screen the Queen's funeral on Monday, September 19. Pictured: The Vue cinema in Leicester Square London following the death of Her Majesty

The state funeral will be shown at 150 movie theatres across the UK. Pictured: Her Majesty's coffin is carried off a plane at RAF Northolt yesterday

On its website Vue confirmed it would be screening Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on September 19 from 10am

While many cinemas will not be open at all next Monday, around 150 across the country will be showing her funeral, Variety reports.

Vue has said in addition to showing the service on Monday, it is also screening her procession to Westminster Hall this afternoon.

In a statement on its website it said: 'We will be screening the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in selected UK venues* on Monday, 19 September, live from 10am.

'Seats will be free of charge and our retail offering on this day will be limited to complimentary bottled water during the broadcast, with no other snacks or drinks available for purchase. On this day we will not be showing our normal programme of films.

'In addition, we will also screen the London Procession in the majority of our UK venues on Wednesday, 14 September, live from 1:30pm. On this day all other screens will be open showing film content as normal.

'We look forward to coming together as a community to honour the remarkable life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.'

Other cinema chains including Curzon and Arc have chosen to screen the funeral for free.

Arc said in a statement on Twitter: 'We have decided to screen Her Majesty The Queen's State Funeral on Bank Holiday Monday 19th September at 11am.

'This is a free event but pre-booking your seat is essential. There will be no other shows taking place while the funeral is broadcast.'

Curzon confirmed it would show the funeral before resuming its regular programming on Monday evening.

Major chains including Cineworld, Odeon and Showcase will shut their sites on September 19 in a mark of respect.

On its website Odeon said: 'As a mark of respect for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our cinemas in the UK will be closed on Monday 19 September.

Curzon cinemas has said it will resume its normal programming on the evening of Monday, September 19

Cineworld has announced it will close all of its venues on Monday and these will reopen the next day

'Any tickets booked for this day will be automatically refunded. We will reopen on Tuesday 20 September.'

Mark Barlow, the UK general manager of Showcase, said: 'Following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, Showcase Cinemas will close all cinemas nationwide on Monday 19th September to allow our guests and employees to join with the rest of the nation and pay their respects. We will be re-opening on Tuesday 20th September.'

Meanwhile Cineworld said: 'Out of respect to HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family, all of our UK cinemas will be closed on Monday September 19, the day of the state funeral. Those who have made bookings for this day will be contacted shortly.'

Empire Cinemas is another chain that will close its doors, with a statement on its website saying: 'Throughout this period of Official Mourning we are continuing to commemorate and celebrate the life of Her Majesty the Queen.

'To allow all to pay their respects and to mark this sombre occasion we will be closing our cinemas on the day of the State Funeral. We will reopen on Tuesday 20th September 2022 as normal.'

Smaller operators including The Light - which has movie theatres in locations such as Cambridge, Sheffield and Stockport - will also close their doors for the day.

The UK release of romantic comedy Ticket To Paradise, starring Hollywood A-listers George Clooney and Julia Roberts, has also been pushed back from September 16 until September 20 - the day after the funeral.

People wishing to watch the late monarch's funeral will be able to do so at some cinemas. Pictured: Pallbearers carry the Queen's coffin from St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh yesterday ahead of its journey to London

A spokesperson for Universal, which is distributing the film, said: 'With the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, Universal, Working Title, Julia Roberts, George Clooney and director Ol Parker have all decided to delay the opening of Ticket to Paradise in the UK.'

They added that the film will be released 'after the Queen's funeral out of respect to the Royal Family and the people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'.

The Government is not forcing businesses to close on the day Her Majesty's funeral, which has become a Bank Holiday.

Official guidance says: 'Organisations may choose to close on the day of the State Funeral, however there is no obligation to do so and this is at the discretion of individual organisations.

'As with other organisations, these institutions may wish to display or share images of previous Royal visits, particularly if they are one of Her Majesty's patronages.'
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The ceremonial guard who transferred the Queen's coffin from their military jet last night embarked on their most important mission to date after accompanying the monarch's body on her final flight before she is laid to rest.

Pallbearers from the Queen's Colour Squadron, a unit formed in 1960 that provides safe escort to the Colour, took up their place in history as they carried the body of their Commander-in-Chief to the state hearse ahead of her period of lying in state at Westminster Hall.

Bearing the oak coffin, still draped in the rich colours of the Royal Standard, the squadron solemnly marched in silence with the eyes of the world, and senior royals and politicians, watching them at RAF Northolt yesterday.

Those braving lashes of rain when the jet's wheels touched down at around 7pm included Prime Minister Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and a reflective Princess Anne, who was seen departing the RAF C-17 Globemaster which carried the Queen's coffin from her beloved Scotland.

On parade was a guard of honour made up of service personnel from the Queen's Colour Squadron - a unit with deeply entrenched ties to the Crown as an official ceremonial guard - who presented arms when the coffin was first seen. The King's Colour for the RAF was lowered in salute.

More than six million people had tried tracking the flight which was greeted by three officers and 96 non-commissioned gunners, poignantly used to mark each year of the late monarch's extraordinary life, who had assembled on the airfield shortly before the plane landed following a short flight from Edinburgh.

Her final journey: Bearer party from the Queen's Colour Squadron (63 Squadron RAF Regiment) carry the oak coffin of Queen Elizabeth II to a waiting state hearse at RAF Northolt, north-west London

Pallbearers from the Queen's Colour Squadron, a ceremonial unit formed in 1960 that provides safe escort to the Colour, carried the body of their Commander-in-Chief to the state hearse ahead of her period of lying in state at Westminster Hall

Bearing the oak coffin, still draped in the rich colours of the Royal Standard, the squadron solemnly marched in silence with the eyes of the world, and senior royals and politicians, watching them at RAF Northolt yesterday

The Princess Royal arriving with the Queen's coffin into RAF Northolt before travelling to Buckingham Palace

Pallbearers from the RAF carried the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II into RAF C17 Globemaster before it was flown to RAF Northolt

1997: Members of the Queen's Colour Squadron help carry the coffin carrying the late Princess Diana following her death

1974: Queen Elizabeth II inspects a guard of honour of the Queen's Colour Squadron at RAF Finningley

2013: Members of the Queen's Colour Squadron lay to rest the remains of the crew of Boston BZ590 at the Padua War Cemetery, Italy

The Queen's Colour Squadron are pictured marching in line during the processional route in London ahead of the State Opening of Parliament in October 2019

An RAF Globemaster C-17 carrying the Queen's coffin is pictured taking off from Edinburgh Airport on Tuesday

After leaving her beloved Scotland - East Lothian positively glowing in the late afternoon sun - the Queen arrived in London to find that evening drizzle had done nothing to deter the colossal crowds which continue to be a source of great comfort to her family

The bearer party carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II to a hearse as they prepare to depart from St Giles Cathedral

An historic regiment that has served for more than six decades, the Queen's Colour squadron (QCS) is the RAF's dedicated ceremonial unit, responsible for representing the force at both state and national ceremonies and providing guards of honour for the Royal Family and world leaders.

Consisting of officers and gunners from 64 Squadron of the RAF regiment, the unit's traditional role is to oversee the safekeeping of the royal colours and are officially responsible for the ceremonial repatriation of senior royals.

On several occasions, they have mounted the guard at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Tower of London.

The QCS also plays a leading role in the State Opening of Parliament, the annual Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph. This year, they were in attendance for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee as they escorted the Colour.

Officers were also tasked with the safe transport of the coffin carrying Princess Diana from Paris following her death in 1997, and at one point led the memorial service to Prince Philip last April.

And in 2003 the QCS carried the coffin bearing the remains of Second World War Wing Commander Adrian Warburton ahead of his funeral in Duernbach, southern Germany after his remains were uncovered following his final mission in Bavaria in 1944.

The Queen's Colour squadron (QCS) serves as the RAF's dedicated ceremonial unit, responsible for representing the force at both state and national ceremonies and providing guards of honour for the Royal Family and world leaders

A Royal Air Force bearer party prepare for the arrival of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II at Edinburgh Airport

The plane's tail number, ZZI77, can also read LLIZZ when flipped upside down, another subtle tribute to the extraordinary life of Britain's longest reigning monarch

The C-17 Globemaster which carried the Queen's oak coffin also has a storied past as it played a crucial part in the evacuation of Kabul last August (pictured) and also in dropping off aid to Ukraine after Russia's brutal invasion

Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston last night praised the Queen as he described her as the 'embodiment of a life of service'

It was later revealed that the C-17 Globemaster carrying the Queen's oak coffin also has a storied past as it played a crucial part in the evacuation of Kabul last year and also in dropping off aid to Ukraine after Russia's brutal invasion.

The head of the RAF, said the aircraft evacuated thousands of people fleeing the Taliban in Kabul last summer, flew humanitarian and lethal aid to Ukraine and helped 'extensively' in disaster relief efforts around the world.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston told Sky News: 'It's a C-17 Globemaster, which is our strategic airlifter. But on this very sad occasion it will be carrying Her Majesty's coffin down from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt.

6 MILLION tried watching the plane carrying the Queen's coffin from Edinburgh to London on flight tracking service The plane which carried the Queen's coffin from Edinburgh to London last night was the world's most-tracked flight, it has been revealed. Flightradar24 said six million people attempted to click on the flight on its website within a minute as the C-17 Globemaster aircraft prepared to take off on Tuesday. This caused 'unprecedented strain', according to the company, and caused the website to crash. The flight carrying the Queen's remains from Edinburgh to London was the number 1 aircraft being tracked by the website FlightRadar24 Flightradar24 said it had 'implemented a number of traffic calming measures' before the flight as it 'expected a large influx of users', but the 'immediate, massive spike was beyond what we had anticipated'. A record five million people followed the flight to RAF Northolt, north-west London, across the company's website, app and YouTube live stream. The previous record for a flight was set last month when 2.2 million people tracked a plane carrying US politician Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan. Flightradar24 said: 'Even though our platform suffered under such heavy load, Queen Elizabeth II's final flight from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt is by far the all-time most-tracked flight on Flightradar24 and will likely remain at the top for a long while.' Advertisement

'It's a heavily used aircraft - it carried the majority of the 15,000 people that we evacuated from Kabul last summer.

'And, since then, it's been involved in airlifting humanitarian aid and lethal aid nodes to support Ukraine.'

The aircraft had the callsign 'Kittyhawk', used for any military flight with the Queen on board. The Princess Royal accompanied the coffin on the flight with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Anne said she was 'fortunate' to be able to share 'the last 24 hours of my dearest mother's life', adding: 'It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys.

'Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.

'We will all share unique memories. I offer my thanks to each and every one who share our sense of loss.'

The plane's tail number, ZZ177, can also read LLIZZ when flipped upside down, another subtle tribute to the extraordinary life of Britain's longest reigning monarch.

Sir Mike himself praised the Queen as he described her as the 'embodiment of a life of service'.

He said: 'When we join the armed forces - the Navy, the Army, the Air Force - we all try in some way to emulate that service.

'And His Majesty the King, just like Her Majesty, comes from a service family. They know what it's like to have partners, sons, grandsons, grandchildren serving and serving on operations as well.

'They understand what it means to be a service family, and that's why Her Majesty was able to engage with and sought out families - to talk to them, to share and hear their experiences and to share some of her own.

'It's a very, very close personal relationship with her armed forces and she will be very sadly missed. But we stand ready to serve His Majesty the King in the same way.'

The Queen arrived at Buckingham Palace last night to tears and cheers from the crowds who stood in the pouring rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday.

The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed, with cars stopping in the road to watch the historic moment and a wave of lights forming as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed.

Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she is conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall - the ancient heart of Parliament - where she will lie in state for four days until her funeral on Monday.

As the hearse drove through the gates, Charles could be seen bowing his head with Harry and Meghan stood solemnly behind the monarch.

At 2.22pm exactly this afternoon, the Queen's coffin will be placed on a gun carriage and lead a procession down a packed Mall, along Whitehall and then into Parliament Square before entering the Palace of Westminster followed by her son, the new King, and her children and grandchildren.
An award-winning pub landlord has been jailed for harassment after a judge dismissed his claims made against his ex-girlfriend.

Welsh host Gareth Slattery, 53, bombarded her with unwanted messages and turned up at her workplace, her home and her solicitors, Cardiff Magistrates Court heard.

Slattery, who lives in Barry, Wales, launched a campaign of 'calculated and deliberate' harassment against his former partner after their eight-month romance ended in 2021, the court was told.

The victim was tagged in a video posted by Slattery on the social media site TikTok accusing her of being a narcissist and abuser.

He said: 'I'm a 53-year-old victim of domestic violence. As a male victim I am not heard... this is what you have done to me.'

The court heard the harassment took place between August and September last year.

Slattery was convicted of harassing without violence after a trial.

District Judge Stephen Harmes said Slattery, who has previous convictions of harassment and breaching a restraining order, tried to claim he was a victim of abuse but in reality he abused his victim in a 'vile manner'.

Welsh landlord Gareth Slattery, 53, has been jailed for 16 weeks for stalking and harassing his ex-girlfriend

Slattery owns the award-winning Butterfly Collector pub in Barry, south Wales

Slattery, who owns the Butterfly Collector pub in Barry - which won SME National Business Awards Pub of the Year in 2019, started his campaign of harassment in August last year after their relationship ended.

The Butterfly Collector pub won SME National Business Awards Pub of the Year in 2019

Prosecutor Georgia Donohue said the now removed video which tagged the victim was posted online on August 23, 2021, before he showed up at her workplace a day later.

Ms Donohue said Slattery stood outside her office and called her on the phone, saying: 'I'm not going to come anywhere near you. I don't want any more herpes and chlamydia.'

The court heard the victim visited her solicitor the following day to seek advice when she heard Slattery shouting: 'You piece of s***. You piece of s***.'

Ms Donohue said: 'She saw the defendant standing there. She knew the comments were aimed at her as there was no one else in the area.'

The court heard the victim also heard her ex shouting about herpes while she was in her bedroom on August 26.

The next day she spotted him on her way to Tesco when she asked: 'Please don't talk to me, I'm not allowed to talk to you.'

But he shouted that the victim 'has herpes' which the call handler heard while she was on the phone to 999.

Aled Owen, representing him, told the court it was now more than a year since his client's offending.

His lawyer said: 'He has moved on and is in another relationship with a professional lady.'

Mr Owen added he employed four people at his pub who could lose their jobs if he were sent into custody.

Judge Harmes said: 'I find he did set out to make her life a misery. It was quite calculated and deliberate.'

'This was as bad as it gets in terms of harassment. You are a proven harasser and this was an awful case.'

Slattery, of Barry, was jailed for 16 weeks, ordered to pay the victim 500 compensation and handed a five year restraining order.
A Georgia defence attorney and CNN legal contributor has drowned after swimming in the sea with his teenage son near their costal home.

Page Pate, 55, died after being swept out into a rip current off the cost of St. Simons Island, Georgia, on Sunday afternoon.

The trial lawyer, who was also a prominent TV legal analyst, had worked for more than 25 years and divided his time between offices in Atlanta and Brunswick on the coast.

He had been spending time with his two sons and wife Elizabeth at their $1 million coastal home at the time of his death.

First responders were called to two swimmers in distress at Goulds Inlet beach just after 2pm.

Gylnn County Fire-Rescue acting Chief Vinnie DiCristofalo confirmed that the two swimmers were Pate and his teenage son.

He said that the adolescent victim reached the shore safely while the water rescue team were heading to the scene.

Page Pate, 55, died after being swept out into a rip current off the cost of St. Simons Island, Georgia, on Sunday afternoon

First responders were called to two swimmers in distress at Goulds Inlet beach, pictured, just after 2pm

A rescue boat pulled Pate from the water and took him to hospital but he was pronounced dead.

DiCristofalo said that the beach is known for its rip currents, adding: I dont have direct information whether they were together and got drawn out.

Pates law firm, Pate, Johnson and Church paid tribute to the lawyer, saying: Once the shock wears off, it's just hurt. And there's no easy way about getting rid of that, except for time and grieving.

But I think one thing we can also take with us is the celebrations of this man's life.

Though he was a formidable, sometimes intimidating, attorney in the courtroom, Page had an easy smile, an earnest laugh, and a great sense of humor.

He leaves behind his two sons, Chatham and Asher, as well as his wife Elizabeth, 53.

It is not clear which of his sons got into difficulty while swimming with Pate.

Pate frequently provided expert commentary and analysis on legal issues to media organizations including The New York Times, CNN, NPR and The Associated Press.

Jason Sheffield, a metro Atlanta trial lawyer and president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, called Pate a larger-than-life person and attorney.

Gylnn County Fire-Rescue acting Chief Vinnie DiCristofalo confirmed that the two swimmers were Pate and his teenage son, though it is not clear which child he was in the water with

Pate frequently provided expert commentary and analysis on legal issues to media organizations including The New York Times, CNN, NPR and The Associated Press. May tributes have been paid to the 'formidable' lawyer

He had been spending time with his two sons and wife Elizabeth at their coastal home in St Simon at the time of his death

State Sen. Jen Jordan, an Atlanta Democrat running this fall for Georgia attorney general, posted a tribute to the lawyer on social media.

She said: Devastated to hear that my friend Pate Page died this weekend. We were friends for almost 30 years & came from same part of GA.

He was brilliant, kind, professional - and could cross examine the hell out of a witness. Such a loss to his family & everyone who loved him.

Pate was also a founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project which said it was "heartbroken" by his death.

In a statement they said: A fierce advocate for the criminally accused and unjustly convicted, Page was a visionary founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project twenty years ago.

He remained active with our organization over the years, consulting on cases, advising on media strategies, and raising awareness about wrongful convictions and GIP's work.
One Nation MP Mark Latham said it's a political statement at student's expense

One parent of a 13-year-old girl complained she was 'confused and worried'

An Australian high school has sparked debate after it switched the traditional male and female toilet signs to include gender-neutral pronouns.

Northlakes High School on the NSW Central Coast put up the new 'inclusive' signage reading 'He/They' and 'She/They'.

But some parents took to a local community Facebook page to voice their outrage at the new school policy, fearing their daughters may be forced to use the same bathroom as older students born anatomically male.

Northlakes High School in San Remo on the Central Coast has ditched traditional male and female toilet signs for a more inclusive pronouns (pictured)

But some parents took to a local community Facebook page to voice their outrage at the new school policy, fearing their daughters may be forced to use the same bathroom as older students born anatomically male (stock image)

One Nation MP Mark Latham even grilled NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell in state parliament over the signage, asking if the department was aware and if it approved, the Daily Telegraph reported.

He said numerous parents had contacted him with concerns including that it would confuse children and encourage boys to misbehave and use the girls' toilets.

Poll Do you think high school bathrooms in Australia should be gender-neutral? Yes No Do you think high school bathrooms in Australia should be gender-neutral? Yes 15 votes

No 473 votes Now share your opinion





The furious father of a 13-year-old girl had told him that his daughter returned from school worried that 17 and 18-year-old boys would start using the girls' toilets.

'Who would think this is ok?' one person questioned on social media.

Other commenters however disagreed and congratulated the school on being progressive.

'Absolutely well done. Gender diverse kids have a hard enough time as it is. Kindness matters,' one said.

But Mr Latham argues that gender-neutral terms are generally only used by the 'woke elite', and that such pronouns are 'unnecessary' in a school situation - and would only cause 'anxiety' for parents and students.

'It's a political statement that raises community alarm about safety and does not help students,' he said.

One Nation MP Mark Latham voiced his concerns about the progressive bathroom signs in parliament

The NSW Education Minister said safety and support were the top priority at NSW public schools (pictured: Northlakes High School)

The former federal Opposition leader and father-of-three also said locals around Abbotsford School, in Sydney's Inner West, had contacted him on Tuesday over similar concerns.

Abbotsford School has placed rainbow and trans pride flags on display on its fence.

'What has this got to do with English, maths, history science, it's another instance of a school going out of its way to be political,' Mr Latham said.

The Education Minister responded saying that safety and support were top priority in NSW Schools.

'All public schools in NSW provide safe and supportive learning environments for our students that respect and value diversity and are free from violence, discrimination, harassment and vilification,' Ms Mitchell said.

A NSW Education department spokesperson when asked claimed all toilets at Northlakes High School were single sex 'except for one unisex, lockable, single cubicle toilet attached to the school sick bay'.
A father-of-two accused of the abuse and murder of his girlfriend's 15-month-old son has been remanded in custody today.

Jacob Lennon died after he was rushed to hospital from the family home in Putney, southwest London with serious head injuries in August 2019.

A post-mortem examination found injuries consistent with horrendous long-term abuse.

The baby's mother Louise Lennon and her boyfriend Jake Drummond, both 32, face charges arising from Jacob's death.

Drummond, who is not child's father, denies murdering Jacob and a further charge of wounding the baby with intent in relation to earlier injuries, which include one caused to the genitals with a sharp object.

Jacob Lennon, who was 15 months old, died after he was rushed to hospital from the family home in Putney, southwest London with serious head injuries in August 2019

Bearded Drummond appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link from HMP Wandsworth wearing glasses and a crucifix chain.

He spoke to confirm his name and was remanded in custody following a brief hearing in front of the Common Serjeant of London, Judge Richard Marks.

Lennon denies neglect and causing or allowing the death of a child.

She did not attend court today and will stand trial with Drummond on February 6 next year.

Sally O'Neill, QC, prosecuting, earlier told the court a 999 call was made at 6am on August 27, 2019 to say baby Jacob was not breathing.

'The baby was taken to St George's hospital, he remained in cardiac arrest throughout the journey.

Jacob's mother Louise Lennon, 32, denies child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child

'He was pronounced dead at 7.22am.

'There was also an injury to the underside base of penis which appeared to be caused by a sharp object.

'In addition the left ear was swollen.

'All injuries are consistent with a series of assaults over a period of time culminating in a single episode resulting in the baby's death.'

Following his arrest Drummond claimed Jacob suffered the fatal injury after he climbed out of his cot and fell on his head.

Drummond, of no fixed address, denies murder and wounding with intent.

Lennon, of Wandsworth, southwest London, denies child cruelty and causing or allowing the death of a child.

Lennon remains on bail with conditions of residence and daily curfew between 10pm and 7am.
Korea Development Bank (KDB) Chairman and CEO Kang Seog-hoon speaks during a press conference to mark the first 100 days of his term at KDB headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of KDB



By Yi Whan-woo



Korea Development Bank (KDB) Chairman and CEO Kang Seog-hoon reaffirmed, Wednesday, a disputed plan to move KDB headquarters from Seoul to Busan, stressing it is critical for the development of the southeastern region that used to be the nation's hub for smokestack industries but is losing competiveness in the era of digitalization.



Speaking at a press conference to mark the first 100 days of his term, Kang also said the state-run KDB will finance 30 trillion won in the next five years for the chip industry as part of a broader picture to support the Korean economy amid a wave of global challenges.



"The southeast used to be at the center of economic growth when it was undergoing rapid industrialization, but not any longer," he told the press at KDB headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, noting the relevant infrastructure for growth is concentrated heavily in the capital region in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



Busan, the country's largest port city, forms an area of heavy manufacturing industries in the country's southeastern region, along with Ulsan and the surrounding South Gyeongsang Province.



"Relocation of KDB will thus be necessary to collectively transform Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province into one of the nation's two axes for the Fourth Industrial Revolution along with the Seoul metropolitan area," Kang said.



He added that transformation of the three areas accordingly will be in line with balanced regional development, a major reason for the relocation plan as pledged by President Yoon Suk-yeol.



Kang's remark came as he faces strong protest from KDB's unionized workers against the relocation plan.



The unionists argue the relocation plan will only hamper the nation's goal of nurturing the financial industry that is heavily concentrated in Seoul.



Under the circumstances, Kang said he will hold sufficient discussions with the union members to reach a consensus, adding, "I fully sympathize with their concerns and anger."



He said Korea is facing multiple economic challenges at a time when the decades-old rules of the free market economy is replaced by trade protectionism, and digitalization and green growth are accelerating.



Korea especially is being threatened by low potential growth that is expected to hit the zero percent range in 10 years.



Kang pledged that KDB will help the nation "take a big leap forward," saying it will "thoroughly support the industrial ecosystem."



The chip industry is a strong candidate to be one of the five industries that the state-run lender will pick for intensive financing.



Meanwhile, Kang also discussed other pending issues, such as financially salvaged companies that are under KDB control.



The companies include Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). It has been a headache for KDB as its sell-off plans have failed repeatedly for years, including January when the plan was called off due to a rejection by the European Union, a key interest group.



In addition, a 51-day-long strike between June and July by subcontracted workers of DMSE inflicted losses worth a total 816.5 billion won ($586.4 million) on the shipbuilder.



Kang said KDB is pushing for the successful sale of DSME "as fast as possible."




The protracted dispute between rail unions and the NSW government is no closer to ending, ahead of industrial action allowing commuters to travel for free.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union will deactivate Opal readers and gates from September 21, indefinitely, until a resolution is reached, NSW secretary Alex Claassens said.

The strategy is designed to turn up the heat on government and senior bureaucrats.

The protracted dispute between rail unions and the NSW government is no closer to ending, ahead of industrial action allowing commuters to travel for free

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union will deactivate Opal readers and gates from September 21, indefinitely, until a resolution is reached, NSW secretary Alex Claassens (pictured) said

'They are the ones responsible for this mess, they can now live with it,' Mr Claassens said on Wednesday.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the union was turning off the machines because 90 per cent of passengers were still tapping on when the gates were left open last month.

'That shows the people of NSW just want to get on with it. That's what I expect of the union,' he said.

Not all stations have gates, but Opal poles at suburban platforms will also be deactivated.

'You can tap all you like but nothing's going to happen,' Mr Claassens said.

The deactivation will be coupled with a ban on issuing fines.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the union was turning off the machines because 90 per cent of passengers were still tapping on when the gates were left open last month

The union believes it's within its rights but Transport for NSW will try and stop it proceeding.

'Sydney Trains does not consider this ban to be protected or lawful action and is seeking legal advice, and will write to the RTBU seeking a withdrawal of this action,' a spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns called for negotiations to resume.

'I'm happy that industrial action at least is not inconveniencing the public, but no one wants industrial action,' he said.

'We want an agreement between the two sides.'

Also from September 21 there will be bans on wearing lanyards or name badges, station announcements on Opal issues and online training.

Mr Perrottet threatened to terminate the existing enterprise agreement at the end of August after a month of industrial action caused widespread disruption across several days.

He declared negotiations for a new agreement over and a final offer had been presented, but the unions rejected it and applied to the commission to continue bargaining.

The dispute returned to the Fair Work Commission on Wednesday, following a hearing on Friday and attempted conciliation.

Mr Claassens called the attempts a stalling tactic by the government.

Premier Perrottet threatened to terminate the existing enterprise agreement at the end of August after a month of industrial action caused widespread disruption across several days

'There is no point in coming to the conciliation table unless you've got the decision makers at the table,' he said.

'We've been negotiating with (chief executives)  they've had to go through all these hurdles to get approval.'

Ingmar Taylor SC, on behalf of unions, argued on Wednesday the government breached good faith bargaining by terminating negotiations and not identifying decision makers throughout.

NSW TrainLink transformation director Jasmin Streimer, the lead negotiator for the agency in bargaining since May 2021, told the hearing chief operating officer Dale Merrick was the decision maker.

'It's not a purely lateral hierarchy,' she said.

Government ministers, the cabinet expenditure review committee they're part of and the department secretaries they can instruct were all involved in making decisions too, even if they did not attend bargaining meetings.

Ms Streimer accepted the offer presented to the union as 'final' was incomplete, did not bind the government to provide the payments it promised, and the rail entities had still not provided a final version.

The union is seeking a 3.5 per cent annual wage rise - above the three per cent NSW government cap it argues does not apply to them - with an additional cost of living supplement based on a Queensland government model.
A 'newlywed' couple have been slammed over an insensitive wedding photoshoot staged in front of the flowers and tributes laid for the Queen outside Windsor Castle on Monday.

A video clip of a man and woman, wearing a suit and wedding dress, smiling for photographs while members of the public mourned behind them was posted to TikTok and received hundreds of comments from shocked viewers.

Footage of the bizarre photoshoot shows a blonde-haired woman gazing into a man's eyes, as she touches his face while a snapper takes photographs.

Couple dressed in wedding attire pose for photographs outside Windsor Castle as members of the public lay flowers for the Queen on Monday

Members of the public paid their respects to the Queen (pictured) as a couple posed for a wedding photoshoot

Later, the man can be seen holding the woman's waist whilst she lifts her left leg up to pose for the camera.

Members of the public paying their respects to the late monarch, who died last Thursday, are shown standing in front of the gates behind the couple while flowers line the railings.

One visitor walks past the couple while holding a bouquet of flowers as the pair appear to be transfixed on each other.

One onlooker, who took the video posted the clip on TikTok yesterday, writing: 'Fully having a wedding shoot in front of the Queen's floral tribute.

People have shared their reactions to the video which was uploaded on TikTok yesterday

'Not letting the Queen's death ruin their day.'

Speaking today, the person who captured the photoshoot, but wished to remain anonymous said: ' I was just taking photos and a few videos and turned around and this couple were doing a wedding photoshoot.

'Looking back it might not have even been a real wedding. I know people do wedding shoots.

A pair of 'newlyweds' have been seen posing for photographs outside Windsor Castle while members of the public laid flowers and tributes to the Queen

In the TikTok video, people could be seen laying down flowers to her Majesty who died last Thursday

'Literally by the gates people were laying flowers and paying their respects and I even saw people crying so it was pretty insensitive.

'Most people reacted in a bemused way, a few people verbally commented how bad it was but no one stopped them.'

The video has attracted over 87,000 views and hundreds of comments from viewers who blasted the brazen couple for their actions.

One said: 'Such bad taste.'

Another wrote: 'Sorry but, no time and place.'

A third commented: 'Totally not the time or the place!'

A pair of 'newlyweds' have been seen posing for photographs outside Windsor Castle while members of the public laid flowers and tributes to the Queen

The woman is seen lifting her leg up and being held by the man while posing for photographs

The couple are seen staring into each others eyes while people holding flowers pass to pay their respects to the Queen at Windsor Castle

Another replied: 'No way! The audacity of some people.'

However, one person said: 'Why do people think it is so bad? She doesn't have to cancel her wedding, it costs money, let her enjoy it.'

While another added: 'Maybe they are foreigners and booked the wedding a long time ago. Then what can they do?'

The Queen died 'peacefully' at her Balmoral estate, aged 96, on Thursday, September 8.

Tens of thousands of people have flocked to royal residences around the UK, including Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, Sandringham and Balmoral, to pay their respects to the UK's longest reigning monarch.

The sea of tributes including flowers, cards, soft toys, drawings, Union Jack flags and balloons in Green Park have poured in as people pay their condolences to Her Majesty.
Heathrow Airport flights were cancelled so they did not disturb the Queen's coffin procession this afternoon.

The west London airport said in a statement that 'out of respect' for the mourning period it was making 'appropriate alterations to our operation'.

These included flights being disrupted between 1.50pm and 3.40pm today to 'ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall'.

Heathrow Airport flights have been cancelled so they do not disturb the Queen's coffin procession this afternoon

People wait alongside the Mall ahead ahead of the procession to carry the body of Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

Everything we know that's closing on Monday Aldi

Lidl

M&S

Sainsbury's (with convenience stores and petrol stations open from 5pm to 10pm)

Tesco (Express stores will be open from 5pm)

Poundland

Morrisons

Argos

Asda (until 5pm)

John Lewis department stores

Waitrose (with the exception of a limited number of stores on the funeral procession route)

Wilko

B&Q

Toolstation

Primark

Holland & Barrett

Costa Coffee

Cineworld

Odeon cinemas

Showcase cinemas

The Light cinemas

English Heritage sites including Stonehenge, Dover Castle, Eltham Palace and the Roman forts on Hadrian's Wall

Driving tests cancelled

No Royal Mail deliveries Advertisement

British Airways cancelled 16 short-haul flights due to the airspace restriction.

More flights are expected to be axed during the Queen's funeral on Monday.

Heathrow said: 'Passengers will be notified by their airlines directly of any changes to flights.

'We anticipate further changes to the Heathrow operation on Monday September 19, when Her Majesty's funeral is due to take place, and will communicate those in more detail over coming days.

'We apologise for the disruption these changes cause, as we work to limit the impact on the upcoming events.'

The Civil Aviation Authority has also imposed a restriction on airspace over central London which bans aircraft - including drones - flying below 2,500ft between September 9-19.

As well as grinding to a halt for this afternoon's ceremony, Britons will see a number of businesses and public services close for the funeral on Monday.

Bin collections, driving tests, hospital appointments, cinemas and major supermarkets are among the businesses and services which will be halted.

Meanwhile, Costa Coffee is one of the latest chains to announce its closure, following confirmation from supermarket giants Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, Aldi, Morrisons, Iceland, Lidl, Poundland, and M&S that they will shut.

All driving tests in England, Scotland and Wales have been cancelled on the day of the Queen's state funeral, the DVSA has confirmed.

Candidates who are booked in for practical tests on September 19 will have them postponed and be given the next available date.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich were one of the local councils who confirmed bin collections next week will be delayed following the funeral of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

There will also be no North East Derbyshire District Council bin collections on Monday. Collections would resume on Tuesday, Councillor Ross Shipman confirmed.

Thousands of patients have had hospital appointments cancelled because of the national bank holiday, according to openDemocracy.

Major cinema chains including Cineworld, Odeon and Showcase will shut their sites on September 19 in a mark of respect.

English Heritage, which cares for historic monuments and buildings including Stonehenge, Dover Castle, Eltham Palace and the Roman forts on Hadrian's Wall, said all of its sites would be closed.

However, Center Parcs has climbed down after it announced it would close for 24 hours on the day of the Queen's funeral.

The holiday resort chain was inundated with complaints after it said its five parks would close from 10am on Monday September 19 because of the Queen's funeral, leaving guests struggling to find somewhere to stay in the middle of their holiday.

The company has now made a U-turn on the plans after an angry backlash from guests.

Parks will be open for guests who planned to stay there on Monday, though the villages will still be closed and there will be limited activities as the Queen's funeral goes ahead.

It comes as the boss of Transport for London (TfL) said today it is facing the 'biggest event and challenge' in its history, with more than one million people expected to travel to the centre of the capital to pay their respects to the Queen.

Andy Byford, the organisation's commissioner, said that planning for the Queen's lying in state and funeral is more complicated than the 2012 Olympics as it is 'impossible' to accurately predict crowd sizes.

TfL is 'used to dealing with big crowds' and will take measures such as temporarily restricting access to the busiest Tube stations and directing passengers to other stations to 'spread the load', he said.

Mr Byford added that the situation is being managed 'minute by minute' from a command centre alongside other agencies and Government departments.

Is it REALLY what she would have wanted? Kite festival is cancelled, children's rides unplugged and estate agent's window lettings turned into bizarre portrait of the Queen in over-the-top reactions to nation's mourning

Britons have taken to social media to voice their surprise at over-the-top cancellations and reactions to the nation's period of mourning.

While the closures of supermarkets, the scrapping of hospital appointments and postponement of bin collections will impact millions, many have been left puzzled by some of the more niche examples of companies, charities and individuals offering their own 'marks of respect'.

These have included a kite festival being cancelled, children's rides being unplugged, and estate agent's window lettings being turned into a bizarre portrait of the late monarch.

A number of property specialists have covered up what were previously offers of houses and flats for sale or rent, and instead replaced them with pictures of Her Majesty or the royal coat of arms.

In one extreme example, the shop has created a collage-like portrait of the Queen using nine different separate images.

Another unusual tribute which caught the eye of many on Twitter was the postponement of Guinea Pig Awareness Week.

A post on Facebook read: 'In recognition of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, we are postponing Guinea Pig Awareness Week.

'Guinea Pig Awareness Week will now take place from 26th-30th September.'

There was also much reaction to a picture of a traditional red phone box covered in a black veil, with bouquets of flowers left beside it.

Social media users were puzzled by the closure of a children's ride based on the animated character Bing

An A4 notice stuck on the attraction read: 'As a mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we are suspending the use of this ride whilst the nation is in mourning. Thank you for your understanding'

One which caught the eye of many on Twitter was the postponement of Guinea Pig Awareness Week

Meanwhile, cinemas across the country have decided they are not screening blockbuster films on Monday, however some were puzzled to see Vue's policy when broadcasting the service

Elsewhere, social media users were puzzled by the closure of a children's ride based on the animated character Bing.

An A4 notice stuck on the attraction read: 'As a mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we are suspending the use of this ride whilst the nation is in mourning. Thank you for your understanding.'

Similarly, a large sign revealed that a funfair in Brighton was closed 'out of respect'.

Meanwhile, cinemas across the country have decided they are not screening blockbuster films on Monday, however some were puzzled to see Vue's policy when broadcasting the service.

The chain says on its website: 'We will be screening the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in selected UK venues on Monday, 19 September, live from 10am.

'Seats will be free of charge and our retail offering on this day will be limited to complimentary bottled water during the broadcast, with no other snacks or drinks available for purchase.

'On this day we will not be showing our normal programme of films.'

Others pointed out a store's solemn message about the monarch against the backdrop of a colourful children's display, a man's tattoo of the Queen and Paddington Bear and a host of other event cancellations, such as the Streatham Common Wind Day.

A tourist attraction in Manchester has also taken steps to tweak its operations as a 'mark of respect'.

The I'm a Celebrity Jungle Attraction at Salford Quays sees contestants bid to become 'king or queen of the jungle'.

However, these titles are being temporarily removed, and the winners at the end of the trials will instead be referred to as the 'champion of the jungle'.

And YoSushi has pushed back its reduced price menu - which includes items for 97p to mark 25 years of business since 1997 - until after the period of mourning.

They are the latest examples of obscure ways businesses and organisations are honouring the Queen's death, after bike rack closures, lowering the volume of the bleeps on supermarket checkouts and stopping clocks on the very minute the monarch died were pointed out earlier this week.

Responding to the various reported cancellations and closures, tweeters have been joking: 'It's what she would have wanted'.

Similarly, a large sign revealed that a funfair in Brighton was closed 'out of respect'

Others pointed out a store's solemn message about the monarch against the backdrop of a colourful children's display

A man's tattoo of the Queen holding hands with Paddington Bear also sparked reaction

Meanwhile, buskers have reacted with disbelief over TfL's sudden decision to suspend busking on the London Underground during the period of mourning.

Some took to social media to vent their frustration, saying they will lose a week's income because of the decision.

Author Philip Pullman also weighed on the decision, saying: 'Apparently TfL has declared that no busking will be allowed on the Underground until after the Queen's funeral. What a miserable, mean cast of mind this reveals.'

One musician known as Benjamin Teacher, who is blind and plays guitar on the Underground with one arm, responded: 'Thanks for the support Philip.

'As a LU Busker who is physically disabled and legally blind, Busking is my only source of income to provide and survive.

'This brief ban ONLY effects/hurts us Buskers. Especially disabled ones. Please reconsider.'

Chris Morris, 41, said he has been busking for years and plays in the Underground most days, either solo or with his band Berlin Blonde.

He said: 'I didn't realise they had sent an email saying not to busk. I thought, fair enough, it's a bit c**p with no notice but if it's only going to be this weekend, I can deal with that. But later that day it said sorry, it's going to have to be until after the funeral.

'We book our pitches two weeks in advance so we didn't know someone was going to die.'

He said he would typically make between 300-400 a week depending on how many days he plays and that effectively the TfL decision will cost him nearly two weeks of work as he will miss two weekends, which are more profitable than the weekdays.

The guitarist and drummer also said he now plans to busk on the street in east London, despite it being less safe.

He added: 'I went busking on Friday and had a really good day in South Kensington, I made over 100 in four hours. I think people appreciated the fact that someone was lightening the mood.

'It is so much better on the Tube, you have security, you have internet so you can use the contactless payments, and it's much safer. I have been robbed before on the streets.

'I appreciate TfL for letting us do it, but it's just I wish they had given us a heads up.'

Norwich City Council put up a sign saying the cycle rack will be closed from September 9-21

Norwich City Council was forced to clarify the sign after backlash from social media users

Clocks have been stopped at the time of the Queen's death at the Regency Town House in Brighton

Fake news: Picture showed a sign purporting to be Wetherspoons is dismissed as fake

TfL's busking scheme includes 39 pitches across 25 London Underground stations. On its website, TfL says buskers play to a unique audience of 3.5 million people.

Busking on the Tube has attracted big name stars such as Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Bob Geldof and Katherine Jenkins.

Jamie Pullman, London Regional Organiser for the Musicians' Union (MU) said: 'The MU has been in contact with many musicians who have been denied an opportunity to earn a living and wholeheartedly support their view that they should be allowed to continue to busk on the Underground.

'Given that music plays such a central role in national events - royal weddings and now the funeral of the Queen, it is absurd to suggest that it is a disrespectful activity.

'Busking went ahead safely during the recent Jubilee celebrations, so we believe that concerns about overcrowding are overstated.'

David Fisher, co-director of the campaign group Keep Streets Live, added: 'We are hugely disappointed with the decision to prevent street performers from making their living on the London Underground during the mourning period for the Queen.

'While we understand that many people will want to grieve and pay their respects, this should not prevent buskers from going about their work.

'It is hard to believe that the Royal Family, who have supported a wide variety of arts-focused charities over the years, would approve of such a ban and we call on TfL to change this policy with a matter of urgency, and we hope that this will not set a precedent for other areas in London.'

A TfL spokesperson said: 'During the period of national mourning, we have taken the decision to pause the busking scheme across our network, and we will reopen the scheme following this.'
The co-founder of a gay rights group claims 'anti-lesbian prejudice' and 'fear' is making many teenagers wrongly believe they have 'gender identity issues' when they are in fact grappling with their emerging sexuality, a tribunal heard.

The LGB Alliance has defended its views 'that sexual orientation is about biological sex' after its charitable status was challenged by a transgender rights group.

Mermaids, a group which supports transgender children and their families, launched an appeal against the decision of the Charity Commission to grant LGB Alliance legal status last year.

It is believed to be the first time a charity has sought to remove the charitable status of another charity.

Bev Jackson, the co-founder of LGB Alliance, told a hearing at the General Regulatory Chamber in London today she was concerned about the 'consequences for young gay men' due to 'matters being conflated as if LGBT was all one thing'.

In a witness statement, Ms Jackson said the organisation shared the view of Harry Potter author JK Rowling that 'without sex there is no same sex attraction'.

LGB Alliance co-founder Bev Jackson (pictured) said: 'Anti-lesbian prejudice and fear is leading many teens, especially lesbians, to believe that they have 'gender identity' issues when they are in fact grappling with their emerging lesbian/gay sexual orientation'

In a separate statement submitted as part of the proceedings, Dr Belinda Bell, the chair of the trustees of Mermaids, said: 'One of the reasons Mermaids has been especially concerned by LGB Alliance is that, since its foundation, it has repeatedly focused its efforts on children.

'As far as I can tell, LGB Alliance appears to accept that adult trans people exist and that they should be allowed to access gender affirming healthcare.

'However, based on its public communications, LGB Alliance appears to take the view that trans children do not exist, or that they cannot know they are trans before adulthood.'

In response, Ms Jackson submitted to the court: 'At present, teens struggling with issues relating to sexual orientation have nowhere to go to discuss same sex attraction not based on gender identity.

Ms Jackson said the LGB Alliance shared the view of Harry Potter author JK Rowling that 'without sex there is no same sex attraction'

'On the other hand, there are plenty of resources, including Mermaids, for those who are affected by gender identity issues.

'Anti-lesbian prejudice and fear is leading many teens, especially lesbians, to believe that they have 'gender identity' issues when they are in fact grappling with their emerging lesbian/gay sexual orientation.'

But Dr Bell's statement claimed LGB Alliance had sought to 'undermine' the work of charities such as Mermaids and Stonewall.

It read: 'A central goal of LGB Alliance is seeking to undermine the work of a wide variety of organisations which it says have promoted trans rights to the detriment of women, children and LGB people.

'After Stonewall, Mermaids has been the second biggest target of its efforts, and we have been relentlessly subjected to some of its worst treatment.

'I have already discussed how LGB Alliance has repeatedly stated in public forums that Mermaids seeks to inappropriately push LGB children into identifying as trans.

'Such allegations are false and harmful to Mermaids' ongoing work.'

Dr Belinda Bell, the chair of the trustees of Mermaids, said: 'LGB Alliance appears to take the view that trans children do not exist, or that they cannot know they are trans before adulthood' (stock image)

Defending her organisation's position, Ms Jackson said: 'We believe that the LGB rights movement has been largely replaced by the LGBT rights movement, which is governed by the theory that gender identity rather than sex is definitive of what it means to be lesbian, gay or bisexual.

'As far as I understand it, all or nearly all of these organisations now propagate the view that everyone has a gender identity, which should take precedence over biological sex in all areas of public life and in law.

'LGB Alliance rejects this view. LGB Alliance maintains, and promotes the view, that sexual orientation is about biological sex.

'To my knowledge we are the only charity for LGB people that does so, whilst there are many charities that adopt the view that sexual orientation is based on gender.'

The hearing is scheduled to conclude on Friday, when a judge will rule on whether LGB Alliance should keep its charitable status.
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A humanitarian crisis is deepening in the Texas border town of El Paso, where nearly 1,000 migrants have been released to sleep on the streets amid a surge of illegal crossings that is overwhelming Border Patrol facilities.

Following a large influx of migrants, primarily from Venezuela, Border Patrol facilities and shelters in the west Texas town have been overwhelmed in recent days, leading to a flood of so-called 'street releases'.

Congressman Tony Gonzalez, a GOP US Representative, told the New York Post: 'Weve never seen anything like this.

'Its a scene that you would see in a third-world country, not in the streets of El Paso.'

It has led to scenes of misery, with hundreds of migrants sleeping on the streets without access to toilets or showers, and residents say that the 'smell of human waste is overwhelming in the area,' according to KVIA-TV.

'There's nothing safe about having people roaming the streets, it's almost apocalyptic,' Gonzales, who represents part of El Paso, told the ABC affiliate.

'I'd argue that we're very compassionate people, people who want to give the shirt off their back, but when there's no end in sight, it's just not fair,' said Gonzales.

The situation in El Paso comes days after the Biden administration officially extended special protections for Venezuelans, known as Temporary Protected Status, that shield some of them from deportation.

News of the grim situation in El Paso comes a day after migrants in Eagle Pass, 450 miles east along the border, were reported to have killed a guard dog and begun eating animals in desperation.

Just shy of 200,000 illegal immigrants were intercepted crossing the southern border in July, according to the most recent CBP figures available.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has begun bussing thousands of migrants to so-called sanctuary cities including New York, Washington DC and Chicago, where leaders there have moaned about struggling to cope with them.

But El Paso - the sixth largest city in Texas - is one of a number of border areas facing an exponentially worse crisis. It has a population which is 81 percent Hispanic and relies heavily on the petroleum industry for local jobs - but is also home to a large medical center and university. The average house there costs $203,000.

Migrants from Venezuela set up tents near a bus station after being released from U.S. Border Patrol custody in El Paso, Texas on Tuesday

Following a large new surge of migrants, primarily from Venezuela, Border Patrol facilities and shelters in El Paso have been overwhelmed, leading to street encampments

Without access to basic facilities, migrants have been forced to use open-air toilets, leading to health and sanitation concerns

US Customs and Border Protection says that in the El Paso sector, encounters with people crossing the border illegally have averaged about 1,300 per day since the start of September, up from the recent May high of 1,000.

'There's nothing safe about having people roaming the streets, it's almost apocalyptic,' US Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican who represents part of El Paso

Since last Wednesday, 932 migrants have been released in what are commonly known as 'street releases' and Border Patrol calls 'provisional releases,' according to NBC News.

In these cases, migrants are being released near bus stations in the hopes that they can make their own way to other parts of the United States.

'Generally, after processing, migrants who are not detained for the duration of their removal proceeding are provisionally released in coordination with NGOs [non-governmental organizations],' a Border Patrol spokeswoman told NBC.

'If NGOs are over capacity, U.S. Border Patrol coordinates with local government and cities to identify locations where migrants can conveniently access transportation services or accommodations,' the spokeswoman added.

The Border Patrol says that its agents do biometric screenings on migrants prior to 'street releases' and continue to hold those who may pose a threat to public safety.

Migrants from Venezuela rest near a bus station after being released from U.S. Border Patrol custody in El Paso on Tuesday

US Customs and Border Protection says that in the El Paso sector, encounters with people crossing the border illegally have averaged about 1,300 per day since the start of September

Since last Wednesday, 932 migrants have been released in what are commonly known as 'street releases' and Border Patrol calls 'provisional releases'

Migrants are detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing into the United States from Mexico to turn themselves in to request for asylum, in El Paso on Monday

It's not entirely clear what has prompted the surge of Venezuelan migrants at the El Paso crossing specifically, but Venezuela has for years been undergoing an economic crisis and food shortages under its socialist regime.

On September 8, the Biden administration released official notice of an 18-month extension for its Temporary Protected Status designation for Venezuelans, protecting them from deportation in many cases.

However, the protections are only supposed to apply to Venezuelan nationals who have been present in the US since March 8, 2021, and so would not include more recent arrivals.

El Paso's mayor declared a state of emergency due to the border situation in May, and the emergency order was extended again on Monday.

El Paso's Deputy City Manager, Mario D'Agostino, says his city has contacted the government directly to combat similar issues.

'We've been in communication with the White House directly,' he said. 'We've been talking about some of the needs we're seeing in our community and we need to continue helping in this effort.'

The city, also a border city opposite Ciudad Juarez, recently experienced a surge of migrants sleeping on the streets downtown in tents.

Asylum-seeking migrants, mostly from Venezuela, walk near the border wall after crossing the Rio Bravo river, in El Paso, Texas, U.S., as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on Sunday

Brayan Pinto, an asylum-seeking migrant from Venezuela, carries his dog Brandy as he crosses the Rio Bravo river to turn himself in to U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso on Sunday

Migrants are detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing into the United States from Mexico to turn themselves in to request for asylum in El Paso on Monday

On September 8, the Biden administration released official notice of an 18-month extension for its Temporary Protected Status designation for Venezuelans

D'Agostino added the city wants to be in contact with customs and border patrol so that it could be better prepared for another influx of migrants.

El Paso County Commissioners approved a funding source on September 12 to set up the city's own processing center - which could be used to mitigate any incoming issues.

Through this new center, migrants released from customs and border patrol would be sent to the center rather than straight to the city's streets.

The situation in El Paso comes amid an ongoing surge in illegal border crossings, which are at historic levels so far this year.

In Eagle Pass, Texas, about 450 miles east of El Paso, residents said this week that migrants have been killing ranch animals to eat them, stealing things from shops, and knocking on windows at night, according to Fox News.

President Joe Biden appointed Vice President Kamala Harris to tackle the 'root causes' of immigration, but so far border agents have made nearly 2 million border apprehensions, an all-time record, this fiscal year, which ends in October.

That number surpassed the already-historic 1.7 million encounters in fiscal year 2021.

The latest figure shows there were nearly 200,000 crossing at the border in July

So far this year, more than 1.8 million immigrants have crossed the southern border

Migrants are detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing into the United States from Mexico in El Paso

The Border Patrol says that its agents do biometric screenings on migrants prior to 'street releases' and continue to hold those who may pose a threat to public safety

Migrants walk after being detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso on Monday

Despite the surge, Harris insisted the border was secure during a Meet the Press interview on Sunday.

'The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system, in particular, over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed,' she said, deferring the blame to the Trump administration.

'We have a secure border in that that is a priority for any nation including ours in our administration,' Harris added.

'But there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix,' she said, calling for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

In July there were nearly 200,000 encounters, a decline for the second consecutive month after four months of increases climaxing in May with a record-breaking 241,116 encounters.

August figures should be released soon.

With one month still left to go in the fiscal year, almost 750 border crossers have died making the dangerous journey northward to the U.S.
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Two thirds of San Francisco residents say their city is going downhill because of widespread homelessness, crime and rising housing costs - and a third plan to leave the city within three years, according to a bleak new poll.

A survey of 1,653 adults found that 65 percent said the city was declining, while 37 percent said they would live elsewhere in three years. A staggering 84 percent of people aged 65 and over said they are planning to leave.

It paints a bleak portrait of an iconic city famed for its Golden Gate Bridge and colorful 'Painted Ladies' homes being wracked by poor leadership and urban decay, where the sight of addicts shooting up on sidewalks is now all too common.

The poll echoes comments in an opinion piece for DailyMail.com today from columnist and author David Marcus, who calls the city a 'rancid drug-ravaged pit of human misery' and slams its leaders, who 'have no idea how to pull themselves out of it'.

Marcus graphically narrates 'complete hopelessness in the eyes of haunted souls dragging themselves down the street looking for their next fix' and 'filthy tent cities stinking with human excrement and strewn with needles and pipes'.

A homeless man injects fentanyl into his friend's armpit, due to a lack of usable veins, as people walk by near San Francisco's City Hall, in early September

'There is nary a cop to be found for vast stretches of beat, rundown byways,' Marcus wrote of the city's bleak Tenderloin district.

'Hardly a business open and barely a twinkle of legal commerce or sign of civilization.'

The survey was carried out by The San Francisco Chronicle after the recall election of progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who was ousted in June amid frustration over public safety in the deeply Democratic city.

Respondents largely agreed on the city's top problems: Homelessness took first place, followed by public safety and housing costs. Nearly 70 percent said they doubted those problems would get better in the coming three years.

One respondent, Dae Echols, 53, told The Chronicle he was 'fed up with the city' and rising prices would likely force him to retire elsewhere. The average rent in San Francisco has risen to $3,750 per month.

'I just remember the hippie generation, and it was all about, take care of your friends, brotherly love. And that is totally gone,' said Echols.

Some respondents hit out at Mayor London Breed, whose earlier popularity for steering the city through the pandemic appears to have waned amid widespread homelessness, property crime, the fentanyl epidemic and other woes.

Some 35 percent said Breed had done a poor or very poor job at making San Francisco a better place to live and work these past three years, while 42 percent said she'd done a fair job and 23 percent an excellent or good job.

Frustration with San Francisco's decline has intensified in recent months, with the ejection of Boudin and, in February, the recall of three members of the city's school board, who were accused of putting progressive politics over the needs of children during the pandemic.

Asian Americans have staged protests and disrupted traffic, angered by cops failing to protect them and prosecute hate crimes, particularly against elderly members of the city's sizeable community.

The merchants' association for the Castro neighborhood last month said it would withhold business taxes until city agencies improved their response to fighting a crime wave and homelessness.

San Francisco has become a drug-abusing Wild West with syringes littering pavements and drug dealers, selling heroin or the deadly opioid fentanyl, easily recognizable dressed in black with matching backpacks. Above: a person in a wheelchair shoots up, just outside the Linkage Center in January

San Francisco mayor London Breed, pictured during an interview in February 2022. She is the 45th mayor of the City and County of San Francisco

A San Francisco resident identified as J. Terrell last week captured footage of a mob of homeless drug addicts brawling amid trash in the SoMa neighborhood and shared the evening scene on social media.

'I love going for long walks and passing by this every single day in my hood. Love the smell of crack and poop,' he wrote sarcastically on Twitter.

The attached footage shows two homeless men on the ground fighting as a third man is seen whacking the shirtless addict with a broom as the bystanders stand around watching the fracas unfazed by the bizarre chaos.

The viral video has now garnered more than 5.3 million views.

During the anarchy, a dog is barking incessantly at the pair wrestling on the ground as another person is seen snagging a pair of sneakers and placing them in a plastic bag before walking away.
Americas majority faith has an uncertain future  the share of Christians is set to fall to as low as 35 percent by 2070 as millions become agnostic, atheist or unaffiliated, a study of religious trends shows.

Pew Research Center says the number of U.S. adults identifying as Christian has dropped from 90 percent in the 1990s to 64 percent now, and will likely trend downwards into a minority faith over the coming decades.

The decline is due to Christians switching to nones  a secular mishmash of atheists, agnostics and those with no religious identity  which is set to grow from about 30 percent nowadays to as much as 52 percent by 2070.

Adherents of other faiths, including Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, which currently are about 6 percent of the population, are set to double in share, though mostly driven by immigration rather than conversions, says Pew.

The drift away from Christianity is a trend across much of the developed world, hastened by a slew of damaging sex abuse scandals and cover-ups in the Catholic, Southern Baptist, Mormon and other churches.

Pew researchers projected possible religious scenarios for the U.S. using everything from birthrates, to migration patterns and demographics like age and sex

Christianity is on the decline while minority faiths like Islam and Hinduism are on the rise, illustrated by empty pews at a Catholic Church in Florida and by Muslim worshippers in Maryland

Others are turning away from a faith that has become linked with Americas political right, with evangelicals and other Christians often among the most outspoken critics of progressive policies on abortion and gay marriage.

Experts on religion expressed dismay at Pews findings, saying the drift away from Christianity was part of a profound social change that was reshaping the nation of some 330 million people.

Bob Smietana, the author of Reorganized Religion, said Christianitys decline may imperil faith-based institutions that play a central part in community life, which, he added, could be weakened or disappear.

They would include the food pantries at churches, the shelters, or robust faith-based disaster relief efforts that assist the needy in the U.S. and abroad, Smietana posted on social media.

Such Christian charities as Catholic Relief Services and the Salvation Army assist millions in the U.S. and beyond, arranging everything from food parcels to adoption schemes.

Amy Sullivan, a Chicago-based writer on religion and politics, said she grieves these Pew findings on the decline and took aim at Christian leaders  slamming on Twitter the fools who have been the face of the faith for decades.

Waning respect for Christianity was on display this month at Tennessee Tech University, where a theatrical troupe staged a Christianity-themed drag show with the star dressed as a Catholic monk who stripped down to a corset and stockings.

In the study, Pew researchers projected possible religious scenarios for the U.S. using everything from birthrates, to migration patterns and demographics like age and sex, and the current religious landscape.

They also assessed how faiths are passed from parents to their children and how frequently people switch religions  in particular, the growing number of Christians who turn away from the faith and become nones.

Each new generation sees 31 percent of those raised Christian become religiously unaffiliated by the time they reach 30, Pew says, while 21 percent of those raised with no religion become Christian.

If switching among young Americans continued at recent rates, Christians would decline as a share of the population by a few percentage points per decade, dipping below 50 percent by 2060, said the study.

At the same time, the unaffiliated are projected to grow under all four scenarios, it added.
No10 today moved to cool rising business fury at the lack of support with spiralling energy.

Liz Truss vowed that industry will get a bailout equivalent to that for households, which will see bills frozen at 2,500.

However, details of the package have yet to emerge - with fears it could be weeks before the final shape is clear.

The PM's spokesman promised today that more information about the support will come next week.

And they said that the package will be backdated to October 1 so that increasingly desperate firms do not miss out.

'We will confirm further details of the business support scheme next week,' the spokesman said.

The PM's spokesman promised today that more information about the support will come next week, when Kwasi Kwarteng is due to deliver an emergency budget

Businesses have been struggling to deal with spiralling wholesale gas prices

'The scheme will support businesses with their October energy bills and that includes through backdating if necessary.'

It is understood that the new scheme could require new legislation, but Downing Street said that was still being 'worked through'.

The spokesman said the government has been speaking to energy companies and businesses to provide 'reassurance'.

'We did recognise there is concern about the support but what we are saying is that we will be providing the support to cover their October bills,' they said.

'We're still working through exactly whether it will need legislation.'

Almost all day-to-day politics has gone on hold with the country in a period of mourning to mark the death of the Queen.

But Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng is expected to unveil an emergency budget to cut taxes and flesh out the energy support next Thursday or Friday.

The Government has insisted that any delay is not due to the death of the monarch, but more down to the challenge of devising a fresh scheme from scratch.

'We're having to build a brand new system to deliver this support, rather than using the existing one,' the spokesman said.

The household scheme, which will be paid for with tens of billions of pounds of borrowing, guarantees that for two years bills for the average home will not increase past 2,500, saving typical households around 1,000.
An enormous 400-pound, 11-foot-long alligator was seen strolling through a neighborhood in Katy, Texas on Monday and had to be captured and tied up after terrified residents called the police.

The scene unfolded at 7:40am on Monday when local dispatch received calls about the gator and sent Texas Parks and Wildlife services to deal with the massive beast.

Authorities found the reptile prowling through the grass near Buffalo Bayou and subsequently caught it and tied it up before transporting it.

A video taken of the gator before it was captured shows it slowly moving through the grass next to a tall residential wall with houses behind, which may explain why neighbors were so shaken by the sighting.

The gigantic alligator was first seen strolling in a residential neighborhood in Katy, Texas on the morning of September 12

Authorities quickly responded after getting calls from concerned residents, and a licensed trapper straddled the beast to tie it up

Once it was tied up, police used a tow truck to hoist the gator up safely which made the process easier as the alligator weighed almost a quarter-ton

Update: Hes a little embarrassed with all the attention out here! He has been safely caught and is being relocated. https://t.co/EPDwz7X3aV pic.twitter.com/p0Mn6ASKZR  Constable Chad Norvell (@chad_norvell) September 12, 2022

'This morning around 7.40 a.m. dispatch received calls that an alligator was walking along Peek Road about 50 or 60 yards south of Buffalo Bayou,' said Constable Chad Norvell.

'He was caught by licensed trappers from Texas Parks and Wildlife and is being taken to a sanctuary in El Campo.'

A video recorded the gator's capture, which took 3 hours, and showed trappers and cops standing around the animal while they used ropes to restrain it.

One officer uses a nearby tree to help rope in the reptile, while a trapper jumps on top of it to tie up the arms and make sure the mouth stays closed.

The gator repeatedly tries to engage in a 'death roll,' which is usually employed to disorient and tear apart prey, but can also be used as a defense mechanism.

Once the gator was securely tied up, authorities used a tow truck to hoist it into the air and placed it in the bed of a red pickup truck.

The gargantuan reptile was then taken to Gator Country, a reptile sanctuary that houses 'nuisance gators,' or gators that have been found and captured in residential neighborhoods.

The sanctuary has over 450 reptiles, and says they are 'the only sanctuary for nuisance alligators to reside in Texas,' according to its website.

The enormous reptile was safely taken to Gator Country, a reptile sanctuary and adventure park in Texas that welcomes alligators handed over after disturbances

Gator Country is home to over 450 reptiles and hosts educational shows and also daring feeding shows, where large alligators are fed food in front of a crowd

A bizarre image posted to social media appears to show an alligator strapped to the tailgate of an SUV in Brevard County, Florida last week

The astounding videos come only days after another massive 11-foot gator was spotted tied to the back of a car on a Florida highway.

This particular animal appeared to have been hunted as part of Florida's annual alligator hunting season, which allows permitted hunters to harvest the gators.

About 5,000 people apply for just 7,000 permits each year with the gators harvested ranging from nearly three feet to nearly 14 feet in length.

Wildlife experts estimate that 1.3 million alligators of every size live in Florida, while Texas is estimated to have only 400,000 thousand.

Fatal alligator attacks are rare in the United States, typically occurring about once a year.
A poor pup in New Jersey has died following a battle with a porcupine that left him skewered with quills all over his body - and his owners owing almost $20,000.

Miranda DeGennaro, 22, the owner of Chester the 9-year old pitbull mix, says the staff at the animal hospital told her they'd 'never seen quills that bad in their entire life.'

Chester had apparently gotten mixed up in a backyard battle with a porcupine outside the family's home in Sussex County, New Jersey at around 2am on the morning of September 2.

Chester the 9-year old pitbull mix passed away after a battle with a porcupine left too many quills inside his chest and abdomen

The poor pup succumbed to his injuries during surgery on Saturday. His heartbroken humans are now left with a $19,500 vet bill

Chester's owner, Miranda DeGennaro, 22, said she really thought her beloved dog would pull through after his backyard battle with a porcupine

'We saw him running and barking, so we ran down the deck, but it was too late,' DeGennaro told NJ.com.

The family believes the dog attacked the porcupine leaving quills protruding from his face, chest and abdomen.

The vets were able to remove all of the quills that they could see, but according to DeGennaro, what really worried them was the ones they couldn't.

'The quills dont really show up in CAT scans and x-rays, the damage is what shows up,' DeGennaro said.

'You cant even do anything to see exactly where they are, so they did the best they could. But being that he swallowed some, they just went everywhere.'

One vet discovered a needle in the pup's pericardium - the sac around the heart - in addition to in his lungs, esophagus and digestive system.

Vets at the animal hospital recommended surgery to save Chester's life due to the concern that the quills were migrating inside the dog's body and would soon pierce an organ.

However, that surgery came with a $12,000 down payment, which DeGgennaro could not afford.

The hospital said they would perform the surgery anyway to save the dog's life, but she would be responsible for the total cost after.

Sadly, Chester passed away on Saturday during the surgery and DeGennaro is now saddled with a $19,500 veterinary bill.

'He really did need the surgery and obviously we all thought he was going to live. It was really important for him to get the surgery,' said the devastated DeGennaro. 'I really thought he was going to make it.'

The quills in Chester's face and abdomen were removed, but the ones that made it inside his body wound up causing too much damage for vets to fix

A friend of the family established a GoFundMe Page to help offset the financial burden of Chester's nearly $20,000 in medical bills

A friend of the family established a GoFundMe Page to help offset the financial burden of Chester's medical bills.

The page described Chester as 'a very energetic boy who loves to play, go on adventures and rides, and most of all protect and spend time with 'his humans.''

Porcupines are generally active at night and shoot out their quills to defend themselves from perceived predators, including dogs.

'Dogs never seem to learn to avoid them, so keep dogs confined or on a leash when a porcupine is in the neighborhood,' reads Wildlifehelp.org, a site that compiles information from state wildlife management agencies.

In a Facebook post, DeGennaro warned other area dog owners of the dangers of porcupines that cost Chester his life.

'Had I known there was any potential for my boy's life to be risked I would have taken more precautions to prevent anything like this from happening.

'$20,000 in debt and all the support in the world wasn't enough to fix the damage the quills did,' she wrote.
Park in S China's Shenzhen celebrates 19th birthday of giant panda during Mid-Autumn Festival

People's Daily Online) 10:49, September 14, 2022

A birthday party to celebrate the 19th birthday of giant panda Qiu Bang was held during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sept. 10 this year, inside the Shenzhen Safari Park in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province.

Giant panda Qiu Bang takes a big whiff of the cake. (Photo/Li Musheng)

At the celebration, the panda appeared from a breeding room and ambled around a beautiful cake specially prepared for the occasion after hearing a keeper call it by name. It then started to eat the cake in front of a crowd of onlooking visitors to the park, with the delicious treat made of bamboo, fruits, pumpkins and flowers.

Born on Sept. 8, 2003 in Japan, the giant panda returned to its hometown in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province in 2007, and has lived in Shenzhen since 2017. To give more visitors a chance to celebrate the animals birthday together, the park arranged for the party to coincide with this year's Mid-Autumn Festival.

"My daughter really likes giant pandas. We got up early to come to the celebration. She is really happy today," said a tourist surnamed Lin.

Giant panda Qiu Bang takes a big whiff of the cake. (Photo/Li Musheng)

Giant panda Qiu Bang eats the cake. (Photo/Li Musheng)

Giant panda Qiu Bang eats the cake. (Photo/Li Musheng)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
A McDonald's branch in Seoul / Newsis



By Anna J. Park



While major burger franchises in Korea, including Mom's Touch and Burger King Korea, are expected to be put up for sale soon, McDonald's Korea has become the first to officially initiate the selling process.



According to the investment industry Tuesday, Mirae Asset Securities  the organizer of the sale of McDonald's Korea  has recently sent an investment teaser letter to potential buyers. The 100 percent stake in McDonald's Korea held by McDonald's APMEA Singapore Investments will be up for sale.



The 13-page letter stressed the dominant market position of McDonald's Korea in the domestic burger market, as well as its further growth potential.



The document stated that McDonald's Korea maintains the top market share in the local franchise burger industry, despite the fact that McDonald's operates only about 400 branches nationwide. The number of branches across the country is way smaller than those of its competitors like Mom's Touch and Lotteria, which each operate over 1,300 branches in the country. Burger King also operates about 430 branches in Korea. This means that each branch of McDonald's posts higher revenues on average than its competitors.



The letter also said that the average revenue of each branch has grown by 8 percent per year over the past three years, showing further upside potential of the business. It also stated that the global burger chain's net loss was reduced to 33.3 billion won ($24.2 million) last year, a 28 percent year-on-year decrease. The company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA)  turned around 4.6 billion won in profit last year.



What is also noteworthy is that McDonald's Korea owns considerable real estate assets as well.



Mirae Asset is planning to send out an information memorandum (IM) with more details to prospective buyers later this month. The sale's preliminary bidding is expected to be held sometime next month, followed by due diligence until early December.


Federal investigators are looking into whether the victim of a letter bomb which exploded at Northeastern University last night may have staged the entire incident.

Officials said they found inconsistencies in the 45-year-old victim's statement, and that his injuries were not consistent with the type of wounds typical of an explosion, according to the Boston Herald.

The victim - only identified as a staff member in the university's virtual reality program - was hospitalized with minor hand injuries after he was reportedly delivered a box which exploded upon being opened.

Police, bomb squads, SWAT teams and even Boston mayor Michelle Wu, quickly descended upon the campus as reports that a Unabomber style attack had been carried out on the virtual reality department at the school.

The attack was followed by a report from CNN which said a 'rambling' letter had been included with the package that railed against Mark Zuckerberg, the metaverse and virtual reality, and indicated there were more bombs to come.

As the dust settled, authorities revealed the box which exploded was a Pelican brand box - a plastic carrying case which can be pressurized and sealed shut - which had depressurized when the staff member opened it and caused his injuries.

Pelican boxes are commonly used to store delicate devices like electronics or cameras, and would be commonplace in a virtual reality lab. On the front page of Northeastern's Experiential Technology Lab's website there is even a photo with a Pelican-style box visible in the background.

Authorities later determined the box which exploded had no traces of explosives on it, and had not been sent through the US Post Office.

First responders on the scene even characterized the incident as 'weird,' according to the Boston Globe, saying the purported explosion occurred in a room with students but that none of them seemed to hear it happen.

'It wasn't like a loud explosion. And there were kids [still] in the classroom, so they must not have heard it,' a Boston firefighter who was on the scene told the Globe. 'People did not seem panicked at all.'

'You hear [the word] explosion, you think: big noise and people would be nervous' he added.

Federal investigators are looking into whether the victim of a letter bomb which exploded at Northeastern University last night may have staged the entire incident

CNN reporter John Miller said the package contained a 'rambling' letter railing against Mark Zuckerberg, the metaverse and virtual reality, and indicated there were more bombs to come

Mutiple sources have confirmed that there was some kind of a letter involved in the incident, including CNN's Chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, John Miller, who said he saw it.

'There was a note, there were pictures, the note was talking about virtual reality, talking about universities, talking about Mark Zuckerberg,' said Miller. 'The note is somewhat rambling, and they're trying to work through the meaning of it.'

Asked whether the note contained threats of future attacks, Miller said it appeared so.

'I think when you have a note attached to a bomb that blows up when you open it, the threat is implied,' he said. 'There is an indicator in the note that this is the beginning. When you look at the offender characteristics of a package bomber, usually they come in multiples. That's the pattern in the Unabomber pattern, the pattern in the Kingsley case.'

The bombing left students and school faculty across the city unsettled, with Harvard and MIT both increasing their security after the bombing.
This is the emotional moment a son reunites with his weeping mother in a Ukrainian village recaptured from Russian troops.

Footage shows Vyacheslav Zadorenko, the mayor of Derhachi District in Kharkiv Oblast near the Russian border, hugging his relieved mother in his liberated hometown after six months behind enemy lines.

Ukraine's remarkable push has seen a huge swathe of territory around Kharkiv freed from Putin's grip and forced his soldiers to surrender and flee in an embarrassing setback to his brutal invasion.

Zadorenko shared the video of the reunion online, saying: 'The day I was waiting for more than anything in my life  meeting my dear mother!'

The mayor is seen getting out of his car and immediately embracing his tearful mother who says: 'Vyacheslav, my dear! I've been waiting, I knew you'd return. My flower has blossomed. I thought it would die, but it grew and blossomed. My golden ones, my treasure!'

He replies: 'Mommy, I knew I'd come for you.'

A son has reunited with his weeping mother in a Ukrainian village recaptured from Russian troops amid Kyiv's dramatic counter-offensive against Putin's forces

Vyacheslav Zadorenko, the mayor of Derhachi District in Kharkiv Oblast near the Russian border, hugs his relieved mother

The mother then hugs other men in uniform in the touching video, saying: 'We managed to keep everything safe. I waited for you to return! I took all your things and kept them safe. The only thing is that the house was mined, I've been told.'

Zadorenko adds: 'I've missed you so much.'

In a typical maternal way, the mother then tells her son she has prepared lots of borscht for him, a Ukrainian staple dish, and offers to feed him right away.

After he tries in vain to make her calm down, she says: 'I knew you'd come and free me. All of us in Kozacha knew this day would come. At the gas station they told me you were coming.'

Zadorenko then insists that his parents must leave their house for a safer place.

Zadorenko shared the video of the reunion online, saying: 'The day I was waiting for more than anything in my life  meeting my dear mother!'

The mayor is seen getting out of his car and immediately embracing his tearful mother

He tells her and his father to pick their things for a few days while Ukrainian forces come and demine the village.

The mayor said the group came ahead of the other forces to meet their family members and help get them to safety.

The heartwarming footage has been widely shared online, including by JK Rowling.

It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky helped raised the Ukrainian flag over the newly-recaptured Russian stronghold of Izyum as he celebrates the stunning advance that routed Putin's forces in the north of the country.

The Ukrainian president took part in a minute of silence for fallen soldiers before congratulating those still fighting on their victory.

He then raising the flag in triumph over the city - which previously served as the launchpad for the Putin's mission to seize the entire Donbas region.

In a typical maternal way, the mother then tells her son she has prepared lots of borscht for him, a Ukrainian staple dish, and offers to feed him right away

The mayor said the group came ahead of the other forces to meet their family members and help get them to safety

'Ukraine is taking back its own,' a military spokesman said, as a growing hope of overall victory against Putin's forces begins to spread across the country in the wake of Russia's most-recent battlefield humiliation.

The scale of the unfolding military disaster is so great that not even the Kremlin's sock-puppet propagandists are trying to disguise it, instead telling viewers on Monday night of a 'serious defeat' while considering - for the first time - the prospect of total defeat in Ukraine.

Karen Shakhnazarov, a film-maker and Kremlin loyalist, told viewers of Vladimir Solovyov's nightly show that Russia is now in a 'very difficult situation' against a 'strong adversary' - adding that Moscow's armed forces 'were not ready' for what he finally admitted is a 'war' and not a 'special military operation'.

'This war can only end with the defeat of one of the sides,' he said. 'For us, this defeat may prove fatal... it may lead to the disintegration of the country.'

Underlining that sense of impeding victory, the Ukrainian mayor of the occupied city of Melitopol said overnight that Russian troops are starting to withdraw - having held that territory since the early days of the war.

Zelensky took part in a minute of silence for fallen soldiers (left) before watching as the Ukrainian flag was raised over the city, amid a growing hope that overall victory against Putin's forces is possible

One of Ukraine's commanders shakes Zelensky's hand in the recaptured city of Izyum, which was liberated from Russian control in a rapid counter-attack by Kyiv's forces last week

Ivan Fedorov wrote on Telegram that columns of military equipment were reported at a checkpoint in Chonhar, as Russian troops apparently beat a retreat to occupied Crimea.

If Ukraine has forces capable of re-taking the city, then it would break the so-called 'land bridge' that Russia spent months establishing between occupied areas of Donbas and Crimea.

That would mean Russian forces currently fighting tooth-and-nail for the city of Kherson would be all-but cut off from resupply from the mainland, except for the vulnerable bridge crossing the Kerch Strait.

It would also open up an avenue for Ukraine to attack Mariupol - the now-destroyed city that Russia made one of the main targets of its 'special military operation - and further weaken the position of its forces in Donbas.

Russian troops in Donetsk and Luhansk - the two regions which together make up the Donbas - are already in a precarious position after Ukraine's counter-attack out of Kharkiv severed some of their main supply routes.

A Ukrainian soldier hold up a mud-stained Russian flag after driving Putin's forces out of a huge area to the east of Kharkiv

RUssian tanks and armoured vehicles destroyed in fighting are revealed behind the backs of Putin's retreating forces

The cities of Izyum, Kupyansk and Vovchansk which formed the staging post for its attacks in the region and contain key railway lines to get ammo and other supplies to its soldiers are now under Ukrainian control.

Kyiv's rapid advance has now slowed as Russian troops regroup and try to re-establish a frontline, with fighting said to be ongoing around Lyman, Rubizhne, Lysychansk and Severodonetsk.

In the newly freed village of Chkalovske in the Kharkiv region, Svitlana Honchar said the Russians' departure was sudden and swift.

'They left like the wind,' Honchar said Tuesday after loading cans of food aid into her car. 'They were fleeing by any means they could.'

Some Russians appeared to have been left behind in the hasty retreat. 'They were trying to catch up,' she said.

It was not yet clear if the Ukrainian blitz, which unfolded after months of little discernible movement, could signal a turning point in the nearly seven-month war.
The company denied discriminating against Longenecker, and told him he could return to work 'in a position that would not require him to operate power equipment,' MorningCall reported

A civil action lawsuit was filed on September 9, 2021 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and obtained by DailyMail.com

Further punishment included a demotion that included a different role at the supermarket and a drastic pay cut from $22 per hour to $12 per hour

Longenecker claims that after his medical marijuana card fell out of his wallet at work he was sent home for five days

A Pennsylvania supermarket warehouse worker was punished by his employer with a demotion and a 50% pay cut after it was discovered that he was taking medical marijuana.

Blake Longenecker was working at Weis Markets distribution center located 16 South Industrial Park Road in Milton, Pennsylvania, when he says his legal medical marijuana card fell out of his wallet.

Longenecker claims that after his marijuana use became unintentionally known at work, the company sent him home for five days. He was then demoted to a different role at the supermarket and was forced to take a drastic pay cut.

His primary role was selecting products and placing them on the truck, but after the fiasco was moved to the stock area and his hourly salary went from $22 per hour to $12 per hour.

An attorney representing Longenecker said his client had to quit, as a result of the pay cut.

The grocery store company operates 196 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia and Delaware with its headquarters in Sunbury, Pennsylvania

It is legal to buy or consume marijuana from a state-approved dispensary in Pennsylvania if you are a medical marijuana patient - however, it is not yet legal recreationally

A civil action lawsuit against the grocery store was filed on September 9, 2021 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and obtained by DailyMail.com.

The suit alleges that Longenecker was discriminated against due to his marijuana use, and was based on three counts: ADA discrimination, ADA retaliation and violation of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA).

The company denied discriminating against Longenecker, and told him he could return to work 'in a position that would not require him to operate power equipment,' MorningCall reported.

A civil action lawsuit against the grocery store was filed on September 9, 2021 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and obtained by DailyMail.com

Weis operates 196 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia and Delaware, with its headquarters in Sunbury, Pennsylvania.

It is legal to buy or consume marijuana from a state-approved dispensary in Pennsylvania if you are a medical marijuana patient - however, it is not yet legal recreationally.

Neighboring states, New York and New Jersey, have legalized marijuana for all uses.

According to the suit, Longenecker began working at the grocery chain as a temporary worker around November 2020. A year later he was hired full-time.

Longenecker had a medical marijuana card for anxiety.

On February 19, 2021, Longenecker was reprimanded and sent home for five days. On February 25, 2021, he learned that he was being demoted upon his return back to work solely on the basis that he had a medical marijuana card.

Longenecker told his employer that he 'could not afford to work for $12 per hour,' the complaint said. When he asked if a 'negative drug test would allow him to keep his regular job as selector/picker, Weis Distribution Center Human Resource Manager Paul Miller denied his request.

According to the suit, Longenecker had never received a positive drug test. On or about February 28, 2021, Longenecker was forced to leave his position due to the massive reduction in pay.

The suit alleges that the defendants subjected their employee to a hostile work environment and retaliation, with no valid business purpose or justification.

The suit alleges that as a result, Longenecker has suffered and continues to suffer 'monetary damages and damages for mental suffering and humiliation unless and until the court grants relief.

DailyMail.com reached out to Longenecker's attorney, David A Berlin and Mathew Weisberg of Weisberg Law, and Gary Schafkopf of Schafkopf Law, but they did not respond to our request for comment.

The case was terminated in April 20, 2022 after the two sides privately resolved the lawsuit and asked a judge to dismiss the case, MorningCall reported.

Pennsylvania's Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman used his Labor Day meeting with President Joe Biden in to push for decriminalizing marijuana. Biden previously opposed fully legalizing marijuana but shifted toward supporting decriminalization during the 2020 presidential campaign, and has since indicated that he believes it is a state issue



Pennsylvania's Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman used his Labor Day meeting with President Joe Biden to push for decriminalizing marijuana.

Fetterman, who is up against Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, has run ads on the issue of marijuana legalization.

During the conversation with Biden in early September, Fetterman 'continued to advocate for the President to use his executive authority to begin the process of rescheduling marijuana, so that people convicted of nonviolent offenses can go on with their lives,' campaign Communications Director Joe Calvello told MarijuanaMoment in a statement.

Fetterman, the state's lieutenant governor, has been a longtime advocate for marijuana legalization and has made it a centerpiece of his Senate campaign.

Most Pennsylvania's support decriminalization, according to polls.

Biden previously opposed fully legalizing marijuana but shifted toward supporting decriminalization during the 2020 presidential campaign.

'President Biden believes that there are too many people serving unduly long sentences for nonviolent drug crimes  a disproportionate number of whom are black and brown,' White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said ahead of the Fetterman meeting.

Jean-Pierre said Biden sees it as a state issue.
But the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday threw these plans into confusion

Prince Harry's memoir will not be published until next year, it has now been claimed - as a source close to the Sussexes reportedly sought to dismiss speculation the Duke was pushing to have it released in November as planned.

The book, which has cast a long shadow over the Royal family for months, was originally scheduled for release in 'late 2022', possibly around Thanksgiving to cash in on the Christmas market.

But the Queen's death on Thursday threw these plans into confusion, amid warnings going ahead with publication this year would be seen as disrespectful to the late monarch.

A source close to the Sussexes told The Telegraph that the memoir would not now come out as planned as Harry and Meghan respect a mourning period that is likely to last well beyond the official ten days.

Delaying the publication would allow Harry to update the book throughout, with additional chapters on his grandmother's death.

Prince Harry's book, which has cast a long shadow over the Royal family for months, was originally scheduled for release in 'late 2022', possibly around Thanksgiving to cash in on the Christmas market

Tom Bower, whose biography of Meghan Markle was released earlier this year, last night said in an interview with GB News that he had heard the Duke of Sussex was 'insisting' on the original date being honoured.

'I am told tonight that Harry is insisting that his book is published in November,' he said. 'Apparently the publishers are not too certain, but he says if they don't publish it will be a breach of contract. That's what I'm told.

'It's extraordinary. But on the other hand it fits the bill, because Harry and Meghan's finances depend entirely on the book and on Netflix.

'And also, I think they are convinced they're in the right and they want to get their own back.'

He said the book would be printed at Clays in Bungay, Suffolk, under conditions of great secrecy, with staff being checked on their way out for copies.

Bower added: 'The book is a timebomb which Charles and William wanted to defuse. Harry did not think that he would be in the UK when the Queen died and the circumstances are different to how they all envisaged it.

'That said I hear that it is being printed at Clays. It will take weeks to print and then weeks to distribute it globally.'

A source close to the duke disputed the accuracy of Bower's account last night, although they did not comment specifically on the planned publication date.

Meanwhile, Penguin has previously announced that Harry will be donating proceeds from the book to charity.

Earlier this week, royal experts told MailOnline it would be a very bad look for Harry to publish anything controversial at this time.

Meanwhile, publishing sources have suggested that it may be pushed back to 2023 to allow Prince Harry time to write additional chapters on the passing of the Queen.

Phil Dampier suggested that despite Harry and William's walkabout at Windsor earlier this week, the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal family is 'as raw as ever'.

And fellow Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said he never thought the book should have been written but for it to be published now, even with an additional chapter discussing the late Queen, would be ill-advised.

He said: 'It is not a matter of a re-write, it's a matter of a re-think. Were it to be published, if it had anything sensational it would be tasteless.

'It is a matter for him how he wants to be perceived. With a new reign it is natural that his loyalty is to his father who is very fond of him.

'What better way to show his loyalty than by postponing, even permanently, the memoir which never should have been linked to the Queen's jubilee year.

Previously, sources have claimed that neither King Charles nor Prince William, or their lawyers and advisers, have been given the opportunity to preview any parts of the manuscript

Mr Fitzwilliams said the damage to Prince Harry's reputation would naturally depend on what the book discusses, which is still a mystery.

'But it would be inappropriate for him to publish anything that had any controversial content especially at this time,' he said.

Mr Dampier said publishing the memoir would ruin any chance of a family reconciliation, adding: 'If Harry makes things worse there is no way back for him. That would be a line crossed and Charles and William would find it hard to forgive him.'

Sources allege neither King Charles nor Prince William, or their lawyers and advisers, have been given the opportunity to preview any parts of the manuscript.

The family has also received no specific information about the expected release date of the book, which is being published by Penguin Random House.

Bower said the book would be printed at Clays in Bungay, Suffolk, under conditions of great secrecy

Penguin Random House has described the book as 'a heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time'.

The publisher's website says: 'Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.

'Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, one that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous, and uplifting human story.'

Prince Harry, who will be donating any proceeds to charity, said he hopes his story will 'help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think'.

Penguin Random House has not yet released a statement on whether the explosive release will be delayed in light of Queen Elizabeth's death.

MailOnline has contacted the publisher and the Duke's lawyers for comment.
A diver who found the body of missing California teen Kiely Rodni in the back cargo hatch of her car submerged in a reservoir has doubled down on his claims that he believes her death is suspicious.

Adventures With Purpose (AWP) diver Doug Bishop said for Rodni's vehicle to end up where it did, she would have to make a sharp left turn onto an dirt path about a quarter mile from the main road.

Bishop also pointed out they found her remains in the cargo hatch of the vehicle even though the passenger side window was open and rear driver's side window was halfway down.

'It doesn't add up,' Bishop told Fox News Digital. 'It reeks of foul play.'

Bishop explained once Rodni's vehicle entered the water, it would've sank quickly and it would not have made any sense for her to crawl over the seats and into hatch, especially when two of the windows were open.

'You're not going to crawl into the back and climb under a seat,' he said.

The Oregon-based civilian dive team located Rodni's body last month in a reservoir that had already been searched by authorities just a quarter mile from where she went missing from a party at a Tahoe National Forest campground.

Adventures With Purpose diver Doug Bishop, who found the body of missing teen Kiely Rodni in the back of her car in a reservoir, doubled down on his claim that her death is suspicious

Bishop said for Rodni's vehicle to end up where it did (pictured) she would have to make a sharp left turn onto an dirt path about a quarter mile from the main road

This graphic shows where Rodni's remains were found in the back of the vehicle although there were two open windows. Bishop said the passenger side window was open and rear driver's side window was halfway down. The car was found upside down

The Nevada Sheriff's Office has said that they would not provide any updates until November. Bishop told Fox News Digital that he believes the delay supports his theory that Rodni's death is not an accident - but foul play.

However, Tammy Watters of Sonar Search and Recovery, pushed back against Bishop's theory.

'Ninety percent of vehicles found with people in it, they're normally found in the back,' she said. 'If it's an SUV, they're in the hatch.'

She explained that the engine is the heaviest part of the car, which would mean that end would nosedives first.

'As the vehicle is sinking, they're climbing to the back to try to stay up out of the water. They're chasing the air,' Watters said.

The divers released last week the footage of their search for the teen who vanished from a graduation party on August 6. They caught on camera the moment they told her devastated father, David, they had found her body in the lake.

Kiely Rodni, 16, went missing on August 6 after a party at Prosser Campground. Her remains were found in the back of her vehicle on August 21 - though two windows were open

He questioned how cops had failed to spot the huge car when they claimed they had already scoured the water closest to the party, exclaiming 'that's f***ing impossible'.

The search for the teen took 19,000 search hours, involving police, the FBI and hundreds of volunteers. But it wasn't until Adventures With Purpose joined on August 21, that she was finally found.

Bishop, who is a former tow truck driver and now a sonar expert, along with scuba instructor Nick Rinn, searched the Prosser Reservoir for just 35 minutes before they found Rodni's body.

The SUV was found upside down in the water about 14 feet down and 55 feet from the shore. Her remains were found in the cargo hatch.

'She's in the back of the vehicle. She's not in the driver's seat. It looks suspicious to me,' Rinn said.

She was also confirmed to not be wearing a seatbelt in the upside-down vehicle when it was discovered three weeks after she went missing - meaning she would have been able to move around.

Diver Nick Rinn, pictured, also said that he thought the discovery was 'suspicious' after positively identifying the car as Kiely's. The divers found it odd that she was in the back hatch

Adventures With Purpose confirmed that her body was found in the back of the car, with the passenger window broken and the rear driver's side window halfway down

Divers confirmed that they could see some items and human remains in the silver vehicle after spotting it with their state-of-the-art sonar system

In the video, AWP show how the team took two sonar boats onto the water at 10.40am on August 21, and identified Kiely's 2013 silver Honda under the water at 11.15am.

They confirmed that her body was found in the back of the car, with the passenger window broken and the drivers rear window halfway down.

She was also confirmed to not be wearing a seatbelt, and it is unclear the exact circumstances that led to the windows being open and broken.

After surfacing from his dive Nick Rinn, part of AWP, said: 'She's in the back of the vehicle, she's not in the drivers seat.

'It looks suspicious to me, vehicles upside down one window is halfway down one window is all the way down.'

Doug Bishop and Nick Rinn released last week the footage of their search for the teen who vanished from a graduation party on August 6

The team then called Rodni's relatives, before contacting authorities, with her father David and grandfather rushing to the scene to see what the divers found.

When told how close to shore the car was, and that it was in the same area that cops had previously scoured, David said: 'How the f*** could they have missed it? That's f***ing impossible'.

Her father then asked a few questions about how she was found, before getting emotional and saying 'I can't see this cause it's going to be my last memory and I can't f***ing do it' before leaving the scene.

Dive teams from Placer County, Nevada County and Alameda County were all involved in the search for the teen who vanished after a party at Prosser Family Campground on August 6.

Kiely's furious father David, pictured second left, said 'how the f***' did they miss it' when he found out how close his daughter's car was to the shore

Divers confirmed that they found Rodni's car, a silver 2013 Honda CRV, in Prosser Lake. They identified the car by the license plate number - 8YUR127

Key differences between YouTube divers and official police search Adventures with Purpose have helped close 23 cold cases by using state-of-the art Garmin sonar technology, and use an inflatable boats which all have down imaging, side scan and a live scan to search deep within the water. Authorities searching the same stretch of water days before claim that they were unable to see anything because of the nature of the lake bed, saying it was like 'going through mud'. Police divers started searching for the missing teen three days after she vanished from a graduation party - and spent tow days coming the body of water her car was found in. They used a 'phased' search because they did not want to disturb the muddy lake bed and divers were a 'last resort'. AWP found Rodni's SUV within 35 minutes on the water. Advertisement

Her cell phone last pinged around 12.30am near the campground's reservoir after she texted her mother to say she was heading back to Truckee, just 12 miles from the party.

Authorities, including the FBI, say that they scanned through nearly 2,000 tips in the two-week hunt for Rodni, and spent almost 20,000 hours looking for her.

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.

Police are waiting a full autopsy with toxicology reports and say the investigation is ongoing, but they confirmed that the remains were Kiely's.

Placer County Sheriff's Office Capt. Sam Brown said at a press conference that the cops linked up with AWP after 'realizing an interest' and 'reading online'.

Bishop explained in the video spotting the 'weird' reading on a sonar scanner.

He said: 'That is giving me a really weird reading, it looks just like a car it looks just like an SUV.

'It's giving me some misreading's just the way a newer car would.'

The Oregon-based group says it has solved more than 20 missing persons cases using sonar and search-and-rescue techniques for its dive team.

Bishop said they put two sonar boats in the water at 10.40am and by 11.15am Rinn detected an object with sonar technology. Bishop said he was able to confirm it was a vehicle. Rinn put on his gear and conducted the dive to examine the car.

'Once we confirmed it was indeed Kiely's vehicle we immediately notified family, law enforcement and (the teen's) dad and grandpa were on scene within minutes,' Bishop said.

Rodni was last seen alive August 6 near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee, attending a party with hundreds of young people, authorities have said.

The campground is at the reservoir in the Sierra Nevada, about 165 miles northeast of San Francisco.

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.

Placer County Sheriff's Office Capt. Sam Brown said at a press conference that the cops linked up with AWP after 'realizing an interest' and 'reading online'.

He said: 'We did link up Sgt Mike Powers with them, there was lots of communication as they were traveling to the area.

Rodni (pictured) disappeared on August 6 from the Prosser Family Campground where she was attending a party with hundreds of other teens

Doug Bishop, who leads the team, explained in the video spotting the 'weird' reading on a sonar scanner which made him think that it was a newer car

Their equipment allows them to see through all of the layers of the water, using down and side imaging as well as sonar

Timeline of Rodni's disappearance AUGUST 5: 6:08pm: Rodni is caught on surveillance camera footage at a local business in Truckee. 10pm: Rodni and her friend Mags arrive at the party at Prosser Family Campground. Before Rodni arrived, her boyfriend, Jagger Westfall, texted her complaining about his day, and adding: 'OK. Be safe. Don't do anything stupid.' 10:30pm: Rodni replies to Westfall, and says: 'Oh, I'm sorry that you're going through that.' 11:30pm: Rodni texts her mother to say that she is planning on leaving the party in 45 minutes. AUGUST 6: 12:03am: Rodni shares her location - the campground - with her mother. 12:25am: Rodni's friend Sami sees her, gives her a hug, and says get home safe. 12:30am: SnapChat data shows a ping at the campground. Two campers witness a large number of cars drive away. 12:36am: Rodni calls Sami, asking if she still needs a lift home. Sami says she can hear music and people in the background. 8am: Rodni's mother wakes up and realizes her daughter has not returned home. 9am: Friends wait at a Starbucks for Rodni to show up for their camping trip. Advertisement

'Detailed information was shared, that wasn't out to the public yet, and hopefully that was of assistance to them to locate the area to go to.'

When asked why officers investigating the disappearance didn't find the car when they first searched, he said: 'The lake was extensively search with sonar, with a remotely operated vehicle, with divers and swimmers.

'Part of what we have to do is go back and debrief. Tracking underwater is an extremely difficult thing to do.

'A lot of this equipment is high-end, very expensive and you really need to have a lot of practice and expertise.

'AWP are able to hone them and we appreciate them being able to come out and assist.'

Initially Rodni's disappearance was being treated as a possible abduction, something which Placer County Sheriff's department denied in a press conference.

Officers said that by not ruling out abduction as a possible reason for her vanishing, may have helped get more assistance from various agencies.

Capt. Brown added: 'I think there was a lot of miscommunication, I don't think it was ever labelled as abduction, but you can't ever take that off the table.

'You couldn't remove it off the table, we hadn't found her. There was some struggle with some services, we wanted to obtain things and couldn't.

'We couldn't say that it wasn't, and it was clarified very early on but we wouldn't have received all the resources we did if that wasn't the case.'

Rodni's family issued a statement paying tribute to her life saying: 'We are eternally grateful for the love and support you have shown us in the last couple of weeks.

'We have weathered a storm of unfathomable force, and it is purely thanks to the army of warriors, matriarchs, healers, and helpers holding us up that we continue to stand today.

'Mr. Rogers famously told a story of 'looking for the helpers' whenever he saw scary things in the news.

'We have not had to look for the helpers, as you have all come to our rescue in full force. We are forever indebted to you.'

The family, which runs a small hotel near Truckee, encouraged those who knew the teenager to celebrate her life and remember her example.

'While we accept this sadness cast under death's shadow, the rising sun shines light upon us, reminding us not to mourn our loss, but to celebrate Kiely's spirit and the gift that we all received in knowing her,' the statement reads.

'Kiely will surely remain with us even though we will not get her back.

'There are certain occasions when words fail. Perhaps this is why our human nature has given us art, dance, and music, which all are often more effective ways to connect us to each other and our rawest emotions.

'Kindly excuse us as we retreat and dance privately to life's song while we celebrate our daughter's spirit and heal our souls.'
A Colombian influencer who was found responsible for orchestrating her jailed former Senator mother's escape from a dental office will be serving a 90-month sentence from the comfort of her luxurious apartment that is equipped with its own gym.

Aida Victoria Merlano, 22, learned her fate during an online sentencing hearing with a Bogota court on Tuesday. She had been found guilty on September 6.

She will be serving her sentence at an apartment she owns in the Caribbean Sea coastal city of Barranquilla.

Prosecutors were seeking a prison sentence of 17 years for her role in Aida Merlano Rebolledo's October 1, 2019 Hollywood-like escape from the Sabana Medical Center in Bogota.

'(Aida Victoria and her brother) would have brought in materials so that their mother could carry the escape,' the judge said.

Aida Victoria Merlano (pictured) learned Tuesday that she will be serving a 90-month sentence under house arrest for her role in plotting the escape of her jailed mother, former congresswoman Aida Merlano Rebolledo, while she was attending a dentist appointment at a clinic in October 2019.

Aida Merlano Rebolledo (pictured), a convicted former congress woman, fled from her jail guard while she was attending a dental appointment at a clinic in Bogota, Colombia, on October 1, 2019. A Bogota judge found her daughter Aida Victoria Merlano guilty September 6 of helping orchestrate her escape. The 22-year-old influencer was sentenced to 90 months, which she will serve under house arrest at her home in Barranquilla

The apartment that Aida Victoria Merlano will spend her 90-month sentence in is located in Barranquilla and features a training gym

At the time, Merlano Rebolledo was being held at the Good Pastor Penitentiary where she had just served the first month of a 15-year sentence for illegal possession of weapons, conspiracy and electoral crimes in connection with her campaign.

The 45-year-old politician was escorted by a National Penitentiary and Prison Institute guard to a cosmetic appointment at Dr. Javier Cely's office when a camera caught her kissing her daughter goodbye. She waited for her son, Esteban Manzaneda, who was 17 years old at the time, her daughter and Cely to leave the office before she pulled a red rope out of a bag and climbed out through an open window.

A second camera showed the rope dangling from the side of the building before Merlano Rebolledo slipped and fell to the sidewalk. She got up and hopped on a motorcycle that was waiting to help her flee.

The judge who presided over the case said that Aida Victoria Merlano was aware that her mother was going to escape and that she used her brother, a minor who was 17 years old at the time, to assist with the plot

The living room area of Aida Victoria Merlano's home, where she will serve her 90-month sentence

The judge said Merlano knew that her mother was going to escape and that she also used her brother, a minor, to plot out the crime.

The influencer, who has more than 3.6 million followers on her Instagram account, celebrated the ruling.

'I already cried what I had to cry and now I can come to give you the news: I'm not going to go to jail,' she said. 'What really had to happen today was that, that they would send me to prison for a minimum of 15 years and a miracle happened because it was seven and a half years and it will be (under house arrest).'

Merlano Rebolledo, who is being held at Caracas, Venezuela prison for illegally crossing into the country in January 2020 during her escape, vowed to seek revenge when she returns home, calling out corrupt officials.

'They are touching the family. I hope you are prepared for when the day of my return arrives,' she wrote on her Instagram account. 'I'm not afraid of them.'

The former Senator told Colombian news outlet Semana in February 2020 that the former mayor of Barranquilla, Alex Char, and his brother Arturo Char, who also served in the Senate, participated in her plan to buy votes ahead of the March 2018 elections.

According to Semana, Miguel Angel del Rio, the lawyer who represented the former congresswoman's daughter, was scheduled to meet with Venezuelan officials Wednesday in Caracas to start her extradition process to Colombia.
A Florida couple ties the knot on a Brightline train years after the steam engine brought the pair together for date nights during their courtship.

Megan Michelle Gabelman and Jean-Phillipe Charles said 'I do' on Wednesday while onboard a premium train car traveling from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale with 34 of their family and friends.

Guests indulged in champagne and cocktails while waiting for the ceremony to commence onboard the train the couple spent the last six years of date nights for romantic getaways in South Florida.

'I think trains are very romantic,' Gabelman told reporters before the ceremony. 'I love when the crossing arms go and the red lights flash. I think there is a little of nostalgia there, and it's very romantic.'

Traveling on the Brightline was the couples favorite pasttime as either a stress reliever from work or a getaway. The pair met after Charles applied to sublease Gabelman's apartment six years ago.

'We would always take the Brightline up to West Palm, go out to lunch, have dinner, go to the pier - to the water - but what excited me was always the train ride... it gave that adventure part of the date,' Gabelman said.

The bride wore a thin shoulder-strapped white gown that hugged her figure. Her short blonde hair was parted to the side in curls with a bedazzled headpiece on the side of her hair to top off the look.

Meanwhile, the groom wore a brown blazer over a white button-up long sleeve and white pants.

"This was probably not how I envisioned how I would get married," the bride told WPTV shortly before her locomotive nuptial, admitting that her wedding is "not as conventional."

Megan Michelle Gabelman and Jean-Phillipe Charles tied the knot while onboard a Brightline train on Wednesday

The premium train car was traveling from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale with 34 of their family and friends

The pair met six years ago when the groom applied to sublease the bride's apartment. Traveling on the Brightline was the couple's favorite pasttime

While Charles and Gabelman enjoyed adventuring South Florida together, their most fond memories was the train ride to their location

The pair exchanged a kiss on the train platform after committing themselves to each other

The bride wore a thin shoulder-strapped white gown that hugged her figure. Meanwhile, the groom styled a brown blazer with white pants and a button up long sleeve

While Gabelman could've never imagined getting married on a train as a little girl, the destination was destiny for the pair.

'The undeniable romance of train travel is something that Megan Michelle and Jean-Philippe have always been drawn to,' a spokesperson from Brightline told DailyMail.com.

When picking a venue, Charles and Gabelman were searching for a unique way to celebrate their unity with their families.

The idea of getting married on a Brightline started as an innocent joke, but the pair couldn't think of another special way to share their love story with their families.

The bride was captured walking into the train station while escorted by her father

Gabelman recalled the adventure behind the choice to get married on the train car. Brightline played an important role in the couple's relationship

Gabelman said their was no better way to share her love story with Charles than to gather her loved ones to the place where it all began

Brightline sectioned off portions of the train to serve as the 'bridal suite' and ceremony 'hall'

Gabelman entered the train car and was greeted by guests that were attending the wedding

The bride gathered before the ceremony with the flower girl

Brightline sectioned off portions of the train to serve as the 'ceremony room' and 'bridal suite' so that guests and the bridal party were able to join together while waiting for the festivities to begin.

Roses appeared to be the main flower used in the bride's and bridesmaid's bouquets.

The ceremony began once the train pulled away from the station as the groom's sister opened with a song while Gabelman walked down the aisle.

Some guests sat in their chairs while others stood for a closer look.

Gabelman and Charles exchanged their vows and sealed their life-long promise with a kiss.

The newly weds snapped photos outside of the train on the platform to remember their special day.
A distressed motorist who was shot dead by cops after calling 911 for help had alcohol, cannabis and amphetamines in his system at the time of the fatal incident.

Christian Glass, 22, had even tried to make heart-shaped signals for help when he was tasered and shot by officers five times.

The cop who killed him has since been named by prosecutors as Clear Creek County Deputy Andrew Buen.

Buen, 29, was back on patrol a few days later, and has not been suspended from his job.

He is not visible in the bodycam footage released, as it appears the indicent may have been recorded by the alleged killer's bodycam.

An investigation into the fatal shooting is ongoing, and it's unclear if Buen will ultimately face charges. Glass's parents have said their son's death was murder.

Clear Creek County Sheriffs office said that he was shot on June 11 in Denver, Colorado, after becoming argumentative and uncooperative with officers.

According to his parents, Sally and Simon Glass, Deputy Andrew Buen was the one who fired the fatal shots, with the name coming from prosecutors.

Sally, from Kent and Simon, from New Zealand, have both demanded that the sheriff take the incident seriously, branding their sons death as murder.

Christian Glass, 22, had tried to make heart-shaped signals for help when he was tasered and shot by officers five times in Denver, Colorado

They said their son took Ritalin for his ADHD, which may have explained the presence of amphetamines in his system.

Officers became engaged with Glass after he called for help after crashing his car on a rural road, sparking a one hour stand off between the driver and cops.

Another deputy called to the scene to investigate the homicide muted his body camera video during most of his investigation.

An autopsy report released on Tuesday show he was struck five time by bullets and had superficial knife wounds where he stabbed himself.

He also had trace amounts of alcohol, cannabis and amphetamine in his system, with his parents explaining that his ADHA medication, Ritalin, can also show up as an amphetamine.

According to his parents, Sally and Simon Glass (left), Deputy Andrew Buen was the one who fired the fatal shots. They are calling their son's death 'murder'

Simon and Sally Glass are demanding accountability for their son's death saying that the officers who shot him should be sacked

Glass, 22, (pictured) was shot by officers after a one-hour stand off where he refused to get out of his car while holding a knife

Lawyers for the Glass family, Qusair Mohamedbhai and Siddhartha Rathod, said that Buen was back on patrol within days of the incident.

His father said that his son had trusted that the police would come and help him, adding: Instead they attacked and killed him.

'The killer struck Christian five times to make sure.

Fifth Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum said in a statement Tuesday that her office continues to investigate the shooting.

She will decide whether the officers involved should face criminal charges, or she can convene a grand jury to make that decision.

McCollum said: While we understand that public sentiment may desire this process to move at a more rapid pace, it is not in the interests of justice and fairness to the family of the victim for this matter to be rushed to a conclusion.

Her office has been in contact with the U.S. Attorneys Office for Colorado, the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division and the FBI Denver Division regarding this case.

Glass said he was scared to get out of his car as police surrounded him, with one officer standing on the hood of his car (pictured) as others tried to get him to exit the vehicle

Once Glass grabbed a knife, the officers fired bean bag rounds and tased him. After stabbing himself and swinging wildly, officers fired five shots into the car

The officers then broke through the window and pulled a dying Glass from the vehicle

Deborah Takahara, spokeswoman for the Colorado U.S. Attorneys Office, added: The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Colorado, the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, and the FBI Denver Division are aware of the shooting in Silver Plume.

If the information reveals potential violations of federal criminal statutes, the Justice Department will take the appropriate action.

Glass had been living in Boulder with a roommate and was taking computer coding classes. He had no prior criminal record.

Body cam footage shows the moment officers approached Glass, who called for help in getting his car out of a bush.

When police arrived, Glass refused to get out of his car, saying he was scared as officers yelled at him to exit the vehicle.

'Please, push me out, drag me out, I'll follow you to a police station,' Glass told the officers. 'I'm so scared.'

Glass refused to get out of his car for more than an hour, before pulling out a knife, leading police to fire bean bag rounds and tase Glass before firing into the car.

Sally called the police bullies, with both parents describing the incident as murder

Officers pulled Glass from the car as he was unresponsive following the shooting

Officers repeatedly yelled at him to drop the knife, and pleaded with the 22-year-old to get out of the car and save himself after he stabbed himself

At one point, he also can be seen praying with folded hands and saying, 'Dear Lord, please, don't let them break the window.'

When the officers did break the window, Glass seemed to panic and grabbed a knife.

Police then shot Glass with bean bag rounds and shocked him with a stun gun before the young man twisted in his seat and thrust a knife toward an officer, the footage showed.

Then one officer fired his gun, hitting Glass. The recordings then show Glass stabbing himself as police yelled at him to stop.

'You can save yourself,' one of the officers shouts. 'You can still save yourself!'

Glass had no history of mental illness, with a family lawyer saying they would not ever know the reason behind his abnormal behavior.

Simon condemned the action police took when responding to his son's call and their failure to calm him down and de-escalate the situation.

Attorneys Qusair Mohamedbhai, (left) and Siddhartha Rathod (right) released an autopsy report that found that Glass died of gunshot wounds

As officers broke the window in the car, Glass grabbed a knife and injured himself

Glass' autopsy shows five gunshots struck his chest, lungs, liver, spine and kidneys

In a press conference on Tuesday he said: 'Christian's killing is a stain on Clear Creek County and on Colorado.

'It was a murder by a Colorado official that cannot stand. It is not right.'

His mother Sally described the police as bullies and called on the county to weed them out and replace them with kinder officers.

She added: 'You know, an aggressive bully is always going to be an aggressive bully, and I don't know how you can train that characteristic out.

Pay more, elevate the stages of the profession by getting rid of [them] and hire people with kind hearts and a moral compass,'

The Clear Creek County Sheriff's office did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The shooting comes amid a national outcry for police reforms focused on crisis intervention, de-escalation and alternative policing programs.

In Denver and New York, behavioral health specialists are sent to 911 callers facing crises that police may not be trained to address or could even exacerbate.

Police haven't said if any behavioral health specialists were called for Glass.
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A stern-faced Prince Andrew wore his array of military medals pinned to his morning suit as he followed the coffin of his late mother the Queen during an historic procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon.

The disgraced Duke of York - along with Prince Harry - was told he couldn't wear his military uniform for the service, unlike other members of the family, including King Charles III and William, the Prince of Wales.

It was another public dressing down for the Queen's third child, and a reminder of his lowered status after he was stripped of his military titles and patronages and booted from public life by the Firm for his links to notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

His nephew Harry, meanwhile, has been banned from wearing military uniform due to his decision to step back as a senior royal and move to California.

As the coffin left the Palace at exactly 2.22pm, silence fell among the thousands-strong crowd, while a muffled drum draped in black was beaten at 75 paces per minute.

The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard, with the Imperial State Crown on a velvet cushion with a wreath of flowers atop, and carried on a gun carriage of King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

Directly behind the coffin walked Andrew, along with the King, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex, followed by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex and Peter Phillips. Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon were behind.

Andrew's daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their respective husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank also took part, but the Duke's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson was again absent having also missed out on the Balmoral walkabout yesterday.

The mother-of-two, known as Fergie, is thought to have been invited to the funeral on Monday - however she has not been seen in the days following the Queen's death.

The Band of the Scots Guards and the Band of the Grenadier Guards played funeral marches throughout the procession, starting with Beethoven's Funeral March No.1.

The pace and route were carefully mapped out to allow the procession to reach Westminster Hall at precisely 3pm.

A stern-faced Prince Andrew (right) wore medals pinned to morning suit as he followed coffin of his mother the Queen during historic procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon

The Duke of York walked alongside his brothers, Prince Edward and King Charles III, and his sister Princess Anne

The Duke of York walked alongside his brothers, Prince Edward and King Charles III, and his sister Princess Anne

Silence fell among the thousands-strong crowd as a muffled drum draped in black was beaten at 75 paces per minute

King Charles III, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex walk behind the coffin during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

Earlier this week, Andrew (second-right) was heckled by a protester as he followed his mother's coffin through Edinburgh

More than 320 members of Armed Forces personnel helped move The Queen's coffin in procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall for the lying-in-state of The Queen

From left, David Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, Prince Andrew, Prince Richard, Prince Edward, Peter Phillips and Vice Admiral, Sir Timothy Lawrence walk behind the coffin during the procession for Queen Elizabeth II

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex follow pallbearers from The Queen's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards as they carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall

Britain's King Charles III (first row L), Britain's Prince William (second row L), Prince of Wales and Britain's Princess Anne (first row C), Princess Royal salute, alongside Britain's Prince William (2nd row R), Prince of Wales and Britain's Prince Andrew (1st row R), Duke of York as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown, arrives at the Palace of Westminster

Members of the Royal Family, King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown placed on top, as it is carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, during the ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

(front row, L-R) King Charles III, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

King Charles III, Anne, Princess Royal and Prince Andrew, Duke of York walk behind the coffin during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

The Imperial State Crown is seen during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II this afternoon

Earlier this week, Andrew was heckled by a protester as he followed his mother's coffin through Edinburgh.

The young man was filmed shouting 'Andrew, you're a sick old man' as the disgraced Duke of York, 62, passed behind his mother's hearse.

Seconds later footage show's the heckler being shoved to the ground by angry mourners, as others in the crowd continued to shout 'God Save the King'.

The youngster was then helped up and pulled away by a police officers, as those grieving the late Queen continued to push him.

He was then dragged away from the road he yelled 'disgusting' and 'I've done nothing wrong' as Prince Andrew, along with his siblings King Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward continued to walk behind the hearse carrying the Queen's coffin.

Andrew, a Falklands War veteran who was exiled from public life amid the fallout from his role in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, was not allowed to wear military dress for the occasion and instead wore a morning suit.

The prince will have to appear in civilian clothes at all the other public events to mourn his mother, although an exception will reportedly be made as a special mark of respect for the Queen at the final vigil in Westminster Hall.

Andrew gave up his HRH status and was stripped of all his honorary military roles, including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, over his friendship with Epstein and allegations made by one of the paedophile's 'sex slaves' Virginia Roberts that the royal sexually abused her when she was a minor under American law - claims that culminated in a bombshell US lawsuit and a multimillion-pound out of court settlement with no admission of liability. The Duke of York has consistently denied the allegations.

The sun shone as the procession moved onto The Mall in central London and members of the crowd threw yellow roses into the road as the gun carriage passed them.

The Queen's coffin was wheeled along The Mall on a gun carriage as the procession made its way to Westminster Hall.

A crown was placed on a purple cushion on top of the coffin which glistened in the afternoon sunshine. It was positioned in front of a wreath made up of white roses, spray white roses, white dahlias and a selection of foliage, including pine.

A wreath made of pine from the gardens at Balmoral and lavender from the grounds of Windsor adorned the coffin. Among the foliage were also white roses and dahlias, as well as rosemary and pittosporum.

A Guard of Honour formed by the King's Guard mounted on the paved area in the forecourt of the palace.

A detachment of the Life Guards, as well as household cavalry and the household of the Queen, walked in front of the coffin.

After the procession had passed, the crowd outside Buckingham Palace erupted into applause, while Big Ben tolled at one-minute intervals as the procession made its way to the Palace of Westminster.

2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster

The King stares at his mother's coffin as they begin their doleful final march together

King Charles and his heir the Prince of Wales, who followed his father on yet another emotional day for the royals

The Royal Family follow Her Majesty the Queen from Buckingham Palace as she is handed to the nation

Harry and William stood side-by-side amid the ongoing feud between the siblings and hopes they may reconcile

(left to right) The Duke of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard

There were huge crowds again to see the Queen on her final journey before her coffin is handed to the nation

The Queen's funeral cortege makes its way along The Mall from Buckingham Palace during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II followed by her bereft family

Also forming part of the procession were loyal members of the late Queen's staff, including two of the Queen's Pages and the Palace Steward, who walked directly in front of the coffin.

The Pall Bearers were 10 former and serving armed forces equerries to Elizabeth II, who were at her side in uniform throughout her reign, supporting her at engagements and organising her public diary.

Other devoted members of the Queen's household who processed included her top aide, private secretary Sir Edward Young. There too was the Master of the Household at Buckingham Palace, Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt.

The procession poignantly passed the statue of the Queen's parents King George VI and the Queen Mother which overlooks The Mall.

The Imperial State Crown, worn by the Queen on the way back to Buckingham Palace after her Coronation, glittered in the daylight as the crowds held aloft their phones to capture the scenes.

A number of people could be seen wiping away tears as the Queen's coffin made its way down The Mall, while others held up their phones to film and take pictures of proceedings, with a number standing on their tip-toes to catch a glimpse of the procession.

At Horse Guards Parade, crowds of mourners, many in tears, applauded as the Queen's coffin and procession entered the vast ceremonial parade ground, with the bells of Big Ben continuing to sound every minute.

The Queen's coffin moved under the Arch of the Horse Guards briefly out of the sunlight before arriving on Whitehall.

Crowds on Parliament Street were eagerly waiting for the procession to walk past. People could be seen standing on a raised part of the His Majesty's Revenue and Customs' building. The windows and balconies along the street were also filled with onlookers.

Royal family members saluted as they made their way past the Cenotaph while the Duke of Sussex bowed his head. The Duke of York turned his eyes to the right to look upon the Cenotaph as the procession made its way past.

The crowd outside Parliament applauded once the procession had passed through the gates into the Palace of Westminster.

Upon arriving, the coffin was brought into the estate via the Carriage Gates entrance and passed through New Palace Yard, which features at its centre a fountain to commemorate the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

Reminders of the Queen's long reign feature all around New Palace Yard. In addition to the centre-piece fountain, two lampposts stand marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and the outdoor area is overlooked by the Elizabeth Tower in one corner, which was previously called Clock Tower but was renamed for the Diamond Jubilee.

The Queen's coffin was then placed on the catafalque in Westminster Hall to lie in state until Monday morning.

Meanwhile, William and Harry stood together with their wives Kate and Meghan today as they put aside their feud to honour the Queen.

While the brothers walked side-by-side for the procession from Buckingham Palace, their wives travelled in separate cars, with Meghan accompanied by the Countess of Wessex and Kate joined by Camilla, the Queen Consort.

It is the latest show of togetherness from the warring couples since their surprise walkabout together at Windsor Castle on Saturday.

The King and his Queen Consort led the Royal Family into Westminster Hall

Her Majesty was carried on the gun carriage that had also borne her parents when they died 50 years apart

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, are driven in a car behind the procession taking the Queen's body to lie in state in Westminster Hall

Prince William, Prince Harry and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, enter Westminster Hall alongside the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex

Kate, the Princess of Wales, travelled in a car with Camilla, the Queen Consort. King Charles III and Princes Harry and William walked behind the coffin

Elaena Shipp, 24, from North London, said: 'I wanted to see a slice of history and this was a pretty momentous occasion. It is something many of us have never seen, the preparation for a state funeral for a serving monarch. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

'There are thousands of people waiting but as soon as the coffin with the Royal family walking behind it approached there was quite a hushed, solemn atmosphere.

'I was expecting it to be louder, with more people shouting from the crowd, especially considering the huge volume of people. It's quite a fitting mood really, I think people are really feeling the gravity of the situation.'

Earlier a crowd of people had gathered on a balcony on the Old Admirality Buildings waiting to view the corteges as it passed through Horse Guard's Parade into Westminster. As many as 30,000 people had gathered in the streets below.

Police spotters kept a watch from the roof of Horse Guard's Parade as officers lined the procession route.

One of those waiting patiently for the procession to pass was Sarah Copley, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, who said: 'I felt it important to experience the atmosphere and pay my respects to the Queen.

'I can't quite believe it's happened. We came down to London for the Jubilee celebrations in June and it's a shame we're back so soon for much sombre reasons. But as sad it is, it's good to remember her life and just how much change happened while she was on the throne.

'I don't think we'll see another young monarch again who has devoted nearly their whole life to the service of the country.'

Dabbing her eyes, Nicola Setford, 39, from Witham in Essex said: 'It took my breath away, as soon as the procession came around the corner and into view I had goosebumps.

'You could literally hear a pin drop up until that point. Everyone stood in silence, you could sense just how solemn it was. It was a pleasure to be able to be here and witness a huge part of history.

'There were a few people tearing up - I was one of them. There won't be another one like the Queen. It was definitely worth getting up early for.'

While thousands waited patiently, The Salvation Army set up a refreshment stand offering mourners free tea, coffee and biscuits.
Text messages described as repugnant and racist were sent by the officer who shot dead an Indigenous man in the Northern Territory.

The messages were retrieved from the phone of Constable Zachary Rolfe, who was initially charged with the murder of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker during an arrest attempt at Yuendumu in 2019.

Const Rolfe was later acquitted on all charges after a Supreme Court trial.

Kumanjayi Walker (pictured), 19, was shot dead during an arrest attempt at Yuendumu in Australia's Northern Territory in 2019

Constable Zachary Rolfe (pictured, at the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory in Darwin, March 8, 2022), was initially charged with the murder of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker during an arrest attempt at Yuendumu in 2019. Const Rolfe was later acquitted on all charges after a Supreme Court trial

At a coronial inquest into Mr Walker's death on Wednesday, counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer read a number of messages sent some months before the shooting.

In one, Const Rolfe wrote about being allowed to 'towel locals up'.

In another, the officer made reference to a 'c***s', a term Sergeant Anne Jolley, the chief officer at Yuendumu, agreed at the inquest was blatantly racist.

Const Rolfe also referred to 'Neanderthals who drink too much alcohol', which Sgt Jolley accepted was disgusting and unacceptable.

In another of Const Rolfe's messages, he was critical of the local police or 'bush cops' who he wrote were 'f***ing s*** house'.

Text messages (pictured) described as repugnant and racist were sent by the officer who shot dead an Indigenous man in the Northern Territory

Sgt Jolley said such attitudes were hurtful to officers who worked really hard in their communities.

NT Police Force counsel Ian Freckelton KC said the messages were repugnant but did not represent the values of territory police.

'It is important that a misimpression not be propagated that this modest number of offensive utterances by text messages be imputed to the whole police force,' he said.

'To do so would run the risk of diminishing the respect in which the force is generally held.'

At a coronial inquest into Mr Walker's (pictured) death on Wednesday, Sergeant Anne Jolley, the chief officer at Yuendumu, said Mr Walker had tried to harm himself after being taken into custody as a child, several years before his death, and that police had concerns for his mental health and wellbeing

Walker family representative Samara Fernandez-Brown said in a statement after the hearing that the text messages among officers indicated systemic racism in the NT force and it was not just a case of 'a few rotten eggs'.

'If that continues to be ignored than there will never be meaningful change, and Indigenous people will continue to feel unsafe and ignored.'

She called for disciplinary action over such text messages.

In earlier evidence on Wednesday, the inquest was told that Mr Walker had tried to harm himself after being taken into custody as a child, several years before his death, and that police had concerns for his mental health and wellbeing.

Sgt Jolley said she had watched the teen's health deteriorate upon his return to the remote community in 2015 after a period away.

At the time it was noted that he was constantly roaming the streets at night and engaging in disruptive behaviour.

'When I spoke to family, they just said he wasn't listening,' Sgt Jolley said.

At one stage before his death, the officer expressed the opinion that Mr Walker was a 'troubled young man through no fault of his own'.

Asked to reflect on the lack of help provided to the teenager, Sgt Jolley said: 'It appears we've let him down'.

Sgt Jolley told the inquest that Mr Walker's (pictured) death had definitely traumatised the local community

Sgt Jolley said she first had contact with Mr Walker over a local break-in when he was aged about 13.

'He was a shy person. And there was a certain fear when he saw us,' she said.

'He was always quite reserved and when we've had to lock him up he got very emotional, got very teary.'

The inquest was also told of a report which detailed an incident in May 2014 when Mr Walker was taken into custody.

While in a police cell, the teenager continued calling out threats to harm himself if he went to juvenile detention.

Among other actions, he twice hit his head on the wall, punched the wall several times, threatened to poke his eye out and bit his finger.

Sgt Jolley described the boy's behaviour at the time as concerning and said she feared for his wellbeing.

'I would have had the medical clinic down there as quick as I could,' she said.

Sgt Jolley told the inquest that Mr Walker's death had definitely traumatised the local community.

'They are healing, but that will take time,' she said.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
South Korea's Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul speaks to the press upon arrival at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., Sept. 13. Yonhap



South Korea and the United States will discuss "concrete" steps to sharpen deterrence against North Korea's evolving military threats during their high-level security talks later this week, according to a senior Seoul official Tuesday.



Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul made the remarks upon arriving at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., to attend a session of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) slated for Friday (local time).



The first vice-ministerial EDSCG session since 2018 has been arranged as the allies are cranking up security coordination amid concerns about the possibility of the North conducting a nuclear test or other provocative acts.



"(We) will see the U.S.' strengthened extended deterrence commitment (to the South) and discuss concrete steps to enhance its credibility," Shin told reporters without elaborating. "In a broad context, there's been progress in discussions that have been under way as to how the South and the U.S. will share assessments on North Korean threats and how specifically we will develop extended deterrence to reassure the public."



Extended deterrence refers to America's stated commitment to mobilizing the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear options, to defend its ally.



Shin also pointed out that at the EDSCG session, the two sides will discuss steps to "address public concerns in the event of the North conducting a nuclear test and ensure the U.S.' extended deterrence works well in actuality."



The EDSCG, a gathering of the two countries' vice-ministerial defense and diplomatic officials, will come after North Korea codified its nuclear policy in a law last week, which hinted at the possibility of the regime launching a preemptive nuclear strike in a contingency.



Asked if any specific agreement will be reached at the EDSCG session, Shin said that Seoul and Washington have been "doing their utmost toward that end."



During his stay in the U.S., Shin plans to visit a set of key American military units, including Andrews Air Force Base just outside Washington, D.C., where he said he expects to see U.S. strategic military assets.



"I think proper photos (of the strategic assets) may be released later," he said.



The EDSCG has not been held since its second and last session in January 2018, when the then liberal Moon Jae-in administration pushed for an initiative to promote inter-Korean rapprochement and cooperation.



Seoul's vice defense and foreign ministers, Shin and Cho Hyun-dong, respectively, will attend the session while the U.S. side will be represented by Colin H. Kahl, under secretary of defense for policy, and Bonnie Denise Jenkins, under secretary of state for arms control and international security.



The planned reactivation of the EDSCG came after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, agreed on it during their summit in May in Seoul as part of joint efforts to address Pyongyang's growing nuclear and missile threats. (Yonhap)


A senior State Department official said there was no evidence that an external cause lay behind so-called 'Havana Syndrome,' casting doubt on the claims of more than 1,000 spies and diplomats, some of whom are in line for six-figure compensation payments.

It is the latest in a string of comments apparently debunking theories that diplomatic staff were targeted with mysterious energy weapons.

But it will anger victims diagnosed with headaches, dizziness, vision problems, dizziness and brain fog, symptoms first identified among workers at the U.S. embassy in Havana.

'We have not identified any outside causality in any Anomalous Health Incidents,' Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, told Yahoo's Conspiracyland podcast.

And he said it was a misnomer to refer to it as Havana Syndrome.

After first being reported in the Cuban capital in 2016, hundreds of people came forward to say they were suffering the same symptoms at U.S. facilities all around the world.

Symptoms, including nausea and debilitating migraines, were sometimes accompanied by descriptions of strange sounds, on some occasions resembling the chirping of cicadas.

'We have not identified any outside causality in any Anomalous Health Incidents,' said Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs

The syndrome was first identified among U.S. staff in the Cuban capital, before being reported by hundreds of people around the world

What is 'Havana Syndrome'? The mysterious illness that started in the US embassy in Cuba and causes memory and hearing loss The problem has been labeled the 'Havana Syndrome,' because the first cases affected personnel in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. At least 200 cases across the government are now under investigation. People who are believed to have been affected have reported headaches, dizziness and symptoms consistent with concussions, with some requiring months of medical treatment. Some have reported hearing a loud noise before the sudden onset of symptoms. Countries its been reported in: Cuba, United States, China, Russia, Vietnam, Austria, Germany, Serbia, United Kingdom, Georgia, Poland, Taiwan, Australia, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan Symptoms include: -hearing loss -severe headaches -memory issues -dizziness -brain injury Advertisement

Those details, and the fact that Americans in sensitive posts were involved, led to worries that diplomats and spies were being targeted by Russian or Cuban agents.

Theories spread that it was being caused by a spy device, developed during the Cold War, bouncing energy or that a weapon had been developed to deliver microwave bursts.

However, doctors and officials have not yet been able to pin down a cause.

And in January the C.I.A. said it was unlikely to be the work of a foreign power.

'Taking into account all of the intelligence we've collected and reviewed at this point, we assess that it unlikely that a foreign actor including Russia, is conducting a sustained worldwide campaign harming U.S. personnel with a weapon or mechanism,' said an official.

Yet, the C.I.A. director said that did not mean the symptoms were not real.

'We will continue the mission to investigate these incidents and provide access to world-class care for those who need it,' said Bill Burns.

'While underlying causes may differ, our officers are suffering real symptoms. Our commitment to care is unwavering.'

The podcast goes on to say that multiple officials cast further doubt on whether external factors are to blame.

The results could be embarrassing to an administration that has made much of the syndrome, amid sympathy for staff suffering real symptoms.

Intelligence source told the podcast that the C.I.A. probe even found that mundane factors, such as being close to faulty electrical wiring or exposure to an ultrasonic pest repellent could trigger the symptoms.

About 20 or so core cases remain under investigation, baffling doctors.

Last year President Joe Biden signed into law the Havana Act to compensate C.I.A. officers, State Department diplomats and other officials who have suffered traumatic neurological injuries.

This year it emerged that the payments would likely range from $100,000 to $200,000.

But Nichols, in his comments, said it was wrong to continue to refer to Havana Syndrome when nothing specific to the city had been found to be causing the symptoms.

Alleged Havana Syndrome attacks on American spies and diplomats continue to grow across the world, with more than 1,000 suspected cases reported as of Thursday

The syndrome first surfaced at the US embassy in Havana, when government employees suddenly found themselves afflicted with mysterious maladies

'Certainly with the benefit of the knowledge that we have today, no, that's not an appropriate term,' he said.

Other officials also expressed misgivings.

'I was initially very convinced that this was some type of offensive operation by a foreign military or intelligence organization,' said John Cohen, who was acting undersecretary for intelligence and an analyst at the Department of Homeland Security between July 2021 and April 2022,.

'In my mind, there were just too many people who were experiencing these symptoms.'

But as he looked into it more, he told ConspiracyLand, he found a lot of conjecture and speculation.

'As I began to read the data, read the intelligence, read the results of the investigations and the assessment work that was being done around the world, it just became harder and harder to explain these instances as an attack,' he said.

'I never saw anything that was clear-cut that provided even an identification of who was doing it  or a definitive source for what was causing these symptoms.'

The result was bitter behind-the-scenes clashes between intelligence who feared an attack and those who were skeptical.

Things got so bad, he added, that they even investigated whether the reports were part of a foreign disinformation campaign designed to sow division.
Pastina has been released on unconditional bail until her next court appearance

She is due to face trial on December 12 after alleged 'verbal tirade' toward man

Met police constable Claudia Pastina denies she assaulted a man on the job

A police officer will stand trial after she hit a man during a 'tirade of verbal abuse,' a court heard.

PC Claudia Pastina, 30, confronted Augustine Amatta at an address in Brixton Road, Brixton, southwest London, on 19 February this year.

Mr Amatta told Pastina that he was the landlord of the property, but she doubted that he should have been there, it was said.

Metropolitan police constable Claudia Pastina, 30, denied a charge of assault in Westminster Magistrates Court today (pictured outside of the courthouse)

'Ms Pastina tries to deal with him in her capacity as a police constable,' said Ms Sudara Weerasena, prosecuting.

'She tells him to shut his mouth and covered his mouth with her hand. She also goes to strike him to the face.

'She gave a tirade of verbal abuse, threatening that if he doesn't keep his mouth shut she will strike.

'We say the strike is not necessary and the language used was not necessary...'

PC Pastina, of Woolwich, southeast London, denied one charge of assault by beating at Westminster Magistrates' Court today (weds).

Her trial date was set for 12 December at the same court.

Body worn footage will be relied upon as evidence during the trial.

The officer was released on unconditional bail until her trial date.
A Lebanese woman held up a Beirut bank on Wednesday with a toy gun and walked out with thousands of dollars of her own money to pay for her sister's cancer treatment.

Sali Hafiz, a 28-year-old activist and interior designer, said she managed to free around $13,000 from the $20,000 she said her family had deposited.

Cancer treatment for her sister costs $50,000, she said.

Video shows her talking to bank employees at a reception desk before taking out the toy gun prompting screams from those inside.

Hafiz streamed a live video of her raid on a Beirut branch of Blom Bank, in which she could be heard yelling at employees to release a sum of money while entrances to the bank were sealed by associates.

'I am Sali Hafiz, I came today... to take the deposits of my sister who is dying in the hospital,' she said in the video.

'I did not come to kill anyone or to start a fire... I came to claim my rights.'

She said she had repeatedly visited the bank to ask for her money and was told she could only receive $200 a month in Lebanese pounds, she said.

Bank deposits have been frozen for three years by the government after Lebanon's economic collapse in 2019, with depositors in Beirut beginning to take matters into their own hands.

An armed woman and a dozen activists broke into a Beirut bank branch on Wednesday, taking over $13,000 from what she says were from their trapped savings

Sali Hafiz in a 28-year-old activist and interior designer, according to an interview she gave after the bank robbery. An image of her is taken from her Facebook

A Lebanese policeman stands guard next to a bank window that was broken by depositors to exit the bank after attacking it trying to get their money

A toy pistol that was used by the depositors to attack the bank is seen thrown on the ground

An AFP correspondent at the scene said gasoline had been poured inside the bank during the heist, which lasted under an hour.

Nadine Nakhal, a bank customer, said the intruders 'doused gasoline everywhere inside, and took out a lighter and threatened to light it.'

She said the woman with the pistol threatened to shoot the manager if she did not receive her money.

Hafiz told local media she had used her nephew's toy pistol for the hold-up before leaving with the cash in a plastic bag.

She had already sold many of her personal belongings and had considered selling her kidney to fund her 23 year-old sister's cancer treatment.

'I had begged the branch manager before for my money, and I told him my sister was dying, didn't have much time left,' she said in the interview. 'I reached a point where I had nothing else to lose.'

The activist and her suspected accomplices managed to escape through a smashed window out the back of the bank before security forces arrived, the AFP correspondent said.

A group called Depositors' Outcry assisted in the bank raid, Associated Press reported.

Security forces standing outside arrested several of the activists, including a man carrying what looked like a handgun. It was not immediately clear if this was also a toy gun.

The woman's sister said the family had not been in touch with Hafiz since the heist and was not involved in its planning.

Hafiz instantly turned into a folk hero on social media in Lebanon, where many are desperate to access their savings and furious at a banking sector perceived as a corrupt cartel.

Lebanon's economy has contracted by nearly 60% since 2019, with the Lebanese lira declining by 90% in value in the years hence.

About three-quarters of the population has slipped into poverty as the tiny Mediterranean countrys economy continues to spiral.

Pictures and footage of her standing on a desk inside the bank carrying a gun went viral on social media.

'Thank you,' one Twitter user wrote. 'Two weeks ago I cried at Blom Bank. I needed the money for a surgery. I am too weak to hold a gun and take what is mine.'

Panicked bank employees stand next to a window that was broken by attackers to exit the bank

People, whose bank deposits have been frozen for three years by the government, stage a protest in front of the bank against the danger of losing their money with the 'capital control' on September 14

A man sprays Arabic that reads: 'Bank theft and prostitution,' on the window of the bank

Security forces deployed to the scene after people, whose bank deposits have been frozen for three years by the government

On the same day, a man also held up a bank in the city of Aley northeast of Beirut, the official National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Local media reported that the man entered the BankMed branch alone with a shotgun without any shells loaded, but was unable to retrieve his savings before he was apprehended.

He was arrested, the NNA said, without specifying if he managed to take any money.

The two heists come less than a month after a Lebanese man took several members of staff hostage because a bank refused to hand over his savings in a similar incident.

Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, 42, emerged with $30,000 and allowed his captees to leave unharmed.

'There is no government, no economic recovery plan, and little reserves left,' Alaa Khorchid who heads the Depositors' Outcry protest group, told the AP, adding: 'These people worked for decades, but not for the rulers to build palaces while they can't afford a bottle of medicine.'

He entered the bank branch in August with a shotgun and a canister of gasoline, threatening to set himself on fire unless he was allowed to take out his money.

An armed man is shown demanding deposits frozen by his bank took an unspecified number of hostages

The hostage situation has sparked protests in support of the gunman due to the people's anger at the banks

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.

He was detained but swiftly released.

Army soldiers and security forces stand guard outside a Federal Bank branch in Lebanon's capital Beirut

In January, a bank customer held dozens of people hostage in eastern Lebanon after he was told he could not withdraw his foreign currency savings, a source at the lender said.

Local media reported that the customer was eventually given some of his savings and surrendered to security forces.

Even on the black market, the local currency has collapsed in value, while poverty and unemployment have soared.

The price for 20 litres of gasoline jumped by 20,000 pounds on Monday after the central bank said it could no longer afford to subsidise fuel imports.

Gross domestic product plunged to an estimated $20.5 billion in 2021 from about $55 billion in 2018, the kind of contraction usually associated with wars.

World Bank says the crisis is one of the worst of its kind since the mid-19th century.
Pope Francis today said that God does not guide religions towards the 'evil' of war, as he appeared to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Pope, 85, told the Russian Orthodoxy hierarchy and other faith leaders that those in powerful religious positions must 'never be a prop for power', in an implicit criticism of Patriarch Kirill, who backs Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

On his second day in Kazakhstan, Francis addressed the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, a meeting that brings together Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and other faiths.

Kirill was supposed to have participated in the congress but cancelled last month.

Kirill has supported Russia's invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds, calling it a 'metaphysical' battle with the West. He has blessed Russian soldiers going into war and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.

The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) sent a delegation headed by its number two, Metropolitan Anthony, who later briefly met the pope.

Pope Francis today said that God does not guide religions towards the 'evil' of war, as he appeared to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) sent a delegation headed by its number two, Metropolitan Anthony, who later briefly met the pope

A Ukrainian serviceman stands on a destroyed Russian armed personnel carrier in Ukraine

'God is peace. He guides us always in the way of peace, never that of war,' Francis said, speaking at a huge round table in the Independence Palace, a massive modern structure made of steel and glass in the capital of the former Soviet republic.

Francis didn't mention Russia or Ukraine in his remarks to the Kazakh conference. But he insisted that faith leaders themselves must take the lead in promoting a culture of peace, since it would be hypocritical to expect that non-believers would promote peace if religious leaders don't.

'If the creator, to whom we have devoted our lives, is the author of human life, how can we who call ourselves believers consent to the destruction of that life?' he asked. 'Mindful of the wrongs and errors of the past, let us unite our efforts to ensure that the Almighty will never again be held hostage to the human thirst for power.'

Francis then laid down a challenge to all those in the room to commit themselves to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, not with arms.

'Let us commit ourselves, then, even more to insisting on the need for resolving conflicts not by the inconclusive means of power, with arms and threats, but by the only means blessed by heaven and worthy of man: encounter, dialogue and patient negotiations,' he said.

The pope, who earlier this year said Kirill could not be Putin's 'altar boy', told the conference: 'May we never justify violence. May we never allow the sacred to be exploited by the profane. The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred!'

The Pope, 85, told the Russian Orthodoxy hierarchy and other faith leaders that those in powerful religious positions must 'never be a prop for power', in an implicit criticism of Patriarch Kirill, who backs Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. Pictured: Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill stand together after a meeting in Havana in 2016

He made the appeal more explicit in an afternoon outdoor Mass for Kazakhstan's tiny Catholic community, in which he asked for prayers for 'beloved Ukraine.

Pope Francis leads a holy mass in the Expo Grounds in Nur-Sultan on Wednesday

'How many deaths will it still take before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity?' he asked. 'The one solution is peace and the only way to arrive at peace is through dialogue.'

He made the appeal more explicit in an afternoon outdoor Mass for Kazakhstan's tiny Catholic community, in which he asked for prayers for 'beloved Ukraine.'

'How many deaths will it still take before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity?' he asked. 'The one solution is peace and the only way to arrive at peace is through dialogue.'

Kirill has given enthusiastic backing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which the patriarch views as a bulwark against a West he calls decadent.

Kirill sent a message to the congress read aloud by Anthony. In it, the Russian patriarch didn't refer to the war but in general to problems over the past two decades caused by 'attempts to build a world without relying on moral values.'

The Russian patriarch has blasted the West's secular mentality and claimed the seeds of the Ukraine conflict were sown by foreign threats to Russia's borders.

He has depicted the conflict as a struggle against a foreign liberal establishment purportedly demanding countries hold 'gay parades' as the price of admission to a world of excess consumption and freedom.

'These attempts have led not only to the loss of the concept of justice in international relations, but also to brutal confrontation, military conflicts, the spread of terrorism and extremism in different parts of the world,' Kirill said in his message.

Suggesting he felt Russia was the victim of a smear campaign, he denounced the spread of misinformation and the 'distortion of historical facts' and 'manipulation of mass consciousness' to spread messages of 'hatred towards entire peoples, cultures and religions.'

Pope Francis also expressed concern over the flare up in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Pictured: The pope at the Holy Mass in Kazakhstan on Wednesday

Pope Francis arrives for Holy Mass on the Expo grounds in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan on Monday

About 70 per cent of Kazakhs are Muslim and about 26 per cent Orthodox Christians. There are only about 125,000 Catholics among the 19 million population of the vast Central Asian country.

Pope Francis also expressed concern over the flare up in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Kirill's stance on Ukraine has caused a rift with the Vatican and unleashed an internal rebellion that has led to the severing of ties by some local Orthodox Churches with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Anthony told reporters his meeting with the pope was 'very cordial' but said Francis' 'altar boy' remark about Kirill was 'not helpful for the unity of Christians' and that it surprised the Russian Orthodox Church.

Anthony said the pope told him he wanted to have a second meeting with Kirill. The first was in Cuba in 2016.

Francis also said that, while violence in God's name was never justified, the 'viruses' of hate and terrorism would not be eradicated without first wiping out injustice and poverty.

He said religious freedom was essential for peaceful coexistence in any society and no creed had a right to coerce others to convert.

A field is covered with craters left by the shelling close to Izium, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on Tuesday. Ukrainian troops piled pressure on retreating Russian forces Tuesday, pressing deeper into occupied territory and sending more Kremlin troops fleeing ahead of the counteroffensive that has inflicted a stunning blow on Moscow's military prestige

Residential buildings partially destroyed by a Russian missile attack in the center of Kharkiv, Ukraine on Tuesday

Francis, who wrote a major document in 2015 on the need to protect the environment, said religious leaders had to be in the front line in bringing attention to the dangers of climate change and extreme weather, particularly its effects on society's poor and vulnerable.

In addition to the Russian Orthodox delegation, the religious leaders included Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning in Cairo, who warmly greeted Francis with a kiss on the cheek when the pope arrived in a wheelchair.

Al-Tayeb used his speech to the conference to complain that traditional religions had been replaced by a culture of lust and gay marriage. 'This is not acceptable, not even for animals and beasts, let alone for people with pure hearts and sound minds,' he said.

The Right Rev. Jo Bailey Wells, the Anglican bishop of Dorking and one of only a half dozen women heading delegations, lamented that women represent half the world's population but are hardly represented in religious leadership.

'My expectation is it will be a challenge to those present to empower women in the family context and in public society,' she told reporters.

Before Kirill bowed out, there had been speculation that Francis could meet with Kirill on the sidelines of the congress. The two met for the first time in 2016 in Cuba - the first-ever meeting of a pope and Russian patriarch - and spoke by videoconference in the early weeks of the war.

Francis afterward publicly criticized Kirill's justification of Russia's invasion and warned that he mustn't become 'Putin's altar boy.'

Speaking to reporters after he met with Francis, Anthony said Francis' 'altar boy' comment didn't go over well in Moscow. 'It wasn't expected and clearly it's not useful for the unity of Christians,' he said. 'It was a surprise. But we know we have to move on.'

He said a Kirill-Francis meeting is still possible, but insisted it had to be well-prepared ahead of time and must produce a concrete joint statement, as was issued after the Havana meeting.

In addition to the meeting with Anthony, Francis also was meeting with al-Tayeb, the head of Russia's religious council of Muslims and other Orthodox, Jewish, Lutheran and Muslim leaders.

Another visitor in Kazakhstan on Wednesday was apparently not on Francis' agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Nur-Sultan on his first state visit outside China since early in the coronavirus pandemic.

Vatican and Kazakh officials said they didn't expect Xi would meet with the pope during his brief visit to a key economic and political ally in the region.
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King Charles III led his siblings and senior Royal Family members in walking behind the Queen's coffin as this afternoon it made its way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

Royal Family members including Zara and Mike Tindall, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, Lady Louise and Princess Michael of Kent then watched on in Westminster Hall as Her Majesty was carried to lie in state.

At the procession, His Majesty walked behind the gun carriage bearing his beloved mother's casket as he was flanked by his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

Behind them, Prince William walked in military uniform alongside his brother Prince Harry and cousin Peter Phillips - the son of Princess Anne.

As expected, neither Harry nor Prince Andrew were wearing military uniform and were instead in morning suits.

Following them was Princess Margaret's son the Earl of Snowdon, the Duke of Gloucester - who is the Queen's first cousin - and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the husband of Princess Anne.

Also forming part of the procession were loyal members of the late Queen's staff, including two of the Queen's Pages and the Palace Steward, who walked directly in front of the coffin.

The Pall Bearers were 10 former and serving armed forces equerries to Elizabeth II, who were at her side in uniform throughout her reign, supporting her at engagements and organising her public diary.

Other devoted members of the Queen's household who processed included her top aide, private secretary Sir Edward Young.

There too was the Master of the Household at Buckingham Palace, Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt.

King Charles III led his siblings and senior Royal Family members in walking behind the Queen's coffin as it made its way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon. Above: 1. King Charles 2. Princess Anne 3. Prince Andrew 4. Prince Edward 5. Peter Philips 6. Prince Harry 7. Prince William 8. Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence 9. Duke of Gloucester 10. Earl of Snowdon

Royal family members including Zara and Mike Tindall, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, Lady Louise and Princess Michael of Kent watched on in Westminster Hall this afternoon as Her Majesty was carried to lie in state. Above: 1. Mike Tindall 2. Zara Phillips (Tindall) 3. Princess Eugenie 4. Jack Brooksbank 5. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi 6. Princess Beatrice 7. Viscount Severn 8. Lady Louise Windsor 9. Timothy Taylor 10. Eloise Olivia Katherine Taylor 12. Estella Olga Elizabeth Taylor 13. Cassius Taylor 14. Columbus George Donald Taylor 16. Lord George Windsor 17. Lady Gabriella Windsor 18. Thomas Kingston; Below: 19. Princess Michael of Kent 20. Lord Frederick Windsor 21. Sophie Winkleman 22. Lady Amelia Windsor 23. Lady Marina Windsor 24. Flora Ogilvy 25. Timothy Vesterberg 26. Julia Ogilvy 27. Lady Davina Windsor 28. Duchess of Gloucester 29. Daniel Chatto 30. Lady Sarah Chatto 31. Arthur Chatto

Left to right: Prince William, Prince of Wales, King Charles III, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walk behind the coffin

The Queen arrives at Westminster Hall, built almost 1,000 years ago and where previous monarchs also lay in state

Stern-faced Prince Andrew has his military medals pinned to morning suit as he follows coffin of his mother the Queen A stern-faced Prince Andrew wore his array of military medals pinned to his morning suit as he followed the coffin of his late mother the Queen during an historic procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon. The disgraced Duke of York - along with Prince Harry - was told he couldn't wear his military uniform for the service, unlike other members of the family, including King Charles III and William, the Prince of Wales. It was another public dressing down for the Queen's third child, and a reminder of his lowered status after he was stripped of his military titles and patronages and booted from public life by the Firm for his links to notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. His nephew Harry, meanwhile, has been banned from wearing military uniform due to his decision to step back as a senior royal and move to California. Advertisement

Pulled on a gun carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen's coffin was draped with a Royal Standard and adorned with the priceless, glittering Imperial State Crown.

Taking the lead was the pomp and pageantry of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and military bands.

Thousands of mourners flocked to see the moving sight of the Queen departing the official residence where she spent so much of her working life at the heart of the nation, with viewing areas declared full ahead of the procession starting.

The Queen had arrived at her former home on Tuesday evening in gloom and rain but for her departure from the palace the weather was bright and warm.

The Queen's coffin was transported on the George Gun Carriage, which carried King George VI's coffin from Sandringham Church to Wolferton Station in February 1952 and was used during the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.

The journey from the palace to the ancient Westminster Hall, where King Charles I was tried, took 38 minutes - passing landmarks the Queen knew well like Horse Guards Parade, the Cenotaph and Downing Street.

Accompanied by her family, the Queen is effectively being handed over to the the nation for her lying in state over four days ahead of the state funeral on Monday.

In Westminster Hall, grieving members of the royal family watched as the Queen's coffin was carried to lie in state until her funeral on Monday.

William and Harry stood together with their wives Kate and Meghan today in state service inside Westminster Hall.

During the service, the 'Fab Four' stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform in the heart of Westminster Hall - the backdrop of some of the most famous moments in British history.

Zara Tindall was pictured looking emotional as she joined other royals at the service in Westminster Hall today.

The Princess Royal's daughter, 41, looked deep in thought throughout the ceremony, standing next her husband Mike Tindall, 43, and her cousin Princess Eugenie with her husband Jack Brooksbank.

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice wiped away tears as they stood in front of the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall this afternoon.

The Duke of York's daughters made their way to the ceremony separately by car with their husbands Jack Brooksbank and Edo Mapelli Mozzi.

Both Princess Beatrice and her younger sister Princess Eugenie appeared emotional throughout the occasion, and were pictured wiping tears away.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie might not have been the royal grandchildren most frequently pictured with the Queen - but the sisters were still incredibly close with their 'Grannie'.

The girls' deep relationship with their grandmother was apparent today as they looked incredibly emotional during the occasion today.

It was their second appearance since the Queen's death last week. Beatrice, 34, and Eugenie, 32, looked distraught as they walked hand-in-hand scanning the thousands of flowers and messages of condolence that had been left by royal fans in Balmoral at the weekend.

Zara Tindall's husband Mike looked solemn as he stood beside his wife after the body of Her Majesty The Queen was conveyed into Westminster Hall

Zara was dressed in a black dress with a turned-over collar and an understated black belt. She paired her outfit with black heels and a dark purse

James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor pay their respects in The Palace of Westminster after the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

Tearing up: James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor pay their respects in The Palace of Westminster

The Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor joined her brother James, Viscount Severn at the service in Westminster Hall today

Lady Helen Taylor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent , was also in attendance to pay her respects to the Queen accompanied by her children and her husband, art dealer Timothy Taylor.

The Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor joined her brother James, Viscount Severn at the service in Westminster Hall today following Her Majesty's procession from Buckingham Palace.

Lady Louise, 18, the daughter of the Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, enjoyed a close relationship with her grandmother the Queen and grew up in Bagshot Park, a short distance from the Queen's home of Windsor Castle.

During the occasion today, Louise performed a curtsy when stepping forward to say goodbye to her grandmother, alongside her 14-year-old brother.

It is the first time the Queen's youngest grandchild James has been seen since Her Majesty's death last week. His sister Louise joined other members of the royal family on a walkabout at Balmoral on Saturday.

Lady Helen Taylor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, was also in attendance to pay her respects to the Queen accompanied by her children and her husband, art dealer Timothy Taylor.

Their two sons Columbus, 28 and Cassius, 25, and two daughters, Eloise, 19 and Estella, 17, were also pictured in Westminster Hall behind Princess Beatrice.

Lord Frederick Windsor (centre) attends the service with his wife Sophie Winkleman, and his mother Princess Michael of Kent (left)

Sisters Lady Amelia (left) and Lady Marina Windsor (centre) and a cousin of the Queen, Flora Vesterberg (right) were all seen paying their respects to the late Queen

Princess Michael, who is married to Prince Michael of Kent, appeared sombre during the sad event, paying tribute to the monarch, left. Pictured right, The Duchess of Gloucester

Also seen in attendance at Westminster Hall were the Duke of Kent Prince Edward's, sons Lord George Windsor, 59 the Earl of St Andrews, a former diplomat, and his younger brother Lord Nicholas Windsor.

The Earl's daughters Lady Amelia and Marina Windsor, and Flora Vesterberg, stood in line alongside their relatives in Westminster Hall this afternoon.

Lord Nicholas Windsor forfeited his place in the line of succession to the throne when he converted to Catholicism in 2001, following the example of his mother, Katharine, who went across to Rome in 1994.

Lord Frederick Windsor, 43, the son of the Queen's first cousin Prince Michael of Kent, 53rd in line to the throne and husband to Peep Show actress Sophie Winkleman was also pictured in Westminster Hall this afternoon with his wife.

The Queen and Prince Philip's much-loved niece Lady Sarah Chatto, was seen at the ceremony with her husband and two children Samuel and Arthur.

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (left), sister to the Duke of Kent and the Queen's first cousin was at Westminster Hall this afternoon

Flora Alexandra Ogilvy and Timothy Vesterberg at Westminster Hall for Queen Elizabeth II's coffin procession

The Queen and Prince Philip's much-loved niece Lady Sarah Chatto (left), was seen at the ceremony with her son Arthur (centre)

Lady Sarah was the last royal baby born (in 1964) at a palace rather than a hospital  within weeks of cousins Prince Edward, Lady Helen Windsor and James Ogilvy. She had a close relationship with the Queen.

Her elder son Samuel, 25, is a potter and artist and a hit on Instagram with 86,000 followers and her youngest Arthur is sporty and works as a personal trainer.

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, sister to the Duke of Kent and the Queen's first cousin was seen at Westminster Hall this afternoon.

When Princess Alexandra, 85, was born in 1936 she was sixth in line to the throne - she is now 56th in line.

Her granddaughter Flora Vesterberg, who is the daughter of Princess Alexandra's son James, was also seen at the service today.

She married her husband Timothy Vesterberg last year in a service attended by the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

They were pictured alongside the elder daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Lady Davina Windsor who is currently 34th in the line of succession to the British throne.

The Princess of Wales and The Duchess of Sussex stood close to each other inside Westminster Hall , as did their feuding husbands Prince William and Prince Harry

Prince William stood next to his wife Kate, with Harry and Meghan, the Sussexes, behind them inside Westminster Hall were the Queen's coffin will stay for four days

The bearer party who carried Queen's coffin into Westminster Hall and provide an escort are soldiers who were flown back from Iraq to take part in the procession, because of their unique association with the monarch.

The Guardsmen are from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards whose Company Commander is the Queen, and although a senior officer took day-to-day control, the former sovereign's connection with her men was strong.

The Queen's coffin was flanked by her equerries - military men who had served the monarch by organising her diary of events and providing a helping hand when the monarch was handed a present.

Flanking them were the Grenadier Guardsmen who have their special tie with the late monarch.

In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment.

The King looked expressionless as he stared straight ahead with his siblings to his left, who also showed no emotion.

Left to right: King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, The Earl of Snowdon, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Sussex, The Duke of Gloucester and Peter Phillips follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown placed on top

Members of the Royal Family (left to right), Earl of Snowden, the Prince of Wales, King Charles III, the Duke of Gloucester, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Sussex, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York and Peter Phillips, follow the coffin of the Queen

2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster

Members of the public line the Queen Victoria Memorial and the Mall as King Charles III and members of the royal family walk with Queen Elizabeth II's flag-draped coffin as it is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

Flanking them were the Grenadier Guardsmen who have their special tie with the late monarch.

In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment.

The King looked expressionless as he stared straight ahead with his siblings to his left, who also showed no emotion.

The procession of the coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth enters the Houses of Parliament for her lying in state

Harry and William had walked behind the coffin of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales during her funeral in 1997 and Harry later said 'I don't think any child should be asked to do that'.

But now a father-of-two it was a fitting public gesture for his grandmother the late Queen.

The Queen Consort and Princess of Wales did not join the procession but left for Westminster Palace by car, followed by another vehicle carrying the Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex.

From 5pm mourners will be able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch with an estimated one million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.

During the service, the senior royals stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform.

The King and Queen Consort stood together a metre or so apart, with the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind them, then the Duke of York alone, and in the next row the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Behind them were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Duke of Sussex behind William, and the Duchess of Sussex directly behind Kate. The Cross of Westminster was placed at the head of the coffin.
King Charles III's new equerry - the 'braw darling' or 'hunky' Scottish Army officer who leaves royal fans swooning whenever he appears in public - accompanied the Queen as she left Buckingham Palace for the last time and was taken to lie in state at the Palace of Westminster.

Major Jonathan Thompson of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland was once the Queen's most senior bodyguard.

Known to friends as 'Johnny', in recent days he has found himself front-and-centre of historic Royal events as the equerry of King Charles III, having served in the role when he was Prince of Wales.

Major Jonathan Thompson of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, pictured on the left of the frame behind the Queen's coffin, accompanied the procession

Major Thompson (right) was pictured on Friday with Prime Minister Elizabeth Truss (left)

Major Thompson (pictured right) had previously accompanied Queen Elizabeth II upon her arrival at Balmoral earlier this summer, prior to her death

Major Thompson (pictured left) cracked a smile as he walked with the Queen through the gates of Balmoral Castle earlier this year, before the monarch's death

On Friday, Major Thompson watched over Charles's first public walkabout as Monarch. Later that day the officer escorted Prime Minister Liz Truss to meet the King at Buckingham Palace. And the next day, he was seen standing behind the King as he signed the proclamations at St James's Palace.

Major Thompson always wears a thick tartan kilt and large fur sporran, which had him sweltering during Charles and Camilla's Royal tour of Canada in May.

The moment the Major - who is married - and Prime Minister looked into each other's eyes yesterday caused some amusement among observers of the historic occasion.

Major Thompson met the Prime Minister Liz Truss last Friday outside Buckingham Palace ahead of her first audience with the new KIng

In May 2021 Major Thompson accompanied Princes Charles and Camilla, as they were known at the time, on their royal visit to Greece. This photo was taken on the Bicentenary Independence Day in Syntagma Square, Athens

A body language expert joked: 'This is how most Mexican telenovelas [soap operas] begin.'

One Twitter user posted: 'PM Truss is the envy of the world. A weekly meeting with Johnny - I mean, King Charles?'

Another tweeted: 'We'll be seeing a lot of him now. As my dear husband said, ''Oh look here's your Major'' (in my dreams).'

Major Johnny Thompson was spotted behind Prince Harry and Megan when they attended the National Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June earlier this year

Major Jonathan Thompson (pictured right) of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland was once the Queen's most senior bodyguard

But another Twitter user empathised with Major Thompson, who was known to be close to the Queen, saying: 'I think he looks very sad, he's really devoted to the Royal Family, bless him.'

Earlier this year he was present at July's Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee at St Paul's Cathedral, sitting behind the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

His positioning was seized upon for speculation that he was acting as Charles's 'eyes and ears' to observe Harry and Meghan.
Hunter Biden is seeking to lower his child support payments for four-year-old love child Navy Joan who he fathered with Lunden Roberts

Hunter Biden is trying to lower his child support payments for his four-year-old love child with Lunden Roberts, claiming he's having financial difficulties.

According to documents obtained by DailyMail.com, the president's son filed a motion to adjust child support Monday, citing 'a substantial material change' in his 'financial circumstances, including but not limited to his income.'

Hunter fathered four-year-old Navy Joan in 2018 while on a drug-fueled bender and has never met the young girl who lives with her mother Lunden Roberts, 31, in Arkansas.

An insider tells DailyMail.com: 'Hunter's going to be raked over the coals on this one.

'If he thinks Lunden is just going to acquiesce to any claim of dire circumstances he needs to think again. Not being part of your child's life is one thing - not that Lunden would ever want that - but not supporting her financially as he should is quite another.

'And where was he living again? Oh yes, a fancy house in Malibu - one of the richest towns in the country.'

Hunter Biden is seeking to adjust his child support payments for four-year-old love child Navy Joan who he fathered with Lunden Roberts

Roberts and Hunter conceived Navy Joan  the fourth of his five children - around December 2017 while he was still in a relationship with his brother Beau's widow, Hallie Biden

The child support order was set in March 2020 and adjusted four months later. It was filed under seal in Independence County, Arkansas, so there's no knowledge of just how much the payments are.

This isn't the first time Hunter has claimed he's cash-strapped.

An insider tells DailyMail.com, 'Not being part of your child's life is one thing, but not supporting her financially as he should is quite another'

In a November 2019 filing in the child support case, he claimed, 'I am unemployed and have had no monthly income since May 2019,' adding he had 'significant debts.'

Meanwhile, Hunter just moved out of a $20,000-per-month Malibu home where he lived with his wife Melissa Cohen and their two-year-old son Beau.

And before that, Hunter was living in a $25,000-per-month rented canal-front home in Venice, Los Angeles, with his 24-hour Secret Service protection

Roberts and Hunter conceived Navy Joan  the fourth of his five children - around December 2017 while he was still in a relationship with his brother Beau's widow, Hallie Biden.

Roberts spent more than a year working in a junior position at his investment firm, Rosemont Seneca.

Even after DNA proved he was the father, Hunter claimed he did not have enough money to pay child support.

Roberts chased Hunter through the courts for 10 months after he claimed that he was too poor to pay child support despite living in a $12,000-per-month Hollywood rental and driving a Porsche at the time.

When an Arkansas judge ordered him to produce financial records he settled out of court.

Roberts won a reported $2.5million settlement from Hunter.

In his memoir, Beautiful Things, Hunter claimed he went on so many 'rampages' in the wake of his 2017 divorce from Kathleen Buhle that he couldn't recall his conquests.

'It's why I would later challenge in court the woman from Arkansas who had a baby in 2018 and claimed the child was mine  I had no recollection of our encounter,' the recovering drug addict wrote.

'That's how little connection I had with anyone.'

He filed a motion to reset child support Monday, citing 'a substantial material change' in his 'financial circumstances, including but not limited to his income'

Hunter has never met Navy Joan and would not be able to pick her out of a photo lineup, according to filings in their child custody suit.

His dad Joe also has not recognized the child as part of his family - nor has he provided her with the same round-the-clock Secret Service protection offered to other Bidens, DailyMail.com previously revealed.

Roberts instead asked authorities in rural Independence County to step in to keep them both safe from her cage fighter ex-fiance Princeton Foster, whom she started dating in 2018, about six months after her fling with Hunter ended.

'I need this order because I am scared of what Princeton might do to me and my daughter  I am also aware he carries a firearm daily,' Roberts stated in her application for a protection order.

DailyMail.com previously revealed that President Biden has been 'made aware' of Roberts' ordeal and the alleged threat to his granddaughter  who bears a striking resemblance to a young Hunter.

But so far the world's most powerful man has declined to intervene or even reach out to see if the little girl is okay , according to a close friend of Roberts.

Hunter has never met Navy - the fourth of his five children - and would not be able to pick her out of a photo lineup, according to filings in their 2019 child custody lawsuit. He is pictured above with his wife Melissa and their son Beau stepping off Marine One in Washington last month

Hunter has since moved out of Malibu home he was renting for $20k-per-month and on to another property, which is sure to be equally as swanky for Hunter, his wife Melissa and their son Beau

DailyMail.com revealed early last year Hunter Biden had moved into this $25,000-per-month rented canal-front home in Venice, Los Angeles, with his 24-hour Secret Service protection

The single mom called cops in May alleging that Foster, 27, punched a dent in her car and slashed the wires to her security cameras after turning up at her Arkansas home in the middle of the night.

She also filed for a protection order, claiming the amateur fighter told her he was 'going to heaven' with Navy Joan, referring to the angelic, blond-haired youngster as his daughter despite having no biological link to her.

Roberts gave evidence at a federal courthouse in Joe Biden's home state of Delaware for several hours in February.

She testified before a federal grand jury investigating Hunter for alleged tax crimes.
Terrorists seeking to cause carnage at the Queen's funeral will struggle to penetrate the 'ring of steel' around London, with the biggest threat to Her Majesty's send-off instead coming from anti-royalist 'idiots', a famed special forces veteran has said.

Chris Ryan, who spent a decade in Britain's elite SAS before becoming a best-selling author, said the operation to secure the capital ahead of the monarch's state funeral on Monday would be 'unprecedented'.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Chris - who is best known as the only surviving member of a special forces unit to escape from a famously ill-fated mission during the Gulf War, later writing a book about the experience - said: 'It is one of the biggest operations that we will see in our lifetime.

'It's unprecedented in terms of the scale and spotlight. London will be under scrutiny from the rest of the world.'

Thousands of people lined the streets of around Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to watch as the Queen's coffin was transported to Westminster Hall

Chris Ryan, who served in the SAS for a decade, fears the biggest threat to the Queen's funeral on Monday will come from anti-royalist 'idiots' seeking to disrupt the historic event.

About 10,000 police officers will be involved with the funeral on Monday, with scores of officers patrolling around Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon.

Security chiefs expect millions of mourners to flock to London for Monday's spectacle, which experts predict could be watched on TV by a staggering 4.1 billion people worldwide.

Among those invited to the historic occasion include heads of state, prime ministers and presidents - as well as European royals - who are due to attend a service in Westminster Abbey.

However, despite the security headache caused by the attendance of so many world leaders, Chris, feared the biggest threat would come not from terrorists but anti-royalists seeking to hijack proceedings.

The former elite soldier felt it would be impossible for a terror attack to take place, insisting that security services would have 'all arcs covered'.

'I would be very surprised [by a terror attack] but then you have got to think of not just terrorists but these idiots who are anti-royalists,' added the 61-year-old. 'A lot of people with an axe to grind know the eyes of the world are on them and might want to do something.'

Specialist police teams and intelligence officers are understood to have cancelled holiday leave as part of a massive, cross-agency security task for the Queen's funeral.

It is the first time special forces teams including SAS units are expected to be pre-deployed to bases in London on a heightened state of alert in case of any potential attacks.

On Friday police snipers were spotted on the roof of Buckingham Palace with guns trained on the crowds as King Charles greeted people outside after returning from Balmoral.

Police snipers will be on rooftops across London during the Queen's funeral. Here they are pictured in Edinburgh on Monday as the Queen's coffin travelled from Balmoral.

Around 10,000 police officers will be on duty every day in the lead up to the funeral.

An additional 1,500 soldiers have been called in to marshal the huge queues of people winding through the city to see the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall.

Speaking earlier this week, former Met Police chief superintendent Parm Sandhu warned crowds gathering in London for Her Majesty's funeral could be a 'target for terrorists'.

She told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme today: 'London could potentially be full. We are expecting to have people queuing for 12, 15 hours at a time just to file past the coffin, which is a real concern because crowds attract criminals'.

She said it could be busier than it was for the 2012 Olympic Games or for the funerals of the Queen Mother and Diana, Princess of Wales.

'I don't ever remember London expecting to be full in this way, even with the Olympics,' she said.

A police sniper is pictured prior to the arrival of the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles Cathedral, on the Royal Mile, in Edinburgh today

'The crowds themselves will be a target for terrorists. The funeral itself will be a target for terrorists'.

She added: 'All the services are going to be stretched and with the queues that are going be right across central London, you could have streets that are going to be quite difficult to walk down.'

Mr Ryan added: 'It is going to be a huge challenge. The footfall is horrendous. The city has a good chance of being gridlocked, with millions of people trying to enter it.'

Speaking to MailOnline, the elite soldier also paid tribute to Her Majesty, hailing the Queen as 'one of a kind'.

'She was probably the best head of state we have ever had, and she will be dearly missed. She is one of a kind,' said Mr Ryan.

'When the news came out that the Queen had passed away, I had 15 texts from various people in the regiment who were all in disbelief that she had died.

These were hardened SAS soldiers and all of them were broken.'
A forklift driver who broke both his legs after drunkenly breaking into a lido and crashing into a barrier going down a waterslide took his own life amid fears he would never recover, an inquest has heard.

Barry Douglas, 44, made national headlines when he and Claire Vickers were seriously hurt at Aldershot Lido after sneaking in early in the morning in August last year.

The friends were left with broken legs and shattered feet after sliding into a metal barrier at the bottom of a flume tube, and had to wait two hours to be rescued.

Less than six months later Mr Douglas, who hailed from Dundee, was found to have hanged himself at his studio flat in Aldershot, Hampshire.

Today an inquest found that despite signs of recovery Mr Douglas took his own life amid fears he would be left crippled by his injuries.

A hearing at Winchester Coroner's Court was told that he suffered low moods after being unable to return to his job as a forklift driver and was worried about his finances after becoming reliant on disability benefits.

Barry Douglas, pictured here in October 2021, was seriously hurt after breaking both his legs in a drunken lido incident

The 44-year-old broke into Aldershot Lido (pictured) in August 2021 with a friend and went down a waterslide

Mr Douglas and his friend, Claire Vickers (pictured right), were left trapped and in agony after crashing into a metal barrier at the bottom of the flume

Coroner Christopher Wilkinson was told that Mr Douglas had moved to Aldershot with his step father when he was 20 and had set up a stable life for himself.

But this changed in August 2021 when, after a day of drinking with Ms Vickers, he broke into the town's lido, in what was described at the inquest as an 'impulsive decision'.

The pair, who had also taken cocaine, went down a waterslide and were left with horrific injuries when they crashed into the barrier at the bottom of the flume.

Mr Douglas broke both his legs and later went on ITV's This Morning with Ms Vickers where they hit out at the security at the water park.

After the incident he was forced to move into supported housing as he was wheelchair-bound during his recovery, and the inquest heard he began experiencing 'low mood'.

His GP told the inquest he was prescribed anti-depressants following the incident, with his mother saying he was 'desperate' to get back to work.

In a statement, Mr Douglas's mother Ruth said: 'The accident didn't help his frame of mind but he didn't say he was depressed to me.

'He complained about cold in his flat, so I asked him to come home to Scotland, but being independent he refused.

The pair received notoriety after appearing on ITV's This Morning on October last year, where they hit out at security at the lido

'He was worried about money, going from a full-time wage to benefits was a big drop. He was desperate to get back to work but he was told it could take two years to be fit again, and there was a concern that he could be left crippled.'

Mr Douglas was dependent on alcohol, sometimes drinking 500ml to 1 litre of vodka per day, and was engaging with a substance abuse support service called Inclusion in the months before his death, the inquest heard. He was also an occasional user of cocaine and heroin.

He shared with Inclusion that he was reducing his alcohol intake and was also attending peer support sessions. He was due to attend a session on February 15, two days before his death, but he did not attend.

Giving evidence at the inquest, Clare Hatherley, harm reduction coordinator at Inclusion Hampshire, said: 'After the accident in 2021 he referred himself to us.

'I feel there were some gaps in our practice which may not have directly contributed to Barry's death, but there were processes in place that weren't followed, unfortunately.

'I feel with the complexity of his issues he should have been triaged to a different pathway, and due to his opiate use he should have been offered all detox options.'

Ms Hatherley explained Inclusion's procedures had been updated and the staff member and team involved with supporting Mr Douglas have been given additional training.

On February 17 one of Mr Douglas's friends contacted staff at the supported housing because they were concerned they had not heard from him in a few days.

An inquest into his death heard that Mr Douglas suffered low mood and had financial worries after being unable to return to his job as a forklift driver due to his injuries

Staff carried out a welfare check in Mr Douglas's flat and found him dead. It is believed he had died up to a day before his body was found.

A post-mortem examination found his medical cause of death was hanging, and a toxicology report analysing his blood samples found Mr Douglas had alcohol 4.3 times the drink drive limit in his system.

Mr Wilkinson, Senior Coroner for Hampshire, said that there was 'no clear explanation' for why Mr Douglas took his own life.

Mr Wilkinson: 'He set himself up here in the UK. He started to consume alcohol to a greater extent and had been using street drugs.

'His [water slide] injuries were, in my opinion, life-changing.

'In his last few days there had been some hope that he was returning to work and was driving again.

'There was also a possibility that he was moving to other accommodation.

'It's regrettable that I cannot establish what he was thinking.'

He added: 'My conclusion is not only did Mr Douglas undertake the effort to take his life, he had the intent to do so even under the influence of alcohol.

'Therefore on the balance of probabilities I reach a conclusion of suicide. Mr Douglas took his own life impulsively while under the influence of alcohol.'

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Cruz is in the penalty phase of his trial and faces the death penalty for the February 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida

The judge in Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz' sentencing trial raged against the attorneys and accused them of a lack of professionalism after the defense abruptly rested their case on Wednesday.

A stunned Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer was caught off guard by the announcement, which caused her to pause before going off on the attorneys for wasting a day in court.

'We're not playing chess,' Scherer fumed at the attorneys. 'I just want to say this is the most uncalled for, unprofessional way to try the case.'

Lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill had previously told the judge they would be calling 80 witnesses but suddenly rested at the beginning of Wednesday's court session after calling only about 25.

McNeill attempted to explain her decision, but the judge cut her off. The 12-member jury and 10 alternates were not in the courtroom for the tense exchange.

The sudden announcement also meant that prosecutors were not ready to begin their rebuttal case. Now it will now begin on September 27. Closing arguments and deliberations are set to take place the week of October 10.

Judge Elizabeth Scherer called lead defense attorney Melisa McNeill 'unprofessional' after McNeill announced their intention to rest their case during the penalty phase of the trial of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz

The defense team rested their case on Wednesday after the judge questioned Cruz and prosecutors about a list of defense witnesses who did not testify, to make sure he was OK with them not taking the stand.

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty last October to murdering 14 students and three staff members on Feb. 14, 2018, at Parklands Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

His trial, now ending its second month, is only to determine whether he is sentenced to death or life without parole.

After his attorneys rested, he told Scherer under oath that he agreed with the decision.

Since the defense rested their case without warning, state prosecutors were not ready to begin their rebuttal.

Capital defense attorney Casey Secor and Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill after McNeill announced the defense's intention to rest their case during the trial on Wednesday

Nikolas Cruz is shown at the defense table just before his defense team announced their intention to rest their case during the penalty phase of Cruz's trial

Cruz, left, speaks with members of his defense team after Judge Elizabeth Scherer asked him if he was sure he wants to rest his case and waive his right to have more witnesses testify

Prosecutor Mike Satz threw his hands up when Scherer asked if they could begin and, with a nervous laugh, said 'no.'

'We're waiting for 40 more (defense) witnesses,' Satz said.

Scherer also accused Cruz's attorneys of being inconsiderate to all involved, but especially the jurors for wasting their trip to court.

'To have 22 people march into court and be waiting as if it is some kind of game. I have never experienced such a level of unprofessionalism in my career,' Scherer said, raising her voice.

McNeill countered angrily, 'You are insulting me on the record in front of my client,' before Scherer told her to stop. Scherer then laid into McNeill, with whom she has had a testy relationship since pretrial hearings began three years ago.

'You've been insulting me the entire trial,' Scherer barked at McNeill.

'Blatantly taking your headphones off, arguing with me, storming out, coming late intentionally if you dont like my rulings. So, quite frankly, this has been long overdue. So please be seated.'

Assistant Public Defenders Melisa McNeill, left, and Tamara Curtis speak after Judge Elizabeth Scherer called McNeill 'unprofessional' when McNeill announced the intention to rest

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty last October to murdering 14 students and three staff members on Feb. 14, 2018, at Parklands Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Tom Hoyer, center, looks towards Cruz as he stands with Mitch and Annika Dworet when jurors enter the courtroom just before the defense rested their case

His attorneys' theme throughout their case has been to show how his birth mother's alcohol abuse during pregnancy put Cruz onto a lifelong path of erratic, bizarre and often violent behavior that culminated in the shootings.

They also tried to show that his adoptive mother, Lynda Cruz, became overwhelmed after her husband died when Cruz was 5 and never got him the proper treatment.

They are trying to overcome the prosecution's case, which focused on Cruzs massacre as he stalked a three-story classroom building for seven minutes with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle.

Lead prosecutor Mike Satz played security videos of the shooting and showed the rifle Cruz used. Teachers and students testified about watching others die.

Satz showed graphic autopsy and crime scene photos and took jurors to the fenced-off building, which remains blood-stained and bullet-pocked. Parents and spouses gave tearful and angry statements about their loss.

Prosecutors said they will need more than a week to prepare their rebuttal case. The trial is tentatively scheduled to resume September 27.




Korea's vice unification minister expressed deep concern and strong regret Wednesday over what he called an obvious attitude by North Korea on its nuclear weapons development and use.







Kim Ki-woong was referring to the North's adoption of a new law on its nuclear policy that stipulates that a nuclear strike will be launched "automatically" in case the command and control system over the country's nuclear forces is put in danger due to an attack.







Through the decision at a session of the Supreme People's Assembly last week, North Korea is "taking a more obvious attitude" to continue its nuclear development and have its own way to use the weapon, he said during a South Korea-Germany advisory council meeting on unification hosted by his ministry handling inter-Korean affairs. (Yonhap)


Refuse workers in a London borough are vowing to stage a two-week strike in a dispute over pay - just weeks after a previous walkout left bins lying unemptied.

Members of Unite in the borough of Newham, east London, will walk out on September 20 - the day after the Queen's funeral - it was confirmed today.

Unite disputed claims that the workers have been offered a pay deal of up to 17.9% by Newham Council, and insists it was worth a 'measly' 950 - and only if bank holidays are worked.

The union's general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'The borough needs to stop peddling misinformation and get on with the job of negotiating an end to the strike.

'Obviously the workers would not be on strike if these claims about huge pay rises were real.

'The workers are now prepared to take strike action for a further two weeks. They have Unite's complete support.'

The announcement was made on the same day the nation watched a moving ceremony of the monarch's coffin moved into Westminster Hall.

Refuse workers in a London borough are vowing to stage a two-week strike in a dispute over pay - just weeks after a previous walkout left bins lying unemptied (Pictured: Refuse workers strike in Newham on September 1)

Members of Unite in the borough of Newham, east London, will walk out on September 20 - the day after the Queen's funeral - it was confirmed today

The fresh strike action involves around 130 loaders and drivers. The last walkout lasted from August 27 to September 3 after 99 per cent of members voted in favour of industrial action.

It comes on the day Queen's coffin arrives at the Palace of Westminster -the fifth day of official mourning.

Other unions have called off strikes recently out of respect for Queen Elizabeth II's death and the subsequent 10 days of official mourning, which ends on September 19.

Royal Mail cancelled their second day of a 48-hour strike in a dispute over pay and conditions following the announcement.

Unite disputed claims that the workers have been offered a pay deal of up to 17.9% by Newham Council, and insists it was worth a 'measly' 950 - and only if bank holidays are worked

While rail workers had their plans to strike on September 15 and 17 suspended by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.

The Royal College of Nursing was planning to ballot its 300,000 members about industrial action on September 15, but these plans were paused due to the Queen's death.

The summer has been dominated by industrial action, with rail walkouts in July and August by National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), ASLEF and Transport for London (TfL) causing widespread disruption to commuters.

Post Office workers affiliated with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) took industrial action on five days over August and September. BT and Openreach workers also striked in a dispute over pay, adding to the swathes of industrial action this summer by hundreds of thousands of union members.
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Donald Trump has praised his former aide who won her Republican primary, claiming the 25-year-old victor has 'wonderful energy and wisdom'.

Karoline Leavitt, 25, will become the youngest ever woman elected to Congress if she goes on to win her House race in New Hampshire.

Leavitt beat her more moderate rival, Matt Mowers, 33, a former Trump State Department and 2016 presidential campaign aide, by positioning herself further to the right.

She has claimed that the 2020 election was 'stolen' and believes abortion restrictions in her state need to be 'taken farther' than a 24-week ban.

Leavitt has a lively social media presence where she has shared photos of her with Kim Kardashian and also a video of her firing a machine gun with a caption daring President Joe Biden to 'come and take it.'

Karoline Leavitt, 25, won her Tuesday Republican primary race in New Hampshire's 1st congressional district

A screen grab from Leavitt's Instagram shows her shooting a machine gun with a caption daring President Joe Biden to 'come and take it'. Leavitt is proudly pro-Second Amendment

She was assistant press secretary under former President Donald Trump's then-Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany

Another image from social media shows Leavitt aiming and shooting a firearm at a target at an outdoor range

The former presidential writer and assistant for Trump's White House press office bested her GOP competitor, another veteran of the previous administration, in the Republican primary race for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district.

Prior to Washington politics, Leavitt was a producer at WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire, and before that was an associate producer at the New Hampshire Chronicle, according to her LinkedIn profile.

For just one month in February 2016, Leavitt was an administrative assistant for Fox News Media.

'Amazing job by Karoline Leavitt in her great New Hampshire victory,' Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday morning. 'Against all odds, she did it - and will have an even greater victory on November 8th. Wonderful energy and wisdom!!!'

Trump also called Leavitt one of the 'Trumpiest' candidates.

Meanwhile, Don Bolduc, 60, also a staunch supporter of Trump, won his Tuesday primary for New Hampshire Senate after the state's Senate President Chuck Morse conceded. He will advance to take on incumbent Senator Maggie Hassan in November's general election.

Trump posted: 'Congratulations to General Don Bolduc, a great gentleman who started his military service as a Private, and ended it as a General - and now his BIG WIN in New Hampshire. WOW! Great going Don.'

He did not endorse a candidate in the New Hampshire Senate primary.

Leavitt, pictured with a slew of 'Let's Go Brandon' paraphernalia, has shared her pro-life views, including that New Hampshire should 'take it father' than the current 24-week abortion ban and that the 2020 presidential election was actually won by Donald Trump

Leavitt (left) poses with former boss Kayleigh McEnany (right)

Leavitt posted an image with media icon Kim Kardashian during her trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the Trump White House with released prisoners whom she helped convince the then president to grant clemency

After Trump lost reelection, Leavitt joined Rep. Elise Stefanik's office as her communications director. She was with the New York lawmaker when she was elected to replace outgoing Rep. Liz Cheney as GOP Conference Chairwoman

Levitt poses with pro-Trump Representative Madison Cawthorn, who is one of the youngest members to ever be sworn in. He took office at 25 years and 155 days  Leavitt, if elected, will be even younger by just 17 days

The former president's son Donald Trump Jr. put his backing behind Leavitt and Bolduc now that they both won their primaries.

'I'm happy to support both of them in their races,' Don Jr., who still has access to his Twitter, wrote. 'It's time for all Republicans to unite behind them to help take New Hampshire back from the radical left in November!!!'

Trump posted to his Truth Social praise for the Republican Party in the Granite State for the outcomes Tuesday: 'Nice! The 'Trumpiest' people ALL won in New Hampshire last night. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!'

Millions of dollars flooded into New Hampshire from outside groups like Congressional Leadership Fund and Defending Main Street.

The attacks included ads branding Leavitt as 'woke,' 'immature' and 'irresponsible.'

Leavitt shot back at Mowers by branding him part of pushing the Democrat 'lie' that Biden won more votes than Trump in the 2020 election.

She also embraced her youth as a positive attribute to her candidacy.

'We have people in Washington, DC, that have been clinging to power twice as long as I have been alive,' she told CNN earlier this year.

'My youth is a strength and that is showing on the campaign trail already.'

An Instagram photo of Leavitt shows her at a bridal shower in April for her future sister-in-law  the GOP candidate has two brothers

Leavitt poses with her family in front of an American Flag in a photo posted to her social media

She brought her father to the White House for the Christmas party when she was working fro Trump. 'I wouldn't be here without this man!' she noted on Instagram

The race turned bitter between Leavitt and her once-colleague Matt Mowers, 33, a former Trump State Department and 2016 presidential campaign aide.

A website run by Mowers' campaign branded Leavitt as 'fake MAGA Karoline' and claimed she 'never held a real job outside the swamp'.

Mowers had the backing of more establishment Republicans, like moderate New Hampshire GOP Governor Chris Sununu, and was boosted by millions pumped in from a super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Despite this, he still couldn't beat the political newcomer.

Leavitt (second from left) dons an American Flag sweater as she poses with supporters at a Karoline for Congress event

An image of the GOP candidate shows her walking in a street parade and waving to potential voters in New Hampshire

Leavitt attended Catholic Saint Anselm College, a private higher education institution in Manchester, New Hampshire, where she was part of the Broadcasting Club, according to her Instagram.

She graduated in 2019 and went to Washington, D.C. to work in the Trump White House.

Ascending through the ranks of the White House press office, Leavitt eventually came to be then-White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany's assistant press secretary.

Don Bolduc, a retired army general who touts former President Trump's election fraud claims and has said that the coronavirus vaccine contains a microchip, won his primary on Tuesday for New Hampshire Senate

Trump's loss didn't dissuade her from D.C.  instead she went to work for New York Representative Elise Stefanik, who in May replaced outgoing Republican Representative Liz Cheney as GOP Conference Chairman.

Leavitt, according to her former opponent's damning website, was registered to vote from her 'penthouse' apartment in the nation's capital before moving back to New Hampshire to run for office.

If elected in the 2022 midterms in November, Leavitt could follow in her former boss' footsteps by becoming the youngest woman elected to Congress.

In 2014, Stefanik became the youngest woman ever to be sworn into the House at age 30.

If elected, Leavitt could follow in her former boss Stefanik's footsteps by becoming the youngest woman to serve in Congress. The young candidate turned 25 last month  the age eligible to be sworn in. Leavitt looks on as McEnany and Trump prepare for a press conference

Leavitt turned 25 in August  the minimum age required to be sworn into the lower chamber. Not only would she be the youngest woman ever in the House, but one of the youngest members ever elected.

'Karoline Leavitt is a radical MAGA Republican who is unprepared and ill-equipped to represent the Granite State,' Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney said of Leavitt. 'Her lies about the 2020 election and her agenda to ban abortion, cut Social Security, and repeal the Affordable Care Act are too extreme for New Hampshire.'

Leavitt told the Feltes and Cail New Hampshire radio show that she supports using taxpayers dollars to conduct a nationwide audit on elections to make the system more secure and prove that Trump was the true victor of the 2020 race.
A plane with the pilot dead inside is stuck underwater in a Georgia lake, as recovery crews are unable to retrieve the aircraft despite knowing exactly where it is.

According to authorities, the plane happened to crash in the deepest part of Lake Hartwell, on the border with South Carolina, and is now submerged under 120 feet of water in a mass of tangled tree branches.

The sheriff's office said they are reaching out to the victim's family but cannot positively identify the pilot until the body is recovered.

The cause of the crash hasn't been determined, but the pilot was flying 'on an IFR flight plan' according to the National Transportation Safety Board, meaning the pilot was relying on the plane's navigational tools rather than visual cues.

IFR is usually instituted when a pilot is unable to see clearly from the cockpit due to bad weather like fog or rainstorms.

Weather reports in Hartwell, Georgia on the morning of September 10 - the day of the crash - show there were spikes of wind and rain.

A dive team boat is stationed on the lake, positioned over where the plane is submerged as divers work to get the pilot's body out of the plane

The still unidentified pilot was flying a Beechcraft B55 plane with six seats and two engines. They were the only person on board at the time of the crash. The sheriff's office said they are reaching out to the victim's family but cannot positively identify the pilot until the body is recovered

According to authorities, the plane happened to crash in the deepest part of Lake Hartwell, on the border with South Carolina. Only the pilot was on board the six-seat, two-engine plane and was intending to land at Anderson Regional Airport in South Carolina

The Beech B55 plane departed from Punta Gorda, Florida on Saturday morning before crashing into the lake, which is located on the border of Georgia and South Carolina.

Only the pilot was on board the six-seat, two-engine plane and was intending to land at Anderson Regional Airport in South Carolina.

Captain Chris Carroll with the Harwell County Sheriff's office said witnesses described seeing the plane circle before spiraling down from the clouds and smashing into the water.

Onlookers rushed over to the plane and were near it within 40 seconds, but by that time it was already sinking.

Divers located the plane on Saturday afternoon, but ran into a variety of problems trying to retrieve both the pilot's body and the plane itself.

'It just so happened its in one of the deepest parts of the lake,' said Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland.

'The plane is in the trees. Ive been told the plane flipped over. The top is on the bottom. The doors to the plane are jammed so were not able to retrieve the body out of the plane,' he continued.

'As far as our resources, we've exhausted everything we have to be able to lift the place and get the person out,' said Carroll.

Carroll added that the waters in the lake are murky to begin with, but at 120 feet below the surface 'you've only got several feet of visibility' and divers are 'having to use flashlights to be able to see anything.'

Sunset on Lake Hartwell in Georgia. Weather reports in Hartwell, Georgia on the morning of September 10 - the day of the crash - show there were spikes of wind and rain, which may be why the pilot was relying on the plane's navigational tools rather than visual cues

The crash occurred near Long Point Recreation Area by Hartwell Lake, and witnesses said the plane sunk less than a minute after hitting the water

Several different agencies are working on recovery efforts, including the NTSB, and the plane is expected to be retrieved via a crane on Thursday

Authorities utilized a remote-operated vehicle to help the situation, and were able to locate the pilot's body in the cockpit after the vehicle managed to enter the plane through a rear window.

'They were able to push the ROV into the rear window of the plane where it can be driven through the front to try to look around in the cockpit area. At that time was when we were able to determine there was a person in the plane,' said Cleveland.

The sheriff's office said they believe they will be able to bring the plane out of the deep part of the lake on Thursday using a crane.

'Once its lifted, well have to move it to a shallow area to get the body out of it,' said Carroll.

The NTSB says it is 'working with a salvage company and the insurance company on recovery efforts.'

The efforts to understand what happened are still in the 'fact-gathering stage,' and an investigation into the cause of the crash could take 1-2 years.
Wine titan Fred Franzia, creator of the iconic 'Two Buck Chuck' blend, died at his home in Denair, California on Tuesday. He was 79.

Franzia, a founding partner and CEO of Bronco Wine Company, one of America's biggest wine companies, revolutionized the wine and spirits industry for nearly 50 years.

The vintner was also the genius behind Charles Shaw wine, with its popular 'Two Buck Chuck' signature blend - which retails from $1.99 to $3.79 - a staple for frugal wine lovers for its high quality and outrageous value.

'Good wine should be something you enjoy with good food and you should be able to afford to do it everyday,' Franzia told the History Channel in 2020.

Wine titan Fred Franzia, the creator of the iconic 'Two Buck Chuck' blend died on Tuesday in California at age 79 surrounded by his family

Franzia, a founding partner and CEO of Bronco Wine Company revolutionized the wine and spirits industry for nearly 50 years. In 1973, Franzia's parents sold their namesake boxed-wine brand to Coca-Cola, and that same year Bronco Wine was born

The wine industry leader was also the genius behind the Charles Shaw wine, with its Two Buck Chuck signature brand as one of it biggest sellers. A 25.4 ounce bottle (750 ml) would retail for $1.99 at Trader Joe stores in California and other states

Franzia founded Bronco Wine with his brother and cousin in 1973 based on his long-held belief was that wine should be accessible for daily consumption.

During the 1990s, Bronco acquired many budget wine brands but his claim to fame was the 1995 acquisition of the Napa Valley Charles Shaw name, that he reportedly purchased for $25,000, Wine Spectator reported.

It was during that time when Franzia launched his $1.99-a-bottle empire ($2.99 outside California) cornering the market on the budget wine business, and working with Trader Joe's grocery chain on an exclusive partnership.

Once asked how Bronco Wine Company can sell a bottle of wine less expensive than a bottle of water, he replied: 'They're overcharging for water- don't you get it?'

The company produces 100 brands of wines from wine and spirits to ready-to-drink cocktails, among them Coastal Ridge, Carmenet Reserve, Stone Cellars and Chateau Cleyrac Bordeaux. They are headquartered in Ceres, California, and have more than 45,000 acres of vineyards located in California's Central Valley.

Franzia's business dealings were questionable at one point specifically his wine labeling practices. In 1993, he was indicted by a federal grand jury for selling bottles of wine labeled Zinfandel but containing cheaper varieties, the news outlet reported.

Another battle he fought was the Napa Valley Vintners over a 2000 California law requiring wines labeled with the word 'Napa' to contain at least 75 percent Napa Valley fruit. According to a report, Franzia tried to go around it by acquiring brands that had Napa in their names.

Franzia lost in court, but some of his his brands were grandfathered in and as a result was allowed to keep 'Napa' on their labels despite having no Napa fruit inside the bottle, Wine Spectator reported.

Bronco Wines is headquartered in Ceres, California with more than 45,000 acres of vineyards located in California's Central Valley. Franzia is pictured walking in one of his vineyards located in Lodi, California

Fred Franzia, CEO of Bronco Wine Company, shows off a bottle of his Salmon Creek wine in 2005 while standing inside his combination conference and tasting room at the winery's headquarters in Ceres, California

Cousin John G. Franzia (left), Fred T. Franzia (center), and brother Joseph S. Franzia (right) pictured in 1974. Franzia founded Bronco Wine with his brother and cousin in 1973 based on his long-held belief was that wine should be accessible for daily consumption

Today, Bronco Wine is one of America's biggest wine companies, with a portfolio of more than 100 brands spanning from wine, spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails.

Moving more than 3.4 million cases - over 40 million bottles - last year alone, Bronco Wine is estimated to be the 13th largest wine marketer in the U.S., according to Wine Spectator.

The winery produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc varieties and moves thousands of cases annually.

In 1973, Franzia's parents sold their namesake boxed-wine brand to Coca-Cola, and that same year Bronco Wine was born.

The sale of the family's boxed-beverage caused a rift with the Franzia and his father. In a 2009 New Yorker interview, he said his 'dad was not a fighter,' and the younger Franzia 'was pissed' at him for handing off the famous product.

'He just folded. I went through a period of no communication, I think for five years,' he told the magazine.

The boxed wine, which still bears the family name, is currently owned by the Wine Group.

Franzia was was also the nephew-in-law of Ernest Gallo - the largest exporter of California wines, and namesake of the largest family-owned winery in the United States.

It is unclear how the influential winemaker died.

A post on the company's Facebook page announced the death Tuesday, noting how his steadfast vision made 'vertical integration' possible, 'all while remaining family owned.'

'His entrepreneurial spirit, tireless dedication, and his commitment to both his family and to the Bronco family will forever be remembered. His legacy will endure for generations to come,' reads the statement.

A post on the company's Facebook page announced the death Tuesday, noting how Franzia's steadfast vision made 'vertical integration' possible, 'all while remaining family owned'

Franzia is survived by his five children Renata, Roma, Joseph aka 'Joey,' Carlo, and Giovanna; fourteen grandchildren (soon to be fifteen); his brother Joseph; and his sisters, Joellen D'Ercole and Catherine McFadden.

The family plans on a private Celebration of Life service and, has requested that in lieu of flowers or gifts, donations be made to the following:

 Santa Clara Jesuit Projects Endowment Fund 61096, link: https://mysantaclara.scu.edu/givenow

 Sutter Health Medical Foundation, link: https://sutterhealth.donordrive.com/index.cfm...

 Modesto Parent Resource Center, link: https://www.prcfamilies.org/make-a-difference-donate/
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New York's Museum of Modern Art will auction off $100 million worth of masterpieces so it can invest in digital 'NFT' artworks after visitor numbers to its Manhattan location halved.

The artworks, which include a Picasso, Renoir, Bacon and Rodin, are owned by the foundation of late CBS founder William S. Paley.

They're expected to bring between $70 million and $100 million million total at a series of Sotheby's auctions in the coming months, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Headed for the auction block are 29 out of the 81 paintings and sculptures that Paley entrusted to MoMA's care following his death in 1990, including works by Picasso, Renoir and Rodin. None of the works set for auction are currently on public display at MoMA.

The proceeds will fund a new endowment for MoMA, and the museum's director Glenn Lowry says some of the money could be used to buy NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, the digital craze that has swept the art world in recent years.

A NFT is the original file of a piece of digital artwork such as a video or online image.

Some of the cash will also be used to boost MoMA's digital offering: visitors to its Midtown museum halved from three million in 2019 to 1.65 million in 2021. MoMa says visitor numbers should recover by 2024, but that digital visitors to its collections have grown so fast that it now wants to boost its online offering.

Pablo Picasso's 1919 Cubist 'Guitar on a Table' will be offered for a minimum of $20 million at a November 14th auction in New York

Francis Bacon's 1963 'Three Studies for Portrait of Henrietta Moraes,' will fetch at least $35 million on October 14 in London

The proceeds will fund a new endowment for MoMA, and the museum's director Glenn Lowry says some of the money could be used to buy NFTs

Among the works for sale are Pablo Picasso's 1919 Cubist 'Guitar on a Table,' which will be offered for a minimum of $20 million at a November 14th auction in New York.

Francis Bacon's 1963 'Three Studies for Portrait of Henrietta Moraes,' will fetch at least $35 million on October 14 in London, Sotheby's said.

Other works for sale in the collection include a 1901-02 still life of flowers by Henri Rousseau, and small sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Aristide Maillol.

Pierre-Auguste Renoirs 1905 still life of strawberries, valued at $3 million, and an early Fauve view of Andre Derains hometown will also go on the auction block.

Though MoMA has not yet dipped its toe into the NFT world and bought any digital works, Lowery said that the museum has a team monitoring the digital-art landscape for potential partnerships or acquisitions.

Because the works are owned by the Paley foundation, their sale allows MoMA to raise funds without taking the controversial step of decommissioning and selling work it already owns.

The works' ties to Paley will also likely send wealthy buyers flocking to obtain them, as his reputation means there'll be no questions over the paintings' provenance.

CBS founder William S. Paley is seen in 1938. He was an early and prolific collector of modern art, and entrusted his collection to the care of MoMA after his death in 1990

Pierre-Auguste Renoirs 1905 still life of strawberries, valued at $3 million, will be sold

Sotheby's says that some of the funds raised from the sale will finance donations to a number of charitable organizations, including The Paley Museum and the Greenpark Foundation, as well as the MoMA endowment.

The endowment is expected to help MoMA expand its digital presence through its website and social media channels.

The museum saw visitors plunge last fiscal year, when 1.65 million attended, versus the 3 million normally seen.

While the museum hopes attendance will return to pre-pandemic levels in the coming years, they see new opportunities to expand online.

And though MoMA has not yet purchased any NFTs, Lowery said the museum is open to the possibility.

'We're conscious of the fact that we lend an imprimatur when we acquire pieces,' he told the Journal, explaining why MoMA didn't buy NFTs at the outset of the craze, adding, 'but that doesn't mean we should avoid the domain.'

Among the highest-priced NFTs sold to date are CryptoPunk #7523 (left, $11.7M) and Ocean Front by Beeple (right, $6M)

A copy of the source code for the world wide web, titled This Changed Everything and digitally signed by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, sold for $5.43M

An NFT is a unique digital token encrypted with an artist's signature and which verifies its ownership and authenticity.

The market surged in 2021 as crypto-rich speculators spent billions of dollars on the assets, hoping to profit as prices rose. But since cryptocurrency prices crashed in May and June this year, NFT prices and sales volumes have plunged.

Scams remain rife in the NFT market even as it declines, with July seeing the highest number of NFTs reported stolen on record, London-based Elliptic said in a report.

Lowrey said that none of the 29 works that the William S. Paley foundation consigned for sale are currently on display in the museum's galleries.

Several iconic pieces from the collection, including Picasso's 'Boy Leading A Horse', will remain in the museum's care, and are not among the works being sold.

Sotheby's says that the collection will be included in several auctions in New York and London between October and April.
Vladimir Putin's car was 'attacked' in what may have been an assassination attempt amid the Ukraine war, according to an unconfirmed claim.

His limousine was hit by a 'loud bang' on its 'left front wheel followed by heavy smoke', it is alleged.

The car drove to safety with Putin unharmed but there have been multiple arrests from his security service - while other bodyguards have vanished - amid claims that secret information about the 69-year-old ruler's movements was compromised, says General SVR Telegram channel.

General SVR is a Russian Telegram channel which regularly posts alleged insider information about Putin and the Kremlin.

While some are sceptical of General SVR, others say it is one of the few prominent anti-Putin channels in Russia that provides an insight into the true goings-on at the Kremlin.

The same source claims in a separate post that Putin had ordered his glamorous lover Alina Kabaeva, 39, a former Olympic gymnast, to have an abortion, leading to a 'worsening' of their relations.

It is not immediately possible to verify either extraordinary claim.

Putin's limousine was hit by a 'loud bang' on its 'left front wheel followed by heavy smoke', it is alleged

The car drove to safety with Putin unharmed but there have been multiple arrests from his security service - while other bodyguards have vanished - amid claims that secret information about the 69-year-old ruler's movements was compromised, says General SVR Telegram channel. Pictured: Putin's motorcade on a June 25 visit to Moscow

The same source claims in a separate post that Putin had ordered his glamorous lover Alina Kabaeva, 39, a former Olympic gymnast, pictured, to have an abortion, leading to a 'worsening' of their relations

According to the anti-Kremlin channel, Putin was travelling back to his official residence on an unspecified date in a decoy or 'backup' motorcade amid deep security fears.

This comprised five armoured cars, with Putin in the third, according to the claim.

'On the way to the residence, a few kilometres away, the first escort car was blocked by an ambulance, [and] the second escort car drove around without stopping [due to the] sudden obstacle, and during the detour of the obstacle.

In Putin's car 'a loud bang sounded from the left front wheel followed by heavy smoke'.

Putin's car 'despite the problems with control' made its way out of the attack scene to reach the safety of the residence.

'Subsequently, the body of a man was found driving [the] ambulance, which blocked the first car from the motorcade,' said SVR General.

The channel - which boasts an inside track to the Kremlin yet provides no hard evidence for its allegations - said details of the supposed attack are 'classified'.

According to the anti-Kremlin channel, Putin was travelling back to his official residence on an unspecified date in a decoy or 'backup' motorcade amid deep security fears. Pictured: Putin's motorcade on June 25

'The head of the president's bodyguard [service] and several other people have been suspended and are in custody,' claimed the channel, without naming anyone.

'A narrow circle of people knew about the movement of the president in this cortege, and all of them were from the presidential security service.

'After the incident, three of them disappeared.

'These were exactly the people who were in the first car of the motorcade.

'Their fate is currently unknown.

'The car on which they were traveling was found empty a few kilometres from the incident.'

In another post, the channel claimed that a Kabaeva, pictured in 2018, pregnancy - which it 'revealed' in May - had now been terminated

This was the reason Kabaeva, pictured, rumoured to have several children with the Kremlin leader, who will be 70 next month - had gone into hiding in recent weeks

In another post, the channel claimed that a Kabaeva pregnancy - which it 'revealed' in May - had now been terminated.

This was the reason Kabaeva - rumoured to have several children with the Kremlin leader, who will be 70 next month - had gone into hiding in recent weeks.

She was last seen in the first half of June in St Petersburg but has not appeared in public since.

'We already talked at the beginning of May this year that Alina Kabaeva was pregnant, and after the sex of the unborn child became known, we reported that Putin and Kabaeva would soon have a girl,' posted the channel today.

Kabaeva, pictured with Putin, was last seen in the first half of June in St Petersburg but has not appeared in public since

'But Russian President Vladimir Putin considered Kabaeva's pregnancy untimely, and the birth of another, unplanned child, undesirable.

'As a result, relations between Putin and Kabaeva worsened.

'And at the end of August, the president insisted that Alina have an abortion, despite the fact that the pregnancy was already more than 20 weeks and there were no medical and social indications for abortion.

'After the abortion, complications arose and for some time Kabaeva could not appear in public.

'By order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, thousands of women and children are being killed [in Ukraine', whose fate is indifferent to him.

'But he also wanted to spit on people close to him, including his common-law wife and children.'

Kabaeva refused a request from her mentor Irina Viner - longtime wife of ex-Arsenal FC part-owner Alisher Usmanov - to take part in a gala concert last weekend in Moscow.

Putin has never confirmed a relationship with Kabaeva and his officials have issued denials which are not believed by many Russians.

Kabaeva, pictured, refused a request from her mentor Irina Viner - longtime wife of ex-Arsenal FC part-owner Alisher Usmanov - to take part in a gala concert last weekend in Moscow

Putin has never confirmed a relationship with Kabaeva, pictured together, and his officials have issued denials which are not believed by many Russians

The Telegram channel General SVR has previously published claims about Putin's alleged illnesses and other oil tycoons who have died mysteriously in recent months.

Putin has two officially acknowledged children  Maria, 37, and Katerina, 35, both from first wife Lyudmila.

Dr Maria Vorontsova, a year younger than Kabaeva, was born when the Russian president was a KGB spy in Germany, is an expert in rare genetic diseases in children.

She is a leading researcher at the National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology of the Ministry of Health of Russia.

Her divorced sister Katerina is deputy director of the Institute for Mathematical Research of Complex Systems at Moscow State University.

She is a former high-kicking 'rock'n'roll' dancer.

Both elder daughters have been sanctioned by the West, unlike Kabaeva, and Putin's unacknowledged 'love child' Luiza Rozova, 19.

Luiza is the daughter of cleaner-turned-multimillionaire Svetlana Krivonogikh, 45, now part-owner of a major Russian bank, one of the country's wealthiest women with an estimated 74 million financial and property fortune.
The second young woman to accuse ex-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) of sexual harassment filed a federal discrimination suit against him, accusing the former politician of sexual harassment and attempting to smear her name when she went public with her original accusations.

Charlotte Bennett, 26, filed her suit Wednesday in Manhattan federal court.

The suit targets not only disgraced Cuomo, but his righthand-woman Melissa DeRosa along with two other aids (Jill DesRosiers and Judith Mogul) who allegedly 'aided and abetted' the former governor's lewd and discriminatory behavior.

Bennett is seeking unspecified damages, according to the 60-page suit, and has asked for a jury trial.

Ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) with then-aide Charlotte Bennett who would go on to accuse him of workplace sexual harassment

In a statement, Bennett said, 'My career as a public servant was abruptly cut short because of Governor Cuomos and his top aides sexual harassment and retaliation against me after I complained about Governor Cuomos misconduct.

'They must all be held accountable for their actions.'

In February 2021, Bennett detailed the sexual harassment she endured while working in the governor's office in Albany to the New York Times.

At the time, she was the second accuser to publicly step forward and identify Cuomo as a workplace threat.

Bennett, 26, became the second woman to accuse Cuomo of workplace sexual misconduct in 2021

Melissa DeRosa, a former top aide to Cuomo, was accused by Bennett of aiding and abetting the governor's reprehensible behavior

Cuomo resigned in August 2021 days after the release of a bombshell report by the New York Attorney General accusing him of sexually harassing nearly a dozen women

Bennett said that Cuomo, 64, asked her off-putting questions about her sex-life while they were alone in the State Capitol, including whether or not she engaged in open relationships or sexual relationships with older men.

Bennett would go on to call Cuomo a 'danger' to women and called for his impeachment 'immediately' following the release of the bombshell report alleging that Cuomo harassed her and 10 other women in his proximity.

In response to the new suit, Cuomo's attorney, Rita Gavin, said, The governor has always said he didn't harass anyone, and with each day that goes by more and more information is uncovered showing how evidence favorable to the governor was suppressed and crucial facts ignored or omitted that undermined witness credibility.'

Though Cuomo denied each accusation, he ultimately resigned days after New York Attorney General Letitia James' report, arguing fighting to remain in office would involve 'brutaliz(ing) people' and 'cost(ing) the taxpayers millions of dollars.'

Cuomo has also been busy with filings this week.

One day prior to Bennett's suit being filed, attorneys for the New York politico filed a professional-misconduct complaint against AG James and the attorneys she brought on to investigate him and his office.

Cuomo (right) and DeRosa (left) have both been named in the civil suit filed by Charlotte Bennett, which is seeking unspecified damages for sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation

Cuomo was previously hailed for his performance during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York

Despite losing his governorship, Cuomo has emerged unscathed this year from several legal battles pertaining to the scandal

In January of 2022, a fifth prosecutor declined criminal charges against Cuomo related to sexual harassment claims.

More recently, in August, a judge sided with Cuomo in his dispute with a now-defunct state ethics commission that ordered him to give up $5.1 million he was paid to write a book about his leadership during the pandemic.

Last year, the Joint Commission on Public Ethics gave Cuomo 30 days to give up $5.1 million he was paid by a publisher for the book. Cuomo sued, claiming the commission's members were biased against him and violated his due-process rights.

Last month, state Judge Denise A. Hartman declined the commission's request that she enforce its order for Cuomo to turn over the money. She argued it was an attempt by the panel to sidestep administrative procedures.
But Charles expected to continue working preparation for new role and will receive red boxes of state papers

The day away from public spotlight has always formed part of London Bridge plans in wake of Queen's death

He will have a private day of reflection and is not expected to attend any public events on Thursday

The King was then seen driving himself away to travel the 30-minute journey to his home Highgrove House

The pair were spotted landing in Camilla's Ray Mill House in Reybridge near Lacock, a village in Wiltshire

King Charles and the Queen Consort's helicopter lands in Wiltshire following the royal procession in London

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King Charles III and the Queen Consort have left London and returned to their respective homes after days of public events paying tribute to the Queen - as the new monarch is granted 24 hours to contemplate his mother's death ahead of her funeral on Monday.

The royal couple were seen landing in Camilla's estate in Reybridge near Lacock, Wiltshire at around 4.30pm this afternoon, shortly after leaving the late Queen's procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.

The Royal aircraft landed in a field alongside the Queen Consort's home, Ray Mill House. The landing was welcomed by an audience of just three people in contrast to the huge number of people seen waiting at Royal residences across Britain this week as the grieving family arrived.

It is believed to be the first time the King and Queen Consort have returned to their Wiltshire and Gloucestershire estates since travelling to Balmoral Castle on Thursday hours before the Queen's death.

The King is expected to have a private day of reflection following the the momentous period that saw him become monarch. He is not expected to attend any public events on Thursday.

The day away from public duties has always formed part of the London Bridge operation - the detailed plan in the event of the Queen's death.

The time away from the spotlight will allow Charles to pause and reflect on the time that has passed since his mother's death at Balmoral on Thursday.

But he is expected to continue working preparation for his new role and will be receiving red boxes of state papers, The Mirror reports.

The period will allow the King to pause, but it is understood he will be working in preparation for his new role and will already be receiving his red boxes of state papers.

It comes after Charles was joined by his three siblings and sons William and Harry as they reunited to mourn as they walked in procession behind the late Queen's coffin as it made its way to the Palace of Westminster today.

The King was then seen driving himself away from the Wiltshire estate accompanied by The Met's Special Escort Group. He is expected to have made the 30-minute drive to his home, Highgrove House, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire

King Charles and the Queen Consort land in a helicopter in Wiltshire. The aircraft was seen landing in a field next door to Camilla's Ray Mill House in Reybridge near the village of Lacock at around 4.30pm. The couple were seen leaving Westminster Hall an hour earlier following a ceremonial procession of the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace

The King, still donned in his military uniform, and Queen Consort were welcomed by an audience of three people. Their suitcases were lifted from the helicopter into cars. It is believed to be the first time the King and Queen Consort have returned to their Wiltshire and Gloucestershire estates since travelling to Balmoral Castle on Thursday hours before the Queen's death

A sorrowful King Charles III waves to the crowds as he is driven along The Mall to Buckingham Palace ahead of the procession today

Following the procession, the King was seen stood next to his wife, still in his livery, as their suitcases were unloaded from the aircraft before being placed in the cars this afternoon.

Shortly after arriving, His Majesty drove himself away from the Wiltshire estate to make the 30-minute drive to his home, Highgrove House, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire.

He was escorted by The Met Police's Special Escort Group. The Queen Consort did not accompany him.

Upon arrival to the gates of his estate, a small crowd of people were seen waiting for him.

Charles has owned Highgrove House since 1980, having bought it from Maurice Macmillan, a Conservative MP and son of the former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.

He has added to the estate over the years and now owns around 1,900 acres of strictly organically-farmed land.

Charles' retirement to Gloucestershire comes as his mother lies in state for four days at the Palace of Westminster ahead of her funeral on Monday.

The new King and his sons William and Harry reunited to mourn and march behind the coffin as hundreds of thousands lined the streets of central London, many of them in tears, to watch the coffin make its final journey out of Buckingham Palace at 2.22pm.

The Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex then stood together with their wives Kate and Meghan as they put aside their bitter feud to honour the Queen inside Westminster Hall.

While the brothers walked side-by-side for the poignant 38-minute procession from Buckingham Palace, their spouses travelled in separate cars, with Meghan accompanied by the Countess of Wessex and Kate joined by Camilla, the Queen Consort.

As the coffin entered the historic hall, the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, sang Psalm 139.

Charles, William and Anne saluted as the coffin passed. Harry and Prince Andrew - barred from wearing military uniform - bowed their head instead.

The Archbishop of Canterbury then read the opening prayer, which the King led the royals in reciting. The family stood silently for the short service that the late monarch had put together with the Church of England before she died aged 96.

After the congregation was dismissed, cries of 'God save the King' could be heard as the King and the Queen Consort left Westminster Hall as Big Ben rang out at 3.30pm.

Royal couples left the building side by side, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding hands and the Princess of Wales rubbing her husband's arm reassuringly.

From 5pm, mourners began to file pass the coffin and pay their final respects to the Queen.

The Royal helicopter was seen landing at Camilla's Wiltshire residence at around 4.30pm on Wednesday. The landing sported an audience of just three people - a stark contrast from what has been seen at Royal residences across Britain this week, following the death of the King's mother Queen Elizabeth II

The helicopter landed in a field next door to Camilla's Wiltshire residence, Ray Mill House (pictured). It is thought that Camilla will continue residing at the home, which is not an official part of the Royal estate, as she has done for years

Shortly after the chopper landed in Wiltshire, Charles could be seen driving himself away from the estate, accompanied by The Met's Special Escort Group. It is believed he then made the 30-minute drive to his home, Highgrove House (pictured), near Tetbury in Gloucestershire

Despite being away from royal duties for 24 hours, Charles will continue to prepare for his new role as King.

Every day of the year, except Christmas Day, he will receive papers from Government ministers, and other representatives from the Commonwealth and foreign countries, containing policy papers, cabinet documents and Foreign Office telegrams.

The correspondence also includes a daily summary of events in Parliament, letters and other state papers which are sent by his private secretary in the red boxes also used by Government ministers to carry confidential documents.

All of the papers have to be read and, where necessary, approved and signed.

The red boxes are made by leather goods company Barrow and Gale, but it is not known if Charles has received a new set or is using the Queen's boxes for the time being.

The King was seen driving into his estate in Highgrove, Gloucestershire, accompanied by Met Police officers. The King is expected to have a quiet day of reflection tomorrow and is not expected to attend any public events

The late Queen still used the boxes that were made for her on her coronation in 1953, having had them refurbished over the years.

It is thought that Camilla will continue residing at Ray Mill House, which is not an official part of the Royal estate, as she has done for years.

She purchased the 850,000 property after divorcing her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles in 1994 and she lived there permanently from 1996 to 2003.

Earlier on this afternoon King Charles, accompanied by his three siblings and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, reunited to mourn as they walked in procession behind the late Queen's coffin.

Royals travelled down a packed Mall all the way to Parliament Square in a moving 38 minute march, led by the King.

The Queen's coffin was then delivered to Westminster where she will lie in state until her funeral on Monday.

King Charles looks tearful as he marches with Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Anne, Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence

Her Majesty has been handed to Britain by the King to lie in state until Monday for mourners to say their goodbyes

The King and his Queen Consort led the Royal Family into Westminster Hall

Tomorrow a rehearsal is likely to take place for the state funeral procession, with King Charles and Camilla expected to travel to Wales on Friday, while the lying in state continues.

This will mark their first official visit to the nation since the death of the Queen. Earlier this week the King and Queen Consort visited the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, and the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast, in their trip around the UK called Operation Spring Tide.

On the day of the funeral, the Queen's coffin will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral.

Senior members of the royal family are expected to follow behind, as they did for the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh and Diana, the Princess of Wales.

William and Harry will walk behind the Queen's coffin tomorrow, similar to the funeral of their mother Princess Diana when they were children in 1997

Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.

After the service, the coffin will then be taken from the abbey to Wellington Arch before travelling to Windsor.

Once there, the hearse will travel in procession to St George's Chapel within the ground of Windsor Castle, via the Long Walk.

A televised committal service will then take place in St George's Chapel, however, later in the evening, a private interment service will be held with senior members of the royal family.

The Queen's final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the main chapel - where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.

Her late husband, Prince Phillip's coffin will be moved from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen's.

In the days leading up to the Queen's funeral, an estimated one million people are expected to queue for up to 30 hours to pay their respects to the late monarch and see her coffin before the funeral.

All the Queen's men (and women): Who's who at the coffin procession from the King leading his siblings and senior members of the Firm from Buckingham Palace to the royals who watched in Westminster Hall as Her Majesty was carried to lie in state

By Oliver Price and Harry Howard for MailOnline

King Charles III led his siblings and senior Royal Family members in walking behind the Queen's coffin as this afternoon it made its way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

Royal Family members including Zara and Mike Tindall, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, Lady Louise and Princess Michael of Kent then watched on in Westminster Hall as Her Majesty was carried to lie in state.

At the procession, His Majesty walked behind the gun carriage bearing his beloved mother's casket as he was flanked by his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

Behind them, Prince William walked in military uniform alongside his brother Prince Harry and cousin Peter Phillips - the son of Princess Anne.

As expected, neither Harry nor Prince Andrew were wearing military uniform and were instead in morning suits.

Following them was Princess Margaret's son the Earl of Snowdon, the Duke of Gloucester - who is the Queen's first cousin - and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the husband of Princess Anne.

Also forming part of the procession were loyal members of the late Queen's staff, including two of the Queen's Pages and the Palace Steward, who walked directly in front of the coffin.

The Pall Bearers were 10 former and serving armed forces equerries to Elizabeth II, who were at her side in uniform throughout her reign, supporting her at engagements and organising her public diary.

Other devoted members of the Queen's household who processed included her top aide, private secretary Sir Edward Young.

There too was the Master of the Household at Buckingham Palace, Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt.

King Charles III led his siblings and senior Royal Family members in walking behind the Queen's coffin as it made its way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon. Above: 1. King Charles 2. Princess Anne 3. Prince Andrew 4. Prince Edward 5. Peter Philips 6. Prince Harry 7. Prince William 8. Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence 9. Duke of Gloucester 10. Earl of Snowdon

Royal family members including Zara and Mike Tindall, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, Lady Louise and Princess Michael of Kent watched on in Westminster Hall this afternoon as Her Majesty was carried to lie in state. Above: 1. Mike Tindall 2. Zara Phillips (Tindall) 3. Princess Eugenie 4. Jack Brooksbank 5. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi 6. Princess Beatrice 7. Viscount Severn 8. Lady Louise Windsor 9. Timothy Taylor 10. Eloise Olivia Katherine Taylor 12. Estella Olga Elizabeth Taylor 13. Cassius Taylor 14. Columbus George Donald Taylor 16. Lord George Windsor 17. Lady Gabriella Windsor 18. Thomas Kingston; Below: 19. Princess Michael of Kent 20. Lord Frederick Windsor 21. Sophie Winkleman 22. Lady Amelia Windsor 23. Lady Marina Windsor 24. Flora Ogilvy 25. Timothy Vesterberg 26. Julia Ogilvy 27. Lady Davina Windsor 28. Duchess of Gloucester 29. Daniel Chatto 30. Lady Sarah Chatto 31. Arthur Chatto

Left to right: Prince William, Prince of Wales, King Charles III, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walk behind the coffin

The Queen arrives at Westminster Hall, built almost 1,000 years ago and where previous monarchs also lay in state

Stern-faced Prince Andrew has his military medals pinned to morning suit as he follows coffin of his mother the Queen A stern-faced Prince Andrew wore his array of military medals pinned to his morning suit as he followed the coffin of his late mother the Queen during an historic procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon. The disgraced Duke of York - along with Prince Harry - was told he couldn't wear his military uniform for the service, unlike other members of the family, including King Charles III and William, the Prince of Wales. It was another public dressing down for the Queen's third child, and a reminder of his lowered status after he was stripped of his military titles and patronages and booted from public life by the Firm for his links to notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. His nephew Harry, meanwhile, has been banned from wearing military uniform due to his decision to step back as a senior royal and move to California. Advertisement

Pulled on a gun carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen's coffin was draped with a Royal Standard and adorned with the priceless, glittering Imperial State Crown.

Taking the lead was the pomp and pageantry of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and military bands.

Thousands of mourners flocked to see the moving sight of the Queen departing the official residence where she spent so much of her working life at the heart of the nation, with viewing areas declared full ahead of the procession starting.

The Queen had arrived at her former home on Tuesday evening in gloom and rain but for her departure from the palace the weather was bright and warm.

The Queen's coffin was transported on the George Gun Carriage, which carried King George VI's coffin from Sandringham Church to Wolferton Station in February 1952 and was used during the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.

The journey from the palace to the ancient Westminster Hall, where King Charles I was tried, took 38 minutes - passing landmarks the Queen knew well like Horse Guards Parade, the Cenotaph and Downing Street.

Accompanied by her family, the Queen is effectively being handed over to the the nation for her lying in state over four days ahead of the state funeral on Monday.

In Westminster Hall, grieving members of the royal family watched as the Queen's coffin was carried to lie in state until her funeral on Monday.

William and Harry stood together with their wives Kate and Meghan today in state service inside Westminster Hall.

During the service, the 'Fab Four' stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform in the heart of Westminster Hall - the backdrop of some of the most famous moments in British history.

Zara Tindall was pictured looking emotional as she joined other royals at the service in Westminster Hall today.

The Princess Royal's daughter, 41, looked deep in thought throughout the ceremony, standing next her husband Mike Tindall, 43, and her cousin Princess Eugenie with her husband Jack Brooksbank.

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice wiped away tears as they stood in front of the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall this afternoon.

The Duke of York's daughters made their way to the ceremony separately by car with their husbands Jack Brooksbank and Edo Mapelli Mozzi.

Both Princess Beatrice and her younger sister Princess Eugenie appeared emotional throughout the occasion, and were pictured wiping tears away.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie might not have been the royal grandchildren most frequently pictured with the Queen - but the sisters were still incredibly close with their 'Grannie'.

The girls' deep relationship with their grandmother was apparent today as they looked incredibly emotional during the occasion today.

It was their second appearance since the Queen's death last week. Beatrice, 34, and Eugenie, 32, looked distraught as they walked hand-in-hand scanning the thousands of flowers and messages of condolence that had been left by royal fans in Balmoral at the weekend.

Zara Tindall's husband Mike looked solemn as he stood beside his wife after the body of Her Majesty The Queen was conveyed into Westminster Hall

Zara was dressed in a black dress with a turned-over collar and an understated black belt. She paired her outfit with black heels and a dark purse

James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor pay their respects in The Palace of Westminster after the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II

Tearing up: James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor pay their respects in The Palace of Westminster

The Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor joined her brother James, Viscount Severn at the service in Westminster Hall today

Lady Helen Taylor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent , was also in attendance to pay her respects to the Queen accompanied by her children and her husband, art dealer Timothy Taylor.

The Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor joined her brother James, Viscount Severn at the service in Westminster Hall today following Her Majesty's procession from Buckingham Palace.

Lady Louise, 18, the daughter of the Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, enjoyed a close relationship with her grandmother the Queen and grew up in Bagshot Park, a short distance from the Queen's home of Windsor Castle.

During the occasion today, Louise performed a curtsy when stepping forward to say goodbye to her grandmother, alongside her 14-year-old brother.

It is the first time the Queen's youngest grandchild James has been seen since Her Majesty's death last week. His sister Louise joined other members of the royal family on a walkabout at Balmoral on Saturday.

Lady Helen Taylor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, was also in attendance to pay her respects to the Queen accompanied by her children and her husband, art dealer Timothy Taylor.

Their two sons Columbus, 28 and Cassius, 25, and two daughters, Eloise, 19 and Estella, 17, were also pictured in Westminster Hall behind Princess Beatrice.

Lord Frederick Windsor (centre) attends the service with his wife Sophie Winkleman, and his mother Princess Michael of Kent (left)

Sisters Lady Amelia (left) and Lady Marina Windsor (centre) and a cousin of the Queen, Flora Vesterberg (right) were all seen paying their respects to the late Queen

Princess Michael, who is married to Prince Michael of Kent, appeared sombre during the sad event, paying tribute to the monarch, left. Pictured right, The Duchess of Gloucester

Also seen in attendance at Westminster Hall were the Duke of Kent Prince Edward's, sons Lord George Windsor, 59 the Earl of St Andrews, a former diplomat, and his younger brother Lord Nicholas Windsor.

The Earl's daughters Lady Amelia and Marina Windsor, and Flora Vesterberg, stood in line alongside their relatives in Westminster Hall this afternoon.

Lord Nicholas Windsor forfeited his place in the line of succession to the throne when he converted to Catholicism in 2001, following the example of his mother, Katharine, who went across to Rome in 1994.

Lord Frederick Windsor, 43, the son of the Queen's first cousin Prince Michael of Kent, 53rd in line to the throne and husband to Peep Show actress Sophie Winkleman was also pictured in Westminster Hall this afternoon with his wife.

The Queen and Prince Philip's much-loved niece Lady Sarah Chatto, was seen at the ceremony wither her husband and two children Samuel and Arthur.

Lady Sarah was the last royal baby born (in 1964) at a palace rather than a hospital  within weeks of cousins Prince Edward, Lady Helen Windsor and James Ogilvy. She had a close relationship with the Queen.

Her elder son Samuel, 25, is a potter and artist and a hit on Instagram with 86,000 followers and her youngest Arthur is sporty and works as a personal trainer.

The children and grandchildren Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, sister to the Duke of Kent, were seen in Westminster Hall.

Her granddaughter Flora Vesterberg, who is the daughter of Princess Alexandra's son James, married her husband Timothy Vesterberg last year in a service attended by the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

They were pictured alongside the elder daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Lady Davina Windsor who is currently 34th in the line of succession to the British throne.

The Princess of Wales and The Duchess of Sussex stood close to each other inside Westminster Hall , as did their feuding husbands Prince William and Prince Harry

Prince William stood next to his wife Kate, with Harry and Meghan, the Sussexes, behind them inside Westminster Hall were the Queen's coffin will stay for four days

The bearer party who carried Queen's coffin into Westminster Hall and provide an escort are soldiers who were flown back from Iraq to take part in the procession, because of their unique association with the monarch.

The Guardsmen are from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards whose Company Commander is the Queen, and although a senior officer took day-to-day control, the former sovereign's connection with her men was strong.

The Queen's coffin was flanked by her equerries - military men who had served the monarch by organising her diary of events and providing a helping hand when the monarch was handed a present.

Flanking them were the Grenadier Guardsmen who have their special tie with the late monarch.

In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment.

The King looked expressionless as he stared straight ahead with his siblings to his left, who also showed no emotion.

Left to right: King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, The Earl of Snowdon, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Sussex, The Duke of Gloucester and Peter Phillips follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown placed on top

Members of the Royal Family (left to right), Earl of Snowden, the Prince of Wales, King Charles III, the Duke of Gloucester, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Sussex, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York and Peter Phillips, follow the coffin of the Queen

2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster

Members of the public line the Queen Victoria Memorial and the Mall as King Charles III and members of the royal family walk with Queen Elizabeth II's flag-draped coffin as it is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall

Flanking them were the Grenadier Guardsmen who have their special tie with the late monarch.

In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment.

The King looked expressionless as he stared straight ahead with his siblings to his left, who also showed no emotion.

The procession of the coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth enters the Houses of Parliament for her lying in state

Harry and William had walked behind the coffin of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales during her funeral in 1997 and Harry later said 'I don't think any child should be asked to do that'.

But now a father-of-two it was a fitting public gesture for his grandmother the late Queen.

The Queen Consort and Princess of Wales did not join the procession but left for Westminster Palace by car, followed by another vehicle carrying the Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex.

From 5pm mourners will be able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch with an estimated one million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.

During the service, the senior royals stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform.

The King and Queen Consort stood together a metre or so apart, with the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind them, then the Duke of York alone, and in the next row the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Behind them were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Duke of Sussex behind William, and the Duchess of Sussex directly behind Kate. The Cross of Westminster was placed at the head of the coffin.
The women of the Royal Family all showed their grief in different ways as they attended Wednesday's lying-in-state service for Queen Elizabeth II, a body language expert has said.

On the most sombre day since The Queen's passing, Kate, the Princess of Wales, appeared silently grief-stricken as she followed the coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall by car.

She was joined by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex - who 'swallowed back tears' - and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, who adopted a 'pitch-perfect expression' as they joined their husbands and other Royals for the service in the historic hall.

The Royal Family 'appeared as choreographed as flying geese for this appearance, walking in a very formal formation,' according to body language expert Judi James..

The Queen's coffin was draped with the Royal Standard and adorned with the glittering, priceless Imperial State Crown on a purple velvet cushion and a wreath of white flowers for the procession to the lying in state.

William, the Prince of Wales, and Harry, Duke of Sussex, again set aside their ongoing feud and stood next to each other as they accompanied their beloved grandmother to the Houses of Parliament.

The women of the Royal Family all showed their grief in different ways as they attended Wednesday's lying-in-state service for Queen Elizabeth II, a body language expert has said. Pictured: Kate, Princess of Wales (left) and Harry and Meghan - Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) - are seen in Westminster hall of Wednesday

Ms James told the MailOnline that the formality of the occasion was only broken for a brief moment when Prince Harry and his wife Meghan 'held out their arms to hold hands as they filed out of the service behind William and Kate.'

She said: 'The gesture looked almost desperately necessary for them and they were the only couple to really acknowledge each other and fall out of formation. We saw how they are currently using this hand clasp as something of an emotional life-line.

'Meghan was using it to gently rub Harrys hand with her thumb in a gesture of reassurance at Windsor and the likelihood was that it was used as a mutual support system here today.'

As the procession moved through the country's capital, Ms James said: 'There were very large spatial gaps between [the Royals], so no interaction of any kind, meaning they all appeared looking solitary and lost in reflection.

'Even the wives, who followed in their cars, seemed to be silent, both verbally and non-verbally. Kate sat beside Camilla in a pose of sadness and Sophie sat lost in grief-stricken reflection beside Meghan.

'When Kate entered the palace hall she did appear to be as silently grief-stricken as Sophie, with some heavy swallowing, pursed lips and narrow-looking eyes suggesting she was close to tears.

'There were no signs of socializing at all until they lined up to file out in couples.

'While the other royals sustained their air of silent formality, Harry and Meghan closed the gap between them. 'Their arm and hand gestures suggested they couldnt wait to be back in literal touch again and rather than wait until their torsos were touching before they clasped hands they stretched their arms out to return to their signature ritual of closeness and comfort.'

The late sovereign arrived at Westminster Hall 38 minutes later at 3pm - where she was placed on a catafalque - with her crown, orb and sceptre placed on top.

The monarch will lie in state there for five nights until her state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday. The procession poignantly passed the statue of the Queen's parents King George VI and the Queen Mother which overlooks The Mall.

The Imperial State Crown, worn by the Queen on the way back to Buckingham Palace after her Coronation, glittered in the daylight as the crowds held aloft their phones to capture the scenes.

Prince Andrew (left), Duke of York, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, leave after paying their respects at Westminster Hall, at the Palace of Westminster, where the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, will Lie in State on a Catafalque, in London on September 14

'Harry and William had walked side by side behind the coffin this time, rather than with Peter Philips in between them as had been deemed necessary during Philips funeral,' Ms James noted. 'Both sustained something of a poker face as they walked, especially William, who was in full uniform.

'Harrys body language was a little less formal and there was a moment when the coffin was lifted from the carriage that he performed a small shoulder-roll as though wishing he were helping to carry it himself.

'Inside the palace the wives walked to join their husbands although the formation was formal with large gaps between them.

'Andrew, standing alone and not in uniform, seemed to use his height to stand rigidly tall as though permanently to attention, with his raised chin and his mouth clamp and frown suggesting a desire to be seen as dutiful.

'Anne still looked unable to keep her eyes from the coffin, as though watching and guarding her mother to the last moment,' Ms James said, and noted that Charles betrayed one sign of 'utter grief'.

'Charles was seen to perform one micro-gesture of utter grief when his mouth suddenly stretched sideways and his jaw fell open slightly,' she said.

As the Royals proceeded, guns fired every minute at Hyde Park, while parliament's famous Big Ben bell also rang at 60-second intervals.

From left, Britain's Camilla, the Queen Consort, Kate, Princess of Wales, Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin at Westminster Hall

Camilla Queen Consort, Catherine Princess of Wales, Sophie Countess of Wessex and Meghan Duchess of Sussex watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is brought into Westminster Hall

The crowds stood in a hushed silence as they watched the procession but then broke into spontaneous applause when it passed. Some threw flowers.

Other senior royals including Charles' wife Camilla, now the Queen Consort, Kate, William's wife and now Princess of Wales, and Harry's wife, Meghan, travelled by car.

'Sophie arrived in the car with Meghan but Sophie still appears to be too unhappy for conversation or polite chat,' Ms James said of the Countess of Wessex.

'She is almost unrecognizable in her grief, and her mouth remained clamped, her head tilted and her eyes gazing in a gesture of reflection.

Meanwhile, this was 'the first time we have seen Kate properly,' Ms James said. Kate's 'facial features suggested intense grief and a fighting back of tears.

'Her eyes looked narrowed as though she had been crying, and her lips were pursed in a gesture of self-control. Some deep swallowing suggested the tears might have been close, though.

Meanwhile, Meghan was able to stroke the 'perfect expression' for the occasion.

'Meghan adopted the rather pitch-perfect expression of someone registering sadness and empathy for the family,' according to Ms James.

'She kept her head up and a polite but caring-looking part smile on her face, while her brows were asymmetrically steepled to register that empathy for the sadness around her.
He had refused to get out of his car after calling police for help

A Colorado sheriffs deputy has been accused of murdering a man who called 911 for help moving his car after shooting him five times in a lengthy standoff.

Andrew Buen, 29, shot and killed Christian Glass, 22, after he pulled out a knife and refused to get out of his vehicle on June 11 in Denver, Colorado.

The officer, who the DailyMail.com is exclusively picturing, can be heard in his bodycam footage telling Glass not to throw his knives out of the vehicle.

Christian Glass, 22, had even tried to make heart-shaped signals for help when he was tasered and shot with bean bags before being killed.

It is unclear how long Buen has been a deputy for Clear Creek County Sheriffs department for, but footage shows him smashing the window of Glass vehicle.

Shortly after the fatal incident, Buen can be heard admitting shooting Glass, telling a fellow officer: He started screaming verbal threats that he was going to kill us all.

I switched to lethal cover, again with the threats and he went after another officer. When he went after him thats when I fired.

Buen was back on patrol a few days later, and has not been suspended pending the ongoing investigation.

It is currently unclear if Buen will ultimately face charges, but Glass's parents have said their son's death was murder.

Andrew Buen, 29, shot and killed Christian Glass, 22, after he pulled out a knife and refused to get out of his vehicle on June 11 in Denver, Colorado

It is unclear how long Buen has been a deputy for Clear Creek County Sheriffs department for, but footage shows him smashing the window of Glass vehicle and firing off a taser before the fatal shooting

Christian Glass, 22, had tried to make heart-shaped signals for help when he was tasered and shot by officers five times in Denver, Colorado

An autopsy report released on Tuesday show Glass was struck five time by bullets and had superficial knife wounds where he stabbed himself

Clear Creek County Sheriffs office said that he was shot on June 11 in Denver, Colorado, after becoming argumentative and uncooperative with officers.

According to his parents, Sally and Simon Glass, Deputy Andrew Buen was the one who fired the fatal shots, with the name coming from prosecutors.

Sally, from Kent and Simon, from New Zealand, have both demanded that the sheriff take the incident seriously, branding their sons death as murder.

They said their son took Ritalin for his ADHD, which may have explained the presence of amphetamines in his system.

Officers became engaged with Glass after he called for help after crashing his car on a rural road, sparking a one hour stand off between the driver and cops.

Another deputy called to the scene to investigate the homicide muted their body camera video during most of his investigation.

An autopsy report released on Tuesday show he was struck five time by bullets and had superficial knife wounds where he stabbed himself.

He also had trace amounts of alcohol, cannabis and amphetamine in his system, with his parents explaining that his ADHA medication, Ritalin, can also show up as an amphetamine.

His parents, Sally and Simon Glass (left), say that their son was 'not aggressive' and say that his death was 'murder'

Shortly after the fatal incident, Buen can be heard admitting shooting Glass, telling a fellow officer: He started screaming verbal threats that he was going to kill us all

Simon and Sally Glass are demanding accountability for their son's death saying that the officers who shot him should be sacked

Glass, 22, (pictured) was shot after a one-hour stand off where he refused to get out of his car while holding a knife

Lawyers for the Glass family, Qusair Mohamedbhai and Siddhartha Rathod, said that Buen was back on patrol within days of the incident.

His father said that his son had trusted that the police would come and help him, adding: Instead they attacked and killed him.

'The killer struck Christian five times to make sure.

Fifth Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum said in a statement Tuesday that her office continues to investigate the shooting.

She will decide whether the officers involved should face criminal charges, or she can convene a grand jury to make that decision.

McCollum said: While we understand that public sentiment may desire this process to move at a more rapid pace, it is not in the interests of justice and fairness to the family of the victim for this matter to be rushed to a conclusion.

Her office has been in contact with the U.S. Attorneys Office for Colorado, the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division and the FBI Denver Division regarding this case.

Glass said he was scared to get out of his car as police surrounded him, with one officer standing on the hood of his car (pictured) as others tried to get him to exit the vehicle

Once Glass grabbed a knife, the officers fired bean bag rounds and tased him. After stabbing himself and swinging wildly, Buen fired five shots into the car

The officers then broke through the window and pulled a dying Glass from the vehicle

Deborah Takahara, spokeswoman for the Colorado U.S. Attorneys Office, added: The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Colorado, the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, and the FBI Denver Division are aware of the shooting in Silver Plume.

If the information reveals potential violations of federal criminal statutes, the Justice Department will take the appropriate action.

Glass had been living in Boulder with a roommate and was taking computer coding classes. He had no prior criminal record.

Body cam footage shows the moment officers approached Glass, who called for help in getting his car out of a bush.

When police arrived, Glass refused to get out of his car, saying he was scared as officers yelled at him to exit the vehicle.

'Please, push me out, drag me out, I'll follow you to a police station,' Glass told the officers. 'I'm so scared.'

Glass refused to get out of his car for more than an hour, before pulling out a knife, leading police to fire bean bag rounds and tase Glass before firing into the car.

Sally called the police bullies, with both parents left heartbroken after hearing their son say 'I'm so scared' to officers

Officers pulled Glass from the car as he was unresponsive following the shooting where he also stabbed himself

Officers repeatedly yelled at him to drop the knife, and pleaded with the 22-year-old to get out of the car and save himself

At one point, he also can be seen praying with folded hands and saying, 'Dear Lord, please, don't let them break the window.'

When the officers did break the window, Glass seemed to panic and grabbed a knife.

Police then shot Glass with bean bag rounds and shocked him with a stun gun before the young man twisted in his seat and thrust a knife toward an officer, the footage showed.

Then one officer fired his gun, hitting Glass. The recordings then show Glass stabbing himself as police yelled at him to stop.

'You can save yourself,' one of the officers shouts. 'You can still save yourself!'

Glass had no history of mental illness, with a family lawyer saying they would not ever know the reason behind his abnormal behavior.

Simon condemned the action police took when responding to his son's call and their failure to calm him down and de-escalate the situation.

Attorneys Qusair Mohamedbhai, (left) and Siddhartha Rathod (right) released an autopsy report that found that Glass died of gunshot wounds

As officers broke the window in the car, Glass grabbed a knife and injured himself

Glass' autopsy shows five gunshots struck his chest, lungs, liver, spine and kidneys

In a press conference on Tuesday he said: 'Christian's killing is a stain on Clear Creek County and on Colorado.

'It was a murder by a Colorado official that cannot stand. It is not right.'

His mother Sally described the police as bullies and called on the county to weed them out and replace them with kinder officers.

She added: 'You know, an aggressive bully is always going to be an aggressive bully, and I don't know how you can train that characteristic out.

Pay more, elevate the stages of the profession by getting rid of [them] and hire people with kind hearts and a moral compass,'

The Clear Creek County Sheriff's office did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The shooting comes amid a national outcry for police reforms focused on crisis intervention, de-escalation and alternative policing programs.

In Denver and New York, behavioral health specialists are sent to 911 callers facing crises that police may not be trained to address or could even exacerbate.

Police haven't said if any behavioral health specialists were called for Glass.


By Kang Seung-woo



The Ministry of Unification is poised to finishing monitoring "fake news" on North Korea only one year after starting the program amid lingering questions on its effectiveness.



According to the ministry, Wednesday, it has decided not to earmark a budget for the program for 2023. Last year, 200 million won ($143,000) was budgeted to counter disinformation in 2022.





North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / Korea Times file
Three people, including a four-year old boy, were seriously injured after a ride plummeted to a platform at an amusement park in the southeastern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo.

A bystander appeared to be filming the child sitting in one of the rides chairs that was being elevated from the platform at Diego's Park in the municipality of Itanhaem on Sunday night.

The ride, which was supposed to resemble a NASA spaceship, was suspended about 20 feet above the ground for one second before it violently dropped.

A four-year old boy (pictured) suffered an abdominal and spinal injury when a ride that was supposed to resemble a NASA spaceship plummeted at Diego's Park in Brazil on Sunday night. The boy remained hospitalized as of Tuesday at Irma Dulce Hospital where doctors are evaluating the results of x-ray reports to determine if he will need surgery

Diego's Park said it will be hiring an independent inspector to investigate the cause of the accident

The impact of the sudden collapse shocked the child, who fortunately remained strapped to the chair and did not fall out.

All three victims, including a 25-year old woman and her 12-year old son, were treated by paramedics at the park and rushed to Irma Dulce Hospital.

The four-year-old suffered abdominal and spinal injuries. As of Tuesday, doctors were still evaluating imaging reports to determine if he would require surgery.

The woman and her 12-year old son were each diagnosed with fractures in the L2 vertebrae. They were discharged from the medical facility and will be required to wear a brace while recovering at home.

Diego's Park remained closed as of Monday as inspectors investigated the cause of the accident.

The four-year old remained strapped to his seat after the ride suddenly crashed to the platform

The boy was among three people, including a 25-year old mother and her 12-year old son, who were injured in the frightening amusement park accident in Sao Paulo, Brazil

The city government said Diego's Park has been operating with a temporary permit issued by the fire department. It is set to expire November 23.

In a statement obtained by Brazilian online news network G1, Diego's Park said it has been in contact with the two families that were involved.

The amusement park added that its inspection log for the structural and electrical safety of the rides were up-to-date and that all of the rides were inspected every day and had regular service work done on them.

Diego's Park said it was hiring an independent inspector to investigate the accident.

DailyMail.com also reached out to Diego's Park for comment.

The ride at Diego's Park that was involved in the accident Sunday is supposed to resemble a NASA spaceship. The amusement park has been closed since Monday as city inspectors investigate the incident

The accident comes after at least 10 people were injured when the roller coaster they were riding derailed at an amusement park in Maranguape, Fortaleza, on September 6.

One of the victims said everything was fine during the first two laps around the track, but then the cars made a sound, similar to that of a crack, moments before one of the carts jumped off the track while nearing a turn.

Authorities said the accident was caused by a broken part in one of the carts.
Prince Harry seemed overcome with emotion as he honoured Queen Elizabeth II for her moving lying in state service inside Westminster Hall today.

As the late monarch's coffin was placed in the hall, photos captured a poignant moment for the Duke of Sussex as he held his head in his hand, shielding his eyes, and looked down.

Wearing a suit decorated with medals, he is standing next to the Duchess of Sussex, who is looking down with a sombre expression on her face.

Prince Harry and his brother Prince William stood together with their wives Meghan and Kate as they put aside their bitter feud to pay their respects to their grandmother.

As the late monarch's coffin was placed in the hall, photos captured a poignant moment for the Duke of Sussex (left with the Duchess of Sussex right) as he held his head in his hand, shielding his eyes, and looked down

The coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II is brought into Westminster Hall for her moving lying in state service today

Prince Harry and his brother Prince William stood together with their wives Meghan and Kate as they put aside their bitter feud to pay their respects to their grandmother

While the siblings walked side-by-side for the poignant 38-minute procession from Buckingham Palace, their spouses travelled in separate cars, with Meghan accompanied by the Countess of Wessex and Kate joined by Camilla, the Queen Consort.

During the service, the 'Fab Four' stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform in the heart of Westminster Hall - the backdrop of some of the most famous moments in British history.

The Sussexes stood at the back of the group of royals, with Harry directly behind William and Meghan behind Kate. The touching moment is the first time the couples have been seen together since their surprise walkabout together at Windsor Castle on Saturday, and a rare show of togetherness.

The Queen's coffin entered Westminster Hall as the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, sang Psalm 139. When the Queen arrived, Charles, William and Anne saluted. Harry and Prince Andrew - barred from wearing military uniform - bowed their head instead.

The touching moment is the first time the couples have been seen together since their surprise walkabout together at Windsor Castle on Saturday, and a rare show of togetherness

King Charles III, Anne, Princess Royal, Camilla, Queen Consort, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent pay their respects inside the Palace of Westminster for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II today

From 5pm mourners have been able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch

An estimated 1million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see the late monarch before the state funeral on Monday. Members of the public are pictured queuing outside Westminster Hall today

The Archbishop of Canterbury then read the opening prayer, which the King led the royals in reciting. The family stood silently for the short service that the late monarch had put together with the Church of England before she died aged 96.

After the congregation was dismissed, cries of 'God save the King' could be heard as the King and the Queen Consort left Westminster Hall as Big Ben rang out at 3.30pm. Royal couples left the building side by side, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding hands and the Princess of Wales rubbing her husband's arm reassuringly.

From 5pm mourners have been able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch with an estimated 1million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.
Former First Lady Melania Trump is rolling out her own Christmas ornaments that come with an NFT.

For $45, purchasers can get 'The Christmas Star,' a handcrafted ornament and its corresponding animated NFT version.

A separate line of six ornaments, billed as 'The American Christmas Collection,' is being sold through USA Memorabilia, with the baubles priced at $35 apiece. Each one also features an engraving of the former first lady's signature.

The NFT will be minted in limited qualities and sold on the 'Solana' blockchain.

A portion of the proceeds will go toward 'Fostering the Future,' part of the first lady's 'Be Best' initiative that offers scholarships to kids in foster care.

The former first lady rolled out her first NFT venture last year when she unrolled a watercolor painting of her eyes along with corresponding audio.

For $45, purchasers can get 'The Christmas Star,' a handcrafted ornament and its corresponding animated NFT version

A separate line of six ornaments, billed as 'The American Christmas Collection,' is being sold through USA Memorabilia, with the baubles priced at $35 apiece. Each one also features an engraving of the former first lady's signature

Non-fungible tokens  or NFTs  are unique and non-interchangeable units of data stored on a digital ledger or blockchains, the same technology behind cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

'My creative inspiration for the upcoming holiday season is hope, and naturally, the Star embodies this spirit. My hope is for families across the world to use The Christmas Star ornament to inspire their loved ones with positive purpose, aspirations, and values as we enter the new year. This holiday season, remember to aim high to reach your full potential,' Trump said in a statement on the ornament's release.

While in the White House, the former first lady privately expressed frustration at her duty to take charge of the holiday decorating ritual.

'I'm working  my ass off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f*** about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?' Trump said in a secretly recorded 2018 conversation that was later aired on CNN.

While in the White House, the former first lady privately expressed frustration at her duty to take charge of the holiday decorating ritual

'I'm working  my ass off on the Christmas stuff, that you know, who gives a f*** about the Christmas stuff and decorations? But I need to do it, right?' Trump said in a secretly recorded 2018 conversation that was later aired on CNN

Donald and Melania are pictured above at the White House at Christmastime

In 2018, Melania Trump was brutally mocked by Twitter and the media for her 'scary' decor  this time claiming the 'blood red' trees are reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale and The Shining.

The White House stated that the theme 'honors the unique heritage of America,' and each room 'shines with the spirit of patriotism.'

Red plays heavily in the decor, which includes 14,000 crimson ornaments on 29 trees in the Grand Foyer and Cross Hall as well as 40 cranberry-covered trees that line the East Colonnade.

'The choice of red is an extension of the pales, or stripes, found in the presidential seal designed by our Founding Fathers. Its a symbol of valor and bravery,' the White House explained.
A Las Vegas Democratic official who is accused of killing a journalist who exposed his affair had previously been arrested for abusing his wife and resisting arrest.

Robert Telles, 45, was arrested on March 1, 2020, after Metropolitan police received a frantic call from his wife, Mae Ismael, shortly after 11pm the night before.

She told officers she and her husband were at the Bellagio casino that night, where he got drunk and started arguing with her.

The two then decided to head home, according to police reports obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, but as Ismael started driving home, the Clark County public administrator grabbed her neck and hit her arm. He also allegedly tried to break things in the car.

The fight reportedly continued after they returned to their home in Peccole Ranch, where Ismael said she and their children hid in a room as Telles yelled 'Kill me.'

Then after she called 911, the police report states, that Telles grabbed Ismael in a tight 'bear hug' and did not let her go until their children pried her away.

'The force of the grab, and Robert's demeanor frightened the children,' the police report says. It also notes that Ismael had no visible injuries from the brawl.

But when police arrived at the home that night, they reported that Telles began arguing with his wife again  and even yelled at officers when they tried to keep the two separated.

By the time officers tried to put him in handcuffs, the police report says, Telles flexed his arm in front of his body and collapsed into a chair, refusing to get up.

In the end, though, the domestic battery charge was dismissed 'per negotiations,' according to court documents and Telles only received a suspended 90-day sentence on the resisting arrest charge on September 30, 2020.

He was required to pay a $418 fine, and attend a 'Corrective Thinking' class focusing on stress management and relationships  which he completed on March 30, 2021.

Now, Telles is facing new charges for the murder of Jeff German, a reporter with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

He is being held without bail, as he remains in his public administrator role and continues to collect his $130,000 salary until another person is elected.

Robert Telles, 45, has previously been arrested for drunkenly assaulting his wife in 2020

He is said to have grabbed her in a 'bear hug' after she called 911 and would not let go until their children (pictured) pried her away

Telles, the Clark County public administrator, right, is now facing a murder charge in the stabbing of Las Vegas journalist Jeff German, left, who spent months reporting on the turmoil in Telles' office and how he lost his re-election bid in June

The revelation comes just one day after Telles appeared in front of a judge, smirking as he was told his next appearance in the case would be September 20th.

He wore a navy prison-issued uniform, smiling and nodding during the proceedings as he remained in handcuffs before being led away.

The official did not speak during the hearing and had white bandages up his arms from his suicide attempt before officers arrested him over German's murder.

The 69-year-old journalist had been found stabbed to death on September 3 after publishing a series of articles exposing married Telles' affair and mismanagements of public office.

He had spent months reporting on the turmoil in Telles' office and how he lost his re-election bid in June.

He also revealed that Telles was having an affair with a colleague after German published a video of him exiting a vehicle with his lover.

Staffer Roberta Lee-Kennett, 45, left the backseat of the car at the same time as the official and can be seen hoisting her skirt down.

Telles has denied all of the allegations made against him by German, including the affair and the claims that he oversaw an abusive workplace.

In the aftermath, Telles railed against German online, DailyMail.com previously revealed, including in an angry series of messages on social media in which he accused him of rifling through his trash and writing 'lying smear pieces' about him.

In a series of public Twitter posts, for example, Telles said German prepared 'lying smear piece #4 by Jeff German, #onetrickpony I think hes mad that I havent crawled into a hole and died.'

He then tweeted: 'Wife hears rustling in the trash* Her: "Honey, is there a wild animal in the trash?"

'Me: "No, dear. Look like its Jeff German going through our trash for his 4th story on me." Oh, Jeff'

Telles appeared in court on Tuesday, smirking as he was told his next appearance in the case would be September 20th

The public administrator, right, did not say a word in court on Tuesday as the murder charge was brought against him

German had discovered as part of his investigation into Telles' office that he was having an affair with staffer Roberta Lee-Kennett, 45 (pictured)

Metropolitan police finally announced last week they had discovered a straw hat and a pair of shoes that matched the outfit of a suspect caught on surveillance video in German's neighborhood around the time he was stabbed seven times in the torso.

Both the shoes and the hat had been cut into pieces, but blood was still visible on the soles of the sneakers.

By September 7, police arrived at Telles' home at around 6.30am and searched his home as they released a statement saying they were searching for the individual filmed in a large sunhat and high-visibility jacket.

He was soon released by the officers and refused to deny that he was responsible for the murder of the journalist when approached by reporters.

But police once again arrived at his home in tactical gear at around 6pm that night as Telles remained inside.

About 30 minutes later, he was wheeled out of the home on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.

As DailyMail.com previously reported, an arrest report says he barricaded himself inside the home, made suicidal statements, and slashed his arms with a knife when SWAT teams arrived that night.

He was also suspected of taking drugs in the moments before he was cuffed, forcing officers to take him to the hospital before he was booked into the county jail.

Officers later said that DNA from under German's fingernails matched a sample taken from Telles, which led to his arrest.

Telles is being held without bail, as he remains in his public administrator role and continues to collect his $130,000 salary until another person is elected

Police officers dressed in tactical gear descended on Telles's home last Wednesday, moments before he was wheeled out of the home on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance

The arrest came after German's colleagues at the Review-Journal helped track down the suspected killer, after recalling tweets Telles sent to German during his investigation.

They discovered that a red GMC Yukon Denali - matching a police description of one seen in the surveillance footage - was parked in his driveway.

Using skills they learned on the job with German, the five-person team at the newspaper sprung into action 'because that's what Jeff would have wanted us to do.'

Police later carried out a search warrant on the home, and his car was towed by midday on Wednesday.

German's colleagues said that they were just doing what he had taught them to do - follow the story and 'aggressively' try to find out what happened.

Following Telles' arrest, Executive Editor Glenn Cook said: 'The arrest of Robert Telles is at once an enormous relief and an outrage for the Review-Journal newsroom.

'We are relieved Telles is in custody and outraged that a colleague appears to have been killed for reporting on an elected official.

'Journalists cant do the important work our communities require if they are afraid a presentation of facts could lead to violent retribution.

'We thank Las Vegas police for their urgency and hard work and for immediately recognizing the terrible significance of Jeffs killing.

Now, hopefully, the Review-Journal, the German family and Jeffs many friends can begin the process of mourning and honoring a great man and a brave reporter.'
A Detroit police officer resigned after the department discovered her explicit OnlyFans page with porn.

Janelle Zielinski left the Detroit Police Department on Monday a day before an investigation was launched when her risque page was revealed.

Chris Graveline, the director of the Detroit Police Department's Professional Standards section,' said Zielinski's profile was found through her social media account.

'One of our officers through her Instagram account had a paywall set up and was posting pornographic videos on the other side of the paywall,' Graveline told Fox 2 Detroit.

'One of the bedrocks of DPD is you have to keep your private life unsullied as well. This is a major point of emphasis to our officers so when we see something like this, Command moves very quickly.'

Detroit Chief James White launched the investigation on Tuesday and ordered Zielinski to be suspended from the force, but learned she had already resigned.

Zielinski joined the police department in March after graduating from the academy.

The Detroit Police Department didn't immediately respond for comment.

Janelle Zielinski was suspended from the Detroit Police Department after her OnlyFans account was discovered

The police force launched an investigation on Tuesday and ordered for Zielinski to be suspended

Pornographic videos were found on her OnlyFans account. Officers are required to keep their private lives 'unsullied,' according to a member of the Detroit Police Department

Zielinski's OnlyFans link was in the bio of her Instagram page

Her OnlyFans page was discoverable through her Instagram. She allegedly has pictures of her self in uniform

Zielinski broke the silence on her resignation on Tuesday night and claimed she didn't quit the force because she was in trouble but to 'better' her life.

'I'm going to just say it since everyone's finding out,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I quit [the Detroit Police Department] to better my life and be with the people I care about and love me.'

'Never fired, or in trouble whatsoever. So whoever is a [p***y] and can't handle peoples success - that's on you, not me.'

Some people were confused as to why the department chose to suspend Zielinski from the force.

'Did she hurt anyone or post anything containing department owned/issued items?' one person wrote. 'Seen less of a punishment for shooting unarmed people.'

Another added, 'This is not the police accountability that we are looking for.'

'If they made more money hourly, they wouldn't have to do things like that,' another added.

Others disagreed with Zielinski's actions.

'You're representing the city when you have a badge, and it's just bad rep for the city,' Alvin Crosby told Fox 2 Detroit.

'Since she is promoting it on her Instagram along with promoting being a cop, I can see how it can be a conflict of interest,' another person added.

Zielinski addressed the contention in an Instagram post on Tuesday

Zielinsky joined the police department in March after graduating from the academy

Some people disagree about the decision to suspend Zielinski off the police force

Others disagreed with Zielinski's actions and argued she should've worn her badge with 'honor'

But some professionals have decided to quit their day jobs and move towards their side gigs.

Courtney Tilla, a former special needs teacher in Arizona, recently ditched grading tests to become an OnlyFans model in California.

Tilla told TMZ she has three different OnlyFans accounts - a VIP page, a free page, and a merchandise store.

She revealed that she has racked in the most money through her VIP page, where she makes $380,734 in monthly subscriptions and an additional $164,660 from messaging with subscribers.

Her kinky career has also given her a total of $50,045 in tips from fans.

The OnlyFans star - who is also a mom-of-four - explained to the outlet that it would've taken her 25 years to make the same seven-figure sum if she remained in her previous profession as a high school educator.
Advertisement

The Cut, the liberal magazine that published an in-depth interview with the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, in August, has targeted King Charles in a new piece that was published online on Wednesday.

The latest piece from the New York Magazine offshoot is titled: 'King Charles's Reign of Fussiness Has Begun,' which comes days before the Queen's funeral, which is scheduled for Monday.

The article points to reports that Charles went through two 'tantrums' in the days after his mother's death. One was the report that he stormed out of a signing ceremony in Northern Ireland when a pen leaked on him, another was when he 'trussed up in tails and hissing at palace aides who failed to move a pen tray off his table with due haste.'

The king apparently gestured to aides to help him to make some room on a cluttered desk.

The Cut goes on to mention a report from the Guardian in which it was alleged that Charles chose to tell close to 100 employees that he was letting them go as he prepares to move into Buckingham Palace during a memorial service for his mother. A source told the newspaper: 'Everybody is absolutely livid, including private secretaries and the senior team.'

In August, Markle told the Cut that she and Prince Harry were 'happy' to leave Britain and were 'upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy just by existing' before they stepped down as frontline royals and moved to North America.

The latest attack from the magazine Charles III comes less than a week after his mother's death

The article accuses him of 'mundane cruelty' to his wife, Princess Diana.

Infamously, shortly after the Queen's death, the Cut published an article titled: 'I Won't Cry Over the Death of a Violent Oppressor.'

The piece was an interview Carnegie Mellon linguistics professor Uju Anya who tweeted on Thursday: 'I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating.'

Anya told the Cut that the Queen was a 'representative of the cult of white womanhood.'

The Cut was launched in 2008 as a section on New York Magazine's website and made into a standalone brand in 2012. It owned by Vox Media, who publish titles such as Thrillist, Eater and The Verge.

It has published such controversial removed pieces such as a 2018 article that referred to Priyanka Chopra as a 'global scam artist' with regard to her relationship with Nick Jonas and an open forum for spreading unconfirmed reports of sexual misconduct by men in journalism.

Anya, an applied-linguistics professor at the Pittsburgh university, is the daughter of a mother from Trinidad and a father from Nigeria.

She told NBC News that she is 'a child of colonization,' and that her perspective was shaped by Britain's role in the Nigerian Civil War.

'My earliest memories were from living in a war-torn area, and rebuilding still hasn't finished even today,' she said.

She defended her remarks opposing the monarchy and added that the Queen was not exempt from the decisions made by the British government 'she supervised.'

'Queen Elizabeth was representative of the cult of white womanhood,' Anya said.

'There's this notion that she was this little-old-lady grandma type with her little hats and her purses and little dogs and everything, as if she inhabited this place or this space in the imaginary, this public image, as someone who didn't have a hand in the bloodshed of her Crown.'

Uju Anya, a black applied-linguistics professor at the Pittsburgh university, said on Friday: 'Queen Elizabeth was representative of the cult of white womanhood'

Shortly before the Queen's passing was announced on Thursday, Anya tweeted that she hoped her death would be 'excruciating'

In August, Markle told the Cut that what the couple asked for when they wanted financial freedom was not 'reinventing the wheel'.

The article also heard from Harry who suggested some members of the Royal Family 'aren't able to work and live together', while Meghan revealed that her husband told her that he had 'lost' his father Prince Charles.

Meghan also said: 'I'm getting back  on Instagram' - with Davies describing 'her eyes alight and devilish'. It comes after she closed all of her social media accounts ahead of her wedding to Harry in 2018. But further down the article, it says: 'Later, Meghan would relay she was no longer sure she would actually return to Instagram.'

And Meghan said she spoke to a Lion King cast member from South Africa in London in 2019 who told her: 'When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison.'

Meghan said that she and Prince Harry were 'happy' to leave Britain and were 'upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy just by existing' before they stepped down as frontline royals and moved to North America.

Prior to the release of their interview, The Cut published an article titled: 'People Will Accuse Meghan Markle of Lying About Anything.' That piece dealt with Markle's claim that there had been a fire in Archie's room prior to the formerly Royal couple attending an event, and cited numerous commentators allegations that the event was exaggerated.

Queen Elizabeth II's funeral cortege is pictured making its way along The Royal Mile towards St Giles Cathedral on September 12

Britons gathered in tribute as the carriage carrying the Queen's coffin passed by on Monday

The Cut reported today that 41-year-old Meghan listed a 'handful of princes and princesses and dukes who have the very arrangement they wanted', although none of these royals are named in the article.

And Meghan, speaking to New York-based features writer Allison P Davis, said: 'That, for whatever reason, is not something that we were allowed to do, even though several other members of the family do that exact thing.'

Asked 'Why do you think that is?', she simply replied: 'Why do you think that is?', with the interviewer Davis saying that she said this 'right back with a side-eye that suggests I should understand without having to be told'.

The article states that Harry and Meghan suggested to 'The Firm' that they should be allowed to work on behalf of the monarchy but make their own money, with the Duchess saying: 'Then maybe all the noise would stop.'

The article says: 'They also thought it best to leave the U.K. (and the U.K. press) to do it. They were willing to go to basically any commonwealth, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, anywhere.

''Anything to just  because just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy. So we go, 'Okay, fine, let's get out of here. Happy to,' ' she says, putting her hands up in mock defeat.

'Meghan asserts that what they were asking for wasn't 'reinventing the wheel' and lists a handful of princes and princesses and dukes who have the very arrangement they wanted.

''That, for whatever reason, is not something that we were allowed to do, even though several other members of the family do that exact thing.'

'Why do you think that is? I ask. 'Why do you think that is?' she says right back with a side-eye that suggests I should understand without having to be told.'

The Duchess was asked during the interview whether forgiveness can exist between her and her own family as well as members of the Royal Family.

She told The Cut: 'I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive. But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. I've really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything.'

The article also refers to Meghan's estranged father Thomas Markle, a retired lighting director who now lives in Mexico.

The report said that Meghan discussed how two families had been 'torn apart'.

And it quotes Meghan as saying: 'Harry said to me, 'I lost my dad in this process.' It doesn't have to be the same for them as it was for me, but that's his decision.'
A woman has been arrested in South Korea over the deaths of two children discovered inside suitcases in south Auckland.

South Korean authorities arrested the 42-year-old woman on Thursday on an arrest warrant following a request from NZ Police.

The arrest comes a month after the children's remains were discovered in suitcases by a family at a Manurewa storage unit on August 11.

'NZ Police have applied to have her extradited back to New Zealand to face the charges and have requested she remain in custody whilst awaiting the completion of the extradition process,' Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said.

The arrest comes a month after the children's remains were discovered in suitcases by a family at a Manurewa storage unit on August 11 (pictured)

'In the meantime, there are a number of inquiries to be completed both in New Zealand and overseas.'

Investigators also acknowledged the ongoing assistance of South Korean authorities.

'Police would also like to acknowledge the overwhelming support from the public since the commencement of a very challenging investigation,' a statement read.

'To have someone in custody overseas within such a short period of time has all been down to the assistance of the Korean authorities and the co-ordination by our NZ Police Interpol staff.'

'As the matter is now before the Court, Police are not in a position to make any further comment.'

Police are yet to reveal any more details of when the woman is expected to be extradited back to New Zealand or whether officers have travelled to South Korea.

The grisly discovery of the girl and boy, thought to be aged 10 and five respectively when they died four years ago before being found on August 11. The news made headlines around the globe.

A family who successfully bid for the contents of a storage unit from Safe Store Papatoetoe at auction found the bodies inside two similar-sized suitcases when they were sent to their Clendon Park home.

The family who opened the suitcases are not under suspicion.

It was recently revealed the father of the two dead children died from cancer while living in New Zealand in 2017 before his wife left for South Korea.

NZ Police confirmed three weeks ago the remains of the two children had been identified, but could not be named due to a suppression order.

A family from Manurewa, in south Auckland bid in an auction on August 11 and won the unit's contents before making the shocking discovery human remains were inside

Local authorities welcomed news of the breakthrough on Thursday morning as they acknowledged to efforts of police in both New Zealand and South Korea.

'This is a matter that needs to be resolved. The story of what happened to those young children needs to be told and I'm hopeful that that will happen soon,' Auckland Councillor Daniel Newman told the New Zealand Herald.

'It was an appalling situation that took place and it was a great slight on the family and the community of Clendon [Park]. So I'm very very hopeful that this matter will be brought to a speedy conclusion because people need closure and our community needs to move on.'

The Korean Society of New Zealand vowed to provide any support the woman requires during the court process if she's extradited back to New Zealand

It's understood the woman was suffering from depression and received little support following the death of her husband in 2017 before fleeing to South Korea.

'We are so sorry to hear about what happened to the children,' vice president Mijin Kim said.

'I think this highlights the need for greater support for those in need of mental health help, both from the government and also from within our communities.'
Queue to see the queen is so big it can be seen from SPACE: Satellite pictures show mourners lining up along the banks of the Thames to pay their last respects to monarch
What legal measures do I need to consider in the event of a split, if I buy a property with my partner? We are not married.

If you are looking to buy a property with a partner, it is wise to do some research beforehand

Myra Butterworth, MailOnline Property expert replies: If you are looking to buy a property with a partner, it is wise to do some research beforehand to ensure that you are financially protected in the event of a split further down the line.

There are steps you can take to ensure that you are not made homeless should a split occur, with perhaps the most important of these being making sure that you are registered at the Land Registry.

We speak to a legal expert about your options and how to set things up legally before embarking on buying a property with someone.

Stephen Gold, ex-judge and author, explains: Much more important than winning the argument over whether the bedroom walls should be painted pink or black with white stripes is getting yourself registered at the Land Registry as a joint proprietor: effectively, having your name on the deeds.

The reason for this is that, should your relationship break down, the law will treat you differently than someone coming out of a failed marriage or civil partnership.

For cohabitees breaking up, the law is rubbish

For them, the law says that whatever is owned - whether in the name of just one of the parties or in the names of them both - should be divided fairly.

For cohabitees breaking up, the law is rubbish. But with you down as a joint owner, the profit - and, hopefully, not the loss - on a future sale will be paid out according to how much of the property you own.

Since I was in nappies, they have been talking about treating separating couples in a similar way to separating spouses - and, more recently, civil partners - but it has never happened. I am prepared to wager my law books that the law will change. Alas, not yet.

What if you put in unequal amounts?

When the property is transferred to you both, the documentation will indicate the shares you each own.

If, as is most common, you own as 'joint tenants' this will almost certainly result in an equal split.

However, the documentation may specify different shares - particularly where one party has come up with most, if not all, of the cash being put down, or will be paying the lion's share of the outgoings, including the mortgage instalments.

Then, the documentation will say that you own as 'tenants in common' and specify the shares.

Couples often decide that when the property comes to be sold, they should each have the cash deposit they put in returned to them and that, after deduction of the mortgage and the sale expenses, the balance should be equally divided.

On the other hand, there is no legal objection to one party having a one-half interest in the entire profit on sale, despite the fact that they have not made a cash contribution or contributed towards the mortgage. A test of how true is the love of the party with the dosh.

The law does recognise that a couple's intentions about the shares in the home that they own may change over the course of time.

In a Supreme Court case, cohabitees bought an Essex property for 30,000 in 1985 on the basis they were 50/50 owners.

Thirteen years later it was worth 245,000. By then the couple had separated with the woman staying in the house and looking after the parties' two children and paying all outgoings.

It was ruled that the parties' intentions about shares was presumed to have changed with the woman's interest having risen to 90 per cent.

As a joint owner, the profit - and, hopefully, not the loss - on a future sale will be paid out according to how much of the property you own

Beware lies that one party may peddle

'You're going through a divorce right now. I won't put your name on the deeds as this could mess up the financial case between you and your hubby.'

Or 'as you're not yet 21, you'll have to stay off the deeds for the time being.' And even 'the building society say that the flat must be in my sole name as you're not working.'

These are the sort of lies that one party may peddle to the other as an excuse for keeping their name off the deeds.

Stephen Gold is a retired judge and author

Courts have been known to treat them as the truth, and so use them as evidence that the liar actually intended the other party to have an interest in the property.

So you see, the fact that your name has been left off the deeds does not mean that you cannot successfully claim an interest in the property.

You would need to prove that you both intended you should have an interest - there was an agreement or understanding between you to this effect which could even have come about some time after the purchase - and that you acted to your detriment in the reasonable belief that you were acquiring this interest. It is known as a constructive trust claim.

A financial contribution towards the purchase price or repayment mortgage instalments, or carrying out or bearing the cost of substantial improvements would be good evidence of an intention that you should have an interest and of you acting to your detriment.

Get it in writing

There is nothing to legally prevent your partner adding you as a joint owner even when you were originally left out.

'You have been abusing me for years. I'm off unless you make me a joint owner in the house now.' I've heard of that one more than once. A share in the property can be transferred over, although the mortgage lender's consent will probably be required.

Alternatively, your partner can sign a document - a 'declaration of trust' is what all the best lawyers call it - in which they make it clear that they now regard you as a joint owner and the amount of your share.

Best to have a lawyer deal with it and the step to be taken at the Land Registry, to ensure they cannot surreptitiously sell or mortgage the property while you are out doing the shopping.

Should the property go into joint names, the couple may want to have a trust deed drawn up which dictates a variety of things such as how they will contribute towards the mortgage, and what would be the impact on their share in the event of them financing major works of improvement.

Proprietary estoppel

Yes, it does sound painful but it could be pleasurable. This is the title of another legal argument that can be put forward when you are off the deeds.

You can score here if able to prove that your partner made a promise to you about the property - commonly, it's that you could live there for as long as you wanted - which you relied on to your substantial detriment and that your partner has acted in a morally unacceptable way.

For example, take Mr T, who was cautious and guarded. He told Mrs B that he was against marriage but that she and her two young daughters would always have a home and be secure in the Droitwich house he was buying in his sole name.

On the strength of that she gave up her tenancy in Manchester, shelled out around 4,000 towards the new house and she and the girls moved in.

Around nine years later, the relationship was over and she and the girls were homeless. Mr T had broken his promise, which was unconscionable. She was awarded 28,500 reflecting what the money she had put into Droitwich and Manchester was worth when her case was heard.

When there are children

If you have children under 18 by your partner and you are their carer, you will want a roof over all your heads. But say you are not on the deeds and none of the delightful arguments I have mentioned are available to you, what then?

A court application can be made under schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989. Your partner could at least be ordered to make the home available for occupation by you and the children, with your partner out of it, while the children are completing their education - up to first degree - or make available another property they may own, for the same purpose.

You will find more on financially protecting yourself before and during cohabitation from the standpoint of both parties, plus making a claim against the estate of a partner who has died without making provision for the survivor in my book 'The Return of Breaking Law'.

Stephen Gold is an ex-judge and author of 'The Return of Breaking Law' published by Bath Publishing. For more on service charges, go to breakinglaw.co.uk
Advertisement

The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter spacecraft has captured the reversal of the Sun's magnetic field on camera for the first time.

These reversals, known as magnetic switchbacks, have previously been hypothesised, but until now have not been observed directly.

The new observation provides a full view of the structure and confirms that magnetic switchbacks have an S-shaped character.

ESA hopes the footage will help to unravel the mystery of how their physical formation mechanism might help accelerate solar winds.

The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter spacecraft has captured the reversal of the Sun's magnetic field on camera for the first time. These reversals, known as magnetic switchbacks, have previously by hypothesised, but until now have not been observed directly

What is a magnetic switchback? A magnetic switchback is a sudden and large deflection of the solar winds magnetic field. In the study, the researchers proved that switchbacks occur when there is an interaction between a region of open field lines and a region of closed field lines. As the field lines meet, they reconnect into more stable configurations. And much like cracking whip, this releases energy, sending off an S-shaped disturbance. Advertisement

A number of spacecraft  including NASA's Parker Solar Probe  have flown through magnetic switchbacks before, but have been unable to record the puzzling regions.

However, on 25 March 2022, Solar Orbiter was just a day away from a close pass of the Sun when its Metis instrument recorded an unusual image of the solar corona.

The image showed a distorted S-shaped kink in the coronal plasma, which looked suspiciously like a solar switchback.

The Metis image was taken in visible light, so the researchers decided to compare it with an image taken by Solar Orbiter's Extreme Ultraviolet Imager instrument.

This comparison confirmed the candidate switchback above an active region catalogued as AR 12972.

A further analysis of the Metis data showed that the speed of the plasma above this region was very slow - as would be expected from an active region that has yet to release its stored energy.

Daniele Telloni, who led the study, instantly thought this resembled a mechanism for switchbacks proposed by Professor Gary Zank, of the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Near the Sun, there are open and closed magnetic field lines.

Closed lines are loops of magnetism that arch up into the solar atmosphere, before curving round and disappearing back into the Sun.

Very little plasma can escape into space above these field lines, and so the speed of the solar winds tends to be slow here.

On 25 March 2022, Solar Orbiter was just a day away from a close pass of the Sun, when its Metis instrument recorded an unusual image of the solar corona

In the study, the researchers proved that switchbacks occur when there is an interaction between a region of open field lines and a region of closed field lines. As the field lines meet, they reconnect into more stable configurations. And much like cracking whip, this releases energy, sending off an S-shaped disturbance

In contrast, open field lines emanate from the Sun and connect with the interplanetary magnetic field of the Solar System.

Here, plasma can flow freely, giving rise to fast solar winds.

In the study, the researchers proved that switchbacks occur when there is an interaction between a region of open field lines and a region of closed field lines.

As the field lines meet, they reconnect into more stable configurations.

And much like a cracking whip, this releases energy, sending off an S-shaped disturbance.

Professor Zank said: 'The first image from Metis that Daniele showed suggested to me almost immediately the cartoons that we had drawn in developing the mathematical model for a switchback.

'Of course, the first image was just a snapshot and we had to temper our enthusiasm until we had used the excellent Metis coverage to extract temporal information and do a more detailed spectral analysis of the images themselves. The results proved to be absolutely spectacular!'

The researchers hope the findings will help to unravel the mystery of how solar winds are accelerated and heated away from the Sun.

'The next step is to try to statistically link switchbacks observed in situ with their source regions on the Sun,' said Ms Telloni.

The footage was recorded during the Solar Orbiter's very first close pass to the Sun, and ESA hopes that with further orbits, even more data can be obtained.

Daniel Muller, ESA Project Scientist for Solar Orbiter, added: 'With every orbit, we obtain more data from our suite of ten instruments.

'Based on results like this one, we will fine-tune the observations planned for Solar Orbiter's next solar encounter to understand the way in which the Sun connects to the wider magnetic environment of the Solar System.

'This was Solar Orbiter's very first close pass to the Sun, so we expect many more exciting results to come.'




By Nam Hyun-woo







United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner Seoul (OHCHR Seoul) will have an Australian human rights adviser as its new head, ending a two-year leadership vacuum.







According to Voice of America, a spokesperson for the office of the U.N. Secretary General said Tuesday that it has appointed James Heenan as the head of OHCHR Seoul, without specifying his term.







"The head of the office is James Heenan and he will begin his role shortly," the office was quoted by the news outlet.







Heenan was a practicing lawyer in Australia and the U.K., focusing on labor rights issues. After joining the U.N., he has worked with OHCHR for 16 years and most recently served as the head of OHCHR's office in the occupied Palestine territories.







As OHCHR Seoul appoints its new head, the organization's activities for monitoring North Korea's human rights situation will likely get back on track.







After its inaugural head, Signe Poulsen, served her five-year term and left the office for a new position in the Philippines in 2020, the office has been operating without a chief, triggering concerns from multiple North Korea human rights civic groups.







In August of last year, seven civic groups in the U.S., Canada and South Korea sent a joint letter to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres and urged the prompt appointment of OHCHR Seoul's chief, saying it "has lacked an effective chief who can speak with authority to the press and civil society to maintain visibility of the issue or to guarantee access to North Korean escapees for documentation, devoid of politics or bureaucracy."







OHCHR Seoul opened in June 2015 to monitor human rights in North Korea, and to work with relevant governments, civil society and others to promote and protect human rights.


Up to a third of William Shakespeare's plays may have been co-written by another author, new analysis suggests.

Experts have long suspected the playwright collaborated on a number of projects, but this research, which uses innovative language analysis techniques, helps to shed light on just how much this might have been the case.

The data reveals that work such as Titus Andronicus and Pericles may have be co-written by George Peele and George Wilkins respectively.

Others may have been started by other authors and finished by Shakespeare.

For example, according to the analysis, some of the earlier scenes of Henry VI, Part 2, were probably written by Christopher Marlowe.

Measure For Measure was adapted by Thomas Middleton after Shakespeare's death, as was Macbeth, but there is no original unadapted version for the latter.

Researchers said it was also likely that plays attributed to other authors, such as Sir Thomas More by Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle, and the anonymous Edward III, were actually part-written by Shakespeare.

Up to one third of Shakespeare's plays may be have been co-authored, new research suggests

Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, associated with William Shakespeare, in the London Borough of Southwark. The original theatre was built in 1599

WHAT ARE LINGUISTIC FINGERPRINTS? All writers have linguistic fingerprints and these govern how often they will use a word, and the chance that it will appear alongside others. Using computer models, researchers at De Montfort University looked at the use of function words like 'and', 'of' and 'the' in classic texts to attribute specific writing styles and patterns to specific authors. They found that the distinct fingerprint of many other authors exists in Shakespeare's work. Advertisement

The analysis concentrates on linguistic fingerprints. All writers have them and these govern how often they will use a word, and the chance that it will appear alongside others.

Experts discovered that many acts in plays attributed solely to Shakespeare bore a greater resemblance to the writing style of other authors.

Speaking at the British Science Festival in Leicester, Professor Gabriel Egan, from De Montfort University, said his analysis suggests Shakespeare may have written a lot more than previously thought, but added that some of what was thought to have been written by him was not.

He believes Shakespeare had a hand in 43 plays, while 14 were co-authored.

Professor Egan said: 'He is a much more sociable writer than we ever thought.

'He's not off on his own thinking hard with that big dome head full of ideas. He is that, but he's also engaged with other writers.

'That's the key point, he must have actually, working in the theatre, read other people's work, and in many cases, sat with them and said "let's do a play".'

He added: 'That isn't a model of a sociability that I grew up with and I learned as a student, it's something we've discovered about his engagement in the theatre industry.'

Using computer models, the researchers looked at the use of function words like 'and', 'of' and 'the' in classic texts to attribute specific writing styles and patterns to specific authors.

Researchers believe Shakespeare had a hand in 43 plays, while 14 were co-authored

Professor Egan found that the distinct fingerprints of many other authors exist in Shakespeare's work.

He was most surprised to discover how much of the three Henry VI plays were not written by the playwright.

'This is a fairly new discovery, that they are co-authored -there's no external reason to think so, ' said Professor Egan.

'There's no sense. With other plays like Two Noble Kinsmen, it says on the title page "by John Fletcher".

'It is quite a surprise that those (Henry VI) are co-authored.

'Something like a third of plays by Shakespeare are in fact collaborative plays.

'Attempts to refute that conclusion collapse upon close investigation by experts.'

Professor Egan added that some people are 'very fond' of their image of Shakespeare as a 'lone genius' and do not like to think of his famous lines as having been written by someone else.

The research was presented at the British Science Festival in Leicester.
NASA's tiny CAPSTONE spacecraft has run into trouble on its way to the moon and is currently tumbling out of control.

The US space agency's $30 million probe, which is around the size of a microwave oven and weighs just 55 pounds, has also been experiencing temperature issues and had problems generating power from its solar panels.

Toward the end of a major engine burn last Thursday (September 9), CAPSTONE experienced an anomaly that put the probe in a protective 'safe mode', mission team members said.

In an update issued this week, Advanced Space  the company that is managing the project for NASA  described it as a 'dynamic operational situation'.

It is not the first time CAPSTONE has hit a snag. In July, the craft went silent shortly after breaking free from its orbit around Earth. However, communication was later restored.

The spacecraft was launched in June with the aim of orbiting the moon to prepare for a new lunar space station

It will test the stability of a halo-shaped orbit before this is used by Lunar Gateway, NASA's planned lunar outpost.

NASA's tiny CAPSTONE spacecraft (pictured in an artist's impression) has run into trouble on its way to the moon and is currently tumbling out of control

CAPSTONE: KEY FACTS Type: CubeSat Size: 13 x 13 x 25 inches Weight: 55 pounds Orbit: Near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) Launch site: Mahia, New Zealand Launch date: June 13-22, 2022 Advertisement

Lunar Gateway will one day serve as a 'staging area' for landing humans on the moon and potentially as a jumping point for missions to Mars.

Ground teams are now trying to stabilise the motion of the small scouting satellite and rescue the mission.

CAPSTONE reached a distance of more than 950,000 miles (1.53 million km) from Earth on August 26, before gravity started pulling the probe onto a course to cross paths with the moon ahead of a planned orbit insertion burn on November 13.

Halfway during its transit to Earth's only natural satellite, the probe fired its miniature hydrazine propulsion system for its third trajectory correction manoeuvre, but NASA said the spacecraft suffered a problem during or shortly after the burn.

This caused it to tumble, with CAPSTONE's reaction wheels  which are designed to control its orientation  unable to counter the motion.

Ground stations were then unable to receive meaningful communications from the spacecraft, which prompted Advanced Space to declare an operational emergency.

When contact was finally re-established some 24 hours later, 'mission controllers found that the spacecraft was tumbling, the onboard computer systems were periodically resetting, and the spacecraft was using more power than it was generating from its solar panels,' NASA said.

Controllers did eventually manage to stabilise CAPSTONE with the help of NASA's Deep Space Network, an array of giant radio antennas used to support interplanetary spacecraft missions.

'Rapid response enabled by the Deep Space Network support and quick thinking by the team at Terran Orbital allowed mission operators to quickly reconfigure the operational state of the spacecraft to stabilize the situation while recovery plans could be further evaluated,' Advanced Space said in an update.

A team of experts are now evaluating next steps.

But without the Deep Space Network, they 'would have little or no information on the status of the spacecraft,' according to Advanced Space.

NASA added that the silver lining was that the probe remained on course for the moon.

It said in a statement: 'CAPSTONE remains in safe mode and now is power positive, meaning that it is generating more power from the solar panels than the system is using.

CAPSTONE over the lunar North Pole: After arriving at the moon, the craft will begin a six-month-long mission to validate a special type of orbit

'Navigation data collected after the issue began suggests the Sept. 8 trajectory correction maneuver was completed or nearly complete when the issue occurred.

'This means the spacecraft remains on the intended trajectory and on course to its near rectilinear halo orbit at the moon.'

The US space agency added: 'While work is ongoing to diagnose the cause of the issue, the team is preparing CAPSTONE to attempt a detumble operation to regain attitude control of the spacecraft.'

CAPSTONE is an abbreviation for 'Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment'.

It is unique in that it will travel on an elongated halo-shaped orbit, which will bring it as close as 1,000 miles and as far as 43,500 miles from the lunar surface.

While it usually takes a few days for a spacecraft to reach the moon, CAPSTONE is taking much longer because it is travelling at a slower speed and has to take a longer route to gear itself for an unusual oval shape orbit.

The strange-shaped orbit, officially called an near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO), has never before been tried in space.

Lunar Gateway, pictured here above the moon in an artist's impression, is described as a 'vital component' of NASA's Artemis programme

The orbit's route is located at a precise balance point in the gravities of the Earth and moon, meaning less energy is expended.

CAPSTONE is set to orbit around the moon for at least six months to understand 'the characteristics of the orbit', according to NASA.

The space agency said: 'It will validate the power and propulsion requirements for maintaining its orbit as predicted by NASA's models, reducing logistical uncertainties.

'It will also demonstrate the reliability of innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solutions as well as communication capabilities with Earth.'

The first parts for the Lunar Gateway are not set to launch until November 2024 at the very earliest, giving NASA plenty of time to assess the results from CAPSTONE providing the mission is successful.

Described as a 'vital component of NASA's Artemis programme, the Lunar Gateway will be a small space station orbiting the moon, acting as a 'multi-purpose outpost'.
Scientists in China say it's very unlikely that the oblong Oumuamua asteroid that zipped into our solar system is an alien spacecraft - despite the claims of a controversial Harvard professor to the contrary.

The first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, which is somewhere between 300 and 3,000 feet in length, was first observed in October 2017 by the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS1 telescope and it caused quite a stir.

Astronomers were baffled by it - some said it was a comet and others claimed it was an alien craft or a remnant of a Pluto-like planet.

Harvard physicist Avi Loeb wrote in his 2021 study of the object's potential origins: 'Each of these natural-origin models has major quantitative shortcomings, and so the possibility of an artificial origin for Oumuamua must be considered. Oumuamuas anomalies suggest that it might have been a thin craft - with a large area per unit mass - pushed by the reflection of sunlight.'

A new peer-reviewed study by a group of Chinese scientists analyzes the data we have about Oumuamua to poke holes in Loeb's claim about how such an alien craft could be moving through space.

Scientists in China say it's very unlikely that the oblong Oumuamua asteroid (seen above in an artist's rendering) that zipped into our solar system is an alien spacecraft - despite the claims of a controversial Harvard professor to the contrary

This very deep combined image shows the interstellar asteroid Oumuamua at the center of the picture. It is surrounded by the trails of faint stars that are smeared as the telescopes tracked the moving asteroid

In order for the rocky, cigar-shaped object that zoomed past the sun at 196,000 miles per hour to be an alien ship, it might need to be pushed forward by some type of extremely thin light sail that captures particles from stars.

Harvard physicist Avi Loeb (above) wrote in his study of Oumuamua's potential origins that something artificial must be considered

The scientists wrote in their paper that's been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics: 'The dynamics of an intruding light sail, if it exists, has distinct observational signatures, which can be quantitatively identified and analyzed with our methods in future surveys.'

'We conclude that the possibility of Oumuamua being a light sail is extremely unlikely,' Shangfei Liu, an astronomer at Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, China, told The Daily Beast.

Light sails, which are also known as solar sails, use photons - tiny particles of electromagnetic energy - in the way that a sailboat uses wind. If they were part of a spacecraft, they would reflect either a lot of light or only a little.

Shangfei, one of the study's co-authors, explained to the Daily Beast that Oumuamua should have been very bright at certain points and then basically invisible at others. Although the strangely-shaped object did get brighter and darker, it didn't get bright enough, he says.

'If it was a lightsail, the brightness variation should be much larger.'

However, Loeb told the news outlet that the asteroid's dim appearance could be explained by the shape of the sail - which may be flat or may be more shaped like an umbrella.

Oumuamua could be a spacecraft 'in other forms,' Shangfei told the Daily Beast - meaning that it may simply be driven by some other system that doesn't involve light sails.

Although Oumuamua's mysterious traits have not been entirely laid to rest by this new paper, scientists hope that future technology - in the form of more powerful telescopes - could help them analyze future objects that could enter our solar system.
Extreme drought impacting Massachusetts is impacting this year's cranberry harvest - threatening Thanksgiving cranberry sauce and drinks like cosmopolitans - while straining an industry that contributes $1 billion to the state.

Farmers have been feeling the impact of massive weather shifts fueled by climate change in recent years. Two gigantic storms in 2015 and 2017 flooded some cranberry bogs with seawater. A huge amount of rainfall led to pickled crops and a nationwide shortage last year.

This year, extremely dry conditions began in late spring and didn't let up. Ten out of 14 counties in the state were experiencing extreme drought and the remainder were categorized as severe as of August.

'The boom or bust scenario that climate change presents when it comes to precipitation events  the boom being the large precipitation event, the bust being long dry spells  thats not a good thing,' Zachary Zobel, a scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts, told Grist.

Extreme drought impacting Massachusetts is impacting this year's cranberry harvest - threatening Thanksgiving cranberry sauce and drinks like cosmopolitans

Farmers have been feeling the impact of massive weather shifts fueled by climate change in recent years. Two gigantic storms in 2015 and 2017 flooded some cranberry bogs with seawater. Above: popular cocktails like cosmopolitans require cranberry juice

The cranberry industry contributes about 7,000 jobs and $1 billion in annual economic activity in Massachusetts, according to the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Cranberries, which have been cultivated in Massachusetts since 1816, are also known to be a bit of a picky crop. If there's too much rain, fungus can form on cranberry vines and impact the fruits' color and quality. Not enough water means the berries won't grow correctly.

Farmers use fresh water to flood fields as a management tool to protect the plants from cold, dry winter winds, to control pests and to remove fallen leaves, the Cape Cod Growers Association states.

The more widely-used use of flooding is for harvesting the berries. The bogs get flooded with up to one foot of water, which occurs after the cranberries have an ideal color and the waters have lost their summer heat.

'Weve had so much dry heat that peoples water is getting all used up. Its going to be a difficult harvest for a lot of people,' Greenwood Hartley III, a Rochester resident and Select Board member who grows on 11.5 acres locally, told Sippican Week.

'Were getting these extreme weather conditions as the weather is changing where its hotter than usual or rainier than usual,' he added. 'Its difficult for any farmer. Everybody is really struggling.'

Farmers have about a month before harvesting begins in earnest and the drought has begun to ease a bit recently, but they're not entirely out of the woods yet.

'Well see what we get for rainfall over the next few weeks,' Brian Wick, executive director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association, told the environmental news outlet.

'Cranberries in Massachusetts will continue to thrive, but its going to be more challenging and difficult, and theyre going to have to adapt.'

'Youre not going to have that nice, consistent growing season, it just seems to be one extreme or another.'

The cranberry industry contributes about 7,000 jobs and $1 billion in annual economic activity in Massachusetts, according to the University of Massachusetts Amherst
Emoji fans rejoice - the pink heart is finally being added to the smartphone keyboard!

This is one of the 31 brand new emoji that have just been approved by The Unicode Consortium, the body for standardising characters in the world's writing systems.

The new Emoji 15.0 set also includes a shaking face (I'm shook), a moose, stem ginger, the Wi-Fi symbol and a pair of maracas.

There are also new new Rightwards Pushing Hand and Leftwards Pushing Hand emojis, which are each available in five different skin tones.

Sadly you won't be able to deploy them in your group chats just yet, as platforms owned by Apple, Google and Meta first have to implement them into their software.

Google and Android platforms are likely to release support for the new emojis between October and December, while iPhone and Samsung users may have to wait until next year.

The new Emoji 15.0 set, that was officially announced today, includes a shaking face, a moose, stem ginger, the Wi-Fi symbol and a pair of maracas

Pink heart (left) has been one of the most 'discussed absences on the emoji keyboard' since 2016, Emojipedia said. Other inclusions in Emoji 15.0 are donkey, jellyfish, hair pick, pea pod, moose, donkey and a khanda (pictured) - the symbol of the Sikh faith

There are also ten new skin tone modifier sequences - five each for the new Rightwards Pushing Hand and Leftwards Pushing Hand emojis

NEW EMOJI ACCEPTED FOR EMOJI 15.0 Shaking face

Light blue heart

Grey heart

Pink heart

Leftwards pushing hand (in five skin tones + standard yellow)

Rightwards pushing hand (in five skin tones + standard yellow)

Moose

Donkey

Wing

Black bird

Goose

Jellyfish

Hyacinth

Ginger root

Pea pod

Folding hand fan

Hair pick

Maracas

Flute

Khanda

Wireless (Wi-Fi symbol) Advertisement

Other new emojis in the updated set include a donkey, an angel wing, a jellyfish, a black bird, a goose, hyacinth flower and a pod of peas.

A folding hand fan, hair pick, flute, the khanda - the symbol of the Sikh faith - and both light blue and grey hearts.

There are already several other colours of heart available, and different versions of pink hearts.

These include a growing pink heart, two-hearts, heart with arrow, heart with ribbon and beating heart.

However, users have been desperately calling for the addition of a single light pink heart to use in their text-based conversations, so will be thrilled with the update.

One Twitter user said: 'pink heart emoji is on the way...for many on the tl [timeline] this is historic'.

Another said: 'After a billion years, we're finally getting a pink heart emoji.'

Companies apply stylised versions of the consortium's designs to their own operating systems.

Just hours after the announcement, Google published the new emojis in its Noto font, so developers can easily embed them in their projects.

However they will only be able to be used as part of a keyboard when the platform is able to support them.

Emojipedia, an emoji reference website, predict that they will not be supported on Facebook and Twitter until 2023.

No new emojis were included in iOS 16, which was released on Monday.

Users have been desperately calling for the addition of a single light pink heart to use in their text-based conversations, so are thrilled with the update

Just hours after the announcement, Google published the new emojis in its Noto font, so developers can easily embed them in their projects

With the exception of the skin tone modifier sequences, each of the 20 emojis have also been approved as coded characters as part of Unicode 15.0.

Apart from the 20 emojis, the updated Unicode 15.0 contains two new scripts - Kawi and Nag Mundari - with 86 and 42 characters respectively.

There are also 4,193 new Chinese, Japanese and Korean ideographs included, as well as Kaktovik numerals, used in Inuit and Yupik languages.

Other new symbols include a nine-pointed white star - used by members of the Bahai Faith - and eight that represent celestial bodies.

Twenty-nine additional Egyptian hieroglyph format controls will enable Egyptologists to better represent texts, according to The Unicode Consortium.

Apart from the 20 emojis, the updated Unicode 15.0 contains two new scripts - Kawi and Nag Mundari (left) - with 86 and 42 characters respectively. Other new symbols include a nine-pointed white star (right) - used by members of the Bahai Faith - and eight that represent celestial bodies

New emojis are chosen with the help of the general public, who are able to submit an application for a particular icon to the Unicode Consortium.

To be considered, the candidate emoji must have multiple uses, use in sequences, break new ground, be distinctive, be compatible and be frequently used, according to Unicode.

While submissions are no longer being accepted for Emoji 16.0, the next release, there is one particular type of emoji that will never be considered  flags.

In a blog explaining the decision, Jennifer Daniel, Unicode Emoji Subcommittee Chair, wrote: 'Flag emoji have always been subject to special criteria due to their open-ended nature, infrequent use, and burden on implementations.

'Today nine out of ten are in the top twenty most frequently shared flags. (The only outlier is Russia.)

'The addition of other flags and thousands of valid sequences into the Unicode Standard has not resulted in wider adoption.

'They don't stand still, are constantly evolving, and due to the open-ended nature of flags, the addition of one creates exclusivity at the expense of others.'
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If James Bond took up caravanning, this would be just the ticket for the secret agent - given his love of vehicles that work on both land and water.

Behold the 'Caracat' caravan, which can transform into a catamaran on the water, inviting travellers to camp on sea, lakes and land' in 'luxury'.

The hybrid vehicle, for which prices start at 112,900 (130,000) and stretch up to 260,500 (300,000), needs to be towed on a trailer on land but is propelled by a rechargeable electrical motor on the water, with power options ranging from eight to 15hp. A 25hp diesel engine can also be fitted.

The 'Caracat' caravan can transform into a catamaran on the water, inviting travellers to camp on sea, lakes and land' in 'luxury' (rendering above)

The hybrid vehicle, for which prices start at 112,900 (130,000) and stretch up to 260,500 (300,000), needs to be towed on a trailer on land but is propelled by a rechargeable electrical motor on the water, with power options ranging from eight to 15hp. A 25hp diesel engine can also be fitted

The innovative patented vessel - which gets its name from a blend of the words caravan and catamaran - was showcased at the 2022 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon in Germany earlier this month.

How does it work? Each model is equipped with deployable pontoons that extend outwards into the water, increasing the width from 2.5m (eight feet) to four metres (13ft). This increased width is said to offer maximum stability while cruising.

When the Caracat returns to land, the pontoons retract back into the vehicle so it can be safely towed on a road.

The product, which has been developed in Heidelberg, Germany, by Caracat (the company uses the name of its product), in partnership with the caravan specialists Schneider Caravaning, comes in three sizes.

Each model (rendering above) is equipped with deployable pontoons that extend outwards into the water, increasing the width from 2.5m (eight feet) to four metres (13ft)

The smallest, the Caracat 66, is 6.6m (21.6ft) long; Caracat 76, the medium-sized vessel, is 7.6m (25ft) long; and at 8.6m (28ft) in length, Caracat 86 is the largest model available.

They come with heating and air conditioning and can sleep four to six people on sofa beds and beds.

Prospective owners can choose from Smart, Comfort and Premium interior design styles. However, standard touches include luxury teak and leather in the living areas, polished granite in the kitchen and bathroom.

Prospective owners can choose from Smart, Comfort and Premium interior design styles

The campers are decorated with teak and leather in the living areas, and polished granite in the kitchen and bathroom

The roof pops up to create a large sunbathing area with shaded seating

Passengers can easily whip up dinner in the kitchen, which comes complete with a fridge, a cooker, a microwave and, handily, a wine cooler.

In the bathroom, there's a shower by the German brand Hafele and an eco-friendly Cinderella Incinerating Toilet, which turns waste into ash and water vapour.

Plus, there is a flat-screen television and a speaker system to keep passengers entertained.

The solar-panelled roof, meanwhile, pops up to create a large sunbathing area with shaded seating.

Theres a small balcony at the bow and aft deck, and when the pontoons are extended in the water, enough room is created for passengers to walk around the full perimeter of the Caracat.

Fresh water and wastewater, held in two 400-litre tanks, is stored in the pontoons.

The outer hull is built using glass-fibre reinforced plastic, a non-hazardous material that is commonly used in yacht building.

Caracat is more than a caravan, more than a houseboat, more than a catamaran, says the company.

While its a clever concept, its not entirely new. In 2015, German designer Daniel Straub unveiled a floating caravan that could cruise at speeds of up to 5.6mph, and earlier this year, an amphibious 'camper-trike' went on the market for 12,000.

The Caracat can be ordered now and will be ready for delivery after a production time of around about six months. For more information, visit www.cara-cat.com.
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Incredible images have emerged showing daredevil divers plunging from platforms up to 88.5ft (27m) in height in Switzerland during an annual cliff-diving contest.

Close to 10,000 spectators turned out for the adrenaline-pumping event run by Red Bull last weekend on the shores of Lake Lucerne in the municipality of Sisikon.

Photos from the two-day competition show male and female competitors performing dizzying flips and spins as they head towards the water.

Scroll down for video

Incredible images have emerged showing daredevil divers plunging from platforms up to 88.5ft (above) in height in Switzerland during an annual cliff-diving contest. Pictured, Miguel Garcia of Colombia

LEFT: Gary Hunt of France captured as he takes the plunge. RIGHT: British diver Aidan Heslop took home gold in the men's contest

Close to 10,000 spectators turned out for the adrenaline-pumping event. Pictured, Gary Hunt of France

The divers were judged on various aspects of their jumps including the type of take-off they performed, the number of somersaults they could pack in and how they entered the water at the end.

The female divers jumped from a 72.1ft- (22m) high custom-built platform jutting out above the shimmering blue waters, while the men leapt from an 88.5ft- (27m) high ledge.

Aidan Heslop, 20, from the UK won in the men's division while Rhiannan Iffland, 31, from Australia took home gold in the women's competition.

Heslop performed four 'high-quality dives' over the two competition days, including one that featured four somersaults and three and a half twists that propelled him to a comfortable 40-point victory over his nearest rival, Gary Hunt.

Photos from the two-day competition show male and female competitors performing dizzying flips and spins as they head towards the water

The female divers jumped from a 72.1ft- (22m) high custom-built platform jutting out above the shimmering blue waters, while the men leapt from an 88.5ft- (27m) high ledge. Pictured, Molly Carlson of Canada

The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series was established in 2009.

The 88.5ft height of the platform used in last weekend's event is the altitude ceiling for the competition, with divers experiencing speeds of up to 52.8mph (85kmph) during their three-second descent.

They also experience up to 10 times the force of gravity.

During each stage of the annual contest, divers must perform four dives, with their routines planned beforehand.

Diver Iffland previously explained during an interview with the Irish Examiner that if you get a dive wrong it can be catastrophic.

'The impact can be quite strong. It can feel like a car crash,' she said.

In terms of what it feels like to dive from such heights the athlete, who previously worked as a diving entertainer on cruise ships, added: 'It's very intimidating. I don't think it feels any different today than the first time, with that uncertainty.

LEFT: Iris Schmidbauer of Germany prepares to launch an 'armstand' dive. RIGHT: Belarusian diver Yana Nestsiarava is photographed as she plunges head first from the diving platform

The 88.5ft height of the platform used in last weekend's event is the altitude ceiling for the competition, with divers experiencing speeds of up to 52.8mph (85kmph) during their three-second descent. Pictured, Ukrainian diver Nikita Fedotov

During each stage of the annual contest, divers must perform four dives, with their routines planned beforehand. Pictured, French diver Gary Hunt

'The skills are completely different and it takes a lot more self-trust and mental capacity. It's a big step up.'

Meanwhile, when quizzed by Red Bull last year about why she liked cliff diving, Colombian athlete Maria Paula Quintero replied: 'This is a good question. A couple of hours ago, when I was on the 68.8ft (21m) platform, I asked myself: Why am I here? Really, why am I here?  I was very scared, and had too much adrenaline.

'It's the feeling in the air that is amazing. It's the best feeling on earth for me. This feeling that you have adrenaline, this fear, and also, the people here. So for these reasons I love cliff diving.'

From the beautiful cliffs of Sisikon, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series moves on to Polignano a Mar, Italy, on September 18 before the grand finale on October 15 in Sydney.

For the final event, a purpose-built 88.5ft (27m) platform will be erected in the middle of Sydney harbour.

Previous stops in the contest, which started on June 4, have included Bosnia, Paris and Copenhagen.

Maria Paula Quintero of Colombia performs a somersault during the nail-biting contest

Matthias Appenzeller of Switzerland prepares for his dive with an 'armstand' to start

For the final event in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, a purpose-built 88.5ft (27m) platform will be erected in the middle of Sydney harbour. Pictured, Nikita Fedotov in Switzerland

Multiple images spliced together show Jessica Macaulay of Canada during one of her dives at the Swiss event
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A British-American adventurer has revealed what it was like travelling into suborbital space for the first time aboard Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin rocket-capsule  and has unveiled exclusively to MailOnline Travel her incredible souvenir photos.

Vanessa O'Brien, 57, experienced the 'final frontier' this August and never-before-seen images show her floating around the capsule 65 miles up wearing blue nail polish that matches her spacesuit, with the Earth forming an eye-poppingly majestic background.

The investment banker, who swapped her city career to become an explorer 12 years ago and counts summiting Everest and K2 and reaching both poles among her achievements, told MailOnline Travel that the 10-minute 30-second trip was 'out of this world' - but that there was a rather uncomfortable moment as she re-entered the Earth's atmosphere to land.

Vanessa O'Brien, 57, went on a Blue Origin flight on August 4, on the company's sixth crewed mission

Clint Kelly III, a former member of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), seen on O'Brien's space flight

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: O'Brien, Egyptian citizen astronaut Sara Sabry, Steve Young - the former owner of Florida's largest communications firm - and YouTube star Coby Cotton

O'Brien recalled: 'The biggest surprise for me was coming back entering the Earth's atmosphere after we passed the Karman line, the line used to define the Earth's atmosphere and outer space.

'We pulled 5.2 G's and that amount of force was not something we could have simulated during training. It pushed us back and down into our seats, and we all started sweating.

'We yelled out to Clint Kelly III, who was the oldest passenger, to make sure he was ok. I have low blood pressure, but I could feel my blood pressure skyrocketing! None of us will ever forget that  but that's what it took to pierce the Earth's atmosphere.'

Spaceflight company Blue Origin was founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos in 2020 and O'Brien was among thousands who signed up for a flight.

Mario Ferreira, pictured left, made history as the first person of Portuguese decent to go into space

Blue Origin's first crewed mission was on July 20, 2021, and O'Brien soon found out she had landed a seat on the sixth voyage. Pictured, her rocket launch in motion

Three red-and-white parachutes shot out of the capsule at eight minutes and 30 seconds, helping the craft glide back to the ground for a soft landing in the Texas desert, retro thrusters ensuring it touched down at about 1mph

OBrien is seen wearing a potable MRI by iMediSync of South Korea in an attempt to measure the 'Overview Effect' on the brain before and after her space flight. The overview effect is a shift in awareness that many astronauts feel after their trip

Revealing what inspired her to do so, she said: 'For me, space was the final frontier. I had seen the Earth from the tallest mountains, the north and south poles, and the bottom of the ocean when I visited Challenger Deep [35,843ft], in the Western Pacific Ocean.

'Each of these places showed signs of climate change and I was even able to help measure these effects  glaciers melting and ocean acidification. However, I was never able to step back and see the Earth's entirety.'

Blue Origin's first crewed mission was on July 20, 2021, and O'Brien soon found out she had landed a seat on the sixth voyage.

The adventurer did not disclose how much the voyage cost her, although explained that there were several sponsors involved, including Omega watches, who made it financially viable.

Before her space mission, O'Brien put together a rigorous training plan.

In a bid to experience weightlessness and get used to the feeling, she booked a flight at Kennedy Space Center with company Zero-G.

It uses modified Boeing 727s that allow passengers to experience a weightless environment and 'float, flip, and soar' like an astronaut.

Tickets per 90-minute flight cost around $8,000 (6,920) with training included.

Revealing what inspired her to go to space, O'Brien said: 'For me, space was the final frontier. I had seen the Earth from the tallest mountains, the north and south poles, and the bottom of the ocean when I visited Challenger Deep [35,843ft], in the Western Pacific Ocean. However, I was never able to step back and see the Earth's entirety'

O'Brien with the rest of her crew members (she's pictured at the back). They nicknamed their team Titanium Feather

Explaining what the Zero-G experience was like, O'Brien said: 'The process starts level with the horizon at an altitude of 24,000 feet.

'Gradually, the angle of the aircraft is increased to about 45 degrees relative to the horizon until reaching an altitude of 32,000 feet. During this phase, passengers feel the pull of 1.8 Gs.

'Next, the plane pushes over the top of the parabolic arc and the zero-gravity phase begins. For the next 20 to 30 seconds, everything in the plane is weightless. Finally, the plane gently pulls out of the manoeuvre, allowing flyers to gradually return to the floor of the aircraft.

'This first part was entirely separate from my training with Blue Origin. I just wanted to get a sense for what to expect in zero-G prior to arriving on-site in Texas.'

We learn how to harness in, read the control panels, speak with Mission Control, troubleshoot any unfamiliar sounds, properly ingress and egress the capsule - and we practice, practice, practice

The second part of O'Brien's training took place at Launch Site One, Blue Origin's launch site in West Texas.

While her Zero-G experience had been an afternoon of fun, she found her Blue Origin training required lots of concentration and very long days.

She explained: 'Astronaut training is separated into roughly three parts. The first part is inside the capsule, the second is academic, and the third is to familiarize ourselves with the launch site itself, including the launch tower, landing pad, and the Barn, where the rocket is kept.

'The goal of the training is to get us very familiar with any potentially unfamiliar things - and for all of this to become second nature.

'We learn about the fundamentals of the reusable rocket, including the propulsion module (also called the booster) and the crew capsule.

'We also learn how to harness in, read the control panels, speak with Mission Control, troubleshoot any unfamiliar sounds, properly ingress and egress the capsule - and we practice, practice, practice.

'If we don't get 100 per cent on the final written exam - we do not fly.

O'Brien seen with her crew mates behind the scenes as she prepares for her trip into suborbital space

O'Brien and her female crewmate Sabry hold up their team mascot

OBrien carried the UN Womens Flag to advocate for the advancement of women everywhere (left). Summing up her adventure, O'Brien said: 'It was out of this world. The views going into suborbital space are truly captivating, watching 180 degrees of that blue marble we call Earth go by. It takes almost one minute to pinch yourself'

'These are long days. We get up at 4am and get back about 7pm. For space, you need confidence and the ability to be a quick learner/understudy.'

Thankfully O'Brien made the cut and she found herself signed up with five other commercial astronauts for a Blue Origin flight  mission name NS-22 - aboard the reusable New Shepard rocket on August 4.

Along for the epic journey were Sara Sabry and Mario Ferreira, who made history as the first people of Egyptian and Portuguese decent to go into space, Clint Kelly III, a former member of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), Steve Young - the former owner of Florida's largest communications firm - and YouTube star Coby Cotton.

Even in pictures, although the Earth is beautiful, you can see how thin the atmosphere is over the Earth. I am left with a sense that the Earth is growing increasingly more fragile

The crew's launch was delayed for 20 minutes, leaving them anxiously waiting inside the capsule, but when the clock hit 'zero' at 9:57am ET, a loud roar was heard echoing through the desert as New Shepard ignited its seven engines. 'God speed Titanium Feather,' a member of the Blue Origin command centre proclaimed, referring to the name the crew gave themselves.

New Shepard soared upwards to over 2,000mph. At two minutes and 31 seconds at an altitude of around 250,000 feet (76km/47 miles) the shiny white capsule separated from the rocket, which made a controlled landing at a landing pad about two miles from where it lifted off.

The capsule  which is completely autonomous, every person onboard was a passenger  then continued on to space, around 350,000ft up (106km/65 miles).

The capsule floated for about five minutes before freefalling back to Earth.

Three red-and-white parachutes shot out of the capsule at eight minutes and 30 seconds, helping the craft glide back to the ground for a soft landing in the Texas desert, retro thrusters ensuring it touched down at about 1mph.

O'Brien's Blue Origin flight meant she became the first woman to complete the Explorer's Extreme Trifecta.

Drone footage shows O'Brien with her crew mates on the launch pad ahead of their commercial space mission

Mission NS-22 brings the total of people flown to space by Blue Origin to 31 since the first one took off in July 2021, with Bezos being the lead passenger

This honour is gained by reaching the highest point on Earth, venturing to the deepest corner of the sea and soaring into space - Victor Vescovo is the only other person to complete all three.

Mission NS-22 brings the total of people flown to space by Blue Origin to 31 since the first one took off in July 2021, with Bezos being the lead passenger.

Summing up her adventure, O'Brien concluded: 'It was out of this world. The views going into suborbital space are truly captivating, watching 180 degrees of that blue marble we call Earth go by. It takes almost one minute to pinch yourself.

'Even in pictures, although the Earth is beautiful, you can see how thin the atmosphere is over the Earth. I am left with a sense that the Earth is growing increasingly more fragile, and I am grateful that satellites are being put in place to help monitor climate change.

'When it comes to my next adventure it won't be Mars. We have enough work to do here on Earth. We have curable diseases to sort, mysteries left in our oceans, and economies to build while balancing the care of our planet.'

Yesterday the 23rd New Shepard mission failed shortly after lift-off, with the uncrewed capsule, loaded with cargo, jetting away from the faulty rocket before parachuting back to land intact.

Blue Origin's fleet of New Shepard rockets is grounded until the FAA signs off on the outcome of a company-led investigation into the mishap.
Farmer Wants a Wife star Paige Marsh was rejected by one of her suitors who told her he was struggling to form a romantic connection.

Paige had a heart-to-heart with carpenter Dylan on Tuesday's episode, and was crestfallen when he effectively put her in the friend zone.

She told him there had been moments when she felt like she was falling for him, and was caught off guard when he admitted he didn't feel the same way.

Farmer Wants a Wife star Paige Marsh (left) had a heart-to-heart with carpenter Dylan (right) on Tuesday's episode, and was crestfallen when he effectively put her in the friend zone

'Is there something here? Because for me there have been moments,' she said.

Dylan was less enthusiastic in his response, telling Paige he couldn't decide whether his feelings for her were platonic or romantic.

'Is it a friendship where we get on really, really well, but then am I trying to make it into something else because that's what we're here for?' he said.

Paige told Dylan there had been moments when she felt like she was falling for him, and was caught off guard when he admitted he didn't feel the same way

A confused Paige pressed him to be more specific, asking: 'I guess, like bluntly, do you feel a connection growing, or do you feel that there is one there?'

Dylan confessed he was struggling to form a connection.

'I don't know if you're meant to have something in here going "boom, boom",' he said, motioning to his heart.

Dylan confessed he was struggling to form a connection. 'I don't know if you're meant to have something in here going "boom, boom",' he said, motioning to his heart

'I don't have that; it's not doing that. I don't know,' he added.

Paige was shocked by his brutal honestly, saying: 'That really got me. That hurt.'

Paige later spoke to fellow farmers Ben and Harry about her conversation with Dylan, and they both questioned whether he should even stay in the competition if he's having doubts.

Paige was shocked by his brutal honestly, saying: 'That really got me. That hurt'

'If I said "I really like you" to someone and the initial reaction was nothing, I'd have to wonder... is it actually worth him being here?' Ben said.

Paige responded she was obviously 'disappointed' after striking out with Dylan.

'I'm really disappointed that somehow in this situation I've got to the point that there's potentially nobody interested in me, and I'm not building a connection with anyone,' she said.

Paige said she was obviously 'disappointed' after striking out with Dylan

Paige said she had 'high hopes' love would blossom on the show, but it had yet to happen.

'I think, realistically, I knew it would be hard to find love,' she said.

'But I had really high hopes that it would happen here.'
Sunrise host Natalie Barr has taken a subtle swipe at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the wake of their 'truce' with The Firm.

There has been an extraordinary display of solidarity between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and William and Kate, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death, sparking reports the formerly feuding couples may walk side by side behind Her Majesty's coffin at her funeral on Monday.

Reacting to the royal 'truce' on Wednesday, Barr questioned whether the Sussexes should now back off from taking public swipes at The Firm by canning Harry's upcoming memoir and axing Meghan's controversial Archetypes podcast.

Sunrise host Natalie Barr (left) has taken a subtle swipe at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the wake of their 'truce' with The Firm. (Right: Harry and Meghan at Windsor Castle on Saturday following the death of Queen Elizabeth II)

'Should Harry and Meghan, just maybe, just take a step back? Is it even possible?' Barr wryly asked reporter Bianca Dye, prompting her co-host David Koch to chuckle.

'Look, I don't think it's possible, no,' replied Dye, who noted that Meghan had officially paused the upcoming episode of her Spotify podcast as a sign of respect for the Queen's passing.

'Apparently [Meghan's team] are poring through it to make sure the last four remaining episodes don't have anything offensive towards the Royal Family,' Dye added.

There has been an extraordinary display of solidarity between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and William and Kate, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, (pictured at Windsor Castle on Saturday) in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death, sparking reports the formerly feuding couples may walk side by side behind Her Majesty's coffin at her funeral on Monday

Later in the segment, Barr questioned whether the Sussexes are really as wealthy as they seem, following reports they are relying on the money from their lucrative $140million Netflix deal and the royalties from Harry's upcoming autobiography.

'I don't think they've got as much money as people think,' Barr told Koch, who responded: 'Well, they've got a pretty lavish lifestyle. It's a cost of lifestyle issue for them, really, isn't it, other than anything else.'

'Exactly! Once you start spending $15million on the mansion, you know, how do you eat?' Barr added.

'Should Harry and Meghan, just maybe, just take a step back? Is it even possible?' Barr (left) wryly asked reporter Bianca Dye (bottom right), prompting her co-host David Koch (centre) to chuckle. (Pictured top right: journalist and commentator Joe Hildebrand)

Later in the segment, Barr questioned whether the Sussexes are really as wealthy as they seem, following reports they are relying on the money from their lucrative $140million Netflix deal and the royalties from Harry's upcoming autobiography. Pictured: Meghan and Harry's $15million Montecito mansion

Barr was referring to the Sussexes' sprawling estate in Montecito, California, which the couple purchased in June 2020, a few months after stepping back as senior members of the Royal Family and becoming financially independent.

It comes after Meghan officially put her Archetypes podcast on the backburner as the Royal Family grieves the death of Queen Elizabeth.

A note on her Spotify page reads: 'New episodes of Archetypes will be paused during the official mourning period for Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II.'

It comes after Meghan officially put her Archetypes podcast on the backburner as the Royal Family grieves the death of Queen Elizabeth

The Duchess of Sussex has released three episodes since launching the podcast on August 23.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry's autobiography will reportedly still be published as planned in November despite the Queen's death.

Tom Bower, whose biography of Meghan Markle was released earlier this year, claims the Duke of Sussex is 'insisting' on the original release date being honoured.

The Duchess of Sussex has released three episodes since launching the podcast on August 23

'I am told tonight that Harry is insisting that his book is published in November,' he told GB News on Wednesday.

'Apparently the publishers are not too certain, but he says if they don't publish it will be a breach of contract. That's what I'm told. It's extraordinary. But on the other hand, it fits the bill, because Harry and Meghan's finances depend entirely on the book and on Netflix.'

'And also, I think they are convinced they're in the right and they want to get their own back,' Bower added.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry's autobiography will reportedly still be published as planned in November despite the Queen's death. (Pictured: Meghan and Harry in Sydney in 2018)

However, a source close to the Duke has since denied Bower's claims. Penguin has previously announced Harry will be donating proceeds from the book to charity.

Penguin Random House has described the book as 'a heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time'.

The publisher's website says: 'Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.

The publisher's website says: 'Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him. (Pictured: William and Harry at Windsor Castle on Saturday)

'Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, one that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous, and uplifting human story.'

Harry said he hopes his story will 'help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think'.

Penguin Random House has not yet released a statement on whether the explosive release will be delayed in light of Queen Elizabeth's death.




National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met with the leader of Spain's Senate to discuss ways to widen economic cooperation between the two countries, his office said Wednesday.







During their 30-minute meeting in Madrid on Tuesday (local time), Kim and Ander Gil Garcia, president of the Senate of Spain, discussed how they could enhance cooperation in areas like renewable energy, electric vehicles, construction and infrastructure.







Kim asked for Spain's support for Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, while Gil anticipated that an envisioned plan to open direct flights connecting Seoul and Madrid and launch a Spanish cultural center in Korea will boost exchanges between the two countries.







Kim's visit to Spain, which included a meeting with the leader of Spain's Congress of Deputies, came as part of efforts to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between the two countries after Seoul and Madrid agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a "strategic partnership" last year.







As part of the two-nation trip to the region, the assembly speaker is set to visit Portugal to meet with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Antonio Costa and Assembly Speaker Augusto Santos Silva. (Yonhap)


Bindi Irwin's daughter Grace Warrior is growing up fast.

The wildlife conservationist, 24, shared a sweet video on Wednesday of Grace walking unassisted at Lady Elliot Island in Queensland.

In the clip, baby Grace is seen strolling around several locations on the Island as well as standing on the water's edge while watching the sunset.

Bindi Irwin, 24, shared a sweet video on Wednesday of Grace walking unassisted at Lady Elliot Island in Queensland

'Lady Elliot Island, The Great Barrier Reef,' Bindi captioned her video.

The Instagram Reel also showed Bindi and her husband Chandler Powell looking after a pair of baby turtles and lowering them into the ocean from a boat.

Lady Elliot Island is the same place the Irwin family visited King Charles III during his last royal tour of Australia.

Charles, then the Prince of Wales, spent a day with the Irwins during his royal tour of Australia in 2018.

In the clip, baby Grace is seen strolling around several locations on the Island as well as standing on the water's edge while watching the sunset

They likely found in Charles a kindred spirit, as he has long advocated for wildlife conservation and other environmental issues long before it was politically trendy.

'Our family feels extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to meet with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and other dignitaries today at Lady Elliot Island,' Bindi wrote on Instagram at the time.

'We joined together to discuss important methods to protect the largest living structure on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef.

Lady Elliot Island is the same place the Irwin family visited King Charles III during his last royal tour of Australia

'We must work together to make a difference and protect these sensitive ecosystems for the generations to come #RoyalVisitAustralia.'

Her younger brother Robert also said at the time he was 'truly honoured' to meet Charles who was joined on the trip by his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and speak to 'such a passionate and influential person' about the Great Barrier Reef.

Bindi's sweet moment of her daughter comes after the Irwin family touched down in Brisbane following their annual pilgrimage to the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, near Weipa in Far North Queensland.

Terri Irwin, 58, daughter Bindi and son-in-law Chandler, 25, were spotted jetting into Brisbane Airport on Monday.

The Instagram Reel also showed Bindi and her husband, Chandler Powell, looking after a pair of baby turtles and lowering them into the ocean from a boat

Grace Warrior is growing up so fast

It comes as some Aussies call for the late national icon Steve Irwin to be impressed on the $5 note instead of King Charles III in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death.

Her Majesty died aged 96 last Thursday, sparking a wave of mourning worldwide as Commonwealth nations honour Britain's longest-serving monarch.

Her death after 70 years on the throne heralds a raft of changes that will come into place in Australia, including the introduction of bank notes and coins bearing the new king's face.

Charles spent a day with the Irwins on Lady Elliot Island, just off the coast of Queensland, during his royal tour of Australia in 2018. They likely found in Charles a kindred spirit, as he has long advocated for environmental issues long before it was politically trendy. (Pictured with Peter Gash, the managing director of Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, on April 6, 2018)

New cash and coins will be printed bearing the face of King Charles III now that he is head of state - but some Aussies believe that Irwin, who died in 2006 at the age of 44, is more deserving of being on the national currency.

Several Aussies flocked to social media to demand other famous Australians instead be memorialised on the country's legal tender when the printing press kicks into gear.

'Time to replace Queen Elizabeth's face on cash with Steve Irwin or Heath Ledger, I reckon,' one woman tweeted.

Another said: 'Can we get a petition to get Steve Irwin's face on money in place of the queen going? It's what we all want.'

'Steve Irwin deserves our highest form of currency,' someone else said. 'The $5 note will explode in value if we put him on that note.'

Australians will be waiting a while for new $5 banknotes showing an image of King Charles III, with the central bank noting there will be 'no immediate change to Australian banknotes'.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has confirmed King Charles III is expected to feature on a new $5 note.

'The reigning monarch has traditionally appeared on the lowest denomination of Australian banknote,' the RBA said.

However, the $5 banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II will also remain in circulation and will not be withdrawn.
She made her return to modelling following a six-year absence due to an adverse reaction to a fat freezing procedure that she claims disfigured her face.

And Linda Evangelista took to Instagram on Tuesday to share snaps from the Fendi show at Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom as part of New York Fashion Week.

The Canadian model, 57, posed up a storm with Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian as she made her first runway appearance in 15 years, after returning to photoshoots after six years.

Stunners: Linda Evangelista took to Instagram on Tuesday to share snaps from the Fendi show at Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom as part of New York Fashion Week

Linda cut a glamorous figure in a billowing Tiffany blue taffeta gown, which featured a dramatic collar and a sweeping train.

She styled her brunette tresses swept back into a slick up-do and accentuated her features with a smokey-eye make-up palette.

Adding a touch of high-class style, she had a silver-patterned Baguette bag under one arm and matching metallic silver gloves that went up to her elbows.

Linda was seen posing backstage with supermodel Kate Moss, who looked equally stylish in a strapped white gown.

Stars: The Canadian model, 57, posed up a storm with the likes of Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian (pictured) as she made her first runway appearance in 15 year

Kate, 48, wore her golden locks loosely in a straight fashion and bolstered her natural good looks with a touch of mascara.

Linda was also seen socialising with Kim Kardashian and fashion designer Kim Jones ahead of the show.

Reality TV star Kim, 41, flaunted her incredible figure in a sparkling gold gown featuring built-in gloves, while she clutched a matching handbag.

She wore her platinum tresses slicked back into a tight ponytail and accentuated her features with lashings of mascara and a slick of eyeliner.

Modelling credentials: Linda cut a glamorous figure in a billowing Tiffany blue taffeta gown, which featured a dramatic collar and a sweeping train

Behind the scenes: Linda also shared pictures of herself having the finishing touches put on her look and posing for photographs backstage

Linda also shared pictures of herself having the finishing touches put on her runway look and posing for photographs backstage.

Alongside the gallery of snaps, she wrote: 'Fendi BTS.'

Linda made her triumphant return to the catwalk near the end of the Fendi show in her attention-grabbing ensemble.

And from the reaction from those in attendance and her colleagues on stage, her epic return to the runway was a smashing success.

Runway ready: Linda shared snaps of her glamorous outfit on a sign at the fashion show during New York Fashion Week

Triumphant: Linda Evangelista made her triumphant return to modelling after a six-year absence due to a reaction to a fat freezing procedure that she claims disfigured her face

Linda returned to modelling with a Fendi fashion shoot in July after she stopped working in 2016 after claiming a rare reaction to a fat-reduction procedure six years ago left her 'deformed'.

The surgery was designed to decrease her fat cells, but instead, it made them become enlarged - resulting in her developing 'bulges' all over her body, due to a condition called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia.

PAH is a rare adverse effect of cryolipolysis, which has been reported in of 0.0051 per cent of the 1.5 million CoolSculpting procedures performed worldwide.

Linda has since undergone two liposuction surgeries in an attempt to fix the problem, and announced back in February that she was done living in 'shame'.

Procedure: Linda (pictured in 2005) has undergone two liposuction surgeries in an attempt to fix the problem, and announced back in February that she was done living in 'shame'

She recently said she is still 'trying to love herself' after becoming 'so depressed' following the faulty procedure, and that using the tape 'took care of' her 'insecurities' so that she could feel confident while 'doing what she loves to do' again.

She explained: 'That's not my jaw and neck in real life - and I can't walk around with tape and elastics everywhere. I'm trying to love myself as I am.

'But for the photos... Look, for photos I always think we're here to create fantasies. We're creating dreams. I think it's allowed. All my insecurities are taken care of in these pictures, so I got to do what I love to do.'

Throughout the '90s, Linda was one of the biggest models in the industry, posing for numerous well-known magazines like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Elle, and Marie Claire, and strutting her stuff in runway shows for big brands including Chanel, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, and Giorgio Armani, to name a few.
The Great British Bake Off

Rating:

The Pyrenees, with Michael Portillo

Rating:

Well done, Channel 4, for broadcasting The Great British Bake Off as scheduled last night.

At a time of great national change and uncertainty, wasn't it comforting to watch a dozen people baking sponge cakes? Even if some ingredients of this much-loved show are starting to look a bit stale.

The new series began with a sketch about Star Wars in which Matt Lucas played 'Luke Piewalker' and Noel Fielding was 'Princess Layer Cake'. Never mind dad jokes, these were great-grandad jokes.

Then there's the shtick that Paul Hollywood is the show's tough guy, the Phil Mitchell of patisserie.

At a time of great national change and uncertainty, wasn't it comforting to watch a dozen people baking sponge cakes? Even if some ingredients of this much-loved show are starting to look a bit stale

This hard-man image was mentioned more than once as he prowled around the tent. Actually, Paul is as soft as a choux bun. He doesn't pull his punches as a judge, but he also offers sympathetic words of encouragement.

Prue Leith can be just as critical, in fact, but it's hard to act tough when you're wearing shocking pink spectacles.

So what about the really important people, the bakers?

Polish-born Janusz, 34, was named Star Baker. Asked to produce a cake in the shape of a house for the showstopper round, he baked a stunning and colourful replica of his mother's flat in Poland. But is he just a little too pleased with himself?

Malaysian Syabira, 32, a smiley scientist, should also go far. She won the technical challenge, baking a red velvet cake.

In the first round, Angolan Sandro baked mini-sandwiches in the shape of flowers in pots and came second in the red velvet cake challenge. 'I'm happy with second,' he said. 'Second is kind of first.'

No, Sandro, second is kind of second.

Some contestants struggled from the start. 'It's interesting to have a disaster in your first challenge,' sighed Will, 45. More disasters followed, and he was shown the tent door.

Watch out, too, for purple- haired supermarket checkout lady Carole, 59, who might be a bit of a character.

Gathering her ingredients for the showstopper challenge, she mused: 'Who doesn't like coffee and walnut? Unless you don't like coffee, or you're allergic to nuts.' Not just a baker but a comic philosopher, too.

What is it about Michael Portillo and bright colours? The outfits he wears for his railway journeys are so dazzling, fellow passengers should really be issued with protective goggles.

In The Pyrenees (C5) he was more soberly dressed but his bright orange beanie hat could probably have been seen for miles around, as he trudged up mountain paths with his dicky hip and walking stick.

The former Conservative Cabinet minister has walked 300 miles from Spain's Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean but this final stage of his journey was like a poignant episode of Who Do You Think You Are? with mountain views. Portillo's father, Luis, was a junior minister in the republican government overthrown by General Franco in the Spanish Civil War. Luis fled to France and his son walked up the very path his father must have used to reach the border.

Portillo Jr was in sombre, philosophical mood, recalling that his uncles all fought for Franco against his father's government.

He was far more upbeat about his journey at its end: 'On every step along the way I felt the joy of being alive.' Could he have said that if he'd stuck to politics?

Christopher Stevens is away.

Politician of the week: Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died last month aged 91, was instrumental in ending the Cold War but modest about his achievements. Interviewed in Gorbachev, Heaven (BBC4) he suggested an alternative title for the programme: Conversations With A Crank.
The identity of Domenica Calarco's mystery Italian boyfriend has been leaked online - and she is fuming.

The Married At First Sight star went to great lengths to keep her relationship with 'Mr Napoli' a secret after they started hooking up while she was on holiday in Italy.

But social media sleuths tracked him down and leaked his name and private Instagram photos to reality TV podcast So Dramatic this week.

The identity of Domenica Calarco's mystery Italian boyfriend has been leaked online - and she is fuming. The Married At First Sight star went to great lengths to keep her relationship with 'Mr Napoli' a secret after they started hooking up while she was on holiday in Italy

In addition to revealing his full name, Andre Zitt, photos of Domenica and her boyfriend cuddling up were also published online.

The former makeup artist, 29, put out a furious statement on Instagram on Tuesday in which she slammed a 'certain media outlet' for sharing the information.

She explained how she'd spoken about her holiday romance on her podcast Sit With Us, which she co-hosts with fellow MAFS star Ella Ding, but that Andre had made it clear he wanted to stay anonymous.

Social media sleuths tracked him down and leaked his name and private Instagram photos to So Dramatic this week. (Pictured: Domenica in the teaser photo she released of Andre Zitt, left)

'It was his wish to be kept private and to stay out of the spotlight,' she began.

'It has come to my attention that a certain media outlet has gone on some kind of hunt for information and found his identity and leaked photos that he has posted to his private Instagram account.'

She said Andre had been named even though she had expressly said he didn't want to be, adding: 'How am I supposed to have any kind of normal relationship if this s**t continues to happen?'

In addition to revealing his full name, Andre Zitt, photos of Domenica and her boyfriend cuddling up were also published online. (Pictured: one of Domenica's Instagram posts with her boyfriend's face concealed behind a rose)

During an Instagram Q&A a few hours later, fans asked Domenica why she thought she could keep Andre's identity secret considering her high profile and after sharing details of their relationship on her podcast.

She said her podcast is a personal account of her life and she has a right to discuss the men she dates, but that doesn't give others permission to dig up further details.

Domenica added that Andre had 'no idea who I was' when they met in Italy, and 'he was thrust into this literally in the last two weeks'.

The former makeup artist put out a furious statement on Instagram on Tuesday in which she slammed a 'certain media outlet' for sharing the information

She explained how she'd spoken about her holiday romance on her podcast Sit With Us, but that Andre had made it clear he wanted to stay anonymous

'The podcast is part of my life, who I'm dating is part of my life and people are interested [but] I'm telling people that he wants to not be out there, he wants to keep it private,' she said.

'And if people decide they want to go and try to find out who he is and write all these stories and leak photos, you're just going against what I'm asking for.'

Domenica had announced her new romance on her podcast earlier this month, saying they met a few weeks ago while she was on holiday in Europe.

She explained she and co-host Ella had met Andre at a beach club on the island of Capri in early August.
Ashley Greene showed off her huge baby bump while out with her husband Paul Khoury in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The Twilight actress, 35, wore an ankle-length white dress covered in flowery designs.

Greene let her long brown locks, parted in the middle, fall in thick waves to the top of her chest.

Baby bump: Ashley Greene showed off her huge baby bump while out with her husband Paul Khoury in Los Angeles on Tuesday

She walked in a pair of sandals and carried a small shoulder bag slung over her right arm.

Greene put her hand underneath her swollen belly to take some strain off of her torso.

She was joined outside Home Depot by her husband of four years Paul Khoury.

Gorgeous gown: The Twilight actress, 35, wore an ankle-length white dress covered in flowery designs

Supporting her tummy: Greene put her hand underneath her swollen belly to take some strain off of her torso

The television personality donned a light blue button-down shirt, black shorts and a gray newsboy cap.

He addd several bulky necklaces to his look and held his pregnant wife's hand tightly as they headed toward their car.

Greene and her husband initially began their relationship in 2013.

The happy couple dated for three years before the television figure popped the question during a trip to New Zealand three years later.

The pair waited two more years before holding a wedding ceremony in San Jose, California.

Making it known: The actress revealed that she was pregnant with the couple's child this past March

Greene spoke about her pregnancy during an interview with InStyle, where she expressed that going through the phase had changed her personality.

'Being pregnant allows you to connect with people in a very different way,' she said.

The performer also discussed reconnecting with her Twilight castmates, many of whom have started their own families.

She made a point of stating that Nikki Reed 'and I align on a lot of things, so that has been a really nice kind of re-development of a relationship.'

Opening up: Greene spoke about her pregnancy during an interview with InStyle , where she expressed that going through the phase had changed her personality

Past experiences: Greene was then asked about what lessons she learned about parenthood while working on the Twilight series

Greene was then asked about what lessons she learned about parenthood while working on the Twilight series.

'The one thing I'll take from Bella and her relationship with Renesmee is kind of the fierce protectiveness and loyalty that she has to this child,' she said.

She added: 'I think that is something that innately comes with being a mother, for sure.'
TV star Lisa Wilkinson seems to be growing taller by the day, or The Project's UK royal correspondent Lucy McDonald is shrinking, as the pair continue their nightly coverage of the Queen's funeral week.

Wilkinson - who is pro-Republican but also loves the British royal family - flew to London last week following the death of of the Queen at Balmoral Castle aged 96 on Thursday evening, UK time.

The 61-year-old host, who in 2018 jetted to Britain to cover the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, was dressed appropriately in black as she fronted the camera for Sunday evening's edition of The Project.

Wilkinson made headlines on the first night of her coverage with her claims to McDonald that Queen Consort Camilla looked 'nervous' at the proclamation ceremony of her husband King Charles III.

Camilla stood beside Prince William with her hands tensely crossed for much of last Saturday night's ceremony at St James's Palace, with both signing the proclamation as witnesses following the monarch's death.

'Camilla looked a little bit nervous during that proclamation ceremony yesterday. Did you notice that or was that just me?' Wilkinson asked Lucy McDonald as the pair broadcast live from outside Buckingham Palace.

Sunday: Lisa Wilkinson and The Project's UK correspondent Lucy McDonald (right) discuss King Charles' weekend proclamation and the Queen Consort's apparent nervousness

Monday: Again outside Buckingham Palace, Lucy McDonald and Lisa Wilkinson are covering the Queen's funeral week, although the height difference between the pair seems to be diminishing

'She kind of looked like she wanted to go home and have a cup of tea... or a glass of sherry,' Ms McDonald joked.

'Well that would be absolutely understandable,' The Project host agreed.

By Monday night, The Project's royal coverage had turned to the tide of people leaving notes and flowers in Green Park, adjacent to Buckingham Palace .

Wilkinson interviewed children, an Australian, an American and a British officer about their feelings for the late Queen before discussing the London crowds with McDonald.

Again the two were by Buckingham Palace, but McDonald's height advantage over Wilkinson seemed to have diminished slightly in 24 hours.

By Tuesday night, the height difference between McDonald and Wilkinson was almost non-existent as the two stood across the Thames River from Westminster Hall.

It is at this location where Queen Elizabeth's coffin will be taken on Wednesday to lie in state for four days before Her Majesty's funeral next Monday.

They discussed the scenes in Scotland of the Queen's children, King Charles, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward accompanied their mother's hearse along Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Lisa Wilkinson noted what she thought was Queen Consort Camilla's nervousness during the proclamation of her husband as King Charles III in a ceremony at St James's Palace (above) last weekend

Tuesday: By Lisa Wilkinson's third night of coverage for The Project (above) the petite TV star appeared almost at eye level with Lucy McDonald, despite the UK correspondent's height advantage

Wilkinson has discussed the growing support in London for King Charles (pictured above with the Queen together at her platinum jubilee in June)

The Project co-host Kate Langbroek asked McDonald about the young man arrested for jeering at Prince Andrew, which she said was 'one voice of dissent in a very quiet crowd'.

As McDonald and Wilkinson discussed King Charles' upcoming trip to Northern Ireland, his gruelling schedule and the undoubted groundswell of support for him, the diminutive host appeared almost a head taller than she was two days previously.

Wilkinson is believed to be about 161cm tall, and is towered over in family pictures alongside her husband, writer, former rugby player and Australian Republican Movement chair, Peter Fitzsimons who is around 200cm tall.

It is not unusual for TV stars to use a box or platform on which to stand to report such events, as was the case at Princess Diana's 1997 funeral.

With the sea of flowers and people outside Kensington Palace to pay respects to Diana, Australian television commentators like Ray Martin stood on platforms above the scene.

While Wilkinson has been reported in the past as backing her husbands campaign to make Australia a republic with its own head of state, she has also expressed her love for the royal family.

Wilkinson interviewing children in Green Park adjacent to Buckingham Palace, where a sea of well-wishers have been leaving cards and flowers for the late Queen Elizabeth II

Petite TV host Lisa Wilkinson is towered over by her rugby player Republican husband Peter Fitzsimons, who is believed to be around 200cm talk compared with Lisa's 161cm

It took just 24 minutes for the Australian Republic Movement to release a statement after the Queen's death was announced to social media by Buckingham Palace.

At 4.28am on Friday, it tweeted that it 'backed the right of Australians to become a fully independent nation' at the previous republic referendum in 1999.

In its statement released 19 minutes before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued his own, Mr FitzSimons as chairman said: 'Queen Elizabeth respected the self-determination of the Australian people.

'During her reign the Australia Act 1986 was passed eliminating many of the remaining opportunities for UK interference in Australian government. Appeals from Australian courts to British courts were abolished.'

Mr FitzSimons said he was 'deeply saddened' by Queen Elizabeth's passing and expressed his 'deep gratitude' for her service to the Commonwealth.

He described the Queen as an 'extraordinary woman', adding: 'On her coronation she pledged her life to the service of the Commonwealth, and she absolutely fulfilled that commitment.'

Growing by the day: Lisa Wilkinson with Lucy McDonald on their third day broadcasting for The Project from London during the Queen's funeral week following the monarch's death aged 96

Wilkinson and McDonald have discussed several times live on The Project the growing support for Charles, with the British correspondent saying she was impressed by how he had presented himself to the public in recent days.

'He does seem like a more loving and emotionally attuned pair of hands than many of us thought,' she said.

'There is a lot of political and economic upheaval here in Britain and we are looking for some stability and we hope he can provide that.'

'I was actually quite nervous for him, it's a lot. He's the longest heir in waiting he's had a lot of time to think about what he would do when he became King and I thought it went brilliantly.'

She said his first public address as King 'was about love, loyalty and respect' and the tone of unity against a backdrop tension was pitch perfect.

Wilkinson and McDonald also discussed the surprise appearance of Harry and Meghan alongside William and Kate as they took a 40 minute tour of the floral tributes outside Windsor Castle.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex on the long Walk at Windsor Castle to greet well-wishers

Charles, Camilla and the Queen as they depart Westminster Abbey after attending the annual Commonwealth Service in London on March 9, 2020 (pictured)

William and Harry appear to have fallen out in recent years, while Harry has relocated to Los Angeles with Meghan.

'I think that was an edict from the King actually. He wants to give the message that he wants his family close. He doesn't want the story to be around division,' Ms McDonald said.

'So I think it was a great move. This could be a new future for the brothers reunited and we'd all love to see that. And Charles not so far away from his son.'

Ms McDonald added that the wider scene in Britain felt 'very surreal' seeing the crowds on the street and the outpouring of emotion for the beloved Queen Elizabeth.

This was the touching moment that a young girl handed Prince William a Paddington Bear toy. The bear has become widely associated with the Queen after their hilarious sketch together for the Platinum Jubilee just a few months ago

'You can just see from the number of floral tributes and letters people have left, not outside the palace anymore cause there's not space, but in Green Park. Just the huge depth of affection people had for the Queen.'

Wilkinson said many of handwritten notes were so personal it was 'as if everyone knew this woman'.

Ms McDonald replied that Queen Elizabeth had been monarch of Britain for as long as most people could remember.

'I've had her all my life. She ruled for seven decades I think everyone had a very personal relationship to her.'

The Queen's funeral will take place on Monday September 19 at Westminster Abbey at 11am.
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Former Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer has hinted at her whopping earnings since joining OnlyFans in May.

The 29-year-old did not reveal the exact sum but appeared to confirm she had made more than six figures during her short career in the adult industry

In an Instagram Q&A on Tuesday, Olivia admitted she had earned more in the last five months than she would have if she was a teacher for five years.

Former Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer has hinted at her whopping earnings since joining OnlyFans in May

'I'll never say figure but kudos to you guys for trying,' she said.

'Let's just say in less than five months I've made more than what I would have in my first five years of teaching.'

Australian teachers earn $75,600 per year on average in their first years in the profession, meaning Olivia has made more than five times that amount - approximately $378,000 - in five months thanks to OnlyFans.

This isn't the first time Olivia has shared details about her OnlyFans earnings. In June, she again refused to give a figure but compared her success to former MAFS star Jessika Power.

'I won't say a figure, but I'll just say that I've already made more than Jess Power's best month,' Olivia told the So Dramatic podcast.

In an Instagram Q&A on Tuesday, the 29-year-old said she had earned more in the last five months than she would have if she was a teacher for five years

Australian teachers earn $75,600 per year on average in their first years in the profession, meaning Olivia has made more than five times that amount - approximately $378,000 - in five months thanks to OnlyFans

Olivia said she believes Jessika's 'best month' on the platform was $200,000.

In May, she exclusively told Daily Mail Australia she'd earned a whopping $10,000 in her first 12 hours on the adult site.

Olivia is charging subscribers $14.99 per month, which is on the pricey side for OnlyFans. Twelve-month packages can be purchased for $126.

In her same Q&A on Tuesday, the reality star confirmed she has a new lover, just six weeks after her split from ex-'husband' Jackson Lonie.

The former teaching student has not revealed the name or face of her 'mystery man', but says he 'adores me' and is 'very supportive' of her OnlyFans career.

Olivia is charging subscribers $14.99 per month, which is on the pricey side for OnlyFans

Olivia Frazer (pictured in Sydney on Friday) also confirmed she has a new lover, just six weeks after her split from ex-'husband' Jackson Lonie

Speaking about her love life, Olivia clarified the man isn't her 'boyfriend' yet but they're happy to 'go with the flow'.

The pair have 'known each other for a long time' after first meeting when she was 21 and they both worked at the same restaurant.

'I had such a crush. I used to work late to catch up with him,' she said.

The former teaching assistant said she won't reveal his name because he values his privacy and 'doesn't have social media'.

Speaking about her love life during an Instagram Q&A on Tuesday, Olivia clarified the man isn't her 'boyfriend' yet but they're happy to 'go with the flow'

The 29-year-old has not revealed the name or face of her 'mystery man', but says he 'adores me' and is 'very supportive' of her OnlyFans career

As for her adult career, Olivia said he 'doesn't really get it' and is 'very confused', but supports her nonetheless because he 'adores me'.

When a follower asked why she was 'jumping into a new relationship so quickly', Oliva said six weeks was long enough for her to find her feet and start dating again.

'I know who I am as a woman and don't need validation [from a man],' she added.

The pair have 'known each other for a long time' after first meeting when Olivia was 21 and they both worked at the same restaurant

When a follower asked why she was 'jumping into a new relationship so quickly', Oliva said six weeks was long enough for her to find her feet and start dating again

'I'm also not in a relationship; I'm having fun and excited about it.

'[We're] just going with the flow. It's making me happy and I'm just going to enjoy it and not think too hard.'

Olivia's new fling comes two weeks after she was spotted on dating app Hinge.

Olivia's new fling comes two weeks after she was spotted on dating app Hinge

According to her profile, she is looking for a short-term relationship but is also open to something more serious.

She describes her ideal partner as 'someone who watches Real Housewives with me without complaining' and also enjoys Game of Thrones.

Olivia admitted she was so nervous about making a profile that she threw up.

'I think my profile is pretty wholesome,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

She describes her ideal partner as 'someone who watches Real Housewives with me without complaining' and also enjoys Game of Thrones

Her ex-boyfriend Jackson is understood to also be on the platform.

Olivia and Jackson announced they'd gone their separate ways in a joint Instagram post on August 8, in which they said no one was to 'blame'.

She later revealed she had no plans to take down the OnlyFans content she filmed with her on-screen husband before their split.

Olivia and Jackson (pictured during the MAFS finale) announced they'd gone their separate ways in a joint Instagram post on August 8, in which they said no one was to 'blame'

Olivia is making a living off OnlyFans at the moment, after her negative portrayal on Married At First Sight made her teaching career untenable.

She claimed she lost her job 'as a direct result' of the show; however, it is understood she quit her position and was not fired.

The tenth season of Married At First Sight is being filmed in Sydney and will air on Channel Nine early next year.

She later revealed she had no plans to take down the OnlyFans content she filmed with her on-screen husband Jackson (pictured) before their split
Megan Fox attended Beyonce's 41st birthday party with a tiny silver bralette, sharing snaps of her outfit to her Instagram page on Monday.

The busty snaps sparked speculation that the actress got her 'breast implants redone,' with Instagram page IGFamousByDana alleging that a 'revision' was highly possible and may have occurred this year.

Megan posed up a storm in the tiny top with her ample cleavage spilling out of the sparkling crop top.

Fuller: Megan Fox attended Beyonce's 41st birthday party with a tiny silver bralette, sharing snaps of her outfit to her Instagram page on Monday. The busty snaps sparked speculation that the actress got her breast implants 'redone,' with Instagram page IGFamousByDana alleging that a 'revision' was highly possible and may have occurred this year

The Instagram page alleged that she had her 'first revision' between 2021 and 2022; her chest appeared to 'have gone up a couple sizes in her breast aug' but the page said it could be due to 'weight gain' or a 'revision.'

The allegation that Megan got another revision came after the Beyonce party images, but in June she also showcased a fuller chest.

The page also alleged that Megan got breast implants for the first time sometime before 2010.

For Beyonce's bash over the weekend, Megan looked incredible in a silver bralette with matching hot pants, highlighting her cleavage and her toned stomach.

Close: The Instagram page alleged that between 2021 and 2022 it appeared her chest 'have gone up a couple sizes in her breast aug' but says it could be due to 'weight gain' or a 'revision;' pictured May 25, 2022

Striking: Megan's cleavage in a snap she shared on February 9

The star, who captioned the Instagram pictures with 'The theme was roller disco,' posed in sky-high stiletto heels and thigh-high socks.

Megan sported long tresses with shimmery eye make - complete with crystals adorning her eyes.

She posed solo in two snaps with a third featuring her fiance Machine Gun Kelly; she was sitting partially on his lap in the racy snaps.

Megan and MGK got engaged on January 11, 2022 in Puerto Rico after dating since May 2020.

They shared a video of the proposal, which featured a three-camera montage of the moment he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife.

Their engagement was her second; she was famously engaged to and later married actor Brian Austin Green in 2010.

After a decade together, the former spouses revealed in May 2020 that they'd be pulling the plug on their marriage. They share three sons, Noah, nine, Bodhi, eight, and Journey, six.

Though he's never been married, Machine Gun Kelly is father to 13-year-old daughter Casie from his previous relationship with Emma Cannon.

Megan and MGK first met in March 2020 while working on the crime drama Midnight in the Switchgrass, which also stars Bruce Willis and Emile Hirsch.

Throwback: The page also alleged that Megan got breast implants for the first time sometime before 2010; seen January 11, 2009 at the HBO after party for the 66th Annual Golden Globes in Beverly Hills
With kids going back to school all over the country, a group of students in The Bronx got a special surprise on Tuesday from beloved rapper Cardi B.

The 29-year-old rapper (born Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar) returned to I.S. 232 in Brooklyn's Morris Heights neighborhood, where she attended elementary school.

She not only surprised the students with her appearance, but also donated a whopping $100K to the school.

Surprise: With kids going back to school all over the country, a group of students in The Bronx got a special surprise on Tuesday from beloved rapper Cardi B

Her arrival at the school was captured by a friend of NBC New York reporter Kay Angrum, who she said is a teacher at the school.

The video shows the rapper - clad in a red mini-dress - arriving at the school and waving at the scores of screaming students.

She reflected on her time at the school, revealing (via Gothamist) that many of the teachers showed her some tough love.

Captured: Her arrival at the school was captured by a friend of NBC New York reporter Kay Angrum, who she said is a teacher at the school

Screaming: The video shows the rapper - clad in a red mini-dress - arriving at the school and waving at the scores of screaming students

HAPPENING NOW: Cardi B announces shes donating $100K to I.S. 232 in the Bronx, where she used to be a student. @NBCNewYork #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/2w597RKWhz  Kay Angrum (@kayangrum) September 13, 2022

'A lot of the teachers were really tough on me because they saw something in me,' the rapper said.

'I was like a bad kid, but I was very special to a lot of these teachers and I still got them in my heart,' she added.

While her appearance was planned, the $100K donation seemingly caught everybody by surprise, according to the New York City Department of Education.

Tough: 'A lot of the teachers were really tough on me because they saw something in me,' the rapper said

Donation: While her appearance was planned, the $100K donation seemingly caught everybody by surprise, according to the New York City Department of Education

'We are thrilled to welcome Cardi B back home to IS 232 in the Bronx, and we are so grateful for her generous contribution to her alma mater,' schools Chancellor David Banks said in a statement.

'Cardi Bs commitment of $100K for the arts will help the schools kids soar to their highest heights,' Banks added.

Her appearance came just days after appearing at another school in Queens at an event for Community Capacity Development on Friday.

Welcome: 'We are thrilled to welcome Cardi B back home to IS 232 in the Bronx, and we are so grateful for her generous contribution to her alma mater,' schools Chancellor David Banks said in a statement

Commitment: 'Cardi Bs commitment of $100K for the arts will help the schools kids soar to their highest heights,' Banks added

The organization shared a video of her speaking at the event about her upbringing, and sharing the wisdom she wish she had when she was growing up.

'This is what we mean when we say representation. @iamcardib spoke about growing up in a low income neighborhood and viewing her education as a way out,' their tweet read.

'We appreciate her raw authenticity and look forward to sharing more with you all about her visit! #Cardi,' the organization continued.

Upbringing: The organization shared a video of her speaking at the event about her upbringing, and sharing the wisdom she wish she had when she was growing up
Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys has defended the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they face backlash over the release of Prince Harry's new memoir.

Harry drew the ire of royal critics this week after reports claimed his autobiography will still be published as planned in November despite Queen Elizabeth's death.

Reacting to the criticism on Wednesday, Jeffreys said the 'negativity' being levelled against the Sussexes had made her physically ill.

Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys (left) has defended the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they face backlash over the release of Prince Harry's new memoir (Right: Harry and Meghan are pictured at Windsor Castle on Saturday, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II)

'I am starting to feel sick about the negativity around Harry and Meghan this time,' she said during an interview with feminist commentator and author Jane Caro.

'History is repeating [itself] in so many ways with Harry, whose grief as a child was owned by others,' Jeffreys added, referring to the media frenzy surrounding the death of his mother Princess Diana in August 1997 when he was 12 years old.

'Once again it is been owned again, and he is being criticised for grieving in a way that others aren't happy about.'

Harry drew the ire of royal critics this week after reports claimed his autobiography will still be published as planned in November despite Queen Elizabeth's death. (The Sussexes, right, are pictured with the Prince and Princess of Wales, left, at Windsor Castle on Saturday)

Reacting to the criticism on Wednesday, Jeffreys (right, with Today Extra co-host David Campbell) said the 'negativity' being levelled against the Sussexes had made her physically ill

Feminist commentator and author Jane Caro (left) agreed with Jeffreys, saying: 'I am actually really over the "hate Harry and Meghan" stuff. I think it's nasty'

Caro agreed, saying: 'I am actually really over the "hate Harry and Meghan" stuff. I think it's nasty.'

'Here is a bereaved young man who has such tragedy in his life. When he lost his mother, I will never forget that little boy marching behind that coffin with that message that said "Mummy". I feel like, can we all back off?' she added.

Caro said Harry likely has 'no control' over when is memoir is released due to his contract with publisher Penguin Random House, and has therefore been unfairly accused of being insensitive.

'Here is a bereaved young man who has such tragedy in his life. When he lost his mother, I will never forget that little boy marching behind that coffin with that message that said "Mummy". I feel like, can we all back off?' Caro said. (Pictured: Harry and Meghan arriving at Buckingham Palace in a hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday)

The segment ended with a warning from Jeffreys about the so-called 'narrative' surrounding the Sussexes' feud with The Firm.

'It will be very interesting to see how history looks back on all of this, and the narrative around it,' she said.

It comes as speculation continues to swirl about Harry's memoir.

The segment ended with a warning from Jeffreys about the so-called 'narrative' surrounding the Sussexes' feud with The Firm. 'It will be very interesting to see how history looks back on all of this, and the narrative around it,' she said. (Pictured: Harry and Meghan in New York City on November 10, 2021)

Royal commentator Tom Bower, whose biography of Meghan Markle was released earlier this year, on Wednesday claimed the Duke of Sussex was 'insisting' on the original release date of his memoir being honoured.

'I am told tonight that Harry is insisting that his book is published in November,' he told GB News.

'Apparently the publishers are not too certain, but he says if they don't publish it will be a breach of contract. That's what I'm told. It's extraordinary. But on the other hand, it fits the bill, because Harry and Meghan's finances depend entirely on the book and on Netflix.'

'And also, I think they are convinced they're in the right and they want to get their own back,' Mr Bower added.

Royal commentator Tom Bower, whose biography of Meghan Markle was released earlier this year, on Wednesday claimed the Duke of Sussex was 'insisting' on the original release date of his memoir being honoured. (Pictured: Meghan and Harry in Sydney on October 19, 2018)

However, a source close to the Duke has since denied Bower's claims. Penguin has previously announced Harry will be donating proceeds from the book to charity.

Penguin Random House has described the book as 'a heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time'.

The publisher's website says: 'Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.

The publisher's website says: 'Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him. (Pictured: William and Harry at Windsor Castle on Saturday)

'Covering his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father, Prince Harry will offer an honest and captivating personal portrait, one that shows readers that behind everything they think they know lies an inspiring, courageous, and uplifting human story.'

Harry said he hopes his story will 'help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think'.

Penguin Random House has not yet released a statement on whether the explosive release will be delayed in light of Queen Elizabeth's death.
The chronology of ancient Korean history showcased at the National Museum of China does not include any content about Goguryeo and Balhae kingdoms. Captured from Weibo



By Dong Sun-hwa



China's state-run museum has been accused of distorting Korean history by excluding information about two ancient kingdoms  Goguryeo (37 B.C.-A.D. 668) and Balhae (A.D. 698-926)  from its chronology of ancient Korean history.



The controversial chronology at the National Museum of China was showcased at the "Auspicious Metals from the Orient: Ancient Bronzes of China, Korea and Japan" exhibition, which premiered on July 26 in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Korea-China ties and the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan relations. The exhibition was held jointly with the National Museum of Korea and the Tokyo National Museum.



The chronology only included information about kingdoms like Baekje (18 B.C.-660 A.D.) and Silla (57 B.C.-935 A.D.) which were located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, while omitting Goguryeo and Balhae, whose main territories belonged to the current North Korea and some parts of Manchuria, the current Chinese territory.



This is raising speculation that Beijing is reactivating its "Northeast Project" that was launched by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2002.



Beijing claims the project intends to "restore historical facts" about its northeast region, but numerous scholars and experts believe its ultimate goal is to distort world history in its favor. Although Goguryeo and Balhae were sovereign kingdoms, China has been insisting that they were the local governments of its Tang Dynasty (618-907).





The "Auspicious Metals from the Orient: Ancient Bronzes of China, Korea, and Japan" exhibition has been taking place since July at the National Museum of China in Beijing. Captured from the official website of the National Museum of China
Hailey Bieber couldn't contain her love for her husband Justin Bieber when she celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old model gushed that the pop superstar, 28, was the 'love of my life' in a sweet Instagram post marking the occasion.

Hailey shared several photos of the lovebirds kissing, including a photo apparently snapped on their wedding day.

Still going strong: Hailey Bieber, 25, marked four years of marriage to her husband Justin Bieber, 28, in a sweet Instagram post from Tuesday

The blond beauty wore her elegant white gown in the photo as a suited-up Justin leaned in to kiss her while holding her hands down at his sides.

In addition to her white train, she had another sheer layer attached to her veil that was spread out even farther on the lawn and had 'Till death do us part' embroidered on it.

She captioned her photo: '4 years married to you. the most beautiful human Ive ever known... love of my life. Thank God for you,' adding a white heart emoji and champagne flutes.

Hailey emphasized their enduring closeness with a cute photo of herself resting her head on Justin's shoulder as he drove a convertible.

Cozy: In addition to a photo of their wedding, where she wore a 'Till death do us a part' veil, Hailey shared a cute photo of her resting her head on Justin as he drove a convertible

Back in black: In another image, the two looked effortlessly cool while wearing black sunglasses. He was dressed casually as usual in a black T-shirt and a black skip cap repping his clothing brand Drew House, while she wore a black sequined outfit

In another image, the two looked effortlessly cool while wearing black sunglasses. He was dressed casually as usual in a black T-shirt and a black skip cap repping his clothing brand Drew House, while she wore a black sequined outfit.

Hailey also highlighted the couple's ongoing passion with multiple photos of them locking lips.

One sizzling snap showed Justin standing behind Hailey as he bent forward to kiss her while she sat at a long dinner table with several people surrounding her.

The lovebirds also shared a more chaste peck on the lips in a black-and-white picture in which he had an earpiece on, suggesting it was taken backstage at a performance.

Passion: One sizzling snap showed Justin standing behind Hailey as he bent forward to kiss her while she sat at a long dinner table with several people surrounding her

Affectionate: The lovebirds also shared a more chaste peck on the lips in a black-and-white picture in which he had an earpiece on, suggesting it was taken backstage at a performance

Justin also made sure to commemorate the anniversary with an Instagram post on his own page.

He shared a cute photo of himself and Hailey in bed. He snapped a selfie as she cuddled up to them while their adorable dog got some attention by squeezing in between their heads.

'Happy anniversary to my best friend and wifey @haileybieber.. thanks for making me better in every way,' he captioned the post.

Justin and Hailey first met back in 2009, when her father Stephen Baldwin introduced them, it wasn't until late 2015 and early 2016 that they appeared to hook up and show off some PDA between bouts of his onoff relationship with Selena Gomez.

Sweet: Justin also made sure to commemorate the anniversary with an Instagram post on his own page. He shared a cute photo of himself and Hailey in bed

Despite returning to Gomez, Justin reportedly checked in with Hailey in December of 2017, when they were merely friendly, as she was dating Shawn Mendes at the time.

The couple reunited for good in June 2018, and they got engaged just a month later, before confirming in November 2018 that they had secretly gotten married at a New York City courthouse.

In September 2019, Justin and Hailey staged a massive second wedding in South Carolina for their family and friends.
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Emily Ratajkowski left almost nothing to the imagination while walking the runway at Tory Burch's New York Fashion Week show on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old model wore a sheer black long sleeve top to the event over an equally sheer bra.

The top's lack of opacity put Emily's entire chest on display, covering almost nothing from view.

Putting it all out there: Emily Ratajkowski left almost nothing to the imagination while walking the runway at Tory Burch's New York Fashion Week show on Tuesday

She added an ankle-length skirt to the event which started out brown from her waist to the top of her thighs but finished in a vibrant orange color.

She walked in yellow flats and accessorized with huge earrings which resembled dreamcatchers.

The star walked in the middle of a huge group of models, all showing off Tory Burch's hottest looks of the upcoming Spring/Summer 2023 looks.

Fun skirt: She added an ankle-length skirt to the event which started out brown from her waist to the top of her thigh but finished in a vibrant orange color

Interesting earrings: She walked in yellow flats and accessorized with huge earrings which resembled dreamcatchers

One of many models: The star walked in the middle of a huge group of models, all showing off Tory Burch's hottest looks of the upcoming Spring/Summer 2023 looks

Emily dressed down before the event in a white bathrobe while stylists applied makeup to her face and styled her hair.

Designer Tory Burch, 56, attended the event in a long sleeve purple blouse, buttoned all the way up.

She added simple black trousers and brown loafers to the ensemble.

Her short blonde hair brushed the tops of her shoulder and fluttered slowly in the New York City breeze.

Getting ready: Emily dressed down before the event in a white bathrobe while stylists applied make up to her face and styled her hair

Star-studded night: Designer Tory Burch and model Coco Rocha also attended the event

One of many events: The Tory Burch fashion show is just one of many events put on around New York City during New York Fashion Week

Canadian fashion model Coco Rocha wore a sparkly long sleeve black top and skinny dark green trousers.

She stood in tall, hot pink platform high heels, and she kicked one leg up in the air while shooting a sultry.

The 34-year-old's lips were painted a bright red, and her black hair was pulled back tightly.

The Tory Burch fashion show is just one of many events put on around New York City during New York Fashion Week.

NYFW began late last week and should end on Wednesday, September 14. More than 100 events bring out some of the biggest names in fashion, film and television.
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Her role as the new brand ambassador of Boohoo has been met with furious backlash as critics take aim at the sustainability message behind the collaboration.

But on Tuesday night, Kourtney Kardashian shrugged off the controversy, taking her seat in the front row with husband Travis Barker as her Boohoo collection debuted during New York Fashion Week.

The 43-year-old star wowed in a $35 black lace jumpsuit from the collection and a faux leather jacket as she beamed during the Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian fashion show.

All eyes on her! On Tuesday night, Kourtney Kardashian shrugged off the controversy surrounding her Boohoo collaboration, taking her seat in the front row with husband Travis Barker as her collection debuted during New York Fashion Week

Kourtney sat in the front row with Travis as they both happily watched the fashion show, while holding on to a large bouquet of roses.

The loved up couple, who tied the knot back in May, also engaged into a steamy PDA session during the star-studded show.

The mother of three donned a long-sleeved sheer jumpsuit for her big night, which revealed her matching black bralette and shorts; she added an ankle-length leather coat, boots and small framed sunglasses.

The jumpsuit from her collection, called the Kourtney Kardashian Barker Lace Long Sleeve Catsuit, and retails for $35; the jacket was also from her collection - it is called the Kourtney Kardashian Barker Faux Leather Overcoat, retailing for $90.

Iconic: The 43-year-old star wowed in a $35 black lace jumpsuit and $90 FAUX leather jacket from the collection for the Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian fashion show

Looking good: The mother of three donned a long-sleeved sheer jumpsuit that revealed her matching black bralette and shorts; she added an ankle-length leather coat, boots and small framed sunglasses

A-list pair: The couple posed up a storm in their coordinating black leather looks as they waited for the runway to start

Not shy: Kourtney and Travis, who got hitched in May, also engaged into a steamy PDA session during the show

Proud: Kourtney sat in the front row with Travis as they both happily watched the fashion show, while holding on to a large bouquet of roses

Giddy: Kourtney sported a choker, earrings and gloves to round out her fashion look, opting for sleek, center parted tresses

Her big night: Kourtney couldn't hide her smile as Travis showered her in kisses in the front row

Kourtney sported a choker, earrings and gloves to round out her fashion look, opting for sleek, center parted tresses.

Travis showed off his shirtless chest in a leather vest, adding coordinating trousers, a spiky necklace and small framed sunglasses.

The Blink-182 drummer, 46, sweetly gazed at Kourtney during the show with a grin ear to ear on his face.

Hours before the show, Kourtney took to her Instagram to address the backlash from the sustainability ambassador title.

After the collaboration was announced last week, social media went into overdrive, pointing out the Kardashian's family reputation for excess, while some slammed Boohoo for using the celebrity association to 'greenwash' its reputation, following public criticism of its business practices.

Kiss me: Travis couldn't keep his hands off his stunning wife as they took their VIP seats in the FROW

A moment: The Blink-182 drummer sweetly gazed at Kourtney during the show with a grin ear to ear on his face

NYFW: Travis showed off his shirtless chest in a leather vest, adding coordinating trousers, a spiky necklace and small framed sunglasses

Couple: Kourtney and Travis cuddled up on the front row to take in the show

In a world of their own: Kourtney shrugged off the backlash surrounding her latest collaboration, choosing to revel in her big night with Travis by her side

The star's collaboration with the company also includes social content in addition to the two collections. The first of two collections includes 46 limited-edition pieces using recycled fibers, traceable cotton, recycled sequins and recycled polyester.

Kourtney wrote on Tuesday on her Instagram: 'I went back and forth about this collection @boohoo because the first thing I think about when I hear the words "fast fashion" is that it's bad for our planet.'

She continued, noting that she expected the 'backlash' 'because the two just don't go hand in hand' but hopes the partnership will end up raising awareness on the 'impacts of fast fashion on our planet.'

'I thought about the fact that fast fashion, or the fashion industry in general, isnt going anywhere,' she added.

Gorgeous: The star rocked center parted tresses with nude colored lipstick

Strike a pose: Kourtney wore her jacket off her shoulders for a more dramatic look

Show: Boohoo CEOs John Lyttle and Carol Kane pose with Kourtney and Travis

The most interesting to look at: Kourtney looked incredible while holding a large bouquet of red roses

Having a laugh: After the collaboration was announced social media went into overdrive, pointing out the Kardashian's family reputation for excess

Looking good: One user said that Boohoo was looking to greenwash its reputation in using the star, who is teaming up with the brand on a partnership focused on sustainable practices

'I thought about how pushing Boohoo to make some initial changes and then holding them accountable to larger change would be impactful. It's definitely making some noise which is exactly what I was hoping.'

'I certainly don't have all the answers, but for someone who has done a fast fashion line in the past, which didn't get backlash because I was not calling attention to trying to make better changes, I feel proud about doing it with intention and purpose.'

'I will elaborating on their changes, how we've made this line more sustainable, and what I've learned was as consumers can do to help... all to come!!'

The collaboration has been heavily critcised with one tweeter summing it up last week as: 'A private-jetting Kardashian worth $65 million is now 'sustainability ambassador' for fossil fuel fashion brand boohoo, where she'll chat 'with sustainability experts to better understand challenges and opportunities in the fashion industry.' We absolutely KANNOT.'

'BOOHOO MAKING MORE S*** IS NOT SUSTAINABLE IN ANY WAY ... Using a Kardashian is the perfect overconsumption tactic ... Greenwashing us with a popular celebrity so no one has to do any critical thinking because she's clearly done it all for us,' pointed out another.

'This can't be real life ... A Kardashian as the sustainability advisor?? This rock in space is actually done for ... This is the literal perfect culmination of all the crap Boohoo can possibly do rolled into one.'

In my defence: Hours before Tuesday's NYFW show, Kourtney took to her Instagram to address the backlash from the sustainability ambassador title

Good times: Madison LeCroy and Erica Cain Missel struck a pose together

Pretty: Teresa Giudice donned a pink dress with striking clear heels

Cool: Reo Brydges donned track bottoms with a crop top

Fashion: Jonathan Cheban aka FoodGod donned jeans and a bomber jacket

Beaming: Dylan Mulvaney donned a black and white number

A look: Jameela Jamil chose a lime green dress with statement boots

The fashion show consisted of her first collection with the brand, including a concert-style tee for Blink-182 - Travis' rock band, as well as red shine pants.

The collection also included sheer lace pieces as well as graphic see-through ones in a playful pattern.

The Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian collection included a lot of faux leather as well as cut-out pieces; There was also a bubble gum pink patent jacket as part of the collection.

Rocking it: Charlotte McKinney led the star-studded catwalk

Rocker: She showed her edgy style as she put up the 'rock on' hand symbol while strutting her stuff in a grey trench coat and knee-high black leather booties

Striking: The fashion show consisted of her first collection with the brand, including a concert-style tee for Blink-182 - Travis' rock band, as well as red shine pants

Vibe: The collection also included sheer lace pieces as well as graphic see-through ones in a playful pattern

Edgy: The Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian collection included a lot of faux leather as well as cut-out pieces

Bright: There was also a bubble gum pink patent jacket as part of the collection which was modeled by Joy Corrigan

Post-show: Kourtney and Travis were seen leaving the fashion show, which took place at Highline in New York City

Say cheese! The star happily paused to snap selfies with excited fans gathered outside the venue

Close: They were seen heading to dinner at Eleven Madison Park in the Big Apple to celebrate her collection

Chic: Kourtney swapped out her look for a white T-shirt mini dress with black boots and a leather jacket

Stylish: She added a tie and sunglasses to finish off her look; Travis wore a camouflage jacket with jeans and combat boots
Nearly six months after her husband Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on live TV at the Oscars, Jada Pinkett Smith is celebrating her bald head.

The 50-year-old actress and Red Table Talk host took to Instagram on Tuesday, sharing a stylish new snap.

The post comes in celebration of National Bald is Beautiful Day, with Pinkett Smith sharing a positive message with her 11.7 million followers.

Celebrating: Nearly six months after her husband Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on live TV at the Oscars, Jada Pinkett Smith is celebrating her bald head

New snap: The 50-year-old actress and Red Table Talk host took to Instagram on Tuesday, sharing a stylish new snap

'Happy Bald is Beautiful day to all my brothers and sisters with no hair,' Pinkett Smith said in the caption of her post, which gained over 42K likes.

She was wearing a stylish silky top with diamond earrings and ruby red lipstick for the snap.

Her bald head - due to alopecia, which she was first diagnosed with in 2018 - was the butt of a joke that lead to the now-infamous Oscar slap.

Happy: 'Happy Bald is Beautiful day to all my brothers and sisters with no hair,' Pinkett Smith said in the caption of her post, which gained over 42K likes

Chris Rock was presenting the Best Documentary award at the Oscars in late March, when he noticed Jada in the audience.

'Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it,' he said, referring to the 1997 Demi Moore film G.I. Jane where she's largely bald throughout the film.

Cameras showed Jada rolling her eyes after the joke and when they cut back to Rock, Smith got up from his seat, calmly walked to Rock and slapped him across the face, before walking back to his seat.

Slap: Cameras showed Jada rolling her eyes after the joke and when they cut back to Rock, Smith got up from his seat, calmly walked to Rock and slapped him across the face, before walking back to his seat

A stunned Rock said, 'Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me' as Smith started yelling from his seat, 'Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth!'

When Rock added it was, 'A G.I. Jane joke, dude,' Smith repeated, 'Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth!'

While the ceremony continued as normal - including Smith winning his first Oscar for King Richard - many were surprised Smith wasn't removed from the building.

Surprised: While the ceremony continued as normal - including Smith winning his first Oscar for King Richard - many were surprised Smith wasn't removed from the building

While he wasn't arrested, Smith ultimately resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with the Academy barring him from all Academy events for the next 10 years.

Smith would ultimately apologize on Facebook and Instagram, stating, 'I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.'

He also apologized in a YouTube video, though Rock has yet to say anything publicly about the incident.

Resigned: While he wasn't arrested, Smith ultimately resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with the Academy barring him from all Academy events for the next 10 years

Rock was embarking on his Ego Death Tour in Boston just days after the Oscars, where he briefly discussed the incident on stage.

'And I'm still kind of processing what happened, so at some point I'll talk about that s***. And it'll be serious and it'll be funny, but right now I'm going to tell some jokes,' Rock said.

Pinkett first addressed the slap on her Red Table Talk show in early June, urging Rock and Smith to 'talk it out.'

'Now about Oscar night, my deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile,' she said.

'The state of the world today, we need them both. And we all actually need one another more than ever. Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years, and that's keep figuring out this thing called life together. Thank you for listening,' she concluded.

Talk: Pinkett first addressed the slap on her Red Table Talk show in early June, urging Rock and Smith to 'talk it out'

Hope: 'Now about Oscar night, my deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile,' she said
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Ana de Armas seemed to be inspired by classic Hollywood glamour when she walked the red carpet at the premiere of her new film Blonde.

The 34-year-old actress actress was dressed for the premiere at Hollywood's iconic Chinese Theatre in a sizzling gold-and-silver halter dress with a plunging neckline reminiscent of icon outfits once worn by Marilyn Monroe, whom Ana portrays a fictional version of in the film, which is inspired by Joyce Carol Oates' classic novel of the same name.

The film charts a version of the screen icon's rise to fame from her humble origins as Norma Jeane Mortenson to the superstar actress known as Marilyn Monroe, while taking dark detours through her history of substance abuse and the sometimes abusive relationships that men with power over her conducted.

Blast from the past: Ana de Armas, 34, seemed to be inspired by classic Hollywood glamour when she walked the red carpet at the premiere of her new film Blonde. She was dressed for the premiere at Hollywood's Chinese Theatre in a sizzling gold-and-silver halter dress with a plunging neckline reminiscent of icon outfits once worn by Marilyn Monroe, the film's subject

Ana's breathtaking dress featured a halter collar and a plunging V-shaped collar putting the spotlight on her cleavage.

The outfit hugged her curves and emphasized her hourglass figure, before dropping down to the ground with a small train that trailed her.

Her dress was covered in thick silver spangles, while gold fabric peaked out from beneath. She stayed on theme with a gold bracelet with diamond-encrusted lines for some extra sparkle.

The Blade Runner 2049 actress wore her long brunette locks styled pin straight with a middle part as it cascaded down her back.

Rise and fall: Blonde charts a version of the screen icon's rise to fame from her humble origins as Norma Jeane Mortenson to the superstar actress known as Marilyn Monroe, while taking dark detours through her history of substance abuse and the sometimes abusive relationships that men with power over her conducted

Curves ahead: Ana's breathtaking dress featured a halter collar and a plunging V-shaped collar putting the spotlight on her cleavage. The outfit hugged her curves and emphasized her hourglass figure, before dropping down to the ground with a small train that trailed her

Sparkler: Her dress was covered in thick silver spangles, while gold fabric peaked out from beneath. She stayed on theme with a gold bracelet with diamond-encrusted lines for some extra sparkle. The Blade Runner 2049 actress wore her long brunette locks styled pin straight with a middle part as it cascaded down her back

Also making a splash at the premiere was Hayden Panettiere, who contrasted Ana's dress with a crimson suit.

The jacket had an intriguing double-breasted design but with a single button, along with tilted pockets and peaked lapels.

The Heroes star wore her blond hair swept to the side and tied in a bun, with a single strand dangling down across her face.

She added an edgy touch with a black clutch covered in metal spikes and a brass knucklesstyle handle, along with black open-toe heels decorated with similar silver spikes.

Woman in red: Also making a splash at the premiere was Hayden Panettiere, who contrasted Ana's dress with a crimson suit

Intriguing: The jacket had an intriguing double-breasted design but with a single button, along with tilted pockets and peaked lapels. The Heroes star wore her blond hair swept to the side and tied in a bun, with a single strand dangling down across her face

Edgy: She added a black clutch covered in metal spikes and a brass knucklesstyle handle, along with black open-toe heels decorated with similar silver spikes

Ana's costar Adrien Brody, who plays Marilyn's third husband, the playwright Arthur Miller, looked dapper in an all-black tuxedo.

The jacket had lustrous notched lapels, and he opted for a black satin shirt instead of a traditional white one, along with a small black bow tie.

The French Dispatch star was joined by his girlfriend Georgina Chapman, who was previously married to the disgraced film producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein.

Georgina had a similar idea to Ana and opted for a classic green dress with short sleeves that hung just below her shoulders.

The look had a lightly ruched bodice and a voluminous skirt that rose up to revealed her toned and tanned legs.

She elevated her stature with shining silver open-toe heels, and she wore her blond hair down in delicate waves.

On-screen husband: Ana's costar Adrien Brody, who plays Marilyn's third husband, the playwright Arthur Miller, looked dapper in an all-black tuxedo

Monochrome: The jacket had lustrous notched lapels, and he opted for a black satin shirt instead of a traditional white one, along with a small black bow tie

New love: The French Dispatch star was joined by his girlfriend Georgina Chapman, who was previously married to the disgraced film producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein. Georgina had a similar idea to Ana and opted for a classic green dress with short sleeves that hung just below her shoulders

Legs for days: The look had a lightly ruched bodice and a voluminous skirt that rose up to revealed her toned and tanned legs

Towering: She elevated her stature with shining silver open-toe heels, and she wore her blond hair down in delicate waves. The model Hailey Clauson also favored a colorful ensemble, though she opted for a short red dress decorated with floral patterns

Revealing: The sleeveless item had a cutout over her chest, while he skirt revealed her long legs. She wore her dirty blond hair with a wet look and pulled it back tightly into a ponytail

The model Hailey Clauson also favored a colorful ensemble, though she opted for a short red dress decorated with floral patterns.

The sleeveless item had a cutout over her chest, while he skirt revealed her long legs.

She wore her dirty blond hair with a wet look and pulled it back tightly into a ponytail.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actor Emile Hirsch, who doesn't appear to be part of the film, wore a more reserved outfit with a black leather jacket and matching jeans, along with a Hawaiian-style floral shirt.

Anna Camp appeared to have traded out her trademark blond locks for dark hair, which she wore in a bun. She also favored black with a short dress decorated with a skirt of long feathers.

Dark style: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actor Emile Hirsch wore a more reserved outfit with a black leather jacket and matching jeans, along with a Hawaiian-style floral shirt. Anna Camp appeared to have traded out her trademark blond locks for dark hair, which she wore in a bun. She also favored black with a short dress decorated with a skirt of long feathers

Glamorous: The actress Sara Paxton wore black as well. She hit the red carpet in a striking off-the-shoulder look with a rounded plunging neckline and detached straps

Showing off: The dress also had a revealing circular cutout over her midriff, and she accessorized with a black-and-white patterned clutch

The actress Sara Paxton wore black as well. She hit the red carpet in a striking off-the-shoulder look with a rounded plunging neckline and detached straps.

The dress also had a revealing circular cutout over her midriff, and she accessorized with a black-and-white patterned clutch.

Anne Winters brightened up the proceedings with her plunging white tulle gown, and she brought along a cute pooch that she carried in her arms.

Jessica Szohr put on a busty display in a black off-the-shoulder dress that also included a high slit in the skirt.

Natasha Bassett stuck to a more muted seafoam-colored dress with a ruched bodice, which put the spotlight on her wavy red locks.

Contrast: Anne Winters brightened up the proceedings with her plunging white tulle gown, and she brought along a cute pooch that she carried in her arms. Jessica Szohr put on a busty display in a black off-the-shoulder dress that also included a high slit in the skirt

Elegant: Natasha Bassett stuck to a more muted seafoam-colored dress with a ruched bodice, which put the spotlight on her wavy red locks

Rising star: Ana supported her young costar Lily Fisher on the red carpet. The young actress wore a stylish white mini dress with long white tiered sleeves

Black and blue: Also joining the film's star was Xavier Samuel, who appears in the movie as Charles Chaplin Jr., the oldest son of Charlie Chaplin. He wore a classy black tuxedo, while his costar Evan Williams had on a stylish grayblue suit. The actor Ryan Vincent wore a cream-colored plaid double-breasted suit with tan suede loafers

Ana supported her young costar Lily Fisher on the red carpet. The young actress wore a stylish white mini dress with long white tiered sleeves.

Also joining the film's star was Xavier Samuel, who appears in the movie as Charles Chaplin Jr., the oldest son of Charlie Chaplin.

He wore a classy black tuxedo, while his costar Evan Williams had on a stylish grayblue suit.

The actor Ryan Vincent wore a cream-colored plaid double-breasted suit with tan suede loafers.

Ana also held hands with her director, the iconoclastic Andrew Dominik, who wore a black suit over a simple black sweater.

Muted: The actor Ryan Vincent (L) wore a cream-colored plaid double-breasted suit with tan suede loafers
PR legend Max Markson has revealed the most difficult celebrity he has encountered in his four decades as Australia's premier celebrity spruiker.

Markson, known as the 'king of spin', said Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista 'was definitely the worst' star he encountered during his stellar career.

He had a bad experience with Evangelista in 1996 when she failed to dress appropriately for a launch party for a treadmill endorsed by media doyenne Ita Buttrose.

PR legend Max Markson (pictured) has revealed the most difficult celebrity he has encountered in his four decades as Australia's premier celebrity spruiker

Markson recounted the incident on the Life, Money & Love podcast, hosted by Dylan Mullan, who shot to fame in 2020 after making $20million in two years.

'I shouldn't say this but Linda Evangelista was definitely the worst,' he said.

He explained how Evangelista, now 57, had asked him what she should wear to the event at Catalina Restaurant in Sydney's Rose Bay.

Markson, known as the 'king of spin', said Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista (pictured in 2005) 'was definitely the worst' star he encountered during his stellar career

Markson, the founder of PR agency Markson Sparks!, advised her to wear 'something to go on the treadmill and then change into something beautiful'.

But Evangelista arrived at the function wearing a hoodie, shorts and a T-shirt - and presumably with no change of clothes.

The fashion model called Markson at 6am the next day, furious because a newspaper had compared her casual outfit to something a cleaner would wear.

He had a bad experience with Evangelista in 1996 when she failed to dress appropriately for a launch party for a treadmill endorsed by media doyenne Ita Buttrose. (The fashion model is pictured at the event wearing a low-cut T-shirt and hoodie)

'The next day, my phone starts ringing at six o'clock, which always means there's something wrong,' Markson said.

'And Linda Evangelista wants to give me a right mouthful, which she does, because in The Sydney Morning Herald that day, it said: "Linda Evangelista was dressed like she was going out to clean the loo [toilet] on a Sunday morning."'

He added: 'She went berserk at me! Not that I wrote the story, but because I hadn't advised her what to wear. And there was no point in trying to tell her that I did.'

Markson recounted the incident on the Life, Money & Love podcast, hosted by Dylan Mullan, who shot to fame in 2020 after making $20million in two years

She went on to 'badmouth' Markson at a charity dinner that night and refused to let him speak to her, the veteran publicist said.

Evangelista recently made a triumphant return to the modelling scene following a six-year absence due to an adverse reaction to a fat-freezing procedure she claims disfigured her face.

She made her first runway appearance in 15 years when she took part in the star-studded Fendi show at Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom to kick off New York Fashion Week.

Evangelista recently made a triumphant return to the modelling scene following a six-year absence due to an adverse reaction to a fat-freezing procedure she claims disfigured her face
TikTok sensation Anna Paul has admitted to begging her longtime boyfriend not to propose.

Anna, 23, has been dating fellow influencer Glen Thomson since December 2015, but swatted away wedding speculation during an Instagram Q&A on Wednesday.

'We're not really into that [crying emoji]l,' the brunette replied to a fan who asked whether she's thought about marrying Glenn in future.

TikTok star Anna Paul, 23, (right) admitted to begging her longtime boyfriend Glen Thomson (left) not to propose during an Instagram Q&A on Wednesday

'I told him not to propose to me please, and he said, 'Don't worry I wouldn't do that anyway'. We would probably just sign a piece of paper if we needed to get married [staring eyes emoji],' the glamour model continued.

Anna went on to explain that she and Glen 'love each other and want to stay together forever,' adding: 'But we both just aren't into weddings I guess [crying emoji].'

Anna has four million followers on TikTok and 1.6 million followers on Instagram.

'I told him not to propose to me please, and he said, 'Don't worry I wouldn't do that anyway'. We would probably just sign a piece of paper if we needed to get married [staring eyes emoji],' the glamour model wrote next to a cosy photo of the couple

Anna went on to explain that she and Glen 'love each other and want to stay together forever,' adding: 'But we both just aren't into weddings I guess [crying emoji]'

The glamazon is also the No. 1 OnlyFans star in Australia, surpassing adult stars like Renee Gracie, Jem Wolfie and Hayley Vernon.

Known for flaunting her wealth on social media, Anna recently recently took fans on a tour of her Gold Coast mansion, which has a $100,000 rock wall, private cinema and 10-car garage.

She also live-blogged her $9,000 United Airlines flight from Sydney to Los Angeles in February of this year.

Anna has four million followers on TikTok and 1.6 million followers on Instagram

Anna has previously spoken of how her family struggled to make ends meet before they became rich thanks to social media.

She claimed the Pauls once lived off just $30 a week, drove around in an old van and didn't even have chairs, so had to sit on 'milk crates'.

Meanwhile, Anna's internet fame translated to the real world late last month when wild footage emerged of the star's packed event in Perth, which had to be shut down by police due to crowd chaos.

The glamazon is also the No. 1 OnlyFans star in Australia, surpassing adult stars like Renee Gracie, Jem Wolfie and Hayley Vernon

It was the latest stop on Paul's national tour as part of her collaboration with activewear brand STAX.

During the fan meet-and-greet event at Perth's Hay Street Mall, chaos erupted, with a massive crowd of teenagers flocking to see the star.

Anna quickly returned to social media after the chaos, apologising for the event being cancelled and saying she'd tried to work with police to control it.
Danai Gurira reunited with Letitia Wright on the red carpet for a special screening of their new film The Silent Twins.

The 44-year-old Gurira and the 28-year-old Wright were all smiles at Metrograph in New York City.

They posed on the red carpet with Kiska Higgs, President of Acquisitions Focus Features, producers Klaudia Smieja-Rostworowska and Ben Pugh and director Agnieszka Smoczynska.

Red carpet ready: Danai Gurira reunited with Letitia Wright on the red carpet for a special screening of their new film The Silent Twins

Group shot: They posed on the red carpet with Kiska Higgs, President of Acquisitions Focus Features (left), producers Klaudia Smieja-Rostworowska (middle left) and Ben Pugh (right) and director Agnieszka Smoczynska (middle right)

Gurira wore a stunning black satin gown with a plunging neckline with a full-length black leather trench coat resting on her shoulders.

She accessorized with thin strand earrings and a number of rings with a small black handbag.

The actress completed her look with a pair of black pumps for her red carpet look.

Danai's look: Gurira wore a stunning black satin gown with a plunging neckline with a full-length black leather trench coat resting on her shoulders

Wright opted for a stylish white double-breasted coat with a grey collar, cinched with a matching belt.

She had her hair tied up in a bun and accessorized with several silver earrings and silver bracelets.

The actress completed her look with matching white pants and silver pointed-toed heels.

Opted: Wright opted for a stylish white double-breasted coat with a grey collar, cinched with a matching belt

The Silent Twins is based on the remarkable true story of June and Jennifer Gibbons, real-life identical twins who would only communicate with each other.

After committing petty crimes in their teens, they were sentenced to Broadmoor Hospital, where they ultimately stayed for 11 years due to their inability to speak.

The film is based on the 1986 book of the same name by British journalist Marjorie Wallace.

True story: The Silent Twins is based on the remarkable true story of June and Jennifer Gibbons, real-life identical twins who would only communicate with each other

Both Gurira and Wright will return as Okoye and Shuri, respectively, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The sequel to 2018's Black Panther will hit theaters on November 11, with Wright also starring as Aisha Osagie in the new film Aisha.

Gurira will also return as Okoye in an untitled Wakanda TV project for Marvel as well.
Simon Cowell had his family by his side for Tuesday night's America's Got Talent red carpet.

The show's head judge was joined by his fiancee Lauren Silverman and their son Eric, eight, as he arrived for the live final.

A beaming Simon, 63, larked around with his son as they posed for the cameras, playfully poking Eric's nose while Lauren, 45, laughed along.

Family fun: Simon Cowell had his family by his side for Tuesday night's America's Got Talent red carpet, where he was joined by his fiancee Lauren Silverman and their son Eric, eight

Lauren looked stunning in a slinky red gown, cut across one shoulder to show a glimpse of her toned and tanned figure.

Simon meanwhile stuck to his signature look of black jeans and a matching t-shirt as he prepared for another busy night sitting on the AGT panel.

Eric looked smart in a bright blue poloshirt and jeans to join his parents for a rare red carpet appearance.

The X Factor creator met Lauren when she was still married to her millionaire property developer husband Andrew.

Joker: A beaming Simon, 63, larked around with his son as they posed for the cameras, playfully poking his nose while Lauren, 45, laughed along

Their affair famously became public and Simon's life changed at the end of July 2013 when news broke of Lauren's pregnancy with their son Eric.

Simon popped the question on the couple's annual Barbados getaway over the new year in front of their son Eric and Lauren's son Adam.

Despite Simon's previous staunch vows to never walk up the aisle, an insider recently claimed the past two years - in which the global pandemic hit and the star broke his back after a bike crash - made Simon change his stance.

Simon previously admitted that he can't see himself ever dating again as he opened up on changing his mind about marriage after falling in love with Lauren.

Gorgeous: Lauren looked stunning in a slinky red gown, cut across one shoulder to show a glimpse of her toned and tanned figure

Final: Simon meanwhile stuck to his signature look of black jeans and a matching t-shirt as he prepared for another busy night sitting on the AGT pane

Night out: Eric looked smart in a bright blue poloshirt and jeans to join his parents for a rare red carpet appearance

He said he decided to propose to his long-time girlfriend in January after feeling like they were already engaged while living together during lockdown.

He described the Covid-19 pandemic as a 'make or break' moment for relationships and said lockdown helped him and Lauren to grow closer and realise how much they get on.

He told The Sun: 'I also just couldn't see myself ever dating anyone again. The idea of going out on a first date now is too weird.'
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Emily Ratajkowski may well have dominated the runway on Tuesday evening, but front row was taken over by actresses Sydney Sweeney and Jenna Coleman as American designer Tory Burch previewed her latest collection at New York Fashion Week.

Both were in attendance to watch Ratajkowski command the catwalk while modelling the latest range of female clothing from Burch, whose fashion empire began in nearby Manhattan in 2004.

Opting for a form-fitting black minidress, Sweeney, 25, ensured she caught the eye while greeting onlookers before taking her front row seat at the exclusive event.

Here they come: Emily Ratajkowski may well have dominated the runway on Tuesday evening, but front row was taken over by actresses Sydney Sweeney (L) and Jenna Coleman (R) as American designer Tory Burch previewed her latest collection

She complimented the look with frilled white ankle socks, while peep-toe heels and an understated black handbag completed her ensemble.

The American star, best known for her role as Cassie Howard in HBO drama Euphoria, gave her outfit a retro flourish by wearing a simple black choker necklace.

Joining Sydney, British actress Coleman, 36, looked equally stylish in a chocolate brown evening jacket and sweeping red skirt, mismatched with a pair of distinctive lilac heels.

Coleman, who has won acclaim for her portrayal of Queen Victoria in ITV's titular drama about the late royal, added to her look with a patterned blouse, while a red and brown leather handbag appeared to be her only notable accessory.

Here we go: The pair took their seats on the front row as the New York Fashion Week show got underway at Pier 76

Side by side: Coleman, who has won acclaim for her portrayal of Queen Victoria in ITV's titular drama about the late royal, rubbed shoulders with Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman, another guest on the night

Say cheese: (L-R) DeWanda Wise, Lana Condor, Arden Cho, Sydney Sweeney, Madeleine Arthur, Jenna Coleman, Thuso Mbedu and Chloe Fineman pose for a group photo at the Pier 76 event on Tuesday evening

Ratajkowski left almost nothing to the imagination while walking the runway at Tony Burch's New York Fashion Week show, with the model previewing a sheer black long sleeve top over an equally sheer bra.

She added an ankle-length skirt to the event which started out brown from her waist to the top of her thighs but finished in a vibrant orange color.

She walked in yellow flats and accessorized with huge earrings which resembled dreamcatchers.

The star walked in the middle of a huge group of models, all showing off Tory Burch's hottest looks of the upcoming Spring/Summer 2023 looks.

Lovely: Coleman looked stylish in a chocolate brown jacket during her appearance at the New York Fashion Week show

Finishing touch: She added to her look with a patterned blouse, while a red and brown leather handbag appeared to be her only notable accessory

Upbeat: Jenna appeared to be in high spirits as she mingled with fellow guests at the exclusive New York event

Hard to miss: Ratajkowski left almost nothing to the imagination while walking the runway at Tory Burch's New York Fashion Week show, with the model previewing a sheer black long sleeve top over an equally sheer bra

Fun skirt: She added an ankle-length skirt to the event which started out brown from her waist to the top of her thigh but finished in a vibrant orange color

Emily dressed down before the event in a white bathrobe while stylists applied makeup to her face and styled her hair.

Designer Tory Burch, 56, attended the event in a long sleeve purple blouse, buttoned all the way up. She added simple black trousers and brown loafers to the ensemble.

Her short blonde hair brushed the tops of her shoulder and fluttered slowly in the New York City breeze.

Three's company: Sweeney ensured she caught the eye in a form-fitting black minidress as she greeted South African actress Thuso Mbedu (L) and designer Tory Burch (C) on Tuesday evening

Embellishments: The Euphoria star (centre) complimented the look with frilled white ankle socks, while peep-toe heels and an understated black handbag completed her ensemble

Interesting earrings: Ratajkowski walked in yellow flats and accessorized with huge earrings which resembled dreamcatchers

One of many models: The star walked in the middle of a huge group of models, all showing off Tory Burch's hottest looks of the upcoming Spring/Summer 2023 looks

Getting ready: Emily dressed down before the event in a white bathrobe while stylists applied make up to her face and styled her hair

Star-studded night: Designer Burch and model Coco Rocha also attended the event in New York City on Tuesday evening

One of many events: The Tory Burch fashion show is just one of many events put on around New York City during New York Fashion Week

Canadian fashion model Coco Rocha wore a sparkly long sleeve black top and skinny dark green trousers. She stood in tall, hot pink platform high heels, and she kicked one leg up in the air while shooting a sultry.

The Tory Burch fashion show is just one of many events put on around New York City during New York Fashion Week.

NYFW began late last week and should end on Wednesday, September 14. More than 100 events bring out some of the biggest names in fashion, film and television.




President Yoon Suk-yeol's meeting with China's top legislator Li Zhanshu is being arranged for later this week, although the details have yet to be fixed, according to the presidential office Wednesday.







Li, China's third-ranked official and chief of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will lead a large government delegation to Seoul on Thursday at the invitation of National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.







His three-day visit will include talks with Kim on Friday on strengthening cooperation between the two countries' parliaments, as Seoul and Beijing mark 30 years since establishing diplomatic ties this year.







"We are in talks to meet on the 16th," a presidential official told reporters. "We'll announce the exact time and other details later."







Yoon and Li have been expected to discuss the possibility of Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting Korea. (Yonhap)


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She recently returned from four months in Australia to film her new 1950s drama Ten Pound Poms.

But there was no rest for Michelle Keegan on Tuesday as she got stuck into filming new scenes for her comedy show Brassic, with the star seen putting on an animated display.

The actress, 35, looked sensational as she slipped into a purple Argyle mini dress on set of the Sky Max comedy show in Manchester.

Back at it! there was no rest for Michelle Keegan on Tuesday as she got stuck into filming new scenes for her comedy show Brassic, with the star seen putting on an animated display

Michelle showcased her toned pins in the thigh-skimming number which she teamed with a pair of knee-high black boots.

Keeping warm amid the early Autumn chill, she wrapped a furry black hooded jacket around her as she strolled about the set.

The former Coronation Street star swept her brunette locks into a loose up 'do, while she finished off her stylish look with a light palette of make-up.

Legs for days: The actress, 35, looked sensational as she slipped into a purple Argyle mini dress on set of the Sky Max comedy show in Manchester

Michelle appeared in great spirits as she happily chatted to her co-stars and crew members while milling about in between scenes.

Also joining her for filming series 5 scenes was fellow Corrie alumni Bhavna Limbachia, 38, who plays the part of Meena.

Original comedy Brassic follows Vinnie ONeill (Joseph Gilgun) and his five friends, including Michelle's single mum character Erin.

Fun times: Michelle was in a great mood as she mingled with her co-stars after jetting back to the UK

Leggy display: Michelle showcased her toned pins in the thigh-skimming number which she teamed with a pair of knee-high black boots

These boots were made for walking: The actress flaunted her incredible pins in the thigh-high black boots

Cosy: Keeping warm amid the early Autumn chill, she wrapped a furry black hooded jacket around her as she strolled about the set

Hair today: The TV star tied her hair up with a pretty paisley-patterned ribbon

The group struggle to get by in the fictional town of Hawley, and often resort to petty crime for money.

The BAFTA-nominated series began back in 2019, as season four of the show was released just last week on Sky Max and Now TV.

In October last year, Michelle admitted she had banned her family from watching one episode of the show due to a raunchy sex scene, she told Radio Times.

You can stand under my umbrella: Michelle took shelter beneath a large black umbrella

What a beauty: The former Coronation Street star swept her brunette locks into a loose up 'do, while she finished off her stylish look with a light palette of make-up

Bright and beautiful: The TV personality looked amazing in her bold purple ensemble

Good day: Michelle appeared in great spirits as she happily chatted to her co-stars and crew members while milling about in between scenes

Out and about: Michelle got stuck into work after jetting back to the UK for filming

Look who it is! Also joining her for filming series 5 scenes was fellow Corrie alumni Bhavna Limbachia, 38, who plays the part of Meena

Role: Bhavna, who played Rana Habeeb on Corrie, donned a smart, all-black ensemble on set

Ex Weatherfield girls: The former Coronation Street actress were seen chatting together on set

Horrifying: A scary looking puppet in an Argyle jumper was seen on set

'That first episode, I didn't let my family watch until 15 minutes in, and we all know why!' she said with a laugh.

Michelle has certainly been kept busy with her portfolio of acting gigs, as she is set to star as a young nurse named Kate in the six-part period BBC drama Ten Pound Poms.

She has just returned home to the UK after four months of filming for the show, which follows a group of Brits as they leave dreary post-war Britain in 1956 to embark on a life-altering adventure on the other side of the world.

Ten Pound Poms will be coming soon only on Stan in Australia.

TV series: Original comedy Brassic follows Vinnie ONeill (Joseph Gilgun) and his five friends, including Michelle's single mum character Erin

Still going: The BAFTA-nominated series began back in 2019, as season four of the show was released just last week on Sky Max and Now TV

Uh oh: In October last year, Michelle admitted she had banned her family from watching one episode of the show due to a raunchy sex scene, she told Radio Times

But while her soap fame has led to becoming a household name, the actress admitted that she's still not quite used to it all yet, as she chatted to The Guardian this week.

'Even now, 15 years on, you never get used to being famous,' she said. 'One minute I walked out of the Coronation Street gates and no one knew who I was.

'Then, as soon as my first scenes were on screen, I remember walking out the gates and getting stopped and asked for an autograph. I had no idea how to sign an autograph.'
Winnie Harlow oozed glamour as she and Usain Bolt walked the runway at the Puma fashion show during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday.

The model, 28, looked out of this world in a black tight-fitted gown that emphasised her svelte waist.

Her dress boasted a sheer bodice encrusted in jewels for an added dose of sparkle, and a white stripe down the side of the skirt.

Looking good: Winnie Harlow oozed glamour as she and Usain Bolt walked the runway at the Puma fashion show during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday

She wore no jewellery to allow the outfit to speak for itself, and accessorised with a pair of long black gloves.

Her long raven locks were scraped back in a sleek ponytail, with her baby hairs slicked down.

Winnie opted for a light palette of makeup to finish her look, complete with fluttery lashes and clear lipgloss.

Incredible: The model, 28, looked out of this world in a black tight-fitted gown that emphasised her svelte waist

Meanwhile, Usain pulled his signature move on the runway - leaning back and pointing to the sky.

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist, 36, looked dashing in a black suit emblazoned with the Puma logo.

He added a white shirt and wide black bow tie, and dressed down the outfit with a pair of black trainers.

Iconic: Meanwhile, Usain pulled his signature move on the runway - leaning back and pointing to the sky

The fastest man in the world signed with Puma in 2003 at the age of 16, and is a lifelong ambassador with the brand.

While, Winnie rose to fame and became one of the fashion industry's top models following her appearance on America's Next Top Model in 2014.

She became part of the modeling competition show's 21st cycle after being discovered on Instagram by supermodel Tyra Banks, who served as a judge, host and executive producer on the show.

The 18 & Over actress gave a TEDx talk in 2014 called How I Define Beauty. The video has been viewed more than a million times.

Since then, Winnie has appeared in runway shows for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, as well as for luxury fashion designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Cowan.

Now a household name and a fashion fixture, Winnie made the shift into the beauty space by launching Cay Skin earlier this year.
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She had her first runway show on Tuesday night, as her Boohoo collection debuted during New York Fashion Week.

And Kourtney Kardashian was in the mood to celebrate, heading to fine dining restaurant Eleven Madison Park for dinner with her husband Travis Barker.

The reality star changed into another look from her Boohoo collection for the celebratory dinner, putting on a leggy display in the $25 oversized white shirt and a vintage leather jacket which retails for $80.

Dinner date: Kourtney Kardashian was in the mood to celebrate her Boohoo New York Fashion Week show on Tuesday night, heading to fine dining restaurant Eleven Madison Park for dinner with her husband Travis Barker

Kourtney accessorised with a black tie and knee high black boots as she strolled hand in hand with Travis to the restaurant.

A proud Travis, dressed down in a black hoodie layered under a camo jacket, snapped a photo of Kourtney backstage at the show in her second look, as she swigged champagne.

After their backstage fun, the couple headed for a romantic dinner at Eleven, which has a strictly plant-based menu which Kourtney raved about on her Instagram page.

Celebrations! A proud Travis snapped a photo of Kourtney swigging champagne backstage at the show before they headed for dinner

Her own designs: The reality star changed into another look from her Boohoo collection for the celebratory dinner, putting on a leggy display in the $25 oversized white shirt and a vintage leather jacket which retails for $80

'Such an experience' she captioned a snap of one of the dishes on the tasting menu for the 3 Michelin star restaurant.

Kourtney's role as the new brand ambassador of Boohoo has been met with furious backlash as critics take aim at the sustainability message behind the collaboration.

But on Tuesday night, she shrugged off the controversy, taking her seat in the front row with Travis as her Boohoo collection debuted during New York Fashion Week.

The 43-year-old star wowed in a $35 black lace jumpsuit from the collection and a faux leather jacket as she beamed during the Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian fashion show.

Shirt and tie with a twist: Kourtney accessorised with a black tie and knee high black boots as she strolled hand in hand with Travis to the restaurant

Low key look: A proud Travis dressed down in a black hoodie layered under a camo jacket for the dinner jacket after supporting his wife at her runway show

Her big night: Kourtney clutched a huge bouquet of red roses as she emerged from the show to head to dinner

I got you babe: Travis held Kourt's hand as he held her out of the show and through the crowd of fans outside

Tuck in: After their backstage fun, the couple headed for a romantic dinner at Eleven, which has a strictly plant-based menu which Kourtney raved about on her Instagram page

Kourtney sat in the front row with Travis as they both happily watched the fashion show, while holding on to a large bouquet of roses.

The loved up couple, who tied the knot back in May, also engaged into a steamy PDA session during the star-studded show.

The mother of three donned a long-sleeved sheer jumpsuit for her big night, which revealed her matching black bralette and shorts; she added an ankle-length leather coat, boots and small framed sunglasses.

The jumpsuit from her collection, called the Kourtney Kardashian Barker Lace Long Sleeve Catsuit, and retails for $35; the jacket was also from her collection - it is called the Kourtney Kardashian Barker Faux Leather Overcoat, retailing for $90.

All eyes on her! Kourtney's role as the new brand ambassador of Boohoo has been met with furious backlash as critics take aim at the sustainability message behind the collaboration

Iconic: Earlier in the night, the 43-year-old star wowed in a $35 black lace jumpsuit and $90 FAUX leather jacket from the collection for the Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian fashion show

Looking good: The mother of three donned a long-sleeved sheer jumpsuit that revealed her matching black bralette and shorts; she added an ankle-length leather coat, boots and small framed sunglasses

A-list pair: The couple posed up a storm in their coordinating black leather looks as they waited for the runway to start

Not shy: Kourtney and Travis, who got hitched in May, also engaged into a steamy PDA session during the show

Proud: Kourtney sat in the front row with Travis as they both happily watched the fashion show, while holding on to a large bouquet of roses

Giddy: Kourtney sported a choker, earrings and gloves to round out her fashion look, opting for sleek, center parted tresses

Her big night: Kourtney couldn't hide her smile as Travis showered her in kisses in the front row

Kourtney sported a choker, earrings and gloves to round out her fashion look, opting for sleek, center parted tresses.

Travis showed off his shirtless chest in a leather vest, adding coordinating trousers, a spiky necklace and small framed sunglasses.

The Blink-182 drummer, 46, sweetly gazed at Kourtney during the show with a grin ear to ear on his face.

Hours before the show, Kourtney took to her Instagram to address the backlash from the sustainability ambassador title.

After the collaboration was announced last week, social media went into overdrive, pointing out the Kardashian's family reputation for excess, while some slammed Boohoo for using the celebrity association to 'greenwash' its reputation, following public criticism of its business practices.

Kiss me: Travis couldn't keep his hands off his stunning wife as they took their VIP seats in the FROW

A moment: The Blink-182 drummer sweetly gazed at Kourtney during the show with a grin ear to ear on his face

NYFW: Travis showed off his shirtless chest in a leather vest, adding coordinating trousers, a spiky necklace and small framed sunglasses

Couple: Kourtney and Travis cuddled up on the front row to take in the show

In a world of their own: Kourtney shrugged off the backlash surrounding her latest collaboration, choosing to revel in her big night with Travis by her side

The star's collaboration with the company also includes social content in addition to the two collections. The first of two collections includes 46 limited-edition pieces using recycled fibers, traceable cotton, recycled sequins and recycled polyester.

Kourtney wrote on Tuesday on her Instagram: 'I went back and forth about this collection @boohoo because the first thing I think about when I hear the words "fast fashion" is that it's bad for our planet.'

She continued, noting that she expected the 'backlash' 'because the two just don't go hand in hand' but hopes the partnership will end up raising awareness on the 'impacts of fast fashion on our planet.'

'I thought about the fact that fast fashion, or the fashion industry in general, isnt going anywhere,' she added.

Gorgeous: The star rocked center parted tresses with nude colored lipstick

Strike a pose: Kourtney wore her jacket off her shoulders for a more dramatic look

Show: Boohoo CEOs John Lyttle and Carol Kane pose with Kourtney and Travis

The most interesting to look at: Kourtney looked incredible while holding a large bouquet of red roses

Having a laugh: After the collaboration was announced social media went into overdrive, pointing out the Kardashian's family reputation for excess

Looking good: One user said that Boohoo was looking to greenwash its reputation in using the star, who is teaming up with the brand on a partnership focused on sustainable practices

'I thought about how pushing Boohoo to make some initial changes and then holding them accountable to larger change would be impactful. It's definitely making some noise which is exactly what I was hoping.'

'I certainly don't have all the answers, but for someone who has done a fast fashion line in the past, which didn't get backlash because I was not calling attention to trying to make better changes, I feel proud about doing it with intention and purpose.'

'I will elaborating on their changes, how we've made this line more sustainable, and what I've learned was as consumers can do to help... all to come!!'

The collaboration has been heavily critcised with one tweeter summing it up last week as: 'A private-jetting Kardashian worth $65 million is now 'sustainability ambassador' for fossil fuel fashion brand boohoo, where she'll chat 'with sustainability experts to better understand challenges and opportunities in the fashion industry.' We absolutely KANNOT.'

'BOOHOO MAKING MORE S*** IS NOT SUSTAINABLE IN ANY WAY ... Using a Kardashian is the perfect overconsumption tactic ... Greenwashing us with a popular celebrity so no one has to do any critical thinking because she's clearly done it all for us,' pointed out another.

'This can't be real life ... A Kardashian as the sustainability advisor?? This rock in space is actually done for ... This is the literal perfect culmination of all the crap Boohoo can possibly do rolled into one.'

In my defence: Hours before Tuesday's NYFW show, Kourtney took to her Instagram to address the backlash from the sustainability ambassador title

Good times: Madison LeCroy and Erica Cain Missel struck a pose together

Pretty: Teresa Giudice donned a pink dress with striking clear heels

Cool: Reo Brydges donned track bottoms with a crop top

Fashion: Jonathan Cheban aka FoodGod donned jeans and a bomber jacket

Beaming: Dylan Mulvaney donned a black and white number

A look: Jameela Jamil chose a lime green dress with statement boots

The fashion show consisted of her first collection with the brand, including a concert-style tee for Blink-182 - Travis' rock band, as well as red shine pants.

The collection also included sheer lace pieces as well as graphic see-through ones in a playful pattern.

The Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian collection included a lot of faux leather as well as cut-out pieces; There was also a bubble gum pink patent jacket as part of the collection.

Rocking it: Charlotte McKinney led the star-studded catwalk

Rocker: She showed her edgy style as she put up the 'rock on' hand symbol while strutting her stuff in a grey trench coat and knee-high black leather booties

Striking: The fashion show consisted of her first collection with the brand, including a concert-style tee for Blink-182 - Travis' rock band, as well as red shine pants

Vibe: The collection also included sheer lace pieces as well as graphic see-through ones in a playful pattern

Edgy: The Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian collection included a lot of faux leather as well as cut-out pieces

Bright: There was also a bubble gum pink patent jacket as part of the collection which was modeled by Joy Corrigan
Bruce Willis looked in good shape on Tuesday, as he enjoyed a low-key shopping trip.

The Hollywood star, 67, who revealed his aphasia diagnosis in March, paid a visit to Brentwood Country Mart in Los Angeles.

The Sixth Sense actor looked happy and healthy as he stepped out, cutting a casual figure in a navy jumper and trousers.

Stepping out: Bruce Willis looked in good shape on Tuesday, as he enjoyed a low-key shopping trip to Brentwood Country Mart in Los Angeles

Bruce wore a navy cap and grey and white trainers to complete his casual but sporty look.

The sighting comes after Bruce was diagnosed with aphasia earlier this year.

Recently Bruce's wife Emma Heming Willis said she copes with grief by discovering new hobbies, doing things out of her comfort zone, and staying active following her husband's diagnosis.

The Pulp Fiction star's health battle - which has affected his ability to speak and understand speech - was shared by his family on social media five months ago.

Emma, alongside his ex-wife Demi Moore and their kids issued a joint statement via Instagram on March 30 announcing Bruce's diagnosis.

Low-key outing: The Hollywood star, 67, who revealed his aphasia diagnosis in March, looked happy and healthy as he stepped out, cutting a casual figure in a navy jumper and trousers

What is Aphasia? The Mayo Clinic defines aphasia as 'a condition that affects your ability to communicate' that 'can affect your speech, as well as the way you write and understand both spoken and written language'. The condition could occur following a head injury or stroke, or can be a predecessor to a brain tumor or Alzheimer's disease. Patients who are living with the condition are typically treated with speech therapy and taught ways to communicate non-verbally. Advertisement

They said that the Hollywood icon 'has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities'.

The revelation also included the actor's decision to step away from acting.

The Mayo Clinic defines aphasia as 'a condition that affects your ability to communicate' that 'can affect your speech, as well as the way you write and understand both spoken and written language'.

The actor's family did not announce what brought on his bout with aphasia, which has a number of potential causes.

The condition could occur following a head injury or stroke, or can be a predecessor to a brain tumor or Alzheimer's disease. Patients who are living with the condition are typically treated with speech therapy and taught ways to communicate non-verbally.

Bruce's daughter Rumer Willis, 34, recently paid tribute to her dad, sharing a family photo from when she was younger and captioning it: 'I love you Daddio, to the moon and back.'

'Thank you for teaching me to be so silly. I love laughing with you.'
Zac Efron has stepped out for the first time since addressing rumours he'd had plastic surgery, as he attended the premiere of his new film at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday.

The actor, 34, recently revealed that his dramatically different face was the result of a shattered jaw after smashing his chin on a granite fountain ,after his new look sparked speculation he'd gone under the knife.

Zac cut a dapper figure in a grey checked suit and a black polo shirt as he walked the red carpet for the release of the drama, which tells the tale of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who sneaks into Vietnam at the height of the war.

Outing: Zac Efron has been seen for the first time since addressing rumours he'd had plastic surgery, as he attended The Greatest Beer Run Ever premiere at the Toronto Film Festival

After sharing insight into his new appearance, Zac looked smart in a pale grey checked suit and a black shirt as he arrived for the premiere.

The High School Musical star was seen posing with the real John 'Chickie' Donohue, who he plays in the biographical drama.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever focuses on U.S. Marine Corps veteran Donohue who is working as a merchant seaman, when he is given an outrageous challenge in a New York bar by a group who have lost loved ones in the Vietnam war.

Looking good! The actor recently revealed that his dramatically different face was the result of a shattered jaw after smashing his chin on a granite fountain

Causing a stir: Fans noticed Efron's jaw looked quite different in a 2021 Earth Day video (pictured right) than from his High School Musical days (pictured left in 2006)

Revelation: The star has since revealed that his dramatically difference appearance came following a fall which left him with a damaged chin bone

Smart: After sharing insight into his new appearance, Zac looked smart in a pale grey checked suit and a black shirt as he arrived for the premiere

Donohue is challenged to sneak into Vietnam, track down the group's war buddies to deliver them messages of support from back home, and hopefully some beer.

Earlier this month Zac revealed the truth behind the plastic surgery rumors which circulated last year.

In an interview with Men's Health Magazine, he recalled how he slipped on a pair of socks while running at his home causing him to smash his chin into a granite fountain.

Lauded: The Greatest Beer Run Ever tells the tale of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who sneaks into Vietnam at the height of the war to deliver letters and beer to serving soldiers

Friendly: The High School Musical star was seen posing with the real John 'Chickie' Donohue, who he plays in the biographical drama

Ouch! Detailing the reason behind his new face in an interview earlier this month, Zac revealed that he lost consciousness only to wake up with 'his chin bone hanging off his face'

Say cheese! As he attended the red carpet premiere he was seen posing with The Greatest Beer Run Ever's director Peter Farrelly

The star explained that he lost consciousness only to wake up with 'his chin bone hanging off his face.'

Efron said that when he was injured, the masseter muscles on the inside of his face and jaw then 'compensated' for his injury causing them to grow in size - hence his remarkable transformation.

He says this explains why he looked so different at the time. 'The masseters just grew. They just got really, really big.'

Efron was the centre of plastic surgery rumours last year, but the hunky actor reveals all in the October 2022 issue of Men's Health magazine, in which he appears on the front cover.

New look: In April 2021, Efron started trending on Twitter after he was seen on a video for Earth Day! The Musical displaying a more prominent square chin and heavier jawline

He also revealed that it was as a result of shattering his jaw and slamming his chin into the granite that totally transformed his face.

The High School Musical star also claimed to not know that he was a huge talking point on social media and had in fact gone viral for his different-looking jaw, until his mother called to ask if he had gone under the knife.

'If I valued what other people thought of me to the extent that they may think I do,' he told the magazine, 'I definitely wouldn't be able to do this work.'

In April 2021, Efron started trending on Twitter after he was seen on a video for Earth Day! The Musical displaying a more prominent square chin and heavier jawline.

In the clip, Efron eagerly calls Bill Nye a 'genius' after hearing that he and Justin Bieber were working on a fictional Earth Day musical.

It lead fans to speculate that the handsome star had sought plastic surgery.

Efron's pal Kyle Sandilands spoke out to say the Baywatch star would never do such a thing, comparing him to an oil painting by one of the Old Masters.

The Australian radio host, 50, who has known Zac for years, shut down speculation during The Kyle and Jackie O Show at the time.

Old look: Zac Efron is pictured at the Golden Globe Awards in January 2018 - three years before his fall

'I would know if he'd had any plastic surgery,' Kyle declared, before telling his co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson that 'of course' Zac hadn't had work done.

He then said it would be pointless for the High School Musical heart-throb to have surgery because he's already so good looking.

'It's like getting a Picasso and having a kid finger paint all over it. Why bother?' he said bluntly.

What's changed? In April 2021, Efron started trending on Twitter after he was seen on a video for Earth Day! The Musical displaying a more prominent square chin and heavier jawline

Kyle weighed into the debate several days after leading plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn offered his own hot take on Zac's new look.

In a TikTok video uploaded at the time, Dr. Youn claimed Zac may have undergone dental surgery, but not plastic surgery as some fans have speculated.

'Everyone is talking about Zac Efron and how strange he looks. Has he had surgery to reshape his jawline, Botox or fillers?' Dr. Youn began.

'I don't think so. I actually think he has had dental surgery, not plastic surgery.

'That's why he is swollen [along his jaw]. If you've had your wisdom teeth taken out, did you look like this?'

The Greatest Beer Run Ever will be released on AppleTV+ on September 30.
A galaxy of stars descended on The Rocks in Sydney on Wednesday as Channel Nine unveiled its 2023 Upfronts.

Sylvia Jeffreys looked every inch a Hollywood movie star as she stunned in a white dress, cut on the bias, and a pair of strappy heels.

The Today Extra presenter wore her blonde locks loose for the event, and her makeup palette consisted of dewy foundation and a smoky eye.

Sylvia Jeffreys looked every inch a Hollywood movie star as she stunned in a white dress, cut on the bias, and a pair of strappy heels at the Channel Nine 2023 Upfronts in Sydney

The Today Extra star wore her blonde locks loose for the event, and her makeup palette consisted of dewy foundation and a smoky eye

Hamish Blake was the epitome of casual cool as he stepped out in an always-fashionable black T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

The LEGO Masters Australia host completed his look with a navy mottled jumper and a pair of brown suede boots.

Ben Fordham was all smiles as he posed for photos in a blue dress shirt and grey jeans.

The radio titan completed his look with a tailored blazer and boots as he greeted waiting media and proved himself to be every inch the class act.

Hamish Blake was the epitome of casual cool as he stepped out in an always-fashionable black T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans

The LEGO Masters Australia host completed his look with a navy mottled jumper and a pair of brown suede boots

Ben Fordham was all smiles as he posed for photos in a blue dress shirt and grey jeans

The radio titan completed his look with a tailored blazer and boots as he greeted waiting media and proved himself to be every inch the class act

Elsewhere, The Block's Darren Palmer ensured all eyes were on him as he stepped out in an eggplant-coloured suit.

The stylish interior designer completed his look with a crisp white T-shirt and a pair of box-fresh trainers.

Fan favourite Poh Ling Yeow made a style statement in a patterned green maxi dress.

Elsewhere, The Block's Darren Palmer ensured all eyes were on him as he stepped out in an eggplant-coloured suit

He completed his look with a crisp white T-shirt and a pair of box-fresh trainers

Fan favourite Poh Ling Yeow made a style statement in a patterned green maxi dress

The Snackmasters Australia host accessorised her ensemble with dazzling gold earrings and a pair of chunky black heels.

Poh, 49, kept her beauty look chic on the night, wearing her jet back locks pulled back to reveal her age defying visage.

She accessorised her look with strappy black heels and had her toe nails painted black.

The Snackmasters Australia host accessorised her ensemble with dazzling gold earrings and a pair of chunky black heels

Brooke Boney looked lovely in a baby blue coloured suit.

The entertainment reporter was all glammed up for the outing wearing a full face of make up which consisted of foundation, blush and mascara.

She accessorised her look with a pair of hoop earrings and white heels.

Brooke Boney looked lovely in a baby blue coloured suit

The entertainment reporter, 35, was all glammed up for the outing wearing a full face of make up which consisted of foundation, blush and mascara

Former Today host Deborah Knight stunned in a sleeveless black maxi dress.

The 49-year-old wore her blonde locks loose for the event, and her makeup palette consisted of dewy foundation and pink eyeshadow.

She accessorised her look with a black designer handbag and strappy heels.

Former Today host Deborah Knight stunned in a sleeveless black maxi dress

The 49-year-old wore her blonde locks loose for the event, and her makeup palette consisted of dewy foundation and pink eyeshadow

Andy Lee looked every inch the stylish hunk in a black suit.

The Hundred host, 41, completed his look with a crisp white T-shirt and leather boots.

The series will be returning for its fourth season next year and will tackle more of society's biggest (and smallest) questions.

Andy Lee (pictured) looked every inch the stylish hunk in a black suit

The series will be returning for its fourth season next year and will tackle more of society's biggest (and smallest) questions

Kate Langbroek ensured all eyes were on her in a stunning see-through top that featured a starry pattern.

The radio and TV presenter, 57, matched it with a chic off-white skirt with a gold buckle and matching dress shoes.

Kate is set to host heartfelt dating show, My Mum Your Dad, which is about single parents looking for love for the second time around.

What they don't know is their adult children are secretly guiding them through the perils of modern dating.

Kate Langbroek ensured all eyes were on her in a stunning see-through top that featured a starry pattern

The 57-year-old matched it with a chic off-white skirt with a gold buckle and matching dress shoes

Today Extra host David Campbell looed suave in a green-grey coloured suit which he teamed up with shiny black boots.

The television presenter completed his look with a crisp white shirt and had his hair styled up.

David appeared in good spirits as he hammed it up for photographers.

Today Extra host David Campbell looed suave in a green-grey coloured suit which he teamed up with shiny black boots

The television presenter completed his look with a crisp white T-shirt and had his hair styled up

The Block's Shelley Craft looked chic in a black leather-look dress which featured shoulder pads, a ruffled collar and a knee-grazing split.

The TV star, 46, accessorised her look with a pair of statement earrings.

Shelley wore her blonde tresses styled into a high ponytail on the night, and allowed tendrils to frame her flawless visage.

The Block's Shelley Craft looked chic in a black leather dress which featured shoulder pads and a thigh high split

Shelley wore her blonde tresses styled into a high ponytail on the night, and allowed tendrils to frame her flawless visage

Celebrity Apprentice mentor Janine Allis stunned in a plunging black dress which she teamed up with a brown longline coat.

The Boost Juice founder wore her long brunette tresses out and relaxed for the event.

Janine accessorised her look with drop pearl earrings and black pointy heels.

Celebrity Apprentice mentor Janine Allis stunned in a plunging black dress which she teamed up with a brown longline coat

The Boost Juice founder wore her long brunette tresses out and relaxed

Shaynna Blaze was the epitome of glam as she made her blue carpet appearance.

The 59-year-old interior designer showed off her flare for fashion in a stunning baby blue-coloured silk suit.

She completed her look wearing a pair of studded heels and delicate jewellery.

Shaynna Blaze was the epitome of glam as she made her blue carpet appearance

The 59-year-old interior designer showed off her flare for fashion in a stunning baby blue-coloured silk suit

Meanwhile, Shelly Horton sparkled in a figure-hugging purple wrap dress that glittered on the blue carpet.

The famous Channel Nine red head wore her locks styled to perfection in gentle waves for the industry shindig.

Shelly completed her look wearing a pair of animal print heels.

Meanwhile, Shelly Horton sparkled in a figure-hugging purple wrap dress that glittered on the blue carpet

Shelly completed her look wearing a pair of animal print heels

Married At First Sight fan favourite Ella Ding was also in attendance.

Ella stunned in a black and white suit which featured a polka dot design, and a neon green coloured crop top.

The 28-year-old brunette wore her long locks out and relaxed.

Married At First Sight fan favourite Ella Ding was also in attendance

She was later joined by MAFS grooms Brent Vitiello and Jack Millar.

Brent, 34, looked suave in a black suit which he teamed up with a matching shirt and Nike shoes.

Jack, 27, looked smart casual in a white polo shirt and black pants.

Ella stunned in a black and white suit which featured a polka dot design, and a neon green coloured crop top

Ella was later joined by MAFS grooms Jack Millar [L] and Brent Vitiello [R]

The Block fan favourites Ryan and Rachel Carr were also dressed to impress.

Rachel looked chic in a two-piece form fitting dress, which she teamed up with black heels.

Meanwhile, Ryan looked smart in a patterned suit.

The Block fan favourites Ryan and Rachel Carr were also dressed to impress

Neighbours star-turned-Block contestant Sharon Johal and her partner Ankur Dogra were also in attendance.

Sharon was a vision in an all-white ensemble, which included a form-fitting white dress which she teamed with a white jacket and heels.

Ankur meanwhile wore a black button-up shirt and pants which he teamed up with a brown coloured blazer.

Guests were treated to a live performance by electronic music group Peking Duk.

Neighbours star-turned-Block contestant Sharon Johal and partner Ankur Dogra were also in attendance
The Italian tan was still evident as Goldie Hawn stepped out for dinner in Santa Monica on Tuesday evening.

The veteran actress, 76, showed off a bronzed complexion while dining out at popular Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi, weeks after a European summer break with partner Kurt Russell, daughter Kate Hudson and son-in-law Danny Fujikawa.

In characteristically high spirits, Goldie greeted onlookers with a warm smile as she made her way back to a waiting car later that night.

Night out: The Italian tan was still evident as Goldie Hawn stepped out for dinner in Santa Monica on Tuesday evening, weeks after returning from her European summer break

The actress looked relaxed in a blue leather jacket and jeans, with a matching top and brown suede boots rounding off her ensemble.

Goldie is back in the United States following a protracted stay in mainland Europe, during which she visited the Greek islands before taking a whistle-stop tour of Italy with her loved ones.

Goldie and long-term partner Kurt are parents to son Wyatt, 35, and with the actor also taking a hands on role in the upbringing of Goldie's daughter Kate, now 42, and son Oliver, 45, from her previous marriage to actor Bill Hudson.

Looking good: The veteran actress showed off a bronzed complexion while dining out at popular Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi

In 2018, they co-starred in Netflix's The Christmas Chronicles film series, playing Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, and went on to reprise their roles in the 2020 sequel The Christmas Chronicles 2.

In a recent interview with E! News, Goldie admitted: 'The secret to my romance is separate bathrooms.'

The outing comes after Goldie opened up about politics that surround Hollywood in an interview with The Daily Wire.

Good times: Goldie is back in the United States following a protracted stay in mainland Europe, during which she visited the Greek islands before taking a whistle-stop tour of Italy

Family: Goldie and long-term partner Kurt Russell are parents to son Wyatt, now 35 (pictured together in 1995)

Megyn Kelly gave her own opinions on how she believes Middle America takes Hollywood's messages as she interviewed screen star Goldie.

'I think it's why it drives people crazy when Hollywood tries to act holier than thou and starts lecturing middle America about morality and so on,' she said.

'And you know, these people sitting in Iowa who have never done any, they've never tried to put someone on a casting couch  They're like, you could save your lectures for somebody else.'

Close: Russell also took a hands on role in the upbringing of Goldie's daughter Kate, now 42 (pictured) and son Oliver, 45, from her previous marriage to actor Bill Hudson

Goldie agreed with the former Fox News anchor saying, 'That's right, exactly. And the idea that  I do have a feeling about keeping  Okay, how do I say this?

'A lot of Hollywood has a lot of missions, right? And you know, you want to put your name onto something that you believe in, but it doesn't make a difference. And that's the reality.'

She added: 'I stay in my lane. The reality is, is that if we want to do anything, we want to do it for all people, not just for a group or whatever.'

'What makes polarity even more is creating teams on either side of the aisle. And I don't think that's what we do. I think we entertain. I think we bring awareness to people, just of their ability to laugh, to have joy, to experience it, to cry.

'We are emotional beings and create emotion in others. And it's in this case, I think we're in service.'
Married At First Sight is famous around the world for its televised weddings, which take place at the start of each season.

And in a new teaser, which premiered during Channel Nine's Upfronts on Wednesday night, the show's tenth series looks set to be an emotional journey for one groom.

At the beginning of the clip, Perth marriage celebrant Jesse Burford is seen dressed in a pink suit standing at the alter when he says: 'Believe me when I say this is the best point in time for someone to be snatching me up'.

Married At First Sight 2023 trailer: An emotional groom breaks down while reading his vows to his supportive bride

'I don't know where love has been hiding all these years...' he continues before breaking down into tears.

'I don't know what more I could do to make my light any easier for love to find, because I swear I'm shining so brightly.'

His bride, Melbourne-based child care worker Claire Nomarhas, then replies: 'F**k yeah, you are!'

Burford is well known in the metalcore music scene and has been performing since he was 11 years old.

Perth-based Jesse Burford is seen dressed in a pink suit standing at the alter when he says: 'Believe me when I say this is the best point in time for someone to be snatching me up'

'I don't know where love has been hiding all these years...' he continues before breaking down into tears

'I don't know what more I could do to make my light any easier for love to find, because I swear I'm shining so brightly,' he continues

Jesse has previously hosted Bingo Nights, business events and XXX adult strip shows.

Friends describe him as a 'really fun guy' who is 'super chilled, considerate, honest and down to earth'.

While little is known about Claire, a former friend has labelled the bride as a 'firecracker' and claimed that she 'caused a lot of trouble in high school'.

His bride, Melbourne-based Claire Nomarhas, then replies: 'F**k yeah, you are!'

The newlyweds are then seen hugging while a cheery Jesse is seen grinning at a friend

While little is known about Claire, a former friend has labelled the bride as a 'firecracker'

Viewers are then introduced to a glimpse of two glamorous brides Melinda Willis and Janelle Han.

Also appearing in the teaser is Sydney construction worker Harrison Boon.

The hunky groom appears in the clip for a brief moment.

Viewers are then introduced to a glimpse of two glamorous brides. Pictured: Melinda Willis

Perth-based social media influencer and TikTok sensation Janelle Han will be one of the 10 brides appearing on the upcoming series
She is expecting her third child with husband Greg Shepherd later this year.

And pregnant Billie Faiers looked incredible as she showcased her beautiful baby bump while attending the 2022 Licensing Awards at Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Tuesday night.

The reality star, 32, dressed to impress in a figure-hugging black strapless gown which showcased her changing shape to perfection.

Bumping along: Pregnant Billie Faiers looked incredible as she showcased her beautiful baby bump while attending the Licensing Awards 2022 in London on Tuesday night

The TV personality wrapped a coordinated scarf around her neck and elevated her frame in a pair of towering strappy heels.

The Family Diaries star turned up the glamour at the event as she carried her belongings in a glittering Yves Saint Laurent clutch.

Billie styled her blonde tresses slicked back in a chic up-do and left her fringe to fall to one side in loose waves.

The former TOWIE star injected a pop of colour to her glamorous look with a slick of fuchsia lipstick, and accessorised with a pair of chunky gold drop earrings.

Stunning: The reality star, 32, dressed to impress in a figure-hugging black strapless gown which showcased her changing shape to perfection

Gorgeous: The TV personality wrapped a coordinated scarf around her neck and elevated her frame in a pair of towering strappy heels

So chic: The Family Diaries star turned up the glamour as she carried her belongings in a glittering Yves Saint Laurent clutch

Billie arrived to the event by taxi with her manager Xanthe Biggs, who stood out in an eye catching bold pink suit.

The mother-of-two posed up a storm outside the venue cradling her growing bump in the figure hugging stylish number.

Billie won an award for her George at ASDA Childrens Collection at the glamorous event.

The beauty recently opened up about her pregnancy journey as her body continues to change as her due date nears.

Baby on board: Billie styled her blonde tresses slicked back in a chic up-do and left her fringe to fall to one side in loose waves

Not long now: The former TOWIE star injected a pop of colour to her glamorous look with a slick of fuchsia lipstick, and accessorised with a pair of chunky gold drop earrings

Billie explained how her boobs have grown to a size 34E, the biggest they've ever been, and have become really 'annoying'.

Billie, who has daughter Nelly, eight, and son Arthur, five, with husband Greg, 37, took to Instagram in June to announce the happy news about her pregnancy while enjoying a family holiday in Abu Dhabi.

She wrote: 'Baby number 3 we can't wait to meet you. We are so happy and excited.'

The beauty showed off her bump while posing in the sea with husband Greg while wearing a white bikini and a sun hat.

The couple have been together since 2011 and got engaged while on holiday in the Maldives in 2014.

Billie and Greg returned to the Indian Ocean island paradise for their wedding, tying the knot in March 2019.

Pretty in pink: Billie arrived to the event by taxi with her manager Xanthe Biggs, who stood out in an eye-catching bold pink suit
Martin Lewis broke down in tears during an appearance on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain, as he discussed the tragic death of his mother in a road traffic accident.

The money guru, 50, admitted his grief was triggered after watching footage of Prince Harry's procession behind his mother Diana's coffin during her funeral in 1997.

Revealing that his mother died just three days before he turned 12, Martin compared his own grief to that of Harry's, whose mum Princess Diana was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.

Moving: Martin Lewis broke down in tears during an appearance on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain, as he discussed the tragic death of his mother in a road traffic accident

Martin's mother Susan Lewis was killed by a lorry while out horse riding with his sister, and the money-saving expert struggled to hide his grief while discussing the upcoming procession for Queen Elizabeth II.

Martin told Susanna Reid: 'I wasn't going to say this on air but it resonates with me very powerfully for someone who lost his mother at the same age as Harry in a road traffic accident.

'I find it very difficult to watch. Thank goodness I wasn't made to walk behind. I didn't even go. It does bring back some...'

What's going on? The money guru was also briefly absent later in the show following an ad break, leaving Susanna Reid to present the programme solo

Sad: Martin reflected on his mother Susan's death while discussing the upcoming procession for Queen Elizabeth II, after she passed away last week (pictured as a child)

Sad: Revealing that his mother died just three days before he turned 12, Martin compared his own grief to that of Princes Harry and William (pictured) whose mum Princess Diana was killed

So sad: It comes as The Royal Family prepare for a procession behind The Queen's coffin during its journey to Westminster Hall, after her death last week (pictured in June)

Choking on his words, Martin asked Susanna to carry on while he composed himself, and she replied: 'Oh Martin. When events like this happen they are very triggering of private grief. We totally understand.'

Later in the show, Martin was absent from his seat following a break for the local news, leaving Susanna to read the autocue solo.

The camera zoomed in on her while Martin returned to his seat, though no reason was given for his absence.

Emotional: Martin told Susanna: 'I wasn't going to say this on air but it resonates with me very powerfully for someone who lost his mother at the same age as Harry in a road traffic accident'

Difficult: 'I find it very difficult to watch. Thank goodness I wasn't made to walk behind. I didn't even go. It does bring back some...' he said before choking on his words

Tough time: Choking on his words, Martin asked Susanna to carry on while he composed himself, and she noted it was 'understandable' that he would have such a reaction

On Wednesday members of the Royal Family will walk behind The Queen's coffin when it leaves Buckingham Palace to travel to Westminster Hall to lie in state.

Among the royals taking part will be Princes Harry and William, who both walked behind their mother Diana's coffin during her funeral 25 years ago.

In June 2020, Lewis recalled how he didn't leave his house for six years after his mother's death.

Where has he gone? Later in the show, Martin was absent from his seat following an ad break, leaving Susanna to read the autocue solo

Odd: The camera zoomed in on her while Martin returned to his set, though no reason was given for his absence

Speaking on BBC Four's Desert Island Discs at the time, he told how his 'childhood ended that day' and that he developed crippling anxiety leaving him unable to leave the house as he 'couldn't cope' with the thought of something else bad happening.

He said: 'My mum was there one day and she wasn't the next and that was it. This was 1984 and you didn't have counselling. My childhood ended that day and I am still not over it.'

Revealing that he stayed home all the time except when attending school, he went on: 'I never left the house, couldn't leave the house.

'Because I wasn't at home when it happened to my mum and I couldn't cope with the thought of leaving the house because something else could happen.'

It's sad: In June 2020, Lewis recalled how he didn't leave his house for six years after his mother's death

Devastating: Speaking on BBC Four's Desert Island Discs at the time, he told how his 'childhood ended that day' and that he developed crippling anxiety

The money guru, who is Jewish, told how he would pretend to be busy with religious events to avoid socialising with his peers outside of school.

'It was very difficult because when all my friends from school were going to parties and meeting girls and things like that, which I'd have liked to do, I couldn't cope with it.'

He added: 'It was a complete lie, I was a little boy. I was a little boy struggling to deal with something that nobody should be dealing with at that age.'

Ordeal: Lewis previously spoke of his grief in an interview on Loose Women where he admitted he found it difficult to open up about the ordeal for decades

Lewis previously spoke of his grief in an interview on Loose Women where he admitted he found it difficult to open up about the ordeal for decades.

'I am still now 35 years later deeply scarred,' he told the panel. 'It was a defining point in my life.

'It changed the way I act and behave. It was devastating. 'We didn't know what to do. It was the mid 80s, you didn't do that type of thing. My father, my sister and I were incredibly wounded for such a long time.'
President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a luncheon with the ruling People Power Party's semiconductor committee members at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap



Meetings with China's No. 3 official, main opposition party chief await Yoon



By Nam Hyun-woo



President Yoon Suk-yeol recently wrapped up a major reorganization of the staff of the presidential office, with more than 50 secretaries and their deputies either quitting or being reassigned.



With his slimmer squad of staff, Yoon will take on a series of pending diplomatic and domestic tasks awaiting him, with the hope of maintaining the recovery momentum in his approval ratings.



Since mid-August, the presidential office has been undertaking a sweeping reorganization of Yoon's aides including making changes in the office's organization chart to optimize aides' roles.



Including the first and second secretaries for political affairs, a number of ranking officials were included in the drastic shakeup.



The reshuffle seemed to have finished as Kim Dae-ki, the presidential chief of staff, presided over an all-staff meeting at the presidential office on Tuesday, explaining the reason for the replacements as well as asking for the staff's renewed commitment to work.



This reorganization is anticipated to have contributed to the recent slight recovery in Yoon's support rate. A survey by Realmeter showed that Yoon's job approval rating inched up to 32.6 percent in the first week of September, up 0.3 percentage points from a week earlier. An official at the polling agency attributed it to Yoon's improved efforts to come up with measures to prevent severe damage from Typhoon Hinnamnor.



The poll surveyed 2,006 adults from Sept. 5 to 8 and further details are available at the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission's website.



Amid the more positive atmosphere, a number of pending diplomatic and domestic issues will test whether Yoon can maintain the uptrend and garner public trust on his administration.



On Thursday, Li Zhanshu, Standing Committee Chairman of China's National People's Congress, will visit Seoul to meet Korea's National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo on Friday. During his three-day stay here, Li, China's No. 3 official, will meet President Yoon, also on Friday, though the detailed schedule was not announced.



Li's visit comes as diplomatic pressure for Yoon, who has been stressing strengthening relations with countries that share values of liberal democracy and freedom, and has been taking clear steps toward the U.S. in the rivalry between Washington and Beijing.



More recently, the Yoon government is accelerating processes to normalize the operation of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) base in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, which is largely interpreted as a prelude to Yoon's election pledge of installing more THAAD batteries on the Korean soil.



Given that China has been opposing this move, chances are high that THAAD issue may be included in the talks between Yoon and Li.



After meeting Li, Yoon will depart for a weeklong trip to visit the U.K., the U.S. and Canada, to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly and have a summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.



At the funeral, Yoon is anticipated to have conversations with international leaders, and deliver his first U.N. General Assembly speech to outline Korea's role in addressing challenges the world is facing.





Ruling People Power Party interim leader Chung Jin-suk, right, speaks with senior presidential secretary for political affairs Lee Jin-bok during their meeting at the former's office at the National Assembly, Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps
Joy Corrigan stormed the runway at Kourtney Kardashian's Boohoo show during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday.

And the top model was obviously such a fan of her statement look from the show that she wore it for her equally glam entrance to the runway venue - The High Line.

Joy, 27, turned heads in a pink leather trench coat, ditching the rest of her outfit to flash the flesh.

Model behaviour: Joy Corrigan stormed the runway at Kourtney Kardashian's Boohoo show during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday and rocked the same look for her glam arrival

Joy posed up a storm both on and off the runway, flashing her long legs in the belted trench which she teamed with knee-high black boots.

She added dark shades and slicked back her locks into a chic up do ready for her runway appearance.

Kourtney is the new 'sustainability ambassador' for Boohoo, launching two collections in collaboration with the fast fashion brand.

Wow: Joy posed up a storm both on and off the runway, flashing her long legs in the belted trench which she teamed with knee-high black boots

Joy was the perfect model for the collab's first runway show. In a January interview with Maxim, the beauty discussed her laid back attitude towards showing her body in front of the camera.

'I love to be sexy and I love to show skin 'cause I work out really hard to get the body that I have. I've always been very free-spirited about it,' she explained.

The stunner added: 'I try to keep every shot I do very classy and a visual showcase of the beauty of what a woman can look like. That's my goal.'

She was raised on a backwoods farm, surrounded by livestock, with six brothers and three sisters in North Carolina.

Catwalk: The star rocked the same look on the runway for Boohoo X Kourtney Kardashian

'I would never have dreamed I would be where I'm at today. I knew there was something else, and something bigger, but I had no idea what it was. I just knew I had to get out of that town, and as soon as I was old enough I moved. I love my family, but I realized there's more out there,' the model explained.

When she was young, she said she 'would go to church every Sunday and every Wednesday' and wasn't 'allowed to wear skirts above' the knees.

'But there was a part of me that wanted to be free and show the world I can be sexy,' she said of bucking her strict upbringing. 'They [her parents] werent too proud of me cause they didnt get that I wanted to show my body and promote feeling sexy as a woman. Now theyre proud of their daughter.'

Racy: The beauty flashed her tiny string underwear as she strutted outside in the statement coat from pal Kourtney's new collaboration

The entrepreneur, who has worked for brands like Guess, Victoria's Secret, and Jimmy Choo, has been modeling since she was 14-years-old after getting scouted in a mall in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Corrigan has created Naked Species, a clothing line with her sister, Gina.

The 5'8" beauty described the line as 'streetwear with a twist.' The brand includes clothes, jewelry and swimwear for both men and women.

Ten percent of Naked Species profits are donated to protect wild animals.
Miranda Kerr reunited with her ex-husband Orlando Bloom at the launch of Edward Enninful's A Visible Man book launch on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old Australian model shares son Flynn, 11, with the actor, 45, and the pair are still on amicable terms.

Miranda put on a leggy display in a little black dress, that was adorned with sequins for a dose of sparkle.

Exes: Miranda Kerr reunited with her ex-husband Orlando Bloom at the launch of Edward Enninful's A Visible Man book launch on Tuesday

The halterneck style outfit boasted a bow in the front and clung to Miranda's lithe figure.

She added height to her frame with a pair of strappy black heels, and let her brunette tresses tumble over her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Orlando cut a casual figure, as he attended the event in a navy T-shirt and black trousers.

Co-parenting: The 39-year-old Australian model shares son Flynn, 11, with the actor, 45, and the pair are still amicable

The former couple posed for a picture with the man of the hour, Edward, and looked on friendly terms.

Miranda, who is now married to Snap Inc. co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel, has had only kind things to say about her ex and his new love, Katy Perry, gushing that she 'adore[s]' Katy.

'I adore Katy and am grateful Orlando found someone he is happy with. Now Flynn has four happy parents who get along,' she said to LVR magazine in June.

Looking good: Miranda put on a leggy display in a little black dress, that was adorned with sequins for a dose of sparkle

The brunette beauty added that she and Orlando had managed to stay good friends almost a decade after opting to end their marriage.

'When we separated, the most important thing we decided we could do is that when we make a decision, we ask, "Is this in the best interest of our child?"'

She added, 'We will be family no matter what.'

Incredible: The halterneck style outfit boasted a bow in the front and clung to Miranda's lithe figure

Miranda and Orlando began dating back in 2007, with an engagement following in June of 2010.

They were married just a month later, and the couple welcomed their son Flynn in January 2011.

But in October 2013, the two announced that they were divorcing and had already separated months earlier.

Stylish: Meanwhile, Orlando cut a casual figure, as he attended the event in a navy T-shirt and black trousers (L-R Jeremy Scott, Orlando, and Edward)

Miranda and Evan first met at a Louis Vuitton event in 2014.

The model recounted how former Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey, who sat next to them at the dinner, told her out of the blue, 'I know about these things. I have a strong feeling you will get married.'

Although Miranda said she didn't expect anything to happen with Evan, who is seven years younger than her, she brought up her love of a 20th century classic piece by the popular Estonian composer Arvo Part.

'I told him one of my favorite songs is Spiegel im Spiegel [Mirror in Mirror] by Avro Part. We discussed our respective home construction projects, and he left before dessert, saying he was getting up at 5:30 a.m. and didnt want to stay out late.'

Author: The former couple posed for a picture with the man of the hour, Edward, and looked on friendly terms (L-R Alessandra Ambrosio, Edward, Tobey Maguire, Orlando, and Poppy Delevingne)

Although their evening came to a seemingly cold end, Miranda gave it one last shot after a night of drinking and karaoke following a modeling trip to Japan.

'I texted him to ask if he ever listened to the song, and he called me back right away,' she said, though she turned the tables on him by ending the call so that she could go back to her singing.

The two took things slowly, and Miranda noted they saw each other on and off for months before she got her first kiss with Evan, but she appreciated their deliberative approach.

Romance: Miranda and Orlando began dating back in 2007, with an engagement following in June of 2010 (pictured in 2013)

'It was lovely to find someone who appreciated my kind heart and joyful spirit,' she gushed of her partner. 'We balance each other out like Yin and Yang. We complement each other.'

The lovebirds were officially dating by 2015, and they got engaged the following year before marrying in May 2017.

In 2018 they welcomed their first child together  and her second  Hart, four, and their son Myles, two, followed in 2019.

Happy couple: Miranda is married to Snap Inc. co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel (pictured in May)

During her phone chat with LVR, Miranda had to pause the interview to take a call from a doctor over redness one of her sons developed in his eye.

'Its probably nothing to worry about, but you want to make sure its all OK,' she said.

Since then, Miranda noted how she had instilled some healthy habits in her husband, like getting him to work out, while he had help stabilize her sleep schedule.

'We also love the different things we bring to the table. He is so intelligent, obviously, and thinks differently from anyone Ive met and vice-versa; its fascinating to have conversations because we both think about things and perspectives differently. He is very intellectual, and I am heart-centered,' she said.
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They've been an inseparable duo in recent days, hitting the Burning Man festival together to celebrate Kaia's 21st birthday.

And on Tuesday night Cindy Crawford, 56, and Kaia Gerber, 21, hit the town again to celebrate Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful's memoir A Visible Man with a star-studded party in Los Angeles.

The models looked stunning in chic looks as they posed for snaps with Edward at Sunset Tower Hotel.

Model behaviour: On Tuesday night Cindy Crawford, 56, and Kaia Gerber, 21, hit the town to celebrate Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful's memoir A Visible Man with a star-studded party in Los Angeles

Runway legend Cindy was super chic in a burnt orange pleated leather skirt for the big night out.

She added a draped top in a complementary shade and accessorised with gold jewelry and a nude clutch.

Cindy's lookalike daughter Kaia looked stunning in a racy little black dress, which highlighted her toned and tanned physique.

The a-list pair mingled with the starry guest list at the bash, and posed for photos with the party's dapper host Edward as he held up a copy of his anticipated book.

Man of the moment: he models looked stunning in chic looks as they posed for snaps with Edward at Sunset Tower Hotel

Always glam: Runway legend Cindy was super chic in a burnt orange pleated leather skirt for the big night out

LBD: Cindy's lookalike daughter Kaia looked stunning in a racy little black dress, which highlighted her toned and tanned physique to perfection

Elsewhere, Miranda Kerr reunited with her ex-husband Orlando Bloom at the launch party.

The 39-year-old Australian model shares son Flynn, 11, with the actor, 45, and the pair are still on amicable terms.

Miranda put on a leggy display in a little black dress, that was adorned with sequins for a dose of sparkle.

Catching up: Cindy posed for snaps with fellow runway legend Alessandra Ambrosio who looked incredible in a barely-there cut out black dress and leather jacket

A list bash: The model also caught up with Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham as they posed for glam photos by the pool

Chic: Hannah looked amazing in a strapless black top and draped trousers, adding a pop of colour with her pink heels

The halterneck style outfit boasted a bow in the front and clung to Miranda's lithe figure.

She added height to her frame with a pair of strappy black heels, and let her brunette tresses tumble over her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Orlando cut a casual figure, as he attended the event in a navy T-shirt and black trousers.

Exes: Elsewhere, Miranda Kerr reunited with her ex-husband Orlando Bloom at the star-studded book launch on Tuesday

Looking good: Miranda put on a leggy display in a little black dress, that was adorned with sequins for a dose of sparkle

Incredible: Miranda's halterneck style outfit boasted a bow in the front and clung to Miranda's lithe figure

Co-parenting: The 39-year-old Australian model shares son Flynn, 11, with the actor, 45, and the pair are still amicable

The former couple posed for a picture with the man of the hour, Edward, and looked on friendly terms.

Miranda, who is now married to Snap Inc. co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel, has had only kind things to say about her ex and his new love, Katy Perry, gushing that she 'adore[s]' Katy.

'I adore Katy and am grateful Orlando found someone he is happy with. Now Flynn has four happy parents who get along,' she said to LVR magazine in June.

Stylish: Orlando cut a casual figure, as he attended the event in a navy T-shirt and black trousers (L-R Jeremy Scott, Orlando, and Edward)

Author: The former couple posed for a picture with the man of the hour, Edward, and looked on friendly terms (L-R Alessandra Ambrosio, Edward, Tobey Maguire, Orlando, and Poppy Delevingne)

Dressed to party: Kelly Rowland wowed in a feather trim dress, flashing her legs and underwear in the sheer number, while Poppy Delevingne showed off her svelte physique in a navy bra layered under a knit jacket and flares

What a guestlist! Kelly posed for snaps with the man of the hour Edward and Pose star Michaela Jae Rodriguez

Talented pair: Michaela wowed in a hounstooth print crop top and skirt as she posed with Euphoria star Storm Reid

Out on the town: Poppy posed with fellow British talent Emma Grede, the co-founder and CEO of Good American

Giving an insight into one of the most exclusive industries, Edward's memoir details how he, a Black, gay, working-class refugee, found a home in fashion and made his mark on it.

Edward recently revealed he feared losing his sight after having four operations on his eyes in recent years.

Edward, 50, who married his long-term partner Alec Maxwell in February this year, explained a detached retina, among other issues, led to him having the procedures - and during the recovery time he was left living in the dark and looking at the floor for several weeks.

Wow factor: Laverne Cox showed some skin in her statement jacket with cut-out detail while Mindy Kaling stood out in her bright green shirt and flare ensemble

Suits you! Laverne posed with Edward, who looked dapper in one of his signature black suits and t-shirt combos

Describing the recovery as 'psychologically intense' he explained he had always had problems with his eyesight.

He told The BBC's Amol Rajan: 'But what I've also learned is... you don't need perfect vision to create. You don't need 20/20 vision to see images.

'So that's the irony of it: though I have bad eyesight, I'm still able to create images that people seem to resonate with.'

Pals: Michael B Jordan reunited with his Friday Night Lights co-star Jurnee Smollett, who wowed in red leather

When he was 16 Edward was spotted on public transport by stylist Simon Foxton, who told him he could be a model, and he began shooting with photographers for i-D magazine.

After assisting the magazine's fashion director Beth Summers, Edward gained more experience and when Summers left her position shortly before the model's 18th birthday, he was asked to step into her role, becoming the youngest ever fashion director for an international publication.

However the job came at a price as Edward had been skipping classes at the University of Goldsmiths in order to pursue his career. When his father found out about this, he threw him out of the house and the pair didn't speak for 15 years.

With pals: Edward gave actor Tobey Maguire a hug as they chatted over cocktails at the plush party

Looking good: Tobey teamed up for a photo with musician Evan Ross inside the celeb-packed party

Edward married creative director Alex Maxwell in a star-studded ceremony in February this year.

He also addressed speculation about whether he would step into the shoes of fellow Brit Anna Wintour, 72, to take the helm at American Vogue when she eventually steps down after first taking editorship in 1988.

Although he said he is 'so happy' running British Vogue, he added: 'You never know what the future holds.'
She signed a 1million deal with Oh Polly last month making it the biggest partnership in Love Island history.

And Ekin-Su Culculoglu looked sensational on Tuesday as she made her New York Fashion Week catwalk debut as she modelled looks from the clothing brand.

The Love Island winner, 28, wowed in an orange cut-out crop top and matching mini skirt as she strutted her stuff, while proud boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti watched on.

Check her out! Ekin-Su Culculoglu looked sensational on Tuesday as she made her New York Fashion Week catwalk debut as she modelled looks from the clothing brand

Ekin-Su highlighted her golden tan in the thigh-skimming skirt and racy halterneck top with key hole detail, teaming it with barely-there nude heels.

The Turkish beauty styled her caramel locks into a chic ponytail, while her features were highlighted with a radiant palette of glossy make-up.

Meanwhile, her fellow Love Island champion and beau Davide, 27, sat excitedly on the front row as he walked his girlfriend walk by.

Big supporter: The Love Island winner, 28, wowed in an orange cut-out crop top and matching mini skirt as she strutted her stuff, while proud boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti watched on

The businessman beamed broadly as he captured the exciting moment on his mobile phone, which he later shared to Instagram.

Captioning his post of the stunner, Davide wrote: 'Number 1. Absolutely stunning baby' alongside a selection of loved-up emojis.

Ekin-Su also wowed in a second outfit as she attended the Nolcha runway shows during the NYFW, slipping into a brown cut-out mini dress as she posed backstage.

Looking good: Ekin-Su highlighted her golden tan in the thigh-skimming skirt and racy halterneck top with key hole detail, teaming it with barely-there nude heels

Glamorous: The Turkish beauty styled her caramel locks into a chic ponytail, while her features were highlighted with a radiant palette of glossy make-up

The actress looked flawless in the revealing dress which perfectly showcased her amazing figure.

Ekin-Su and Davide were in good company at the event as they also posed alongside The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice and her daughters Gia and Milania.

It comes after Ekin-Su's dreams came true on Tuesday as she witnessed her very own advert with the fashion brand being shown on a Times Square digital billboard in New York City.

Cheerleader: The businessman beamed broadly as he captured the exciting moment on his mobile phone, which he later shared to Instagram

So proud: Captioning his post of the stunner, Davide wrote: 'Number 1. Absolutely stunning baby' alongside a selection of loved-up emojis

The reality star took to her Instagram account showing a video of herself leaping into her boyfriend Davide's arms as the ad played in the background while they locked lips.

The couple packed on the PDA as they stood in the centre of the square, with Davide lifting up his actress girlfriend as they beamed at one another.

Ekin-Su chose John Legend's hit All Of Me to accompany the video which saw the pair dressed down in casual wear during the outing.

Wow: Ekin-Su also wowed in a second outfit as she attended the Nolcha runway shows during the NYFW, slipping into a brown cut-out mini dress as she posed backstage

Work it: The actress looked flawless in the revealing dress which perfectly showcased her amazing figure

Only eyes for each other: Ekin-Su and Davide looked loved-up backstage at the show

Hey good looking: The duo put on a stylish display backstage, with the hunk looking smart in an all-black ensemble

Look who it is: Ekin-Su and Davide were in good company at the event as they also posed alongside The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice

Here come the girls: Ekin-Su snapped a photo with Teresa and her daughters Gia and Milania

Proud beau Davide was seen whispering into Ekin-Su's ear during the special occasion as he flashed a wide grin.

Reflecting on her achievement, Ekin-Su captioned the clip: 'Since I was a little girl I would always dream about New York and how much I wanted to be on Times Square.. I truly believe in faith and being a good person in life.

'Having dreams and working hard. Never giving up. What ever happened in life I never gave up. Never complained even when things werent going well

Dream come true: Ekin-Su took to her Instagram account showing a video of her leaping into her boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti's arms in Times Square

PDA: Ekin-Su chose John Legend's hit All Of Me to accompany the video which saw the pair dressed down in casual wear during the outing

Im extremely grateful for everyone around me. All the love all the beautiful support and of course the @ohpolly team.

'My biggest supporter is you @davidesancli I love you so much.'

Davide swiftly replied beneath her post writing: 'My baby Im soo proud of you. Youre beautiful person inside and out , and this is only the beginning, Ill be always there to support you. Love u.'
Ben Fordham has revealed he'll be joining the celebrations when TV veteran Tracy Grimshaw wraps up 17 years hosting A Current Affair in November - and by the sounds of it, it's going to be quite the knees-up.

'Tracy loves a stiff drink and she loves dancing on tables, so it's going to be a big party when she wraps up,' Ben told Daily Mail Australia at the Channel Nine 2023 Upfronts on Wednesday.

'Tracy's a phenomenal interviewer, tremendous journalist and a ridgy-didge fair dinkum human being,' he continued.

Ben Fordham has revealed he'll be joining the celebrations when TV veteran Tracy Grimshaw wraps up 17 years hosting A Current Affair in November - and by the sounds of it, it's going to be quite the knees-up. Pictured: Ben at the Channel Nine 2023 Upfronts on Wednesday

'She's just the real deal, so we're going to miss her terribly, but we will have a big party to send her off.'

When asked who he thinks should replace the veteran TV host, the radio titan said his top guesses were Karl Stefanovic, Sylvia Jeffreys, Deborah Knight and Leila McKinnon for the top job.

Fordham then joked that Richard Wilkins was a top contender for the gig, before quickly adding that Dickie asked him to throw his name in the mix.

'Tracy loves a stiff drink and she loves dancing on tables, so it's going to be a big party when she wraps up,' Ben told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday

Meanwhile, speculation is rife over who will be the new host of A Current Affair following Grimshaw's shock resignation, with Nine insiders revealing a surprising hitlist of presenters being targeted.

Nine bosses are looking to bring in someone who can deftly handle the program's mix of general interest and consumer justice segments, but also hold their own when locking horns with a prime minister.

Grimshaw's interview with former PM Scott Morrison during this year's election campaign made headlines itself after she grilled the stunned politician on his government's failures

When asked who he thinks should replace the veteran TV host, Ben said his top guesses were Karl Stefanovic, Sylvia Jeffreys, Deborah Knight and Leila McKinnon for the top job

Fordham then joked that Richard Wilkins was a top contender for the gig, before quickly adding that Dickie asked him to throw his name in the mix. Both pictured

Frontrunners at Nine include Grimshaw's ACA stand-in replacement Sylvia Jeffreys and weekend host Deborah Knight, along with Today co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon, who are both seen as capable to make the jump from mornings to the prime-time slot, The Australian reports.

Grimshaw, 62, shared the news she would be stepping down with viewers during last Monday's episode of the popular Nine Network program.

'Normally right about now we'd be telling you what to expect tomorrow night but lately I've personally been thinking longer term, and I have some news that I wanted you to hear from me before you hear it from anyone else,' she began.

'I've decided to finish up with A Current Affair this year.

'It's been a big decision and before the gossip websites start telling you rubbish, I want you to know it's been my decision alone and I'm not being shoved out the door by the boys' club because I'm too old.

'I'm not too old, I'm just a bit tired. And for the record both the boys and the girls have asked me to stay.

The uncompromising TV presenter whose been with Channel Nine for more than 40 years said 'she's basically been a shift worker for 26 years' which has taken time away from her family.

'I've talked to people who've made us all laugh and cry, who've shared their triumphs and their challenges and their wisdom and despair, she said.

'And because it's your show not mine and you get to vote each night with your remote control, you told us you wanted more of that.

'So thank you for that opportunity. Thank you for your loyalty. I hope I've repaid it.'
Clare Balding admits she was one sausage short of a breakfast after suffering a nightmare blunder during one of her many meetings with Her Majesty the Queen.

The presenter has a long association with the royal family through her grandfather, Peter Hastings-Bass, father Ian Balding and uncle, the 17th Earl of Huntingdon, with all serving as trainers for the Queen's horses.

Her connection to the British monarchy has led to numerous meetings with Her Majesty - who passed away aged 96 on September 8 - but one such engagement stands out for entirely the wrong reasons.

Awkward: Clare Balding admits she was one sausage short of a breakfast after suffering a nightmare blunder during one of her many meetings with Her Majesty the Queen

Appearing on Wednesday's edition of This Morning, Balding, 51, recalled the moment her unconventional attempt at cutting a sausage in front of the monarch almost ended in disaster.

She said: 'I was trying to cut my sausage long ways and it's very slippery when you hold it like that. And it could shoot and it did. It shot out towards the Queen. She raised an eyebrow.'

Appearing on the show as it reflected on Her Majesty's passing and the sombre procession of her coffin to Westminster, Balding admitted The Queen soon made light of the gaffe - much to her great relief.

Connected: The presenter has a long association with the royal family through her grandfather and uncle, with both serving as trainers for the Queen's troupe of horses

Close: Her connection to the British monarchy has led to numerous meetings with Her Majesty - who passed away aged 96 on September 8

'But as we've been discussing, and as you know by now, when things go wrong that brought her amusement because everyone's trying so hard to make it all go right, you're so much likely to make a mistake.

'As a monarch, it helps that she has a sense of humour.'

The incident, which took place during Balding's teens, represented one of many meetings with the Queen, who would often visit her family home.

Fiasco: Appearing on Wednesday's This Morning, Balding recalled the moment her unconventional attempt at cutting a sausage in front of the monarch almost ended in disaster

Reflecting on their connection in 2017, she said: 'My dad trained for The Queen so growing up, she would come and see the horses about once a year and sometimes hed forget to tell us that The Queen was coming.

'So youd have that situation where you came back to the house, The Queen was there for breakfast, that was really odd.

'She loved coming to the stables because it was the one place that didn't smell of fresh paint, it smelt of horses, life carries on.'
Emily Ratajkowski is one of the biggest supermodels in the industry as she has landed Vogue shoots and posed for Versace.

But on Monday evening it was revealed that the beauty is actually on the more petite side when it comes to the supermodel world.

While standing next to Karlie Kloss, Shalom Harlow, Irina Shayk and Liya Kebede - as well as two other pals - Emily seemed more diminutive.

Good things come in small packages: Emily Ratajkowski is on the more petite side when it comes to the supermodel world. While standing next to Shalom Harlow and Irina Shayk on Monday she seemed smaller, but just as pretty

The full photo: Ratajkowski was also with Karlie Kloss, far left, and and Liya Kebede, far right

Single mother Emily stands at 5ft7in, which is about three inches less that the very famous models that surrounded her.

Bradley Cooper's ex Irina is 5ft10in. Liya is 5ft10in and Shalom is 5ft11in. Kloss is 6ft2in.

Also in the frame were two blonde beauties who wore silver dresses.

It did appear, however, that the supermodels were wearing platform boots and Emily was not, which made the contrast appear bigger than it really is.

New best friends: Single mother Emily stands at 5ft7in, which is about three inches less that the very famous models that surrounded her. Bradley Cooper's ex Irina is 5ft10in, but she did have on platform boots that made her appear even taller

The image was shared by Irina on Instagram and the event was the Vogue World show on Monday in NYC.

Emily had on a silver dress over a sheet black top with a black belt and black boots.

Shalom looked stunning and statuesque in a gold gown. Irina was gorgeous in silver, as was Kloss, and Liya modeled a sheer white top and gold skirt.

Also at the Vogue event were Bella and Gig Hadid, who are both taller than Emily at 5ft9in.

Another event: Kloss, who is 6ft2in, with Ratajkowski at the Proenza Schouler fashion show during September 2022 New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Hall des Lumieres on September 9

They look great together: With Kloss in beige and Ratajkowski in white, they complemented each other

This sighting comes days after Emily reportedly filed for divorce from her husband of four years, Sebastian Bear-McClard, two months after they split over allegations that he had cheated on her.

PageSix reported on Friday that the 31-year-old model filed the day before in Manhattan Supreme Court.

The outlet, which claims to have seen the documents, added that the divorce is being contested, which means there are issues to be litigated.

Another image: Emily was one of the shorter models during the Tory Burch show on Tuesday, but she sure looked sensational in her sheer top

The couple first split in July amid accusations that 41-year-old Sebastian was a 'serial cheater.'

The model reportedly made the decision to leave her film producer husband.

Her move followed the claims of his infidelity, but is said to be coping well.

Done: Ratajkowski has reportedly filed for divorce from her husband of four years, Sebastian Bear-McClard (seen in 2020), two months after they split over allegations that he had cheated

The outlet, which claims to have seen the documents, added that the divorce is being contested, which means there are issues to be litigated. They are seen with their son in March

A source close to the star first confirmed the shocking split to People magazine in July, explaining that Emily is focused on parenting the couple's son Sylvester, 16 months.

'They split recently. It was Em's decision. She is doing OK,' the insider revealed. 'She is strong and focused on her son. She loves being a mom.'

Emily and Sebastian were first linked on Valentine's Day in February 2018. At the time, the pair was spotted packing on the PDA in Los Angeles, California. They are seen in March 2018

The news came just days after someone close to the pair told Page Six that Sebastian was a 'serial cheater,' with the insider stating: 'It's gross. He's a dog.'

Comedian and social media influencer Claudia Oshry also spoke out about the situation during an episode of The Morning Toast podcast at the time, in which she claimed Sebastian's infidelity was an open secret in the industry.

'It's, like, known that her husband has cheated on her and they're filing for divorce,' she said, adding that when the couple officially confirms their separation, it will not come as a surprise to anyone.

Neither Emily nor Sebastian have made any public comments in regards to the status of their marriage as of yet. DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for them both for comment.

Emily and Sebastian were last spotted together in mid-June while on vacation in Italy, and appeared in good spirits as they relaxed on Porto Ercole beach together.

The couple was also among the many celebrity guests at Ari Emanuel's wedding to Sarah Staudinger in St. Tropez in late May.

She first sparked breakup rumors in July, when she was seen going for a stroll in New York with the couple's son, and was not wearing her wedding ring.

The model was pictured moving her stuff out of the New York City apartment that she previously shared with Sebastian last month.
Netflix just unveiled the trailer for its docuseries The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist - premiering September 21 - about seven teenagers who stole millions in 2008-2009 from celebrities like Paris Hilton.

The 41-year-old hotel heiress-turned-DJ's home was robbed several times, so she was asked to be included in the show, but she 'respectfully declined.'

'She has no interest in reliving this after all these years,' an insider told Page Six on Tuesday.

Premiering September 21! Netflix just unveiled the trailer for its docuseries The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist about seven teenagers who stole millions in 2008-2009 from celebrities like Paris Hilton

Other victims of the Bling Ring included Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom and then wife Miranda Kerr, Megan Fox and then husband Brian Austin Green, and Audrina Patridge.

'It was like they went shopping in my closet,' recalled the 37-year-old The Hills star, who had $43K of goods stolen including her passport.

'After my house was broken into I was the most terrified I've ever been in my entire life '

The most famous of the Bling Ring - Alexis Neiers - was 18 when she was arrested for first-degree residential burglary and wound up serving 30 days of her 180-day sentence.

'She has no interest in reliving this after all these years': The 41-year-old hotel heiress-turned-DJ's home was robbed several times, so she was asked to be included in the show, but she 'respectfully declined' (pictured August 18)

Crime spree: Other victims of the Bling Ring included Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom and then wife Miranda Kerr, Megan Fox and then husband Brian Austin Green, and Audrina Patridge (pictured)

The 37-year-old The Hills star, who had $43K of goods stolen including her passport, recalled: 'It was like they went shopping in my closet. After my house was broken into I was the most terrified I've ever been in my entire life'

'They made me the Bling Ring leader, which is totally not based in any reality,' the 31-year-old mother-of-two said.

'I didn't come here to, like, save face. I came here to be honest.'

Bling Ring member Nicholas Prugo plead no contest to three counts of first-degree residential burglary and served one year of his two-year sentence.

The most famous of the Bling Ring: Alexis Neiers was 18 when she was arrested for first-degree residential burglary and wound up serving 30 days of her 180-day sentence

The 31-year-old mother-of-two said: 'They made me the Bling Ring leader, which is totally not based in any reality. I didn't come here to, like, save face. I came here to be honest'

Mugshot: Bling Ring member Nicholas Prugo plead no contest to three counts of first-degree residential burglary and served one year of his two-year sentence

The 31-year-old Norgo Essentials owner recalled: 'We were constantly going to Paris' house. It was like our personal ATM. Really? Another unlocked door? Well, we can do this again'

'I've always been the type of person to, kind of, do whatever I had to get what I wanted. But I never thought in my wildest dreams that it would reach the level of criminality that it did,' the 31-year-old Norgo Essentials owner recalled.

'We were constantly going to Paris' house. It was like our personal ATM. Really? Another unlocked door? Well, we can do this again.'

Paris did, however, appear in Oscar winner Sofia Coppola's 2013 satirical crime film The Bling Ring, starring Emma Watson, as well as lending her real-life home for filming.

That's hot: Paris did, however, appear in Oscar winner Sofia Coppola's 2013 satirical crime film The Bling Ring, starring Emma Watson, as well as lending her real-life home for filming

Hilton told THR at the time: 'She (L) loved my house and said it couldnt be re-created in a set. I really admire her, an intelligent independent woman whos a director. Sofia knows everything about these kids now - stuff I didnt know - and it will be very strange to watch them break in my house five times and sell my Birkin bags and heirloom jewelry on Venice Beach. They stole millions of dollars worth of things from me'

'She loved my house and said it couldnt be re-created in a set,' Hilton told THR at the time.

'I really admire her, an intelligent independent woman whos a director. Sofia knows everything about these kids now  stuff I didnt know  and it will be very strange to watch them break in my house five times and sell my Birkin bags and heirloom jewelry on Venice Beach. They stole millions of dollars worth of things from me.'

The other five members - Rachel Lee, Johnny Ajar, Courtney Ames, Diana Tamayo, and Roy Lopez Jr. - of the Bling Ring served no more than a year and a half for their part in the burglaries.
She's been eagerly documenting her sunny getaway to The Maldives.

And Rose Ayling-Ellis continued to document her beach getaway as she took to Instagram on Wednesday to share another scantily-clad bikini snap.

The Strictly Come Dancing champion, 27, who is reportedly single again after splitting from her boyfriend Sam Arnold, showed off her incredible figure in a skimpy black bikini as she frolicked in the waves.

Wow! Newly-single Rose Ayling-Ellis flaunted her sizzling physique in a skimpy black bikini as she took to Instagram to share a trip of snaps from her sunny Maldives getaway

In one of a trio of snaps, Rose beamed as she slipped into the revealing black bikini to pose on the beach.

The former EastEnders star also shared a gorgeous image wandering through the ocean during a beautiful sunset.

Clearly her enjoying her first break in years, Rose penned the caption: 'This place is just insane. It is my first proper hoilday in three years. Those who know me, know how much I love to travel so this is a dream.'

Wow! The Strictly Come Dancing star, who recently split from her boyfriend Sam Arnold, also shared a picturesque snap strolling through the waves during a beautiful sunset

Stunning: It comes after Rose recently took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to share an array of sizzling bikini snaps from her relaxing holiday

It comes after Rose recently took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday to share an array of sizzling bikini snaps from her relaxing holiday.

She flaunted her incredible figure in a red bandeau bikini top with matching bottoms as she got out of the sea after snorkelling.

She clutched a snorkel in one hand and flashed a huge grin while climbing up a set of wooden steps out of the sea.

A second picture showed her standing in the middle of the crystal clear ocean and she joked in a caption that the snaps showed 'Instagram VS reality'.

Sea views: A second picture showed her standing in the middle of the crystal clear ocean and she joked in a caption that the snaps showed 'Instagram VS reality'

Rose described the Maldives as 'heaven' as she shared a photograph of the stunning sea views after arriving in her hotel with her pal.

Her holiday comes after she met her former pro dance partner Giovanni Pernice's family in Italy after reportedly splitting from her long-term boyfriend Sam Arnold.

The TV star had been with her partner Sam for seven years, with him cheering her on as she lifted the glitterball trophy with partner Giovanni last year.

In a snap from the trip, Rose beamed beside Giovanni and his sister Angela at her dance studio in Sicily, as well as being joined by Strictly's Anton Du Beke.

Relaxing: Rose described the Maldives as 'heaven' as she shared a snap of the stunning sea views after arriving in her hotel with her pal

Giovanni was reportedly filming a new BBC travel show with Anton, 56, when Rose turned up to surprise the pair.

It comes following Rose's reported split from her long-term boyfriend Sam.

According to The Sun, the couple have called it quits, with Sam leaning on Rose's pal and CBeebies host Aimee Campbell-Nottage for support.

A friend told the publication: 'Rose and Sam's relationship is definitely over, it's very amicable and they'll remain close friends, but unfortunately there is no future for them romantically.

Meet-up: Her holiday comes after she met her former pro dance partner Giovanni Pernice's family in Italy after reportedly splitting from her long-term boyfriend Sam Arnold

Split: The EastEnders actress had been with her partner Sam for seven years, with him cheering her on as she lifted the glitterball trophy with partner Giovanni (pictured) last year

They continued: 'They spent a lot of time apart while Rose was away on tour, which has had an impact. It's been difficult for them both, of course, but they're certain it's the right move  and Sam's had a shoulder to cry on in their mutual friend Aimee.'

The source added that Rose has been throwing herself into her work as she has been inundated with offers after Strictly.

MailOnline contacted representatives for Rose for comment at the time.

It came after Rose's friends expressed doubt over the couple's future due to their busy work schedules and said they were worried the infamous Strictly curse would strike again.

Sad: But Rose has reportedly split from her long-term boyfriend Sam (pictured together)

Rose - who has kept her relationship fairly private over the years - holidayed in Barcelona by herself earlier this year.

A source told the publication: 'Rose and Sam drifted apart, especially after she became so busy with work projects and was in-demand with new work opportunities.

'They still have a lot of love and respect for each other, but they're also still young and working out their lives.

Travel: In 2019, the couple went on holiday to Peru where Rose shared a snap of the relaxing in the Huacachina desert together

'Rose went to Barcelona on her own to gather her thoughts and think about what she wanted. They have both grown as people since they first starting dating.

'This is Rose's moment and she is grabbing life by the horns, focusing on her career and taking any opportunity that she can.'

The Strictly curse sees couples who appear on the show break up with their partners after appearing on the programme.
Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts looked fabulous in a Magda Butrym suit as she left ABC Studios in Mahattan on Wednesday after taping an episode of LIVE with Kelly and Ryan.

The British-born Australian - turning 54 this month - bared a hint of midriff in the navy polka-dot $2,065 oversized tuxedo blazer over a matching $1,475 skinny bustier jumpsuit selected by stylist Jeanann Williams.

Hairstylist Ryan Trygstad coiffed Naomi's signature blonde bob and make-up artist Mary Wiles made sure she was ready for her close-up.

Glamorous outing: Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts looked fabulous in a Magda Butrym suit as she left ABC Studios in Mahattan on Wednesday after taping an episode of LIVE with Kelly and Ryan

Watts seemed especially excited to see co-host Kelly Ripa, who gave her an advanced copy of her upcoming memoir Live Wire that she 'can't wait to read.'

The Infinite Storm producer-star revealed why she and her boyfriend - The Morning Show star Billy Crudup - skipped the red carpet while attending Monday's 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.

'It was a bit of a kerfuffle because there was horrible traffic,' Naomi explained.

'And that picture you just showed was the only one that surfaced at about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. It took an hour and 45 minutes to get there and we literally... the red carpet was closed. And so my publicist was kind enough to find a photographer and we just snapped it. Only one picture. I did not want to disappoint people.'

Turning 54 this month! The British-born Australian bared a hint of midriff in the navy polka-dot $2,065 oversized tuxedo blazer over a matching $1,475 skinny bustier jumpsuit selected by stylist Jeanann Williams

Chic: Hairstylist Ryan Trygstad coiffed Naomi's signature blonde bob and make-up artist Mary Wiles made sure she was ready for her close-up

Hey, girl! Watts seemed especially excited to see co-host Kelly Ripa, who gave her an advanced copy of her upcoming memoir Live Wire that she 'can't wait to read'

Watts - who looked gorgeous in a black strapless Prada gown - has been dating the 54-year-old actor since they met on the set of Netflix series Gypsy in 2016.

The This Is the Night producer-star and Billy took their seat inside LA's Microsoft Theater at The Morning Show table alongside Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon.

But Crudup wound up losing the trophy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series to Succession star Matthew Macfadyen.

Naomi was on the morning show to promote her role as Mother in the horror film Goodnight Mommy, which premieres this Friday on Amazon Prime Video.

The Infinite Storm producer-star revealed why she and her boyfriend - The Morning Show star Billy Crudup - skipped the red carpet while attending Monday's 74th Primetime Emmy Awards

Naomi explained: 'It was a bit of a kerfuffle because there was horrible traffic...It took an hour and 45 minutes to get there and we literally... the red carpet was closed'

Watts continued: 'And that picture you just showed was the only one that surfaced at about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon...My publicist was kind enough to find a photographer and we just snapped it. Only one picture'

Matt Sobel's remake of the 2014 critically-acclaimed Austrian film also features twin brothers Cameron & Nicholas Crovetti as well as Peter Hermann, Crystal Lucas-Perry, and Jeremy Bobb.

Watts has advised her two children - Sasha, 15; and Kai, 13 - not to see Goodnight Mommy but said they 'will probably want to' anyway.

'I mean, the first question that always comes to mind with my kids is, "Do you die?"' the ONDA Beauty co-founder teased.

'I'm not going to say anything. There's too many spoilers in this movie and it is the kind of movie you want to see more than once because there's hidden clues all the way throughout.'

Instagram snaps: The This Is the Night producer-star - who looked gorgeous in a black strapless Prada gown - has been dating the 54-year-old actor since they met on the set of Netflix series Gypsy in 2016

The Morning Show table: Naomi and Billy took their seat inside LA's Microsoft Theater alongside Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon (R)

Better luck next year? But Crudup wound up losing the trophy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series to Succession star Matthew Macfadyen

Naomi mothered the teenagers during her 11-year relationship with her Painted Veil co-star Liev Schreiber, which amicably ended in 2006.

Watts is currently hard at work executive producing and starring as designer-socialite Babe Paley in Jon Robin Baitz's eight-episode second season of FX anthology series Feud: Capote's Women directed by Gus Van Sant.

And on March 2, the Mulholland Drive alum wrapped another real-life role as Maria Broaddus opposite Bobby Cannavale in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's stalker horror mystery The Watcher, which premieres later this year on Netflix.

Critically acclaimed: Watts was on the morning show to promote her role as Mother in Matt Sobel's horror remake Goodnight Mommy, which premieres this Friday on Prime Video

'The first question that always comes to mind with my kids is, "Do you die?"' The ONDA Beauty co-founder has advised her two children - Sasha, 15; and Kai, 13 - not to see Goodnight Mommy but said they 'will probably want to' anyway




By Jon Dunbar





South Africa's Heritage Day on Sept. 24 will be celebrated a week early, with a picnic on Sept. 17 co-organized by the South African Chamber of Commerce (Safcham) Korea, the South Africans in Korea Network (SAKorNet) and the South African Embassy.







This year's picnic will start at noon at Nodeul Island in Seoul. Picnic sets from Pie Republic may still be available for pre-order before Thursday. The South African shop Lekker Saffa Spaza is also offering snack packs filled with treats available back home.







An after party will be held later that night in The Workshop, a pub in Seoul's Haebangchon area.







The annual holiday celebrates the heritage of South Africans of all backgrounds. Since 2005, a media campaign has been rebranding the holiday as National Braai Day, in recognition of the country's culinary tradition which brings all South Africans together.







Visit fb.com/safchamkorea for more information.


Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski have teased that they are 'finally together as partners' after previously joking about being involved in a romantic relationship.

The Queer Eye stars have been good friends for years and have a joint Instagram account where they document their close bond with captions joking that they are in a relationship.

Hairdresser Jonathan, 35, who identifies as non-binary and goes by the pronouns he/they/she, secretly tied the knot with his husband Mark Peacock in 2020.

Rumours: Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski have teased that they are 'finally together as partners' after previously joking about being involved in a romantic relationship

Meanwhile, chef Antoni, 38, has recently celebrated his three-year anniversary with his partner Kevin Harrington.

But Jonathan and Antoni have once again hinted that they are 'together' and said it is 'for real this time', as they both took to Instagram on Wednesday to share similar posts.

Their fans questioned whether they were promoting a joint venture and were going to be 'business partners' as they speculated about the cryptic announcement.

Antoni shared a photograph of him and Jonathan standing beside each other holding hands and said they are 'finally together as partners' in an accompanying caption.

Pals: The Queer Eye stars have been good friends for years and have a joint Instagram account where they document their close bond with captions joking that they are in a relationship

'Partners': They took to their joint Instagram page to share a snap of them both, with their foreheads pressed against each other as they teased that they were 'finally together'

'And to think it all started as a joke. Happy to report that we're finally together as partners - for real this time :) More tomorrow,' he penned.

Jonathan similarly teased that the pair would reveal 'details tomorrow' as he shared a snap of Antoni looking lovingly at him as he rested his head on the chef's shoulder.

Alongside the snap, he said: 'We're finally together. Details tomorrow, but know that we're very happy and feeling supported by the people around us.'

They then took to their joint Instagram page to share a third snap of them both, with their foreheads pressed against each other as they shared an embrace.

A caption read: 'Some personal news after years of joking about it, we're finally together. Here's to giving things a shot :) More tomorrow.'

Close bond: Antoni shared a photograph of him and Jonathan standing beside each other holding hands and said they are 'finally together as partners' in an accompanying caption

'Some personal news': Jonathan and Antoni have once again hinted that they are 'together' and said it is 'for real this time', as they both took to Instagram on Wednesday to share similar posts

Fans were quick to take to the comments to share their joy at what appeared to be the pair announcing their relationship, but others questioned if the pals were once again joking.

Their followers also questioned whether the string of posts were announcing that they are going to be 'business partners' and are promoting a new joint venture.

Their Queer Eye co-star Bobby Berk also appeared to shut down that they were dating, as he commented: 'Ha! Here we go again!'

While their other co-star Tan France also shared a humorous comment, adding: 'You're finally releasing that sex tape you had me film of you two, tomorrow? Watch out world, that s**t us freakkkkky!'

Speculating: Their followers also questioned whether the string of posts were announcing that they are going to be 'business partners' and are promoting a new joint venture

Amused: Their Queer Eye co-star Bobby Berk appeared to shut down that they were dating, as he commented: 'Ha! Here we go again'

Meanwhile, one fan said: 'Omg whattt???'

Another questioned: 'What kinda business y'all up to?!'

A third wrote, 'What is going on', and a fourth gushed, 'Best news ever.'

While a fifth questioned, 'business partners', and another added: 'For real?'

Another fan said: 'What joint business venture yall about to announce cuz we know that's all it is.'

Secret wedding: Last year, Jonathan revealed that he had secretly tied the knot in 2020 with his 'best friend' Mark Peacock

Last week, Jonathan attended the Emmy's with his husband Mark Peacock, as well as his Queer Eye co-stars - Antoni, Tan, Bobby and Karamo Brown.

Last year, Jonathan revealed that he had secretly tied the knot in 2020 with his 'best friend' Mark.

Reflecting on their romance, Jonathan took to Instagram to detail the couple's sweet love story in January 2021.

He wrote: 'We went on a date in London, which turned into more dates whilst I was on comedy tour. At the end of that time I was taking my mom, aunt & friends on a mini break to Amsterdam.

Love wins: The celebrity hairstylist also included another photo from their nuptials, showing them exchanging vows under a tree

'I wanted @marklondon to come with but, was it a bit intense to ask Mark to come after a couple weeks worth's of dates to come meet my mom & and friends on a mini break?

'Maybe so, but something about Mark felt different and I'm quite sure he felt the same. Here's some of my favorite moments together and here's to making many more. Thanks so much for your support and love for us!! Love y'all!!'

Although he didn't say when they met, Jonathan stopped in London in October 2019 for his Road To Beijing comedy tour, inspired by his attempts to represent the US in figure skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The celebrity hairstylist also included a photograph from their nuptials, showing them exchanging vows under a tree.

Big news: Jonathan announced their secret wedding in an end-of-year 2021 recap on Instagram, featuring a candid wedding snap four slides into the post

Jonathan announced their secret wedding in an end-of-year 2021 recap on Instagram, featuring a candid wedding snap four slides into the post.

He started the recap: 'Thank you universe for allowing me to be here & thanks to everyone who has supported me. 2020 was a year unlike any other.

'I got to campaign & get more involved politically. I finished my tour in Australia & NZ for what I didn't know would be my last standup show for who knows how long.'

He then casually mentioned: 'I got married to my best friend & have a loving partner to continue building my life with.'

Romance: Meanwhile, Antoni has recently marked three years with his partner Kevin Harrington, taking to Instagram in July to share the happy news

Meanwhile, Antoni has recently marked three years with his partner Kevin Harrington, taking to Instagram in July to share the happy news.

He wrote: 'Here's to three years of asking our friends to take way too many pics like these.'

Kevin shared a similar post, writing: 'cheers to 3 years, or if you factor in the pandemic, 407.'

The couple have kept their romance under wraps and the chef rarely speaks in interviews about his relationship with Kevin.
John Stamos revealed his plans to release a book, titled If You Would Have Told Me, next fall in the wake of his former Full House costar Bob Saget's death in January.

While reflecting on his nearly four decade-long career, the actor, 59, revealed what inspired him to put pen to paper and finally tell his story in a statement, obtained by Deadline.

'If You Would Have Told Me is the book I never planned to write,' Stamos said. 'But after losing Bob, finally becoming a father, and wanting to honor all the colorful people who have made me who I am today, I figured if not now, when?'

Latest endeavor: John Stamos revealed his plans to release a book, titled If You Would Have Told Me, next fall in the wake of his former Full House costar Bob Saget's death in January (pictured this month)

He continued: 'If You Would Have Told Me is my story about Hollywood, fame, fortune, and fuckups. It's also about home, heart, and healing.'

Stamos' publisher the 'story not only of a life lived in front of the camera, but of the surreal highs and devastating lows of a misunderstood heartthrob who has always remained a dorky kid from Orange County, and of his midlife quest to find sobriety and a family of his own.'

The Emmy nominee said while writing this book, he realized he had 'about a million stories to tell.'

Death of his friend: While reflecting on his nearly four decade-long career, the actor, 59, revealed what inspired him to put pen to paper and finally tell his story in a statement, obtained by Deadline; seen in 2019

'I think you may like at least four hundred of them. It has been cathartic and healing and sometimes heartbreaking to dig in and reveal so much,'

He added: 'This book is something between a confession and a challenge to find grace in the smallest moments of our lives. I hope my memoir offers a window into my heart and mind and helps readers find little moments of magic that make life worth living.'

'Get everything you want and live happily ever after, but have the humility to trust in something greater than yourself for guidance,' he continued.

'If You Would Have Told Me is the book I never planned to write,' Stamos said. 'But after losing Bob, finally becoming a father, and wanting to honor all the colorful people who have made me who I am today, I figured if not now, when?'

Happy life: John shares his four-year-old son Billy with wife Caitlin McHugh

In August 2021, Stamos gushed his marriage to Caitlin McHugh and fatherhood are 'what I always wanted.'

'I always wanted to have kids, but I didn't think I'd meet the right person. And maybe I felt like well, I have everything, I shouldn't be greedy,' said John.

It was 'straightening up his act' that allowed John, who was previously married to Rebecca Romijn, to make the relationship with Caitlin work.

Exciting: Stamos' publisher the 'story not only of a life lived in front of the camera, but of the surreal highs and devastating lows of a misunderstood heartthrob who has always remained a dorky kid from Orange County, and of his midlife quest to find sobriety and a family of his own' (seen in June 2022)

'I wasn't deserving of it yet I think. But six years ago, I sobered up and I became a better person,' said John who began dating Caitlin in 2016.

'And when Caitlin came around, I recognized it immediately. I said: "I have to be good for that to make it work,"' he dished.

Now that they have a toddler on their hands John and the 'incredible mom' he is married to ensure they find time for couple's outings as well.
Kourtney Kardashian showed her support for her husband Travis Barker's band while in New York City's SoHo neighborhood on Tuesday.

The 42-year-old reality TV star wore a Blink 182 top with leg warmers and boots as she picked up a green smoothie with the rocker.

The pair's outing occurred not long after the entrepreneur revealed that she had taken a break from what she described as her 'IVF journey.'

Cute couple: Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker were spotted while stepping out in New York City's SoHo neighborhood on Tuesday

Kardashian wore an oversized gray t-shirt that featured a logo for her husband's band, Blink-182.

The 43-year-old reality television personality also rocked a set of bell-bottomed socks that covered up much of her sculpted legs, as well as a pair of platform boots.

The social media powerhouse accessorized with a necklace and a set of dark sunglasses, and her dark brunette hair was tied into a bun.

Barker, 46, wore a striped long-sleeve t-shirt and a pair of black pants while he spent quality time with his wife.

Supportive wife: Kardashian wore an oversized gray t-shirt that featured a logo for her husband's band, Blink-182

The drummer also rocked a set of dual-tone Converse sneakers and a pair of jet-black sunglasses.

The happy couple were friends for several years before they began dating last year.

Kardashian was previously in a long-term relationship with Scott Disick, with whom she shares sons Mason and Reign, aged 12 and seven, as well as daughter Penelope, aged 10.

Barker was also married to Shanna Moakler, and the pair welcomed a son and daughter named Landon and Alabama, aged 18 and 16, during the course of their marriage, which ended in 2008.

Neutral tones: Barker, 46, wore a striped long-sleeve t-shirt and a pair of black pants while he spent quality time with his wife

The now-married couple began dropping hints about their relationship in early 2021, they went Instagram official just after Valentine's Day of that year.

The pair moved quickly with their relationship, and they became engaged last October.

Kardashian and Barker went on to hold a lavish wedding ceremony in Portofino, Italy, this past May, after becoming legally married earlier in the month.

Tying the knot: Kardashian and Barker went on to hold a lavish wedding ceremony in Portofino, Italy, this past May, after becoming legally married earlier in the month; they are seen in 2021

Many speculated that the two were planning on welcoming children of their own following their special event.

The reality television personality later confirmed that she had begun IVF procedures with the intention of bringing a baby into her life.

However, the entrepreneur recently revealed that she had chosen to take a break from the process during an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

Changing lanes: However, the entrepreneur recently revealed that she had chosen to take a break from the process during an interview with The Wall Street Journal; she is seen with Barker earlier this month

During the sit-down with the media outlet, Kardashian stated: 'We started an IVF journey, but I stopped. It was a lot.'

She also expressed that 'I took a break to just focus on our wedding and getting married.'

The reality television figure has not revealed if or when she was planning to resume her IVF journey.
Former Emmerdale star Adam Thomas has announced the shock closure of his restaurant The Spinn in Gatley, Manchester.

Following reports the once popular venue had been boarded up, the actor, 34, confirmed the news to MEN, thanking all his customers.

Adam, alongside business partner Scott Graham, opened the business back in 2019, followed by a bar and burger sauce company.

'Thanks again to everyone who has supported us': Emmerdale's Adam Thomas, 34, revealed he has been forced to close his Manchester restaurant after three years

He said: 'Unfortunately we have decided to close The Spinn. We did what we had to do with The Spinn and we learnt so much building our first venture and more importantly we had an absolute blast'.

'But after 3 years we felt the time was right for us to move on. We are now focusing on the next chapter of The Spinn  The Spinn off [bar] and Oh My Glaze [burger sauce company]'.

He added: 'Thanks again to everyone who has supported us along the way and continues to support us and to all our staff who we will continue to take on this journey with us.'

Sad news: Following reports the once popular venue had been boarded up, the actor confirmed the news and thanked all it's customers

End of an era: After three years the actor will now concentrate on other ventures (pictured In August)

Speaking about the venture back in 2019 Adam told I Love Manchester: 'We've [himself and pal Scott] been wanting to do this for years, even when we were at school we talked about opening our own place'.

'We found a location that we fell in love with, and so when we were on a bit of a night out and ended up in a casino, we said we'd do a spin on the roulette and if we win we'll go for it. We didn't win much money  it was more the significance of the bet to finally do this and it gave us that last push. That's why we've named the restaurant The Spinn.'

Speaking about his famous brothers, Corrie's Ryan, 37 and Love Island's Scott, 34, he revealed: 'It's pretty much their bar as well, or so they keep telling me. They're really happy for me, they're over the moon that I've finally done it. This place will hopefully be a hub for all our friends to get together.'

Helping out: Adam' s wife Caroline with whom he shares children Teddy and Elsie-Rose, also helped behind the scenes (pictured in 2020)

Partners: Adam (left) alongside business partner Scott Graham (right) opened the business back in 2019, followed by a bar and burger sauce company

The Thomas brothers have been hotly tipped to star in their own reality series  but Adam revealed there's one member of their family who's against inviting cameras into their homes.

He said: 'Everyone would want to it but not Lucy [Mecklenburgh]. She knows how it all works. She likes her quiet life whereas we're all like 'look at me.'

Lucy, who rose to fame on TOWIE, is in a relationship with Ryan, and the pair share son Roman, two, together, as well as daughter Lilah, who was born in May.

Upcoming: The Thomas brothers have been hotly tipped to star in their own reality series homes

Adam continued: 'After Mancs in Mumbai so many people have messaged us and people I bumped into say all the time we should have our own reality show but it's something we have always shied away from.

'Our family is hard to pin down right now, Ryan is in London, I'm in Manchester, we are here, there, and everywhere but I would love to one day. I would jump at the chance for sure.'

Ryan added: 'I'll tell you who would love it the most our mum. She said the other day 'if I did a show like that will I get more followers and freebies?' I was like mum'
Shane Nolan has sparked outrage for complaining about the ongoing news coverage of the Queen's death and instead asking when his father's EastEnders return will air.

The son of Shane Richie and Coleen Nolan, 33, took to Twitter on Wednesday to say he 'doesn't understand' why coverage of the Queen's passing is 'all over TV all day'.

He asked what time his father's return to EastEnders as Alfie Moon would air, after the show's BBC One slot was pushed from 7.30pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday amid scheduling changes, while the show aired on BBC iPlayer at its normal time.

Criticism: Shane Nolan has sparked outrage for complaining about the ongoing news coverage of the Queen's death and instead asking when his father's EastEnders return will air

Unimpressed: The son of Shane Richie and Coleen Nolan, 33, took to Twitter on Wednesday to say he 'doesn't understand' why coverage of the Queen's death is 'all over TV all day'

The Queen's death has seen TV schedules change ahead of the funeral on Monday, with Wednesday's coverage showing her lying in state service inside Westminster Hall.

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest reigning monarch who was on the throne for 70 years, died at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace announced at 6.30pm on Thursday.

Commenting on the scheduling changes, Shane penned: 'I did love the queen, what a woman. I just don't understand following the coffin around with cameras everywhere and all over TV all day.

'Now I know I know some people will be well into it and that's fine but can anyone tell me what time @bbceastenders is on tonight. #alfiesback.'

Coverage: He asked what time his father's return to EastEnders as Alfie Moon would air, after the show's BBC One slot was pushed to 8.30pm on Wednesday amid scheduling changes

But outraged viewers were quick to hit back at his comments, arguing that he was being 'disrespectful', saying the coverage of the Queen's death is more 'important' than EastEnders.

One person fumed: 'Because unlike you people care about the Queen 70 years service is astounding something we will never see again.

'If by questioning when EastEnders will be shown again then it is a sad day of EastEnders is more important than the loss of the greatest Monarch our lifetime has seen.'

Another commented: 'If the only thing you have to worry about is temporarily missing a few episodes of some banal soap opera, then you are very lucky young man. If you are missing seeing your father so much try facetiming him.'

Fuming: Outraged viewers were quick to hit back at his comments, arguing that he was being 'disrespectful', saying the coverage of the Queen's death is more 'important' than EastEnders

A third wrote: 'She gave 70 years of her life for this country and you can't give her 1 week of tv time. Disgraceful.'

While another added: 'Eastenders on every week our wonderful queen needs the respect she deserves so I'm all for following what's happening, it's history. Catch up was invented for occasion's like this.'

But Shane hit back at people who were critiquing him, insisting that while he 'respected' the coverage, it 'isn't for him'.

One person fumed: 'Absolutely disrespectful after all the Queen did over the years for the country I'd rather watch her safe arrival on her final journeys rather than EastEnders.'

Hitting back: But Shane pushed back at people who were critiquing him for his comments, saying he 'respected' the coverage but said it 'wasn't for' him

Responding to the tweet, Shane said: 'It's not. It's on all day every day. If that's ur thing I completely respect it. I do dive in and watch bits here and there but it's not for me. Sorry if that doesn't fit ur agenda. I will watch the funeral for sure.'

Another Twitter user urged him to watch EastEnders on BBC iPlayer, where the episodes are being made available at 7.30pm each evening this week ahead of the funeral.

But Shane responded: 'Nah it's not the same.'

Another person also joked that they 'had to endure years of Shane Richie being all over TV all day'.

Arguing: One Twitter user urged the son of Shane Richie and Coleen Nolan (pictured in 2017) to watch EastEnders on BBC iPlayer, but he insisted it 'isn't the same'

He's back: Wednesday's EastEnders episode will see Shane Richie's much-anticipated return as Alfie Moon

To which Shane humorously responded: 'Try my whole life.'

Wednesday's EastEnders episode will see Shane Richie's much-anticipated return as Alfie Moon.

He will come face-to-face with his ex-wife Kat (Jessie Wallace), ahead of her wedding to Albert Square hardman Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

Shane's return to EastEnders was confirmed in July as fans eagerly wonder whether he will reunite with his on/off love Kat, three years after his last appearance on the soap.

While Kat may seem adamant she wants to tie the knot with Phil, it appears Alfie is keen to win back her heart, as another snap shows him aboard a boat, perhaps tempting his longtime love back to their old life together.

Scheduling changes: The episode featuring Shane's return as Alfie was pushed back on BBC One to 8.30pm from its normal 7.30pm slot amid news coverage of the Queen's death

Shane also discussed his return during an interview with The Mirror, saying: 'We sat down and he said, ''Listen, I've got this idea of bringing Alfie back,'' and I said really?

'Then he sold it to me said we want the old Alfie, because over the years there's been all very different Alfies, and my favourite Alfie is from 2002 to 2005, look it up. That's the Alfie we have got back.'

He went on: 'So Chris [Clenshaw] was so instrumental, for telling me the long-term storyline with Alfie and it's the old Alfie.'

The episode featuring Shane's return as Alfie was pushed back on BBC One to 8.30pm from its normal 7.30pm slot amid news coverage of the Queen's death.

Sad news: The country's longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died 'peacefully', aged 96, at Balmoral in Scotland on Thursday

EastEnders is still available to watch on BBC iPlayer at 7.30pm every evening, with the amended TV schedule being confirmed each day amid the blanket coverage.

BBC One has suspended its regular programming schedule in the wake of the Queen's death.

The broadcaster has been airing rolling news coverage with a BBC News Special filling regular TV slots in between BBC News at One and BBC News at Six.

Programmes including Homes Under The Hammer, Bargain Hunt, and Doctors were moved from their usual channel and aired on BBC Two over the weekend.

And Strictly Come Dancing's launch show has been postponed until Friday September 23, after originally being set to air on September 17.

Historic: On Wednesday, coverage of the Queen's death saw her lying in state service inside Westminster Hall aired, after a poignant 38-minute procession from Buckingham Palace

On Wednesday, coverage of the Queen's death saw her lying in state service inside Westminster Hall aired, after a poignant 38-minute procession from Buckingham Palace.

The Queen's coffin entered Westminster Hall as the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, sang Psalm 139.

The King and the Queen Consort led the Royal Family - with William and Kate standing in front of Harry and Meghan during the 20 minute service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

From 5pm, mourners will be able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch with an estimated one million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.

The Queen's funeral will take place on Monday September 19 at Westminster Abbey at 11am.
Earlier this month, George Clooney and wife Amal attended the London premiere of Ticket To Paradise.

And on Tuesday, the movie star was seen getting off of a private jet in Los Angeles with Amal and their five-year-old twins Alexander and Ella.

Amal, 44, looked absolutely stunning in a leather jacket, black shirt and jeans while George, 61, donned a Polo shirt.

Stepping out: Earlier this month, George Clooney and wife Amal attended the London premiere of Ticket To Paradise. And on Tuesday, the movie star was seen getting off of a private jet in Los Angeles with Amal and their five-year-old twins Alexander and Ella

George kept it casual in denim bottoms with a black Polo shirt, adding blue tinged sunglasses.

Meanwhile, Amal looked effortlessly chic in her denim with a black blouse and a mauve leather jacket.

Amal also carried a chic black handbag with sneakers.

The stunning lawyer wore her brunette tresses in waves around her with chic sunglasses to round out her casual look.

She's beautiful: Amal looked absolutely stunning in a leather jacket, black shirt and jeans while George donned a Polo shirt

Arrival: A family member of friend was seen exiting the jet as well

George and Amal met in 2013 via a mutual friend, getting engaged a year later.

They got their marriage license in London on August 7, 2014 and had a wedding ceremony on September 27, 2014 in Venice, Italy.

The couple tied the knot in fall 2014 and welcomed their twins in June 2017.

Earlier this month, George and Amal walked the red carpet at the London for his film Ticket To Paradise.

Stars: Earlier this month, George and Amal walked the red carpet at the London for his film Ticket To Paradise; seen on September 7, 2022 in Leicester Square in London at the Ticket To Paradise premiere

The barrister wowed in a cream colored white gown with spaghetti straps, rocking pointed heels and a gold clutch with diamond earrings and bracelet.

The beautiful brunette wore red lipstick with her brunette tresses in loose waves with a deep side part.

George wore a navy suit with a white button up shirt and sported a beard.

Lovely: The barrister wowed in a cream colored white gown with spaghetti straps, rocking pointed heels and a gold clutch with diamond earrings and bracelet

The actor stars in Ticket To Paradise with Julia Roberts, marking the fifth time they have worked together on a project.

They starred together in Money Monster, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

Ticket To Paradise is about a divorced couple who go to Bali separately to see their daughter Lily, who plans on marrying a local man there named Gede.

Reunited: The actor stars in Ticket To Paradise with Julia Roberts, marking the fifth time they have worked together on a project; Julia, George and Amal at the September 7 premiere in London for Ticket To Paradise

The duo make a plan to work together to sabotage Lily's wedding so that she doesn't make the same mistake they did when they wed 25 years prior.

George and Julia are also producers on the project.

Ticket To Paradise is set to hit theaters on October 21, 2022 in the US and on September 20, 2022 in the UK.
Sharon Osbourne cut a stylish figure on Wednesday as she stepped out to dinner at the swanky Dorchester Hotel in London.

The television personality, 69, appeared in high spirits as she donned an all black ensemble for the evening.

Layering a chic coat over trousers the former X Factor judge toted her belonging in a YSL quilted bag - costing an eye watering 3,150.

Chic: Sharon Osbourne, 69, cut a stylish figure on Wednesday as she stepped out to dinner at the swanky Dorchester Hotel in London

Sharon's coat featured silver buttons as well as a fur lining as she wrapped up warm to make her exit from the luxury hotel.

The host sported a radiant palette of make-up for the evening and wore her auburn locks in a stylish bob.

She accessorised with a selection of silver necklaces as well as her huge diamond ring wedding.

Pricey: Layering a chic coat over trousers the former X Factor judge toted her belonging in a YSL quilted bag - costing an eye watering 3,150

It comes after the star expressed her opinion on King Charles III following the death of Queen Elizabeth II aged 96.

Sharon appeared on TalkTV following the devastating news and told host Piers Morgan that Charles will be 'an amazing king' and is set to do great things for the country.

In light of the news, she went on to praise the royal family as a whole and insisted that 'so many people miss the point' of them.

Reflecting on the wider royal family, Sharon said: 'So many people miss the point - they are a family, a tight knit family. The grandchildren and the children will be completely devastated.

Diamonds: She accessorised with a selection of silver necklaces as well as her huge diamond ring wedding

'She represented strength. Why would anybody want to come to Britain? Because of our traditions, because of our royal family.

'Everything that comes with Britain, it's historical. She kept going and that's what makes Britain different from every other country - our traditions.'

The British-American TV star touched on the recent jubilee celebrations for her majesty: 'Look what we went through this year with celebrating her - that was magnificent - nobody does that like the English.'

Opening up: It comes after the star expressed her opinion on King Charles III following the death of Queen Elizabeth II aged 96

'It will never happen again in our country that there will be another monarch that will reign for so long.

'You could never ever say anything against the Queen, she never went wrong with one step. And when she took her oath to be a servant to this country she never broke it - she has served this country her entire life.

'Can you imagine the things she must have put aside, personally, family wise, things that she would have loved to have done, to serve her country.

'She never put a foot wrong, a magnificent woman. She will go down in history as the greatest Queen the country has ever had.'

Appearance: Sharon appeared on TalkTV following the devastating news and told host Piers Morgan that Charles will be 'an amazing king' and is set to do great things for the country

The monarchy's death was confirmed on Thursday and a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow'.

Her son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, is now King Charles III, as the world grieves his mother, Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

Sharon added: 'It's unsettling and I know the mourning will go on and on and on, people will never stop mourning for her but I do have to say that I think Charles will be am amazing King I have so much respect for him and I think he will take care of all of us.

'He will be a good King, he can't fill her shoes but he will do it his way. I have all confidence, I adore him, I respect him and he will do great things for this country.'
Jedward have revealed they have been sent death threats since calling for the monarchy to be abolished days after Queen Elizabeth II's death.

The former X Factor duo, 30, took to Twitter and revealed their opinions have caused some social media users to send them threatening messages, however they insisted they will not be 'intimidated'.

The pair wrote: 'Psychos are sending us death threats. Your threatening behaviour and criminality will not intimidate us.'

They also posted a tweet doubling down on their feelings about the monarchy as they shared a graphic reading: 'Not My King' and wrote: 'Freedom of speech'.

The twins retweeted a post from last week where they said their being Irish was one of the reasons they criticised the monarchy.

Threats; Jedward have revealed they have been sent death threats since calling for the monarchy to be abolished days after Queen Elizabeth II's death

They wrote: 'FYI we're Irish, the country that has been oppressed historically by the monarchy! Please study your history! We haven't said anything but the facts!'

The pair received messages of support from their fans in the wake of the threats, with one user writing: 'It's so ridiculous how grown-up people talk and deal with you i can't understand people you're both such great and kind people'.

Another person said: 'You are entitled to your views don't worry about it,' while another added: 'Death threats are never okay I hope youre okay you guys'.

Jedward took to Twitter on Saturday to voice their opinion and asked the new king to 'give the people real democracy'.

The former X Factor duo, 30, took to Twitter and revealed their opinions on the monarchy have caused some social media users to send them threatening messages, however they insisted they will not be 'intimidated' (Queen Elizabeth II pictured)

It comes just days after the Irish twins - whose real names are John and Edward Grimes - were criticised for sharing 'insensitive' comments about the Queen's health before she passed away.

Despite the recent backlash, Jedward set out to create more outrage as they penned: 'Abolish the monarchy and give the people real democracy!'

They followed up with a second tweet which read: 'King Charles should hand back the six Irish counties on his visit to Northern Ireland  No war! Just words! It's time,'

The brothers were inundated with responses from the public who were unimpressed with their stance.

The pair wrote: 'Psychos are sending us death threats. Your threatening behaviour and criminality will not intimidate us'

Opinion: They also posted a tweet doubling down on their feelings about the monarchy as they shared a graphic reading: 'Not My King' and wrote: 'Freedom of speech'

Post: The twins retweeted a post from last week where they said their being Irish was one of the reasons they criticised the monarchy

Reaction: The pair received messages of support from their fans in the wake of the threats

One follower wrote: 'Any chance you two could just be quiet? It is not Ireland's place to call for the abolishment of the monarchy of another country. What about Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden?'

Other outraged Twitter users added: 'British affairs are nothing to do with the Republic of Ireland or Planet Jedward so do one'; 'What has this got to do with Ireland and YOU?';

'The monarch doesn't 'rule' in that sense of the word. We are a democracy!'; 'Guys your embarrassing yourselves now enough enough!'; 'Whoever is babysitting these two clowns needs to be reprimanded.'

Another outraged user posted: 'I do hope you don't mean that and this is some pathetic excuse to get clicks . I'm Irish and I don't think you have any say in what the uk want. Expected better boys.'

Opinion: Jedward called for the monarchy to be abolished just days after Charles became king as a result of Queen Elizabeth II's death

Honest: The Irish twins - whose real names are John and Edward Grimes - took to Twitter on Saturday to voice their opinion and asked the new king to 'give the people real democracy'

'Luckily you're Irish lads, so you don't have a monarchy to abolish! Chill!,' another added.

The monarch's death was confirmed on Thursday evening as a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow'.

The Queen's son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, is now King Charles III, as the world grieves his mother, Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

'Abolish the monarchy!': Jedward voiced an opposition to the monarchy in the wake of the Queen's death

Backlash: The brothers were inundated with tweets from people who were unimpressed with their stance

Sorry, not sorry! They later wrote that they were sorry but were simply posting the truth

Jedward's posts come just days after the pair came under fire on social media for sharing 'insensitive' comments about the Queen's health after it was revealed doctors are 'concerned' for her health.

On Thursday the pair took to Twitter to speculate about the Queen's condition in a set of tweets deemed 'not appropriate' by enraged followers.

All Her Majesty's children had rushed to Balmoral today after doctors became 'concerned' for her health. Hours later she died, surrounded by her family.

Under fire: The former X Factor duo, were criticised for sharing 'insensitive' comments about the Queen 's health before she passed away

In one tweet, they joked new Prime Minister Liz Truss 'must have done something' on her visit to see the Queen at Balmoral Castle on Tuesday - referencing Her Majesty's decline in health.

Their first tweet read: 'The Queen is Dead?'

The twins then posted another, which said: 'Liz Truss must have done something on that visit to the Queen!'

Furious Twitter users were quick to pile on the criticism as they slammed the musicians for their 'really not funny' and 'inappropriate' comments.

They fumed that Jedward should be 'ashamed of themselves' and argued it was not the time for 'sassy jokes' as people flocked to condemn the brothers.

'Really not funny': In one tweet, they joked new Prime Minister Liz Truss 'must have done something' on her visit to see the Queen at Balmoral Castle on Tuesday

The Queen's death will see Britain and her Commonwealth realms enter into a ten-day period of mourning as millions of her subjects in the UK and abroad come to terms with her passing.

And as her son accedes to the throne, there will also be a celebration of her historic 70-year reign that saw her reach her Platinum Jubilee this year - a landmark unlikely to be reached again by a British monarch.

Charles, the King, said: 'The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.

'We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.

'During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held.'
10-time Grammy nominee Nicki Minaj filed a $75K defamation lawsuit against celebrity gossip blogger Nosey Heaux for claiming she's a 'cokehead.'

'She's shoving all this cocaine, shoving in all this cocaine up her nose. Allegedly. Thank you. Allegedly,' Nosey reportedly told her 23K social media followers.

'But we all know it's true. F***, listen, I can't even say allegedly with that because I, we all, know it's true. I'm not saying allegedly on that. Nicki Minaj is a cokehead.'

Sued! 10-time Grammy nominee Nicki Minaj (L) filed a $75K defamation lawsuit against celebrity gossip blogger Nosey Heaux (R) for claiming she's a 'cokehead'

Heaux defiantly repeated her claims in her vlog on Monday - in which she called the 39-year-old rapper a 'cokehead,' her husband Kenneth Petty a 'rapist,' and their baby boy a 'future rapist' and 'cock-eyed.'

Nicki - who denied ever using cocaine - Instastoried on Tuesday that Nosey (born Marley Green) has 'a string of criminal charges, bail jumping, and bad debts.'

On Wednesday, Minaj (born Onika Maraj) tweeted that she was considering suing similar bloggers daily, weekly, or monthly' as her attorney Judd Burstein has a 'huge folder' of potential defamation cases.

'When this case is over, she will no longer be permitted to use the name "Nosey Heaux" because we will take her trademark from her when she does not have enough money to pay the judgment,' Burstein told TMZ.

Nosey reportedly told her 23K social media followers: 'She's shoving all this cocaine, shoving in all this cocaine up her nose. Allegedly. Thank you. Allegedly'

She continued: 'But we all know it's true. F***, listen, I can't even say allegedly with that because I, we all, know it's true. I'm not saying allegedly on that. Nicki Minaj is a cokehead'

Doubling down: Heaux defiantly repeated her claims in her vlog on Monday - in which she called the 39-year-old rapper a 'cokehead,' her husband Kenneth Petty a 'rapist,' and their baby boy a 'future rapist' and 'cock-eyed' (pictured July 6)

'Anyone else who spreads lies about Nicki will suffer a similar fate. My marching orders are to aggressively sue anyone with a media or social media following who damages her with intentional lies. Eventually, the lesson will be learned.'

The MTV Video Vanguard winner - who boasts 315M social media followers - also tweeted that she hopes Nosey can afford a 'top-notch lawyer' for their upcoming legal battle.

Nicki wrote: 'Now let's hope the [people] you guys [are] doing all this dirty work for love you enough to hire top notch lawyers for you [and] to pay your bills once I own your blogs, your shows, those IG pages y'all tried to protect so bad. Couple artists in the folder too. I'll own your publishing. Duds.'

'Wait til y'all see!' Nicki - who denied ever using cocaine - Instastoried on Tuesday that Nosey (born Marley Green) has 'a string of criminal charges, bail jumping, and bad debts'

'Let's go!' On Wednesday, Minaj (born Onika Maraj) tweeted that she was considering suing similar bloggers daily, weekly, or monthly' as her attorney Judd Burstein has a 'huge folder' of potential defamation cases

'Duds': The MTV Video Vanguard winner - who boasts 315M social media followers - also tweeted that she hopes Nosey can afford a 'top-notch lawyer' for their upcoming legal battle

Heaux tweeted on Tuesday: 'Nicki Minaj is unhinged and harassing me on Instagram. She doxxed me and sent her [fans] to threaten to kill me. Shes been commenting under my IG posts since like 24 hours ago. No one around her is smart enough to just take her phone'

Heaux tweeted on Tuesday: 'Nicki Minaj is unhinged and harassing me on Instagram. She doxxed me and sent her [fans] to threaten to kill me. Shes been commenting under my IG posts since like 24 hours ago. No one around her is smart enough to just take her phone.'

On September 30, Minaj and her 44-year-old husband will celebrate the second birthday of their son nicknamed 'Papa Bear' followed by their third wedding anniversary on October 21.

The Trinidad-born, New York-raised star was only 16 when she first met Kenneth, who's a registered sex offender in New York and California.

July 6 family portrait: On September 30, Minaj and her 44-year-old husband will celebrate the second birthday of their son nicknamed 'Papa Bear' followed by their third wedding anniversary on October 21

'#LoveInTheWay': The Trinidad-born, New York-raised star and Grammy nominee Bleu will release their new song Love in the Way this Friday

'Ayo Philly!' Nicki is next scheduled to headline Power 99 FM House at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on October 28

Petty served a combined 11 years in prison for raping a 16-year-old girl in 1995 and shooting a man to death in 2002.

Nicki and Grammy nominee Bleu will release their new song Love in the Way this Friday.

Minaj is next scheduled to headline Power 99 FM House at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on October 28.
She has become a household name in the UK after her breakout role on Married At First Sight's explosive sixth season.

And it was a homecoming of sorts for Jessika Power on Wednesday as she jetted back to Australia with her British boyfriend in tow.

The 30-year-old touched down at Brisbane Airport alongside her beau Connor Thomson, who is expected to meet her family for the first time during the trip.

A makeup-free Jessika Power flashed a glimpse of her toned tummy in a crop top as she jetted into Brisbane on Wednesday

The OnlyFans model looked fresh-faced despite her 24-hour flight, drawing attention to her glowing complexion by going sans makeup.

Jessika flashed a glimpse of her toned tummy in a green crop top, which she paired with a white cropped sweater and matching sweatpants.

She carried a Louis Vuitton travel bag and a coordinating handbag, while podcast host Connor pushed along a black suitcase.

The 30-year-old touched down at Brisbane Airport alongside her beau Connor Thomson (right), who is expected to meet her family for the first time during the trip

The frisky couple seemingly couldn't wait to get home before packing on the PDA, as they shared a passionate kiss in the airport car park

The OnlyFans model looked fresh-faced despite her 24-hour flight, drawing attention to her glowing complexion by going sans makeup

Jessika flashed a glimpse of her toned tummy in a green crop top

Connor, who has been dating Jess for more than a year, dressed casually in an off-white jumper, black skinny jeans, sneakers and a patterned cap.

After collecting their luggage and a packet of Shapes chips, the pair made their way to the airport's multi-storey car park.

The frisky couple seemingly couldn't wait to get home before packing on the PDA, as they shared a passionate kiss in full view of onlookers.

She also wore a white cropped sweater and matching sweatpants

The couple pushed a trolley stacked with suitcases outside the airport

Jessika carried a Louis Vuitton travel bag and a coordinating handbag

After collecting their luggage and a packet of Shapes, the pair made their way to the car park

Jessika is in Queensland for the launch of a new product by slimming shake brand Celebrity Slim.

She is the face of the 'Summer Bundles' pack, billed as a product that helps you get summer ready and lift your bedroom game.

The Celebs Go Dating star will be spruiking the item at a celebrity-packed lunch at the Surfers Pavilion restaurant on the Gold Coast on Friday.

Jessika will join the likes of two-time Big Brother winner Reggie Bird, ex-Bachelor star Belinda 'Love' Rygier, and MAFS alumni Tamara Djordjevic and Hayley Vernon.

Connor, who has been dating Jess for more than a year, dressed casually in an off-white jumper, black skinny jeans, sneakers and a patterned cap

Jessika is in Queensland for the launch of a new product by slimming shake brand Celebrity Slim

She is the face of the 'Summer Bundles' pack, billed as a product that helps you get summer ready and lift your bedroom game
Feature: Foreign diplomats in China say wine can help promote exchanges

Xinhua) 13:17, September 14, 2022

YINCHUAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- When asked about the similarities between wines produced in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of northwest China and Bordeaux in France, French Embassy in China's Counselor for Agriculture Francois Blanc said that people are the key to the success of wines.

At a wine and tourism expo in Ningxia that concluded this week, Blanc said he is confident that exchanges between French and Chinese people will be promoted through wine.

Although there are many differences between France and China, such as those in natural conditions, history and geography, both countries share a love for wine and work hard to produce quality wine, he said.

What matters to the development of the wine industry is the people, as well as how they develop the land, agriculture and vineyards, Blanc said.

The six-day expo has drawn international attention, with many attendees being foreign diplomats in China. The speed at which China's wine industry is developing and maturing has taken many by surprise.

Uruguay's Ambassador to China Fernando Lugris said his country is also a wine producer and can seek exchanges with China in wine-production techniques, promotion, trade and tourism.

The two countries can promote exchanges between young people who are interested in wine production, facilitating exchange visits to learn each other's wine culture, Lugris said.

Ambassador of Mauritius to China Alain Wong Yen Cheong said the developing wine culture in China could attract more overseas investors in tourism, including those from Mauritius, a country with a highly developed tourism industry.

The people here are hospitable and their local tourism is fascinating, said Wong. If more overseas people learn that there is such a rich wine culture here, they will come, he said.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Palitha Kohona said there are similarities between his country and Ningxia, as both have great tourism potential and enjoy advantages in the beverage industry, in addition to their rich culture.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)




The state human rights watchdog has called on the Constitutional Court to rule against the country's decades-old anti-communist National Security Act, saying the law unconstitutionally violates freedoms of expression and thought, the state body said Wednesday.







The call was made in an opinion submitted to the Constitutional Court, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said a day before the court is set to hold the first open hearing on whether the security law is constitutional.







Adopted in late 1948 amid the Cold War, the National Security Act criminalizes praising or propagating activities of "anti-state" organizations or their members. Producing or possessing "enemy-benefiting" materials is also punishable under the law.







The law was enacted in response to threats from communist North Korea, but it has also come under criticism for being a government tool to silence political dissidents.







The NHRC said in the opinion that the security law unconstitutionally infringes upon freedoms of expression, thought and conscience, urging the Constitutional Court to rule the law is unconstitutional.







The rights watchdog also pointed out the law is so vaguely worded that it leaves much room for law enforcers to arbitrarily interpret and apply it.







"There's a noticeable gap between South and North Korea in terms of economic and military power compared to 1948 when the National Security Act was enacted," the NHRC said.







"Even in cases of South Koreans praising or encouraging North Korea, it poses little risk to our society now that the level of understanding toward the reality in North Korea is much higher." (Yonhap)


Wendy Williams has gone back into rehab to 'take some time to focus on her health and wellness' her publicist confirmed Wednesday.

A source told Page Six that the 58-year-old's substance issues have 'gotten worse,' as 'she went from [drinking] wine to straight up vodka.'

It was not clear where the TV personality was seeking help, as she has past been in treatment at locations in New York and Florida.

The latest: Wendy Williams, 58, has gone back into rehab to 'take some time to focus on her health and wellness' her publicist confirmed Wednesday. She was snapped in NYC last month

Williams' publicist Shawn Zanotti told The U.S. Sun that she checked into a 'wellness facility' in an effort to 'manage her overall health issues.'

Williams 'is being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world,' Zanotti told the outlet, adding that Williams is preparing 'for a major comeback for the next level in her career with The Wendy Experience Podcast.'

Williams has had difficulties in controlling her drinking, to the detriment of her overall health, which one source described as 'failing,' sources told The U.S. Sun, adding, 'She can't stop drinking and she needs to stop drinking; it's just making her health worse.'

Sources told Page Six that the production company for her one-time series, Debmar-Mercury, 'refused' to assist in the effort to get Williams help amid her issues. The source said, 'They turned their backs on her,' and 'had too much control over someone so vulnerable.'

Details: A source told Page Six that her substance issues have 'gotten worse,' as 'she went from [drinking] wine to straight up vodka.' She was pictured in NYC in 2019

Backstory: Sources said that the production company for her one-time series, Debmar-Mercury, 'refused' to assist in the effort to get Williams help amid her issues

Williams' ex-husband Kevin Hunter, 50, told the outlet this past July that 'Debmar would not support Wendy's recovery efforts with the family,' as 'they would not sign off on anything that would've helped her recovery efforts.'

Hunter told the outlet about a meeting between reps with the company and Williams' relatives in which they spoke about her struggle with drinking.

'They sat in a meeting with her whole family, including her now-deceased mom, and would not sign off on the recovery efforts that would've helped Wendy also get well and live and be sober,' Hunter said. 'They basically said, "If you don't stop drinking, you're going to lose the show."'

An insider told the outlet in August that 'things are really off' for Williams, who was saying last month that she was married to a NYPD officer.

'It's not the same Wendy  she's regressed like crazy and her family in Florida is very worried for her,' a source told Page Six in August.

Problems: An insider told the outlet in August that 'things are really off' for Williams, who was saying last month that she was married to a NYPD officer. She was pictured in NYC in 2020

Troubles: Williams has also been in the center of other controversies, as she has been legally battling the financial institution Wells Fargo after she was locked out of bank accounts she held. She was pictured last month in NYC

Williams has also been in the center of other controversies, as she has been legally battling the financial institution Wells Fargo after she was locked out of bank accounts she held.

Williams' former lawyer LaShawn Thomas told Page Six last month that the TV personality was abandoned by her ex-financial adviser, Lori Schiller, who did not respond to the allegations.

Williams has past dealt with substance abuse issues, as she was able to achieve an extended period of sobriety until around late 2018/early 2019, when she took a two-month hiatus from filming to enter a halfway house.

She said on her show in March of 2019: 'Only Kevin knows about this. Not my parents, nobody. Nobody knew because I look so glamorous out here. After I finish my appointments  I am driven by my 24-hour sober coach back to a home that I live in the [Tri-state area] with a bunch of smelly boys who have become my family.'

Dailymail.com has reached out to Williams' reps for comment.
Jennifer Garner went for an early morning stroll with a friend in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old The Adam Project actress sported black leggings, a blue sweatshirt with a black undershirt, and black sneakers.

This comes days after the girlfriend of 44-year-old businessman John Miller was seen flashing a diamond eternity band.

Workout: Jennifer Garner went for an early morning stroll in Los Angeles on Wednesday

Coffee date: The movie star was seen with a female pal who had on jean and sandals. Both held their coffee cups

Her long auburn hair was down and she accessorized her look with simple black sunglasses.

The Alias star went make-up free and walked beside her friend as they chatted and held their coffee cups, along their walk.

The mother-of-three showed no signs of depression after her ex Ben Affleck's whirlwind romance with his new wife Jennifer Lopez.

Play on: The 50-year-old has stayed in great shape as she seems to work out daily in LA

Garner has been nothing if not overly supportive of her ex-husband, Affleck.

Hollywoods all-American girl has been by Afflecks side for years, despite their 2017 split after 12 years of marriage.

The former couples children  Violet, 16, Seraphina, 13, and Samuel, 10  were all present to witness their dad say 'I do,' following his and Lopezs quickie Vegas chapel ceremony last month.

A good ex: Garner has been nothing if not overly supportive of her ex-husband, Affleck. Hollywoods all-American girl has been by Afflecks side for years, despite their 2017 split after 12 years of marriage

'Jen has always approached things the same, no matter who Ben has been with,' said one insider. 'They have kids together  so if he has another episode, or falls off the wagon, it would be her problem.'

But the source who knows both Garner and Affleck reiterated: 'Jen is a great mother, she has really mothered those kids  and its great that she doesnt have to have a fourth child anymore.'

'I know that Jen will always care for Ben. All shes ever done is be there for Ben. They have three kids together and she loved him with all her heart,' said the source who knows the former couple. 'Im sure she would want him to be happy, but she has her own life and her own boyfriend.'
It was revealed earlier this year that she'd nabbed a recurring role in the upcoming season of the critically-acclaimed Hulu series Ramy .

And Bella Hadid's character was finally revealed in a teaser trailer for the show's highly-anticipated third season that was released Wednesday.

The 25-year-old supermodel appears as 'Lena,' a striking young woman that matches with Ramy Hassan's (played by series creator Ramy Youssef) close pal Stevie (played by Steve Way) on a Muslim dating app.

REVEALED: Bella Hadid's character was finally revealed in the teaser trailer for highly-anticipated third season of Hulu's Ramy on Wednesday

Though she doesn't deliver any lines in the new trailer, Bella's Lena is seen giggling to herself during an awkward three-person dinner date with Stevie and Ramy.

'So, uh, how did you guys meet, again?' Ramy asks from across the dinner table, with Stevie swiftly replying, 'Muslim match.'

The answer catches Ramy off guard since, unlike himself, Stevie is not Muslim.

'You don't have to be Muslim to [be on that site]?' Ramy questions.

Meet Lena: The 25-year-old supermodel appears as 'Lena,' a striking young woman that matches with Ramy Hassan's (played by series creator Ramy Youssef) close pal Stevie (played by Steve Way) on a Muslim dating app

Sneak peek: Though she doesn't deliver any lines in the new trailer, Bella's Lena is seen giggling to herself during an awkward dinner date with Stevie (pictured) and Ramy

'So, uh, how did you guys meet, again?' Ramy asks from across the dinner table, with Stevie swiftly replying, 'Muslim match'

With the utmost confidence, Stevie confesses that the dating site will literally 'let anybody on' it.

This conjures laughter out of Lena, who is seated beside Stevie in a chic getup with her brunette hair worn in a half up half down style.

For her title card, Bella is captured staring out of a window in a gray coat over a blue sweater and white dress shirt before turning towards the camera.

Bella's addition to the Ramy cast was first reported by Deadline in March.

Ha! With the utmost confidence, Stevie confesses that the dating site will literally 'let anybody on' it. This conjures laughter out of Lena, who is seated beside Stevie in a chic getup with her brunette hair worn in a half up half down style

For her title card, Bella is seen staring out of a window in a gray coat over a blue sweater and white dress shirt

It was confirmed that she'd have a recurring role in the series but details regarding her storyline and character were kept under wraps.

Ramy was co-created by the comedian Ramy Youssef, who stars as a first generation Egyptian American in New Jersey.

While the title character is the millennial product of a secular western milieu, his Muslim family and roots are more traditional and conservative.

Ramy himself is conflicted about his own feelings on religion and spirituality, and the show charts his personal evolution.

Premise: Ramy was co-created by the comedian Ramy Youssef, who stars as a first generation Egyptian American in New Jersey

Internal struggle: While the title character is the millennial product of a secular western milieu, his Muslim family and roots are more traditional and conservative. Ramy himself is conflicted about his own feelings on religion and spirituality, and the show charts his personal evolution

The main cast includes such names as Hiam Abbas (pictured right), who plays Ramy's mother and who can also be seen playing Brian Cox' dramatically younger wife on Succession

Previous recurring guest stars on the show have included Mahershala Ali, who won a best supporting actor Oscar for Moonlight.

The main cast includes such names as Hiam Abbas, who plays Ramy's mother and who can also be seen playing Brian Cox' dramatically younger wife on Succession.

Ramy season three is slated for a September 30 release on Hulu.

As far as her own faith is concerned, Bella shared in a Porter interview in 2017 that her Palestinian father Mohamed Hadid 'was always religious, and he always prayed with us. I am proud to be a Muslim.'

When she covered this year's April issue of Vogue she revealed that she has developed a more ecumenical attitude.

Proud: As far as her own faith is concerned, Bella shared in a Porter interview in 2017 that her Palestinian father Mohamed Hadid 'was always religious, and he always prayed with us. I am proud to be a Muslim'; Bella seen in September

NYFW: The trailer's release comes amid a busy time for the runway maven, who is currently dominating New York Fashion Week; Bella seen on September 9

'Im very spiritual, and I find that I connect with every religion. Theres that my-way-is-the-right-way thing in human nature, but for me its not about my god or your god. I kind of just call on whoever is willing to be there for me,' she said.

Although Bella has previously acted in such projects as commercials, Ramy appears set to be the largest acting role she has taken.

The trailer's release comes amid a busy time for the runway maven, who is currently dominating New York Fashion Week.

The fashion extravaganza kicked off last Friday, with Bella walking the runway with pal Kendall Jenner for Proenza Schouler.

Bella has also hit the catwalk for Fendi and for the star-studded 'fashion experience,' Vogue World.

Ramy Season 3 premieres September 30 only on Stan in Australia.
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Prosecutors have set out to apprehend Do Kwon, the CEO of Terraform Labs, as part of a probe into the massive collapse of the blockchain firm's Luna and TerraUSD cryptocurrencies in May, officials said Wednesday.







The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office has recently had arrest warrants issued for Kwon and five others, including Terraform founding member Nicholas Platias, on charges of violating the capital market law, prosecution officials said.







Prosecutors are expected to take further procedures soon to have an Interpol red notice issued to repatriate them from Singapore where they are currently staying.







Terraform has been under investigation for alleged fraud and tax evasion after investors in TerraUSD and Luna filed complaints against Kwon in May, accusing him of a Ponzi scheme over the loss of billions of won following the crash of both coins earlier that month. (Yonhap)


A person checks a bike from Seoul City's bike-sharing service, Ttareungyi, at a station near City Hall in central Seoul, June 22. Newsis



By Lee Hae-rin



Seoul's public bike-sharing service, Ttareungyi, or Seoul Bike, plans to carry advertisements on bikes and rental stations to overcome financial difficulties, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Wednesday. Seoul Bike, which operates 41,500 bikes and 2,677 rental stations across the capital, faces a cumulative deficit surpassing 10 billion won ($7.19 million).



Seoul Facilities Corp. will auction off the advertisements via online public property sales transaction platform Onbid for a week, starting on Thursday.



The names and logos of the winning companies will be displayed on bike frames, signboards at rental stations, as well as the Seoul Bikes mobile app and website under two-year contracts. The minimum bid was set at 640 million won per year and contracts could start as early as next January.



Similarly, Seoul Metro, which operates Subway Lines No. 1 to 8, has been auctioning off the rights to the names of subway stations since 2016 to overcome financial difficulties. The alternative names are written alongside their original ones in brackets at stations and used in announcements.



Seoul Bike has been popular since its official launch in October 2015. About six out of 10 people in the city have used the service and the app-based bike-sharing service has ranked top among the city's sharing services with its satisfaction rate at 97 percent, according to the city's survey last year.



The number of Seoul Bike memberships surpassed 3.61 million, while the total number of times the bikes were used amounted to 117 million as of last month.



However, the public rental service is experiencing a deficit due to low rental fees that do not cover the service's maintenance costs.



The deficit has been increasing from 9 billion won in 2019 to 10.3 billion won in 2021, but the city government has never raised the usage fees for the sake of public interest.




The local commanders of the two armies also held a meeting following the conclusion of the disengagement process from the friction point where the two sides were in a standoff for over two years. (PTI file image)

New Delhi: India and China on Tuesday completed the disengagement process from the Gogra-Hot Springs area (Patrolling Point-15) in eastern Ladakh after nearly 28 months of the military standoff there.

The two sides also completed the verification of each others positions after pulling back troops from the friction point, sources said. All the temporary infrastructures created at the face-off site have also been dismantled.

Both sides have completed the disengagement at PP-15 in a phased, coordinated and verified manner, the sources said on Tuesday.

India and China are likely to set up a buffer zone in the area where no patrolling can take place by either side.

Local Chushul councillor Konchok Stan-zin claimed Tuesday that India has also withdrawn from Patrolling Point 16 as part of the disengagement arrangement.

Unfortunately, India has withdrawn from Patrolling Point 16, known as discharge ground, its decades-old permanent post located there. Very important Kugrang Valley got disputed. Miles of land become a buffer zone from the Indian side, tweeted Mr Stanzin.

After the disengagement from PP-15, the focus has shifted now to the standoff at Demchock, where the PLA forces are blocking Indian troops from patrolling at Depsang Plains.

India may also also be looking at the current standoff to settle other pending issues with China before moving to the de-escalation of forces from the area.

Since the standoff began in April 2020 between the two nations, disengagement has been achieved at some friction points, which include Galwan, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and now the Gogra-Hot Springs general area (Patrolling Point-15).

With no de-escalation, the Indian Army will have to prepare to deploy its troops at forward posts in Ladakh for the harsh winter for the third straight year.

India has deployed around 50,000 troops in the sector to deal with any aggression by the PLA. The Indian Army will have to store essential supplies for the winter deployment as the area gets cut off from the rest of the country during the snowfall period.
NELLORE: The AP Parents Association (APPA) demanded action against management of Sri Chaitanya School at Kavali under Child Rights Protection Act for harassing students who could not pay fees on time.

APPA secretary Narahari Sikharam alleged that the school has pulled up some Class VI to X students for delay in paying fees ignoring the various GOs related to conditions on fee collection and management of the schools.

He lamented over the silence of the government and education department when the corporate schools are fleecing the parents in the name of different fees.

Narahari also slammed the authorities for ignoring the private schools when they are violating the rules in vogue.

He demanded a detailed probe into the failures in implementation of government orders strictly in the educational institutions.

Meanwhile, Nellore District Education Officer P. Ramesh said the incident in the corporate school at Kavali came to his notice and he has ordered the Deputy DEO, Kavali, to enquire into the incident.




The ruling People Power Party (PPP) suggested Wednesday that the rival parties adopt a joint resolution against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's pledge to keep the country's nuclear weapons.







"I urge the ruling party and the main opposition to react in a bipartisan manner amid an unprecedented security crisis," Emergency Committee Chairman Chung Jin-suk told a party meeting. "It has become clear that Kim Jong-un's 2018 promise to former President Moon Jae-in to give up nuclear weapons was a blatant lie."







The proposal came five days after the North Korean leader made clear that Pyongyang is determined not to give up its nuclear weapons and has no intention of resuming talks for denuclearization.







The country passed a new law declaring itself a nuclear weapons state and enshrining a right to use preemptive nuclear strikes for self-protection, a move Kim called "irreversible."







While Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition, expressed regret over the development in a Facebook post, his party has not issued an official statement. (Yonhap)


The association president and secretary alleged that the university VC appears to have some personal grudge against these professors. (DC Image)

WARANGAL: Association of Kakatiya University Teachers (AKUT) on Tuesday accused varsity authorities of being negligent in resolving issues related to the institutions teaching and staff.

Addressing a press conference at the University Guest House in Hanamkonda, association president Prof. Thoutam Srinivas and secretary Prof. M. Esthari demanded that university vice chancellor Prof. T. Ramesh resolve their issues, which have been long pending. Otherwise, the staff could launch an agitation, they stated.

Prof. Srinivas said university administration is showing no interest in giving No Objection Certificates (NOCs) despite employees applying for them. So much so, staff are having to approach courts for the same. As per the guidelines, sanctioning NOCs is the minimum responsibility of the university.

Prof. Esthari said receiving salaries for work done is the right of employees guaranteed under the Indian Constitution as per Article 21. But university officials have not been paying emoluments to two staff though they have been serving as assistant professors for past 12 years.

The association president and secretary alleged that the university VC appears to have some personal grudge against these professors and has been harassing them by ordering their transfer to one place or another without giving them any intimation. They pointed out that already there is insufficient staff in the commerce department. At the same time, a team from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is expected to come for inspection any time in the near future.

Further, professors Srinivas and Esthari underlined that there have been no promotions for the teaching staff in the university, though some teachers are eligible for promotions and they have even applied for the same in 2019. When contacted, officials are not even giving the reasons why promotions are being denied.

They further regretted that university authorities are not recognising the services of staff who are retiring after rendered services to the university for more than 2030 years as teachers, researchers or officials. At the minimum, they should be felicitated, they maintained.

The association president and secretary warned that university staff will have to launch an agitation if authorities continue to neglect their pending issues.
G. Mohan Gopal, former director of the National Judicial Academy, has argued that the 103rd amendment violates the basic structure norm of democratic government and structure for securing social order. (Photo: ANI)

NEW DELHI: The petitioners on Tuesday submitted before the Supreme Court that providing reservation on the basis of economic criteria, excluding SC, ST and OBC Non-Creamy Layer, breaches the equality code.

The constitution bench comprising Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Justice S Ravindra Bhat, Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice JB Pardiwala, on Tuesday began hearing the pleas.

G. Mohan Gopal, former director of the National Judicial Academy, has argued that the 103rd amendment violates the basic structure norm of democratic government and structure for securing social order.

He said that the 103rd amendment was an assault on the constitution as it nullified and neutralize the constitution's idea of treating unequals unequally.

Gopal also said that the equality code of the Constitution will be destroyed if forward classes are given reservation as economic weakness results from social and educational backwardness.

Senior Advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for one of the petitioners said the impugned 103rd Amendment to the Constitution of India inserting Clause 6 in Article 15 and Clause 6 in Article 16 providing reservation on the basis of economic criteria (excluding SC, ST and OBC - Non-Creamy Layer) breaches the equality code which is the essence of democracy, thereby violating the basic features of the Constitution.

He submitted that economic criteria alone cannot fall within the parameters of "reservation" or "special provision" as conceived under the Constitution and economic criteria alone violates the equality code and thereby the democratic principles.

Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora also said that the EWS amendment violates the basic structure doctrine and the equality code.

The Supreme Court was dealing with issues relating to the Constitutional validity of reservations on the basis of economic conditions.

The court is dealing with three issues suggested by the Attorney General including one whether the 103rd Constitution Amendment can be said to breach the basic structure of the Constitution by permitting the State to make special provisions, including reservation, based on economic criteria.

The constitutional validity of the 103rd Amendment Act, 2019 enabled the State to make reservations in higher education and matters of public employment on the basis of economic criteria alone.

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice UU Lalit had said earlier that the Janhit Abhiyan case will be the lead matter now.

Janhit Abhiyan's matter is relating to the challenging of the constitutional validity of the 103rd Amendment Act, 2019 which enabled the State to make reservations in higher education and matters of public employment on the basis of economic criteria alone.

Moreover, the Janhit matter will be heard together with a case filed by the Andhra Pradesh government against the High Court's decision of quashing its decision of granting reservations in education and public service for the entire Muslim population of the State in 2005.
VIJAYAWADA: Minister for civil supplies and consumer affairs Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao said that 29 cases were booked on fuel bunks and imposed fines ranging from Rs. 70,000 to Rs.3 lakh in each case for a series of violations by the legal metrology authorities in three districts, including Palnadu, Tirupati, and B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, by carrying out raids on them in the state.

Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, the minister stated that they would continue to inspect all fuel bunks in the state in the remaining 23 districts in the next six months and warned the fuel bunk traders to book cases on them and produce them before the courts in case they repeat the violation of norms during the sale of fuel.

The minister said that legal metrology authorities carried out an inspection on several shopping malls located in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and booked 156 cases and vowed to carry out a similar exercise in other cities and towns in the state soon.

He said that efforts were underway to overcome the short supply of manpower in the legal metrology department by getting some officials on deputation so that they could carry out inspections on fuel stations, malls and other establishments to ensure their compliance with norms to safeguard the interests of consumers.

With regard to control on prices of essential commodities and vegetables in the markets and rythu bazaars, they were doing it on CM App and claimed credit that AP was standing in the forefront when compared with other states in the country to keep a check on the rise in prices of essential commodities.

He said that efforts were on to pay Rs. 300 crore to the farmers for the purchase of paddy and added that the Telangana government had agreed to pay Rs. 600 crore to the civil supplies department in AP.

Turning his attention to the AP governments commitment to develop three capitals, the minister said that their government was not interested in concentrating on only one region as they had learned a bitter lesson by concentrating on development of only Hyderabad earlier. The minister stated that the ongoing Maha Padayatra, taken up by the farmers to extend their support for Amaravati as the capital city, appears to stall development of three regions in the state.

Later, the legal metrology joint controller B. Ram Kumar said that their teams checked certain technical parameters being followed in fuel bunks and booked cases for failing to comply with norms and added that they would complete the inspection of all fuel stations in the state in six months.
AHMEDABAD: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday took a veiled swipe at Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said the people who "sell dreams" will never win in Gujarat, where Assembly polls are due in December this year.

Speaking virtually, Shah also said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will once again form a government in Gujarat, his home state, with a two-thirds majority and hailed the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

"People who sell dreams will never get electoral success in Gujarat. I know the people of Gujarat. Those in the business of selling dreams can never get success in Gujarat because the people support only those who believe in doing work. That is why people remain by the BJP's side. The BJP is on its way to achieving a thumping victory," Shah said while addressing a function held in Gandhinagar to mark one year of Bhupendra Patel's chief ministership.

"I want to tell Bhupendrabhai that the people of Gujarat are with the BJP. I can see very clearly that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and you, the BJP will once again form a government with a two-thirds majority in the upcoming elections," Shah said.
Hyderabad: Expressing anguish over recent defections from the Congress party in Telangana, PCC chief Revanth Reddy targeted Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday, saying that like bird flu, KCR had set off the infection of defections among party leaders in the state.

Speaking at the review meet in Choutuppal, the proceedings of which were overseen by AICC incharge for TS, Manickam Tagore, on Munugodes byelection, Revanth sharply criticised the top two defected Congress leaders from Nalgonda district, Gutha Sukhender and Komatireddy Rajgopal.

They have deserted the party and I ask what kind of development they brought. This time, the Congress will take forward the message to all villages, exposing the Congressmen who defected to other parties, he said.

The meeting was attended by Nalgonda MP Uttam Kumar Reddy, former ministers Geetha Reddy, Mohammed Shabbir, former deputy CM Chinna Reddy, Damodar Rajanarsimha and Congress candidate Palvai Sravanthi among others. However, star campaigner Komatireddy Venkat was missing.

Later, at a media briefing, Revanth recalled how Congress and Communist parties held Munugode for over 10 terms. He asserted that even this time, the BJP will lose its deposit in the constituency. Congress held it for 6 times, Communists 5 times and TRS one time. BJP never won the seat. Even this time, the party will lose its deposit, he asserted. Coming down heavily on TRS and BJP governments, he said that both these have failed people. KCR and KTR whose focus is in north Telangana failed to provide the much-needed funds to Nalgonda. The Modi governments focus is in Gujarat and all the investments are being diverted to that state, he opined.

While recalling the words of a poet he had met recently, Revanth said he had described KCR as a fusion of a dog, a fox and a wolf. If the Congress wins you will have more scope to question those who are at the helm. The notion that TRS will be defeated in the state is irrational as KCR will continue to remain at the helm till he is stifled to death by his son or daughter, he said. Uttam Kumar, who is Choutuppal incharge, felt that the people will teach Rajgopal a lesson.
KTR assured the VRAs that the state government would consider their demands on pay scale and job security positively but sought time till September 18 to hold the next round of talks.  DC Image/Surendra Panishetty

Hyderabad: The capital city of Hyderabad would, on Tuesday, have witnessed a repeat of the infamous August 2000 Basheerbagh mayhem but for the timely intervention and deft handling of the crisis by TRS working president and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao.

Hundreds of village revenue assistants (VRAs), who have been seeking job security and enhancement of pay-scales, breached the heaviest security cordon and entered into the Assembly while it was in session.

It was a rude shock to the lawmakers as the large number of protesters surged towards the Assembly and some even managed to enter its premises, raising serious doubts over the efficacy of intelligence gathering.

The VRAs protest brought back the memories of August 28, 2000, when police fired at protesters in an anti-power tariff hike rally, killing four. Some 200 people including several policemen were injured in the violence that broke out following the caning of protesters by the police.

As the crowds started swelling, the police cane-charged VRAs, many of them women. Meanwhile, city police commissioner C.V. Anand is said to have briefed Rama Rao about the situation going out of control and sought to know if the agitating VRAs could be engaged in a dialogue.

Rama Rao immediately invited the representatives of VRAs joint action committee to his chambers in the Assembly. Around 15 representatives of VRAs held talks with the minister for 45 minutes.

After giving them a patient hearing, Rao assured the VRAs that the state government would consider their demands on pay scale and job security positively but sought time till September 18 to hold the next round of talks.

The minister urged them to withdraw their strike and join duties immediately, saying the entire government machinery will be engaged with the September 17 celebrations for three days from September 16 to 18. He assured them that chief secretary Somesh Kumar will hold talks with VRAs after September 18.

Rama Rao told VRAs Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao already promised in the Assembly on Monday that the government will consider their demands positively and there was no need for a strike on this issue.

A media statement from the minister later said the VRAs were satisfied with the talks and agreed to end their protests.
The PM took to Twitter to express sorrow over the fire incident and to offer his condolences to the families of the deceased. Twitter

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who lost their lives in the hotel inferno and Rs. 50,000 to the injured under the PM National Relief Fund, while the Telangana government announced Rs 3 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.

Home minister Mahmood Ali stated on Tuesday that the Telangana government will provide the relatives of the fire accident victims with all essential help and that those accountable for the accident would face stern action.

Meanwhile, the PM took to Twitter to express sorrow over the fire incident and to offer his condolences to the families of the deceased. Saddened by the loss of lives due to a fire in Secunderabad, Telangana. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be paid to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs. 50,000 would be paid to the injured," he tweeted.
New Delhi: The state units of the Congress are all set to pass a resolution asking the Congress President Mrs Sonia Gandhi to nominate the state unit chiefs and AICC members from the states. The resolution will ensure that there are no elections of state presidents and also AICC members. It will have no effect on the voter list for the elections of the Congress president. Insiders claim that some leaders may also insists on passing a resolution that may ask Mrs. Gandhi to continue as President or nominate someone else to take over.

Many leaders want Rahul Gandhi to take over as the party chief. However sources say that the Gandhis want a non Gandhi to lead the party. The post has been with the Gandhi family since 1998.

The central election authority CEA of the party has already firmed up the voter list of the party members who will vote in the Presidential elections.

At present Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot seems to be the front runner amongst the Non Gandhis. Though he has publicly stated that he wants to see Mr. Rahul Gandhi as the Congress President.

The process of election notification starts from September 22; nominations can be filed between September 24 and 30, and voting is on October 17. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has been interim president for the past three years
Twitter shareholders on Tuesday voted to approve Tesla CEO Elon Musk's $44 billion takeover bid.

The vote came as Musk's lead team is in a court battle to get out of the deal.

Twitter confirmed that a preliminary count shows it has enough votes to approve the deal, reports The Verge.

Twitter has sued Musk for allegedly breaching the deal agreement.

The vote lets Twitter continue with a lawsuit intended to make Musk close the acquisition.

The legal battle is expected to start in mid-October.

The approval means that Musk and Twitter will proceed to an October trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

"Twitter will push to close the deal regardless, alleging that Musk's complaints are merely a pretext for backing out," the report mentioned.

The vote case as Twitter whistleblower Peter Zatko testified at a US Senate committee.

The Tesla CEO is also trying to buy more time from the court to kick off the Twitter trial, set for October 17, citing the testimony by Zatko.

Musk's legal team has proposed a new timeline that would push the week-long trial to late November.

The former Twitter security head has alleged that Twitter misled regulators about its security practices and actual number of bot accounts.

Musk has said that the testimony of Twitter whistleblower justifies his termination of the $44 billion deal to buy the micro-blogging platform.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday that her recent visit to India benefitted Bangladesh and she has not returned "empty handed" and emphasised that her trip has opened up a new horizon in the relationship between the two friendly neighbouring countries.

During Hasina's visit, India and Bangladesh signed seven agreements, including one on sharing of waters of Kushiyara river which is expected to benefit the regions of southern Assam and Bangladesh's Sylhet region.

"They (India) have shown much sincerity and I have not returned empty handed," Hasina told reporters here, nearly after a week she returned home following a four-day visit to India from September 5 to 8.

"I think that my visit, after a long break of three years due to the Covid pandemic, has opened a new horizon in Bangladesh-India relations, she said, adding that the people of both sides would be benefited from the cooperation in all the areas identified during her India visit and the decisions taken to solve the existing bilateral problems.

Read | Teesta remains bugbear in Delhi-Dhaka ties

Her comments came as leaders of the main opposition outside parliament BNP alleged that Bangladesh gained nothing from her India visit while its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "Hasina is unable to deal with India".

Hasina said a MoU on the cross-border Kushiyara river was one of the major achievements of her tour as it was expected to protect over 5,820,000 hectares of land in Bangladesh's northeastern Sylhet region from sudden and protracted flooding.

She said that as per the MoU, Bangladesh would receive 153 cusecs of water under the Surma-Kushiyara project from the common river Kushiyara and as a result, 5,000 hectares of land would get irrigation facilities through Rahimpur Link Canal.

She said the water sharing issue of major Teesta also featured during her talks with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi while BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia even forgot to raise the long pending Ganges water issue during her New Delhi tour."

Bangladesh and India had signed the Ganges Treaty in 1996 during Hasina's ruling Awami League government.

She said the two countries reached an agreement on cooperation in the fields of environment, climate change, cyber security, space technology, and green economy, cultural and people-to-people communication.

"We agreed to complete the construction work of the second gate proposed by India at the Petrapol-Benapole border as soon as possible to expand trade. A delegation from Bangladesh will soon visit India to participate in the start-up fair," Hasina added.

Hasina said New Delhi agreed not to halt export of products like sugar, onion, garlic and ginger to Bangladesh without informing Dhaka in advance so Bangladesh could find alternative sources for those essentials.

She said that cessation of border killings, trade expansion, withdrawal of anti-dumping duty on Bangladesh jute products, repatriation of the Rohingyas, import of electricity from Nepal and Bhutan via India, were also discussed.

"After all, in the changed world situation, this visit would accelerate both the countries to move forward together in a new way, Hasina said.

She added that similarities of language and culture deepened the historic relations with our closest neighbour and friendly country, India.

"Apart from this, the support during the Liberation War and cooperation after the independence has reached this friendship at a special level, she added.




President Yoon Suk-yeol met Wednesday with young people training to compete in a world skills competition and pledged to support the advancement of people with technical skills.







Yoon visited the Global Institute for Transferring Skills in Incheon, west of Seoul, to meet with participants in the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition, which kicked off last week in 15 countries and regions.







Korea will host events for eight out of a total 61 skills, including cloud computing and 3D digital game art, in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, next month.







Yoon toured the institute and watched competitors train in furniture making, mobile app development and photoelectronic technology, before holding a group meeting with 48 members of the Korean team.







"The skilled professional and technical work force of our industrial sites was the driving force of our economy's rapid growth," he said during the meeting, noting Korea has won the biennial competition 19 times.







Yoon compared the skilled work force to the military, saying no number of advanced weapons, such as F-35 or F-22 fighter jets, could be deployed for national defense without the trained and professional service members that can use them.







"You are the connecting link between applied science and technology, and consumers," he said.







The meeting was also attended by representatives of companies that have actively hired skilled young people and sponsored their participation in the competition, including Samsung Electronics and Emons Furniture.







Yoon said technology holds the key to the nation's development and future, and promised to do his best to build a country "overflowing" with technically skilled people, his office said.







He also emphasized the importance of creating a society where such people are given special treatment, it said. (Yonhap)


The Opposition Congress on Wednesday staged a walk out in the Assam assembly for the second consecutive day over reduction of time for supplementary queries during Question Hour.

Other opposition members also joined them in alleging that time and means for them to speak about problems faced by people were being reduced by the BJP-led government.

As the House witnessed repeated noisy scenes over the issue, the state government conceded that the time limit for supplementary queries can be revisited.

A decision at the assembly's Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting on Monday to allot five minutes for supplementary queries for each question during the Question Hour has led to the latest stand off between the two sides.

Also Read | Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi suspended from Assam Assembly for 'disrupting proceedings'

Previously, the number of supplementary questions was confined to allowing two MLAs besides the main questioner, but no time limit was fixed.

When Speaker Biswajit Daimary disallowed supplementary queries during the Question Hour, citing the five-minute rule, Congress MLAs briefly walked out of the House in protest.

"We are not being allowed to speak. If this is the case, we can just sit at home and watch the proceedings online," Congress MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha said outside the House.

AIUDF legislator Ashraful Hussain added, "Our party had so many important points to raise, which are well within the rules of the House. But, we are not given the opportunity."

Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi, who was suspended for the duration of the Question Hour for "disrupting proceedings", also alleged that voice of the opposition was being stifled.

Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said: "The decision was taken at the BAC meeting. If needed, the next meeting can discuss it once again."
The United States has dismissed questions about India's participation in the recent multinational military exercises hosted by Russia and attended by countries like China, saying that India is a sovereign nation and it can make its own decisions.

"Certainly, we have appreciated our partnership with India in the region. They're an important partner, as you know. And we'll continue to work closely with them," Pentagon Spokesman Brig Gen Patrick Ryder told reporters while responding to a question on India participating in Vostok military exercises with Russia and China.

Also Read | US has very close defence relationship with India: Pentagon

"India's a sovereign nation, they can make their own decisions in terms of who they're going to conduct exercises with," Ryder told reporters on Tuesday.

The Vostok military exercises was held from September 1 to 7 at different locations in Russia's Far East amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the Vostok 2022 exercise involved more than 50,000 troops and over 5,000 weapons units, including 140 aircraft and 60 warships. The drills engaged troops from China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Syria and several ex-Soviet nations.

"We have a very close partnership and relationship - defence relationship with India. We obviously will continue to work with India and further develop that relationship, Ryder said.
India has ended up conceding to creation of yet another buffer zone in its own territory while agreeing with China for withdrawal of troops from Patrolling Point 15 on the Line of Actual Control, the representative of the local community to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) alleged.

Konchok Stanzin, a councillor of the LAHDC, on Tuesday told DH that the recent disengagement of troops by the two sides from Gogra-Hotsprings area near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) saw India agreeing with China for withdrawal of its troops, not only from the face-off point at PP15, but also from PP16, to the Karam Singh Hill. He said that India ended up turning its own territory along its LAC with China into a buffer zone, with a moratorium on patrolling.

Also Read: India, China complete disengagement in Gogra-Hotsprings

The earlier disengagement of troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020, in northern bank of Pangong Tso in February 2021 and in Gogra Post in August 2021 also saw India agreeing with China for creation of buffer zones and moratorium on patrolling.

Stanzin, who was elected to LAHDC from Chushul in Ladakh, also expressed apprehension that withdrawal of troops by the Indian Army from PP16, where it had maintained a permanent post for decades, could result in turning Krugang Valley, used by local people for grazing of cattle since long back, into a disputed territory between India and China.

He said people in his constituency were very unhappy over the loss of India's territory to China.

Very important Kugrang Valley got disputed. Miles of land become a buffer zone from the Indian side. But who cares about local feelings? Stanzin posted on Twitter, retweeting a tweet by Subramanian Swamy, the former Bharatiya Janata Partys member in the Rajya Sabha, who also not-so-subtly criticized Indias latest agreement with China for withdrawal of troops from the PP15.

Your quote is true sir. Unfortunately, India has withdrawn from PP16 known as discharge ground, its decades-old permanent post located there. Very important Kugrang valley got disputed. Miles of land become a buffer zone from the Indian side. But who cares about local feelings? https://t.co/POX0hj0tVe  Konchok Stanzin (@kstanzinladakh) September 13, 2022

Chinese are laughing away on Indian media reports quoting Modi Govt that India and China have vacated to either side of LAC. Truth: China has withdrawn from Indian land and India has withdrawn from Indian land. Thus, China claims:What mine in mine and what is your is also mine, tweeted Swamy.

Chinese are laughing away on Indian media reports quoting Modi Govt that India and China have vacated to either side of LAC. Truth: China has withdrawn from Indian land and India has withdrawn from Indian land. Thus, China claims:What mine in mine and what is your is also mine.  Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 13, 2022

The Indian Army and the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) completed withdrawal of troops from Gogra-Hotsprings area (PP15) between September 8 and 12. The two sides ceased forward deployments in the area in a phased, coordinated and verified manner, resulting in the return of the troops of both sides to their respective areas".

All temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the area by both sides were also dismantled.

Also Read: Lazard in talks with India, China and Japan on restructuring crisis-hit Sri Lankas debt

Source in New Delhi said on Tuesday that the disengagement process near PP-15 had been completed and the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA had completed verification of each others positions after pulling back troops from the friction points.

The disengagement of troops by both sides from PP15 ended a long impasse in negotiation to resolve the military stand-off, which stated along the LAC in eastern Ladakh in April-May-2020 after the Indian Army had to deploy additional troops to counter the Chinese PLAs aggressive move to alter the status quo along the LAC  the de facto boundary between the two nations. The two sides had last mutually withdrawn troops from Gogra Post (PP17A) in August 2021.
Taking objection to Union Home Minister Amit Shahs statement that Hindi unites the whole nation in a thread of unity as an official language, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday said the country remains India and not Hindia and asked the Union Government to accord the importance to all languages under the 8th Schedule that Hindi is given.

In a hard-hitting statement, the DMK President demanded that Hindi Diwas, celebrated on September 14, be renamed as Indian Languages Day after declaring all 22 languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution as official languages of the country.

It is India. Not Hindi. Indian languages including Tamil should be declared as official languages of the Union Government, Stalin said in a statement released by the DMK, adding that it was acceptable that Shah spoke high of Hindi on Hindi Diwas.

But to say that one should learn Hindi to understand the culture and history (of India) is against the Unity in Diversity principle of India, which consists of people who speak different languages. Indias culture and history arent hidden in Hindi. Historians have pointed out that the Dravidian language family led by Tamil had spread across todays India and beyond, Stalin said.

Read | Hindi not a competitor but a 'friend' of regional languages, says Amit Shah

Historians and researchers want the history of India to be rewritten from the Southern part of the country to truly understand the culture and history of the country, Stalin said. It was nothing but a mere reflection of the dominant attitude of those governing in New Delhi to project Hindi as the national language by pushing Tamil and other languages with rich literature and culture.

Tamil Nadu has a history of sacrificing lives for protecting our rich Tamil language, Stalin said in reference to the 1965 anti-Hindi agitation. Hindi, Stalin said, isnt Indias national language and it isnt the only official language. Hindi is the administrative language of India. English is also an administrative language, he added.

Stalin also said several languages like Mythili, and Bhojpuri, which were spoken in northern India are almost facing extinction due to the domination of Hindi. Indias first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru erected a fence to save languages like Tamil from Hindi domination by including English as an official language, Stalin said.

That fence is still strong and that is the reason why Tamil has not been pushed to the side lines by the dominant languagesIf Amit Shah is concerned about local languages, he should allot funds to languages like Tamil on par with Hindi and Sanskrit. But, the Union Government is hell bent on imposing Hindi through the National Education Policy, Stalin said.

The Chief Minister said Shah should declare all 22 languages in the 8th Schedule as official and administrative languages of the Union Government. After declaring the languages as official languages, I request you to change the name of Hindi Diwas to Indian Languages Day to strengthen culture and history, Stalin said.

Both DMK and AIADMK who have ruled Tamil Nadu since 1967 are opposed to Hindi imposition. Tamil Nadu has been following the dual language policy of Tamil and English since the 1960s and has opposed every move to impose Hindi by successive governments at the Centre.
Karnataka Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the BJP government sat on warnings by experts on climate change, resulting in large-scale flooding across the state, including Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah was speaking in the Assembly where he initiated a debate on the flood situation.

"Experts had warned of extreme weather events due to climate change and that the government should take precautionary measures," Siddaramaiah said, accusing the BJP government of being "irresponsible".

Also Read | Heavy rains, floods paralyse parts of North Karnataka districts

Siddaramaiah asked the government to explain what action it had taken on the Karnataka State Action Plan on Climate Change prepared by the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI). "This report predicted that in places that get less than 100 mm rainfall such as the outskirts of Bengaluru and districts like Kalaburagi would get 50-100 mm rainfall on a single day. That's exactly what happened in places like Badami and Guledagudda," he said.

Bengaluru, he said, should have received 475 mm of rainfall, but the city got 1,086 mm until September 6. "Ramanagar got 1,090 mm against 465 mm, Tumakuru got 1,004 mm against 355 mm...like this, rainfall has more than doubled and the government had these reports. No action was taken. Due to the government's negligence, 122 people and 462 livestock died and a lot of infrastructures got damaged," he said.

By 2030, Siddaramaiah said paddy yield will reduce by 5.6%, grams by 19.2%, ragi by 12%, groundnut by 9.6% and soybean by 28.6%. "Similarly, maize yield will go up 24.5%, sugarcane 6.1% and cotton 55%," he said, citing a report.

Also Read: Ghataprabha, Bhima, Doni rivers unleash flood fury in North Karnataka

Siddaramaiah also attacked the BJP government for the flood havoc in Bengaluru.

"Flooding caused property loss in many households. However, the government has not compensated anyone," he said, adding that stormwater drain encroachments should be cleared. "The government has not cleared a single encroachment since coming to power. In contrast, they made a law to hand over properties to those who have encroached government land," he said.

Siddaramaiah warned the government that 'Brand Bengaluru' would take a beating. "The city's glory will be lost," he said.

Crop loss

Also Read: Woman killed in wall collapse due to rain in Karnataka

Siddaramaiah said that over the last four years, crop losses to farmers have occurred to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore. However, the relief offered for crop loss was only Rs 2,134 crore.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said a crop loss survey is done for 1.04 lakh farmers in the first batch and they will get Rs 116.38 crore as compensation. "Earlier, it used to take 6-8 months for farmers to get compensated. Now, we're making immediate payments thanks to software we've developed," he said.

Bommai also said Karnataka is the only state to pay crop loss compensation over and above NDRF norms. The government pays Rs 13,600 per hectare for rain-fed crops, Rs 25,000 for irrigation crops and Rs 28,000 for multi-year crops.
The Supreme Court was on Wednesday told that the Karnataka governments order disallowing hijab came as a death knell for students desirous to take secular education.

Arguing before a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia, senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, on behalf the petitioners, said there was no legitimate interest of the state in imposing ban.

The GO (government order), even if it appears to be neutral, has to be struck down for running afoul of Article 14 of the Constitution if it targets a particular community, Ahmadi said.

Here is a community where certain students have been able to break stereotypes and go to schools albeit with a head scarf. The GO will strike a death knell for such students, Ahmadi said, claiming that disallowing hijab would create barriers for education and fraternity.

The senior advocate also said it was in the states legitimate interest to promote diversity and not to standardise everything.

If someone says he wont allow anyone to wear a hijab, this would be contrary to the principle of fraternity in the preamble of the Constitution, he said.

The counsellor also sought to raise the issue of dropouts of the students, referring to a report by the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). He claimed after the High Courts judgement of March 15, 17,000 students dropped out of schools.

According to him, Article 29(1) protected the cultural rights of the people which is absolute. If this is not qualified under the right to practice the religion, it would certainly be a cultural right, he said.

Earlier in the day, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, also arguing for petitioners, contended that so long as it was bona fide and prevalent, the practice of wearing hijab must be allowed, and there is no need to refer to the religious text.

In fact in Vedas, they worshipped nature, there was no temple.

No outside secular authority has any right to say it is not an essential practice, if it is said hijab is used in Karnataka, he said.

Dhavan also asked what the justification was to say hijab couldnt be allowed inside the classroom as millions of women across the world are wearing it.

No justification has been offered by the HC (by upholding the ban), which also didnt apply test of proportionality. Where is the violation of public order? he said.

Dhavan also said one has to apply additional degree of sensitivity in such matters and adopt the least restrictive approach.

The GO probably targeted Muslim women and violated Article 14, and 15 and was, therefore, unconstitutional, he said.
A man who admitted possessing the gun used to kill the journalist Lyra McKee has been jailed for an extended sentence of seven years.

Niall Sheerin (29) of Tyrconnell Street in Derry admitted possessing the Hammerli pistol on dates between September 11 2018 and June 6 2020.

The court heard that police and the British Army were involved in a search in the Ballymagroarty area of Derry and found the pistol and some ammunition wrapped in bin bags.

The gun was said to have been 'in good condition' and the defendant's DNA was found on the weapon.

Forensic tests revealed that the weapon had been used in five incidents in the city over the previous 21 months including the shooting of Lyra McKee on April 18 2019.

It was also found the weapon had been used in several so called punishment shootings in the city.

Lyra McKee was sadly fatally shot whilst covering rioting in the Creggan area of Derry in 2019.

Judge Stephen Fowler said that on the night the journalist had been shot there had been 'orchestrated disorder' with rioting and petrol bombs thrown at police.

The judge said Sheerin's plea had been accepted on the basis that he had possession of the weapon with intent to enable others to endanger life.

He said that the defendant was aware he was holding the weapon on behalf of a terrorist organisation namely the New IRA.

The judge said Sheerin may not have been aware of the specific history of the weapon including the fact that it had been used to kill Lyra McKee.

He said that Sheerin had previous convictions for rioting and resisting police.

Judge Fowler said that the 'test for dangerousness' had been met and so any sentence had to both 'punish and protect'.

He said while this was a 'very serious offence' the defendant may not remain dangerous for an extended period of time.

Sheerin was said to have been aware of the nature of the terrorist organisation but the judge added there 'was no evidence he held any organisational role within the group.'

He imposed an extended sentence of seven years and ordered Sheerin to sign the Anti-terrorism regulations for a period of 15 years.
The Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum (BBHF) has recently won a Highly Commended Provider of the Year award at the Open College Network (OCN) prestigious awards ceremony, recognising the impact the Health Forum has made in supporting adults and young people in their learning endeavours over the past year.

This Years OCN Learning Endeavour Awards prize-giving took place at the Titanic Hotel, Belfast in June with learners and learning providers from across Northern Ireland in attendance.

The event was hosted by Denise Watson from U105 Radio, with Carl Frampton MBE as special guest handing out awards and bursaries to people and organisations who have taken significant strides in the field of learning, earning OCN recognised achievements as a result of their efforts.

Orlagh Robson, OCN co-ordinator at BBHF, said that her team were delighted to receive the Highly Commended Provider of the year award. She added:

This award is lovely recognition of the hard work we have put in over the past twelve months facilitating OCN learning at the Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum.

"We have a fantastic relationship with OCN and its an honour to be in a position to offer OCN qualifications to people in our local community.

"All of our OCN programmes focus on improving knowledge of health and wellbeing. The programmes educate participants about relationships, enrichment, safety, mental health awareness, resilience, sexual health, nutrition, exercise, diversity and culture; to name but a few.

Orlagh also said that by providing a holistic approach to addressing the five ways to well-being, participants have reported that they are making healthier life choices, are enjoying an increased feeling of self-worth, can rely on more positive coping mechanisms, and ultimately have more control over their own lives.

She added: This has resulted in young people engaging better at school improving educational attainment; as well as developing the skills and confidence to participate in their local communities."

In the past twelve months, BBHF has successfully helped 360 individuals achieve an OCN qualification. BBHF offers OCN qualifications across a wide range of programmes, benefiting people of all ages.

The Moving on Up Programme helps young people with a range of issues such as bereavement, social isolation, or a need to improve social skills.

Through this programme BBHF have helped young people in partnership with St Josephs Boys School, St Cecilias College and the local community, to gain vital OCN qualifications.

The Health Forum has also worked in partnership with the Museum of Free Derry to deliver a Level 1 Community Independence OCN across five secondary schools in Derry.

Additional programmes have seen BBHF deliver OCN qualifications in Lincoln Courts Youth Club, St Columbs College, and St Brigids College.

Primary school children across Derry and Strabane have also taken part in bespoke OCN workshops aimed at improving their mental health.

BBHF has also delivered parenting OCNs to community sector youth organisations throughout Derry.

General Manager of the BBHF, Aileen McGuinness, said that the recent award validated the ethos of the Health Forum itself which aims to improve the health and well-being of people in the local community.

She said: At BBHF, we recognise the barriers to education that many in our community may face.

"Removing these barriers and promoting life-long learning is a key aspect of what we do at the Health Forum as part of our overall mission to improve health and well-being in the community.

Thanks to OCN, we have the ability to offer people in the community access to recognised qualifications that can have a lasting, ripple effect on their lives.

"We look forward to continuing this work and responding to the needs of the community.

For more information on the Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum, visit us at www.bbhealthforum.org or call on 02871 365330.
Contemporary circus artists, Compagnie XY, landed in Derry this week involving local people in a series of surprise, pop up performances across the city.

The French collective troupe of twenty world-leading acrobats toured the city and appeared in a number of locations throughout the week.

From the city walls and local parks to shopping centres and street corners, on the cityside and the waterside, they first appeared on Tuesday September 6 and continued to pop-up across the city, with a stunning penultimate performance called Le Grande Rendezvous in St Columb's Park on Saturday September 10.

People from across Derry and visitors to the City have shared special moments with the troupe, including being lifted, hugged and falling into their arms.

Each interaction has been a unique and special interaction, one individual commented 'it was the best thing that has ever happened to me'.

The project, Les Voyages  Derry is part of the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund, a national programme of 22 artist commissions inspired by the heritage of conflict, created in partnership with Imperial War Museums (IWM).

The performances this week began a year-long project where Compagnie XY will collaborate with In Your Space Circus, Circusful and local artists to create a new work for 2023 inspired by the achievement of Northern Ireland citizens in sustaining 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement.

Cian Smyth, Ulster Universitys Arts and Culture Programme Manager commented: Its been incredible having one of the worlds best modern circus companies in Derry city and the island of Ireland for the very first time.

"We hope the year-long duration of the project will allow Compagnie XY and local artists to build a meaningful collaboration with each other and communities across the city.

"The collaborative effort hopes to explore the contribution citizens have made to sustaining a peace in the face of conflict.

Modern circus arts are different to what people historically expect of circus and this project has brought something people have never seen before, connecting some of the best circus performers in the world with those at home to create what has been a beautiful celebration of human resilience  of many bodies in public space overcoming obstacles and celebrating a place they love.

Les Voyages  Derry is the 19th edition of Compagnie XY's globally acclaimed project that has taken place in cities and towns from France to Denmark and Palestine to Serbia.

Antoine Billaud of Compagnie XY, said: "'Nervous excitement' is the phrase describing how we felt when we arrived in Derry city. We are having such a great human and artistic adventure in a one-year process involving local artists.

"This is a very unique opportunity that Cian Smyth through the IWM 14-18NOW Legacy Fund and Ulster University has offered us - to begin the first step of a whole community-based process with our Les Voyages performances rather than it being the objective in itself.

"So we arrived with this nervous excitement about a new adventure and sharing our vision of the universal gesture of lifting each other up" with the people of Derry."

Cath McBride, Company Director of In Your Space commented: In Your Space Circus is delighted to be involved in this project with Compagnie XY.

"Les Vogayes - Derry has been such an inspiration for the local community, local circus artists and our many circus school participants. It's a very exciting time for Circus in Northern Ireland and the north west at the moment, and we are delighted that Compagnie XY has helped to keep up the momentum of celebrating and profiling our wonderful, diverse and powerful art form.

"We have loved watching how audiences reacted to the performances this week and we are looking forward to seeing how this visit inspires their work in 2023.

Created in partnership with Imperial War Museums, this artwork commission is part of a new initiative continuing the vision and reach of 14-18 NOW, the official UK arts programme for the First World War centenary.

The IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund has been made possible thanks to the success of Peter Jacksons critically acclaimed film They Shall Not Grow Old, co-commissioned by IWM and 14-18 NOW.

A share of the films royalties  2.5 million  will see investment in artists and arts experiences as IWM partners with 20 cultural organisations and 22 artists from across the UK. The fully funded commissions will each be inspired by the heritage of conflict.

Dame Diane Lees, Director-General of IWM, commented: IWM is delighted to be working in partnership with Ulster University to mark 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement.

"Since the First World War, we have collaborated with artists to record the experiences of conflict in new and thought-provoking ways.

"The IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund builds on this rich history by providing investment in artists and arts experiences across the UK and we are thrilled to now present the first of these landmark commissions with a new work from Compagnie XY.

To keep updated on Compagnie XY activity with us over the course of the next year, sign up to our newsletter https://daro. ulster.ac.uk/stayintouch- ulsterpresents

To find out more about the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund, visit the website https://www.iwm.org. uk/partnerships/subject-specialist-network/14-18-now- legacy-fund
During the depths of Covid's assault on the creative sector, Portstewart artist Fiona Shannon found herself ready to leave her dream job behind. Liam Tunney talks to her about her love of connection, the draw of pottery and a welcome return to international exhibitions.

The doors to Fiona Shannon's ceramics studio lie open, catching the final rays of summer as August draws to a close.

She is perched on a low chair just inside the door, eyes studying a laptop. Around her on the shelves sit samples of her hand-crafted work.

Next door, a larger teaching room stretches towards a further space that stores the heavy stone kilns that harden her creations from clay to pottery.

It's the idyllic scene of an artist immersed in her work, but two years ago, in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic, Fiona felt it slipping away.

I'll not lie, I applied for other jobs, she told the County Derry Post.

I probably went through days or weeks of thinking 'this is okay, I can make it' and then the next week there would be another restriction and you'd be thinking 'I've got to come up with another plan here'.

I was constantly having to change the plan. I used to do workshops in person but had to re-adapt to doing 'workshops in a box' where I'd send them out to people.

Recording videos for me to upload and edit myself, which I'd never done before, and I really struggled with it. I hope we'll never have to go through it again.

While at university in Belfast, a tutor was able to steer Fiona towards pottery.

Once it got up and running though, I have to say the whole community were supportive. That Christmas was my biggest sales ever with everyone supporting local.

I did apply for other jobs during that time, but I'm glad I persevered and that I'm still here.

Art has been a feature of the Portstewart woman's life from an early age, her father's job as a technology teacher giving her ample opportunities for creativity.

After completing her A-Levels at Loreto College, Coleraine, Fiona headed for Limavady, where she completed a Foundation course in art at the technical college.

She then moved to Belfast, undertaking a three-year degree in contemporary applied arts, where one of her tutors recognised her talent and steered her towards pottery.

She then spent two years completing a two-year course in pottery skills and production in Kilkenny, where she was one of a small number selected for the course.

Now back at Flowerfields Art Centre, where she attended workshops as a child, the 30-year-old says things have come 'full circle'.

There was another potter in here, who built a new studio out at his house and was moving on. It came up at the right time, she said.

After I'd come home from Kilkenny, I had set up in my garage for a while, and was working by myself. I felt that I needed the distance of getting up in the morning and going out to work.

Even the interaction with the reception staff and the cleaners; you don't realise until you're not leaving the house how important those relationships are.

During Covid, a return to her workshop at Flowerfields Arts Centre felt a long way away.

I was here about a year and then Covid hit and I had to go back to the garage, so it took me a while to adjust again.

I probably didn't do much work for the first few months and then I got the funding from the Arts Council to develop some work influenced by my trip to China [in September 2019].

That was invaluable at that time, because obviously no one was spending money, people weren't sure which way things were going to go, but eventually I started to sell stuff online.

Fiona held an open day and workshop at her studio last month, allowing the public to come in and experience life in a pottery workshop.

The interaction with others is something she had craved throughout the Covid-19 lockdown.

Being an artist is such an isolating job, so when you get people into the studio and they're excited, creating conversations, it creates such a buzz and re-energises you as an artist, she said.

It can be lonely, and sometimes you forget why you're doing it. It comes so naturally to me, but whenever I'm teaching I have to explain why I'm doing it and what the purpose is.

People get to come in, watch me work and ask me questions about my work. I can chat to them a little bit about my own experiences and I'd have a lot of firsts and seconds for sale.

The Portstewart woman attended the Agrilla Italia exhibition in Faenza, Italy last month.

The County Derry woman splits her work into two separate collections; the Atlantic Coast collection and the Causeway Coast collection.

The former captures the sea blues and ripple effect of the Wild Atlantic Way, while the Causeway Coast collection showcases the earthy grey and black of the north west.

A fortnight ago, she jetted off to bring her collections to the Agrilla Italia ceramics show in Faenza, a city in Italy's north east.

The trip marks Fiona's first international exhibition since the onset of Covid-19.

I've been to a couple of fairs and markets around Ireland but this will be the first trip abroad. It's an international ceramics market, she said before heading off to Italy.

There will be lots of demonstrations and workshops going on; it's one of the biggest in Europe, maybe 80,000-100,000 people come over the three days.

There are 20 Irish potters going out. We were all selected by the Agrilla Italia committee to go out, so we're all very different ceramic artists and there are about four or five from the North.

It will give me a good opportunity to see what Europe has to offer and hopefully I'll sell a good bit of my work there and not have to bring anything back with me.

They're from all over Europe and all over the world, so it's a good opportunity to connect with other people and exchange experiences and techniques.

Ruairi Mooney is one of a number of North Coast artists making their mark.

Fiona joins a burgeoning troupe of artistic talent across the North Coast, and she feels the post-pandemic landscape has allowed creativity to flourish.

In the last few years, a lot more people have got the confidence to come out and develop as an artist. It's now more acceptable to do it as a full-time job, she said.

Even a few years ago, it wouldn't have been. People still do ask me if I do this full-time. Maybe Covid gave people a push to realise what they want to do full time.

People are getting a sense of enjoyment from their work, instead of just getting up and trying to earn a living, that you're walking out at the end of the day with a sense of fulfilment.

You're excited to get back into work the next day because you've been inspired by something that you've seen or to get your hands back on a pot that you were working on yesterday.

It's often whenever you're not in the studio that you come up with the solution to a problem, thinking about it when you're out walking even.

That's why you have to give yourself the space and time and not put pressure on yourself every day, because it's only when you take the pressure off that the good work comes.

Whenever you're just stressed the whole time  developing work to be sold  it can put a limit on your creativity and you just can't produce.

More information on Fiona's work can be found on her Facebook page, with details of workshops on the Flowerfield Arts Centre Eventbrite page.




President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday that Korea's survival depends on the semiconductor industry.







Yoon made the remark during a luncheon with members of a special People Power Party committee on strengthening the chip industry's competitiveness.







"Semiconductors are known as the rice of industries and they are the most important area in the fourth industrial revolution," he said. "In a way, we can say our survival depends on it."







The ruling party panel is led by Rep. Yang Hyang-ja and composed of other lawmakers as well as experts and professors of relevant fields from Seoul National University and other universities.







"As president, I always have to prepare food for the people for the future, which I don't think is a long-term task but a current task that needs to be handled in real time," Yoon said. "I feel reassured by your presence and ask that you establish the right directions."







Yoon also promised to work to nurture the right workforce and actively invest in the chip industry.







The semiconductor industry has been a special focus of the president since his inauguration in May. (Yonhap)






A County Derry food bank urged to close by a local minister has confirmed it will now open on the day of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.

The Irish News reported that Rev Mark Loney, rector at Dungiven and Bovevagh Church of Ireland, had written to Dungiven Regeneration Club urging them to close the 'Community Fridge' on Monday.

The popular free food facility encourages people to donate goods that are then redistributed among the community.

Rev Mark Loney is a committee member at Dungiven Regeneration Club and wrote to the committee on Monday asking if the 'Community Fridge' could be closed as a 'token of respect'.

However, would it be helpful for the committee, whatever their constitutional allegiances or none to formally endorse the closure of the 'Community Fridge' that day as a token of respect for those in the environs of Dungiven for whom the Monarch's death is a significant occasion to mark with the deepest respect, he wrote.

Rev Mark Loney.

Sinn Fein councillor Sean McGlinchey said closing a food facility was wrong.

People don't stop eating or needing help because it's a bank holiday, he said.

County Derry woman's close encounter with Garth Brooks' wife Trisha Yearwood was engaged to Brooks at the time. As hordes of country music fans make the journey to Croke Park for the visit of legend Garth Brooks, Liam Tunney speaks to Draperstown woman Cathy McGuigan about a chance encounter with his wife Trisha Yearwood as the couple prepared to tie the knot 17 years ago.

I am sure even the Queen would not want a food bank to close. People are entitled to respect the Queen in whatever way they want but to phone businesses and ask them to close is another thing.

It's very disrespectful to the wider community of Dungiven.

However, a spokesperson from Dungiven Regeneration Club confirmed to Derry Now this morning that the food bank would be open on Monday September 19 from 11.00am until 3.00pm.
Deepika Padukone has landed in Canada to start the shoot for her Hollywood debut xXx: The return of Xander.
WATCH: Tiger Shroff Is Back Again In An Out And Out Action Film With Baaghi 2!
Minister Coveney Announces United Nations Youth Delegates

Press release

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, T.D, today formally announced this years United Nations Youth Delegates, Jessica Gill and David Giles.

The UN Youth Delegates will work closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs, including Irelands Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Irish Aid, and with the National Youth Council of Ireland throughout their year in office. They will have the opportunity to engage with young people across Ireland about foreign policy issues and to represent the young people of Ireland at UN events, including this month at UN General Assemblys Third Committee, which focuses on human rights issues.



Minister Coveney said:

"It is a pleasure to congratulate them on their selection as Irelands UN Youth Delegates for 2022-2023.

It is vital that the voices of young people are heard and reflected in Irelands work at the United Nations, and the Youth Delegate Programme provides an opportunity for young people to engage directly in our work. Jessica and David will play an important role in shaping policy and advocating for change by participating in UN meetings and engaging with other Youth Delegates. They will also build awareness among young people of the role that Ireland plays on the global stage and the work of the UN. It is particularly important during Irelands tenure on the Security Council that we work with the Youth Delegates to amplify the voices of young people and ensure that their perspectives are taken into account at the highest international level, particularly in decisions that affect future generations.

I am delighted to support this programme and look forward to engaging with Jessica and David in the year ahead.

Notes to Editors:

 This is the eighth year that the Department of Foreign Affairs has sponsored the UN Youth Delegate Programme, in partnership with the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI). NYCI manages the application and selection process for the programme.

 Ireland is committed to amplifying the voices of young people at the United Nations. The programme seeks to empower young people to be agents of change and foster active global citizenship through engagement with the UN.

 If you would like to keep up to date with news and information about the UN Youth Delegates work, you can follow the DFA (@dfatirl), NYCI (@nycinews) and UN Youth Delegate (@UNYouthIRL) Twitter and Facebook accounts.

 Additionally, those holding youth events in Ireland can contact unyouth@nyci.ie to invite the Irish UN Youth Delegates to attend.



ENDS

Press Office

14 September 2022

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Minister Coveney visits Odesa

Press release

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney T.D., is today undertaking a one-day visit to Ukraine.

Minister Coveney will meet with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and reiterate Irelands continued support for Ukraine and staunch opposition to Russias illegal invasion. Minister Coveney will also view the operation of the Black Sea Grain initiative in Odesa port and will discuss efforts to export grain and other crops from Ukraine in a bid to ease the global food crisis.

Minister Coveney is in Ukraine along with his Lithuanian counterpart, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. The Ministers visit to the region will also see him meet with Mr. Nicu Popescu, Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova, in Chisinau.

Minister Coveney said:

We are now over six months into Russias illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Irelands support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine is unwavering. I will use todays visit to once again pledge Irelands ongoing support for the people of Ukraine. This is my second visit to Ukraine since the invasion began and it is important for the Ukrainian people to know that Ireland stands firmly behind them.

I will attend the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine in New York next Thursday and will take that opportunity to brief the Council on my visit and to stress in the strongest possible terms Irelands opposition to Russias actions.

As well as the suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people, this war has also had a catastrophic impact on global food supply. This will be a major focus of the UN General Assembly discussions in New York next week. I will later today view the operation of the Black Sea Grain initiative and discuss efforts to increase food exports from Ukraine.

ENDS

Press Office

14 September 2022

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Manulife (formerly Hancock) properties in NE Oregon reopen to day use Thursday, Sept. 15

September 13, 2022

LA GRANDE, Ore.Manulife (formerly Hancock) properties in NE Oregon will reopen to day use this Thursday, Sept. 15. Day use hours are 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fire danger has eased slightly but remains high. Fire restrictions remain in effect, including the following restrictions: Open fires and non-industrial use of chainsaws is prohibited and hunters are required to possess firefighting equipment (one shovel and one gallon of water or one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher) when traveling on roads (except for highways or county roads).

Manulife lands in northeast Oregon had closed in early August due to extreme fire danger. The change applies to Manulife properties in the Shamrock, Whiskey Cr, Noregaard, Little Catherine Cr, Meacham travel management areas and any other Manulife properties enrolled in the A&H program in northeast Oregon. Reminder that motorized vehicles are only allowed on designated roads outside of TMAs.

For other information on recreation on Manulife lands in northeast Oregon call their hotline at (541) 962-2184.

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Google has announced new Android emojis as per the Unicode 15 update. There are 21 new emojis on Android and lets take a look at them and know when they will be available.

Google is bringing new emojis to Android. It is adopting Unicode 15 standard and there are 21 of these new emojis. This includes Wing, shaking face, leftward pushing hand, rightward pushing hand, shaking face, donkey, jellyfish, and new heart colors. That brings the total to 3,664 emojis. Although, thats a lot to cover, and you may already be using many of them. So, for now, lets go through the newly incoming ones, and learn when they will come to your Android phones.

Now, before we jump to the colorful new Android emojis, know that Google is also introducing animated emojis and the option to change the colors of the emojis. Here are all the details:

List of new Android emojis

The 4,489 new characters in #Unicode15 include 20 new #emoji, along with new emoji sequences, expected to show up on Android and iPhones, and other platforms sometime next year  https://t.co/92bPON11bP # pic.twitter.com/Tk9cyV1SXo  The Unicode Consortium (@unicode) September 6, 2022

Since Google is basing the new emojis on Unicode 15 standard, the list of new emojis includes:

Shaking Face

Light Blue Heart

Grey Heart

Pink Heart

Rightwards Pushing Hand

Leftwards Pushing Hand

Moose

Donkey

Wing

Goose

Jellyfish

Ginger

Hyacinth

Pea Pod

Folding Hand Fan

Hair Pick

Maracas

Flute

Khanda

Wireless

You can use both leftward and rightward pushing hands for a high five. Theres also a pink heart in the list which is apparently the most anticipated emoji. The company has also updated the monochrome Noto Emojis to the latest standard.

However, these might not even be the most exciting part as Google is also sliding in new animated emojis to the Android emoji library. There are about 200 of these and you may find them already within Google Messages.

Last but definitely not least, Google is allowing developers to edit the color of the emojis. You can check out how this works here.

When will the new Android emojis be available?

Google has planned the new Unicode 15 emojis to be added to AOSP in the coming weeks and they are set to make an appearance on Android in December. It is most likely that Google Pixel phones would be the first to get this update.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features, and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
It was only recently that we last heard about Turkey overtaking Brazil for having the worlds most expensive iPhone 14 model. But that doesnt mean the South American nation is falling short or pricing in other aspects.Unfortunately, it still reigns supreme for having the most expensive Air Pods Pro 2 model and if youre concerned about the pricing details, well, they can be almost double the cheapest amount present elsewhere.Hence, you definitely dont want to make a purchase of the leading Apple accessory from here because experts claim it just isnt worth it.Details were shared by Nukeni revealed how Apple varies its prices based on which region the sales are taking place. And thats when the media outlet spoke about taxes being added to the final product. Additionally, youll find a range of different prices across both the US and Canada.Both of these nations lie in North America but tax rates differ in different places so where you really end up making purchases matters the most. And remember that since the markets currency rates continually fluctuate, prices alter daily as well.As far as the top five lowest price destinations to make an Airpod purchase are concerned, well, its got to be Hong Kong, Taiwan, and then Malaysia. This is closely followed up by Thailand and the US.Meanwhile, there are also rankings for the top 5 most expensive regions where a purchase like this must be avoided. This includes Brazil, India, and Hungary. Similarly, you shouldnt make purchases in Denmark and Poland too.As you can see, buying Apple products in Brazil isnt recommended when compared to other nations. Just look at the massive difference between Brazil and India, its almost a staggering $160 difference between the two.So, whats the hype about these wireless earbuds in the first place? Well, for starters, theyre raging because they entail a new H2 chip that is designed to have the best audio, Bluetooth, and transparency features out there today. Similarly, it features other cool functionalities like volume control via a touch sensor and a better battery.The new case also has the added improvements of built-in speakers, a unique U1 chip, and a lot more.At the moment, the exciting product is already up for sale in a number of different regions around the globe. And in some of these countries, sales are ready to begin as early as September 23.Read next: The List For The Most Downloaded And Highest Earning Apps In August 2022 Is Out And Here Are The Results
Parametrix

Bradbury

Eleno-Orama

Emery

Justin Emery has joined Parametrix as a surveying supervisor based in Puyallup. He has 17 years of experience as a surveyor, including serving as a party chief, senior survey technician, project surveyor, and survey manager.

Emery joins Parametrix from Huitt-Zollars, Inc. He specializes in boundary surveys and is experienced in all aspects of surveying, including researching and coordinating field work, writing legal descriptions for subdivisions and easements, preparing boundary and easement exhibits, reviewing title reports, and calculating boundaries and plotting easements. Emery is a licensed professional land surveyor. At Parametrix he will lead the firm's Puyallup survey practice, serving public and private clients throughout the Pacific Northwest including King County, Washington State Department of Transportation, Cascade Natural Gas, Lakehaven Utility District, and others.

Maricris Eleno-Orama also joined the Puyallup office as a senior engineer. She has 16 years of experience as an engineer working in government, consulting, and academia. Eleno-Orama comes to Parametrix from Murraysmith/CONSOR Engineers where she also served as a consultant project manager for the City of Bellevue. Her recent project experience includes reservoir design, seismic assessment, and decommissioning projects, as well as resiliency and emergency response planning for various utilities. She was also Murraysmith's Tacoma Office Lead and helped establish the company-wide Outreach Team that focused on equitable engagement as part of the firm's Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative.

In 2020, Eleno-Orama co-founded SCOPE (Supportive Community of Professional Engineers), which connects students with professionals to empower and support future engineers in defining their own career scopes. At Parametrix, she joins the firm's Puyallup Water group, which provides electrical and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), flood control, stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water services to cities, counties, water districts, and others throughout the Puget Sound region.

Kate Bradbury joined Parametrix as a senior engineer based in Seattle. She has 12 years of experience as an engineer working in transportation and traffic engineering, specializing in roadway safety and traffic operations. Bradbury comes to Parametrix from Jacobs where she served as a transportation engineer working on highway safety, traffic operations, and transit projects. She has conducted multiple American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials highway safety manual trainings across the country. She is also involved with the Women's Transportation Seminar, Institute for Transportation Engineers, and the Transportation Research Board.

At Parametrix, she joins the firm's transportation planning team, serving municipalities, counties, and transit agencies throughout the Puget Sound region.




$165M UW dorm project seeks a design-build team

Photo from UW [enlarge] Haggett Hall was built in 1963 and has two towers.





After a few years of setbacks, the University of Washington apparently is moving forward with its plan to build a replacement for Haggett Hall on its main Seattle campus.

The UW is now seeking a design-build team for the replacement dormitory. The school will use a two-part integrated design-build selection process, with the general contractor on board before an architect is picked. Design-build teams can include joint ventures. Statements of qualification are due Oct. 10.

The new dorm will have 800 student beds, lounge areas, a fitness center and parking.

An advertisement in the Sept. 12 DJC says the two-phase project will raze the existing Haggett Hall and design and build a replacement. The first phase will involve abatement and demolition, site restoration and the design of the new hall. The second phase will include permitting and construction. This phase will need approval by the UW Board of Regents, expected in September 2023.

The project budget is $165 million and the target price for the design-build contract is $115 million.

The DJC reported in September 2016 that the 730-bed Haggett Hall was to be demolished in the summer of 2018 and the new Haggett open in July 2020. Before that could happen, the UW made some budget cuts that put the replacement Haggett Hall into an undetermined future phase.

The Daily reported last year that Haggett was up for demolition at that time, but the UW decided to keep it open for the 2021-22 school year due to high demand for on-campus rooms.

A UW official said the designer-builder solicitation process will continue to February 2023. Demolition would start in June 2024, followed by excavation and shoring in October of that year. The new hall would be finished in August 2027.








A meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and the leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties may take place after his upcoming visit to Britain, the United States and Canada, a presidential official said Wednesday.







"There is a need to consider President Yoon meeting the respective leaders and floor leaders of the parties following his overseas visit," Lee Jin-bok, the senior presidential secretary for political affairs, told reporters following a meeting with the new interim leader of the ruling People Power Party.







Lee's remarks are seen as turning down main opposition Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung's continued request to hold a one-on-one meeting with the president.







Yoon and Lee both ran in March's presidential election, with Yoon beating Lee by a razor-thin margin.







Yoon is scheduled to depart for Britain next week to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on a trip that will also take him to New York for the U.N. General Assembly and Canada. (Yonhap)


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GULFPORT, Miss. (AP)  A real estate development company is proposing a way to bring clearer water and more hurricane protection to Mississippi's Gulf Coast.

At a meeting of the Harrison County Board of Supervisors on Monday, Kenneth Jones, owner of Gulf Coast Development & Design, detailed the proposal called Clearwater Gulf Coast -- a mile-long lagoon -- that he said would also help protect the coast during a hurricane.





. . .
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SEATTLE  A small industrial complex at 8201 Seventh Ave. S. recently sold for $2.7 million, according to King County records.

The seller was HTL Properties LLC, which acquired the property in 1997 for $455,000.





. . .




Foreign Minister Park Jin on Wednesday had a phone conversation with the chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog and discussed pending issues, including North Korea's nuclear ambitions, Seoul officials said.







During the talks with Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Park raised the need for the international community to send an "unequivocal" message to North Korea over its nuclear threats, according to the foreign ministry.







The remark came around a week after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said during a key parliamentary meeting that his country would never surrender nuclear weapons or use them as a bargaining chip in talks with the U.S.







The foreign minister said South Korea will enhance its cooperation with the IAEA and pursue the denuclearization of North Korea "without wavering."







Park also delivered South Koreans' concern over Japan's planned disposal of wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, adding that the discharge should be carried out safely while meeting international regulations. (Yonhap)


Vedanta-Foxconn to set up $20 bn chip factory in Gujarat

Metals to oil conglomerate Vedanta Ltd and Taiwan's Foxconn on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state, to set up a $20 billion (Rs1.54 lakh crore) semiconductor project.

The facility consisting of a semiconductor production plant, a display fab unit, and a semiconductor assembling and testing unit, to be set up near Ahmedabad, will be eligible for government subsidies, including on capital expenditure and electricity.

The plants, which will be set up on a 1000-acre land, will start production in two years, reports quoting Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal said.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendrabhai Patel said the venture would create more than 100,000 jobs, and the state was prepared to extend any support to the project, which it won in a close race with neighbouring Maharashtra.

Vedanta, which is looking to diversify into chip manufacturing, will finance the project while Foxconn will provide the technology.

The central government has agreed to increase incentives beyond an initial $10 billion proposed for investments in semiconductor manufacturing, as it aims to become a key player in the global supply chain for chips.

Semiconductor chips, or microchips, are essential inputs of many digital consumer products - from cars to mobile phones and ATM cards. The Indian semiconductor market was valued at $27.2 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of nearly 19 per cent to reach $64 billion in 2026.

A massive shortage in the semiconductor supply chain last year affected many industries, including electronics and automotive, as none of these chips is manufactured in India.

To cut dependence on imports from nations like Taiwan and China, the government brought a fiscal incentive scheme for manufacturing semiconductors in the country. Vedanta-Foxconn is one of the successful applicants for the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for semiconductors.

Besides Vedantas Gujarat facility, an international consortium ISMC and Singapore-based IGSS Ventures are setting up plants in the southern states Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
Cabinet approves MoU with UK on mutual recognition of academic qualifications

The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in its meeting held on Wednesday granted ex post facto approval for the memorandum of understanding with the government of the United Kingdom on mutual recognition of academic qualifications signed on 25 April 2022.

Mutual recognition of qualifications between India and UK aims to promote academic collaboration and student mobility.

The MoU grants recognition to request from UK side to grant recognition to UKs one year Masters programme. The meeting between the education ministers of the two countries held on 16 December 2020 in New Delhi had taken a decision to set up a joint task force for this purpose. The first meeting was held on 4 February 2021 and subsequently, after detailed deliberations and negotiations, both sides agreed on the draft MoU.

The MoU aims to facilitate the mutual recognition of educational qualifications, periods of study undertaken, documents related to academic degrees/qualifications and accreditation by educational institutions within the two countries. It will also facilitate establishment of joint/dual degree courses between higher education institutions, one of our objectives under NEP 2020 for internationalisation of education.

Professional degrees like Engineering, Medicine, Nursing and Para-Medical Education, Pharmacy, Law, and Architecture are out of the purview of this MoU.

This MoU will promote bilateral exchange of information about educational structure, programmes and standards and increase mobility of students and professionals between the two countries. It will also encourage other areas of cooperation in education sector, development of study programmes as mutually agreed upon by the parties.

This MoU recognises equivalence in accordance with parity with regard to acceptability of qualifications as approved under national policy, law, rules and regulations of the two countries.
India, UAE to expand cooperation in education

The union cabinet chaired Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the education ministries of India and the UAE on cooperation in the field of education. The MoU seeks to further strengthen the ongoing educational collaboration between India and UAE and widen the scope of the engagements.

India and the UAE sighed an MoU in 2015 in the field of education, which expired in 2018. In 2019, at a meeting between education ministers of the two countries, the UAE side proposed to sign a new MoU. The new MoU incorporates changes brought in by the National Education Policy 2020 in Indias education ecosystem.

This MoU aims to promote exchange of educational information, capacity development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) of teaching staff, facilitation of academic collaboration between higher education institutions in both the countries for offering twinning, joint degree and dual degree programmes and any such other areas agreed upon.

The MoU seeks to rejuvenate educational cooperation and increase academic mobility between India and the UAE besides facilitating exchange of information in order to promote mutual recognition of these qualifications. It also covers cooperation in TVET as UAE is a major work destination for Indians.

The MoU will be valid for a period of five years from the date of signing and will be automatically renewable with the consent of both parties. Once signed, this MoU shall supersede the earlier MoU signed with UAE in 2015, which will then cease to have effect, says an official release.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth dies at 96

Queen Elizabeth II, Britains longest-reigning monarch and the nations figurehead for seven decades, died at her Scottish home on Thursday. She was aged 96, the Buckingham Palace said.

The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.

Her eldest son Charles, 73, automatically becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other nations, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Her family had rushed to be by her side at her Scottish home, Balmoral Castle, after doctors expressed concern about her health. She had been suffering from episodic mobility problems since the end of last year, which forced her to withdraw from all public engagements.

Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the worlds oldest and longest-serving head of state, ascended the throne following the death of her father King George VI on 6 February 1952.

She was crowned in June the following year. That was also the first televised coronation of a British royal.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was for most of her subjects the only monarch they have ever known  and a link between the modern era and a bygone age.

Television and radio stations interrupted regular programming to broadcast the news.

The national anthem, God Save the Queen, was played. Flags were lowered and church bells tolled to remember a woman once described as the last global monarch.

The national mourning period will culminate in a final public farewell at Westminster Abbey in central London.

Charles coronation, an elaborate ritual steeped in tradition and history, will take place in the same historic surroundings, as it has for centuries, on a date to be fixed.
Donegal is the oldest part of Ireland - official! Well, the honour actually belongs to Inishtrahull, the most northerly island of Ireland. It has an area of 34 hectares and lies about ten kilometres north-east of Malin Head. It's also home to the oldest rock in Ireland.

It featured in a new RTE series called The Island last Sunday night where presenter Liz Bonnin said the rock on Inishtrahull was all that existed in what we now know as Ireland 1.8 billion years ago.

She said Ireland originated south of the equator and since then had been on a long and dramatic journey.

"Travelling northwards through colliding continents and disappearing oceans, it has been formed and reformed over 1.8 billion years. The evidence of this remarkable journey is woven into the fabric of our mountains, lakes, and deepest ocean beds, its imprint visible in the stunning ravages of the Ice Age in its plants, the animals, and its people."

She added Ireland's land mass had been folded, moulded, and moved to form a spectacular outcrop in the north Atlantic.

A central, extraordinary revelation in the programme was that Ireland was originally two entirely separate pieces of land that formed south of the equator.

Pointing to a map of the country Ms Bonnin said the island's story begins with the oldest rocks on the map, Inishtrahull.

"1.8 billion years ago this is all that existed of Ireland," she said.

Brian McConnell from the Geological Survey of Ireland confirmed to her that this island was in fact the oldest part of Ireland.

"These rocks are nearly 1.8 billion years old which is an unimaginable amount of time on the human timescale."

Asked how we knew this Mr McConnell said within the rock there was a little radioactive clock and a small mineral called zircon which has tiny amounts of uranium in it which decays radioactively into lead.

"We can measure the uranium and lead and work out how long that's taken to get to where it is today and that tells us when it started."

He added that Inishtrahull had metamorphic rocks which meant they had been changed by heat and pressure over time.

"We know how old they are, we are less sure what they looked like when they started."

Ms Bonnin asked if they knew where they were originally.

"It's easy for us to think of Ireland forming here and changing shape here but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Mr McConnell said 1.8 billion years ago the Inishtrahull rocks were somewhere in the middle of a supercontinent called Nuna.

The viewers were also told by Ms Bonnin that recent research indicated that this was the case but that Nuna eventually broke apart and the continents they knew today began to move around the globe.

"We know how and where they formed but there's so much these rocks have done travelling around the globe since then which they don't record themselves and we have to look to the other parts of Ireland which are now assembled with these to get the rest of that story," added Mr McConnell.

Here in Donegal, we know that Inistrahull (above) was once a thriving inshore fishing community. The island saw an almost 100% population increase between the years 1881 and 1901. However, a combination of factors in the early 1900s meant that the islanders would eventually be compelled to evacuate the island.

Inishtrahull is well known for its wildlife and is designated a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The islands geographical location and lighthouse attract many unusual birds, as well as a population of Grey Seals.

There are landing restrictions enforced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (present owners of the Island). Particular care is requested from visitors during the breeding bird period of May  July.

The island and its adjacent 90-metre depth tidal sound attract basking sharks and cetaceans in large numbers during the summer months. Many scuba divers use the Islands Port Mor as a lunch spot while out surveying the hundreds of wrecks off its shores. Access to the island is limited by the dangerous tides and currents around Malin Head and the island itself.

There are landing restrictions enforced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (present owners of the Island). Particular care is again requested from visitors during the breeding bird period of May  July.

Throughout the RTE series, Ms Bonnin meets with a broad selection of passionate geologists who are experts in showing evidence of the immense collision of continents that fused the two sections of the island together before it travelled northwards to its current position.

Together they explore the awesome power of the ice age and how it sculpted our unique landscape and they track the ancient footprints which provide the worlds most reliable evidence for the evolution of life from water to land.
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Pope Francis has told the Russian Orthodox hierarchy and other faith leaders that religion must never be used to justify the evil of war.

He asked at an outdoor Mass in Kazakhstan how many deaths will it take? for peace to prevail in Ukraine.

An increasingly frail Francis, 85, made the appeal during his first full day in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, where he opened a global interfaith conference and ministered to the tiny Catholic community in the majority Muslim country.

In the conference audience of imams, patriarchs, rabbis and muftis was Metropolitan Anthony, in charge of foreign relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has firmly backed Russias invasion of Ukraine.

His boss, Patriarch Kirill, was supposed to have participated in the congress but cancelled last month.

Mr Kirill has supported Russias invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds, calling it a metaphysical battle with the West.

He has blessed Russian soldiers going into war and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.

Francis did not mention Russia or Ukraine in his remarks to the Kazakh conference.

But he insisted that faith leaders themselves must take the lead in promoting a culture of peace, since it would be hypocritical to expect that non-believers will promote peace if religious leaders do not.

If the creator, to whom we have devoted our lives, is the author of human life, how can we who call ourselves believers consent to the destruction of that life? he asked.

Mindful of the wrongs and errors of the past, let us unite our efforts to ensure that the Almighty will never again be held hostage to the human thirst for power.

Francis then laid down a challenge to all those in the room to commit themselves to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, not with arms.

May we never justify violence. May we never allow the sacred to be exploited by the profane. The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred.

He made the appeal more explicit in an afternoon outdoor Mass for Kazakhstans tiny Catholic community, in which he asked for prayers for beloved Ukraine.

How many deaths will it still take before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity? he asked.

The one solution is peace and the only way to arrive at peace is through dialogue.

Mr Kirill sent a message to the congress read aloud by Anthony.

In it, the Russian patriarch did not refer to the war but in general to problems over the past two decades caused by attempts to build a world without relying on moral values.

The Russian patriarch has blasted the Wests secular mentality and claimed the seeds of the Ukraine conflict were sown by foreign threats to Russias borders.

He has depicted the conflict as a struggle against a foreign liberal establishment purportedly demanding countries hold gay parades as the price of admission to a world of excess consumption and freedom.

These attempts have led not only to the loss of the concept of justice in international relations, but also to brutal confrontation, military conflicts, the spread of terrorism and extremism in different parts of the world, Mr Kirill said in his message.

Suggesting he feels Russia is the victim of a smear campaign, he denounced the spread of misinformation and the distortion of historical facts and manipulation of mass consciousness to spread messages of hatred towards entire peoples, cultures and religions.
By Arthur I. Cyr





"A riddle, wrapped in an enigma, inside a mystery."

That is how Winston Churchill, the great wartime leader of Great Britain, described the difficulty of dealing with Russia. He spoke the words in 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe.



The passing of Mikhail Gorbachev on August 30, at the age of 91, provides an incentive to examine not only his legacy and life, but also the nation he led during a time of historic transition. As General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, and President of that nation during 1990-1991, he spurred fundamental reform efforts.



"Perestroika" and "glasnost" were the twin priorities of the Gorbachev years. The first term referred to restructuring an economy that had become moribund, with nil real production for many years.



The second term referred to efforts to open the society to relatively more freedom for people. The iron fist of Soviet totalitarianism, institutionalized by Joseph Stalin, from 1922 until his death in 1953, had also become the dead hand of secrecy and sloth that dragged down the nation's economy.



Gorbachev not only drove but also personified change. He was a relatively young 54 when he took control, succeeding the gerontocracy of long-time President Leonid Brezhnev, then the brief tenures of already-old Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko.



He and his wife Raisa were cosmopolitan and sophisticated, open and welcoming. Especially together, they seemed to personify positive changes that generated great optimism at home and abroad.



I had the opportunity to witness their impact very close-up when they visited Chicago in 1992. The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, where I worked, organized a public lecture that attracted an exceptionally large audience of several thousand.



There was also a reception for business and other leaders from the community. These events were crucial for us. We always balanced our budget and achieved significant long-term growth, despite stagflation.



Events for business executives were usually rather formal, even stuffy. Not this time. Captains of capitalist industry were animated; some of them and their wives seemed almost like kids, anxious to get close, say hi, and shake hands with the Russian celebrities.



Raisa and Mikhail were comfortable, friendly, and informal. They took everything in stride, seemingly at home among Americans, contrasting with traditional Soviet stiffness and suspicion.



In 1959, Nikita and Nina Khrushchev visited the United States, a first for a Russian or Soviet leader in power. There were some lively moments, especially when the couple visited Hollywood.



Nevertheless, American crowds that lined the routes of the Soviet leader's motorcades were silent and unsmiling. This was the height of the Cold War, with nuclear Armageddon just one wrong national move away.



Three decades later, Gorbachev fought expansionist foreign policy hardliners while successfully forcing economic reforms. In reaction, in August 1991 there was an attempted coup. Newly elected Russia President Boris Yeltsin successfully orchestrated popular opposition to the coup, but also sidelined Gorbachev.



Gorbachev improved relations with the United States. A summit with President Ronald Reagan led to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. He and President George H.W. Bush successfully reassured Europe as Germany reunited, and achieved the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I (START I).



Mikhail Gorbachev was an extraordinary leader. He and Raisa supported international humanitarian efforts. That dimension could help renew cooperation with today's Russia.



Churchill emphasized national interest should be paramount in dealing with Russia. That remains good advice.





Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is author of "After the Cold War" (NYU Press and Macmillan).


Dundalk Stadium has announced that the latest sponsorship deal at Irelands only all-weather racetrack has been agreed with bookmaker, William Hill.

The exciting sponsorship deal will see the long-established bookmaker take race sponsorship and course branding for the remainder of 2022 at the popular Co. Louth venue.

Established in 1934, the UK -based William Hill has a long and trusted history in the betting community, a Dundalk Stadium spokesperson said.

With 22 fixtures remaining at Dundalk Stadium, and one floating fixture still to be scheduled, punters are in for an action-packed remainder of 2022.

Neal Plunkett, Head of Marketing at William Hill Ireland, explained how excited the company is to come on board with the sponsorship, saying: Were really pleased to be sponsoring races and have a branding presence at Dundalk Stadium for the rest of the year.

The Friday night fixtures are always very popular with punters across the country and this is another step in affirming our involvement and support in Irish Racing.

Jim Martin, Chief Executive of Dundalk Stadium said: Were delighted to have this opportunity to showcase the William Hill brand at our racecourse during the remainder of 2022. We are grateful for their support of our wonderful track and indeed of Irish Racing.

Friday Night Lights are back from September 16th, which will see the Co. Louth racecourse host weekly Friday horse fixtures, under the floodlights.

With 23 fixtures still to come including the ABE Listed Diamond Stakes, Irish EBF Star Appeal, Legacy & Cooley Stakes and the ABE Pat Smullen Mercury Stakes, there is plenty of action still to come, dont miss out.

Tickets are available at www.dundalkstadium.com
History was made in Ardee on Wednesday August 31st 2022 as Junior Infant boys and girls came to Monastery National School Ardee together for the first time in 132 years.

Parents, teachers and the whole school community were visibly excited and delighted as little girls and boys entered the school gates together for the first time.

They were greeted by their smiling teachers Ms Claire McCabe and Ms Aine McNally who are looking forward to teaching boys and girls.

Principal Jim McGee said that, Coeducation is something that was dearly wanted by our whole school community for some time and the preparations for coeducation have been ongoing for many years.

Previous school Board of Managements had the foresight, during a two million euro school building refurbishment in 2007, to provide separate toilets for boys and girls in each classroom.

We have state of the art school facilities and our large enclosed Infant Yard provides playground equipment, go karts and a Wendy house to keep our boys and girls active and happy.

Monastery NS carried out a coeducation survey with their parents in 2021 and 98 percent expressed a strong desire for the provision of coeducation.

Deputy Principal Philip McAdam said, Everyone in our school community could see the obvious benefits for parents of brothers and sisters coming to school together. It meant one uniform, one drop off/pick up, one set of school communications, one school App and one virtual learning environment.

Then followed an application to the Department of Education for a change of school status from single gender to coeducation.

This application also had the full support of Monastery NS Board of Management, School Patron Archbishop Eamonn Martin and school staff.

The change of status was granted by the Department of Education in June 2022 with Coeducation approved to commence in Junior Infants on August 31st 2022.

The school crest and school uniform were updated to reflect the new coeducation school status.

Monastery NS also provided a new school website at www.monasterynsardee.ie to give parents an insight into their numerous school activities and spacious facilities.

More good news followed for Monastery NS last January when the Department of Education announced that it had awarded the school DEIS 2 status.

This award brings many added benefits and resources to the school community.

It has led to the appointment of a Home School Community Liaison teacher, Mrs Siobhan Maxwell, who works with parents and acts as an important link between home and school.

It has also meant the end of making school lunches by Monastery NS parents each morning as a free hot meal will be provided by the school for each pupil from early October. Parents will simply download an App and order their childs lunches for the week free of charge.

For over 132 years in Ardee Monastery NS has always been known as the boys school but this is no longer the case.

Principal Mr Jim McGee commented that, we are now a fully inclusive school where girls and boys learn together, play together and grow in friendship together.

And now that we have made a start to coeducation there is considerable interest in enrolment next year.

Our enrolment for Junior Infant boys and girls for September 2023 will be opened in early October 2022 and parents will be able to apply for a place in one of our two small Junior Infant classes.




Parents and guardians of Louth first and second-year secondary students have been offered a free online learning support lesson which will help them assist their child with Maths.

The Tuition Centre, one of the countrys leading online learning support providers for post-primary students, is running a support programme in Maths for parents and guardians of first and second year students for one hour a week over nine-weeks from Monday, September 26.

To allow parents and guardians get a feel for the programme, the first lesson, in algebra, is free of charge.

It is an opportunity for parents and guardians to provide tangible support and get advice and direction from an experienced teacher on how they can help their child with Maths at post-primary level, said Head of Maths at the Tuition Centre, Eoghan OLeary.

The Tuition Centre has pioneered online learning support for secondary school students. Over 1,000 Leaving Certs availed of its online support in 2022.

The nine-week package will also cover natural and rational numbers, sets, geometry, probability and statistics.

It will delivered by well-known Maths teacher Aoife OMahony, who has over 15 years experience teaching higher level Junior and Leaving Certificate Maths.

She has delivered Maths workshops to both first-year and second-year parents for the last five years, equipping her with the techniques required to help parents and guardians support and guide their children as they transition from primary to post-primary.

Since its inception in 2020, The Tuition Centre has emerged as a leader in the Irish education sector, thanks to its innovative, time saving and cost-effective supplementary exam support for secondary school students.

The Tuition Centre support classes are available both live, and as recordings, and provide access to supplementary exercises, study notes, etc. It stands alone in providing nationwide accessibility to high quality classes and resources at an affordable price.

Using highly regarded teaching professionals, The Tuition Centre has democratised the sector, allowing secondary school children access to learning support which would otherwise be unavailable due to time, geographical and cost constraints.

Students have access to recordings of classes right up to the June exams.

The transition from primary to post-primary education can be challenging for parents and guardians, as well as students, said Mr OLeary.

Supplementary classes providing parent and student support are now an accepted part of the Irish secondary education narrative, complementing the work of schools.

Effectively, using highly regarded teaching professionals, The Tuition Centre allows access to learning support which would otherwise be unavailable.

The pandemic has quickly advanced the concept of online learning. Many Leaving Certificate students take a subject not taught to them in school, and often, online support is the logical choice.

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The Government has been accused of veering towards a flawed approach to tackling the energy crisis as TDs heard that small businesses have compared their electricity bill costs to paying a second rent.

Sinn Fein criticised the Governments preference for energy credits rather than price caps to deal with spiralling electricity bills.

The main opposition party has been calling for energy bill prices to be capped at pre-crisis levels until February, which the Taoiseach indicated on Monday he was not in favour of over electricity credits.

Green Party leader and Minister for Transport and the Environment Eamon Ryan has said that people can expect an electricity credit before Christmas.

In the first round of Leaders Questions of the new Dail term, Mary Lou McDonald said that the last energy credit, issued in April and worth 200 euro plus VAT, was not long-lasting enough.

While energy credits are well and good, they do not provide certainty. They dont protect people from a continuous barrage of hikes, she said.

In fact, when the Government introduced its initial energy credit, it was too slow. It was wiped out by further price hikes before it even landed into peoples accounts. So, this is clearly a flawed approach.

Ms McDonald said that it would deliver certainty for people and that it simply makes sense.

Mr Martin requested from Ms McDonald a fully-costed proposal on the way Sinn Fein would tackle the energy crisis, calling her proposals vague and one-dimensional.

The Governments view is, for the time being, we want to get people through the winter to the end of March, not the end of February, he said.

Weve got to do it using a range of measures, in terms of reducing electricity bills, yes, but also giving flexibility to the people in the form of payments that we give them.

He said this could include energy credits, the welfare system, cost reductions and investments in public services.

Ms McDonald replied that Sinn Feins proposals on price caps were similar to those introduced in France and Romania.

She said: The only blank cheque in question here, Taoiseach, is the one that you are asking families to give to energy companies.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said that small business owners are reporting that paying for energy bills is like paying a second rent.

She said: We see energy bills increasing dramatically for so many struggling households and families. Households facing the dreadful prospect of energy bills which could reach 6,000 euro per annum next year, and small businesses which are telling us that now their energy bills are as much as their rent.

The Taoiseach acknowledged that its not fair that companies would make exorbitant profits on the back of a war, and on the back of the people, in terms of the exploitation of a crisis.

Aontu TD Peadar Toibin said that the response of the government to the cost-of-living crisis has been stifling inertia.

Going by the rate of action of this government, the only thing that will remain warm this winter will be the governments hands, from sitting on them all of this time, Mr Toibin added.

Mr Martin then warned the opposition not to politicise a dispute around a Co Meath hospital.

Are you telling the truth on Navan? Mr Martin said in reply to Mr Toibin in a tetchy exchange over the future of Our Ladys Hospital in Navan.

The HSE plans to change the hospital to a model 2 facility, which will see the intensive care unit and small emergency department close and a 24/7 medical assessment unit and injuries unit take their place.

Some Government ministers and locals have criticised the move and what it will mean for acute healthcare services in the area, as well as pressures it could place on other hospitals.

Addressing members of the opposition, Mr Martin said: Your modus operandi has been to exploit a crisis, get the marches going, get it simplified: Theyre for it, were against it, and well get elected. Thats whats happening, and happened a long time in health until we got sense as a country.

Mr Martin acknowledged legitimate concerns about moving the acute services, saying they needed to be addressed.

But he added: I sometimes worry about the manner in which you will reduce it to just the electoral and political issue.


By Joseph S. Nye, Jr.





CAMBRIDGE  Russia's invasion of Ukraine and nuclear saber rattling against the West have revived a debate about nuclear weapons. Last year, when a United Nations treaty to ban such weapons outright entered into force, none of the world's nine nuclear-weapons states was among the 86 signatories. How can these states justify possessing weapons that put all of humanity at risk?



That is a pertinent question, but it must be considered alongside another one: If the United States were to sign the treaty and destroy its own arsenal, would it still be able to deter further Russian aggression in Europe? If the answer is no, one also must consider whether nuclear war is inevitable.



It's not a new question. In 1960, the British scientist and novelist C.P. Snow concluded that nuclear war within a decade was "a mathematical certainty." That may have been an exaggeration, but many believed Snow's prediction would be justified if a war occurred within a century. In the 1980s, Nuclear Freeze campaigners like Helen Caldicott echoed Snow in warning that the buildup of nuclear weapons "will make nuclear war a mathematical certainty."



Those advocating the abolition of nuclear weapons often note that if you flip a coin once, the chance of getting heads is 50 percent; but if you flip it ten times, the chance of getting heads at least once rises to 99.9 percent. A 1 percent chance of nuclear war in the next 40 years becomes 99 percent after 8,000 years. Sooner or later, the odds will turn against us. Even if we cut the risks by half every year, we can never get to zero.



But the coin-flip metaphor is misleading where nuclear weapons are concerned, because it assumes independent probabilities, whereas human interactions are more like loaded dice. What happens on one flip can change the odds on the next flip. There was a lower probability of nuclear war in 1963, just after the Cuban Missile Crisis, precisely because there had been a higher probability in 1962. The simple form of the law of averages does not necessarily apply to complex human interactions. In principle, the right human choices can reduce probabilities.



The likelihood of nuclear war rests on both independent and interdependent probabilities. A purely accidental war might fit the model of the coin flip, but such wars are rare, and any accidents might turn out to be limited. Moreover, if an accidental conflict remains limited, it may trigger future actions that would further limit the probability of a larger war. And the longer the period, the greater the chance that things may have changed. In 8,000 years, humans may have much more pressing concerns than nuclear war.



We simply do not know what the interdependent probabilities are. But if we base our analysis on post-World War II history, we can assume that the annual probability is not in the higher range of the distribution.



During the Cuban Missile Crisis, U.S. President John F. Kennedy reportedly estimated the probability of nuclear war to be between 33 percent and 50 percent. But this did not necessarily mean unlimited nuclear war. In interviews with participants in that episode on its 25th anniversary, we learned that, despite the massive superiority of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, Kennedy was deterred by even the slightest prospect of nuclear war. And the outcome was hardly an unalloyed American victory; it involved a compromise that included the quiet removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey.



Some people have used the mathematical-inevitability argument to push for unilateral nuclear disarmament. Inverting the Cold War slogan, future generations would be better off red than dead. But nuclear knowledge cannot be abolished, and coordinating abolition among nine or more ideologically diverse nuclear-weapon states would be extremely difficult, to say the least. Unreciprocated unilateral steps could embolden aggressors, increasing the odds of an unhappy endgame.



We have no idea what utility and risk acceptance will mean to distant future generations, or what people will value in 8,000 years. While our moral obligation to them compels us to treat survival very carefully, that task does not require the complete absence of risk. We owe future generations roughly equal access to important values, and that includes equal chances of survival. That is different from trying to aggregate the interests of centuries of unknown people into some unknowable sum in the present. Risk will always be an unavoidable component of human life.



Nuclear deterrence is based on a usability paradox. If the weapons are totally unusable, they do not deter. But if they are too usable, nuclear war with all its devastation might occur. Given the usability paradox and the interdependent probabilities related to human interactions, we cannot seek an absolute answer to what constitutes "just deterrence." Nuclear deterrence is not all right or all wrong. Our acceptance of deterrence must be conditional.



The just war tradition that we have inherited over the centuries suggests three relevant conditions that must be met: a just and proportionate cause, limits on means, and prudent consideration of all consequences. I derive five nuclear maxims from these conditions. In terms of motives, we must understand that self-defense is a just but limited cause.



As for means, we must never treat nuclear weapons as normal weapons, and we must minimize harm to innocent people. And regarding consequences, we should reduce the risks of nuclear war in the near term and try to reduce our reliance on nuclear weapons over time. A bomb in the basement involves some risk, but not as much risk as bombs on the front lines.



The war in Ukraine has reminded us that there is no way to avoid uncertainty and risk. The goal of reducing (not abolishing) the role of nuclear weapons over time remains as important as ever. Richard Garwin, the designer of the first hydrogen bomb, calculated that, "If the probability of nuclear war this year is 1 percent, and if each year we manage to reduce it to only 80 percent of what it was the previous year, then the cumulative probability of nuclear war for all time will be 5 percent." We can live moral lives with that probability.





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, 2019). This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).


We Are China

Locals in quake-hit Sichuan see off rescue team

Ecns.cn) 14:32, September 14, 2022

Traffic police officers guide the way for a rescue team leaving the quake-hit area in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sept. 13, 2022. (Photo: China News Service/Cheng Xueli)

A total of 694 rescue personnel from the Sichuan Forest Fire Brigade completed their mission and left the quake-hit area on Tuesday.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)


By Ryou Hyo-sang





In October 2012, I wrote a book titled "Lone Star: An Uncomfortable Truth." Hana Financial Group's acquisition of Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) had been decided in February that year, and Lone Star, which was involved in numerous lawsuits in Korea, sent a notice of intent for arbitration through the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) against the Korean government in May.



Despite the negative public attention on suspicions surrounding Lone Star's investments, I decided to write a book on Lone Star because I was concerned about the dangers of false interpretations and generalizations regarding the private equity industry without concrete evidence. It was also intended to help lay the foundation for a more objective discussion by studying and analyzing the impact of investment activities of foreign capital and private equity on the domestic economy.



Since then, the Korean government was sued by Hanocal (over Hyundai Oilbank) in 2015, Dayyani (over Daewoo Electronics) in 2015, Elliott Management (over Samsung C&T) in 2018 and Schindler Holding (over Hyundai Elevator) in 2018.



On Aug. 31, the ICSID Tribunal delivered the ruling on the Lone Star case. Even if it is uncomfortable, we need to carefully review the meaning of the arbitral award from a perspective based on global standards, understand the takeaways from the case accurately and take measures to make improvements where possible for the future.



First, the basis for the decision of the ICSID is the terms of the Bilateral Investment Treaty entered into by Korea and Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU), which took effect March 27, 2011. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May, Korea had signed investment treaties with a total of 99 countries, 84 of which are still in effect.



Now, there are only a few countries with which Korea has not yet signed an Investment Guarantee Agreement (IGA). The government needs to thoroughly review the contents of the agreements, check for any adverse provisions and revise them, if necessary, to proactively manage potential risks.



Second, it should be noted that according to the tribunal, the Financial Services Commission's delay in approving the sale of KEB was not within its authority, and therefore, was a violation of the duty of fair and equal treatment. The "inaction" (negligence, omission) or the act of delay was viewed as an "action" of violation.



The reason for the Korean government's loss was that the tribunal viewed the failure to act as a violation. In the future, government officials need to be familiar with the contents of the international agreement and treat the terms of the IGA as domestic law to carry out a more active administration.



Third, investor-state dispute settlements (ISDS) operate under a "single trial system," with arbitrators rendering a binding decision. Experts say that while Korea can apply for an annulment, the grounds are very limited, therefore it is unlikely to be successful. The Ministry of Justice announced that it will apply for an annulment but it is expected to take more than a year for a committee to reach a decision and the delayed damages will continue to increase during the proceedings.



The government should not make decisions driven by public sentiment that are intended to avoid criticisms, which are only temporary. The probability of getting an annulment should be judged carefully and objectively. Public officials should remember that making unwise decisions or blaming others for negative results could cause more damage to the public.



Fourth, as an investor in the global market, the government needs to think like a global citizen. Lone Star's only goal as a financial investor is to maximize profits for itself and its investors. In accordance with the laws and principles of the IGA, it is only seeking to protect its rights under the treaty. Lone Star is not the only private equity firm to profit in Korea.



The Carlyle Group, a U.S. private equity firm, made significant profits and paid no tax in accordance with the tax treaty when it acquired Hanmi Bank in 2000 and sold it to Citibank in 2004, as did Newbridge Capital when it acquired Cheil Bank in 1999 and sold it to Standard Chartered Bank in 2005.



The Korean financial and private equity markets have achieved remarkable growth. The private equity market began growing in Korea with the implementation of the Capital Markets Act in 2005. The National Pension Service's investment in private equities has increased more than 10-fold  from 2007 to 2021  and has invested as much as 35 trillion won in 2021. But it is the U.S.-based Carlyle Group and Blackstone that have received the most investments from the fund, and more than 70 percent of the amount from the pension fund is invested through overseas-based private equities.



Korean companies have arrived at a point where they can join hands with domestic and global private equities to drive future growth. To have unrealistic expectations from private equities and to mislead the public is to be ignorant of the harsh reality of the global investment market. It is time for Korea to focus on understanding global standards and enhancing its investment performance to match the top 10 global economic powers.



Dr. Ryou Ho-sang is president of Unicorn Business Institute.






Up to US$ 25 million to GHG for refinancing and a minority shareholder buyout

Further US$ 10 million to Evex for hospital upgrades, new medical equipment, and refinancing

Package to support AMR mitigation and training programmes for nursing professionals

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), JSC Georgian Healthcare Group (GHG) and its wholly owned subsidiary, JSC Evex Hospitals (Evex), are working together to improve access to quality healthcare in Georgia. In a comprehensive financing package worth US$ 35 million, the EBRD is lending up to US$ 25 million to GHG and up to US$ 10 million to Evex.

GHG will use the proceeds to refinance a previous loan to support its critical infrastructure in the fight against Covid-19. The loans uncommitted tranche will also partly finance a minority shareholder buyout of GHGs pharmaceutical business. The loan to Evex, meanwhile, will enable it to upgrade 15 hospitals and to purchase medical equipment that will enhance the value proposition of Evex to its patients. It will also partly refinance recently matured private local bonds.

The EBRD and the Korean government will complement the financial package with technical cooperation to deepen a joint work in promoting human capital development with Georgia's healthcare workforce, addressing critical skills gap for the sector. The EBRD will support the client in developing a new internally certified training program on in-hospital respiratory care, aligned with international standards, to pilot among its healthcare professionals. The Bank will further engage with GHG to support practices for the prevention and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

GHG is the largest operator in the Georgian healthcare sector and the national leader in healthcare services, pharmaceuticals, medical insurance and diagnostics. Its parent company is the London Stock Exchange-listed Georgia Capital. GHG and its subsidiary, Evex, have been Bank clients since 2016.

EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso, who is touring the Caucasus this week, signed the agreement, saying: It is great to be in Tbilisi, signing this agreement with our longstanding clients in person. With our support, they have played a significant role in Georgias ability to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. We are delighted to help strengthen their operations and bolster Georgias healthcare infrastructure for years to come.

Irakli Gogia, CEO of the GHG said: I am very pleased to announce that GHG and one of its subsidiaries, Evex Hospitals, successfully completed another two long-term funding transactions with EBRD, supporting the sustainable growth of our Group. I once again want to thank EBRD, our longstanding partner, who always tries to help businesses to develop and protect well-being of our citizens.

The EBRD has invested almost 5 billion in Georgia to date through 270 projects, with more than 80 per cent of those in the private sector. The Banks key areas of investment include the financial sector, sustainable infrastructure, manufacturing and services, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
EBRD supports development of innovative technologies in Bulgaria

Equity investment in rapidly growing company Alcatraz AI

Investment supports advancement and expansion of Alcatraz AIs autonomous access-control solutions.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the product development, sales and marketing of Alcatraz AI with an equity investment, as part of a US$ 25 million, series-A financing round.

The round was led by Almaz Capital and included the EBRD, Endeavor Catalyst, Silverline Capital and Golden Seeds, along with participation from existing investors JCI Ventures (the corporate venture arm of Johnson Controls), Ray Stata and LDV Partners.

Alcatraz AI transforms access control by leveraging artificial intelligence and analytics to make powerful decisions at the edge. The company is based in the US, with a software product development team in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Alcatraz AI has developed a physical-access control solution that enables touchless and secure entry to buildings based on facial authentication and artificial intelligence (AI). Its state-of-the-art product, the Rock, is the first AI-driven facial authentication access equipment powering autonomous access and is deployed at some of the most successful enterprises in the world, including 25 of the Fortune 500 firms.

The EBRDs participation is part of its Venture Capital Investment Programme, which supports early and growth-stage technology companies via equity and equity-linked instruments. The programmes overarching objectives are the development and commercialisation of innovative technology and the drawing-in of top venture capital funds to the EBRD regions, where the availability of venture capital remains very low and venture capital systems are still nascent.

We are excited to support the team as it scales up its biometric authentication technology to make entrance to buildings and spaces secure and frictionless, said Aziza Zakhidova, Principal Banker in the EBRDs Venture Capital team.

Tina DAgostin, CEO of Alcatraz AI, commented: At Alcatraz AI, we believe that safety and security is the first principle, and we are committed to leading a new era of frictionless access control by leveraging the unique power of the human face to make accessing spaces as secure, quick and easy as unlocking your phone. We are excited to enter the next phase of our company's growth by partnering with our investors with a strong track record scaling companies globally that deliver next-generation technology.

The EBRD puts a digital focus at the heart of its activities  investments, policy engagement and advisory services  across the Banks regions and aims to play a leading role in shaping the impact of digitalisation.

The EBRD is a major investor in Bulgaria and has committed more than 4.3 billion to 275 projects in the country to date.
With three unelectable candidates at the top of the ticket this year, Michigan Republicans are struggling to raise money from their hapless donors. This is likely what is pushing them to tell their donors outright lies about the state of the race which is precisely what they did with a fundraising email sent out today. The email screams, GOP nominee for Governor Tudor Dixon is cutting into Gretchen Whitmers lead and polling aggregate FiveThirtyEight is now rating this race as a TOSS-UP!

The truth, as you may have already suspected, is that none of this is true. Since mid-August, immediately following the GOP convention where Dixon was chosen as their nominee, FiveThirtyEight has shown little movement in the gap between the two:

FiveThirtyEight has had Governor Gretchen Whitmers chances of beating Dixon at a nearly constant level since early summer:

I mean, when it comes to FiveThirtyEight, things are looking epically bad for the failed businesswoman:

But, when it comes to The Big Grift, nobody is as shameless as Republicans and with Ron Weiser and Meshawn Maddock at the helm, Michigan Republicans are among the worst.

Their donors are so lacking in curiosity and desire for truth, theyll lap up whatever pablum GOP leaders feed them, unquestioning and gullible.

They are a flock primed for the fleecing and the Michigan Republican Party is happy to do it.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

Shutting off power to prevent wildfires when winds are fierce, temperatures are high and leaves are dry is a common tactic in California.

However, its spread to Oregon in the past two years is a clear sign of the climate crisis, as hotter, dryer conditions move northward. On Friday, Portland General Electric (PGE) shut off power to customers for the second time ever and Pacific Power for the first in a bid to prevent their lines from sparking a blaze, as AP News reported at the time.

People are going, Oh my gosh! The areas we thought were safe, theyre realizing those are not immune to fire anymore. The fire likelihood is changing, director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University Erica Fleishman told AP News.

PGE first shut off power to around 30,000 people in 12 service areas Friday.

Today, we turned off power to 30,000 customer meters in all 10 PSPS areas as a safety measure to help protect people, property and the environment, the utility announced on Twitter Friday.

We will continue communicating directly with customers in the impacted areas and will share the latest information on https://t.co/rgF0ErbSo0. (2/2)  Portland General (@portlandgeneral) September 9, 2022

It then added additional shutoffs on Saturday covering five areas and around 1,675 people, Oregon Live reported. The utility said around 37,000 customers ended up without power.

Pacific Power, meanwhile, said on Twitter Saturday that it had activated Public Safety Power Shutoffs for a total of around 12,000 people.

Overnight wind conditions materialized and peaked as forecasted. We ended up activating Public Safety Power Shutoffs, which affected approximately 12,000 customers. Areas under a Public Safety Power Shutoff can be viewed on the map at https://t.co/azF08CXv26 pic.twitter.com/e9ejiEfyph  Pacific Power OR (@PacificPower_OR) September 10, 2022

Public Safety Power Shutoffs are used when high winds are forecasted in an area with high fire risk, as Oregon Live explained earlier. The idea is to prevent downed power lines from starting or adding to fires.

The outages came amidst a weekend of dangerous fire activity for both Oregon and Washington. Between the two states, there were 18 large fires raging on Saturday, AP News reported Sunday. As of Monday, that number had fallen to 17, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NICC).

The largest fire in Oregon is the Double Creek Fire in northeast Oregon, ABC News reported. As of Monday, it was 149,944 acres and 15% contained, according to NICC. Another major Oregon fire is the Cedar Creek in the west, according to ABC News, which was 86,734 acres and zero percent contained Monday, according to NICC. Both fires had prompted evacuations, according to ABC News.

Your Monday wildland  fire update!



1 New Fire: Kalama Fire.

16 Existing Fires.

Trace amounts of  in W OR and WA. East of the Cascades conditions remained dry.

Cedar Creek is 86,734 acres and 0% contained.

Double Creek Fire is 149,944 acres and 15% contained. pic.twitter.com/wnNcQZtrDr  Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (@NWCCInfo) September 12, 2022

In Oregons northern neighbor, the Goat Rocks Fire, the Kalama Fire and the Bolt Creek Fire all prompted evacuations, AP News reported Sunday. The latter also sent smoke and ash into Seattle and its surrounding communities and endangered power lines that the Bonneville Power Administration manages over the Cascade Mountain range. Fires themselves can damage power lines because of the particulate matter in the smoke they send up.

It increases the chances of arcing and starting a fire or even shutting down the power line, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue spokesman Peter Mongillo told AP News.

However, Bonneville chose not to turn them off, saying they were not immediately in danger.

The #BoltCreekFire was first reported early this morning near Skykomish. DNR is responding with aircraft. US 2 is currently closed and evacuation orders are in place. More information as available. @wspd7pio @WSDOT_East pic.twitter.com/PWhTbZY8Ed  Washington State DNR Wildfire (@waDNR_fire) September 10, 2022

In Oregon, PGE had shuttered power due to fires once before, during devastating fires in 2020, to 5,000 customers around Mount Hood, as AP News reported Friday. Pacific Power had not, but was sued by survivors after their two towns burned to the ground during the destructive fire season. The incident has prompted the utility to improve its safety protocols.

You can look at the West in general and climate change has impacted areas from Southern California, and then Northern California and now up into this region as well, were seeing those same conditions, Pacific Power spokesman Drew Hanson told AP News. Its something we are taking very seriously. We realize the changing landscape. Weve been changing and evolving along with it.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna is on a three-day visit to India and on Wednesday, September 14, she stressed that France wants the number of Indian students in the country to rise to 20,000 by 2025, as stated in a report by PTI.

While interacting with the students of Lady Shri Ram College, she said, "We want the number of Indian students to rise up to 20,000 by 2025."

"I know it's an ambitious target, but I also know that between India and France, the sky is the limit," she added.

Further, the French minister opined that in the field of education, gender balance was a necessity. "Much has changed when it comes to gender balance but we are still not there yet," she said.

As part of her official visit from September 13-15, Colonna will travel to Mumbai for engagements with industry leaders and site visits on Thursday.

Additionally, the French minister will also hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on September 14 "on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest".




Vietnam's seafood exports to Russia steadily recovering

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said as of the end of August 2022, Vietnam's seafood exports to Russia reached more than US$94 million, 20% lower because the Russia-Ukraine conflict has delayed Vietnam's seafood exports in the months of March and April, but there are encouraging signs regarding seafood exports to Russia, Fish Information & Services reported.

Due to backed-up traffic and challenging trade payments, seafood exports to Russia fell by 86% and 46%, respectively, in March and April. However, beginning in May, Russia's seafood exports began to slowly recover. Then, starting in July, the trend changed, with exports rising by 36% and then sharply by 98% in August.

Despite a 12% decline from the same period last year, pangasius remains the most exported product, accounting for 22% of seafood exports to the Russian market with nearly US$21 million in the first eight months of this year. which comprised 75% or so of frozen pangasius fillets, 14% or so of whole pangasius, and 11% or so of sliced pangasius.

Because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, fewer seafood products were exported to Russia, but Yellowstripe scad, tuna, and anchovies continued to see growth in this market. The exports of tuna, which made up 17% of the total and increased by 97% to almost US$16 million, Yellowstripe scad, which made up 15% of the total and increased by 6% to US$14.6 million, and anchovies, which increased by 27% to US$4.6 million.

White leg shrimp, fish cakes, and surimi exports all fell by more than 50% from the same time last year. Whiteleg shrimp exports totaled over US$16 million, or 17% of the total, and surimi fish cake exports totaled over US$12 million, or 13% of the total.

There were 39 Vietnamese businesses exporting seafood to Russia in the first eight months of 2022. With pangasius as its primary product, Nam Viet Corp. accounted for the largest share of that, at 13%. Sai Gon Food Import Export JSC came in second place with 20%, followed by Hai Vuong Company Limited with 20%, Anh Long Food Co Ltd with 8%, and Minh Phu Seafood Corp with 7%. There will be 54 businesses authorised to export to Russia by 2022 after the approval of six additional businesses.

Duong Hoang Minh, Vietnam's Trade Counsellor in Russia, said that shipping goods from Vietnam to Russia is now more practical. Several other shipping lines are currently operating new routes, making travel faster and shorter. The Russian shipping group has opened a direct route from Ho Chi Minh City to Hai Phong to Vladivostok. A rail transportation network is also present to support business with Russia.

Seafood exports to the Russian market will continue to improve in the remaining months of this year, according to many encouraging signs. According to projections, Vietnam will export more than US$190 million worth of seafood to Russia in 2022, representing a 16% increase.

- Fish Information & Services




Egypt state grains buyer approves replacement for detained Ukrainian wheat shipment

Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) has agreed to decided to replace a detained Ukrainian wheat shipment with a new 60,000-tonne cargo from the same supplier, Olam, cost and freight price of US$361.25 per tonne, Reuters.

This follows weeks of talks to either free or replace the shipment.

According to two people with knowledge of the matter, that price was also set for the original 60,000-ton cargo. The new shipment is expected to be delivered between September 15 and October 15.

The original cargo was acquired by GASC in a December tender for shipment in February, but since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, it has been stuck on board a ship called Emmakris III at the port of Chornomorsk. In order to look into the ship's alleged Russian ownership, the prosecutor general of Ukraine requested its detention in July.

Ukraine's Middle East representative stated in August that the ship was being released by Ukrainian authorities.

Since the GASC tender book lacks a clause for force majeure, suppliers are required to fulfil contractual quantities from an alternative origin in the event that a cargo cannot be delivered.

GASC did, however, release suppliers of four Ukrainian wheat cargoes that were purchased prior to the war but were never loaded onto a vessel in July.

According to both individuals with knowledge of the situation, GASC terminated its agreement with GTCS, the shipper of the older cargo. One of them added that the new contract with Olam would absolve GASC of any further expenses as well as any liability for the earlier shipment.



Egypt's Supply Minister Ali Moselhy said the country's strategic wheat reserves currently stand at 6.6 months.

- Reuters
IMAX Corporation CEO Richard Gelfond speaks during an interview at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, Sept. 7. Courtesy of Allison+Partners



IMAX CEO dismisses worries about partnership with CJ in Korea, China, Vietnam



By Park Jae-hyuk



Despite having one of the world's most lucrative IMAX theaters in CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Seoul, Korea has never had a local Korean-language movie filmed with an IMAX camera, unlike neighboring China and Japan.



The global popularity of "Parasite" and "Squid Game" have not stopped Korean filmmakers from hesitating to use the Canadian company's high-resolution camera. Since "Sector 7" became the first Korean movie released in the IMAX format in 2011, there have been only a few Korean movies converted into the format, which has a special aspect ratio.



Some movie fans here have therefore pointed out that it has been difficult for Korean filmmakers to afford to borrow IMAX cameras.



IMAX Corporation CEO Richard Gelfond, however, told The Korea Times that his company has been in discussions recently with Korean filmmakers about using IMAX cameras, so that Korean movies filmed with the special cameras can be released within the next few years.



"Korean artists are on the forefront of what the demand in the world is today, whether it's music or television," he said in a recent interview in Seoul, mentioning not only "Parasite" and "Squid Game," but also Korean movies awarded at Cannes Film Festival this year. "Soon we're going to work with some, which is something not yet ready to announce today."



The CEO added that cost of borrowing IMAX cameras should not be an obstacle.



"The cameras cost a lot to make; they don't cost a lot to use though," he said.



Gelfond, who has visited Korea several times in the past, came to Seoul for the first time in five years in order to inspect his company's businesses in Korea and Japan after the COVID-19 pandemic. Following his stay in Korea, he departed for Tokyo.



His recent visit to Korea was mainly intended to talk with IMAX's exclusive Korean partner, CJ CGV, about how they can contribute to the country's cinema industry. Gelfond said that he has frequently met in the U.S. with CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Lee Mie-kyung, also known as Miky Lee.



"Some of the main issues that I will talk about are global expansion, not just in Korea, but in other parts of the world," he said. "We're making much more of an effort in local language films. We used to do mostly Hollywood films, but now we're doing, for example, Japanese films in Japan and Chinese films in China. I'd like to explore with them more of how we can do more Korean films in Korea."



He emphasized that his company will continue the partnership with CJ CGV, although some Korean moviegoers want IMAX to join hands with other cinema chains, such as Lotte Cinema and Megabox, to open more IMAX theaters here.



CJ CGV, which signed an exclusive contract with IMAX in 2005, has 20 IMAX theaters in operation nationwide, with a plan to open eight more over the next several years. In August, CGV Apgujeong opened Gangnam District's first IMAX theater in the nation's wealthiest district in southern Seoul.



Gelfond said that IMAX and CJ CGV would discuss accelerating efforts to open IMAX theaters here.



"Every time I meet with them, I think Korea could be a much bigger market and a bigger footprint," he said.



The IMAX CEO also dismissed worries about his company's partnership with CJ CGV in the Chinese market, despite escalating political tensions and China's zero-COVID lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.



"It's been difficult for few years in general in China, because of the lockdowns and the pandemic. A lot of foreign movies weren't let into China," he said. "In terms of our relationship with CGV, it's excellent. This just has been a slowdown, because of the external circumstances."



Regarding IMAX's collaboration with CJ CGV for the Vietnamese market, Gelfond said their theaters are doing well in Vietnam, describing the Southeast Asian country as a "promising territory" for both companies.





Inside an IMAX theater in the CGV Apgujeong in Seoul / Courtesy of CJ CGV
Port Olimpic in Barcelona



Barcelona is among the most popular cities to live worldwide, and was recently ranked as the best place in the world to visit by U.K. newspaper the Daily Telegraph. The city is also the first destination in the world to obtain Biosphere Platinum certification.



Barcelona is ramping up its promotion targeting global visitors after it recently became the permanent home of the Mobile World Congress. The world's largest mobile tech event has been held in Barcelona every year since 2006. According to GSMA, the MWC's organizer, a new deal was made with the city and other relevant authorities in June this year for the event be held in Barcelona until at least 2030.



Barcelona has become one of Europe's entrepreneurship and digital hubs, regarded by many as Southern Europe's Silicon Valley. The city was ranked first in Europe for its strategy in attracting foreign investments, it is the European city with the highest number of technology hires, as stated in a 2021 study by CBRE, and it is rated the third-best European city for founding a startup.



The Catalan startup ecosystem has grown 75 percent since 2016, and more than 18 percent of European entrepreneurs in 2020 chose Barcelona to establish their ventures. These companies employ over 19,300 people with a joint turnover of 1.71 billion euros ($1.7 billion).



There are more than 1,900 startups in Barcelona, many of which were launched in the city, including Glovo or Wallbox. The city has also been the backdrop for the launch of other potential unicorns like Redpoints or HolaLuz. In five years, The Collider, Mobile World Capital Barcelona's innovation program, has helped launch nearly 20 health, energy, industry 4.0, science and technology startups and has also been supporting foodtech and new materials (Puzzle X) ventures since 2021.



A unique digital network has been fostered thanks to Barcelona's position as host to some of the world's best-known tech events, including the Mobile World Congress, Integrated Systems Europe and Smart City Expo World Congress, as well as other international events like the America's Cup Sailing 2024, which will contribute to the development of Barcelona's blue economy.





Barcelona Supercomputing Center
Google has failed to convince Europe's General Court to overturn the Commission's ruling on its Android antitrust case and its decision to slap the company with a 4.3 (US$4.3) billion fine. The General Court upheld the Commission's original ruling back in 2018 that Google used its dominant position in the market to impose restrictions on manufacturers that make Android phones and tablets. It did, however, reduce the fine a bit, deciding that 4.125 (US$4.121) billion is the more appropriate amount based on its own findings.

The Commission previously found that Google acted illegally by making it mandatory for Android manufacturers to pre-install its apps and its search engine. By doing so, the Commission said that the company was able to "cement its dominant position in general internet search." Approximately 80 percent of smart devices in Europe as of July 2018 were running Android OS, and people tend to be content with the default options they're given.

That is a huge deal according to FairSearch, the group of organizations lobbying against Google's search dominance and the original complainant in the case, because Google's search engine is monetized with paid advertising. The tech giant makes most of its money from online ads  based on information from Statista, Google's ad revenue in 2021 amounted to $209.49 billion. FairSearch also said that by making it mandatory for Android manufacturers to install its apps and search engine, Google is denying competitors the chance to compete fairly.

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In addition to imposing restrictions on Android manufacturers, EU officials also found that Google "made payments to certain large manufacturers and mobile network operators" in an alleged effort to ensure that carriers only installed Google Search on the devisions they sell. The General Court has agreed with the Commission, as well, when it comes to the anti-fragmentation agreements Android manufacturers have to sign. These agreements seek to "prevent the development and market presence of devices running a non-compatible Android fork," the court wrote in its decision.

In a statement provided to Engadget, Google has expressed its disappointment in the court's decision and insisted that Android has created more choices for consumers:

"We are disappointed that the Court did not annul the decision in full. Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world."

The General Court is the EU's second highest court. Google could still pursue a dismissal, and the case could go to the European Court of Justice.
A New York federal judge has ruled that that multi-state antitrust lawsuit against Google spearheaded by the Attorney General of Texas can move forward. That said, Judge P. Kevin Castel has also dismissed the plaintiffs' claim that Google's online ad deal with Meta, codenamed Jedi Blue, was an unlawful restraint of trade. The judge said that "there is nothing inexplicable or suspicious" about the two companies entering the agreement.

If you'll recall, the states that filed the lawsuit accused Google of entering a deal with Meta that gave the latter certain advantages on the ad exchange the tech giant runs. As Bloomberg notes, Meta allegedly had to abandon its plans to adopt a new technology that would've hurt Google's monopoly and to back the tech giant's Open Bidding approach when it comes to selling ads in exchange.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he was filing a "multi-state lawsuit against Google for anti-competitive conduct, exclusionary practices and deceptive misrepresentations" back in 2020. The lawsuit focused on Google's advertising tech practices and how, Paxton said, the company uses its "monopolistic power to control pricing" of ads and "engage in market collusions."

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Google sought to dismiss the lawsuit earlier this year. While it failed to convince Judge Castel to fully toss the lawsuit out, the company still posted a celebratory note about the decision. "Importantly, the Court dismissed the allegations about our Open Bidding agreement with Meta  the centerpiece of AG Paxtons case," the company wrote in a blog post. The tech giant added that the agreement had never been a secret and that it was pro-competitive. It also called Paxton's case "deeply flawed."

Although the judge for this case dismissed the claim that Jedi Blue was unlawful, the deal and Google's ad tech practices as a whole are still under scrutiny by authorities. The European Commission and UK's Competition and Markets Authority launched an antitrust investigation into the companies' agreement back in March. And just last month, Bloomberg had reported that the US Department of Justice was preparing to sue Google over its dominance in the ad market sometime this September.




The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) on Wednesday slapped a combined fine of 100 billion won ($71.9 million) on Google and Meta Platforms for collecting personal information without users' consent and using it for personalized online advertising and other purposes, officials said.







In a general meeting, the commission approved the fines of 69.2 billion won for Google and 30.8 billion won for Meta Platforms, respectively, in the commission's first penalties handed out over personalized advertisement data collection.







The fines mark the highest amount ever imposed for alleged violations of the personal information protection law.







The PIPC also ordered that Google and Meta inform their users clearly and simply and get their consent if they are to gather or use user behavior data on websites or applications outside of their own platforms.







The watchdog said its probe confirmed that Google and Meta have neither clearly informed nor got prior consent from users when they collected or analyzed such data to estimate their personal interest and use that information to provide personalized advertisement.







Google has had Korean users give their consent without knowledge to such data collection by a default setting since at least 2016 while Meta, the operator of Facebook, has not informed or got consent from users since 2018, according to the watchdog.







As a result, over 82 percent of Google users and over 98 percent of Meta users in Korea have their user behavior data on platforms outside of Google and Meta exposed to their illegal data collection, the PIPC said. (Yonhap)


Northeastern University has found itself the victim of an unusual technology-related bomb attack. CNN reports that someone sent a bomb-like package to the Boston university's virtual reality lab in Holmes Hall on September 13th, causing hand injuries to the man that opened the container. There were no indications of a greater threat, and the school resumed classes after determining the campus was secure.

The currently unidentified attacker appears to have a grudge against VR, and Meta in particular. CNN sources claimed the "rambling" note in the package slammed Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg as well as the links between academia and VR developers. There were no explosives in the container, one of the sources said. Instead, it depressurized with violent force. It also wasn't mailed to the university.

After the incident on the Boston campus, multiple law enforcement agencies have determined that the campus is safe and secure. Classes, research, and all other campus activities have resumed today. The safety and well-being of our community is our most important priority.  Northeastern U. (@Northeastern) September 14, 2022

While there has been limited damage, law enforcement is taking the case seriously. The FBI, which has been coordinating with local police, has offered the full help of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and other units for the investigation.

Meta has faced some criticism over its decision to rebrand and focus on the metaverse. It started shifting its attention to VR just as whistleblower Frances Haugen shared documents that she said highlighted Facebook's failures in handling misinformation and other social media problems. VR may serve as a distraction from Meta's shortcomings, in other words. Privacy and safety have also been concerns in VR. While it's not clear the attacker had any of these issues in mind, there's little doubt Meta's approach to VR already had its detractors.
The Essex Reporter is a daily digital news website covering the Town of Essex and City of Essex Junction, Vermont. Our beat reporters are on the ground every day covering local government, schools, sports, business and culture.
As the world enters a new era of great-power competition, the United States and other high-income Western countries insist that they offer a more honest, open partnership with developing countries than do their rivalsespecially China. They argue that freedom and democracy are the best pathways to development for low-income countries. They decry, for instance, Chinese investments and projects in sub-Saharan Africa as opaque, exploitative, and guilty of stoking corruption. And they trumpet the merits of the aid that many Western countries deliver to poorer ones.

But in truth, wealthy Western donor countries are not always honest about the assistance they provide. They find ways to exaggerate their real commitments through creative and dubious accounting practices meant to expand the definition of development-aid spending. And when it comes to the other category of assistance that wealthy countries owe to developing onesfinance to help the global South mitigate and adapt to climate changerich countries fall egregiously short of what they have pledged, which is in turn tragically short of what poorer ones need.

These shortcomings on development aid and climate finance undermine the credibility of Western donors and hurt the United States and its allies in their competition with China for influence around the world. Moreover, they disguise meaningful deficits in the resources that developing countries need to make progress and address the climate crisis. To live up to its values and promisesand to not cede the field to Chinathe West must be honest and serious about its development-aid and climate-finance commitments.

COOKING THE BOOKS

Since 1960, Western donors under the aegis of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have agreed to a common definition of what counts as development aid. The committee now boasts 30 members, mostly wealthy Western states, but also including Japan and South Korea. In the interest of openness and learning from one another, these donors publish aid data to common standards and sponsor ongoing peer reviews of each others contributions. The committee works to support the economic development and welfare of developing countries and bases its rules on political consensus.

But new pressures are eroding the integrity of this approach. For one, many European countries have inflated their supposed development-assistance totals by including the funds they have spent domestically on receiving Ukrainian refugees. Under current definitions, that kind of accounting is allowed, but it makes aid budgets look far more generous than they actually are. The costs of hosting Ukrainian refugees will add an estimated $30 billion to apparent aid spending this year. If this were merely overreporting, it would be relatively benign. But several donors have chosen to cut real aid programs to fund refugees, in effect leading to a situation in which low-income countries are footing the bill for the hosting of Ukrainian refugees. As Western donors skimp on development aid, China, which is not a member of the OECD, has become a major provider of loans for public infrastructure in poor countries. In some developing countries, Chinese loans have eclipsed traditional Western aid and given China a political and diplomatic advantage.

Western donors have also agreed to other accounting schemes: counting unused vaccine donations (sometimes recorded above their actual cost); overstating the grant (or aid) element of subsidized loans to low-income countries; and counting the full cost of any debt relief when much of that total had already been reflected in higher borrowing costs paid by high-risk borrowers when the loan was issued. In addition, the donors are currently considering adding to their aid totals the value of any reallocation to developing countries of their recently acquired additional Special Drawing Rights; Special Drawing Rights are a reserve asset issued by the International Monetary Fund from time to time to bolster central banks foreign currency reserves. Advanced economies have no need of these additional reserves, and are considering reallocating some of them to developing countries or to special funds that could be set up at the IMF or at the multilateral development banks. Yes, such reallocations make eminent sense and would shore up market confidence in countries suffering pandemic-related debt distress and coping with the high import costs of food and energy because of the war in Ukraine. But counting such reallocations as aid is disingenuous since they carry no real fiscal cost.

Cooking the books in these ways has allowed wealthy countries in recent years to inflate their claims about how much aid they provide without increasing the amount of money they actually disburse. This year, the effect of this clever accounting is more pronounced than ever. Countries that are traditionally among the top aid donors as a proportion of their GDP, including Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, have cut back aid for poor countries to fund the costs of hosting refugees; but they can still report to the Development Assistance Committee and to voters at home that their overall aid spending has not declined at all. Samantha Power, the head of USAID, drew attention to this problem in July in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies: Unfortunately, today, when the needs are greatest, assistance budgets are either stagnating or they are being cut, she said. And some countries are rewriting the rules on what counts as development spending, to shield themselves from criticism as they cut funding.

Donor countries exaggerate their real commitments through dubious accounting practices.

The G-7 group of countries has similarly stumbled with its recent promise of $600 billion for a Partnership for Global Infrastructure. The Partnership is meant to support investment in roads, energy, and other public infrastructure fundamental to long-term growth in low-income countries, seeking to rival Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Unfortunately for this partnership, the pledged funds have yet to materialize. None of the initiatives scant documentation provides any clues as to how the G-7 countries will raise $600 billion, merely suggesting that much of it will be mobilized from private sources. This language echoes the failed ambitions of a decade ago that development finance would go from billions to trillions with small amounts of public money somehow leveraging big doses of private finance. The G-7 may tout its munificence, but it has little to show for it.

This is not how the G-7 and OECD countries should want the rest of the world to see their generosity. The reputational damage of overcounting exceeds the benefit of tallying extra billions in aid (after all, there is no real domestic political cost to falling short in reaching aid targets: only five countries have met the long-standing UN target of providing 0.7 percent of gross national income in aid). In fact, the major Western donors have a reasonably positive story to tell. Their spending has doubled in real terms since 2000, rising from a historic low of 0.21 percent of gross national income in 2001 to around 0.3 percent for most of the 2010s, amounting to a reported $179 billion in 2021. Exaggerating at the margin only undermines trust in the donors and in the system over which they preside.

At home, the G-7 countries have rigorous independent statistical agencies, such as the United Kingdoms Office for National Statistics, that define and measure economic quantities. They should apply the same independence to definitions of their international spending. The OECDs Development Assistance Committee could establish a new, independent statistical body that would review the current approach to measuring aid. Such an official body could also set up new measures of development-relevant spending on global public goods such as hosting refugees, peacekeeping and sea-lane security, public health research, and action on climate change. The 30 donor countries that are members of the committee could also invite independent experts from recipient countries to join the independent body; a sound starting point would be to include at least five recipient countries and the African Union, given that the greatest needs are in Africa.

U.S. leadership can make a difference in this area. Although the United States ranks poorly among donors in the quantity of development aid as a proportion of its GNI, it is the largest absolute provider of aid. The United States, with Power heading USAID, could persuade fellow Western donors of the importance of measuring aid with statistical integrity.

SERVICING THE CLIMATE DEBT

Western countries are not just inflating their development-aid commitments; they are also actively falling short in many areas. The unfulfilled promise Western countries made in 2009 to provide at least $100 billion per year in climate finance to developing countries is further undermining their credibility. The failure of donors, especially of the United States and the U.S.-led World Bank, to contribute sufficiently to this effort has become an embarrassment. And as with development aid, a range of third-party assessments have found that the funding claims of donors have widely exaggerated the transfers that have taken place.

Climate change is the biggest risk to the future of humanity. Industrialized nations have and are causing climate change with their emissions, while lower income countries are the most vulnerable and will suffer most of the damages, even though they have barely contributed to the crisis.

Since the Rio Earth summit in 1992, many governments have accepted the need for climate transfers, grants and loans from high-income countries to developing ones to help weather the effects of climate change and to hasten green investments in agriculture and energyinvestments that are in everybodys long-term interests. Traditional donor states first formally recognized this obligation in 2009, precipitating the current internationally agreed commitment on climate finance to ensure at least $100 billion of public and private transfers every year to developing countries. The $100 billion is meant to include both investments in efficient, long-term green technologies (that would curb greenhouse gas emissions, a policy emphasis known as mitigation) and support to help developing countries minimize and deal with the damage of climate change (otherwise known as adaptation). It is also meant to be on top of existing flows of long-term development aid.

Such was the promise that wealthy countries made over a decade ago. But again, these donors have taken the most generous possible approach to measuring their contributions: treating loans as equivalent to grants; almost certainly exaggerating the climate-related content of reported multilateral bank loans; counting commitments rather than actual disbursements; rebranding and redirecting existing aid to climate finance; and with recent estimates suggesting that only about half of the climate finance raised by donor countries went beyond traditional aid in 2018, ignoring the principle that climate finance should be raised in addition tonot instead ofdevelopment-aid funding.

The Indian government, commenting on a 2015 OECD report that assessed the progress donor countries had made in raising climate finance, famously argued that the $50 billion reported was in fact closer to $2 billion in cross-border flows. Oxfam currently estimates public climate financing is less than a third of the OECDs reported number.

Even with generous accounting, the OECD has indicated that total climate finance delivered by 2020 amounted to $83.3 billion, well short of the $100 billion target. Assessments show the United States is by far the biggest laggard in its provision of climate finance, mustering just $2.3 billion toward the $100 billion target in 2019. A recent independent assessment concluded that, using fair share calculations based on the size of its economy and its current and cumulative emissions, the United States should be contributing between $40 billion and $47 billion per year.

Developing countries have consistently called for the donor community to address this glaring shortfall, but even that would not be enough. Compared with the scale of the need today and to the role industrialized economies have played in creating the climate crisis, $100 billion per year is much less than the damage that the emissions of OECD countries have caused and will cause mainly for developing countriesestimated at least $15 trillion so far. In the Paris agreement of 2015, wealthy donors committed to a new climate finance target that would rise from a floor of $100 billion per year, starting in 2025. The process to agree on that new target, which begins in earnest at the annual UN climate conference in Egypt this autumn, offers an opportunity to design a commitment that genuinely brings in new, additional finance to deal with climate change, clearly stipulates how donors must measure that finance and aid, and lays out which countries will be committing to those new targets. More fundamentally, it is also an opportunity for wealthy countries to finally accept and explain to their publics that they are accountable and, to use legal language, liable for the mounting climate debt owed to low-emission countries, embracing the likelihood of new material financial contributions in the coming decades to help developing countries weather the impacts of climate change.

The United States, the EU, G-7, and other developed countries face a fight for hearts and minds in the developing countries whose choices will dictate whether the world tilts in favor of authoritarian powers or democratic ones. For lower income countries, development finance is crucial in meeting their basic needs, responding to crises such as the ongoing global food price spike, and dealing with the long-term effects of climate change. If rich countries really believe in transparency, honesty, and fulfilling international obligations, as they claim to, they need to stop their petty accounting practices and make good on their promises.

Ian Mitchell & Nancy Birdsall

: foreignaffairs.com
The summit this week between President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China is a show of force by two autocratic leaders united against what they consider American hegemony. It is also a moment of mutual weakness as Russia suffers losses in Ukraine and China endures an economic slowdown.

They come to the meeting, expected to take place later this week in Uzbekistan, with their own agendas and their own challenges that will test an important relationship both have described as a friendship with no limits.

Moscow needs Beijing. Russias recent routs on the battlefields of Ukraine, coupled with the broad damage inflicted by Western sanctions, have made Chinese support all the more important. China has emerged as a major buyer of Russian commodities, purchases that have helped replenish Moscows coffers.

Beijing, though, remains cautious. It wants to project strength in the increasingly acrimonious competition with the United States and cant afford for its main partner in an authoritarian alliance to face a humiliating defeat. But providing substantial, additional help to Russia, either economically or militarily, risks running afoul of Western sanctions and imperiling Chinas economy.

Xis China has been carrying out an exquisite tightrope walk with regard to Russia, said Rana Mitter, a professor of history and politics at Oxford University. It is keen to show support for Russia in general, but finds active support for an invasion too politically embarrassing to contemplate and wants Moscow to resolve matters one way or another.

Image matters for Mr. Xi as he prepares to secure a third term at a pivotal Communist Party congress in Beijing next month. His trip this week, during which he will attend a regional summit in Uzbekistan and visit Kazakhstan, marks the first time Mr. Xi has traveled abroad since the start of the pandemic and signals just how much he values the relationship. The meeting with Mr. Putin will give the Chinese leader a chance to look like a global statesman, playing well to a home audience.

Russia also provides much-needed backing for Chinas agenda. When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last month in defiance of Chinas claims to the self-ruled democracy, the Kremlin was quick to support Beijings stance, describing the trip as provocative and pledging absolute solidarity with China.

But China has tied itself to a war that has so far backfired for Russia. Any serious weakening of Mr. Putins dominance in Russia could hurt Beijings position at a time when the leadership is dealing with the political and economic fallout from its strict Covid policies.

The question confronting China is whether to double down or let Russia navigate the setbacks on its own. Both strategies carry risks, and most experts expect China to choose a middle path of continued economic support without openly circumventing sanctions or providing outright military assistance.

China, which has avoided describing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a war, appears to be tempering its bets. When Mr. Xis second-highest-ranking deputy, Li Zhanshu, met with Mr. Putin in Russia last week, Chinese state media emphasized the two countries shared admiration but steered clear of overt advocacy for Russias actions in Ukraine.

Chinas official Xinhua news agency said Mr. Li has told Mr. Putin that, political mutual trust, strategic coordination and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries have reached an unprecedented level.

Xinhua made no mention of Ukraine, even as Russia state media claimed Beijing backed the invasion, portraying Mr. Li as having said that China understands and supports Russia particularly on the situation in Ukraine.

China keeps avoiding military involvement in any degree in Russias war and will continue to do so, especially when the Russians have been in a drastic failure situation in the field, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing. Chinas diplomatic and political support or sympathy will not really help them, though dramatic purchases of their energy since April help a little non-militarily.

Mr. Putin, who describes his war as part of a battle against nefarious Western powers that threaten Russias very existence, appears to find Chinas middle ground vexing. He suggested as much last week in describing the long-running negotiations for a new pipeline that could allow Russia to export more Siberian natural gas to China rather than Europe  a matter of critical importance to Moscow as Europe rushes to reduce energy imports from Russia.

Our Chinese friends are tough bargainers, Mr. Putin said at a conference in the Russian port city of Vladivostok focused on increasing economic ties with Asia. Naturally, they proceed from their national interests in any deal, which is the only way to go.

Mr. Putin will go into the meeting with Mr. Xi looking to China as a lifeline at perhaps Russias most tenuous moment since the invasion began in February. Russian forces have recently lost more than one thousand square miles of territory in Ukraine, creating new political headwinds for Mr. Putin  even from some of his longtime supporters, now frustrated by Russias bumbling war effort.

At this weeks meeting, Mr. Putin hopes to close a deal for the natural gas pipeline. Russia also needs access to Chinas high-tech exports and Chinese currency to pay for those goods, since Russias access to dollars is severely restricted.

China has more leverage than Russia, said Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

As Western countries shun Moscow, it is the expanding ties with China that Mr. Putin points to most as proof that Russia cannot be isolated. It is a relationship to which Mr. Putin has devoted enormous effort, one that accelerated after relations with the West took a dive following Russias annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014.

The honor of meeting Mr. Xi in person is sure to be extolled by Russias state media as evidence of Mr. Putins continued acumen on the world stage. Our relations have reached unprecedented heights, Mr. Putin said at the Vladivostok conference.

The century-old relationship between the two nations is steeped in ideology and history. Moscow was crucial to the Chinese Communist Partys founding, early survival and eventual victory in 1949 in Chinas Civil War. Relatively close relations have continued, although they were interrupted by a rift in the 1960s so serious that the two countries fought border skirmishes.

Mr. Xi himself has a longstanding connection to Russia and Mr. Putin, whom he has met with 38 times. The Chinese leaders father, Xi Zhongxun, a leading party figure in the 1950s, oversaw Soviet experts who came to China to help build the countrys heavy industry after the civil war, said Joseph Torigian, the author of an upcoming biography on the elder Mr. Xi.

Mr. Xis father visited Moscow, full of admiration. He brought back mementos from Russia, Mr. Torigian said, that Xi Jinping later recalled.

A week after he became Chinas president in March 2013, Mr. Xi chose Russia for his first trip abroad and hinted in a speech there that the two countries would work together against the West.

Currently, China and Russia are both in important periods of national revival, and bilateral relations have entered a new stage, Mr. Xi said.

China now has the upper hand in the relationship, given its economic and military might. Chinas economy was 10 times the size of Russias last year, before the war in Ukraine. From May through July, China bought record amounts of Russian oil at a deep discount and imported more Russian natural gas and coal.

Gazprom, the Russian gas giant, announced last week that Chinas payments for gas from one pipeline would no longer be made in dollars or euros, but in Russian rubles and Chinese renminbi. Such deals make it easier for Russia to bypass Western banks and buy Chinese goods that are similar to high-tech Western products under export restrictions.

While China has sold many cars and other products that do not use Western technology to Russia, it appears to have avoided the riskier activity of reselling advanced Western technology. China appears to have refrained so far this year from shipping weapons to Russia, forcing Moscow to ask Iran and North Korea for military equipment.

Chinas military has a long history of training with its Russian counterparts. Last week, China sent more than 2,000 Peoples Liberation Army soldiers, 21 combat aircraft and three warships to participate in joint military exercises in eastern Russia.

It was the first time that China had sent air, land and naval forces to participate in the major military exercise, which Mr. Putin personally oversaw.

But Mr. Xi is unlikely to tie his country more closely to Russia than he did in February, when he declared the limitless friendship.

I dont really expect any sort of new statement to be made by Xi Jinping that would be perceived as more strategic support for Russia, said Li Mingjiang, a specialist in Chinas international relations at the National University of Singapore, nor would I expect China to walk back from what has been said.

Keith Bradsher, Anton Troianovski & Jane Perlez

: nytimes.com
Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Bestselling Author of the Award- Winning Book "Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies" (Nicholas Brealey)

The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the immediate succession of her son Charles provide timely lessons from the British monarchy about leadership transition for companies, organizations and corporate leaders.

The Queen's death at age 96 is another reminder for business executives to have succession plans in place and ensure those plans are updated on a regular basis as needed.

Leadership transitionswhether they are planned or unexpectedcan create a crisis for any organization if they are not handled strategically, effectively, and efficiently.

'A Watershed Moment'

"The death of Queen Elizabeth II, which Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday, is a watershed moment for Britain, at once incomparable and incalculable," the New York Times reported.

"It marks both the loss of a revered monarchthe only one most Britons have ever knownand the end of a figure who served as a living link to the glories of World War II Britain, presided over its fitful adjustment to a post-colonial, post-imperial era and saw it through its bitter divorce from the European Union," the paper observed.

Succession Lessons

Plan For The Inevitable

"King Charles has been planning his entire life to take the throne. He has planned and replanned again and again," retired U.S. Navy Captain Barbara Bell said via email. Bell is a leadership professor at Vanderbilt University and author of Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life's Turbulence and Learning to Fly High.

"There is a lesson in that. A succession plan must be a living, breathing entity. We must observe, prepare, and refresh our plans for the next leader to take over. And as CEO, we must be a willing and active participants in our own succession planning. Where is the company now, where is it going or should be going and what type of leader is needed for the future?

"In the Navy, it was always that way for me. While in command, I led and planned for the next commander to take over after me," Bell recalled.

The monarchy's succession plan "is codified in efficiency and dictated by centuries of history and traditions," David Braun, founder and CEO of Capstone Strategic, a mergers and acquisitions strategic consulting firm, said in a statement.

"While companies need not have a minute-by-minute plan, they can learn the power of having 'the next in line' ready to go, followed by precision in their announcements and actions. Detailed plans that can be implemented quickly make a big difference in how companies are perceived and how they keep their business moving forward," Braun advised.

Provide For Smooth Leadership Transitions

"Charles had already been taking on some of the Queen's engagements this year as her health had become enough of a concern for her to cancel some of her commitments, including the State Opening of Parliament," CNN reported.

"Both Charles and Prince William had been prioritizing the Queen's diary over theirs. Both of them had been activated as Counsellors of State, where the Queen delegates her sovereign power for specific purposes, and they were obligated to be even more available for those duties," according to the cable news outlet.

''This is the greatest lesson for business be ready and develop a strong bench so that you can act quickly and safeguard a smooth transition," Amy Clark, chief human resources officer of the Better Business Bureau National Programs and founder of the Growth Minded Leadership group, said in a statement.

She pointed to two examples in the corporate world.

''As part of a long-planned leadership transition, WD-40 groomed Steve Brass to succeed Garry Ridge, who retired as their chief executive officer this week. This is a terrific example of a well-controlled, communicated, and deliberate plan to take the WD-40 into the future.

''Compare this with the emergency replacement plan that JP Morgan Chase had in place and effectively activated in response to Jamie Dimon recovering from a health scare in 2020.

'Two senior JP Morgan executives were prepared and ready to effectively manage the company with confidence until Dimon was ready to return as CEO,"' Clark noted.

Carefully Groom Your Future Leaders

Position potential successors as true leaders, not figureheads

Charles "was never positioned as a person who was a leader," Catherine Rymsha, visiting management lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, said via email.

"The monarchy could have strategically managed his leadership brand preparing for this moment over time, yet failed to position him well in terms of strength or confidence. While he may have the skills and support needed to lead, even the headlines and hearsay over the years saying that the crown may skip him and go to Prince William showed there may be something lacking in his preparedness," she remarked.

"While this may not be case due to related succession laws set forth by the monarchy, it does show how Prince William is seen as a leader more so than his now reigning father," Rymsha concluded.

The monarchy no doubt had its plan for how this day would proceed for years. The plan was written, the successor was in place, and now "management" is ready to execute it.
Oh Young-hun, from left, the governor of Jeju, Hanwha Systems CEO Eoh Sung-chul, SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang and Korea Airports Corporation (KAC) CEO Yoon Hyeong-jung pose for a photo after signing an agreement to launch an urban air mobility (UAM) service on Jeju Island in 2025 at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office, Wednesday. Courtesy of SK Telecom



SKT, Hanwha, KAC to launch UAM service on Jeju Island in 2025



By Baek Byung-yeul



A consortium comprised of SK Telecom, Hanwha Systems and Korea Airport Corporation (KAC) will begin an urban air mobility (UAM) service in the country's southernmost island Jeju in 2025 as part of their efforts to become leaders in the emerging air taxi business, they said Wednesday.



The consortium, called K-UAM Dream Team, said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province to launch a test operation of the UAM service connecting the Jeju International Airport with famous sightseeing venues of the island.



Under the agreement, the three companies and the Jeju provincial government will produce UAMs, set up telecommunication systems as well as a traffic management system and construct vertiports launch bases specially designed for aircrafts that land and take off vertically  on the island.



"Jeju Island is the largest tourist destination in Korea, so it is easy to attract a large number of users. As the consortium will use the resources of the Jeju International Airport and navigation facilities of KAC, the island is a good place to commercialize the UAM service quickly," a spokesman of SK Telecom said.



When asked about the cost and other details of the air taxi service, the spokesman added, "There is still a long way to go before talks about the service fees. We will focus on bigger things first, such as building a transportation management system for commercializing the air taxi service."



For the test operation in 2025, SK Telecom is in charge of providing UAM services, based on a cooperation with U.S.-based flying car company Joby Aviation, developing and operating mobility platforms and communications systems.



KAC provides UAM traffic management services by building vertiports and other infrastructure while Hanwha Systems manufactures aircrafts and develops navigation and control systems.



Once the consortium confirms the safety of their air taxi service on the island, they plan to expand the service in downtown areas of cities across the country, which require more complex management.



While major cities around the world, such as Los Angeles, Paris and Osaka, are planning to commercialize air taxi services between 2024 and 2025, the consortium expects the test operation on Jeju Island to be the first one in Korea.



SK Telecom, Hanwha Systems and KAC have worked together to create an ecosystem for the UAM business here since 2021, and the three companies launched a consortium in April, joining hands with state-run agencies the Korea Transport Institute and the Korea Meteorological Institute.



"We will make Jeju Island, an eco-friendly tourist attraction, into an innovative foundation for UAM so that we can be a game changer for future mobility services," SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang said in a statement, adding that the consortium will set mid- to long-term goals to produce visible results from the UAM service.


Wednesday, September 14, 2022

By Scott Lorenz

Westwind Book Marketing

These days, more and more authors want to turn their books into movies. This is no surprise as streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime are more popular today than ever before and always in need of fresh content.

So the question is, how can you connect with a Hollywood agent who can turn your dream into a reality? Below is my list of all the tips, tricks, and resources you need to do just that. No matter what strategies you utilize, be patient. Remember, Hollywood movies dont make their debut overnight. It will take a great deal of time, creativity, and persistence for your book to reach movie status.

Dr. Ken Atchity, a literary manager who developed The Meg stated that Walt Disney Studios bought the rights to the book in the 1990s. It didnt get produced until Warner Brothers did it in 2014. Allan Scott, the producer of the Queens Gambit revealed it took 30 years, and 9 rewrites for the movie to come to life. The moral of the story? Never give up.

Write a Script First

Hollywood agents want to see how your book has the potential to become a top movie. Thats why its a good idea to write a script yourself. With a well-written script, youre far more likely to spark interest and inspire those in Hollywood. This is the first step you should take before you look for people to pitch to.

Use a Matchmaking Service

If you were looking for someone to date, a matchmaking service might be a good option. The same holds true if youre in search of a Hollywood agent. While there are a number of matchmaking services out there, here are my top picks.

Greenlight My Movie : This should be on your radar if you have a short film, book, screenplay, or true story. Youll get a guaranteed response from Hollywood buyers and representatives.

: This should be on your radar if you have a short film, book, screenplay, or true story. Youll get a guaranteed response from Hollywood buyers and representatives. Hollywood Pitch Festival : Head on over to the Hollywood Pitch Festival and pitch your book to A-list buyers and representatives.

: Head on over to the Hollywood Pitch Festival and pitch your book to A-list buyers and representatives. InkTip : You can use InkTip to get your script noticed. Its been around since 2000 and is currently used by thousands of producers, agents, managers and other pros in the industry.

: You can use InkTip to get your script noticed. Its been around since 2000 and is currently used by thousands of producers, agents, managers and other pros in the industry. Spec Scout: After you submit your script to Spec Scout, youll receive detailed comments on its strengths and weaknesses. If you score above 75 on a 100 point scale, youll be listed as a Scouted writer and may land some great exposure.

Be Cautious of Trends

All too often a successful movie comes out and writers try to write a similar story with their own twist. The truth is that Hollywood agents dont want to see the same ol plots. Do your best to keep your book original. While its easier said than done to think out of the box, doing so is essential if youd like to stand out.

Ask Agents If They Can Take a Look

It may be tempting to simply send your script to several of agents. According to Richard Walter, UCLAs screenplay expert, this strategy will likely send your message to the trash. Instead, send an intro letter or email to these agents where you introduce yourself. Then, ask them if theyre willing to take a look at your script. If you get a reply like go for it, congratulations, your foot is in the door.

Network, Network, Network

According to Daniel Parsons, bestselling author of several series, networking is the key to finding a Hollywood agent who is interested in your work. Attend writers conferences, festivals, and a variety of social events. When you do, be prepared with your short elevator pitch. You never know who you may meet and you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Rank Highly on Amazon Books

Lets be honest. If youre popular on Amazon, your chances of getting noticed by Hollywood agents and movie producers are pretty high. While it will take a great deal of effort and determination, do your best to get your book ranked in the top 1% of Amazon Books. This worked for self-published author, Colleen Houck whose book Tigers Curse is currently being turned into a movie.

Connect with Agents on LinkedIn and Facebook via authors

There are many authors out there who already have established relationships with Hollywood agents so it only makes sense to find them on Facebook or connect with them on LinkedIn. Harness the power of social media.

Keep your finger on the pulse of Hollywood by looking at a list of directors whove been nominated for awards and see which talent from recent film festivals are newly repped. Keep up to date on changes in representation with IMDbPro Track. IMDb is THE place to be. Study it. You can find anybody in the film business with IMDb.

Enter Your Book in Screenplay Competitions

Caren Lisssners book Carrie Pilby was turned into a film starring Nathan Lane by a Hollywood film director and three producers. She encourages authors to take advantage of screenplay competitions because you never know what will happen. I use FilmFreeway to submit my clients screenplays to dozens of the thousands of film festivals worldwide.

Embrace the Roadblocks

One of my clients, Jonathan Sanger, penned a memoir called The Making of the Elephant Man, A Producers Memoir He tells the story of the screenplay he received from his childrens babysitter and how he eventually turned it into a classic movie. Sanger explains all of the hardships that he was faced with along the way and how he overcame them.

The Bottom Line: Your book or screenplay will not turn itself into a movie. You must place it in front of the right eyes. An agent can help you do it. Good luck!

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether its their first book or their 15th book. Hes handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Womans World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications book marketing approach at https://westwindbookmarketing.com/ or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist. Want help titling a book? Check out Scott Lorenzs new award winning, bestselling book: Book Title Generator- A Proven System in Naming Your Book www.BookTitleGenerator.net
Tuesday, September 13, 2022

A family crisis occurs daily in America when a loved one requires long-term health care. It is at that time many Americans discover that long-term health care is their responsibility.

Matt McCann, a leading expert in long-term care planning, told a group of insurance agents and financial planners in Utica, New York, that this is an avoidable crisis.

"It doesn't matter why families are unaware, but when a family member, usually an older parent, needs help with daily living activities or supervision because of dementia, families discover that they are generally on their own. This is when the family crisis starts."

Health Insurance and Medicare Offer Limited LTC Benefits

McCann said many people think that health insurance, including Medicare or supplements, pays for long-term health care costs. Outside of a minimal amount of skilled services, the responsibility falls on family income and assets.

"Medicaid requires an individual to have little or no income and assets to qualify for the Medicaid long-term care benefit. Unless someone has Long-Term Care Insurance, they will decide how to spend their loved one's savings on care or decide which sibling will become a caregiver. Neither are ideal options."

LTC Tax

Several states, including New York, are considering instituting a state long-term care program. Taxpayers will find a new tax on earned income for those who do not own qualified Long-Term Care Insurance. The state will provide a minimal long-term care benefit, but McCann says this is not a plan for long-term care.

"States like New York are looking to follow the plan the State of Washington has implemented, but the amount of benefits for long-term care can hardly be called long-term care. Long-Term Care Insurance will not only provide actual benefits for long-term care but will protect savings, ease family stress, and provide access to quality care options. Oh, and yes, avoid the tax."

Long-Term Care Insurance is Helpful

McCann said that Long-Term Care Insurance makes common sense for many people as a vital part of retirement planning. However, McCann said you must be proactive and obtain coverage soon than later.

"LTC Insurance is medically underwritten, so someone cannot purchase a plan once their health has already declined or they need care now. But to avoid these state taxes, an individual must have a policy to avoid the tax. You don't buy an LTC policy just to avoid a tax, but the tax should be a strong motivator to get coverage now."

Tax Breaks Instead of Taxes

With long-term health care on many Americans' minds these days, a new study from the Associated Press-NORC Center of Public Affairs says that most people support tax breaks for those purchasing Long-Term Care Insurance.

McCann said federal tax incentives are in place for some people and businesses. A handful of states, including New York, have state tax incentives available when you own a qualified Long-Term Care Insurance policy.

A qualified Long-Term Care Insurance policy must follow federal guidelines under Section 7702(b) of U.S. Code. It will allow the policyholder to avoid any future tax. The policies also include consumer protections, regulated benefit triggers, and tax incentives as mandated by federal law.

McCann noted that federal legislation would allow the use of money from qualified retirement accounts (like a 401(k)) to pay for a qualified Long-Term Care Insurance policy without penalty. If it becomes law, it will free up money that people may need to purchase coverage.

LTC Insurance is Affordable for Many People

However, many people find Long-Term Care Insurance very affordable, especially if they obtain coverage when they are healthy and younger. Most people are getting coverage in their 50s, according to McCann, but he says it will get even younger in states implementing the tax.

"The consequences of future declining health and mobility problems affect families and finances. Being proactive is essential to safeguard assets, avoid dependency on loved ones, access quality care, and even avoid a tax."

Patnership Long-Term Care Insurance

McCann also noted that most states participate in the long-term care partnership program giving policyholders additional dollar-for-dollar asset protection.

McCann is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. He represents all the major brands in long-term care planning. His unique process allows you to speak with him on the phone and view his computer screen, allowing someone to become educated about options, research, and shop safely and easily.

Insurance premiums are regulated, and every insurance company must file its products and pricing with each state for approval before being allowed to offer any product to a consumer.

You can get free and accurate quotes from all the top companies, along with professional recommendations - Free and Accurate Quotes.

Media Availability

McCann is available for radio, TV, and podcast interviews. He also speaks to groups and organizations worldwide on the issues of aging, caregiving, health, and long-term care. Contact McCann through his website for information
SAN ANTONIO  A day after Mayor Ron Nirenberg said a $75 million city budget surplus from collections of this summers record-high utility bills must be given back to CPS Energy customers, City Council members remained sharply divided on the issue.

In a City Hall budget work session Tuesday, members again failed to reach consensus ahead of a final vote looming Thursday on the citys annual budget. Five members, including Nirenberg, expressed support for the rebate, but six said they were opposed and want more time to study other potential uses of the funds.

The surplus became a hot issue around City Hall a month ago, when City Manager Erik Walsh proposed doling out $50 million of the excess cash to the city-owned utilitys customers in the form of a bill credit worth about $30. His proposal would spend the rest of the excess funds on other projects.

On ExpressNews.com: Nirenberg sticks to his guns on CPS rebate: Give the surplus back to those who need it the most

The size of the rebate would be based on how much electricity a customer consumed in July, when the average San Antonio household was charged a record $254 for electric and gas service  $76 more than a year ago.

But tying the credit to electric consumption is not equitable, District 7 council member Ana Sandoval said Tuesday.

The rebate is going to be bigger for someone who lives in a big home who kept it really chilly versus the rebate that someone who lives in a modest home who didnt crank up the AC, because they dont have one or maybe they wont be able to afford it would receive, said Sandoval, the lone council member whose position on the rebate remained unclear Tuesday. To me, they seem more needy of the two households but will be getting a lesser rebate.

In a meeting a day earlier with the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board, Nirenberg was adamant that CPS customers should get relief from bills that have been driven up this summer by record heat and the high price of fuel for CPS generating plants.

People have been feeling pain as a result of high energy costs, he said. $31 or $29 may not be a lot for many families. But for the most vulnerable families, it might be.

Council members for weeks have been kicking around such arguments and looking for alternatives to a rebate. District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo has led the way, arguing that the city should spend the money to weatherize low-income customers homes, plant trees and establish cooling or heating centers with backup power for weather emergencies. Hes argued that spending the money in those ways would have a greater effect on customers bills over time than a rebate.

Monday, Nirenberg threw cold water on Bravos proposal. Setting aside more money for planting trees or adding insulation or energy efficient windows to a home doesnt help if there arent enough contractors in the area to perform the work, he said. And thats the situation the citys in now.

How much raw investment can you put through a capital investment pipeline until youre not getting more out on the other end? he said. We have $5 million thats been sitting in the tree mitigation fund. Its not for lack of wanting more canopy, its the ability to get that money out the door and actually working.

Council members have also rejected the idea of providing rebates worth $94,000 to CPS 40 largest commercial and industrial customers. The rebate would go to more than 900,000 CPS customers, but those 40 businesses would collect 9 percent of the total money rebated under the citys plan.

This doesnt feel like what we as a city put forward in terms of inclusion and helping those that are the most vulnerable, District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran said. As well-intentioned as we want to be, its getting more difficult to understand where these dollars are going.

On ExpressNews.com: CPS Energy bills jump 43% in July to a record $254, but unpaid bills creating headaches for utility

As the debate has been raging, 190,000 CPS customers are at least 30 days past-due on their bills and collectively owe the utility about $175 million. The city is trying to direct some of the windfall to help those ratepayers.

City staffers said Tuesday that the latest proposal would spend $42.5 million on customer rebates and that the remaining $7.5 million would go into CPS Residential Energy Assistance Partnership fund to help low-income customers pay their utility bills. The city would also provide a credit worth up to $300 for CPS customers who are on the utilitys affordability discount program and are past-due on their bills.

Nirenberg and city officials late last month sought to get council members on board with the rebate by adding an option that would let customers who dont need or want the bill credit to choose not to receive it. Instead, the credit would go to the REAP fund.

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.

In an effort to find middle ground, Nirenberg has also thrown his support behind Sandovals proposal to carve out a $10 million chunk of the money the city would usually collect from CPS and direct it each year toward weatherization initiatives.

On ExpressNews.com: CPS Energy makes official its hiring of Rudy Garza as president and CEO. Hell be paid $655,000

Nirenberg said that plan will offer relief for ratepayers now while directing funding toward weatherization initiatives going forward.

Still, Viagran and others on the council say residents want to see the $50 million surplus spent on bigger projects that lower energy bills over time, rather than a one-time rebate. She lamented that $16 million of the $42.5 million in customer rebates would go to businesses.

My residents would like that $32, but I think when they find out ... where the rebates are given, theyre not going to be pleased with me, Viagran said. They would rather see (the money) with Animal Care Service, weatherization programs, more senior programming.

After Tuesdays work session, it appeared these council members supported the rebate along with Nirenberg: Adriana Rocha Garcia, District 4; Melissa Cabello Havrda, District 6; Manny Pelaez, District 8; and Clayton Perry, District 10.

Opposing the rebate plan were Bravo and Viagran; Jalen McKee Rodriguez, District 2; Teri Castillo, District 5; and John Courage, District 9.

Sandovals position remained unclear. She called for more time to study the issue.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
SAN ANTONIO  San Antonio businesses are bracing for the possibility of a nationwide rail strike that could further crimp an already-tight supply chain at Toyota, lead to new shortages at H-E-B and other retailers and slow delivery of coal to CPS Energys biggest generating plant.

As talks around new labor contracts for rail workers were reaching a crucial juncture Wednesday, concerns were mounting about new disruptions to the transport of goods ranging from food and clothing to crude oil, agricultural crops and other commodities. The worry comes as pandemic-induced shortages across virtually every industry  from automakers in need of computer chips to a national dearth of bicycles  had shown signs of easing this summer.

In a sign of how hard it could be to avoid a strike, members of one union Wednesday rejected a tentative deal while two ratified agreements and three more remained at the bargaining table.

A dozen unions  one with two divisions  represent 115,000 workers that must agree to the deals then have members vote to approve them. By Wednesday evening, nine had agreed to tentative deals. Members of two of those unions voted Wednesday to ratify their contracts. Votes by the other six unions that have approved deals are pending.

At issue are pay and railroad attendance policies that unions say prevent workers from taking sick days or time off for a routine doctors visit  which railroad companies deny.

Railroads are trying to reach an agreement with all their unions to avert a strike before a 12:01 a.m. Friday deadline.

Toyota supply

Amid the uncertainty, a spokeswoman at Toyotas plant on the South Side of San Antonio said the company was watching the situation but declined to provide details on the companys plans. It relies on rail transport both for materials used in production of the Tundra pickup trucks it builds and for shipping out new vehicles.

We are monitoring the situation closely and developing countermeasures to minimize the impact to our customers and dealers, she said.

The plant has already faced production delays in the past two years due to parts shortages related to the pandemic. Toyota said last month that its 10 U.S. plants saw production fall by 24 percent in July from a year earlier because of supply snarls. Shortages have sent new vehicle prices skyrocketing this year.

Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio-built Tundra sees strong sales in August as Toyotas U.S. sales fall amid supply issues

Rail infrastructure is essential for all San Antonio manufacturers. When the city was negotiating to get the Toyota factory in the early 2000s, the deal was contingent on whether local officials would either grant Toyota adequate access to a nearby rail line owned by Union Pacific or build the automaker a new rail line altogether, County Judge Nelson Wolff wrote in his 2008 book Transforming San Antonio.

Its long been key to the nations movement of goods, too. Nearly a third of all freight that moves in the U.S. goes by rail, and its the busiest shipping mode after trucks. Texas has the most miles of railroad tracks of any state. Its also a central component of a complex global supply chain that relies on the coordinated movements of cargo ships, trains and trucks, like those that haul goods from San Antonio grocer H-E-Bs distribution centers to its stores across the state.

H-E-B didnt respond to a request for comment Wednesday. But the chain operates multiple facilities including distribution centers and a meat plant, next to a Union Pacific rail yard just east of Loop 410 near Kirby. Its not clear if the rail strike could affect delivery of goods there.

CPS generating plant

CPS Energys coal-fired J.K. Spruce Power Plant on Calaveras Lake in South Bexar County receives coal thats shipped from northern Wyoming on a Union Pacific-owned railroad line. CPS Energys other power stations run on natural gas, which is pumped through pipelines.

Spruce 2 is CPS Energys largest power plant unit. Even so, the utility managed to take the plant offline for nine days in mid-May to repair tube leaks, and CPS Energys other generation plants were able to pick up the slack during that time.

We maintain a diverse generation fleet that allows us to pivot between fuel sources as needed, CPS said in a statement. And of course, we are keeping a close eye on coal inventory and all supply disruptions to ensure we continue to meet our communitys power needs.

On ExpressNews.com: Ahead of todays heat and near-record electricity demand, CPS says all its plants are back online

Union Pacific has the biggest footprint in San Antonio among the major railroads. BNSF owns a rail yard just outside Loop 410 on the Southwest Side.

Considering the looming possibility of a national rail labor strike, we are prepared to take the proactive steps to secure our customers goods, Union Pacific said in a statement. The railroad has paused shipping hazardous rail security-sensitive material to ensure dangerous substances arent stranded on trains if a work stoppage occurs.

What we want, and continue to push for, is a prompt resolution that provides historic wage increases to employees and allows the railroads to restore service as soon as possible, preventing further disruption to the struggling supply chain, the company said.

Refiners, farmers

That disruption could hit refineries and petrochemical plants along Texas Gulf Coast. While crude oil is largely transported by pipeline, a number of chemicals on which refineries rely are moved by rail. And many chemical products manufactured along the Gulf, such as fertilizer and plastic resin, are also transported by rail.

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Suspension of such shipments also has implications for Texas farmers, who face the prospect of railroads stopping shipments of fertilizer, which is explosive.

Thats not going to be good for farmers, not just for Texas but across the country, said Gary Joiner, spokesman for the Texas Farm Bureau, a trade group.

Farmers also are worried a strike would mean grain storage bins run out of room during this falls harvest if they cant send farm products out on rail.

The Association of American Railroads trade group issued a report this month saying a strike would idle 7,000 long-distance trains and cost the economy $2 billion each day.

Trucking companies have said they cant fill the gap that would be left in the absence of rail shipping. A rail worker strike would also cause problems for so-called transloading, when containers are transferred from rail to truck for transport, or vice versa. Such intermodal shipping underpins Americas transportation system.

On ExpressNews.com: City Council remains sharply divided over proposed rebate for CPS Energy customers

Passenger rail

Though Amtrak workers are not involved in the labor dispute, Amtrak and other passenger railroads are affected because many of them operate on tracks owned by one of the freight railroads. That was effecting some commuter railroads, and Amtrak this week was suspending some long-distance routes because there wouldnt be enough time for them to reach their destinations before a strike or lockout could begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

Effective Wednesday, Amtrak suspended its service on the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited lines that serve San Antonio. Its also suspended the California Zephyr, Empire Builder, City of New Orleans, Starlight and other lines.

Were the railroad workers to go on strike, Congress could intervene to force them back to work as they did during a labor strike in 1992. That work stoppage, which interrupted rail service nationwide, was ended by Congress after two days. On Monday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat., told reporters that Congress was prepared to take similar action this time.

The Texas Railroad Commission no longer has any jurisdiction or authority over railroads in Texas, a duty that was transferred to other agencies. The RRC now regulates the states energy industry. The last of the state commissions rail functions were transferred to the Texas Department of Transportation in 2005.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
Though the San Antonio Philharmonic is just getting started, its first program this weekend will include a world premiere.

Its exciting to see music with our name on it, said bassoonist Brian Petkovich, who is president of the group.

The new work is "Emergent" by San Antonio-based composer Ethan Wickman. Its in good company: The program also includes Brahms' "Saint Anthony Variations" and highlights from Ravels Bolero and Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet."

The concert will be conducted by Ken-David Masur, principal conductor of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He served as resident conductor of the San Antonio Symphony from 2007 to 2011.

The Philharmonic is made up of musicians who used to play with the now-defunct symphony. They went on strike in September 2021 during a labor dispute with the Symphony Society of San Antonio, the nonprofit board that ran the orchestra. On June 16, the board announced that it had initiated Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. The orchestra, which had been plagued by financial turmoil for decades, was shut down for good.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio Philharmonic rises from the symphony's ashes

The musicians produced three concerts on their own in the spring under the name Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony Performance Fund. Renamed the San Antonio Philharmonic, the ensemble has mapped out a 13-concert season as well as a full slate of educational concerts at area high schools.

Wickman wrote "Emergent" for the San Antonio Symphony. He and the symphony board had applied for funding for the piece from the Barlow Endowment in the spring of 2021. The idea was to create work that would unite the community in the wake of the first phase of the pandemic.

Beth Ross Buckley

He learned that the endowment would fund the piece a few weeks before the musicians went on strike and went ahead and wrote it, even though he thought it might never see the light of day. When the musicians began producing their own concerts, he offered "Emergent" to them at no cost.

Listeners may detect a little Americana as well as the influences of composers Ravel, Shostakovich and John Adams, he said.

"What I really started with was an idea -- what does it sound like to come out of the depths of something deep and dark, or something deep and painful, and to move, with some resistance along the way, to something grand and large," he said. "So in terms of the sound, I begin with this low, primordial, deep contra basses, low woodwinds, low brass melodies, and it evolves later into a fanfare.

"If everything goes off as planned, everybody should be smiling big when its done. And not just because its done."

On ExpressNews.com: Guide to San Antonio's hot tickets this fall

San Antonio Philharmonic When: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Where: First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough

Details: $30-$65, saphil.org See More Collapse

"Emergent" will start the program, which Masur shaped with the musicians.

The conductor said it means a lot to him to be able to reunite with many of the musicians he used to work with and to play a role in this new phase of the classical music life of the city.

"There is a huge need, there is a huge appetite, and I think this is a much-needed, important moment for people who can make it possible to attend or just to be a part of it in some way," Masur said. "It will be something they can tell their children or their grandchildren about, because this will potentially be the start of something extraordinary, something really historic."
Californians are moving to Texas in record numbers, and they're bringing their breakfast with them.

In recent years, several breakfast burrito outfits have popped up in the Alamo City, including Stuffed, Sunny & Fine's Breakfast Burritos, Daydream Breakfast Burritos and others.

Which begs the question: Can burritos ever supplant breakfast tacos as San Antonio's favorite way to start the day?

Not likely.

"Breakfast tacos are a cult feature of San Antonio," Megan Conover said. The New Jersey transplant moved to San Antonio 13 years ago and hasn't looked back since swapping bagels for breakfast tacos. "I'd never say I want a breakfast burrito."

Breakfast tacos have deep roots in Texas and have been known to spark intense passions. May we all share a moment of silence for the heroes of the Breakfast Taco War of 2016, in which San Antonians valiantly fought back against an audacious claim from the food website Eater Austin that breakfast tacos originated in, of all places, Austin. Humph.

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On ExpressNews.com: Most Texans pay more in taxes than Californians, data suggests

While the exact origins of breakfast tacos likely will be forever debated by Texans, it's an isolated, intrastate squabble. For the rest of the country, a classic bean and cheese is a foreign concept, as breakfast burritos have been the national eggs-in-a-tortilla favorite since McDonald's added breakfast burritos to its menu in the 1990s.

At first blush, breakfast tacos and burritos don't appear to have that many differences. Eggs, bacon, maybe some beans or chorizo, all tucked into a tortilla and tightly wrapped in foil. Heck, some food scholars argue that burritos are, in fact, tacos in everything but name.

Despite the similarities between tacos and burritos, the most common thing San Antonians balk at is the sheer size of a breakfast burrito, particularly the jumbo versions found in California and increasingly here as well.

"No one needs a one-pound gut bomb to start their day," said Jeremy Rushing, an agent with the San Antonio-based Restaurant Realty Group.

And all that bulk can make for monotonous eating. With comparatively petite breakfast tacos, one can start their day with a taste of carne guisada, papas rancheras and picadillo without busting their belly. Bulky breakfast burritos are a one-trick pony by comparison, some say.

Mike Sutter/Staff

"I will die on this hill. Burritos mean you get only one flavor and texture profile," said Amber Bracegirdle, a San Antonio native who operates the recipe website bluebonnetbaker.com. "The beautiful thing about breakfast tacos is being able to choose more than one favorite to complete your meal. For example, my favorites are bean and cheese with bacon, carne guisada, potato and egg, and bacon and egg. I decide in the moment which two I'm going for, and they always compliment each other, no matter what."

If there's any rivalry hotter than San Antonio versus Austin, it would have to be Texas versus California. But that doesn't mean everyone from here is team taco at the breakfast table.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios new restaurant trend: giant California burritos done San Diego style

Janessa Zertuche was born in San Antonio and raised in Houston, but lived for a number of years in the San Diego area  a place famous for hulking burritos that double down on the carbs by getting stuffed with a fistful of french fries  before moving back here.

"The breakfast taco is a tease," she said with a laugh. "If I want a meal, I want a burrito. I don't want a wimpy taco. It's not enough. I want something that's going to be filling."

Mike Sutter/Staff

Love them or hate them, breakfast burritos are increasingly easy to find in San Antonio. Here are three I've tried and can, against my better judgement (and preference for tacos), heartily recommend.

On ExpressNews.com: How to make your breakfast tacos in the Instant Pot

Daydream Breakfast Burritos: The Ultimate Breakfast Burrito from this restaurant is loaded with scrambled eggs, tender carne asada, crisp bacon, cheese, caramelized onions, avocado and, just for good measure (and a guaranteed full belly), a mound of tater tots. Delivery only through doordash.com, grubhub.com and ubereats.com

Stuffed: The Cali Sunrise is the way to go at this Leon Valley burrito specialist. It contains a generous portion of juicy carne asada, scrambled eggs, tater tots, a blend of three cheeses and a drizzling of Cali House Sauce. Stuffed takes an extra step and toasts the burrito to a golden crisp before wrapping it in foil. 4939 NW Loop 410, 210-314-5527, eatatstuffed.com, Facebook: @tooostuffed

Sunny & Fine's Breakfast Burritos: The Everything but the Kitchen Sink Breakfast Burrito lives up to its name here. It's a hefty food baby packed with scrambled eggs, bacon, carne asada, potatoes, avocado and cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla. Delivery only through sunnyandfines.com, grubhub.com, postmates.com and ubereats.com
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WASHINGTON  Democrats in Texas appear to be gaining ground less than two months before the midterms, according to new polling from the University of Texas at Austin's Texas Politics Project, with statewide candidates within single digits of Republican incumbents and the race for governor shaping up to be one of the most competitive Texas has seen in decades.

Democrats may not yet be on the verge of any upsets, however, as Republicans still have many major advantages  more enthusiastic voters and concerns over the border chief among them  said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project.

There are things that are improving the environment for Democrats, but this poll is not showing those improvements are decisive, Henson said. Theyre adding to the competitive opportunities here, but they have not fundamentally changed the terrain in which Republicans hold significant advantages.

IN-DEPTH: Gov. Greg Abbott, Beto ORourke battle over state of fledgling broadband expansion

The survey reflects a national rebound by Democrats after months of dismal polling numbers and low approval ratings for President Joe Biden. Texas Democrats are increasingly enthusiastic about the upcoming election, but still trail Republicans, who have been optimistic for months about their chances in November, the poll found.

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Gov. Greg Abbott led Democratic challenger Beto ORourke 45-40 in the poll of 1,200 self-declared registered voters from Aug. 28 through Sept. 6. Eight percent of voters were still undecided.

The race appears to have narrowed since June, when Abbott led 45-39, and April, when the governor held a 48-37 lead. ORourke has cut Abbotts lead in half since February, when he trailed by 10 percentage points.

The governors race was not the only that appeared to be getting tighter just weeks before voting begins.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks 12-percentage point lead in June over Democratic challenger Mike Collier narrowed to seven points, 39-32. And Democrat Rochelle Garza was 5 points behind Attorney General Ken Paxton, who led the race 38-33. At least 20 percent of voters were still undecided in both of the races.

Democrats appear to be increasingly motivated by abortion after the Supreme Court in June struck down Roe v. Wade, and 49 percent of Texans say state abortion laws should be less strict. But Republicans appear to be buoyed by concerns among Texans about the economy, immigration and border security, which have fueled GOP attacks on Democrats for months.

Louis DeLuca

Abbott especially has focused on the border, and the poll found that most Texans  52 percent  approve of his strategy of busing migrants to Democratic-led cities, including D.C., New York and Chicago.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Meanwhile, Bidens job approval in Texas improved since its summer low, though it still remains in the net-negatives. Forty percent of Texans said they approved of Bidens performance, up from 35 percent in June. Bidens net approval rating was -12, up from -20 in June.

Republicans  who have long been seen as primed to make gains in the midterms  still lead Democrats in a generic congressional ballot, though their lead is shrinking.

Forty seven percent said they would support the Republican candidate in their congressional district, compared to 43 percent who picked the Democrat. Ten percent said they were undecided. In April, Republicans took a 48-39 lead.

ben.wermund@chron.com
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Edith Maskey remembers well the inaugural Texas Arts and Crafts Fair, which she exhibited at 50 years ago. It was hot, the crowds were thick and, because the fair was sponsored by the Texas government, the quality of exhibitors was surprisingly impressive for a first-time event.

It was a juried show and everybody wanted to be in it, Maskey said. The person next to me did cartoons for Disney.

Back then, Maskey was a part-time artist. She worked as a receptionist in an optometrists office during the week and painted alongside her husband, John, a businessman, on weekends. That first fair she brought just a single oil painting and sold mostly large river rocks she painted images on  her specialty at the time.

Historic music event: Robert Earl Keens final concert has fans singing, crying late into the night

It was a real feather in your cap to be able to say you exhibited at that fair, she said.

Other than the five years from 2013 to 2017, when the the fair took an involuntary hiatus after the nonprofit that ran it declared bankruptcy, Maskey has been at every fair but one while her husband has shown at 40. Thats a lot of feathers.

Jerry Lara/Staff photographer

She'll be back for this years fair, which will feature 102 artists exhibiting fine art, sculpture, pottery, jewelry and more, according to Wanda Garner Cash, event director of the Hill Country Arts Foundation, which now runs the event.

Texas Arts & Crafts Fair When: Sept. 24-25 Where: Hill Country Arts Foundation, 120 Point Theatre Road S, Ingram. Admission: $10 for both days, under 18 free See More Collapse

Its taken us a few years, but I think were back about to the level where we were before the bankruptcy shut the fair, Cash said.

Maskey, 81, has been drawing since she was a little girl, although she didnt take her first formal art lesson until she was an adult.

In the early 70s, there was a great teacher named Warren Hunter, and he had a school of art on Broadway near Brooklyn Street, she recalled recently. Back then I didnt drive, so John had to take me to my class. And he decided, rather than just sitting at home, to take the class, too.

Although the couple started painting with oils, at Warrens suggestion they also tried watercolors. Ediths first efforts werent promising.

It bugged me that I couldnt do it, but I kept at it, she said. Mr. Warren taught me techniques like wet on wet painting, where you wet the paper and start painting on that.

John Maskey

Married 60 years, the Maskeys have been full-time artists since 1977, when Edith left her receptionist job and John left the business world.

It was a big leap, John said. We thought, lets see if we can do something we love and actually make a living at it. And here we are, 45 years later.

Where that is is a place of prominence in the Hill Country art scene. Each has a long list of awards and juried exhibitions, their works represented by several galleries, including Texas Treasures Fine Art Gallery in Boerne. They often spend their days painting in the cozy studio built onto the back of their home just outside of Comfort. Each has their own painting area, and theyll often take breaks to critique one anothers work.

They primarily paint scenes from Mexico and the Southwest: bucolic Mexican courtyards, sun-dappled town squares dominated by large churches and burbling fountains, flamenco dancers and elderly men riding donkeys. Their subjects wear traditional garb, the buildings are weathered stone with large wooden doors, and flowers cascade over walls.

While their subjects are similar, their styles are unique. Ediths work, they agree, is more detailed, and she uses brighter colors. John, on the other hand, has a stronger design aesthetic and can get his message across in fewer, bolder brushstrokes.

The basis of many of their pieces are photographs taken during their travels to Mexico, the Southwest and as far afield as Central America and Italy. They say they may use bits and pieces from as many as 10 photos to compose a single painting, adding people and objects here, removing them there and moving things around to create a balance, a harmony thats pleasing to the eye  concepts they were first taught back in Warren Hunters studio.

Its a trial and error process, composing these paintings, John said.

Edith Maskey

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The couple was unable to have children, and Edith says her art served to fulfill something that had been missing. She said when she paints a scene of something that moves her, she wants to share it.

I try to do the best job I can so people get the feeling I had when I saw it, she said.

Fifty years ago, when she began hearing about an upcoming arts and crafts show, she applied and was accepted.

That first fair, held on the grounds of what was then known as Schreiner College, was successful from the get-go, she said.

This was the heyday of outdoor art shows, she said. Back then, people were more comfortable buying art directly from the artists, and artists liked not having to pay a 50 percent commission to a gallery.

The inaugural fair also boasted an all-star music lineup that included Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Murphey, Townes Van Zandt and Ray Wylie Hubbard and helped launch the Kerrville Folk Festival.

Edith Maskey

Most of Maskeys sales that first year were her painted rocks, which sold for $2 to $15, although she did sell that oil painting  a depiction of a rider on a horse.

While the fair has since moved to Hill Country Arts Foundation in Ingram, it remains a juried show, so every year the couple has to submit artwork for consideration. This year they plan to bring about a dozen paintings each to exhibit.

Despite all their success, they say that life as full-time artists often can be precarious.

Its like being a musician, a writer or an actor, John said. You get on these crests and youre feeling really great. And then the rip tide comes in it pulls it all back and youre like, Where am I? 

On Sept. 24 and 25, at least, theyll be on the grounds of the Hill Country Arts Foundation showing  and hopefully, selling  their work.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photo at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong Province, June 10, 2018. AP-Yonhap



Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping will discuss Ukraine and Taiwan at a meeting in Uzbekistan on Thursday which the Kremlin said would hold "special significance" given the geopolitical situation.



Xi will leave China for the first time in more than two years for a trip this week to Central Asia where he will meet Putin, just a month before he is set to cement his place as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong.



"The presidents will discuss both the bilateral agenda and the main regional and international topics," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said at a briefing in Moscow.



"Naturally, they will give a positive assessment of the unprecedentedly high level of trust within the bilateral strategic partnership," he added.



The deepening "no limits" partnership between the rising superpower of China and the natural resources titan of Russia is a geopolitical development the West is watching with anxiety.



The meeting will give Xi an opportunity to underscore his clout while Putin can demonstrate Russia's tilt towards Asia; both leaders can show their opposition to the United States just as the West seeks to punish Russia for what Moscow calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.



According to the Kremlin, trade turnover between the countries rose reached $140 billion in 2021, while for the first seven months of this year it totaled almost $93.



China is Russia's largest buyer of oil, one of the key sources of revenues for Moscow's state coffers.



Russia is also striving to boost its gas sales to China and build new pipelines to the country as its gas supplies to Europe have been significantly curtailed amid the stand off over Ukraine.



Ushakov said Moscow values China's position towards what he called the "Ukraine crisis", saying Beijing had struck a "balanced approach" towards the conflict.



China "clearly understands the reasons that forced Russia to launch its special military operation. This issue, of course, will be thoroughly discussed during the upcoming meeting," Ushakov said.



The meeting between Xi and Putin in Uzbekistan will take place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's summit in the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan. Ushakov said no new energy deals with China are expected to be signed in Uzbekistan. (Reuters)




BANGKOK (AP)  A clerk shot at his co-workers at Thailand's Army War College in Bangkok early Wednesday, killing two people and wounding another, the army said.

One man died at the scene and another died after being taken to the hospital, the Thai army said in a statement. The wounded man was being treated at a hospital but no information was available on his condition.
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SAN ANTONIO  George B. Irish, a publisher of Texas newspapers who led the San Antonio Light at the height of its rivalry with the Express-News and left a mark on the city as a philanthropist and civic leader, died Tuesday at his home in New Jersey. He was 78.

The cause of death was a heart attack.

Irish had a peripatetic career in newspapers that took him to eight different cities. During 29 years at the Hearst Corp., he was publisher of the Beaumont Enterprise, the Midland Reporter-Telegram and the Light, which the company closed in 1993 in order to buy the rival Express-News from Rupert Murdochs News Corp.

Later, Irish led the Hearst Newspapers Group before guiding two of the Hearst familys philanthropic foundations.

During his years in San Antonio, Irish supported local charities, the San Antonio Symphony, construction of the Alamodome and restoration of the historic San Fernando Cathedral. He was an advocate for open government, as evidenced when the Light went to court to force the city to release internal affairs complaints against two police officers accused of racial profiling.

Among his many achievements, he received the 1992 Texas Newspaper Leader of the Year Award, known as the Pat Taggart Memorial Award.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff recalled Irish as a really great guy and a really good newspaperman.

Irish was publisher of the Light when the paper endorsed Wolffs mayoral candidacy in 1991.The Express-News endorsed Wolffs opponent, then-Mayor Lila Cockrell. Wolff won the election.

It was really a fun time because if one paper wrote something against you, the other paper would take up for you. So you always knew you had about 50 percent support going in, Wolff recalled with a chuckle.

He had a good heart and always wanted to do right for San Antonio, Wolff said of Irish. He was kind of quiet. He wasnt verbose. He would listen to you, your issues, and consider them.

Irish had a significant impact on San Antonio, both as publisher and as a leader of the Hearst Foundations, which have provided funds for the countys electronic library system, BiblioTech, and other important projects and nonprofits, Wolff said.

As news of Irishs death reached Texas, many mourned his passing on social media. Sergio Humberto Salinas, a former newspaper executive, worked at the Light when Irish was publisher during what he called the golden era of newspapers. Salinas said Irish cultivated a close-knit feeling in his leadership team. When Salinas father died, Irish flew to Dallas to attend the funeral.

Working with and for George was fun. He took risks, he valued every employee, mentored high achievers, created a winning environment and helped people grow, Salinas said in a Facebook post hours after Irish died. George treated his employees with fairness, dignity and respect.

Irish grew up in Ohio and graduated from Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. He was named the schools Young Alumnus of the Year in 1976 and went on to serve as chairman of its board of trustees.

Irish joined Hearst in 1979 when the company acquired the Midland (Mich.) Daily News. He became publisher of the Light in 1988, a time of fierce competition for newspaper subscribers and advertisers.

In October 1992, Hearst announced that it would buy the rival Express-News from News Corp. and close the Light if it could not find a buyer. Hearst said at the time that the Light had lost $60 million since 1987.

There would be no rescue. On Jan. 27, 1993, the papers 620 employees learned that the Light was closing. Irish himself delivered the news, standing on a chair in the second-floor newsroom.

Effective this moment, employees are released, he said. The announcement elicited both cheers and tears, the Light reported in its last-ever edition, delivered to subscribers the next morning.

Your personal courtesies to me will never be forgotten, Irish told the assembled employees, many of whom lined up to shake his hand or hug him, the Light reported. Employees received severance and an opportunity to apply for available positions within Hearst.

That same year, Irish was named a vice president and group executive for Hearst Newspapers. He became general manager of the newspapers group in 1998 at age 53. He led the division during an especially challenging time, as newspapers tried to cope with the tidal shift to online news consumption and the resulting pressure on print advertising revenue and newsroom budgets.

Irish retired in 2008.

Steven R. Swartz, who succeeded Irish as head of the newspapers group and is currently Hearsts president and CEO, recalled Irish as a wonderful man, a dedicated executive and a much-loved member of our Hearst community and of all the communities he served so well.

After his retirement, Irish became vice president and eastern director of the two Hearst Foundations: the William Randolph Hearst Foundation of California and the Hearst Foundation Inc. of New York.

Separate from the corporation, the Hearst Foundations engage in philanthropy on a national scale in the fields of culture, education, health and social services. Since their inception, the foundations have made more than 22,200 grants, totaling $1.4 billion, to 6,300 organizations.

George was a member of our family, said William Randolph Hearst III, who is chairman of the board of directors of Hearst, president of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and a director of the Hearst Foundation Inc. We are deeply saddened by his passing but filled with gratitude for his many years of stewardship, professional wisdom and, especially, his friendship.

Virginia Hearst Randt, president of the Hearst Foundation, said Irish made the world a better place in business, in philanthropy and as a friend.

Irish served on the boards of the Newspaper Association of America (now known as the News Media Alliance), the United Way of New York City, the International Center for Journalists, the READ Foundation, the Nieman Foundation Board of Advisors and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalisms Board of Visitors.

He was president of the Texas Daily Newspaper Association and served as president, chairman and director of the American Press Institute, which gave Irish its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

Hearst Newspapers Group publishes 24 daily papers and 52 weeklies, including the Express-News, the Houston Chronicle, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Laredo Morning Times, the Beaumont Enterprise, the Albany Times Union in New York, and daily and weekly papers in Connecticut.

shuddleston@express-news.net

marc.duvoisin@express-news.net
MARIANA SUAREZ/AFP via Getty Images

Those mysterious lights that traveled over San Antonio on Monday are linked to billionaire Elon Musk's company, SpaceX.

San Antonians expressed their confusion on social media after the lights streaked across the night sky. SpaceX officials said the lights were from its Starlink satellites, which provide satellite internet to 500,000 subscribers in 40 countries. The company said the satellites are expected to pass over the city again on Thursday morning.
HAYS COUNTY  Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith, who is up for re-election, is facing a driving while intoxicated charge.

That coupled with public statements he has made about the countys jail population and a news report that shows him urinating in public has a handful of residents calling for him to step down.

Smith was charged with a class B misdemeanor for driving while intoxicated on April 28 last year. He crashed into another vehicle around 3 a.m. in Austin, according to an affidavit. He had a strong odor of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, the affidavit states. He was swaying and wobbling from time to time. He told an officer that he had two cocktails with vodka and that he was a two on a scale of zero to 10, with 10 being the most intoxicated he had ever been and zero being not at all intoxicated.

Smith refused blood and breath sobriety tests, the affidavit notes. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, drivers licenses are suspended if a person refuses to take a blood or breath test. Court records show that Smith was granted an occupational drivers license in September 2021.

And in December, Smith was seen on camera at a Dripping Springs bar appearing to have trouble walking, then later urinating behind the open door of a parked truck before driving away. Smith told Fox 7 in February that he was not drunk but was instead affected by medication he was taking.

The reports of Smiths actions have been concerning for Hays County resident Dan Lyon, 65, who said he thinks Smith should resign.

This man cannot control himself, Lyon said after Tuesdays County Commissioners Court meeting. I dont think he obeys the rules of traffic, and I dont think he obeys the rules of the court, to tell you the truth. ... Being a commissioner, you have to obey the rules.

Jeff Kaufmann, who spoke during public comment at the meeting, called for Smith to shape up or ship out.

We need a higher standard of behavior than we have seen, commissioner, he said. We need for you to behave in a way that we can respect and look up to.

For Kaufmann and others, a desire for Smith to step down also has a lot to do with comments he has made about the countys jail population.

Jordan Buckley, former head of Hays County social justice group Mano Amiga, pointed to comments Smith made in May when the county was discussing a public defenders office for Hays County. Buckley took issue with Smiths statement that he wished the countys pretrial jail population percentage were higher. He felt that Smith was being hypocritical since he is awaiting his own DWI trial after posting a $3,500 bail.

Im someone that has also been arrested three times before, Buckley said. So for me, its not just that hes been arrested. Its the hypocrisy of him being the most outspoken person on court, saying that theres no problem with our gigantic and extremely costly pretrial jail population when, for him, its quite easy to not be part of Travis Countys pretrial jail population, because he had enough money to post bail and go home.

In an interview with the Express-News, Smith clarified what he meant, saying that he has never advocated for a larger jail population. He said that his desire for the pretrial percentage to be higher is because the purpose of a county facility is to house people awaiting trial. He said that once a trial and sentencing have occurred, the person is supposed to be taken to a state prison, but many of them end up staying in the Hays County Jail for some time because the state has yet to transport them.

Smith declined to comment on anything related to his own case or outstanding litigation. His attorney, Rick Flores, provided a statement to MySA last week saying that the incident occurred 17 months ago and we are patiently waiting as the case works its way through the criminal justice system.

Walt has taken responsibility for his actions and is looking forward to putting this behind him, the statement reads. The arrest happened in April 2021 and we expect the matter to come to a fair and just resolution in the near future.

The Hays County Commissioners Court is made up of a judge and four commissioners. Smith represents Precinct 4. In March, Smith won the Republican primary with a little more than 62 percent of the vote.

Smith has a pretrial conference scheduled for Nov. 4, according to Travis County court records.

He is facing off against independent candidate Susan Cook in November.

megan.rodriguez@express-news.net
Mothers Against Greg Abbott have raised enough money for two billboards that take aim at the Texas governor.

The political action committee raised its goal of $9,000 in less than a day after starting a fundraiser Thursday to pay for two billboards between San Antonio and Uvalde, according to a social media post.

Families of Robb Elementary shooting victims in Uvalde have requested the billboards, and the first one is set to go up on Monday, according to the organization.

The group, known for its viral political ads, is critical of the governor's policies, including his stance on gun control.

The billboards will follow suit and will feature an image of Robb Elementary, the site of the May 24 massacre, and will urge voters to cast their ballots in favor of Abbott's opponent, Beto O'Rourke, in November.

The billboards will also include a quote from Abbott in response to the mass shooting: "It could have been worse." The families chose the sign, that organization wrote on ActBlue, where Mothers Against Drunk Driving began the fundraiser for the billboards. ActBlue is a platform on which left-leaning organizations can raise money.

In addition to the billboards, a new group, "Coulda Been Worse LLC," recently purchased $6 million in television ads against the governor.

Mothers Against Greg Abbott previously raised $75,000 for similar billboards with different messages across Texas. The group is also exploring other modes of advocating for O'Rourke ahead of November, including potential radio ads, the group wrote on social media.

shepard.price@express-news.net | @shepardgprice
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A museum to preserve San Antonios Black history may soon be housed in the Kress-Grant building  known for its role in desegregating downtown lunch counters during the Civil Rights movement.

The San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum secured a $5 million matching grant as part of the 2023 Bexar County budget to help start a museum on Houston Street downtown.

The five-year-old museum organization needs to raise $20 million to purchase the building, which once housed one of seven downtown lunch counters that peacefully desegregated in 1960.

Funding for the project comes out of just over $10 million in capital projects requested by commissioners to support SAAACAM, as well as the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the Mexican American Civil Rights Institute and other educational and cultural organizations, neighborhoods and nonprofits.

On ExpressNews.com: Alamo reports support preserving Woolworth Building, stories of lunch counter desegregation

Deborah Omowale Jarmon, CEO of SAAACAM, said the organization still has to raise $15 million for the project. The group hopes to use funds from the National Endowment for Humanities, Houston Street Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, foundations and other private sources.

As the budget was approved Tuesday, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff singled out the SAAACAM project as one of many exciting things in the spending plan.

ROBERT MCLEROY, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

The step forward on having a real African American museum is a huge step for this community. They have now a small operation at La Villita, and this would be the first start of trying to really do something meaningful that really tracks the history of the African American community here and the great leaders that have come out of it, Wolff said.

In a written proposal to commissioners, SAAACAM leaders said the project will ensure the desegregation of downtown lunch counters, which briefly put San Antonio in a national spotlight, lives on forever in the history of America, San Antonio and the Civil Rights movement of that era.

The renovated, adjoining structures in the 300 block of Houston Street are owned by GrayStreet Partners/CBRE and were recently put up for sale. SAAACAM plans to provide additional renovations and designate about half of the 120,000-square-foot building for lease as office space and for other revenue-generating uses.

Trinity University history professor Carey Latimore advanced the concept in 2019 of creating a civil rights institute in the Kress Building because of its ties to the Civil Rights movement. Latimore, who was involved in several history projects downtown, including improvements to the Alamo and San Pedro Creek, was later diagnosed with cancer. He died July 26 at age 46.

Our Lady of the Lake University and the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions are research partners with SAAACAM.

On ExpressNews.com: The Alamo has lost a great friend; Latimore was 46

Partnering with OLLU expands our reach to collect, preserve and share the African Mexican heritage of the San Antonio region, the group said in its proposal. The partnership with AITSCM will help us grow the African Indigenous narrative starting with the arrival of enslaved African Estavanico to the region with the Spanish in 1529.

Estavanico was a scout and an interpreter who helped Indigenous bands communicate with members of early Spanish expeditions in Texas.

SAAACAM has a 715-square-foot exhibit venue at 218 S. Presa St. in the southwest corner of the La Villita historic arts village and leases 2,800 square feet of office space at the Witte Museum. But the organization says it cant remain self-sustaining by leasing space. It plans to use revenue from the Kress-Grant building to provide free access to the museums main exhibition galleries and most of its programming.

shuddleston@express-news.net
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Rockys nose twitched in the air as his head snapped around, pulling the rest of his body 180 degrees. Passengers towing suitcases at San Antonio International Airport watched as the German shepherd quickly circled a few more times, weaving around the cloth barriers that separated the ticket counters while pinpointing where the scent he just detected was coming from.

Officer Gabriel Mercado fell into step behind his four-legged partner as Rocky, now locked on the scent, made a beeline for a vending machine on the far wall and promptly sat next to it. The passive  but distinctive  action told Mercado that there was explosive material in the airport.

RELATED: Only 4 wildlife biologists work at airports nationwide. One is in San Antonio.

As their colleagues observed the duo, Mercado pulled out a black toy and tossed it to Rocky with high-pitched praises for a job well done. Rocky had found a small silver box containing explosive material that another officer had stuck to the back of the vending machine.

Mercado and Rocky are one of the San Antonio police officer-K9 duos that work around the clock to keep travelers safe from potentially deadly situations  considered one of the most highly skilled K9 Explosive Detection Units in the country.

The Express-News received exclusive access to the San Antonio K9 Explosive Detection Unit and spoke with trainers about the situations they and their dogs face at the airport.

The K9 Explosive Detection Unit at the San Antonio airport has six handler-K9 teams, and San Antonio K9 EDU Sgt. Andres Lopez hopes it can get up to nine teams working at the airport. The dogs are a mix of Belgian Malinois, German shepards and one German shorthaired pointer that share a single mission: to detect explosives.

Cant afford to miss something

The dogs are responsible for more than sniffing luggage. The handlers get called to investigate suspicious bags, vehicles and packages. They screen large cargo, and they routinely conduct sweeps of the airport, terminals and other large facilities. The work they do helps deter terrorist activity that could have deadly consequences.

Jerry Lara, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Whats crazy to me is that there are several (incidents that happen). I didnt think there were that many, Mercado said. They arent televised or always shared.

And their skills arent utilized solely inside the airport. San Antonios EDU team is often called to help at large venues and high-profile events that are prime targets for people seeking to gain attention by inflicting mass casualties. They work locally at places like the Alamodome, H-E-B stores and area high schools, and they are routinely assigned each year to help with Super Bowl security, as well as presidential details during election years.

We cant afford to miss something or let even one bad one through, Lopez said. Thats why training for us is so important.

Several years ago, a man kept the San Antonio Police Department on its toes, calling in bomb threats to major local institutions like the University of Texas at San Antonio. When the man called a threat into the airport, the EDU team was prepared.

We got a call that said there was a car bomb parked in the terminal in short-term parking, Lopez said. That is thousands upon thousands of cars a bomb could be in.

Five K9 teams searched the parking lot, and Lopezs then-K9 Cora came across a vehicle that peaked her interest. Lopez called in another team  without telling the second handler that Cora had alerted  to search the same area independently.

The second dog alerted on the same car that Cora found.

Our training and experience led us to believe something was up with that car, Lopez said.

A bomb squad responded and discovered that the trunk contained a water filtration system that had a filter with the equivalent of 30 pounds of black powder.

Thankfully, it wasnt a car bomb, but it was a good hit by the dogs because they did find something considered an explosive odor like they are trained to do, Lopez said.

Jerry Lara, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Many of these dogs will never be exposed to explosive material outside their training, but its critical that they always be prepared for the day that their noses stand between people and an attack.

Elite by design

One reason why the San Antonio EDU is so skilled stems from local resources that many other departments dont readily have access to. The SAPDs EDU handlers have a close relationship with the local FBI bomb unit, which provides live, peroxide-based explosives for realistic training scenarios.

Meanwhile, perhaps the most significant advantage that the San Antonio department has is its proximity to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, giving the team easy access to one of the top canine training facilities in the world.

The military base is home to the Transportation Security Administrations Explosives Detection Canine Handler Course  a 12-week program that teaches officers to be explosive detection dog handlers. The grueling course tests handlers limits, Lopez said, and not everyone leaves with a dog.

Officers who go through the EDU training at Lackland spend about two weeks in the classroom learning about things such as dogs odor responses, first aid and explosives identification  all while senior trainers observe each officers specific personality to determine who would pair best with each dog.

The rest of the course involves evaluating whether each handler clicks with a dog and whether the handler can pick up on the dogs alert actions that indicate the animal smells explosive material.

For San Antonios K9 handlers, the training doesnt stop after they graduate. Once handlers get to the SAT unit, they start working with Orlando Nunez, a Homeland Security agent and one of the top K9 trainers in the country.

Nunez helps assess each dogs proficiencies and deficiencies to develop a plan to help it improve while the rest of the team continues to train the new handler on becoming a dog trainer for other handlers.

Many of the dogs assigned to the San Antonio EDU team over the years are what the industry calls retread dogs, meaning they were returned to the Lackland program for one reason or another. And most of them end up with the trainers at San Antonio who keep them until the dog retires.

Jerry Lara, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Police agencies and military bases from around the country converge on the Alamo City quarterly to attend the San Antonio EDU multiday, joint training to learn from Lopez and his team. Not only does it help fellow departments enhance their own K9s, but the training helps ensure that if something major happens, they are ready to augment the teams here.

God forbid that something large-scale happens, we dont want to be seeing these guys for the first time and not knowing their capabilities, their proficiency level, Lopez said. It may sound arrogant, but we want them to be somewhat on our level.

National standards not enough

The San Antonio units motto is never be baseline.

Lopez said it has its trainers to go above and beyond the baseline proficiency levels that the national standards require. So if nationally trainers have to search 20 vehicles in a parking lot to be able to recertify their dogs annually, Lopez and Nunez tell their trainers to search 100 vehicles or more.

Complacency kills, Nunez said.

The handlers train several days a week searching aircraft, vehicles, baggage, terminals, freight warehouses and open areas for at least 45 minutes. Each year, they must achieve at least 93 percent proficiency during their annual evaluations to be recertified.

The San Antonio unit and students with the Lackland Canine Training Center use the terminal for realistic scenarios to make sure the dogs can handle real-world threats. Lopez said they dont train by playing hide-and-seek with the explosives but rather by putting their dogs in the airport to expose them to different smells, noises and people.

You have to be ready for anything because the unthinkable happens, Nunez said. Whatever you could possibly think of happening, it has happened.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News

SAN ANTONIO  Thursday is an ozone action day for the San Antonio area, according to the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality. It is the ninth day this year with possibly harmful levels of ozone pollution.

Older folks, younger children and those with respiratory problems  such as bronchitis, emphysema or asthma  are more vulnerable to the pollutions effects. People with such conditions should stay indoors or limit outside activity if possible.
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UVALDE  Uvalde is getting an upgraded emergency communications center  and it wont cost taxpayers a dime. But the improvements wont cure the radio dead spots that hampered the police response to the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School.

The Texas branch of the nonprofit National Emergency Number Association will remodel the citys communications center, which was established after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and has been in need of improvements for years. It serves the Uvalde Police Department, EMS and the Uvalde County Sheriffs Office.

State-of-the-art equipment will be donated and installed free of charge. Cindy McCraw, president of the associations Texas branch, said nine donors had contributed at least $142,500 worth of items, including new communications consoles, flooring, desks, chairs and a refrigerator.

All the City Council had to do was vote to accept the donations, and it did  unanimously  at a meeting Tuesday evening.

A standing-room-only crowd at City Hall applauded.

It will be better communications between the agencies, Councilman Everardo Lalo Zamora said afterward.

The National Emergency Number Association, a nonprofit in Alexandria, Va., that focuses on improving 911 systems, is spearheading the project. The biggest contributor is Evans Consoles Corp., which designs and equips command centers and control rooms for law enforcement, airports and private industry.

The company is donating what its chief revenue officer, Ward Hayworth, described in a letter as next-generation consoles worth $125,000 to $130,000.

Right now, theyre currently building the consoles with an estimated install date of October, McCraw told the council, adding that parts and labor would have a lifetime warranty.

Mayor Donald McLaughlin Jr. said the new center would replace a system he jokingly said came over on the Mayflower. The estimated cost of improving the existing center was so prohibitive that no one wanted to include it in the municipal budget, he said.

The communications center bore no fault for the bungled police response to the Robb Elementary massacre, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed. Technology faltered that day, but not at the center.

Radios carried by law enforcement officers gathered in a school hallway did not work. The hallway ran adjacent to two interconnected classrooms where the 18-year-old gunman slaughtered his victims and where he remained holed up for over an hour.

A report on the shooting by a special Texas House committee said officers on opposite sides of the hallways were unable to communicate with each other. Police radios worked only intermittently inside the school, the report said.

McLaughlin said the only officers able to use their radios were U.S. Border Patrol agents.

Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez said the new center would be more efficient, requiring fewer dispatchers to operate. But it will not fix the radio dead spots that plagued authorities here before and during the Robb Elementary shooting, he said.

Thats a different issue, Rodriguez said. By doing this here, its not going to improve that. Thats an antenna. Thats a communications issue thats beyond this.

In other action, the council approved a new physical fitness program for the Uvalde Police Department, a response to state rules requiring an in-house certified fitness trainer.

Asked if the action also was in response to complaints that Uvalde police officers are overweight, McLaughlin replied, Whos not overweight nowadays? But we need to make sure our officers are fit.

sigc@express-news.net
I dont know about you, but I need a break from politics. We just breezed past Labor Day, the traditional start of the election season. And already, Im sick of both parties.

Lately, I cant decide which tribe is more insufferable.

Behind Door No. 1: Hypocritical Democrats, who defended Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart against critics for approving a search warrant for the Mar-a-Lago residence of former President Donald Trump and then turned around and criticized U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon for effectively blocking the Justice Departments investigation by granting Trumps request to have a special master review all evidence seized during the raid.

Behind Door No. 2: Shameless Republicans who are so desperate to be embraced by the working class that theyre willing to engage in the same kind of class warfare that they used to lament all those times it was aimed at them. They can oppose President Bidens plan to wipe out student loan debt without characterizing it as  in the words of conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt  a massive bailout of the wealthy in the United States.

During my sabbatical from politics, Im following the advice of my wife of 20 years. When choosing what to write about, she suggests, dont try to guess the hot topic. Just write about whatever you cant stop talking about, thinking about, or discussing with family and friends. If youre interested in it, she says, chances are that others will be too.

Very well. At the moment, what I cant stop thinking about is a royal send-off more than 5,000 miles away.

Queen Elizabeth II was loved and admired by so many not because she was flawless, or her family perfect, or her kingdom blameless for centuries of colonialism and oppression.

People in Africa, India, Ireland and many other places on the map know different, and they have the receipts. Fairy tales are of limited value. Reality is complicated, and seldom kind.

There was nothing kind about what a Carnegie Mellon University professor posted on Twitter before the 96-year-old monarch passed away.

I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying, tweeted Uju Anya, a Nigerian-born linguistics professor at the university. May her pain be excruciating.

The university is trying to put some distance between itself and Anya, calling her tweets offensive and objectionable.

Twitter removed the professors initial tweet for violating its rules of conduct, which prohibit anyone from wishing, hoping, or calling for serious harm on a person or group of people.

Meanwhile, Anya isnt backing down. In fact, in later tweets, she doubled down on her vitriol.

If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star, she wrote.

I do not wish to rewrite history. Nor do I wish for aggrieved people to abandon their grudges  some of which are justified. What I wish for is more civility, decency and maybe what used to be called good manners.

Elizabeth was the queen, not a prime minister; she saw 15 of those public servants come and go in seven decades, from Winston Churchill to the current occupant of the office, Liz Truss.

A queen is a ceremonial figure, not a policymaker. She is above all a national symbol, and what Elizabeth symbolized most  in more than 70 years on the throne  was duty, grace, strength, steadiness and dignity.

Its fine that the queen has her critics. But the critics should be at least as dignified in expressing dissent as she was in bravely shepherding the United Kingdom from the age of just 25.

The flock loved their shepherd. Hundreds of thousands have turned out to pay their respects. Many have left behind cards and gifts expressing their affection and gratitude.

One handmade message perched atop a pile of flowers read: Thank you for showing the world how strong a woman can be!

Americans will never fully understand a monarchy. Were not supposed to understand it. Nearly 250 years ago, our own brave shepherds fought a revolution so that, one day, we wouldnt have to understand.

But we do understand love, strength, devotion and appreciation. And so we can understand why so many people are not quite sure how to feel about the prospect of living in a world that is missing Queen Elizabeth II.
Member of the Smolninskoye municipality council Dmitry Palyuga, who was fined for public activity aimed at discrediting the Russian authorities amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, reacts inside a court building after a hearing in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Sept. 13. Reuters-Yonhap



A group of St Petersburg local politicians who called for President Vladimir Putin to be sacked over the war in Ukraine faces the likely dissolution of their district council following a judge's ruling on Tuesday, one of the deputies said.



Nikita Yuferev said the judge decided that a series of past council meetings had been invalid, paving the way for it to be broken up by the regional governor.



Another council member, Dmitry Palyuga, said the same court then fined him 47,000 rubles ($780) for "discrediting" the authorities by calling for Putin's removal. Court officials could not be reached by telephone for comment.



Four more members of the Smolninskoye local council are due to appear in court in the next two days.



Last week, a group of deputies from the council appealed to the State Duma to bring charges of state treason against Putin and strip him of power, citing a series of reasons including Russia's military losses in Ukraine and the damage to its economy from Western sanctions.



Another local deputy said 65 municipal representatives from St Petersburg, Moscow and several other regions had signed a petition she published on Monday calling for Putin's resignation.



While posing no current threat to Putin's grip on power, the moves mark rare expressions of dissent by elected representatives at a time when Russians risk heavy prison sentences for "discrediting" the armed forces or spreading "deliberately false information" about them.



Palyuga told Reuters before Tuesday's hearing that the group's appeals were aimed not only at liberal Russians but also at "people loyal to the authorities who are starting to have doubts when they see the lack of success of the Russian army".



He said he expected the numbers of such people to increase after last week's lightning counter-offensive in which Ukraine drove Russian forces out of dozens of towns and recaptured a large swathe of territory in its northeast Kharkiv region.



"Of course, what is happening now has successfully coincided with our agenda. Many people who liked Putin are starting to feel betrayed. I think the more successfully the Ukrainian army operates, the more such people will become," he said.





Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an extraordinary meeting of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) focused on the border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo (CSTO) focused on the border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Sept. 13. AFP-Yonhap
Certain titles bestow global fame and often instant recognition and powerful symbolism: President of the United States, the worlds richest person, the top grossing movie star at the box office; and, once upon a time, the heavyweight champion of the world.

The names change with time. When we hear president of the United States we may see, in our minds, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Barack Obama or Joe Biden. The worlds wealthiest person may evoke Howard Hughes, Elon Musk, Sam Walton, Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos.

Queen of England, however, evokes but one name and one face because of the remarkable longevity of her reign. When Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday, at the age of 96, she did so as the longest-serving monarch in British history, holding the throne for 70 years.

RELATED: Queen Elizabeth II captured hearts in 1991 trip to San Antonio

Its not simply that she was the only monarch most people now living in the world have known. Theres no one, on the planet, who lived during the time of the last queen of England, Victoria, who was Elizabeths great-grandmother and died in 1901.

Elizabeth was, arguably, the most recognizable person in the world for the longest period in history. She was a monarch and steadying presence for British governance, but also a global pop cultural figure and a fixed presence in the lives of generations of British people.

Monarchies are an antiquated and vanishing form of government that invest ridiculous and undeserved power and public resources in one family, potentially for centuries.

As the face of the British monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II was beloved by millions for her grace, reserve, and how she carried out her duties. She was the face of stability in a turbulent world. But for millions of others, around the world, she symbolized the British Empires awful and crippling legacy of colonialism.

Its a complicated legacy of inheritance. For the monarchy and for the only woman, whom admirers and detractors will think of, when they hear or read the words, Queen of England.
SAN ANTONIO  Former Bexar County Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela summoned several of her deputies to a Family Dollar store where she interrogated a store manager who had accused one of her sons of shoplifting shoes, according to courtroom testimony.

Deputy Vanessa Pena, testifying Tuesday at a sentencing hearing for Vela, said the constable was angry and upset on Feb. 28, 2019, and could be heard on the radio calling her traffic enforcement officers to join her at the Family Dollar on Zarzamora Street.

Pena said that when Carlos Vela Jr. went to the store that day, the manager said she recognized him as someone who had stolen shoes a few months earlier and asked him to leave. The younger Vela is believed to have been 24 or 25 at the time.

Pena said that when the constable arrived, she and another deputy stood back and Vela was the one actually interrogating the manager.

The manager looked really nervous under Velas questioning, Pena added. She was really scared.

Vela, 48, an elected Democrat, was convicted Sept. 1 of two counts of tampering with evidence stemming from an investigation into a complaint that she shook down a family for $300 to provide security at an Easter Sunday party in Rodriguez Park in 2019.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Vela also is charged with three counts of official oppression tied to her treatment of two deputies who had accused her of harassment and retaliation. The jury that convicted her of evidence tampering was not allowed to hear anything about the official oppression charges. Nevertheless, state District Judge Velia Meza can take them into account in determining Velas sentence.

After hearing about the Family Dollar incident, Meza asked Pena whether it was the first time Vela ordered deputies to intervene in a situation where she had a personal stake.

How many times did she ask (deputies) to do that? the judge asked.

Twice, Pena replied.

Was the constable ever in danger either time? Meza asked.

No, Pena replied.

Pena was the first of a handful of deputies who testified for the prosecution on Tuesday, the second day of the sentencing hearing, which is not expected to conclude until early October.

Precinct 2 Deputy Joshua Lugo testified that Vela stopped approving his requests to accept part-time work outside of Bexar County once Vela became aware that he had spoken to two of her adversaries within the Precinct 2 constables office, Leonicio Barrera Moreno and Christopher De La Cerda, at a funeral.

Moreno filed a complaint accusing Vela of harassment and retaliation because he refused her sexual advances, allegations she has denied. De La Cerda made a similar complaint against Vela.

Lugo said Vela told him not to speak to Moreno and De La Cerda, specifically them, because they were not part of our team.

Lugo added, She made it clear in roll call she didnt want me to talk to them.

Vela fired Moreno and De La Cerda but the two regained their jobs through arbitration.

Vela, who has no previous criminal record, could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. She has applied for probation.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
SAN ANTONIO  According to the Social Security Administration, about 2 million people are subject to something called the windfall elimination provision, or WEP, which reduces Social Security benefits in retirement. This affected 200,309 Texans receiving Social Security payments at the end of 2021, more than in any state except California.

The WEP usually hits when income over a lifetime is split partly between a public sector job with a pension and some years of contributing to Social Security.

If you are a public sector employee with a pension  such as a firefighter, police officer or public school employee  youll want to pay attention to how the WEP may affect your Social Security payments in retirement.

On ExpressNews.com: Taylor: Social Securitys fate not tied to its trust fund

In Texas, an estimated 95 percent of public school district employees do not pay into Social Security, according to the Teachers Retirement System, making them likely to be affected by the WEP. Texas police and firefighters, as well as city or county officials, may also be negatively affected if they do not participate in Social Security for most of their careers.

The WEP is notoriously complicated. Ill explain who might be affected, who shouldnt worry, and what  if anything  you can do about it.

To clarify, the WEP is unrelated to any song by Megan Thee Stallion, and if you dont know what Im talking about, I implore you not to check YouTube right now.

The reason for the WEP

To understand the idea behind the WEP, you need to know a key thing about how Social Security retirement benefits are designed. As a welfare program, Social Security benefits nearly match earnings for the lowest-paid people. As a persons income increases, so does ones Social Security benefit  but at a decreasing percentage.

The WEP affects people who fit one of a few scenarios:

A salaried public employees who contributes to a public pension rather than Social Security and earns a modest amount of money on a side hustle for which that person pays into Social Security, such as a teacher who takes a summer job

An owner or part owner of a business that pays into Social Security

A person who works part of his or her career in a job that pays into Social Security and then switches into a public pension job that doesnt

In each case, the Social Security Administration deems it unfair for someone to accumulate low-pay Social Security credits and have them highly matched with benefits. For example, the SSA seeks to provide greater benefits to someone earning only $15,000 a year than to a teacher earning $15,000 from a summer job that pays into Social Security in addition to a salary from a teaching job that comes with a pension.

So the WEP reduces Social Security payments made to the public pensioner in retirement as a matter of fairness to low-paid people who depend solely on Social Security.

Scale of Social Security reduction

Another key thing to know is that the WEP does not affect ones pension benefits. It only reduces your Social Security benefits. The question is: By how much?

Under the worst-case scenario in 2022, the WEP can reduce your Social Security payment by no more than $512 per month, said Oscar Garcia, a former Social Security Administration employee who is a consultant with Your Social Security Strategies.

That $512 maximum will rise in the future.

On ExpressNews.com: Taylor: A cross-border retirement policy isnt just fair; it makes economic sense for Texas and U.S.

Garcia used to write a newspaper column about Social Security and is deeply fluent in the WEP.

Another limit to the WEPs pain is a provision that protects people who only qualify for a small pension through their public sector careers. Social Security will only reduce your benefit payment by half the size of your pension. For example, if you get $300 per month from your pension in retirement, your Social Security benefits will be reduced by $150 per month.

What Can Be Done? Can the WEP Be Avoided?

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.

Not much can be done for people who will receive a significant public pension while having only accumulated some Social Security benefits over a lifetime.

Any public pension-eligible employee who manages to accumulate 30 full years paying into Social Security wont be hit by the WEP. Anyone who earns a substantial income subject to Social Security withholding over 21 to 30 years is partially protected from the WEP  on a sliding scale as they approach 30 years. Of course, while plausible, its hard to work 20 to 30 years in a job that pays into Social Security while also qualifying for a public pension.

J. Scott Applewhite, STF / Associated Press

Other than that, the best defense is forewarning through knowledge, and people worried about the WEP can go to an online Social Security calculator. To use this tool effectively, you need to know all your past years earnings. A website called MySocialSecurity has a personalized benefits estimator that provides the best way to get your past earnings. Its worth registering for it if you havent already.

On ExpressNews.com: Taylor: The right age to start collecting Social Security? Well, it depends. When will you die?

The WEP is unpopular among public pensioners, so multiple attempts have been made to repeal it  so far unsuccessfully.

In July 2019, while U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, he introduced the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act, which proposed replacing the WEP with a proportional formula that would have raised Social Security payments for most and reduced them for others, based on average time in ones career spent paying into Social Security. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced a Senate companion to Bradys bill in March 2020.

In 2021, Brady again introduced a WEP-elimination bill, with support from 15 other congressional members from Texas.

Also, in April 2021, the Texas Legislature sent a resolution to Congress urging it to take action.

Further attempts have been made by Republicans and Democrats in recent years to repeal or reform the WEP, but so far, it lives on.

A frequently lumped-together and somewhat related hated problem, known as the government pension offset, can also reduce Social Security spousal benefits. Ill address that confusing story in a subsequent column.

Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News, author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates and host of the podcast No Hill For A Climber.

michael@michaelthesmartmoney.com | twitter.com/michael_taylor
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A man has become the first offender in North Yorkshire to be given a Criminal Behaviour Order for poaching offences after being found guilty.

Ryan Spence was also handed a six-month driving ban and just over 1,000 of fines at Scarborough magistrates court on Thursday 9 September.

The 32-year-old attended private farmland with three dogs in Normanby, near Kirkbymoorside in Ryedale, shortly before 9am on 15 February 2022.

Witnesses saw one of the dogs chasing a hare on the land and called the police, who attended the location and arrested Spence a short time later.

North Yorkshire police officers also seized the dogs. They said Spence was a prolific national offender, who had previously been convicted of poaching offences in North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, Norfolk and Scotland.

The Criminal Behaviour Order served to Spence prevents him from trespassing on any land with a dog, firearm, or any item capable of firing a projectile.

He is also banned from being part of a group involved in the hunting of any wild mammals with dogs or firearms.

Inspector Clive Turner from the Rural Task Force said Ryan Spence had caused significant harm to rural communities over a number of years.

"Im pleased he has now faced the courts and we have been successful in having the Criminal Behaviour Order granted."

Inspector Turner added: Poaching is a serious offence, it damages local businesses, economies and communities.

I encourage anyone who sees any suspicious activity in our rural areas to report it to the police.

"Even if you are not sure whether or not crime is being committed, your information might just be the missing piece of the jigsaw we need to bring offenders like Spence to justice."




Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday promised "victory" on a visit to the strategic city of Izyum that was recently recaptured from Russia by Kyiv's army in a lightning counter-offensive.







The visit comes at a decisive moment in Russia's six-month invasion, with Ukraine routing Moscow's forces from swathes of the east and seriously undermining the Kremlin's ambitions to capture the entire Donbas region of Ukraine.







"Our blue-yellow flag is already flying in deoccupied Izyum. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and village," Zelensky said in a statement on social media.







"We are moving in only one direction  forward and towards victory." Pictures distributed by his office showed the Ukrainian leader wearing dark-green and flanked by guards as he took selfies with soldiers and thanked troops at a flag-rising ceremony. Ukraine has claimed sweeping successes in the northeastern Kharkiv region that borders Russia in recent days and also says it has clawed back territory along a southern front near the Kherson region on the Black Sea.







Zelensky said Wednesday that Russia's occupation of Crimea  annexed by Russia in 2014  was a "tragedy" and promised that his forces would eventually recapture the peninsula. Kyiv says that since the beginning of September its forces have retaken hundreds of villages, towns and cities that were captured by Russian forces that invaded Ukraine on February 24. (AFP)


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The history has gone back to repeat although this time the FC Barcelona was upper to the Bayern Munich. The ones of Xavi Hernandez could not beat the goal of Manuel Neuer in the reiterated occasions of danger that generated, what finished for sentencing a new defeat in the Allianz Sand by (2-0) and extending the bad series in front of German teams.

In fact, the last victory of the Barca in territory Teutonic dates of 2016, when Gerard Hammered and Burn Turan led a traced back that would finish in victory (1-2) for the Catalans in front of the Borussia Monchengladbach. From this opportunity, the cules have visited four times Germany leaving two ties and two defeats in the historical register.

The parties were (0-0) in front of the Borussia Dortmund in the phase of groups of the Champions 2019/20, (3-0) in front of the Bayern also by phase of groups in the past campaign, the tie (1-1) in front of the Eintracht of Frankfurt by quarter-finals of Europe League 2021/22 and the meeting of this Tuesday again before the Bavarians.

In the last 10 commitments in front of teams germanos, the Barcelona only has achieved to add two victories, the one of Monchengladbach and a (1-3) against the Bayer Leverkusen in the 2011/12, where the Chilean Alexis Sanchez was leading. The others eight duels that close a decade for the forget leave a negative balance of four defeats and four ties.

Historical figures

In total, the Barca has visited German floor in 36 opportunities, being the first time in 1961 in front of the West Berlin Select in the dieciseisavos of final of the Glass of Fairs. This eliminatory left the first defeat (1-0) in front of a group tudesco, although the pass would carry it to him the blaugrana in a traced back in the Camp Nou.

Like this the things, the cules have achieved 10 victories, 14 ties and 12 defeats for a total of 44 goals in favour and 44 against. In this record never have won to the Bayern (two ties and five defeats) neither to the Dortmund (two ties), concretising victories only in front of the Leverkusen, Colony, Monchengladbach, Shalke, Stuttgart, Bremen, Uerdingen, Magdeburg and VfB Leipzig.
Cambodia exported $7.077 billion worth of products to the United States in the first seven months of this yeara 64.7 per cent rise compared to the same period last year, according to US Census Bureau, which recently reported that the southeast Asian nation imported $305 million worth of products from the United Statesa 29.9 per cent increase year on year (YoY).

This led to Cambodias trade surplus with the United States being $6,771 million.

In July, Cambodias exports to the United States amounted to $1,138 milliona 72 per cent YoY increase, while imports were worth $44.6 million, a report in a Cambodian newspaper reported.

Cambodia exported $7.077 billion worth of products to the United States in the first seven months of this yeara 64.7 per cent rise compared to the same period last year, according to US Census Bureau, which recently reported that the southeast Asian nation imported $305 million worth of products from the United Statesa 29.9 per cent increase year on year.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Bangladesh is yet to tap the full potential of the European Union (EU) and the UK markets and can earn an additional $20 billion by exporting products to these regions, according to a research paper by the Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID). Of the $20 billion, apparel export potential worth $18 billion remains unutilised.

RAPID chairman M A Razzaque said in the research paper that China is losing its share in the global market due to rising tension with the West, emerging geopolitical scenario, and long COVID restrictions in the former, and therefore, Bangladesh can further raise its share. China moving away from low value-added apparels to more sophisticated ones also works to Bangladeshs advantage, he said.

Bangladesh is yet to tap the full potential of the European Union (EU) and the UK markets and can earn an additional $20 billion by exporting products to these regions, according to a research paper by the Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID). Of the $20 billion, apparel export potential worth $18 billion remains unutilised.

Chinas share in the EU market in 2010 was nearly 44 per cent, which declined to around 31 per cent in 2021.

Data shows Bangladesh fetched nearly $28 billion from the EU and the UK markets in fiscal 2021-22, posting a 32 per cent export growth, of which around $26 billion came from readymade garment (RMG) exports.

The EU and the United Kingdom jointly account for 45 per cent of the global apparel market with more than $200 billion worth annual imports, Bangladeshi media reported citing the research paper.

Some challenges, including inefficiency in ports, complex customs procedures and lack of technological upgradation, should be addressed, the RAPID study pointed out.

The research paper also recommended attracting more foreign direct investment in backward linkage, investment in non-cotton fabric and diversification of RMG products to grab more shares of Chinese export.

By 2030, the apparel market size of the EU and the UK would be more than $260 billion, and Bangladesh's export there could reach $65 billion.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
For aeons now, audiences have been deeply influenced by Bollywood fashion. Iconic looks by their favourite stars have been the way to experiment with styles, with a hint of movie glamour.





As we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of Yash Chopra's epic romance - Chandni, viewing it from our fashion-imbued lens, we pondered upon the fashion trend that Sridevi started with her white ensembles and chiffon sarees from the film.

This 1989 film showcased some of the best traditional attires - costume designer Leena Daru who has had quite the reputation for dressing up Bollywood divas put her A-game on and made the all-white look on Sridevi quite a sensational one.

Who can forget how ethereal Sridevi looked in the all-white churidar set she wore in one of the most romantic scenes in the film where she is seen sitting on a bed of red rose petals? The yellow lace saree became a trend in no time ever since Sridevi danced away to the song Mitwa in the film, romancing Rishi Kapoor.

Chiffon sarees were a go-to style statement in the era, she was also seen in a lovely hot pink chiffon saree in Chandni that was among her top favourite looks from the film. There is a particular song sequence in the film where she is seen performing the tandav dance - her costume entailed an all-white saree apsara look yet again.

Chandni is iconic for more reasons than one. While a Yash Chopra romantic saga is every Bollywood heroine's dream - Sridevi's beautifully styled looks became one of the many talking points of the films which to date are recreated in remembrance of what a moment it had in the fashion landscape.
New private company will focus on accelerating 3D printing innovation and global adoption of desktop 3D printing solutions

NEW YORK and UTRECHT, Netherlands, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MakerBot and Ultimaker, two leaders in desktop 3D printing, today announced the completion of their merger. Under the new brand, UltiMaker, the company aims to provide easy-to-use and accessible 3D printing hardware, software, and materials for any application, driving the industry to a future state of responsible and sustainable manufacturing.





Combining both companies' products platform under one roof, UltiMaker will continue to offer a wide range of solutions to customers, with well-established brands such as the MakerBot METHOD, MakerBot SKETCH, and MakerBot Replicator 3D printers, and MakerBot CloudPrint as well as the Ultimaker 2+ Connect, Ultimaker S3, Ultimaker S5, and Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle. In addition, the open communities, Ultimaker Cura and MakerBot Thingiverse will continue to be managed by the new company.

The newly formed entity will invest capital to accelerate growth, drive new product innovation, further research and development, and strengthen its presence across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific through market expansions. Nadav Goshen will spearhead the new company as its CEO, while former Ultimaker CEO Jurgen von Hollen has decided to leave the business after assisting with the integration and transition plans for the new company over the coming months.

"As we begin the next chapter together as UltiMaker, we will continue to focus on developing 3D printing innovations to advance the availability of accessible and easy-to-use 3D printing solutions," said Nadav Goshen, CEO of UltiMaker. "By combining our teams and technical expertise, we can work towards developing and delivering a comprehensive portfolio of products to support professional, educational, and light-industrial applications."

"With the completion of the merger behind us, we can now focus on integrating the two businesses further and begin creating significant value for customers with leading 3D printing solutions," said Jurgen von Hollen. "During the next few months, I look forward to helping the teams get started and take maximum advantage of the newly afforded opportunities."

The completion of the merger allows UltiMaker to work towards consolidating both organizations and product lines. Combining both companies' product portfolios will allow UltiMaker to offer a wide range of products for different applications to customers across the globe. Additionally, the new company plans to amplify R&D efforts to develop new products for education and professional customers, with new hardware and software innovations on the close horizon.

The new company will continue to operate in New York and The Netherlands.

About MakerBot

MakerBot was a global leader in desktop 3D printing that redefined the standards for 3D printing for safety and emissions, reliability, accessibility, precision, and ease-of-use.

MakerBot, MakerBot CloudPrint, MakerBot METHOD, MakerBot SKETCH, MakerBot Replicator, and Thingiverse are trademarks or registered trademarks of MakerBot Industries, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Ultimaker

Ultimaker was on a mission to accelerate the world's transformation to flexible, empowering and sustainable solutions with a platform that enabled customers to leverage diverse 3D printing products and services. Ultimaker provided a seamless integration of hardware, software and materials -including an Ecosystem of partners- that simply worked.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1896623/Ultimaker_and_MakerBot.jpg
FundYourFX is the first proprietary trading firm to donate 10% of its own 50-50 profit share. They will keep 40% of the profit and donate 10% to four charities. Their traders can also join in by donating 10% of their profit share. If the trader agrees, the charity gets 20% of the profits.

London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - September 13, 2022) -FundYourFX Supports Charities. With the success FundYourFX had, it has given them the means to launch charitable donations to raise money and awareness for others in need. FundYourFX has chosen to donate to organizations that work to protect the environment, end world hunger, stop child abuse, and encourage financial literacy. As part of their commitment to these four causes, they will collaborate with multiple charities on each issue, rather than focusing on any one group alone.





Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8621/136792_b7516c43d4948bc3_001full.jpg

One of FundYourFX's most profitable traders, Syed Ahmed, has made it his mission to help other potential traders in impoverished countries who are struggling with capital. He has assisted them in completing their trading challenges and has paid for their accounts. He wishes to establish a trading community that will assist one another and fosters the same winning mentality so that they may support themselves financially through trading.

Strong social consciences are crucial for individuals like Syed Ahmed and businesses like FundYourFX because they understand that it is possible to generate profit and contribute to society at the same time. It is their sincere desire that this will inspire others in the same industry to lend a hand to those in need, thereby improving the quality of life for all concerned.

About FundYourFX

How did this all start? FundYourFX was founded as a necessity to bring instant funding with real funds, without the need for trading challenges. In February 2021, FundYourFX was born with the goal of providing the best funded trading program available. Founded by traders and market experts, FundYourFX recognized early that most funding programs aren't appealing to talented traders. They don't want to waste time with challenges. They want to start trading with real funds from the start. By providing the capital to these talented traders, FundYourFX works with institutional clients from the broad area of finance. With the help of their instant funding, talented traders receive real funds with a fair profit split and not be reliable for any potential losses.

Funded Trading Programs

As their popularity grows rapidly, they now offer three funding programs, Starter, Standard, and Professional. Each program offers a different starting capital to suit different kinds of traders. What sets FundYourFX apart from the competitions are:

Fully funded account with real funds

Instant funding without trading challenge

50% profit share

Up to $1M scaling plan

No liability for losses

No restrictive rules.

Trade from anywhere in the world

24/7 personal support





Figure 2

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

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Company Info:

FundYourFX is registered and operates out of London, United Kingdom. For more information about FundYourFX, visit https://www.fundyourfx.com. For inquiries, contact customer support at info@fundyourfx.com and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Media Contact:

Company Name - FundYourFX

Contact Person: Alex Firdaus

Email - info@fundyourfx.com

Phone - (+44) 330 551 9966

Website - www.fundyourfx.com

Location - London, United Kingdom

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/136792
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.
Wenco International Mining Systems Ltd. ("Wenco") is pleased to expand its sales and support to customers in Northern Europe through its new partnership with Rotator Oy, a leading provider of mining equipment and solutions, based in Finland.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006133/en/

This new agreement extends Wenco's reach with a capable value-added reseller, paving the way for customers in the region to further leverage Wenco's open and interoperable approach to mining technology.

Wenco is a leading provider of technology solutions to the global mining industry with a comprehensive suite of digital solutions that boost productivity, decrease operating costs, extend equipment life, enhance safety, and give mining companies actionable insights into their operations. Mines realize these benefits through systems for fleet management, machine guidance, safety, and asset health all grounded in an open systems philosophy that empowers them to freely integrate systems to support their unique business processes, data requirements, and reporting needs.

"We're very positive about the establishment of this partnership with Rotator," says Andrew Pyne, President and CEO of Wenco. "They have a very strong presence in the region and an excellent track record of sales and support for Hitachi Construction Machinery, our parent company. We're looking forward to working closely with Rotator to deliver value through the application of our technologies to their customers in the region."

Rotator CEO Janne Wartiovaara concurs with Pyne. "We are excited to add Wenco to our Mining offering and look forward to bring more valuable solutions to our customers," says Janne Wartiovaara.

In addition to solutions for fleet operations, Rotator and Wenco are introducing innovative fatigue management solutions to the market with Wenco's SmartCap, the only technology proven to eliminate safety incidents caused by fatigue. SmartCap uses EEG to measure operator fatigue, then notify users of reduced ability to resist sleep before a fatigue-related incident occurs.

Wenco and Rotator formed this partnership due to their shared focus on delivering customer-centric solutions to the mining industry. Founded in 1954, Rotator is one of the most experienced and well-established machine import and after-sales service companies in Finland. Located in Pirkkala with satellite offices in Vantaa, Kuopio, Seinajoki, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Sotkamo, and Lieto, Rotator is committed to providing reliable, efficient, and safe solutions to customers through Finland and Sweden.

The company's rich history of support for customers made it a natural partner for Wenco in Northern Europe.

Rotator is now in discussions with mines across Finland and Sweden on how they can advance their digital transformation with Wenco's solutions. To learn more, please contact Rotator Sales Manager Sami Laitila at sami.laitila@rotator.fi or +35840-8242-495. For all other inquiries into Wenco and its solutions, please contact Wenco Regional Manager Europe, Middle East, and Kazakhstan, Klaus Hansson at khansson@wencomine.com or +971-522-600-596.

About Wenco International Mining Systems

For over 30 years, Wenco International Mining Systems has worked with mining companies to extract unrealized value. In support of this mission, Wenco has developed an integrated suite of solutions to support the digital transformation of the mining industry. Fleet management, asset health, fatigue management, and other technologies join together in the spirit of open interoperability to raise mine productivity and efficiency, lower routine costs, and establish a safe and smooth mining operation.

www.wencomine.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006133/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Jessica Steward

Magnolia Marketing Communication

jessica.steward@magnoliamc.com

+1-604-349-7600
Four Climate Leaders Serving Multi-Year Prison Sentences in Vietnam, Including Goldman Prize Winner Nguy Thi Khanh, Raises Questions about the Country's Human Rights Standards

As the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) begins its 51st session this week, 52 Goldman Environmental Prize winners from 42 countries today sent a letter to the UNHRC urging them to vote against Vietnam's admission as a new member, given the nation's treatment of its most prominent climate and environmental advocates.

In the last two years, four environmental advocates have been imprisoned in Vietnam on tax-related charges, including 2018 Goldman Prize winner Nguy Thi Khanh, one of the country's foremost climate experts. These arrests have raised alarms that Vietnam's ambiguous tax laws are being used to silence leaders of nonprofit organizations working on Vietnam's transition away from coal toward clean energy. In addition to Ms. Khanh, environmental lawyer Dang Dinh Bach is serving five years in prison after years of working to protect marginalized communities from harmful pesticides and pollution from coal power plants.

Meanwhile, Vietnam continues to receive global praise for its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, made last November at the UN Climate Conference (COP 26). Questions are being raised over why the Vietnamese government is targeting the country's top climate and environmental experts while at the same time seeking to align with international efforts toward a clean energy transition. Concern is spreading among NGOs throughout Vietnam that their work on social and environmental issues could lead to criminal prosecution and imprisonment.

Signatories of today's letter assert that Vietnam does not meet the UNHRC's criteria of upholding high human rights standards.

Today's letter urges Vietnam to end its persecution of civil society leaders by revising its tax code-which has been wielded as a tool of repression-and by "releasing Ms. Khanh, Mr. Bach, and the other environmental defenders imprisoned under these unjust laws." It also cites the UN Special Rapporteurs on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association and on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, which both found that Vietnam's tax laws are incompatible with human rights norms and warned that the threat of a long prison sentence and vagueness about what constitutes a tax violation encourages self-censorship and stifles important discussion on matters of public interest.

Over the last 10 years, Ms. Khanh has worked tirelessly to address Vietnam's coal expansion plans, raise public awareness over the impact of coal plant emissions on air quality and public health, and advance the use of renewable energy sources in Vietnam. Her sentencing has been met with international condemnation, including by the governments of the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, as well as NGOs and civil society organizations around the world-all of which have called for her release.

Earlier this week, the UN Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, made a statement to the UNHRC addressing Vietnam's "growing restrictions on civic space and fundamental freedoms," urging the government to "release those who have been arbitrarily detained or imprisoned" for working to promote a clean and healthy environment.

Today's letter echoes this sentiment. "Ms. Khanh, Mr. Bach, and the other environmental defenders currently imprisoned in Vietnam have dedicated their lives to creating a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, which was declared a universal human right by the UN General Assembly last year," it says. "With these experts behind bars and concerns about the possibility of more arrests, how will Vietnam uphold this universal right?"

"Furthermore, these prisoners are being held in detention with little or no access to lawyers or family, which is not only excessive for individuals charged with tax evasion but also illegal under international law," the letter continues.

"Unfortunately, many Goldman Prize winners have been arrested and jailed in the past by governments around the world. We have all faced uphill battles in our efforts to protect our planet and catalyze change," continues the letter. "What's happening in Vietnam is just the tip of the iceberg. We urge you to use this as an opportunity to demonstrate not only to Vietnam, but to all countries, that the criteria for obtaining an esteemed membership on the Human Rights Council are taken seriously, and that the international community is watching."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006301/en/

Contacts:

v4climateleaders@gmail.com
Regulatory News:

Advicenne (Euronext Growth Paris ALDVI FR0013296746), a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative treatments for those suffering from rare renal diseases, is pleased to update about the market access of Sibnayal in Great Britain. Sibnayal is a combination of potassium citrate and potassium bicarbonate.

Sibnayal has been accepted for use within NHS Scotland. This positive decision by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) makes Sibnayal immediately available to all Scottish distal Renal Tubular Acidosis (dRTA) patients as per the licensed indication. This decision validates the medical contribution of Sibnayal and its favorable cost/benefit ratio in treating dRTA.

In England, Advicenne has withdrawn its submission to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The current absence of long-term outcome data for dRTA patients precluded a robust health economic model to be provided to NICE. Therefore, in England, Advicenne will work directly with specialist centers to make Sibnayal available to treat dRTA patients.

Advicenne believes that the economic impact of this decision will be limited given the limited number of prescribers and hospitals requiring local access to Sibnayal. In addition, Advicenne, within the framework of the European registry of patients suffering from dRTA, plans to collect data that will support a new submission to the NICE and provide the necessary long-term outcomes data.

Didier Laurens, Chief Executive Officer of Advicenne, commented: We are very pleased with the availability of Sibnayal to patients and caregivers in Great Britain. The Scottish decision validates the major therapeutic contribution of our drug and our economic vision for the product. Regarding NICE, we are confident that we will be able to meet their health-economic requirements in the future. Most importantly, patients and caregivers in Great Britain now have access to a drug which will benefit their daily lives. This announcement is a new step in Sibnayal's European business network, the aim is to maintain maximum value either via Advicenne as is the case in Great Britain or commercial partnerships

Sibnayal 's availability for sale was announced in Great Britain in June 2022. Advicenne has set up the GB organization to support the commercial success of the product in terms of commercial, medical, and logistics.

About Advicenne

Advicenne (Euronext: ALDVI) is a specialty pharmaceutical company founded in 2007, specializing in the development of innovative treatments in Nephrology. Its lead product Sibnayal (ADV 7103) has received its Marketing Approval for distal renal tubular acidosis in EU and the UK. ADV 7103 is currently in late-stage development in cystinuria in Europe and in dRTA and cystinuria in the US and in Canada. Headquartered in Paris, Advicenne, listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange since 2017, has now been listed on Euronext Growth Paris since its transfer on March 30, 2022. For additional information see: https://advicenne.com/.

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Advicenne group and its business, including its prospects and product candidate development. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Advicenne considers to be reasonable. However, there can be no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which estimates are subject to numerous risks including the risks set forth in the 2021 Universal Registration Document filed with the French financial market authority on April 29, 2022 (a copy of which is available on www.advicenne.com) and to the development of economic conditions, financial markets, and the markets in which Advicenne operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Advicenne or not currently considered material by Advicenne. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial conditions, performance, or achievements of Advicenne to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. Advicenne expressly declines any obligation to update such forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006243/en/

Contacts:

Advicenne

Didier Laurens, CEO

+33 (0)1 87 44 40 17

Email: investors@advicenne.com

Ulysse Communication

Media relations

Bruno Arabian

+33 (0)6 87 88 47 26

Email: barabian@ulysse-communication.com
Exclusive Networks First Half 2022 Financial Results

Outstanding Growth

2022 Outlook Raised

Half Year Gross Sales at 1.947.4 million up 33.8%

Half Year Adjusted EBITA at 66.5 million up 39.3%

Half Year Operating Free Cash Flow Before Tax at 166 million

Operating Free Cash Flow Before Tax at 166 million Leverage ratio of Net Debt over LTM Adjusted EBITDA after Leases of 1.8x

Exclusive Networks (Euronext Paris: EXN) (Paris:EXN), a global leader in cyber security, today announces financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2022. Management will hold a conference call at 9:00 am (CET) today, available via webcast (https://ir.exclusive-networks.com/). A replay will be available.

Jesper Trolle, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "I am really proud of the excellent results we delivered in the first half of the year. As always, our teams around the world have been instrumental to this performance and I want to warmly thank them for their hard work. Not only did we deliver record half-year Gross Sales but we also managed to grow our profitability faster than our top line, and generate cash faster than in the past. Market dynamics during the first half of the year have remained favourable and we continue seeing strong market trends given the critical importance for businesses and public entities of all sizes of an adequate cyber security infrastructure.

Our positioning as the only global pure player in cybersecurity and our unparalleled execution capabilities enable us to deliver growth above the market, with our backlog remaining as strong as it has been.

We recognize the increasingly challenging macroeconomic environment worldwide, however, our strong start to the year carrying on into the second half of the year, robust forward indicators and the growing strategic importance of cybersecurity provide us with good visibility for the rest of 2022. Therefore, and in the absence of any unforeseen events, we are confident in our capacity to deliver on the upward revision to the outlook we release today for the full year."

H1 2022 GROUP FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Gross Sales and Adjusted profitability metrics are using non-GAAP measures. Revenue and Net Margin are reported in IFRS format. Full results as per IFRS are presented in the Appendix along with the reconciliation detailing the differences with non-GAAP measures. Please refer to the glossary at the end of the press release for further explanations.

in million H1 2021 H1 2022 Change Reported Constant Currency* Gross sales1 1,455.1 1,947.4 33.8% 31.2% Revenue 1,105.9 1,473.7 33.3% 31.0% Net Margin 145.4 187.6 29.0% % Gross Sales 10.0% 9.6% -0.4 pt Adj. EBITA 47.7 66.5 39.3% % Net Margin 32.8% 35.4% +2.6 pt Adj. Net Income 31.8 47.4 49.0%

* Variation at constant currency is computed using the second half of 2021 rates applied to the first half of 2022 Gross Sales. The USD, GBP and PLN evolved as follows; 1EUR: 1.094 USD; 1EUR: 0.842 GBP, 1EUR: 4.633PLN respectively for H1 2022 and 1EUR: 1.206 USD, 1EUR: 0.868 GBP, 1EUR: 4.537 PLN respectively for H1 2021.

Gross Sales were 1,947.4 million, an increase of 33.8% year over year on a reported basis and up 31.2% at constant currency. The majority of this growth (72%) was driven by business with existing vendors in their current geographies. The balance of the growth was the result of vendor expansion (14%) and acquisitions (14%). Vendor expansion is a combination of vendors entering new geographies (c.5%) and new vendor relationships (c.9%). The acquisitions of Ignition Technology and Networks Unlimited supported our growth through M&A.

Vendors retention rates increased in the first half of the year, supported by increasing demand for our vendors' solutions and the continued engagement of our channel partners. Net euro retention rates2 for the first half of 2022 were up 128% (vs 112% in the first half of 2021) with customers net euro retention rates2 at 127% (vs 108% in the first half of 2021).

Revenue as reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements takes into account the recognition of the sales of support and maintenance on a Net Margin basis as per IFRS as Exclusive Networks are not the primary obligor for these solutions. Revenue grew in line with Gross Sales.

Net Margin reached 187.6 million in the first half of 2022, an increase of 29.0% year on year. This was below top line growth driven by the variation in mix of geography and deal size.

Adjusted EBITA rose significantly to 66.5 million, up 39.3% year over year, growing faster than our top line. Adj. EBITA margin over Net Margin was up 261 bps year on year to 35.4% as the Group benefits from operating leverage.

Adjusted Net Income was 47.5 million, an increase up 49.4% year over year on a Reported basis.

H1 2022 PERFORMANCE BY REGION

in million H1 2021 H1 2022 Change Reported Constant Currency* EMEA Gross Sales 1,130.8 1,528.0 35.1% 34.6% Adj. EBITA 48.9 69.7 42.4% APAC Gross Sales 193.4 219.3 13.4% 6.2% Adj. EBITA 7.7 10.8 39.8% AMERICAS Gross Sales 130.9 200.1 52.9% 39.0% Adj. EBITA 3.3 4.4 36.0% Total Gross Sales 1,455.1 1,947.4 33.8% 31.2% Adj. EBITA 47.7 66.5 39.3%

EMEA: Gross Sales at 1,528.0 million, up 35.1% year on year. In EMEA, the Group benefited from a continued positive momentum with growth in all countries. The region experienced an acceleration in the development of the Enterprise market and an increasing share of large deals, particularly in the UK and Germany.

Profitability also increased, with Adjusted EBITA standing at 69.7 million and growing 42.4% year on year.

APAC: Gross Sales reached 219.3 million, up 13.4% year on year. The region experienced a robust acceleration of growth, in particular in the second quarter, supported by both large deals in Singapore and in the Philippines and a strong overall performance in the region.

The top-line growth was coupled with a very strong increase in profitability, with Adjusted EBITA growing c.40% year over year, to 10.8 million, with solid margin trends coupled with significant operating leverage.

AMERICAS: Gross Sales were 200.1 million, up 52.9% year on year. The strong performance was fuelled by high demand for cybersecurity solutions of key vendors, the addition of some vendors to our portfolio in Americas, and the sustained enterprise momentum with large deals. Adjusted EBITA margin was up 36.0% year on year, in line with the 39.0% growth of Gross Sales at constant currency.

H1 2022 CASH FLOW AND FINANCING

Operating Free Cash Flow Before Tax was 166.2 million in H1 2022, representing a 227.7% cash conversion from Adjusted EBITDA, up from 111.7% last year. This increase in cash generation in the period was driven by the strong business performance and a significant working capital cash release through increase in factoring facilities without recourse, improvement in commercial conditions with vendors and new schedule of VAT payments in the UK, reducing working capital by a total of 103m in the first half of 2022, despite the activity growth.

Leverage: Exclusive Networks' Financial Gross Debt as at June 30, 2022, was 518 million, with Cash Cash Equivalents standing at 257 million and Net Debt at 261 million. This resulted in a leverage ratio of Net Debt over Last Twelve Month Adjusted EBITDA after Leases of 1.8x. The significant reduction in leverage was driven by the strong cash generation in the period. We now target a leverage ratio below 2.0x Net Debt/EBITDA at the end of 2022.

OUTLOOK

On the back of the solid H1 2022 performance and carrying into the second half, Exclusive Networks' management team has decided to revise upwards its outlook for the full year of 2022 as follows:

Gross sales are now expected to exceed 4.2billion (vs above 3.8billion previously expected);

- The net margin is now expected to be between 392 million and 400 million (vs 362 to 368 million before);

- The Adjusted EBITA is now expected to be between 146 million and 152 million (vs between 133 and 138 million earlier);

- And Operating Free Cash Flow Before Tax is now expected above 160% of Adj. EBITDA vs in excess of 80% of Adj. EBITDA before.

APPENDIX

H1 2022 CONSOLIDATED P&L

(in million) 30 June 22 30 June 21 Revenue 1,474 1,106 Costs of purchased goods and services -1,283 -958 Freight on sales -3 -3 Net Margin 188 145 Personnel costs -90 -72 Other operating costs -29 -23 Depreciation and amortization -36 -34 Recurring operating profit 32 16 Non-recurring operating income and expenses 0 -5 Operating profit 32 11 Finance debt costs -7 -16 Interest on lease liabilities 0 0 Other financial income and expenses -5 1 Net financial income/(expense) -13 -15 Profit/(loss) before income tax 19 -4 Income tax -8 -15 Profit/(loss) for the period 11 -19 Profit/(loss) attributable to: Owners of the parent company 10 -19 Non-controlling interests 1 0 Earnings per share attributable to parent company (in ): Basic earnings per share 0.11 (0.07) Diluted earnings per share 0.11 (0.07)

H1 2022 CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

(in million) 30 June 22 31 Dec 21 30 June 21 ASSETS Goodwill 294 314 289 Other intangible assets 1,159 1,154 1,163 Property, plant and equipment 7 7 8 Right-of-use assets 21 19 20 Non-current other financial assets 38 35 38 Deferred tax assets 10 11 24 TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 1,529 1,540 1,542 Trade receivables and related accounts 895 956 666 Income tax receivables 13 4 6 Inventories 184 150 101 Current other financial assets 17 10 10 Cash and cash equivalents 257 130 133 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 1,366 1,249 916 TOTAL ASSETS 2,895 2,789 2,458 EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Share capital and share premium 976 976 740 Retained earnings and other reserves -35 -44 -57 Foreign currency translation reserve 19 0 -9 Equity attributable to the owners of the parent company 960 932 674 Non-controlling interests 3 2 1 TOTAL EQUITY 963 934 675 Non-current other financial liabilities 485 485 705 Non-current lease liabilities 13 12 13 Non-current provisions 3 4 5 Other non-current liabilities 1 4 Deferred tax liabilities 295 295 302 TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 797 801 1.025 Trade payables and related accounts 1,026 950 681 Current other financial liabilities 92 90 61 Current lease liabilities 8 7 7 Current provisions 2 2 1 Current derivative liabilities Current tax liabilities 6 6 8 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 1,134 1,054 758 TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 2,895 2,789 2,458

H1 2022 CASH FLOW STATEMENT

(in million) 30 June 22 30 June 21 OPERATING ACTIVITIES Profit/(loss) for the period 11 -19 Adjustments for: Depreciation, amortization, impairment and change in provisions 36 34 Financial debt costs interests on lease liabilities 8 15 Share-based expenses 2 2 Income tax expenses 8 15 Gains and losses on disposal of fixed assets 0 0 Other non-cash items 6 0 Income tax paid -10 -9 Cash flows from op. activities before change in working capital 61 38 Change in net working capital trade 103 21 Change in net working capital other -12 -14 NET CASH FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 152 45 INVESTING ACTIVITIES Additions to property, plant and equipment and intangible assets -3 -4 Disposals of fixed assets 0 1 Changes in other financial assets -1 -2 Impact of changes in scope of consolidation -1 -4 NET CASH FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES -4 -9 FINANCING ACTIVITIES Dividends paid Disposal (acquisition) of Treasury shares 0 -3 Purchase of non-controlling interests -4 0 Proceeds from issuance of bank borrowings Proceeds from issuance of other financial liabilities 12 16 Factoring liabilities -3 -35 Short-term financing -5 -5 Interest Paid -8 -15 Repayment of bank borrowing -1 -21 Repayment of other financial liabilities -13 -9 Repayment of lease liabilities -5 -4 NET CASH FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES -26 -76 Effects of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents 0 1 INCREASE IN NET CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS 122 -39 Net cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period 125 162 Net cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period 247 123

CONFERENCE CALL

Jesper Trolle, Chief Executive Officer and Pierre Boccon-Liaudet, Chief Financial Officer, will present the First Half 2022 performance during a conference call in English to be held today September 14, 2022, at 9:00 am (CET).

You can follow the conference call live via webcast at the following link: https://ir.exclusive-networks.com/.

A replay will also be available for a period of one year.

All documents relating to this publication will be placed online on the Exclusive Networks Investor Relations website at https://ir.exclusive-networks.com/

Regulated information related to this press release and presentation is available on https://ir.exclusive-networks.com/

PROVISIONAL CALENDAR

Q3 Financial update (Gross Sales and Revenue): November 9, 2022

About Exclusive Networks

Exclusive Networks is a global trusted cybersecurity specialist for digital infrastructure helping to drive the transition to a totally trusted digital future for all people and organisations.

Our distinctive approach to cybersecurity gives partners more opportunity and more customer relevance. Our specialism is their strength equipping them to capitalise on rapidly evolving technologies and transformative business models.

The Exclusive Networks story is a global one with a services-first ideology at its core, harnessing innovation and disruption to deliver partner value. With offices in 46 countries and the ability to service customers in over 170 countries across five continents, Exclusive Networks has a unique 'local sale, global scale' model, combining the extreme focus and value of local independents with the scale and service delivery of a single worldwide cybersecurity powerhouse.

Exclusive Networks is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (Ticker: EXN). For more information visit www.exclusive-networks.com.

DISCLAIMER

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements may include projections, estimates, assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and/or expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations and services and product development, as well as statements, regarding future performance or events. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "projects", "may", "would" "should" or the negatives of these terms and similar expressions. Although Exclusive Network's management currently believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties (including, without limitation, risks identified in Exclusive Networks' Registration Document available on Exclusive Networks' website), because they relate to future events and depend on future circumstances that may or may not occur and may be different from those anticipated, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Exclusive Networks. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those expressed in, implied by or projected by forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not intended to and do not give any assurances or comfort as to future events or results. Other than as required by applicable law, Exclusive Networks does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

This press release does not contain or constitute an offer of securities for sale or an invitation or inducement to invest in securities in France, the United States or any other jurisdiction.

1 As per new Gross Sales reporting methodology after IC eliminations

2 Defined as Gross Sales generated in year N from vendors/customers active in year N-1 divided by Gross Sales from the same vendors/customers in year N-1

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006347/en/

Contacts:

EXCLUSIVE NETWORKS CONTACTS

Stephanie Bia

SVP, Marketing, Communication and Investor Relations

Communications_global@exclusive-networks.com

Investors Analysts

Hacene Boumendjel

Head of Investor Relations

ir@exclusive-networks.com

Media

FTI Consulting

Cosme Julien-Madoni Charlotte Stephen Tom Blundell

+33 (0)1 47 03 68 19

exclusivenetworks@fticonsulting.com
Regulatory News:

Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies (ISIN: FR0013451044, Ticker: ALHGR) (Paris:ALHGR) ("Hoffmann Green Cement" or the "Company"), an industrial player committed to decarbonizing the construction sector that designs and distributes innovative clinker-free cement, announces that it has signed its first partnership agreement in the United Kingdom with Cemblend, a supplier of customised cement powder mixes.

From the second half of 2022, Hoffmann Green will supply Cemblend with its H-IONA, H-UKR and H-EVA clinker-free decarbonated cements for distribution to its customers in the UK and Ireland. This exclusive distribution agreement with volume commitments initially runs until the end of 2023 and is a first step towards the signature of a licensing agreement which could see Cemblend build and operate a production unit similar to Hoffmann Green's second production site (H2), and then produce and market Hoffmann cements in the UK.

Julien Blanchard and David Hoffmann, co-founders of Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies, said: "We are pursuing the milestones of our international development with the signing of this structuring partnership in a strategic market in Europe. This first distribution contract in the UK is further proof of the attractiveness of our low-carbon solutions outside our borders. It is a first step in our cooperation process with Cemblend to build eco-responsible buildings across the Channel."

Thomas ATKINSON, International Development Director of Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies, states: "We are delighted to have signed this distribution contract with Cemblend, a disruptive player in the construction industry, which will be able to decarbonise the construction sector in England thanks to Hoffmann Green technologies. We receive a lot of international requests and we are proud to be able to export our products and thus promote our responsible vision of the construction sector abroad."

Matthew CUNNINGHAM and Simon BOULTER, Directors at Cemblend, add: "The Hoffmann Green technologies enable us to think outside the box and beyond the traditional boundaries of construction. Hoffmann Green cements are highly decarbonised and offer high technical performance, allowing us to respond to the strong demand for eco-responsible materials in our region."

ABOUT HOFFMANN GREEN CEMENT TECHNOLOGIES

Founded in 2014 and based in Bournezeau (Vendee, Western France), Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies designs, produces and distributes innovative extremely low-carbon cements with a carbon footprint 6 times lower than traditional cement that present, at equivalent dosage and with no alteration to the concrete manufacturing process, superior performances than traditional cement. With one 4.0 industrial sites already operational and two new sites on the way, the Group has industrialized a genuine technological breakthrough based on alterations to cement's composition and the creation of a clean, heating-free and clinker-free manufacturing process making it a leading and unique player on a cement market that has not undergone any significant changes in the last 200 years. Within the context of the climate emergency, Hoffmann Green Cement is thus actively participating in the energy transition by working to create eco-responsible buildings and by encouraging the circular economy and the preservation of natural resources. Thanks to its unrivaled technological know-how that is constantly improving, driven by effective and cutting-edge teams, Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies addresses all construction sector markets, both in France and abroad.

For further information, please go to: www.ciments-hoffmann.com

ABOUT CEMBLEND

CEMBLEND provides bespoke blends of cementitious powders to meet the exact requirements of your project, to a standard or to a specific requirement.

Matthew CUNNINGHAM and Simon BOULTER started Cemblend in January 2020 to provide bespoke powder blending solutions to the UK Cementitious Industry. Having spent a combined 30 plus years in Logistics, Commercial and General Management roles for cement importers and producers they felt there was an opportunity to provide bespoke services to various points in the supply chain from direct to site to pre-production.

Since its inception Cemblend has continued to become more diverse as more opportunities arise. With the enthusiasm to look at anything and little constraint placed on the team who are able to flex and adapt to most of the things our customers ask for.

For further information, please go to: https://www.cemblend.co.uk/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006181/en/

Contacts:

Hoffmann Green

Jerome Caron

Chief Financial Officer

finances@ciments-hoffmann.fr

+33 2 51 460 600

NewCap Investor Relations

Pierre Laurent

Thomas Grojean

Quentin Masse

ciments-hoffmann@newcap.eu

+33 1 44 71 94 94

NewCap Media Relations

Nicolas Merigeau

ciments-hoffmann@newcap.eu

+33 1 44 71 94 98

Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies Telephone: +33 2 51 460 600 Email: finances@ciments-hoffmann.fr
Trial based on the recent breakthrough discovery of a novel treatment paradigm for urea associated skin diseases

First patients dosed in Europe in Phase 2 trial assessing the safety and efficacy of MC2-25 Cream in Chronic Kidney Disease-associated Pruritus (CKD-aP) stages 3-5 patients

in Phase 2 trial assessing the safety and efficacy of MC2-25 Cream in Chronic Kidney Disease-associated Pruritus (CKD-aP) stages 3-5 patients MC2-25 Cream has the potential to become the first approved treatment for ~30 million people in US and EU with chronic kidney disease associated pruritus stages 3 and 4

Topline results are expected in Q1 2024

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MC2 Therapeutics A/S, a commercial stage pharmaceutical company, engaged in research in skin biology and development of novel treatment paradigms for autoimmune and chronic inflammatory skin conditions, announces that the first patients have been dosed in its European Phase 2 trial, MC2-25-C1, evaluating the safety and efficacy of MC2-25 Cream compared to MC2-25 vehicle in treating moderate to severe CKD-aP in patients with CKD stages 3-5.





MC2-25 Cream is an innovative new drug candidate, addressing MC2's new biological treatment paradigm for treatment of urea associated skin diseases. MC2-25 Cream inhibits carbamylation in skin, and thereby potentially can provide relief of the severe skin dryness and debilitating itch, which CKD patients suffer from.

"The initiation of the Phase 2 trial with MC2-25 Cream in Europe marks the first step in our journey to leverage our scientific breakthrough discovery of how to treat urea associated skin diseases, for which there are currently limited or no approved therapies," says Jesper J. Lange, President and CEO of MC2 Therapeutics and added: "As part of our commitment to developing this novel treatment paradigm, we also plan to engage with regulatory authorities in the US in Q4 2022 as part of our global CKD-aP program."

"CKD-aP severely impacts the quality of life of CKD patients stages 3-5 with very few treatment options. There are no approved treatments for stages 3-4 patients and no therapies known to treat the damage in the skin caused by the disease. Based on the novel treatment paradigm targeting carbamylation in skin, MC2-25 Cream has the potential to become the first therapy addressing the origin of CKD-aP for millions of CKD patients," says Kieran McCafferty, MD, at Barts Health NHS Trust and Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University London and principal investigator of the MC2-25-C1 trial and continues: "The trial has been endorsed by Kidney Research UK and is a highly appreciated opportunity for our CKD-aP patients to contribute to the clinical development of this exciting drug candidate."

About MC2-25 Cream

The active component of MC2-25 Cream is a di-peptide, which is formulated in MC2 Therapeutics' proprietary formulation and drug delivery system - PAD Technology. MC2-25 Cream is an effective isocyanate scavenger showing >90 % inhibition of protein carbamylation and counteracting the morphological skin changes induced by carbamylation as demonstrated in an in vitro reconstructed human uremic skin model.

Isocyanate is a very reactive molecule known both to be neurotoxic and to readily react with proteins, peptides and amino acids present in the body and skin. In CKD patients carbamylation of amino acids and proteins is highly upregulated and believed to be a key contributor to the root cause of CKD-aP.

For more information about MC2 Therapeutics' breakthrough discovery of a novel biological treatment paradigm for urea associated skin diseases, please see Press Release of September 1st, 2022 .

About the MC2-25 Phase 2 Trial

The trial is a Phase 2, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group trial in subjects with CKD-aP stages 3-5. The trial is expected to enroll approximately 108 patients in about 23 centers in Europe. Subjects will apply trial medication topically twice daily for 12 weeks.

The primary objective is to compare therapeutic efficacy of MC2-25 Cream versus vehicle cream, as well as to characterize the safety profile of MC2-25 Cream in subjects with CKD-aP. The primary efficacy endpoint is the mean change in weekly mean Worst Itch Numeric Rating Score (WI-NRS) from baseline to week 12. Secondary endpoints will be assessed, including treatment success according to responder endpoints, as well as various other patient and physician reported outcomes.

Topline results are expected in Q1 2024.

About CKD-aP

CKD-aP effects more than 35 million people in the US and EU, of which the vast majority (~30 million) are non-dialysis patients (stages 3 and 4) who currently have no approved treatment options. People suffering from CKD have severe dry skin and evidence of damaged nerve fibers in the skin. CKD-aP is a severe condition, which leads to an overall increased mortality risk, as well as higher frequency of depression and reduced quality of life.

About MC2 Therapeutics A/S

MC2 Therapeutics A/S is a privately held commercial stage pharmaceutical company committed to research of skin biology and development of novel treatment paradigms for people with autoimmune and chronic inflammatory skin conditions.

Its innovative approach to address complex challenges more effectively is anchored in deep understanding of the skin biology combined with learnings from the pathophysiology across disease segments. Fueled by an entrepreneurial mindset and creativity, MC2 Therapeutics aims to set new standards in treatment satisfaction for people with skin conditions.

For additional information on MC2 Therapeutics Group, please visit www.mc2therapeutics.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1889076/MC2_Therapeutics_Logo.jpg
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED BY IAMFIRE PLC TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014, AS AMENDED ("MAR"). ON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE ("RIS"), THIS INSIDE INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

IamFire plc

AQSE: FIRE

("FIRE" or the "Company")

Update on WeShop Holdings Limited

IamFire is pleased to share the following update received from WeShop Holdings Limited regarding performance figures since the soft launch of the WeShop platform and initial rollout of influencer campaigns.

"WeShop is pleased to report the following highlights for the months of July and August since the soft launch of the platform in the United Kingdom.

Highlights

User downloads as at end of August were over 23,000

Annualised gross merchant value (GMV) averaged 2.4m in July rising to 5.8m in August

Average spend per transaction increased from 75 in July to 81 in August

Transactions increased from 2,633 in July to 5,981 in August

Click to purchase rate averaged 16% across both months

80% increase from July to August in number of users completing at least one transaction during the month

Available products on the platform have increased to over 1.2bn

Over 200 national and local press pieces on WeShop launch

Appointment of key hires including James Fox from TikTok

from TikTok Travel sector introduced to blend of merchants"

IamFire currently holds 4m of Convertible Loan Notes in WeShop Holdings Limited. It also holds the right to subscribe for a further 3.75m in CLNs. In addition, it holds a 4.5m CLN in Community Social Investments Limited.

Richard Griffiths, Chairman of WeShop Holdings Limited said:

"We are exceptionally pleased with the commercial progress of WeShop since the press launch on the 4th July 2022 and our KPIs are tracking ahead of forecast. We have received some very valuable insights from our community both directly and from the data itself over the last 2 months and are exploiting this information to enhance further acquisition and engagement. We are also very encouraged by the Founder Influencer Program which we launched where resultant engagement and GMV has been particularly high. The whole team is working incredibly hard to optimise the platform in anticipation of a US launch."



The Directors of the Company, who have issued this RIS announcement after due and careful enquiry, accept responsibility for its content.

REGULATORY ANNOUNCEMENT ENDS

Enquiries:

Company:

info@iamfireplc.com

Peterhouse Capital Limited (Corporate Adviser):

Guy Miller: + 44 (0) 20 7469 0930 (Direct)

Corporate Broker

Lucy Williams: +44 (0) 20 7469 0930

Duncan Vasey: +44 (0) 20 7220 9797 (Direct)
Marula Mining PLC

("Marula'' or the "Company")

Blesberg Lithium Site Works Commence

14 September 2022

Marula Mining (AQSE: MARU) an African focused mining investment company, is pleased to update the market and shareholders that site works have commenced at the Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Project in South Africa (the "Project" or "Blesberg").

This follows the announcement made on 7 September 2022 of the Preliminary Assay Results and the Board's decision to accelerate the fast-tracked treatment of the high-grade lithium in the spodumene mineralisation identified, contained in the existing stockpiles.

Highlights

The Company's mining and processing consultants, Southern Metal Processing Pty Limited ("SMP") have conducted a detailed site visit to complete an assessment and review of the area to finalise the design and develop a long-term sustainable mining and associated operations plan

This assessment and review of the Blesberg mine site has now been completed and allows final planning of the appropriate site establishment, stockpile processing, exploration and mine development requirements

Site establishment will commence in line with the requirements of the Department of Mineral Resources

SMP are now commencing the initial site works and submitting a proposal for the retreatment of the existing stockpiles and preliminary design work of a longer term hard-rock mine, exploration plans and budgets, mine health and safety plan, and detailed capital and operating cost estimates and the standard operating procedures for the lithium mining and processing operation in line with the Company's ESG and CSR corporate policies

As part of the Company's strategy to advance the Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine into production the following work programs are being implemented:

Site Establishment

Perimeter fencing of the mining area to be erected with access control meeting legislative requirements and the projects standard operating procedures

Installation of access control gates, fences and security guard house

Upgrading and construction of administration offices, and induction and first aid facility buildings

Review and upgrade water storage and supply

Connect fixed line electricity supply and assess area for possible solar installation

Installation of mechanical and engineering workshops with fuel storage and distribution facilities as well as improving on site communications

Mining Permit Applications

Application for two five hectare mining permits extending over the initial areas to reprocess the stockpiles

Permits are valid for a period of two years with extension permission for an additional two years following the expiration of the initial period

Waste Management License

Application for a waste management license on a certain area of the property for the processing of the residual stockpile material

Aerial Drone Survey

Completed over the existing stockpiles and mining area

Updated Resource Statement

Work underway and preparation of an updated resource statement of the existing stockpiles of material including lithium bearing spodumene to be completed by an independent and qualified geologist

Jason Brewer, CEO said:

"Blesberg continues to go from strength to strength and the outlining of the next phase of work, with the goal of reprocessing the existing stockpiles to produce a high-value and high grade lithium product with cashflow potentially by the end of the year, is further evidence of the value we believe the Project possesses.

"When constructing our next phase of the work strategy, it was important to us that a safe and protective operating environment is established for all stakeholders. Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do as a company, and we recognise our responsibility here.

"SMP is once again carrying out a great job with regards to adding value at the Project and I would like to extend my special thanks to their diligent team for the work that they are progressing.

"As the growth in demand for lithium continues, driven by its uses in, and increasing importance to the green transition, I look forward to sharing updates from the Blesberg Project and our portfolio of assets."

About the Blesberg Project

The Blesberg Project is one of the largest known economically mineralised pegmatite deposits and has historically been the largest single source of tantalum in South Africa

The Blesberg Project has operated as a small scale mining operation intermittently between 1925 and 2003, and whilst the orebody contains a significant amount of lithium (spodumene), the main minerals extracted and sold at the time were feldspar, mica, and tantalum, with the lithium mineralisation either placed in stockpiles or discarded in the surface waste dumps where it remains today.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of UK Market Abuse Regulation. The Directors of Marula Mining Plc are responsible for the contents of this announcement.

For enquiries contact:

Marula Mining PLC

Jason Brewer,

Chief Executive Officer



Faith Kinyanjui Mumbi

Investor Relations



Email: jason@marulamining.com



Email: info@marulamining.com

AQSE Corporate Adviser

Cairn Financial Advisers LLP,

Liam Murray / Ludovico Lazzaretti +44 (0)20 7213 0880 Broker

OvalX,

Tom Curran / Thomas Smith +44 (0) 20 7392 1568 Financial PR and IR

BlytheRay

Tim Blythe / Megan Ray +44 (0)20 7138 3204

Certain statements in this announcement, are, or may be deemed to be, forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are identi?ed by their use of terms and phrases such as 'believe', 'could', "should" 'envisage', 'estimate', 'intend', 'may', 'plan', 'potentially', "expect", 'will' or the negative of those, variations or comparable expressions, including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Such forward looking statements re?ect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors.
LIfTBioSciences announces its N-LIfT cell therapy shows tumour destruction across five different solid tumour types in PDX tumouroid models

London, 14thSeptember 2022 - LIfT BioSciences today announced that its first-in-class cell therapy destroyed on average over 90% of the tumoroid in a PDX organoid across five of the most challenging to treat solid tumour types including bladder cancer, rectal cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer.

The N-LIfT results showed four days of potent cytotoxicity against a range of high unmet need tumour types, including those that were unresponsive to chemotherapy. The results announced today build upon findings announced in March 2022which showed potent tumour cell killing with N-LIfT in a lung tumoroid model (SC-NSCLC), with significant superiority over current standards of care, Keytruda and Cisplatin.

Alex Blyth, Chief Executive Officer of LIfTBioSciences, commented:"Targeted therapies often fail because tumours adapt, and they don't. We are very encouraged by these data which showed that, on average, our unique N-LIfT cell therapy destroyed over ninety percent of thetumouroid. The data adds further credence to our stated mission to develop a cell therapy platform that has the potential to destroy all solid tumours irrespective of typeor how it adapts. We continue to be bold and do things differently, and to therefore get excitingly different results that we hope will go on to save many patients lives."

PDX tumouroids are derived from different patient tumour cells and provide an alternative efficacy indicator model to the mouse model, with retrospective data in solid tumour therapies that went on to clinic showing tumouroids have 81-87% predictive power of how the therapy goes on to perform in the clinical trials in solid tumours, some ten times the predictive power seen in mouse models. LIfT has now managed to show positive results using a special type of partially humanised mouse model to enable N-LIfT to work in mice. However, the company's official position is that mouse models are of limited value in faithfully assessing the efficacy of modern world of human allogeneic innate cell therapies, and that new organoid and organ-on-a-chip models are the future.

Neutrophils have long been recognised as crucial mediators of innate immunity, they provide the first line of defence against invading microorganisms and threats, capable of mobilizing innate and adaptive responses to return to homeostasis. LIfT Biosciences is harnessing the innate properties of a special type of Immuno-Modulating Alpha Neutrophil (IMAN) that exhibits not only exceptional cytotoxicity but also have the ability to positively immunomodulate tumour environments and the patient's immune system to help to destroy even challenging solid tumours. ?N-LIfT cells are specially manufactured to differentiate invivo into IMANs that have the potential to overcome hurdles encountered by other cell therapies in the treatment of solid tumours, by being:

Allogeneic, straightforward to scale, cost effective and off-the-shelf

Innate antigen-independent mechanism-of-action

Actively recruited into the tumour micro-environment

Stable and capable of overcoming immunosuppressive tumour microenvironments

Capable of orchestrating patients own anti-tumour immune responses??





LIfT BioSciences is the only biotech company in the world with a Neutrophil Based Cell Therapy Platform. LIfT is completing its pre-clinical data package now as it prepares to move into clinical trials at the end of next year, following their eagerly awaited Series A round. LIfT is now also making its patented alpha neutrophil cell therapy platform available to other companies to help to develop breakthrough therapies in other therapy areas.

Figure 1: PDX model shows N-LIfT CANs killing across multiple solid tumour types

Further information
BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fractus and the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) have agreed to create the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub, a center of research activities where deep tech technologies will be designed and improved, with the aim of developing disruptive technological solutions based on scientific challenges with great potential and social impact. Fractus is one of the first spin-offs that emerged from the UPC.

The Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub will concentrate talent development, training, innovation, research and technology transfer activities, and will actively and strategically contribute to the creation of UPC start-ups and/or spin-offs in the field of deep tech, founded on a scientific discovery or a technological innovation, with the purpose of promoting its access to the market. The deep tech field encompasses the development of disruptive solutions based on deep technologies linked to science or advanced engineering, to respond to global challenges.

The agreement, signed on September 13th, by the dean of the UPC, Daniel Crespo, and the President and CEO of Fractus, Ruben Bonet, foresees that the activities of the hub are aimed at responding to current challenges through scientific and technological advances significant, while promoting research, innovation and knowledge transfer in areas such as mobility and logistics, materials, sustainability, urban planning, information and communication, biomedical engineering and environmental and energy technologies . The emerging areas of quantum computing, photonics, artificial intelligence, cyber security, robotics, electronics and advanced materials are some of the areas on which the activity of this hub will be focused.





The activities of the hub will also promote the UPC's R+D+I in the deep tech field through industrial doctorates, collaborations in research and innovation projects, the promotion of research lines or the development of workshops, as well as the incubation and acceleration of companies, among others. It is also planned to promote innovation challenges, prizes and forums aimed at students, as well as end-of-degree and master's theses in this field.

Deep Tech Cluster

The UPC is one of the main deep tech clusters in Europe, with a powerful core of research groups that research and develop technological innovation in this field and from which several spin-offs and start-ups have emerged, such as Fractus. Led by Dr. Carles Puente - who is also a professor at the Telecom Engineering School of Barcelona (ETSETB) at the UPC - and Ruben Bonet, the company is a pioneer in the development of internal antenna technology for mobile phones, tablets and other wireless devices in the Internet of Things, specializing in new applications of fractal technology and other emerging technologies.

About the UPC

The UPC is a public research and higher education institution specialized in the fields of engineering, architecture, science and technology, and is one of the main technical universities in Europe, which is characterized by its intense penetration in the industrial and productive fabric through the transfer of the knowledge it generates to companies. Currently, it maintains links with around 2,000 companies. Each year, it graduates more than 6,000 undergraduate and master's students and more than 500 PhDs and is one of the universities with a high job placement rate for its graduates: 93% work shortly after graduating. Likewise, the UPC is well positioned in the main international rankings. On the other hand, it is a leading university in Spain in raising funds for R+D+i projects financed by the Horizon 2020 program.

About Fractus

Fractus is an early pioneer in developing internal antenna technology for smartphones, tablets and other wireless Internet of Things devices and holds an intellectual property rights portfolio of more than 30 inventions protected through over 120 patents and patent applications in the United States, Europe and Asia. Among the numerous awards and honours the company has received for its innovative work, Fractus was named a 2005 Davos World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and one of Red Herring's top innovative companies for 2006. It also won the 2004 Frost & Sullivan Award for technological innovation and the 2010 National Communication Award of the Catalan Government in the telecommunications category. A team of Fractus inventors was finalist for the EPO European Inventor Award 2014. On November 2015, Fractus was awarded Academiae Dilecta by the Spanish Royal Engineering Academy and on April 2017 received the "European Inspiring Company Award" by the London Stock Exchange and the Elite Group.

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MADRID, Spain, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aldesa, through its subsidiary Aldesa Peru S. A. C., has signed a new contract to execute the second phase of the construction project for the new headquarters of the insurance company Mapfre in Lima, Peru. The Group had already been awarded the first phase of this construction, which included the preparation of the land, among other works.

Under this second contract, Aldesa will build an eight-story building plus a rooftop terrace and five underground floors on a 988 m2 plot of land. Offices, parking and complementary services such as meeting rooms, cafeterias, service rooms for installations, toilets and common areas will be some of the uses to which the new corporate facilities will be put.

This is not the first time Aldesa has led a project for the same client in Latin America. Specifically, in 2013, the Group was in charge of the construction of the Mapfre Tower, a five-story building that, on a surface area of 10,000 m2, is located on Paseo de la Reforma, one of the most important avenues in the Mexican capital.

With over 50 years of experience in the infrastructure sector, Aldesa continues to strengthen its presence in Latin America with new contract awards. In addition to this contract in Peru, Aldesa has been awarded other contracts such as the rehabilitation and maintenance of a 184 km section of the Circuito No. 5 highway in Uruguay, valued at 304 million euros, or a subway works project in Coahuila, Mexico, for 13 million euros. In Europe, Aldesa continues to be a reference with the awarding of a new section of the Atlantic Corridor railway in Spain for 27.4 million euros, or a project in Poland in the Oil & Gas sector valued at 30 million euros, among others.

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StarCompliance announces nominations for its inaugural Client Awards, recognizing their contributions in technical innovation, client-vendor collaboration, and cultural-influencing. Winners to be announced and formally recognized at Synergy '22 in London this fall

YORK, England, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- StarCompliance ("Star"), a leading provider of employee compliance technology solutions, today announced the nominees for its inaugural Client Awards program. Winners will be announced at the SaaS compliance platform company's fall conference, Synergy '22: to be held in London on 27 September.

Star created the Client Awards program to recognize three important achievements in the field of regtech. The Star Innovator Award recognizes the exemplary use and implementation of innovative technologies or the establishment of new processes that have solved a business need or challenge in the last year, either by using the STAR Platform or otherwise. The Star Collaborator Award celebrates the organisation that has given its time and resources over the last year to support and partner with Star to further the development and innovation of the STAR Platform. The Star Influencer Award recognizes the organisation that has taken steps over the last year to weave compliance into its business culture: establishing itself as a business partner and influencing the organisation's perception of compliance.

"Regulatory compliance is a complex and ever-evolving challenge for organisations. Our mission is to make it simple and easy," said Jennifer Sun, CEO of Star. "Part of that process is the tight collaboration we have with our clients. What this means is, as we innovate so do they. Collaboration between platform provider and platform user is a two-way street. We couldn't do what we do without the feedback and partnership from our customers. We wanted to formally recognize our clients' significant contributions to the field of regtech and regulatory compliance. Congratulations to all our nominees. We look forward to announcing the winners of these prestigious awards at Synergy '22 this fall."

Winners will be recognized on stage at Synergy '22, and Star will donate $1,000 to the charity of their choice. The nominees for the 2022 Star Client Awards are:

DWS

Optiver

NatWest Group

Nedbank

Ninety One

NN/g Nielsen Norman Group

SEB Global Services

About StarCompliance

StarCompliance is the world's leading provider of compliance technology solutions. Trusted globally by forward-thinking companies in 114 countries, Star's future-ready compliance platform delivers on-demand configurability, multi-jurisdictional integrity, and the actionable intelligence you need to monitor for conflicts, meet regulatory obligations, and reduce risk. Compliance no longer needs to be complex. Check out Star's intuitive, straightforward UX and give your employees the multi-layered protection they need to comply with confidence. www.starcompliance.com
A new 1.3 GW floating PV array in the Philippines will require an investment of around $1.2 billion. Developers Blueleaf Energy and SunAsia said the project will likely be completed and switched on in 2024.Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently signed several letters of intent to help Singaporean companies to invest in the Philippines. These plans include efforts to install a 1.3 GW floating solar project on Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines. The project will likely require an investment of around $1.2 billion, the government ...

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.
BILBAO (dpa-AFX) - Spanish electric utility company Iberdrola SA (IBDSF.PK) Wednesday said it has signed an agreement to sell a 49 percent stake in Wikinger offshore wind farm in Germany to Swiss infrastructure investment company Energy Infrastructure Partners or EIP. The deal is valued at around 700 million euros. The company will maintain a majority stake of 51 percent in its first operational offshore wind farm in Germany, and will continue to control and manage the asset. As per the deal, Wikinger's total valuation amounts to around 1.425 billion euros. Wikinger, with an installed capacity of 350 megawatts or MW, has been supplying clean energy to around 350,000 German households since it was commissioned in 2018. According to Iberdrola, the sale further advances its asset rotation plan to finance new renewable projects under development. The company strengthens its offshore wind leadership with 3,000 MW under construction, 4,000 MW secured and a large pipeline of projects under development. In Germany, the company has started construction of 476-MW Baltic Eagle project in the Baltic Sea. Next year, construction will begin on Windanker, which will have a capacity of with 308 MW. These new wind farms will be joined by Saint-Brieuc, in French waters, which is expected to come into operation in 2023. 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.
Widespread roll-out of new technologies promotes high-efficiency development of agriculture in China

People's Daily Online) 15:36, September 14, 2022

In the most recent past decade, China has witnessed the rapid development of its agricultural technologies. The contribution of scientific and technological progress to agriculture has reached over 61 percent. Besides, the overall level of mechanization in the plowing, sowing, and harvesting of crops has now exceeded 72 percent, while high-quality crop varieties have surpassed 96 percent of the total.

A worker displays tomato seedlings getting ready to be sold in a smart greenhouse in Guangrao county, Dongying city, east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 26, 2022. (Photo/Liu Yunjie)

New technologies, equipment, crop varieties and business models in the agricultural sector have emerged in China, playing a vital role in realizing the country's self-reliance and self-improvement in agricultural science and technology at an ever-faster pace and ensuring a steady growth in food output.

At an orchard for Majia pomelo, a local specialty fruit, in Danan township, Guangfeng district, Shangrao city of east China's Jiangxi Province, Liu Pei, an agricultural drone pilot instructor, has been teaching a grower how to fly a drone to spray pesticides using an app on the latter's smartphone. Under Liu's instruction, the grower operated the drone to spray pesticides evenly over the pomelo trees.

This was the third time that Liu had been invited to the district to train drone pilots. This time, over 20 Majia pomelo growers received training.

"In the past, farmers adopted the traditional way of spraying pesticides. It took a person a day to manually spray pesticides on 3 mu (about 0.2 hectares) to 5 mu of land," said Xu Weifeng, deputy director of the fruit industry management office of Guangfeng district. Xu added that nowadays one person can spray pesticides on 200 mu to 300 mu of land in one day with the help of an agricultural drone.

In addition to increasing spraying efficiency, drones also help save water during the process of spraying pesticides. As Zhu Xinrong, head of a local cooperative in Guangfeng district, noted: "9,000 kilograms of water were used to manually spray pesticides on 460 mu of orchards. But now, only 2,000 kilograms to 2,500 kilograms of water are needed for the same orchards thanks to the application of drones.

Photo shows a staff member working at the modern agricultural information service center for a paddy rice technology demonstration park in Fujin city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

Agricultural drones have changed the traditional mode of agricultural production in China. DJI, a leading Chinese drone maker, boasts unique advantages in the application of agricultural drones in the country.

In 2021, DJI unveiled two new agricultural drones: T40 and T20P. Both drones are more intelligent and optimized for agricultural application scenarios such as spraying pesticides and applying fertilizers, in addition to boasting improvements to their operational efficiency and safety. T40, for example, is equipped with a coaxial twin-rotor design and can spray pesticides on 320 mu of fields or apply 1.5 tonnes of fertilizers in an hour.

Chen Tao, global marketing and sales director of DJI's agricultural equipment department, said the department has over 900 agricultural drone repair shops in 30 provincial regions across China. In addition, with a well-established drone pilot training system, DJI has trained over 160,000 agricultural drone pilots throughout the country in recent years.

"DJI will continue to promote the application of drone technologies to contribute its part to agricultural modernization," Chen added.

File photo shows two crop protection drones developed by leading Chinese drone maker DJI.

Meanwhile, China has made agricultural production more intelligent and boosted the development of its smart agriculture.

By establishing a batch of smart agricultural parks, Beijing has promoted the application of technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in the agricultural sector, driving the development of smart agriculture.

In east China's Shandong Province, leading Chinese telecom carrier China Unicom has provided IoT-based solutions for farmers. Smart sensors installed in farmers' greenhouses can monitor temperature and humidity levels in real time, while big data is used to guide farmers to make appropriate adjustments and ensure precise drip irrigation. So far, China Unicom's IoT-based solutions have helped over 30,000 farming households in Shandong.

Liu Liehong, chairman of China Unicom, introduced that the company has launched over 1,000 projects across the country by providing services such as smart planting, smart husbandry, rural e-commerce, smart rural tourism, agricultural big data, and tracing the quality of agricultural products.

The wide application of digital technologies such as big data, the IoT, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing has delivered greater convenience to production as well as to peoples daily lives in China's rural areas.

A thermometer shows the temperature inside the workshop of a digital farm in southwest Chinas Chongqing Municipality, Aug. 3, 2022. (People's Daily/Liu Hui)

Zhong Yanping, a villager in Yongquan village, Dayi county, Chengdu, capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan Province, often checks the growth of late-season rice in her paddy fields using an app on her smartphone. She also receives alerts whenever agricultural pests and diseases are identified in her paddy fields, allowing her to take immediate action to control pests and diseases according to the apps navigation services.

Zhong explained that the app is connected to IoT-based cameras installed in the paddy fields. Soil conditions, air humidity, temperature, and other indicators are sent to the digital agricultural platform of Dayi county, and technicians will then guide us according to the data, she said, adding that she can also book a drone via the platform to sow seeds and apply fertilizers. Like Zhong, many farmers are freed from high-intensity manual labor through the application of such technologies.

In 2020, Dayi county was included among 100-plus counties and districts for Chinas pilot project in digital villages. These areas have made remarkable achievements in developing digital agriculture, with new technologies such as the IoT being applied in all stages of production, from plowing and sowing to field management and harvesting.

Photo shows the core area of a modern agricultural demonstration park in Guangchang county, Fuzhou city, east China's Jiangxi Province, Aug. 20, 2022. (People's Daily/Zeng Henggui)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Pre-Stabilisation notice

September 14, 2022

Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

Sparebanken Vest Boligkreditt AS

EUR benchmark Covered Bond due 2027

Pre-Stabilisation Notice

Commerzbank AG (contact: Daniela Olt-Farrelly; telephone: +49 69 136-20) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014).

The security to be stabilised: Issuer: Sparebanken Vest Boligkreditt AS Guarantor (if any): none Aggregate nominal amount: EUR benchmark Description: European Covered Bond (Premium), backed by prime Norwegian residential mortgages due 22 Sept 2027, soft bullet Offer price: tbc Other offer terms: EMTN, settlement date 22 Sept 2022 Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator:

Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank

Credit Suisse

DZ Bank

Banco Santander

Swedbank Stabilisation period expected to start on: September 14, 2022 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg SE

In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

END
NEW KALEIDO SCORES AND CHAMPION VENDORS ANNOUNCED FOR STEERING OF ROAMING, SPONSORED ROAMING, ROAMING HUBS, IPX, ROAMING ANALYTICS VAS, DATA FINANCIAL CLEARING, FRAUD MANAGEMENT SECURITY CATEGORIES.

Kaleido Intelligence, a leading roaming market research and consulting firm, has announced its latest Roaming Vendor Hub research, providing the most up-to-date rankings and scores for mobile roaming vendors and service providers across 7 different product categories.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005080/en/

BICS, IBASIS, MOBILEUM, SYNIVERSE VODAFONE ROAMING SERVICES ARE RECOGNISED AS LEADING CHAMPION ROAMING VENDORS BY KALEIDO INTELLIGENCE. THE ATTACHED IMAGE SHOWS THOSE VENDORS ASSESSED AS CHAMPIONS. 12 VENDORS ACHIEVED THIS ASSESSMENT, FROM 41 VENDORS ASSESSED OVER A 4 MONTH RESEARCH PERIOD. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Roaming Vendor Hub -2022 research analysed 41 leading roaming vendors and wholesale providers. It includes an in-depth assessment of the service offerings and updated Kaleido Scores for all companies. Kaleido's approach focused on categorising vendors according to their product leadership, identifying companies' unique market positioning, problem-solving capabilities, innovation leadership, and finally, how vendors are positioned to meet MNO/MVNO needs and requirements.

The research is the culmination of more than 4-months' worth of research, including product demos, questionnaires, and detailed interviews and briefings used to collect relevant information.

12 Vendors Receive Champion Kaleido Scores, 20 Vendors Recognised As High-Flyers

BICS, iBASIS, Mobileum, Syniverse and Vodafone Roaming Services were ranked the number 1 vendors across multiple categories, with 7 other companies assessed as Champions. Champion vendors received Kaleido Scores of 12 and above, out of a total of 15; meanwhile, High-Flyers received scores between 10 and 12.

The Number 1 and Champion vendors across key roaming product segments as scored by Kaleido Intelligence are included in the accompanying infographic.

VIEW THE FULL PRESS RELEASE ON OUR WEBSITE

Quotes from Number 1 Champion Vendors: Vodafone Roaming Services, BICS, Mobileum iBASIS

Sherif Bakir, CEO, Vodafone Roaming Services: "Vodafone is proud to have been recognised as a leading Sponsored Roaming Vendor by Kaleido for the third year running. This ranking is great recognition of the relentless effort Vodafone makes to provide its customers with the latest technology, competitive prices, superior coverage and connection speeds, and supported by our deep expertise in and extensive track record of delivering high-quality roaming services.''

Mikael Schachne, VP Telco at BICS: "Being recognised by Kaleido as the top vendor for Roaming Hubs, Roaming Analytics VAS (value-added services) for the second year in a row is something we are tremendously proud of. We are happy to see our continuous evolution to provide value to our customers recognised. BICS remains committed to strengthening global connectivity by removing complexity for operators and establishing new roaming relations through one connection, one interface, and one invoice."

Bernardo Lucas, Chief Marketing Strategy Officer at Mobileum: "We are excited to be ranked as the #1 Champion provider for our industry-leading Steering of Roaming and Fraud Security solutions, by Kaleido Intelligence. This recognition is a validation of our commitment to customers as they transition to next-generation network technologies like VoLTE and 5G and to an increasingly diverse and complex ecosystem of systems, using a combination of deep business insights and cutting-edge technology. We are proud of our partnership with over 900 service providers around the world, helping them drive greater business value, efficiency, and agility through our portfolio of data-driven analytical solutions".

Chris Lennartz, VP Product Management at iBASIS: iBASIS is honoured, happy and proud to be awarded again as #1 IPX supplier and Champion in Roaming VAS Analytics, and Security. This distinguishment is the result of working closely with customers, listening to their needs, and execution of vision and strategy in close teamwork and dedication. In these post-pandemic times, there is vibrant new demand for innovation in 5G, Security, IoT and Analytics, while the growth of traffic demands scalability and efficiency. Here at iBASIS, we enable our customers to be there first, and we're grateful to be recognized for that.

Syniverse, BICS Vodafone Roaming Services Leads Overall Roaming Product Scores

Strong performances across multiple product segments placed Syniverse as the overall leader in multiple product categories as they continue to enhance their roaming leadership position. BICS and VRS also scored highly for their most comprehensive range of roaming solutions and services in the industry.

John McRae, President Carrier Business, Syniverse Technologies: "Syniverse is delighted to be ranked as the #1 vendor for Data Financial Clearing, and to be recognized as a "Champion" roaming vendor in five of the seven categories for roaming services. As a leading innovator in the wholesale roaming monetization space, our industry-recognized BCE-compliant solution is powering mission-critical billing, charging, and clearing services for leading communications services providers."

Nitin Bhas, Chief of Strategy Insights at Kaleido Intelligence commented: "The leading roaming vendors and service providers analysed in our Roaming Vendor Hub continue to focus on making operator roaming business units profitable in a post-pandemic world. Technology evolution and market innovation from these vendors will play an important role in enabling operator success as new technologies shape roaming services over the next few years".

The leadership scoring analysis for 41 different roaming vendors is summarised in the Roaming Vendor Hub report, along with an assessment of company strengths and opportunities.

About Kaleido Intelligence

Kaleido Intelligence is a specialist consulting and market research firm with a proven track record, delivering telecom research at the highest level. Kaleido Intelligence is the only research company addressing mobile roaming in its entirety, covering:

Data Forecasts by Market

Historical Forecast Viewpoints

Competitive Intelligence

Strategic Insight

Trend Analysis

Research is led by expert analysts, each with significant experience delivering roaming and connectivity insights that matter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005080/en/

Contacts:

For further details please contact:

Jon King

Chief Commercial Officer, Kaleido Intelligence

Email Jon.king@kaleidointelligence.com
Declan Flanagan, former CEO of Orsted's onshore business, today announced the launch of Bluestar Energy Capital ('Bluestar' or 'the Company'), a new global renewable energy investment platform with an initial $100 million in capital for greenfield renewable energy development. Bluestar, founded by Flanagan, is also announcing several key management hires.

"A huge amount of capital is seeking a role in the energy transition, but a scarcity remains of the right kind of capital for new development platforms and new projects. Our vision is to be one of the largest global investors of early-stage development capital," commented Declan Flanagan, CEO of Bluestar. "We have structured Bluestar as a portfolio of distinct regional platforms based on the conviction that successful project development is a very local business. Success is about empowering regional leadership while bringing global scale and an owner's attention to detail in managing project and market risk," added Flanagan.

The initial $100 million raised by Bluestar will fund the execution of the first phase of its business plan. Bluestar's bedrock strategy is greenfield development and a long-term approach to the infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition to 2030 and beyond. Bluestar will develop regional platforms in the United States, Australia and Europe that will be either wholly-owned or controlled subsidiaries and will engage in opportunistic acquisition activity to drive growth. The Company's initial focus is exclusively on project development capital and the Company will evaluate various options for construction and operating capital in due course.

Declan Flanagan, who will remain the controlling shareholder of Bluestar, is joined by new investors S2G Ventures ('S2G') and Great Bay Renewables ('Great Bay'). As part of the transaction Aaron Rudberg, COO of S2G, and Frank Getman, CEO of Great Bay, have joined Bluestar's board of directors. Senan Murphy, former CFO of wind power pioneer Airtricity (sold to SSE and E.On) has also joined Bluestar's board as a non-executive.

Following the closing of this funding round, the Company has established its first two regional development platforms:

Nova Clean Energy, LLC ('Nova') is Bluestar's North American-focused development platform. Nova is pursuing a greenfield project development plan, as well as opportunistic M&A across wind, solar and storage.

Bluestar Energy Australia ('BEA') is Bluestar's Australian-focused development platform. Since entering the Australian market, it has already built a meaningful pipeline that is focused primarily on wind power, with plans for further additions of solar and storage.

Bluestar has also made several key management hires in recent months.

At Bluestar:

Dennis Meany, former President of Lincoln Clean Energy (sold to Orsted) was named President and Board member.

Dylan Reeves, former Chief Commercial Product Officer, Onshore Wind Services at GE Renewable Energy, was named Head of Project Delivery.

Cortney Zaret, former Financial Controller at Orsted Onshore was named Head of Accounting Administration.

Joe Condo, former General Counsel at Orsted Onshore and Lincoln Clean Energy, was named General Counsel.

At Bluestar's regional platforms:

Jenn Goodwillie, former Vice President at Orsted Onshore, was named Head of Development at Nova Clean Energy.

Commenting on their investment in Bluestar, Aaron Rudberg of S2G said, "S2G is thrilled to be working with Declan and the Bluestar team to enable the energy transition. The Bluestar team are proven operators. They understand what the industry needs and are well positioned to capitalize on the growing energy opportunity across the U.S., Europe, and Asia."

Frank Getman of Great Bay added, "Declan is a recognized leader in renewables and the global energy transition with an incredible track record of success. We are excited to support him and his team in helping create the next great global renewables platform."

About Bluestar Energy Capital

Bluestar Energy Capital (Bluestar) is a global renewable energy investment company focused on development platforms and project development capital. Bluestar delivers investable clean energy projects at scale through its regional development platforms, Nova Clean Energy, LLC and Bluestar Energy Australia. Bluestar is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois with offices in Austin, Texas and Dublin, Ireland. Follow Bluestar on LinkedIn. Follow our platform company, Nova Clean Energy on LinkedIn.

About S2G Ventures

S2G Ventures, the direct investment team of Builders Vision, partners with entrepreneurs who are working on solutions to some of the world's greatest challenges across the food, agriculture, oceans, and clean energy markets. We provide capital, mentorship, and value-added resources to companies pursuing innovative market-based solutions that generate positive social, environmental, and financial returns. We provide our partners with flexible capital solutions that can range from seed and venture funding through growth equity to debt and infrastructure financing. For more information about S2G, visit s2gventures.com, tune-in to our podcast, or connect with us on LinkedIn.

About Great Bay Renewables

Great Bay Renewables, based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, provides capital to the renewable energy sector in exchange for royalties in renewable energy generating facilities at all stages in their life cycle. Great Bay's management team has extensive experience in renewable energy development, financing, and operations across a range of renewable technologies located throughout the United States. Great Bay is backed by Altius Renewable Royalties Corp. (TSX: ARR) (OTCQX: ATRWF) and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO). Learn more about Great Bay at www.greatbayrenewables.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005143/en/

Contacts:

Wendy Prabhu, Mercom Communications

bluestar@mercomcapital.com

US: +1.512.215.4452

UK: +44.203.617.1930
Jarir selects Verimatrix App Shield and Verimatrix Extended Threat Defense (XTD) solutions to safeguard valuable IP from hackers

Regulatory News:

Verimatrix, (Euronext Paris: VMX), the leader in powering the modern connected world with people-centered security, today announced that Jarir, Saudi Arabia's largest ecommerce and online shopping service, selected Verimatrix's App Shield Pro with monitoring, part of the Extended Threat Defense (XTD) family of products, to safeguard valuable IP within its services for Android users.

With millions using its popular shopping app, Jarir sought a speedy yet proven solution to gain the latest protections against threats such as reverse engineering and repackaging. The company also prioritized the need to monitor and detect threats among its install base, allowing it to identify threat patterns and prevent potential attacks.

Through its zero-code approach to app security and monitoring, Verimatrix App Shield Pro and XTD technologies arm Jarir with an unobtrusive yet modern approach to app security as well as valuable intelligence that can help avoid costly security-related incidents.

"When a business is rooted in the use of an app, it's vital to maximize its cybersecurity while still maintaining a superb user experience," said Juha Hogmander, vice president, cybersecurity business at Verimatrix. "We are pleased to work with market-leading companies such as Jarir to provide unmatched threat defenses."

"Following a robust evaluation, we selected Verimatrix due to its comprehensive approach to IP protection and its unique threat monitoring capabilities," said Nasser Abdul-Aziz, Chief Operations Officer at Jarir Bookstore. "It's important to us to work with cybersecurity experts such as Verimatrix who offer our needed mix of proactive protections, ease of use, and first-class service."

About Jarir

Jarir Marketing Company (also popularly known as "Jarir Bookstore" or "Jarir") was established in Riyadh in 1974 as a small bookshop. In the 80s, Jarir opened a second branch in Riyadh followed by one in the 90s. Jarir now is considered the market leader in the Middle East for consumer IT products, Electronics, Office supplies and Books. Jarir is a retailer and wholesaler of its products in Saudi Arabia and in other GCC Countries. In 2002, Jarir became a Joint Stock Company (CR No. 1010032264) and was listed in the Saudi Capital Market (Tadawul) in the year 2003. Currently, Jarir has a paid-up capital of SR 1.20 billion. Visit www.jarir.com.

About Verimatrix

Verimatrix (Euronext Paris: VMX) helps power the modern connected world with security made for people. We protect digital content, applications, and devices with intuitive, people-centered and frictionless security. Leading brands turn to Verimatrix to secure everything from premium movies and live streaming sports, to sensitive financial and healthcare data, to mission-critical mobile applications. We enable the trusted connections our customers depend on to deliver compelling content and experiences to millions of consumers around the world. Verimatrix helps partners get to market faster, scale easily, protect valuable revenue streams, and win new business. Visit www.verimatrix.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005085/en/

Contacts:

Verimatrix Investor Contact:

Jean-Francois Labadie, Chief Financial Officer

finance@verimatrix.com

Verimatrix Media Contact:

Matthew Zintel

matthew.zintel@zintelpr.com
Half-year revenues up 34% to 49.7 million Commercial momentum accelerated in Q2 2022, +52% vs. Q2 2021 Strong rebound in heavy vehicle activity: +56% vs. Q2 2021 Sustained growth in light vehicles: +40% vs. Q2 2021

Continued roll-out of the strategic plan Establishment of North American headquarters and gigafactory in Columbus, Ohio Signature of commercial partnerships with global transportation players Expansion of product range and service offering

Adjusted EBITDA growth of 21%, solid financial structure and cash position of 46.5 million at the end of June 2022

Expected annual revenues of more than 100 M

Confirmation of financial objectives for 2027

Regulatory News:

Forsee Power (FR0014005SB3 FORSE the Company ) (Paris:FORSE), the expert in smart battery systems for sustainable electromobility, announces today its 2022 half-year results, approved by the Board of Directors on September 14, 2022.

Christophe Gurtner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Forsee Power comments:

 Forsee Power's sales momentum increased throughout the first half of 2022 despite a tense supply chain environment. The second quarter of 2022 was marked by a recovery in sales in the heavy vehicle segment, while the growth of the activity in the light vehicle market remained strong. In parallel with this good commercial performance, we also improved our adjusted EBITDA by 21% and intend to continue improving our financial performance. Semester after semester, electromobility is establishing as the new standard for the transportation of people and goods. To meet this booming demand, we are continuing to deploy our strategic plan, which was marked during the first half of the year by our expansion into the US market and the extension of our range of innovative products and services. Finally, the Company has solid financial resources to pursue its growth as of the second half of 2022 and thus consolidates its position as the leader in intelligent battery systems .

Key figures from the consolidated half-year statement

In m IFRS standards H1 2021 H1 2022 Change Change Sales 37.2 49.7 +12.6 +34% Heavy vehicles 29.6 38.5 +8.9 +30% Light vehicles 7.6 11.2 +3.6 +48% EBITDA1 (8.1) (8.2) -0.1 -1% EBITDA margin (22)% (16)% Adjusted EBITDA2 (7.9) (6.2) +1.7 +21% Adjusted EBITDA margin (21)% (12)% Underlying operating income (10.2) (12.2) -2.0 -20% Operating income (10.2) (12.2) -2.0 -20% Financial result (6.4) 2.5 +8.9 +139% Net consolidated income (16.8) (9.8) +6.9 +41%

The audit on the consolidated accounts have been carried out.

2022 Half-year results

In the first half of 2022, the Company reported revenues of 49.7 million, up 34% compared with 2021. This good commercial performance benefited in the second quarter from the recovery of activity in the heavy vehicle market (+30%) and continued strong activity in the light vehicle segment (+48%). In a context of tensions on the supply of certain electronic components, the Company has maintained its efforts in terms of flexibility in order to satisfy the strong demand of the electromobility market.

In terms of geographical breakdown of revenues, the French market is the main contributor to half-year revenues, while the rest of Europe is growing strongly, now representing 36% of sales (vs. 10% in H1 2021).

The Group posted an adjusted EBITDA margin of (12)% compared to (21)% a year ago. This positive development is mainly due to:

the improvement in gross margin (+3.3m) resulting from improved productivity and higher volume;

- the integration of the net operating costs of the new Holiwatt activity taken over by the Group in July 2021 (-1.5m).

On a like-for-like basis (excluding Holiwatt integration costs), adjusted EBITDA for the first half of 2022 would have amounted to (-4.7m), or 10% of the Group's revenues.

As a result, operating profit for the first half of 2022 amounted to (-12.2m), down from the operating profit recorded in the first half of 2021 (-10.2m).

During the past six months, financial income was positive at 2.5 million, compared with (-6.4 million) in H1 2021.

In total and after taking into account a tax charge of 0.2 million, the net loss for the first half of 2022 improved significantly and amounted to (-9.8 million) compared to (-16.8 million).

Group consolidated cash flow

In m H1 2021 H1 2022 Change Free cash flow from operations 1.0 (15.2) -16.2 Free cash flow from investing (4.5) (5.7) -1.2 Free cash flow from financing (3.6) (3.5) +0.1 Change in cash (7.1) (24.4) -17.3

A solid balance sheet position

During the first half of 2022, the Group's working capital balance represented 62% of half-year revenues, compared with 50% a year earlier. This increase is the direct consequence of the increase in inventory levels (+11.1 M) in a tense supply context.

In addition, CAPEX (excluding the IFRS 16 impact) during the past six months amounted to 2.0 million, or 4% of sales, a lower level than last year (6%) and in line with the announced objective (less than 10% of sales).

As of June 30, 2022, the Company had a strong balance sheet; shareholders' equity of 61.3 million, compared to 69.2 million as of December 31, 2021.

The increase in cash flow from operating activities is due to the deterioration in the change in working capital.

The negative change in cash flow from investing activities is due to the acquisition of NEoT Capital shares from Mitsubishi Corporation.

Lastly, cash flow from financing activities was stable.

In total, as of June 30, 2022, the Group's cash position amounted to 46.5 million compared to 70.8 million as of December 31, 2021.

Gross financial debt was stable at 54.4 million at June 30, 2022, compared with 53.7 million at December 31, 2021.

Recent and post closing events

Business Development

Order to equip 420 Wrightbus buses with ZEN SLIM battery systems;

Ballard Motive Solutions chooses Forsee Power high-power battery systems to equip fuel cell Refuse Collection Vehicles

Started deliveries of 5,000 GO 10 batteries to Omega Seiki Mobility in India for their RAGE+ electric 3-wheelers.

Development of new products and services

Signing of a partnership with EDF Store Forecast for the development of mobile and intelligent electricity storage systems with second life batteries

Industrial development

Establishment of the North American headquarters and a gigafactory in Columbus, Ohio.

Acquisition

Acquisition of shares in NEoT Capital from Mitsubishi Corporation, a company dedicated to financing in the renewable energy and electric mobility sectors to strengthen the Group's service offering.

Impact of Covid-19 and the conflict in Ukraine

The first half of 2022 was affected by the increase in cases of Covid-19 in China, particularly in Shanghai, which exposes the Group to pandemic risk due to the presence in China of one of its production sites and some of its suppliers.

The Group is not exposed to the restrictions imposed on Russia, as Forsee Power has no employees, customers or suppliers in that country. However, the Group is exposed to indirect logistical impacts, impacts linked to increases in the cost of materials, and impacts linked to the geopolitical situation in Ukraine and the energy sector.

Strategy and outlook

In the second half of 2022, Forsee Power will focus on the development of its production unit in the United States with the objective of reaching a production capacity of 3 GWh by 2027 and will continue to develop its commercial partnerships as well as its R&D work in order to expand its product and service offering.

The Group announces a sales target of over 100 million in 2022 and also confirms its financial objectives for 2027, namely to achieve revenues of around 600 million and EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margins both above 15%.

Forsee Power remains cautious about the uncertainties linked to the Covid-19 crisis, particularly in China where the Group operates one of its 4 production sites, and also the impact of the conflict in Ukraine, the logistical impact between Asia and Europe, the rise in raw material prices and the tense supply situation for certain electronic components.

Next financial communication: Q3 2022 sales on November 9, 2022 before market opening.

The half-year financial report will be available on the Company's website, in the investor section: https://www,forseepower-finance,com/index,php/en/documentation

Forsee Power joins the CACSmall Index

Following the annual review of the Euronext Paris indices on September 8, 2022, the Scientific Council of the Indices has decided to admit Forsee Power in the sample of the CAC Small index.

The effective date is Friday, September 16, 2022 after market close.

About Forsee Power

Forsee Power is a French industrial group specializing in smart battery systems for sustainable electric transport (light vehicles, off-highway vehicles, buses, trains and ships), A major player in Europe, Asia and North America, the Group designs, assembles, and supplies energy management systems based on cells that are among the most robust in the market and provides installation, commissioning, and maintenance on site and remotely, Forsee Power also offers financing solutions (battery leasing) and second-life solutions for transport batteries, The Group recorded revenue from sales of EUR 72,4 million in 2021 and has more than 600 employees, For more information: www,forseepower,com @ForseePower

1The EBITDA metric corresponds to operating income before amortization and impairment of intangible assets, amortization of rights of use on property, plant and equipment, depreciation and impairment of property, plant and equipment and net impairment of assets. This indicator is detailed in paragraph 2.1 of the half-year financial report.

2 In addition to EBITDA, the Group also monitors adjusted EBITDA. This alternative performance metric corresponds to EBITDA adjusted for share-based compensation expenses. The Group considers that these expenses do not reflect its current operating performance, in particular for equity-settled compensation plans, as they do not have a direct impact on cash. This indicator is detailed in paragraph 2.1 of the half-year financial report.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005659/en/

Contacts:

Forsee Power

Sophie Tricaud

VP Corporate affairs and Sustainability

investors@forseepower.com

NewCap

Thomas Grojean

Quentin Masse

Investor Relations

forseepower@newcap.eu

+33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

NewCap

Nicolas Merigeau

Media Relations

forseepower@newcap.eu

+33 (0)1 44 71 94 98
Today, the European Parliament once again voted to recognize primary woody biomass as a renewable energy source. This is consistent with its prior classification under both the first Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and RED II. Enviva Inc. (NYSE: EVA), the world's leading producer of sustainably sourced woody biomass, welcomes the designation as it marks a critical step in the right direction toward more low-carbon, drop-in alternatives to fossil fuels for power and heat generation, as part of an all-in renewables strategy to reduce carbon emissions and limit global dependence on fossil fuels.

Primary woody biomass is an essential renewable energy source for meeting the ambition sought by the EU Parliament to increase renewable energy to 45 percent by 2030, and for achieving the EU's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. In the words of Markus Pieper, the Member of Parliament leading on RED III, at the press conference held following the results of the plenary, "We do need wood-based biomass as a source of energy if we genuinely are to undertake this energy transition."

The Parliament's vote this week brings its position considerably closer to those of the Council and EU Commission by recognizing primary woody biomass as renewable, ensuring its continued zero-carbon rating in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, and allowing its use to increase in volume.

"One thing is clear: wood-based biomass is a building block of the energy transition and, despite the vote of left-green Members of the European Parliament, can still be counted as renewable energy. The new directive will set the necessary framework to achieve the greatest possible CO2 reduction effect and not to ensure that our forests are burned in the future. I am counting on the member states to follow our proposals as the procedure progresses ("trilogue")," continued Mr. Pieper in his statement.

The Council and EU Commission have continued their steadfast support for primary woody biomass and for its increased utilization to deliver climate change benefits and security of energy supply. Today's vote serves as an initial negotiating position in the European Union's process. After this vote, the EU Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the EU Commission will begin trilogue discussions, which are negotiations among the three parties, that are estimated to reach a final compromise on RED III in the first half of 2023.

"Heading into trilogues, the EU Parliament brought its position one step closer towards the mainstream views of the Council and the Commission, and away from the earlier minority position taken by the ENVI committee.

"While the process is foreign to those of us in the U.S., as an Austrian native, I can appreciate the complex nature of the EU legislative process, and that a compromise needs to be reached in trilogue negotiations to address the energy transition, security, and affordability crisis facing the EU. Today, biomass accounts for almost 60 percent of renewable energy in Europe.

"All serious pathways for achieving climate neutrality show that the use of bioenergy must and can be increased sustainably. The EU Commission's own impact assessment for RED III outlines a need to increase bioenergy use from 2030 to 2050 by an average of 69 percent to provide vital grid balancing services, high temperature heat for industry, advanced biofuels, and negative emissions," said Thomas Meth, President of Enviva.

"A failure to increase woody biomass use in the EU would mean failure in meeting climate goals, increased cost to EU consumers, and further disruption to security of energy supply on the brink of winter, when bioenergy makes up 25 percent of European heating supply and when incremental investments in more woody biomass infrastructure are desperately needed. At Enviva, we are encouraged by the progress made and are confident that a pragmatic and reasonable outcome will be reached," concluded Meth.

About Enviva

Enviva Inc. (NYSE: EVA) is the world's largest producer of industrial wood pellets, a renewable and sustainable energy source produced by aggregating a natural resource, wood fiber, and processing it into a transportable form, wood pellets. Enviva owns and operates ten plants with a combined production capacity of approximately 6.2 million metric tons per year in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi, and is constructing its 11th plant in Epes, Alabama. Enviva sells most of its wood pellets through long-term, take-or-pay off-take contracts with creditworthy customers in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Japan, helping to accelerate the energy transition and to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like steel, cement, lime, chemicals, and aviation fuels. Enviva exports its wood pellets to global markets through its deep-water marine terminals at the Port of Chesapeake, Virginia, the Port of Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Port of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and from third-party deep-water marine terminals in Savannah, Georgia, Mobile, Alabama, and Panama City, Florida.

To learn more about Enviva, please visit our website at www.envivabiomass.com. Follow Enviva on social media @Enviva.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005763/en/

Contacts:

MEDIA:

media@envivabiomass.com

+1 240-856-0324
San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2022) - White Feather Investments unveils its business model to promote financial freedom of military members and Veterans. Their business model is centered on educating and empowering existing and retired members of the military as well as their direct relatives through the company's real estate initiatives. These initiatives include their popular Real Estate Investing Accelerator program (REI Accelerator) and Real Estate investment opportunities across the United States.

The REI Accelerator is a six-month program that takes on students, regardless of their level of experience, and turns them into Real Estate investors. Its classes are held online, making it easily accessible to attendees across the globe. It has a highly selective application process that involves scheduling a screening call and completing the application form. The best-suited 40 applicants get selected to join the accelerator program every six months. While the application process is rigorous and meant to identify the best fits for the course, the value it provides has attracted some extremely high-level talent, including half a dozen Full Bird Colonels and a retired One-Star General.

Since its inception, REI Accelerator has had over 230 graduates that have purchased real estate. Edward Rushing, President and CEO of White Feather Investments states, "We customize our process for each White Feather member. If there is a Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, for instance, we would help them create a blueprint that would outline the exact process they would need to gain that financial freedom, while still being able to focus on their job as a Marine Officer."

To help make buying rental properties easier for its members, White Feather has created a system of robust investment opportunities across the nation. They have helped several hundred members buy over 300 single-family rentals in Memphis, St Louis, Little Rock and Southwest Florida amongst others, as well as short-term rentals in California. Additionally, they have created syndication opportunities with apartment complexes and development deals in California, Texas, Arizona and Florida. In addition, the company's Freedom Fund, raised nearly $7,000,000 from investors within the group to purchase an entire block of properties in Florida.

By providing a sense of community, purpose and the opportunity to build financial freedom, White Feather is committed to tackling challenges to help its members live the American dream they fought to protect.

Edward Rushing said, "Our mission is about supporting military people and helping them live a life of financial freedom. We do this because I believe this community of people, if empowered to do so, can create a tremendous effect on our nation. These are people who have signed up to sacrifice their time, energy, efforts, and potentially their lives so that their fellow Americans can live a life of freedom and security. Imagine the ripple effect if this special cohort of people achieve financial freedom and then turn their passion for service towards their communities. The result will be a massive impact that will ripple through generations of Americans."

About White Feather Investments

White Feather Investments is a real estate investment company co-founded in 2009 by Edward and Kimberly Rushing. The core of their business is focused on assisting the military, Veterans and first responders to build financial freedom through Real Estate investing.

Media Contact

Business Name: White Feather Investments

Contact Person: Edward Rushing

Email: info@whitefeatherinvestments.com

Website: www.whitefeatherinvestments.com

City: California

Country: USA

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/137142
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2022) - Golden Share Resources Corporation (TSXV: GSH) ("Golden Share" or the "Company") announces today that Chief Executive Officer Nick Zeng will step down as Chairman and CEO due to health concerns. Mr. Wes Roberts, currently a Director of the Company, will act as interim Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Zhen Huang has assumed the role of Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Zeng states that "It has been great to work with the dedicated team at Golden Share over the years and I am thankful to have such a capable Board and Management Team to carry on."

The Management and Board of Directors of the Company thank Nick for his service and leadership over the past 8 years.

In other news, the Company has received the final payment of two million shares of Midex Resources Ltd. ("Midex") for the Berens River project. The Company now holds four million shares of Midex. Please see Golden Share press release dated September 2, 2020 for more information. Midex is currently exploring the Berens River project for Lithium, Gold and Silver. For additional details of that work visit www.midexresources.com.

About Golden Share

Golden Share is a natural resource company exploring in Ontario, Canada. Golden Share plans to commence drilling the best primary targets of the Ogoki Project for diamonds, and the Kagiami Project for base metals, mainly copper and nickel, key materials for clean energy development. The carefully developed drilling program, which could potentially lead to exciting discoveries, provides the possibly best rewards for exploration dollars in a short term.

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.

For more information, please visit www.goldenshare.ca or contact:

Golden Share Resources Corporation

Fleming Huang, President

E-mail: info@goldenshare.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/137136
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Honda, the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, has announced its plans to launch electric motorcycles. Honda announced it would introduce '10 or more' electric motorcycles by 2025. Most of those will not be available in North America, as the company plans to focus on Asian and European markets. Honda plans to introduce three 'large-size' EV models in Japan, the US and Europe between 2024 and 2025. The company said it expects annual sales of 1 million electric motorcycles within the next five years. The company plans to become carbon neutral by 2050. Honda said it expects electric motorcycles to comprise 15% of its bike business by 2030, driven by growing strong demand in China, India and elsewhere in Asia. 'Electrification is a long road and we are discussing a variety of options without excluding anything from consideration. However, we have no plan to separate the electric two-wheeler business into a new business unit to be listed on a stock exchange,' Honda said in a statement. Meanwhile, the company said it would continue to produce internal combustion engine models, however, will strive to make them more environmentally friendly by introducing more 'flex-fuel' motorcycles that can use E20 and E100 ethanol-based fuels in 2023 and 2025. 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.
Digicel will leverage SES's Medium Earth Orbit O3b satellites to provide reliable connectivity to Tonga for disaster relief

SES and international mobile network operator Digicel announced today they will extend their partnership to provide the Kingdom of Tonga with long-term disaster resiliency to minimise bandwidth disruptions. Under the agreement, Digicel will benefit from SES's expertise in offering disaster resiliency via SES's O3b satellite constellation to deliver low-latency and high-throughput connectivity and protect the Tonga population from future communication interruptions in the event of a natural disaster.

Launched in 2013, SES's O3b satellites are orbiting 8,000 km above the Earth's surface in medium earth orbit (MEO) and delivers low-latency connectivity services to any area within 50 north or south of the equator. For the past decade, governments and businesses around the Pacific have been benefitting from the fibre-equivalent performance of the O3b satellite constellation.

The Kingdom of Tonga has suffered two major connectivity disruptions in the last four years, the latest being the result of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami in January 2022 which severely damaged undersea communication links. In the immediate wake of the disaster, Digicel had leveraged SES's Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite capacity to restore temporary connectivity on the islands, allowing Tongan residents to connect with their families and loved ones. As the damaged cable connecting the islands of Vava'u and Tongatapu in Tonga undergo repair, SES's MEO satellite service provides Vava'u residents of with connectivity. Once the cable is fully repaired, it will become a resiliency service to the main cable that connects the island to Tongatapu.

The new agreement will see Digicel use SES's O3b satellite system, which will deliver multiple Gbps of capacity for a quick-deploy connectivity to shield the islands in Tonga from potential communication disruptions in the future. The high throughput provided by SES's O3b satellites will ensure reliable connectivity for first responders and the entire population of Tonga.

"The islands in the Pacific are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, and it is vital during such crises to have resilient network connectivity. This is crucial in ensuring relief efforts can go smoothly and the affected populations can connect with their families and loved ones living in other parts of the world," said John Turnbull, Director of Pacific Region at SES. "With our continued partnership with Digicel, SES is glad to deliver high-performance, reliable connectivity to the residents in Tonga using our O3b satellites. SES's second-generation MEO satellite communication system O3b mPOWER promises unprecedented flexibility, unparalleled throughput and scalability, all of which are key to providing resiliency for vulnerable communities across Asia Pacific."

SES's multi-orbit satellite fleet has enabled us to quickly deploy domestic connectivity to the island of Vava'u at a time when it is crucial to keep people connected. We are glad to extend our partnership with SES and continue leveraging their O3b satellite services to protect the residents of Tonga from future disasters," said Mudassar Latif, Chief Technology Officer at Digicel Group. "We look forward to future collaborations with SES to bring multi-orbit satellite communications to other markets in the Pacific, especially those that are vulnerable to natural disasters."

To learn more about SES's MEO satellites, please visit https://www.ses.com/newsroom/o3b-mpower.

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About SES

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivityaround the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world's only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world's leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES's video network carries ~8,000 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 366 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005798/en/

Contacts:

Suzanne Ong

External Communications

Tel. +352 710 725 500

suzanne.ong@ses.com
Cyrebro, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based global leader in Security Operations Center (SOC) Infrastructure, raised $40M in Series C funding.

The round was led by Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT), with participation from new investor Elaia and existing investors Mangrove Capital Partners, Prytek, Bank Mizrachi and InCapital Group.

The company will use the funds to accelerate its go-to-market strategy becoming the global solution for all Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), IT providers and businesses of all sizes.

Led by CEO Nadav Arbel, Cyrebro provides an online managed Security Operations Center (SOC) Infrastructure platform that brings enterprise-grade cybersecurity to businesses of all sizes, ensuring fast and efficient responses to cyber threats and their mitigation. The SOC Infrastructure offers advanced 24/7/365 capabilities, including threat intelligence and hunting, forensic investigation, and incident response.

With 300% year-over-year growth from December 2020 to 2021, committed monthly revenues tripling from 2019 to 2021, and an expansion both in customers and employees, the company continues to expand with clients and partners around the world from North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia.

FinSMEs

14/09/2022
ff Venture Capital (ffVC), a NYC and Warsaw, Poland-based early-stage venture capital firm, has launched a US venture capital fund exclusively dedicated to Ukrainian founders and startups.

Targeting $50mm, the ff Blue & Yellow Heritage Fund has received early commitments for $30m from institutional, family offices and corporate investors. With a signed memorandum with the Ukrainian government and access to ffVCs extensive network of Ukrainian entrepreneurs, the fund will support Ukrainian startups facing challenges from the Russian invasion, while enabling breakthrough technology from an emerging innovation hub.

The Blue & Yellow Heritage Fund will invest in startups led by Ukrainian founders, startups relocated from Ukraine and startups that employ Ukrainian refugees. ffVC will prioritize providing offices and resources for Ukrainian startups relocating across Central and Eastern Europe and creating jobs for refugees, while accelerating long-term technology development in areas critical to Ukrainian development.

All investments will include oversight and governance controls.

Ukraine has more graduates with degrees in technology than most European countries and 240,000 citizens employed in the information technology sector. The country has a tradition of world-class innovation and investment success, including the invention of the harddrive, the software development platform (Gitlab) and messaging platform WhatsApp. Recent unicorns built by Ukrainian entrepreneurs and engineers include Affirm, Gitlab, Grammarly and People.ai.

FinSMEs

14/09/2022
Insly, a London, UK-based low/no-code software platform for insurers, insurance brokers and Managing General Agents (MGAs), raised 1.1m in bridge funding.

Half of this figure was committed by existing investors, Concentric and Uniqa Ventures, and half by an angel syndicate led by Fund Fellow Founders. The round brings Inslys total raised to 5.8m.

The company intends to user the funds to accelerate growth across operations in Poland, London, and Tallinn, enable further product development, and expand sales and marketing initiatives to acquire new customers.

Founded by Risto Rossar, Insly is an insurtech startup that enables insurers, MGAs, brokers, and underwriters to digitize and automate their mid and back-office operations, including distribution, policy administration, underwriting, claims, and reinsurance.

Initially an SaaS solution for brokers, the company has since diversified into tools for MGAs and insurance companies, while also developing a no-code product which is customisable and configurable, reducing the need for maintenance and costly development talent.

Additional services like accounting, reporting, and claims management tools further enhance the platforms capabilities for streamlining and optimizing insurance selling and admin processes.



In the last eight years, Insly has grown to a team of 100, with offices in Tallinn (core development unit), London (HQ), Vilnius, and Warsaw. It serves over 1,000 brokers, MGAs, and insurers, with over 15,000 users, and over 0.5bn gross premiums transacted on the platform. Its customers span 52 countries around the globe, and global revenues have grown by over 30% in the last year.

FinSMEs

14/09/2022
Africa Oil Week , in partnership with Lean In Equity & Sustainability, has released its Pan-African Female Leaders in Energy Power List 2022 . The highly respected list highlights Africas 50 most inspirational female energy executives. They act as visible role models and inspire those in the industry and the next generation of African girls and female executives.

Africa Oil Week, a Hyve event taking place 3-7 October, is committed to driving diversity and inclusion awareness into the sector, ensuring women continue to have a voice and opinion in shaping this evolving industry. In partnership with Lean In Equity & Sustainability, Africa Oil Week launched the power list in line with its mission to create a more gender-balanced sector by giving these leading women the platform to share their experiences and stories with other energy leaders.

It is essential to us that there is a greater representation of genders within the industry, not only because there are so many fantastic female leaders out there, but also to ensure that the voices of women and children are heard around the decision-making tables. We are extremely proud to create the Energy Power List 2022 with Lean In Equity & Sustainability, and we look forward to hearing the work and experiences of these 50 executive leaders in Cape Town at Africa Oil Week 2022, says Paul Sinclair, Vice President, Energy, Africa Oil Week & Green Energy Africa Summit.

On Thursday 6th October, Africa Oil Week will be hosting The Workforce of the Future & The

Energy Transition briefing, where registered guests can listen to a keynote presentation from Gemma Littlewood, Project Manager at Oil Spill Response Ltd, and join in roundtable sessions with the likes of Lame Verre, Co-founder Lean In Equity & Sustainability, Cynthia Lumor, Deputy MD at Tullow Oil, Sandisiwe Ncemane, CEO PetroSA, enjoy networking opportunities  and so much more.

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Zabka Eko Smart - The First Store In Poland Combining Ecology And Technology

September 14, 2022 // Franchising.com // Zabka opens a laboratory of eco-innovations enriched with smart solutions. The Zabka Eko Smart has one of the first perovskite installations in the world - the so-called price tags and blinds with perovskite cells were created using this groundbreaking technology. The facility is equipped with remote lighting and shop equipment management (Smart Shop Control) systems. And the surroundings where the coffee machine is located there are tiles made of coffee grounds and coffee husks. Lockable refrigerators insulated with hemp mats allow for great energy saving, just like glycol-filled shelves in the freezer cabinet. Soon, Zabka is planning to launch three more such stores in different parts of the country.

The new store is part of the Zabka Group's Responsibility Strategy, one of the main areas of which is a concern for the environment, including achieving climate neutrality by the end of 2025 and reducing the intensity of emissions in stores by 70% by the end of 2026 and increasing franchisees' satisfaction with the chain. Zabka Eko Smart is a continuation of the project implemented in 2020, when in Warsaw at Lewandow Street the chain launched the first store 100% powered by green energy. The Warsaw facility is a laboratory in which Zabka - often as the first company in the world  has tested nearly 20 environmentally friendly solutions, showing the direction in which the future of trade will develop. The next step was the launch in April 2022 of Zabka Smart at Polwiejska Street in Poznan, where new technological solutions aimed at improving the work of franchisees are being studied. Now the chain connects and enriches both projects, developing a unique project - the first Zabka Eko Smart is located in Poznan at 2 Powstancow Wielkopolskich Street.

Based on the experience of pilot programs carried out in our laboratory in Warsaw, we have introduced new solutions to the chain, thanks to which we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1.3 thousand tons of CO 2 , and also reduced electricity consumption by almost 261 MWh. We are now entering the next stage of the project and launching the Zabka Eko Smart, the first facility in Poland, where we combine environmental issues with modern technological solutions, improving the work of franchisees and their employees. Presenting new solutions, we also encourage customers to acquire completely different shopping experiences. We hope that this way we will additionally sow seeds of curiosity in them and encourage pro-ecological actions  says Anna Grabowska, Vice President of the Management Board for Consumer Strategy, Zabka Group.

The smart solutions used in Zabka Eko Smart are not only energy efficient but also significantly improve the daily work of the franchisee and the store attendants.

We continuously support franchisees with many tools that make doing business easier. The Zabka Eko Smart is packed with innovative technological solutions based on artificial intelligence, which cooperate with the store attendants. They "communicate" with the franchisee and store attendants and "perform" certain activities in the facility. Flooding sensors, automatic temperature measurement in the store, and energy consumption measurement release their time, allow attendants to focus on customer service, and at the same time are friendly to the planet. This is another step in the implementation of the strategy of franchise-centricity, according to which Zabka creates innovative solutions that help entrepreneurs run a local business, in addition to doing it in the most environmentally friendly way. The realization of our goals would not be possible without good cooperation with the Poznan City Hall and the Municipal Conservation Officer. Thanks to the openness of the officials to innovations and green solutions, our customers, the franchisees of Zabka Eko Smart, and their employees can test our ideas in practice  says Adam Manikowski, EVP, Managing Director, Zabka Polska.

The technologies used in the Zabka Eko Smart revolve around five key categories: green energy, second life, clean air, green transport, and smart solutions.

Green energy

The energy used by the Zabka Eko Smart in Poznan comes from 100% renewable sources. The facility used one of the first perovskite installations in the world. It is a breakthrough photovoltaic technology, generating green energy from both sunlight and artificial light. It has been made of blinds covering one of the walls of the building and installed in the facility price tags, which additionally allows for saving paper. 15 modules of photovoltaic panels were also installed on the roof of the store.

In the store you can find modern, closed fridges, limiting the energy consumption necessary to cool the goods, and their insulation made of hemp mats has very good thermal properties. This is a promising alternative to the commonly used polyurethane foam, as hemp - as a natural material - is fully biodegradable. Glycol shelves installed inside the refrigerated cabinets are filled with glycol, which allows one to store the cold and give it away at the most critical moments of the device operation, which increases the safety of stored products during external failures.

Green energy can also be used directly by customers - in front of the store, there is a solar bench, thanks to which one can charge their phone.

Second life

The wall next to the coffee maker was covered with tiles made of coffee grounds and coffee husks, which are waste generated during the roasting and brewing stage, combined with resin.

In front of the Poznan Zabka Eko Smart, there is also an EKOmat, a device for collecting beverage bottles and cans. From the empty packaging collected this way, new packages for products of the Zabka private label are made, e.g. Od Nowa, Dobra Karma, and Foodini brands, which have 33% less carbon footprint than traditional packaging. Zabka has already collected 600 thousand bottles with the help of EKOmats.

Zabka did not forget about the franchisees and their employees, for whom 100% organic cotton shirts were prepared and dyed with organic, certified dyes.

Clean air

To reduce the amount of dust and harmful substances that enter the atmosphere, one of the walls of the building housing the Zabka Eko Smart has been covered with plants. Not only do they produce oxygen, but they also absorb dust and harmful compounds from the air. A total of 532 plants were planted in 280 pots.

The effect of elimination of harmful substances will be additionally reinforced by the anti-smog paving laid next to the building, which - compared to asphalt - reduces the concentration of nitrogen oxides in the air by approximately 50% on average.

Green transport

Cyclists are also not forgotten about by the chain. The bicycle stand allows one to safely leave their bicycle in front of the store, and the bicycle repair station next to the facility will allow them to quickly adjust the brakes and gears, inflate the wheels, and make emergency repairs.

Smart Zabka

The solutions used in the smart facility "communicate" with the franchisee and store attendants and "perform" certain activities in the facility. Thanks to the sound system, the store staff receives messages about a possible failure or information about situations requiring human intervention, such as the lack of coffee in the coffee maker. With the Smart Shop Control and Hybrid System, thanks to appropriate sensors, the temperature in the store adapts automatically to the current weather conditions, energy consumption measurement and interconnection allow for verification of the correctness of the equipment, and flooding sensors detect faults in the refrigeration equipment, resulting in lower costs and reduced store downtime.

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Obituary: Professor Sir Graeme Davies

Former Vice-Chancellor of University of Glasgow, Professor Sir Graeme Davies

(7 April 1937-30 August 2022)

Professor Sir Graeme Davies, former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, has died after a brief illness. He was 85 years old.

Born in New Zealand, Sir Graeme graduated from the University of Auckland with a BE in Aeronautical Engineering and a PhD in Materials Science.

In 1962, he moved to the University of Cambridge, and subsequently became a Fellow and Dean of St Catharines College, Cambridge, obtaining an MA and ScD.

He taught Metallurgy in New Zealand and the UK (Cambridge and Sheffield), subsequently becoming an internationally distinguished academic metallurgist.

Over a period of 30 years he brought transformational leadership to a series of institutions of higher education, including the University of Glasgow where he was Principal from 1995-2003.

During his career, as well as his time at the helm at Glasgow, he was Vice-Chancellor of two other universities: the University of Liverpool (1986-1991) and the University of London (2003-2011), where he became the only Emeritus VC the University of London has appointed to date.

Sir Graeme also served as Chief Executive of the Universities Funding Council (UFC), and of the Polytechnic and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC), and then of their successor, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). It was the work he did during this time that saw him knighted in the 1996 New Year Honours list for services to HEFCE.

He also served many more public institutions and charities in the UK and overseas and received extensive honours for his contributions.

Sir Graeme was awarded 13 honorary degrees during his lifetime including one from UofG, acknowledging his major contribution to the life of the University as Principal (DUniv in 2004). The Sir Graeme Davies Building was also named in his honour in 2003.

As well as being an academic leader of huge intellect and standing, with keen strategic vision, Sir Graeme was known at Glasgow for his charismatic presence, his entrepreneurial approach, his wisdom and sense of humour.

Professor Sir Graeme Davies was born on 7 April 1937 in Auckland, New Zealand and died on 30 August 2022. He is survived by his wife Svava, his son Michael, his daughter Helena and five grandchildren.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Suppliers are also introducing a more sophisticated variety of truck cranes, crawler cranes, or any other types of cranes as the applications of mobile cranes is becoming more diverse due to the growth in demand from many industries, including port, transportation, building & construction, to mention only some.



The sales of mobile cranes has also been driven by projects being undertaken to upgrade the current infrastructure. Around the world, a plethora of projects involving the renovation of existing buildings are in progress.

For instance, Asia Pacific countries are rapidly improving their state of economy with greater focus on developing public buildings and transport facilities. Its also projected that OEMs would see considerable prospects for growth as a result of the real estate business expansion.

The market for mobile cranes is anticipated to expand at a moderate CAGR of 6% from 2022 to 2032. The market share for mobile cranes is predicted to grow from a total value of US$ 15.2 billion in 2022 to almost US$ 27.2 billion by 2032.



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According to the study, building, shipping, and oil and gas recovery will be critical to mobile crane sales in 2021. Vaccination campaigns and anticipation that China and India will avoid a second pandemic wave have bolstered prospects for a comeback in 2021. However, the pandemic-induced slowdown will require a long road to recovery, and this sense was clear in FMIs survey of manufacturers and stakeholders.

China Remains a Key Market for Mobile Crane Manufacturers



Early recovery and reduced fears of a second wave have given China a COVID-19 economic recovery advantage over the US and Europe. Furthermore, the Chinese government is actively spending in road and infrastructure projects, which has resulted in an increase in heavy equipment machines.

According to FMIs research, mobile crane manufacturers are aiming to expand their presence in APAC to compensate for difficulties in the United States and Europe. Market participants are projected to increase their engagement in China and India over the coming decade.

Key Takeaways from Study

Crawler cranes continue to be a top-selling category

All terrain mobile cranes to emerge lucrative in terms

Recovery in construction sector key to growth in

APEJ (Asia Pacific Excluding Japan) to exhibit fastest growth rate through 2031 with its epicenters in China & India

The United States to hold the major share in the North America mobile cranes industry

Germany to maintain its lead in the mobile cranes industry of Europe

The United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, France, and a few others to maintain positive outlooks for mobile cranes industry





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While increase in requirement from residential, commercial, and industrial construction sectors is spurring the growth of mobile crane manufacturers, availability of new products with wider variety is driving more potential buyers to this industry. This in turn is creating unlimited new opportunities for stakeholders in mobile cranes market, says an FMI analyst.

Oil & Gas Industry will Provide Long-term Momentum



The oil and gas industry, as a prominent end-use industry for mobile cranes, will be critical to mobile crane sales in the long run. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) report Oil 2020- Analysis, published in March 2020, global oil demand is predicted to climb by 5.7 mb/d, with China and India accounting for over half of the growth.

According to the analysis, global oil production capacity will increase by 5.9 million barrels per day, while non-OPEC supply will increase by 4.5 million barrels per day, and OPEC will add 1.4 million barrels per day of crude and natural gas liquids capacity. These data demonstrate the mobile cranes industrys enormous potential.

Who is winning in this Space?



The global mobile cranes market is fiercely competitive. As important market participants want to expand their sales presence, they are developing a diverse range of items.

For instance,

In 2020, Liebherr Group introduced the new LTM 1150-5.3 Wheeled Mobile Telescopic Crane.

Terex Corporation announced the sale of its Demag Mobile Cranes Business in order to boost profitability in 2019, as well as the introduction of new products such as TEREX Rough Terrain Cranes, TEREX Tower Cranes, and others.

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Mobile Cranes Market by Category



Product Type

Truck Cranes

All Terrain Cranes

Rough Terrain Cranes

Crawler Cranes

Others





Application

Construction Industry

Oil & Gas Industry

Shipping & Port Building

Others

Table of Content

1. Executive Summary



2. Market Introduction

2.1. Market Taxonomy

2.2. Market Definition

3. Mobile Cranes Market Analysis Scenario

3.1. Global Mobile Cranes Market: Construction Equipment Industry overview

3.2. Market Volume Analysis

3.3. Global Mobile Cranes Market  Price Projections By Type

3.4. Global Mobile Cranes  Price Projections By Region

3.5. Global Mobile Cranes Market Forecast

3.6. Mobile Cranes Market: Value Chain Analysis

Click Here for Mobile Cranes Market 317 pages TOC Report

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Crane Motors Market Share: Global Industry Analysis 2016 - 2020 and Opportunity Assessment 2021 - 2031

Stacker Crane Market Trends: Stacker Crane Market by Operation Type, End-use Industry, Application, Type & Region - Forecast 2022  2032

Ceramic Transducers Market Forecast: Ceramic Transducers Market by Material, Application & Region - Forecast 2022  2032

China Elevator Ropes Market Outlook: China Elevator Ropes Market by Core Type, Functionality, Elevator Type & Region - Forecast 2022  2032

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SINGAPORE CITY, SINGAPORE, Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

PixPal is a platform that merges the virtual and physical worlds through blockchain technology to help artists transition to web3.

The world of cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and metaverse is an exciting new reality. Many people have immersed themselves in this new world, but many others dont understand it. PixPal is the first-ever platform that is easing artists into this new world. The platform is clear-cut, making it easy for artists to transition to Web3 & profit from it.

PixPal brings together the physical and digital art galleries to provide products that live both in the digital world and in tangible locations. The PixPal NFT marketplace aims to create a one-of-a-kind experience for artists & investors. Our main objective is to engineer a lively, incredibly active ecosystem based on cutting-edge artistic projects and NFT collections. These collections can be moved from the online NFT marketplace to a brick-and-mortar art gallery.

PixPal introduces a new era of NFT, bridging the physical assets, mostly art, with digital assets. It is also a platform that supports the visions and goals of artists. The whole journey from the metaverse to the real world will be driven by our Profit-Sharing Community (PSC)...

Until now, NFT projects have only had a home in the virtual world, but through blockchain, PixPal will give artists a medium to exhibit their art to the world. Art exhibited with PixPal can be accessed in real-life & the metaverse. The virtual PixPal Art Galleries are open 24/7, and people can visit the physical galleries too. The galleries are being designed to have a modern minimalistic look and metaverse-like experience. We will also add interactive tools to it to allow customers to browse available NFT collections.

To make it easier for non-web3 people to join their community, PixPal will offer traditional banking operations on its platform, such as credit card payment. This way, web2 artists can enjoy web3 advantages even if they dont yet know a lot about it.









The collections exhibited at PixPal art galleries will be hand-picked and can be bought and sold. The Phygital NFT Marketplace offers outstanding works of art from proven artists. PixPal is based on Solana, one of the fastest-growing blockchains in the market, which provides beneficial features that allow for the kind of scaling PixPal needs for its NFTs. These features include security, transparency, and decentralization of operations.

To encourage the merge of physical and digital utilities, PixPal introduces NFT as service. This pilot project will start by offering free Tattoos with the NFTs ownership. They already have agreements with Tattoo artists in Argentina, Armenia, Holland, Germany, Spain, and United States to start delivering on this idea.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Innovation Village hopes to prepare citizens for a knowledge-based economy, foster a new tech startup scene, host innovative organizations from around the world and deliver the country a non-oil economy "sandbox" that will provide local and global solutions.

In recent times, Guyana discovered one of the world's biggest oil and gas reserves. This discovery is a turning point for the beautiful country, rich with warm people and innumerable resources as the gaze of the world has gradually turned unto them with hope for better opportunities arising on the horizon.

The Guyana Innovation Group is poised to be the link connecting capabilities, cutting-edge technologies, incredible talent, and networks to visionary public and private Guyanese partners, thus forming the backbone for the growth of the non-oil economy. The Innovation Village in the heart of Silica City is a critical milestone for the country. Renowned organizations like Boston's MIT, DAR design and engineering firm, the Formula E ecosystem, including Brands Partner Group (BPG), Baptist Health, Florida International University (FIU), NV2A Group, OEC, DHL Global, Universal Music and Hotels, Alder Fuels, amongst others, are showing great interest in participating in the Innovation Village initiative.

The Silica City, located in the south of Georgetown, is the brainchild and legacy of the visionary leader, His Excellency President Irfaan Ali. The city is set to be a pioneer in all ramifications, beginning by using the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) that conforms to Guyana's commitment to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The Innovation Village will be the heart of Silica City leading the way to becoming a global laboratory.

The Innovation Village represents a new complementary urban model, giving rise to what people are calling "innovation districts." These districts, by definition, are geographic areas where leading-edge anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with start-ups, business incubators and accelerators. Key enabling technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence and big data are used to develop unique innovative solutions.

Cofounder of the Guyana Innovation Group, Rodrigo Arboleda, could not conceal his excitement in being a part of this laudable feat. In his words, "The Innovation Village is a nation-building project that connects science, technology, and innovation with the wellbeing of society. Our goal is to bring to Guyana the right allies that will help the country evolve into a cutting-edge nation."

Luis Videgaray, head of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Policy for the World Project, spoke on the immense potential of the Innovation Village. He said, "We are very proud to contribute to the thinking and ideas that may result in a transformational project for society. MIT is moving towards creating the right mechanisms to participate around Artificial Intelligence that will deliver well-being to society." Business leaders, governments, investors, innovators, and the general public with an eye for discovering untapped opportunities are invited to witness a turning point in Guyana's history.

Media Contact

Company name: Guyana Innovation Group

Contact Person: Rachel Green

Email: pr@guyanainnovationgroup.com







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Image 1: Guyana Innovation Village





Guyana Innovation Village delegation with HE President Irfaan Ali and members of the Guyanese Government









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NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until October 25, 2022 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Coupang, Inc. (NYSE: CPNG), if they purchased or acquired the Companys shares pursuant and/or traceable to the Companys March 2021 initial public offering (the IPO). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.



Get Help

Coupang investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-cpng/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Coupang and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information in its IPO Registration Statement, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company was engaged in improper anti-competitive practices with its suppliers and other third parties in violation of applicable regulations; (ii) the Company had improperly adjusted search algorithms and manipulated product reviews on its marketplace platform in order to prioritize its own private-label branded products over those of other sellers and merchants, to the detriment of consumers, merchants, and suppliers; (iii) unbeknownst to its Rocket WOW members, Coupang was selling products to non-member customers at lower prices than those offered to its Rocket WOW members; (iv) the Company subjected its workforce to extreme, unsafe, and unhealthy working conditions; (v) all of the above illicit practices exposed the Company to a heightened, but undisclosed, risk of reputational and regulatory scrutiny that would harm the Companys critical relationships with consumers, merchants, suppliers, and the workforce; and (vi) the Companys lower prices, historical revenues, competitive advantages, and growing market share were the result of systemic, improper, unethical, and/or illegal practices, and, thus, unsustainable.

The case is Choi v. Coupang, Inc., No. 22-cv-07309.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

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SYDNEY, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following is an open letter from Iraqi Australian Medical Graduates Forum Association in response to 60 Minutes' promotion of its story on Professor Munjed Al Muderis, Iraqi-born orthopaedic surgeon and refugee living and practising in Australia. Our Association supports Professor Al Muderis and the fair treatment and representation of people of colour in reporting. When the colour of your skin correlates with your well-being and longevity and, specifically in this case, how you'll be represented by media, that is both a human and public health injustice.

An open letter to: Tom Steinfort, "60 Minutes Australia"  Racism in Reporting

Dear Tom,

We respond to your story on Professor Munjed Al Muderis as the Iraqi Australian Medical Graduates Forum Association, an umbrella organisation covering several committees including the Association of Iraqi Academics in Australia & NZ and the Iraqi Australasian Medical Association, and feel more than adequately qualified to make the following statements.

We need to protect our assets

As a migrant country, Australia has always relied on people born elsewhere to provide both unskilled and skilled labour to keep the country operational. Historically, these immigration policies have been widely criticized as racist, yet have evolved over time to become more inclusive. From a human perspective, this is the right thing to do, but given Australia's modern social and economic destiny is linked more to its geographic region than to its link to "old world" colonial connections, this makes economic sense too.

These assertions are supported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2020 report outlining the increase from 10% at the end of WWII to 30% in 2019 and the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs 2019 report showing the largest contribution to the 160,323 new permanent migrants were India (21%), China (15%) and UK (9%). And these statistics do not cover first- and second-generation Australians.

What we're trying to say, Tom, is that an increasing percentage of our workforce is comprised of people not born in Australia or have parents and grandparents who weren't. The inference here is that most of these people are also not white.

Why then, was Professor Al Muderis the only person of colour represented in your promos of the segment you have put together on him? Why is your expert, your patient interviewees and, indeed, the entire "60 Minutes" team present on the day all white? Where is the diversity? Where is the perspective brought by people of different races, religions, colour and creed? Where is the balance?

The brain drain is very real in Australia, and this was only intensified as COVID-19 struck and people wanted to move to less restrictive countries from which to work. Why would we not want to protect and nurture the brains we already have here? Why would we not recognise Professor Al Muderis, and others like him, as the asset they are to this country?

>>>>>>>>> READ MORE<<<<<<<<<<<<<

For more information, contact Kate Reddin - kpr@katereddin.com | +61 411 055 955

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TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the Visited travel app, UAE is currently ranked as the 27th most popular country to visit among global international travelers. The Visited travel app has over 1 million users across the globe and offers a unique glance into who visits the Emirates and what they do when they are there. The data is based on the user's self-reported information on where they have been, wish to travel to and what places/experiences they had while there.



Visited, a travel app released by Arriving In High Heels, allows users to map travels, check off places off the bucket list, and stay on top of travel trends. The popular travel app has been translated into 30 languages and is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.

The large percentage of travelers to the UAE are coming from Australia and Europe. With 29 percent of all Australians having visited the Emirates. 28 Percent of Swiss travelers and 27 percent of all UK travelers have been to UAE. On a global scale 17 percent of all international travellers have been to the UAE, with 7 percent having it on their bucket list.

Despite the popularity of visiting the UAE, Abu Dhabi is the 30th most visited capital in the world, indicating that Dubai is currently more frequently visited.

The Top Sights in the emirates according to over 60 travel lists split by categories include:

Yas Marina is 4th most visited Formula One Circuit.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque is ranked 4th of all Mosques visited around the world, only 2nd spot to Mosques found in Istanbul.

Louvre Abu Dhabi is the 44th most visited Art Museum in the world.

Dubai Cruise Port, while being the largest cruise terminal in the world is currently in 21st spot for most visited cruise ports in the world.

Motiongate Dubai and Legoland Dubai are found in the top 100 list for kids attractions.



Some of the experiences that people tend to have in UAE includes:

Shopping: Dubai Mall is ranked 14th in the world, coming only a few spots behind fashion capitals of NYC, Milan and Paris.

Beach: 57 percent of all visitors to the Emirates travel with the beach in mind.

Snorkelling and Diving is another popular activity for those seeking a more adventurous vacation.

The Arabian Desert is currently ranked in 2nd most visited desert in the world. Not surprising as it is almost impossible to come to the Emirates without venturing to the desert.

To access the full report with other insights into a typical visitor to the UAE, visit: visitedapp.com

Visited has also rolled out a new set of travel lists. The list feature allows users to not only select the sites that they have visited but also see how they rank against other travellers. Users will find travel lists that match their interests, such as food and drink, nature, history, culture, architecture, religious sites, sporting events, and more. Popular lists include: world capitals, ancient sites, lists of cruise ports, top beaches, best snorkelling locations, mountain ranges and art museums. The travel lists are sorted based on popularity by over 1.45 million international travellers who have installed the Visited app.

There are endless places to visit and having data from other world travelers will help users create their own bucket lists and personalized plans.

With the ability for users to create their very own digital scratch map with past and future travels by country, region/state and city, users are able to easily track their personal travel goals and gain personalized insights to key stats such as travel ranking, percentage of the world seen, and total countries visited.

Users can also leverage the Inspiration feature to discover new destinations with an intuitive swiping experience. By scanning popular and less viewed travel places, users can visualize and plan their next adventure on the Visited App with ease.

To learn more about the Visited app and its latest feature update, please visit https://visitedapp.com.

About Arriving In High Heels Corporation

Arriving In High Heels Corporation is a mobile app company; Visited is its most popular app. For inspiration on travel destinations, travel stats and the latest travel news, follow Visited's Travel Blog.

Contact Information

Anna Kayfitz

anna@arrivinginhighheels.com

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New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cold Storage Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319516/?utm_source=GNW

, GEODIS, NFI Industries, Penske Logistics Inc., Confederation Freezers, Seafrigo, Trenton Cold Storage, Merchants Terminal Corporation, and Stockhabo.



The global cold storage market is expected to grow from $123.43 billion in 2021 to $141.39 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.6%. The cold storage market is expected to reach $260.01 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 16.5%.



The cold storage market consists of the sale of cold storage products by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used for preserving food items in refrigerated and controlled rooms.It refers to a place or a building where perishable products are stored or kept at low temperatures.



Almost all cold storage rooms are designed with properties that can keep food items in optimum conditions, and these properties can be adjusted according to what has been stored.



The main types of cold storage are private, semi-private, and public.Private and semi-private products refer to cold storage that is owned or operated by the company that produces or owns the products kept in the warehouse used for storing purposes.



The various construction types include bulk storage, production stores, and ports, and involve several temperature forms, such as frozen and chilled. It is used in storing fruits and vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, and seafood, processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and other applications.



North America was the largest region in the cold storage market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in the cold storage market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The cold storage market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides cold storage market statistics, including cold storage industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a cold storage market share, detailed cold storage market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the cold storage industry. This cold storage market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.



The rising perishable products are expected to propel the growth of the cold storage market going forward.Perishable products are those that easily deteriorate and have a short life span, which includes products such as fruits and vegetables, dairy products, pharmaceuticals, and others.



The growing trade of perishables compels the cold storage market to provide better quality products to serve their customers. For instance, according to a report published by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations in 2021, global milk production reached 906 million tonnes in 2020, which has risen approximately 0.2% from 2019. Another article by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, an intergovernmental organization of 38 member countries, said that total meat production in 2020 is approximately 134 megatons, which is 1.2% more than in 2019. Therefore, the rise in the trade of perishables will increase the demand for cold storage.



Advancements in technologies are a key trend gaining popularity in the cold storage market.Major companies operating in the cold storage market are using new technologies such as automation in warehouses, taller warehouses with temperature control, and others to sustain their position in the market.



For instance, in May 2021, Vertical Cold Storage, a US-based temperature-controlled and dry storage facility provider, unveiled its new cold storage facility, Vertical Cold facilities. The Vertical Cold Facilities contain the most reliable automation in the industry along with cost-effective refrigeration facilities that use green practices and improve performance through decision-making technology.



In November 2019, Americold Logistics LLC, a US-based temperature-controlled warehousing and transportation company, acquired Nova Cold Logistics for a deal amount of approximately CAD 337 million ($253 million).This acquisition provides Americold with new warehousing facilities that include voice inventory management technology and temperature-controlled docking systems.



Americold believes that Nova Cold would enhance its position as a global owner of temperature-controlled infrastructure and get access to new regional and local customers. Nova Cold is a Canada-based provider of cold storage facilities.



The countries covered in the cold storage market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319516/?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.



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New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Coiled Tubing Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319505/?utm_source=GNW





The global coiled tubing market is expected to grow from $3.01 billion in 2021 to $3.31 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. The coiled tubing market is expected to reach $4.29 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 6.6%.



The coiled tubing market consists of the sales of coiled tubing services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to carry out big wirelines and pump chemicals through them.Coiled tubing refers to a long metal pipe that is rolled over or surrounded by a large reel.



It is carried to the well site when any well repair or workover activities are undertaken. Also, it is used in improving the well and reservoir performance and for various processes on the site, including milling, drilling, and rock fracturing.



The main types of coiled tubing markets are well intervention, drilling services, perforating, fracturing, and milling services.Well intervention refers to an operation carried out on an oil or gas well.



It is the ability to safely enter a well with good control to do several tasks other than drilling.The various operations include logging, pumping, circulation, and others.



The various applications include onshore and offshore.



North America was the largest region in the coiled tubing market in 2021.North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in the coiled tubing market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The coiled tubing market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides coiled tubing market statistics, including coiled tubing industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a coiled tubing market share, detailed coiled tubing market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the coiled tubing industry. This coiled tubing market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.



Growing demand for oil and gas is expected to propel the growth of the coiled tubing market going forward.As the oil and gas demand increases globally, the need for revamping and refurbishing the existing oilfield will increase simultaneously.



The coiled tubing unit is applied mainly in well cleanout, drilling and milling, gas lifting and induced flowing, fishing, drainage, high freezing point oil plugging removal, and plugging removal.For instance, in 2022, according to the statistics by International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, consumption of natural gas in India is expected to grow by 25 billion cubic meters (BCM), registering an average annual growth of 9% until 2024.



Indias oil consumption stood at almost 4.9 million barrels per day (BPD) in 2021, up from 4.65 million BPD in 2020. Therefore, the surge in demand for oil and gas is driving the growth of the coiled tubing market.



Real-time 3D profiling is a key trend gaining popularity in the coiled tubing market.Major companies operating in the coiled tubing sector are developing and investing in real-time 3D to meet consumer demand.



For instance, in 2022, Schlumberger, a US-based oilfield services company introduced the GeoSphere 360* 3D reservoir mapping-while-drilling service at the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC).Real-time 3D profiling of reservoir items is provided using modern cloud and digital technology.



This increases reservoir understanding and well placement, allowing complex reservoir returns to be maximized.



In March 2022, Baker Hughes, a US-based industrial service company acquired Altus Intervention for an undisclosed amount.This acquisition will expand Bakers existing portfolio of oilfield technologies and solutions and boost the companys life-of-well capabilities.



Also, it will enable Baker Hughess strategy to transform its operations by advancing its technological capabilities and giving its customers the best possible solutions with high efficiency. Altus Intervention is a Norway-based company that provides intervention services and produces equipment for coiled tubing, precision manipulation, perforation, ballistics, and plug and abandonment services.



The countries covered in the coiled tubing market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319505/?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.



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English Danish

At the Extraordinary General Meeting of Jyske Bank held today, the motions set out in the agenda were finally adopted.

The motion concerning a reduction of Jyske Banks share capital and consequently amendment to Art. 2 of the Articles of Association as well as the authorisation of the general meeting for registration of the Articles of Association were considered.

The Danish Business Authority is subsequently requested to register the adopted motions.

Yours faithfully,

Jyske Bank

Contact person: CFO, Birger Krgh Nielsen, phone +45 89 89 64 44.

Attachment
Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WWP Beauty, a world-class full-service supplier to the global beauty industry, launches a lineup of new and sustainable turnkey and packaging collections during the MakeUp in New York tradeshow.

Jennifer Adams, WWP Beauty CEO, commented, "We are excited to debut our latest sustainable launches at MakeUp in New York. Nurtureverse and MonoPump collections contribute to creating a more circular beauty".

"Our booth features a nature-metaverse theme, a space where nature and technology are fused and where together we can create Beauty with Purpose," says Musa Dias, WWP Beauty CMO.

NURTUREVERSE

Where Technology Meets Nature

Conscious lip care has been rising from formulas to packaging. There has been increasing demand for new eco-formats and innovations in this category. Our NurtureVerse Collection features multi-sensorial, versatile, and nurturing lip formulations paired with eco-friendly packaging designs.

The hybrid products function as lip care and color shades inspired by both natural and artificial worlds. Formulas are infused with a blend of plant extract, botanical oils, vitamins, and peptides that help promote smooth and younger lips.

Lip products are featured in luxurious weighted, recycle-ready mono-material and refillable lipstick cases and lip gloss vials designed with molecular recycled technology.

NurtureVerse Lip collection also includes a sustainable and stylish pouch bag designed in natural and recycled hemp material.

Omni Lip Cushion: An easy-wear, eco-conscious lipstick enriched with restorative skin ingredients. It delivers a cushiony and smooth application with full-color coverage in a single stroke.

An easy-wear, eco-conscious lipstick enriched with restorative skin ingredients. It delivers a cushiony and smooth application with full-color coverage in a single stroke. Lip Realm Moisturizing Lipstick : An eco-conscious lipstick with the comfort and feel of a hydrating balm. Its ultra-creamy lipstick texture melts on application, delivering buildable color while nourishing and protecting lips

An eco-conscious lipstick with the comfort and feel of a hydrating balm. Its ultra-creamy lipstick texture melts on application, delivering buildable color while nourishing and protecting lips Metamorph Lip Shimmer: A versatile, eye-catching lipstick transformer designed with gel color technology. Its lightweight and silky-smooth texture glide easily, delivering a layer of pure, dazzling shimmer in a single stroke. Apply it alone or as a lipstick transformer.

A versatile, eye-catching lipstick transformer designed with gel color technology. Its lightweight and silky-smooth texture glide easily, delivering a layer of pure, dazzling shimmer in a single stroke. Apply it alone or as a lipstick transformer. StarDust Topper Lip & Cheek : Weightless and transfer-free multi-use lip and cheek serum with a multi-dimensional glimmering finish. Use it alone or on top of a lipstick or blush to transform them into a luxurious sparkling color coat that stays put with zero fallout.

Weightless and transfer-free multi-use lip and cheek serum with a multi-dimensional glimmering finish. Use it alone or on top of a lipstick or blush to transform them into a luxurious sparkling color coat that stays put with zero fallout. Multiverse Lip Care: A primer and care lip care souffle designed with a blend of nourishing lip ingredients to restore skin moisture barrier. It delivers ultra-hydration and protection while providing smoother and younger-looking lips.

MonoPump Airless

Sustainable & Functional

The MonoPump Airless collection features Svelte and Largo designs that are versatile, eco-smart, and functional. This sustainable, metal-free packaging is made entirely of 100% PP material parts. The airless pump system helps to preserve formula integrity.

The Svelte collection features a sleek look and feel packaging design in peach color. Available in 30 and 50mL.

The Largo collection features a modern and compact design in green color. Available in 30, 50, 70, 100, and 120mL.

About WWP Beauty

Together we Create Beauty with Purpose

WWP Beauty is committed to creating Beauty with Purpose by developing innovative sustainable, future-focused solutions for the global beauty industry through close collaboration, exceptional agility, and unparalleled scale.

Through a worldwide team of beauty experts that spans North America, EMEA, and APAC, we offer our customers global support at the local level.

Our company's full-service offering of mindful turnkey formulations, eco-smart packaging designs, and accessories paired with our in-house manufacturing, integrated network, and superior quality allows us to stand out as "The Partner for Beauty with Purpose."

To learn more, visit our website at www.wwpbeauty.com.

Attachments
New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Data Converter Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319491/?utm_source=GNW





The global data converter market is expected to grow from $3.93 billion in 2021 to $4.17 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.24%. The data converter market is expected to reach $5.76 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.40%.



The data converter market consists of sales of data converters by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that refers to a circuit in electronics that transforms analog to digital or vice versa. A data converter is a temporal SDK component that encodes and decodes data entering and exiting a temporal server.



The main types of data converters are analog-to-digital converters and digital-to-analog converters.The digital-to-analog converters refer to an electric circuit that receives digital data (a stream of numbers) and outputs a voltage or current proportionate to the value of the digital data.



The sampling rate is categorized as high-speed data converters and general-purpose data converters. The major rate types are 1gsps to 5gsps and 5gsps to 20gsps and have applications across various segments including communications, automotive, consumer electronics, industrial process control and automation, medical, testing and measurement and others.



North America was the largest region in the data converter market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in the data converter market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The data converters market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides data converters market statistics, including data converters industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an data converters market share, detailed data converters market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the data converters industry. This data converters market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.



The growing demand for high-resolution images in scientific and medical applications is expected to propel the growth of the data converter market.High-resolution images are used in medical image processing.



Medical image processing is the use and investigation of 3D image files of the human body, often collected from a Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner, to diagnose disorders, guide medical procedures such as surgery planning, or for research reasons.The data converter plays a vital role in meeting the demand for medical imaging devices in terms of image quality, pixel density, accuracy, linearity, and noise.



According to GE Healthcare, medical imaging accounts for more than 90% of healthcare data. Therefore, the increasing usage of high-resolution imaging devices in medical applications outfitted with data converters is driving the growth of the data converter market.



Strategic partnerships is a growing trend in the data converter market.Organizations are entering into partnerships to expand into new markets and leverage each others resources.



In October 2020, STMicroelectronics, a Franco-Italian multinational electronics and semiconductors manufacturer, entered into a partnership with Sanken Electric.The partnership aimed at maximizing the performance and utility of intelligent power modules (IPM) in high-voltage, high-power equipment designs.



Sanken Electric is a Japan-based pioneer in creative technology focusing in semiconductor devices, power modules, and sensors.



In August 2021, Analog Devices, a US-based multinational semiconductor company, acquired Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. for $20.8 billion. The acquisition helps Analog Devices strengthen the analog devices position as a high-performance semiconductor manufacturer, boost its analog segment, mix a single device portfolio, and expand its reach into more markets. Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. is a US-based manufacturer that creates cutting-edge analog integrated circuits for automotive, industrial, healthcare, mobile consumer, and cloud data center applications.



The countries covered in the data converter market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319491/?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.



__________________________
Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XCPCNL Business Services Corporation (OTC Pink: XCPL), a venture development business that leverages knowledge, skill, and experience in the consumer products industry (the Company) is pleased to announce that it has been invited to present at the Emerging Growth Conference on September 14, 2022.

The next Emerging Growth Conference is presenting on September 14, 2022. This live, interactive online event will give existing shareholders and the investment community the opportunity to interact with the Companys CEO, Tim Matthews in real time.

Mr. Matthews will perform a presentation and may subsequently open the floor for questions. Please ask your questions during the event and Mr. Matthews will do his best to get through as many of them as possible.

XCPCNL Business Services will be presenting at 9:45am Eastern time for 30 minutes.

Please register here to ensure you are able to attend the conference and receive any updates that are released.

https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1552113&tp_key=93e040bf55&sti=tw

If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available on EmergingGrowth.com, and we will also release a link to that after the event.

About the Emerging Growth Conference

The Emerging Growth conference is an effective way for public companies to present and communicate their new products, services and other major announcements to the investment community from the convenience of their office, in a time efficient manner.

The Conference focus and coverage includes companies in a wide range of growth sectors, with strong management teams, innovative products & services, focused strategy, execution, and the overall potential for long term growth. Its audience includes potentially tens of thousands of Individual and Institutional investors, as well as Investment advisors and analysts.

All sessions will be conducted through video webcasts and will take place in the Eastern Time Zone.



XCPCNL Business Services Corporation (OTC Pink: XCPL) encourages shareholders to visit their corporate Twitter account at https://twitter.com/RealXCPCNL .

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer:

This press release may include, and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may include, "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. Statements regarding possible business combinations and the financing thereof, and related matters, as well as all other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, might, plan, possible, potential, predict, project, should, would and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Companys management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Companys filing with the Over the Counter Market (OTC). All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

About XCPCNL:

Charlotte, NC-based XCPCNL Business Services is a venture development business that leverages its knowledge, skills, and experience in the consumer products industry. Our primary mission is to provide marketing, technology, and other business services to fast-growing consumer product companies and big-box retailers. XCPCNL is a minority-owned and controlled firm. To learn more about our businesses, services, and opportunities, please contact: info@xcpcnl.com

To learn more about XPCNL, visit www.xcpcnl.com

For Inquiries:
Dublin, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "U.S. Used Construction Equipment Market- Strategic Assessment & Forecast 2022-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The U.S. used construction equipment market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.97% during 2022-2028.



The used construction equipment market in the US is expected to reach 45,766 units by 2028. The US government investment in the up-gradation of infrastructure & renewable energy projects is expected to support the demand for used equipment in the US during the forecast period (2022-2028).



U.S. USED CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT MARKET: KEY HIGHLIGHTS

The Earthmoving segment has the largest U.S. used construction equipment market share. Other segments, including motor graders, skid loaders, bulldozers & trenchers, held the largest share in the earthmoving segment in 2021.



Infrastructure up-gradation projects such as the renovation of commercial buildings, railway stations, airports, repair of runways, and extension of roadways & bridges in rural parts drive high demand for used construction equipment in the US market.



The government aims to produce 95GW of power through renewable energy resources by 2025. For achieving this goal, the government is setting up windfarm & solar plants across the country, which is expected to support the demand for used equipment as the new equipment supply chain is still in the recovery phase, so used equipment caters to the need of the industry.



Less costly equipment having high operational requirements & low life expectancies, such as excavators, backhoe loaders, and forklifts, are expected to grow faster during the forecast period than costly equipment such as motor graders and cranes with low operational requirements and long-life expectancy.



Recovery in the supply chain of new construction equipment post-pandemic and rising rental markets are a major threat to the demand for used construction equipment in the US market. However, used equipment is expected to remain popular among small contractors for a short interval of projects due to diverse portfolios & low acquisition cost & good resell value.



Supply Chain Disruption of New Equipment During Pandemic Continues to Drive the Demand for Used Construction Equipment Market in the U.S.

COVID-19 positively impacted the demand for used construction equipment in the US market. The supply of new equipment was disrupted due to supply chain interruption caused by lockdown measures taken by the US Government. Businesses were not in favor of making large investments. These factors triggered the demand for used equipment in various sectors such as construction, agriculture, mining & forestry.



In 2021, the US government investment in the transport industry, including redevelopment projects for economic recovery, was expected to support the demand for used construction equipment. However, the volume sales for used equipment reduced in 2021, and a sharp decline in used equipment sales were witnessed in the age group of 0-10 years. Companies reduced buying used equipment to avoid more aging machinery in their fleet as the supply of new equipment was low even in 2021. This resulted in a surge in prices & reduction in the volume of used equipment in the US market.



Used equipment is an excellent choice by contractors for short-term projects. Various short-term projects of repair & redevelopment are allocated to contractors who prefer to use used construction equipment due to its quick availability, diverse portfolio & low cost of acquisition to complete the project and resell the equipment then after.



Motor graders are one of the costliest equipment ranging from $200,000 to $500,00, with an average life expectancy of around 30 years. There was a surge in demand for used motor graders in the US market in 2020 & 2021. The equipment operates for a short time at construction sites compared to other earthmoving equipment such as excavators & backhoe loaders. So, it is a popular choice for used equipment buyers due to factors such as the high price of new motor graders, low operating hours at the job site, & long-life expectancy. Due to its long-life expectancy, the equipment can be resold can happen multiple times.



Rise in demand for Used Equipment across Agriculture & Forestry sectors Due to the low Buying Capacity of Farmers in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Construction equipment such as mini excavators and loaders are used in agriculture and forestry industries. Equipment used for ground leveling, loading crops, fence building, & land clearing activities in agriculture & forestry. The demand for used equipment in forestry & agriculture sectors had increased in 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the US economy. The country's agriculture sector underperforms due to a reduction in demand & labor shortage. Farmer's net income declined by 9% in 2020. The reduction in buying capacity of farmers triggers the demand for used equipment in the US market.



The shift in Focus Towards Renewable Energy Resources Triggers The demand for Used Mini Excavators & Crane in The US market

The US government focuses on renewable energy sources and aims to produce 25GW of clean energy by 2025. In Jan 2022, the government approved 18 onshore projects of 4.17 GW and 54 priority projects, adding 27.5 GW of clean energy. According to Energy Information Administration, US solar energy capacity is expected to grow by 21 GW in 2022 & 25GW in 2023. Various solar & windfarm energy projects are progressing in different locations across the country in 2022.



The demand for used construction equipment for these projects is expected to grow sharply due to its quick availability as compared to new equipment. The new equipment supply was disrupted due to COVID-19 in 2020. The second wave of infection in 2021 across the US worsened the situation for manufacturing new construction equipment. So, the used construction equipment demand is expected to grow for these short-term renewable energy projects. The demand for used cranes & mini excavators is expected to grow sharply for solar & wind farm projects.



Rise in Used Construction Equipment Prices to Devalue the Demand for Used Equipment

There is a constant increase in used construction equipment prices in the US market. According to Ritchie Bros, there was a 16% rise in prices of large earthmoving equipment such as excavators, dozers, & motor graders. A similar price surge was witnessed in aerial equipment such as cranes, forklifts & aerial platforms & medium earthmoving equipment such as backhoe loader, mini-excavator & trenchers.



b) A similar trend is witnessed in Q1 2022; large earthmoving, medium earthmoving, & aerial equipment prices increased by 20%, 37% & 35%, respectively. There was a surge in demand for construction equipment due to increased investment in infrastructure projects across the country. However, the supply of new equipment was not recovered in 2021, and volume sales of used equipment declined. This mismatch of demand & supply of used equipment pushes up the prices of used equipment in the US market in 2021.



New Emission Standard & Rising Accident Cases in Construction Sites Can Hamper the Demand for Used Construction Equipment

The US government's concern for air pollution drives it towards taking necessary steps to control it. The country is now following Tier 4 emission standard in 2022. The US is expected to launch Tier 5 emission standard by 2024, which focuses on reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Therefore, the up-gradation of emission standards in the US is expected to adversely impact the demand for larger used equipment, which is older used equipment construction in the market.



b) There is a surge in work accident cases in the US Construction industry. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), nearly 10 million workers were employed in the US construction industry in 2020. Bureau of Labour Statistics revealed that 1,061 construction workers were killed in 2020, accounting for 20% of all work-related deaths in the US. The report also revealed that 60% of all construction site death was related to the crane.



COVID-19 triggers Online Bidding Process for Used Equipment Sales

COVID-19 has accelerated a new trend of online bidding in the used heavy-duty construction equipment market. In 2020, there was a 35% increase in website traffic & 71% increase in bidder registrations. This shift to an online process widens the reach for the used equipment market and creates new data insight opportunities for selling companies. The equipment sales increased sharply in 2020 due to online bidding provided by major auction companies such as Ritchie Bros & Sandhill.



The equipment owners could have good insights and help them understand the best time to sell or buy equipment according to machine type, hour usage, & machine age.

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Caterpillar is the market leader in the US used equipment market. The company excels in the sale of used earthmoving types of equipment in 2021.

John Deere was the second-largest player in the US used equipment market in 2021. The company's backhoe loader was sold maximum in 2021. Excavators & mini excavators were among the prominently used equipment sold by the company in 2021.

Prominent vendors are Caterpillar, Volvo Construction Equipment, Liebherr, Komatsu, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Hyundai Construction Equipment, John & Deere, and Kobelco.

Other prominent vendors are Terex Corporation, Case Construction, LiuGong, & Tadano.

Key Vendors

Caterpillar

Volvo Construction Equipment

Liebherr

Komatsu

Hitachi Construction Machinery

Hyundai Construction Equipment

John & Deere

Other Prominent Vendors

Terex corporation

Tadano

Liu Gong

CASE Construction

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3bhtby

Attachment
Pune, India, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global dermatophytic onychomycosis treatment market size is predicted to reach USD 6.63 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period. The rising prevalence of diabetes and incidences of chronic nail fungus infection will lead to heavy demand for dermatophytic onychomycosis treatment, which, in turn, will foster the growth of the market, it is mentioned in a report, titled Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product Type (Tablets and Nail Paints), By Route of Administration (Oral and Topical), By Type (Prescribed and Over-the-Counter (OTC)), By Distribution Channel (Hospitals & Clinics, Retail Pharmacies, and Online Channels), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027 the market size stood at USD 3.74 billion in 2019.

The emergence of coronavirus has put the world into an uneasy stance. This health disaster has caused an utmost state of emergency throughout the world. However, a silver lining in this indisposed situation is the new regulations and nations dedication to combat this severely dangerous disease. Numerous industries are fraught yet thriving to elevate from this catastrophe. Our team of researchers have analyzed the current COVID data and prepared reports with new tactical information to help sustain businesses during the global pandemic.





Get Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/dermatophytic-onychomycosis-treatment-market-103310





Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market Report Scope & Segmentation :

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2020 to 2027 Forecast Period 2020 to 2027 CAGR 4.1% 2027 Value Projection USD 6.63 Billion Base Year 2019 Market Size in 2021 USD 3.74 Billion Historical Data for 2016 to 2018 No. of Pages 136





The report on the Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market Reveals:

Future insights into the industry

An all-encompassing study of market size;

In-detail data on all the segments

Evidential information about competitors and prominent players

Market Driver:

Emergence of Topical Treatment Solutions to Augment Growth

The growing cases of liver damage in patients will lead to a high demand for the market in the near future. According to a survey conducted on dermatologists and podiatrists in the U.S. by Moberg Pharma AB in 2017, 7 out of 10 doctors avoid prescribing oral terbinafine owing to the risk of liver damage. The innovation and development of topical treatment solutions and oral anti-fungal drugs associated with liver damage will subsequently enable speedy expansion of the market. The rising need for improved topical solutions will impel dermatologists and podiatrists to present new theories for drug enhancement, which, in turn, will augur well for the market. Moreover, the increasing adoption of nail lacquers will consequently create new opportunities for the market during the forecast period. In addition, the increasing spending on R&D activities by major players will have a tremendous impact on the market in the foreseeable future.





Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market.

Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/dermatophytic-onychomycosis-treatment-market-103310





Regional Analysis:

Increasing Prevalence of Onychomycosis to Aid Expansion in North America

The market size in North America stood at USD 1.65 billion in 2019. The growth in the region is attributed to rising cases of onychomycosis in the region. The growing R&D activities will further foster the growth of the market in the region. The increasing demand for Jublia will accelerate the growth of the market in the region. Europe is predicted to witness a high growth rate during the forecast period owing to the favorable health reimbursement policies in European countries such as Italy, Spain, and the U.K. The superior distribution of OTC drugs retail pharmacies such as Walgreens, and others will enable speedy expansion of the market in Europe. According to an article published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, the prevalence of onychomycosis in Europe is 4.3%.

Asia Pacific is expected to rise tremendously in the forthcoming years due to the new product launches. The increasing prevalence of diabetes will spur opportunities for the market in the foreseeable future. The rising geriatric population will further improve the growth prospects of the market. In addition, the rising patient awareness and developing healthcare infrastructure in emerging economies will boost the market.

Key Development:

December 2019: Moberg Pharma, a Swedish pharmaceutical company announced that M0B-015, topical terbinafine under phase 3 clinical study has met the primary and secondary endpoint for the treatment of onychomycosis.





Speak To Our Analyst:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/dermatophytic-onychomycosis-treatment-market-103310





The Report Lists the Main Companies in the Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market:

Bausch Health Companies Inc.

Pfizer Inc.

Galderma

GlaxoSmithKline plc

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Cipla Inc.

Kaken pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

Other Prominent Players





Table Of Contents :

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Prevalence of Major Diseases  For Key Countries Pipeline Analysis New Product Launches Key Industry Developments - Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships Key Trends

Global Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Product Type Tablets Nail Paints Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Route of Administration Oral Topical Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Type Prescribed Over-the-Counter (OTC) Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Distribution Channel Hospitals & Clinics Retail Pharmacies Online Channels Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa

North America Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Product Type Tablets Nail Paints Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Route of Administration Oral Topical Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Type Prescribed Over-the-Counter (OTC) Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Distribution Channel Hospitals & Clinics Retail Pharmacies Online Channels Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Country U.S. Canada



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Frequently Ask Question :

How Much Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market Worth ?

The global dermatophytic onychomycosis treatment market size is predicted to reach USD 6.63 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period.

What is Regional Condition of Dermatophytic Onychomycosis Treatment Market ?

The market size in North America stood at USD 1.65 billion in 2019. The growth in the region is attributed to rising cases of onychomycosis in the region.





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MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd. (SECL), a subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, introduced today the PNHC and PNHE 4K Ultra-HD LCD professional display series. The large-format displays complement the existing Sharp lineup of monitors for commercial and professional environments, which launched earlier this year with the PNHS and PNHY series. The launch coincides with Sharps 110th Anniversary celebrations, marking 110 years of innovation, creativity, and originality.



Offering vivid, ultra-high definition and life like images with incredible realism, the PNHE and PNHC are available in 65" Class (64 " diagonal) and 75" Class (74 " diagonal) sizes, while the PNHC series adds an 86" Class (85 9/16" diagonal) version. The PNHC series boasts up to 450 nits of brightness and is an ideal solution for indoor retail, apparel, and reception areas. The PNHE series is even brighter at up to 600 nits and is perfect for indoor spaces with direct or indirect sunlight, such as windows and skylights.

"The PNHC and PNHE series are the perfect supplement to our Ultra-HD lineup of professional and commercial displays, offering solutions for environments in need of larger formats like transportation, retail and corporate applications," said Alex Litvinov, Product Manager, Visual Solutions Group, Sharp Electronics of Canada. "These displays are great for bright environments and can run around the clock 24/7 with flexibility and superb reliability. We're excited to offer these options to allow professionals to showcase stunning imagery and capture their audiences' attention in an impactful way."

With 4x the pixel resolution of Full HD, the two new LCD monitor series come with built-in media players, so images and videos can display via USB drive and without the need of a PC. They also offer flexible installation in all major orientations  landscape, portrait, tilt-forward or tilt-backward.

The new PNHC and PNHE series displays are available to ship in October 2022. Click Here to learn more: https://sharp.ca/en/products/business-displays

About Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd

Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd, a direct subsidiary of Osaka-based Sharp Corporation is a company known worldwide for its unique one-of-a-kind electronic products and solutions. Our challenge is to create a balance between work time and personal time, with products that can benefit people's lives at work, at home, and everywhere in between. Sharp consumer electronics can enhance your enjoyment, add to your comfort, and open new perspectives. Sharp business products can boost your productivity and reduce costs. Sharp products are designed to help individuals, families, and corporate teams connect effortlessly, communicate clearly, and unleash creativity like never before. Sharp is dedicated to improving people's lives using advanced technology and a commitment to innovation, quality, value, and design. We are proud of our accomplishments and eagerly await the future. Sharp is committed to being a socially responsible company, conducting its operations with concern for the impact of its activities on its customers, suppliers, employees, communities, and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. The company aims for an overall positive impact on society by contributing to the culture, benefits, welfare, and quality of life for people throughout the world, for its prosperity as a company is directly linked to the prosperity of the entire Sharp family.

For more information on Sharps products, visit our website at https://sharp.ca/. Become a fan of Sharp business products on Facebook , follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn and Instagram and watch us on YouTube .

Media Inquiries: Manali Jain, Manager, Brand & Marketing Communications, Sharp Electronics of Canada, Email: jainm@sharpsec.com | Direct: 416-357-2914

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/87f8fe02-9d39-4948-9a64-88bcac95d252

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3a91468e-62a6-42ee-b154-68e275999da0
LONDON, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, NordPass announced the addition of new features to its password management solution. The companys clients will receive in-app and email notifications immediately after their credentials are found among publicly available data breaches. Other novel functionality will benefit more than only product users  NordPass has developed a free and end-to-end encrypted tool to safely share private information, such as passwords, passport details, or secret messages between anyone on the internet.



Developed to ensure timely reaction to a data breach

The latest NordPass feature  Data Breach Monitoring  is scanning the internet 24/7 to find new data breaches. If the clients email address has appeared in a newly found data breach, the person is instantly notified in-app and via email to change their password.

This feature complemented the Data Breach Scanner , the security tool NordPass developed last year. On its page in the app, a user can manually type the credentials and check if they were breached. Contrary to that, the Data Breach Monitoring feature ensures a client receives real-time information without needing to review the safety of virtual accounts proactively.

People know taking care of passwords is important, but for some reason, its rarely on top of their to-do lists. NordPass research shows internet users struggle to implement even basic password hygiene. Therefore, we look for other creative ways to save them from experiencing the worst consequences of the data breach. Features that help ensure timely reaction to it are the last resort here, says Gediminas Brencius, the head of product growth at NordPass .

Grants the public a secure and free data sharing tool

NordPass also introduced the Password Sharer feature, which serves not only its clients but all internet users. The company created an end-to-end encrypted tool to share passwords, secret messages, private links, or other sensitive information with anyone on the web. In the message box, a person can type the information they want to pass along, generating a shareable link. It expires in 24 hours or once it is read.

According to Brencius, this functionality could be convenient when sharing, for instance, passport details with a friend who is booking a trip or sending bank card details to a family member. Moreover, it works as a secure channel to share personal notes that are strictly confidential.

Other recently run features

In addition to the features introduced, NordPass was recently complemented by the Emergency Access feature and a Switch Account, which allows users to add up to five accounts and toggle between them without logging out. Moreover, users can now personalize these accounts with a profile picture  this helps differentiate at a glance which one is currently in use.



ABOUT NORDPASS

NordPass is a password manager for both business and consumer clients. Its powered by the latest technology for the utmost security. Developed with affordability, simplicity, and ease of use in mind, NordPass allows users to access passwords securely on desktop, mobile, and browsers. All passwords are encrypted on the device, so only the user can access them. NordPass was created by the experts behind NordVPN  the advanced security and privacy app trusted by more than 14 million customers worldwide. For more information: nordpass.com .

Contact:

Patricija Cerniauskaite

patricia@nordsec.com
Dublin, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Pallets Market (2022-2027) by Type, Products, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Pallets Market is estimated to be USD 80.78 Bn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 107.8 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.94%.



Market Dynamics

Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors.

There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.

Company Profiles

The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are ActionPak, Inc, ASIA TIMBER INDUSTRY, Bay Wood Products, Inc., Brambles Ltd, etc.



Countries Studied

America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Pallets Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification.

The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global Pallets Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Pallets Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Increasing Demand for Plastic Pallets Across the Industry Verticals

4.1.2 Adoption of Pallets for Transportation Purpose

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Limiting Availability and High Cost of Raw Materials

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Rising Adoption of Smart Pallets

4.3.2 Introduction of Multiple Triple and Recyclable Pallet

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Stringent Government Regulation and Certifications



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Regulatory Scenario

5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Pallets Market, By Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Paper Pallet

6.3 Plastic Pallet

6.4 Steel Pallet

6.5 Wooden Pallet



7 Global Pallets Market, By Products

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Display Pallets

7.3 Nestable Pallets

7.4 Rackable Pallets

7.5 Stackable Pallets



8 Americas' Pallets Market

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Argentina

8.3 Brazil

8.4 Canada

8.5 Chile

8.6 Colombia

8.7 Mexico

8.8 Peru

8.9 United States

8.10 Rest of Americas



9 Europe's Pallets Market

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Austria

9.3 Belgium

9.4 Denmark

9.5 Finland

9.6 France

9.7 Germany

9.8 Italy

9.9 Netherlands

9.10 Norway

9.11 Poland

9.12 Russia

9.13 Spain

9.14 Sweden

9.15 Switzerland

9.16 United Kingdom

9.17 Rest of Europe



10 Middle East and Africa's Pallets Market

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Egypt

10.3 Israel

10.4 Qatar

10.5 Saudi Arabia

10.6 South Africa

10.7 United Arab Emirates

10.8 Rest of MEA



11 APAC's Pallets Market

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Australia

11.3 Bangladesh

11.4 China

11.5 India

11.6 Indonesia

11.7 Japan

11.8 Malaysia

11.9 Philippines

11.10 Singapore

11.11 South Korea

11.12 Sri Lanka

11.13 Thailand

11.14 Taiwan

11.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific



12 Competitive Landscape

12.1 Competitive Quadrant

12.2 Market Share Analysis

12.3 Strategic Initiatives

12.3.1 M&A and Investments

12.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

12.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



13 Company Profiles



14 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ry7szs

Attachment
Dublin, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Water Purifier Market (2022-2027) by Technology, Component, Distribution, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Water Purifier Market is estimated to be USD 41.9 Bn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 59.46 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.25%.



Market Dynamics

Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Water Purifier Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors.

There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.

Company Profiles

The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are A. O. Smith, Amway, Bajaj Electricals, Brita LP, etc.



Countries Studied

America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Water Purifier Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification.

The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Water Purifier Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Multiple Benefits Associated with the Use of Water Filters

4.1.2 Government Initiatives to Support the Use of Pure Water

4.1.3 Growing Awareness of Water Borne Diseases

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 High Maintenance Cost Associated with Water Purifier

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Introduction of Smart Water Purifier with Advanced Technology

4.3.2 Surging Product Offering in Developing and Underdeveloped Countries

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Removal of Major Minerals from Water



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Regulatory Scenario

5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Water Purifier Market, By Technology

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Gravity Purifier

6.3 RO Purifier

6.4 Sediment Filtration

6.5 UF Purifier

6.6 UV Purifier



7 Global Water Purifier Market, By Component

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Membrane

7.3 Pump

7.4 Tap & Faucet



8 Global Water Purifier Market, By Distribution

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Aftermarket Supplier

8.3 OEM Manufacturer



9 Americas' Water Purifier Market

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Argentina

9.3 Brazil

9.4 Canada

9.5 Chile

9.6 Colombia

9.7 Mexico

9.8 Peru

9.9 United States

9.10 Rest of Americas



10 Europe's Water Purifier Market

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Austria

10.3 Belgium

10.4 Denmark

10.5 Finland

10.6 France

10.7 Germany

10.8 Italy

10.9 Netherlands

10.10 Norway

10.11 Poland

10.12 Russia

10.13 Spain

10.14 Sweden

10.15 Switzerland

10.16 United Kingdom

10.17 Rest of Europe



11 Middle East and Africa's Water Purifier Market

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Egypt

11.3 Israel

11.4 Qatar

11.5 Saudi Arabia

11.6 South Africa

11.7 United Arab Emirates

11.8 Rest of MEA



12 APAC's Water Purifier Market

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Australia

12.3 Bangladesh

12.4 China

12.5 India

12.6 Indonesia

12.7 Japan

12.8 Malaysia

12.9 Philippines

12.10 Singapore

12.11 South Korea

12.12 Sri Lanka

12.13 Thailand

12.14 Taiwan

12.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific



13 Competitive Landscape

13.1 Competitive Quadrant

13.2 Market Share Analysis

13.3 Strategic Initiatives

13.3.1 M&A and Investments

13.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

13.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



14 Company Profiles

14.1 A. O. Smith

14.2 Amway

14.3 Bajaj Electricals

14.4 Brita LP

14.5 BWT Holding

14.6 Coway

14.7 Culligan International Company

14.8 Electrolux

14.9 Eureka Forbes

14.10 Helen of Troy

14.11 Hindustan Unilever

14.12 iSpring Water System

14.13 Kent Ro Systems

14.14 Koninklijke Philips

14.15 Livpure

14.16 Mitsubishi Chemical

14.17 Panasonic

14.18 Pentair

14.19 Strix

14.20 TATA CHEMICALS

14.21 The 3M Company

14.22 Toray Industries

14.23 Voltas



15 Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kjoata

Attachment
San Diego, C.A, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With a mission to unite, advance, and serve arts in health professionals, The National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) is ecstatic to announce its sixth annual conference, NOAHCON22, on November 2nd-3rd, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland as well as a virtual conference day on Tuesday, November 15th.

NOAHCON22 will focus on The Continuum of Care  caring for our caregivers and solutions to challenges in the community and public health and The Fuller Spectrum of Arts in Health  cultivating cultural understanding and equity in arts in health, assuring more empowered representation of diverse voices. The multi-day event will be held at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. With the goal of highlighting current topics, exemplary programs, and best practices, NOAHCON22 attracts artists, arts administrators, healthcare professionals, designers, educators, students, and anyone interested in arts in health. The conference will provide ample opportunities for arts in health professionals to grow and connect with others in the field.

We know this event is incredibly valuable and allows an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas, gain applicable knowledge, build connections and energize developments for the future of the arts in health field, says President of NOAH, Barbara Steinhaus. With a field that is growing constantly, we expect NOAHCON22 to be a spectacular educational and networking event.

NOAHCON22 will feature keynote speakers Zeke Cohen, community activist and Co-Founder of Healing City Baltimore; Lady Brion, spoken word artist and Executive Director of Baltimores Black Arts District; and Dr. Daisy Fancourt, Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Arts and Health. Ticket prices for this years conference start at $480 for NOAH members, $600 for non-members, and $200 for students for a 2-day pass. Single-day passes are available for $370, and group rates are also available for $1,500. NOAHCON Virtual tickets are available for $315 and $130 for students. To receive the early bird discount, interested participants should register by October 2nd. Scholarships are also available and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. If interested in NOAHCON22, you can learn more, register, or sponsor. Be sure to follow along on social media for conference updates and learn more about NOAH via its website.

###

Established in 2016, The National Organization for Arts and Health roots go back to 1989 with the first gathering of hospital arts administrators in Durham, North Carolina. Since its founding, NOAH has been dedicated to uniting, advancing, and serving the field of arts in health and firmly believes arts in health are an integral component to health and wellbeing. NOAHs members include artists, creative and expressive arts therapists, architects and designers, representatives of creative and cultural agencies, educators, administrators, doctors, nurses, and others working in medical care, medical education, and public health.

NOAH is committed to better defining, articulating, and sharing practices and research that foster diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion within all aspects of arts in health. NOAH aims to shape a reality where the arts are accepted and fully incorporated into medical treatment, medical education, prevention, and public health and wellbeing.

Attachment
English French

ROUYN-NORANDA, Quebec, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GLOBEX MINING ENTERPRISES INC. (GMX  Toronto Stock Exchange, G1MN  Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin, Munich, Tradegate, Lang & Schwarz, LS Exchange, TTMzero, Dusseldorf and Quotrix Dusseldorf Stock Exchanges and GLBXF  OTCQX International in the US) is pleased to inform shareholders that Radisson Mining Resources (RDS-TSXV and RMRDF-OTC) has announced numerous high grade gold intersections on Trends 3 and 4 which are located on their Kewagama Gold Mine property on which Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. holds a 2% Net Smelter Royalty.



Below we are presenting the Radisson press release in full (13 Pages including tables and a longsection) as it not only indicates significant gold intersections but also that the number 3 and 4 Trends plunge to depth on our royalty claims and as well are open along strike. Of particular interest is that 45% of the drill holes on Trend 3 and 53% on Trend 4 display visible gold.

Globex is pleased with the drill results announced by Radisson and look forward to their continuing efforts to advance the mineral potential of the Kewagama Property.

(Note: Production royalties are only payable upon production.)

This press release was written by Jack Stoch, Geo., President and CEO of Globex in his capacity as a Qualified Person (Q.P.) under NI 43-101.

We Seek Safe Harbour. Foreign Private Issuer 12g3  2(b) CUSIP Number 379900 50 9

LEI 529900XYUKGG3LF9PY95 For further information, contact: Jack Stoch, P.Geo., Acc.Dir.

President & CEO

Globex Mining Enterprises Inc.

86, 14th Street

Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec Canada J9X 2J1

Tel.: 819.797.5242

Fax: 819.797.1470

info@globexmining.com

www.globexmining.com

Forward Looking Statements: Except for historical information, this news release may contain certain forward looking statements. These statements may involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity and performance to be materially different from the expectations and projections of Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. (Globex). No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits Globex will derive therefrom. A more detailed discussion of the risks is available in the Annual Information Form filed by Globex on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.





Radisson intersects 17.11 g/t Au over 2.00 m, 12.66 g/t Au over 1.80 m and 8.69 g/t Au over 2.20 m confirming resource expansion potential along trend #3 and #4 at the OBrien gold project

Rouyn-Noranda, Qc Radisson Mining Resources Inc. (TSX-V: RDS, OTC: RMRDF): (Radisson or the Company") is pleased to announce significant high-grade gold intercepts from the 127,600 m exploration drill program completed this summer at its 100% owned OBrien gold project located along the Larder-Lake-Cadillac Break (see location map 1 and location map 2), halfway between Rouyn-Noranda and Val-dOr in Quebec, Canada.

Key highlights

Significant intercepts from drilling along high-grade trend #3 17.11 g/t Au over 2.00 m and 5.16 g/t Au over 1.70 m (OB-21-279) 12.66 g/t Au over 1.80 m including 27.90 g/t Au over 0.80 m (OB-21-275) Current resources in this sector are largely within a vertical depth of 240 m from surface. Drilling undertaken during this campaign has traced high-grade gold mineralization down to 260 m below current resources including an intercept of 45.86 g/t Au over 2.10 m at 500 m vertical depth, representing one of the deepest intercepts previously obtained on the sector. Other results previously published highlighting strong resource growth potential include 10.02 g/t Au over 4.40 m, 24.80 g/t Au over 2.00 m, 11.12 g/t Au over 2.30 m and 21.28 g/t Au over 2.00 m.

Significant intercepts from drilling along high-grade trend #4 8.69 g/t Au over 2.20 m including 29.50 g/t Au over 0.60 m (OB-22-298) 7.73 g/t Au over 2.00 m including 15.00 g/t Au over 1.00 m (OB-21-296) This sector does not contribute meaningfully to current resources which are limited to the first 330 m vertical metres. New and previously released drill holes (including 31.56 g/t Au over 2.00 m and 13.83 g/t Au over 2.40 m) demonstrate continuity of high-grade mineralization down to a vertical depth of 550 m in this area that remains open for expansion for over 750 m laterally and at depth.

With the successful conclusion of this drill campaign, 127,600 metres (255 holes) have been drilled since the commencement of the program in August 2019. Use of directional drilling technology to test deeper targets resulted in savings of approximatively 13,800 metres, enabling the company to drill test with fewer metres, the same number of targets that would have otherwise required at least 141,400 metres of conventional drilling. Results are pending for 36 additional holes (approximately 18,500 m) with visible gold showings in 17 of those holes. The majority of pending holes were drilled to test high-priority deeper targets along trends #1 and #2.



We are pleased to report the successful conclusion of a 127,600 m drill campaign that commenced in August 2019. Results have continued to impress with 219 holes published thus far including 141 intercepts grading over 5 g/t and 59 intercepts grading over 10 g/t. The use of directional drilling technology in the last 12 months significantly increased drilling efficiency, as a result of which we were able to precisely hit deeper high-priority targets and to drill test 10% more targets than originally budgeted with fewer metres.

The majority of drilling targeted resource expansion along trends 0, 1 and 2, and results appear to have almost doubled the depth extent of resources in those sectors. Some drilling was also allocated towards defining additional OBrien-like mineralized trends further to the east. Results obtained along trend #3 and trend #4 have highlighted the significant high-grade potential approximately 900 m and 1,200 m east of the old OBrien mine. While these two trends did not contribute meaningfully to the resource estimate published by Radisson in 2019, approximately 24,670 metres in 59 exploration holes were drilled during the campaign with impressive results, including 28 intercepts returning grades of over 5 g/t Au. Both trends remain open below 500 m and the property remain largely unexplored for an additional 750 m east of trend #4. We believe that the high-grade results obtained in these sectors highlight only a portion of the resource growth potential that still resides near surface at OBrien.

Results are pending for 18,500 m of drilling in 36 additional holes drilled to test high-priority deeper targets along trends 1 and 2. In parallel, our efforts are now largely focused on interpreting and incorporating results from the drill program into an updated lithostructural model and mineral resource estimate targeted for completion by late 2022/early 2023. Commented Rahul Paul, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Figure 1. OBrien Gold Project: Trend #3 and #4  Longitudinal section

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2b32be04-b59c-4a78-bc14-5d00283b5e25

Notable drill results

Hole Zone From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) g/t Au - Uncut OB-21-271 Trend #3 296.00 298.50 2.50 4.06 Including 297.00 298.50 1.50 4.53 OB-21-272 Trend #3 207.50 211.90 4.40 3.89 Including 207.50 208.90 1.40 8.07 OB-21-275 Trend #3 274.00 275.80 1.80 12.66 Including 274.00 274.80 0.80 27.90 OB-21-278 Trend #3 409.30 411.70 2.40 3.22 Including 411.00 411.70 0.70 9.13 AND 432.00 435.80 3.80 4.41 Including 433.00 434.00 1.00 8.06 And 435.00 435.80 0.80 6.35 OB-21-279 Trend #3 248.00 250.00 2.00 17.11 Including 248.00 249.00 1.00 34.10 AND 479.30 481.00 1.70 5.16 Including 479.30 480.00 0.70 7.89 OB-21-293 Trend #3 490.90 493.00 2.10 3.20 OB-21-296 Trend #4 326.80 328.80 2.00 7.73 Including 326.80 327.80 1.00 15.00 OB-22-297 Trend #3 528.50 530.50 2.00 4.45 Including 528.50 529.50 1.00 8.35 OB-22-298 Trend #4 321.80 324.00 2.20 8.69 Including 323.40 324.00 0.60 29.50 OB-22-299 Trend #4 294.80 297.70 2.90 4.06 Including 296.80 297.70 0.90 9.67

VG denotes the presence of visible gold True widths estimated at 70% to 80% of core length. Assay grades shown uncapped. A capping factor of 60 g/t Au was used in the 2019 resource estimate For a full listing of drill results from current drilling program click here.

Drilling at OBrien continues to validate the litho-structural model while highlighting resource growth potential laterally and at depth

Drilling to date has continued to define and expand almost five high-grade mineralized trends, located within a 1,200 m strike respectively to the east of the old OBrien Mine. Mineralized trends identified bear similarities with structures previously mined at OBrien down to a depth of 1,100 m (historical production of 587 koz grading 15.25 g/t Au).

Drilling so far has demonstrated continuity of mineralization well below the boundary of defined resources in all defined trends, which remain open for expansion laterally and at depth. In trend #0, drilling has traced mineralization to a depth of 620 m, while current resources are mostly within the first 240 m. In trend #1, drilling has highlighted continuity of mineralization down to a vertical depth of 950 m, while current resources are mostly limited to a vertical depth of approximately 600 m. In trend #2, drilling has highlighted continuity of mineralization down to a vertical depth of over 800 m, while current resources are mostly within 400 m from surface. In trend #3, drilling has traced mineralization down to 500 m vertical depth from surface. Current resources are mostly confined to within a vertical depth of 240 m. In trend #4, drilling has traced mineralization down to a vertical depth of approximately 550 m.

In addition, the Company has completed an initial 5,700 m exploration program at OBrien West. In addition to validating geological information from historical drill holes, initial results showcase potential for additional high-grade discoveries in this area. OBrien West remains open in all direction, with results indicating strong depth continuity in lithological units identical to those observed along strike to the west, reaffirming the upside potential from approximately 2.5 km of largely untested prospective ground west of the OBrien Mine along the prolific Larder-Lake-Cadillac break.

Almost all drilling conducted as part of the ongoing campaign has been within a strike length representing only a small portion of more than 5.2 km of prospective strike that Radisson controls along the Cadillac Break. Given current geological understanding, the ongoing validation of the litho-structural model, the company estimates there is strong potential for additional high-grade gold trends to be discovered along the whole 5.2 km prospective land package on the prolific Larder-Lake Cadillac Break.

127,600 m of drilling completed to date with assays pending for approx. 18,500 m

This release represents approximately 8,140 m of drilling in 18 drill holes. Released results to date represent approximately 86% of the 127,600 m drilled during the campaign. As of August 31, 2022, the company remains well funded with approximately $3.0 m in cash.

Breakdown of drilling completed and pending results

Sector / Trend

Completed

drilling (m)

Drill results published Drill results pending metres # holes # holes (with VG) metres # holes # holes (with VG) O'Brien West 5,700 5,700 11 1 0 0 0 Trend #0 18,200 18,000 36 20 200 1 1 Trend #1 42,200 28,900 51 29 13,300 25 12 Trend #2 33,200 28,200 51 25 5,000 10 4 Trend #3 16,200 16,200 40 18 0 0 0 Trend #4 8,500 8,500 19 10 0 0 0 Kewagama East / Other 3,600 3,600 11 1 0 0 0 Total 127,600 109,100 219 104 18,500 36 17

Summary of results published to date from current program

Sector / Trend

Published

results (m)

# holes published Number of published intercepts grading, # holes

published # holes

with VG % holes

with VG >5 g/t Au >10 g/t Au >15 g/t Au >20 g/t Au >25 g/t Au O'Brien West 5,700 11 1 9% 3 1 1 1 1 Trend #0 18,000 36 20 56% 17 8 4 4 4 Trend #1 28,900 51 29 57% 49 20 11 8 7 Trend #2 28,200 51 25 49% 40 15 9 5 4 Trend #3 16,200 40 18 45% 20 11 6 3 1 Trend #4 8,500 19 10 53% 8 2 1 1 1 Kewagama East & Other 3,600 11 1 9% 4 2 1 1 1 Total 109,100 219 104 47% 141 59 33 23 19

Figure 2. O'Brien Gold Project: Trend #3 cross section

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Figure 3. Visible Gold in holes OB-21-279, OB-22-297, OB-22-298 and OB-22-299

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/83de1779-ebb6-44b9-8f24-c247178de5d2

Figure 4. Au Grade Distribution Section 1 and Section 2

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Figure 5. OBrien Gold Project: Resource Block Model @ 5.0 g/t Au cut-off; Labeled Longitudinal section

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/34078649-55ee-4447-98e2-61cfef8c3799

QA/QC

All drill cores in this campaign are NQ in size. Assays were completed on sawn half-cores, with the second half kept for future reference. The samples were analyzed using standard fire assay procedures with Atomic Absorption (AA) finish at ALS Laboratory Ltd, in Val-dOr, Quebec. Samples yielding a grade higher than 5 g/t Au Au were analyzed a second time by fire assay with gravimetric finish at the same laboratory. Mineralized zones containing visible gold were analyzed with metallic sieve procedure. Standard reference materials, blank samples and duplicates were inserted prior to shipment for quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program.

Qualified Person

Vivien Janvier, P.Geo., Ph.D., Director, Geology for Radisson mining resources Inc. is the qualified person pursuant to the requirements of NI 43-101. Vivien Janvier has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this press release.

Radisson mining resources Inc.

Radisson is a gold exploration company focused on its 100% owned OBrien project, located in the Bousquet-Cadillac mining camp along the world-renowned Larder-Lake-Cadillac Break in Abitibi, Quebec. The Bousquet-Cadillac mining camp has produced over 21,000,000 ounces of gold over the last 100 years. The project hosts the former OBrien Mine, considered to have been the Quebecs highest-grade gold producer during its production (1,197,147 metric tons at 15.25 g/t Au Au for 587,121 ounces of gold from 1926 to 1957; Kenneth Williamson 3DGeo-Solution, July 2019). For more information on Radisson, visit our website at www.radissonmining.com or contact:

On behalf of the board of directors

Rahul Paul

President and CEO

For more information on Radisson, visit our website at www.radissonmining.com or contact:



Hubert Parent-Bouchard

Chief Financial Officer

819-763-9969

hpbouchard@radissonmining.com

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release including, but not limited to, those relating to the intended use of proceeds of the Offering, the development of the OBrien project and generally, the above About Radisson Mining Resources Inc. paragraph which essentially describes the Corporations outlook, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements and future events, could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward looking information can be found in Radissons disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com .

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements endeavours to develop the OBrien project and, more generally, its expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators of Canada. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westhaven Gold Corp. (TSX-V: WHN) (Westhaven or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a financing arrangement with Franco-Nevada Corporation (TSX, NYSE: FNV) (Franco-Nevada), the leading gold-focused royalty and streaming company.



Westhaven has agreed to sell a 2% net smelter return royalty (the NSR) to Franco-Nevada for US$6,000,000 (the NSR Transaction). The NSR applies to all of Westhavens claims across the Spences Bridge Gold Belt (the SBGB) in Southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Westhaven has an option to buy-down 0.5% of the NSR for US$3,000,000 for a period of 5 years from the closing of the transaction. Westhaven has also agreed to sell to Franco-Nevada for US$750,000 the Talisker Resources Ltd. net smelter return royalty (the Talisker Royalty) originally granted to Westhaven by Sable Resources Ltd. and referenced in Westhavens news release dated October 16th, 2018 (the Talisker Royalty Transaction). Link to news release: Westhaven news release October 16th, 2018

In addition, Franco-Nevada has agreed to subscribe for 2,500,000 shares of the Company at a price of CAD$0.40 for gross proceeds of CAD$1,000,000 (the Private Placement).

Gareth Thomas, President & CEO, comments: We are very pleased to welcome Franco-Nevada as a shareholder and stakeholder in Westhaven and the Spences Bridge Gold Belt. Franco-Nevadas investment is a major endorsement of Westhavens properties in Southwestern British Columbia. Westhavens exploration activities across its projects are now fully financed until 2024.

Westhaven has an ongoing drill campaign at its 100% owned 17,623-hectare Shovelnose gold property. Shovelnose is located within the SBGB and borders the Coquihalla Highway 30 kilometres (km) south of Merritt, British Columbia. Westhaven benefits from the B.C. Mining Exploration Tax Credit (the METC) which is a permanent incentive to support investment in mining. The METC is a refundable B.C. income tax credit for eligible individuals and corporations conducting grassroots mineral exploration in B.C. and can be claimed on up to 30% of qualified mining exploration expenditures. Westhaven can claim the full 30% METC as its properties fall within mountain pine beetle affected areas.

The Private Placement remains subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, and all securities issued in the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month hold period, during which time the securities may not be traded. Further, each of the NSR Transaction, the Talisker Royalty Transaction and the Private Placement remain subject to satisfaction of closing conditions customary for transactions of this nature.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

WESTHAVEN GOLD CORP.



"Shaun Pollard"



Shaun Pollard, CFO

Tel: 1.604.681.5558 Ext: 103

spollard@westhavengold.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.

This new release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulators. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, other than as required by securities laws.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities 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 and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About Westhaven Gold Corp.

Westhaven is a gold-focused exploration company advancing the high-grade discovery on the Shovelnose project in Canadas newest gold district, the Spences Bridge Gold Belt. Westhaven controls 37,000 hectares (370 square kilometres) with four 100% owned gold properties spread along this underexplored belt. The Shovelnose property is situated off a major highway, near power, rail, large producing mines, and within commuting distance from the city of Merritt, which translates into low-cost exploration. Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please call 604-681-5558 or visit Westhavens website at www.westhavengold.com.
VIENNA, Va., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McFadyen Digital, the leading global agency for e-commerce marketplace strategy and implementation, is appointing Peter C. Evans, PhD, as its Chief Strategy Officer. In this role, Evans will be responsible for leading McFadyen's rapidly growing strategic services practice, tasked with helping clients ranging from large global enterprises to well-funded startups with the formation and execution of their multi-vendor e-commerce marketplace strategy.

Peter Evans has a PhD and MCP from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also serves as the co-chairman of the MIT Platform Strategy Summit held yearly in Cambridge, MA. This former KPMG principal and GE senior strategy director is also the co-chair of the NTWK Summit in Barcelona, Spain, and a course leader at Caltech Executive Education, teaching digital transformation and platform strategy. Evans is a sought-after speaker on innovation-heavy topics related to Web3 businesses and technologies in addition to his work on the platform economy.

"Platform dynamics drive the many competitive advantages that marketplaces offer to businesses. Peter is one of the top platform thinkers in the world and his experience advising dozens of Fortune 500 companies is invaluable to our clients," remarked CEO and author Tom McFadyen. "He also brings great insight in Web3 topics like NFT marketplaces, the metaverse, and cryptocurrency."

"I'm excited to be joining McFadyen Digital at a time when a growing number of companies around the world are positioning for the future by investing in marketplace and digital commerce," said Evans. "We've had many successful collaborations in the past and have been mutual admirers of one another's capabilities. I look forward to drawing on McFadyen's deep technical experience to help our clients build winning marketplace strategies."

By solidifying this key leadership position, McFadyen Digital continues to invest in experienced talent that clients can rely upon to build strategy roadmaps, support complex implementations, and create best-in-class user experiences. As commerce continues to evolve with multi-vendor platforms and Web3 pushing the bounds of innovation forward every day, McFadyen's ability to help its clients deliver measurable, scalable results continues to lead the market.

To learn more about Peter Evans, McFadyen Digital, and their Web3 commerce work, join The Varsity Gems NFT Marketplace webinar Thursday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. ET. Register now: https://bit.ly/3KfRwR8.

About McFadyen Digital

McFadyen Digital is the leading global agency for e-commerce marketplace strategy and implementation. We create award-winning digital shopping experiences for the world's most prominent brands. Our clients seek to delight their customers with memorable online shopping experiences that scale, and we deliver those results on time and on budget. With over two decades of experience with large enterprise commerce projects, our strategy, technology, design, and ongoing innovation services delivered from our offices in the U.S., Brazil, and India provide scalable and repeatable results.

During 20+ years of global delivery, McFadyen Digital has optimized the quality, cost, and timeframe benefits of on-shore, near-shore, and off-shore team collaboration. We are honored to have enabled digital commerce and marketplaces for 10% of the Fortune 500 and hundreds of mid-market companies.

For more information, visit www.mcfadyen.com, connect with us on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter.

Contact:

McFadyen Digital

Thomas Gaydos

tgaydos@mcfadyen.com

@ThomasGaydos

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Image 1: Peter C. Evans, PhD - McFadyen Digital's Chief Strategy Officer





Peter Evans, PhD, has joined leading e-commerce marketplace agency McFadyen Digital as its Chief Strategy Officer.









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New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saudi Arabias Ministry of Investment (MISA) and clinical stage artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company Insilico Medicine have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the development of a robust AI-driven biotech industry in the Kingdom. The agreement was signed during the Global AI Summit, held from the 13th through the 15th of September in Riyadh, which featured over 200 speakers representing 90 countries discussing the future of AI, including Insilico Medicine founder and CEO Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD. Sara Althari, PhD, senior researcher and MISA advisor, spearheaded the agreement.

MISA and Insilico Medicine will work on shared initiatives that build on the capabilities of Insilicos end-to-end AI-powered drug discovery platform, PharmaAI. Drawing on trillions of data points, the platform has three distinct but interconnected elements  novel AI target discovery (PandaOmics), novel AI drug design (Chemistry42) and AI clinical trial prediction (InClinico). Under the terms of the MoU, Insilico will share its expertise and software platform with local biotech companies to support and accelerate their research and drug development efforts. Through the partnership, the MoU also seeks to spur the development of new biotech companies.

Insilico will also work with Saudi companies on robotics-aided drug design and clinical trial design and best practices. The Company is launching a fully autonomous AI-run robotics lab that will perform experiments, capture data, and further validate its AI-discovered and designed drugs later this fall. The Companys clinical trial prediction tool, InClinico, is designed to help researchers and companies plan trials with greater statistical likelihood of Phase 2 success.

There will be additional partnership opportunities in other areas where Insilicos AI platform has shown promise, including the support and initiation of projects related to healthy longevity and support for green chemistry initiatives, including the development of sustainable chemicals and crop protection solutions.

Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, said: As someone who decided to dedicate his life to extending healthy productive longevity for everyone on the planet, I applaud Saudi Arabias new initiatives in this most impactful area of research. As a company, we are encouraged by Saudi Arabias vision to increase its digital economy and play a meaningful role in the future of drug discovery using AI and robotics. We look forward to working together to expand the regions biotech sector and partnering with established and emerging companies as well as academic and research institutions in order to explore the full potential of our end-to-end AI platform.

Over the past year, MISA has signed MoUs with a number of pharmaceutical and technology companies to grow its biotech sector, including Novartis, Janssen, AstraZeneca, GSK and Roche, as well as Amazon Saudi Arabia. Insilico Medicine, a company which bridges pharma and tech, is the first AI-driven drug discovery company to sign such an agreement in the region.

About Insilico Medicine

Insilico Medicine, a clinical stage end-to-end artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, is connecting biology, chemistry, and clinical trials analysis using next-generation AI systems. The company has developed AI platforms that utilize deep generative models, reinforcement learning, transformers, and other modern machine learning techniques to discover novel targets and to design novel molecular structures with desired properties. Insilico Medicine is delivering breakthrough solutions to discover and develop innovative drugs for cancer, fibrosis, immunity, central nervous system diseases and aging-related diseases.

For more information, visit www.insilico.com

For media inquiries, please contact media@insilicomedicine.com

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CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), the only organization in the world devoted exclusively to the medical assisting profession, will celebrate Medical Assistants Recognition Week (MARWeek) with the theme "Medical Assistants Are MAGIC: Medical Assistants Give Incredible Care." The national appreciation week will take place October 17-21, and medical assistants across the country will be honored on Medical Assistants Recognition Day, Wednesday, October 19.

This year's theme, "Medical Assistants Are MAGIC," spotlights the spectacular care provided by medical assistants as multiskilled medical professionals. The theme honors medical assistants' versatility and commitment to excellence, ensuring quality patient-centered health care.

"MARWeek is a special time for patients, providers and employers to celebrate and recognize medical assistants as vital members of the outpatient care team," says Deborah Novak, CMA (AAMA), 2021-2022 vice president of the AAMA. "Credentialed medical assistants are multiskilled professionals who are trained to provide safe, compassionate, and quality patient care."

MARWeek offers employers, medical assistants and CMAs (AAMA) an opportunity to recognize medical assistants' contributions to health care delivery effectiveness. Here are suggestions for ways to observe the week:

Implement new policies for medical assisting staff training, educational assistance, benefits, flex time or other new programs.

Hold a special medical assisting training seminar on company time.

Dedicate the October issue of your practice newsletter to your medical assisting staff, recognizing exceptional efforts and overall contributions.

Offer to display the MARWeek poster in a prominent place in your practice.

To access all materials, including observance suggestions, logos and a poster, visit the AAMA website: https://www.aama-ntl.org/news/marweek.

The AAMA created MARWeek to recognize medical assistants' contributions to health care delivery effectiveness. Medical assistants function as members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures. With their unique versatility, medical assistants are proving to be the allied health professionals of choice for this decade and beyond. Medical assisting is one of the nation's careers growing much faster than average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For more information, please visit www.aama-ntl.org or call the AAMA directly at 800/228-2262.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL ASSISTANTS

The American Association of Medical Assistants, the only organization in the world devoted exclusively to the medical assisting profession, was established in 1956 and serves the interests of more than 92,000 medical assisting professionals. The American Association of Medical Assistants provides quality resources and educational opportunities for medical assistants by offering certification, advocacy for quality patient-centered health care, credential acknowledgment and scope-of-practice protection. For more information, visit www.aama-ntl.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Francesca Llanos, Public Relations and Marketing Manager

fllanos@aama-ntl.org

773/590-5524

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TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZOLEO Inc., an emerging global messaging solutions company, announced its ZOLEO global satellite communicator has garnered the top 2022 Tech Accessories Award by the UK Outdoor Industry Association (OIA).



The judging panel, comprised of outdoor industry experts and key journalists and retailers, selected finalists in each of the ten categories at the Outdoor Tradeshow (OTS) in June. Selection criteria included innovation, functionality, choice of materials, environmental friendliness, safety and commercial viability. The products were then put forward to an online consumer vote for outdoor enthusiasts to elect their favourite product in each category. Winners were announced on September 7, 2022.

The UK Outdoor Industry Awards recognise innovation and leading-edge technology in several different product categories in the outdoor market and aim to reward brands that push the boundaries to bring the best products to consumers in the outdoor market, said Marta Williams, Head of Operations for the Outdoor Industries Association. The Tech Accessories category showcased top outdoor gadgets including sport watches, GPS, cameras and apps.

Ideal for anyone who ventures beyond mobile coverage for work or recreation, the award-winning ZOLEO device has been embraced by a substantial and rapidly growing subscriber base that counts on ZOLEO for truly seamless global messaging and progressive SOS alerting wherever they work or play. The compact ZOLEO device connects via Bluetooth to a free app on the user's Android or Apple smartphone/tablet to provide a seamless messaging experience. Messages are transmitted via Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD), cellular and Wi-Fi, and are automatically routed over the lowest-cost network.

We are incredibly pleased to receive this recognition in the UK, just a few months after our launch in Europe, explained Davide Carpegna, General Manager, ZOLEO EMEA. Knowing ZOLEO has already become a consumer favourite is terrific validation that our product is providing outdoor enthusiasts with a reliable means of safety and connectivity to support their adventure lifestyles in the UK, Europe and beyond.



About the UK Outdoor Industry Awards

The UK Outdoor Industry Awards is an initiative launched by the Outdoor Industries Association. For more information on this years award winners, read OIAs official announcement .

About ZOLEO Inc.

Formed in 2018 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, ZOLEO Inc. is a joint venture between Beam Communication Pty. Ltd. and Roadpost Inc. that is pioneering the development of innovative lower cost, consumer-oriented global messaging solutions including wireless devices and apps based on Iridium short burst data (SBD), mobile and Wi-Fi standards. The company serves three primary markets including consumers residing on the fringe of mobile coverage, outdoor recreation users and field workers requiring lone worker safety and remote messaging. Its products are offered through authorized retailers and e-tailers in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the UK, including national retailers like Cabelas, Bass Pro, REI, MEC, Anaconda, Autobarn and regional distributors like CIRDAN and Dalesman. For more information visit www.zoleo.com.

ZOLEO is a trademark of ZOLEO Inc. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by ZOLEO Inc. is under license. Wi-Fi and the Wi-Fi logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. Other brands, products, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Media Contacts



Europe

Catherine Merrin

Email: cmerrin@zoleoinc.com

Mobile: +33 6 75 90 43 54

North America

Kim Layne

Email: klayne@roadpost.com

Mobile: +1 416-587-7088

Australia

Brendon Lau

Email: media@beamcommunications.com

Mobile: +61 409 341 613

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2119717f-e49f-4f75-81e4-6a0f946c4198

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forage, a payments processor that makes it easier for grocers to accept SNAP EBT (previously known as food stamps) payments online, announced today that Kristina Herrmann is joining the company in the new role of Chief Business Officer. Herrmann joins from Amazon, where she spent nearly 16 years, most recently building out and leading Amazons Underserved Populations team as its founder and general manager.



As Chief Business Officer for Forage, Herrmann reports to CEO Ofek Lavian and is responsible for leading the companys commercial efforts including Sales, Partnerships, and Legal - driving forward its mission to democratize access to government benefits, and providing 42M Americans with the ability to transact with EBT online.

"At Amazon, Kristinas team was directly responsible for bringing online SNAP EBT to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods, impacting the lives of millions of low-income Americans across the country, said Lavian. She is an outstanding leader, with exceptionally rare expertise in EBT - and will bring credibility and a merchant-first perspective from one of the largest and most impactful companies on the planet. More importantly, Kristina is a talented and compassionate leader who embodies the Forage core values and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from everyone that spoke with her as part of our vetting process.

For more than five years, I've worked to create better access for recipients of government benefits like SNAP to online grocery and other services, said Herrmann. In doing so, I've recognized obvious gaps in how technology meets the needs of this customer segment. I am excited to join Forage and its strong leadership team as they change the landscape of online EBT redemption."

Herrmann founded and led the Underserved Populations team at Amazon - a cross-functional team of product, tech, UX, marketing and business development - since 2017. Through this team she launched online SNAP purchasing on Amazon.com, including Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market, as part of the USDA's Online Purchasing Pilot. In parallel, Herrmann led additional initiatives to improve underserved customers' access to the convenience of online shopping, including a discounts program on everyday essentials available only to government benefit recipients, an online layaway program with no fees or credit checks, and a grassroots program to improve food access within urban food deserts. Before this, Herrmann served as the Technical Advisor to the then-SVP of Amazon's North America Retail organization.

Herrmann originally joined Amazon in 2006 as an in-house attorney, where she led legal teams across various businesses for nearly 10 years. Prior to joining Amazon, she was an attorney at Mayer Brown in Chicago.

I am confident that Kristina will change the trajectory of this company, and I am incredibly proud and grateful to have the opportunity to work with and learn from her as we grow this company to the next stage, said Lavian.

This announcement comes on the heels of several other important Forage milestones - in August 2022, the company:

Announced $22M in funding from Nyca Partners, PayPal Ventures, Instacart founder Apoorva Mehta, and others.

Announced that it had received USDA Approval for its SNAP EBT Payment Solution - becoming only the third company to do so.

Went live with its first merchant - California-based Gongs Market, with partner Grocerist.

About Forage

Forage is a payments processor that makes it easier for grocers to accept SNAP EBT (food stamps) payments online, giving merchants access to a $200B market, and enabling the 42M Americans receiving benefits to spend them online. With its in-house team of payments and EBT experts and software platform, Forage guides merchants through the USDA application process and tech integration for merchants, taking most of the burden off retailers. Forages founders created the company to democratize access to government benefits and help underserved Americans more easily access their benefits online. Forage works with multiple grocers and platforms such as Shopify and Flashfood to accept SNAP EBT payments online. For more information visit joinforage.com.

Media contact:

Kerry Metzdorf

Big Swing

978-609-0766

kerry@big-swing.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c772218c-c927-43f5-8100-0a985a9523ff




Boston, MA, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Foundry (formerly IDG Communications), the global leader in media, martech and data for the tech community, today released the 2022 Security Priorities Study which looks at the security-related priorities IT and security leaders are focused on now and in the near future. In its sixth year, the study shares insights into the security structure of organizations, perceived risks, continued challenges, and investments being made to better secure organizations.



The research found that an overwhelming majority (90%) of security leaders believe their organization is falling short in addressing cybersecurity risk. Those surveyed experienced these pitfalls from different issues, such as convincing the severity of risk to all or parts of their organization (27%), and believing their organization isnt investing enough resources to address risks (26%).

Here is a closer look at the surveys findings.

Security research and investments are shifting

According to the research, over a third (34%) of security decision makers are researching Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) technologies. Zero trust technology and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) fall just behind as the second and third on their radar at 32%. Although not in the top tools being actively researched, it is worth mentioning cyber insurance as this was the first year Foundry explored the topic. Close to a quarter of organizations have cyber insurance on their radar and only 23% are not interested.

The top security solution currently in use  which Foundry classifies as piloting, in production, and upgrading/refining  is endpoint protection (specifically for laptops, desktops, servers) at 78%. Similarly, three-fourths of respondents said authentication (multifactor/strong authentication or role-based solutions are in use, followed by security education/awareness training solutions and patch management (both at 74%).

In 2022, the average annual security budget is $65 million, which is similar to last years overall budget. For small businesses, however, the security budget has jumped to $16 million, from $11 million last year and $5.5 million in 2020. On average, enterprises are seeing steady security budgets  $122 million this year compared to $123 million in 2021.

When asked which security technologies their organization will increase investment in over the next 12 months, respondents cited cloud-based security services (36%), cloud infrastructure management technology (35%), application development security (35%), access controls (35%), and cloud data protection (33%).

As businesses continue to grow and scale their security efforts in tandem, its no surprise that the proper investments and budgetary requirements follow suit, said Bob Bragdon, SVP/Worldwide Managing Director, CSO. Organizations of all sizes recognize security risks and understand the fallout that can occur due to a breach, and security leaders are preparing for the worst case scenario. Its important for technology vendors to understand what their major challenges are and provide them with appropriate tools and solutions.

Insight into security challenges and hiring

When asked which security-related challenges were most often forcing security executives to redirect their time, respondents stated meeting governance and compliance regulations, employee awareness and training, unanticipated business risks (last years top challenge), preparing for or addressing risks from cyber threats originating outside the organization, and budgetary constraints and demonstrating ROI.

The security skills shortage continues to impact a large portion of organizations. Almost half (45%) of IT leaders are addressing it by asking current staff to take on more responsibilities and utilizing technologies that automate security priorities. Forty-two percent are outsourcing security functions, while 36% are increasing compensation and improving benefits. Comparing company size, half of enterprises are asking current staff to take on more responsibilities, and 37% of SMBs are doing the same.

More regulation and compliance requirements to mitigate security risks is a positive step but is clearly creating challenges for organizations under equipped to deal with these changes, said Bragdon. As security leaders navigate a competitive workforce, they are also looking to their security technology partners to create more efficient and automated practices that make sense for their business and employees.

To learn more about this years Security Priorities research, please download the white paper here .

About 2022 Foundry Security Priorities Study

Foundrys 2022 Security Priorities Study was conducted among the audience of five Foundry brands (CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld and Network World). The survey was fielded online to gain a better understanding of the various security projects organizations are focused on now and in the coming year. The research also explores the issues that will demand the most time and strategic thinking for IT and security teams, as well as the investments security executives are expecting to make. Results are based on 872 global respondents who are involved in IT and/or corporate/physical security decisions.

About Foundry

Foundry (an IDG, Inc. company) is a trusted and dependable editorial voice, creating quality content to generate knowledge, engagement and deep relationships with our community of the most influential technology and security decision-makers. Our premium media brands including CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, PCWorld and Tech Hive engage a quality audience of the most powerful technology buyers with essential guidance on the evolving technology landscape.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LOS ANGELES, September 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)  The Global ECG Devices Market Size accounted for USD 5,284 Million in 2021 and is estimated to garner a market size of USD 8,611 Million by 2030 rising at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2022 to 2030.



ECG Devices Market Report Key Highlights

Global ECG devices market value was USD 5,284 Million in 2021 and expected to grow at CAGR of 5.6% from 2022 to 2030

As per WHO report, approximately 18 million people deceased due to CVD

North America ECG devices market occupied over 35% market share in coming years

Asia-Pacific ECG devices market to rise with fastest CAGR over the projected years from 2022 to 2030

Among product type, monitoring ECG systems occupied over 70% of the overall market share in 2021





Request For Free Sample Report @ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-sample/2385

Report Coverage:

Market ECG Devices Market ECG Devices Market Size 2021 USD 5,284 Million ECG Devices Market Forecast 2030 USD 8,611 Million ECG Devices Market CAGR During 2022 - 2030 5.6% ECG Devices Market Analysis Period 2018 - 2030 ECG Devices Market Base Year 2021 ECG Devices Market Forecast Data 2022 - 2030 Segments Covered By Product Type, By End-User, And By Geography ECG Devices Market Regional Scope North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa Key Companies Profiled Aerotel Medical Systems Ltd, AliveCor Inc., BPL Medical Technologies, Cardiocity Limited, CardioComm Solutions Inc., GE Healthcare, iRhythm Technologies Inc., MediBioSense Ltd, Medtronic PLC, and Nihon Kohden Corporation. Report Coverage

Market Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Competitive Analysis, Player Profiling, Regulation Analysis

The electrical signals produced by the heart are recorded by an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), which is particularly useful for monitoring various heart activities. To help patients receive the proper treatment, this device is used to diagnose various heart diseases and arrhythmias in patients. The procedure to identify heart abnormality patterns is non-invasive and painless.

ECG Devices Market Dynamics

The growing geriatric population and growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) necessitating long-term ECG monitoring are driving the ECG devices market share. Rapid technological breakthroughs in remote monitoring technologies, as well as favorable monitoring device policies, are supporting market value. The availability of low-cost and effective wireless ECG devices has boosted wireless ECG adoption. Because of their convenience, ease of use, and non-invasive nature, portable mobile ECG devices are gaining traction in the market. Furthermore, increasing disposable income in emerging markets has prompted people to increase their investment in healthcare solutions, propelling the ECG devices market value even higher.

Check the detailed table of contents of the report @

https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/table-of-content/ecg-devices-market

ECG Devices Market Segmentation

The ECG devices market is segmented based on product type, end-user, and regions. The market is divided into two product types: monitoring ECG systems and diagnostic ECG systems, which include Holter ECG systems, rest ECG systems, and stress ECG systems,. Market segments by end-user include hospitals, ambulatory surgical centres, clinics, and others.

Monitoring ECG systems segment leads the ECG devices Market by product type in 2021, with the highest revenue share (%). Remote data monitoring, continuous cardiovascular monitoring systems, and event monitoring, are the three types of monitoring ECG systems. The factor driving the segmental market value is the decreasing cost of wireless technologies while concurrently increasing the occurrences of cardiovascular diseases where tracking of heart activities is important. The increasing adoption for home ECG devices is increasing the value of the segmental market.

ECG Devices Market Regional Outlook

The global ECG devices industry is divided into five regions: North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). In 2021, North America accounted for the lion's share (%) of the global ECG device market. The existence of significant players in the regional market such as AliveCor Inc., CardioComm Solutions Inc., GE Healthcare, and iRhythm Technologies Inc. are adding to the regional market value. The rapidly growing geriatric population, and also rising cardiovascular disease incidences, is driving up regional market value. Furthermore, the presence of advanced healthcare infrastructure in the United States and Canada contributes to the regional market value.

Aside from these, the Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest rate, with a significant CAGR (%) from 2022 to 2030. The factors supporting the regional market value are developing healthcare infrastructure, emerging economies, increased spending on healthcare solutions coupled with increasing disposable income, favorable government policies, and increased investment by market players in the region to capitalize on available opportunities. The region's developing economies, including China and India, are contributing to the regional market value.

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ECG Devices Market Players

Some of the leading ECG devices companies operating in the industry include Aerotel Medical Systems Ltd, AliveCor Inc., BPL Medical Technologies, Cardiocity Limited, CardioComm Solutions Inc., GE Healthcare, iRhythm Technologies Inc., MediBioSense Ltd, Medtronic PLC, and Nihon Kohden Corporation. To strengthen their position in the ECG devices industry, ECG device companies have declared strategic mergers and acquisitions, collaborations and partnerships, and new product development. Major players are also expanding into new markets with advanced technologies in order to gain a competitive advantage.

Some of the Key Observations Regarding ECG Devices Industry Include

In 2020, LifeSignals Group will receive FDA 510(k) clearance for its ECG Remote Monitoring Patch Platform. The ECG Remote Monitoring Patch Platform is a wireless remote monitoring system used by healthcare professionals in ambulatory, hospital, and home settings. The new platform collects data that is wirelessly transmitted to a remote server for storage and analysis.





In 2020, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and a midsize medical device company collaborated to develop a monitoring system that includes a biometric signal measuring device (VDR-1000) and a patient monitoring device (VMA-1000). The VDR-1000 collects and transmits data from the patient's electrocardiogram (ECG), pulse wave, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure to the VMA-1000, allowing healthcare providers to monitor the condition of COvid-19 infected patients in real time.





GS Elektromedizinische Geraete G. Stemple GmbH and VectraCor Inc. announced an agreement in 2020, specifically to incorporate VectraCor's cloud-based version of VectraCor's derived 22-Lead ECG and Cardiac Electrical Biomarker technology into corpuls defibrillators.





Withings, a French consumer electronics company, announced a $60 million Series B funding round in 2020, co-led by Gilde Healthcare, Idinvest Partners, and Bpi France, as well as BNP Paribas Developpement, ODDO BHF, and Adelie Capital, through their Large Venture funds.





In the United States, Philips has launched a remote monitoring and defibrillator solution (Tempus ALS) for pre-hospital settings. The FDA has granted the company 510(k) clearance for its pre-hospital wireless monitoring solution (Tempus LS- Manual). The software platform, among other things, allows for the secure, real-time transfer of clinical data and events, interactive ECG measurement, and two-way communication.





Questions Answered By This Report

What was the market size of ECG Devices Market in 2021?

What will be the CAGR of ECG Devices Market during the forecast period from 2022 to 2030?

Who are the major players in Global ECG Devices Market?

Which region held the largest share in ECG Devices Market in 2021?

What are the key market drivers of ECG Devices Market?

Who is the largest end user ECG Devices Market?

What will be the ECG Devices Market value in 2030?





Browse More Research Topic on Medical Device Related:

The Global Capnography Devices Market Size accounted for USD 513 Million in 2021 and is estimated to achieve a market size of USD 1,134 Million By 2030 growing at a CAGR of 9.3% from 2022 to 2030.

The Global Connected Medical Devices Market accounted for USD 31.2 Billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 181.9 Billion by 2030 with a considerable CAGR of 22.1% during the forecast timeframe of 2022 to 2030.

The Global Lacrimal Devices Market accounted for USD 137 Million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 185 Million by 2028 with a considerable CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast timeframe of 2021 to 2028.

About Acumen Research and Consulting:

Acumen Research and Consulting is a global provider of market intelligence and consulting services to information technology, investment, telecommunication, manufacturing, and consumer technology markets. ARC helps investment communities, IT professionals, and business executives to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and develop firm growth strategies to sustain market competition. With the team size of 100+ Analysts and collective industry experience of more than 200 years, Acumen Research and Consulting assures to deliver a combination of industry knowledge along with global and country level expertise.

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New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Chronic Disease Management Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319487/?utm_source=GNW





The global chronic disease management market is expected to grow from $5.87 billion in 2021 to $6.95 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.45%. The market is expected to reach $15.38 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 21.97%.



The chronic disease management market consists of the sales of chronic disease management solutions and services by entities (organizations, partnerships, and sole proprietors) that refer to software and tools used to manage the symptoms of long-term conditions and delay the advancement of chronic conditions to ensure the safety of life. An integrated care strategy for illness management includes screenings, check-ups, treatment monitoring and coordination, and patient education.



The chronic disease management solutions are deployed through on-premise, cloud-based or web-based platforms.The on-premises deployment of chronic disease management solutions and services refers to software solutions and tools that are implemented in-house and as part of an organizations IT infrastructure where the solution, as well as any connected procedures, are the responsibility of the enterprise.



They are used for the management of different diseases which includes cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders.The services in chronic disease management include consulting services, implementation services, and educational services.



Chronic disease management services are utilized by both providers and payers.



North America was the largest region in the chronic disease management market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in the chronic disease management market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The chronic disease management market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides chronic disease management market statistics, including Chronic disease management industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a chronic disease management market share, detailed chronic disease management market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the chronic disease management industry. This chronic disease management market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.



The rise in the geriatric population is significantly driving the growth of the chronic disease management market.The geriatric population refers to people above the age of 65 years.



Geriatric people have the highest chance of suffering from chronic diseases.Chronic illness often results in an increased need for medical care and supportive long-term care services, increasing the need for the chronic disease management solutions.



According to report published in October 2021 by WHO, the proportion of the worlds population over 60 years old would nearly double from 12% to 22% between 2015 and 2050. Thus, an increase in the geriatric population will propel the chronic disease management market.



Technological advancement is a key trend gaining popularity in the chronic disease management market.Advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) is being adopted to treat chronic diseases.



By utilizing AI, medical personnel can witness advances in early intervention and patient outcomes for patients suffering from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.For instance, in February 2022, Biofourmis, a Boston-based startup specializing in artificial intelligence-driven virtual care and digital pharmaceuticals, has developed Bioformis Care, a service that provides high-quality remote care to patients suffering from chronic diseases.



Biofourmis Care will concentrate on increasing provider adherence to care recommendations and spotting patterns of clinical deterioration to allow for early treatments.



In March 2022, Phablecare, an India-based chronic disease management company, acquired Fused Training for an undisclosed amount.Through this acquisition, Phablecare will expand and strengthen its Type1 diabetes verticle.



Fused Training is an India-based diabetes management company that provides support to people living with diabetes.



The countries covered in the chronic disease management market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319487/?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.



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TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For years, Sunwing has brought Canadians to Floridas Sunshine State to experience its tropical-like climate and attractive offerings. This winter, the tour operator is thrilled to announce the addition of Melbourne, a brand-new destination along the south of Floridas Space Coast offering more sun, beach and out-of-this-world exploration.



The tour operator will also be returning to two beloved destinations in the United States this winter with multiple direct flights from Toronto and Montreal, including Orlando, one of Floridas greatest attractions, and Miami, a popular vacation destination for city exploration and cruise departures.

This winter, were thrilled to be returning to Florida with Melbourne as our newest destination offering for Sunwing customers, said Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing. In addition to the desirable destinations of Orlando and Miami, theres much to explore along Floridas Space Coast with beautiful beaches, a historic downtown core and nearby attractions, plus easy access to Port Canaveral for winter cruise sailings. Given the incredible customer demand for sun vacations this winter, we look forward to bringing more customers to Melbourne to experience its family-friendly charm.

We are incredibly excited about the new service being offered by Sunwing as it opens up an important market for us, said Peter Cranis, Executive Director, Space Coast Office of Tourism. No other country brings more visitors to our region than Canada, and now we have a great opportunity to serve them well as they choose the Space Coast for their winter vacations. We look forward to a long-lasting partnership with Sunwing and introducing Canadians to all that Melbourne has to offer.

In Melbourne, or The Harbour City, travellers can enjoy the sun and sand at Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and Melbourne Beach, home to one of the worlds most significant Sea Turtle nesting habitats, or tour the local culture in Melbournes historic downtown centre with authentic cuisine, famed mural art, shopping and street festivals.

Travellers can also sample fresh seafood in Port Canaveral, tour the Grapefruit Trails in Palm Bay or interact with over 900 animals at Brevard Zoo. Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex, one of Floridas most popular attractions an hour outside of Melbourne, offers up-close views of Space Shuttle Atlantis, life-sized Mars rover replicas and NASA rockets. Vacationers can also drive to Orlando for a day of fun at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

The exciting announcement of our partnership with Melbourne Orlando International Airport and Floridas Space Coast Office of Tourism comes at a crucial time when demand for holiday and winter travel is at an all-time high, added Eric Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Partner Development for Sunwing. Following the recent expansion to the passenger terminal in Melbourne, our customers can enjoy a seamless vacation experience from beginning to end and enjoy their travels in Melbourne with ease. With even more opportunities to discover Florida this winter, were confident Melbourne will become a new favourite for Canadians.

We are delighted to welcome Sunwing Airlines to Melbourne Orlando International Airport, said MLB Executive Director Greg Donovan. A.A.E. The addition of Sunwing to our expanding list of air service partners is an incredible win for MLB and the greater Central Florida community. Through this new partnership, we are providing new international air service options, linking our convenient hometown airport with three major Canadian cities and welcoming thousands of travellers directly to our coastal gateway to Central Florida. Its the perfect opportunity to connect visitors, relatives and family.

Whether extending their getaway or stopping in to set sail, Sunwing vacationers can embark on their winter cruise sailings from Port Canaveral and soon book Norwegian Cruise Line Escape for January 2023 departures, visiting exciting ports of call from the Bahamas to the British Virgin Islands, with a range of fun-filled amenities on board.

With a number of hotels coming soon to destination, Sunwing customers can book the Sunshine State for winter travel starting November 1, 2022 with weekly direct flights on board Sunwing Airlines, including:

Between Toronto and Orlando, daily starting November 1, 2022

Between Toronto and Melbourne, Saturdays and Wednesdays starting December 10, 2022

Between Toronto and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022

Between Winnipeg and Melbourne, Saturdays starting December 10, 2022

Between Montreal and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022

Between Halifax and Melbourne, Fridays starting February 10, 2023

About Sunwing

The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing has more flights to the south than any other leisure carrier with convenient direct service from airports across Canada to popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations as well as cruise packages and seasonal domestic flight service. Sunwing customers benefit from the assistance of the companys own knowledgeable destination representatives, who greet them upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. The company supports the communities where it operates through the Sunwing Foundation, a charitable initiative focused on the support and development of youth and humanitarian aid.

For more information:

Melanie Anne Filipp

Director, Corporate Communications & Media Relations

Sunwing Travel Group

1-800-387-5602 | media@sunwing.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b94f0256-23e0-46d1-95bf-2630af3a2a9e
TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The travel app Visited, which was developed by Arriving In High Heels Corporation, has published the Top 10 Most Visited Ancient Sites In The World. The data comes from over 1 million international travellers who have used the travel app to mark famous ancient sites, countries and other popular places and experiences to visit. The popular travel app has been translated into 30 languages and is available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.



The top 10 ancient sites include:

1) The Colosseum in Rome, Italy is the most visited ancient site in the world.

2) The Acropolis in Athens, Greece is the 2nd most visited ancient structure in the world.

3) Pompeii, Italy which is an ancient city famously destroyed by Mount Vesuvius explosion in 79 AD.

4) Stonehenge, England consists of vertical standing stones each around 13 feet high and seven feet wide, and weighing around 25 tons.

5) Athenian Agora, Greece is the 2nd most visited ancient site in Greece and 5th in the world.

6) Chichen Itza, Mexico is one of the greatest Mayan centres of the Yucatan peninsula, a short trip from Mayan Riviera beaches. Its history spans 1,000 years, with stone monuments and artistic works of Maya and Toltec civilizations. It is the most visited ancient site in the Americas.

7) The Great Pyramid at Giza Egypt is considered one of the greatest marvels of architecture.

8) Machu Picchu, Peru is the highlight of any visit to Peru. It sits high in the Andes mountains under the Urubamba River valley. There are intriguing buildings with astronomical alignments and panoramic views which will delight and astonish visitors seeking to learn the mysteries of the Inca civilization.

9) Tulum, Mexico is the 2nd most visited ancient site in Mexico followed by Chichen Itza which is located nearby. This 13th century walled Mayan is the last known Mayan city, overlooks the sea and is surrounded by the jungle.

10) Roman Baths, built during Roman times, are found a few hours away from London, United Kingdom.

About Visited Travel Map App:

The list feature allows users to not only select the sites that they have visited but also see how they rank against other travellers. Users will find travel lists that match their interests, such as food and drink, nature, history, culture, architecture, religious sites, sporting events, and more. Popular lists include: world capitals, ancient sites, lists of cruise ports, top beaches, best snorkelling locations, mountain ranges and art museums. The travel lists are sorted based on popularity by over 1.45 million international travellers who have installed the Visited app.

There are endless places to visit and having data from other world travellers will help users create their own bucket lists and personalised plans.

With the ability for users to create their very own digital scratch map with past and future travels by country, region/state and city, users are able to easily track their personal travel goals and gain personalised insights to key stats such as travel ranking, percentage of the world seen, and total countries visited.

Users can also leverage the Inspiration feature to discover new destinations with an intuitive swiping experience. By scanning popular and less viewed travel places, users can visualise and plan their next adventure on the Visited App with ease.

To learn more about the Visited app and its latest feature update, please visit https://visitedapp.com/.

About Arriving In High Heels Corporation

Arriving In High Heels Corporation is a mobile app company; Visited is its most popular app. Other apps include Pay Off Debt and X-Walk.

Contact Information

Anna Kayfitz

Anna@arrivinginhighheels.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/371fa14f-017f-4011-b032-f9a6016fbcfa
ADM Endeavors CEO Marc Johnson said, "This is a great segment to enter."



Fort Worth, TX, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- ADM Endeavors, Inc. (OTCQB: ADMQ): The custom liquor bottle market is currently underserved and overpriced. Just Right Products, a wholly owned subsidiary of ADM Endeavors, has utilized its resources and import connections to exploit these market issues. The small liquor labels have been excited about our pricing and delivery times. Our first completed order was for Sweet Beat Vodka with an estimated annual bottle sales volume of over $250,000 per year. This niche has the potential to generate new sales in the millions annually as new labels are signed on.

ADM Endeavors CEO Marc Johnson said, "This is a great segment to enter. It fits into our long-term plans of producing and delivering custom products that are recession resistant and the growth potential is exceptional with zero effect on in-house production capacity. There is also a high probability it would generate cross sales into our promotional product lines."

About ADMQ: Since 2010, our wholly owned subsidiary, Just Right Products, Inc., has been consistently increasing sales, with sales topping $6.44 million for the last reported 12 months. The Company sells Anything With A Logo on its website, www.JustRightProducts.com , developing products ranging from unique business cards to coffee cups, T-shirts to boots, with tens of thousands of other unique products from which to select. Just Right Products, Inc. operates a diverse vertical integrated business in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, consisting of a retail sales division, screen print production, embroidery production, digital production, import wholesale sourcing, and uniforms.

Forward Looking Statement:

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Any statements that are not historical facts contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" that involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as strategy, expects, continues, plans, anticipates, believes, would, will, estimates, intends, projects, goals, targets and other words of similar meaning are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, involve known and unknown risks, a reliance on third parties for information, transactions that may be cancelled, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in our industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties related to the fluctuation of global economic conditions or economic conditions with respect to the retail industry, the COVID-19 pandemic, the performance of management, actions of government regulators, vendors, and suppliers, our cash flows and ability to obtain financing, competition, general economic conditions and other factors that are detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



Contacts

ADM Endeavors, Inc. | info@admendeavors.com | 817.840.6271



Investor Relation

Andrew Barwicki | andrew@barwicki.com | 516.662.9461

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JACKSON, Mississippi, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National AIDS Memorial and Southern AIDS Coalition are bringing the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the Jackson area Sept. 28  Oct 4. as part of its new Change the Pattern initiative to reimagine the fight to end HIV in the South. The weeklong Quilt display and programming, funded through the support of Gilead Sciences, aims to raise awareness about health disparities and social justice issues that continue to disproportionately impact communities of color.

The announcement was made at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, one of several locations hosting a Quilt display, where community leaders and HIV/AIDS service organizations joined together to also announce a $100,000 Change the Pattern relief fund to help area HIV/AIDS service organizations impacted by the ongoing water crisis. The relief fund will provide critical resources to help constituents who have been affected and in need of care and services.

The Quilt has always been a powerful teaching tool for justice, advocacy and service and we are honored to bring its stories from the Black and Brown community to share with Mississippi through these displays and programming, said Duane Cramer, Quilt Community Engagement, National AIDS Memorial. We hope that these funds will help support HIV/AIDS organizations that continue to provide critical care and services for those in need.

Dafina Ward, Executive Director, Southern AIDS Coalition added, Our hope is that bringing the Quilt will shine a light on the systemic struggles our community faces still today, not just in the fight to end HIV, but the health and social justice issues that for too long have been ignored. By bringing the community together, providing support for each other, and raising awareness through advocacy, we will change the pattern.

This powerful and timely Quilt exhibition will feature more than 500 hand-stitched panels of the AIDS Quilt that honor Black and Brown lives lost to AIDS and feature many newly made Quilt panels from Mississippi and the Jackson area, which will be featured for the first time publicly. They are meant to be a call to action to disrupt systemic issues that impact health equity which continue to disproportionately impact communities of color and marginalized populations.

Accompanying the Quilt displays will be powerfully curated stories that share the love, remembrance, pain, and celebration sewn into each Quilt panel of lives lost from within the Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Transgender and other marginalized communities. Several new Quilt panels from Mississippi will be part of the exhibition, including ones honoring Jackson State University professor Dr. Mark A. Colomb, a beautiful panel for residents who were cared for at Grace House, 14-year-old Hemophiliac Michael Felton, and Lavadious Walker, who was celebrated in the Trans community. A panel made by legendary civil rights and justice activist Rosa Parks, who was a supporter of the AIDS Quilt, will also be featured in the display.

Dr. Shanell McGoy, Director of Corporate Giving at Gilead Sciences, who helped make one of those new panels recently, said, Gilead is so honored to help support this important program that brings the Quilt to communities across the Southern United States as a healer, a teacher and a change-maker, as it has been for more than three decades. The program is helping us look at new ways to reach and actively engage communities that continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV so we can help end the epidemic.

Throughout the week, community partners will host free educational forums, health screenings, advocacy, and quilt panel-making workshops. Programming will include conversations on topics of importance to the community: health disparities, rising HIV diagnoses, environmental justice and the stigma that persists today in the long struggle for health and social justice in the South.

The Quilt can be viewed by the public at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Jackson Medical Mall, Jackson State University Student Center, local churches, City Hall, Capitol City Pride, and other locations across Jackson and the Delta. The public is encouraged to visit www.changethepattern.org for detailed information about Quilt display locations and programming, all of which are free to the public.

Local community partners for the Mississippi Change the Pattern Quilt display and events include: AIDSWatch Mississippi, My Brother's Keeper, Capital City Pride, Care4Me Services, AIDS Services Coalition, Community Health-PIER, Jackson Medical Mall, The She Project, Love Inside for Everyone, Mississippi Center for Justice, Jackson State University, Mississippi Dept. of Health Office of STD/HIV, Two Mississippi Museums and Visit Jackson, among others.

Bringing the AIDS Quilt to Mississippi is particularly important as we work together as a community to reimagine the fight to end HIV in our state, said Robin Webb, Director, AIDSWatch Mississippi. The Quilt helps open hearts and minds to those weve lost and how we can use those stories to educate, advocate and finally end this epidemic.

The statistics speak to the importance of the Change the Pattern initiative in the South. In 2020, the South comprised 38% of the U.S. population but represented over half (52%) of new HIV diagnoses. The disproportionate burden of HIV in the South is experienced among certain populations, such as Black women, Black and Latinx gay and bisexual men, and Black and Latinx transgender women. Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee rank in the top 15 with the highest rates of HIV in the country. Racism, HIV stigma, homophobia, poverty, and barriers to health care continue to drive these disparities.

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NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP ( www.kaplanfox.com ) is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Twitter, Inc. (Twitter or the "Company) (NYSE: TWTR) based on recent allegations of a whistleblower as reported by CNN and The Washington Post.



If you purchased or otherwise acquired Twitter securities between August 3, 2020 and August 23, 2022, inclusive (the Class Period) and would like to discuss our investigation, please contact us by emailing pmayer@kaplanfox.com or by calling (646) 315-9003.

If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than November 14, 2022 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery.

On August 23, 2022, CNN published an article entitled "Ex-Twitter exec blows the whistle, alleging reckless and negligent cybersecurity policies. According to the CNN article, the whistleblower alleges that "Twitter has major security problems that pose a threat to its own users' personal information, to company shareholders, to national security, and to democracy, according to an explosive whistleblower disclosure obtained exclusively by CNN and The Washington Post." The CNN article also states that the disclosure was "sent last month to a number of US government agencies and congressional committees, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice." The whistleblower reportedly is "Peiter 'Mudge' Zatko, who was previously the company's head of security, reporting directly to the CEO."

The August 23, 2022 CNN article also states that "[w]hat Zatko says he found was a company with extraordinarily poor security practices, including giving thousands of the company's employees -- amounting to roughly half the company's workforce -- access to some of the platform's critical controls and that Zatko alleges the company's senior-most executives have been trying to cover up Twitter's serious vulnerabilities, and that one or more current employees may be working for a foreign intelligence service. Additionally, the CNN article states that [t]he whistleblower also says Twitter executives dont have the resources to fully understand the true number of bots on the platform. . . .

Following this news, the price of Twitter shares fell $3.15 per share, or 7.3%, to close at $39.86 per share on August 23, 2022.

A complaint has been filed alleging, among other things, that during the Class Period the Defendants - Twitter, Twitters co-founder Jack Dorsey who was the CEO during part of the Class Period, Twitters CEO Parag Agrawal, and Twitters CFO Ned Segal  made false and misleading statements that failed to disclose that Twitter knew about security problems on its platform and actively worked to hide the security concerns from the board, the investing public, and regulators.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

WHY CONTACT KAPLAN FOX - Kaplan Fox is a leading national law firm focusing on complex litigation with offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey. With over 50 years of experience in securities litigation, Kaplan Fox offers the professional experience and track record that clients demand. Through prosecuting cases on the federal and state levels, Kaplan Fox has successfully shaped the law through winning many important decisions on behalf of our clients. For more information about Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP, you may visit our website at www.kaplanfox.com .

If you have any questions about this investigation, your rights, or your interests, please contact:

Pamela Mayer

KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP

850 Third Avenue, 14th Floor

New York, New York 10022

(646) 315-9003

E-mail: pmayer@kaplanfox.com
Atlanta, GA, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UC Asset (OTCQX: UCASU) today debunks a claim that the company is selling the historic landmark Rufus Rose House. The company affirms that it is renovating the property into a dual role building similar to the Empire State Building, and any sources indicating otherwise are erroneous.

If you google Rufus Rose House today, you may be led to the webpage of a nonprofit, HistoricAtlanta.org, on which the property is presented as for sale by a realtor agent, claims Greg Bankston, managing general partner of UC Asset. We have never authorized said nonprofit, the agent listed, or anyone else, to sell this property. We have reached out to the concerned parties to have this information corrected and updated.

Instead, we are moving at a solid pace to restore this historic treasure. Over the past weeks, we have restored basic utilities and cleaned up the site. The goal is to renovate it into a functioning office space and a famous site-seeing attraction, representing a dual role much like the Empire State Building in New York City, says Bankston.

On another note, were entertained that the non-profit and listed agent created a compelling sales pitch for our property and gave it a valuation way higher than our investment cost, jokes Bankston.

For example, the sales pitch on HistoricAtlanta.org gives Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) of the property a valuation of approximately $2 million, surpassing the whole purchase price of $1.65 million by UC Asset. TDR is one single derivative value of the property, and it should represent only a fraction of the propertys total value.

According to HistoricAtlanta.orgs article, Properties that are designated as a Landmark Building or Site can transfer unused development rights to a property that can buy those rights and increase the density. The Rufus M. Rose House has approximately 235,000 square feet of unused residential and non-residential space. The current market value is $10-15 per square feet creating a revenue of approximately $2 million dollars.

Bankston clarifies that UCASU is not convinced that TDR of Rufus Rose House is worth of $2.0 million at this moment. Besides, the company has no plan to sell its TDR any time soon. Still, Bankston says that he is encouraged that a professional realtor views the value of Rufus Rose House much more optimistically than the management of UCASU does.

The Rufus Rose House is one of the oldest buildings in metropolitan Atlanta, and currently the only standing Victorian mansion in the central district. Affectionately referred to as the "Rose on Peachtree", the property is a late Victorian Queen Anne style home built in 1901 and nestled in the heart of the city. The refurbished Rose on Peachtree is posed to attract the attention of the 50-60 million visitors/tourists to Atlanta every year. The Rufus Rose house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (since 1977) and is designated as a Landmark Building Exterior (since 1989) by the City of Atlanta.

About UC Asset LP

UC Asset LP is a limited partnership formed for the purpose of investing in real estate with innovative strategies, concentrating in metropolitan areas of Atlanta, GA. For more information about UC Asset, please visit: www.ucasset.com

Disclaimer:

This News Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any these statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any those forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this news release. None of such forward-looking statements should be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the objectives and plans set forth in this News Release will be achieved or be executed.

For More Information Contact: IR@UCasset.com

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New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Data Discovery Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319473/?utm_source=GNW

Ltd.



The global data discovery market is expected to grow from $10.32 billion in 2021 to $12.27 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9%. The data discovery market is expected to grow to $22.93 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 16.9%.



The data discovery market consists of sales of data by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to understand trends and patterns in the data.The process of acquiring and analysing data from many sources in order to detect trends and patterns in the data is known as data discovery.



It necessitates a series of actions that businesses may use as a framework to comprehend their data. Data discovery, which is frequently associated with business intelligence (BI), assists in informing business decisions by bringing together disparate data sources to be examined.



The main types of data discovery are software and services.The software allows one to collect and combine data from multiple sources in order to identify patterns and trends.



The primary functions of data discovery software are data preparation, data modeling, visual analysis, and advanced statistical analysis.Software refers to programmes that require an electronic device such as a computer to run.



The various deployment models are cloud-based or on-premises and are used in various organisation sizes, such as large enterprises and small and medium enterprises. The industries in which it is used include banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), telecommunications and IT, retail and e-commerce, manufacturing, energy and utilities, and other industry verticals.



North America was the largest region in the data discovery market in 2021.Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this data discovery market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa.



The Data discovery devices market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides Data discovery devices market statistics, including global market size, regional shares, competitors with a Data discovery devices market share, detailed Data discovery devices market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the Data discovery devices industry. This data discovery devices market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.



The increasing need for structured and unstructured data is driving the growth of the data discovery market going forward.Structured data refers to information that has been organised into a formatted repository, whereas unstructured data is information that lacks a predefined data model or is not organised in a predefined way.



Enterprises may extend data access to all employees by integrating data discovery tools, allowing data teams and business analysts to comprehend and cooperate on data-related topics. For instance, in 2022, according to the article by Techjury, a US-based software company, the requirement to manage unstructured data is cited by 95 percent of firms as a challenge, and 97.2 percent of businesses are investing in big data and artificial intelligence for the growth of their businesses and brands. Therefore, increasing the use of structured and unstructured data is driving the growth of the data discovery market.



New product innovations are the key trend gaining popularity in the data discovery market.Major companies operating in the data discovery market are focused on developing technologically advanced products to strengthen their market position.



For instance, in February 2022, DvSum, a US-based cloud-based data intelligence platform, launched its next-generation Data Catalog solution that makes it much easier to discover, monitor, and govern data with the help of the smart, augmented, live Data Catalog.DvSum Catalog is smarter, easier to use, inexpensive, and intended for teams and companies of all sizes, unlike other data catalogue products on the market.



This software combines basic metadata such as data dictionaries with real-time data profiles, computes data quality ratings, and connects them to business definitions and attributes. This provides users with an unrivaled, comprehensive, 360-degree perspective of the data, allowing them to provide timely and accurate insights into the business.



In August 2019, Salesforce Inc., a US-based software company, acquired Tableau Software for a deal amount of $15.7 billion. Through this acquisition, both companies aim to change the way people comprehend not only their customers, but their entire world, by providing strong AI-driven insights for individuals of all skill levels across all types of data and use cases. Tableau Software is a US-based interactive data visualisation software company focused on business intelligence.



The countries covered in the data discovery market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319473/?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.



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Portland, OR, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global castor oil derivatives market was estimated at $1.3 billion in 2021 and is expected to hit $2.1 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 4.8% from 2022 to 2031. The report provides a detailed analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive landscape, and evolving market trends. The market study is a helpful source of information for the frontrunners, new entrants, investors, and shareholders in crafting strategies for the future and heightening their position in the market. The report is exclusively meant to help the readers with a comprehensive valuation of industry analysis and trends.

Report Coverage & Details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20222031 Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 $1.3 Billion Market Size in 2031 $2.1 Billion CAGR 4.8% No. of Pages in Report 310 Segments Covered Product Type, End Use Industry, and Region. Drivers Increasing demand for biodegradable and sustainable products Restraints High manufacturing cost, rise in prices of raw materials, and uncertainty in climatic conditions Opportunities Regulatory support from several government bodies



Download Sample PDF (310 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/17689

Covid-19 scenario-

With the strict restriction norms on board, the production rate of castor oil derivatives experienced a steep decline, especially during the initial period, thus impacting the global market for castor oil derivatives negatively.

However, as the overall situation across the globe got better, the sales and production of castor oil derivatives also restored gradually.

The global castor oil derivatives market is analyzed across product type, end use industry, and region. The report takes in an exhaustive analysis of segments and their sub-segments with the help of tabular and graphical representation. Investors and market players can benefit from the breakdown and devise stratagems based on the highest revenue-generating and fastest-growing segments stated in the report.

Based on product type, the sebacic acid segment contributed to nearly one-third of the global castor oil derivatives market revenue in 2021, and is expected to dominate by 2031. The hydrogenated castor oil segment, on the other hand, would showcase the fastest CAGR of 5.3% throughout the forecast period. The manual beds segment is also assessed in the study.

Request the Covid19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/17689?reqfor=covid

Based on end-use industry, the personal care and beauty care segment accounted for around one-third of the total market revenue in 2021, and is expected to dominate by 2031. The lubricants segment, simultaneously, would cite the fastest CAGR of 5.3% throughout the forecast period.

Based on region, the market across Asia-Pacific generated nearly two-fifths of the total market revenue in 2021, and is anticipated to retain the lions share by 2031. The same region would also showcase the fastest CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period. The other regions studied in the report include North America, LAMEA, and Europe.

The key market players analyzed in the global castor oil derivatives market report include Hokoku Corporation, Kanak Castor Products, Girnar Industries, Gokul Agri International, Vertellus, NK Industries Ltd, Xingtai Lantian Fine Chemicals Ltd., Krishna Antioxidant Pvt. Ltd., Kokura Gosei Kogyo Ltd., ITOH Oil Chemical Ltd., Jayan Agro Organics Ltd., Adani Wilmar, Thai Castor Oil Industries Ltd., Sebacic India Pvt. Ltd., and Arvali Castor Derivatives Pvt. Ltd. These market players have embraced several strategies including partnership, expansion, collaboration, joint ventures, and others to highlight their prowess in the industry. The report is helpful in formulating the business performance, product portfolio, operating segments, and developments by the top players.

Interested in Procuring this Report? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/castor-oil-derivatives-market/purchase-options

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TROY, Michigan, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dart Appraisal, a nationwide appraisal management company (AMC), announced today that it has acquired MaxVantage, a New Jersey based AMC. This acquisition further advances Dart Appraisal's position as a leader in the AMC marketplace and builds upon the previous acquisitions of Valuation Management Group and USAMC.

"Acquiring MaxVantage allows us to continue to expand the quality service our clients expect from Dart Appraisal," said Michael Dresden, President of Dart Appraisal. "We'll be able to bolster our presence on the eastern seaboard, further expand our already strong appraiser panel, and provide more support by adding talented employees to our first-rate team."

"Over the past 29 years, most of our growth has come organically, but we decided a few years ago that we would like to augment that growth through strategic acquisitions as well," Dresden added. "MaxVantage checked all of the 'boxes' that we look for - they have a great reputation, a strong client base, and motivated, talented employees."

MaxVantage was established as an AMC in 2009; the firm is led by Mark and Robin Trimmer who have been in the appraisal business since 1988. The entire team at MaxVantage will be joining Dart Appraisal and will maintain an office location in New Jersey. The acquisition immediately enhances Dart's already strong footprint on the East Coast, specifically in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

"We are extremely excited to join with our friends at Dart Appraisal," said Mark Trimmer. "The combined company will enable us to better serve our clients as part of a larger organization. We believe the combined companies, and the expanded services it allows us to offer, will benefit our clients and employees. The culture at MaxVantage has always been to give exceptional service to our clients and to take good care of our employees and appraisers, and Dart shares that philosophy. For our current clients, I believe it will be business as usual!"

"With 29 years under our belt, Dart Appraisal continues to be a leader in the valuation industry," said Darton Case, Dart Appraisal's CEO. "We are proud of all we've accomplished so far and are excited about the increased growth and innovation yet to come."

About Dart Appraisal

Dart Appraisal is an independently owned, nationwide Appraisal Management Company (AMC) founded in 1993. The company has built a reputation of superior customer service combined with innovative technology to deliver accurate and timely residential and commercial appraisals. With a singular focus on appraisal management, Dart Appraisal has developed a direct relationship with both appraisers and clients. www.dartappraisal.com

Media Contact: Lon Bollenbacher, Dart Appraisal

313.378.1622

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SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU, Quebec, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dave Reid Award honors innovative farmers participating in ALUS who are dedicated to producing ecological services on their land for the benefit of their communities and the environment. ALUS recognizes their vital role as stewards of the environment and ambassadors for the ALUS program. The award is accompanied by a $10,000 cash prize.



The 2022 Dave Reid Award Winner, Paul Caplette

This years Dave Reid Award goes to Paul Caplette, an ALUS Monteregie participant and field crop producer. Paul took over the family business with his brother Pierre when they were both young men. The two brothers began experimenting with agri-environmental practices around 2000 and are now aiming for carbon neutrality within the next ten years. In 2018, they set up their first ALUS projects. These multifunctional windbreaks have since been joined by a riparian meadow for pollinators, a sedimentary basin for wildlife, a biodiversity island, flower strips, other windbreaks as well as nesting boxes and bat houses. In total, nearly 25 acres of ALUS nature-based solutions are producing ecosystem services on the Caplettes Cereales Bellevue farm.

Paul Caplette has been a leader in Quebecs agri-environmental movement for years and a remarkable ALUS ambassador ever since he joined the program in 2018. He is very involved in the advancement of knowledge to develop practices that address key issues on farmland, says Bryan Gilvesy, CEO of ALUS. We are thrilled to recognize him as an exceptional steward of the environment and to make his contribution shine across the country.

Engaged in numerous agricultural projects and a member of several regional and provincial committees, Paul helps to promote good soil conservation practices and to raise awareness of the impact of agri-environmental activities in his community and beyond. Paul Caplette is frequently in the media promoting agri-environmental projects and is active on social media and in the Bulletin des agriculteurs where he writes an award-winning blog.

I am truly honoured and touched to receive the Dave Reid Award, a national recognition. I never would have seen myself here 30 years ago. I share it with my brother and my mother and I hope it reflects on the farmers in my community as well, says Paul. I will continue to carry the torch of biodiversity high with the purpose to inspire others to do the same, now and in the future.



Runners-up for the Dave Reid Award



This year, ALUS also recognizes finalists who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding work: Annette and Michael Rosendal of ALUS Northern Sunrise in Alberta and Maude and Renaud Peloquin of ALUS Monteregie in Quebec.



Annette and Michael Rosendal

Owners of their familys Front Porch farm and farmers for over 15 years, Annette and Michael Rosendals fundamental principle has always been to seek a balance between conservation and agricultural production. Active members of their agricultural community, they co-authored the Peace Native Grassland Stewardship Program, a guide to stewardship practices. For Annette and Michael, stewardship and sustainability are a way of life, one that they share with their son and daughter.

Producers of grass-fed beef, farmed pork, eggs and honey, Annette and Michael were among the first participants in ALUS Northern Sunrise in 2017. The Rosendals built a large wetland, a natural infrastructure feature providing ecosystem services and a place for biodiversity. An alternative watering system was also put in place for the cattle to keep them away from the pond.

We appreciate how ALUS and their partners encourage conservation on working farms by supporting projects that can be a win-win for the environment and day-to-day farming operations, says Annette. Every day, we see the difference our ALUS projects make for our farm and are grateful for the support and recognition of ALUS.



Maude and Renaud Peloquin

ALUS Monteregie participants, Maude and Renaud Peloquin are the eighth generation to take over the family business Ferme de Sainte-Victoire, which is dedicated to field crops and raising grain calves. The sister and brother are particularly concerned with taking care of their business, the soil, the water and the landscape. Their greatest wish is to be able to continue to cultivate their land in a healthy and sustainable way for many generations to come.

Since 2018, Maude and Renaud have devoted more than twelve acres to ALUS nature-based solutions, creating a wealth ecosystem services that serve their farm, the community and the environment. Covering nearly all of the nine kilometres of waterways running across their land, the Peloquins ALUS projects protect the health of the water and the ecology that depends on it.

It is important for us to invest in the environment on our farm, and the ALUS program has allowed us to put in place enhanced riparian buffers to, among other things, promote biodiversity and preserve species at risk. As parents of young children, we want to do our part in the fight against climate change to leave cleaner air and water for future generations, says Renaud.

Its a family project that we are particularly proud of, adds Maude.

About the Dave Reid Awards



The Dave Reid Award honors farmers across the country who are innovating by producing ecological services on their land. ALUS recognizes their vital role as stewards of the environment and ambassadors of the ALUS program.

Formerly known as the ALUS Canada Producer Innovation Award, the Dave Reid Award has previously been presented to Duane Movald (ALUS Brazeau) in 2021, Marc Bercier (ALUS Ontario East) in 2020, Tom Towers (ALUS Red Deer County) in 2019, Joe Csoff (ALUS Norfolk) in 2018 and Gerry Taillieu (ALUS Parkland) in 2016.

Dave Reid is one of the original developers of the ALUS concept, having laid the foundations of the program and co-authored the ALUS program concept and guiding principles Alternative Land Use Services - A Farmers Conservation Plan. Of note, Dave was instrumental in elaborating the vision of the Partnership Advisory Committee, the locally empowered governance structure that makes ALUS unique. A lifelong resident of Norfolk County, Ontario, and a biologist, Dave Reid had a long career with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources before becoming involved in launching ALUS, holding the positions of Hub Manager and Director of Research & Development.



About ALUS



ALUS (originally an acronym for Alternative Land Use Services) is a national charitable organization that provides expertise, resources, and direct financial support to 35 communities across 6 provinces where more than 1,400 farmers and ranchers establish and steward nature-based solutions on their land. These solutions deliver ecosystem services to help sustain agriculture and fight climate change and biodiversity loss for the benefit of communities and future generations. Projects such as enhanced wetlands, windbreaks, riparian buffer zones, wildlife habitats, adaptative agricultural practices and other impactful environmental solutions produce cleaner air, cleaner water, greater biodiversity, carbon sequestration, erosion control, flood and drought mitigation, pollinator and wildlife habitat, and other ecological services. Learn more at ALUS.ca.

Contact :

Nadine Mercure

Director of Communications & Digital Strategy

ALUS Canada

nmercure@alus.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a190e0a1-aa9b-4ce1-a07e-71d044f7e9a0
LAKEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eberl Claims Service, a leading US provider of property claims adjusting services, today announced a strategic partnership agreement and exclusive license with global claims technology provider Wilbur (Wilbur.io), to use its technology to streamline the claims management process. This strategic partnership empowers Eberls claims operations with a proprietary technology platform and integrated supplier network to drive a state-of-the-art claims management experience for carriers and their policyholders.







As a modular and customizable platform, Wilbur integrates its technology with a high quality, trusted supplier network to deliver the right claim solution for carriers of all sizes. From first notice and mitigation to virtual or field adjusting and even full repair, the solution connects all parties to a claim while integrating with existing carrier core systems. By connecting desk adjusters with policyholders through virtual live collaboration and documentation technology, claims are handled the right way, every time.

The property claims industry has been the focus of several technology and process innovations, each promising to transform a range of functions such as how losses are documented, evaluated, estimated, or paid. As carriers look to capitalize on this innovation to improve their overall claim function, the tradeoff is often additional handoffs, logins, subscription fees, and steep learning curves. More than ever, there is a pressing need for an improved alliance among carriers, service providers, and technology to deliver an improved policyholder experience and optimize the outcome of each claim, says Chris Bergeon, Eberls President. Our partnership with Wilbur adds an exciting dimension to our desk adjuster and TPA service capabilities that will drive claim handling efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction to a new level.

Im an advocate for improving the claims experience through the use of technology, says Robin Roberson, Eberls Head of Platform Partnerships. However, its growing ever-more challenging to ensure the right technology is used at the right time. Doing so requires not only tech access but also connected and skilled service providers to operationalize and maximize the potential benefit. By forging this partnership, Eberl continues to reimagine the claims process, empowered by technology, and paired with a vetted supplier network. This combination meets a timely industry challenge and provides Eberl opportunity to deliver on the companys mission to be there when you need us."

The partnership delivers on key customer-centric objectives such as:

Reassuring customer experience  single policyholder point of contact to minimize confusion and redundant interactions

Efficient claim handling  reduced cycle time and cost by eliminating the friction of multiple systems, processes, and handoffs

Consolidated coordination  manage assignments, communication and documentation from a single dashboard and sync status details back to carrier core systems

Effective supplier management  ability to add or remove tech and service suppliers for improved service, quality, and control

Visibility  transparency and ownership throughout the process for all users, supported by real-time KPI tracking and analytics



Additional benefits promise improved Service Level Objectives, more control of indemnity spend and reduced leakage, streamlined accounting, and much more.

The Wilbur platform makes supplier management easy, says Will Mayo, Senior Vice President of Wilbur North America. Our global mission is to provide claims professionals with the right technology tools and the best suppliers to remove the hassle of credentialing and invoicing. The Eberl/Wilbur partnership will allow carriers to provide their policyholder a complete claim experience customized to their specific needs, all within one supplier network platform.

For readers attending ITC Las Vegas on September 20th, schedule an in-person demo with the Eberl and Wilbur team to learn more.

ABOUT EBERL CLAIMS SERVICE

Eberl provides customized claims adjusting services for Residential/Commercial Property, Casualty/Liability, Transportation, Inland Marine, Catastrophe, Auto/Material Damage, Desk Adjusting, Dispute Resolution, and Third-Party Administration claims. The firm works over 200,000 claims annually and offers a full e-suite of claims handling solutions. For more information, visit http://www.eberls.com.

ABOUT WILBUR

Wilbur provides a modular and connectable ecosystem of technology products and service suppliers to deliver better outcomes in the claims handling process. Built from over 20 years of on-the-ground experience, Wilbur powers leading businesses globally to minimize the impact of claims disruption and provide a more streamlined experience for carriers and policyholders. For more information, visit www.wilbur.io.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/022d506b-1d56-4604-be28-c65b82c674d2
Washington, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Independent Sector (IS) Board of Directors is pleased to announce Dr. Akilah Watkins  a national expert on equity, policy, and community development  as the next president and CEO of the Washington, DC-based membership organization.

Dr. Watkins will join IS in January 2023.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we extend a warm welcome to Dr. Watkins, said IS Board Chair Fred Blackwell, president and CEO of the San Francisco Foundation. Her experiences and expertise make her an ideal leader to build upon Independent Sectors successes and drive innovation and equity into the heart of how the nonprofit and philanthropic sector builds a healthy and just future for all people.

I am deeply honored to become the leader of an organization that catalyzes social mission-focused organizations to advance the common good, said Dr. Watkins. Through my work at the Center for Community Progress, and in my roots as a community organizer, I know firsthand the challenges that direct-service organizations and their constituents face. I look forward to sharing my expertise to help Independent Sectors members engage thoughtfully and equitably with their stakeholders.

Dr. Watkins grew up in New York, where at the age of 14, she led efforts to convert a vacant and abandoned property into a community center. She went on to earn her Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her professional career, she has worked with the Obama administration, the Center for the Study of Social Policy, NeighborWorks America, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. She has also spoken about her lifes work being built on the foundation of her enslaved ancestors in North America, the legacy of her family living for six generations on the North Carolina coast, and her recent family ties to our nations immigration story.

As leader of the Center for Community Progress, Dr. Watkins and her colleagues take pride in their policy and leadership work to turn vacant spaces into vibrant places.

IS Board Members Sarah Kastelic and Jennifer Ford Reedy co-chaired the organizations national search for a new president and CEO after Daniel J. Cardinali announced in January he would step down after leading the nonprofit association for six years.

They and Blackwell thanked Cardinali for his leadership of IS and commitment to the nonprofit sector and civil society. Cardinali led IS through the COVID-19 pandemic, the nations recent racial reckoning, climate change and its increased impact on communities, and hard economic times.

Kastelic and Reedy said they were impressed by Dr. Watkins passion for IS. They also praised her bipartisan policy work, focus on racial equity and inclusion, commitment to engaging across differences, and making a positive impact for nonprofits and the nation.

Dr. Watkins is the right person to increase our momentum and boldly lead Independent Sector, building meaningful relationships with our varied constituencies and advancing our public policy agenda, said Kastelic, IS Board vice chair and executive director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association.

Dr. Watkins understands the history and potential of Independent Sector, said Reedy, IS Board treasurer and president of the Bush Foundation. In this politically fraught time for our nation, she knows how critical it is for our nations nonprofit and charitable sector to lead in new and bigger ways.

Learn more about Dr. Watkins. Independent Sector members will have a chance to hear from her at the Annual Business Meeting and Town Hall on October 11.

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Independent Sector is the only national membership organization that brings together a diverse community of changemakers at nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs to ensure all people in the United States thrive. Learn more at independentsector.org.
New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Glamping Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319461/?utm_source=GNW

, Sawdays Canopy & Stars Ltd., Teapot Lane Glamping, Wildman Wilderness Lodge, Glamping La Cepa, and BIGHEAD glamping tents.



The global glamping market is expected to grow from $2.27 billion in 2021 to $2.57 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1%. The glamping market is expected to grow to $4.23 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 13.3%.



The glamping market consists of the sale of glamping accommodation by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) used by consumers to experience a vacation in lesser-known places without giving up their comforts and peace of mind.Glamping refers to a form of camping where travelers enjoy comforts that are usually associated with luxurious types of holidays.



Glamping is a fusion between camping and glamour, which is a more sophisticated version of camping.



The main types of glamping are family travel and enterprise travel.Family travel refers to a trip of a family.



The glamping accommodations include cabins and pods, tents, yurts, treehouses, and other accommodations.The consumer orientation includes male, female, and kids.



The glamping size includes 4-person, 2-person, and other sizes used by consumers, and in the events.



Europe was the largest region in the glamping market in 2021.North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this glamping market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The glamping market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides glamping market statistics, including glamping industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a glamping market share, detailed glamping market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the glamping industry. This glamping market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry



The growing number of staycations is expected to propel the growth of the glamping market going forward.Staycation refers to spending an ecological vacation close to ones residence, causing the least amount of pollution possible, and having a peaceful vacation.



Glamping helps staycation by offering a camping experience with more traditional lodging services and amenities. For instance, according to an article published by Tourism Northern Ireland, Ireland-based tourism development and tourism company, almost 1.5 million Irish people preferred to take domestic holidays in 2019 which is 15% more than in previous years. Also, according to Hoo, a UAE-based online hotel room platform, the level of staycations being taken across 16 global holiday hotspots increased by an average of 18% in 2021 over the previous year. Therefore, the growing number of staycations will increase the demand for glamping. Therefore, the growing number of staycations is driving the glamping market.



Product innovation is a key trend gaining popularity in the glamping market.Major companies operating in the glamping market are developing new products with unique features to strengthen their position in the glamping market.



For instance, in June 2022, Glampitect, a Dubai-based glamping site design consultancy operating in the glamping market launched a portable luxury glamping pod, in partnership with UAE engineering specialists of Rescom. The pods have powder-coated aluminum tiles and the latest accessories such as flat-screen TVs and modern kitchens and these are assembled on a galvanized steel chassis that allows people to move around to different locations.



In January 2022, Hipcamp, an American company that provides outdoor stays, camping, and glamping experiences acquired Cool Camping for an undisclosed amount.This acquisition provides Hipcamp with an online platform that can be used by customers to easily book great vacations domestically and internationally.



Cool Camping is a UK-based provider of online camping and glamping.



The countries covered in the glamping market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319461/?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.



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Xian, China, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- History is a carrier of culture. Architecture and cultural relics are witnesses to and frozen imprints of history. From September 5th to 7th, Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism held a special History-Exploration-themed marketing event on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The event made several sketches of the ancient architecture and the cultural relics of Shaanxi so that overseas fans could appreciate Shaanxis profound historical and cultural accumulation. The three-day event gained nearly five million impressions and almost 140,000 interactions from overseas fans on social media platforms.

With the bronze dragon of the Shaanxi History Museum, the ridge beast from a corner of the Huaqing Palace, and the B&Bs of the Qin Mountains as representatives, the bronze culture, the totem culture, the dynasty culture, and the rural culture that oversea fans are interested in were taken into the sketches. In this way, overseas fans were able to learn about the extensive history and culture of Shaanxi from a brand-new perspective.

The bronze culture is an important part of the history and culture of Shaanxi. Featuring superb craftsmanship and rich contents, the time-honored bronze culture of China is a treasure in the worlds treasure house of culture. Baoji City of Shaanxi Province is the birthplace of the Western Zhou culture. Tens of thousands of precious pieces of bronzeware have been unearthed there, making it the hometown of bronzeware. In this event, Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism did some Re-creation based on the bronze dragon of the Qin Dynasty. It added horns and whiskers to the dragon, darkened its scales, and added clouds, making the dragon look lively.

The coiling bronze dragon manifested changes in the modes of production and life brought forth by the maturity of bronze-related techniques. The complicated patterns on the bronze dragon are a witness to the bronze culture.

If the bronze dragon represents the traditional Chinese totem culture, then the ridge beast is more functional than symbolic. Liang Sicheng, a famous Chinese architect once praised that ridge beasts turned extremely dull functional parts into beautiful coronets of the entire building.

Ridge beasts are placed at the frontmost tips of ridges. They are used to fix roof tiles and prevent water leakage and rust. They can be made into nine other shapes than dragon, including phoenix, lion, flying horse, horse in the sea, Suanni (a divine beast that looks like a lion), Yayu (a divine beast that looks like a fish), Haechi (a divine beast that looks like a Kylin), Douniu (a kind of dragon), and Xingshi (a winged man with a monkey face). These components add to the beauty and cultural connotations of ancient buildings.

After having appreciated the exquisite, grand mansions of the wealthy, Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism brought its fans to an idyllic life, where time stops, and the world is tranquil. Under the Zibai Mountain on the southern foot of the Qinling Mountains, the unworldly small town, Liuba is arranged like a fish that is about to jump into the sea. It feels pleasant and natural being in this small town.

This event is a new attempt at overseas marketing done by the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. It gave new lives to cultural relics and buildings by adding simple strokes. The beauty of the culture and the architecture of Shaanxi was well displayed in the sketches. In the future, Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism will keep strengthening its efforts in overseas marketing. It will let more overseas fans get to know and fall in love with Shaanxi.

Media Contact

Company Name: Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism

Contact Person: Hu Yajing

Email:visitshaanxi@gmail.com

Website:https://www.facebook.com/visitshaanxi

Disclaimer: There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this PR should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation. For more info, please contact brandnewsproject@gmail.com.

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CHICAGO, IL, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vedder Price is pleased to announce the launch of a novel bitcoin ETF registered and regulated exclusively under the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act). The Hashdex Bitcoin Futures ETF (Fund) differs from existing bitcoin futures ETFs, which are registered and regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Investment Company Act).

The Fund is sponsored by Teucrium Trading. Teucrium offers a range of ETFs focused on providing investors with exposure to alternative markets, including agricultural commodities markets such as wheat and corn. Vedder Price, led by Shareholder Tom Conner, assisted Teucrium in obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals to launch the Fund.

The first necessary regulatory approval was obtaining stock exchange listing authority from the SEC. The SEC granted approval based in part on arguments that the bitcoin futures market has grown and matured to the extent that its surveillance agreement with the Funds listing exchange (NYSE Arca) can reasonably be expected to identify trading abuses.

The Fund was the first of its kind to obtain SEC listing approval. This listing approval has broad industry implications and signals that this type of ETF will continue to be approved by the SEC. In addition, ETF sponsors have contended this approval may open the door for a spot bitcoin ETF because a spot bitcoin ETF would be governed under the same rules as the Fund.

Vedder Price guided Teucrium through the SEC registration process, with the Fund's registration statement being accelerated by the SEC on September 14, 2022. Vedder Price also assisted Teucrium in obtaining necessary approvals from the National Futures Association.

About Vedder Price:

Vedder Price is a thriving commercial law firm with eight offices in major global cities including Chicago, New York, Washington, DC, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Singapore and Dallas. The firm offers a unique and sophisticated mix of finance, corporate, labor and employment, and litigation legal services, including market-leading practices in global transportation finance, middle-market finance/M&A, executive compensation, employment class actions, investment services and more. Vedder Price has enduring relationships with marquee organizations, and many of the firms clients have been with the firm since its founding in 1952. For more information, visit vedderprice.com.

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NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Tuesday, September 13, distinguished business, philanthropic, and cultural leaders gathered at Rockefeller Centers Rainbow Room for Oceanas annual New York Gala to celebrate and support the organizations mission to restore the health and abundance of the worlds oceans.



The event raised over $1.6 million in support of Oceanas global campaigns and featured an esteemed group of speakers and attendees, including Oceana Board Member and master of ceremonies Ted Danson, gala chairs Susan Rockefeller and David Rockefeller, Oceana Board Chair Sam Waterston, Big Wave Surfer and Oceana Board Member Maya Gabeira, among others. Over the past nine years, Oceanas New York Gala has raised more than $13 million to help deliver policy victories for our oceans.

This years event, which returned Blancpain as Presenting Partner, celebrated a wave of victories for our oceans. In just over 20 years, Oceana has won more than 225 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, sharks, and whales, Waterston said. For everywhere that we make progress, there are forces pushing back: oil polluters, the plastics industry, bad actors in commercial fishing and aquaculture, politicians that refuse to stand up for our oceans. Enough is enough. Oceana continues to push forward for the sake of our oceans, for all their remarkable and wondrous inhabitants, and for future generations, he added.

In just the last year, following campaigning by Oceana and its allies, California enacted the boldest plastic reduction policy in the nation, Canada implemented new legal safeguards that require depleted fisheries to be rebuilt, and the National Marine Fisheries Service reinstated protections for Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in New England waters to protect critical habitat.

Oceana is restoring wild fish populations so that people have access to a healthy and climate-friendly protein that can feed local communities, provide critical nutrition, and support livelihoods, Oceana Board Member Susan Rockefeller told guests. Because of your support and because you are here tonight, Oceana can deliver tangible results every day for the oceans, for our planet, and for the next generation.

This years gala honored ocean conservation philanthropy, Marisla Foundation. As one of the original five foundations that established Oceana in 2001, Marislas leadership and generosity has created marine protected areas, strengthened fisheries policies, restored habitats, and stopped ocean pollution around the world.

The oceans are essential to our existence, but historically we havent done a very good job at paying them back, said Beto Bedolfe, Executive Director of the Marisla Foundation and Oceana Board Member. Sara Lowell, Marine Conservation Director at the Marisla Foundation and Oceana Board Member added, That is why Marisla Foundation is so committed to Oceana  because they get stuff done. While our seas face many threats, we remain optimistic thanks to the victories Oceana has secured. Thank you, Oceana, for fighting to protect and restore ocean abundance for future generations.

The evening concluded with a dance party led by musical guest The Rakiem Walker Project.

As Presenting Partner and Oceanas exclusive watch partner, Blancpain, donated two of its renowned Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe watches to the event auction. Through its ocean exploration and conservation initiative, the Blancpain Ocean Commitment, Blancpain has co-financed 21 major scientific expeditions, including recent Oceana expeditions to the Alacranes and Bajos del Norte reefs in Mexico. The two organizations work closely together to further their important contributions to expanding marine protected areas and presenting award-winning documentaries, photo exhibits, and publications.

For a full list of underwriters and partners, gala committee members, auction items, and more information about Oceanas 2022 New York Gala, visit https://www.oceananygala.org/.

Photos from the event are available here.

Join the fight to save our oceans at oceana.org/join.

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-third of the worlds wild fish catch. With more than 225 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceanas campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit www.oceana.org to learn more.

Contact: Gillian Spolarich, gspolarich@oceana.org
Portland, Ore., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Act-On Software, the only pure-play marketing automation platform, is excited to welcome new Chief Customer Officer Jeffrey Coleman.

Coleman comes to Act-On with more than 20 years of technology experience, with notable stints at Barclays Global Investments (now BlackRock), Jive Software and SurveyMonkey. He most recently served as Chief Customer Officer at Clearbit.

This is a new role for us at Act-On and reflects our continued focus on the success of our customers, Act-On CEO Kate Johnson said. Jeff has an extensive background in customer success and Im confident he will help us elevate the experience we provide to our customers.

Click here to watch a short interview with Act-On's new Chief Customer Officer Jeffrey Coleman.

Jeff's background and experience align well with our strategic direction in continuing to acquire, enable and support mid-market and enterprise companies, Act-on Chief Commercial Officer Gregg Ames added. The work we're doing with larger businesses will be enhanced with his leadership and experience.

Coleman emphasized Act-Ons industry-leading, customer-centric model that inspired him to take the new position. His role will help represent Act-On customers throughout the organizations decisions and focus areas.

I will be laser focused on making decisions that drive value for customers, Coleman said. Are customers able to use the technology were deploying to deliver results for their business? Focusing on the customer experience and outcomes is ultimately what leads to renewals, upsells and referrals and new opportunities.

Colemans hands-on experience to move the industry needle lends to those goals.

His work to build customer success at SurveyMonkey helped scale the enterprise businesses from about $1 million in 2014, through the IPO, to well over $100 million in 2021.

Im excited to be joining Act-On, Coleman said. I have been very impressed by Act-Ons customer-first approach, by the attitude of everyone I met, and by Act-Ons values and how theyre being lived out across the organization.

To learn more about Act-On Software's marketing automation solutions, visit www.act-on.com.

###

About Act-On Software

Act-On Software provides solutions that empower marketers to engage targets at every step of the customer lifecycle. Act-On makes customer data actionable so marketers can dream big and build smart, effective marketing programs to grow their businesses and generate higher customer lifetime value  all with the fastest time-to-value. Act-On has offices in the US and UK. For more information, visit Act-On Software.

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South Africa: Higher Education directed to submit skills fund report

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has issued a firm directive to the Department of Higher Education and Training to submit the investigation report into the National Skills Fund (NSF) in the next 10 days.

The forensic investigation was recommended by SCOPA following disclaimed audit outcomes from the Auditor-General.

During a meeting on Tuesday, the committee was expecting an update and a report on the investigation.

However, the department only presented a summary of the report and argued that the report could not be shared with the committee due to sensitivities and people's names mentioned in the report.

The department claimed that sharing the report could compromise and expose it to litigation.

SCOPA Chairperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said the committee does not agree with the sentiment that the report cannot be revealed because it contains peoples names.

Can we please get the report in the next 10 days and we will engage further after that. Once we have received the report, we will consider it accordingly, Hlengwa said.

Hlengwa said the committee has vested interest in the report because the investigation arose out of disclaimers, which were of very serious concern to us.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China has proved itself to be key partner for African development

16:43, September 14, 2022 By Michael Olugbode ( People's Daily Online

Modern science, and especially the latest archeological discoveries, has shown that the African continent is the cradle of humankind. Its people were developing slowly and steadily at their own pace until some external forces invaded the continent and carted away its able bodied men and women to strange lands where they were forced to toil for generations building the emerging economies of another continent.

Some have referred to this process as an exchange or perhaps a kind of trade, but could it be described as such when humans, treated like nothing but property, were exchanged for goods such as guns and gin. No wonder Walter Rodney, in reference to his book How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, argued that it was a combination of power politics and economic exploitation of Africa by Europeans that eventually led to the poor state of African political and economic development as became evident in the late 20th century. Although the author did not state his intention "to remove the ultimate responsibility for development from the shoulders of Africans... [He believes that] every African has a responsibility to understand the [capitalist] system and work for its overthrow."

Similarly, Frantz Fanons The Wretched of the Earth provides insights into how the developmental strides of Africa were distorted. The psychiatrist provided a psychological and psychiatric analysis of the dehumanizing effects of colonization upon the individuals and the nations of Africa, and discussed the broader social, cultural, and political implications of establishing a social movement for the decolonization of a person and of a people.

It has been many decades since colonization ended on the African continent, but the continent has not fully healed from this past trauma and continues to search for a path to continue from where its development was disrupted. Perhaps this search may have at last come to an end with the support of a country that had also once witnessed a dose of colonization and whose people has since healed from this inhumane history, having emerged from the ruins of colonization and wars to become the fastest growing economy on the planet. That country is none other than the Peoples Republic of China.

China has presented Africa with a way out of its constant state of underdevelopment by offering a friendly win-win international development springboard in the form of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). At the opening ceremony of the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping quoted the observations of an ancient Chinese scholar, who stated that: Only with deep roots can a tree yield rich fruit; only filled with oil can a lamp burn brightly. Xi noted that history follows its own rules and logic, and that with a similar fate in the past and a common mission, China and Africa have extended sympathy to and helped each other throughout all the past years. He said: Together, we have embarked on a distinctive path of win-win cooperation.

Marching on this path, China has followed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests. China has stood with African countries. Together, we have worked in unity and forged ahead, said Xi.

The words of President Xi is the moving spirit behind the FOCAC. Since the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit, China has fully implemented the 10 cooperation plans adopted at the Summit. A large number of railways, highways, airports, ports and other infrastructure projects as well as a number of economic and trade cooperation zones have been built or are under construction. Mutual cooperation on peace and security, science and technology, education, culture, health, poverty reduction, and people-to-people exchanges has been deepened. The massive financing pledged by China has been either delivered or arranged to be delivered. These 10 cooperation plans have brought huge benefits to the African and Chinese peoples. They have fully demonstrated the creativity, rallying power and efficiency of China-Africa cooperation, and have lifted the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership to new heights.

China has meanwhile promised to build an even closer-knit China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. It has even gone a step further to launch an industrial promotion initiative and a China-Africa economic and trade expo in China to encourage Chinese companies to increase their investment in Africa, in addition to building and upgrading a number of economic and trade cooperation zones in Africa. China also has a plan to support Africa in achieving general food security by 2030, working with Africa to formulate and implement a program of action to promote China-Africa cooperation on agricultural modernization. China has continued to strengthen cooperation with African countries in local currency settlement and has made good use of the China-Africa Development Fund, the China-Africa Fund for Industrial Cooperation, and the Special Loan for the Development of African SMEs.

The list is endless. Every series of important cooperation plans proposed by China during each FOCAC Summit has been effectively implemented, which has provided a great boost to the economic and social development of Africa and which has been highly praised by the African people and the international community.

China-Africa trade and cooperation have both blossomed. A number of major Chinese-assisted infrastructure projects have been completed, including the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, Kenya's standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Nairobi, and Cote d'Ivoire's Soubre hydropower plant. These projects provide much needed transport and energy infrastructure to help further develop local industries.

The facts are there for everyone to see that Africa has finally and gradually started moving towards a promising mode of development thanks to the fellow brother that China has proven itself to be.

Michael Olugbode is a journalist with the Nigerian newspaper This Day.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Chicago , Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



According to Ariztons latest research report, the silicone lubricant market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.12% during 2022-2027. The increase in electric vehicle adoption would influence the silicone lubricants market as the automotive industry is one of the major end-use industries for silicone lubricants.



Silicone Lubricant Market Report Scope

Report Attributes Details MARKET SIZE (2027) $2.67 Billion MARKET SIZE (2021) $2.10 Billion CAGR (2022-2027) 4.12% BASE YEAR 2021 FORECAST YEAR 2022-2027 MARKET SEGMENTS Product Type, By End-User, and Geography GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa COUNTRIES COVERED 3M, Dow, DuPont, Huntsman International, Shin-Etsu Chemicals Co. ltd

Click Here to Download the Free Sample Report

Rise in Demand for Food-Grade Silicone Lubricants

Silicone lubricants are important for the friction-free and effective functioning of machines and equipment used in the food and beverage industry. The lubricants manufactured for the food and beverage industry are generally harmless and do not have toxic materials as they can encounter foods and beverages. In addition, lubricants should also be H1 grade-certified by NSF and other regulatory bodies such as FDA, USP, and WRAS to be used in the food and beverage industry.

According to the Worldometer, the global population in 2022 was around 7.9 billion. In terms of population, APAC ranks number one among all the regions. APAC is home to roughly 60% of the world's population and includes the world's most populous countries, China, and India. According to World Bank Group data, China had an estimated population of 1.40 billion in 2019, followed by India with 1.38 billion.

Similarly, Indonesia is the third most populated country in the region and the fourth most populated country in the world. So, being one of the most populated regions in the world, APAC represents an enormous opportunity for food-grade lubricant vendors. Lubricant products are essential for the smooth functioning of machinery. Thus, the huge population of APAC is one of the prime factors responsible for the huge demand for silicone-based food grade lubricants for the food & beverage industry, cosmetics industry, and pharmaceutical industry.

Key Insights

Silicone lubricants are designed to protect equipment & machinery against wear & tear, reduce downtime, prolong service intervals, lower maintenance costs, increase efficiency, and boost the productivity of machine processes. Silicone lubricants are water repellent and hence provide protection from rust. These lubricants perform well in extreme weather condition.

silicone oil is the largest market and is expected to witness an incremental growth of 28.16% during the forecasted period. Silicone oils are used for insulation to various products. They can also be used as heat transfer fluid as they provide thermal stability to systems in which they are being used. These oils provide greater stability and are known for high temperature non-toxic use at low surface tension and high power.

Manufacturing sector is the major end-user of silicone lubricants which accounts for 35.14% of global silicone lubricants market. Lubrication is necessary in manufacturing industry as the machines and components are subjected to high stress as they are under constantly changing loads, vibrations and changing operating conditions.

Silicone lubricants is also widely used in food & beverage industry due to its properties as it can work in high temperature, does not washout, and can even be applied on plastic parts. There is growth in demand for food grade silicone lubricants due to its suitability and intoxicity properties.

Growth in electrical & electronics industry would drive the demand for silicone lubricants. In recent years, due to rapid industrialization and industry 4.0 initiatives, huge developments in electrical and electronic industry have been undertaken. Silicone lubricants are mainly used in consumer electronics, electric utilities, and general hardware.

Increase in demand for energy would drive growth in power generation sector which in turn would increase the demand for silicone lubricants. Silicone lubricants are widely used in power generation plants such as coal power plants, gas turbine power plants, hydroelectric power plants, natural gas engines, nuclear energy power plants and wind energy plants. Silicone based hydraulic fluids, compressor oils, open gear lubricants and enclosed gear lubricants are heavily used in power generation equipment.

APAC is the leading market for silicone lubricants accounting for 37.60% of the global silicone lubricants market. Going forward, APAC is expected to continue to dominate the silicone lubricants market due to the high penetration of manufacturing unit such as automotive, electronic, pharmaceutical, chemical, power generation, and agriculture.

The global silicone lubricants market is characterized by the presence of diverse international and regional vendors, and they are expected to increase their footprint in the market undertaking startegies such as environment sustainability, mew product launches, and others. Some global players such as Shin-Etsu Chemicals Co.,Ltd (Japan), 3M (US), Huntsman International LLC (US), Dow (US), Dupont (US) and others have developed significant product portfolios for silicone lubricants.

Key Vendors

3M

Dow

DuPont

Huntsman International LLC

Shin-Etsu Chemicals Co. ltd.





Other Prominent Vendors

B'laster Corporation

CHT Group

Elkem

ENI

FUCHS

Huskey Specialty Lubricants

Kluber Lubrication

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Sebastian Vettel has criticised the so-called flypasts that flew over the crowd during the Italian national anthem at the Italian Grand Prix. However, the German's criticism has not gone down well in the country.

Article continues under ad

Formula 1 aims to become carbon neutral by 2023. As part of this mission, a ban on flying military aircraft has been announced. Yet there have already been several flypasts during Grands Prix this season, such as the Red Arrows prior to the British Grand Prix.

An exception was also made for the Italian Grand Prix, as Italy's Frecce Tricolori flew over the crowd during the national anthem. An activist on environmental issues, Vettel has been critical of the sport. According to the four-time world champion, the organisation agreed too easily to the president's wishes. "He is almost 100 years old and maybe it is hard for him to let go of these self-centred things", Vettel is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Criticism of Vettel not appreciated in Italy

However, Geronimo La Russa, the president of the Automobile Club Milano, doesn't appreciate Vettel's statements. The Italian believes Vettel should apologise, as his words are insulting to the president and Italy as a nation.

"I was always taught that you should listen to the president of the republic and not make comments, especially if you are a guest of a foreign country. Flying over the Frecce Tricolori is an Italian pride. It is a pity that a world champion, who also won his first Grand Prix at Monza, has slipped on such a useless and misguided controversy."
Electrify America plans to install 30 electric fleet-dedicated chargers paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS) at the Port of Long Beach, California, as part of Electrify Americas $25-million Green City investment in the region at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Teaming with trucking company 4 Gen Logistics, Electrify America is building on its commitment to provide charging infrastructure to the City of Long Beach to support 4 Gens 60 electric trucks conducting drayage operations in Southern California.





As part of the nations busiest port complex, Electrify America will provide tailored charging solutions for a fleet of electric trucks including class 8 Volvo Trucks and Kenworth battery electric trucks. The 30 fleet-dedicated chargers will provide the fastest charging speeds available today150kW (Ultra-Fast) and 350kW (Hyper-Fast)to support 4 Gen Logistics pledge to have a zero-emission fleet by 2025.

Onsite, behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems (BESS) will be installed at the Port of Long Beach to facilitate the fleet-dedicated charging infrastructure. The battery energy storage systems store power when electricity costs are low and supplement power during high points of consumption, minimizing impact on the electrical grid and mitigating demand surges.

Electrify Americas Green City program serving Long Beach and the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles is part of the companys broader plan to invest $200 million in California Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure and education programs in the state over 30 months.

Electrify America will further expand these Green City investments, and the collaboration with 4 Gen Logistics, with 14 total Ultra-Fast and Hyper-Fast electric fleet chargers with onsite battery energy storage systems in Rialto, California. The Rialto charging station will serve drayage trucks that travel to and from the Ports Complex and is expected to open next year.
Ferguson Enterprises is collaborating with Ford Motor Company to place a first-of-its-kind F550 Fuel Cell Prototype Chassis Work Truck in service within Fergusons daily fleet operations for six months. Participation in Fords F550 Fuel Cell Prototype Work Truck, a DOE SuperTruck 3 Initiative, complements Fergusons overall sustainability strategy to reduce a sizable proportion of Scope 1 emissions from its fleet.





This is an image for Fergusons current fleet. An image of the prototype is not yet available.

This pilot program aims to evaluate how fuel cell technology will operate within the Ferguson fleet while providing real-world usage data to Ford. Ferguson will provide Ford with vehicle data and feedback about the technology to help Ford better define the engineering requirements for commercial vehicle duty cycles. This data will be used to address ongoing industry challenges within the medium-duty and heavy-duty segments, such as battery range and payload capacity, that have prevented faster conversion to environmentally friendlier options.

As part of this collaboration, Ferguson will also prepare a location in Charlotte, NC for the installation of temporary infrastructure equipment for the duration of the pilot.

This pilot program with Ford complements Fergusons previously announced pilot program to launch 30 class 6 through 8 all-electric delivery trucks in its fleet in collaboration with Holman and Electrada. The turnkey fleet management and electrification solutions enable Ferguson to deploy medium- and heavy-duty all-electric vehicles throughout California while streamlining the development of the necessary charging and energy management infrastructure. Together, these investments in new technologies will help inform Fergusons strategy for a more environmentally friendly fleet.

Fords strategy to reduce carbon emissions across the globe includes investigating multiple technologies that will help us achieve these goals across a broad spectrum of applications. This collaboration with Ferguson is a strong example of where our Ford Pro business and the potential of fuel cell propulsion systems might address the application gaps that battery electric vehicles just cant fulfill. The potential of hydrogen, the most plentiful element on the planet, coupled with fuel cell technology has tremendous potential to power larger, heavier commercial vehicles while still delivering zero tailpipe emissions. Jim Buczkowski, executive director, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering

Ferguson plc is a leading value-added distributor in North America providing expertise, solutions and products from infrastructure, plumbing and appliances to HVAC, fire, fabrication and more.

SuperTruck 3 is an initiative jointly funded by the DOE Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Technologies Office and the Vehicle Technologies Office within the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, and under DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-EE0009858.
The Place 2 Be, the all-day brunch concept with locations in Hartford County and western Massachusetts, has announced plans for its first restaurant outside of New England.

The newest outpost will open in Dallas, across from American Airlines Arena, the home of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team. The restaurant is scheduled to debut in 2023, according to a news release, and will be the largest of the group's locations at nearly 7,000 square feet, with plans for a rooftop patio and bar.
While an attorney representing the families of Sandy Hook victims painted Alex Jones as someone who used lies about the 2012 shooting to grow his platform, the Infowars host took to his show on Wednesday afternoon to beg for donations and sell his book.

During his broadcast on Infowars on Wednesday, Jones proclaimed his innocence in the ongoing Connecticut defamation damages trial, despite having already been found guilty by default by a judge.

Jones also used portions of his four-hour broadcast to urge listeners to buy his book at marked up prices in order to stay on-air.

You could not act in a more important way to defeat the new world order, Jones told listeners.

Hes already been ordered to pay one family $49 million after a damages trial in Texas for his false claims that the tragedy was staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors.

Jones said financial advisors told him you are barely solvent and they are wanting to shut you down, you better go raise some money.

He then told listeners to head to his online store where they can buy copies of his book, some with marked up prices, in order to keep him on the air after paying damages. His company Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy to avoid facing trial. But the gambit proved unsuccessful as the trials have moved forward.

The amount of money awarded to Jones victims can be based on his net worth, which has been a subject of contention in the trial.

While the second day of the trial was happening in Waterbury, Jones was broadcasting The Alex Jones show, his Infowars channels flagship show. Jones continued to characterize the trial as a political hit job. During the show, Judge Barbara Bellis was described as a woke, activist judge and attorney for the plaintiffs Chris Mattei as a leftist operative. Jones claimed the trial has become so focused on him, people  including his own lawyer  can no longer name the shooter.

Jones was found guilty of defamation after claiming Sandy Hook was a hoax and false flag operation in order to justify the government limiting the Second Amendment. The current trial is to determine how much he owes in damages to people victimized by his lies. His guilt has already been litigated.

Jones also insinuated the entire trial was a part of a government conspiracy to silence him and insinuated the federal government had recruited pedophiles as judges to be controlled via blackmail.

On Wednesday Jones told his viewers they came for the Second Amendment with Sandy Hook and now they were coming for the First Amendment, too. He did not expound on who exactly they are.

The First Amendment protects speech from prior restraint by the government but does not protect speech that incites violence or is knowingly false and inflammatory.

Jones grew particularly frenetic when Infowars host Pete Santilli told him Bellis was upset Jones wasnt in court.

Only, that did not happen during the trial. During contentious opening arguments, Bellis instructed Jones attorneys to not make the trial about politics and to not argue Jones innocence. Jones appearance was not discussed, but prior to the trial starting it was agreed he didnt need to be there. He is, however, expected to testify next week. He indicated Wednesday that he might not show up and attacked the judge, a woman, over her gender.

Jones also used his platform to continually mock the families he was found to have victimized with defamatory comments. He focused largely on FBI Agent William Aldenberg, who testified on Tuesday and responded to the shooting. Jones said he didnt even know Aldenberg and hadnt mentioned him on the show until Wednesday, again claiming innocence despite being found guilty.

This case is about political actors, Jones said.
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LAS VEGAS (AP)  An elected official accused of killing a Las Vegas investigative journalist in what authorities allege was retaliation for articles critical of him and his office faced court sanctions two years ago for resisting arrest in a domestic violence case, records show.

Robert Telles, the Clark County public administrator who took office in January 2019, accepted a plea agreement in September 2020 to resolve misdemeanor battery and resisting a public officer charges after his wife called 911, according to Las Vegas Municipal Court and police dispatch records.

The records, first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, show the case was dismissed and closed in March 2021 after Telles paid a $418 fine, attended counseling and stayed out of trouble.

His attorney in that case, Ross Goodman, did not immediately respond Tuesday to telephone and email messages. Efforts to contact Telles wife, Mae Ismael, by telephone and email were not successful.

Telles, now 45, remains jailed without bail on suspicion of murder in the Sept. 2 slaying of veteran Review-Journal staff writer Jeff German (GEHR-man).

Telles attorney, Travis Shetler, asked during a brief Tuesday court appearance for additional time to prepare for Telles arraignment, and prosecutors did not oppose the delay. A local judge reset the hearing for Sept. 20.

Shetler did not immediately respond later to messages about the 2020 incident, in which Telles was accused of grabbing and placing his wife in a bear-hug position and of resisting efforts by two police officers to handcuff him.

Telles stood in shackles Tuesday wearing bandages on his forearms and a wry smile as he faced a courtroom crowded with reporters, photographers and television cameras. He did not speak to the judge or his attorney.

Police and prosecutors say he had superficial self-inflicted wounds when he was arrested Sept. 7 after a brief standoff with police at his home.

A criminal complaint filed Monday accuses Telles of lying in wait for German, who was stabbed seven times. His body was found the next morning.

Telles was arrested days later, after police issued a plea for public help to identify a person seen on security video wearing an orange work shirt and a wide-brim straw hat toting a shoulder bag and walking toward Germans home.

Police also released images of a distinctive SUV seen on video near Germans home, driven by a person wearing an orange shirt.

A Review-Journal photographer snapped photos Sept. 6 of Telles washing the same type of vehicle in his driveway.

A prosecutor told a judge last Thursday that Telles left his own cellphone at home and waited in a vehicle outside Germans home until the attack. It was characterized as a planned response to articles that German wrote about turmoil and internal dissension in the county office that handles the property of people who die without a will or family contacts.

After articles appeared in May airing claims of administrative bullying, favoritism and Telles relationship with a subordinate staffer, Telles lost his bid for reelection in the June primary. County lawmakers also appointed a consultant to address complaints about leadership in the office.

Telles blamed old-timers for exaggerating his relationship with the female staffer and falsely claiming that he mistreated them.

German, a 40-year Las Vegas journalist who was widely respected for his tenacity, was working on follow-up reports about Telles and the public administrators office when he died, his colleagues said.

The published articles ... ruined (Telles) political career, likely his marriage, and this was him lashing out at the cause, Chief Deputy Clark County District Attorney Richard Scow told a judge last week.

That judge, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Elana Lee Graham, called the police report detailing the attack chilling. She spoke of apparent defensive wounds on Germans arms and said DNA believed to be from Telles was found under Germans fingernails.

He was fighting for his life, Graham said.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has called Germans death brutal and meaningless and said a decision whether to seek the death penalty will be made in coming months.

Police said a search warrant turned up items at Telles home including blood-stained shoes and a straw hat that had been cut up. Authorities said they did not immediately find the weapon used to kill German.

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, a Republican running for governor in November, said investigators were attempting to enhance security video that he described as distorted but that might show the attack.

German joined the Review-Journal in 2010 after more than two decades at the Las Vegas Sun, where he was a columnist and reporter covering courts, politics, labor, government and organized crime.

Telles was a lawyer who practiced probate and estate law before he was elected public administrator in 2018, replacing a three-term predecessor.

Telles term in office expires Dec. 31, but Clark County officials said he is suspended and has been banned from county offices or property pending a review of his position as an elected official.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraine's Black Sea ports to address a growing global food crisis that threatens multiple famines.

The U.N. chief said they also discussed security at Europes largest nuclear plant, where he said bombing has stopped for the past three days, and prisoners of war.

I believe that there are negotiations still taking place," he said. I strongly hope that the problem of prisoners of war will be entirely solved, and I strongly hope that all prisoners of war from both sides will be exchanged."

Guterres told a news conference that Putin said a fact-finding mission he appointed at the request of Russia and Ukraine to investigate killings at the Olenivka prison in a separatist region of eastern Ukraine on July 29 will be able to go there through whatever way we choose, and that is a very important aspect. The warring nations accuse each other of carrying out the attack in which separatist authorities and Russian officials said 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed and 75 were wounded.

Guterres said the call to Putin was a follow-up to his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Lviv on Aug. 18, and regular calls to the head of Zelenskyy's office, Andriy Yermak.

Putin is not attending next week's annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly which Guterres said is taking place at a time of great peril."

Our world is blighted by war, battered by climate chaos, scarred by hate, and shamed by poverty, hunger and inequality, the secretary-general said.

The war in Ukraine is not only devastating the country but dragging down the global economy, Guterres said, and hopes for a peace deal are minimal." He added: I would be lying if I would say that I hope that it will happen soon.

Despite the July 22 deal to start shipping Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports and get Russian food and fertilizers to global markets, Guterres said, there is a risk of multiple famines this year.

The secretary-general said high prices for fertilizer have already reduced the planting of food crops which is why it is critical to increase Russian exports of ammonia -- a key ingredient of fertilizers -- and why talks are taking place on the possibly of shipping through the Black Sea ports which are currently being used to ship grain from Ukraine.

U.N. trade chief Rebeca Grynspan, who leads the team trying to facilitate unimpeded global access to Russian food and fertilizer, told reporters Tuesday that Russia reported a 12% increase in food exports from June to July, but fertilizer exports are still down despite being covered by the agreement, with insurance, financing and shipping still issues.

Guterres said he discussed the dramatic situation in fertilizers and the obstacles to shipping ammonia from Russia with Putin.

We are risking to have a fertilizer market crunch, the U.N. chief said. We have news from different parts of the world that the areas cultivated are much smaller than in the previous cycle, which means that we risk in 2022 the real lack of food.

So to remove the obstacles that still exist in relation to the export of Russian fertilizers is absolutely essential at the present moment, he said.

The July 22 grain deal expires in 120 days and Guterres said a very important dialogue" is taking place between the U.N. and Russia, and between the U.N. and Ukraine, and we are looking not only at maintaining the grain deal but expanding it." And one example is possibly shipping Russian ammonia through the same Black Sea channel as Ukrainian grain, he said.

Grynspan, who heads the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development, said fertilizer is needed by October and November, the latest, for the northern hemisphere planting season.

On the issue of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, Europes largest, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Monday that he has started consultations with Ukraine and Russia on his call for a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the facility, and the two sides appear to be interested.

Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the two sides appear to be interested.

He made the proposal last week after leading a team of inspectors to the nuclear plant and leaving two of them there to monitor its safety. The plant has been occupied by Russian forces but operated by its Ukrainian employees since early in the war.

The Zaporizhzhia plant was reconnected to Ukraines electricity grid over the weekend, allowing engineers to shut down its last operational reactor in an attempt to avoid disaster as fighting raged in the area.

Guterres said according to his latest information, electricity is being provided to guarantee the cooling of the reactors and other needed electricity.

We have been now three days without bombing, he said.
Google could be facing hefty lawsuits in the British and Dutch courts set to be filed in the next few weeks. Between the two lawsuits, Google may need to pay out 25 billion (~$25.4 billion) in fines. According to Reuters, the lawsuits allege that Google has been employing unfair advertising practices.

The Geradin Partners lawfirm issued the following statement on behalf of publishers affected by Googles alleged practices.

It is time that Google owns up to its responsibilities and pays back the damages it has caused to this important industry. This is why today we are announcing these actions across two jurisdictions to obtain compensation for EU and UK publishers. - Damien Geradin

A Google spokesperson told Reuters that the lawsuit is speculative and opportunistic, and the company plans to fight it vigorously.

The claim in the UK will aim to recover compensation for site owners with banner advertisements on their websites including traditional publishers. Meanwhile, the Dutch claim is open to any affected publishers.

Source
The General Court of the European Union confirmed Google was abusing its dominant position as an Android provider and fined it 4.1 billion. The decision is the latest development of the 2018 case when the EU Competition Commission fined the California-based company for bundling Android OS with Google services.

The court upheld the charge that originally claimed Google was making phone makers pre-install the Chrome browser and Search app as a part of a revenue-sharing scheme. The ruling confirmed the vast majority of original charges but disagreed that sharing revenue is also part of the original abuse, so the fine was lowered from its original 4.3 billion value.

This is the second-highest court in the European Union, meaning Google can appeal again to the highest court of the bloc - the Court of Justice in Luxembourg. A statement from the company read that Android has created more choices for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world.

Via
South Koreas Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) hit Google and Meta with fines totaling KRW 100 billion over the violation of privacy laws. This is the biggest such fine in the country to date and also the first to be imposed over the collection and use of behavioral information for customized advertising.

Google is taking the bigger hit, KRW 69.2 billion (around $50 million), while Meta was fined KRW 30.8 billion ($22 million or so). The two companies were accused of not acquiring legitimate consent before collecting user information through third-party websites and apps.

PIPC found that Google did not properly inform users that it will collect and use behavioral data. It was also chastised for setting the default choice to agree while hiding the other options behind a More options button. This is in contrast to what European users are seeing, comparison below (note: both screens are in Korean).



Korean users (left) need to take extra steps to customize their consent compared to European users (right)

In May Meta started asking Korean users to accept its updated privacy policy by August 8 or they would lose access to their Facebook and Instagram accounts by August 9. This push was one of the things that caused the PIPC to take a closer look at Metas operation.



A screenshot of Meta's problematic privacy policy update screen

Besides the fines, Google and Meta have been ordered to rework their consent dialogs in a way that complies with Korean privacy laws.

While we respect the PIPCs decision, we are confident that we work with our clients in a legally compliant way that meets the processes required by local regulations. As such, we do not agree with the commissions decision and will be open to all options, including seeking a ruling from the court, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch.

We disagree with the PIPCs findings, and will be reviewing the full written decision once its shared with us. Weve always demonstrated our commitment to making ongoing updates that give users control and transparency, while providing the most helpful products possible. We remain committed to engaging with the PIPC to protect the privacy of South Korean users. a Google spokesperson told Reuters.

Source (in Korean) | Via 1 | Via 2
Eligible residents could get two hours of college credit along with a $350 stipend already offered should they work as a precinct official for the general election.

The Guam Election Commission wants to offer a 12-hour course and an internship as a way to help recruit precinct officials to staff polling sites in November.

Im proposing that I teach a class at the University of Guam for both (Guam Community College) and UOG students on elections administration. This will have two credit hours and it will meet three Fridays before the election and one Friday after the election, Election Commission Executive Director Maria Pangelinan told commissioners at a Tuesday meeting.

Students would have to work the polls on Election Day to complete the course.

Pangelinan said shes proposed a draft course outline to both institutions and is awaiting approval.

Students would only have to pay a $40 registration fee for the course, which would be housed under UOGs Public Administration program. The program also will be longer than the typical three-hour course precinct officials get free of charge.

Hopefully, with the help of the Guam Community College and the University of Guam, we can get students to help us and become excellent precinct officials, Pangelinan said.

Commissioners motioned to let the recruitment program move forward, subject to legal review.

Long day, little pay

While the Republican and Democratic parties typically provide officials for each polling station, the positions are open to the public in the event all positions cant be filled.

According to election commission staff, just over half of the precinct officials who work the primary return for the general election. Another 198 people will have to be recruited to fill positions at all 67 voter precincts. Additionally, the Election Commission must keep several alternate workers in reserve.

While the $350 stipend equates to about $43.75 an hour for an eight-hour shift, precinct officials have to pull long hours on Election Day for the stipend. During this years primary, the polls opened at 7 a.m. Many precinct officials didnt finish certifying ballot counts at election central until well after 2 the next morning.

Election Commission discusses primary night problems

On (primary) election night, some of the comments that I overheard as they were exiting is never again would I return, Election Commission Vice Chairman Jerry Crisostomo said Tuesday. Regardless of what we pay them, theyre not going to come back. So, its a problem.

According to Pangelinan, at least five officials walked off at the election return center after polls closed, while others left their posts at the polling stations during the day. Some had undisclosed health conditions.

Those that walk off dont get paid.

I think it might be prudent for us to take a look at bumping that pay upward, to maybe around $500, Commissioner Benny Pinaula proposed. I think that would be a good incentive for people to come out. Because if youre going to work all day, it would make sense that you make a little bit of money to offset the costs.

This isnt the first time a pay raise for precinct officials has been floated. Election Commission Chair Alice Taijeron brought the issue up earlier this year.

Stipend increase would require Legislature approval

Pangelinan said the increase would require approval from the Legislature, a process that was difficult when the stipend was raised from $170 to $350 several years ago.

She said she had spoken with the commissions oversight chairman Sen. Joe San Agustin about the matter.

Instead of having to go back to the Legislature, it may be prudent that the commissioners decide how much to make (the stipend). And they were open to that discussion, Pangelinan said.
Corrections & Clarifications: this article has been updated to correctly reflect Speaker Therese Terlajes comments on the fiscal 2023 budget.Appropriations in the fiscal 2023 budget shouldnt put the government of Guam into financial jeopardy, according to Speaker Therese Terlaje, who on Tuesday responded to criticism of the budget lodged by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.

Leon Guerrero chides lawmakers

Leon Guerrero signed off on the budget act on Monday, but chided lawmakers for tapping into unaudited so-called excess tax revenue collected in the current fiscal year to fund various projects. Doing so was inconsistent with GovGuams cash flow situation and accounting principles from Adelup,and the practice could lead to another General Fund deficit, the governor stated.

GovGuam was on track to collect $99.7 million more revenue than it projected as of June, but the chunk of that available for appropriation was closer to $2 million after budget talks and other pieces of legislation.

But Terlaje in a letter stated the Leon Guerrero administration has already signed off on and implemented various programs that drew from the unaudited fiscal 2022 revenue surplus, to the collective tune of $74.7 million.

Among them are a moratorium on liquid fuel taxes, the Local Employers Assistance Program and an energy credit program the governor promised to sign off on during her State of the Island Address this year.

The practice of using unaudited excess revenue also occurred in fiscal 2021, Terlaje wrote to the governor.

Inconsistent

I am respectfully requesting that the administration remain consistent in their implementation of the (fiscal) 2023 budget act and move forward with all of the provisions outlined in (Public Law) 36-107  not just a select few. Picking and choosing instead of funding all of these appropriations would be inconsistent with how (fiscal) 2021 and (fiscal) 2022 unaudited excess revenue appropriations were handled these last two years.

The fiscal 2023 budget only carves out $4.9 million from the unaudited revenue surplus, Terlaje stated, to pay for a Cost of Living Allowance increase and assistance with sewer line connections, among other things. The speaker cited a report from the Bureau of Budget and Management Research that showed the unobligated portion of the surplus as of Aug. 22  before the budget bill became law  was around $35 million.

Surely, this provides a General Fund balance with enough remaining to implement less than $5M in appropriations, the speaker wrote.

One of the budgets biggest carve outs from the revenue surplus, around $20 million for renovations and recruitment at the Guam Memorial hospital, wont be allocated unless the money is available after an audit.

I am requesting that there be no delay in implementing these provisions mandated in Public Law 36-107. The Legislature has prioritized these and all other items detailed in the (fiscal) 2023 budget bill sent to your office and asks for swift implementation, Terlaje wrote.

The speaker was one of five senators to vote against passing the GovGuam budget.


FIVE armed robbers yesterday pounced on CBZ Banks Fife Street branch in Bulawayo and got away with US$70 000 amid concerns over an increase in armed robberies countrywide.

The robbery, which occurred around midday, comes a month after armed robbers raided a Mukuru branch in the city centre and got away with more than US$100 000.

The branch is situated along 10th Avenue between Fife Street and George Silundika Street.

The branch mostly services clients who will be receiving money from international financial agents.

When a Chronicle news crew visited the scene yesterday at around 2PM, there was a heavy police presence outside the bank with detectives carrying out investigations.

The bank was also no longer allowing clients inside the banking hall and people were withdrawing cash using the automated teller machine (ATM).

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the armed robbery, saying investigations were on course.

Yes, we are conducting investigations after five armed robbers raided a local financial institution and got away with US$70 000. The five suspects masqueraded as genuine customers and queued just like everyone else in the banking hall, he said.

When they were about to be served, they then pounced on the bank manager and got away with the money.

Asst Comm Nyathi said on their way out the suspects jammed the exit door before escaping.

No arrests have been made so far and we are appealing to members of the public who might have information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to report to any nearest police station, said the police spokesperson.

City residents who spoke to the news crew said the increase in armed robberies is becoming an issue of concern.

Mr Blessing Nyani, a vendor operating at corner 10th Avenue and Fife Street, said he was shocked upon discovering that the bank had been robbed.

To tell you the truth we didnt know what had transpired. We only got to learn about the robbery when we saw armed police officers at the scene and thats when we were told that the bank had been robbed, he said.

This is something that is very worrying to us as residents. Just recently, Mukuru was raided and surely, we are no longer safe consider the rate at which these robberies are happening.

Another resident, who declined to be named, said he initially wanted to enter the banking hall before he was told that it was now a crime scene.

I was surprised because there was nothing that pointed to the fact that a robbery had happened. From what I have gathered this thing happened so quickly and most people did not see or suspect anything, he said.

I would like to commend the bank for handling this issue in a very professional way. We understand that this was a traumatic experience, but they kept serving us through the ATM.

The incident follows last months raid of another financial institution where four gun-wielding robbers got away with a total of US$100 000 and R500 000 after intercepting a cash-in-transit Safeguard vehicle outside a money transfer agent in the city centre.

Armed robbers last month raided Mukuru branch along 13th Avenue, between Lobengula and Herbert Chitepo Street.

Following an increase in armed robbery cases, President Mnangagwa last month issued an amnesty to all members of the public who are in possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition to surrender them to the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

The amnesty which started on August 8 will run until the end of this month.

By Monday, 412 guns had been surrendered to the police. Chronicle
Ron McNinch is a longstanding member of the Guam community and frequently gives his opinion on a wide range of topics.
Published on 2022/09/14 | Source

New stills and behind-the-scenes stills added for the Korean movie "6/45" (2022)

Advertisement

Directed by Park Gyoo-tae

With Go Kyung-pyo, Lee Yi-kyung, Eum Moon-suk, Park Se-wan, Lee Soon-won, Kwak Dong-yeon,...

Started filming: 2021/04/20

Synopsis

A comical encounter between South and North Korean soldiers over the 5.7 billion-won lottery ticket which flew by the wind, crossing the Military Demarcation Line.

Release date in Korea : 2022/08/24
ARMY Colonel Leonard Matambo yesterday wept uncontrollably in the dock after a Harare magistrate said he faced a long jail sentence if convicted of trying to smuggle 31 AK-47 assault rifles into the country.

Matambos letter to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) asking for assistance to bring the guns into the country was used as evidence in court.

His boss at the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI), one Air Commodore Mutize, wrote another letter to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) admitting that Matambos duty included writing such documents to various State organs.

Mutize said he tried to seek authority from the ZDI board on the guns, but did not get a favourable response, leaving Matambo at the mercy of the State.

The matter was held under camera after Matambos lawyer said he could be asked on issues to do with State secrets.

Magistrate Stanford Mambanje ruled that the court should not play legal games at the expense of State security.

He said government had ordered people to surrender unlicensed guns, yet Matambo was trying to smuggle unlicensed guns.

The court denied him bail, and postponed the matter to September 27.

According to the State, Matambo attempted to smuggle 31 AK-47 assault rifles and 62 AK-47 magazines from South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post.

Investigations conducted established that Matambos co-accused Gugulethu Mabhena had brought the firearms into Zimbabwe from South Africa without an import permit. Newsday
News Release

Sept. 14, 2022

Appointments for bivalent booster vaccines available at state-run vaccination sites in Moorhead and Rochester

Appointments are now available for Minnesotans to receive an updated bivalent booster at state-run vaccination sites in Moorhead and Rochester.

The Moorhead vaccination site will be located in the former Thomas Edison Elementary School (1110 S. 14th St. Moorhead, MN), and the Rochester vaccination site will be located in the Mayo Civic Center (30 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, MN).

The first available appointments for both locations are Friday, Sept. 16. The Moorhead and Rochester sites will both be open Fridays from noon-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Both sites will offer the Pfizer bivalent booster.

Bivalent boosters will also be available next week at the St. Paul Midway location where COVID-19 testing is available. Information will be updated on the Find Vaccine Locations map when appointments are open for vaccinations at the Midway site.

In addition to state-run vaccination sites, Minnesotans can find updated bivalent boosters through Minnesota pharmacies, health care systems, local public health and tribal health agencies, and other health care providers.

Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines is a crucial part of protecting our state in the months ahead, said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. The bivalent boosters were shown to be safe and effective, and they will be a key tool in helping provide better protection against variants that are currently spreading. I would also encourage eligible

Minnesotans who are seeking this updated booster to take this opportunity to ensure your whole family is up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations so you have the best protection possible as school starts and before end-of-year holidays.

About the variant specific booster:

The Pfizer bivalent booster vaccine is recommended for people age 12 and older. The Moderna bivalent booster vaccine is recommended for people age 18 and older. Both vaccines can be given at least two months after a primary vaccine series or booster vaccination. The bivalent vaccines can only be used for a single booster dose.

These boosters will continue to be free for all Minnesotans at both state and private sites, regardless of insurance status.

It is important for everyone to stay up to date with the COVID-19 vaccine doses recommended for them. Talk to your health care provider or refer to CDCs Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters. COVID-19 vaccines continue to protect people by preventing severe illness and deaths.

How Minnesotans can get a free COVID-19 shot:

Contact your health care provider or a local pharmacy.

Use the states Find Vaccine Locations to find vaccine providers near youproviders will update their information as appointments are available.

Check for vaccine appointments at Vaccines.gov, where you can search for appointments by vaccine type (e.g., Pfizer).



Watch for vaccination clinics being offered at other community locations around Minnesota.

How Minnesotans can get a COVID-19 test:

Walk in or schedule an appointment for a test at one of the states free COVID-19 Community Testing Sites. Test-to-treat options are available at some locations.



Order rapid tests through the states free COVID-19 at-home rapid testing program.



Check with your insurance company about ways to get free rapid tests from pharmacies.

Find a testing option near you through the states Find Testing Locations map.

Questions about COVID-19:

Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline: 1-833-431-2053, Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

-MDH-
Last January, my back started to act up. I had just landed in San Francisco, having spent six hours in a lawn chair that United calls coach class, when the pain began. Despite physical therapy and acupuncture, the pain got worse, and my doctor ordered an MRI.

Overkill, I thought, until the result came backsevere spinal stenosis, in medical-ese; a very messed-up back, in plain English.

I was in considerable pain when I returned to Helsinki. I had hoped that, in a country that prides itself on its cradle-to-grave safety net, the government would have figured out how to support people with mobility issues. While Helsinkians go out of their way to be helpful, the city is decades behind the times. For its part, the national government has proposed a whopping 95% cut in funding for a program that helps people with disabilities to live a fuller life.

Most of us dont give a moments thought to what its like to be disabled until we find ourselves in that situation. When that happens, as it did to me, seemingly small things become a big deal.

Take the humble curb cut, a ramp that slopes down from a sidewalk to the street. You may never have noticed them, but theyre a big deal if you are using a walker or a wheel chair. Without a curb cut, the simple act of crossing a street becomes problematicyou bounce from the sidewalk to the street and struggle to clamber onto the sidewalk after crossing the street. While there is the semblance of a curb cut at many street corners in Helsinki, they are often inadequate. When I use a walker, I am repeatedly joltednot the best medicine for a painful back.

Helsinki is a great city for public transportation, yet getting on a tram or bus is a chore for someone in a wheelchair. Elsewhere, buses and trams are equipped with lifts that move the wheelchair from the sidewalknot here.

For someone with limited mobility, old apartment buildings can be a misery. Ramps are rarities, the stairs that lead to the front door rarely have a railing. There isnt much that can be done about narrow doorways and the like, but for someone like myself, mostly getting by with a cane these days, a strategically placed handle (which costs about 25 euros) next to a heavy front door can make all the difference. I proposed such a solution to our building manager, who said he would look into it. Im still waiting.

And Im not alone: only 20 percent of Finlands housing stock is rated as accessible.

New buildings are required to have ramps, but the architects are not always clear on the concept. Take Allas Sea Pool, one of my favorite Helsinki hangouts. A ramp brings you from the entrance to the side of the pool, but to actually enter the pool you must climb up and down several steps. Try it with a wheelchair or walker.

Rarely do I find myself saying, the U.S. does it better, but this is one instance in which thats the case. The Americans with Disabilities Act, first passed a half century ago and expanded in 1990, outlaws discrimination across a wide swath of public life. It sets minimum standards of accessibility for old and new buildings and directs businesses to make "reasonable modifications" for people with disabilities. I was glad to learn that curb cuts are one of those required modifications.

Theres no reason why Finland cant do at least as well.

Its troubling that Finland is behind the times when it comes to supporting people with disabilities. Its worse that the government is slashing funds for grants that make apartments accessible for those with disabilitiesinstalling an elevator, for instance, or doing renovations. The Ministry of the Environment wants to slash this programs budget, from 6,250,000 euros to a pathetic 450,000 eurosin percentage terms, thats the largest cut in the Ministrys budget proposal.

Six million euros is a rounding error in the governments seven billion euro budget, but its a life saver to thousands of people with disabilities. "In this practice, the conditions to support individual survival in everyday life disappear," social policy expert Veera Florica Rajala told a Sanomat reporter.

When queried about the budget, Minister Maria Ohisalo, from the Green Party, said she understood the concern that has arisen from this now, when we only look at these momentary points." Lets hope that her newfound understanding prompts a serious rethink.

If such a draconian budget cut was on the table in the U.S. Congress, you can bet that lawmakers would be deluged with calls and emails, Facebook and Twitter would be abuzz with attacks on heartless lawmakers, newspaper editorials would slam the idea and an armada of wheelchairs would blockade the steps of the Capitol.

Of course this is not how things are done in Finlandhere, civility and not confrontation is the norm. In politics, civility can be a virtuethe U.S. desperately needs a hefty dose!)but this is the moment for people with disabilities and their allies to speak out loudly and clearly. If they decide to make some noise, Ill be there.

By David Kirp

David Kirp, a regular contributor to the Helsinki Times, is a professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and a permanent resident of Finland.
S Bank on Tuesday reported that the error was exploited to commit wrongdoings, such as making unauthorised payments and accessing third-party online services, in a very small number of cases.

A SYSTEM ERROR at S Bank, the first so-called supermarket bank in Finland, enabled a few hundred customers to access the online banking services of other customers over a nearly four-month period earlier this year, between 20 April and 5 August.

The error, it underscored, was linked to the malfunctioning of a single software component of the online bank, meaning it was not caused by external factors. It was rectified as soon as it was detected, on 5 August.

Carl-Edvard Holmberg, the director of digital services at S Bank, declined to comment on the value of the unauthorised payments when contacted by Helsingin Sanomat on Tuesday.

Weve submitted a report of an offence to the police. We unfortunately cant comment on the sums externally, he explained. S Bank has 3.1 million customers, and S Banks online banking credentials are used to log in to various services 20 million times a month. Thats partly why it took so long to detect the error and identify the customer transactions relevant for the error.

He reiterated that the error affected only a small share of the clientele, a few hundred customers.

Only a small group of them logged in to the online banks of others and, out of those who did, only a very small group committed wrongdoings, he stated.

S Bank has asked police to investigate how the events unfolded and whether the customers who exploited the system error may have committed offences.

The bank pledged to compensate all customers who incurred direct economic losses as a consequence of the system error, saying it will proactively contact all customers affected by the error in such a way.

Holmberg told Helsingin Sanomat that most of the compensations have already been paid to customers.

We apologise for the situation to our customers. Well shoulder our responsibility and compensate for any possible direct damage. Customers themselves dont need to do anything to receive the compensation, he said. Weve been in contact with all customers affected by the situation. If we havent been in contact with a customer, the error didnt affect them and the incident requires no action from them.

The system error is the data security slip-up of the year, Petteri Jarvinen, an author focusing on data security, stated to Helsingin Sanomat on Tuesday.

This isnt an ordinary slip-up, as its related to services of the knowledge society. Were used to thinking of online banking credentials as the bedrock of authentication that always works and is always reliable. All other services are built on them, such as dealings with Kela and Omakanta  along with banks own money transfer services, he said.

Problems in online banking credentials thus gnaw away at the very foundation of modern-day society. Citizens are in one way prisoners of the identification systems of the banks they use, according to Jarvinen.

Banks have a heightened responsibility for the reliability of identification because theyve insisted on holding on to identification and each developing their own procedure for it, he stated.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Marin on Tuesday stated in Strasbourg, France, that she hopes all ruling parties will play by the commonly agreed rules. The government will be unanimous on this and everyone will vote for this law. Im sure well have to have a discussion about the common rules in the Parliament, she declared.

PRIME MINISTER Sanna Marin (SDP) has commented on the political dispute over a government bill that would restrict the right of nurses to stage strikes, reports YLE.

She revealed that she had already discussed the issue with Minister of Education Li Andersson, the chairperson of the Left Alliance.

Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Aki Linden (SDP) on Monday told Demokraatti, the organ of the Social Democrats, that the government has reached an agreement on its proposal for a so-called patient safety act. The Left Alliance, though, declared immediately after his statement that it cannot approve the bill in its current form, saying it would continue to pursue amendments to it in the Parliament.

Marin on Tuesday said she appreciates the concerns of the ruling party and other parties.

Committees can always complement the law. Also the Constitutional Law Committee will discuss the issue, but the timetable is tight and we have to play by the commonly agreed rules, she was quoted saying by the public broadcasting company.

She also pleaded with trade unions to refrain from organising strikes that endanger the health and life of patients. It is obvious, she said, that the patient safety act must be pushed over the finish line to make sure the health and life of people are protected in all circumstances.

Jussi Saramo, the chairperson of the Left Alliance Parliamentary Group, on Tuesday clarified that the group is not intent on making amendments to the bill a condition on its continued commitment to the ruling coalition.

The interpretation had been made by, for example, Kansan Uutiset, the main mouthpiece of the Left Alliance.

Andersson on Tuesday said the left-wing party considers the right of employees to strike extremely important but added that it should not be exercised to put the lives of others in peril. The government thus has the responsibility to take action and present its patient safety act bill to the Parliament.

The Left Alliances parliamentary group has announced it hasnt signed off on the bills content because it hopes that the law can be defined more clearly during the parliamentary process, she said to journalists in the Parliament House on Tuesday.

The bill, she highlighted, was drafted under significant time constraints, and the government has consequently not had the opportunity to weigh up all the feedback thoroughly.

Im hoping also for this reason that the parliamentary groups are prepared to make changes to the bill during the parliamentary process, she said, declining to comment on whether she and her party comrades will vote for the bill in the Parliament. I assume the representatives will evaluate the bill once we know its final form.

Petteri Orpo, the chairperson of the National Coalition, said the Left Alliance must choose its side in the dispute.

Theyre on two different lanes here. On the one hand theyre trying to please nurses but at the same time theyre in the government and responsible for making sure nothing harmful happens to patients in Finland. Now is the time for them to figure out where they stand, he said.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Turkey, Finland and Sweden signed a trilateral memorandum in Madrid on June 28, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism and establish a permanent joint mechanism to monitor the memorandum's implementation.

Representatives from Turkey, Sweden and Finland met on Friday in the Finnish city of Vantaa and agreed to continue talks on the Nordic countries' ascension to NATO at the expert level in the coming fall, the Finnish government said.

"Finland hosted the first meeting of the Permanent Joint Mechanism at Konigstedt Manor in Vantaa, Finland on 26 August, with the participation of experts from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Justice and Defense, from the Presidential and Prime Ministerial Administrations, as well as Intelligence Services," the statement said .

The parties discussed the concrete steps to implement the trilateral memorandum and agreed that the mechanism will continue with an expert-level meeting taking place this fall, the statement added.

Finland and Sweden are awaiting the ratification of their NATO applications. As of August 25, 23 countries out of 30 have already completed the formal procedure to welcome Finland and Sweden to the alliance. The applications have not been ratified by Spain, Greece, Portugal, Slovakia, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

On May 18, three months after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden submitted their NATO membership applications, abandoning decades of neutrality. Turkey previously blocked the applications' review process over Helsinki and Stockholm's long-standing support of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey deems terrorist, and demanded the Nordic states stop supporting the PKK.

HT

Source: ANI / Sputnik
Farmland preservation emerges as flashpoint of Comp Plan 2045 ire

Residents told commissioners last week that they fear the proposed 2045 comprehensive land-use plan endangers apple orchards, like Sky Top in Zirconia.

FIRST OF TWO PARTS

An overflow crowd that flocked to Henderson Countys Historic Courthouse last week implored the Board of Commissioners to reject a 2045 comprehensive land-use draft that they said encourages sprawl, endangers the apple country and does nothing to preserve open space and natural resources.

Suzanne Hale said the draft plan would sentence the apple industry to a long slow painful death.

The decline in our apple industry is real, she said. According to USDA, the county lost a third of its orchards between 2002 and 2017. Turning the countys farms and forest over to subdivisions filled with people from other areas would forever undermine local culture. There would be no going back. It would be gone forever. ... Please keep Henderson County green. Its important for all of us.

Hale was the first of more than 20 speakers who showed up at the county commission meeting to express alarm at the comp plan draft, often citing their familys deep roots in homesteads that support them to this day.

My land is part of the land grant deeded to my forefather by the Continental Congress for his service in the Revolutionary War, Danny Maybin, a sixth-generation native of Green River, told commissioners. We have already lost more than a third of our apple orchards. And sprawl will overtake the remaining orchards within two decades. Apples are what this county is known for. It does not make sense to follow a map we know will decimate our calling card. The unintended results of this map include but are not limited to developmental sprawl and by far too much intrusive commercial development.

When the hour-long public comment period was over, Commissioner Rebecca McCall sounded offended and exasperated.

Nobody lived here in this county before my family except the native Americans, said McCall, an eighth generation native who boasted that her children remained here, making her grandchildren 10th generation natives. I love this county more than you can even imagine. Ive lived here all my life. I plan to live nowhere else. Im very bothered by the fact that so many people think that we have already made this decision and its set in stone that is so far from the truth. Whoever is out spreading this to get everybody so upset Im very angry with because you people are upset, and Im glad you came and brought this to our attention because you have gotten misinformation. The map that you have seen is just that  a draft  and many of you have said draft when you got up and spoke to us tonight. It is a draft.

She also cautioned that the number of farms is not by itself an accurate measure of the health of the industry.

You talk about the apple orchards that weve lost, she said. In the 70s, we had over 300 apple orchards. Now we have closer to 200. But guess what? Those apple orchards have grown in size immensely. And we have 200,000 more apple trees.

Regardless of whos right, the Board of Commissioners meeting last week laid to rest any concern that the public would fail to appreciate the importance of the land-use plan thats intended to guide development and manage growth of the next two decades. The farming community and especially various green groups and rural community associations are intensely engaged in the process. Everyone will get more opportunity soon to provide input and ask questions. The first of four newly scheduled community meetings took place Tuesday night at the public library in Hendersonville. Others are:

2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Fletcher library.

6-8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at the Edneyville Community Center.

2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Thomas Auditorium at BRCC.

Planning board looking to protect farmland, chair says

Two days after the raucous Board of Commissioners meeting, only a handful of citizens showed up for a three-hour presentation of the draft plan before the Planning Board. The board chair and McCall, who serves as liaison to the Planning Board said in interviews afterwards that its their intention to do what the crowd last week demanded  protect farmland and open space and limit sprawl as much as possible.

McCall said the draft plan shows current urban services areas  land close to cities that provide water and sewer service  not a larger area than exists now.

Its what it is now, its not what were proposing, she said. There seems to be some misconception that were expanding the urban services area. That can happen obviously but its not part of this plan.  I dont know who was spreading fairy tales that brought out 200 people. We tried to make it clear that part of the concern might have to do with the Clear Creek-Edneyville sewer line. Its not our idea to infiltrate or force industry or residential growth in that area  thats what the farmers are asking for.

Planning Board Chair Steve Dozier said the advisory board members were committed to preserving farmland.

We spent a ton of time on agribusiness, Dozier said. I think we had a really good meeting with a lot of discussion. Everybody on the board is very much looking to protect agribusiness.

Cost of urban sprawl

A recurring theme when commenters panned the comp plan last week was sprawl into the apple country and other rural farming communities. Several people quoted an analysis that said the 2045 plan would allow 94,305 dwellings on vacant land when the plans own population growth projection over the next 20 years is 32,393. The analysis came from Grow Good, a grassroots organization thats a spinoff of the group of landowners who organized to oppose a large ministorage unit facility in the Crab Creek community. Among the donors who funded the Grow Good campaign are former state Rep. Chuck McGrady and Fritz McPhail, who returned to the Crab Creek community where he grew up when he retired from a banking career.

Why did we come here? We came here for the beauty, the quality of life and the approach that Hendersonville needs to take is to probably cluster the commercial development in certain areas so that we dont destroy the whole reason that were here, McPhail said. If you compare us to dozens of areas across the country, many of which are been threatened due to external forces, climate change, were kind of in a Goldilocks and the rural areas that we have are absolutely beautiful. And thats really the question Why are you here? If youre here for that, then why would you want to destroy it?

Chris Joyell, executive director of environmental and water quality organization MountainTrue, said commissioners ought to pay attention to the fact that urban sprawl cost the county more in services than it collects in property tax revenue. With the projection that 32,000 people will move here, We just have to figure out where they go and where does it make the most sense for them to settle and if it's near the urban centers, like Fletcher and Hendersonville, where we already have existing infrastructure, Joyell said. I think that's going to really ease the burden on taxpayers and ease the burden on our environment. I think it'll create a much more robust county.

Read the survey, speakers say

Many speakers also urged commissioners to pay attention to the 7,000 survey respondents who made known their wishes when planners kicked off the comp plan rewrite. In the responses, top priorities were protecting open space and forests (55 percent) and preserving farmland (45 percent). (The survey is still open. To fill it out visit surveymonkey.com/r/HC2045.)

In a meeting last month, retiree Joe Elliott alluded to that majority opinion.

Im here to emphasize that your citizens are looking for a plan that reflects what the survey and in-person meetings told you last fall, he said. Your constituents want leaders who will control growth, maintain our rural character, protect farmland and preserve forest and safeguard our open spaces. We are depending on you and your steering committee to use every tool in your toolbox to guarantee that were not completely built over by out-of-state developers who will stuff their pockets and leave us to pay for ever increasing services.

Elliott mentioned the boards recent decision to essentially deregulate the number of storage units homeowners could have on their lots  and a second proposal (of late abandoned) to allow construction in the floodplain.

Many of us disagree with Commissioner Hill about the rights of the individual taking precedent over anyone elses rights. We urge you to listen to your planning board and act according to their thoughtful recommendations. Chipping away at the land development code is not what we need. We want strong rules that will guide growth and development in the future.

As for the floodplain idea, We need to keep the floodways, floodplains and flood fringes free from development, he said. County Commission Chair Bill Lapsleys 40-year-old study is too old to use. Our floodplain maps are just that  old. You need current, up-to-date information to guide your decisions on where developments should and should not go.

SUBHED

Commissioners have deep roots

The countys current elected commissioners are more deeply rooted in this part of the Blue Ridge Mountains than any has been in decades. Four out of five are natives of the county and three out of four  McCall, Hill and Michael Edney  trace their roots to a time when Indians outnumbered white settlers. After the passionate and emotional public comment period last week, those commissioners reminded the audience of their own roots. They also thanked the draft plan commenters for coming out. Robust and engaged public participation, commissioners said, is what they hoped for all along.

This is not an easy task, to control growth, said Hill, who as a staunch property rights advocate is on a collision course with the crowds demand for managed growth and open space preservation. We have to respect peoples property rights. This is America. You know, we do have rights and government is not to come in and overrun those rights. We take away your right, you take away my right, as I see it. We are thankful this is what America is about  you folks coming out and talking and speaking your piece. Thats what were here for. We were elected to listen and make the best decisions that we can.

Lapsley also assured the audience that the elected commissioners have made no decisions on the comp plan yet.

We have not had a chance to review the details of the document or the maps and the insinuations that this board prepared that plan is just not true, he said. We have not done that. We have delegated the task of preparing a draft plan to our Planning Board and the consultant. And they have been working on that for more than a year.

He pointed out that county commissioners, not the planning board, have the final call.

This is the board that you elect to make these decisions, he said. And we will do that with all the public input we can get and do the best we can to look after our county because we love it as much as all of you do.

* * * * *

Next week: Could a Henderson County land conservation fund could be a solution to protect open space and natural areas from development? Could a bill in the state Legislature preserve farmland here and across North Carolina?
We Are China

First two large parts of A321 arrive at assembly center in Tianjin

Ecns.cn) 16:56, September 14, 2022

Two large parts of A321 aircraft, a nose and a fuselage, arrive at Tianjin Binhai New Area, Sept. 13, 2022. (Photo: China News Service/Tong Yu)

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus plans to start assembling A321 single-aisle aircraft at its final assembly line in Tianjin, Asia's only assembly line for Airbus civil aircraft, later this year.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
Accor, a world leading hospitality group, announces the signing of a cooperation agreement with Ayvan Palace LLC to open a new Mercure hotel in Bukhara. Mercure Bukhara Old Town will welcome its first guests later in 2022 and offer all the benefits of Mercure's highest international standards of service, including the opportunity to become a member of the loyalty program ALL - Accor Live Limitless.

Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia located in the delta of the Zeravshan river, at the center of Bukhara oasis. It is a museum town with more than 140 architectural monuments dating back to the Middle Ages. The amount of ancient buildings remains high, and the historic center has outstanding significance as an exceptional example of a medieval Muslim city in Central Asia and has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Today Bukhara is an important cultural center and a popular tourist destination thanks to its restored monuments and traditional crafts such as gold embroidery and metalwork.

The new Mercure Bukhara Old Town will be located in the Old Town of Bukhara, on Samarkandskaya street, close to the main sites of ancient Islamic architecture: caravanserais and madrasahs. The magnificent Lyabi-Hauz architectural complex formed with three monumental buildings and the Poi-Kalyan architectural ensemble are within a few minutes' walking distance from the hotel. Those who like oriental bazaars and the authentic shopping experience will appreciate the proximity of three trade domes in Bukhara - Taki-Sarrafon, Taki-Telpak Furushon and Taki-Zargaron Bazaar are only 8 minutes away from the hotel.

Mercure Bukhara Old Town fully embodies the brand's philosophy "Locally inspired", showcasing elegant design inspired by local culture and telling its own unique story. The design project was developed by the famous Bukhara architect Zoirsho Klychev. Many details in the architecture and interior design of the hotel refer to the history and cultural heritage of this region.

The hotel will offer 57 rooms and a wide range of services to meet the guests' expectations. The hotel infrastructure will include a wellness center with a swimming pool, hammam and sauna, a modern fitness center, as well as a restaurant, a bar and fully equipped meeting rooms for business events.

Mercure in Bukhara is scheduled to open later in 2022.

Hotel website
Joining the luxury holiday resort on the shores of the Red Sea in Egypt, Silvia Rajniak has been appointed as the new general manager of Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay. The Slovakian native started with Kempinski Hotels in 2009 and since then has continuously grown in her hospitality industry career, recently in Ghana, where she worked as Hotel Manager at Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra since spring 2021. She is the first female general manager in an Egyptian Kempinski hotel ever.

Silvia Rajniak started her Kempinski journey at Kempinski Hotel River Park, Bratislava, in Slovakia, where she passed through various positions, such as Personal Assistant to the General Manager, Front Office Manager and People Training Manager. In 2015 she moved to Germany and became Front Office Manager at Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden, followed by the position of Director of Rooms. She then worked as Executive Assistant Manager at Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest, Hungary, before being appointed Hotel Manager in Accra.

Before starting in the international hotel industry, Silvia was employed by the German Embassy in Bratislava as a translator and interpreter. She holds a Master Diploma in German Studies and Education from Comenius University Bratislava and is currently working on her Master of International Business, Hotel, Resort & Wellness Management with the Swiss Hotel Management School.
Key Takeaways

The $100 million the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service supports students pursuing careers in public service with an academic scholarship, exposure to travel, and connections to a network of leaders

Today, President and Mrs. Obama and Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO, announced their inaugural cohort of Voyager Scholarship recipients, 100 rising college juniors who plan to pursue a career in public service. These Voyagers are from every corner of the country and share a curiosity about the world and the conviction to want to make positive change within itjust like the scholarships founders.

Michelle and I know that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to create it, said President Obama. These young Voyagers believe in a fairer and more inclusive world, and theyre ready to help us address important challenges in new ways. I cant wait to see what they accomplish through public service.

Through their stories, its clear that each of these Voyagers has a commitment to serving their communities, a deep curiosity about the world and big plans for the future, said Chesky. Traveling to new places and connecting with new people will help them turn those plans into reality and I cant wait to see where they go from here.

Learn more about the inaugural cohort of Voyagers here.

Funded by a $100 million personal contribution from Chesky to the Obama Foundation, the Voyager Scholarship is a two-year program for students in their junior and senior years of college from across the United States who are committed to pursuing careers that serve the public and their communities. Voyagers will receive:

Up to $50,000 in financial aid : Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in financial aid for their junior and senior years of college. This financial aid should alleviate the burden of college debt so that students can afford to pursue a career in public service.

: Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in financial aid for their junior and senior years of college. This financial aid should alleviate the burden of college debt so that students can afford to pursue a career in public service. Summer Voyage : Students will receive a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college. The students will design their own Summer Voyage to gain exposure to new communities and experience in a chosen field.

: Students will receive a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college. The students will design their own Summer Voyage to gain exposure to new communities and experience in a chosen field. 10-year travel stipend : After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000. This will allow students to continue to broaden their horizons and forge new connections throughout their public service careers.

: After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000. This will allow students to continue to broaden their horizons and forge new connections throughout their public service careers. Fall Convening : Students will be invited to a fall convening to help define their public service voyage. At this years gathering they will meet with President Obama and Brian Chesky to discuss the role of empathy and understanding in leadership and public service. Theyll also hear from guest speakers on different approaches to service and connect with other scholarship recipients.

: Students will be invited to a fall convening to help define their public service voyage. At this years gathering they will meet with President Obama and Brian Chesky to discuss the role of empathy and understanding in leadership and public service. Theyll also hear from guest speakers on different approaches to service and connect with other scholarship recipients. Network of leaders: Throughout the program, students will be invited to an ongoing speaker series, giving them access to a network of leaders. This network of leaders will expose them to new areas of service and innovations happening in their fields. After graduation, they will join the Obama Foundations global community, providing them with Foundation resources and programming.

The inaugural cohort of Voyagers represent 35 states and territories and 70 colleges and universities. They are an inspiring group of young people who are eager to bridge divides and take on the worlds biggest challenges.

My goal is to promote U.S. interests abroad while ensuring the safety and security of the global community, said Munahil Sultana, Inaugural Voyager from Valley Stream, New York. By traveling and experiencing the cultures and communities of which I hope to work with in the future, I will be able to bring those experiences back to the U.S. and become a true diplomat. This program allows me to turn that dream into a reality. It allows me to hold the pen, to write my own fate without being chained down by the financial burden that often comes with this level of global understanding.

Munahils experience as a South Asian woman growing up in a Muslim family has motivated her to explore the varying cultural perceptions of femininity and the human rights of women in the MENA region, which she plans to do by studying in Egypt and Lebanon during her Summer Voyage. She hopes to pursue a career as a Foreign Service Officer in the future, with immediate plans to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship to research the intersection of Islam and gender policy in the Middle East.

The Obamas and Brian Chesky believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy, and cooperation, which equips the next generation to create meaningful change. Its why the Obamas and Chesky came together to create the Voyager Scholarshipto shape the next generation of leaders like Munahil.

For more information about the Voyager Scholarship visit voyager-scholarship.obama.org.

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals across over 220 countries and regions. Travel on Airbnb keeps more of the financial benefits of tourism with the people and places that make it happen. Airbnb has generated billions of dollars in earnings for Hosts, most of whom are individuals listing the homes in which they live. Among Hosts who report their gender, more than half are women, and one in five employed Hosts are either teachers or healthcare workers. Travel on Airbnb also has generated more than $4 billion in tax revenue around the world. Airbnb has helped advance more than 1,000 regulatory frameworks for short-term rentals, including in 80% of our top 200 geographies. In late 2020, to support our continued expansion and diversification, we launched the City Portal to provide governments with a one-stop shop that supports data sharing and compliance with local registration rules. We continue to invest in innovations and tools to support our ongoing work with governments around the world to advance travel that best serves communities.

About Airbnb.org

Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc."s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org"s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows Hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform.

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Wyndham acquires Vienna House brand from HR Group

American hotel franchisor Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has added a 23rd brand to its portfolio, with the acquisition of the Vienna House group from Berlin-based hotel operator HR Group. The 44 million acquisition adds approximately 40 midscale and upscale hotels (more than 6,000 rooms) in Europe, including 28 in Germany, to Wyndhams portfolio. The company ended the second quarter with an expected $600 million in cash to deploy this year. HR Group has been a long-standing franchise partner to Wyndham and will continue to operate the Vienna House hotels under long-term franchise agreements. Just last week, HR Group announced the acquisition of 23 Amedia Hotels, as reported in this newsletter.

Gorgeous Smiling Hotels acquires the Abacco Hotel in Stuttgart, Germany

Munich-based Gorgeous Smiling Hotels (GSH) has acquired the 213-room Abacco Hotel in Korntal-Munchingen, Germany, for an undisclosed price, from the Abacco Group. The property is one of the largest owner-operated business hotels in the Stuttgart area and is set to rebrand itself as the Rilano Hotel. The hotel contains extensive conference areas, a spa and a restaurant. GSHs portfolio includes 40 hotels under operation and more than 20 franchises, with properties ranging from budget hotels and service apartments to upscale hotels. The group is primarily looking to expand in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, with plans to open 30 new hotels over the next three years.

TSC Real Estate acquires the former Hotel Kloster Damme in Germany

German investment manager TSC Real Estate has acquired the 72-room former Hotel Kloster Damme, located 80 kilometres east of the Dutch border in northern Germany, from an undisclosed German family office for an amount in the lower double digit million Euro range. The former seminar and congress hotel has been used as apartments on the Campus Kloster Damme site since the beginning of this month, operated by Bremen-based Convivo, which uses the campus for the training and education of its healthcare staff. The campus is located on an 80,000 sqm site in a large woodland area and includes a day care centre and childrens nursery. TSCs portfolio currently holds 38 assets, valued at 251 million.

The Trout Hotel in the UK sold to local entrepreneur Bill Dobie

The four-star Trout Hotel, located in the heart of the market town of Cockermouth in Cumbria, in the north of England, has been sold to prominent west-Cumbrian businessman Bill Dobie, off a guide price of 4.9 million (100,000 per room). The 49-room hotel also contains three restaurant and bar outlets. The hotel was sold by a confidential vendor based in northeast England. Bill Dobie and his family also own and operate the Washington Central Hotel in the UK coastal town of Workington.

About HVS

HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com.
WASHINGTON  With a national railroad strike looming, refineries and petrochemical plants along Texas Gulf Coast are facing the threat of critical supply chains getting cut off.

While crude oil is largely transported by pipeline, a number of chemicals on which refineries rely are moved by rail. And many chemical products manufactured along the Gulf, such as fertilizer and plastic resin, are also transported by rail.

In some situations theres nothing they can do but they can make sure all their storage is available and try to find alternate transportation, said Rob Benedict, senior director of petrochemicals, transportation and infrastructure for the trade group American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers.

From manufacturing plants to farms, industries face the possibility of significant disruptions to supply chains as early as Friday, if railroad companies and the two largest rail workers unions cant come to a deal on a new contract.

At issue are railroad attendance policies that unions say prevent workers from taking sick days or time off for a routine doctors visit  which railroad companies deny.

Railroads have begun informing companies that they will stop taking shipment of certain hazardous products to prevent them from being left out on the tracks unprotected in the event of a strike.

That has implications for refineries, which rely on sulfuric acid to produce fuel, Benedict said. And Texas farmers face the prospect of railroads stopping shipments of fertilizer, which is explosive.

Thats not going to be good for farmers, not just for Texas but across the country, said Gary Joiner, spokesman for the Texas Farm Bureau, a trade group.

Were the railroad workers to go on strike, Congress could intervene to force them back to work as they did during a labor strike in 1992. That work stoppage, which interrupted rail service nationwide, was ended by Congress after two days.

On Monday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters that Congress was prepared to take similar action this time.

In the meantime, industries across the country are trying to make contingency plans should a strike happen.

On the Gulf Coast, refineries and petrochemical companies held an emergency meeting Monday to discuss their options.

Its going to come down to storage, said Benedict. Once that fills up, if theres no other way to move it, youre going to see curtailments of production. Weve heard a couple days before were at capacity.

james.osborne@chron.com
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WASHINGTON - Over the last five years pipeline giant Energy Transfer has filed dozens of lawsuits and subpoenas against people and groups that participated in and supported protests against their Dakota Access pipeline in 2016.

The Dallas-based company claimed the protests, which resulted in a months long delay of the project, were part of a conspiracy to defame Energy Transfer, claiming billions of dollars in damages -- a claim dismissed by a federal judge in 2019.

Now, Congress is examining whether lawsuits by Energy Transfer and other companies in the oil industry are part of a strategy to harass activists into giving up their fight against greenhouse gas emissions. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., chairman of the House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, called the effect of he legal actions "chilling" at hearing Wednesday.

"Wealthy and powerful corporate entities are dragging citizens and public interest opponents through meritless but protracted and extremely costly litigation to expose anyone who dares stand up to them to personal and financial ruin," he said.

The hearing is the latest salvo in the climate change debate. Oil companies and their Republican allies in Congress criticize Democratic efforts to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions as impractical and likely to drive up energy prices, while Democrats attack oil companies as opportunists seeking to enrich their shareholders at the expense of the planet.

"Certain groups have sought to misrepresent Exxon Mobils positions and its support for effective policy solutions by recasting genuine policy debates as a disinformation campaign," Todd Spitler, a spokesman for Houston-based Exxon, said in an email. "These charges are baseless and any suggestion to the contrary is false."

A report this week by the activist group EarthRights International found more than 150 individuals and organizations were targeted by lawsuits and subpoenas by oil companies over the past decade. Those legal actions include Exxon's efforts to prove activists and state officials in New York and Massachusetts were conspiring against them through climate change litigation and TransCanada's lawsuits against protestors over its failed Keystone XL pipeline.

Some public officials were targeted, including Beto O'Rourke, the Texas gubernatorial candidate whom Energy Transfer CEO Kelcy Warren sued over his criticisms of massive profits earned by the pipeline company during last year's winter storm, which left Texans without power for days.

But many are little known persons and non-profits. And for activists caught up in the litigation, the costs can be considerable.

Legal cases can stretch out for years and demands for documents and correspondence can cripple smaller groups with limited budgets, said Kirk Herbertson, a senior policy advisor at the activist group EarthRights International.

"You can ask for someone private information, for their internal emails and communications and private personal information like their bank accounts," he said. "You can be forced to testify under oath and answer questions for hours and days."

And oil-producing states like Texas and Oklahoma have enacted tough new laws to protect energy projects by imposing lengthy prison sentences for protestors deemed to have interrupted the construction or operation of "critical infrastructure."

At Wednesday's hearing, Anne White Hat, of the Sicangu Lakota tribe, described being arrested for trespassing in Louisiana despite having obtained permission from a landowner to protest the construction of a pipeline.

"Over a dozen of us have for several years had the possibility of lengthy prison sentences hanging over our heads," she said.

At Wednesday's hearing, Raskin said he wanted to establish federal protections for activists, following measures known as anti-SLAPP laws (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation),adopted in more than 30 states.

But he is likely to face opposition from Republicans, who described such legislation as part of a wider effort by the Biden administration and Democrats to stifle alternate views on climate change and other issues.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., pointed to statements by National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy calling on tech companies to crack down on posting false claims about climate change.

"The implication is the Biden admin dictates truth, while dissenting views are labeled misinformation," Mace said.
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After years working in flashy restaurants from New York City to Dubai, Bernardo Nolfo says he was drawn to Texas when he found similarities between his own Italian culture and Southern hospitality.

Since quietly opening Numero28 nearly a month ago in Highland Village, Nolfo is now ready to bring homestyle cooking and friendly, polite service to more Houstonians at his pizza- and pasta-centric restaurant located at 3974 Westheimer.

Its not fine dining. You come inside this restaurant and you feel like youre at home, said Nolfo. Its like eating at grandmothers home.

VEGGIE FOCUSED: Why Houston restaurants need to serve more plant-based dishes to stay on the national radar

This is the third Numero28 that Nolfo has opened in Texas. The mini chain, which started in downtown Manhattan in the early aughts with a focus on Neapolitan-style pizzas, landed in the Lone Star State in late 2014 in Austin. Almost two years ago, Nolfo opened in Dallas with partner Leo Gravina. For the Houston location, hes partnered with Rolando Biamonte and Marco Borghi.

Outside of Texas and New York, Numero28 restaurants are open in Miami, Fla., and Bergenfield, N.J.

The airy, light-filled restaurant, which seats about 50 diners indoors and more on a patio, turns to the south of Italy for inspiration.

MORE FROM BAO ONG: Houston's fine-dining hit March among Bon Appetits 50 best new restaurants in America

For smaller dishes, theres everything from stuffed and fried balls of risotto to a wide-ranging selection of cheeses and cured meats. Veal meatballs, caprese salad and carpaccio also round out this section of the menu.

Most of the pastas are handmade and include the crowd favorite cacio e pepe, the Roman dish rich in cheese and black pepper. At Numero28, the dish is finished tableside as its tossed inside a wheel of pecorino cheese the size of a small tire.

Pizzas feature prominently on the menu with more than a dozen choices. Of the 12-inch pies, the signature Numero28  which is topped with smoked prosciutto, mozzarella, mushrooms and truffle cream  is among the most popular.

I like to think were more of a trattoria than a restaurant, said Nolfo.
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Concerns about overcrowding at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter spurred commissioners to appoint County Judge Mark Keough to oversee the operations and staff at the shelter.

The action comes following an outcry from residents who said the shelter is turning away animals and asking people to hold those dogs and cats for two weeks after the shelter has vaccinated them.

MCAS Director Aaron Johnson said officers were responding to calls about stray dogs but were asking residents to keep the animal for at least two weeks after the shelter provides vaccination to ensure no spread of disease. He noted there are situations where officers do take animals resulting from a call from a resident.

On YourConroeNews.com: Conroe designated Texas Cultural District by state arts commission

Johnson said the underlying problem is the need for a new, larger shelter and the continued effort to control disease among the population.

As of Wednesday, Johnson said the shelter, which has a capacity of about 180, had 363 animals in its care. Of that those animals, 53 were cats. The shelter recently participated in a mega-adotion event at the George R. Brown Convention Center where it found homes for more 100 dogs and cats.

We need to redo the policy and procedures for animal control officers and what they tell our constituents, Keough said. "We need to figure out how to have animals come in and go out in a more affective manner. Thats what has to be done.

Johnson said he was looking forward to working with Keough to create the new policies.

Last August, the shelter stopped the intake of animals for two weeks to address an outbreak of distemper. Distemper is a highly contagious viral disease that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems in dogs and other animals like ferrets, skunks and raccoons. The disease is often fatal.

The shelter moved to an appointment-only intake process to address the distemper issue.

We are continuing to monitor that and keep it under control, Johnson said previously. Its a very big challenge because of capacity and its going to continue to be our biggest challenge. (The appointment system) has helped us disease-wise, it has helped us process-wise.

The issue of capacity at the aging facility has been at the forefront of discussions between shelter management and commissioners for several years.

During budget discussions in 2021, commissioners asked Johnson to begin gathering data for a new structure along with inquiring with animal organizations, such as the Montgomery County Humane Society, on potential partnerships.

The 152,469 square foot facility at 8535 Texas 242 was built in 2002 and has a certified value of $2.634 million for 2021 according to the Montgomery Central Appraisal District.

Keough said while adding a new shelter is in the countys future growth plan, construction may be years away.

It wont be anytime in the near future," he said.
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For Chad Robichaux, the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon changed his life.

The veteran, who served in the the Marine Corps. special forces 2003-07, said after the attacks, he wanted to serve his country and "make that wrong, right." So Robichaux co-founded a faith-based nonprofit with his wife Kathy in 2011.

The Mighty Oaks Foundation is building a new headquarters in Montgomery County and expand its service internationally. The organization is focused on helping veterans, active duty military members and first responders suffering from PTSD or other related traumas as well as those going through a divorce.

OnYourCourierNews.com: Montgomery County launches new active shooter training plan

The more than 12,000 square foot facility is set to open in April 2023 and will sit on roughly 4 acres off Texas 105 in the city of Montgomery.

Robichaux called the homecoming for the organization "surreal," on returning to where the nonprofit started in The Woodlands in 2011 after being headquartered in California in recent years.

"We could have picked anywhere in the country, anywhere in the world to do this," Robichaux said. "We picked here because we think this is the heart of Mighty Oaks. Where we started from, where we are now and where we're going needs to be centered in Texas."

The nonprofit has served more than 10,000 veterans through its program, with the vast majority of them coming from Texas, said state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, who serves as chairman of the organization.

"It's a really big deal for us to move from California back to Texas," Toth said.

OnYourCourierNews.com: Conroe Vietnam veteran to visit Washington war memorials with Honor Flight group

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Mighty Oaks COO Michael Hanson said he wondered why the organization didn't have a headquarters in Texas, after being in California to stay close to active duty members visiting one of the five ranches the organization works with as part of its program.

"Everybody is really glad that the headquarters is in Texas," Hanson said. "We have a lot of long term relationships out of Texas ... people (that) come together, ride together for Mighty Oaks. They're now right next door, instead of across the state."

When the announcement was made that the nonprofit was opening its international headquarters in Montgomery County, Hanson said he saw an "overwhelmingly amount of support."

The cost for the new facility is more than $2 million, Hanson said. Hobby Lobby's Green family has donated almost half of the cost, leaving the organization roughly $1 million to raise.

It wasn't an easy decision to get all 17 Mighty Oaks employees to Texas, Hanson said.

"I think everybody made a few sacrifices to get (here)," he said. "It's not easy to decide that you and your family are going to pack up and move ... to Texas. But we know the mission of Mighty Oaks ... we love what we do, we want to keep moving forward."

A key part of the program is introducing religion into the lives of participants.

"We're not asking you to be a preacher, evangelist, (or) shove this down people's throat," Hanson said. "We do believe that as human beings ... we need some supernatural help."
Attorneys representing the families of two people killed by Houston police in the 2019 Harding Street raid on Tuesday asked a federal judge to dismiss from their lawsuit 14 individual officers connected to the operation in an attempt to resolve the case against the city more quickly.

Attorneys Mike Doyle, Charles Bourque, and Boyd Smith said Houston city attorneys have blocked their efforts to advance the case by citing its conflict with the criminal case against the individual officers as reasons to delay depositions, discovery or other court proceedings.

EXPLAINER: What to know about Houston PD's infamous no-knock raid that led to the deaths of 2 innocent people

Even though these officers richly deserve accountability, were removing them from the lawsuit, said Doyle, who represents relatives of Rhogena Nicholas, who was killed in the Jan. 28, 2019, raid of her home. The reason is that it takes away the citys excuse to delay trial or delay depositions.

It has been more than three and a half years since the no-knock raid that ended with the deaths of Nicholas and her husband, Dennis Tuttle, and the wounding of four officers by gunfire. In the weeks afterward, former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said the raid was based on a lie, and the officer who led the raid  Gerald Goines  never had bought drugs at the home. A municipal court judge signed the raid warrant after Goines said he had used a confidential informant to buy heroin at the home.

The fallout from the botched raid was immediate, prompting multiple investigations and withering scrutiny of the Houston Police Departments anti-narcotics operations and Goines squad.

Goines, who was shot in the face and neck, retired, as did a slew of his colleagues. He ultimately was charged in federal court with violating Tuttle and Nicholas civil rights, and with felony murder in state court. Authorities also charged his squad partner, Steven Bryant, with records tampering and other crimes in both courts; nine other police officers were charged with crimes, initially. Harris County District Attorney Kim Oggs prosecutors since have dismissed charges against Officer Felipe Gallegos  the other officer charged with murder  along with charges against Bryant and another officer.

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Ogg also had prosecutors dismiss Goines active cases and began reviewing hundreds of convictions in which he had played a part in securing. Her post-conviction unit has overturned five convictions so far, and says as many as 70 defendants could deserve new trials.

Two years after the raid, relatives of Tuttle and Nicholas sued the city of Houston and a slew of officers who participated in the raid. City lawyers steadfastly have opposed the plaintiffs efforts to depose any of the officers or provide other forms of discovery.

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

On Tuesday, the relatives of the Harding Street victims asked Federal Judge Alfred Bennett to dismiss 14 current and former Houston police officers, including Acevedo, from the lawsuit to avoid the delay of more precious time for the Nicholas and Tuttle families.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas' highest criminal court overturns 5th conviction based on ex-HPD cop's testimony

In a 10-page supplemental filing, Doyle and his fellow attorneys noted the citys many appeals, including the jurisdiction where they first filed their case; their petition for pre-suit discovery, the citys 11th-hour request to move the case from state court to federal court;. They also said the city made multiple attempts to stay the case, and then refused to adhere to orders to respond to depositions.

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Although they lost at every stage in multiple courts, the city accomplished its only real goal, the attorneys wrote, to run out the clock and prevent the grieving families from learning the truth and obtaining important evidence prior to filing their federal civil rights claims.

Police brutality lawsuits can be difficult and take a long time to resolve, said Scott Medlock, a civil rights attorney who has represented plaintiffs alleging abuse while incarcerated or at the hands of police.

Cases in which police officers are the target of lawsuits, and also face criminal charges, are a mixed blessing for plaintiffs attorneys, he said.

Its helpful because they might be found criminally liable, which helps your civil case, he said, but its a huge delay because most judges will stay discovery while prosecutors resolve the criminal charges.

MORE ON HARDING: Harding Street victims' families sue city and Houston cops, likening botched raid to 'Training Day'

In Houston, it is not uncommon for police brutality cases to take years to be resolved. After police shot Kenny Releford in 2012, attorneys spent five years fighting city attorneys before the city agreed, in 2017, to pay $260,000 to settle the case. When Jordan Baker was shot to death by an off-duty police officer in 2014, his relatives also sued. The city resolved the case in 2020 for $1.2 million.

Over the past few years, cities grappling with police shootings have moved to more swiftly resolve those cases. Following the killings of George Floyd by police in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, authorities in both states settled those cases in less than a year, and before any criminal cases against the officers involved resulted in convictions or acquittals.

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Criminal justice reformers said the citys legal tactics also have prevented the public from learning basic information about the raid.

Regardless of how long litigation is taking, we should have had much more public information than we have had by now, said Scott Henson, with Just Liberty, an Austin-based criminal justice advocacy non-profit. We still havent seen a ballistics report to see who shot who. We dont know even the basics about what went on.

City officials have not responded to a request for comment.

st.john.smith@houstonchronicle.com
Lawyers for two men accused in the death of a Harris County constables deputy have waived their right to argue for bond on their clients new murder charges.

The decision on Wednesday avoids evidence from witness testimony from being divulged in court that could have elaborated on whether defendants Ahsim Taylor Jr. and Jayland Womack  who were both on bond in connection to prior killings  should be held without bail. Prosecutors issued subpoenas this week for Harris County Sheriffs Office investigators to attend a bail review hearing.

MORE FROM COURT: GPS ankle monitors link men out on bond to Houston-area deputy's killing in suspected road rage clash

Both men are charged with murder in the shooting death of Precinct 3 deputy Omar Ursin on Aug. 28 during what authorities believe may have been a road rage clash. The off-duty deputy was picking up food for his family.

Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Judge Denise Collins, a visiting jurist to the 263rd District Court, explained the implications for the defendants should the attorneys continue with that path. They will have no legal right to seek bond later and if their attorneys try to  it would be up to the discretion of the judge, she said.

By waiving this hearing, youll be giving up any right to have any bond in the future, Collins said. The old bonds will be no bond. All the cases will be no bond.

Taylors lawyer, Letitia Quinones, and Womacks attorney, Connie Williams, gave their OK to the judge, adding that they would rather let the criminal case take its course ahead of a grand jury convening on the charges.

Courtesy

Quinones told the judge she may try to have a bond set in her clients case at a later date. After the hearing  she ushered Taylors family from the courtroom to a witness room.

NEW DETAILS: Kevin Ware cut girlfriend's throat in the shower and burned body at drug dealer's home, officials say

The defense attorneys have questioned the evidence in the case, with Williams saying he believes another passenger may have been in the car with Taylor and Womack.

Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Taylor and Womack were free on bond on respective capital murder and murder charges and had court-ordered ankle monitors on them at the time of the killing  a GPS monitoring tool that helped investigators link them to Ursins death, according to authorities. Police arrested both men Friday.

Both defendants had been out on bond for more than a year. Defendants are, in most cases, entitled to bail under federal and state constitutions. It can be denied in limited circumstances.

Taylor was charged with capital murder in June 2021 in the death of a man whom he and a second defendant were selling a vehicle to, according to court documents. Womack's initial murder charge was filed in January 2021 following a fatal shooting during a suspected marijuana deal.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
A man found dead Monday in a Friendswood homicide was identified by police as 51-year-old Christopher Todd Starling.

Starling was found dead in the front hallway of his home at 12:40 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, in the 400 block of Oak Vista Drive during a police welfare check. He was suffering a head wound consistent with foul play and was suspected to have been dead for several days.

An official said that no one else was in the house when the police got there. Later that evening, police were looking for a person of interest but have not identified them. Police said Monday they do not believe the homicide was random.

FALSE ALARM: Hoax call of 10 people shot at Heights High School prompted active shooter scare, Finner says

Starlings vehicle, a white 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup, was found at a wrecker impound lot in Houston late Monday night.

It was towed to the Friendswood Police Department for evidence processing Tuesday morning.

Anyone with information about the man's death or suspicious activity should call investigators at 281-996-3300.
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Shannon Velasquez burst into tears on Tuesday afternoon as she waited on the sidewalk near Heights High School, where her daughter and hundreds more students were locked down in their classrooms after someone made a false report about a mass shooting.

The mother knew her daughter was fine  she had spoken with the sophomore student on FaceTime as she sped to school from work.

Still, she could not shake a horrible feeling, and her frustration bubbled over as she heard conflicting information from parents and officers about where she should go to reunite with her child.

As if this isn't bad enough?" she said. "I just cant wait to put my arms around my kid."

MORE: Hoax call of 10 people shot at Heights High School prompted active shooter scare, Finner says

Anxiety, panic and confusion erupted on Tuesday afternoon in the residential streets surrounding Heights High School. Personnel from at least eight law enforcement agencies sped to the scene with lights and sirens. Panicked parents rushed from jobs and lunch appointments. Some drivers ditched their cars on the grassy median along Heights Boulevard, and walked or ran several blocks to the school.

Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Parents gathered information from their children, other parents, news reports and officials  eventually learning that their kids were safe and the massive frenzy actually stemmed from a false alarm.

Still, some parents said they were frustrated by sparse communication from the school, district or law enforcement agencies, although HISD and law enforcement agencies have defended their response.

Julie Osterman learned about the situation from her daughter, who thought the lock down was a drill until helicopters and law enforcement officers swarmed the school.

Osterman said she got more updates from a group text with other parents before the school district sent a call and email with minimal information.

"I found out more information from the news than I did from the school," she said.

Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Another parent, Angel Perez, said she first learned about the situation from family members and news reports.

The alert was so late, she said about the school's notification. Their response should be a whole lot better in letting the parents know whats going on.

EDITORIAL: The Heights active shooter call was fake. The fear was real.

Luis Morales, HISD spokesman, said notifications went out to parents 23 minutes after the district became aware of the situation.

We were able to get that out a quicker than we have before, Morales said, adding that the district must verify information before sending out notifications.

HPD Chief Finner: Safety comes first

Chief Troy Finner said during a news briefing on Tuesday afternoon that he sympathized with parents who were frustrated. But safety comes before notifications, he said.

"We have to search the school. That is the most important thing  to stop the threat if theres a threat," he said. "We don't have time to call. Once we make it safe, we start making those calls."

Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said more than two dozen units from HFD responded to the scene. The first unit arrived two minutes after HFD received the call, he said, and quickly began coordinating a rescue team with police.

"The community expects the first responders to get on scene quickly, to get on scene and coordinate and start taking action as soon as they get on scene," he said. "That's exactly what we did."

False reports are "not acceptable," said Pena, because of the strain on resources and emotional toll on parents and community members.

Officials said the person who made the false report will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Police believe the call came from outside the school.

"Were going to trace it down and we're going to hold them accountable," Finner said.

YOUTH GUN VIOLENCE: As Texas reels from Uvalde, these 19 Houston-area kids are a reminder gun violence happens every day

The situation began shortly after 1 p.m. when someone called Precinct 1 dispatch and falsely reported that 10 people had been shot in a classroom at Heights High School, the police chief said.

Law enforcement agencies arrived within minutes, breached a locked door at the school and began searching the building. They found no shooter or injured persons.

Meanwhile, HISD police, which has its own dispatch, initially received a call about a fight in progress, not an active shooter, said assistant police chief Lucretia Rogers. On-campus officers immediately started searching the building and were soon joined by other law enforcement agencies.

Officials confirmed that there there was a fight between two students but no one was injured.

No magic number

Schools have a responsibility to treat all threats seriously and investigate them thoroughly  even if they seem like possible hoaxes, said Ken Trump, a school security and emergency preparedness expert. Types and methods of threat-making have grown in number over the years, and safety officials have to assess all of them to completely ensure that children are safe, he said.

The panic that understandably results can cause issues in communicating with parents, Trump added. Administrators typically use mass notification systems to inform parents about unfolding situations, he said, and multiple people should be trained in how to use them in the event the designated person isn't available.

Karen Warren/Staff photographer

While administrators need to be quick to inform parents, Trump said theres no magic number on how fast information should be disseminated. Schools are simultaneously trying to protect their children, and administrators are usually trained to release information as they get it. In unfolding situations, principals should typically send an initial email about the threat or shooting, with updates pushed out as quickly and reasonably as possible, Trump said.

Because of our digital world, parents feel that messaging has been delayed if they dont get it within two minutes after it occurred," he said. You have the potential crisis incident itself  and you have the communications crisis. The pressure is on administrators and school safety officials to manage those simultaneously, and thats a very difficult tightrope to walk."

SCHOOL SAFETY: HISD board OKs the purchase of gear for district police expected to help in active shooter scenario

Other parents, meanwhile, were pleased with the response to the situation and the communication from officials.

Victor Aceves learned that his freshman daughter was OK after exchanging texts with her. He encountered a heavy police presence at the school, and said the quick law enforcement response made him feel better.

Im concerned about my daughters safety, but I understand that in the situation that theyre not able to communicate, he said.

As students trickled out of the school and hugged their waiting parents, Chasidy Moren stood with her wedge sandals in her hand on the sidewalk across from the school. At last, her daughter came walking across the street, and she was felt absolute relief.

It was a scary day, Moren said, but she was happy with the law enforcement presence and flow of communication from the school, district, parents and her daughter.

"I don't think they couldve handled this any better," she said. "They did a great job."
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz declined to support a ban on assault weapons Wednesday after the parents of a 10-year-old killed during the mass shooting in Uvalde showed him a photo of their daughter in her casket.

Kimberly Mata-Rubio and her husband Felix on Wednesday tweeted about the meeting with the Texas senator.

Felix shared our last photo of Lexi  in her child-size casket  as we asked @tedcruz to protect his constituents by supporting a federal ban on assault weapons, Mata-Rubio wrote on Twitter. He declined. Instead, he said he supports increasing law enforcement presence on school campuses.

You might also like: Make a liar out of me: Uvalde family dares Gov. Greg Abbott to prove they matter

Lexi was one of 19 students killed at Robb Elementary on May 24. Her mother gave tearful testimony before the Houses Oversight Committee the following month as she recounted the last moments shared with her daughter.

She called on Congress for stronger gun control laws in the wake of the shooting.

The families of the victims and survivors of the massacre have demanded action from Texas leaders on gun reform. More recently, they have requested billboards that take aim at Gov. Greg Abbott and his stance on gun control be erected.

Cruz has called for more armed law enforcement on school campuses following the shooting.

timothy.fanning@express-news.net
After the Uvalde massacre, hundreds of thousands of people had something to say. They took to Twitter to criticize elected officials and express horror at the carnage. Depending on their political leanings, they called for stricter gun controls or opposed the very idea as unconstitutional and un-American.

But the intensity of feeling faded quickly, at least as measured by Twitter activity.

The San Antonio Express-News collected 10,000 to 18,000 tweets about Uvalde nearly every hour between May 26, two days after the massacre, and July 5  about 1 million messages in all.

Twitter posts with the word "Uvalde" peaked on May 26 at 133,535 tweets. Starting on May 28, the number dropped by 42% in 48 hours, and kept falling.

Tweets directed at politicians fell from 16,984 on May 26, two days after the shooting, to 3,602 on June 4.

The most common two-word phrase detected was Uvalde police, followed by school shooting and police chief.

The name Greg Abbott was tweeted 9,002 times, becoming the most frequently cited name associated with the topic. Actor and activist Matthew McConaughey, a Uvalde native, and then-Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo, who was blamed for bungling the police response, were the next most cited names, mentioned 7,564 and 7,099 times respectively.

Additionally, #nra or #guncontrolnow were used 4,399 times and 6,102 times respectively. Some hashtags referred to other mass shootings such as #sandyhook or #buffalo.

Other hashtags, such as #gasprices, were used in tweets about Uvalde to talk about the trending stories of the day.

Several popular tweets came from "Roland for Texas," the Twitter account of state Sen. Roland Gutierrez. The Democrat from San Antonio's district includes Uvalde, and he has heavily criticized the state's actions since the shooting.

The Express-News identified hashtags used more than 100 times in all collected tweets. Then, we identified the tweet with the highest number of retweets with those hashtags.

In the case of #gop, the most popular tweet criticized the GOP, claiming the party did not care about the tragedys victims.

Thoughts and prayers

Mary Blankenship, a graduate student who studies social sciences and chemistry at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, has been researching Twitter dialogue after mass shootings since the 2017 Las Vegas massacre, in which a gunman killed 60 people attending a music festival on the Strip.

Blankenship said conversations about Uvalde lasted slightly longer compared to other mass shootings because of the number of casualties (21) and the age of the victims (who were mostly 9 and 10). Additionally, anger over a mass shooting in Buffalo, N.Y., where 10 people were killed at a supermarket patronized by African Americans on May 14, carried over to Uvalde. She said the number of tweets about Uvalde decreased in part because the massacre was eclipsed by other major news events.

She noted that conversations about mass shootings used to be more positive and hopeful.

What we've seen over time [...] thoughts and prayers have really decreased and almost disappeared from the discussion, she said. With the more recent shootings, instead of the positive emotions, you really just have a lot of the negative emotions like fear, anger, particularly around groups that are politically active.

The phrase thoughts and prayers was identified about 3,532 times, making up less than 1% of tweets. Even then, 30% of tweets containing that phrase were directed at politicians and several tweets directed at officials asked if they could do something besides offer thoughts and prayers.

The hashtags #UvaldeStrong, #prayersforuvalde and #thoughtandprayers each appeared more than 100 times, landing them in the top 150 most common hashtags. Negative hashtags, such as #uvaldepolicecowards and #nomoreinnocentblood were more popular.

All eyes on the politicians

Republican Gov. Greg Abbotts personal Twitter account was mentioned 12,558 times and his official gubernatorial account  @GovAbbott  was mentioned 6,903 times.

Users directed tweets at Democrat Beto ORourkes personal account more than 6,000 times. Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruzs personal account was mentioned 10,318 times, and his senatorial account was mentioned 5,943 times.

Frustration across the aisle

In her research, Blankenship has studied how different political parties react to mass shootings.

Republicans tweets try to change the subject, according to Blankenship. For instance, instead of talking about gun reform, they focus on the confused police response.

The Express-News identified a tweet from Arizona State Sen. Wendy Rogers as one of the most popular tweets by a conservative. In the message, Rogers criticized "RINOS" in the U.S. Senate, a pejorative term for "Republicans in name only," for working with "communist Democrats" on a package of modest gun controls in response to the Uvalde shooting.

Democrats tended to tweet about the victims, talking about how some children survived by pretending to be dead or how one child, 10-year-old Maite Rodriguez, was so badly disfigured by high-velocity rounds from the gunman's semi-automatic rifle that she was identifiable only by her green Converse sneakers. President Joe Biden followed this trend by talking about the process of identifying a dead child.

Who was tweeting?

Most tweets are from unverified users, meaning Twitter has not identified the user as a public figure.

Some accounts  such as those that tweeted about Uvalde the most often  showed sporadic moments where they tweeted about Uvalde hundreds of times in one day and then slowly tapered off.

News organizations, such as Houston Chronicle, Texas Tribune and KENS5, tweeted about Uvalde more than 500 times. Political figures or organizations make up less than 1% of users who tweeted about the incident.

What does it all mean?

When people do reflect on mass shootings, Blankenship said they often use Twitter to rant  not to develop solutions.

Even when they are able to find common ground and when there is basically cause to reach across the aisle and have constructive discussions, any potential for those kinds of constructive discussions gets completely trampled with the conspiracy theories, disinformation, cynicism that gets spread within the most retweeted tweets, Blankenship said.

The Uvalde shooting also occurred around primary season. Blankenship said some political figures used the situation to spread conspiracy theories.

That's one of the things that makes it so frustrating, she said. [You expect] elected officials to have a greater sense of responsibility at what they tweet out or what they send out to their bases. But they're really also one of the ones propagating this kind of cynicism and information pollution.

Though the discussion surrounding the shooting wasnt productive, Blankenship said public anger over mass shootings came through loud and clear.

I think people are still having a very negative, visceral and a loud reaction to these kinds of tragedies, she said. People are very sick of having to deal with the possibility of having someone shoot you.
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, September 13, 2022

_____

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...

Southern Berkshire County in western Massachusetts...

Southeastern Columbia County in east central New York...

* Until 600 PM EDT.

* At 504 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Copake, or 8

miles southwest of Great Barrington, moving east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...

Great Barrington, Lee, Copake, Sheffield, Becket, Otis,

Sandisfield, Housatonic, Ashley Falls, Hillsdale, New Marlborough,

Monterey, Alford, Tyringham, Ancramdale, Hartsville, Konkapot,

Gomorrah, Montville and Alander.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a

building.

Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground

lightning is occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately.

Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can

hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to

flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

Please report hail size...damaging winds and reports of trees down to

the National Weather Service by email at Alb.Stormreport@noaa.gov...

On Facebook at www.facebook.com/nwsalbany or twitter @nwsalbany

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
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UMG consolidates Virgin, Ingrooves, newly acquired mtheory into new Artist & Label Services Division

UMG has acquire-hired mtheorys Artist Partenrship division and consolidated it, indie distributoor Ingrooves, and Virgin Music Label & Artist Services into a single new division under the Virgin brand.

via CelebrityAccess

Universal Music announced the acquisition of mtheory Artist Partnerships, the label division of US music company mtheory, which will serve as the nucleus for the relaunch of the Virgin Music Group brand.

Virgin Music Group will consolidate UMGs artist services businesses under the leadership of music entrepreneurs and mtheory founders JT Myers and Nat Pastor as Co-CEOs, effective immediately.

mtheorys Manager Services business is not part of the transaction and will remain wholly independent.

In their new roles, Myers and Pastor will oversee the expansion of UMGs independent music offerings across of all its businesses and regions, reporting directly to UMG Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge.

The newly launched Virgin Music Group will contain multiple existing divisions at UMG, including:

Virgin Music Label & Artist Services , which launched last year and provides artist and label services in the U.S., Japan, U.K., Germany and across Central Europe, France, Cote dIvoire , Australia & New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Western Balkans & Serbia and across Latin America & Iberia, including offices in the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Portugal.

, which launched last year and provides artist and label services in the U.S., Japan, U.K., Germany and across Central Europe, France, Cote dIvoire , Australia & New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Western Balkans & Serbia and across Latin America & Iberia, including offices in the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Portugal. Ingrooves Music Group , which UMG acquired in 2019 and which provides marketing and distribution services for indie labels, including analytics, rights management, advertising, royalty accounting, video monetization and music licensing.

, which UMG acquired in 2019 and which provides marketing and distribution services for indie labels, including analytics, rights management, advertising, royalty accounting, video monetization and music licensing. mtheory Artist Partnerships, the label which UMG acquired through this newly announced deal. The label has released numerous hits in recent years, including Major Lazers Award-winning single Lean On, the number No. 1 most streamed track of all time.

In order to remain the best home for artists and entrepreneurs we must drive innovation in our own businessesoffering new and high-quality resources for artists from all corners of the world while continuing to lead the industrys transformation. Nat and JTs track record for creating forward-thinking partnerships with artists that are built on a foundation of trust, creativity and business acumen is exactly the kind of leadership we want for the new Virgin Music Group division. Together with our frontline labels and global footprint, Virgin Music Group offers artists unmatched creative and commercial support, said Lucian Grainge.

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Great Barrington Police to Hold Officer Entrance Exam

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.  The Great Barrington Police Department will hold a police officer entrance exam for aspiring police officers on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. at the Great Barrington Fire Department.

The registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m. More details, exam procedures and registration can be found here: http:// publicsafetyllc.com/ examinations. The exam fee is $100.

Those with satisfactory exam scores will be eligible for a further screening and interview process.

The Great Barrington Police Department is a state-accredited progressive law enforcement agency with community outreach as a top priority. The department has competitive pay, educational incentives and opportunities for advancement within the department.
Lenox Principal Resigns, Was Fired in 2008 Over Conduct With BArT Student

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  One week after iBerkshires.com reached out to the Lenox Public Schools regarding 14-year-old suspicions of an inappropriate relationship with a minor by the man who was hired as the district's middle-high school principal this summer, the district announced late Tuesday that Salvatore Frieri had resigned.

"Mr. Frieri's resignation is especially upsetting and disappointing after LMMHS had such a joyful opening to the 2022-2023 school year," Superintendent Marc Gosselin wrote in an email sent to the school community. "Still, this decision is ultimately best for Mr. Frieri and his family and our LMMHS students and staff."

Attempts to reach Frieri were unsuccessful on Tuesday evening.

According to a Dec. 18, 2008, Adams Police Department report, Frieri was a 27-year-old substitute teacher at the Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School. School officials fired him on Dec. 11 of that year and reported to police that they had information about "an inappropriate relationship" between Frieri and a 15-year-old girl enrolled as a sophomore at the school, the report reads.

On that Thursday in mid-December, BArT ordered a noon dismissal due to inclement weather, the report reads. Frieri was observed leaving the parking lot with the student, Jane (not her real name), in violation of school policy, school officials reported.

Jane, who was in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families at the time, did not arrive at her foster home in Clarksburg until two hours later, the report reads.

According to testimony to the police from then-BArT Executive Director Julia Bowen, she contacted Frieri and told him to return to the school, where he told school officials, "all they did was drive around and talk," the police report says.

"At the conclusion of this meeting, Frieri was terminated from his position at BArT Charter School and told not to come back onto school grounds," the report reads.

Bowen told police that after the Dec. 11 incident, she learned of two other times Frieri had been seen with Jane in his red 2005 Audi A4, on Dec. 9 and Dec. 12, the day after he was fired.

The suspicions were passed on to DCF and the Berkshire District Attorney's Office but no charges appear to have ever been filed.

A member of the BArT community reached out to iBerkshires.com in late August after news of Frieri's appointment as principal at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School was reported in an article in the Berkshire Eagle.

iBerkshires.com spoke to several other people who were at BArT in December 2008, both on and off the record, before contacting Gosselin, the Lenox superintendent, on Sept. 6, both by phone and by email, attaching a copy of the 2008 Adams Police incident report.

On Tuesday afternoon, Gosselin said he could neither confirm nor deny that Frieri was under investigation by the district before that Sept. 6 inquiry. And he declined to discuss details of the district's internal investigation, citing it as a personnel matter.

Gosselin confirmed that Frieri was placed on leave during the Lenox district's investigation and said the district will not be paying any portion of Frieri's remaining contract as part of a severance agreement.

Gosselin also said Frieri's district email address had not been terminated. iBerkshires.com reached out to Frieri at that email address at 5:27 Tuesday evening seeking comment and left two separate voicemail messages at a number listed for Frieri with an identifying outgoing message that "Sal" could not answer the phone. Neither the messages nor the email were returned at time of publication.

A half-dozen people familiar with Frieri from his time at BArT told iBerkshires.com over the last couple of weeks they believed Frieri and Jane were involved in an inappropriate relationship.

"I had gone on a field trip with some students, and the student in question was sitting in the bus behind me," said Erica Manville, now a school teacher in Holyoke but at the time an art teacher at BArT. "I turned around to speak to her, and she said, 'You know, Mr. Frieri is mine.' So I was thinking, 'It's interesting that you have a crush on a teacher, but that's not appropriate.' She said, 'No, it's not a crush. It's real.' And the student next to her was nodding her head.

"That got me concerned."

Christine Garrity was a paraprofessional at BArT in 2008 and still works at the school as a library and technology assistant.

"I think the one thing that probably disturbed me the most was the kids saying how she was taken across state lines at one point," Garrity said.

Garrity herself saw Frieri pick up Jane after school prior to Dec. 11.

"I was like, 'Dude, what are you doing?' " she said.

Garrity said she reported her concerns to her immediate superior, but she does not know what if any action the school took.

Garrity, like others iBerkshires.com spoke to in reporting this story, said she was upset when she learned Frieri had risen in the ranks of education to the position of principal.

"The fact that he is still in the educational system is ridiculous," she said.

Alexandra Perkins had a similar reaction.

"Immediately, I was like, 'How?' " Perkins said of her reaction to news of Frieri's appointment in Lenox.

In 2008, Perkins was a classmate and friend of Jane's. She said she and her boyfriend at the time socialized with Jane and Frieri at Frieri's house in Pittsfield, where they consumed alcohol.

"They were considered a more serious relationship," Perkins said of Frieri and Jane.

"We went to his house all the time. We would have drinks at his house. We would go to the movies. We'd hang out all the time.

"I was the cover any time she wanted to hang out with Mr. Free," Perkins said, using a nickname that a couple of people recall Frieri allowing students to use.

Perkins, now almost 30, said as a teenager she did not think the relationship between a substitute teacher and high school sophomore was inappropriate.

"Even through my college years, I didn't think too much of it," Perkins said. "Now I'm almost 30 and have step nieces and nephews who are almost 15, and the thought makes me want to throw up. It took me a while to understand, 'Wow, this is not right.' "

Perkins said she is certain that the relationship between Jane and Frieri continued for "at least another year or two."

"I specifically remember [Jane] and I in science class looking up the laws of when she could legally date him," Perkins said. "She didn't want him to get in trouble, so she was trying to confirm the age of consent, I think.

"Sixteen should not be the age of consent. That itself is wild. I'm pretty sure her birthday is in February, so it was close."

The Dec. 18, 2008, Adams Police incident report and a subsequent report on Dec. 19 indicate the APD turned the matter over to DCF, State Police and the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.

iBerkshires.com on Aug. 31 submitted a request for a report from the State Police through the mass.gov website. The State Police have not responded to that request.

This month, through a spokesperson, the Berkshire DA's office said it could neither confirm nor deny whether the December 2008 incident was investigated by the office.

On July 21, the Berkshire Eagle reported Frieri was hired as principal at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School on a three-year contract with a starting salary of $117,000 per year.

"That's my passion, to make sure all students are included and that they receive an equitable education, that they don't just receive a minimum amount and skirt by," the paper quoted Frieri saying in a July 7 community conversation. "They deserve to have a team of cheerleaders who are creating a plan of success for them."

"Students who have special needs deserve access to anything that's offered in middle and high school."

The paper reported Frieri was hired after the abrupt departure of the former principal and the unexplained leave for the former assistant principal.

Gosselin's letter to the community on Tuesday said he and Assistant Principal David Pugh will lead the school while the district searches for an interim principal.

Frieri, 40, formerly was principal at elementary schools in Westfield and Holyoke, the Eagle reported. He also taught for five years at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield, the paper said.

Though he could not be reached for comment on Tuesday evening, a letter above Frieri's name did accompany the announcement from Gosselin of the principal's departure.

"Unfortunately, this message is communicating an extremely difficult decision to you all," the letter from Frieri reads. "The fact is, this school deserves every moment of my attention, and I am unable to give it at this time.

"This school and its remarkable faculty, staff, students, and community deserve a full-time presence. For this reason and others, I will take time to take care of my family and myself and request Dr. Gosselin and Mrs. Falkowski to reopen the principal search.

"Similar to what I always tell any teacher or student in such situations, as hard as they are to live through, I have to take care of myself and my family before I can give Lenox what the school deserves.

"I will be cheering your successes from afar and wish you all the best of happiness and fortune, now and always."
COVID-19 Resource Center Vaccinates Hundreds With Updated Boosters

BENNINGTON, Vt.  More than 200 people were vaccinated with updated bivalent boosters for COVID-19 at Southwestern Vermont Health Cares (SVHC) COVID-19 Resource Center yesterday morning. The clinic exhausted its supply of Moderna and will be offering Pfizer boosters only in the coming days.

In addition, a limited number of Pfizer shots available for Thursdays clinic has caused the health system to reduce clinic hours to 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15.

"Both the Pfizer and Moderna bivalent vaccines are equally effective," said Trey Dobson, MD, Southwestern Vermont Medical Centers chief medical officer. "The most important step is to get one as soon as you can."

The COVID-19 Resource Center is located on the former campus of Southern Vermont College at 982 Mansion Drive in Bennington. The Center expects to resume normal hours8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdaysstarting Tuesday, Sept. 20, though only Pfizer shots are expected to be available for the next few weeks. Service is provided on a walk-in basis during operating hours. No appointment is needed.

To be eligible, you must:

Be at least 12 years old. Have received the primary series of vaccination for COVID Have received your final dose of COVID vaccine, whether as one of the primary series or a booster, at least 2 months ago

More information about bivalent boosters is available at https://svhealthcare.org/ Wellness-Connection/bivalent- boosters. The primary series of COVID-19 vaccines are also available.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care will run walk-in flu shot clinics on Saturdays throughout the month of October. The clinics will offer both traditional and high-dose flu vaccine. High-dose vaccine is available to those 65 or older. Additional details will be posted at svhealthcare.org and facebook.com/svmedicalcenter. Note that insurances will be billed and patients may receive a bill for the remaining cost.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey and Temescal Wellness CEO Alex Hardy cut the ribbon Wednesday on Temescal's new grow facility in the old Crane plant in the Hardman Industrial Park. CEO Alex Hardy explains the fertilizer room. Once production begins, admittance into the facility will be strictly limited The plants will start their journey across the production floor on 4-by-20-foot moveable trays and take weeks to go through each section. The journey ends on the other side. Mayor Macksey checks out the secure holding areas for completed product. PreviousNext

Temescal Cuts Ribbon on $20M Cannabis Cultivation Facility



A number of local officials and city employees as well as Temescal workers attended the event that included a tour of the facility. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Temescal Wellness is ready to start production in a few weeks and anticipates some "really top-notch weed" available by late fall.

CEO Alex Hardy and Mayor Jennifer Macksey cut the ribbon on the 72,000-square-foot, more than $20 million, state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation facility on Wednesday morning even as National Grid was out back making sure that the power will be there when operations begin.

"We actually were one of the first 10 companies to become fully operational in the state," said Hardy. "There's been a sea change in terms of how people approach the cannabis industry, how operators like us approach the cannabis industry. ... This facility is allowing our company to re-establish ourselves as one of the leaders in the state."

Temescal has three retail shops in Pittsfield, Framingham and Hudson and currently employs about 100. The new cultivation facility will add about 80 jobs in the coming months.

"What is great about today is not only the improvement in this facility but the economic development that will come out of this facility," said Macksey. "While I'm thrilled about the employment opportunity in North Adams, I'm even more thrilled about the tax revenue I'm going to get."

Two years after stationery factory Crane closed, the more than 40-year-old plant has been completely rebuilt on the inside over the past year. Temescal purchased the 10-acre lot in the Hardman Industrial Park last year.

"We have completely gutted this thing, repoured the foundation," Hardy said. "We have built this thing from the ground up with just the outer envelope surviving ... this is truly a state-of-the-art facility in Massachusetts in the cannabis industry."

The once largely open floor plan busy with people and machines has now been closed in with discrete areas and doors with warning signs of limited access. The walls are panels used for walk-in coolers, the floors are epoxied and inclined for drainage, and a massive water and fertilization room mixes the correct nutrients the plants need.

The computerized Damatex system is embedded throughout the facility to automatically adjust levels as necessary to optimize plant growth, Hardy said, plus CO2 is pumped into the building to spur the plant's growth.

Next door is the "mother room" that can hold up to 400 cannabis plants  the facility's genetic library  that will never be allowed to flower but will rather be cloned.

"We keep that at a state where they are just prior to flowering and literally cut leaves off of these plants," said Hardy. "We're going to end up producing almost a 1,000 plants a week in here. To do that, we're going to have to cut about 1,500 little leaves."

The leaves will be planted, culled and the final selections placed on of several 4-by-20-foot trays that can roll along the perimeter of the grow area and through the center of the building for the grow process.

Although "functionally finished," areas of the facility are still empty waiting for equipment for drying, flash freezing, stocking, and packaging  all things months off at the moment.

Temescal still has to have the state's Cannabis Control Commission do a final signoff before the first plants are potted.

Then, "we will have plants in the ground in a matter of weeks and then we will be growing and growing and finally rolling product out right around Christmas time or shortly thereafter," Hardy said.

The estimated grow period is about 16 weeks with another three weeks for aging. An independent laboratory will take care of testing. The facility will grow medicine-grade cannabis and sell for both medical and recreational use.

With some exceptions  such as operating the Damatex system  the average worker can be trained on the job although horticultural or agricultural knowledge is a plus.

The lack of product allowed attendees at Wednesday's ribbon cutting to tour the facility without concerns for security or protective gear. Also in attendance were Councilors Peter Oleskiewicz and Wayne Wilkinson, Police Chief Jason Wood, Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre, Building Inspector William Meranti, 1Berkshire Director of Economic Development Projects Benjamin Lamb and Christopher Cozzaglio, representing Congressman Richie Neal's office.

Hardy called out ARCO National Construction, the contractor for the project, and local subcontractors for their work, Innovative Industrial Properties for funding the project, and local lawmakers and the city and its departments for aiding in its successful completion.

"Everybody in our company has had some hand in bringing this facility together," he said, but specifically pointed to Temescal Controller Michael Bates for keeping the project on point, Compliance Director Kasey Corson and Director of Production Tom Haffly for being the brainchild behind the project "and driving the functional design of this facility."

Macksey said the ribbon cutting wasn't an end but a continuation of the teamwork between the city and its newest business.

"Alex has been a good educator about cannabis," she said. "Some of you tell me I'm the mayor who hates weed, but that's not the case. ...

"I think it's important for our community to be educated on the growth and cultivation and the good that this building will do for North Adams. Our teamwork doesn't end today."
Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors.

KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary.

No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account."

www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. 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.
Cambodian PM calls on ASEAN members to attract big economies to RCEP trade pact

Xinhua) 16:58, September 14, 2022

SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Wednesday called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to continue attracting other big economies to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement.

"ASEAN should continue enhancing cooperation with external partners based on the principles of equity and mutual interest through maximizing the benefits of RCEP," Hun Sen, who was also the ASEAN chair for 2022, said in a speech during the opening ceremony of the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

On maximizing the benefits of RCEP agreement, he pointed out that ASEAN member states should do their utmost to implement their commitments and continue the negotiations on opening up the markets, with the aim of attracting more big economies to join the pact.

Entering into force on Jan. 1, 2022, the world's biggest free trade agreement includes 10 ASEAN members, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The 15 states' total population, gross domestic product and trade all account for about 30 percent of the world total.

"RCEP will enhance the roles of multilateralism based on a rule-based international order, henceforth, promoting more cooperation and peaceful trade activities in the region," Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun)
According to financial data acquired by business intelligence platform Tofler, breakfast cereal producer Kellogg India Private Limited, which manufactures and promotes ready-to-eat cereal and other convenience foods, recorded a 43% yoy increase in FY22 net profit at Rs103 crore. The company reported a net profit of Rs71.70 crore in the previous fiscal year.



Meanwhile, revenue for the fiscal year 2021-22 jumped 14% yoy to Rs1,352 crore, according to data received from Tofler. Total costs for the fiscal year were up 13.1% at Rs1,217 crore.



Following the pandemic, demand for packaged goods increased as consumers cooked and consumed more meals at home. Households shifted to branded and packaged goods as well.



The firm offers Kellogg's corn flakes, Chocos, muesli, oats, granola, and upma in India. Kellogg's cereals are manufactured in India and are exported to regions such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.



Last year, the company expanded its product offering in India by introducing the Froot Loops cereal brand.



For feedback and suggestions, write to us at editorial@iifl.com
In a bid to cultivate ties with Nepals parliament, Chinas top legislator Li Zhanshu signed an agreement with Agni Prasad Sapkota, speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, on Monday.

Li and his Nepali counterpart Sapkota inked the six-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) following their hour-long delegation-level talks at the Federal Parliament Building, New Baneshwar.

According to the text of the agreement shared to media, Nepal and Chinas legislatures will intensify their engagements and exchanges on governance, legislative and supervisory practices under the framework of the China-initiated Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI).

The two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative as per the understanding reached between the two governments in the past, read the text of the agreement.

#Nepal A high level visit from #China, the Chinese Speaker, Li Zhanshu to Kathmandu. Was received by #Nepals Speaker Agni Sapkota. All international visits to Nepal are being observed closely due to upcoming general elections. https://t.co/s576r54CwR  Navita Srikant (@NavitaSrikant) September 12, 2022

This is for the first time, legislatures of Nepal and China signed the formal agreement to enhance cooperation. Earlier, parliamentarians of the both the countries had normal interactions, including exchange of visits for the past few years.

The agreement seeks to build goodwill and mutual trust between the two legislatures and respect sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and development path and matters of common concern.

China has, of late, stepped up its engagements with the entire political spectrum of Nepal. Lis visit is one of the high-level visits from China to Nepal in recent months. The focus of the current visit is to cultivate ties with parliamentarians also partly due to geopolitical reasons, observers said.

The Chinese could have realized the importance of Nepals parliamentary exercise following the passage of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Nepal Compact, a $500 million US grant agreement, Rupak Sapkota, a China watcher said in a recent interview with the Kathmandu Post newspaper, adding Perhaps that was an added motivation to push for greater engagement with Nepali parliamentarians.

In February this year, Nepals parliament passed the USinitiated MCC Nepal Compact, despite Chinas public displeasure. China and the US also engaged in war of words over the MCC Nepal Compact accusing each other of violating Nepals sovereign decision.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the US of employing coercive diplomacy against Nepal while the US countered that it was China who was behind the delay in passing the US grant program MCC.

In whirlwind visit, Li meets Nepals PM, political leaders

Li, the chairman of Chinas National Peoples Congress Standing Committee, who arrived in Nepals capital Kathmandu on Monday afternoon on a four-day visit, is holding a series of high-level meetings.

Chinese Leader Li Zhanshu meets Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. They talked about better partnership, connectivity, implementing agreements and border as well. Pic. Roshan Sapkota/RSS pic.twitter.com/pVdtALdFre  Routine of Nepal banda (@RONBupdates) September 13, 2022

Li, the third-ranked leader in Chinas political hierarchy, held separate meetings with Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka and National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timalsina, on Tuesday.

The two sides discussed a number of bilateral issues including bilateral trade, investment, connectivity, return of Nepali students to China, resumption of passenger flights, and reopening of border ports, according to a statement issued by Nepals foreign ministry.

The Chinese side appreciated Nepal for its stand on One China policy and its commitment not to allow the Nepali territory to be used against the core interests of China, the ministry said.

On Tuesday, the Chinese leader also met chairman of the CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda and CPN (Unified Marxist Leninist) chairman KP Sharma Oli in a bid to see the possibility of alliance among the communist forces in Nepal in the post-election scenario. The Chinese have a soft corner for Nepals communist forces and they have been encouraging them to come together and forge an alliance. However, its hopes have been dashed following the vertical split of the then Nepal Communist Party (NCP) in March 2021 due to a bitter factional feud.

In meeting with Prachanda, the Chinese leader sought help to execute connectivity projects under the Belt and Road framework proposed by China, Ramesh Malla, an aide to Prachanda said.

Li is visiting Kathmandu at the invitation of Nepals parliament speaker Sapkota. Sapkota is also former leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda. On Monday afternoon, Li and his Nepali counterpart Sapkota held delegation-level talks at the Federal Parliament Building in which the two sides agreed to enhance parliamentary exchanges.

Lis stopover in Nepal is part of his four-nation tour that includes Russia, Mongolia, Nepal and South Korea.

Li, the leader of the 67-member visiting Chinese delegation, is also part of the big-seven, headed by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), who comprise the standing committee of the 25-member Politburo.

He is the third Chinese leader to visit Nepal this year. In the second week of June, Head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) international department, Liu Jiancho, visited Nepal and gave a message that China wants to enhance ties with all the political parties including the chief ruling party Nepali Congress, which has maintained a close ties with the United States in the recent years.

Prior to that, in the last week of March, Chinas foreign minister and state councilor Wang Yi came to Nepal.

Also Read: Top US official arriving in Nepal on Thursday amid growing US  China rivalry
The Delhi High Court has directed Amazon to remove the listing of a drink manufactured by a Pakistani company under the name Rooh Afza from its platform in India.

The order comes after the Hamdard National Foundation, the Indian maker of the drink, said some of the Rooh Afza listed on the e-commerce site in India are not manufactured by Hamdard Laboratories (India), but by Pakistani companies whose details are not mentioned on the packaging.

NurPhoto/Getty Images

Lets take a look at the origins of Rooh Afza and why the Delhi High Court made the move:

What is Rooh Afza?

An ultra-sweet concoction of herbs and fruits, Rooh Afza means refresher of the soul. It is typically added to chilled water or milk, or used to flavour desserts such as phirni and falooda.

The Rooh Afza sherbet concentrate, a Unani formulation containing ingredients that are believed to have cooling properties, has long been popular in North India during summer. It is said to have been invented in Delhi in the first decade of the 20th century as a cure for the summer heat.

Al Jazeera

While in Pakistan, the drink is a particular favourite in the holy month of Ramazan, when it is served as an evening thirst-quencher with the Iftar feast, when Muslims break their fast.



Is it Indian or Pakistani?

Rooh Afza was first sold in 1907 in Old Delhi, the congested heart of the Indian capital, by Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed, a traditional healing practitioner.

In 1947, with the partition of British India, one son stayed in Delhi while the other upped sticks for the new Pakistan. They set up factories in each country  as well as one in East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh in 1971  under two firms, Hamdard India and Hamdard Pakistan.

Thus, Hamdard National Foundation manufactures Rooh Afza in India while Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) has the rights over the drink in Pakistan.

Good Times

Why did Delhi HC pass the order?

The Delhi High Court passed the order on a petition by Hamdard National Foundation and Hamdard Laboratories India which stated that various brands were illegally selling Rooh Afza on Amazon.

The company said some sellers took down the products after they were served legal notices but recently it spotted a seller selling Rooh Afza bottles manufactured in Pakistan, as per Samaa.

As per Indian Express, one of the manufacturers whose product was being sold on Amazon was Hamdard Laboratory (Waqf), Pakistan.

The manufacturer says on its website that Hamdard Pakistan was founded in Karachi in a two-room rented clinic of Tibb-e-Unani in 1948 by Hakim Mohammed Said, under whose leadership Hamdard soon became a success story with its respected and well-liked products, especially Rooh Afza syrup and effective herbal medicines, as per the report.

Hamdard/Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed

What did the court say?

The court said: Rooh Afza is a product which has been consumed by the Indian public for more than a century now, and its quality standards have to comply with the applicable regulations prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Act and Legal Metrology Act. It is surprising that an imported product is being sold on Amazon without complete details of the manufacturer being disclosed.

But, what was the problem?

Apart from the violation of Hamdards rights over Rooh Afza, the listing of Pakistan-manufactured products was found to be lacking the contact details of the manufacturer, meaning a consumer would find it difficult to distinguish between the Indian- and Pakistani-made syrups.

The court also said in a September 5 order that when the option to Visit the Hamdard Store, was selected in a Pakistan-based product listing, the user was directed to the Hamdard Laboratories India website. This could potentially mislead consumers about the product they might be purchasing, or they might wrongly assume that the Pakistan Hamdard is associated with the Indian Hamdard Laboratories.

hamdard

The bench said since Amazon claims to be an intermediary, which is a medium that provides a platform for interactions between people, it has an obligation to disclose the names of sellers and their contact details with the product listings. It directed Amazon to file an affidavit clarifying whether such details are mentioned on the Rooh Afza product listings, invoices and product labels.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.
Amid an increase in the number of dog attacks on humans and strays getting infected with rabies, the Kerala Government has decided to seek permission from the Supreme Court to kill violent and infected canines.

Last week the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India, challenging a 2006 judgment of the Kerala High Court which empowered local self-government institutions to kill stray dogs had directed the government to find a solution to address the stray dog issue menace and balance the same with animal rights.

BCCL

Senior advocate V Giri, appearing for the Kerala government, argued that the situation was very grave and requested allowing the destruction of dangerous dogs as per the Municipal and Panchayat laws.



Vaccination drive for stray dogs

On Tuesday Minister for local self-governments, M B Rajesh said that the state will conduct a massive vaccination drive for vaccinating stray dogs. The drive will be conducted from 20 September to 20 October 2022.

BCCL

"This will be conducted in association with Kerala Veterinary University. The University will give special training to volunteers and kudumbasree workers. The government will allocate money to block panchayats, municipal corporations and panchayats to take special vehicles for vaccination on a rent basis," he said

Don't dump food waste

The minister also said that they are also looking at the possibility of giving oral vaccination to dogs through food and also a meeting will be held with hotels, Restaurant associations, meat merchants, and auditoriums to ensure that waste is disposed of properly.

BCCL

Seven rabies deaths in four months

This comes as there is growing public anger in Kerala over the recent spike in stray dog attacks and deaths from rabies.

A total of seven people have died in Kerala from rabies in the past four months.

Last week alone two bikers were killed in two accidents involving stray dogs.

Several dogs and other domestic animals have also been killed in stray attacks.

Stray dogs found dead

Amid the growing anger, there are also reports of stray dogs being found dead in different places, allegedly killed by locals.

BCCL

On Monday, more than a dozen stray dogs were found dead allegedly due to poisoning in some areas of Kottayam district.

Locals buried the bodies of the strays but a case was registered later in the evening based on a complaint by a person alleging that his pet dogs were among those which were poisoned by some miscreants.

On Wednesday a stray dog was found dead in Changanassery in Kottayam.

A survey by the animal husbandry department said that there were around 2.8 lakh stray dogs in Kerala.

For more on the news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Engineers play a crucial role in the development of a nation. On September 15, the country celebrates Engineer's Day to appreciate the contribution of engineers. The day is celebrated as a tribute to the first, and one of the greatest ever engineers hailing from India Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Visvesvaraya's contributions to the field of engineering and education are significant. Since 1968, India has celebrated Engineer's Day on this date every year.

Engineers' Day 2022: The Story of India's First Engineer M. Visvesvaraya | Freepik

As we celebrate the 161st birth anniversary of India's greatest engineer--born on September 15, 1861--here are some facts you probably didn't know about the 'Father of Engineering,' M. Visvesvaraya.

Who was M. Visvesvaraya?

Engineers' Day 2022: The Story of India's First Engineer M. Visvesvaraya | BCCL

Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was born on September 15, 1861, in Muddenahalli village in Karnataka. At the age of 15, he lost his father, a Sanskrit scholar. He completed his early education in Chikkaballapur and then he moved to Bangalore for higher education. In Pune, he joined the Science College to study Engineering and was ranked first in the Examinations in 1883.

September 15 is observed as Engineer's Day in India to mark the birth anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya - considered a pioneer in the field of engineering in India.



The brain behind the Krishnaraja Sagara (KRS) dam in Mysore

After completing his education, he got a job offer for an Assistant Engineer at Nasikfrom the Government of Bombay. He successfully implemented various projects as an engineer.

M. Visvesvaraya was also the Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. In fact, he was the brain behind the Krishnaraja Sagar dam in Mysore as well as the chief designer of the flood protection system for the city of Hyderabad.

Engineers' Day 2022: The Story of India's First Engineer M. Visvesvaraya | BCCL

Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV Maharaj of Mysore constructed the dam during the famine despite the critical financial condition of the state. It was after him that the dam was named.

Inventor of the Block System

M Visvesvaraya is credited with inventing the block system, automated doors that close the water overflows. Sir Visvesvaraya designed and patented the floodgates which were first installed at the Khadakwasla reservoir in Pune in 1903.

Father of Indian Engineering

Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was recognized all over the world for his involvement in harnessing water resources, Visvesvaraya was accountable for the construction and consolidation of dams across India. He was also credited with formulating the Block System - automatic gates that seal under the situation of a flood.

The first engineer of India

Engineers' Day 2022: The Story of India's First Engineer M. Visvesvaraya | BCCL

M Visvesvaraya is known as the first engineer of India for his vital contribution to the field of engineering and education. He is considered among the greatest nation-builders who played a crucial role in constructing dams, reservoirs and hydro-power projects of modern India.

Awards and achievements

Due to his outstanding contribution to society, the Government of India conferred 'Bharat Ratna' on this legend in the year 1955." He was also awarded the British knighthood by King George V, and hence has the honorific "sir".

University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering | uvce.ac.in

In 1917, in Bengaluru, Visvesvaraya established Government Engineering College, which was later renamed as University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering to pay him tribute.

A role model

Apart from being an engineer and an educator, he was highly industrious. Sir M. Visvesvaraya was a member of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. Later, he would become a member of the Tata Iron and Steel governing board. Besides, Sir M. Visvesvaraya has also authored two books in his illustrious career - Reconstructing India and Planned Economy of India.

The legend passed away in the year 1962, but his legacy and spirit still live on in the minds of young engineers committed to nation-building.

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It was in 2012 when Furer was appointed as CIO, where he continued to lead the asset management group. By 2019, he took on more roles as the Switzerland country president of Swiss Re and the chairman of the Swiss Re Strategic Council.

After a 35- year-long, fulfilling career in the financial sector, I want to enjoy more time with my family and dedicate myself to my pro bono activities on various foundation boards, Furer said.

Furer will officially leave his post on March 31, 2023.

While we fully respect Guidos decision, we will miss him and his relentless commitment to the company, said Christian Mumenthaler, chief executive officer of Swiss Re. Guido also has continuously reinforced Swiss Res stature as one of the cornerstones of the Swiss financial centre.

On behalf of the Swiss Re board of directors, I would like to thank Guido Furer for his huge contribution to the success of the group over the past 25 years, said Sergio Ermotti, chairman of the board. I wish him all the best for his future endeavours. Until the actual transition will take place, Guido will continue to serve the company with full dedication and commitment. His passion for his teams and the companys performance will help us ensure a smooth transition.
Diversity and inclusion represent only one element of creating a supportive culture in the workplace. Initiatives such as standing committees, ally networks, and employee resource groups are a great place to start. So, are your DE&I programs worth recognizing?

Insurance Business America is welcoming nominations for its 5-Star Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 2023 report. Let us know how much progress you have made and what challenges lie ahead.
PCF Insurance Services has announced that it has joined the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA). Utah-headquartered PCF currently serves more than 465,000 clients through its network of nearly 165 agency partners across 37 states.

PIA provides a range of products and services to its member agencies, along with advocacy on legislative and regulatory issues that impact the insurance industry. Benefits provided by PIA include access to the latest industry research, branding materials, more than 50 personal and commercial lines carriers and online rates, errors and omissions and cyber insurance coverage, a resource hub for agents, agency succession planning materials and more. All of these membership benefits will be available to PCFs agency partners effective immediately.
U-Haul told customers in a notification letter regarding the breach that an investigation on September 07 determined that the accessed information included their names and drivers license or state identification number.

BleepingComputer reported that the hacker managed to access U-Haul rental contacts search portal after compromising two unique passwords. U-Haul did not explain how the passwords were compromised but said that they have since been changed after the breach. The company also stated that no credit card information was accessed by the attackers, since the search tool does not provide such data.

The moving company has announced that it will be offering affected customers one year of free identity theft protection services, provided by Equifax.

U-haul has a network of more than 23,000 locations across the US and Canada, BleepingComputer said. With a fleet of about 186,000 trucks, 128,000 trailers, and 46,000 towing devices, U-Haul is also the third largest self-storage operator in North America.
At the government headquarters in NATO-member Montenegro, the computers are unplugged, the internet is switched off and the states main websites are down. The blackout comes amid a massive cyberattack against the small Balkan state which officials say bears the hallmark of pro-Russian hackers and its security services.

The coordinated attack that started around Aug. 20 crippled online government information platforms and put Montenegros essential infrastructure, including banking, water and electricity power systems, at high risk.

The attack, described by experts as unprecedented in its intensity and the longest in the tiny nations recent history, capped a string of cyberattacks since Russia invaded Ukraine in which hackers targeted Montenegro and other European nations, most of them NATO members.

Sitting at his desk in Montenegros capital, Podgorica, in front of a blackened PC screen, Defense Minister Rasko Konjevic said government officials were advised by cyber experts, including a team of FBI investigators that was dispatched to the Balkan state, to go offline for security reasons.

We have been faced with serious challenges related to the cyberattack for about 20 days, and the entire state system, the system of state administration, and the system of services to citizens are functioning at a rather restrictive level, Konjevic told The Associated Press.

He said experts from several countries are trying to help restore the Montenegro governments computer system and find proof of who is behind the attack.

Montenegro officials said the attack that crippled the governments digital infrastructure was likely carried out by a Russian-speaking ransomware gang that generally operates without Kremlin interference as long as it doesnt target Russian allies. The gang, called Cuba ransomware, claimed responsibility for at least part of the Montenegro cyberattack, in which it created a special virus for the attack called Zerodate.

Montenegros Agency for National Security blamed the attack squarely on Russia.

Russia has a strong motive for such an attack because Montenegro, which it once considered a strong ally, joined NATO in 2017 despite the Kremlins opposition. It has also joined Western sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine invasion, which led Moscow to brand Montenegro an enemy state along with several other countries that joined the embargo.

In such attacks, there are usually organizations that are a mask for state intelligence services, Konjevic said, adding that the defense ministrys NATO-related data is protected in a special way while the other possible leaks are being investigated.

The cyberattack comes amid an apparent attempt by Moscow to destabilize the Balkan region that was at war in the 1990s through the Kremlins Balkan ally Serbia, and thus at least partly shift the worlds attention from the war in Ukraine.

Montenegro, which split from much larger Serbia in 2006, is currently run by an interim government that has lost parliamentary support because of Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic s shady deals with the influential Serbian Orthodox Church without the consent of the whole coalition that supported the government.

Montengros roughly 620,000 people are deeply split between those who want the country to restore its close ties to Serbia and Russia and those who want it to continue on its path of the European Union membership.

A real war is being waged in Ukraine, with bombs, a war of conquest by Russia, political analyst Zlatko Vujovic said. Something similar is happening in Montenegro. There are no bombs, but there is a huge tension, a huge hybrid conflict in which the interests of Russia and its and Serbian intelligence services are interconnected.

Other Eastern European states deemed enemies of Russia have also faced cyberattacks, mostly nuisance-level denial-of-service campaigns that render websites unreachable by flooding them with junk data but dont damage them. Targets have included networks in Moldova, Slovenia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania.

Last week, Albania severed diplomatic relations with Iran and kicked out its diplomats after a cyberattack in July that it blamed on the Islamic Republic.

Montenegro remains a target within both the public and private sector, as well as many other countries in that region, said Patrick Flynn, head of the advanced programs group at Trellix, a U.S.-based cybersecurity company. We have observed a blend of historically based nation state actors and well-known ransomware groups.

This recent focus on NATO member countries reinforces the need for hyper vigilance within key businesses as well as government (and) critical infrastructure cyber security environments, he said in an email to the AP.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cyber Russia
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at SCOR and Aon Reinsurance Solutions.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Former MS Amlin Exec Beazley Appointed CEO of SCOR UK, SCOR Syndicate

SCOR announced the appointment of Chris Beazley as CEO of SCOR UK and the SCOR Syndicate, effective Sept. 20, 2022, subject to regulatory approval. Beazley takes over the role from Stuart McMurdo, who was appointed as CEO of Reinsurance following the announcement in June that Michel Blanc will retire with effect from January 2023.

Based in London, Beazley will report to Catherine Fassi, regional CEO of EMEA and Canada for P&C business.

Beazley brings more than 20 years of experience to his new role, having worked for underwriting and broking firms in the UK, Switzerland, Singapore and the U.S.

Having started his career with Willis, Beazley joined MS Amlin in 2007, where he held a number of leadership roles across the insurance and reinsurance businesses. Following a two-year secondment as CEO of the London Market Group, he returned to the company in 2018 as CEO of MS Amlin AG.

Beazley is a Chartered Insurer and an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Our UK platform has historically been and will continue to be at the heart of SCOR Specialty Insurance. With SCOR UK and the SCOR Syndicate, our teams can deploy their proven underwriting skills, both on the company market and at Lloyds, to optimally serve our clients, commented Romain Launay, CEO Specialty Insurance and deputy CEO SCOR P&C. I would like to extend my thanks to them and to Stuart McMurdo for their success during his tenure. Chris is a recognized leader, and we all look forward to writing a new chapter with him.

***

Aon Reinsurance Solutions Names Goodman UK President

Aon plc, a leading global professional services firm, named Jeremy Goodman as UK president of Reinsurance Solutions, effective immediately. Goodman will relocate from Singapore to London and will retain his current role of Reinsurance Solutions head of global broking.

As UK president, he replaces Nick Frankland, who will now focus fully on his responsibilities as chairman of Aons growing Strategy and Technology Group (STG).

In his new role, Goodman will focus on building client relationships, and driving business growth through effective segmentation across clients, products, and geographies.

He will report to Andy Marcell, global CEO of Reinsurance Solutions, and Rupert Moore, UK CEO of Reinsurance Solutions, joining a UK team that has seen significant operational growth and expansion over the past three years, with the hiring of a wide range of new talent.

Topics Reinsurance Aon Mississippi
Legalizing recreational pot in North Dakota could cut the number of people who are registered to use the drug as medicine by at least 80%, due to access to bigger quantities and more varied products, a health official said Monday.

Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in North Dakota succeeded last month in bringing the matter to a public vote in November by submitting more than the required 15,582 valid petition signatures to get it on the ballot.

The state has issued more than 8,200 identification cards to qualifying patients since North Dakota voters approved medical marijuana in 2016.

North Dakotas approved medical marijuana forms are dried leaves and flowers, concentrates, tinctures, capsules, topicals and transdermal patches. Medical pot dispensaries are located in Fargo, Bismarck, Devils Lake, Fargo, Jamestown, Grand Forks, Minot and Williston. Edibles were part of the original initiative but the state Legislature removed them from the list, fearing they could get in the hands of children.

The initiative on the ballot in November would allow people 21 and older to legally use marijuana at home as well as possess and cultivate restricted amounts of cannabis. The state could register up to seven marijuana manufacturing businesses and 18 dispensaries. Edibles would be allowed.

Medical Marijuana Division Director Jason Wahl said thousands of patients holding medical pot cards likely will opt to purchase from recreational sources if the measure is approved.

Medical marijuana users, for example, may only purchase 2.5 ounces of cannabis flower in a 30-day period. If approved by voters, recreational marijuana users could potentially _ illegally _ purchase at least that amount in a day, as none of that is tracked, Wahl said.

Medical pot is taxed at the states 5% sales tax rate, plus local taxes. Recreational marijuana would be taxed at the same rate.

Wahl told a legislative panel Monday that North Dakota could expect $1.3 million in revenue in the next two-year budget cycle from application and registration fees from manufacturing businesses and dispensaries, which would cover the cost of state oversight.

Wahl said the state Tax Department has not calculated the amount that could come from recreational pot sales because the product cost and level of sales is unknown at present.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cannabis
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Swiss Re predicts that deglobalization will generate $33 billion in new commercial property/casualty insurance premiums by 2026, according to its latest sigma report: Maintaining resilience: the role of P&C insurers in a new world order.

Supply chain restructuring is expected to create investments in new infrastructure and production facilities, increasing demand for engineering insurance. Reshoring production capacity domestically is forecast to generate $30 billion in global commercial insurance premiums by 2026, mostly from engineering, property and liability covers. Friend-shoring of supply chains to allied countries would add another $3 billion in premiums, Swiss Re said. However, marine and trade credit premiums would decline slightly as global trade is expected to slow.

Six months into the war in Ukraine, our world has changed dramatically. Triggered by the war and the pandemic, we are shifting from an interconnected to a multi-polar world faced with disrupted supply chains, energy and food crises, said Jerome Haegeli, group chief economist at Swiss Re, in a statement.

Insurance is becoming even more vital to the economy, contributing to the financial stability of businesses by covering supply chain risks, he said. The industry can also facilitate the transition to a green economy by insuring and investing in renewable energy infrastructure, and by expanding agricultural insurance, it can contribute to global food security.

Gianfranco Lot, head of Global Reinsurance at Swiss Re, said: In the changing risk landscape, commercial property and casualty insurance will remain a mainstay of resiliencefor instance, by helping businesses maintain financial stability as operating circumstances change, providing solutions to help reduce cash flow volatility and stabilizing earnings while supply chains are being realigned.

Other findings of the sigma study:

If countries deliver on building all the renewable energy capacity they have been targeting so far, Swiss Re Institute estimates these investments will generate additional premiums from the energy sector of $237 billion by 2035.

Agriculture insurance has emerged to play a key role in helping farmers maintain income levels and continue farming despite crop losses from drought and heavy rain. Global agricultural insurance premiums are forecast to almost double, reaching $80 billion by 2030.

In terms of economic growth, the U.S., the UK and Germany stand to benefit most from re-shoring production, Swiss Re found, while countries like Vietnam and Mexico may gain from friend-shoring.

Topics Trends Commercial Lines Property Casualty Swiss Re
Claims are down among Coalition policyholders in the first half of 2022, but small businesses became bigger targets and an organizations employees remain the easiest was for cyber criminals to infiltrate and pull off scams.

Coalitions 2022 Cyber Claims Report mid-year update noted that businesses with revenue under $25 million in revenue saw a spike in average claims severity to $163,000 in the second half of 2021  85% higher compared with the first half of 2021. Through the first six months of 2022, severity decreased to an average $139,000 but that is still 58% more than values recorded in the first half last year, the cyber insurer and cybersecurity firm said.

Organizations of this size are especially vulnerable to threat actors as they often lack resources to quickly respond to an attack, Coalition said.

Phishing remains of high concern for business of all sizes because employees continue to be the weak link in cyber defenses. Coalitions look at about 160,000 of the businesses it protects found that phishing accounted for a majority  about 58%  of claims during the first half 2022. That is a 32% increase from the second half of 2021.

Phishing through business email compromise often leads to funds transfer fraud (FTF), in which threat actors redirect or change payment information to steal. Coalition said the frequency of these incidents remained consistent but severity increased 3% to continue a 3-year trend of rising FTF claims costs.

The good news, according to Coalition, is that the frequency and severity of ransomware claims declined during the first six months of the year. Hackers ransom demands also decreased to $896,000 from $1.37 million for the second half of 2021.

Organizations are increasingly aware of the threat ransomware poses. They have started to implement controls such as offline data backups that allow them to refuse to pay the ransom and restore operations through other means, said Chris Hendricks, head of incident response. As ransomware is on the decline, attackers are turning to reliable methods. Phishing, for example, has skyrocketed  and only continues to grow.

Overall, Coalition said its policyholders experienced 50% fewer claims than the broader insurance market. The average loss was $175,258, a decrease of 8% compared with the second half 2021.

Topics Cyber Claims
The name Guarantee Insurance is not one that is likely to be recalled with fondness by many Floridians. The workers compensation carrier in 2017 was declared insolvent, a rarity in what is one of the most profitable lines of insurance.

Guarantee was headed by Steve Mariano, who also was majority owner of the now-bankrupt Patriot National, a tech and insurance group in south Florida. State regulators charged that Guarantee improperly transferred millions of dollars to Mariano and his associated firms, leaving the comp insurer badly undercapitalized.

But one thing that Guarantee may have done correctly ultimately led to a years-long investigation by state and federal authorities into one of the largest payroll fraud schemes in south Florida, said the head of the private investigative firm that helped unravel the scheme. The program supplied off-book construction labor, avoided millions in federal tax payments and defrauded the insurer of more than $1 million in premiums.

Guillermo Inamagua and Mayra Velasquez pleaded guilty to the crimes in early 2022. Inamagua was sentenced in July to almost four years in prison and must pay more than $6 million in restitution and forfeit two houses.

One of the reasons this blew up and became millions of dollars in restitution was because all three of the disciplines came together, said Jason Linn, president of Contego Investigative Services. The premium fraud people did their thing, surveillance did theirs, and the SIU team packaged it up and worked with law enforcement to bring it to a resolution.

The Orlando-based Contego, one of the larger insurance investigation firms in the country, was the hired special investigations unit, or SIU, for Guarantee Insurance in 2014, when questions began to surface about the payroll fraud. Ahead of the International Association of Special Investigative Units annual conference this week in San Diego, the Insurance Journal spoke with Linn about the investigation and about new tools that insurance SIUs are using to detect fraudulent activity by employers and claimants.

Linn said that red flags arose when injured workers from Inamaguas labor company began filing what seemed like an unusually large number of claims.

They were processing claims at a volume and a type that they shouldnt have been, Linn said. It came off as way too many claims for a small company.

Guarantys claims management team, adjusters and Contegos investigators decided further scrutiny was needed. They sent observers to the construction sites that Inamaugas firm had supplied laborers for, counted the workers and found the number to be close to typical, large commercial construction sites of similar nature.

Soon, it was obvious that the alleged fraud wasnt just a small-time operation. The SIU brought in the Florida Department of Financial Services investigations and fraud unit, which later contacted the U.S. Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service.

The authorities later determined that Inamaguas company had just one certificate of insurance, purportedly covering 12 or so employees, but it had paid as many as 160 workers, mostly under the table. The scheme cost Guarantee Insurance some $1.4 million in premiums and deprived the IRS of more than $6 million in payroll taxes, prosecutors said. Part of the restitution will be used to help pay claims for the now-liquidated Guarantee Insurance, Linn said.

Linn had these words of wisdom for insurance carriers and their SIUs fighting what may seem to be an endless stream of underreported payroll and premium fraud in workers compensation:

The best thing is to start having conversations. Some big carriers are so siloed off that nobodys talking to each other, Linn said. If a bunch of claims come in and they dont match the policy, is someone grabbing hold of that data and saying, it doesnt make sense? Or are they just processing the claims?

He also said that building a thoroughly documented case is crucial. Contego was able to present state DFS investigators with solid evidence, which helped lead to the federal charges. He noted that Contego has several former Florida DFS investigators on staff and that helped bring the state authorities on board.

SIUs now have another trick that has made fraud easier to spot. Contego was purchased this year by Charles Taylor, the London-based insurance and claims management company. And Charles Taylor recently acquired an Argentina firm known as Fraud Keeper, one of several companies that makes software that can spot unusual activity in claims, Linn explained.

It sits on top of the claims platform and can go inside our case management system, he said. And it does exactly that  looks for trends, the number of claims from a certain policy, and looks at whats expected under the policy limits.

Linn also said that one way to deter premium and payroll fraud in workers comp is to stiffen the penalties for fabricating certificates of insurance.

Printing fake COIs needs to be a felony, he said. Thats outright fraud. Youre not covering employees and the states on the hook for it. Employees think theyre covered and jobsites think theyre covered, but theyre not.

The insurance industry was abuzz a few years ago with talk that certificates could be made foolproof with the use of blockchain technology, the digital foundation that allows all cryptocurrency transactions to be traced, making counterfeiting difficult if not impossible. But Linn said that while some employers and insurers now employ the method, many construction companies, subcontractors and trucking companies have yet to adopt the technology.

SIUs have yet to make extensive use of technology to flag potentially fraudulent property insurance claims, which have plagued the Florida insurance market in recent years. Some units may use drones to check roof conditions after a roof claim is filed, he said. But more often, investigators use computers to scour records, check building permits or to look for a motive, such as evidence of a failing business when fire destroys a commercial property.

We look behind the scenes: Did someone have an axe to grind? Did someone make a threat on social media, or did they go through a rough divorce or have a business issue and they needed the insurance money, he said.

Topics Florida Fraud
Proving that an insured misrepresented the extent of damage from a storm may have just become a little more complicated for Florida insurance companies.

Floridas 5th District Court of Appeals last week reversed a trial courts summary judgment order, which found that a homeowner in Orlando had made false statements about existing roof problems, allowing Security First Insurance Co. to deny coverage. The appellate court remanded the case to the Orange County Circuit Court, noting that the trial judge should have let a jury decide the credibility of the insureds statements.

The general rule remains intact: Credibility determinations and weighing the evidence are jury functions, not those of a judge, when ruling on a motion for summary judgment, the DCA wrote, citing 1986 and 2018 federal appeals court decisions.

The case could ultimately end up in the insurers favor, after a trial and appeal. But for now, it could put insurers on notice that courts generally abhor forfeiture of insurance coverage, as the DCA noted in the Sept. 9 Gracia vs. Security First opinon. Insurers also may need to take extra steps to show a claimant intentionally concealed or misrepresented information, and a carrier probably should think twice before asking a judge to dismiss a suit based on that.

Yes, it complicates things in that the court commented about how courts are so anti-forfeiture of insurance coverage, said Michael Packer, managing attorney and co-chair of the insurance practice group at Marshall Dennehy law firm, based in Fort Lauderdale. But it also shows that if someone has truly misrepresented, there are ways to demonstrate that.

The dispute began in 2017, when Mariana Gracia filed a claim for losses due to roof damage after a spring storm. Ormond Beach-based Security First investigated and agreed to pay $11,000 for restoration work. Gracia demanded more, the insurer denied the larger amount, and Gracia filed suit for breach of contract.

The key moment came during a deposition, when Gracia revealed that a home inspection had been done on the property in 2015. When asked about the results, she said that everything was good, and the roof was in good condition.

Security First obtained the inspection report, which included photographs showing ceiling damage, roof issues and leaks consistent with the damage Gracia had cited in her claim. The insurer then amended its defense of the claim, citing the policys concealment and fraud provision that triggered forfeiture of coverage.

Gracias attorney argued to the trial court that, despite the inspection report, the damage the homeowner was claiming happened in the 2017 storm, and that the report did not automatically establish that she had intentionally mistrepresented the facts.

The trial court sided with Security First on its motion for a summary judgment, declaring that the policy was voided and finding that the homeowners explanation was not credible.

The judge relied on Floridas recently adopted Rules of Civil Procedure, handed down by the state Supreme Court in 2021. The rules appear to allow judges to decide credibility issues when it is obvious that a jury would agree. But the appeal courts opinion said the trial judge, Kevin Weiss, overstepped and that credibility decisions should go to a jury.

Only when the record evidence blatantly contradicts a litigants version of the facts will a court be allowed to weigh conflicting evidence or determine the credibility of a witness, the DCA wrote.

The per curiam opinion also acknowledged that recent decisions by other appeals courts in Florida have questioned the conflicting wording of similar insurance policies, in which one line appears to require the insurer to show intentional misrepresentation, while another line does not.

Florida courts also have held in recent years that the question of intent turns on when the statement is made. If the insured misrepresents during the initial policy application process, the law in Florida is clear: An insurer can later void a policy based on an insureds false statement without a showing of intent to mislead.

But for statements made after a loss, two appeals courts in the last two years have found that insurers must prove intentional fraud to trigger the voiding of the policy. What Security First offered in the Gracia case  Gracias short deposition statement about the pre-existing damage  was too vague to establish falsity, 5th DCA Judge Eric Eisnaugle wrote in a concurring opinion.

Security First officials and its attorney in the appeal, Angela Flowers, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. And the court opinion did not address one practical matter: Whether a four-point inspection, now required by more and more Florida insurers when writing new policies, would have uncovered the existing damage and why Security First did not ask for one.

Packer, the insurance defense attorney who is not associated with the Gracia case, said that it may be impractical, time-consuming and expensive for insurers to require the inspections on all properties. Inspection reports also can differ greatly, depending on the inspector.

Packer said the appellate courts opinion offers other guideposts for insurers: Future HO policies could include language to the effect that post-loss misrepresentations need not be intentional to trigger cancelation of the policy. And, he added, carriers attorneys should be prepared to ask more questions in deposition, especially if the insured reveals that a previous inspection had been done, in order to nail down misrepresentation and intent.

The homeowners appeals lawyer in the case, Melissa Giasi, could not be reached. But attorneys for policyholders have said that insurers are often too quick to argue misrepresentation or fraud by the insured, and this decision could help put up some guardrails.

Topics Legislation Florida
Montanas fishing economy has proven resilient amid the impacts of drought, but a new study suggests that 35% of its cold water habitats could become unsuitable for trout by 2080, costing the state an estimated $192 million in annual revenue.

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the University of Montana contributed to the new study titled Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery. It ran in the journal Science Advances on Wednesday, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported.

Trout fisheries have enormous cultural, economic and ecological importance in Montana and worldwide, yet even Montanas resilient trout fisheries could be vulnerable to future climate change, said Timothy Cline, a USGS scientist and the papers lead author, in a news release.

Cline and authors Clint Muhlfeld, Ryan Kovach, Robert Al-Chokhachy, David Schmetterling, Diane Whited and Abigail Lynch used Montana FWPs recreation monitoring data to analyze how climate change impacted 3,100 miles of the states rivers between 1983 and 2017.

They found that the concentration of anglers doubled overall within that 34-year time period, and severe drought conditions, which drive stream flows down and water temperatures up, significantly impacted how that fishing pressure was distributed across the landscape.

When temperatures warmed and flows dropped on certain rivers, anglers flocked to other areas where waters were colder. These cold-water segments supported 10 times more anglers than warm-water segments, and most of them were from out of state.

By moving to other fishing areas that were more favorable during drought, visitors kept trout fishing revenue in the state rather than choosing to travel elsewhere, Cline said in the press release. Trout fishing in Montana has been remarkably resilient to changing conditions.

In contrast, resident anglers were less willing to travel to other areas in response to drought, and they often continued to fish along rivers by their homes, even when the conditions were stressful on trout, according to Cline.

While Montanas fishing economy has demonstrated resilience during past periods of drought. particularly those in the late 1980s, early 2000s and in 2017, Cline said he expects new challenges will emerge as the climate warms throughout the coming decades.

Montanas fisheries are renowned for their trout, and trout require cold, clean, connected habitat to survive, he said. As the climate warms, a lot of those attributes are changing rapidly.

Trout generally require water with temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. As temperatures rise, they dont do as well, and other species tend to thrive, Cline said.

About 35% of Montanas cold water habitat could become unsuitable for trout by 2080, and the losses could put 30% of current angler spending at risk, which amounts to about 21% of the total annual fishing economy in the region, according to the study.

Critical pieces of cold-water habitat have allowed anglers to keep fishing for trout when other major rivers are closed, and maintaining as many of those features on the landscape as possible can help ensure that the fishing economy remains robust, Cline said.

When we think of the most productive rivers, we think of places like the Madison and Blackfoot, but under stressful conditions like drought, anglers need to find different opportunities, he said.

Smaller, colder habitats, like streams that are fed by groundwater, are critical, but they often get overlooked.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Climate Change
Rescuers searched for a person missing in a mudslide Tuesday as big yellow tractors plowed through dark, thick sludge and pushed boulders off roads after flash floods swept dirt, rocks and trees down fire-scarred slopes, washed away cars and buried buildings in small mountain communities in Southern California.

With thunderstorms forecast and more mudslides possible into Wednesday, evacuation orders remained in place in parts of the San Bernardino Mountains while a wildfire raging 500 miles to the north forced residents to abandon their homes.

The Mosquito Fire burning 110 miles northeast of San Francisco erupted in the afternoon just hours after officials had reported making great strides in the battle.

We have all hands on deck, fire spokesperson Chris Valenzuela said as the fire burned near Todd Valley and Foresthill. Its burning very erratic and intensely.

The blaze was one of three large fires in the state.

East of Los Angeles, crews searched street by street for people who might be trapped by mudflows that washed rocks, trees and other debris with astonishing force the day before into Forest Falls, Oak Glen and Yucaipa and left a muddy mess and untold destruction.

Homes and other buildings were damaged, including a commercial building buried so high its roof collapsed, said Eric Sherwin, spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

We have boulders that moved through that weigh multiple tons, Sherwin said. It could take days just to find all the cars that are missing because they are completely covered by mud.

A video showed a slow-moving black river of sludge rolling past the sign for the Oak Glen Steakhouse and Saloon followed seconds later by a surging wave of deeper mud carrying logs. The mud appeared to be head-high in places the next day.

Sherwin said crews were searching for one missing person.

Residents who tried to return home found it tough going in the sticky mess.

Ive never seen anything like this before, said Perla Halbert, whose feet were caked in mud after trying to walk to her home. If you try and take two steps, you get submerged. You just get stuck.

Halbert had been out of town and returned to her Oak Glen home late Monday to find the driveway covered with a few inches of mud. Her family stayed the night with family members and returned after first light to discover several feet of mud and a fence washed away.

Her husband went to buy boots and coveralls before trekking through the muck to assess the damage.

Theres lots of rocks and so much mud. But hopefully the house itself is OK, she said.

Officials lifted some mandatory evacuation and shelter in place orders Tuesday evening.

Workers were able to clear most of Valley of the Falls Drive  the only road to Forests Falls  and teams were assessing damage. Other major roads in the San Bernardino Mountains were reopened.

For some homes in Forest Falls, it was too late to evacuate Monday. Residents were told to shelter in place through the night because it was safer than venturing out.

The rains were the remnants of a tropical storm that brought high winds and some badly needed rainfall to drought-stricken Southern California last week, helping firefighters largely corral the Fairview Fire that had been burning out of control about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of the mudslides.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California
Orchid Underwriters Agency named Kathy Cody CEO.

Cody joined Orchid in 2019 as its COO and became president in 2021. She was previously chief operating officer, personal lines for Farmers Insurance Group. She was CFO of Farmers Life and head of operational finance for Zurich Global Life NA. Cody also worked for The Phoenix Companies in various executive positions and began her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Ross Bowie was named president and chief underwriting officer. Bowie joined Orchid as head of personal lines in 2020 and was appointed chief underwriting officer in 2021. Before joining Orchid, Bowie served as senior vice president at Bankers Insurance Group, overseeing personal and commercial lines and new product development. His early career was at American Strategic Insurance.

Steven Carlsen will take on a new role as an executive vice president in National Programs. Carlsen had been a board member of Orchid since its transition to private equity ownership in 2014, serving as executive chair and chair of the underwriting committee. He assumed the role as CEO in early 2021 and led the company through its sale to Brown & Brown in 2022. Carlsen was a co-founder of Endurance Specialty in 2001, serving as global CUW and Endurance Re North America president. He remained a director of Endurance until its sale to Sompo in 2017. He previously had senior underwriting roles at CAT Limited, NAC Re and Swiss Re and worked as a consultant to several private equity groups active in insurance and reinsurance.
The Pilgrims Way part of St Finbarrs Way, Co Cork

This is a spectacular walk starting in the village of Drimoleague in West Cork and is part one of the saints pilgrimage undertaken to the famous Gougane Barra in the sixth century. The story goes that the unhappy saint reprimanded the inhabitants for turning away from god before marching over the mountains by way of an ascetic lesson. From the vantage point of the Top of the Rock, where a purpose-built hiking centre has been established, there is a mouthwatering view of the first half of this walk. The valley of the River Ilen runs east to west above which the almost 500m peak of Mullaghmesha Mountain can be seen. This is where the Ilen River, which flows on to Skibbereen and Baltimore, rises. The mountain is the watershed for another river system, that of the Mealagh, whose river valley of the same name is encountered after a few hours of walking.

Down in the valley, the Castledonovan tower house speaks of another age when rival clans once did battle. Cromwells troops ravaged the area in the 1640s in reprisal for the perceived ODonovan disloyalty. Nearby, is an alpaca farm, open to visitors, surreal in this landscape, where a furry head peeping over a hedge can take an unsuspecting walker by surprise. The first part of the walk, signposted all the way, leads down into the leafy depths of the Ilens valley.

View from Top of The Rock, Drimoleague, Co. Cork Picture: Larry Cummins

The river is magnificent at this stage: Gurgling, whirling, and waterfalling its way ever westwards. The route touches some quiet roads here and there before rising to near the summit of a ridge overlooking Bantry Bay. An extraordinary view of the bay awaits you with Sheeps Head stretching out to the Atlantic and the Beara Peninsula, mistily enticing.

These uplands are desolate, wild places. The path descends over an extensive bog before a stile is crossed to reach a road. A path then descends through a wood, all very well signposted, before reaching the public road which leads on to Kealkill and Carriganass castle.

This route is one of five pilgrim routes for which walkers can have their card (passport) marked for pilgrimpath.ie and guaranteed entry to heaven. Well, youve already arrived there if youve done this walk.

Distance: 18km

Time: 5 to 6 hours

Category: Difficult

Map: Discovery Series 85

How to get there: R586 from Bandon to Drimoleague

Croaghaun, Achill Island, Co Mayo

This article is full of superlatives, unashamedly! But this walk on Achill Island is simply mind-bendingly awesome. It has arguably the greatest views in the entire country.

Start from the world famous Keem Beach on the west of the island. Descending to this beach along the road makes you think you are visiting some lost kingdom. Park at the beach and immediately begin a steep, fairly hard climb to the old signal station. This is stunning enough, with astonishing views out to sea and from the cliffs at your feet. From here, the track heads due east and a fairly gentle climb to overlook Achill Head which disappears below your gaze like a stretched foot.

The wonderful view over Saddle Head from Croaghaun on on Achill Island, County Mayo

Now descend in an easterly direction, again steeply, on sheep tracks to the bottom of the valley where sheepfarmers lived in the 19th century and before. Somehow. This is a wild, wild place and the only people you may encounter here are fellow walkers. Now begins an extremely steep climb to the 688m summit of Croaghaun which can be done in stages with good rests in between. After a long ascent you will gain the summit, breathless but awed at the incomparable views.

Descend northeastwards until Bunafreva Lough West before an about turn and a march over an extensive bog and a steep descent back to Keem Beach.

Again, this is an bridged description, so consult guidebook and map before attempting. Take extreme care near the cliffs and mind the wind!

Distance: 13km

Time: 5-6 hours

Category: Difficult

Map: Discovery Series 30

Book: Irelands Best walks: Helen Fairbairn

How to get there: Drive to Keem Beach at the far side of Achill Island, Co Mayo.

Errigal, Co Donegal

This is one of the classic Irish mountains, readily identifiable by its white quartzite slopes which from afar might be taken for snow. The mountain is quite the showoff in fact, with a glorious pink hue pouring over the summit as the sun sets.

Errigal is the highest summit in the Derryveagh Mountains range and while its 751m leaves it well short of our highest peaks, it is nonetheless a walk well worth doing, not least because it is the highest in Co Donegal.

And while it is a comparatively short walk, it is steep once you cross the initial bog. As Errigal is often swathed in cloud and lashed by strong winds, testament to its rugged nature, it is best to pick an optimum day for your hike. Start at the trailhead carpark a few kilometres to the northeast of Dunlewey village on the R251. Cross, the (usually) saturated ground and watch out for a stream at which you should stay on the right-hand side. As the soft ground gives way to rocky terrain an obvious path now presents itself which winds ever upwards between banks of scree.

Early morning at smoky Mount Errigal, Co Donegal.

At the summit, like Galtee Mor there are twin peaks, you will most likely gasp at the astonishing views that lie before you. Out beyond the village of Gweedore can be seen the islands of Gola and Owey. Away off to the north the island of Tory can be seen like a ship on the horizon. Below to the south lies the Poisoned Glen and beyond that, Glenveagh National Park. If confirmation of your insignificance on planet Earth is what you are looking for, then here you will find it.

To return, it is possible to descend via a series of plateaus towards Dunlewey Lough and emerging again on the R251 in the village. However, this necessitates a fair degree of scrambling from the top, so it is best to retrace your steps down through the scree and back across the boggy ground. As this description is only a summary it is advisable to buy a guidebook for more in-depth coverage.

Distance: 5km

Time: 2.5 hours

Category: Moderate

Map: Discovery Series 1

Book: Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim: Mountain and Coastal Hillwalks, Adrian Hendroff

How to get there: R251 from Dunlewey 4.

Parteen Weir Walk, Co Clare

This is a short but spectacular walk of 3.5km along the banks of the River Shannon on the Co Clare border with Co Limerick. It is suitable for families or for those lacking the energy for a more demanding route. It is suitable for all seasons as it is low-lying and protected from the extremes of uplands walking.

Start in the village of OBriensbridge in Co Clare. This is Bruach Na Sionna in Irish or Banks of the Shannon and it has one of the most beautiful bridges in the country. The 14-arched bridge links the village to the Co Limerick side of the river to the village of Montpelier. OBriensbridge is named after the first earl of Thomond, Turlough OBrien who, surprise surprise, built the first bridge across the river here in the 15th century.

O'Briensbridge which links Co Clare and Co Limerick (Montpelier). Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Start the walk right at the bridge where there is a small carpark and the signs will direct you eastwards and upriver. Though this is only a thin riparian strip of native trees it feels like you are immersed in extensive woodland. Keep an eye out for the majestic heron and if you are very lucky you might spot the multicoloured kingfisher.

After a short period, the island of Inishlosky is visible to your right. This was a significant island in its day and is one of the largest islands on the Shannon, not counting the lakes. The island has the ruins of a Romanesque church constructed in the 12th century by a French order known as the White Knights. They hailed from Montpelier in France, hence the name of the Co Limerick village.

After 2km you arrive at Parteen Weir which was constructed in 1929 as part of the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme. At nearly 100 years old, it is a very impressive part of our industrial heritage. A little further north lies the mighty Lough Derg and the famous Holy Island (which is a fabulous day trip itself).

The return leg on the northside of the headrace canal is less spectacular but still entirely pleasant. The far banks reveal the rich farmland of the east of the county. As the walk concludes where the track joins a road on your left, and if you happen to arrive just before dusk, you will be greeted by the spectacular sight of the sun sinking beneath the bridge.

And if youre feeling energised after that, there is another loop heading south for 12km, the Old Barge Loop which is also waymarked.

Distance: 3.5km

Time: One hour at leisurely pace

Category: Easy

Map: Discovery Series 58

How to get there: R463 from Limerick to OBriensbridge or take sliproads from the nearby M7 motorway, such as to Birdhill
Lawyers for a man accused of murdering his partner in west Belfast have asked for a second post-mortem examination to be carried out, a court has heard.

Chris Morelli, 31, was remanded in custody after appearing at Belfast Magistrates Court accused of the murder of Hollie Thomson in the Greenan area on Saturday.

The 28-year-old was found dead on Sunday.

During Wednesdays remand hearing, a detective inspector told the court that the initial post-mortem examination showed Ms Thomson died of suffocation with a fracture to cartilage in her neck.

The officer told District Judge McGarrity that explanations offered by the accused as to how the injuries may have been caused had been rejected by the pathologist as not possible.

She said the pathologist had found that the injuries were caused by a third party.

A defence solicitor told the court that the accuseds legal team had taken the unusual step of instructing another pathologist to carry out a second post-mortem.

The solicitor, who made clear that his client denies the offence, insisted he had not encountered a case in 25 years which had involved a second post-mortem examination.

However, the police officer told the court she was aware of a number of occasions during her 23 years as a detective when two post-mortems had been carried out.

A second post-mortem is not unusual in such cases, she said.

Morelli, from Willowvale Avenue in Belfast, watched proceedings remotely from a police custody suite. He spoke only briefly at the outset to confirm he understood the charge he was facing.

Police objected to bail on the grounds of flight risk and potential for the accused to commit offences or interfere with the course of justice if released from custody.

The detective inspector said police believe an object involved in the commission of the offence remains outstanding.

She said police also have concerns for the accuseds safety if he is released as she told the court he had harmed himself quite substantially immediately after the alleged offence  injuries that required 24 hours of hospital treatment.

The officer said police believe he had also taken a drug overdose.

She told the court there are also likely to be issues with the community if he is released.

She said Morelli is estranged from his immediate family and is currently living with his 85-year-old grandmother.

However, the defence solicitor said the accuseds father and uncle are engaged with his office about the case.

He insisted there is an issue about causation as he highlighted that the polices initial assessment upon discovering Ms Thomsons body was that her death was not the result of violence.

The lawyer said his client is not a flight risk as he contended there could be suitable conditions imposed by the court to allow bail to be granted.

Judge McGarrity said he did not consider there were suitable bail conditions that could counter the risk of reoffending or interfering with justice.

He denied bail and remanded Morelli in custody.

The accused is due to appear before court again, via video-link, on October 12.
A retired bus driver has pleaded guilty to more than 80 credit union fraud charges.

David Stamper, 67, from Abbey Farm, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, appeared before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court. He had initially faced 93 charges of theft and money laundering over several years, going back to 2009.

The charges relate to thefts of thousands of euro, the property of the Citybus Employees Credit Union, and the transfer of crime proceeds to his personal account.

Detective Garda Mairead Murphy said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed "trial on indictment" in the circuit court, which has broader sentencing powers. Ten counts were withdrawn, and Judge Smyth noted the accused had signed a guilty plea.

Judge Smyth granted an order sending him forward to the higher court for sentencing and told him his case would be listed on October 13. There was no objection to him remaining on bail with conditions.

Legal aid was granted earlier after the judge was told the former bus driver was a pensioner who cared for his wife and had no assets. Judge Smyth ordered it to include counsel representation at the next stage.

Bail was in his bond of 500, and he was ordered to notify gardai of any change of address and not to contact witnesses or the credit union staff directly or indirectly.
A farmer son of Euromillions winner Dolores McNamara is to fully contest assault and breach of the peace charges arising from an alleged incident at Ennis Mart in August of last year.

At Ennis District Court, Gary McNamara, 43, of Ruan Manor, Ruan, Castleconnell, Co Limerick, is facing the minor assault charge and a separate breach of the peace charge from Ennis Mart on August 17, 2021.

In court on Wednesday, solicitor for Mr McNamara Daragh Hassett said Mr McNamara is to fully contest the case in every way.

Mr Hassett said as part of the disclosure made by gardai, CCTV footage was provided.

He said even though the CCTV footage was State evidence, it was very helpful to his client's defence.

Mr Hassett told Judge Alec Gabbett that CCTV footage shows nothing happens.

Mr Hassett applied for a date for hearing and Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to October 25, when Mr McNamara will be contesting the case.

A native of Limerick, Mr McNamara  who did not attend court on Wednesday  farms a substantial landholding in east Clare.

In the case, Mr McNamara is accused of the assault of Bernard Earley at Ennis Mart on August 17 last year contrary to Section 2 of the Non Fatal Offences Against The Person Act.

Mr McNamara is facing a separate summons of using or engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned contrary to Section 6 of the Public Order Act at the same location on the same date.

Not suitable for legal aid

Previously, Mr Hassett told the court the case was not suitable for legal aid.

Gary McNamaras family connection to Dolores, who won a then record 115m Euromillions jackpot in August 2005, was not referred to during the brief procedural hearing into the case on Wednesday.

Mr McNamara has been farming land in east Clare for a number of years and in 2016 secured planning permission from Clare County Council for animal housing, feed and slurry storage facilities at Islandcosgry, Ogonnelloe, Killaloe.

Documents lodged with the council application said Mr McNamara was a beef farmer with about 100 bovine livestock units on 220 acres of "eligible agricultural land at Tinerana Farm.

The purpose of the proposed development was to accommodate cattle stocked on Mr McNamaras holding over the winter period and to provide suitable storage facilities for fodder, animal waste and farm equipment required for conventional and modern livestock farming.

The documents said the scale of the farmyard proposal was consistent with his farming activity and numbers of animals and type stocked.

A court previously heard in 2016 that Mr McNamara was left nursing a 128,778 bill after thieves "gutted" his east Clare lakeside mansion of all its antique chandeliers, light fittings, brass items and copper piping.

Mr McNamara and his wife, Michelle, purchased the lakeside mansion from a consortium for 1.46m at the end of January 2013.

It is understood that the McNamaras paid an additional 2m for 270 acres of surrounding lands in the estate on the shores of Lough Derg that includes 2.3km of frontage onto the lake.
Burma Jailed Myanmar Protest Leader Faces Possible Death Sentence

Ko Wai Moe Naing at an anti-regime protest in Monywa.

Myanmars junta added a charge that carries a death sentence against jailed protest leader Ko Wai Moe Naing for his role in the protest movement against military rule.

The 27-year-old pro-democracy activist has been held in Monywa Prison, Sagaing Region, since his arrest in April last year during an anti-regime rally. He has already faced several charges and was given a 10-year sentence in five incitement cases last month.

On August 26 the junta filed a fresh case against him under Article 122 of the Penal Code for leading protests in Monywa and for affiliating with the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw of deposed lawmakers, which the junta has declared an unlawful organization, his mother told The Irrawaddy.

Article 122 enforces a death sentence or life in prison for high treason.

Ko Wai Moe Naing defended himself in court as neither of his lawyers was able to attend court. One lawyer was detained and the other has been in hiding for over a month after the junta issued an arrest warrant.

He also faces charges of murder, wrongful confinement, defamation and under the Natural Disaster Management Law.

A hearing for the latest charge is scheduled for September 22.

The regime, which has killed at least 2,273 people since the February 2021 coup, has used the death penalty to intimidate opponents as it struggles to control the country.

It carried out Myanmars first execution in nearly four decades in July by hanging four detainees, including veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former National League for Democracy lawmaker, who were sentenced to death in January.

The other two victims were Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko Aung Thura Zaw, who were accused of murdering a woman they believed to be a junta informant.

Many other political prisoners now face death sentences issued by junta courts.
Burma Junta-Ruled Myanmar Not Invited to Queen Elizabeths Funeral

Pallbearers from the Queen's Colour Squadron carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II to the Royal Hearse at the Royal Air Force Northolt airbase on Sept. 13, 2022. / AFP

Myanmar, Russia and Belarus have not been invited to Queen Elizabeths state funeral next Monday which will see more than 100 kings, queens, heads of state and other VIPs attend, Reuters reported, citing a Whitehall source.

Britain has imposed sanctions against Myanmar and its military as London steps up support for the Southeast Asian countrys Rohingya community.

At the same time, diplomatic relations between the two countries hit a record low this year with the juntas recent jailing of the countrys former British ambassador and her husband.

Furthermore, the regime expelled the head of the UK Embassy in July after he declined to present his credentials to the regime.

Britain recently imposed sanctions against a company run by the junta chiefs son, aiming at impacting a case currently before the International Court of Justice to determine whether the Myanmar military committed genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority.

Britain and other Western countries have sought to isolate Russia and its ally Belarus on the world stage with economic sanctions and other measures in response to Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

Elizabeth IIs funeral at Westminster Abbey next week is set to be a huge diplomatic event that poses major security and protocol challenges for organizers at Buckingham Palace and in the British government.

US President Joe Biden has confirmed he will attend, and has reportedly been given permission to arrive in his armored presidential limousine, known as The Beast, AFP reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as Japans Emperor Naruhito, who is expected to make the occasion his first foreign trip since ascending the throne in 2019, will also attend.
Burma Myanmar Junta Leader Hints at Possible Delay in 2023 Election

Current regime leader Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in 2018 / The Irrawaddy

Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said the prospect of a new election slated to be held next year depends largely on whether there is peace and economic recovery plus political stability in the country, in an interview with Russian news agency RIA.

His remark is viewed as implying that the election slated for August 2023 is not certain, considering that Myanmars economy is spiraling downward and the armed clashes in many parts of the country are expected to escalate once the rainy season is over.

When asked about the possibility of the election being delayed during the interview, which was published in junta-controlled newspapers, Min Aung Hlaing replied, It is too early to discuss it because it is around five months [until emergency rule expires], and a decision has to be made depending on the situation.

Under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, the chief of the armed forces can impose emergency rule for one year, and renew it twice for six months each. Emergency rule has already been renewed twice, and will expire on Feb. 1 next year. The election must be held within six months of that date, under the Constitution.

Holding an election is also part of the juntas five-point roadmap released after the bloody military coup. To prepare for it, the regime has been amending electoral laws and taking steps to replace the current first-past-the-post electoral system with the proportional representation (PR) systema move that would overwhelmingly favor the military and its allied political parties.

Whether the election can be held as planned is open to question as the junta leadership including Min Aung Hlaing himself have repeatedly set out unrealistic preconditions for a free and fair election to take place, including that there must not be pressure on people, that it must be able to hold the election across the country, and that the armed conflicts must end before a vote is held.

Renowned political analyst U Than Soe Naing told The Irrawaddy he believes Min Aung Hlaing will hold the election no matter what in order to achieve his dream of becoming president.

They will hold the fraudulent election in areas they can control, to prolong their ruleunless they are removed before it, he said.

The juntas planned PR system is designed to prevent the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) or any other democratic party from winning a landslide victory like the NLD did in the 1990, 2015 and 2020 general elections.

As the military already holds 25 percent of seats in the parliament under the Constitution, the PR system will enable Min Aung Hlaing to fulfill his presidential dream, as it will ensure the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and its allied parties win enough seats to officially put Min Aung Hlaing into the presidential residence. Smaller parties allied with the USDP did not win a single seat in the 2020 election.

According to the analyst U Than Soe Naing, even if the election cant be held, Min Aung Hlaing might follow in the footsteps of his predecessor as dictator, Than Shwe, and scrap the 2008 Constitution and write a new one in order to cling to power.
Burma Yangon Protesters Seized in Myanmar Junta Crackdown

Anti-regime protesters in Pan Pin Gyi Street, Kyimyindaing Township, on December 5, 2021. / AFP

At least 15 protesters were arrested in Yangon on Wednesday afternoon when regime personnel in civilian clothes broke up a flash mob in Kyimyindaing Township.

The protest in Pan Pin Gyi Street was in support of the civilian National Unity Government and its United Nations representative, U Kyaw Moe Tun.

The security forces were prepared and waiting for them, residents said.

Protesters who escaped said the security forces were in plain clothes.

They arrived soon after we began the protest and beat us with sticks. Three vehicles suddenly appeared and at least three shots were fired, said a protester who escaped.

At least 15 were taken away and we are very concerned for them. We saw them being beaten and shot at in public and anything can happen to them in an interrogation camp, he said.

Daw Win Win, a Kyimyindaing resident who witnessed the incident, said: It happened very quickly. I saw the people in plain clothes with sticks and some with guns watching from a distance. They beat the protesters. I ran away because I was scared.

Ko Min Thurein, an executive member of the East Yangon University Students Union, was detained, according to the students union.

Others seized were representatives of the Basic Education Students Union, Myanmar Labour Alliance, Myanmar Youth Network and Pyinnya Nan Taw private school.

Five were members of the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar (CTUM), the group said, denouncing the crackdown.

U Nay Min Tun from the Building and Wood Workers Federation of Myanmar and Daw Zuu Zuu Ra Khaing, Daw Yamin Kay Thwe Khaing and U Than Zaw from the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar were seized, according to the CTUM.

Last December junta forces rammed a vehicle into protesters and bystanders in the same street and arrested at least 12 people, including two journalists.
Diana Perez said Aug. 12 "is the day I will never forget," telling City of Miami commissioners Tuesday morning, recalling the events that transpired at the Virginia Key Outdoor Center that day when she was approached by seven police officers and, later, two code enforcement officers, in front of children as she worked as the center's marketing director.

The day after, the facility was shut down, putting as many as 17 persons out of work.

Exactly one month later, the Miami City commission voted 4-1 late Tuesday afternoon to allow Miami's Parks & Recreation Department to take over the rentals of paddles and kayaks in a temporary stay while Esther Alonso, Perez's boss and the former proprietor of the Outdoor Center, could come into compliance with overdue payments and a Certificate of Use and Business Tax Receipt.

This would allow her to operate the center again until a Request for Proposal goes out in early October, and a bidder  which could be Alonso  is finalized.

Commissioner Ken Russell voted "no" to the motion.

Commissioner Manolo Reyes said the blame for the center's ultimate shutdown should actually be shared between Alonso and the city since the previous city's administration never followed through on her lack of an operating license and past due payments, totaling more than $140,000.

Chair Christine King said she would make every effort to see that the city attorney and city manager would work closely with Alonso to see if her compliance issues could be resolved within two to four weeks.

Commissioner Joe Carollo questioned how much acreage the center was actually using, showing photos of large storage units for canoes and kayaks, for example, on areas other than the 2,056 square feet being rented for $1,194 a month. The lease, originally calling for $750 a month -- "a sweetheart of a deal," Carollo said -- had been renewed for five years until 2020.

Earlier in the day, Perez was among 40 persons in the community to voice their concerns before the Commission.

"They asked me for my ID. They said they needed it for record-keeping," she said, recalling that Aug. 12 day before being served with an arrest affidavit because she could not show them required permits. "On Sept. 20, I have a court hearing (after being) charged with a misdemeanor. I just happened to be there (working) that day," she said.

Dozens of impassioned speakers followed suit, urging the Miami Commissioners to reopen the center, but dozens of others took the issue a step further.

They pleaded with the five-member board to shut down the idea of isolating the city's chronically homeless to a nearby location on Virginia Key -- one of the area's last bastions of natural environmental beauty, where visitors "know manatees by their names," said Dr. Leah Kinnaird.

Commissioners had gathered to discuss -- without further public comment -- the future of the center  not address the proposed "tiny homes" pilot program at the North Trail. A Sept. 22 Commission meeting was set to address that proposal, and city staff was to present alternative sites for it.

Carollo and Chair King specified that the closure of the Outdoor Center was not in any way related to the tiny homes issue since the city already had proceeded with a notice to Alonso a month earlier.

However, later in the day, during the discussion item by the commissioners, Carollo said no "tiny homes" will be coming to Virginia Key.

Although public comment wasnt on the agenda, the public had plenty to say Tuesday -- on both subjects.

David Peery approached the podium "hoarse from yelling outside" at a rally happening in front of Miami City Hall, telling city commissioners that "Miami has become an international embarrassment" with its recent proposal to isolate the willing, chronically homeless community to Virginia Key, two miles from the nearest bus shelter and five miles from a food market or medical center.

Peery, the founder and executive director of the Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity, said he knows all too well about being homeless, having slept under the Miami Bridge for two years.

"Homeless is not a choice, Peery said. You're not going to solve the problem by beating up (mentally), arresting the homeless. The system is broken, not the people."

He said he was recently contacted by the BBC Network, telling commissioners that others around the world are taking notice of the issue.

"Show some leadership, step up (and make) Miami into a world-class city that it can be," he told commissioners.

As far as the primary issue of the Virginia Key Outdoor Center, several residents supported proprietor Esther Alonso and her staff as having provided an amazing service for residents and tourists alike with kayak rentals and other concessions. Some speakers even indicated it was a launching pad for their child's education or career in environmental studies.

Julie Malphurs said her son was the first camper at the Outdoor Center seven years ago and he has evolved to become a counselor there while developing a love for marine life and the associated recreational elements, such as paddleboarding.

She said she doesn't mind the more than occasional drive from her home in Allapattah to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. "But I've been watching that reason disappear," she said.

Sunny McLean, one of the co-founders of the Virginia Key Alliance with Dr. Kinnaird, said when the Outdoor Center opened, "it was quickly embraced by many Miami citizens. It's something they wanted"  a place where they could peacefully paddle and kayak in a safe place (unlike the Miami Marine Stadium area). It is "something greatly needed for those wanting to enjoy such a unique space."

Another speaker talked about the valuable beach cleanups the center organizes. And another said the closure would be a "death blow" to the paddling community. One more said the commissioners could leave their legacy by protecting the beauty of the site.

Yvette Alexander, a mother of two, said the area provides "an asset for physical and mental health" for everyone seeking a respite.

"It's time to think of a better place to drop off the homeless," she said. "This area is the highest form of magic the Magic City has to offer."

As the comments got sidetracked to the "tiny homes" proposal, in which several speakers indicated it appears to be tied with racial undertones, some asked why they would choose the area where a historically preserved Black landmark beach exists, where a segregated beach was instituted until the mid-'60's.

But Commissioner Carollo and Chair King emphasized that was not the intent, since the encampment would be close to the Outdoor Center, and not that stretch of beach.

Zach Spicer told commissioners he was disappointed to have to plead for returning the center to operation and saving jobs. With so few natural spaces left, the (idea) to close the Virginia Key Outdoor Center doesn't make any sense he said. The last thing Virginia Key needs is development."

In a separate, but related, decision, the Commission deferred until Sept. 22 a discussion about who should remain, or be added, to the Virginia Key Historical Trust Board.

An auditor's report of the Trusts Board found sloppy record-keeping, among other findings.

"There's too much evidence of malfeasance," Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla said. "I'm willing to defer the item so we can think of a better proposal, but I will not vote to keep those people in.

Commissioner Russell, who represents the Virginia Key area in his district, said he could see no evidence of "misuse of funds," just the sloppy accounting and bookkeeping.
Microsoft has released patches for 62 CVEs on its monthly Patch Tuesday, with five rated as critical and 57 rated as important.

The security firm Tenable said it had omitted one fix, CVE-2022-23960, a cache speculation restriction vulnerability as it was issued by MITRE and applied to Arm CPUs.

Tenable staff research engineer Satnam Narang said Microsoft had patched CVE-2022-37969, an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) Driver.

"According to Microsoft, this flaw has been exploited in the wild as a zero-day," he added. "However, exploiting this vulnerability requires an attacker to have already gained access to a vulnerable target system via other means, such as exploiting a separate vulnerability or [through] social engineering.

"Post-exploitation flaws such as this one are often exploited through a specially crafted application.

"CVE-2022-24521, a similar vulnerability in CLFS, was patched earlier this year as part of Microsofts April Patch Tuesday release and was also exploited in the wild. CVE-2022-37969 was disclosed by several groups, though its unclear if CVE-2022-37969 is a patch-bypass for CVE-2022-24521 at this point."

Graphic courtesy Tenable

Greg Wiseman, product manager at security firm Rapid7, pointed out that the September Patch Tuesday was on the lighter side. He included the 16 CVEs affecting Google's Chromium browser, as these also affect Microsoft's Edge browser, bringing the total to 79.

"Some of the more noteworthy vulnerabilities this month affect Windows systems with IPSec enabled," Wiseman said. "CVE-2022-34718 allows Remote Code Execution (RCE) on any Windows system reachable via IPv6, while CVE-2022-34721 and CVE-2022-34722 are RCE vulnerabilities in the Windows Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Protocol Extensions.

"All three CVEs are considered critical and carry a CVSSv3 base score of 9.8. Rounding out the critical RCEs this month are CVE-2022-35805 and CVE-2022-34700, both of which affect Microsoft Dynamics (on-premise) and have a CVSSv3 base score of 8.8. Any such systems should be updated immediately."

Wiseman said SharePoint administrators should also be aware of four separate RCEs being addressed this month.

"Theyre considered important, meaning Microsoft recommends applying the updates at the earliest opportunity," he noted.

"Finally, a large swath of CVEs affecting OLE DB Provider for SQL Server and the Microsoft ODBC Driver were also fixed. These require some social engineering to exploit, by convincing a user to either connect to a malicious SQL Server or open a maliciously crafted .mdb (Access) file."
Over half of Australians have actively increased their emoji usage over the past 12 months with nearly all users (82%) sending up to 50 emoji in their text or online messaging a day, according to the Adobe Future of Creativity: 2022 Australian Emoji Trend Report.

Aussie emoji users are more like to send more emoji per day than all other markets. The findings also emphasised on the importance of new inclusive emoji in the Unicode 15.0 release in September such as the maracas, flute, khanda, hair pick and folding hand fan.

Emoji have become a favourite form of creative self-expression for people everywhere, said Adobe computer scientist and Adobe representative on the Unicode Emojie Subcommittee Kamile Demir.

As the creative industry leader and a member of the Unicode Consortium, we recognise the potential for emoji to promote inclusivity, spark cultural conversations and even positively impact mental health.

The report highlighted the following findings:

1. Emojis dont always mean what users think they do and are always changing;

2. It has become a hallmark of Australian dating culture;

3. And emoji use at work improves efficiency, boosts creativity, and builds stronger relationships.

As a visual form of communication, emoji help fill the emotional gaps when representing ourselves online and help us communicate our personal identities, thoughts and feelings in ways words often cannot, said Adobe typeface designer and font developer Paul D. Hunt.

The report explored when, why, and how Australians are using emoji to advance self-expression and identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion, dating and relationships, and workplace communications.

This fun, fast, and friendly form of digital communication has transformed the way users express themselves and continues to push the boundaries on how they bridge conversations across age, race, culture and beyond.

Australias favourite emoji

There is an extensive selection of emoji to use but the top five most used emoji are similar globally. Face with tears of joy is consistently the top emoji of both male and female users globally. Male emoji users second favourite is thumbs up and females second favourite is rolling on the floor laughing face.

In Australia, the top five most used emoji are a lot happier in comparison to last year:

This was last year's top five:

Emoji are most used by Australians to make conversations more fun (64%), and more than half (51%) use emoji to better communicate their thoughts and feeling than words do alone.

Less than half of Australians (47%) use emoji to quickly respond to text or online messages and more than half (51%) are more likely to respond to a message if it contains an emoji.

Emoji are most used to communicate with friends (83%), significant other/partner (48%) and siblings (41%).

Emotions and emoji

Emoji are also used as a powerful emotional tool. Nearly all Australians (92%) use emoji to lighten the mood and show support for the people/person they are communicating with.

More than half (65%) of Australians lean on emoji use when they have difficulties expressing their emotions in words.

Love (73%) and happiness (71%) are the top emotions Australian emoji users express using emotions. Most Australian users (87%) are likely to feel more understanding or more empathetic towards someone if they use an emoji.

Australians also like the use of emoji to communicate their emotions across language barriers (94%) and it makes it easier for them to express their emotions (90%).

More than half (60%) believe using an emoji has improved their overall emotions and mental health.

Emoji users continue to want more inclusive and representative emoji

Despite the prolific use of emoji, there is a strong consumer desire to see more diverse and inclusive emoji on the keyboard.

Most Australian emoji users agree that emoji should continue to strive for a more inclusive representation of users (82%), with only half of the country (55%) feeling their identity is adequately reflected in current emoji options.

Over half (53%) of Australians are likely to customise an emoji to better reflect their personal appearance while 52% wish they had more emoji customisation options to better reflect themselves.

When asked what changes users would like to see, hairstyle or colour (41%), eye colour (34%), accessories and body type (33%) are the top customisation options users want.

While Australians do believe inclusivity for emoji has improved, age (41%), culture (35%) and race/ethnicity (36%) are the top emoji categories that users want to see inclusion expand in. Australian users are most excited about three new emoji that are more inclusive:

Decoding the Emoji language

More than half (73%) of Australian emoji users feel confident theyre up to date on the meaning of the latest emoji when they use them correctly with 81% agreeing you should only use emoji when you fully understand them.

In Australia, the top three most misunderstood emoji are:

This was in comparison to last years findings:

Emoji role in romantic impression

Not only is emoji use seen as an indicator of relationship success, but it also influences whether one should go to a second or third date.

For Australian emoji users interested in flirting with or dating someone theyre talking to, 70% believe using an emoji in conversation is a must when flirting.

More than half (55%) agreed they are more likely to use even more emoji when communicating with someone theyre interested in flirting with or dating and 58% reveal they feel more comfortable expressing their feelings through emoji to someone they are interested in.

In Australia, the emoji that makes dating apps users more likeable when flirting or dating is:

Whereas the emoji that makes dating app users in Australia less likable when flirting or dating is:

Over half (62%) of Australian users assume their relationship with someone is going well if they use more emoji when talking to each other, while 41% are more likely to see out a second or third date with someone who communicates using emoji.

The future of emoji

The future of emoji is already unfoldingfrom purchasing products and making payments to creating exclusive online usernames and websites.

Half of the Australian emoji users (50%) are more willing to buy an item using an emoji. The majority of Australian users are open to new ways of using emoji, such as confirming attendance at an event (60%), sending or receiving payments (36%) and communicating with a doctor (32%).

In Australia, products most likely to be purchased via an emoji are:
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The leader of Namibia's largest opposition party said Tuesday he had called on Germany to renegotiate the agreement it struck with Windhoek admitting its role in genocide during its rule of the southern African nation.

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) party leader McHenry Venaani told AFP he had written to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock last week, and has not received a response.

Germany last year acknowledged it had committed genocide in colonial-era Namibia and promised a billion euros in financial support to descendants of the victims.

The opposition says the deal is flawed.

"Reparations were not acknowledged as a consequence of the admission of genocide," Venaani said, calling on Germany "to return to the negotiating table and re-engineer an accord that would satisfy both groups".

The agreement was a result of more than five years of negotiations between the two countries over events in the territory held by Berlin from 1884 to 1915.

German colonial settlers killed tens of thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama people in 1904-1908 massacres -- labelled by historians as the first genocide of the 20th century.

The atrocities have poisoned relations between Namibia and Germany for decades

The agreement between the two governments was tabled in Namibia's parliament 12 months ago and is yet to be passed.
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)  Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP ( www.kaplanfox.com ) is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Twitter, Inc. (Twitter or the Company) (NYSE: TWTR) based on recent allegations by a whistleblower, as reported by CNN and The Washington Post.

If you have purchased or otherwise acquired Twitter securities between August 3, 2020 and August 23, 2022 inclusive (the Class Period) and would like to discuss our investigation, please contact us via email [email protected] or by calling (646) 315-9003.

If you are a member of the proposed class, you can move the court by November 14, 2022 at the latest to serve as lead plaintiff for the alleged class. You do not have to seek lead plaintiff to participate in a possible recovery.

on August 23, 2022, CNN published an article titled Ex-Twitter exec blows the whistle, alleging reckless and negligent cybersecurity policies. According to that CNN In the article, the whistleblower claims that Twitter has major security issues that pose threats to its own users personal information, the companys shareholders, national security and democracy, according to an explosive disclosure by a whistleblower published exclusively was obtained from CNN and the Washington Post. That CNN The article also states that the disclosure was sent to a number of U.S. government agencies and congressional committees last month, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. The whistleblower is reportedly Peiter Mudge Zatko, who was previously the companys head of security and reports directly to the CEO.

August 23, 2022 CNN Article also says that [w]Hat Zatko says he found it was a company with exceptionally poor security practices, including granting thousands of the companys employees  which is roughly half the companys workforce  access to some of the platforms critical controls. that Zatko
One dead, two wounded in a gunfire at a Thai military facility

A Thai soldier killed two people and wounded another in a shootout at a military facility in Bangkok on Wednesday, police and army officials said.

Sergeant Major Yongyuth Mungkornkim, a clerk at the Royal Thai Army War College, shot dead three other soldiers around 8:45 a.m. (0145 GMT), the military said in a statement.

The 59-year-old tried to flee the scene but surrendered around 10 a.m., Deputy National Police Spokesperson Kissana Phathanacharoen told reporters.

The Army would like to extend its condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers and those injured. This incident was a loss for both the families and the organization. It is something that was not expected, deputy army spokesman Col. Sirichan Nga-thong said in a statement.

The cause and motivation for the incident is being investigated.

After the shooting, police and soldiers guarded the gates of the facility, which is part of a large complex of military buildings north of the capital.

The military statement named the victims as Sergeant Major Nopparat Inthasunthorn and Sergeant Major Prakarn Sinsong.

The third soldier, Sergeant Major Yongyuth Panyanuwat, was taken to hospital for treatment, the statement said.

Police are investigating the shooting, spokesman Kissana said, with initial reports saying the weapon used was a 9mm handgun.

While Thailand has a high gun ownership rate, mass shootings are extremely rare.

But in the past year there have been at least two more cases of shooting murders by serving soldiers, according to the Bangkok Post.

And in 2020, in one of the kingdoms deadliest incidents in years, a soldier shot 29 people and injured dozens more in a 17-hour rampage before being shot dead by commandos.

This mass shooting, which shocked Thailand, was linked to a debt dispute between armed sergeant-major Jakrapanth Thomma and a senior officer, and military top officials scrambled to portray the killer as a renegade soldier.
Daniel Henney dishes on his "Confidential Assignment 2" co-stars and praises Hyun Bin for his visuals.

The 42-year-old American actor is among the lead stars of the action comedy film along with Yoo Hae Jin, Girls' Generation's YoonA, Jin Seon Kyu, and Hyun Bin.

In an episode of MBC's "The Manager," Daniel Henney appeared as one of the guests along with his longtime manager.

Here, the actor spoke about his working relationship with co-stars, especially with Hyun Bin.

Here's Why Daniel Henney Finds Hyun Bin More 'Good Looking' Than Him

In one of the scenes, "The Manager" featured a "Confidential Assignment 2" press conference with Daniel Henney welcoming the "Crash Landing on You" star into the room with a hug.

As obtained by SBS News, as soon as he took a seat, the American actor pointed out how "good-looking" his co-star is and said "Oh, Hyun Bin's so good-looking. He's really cute as well."

Watching a clip from the press conference, the host commented that Daniel Henney is equally handsome as Hyun Bin; however, he was asked "Do you think he's more good-looking than yourself?"

Without second thoughts, he immediately agreed to say that Hyun Bin has more appealing visuals than him.

"Of course! He's so good-looking. He's good-looking in every single way," he said, adding, "I certainly think he's more good-looking than myself."

For Daniel Henney, it's not about the physical appearance that made him handsome but mentioned that Hyun Bin is a total package, pointing out his face, and energy, especially the way he gives off the leader-like vibe.

In "Confidential Assignment 2" Hyun Bin reprised his role as North Korean detective Im Chul Ryung who is set to undergo a secret mission and will be reunited with South Korean detective Kang Jin Tae, played by Yoo Hae Jin.

In the sequel, the duo will be working alongside their new member, FBI detective Jack.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Hyun Bin K-dramas, Movies to Watch on Netflix this 2022

Adding to the list of cast, Girls' Generation's YoonA returned as Park Min Young, Kang Jin Tae's sister and law, and the love interest of detective Jack and Im Chul Ryung.

Lastly, with the new mission, "Confidential Assignment 2" featured a new villain played by Jin Seon Kyu as the syndicate's boss Jang Myeong Jun.

'Confidential Assignment 2' is Hyun Bin and Daniel Henney's Reunion Project

Before the movie's second installment, the two dashing actors starred in the 2005 rom-com series "My Lovely Sam Soon."

Hyun Bin and Daniel Henney headline the MBC weekday drama opposite Kim Sun Ah.

As his interview with "The Manager" continues, the 42-old old actor revealed how he and Hyun Bin celebrated working together for the second time.

Daniel Henney revealed that they "went to a hotel nearby, and got some beer."

Moreover, he also shared that they "reminisced the past together" over a glass of beer and said that they had a good time recalling their previous work.

Interestingly, Daniel Henney also revealed that he was invited to Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin's wedding in March but was unable to come due to his schedule conflict.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
After what he has been through, Ha Jung Woo sees light and turns over a new leaf. In episodes 4 to 6 of "Narco-Saints," the drama tells the importance of trust, friendship and dignity amid all the chaos and betrayal in Suriname.

'Narco-Saints' Episode 4: A String of Betrayal

In episode 4 of the series, Jeon Yo Hwan's (Hwang Jung Min) men show up to take down the rest of Kang In Gu's (Ha Jung Woo) team at the Brazilian border.

It turns out that it was the National Intelligence Service's (NIS) plan all along. Kang In Gu becomes more frustrated knowing that Choi Chang Ho (Park Hae Soo) continues to lie to his face, straining their relationship.

Meanwhile, Jeon Yo Hwan takes Kang In Gu to visit the President of Suriname, bribing him to handle the situation at the border.

He also offers to make Kang In Gu his partner and the director of the operations. While he tries to find ways on how to take down the drug lord, Choi Chang Ho grows suspicious about him.

Kang In Gu still wants to kill Jeon Yo Hwan, but Choi Chang Ho refuses. Because of this, he decides to follow Jeon Yo Hwan secretly and ends up in Chinatown.

'Narco-Saints' Episode 5: Battle of the Bastards

Unbeknownst to him, Jeon Yo Hwan also makes an unscheduled visit to Chen Jin's (Chang Chen) restaurant in Chinatown.

Chen Jin is torn whether to betray Kang In Gu or proceed to their initial plan. On the other hand, Kang In Gu goes to Jeon Yo Hwan and convinces him to take the Puerto Rico route instead of stalling at the Brazilian border.

Things escalate, alerting the NIS. Kang In Gu, Chen Jin, Choi Chang Ho and Jeon Yo Hwan are all fighting for their lives and greed.

The drugs are left in Chen Jin's hands and patiently waits for Kang In Gu's go signal before moving. However, Choi Chang Ho now wants to pull out the latter from the mission.

In the next scene, Jeon Yo Hwan calls for a meeting in hopes to catch the culprit in his gang, putting Kang In Gu in a sticky situation.

He then calls the President for help, cornering Chen Jin. He is left with no choice but to disclose his location to Kang In Gu, causing him to be killed in the nick of time.

'Narco-Saints' Episode 6: Kang In Gu's Escape

Kang In Gu plans to get on the same plane with the cocaine and escape Suriname along with Jeon Yo Hwan while the NIS is executing their plan in taking down the latter.

However, Jeon Yo Hwan, who still has suspicions, leaves Kang In Gu behind which ruins their plans.

To salvage the mission, Choi Chang Ho goes to the airport to receive the shipment and finish the deal. After which, they decide to go with their second plan.

They arrest one of Jeon Yo Hwan's men, luring him in as they convince the drug lord that things are running smoothly.

The NIS then attacks Jeon Yo Hwan's mansion. The President betrays him and refuses to send support, which makes Jeon Yo Hwan's life more at risk.

Meanwhile, Kang In Gu corners Jeon Yo Hwan when the latter manages to flee. He plans to kill the drug lord who made his life miserable with his own hands.

At the end of the episode, Kang In Gu is seen living in a cozy home with his family, happy to have him back.

After a few months, Kang In Gu turns over a new leaf as a mechanic when he receives a visit from Choi Chang Ho, who tells not to reveal his affiliation with the NIS, and just live a happy life with his family.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Red Velvet's Joy and Baek Sung Chul experience post-confession awkwardness in "Once Upon a Small Town" episode 5 while Choo Young Woo encounters an accident involving the female officer.

The weekday drama is a feel-good movie that follows the journey of a Seoul-based veterinarian Han Ji Yul (Choo Young Woo) and his struggle to adapt to the countryside after temporarily replacing his grandfather as the town's resident vet.

Where to Watch 'Once Upon a Small Town'?

Airing every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, "Once Upon a Small Town" is a 16-episode K-drama directed by Kwon Seok Jang of "Bossam: Steal the Fate."

The rom-com series is a Kakao TV original series but is also available via Netflix for subtitles.

'Once Upon a Small Town' Episode 5 Recap

In the latest episode, "Once Upon a Small Town" began with Officer Ahn Ja Young still bothered by Lee Sang Hyun's confession.

At the station, her longtime friend, Lee Sang Hyun visited her and brought her her favorite coffee from the peach farm.

During their conversation, he asked if she was annoyed with what he said; however, based on Ja Young's reaction she doesn't know what to do or how to be around her friend after confessing his feelings.

Moreover, she pointed out that she is scared that their relationship will not be as normal as it was before.

It can be recalled that Sang Hyun tells Ahn Ja Young that he wanted to let out his bottled-up emotions toward her which surprised the female officer.

Interestingly, as Han Ji Yul passed by the station, he saw Officer Ahn and Lee Sang Hyun being close to each other which made him jealous.

As he returned to the vet hospital, the assistant mentioned that Ahn Ja Young borrowed a cage for the puppies and went to the woods alone.

At this point, he remembered that she was inviting him to rescue Boksil's puppies and bring them to the shelter.

Using his bike, he hurried to the woods where they saw the puppies with Ahn Ja Young single-handedly arranged things.

As they return to the vet hospital, Han Ji Yul asked Officer Ahn why she left her bike there and walked all alone to rescue the dogs. She didn't answer but smiled at him.

In the next scene, he learned that Ahn Ja Young fixed his bike and got some spare parts from her bike, which is why the officer can't use her.

The Confrontation

In "Once Upon a Small Town" episode 5, Lee Sang Hyun confronted Han Ji Yuk about her feelings toward Officer Ahn.

Moreover, he also mentioned how he hates seeing Ahn Ja Young care about Han Ji Yuk as much as she loved the village and will eventually get hurt when she sees him go back to Seoul.

Lastly, he warned the doctor not to give Officer Ahn the wrong idea.

Han Ji Yul Gets Troubled About Ahn Ja Young's Accident

In the last scene, his young neighbor talked to him about Ahn Ja Young saying how nice the officer is.

"She's as nice as my grandma," he said,

Han Ji Yul opened up and said that he and the female police had a little fight.

Little did he know that Ahn Ja Young was on the phone; however, as the boy handed over the phone, Han Ji Yuk heard a loud crash and immediately hurried to check on Ahn Ja Young.

He saw Ahn Ja Young and a male officer unconscious and trapped inside the car but struggled to rescue them because he kept remembering a past in a similar situation.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
A field of wheat is pictured near Cremona, Alta., Tuesday, Sept. 6. Statistics Canada says Canadian farmers are on track to produce a better crop this year than they did in 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
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China is now able to detect large-scale, sophisticated and sustained cyberattacks launched by overseas organizations and government bodies, such as the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States, and secure the evidence of such attacks, the founder of a Chinese cybersecurity company said. China has become a prominent target in recent years of such cyberattacks, known as Advanced Persistent Threats, so detecting the attacks and finding out who is behind them has been quite a challenge, said Zhou Hongyi, founder of cybersecurity company 360, on Tuesday. "But we have managed to catch the NSA launching cyberattacks on targets in China at least twice in the past two years, including the attack on the internal servers of Northwestern Polytechnical University. By analyzing the pattern of the attack and the weapons and code names used, we can be certain that the NSA's Office of Tailored Access Operations  a cyberwarfare intelligence-gathering unit  is behind the attack," Zhou said. Together with the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, the company carried out the initial investigation of the cyberattack on the university in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. The university is known for its education and research programs in aeronautics, astronautics and marine technology engineering. TAO is believed to be one of the world's top cyberattack units. More than 40 weapons targeting different security vulnerabilities in different platforms were used in the attack on the university alone. That hacking was just one of more than tens of thousands of cyberattacks TAO launched against Chinese targets in recent years, Zhou said. All the evidence has been kept for analysis, he said, which can help China better identify the attackers in the future because the codes of cyberattack weapons may change in different attacks, but the structure of those weapons from certain organizations or government bodies usually remains the same. "Making the invisible cyberattack visible is a big step forward for China in defending its cybersecurity, which faces grave threats from APTs. Unlike traditional warfare, anytime is wartime in cyberwar. Chinese science, technology and industry for national defense institutes and government bodies must always be on high alert for such threats," Zhou said. In addition to stealing information, spyware and Trojan horses that APTs plant in computer systems can also be used to paralyze a city's electricity or water supply, because the cities' infrastructure operations now rely heavily on information technology, he warned. Zhou's company has identified about 50 APTs targeting China, including those launched by the NSA and CIA. Many of them are very active. According to a report published on Tuesday, the NSA used a cybersniffing weapon code-named "suctionchar" to intercept passwords and login data in the cyberattack on the internal servers of the university in April. Cybersniffing intercepts packets of computer information and can be used repeatedly to spy on and possibly crash or corrupt the system. Traces of "suctionchar" are also found in the computer networks of other institutes, which means that the NSA may have carried out a large-scale cyberattack against China, according to the report, which was released by the National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center. Suctionchar mainly targets Unix and Linux platforms and can be easily integrated and used with other cyberweapons and is hard to detect. Besides intercepting passwords and login data, it can theoretically be used to obtain any information the attacker is looking for. It is a powerful cyberattack weapon, according to the report, which also published the codes of "suctionchar". Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday that China has demanded that the US explain the cyberattack on the university via different channels. So far, the US has failed to respond, she said.


Kennesaw State professor aims to address post-conflict social trauma in Liberia

KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 14, 2022

Kennesaw State University professor of conflict management Volker Franke recently secured $2 million in funding for a project that aims to address prolonged social trauma in a Liberian society shaken by internal conflict. Volker Franke

The project, Hope for a Better Future: Building Collaborative Resilience for Youth in Liberia, is a five-year agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) designed to strengthen individual, community and societal self-reliance in the post-conflict country.

Liberia experienced two civil wars at the turn of the 21st century, and though the Second Liberian Civil War ended in 2003, the Carter Center estimates that 40 percent of the countrys citizens currently suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

When you have experienced that kind of trauma 20, 30 years ago and you dont know who around you is safe and who is dangerous, it is difficult to build trust, Franke said.

That level of mistrust makes Frankes partnerships with organizations already based in Liberia of paramount importance.

The Liberia National Commission of Justice, Peace and Caritas will coordinate and implement all interventions in the Hope for a Better Future initiative, while the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation at the University of Liberia will collect field-level data to measure the projects effectiveness.

Franke will also have assistance from TRENDS Global and Sovereignty First, a partnership that last year helped facilitate an agreement involving educational infrastructure improvements between opposing groups in an Afghan village.

In Afghanistan, for instance, we all think about the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and violence at the state level, Franke said. What also affects people on the ground are severe problems in communities that need to be addressed while people worry about resolving larger countrywide problems.

One key issue for Liberian youth is a lack of educational opportunities. Additionally, youth unemployment in the country is as high as 80 percent in some areas, causing hopelessness, rising drug use, conflict and violence.

Frankes research group will first conduct a baseline assessment to determine the interests, hopes and fears of Liberian youth in their communities, then examine how to work with existing community structures to raise trauma awareness.

At the same time, our activities are intended to raise empathy toward others, Franke said. In groups, participants learn to recognize and listen to their body sensations and, at the same time, understand what others are feeling and become more empathetic to that. That can reduce feelings of danger in social interactions.

Trust and empathy can be monitored by measuring social, economic and political cohesion at various points during the project.

The research group will target three counties in Liberia: Maryland County, Grand Gedeh County and Nimba County.

Participants will also develop impulse control by learning how to resist the urge to attack others verbally or physically, while also implementing a moral code to rebuild collaboratively and peacefully their communities traumatized by violence and war.

We have young people who are traumatized who werent even part of the civil war, let alone those community members who fought as child soldiers some 20 years ago who have not been reintegrated into society, Franke said.

The projects initial completion date is July 2027, and Franke hopes it can serve as the impetus for an expanded conflict resolution research effort at Kennesaw State.

My ideal vision for this approach is that we can develop it into a research cluster that will make KSU and the School of Conflict Management a go-to place for students wanting to get a masters or Ph.D. degree in the areas of conflict resolution, development and peacebuilding, Franke said.

 David Roberts

Photo submitted

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The universitys vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
The U.S. Coast Guard Station in Kenosha, and two others in Wisconsin, could receive a big boost from proposed bipartisan legislation that would authorize as much as $40 million to reconstruct each facility, according to U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., one of the bills authors.

Earlier this week, Baldwin, who chairs the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committees Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and Manufacturing Subcommittee, which oversees Coast Guard activities, joined two other senators in support of legislation reauthorizing funding for this year and in 2023.

The legislation has bipartisan backing with co-authors Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Included in the $3 billion for shoreline infrastructure are plans to rebuild facilities in Sturgeon Bay, Kenosha and Sheboygan funded at $40 million per project, according to a news release from Baldwins press office.

U.S. Coast Guard Station Kenosha is located at 5036 Fourth Ave.

After having been decommissioned to a seasonal facility  Memorial Day to Labor Day  five years ago, the Kenosha station returned to full 24-hour, seven-day operations last fall.

With high water levels during the spring and summer months, in some instances, Coast Guard personnel have been forced to completely evacuate locations along Lake Michigan, according to Baldwin. In 2019, for example, the U.S. Coast Guard station in Green Bay was fully evacuated due to flooding and the crews are now based out of hotels while on-station vessels were relocated.

The bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 includes many of Baldwins priorities, including $350 million for the Great Lakes Icebreaker. For the first time, the USCG Authorization Act will also include a standalone Great Lakes subtitle in the bill. The only other geographic area that has a standalone section is the Arctic. The section includes:

Baldwins Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act, which has already been approved by the Commerce Committee, will improve the ice breaking capacity of the Great Lakes Fleet by requiring a Government Accountability Office report on updated and strengthened ice breaking standards on the Great Lakes and an assessment of the economic impact of vessel delays and mission needs for the program

New database on ice breaking operations and commercial vessel and ferry transit, including data on unsuccessful attempts to transit during ice season because of inadequate ice breaking ability. This database will help to bring additional ice breaking capacity to the Great Lakes and improve year-round commerce.

Great Lakes Snowmobile Acquisition Plan to ensure the USCG has a plan to increase the number of essential snowmobiles on the Great Lakes. Small USCG stations along the Great Lakes rely on them to help protect recreational ice fishing during winter months.

A study on sufficiency of Aviation Assets to meet mission needs. Aviation assets are used in search and rescue on the Great Lakes. The 9th USCG District, which includes Wisconsin, stretches from Superior to as far east as North East Lake Ontario and is responsible for all search and rescue for over 6,700 miles of coast line.

The act also supports a number of national priorities, such as, cracking down on illegal fishing and forced labor, boosting the Coast Guards security presence in the Arctic zone, reducing sexual assault and harassment at sea, expanding childcare services for Coast Guard families along with access to medical care education and training, opportunities for affordable housing and promoting diversity, among others.

Our United States Coast Guard members protect and secure our Great Lakes and are a crucial piece to keeping Wisconsins maritime economy moving forward, said Baldwin. Inadequate ice breaking capacity in the Great Lakes costs us thousands of American jobs and millions in business revenue, and this bipartisan legislation invests in the ice breaking resources needed to support our maritime industry and our `Made in America economy.
They heard there was a need and Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin delivered.

On Tuesday, Molina representatives brought deliveries of food and a $5,000 donation to the Shalom Center food pantry seeing a social media post from the center asking for help.

Molina also had 10 shopping carts delivered to the center later in the day to help patrons use to transport food pantry items to their homes.

When you think of pantries, you think of donating food, but in that discussion and understanding who they serve, were able to find maybe some of those other needs that you might not think about, and theyre just as important as access to healthy food, said Amber Lococo, associate vice president for government contracts, Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin.

The shopping carts will help people who walk to pick up items from the Shalom Center.

We have a lot of walkers from all these apartment buildings and the Wilson Heights area, so its great to be able to say, You know what? Its yours. Bring it back every time you come and its just what you use, Coleman said.

Tamarra Coleman, executive director of the Shalom Center, talked about the active choice the public and organizations make to support the center.

People dont have to do what they do, Coleman said. Molina Healthcare did not have to do what theyre doing. They support us in so many other ways. They did not have to do this, so this just shows where their hearts are, where their minds are, and how supportive they are to this community.

Abby Markuson, the food pantry manager at the Shalom Center, said she wants to serve people and get them what the need.

The best is when people come back, and Im like, Oh, hey, Joe, I havent seen you in a year. And theyre like, Yeah, like Ive been doing really good, just a little short this month, but I think Ill be back up and running, Markuson said. Like thats the best.

Shalom Center is set to expand its services, and physical location by 10,500 square feet, in the near future.

We break ground hopefully in a couple weeks, Coleman said, Were just waiting on our final permit.

The $2.4 million expansion, which was underwritten by an anonymous donor, will include a warming/cooling center for winter and summer months, washing machines and dryers and professionals to help connect people with vital services.

Thats what we want, Coleman said. Were a resource center that just happens to have food.

For people looking to support the Shalom Center can visit shalomcenter.org or donate items listed on the needs page at shalomcenter.org/needs-list. Toiletries and non-perishable food items are needed on an ongoing basis.

Were here to serve, not judge, Coleman said.
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside has kicked off a month-long celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 14.

Hispanic Heritage Month is nationally recognized from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 and aligns with the independence days of many Latin American countries.

UW-Parkside will recognize the history, culture, and achievements of Hispanic/Latin Americans. The month provides the opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate leadership, cultural intricacies, and music through various events and activities.

Hispanic Heritage Month makes me feel like we can learn about our roots, connect with other ethnicities (were very family-oriented), share our food and music< said Katherine Zuleta Bacaro, a junior graphic design major at UW-Parkside. Its important because it helps others have a different point of view and it gives others a part of you.

This years lineup of events opened with a kickoff event Wednesday afternoon the UW-Parkside Student Center Terrace, at which UW-Parkside honored local leaders for their contributions to the Hispanic community.

The events honorees included:

Gema Soria Arcos, who serves as a program coordinator at St. Marks Catholic Parish of Kenosha and has served in multiple councils within the Parish, including School Advisory Council and Hispanic Council.

Raul Hernandez, who serves as a legal coordinator for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of American (ELCA) Outreach Center of Kenosha, assisting with legal matters related Social Security and disability services.

The evening celebration included La Perla Tapatia, led by Liliana Retana and young performers with colorful dresses and folkloric dancing.

There will be a variety of events throughout the month long celebration, including student-led conversations. The conversations will be led by UW-Parksides MOSAIC educators (Motivating Our Students to Advocate for an Inclusive Campus). They will facilitate a workshop on mainstream musical artists and activism.

The College of Arts and Humanities has been instrumental in showcasing talented artists for this years celebration via their Noon Concert Series, along with an Author Talk, featuring Frederick Luis Aldama, who will lead a conversation related to Latinx stories and identity. The Noon Concert Series is free to the public and will showcase two musical groups: Mariachi Mexico International and guest performers Inti Raymi.

The schedule includes:

Latix-owned Mini Mercado: Sept. 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Bridge. Mercados (markets) are large areas in a city where you can get different items like food, clothing, jewelry, and other goods at a fair price.

Mosaic Workshop on Is Bad Bunny an Activist? Sept. 26, Noon to 1 p.m., in Molinaro Building, L111; a discussion about activism, Bad Bunny, and what activism could look like for you.

Author Talk with Frederick Luis Aldama, Sept. 27, at 4 p.m., at The Ritas Bedford Concert Hall; a multimedia presentation of all things Latinx pop culture in the 21st century.

Loteria game play in the library, Sept. 28, Noon to 1 p.m., at The Book & Brew.

I Want You to Win: A Conversation with Francesca Mayca Wegner, Oct. 5, Noon to 1 p.m., in the Student Center, Cinema. Wegner will share insights and stories about being the daughter of a Peruvian immigrant and the challenges she has faced on her academic and professional journey.

Noon Concert Series featuring Inti Raymi, Oct. 7, Noon to 1 p.m. Tickets are not required for this free event. All performances are held in Bedford Concert Hall. Free parking is available in Lots B & C. Noon concerts are not ticketed. Seating is first-come, first-serve.

Lantix Community Mixer, Oct. 12, 4 to 5:30 p.m., at The Book & Brew.

Noon Concert Series featuring Mariachi Mexico Internaccional, Oct. 14, Non to 1 p.m. Tickets are not required for this free event. All performances are held in Bedford Concert Hall. Free parking is available in Lots B & C. Noon concerts are not ticketed. Seating is first-come, first-serve.

Hispanic Heritage Month Library Collection. The UW-Parkside Library will mark Hispanic Heritage Month with a curated Hispanic Heritage Month collection that presents notable Latina/o/e/x authors and artists including works of nonfiction, fiction, anthologies, poetry, DVDs, CDs and even graphic novels.

The month long celebration at UW-Parkside is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, UW-Parkside Library, Latinos Unidos, the College of Arts and Humanities, and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

For the full listing of events and for more details, visit uwp.edu/hhm.
Residents at a Kenosha County commission listening session said they want a law enforcement agency that reflects the communitys diversity and greater accountability from officers who will engage with the public on issues of racial equity at forums.

These were among the messages the Racial and Ethnic Equity Commission heard Monday night at the last in a series of listening sessions seeking feedback on law enforcements relationship with diverse communities, how the Sheriffs Department can build trust with residents and the differences in the way the agency interacts with people of color and minority groups.

The commission, which has held forums over the past two months, is expected to present its findings to the Kenosha County Boards Executive Committee on Sept. 22.

Reflect community

I think the (Kenosha) Police Department, the Sheriffs Department should reflect what the community looks like, said Darren Mattox at the session at Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist.

Kenosha has greater racial diversity now, he said.

There was a time people of color were called invisible. Well, were not invisible anymore, he said.

While he noted changes in the Police Department, hes concerned about retaining diversity in law enforcement. At one point he had the opportunity to ask a class of police recruits whether they lived in Kenosha.

Not one hand went up, he said, learning that some of the minority recruits were from Illinois.

The Rev. Lawrence Kirby of The Acts Church in Kenosha also believes officers should live in the communities they serve in order to build trust.

Theres a degree of freedom of being able to live 45 minutes away and policing another town. You dont have the same sense of ownership and accountability, he said.

Community service

Kirby said that in order to build better trust, law enforcement agencies should have new requirements of its officers.

No. 1, I think law enforcement should look at communities that have high police interaction and develop a neighborhood program where they walk the beat intentionally in those neighborhoods to build relationships in those neighborhoods outside of moments where theyre called in, he said.

Secondly, I think law enforcement should have to volunteer with community organizations. They should build partnerships in the communities that they serve and that this community service should be built into the (job) promotion process, he said. That, in order to be promoted in law enforcement, you have to log a number of community service hours in under-served communities, actually working with those who have (been) over-policed.

Kirby said programs and partnerships should be created between schools and law enforcement that teach kids their rights in addition to policy and policing techniques.

So, that as children grow up in our community, they have a more firm understand of why police officers make certain demands of what their rights are as a citizen, Kirby said.

Kirby said much of the mistrust of law enforcement and the criminal justice system has historical roots as well  in slavery. Policing in America began with slave patrols at the start of the 1700s in South Carolina, according to Kirby. By 1800, municipal policing was established in Boston.

One of the challenges that has been created by centuries of policing in our country, is that law enforcement has been used historically to enforce unjust and racist laws, he said.

He said that coupled with toxic masculinity and the macho and overly aggressive policing practices in law enforcement in the country, a dangerous environment has been created, not just for people of color, but for the officers themselves.

And so, weve seen that even in Kenosha, even in our own city, he said.

Racial profiling

Kenosha resident Porche Bennett Bey said there are significant differences in the way local law enforcement interacts with minorities, especially, as it pertains to racial profiling.

We see it on a daily basis, she said. We can literally be listening to the same thing. Theyre looking for a specific person. They will literally stop six different people because they look like the description.

And, now youre going to jail and youre not even the person theyre looking for. And a lot of people dont get that apology they deserve, either, she said. A lot of these people dont have backgrounds or anything, but they get arrested because they look like someone, (the) right fit, a description. To me, that is wrong.

She said the commission should also have had law enforcement at the listening sessions.

A lot of them feel because they have a badge that theyre more superior, but in reality, theyre just like us when they get off, go home and take that uniform off, she said.

She said that its hard to build trust when officers are not willing to have civil conversation with people in the community, including those who have committed and served time for their offenses.

Because theyre law enforcement, theyre automatically right, she said. It doesnt work that way. Everybody has to come to a common ground.

While the listening sessions have invited the community to ask the hard questions, she wondered why those who police them were absent.

Honestly, I felt you should have had officers here to speak at this meeting, not just people from the community, because then they would really understand how we, as a people, feel about them and, they can actually address how they feel.

Then, theres a way to get that broken ice. Then, you can have people who are willing to sit at a table and have that hard conversation, where theres actually community leaders and parents and even younger people (who) should be in these meetings because they have a lot to say about this, as well, she said.

She said that in order to build trust, officers have to come to the meetings.

So they can understand how we feel and maybe then theyll be able to have time to think and want to relay how they feel and then we can have discussions on how to make things better, she said.
The War at Home, a brand new TV documentary which captures the Irish response to the crisis in Ukraine is set to air on RTE One and RTE Player, Monday 19th September at 9.35pm. This moving, inspiring and engaging documentary offers a human insight into the first-hand experiences of those who have been displaced, the continuing generosity of the Irish people and the challenges that lie ahead. It also follows the experiences of Ukrainians forced to travel to Ireland, as they and the already established Ukrainian community here watch the destruction of their motherland unfold from a distance of 3,000km.

The documentary charts this period of turmoil from the invasion back in February to the continuing crisis which has seen over 40,000 refugees enter the country, and follows nine Ukrainian and Irish individuals who each share their remarkable stories and experiences.

Some of the interviewees include Grace Kennedy, a law tutor at the University of Galway, who left her job at the beginning of the war and has since raised over 70,000 and organised aid, transport and support. To date, she has brought over 5,000 Ukrainians to Ireland safely and into homes with the help of bus driver Aidan Geraghty from Roscommon. A number of the refugees who Grace and Aidan helped to bring home also share their experiences of arriving and settling into new homes in Ireland.

Luba Healy, a Ukrainian woman living in Trim who drove over 3,000km from Meath to Ukraine after finally persuading her 99-year-old grandmother and 70-year-old mother to leave the war-torn country for safety shares their emotional story.

Anatoliy Prymakov, a Ukrainian-Irish man describes putting his life on hold to run the Ukrainian Crisis Centre in Dublin, while Kildare-based volunteer Rose Marie Hayden gave up her job as a solicitor to volunteer with the Irish Red Cross in Maynooth university, where Ukrainian refugees are being housed.

Anton Krasun, a Ukrainian living in Dublin, talks about his role in the development of the Call Russia' initiative, an international campaign that urges Russian speakers to help change Putins narrative by cold calling 40 million Russians with information about the war in Ukraine.

The War at Home will air on Monday 19th September at 9.35pm on RTE One and RTE Player.
On Thursday, the Minister for Defence, Mr Simon Coveney accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy, will review the men and women of the 66th Infantry Group prior to their departure for a six-month deployment to Syria as part of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

The deployment of the 66th Infantry Group will see 130 Irish troops deploy to Syria in October 2022.

The review will take place in Cathal Brugha Barracks, Rathmines, Dublin 6.

The 66 Infantry Group will rotate into the mission area in October 2022 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel David McNamara.

Lt Col McNamara resides in Naas. He most recently served as Officer Commanding the 7th Infantry Battalion, Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin.

The group contains 130 personnel of all ranks, consisting of 14 Officers, 115 Enlisted Personnel and one Chaplain.

A total of 34 personnel are on their first tour of duty overseas.

The Group has a wide range of capabilities including Armoured Force Protection, Patrolling and Mobility, Surveillance, Communications, Medical and Operational Expertise.
Kilkenny City has revealed plans to unveil a very special sculpture featuring Adam Kings legendary Virtual Hug to celebrate Kilkenny Day. Adams original design was created in 2020 during the Covid-19 outbreak, to help people connect during difficult times.

The then six year old's drawing of a giant heart, symbolising a huge virtual hug was a moment of hope during the dark days of the pandemic. Soon it will find a new life and a home beside the Nore.

The sculpture piece inspired by Adams drawing will be unveiled on October 9, as the City and County celebrate the third Kilkenny Day. Adam, and his family and friends will be present to witness the unveiling and to enjoy a memorable day that will see his inspiring art brought to life .

The sculpture is the work of CDS Engineering based in Ballyfoyle and owner Martin Stapleton says that they are proud to be a part of it. The company specialises in quality metalwork for the construction industry and in recent years has expanded into creative projects such as the Thomas Woodgate war memorial at Kilkenny Courthouse.

To create the artwork, Adams original heart drawing was scanned into a Computer Aided Design system and then replicated in corten steel (a type of steel that can weather successfully outside). The scale of the piece will be an impressive eight feet tall so it literally will be a giant hug for everyone who views it. As Martin observes the heart is exactly up to scale and they have not changed a thing in Adams design.

It is currently all systems go as the piece is under construction in the Ballyfoyle plant for the October 8 unveiling. Martin says that working on the projects has been really nice and while the logistics can be more difficult the entire process has been very rewarding.

The sculpture has been created in terms of scale and size for its location at the site of the old bandstand overlooking Kilkenny canal. As part of the installation a pair of benches and an information panel will also feature beside the giant heart so that people can sit and reflect in peace, on the pandemic and its impact.

Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr. Pat Fitzpatrick, said that the council is delighted that Adam and his parents have agreed to this unique gesture and thanked them for the use of Adams artwork in this installation:

"The piece, inspired by Adams original artwork and created by CDS Engineering in North Kilkenny is truly unique and will stand as a reminder of the sacrifices made by so many in our community in the past two years since Covid-19 came as an unwelcome visitor amongst us. Situated on the canal walk by the banks of the river Nore, it will offer a tranquil place to reflect and connect for the local community. Adams simple but hugely effective gesture on RTEs Late Late Toy Show captured the spirit of positivity and community at a vital time for our nation and inspired us all. He summed up the way that our communities rallied to support the most vulnerable amongst us and that spirit will hopefully be the resounding legacy of these times.

Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council, Sean McKeown, said the sculpture reflects Kilkennys passion for the arts and its indefatigable spirit:

Whether in sport or in the world of creativity, Kilkenny always strives for the best we can achieve. That spirit was also to the fore as our frontline professional and voluntary workers did so much to bring us through the past two years. We are delighted that this fitting piece of art will stand as a lasting tribute to those people, including a number of local health workers who paid the ultimate price for their service. Just as Adam lifted our spirits two years ago, we know his image will continue to inspire us in the future.

Adams parents, who are deeply moved by the honour have also commented:

It is hard to believe that such a tiny gesture created by Adam has touched the lives of so many people all over Ireland and the world. We are so grateful to everyone who took Adams virtual hug as their symbol to connect during difficult times. Now, thanks to everyone involved in this amazing project, Adams art will continue as an enduring symbol and reminder of a challenging time in our history, the importance of caring for those you love, and the spirit of warmth and connection which is a defining quality of Adam, of the people of Kilkenny and of all Irish people. To everyone who has made this happen  thank you.

Adams original message will endure, and his words will be engraved on a plaque as part of the installation:

"Always remember to hug the ones you love the most, and if you can't give them a real hug - give them a virtual hug!"
The Ros Tapestry is a unique work of incredible beauty, skill and patience. It has involved thousands of hours of intensive labour and millions of stitches since it was first started in 1998. Over 150 voluntary stitchers, predominantly women, have created the 15 large tapestries that make up this textile narrative. It is a striking example of creativity and community spirit on a grand scale and depicts the Norman history of Irelands Ancient East, with events including the landing of the Normans at Bannow beach, the Siege of Wexford and the marriage of Isabel de Clare and William Marshal.



Originally the brainchild of Rev Paul Mooney, of St. Marys Church in New Ross, it was inspired by the famous Bayeux Tapestry in France. It is one of the largest series of embroidered tapestries in Europe with each panel (6 feet x 4.5 feet) depicting a significant event in the history of New Ross and the surrounding areas. It shows the history, costumes and way of life of Ireland in the 13th century in a creative and dynamic style.



New Ross is central to at least four counties which were heavily influenced by the Normans  Wexford, Waterford, Carlow and Kilkenny. So, it seems apt that the tapestry is now on loan to the OPW and on display in Kilkenny Castle until September 2023. The luminously beautiful panels seem at home in the castle and the exhibition environment being devoid of natural daylight (which can fade the wool) is an ideal space for this national treasure.



Ann Griffin Bernstorff, was the Wexford artist, commissioned to paint the original cartoons and her daughter Alexis Bernstorff, a textile specialist living in Brownsbarn, Kilkenny has trained the voluntary embroiderers how to stitch the panels since the off.



The style of embroidery is crewel work which uses seven to eight basic stitches. Long and short stitches, stem stitching, couching, bullion and French knots all utilise stitch direction, shape and volume to bring the tapestry subjects dramatically to life. It takes about one hour to stitch one square inch so the work is a slow painstaking, process.



For Ann, Camaraderie is at the very heart of the project, as is the desire to be involved in the creation of an object that is going to endure. She is full of praise for the patience and skill of the embroiderers, describing their work as needle painting on an enlarged and very expressive scale.



She is also very keen to emphasise that it's a Can do project - everybody can do this. Even amateur stitchers can build up confidence, observing that some people have never picked up a needle in their lives prior to working on the tapestry. To illustrate her point that the project is totally open to everyone she explains that one stitcher was a male refugee from Ghana living in New Ross.

She passionately feels that all the makers should be celebrated and that perhaps in the future a panel with the names of all the stitchers could be displayed alongside the tapestry.



Speaking personally, Ann says that the work has been a massive part of my life experience and that she has made great friends all over Wexford and Kilkenny via the tapestry. Ann describes the Ros Tapestry as a legacy for everybody and that the women should be very proud of their creation, as should their children and grandchildren.



Over the decades, the stitchers have worked in venues, from private houses to community centres and converted cowsheds, to a castle, a mill and a fort. As far as possible, the panels are stitched by groups living in the locality of the historical events or scenes depicted. Groups of stitchers have come from around Wexford but also from Laois, Waterford and Kilkenny towns including Inistioge, Kells and Skeaghvasteen.



The first tapestry was completed in 2002 and to date 14 of the 15 tapestries are completed. The final one, depicting the Battle of Ossory near Freshford in 1169, is now being stitched in Kilkenny and is nearing completion in Rothe House, a perfect environment for the work. Ann has described the blend of the Ros Tapestry and Rothe House as a happy marriage.



One of the Kilkenny stitchers is Felicia Hulme Beaman, who moved to Kilkenny from Dublin about 15 years ago. Being slightly at sea in a new place, Felicia saw a poster about the tapestry in Graignamanagh and went to investigate it in New Ross. She was instantly taken aback by the beauty of it and eventually joined the group as a stitcher. She has found the experience extremely fulfilling, praising not only the sense of community amongst the women but also how peaceful and meditative the process of stitching is. Felicia had a background in craftwork and always liked using her hands. As someone married to an art restorer, she also appreciates the terrific artistry of the tapestry and how the transposition from art to stitching is very skillful. She has learnt a lot from her involvement with the Ros Tapestry and has found the subject matter so interesting historically.

The Ros Tapestry exhibition is part of the self-guided visit of Kilkenny Castle. Admission is free but tickets must be booked in advance on https://kilkenny.admit-one.eu/?p=calendar&ev=SELFGUIDED
Non-EU migrant women in Ireland may face a double disadvantage, which relates to being both a woman and a migrant, new research shows.

Additional challenges include accessing healthcare, labour market barriers and gender-based violence, it also found.

Research carried out by the European Migration Network (EMN) and the ESRI assessed the situation of non-EU migrant women in Ireland and policy responses towards this group.

The research is part of an EU-wide study conducted by the EMN, which is funded in Ireland by the European Union and the Department of Justice.

In 2020, there were almost 89,000 non-EU women and girls living in Ireland, representing 3.5% of the resident female population.

Non-EU migrant women can face challenges to their labour market integration, with higher rates of unemployment and lower activity rates than both Irish women and men, and migrant men, the research found.

Other challenges may include difficulties balancing caring duties, a lack of skills recognition and the risk of underemployment.

Research also indicates that non-EU migrant women are more likely to live in overcrowded conditions compared to Irish women and have a higher frequency of perinatal deaths than other groups.

Previous research and stakeholders consulted for the study pointed to additional integration challenges such as increased risk of gender-based and domestic violence, discrimination, homelessness, and the vulnerability of women living within the Direct Provision system of accommodation.

Non-EU migrant women are also at more risk of trafficking in human beings than other groups, it further found.

The recently published EU-wide EMN study shows that migrant women face similar challenges in almost all EU states.

A review of existing policies in Ireland found limited crossover between migrant integration strategy and gender equality strategy.

Researchers found that migrant women were not specifically addressed in the national Migrant Integration Strategy 2017 to 2021, nor did it adopt a gender mainstreaming approach, which would incorporate a gender dimension into each stage of policy-making and implementation.

There is no specific mention of migrant women in the National Strategy for women and girls, or in most sectoral policies reviewed in the study.

The EU-wide study shows similarly weak linkages between integration strategies and gender equality frameworks in many European countries.

Significantly, the recently published Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (20222026) commits to an intersectional approach to ensure the inclusion of socially excluded groups.

Migrants, refugees and international protection applicants as well as undocumented migrants are among those highlighted as potentially needing additional inclusion measures.

Michal Polakowski, co-author of the study, said: While research shows that non-EU migrant women may face certain disadvantages, they are often very well educated, and potentially a great asset to the Irish society and economy.

Our study shows the important role of non-governmental organisations, not only in the provision of integration measures, but also in representing migrant womens voices.

The overall positive social attitudes towards migrant integration in Ireland, the rise of pro-equality social movements as well as the publication of the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence which explicitly deals with migrant-specific issues may signal increased attention to the integration needs of migrant women going forward.
Irelands lower house saw an eventful return to business after the summer break  shifting from a solemn minutes silence held for the late Queen Elizabeth, to laughter at the accidental promotion of the Sinn Fein leader, to frayed exchanges on the cost-of-living crisis.

In the Irish parliaments first course of action after the summer break, a minutes silence was held in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Ceann Comhairle, or chair of the Dail, Sean O Fearghail, called her a truly magnificent and inspirational head of our neighbouring state, whose years of dedicated service is truly without parallel.

The Dail is back after the summer break  and its first course of action is to hold a minute's silence for Queen Elizabeth II. The Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail calls her a "truly magnificent and inspirational head of our neighbouring state". pic.twitter.com/144OX2Xl1Z  Grainne Ni Aodha (@GNiAodha) September 14, 2022

There are many on this island who see Queen Elizabeth as their queen, and we sympathise with them on this very sad moment in history, Irish premier Micheal Martin said.

Sinn Fein and Labour leaders also voiced their respects to those mourning the death of the late monarch.

The British Ambassador Paul Johnston was present in the Dail for the mark of respect from TDs.

After the minutes silence, the Ceann Comhairle called on the Taoiseach to kick off Leaders Questions, despite the fact that it begins with questions from the main opposition party.

There were smiles, laughter and applause as Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald rose to her feet and Mr O Fearghail realised his mistake, including wry grins from the Government benches.

Im definitely out of practice, Mr O Fearghail said.

It comes after two opinion polls published at the weekend put Sinn Fein on 35%  the largest share of support for a political party in Ireland.

Thank you for that unparalleled vote of confidence, Im very touched, Ms McDonald told the Ceann Comhairle.

Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin, sitting to Ms McDonalds right, remarked that Freud would be delighted.

Ahead of politicians reclaiming their places in the Dail chamber following a nine-week summer hiatus, outside Leinster House protests formed from several separate groups.

Members of the Cost of Living Coalition gathered to raise awareness of a protest planned at the end of September, a Not Our Fault campaign from residents of apartments with defects protested at 1pm, and PETA protesters dressed in dinosaur costumes to show their opposition to hare coursing.
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II has spawned acres of newsprint exploiting every possible angle on the story of the monarchs life. A unique local story relates to the Kilkenny woman, Doreen Archer Houblon of Kilmurry House in Thomastown who taught the Queen to ride a horse side saddle.

This style of riding was devised as a modest way of riding a horse while wearing elaborate fashions so was perfect for state occasions. The Queen was taught the skill as a young girl and may have been influenced by her predecessors, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria who both rode side saddle as young women.



To ride side saddle, the rider sits squarely on her horse with her spine centred over her mounts spine, the shoulders, hands and hips are also square to the horse. Only one stirrup is used, for the left foot. The right leg is curved around the upper pommel with the toe facing down and the calf pressed against the saddle. This grip is called the purchase and is what keeps the rider in the saddle, along with their core tummy muscles.



Women riding sidesaddle, were told to imagine that they had a thumbtack under the seat of the near side of the saddle which encouraged them to transfer more weight to the off side. They had to remember to keep their right shoulder and right hip back to keep them straight, to keep their shoulders dropped down away from their ears, and to visualise that they were held up by a string from the top of their head so that they were sitting as tall as possible.



Doreen who was born in 1899, was the 3rd cousin of Mildred Ann Butler the renowned watercolourist of Kilmurry, Thomastown, and was an expert sidesaddle rider. Butler left the estate to Doreen on her death and the horsewoman subsequently lived at Kilmurry with her husband Major Ricahrd Archer Houblon DSO until her death in 1977.



By all reports a feisty character she is reported to have made single male guests stay in the bachelors wing at Kilmurry, to discourage any hanky panky with female guests.



Doreen wrote the definitive book on the historical riding style, Side Saddle, in the fifties, which was then re-published in the seventies. She was responsible for the invention of the Houblon head (a modification on a saddle known as a leaping head with an angle built into the flat side) which let the rider lean farther forward without lessening their grip.



For 19 years Doreen prepared Queen Elizabeths horse for the marching of the colours in London by regiments of the British Army. This Trooping of the Colour ceremony is a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, and marks the official birthday of the British sovereign.



Each year, one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the Household Division is selected to troop its colours through the ranks of guards. The colours were once used on the battlefield as a rallying point. During the ceremony, the monarch travels down the Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade in a royal procession with a sovereign's escort of the Household Cavalry. After receiving a royal salute, the monarch inspects the troops of the Household Division and the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery.



Queen Elizabeth regularly rode sidesaddle in the Trooping of the Colours parade for many years with Doreen acting as her stand-in for the rehearsals which took place beforehand. The Queens expertise as a side saddle rider was displayed when in 1981 Marcus Simon Sarjeant fired six blank rounds from a starting pistol at the sovereign when she came past riding her 19-year-old mare Burmese, during the event. The horse was momentarily startled but the Queen brought it under control, stayed on and was unharmed. She last rode side saddle in the ceremony in 1986.



Reportedly HRH did regular refresher lessons with Doreen to keep her side saddle skills sharp and the two women enjoyed a close and enduring bond due to their mutual love of horses.



May they rest in peace and ride side by side into eternity together.
September feels like the start of a new year. Summer clothes are packed away, holidays have been taken, long evenings shorten and schoolbags reappear. For many, it is a new beginning  a new school term, the start of college, a new career to embark upon. But September can be a difficult month for bereaved parents. Many milestones are achieved over the month, many milestones their beloved child will never get to mark.

Anam Cara, the only organisation of its kind in Ireland with services available to all bereaved parents, will resume their face to face meetings following a short break over the summer months.

Service Manager for Anam Cara, Sharon Vard comments: while family and friends might be good at marking the major milestones  anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas  its important to understand that less obvious occasions can also be hugely triggering. She continues we launched Anam Cara back in 2008 in recognition of the need for a safe space for those bereaved, somewhere to let the mask drop, where others might understand what friends and family cannot.

On Monday 19th September, Anam Cara will hold their Tipperary meeting in the Horse & Jockey Hotel, Thurles at 7:15pm. All bereaved parents from the area are welcome, regardless of the age their child died or circumstances of their death. There is no need to register, just arrive on the evening at 7:15pm.

For more information on the support services offer by Anam Cara, please call 085 2888 888, email info@anamcara.ie or see www.anamcara.ie
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Thunderstorms, some strong early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Storms may produce large hail and strong winds. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some strong early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Storms may produce large hail and strong winds. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
gettyimagesbank



By Jung Min-ho



One of the most underestimated security threats coming out of North Korea is its cyberattack capabilities. Hackers, many assume, can't kill people. But they can.



Cyberattackers could take control of a water treatment plant and change the chemical mixture to make it toxic, or they could penetrate the computer systems of a nuclear power plant to cause major malfunctions. In recent years, such cyberattacks have been attempted in many parts of the world, and some have succeeded, resulting in deaths or injuries indirectly.



A group of experts warn that the North could make use of such attacks if war were to break out on the Korean Peninsula, in a RAND Corporation report titled, "Characterizing the Risks of North Korean Chemical and Biological Weapons, Electromagnetic Pulse, and Cyber Threats."



"The infrastructure in South Korea seems to be very vulnerable to the North's cyberattacks. We have seen some cases in the banking systems  But what about other infrastructure like water supply or electricity? That would cause chaos," Choi Kang, president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and one of the co-authors of the collaborative report written with policy think tank RAND Corporation, said at a press conference at the institute in Seoul, Tuesday.



One of the possible scenarios could be to derail trains loaded with lethal chemicals. Other possible targets include dams, hospitals, airports and electric power grids, many of the computer systems of which have been penetrated by North Korea before, according to the report.



"These scenarios are contingent upon North Korea's cyberattack abilities," said Go Myung-hyun, another co-author. "We don't know [whether it is capable of such advanced attacks]  We have to find out."





From left, Choi Kang, president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation, Cha Du-hyeogn, a North Korea expert, and Go Myong-hyun, a senior research fellow at the institute, attend a press conference to present their joint report titled, "Characterizing the Risks of North Korean Chemical and Biological Weapons, Electromagnetic Pulse, and Cyber Threats," at the institute building in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Asan Institute for Policy Studies
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, second from left, poses for a photo with members of the city's delegation to Eurasian countries at Busan Station, Tuesday. The 55-member delegation left Busan Station on Tuesday for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Belgium and France to promote the city's bid to host World Expo 2030. Newsis



By Ko Dong-hwan



In hopes of clutching the much-coveted crown of hosting World Expo 2030, Busan is actively seeking support from countries around the world through promotional activities. Busan Metropolitan City said that Mayor Park Heong-joon plans to leave for Central and South America on Sept. 25 for a promotional tour through to Oct. 5. An official from Expo Bid Planning Division under the city government's 2030 Expo Bid Promotion Headquarters told The Korea Times that a delegation of representatives of the country's central government, Busan city government and private enterprises will visit the region. The division is currently grouping attendees to join the tour, according to the official.



The trip comes less than two months before the third round of presentations by candidate cities takes place in Paris, where the Bureau of International des Expositions (BIE) is headquartered. Busan has been competing with Riyadh and Rome for the bid.



The upcoming competition is expected to narrow down the candidates to Busan and Riyadh. The Saudi Arabian capital started promoting the bid almost a year earlier than the Korean city and has been steadily garnering international support, including from China, neighboring Islamic nations and African countries.



On Tuesday, another Korean delegation of left for Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is the first leg of the group's 15-day trip to Eurasia that will also stop in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek, Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent, Brussels and Paris.



The delegation held a departure ceremony that day at Busan Station, which the country considers as one of its main gateways connecting visitors to the country to Central Asia and further to Europe. Busan City Council Chairman Ahn Sung-min, seeing the trip's significance in raising the possibility of realizing the city's bid to host the expo, led the delegation himself. Mayor Park and Ayan Kashabayev, the Consul General of Kazakhstan in the city, attended the ceremony to see off the delegation.



The 55-member delegation on the Eurasian trip is made up of university students, local entrepreneurs as well as representatives of the city government, local residents supporting Expo 2030, and members of Busan Cultural Foundation and Busan Economic Promotion Agency.





Korea's First Vice-Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Jang Young-jin presents Busan's report on planning hosting of World Expo 2030 to the Bureau International des Expositions Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes at the BIE's office building in Paris, Sept. 7. Newsis
Time is running out for Indiana residents planning to vote in the Nov. 8 general election to register in advance to cast a ballot, as required by state law.

The voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 for this year's election that will see Hoosiers pick a U.S. senator; congressmen in each of Indiana's nine districts; a secretary of state, state auditor and state treasurer; half of the 50-member Indiana Senate; all 100 members of the House; and a host of county, township, school district and local government offices.

State election officials also are encouraging Hoosiers who previously registered to vote to verify before the deadline their registration remains active and the personal information in their voter record is correct.

Both registering to vote and verifying a registration can be completed online at IndianaVoters.com.

To qualify to vote, a person must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old by Election Day and an Indiana resident for at least 30 days before the election.

Registering to vote online additionally requires submitting a valid driver's license or state identification card number.

Individuals who do not have a driver's license or state ID can register to vote in person at county government centers, public assistance offices and when completing a Bureau of Motor Vehicles transaction.

A utility bill, bank statement, government mailing or other proof of address is required to complete an in-person voter registration.

Verifying a registration on IndianaVoters.com only requires a voter to enter their name, birth date and county of residence to bring up a screen that displays the voter's registration status.

From there, registered voters can use the website to find their polling place and directions to it, request an absentee ballot if eligible, and view a list of the candidates they'll see when they cast their ballot.

There's also a reminder on the website that Indiana law requires voters to bring a government-issued photo ID to the polls in order to receive a ballot.

Early voting for the general election begins Oct. 12.
A German photographer who took a selfie with NCT Jeno is facing backlash after sharing the photo online for this reason.

Keep on reading to know more.

NCT Jeno Mistaken as a BTS Member by German Photographer

Recently on September 12 local time, Vogue organized their fashion week event, Vogue World: New York, which was held in celebration of the highly-popular magazine's 130th anniversary.

With Vogue's status in the fashion industry, as well as its huge milestone, it is to be expected that a lot of celebrities and big names in the industry are in attendance at the event. Among the celebrities who attended Vogue's event was NCT member Jeno.

Jeno attended the event wearing an outfit designed by New York-based fashion designer Peter Do, who also designed fellow member Johnny's outfit for his attendance at the 2022 Met Gala.

With a big event such as Vogue's, it can also be expected that Jeno would meet several celebrities and key figures.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: NCT Dream Jeno Spotted With Various Celebrities at 'Vogue World: New York'

Among the people that Jeno met was renowned German photographer Ellen von Unwerth. The photographer was able to meet Jeno while on the red carpet, and like what anyone would do when meeting a celebrity, she took a photo with the NCT member.

Ellen von Unwerth then took to her social media to share the photo of the two of them. However, netizens were quick to notice something amiss in her post when she added a caption.

Rather than tagging Jeno or NCT's Instagram account, she instead tagged BTS' official account, adding that she was excited to meet one of its members.

On her post, she said, "So excited to meet a member of BTS."

Ellen von Unwerth Apologizes After Mistaking Jeno as a BTS Member

Unsurprisingly, netizens were quick to point out their mistake and express their frustration. While many pointed out that it could have been a mistake, others thought that she should have known who she was taking a photo with.

Some have even called the German photographer racist, which links to the stereotype that westerners have that all Asian people look the same, and assumed that Jeno was a member of BTS because he was a K-pop idol.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: TWICE Mina & NCT Jeno Reportedly Seen Wearing 'Couple' Outfit

After thousands of fans corrected her, Ellen von Unwerth ended up deleting the post, but shared the same photo again and finally tagged Jeno's Instagram account.

She also apologized, saying, "Sorry, so great to meet Jeno."

Following that, she did not say anything more on the matter. However, fans have been bombarding her Instagram account to criticize the photographer for her mistake.

What do you think about the issue?

For more K-pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Robyn Joan
New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): The Union finance ministry has set up a high-level committee to address regulatory and other issues to enable scaling up investments by venture capital and private equity investments in the country.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2022-23 speech had announced the setting up of an expert committee to examine and suggest appropriate measures related to venture capital and private equity.

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"Venture Capital and Private Equity invested more than Rs 5.5 lakh crore last year facilitating one of the largest start-up and growth ecosystems. Scaling up this investment requires a holistic examination of regulatory and other frictions. An expert committee will be set up to examine and suggest appropriate measures," Sitharaman had said in her speech.

The committee will be headed by former SEBI chairman Meleveetil Damodaran. Under him, there will be five members.

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Those members are former whole-time director SEBI G Mahalingam, former member CBIC D P Nagendra Kumar, former Principal Commissioner Income Tax Ashish Verma, DG National Council of Applied Economic Research Poonam Gupta, and Director Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management P R Acharya.

The joint director of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Union finance ministry will coordinate the working of the committee.

As per the terms of reference mentioned in the order, the committee would comprehensively study, using a systems approach, the end-to-end frictions and potential accelerants from regulatory policy and taxation to facilitate ease of investing as well as to encourage investments in India.

It will also review issues, and compliances and suggest simplifications and changes around further accelerating the growth of alternative capital to participate in the industry.

The panel is expected to suggest measures to further accelerate investments into startups and the sunrise sector and recommend forward-looking measures and future-ready regulatory practices, the order said. (ANI)

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French-Swiss film director Jean-Luc Godard, the godfather of France's New Wave cinema, passed away at the age of 91, on Tuesday. Bollywood celebs including Farhan Akhtar and Ranveer Singh extended their condolences on social media. Filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar took to his Instagram stories and dropped a black and white picture of Jean-Luc Godard along with a caption. Jean Luc Godard, Legendary French Film Director, Dies at 91.

He wrote, "A giant of world cinema left us today, RIP Jean-Luc Godard."

In the picture, the director was seen dressed in a suit. He was seen wearing pair of shades and a cigar in his mouth. Actor Ranveer Singh also shared a picture. News of his death was confirmed by French media on Tuesday morning. According to Fox News, Godard is regarded as a pivotal figure in the French New Wave movement. The movement, which differed from previous film styles, emphasised realism in storytelling while incorporating experimentation with editing techniques. Jean-Luc Godard Dies at 91; French-Swiss Film Director Was Best Known for Breathless and Goodbye to Language.

Godard's debut film, A bout de souffle (Breathless) established him as one of the world's most vital and provocative directors, both in Europe and beyond.

Jean-Paul Belmondo rose to fame thanks to his films. When Pope John Paul II condemned Godard's controversial modern nativity play Hail Mary in 1985, it made headlines. In 1963, Godard collaborated with iconic French actress Brigitte Bardot on the film Le Mepris (Contempt). According to Variety, Godard's most ambitious project was his multipart video project "Histoire(s) du Cinema" (1988-1998), an iconoclastic and highly personal examination of the concept of cinema and its relationship to the twentieth century.

His most recent films, "In Praise of Love" (2001) and "Notre musique" (2004), were critically acclaimed at the Cannes Film Festival. When his "Film Socialisme" screened in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2010, it elicited a more amused reaction; the highly experimental work ended with a title card reading "No Comment," a statement reflected in Godard's conspicuous absence from the festival. Godard, however, experienced a significant career resurgence at Cannes in 2014 with "Goodbye to Language," in which he experimented with the 3D format while providing "a characteristically vigorous, playful, mordant commentary on everything from the state of movies to the state of the world," as described by Variety's Scott Foundas.

It won the festival's jury prize (shared with Xavier Dolan's "Mommy") and later won the award for best film of the Godard and his partner, Swiss director Anne-Marie Mieville, collaborated closely for at least the last 30 years of his life. Godard married Anna Karina, an actor who appeared in several of his films, in 1961. He married Anne Wiazemensky in 1965, following the divorce of the couple. Numerous filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, and Quentin Tarantino, were influenced by the legendary director.

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Lakhimpur Kheri (UP), Sep 14 (PTI) Two Dalit teenage sisters were found hanging from a tree in a sugarcane field located about a kilometre away from their house in Nighasan police station limits here on Wednesday, police said.

As soon as the news broke, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the Uttar Pradesh government over "increasing" crimes against women in the state and compared the twin deaths with the Hathras gang-rape and murder.

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The mother of the two girls alleged that they were murdered and accused three youths from the neighbouring village in Nighasan police station limits of abducting and killing them.

Police said their bodies were sent for post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of deaths.

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Meanwhile, villagers held a demonstration at Nighasan Cross to protest the killings.

Superintendent of Police Sanjiv Suman and Assistant Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Singh talked to the irate villagers in a bid to console them, while a heavy police forced was deployed in the village to ensure law and order.

Comparing Wednesday's case to the Hathras incident, SP president Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet, "Murder of two Dalit sisters after kidnapping them in Nighasan police station area. Their father's allegation on the police is very serious that they carried out 'panchnama' and post-mortem without the family's consent. After farmers in Lakhimpur, the killing of Dalits is now a repetition of the murder of 'Hathras' daughter'."

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to Twitter to condemn the incident.

"The killings of the two sisters in Lakhimpur is heartbreaking. Family says the girls were abducted in broad daylight. Law and order in the state doesn't improve by giving false advertisements in newspapers and TV everyday. After all, why are heinous crimes against women increasing in Uttar Pradesh? When will the government wake up?"

A 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped allegedly by four upper-caste men in Hathras on September 14. She died on September 29 at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital.

The victim was cremated in the dead of the night near her home on September 30. Her family members had alleged that they were forced by the local police to hurriedly conduct her last rites. Local police officers, however, said the cremation was carried out "according to the wishes of the family".

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Panaji (Goa) [India], September 14 (ANI): Ahead of joining the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday, eight Congress MLAs, including former Goa CM Digambar Kamat and Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo met with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Assembly Complex.

The eight MLAs who met with CM Sawant are Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes.

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After holding a meeting with Congress Legislature Party, Lobo told ANI that they "will join BJP", however no official confirmation from the Sawant has come forward yet.

The development came amid the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is being held to combat the BJP-led Centre and awaken the country's people to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.

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The Yatra includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Days ago on September 4, Gujarat Youth Congress President Vishwanathsinh Vaghela resigned from his post which is considered to be a major jolt for the party.

On September 2, party leader Rajinder Prasad, who is also the son of late Master Beli Ram Sharma from Nowshera, Rajouri, resigned from all posts and the primary membership of the party. Prasad blamed the 'coterie' system for being a reason for the 'demise' of the party.

In recent months, Rajinder Prasad and several high-profile leaders have quit Congress.

The exit of veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Congress, months before the upcoming Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, as well as the general elections in two years' time, dealt a huge blow to party.

Jaiveer Shergill, who is a lawyer by profession and was one of the prominent ones among young Congress leaders, on August 24, tendered his resignation claiming that the vision of the decision-makers no longer was in sync with the aspirations of the youth.

Earlier this year in May, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, a prominent face of the G-23 group of dissenting leaders, resigned from the party and filed nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections as an independent candidate backed by the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar too parted ways with the Congress in May this year. Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar in February also resigned from Congress after a long association of 46 years with the party.

Back in May, Gujarat Patidar leader Hardik Patel had quit the party after he felt that he was being "ignored". (ANI)

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Surat, Sep 14 (PTI) If India achieves the target of blending 20 per cent ethanol with petrol by 2025, it will save around Rs 1 lakh crore of foreign exchange, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.

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In June 2021, the Narendra Modi government had set the target of achieving 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by November 2022, which was achieved five months in advance, he said after laying the foundation stone for Kribhco's bioethanol plant at Hazira on the outskirts of Surat city.

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Achieving this target early made the government advance by five years the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending to 2025, the Cooperation Minister said.

"The production of ethanol is going to change the entire economy of the petroleum sector in the coming days. Achieving the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending will also save around Rs 1 lakh crore of foreign exchange by 2025," Shah said.

He said that biofuels are a good alternative to reduce the country's dependence on crude oil imports, which has increased from 172 MMT in 2011-12 to 212 MMT in 2021-22.

While efforts for this are being made across the world, India has framed a well-organised and scientific ethanol policy to achieve this, he said.

"Despite so much effort, the US produces 55 per cent ethanol, Brazil 27 per cent, and India three per cent. What I mean to say is that there is a lot of potential in this area, which every cooperative units should exploit, like what has been done by Kribhco. Cooperative units will have to come forward to increase the income of farmers," Shah said.

"In a way, 10 per cent blending achieved five months ahead of the November 2022 target has reduced the crude oil imports worth Rs 46,000 crore...Cooperative workers like me see this as this much increase in the income of farmers," Shah said.

Bioethanol is made from grains, molasses, plants and the 10 per cent blending has reduced 27 lakh tonnes of carbon production, and absorption of 27 lakh tonnes of CO2, helping purify our environment both ways, he said.

"The day Modiji achieves the target of 20 per cent blending, these figures will double," the minister added.

Shah said that the project being started by Kribhco will help farmers in many ways. He said that the Modi government took several policy decisions to encourage ethanol production to achieve the target of 20 per cent blending.

He said that this has helped reduce 27 lakh tonne carbon production. With a 20 per cent blending target achieved, all these figures will double, he said.

In a bid to cut reliance on imported oil, the government is pushing for mixing with petrol ethanol made from sugarcane and other agriculture commodities.

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Prayajraj (UP), Sep 14 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has ordered a CBI probe against 35 police personnel for allegedly lodging false cases against members of a Dalit family in Mathura district.

Justices Suneet Kumar and Syed Waiz Mian passed the order on a writ petition filed by Sumit Kumar and his brother Puneet Kumar.

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The duo sought quashing of an FIR lodged on March 24 under section 363, 366 IPC at Police Station Rasoolpur in Firozabad and transfer of the investigation to the CBI.

Section 363 of the IPC relates to punishment for kidnapping while Section 366 is concerned with kidnapping, abducting or inducing a woman to compel her marriage, etc

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It is alleged in the petition that police officials of Mathura district lodged a large number of fraudulent and false cases, either against the petitioner or his brother to pressure them to agree on a compromise in other cases.

In an order passed on September 6, the court observed, It is evident that the police personnel of District Mathura have been stage managing to lodge false cases against the family members of the petitioner of which notice has been taken by the National Human Rights Commission and SC Commission.

According to the petition, one Prem Singh and others made an attempt on the life of Puneet Kumar on October 4, 2013.

A complaint was lodged by Puneet's mother Maya Devi to the police. The police officials, instead of lodging an FIR, allegedly booked Puneet's brother Sumit.

Maya Devi then moved court, which ordered lodging of an FIR in the October 2013 incident. On the court's order, police registered an FIR at Police Station Highway, district Mathura.

It is alleged that police officials in connivance with the accused lodged false FIR against petitioners and their mother at PS Highway.

The mother of the petitioners, aggrieved by the conduct of the police, approached the National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi.

On the directions of the Commission, a case was registered at PS Highway, District Mathura, against Surendra Singh Yadav, SHO, and Sub-Inspector Netrapal Singh.

It is further alleged that on January 10, 2018 Puneet Kumar along with one auto driver was taken into custody by police Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel and was later released.

The petitioners approached the National Commission for Schedule Castes, U.P. Lucknow and it directed a special enquiry cell to probe the matter.

Prem Singh, ASP (Special Enquiry), submitted a report on September 6, 2021 where the named police personnel prima facie were found involved in detaining Puneet Kumar and implicating him in false cases and submitting a false charge sheet.

The court directed the Principal Secretary, Home of Uttar Pradesh government to transfer the investigation to the CBI.

The court has fixed November 9 as the next date of hearing and asked the CBI to apprise it of the progress in the matter.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 14 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the eighth day of the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra from Navayikkulam in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday morning.

Before starting the march from Navayikkulam, Rahul Gandhi paid his respects to social reformer Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri mutt in Kerala.

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The Yatra is in its Kerala leg and would traverse through the state for the next 17 days.

The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day.

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Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday had said that the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is to bring Indians together irrespective of religion, community and remind them that this is one country and it will be successful if we stand together and are respectful towards each other.

Meanwhile, a political row erupted after Congress posted a picture of a burning pair of RSS shorts on Twitter. Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya said the picture depicted that the fires that the Congress has stoked in the past has burned its political fortunes in the country.

Earlier on Monday, Congress tweeted a picture of fire-lit 'Khakhi' shorts and wrote, "To free the country from shackles of hate and undo the damage done by BJP-RSS. Step by step, we will reach our goal".

The tweet came in light of the current Bharat Jodo Yatra which marks day 6 today.

In a series of tweets, Surya recalled various incidents of violence in the past including the Delhi anti-Sikh riots in 1984 and Godhra incident in 2002 where Karsevaks were burnt alive. The BJP leader hit out at Rahul Gandhi who is leading the Yatra and is currently in Kerala, and said that he is "fighting against the Indian state".

Making a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for meeting controversial Catholic priest George Ponnaiah, Union minister Ajay Bhatt on Sunday slammed him for supporting people who want to divide India and said that Congress has been opposing every decision of PM Narendra Modi including the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and the surgical strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

According to Congress, the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.

The Yatra includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Notably, all the party MPs, leaders, and workers along with Rahul Gandhi are staying together. Sleeping beds, toilets, and ACs are also installed in some of the containers. During the journey, the temperature and environment will differ in many areas. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of place.

The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): The Election Commission of India on Wednesday released a new digital publication 'BLO e-Patrika' at an interactive session held with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) spread across the States in India.

Over 350 BLOs joined via video-conferencing from the office of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in States/UTs and 50 BLOs from the nearby states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi joined the launch event physically at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

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The event was also live streamed on the ECI YouTube channel and was shared with over 10 lakh BLOs for facilitating their participation.

The BLOs participated enthusiastically during the interaction with the Commission sharing their experiences, challenges they come across while performing their duties and success stories. Today's event was a first-of-its-kind direct interaction by the Commission with the BLOs across the country. Senior officials from the Election Commission and CEOs of all States via video conferencing were present during the event.

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Addressing the gathering, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar acknowledged that BLOs perform a monumental role as fundamental blocks of the ECI system being the most effective field-level institution, the direct link of the Commission with the people and facilitating their participation in strengthening democracy.

In an impromptu poetic description, Kumar said "BLOs Nirvachan Aayog ke swaroop ke roop mein saakar hain, Commission ka Vyavahar hain, drishti aur swar bhi, is liye aap sabka atyant aabhar hai".

Kumar assured the BLOs that the Commission recognises the strengths of BLO institution which with their multifaceted presence ensures doorstep delivery of services to voters. BLOs are the primary source of information for every voter across the length and breadth of the country. CEC added that the intent behind introducing BLO E-Patrika is to ensure a cascading information model for a better informed and motivated Booth Level Officer.

Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey during the launch event said that the idea behind introducing this bi-monthly e-magazine is a novel initiative of the Commission. Pandey said the Patrika in fact provides a platform for three-way communication - A platform for ECI to share instructions to ground level, share feedback and success stories and facilitate learning of interstate best practices.

While highlighting the genesis of the institution of BLO, he mentioned how a voters list made every five years in the past got transformed to the computerised Electoral database and subsequently to Photo Electoral Roll with yearly updation. He urged Chief Electoral Officers to constantly be in contact with the BLOs and work towards their capacity building, and digital literacy and also resolving the challenges faced by them for an efficient and motivated field workforce.

Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, Dharmendra Sharma and Nitesh Vyas, incharge of the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) division in their address highlighted that the institution of BLO was devised by the Commission in 2006 to primarily ensure an inclusive, updated and error-free electoral roll which is the first step for free, fair and participative elections. Vyas added that over the years, BLOs have adapted themselves to newer technologically upgraded methods of working in the ECI system.

The themes of the bimonthly e-Patrika will include subjects like EVM-VVPAT training, IT applications, Special Summary Revision, Minimum SVEEP Activities at polling booths, Postal Ballot facility, accessible elections, Electoral Literacy Clubs, unique voter awareness initiatives and National Voters' Day. It will also include informal conversations with BLOs, their success stories and best practices across the country.

The language will be simple, communicative and illustrative. The magazine will be available in English, Hindi and regional languages. English and Hindi versions of the BLO e-Patrika can be read through the links below on the ECI website or ECI Twitter handle (@ECISVEEP), and are also uploaded via the Garuda app. (ANI)

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Srinagar, Sept 14 (PTI) An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Nowgam area of Srinagar district on Wednesday, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation based on specific input in Dangerpora area, falling under Nowgam Police station limits, a police official said.

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He said the ultras opened firing on the security forces who retaliated, triggering the encounter.

There were no reports of any casualties so far on either side, he added.

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(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, Sep 14 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that Hindi has brought India special honour globally and that its simplicity and sensitivity always attract people.

In his tweet on Hindi Diwas, Modi expressed heartfelt thanks to all who have made tireless efforts to enrich and strengthen the country's largest spoken language.

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Hindi Diwas is observed every year on September 14.

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Shillong, Sept 14 (PTI) Appealing for inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th schedule of the Constitution, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told the Assembly on Wednesday that such a recognition is a clear message of inclusion and that the Government recognises and respects the identity of the people in this diverse country.

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The chief minister also urged Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh to allow members to speak in Khasi and Garo in the House during deabtes or while participating in a discussion.

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He himself spoke in both Khasi and Garo briefly.

Getting our two languages included in the the 8th Schedule of Constitution will be a big message of overall inclusion in this diverse country, of its different tribes and communities in this beautiful country of ours, Conrad said replying to a call attention motion tabled by suspended Congress MLA Mayralborn Syiem.

I have expressed that this step ensuring that the languages are included is not just about the languages but a message that the Government of India recognises the identity of the people, he said.

The inclusion of the two languages in the 8th schedule will send a message of overall inclusion and a message that the "Government of India respects each one of us irrespective of our tribes and communities".

Syiem too spoke in Khasi and thanked the chief minister for his exhaustive reply.

Nga ai khublei kyrpang eh ia u CM u bah Conrad iba la shim khia na ka bynta kumno ban pyrshang kumno ba ka Khasi bad Garo kan rung ha ka khyrnit kaba 8 (I express my gratitude to Chief Minister Conrad who has taken steps to ensure that the two languages are recognised by the Constitution of India), he said.

"I have no doubt that the unanimous resolution by all 60 MLAs in 2018 will be a blessing for the people and that we will reach our goal, Syiem added.

Conrad said that both languages fulfill all the requisite criteria for inclusion in the 8th schedule. The demand for the inclusion of the two languages keeps on increasing from all quarters because of the funds tha are allotted allotted for implementing the status and job opportunities for its users. The languages then become a subject in the UPSC exam  They are preserved and promoted in all aspects".

The House had in 2018 passed a resolution urging the Government of India to accord recognition to the two languages of the state.

Sangma said the Centre had officially written to the state government saying that the matter is pending with it.

At least 38 other languages are awaiting inclusion in the Schedule, 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], September 14 (ANI): India recorded 5,108 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs on Wednesday.

India's active caseload currently stands at 45,749 which accounts for 0.1 percent of the total cases.

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The recovery rate currently is at 98.71 percent. As many as 5,675 recoveries were made in the last 24 hours, taking the total recoveries to 4,39,36,092.

The country's daily positivity rate stood at 1.44 percent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.70 percent.

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A total of 89.02 crore COVID tests have been conducted so far, out of which 3,55,231 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.

As part of the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, the Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them with COVID vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 percent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.

Under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, 215.67 crore total vaccine doses (94.57 crores Second Dose and 18.70 crore Precaution Dose) have been administered, of which 19,25,881 doses were jabbed in the last 24 hours alone, informed the Health Ministry. (ANI)

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Ranchi, Sep 14 (PTI) Amid political uncertainty in Jharkhand, the Hemant Soren-led UPA government on Wednesday gave its nod to a proposal to use the 1932 land records to determine those who are local inhabitants.

The decision was taken in the backdrop of tribals' demand that the last land survey conducted by the British government in 1932 be used as the basis for defining locals.

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"The cabinet approved the proposal to implement Khatian of 1932 in the state. The 'Jharkhand Definition of Local Persons and for Extending the Consequential Social, Cultural and Other Benefits to such Local Persons Bill, 2022 has been cleared by the council of ministers," Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel told reporters after the meeting.

People whose ancestors were living in the state before 1932 and whose names were included in that year's land records will be considered local residents of Jharkhand.

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A proposal to this effect will be sent to the Centre to include it in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, Dadel said.

In the case of landless persons or people whose names were not recorded in the 1932 land survey, Gram Sabha will take a call on it, the official said.

The domicile policy has remained controversial ever since Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000.

The previous BJP government in the state had, in 2016, declared 1985 as the cut-off year for defining locals.

But after the JMM-led alliance came to the power in the state in 2019, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo Shibu Soren announced that the 1932 land records should be made the basis to formulate the domicile policy.

The government's decision came amid a political crisis in the state over the possibility of Soren's disqualification as an MLA in connection with an office-of-profit case.

Governor Ramesh Bais, who returned to Ranchi on September 8 after a week-long stay in Delhi, has been maintaining silence over the Election Commission of India's recommendation on Soren.

Earlier this month, Bais had assured ruling UPA MLAs of clearing the air over the EC's opinion on a petition seeking the CM's disqualification from the assembly in the office-of-profit case.

Despite the prevailing crisis, the state cabinet had recently approved the standard operating procedure (SOP) for implementing the old pension scheme, which was discontinued on April 1, 2004, and replaced with the National Pension System (NPS).

The government also restored compensatory leaves for the police force.

In fact, the Hemant Soren government had on September 5 won the confidence vote in the assembly by a comfortable margin, which helped the politically-savvy tribal leader consolidate his hold over the state.

As many as 48 MLAs voted in favour of the confidence motion in the 81-member assembly  29 of the JMM, 15 of the Congress, one each of RJD, NCP and CPIML(L) and an Independent  even as the opposition BJP-led NDA walked out of the House in that day.

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Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 17: After the continuous reports of stray dog attacks in Kerala, the state has decided to seek permission from the Supreme Court to kill violent and rabies-infected dogs.

Minister for local self-governments M B Rajesh has informed that the state will conduct a massive vaccination drive for vaccinating stray dogs. The drive will be conducted from 20 September to 20 October 2022.

"This will be conducted in association with Kerala Veterinary University. The University will give special training to volunteers and kudumbasree workers. The government will allocate money to block panchayats, municipal corporations and panchayats to take special vehicles for vaccination on a rent basis," he said. Stray Dog Menace: Kerala Hit by Escalating Man Vs Stray Dogs Conflict.

This comes after at least five people lost their lives to dog bites even after taking vaccines.

Minister M B Rajesh said that they are also looking at the possibility of giving oral vaccination to dogs through food and also a meeting will be held with hotels, Restaurant associations, meat merchants, and auditoriums to ensure that waste is disposed of properly.

Notably, hearing a petition filed by the Animal Welfare Board of India, challenging a 2006 judgment of the Kerala High Court which empowered local self-government institutions to kill stray dogs, the Supreme Court earlier had said that a solution must be found to address the stray dog issue menace and balance the same with animal rights.

The petition was filed in the apex court after the Kerala government in 2015 had decided to eliminate stray dogs after a spate of dog attacks on people. Stray Dog Menace: Father Carrying Air Gun Escorts Children to School Amid Rising Incidents of Attacks by Dogs in Kerala (Video).

A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and JK Maheshwari suggested to let who feed street dogs could be made responsible for vaccinating them and bearing costs if somebody is attacked by the animal. He suggested putting chips to track the stray dogs.

Justice Khanna said, "Most of us are dog lovers. I also feed dogs... Have to find a rational way out. I also walk dogs. Some are ferocious. Have to segregate those."

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New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has rolled out a new property tax amnesty scheme for unauthorised colonies, unauthorised regularized colonies, Lal Dora villages and properties allotted to Kashmiri migrants, the civic body said on Wednesday.

As per this scheme, to be effective from September 15, taxpayers of residential properties in these colonies or areas are required to pay the property tax dues (only principal amount) for the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23, and after this payment, all outstanding property tax dues prior to 2021-22 shall be waived off, the MCD said

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"The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has rolled out a new amnesty scheme 2022-23 in order to provide relief to the residents of unauthorized colonies, unauthorised regularised colonies, Lal Dora, Extended Lal Dora, Extended Abadi of villages and properties allotted to Kashmiri migrants in its jurisdiction as per provisions contained under section 177 of the DMC Act, 1957 (as amended)," it said.

Similarly, taxpayers of non-residential properties in these colonies, areas, are required to pay property tax dues (only principal amount) of 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20 and after these payments, all outstanding property tax dues prior to 2019-20 shall be waived off, the statement said.

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Further as per the terms, "This amnesty scheme shall also cover all the dishonoured cheque(s) cases, including those where bank accounts and properties have been attached, subject to payment of up to date property tax", the MCD said.

"In case of dishonoured cheques, a taxpayer will have to pay bank charges imposed by the bank and postal charges, if any. The amount already realised, even if, it may be over and above principal amount of past period, will not be refunded or adjusted against future liability," it added.

"The taxpayer, whose case or cases are pending under litigation in any court(s) of law i.e., Municipal Tax Tribunal/High Court/Supreme Court etc., and want to avail benefits of this scheme, will have to file an affidavit on a stamp paper of Rs 10 duly attested by a notary public to this effect that he/she will withdraw his/her application from the court to avail the benefits of this scheme," the civic body said.

The benefit of this scheme will only be applicable in all the litigation cases where the taxpayer deposits the payment of up to date principal amount of property tax as per prevailing applicable factors of MVC (Municipal Valuation Committee) accepted by the erstwhile corporations, it said.

"If at any point of time, it is found that the taxpayer has not deposited the right amount of tax or has suppressed the facts wilfully, the scheme shall not be applicable on such taxpayer(s). Randomly 10 per cent cases shall be scrutinised from amongst the applications as picked by the system," the statement said.

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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 14 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday announced 227 free healthcare centres for the people of Mumbai under the 'Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray' dispensary from 2nd October.

According to officials, as many as 139 medical tests will be conducted free of charge at these centres and these centres will be run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

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"50 healthcare centres would be launched in the first phase. Approximately 139 medical tests will be done for free of charge through these healthcare centres," the official said.

The Chief Minister held a review meeting in this connection at the Sahyadri guest house on Tuesday "The number of mobile medical units should be increased in the slum areas for the healthcare services of the citizens. In addition to this, mobile vans should also be started for Mammography," CM Shinde instructed.

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"At present, the work of these clinics has been completed at 50 places. 227 clinics will be set up in the eastern and western suburbs of the city and 34 of 227 clinics, will be polyclinics. The services of specialists will be available through these polyclinics. The clinic will be operated in two formats- porta cabin and concrete cabin," an official statement read.

There will be one clinic per 25-30,000 people. The timing of this clinic will be as per the convenience of patients in two sessions from 7 am to 2 am and 3 pm to 10 pm.

"The clinic will have an MBBS doctor, a nurse, a pharmacist, and multi-purpose workers. Patients are being registered through information and technology," the BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal informed. (ANI)

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By Payal Mehta

New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): BJP national president JP Nadda will be on a two-day visit to Nagaland ahead of next year's Assembly election.

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A number of programmes have been lined up for Nadda apart from holding public meetings, he will also interact with party leaders and intellectuals during his visit.

On September 15, 2022, as Nadda arrives in the state, he will be accorded a huge welcome in Dimapur. That afternoon a public meeting at Old Riphyim at Tyui Mandel, Wokha District has been organised. This is the home district of the Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader YV Patton.

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Post the public meeting, Nadda will be holding a meeting with the state office bearers right from the State to the Mandal level.

He is expected to give them a guideline on how to approach the upcoming elections which will be held in the early part of 2023.

The BJP president will also be holding a meeting separately with the BJP legislators and the sole Rajya Sabha MP of the party in Nagaland.

Nadda will call on Nagaland Chief Minister Nephiu Rio who is also the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) president along with the state leaders for a dinner meet. Both leaders will hold a discussion on firming up an alliance. Both NDPP and BJP have already announced their alliance for the state polls.

Nadda will be visiting the Baptist Church in Kohima on 16th September followed by a meeting with close to 1,800 prominent citizens/intellectuals in Dimapur.

Nadda will also be holding a meeting with the BJP core committee of the state.

This visit of the BJP national president comes at a very significant time when the BJP and the NDPP will soon be finalising the number of seats they will be contesting in next year Assembly polls

The Nagaland Chief Minister recently had visited the national capital and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the pending Naga Accord issue.

Rio led the 11-member delegation met the Home Minister in the national capital on Monday, demanding a final solution to the decades-long pending issue ahead of next year's polls.

Sources have said that the Centre asked the Nagaland leadership to convince the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) to resolve the remaining issues that have led to delaying the Naga peace process.

At present, Nagaland is an Opposition-less government. In September last year, the name of the government in Nagaland was altered and the government is now called the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) consisting of NDPP, BJP, NPF and Independent MLAs.

The Congress which was ousted in 2018 in the state polls has given a call to all the likeminded parties to come together to oust the NDA government.

The election to the 60-member Assembly of Nagaland is expected to take place in February 2023.

The Nephiu Rio-led alliance ousted the Congress party in the last elections and NDPP president took oath as CM and BJP leader YV Patton took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Wednesday convicted an ISIS terrorist who was arrested in 2019 from a Kerala airport on his arrival from Qatar, an official said.

Shaibu Nihar V K alias Abu Mariyam was convicted under the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act by the special court, Ernakulam, in a case pertaining to the activities of proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS, also known as Daesh, a spokesperson of the NIA said.

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The official said the case was initially registered at Wandoor police station in Kerala's Malappuram district against eight accused on November 6, 2017, and re-registered by the NIA on June 1, 2018.

The spokesperson said the investigations had established that Nihar had raised funds with the intention of furthering the activities of ISIS and provided the money to his co-accused for their intended travel to Syria.

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Nihar was arrested on April 9, 2019, from Calicut International Airport on his arrival from Doha, the NIA said, adding the quantum of punishment will be pronounced on September 19.

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Chennai, Sep 14 (PTI) The Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to grant stay on the Vigilance probe against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami in connection with the alleged corruption charges against him in the allotment of tenders for road laying projects.

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The bench of Justices P N Prakash and R M T Teekaa Raman refused to grant any stay, when the petition from DMK MP R S Bharathi came up for further hearing today.

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Originally, when the petition came up in 2018, the High Court had transferred the case to the CBI for further probe.

However, Palaniswami moved the Supreme Court, which in August this year set aside the order transferring the matter to the CBI and reverted it to the High Court again for fresh hearing.

Today, Bharathi's senior counsel told the bench the petitioner wanted to withdraw the petition since the preliminary inquiry report was with the government.

However, the counsel for Palaniswami opposed the move.

State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah told the bench that since the report was ready, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption could proceed with the investigation.

Without passing any interim order today, the bench adjourned the matter till September 26.

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New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) People not belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Schedules Tribes (STs) earn Rs 5,000 per month more than those from the two communities, while non-Muslims earn Rs 7,000 per month more than Muslims on an average, according to a new report by Oxfam India.

According to the 'India Discrimination Report 2022', which highlights bias in accessing jobs, livelihoods and agricultural credits among others, 15.6 per cent of the urban Muslim population aged 15 and above was engaged in regular salaried jobs whereas 23.3 per cent of non-Muslims were in regular salaried jobs, in 2019-20.

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"The lower employment for urban Muslims attributes 68 per cent to discrimination. In 2019-20, 70 per cent of the difference between Muslim and non-Muslim engaged as salaried workers was due to discrimination," it said.

The report said self-employed SC/STs earn Rs 5,000 less than non-SC/STs and discrimination accounts for 41 per cent of this gap.

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The rural SC and ST communities are facing a rapid increase in discrimination in casual employment, the report showed.

The data said unequal income among rural SC and ST casual wage workers was majorly -- 79 per cent -- because of discrimination in 2019-20, a sharp increase of 10 per cent from the previous year.

In rural areas, Muslims saw the sharpest increase in unemployment -- 17 per cent -- in the first quarter of COVID-19.

For salaried workers during Covid, Muslims emerge as the most affected group for which the percentage figures went up from 11.8 to 40.9 in rural areas, the corresponding increase for SC/ST (5.6 to 28.3) and general category (5.4 to 28.1) being less than that, it said.

Muslims, in rural areas, recorded the maximum decline in earnings of 13 per cent, while it was close to 9 per cent for others, the report said.

In rural areas, in the self-employed category, Muslims had the highest fall in earnings by about 18 per cent against that of below 10 per cent for the SC/STs and others, it said.

In 2017, people belonging to bottom 20 per cent income group, who were from SC and ST communities got 1.7 times lesser hospital care compared to OBCs and others in the same income group.

Historically, oppressed communities such as Dalits and Adivasis along with religious minorities such as Muslims also continue to face discrimination in accessing jobs, livelihoods, and agricultural credits, the report said.

The mean income for SCs and STs in urban areas, who are regular employees, is Rs 15,312 as against Rs 20,346 for those belonging to the general category.

This means the general category is earning 33 per cent more than SCs or STs according to the report. The average earning of self-employed workers is Rs 15,878 for non-SCs or STs and Rs 10,533 for SCs or STs. The rural SC and ST communities are facing an increase in discrimination in casual employment," the report said.

Self-employed non-SC/ST workers earn a third more than their SCs or STs counterparts. Caste also acts as a major barrier while accessing credit for agriculture despite many agricultural labourers being from SC or ST communities. STs and SCs receive less than a quarter of the credit shares that the forward castes receive, the report said.

Muslims continue to face multidimensional challenges in accessing salaried jobs and income through self-employment as compared to non-Muslims.

The lower employment for urban Muslims was largedly -- 68.3 per cent -- due to discrimination, in 2019-20. The report showed that discrimination faced by Muslims in 2004-05 was 59.3 percent, indicating an increase in discrimination by nine per cent over 16 years.

Regular-salaried non-Muslims in urban areas earn Rs 20,346 on an average, which is 1.5 times higher than Muslims who earn Rs 13,672, the report said.

This means non-Muslims are earning 49 per cent more than Muslims in regular employment," the report noted.

"Self-employed non-Muslims earn Rs 15,878 on an average, while self-employed Muslims earn Rs 11,421 despite the community's overrepresentation in urban self-employment. This means non-Muslims are earning a third more than Muslims in self-employment, it said.

Amitabh Behar, CEO of Oxfam India, said the fallout of discrimination in society is multi-faceted, not just social and moral but also economic, leading to adverse consequences.

These findings are based on the government data on employment and labour from 2004-05 to 2019-20.

The Oxfam India report refers to unit-level data from 61st National Sample Survey data on employment-unemployment (2004-05), Periodic Labour Force Survey in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and All India Debt and Investment Survey.

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Bhubaneswar, Sep 14 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has embarked on a three-day tour of Mumbai to attend an investors' meet, as the eastern state gears up for its marquee business conclave after a hiatus of four years.

Patnaik is scheduled to hold discussions with major industrialists from different sectors, including Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Vedanta's Anil Agarwal and Mahindra Group's Anand Mahindra, officials said.

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The chief minister, who left for India's financial capital on Tuesday, is also slated to visit the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and attend the ceremony to ring the opening bell, they said.

Odisha has already organised road shows in Mumbai, inviting investments in IT, metal downstream, renewable energy, chemicals, plastics and advanced electronic manufacturing sectors.

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The third edition of the Make-in-Odisha Conclave, scheduled to be held here from November 30 to December 4, aims to showcase the manufacturing prowess of the state and investment opportunities across sectors, the officials said.

The earlier two editions were held in 2016 and 2018. In 2016, the state received investment proposals worth over USD 30 billion and in 2018, investment intents were valued at over USD 50 billion, they said.

Meanwhile Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra on Tuesday evening met some of the investors in the western metropolis, ahead of the chief minister's programmes.

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Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday visited Sivagiri mutt here to pay respects to renowned social reformer Sree Narayana Guru before commencing the fourth day of the Kerala leg of the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

At Sivagiri Mutt, Gandhi met the swamis there and offered prayers to the saint reformer.

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The yatra, which began after 7.30 am from Navaikulam junction here, continued to witness an encouraging turn out and will enter the Kollam district of the state during the day after spending the last three days in Thiruvananthapuram district.

On Tuesday, after that day's yatra ended at Kallambalam junction here, Gandhi had questioned how a party which calls itself a representative of Hindus was allegedly spreading 'ashanti' in the country when the first words taught in Hinduism is 'om shanti'.

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"Wherever they are going they are destroying harmony, they are attacking people, they are dividing people, abusing them," he had said.

The third day of the Kerala leg of the yatra had gone ahead amid intermittent rains and swelling public turnout, with the Congress leader saying that even blisters will not stop their journey as he and scores of yatris marched along the streets without an umbrella when it rained.

The 150-day foot march was launched from Kanyakumari in neighbouring Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will cover 12 states and two Union territories.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, will traverse through the state covering 450 kilometres, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.

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Srinagar, Sep 14 (PTI) The Hurriyat Conference on Wednesday said the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan is an opportunity for prime ministers of India and Pakistan to break the ice and move towards resolving their outstanding issues.

The SCO will hold its first in-person summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan on Thursday after two years. This is the first time after the Covid pandemic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif along with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will be attending the two-day summit.

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In a statement, the Hurriyat Conference said, "As Indian and Pakistani prime ministers will be in Samarkand...it is an opportunity to break the ice in their relationship and talk to each other and move forward in resolving their differences including the settlement of the Kashmir conflict."

The amalgam alleged that the situation in Kashmir was volatine since the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories in August 2019.

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It demanded the release of all political prisoners, rights activists, youths and journalists jailed in different parts of the country. It also sought release of Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq "who is under house detention since August 2019".

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New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): The USBRL (Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link) is a National project undertaken by the Indian Railways for the construction of a broad-gauge railway line through the Himalayas, with the aim of connecting the Kashmir region with the rest of the country, said a press release by Ministry of Railways.

The all-weather, comfortable, convenient and cost-effective mass transportation system will be the catalyst for the overall development of the northernmost alpine region of the country, added the press release.

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As per the statement, the construction of the first three phases of the project has been completed. The line is in operational use for running trains between Baramulla-Banihal in the Kashmir valley and Jammu-Udhampur-Katra in Jammu region.

Work on the intervening 111 Km section Katra-Banihal, the most arduous and treacherous portion due to its geology and extensive riverine system replete with deep gorges, is ongoing, added the statement.

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There are several iconic bridges and tunnels coming up in this section. Most of the rail track is slated to be in tunnels or bridges in this section.

The project has brought employment, prosperity and connectivity to the people. The backward districts of Reasi and Ramban have especially benefitted from the project. Hinterlands hitherto inaccessible now have road connectivity.

Medical, Educational, Market and Business activities have become easily reachable to the people. The construction cost of the 111Km Katra-Banihal section so far has been Rs 30,672.34 Crore. The Budget allocation to the Project has increased manifolds since 2014, enabling speedy construction activity. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday lauded the government's efforts for promoting innovation and entrepreneurship and said that India is on the rise and respect for the country and its citizens has risen globally.

Addressing a gathering after conferring the 16th BML Munjal Awards in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Vice President lauded the path-breaking changes in the development framework in recent years that have led to congenial and conducive eco-system for enhanced investment and financial inflows in commerce and industry.

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Mentioning that India was a leading economy in the world before the advent of colonial rule, the Dhankhar expressed confidence that "We are certainly now on way to regaining our glorious past. Indian talent is second to none in the world and emphasised the need to provide the budding entrepreneurs with an enabling ecosystem for growth and development."

Dhankhar further said that the media should highlight the achievements and many positive stories of Indian entrepreneurs that would inspire the bright minds in the country.

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The Awards instituted in memory of the late Dr Brijmohan Lall Munjal, Padma Bhushan Awardee and the founder of the Hero Group, recognise and honour the organisations that have stood out for their excellent Human resources.

Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman, Hero Enterprise, Pawan Kant Munjal, Chairman, Hero MotoCorp, jury members, awardees and other dignitaries attended the event. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Edtech major Think & Learn, which operates under Byju's brand name, on Wednesday said its gross revenue jumped over four-fold to Rs 10,000 crore in FY22, while its losses in FY21 widened to Rs 4,588 crore.

The company had registered a revenue of Rs 2,428 crore in FY21.

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Byju's losses widened to Rs 4,588 crore in FY21 from Rs 231 crore in FY20 mainly on account of deferment of some revenue and losses incurred from WhiteHat Jr. The revenue of the company also declined by about a per cent to Rs 2,428 crore in FY21 from about Rs 2,511 crore in FY20.

Byju's co-founder and CEO Byju Raveendran told PTI that there was an impact of revenue recognition changes, which is recognition of streaming revenue over the period of consumption and credit sales, and EMI sales getting recognised after complete collection.

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"These two are significant changes which have pushed out or deferred revenues of almost more than 40 per cent. When you take a look at the financials, you will see there is no growth from FY20 to FY21," he said.

Raveendran said revenue got pushed out but costs were not pushed out, and therefore, losses have also increased.

"Plus, there have been acquisitions which were fast-growing but loss-making acquisitions like WhiteHat Jr, because losses have increased from almost a break-even to Rs 4,500 crore in FY21," he said.

Byju's April-July 2022 period revenue was Rs 4,530 crore, which was higher than its full year revenue for FY21.

"We have shown accelerated growth from FY21 to FY22. Core Business grew 150 per cent on account of additional acquisitions. We closed the year at Rs 10,000 crore of gross revenue in FY22," Raveendran said.

He said the acquisition of Aakash and Great Learning has paid off well and their business growth has been over two-fold from the pre-acquisition number, while WhiteHat Jr has been underperforming.

Raveendran confirmed that the company is in advanced stages of discussion to raise around USD 500 million and it will be closed soon.

He did not disclose the names of the funding entities.

According to sources, the company is in discussion with Abu Dhabi's Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWF) and Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) for raising in the range of USD 400-500 million and USD 250-350 million at a valuation of USD 23 billion.

Talking about a pending fund committed by Sumeru Ventures and Oxshott in March, Raveendran said that the contractual commitment is still there but the fund has not come and these entities have not made any investment in the last six months.

Raveendran said that due to the change in macro-economic situation, Byju's has also put a pause on new deals and is focussing on integrating previous acquisitions.

When asked about acquisition of US edtech companies 2U and Chegg, Ravendran denied having had any discussion with Chegg.

"I can't disclose much but these are the names that you mentioned, the first one (2U) we were in conversation. We have placed an offer but that's right now on pause. With macro and environment changing, we are currently focusing on integrating the previous acquisitions," Raveendran said.

The company has already acquired US-based reading platform Epic for USD 500 million and coding site Tynker for USD 200 million.

The other overseas acquisitions of Byju's include Singapore-based Great Learning for around USD 600 million and Austria's mathematics operator GeoGebdra for approximately USD 100 million.

Raveendran said that due to uncertainty in the macro-economic environment, the company is also looking at deferring IPO (Initial Public Offering).

"Right now, no one is launching an IPO. We will also defer our plans by 9-12 months from now. We will look at it towards the end of the calendar year 2023," Raveendran said.

Byju's said that the company has maintained a retention renewal rate of 80 per cent and is expanding its offline centres to boost the business.

The company claims to have over 200 active centres across India and aims to scale it up to 500 centres by the end of this year.

Byju's is also planning to hire a total of 10,000 more teachers in the coming year, adding to its current strength of 20,000 teachers. The company's total employee base stands at around 50,000 at present.

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Mumbai, Sep 14 (PTI) The government is focusing on reducing compliances further to promote the food processing sector, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Prahlad Singh Patel said on Wednesday.

Addressing the '14th FIcci Foodworld India  The Global Convention for Food Business and Industry', Patel highlighted the need to enhance the marketing and branding of Indian food processing sector and products.

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"The government is fully committed to supporting the industry and find solutions to the problems. We also need to further simplify the existing schemes by removing the bottlenecks and industry will play a critical role in this," he said.

The government's focus is on reducing compliances to support the industry and the sector, he said.

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To boost the sector, he said, the government has already stepped up incubation centres to support the industry and innovation.

The government is taking continuous steps to improve the food processing sector, including the introduction of a PLI scheme for the sector, he stated.

He further said the government is taking measures to not only cater to the domestic markets but also to global demand for processed foods.

The Indian food processing sector will be the backbone in achieving the USD 5 trillion economy target.

"There is a need to further strengthen the trust in the consumers for processed foods and the government along with industry have to work towards it," the minister added.

The Indian food processing industry played an important role during Covid-19, former secretary of Food Precessing Industry Siraj Hussain, who was present on the occasion, said.

He also stressed improving and creating a market for the primary food processing market.

Unless we encourage the primary food processing market, we will not be able to establish a direct linkage of the food processing sector with the farmers, he added.

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New Delhi, September 14: DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Wednesday said the department is working on the Expression of Interest (EoI) and would soon invite preliminary bids from investors for the privatisation of IDBI Bank.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave in-principle approval for strategic disinvestment and transfer of management control in IDBI Bank in May 2021. IDBI Bank Recruitment 2022: Apply for 1544 Executive, Assistant Manager Posts At idbibank.in; Check Details Here.

Currently, the government holds 45.48 per cent in the bank, and Life Insurance Corporation of India, which is currently the promoter of the bank, owns a 49.24 per cent stake.

"We have been at it for quite some time. It is also a first of its kind transaction where through a bidding route we will be privatising a bank. Both government and LIC put together hold 94 per cent in IDBI Bank," he said while addressing 'FICCI CAPAM 2022 - 19th Annual Capital Markets Conference'.

As the bank has come out of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework, he said its performance has improved which would generate greater interest among investors.

The RBI in March 2021 removed IDBI Bank from its enhanced regulatory supervision PCA framework after nearly four years on improved financial performance.

"We are working on the Expression of Interest (EoI) and (it) will be issued soon," Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary said.

The government, along with LIC, will decide on the quantum of stake that they will sell in IDBI Bank before seeking initial bids. The quantum of stake dilution is expected to be outlined in the EoI.

The government has set a target of Rs 65,000 crore from divestment in 2022-23 (April-Mar). It has already raised Rs 24,544 crore, majority of which is contributed by listing of the country's biggest insurer LIC in May this year.

Shares of LIC were listed at discount at Rs 865 to the initial public offering price of Rs 949 per share. Since then, it has been trading below the issue price. Shares of LIC closed at Rs 663.20, down 1.04 per cent on Wednesday. Speaking about LIC, Pandey said the insurance company is taking a number of steps to improve its topline and bottomline.

"The management is taking post-listing initiatives for eg: re-engineering process to improve 13-month and 25-month consistency where LIC has been relatively less than peers. LIC has been bringing new professionals in areas like investment relation, Chief Development officer, Chief Technology Officer, cash management, looking into actuarial valuation and regular IEV (Indian Embeded Value) disclosures," 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, Sep 14 (PTI) Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday assured the sector of more reforms in offing but asserted that the industry too will have to do its bit and reciprocate by improving service quality "significantly".

He indicated that service quality parameters will be significantly increased, and that Telecom Department will approach Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in this regard.

Also Read | IDBI Bank Privatisation: Govt To Soon Invite Bids for Disinvestment, Says DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey.

"I will be requesting Department (Telecom Department) to send a new consultation paper to TRAI for significantly increasing the quality of service parameters almost making it 3X or 4X of what it is today," Vaishnaw said at an event organised by Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA).

The minister exhorted the industry including telecom operators and infrastructure providers to move "full steam ahead" on improving quality of services in the country, now that a slew of reforms have been announced and more are lined up.

Also Read | Apple Shipping iPhone 14 Models With Earlier Version of iOS 16: Report.

The minister said initiatives cannot be one-sided, and the equation has to be "reciprocal".

"You can't clap with only one hand, both hands are needed. It cannot be that just we keep doing what you ask. You also have to do what we ask," he said.

The comment assumes significance as improvement in telecom service quality is bound to cheer mobile customers, irked by call drops and patchy networks.

The minister promised that the journey of 5G will be "exciting" and noted that the government has given a target of 80 per cent coverage in "a short time frame" to the industry.

"While many countries took multiple years to reach 40-50 per cent coverage, we are targeting a very aggressive timeline. We should definitely cover at least 80 per cent in a very short time frame," Vaishnaw said.

He said that the industry will revert with its internal workings on coverage targets and timelines "very soon".

"Hopefully, we should be able to make a difference in common citizens' life by providing good high quality digital services," he said.

The minister assured that Government's approach will be that of a partner to the industry. As it is, the Government has moved swiftly on ironing out industry issues and simplifying processes. He mentioned upcoming initiatives on legal backing for Right of Way and licencing reforms.

At the same time, Vaishnaw made it amply clear that that while government has introduced a wave of major reforms in the sector in the past too, telecom service providers and infrastructure players now need to focus and prioritise quality of service at their end.

"Now that we have given so much by way of reforms, the telecom service providers should increase their quality of service significantly," he emphasised.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Amman, Sep 14 (AP) Jordanian teams on Wednesday rescued one person alive and worked to save others from the rubble of a collapsed building in the capital Amman, officials said.

State media said at least five people have been killed and at least 10 others remain missing.

Also Read | Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin Among Top Leaders To Attend First In-Person SCO Summit After COVID-19.

Amer Sartawi, a security spokesman, said so far eight people were counted as injured.

The four-story residential building collapsed on Tuesday for reasons that remain unclear. The country's prime minister has ordered an investigation.

Also Read | Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Visits Recently Retaken, Devastated City of Izium (See Pics).

The building was located in Jabal al-Weibdeh, an older district of the Jordanian capital that is popular among wealthier residents and expatriates but also includes some poorer areas.

Jordan is a close Western ally that has long been seen as a bastion of stability in the volatile Middle East.(AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Vallejo (US), Sep 14 (AP) A Northern California high school staff member was shot on Tuesday after breaking up a fight on campus, authorities said.

The Vallejo High School staff member was struck at least once and is expected to survive, police said.

Also Read | Queen Elizabeth II Funeral: Queens Coffin Set for Final Journey from Buckingham Palace in London.

The staff member had just broken up a fight among several students and some unknown males" when the shooting occurred around 3.45 pm. Some of the brawlers fled in a sedan, firing back toward the remaining group before they left, police said.

This is a senseless act of violence committed by some individuals who do not value human life, Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said in a news release.

Also Read | Boston Blast: 1 Reported Injured After Explosion Near Northeastern University; College Evacuated.

Enough is enough. It's a sad day anyone is shot in front of our children at school where they should feel safe.

The school was put on lockdown in the aftermath of the violence. There will be an increased police presence on campus on Wednesday.

Vallejo is about 32 miles (50 kilometres) north of San Francisco. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing, September 14: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will hold its first in-person summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan on Thursday after two years, shaking off the COVID fears and providing a rare opportunity for all its eight heads of state to meet on the sidelines of the event to have face-to-face talks on pressing global and regional issues of common concern.

The last in-person SCO summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in 2019. After that, the 2020 Moscow summit was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2021 summit at Dushanbe was conducted in a hybrid mode. SCO Summit 2022: PM Narendra Modi Likely To Have Bilateral Meetings With Vladimir Putin, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Samarkand.

Launched in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO has eight full members, including its six founding members, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.

SCO observer states include Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia, while Dialogue partners include Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan.

This is the first time after the 2020 COVID pandemic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif along with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will be attending the two-day summit.

The sudden announcement of Xi's participation in the SCO summit, shedding his COVID concerns has created a buzz. On Wednesday, Xi for the first time in over two years flew out of China. He travelled to Kazakhstan on his first state-visit since January 2020 from there he would travel to neighbouring Uzbekistan to take part in the Samarkand summit.

China kept his programme under wraps and declined to confirm reports of Xi's meetings with Putin and Modi on the sidelines. The sudden move by China last week acceding to India's demand to pullback its troops from the contentious Petrol Point 15 at Gogra and Hot Springs, which some say is a step forward to end the military standoff in eastern Ladakh which began in May 2020 after which the relations between the two countries nosedived.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of Pangong lake and in the Gogra area. The pullback of troops from PP 15 has sparked speculation about the likelihood of a Modi-Xi meeting at Samarkand.

The Samarkand SCO summit will also mark the second recent expansion of the organisation as Iran will be formally admitted into the influential Central Asian grouping after India and Pakistan's admission as full members in 2017.

Besides the eight member states, four observer countries and six dialogue partners, around 10 other nations have expressed their interest to join the political, economic and security organisation or upgrade their status within the group, according to official media reports here.

After the formalities, Iran will attend the next summit to be held in India. According to SCO officials Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has applied for full membership and is expected to join the grouping soon.

Besides the eight SCO leaders, heads of the state of Iran, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia, the two countries which are locked in military conflict, are due to be present at the Samarkand summit making it a huge conclave, officials said.

Ahead of his visit to Uzbekistan to take part in the SCO summit, Xi praised the grouping, saying that it had set a fine example in international relations. "During my visit to Uzbekistan this time, I will attend the SCO Samarkand Summit. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Long-Term Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," Xi wrote in an article published in Uzbek media.

"Guided by the purposes and principles enshrined in these two documents, the SCO has acted on the Shanghai Spirit, stayed true to its founding mission, and promoted the joint efforts among its member states for stability and development," Xi said.

"The SCO has set a fine example of a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and proved itself an important and constructive force in the Eurasian region and in international affairs," he said.

"China applauds Uzbekistan for its efforts. I am confident that with the joint efforts of all sides, the Samarkand Summit will produce fruitful outcomes and make a greater contribution to building an even closer SCO community with a shared future and to the peace, stability, development and prosperity of our region," 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)
Moscow/New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) The trade turnover between Russia and India witnessed an "unprecedented growth" in the first half of 2022 and reached over USD 11 billion, which allows the likelihood of achieving the goal of bringing the level of mutual trade to USD 30 billion by 2025, Russia's top diplomat in India said on Wednesday.

Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov made the remarks ahead of the meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Uzbekistan this week where the two leaders are expected to discuss issues of strategic stability, the situation in the Asia Pacific region and bilateral cooperation within the UN and G20.

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"We can say that our trade and economic cooperation is transforming. In the first half of 2022, we saw an unprecedented growth in trade  by July it reached more than USD 11 billion, and USD 13.6 billion for the entire 2021. This is a solid figure, which allows us to discuss the likelihood of achieving the goal of bringing the level of mutual trade to USD 30 billion by 2025, Alipov told state-owned TASS news agency.

He said more than two thirds of trade currently falls on fertilizer and hydrocarbon raw material supplies. Although there is already a strong demand in these areas, there are now considerably more opportunities to broaden the economic dialogue as a whole, he added.

Also Read | China President Xi Jinping Visits Kazakhstan Ahead of Summit With Russia President Vladimir Putin.

The envoy noted that there are certain trends and prerequisites for this. The interest of both Russian businesses in India and Indian businesses in new sectors in the Russian market is growing as issues with securing mutual settlements and logistical support of trade are resolved, he added.

"Against the background of flagship projects, primarily the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in the state of Tamil Nadu, we are also participating in the construction of grain-oriented steel plant in Maharashtra, initiatives oil refining and polypropylene production in the state of Gujarat, modernization of railway, port and airport infrastructure, he said.

Alipov added that there are plans to increase the supply of pharmaceuticals, agricultural goods, electronics, and automotive parts from India to the Russian market as well as high-tech goods, gold, and precious metals from Russia to the Indian market.

The diplomat said that other promising areas of bilateral cooperation include the mining sector, civil aviation, and shipbuilding.

"We need unconventional approaches and innovative proposals not only in traditional industries, but also in promising areas - digitalisation, fintech, artificial intelligence, hydrogen energy, advanced solutions in urban construction. Considerable efforts will be needed for a deeper mutual adaptation of economic models, including financial infrastructure and the capital market in order to reach a new level of relations, the ambassador added.

Alipov also said that Russia and India were engaged in an active dialogue on the mutual recognition of Mir and RuPay payment systems.

"We are engaged in an active dialogue on this issue. It is more about the synchronisation of payment systems, when Russians can use Mir cards in India, and Indian citizens can use RuPay cards in Russia, he said.

Let's not guess when this happens, but the need for this is strong on both sides, 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)
Bangkok, Sep 14 (AP) A clerk shot at his co-workers at Thailand's Army War College early on Wednesday, killing two people and wounding another, the army said.

One man died at the scene and another died after being taken to the hospital, the Thai army said in a statement. The wounded man was being treated at a hospital.

Also Read | SCO Summit 2022: PM Narendra Modi, President Vladimir Putin to Discuss Russian-Indian Cooperation in UN.

The alleged assailant, Sgt. Yongyuth Mungkorngim, fled the scene but was arrested outside the Army Training Command compound, which houses the Army War College, in the capital Bangkok.

Television footage showed Sgt. Yongyuth, dressed in his army uniform, in police custody outside the military facility.

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The military said initial information indicated the 59-year-old clerk was suffering from stress and health issues, but it wasn't more specific.

The army did not say which type of firearm was used. It said it would be assisting the police in the investigation. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington [US], September 14 (ANI): Twitter shareholders on Tuesday approved Tesla chief Elon Musk's USD 44 billion bid to buy the social media platform.

The approval to accept Musk's offer of USD 54.20 per share was substantially higher than Twitter's current trading price, below USD 42 was widely expected. Twitter has forged ahead with the deal, despite Musk's attempts to back out because of what he says are problems with the company's business, reported Washington Post.

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Shareholders gave their assent to the deal on Tuesday, the company said. The vote took place during a short virtual meeting after brief remarks by Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal.

A US judge on Wednesday (local time) gave a lifeline to Musk by allowing him to amend his complaint against Twitter but rejected delaying the lawsuit over the disintegration of the billionaire's deal to acquire the social media company.

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His attorneys had requested to amend his counterclaims after a whistleblower filed a complaint about Twitter's security practices, reported Washington Post.

In a mixed ruling, Kathaleen McCormick, the chancellor of the Delaware court, said Musk could add whistleblowing revelations from a Twitter ex-security chief that surfaced in August.

But she denied his request to push back the litigation, saying prolonging the suit "would risk further harm to Twitter too great to justify."

Musk's attorneys argued to include allegations by Peiter Zatko, Twitter's former head of security, that the social media platform hid critical information from them as they pursued a deal to purchase it. They said they should be allowed to incorporate the new allegations and pushed to delay the trial, a request that was denied, reported Washington Post.

The former Twitter security chief Peiter Zatko last month made allegations on Twitter of wrongdoings including "Twitter's tracking and measurement of user engagement."

According to US media outlet Axios, Musk's lawyers on August 29, filed a subpoena for Zatko, asking for "documents and communications" regarding a number of the alleged wrongdoings Zatko made.

Musk sent a second deal termination letter to Twitter by "leveraging" on the recent allegations made by a social media giant whistleblower, media reports said.

In the termination letter, Musk's lawyers argued that Zatko's allegations, "if true, demonstrate that Twitter has breached" a set of provisions from its merger agreement with Musk, including its compliance with all laws and that its assertion that it never filed misleading information to securities regulators.

The lawyers cited an allegation from Zatko that Twitter violated a 2011 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) consent decree regarding user data privacy, as well as "its general obligations under data privacy, unfair trade practice, and consumer protection laws and regulations," as per the media portal.

Notably, Twitter in a 2011 agreement with regulators vowed not to use information gathered for security purposes, like users' phone numbers and email addresses, to help advertisers target people with ads.

However, it must be noted that the whistleblower complaint is not similar to Musk's original argument. While Musk's legal team argued that Twitter violated its deal terms by misleading investors about the number of spam accounts on its platform and stonewalling information requests, the whistleblower alleges that Twitter deceived regulators about its efforts to reduce spam and protect Twitter from security threats.

Musk has been locked in a bitter legal battle with Twitter since announcing in July that he was pulling the plug on his USD 44 billion purchase of the company following a complex, volatile, months-long courtship.

Musk had cancelled the deal because he was misled by Twitter concerning the number of bot accounts on its platform, allegations rejected by the company.

According to The Hill, Twitter claims that the company suffered financial losses as a result of Musk's withdrawal.

Earlier this month, Musk made a suggestion that the acquisition would still go through if the social media business provided details on fake and bot accounts.

The Hill reports that the shareholder lawsuit was filed in late July and reportedly criticizes Musk for using "lame justifications" to cancel the deal.

The five-day trial is due to go ahead beginning October 17 in the Delaware court. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
United Nations, Sep 14 (AP) The U.N. refugee agency said in a new report Tuesday that access to education for refugees remains very limited compared to their counterparts in host countries and called for all youngsters forced to flee their countries to have access to quality schooling.

According to the report entitled All Inclusive The Campaign for Refugee Education, 42% of refugee children globally were enrolled in pre-school education in the academic year 2020-2021, 68% were in primary school, 37% in secondary school, and 6% in higher education.

Also Read | Indian-Origin Artists To Create Giant Mural As Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in London.

Becky Telford, chief of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees education section, told a news conference launching the report that with the number of refugees and displaced people growing, it is increasingly urgent that those gaps are addressed.

The report, based on data from more than 40 countries, calls for strong partnerships to break down barriers to education for millions of refugee children, and for a renewed effort to include refugees in national education systems.

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On a positive note, Telford said that while the number of refugees in higher education is very low, it has increased from 1% a number of years ago to 3% and now 6%. (AP)

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Calgary, September 14: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine has recaptured thousands of square kilometres of territory from Russian forces in a matter of days in a counteroffensive near Kharkiv. Kyiv has been revelling in this battlefield success. Ukraine also says recent offensive operations in the south were a successful ruse to draw Russian forces away from the Kharkiv region.

In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin's government has so far been silent on unfolding events, although Russian state media has acknowledged Ukrainian successes. While there may be good military reasons for secrecy, Moscow's claim that the retreat of Russian forces in the region is part of a regrouping for operations further south is damaging its credibility.

Russian forces have clearly retreated near Kharkiv. Not only to those in the West, but also in Russia, it appears that Putin has lost control of the situation.

War efforts publicly questioned Putin's popularity in Russia remains buoyant  as does support for his so-called special military operation in Ukraine. That support, however, is contingent upon a degree of success. SCO Summit 2022: PM Narendra Modi, President Vladimir Putin to Discuss Russian-Indian Cooperation in UN.

When prominent bloggers who support the war and Putin's lieutenant on the ground, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, start to publicly question how the war is going, even Putin has to take note. As the war currently stands, Russia has a big problem with manpower in Ukraine.

It's not that Russia doesn't have large armed forces  on paper, the Russian armed forces have more than 800,000 active personnel. However, a significant proportion of those troops cannot easily be sent to Ukraine.

About a third of Russia's active forces are conscripts. At the beginning of the war, Putin pledged not to send them to Ukraine or call up more reservists.

Not only are conscripts not supposed to serve abroad, but there are also ostensible safeguards against conscripts being sent into combat with insufficient training.

Some conscripts were apparently mistakenly deployed in Ukraine, but those who sent them have reportedly been punished. Attempts to increase the number of volunteers for the Russian armed forces  complete with significant financial inducements  have been only partially successful.

How the Russian government plans to increase the size of the armed forces by more than 100,000 personnel, as Putin has recently decreed, remains unclear.

Running short on soldiers Because so many of its soldiers cannot be deployed in Ukraine, Russia has had to turn to smaller units, known as Battalion Tactical Groups, made up of contract troops instead of using larger brigades and divisions.

Now, in the face of increasing Ukrainian strength and Russian losses, Russia is running out of soldiers. In principle, Russia's manpower problem could be easily solved. Putin could legally create the circumstances for conscripts to serve in Ukraine. Such a move might also justify calling up large numbers of reservists  those who have already served but are liable for subsequent call up.

The problem for Putin in changing the rules regarding troop deployment is that doing so would completely dispel any illusion that everything is under control in Ukraine. In the short term, that would undoubtedly damage his credibility and result in broken promises. Sending conscripts and reservists into Ukraine against their will would also be unpopular.

Mobilising reservists alone would perhaps allow Russia to use them to fill in for forces transferred from other parts of Russia to Ukraine, but those forces have no doubt already been significantly stripped of contract personnel. In many ways, the Russian population has now been primed to see the war in Ukraine as more than just a special military operation.

In July, Putin said the collective West is trying to undermine Russian influence in its own backyard through interference in Ukrainian affairs.

According to Putin, the West organised and supported the unconstitutional armed coup in Ukraine in 2014 and then encouraged and justified genocide against the people of Donbas.

Western involvement in Ukrainian affairs was portrayed by Putin as part of the West's imposition of a model of totalitarian liberalism. Western military and other support for Ukraine  including sanctions  have made plain that Russia is engaged in a proxy war with the West.

Changing the approach of the special operation in many ways would simply confirm what's already apparent, even to Russians. It's a major war, and it involves losses, defeats and setbacks.

What's Next?

In the short term, using conscripts or calling up reserves would be unpopular, particularly if Ukrainian territorial gains aren't stopped quickly. In the long term, however, it's reasonable to assume that if Ukrainian offensives can be halted without too many casualties, much of the Russian population might forgive Putin for an obvious escalation of the conflict.

Russian acceptance of using conscripts and reserves might be more likely now that Russian forces are largely on the defensive in Ukraine. Putin has other options when it comes to changing the rules on the use of conscripts to increase manpower. Accelerating the incorporation of Donetsk, Luhansk and even territory north of Crimea into the Russian Federation would be the sort of legal sleight of hand that would allow the deployment of conscripts there. That would, however, likely fuel Ukrainian and western resolve.

Some western observers have raised the spectre of Russia's use of tactical nuclear weapons, but that's premature. Nonetheless, Putin cannot in the near future carry on pretending that all is well for Russian forces in Ukraine. He's left with little choice but to accept that a dangerous escalation of Russian commitments in Ukraine has to take place if he is going to maintain domestic support for the war  and to win. It seems a question of when, rather than whether, these changes take place.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chennai, September 14: A team of students and professors of Mannar Thirumalai College in Madurai recently discovered a 400 year old Naick-era stone inscription at a temple in Andipatti taluk in Theni. The archaeologically precious material was discovered by Assistant professors of the Department of History of the college, R. Praiya and S. Rajagopal along with a few students.

Social activist S. Aswath was also in the team. The stone inscription was originally installed at Pandya Meenakshi Sundareswar temple. However, this temple is now in a dilapidated condition. Tamil Nadu: 13 AD Stone Pillar With Jewish Trade Inscriptions Found in Ramanathapuram District.

Unaware of its archeological and historical significance, local people installed the stone inscription at Vinayagar temple. The stone has a Vaishnava symbol, the sun, the moon and a lotus flower with blurred letters.

Retired Archeologist Dr C. Santhalingam, while told media persons: "The inscriptions on the stone talk about Veerakandama Naicker having received a donation from Muthu Veerappa Naick who was the 6th ruler of the Madurai Naick Kingdom". According to the local people, further exploration could provide more information on the Kandamanaykkanur local administration.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 14, 2022 06:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Dakshina Kannada district police have arrested a 31-year-old man from Kombaru village in Kadaba taluk for allegedly sexually assaulting and impregnating his niece.
Reacting sharply to the political development in #Goa, wherein eight #Congress MLAs joined #BJP, Goa Forward Party President and MLA @VijaiSardesai said that BJP has purchased them like sacks of rice and MLAs have allowed them to be purchased like cattle.@Goaforwardparty pic.twitter.com/4v5IWS2UwA IANS (@ians_india) September 14, 2022

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Sangli, Maharastra | Y'day in Lavanga village some monks were assaulted by villagers. Police reached there & took them to the hospital.Taking suo moto cognizance police has registered an offense. 6 accused arrested. Probe underway, more accused to be arrested soon: SP Dixit Gedam pic.twitter.com/8fJVSFA8IE ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022

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United States considering options for a sanctions package against China to deter it from invading Taiwan, Reuters reported citing sources familiar with the discussions



(File Pic) pic.twitter.com/U92ECIGI2l ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2022

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Tucked deep inside the 1,603-page federal spending measure is a provision that effectively ends the federal governments prohibition on medical marijuana and signals a major shift in drug policy.

The bills passage over the weekend marks the first time Congress has approved nationally significant legislation backed by legalization advocates. It brings almost to a close two decades of tension between the states and Washington over medical use of marijuana.

Under the provision, states where medical pot is legal would no longer need to worry about federal drug agents raiding retail operations. Agents would be prohibited from doing so.

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The Obama administration has largely followed that rule since last year as a matter of policy. But the measure approved as part of the spending bill, which President Obama plans to sign this week, will codify it as a matter of law.

Pot advocates had lobbied Congress to embrace the administrations policy, which they warned was vulnerable to revision under a less tolerant future administration.

More important, from the standpoint of activists, Congress action marked the emergence of a new alliance in marijuana politics: Republicans are taking a prominent role in backing states right to allow use of a drug the federal government still officially classifies as more dangerous than cocaine.

This is a victory for so many, said the measures coauthor, Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa. The measures approval, he said, represents the first time in decades that the federal government has curtailed its oppressive prohibition of marijuana.

By now, 32 states and the District of Columbia have legalized pot or its ingredients to treat ailments, a movement that began in the 1990s. Even back then, some states had been approving broader decriminalization measures for two decades.

The medical marijuana movement has picked up considerable momentum in recent years. The Drug Enforcement Administration, however, continues to place marijuana in the most dangerous category of narcotics, with no accepted medical use.

Congress for years had resisted calls to allow states to chart their own path on pot. The marijuana measure, which forbids the federal government from using any of its resources to impede state medical marijuana laws, was previously rejected half a dozen times. When Washington, D.C., voters approved medical marijuana in 1998, Congress used its authority over the citys affairs to block the law from taking effect for 11 years.

Even as Congress has shifted ground on medical marijuana, lawmakers remain uneasy about full legalization. A separate amendment to the spending package, tacked on at the behest of anti-marijuana crusader Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), will jeopardize the legalization of recreational pot in Washington, D.C., which voters approved last month.

Marijuana proponents nonetheless said they felt more confident than ever that Congress was drifting toward their point of view.

The war on medical marijuana is over, said Bill Piper, a lobbyist with the Drug Policy Alliance, who called the move historic.

Now the fight moves on to legalization of all marijuana, he said. This is the strongest signal we have received from Congress [that] the politics have really shifted. ... Congress has been slow to catch up with the states and American people, but it is catching up.

The measure, which Rohrabacher championed with Rep. Sam Farr, a Democrat from Carmel, had the support of large numbers of Democrats for years. Enough Republicans joined them this year to put it over the top. When the House first passed the measure earlier this year, 49 Republicans voted aye.

Some Republicans are pivoting off their traditional anti-drug platform at a time when most voters live in states where medical marijuana is legal, in many cases as a result of ballot measures.

The war on medical marijuana is over. Now the fight moves on to legalization of all marijuana.  Bill Piper, a lobbyist with the Drug Policy Alliance

Polls show that while Republican voters are far less likely than the broader public to support outright legalization, they favor allowing marijuana for medical use by a commanding majority. Legalization also has great appeal to millennials, a demographic group with which Republicans are aggressively trying to make inroads.

Approval of the pot measure comes after the Obama administration directed federal prosecutors last year to stop enforcing drug laws that contradict state marijuana policies. Since then, federal raids of marijuana merchants and growers who are operating legally in their states have been limited to those accused of other violations, such as money laundering.

The federal government should never get in between patients and their medicine, said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland).

evan.halper@latimes.com

Twitter: @evanhalper

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SNAP benefits can be used in participating retail stores and farmers' markets. But the purchasing power of your EBT card, also known as Electronic Benefits Transfer, does not stop there.

Recipients of SNAP benefits can also use their EBT cards to pay for groceries or food products purchased online, with 48 states allowing the use of it to pay for Walmart delivery and pickup orders online, as reported by Go Banking Rates.

All states excluding Alaska and Montana accept EBT card payments online. However, cardholders in these areas can use their card at pickup.

Only eligible food may be purchased with SNAP benefits, and delivery fees and other related charges may not be paid for with SNAP benefits.

Other retailers that launched the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot include Amazon, Dash's Market, Fresh Direct, and Safeway among others.

READ NEXT: SNAP Benefits 2022: You Can Get More Than Just Food Stamps With Your Texas, California EBT Cards

SNAP Benefits Walmart

To use your EBT card for Walmart purchases, you must sign in to your Walmart pickup and delivery account and select Payment Methods.

Walmart noted that if your local store accepts EBT online purchases, recipients can see an option to add your EBT card to your account.

Recipients can use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits once they have successfully added their card information to their Walmart account.

New York was the first state to offer the Online Purchasing Program for SNAP in 2019. Washington state followed in 2020, which was followed soon after by Iowa, Oregon, and Alabama.

The Department of Agriculture noted that there are a few items that you cannot use your SNAP benefits to buy anywhere, even at Walmart, according to a Yahoo Finance report. It includes alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, vitamins, hot foods, and other non-food items such as pet foods, household supplies, hygiene items, and cosmetics.

SNAP Benefits and EBT Card

Amazon also offers recipients the option to pay their purchases with EBT on Amazon in all U.S. states.

However, Amazon does not offer the same service for Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Montana.

EBT cardholders do not need to avail of the Prime membership to shop on Amazon Fresh. However, heavily discounted Prime Service is available to other qualifying customers, according to a Stand Up Wireless report.

Safeway also offers online EBT payments and pickup services in Alaska, Washington, California, Colorado, Arizona, Maryland, Hawaii, New Mexico, Virginia, and Oregon.

The largest food retailer in New Jersey, ShopRite, also accepts EBT for online grocery buys. Some locations offer delivery and in-store pickup options while other areas only offer the use of EBT cards for in-store pickup.

ShopRite offers the service in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania, aside from New Jersey.

In Texas, H-E-B accepts EBT cards for online orders of goods. However, they do not offer delivery but recipients can pick up their order curbside at the nearest H-E-B branch near you.

Independent local grocers also offer the same service, such as Wright's Market in Alabama, Woods Supermarket in Missouri, and Town & Country Market for Indiana residents.

READ MORE: SNAP Benefits 2022 Update: $301.8 Million Texas Payments Confirmed for July 2022

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Walmart accepting EBT for online orders - from News4JAX


Authorities in Argentina have arrested a third person in the assassination attempt on the life of Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Authorities said this suggests that a network of people was involved in the incident. The third suspect was identified as Agustina Diaz, a close friend of the gunman's girlfriend.

An Argentinian official with knowledge of the investigation told the Associated Press that Diaz was arrested Monday in the San Miguel suburb of Buenos Aires.

READ NEXT: Argentina: Partner of Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's Brazilian Assassin Arrested

Third Suspect Allegedly Tried to Help Second Suspect Escape After Assassination Attempt

The first suspect arrested was Fernando Andre Sabag Montiel, the 35-year-old Brazilian citizen accused of trying to shoot Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on September 1.

He emerged from the crowd outside the vice president's home and tried to shoot De Kirchner, pointing his Bersa 380 pistol in her face. Luckily, the gun jammed as he aimed at her. Police were able to arrest him soon after.

The second suspect is his 23-year-old Argentine girlfriend, Brenda Uliarte, who was reportedly at the scene when her boyfriend tried to kill the former president. She was arrested three days later at a Buenos Aires train station.

Sabag Montiel and Uliarte are both accused of trying to assassinate the president. According to the Argentine official, Agustina Diaz helped Uliarte escape the scene following the attempt on the life of De Kirchner.

Uliarte also had Diaz's contact saved as "love of my life" on her phone, and the two were in touch before and after the assassination attempt. The official added that Uliarte's role in the plot was becoming more and more relevant.

According to Al Jazeera, the three suspects were all part of an informal organization that planned the attack. Previously, a report noted that a third suspect was at large and that the suspect had been in contact with Uliarte for a month and had discussed the attack on De Kirchner.

Video surveillance images also showed both Sabag Montiel and Uliarte at the crime scene on the day the former tried to kill the woman considered Argentina's most important politician for the past 15 years.

The Guardian reported that Sabag Montiel and Uliarte have not been formally charged yet, but are expected to be charged with attempted homicide in the coming days. It is still unclear what charges will be made against Diaz.

Fernando Andre Sabag Montiel, a Critic of Argentina's VP Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner Before Attempted Assassination

Fernando Andre Sabag Montiel reportedly leans far into the right. Following his arrest, police scoured his social media profiles and found that he had been a vocal critic of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner for years.

Posts from his now-deleted social media accounts have shown that he was already fed up with the Argentine political system. He often criticized De Kirchner and the right-wing opposition, including De Kirchner's opponent Javier Milei, the main face of Argentina's right-wing elements.

He was also involved in far-right Neo-Nazi organizations and even sported Nazi tattoos. According to the local press, the gunman was actually a local driver working for a transport app. His national ID also showed that he was single and of foreign origin.

It also showed that he has no active taxes and no bank accounts. The Brazilian citizen has lived in Argentina for over 20 years, having moved from Brazil in 1993. Police are still investigating if there was a wider plot surrounding the assassination attempt or if he was simply fed up with politics.

READ MORE: Argentina Vice President and Ex-President Cristina Fernandez Could Go to Prison for 12 Years Due to Corruption

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Gun Jams During Bid to Kill Argentina Vice President Cristina Fernandez De Kirchner - From BBC News
Two Haitian journalists were killed while reporting violence in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Al Jazeera reported that the Haitian journalists were fatally shot and their bodies were burned Sunday while reporting on violence in the Cite Soleil neighborhood, which has suffered from gang-related violence in recent months.

The bodies of the Haitian journalists, who were identified as Tayson Latigue and Frantzsen Charles, have not been recovered yet. Latigue worked for digital publication Ti Jenn Jounalis, while Charles was a reporter for FS News Haiti.

FS News Haiti announced the death of Charles and Latigue in a statement. The news organization said the journalists were killed by bandits while reporting in Cite Soleil. FS News Haiti demanded justice for the two journalists.

READ NEXT: Dominican Republic Luis Abinader Bars Haiti's Ex-Leader From His Country as Tensions Between 2 Countries Rise

2 Journalists in Haiti Killed in Port-au-Prince

Tayson Latigue and Frantzsen Charles were among seven Haitian journalists who faced an attack in Cite Soleil while investigating the growing violence in the area, including the recent killing of a 17-year-old girl.

According to The Guardian, Dieudonne St-Cyr, a Haiti's Association of Independent Journalists reporter, told radio station Metropole Haiti that two rival gangs ambushed the journalists.

St-Cyr did not name the two rival gangs allegedly involved in the incident. He added that five other reporters fled unharmed.

The journalists' organization condemned the killing and called it a "villainous and odious act." It also demanded that the government ramp up efforts to address the country's worsening insecurity amid killings and kidnappings.

The group said the journalists were just doing their job and did not commit any crime. They added that killings reflect the "inability of the state to protect lives and property."

Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry also condemned the killings, adding that he was "profoundly shocked" at the deaths. Gangs have become more present since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July 2021.

Haiti Gang Violence

CNN reported last month that Haiti's SWAT team had been driven into a gunfight in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, against gangs. Haitian police have managed to rescue six hostages from the 400 Mawozo gangs while killing one of its leaders.

However, the gang has not been removed from the capital's streets. It has become a usual police routine for them to go into gang-plagued areas and gangs who typically respond with bullets.

According to the United Nations, 10 days of violence left Cite Soleil with more than 470 people dead, injured, or missing. The G9 gang has tried to expand its reach and has taken territory from rival gangs.

Social media footage showed several houses had been burned, with dozens of locals fleeing the area on foot at night. One Haitian security forces source said that approximately three-quarters of the city are controlled or influenced by gangs.

Director of the General Haitian National Police, Frantz Elbe, rejected the estimation but declined to give a percentage. Elbe noted that it was not a general problem in the metropolitan area.

READ MORE: 4 of Haiti President Jovenel Moise's 'Presumed Assassins' Killed, 2 Arrested by Police

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Nearly 90 Dead in Haiti Gang Violence - From FRANCE 24 English
A federal judge in Florida has agreed to a request of the Justice Department to unseal a slightly less redacted version of the affidavit used to gain a warrant to search former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.

The less redacted version of the previously released affidavit, which was unsealed Tuesday, revealed some unknown details about the classified materials that Trump gave to the Justice Department under subpoena in June.

Previous court filings showed that Trump voluntarily returned 15 boxes of materials to the National Archives in January, which resulted in a referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The August 8 raid at Mar-a-Lago resulted from law enforcement suspicion that additional documents remained inside the property despite Trump's camp assuring that a "diligent search" had accounted for all of the material.

Florida Judge Unseals New Part of Redacted Mar-a-Lago Affidavit

According to CNN, the now-lifted redactions in the search warrant affidavit shed new details on the grand jury subpoena that federal investigators used to get surveillance tapes from Donald Trump's company.

The prosecutors used the surveillance footage while probing the potential mishandling of classified files at the Mar-a-Lago mansion. Based on the unredacted filing, the DOJ directed the Trump Organization to turn over "any and all surveillance records videos images, photographs, and/or CCTV from internal cameras located on ground floor" or basement between January 10 and June 24.

JUST IN: At DOJ's request, magistrate unseals more aspects of Mar-a-Lago search warrant affidavit.



Key detail: DOJ subpoena for surveillance camerage footage stretched all the way to Jan. 10, 2022. https://t.co/pGJnJ8zNtF pic.twitter.com/a0VP8oGMfB  Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) September 13, 2022

The said date was around the time when Trump's team returned the first set of documents to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

The 15 boxes that the former president's team shipped back to NARA reportedly contained highly sensitive documents, other personal documents, and magazines.

The unusual shipment has sparked concern in the national agency, prompting a back-and-forth correspondence from Trump and the National Archives.

The Hill said it remains unclear if the former president has complied with the request for the video footage, but a part of the affidavit showed that his staff turned over a hard drive last July 6.

READ NEXT: Senate Intelligence Committee Demands FBI Briefing on Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Raid | Here's Why

What Do the Mar-a-Lago Records Contain?

CNN reported that there had been three instances where documents from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home were made available to the government, either forcibly or voluntarily.

The first one was the January shipment to the National Archives. The 15 boxes shipped out reportedly contained over 700 pages of government records. A total of 184 classified documents were found, which comprised 67 confidential ones, 92 secret documents, and 25 top-secret markings.

In the May subpoena, which the less redacted version revealed, Trump only gave one envelope containing the last classified records in Mar-a-Lago.

The envelope contained 38 classified documents: 5 were marked confidential, 16 were secret, and 17 were top-secret. On the controversial August 8 raid, 33 boxes more were retrieved containing 103 classified documents.

Did Donald Trump Hide the Documents?

In an NPR report, authorities found that the August 8 boxes recovered from Mar-a-Lago contained personal correspondences of Donald Trump mixed with top-secret documents.

Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance told MSNBC that the new information revealed in the less-redacted version of the affidavit implicates that Trump "did play a role" in the cover-up for the remaining documents that were still in Mar-a-Lago after the May subpoena.

"There's this implication that documents were stored in storage areas and that there was nothing in personal offices and that seems like the sort of information that would have been very likely to come from the former president," she said in the interview.

Vance further noted that this gave the Justice Department more basis to move forward with the investigation and inquiries to witnesses without violating a judge's order to halt the probe. Last week, the DOJ suggested that there could be more classified records removed from the Trump White House that investigators have not yet located.

A detailed list of items seized from Mar-a-Lago property showed the FBI located 48 empty folders labeled as classified and another 42, which implied that they should be returned to a staff secretary or military aide. Legal experts were baffled as to why these folders were empty, and it was unclear whether records were missing.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Special Master Allowed in Court to Review Mar-a-Lago Seized Documents | Here's What It Would Do

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Written by: Ivan Korrs

WATCH: Joyce Vance: 'If Berman's Tales Are Borne Out, They Are Very Serious.' - From MSNBC
First Lady Jill Biden recalled that she was told off by late Queen Elizabeth II when she offered to help serve tea during her 2021 visit to Windsor Castle with her husband, President Joe Biden.

According to The Independent, the first lady said during an interview with Today that she and Biden were sitting with the late monarch in her living room when the Queen started serving them tea.

"She poured tea, and Joe and I said: 'Oh, let us help you'," Jill recalled on the moment. However, the first lady said that instead of accepting their offer, the Queen replied:" 'No,' you know. 'You sit there, and I'll get the tea'."

Jill went on to praise Queen Elizabeth, saying that what she "loved" about her was that "she was really independent." The first lady said this was evident when the Queen decided to discuss her family with them just moments after they were told not to talk about the royal family.

"We went up to her living room, and they said to us: 'Don't talk about family.' So we went up, and so the first thing she starts with is family," Jill noted. The first lady said Queen Elizabeth started talking about her family and her husband, Prince Philip, at the time.

"So, Prince Philip had just died recently, and I think she knows Joe. I think she just wanted to talk about her husband," Jill noted. The president's wife also remembered Queen Elizabeth asking them about American politics and what was happening, adding that she put them "at ease."

READ NEXT: Prince Harry, Prince Andrew Banned From Wearing Military Uniform at Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

Jill Biden and Joe Biden at Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

Reports said Jill Biden and Joe Biden will be the only official U.S. delegates at Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral on Monday, September 19.

According to PEOPLE, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a press conference that the invitation given to the White House was only for the president and first lady.

Former U.S. presidents have also attended significant historical events like this one. Some reportedly wondered why the White House was not given an open invitation to include other U.S. officials.

Biden and the first lady are scheduled to leave Washington, D.C. on Saturday, September 17, for London. King Charles III and the royal family will host a formal welcome reception.

The president and the first lady went to the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Thursday and signed the Queen's condolence book.

Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

Queen Elizabeth II died last week at age 96. She had led the monarchy for 70 years. Her coffin arrived at London's Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening, ahead of lying in state at Westminster Hall for four days.

The public got a chance to view the coffin as the Queen lay at rest for 24 hours in Edinburgh's St. Giles' Cathedral, NBC News reported.

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said September 19 will be a holiday so federal employees can mourn the Queen on the day of her state funeral.

Trudeau added that he was working with the provinces on a possible public holiday for other workers. However, Ontario and Quebec declined to make it a holiday.

READ MORE: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Opt Not to Hold Daughter Lilibet's Christening in the U.K. As It's Likely Be in California: Royal Sources

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Jill Biden Talks Queen Elizabeth, Teacher Shortage, 2024 Presidential Race - From TODAY
The government of Colombia will be conducting peace talks with the National Liberation Army rebel group later this year, and Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said his government will act as a "guarantor" in peace talks between the two sides.

According to the Associated Press, Maduro made the announcement Tuesday on national television, noting that Colombia's President Gustavo Petro requested that his government take on the diplomatic role. Maduro said he had accepted the request.

The Venezuelan president noted that his socialist government was interested in initiating peace, security, and stability not only in Colombia but also "throughout the continent."

READ NEXT: Colombia: 7 Police Officers Killed in Ambush After President Gustavo Petro Called for Peace

Colombia Rebuilding Ties With Venezuela After Gustavo Petro Won the Presidency

Negotiations between the government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, began in 2016, with Venezuela acting as a guarantor nation in the peace talks.

However, political tensions between the two countries arose in 2018 when the Colombian government sided with the United States and recognized Maduro's opponent, Juan Guaido, as the rightful winner of the Venezuelan elections.

Colombia then asked the Maduro administration to step down from that role at the time, and Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with Colombia the following year.

Petro had started normalizing relations with its neighbor after getting elected as Colombia's first leftist president earlier this year. According to the Morning Star, Petro also dropped his predecessor Ivan Duque's recognition of Guaido as the winner of the Venezuelan elections.

Reestablishing these diplomatic relations means that the Colombia-Venezuela border will re-open to cargo trucks later this month. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been complicated, as the National Liberation Army, Colombia's last recognized rebel group, had been operating on both sides of the border.

Human Rights Watch noted that the Venezuelan military had been helping these rebels out and had even conducted joint operations against other rebel groups operating in Venezuela. However, the Venezuelan government denied these claims, saying they do not have anything to do with the rebel group.

Colombia's Gustavo Petro Seeks 'Total Peace' With Rebel Groups and Criminal Gangs

The Communist insurgency has been a thorn in the side of the Colombian government for decades. Rebel groups such as the National Liberation Army and the FARC have committed various atrocities through the years.

Even with the FARC disbanding, several remnants are still performing an armed struggle against the government. Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla fighter, has been ambitious in seeking to negotiate with the groups operating outside the law and achieve an agreement like the one reached with the FARC.

According to La Prensa Latina, he had also resumed relations with Venezuela to achieve "total peace." Petro claimed that he had already received letters from criminal gangs wanting to join the peace talks.

He said Colombia will offer submission to justice for these gangs, but for the ELN, the country seeks to negotiate a peace agreement.

READ MORE: Cocaine Legalization in Colombia Gets Scrapped by Leftist Government

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Benedetti, Colombian Ambassador to Venezuela, Talks to CNN About His Goals - From CNN
Detroit police officers killed a Michigan dad who embraced a QAnon conspiracy theory after he fatally shot his wife and family dog and injured his daughter.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, Igor Lanis, 53, was killed after he emerged from their Glenwood Court home in Detroit with a shotgun. Police said Lanis shot at responding police officers, who fired back and killed the suspect, Crime Online reported.

When the Oakland County Sheriff's Office deputies investigated his home, they found his wife, Tina Lanis, 56, and the family dog shot to death. Police said the dog had been shot several times by the Michigan dad.

Officers also found Lanis' 25-year-old daughter, Rachel Lanis, trying to crawl out of the house after being shot multiple times in the back and legs by her father.

PEOPLE reported that police were able to drag her to safety and take her to a local hospital. She is reportedly in stable condition now. No officers were injured.

Police said they received Rachel's "chilling" 911 call at around 4:11 a.m., saying that her dad had shot her and killed her mom.

READ NEXT: Argentina Sex Cult Investigation: 19 People Involved With Buenos Aires Yoga School Indicted

Daughter Blames QAnon Conspiracy Theory For Michigan Dad's Actions

His youngest daughter, Rebecca Lanis, recently spoke to Detroit News. She was not home at the time of the shooting. Rebecca believed her dad's mental health battles and his fascination with the QAnon conspiracy theory may have played a part in his dad's actions.

The QAnon conspiracy theory is a false belief that former president Donald Trump is battling a group of Satan-worshipping Democrats and pedophiles in politics and media. She said her dad's recent online interest in extremism and conspiracy theories brought him into a psychological downward spiral.

"It really brought him down when he was reading all those weird things on the internet... Nobody could talk him out of them," Rachel told the outlet.

She also has a message for everyone. She said: "Right-wing extremism is not funny, and people need to watch their relatives; and if they have guns, they need to hide them or report them or something because this is out of control."

Rebecca described her parents as "extremely loving and happy," but said that after falling down the Q rabbit hole, her dad became obsessed, especially after Trump lost the election in 2020.

First Time Walled Lake's Police Officer in Michigan Ever Shot Anybody

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard spoke to the media following the incident. There, he revealed that Rachel Lanis suffered "super traumatic injuries" to her back and legs.

A neurologist has reportedly been called in to assess her condition, especially her legs. The sheriff noted that it was Walled Lake Police Department's first shooting by an officer in the department's history.

He noted that there was a real danger to anybody, as the Michigan dad already had his keys with him, and no one knew where he was heading. The sheriff then said that this incident was "terribly sad on so many levels."

READ MORE: Honduras Jails U.S. Citizen Over Child Pornography Charges

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: The Roots of QAnon Run Deeper Than You Think - From CNN
There was widespread praise for gardai and authorities involved in organising the Electric Picnic at a recent policing meeting.

Speaking at the Joint Policing Meeting, Cllr Conor Bergin commended Gardai on policing the event and its traffic.

I think the gardai in Laois Offaly could give courses in event management to the rest of the country because we have two of the largest outdoor events in the country coming here every year, he told the meeting.

He said: The Electric Picnic was extremely well run and there was a high garda presence there. With the exception of one serious incident there wasnt too many serious incidents at the festival this year, he remarked.

Chief Superintendent John Scanalan said:  We have had Electric Picnic. it went well to say the least for it. We had one very serious assault in it. It is being followed up and being investigated. A number of drug offences. A number of initiatives around drugs at the Picnic. 80,000 people were there.

He said such events were positive for Laois. These are all very good things for Co Laois. It shows Laois is a place that can host the Picnic is now the largest outdoor concert in the State. The Ploughing will be the largest outdoor agricultural event, not just in the State but in Europe. Laois hosts these events well.

It does well at doing it and the forbearance of small communities about the imposition of some of these events on them is why it is so successful here. Particularly Stradbally, Ratheniska, they have been very tolerant of what has gone on. It stretches out when it comes to the ploughing. It fills the hotels, its a huge contribution to the economic life of Laois and I am sure it has an impact on local businesses, said Chief Supt Scanlan.

If I reflect on the ten years I am here, the first year we had the Picnic here there was 25,000 in attendance. On the Thursday night there was almost 20,000 people attending so it is a Thursday to Monday event now. So we have that issue of traffic, he told the Joint Policing Committee meeting.

Cllr James Kelly thanked the Chief Superintendent for the policing of the Electric Picnic festival. We had the various festivals and now we have the ploughing as well for Laois.

It is great for the county of Laois and the county council as well I know are working hand in hand with you I know, and all the organisations, he remarked.

It has been great for the economy because I am a member of the destination Laois Committee and this is all good news. I know there was a serious incident but I know you dealt with those very well,  Cllr Kelly added.

Welcoming the Chief Superintendents crime report. Cllr Paddy Bracken said I know the figures have moved a little bit but thats to be expected. We are progressing in terms of garda numbers and Gardai on the street, he said. Cllr Bracken said the CCTV cameras were up and running in Mountmelick.

Cllr John King also complimented the gardai on the Electric Picnic. Because to think of the huge numbers of people. The gardai, the civil and all different groups that were involved. I thought the cleanliness of the place in Stradbally was wonderful.

He said: For an event of its size I thought it was very well handled and a great asset to Laois.

Any county in Ireland would be proud to have two events of this size, added Cllr King.

I just want to compliment the chief on an excellent report and compliment the guards and all the staff on the way they moved the traffic, said Cllr Ben Brennan.

Cllr PJ Kelly also complimented the gardai on Electric Picnic. He said some of the minor roads were fenced in and he suggested using GAA clubs to help with parking. Other than that I think the gardai done a great job. he said.

Chief Supt Scanlan confirmed the Bay Road in Mountmellick is going to be the primary route for ploughing traffic from Tullamore. Thats decided. If there is pressure on that at critical times there may be small relief through the town, he said.

If we have the numbers that we had previously you have 120,000 people on the middle day coming to the ploughing. Those numbers dont occur anywhere else at any other event in the country ever, he pointed out.

In response to Cllr PJ Kelly, Chief Supt Scanlan said I do take on board the issues of the GAA being used. I have spoken with the County Secretary about that, would they be up for it?

He pointed out that: The people attending ploughing and the people attending Picnic are kind of a different diaspora of our society, need I say more. I dont think so.

He said the Picnic traffic plan works well but we have to acknowledge the volume is large. If you come out of the picnic site and drive one quarter mile the other way you are landing in the ploughing site.

I had people on the Friday questioning me on a traffic delay on the M50 in Dublin. There is only so far I can go, he told the meeting, adding that as it turned out there was a five car pile up unrelated to the event.

He said There is a constant daily meeting at these events reviewing what has gone well what has gone right and what has not gone so well.

Chief Supt Scanlan said preparation begins early as: We are talking to them already about the car parking profile of Electic Picnic.

I had a fear that he was going to look for more numbers but he hasnt, he is going to leave it as it was. That means that the dynamics of this year will probably be the same as the dynamics of next year, added Chief Supt Scanlan.

Cllr Thomasina Connell commended the community policing gardai and Portlaoise said they are really making people feel safer.

Meanwhile, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald commended Martleys bus hire for the service they provided to the Electric Picnic. All I got was positive feedback, she said.
Carlow Gardai have agreed to respond to callouts in Laois if they are closest to an incident.

It follows a meeting of Garda Superintendent John Lawless and his counterpart in Carlow in relation to responses to crime on the Laois Carlow border, a Loais Joint Policing meeting was told.

Cllr Ben Brennan had raised the issue of response times at a previous meeting of the Joint Policing Committee.

Speaking at the latest meeting, Chief Supt John Scanlan said:

Superintendent Lawless here had a meeting with the Superintendent in Carlow about that interface on the border there to see can we improve our services there.

He has committed to Carlow guards doing the initial contact call if there is an issue in that area there,

Sometimes they will be closer to our calls... he has undertaken that his staff will answer those calls and we will take over the wider investigation as it relates to us, he explained.

Cllr Brennan asked how far from Carlow gardai might respond to incidents across the border in Laois.

Will they come out to Killeshin to cover that area? he asked.

Chief Supt Scanlan said they are committed and they have been committed by their Superintendent to attend these calls. The issue will be when the control in Dublin deal with the issue of the caller they will send the nearest unit to it. If that happens to be Carlow it will be Carlow, if it happens to be somebody patrolling in the area it will be them.
Students who need help with college are being invited to apply for grant support from the Abbeyleix conference of the St Vincent de Paul.

The local membership says the Society of St Vincent de Paul recognises the importance of further education, however, for many people accessibility and affordability are real barriers to obtaining a third level education and training.

They say the SVP Education and Training Bursary Fund has been established to support students of all ages who may financially struggle to access or stay in third level education and training programmes.

They say the Bursary Programme will consider all recognised third level education and training programmes for funding. However, postgraduate studies (Master or PhD) or private colleges are not eligible.

Students must demonstrate that they have applied for all available state funding or other grants. Bursary awards are dependent on funding availability.

You can contact Abbeyleix SVdeP on their confidential phone number 085 2575782
A Pride mural in Laois has been defaced just days ahead of the county's first Laois Pride festival.

The public mural in Lyster Square painted by Portarlington mural artist ADW, was installed last March, depicting a hand tattooed with a Pride loveheart holding a rainbow flag.

It has been defaced with the words 'f**k LGBTQ f**g*ts' in recent days.

Clive Davis is manager at Youth Work Ireland Laois, who manage the Midlands LGBT+ support group.

"It is utterly disgusting. For something that was there so long to be defaced with such vulgar language. Suddenly now when we are highlighting the need amongst people to feel at home in the county of Laois," he said.

He said that the artist is set to do an emergency repair of the mural, ahead of the historic first Laois Pride Parade this Saturday, September 17.

Portlaoise will also host a daytime family friendly party in Fitzmaurice Place and a drag show in Kavanaghs Pub that night.

The parade sets out from Fitzmaurice Place at middday to walk through the town, where many traders have put out rainbow flags in support of the first Laois Pride parade.

Clive explained the importance to the LGBT+ community in Laois, of holding the public pride events.

"It's more about people still in the closet, so that they can feel 'I can be myself in my own county'. Maybe a young person might walk by that mural, and if their friends laugh about it, it puts them even more back in the closet. It's about letting people come to terms with their identity and knowing there is a community out there for them," Clive said.

The Midlands LGBT+ Project support group made this announcement following the vandalism.

"We are sad to see that our beautiful mural has been vandalised on the week of the first ever Laois Pride. It is actions like this that reinforce the need for Pride and solidarity with the LGBT+ community, especially here in rural Ireland. We are posting it here its original form and are working hard to get it back to this for a wonderful Laois Pride parade this Saturday".

Midlands LGBT+ Project is an adults LGBTI+ awareness and support project for people in Laois, Offaly and Kildare. The Pride mural was funded by Healthy Ireland Laois to promote LGBT+ awareness and visibility.
A stunning new mural is set to fly up on the facade of a Laois pub, just in time for a big unveiling this month.

Mountmellick is to get a huge mural on the side of Butch's Bar in the town centre, to celebrate a rare endangered bird that makes the town its home.

Artist James Kirwan has taken on the public commission to paint a mural to celebrate Ireland's threatened Swift (Apus apus).

He has just a week to paint it, as it is to be formally launched on Culture Night Laois on Friday, September 23.

The mural will be on the gable end of owner Gearoid Horans building on Patrick Street next to Mountmellick Community School.

The Swift is a small migratory bird which arrives in Ireland to breed from Africa in May and departs by August. Although similar in appearance to Swallows and Martins, the Swifts nearest relatives are thought to be the Hummingbirds, native to North and South America.

Catherine Casey is Heritage Officer for Laois County Council.

"We are delighted to be launching this wonderful mural as part of Culture Night as it represents the coming together of the biodiversity of Laois through the Swift and the creative artistic side of the county through the medium of street art. As Swifts are such an urban bird, living in our towns and villages, I cant think of a better subject for a large scale street mural.

"This project will rise awareness of the importance of Mountmellick for swifts and also the other work being done to survey and conserve swifts across Laois, with the support of the Heritage Council and the Local Biodiversity Action Fund.

The Swifts scientific name Apus apus means without feet which refers to the Swifts short legs rather than to any lack of feet. Swifts legs and feet are adapted to cling to vertical surfaces rather than perching on wires and walking on the ground. If

they find themselves on the ground, it can be difficult for them to take off again.

Swifts are more common in urban areas, building small, cupped nests in small crevices in buildings, as well as in the eaves of houses. Swifts pair for life and return to the same nest site for many years. They spend most of their life in flight, drinking, feeding, mating and evening sleeping in the air.

Mountmellick native Ricky Whelan is BirdWatch Ireland's Project Officer.

"Mountmellick has a wonderful cultural heritage and I am so proud to see its rich natural heritage enshrined by the Swift mural. Mountmellick is a stronghold within County Laois for these charismatic and threatened birds which is something we

should all celebrate and be vigilant to protect into the future.

"Swifts are among the fastest of birds with Irelands Swift able to reach speeds of over 110km per hour. The average Swift weights about 40 grams - the same weight as a Cadburys Creme Egg! They feed on airborne invertebrates (spiders, flies and

small insects) captured in flights. The Swifts call is a loud, piercing scream and Swifts will often form screaming parties on summer evenings, when ten to twenty Swifts will gather in a group flight above their nesting area, calling out to each other

excitedly," he explained.

Street Artist James Kirwan is also a nature enthusiast.

From the moment Creative Ireland Laois reached out to me about this mural project, I was very interested and excited, especially because I am a huge fan of Swifts. I had also recently listened to Ricky Whelans and Niall Hatchs In Your Nature podcast on Swifts, so it is an added bonus to work closely with Ricky and learn even more about these fascinating birds.

"To be an artist who gets to paint a mural about the conservation of swifts is an honour and it goes without saying that I am wholeheartedly looking forward to being in Mountmellick and creating this mural that highlights the uniqueness of this bird.

Wexford-born James is based in Dublin and his work has been showcased in solo and group exhibitions, and his mural work has been seen as far away as Canada. James has worked extensively in Ireland too, with recent work appearing in Gorey, Waterford, Thurles and Dublin. His work is often made with bold colours, with a mix of playful abstract forms and references to the natural world and landscapes.

The mural launch takes place on Fri September 23 at 5.30pm at Mountmellick Community School.

In October, James will return to Mountmellick to facilitate a creative workshop with art students in Mountmellick

Community School which will explore his street artworks and techniques, and reflect his interest in nature, and his use of abstract shapes.

The Swift episode reissue is available at BirdWatch Ireland's In Your Nature podcast. inyournature.buzzsprout.com or any good podcast provider. In Your Nature is produced in partnership with the Heritage Offices of Laois and Offaly County Councils, supported by the Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, edited by Ann-Marie Kelly.

Laois County Council and BirdWatch Ireland thank Gearoid Horan for giving permission for the use of his building for the mural, and also Principal Larry Curtin and Deputy Principal Frances Kerry La Rosa of Mountmellick Community School for their support.

The Mountmellick Swift Project mural is supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme - in partnership with Laois County Council Heritage Office and BirdWatch Ireland.

Other Creative Ireland Laois  Culture Night activities include a LIVE sketching workshop at Dunamaise Arts Centre from 6-7.30pm, facilitated by Fado Faces exhibition artist Allen Scully. This ninety minutes workshop is for artists/creatives of all ages and levels of experience. All you need to do is bring your own materials and tools, e.g. sketchbook, paper, pencils, etc. Booking essential as spaces limited at 057 8663355 or info@dunamaise.ie.

The Fado Faces exhibition is open late on Culture Night and celebrates the lives and stories of older people in County Laois, through traditional portrait painting and digital art by a selection of local artists: Bronagh Conroy, Aishling Hennessy, Ray Murphy, Kevin McCann, Mike Rafter, Pauline Conroy, Antoinette Breen, Kate Deegan, Allen Scully, and Mark Fisher. The exhibition is open to the public until Friday Sept 30 at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Tuesday  Saturday, 10am  5pm.

For more information about Culture Night Laois, contact the Arts Office, Laois County Council, Aras an Chontae, Portlaoise, Co Laois at 057 8664033/8664192 or artsoff@laoiscoco.ie and Laois.ie. Culture Night is brought to you by the Arts Council in partnership with Laois County Council. Follow Creative Ireland Laois on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for information on county wide 2022 cultural and creativity programme and opportunities.
Dunnes Stores supermarket group is said to be "very anxious" to talk to Laois County Council about adding a roundabout next to one of their Portlaoise shopping centres.

Portlaoise Municipal District councillor Catherine Fitzgerald is urging the council to get around the table with the company, over the N80 Greenmill Lane T-junction on the Mountmellick road.

The Dunnes Stores centre on the junction was recently extended and upgraded.

"It is my understanding that Dunnes Stores is very anxious and wants to engage with Laois County Council. I've been told that by representatives of Dunnes Stores.

"I ask that three representatives from our district meet with Dunnes Stores, the council planners and roads department and try and get it moving. We need to sit down for a round table discussion. We have literally being going round and round ourselves. This could suit them and us," she said.

She tabled a motion to the September meeting asking the council to talk with Dunnes Stores on the Mountmellick Road about providing a roundabout at Green Mill Lane.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded.

"We have been beating this drum a long time. Three roundabouts are needed, one at the Ballyfin road, one at Dunnes Stores which is accident prone for serious accidents, and one at Harpurs Lane. This is the result of a safety audit but we definitely need them. I live on that road and travel it daily," she said.

It was agreed that Cllr Fitzgerald, Cllr Dwane Stanley and the Portlaoise MD Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Walsh would represent the district at such a meeting.

It is over two years since the council paid for an independent study which recommended installing three new roundabouts on the N80 Mountmellick road in Portlaoise, both to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and to discourage passing traffic from going into the town centre. The council then applied for funding from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to build the three roundabouts but no funding has yet been approved.

In reply to the motion, area engineer Wes Wilkinson said that subject to getting the funding, the council will engage with Dunnes Stores about providing the roundabout on the junction.
Cannonball Ireland returned to Killarney for their first road trip since 2019, hosted by the four star Brehon Hotel.

The largest organised road trip in Europe, this years event had the highest ever number of car entries, which included Ferrari, McLaren, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maserati, Lamoborghini, Aston Martin and Porsche.

The Cannonball event has already raised 1.2million for many Irish charities, and have surpassed 250,000 for the HOPE Foundation, the official charity partner for this years event.

Spectators turned out in their hundreds to get up close and personal with over 200 supercars and to enjoy the incredible atmosphere that the Cannonball event is renowned for.

Some special guests taking part in the road trip included Alan Clarke, David Cuddy and Today FM's Dave Moore.

Starting in Malahide Castle, the road trip ventured to Killarney for their first finish line at The Brehon. Over 500 entrants were treated to live music, quirky food stations and incredible dessert stands throughout the hotel.

We were delighted to welcome back Cannonball, which provided over 265 bedrooms to hotels in Killarney on Friday. The Brehon is a venue renowned for incredible events, and we were honoured to have been chosen as the venue for this years event said Sinead McCarthy, General Manager at The Brehon.

The event is for such amazing charities, and we were delighted to hear that this the event has surpassed their target of 250,000 for this years charity partners, the HOPE foundation

Executive Chef, Chad Byrne said Our team pulled out all the stops for this years event with some incredible food. Specialty tacos, burger baskets, vegan bites and Irish style spice boxes were some of the menu offerings with some tasty sweet additions from our talented pastry team

Anyone who wishes to donate can still do so by visiting www.cannonball.ie

For further information on events at The Brehon please contact Events Manager, Caitriona Ashe by email, caitriona.ashe@thebrehon.com.

*Sponsored Content
Mohill Horse Fair, one of the oldest fairs in Ireland with records dating back to 1620, finds itself on its last legs after a plea to Leitrim County Council for help with insurance was denied.



Cllr Thomas Mulligan, one of the organisers of the social and cultural one-day event, asked the local authority at the Carrick Municipal District meeting on Monday to include insurance cover for the festival as part of its corporate insurance.

He stated that the festival which returned with vigour and has continued for over 30 years could not get insurance. He said their previous insurers told them they will not cover the event because of a break in continuity during the Covid pandemic. He stressed it was not a matter of cost, but that the insurance cannot be secured.



He stated that Galway and Clare County Councils have stepped in to provide insurance for horse fairs in their counties and asked that Leitrim make an exception here for this event, which is the only one held in Leitrim and the only on-street event for Mohill this year.

Leitrim County Council said it is not in a position to provide insurance cover to any event which is outside the control and responsibility of the Council.



Cllr Mulligan said there is a team of volunteers in the town who are available to help with the organisation and clean-up of the event. In previous years volunteers were on site from 6am to 6pm to make sure the fair ran smoothly, he said.

He noted that the festival is so popular that last year when it was cancelled, it still went ahead unsupervised as people turned up with horses. It is understood that with or without insurance horse traders and spectators will turn up in Mohill and the event will go ahead without any organisation.

Cllr Mulligan was supported in his plea to preserve the event but the Council stood firm in its refusal.

Cllr Enda Stenson added that Mohill doesn't get much funding and it would be a pity to let this drop. Cllr Des Guckian said Mohill should get the help it needs while Cllr Paddy Farrell added the event is a great boost for businesses and Cllr Finola Armstrong McGuire said the event attracts young and old and supports businesses as well as a strong volunteer network. Cllr Sean McGowan also agreed it is a great day and should get all the support from the Council.

Director of Services, Joseph Gilhooly said the Council is supportive of Mohill and provides plenty of funding but they cannot insure a community festival. The local authority acknowledged and said it shares in the frustration over insurance issues.



Issue at SFC game

Separately, an insurance issue in Mohill over the weekend resulted in the changing rooms at Philly McGuinness Park being closed to Aughawillan and Mohill players in Saturday's the Leitrim Senior Football Championship game.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has called for meaningful and targeted interventions to prevent another predictable winter of out of control overcrowding and cancellations of elective procedures.

This comes as 596 patients are without a bed in Irish hospitals today, including over 20 children under the age of 16.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said:

Over 1,710 patients have been without a bed so far this week. These figures speak for themselves. We are facing into yet another completely predictable winter crisis unless urgent action is taken.

The number of children under the age of sixteen on trolleys has been steadily increasing this month, with over 91 young patients without a bed since the beginning of September.

As the Dail returns from its summer break today, the political system must intervene in the now predictable overcrowding which faces our members and their patients this winter. The Minister for Health must publish a fully funded winter plan to coincide with the publication of Budget 2023. We cannot wait for this situation to get worse until we see meaningful and targeted interventions.

Next Mondays meeting of the Emergency Department Taskforce is extremely important. Practical solutions and measures that arise from this meeting must be implement immediately in order to prevent this entirely predictable surge.

Over the coming months, we cannot see any obstruction when it comes to recruitment and retention measures. Nursing and midwifery vacancies need to be filled so that patients get the care they need.

Unless action is taken now to stem the worst of overcrowding, we will be sleepwalking into another winter of crisis for our members and their patients.
The role of farmers in helping the numbers of a rare and endangered Irish bird increase has been praised.

At least 197 calling male corncrakes have been recorded in Ireland in 2022.

This represents a 5% increase on the 188 birds recorded in 2021 according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The increase in numbers of the much-threatened bird has been welcomed by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD.

Birds were recorded from five counties with Donegal showing a population of 110, Mayo 62, Galway 23, and both Sligo and Kerry have recorded one bird each.

Among the reasons for the increase is the Corncrake LIFE project, which aims to revive the conservation status of the corncrake and ensure it remains a part of rural landscapes for years to come. The project, which is in its second year and is managing almost 500 ha of farmland in cooperation with landowners and farmers across Donegal, Mayo and Galway, was launched earlier this year by Minister Noonan.

The Heritage Minister said this project has raised awareness of the corncrake amongst landowners, farmers and the public in such a positive way that it is now yielding an increase in the numbers of the bird.

Its testament to the project and its incredible work in the community that we are seeing a marked increase in corncrake numbers, especially on its eight project sites. The call of the corncrake was once a ubiquitous sound in meadows and grasslands across Ireland. However, rapid changes to farming practices in the 1970s spelled doom for the bird," Minister Noonan said.

"Funding streams, such as the EU LIFE programme, and a change in farming has allowed my Department, working in conjunction with stakeholders in communities to put measures in place to help secure the future of this species, which remains a high conservation priority at a national and European level," he added.

Corncrake LIFE Project Manager Dr. John Carey said: We have made some good progress in getting conservation measures in place with project participants and the result-based scheme has had a positive response from farmers. Overall bird numbers have increased in the LIFE project areas too, with some areas showing significant increases.

He went on to say the locally led ACRES co-operation projects will have an important role to play in 2023. We are working closely with them to ensure that farmers who select corncrake measures in the scheme will also have full access to the LIFE project and all the additional supports it brings with it. While numbers are moving in the right direction, there is still considerable work required to save the corncrake, he said.

Minister Noonan also praised the Corncrake Grant Scheme, which is administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), for its role in the increase.

It proved very popular this year with many farmers choosing to delay mowing until August and September. Wildlife-friendly mowing and the provision of refuge strips in fields was also taken up by the majority of participants, Minister Noonan said.

NPWS Divisional Manger Denis Strong has been involved in corncrake conservation since the mid-90s and say the increase in numbers is down to the number of farmers coming on board.
Public patients could have to fpr over a year for vital heart screening to detect heart disease or even heart failure, it has emerged.

Research published on Wednesday by heart and stroke charity, Croi, has outlined that 80% of public hospitals do not offer GPs direct access to echocardiograms  an essential diagnostic test for heart patients.

This majorly increases wait times for those seeking echocardiograms through the public system.

Patients referred for an echocardiogram through a private provider wait, on average, up to one month for their test. Waiting times for those referred for the same test through the publicly-funded health system must wait at least six months and, in many cases, have a wait time of over one year.

The waiting times reflect poorly when compared internationally. In the United Kingdom, the NHS Constitution outlines that patients have a legal right to treatment within 18 weeks of referral and as part of this, pledges that patients should not be required to wait six weeks or more for a diagnostic test. In Ireland, only private hospitals meet this benchmark for diagnosis.

The problem is attributed to a lack of trained personnel and streamlined referral pathways. The research highlights the potential for even greater inequalities and wait times for tests in the future due to the undersupply of cardiac physiologist graduates (the healthcare professionals who provide these tests) entering the workforce. This is coupled with the fact that the overall profile of cardiac physiologists in Irish hospitals is ageing, with, in some hospitals, up to 20% set to retire within five years.

Echocardiography describes a test which uses sound waves (ultrasound) to take a moving picture of the heart. It is routinely used in the diagnosis and management of a range of heart conditions, in particular heart valve disease, but also conditions such as heart failure and in non-cardiac disciplines, such as oncology.

The most common way a patient receives an echocardiogram is through GP referral. If a patient has private health insurance, they will be referred directly for an echocardiogram at a private healthcare provider. If a patient does not have private health insurance, they are referred to a cardiologist in a public outpatient clinic, where they are then referred to a cardiac physiologist for their heart scan.

Neil Johnson, Croi Chief Executive said: The results of this research demonstrate glaring inequalities in what is available to Irish patients. The echocardiogram can now be performed on increasingly portable equipment which is not overly expensive. This non-invasive and, from a patient view point, relatively straight forward test can detect a range of heart conditions but a delayed diagnosis can result in deterioration which limits treatment options or can even prove fatal.

We know that there is a lack of awareness of this issue and there is a real need for government to address this. We are now calling on the Minister for Health and the HSE to take action. Greater access to echocardiography tests and improved workforce planning must be part of a renewed, cohesive national cardiovascular strategy.

Speaking at the report launch, Galway-based Consultant Cardiologist and Medical Director, Croi Prof Jim Crowley said: This report demonstrates that the wait-times for echocardiography in the public system are unacceptably long. Ultimately, this can only be reduced by addressing the workforce deficiencies outlined. Plans for GP access to Echocardiography are very welcome, but to be successful, proactive workforce development needs to be undertaken urgently.

Sharon Donohue, Cardiac Faculty Chair of the Irish Institute of Clinical Measurement Science noted: This report highlights, the need for a robust workforce plan, covering the key workforce in this area  experienced Cardiac Physiologists, who perform and report these important and specialised investigations. The professional body recognises the need for an increased supply of graduates, support for post graduate training and certification in Echocardiography and the introduction of advanced practice to maximise the value of this highly skilled group of healthcare professionals and their impact on patient care.

This survey was conducted across every Model 2, Model 3, Model 4 and private hospital in the state. The survey was completed by the most senior cardiac physiologist in each hospital department and yielded a response rate of over 90%, thus providing a very comprehensive picture of the state of play.

To read the report, please visit www.croi.ie/echosurvey
MOTORISTS are being advised by gardai to consider installing GPS trackers in their vehicles.

A van which was stolen in Limerick city at the weekend was located a short time later thanks to a tracker.

"On Sunday, September 11, at 1.50am, a man from the Rathbane area reported to gardai that his house had been broken into. The keys of his van were taken from the house and his van was stolen from his driveway," said divisional crime prevention officer Sergeant Ber Leetch.

The man, whose aged in his 30s, quickly informed gardai that a GPS tracker was attached to the van and because of this, the van was traced and located not far from where it had been taken.

"There wasnt any damage done to the van and no property was taken from the van. Trackers can be bought for 30 and upwards, some more expensive trackers also have an annual fee. In this case it was money well spent," said Sgt Leetch.

According to gardai, trackers can also be attached to almost all other vehicles including cars, scramblers, ride-on lawnmowers, electric scooters, caravans and campervans.
US Life Sciences firm Ortec Inc will officially open its new European Headquarters, Manufacturing and Operations Centre in County Limerick later today.

Work on the 26,000 square-foot facility in Newcastle West began last year and was recently completed.

It is a dedicated cGMP manufacturing facility with some additional capabilities including USP/EP-generated water, a full-service analytical laboratory and an ISO 8/Class 100,000 Clean Room.

The company says the site is intended to be ISO 13485 certified and will operate under FDA/EMA guidelines for production of pharmaceutical, combination, and medical device materials.

We are proud to call Newcastle West our new home, said Christopher Brotherton, President of Ortec, Inc.

From the moment of our first visit we have been welcomed. County Limerick is a great place to do business. It has the right infrastructure, work ethic, and talent pool to compete anywhere in the world," he added.

The company has already begun hiring and will be recruiting for additional roles in production, laboratory, and maintenance starting in December.

Local TD and Minister for the Office of Public Works Patrick ODonovan TD has welcomed the opening of the new facility:

This is one of the proudest days that Newcastle West has had in recent years. The arrival of Ortec, and the investment made by the Brotherton family from South Carolina, represents a massive vote of confidence in our town. I know that many people have worked hard over a long period of time to make this a reality. What started out as a journey led by local people, and supported by the Government through IDA Ireland and Limerick City & County Council has led to this great day for Newcastle West.

Eileen Sharpe of IDA Ireland added: The opening of Ortec Inc.s European Headquarters in Newcastle West is very good news for County Limerick and indeed the Mid-West region. IDA Ireland remains committed to its strategy of winning jobs and investment in regional location. I wish Ortec every success with this project.
LIMERICK Native and Apprentice of the Year award nominee, Mairide Bennis, will be among the speakers at the World Skills Ireland event which gets underway this Wednesday.

The showcase, at the RDS in Dublin, is set to feature an array of Irelands top apprentice talent with Mairide, who is from Castletown in west Limerick, flying the flag for Limerick-based company DesignPro Automation

To mark the inaugural Generation Apprenticeship national Apprentice of the Year awards, a representative group of 27 of the 187 apprentice nominees have volunteered to speak about the exciting and diverse range of careers available in their industries and share how apprenticeships offer a great pathway to success.

In quickfire delivery on the Heroes Stage, each apprentice will be given the opportunity to share personal insight and first-hand accounts of their apprentice journey as part of a range of Irelands 21st-century industries, and the directions they hope to go in their careers.

Mairide who is now in the third year of an exciting earn and learn career, will share her personal journey as a Manufacturing Engineering Apprentice, set to obtain a qualification leading to a Level 7 degree award.

Commenting on her reasoning for choosing the apprenticeship route as a career, Mairide said: The fact that you can get invaluable industry experience and knowledge within a company and come out with a degree from a Technical University with no student debt is a no brainer for me. There is such a broad range of apprenticeships available today that go far beyond the traditional trade courses.

Limerick TD and Minister of State for Skills and Further Education, Niall Collins, will deliver the opening address at the World Skills Ireland event.

He says more and more employers are choosing to recruit apprentices - and with good reason.

"This event will showcase apprentices with outstanding career qualities of teamwork, leadership, creativity and problem-solving, helping the organisations they work for to grow and prosper, while they themselves build a promising career. There are so many talented and highly skilled apprentices among the 24,000 currently training in Ireland. Now is the time to celebrate their resilience and adaptability," he commented.
A LIMERICK councillor is to host a drive-thru coffee morning next week to raise money for Milford Hospice.

For the last three years, City East member Sarah Kiely has hosted a fundraising event like this for the well-loved Limerick charity, which provided comfort to her late husband Damien O'Shaughnessy in his dying days as he battled cancer.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, with the need to social distance, Cllr Kiely asked people to come in their cars and make donations through their car windows.

With the easing of restrictions last year, her September coffee morning reverted to a more traditional outdoor event.

But because the drive-thru option raised more for Milford, Cllr Kiely is going back to the future, and will again ask people to drive-in next Thursday, September 22.

It's all taking place as part of the Bewley's Big Coffee Morning Social.

The nationwide event, which has raised over 41.5 million since its inception, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Hosting a coffee morning like this is always an emotional time for the former metropolitan district leader, given it was Milford Hospice who looked after Damien in 2018.

She explains how she was told by doctors to gather her family from Janesboro and go up to Dublin to see her husband for the final time as he declined.

However, she pushed, and managed to secure a bed in Milford Hospice.

"I was very, very lucky to get a bed in Milford Hospice. It meant Damien was able to spend his last few days in his home county and close to those who were his world," Cllr Kiely added.

She admits it was very traumatic for her children Tiernan and Emily - who were just 13 and 17 at the time - having to learn about the work that Milford Hospice does.

"I had to explain to them what a Hospice was and that they were going to have to say their final farewell to their dad, explained Cllr Kiely, "But every second of those days, the staff at the hospice were phenomenal and were there to act as a buffer zone for everything. They treat the person and not the illness and they take care of everything so families can concentrate on spending the final moments with their loved one."

Sadly, Milford Hospice was called upon to help her family again just a year later, providing palliative care to her mother Aileen.

In 2020, as Covid-19 hit, Cllr Kiely took to Facebook to hold live cooking sessions.

"I worked as a chef for years so I decided for the craic to do a Facebook Live cook-along baking school each day at 5.00pm when I baked brownies, scones and other pastries," she said, "People loved it and often asked me again for the recipes so I realised that I could put my baking skills and as well as the talents of all those who baked online with me to good use."

It was off the back of this she held her first coffee morning.

For more information on the event, call Cllr Kiely at 085 7836257, or email sarah.kiely@limerick.ie
THERE HAVE been calls for an immediate investigation after exact details of the minister for justices itinerary for her trip to Limerick were shared online prior to her visit.

The sensitive information being made publicly available led to government officials having to urgently change the ministers arrival time in Limerick last week for security reasons.

Former Minister for Defence Willie ODea has gone so far as to say that the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris should order an investigation immediately.

As well as exact times and locations, even Eircodes associated with Justice Minister Helen McEntee's visit to West Limerick last Thursday were shared on social media prior to her arrival.

Just before 5pm on Wednesday, media were informed that Minister McEntee and Minister for State Patrick ODonovan were to visit the old garda station in Newcastle West on Thursday at 12.15pm.

The invite was for information only  not for broadcast. The event was to jointly announce that a planning application had been submitted for the new district garda headquarters in the town.

Later that Wednesday evening at 9.19pm, the Limerick Leader received an email with an urgent time change. The announcement in relation to the new station was being brought forward to 10.30am on the following day.

Despite efforts by the Limerick Leader to ascertain the reason for the late and urgent time change, information was not forthcoming.

However, the Leader has learned it was because exact details of Minister McEntees visit were posted on social media on Wednesday evening. What was posted online contained extra information on Minister McEntees itinerary than what was given to the Limerick Leader.

A Limerick garda source said they were informed of the change of plans.

The Leader contacted the press offices of An Garda Siochana, the Department of Justice, the Office of Public Works (OPW), Fine Gael and the justice ministers office regarding the matter. The queries were met with a wall of silence.

A garda spokesperson said: An Garda Siochana does not comment on the security arrangements of government ministers. A Department of Justice spokesperson said: The department does not comment on security matters.

A spokesperson for the Fine Gael Press Office declined to comment. An OPW spokesperson said the Minister for Justices itinerary is a matter for the Department of Justice.

Deputy WIllie ODea said the matter is very serious in the context of Minister McEntees security.

It was a reprehensible thing to do, to leak the ministers itinerary. You are living in very volatile times. What would the motivation be for leaking the itinerary of the minister for justice? There is no obvious good reason. It is a very high profile, high risk job because all you need is one headbanger, said Mr ODea, who added that it was sinister.

Reflecting on his time as minister for defence, he said he wouldn't have wanted his itinerary broadcast to all and sundry.

When the security ministers are involved - whether it be justice or defence - it is pretty last minute and the thing is kept very tight. Somebody from that tight circle, or somebody to whom they spoke, leaked the itinerary.

There is only a very limited list of people who would actually know her itinerary. They should interview the people who received the itinerary, who knew in advance what the itinerary was. The commissioner should order an investigation there immediately because there is a limited number of suspects, said Deputy ODea.

An OPW spokesperson did say that Minister for State Patrick ODonovan and Minister McEntee even with changes to the itinerary were still able to carry out all the visits as proposed.
The United States is considering options for a sanctions package against China to deter it from invading Taiwan, with the European Union coming under diplomatic pressure from Taipei to do the same, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

The sources said the deliberations in Washington and Taipei's separate lobbying of EU envoys were both at an early stage -- a response to fears of a Chinese invasion which have grown as military tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait.

In both cases, the idea is to take sanctions beyond measures already taken in the West to restrict some trade and investment with China in sensitive technologies like computer chips and telecoms equipment.

The sources did not provide any details of what is being considered but the notion of sanctions on the world's second-largest economy and one of the global supply chain's biggest links raises questions of feasibility.

"The potential imposition of sanctions on China is a far more complex exercise than sanctions on Russia, given U.S. and allies' extensive entanglement with the Chinese economy," said Nazak Nikakhtar, a former senior U.S. Commerce Department official.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and last month fired missiles over the island and sailed warships across their unofficial sea frontier after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in what Beijing saw as a provocation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to bring democratically-governed Taiwan under Beijing's control and has not ruled out the use of force. He is set to secure a third, five-year leadership term at a Communist Party congress next month. Taiwan's government strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims.

In Washington, officials are considering options for a possible package of sanctions against China to deter Xi from attempting to invade Taiwan, said a U.S. official and an official from a country in close coordination with Washington.

U.S. talks over sanctions began after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, but took on fresh urgency after the Chinese reaction to Pelosi's visit, the two sources said.

The United States, backed by NATO allies, took a similar approach to Russia in January with a threat of unspecified sanctions but this failed to dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching his invasion of Ukraine.

The White House is focused on getting countries on the same page, including coordinating between Europe and Asia, and avoiding provoking Beijing, the non-U.S. official said.

Reuters was unable to learn details on what specific sanctions were under consideration, but some analysts suggested China's military could be the focus.

"Big picture, initial sanctions conversations will likely revolve around curtailing China's access to certain technologies required to sustain a military operation against Taiwan," said Craig Singleton at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The White House declined to comment.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said it had discussed China's recent war games and the "great challenges" China poses to Taiwan and the region with the United States, Europe and other like-minded partners, but could not disclose details.

China's Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

TAIWAN'S PITCH TO EUROPE

Taiwan had already broached sanctions with European officials after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but China's recent military exercises have seen Taiwan's position harden, six sources briefed on the Taiwan-Europe discussions told Reuters.

Top Taiwanese officials' calls for sanctions preparations have intensified in recent weeks. A recent Chinese white paper, which withdrew a promise not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if Beijing takes control of the island, has prompted a redoubling of their efforts with Europe.

Taiwan has not asked for anything specific, only for Europe to plan what actions it may take if China attacked, one source briefed on discussions said, and has asked Europe to warn China privately that it would face consequences.

EU officials have so far shied away from imposing tough sanctions on China over human rights issues, as the country plays a far bigger role for the bloc's economy than Russia, said another person familiar with the matter.

European sanctions would require all 27 member countries to agree, which is often elusive; consensus was tough even in isolating Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, in part because its gas was critical for Germany.

All of Europe, excluding the Vatican, has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing but not Taipei, though Taiwanese and European officials have had extensive, private contacts since China's military exercises began, the sources say.

Germany, the bloc's economic engine, is "wary," according to another official familiar with the discussion. "I don't think the Russia-Ukraine has fundamentally changed the way they view their relationship with China."

But there is growing concern in the German government over its economic dependence on China, with the economy minister pledging a new trade policy and "no more naivety" on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined to comment.
Indias surfeit of economists, goes an old quip, has given our economy a jumble of policies all too unwieldy for our own good. Its truth value has varied from one regime to another, but comparisons are futile in our search for an answer to a question posed by the Narendra Modi administrations Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. What matters is the here and now. On Tuesday, she asked Indian industry why it wasnt investing enough, although it had been given corporate tax relief, a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for sunrise-field manufacturing and other benefits. Its not just about India Incs will. It demands broad analysis, surely, given the key role of scaled-up factory jobs in inequality reduction, sans which K-shaped productivity-linked income trends would risk pushing India into a middle-income trap and thereby turning our 2047 goal elusive. For job generation, the Centre has sought to boost the industrial sector amid a market-led digital boom in services. For ease-of-credit to play chief enabler, it wisely set an inflation cap and got banks into better shape. Yet, while private investment is emerging from a long slump, it has lagged expectations so far.

As grand failures of central resource guidance suggest, an inter-sectoral rebalance led by the state isnt easy to achieve. No doubt, top-league investors are ploughing hefty sums into big assembly units. Vedantas chip-making project with Foxconn is only the latest mega-venture after the Adani, Reliance, A.V. Birla and Tata groups finalized big-ticket plans. Even among others, PLI takers have been plentiful. Whats missing is an across-the-board surge that can open up diverse avenues for job-seekers, a let-down worsened by the rising capital intensity of production. On past data, our rate of investment must be closer to 40% than 30% of annual output for us to sustain rapid economic expansion. As for the Centres entreaties to invest, a tax cut does enhance India Incs investible surplus, but whats invested goes by market prospects. This calls for a wider revival in consumer demand, which needs a flatter pyramid of earnings. Similarly, PLI packages crafted for self-reliance more than export orientationwhich requires close adaptation of trade policy to a globe thats girdled by cross-border supply networksdo hold domestic appeal, but only a weak promise of global success. As critics of big barriers point out, we still lack the overall policy coherence needed for a maximal path to prosperity.

To crack our chicken-and-egg problem of patchy consumption holding back job creation, the Centres budget strategy has focused on crowding in" private investment by setting off income multipliers via heavy public-project spending. Desirable as this is, the fiscal glide path outlined by it for a deficit squeeze to follow doesnt inspire confidence in a role switch in favour of private enterprise, whose superior ability to use funds well and make assets sweat explains why the state acting as a resource-hog is usually bad news. For an efficient economy, we must rely on animal spirits among investors beyond the sarkari realm. Alas, bulky state expenditure can prove sticky after it outlives its utility. Unless the government aims to fix the fisc faster, which it must to lighten its enlarged debt burden for macro stability, the spectre of big government could cast a shadow on the agency of others. Here again, we must minimize policy dissonance. As it is, an impulse to intervene in markets has been on display. So, too, neglect of social cohesion. India Inc may need to buck up, but much else must brighten as well.
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On the afternoon of March 10th, 2018, Nan Goldin walked into the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The award-winning photographer is no stranger to these institutions; prints of her groundbreaking work documenting everything from gay subcultures to the stifling legacy of suburbia to her own domestic abuse have graced their walls and entered their permanent collections. Soon, friends and colleagues begin to join her in milling about what was once known as the Sackler Wing, home to the Temple of Dendur and a large pool. A flash mob quickly made itself known, then Goldin and her companions began to throw prescription bottles into the body of water. Temple of Money! they all screamed. Temple of Greed! Security guards try to remove them from the premises (and block the lens of a movie camera thats filming it all), yet, as if on cue, the participants in this action lie down on the floor and pretend theyre dead  whats known in certain circles as a die-in.

Laura Poitras could have started All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, her documentary on Goldin, in any number of different ways: the Eureka moment of seeing life through a lens darkly for the first time, the infamous Times Square Show in the 1980s where she first unveiled The Ballad of Sexual Dependency as a slideshow, her first exhibition in a gallery, her first of many ascensions in the art world. All of that is included here, pored over, namechecked, deconstructed, autopsied. When it made its official North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, half of the audience looked like well-heeled patrons of the arts and the other half looked like updated versions of the Bowery hipsters that Goldin hung with during New Yorks scuzz-chic heyday.

The fact that she chooses to kick it off with the already canonized Nan biting the hand thats fed her  or more importantly, calling out those who were complicit in feeding her dependency on opioids  tells you everything you need to know. Its a portrait of an artist, someone whos taken family trauma, inspiration from her fellow outliers and the scars of a bohemian life, then used them to fuel a body of work thats akin to a four-alarm fire. But its also a portrait of an activist and a major work of protest art in and of itself, sharing bio-doc screen time with footage of Goldins guerilla warfare against Big Pharma and beaucoup calling out of bullshit. One is an extension of the other. Its all coming from the same sense of engagement and enragement.

The woman behind those snapshots of Seventies queer culture, visual notes from the Eighties undergrounds and a curated exhibit of Nineties post-AIDS anger and communal wreckage that got the N.E.A. up in arms, has indeed earned the right to having her life and work chronicled. Yet a recent downward slide  not her first  ended up giving Goldin a renewed sense of purpose. While recovering from surgery in Berlin in the mid-2010s, she was given OxyContin to combat the pain. Rehabilitation management turned into addiction. She eventually was able to kick her dependency, but at the cost of lost years and lost work. I believe I owe it to those affected by this epidemic to make the personal political, she declared in a much-discussed Artforum piece that detailed her affliction and, perhaps more importantly, called out her pushers by name.

That would be the Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the company that manufactures OxyContin  and which put out a product that they knew would hit the market as one of the most addictive drugs ever, thus ensuring repeat customers ad infinitum. These were the same Sacklers that have donated millions of dollars to arts organizations and museums over the years, including many that housed and showcased Goldins own photography. She formed P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now), a group that sought to not only support those whod gone through similar experiences but also demand accountability. They have washed their blood money through the halls of museums and universities around the world, she said in regards to the Pharma clan, and made good on her promise to make the political personal. She would target the Sackler family jewels: their philanthropy.

Goldin is no stranger to activism (her Witnesses: Against Out Vanishing, the aforementioned exhibit of work centered around the AIDS epidemic, is revisited at length in Bloodshed and hasnt lost any of its power), and Poitras is no stranger to filming people purposefully standing in the eye of a storm. The latters Oscar-winning Citizenfour (2014) documented political whistleblower Edward Snowden avoiding extradition in Hong Kong while the filmmaker herself aided his expose. Her follow-up, Risk (2016), took on possible freedom-of-speech martyr/equally possible bad-Bond-villain caricature Julian Assange. There are numerous you-are-there sequences of P.A.I.N. meetings in which disruptive events are planned, with the notion being that every sit-in at a major metropolitan museum doubles as a call to refuse Sackler funding and remove their name from galleries. When their efforts begin to move the discussion about the family forward, the group and Poitras find themselves being followed. Once again, the filmmaker drops you into a nonfiction conspiracy thriller. Once again, we see what powerful people do when their empires are threatened.

In between these extended sequences of screaming truth to power, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed ticks through Goldins own story, mapping out how a disaffected young woman from the suburbs of Boston became a rebel with a cause (more on that in a second), a first-rate shutterbug-diarist and then a staple on several underground scenes. Poitras divides these bits into chapters, with names like Coin of the Realm and Escape Hatch. Provincetown, the Tin Pan Alley bar, and the brothel where Goldin briefly did sex work all make appearances, occasionally doing double-duty as stations of the cross. Her time with New Yorks No Wave crew had her appearing in Vivienne Dick and Amos Poes movies, while youll notice a familiar face topped by a vertical-shock of graying hair showing up in her photographs. (That is indeed Jim Jarmusch looking deadpan-handsome in the background.)

Shed already been documenting the Blank Generation and various other boho pomo landscapes and milieus when The Ballad of Sexual Dependency slouched into existence, and the movie rightfully treats this raw, epic work of reflection as centerpiece and pivot point. Designed as both a movable scrapbook and a slideshow designed to amuse her friends, her magnum opus would end up having a seismic effect once it became a book in 1986. It depicted a world of love and drugs, agony and ecstasy (not in that order), community and oblivion by any means necessary, sex and violence; after Goldins then-boyfriend beat her in a jealous rage, she took pictures of herself in the hospital and of her bruised, swollen face. Everything was permitted in this dissertation on, in the artists own words, the power men hold in relationships. It was a dispatch from a hidden frontline.

Most of Goldins notable work gets the spotlight treatment, of course, as does the low points of her story. But by pinging back and forth between biography and reporting on her staunch fighting against the Sacklers, Poitras eventually collapses the distance between the two. Goldins success in the art world is a given as you enter All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, and if youre up on current events, you know that the campaign to wake the art world up to the ethical ramifications of blood-money donations has its share of victories as well. Yet the intertwining is what makes this more than a time capsule or an icon origin story, and we see how the continuation of Goldins work through the click of a shutter extends to the world outside her frames. She was once determined to document her insular worlds. Now shes dedicated to changing the world at large as well.

About that title: It comes from a quote in regards to Nans older sister, Barbara. A young woman who wrestled with her sexuality during the Eisenhower era, chafed against a culture of conformity and would take her own life when Nan was 11 years old, the phrase described how Barbara saw everything the world had to offer yet felt that she couldnt find her place in any of it. We get the story of how the younger Goldin child admired her sibling and then dealt with the trauma of her loss early in the film. Then Poitras and her subject return to Barbara for the last chapter, and flesh her story out in the larger context of Nans then and now.

Suddenly, you see that Goldin has been raging against the machine for two all along, that decades of trying to show things how they really are and to make a place for square pegs may have kept her trying to numb herself, but also trying to obliterate boundaries. The protest isnt new. The protest is the constant. Premiering in Toronto right on the heels of winning the grand prize at the Venice Film Festival, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed arguably became not just the documentary but the film of TIFF 2022; only Steven Spielbergs The Fabelmans, another work dedicated to mining the past and righting old wrongs, came close to dominating as many conversations. More importantly, it entered the festival circuit as a politically charged take on the standard there-goeth-the-great-artist story and exited it as a peerless act of personal reclamation. I cant shake the feeling of being shook by it. I cant wait to see it again.
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To paraphrase Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, getting on the cover of Rolling Stone was a major goal for any rock artist, and midway through a one-hour conversation with Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner at the 92nd Street Y in New York City Tuesday night, Bruce Springsteen had a bone to pick about that very subject.

I was not on the cover of Rolling Stone when Born to Run came out, you know, he pointed out. Im not picking a bone or anything, but I always felt  while were talking about it  they were a little skittish about putting me on the cover when that record came out. I was on the cover of Time and Newsweek.

Wenner countered that those magazines were the establishment and that Springsteen making the covers of both was a subject of intense controversy. Springsteen lamented that the attention attracted an unlikely fan: the Internal Revenue Service.

I hadnt paid a penny in taxes when I was on the cover of Time and Newsweek, and the IRS found out about it and it took me 10 years [to pay it], he quipped.

Not everybody wanted to be on the cover. Wenner revealed that Joni Mitchell was the one artist that did decline the honor.

While Springsteens financial woes were covered in a previous book talk with Tom Hanks at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017 promoting his autobiography, Born to Run, the Boss was on hand as moderator discussing Wenners new memoir, Like a Rolling Stone.

Springsteen kicked off the hour-long talk escorting Wenner onstage for the chat, which took a deep dive into Wenners childhood growing up as a typical post-war baby boomer, making up his own publications in boarding school (he named one The Sardine) and eventually becoming a student at Berkeley, before dropping out and founding Rolling Stone in 1967.

Wenner, who has undergone open heart surgery, two back operations and four eye operations, took to his seat slowly, but was animated in recalling details of his life and joking with Springsteen about their mutual Catholic upbringing, high school experiences (Wenner joined student council; Springsteen did not) and rock n roll.

It was the beginning of the student protests in the United States, he remembered, of the sit-ins, bus rides, and student demonstrations. The epiphany, he said, was after hearing Joan Baez singing at one of the protests. It was his political awakening paired with his discovery of rock music. Undeterred by a rejected review of the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band for High Fidelity magazine, Wenner founded his own, named for one of the songs of one of his favorite artists, Bob Dylan.

There was a call out for people to seize the moment, Wenner said. Timing is important.

Springsteen remembered reading the magazine growing up in his hometown of Freehold, hailing the biweekly magazine as the first he could recall writing about rock music in a serious manner.

It was the first periodical that wrote about rock music the way I felt about it, Springsteen said. It was a survival guide.

I wanted to send that letter out and spread the word, Wenner said.

When Springsteen said that his call to service in rock music was through writing songs and picking up an instrument, Wenner joked, Here is where you and I part ways.

Springsteen was also curious about Wenners job as editor, and how it was to streamline writers like Tom Wolfe or Hunter S. Thompson. Springsteen compared Wenners editorial role to that of his producer and manager, Jon Landau, who essentially played that role, paring down the excessive wordplay after his first two records.

We did give them space, Wenner said, The star is the writer. You want to steer the talent in the direction it wants to go.

Sometimes the subjects interviewed were easy marks. Wenner said Springsteen, U2s Bono and the Whos Pete Townshend are easy to interview, needing only one question to prompt a conversation, while Dylan and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger are more difficult.

Neither of them really wants to say much about themselves or reveal too much and are almost in a way kind of bored with it, he said.

Jann Wenner and Bruce Springsteen give a conversation on Jann Wenners new memoir Like a Rolling Stone at 92NY on September 13, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Who else is a tough nut to crack? Politicians.

Politicians are tough because they are so programmed [Everything has] been pre-tested and polled and what the right position is, he said, describing former President Barack Obama as unwilling to dis incoming President Donald Trump the morning after the election. Its tough to get them off the message.

While running through a list of artists he wished he had interviewed  Elvis Presley was mentioned Wenner was also asked what Springsteen deemed important questions. To wit: Did Wenner fire an editor because they refused to put Hootie and the Blowfish on the cover? [The incident actually had to do with a bad review.] Wenner defended the band, saying the employee in question had the wrong attitude. He didnt hesitate to mention that he did fire writer Dave Marsh.

Wenner also fielded a few audience questions submitted on index cards, delving into which issues of Rolling Stone Wenner would gift to aliens (the answer: any magazine with Springsteen or Dylan on the cover) and if rock n roll has an important message for the next generation. Wenner noted that while artists like Springsteen and Dylan still have something to say, acts like the Rolling Stones arent writing new material anymore and when you see the show now its an oldies act.

Not with the same intensity, but rock n roll was married to that particularly historic moment in the 60s, he said. I dont think we can see that again.

Springsteen also joked about getting extra stars for album reviews and referred to himself and Wenner as two old men attempting to gracefully face our extinction.

Is it appropriate to still be doing rock n roll at this age? It absolutely is, Wenner said. Theres still life and its vital. I think with age, the best thing you can look for is a sense of contentment. You lose FOMO. You got what you want. What you got is lucky. You dont need to strive for anything more, whatever it is.

The chat with Springsteen and Wenner will air at a later date on Sirius XMs E Street Radio, host Jim Rotolo told Variety.

(For Varietys own Q&A with Wenner, click here.)

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The inarguably true cliche about Jean-Luc Godard was that the late filmmaker, who died this week at the age of 91, was a rule-breaker, an artist whose style changed the course of film history by revealing the medium for everything it had already been and pointing to the future of what it could eventually be. Obviously, his body of work has been influential  but thats an understatement.

And not only for his extensive, time- and media-spanning filmography, ranging from his cucumber-cool debut, Breathless, to the didactic political experiments of the 1960s and 1970s, the encyclopedic, argumentative video essays, the playful outings merging pop stylishness with withering capitalist critique, Shakespeare with Chernobyl  and on and on. It was the kind of career, so large and encompassing, that could be broken down into distinct periods, each with its own cadre of devoted champions, detractors, experts. Still, the films are only part of the story.

His criticism for Cahiers du Cinema, written in his relative youth alongside his fellow titans of the French New Wave, mattered, too. Their collective defenses of now-acknowledged geniuses like Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Tashlin (Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?), Nicholas Ray (Johnny Guitar), Orson Welles, and others  this is another list that could go on for some time  has played no small part in cementing those filmmakers canonical status today. Perhaps Godard and crew are to thank (or blame) for the fact that we now spend so much time debating the meaning and value of the auteur on the internet, deifying or skeptically denouncing a concept thats far easier to take for granted now than it was in the heyday of Godards youth, when the status of the filmmaker as an artist still needed to be argued for.

When Godard and his peers began to make their own films, the world was able to see their vibrant, impish, polemical ideas about film put into action. They argued that cinema  with all of its financial, creative, practical and interpersonal contingencies  was an art form, despite the machines of Hollywood and the like laboring to suggest otherwise. Then they did the damndest thing: They proved it. There isnt any rule that a serious student of film has to like Godards films, or even get Godards films. But, its ideas like these that make it urgent, still, to contend with his body of work  even (or especially) when it wants to repel us.

CONTEMPT, (aka LE MEPRIS), from left: Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, 1963

Whats generative is the chance to play detective, to try and figure out what it is that Godards films are doing or not doing, saying or not saying, thats so mesmerizing and galvanizing  or boring and confusing! Every encounter with Godards work is an opportunity to ask ourselves how we got here, whether were asking it alongside a filmmaker whose political films feel like the laboring of someone trying to design some ingenious new language to better explain the world to itself, or were asking it of the movies themselves, which can make us confront questions and feelings that we didnt know a film could make us feel  even when those films seem to escape our immediate comprehension.

Some of my most memorable, generative experiences watching movies have been in Godards company, their heft often hitting me when I least expected it. For example: A Woman Is a Woman (1961), the second of his features to be released (after the censoring and delay of his actual second feature, Le Petit Soldat), and the project that allowed Godard to approach the big-tent, colorful, ostentatiously bubbly genre of the MGM musical with the same wry, playfully deconstructive attitude hed taken toward Poverty Row B-movies with his debut feature, Breathless. Maybe even more than that more-popular classic, A Woman is a Woman is the kind of film that makes forces audiences to see how often we take Hollywoods style for granted, how much weve been encouraged to accept certain forms of artifice as a given.

Its a musical, with comically jaunty music by Michel Legrand, an iconically hot trio of stars (Godard standby Jean-Paul Belmondo, his then-wife Anna Karina, and the great New Wave actor Jean-Claude Brialy) navigating a ridiculous pregnancy plot, expansive and colorful images courtesy of Cinemascope, and other seeming hallmarks of the genre. Only, the sound  both the music and the dialogue  cut in and out. Legrands score plays like a relentless punchline machine  intruding, interjecting, shaping scenes instead of accompanying them. The actors play into the farce of it all, breaking the fourth wall and heightening the private, domestic lives of their characters with an overabundance of spectacle and performance. Its as if the characters are living their fantasies out loud, calling attention to the sensational artifice and compulsive fantasy mongering of the genre that theyre not quite spoofing.

A Woman Is a Woman is not Godards most renowned movie, nor his best. But, Ill never forget seeing it for the first time and feeling like I was being pushed to notice movies  with all their contrived, ingenious delights and ridiculously artificial sensations  for the first time, encouraged to keep looking on in awe while also being challenged to step back from that awe in order to begin asking questions. His later films, which are widely thought to be more obtuse, do much the same, only with a more immediate, jarring sense that the history of images is a political history  and that in taking that history seriously, those images have to be corrupted, reoriented, and broken apart from the inside.

Theres a reason why similarly self-reflexive and feverishly stylistic directors have spoken on the record about what they owe to Godard. Quentin Tarantino once admitted that hed outgrown Godard  and because Tarantino was an acknowledged acolyte whod gone so far as to name his production company, A Band Apart, after one of Godards films, the remark was mistaken for a slight. What Tarantino seemed to mean was that Godards work had already done its job, freeing him up to pursue his own style  which, like some (and only some) of Godards work, is a style that looks backwards, toward the directors cinematic loves, in order to move forward.

He was saying, I think, that he no longer needed the encouragement. Perhaps he was also saying what much of the public says about Godard  people for whom the filmmakers career seems to drop off in the late 1960s, after his early run of canonically agreed-upon masterpieces (Breathless, Weekend, Contempt) only to maybe (maybe) resume in the 1980s, and maybe continue into the present. Its true that Godards late career was difficult, less concerned with revising the films Godard had loved than with bending the form toward the most individually visionary extremes. Still, we must notice the irony of the mainstream opinion toward Godards work, which had previously valued his canon for its iconoclasm, splintering more and more the further he delved into unconventionality. That isnt a mark against the work, of course  its quite the opposite. Godards ability to beguile us anew with each subsequent phase of his living body of work is part of what makes it so valuable, so worthy of the challenge of exploring that work and, even more, worthy of our right to challenge it back. Few artists are so timeless. How can you outgrow that?
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Sacheen Littlefeather made Oscars history in 1973 when she became the first Native woman to stand on stage at the awards ceremony. When Marlon Brando was named best actor for The Godfather, Littlefeather declined the prize on behalf of him, as he had boycotted the Oscars in protest of Hollywoods portrayal of Native Americans. Met with both boos and cheers, she was escorted off the stage.

But her 60-second Oscar speech was life-changing for her, as well as others. He very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award, Littlefeather said to an audience of millions in her 1973 speech. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie re-runs, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.

Now, 50 years later, Littlefeather has received a letter of apology from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And this weekend, the Academy will host An Evening With Sacheen Littlefeather, billed as a very special program of conversation, reflection, healing and celebration.

In an interview with Variety, Littlefeather reflects on that Oscar night, and says she would do it all again in a heartbeat. She made the speech, she says, not just for Brando  who was a known Native American ally  but for her people and the racial injustices they had suffered. She also discusses her assertion that she heard that John Wayne attempted to rush the stage before being intercepted by security, and her friendship with Brando.

Thinking back to that night, when you were on stage making this powerful and historic speech, how did you feel immediately afterward?

I had watched [the Oscars] like everybody else, on TV, but that was the first time at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. It was my first time at the Academy Awards. I made it through my first hurdle, promising Marlon Brando that I would not touch that Oscar. But, as I walked off that stage, I did in the ways of courage, honor grace, dignity and truthfulness. I did so in the ways of my ancestors and the ways of Indigenous women.

I was met with the stereotypical tomahawk chop, individuals who called at me, and I ignored all of them. I continued to walk straight ahead with a couple of armed guards beside me, and I held my head high and was proud to be the first Indigenous woman in the history of the Academy Awards to make that political statement.

At that time in 1973, there was a media blackout on Wounded Knee and against the American Indian Movement that was occupying it. Marlon had called them in advance and asked them to watch the Academy Awards, which they did. As they saw me, up on stage, refusing that Academy Award for the stereotypes within the film industry, and mentioning Wounded Knee in South Dakota, it would break the media boycott.

Everyone wants to know the true story of what was happening there, but it foiled the plans of the FBI. Sometimes, when you dont like the message, as they say in Rome, you try to kill the messenger. The FBI had plans to take all those AIM-sters [American Indian Movement members] like Dennis Banks and my brothers Russell Means and Oren Lyons to a place like Guantanamo Bay. They would never be heard from again, but that did not happen because of my speech.

There were further talks, Oren told me, that the United States government was planning on building some sort of military base there on the reservation and that the speech also foiled the plans. There was a lot of interruption of plans that did not take place as a result of that speech.

In the documentary Sacheen Breaking the Silence, you talk about people trying to get on stage and you mention the often-repeated story about John Wayne being restrained. What do you remember about that moment?

I heard a disturbance from behind me as I was speaking up at the podium. I found out that he had been restrained by six security men from assaulting me while I was on that stage. That was the most violent moment that had ever taken place at the Academy Awards.

So, you heard about it from a security guard?

Yes, but it was never publicized. He was never admonished by the Academy. It was never published in the press. But the most violent moments took place then and there at the Academy Awards by John Wayne.

Way back then, when I did that, I was boycotted by the FBI. They went around Hollywood and told people not to hire me. If they did, they would shut their film production down. In addition, other people were let on talk shows like Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, and other popular talk shows. They could go on there and talk about me, but I was never allowed to go on them and represent myself.

Furthermore, that 60-second piece of film was kept under wraps for a long time and not shown to the general public. It wasnt readily available. Two generations later, it became available to the public. People started asking questions. What was that all about? Who is that woman? And people asked, Why is she doing that? That is how it came to the surface once again.

And when the [Academy] Museum included Native American Indian people on its board of directors, things started moving forward. Im here to see a letter, 50 years later, this apology  it was something I never expected and came as a total surprise to me.

Marlon Brando was a known ally to the Native American and Indigenous community. What does allyship look like to you?

My friendship with Marlon Brando was based on mutual interest. I did not know Marlon Brando as an actor. It was focused on Native American Indigenous issues. I was not one of his love interests, far from it. I enjoyed talking with him. We enjoyed laughing together. Sometimes we used to sit together, talk and just laugh our asses off. Hes also a great prankster. Besides that, he had a kinship with Native American Indian people that goes way back. I appreciated his friendship and his ability to see through the baloney and the prejudice. He understood racial prejudice in a way that most people do not, and that was refreshing to me.

Knowing everything you know now, if you had to do it all over again, would you still take to the stage and accept Marlon Brandos Oscar?

In a heartbeat. I did not do this totally for Marlon. I did not do this on my behalf. I did this for all Native people everywhere who suffered from racial prejudice and discrimination. I did it for all of those who were born under the umbrella of genocide, in the United States, and Canada, and for all of us who have suffered through extreme stereotypes which were not of our choosing.

Should Hollywood use platforms such as the Academy Awards to make more political statements?

I cant speak for other people, but people have to look into their hearts. They have to see whats appropriate for them, what they say and what they do. Its not for me to judge, so I cant make a statement on their behalf. All I know is that I dont hold anger, hate or have any animosity toward anyone, including the Academy and the John Waynes of the world. Im not a wealthy person. Im a poor person. I dont have much, but I do what I can. I try not to judge others. So, what other people want to do and what they feel in their hearts, they have to do.

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Courtesy/U.S. Border Patrol

Federal and state authorities busted a stash house and encountered nine migrants, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

The case unfolded on Sept. 10, when Border Patrol agents assisted the Texas Department of Public Safety with a welfare check at a home located on Moonstone Road.
Federal and state representatives were invited to a panel by Rep. Henry Cuellar regarding multiple programs and goals to expand broadband connectivity and accessibility throughout the nation, emphasizing the new established guidelines for what high-speed internet is.

Cuellar said that the goal of a Tuesday webinar was to discuss funding opportunities for counties, non-profits and public and private sectors for the expansion of broadband. He said that high speed internet is critical for everyone to ensure they can do their job and access school and health care while staying connected.

In 2021, the Texas Broadband Development Office was created to create a state broadband plan, secure federal and state funding, develop a competitive financial incentive program, and make recommendations to state legislature.

The reliable access has become more critical, especially when we went through the COVID-19 pandemic. It showed us we had a weakness and we needed to do more to get our communities connected, said Cuellar, adding that the programs have been bolstered through the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.

Meagan Froh of the Broadband Development Office said that high speed internet has moved past the 2015 Federal Communications Commission designation of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds as high-speed. Moving forward, broadband speed targets are 100Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload or 100/100 Mbps, with the symmetrical speeds taking priority.

Froh added that in Texas, 7.7 million residents do not have broadband, a factor that plays into the digital divide. She said that this could be due to a number of different factors such as infrastructure availability, affordability of high-speed internet subscriptions, access to devices and digital literacy.

Amid the ongoing pandemic, which caused widespread shutdowns of in-school learning and face-to-face medical appointments, high speed internet was a boon to continue services throughout the world. However, those without high-speed internet were at a disadvantage. Frohs presentation indicates that broadband would impact multiple facets of the nation. These include:

Enhanced economic development.

Enhanced health care.

Increased adoption and utilization.

Disaster resilience and Emergency Management.

Education.

Improved Infrastructure and Technology.

Programs such as the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment and the Middle Mile Grant programs are under the direction of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. NTIA representative, Jennifer Harris, said that the NTIA is currently working to hire federal officers for each state in order to move forward with the programs and have them provide tailored support for their respective state. These officers are expecting to understand their states and have contacts within them to be a liaison between the NTIA, the broadband office and local officials.

According to Harris, the BEAD program received an astounding $42.45 billion in funding in order to get all U.S. residents online. Eligible uses for the funds include the planning for deployment of internet, deploying or upgrading internet, installing internet in multi-tenant buildings, implementing adoption and digital equity programs, and workforce and job training.

This includes all 50 states, the districts of Columbia and Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The undertaking is slated to move past 2026.

The BEAD presentation states that a minimum of $100 million will be allocated to each state and $25 million for U.S. territories. However, additional allocations will be considered throughout each state. Harris said that $100 million would not be enough for Texas as an example. With billions on the line, states are tasked with providing a plan to start building the infrastructure where it is needed.

A 270-day deadline will be given to create a five-year plan that involves communities in need throughout each state.

During the process, it will also be integral to perform different types of outreach in multiple mechanisms as internet surveys are not accessible to those without internet. Harris said that the plan will be to involve as many residents as possible in rural, urban and tribal communities to find the broadband needs of each community.

Additionally, a priority will be placed for communities that are not connected or underserved in the broadband capacity, such as colonias in Webb County. These communities are the first and second priorities and include multi-tenant buildings. These communities are followed by community anchor institutions such as schools, libraries and hospitals.
As election season heats up, another mayoral candidate for the City of Laredo has officially announced that he is running for office.

This past weekend, Alfonso Poncho Casso announced his official running for mayor with a kickoff event alongside supporters. The candidate states that his platform focuses on the issues that are truly affecting the city.

Water issues, the lack of infrastructure and reducing taxes are issues he said he would like to fix, while focusing on trying to modernize Laredo. His platform goals include modernizing water and road infrastructure, as he believes that these things must be done in effort to have a fifth possible bridge in the southern part of the city and county.

Casso said that one project he would quickly put a stop to is the Binational River Park, as he believes that there is currently no need for it as water security issues are imminent, and there is not much money to fund such a project.

We are not going to do a binational park, we dont have the money for it. We need to fix the water first, Casso said. You cant fix the water by spending money on a Binational River Park. If we are having problems with water availability and if you are going to go over there and take water from the river to irrigate a new park that is supposed to a 1,000 acres, 6.3 miles, that is insane. The Rio Grande is not like the San Antonio River Walk, as the San Antonio River Walk is a canal, which is like a swimming pool compared to the Rio Bravo.

Casso states that making sure water availability is a top concern is important, as he states that there are talks in Mexico about building an aqueduct in the Rio Conchos, which is the river that connects to the Rio Grande and allows water to flow in so it can connect to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, which is currently suffering with the scarcity of water. He believes that this issue is important because if Mexico does that he believes Laredo is going to be dead. He said that is why water issues should be the main concern of the new mayor and the new administration should find a new alternative water source.

Casso states that creating a new bridge is something needed in the community and it should be done in south Laredo as planned, however, he states that it must not be done to just send all the build-up of traffic in Mines Road to the new area but rather a plan should be done to make sure the right location is chosen for the bridge. He states that many logistic companies crossing to the area would still need to go to Mines Road, as all of the warehouse infrastructure still remains in such area.

He also states that he can get the bridge done faster, as he worked in the 1990s to make the World Trade Bridge a reality. He said he has been part of the presidential permit process for both the United States and Mexico and also knows how resolutions between the county and the city could be resolved to make the bridge happen instead of continued legal fights.

In terms of taxes, Casso states that after the water this is his second biggest goal for the city under his leadership.

I am going to eliminate taxes for the 65 years olds and who own a house. We are going to eliminate your property taxes, Casso said. This is really important, as it has never been done in Texas. There is only one city that has done it, but it is a suburb of Houston and they finance all of their government through sales taxes. By doing this, then we are going to eliminate the city council's slush funds, as they borrow $8 million every year -- a million each -- and then what they do is turn around and spend it on metal cactuses on Clark and bronzes and stupidities. So we are going to finance it with that and eliminate property taxes on seniors.

He also wants to eliminate the pension funds for city council, and he is willing to go to court to litigate the matter. If his cause loses in court, he will consider putting a referendum to the vote in which he would allow the people to vote on doing away with the pension funds, and the people can decide on it.

Casso said that he knows that he is controversial, but he states that this is a positive compared to others who steal and do not put the priorities of the citizens first.

Controversial? That is a good thing, Casso said. I am controversial because I speak the truth and the truth will always create controversy, as I dont go with the flow. When honestly does not have value, corruption has its price. Yo no tengo pelos en la lengua, and I just tell it the way it is.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
George B. Irish, vice president and Eastern director of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation of California and the Hearst Foundation, Inc. of New York, died of a heart attack Tuesday at his home in New Jersey. He was 78.

After retiring from Hearst in 2008, Irish played an important role at the Hearst Foundations, leading its Eastern team along with Paul Dino Dinovitz, executive director and head of its Western operations. Separate from the corporation, the Hearst Foundations are national philanthropic resources for organizations working in the fields of culture, education, health and social services. In addition, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation operates two programs, the United States Senate Youth Program and the Journalism Awards Program. Since its inception, the Foundations have made over 22,200 grants to 6,300 organizations, totaling more than $1.4 billion in funds awarded.

George was a member of our family, said William Randolph Hearst III, chairman of the board of directors of Hearst, president of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and a director of the Hearst Foundation, Inc. We are deeply saddened by his passing but filled with gratitude for his many years of stewardship, professional wisdom and, especially, his friendship.

Virginia Hearst Randt, president of the Hearst Foundation, said: George made the world a better place in business, in philanthropy and as a friend.

In 1998, as Hearst senior vice president and president of Hearst Newspapers, Irish led the newspaper group as it expanded its investments in print and online operations, along with its journalistic enterprise in the digital era. Before heading Hearst Newspapers, he was a vice president and group executive for the unit for five years. Previously, he was the publisher of several Hearst dailies since he joined the corporation in 1979 when it acquired the Midland (Michigan) Daily News. Besides the Daily News, Irish was subsequently publisher of the Midland (Texas) Reporter-Telegram, the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and the San Antonio Light.

I had the great fortune to work for and with George for more than 20 years, said Steven R. Swartz, president and chief executive officer of Hearst. He was a wonderful man, a dedicated executive and a much loved member of our Hearst community and of all the communities he served so well.

Irish was dedicated to the business of newspapers, serving on industry boards and heading print organizations throughout his career. He lived in eight different cities during his career, ultimately residing in both New York and Texas.

Among his career achievements, Irish received the 1992 Texas Newspaper Leader of the Year Award, known as the Pat Taggart Memorial Award, the highest honor given by Texas newspapers. A past president of the Texas Daily Newspaper Association, Irish then served on the boards of the Newspaper Association of America (now known as the News Media Alliance), the International Center for Journalists, the READ Foundation, the Nieman Foundation Board of Advisors and the Columbia Journalism School Board of Visitors. In addition to serving as director of the Associated Press until May 2007, Irish was also a director of Hearst. In 2009, Irish was elected to serve as chairman of the Newspaper Association of America.

Irish was especially active in the American Press Institute, serving in many capacities, including as president, chairman and director. In 2006, the group honored Irish with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Besides his career achievements, the award also recognized Irish for significantly supporting and promoting the professional advancement and leadership training of newspaper professionals. At the time, API had bestowed only eight such awards in its 60-year history.

In 2006 and 2017, Irish was honored by United Way of New York City, the New York Giants and the New York Jets at their annual Gridiron Gala for his outstanding contributions as a corporate leader to the community and the United Way. He was also a longtime United Way director and volunteer.

Irish graduated from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. He maintained a lifelong tie to the college. He was named Millikin's Young Alumnus of the Year in 1976 and received an honorary doctorate from the school in 2000. He also served as chairman of the board of trustees.

Irish was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Rettig Irish, who died in 2005. He is survived by daughter Sandra Irish Draper, her husband Kyle Thomas Draper and their son Carson Irish Draper of Denton, Texas; and daughter Christine Irish Sheedy, her husband Malcolm Joseph Sheedy and their sons Samuel Joseph Sheedy and Luke Butler Sheedy of Dallas. A third daughter, Diane Leslie Irish, died in infancy. Irish is also survived by his brothers, Charles Irish of Centerville, Ohio, and John Irish of Toledo, Ohio. He is predeceased by his brother Thomas Patrick Pat Irish. He is survived by his wife Jeannie Wetherill Irish; stepdaughter Jayne Ann Puccio, her husband William J. Puccio and their children Natalie and Charlie of Newtown, Pennsylvania; and stepdaughter Amy Wetherill Cooley, her husband Michael Cooley and their children Alexandra and Anna Cooley of Villanova, Pennsylvania.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
The owner of a local maquinitas establishment has been arrested on allegations of making illegal cash payouts, according to Laredo police.

On Sept. 9, Jia Huan Chen, 31, was served with arrest warrants charging him with keeping a gambling place and gambling promotion.

In January, Laredo police received information that Fuego Amusement on 815 Park St. was making illegal cash payouts to customers. Authorities began an investigation. City of Laredo records from the Building Development Services Department showed that the owner was Chen.

On Jan. 6, an undercover officer inserted $5 in slot machine No. 13 Ultimate Fire link. After playing a few minutes, the undercover officer won $10. A male took out money from his pocket and gave the undercover officer $10, according to court documents.

The undercover officer did observe 15 Ultimate Fire link machines along the walks of the establishment and about 40 Life of Luxury machines. The business also had multiple signs stating that the business does not provide cash payouts, according to police.

A second illegal payout was recorded on Jan. 10. The undercover officer inserted $5 into the slot machine identified as Life of Luxury. About 10 minutes later, the undercover officer won $25.

The LPD Narcotics and Vice Unit along with the LPD patrol division and the Webb County District Attorneys Office raided Fuego Amusement. Authorities seized 53 eight-liners, $17,687 and a business permit under Chens name.
A migrant assaulted a Texas Department of Public Safety special agent during a human smuggling investigation, according to an arrest affidavit.

Alexander Josimar Mendez-Carballo, 34, was arrested on the charges of assault on a peace officer and evading arrest.

On Sept. 10, Texas Department of Public Safety special agents working Operation Lone Star received information on a possible stash house in south Laredo.

When special agents conducted a knock and talk, multiple people ran out the back of the residence. All ran west on Moonstone Road. Special agents then observed two people hiding in the brush who refused to come out.

A third person later identified as Mendez-Carballo walked out of the brush and shoved a special agent before trying to run away. DPS said the special agent managed to tackle Mendez-Carballo as another special agent arrived to assist.
Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office

A veteran Laredo police sergeant has been arrested for driving drunk, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Roberto Fernandez, 52, was charged with driving while intoxicated with an open alcohol container.
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YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiated a cease-fire to end a flare-up of fighting that has killed 155 soldiers from both sides, a senior Armenian official said early Thursday.

Armen Grigoryan, the secretary of Armenia's Security Council, announced the truce in televised remarks, saying it took effect hours earlier, at 8 p.m. (1600 GMT) Wednesday. A previous cease-fire that Russia brokered Tuesday quickly failed.

Several hours before Grigoryan's announcement, Armenia's Defense Ministry reported that shelling had ceased but it didn't mention the cease-fire deal.

There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijan's government.

The cease-fire declaration followed two days of heavy fighting that marked the largest outbreak of hostilities between the two longtime adversaries in nearly two years.

Late Wednesday, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Armenia's capital accusing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of betraying his country by trying to appease Azerbaijan and demanding his resignation.

Armenia and Azerbaijan traded blame for the hostilities, with Armenian authorities accusing Baku of unprovoked aggression and Azerbaijani officials saying their country was responding to Armenian shelling.

Pashinyan said 105 of his countrys soldiers had been killed since fighting erupted early Tuesday, while Azerbaijan said it lost 50. Azerbaijani authorities said they were ready to unilaterally hand over the bodies of up to 100 Armenian soldiers.

The ex-Soviet countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

During a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories held by Armenian forces. More than 6,700 people died in the fighting, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.

Pashinyan said Wednesday that Azerbaijani forces have occupied 10 square kilometers (nearly 4 square miles) of Armenias territory since the fighting began.

He told lawmakers that his government has asked Russia for military support under a friendship treaty between the countries, and also requested assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Our allies are Russia and the CSTO, Pashinyan said, adding that the collective security pact states that an aggression against one member is an aggression against all.

We don't see military intervention as the only possibility, because there are also political and diplomatic options, Pashinyan said, speaking in his nation's parliament.

He told lawmakers that Armenia is ready to recognize Azerbaijans territorial integrity in a future peace treaty, provided that it relinquishes control of areas in Armenia its forces have seized.

We want to sign a document, for which many people will criticize and denounce us and call us traitors, and they may even decide to remove us from office, but we would be grateful if Armenia gets a lasting peace and security as a result of it, Pashinyan said.

Some in the opposition saw the statement as a sign of Pashinyan's readiness to cave in to Azerbaijani demands and recognize Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh. Thousands of angry protesters quickly descended on the government's headquarters, accusing Pashinyan of treason and demanding he step down.

Pashinyan angrily denied reports alleging that he had signed a deal accepting Azerbaijani demands as an information attack. Grigoryan, the Security Council's secretary, denounced the protests in Yerevan, describing them as an attempt to destroy the state.

Arayik Harutyunyan, the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh, reacted to the uproar by saying that the region will not agree to come into the Azerbaijani fold and will continue pushing for its independence.

As tensions rose in Yerevan, Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act in seeking to maintain friendly ties with both nations. It has strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, but also maintains close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

Some observers saw the outbreak of fighting as an attempt by Azerbaijan to force Armenian authorities into faster implementation of some of the provisions of the 2020 peace deal, such as the opening of transport corridors via its territory.

Azerbaijan has bigger military potential, and so it tries to dictate its conditions to Armenia and use force to push for diplomatic decisions it wants, Sergei Markedonov, a Russian expert on the South Caucasus region, wrote in a commentary.

Markedonov noted that the current flare-up of hostilities comes just as Russia has been forced to pull back from areas in northeastern Ukraine after a Ukrainian counteroffensive, adding that Armenias request for assistance has put Russia in a precarious position.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of other CSTO members discussed the situation in a call late Tuesday, urging a quick cessation of hostilities. They agreed to send a mission of top officials from the security alliance to the area.

On Friday, Putin is set to hold a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they both plan to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security grouping dominated by Russia and China. The Armenian government said that Pashinyan, who also was due to attend the summit, would not show up because of the situation in the country.

In Washington, a group of lawmakers supporting Armenia lobbied the Biden administration. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, the influential Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and four other members of Congress called on the White House and State Department to unequivocally condemn Azerbaijans actions and cease all assistance to Azerbaijan.

___

Aida Sultanova in London, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Nomaan Merchant in Washington and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
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ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistan's prime minister on Wednesday promised the country's homeless people that the government will ensure they are paid to rebuild and return to their lives after the country's worst-ever floods.

With winter is just weeks away, half a million people are living in camps after being displaced by the flood, which destroyed 1.7 million homes. So far, the governments priority has been to deliver food, tents and cash to the victims. The floods have killed 1,481 people since mid-June and affected 33 million.

We will do our best to financially help you so that you can rebuild homes" and return to a normal life, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif told several families living in tents and makeshift homes in the town of Suhbatpur in Baluchistan. Those who lost homes and crops will get compensation from the government," he said in his televised comments.

Sharif also told dozens of school children, who were studying in a tent with help from the U.N. childrens agency UNICEF in the town of Suhbatpur, that they will get a new school in the next two months.

Pakistan never witnessed such huge climate-induced devastation," Sharif told a gathering of lawyers in Islamabad on Wednesday. It was painful to see inundated villages, towns and cities."

Sharif said the winter season will start in Pakistan after 15 days, and then another challenge for the flood victims will be how to survive in the harsh cold as currently they were living in tents in summer.

Even providing clean drinking water to flood-affected people has become a challenge, he said.

The floods have destroyed 70% of wheat, cotton and other crops in Pakistan. Initially, Pakistan estimated that the floods caused $10 billion in damages, but now the government says the economic toll is far greater. The United Nations has urged the international community, especially those responsible for climate change, to send more help to Pakistan.

The monsoon rains have swept away entire villages, bridges and roads, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. At one point, a third of the countrys territory was inundated with water.

Multiple experts have blamed climate change for unprecedented rain-related damages in Pakistan.

Also Wednesday, Pakistan's minister for climate change, Sherry Rehman, told a gathering of lawmakers from the Asia Pacific in the capital, Islamabad that right now the entire world is facing a threat from climate change which, she said, knows no border."

She called for reducing emissions to save other countries from the damage that her country is facing now.

Meanwhile, the first planeload of aid from Saudi Arabia arrived in Pakistan overnight.

So far, U.N. agencies and various countries, including the United States, have sent about 90 planeloads of aid.

On Wednesday, Julien Harneis, who is U.N resident coordinator in Pakistan, told a news conference that member states had committed so far $150 million in response to an emergency appeal for $160 million.
NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (AP)  Pope Francis begged for an end to Russias senseless and tragic war in Ukraine as he arrived Tuesday in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan to join faith leaders from around the world in praying for peace.

Francis flew to the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan to meet with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for an official state visit portion of his three-day trip. On Wednesday and Thursday, he participates in a government-sponsored triennial interfaith meeting, which is gathering more than 100 delegations of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Shinto and other faith groups from 50 countries.

The 85-year-old Francis made the trip despite what appeared to be an aggravation of the strained knee ligaments that have greatly reduced his mobility all year. Francis struggled to walk through the aisle of the aircraft during the 6.5-hour flight from Rome, and he appeared tired and in pain as he limped heavily with his cane, ceding to a wheelchair for most events once in town. Doctors have told him that for the time being, any further travel  to Kyiv, for example  is out of the question.

Speaking upon his arrival to government authorities and diplomats gathered at the Qazaq concert hall, Francis praised Kazakhstans commitment to diversity and dialogue and its progress from decades of Stalinist repression, when Kazakhstan was the destination of hundreds of thousands of Soviet deportees.

Francis said the country, which borders Russia to the north and China to the east and is home to some 150 ethnic groups and 80 languages, now has a fundamental role to play in helping ease conflicts elsewhere.

Recalling that St. John Paul II visited Kazakhstan just days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the U.S., Francis said he was visiting in the course of the senseless and tragic war that broke out with the invasion of Ukraine.

I have come to echo the plea of all those who cry out for peace, which is the essential path to development for our globalized world, he said.

Directing himself at global superpowers, he said expanding efforts at diplomacy and dialogue were ever more important. And those who hold greater power in the world have greater responsibility with regard to others, especially those countries most prone to unrest and conflict.

Now is the time to stop intensifying rivalries and reinforcing opposing blocs, he said.

Tokayev didnt mention Ukraine specifically in his prepared remarks to Francis. But speaking in English, he referred in general terms about humanity being on an edge of an abyss as geopolitical tensions escalate, global economy suffers, and mushrooming religious and ethnic intolerance becomes the new normal.

Kazakhstan has had to walk a thin line with the war. Tokayev has vowed to respect Western sanctions against Russia while trying to maintain close ties with Moscow, an important economic partner and ally. At the same time, Tokayev refused to recognize the Russia-backed separatist peoples republics in Ukraine which Moscow recognized days before invading Ukraine.

The most noteworthy aspects of Francis visit to Kazakhstan might boil down to the missed opportunities with both Russia and China: Francis was supposed to have met with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church on the sidelines of the conference. But Patriarch Kirill, who has supported the war in Ukraine, canceled his trip last month.

Francis is also going to be in the Kazakh capital at the same time as Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is making his first foreign trip since early in the coronavirus pandemic.

The Vatican and China havent had diplomatic relations for a half century and the timing is somewhat tense, with the two sides finalizing the renewal of a controversial deal over the nominations of Catholic bishops in China.

The Vatican has said there were no current plans for any meeting between Xi and Francis while they were both in Kazakhstan and the Kazakh deputy foreign minister, Roman Vassilenko said he didnt believe there was time in Xis schedule to meet with Francis.

Asked about the possibility en route to Nur-Sultan, Francis said: I dont have any news about this. But I am always ready to go to China.

The interfaith congress, now in its seventh iteration, is a showpiece of Kazakhstans foreign policy and a reflection of its own multicultural and multiethnic population that has long been touted as a crossroads between East and West.

When St. John Paul II visited in 2001, 10 years after independence, he highlighted Kazakhstans diversity while recalling its dark past under Stalinist repression: Entire villages of ethnic Poles were deported en masse from western Ukraine to Kazakhstan beginning in 1936, and the Soviet government deported hundreds of thousands of ethnic Germans, Chechens and other accused Nazi collaborators to Kazakhstan during World War II. Many of the deportees descendants remained and some of them make up the countrys Catholic community, which only numbers about 125,000 in a country of nearly 19 million.

Sophia Gatovskaya, a parishioner at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Cathedral in the capital, said she attended that first papal visit and that it has borne fruits to this day.

It was actually amazing. And after this visit, we have peace and tolerance in our republic. We have a lot of nationalities in Kazakhstan, and we all live together. And we expect the same from this visit (of Pope Francis) that we will have peace in our republic. And we very much expect that the war in Ukraine will end.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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PRAGUE (AP)  Tens of thousands of protesters from the far right and far left joined forces to rally against the countrys pro-Western Czech government in the capital on Saturday.

Police estimated that the crowd at Prague's central Wenceslas Square numbered around 70,000.

Some of the groups represented at the demonstration included the major anti-migrant populist Freedom and Direct Democracy party and the Communist Party.

The protesters demanded the resignation of the current coalition government led by conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala, criticizing it for a number of issues, including its Western-oriented policies.

They condemned the government for its support of the sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine and accused it of not being able to tackle soaring energy prices. The demonstrators also criticized NATO, and the European Union and the 27-nation bloc's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reach climate neutrality. The country belong to both organizations.

Fiala said everyone has a right to demonstrate, but said those protesting are expressing pro-Russia views that are not in the interest of the Czech Republic and our citizens.

The Czech Republic firmly supports Ukraine in its battle against Russia's invasion and has donated arms, including heavy weapons, to the Ukrainian armed forces.

The government is planning to call an emergency meeting of EU countries next week to seek a united approach to the energy crisis. The Czech Republic currently holds the blocs rotating presidency.
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United Independent School District and Laredo Independent School District held their monthly meeting at the Arts Complex, where several topics about the wellness of the education of Laredo students were discussed.

School safety, bilingual and dual enrollment programs, and student enrollment were some of the highlights that were addressed, as well as common concerns such as the scholastic year calendar, finance, budgeting, legislative advocacy, staffing, weather related school closures, transportation, federal programs, COVID mitigation and vaccinations.

Another topic talked about during the meeting was the upcoming txEDCON 22 convention, where the two districts will give a joint presentation,

The convention will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio from Sept. 23-25. It will be hosted by the Texas Association of School Administrators and the Texas Association of School Boards where both superintendents will present together.

After the recent selection of UISD Superintendent David H. Gonzalez as Tejano Achiever in the area of Educational Leadership, LISD superintendent Dr. Sylvia Rios gave him a fruit basket to congratulate him on his recent selection by LULAC Council #12.

Rios is a former title holder of the Tejano Award.

We are very excited for out superintendent to receive this prestigious award, said Susan Carlson, UISD Communications Director.

She also added that this partnership will bring many benefits to students.

We have so much in common, by collaborating it just makes it better for the community, Rios said.

Rios and Gonzalez will be co-presenters during the annual statewide conference of the Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards in San Antonio next week.

Their session is entitled, Two Districts, One Community, Serving All!

The two superintendents will address strategies to increase collaboration between neighboring public school districts and develop a culture of responsive services that positively impact the school community. Participants attending this session will learn how administrators and governing boards from throughout Texas can support increasing enrollment, attracting and connecting with families, while actively promoting the opportunities and advantages offered in public school classrooms.

We have a long-standing relationship in supporting both school districts. This is a joint effort to officially establish a collaboration, said Rios in a statement.

karol.garcia@lmtonline.com
Houston Airports

Houston's half-a-century old George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is getting a much-needed makeover soon. City officialsand U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttiegcame together this week to celebrate the announcement of a $40 million federal grant to modernize an aging IAH, which first saw flights take-off in 1969.

Specifically, the funds will go toward renovating Terminal A and adding new gateschanges that would also require upgrades to security checkpoints and baggage claim areas. Plans also include improvements to the terminal's energy efficiency and ticketing, as well as the modernizing of curbside access and loading bridges. The renovation project will begin with Terminal A's four-gate north expansion, though phasing is still being finalized, explaiend Augusto Bernal, spokesperson for Houston Airport System (HAS), in an email.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Collegedale PD K-9 officer catches escaped felon from Georgia during first day on the job
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Granard is poised to become the beating heart of literature in Ireland.

Granard Booktown Festival will take place from April 21-23, 2023 and will feature some of the finest international, national and local writers showcasing a wealth of storytelling from climate change to international politics to the place of history and farming in rural Ireland.

Formed as Irelands first Booktown and part of the international Booktown community, Granard Booktown Festival is run by a committee of local writers, artists and academics and thanks to our accessibility board member James Cawley, will be a fully accessible festival.

The festival has already attracted significant literary figures from Ireland and abroad as patrons, notably Man Booker prize winner Richard Flanagan, Emmy nominated journalist and Longford native Shaunagh Connaire, former Longford County librarian Mary Carleton Reynolds and RTE radio host and founder of Ireland's largest book club Rick O'Shea.

Rick OShea enthused: "I couldn't have been more thrilled when I was asked to be one of the Patrons for a brand-new festival and the inauguration of Granard as a Book Town.

"It's a place that's perfect for a new project like this and, in the heartland of what is already a thriving arts scene in Longford, I'm certain it's going to become one of the annual highlights of the calendar.

"There are already some amazing local, national, and international guests lined up. See you there on the weekend!"

Who are the Granard Booktown organisers?

Lead by Still Voices Film Festival co-founder Ronan OToole and best-selling author John Connell, Granard Booktown is run by a diverse group of people from across County Longford.

Other members include, Viv Huynh, James Cawley, Cllr Remu Adejinmi, Belinda McKeon and Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Turlough McGovern.

It is the aim of the board is to see the festival firmly established as one of Irelands premiere literary festivals and a destination for tourists from across the country and beyond.

What are Booktowns?

Booktowns are found throughout the world from Wigtown in Scotland (who have been helping and guiding us on our journey to establish Irelands first Booktown) to South Africa, Spain and the USA.

Booktowns use the arts to bring cultural events to rural communities and house bookstores with the aim of attracting cultural tourists to the area, where writers and the public can meet, discuss books and share in the enjoyment of reading and all things cultural.

Who will come to the Booktown festival?

The festival will have a wide-ranging programme covering the latest literary books, cultural magazines, political issues, childrens talks and home grown talent. Those who love books, and the arts will find a homely welcome from this picturesque town of Granard nestled within the hidden heartlands of Ireland.



All roads lead to Granard, Co Longford, April 21-23, 2023 for the inaugural Booktown festival.

For more information visit their website www.granardbooktownfestival.ie or follow us on social media.
Longford town will come to a standstill tomorrow (Thursday) ahead of the funeral of two children who died in a car fire on the outskirts of Multyfarnham last Friday.

Mikey (2) and Thelma (5) Dennany tragically lost their lives when the car in which they were travelling along with their mother, Lynn Egar, was found ablaze by a passing motorist shortly before 4pm.

Despite his heroic efforts in managing to drag Mikey and his mother from the vehicle, the toddler was unable to be saved.

The remains of Thelma were found in the vehicle when the blaze was brought under control.

Ms Egar, who has two other children of secondary school age, was airlifted from the scene to a hospital in Dublin, where her injuries were described as serious but not life threatening.

Detectives are hoping to speak with her over the coming days in a bid to establish how the car was found engulfed in flames.

The scene where the car, which had not crashed, went on fire underwent rigorous examination by the Garda Technical Bureau over the weekend while the vehicle was also taken from the scene for examination.

The familys home in Rathowen, Co Westmeath, roughly 10km from Multyfarnham, was sealed off as part of the inquiry and detectives were trying to piece together the movements of Ms Egar and her two children before the incident.

That comes after Garda Commissioner Drew Harris confirmed on Monday how senior gardai were satisfied there was a criminal nature to the investigation.

Ms Egar, who has two older children of school-going age, originally hails from Kildare but had lived and worked in Longford for years before moving to Westmeath after the birth of Mikey.

A candlelit vigil took place in Multyfarnham last Sunday night, attended by hundreds of people who turned out to remember the little brother and sister.

A large group of mourners gathered at the Children of Lir Montessori and Pre-school where Mikey had just begun attending earlier this month, before walking to St Cremins National School where Thelma was a senior infants pupil.

Principal Karl Dermody said the school was still coming to terms with news of the tragedy.

Thelma will be remembered by classmates and teachers as a warm, happy, and vibrant member of St Cremins National School, Mr Dermody said.

We offer our sincere condolences to friends and family members as they come to terms with this tragic loss of life.

As a school, our priority will be to take every step to ensure that the needs of our pupils and their families are met, at this challenging time.

We will provide support to pupils and school staff to help them deal with this tragedy. Psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Services have been with us in our school supporting staff and parents.

They were sentiments which were echoed in an equally poignant statement released by the staff and children at the Children of Lir pre-school expressed their sincere sympathy to the family at the tragic loss of Thelma and Michael.

The pair will be reposing at Glennons Funeral Home, Ballinalee Road, Longford today (Wednesday) from 4pm concluding with prayers at 8pm.

Both children will be laid to rest in Cullyfad Cemetery following Mass of the Angels in St Mels Cathedral, Longford, on Thursday at 11.00am.

A death notice on RIP.ie said the two children had passed away "unexpectedly" and were pre-deceased by their grandfather Austin Dennany and by their grandmother Thelma Egar.

"Mikey and Thelma will be sadly missed and remembered with love by their heartbroken family, father Michael, mother Lynn, sister Katelyn, brother Eddie, grandmother Mary, grandfather Herbert, aunts, uncles, relatives and friends," the funeral notice added.
With Croke Park packed to the rafters Garth Brooks has friends in high places, low places and everywhere in between last weekend.

Among the 70,000 paying guests in attendance on Friday night was Longford man Tom Maguire.

The bizarre time warp of the last few years may have distorted time perception, but the eight years since the fiasco that saw the the Oklahoma native cancel a series of gigs in the iconic GAA venue have passed in a flash.

The Irish public's appetite for the country star have not waned since, as the demand for tickets for this five show run proves. Early reviews from concert series have been very positive.

I though it was really good, Tom said from his Lanesboro home, It was the first time I have gotten to see him. It was also the first time I was at a concert in Croke Park, and the first time at a concert since Covid. We had a ball.

Tom described a very enjoyable set list: He performed a lot of songs that were familiar. He did some new songs, and then finished with some cover versions of other people' music; like Don McClean and The Eagles. It was interesting to see that versatility.

Those in attendance were enthralled by the performance: There was a girl standing beside Ita [Tom's wife] and I would say she was around 14 years of age. She knew every lyric of every song he sang. The age profile was very broad. Mainly from 40 to 60, but lots either side of that. It was predominantly from outside the M50, with a strong northern contingent. People from Fermanagh, Monaghan, Tyrone, the Irish country mucic heartland  Tom said.

The 60-year-old country star will play two more night in Croke Park this coming weekend to top off the run.
A collaboration between a Cork city theatre company and a local arts venue is about to bring the work of a Longford playwright to the stage for the first time.

'The Spin' is Eimear Reilly's first play and it will debut at Backstage Theatre.

Following a two night run in Longford (September 15 and 16) the show goes on to the Dublin Fringe Festival September 19 to 24.

The play features two characters: Joanna is 27 and and Fiona is in her 60s, Eimear says of her work.

It centres on Joanna Jennings, a young woman with a fractured sense of identity: Her life is in free-fall, she has has just broken up with her boyfriend, she has no where to live. She has a crisis-ridden present. Over the course of the play we excavate her personal history, Eimear tells.

At times uncomfortably unfiltered yet entirely relatable, the play is a meditation on the trauma of grief, its multi-generational repercussions, and the depths of love

Produced by Corcadorca Theatre Company with the support of Backstage Theatre, Longford it was funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaion and Cork City Council, with the support of Creative Ireland Longford.

Drawing the Longford arts centre and the Cork theatre group together is unusual: This is the first time they have collaborated, Eimear outlines, and given the distance between 50 Pope's Quay, Cork and Farneyhoogan, Longford this is no surprise, I'm the connector I suppose, she laughs.

Bringing the play to stage has been a gradual process: Mona [Consadine in Backstage] runs The Activate Residency. I availed of that and support from the Creative Ireland programme thanks to the now retired Longford County Librarian Mary Carleton Reynolds. That allowed me develop the play to the next stage. That Longford phase happened last year over two weeks. It was crucial.

The Backstage show is a homecoming for Eimear: I am originally from Edgeworthstown and Backstage was a significant part of my childhood. I performed a lot with Shawbrook School of Dance all through the 90's and early 00's. My first theatre experience as a child was in Backstage, so it really is an amazing happy accident to find myself back their 20 years later.

I went to Shawbrook from the age of five. My Mom brought us to the Abbey and the Gate, so between that and Backstage we were exposed to a lot of dramatic arts growing up. When I went to college I did maths and statistics in UCD, but there was an itch to go back to theatre. In Cork I got back into the arts. I worked with Michael Keenan Dolan  he offered me job in 2017. That gave me a great insight into how professional productions are put together.

Eimear packed her arts CV out by working with RTE, Wexford Opera and The National Symphony Orchestra. All this was building to her goal of getting The Spin on stage.

I wrote the draft four years ago. It has been tweaked and reworked and interrogated, but it's still very similar to what I originally wrote, she tells.

The roster for the play is very impressive. Director Pat Kiernan is the artistic director of Corcadorca. He has more than 30 years experience in drama. Aisling Kearns is a rising star. She recently performed in the Gaiety in Maeve Binchy's Circle of Friends.

Anna Healy has just finished the Edinburgh run of The Last Return, the award winning Druid production and will reprise her role at Dublin Theatre Festival. Before that Anna played the role of Maggie May in Offaly playwright Marina Carr's Portia Coughlan in the Abbey Theatre.

The Spin will be staged at Backstage Theatre, Longford on September 15 and 16 from 8pm, tickets are 15 and 13. It will then go on to the Project Arts Centre Dublin as part of Dublin Fringe Festival and then to the Triskel Arts Centre Cork.
Defunct car dealers in the Midlands have left behind two tax bills that totalling in excess of 10 million according to the latest Revenue Commissioner's latest tax default list.

The new Revenue's published List of Tax Defaulters covers the period from 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022.

Top of that list are two related car dealerships that traded in Graiguecullen in Laois. Both are now in liquidation. Both had addresses on the Sleaty Road which has Carlow address but were located in the Laois border town Graiguecullen.

Meridian Motors Limited, is described by Revenue as a motor vehicle dealer that traded as the Carlow Motor Company but is now in liquidation. A Revenue audit case for under-declaration of PAYE/PRSI/USC and VAT revealed an unpaid sum of 2,276,667. Interest amounted to 1,330,544. Penalties were calculated at 2,241,723. The total owed is 5,848,934 of which 122,411 had been paid by June 30,2022.

Meridian Motors 2014 Limited is also on the list. Described as a motor vehicle dealer it's also in liquidation. A Revenue audit case for under-declaration of PAYE/PRSI/USC and VAT revealed a sum owed of 1,926,340. Interest ran to 1,036,525 while the penalties amounted to 1,922,096. This revealed a total of 4,884,961 owed to the State of which 56,913 had been paid by June 30, 2022.

Where a taxpayer has failed to pay or failed to enter into an arrangement to pay the full amount of the settlement, the amount unpaid as at 30 June 2022 is indicated in the list.

The Revenue say Part 2 settlements are not published where the taxpayer has made a qualifying disclosure relating to undisclosed tax, as defined in Section 1077E (1) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, where the settlement amount does not exceed the relevant threshold, currently 35,000, or where the amount of fine or other penalty does not exceed 15% of the amount of tax.

See FULL PART 2 LIST HERE.

Revenue also publishes a Part 1 list which includes persons in whose case the Court has determined a penalty relating to a settlement, or has imposed a fine, imprisonment or other penalty in respect of a tax or duty offence.

Details are published when the Court determined penalty exceeds 15% of the total tax (where the total amount of tax only exceeds 50,000) and a qualifying disclosure has not been made:

The biggest penalty was incurred by company director / landlord Clement Kenny, The Residence, NO. 3 Crane Lane, Dublin 2. He incurred a penalty of 25,765 following a determination by the Courts relating to a non-declaration of Capital Gains Tax in the amount of 6,033 (incl. surcharge 287) and an under-declaration of Income Tax in the amount of 84,389 (incl. surcharge of 4,252).

See FULL PART 1 LIST HERE

These published settlements reflect only a portion of all Revenue audits and investigations. In the 3-month period to 30 June 2022 a total of 287 Revenue audit and investigations, together with 13,983 Risk Management Interventions (Aspect Queries and Profile Interviews), were settled, resulting in a yield of 3.540 billion in tax, interest, and penalties.

#EXPLAINER AND FURTHER INFO ON LATEST LIST

Part 1: Court Determinations

Court Determination of Penalty: Subject to certain criteria, in settlement cases where there is no agreement to a penalty, or a person fails to pay an agreed penalty, the Court determines the penalty. Details are published when the Court determined penalty exceeds 15% of the total tax (where the total amount of tax only exceeds 50,000) and a qualifying disclosure has not been made:

There were 2 such cases in the 3-month period to 30 June 2022 with 41,682 being the total amount of the Court determined penalties.

Court imposed fine, imprisonment or other penalty: Details are published when a fine or other Court penalty is imposed in respect of tax or duty offences. Court penalties may include imprisonment, partly suspended or suspended sentences, community service in lieu of imprisonment, and closure orders.

67 such cases are published and 153,300 is the total amount of the court fines imposed these include:

16 cases of failure to file a tax return, delivering an incorrect tax return and failure to produce books and records. Court fines totalling 32,300 and 30 minutes of community service in lieu of imprisonment, 240 hours of community service in lieu of 1 years imprisonment, one 2-year sentence and one 1-year sentence (both fully suspended) were imposed;

22 cases of misuse of marked mineral oil and 2 cases of oil laundering, in respect of which Court fines totalling 58,000, one 3-year sentence and one 2-year sentence (both with 18 months suspended) were imposed;

18 cases of excise offences for tobacco smuggling, illegal selling of tobacco and possession of untaxed tobacco for sale. Court fines totalling 43,000 and one 18-month sentence were imposed;

2 cases of possession of untaxed alcohol for sale, in respect of which Court fines totalling 5,000 were imposed;

1 case of failing to keep a vehicle stationary, in respect of which a Court fine totalling 1,250 was imposed;

5 cases of obstruction of a Revenue Officer, in respect of which Court fines totalling 11,250 were imposed;

1 case of giving false or misleading information, in respect of which a Court fine totalling 2,500 was imposed.

Court Determination of Penalty: Subject to certain criteria, in settlement cases where there is no agreement to a penalty, or a person fails to pay an agreed penalty, the Court determines the penalty. Details are published when the Court determined penalty exceeds 15% of the total tax and the total of the tax, interest and penalty is more than 35,000 and a qualifying disclosure has not been made:

Part 2: Settlements

Settlements are published when the extensive voluntary disclosure options are not availed of and the default arises because of careless or deliberate behaviour:

12 cases are published today and 12.5m is the total settlement amount in these cases.

10 cases were for amounts exceeding 100,000 of which 2 exceeded 1 million

3 are cases in which the settlement was not fully paid as at 30 June 2022.

10,721,226 was the amount unpaid as at 30 June 2022.

Revenue says vigorously pursues collection/enforcement of unpaid settlements. In some cases, collection/recovery of the full unpaid amount will not be possible (e.g. company liquidation).

Background

Revenue says its compliance programme is carried out under the "Code of Practice for Revenue Audit and other Compliance Interventions" (the Code). The significant benefits of making a qualifying disclosure are set out in the Code and include availing of reduced penalties, avoiding publication in the List of Tax Defaulters, and avoiding possible prosecution.

Publication

Revenue says it publishes the List of Tax Defaulters under the provisions of Section 1086 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, as amended. The list is published in two parts:

Part 1: Court Penalty Determinations and Court imposed fine, imprisonment or other penalty

Court penalty determinations are published where a taxpayer has not made a qualifying disclosure, the Court determined penalty exceeds 15% of the total tax, and the total of the tax, interest and penalty is more than 35,000.

All cases where a fine, imprisonment or other Court penalty is imposed by a Court, in respect of a tax or duty offence, are published.

Part 2: Accepted Settlements (and Settlements deemed to be agreed due to full payment)

Where a taxpayer has voluntarily furnished complete information relating to undisclosed tax liabilities and paid the tax and interest due (made a qualifying disclosure of tax defaults), settlements are not published.

Since 1 May 2017, significant changes and restrictions have come into effect where the case involves matters outside the Republic of Ireland, or 'offshore matters'. These changes limit the opportunity to make a 'qualifying disclosure' and coincide with increased international co-operation whereby Revenue gets more and more information automatically from other jurisdictions.

Legislation introduced in the Finance Act 2016 obliges Revenue to identify settlements where the person has failed to pay within the relevant period.

Settlements are not published where the taxpayer has made a qualifying disclosure relating to undisclosed tax, as defined in Section 1077E (1) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, where the settlement amount does not exceed the relevant threshold, currently 35,000, or where the amount of fine or other penalty does not exceed 15% of the amount of tax.

Calculation of Penalties

Where a qualifying disclosure has not been made, Revenu say penalties between 15% and 100% are applied, depending on the category of default and whether or not the taxpayer has cooperated fully with Revenue in the course of enquiries. The categories of default are Deliberate Behaviour or Careless Behaviour.

Deliberate Behaviour involves either a breach of a tax obligation with indicators consistent with intent on the part of the taxpayer or a breach that cannot be explained solely by carelessness

Careless Behaviour involves lack of due care, which results in the incorrect declaration of tax liabilities by a taxpayer, or which results in the making of incorrect repayment claims. The level of penalty may be further reduced having regard to the level of cooperation provided by the taxpayer once the default is uncovered. Full details of the level of penalties applicable to audit settlements are set out in Penalty Table 1 (Paragraph 5.6.2) of the Code.

Innocent errors and adjustments due to different interpretations of legislation

Penalties are not applicable where a tax default is not deliberate or is not attributable in any way to the failure by a taxpayer to take reasonable care to comply with his or her tax obligations. Neither is a penalty applicable where an adjustment to liability arises from differences in the interpretation or the application of legislation, and the taxpayer could reasonably have considered her/his interpretation to be correct.
A beautiful Midlands bride and her groom exchanged wedding vows over the August Bank Holiday Weekend, grateful for their shared good health, made possible by the groom donating a kidney to his bride two years ago.

Like many other couples who faced delays with their wedding plans due to an unwelcome guest, Covid-19, Garda Shane Hunter (31) from Athlone, Co Westmeath and his art teacher bride, Briona Reynolds (30), from Tubber, in Co Offaly, postponed their nuptials which were to take place last summer. They wanted to ensure that all their family and friends could be invited to share in the celebration of their happy event, grateful that Brionas health struggles, and three times weekly hospital dialysis, were behind her.

The couple is sharing their uplifting stories in support of the Irish Kidney Association in highlighting European Day for Organ Donation & Transplantation which will be held next month on October 10.

Briona said: We had a wonderful wedding weekend and it was great to be surrounded by all the people we love. Everything has been going so well for us over the last two years, since Shane donated a kidney to me on June 22, 2020.

Sometimes we forget the struggles we experienced. We still talk about how things were back then but its always followed by how grateful we are for how much better things are now.

When I think about then and now its like two different lives, things now are so much more relaxed. We're currently renovating our house, planning little trips away and just enjoying life. Weve both returned to work and life is great!

Shane is now back to work at Tullamore Garda Station. Just a week before the transplant operation took place, Briona, completed her thesis for a masters in education, fulfilling her dream to become a secondary school art teacher. Briona secured a teaching post at Mullingar Community College and has just returned to work there after the summer holidays.

Briona and Shane first met through an introduction by Brionas sister in 2009. Love blossomed and thanks to the gift of organ donation they share a unique bond as they now embark on married life together.

In describing their wedding Briona said, the two-day wedding celebration was just amazing. We were very lucky as we had close to our original number of guests when we started planning four years ago.

We were delighted when the day finally came, after previously being a casualty of Covid-19, as it should have taken place last year. Luckily all of our vendors were still available, including the venue and Simon Casey and his band who were excellent.

Joyous scenes in Drumlish as popular Longford couple say 'I do' There were happy scenes in Drumlish in recent days as Sinead Corrigan, daughter of Jodie and Von and Sean Tobin, son of Ted and Marie, Clondra, who exchanged wedding vows in St Marys Church Drumlish.

Our wish was to keep things as local as we could throughout the wedding. We wanted it to be local and alternative. We got married in Mount Druid in Castletown Geoghegan, which is a wonderful venue, and the staff were so accommodating.

On the second day we celebrated at our home with a marquee and music provided by Adrian Hiney from across the village in Tubber.

After this we took a few days away and went down south just to relax. We are looking at honeymooning abroad at some point next year.

While Ill be forever grateful to Shane for the gift of life he has given me, I'd also like to thank his parents, Norman and Sharon Hunter, who now live in Dysart, Co Roscommon, as well as my mam and dad, Gina and Frank Reynolds for their loving support.

Briona and Shane by Moat Hill Photography

It was a case of third time lucky for the couple when their living donor kidney transplant went ahead in June 2020. Beaumont Hospital had suspended transplant operations before the country went into lockdown on March 27, 2020 including Briona and Shanes operations, which were initially scheduled to take place on March 23.

This was their second disappointment as a previous date for transplant, February 3, had also been cancelled due to safety concerns as Shanes blood results showed irregularities at the time.

By February 2020, Brionas kidney function had almost fully declined and she then had no option but to commence haemodialysis treatment to keep her alive.

Brionas mother Gina Reynolds was also found to be a suitable living kidney donor match but Shane was determined that he should be the one to proceed.

Shane shared, We had a great wedding. It is so rewarding and gives me great joy to see Briona so well and that we are both happy and healthy and can look forward to what the future will bring.

Individuals who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to Share their Wishes with their family and keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their drivers licence or having the digital organ donor card App on their smartphone. Organ Donor Cards can be requested by visiting the IKA website www.ika.ie/ get-a-donor-card or to your phone, phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050
MEXICO CITY, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Mexican precious metals miner Fresnillo said Tuesday it expects to begin operating a mine in central Mexico owned by Canada's Mag Silver by the end of October, following months of delays.

Fresnillo, the world's leading silver producer, and Mag Silver had agreed in April 2019 to develop the Juanicipio deposit located in the state of Zacatecas, but the pandemic and logistical setbacks delayed the project.

Though Mexico's state utility still requires further tests, Fresnillo said this delay should not impact next year's production forecasts from the deposit, which has high-grade epithermal deposits of silver, gold, lead and zinc.

"Juanicipio is our next big growth project, the ninth new mine we have successfully built since we listed in London in 2008," Fresnillo Chief Executive Octavio Alvidrez said in a statement.

In December, the companies announced that the project had been set back a further six months as the mine's connection to the grid still lacked approval from the state utility company, preventing it from authorizing operations.

On Tuesday, Fresnillo said "all construction activities related to the final connection to the grid electrical system have been completed and all systems are ready to be electrified."

"We expect that the energy for the final commissioning and the start of operations should be available by the end of October," with the start of production beginning immediately after, the company said in a statement. (Reporting by Raul Cortes)
(Alliance News) - The UK government has vowed to respond to the EU's legal action over the Northern Ireland Protocol ahead of the deadline that falls during the mourning period for the Queen.

The bloc had demanded a response to its raft of infringement proceedings over the UK's failure to comply with the post-Brexit rules before the end of Thursday.

The EU was expected to relax the deadline, as it fell within the mourning period during which politics as normal is paused in Britain.

But Number 10 said it would be responding before the deadline regardless.

The prime minister's official spokesman said: "We recognise that date and we will be setting out our position ahead of that date."

What the response will be was unclear, but it is expected to set out the UK's thinking that no operational changes on how the protocol works are required.

source: PA

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Spain's Supreme Court has sentenced a former priest to 30 years in prison for abusing seven minors at a Catholic boarding school nearly a decade ago when he worked as their tutor.

Allegations of child abuse by Catholic clergy and possible cover-ups by the church have surfaced in recent months in Spain, years after similar scandals rocked the Church in other countries such as the United States, Ireland and France.

Church officials were not immediately available for comment. The former priest had denied wrongdoing in the past.

The religious authority in the central province of Ciudad Real defrocked the priest in 2019 and reported the case to prosecutors after an internal investigation into abuses committed when he tutored male teenage students.

In its ruling, the court said he had taken advantage of his position to inappropriately touch the boys' genitals, for instance while pretending to be playing in a swimming pool, or in private rooms under the pretext of medical "treatment".

The court ruled the touching was "of clearly sexual character". It also ordered the man to pay a fine of 52,920 euros and a compensation of 2,000 euros to each of the victims.

El Pais newspaper reported in December on more than 1,200 alleged cases of abuse by clergy spanning seven decades, and parliament subsequently tasked the country's ombudsman with carrying out an investigation.

The ombudsman, Angel Gabilondo, said in a statement on Tuesday that his office had already assisted 201 victims, mostly men, in the first two months of the probe, whose conclusions will be presented to parliament.

"We are satisfied with the rate at which testimonies are coming in and with the number of victims who have approached us, but what really matters and concerns us, more than the number, is to listen to the victims and to do so respectfully, seriously, discreetly and confidentially," he said.

The Spanish Catholic Church said early in 2022 it was deeply saddened by the abuses and would work with the authorities and bring transparency, help and reparations to victims. It has also launched diocesan-level inquiries that are being overseen by a private law firm.


File photo Over 56 per cent of clearing and grubbing (C&G) work has already been settled in the 594-km-long Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh Over 56 per cent of clearing and grubbing (C&G) work has already been settled in the 594-km-long Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday.



Hundred per cent of land acquisition has been completed in the expressway project that will link western Uttar Pradesh with eastern parts of the state besides Delhi-NCR.



Significantly, the length of the airstrip on the Ganga Expressway will assist in emergency take-offs and landing of Indian Air Force (IAF) planes, which will also provide a strategic edge to the country against foreign forces. There are already airstrips on three expressways in the state. Two of these airstrips are located close to two air bases of the Air Force, Agra, and Hindon. With the upcoming Ganga Expressway, the country's security system will further be improved.



Officials said that the unique aspect of the expressway is that it will link other expressways in the state through Lucknow-Agra Expressway, Purvanchal Expressway and Ballia Link Expressway. The 594-km-long six-lane expressway will open the way for better connectivity and will link western Uttar Pradesh with eastern parts of the state and with Delhi-NCR. This will further boost the economic and industrial development of the state.



The Ganga Expressway, passing through 519 villages in 12 districts, will thus emerge as a strong backbone of UP's infrastructure, said a government official.



The UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority has been authorised by the government to build dedicated industrial parks on both sides of the expressway (Meerut, Hapur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Hardoi, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Prayagraj).



The expressway will boost agricultural and industrial income and development. It will also act as a catalyst for the establishment of food processing units, MSMEs, warehouses, mandis and milk-based industries. It will also be an industrial conduit connecting various production units, development centers and agricultural production areas with the national capital.








Liverpool's Joel Matip, right, celebrates with his teammates

Liverpool's Joel Matip, right, celebrates with his teammates Rui Vieira AP

Liverpool needed a late Joel Matip header to pick up a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ajax in the Champions League at Anfield.

Manager Jurgen Klopp wanted to see a reaction from his side after they were thumped 4-1 by Napoli in their opening Group A match, and Tuesday's result was certainly a step in the right direction.

The Reds started the Group A encounter with a spring in their step and needed just 17 minutes to open the scoring.

Alisson's long diagonal pass found Luis Diaz, who nodded the ball on to Diogo Jota in space.

He laid it off for Mohamed Salah, who fired a powerful curling finish past Remko Pasveer.

PETER POWELL EFE

Although Ajax posed little threat up to that point, they found themselves level 10 minutes later.

Edson Alvarez's cut back cross found Mohammed Kudus in the penalty area.

After taking a touch to separate himself from Virgil van Dijk, the Ghana international lashed an unstoppable strike off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net.

Trent Alexander-Arnold saw a great opportunity denied by Pasveer just before the end of the half as the two teams headed into the break level at 1-1.

PETER POWELL EFE

Despite Liverpool's best efforts they couldn't find a second.

In fact, they nearly went behind when an unmarked Blind sent his header wide of the far post after 75 minutes.

Much to the relief of Klopp and the home fans Matip's header after Ajax failed to clear the lines after 89 minutes decided proceedings, as Liverpool recorded their first win of the group stage.
In a classified diplomatic cable from Colombo, wartime US Ambassador here Patricia Butenis categorized President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa and common candidate at the 2010 presidential poll General Sarath Fonseka as war criminals.

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Referring to the 51st sessions (Sept. 12 to Oct 07, 2022) of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, last week bluntly declared that Sri Lanka wouldnt accept any external mechanism, external evidence gathering mechanism, charging citizens outside the country, getting hybrid judges to come and hear the cases, all these are against the Constitution. So we cant agree to that.

The SLPP National List lawmaker stressed Sri Lankan citizens will not be allowed to be charged outside the country and foreign judges will not be permitted to sit in judgment over cases in Sri Lanka.

Former Peoples Alliance lawmaker M.M. Zuhair, PC, (1994-2000 during the CBK presidency) quite rightly challenged Sabrys stand on an external evidence gathering mechanism against the backdrop of Sri Lanka allowing the US and Australian investigators probe the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide attacks no sooner they were carried out. Emphasizing such investigations, that had been undertaken by outsiders, werent subjected to approval by the relevant judicial authority here, the former Ambassador to Teheran (2006-2012 during MR presidency) questioned the rationale in Sri Lankas rejection. Zuhair asked for urgent review of Sri Lankas stand.

Who will table a resolution against these open crimes? The LTTE recruited this child in strict denial of his basic rights. Similarly, thousands of children were forced to fight [ Photo: Ministry of Defence, Sri Lankan]

Minister Sabry addressed the media, with Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane seated next to him, at the Foreign Ministry. Wijewardane was called back from retirement in May this year to succeed Admiral Jayanath Colombage whereas President Ranil Wickremesinghe brought in Sabry as the Foreign Minister in place of Prof. G.L. Peiris, the famed legal academic who joined the rebel SLPP group that made an abortive bid to elect MP Dullas Alahapperuma as the new President, while the party backed eventual successor Ranil Wickremesinghe to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksas five-year term.

Sabry had been the wartime Defence Secretary and President Gotabaya Rajapaksas Counsel in several high profile cases, including the Ukrainian MiG-27 deal and a leading campaigner in the run-up to the 2019 presidential election, which GR won handsomely. When the writer sought a clarification from Sabry regarding the US snubbing President Gotabaya Rajapaksas request for a visa against the backdrop of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and Maj. Gen. Chagie Gallage being denied visas based on unsubstantiated war crimes accusations, the Presidents Counsel pointed out that Western powers had blacklisted not only individuals but entire fighting Divisions deployed on the Vanni front (2007-2009).

The US in Feb 2020 announced that Gen Shavendra Silva and his immediate family would not be permitted to enter the US though they never applied for visas.

This is unlike substantiated crimes committed by the US, the UK and Australian forces as was revealed by their own probes from Guantanamo Bay to Iraq, and Afghanistan, but were swept under the carpet.

With the Geneva sessions underway, it would be pertinent to discuss issues at hand pertaining to accountability issues as the government struggled to cope up with the developing political-economic-social crisis that had overwhelmed the country.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry recently disclosed the pathetic situation and its further deterioration. On a request made by Sri Lankas Ambassador to Myanmar and Attorney-at-Law, J.M. Janaka Priyantha Bandara, the cash-strapped government recently received 1,000 metric tonnes of white rice worth SLR Rs 170 mn (USD 463,215) from that poor country also struggling with many woes. The Foreign Ministry stated: The donation was granted in response to a request made by Ambassador Janaka Bandara when he presented credentials to the State Prime Minister of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing during the credential ceremony on 7 June 2022 and also in commemoration of the 73rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The former SLFP National List MP received the diplomatic posting amidst the worst-ever economic turmoil and took over the mission there seven days before Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa quit following SLPP goons going on the rampage at Galle Face on May 09, which was used as a pretext to unleash pre-planned and well-coordinated attacks on mainly SLPP ministers and MPs, which left scores of homes and other properties of such politicians being attacked, looted and torched across the country and also several killings, including that of Polonnaruwa District SLPP Parliamentarian Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his police bodyguard at Nittambuwa, lynched by a mob.

Zuhair pointed out to Sabry the need to change the strategy. Let me reproduce that verbatim. At a time when the country is increasingly dependent on the assistance of foreign countries to tackle the deepening economic crisis and the steeply rising cost of living, the government must objectively address the human rights concerns alleged against Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) commencing sittings in Geneva.

Lankas assurance on foreign judges

At the time Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon in May 2009, Rohitha Bogollagama served as the Foreign Minister (2007-2010). President Mahinda Rajapaksa brought in Bogollagama in early 2007 after sacking Mangala Samaraweera. Prof. G.L Peiris served as the Foreign Minister (2010-2015) and was replaced by Mangala Samaraweera in 2015 with the coming to power of the yahapalana (good governance) regime, which proved to be anything but that when its leading lights robbed the Central Bank twice.

The yahapalana administration thereupon moved Samaraweera to the Finance Ministry and brought in the then Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake as the Foreign Minister in the wake of shocking revelations at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that probed the Treasury bond scams. In the same reshuffle one-time Attorney General Tilak Marapana received the Foreign Affairs portfolio (August 2017-Nov 2019). Dinesh Gunawardena received the Foreign Affairs portfolio after 2019 presidential election but was replaced by Prof. Peiris in August 2021.

Following a split in the SLPP in the wake of Gotabaya Rajapaksas resignation and UNP leader Wickremesinghe being elected the President in July by Parliament, Sabry was brought in as the Foreign Minister.

In spite of the much publicized Sri Lankas withdrawal from the Geneva Resolution 30/1, announced by Dinesh Gunawardena, at the 43rd session of UNHRC in March 2020, Sri Lanka firmly remained committed to the process. That is the undeniable truth. Sri Lankas Permanent Representative in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha accepted the 30/1 on specific instructions issued by Mangala Samaraweera on the advice of then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe. President Maithripala Sirisena, though he made public statements contrary to the position taken by his government, however did absolutely nothing to alter the status quo.

The yahapalana government entered into the Geneva Resolution on Oct 01, 2015 regardless of the strong criticism of the US-led move by Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that strangely backed General Sarath Fonseka and Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidates at the 2010 and 2015 presidential elections, respectively, declared its position on foreign judges in June 2016. On behalf of the TNA, the then National List lawmaker M.A. Sumanthiran, PC, disclosed a tripartite agreement among the US, Sri Lanka and the TNA. The disclosure was made in the presence of the then Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US Prasad Kariyawasam, who subsequently returned to Colombo to receive appointment as Foreign Secretary at the time of Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana.

The TNAs partner Global Tamil Forum (GTF) spokesperson Suren Surendiran at that time told the writer that this tripartite agreement had been the basis for the Geneva Resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka.

Sumanthiran didnt mince his words when he insisted that foreign judges werent contrary to the countrys Constitution. Those who opposed Geneva interventions conveniently refrained from challenging Sumanthiran in Parliament. Actually, refusal to allow external evidence gathering mechanism is questionable as the country remains committed to the 2015 Resolution. That is the undeniable truth.

In response to The Island queries at the Foreign Ministry briefing, Sabry acknowledged that Western powers had already taken action against the findings made by the Panel of Experts (PoE) in 2011. Over a decade after the eradication of the LTTE, successive governments hadnt been able to reach a consensus on a common stand on war against separatist terrorism.

Sumanthirans disclosure

The TNA made available Sumanthirans audacious statement, to The Island, soon after he delivered it at the Congressional Caucus for Ethnic and Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka in Washington D.C. on June 14, 2016.

On behalf of the TNA, Sumanthiran claimed to have reached a tripartite consensus in respect of foreign judges, defence attorneys, investigators, etc., in a Sri Lankan judicial mechanism to probe war crimes.

Sumanthiran told the gathering that the government of Sri Lanka, the TNA and the US had been involved in the negotiations leading to the agreement.

In his brief remarks, Ambassador Kariyawasam provided an overview of the measures taken by Sri Lanka to promote its two-pronged policy of reconciliation and development since the January 2015 election of the yahapalana government and reiterated in detail, measures taken by that government to vindicate its commitment to these processes and explained the several challenges that militate against government efforts. A statement issued by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington didnt make any reference to Sumanthirans shocking disclosure.

In another shameless and impudent act, the same yahapalana administration brought back ex-ambassador Kariyawasam as an advisor to then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya paid for by Washington.

Sumanthiran told the Washington gathering that the resolution was moved in Geneva following an understanding that the participation of foreigners wouldnt be contrary to the Sri Lanka Constitution.

Declaring that he had been personally involved in the negotiations with the US and also participated in that particular process, Sumanthiran said there were some doubts created, as to whether the Constitution of Sri Lanka would allow for foreign nationals to function as judges and we went into that question, clarified it, and said yes they could.

Sumanthiran told the Congressional Caucus that the resolution accepted at Geneva had been negotiated and they settled for a hybrid model though they originally asked for an international inquiry.

When the writer raised this issue with Marapana immediately after he took over the Foreign Ministry, the former AG declared that the 1978 Constitution wouldnt permit the inclusion of foreign judges in the proposed domestic Judicial Mechanism under any circumstances.

Marapana quite conveniently forgot that a government appointed body in January endorsed the Geneva Resolution. The Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTFRM) called for full participation of foreign judges, and other personnel, including defence lawyers, prosecutors and investigators, in a transitional justice mechanism to address accountability issues. The CTFRM comprised Manouri Muttetuwegama, Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Gamini Viyangoda, Prof. Sitralega Maunaguru, Dr. Farzana Haniffa, Mirak Raheem, Prof. Gameela Samarasinghe, Visaka Dharmadasa, Shantha Abhimanasingham, PC, K.W. Janaranjana and Prof. Daya Somasundaram.

Perhaps, Sabry should receive a comprehensive briefing regarding Sri Lankans faltering process in response to the Geneva challenge. It would be pertinent to ask whether the Foreign Ministry submitted the relevant records pertaining to Geneva Resolution, including the entire set of declassified British diplomatic cables from its High Commission in Colombo to the UK Foreign Office (January-May 2009) and WikiLeaks revelations, as the new Foreign Minister.

On the basis of those dispatches, Lord Naseby has repeatedly stressed that the dispatches from Colombo didnt collaborate the five main accusations levelled against Sri Lanka. The House of Lords member quoted Lt. Colonel Gash (wartime Colombo-based UK Defence Advisor) having denied accusations that the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered the elimination of Tamil civilians, and there was no basis for claims that specific no-fire zones had been established by the military to kill those who gathered in them, and attempts had been made to starve the Vanni population.





There was absolutely no justification for claims of genocide, and the dispatches had cleared Sri Lankan military of holding civilians in clandestine detention camps such as Menik Farm. Lord Naseby pointed out that the ICRC had been present at the Menik Farm from day one. But, Sri Lanka never presented its case properly before Geneva. Sri Lanka lacked backbone at least to go on record how India caused a bloodbath here.

A dismal performance

Sri Lanka should set the record straight. The responsibility on the part of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice and Defence should be acknowledged. The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, National Defence College and Kotelawela Defence University should at least now initiate thorough examinations of accountability issues and make recommendations to the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence. Perhaps the Parliament should seriously consider a Select Committee to examine the entire gamut of issues as part of the overall measures to meet the Geneva challenge.

The following are the issues that need attention: (1) Dismissal of war crimes accusations by war time US Defence Attache Lt. Col. Lawrence Smith in Colombo. The then US official did so at the May-June 2011 first post-war defence seminar in Colombo, two months after the release of PoE report. The State Department disputed the officials right to represent the US at the forum though it refrained from challenging the statement. (2) Examine the US defence attaches statement along with Lord Nasebys Oct 2017 disclosure based on the then British Defence advisor Lt. Colonel Anthony Gashs cables to London during the war. Sri Lanka never did so. (3) Wikileaks revelations that dealt with the Sri Lanka war. A high profile Norwegian study on its role in the Sri Lanka conflict examined some cables. However, the Norwegian process never strengthened Sri Lankas defence. Instead it merely sought to disown its own culpability in the events leading to the annihilation of the LTTE. One of the most important Wikileaks revelations that debunked the allegation Sri Lanka deliberately targeting civilians. The cable proved that our ground forces took heavy losses by taking the civilian factor into consideration. (4) Wide discrepancies in loss of civilian lives claimed by UN and various other interested parties. The UN estimated the figure at 40,000 (March 2011) The UN in a confidential report placed the total number of deaths at 7,721 whereas Amnesty International (Sept 2011) placed the number at 10,000 and a member of the UK Parliament (Sept 2011) estimated the death toll at 100,000. (5) Disgraceful attempt made by Geneva to exploit so called Mannar mass graves during the yahapalana administration. The Foreign Ministry remained silent on Mannar graves while Western diplomats played politics by quickly putting the onus on Sri Lanka only to be proved utterly wrong. Acting at the interest of those hell-bent on blaming Sri Lanka, Geneva faulted Sri Lanka before the conclusion of the investigation.

The then Northern Province Governor Wigneswaran rejected scientific findings of Beta Analytic Institute of Florida, USA, in respect of samples of skeletal remains sent from the Mannar mass grave site. The then Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet went to the extent of commenting on Mannar mass grave in her report that dealt with the period from Oct 2015 to January 2019. We come to wonder whether she was actually a victim of Gen. Pinochet or a mere manufactured victim.( UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently announced the appointment of Volker Turk of Austria as the next UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, following approval by the UN General Assembly.)

Had the US lab issued a report to suit their strategy, would they have accepted fresh tests in case the government of Sri Lanka requested? The following is relevant section bearing No 23 from Bachelets report: On May 29, 2018, human skeletal remains were discovered at a construction site in Mannar (Northern Province), Excavations conducted in support of the Office on Missing Persons, revealed a mass grave from which more than 300 skeletons were discovered. It was the second mass grave found in Mannar following the discovery of a site in 2014. Given that other mass graves might be expected to be found in the future, systematic access to grave sites by the Office as an observer is crucial for it to fully discharge its mandate, particularly with regard to the investigation and identification of remains, it is imperative that the proposed reforms on the law relating to inquests, and relevant protocols to operationalize the law be adopted. The capacity of the forensic sector must also be strengthened, including in areas of forensic anthropology, forensic archaeology and genetics, and its coordination with the Office of Missing Persons must be ensured. (6) Wigneswaran, in his capacity as the then Northern Province Chief Minister in August 2016 accused the Army of killing over 100 LTTE cadres held in rehabilitation facilities. Wigneswaran claimed the detainees had been given poisonous injections resulting in deaths of 104 persons. The unprecedented accusation made by the retired Supreme Court judge had been timed to attract international attention. Wignewaran is on record as having said a US medical team visiting Jaffna at that time would examine the former rehabilitated LTTE cadres, who he alleged had fallen sick because they were injected with poisonous substances at government detention or rehabilitation centres.

Sri Lanka paid a very heavy price for its pathetic failure to counter a web of lies fashioned by interested parties, both local and foreign mainly funded by the West to coerce the country to adopt a new Constitution. Unfortunately, the incumbent government, too, is yet to examine the Geneva issue taking into consideration all available evidence, information and data into consideration.

Views expressed are personal

Shamindra Ferdinando is a Deputy Editor of a Colombo-based daily newspaper, The Island.
The middle-eastern country of Iraq celebrates its Independence Day annually on 3rd of October as on this day it got independent from the British Empire in 1932.

It is also known as the National Iraqi Day and it is designated as a public holiday in Iraq which means all offices, organizations, post offices, educational institutions, and major markets remains closed on this day.

This day is celebrated with great passion, joy and enthusiasm by the people of Iraq. Although the country has gone through some very terrible times and still it is going through many crisis in the country but this day gives a chance to all Iraqis to celebrate the spirit of their nation.

Event Iraq Independence Day Date October 3, 2022 Day Monday Significance The day commemorates Iraq's independence from the British Empire in 1932 Observed by Iraq

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Iraq Independence Day History:

Iraq might appear as a modern country as it only got its independence from Britain in 1932 and earlier than that it was under Ottoman Empire for a very long time. But the history of Iraq goes much further back in time and it is home to some of the earliest and advanced human civilizations known to us which included civilizations like Mesopotamia, Babylonia, etc.

The history of modern Iraq began in 1831 when the Ottomans gained control of the territory and establishing it as a valuable outpost of their empire. The region was not known as Iraq then, only a collection of three provinces which were Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul were collectively called Mesopotamia by the British. The end of World War I brought about the victory of the United Kingdom over the Ottoman Empire and thus Iraq came under British occupation.

In 1920, the former Ottoman provinces of Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra became a League of Nations mandate under direct British control, known as the British Mandate for Mesopotamia. The new government provoked reactions from Iraqi people who disliked the imposition of British rule over them. In that same year, protests broke out in Baghdad, with large gatherings at Sunni and Shia mosques, which led to an armed rebellion of Iraqi people against the British forces.

During these revolutions British aircrafts engaged during the uprising and were successful in quelling the revolt. However, the revolution subsequently led to the signing of the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty in 1922 which was an agreement signed between the British and the Iraqi government that allowed Iraq to have Iraqi rulers but under the British sovereignty over the nations foreign policy. The treaty would work out as foundation for Iraqs complete independence from the British Empire.

As a result in 1921, Faisal I bin Al-Hussein became King of Iraq. He was appointed by the British to lead as a means of a safe compromise. Although Hussein was a British ally, he was also a man of the people. His family lineage could be traced back to the famed Prophet Muhammad, and he also partook in the 1916 Arab revolt against the Ottomans. On October 3, 1932, the Kingdom of Iraq became a sovereign state under the leadership of King Faisal.

Iraq Independence Day Significance:

Since its independence from the British Empire the journey of this young nation hasn't been that good as it has gone through multiple coups, political crisis, terrorist insurgencies and civil wars throughout its history also as recent. Right now also it is going through a low level insurgency and a political crisis.

But despite all of the sufferings that this nation has seen Independence Day is seen as a day of hope for this country. Iraq is a country of more than 40 million people and due to its problems it is still considered a developing country with high level of instability so this Independence Day works as an inspiration to all of the Iraqis to see a light through darkness as in history also they have faced much bigger challenges and had come back stronger.

This is also a memorial day for all of the Iraqis to pay tribute to their ancestors, leaders and heroes who have always stood against injustice and even during the most difficult times never lost hope and always cared about their people. So it is a day on which Iraqis remembers the sacrifice made by their ancestors and the bravery which they shown time to time for their rights.

This day also works as a motivation and inspirational day for all the Iraqis that the destiny of their country is now rests on their hands and they have the responsibility to take their country forward by taking it oir from all of the crisis first and then developing it better so that the future generations of the country can feel much more happy and proud of being Iraqis.

At last this day also gives a chance to all of the Iraqis to take pride in their identity and provides them an opportunity to celebrate their unique culture and people with full joy, enthusiasm and love for the nation. It encourages Iraqis this day of their life without any tension and just enjoy of their identity as Iraqis so this day also gives a message of unity and brotherhood among the fellow Iraqis.

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Iraq Independence Day Celebrations:

The people of Iraq celebrate this joyous occasion of Independence Day with military and civilian parades all across the country with various ceremonies taking places which are marked with speeches from political leaders and other government officials and official celebrations in every city, town, and village of the country.

The Iraqi flag which is their symbol of identity, is proudly put on display, waved in parades, and hoisted on buildings on this day. Flag works as a symbol for representing their love towards the nation. Hence on this day people are encouraged to wave and hoist the national flags and the flag hoisting ceremonies takes place at every public places and buildings.

Official ceremonies of this day takes place at the capital city of Baghdad where we can also witness the famous military parade and here Iraqis from all over the country comes to visit the official ceremonies for this day which are performed by the leader of Iraq. All of these ceremonies are also broadcasted live on TV and other streaming platforms for all of the Iraqis to witness it.

It is a public holiday so people likes to enjoy their day by spending sine quality time with their families by doing many activities on this day and one if them includes food! During this day people tends to taste rich Iraqian cuisine which includes dishes like Mashgouf, Dolma, Torshana, Halawa Dhin, Mosul Kubba, etc.

The closure ceremonies of this day begins at the evening in the form of fireworks all across the country during which the skies of Iraq gets lit up with bright and colorful fireworks and this offers a spectacular view for the observes and it is truly an amazing sight to witness.

Most Searched FAQs on Iraq Independence Day:

1. When is Iraq Independence Day celebrated?

Iraq Independence Day is annually celebrated on 3rd October.

2. From whom did Iraq got its independence?

Iraq got its independence from United Kingdom.

3. What is the official language of Iraq?

Arabic and Kurdish are declared as the official languages of Iraq.
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I got a bullet with your name on it, fuckin' kill 'em

So fuck your eyes, as I sip this Glock, we twistin' livers
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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Two airstrikes hit the capital of Ethiopias Tigray region Wednesday morning, killing 10 people, many of them first responders, the director of the citys flagship Ayder Referral Hospital said, as Ethiopia's government gave no sign of taking up the Tigray forces' offer to stop fighting and pursue talks.

The target in Mekele was a residential neighborhood, Kibrom Gebreselassie told The Associated Press. Three of the victims need urgent major surgery, in the face of (a) shortage of medicines.

The first airstrike wounded two people but the second was deadly, with rescuers among those killed, Kibrom said.

The death toll could climb as more patients reach the hospital, another doctor said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

In a weekend statement to mark Ethiopias new year, the Tigray leadership said they were ready to participate in an immediate cessation of hostilities with Ethiopian forces leading to a comprehensive cease-fire, and even welcomed mediation led by the African Union, a significant shift.

But Ethiopias federal government is yet to publicly respond amid reports of more talks between the two sides in Djibouti. With independent media, human rights groups and monitors barred from Tigray, and with most basic services like internet severed, it is challenging to assess the situation on the ground.

Several airstrikes have hit Mekele since fighting resumed between Tigray forces and Ethiopian ones in late August, shattering a period of relative calm since late March.

That calm had allowed more humanitarian aid to reach the long-blockaded Tigray region, but those deliveries have now been halted, according to the United Nations. Deliveries to conflict-affected parts of the neighboring Amhara region have also stopped.

Since the conflict broke out in November 2020, tens of thousands are believed to have been killed and millions displaced in the Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions.

___

This version has been corrected to say everyone was killed in the second airstrike.
Former Cass City Police Chief Craig Haynes Sr. suddenly died Saturday, Sept. 10, just days after his retirement.

Haynes was 68 years old and served the Cass City community for nearly 36 years. For the past 17 years, Haynes led the Cass City Police Department as chief, but had served the law enforcement in a variety of things, including as a patrol officer and investigator.

I knew the man since 98, so for 24 years, Cass City Police Chief James Freeman said. He was a mentor to me; he played a huge role in my career as a law enforcement officer. During that time, he became a great friend.

I worked a lot with him on the farm, Matt Anthony, a former colleague of Haynes said. He understood the community and he was a great person for that role.

Craig was born on September 19, 1953, in Detroit. Upon graduating from Franklin High School in 1971, he enlisted in the United States Army, serving as a military police officer for three years, stationed in Frankfort, Germany. In 1977, Haynes then graduated from the Oakland Police Academy in 1977 and took a job as a police officer for a private railroad company in the Detroit area for 10 years.

After moving to Cass City with his wife Rhonda to raise their family, he joined the Cass City Police Department in January 1987. Mr. Haynes was promoted to sergeant in 1997 and then deputy chief of police in 2001. From 1992 to 1998, he served as the local Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer at the former Cass City Middle School. In 1990, the Thumb Narcotics Unit named him Officer of the Year for his work, nailing 10 drug-related arrests in Cass City and surrounding areas.

Haynes officially retired from the Cass City Police Department on Sep. 5. His work ethic, dedication and hard work was like no other, as he impacted the community in many ways, according to those who knew him.

Heartbroken, this is a small community, Cass City Manager Debbie Powell said. He wasnt just a colleague; he was a friend and mentor, and we miss him.

People genuinely saw him as a friend and not as an officer, Freeman said. He would stop and talk to someone for 20, 30 minutes like he knew them for years. Id ask him, 'Whos that?' and he'd say, I dont know.' Take the law enforcement, police officer, chief of police out of it, he was an all-around great guy.

Viewing will be held on Thursday at Kranz Funeral Home. A private funeral service will be held and an interment with full military honors will be in Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly.
Growing up in Midland County, Wayne Johnson felt at times that he could not pursue his dreams.

Recently, Johnson had a chance to return to Midland and push back against his past.

He did not return as Wayne Johnson  he took the stage as his drag queen persona, Cherry Poppins.

A lot of my posts on Facebook leading up to (the drag show) was, 'I cannot wait to show Midland what I have been doing for the past six years,' Johnson said.

During the six-years after he left the Midland area, Johnson developed his drag skills and persona. Johnson lived in the Bullock Creek area from the day he was born in 1994 until he moved away at the age of 20. He said he always has known he is gay, even early on in elementary school. He later came out as bisexual in high school but even that was not his whole truth. He thought it would be easier than coming out as a gay man.

High school was a rough experience for Johnson. There were a only a few students at the school who were out  they were mostly girls.

I did not have a lot of people to relate to, but, I also have that mindset of (liking) to be a leader," Johnson said. "Being gay is not a choice, but being able to show people that I am able to live (this) life sheds a light on other people that it is OK to be yourself.

A self-proclaimed theater kid, Johnson loved performing on stage and dreamed of moving to New York and performing on Broadway. However, he felt like he was being pushed away from that dream by those he felt were supposed to support him, such as the schools guidance counselor. It was during high school, though, that Johnson got a taste of the passion he would later pursue.

He attended his first Pride Festival in Saginaw during his junior year, including that festivals drag show. Ironically, he had a surprising reaction to the experience.

I ended up seeing drag queens and (I) was terrified of them, said Johnson, describing them as intimidating due to their big personalities, exaggerated features and gaudy makeup.

While understanding drags importance to gay culture, it took him a while to embrace drag performances.It was not until he had moved out of his parents' place and was living with his fiance Jesse Cornwell in Mount Pleasant that Johnson understood what the art of drag could allow him to do. Cornwell said when they started dating seven or eight years ago, Johnson said he would never do drag, but Cornwell knew this attitude would not last.

"I was waiting for him to want to do it," Cornwell said. "It seemed to fit his personality (and) it just made sense."

For Johnson, drag was an avenue to get back to performing again.

My fiance introduced me more to RuPaul's Drag Race, and it clicked after watching a couple of episodes that (drag) is a way for me to get back on stage, Johnson said. To perform without having anybody to answer to.

In 2016, he slowly began building up towards his drag debut. Johnson began by learning how to put on makeup, then going to a Halloween party in drag, then performing in a Christmas-themed drag show in Sault Ste. Marie later that year.

On one hand, Johnson said his first show was a mess. Johnson said his makeup skills were not great at the time and he looked like a man in a wig. Adding insult to injury, he left for the long trek back home with only $2 in tips. However, Johnson said he would not trade the experience for anything.

"It was funny to see the very first performance and the evolution (from) it," Cornwell said. "Now he is a natural, (and) it does not seem to come very hard for him. But in the beginning, there is that awkward phase, which is always fun to watch."

He added that Johnson is an amazing drag show host, due to his charisma, extroversion, and his ability to make friends instantly.

Johnson describes his current drag persona, Cherry Poppins style of drag as modern/old school drag.

With the recent national spotlight put on drag events, Johnson also addressed some misconceptions people from outside the world of drag have. While he said that traditional drag shows can be raunchy, especially at 18+ events, he said they are not strip shows and focus more on performances. These can include lip-syncing and dancing.

One of his most recent shows brought him back to Midland. On Aug. 27, Poppins presented the "Girls Gone Mild" drag show, hosted by Proper Taco. Johnson said performing there as Cherry Poppins was a way to get back at everybody who tore him down early in his life.

He said he felt untouchable performing onstage.

Beyond allowing him to perform onstage, Johnson said drag has allowed him to meet more people from the LGBTQ+ community, especially having grown up in Midland.

It has absolutely been a saving grace, Johnson said. It definitely allowed me to make more friendships. The biggest thing within the gay community, too, is (that) we get to pick our families, because a lot of people do not have the backing that you should from an actual family. That has opened up a world of help, love and compassion from people who understand what we are going through.
ONEKAMA TWP.  The Onekama Township Fire Department recently was awarded a $53,005 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Assistance to Firefighters Grants program.

Rob Johnson, Onekama Township Fire Department assistant chief, said the department members were excited to learn they received the grant.

We currently have airpacks that the manufacturer is no longer in business so we have to replace all the airpacks on our trucks for our fire department people. Theyre pretty expensive, he said. I think were going to get eight or nine sets of air breathing packs for going inside structure fires.

File photo

The grants were awarded on Aug. 26, according to FEMA.

Johnson said it was the first time he was aware of the department receiving that particular grant.

Its kind of uncharted waters for us right now working through what we got to do next  the next steps, he said, adding that one next step is to figure out the required invoicing and purchasing process for the grant.

He said the department also needs to pay a 5% match on the grant, or about $2,650 toward the airpacks.

Neighboring departments grants

FEMAs Assistance to Firefighters Grants have also previously been awarded to the Manistee City Fire Department.

More online See a full searchable table of all the fire departments nationwide that were awarded the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants online at manisteenews.com See More Collapse

Last year the department was awarded $93,333 for operations and safety, according to FEMAs website. The city of Manistee was awarded a grant for $104,500 in 2018 and $47,620 in 2015, the sites section on Assistance to Firefighters Grants shows.

This year, the largest grant was awarded to the Vauclain S M Fire Department in Pennsylvania in the amount of $999,272. Last year the top recipient was the Houston Fire Department at $999,551

Manistee Countys neighbor to the south also was awarded a grant. The Mason County Rural Fire Authority in Custer is set to receive $247,100 to purchase new turn out gear.
MONTCALM COUNTY  Troopers with the Michigan State Police Lakeview Post are investigating a house fire that reportedly killed a 13-year-old Wednesday morning in Montcalm County.

According to a news release, at about 7 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, emergency personnel responded to a structure fire on North Caris Road in Vestaburg, about 50 miles southeast of Big Rapids. A 13-year-old girl was unaccounted for.

The Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Unit, including a canine, responded to the scene where the remains of a child were located inside the burnt residence, police said.

While the fire remains under investigation, police do not believe it to be suspicious, the release stated. It is unknown if fire alarms were inside the residence.

Montcalm County Sheriffs Department, Richland Township Fire Department, Home Township Fire Department, Montcalm County Victims Services, Montcalm County EMS, and the Michigan Red Cross assisted troopers at the scene.
As Nikkie Smith was preparing her vendors table Saturday morning, people lined up outside of Lisa's Love Boutique in downtown Bad Axe. One of the items she placed front and center was a black case with a large pentagram on the cover. It was titled, "A Guide to Witchcraft: Spells, Incantations and Potions."

Smith, a Filion resident, was one of the vendors at the Bad Axe Psychic Fair. The curious, the skeptical and true believers alike came for tarot card readings, palm reading and channeled sessions with mediums last weekend.

Among Smith's wares were "spell jars," small, decorative glass containers she made herself. Smith described herself as a Wiccan, often described as a modern version of the ancient pagan religion. She said she feels a strong connection with nature and the religion "just clicked" with her.

"You can take whatever you want from it," Smith said. "You ... just go outside and do your thing."

Mark Birdsall/Huron Daily Tribune

Smith offered a brief sales pitch for her spell jars, which promised solutions or remedies for a variety of needs. Can't sleep? There was a jar for that. Want to keep negativity out of your life? Smith had one for that, too. Another had the potential to foster prosperity for the buyer, she said.

"It makes you feel better that you're helping somebody," Smith said.

What about a love spell? Could some lovesick soul win the heart of someone for the price of just a few bucks?

Nope, Smith said. At least not with one of her spell jars. She explained that attempting to affect the free will of an individual is something she would never try. In other words, compelling someone to do something they usually wouldnt do through magic is off-limits, as far as she is concerned.

"Free will is a big thing," Smith said.

Bad Axes Amber Furtah was another one of the vendors at the fair. Also a Wiccan, Furtah described some of the items on her table, which included candles, witch doctor bones for African fortune telling, a Tibetan singing bowl, abalone shells for "smudging" or cleansing ceremony, and several books on spirituality and the paranormal.

Mark Birdsall/Huron Daily Tribune

Furtah also displayed a collection of binders containing spiritual information and knowledge she compiled as a sort of library of mystical literature. Its a subject about which she is very passionate and very happy to share with others.

"It's my life," she said.

In an area at the back of the shop, mediums, oracle card readers and palm readers sat at a group of tables meeting with clients, most of which had made appointments before the fair. One of the mediums was the Rev. Kay L. Napora, who is listed as a Reiki master and spiritual channeler on her business cards.

Mark Birdsall/Huron Daily Tribune

Napora said she channels a Native American spirit named "Spotted Eagle" who has been "with her" since she was 2 years old.

Spotted Eagle, speaking through Napora, asked one client at the beginning of their session to remove their hat and proceeded to explain that coincidences are examples of "synchronicity" and should not be dismissed as insignificant. There was also some discussion about health issues and advice about living well.

Spotted Eagle also advised the client to check the oil pan on their vehicle for damage and to commune with nature to become more connected to the unseen world.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration said Wednesday it will again give Egypt much of a $300 million tranche of annual military aid that's conditioned on human rights improvements, saying the U.S. ally had made progress by releasing some 500 of its estimated 60,000 political prisoners.

Rights groups and some U.S. lawmakers have urged the administration to withhold the full $300 million from Egypt, whose security forces and prisons are notorious for detention, torture and disappearances of democracy and rights activists, journalists, writers, political figures and others.

Senior U.S. officials, speaking on condition they not be identified to discuss details of the administration's decision-making, disclosed the move by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Congress has made U.S. payment of $300 million of the more than $1 billion Egypt receives in U.S. military aid contingent on President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi making progress on his government's poor record for political imprisonment and human rights. Administrations are able to waive that requirement for part of the $300 million.

Congress's conditioning of some of Egypt's aid makes for an annual public test of the Biden administration's balancing of strategic interests and human rights. President Joe Biden had vowed to put human rights and American values at the core of his administration's foreign policy.

As in the previous year, Blinken has informed Egypt that the U.S. would withhold $130 million of that aid but provide $170 million under the waiver, officials said.

The officials cited release of some 500 political detainees and what they said were Egyptian government efforts on fostering national dialogue.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had taken to the Senate floor this week to urge the administration to withhold the full $300 million. Murphy cited the case of the Egyptian father of one of his constituents, who Murphy said had been raped and subjected to electric shock and other abuse while imprisoned for his work to document rights abuses in Egypt.

Every day that we continue to send billions of dollars to the Egyptian government, while paying lip service to these egregious human rights violations, it is a blow both to our nations character and to our credibility around the world, Murphy said in one of his pleas, which were made before the State Department decision was announced.

While freeing the several hundred prisoners, Egypt under the military-backed el-Sisi has had to build 60 detention centers over the past decade, Murphy said, to house what rights groups consistently estimate is 60,000 political prisoners nationally.

Under federal law, the secretary of state must certify that Egypt is meeting the congressionally set conditions on human rights and political prisoners or issue a waiver.

The department said Blinken was unable to certify compliance on the human rights front other than with regard to political imprisonment.

Egypt is one of just two Arab nations  the other is Jordan  that once went to war with Israel but have since signed a peace treaty with that country. The U.S., in support of those peace agreements, has provided billions of dollars in military aid to Egypt since its 1978 peace treaty.

Under Sisi, Egypt has seen the heaviest crackdown on dissent in its modern history. Officials have targeted not only Islamist political opponents but also pro-democracy activists, journalists and online critics. Lengthy pretrial detentions have become a common practice to keep the governments critics behind bars for as long as possible.
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TORONTO (AP)  Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmaynes careers were, perhaps, always on a collision course. Their similar red-haired, fair-skinned appearances have long been compared. At the 2017 Golden Globes when they presented together, host Jimmy Fallon introduced them by rapping Chastain and the Redmayne to the beat of Cypress Hill's Insane in the Membrane.

Since meeting at a childrens film festival in Italy years ago, theyve been friends, too. Even if theyve occasionally verged on being rivals.

I think we needed The Danish Girl, because everyone always talks about how we look alike, Chastain says. I took a picture of him in costume in character and I emailed Eddie and I said, Stop taking my roles, (expletive).

The Good Nurse, which premiered over the weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival, brings Chastain and Redmayne together on screen for the first time. Its a deft, chilling true-life drama that revolves around the case of Charles Cullen, a nurse at East Coast hospitals who murdered at least 29 patients. The film is directed by Tobias Lindholm and adapted by screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917, Last Night in Soho) from Charles Graebers 2013 book, The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness and Murder.

Chastain plays Amy Loughren, a New Jersey single-mother nurse who befriends Cullen (Redmayne), after hes newly hired. In an interview together at a Toronto hotel ahead of the films premiere, their easily apparent chemistry in the film was even more effusive in person.

We play friends, Chastain says, over-emphasizing play. That was hard.

It was a joy, beams Redmayne, causing Chastain to laugh and sigh: He cant even pretend.

The film, which Netflix will release in theaters Oct. 19 and stream Oct. 26, deals with not just with a stealthy serial killer but the for-profit health care system that allowed him to go undetected for so long. Nnamdi Asomugha and Noah Emmerich co-star as police detectives.

For me, the script was a complex story, a mixture of this very intimate friendship, a story of heroism by Jessicas character, Amy, says Redmayne. But in some ways, it was a questioning of a system, and how that system worked or failed.

The Good Nurse was initially set up several years ago, but Lindholm, the Danish writer of several Thomas Vinterberg films including the Oscar-winning Another Round and The Hunt, committed to making a sprawling Danish miniseries, The Investigation, about the death of 30-year-old Swedish journalist Kim Wall. The actors discussed their options and elected to wait for Lindholm.

We had so many conversations before we even started. So we knew what we wanted with the film, and we were looking forward to it, Lindholm says. We came in with an extremely caring and loving energy. The three of us would be the core. My idea was that the three of us would create this film together.

Theyre a dream, the two of them, he adds. They look alike. They have the same humor. They have the same energy. And yet theyre so different.

For Chastain, 45, and Redmayne, 40, making The Good Nurse came with some trepidation. Working with friends, they note, can mean seeing a different side of someone. Redmaynes character, too, is a deeply damaged person who puts up a gentle and warm facade. Redmaynes slightly hangdog physicality in The Good Nurse is different than anything hes done.

I respect that he doesnt need to torture other people around him to believe his performance, says Chastain, who adds she respects any actor's process. Id be talking to Eddie just as easily as this, and then We gotta roll, and here comes Charlie. It wasnt like we were having to work with Charlie. I was like, Phew. I still like you, thank God!"

The Good Nurse is Chastain's first film since she won best actress at the Academy Awards earlier this year for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Promotions have highlighted that the two leads of the film are Oscar winners; Redmayne won best actor for his Stephen Hawking in 2014's The Theory of Everything.

I have to say when I saw the trailer of our film and it was like both of us had it, I was like, Yes,' says Chastain.

Thats almost the best feeling, Redmayne responds. Because you dont really believe it when it happens.

Chastain had previously had a superstition about holding an Oscar, and once refused to touch Redmayne's award.

But now, she says, laughing, Ill hold your Oscar and you can hold mine.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
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Get the latest live updates from Thursday's proceedings in the Alex Jones Sandy Hook defamation trial in Waterbury. Wednesday's live coverage is below.

Families of Sandy Hook victims are set to return to a Waterbury courtroom on Wednesday for the second day of trial to determine how much Alex Jones owes them in defamation damages.

The first day of the trial featured emotional testimony from the sister of Victoria Soto, a teacher killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and William Aldenberg, an FBI agent who responded to the shooting and also sued Jones. Their testimony followed opening arguments from Jones' attorney Norm Pattis and the families' attorney Chris Mattei.

The jury is expected to arrive at 10 a.m. to hear additional testimony.

Day ends with discussion on Alex Jones' company's bankruptcy filing

The second day of testimony ended with Infowars representative Brittany Paz still on the stand.

Defendants attorney Norm Pattis is expected to cross examine Paz on Thursday, followed by a redirect by plaintiffs. But after the jury was excused, Judge Barabara Bellis and attorneys agreed that they would first address an issue with a Jones-controlled entity before testimony restarts Thursday. It is unclear precisely what the issue is.

The entity, PQPR, is the merchandise supplier owned by Alex Jones and his parents, and the company that holds most of the debt on which Jones Free Speech Systems bankruptcy is based. The company filed for bankruptcy this summer, initially delaying the Connecticut trial.

Jones and Infowars had claimed in court filings that they were unable to find suppliers for the health supplements that are the companys primary source of revenue, after being deplatformed. PQPR, owned in part by Jones father, David Jones, has since provided those supplements, resulting in an outstanding debt which was the basis of Infowars bankruptcy.

Earlier this month, it was reported that PQPR has requested a trustee to review the finances of Free Speech Systems, the company that owns Infowars.

The cost for that trustee, reportedly $100,000, would be borne by PQPR, though if a judge allows that trustee to examine Free Speech Systems finances, and if that trustee finds that Free Speech Systems is indeed bankrupt, it could make it more difficult for plaintiffs in the current civil case to request a large sum of money.

Much of Pazs testimony has centered around Infowars performance, how that performance was related to Sandy Hook and how much money both Infowars and Jones personally reaped from that performance.

Infowars' users and page views jumped after Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

Infowars representative Brittany Paz testified that there was an increase in page views and users on the show following the Sandy Hook massacre.

And that increase meant that Alex Jones did a lot better financially? Mattei asked.

In 2012, the site attracted 49 million users resulting in 286 million page views. A year later, the site attracted 73 million users and 427 million page views.

Thats a 49.3 percent increase in page views year over year.

Sandy Hook parents' Texas attorney is in courtroom

Among those in the Waterbury courtroom on Wednesday is Mark Bankston, the attorney who represented Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, in a similar trial in Texas this summer. A jury awarded the parents about $49 million in damages from Jones.

Alex Jones uses trial to sell his book

During the testimony of his corporate representative, Alex Jones discussed the case on his live Infowars show, using the trial to sell copies of his book.

Jones said financial advisors told him you are barely solvent and they are wanting to shut you down, you better go raise some money.

He then told listeners to head to his online store where they can buy copies of his book, some with marked up prices, in order to keep him on the air after paying damages.

You could not act in a more important way to defeat the new world order, he told listeners.

The amount of money awarded to Jones victims can be based on his net worth.

Alex Jones' rep admits there was 'some harassment' of Sandy Hook families by Infowars supporters

In testimony Wednesday, Infowars representative Brittany Paz said she is aware there was some harassment of families, and admitted on the stand that some of that harassment was perpetrated by Infowars fans.

One week after the shooting, a writer for Infowars sent an email to a reviewer who had reviewed a movie called Sandy Hook Lingerie Party Massacre.

That email said that the review showed prior knowledge of the Sandy Hook massacre, and simultaneously said it was a vicious rumor, but that Infowars was planning on writing an article on it anyway.

Jury views video clip of Alex Jones on day of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

Testimony focused on the term false flag, which Infowars corporate representative Paz said she had not heard before taking the job.

A clip, which Paz said she does not have, despite being deposed about the video five months earlier, shows Jones calling the Sandy Hook massacre a false flag operation.

Jones later in the broadcast discussed the Reichstag fire, which was a false claim in which the Nazis started a fire in order to blame it on someone else.

A lot of governments stage these things to get our guns, Jones said. Why cant people get that through their heads?

The statements were broadcast by Jones on the first day after the Sandy Hook massacre.

Alex Jones blasts judge, families' attorney on his Infowars show

Alex Jones on Wednesday discussed the trial during a live episode of the Alex Jones Show on his Infowars channel.

H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media

Jones continued to characterize the trial as a political hit job. During the show, Judge Barbara Bellis was described as a woke, activist judge and attorney for the plaintiffs Chris Mattei as a leftist operative. Jones claimed the trial has become so focused on him, people  including his own lawyer  can no longer name the shooter.

Jones was found guilty of defamation after claiming Sandy Hook was a hoax and false flag operation in order to justify the government limiting the Second Amendment. The current trial is to determine how much he owes in damages to people victimized by his lies.

On Wednesday he told his viewers they came for the Second Amendment with Sandy Hook and now they were coming for the First Amendment, too.

The First Amendment protects speech from prior restraint by the government but does not protect speech that incites violence or is knowingly false and inflammatory.

Highlights from Wednesday morning's testimony

Court has adjourned for lunch following hourslong testimony between Chris Mattei, the attorney for the plaintiffs and Infowars representative Brittany Paz.

Paz, an attorney from Shelton, was selected personally by Alex Jones to be a corporate representative for his company, Free Speech Systems, during depositions.

Mattei spent much of the morning asking detailed questions about Infowars audience growth around the time Jones began to spread lies about the Sandy Hook shooting. Mattei showed data indicating a direct increase in page views following the Sandy Hook massacre.

Mattei asked Paz if Infowars uses Google Analytics to track metrics, to which she said no. When he showed internal emails between Infowars employees sharing Google Analytics data, she said she would expound on her no and said she was not aware of the company using Google Analytics, but knows it has access to the service.

The questioning also attempted to link Infowars finances with Alex Jones finances. The amount of damages awarded will be linked to how much Jones has profited from his Sandy Hook lies. Paz revealed during testimony that donations in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies go directly to Jones personal accounts, not an Infowars-connected account.

Paz would only say that Jones has made some millions off Infowars.



Mattei also questioned Paz about whether Jones is a journalist or not. Jones markets himself to his audience as a journalist and calls his company the house that truth built but Paz said he doesnt consider himself a journalist because he doesnt research or verify facts, despite telling his audience he does.

Mattei played a video of Jones saying Sandy Hook and the Aurora movie theater shooting a few months prior were false flag operations designed as a pretense to limit the Second Amendment and part of a global conspiracy out to kill and enslave them, Mattei said.

H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media

He does not do any independent analysis, Paz said.

The trial will resume at 2 p.m.

Testimony: Alex Jones says mass killings are hoaxes to incite fear among his followers

On the day of the Boston Marathon massacre, Jones said on television that the evidence is overwhelming that Sandy Hook was staged, as seen in a video shown in the courtroom.

Mattei asked Paz if Jones tells his followers mass killings are hoaxes in order to engender fear that the government would disarm them. Paz replied that was true.

The strategy, Mattei asked, is to tell his followers that he is the only source of truth, which then results in more views so he can sell more product. Paz agreed.

Mattei is attempting to draw a line between Alex Jones and violent extremism, specifically mentioning the assassination attempt on the life of Gabrielle Giffords.

After Paz said she could not reply, the court went into a 1-hour break

Alex Jones told corporate rep to say he was 'not a journalist'

Alex Jones has told his followers that he is a journalist a couple of times, testified Paz, corporate representative.

Pushing back, attorney Chris Mattei showed Paz a page on the Infowars website stating that he is a journalist.

He tells his followers that there is a global conspiracy out to kill and enslave them, and uses the status as a journalist to convince them of that, Mattei said.

However, in handwritten notes during a meeting with Jones, Paz wrote not a journalist, because he wanted Paz to testify that he was not, in fact, a journalist.

He does not do any independent analysis, Paz testified.

Jones sells his audience food buckets of storable food, Mattei said, after telling them there is a global food shortage intended to starve them.

Testimony: Alex Jones has made some millions off Infowars

A large section of text in the Infowars media kit designed for advertisers was in Latin.

Its not words, corporate representative Brittany Paz said in response. Or maybe Latin words.

The media kit, titled the house that truth built, suggests that Infowars was bigger than Glenn Beck and Fox News, among other conservative media personalities.

Jones used a program called Alexa to learn where Infowars ranked among other websites.

The media kit also presented demographics showing that 60 percent of viewers were male.

When asked if Jones is a very, very rich man, Paz said she cannot talk specifically about his personal income, other than to say he has made some millions of dollars.

Alex Jones owns the company and the company is making money, she said. I cant talk about his personal finances.

Alex Jones's company had billions of social media impressions after Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

Alex Jones and Infowars gave their viewers missions, Paz confirmed, though when asked if one of those missions was to investigate Sandy Hook, she replied that she did not recall.

Free Speech Systems had billions of social media impressions following the Sandy Hook massacre, but Paz refused to say whether or not other media companies did as well.

Plaintiffs did not have access to Infowars social media metrics from before 2014, but the company did have what Mattei referred to as media kits. When asked what a media kit was, Paz said she did not know.

Mattei then showed Paz and the jury a media kit, which was designed to provide metrics to possible advertisers. The first sentence in the media kit is the house that truth built.

In the media kit, Infowars calls itself Kings of their domains, and shows 3 million page view per month.

Plaintiffs draw connection between Sandy Hook coverage and Infowars success

Chris Mattei, attorney for the families, appears to be drawing a connection between website performance and Sandy Hook coverage on Infowars, putting Jones in the center as a decision-maker.

Mattei showed data indicating a direct increase in page views following the Sandy Hook massacre.

Some testimony focused on a particular video, titled Connecticut school massacre looks like false flag, witnesses say.

Paz, corporate representative for Free Speech Systems, testified that she was not aware of the contents of the video, and agreed after significant questioning that the video was clickbait, in part because it was not true.

She agreed that Infowars has access to Google Analytics to track website performance but does not actively use it.

Mattei then shows Paz an email from a longtime Infowars employee intended to demonstrate the use of the platform. That email showed 208.7 million pageviews in 2011.

H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media

Bitcoin Infowars donations go to Alex Jones personal account, corporate representative says

Alex Jones takes donations from viewers and followers in cryptocurrency, attorney Brittany Paz confirmed.

Those donations in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies go directly to Jones personal accounts, Paz confirms, not an Infowars-connected account.

Jones received a donation of more than $2 million U.S. dollars in Bitcoin from an unidentified person, according to an April 2022 report from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which found that the Infowars hosts interest in cryptocurrency increased days after he lost an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court over his Sandy Hook suit in Connecticut.

Paz confirmed that Jones and Infowars has seen exponential growth, resulting in billions upon billions of social media impressions, as attorney Chris Mattei characterized it.

Mattei shows evidence that Jones social media accounts had 2.9 billion impressions (views of a tweet, for example) in 2015, resulting in 28.8 million interactions (such as a comment or a like) and 24 million link clicks.

Mattei asked Paz if Jones had made social media a pillar of his growth strategy, which she confirmed.

Jones strategy was to send clips of his show via social media, often writing the title of clips himself, though Paz said she could not say how often he personally wrote those titles.

Attorney had never watched Infowars before being hired by Alex Jones

Paz was one of very few employees of Free Speech Systems (the company that owns Infowars) who were new to the organization serving as corporate representative.

Other people serving in the role had been employed by Jones for years.

I think he did it because he had no other choice, she said of her hiring.

Before being retained as a corporate representative, Paz said she had never watched an episode of Infowars, read any article or met Jones in person.

Attorney who worked for Alex Jones takes the stand

The first witness of the day is Brittany Paz, an attorney from Shelton.

Paz was selected personally by Alex Jones to be a corporate representative for his company, Free Speech Systems, during depositions.

Paz, in this case, is a witness for the plaintiffs.

Attorney Pattis, Paz testified, called her in January and offered her $25,000 to testify on Jones behalf in Texas and Connecticut. The number finally landed at $30,000, she said.

She was asked, she said, to testify on behalf of Jones two weeks after being hired.

Family members are in courtroom

Some family members have arrived in the Waterbury courtroom prior to the start of the trial.

Media arrives at courthouse for second day of trial

Members of the media have started to arrive at the courthouse more than an hour before the trial is scheduled to resume. So far, there are fewer TV stations and photographers in front of the courthouse on Wednesday compared to Tuesday. Fewer people passed through the security lines to get into the courthouse.

CORRECTION: An original version of this article incorrectly stated that Alex Jones' Texas attorney was in the courtroom on Wednesday. He was not present. An original version of this article also incorrectly stated the number of users Infowars had in 2012. In 2012, the site attracted 49 million users.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Attorneys for Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz suddenly and surprisingly rested their case Wednesday after calling only a fraction of their expected witnesses, leading to a shouting match after the judge accused them of a lack of professionalism.

Cruz's attorneys had told the judge and prosecutors they would be calling 80 witnesses but rested at the beginning of Wednesday's court session after calling only about 25. There were 11 days of defense testimony overall, the last two spotlighting experts about how his birth mother's heavy use of alcohol during pregnancy might have affected his brain's development and led to his murder of 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School four years ago.

The sudden announcement by lead attorney Melisa McNeill led to a heated exchange between her and Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, who called the decision without warning to her or the prosecution the most uncalled for, unprofessional way to try a case.

The 12-member jury and 10 alternates were not present but were lining up outside the courtroom to enter. The sudden announcement also meant prosecutors weren't ready to start their rebuttal case.

Lead prosecutor Mike Satz threw his hands up when Scherer asked if he could begin and, with a nervous laugh, said no."

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Were waiting for 40 more (defense) witnesses, Satz said.

Scherer then accused Cruz's attorneys of being inconsiderate to all involved, but especially the jurors for wasting their trip to court.

To have 22 people march into court and be waiting as if it is some kind of game. I have never experienced such a level of unprofessionalism in my career," Scherer said, raising her voice.

McNeill countered angrily, You are insulting me on the record in front of my client," before Scherer told her to stop. Scherer then laid into McNeill, with whom she has had a testy relationship since pretrial hearings began more than three years ago.

Youve been insulting me the entire trial, Scherer barked at McNeill. Arguing with me, storming out, coming late intentionally if you dont like my rulings. So, quite frankly, this has been long overdue. So please be seated.

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty last October to murdering 14 Stoneman Douglas students and three staff members on Feb. 14, 2018. His trial, now ending its second month, is only to determine whether he is sentenced to death or life without parole. For a death sentence, the jury must be unanimous.

After his attorneys rested, Cruz told Scherer he agreed with the decision.

I think we are good, he said.

When jurors were told of the decision, several stared at the defense table, appearing stunned.

Cruz's attorneys have tried to show how his late birth mother's alcohol abuse during pregnancy put Cruz onto a lifelong path of erratic, bizarre and often violent behavior that culminated in the shootings. They also tried to show that his adoptive mother, Lynda Cruz, became overwhelmed after her husband died when Cruz was 5.

They called witnesses who knew his birth mother, Brenda Woodard, a Fort Lauderdale prostitute. They testified she drank fortified wine and malt liquor and abused cocaine during her pregnancy.

They called Cruz's psychiatrists and psychologists and teachers from his preschool, elementary and middle school years  they all testified he was a slow developing child who hurt others, had frequent outbursts, made threats and had few friends.

The defense concluded their case by calling Dr. Kenneth Jones, one of the nation's leading fetal alcohol experts, who said in his five decades of research he had never seen a birth mother who had more documented drinking than Woodard. He believes Cruz's doctors didn't properly diagnose him with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, meaning he never got the right treatment.

But Cruz's attorneys had been expected to call his younger half-brother, Zachary, who was a central figure in their case with witnesses accusing him of bullying his smaller, weaker brother. They also presented no witnesses from the school for students with behavioral problems that Cruz attended and no witnesses to discuss his troubled days attending Stoneman Douglas, where he was frequently searched for weapons.

Two attorneys who have followed the trial are stunned by the defense's decision.

Wow. That is a shocker, said David Weinstein, a Miami defense attorney and former prosecutor. He said perhaps the defense was worried the prosecution's cross-examination of their witnesses was hurting their case, but I am surprised that there was no testimony about his high school years or more about" Cruz.

Robert Jarvis, a professor at Nova Southeastern University's law school near Fort Lauderdale, said the decision is hard to fathom.

Perhaps the defense felt it had made its case. Perhaps the defense felt it was losing the jury and further witnesses would only alienate the jury. Perhaps the defense felt that the witnesses to be called would give the prosecution too much leeway to explore matters during cross-examination that the defense did not want explored, Jarvis said.

Still, he said Scherer's dressing down of McNeill was uncalled for. He has been an outspoken critic of Scherer's selection to oversee such a complicated case  she had never tried a first-degree murder trial before being assigned Cruz's.

It was the defenses right to rest when it thought the right moment was reached. Indeed, I have never heard of a judge effectively demanding that a party call all its proposed witnesses, Jarvis said. This is just another example of Judge Scherer not being the right judge.

The defense is trying to overcome the prosecutions case, which focused on Cruzs massacre as he stalked a three-story classroom building for seven minutes with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. Satz played security videos of the shooting and showed the rifle Cruz used. Teachers and students testified about watching others die.

Satz showed graphic autopsy and crime scene photos and took jurors to the fenced-off building, which remains blood-stained and bullet-pocked. Parents and spouses gave tearful and angry statements about their loss.

Prosecutors said they will need more than a week to prepare their rebuttal case. The trial is now tentatively scheduled to resume Sept. 27 and conclude the week of Oct. 10.

___

AP writer Freida Frisaro in Miami contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  A federal judge on Tuesday found a Ridgefield man guilty of some charges after he was accused of crushing a police officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Patrick McCaughey III was charged with assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon and obstructing an official proceeding. Two other defendants, Tristan Chandler Stevens and David Mehaffie, were tried in a bench trial by District Judge Trevor N. McFadden at the same time.

All three were found guilty of assaulting or aiding and abetting in assaulting law enforcement officers, interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, and other charges, federal officials said.

McCaughey, who will be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2023, was found guilty of a total of nine offenses.

They include seven felony charges: Three counts of aiding or abetting or assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers, including one involving a dangerous weapon; one count of obstruction of an official proceeding; one count of interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder; one count of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, and one count of engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

The two misdemeanor charges include disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and committing an act of violence in the Capitol building or grounds.

"We disagree vehemently with the convictions pertaining to his alleged use of a dangerous or deadly weapon," McCaughey's Connecticut attorney Lindy Urso said Tuesday night. "We will prepare as best we can for sentencing and very much look forward to our appeal."

Prosecutors allege that during the riot, McCaughey joined a mob attempting to break into the building through an entrance on the lower west terrace. During the scuffle, Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges became pinned in a door frame by a clear police riot shield wielded by McCaughey, according to the government's court filings.

A video from the riot posted to YouTube shows Hodges screaming in pain as his gas mask is ripped off, exposing his bloodied mouth.

Hodges testified before the U.S. House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack that he feared being dragged out and "lynched" by the mob.

"My arms were pinned and effectively useless, trapped between either the shield on my left or the door frame on my right with my posture granting me no function strength or freedom of movement, I was effectively defenseless and gradually sustaining injury from the increasing pressure of the mob," Hodges told the Jan. 6 committee.

While pinned, another rioter grabbed his gas mask "and used it to beat my head against the door," Hodges said. He was crushed further as the crowd began a "heave-ho" motion against the line of law enforcement officers trying to hold the entrance to the Capitol, according to Hodges and government court filings. A rioter also stole his baton and used it to beat Hodges, the video shows.

Eventually, Hodges was able to retreat back into the Capitol following the assault.

McCaughey's attorney has argued in a court filing that the shield does not constitute a deadly or dangerous weapon, as the government has argued.

If McCaughey was using the defensive riot shield defensively and not in a manner likely to cause serious physical injury or death," then he shouldn't be convicted of those charges, Urso argued during the trial.

In testimony during the trial, Urso repeatedly questioned Hodges about how the shield could cause the pain he described, according to WUSA9. Urso also focused on a section of the video where McCaughey could be seen directing others to get Hodges help. But Hodges testified that getting him help would have removed another officer from the group blocking the entrance to the Capitol, and said members of the mob were trying to recruit officers to their cause during the riot.

McCaughey is also facing charges of disorderly conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon, and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or building.

Eight other co-defendants have also been indicted in addition to McCaughey in U.S. Court in the District of Columbia.

McFadden found three other co-defendants in the case guilty last month in a stipulated bench trial. But the judge also issued the courts first outright acquittal of an accused Jan. 6 rioter earlier this year, Politico reported. The defendant, Matthew Martin, of New Mexico, had been charged with entering the Capitol through an entrance at the rotunda. But McFadden said it was plausible Martin had believed it was OK to enter the Capitol building because police appeared to make no attempt to stop protesters there.
Ken Starr, a former federal appellate judge and a prominent attorney whose criminal investigation of Bill Clinton led to the presidents impeachment, has died at age 76, his family said Tuesday.

Starr died at a hospital Tuesday of complications from surgery, according to his former colleague, attorney Mark Lanier. He said Starr had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit in Houston for about four months.

In 2020, he was recruited to the legal team representing President Donald Trump in the nations third presidential impeachment trial.

For many years, Starrs stellar reputation as a lawyer seemed to place him on a path to the Supreme Court. At age 37, he became the youngest person ever to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia also had served. From 1989-93, Starr was the solicitor general in the administration of President George H.W. Bush, arguing 25 cases before the Supreme Court.

Despite his impressive legal credentials, nothing could have prepared him for the task of investigating a sitting president.

In a probe that lasted five years, Starr looked into fraudulent real estate deals involving a long-time Clinton associate, delved into the removal of documents from the office of deputy White House counsel Vincent Foster after his suicide and assembled evidence of Clintons sexual encounters with Monica Lewinsky, a former White House intern. Each of the controversies held the potential to do serious, perhaps fatal, damage to Clintons presidency.

As Clintons legal problems worsened, the White House pilloried Starr as a right-wing fanatic doing the bidding of Republicans bent on destroying the president.

The assaults took a toll on the investigation, Starr told a Senate committee in 1999. A duly authorized federal law enforcement investigation came to be characterized as yet another political game. Law became politics by other means.

In a bitter finish to his investigation of the Lewinsky affair that engendered still more criticism, Starr filed a report, as the law required, with the U.S. House of Representatives. He concluded that Clinton lied under oath, engaged in obstruction of justice and followed a pattern of conduct that was inconsistent with the presidents constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws. House Republicans used Starrs report as a roadmap in the impeachment of the president, who was acquitted in a Senate trial.

In 2020, he was recruited to help represent Trump in the nations third impeachment trial. In a memorable statement to Congress during the Trump impeachment trial, Starr said we are living in what I think can aptly be described as the age of impeachment. He said that like war, impeachment is hell, or at least presidential impeachment is hell.

Clintons legal problems began during the 1992 presidential campaign. Questions arose over the candidates ties to the owner of a failed Arkansas savings and loan. The issue faded quickly. But it caught the attention of federal regulators, who began looking into whether money from the S&L had been diverted to a real estate venture called Whitewater in which Bill and Hillary Clinton and the S&Ls owner, Jim McDougal, shared a financial interest.

Bowing to intense political pressure from Republicans and some members of his own party, Clinton called for appointment of a special counsel to investigate Whitewater. A three-member appeals court for independent counsels selected Starr.

On the Whitewater front, Starrs prosecutors investigated Mrs. Clintons legal work for Jim McDougals S&L. Both she and the president were questioned by Starrs prosecutors and their videotaped depositions were played for juries in criminal trials of McDougal and his ex-wife Susan. Neither of the Clintons was ever charged in connection with Whitewater.

The investigation of Clintons intimate relationship with Lewinsky was a Washington spectacle.

In 1995, Lewinsky went to work at the White House as an intern. During the government shutdown late that year, she and Clinton had a sexual encounter in a hallway near the Oval Office, the first of 10 sexual encounters over the next year and a half. Lewinsky confided the affair to a co-worker, Linda Tripp, who tape recorded some of their conversations and brought the tapes to Starrs prosecutors. Lewinsky was granted immunity from prosecution and became Starrs chief witness against the president, who had denied having sexual relations with Lewinsky.

Putting the investigation behind him, Starr embarked on a career in academia, first as dean of the law school at Pepperdine University where he taught constitutional issues and civil procedures, then as president of Baylor University in his home state of Texas. He also became an author, writing First Among Equals: The Supreme Court in American Life.

Born in Vernon and raised in San Antonio, Starr earned his B.A. from George Washington University in 1968, his M.A. from Brown University in 1969 and his J.D. degree from Duke University Law School in 1973. He was a law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger from 1975 to 1977.

As a young attorney at the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles, Starr worked with William French Smith, who became attorney general in the administration of President Ronald Reagan. Starr became counselor to Smith, and from there was nominated by Reagan to the federal appeals court.

___

Bleiberg contributed from Dallas. The late Associated Press writer Pete Yost contributed to this report.
About 80,000 female service members -- 40% of all women on active duty -- now will face no or severely restricted access to abortion services in the U.S., which could increase frustrations over health care and cause more to leave military service, according to Rand Corp.

The think tank released an analysis Wednesday that found women, who are already more likely to separate due to a lack of family planning service and discrimination, may be even less likely to remain in uniform after the Supreme Court in its Dobbs v. Jackson decision in June struck down abortion rights and states have since moved to ban or restrict abortion.

The Pentagon under the Biden administration has vowed that troops will retain access to the health care option, and the Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing to give abortions under limited circumstances for the first time. But troops in Republican-led states across the country will be subject to new anti-abortion laws and may face legal jeopardy if they undergo the procedure.

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"Frustration with family planning in the context of a military career and gender bias and discrimination often are cited as reasons for [female service members'] separation," according to Rand. "It is not unreasonable to expect that both women's propensity to serve and their subsequent retention intentions will decrease as Dobbs adds to and complicates these issues."

The high court's repeal of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that laid the precedent for nearly 50 years of abortion rights, was a landmark event in the heated national debate that has burned on for generations. The full implications of the decision -- widely celebrated by Republicans and abortion opponents -- and its impact on the military are still coming into focus.

For now, it remains unclear how many service members have sought out abortions and what the demand is among military personnel. "Unfortunately, data in this area are limited," Rand said.

As a result of a 1976 law known as the Hyde Amendment, the Defense Department can provide abortions only in cases of rape or incest, or to protect the health of the mother, meaning troops must seek out civilian care. The law could partially explain the lack of clear data.

"For example, there is no single source that tells us how many military service members or DoD civilians have sought abortions as part of their reproductive health care," according to the think tank.

Military.com reported in June that U.S. military hospitals had performed fewer than 100 abortions since 2016 -- though that number does not reflect any elective abortions sought by female service members in civilian facilities. The actual number of abortions is likely much higher.

Beyond causing a problem for female retention, Rand said a lack of abortion access could also increase the number of unintended pregnancies among troops, adding strain to a health system already short on medical personnel who specialize in birth and child care.

"Second, the DoD child care program might need to expand to accommodate any additional births that occur as a result of women having children that they might not have had otherwise," the authors wrote.

Military leaders could blunt some of the impact of abortion bans by increasing access to contraceptives and improving communication with women about policies that govern pregnancy, abortion and their service after giving birth, according to the think tank.

"Both would provide service women and DoD civilians with the resources and information they need to make informed decisions both before and after a pregnancy occurs," the report says.

The future of abortion services remains cloudy for the military as the current Democratic administration scrambles to handle the seismic shift in politics and law. Despite the Pentagon's vow to maintain access, it has yet to hammer out a clear plan.

Several service branches haven't ruled out letting service members transfer locations over state or local laws they feel are discriminatory -- though Army leaders recently said they won't follow suit. The Air Force said it was even mulling where it will station future bases over restrictive abortion laws.

House Democrats recently added protections for troops seeking leave for abortion care into their version of the annual defense spending bill. Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced a bill Tuesday that would ban abortions after 15 weeks at the federal level.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: With Hour-Long Drives and Weeks Until Appointments, Pregnant Military Women Feel Pain of Medical Reforms
A towering bronze and granite monument to the Confederacy in Arlington National Cemetery depicts Southerners gallantly marching off to the Civil War -- and their Black slaves holding a white soldier's baby and following troops obediently.

Ringing the memorial, built in 1914, are shields listing the states that violently rebelled against the U.S. in an attempt to break away and keep about 4 million people in bondage.

"It is problematic from the top to the bottom," retired Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, the vice chair of the Naming Commission, told a press gathering on Tuesday.

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The 108-year-old monument should be stripped and removed down to its granite base plate, the commission will tell Congress in a forthcoming report on its recommendations. The latest and final report by the Naming Commission, created by Congress to scrub Confederate tributes from military property, will also recommend renaming the Navy ship USS Chancellorsville, which takes its name from a Civil War battle.

The Navy guided-missile cruiser is named after the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863, which was a Confederate victory and a major win for Gen. Robert E. Lee, one of the South's most skilled military leaders. Confederate Lt. Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded during the battle, according to the American Battlefield Trust.

"What did they say when they commissioned the ship? We looked at what used to be in the boardroom, and there were pictures of Lee and Jackson in the boardroom, and that's been taken out since then," Seidule said. "So we looked at the entire context and felt as though this commemorated the Confederacy, as a unanimous decision among the eight commissioners."

The USNS Maury, a Military Sealift Command oceanographic survey ship, should also be renamed, the panel concluded. The ship is named after a pioneer of oceanography and naval officer who later joined the Confederacy.

The commission has completed three reports since August with sweeping recommendations for the Pentagon, which include renaming Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Benning, Georgia; and six other military bases in the South. It also said West Point and the Naval Academy should strip the names of Confederate military leaders from buildings and property.

The entire initiative will cost about $62 million, but the renaming could be an arduous process for some of the nation's largest Army bases, which will require changes to maps, signs, websites and any other references, retired Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, a commission member, said during a briefing Tuesday on the latest recommendations.

"There's some places where the secretaries can move on fairly quickly," said Bostick, who also sat on the review panel that recommended the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for gay troops in 2011. "Maybe the bases are going to take some time."

The changes are supposed to be in place by the beginning of 2024, according to the law passed by Congress in December 2020.

The push from Congress to create the panel came amid a national debate on race and civil rights, including how the country remembers the Southern states that fought against the union for the cause of slavery. Many of the Confederate names and memorials were created in the 1900s as part of a movement to promote the Lost Cause mythology, which seeks to whitewash the South's motivations in the war and the suffering of slaves.

The debate is still politically charged. Former President Donald Trump vetoed the must-pass annual defense bill that included the creation of the Naming Commission over his opposition to removing Confederate names from military bases. But he was overridden by Congress.

The Arlington Confederate Memorial perpetuates the myths about the South, particularly one about how slaves were devoted to their masters, and is "perhaps the most egregious loyal slave monument," according to an article in Smithsonian Magazine in 2017.

The memorial was created after white Southern troops who died in the Civil War were reinterred at the national cemetery beginning in 1900. The graves were segregated for whites only and Black troops were "buried alongside former slaves and poor whites" until the cemetery was desegregated in 1948 by an executive order of President Harry Truman, according to Arlington National Cemetery.

-- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten.

Related: West Point and Naval Academy Should Scrub Names of Confederate Officers, Panel Tells Congress
IZIUM, Ukraine (AP)  Hand on heart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched his countrys flag rise Wednesday above the recaptured city of Izium, making a rare foray outside the capital while highlighting Moscows embarrassing retreat from a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian forces left the war-scarred city last week as Kyiv's soldiers pressed a stunning advance that has reclaimed large swaths of territory in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region.

As Zelenskyy looked on and sang the national anthem, the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the burned-out city hall building. After almost six months under Russian occupation, Izium was left largely devastated, with apartment buildings blackened by fire and pockmarked by artillery strikes.

A gaping hole and piles of rubble stood where one building had collapsed.

The view is very shocking, but it is not shocking for me," Zelenskyy said in brief comments to the journalists, "because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories  the same destroyed buildings, killed people.

Bucha is a small city on the outskirts of Kyiv that Russian forces withdrew from in March. In the aftermath, Ukrainian authorities discovered the bodies of hundreds of civilians dumped in streets, yards and mass graves. Many bore signs of torture.

Prosecutors said they so far have found six bodies with traces of torture in recently retaken Kharkiv region villages. The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said bodies were found in Hrakove and Zaliznyche, villages around 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Kharkiv city.

We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did. ... Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, listing the names of places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities.

Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas previously held by Russia, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted demands for Russian officials to face war crime charges.

Moscows recent rout in northeast Ukraine was its largest military defeat since the withdrawal of Russian troops from areas around Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along the road.

As Zelenskyy visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, demined liberated territory and investigated possible war crimes. He said that as Ukrainian soldiers retake occupied villages, the life comes back.

The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian forces were preparing to retake the region, most of which has been under Russian control since July and which borders the Kharkiv region.

He told The Associated Press that Ukrainian guerrilla forces were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk.

But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the (Ukrainian) flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

A separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult.

In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago.

U.S. President Joe Biden observed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have made significant progress in recent days but said, "I think its going to be a long haul.

In the wake of the recent gains, a new front line has started to emerge along the Oskil River, which largely traces the eastern edge of the Kharkiv region, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday.

Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose," the institute said.

The counteroffensive has also left more weapons in Ukrainian hands.

Russian forces likely left behind dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east of the country, a Ukrainian think tank said Wednesday.

The Center for Defense Strategies said one single Russian unit that was around Izium left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles known by the acronym BMP. Another unit left behind 47 tanks and 27 armored vehicles.

The center said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces destroy equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it.

However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently saw them leave untouched ammunition and weapons behind.

In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing the death toll to keep rising in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Russian shelling of seven Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours killed at least seven civilians and wounded 22 more, Ukraines presidential office reported Wednesday morning.

Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, said regional governor Vitaliy Kim. Settlements near the front line in Mykolaiv region remain under constant fire.

The Nikopol area, which is across a river from the shut down Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, but no injuries were immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

In the Luhansk region, where some of the Russian troops went after retreating from the Kharkiv region, mobile internet service was down, according to Haidai, and intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued.

Fighting also raged on in the neighboring Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16 more. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas region.

Every night in Donbas is restless. The civilians should leave the region. Its a matter of life and death, Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.

___

Arhirova reported from Kyiva. Associated Press journalist Jon Gambrell in Kyiv contributed.
WASHINGTON  Russia has covertly spent more than $300 million since 2014 to try to influence politicians and other officials in more than two dozen countries, the State Department alleges in a newly released cable.

The cable released Tuesday cites a new intelligence assessment of Russia's global covert efforts to support policies and parties sympathetic to Moscow. The cable does not name specific Russian targets but says the U.S. is providing classified information to select individual countries.

It's the latest effort by the Biden administration to declassify intelligence about Moscow's military and political aims, dating back to ultimately correct assessments that Russia would launch a new war against Ukraine. Many of President Joe Biden's top national security officials have extensive experience countering Moscow and served in government when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched wide-ranging campaigns to influence the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections.

A senior administration official declined to say how much money Russia is believed to have spent in Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top deputies have long accused Putin of meddling in domestic politics. The official noted allegations of Russian influence in recent elections in Albania, Bosnia and Montenegro, all Eastern European countries that have faced historical pressure from Moscow.

Unlike declared efforts by foreign governments to lobby for preferred initiatives, Russia's covert influence involved using front organizations to funnel money to preferred causes or politicians, the cable alleges. That includes think tanks in Europe and state-owned enterprises in Central America, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

The U.S. has in its history also covertly funded political groups and been responsible for efforts to topple or undermine foreign governments. The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under rules set by the administration, rejected comparisons between Russia's activities and current U.S. financing of media and political initiatives.

Putin was spending huge sums in an attempt to manipulate democracies from the inside, the official said.

State Department spokesman Ned Price called Russia's covert funding an assault on sovereignty.

It is an effort to chip away at the ability of people around the world to choose the governments that they see best fit to represent them, to represent their interests, and to represent their values, he said.

Russia's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The State Department took the unusual step of releasing a diplomatic cable that was sent on Monday to many U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, many of them in Europe, Africa and South Asia, laying out the concerns.

The cable, which was marked sensitive and not intended for foreign audiences but was not classified, contained a series of talking points that U.S. diplomats were instructed to raise with their host governments regarding alleged Russian interference. Among steps diplomats were told to recommend include sanctions, travel bans, and exposure of covert financing.

According to the cable, intelligence officials believe Russia planned to transfer at least hundreds of millions more dollars in funding to sympathetic parties and officials around the world.

The cable does not say how intelligence officials came up with the total figure of $300 million. It also does not address concerns that Russia or other adversaries may again try to interfere in U.S. politics.

The official briefing reporters noted that Biden had recently extended a national emergency declaration addressing the continued threat of foreign election interference.

Were promoting coordination with our democratic peers," the official said. "And well be exchanging lessons learned, all to advance our collective election security, but also our election security here at home.

Josh Rudolph, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund's Alliance for Securing Democracy who researches Russian and Chinese financial influence, compared the White House decision to release its new findings with its declassification of Russian plans and intentions in the Ukraine war.

That made a lot of sense because it got the Ukrainians ready for their own defense and it helped rally the Europeans to build an international coalition, Rudolph said. This can have all of those same benefits but also defang the operation itself. If the target is voters, then what you mainly have to do is reach those voters and let them know what's happening to them.

___

AP Diplomatic Writer Matt Lee contributed to this report.
Valerie Schmitz was used to her husband, David, training late at night as an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.

But she didn't understand why, around midnight on July 1, 2020, he chose to ring the doorbell, riling up their dog -- Toby -- instead of just using his key to come in. When she opened the door, David wasn't there.

"I opened the door and in front of me I see members of his squadron and a chaplain," she wrote in a public Facebook post in 2020. "My heart sank to my stomach. The looks on their faces said it all. I was informed that there was an accident and unfortunately Dave did not make it."

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Now, two years later, the 32-year-old has filed a federal civil lawsuit against defense giant Lockheed Martin, Collins Aerospace and several sections of Teledyne Technologies, alleging that components of her husband's ejection seat may have been counterfeit, leading to his death on June 30, 2020.

Lockheed Martin manufactures the F-16 that Schmitz flew, Collins Aerospace builds the ACES II ejection seat system on the aircraft, and Teledyne Technologies makes the digital recovery sequencer (DRS) for the system.

In the months after his death, the Air Force's Accident Investigation Board said the pilot clipped an antenna during a landing attempt and damaged his landing gear. He attempted a cable arrest but had to eject after his left wing hit the runway.

The Air Force board also said his ejector seat malfunctioned, and he died instantly upon impact.

According to new information in an amended complaint filed in U.S. District Court in South Carolina on Aug. 30, the Air Force's Research Laboratory examined components in the seat and believed some of them were suspect.

"After 1st Lt. David J. Schmitz's death, the USAF Research Laboratory determined his malfunctioning DRS contained six suspected counterfeit Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFET), three suspected counterfeit serial flash memory chips, and a suspected counterfeit parallel flash memory chip," the lawsuit states.

Normally, when an ejector seat exits an aircraft, the DRS activates.

Typically, the system sends signals to multiple pyrotechnic devices, which execute the ejection sequence. In Schmitz's case, six pyrotechnic devices should have fired but did not, and the parachute did not deploy.

Schmitz had less than four seconds after initiating ejection to pull the emergency manual parachute deployment handle once he realized the first hadn't worked.

The South Carolina-based Motley Rice law firm's aviation attorney James Brauchle is representing Schmitz's wife, Valerie. He said the Air Force has not been forthcoming with her about the details of the case and she hadn't learned of the questionable parts until requesting the Air Force Aircraft Investigation Board's findings.

"The Air Force has not been transparent as they never informed David's wife that there were suspected counterfeit parts," Brauchle told Military.com in an emailed statement. "It was not until a FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] request for the tabs of the AAIB report did we find that the investigators suspected counterfeit parts as no mention of counterfeit parts was included in the main body of the AAIB report."

Department of the Air Force spokeswoman Rose Riley told Military.com that the service does not comment on pending litigation.

Emails and phone calls requesting comment from Collins Aerospace and Teledyne Technologies were not immediately returned.

Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Leslie Farmer said in an email, "It is our practice not to comment on pending litigation."

The defendants will be required to file a rebuttal by the end of the month.

An extensive two-part investigation from Military.com last year examined Schmitz's death and raised notable concerns about the serious impacts of limited flight hours and insufficient training due to limited available aircraft and the demands of real-life missions.

Military.com's series also pointed out that there was an opportunity for the ejection seat to be examined and flawed parts to be detected in 2017, three years before the incident, but it didn't happen because of a lack of available parts.

Valerie Schmitz's legal team is blaming the contractors for wrongful death, accident liability, negligent supervision and failure to warn about the issue and is seeking a jury trial as well as financial damages.

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.

Related: The Air Force Knew It Had an Ejection Seat Problem, But Didn't Speed Up a Fix. Then a Pilot Died
In the past three years, two women were selected to start the grueling process of becoming Navy SEALs, but neither made it, Military.com has learned.

During a meeting Sept. 13 of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, or DACOWITS, a Navy officer told the board that there were two women currently in the "pipeline" to become Navy SEALS -- one enlisted and one officer.

But when asked for clarification, a Navy Special Warfare Command spokesman said the officer misspoke. Instead, three female sailors are pursuing paths to become Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewmen, and one officer is waiting for results from the SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection Board to determine whether she will be offered a SEAL contract.

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The spokesman added that two enlisted women were offered SEAL contracts -- a requirement to enter Naval Special Warfare but only one step on the way to becoming a SEAL -- in 2019 and 2020 and began training but left early in the process. The spokesman declined to say at what stage they left, citing the "integrity of Naval Special Warfare Center courses and the privacy of its candidates."

With the first women graduating from Army Ranger School in 2015 and the Defense Department opening all military occupational specialties and ratings to women in 2016, female troops have made inroads into nearly all areas of service.

Still, the special operations community, with its physical demands and high operations tempo, has remained elusive to female troops.

According to Navy Capt. Jason Birch, former commanding officer of SEAL Team 10, one woman serves as a Naval Special Warfare operator; three have graduated from the U.S. Army Special Operations Qualifications Course; the first female Green Beret graduated in 2020; and women have served in the 75th Ranger Regiment. The Air Force graduated its first first female special tactics officer in June.

But breaking the glass ceiling of the Navy SEALs has proven difficult.

To date, 13 women have been chosen for Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman training, with one completing the course and becoming the Navy's first female Naval Special Warfare operator -- the boat operators who transport Navy SEALs and conduct their own classified missions -- in July 2021.

Eight women have participated in the SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection process in the past seven years. Two completed assessment and selection, although they did not receive SEAL contracts, according to the Navy.

"Although neither were selected for a contract, female service members and civilians have a rich history of service within NSW, and their diverse talents and capabilities will continue to evolve and professionalize the NSW force," the spokesman said in an email to Military.com.

To become a Navy SEAL or Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewman, candidates must meet certain physical, intellectual and medical requirements before they are offered a contract.

Once they receive a contract, they enter the "pipeline," which begins with the candidates attending a seven-week Naval Special Warfare Orientation in Coronado, California.

If they make it through that orientation course, candidates begin their specialized training, while enlisted SEAL candidates move on to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training.

Officers who want to become Navy SEALs must endure the physically demanding two-week SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection course before a board decides whether they should be given a contract, after which they would enter BUD/S.

Birch told the DACOWITS panel that the Navy is increasing outreach to potential pools of candidates and has placed female instructors at the Navy Special Warfare Training Center in order to generate interest among potential female Navy Special Warfare candidates.

The female instructors -- the Navy plans to increase their numbers from four to 11 -- help "normalize" for students the idea of women working alongside men, Birch said, and provide "downrange credibility" for female recruits who may be interested in Special Warfare.

As for outreach, the service is working with women within the Navy and other branches to attract candidates, he said.

"Obviously, we can't have [female] SEALs go out to the industry, because we don't have any yet, so it has to start somewhere," Birch said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: The First Woman Has Made it Through SEAL Officer Screening
A former first sergeant in the United States Army Reserve and a combat veteran, Anthony Kuhn focuses on the representation of military personnel, federal employees and federal agents at Tully Rinckey, where he is a managing partner.

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

Getting divorced is a complex process, and it is especially complicated in the military.

Most pitfalls for service members lie in the division of certain government benefits. There are particular restrictions for veterans that govern how their benefits are split during a divorce, as military or veteran benefits may or may not be distributed.

What Military Benefits Are Considered Marital Property?

A military pension may be considered shared property that must be divided in the event of divorce. In general, marital property that does not meet the criteria of separate property is split at divorce. Property obtained either before or after a divorce is referred to as "separate property." Property acquired during the marriage is usually considered shared property unless it was received as a gift or inherited entirely in the spouse's name.

New federal restrictions in 2017 also altered how pensions are distributed throughout all 50 states. The pension is currently locked in time as of the separation, divorce or annulment date. The purpose of this federal regulation was to prohibit an ex-spouse from receiving a higher-than-normal pension sum. For example, if the service member was a sergeant at the time of the divorce but is now a master sergeant, the ex-spouse will get a portion of the retirement income based on the lower rank.

Some examples of military benefits that would be considered separate property include Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) and VA Disability Compensation. These payments are considered separate property of the retiree and are not split upon divorce because they involve an injury or medical condition and are not retirement benefits. Similarly, Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation benefits are not subject to divorce since these benefits are viewed as a particular gratuity provided to veterans with disabilities related to their time in the military as recompense for any diseases or injuries they sustained while serving.

The 20/20/20 Rule

The 20/20/20 rule is often brought up during a military divorce when deciding upon an ex-spouse's access to the same benefits as a military spouse. The breakdown of the criteria that make ex-spouses eligible include:

Being married for 20 years;

The military spouse having served for 20 years; and

The 20 years of marriage overlapping the 20 years of military service.

Should the ex-spouse meet all of these requirements, they will receive access to the same benefits as a current military spouse for the remainder of their life, provided they don't remarry. They will still retain their military ID card, which grants them access to base commissaries and military exchanges. Continuation of Tricare benefits for qualifying spouses is not automatic and must be re-registered under their own names and Social Security numbers. Tricare requires applicants to provide original copies of their marriage certificates, divorce decrees and any other papers proving their ex-military spouse's service or retirement.

According to the Tricare website, eligible former spouses have the same Tricare coverage choices as retired family members up until they remarry or sign up for an employer-sponsored health plan.

The 10/10 Rule

Another rule that is often cited during a military divorce when it comes to awarding military pensions is the 10/10 rule. In short, the 10/10 rule states that, if the marriage lasted 10 years and the service member or former service member served in the military for at least 10 years during that time, the former spouse is entitled to pension payments directly from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). The spouse's attorney must ensure that specific language is included in the divorce paperwork.

The rule addresses only the source of payment to the spouse, which is a direct payment. The spouse gets pension-related payments directly from DFAS, which handles payments for the Defense Department. As a result, the ex-spouse is freed from the need to rely on and wait for payments from the retired service member.

The 10/10 rule generally causes confusion when retired military personnel claim that the former spouse is only eligible for military pension benefits if the pair were married for at least 10 years while they were together serving in the military. The 10/10 rule is only used to determine whether the former spouse will receive payments directly from DFAS instead of the service member or veteran. The 10/10 rule is not used to determine whether a former spouse is entitled to a portion of the pension.

The Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act

The USFSPA is a statute passed by Congress in 1982 to provide financial protection to some ex-spouses of service members. It permits states to divide military disposable retiree pay as marital property in the event of a divorce. Disposable retirement pay is defined as the total monthly retirement pay, minus:

Deductions for retirement pay forfeitures following a court-martial;

Deductions from a military member's waiver of retirement pay as a requirement for veteran benefits;

Amounts equivalent to retirement compensation under U.S. Code Title 10, Chapter 61 Script; and

Elective deductions in accordance with U.S. Code Title 10, Chapter 73 Code used for annuities paid to a spouse or ex-spouse in accordance with Title 10, Section 1408 of the U.S. Code.

Further, a former spouse can take out child support or alimony from the military spouse's retired pay; however, it still requires a court order and must pass the 10/10 rule should the award be sent as a direct payment. According to the USFSPA, no more than 65% of a retired military member's pension can be deducted for spousal and child support obligations.

Survivor Benefits Plan Elections

The SBP is an annuity that a retiring service member can elect to ensure that their beneficiary receives a portion of the retired pay after they die. SBP is a specific benefit that the retiree must elect, generally at the time of retirement from active duty or immediately upon receiving their 20-year letter as a reservist, for a spouse, child or anyone with an insurable interest in the retiree.

Even if some service members decide not to sign up for the SBP plan because they have no qualified beneficiaries, they might later get married or have a kid who qualifies for benefits and want to change their election status. Because the reasons for changing one's coverage are few and far between, the SBP election made by service members at the time of retirement is difficult to change. In such a case, a service member would have one year from the date of initial eligibility (marital change, childbirth, etc.) to announce their desire to have their beneficiary covered.

In the case of marriages, there are many different nuances to be aware of, and depending on whether it is a remarriage or not, the election process and coverage amount may be subject to change. To learn more about SBP benefits, check out our article "What You Need to Know About Your SBP Benefits" for more information on your rights and coverage.

Understanding Your Benefits in a Military Divorce

Divorces involving military personnel may be highly complex. It's crucial to know your rights when it comes to your benefits and to seek experienced legal counsel should you have any remaining questions. Even if the marriage lasted fewer than 20 years, the court may nonetheless award a portion of the military member's retirement to the civilian spouse. Every circumstance is unique. In some circumstances, the parties will divide the pension, while in others, one party will cede their pension rights in exchange for other assets after the divorce.
For some reason, communist regimes around the world just can't seem to let go of their old leadership. For most, it's enough to have their dead, embalmed bodies encased in glass and on display in perpetuity. North Korea, however, passed a resolution to keep one of its dead men in glass as president for all eternity.

It's not an official tradition, but the founders of new regimes who did not outlive their communist governments have ended up this way since the very beginning of communism, with the notable exception of Fidel Castro. These five are still embalmed and still open for visits -- with varying degrees of difficulty.

1. Vladimir Lenin

The original embalmed communist, no one affected the future of Russia or the world as much as Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, also known as Lenin. Unfortunately for the Russian revolutionary, his strokes were the only things outside of his control. His second stroke left his right side paralyzed. After his third stroke in 1923, he could no longer speak.

On Jan. 21, 1924, Lenin slipped into a coma and died. His remains were taken to Moscow, where he would be interred in a special glass mausoleum forever, his body permanently embalmed for display adjacent to Red Square. Lenin's Mausoleum is still there today.

Fun Fact: Russia changed his outfit over the past 100 years. (Courtesy of Alexei Yurchak)

2. Ho Chi Minh

By the time the Vietnam War began for the United States, Ho Chi Minh was in his 70s. The former guerrilla fighter against the Japanese occupation of Vietnam may have admired American ideals, but he was a committed communist. When he died of a heart attack in 1969, North Vietnam was still teetering on the edge of losing the war to the South and its American backers.

Construction on the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum began in September 1973, after the U.S. had withdrawn its troops from Vietnam, and was formally dedicated in August 1975, after the two Vietnams were reunited by force. For the six years between his death and the mausoleum's construction, his body was moved constantly to protect it. His embalmed remains are in a glass case in the center, protected by an honor guard.

3. Mao Zedong

Chairman Mao was a physical wreck for the last few years of his life, with chronic lung and heart problems and possibly even Parkinson's disease and Lou Gehrig's disease. With the secretive nature of communist regimes, it's anyone's guess. What we do know is that he finally succumbed to his third heart attack in 1976.

After lying in state for a week, his body was embalmed (against his wishes) and placed in what would soon become the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall off of Tiananmen Square. The project was begun right after his death in September 1976 and was completed in May 1977, with the help of 700,000 people. Like Lenin and Ho Chi Minh before him, his embalmed remains are in a cooled glass case inside.

4. Kim Il-Sung

North Korea's founder and Eternal President died of a sudden heart attack in 1994 after ruling the country for 46 years, sparking one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history, and creating a paranoid rogue state still best known for the Kim cult of personality. After a 10-day mourning period, his remains were taken to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

Unlike the other dictators, the Kumsusan Palace was not built for the purpose of housing the "Great Leader's" dead body. It was built to house his living one. It was converted to a mausoleum after his death. His body remains encased in glass in the house, positioned so visitors can't see the giant goiter on his neck.

5. Kim Jong-Il

Like father, like son ... at least in death. Unlike his father's reign, Kim Jong-Il's rule was marked by turbulence, famine and deprivation. Like his father, however, he died from a massive heart attack. His time came in December 2011, and following a mourning period, a 232-member funeral procession carried his embalmed remains to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

Not pictured: Kim Jong-Il's Macbook pro. (KCNA)

Kim Jong-Il's body got its own sarcophagus room, complete with glass casing, where his body rests much the way his father's does. It's different in that viewers can also see his Macbook, personal yacht and the train on which he had the heart attack that killed him.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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The Dodgers announced theyve designated reliever Heath Hembree for assignment. The move clears active and 40-man roster space for Tommy Kahnle, who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Hembree signed a minor league deal with L.A. this summer after being let go by the Pirates. He made the big league roster a couple weeks back and went on to make six appearances as a Dodger. Hembree was hit hard, surrendering six runs (five earned) on nine hits and three walks while fanning five. It was the continuation of early-season struggles in Pittsburgh, where he was tagged for a 7.16 ERA with more walks than strikeouts through 16 1/3 innings.

The 33-year-old will hit the waiver wire in the next few days. He has more than enough service time to refuse an outright assignment, so its likely hell return to the open market if he passes through waivers unclaimed. Hembree is playing this season on a $2.125MM salary after signing with the Pirates during Spring Training. Pittsburgh remains on the hook for the majority of that sum, with the Dodgers only paying him the prorated portion of the $700K league minimum for the few weeks he spent on their roster.

Kahnle is back for the first time in nearly four months. The right-hander landed on the injured list in May due to inflammation in his throwing arm. That came on the heels of 2020-21 seasons almost completely lost to arm issues, including Tommy John surgery. Since the conclusion of the 2019 season, Kahnle has pitched in only five MLB games  one with the Yankees in 2020 and four with Los Angeles this May.

On the bright side, Kahnle averaged a solid 95.3 MPH on his heater and was generating plenty of whiffs on his changeup during his brief look earlier in the year. Hed been an excellent high-leverage arm at times during his stint in the Bronx, making him an intriguing option for manager Dave Roberts as the Dodgers turn their attention to the postseason. Kahnle worked seven innings of three-run ball on a rehab stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City, striking out seven against a pair of free passes.
The Rays announced theyve placed second baseman Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to September 12, with lower back discomfort. Backstop Rene Pinto was recalled from Triple-A Durham to take the open active roster spot.

Its the third IL stint of what has to be a frustrating season for Lowe. He suffered a stress reaction in his lower back in mid-May, an injury that required a multi-week shutdown and two-month absence. He returned in mid-July but went back on the shelf with a calf contusion in late August. That second stint proved brief, as Lowe was reinstated after a minimal 10-day absence last week, but hes now again headed back to the injured list.

The Rays havent indicated how long they anticipate Lowe being out of action, but its an ill-timed absence as the end of the regular season nears. Tampa Bay trails the Yankees by 5 1/2 games in the AL East and is unlikely to capture the division title, but theyre battling for Wild Card position. The Rays, Mariners and Blue Jays occupy the ALs three Wild Card spots and are all within half a game of one another. With a 5 1/2 cushion over the nearest non-playoff team, the Orioles, it seems likely all three will make it to the postseason. Securing the top Wild Card spot entitles a team to home-field advantage in the first-round playoff series, with all three games (if necessary) taking place at the higher seeds ballpark.

Tampa Bays efforts to secure that position will be dealt a blow with Lowe again hitting the shelf. Isaac Paredes, Jonathan Aranda and Taylor Walls look like the top candidates to step in at the keystone, with the club losing some infield depth yesterday when Yu Chang was nabbed off waivers by the Red Sox. Lowe isnt having his best season, but his .221/.308/.383 line still checks in a hair above league average by measure of wRC+.
To ensure children in his constituency are not left out in his share of the development projects, Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu Constituency, Hon. Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin embarked on a project to improve the reading culture among school children in his constituency.

The lawmaker has constructed and furnished thirteen (13) library facilities in the Effutu Constituency in the Central Region with his own resources, the first of its kind.

A tour by ModernGhana Team of the Effutu Constituency can confirm that all 13 libraries are being used and managed by the Ghana Library Authority.

In addition to the 13 completed library projects scattered across the Effutu Constituency, there are four library projects currently ongoing and at different stages of completion.

During a tour of the Effutu Constituency, the team observed that the libraries were busy with school children engaging in reading activities.

The team visited the Ateitu Library located in New Winneba. The facility has been named after Captain (RTD) S.K. Armah, an illustrious son of the area who has also contributed to the development of the area. The team also visited Akosua Village Library where school children were busily engaged and beaming with smiles when they saw the News Team.

From there, the team drove to surrounding communities. At Ansaful, a library facility that has been constructed and commissioned by Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin also in use. Both Gyengyenadze and Atekyedo communities have not been left out. They each have a library.

List of all library projects in Effutu Constituency the team visited

1. Wonsom completed and commissioned

2. Ansaful completed and commissioned

3. Gyengyenadze completed and commissioned

4. Atekyedo completed and commissioned

5. UNIPRA South completed and commissioned

6. NVTI ICT Library completed and commissioned

7. New Winneba Library completed and commissioned

8. Ateitu Library completed and commissioned

9. Osobonpanyin Library completed and commissioned

10. Abasraba Central Library completed and commissioned

11. Essuekyire Library completed and commissioned

12. Akosua Village Library completed and commissioned

13. Ekroful Library completed and commissioned

14. Kojo Beedu South Library Ongoing

15. Gyahadze Library ongoing

16. Low cost Library ongoing

17. Alata Kokwado Library ongoing

WATCH a short video documentary of all the library projects here:

Ongoing library project at Gyahahze

Alata Kokwado Library and community centre ongoing

Besides the libraries, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has constructed an ICT and Fashion Training Centre at the Winneba Vocational Institute.

Following his tradition of naming his completed projects after people in the Effutu Constituency he believe have paid their due, the MP has named the facilities at Winneba Vocational Institute after former MCE, Nii Commey Abbey.

Accordingly, the facility is called the Hon. Nii Commey Abbey ICT, Library and Fashion Training Centre. The centre was commissioned early this year in January. It was handed over to the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) and has since been in use.

The facility has an ICT laboratory, library, fashion training workshop, classroom and two study pavilions.

In addition to all the aforementioned strides being made to education, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has also constructed JHS blocks for basic schools at Ansaful and Atekyedo. This is helping to save school children from trekking miles to other communities.

The MP says he remains poised to make additional investments in education to help school children receive the best of education and care in his constituency.

Under the Effutu dream, the MP has distributed about 1,000 laptops each to newly posted teachers in the public and private schools in the constituency. The vision birthed the The Effutu Dream launched in February 2020 to ensure total transformation of every aspect of the constituency.

"These are all geared towards helping the government of Ghana achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 which focused on quality education for all.

It is now the time for Effutu to expand its facilities so that anyone coming to Central Region will say, Effutu is the gateway to Central Region, the MP told the News Team after the whole day tour of the constituency.
France is a step closer to legalising euthanasia after a national ethics committee on Tuesday said it was in favour of assisted suicide under strict, supervised conditions.

The eagerly awaited report by the National Consultative Ethics Committee (CCNE) comes ahead of a citizens' convention in October that has been set up to examine the issue  a priority for President Emmanuel Macron's second term in office.

Arguing that France needed more humanity, Macron earlier this year said he wanted the country to evolve towards the "Belgian model" of decriminalising euthanasia, particularly in cases of serious degenerative disease.

"I am convinced that we must move because there are inhumane situations that persist and to which we must give answers," Macron said.

Belgian example

Euthanasia has been legal in Belgium since 2002, with an estimated two patients being helped to die every month. It is even authorised for minors, although such deaths are rare.

The job of the citizens' convention, which will meet over a period of six months, is to peacefully debate how to ethically apply assistance in dying in France  with a view to preparing a draft bill by the end of 2023.

While neighbours Spain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland already authorise controlled euthanasia, in France it's been harder to reach a political consensus on the issue.

In an opinion published in June 2013, the CCNE found the prohibition of killing should remain a founding principle of French society.

In 2016, the government enacted the Claeys-Leonetti law  which still applies today  forbidding euthanasia for end-of-life patients and instead introducing the right to deep and continuous sedation until death.

French residents often travel to Belgium or Switzerland for the right to die, while French doctors reportedly perform an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 assisted deaths each year.

Stumbling blocks

Attempts to pass right-to-die legislation through the French parliament have in recent years been thwarted by mainly right-wing opposition MPs.

The committee's report on Tuesday marks a complete departure from its earlier stance.

"There is a way to ethically apply active assistance in dying, under certain strict conditions with which it seems unacceptable to compromise," one of the report's authors told a press conference.

Indeed an Ifop poll in 2021 found that French opinions were inconsistent with the country's laws  with 93 percent of people saying they favoured euthanasia.
Former President Mahama

13.09.2022 LISTEN

Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah was right. Indeed, Godfred Dame was absolutely brilliant in describing Mahamas unsavory attacks on the judiciary at the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Annual Conference in Ho as dents on the image of the judiciary in the sight of unsuspecting Ghanaians.

We are all aware of Mahamas antics in recent times but his latest attack at the opening of the 2nd Annual Lawyers Conference of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday August 28, 2022, is perhaps the most flagrant display of how little respect he has for Ghanas democracy.

In Mahama's own words, it will take a new Chief Justice to lead the process to repair what he said was the "badly dented image" of Ghana's judiciary for people to win the trust in the system.

For him, the deteriorated image of the judiciary easily sparks laughter from the citizenry when one decides to go to the court for justice.

Holy cow! The same judiciary that Mr Mahama presided over a few years back is totally lacking in integrity today?

Isn't this a clear questioning of the constitutional authority of the judiciary?

As with his actions in regard to the judiciary, this rhetoric attempting to delegitimize the courts as biased and political represents an escalation of a pattern.

As a matter of fact, John Mahama has displayed a troubling pattern of attacking Supreme Court justices and the courts for rulings he disagrees with  a pattern that began during the 2020 presidential election petition and has continued into his opposition activism.

He has made a series of tweets and public statements attacking judges personally, questioning the authority of the courts, suggesting the court is biased, and suggesting that the judges and court system would be to blame for future electoral violence.

While Mahamas actions represent a new level of brazenness, they continue a long line of examples of his attempts to turn the judiciary into political puppets, thereby delegitimizing the institution.

This threatens our entire system of government. The courts are bulwarks of our Constitution and laws, and they depend on the public to respect their judgments and on officials to obey and enforce their decisions. Fear of personal attacks, public backlash, or enforcement failures should not color judicial decision-making, and political leaders have a responsibility to respect courts and judicial decisions.

Again, conflicts between the courts and the political branches are common and, to some degree, expected. But this questionable behavior and efforts to undermine the justice system must not be tolerated by right thinking Ghanaians. It is all an attempts to wield political influence.

Truth is, Mahama is still bruised over his disastrous outing in 2020. It's been some 21 months after the last elections, and the loser keeps yelling and telling bizarre election fraud story that has already been debunked both in court and in the public space.

Yes, Mr Mahama has been on and on about this for the umpteenth time. So, one would think that his party elders and advisors would step in and instruct him to shush, but no one seems to care.

It's astonishing that after repeated claims of Electoral malfeasance and the worst performances at the Supreme Court, former President Mahama is still not learning lessons from his mistakes. This same Mahama took everyone on a wild goose chase at the Supreme Court and he continue to deflect blame in any direction he can throw it without reflecting on his own failures. His stories are literally so outrageous and demonstrably false that you have to be willfully blind to keep going along.

While the NPP after the 2012 elections, proceeded to court with substantial evidence to back its claims of infractions which included over-voting, voting without verification, etc, the NDC on the other hand, in 2020 went to court with practically zero evidence to back its claims of electoral fraud. The Supreme Court couldnt have given a verdict in Mahamas favour without evidence. His petition was subsequently thrown out, and Mahama simply don't get it. He has since being on rampage at every turn, disparaging the Supreme Court.

It is truly beyond comprehension that the NDC is so poorly led that Mahama is able to get away with such loose talks and disrespect for our institutions of democracy.

Mahama may be oblivious of this but it might interest him to know that, we don't have Rawlings judges or Kufuor judges, Mills judges or Akufo-Addo judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.

What Mahama utterly fail to grasp is that the judiciary is not a place for fishing expedition that justice will always be done even if heaven falls.

Let Mahama get it that, if you are always carping incessantly about everything, you lose even more relevance than if you had focussed on the real key issues.

Signed:

Ernest Kofi Owusu

Deputy Director of Communications, NPP
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it fully supports the decision taken by the Electoral Commission (EC) to abolish the guarantor system for the voters registration exercise.

I dont know why you must have an issue with this arrangement to ensure that we have a register that captures those who must be on it. We think that the EC is on the right path, says Director of Elections for the NPP, Evans Nimako.

The EC announced that it will no longer use the guarantor system in the continuous voter registration exercises and as a result, the only source of document for the registration will be the Ghana Card.

There are already concerns by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the EC cannot be trusted with these new electoral amendments.

But to Evans Nimako, the decision by the election body seeks to bring an amicable solution to the challenges confronting the guarantor system and will provide a secure voter registration system.

For us at the NPP, this issue has been discussed at the IPAC level. We have no problem with the continuous registration arrangements being put in place by the EC. We believe such arrangements have the answer to the use of the national identification card. We should brace it and work with it because the use of the guarantor system has been contentious, he said.

Meanwhile, the Convention People's Party says it disagrees with the total neglect of the voters ID for voter registration.

This proposal must be done in a proper, systematic manner so that people are not disenfranchised. As CPP, we think that in as much as they want to work with the Ghana card, it must be clear that there are a lot of challenges. The systems of EC and NIA should be harmonized so that we are able to get a good job done.

The EC has announced sweeping reforms to voter registration and voting, two years before the next general elections.

These will affect source documents for voter registration and the voter ID system and will take effect with the maturation of a yet-to-be laid constitutional instrument.

EC believes the guarantor system is fraught with many challenges and could no longer provide a secure system of voter registration for the country.

The Commission, while debunking claims that the Ghana Card will be used as Voter Identification in 2024, insisted the Ghana Card will be the sole document for limited and continuous voter registrations.

A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof. Ransford Gyampo has backed the move.

Prof. Ransford Gyampo says the current system has been abused and must be relooked at.

This is a step in the right direction to abolish the guarantor system. The idea of a consolidated national ID card is a great thing and if we are going to have that, it doesn't make sense to have the abused guarantor system. So I don't think that, the EC is too wrong with that position, Prof. Gyampo said.
The galamsey queen, Aisha Huang, is expected to appear before the Accra Circuit Court today, Wednesday, September 14.

The Chinese was remanded on September 2 following her inability to answer charges preferred against her due to the absence of a Chinese interpreter during her first appearance in court.

Aisha Huang also known as En Huang is currently facing two fresh charges - mining without licence and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a valid licence.

She was arrested with three others; Johng Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huaid Hai Hun.

In May 2017, Aisha Huang became a household name for her notoriety in the galamsey business which gave her the nickname Galamsey Queen.

She was charged with three counts of undertaking small-scale mining operations, contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703); providing mining support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, and contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the illegal employment of foreign nationals, contrary to the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).

While the case was ongoing, the government suddenly discontinued the case and deported her in December 2018 raising eyebrows among lots of concerned citizens.

She is believed to have returned to the country through the Togo border to engage in the same illegal business for which she was arrested and deported.

The Attorney General says she would be prosecuted for her previous and current crimes.
Fishermen perch precariously on wooden scaffolds stretching over turbulent rapids in northeastern Democratic Republic Congo, hauling up wicker baskets in the hope of catching tilapia or a Nile perch -- a time-honoured practice now threatened by overfishing.

Basket fishing was once the lifeblood of the Wagenya community, feeding them handsomely on a section of the mighty Congo River close to Kisangani, a city in Tshopo province.

But fish numbers have dwindled in recent years, and the fishermen see little help from the government.

Souvenirs portraying traditional Wagenya life are on sale for the few tourists who visit the impoverished DR Congo area. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

Many people, like 16-year-old student Kalimo, get by selling handcrafted dioramas of traditional Wagenya life to the few tourists who visit the impoverished area.

"It helps me to pay for school," said the teenager, who was selling wooden models of small stick men holding large fish, for $10.

Kalimo, whose father is a fisherman, wants to become an engineer.

On top of the problems with fish, the Wagenya -- split between three main clans and five sub-clans -- are bickering among themselves.

The position of traditional chief, who serves as an intermediary between the community and the government, is unfilled because of factional infighting.

Augustin Tangausi, who described himself as a "fisherman and servant of God," said this means problems are piling up.

"Everyone does as he likes and we have no-one to defend our rights".

'Abandoned'

Tangausi pointed to what he calls the "small fishery" by the rapids, which are known as the Wagenya Falls.

Wooden poles are wedged into holes in the rocks and tied together with lianas to form scaffolds.

Baskets are then dropped from the scaffolding into the roaring currents to trap fish.

"There were installations everywhere before," says Tangausi. "But now there are hardly any".

Wooden poles are wedged into holes in the rocks and tied together with lianas to form scaffolds. Baskets are then dropped from the scaffolding into the roaring currents to trap fish . By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

The government once subsidised maintenance of the elaborate scaffolds, he said, but stopped doing so over a decade ago.

Andjoipa Aluka, a 27-year-old fisherman, also feels a sense of loss.

"Our ancestors handed on this occupation. We have to do it, but it's really difficult," he said.

Fish stocks have plummeted because mature fish are being caught during the spawning season and poor people scour the waters with mosquito nets to scoop up juvenile fish, Aluka said.

Augustin Issa Balabala, described as the manager of Wagenya Falls, said fishing offered nothing anymore.

"We live off visitors, off the little they give us," he said, sitting on a plastic chair in a straw hut.

No infrastructure

Tourists have been few and far between since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, although there is hope that more may begin to come.

The DRC's environment minister visited Wagenya Falls at the beginning of the year and promised investment to attract visitors.

Augustin Tangausi, for his part, was enthusiastic. "We want modern huts, a restaurant, a hotel, shops, offices, a museum, an aquarium, and a cold room too, for the fish," he said.

"This is an international tourist site, known worldwide," he added, noting cautiously that the renovation work still needed to be done.

Tshopo Governor Madeleine Nikomba told AFP that a hotel will be built, and that "we will try to modernise the fishery".

Fishing with a traditional net at the Wagenya falls. By Guerchom Ndebo (AFP)

But the scale of the work that needs to be done is momentous. Roads are so poor that they are impassible. Electricity is patchy. And tourist sites related to Congolese history lie in ruins.

Visitors must also brave chaos at the local airport, where crowds jostle to board flights and occasional shortages of jet fuel ground planes.

Much of the DRC, one of the world's poorest countries, has crumbling or non-existent infrastructure due to mismanagement, successive wars and chronic corruption.

Nikomba, the governor of Tshopo province, promised that all the problems will be fixed. The airport will be renovated, she said, as well as tourist sites and the local zoo -- which currently lies empty.
14.09.2022 LISTEN

Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink and so is positive image, positive image, everywhere, yet there is none for the media lenses to cover. Taken an inspiration from Samuel Taylor Coleridges Ancient Mariner, it is certain that not all positive news stories could qualify as international news stories, since news is determined by what news editors consider as reality for its audience and the market forces that shapes news.

Naturally, countries expect to be projected with positive news context for the global citizenry in order to sustain positive image and perception from international communities. International perception towards a country to a larger extent, influences how a country is related to in terms of political, social, cultural and economic negotiations. It is against the underlining power of global image and perceptions that the debate around the presentation and projection of Africa in the Western media gained momentum in the frame of the disputed New World Information and International Communication Order (NWIICO) debates and international news coverage discourses.

The interest in discourses promoting positive Africas global image persist. This article is therefore a contribution towards the international news coverage of Africa in the global media-Western media from 2018 to 2019. The study analyzed CNN online news headlines relating to the coverage of Africa and Europe. The methodology used for the analysis was news content analysis and the study units were European and African countries news stories. Total news stories analyzed were 463 news headlines.

Study results revealed that Africas news headlines were of more deviance news types as compared to Europes news stories. Topical deviance news topics related to Africa were accidents, deaths, natural disaster, infectious diseases, Xenophobia attacks, poverty and terrorism whilst Europes deviance story was also crime, anti semitism, scandals, social violence. These results suggest that international news coverage irrespective of the source, touches on the deviance type of news. This study is however limited by the selection of news headlines due to inaccessible to the main news stories. Other studies could extend the reach beyond news headlines.

Africa and Europe News Type at a glance:

Why Blame CNN and the Western Media?

The Western media is always blamed for consistently reporting Africa in negative news contexts. I think, these assertions deserve to be refined with more objective and constructive position on the appreciation of factors and forces shaping international news values.

Gleanings from International news coverage scholarships suggest that international news values are influenced by event and contextual factors or what is referred to as international news determinants in relation to the characteristics of a country. Among these factors are, cultural affinities, international prominence values, geographical proximities, the economic and political value of a country, deviance, and relevance relationship existing between countries in terms of the common values shared among host and an international country.

Perhaps, critics of the Western media, must extend a deeper study on what journalists looks out for in news coverage based on the professional knowledge and scholarships they have been exposed to. In addition, countries are encouraged to appreciate medias editorial decisions and evolve partnership and engagement with media as a force for social change in the promotion of positive news narratives.

For instance, existing articles suggest that the coverage of Africa by an Africa media also feeds the stereotypes around deviant related topics at the expense of technological innovations and other success stories within the Africa continent. The rhetoric towards the future is this: How can Africas story contribute to the global news narratives? Who should tell the African story? Should the Africa story be told by the Africa or the Western media?

Africa continent therefore, should evolve and take ownership of its narratives, narratives that promotes the expectations of its global and Africa audience. Furthermore, Africa media narratives should reflect the realities and experiences of Africa continent but should not be a tapestry of white-washing narratives.

About the Author:

Messan Mawugbe (PhD) is a key corporate correspondence expert and instructor.

From: The Meadows, Castle Rock: Colorado:

Email: [email protected]
Over 300 women from three communities including Ayorya, New Longoro and Kyinga in the Kintampo South has lauded the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for empowering them socio-economically.

The UNDP has provided the women with support such as groundnuts paste and oil processing factory, support for vegetable growers and other women farmers who produce various crops in the area.

The UNDP livelihood empowerment programme which includes the establishment of groundnuts oil and paste processing factory and support for vegetable farmers including producing raw material for the factory was commissioned in June 2021 to help improve the livelihood conditions of the people in the area.

At a durbar organized by the three women groups on Monday at Ayorya in the Kintampo South of the Bono East Region, they commend the UNDP for bringing a change to their lives as they could now support their husbands and other community members to improve their livelihood conditions.

Madam Hannah Chiama President of the Ayorya Women Association disclosed that the UNDP has provided them with groundnuts oil and paste processing factory. She noted that the initiative has turned the lives of women in and around the area round, indicating that life used to be unbearable for them.

Madam Chiama noted that with the factory they are able to produce large quantities of groundnuts oil and paste to meet the demand of the market. This she said has for the past year made them financially independent.

Madam Chiama noted that the UNDP has also initiated the Village Savings and Loans which has been a major financial backup to them in times of financial difficulty. She stressed that women use to have difficulty accessing loans from the banks to do their businesses but when the VSL was introduced women can easily go for loans without delay and easier to pay back without any hustle.

Madam Hellen Alima Chairman of the Farma Nyame Farmers Association also lauded the livelihood empowerment support from the UNDP, stating that women farmers especially the vegetable growers used to cultivate once in a year but when the support arrived with water pumps they are able to farm all year round.

Dr Angela Lusigi, UNDP President Representative accessed the impact and sustainability of the project and lauded the women for their proactiveness in driving the main aim of the project positively.

Dr Lusigi mentioned that some women were breadwinners of the home and underscored the need to empower them.

She assured the organization's commitment to continue providing the needed support to empower women to realise their dreams.

She commended the women for their effort in allowing the project to make an impact on their lives and that of other community members.

Dr Lusigi later visited some groundnut farms of the women who provide the raw materials for the processing factory.
The Shea Network Ghana (SNG), a leading shea business networking organisation in Ghana, has organised a learning exchange on agroforestry practices with other shea agroforestry practice programs for women in the shea business.

The one-day event took place on Saturday, September 10 and had 40 women leaders from eight different shea business cooperatives from four districts in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Savanna regions, paid an eye opener visitation to the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana's Sub-station in Bole in the Savanna Region to learn and acquire skills on how best they could manage their shea farms and businesses

It was organised by the Shea Network Ghana in collaboration with Development Frontiers, another nongovernmental organisation in Ghana.

The learning exchange was part of the five-year Womens Economic Advancement for Collective Transformation (WEACT) project implemented by the SNG under the Innovations for Womens Economic Empowerment in Ghana (IWEEG) Programme being sponsored by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) aimed at enhancing economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive economic growth for women in the Northern, Savanna, Upper East, Upper West, Western North and Western Regions of Ghana.

The project is being supported by SEND Ghana, Friends of the Nation (FoN), Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), TungTeiya Womens Association, Shea Network, NORSAAC and Viamo.

The Women and Cooperative Development Officer at the Shea Network Ghana, Saani Sharif, in an interview, explained that the visitation was part of efforts by the SNG, to empower the women on how best they could manage their shea trees and seedlings.

He also said the excursion was to allow space for the women to interact with experts in the shea industry, ask the necessary questions that bother on shea agroforestry practices and also learn how to improve their productivity.

"The visit is to allow our women who are leaders of various cooperatives to see and learn how shea trees are managed so that when they go back home, they will also teach their colleagues," he said

He indicated that under the WEACT project, partners share responsibility for the implementation in their operation districts across the six selected regions.

Mr Sharif added that the SNG was focusing on empowering women in the Shea value Chain in the Mion, West Gonja, Sissala West and Garu Districts in the Northern, Savannah, Upper West, and Upper East regions respectively under the WEACT project.

He stressed that the project was being implemented in eight (8) communities with twenty-one (21) cooperative groups targeting a total of one thousand and fifty (1050) women.

A Plant Breeder at the Cocoa Research Institute's Sub-Station in Bole and an expert in shea agroforestry management, Dr Edem Anyomi, in an interview, called for pragmatic measures that would help protect shea trees in Ghana.

He also urged people who are into the shea business, to adopt best practices such as weeding around their shea farms, application of organic manures and preventing fire from burning their farms.

Some of the women who spoke in an interview expressed gratitude to the Shea Network Ghana and the Development Frontiers for the exposure and promised to use the knowledge gained to benefit themselves and their colleagues.

"I am happy that we have come here to learn, it will help us to be able to manage our farms well. We have been facing many challenges about how we managed our farms, but this exposure will help us overcome it," one of the women said.
A week earmarked purposely to celebrate Ghanaian Startups, Small and Medium scale businesses has been launched at the Accra Digital Center, with massive commitment from key Ministries and Agencies.

The Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, in charge of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Hon. Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei launched the 2022 edition, with a call on Ghanaians to be driven by the desire to create their own successes.

That, she argued is the only way the countrys debilitating graduate unemployment challenge could be solved as well as serve as the fulcrum to the countrys economic recovery.

We need to be able to develop our entrepreneurial skills. Those who have been able to setup organizations that are now worth millions, they were not born with blue or green blood. Its not the color of anybodys skin or hair but rather the ability to utilize their brains first and foremost and building ourselves in terms of disciplinemore than giving unnecessary excuses, she said

She added: We need to be able to equip ourselves a lot more and we should also be able to take ourselves out of the idea of entitlement and rather equip ourselves with the idea of pushing to get to where we will want to get to. If you come in with entitlement, you will only get disappointed.

The Minister commended the organizers, Ghana Startup Network for such a great initiative, and expressed her Ministrys commitment to partner them for a successful implementation.

Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Hon. Pius Enam Hadzide said government holds the view that the solution to the countrys unemployment situation resides in the private sector and not in the public sector.

We do agree that there should be increase in recruitment into the public sector but that is to only service an effective public service that can underpin a functional private sector. Nowhere in the world has the problem of youth unemployment resolved by interventions within the public sector, he stated and called on all stakeholders to come on board to support the youth to become job creators, instead of job seekers.

On their part, the CEOs of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP), and Ghana Digital Centres Ltd.; Mr. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah and Hon. Kwadwo Baah Agyeman respectively pledged their support for the Ghana Startups and SMEs week, and assured to collaborate fully for maximum impact.

Solomon Adjei, the Executive Director of Ghana Startup Network, lead organizers of the program, expressed gratitude to the various institutions for their support and commitment to assist them in their operations to support startup businesses nationwide.

Solomon explained that the Ghana Startups and SMEs Week 2022 is scheduled for November this year, with series of activities billed to happen at different locations, with specific targeted audience and resource persons.

The scheduled activities include Students Entrepreneurship Forum, PwDs Entrepreneurship Forum, Young Entrepreneurs Summit, Ghana Startups and SMEs Trade Fair, Ghana Social Enterprise Forum, Ghana Venture Investment Forum & Startups Demo Day, Startups & SMEs Stakeholders Assembly, Ghana Startups & SMEs Beauty & Fashion Show, and Young Entrepreneur Awards

Solomon touched on the theme for this years celebration, "Innovate, Collaborate and Invest for Greater Impact, and called on all stakeholders and corporate Ghana to come onboard as partners and sponsors with cash, goods or services.

The event presents an excellent opportunity and platform to dialogue, network and have cross fertilization of ideas on how they can better and collectively partner to support the Startups and SMEs ecosystem, thereby helping to address the perennial youth unemployment canker.

Partners for this years edition include the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Information, National Youth Authority, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, Ghana Enterprises Agency, Ghana Digital Centres Ltd, Ghana Investment Promotions Authority, Social Enterprise Ghana, Ghana Hubs Network, National Union of Ghana Students, Association of Small-Scale Industries, Borderless Alliance, among others.

---Ghana Startup Network
14.09.2022 LISTEN

For some time now, a private Ghanaian citizen called Kwame Fordjour, better known as Dr. UN (aka WyClef), has been passing himself off as a scholar of great preeminence. This smiley bloke claims to be an alumnus of top-flight academic institutions viz. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology - KNUST (Ghana), University of Sussex (UK) and Harvard University (USA).

In a recent TV interview on the Delay Show, the host Deloris Frimpong Manso aka (Delay) grilled Dr. UN on his self-proclaimed scholarly credentials. He vehemently asserted that he was indeed a student of the aforementioned prestigious universities and went on to defy people to prove otherwise.

In that same interview with Delay, Dr. UN mentioned Blakk Rasta (a very renowned Ghanaian broadcaster cum musician) as one of his schoolmates at KNUST and also somebody who could vouch for his KNUST "alumnus status".

His defense lawyer, Blakk Rasta unhesitatingly answered his call and came out with all guns blazing to vociferously defend Dr. UN and continued to reiterate that Dr. UN was a former student of Social Science at KNUST as he himself (Dr. UN) had claimed.

In his defence, Blakk Rasta stated that he frequently met Dr. UN inside the studio of the defunct Contatto Radio at Katanga, or University Hall as it is officially known at KNUST. He further talked about how Dr. UN was always in the studio of this radio station which made him (Blakk Rasta) sometimes wondered if he was also a student of the university (KNUST).

Well, I would like to let Blakk Rasta know that, not everyone you see or meet regularly on campus is a student of the institution. There are some folks who live or "perch" with their friends/relatives on campus (a very popular phenomenon in public universities in Ghana) and pose as students of the school. Such individuals sometimes join the real students for lectures to create the impression that they also belong to the academic community.

It will interest all and sundry to also know that, some of these "fake" students go as far as borrowing academic gowns from friends/relatives who are students/graduands of the school on graduation days so as to take pictures to display on social media, et cetera. All these are ruses that these phony characters use to hoodwink people.

So Blakk Rasta's contention that he used to see him (Dr. UN) at Katanga and also inside Contatto Radio studio doesn't in anyway prove Dr. UNs case.

Blakk even mentioned in his argument that he often wondered if he was also a KNUST student just like them owing to the fact he was always in the studio of Contatto Radio. I think that statement from Blakk Rasta somewhat call into question whether Dr. UN was truly a student of KNUST or just one of those campus hangers-on.

Ask yourself, which "serious" homo sapiens would enroll at a prestigious university like KNUST and would not take part in academic activities, but rather choose to spend all his time in the studio of a radio station that is not even the official campus radio station of the university?

It must be put on record that, Contatto Radio was an "unlicensed" campus radio station operated by some KNUST students resident at University Hall (Katanga), and thus Blakk Rastas assertion that Contatto Radio was Ghanas first private radio station is simply untrue. Its nothing but a revisionist view.

Accra-based station, Joy 99.FM remains Ghanas first private radio station owing to the fact that it was the first privately owned radio station to be licensed in Ghana. This was in May, 1995  a watershed moment in the history of Ghanas broadcasting/media industry.

Back to Contatto! The management of KNUST were never involved in Contatto Radios affairs, which is why when the university was finally ready to operate a campus radio station, they seized the 94.3 frequency modulation (FM) dial from Contatto Radio and then established Focus 94.3FM, which is today the official campus radio station of KNUST.

Even if it was the university authorities that were in charge of Contatto Radio when Dr. UN was working there, it doesn't automatically mean he was a student of KNUST. This is because not everyone who works at a campus radio station is a student or alumnus of the school.

When I was a student broadcaster cum reporter/producer at Radio Univers 105.7Mhz (the Voice of Legon), there were some employees/workers/volunteers who were neither students nor former students of Ghanas premier university - University of Ghana.

Students from other tertiary institutions within the Legon enclave, namely the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) and Wisconsin International University College, are also allowed to work at Radio Univers because their schools dont have a campus radio station.

Clearly, Blakk Rasta's defence doesn't substantiate Dr. UN's claim. There's a reason why schools/colleges/universities give out admission letters, student number/student ID cards and also award certificates to students after a successful completion of a course of study in the school. This is done to separate the real McCoy from impostors. Until people show these academic documents, and I mean the authentic ones because it could be forged, they ought to be disregarded.

How come none of the people Dr. UN was in the same department with or studied the same course with at KNUST have not come out to defend him? Blakk Rasta's only argument was that he used to see him at Katanga and also inside the studio of Contatto Radio (a pirate radio station), which is not a strong evidence.

One other tale I find quite ludicrous was when Dr. UN told Delay during the interview that he used his birth name Kwame Fordjour at KNUST but changed it to Wayne Winston when he got to the UK for his post-graduate degree (Masters degree). When Delay probe further and asked what name he used in Harvard, he told her he went back to his original name, Kwame Fordjour.

What a cock and bull story? Is it not funny how one person kept changing names in schools just like that? This whole fairy story is nothing but a complete balderdash.

Another claim Dr. UN made on the Delay Show that threw me into stitches was his claim that he attended University of Sussex in London. Anyone who knows where this university is situated in the UK would concur with me that it aint in London. This is just like someone claiming to have attended University of Ghana at Sogakope. How, chale?

Dr. UN probably heard the universitys name, "Sussex" (pronounced "success") somewhere, liked it and decided to add it to his "CV lies".

The "Global Studies" course he claims he studied on scholarship at Harvard for his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is not even among the PhD programs offered by Harvard. One would then wonder which Harvard this guy was talking about. Perhaps, he meant Harvard College at Kokomlemle in Accra, Ghana and not the one at Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States of America.

A couple of years ago, a childhood friend of his called Jones Gyedu (a Senior Medical Officer with Ghana Health Service) came out to expose him. Dr. Gyedu recounted how Dr. UN was deported at the Heathrow Airport in London some years ago when he tried to emigrate to the UK.

That's not all, his childhood friend narrated how he was once apprehended for collecting money from some parents in Kumasi in order to facilitate KNUST admission for their children. Coupled with this, he was allegedly arrested for issuing out fake KNUST certificates to unsuspecting victims, and blah blah blah.

It is obvious this self-styled Harvard scholar is so enamoured of KNUST and would do anything to associate himself with the university. And I cant fathom out why the management of the university still has not come out to issue any statement on this whole saga.

No malicious feelings, just exercising my right to freedom of speech.

Long live, Dr. UN! LOL.

By: Eugene Selorm Owusu
Officers from Sierra Leones broadcast media regulator, National Telecommunications Commission, visit the Freetown offices of the transmitters of Star Radio and Star TV in mid-August 2022. The commission suspended the licenses of the broadcasters for over two weeks and denied workers access to the transmitters. (Photo: Star Radio and Star TV)

14.09.2022 LISTEN

Abuja, September 13, 2022Authorities in Sierra Leone should ensure that Star television and radio stations can broadcast news without undue interference, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.

In mid-August, Sierra Leones broadcast media regulator, National Telecommunications Commission, suspended the licenses of privately owned broadcasters Star Radio and Star TV for over two weeks and denied workers access to the broadcasters transmitters in Brookfields, a neighborhood in western Freetown, the capital, according to an August 19 commission statement and Philip Neville, the broadcasters founder who holds 70% ownership of shares and handles the finances.

Neville, who spoke with CPJ by phone, said that in mid-August, commission officers arrived at the offices of the broadcasters transmitters and ordered all the staff to vacate the premises. Neville also said the officers told him that they gave the order because the broadcasters failed to pay about 140 million leones (US$10,000) of allegedly accumulated debt that the broadcasters owed to the commission for broadcast licenses, including some licenses no longer in use. Before the commission officers visit and the suspension of licenses, the broadcasters believed payments to the commission were up to date and there was no debt, according to Neville.

Authorities in Sierra Leone should allow Star television and radio stations to continue reporting the news and provide the public with information, said Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, in Nairobi. Media regulators are too often used as tools to gag the media and the suspension of Star raises concern over freedom of the press in Sierra Leone.

The commissions statement said that the broadcasters failed to comply with sections 30 and 65 of the countrys telecommunications laws. According to CPJs review, Section 30 allows the commission to suspend or cancel broadcast licenses for various violations, including fraud, treason, or where the suspension or cancellation is in the public interest; Section 65 requires broadcasters to obtain a general or specific license to operate a radio transmitter. Neither section indicated penalties for violations and CPJ could not determine how the commission calculated the US$10,000 amount.

On August 25, Neville said that the broadcasters were permitted to resume usage of the transmitters and begin broadcasting again after his office paid 74 million leones, the equivalent of about US$5,300, to the regulator on August 23, adding that the regulator still expected the broadcasters to pay the remaining amount.

According to Neville and a copy of a 2017 letter he wrote to the commission, which CPJ reviewed, authorities granted the broadcasters separate licenses to operate in five regionsFreetown, Mile 91, Makeni, Bo, and Kenemaat the cost of US$700 annually for each radio frequency and US$2,000 annually for one television frequency.

Nevilles 2017 letter also said he had informed the commission that year that the broadcasters no longer used three of the frequencies in Bo, Kenema, and Makeni to reduce production costs, but continued to pay 6 million leones (about US$430) monthly to cover the licenses still in use. However, Neville told CPJ that the commission continued to bill his office for renewal of licenses no longer in use. Neville told CPJ that the broadcasters had always paid for the licenses used.

Neville told CPJ that he did not understand how the US$10,000 amount had been determined. He added that paying that full amount would place financial strain on the broadcasters operations.

Daniel Kaitibi, commission director general, and Abdul Ben-Foday, commission director of corporate and industry affairs, both confirmed to CPJ over the phone that the broadcasters licenses were suspended because they allegedly owed the commission US$10,000. Ben-Foday told CPJ that the commission was empowered by law to make access to the licenses conditional on payment.

Neville alleged that the commissions decision to suspend his broadcasters licenses was in reprisal for Star TVs August 13 airing of an episode of a Facebook talk show Tell It To Racheal, by U.S.-based journalist Racheal Bangura Davies.

Participants on the episode, which CPJ reviewed, blamed the Sierra Leonean government for causing violence that erupted during a nationwide protest on August 10.

Neville said the airing of the talk show episode did not go down well with the government, which accused the broadcasters of inciting the public against authorities. The government used the commission to punish the broadcasters, Neville said.

In a text message to CPJ, Sierra Leone information minister Mohamed Rahman Swaray denied that the suspension of the broadcasters licenses was connected to the airing of the talk show episode.
14.09.2022 LISTEN

Members of Parliament on the Education Committee recently demonstrated a rare commendable show of nationalism. They put politics aside to address the dire state of the national education sector. Citing a Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) report, they showed that 50% of potential secondary school students aged between 13-18 years are out of school. Thats in the capital, Kampala. In the rural areas it's 70%! Their worry is that owing to increase in school fees, amidst economic pressures, more learners are bound to drop out. This casts a very gloomy picture for the nations future. It threatens to erode all gains so far achieved in the national literacy levels, offered through UPE and USE. Besides, Uganda is already grappling with a growing mass of elitesable to write, read and understand, but unable to constructively operationalize knowledge. These are developments emerging when the budgeting process for FY 2023/24 has just started. But even if the government were to review its priorities from hard infrastructure to the major social-cover sectors of education, health and agriculture, with the effects of Covid-19, Russian crisis and the public debt burden still raging, it can hardly earmark sufficient resources to make a significant impact in the short term.

What can be done?

Something can be done. Every right question has a right answer. Drawing from the Public Relations practice, government is an entity dependent on a number of publics to achieve its goalsincluding delivering quality education services. Among major government publics are the internal staffall those serving under itand therefore, drawing their salary from public coffers. Now for any entity to succeed, its internal publics must be central in that effort. They must endorse and be proud of its products and services. Education is one of such services offered through public education institutions. Unfortunately, if UBOS were to conduct another survey seeking to establish the number of government internal publics loyal to its educational institutions, particularly in the critical sections of primary and secondary, the outcome is obviously another heart-breaking setback. If they dont endorse government-owned schools, who will? Are you proud of the government itself? Are you proud of the people of Uganda whom you should be primarily serving under this government? Then how about their public-good institutions?

Therefore, it is the government's responsibility to persuade, in patriotic terms all its internal teamsMinisters, Members of Parliament, Local Government Leaders, Councilors, civil servants including ministry of education officials and the opulent among citizens to enroll their closest relativesincluding sons and daughters into the nearest public schools.

What can be the impact?

Enormous. It will mark the beginning of the process to revamp the education sector. As oversight roles become automatic so is the teaching staff vigilance and their welfare improvement. As performance levels improve so are the enrollment and learner retention numbers vis-a-vis dropout rates. With more public schools emerging on the basis of performance and gaining bragging rights, that privilege declines among traditional giant schools. To retain relevance, old giant schools come to terms with the realitiesin regards to reasonable fees structures as well as the necessary requirements lists. Most importantly, however, is that among new parents are those who call the shots at their work stations. Such parents advocacy matters and will drive things towards the most needed overhaul of the entire education system. A system that is meaningfully consistent with the 21stcentury trendswhich are knowledge and information based; not fantasy rhetoric. It is going to be a win-win impact for the government and its internal publics on the one hand and Uganda and Ugandans on the other. Endorse it, come academic year, 2023.

By Swaib K Nsereko

Dept of Mass Communication, Islamic University in Uganda
The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has charged government to crack the whip to get rid of Aish Huang and her collaborators from the system to save the countrys environment.

In a statement, the outspoken MP says the time is up for the laws of the country to bite to ensure the Chinese illegal mining kingpin is subjected to the full force of the law.

Time up for Aisha Huang and her collaborators in high places  after destroying our environment, we shall not allow them to destroy the soul of our nation by reducing Ghana to a Galamsey-State; which would regrettably be our version of a Narco-State, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa shared in a post on his Facebook page.

This week, President Akufo-Addo has cast doubt on the deportation of Aisha Huang after he indicated that he is unsure whether the galamsey queen was indeed deported or she fled the country.

Reacting to the revelation, Okudzeto Ablakwa says it is mind-boggling and demands an independent probe into the whole Aisha Huang case.

The latest horrifying development further justifies our demand for a full-scale independent enquiry. We shall insist on this imperative failing which we shall trigger processes in Parliament for a legislative enquiry, the North Tongu MP adds in his statement.

Below is the full statement from Okudzeto Ablakwa:


14.09.2022 LISTEN

Legislatures have been recognised as the sanctum sanctorum of the democratic edifice in view of the fact that Legislatures occupy a very special place within the governance system of a country. Our Parliament reflects the above attributes. As observed by the Right Honourable Alban Sumana Bagbin, the Speaker of the 8th Parliament shares similar thoughts about the Parliament of Ghana when he observed that: The Parliament of Ghana is the nerve centre of Ghana's democracy. Over the years, it has come to be recognised as the symbol of the nation's hopes and aspirations and the fountainhead of policy and decision-making in the Republic.

The 1992 Republican Constitution establishes three arms of government, namely, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary in accordance with the concept of separation of powers. Despite their distinctive powers, these arms of government continue to work harmoniously to entrench democracy and rule of law.

Of particular mention is the relationship between Parliament and the Judiciary. The constitutional regime of checks and balances between the two arms of government remain clear and unambiguous. Parliament enacts most of the laws applied and interpreted by the Judiciary which determine disputes that go before them. Parliament approves the annual budgets for the Judiciary and approves nomination of the Chief Justice and other Justices of the Supreme Court. The Judiciary, on the other hand, is vested with power to determine the validity of laws passed by Parliament or under the authority of Parliament and other actions of the august House.

The Supreme Court has had the occasion to review the law-making powers of Parliament in both substantive and procedural respects. One of the latest of such cases is Ezuame Mannan v Attorney General and Speaker of Parliament (J1/11/2021) (The Cannabis Case) which was delivered on 27th July, 2022. This judicial decision has been received with mixed reactions. While some have hailed it as another bold decision by the Supreme Court to entrench its review powers and ensure constitutionalism, others took the view that the decision unnecessary interferes with the legislative powers of Parliament. The writers subscribed to the latter view.

The writers seek, in this article, to share their views on the Cannabis Case as well as implications of the decision on the legislative power of Parliament.

Legislative Powers of Parliament

The legislative power of the State is vested in Parliament to be exercised in accordance with the 1992 Constitution. Article 93(2) of the 1992 Constitution states that Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the legislative power of Ghana shall be vested in Parliament and shall be exercised in accordance with this Constitution. Parliament exercises its legislative power by passing bills into law subject to the Presidential assent. Article 106(1) of the 1992 Constitution stipulates that The power of Parliament to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by Parliament and assented to by the President.

There are two types of bills that may be introduced in Parliament. The first is a Private Member's Bill and a Public Bill introduced by Parliament by Sector Ministers. Irrespective of the source, after a bill is laid in Parliament, it becomes the property of the House and it is the House that moulds the bill into law. As observed by K. C Wheare in his seminal book titled Legislatures, the learned author has posited that the last word about what the law shall be rests with [Parliament].

Parliament's legislative procedure

The legislative power of Ghana is vested in Parliament and exercisable in the manner and within the limits set by the Constitution (Article 93(2) of the 1992 Constitution quoted supra). The law-making power of Parliament is exercised by way of bills passed by the House and assented to by the President. The procedure for passing bills by Parliament is governed by Article 106 of the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.

With the exception of financial bills and bills determined by appropriate Committees of Parliament to be of urgent nature, all other bills must satisfy two essential requirements before introduction in Parliament. These essential requirements are the accompaniment of explanatory memoranda and Gazette publication for at least 14 days. Article 106(2) states as follows:

No bill, other than such as bill as is referred to in paragraph (a) of article 108 of this Constitution, shall be introduced in Parliament unless-

it is accompanied by an explanatory memorandum setting out in detail the policy and principles of the bill, the defect of the existing law, the remedies proposed to deal with those defects and the necessity for its introduction; and

it has been published in the Gazette at least fourteen days before the date of its introduction in Parliament.

The usual legislative procedure of Parliament may be adumbrated as follows:

First Reading of bills

A bill containing an explanatory memorandum are sent to the Table Office which notifies the Business Committee. The Committee determines that the bill be presented to the House on a particular day and the title of bill is so printed on the Order Paper.

The bill is presented by the sponsor of the bill. The Clerk reads the long title of the bill aloud to signify the First Reading of the bill. The Speaker refers the bill to an appropriate Committee of the House for consideration and report.

The Committee considers the bill including obtaining written memoranda and holding public engagement through stakeholder's fora.

Second Reading of bills

The Committee submits its report to the plenary and the Speaker causes same to be distributed to all Hon. Members of Parliament. The sponsor of the bill then moves a motion for the Second Reading of the bill. The House debates the motion based on the Committee's report and the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill. If the motion is disagreed to, the bill is rejected. If the House adopts the motion, the bill goes through the rest of the stages for passage.

Consideration stage

The amendments proposed by the Committee or Hon. Members of the House are moved and debated by the House. The amendments agreed to by the House become part of the bill and those negatived stand rejected. The House votes on each clause of the bill to stand part of the bill.

Third Reading of bills

The motion is moved by the sponsor of the bill for the Third Reading. If the motion is adopted by the House, the Clerk reads out the long title of the bill to signify the Third Reading.

Presidential assent

Where a bill is passed by Parliament, the bill is taken through a marking up process to incorporate amendments adopted by the House during the Consideration Stage.

The Bill is thereafter presented to the President for assent. At this stage, the President may assent to the Bill within seven (7) days after the presentation or he may inform the Speaker that he refuses to assent to the Bill. If the President chooses the latter option, he has to subsequently submit a memorandum to the Speaker stating the specific provisions of the bill which in his opinion needs to be reconsidered by Parliament with recommendations.

The President may subsequently submit his memorandum to the Speaker, for Parliament to reconsider the Bill or inform the Speaker that he has referred the bill to the Council of State for consideration and comment.

Parliament will then be required to reconsider the bill taking into account the memorandum of the President or the comments of the Council of State.

Parliament is required to pass the bill as reviewed by the President by a resolution supported by two-thirds of all Members of Parliament.

A bill passed by Parliament and assented to by the President must be published in the Gazette before it becomes operational unless Parliament postpones the date of operation of the Bill.

The Cannabis Case and the decision

Facts

The Hon. Minister for the Interior presented the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2019 to Parliament on 30th October, 2019. The bill was read the first time and referred to the Committee on Defence and Interior. The Committee considered the Bill and submitted its report to Parliament. The Bill contained an explanatory memorandum which captured the purpose of the Bill which was to establish a Narcotics Control Commission and to provide for offences related to narcotic drugs and plants cultivated for narcotic purposes and for related matters. The objects of the Commission were to ensure public safety by controlling and eliminating traffic in prohibited narcotic drugs and by taking measures to prevent the illicit use of precursors, collaborate with the relevant bodies to develop measures for the treatment and rehabilitation of the persons suffering from substance use disorders and to develop, in consultation with other public agencies and civil society organisations, alternative means of livelihood for farmers who cultivate illicit drugs.

During the Consideration Stage of the Bill, Parliament adopted an amendment which introduced a new clause with the headnote 'Special Provision Relating to Cannabis'. This provision became section 43 of the ensuing enactment, the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019). The said Section 43 of the Act empowered the Hon. Minister for the Interior, the power to grant licence for the cultivation of cannabis which has not more than 0.3% THC content on a dry weight basis for industrial purposes for obtaining fibre or seed or for medicinal purposes.

The Plaintiff contended that the said Section 43 of the Act has occasioned a change in the policy of the law and consequently, the failure to include an explanatory memorandum to articulate the proposed policy change in the law for the consideration of the public and Parliament to inform the passage or otherwise of the said Section 43 as part of Act 1019. He argued that such a measure amounted to a violation of the clear terms of Article 106(2)(a) and (b) of the 1992 Constitution.

Decision

By a 5-4 majority decision, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional and invalid Section 43 of the Narcotic Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) which empowered the Minister of the Interior to grant licences for industrial cultivation of cannabis. The Supreme Court reasoned that the impugned provision amounted to a direct violation of the letter of Article 106(2) of the 1992 Constitution, as well as a violation of the spirit of the law.

Critiques against the Decision

The writers humbly disagree with the decision of the Supreme Court in the Cannabis Case supra based on the following six reasons.

Firstly, the procedural requirement under Article 106(2) applies only to substantive bills and same is required to be done before introduction in Parliament. It does not apply to an amendment made by Parliament at the Consideration Stage which is taken after a bill has been introduced in Parliament.

Secondly, though Parliament finds it desirable to always seek inputs from the public to enrich its law-making processes, the public does not play any legal role in the making of law, breach of which must occasion invalidation of impugned provisions. Acts of Parliament are enacted by Parliament and the President (Article 106(1) of the 1992 Constitution).

Thirdly, though a clause of a bill is a necessary part of a Bill, the Constitution treats them differently. Under Article 108(a) where the Constitution intended exclusion of amendment to a bill, the Constitution expressly said so. Same cannot be said of Article 106(2) of the Constitution.

Fourthly, Parliament engages in debate only on a matter before the House if it is unable to reach a consensus on the matter. There is no legal requirement for the House to debate a matter before taking a decision on that matter.

Fifthly, the bill-making procedure under Article 106 contains a self-cleansing mechanism where amendments made by Parliament but which do not sit well with the President may be addressed. As earlier indicated, after Parliament has passed a bill and presented to the President for assent, he may take certain steps to ensure that areas of disagreements are reconsidered by the House.

Sixthly, the Parliament of Ghana operates an open Parliament policy where it always opens its doors to all and sundry including foreign nationals to contribute to its law-making and other business. Almost every bill that is laid in Parliament is published in newspapers for the attention of the general public to solicit the views of the public as part of the efforts of Parliament to deepen openness and transparency in law-making. The House was recently ranked by the PNAfrica as the first Parliament in the Open Parliament Index published on 20th July, 2022.

Finally, the purpose of Article 106 (2) of the 1992 Constitution is to give notice of the people of Ghana that a particular bill would be laid in Parliament and to alert those who may be interested to obtain copies and submit memoranda to an appropriate Committee or any member of the House for consideration. However, the concerns submitted by the public is by law not binding on Parliament though the House is inclined to accepting any relevant contribution to its law-making process. So, there is the possibility that even if the said Section 43 was part of the original bill that was laid in Parliament and memoranda sent to Parliament submitted for its deletion, it cannot be said with certainty that the situation could have been different.

Implications of the Decision

Most of the bills which are introduced in Parliament emanate from the Executive and Parliament exercises its legislative power mainly through amendment effected during the Consideration Stage of such bills. The effect of the decision of the Supreme Court in the Cannabis Case supra would severely impair the ability of Parliament to exercise its legislative powers. Thus, Parliament cannot amend a bill if the amendment is not within the express scope of the memorandum accompanying the bill unless Parliament takes steps to cause the said amendment to be published in the Gazette for 14 days. This would definitely occasion prolonged delay in the passing of bills by Parliament.

Conclusion

The writers accept, without question, that the Supreme Court is clothed with sufficient power under Article 130(1)(b) of the 1992 Constitution to review the actions of the Legislature including the exercise of the latter's law-making powers in both substantive and procedural respects. However, in the exercise of this constitutional power, the Court must be guided by the necessity for Parliament to be reserved a modicum of discretion to perform its high duty under the Constitution. Annulling provisions of laws on grounds such as those contained in the Cannabis Case will do us more harm than good. It would severely undermine the legislative powers of Parliament and impede the law-making process.

AUTHORS:

Benjamin Tachie Antiedu, Lawyer & Author, Reading the Law

Email: [email protected]

Goodnuff Appiah Larbi, Legal Researcher

Email: [email protected]

REFERENCES
The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is wrapping up his trip to Kenya today.

The Vice President arrived in Kenya on Monday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Kenya president-elect on Tuesday, September 13.

Earlier today, the Vice President held fruitful talks with the new Kenya President at the state house during his first official day at work.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia used the opportunity to strengthen Ghanas relationship with Kenya.

Today, I met with President Ruto at the State House on his first day at work and we had fruitful discussions on deepening the economic cooperation between Ghana and Kenya, Vice President Dr. Bawumia has shared in a post this morning.

Meanwhile, the Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia who is on the trip with the Vice President also held a fruitful meeting with her friend, the First Lady of Kenya, Rachel Ruto.

Congratulations to President Ruto, Her Excellency Rachel Ruto (First Lady), H.E Rigathi Gachagua (Deputy President), and Her Excellency Mrs. Dorcas Rigathi (Second Lady). May the good Lord protect and guide them as they begin their term of office, a post on the Facebook page of Dr. Bawumia concludes.
14.09.2022 LISTEN

That the nation is saddened to note that the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces has been living in oblivion in relation to the whereabout of the Chinese Kingpin, popularly known as Aisha Huang, following her involvement in illegal galamsey activities in the country, should be a great source of worry to everyone citizen of this country, and indeed, to the national security chiefs and government of the day as it is done in better jurisdictions. It is an obvious fact that the general public are highly appalled at the news especially at a time that our neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Togo are struggling with terrorist attacks in their neighbourhoods. How on earth could the president, the father of the nation, have claimed to be lavishing in limbo as to the whereabout of the woman in question? The assertion by the president, to the effect that he is not in the know about Aisha Huang deportation amply justifies the level of state sponsored systemic corruption that has become the most remarkable feature of this government, and indeed, a lucrative venture in the Nana Akufo-Addo led administration. This government, by this development, has given us more than enough to be worried over, as responsible citizens conscious of the governance crisis that bedeviled them, and not spectators!

In any case, if you have a head of state, who is supposed to be briefed every morning by his security chiefs, on matters of security and national interest, claiming to be totally oblivious about the fact that the much talked about Aisha Huang was deported or not, raises another magnitude of the level of governance quagmire and crisis that has bedeviled the clueless, reckless and incompetent Nana Akufo-Addo administration.

In the light of the president's recent comments, in better jurisdictions, he should have been impeached by Parliament or made to be prosecuted by the Courts, unconditionally. But we have a system that glorifies herowhosip to the total disregard for the rule of law and the constitution from where the president sources its powers.

It is against these despotism that the call by the former president need to be rallied behind. The former president John Dramani Mahama, in the midst of dictatorial administration like we have now, has made call to the effect that if given the chance to rule this country once again, he intends to trigger a review of the constitution of 1992 to ensure that the powers of the president should be reviewed to make him less powerful to not violate the constitution that guarantees him those powers. This is a move in the right direction because the powers arrogated to the president makes him somewhat irresponsible in the discharge of his duties. The constitution allocates so much powers to the presidency such that dictators take advantage of it to misbehave as despots.

The review therefore is a call in the right direction!

Yentik Gariba

Regional Communication Member,

*RCO HOPEFUL,*

North East Region,

NDC

[email protected]
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has described as a figure of speech, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's comments on the controversy surrounding Aisha Huang's supposed departure from Ghana and her re-entry.

In a radio interview in Ho on Monday, the President said he was not sure whether the notorious Chinese illegal miner was actually deported or she fled.

The comment has since attracted public backlash, with many questioning the President's briefings on the matter.

But the Information Minister on Eyewitness News said the President knows, fully well, the facts of the case.

It was a figure of speech. The President knows what happened. He has clarity on it. It was a question he was answering [That was why he said] That he was not too sure that this was deportation or repatriation.

The Government of Ghana insists that Aisha Huang was repatriated , not deported out of Ghana.

She was repatriated under the name En Huang. The question of the deportation or otherwise of the notorious Chinese illegal miner resurfaced after President Nana Akufo-Addo said in a media interview that he was not sure whether she fled out of the country or was actually deported.

Official records available to Citi News indicate that Aisha Huang's residence permit was revoked on December 19, 2018, and an Ethiopian Airline ticket was procured for her departure.

The government is yet to answer whether Aisha Huang was properly escorted out of the jurisdiction and whether the Ghana Mission in Beijing supervised her arrival in China, among other questions.

While speaking on the issue, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the fact is she was repatriated from the Ghanaian jurisdiction.

She found herself back in the Ghanaian Jurisdiction. The security agencies did not go to bed. They arrested her, she is in custody. She has not been granted bail, he added. Shift focus to prosecution

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah wants the discourse around Aisha Huang to shift to her prosecution.

Since she was arrested earlier in September, the focus was on how she ended up back in Ghana after reports that she had been made to leave the country in 2018.

While documents indicated she was given a notice of repatriation in December 2018, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said, what the majority of people are interested in is what happens next.

Mr. Nkrumah reiterated the governments intent to prosecute Aisha Huang with the new mining laws that have emerged since 2018.

Tougher laws mean she is facing jail time of up to 15 years.

The Attorney General has expressed clearly that under this new piece of legislation, Act 995, he is going to ensure that there is full prosecution.

The fact is she was repatriated from the Ghanaian jurisdiction. She found herself back in the Ghanaian Jurisdiction. The security agencies did not go to bed. They arrested her, she is in custody. She has not been granted bail.

I think all of our national attention must go strongly to focus on that and to see that through and to get results for the people of Ghana, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said.

By Citi Newsroom
The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners (GNASSM) has offered to help the police, National Security and other state institutions fish out all persons involved in illegal mining.

The Association said such collaborative efforts will eventually help weed out illegal miners and their accomplices, and rather ensure promotion and protection of legal mining within Ghanas mining space.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday, September 12 regarding a recent interview granted one Kwadwo Peprah as an official of the Association.

According to GNASSM, the interviewee is not the President of the Association as portrayed, neither is he a member.

Such publications per every estimation do affect the integrity of our members especially the national executive and other office holders.

We therefore disassociate our president Mr Philip Akuffo from the said commentary and publication, and further attach a list of GNASSM national executives and other district executives for the benefit of all media house and the general public at large.

The Association observed that both counts on the charge sheet of Aisha Huang and the four others have to do with illegal mining.

 We at GNASSM are ready to assist the Ghana Police, National Security and the other state institutions involved in the prosecution of all illegal miners including those charged with such offences as Aisha Huang, it proposed.

3news.com
An abandoned Chinese illegal mining pit at Nangurumah in the Mamprugu Moaduri District of the North East Region has trapped and killed five people.

The five lost their lives when they went to the abandoned pit to mine for minerals.

Confirming the news to reporters, Alhassan John Kweku who is the North East Regional National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Director described the incident as unfortunate and sad.

He noted that efforts are already underway for the abandoned mining pit to be filled to ensure that nothing of that sort happens again.

He revealed that the bodies of the five deceased persons have been retrieved by family members and buried in accordance with customs and traditions in the area.

The deceased include Kwaku Noah, Issahaku Osman, Mohammed Ibrahim, Salifu, and Aliu Waliu.

Meanwhile, NADMO has warned residents in the district to avoid moving to the area of the abandoned mining pit.

Residents are also cautioned not to try to sneak into the mining site to engage in any form of mining.
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central constituency, has reiterated why he is the only viable candidate for the ruling NPP in the 2024 general elections.

He said the party's delegates must choose him to "break the 8" for the party to continue to stay in power after 8years of Akufo-Addo's reign.

In an interview with Kumasi-based MAK TV, monitored by Modernghana News, the outspoken lawmaker explained that the youths have faith in him to save the country and deliver jobs as an experienced politician and businessman.

He emphasized that a survey he conducted revealed that approximately 88% of Ghanaian youths want him elected President.

If NPP wants to win in 2024, then the delegates must think about the youth because a survey conducted suggests that about 88 per cent of the youth want me to be President, so that should be a message to the polling station executives and all the delegates, he said.

The ruling NPP is preparing to elect a flagbearer in 2023 to lead the party 'break the 8' in the 2024 election.

Mr Kennedy Agyapong will be up against Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremateng and other stalwarts of the NPP.
The police have arrested a staff of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for extorting money from illegal miners.

The suspect, Gabriel Sarpong also stands accused of engaging in some illegal mining activities himself.

He has been arrested on the instruction of Deputy Minister George Mireku Duker.

This was after the Minister learned that Gabriel Sarpong has been impersonating him in his extortion escapades.

The suspect is said to have extorted as much as GHS200,000 from illegal miners.

According to the information gathered, he was arrested on Tuesday, September 13, after a tip-off by one of his accomplices.

Sources say the suspect after questioning has admitted to all counts of fraudulent activities leveled against him.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Mr. Mireku Duker has asked the security agencies to deal with the matter.

The suspect, Mr. Gabriel Sarpong is in the custody of the Ministries Police Station in Accra as investigations continue into the matter.
Franklin Cudjoe, the Founding President of IMANI Africa, has explained what could be causing President Akufo-Addo's doubts about Aisha Huang's deportation in 2018.

The policy advisor claimed that the President was confused by the common resemblance of Chinese nationals.

In a tweet spotted by Modernghana News on Tuesday, September 13, he noted that Ghanaians should pardon the President for the blunder.

I believe my man, NADAA has been seeing Aisha Huang's look likes in town, so he is not sure she was deported. Pardon him. Once upon a time, I too couldn't tell the distinguishable features of pretty slender caucasian ladies, his tweet reads.

This comes when President Akufo-Addo said on a Ho-based radio station as part of his working visit to the Volta region that Im not still sure whether she was in fact deported. Or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back. There still seems to be some uncertainty about it.

He added, but whichever way it is, shes become the sort of nickname for all that galamsey represents.

The president stressed that we have concerted to work at it. We need to have the cooperation of the courts. Until recently when I came, the punishment for people caught was relatively light. [But] weve changed the law to stiffen the punishment for people caught.
14.09.2022 LISTEN

Founder and leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike says he has no confidence in President Nana Akufo-Addos promise to stop illegal mining popularly called galamsey.

Speaking to Umaru Sanda Amadu in an interview on Face to Face on Citi TV, Mr. Odike said President Akufo-Addo has proven to be ineffective.

Do we call this man [Akufo-Addo] a president? He is not in charge. I saw Aisha Huang at the airport when she was about to be deported on TV. And now the President claims he is unsure whether the lady was deported. It tells us that the President is not in charge of the affairs of this country. The country is on autopilot. When you wake up, thank your God that you are alive because we do not have a leader.

He thinks nothing will come out of the Presidents proclamation that the Attorney General has his full support to prosecute notorious Chinese galamsey queen, Aisha Huang.

Akufo-Addo coming out to support the Attorney-General for the prosecution of Aisha Huang means nothing. Lets see how it unfolds. We are only going to have her back at the galamsey site. I can tell you on authority now that Aisha Huang is living comfortably. She is not in the grip of the police. She is at the BNI headquarters, living a very good life.

From all indications of his presidency so far, he is incompetent. The chiefs are no better, they are also accomplices to galamsey, he added.

Mr. Odike made the remarks on the back of recent discussions surrounding the re-arrest of Aisha Huang who was kicked out of Ghana in 2018 for engaging in illegal mining.

In a radio interview in Ho on Monday, the President said he was not sure whether Aisha Huang was actually deported or fled.

The comment raised eyebrows in Ghana, with many questioning the President's briefings on the matter.

The Ministry of Information subsequently clarified the Presidents comment and insisted that Aisha was actually repatriated in 2018.

---citinewsroom
14.09.2022 LISTEN

Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said Galamsey queen Aisha Huang was repatriated from Ghana even though President Nana Akufo-Addo recently said he was not sure she was deported or "fled" the country when she was first arrested in 2018.

According to him, the President's comment was a "figure of speech", adding: "The President knows what happened. He has clarity on it. It was a question he was answering that he was not too sure that this was deportation or repatriation".

The fact is she was repatriated from the Ghanaian jurisdiction, Mr Oppong Nkrumah told Accra-based Citi FM on Tuesday, 13 September 2022.

Subsequently, he noted: She found herself back in the Ghanaian Jurisdiction, adding: The security agencies did not go to bed, they arrested her, she is in custody.

She has not been granted bail, he added.

I think all of our national attention must go strongly to focus on that and to see that through and to get results for the people of Ghana, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said.

Just a few days ago, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said: Im not still sure whether she was in fact deported or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back, noting: There still seems to be some uncertainty about it.

But whichever way it is, shes become the sort of nickname for all that galamsey represents, the President added during an interview in Ho, Volta Region on Tuesday, 13 September 2022.

Aisha Huang was arrested in 2018 and was believed to have been deported after she was found to have been engaged in illegal mining in the country.

Responding to angry Ghanaians on why she was deported and not prosecuted, the Senior Minister then, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, in 2019, said jailing her in Ghana will not have solved the countrys economic problems.

Osafo Maafo cited Ghanas diplomatic ties with China and the huge investments Chinese companies are making in developing the countrys infrastructure, including the $2 billion Sinohydro deal, as some of the reasons for Aisha Huangs deportation.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has assured residents in the Volta and Oti regions that government is committed to completing the Eastern Corridor Road.

According to him, the progress of work on the various lots, particularly, the ones which traverse the Volta and Oti regions, was testament to the fact that a number of them would be completed in 2023.

The President noted that unlike others who only paid lip service to the country's road construction, his administration was walking the talk and doing everything possible to ensure the road would be completed on schedule to bring relief to residents.

The President made the commitment on Monday, when he inspected ongoing work on the Asikuma-Have stretch of the Eastern Corridor Road.

The project is part of the 58 road projects being constructed in the Volta Region, out of which 129 kilometres have been completed.

Engineer Oliver Acquah-Techie, Chief Executive Officer of First Sky Construction Limited, contractors of the project, noted that the construction of the road, which was awarded in September 2021, was progressing according to schedule.

Progress of Works

The Volta Regional Director of the Ghana Highway Authority, Eric Dorsu, said, 41-kilometres out of the 53-kilometres of the Have-Hohoe stretch, which is being done by Greenhouse Construction, has already been completed.

Also, 22 kilometres of the 30-kilometre Hohoe-Jasikan portion has been completed, while the entire 56-kilometre Jasikan-Dodo-Pepeso section, has also been completed and commissioned by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia last week.

Mr. Dorsu added that Work is steadily ongoing on the Nkwanta-Kpassa and the Oti-Damongo sections.

The Eastern Corridor is a 696 kilometres stretch which begins at Tema in the Greater Accra Region through the Eastern, Volta and Oti regions to Kulungugu in the Upper East Region. It is the shortest route linking the northern part of the country to the south. The Volta, Oti and parts of the Northern region have been in very bad shape for years. As most of the sections get completed, traffic and commercial activities along the stretch are expected to improve and also livelihoods.

Volta Road Projects

Amongst the roads completed include the 21 kilometres of asphaltic overlay of selected roads in Hohoe and Kpando municipalities; the 15.6 kilometres of bitumen surfacing of Akwettey-Adaklu-Waya road; 20 kilometres of bitumen surfacing of the Yorkitikpo-Kpoviadzi-Trepe road; and the upgrading of the 9.7-kilometre Liati Agbonyira-Fodome-Ahor feeder road.

The 175-metre bridge on the Agbenoxoe-Dafor Feeder road, which links communities between Kpandu, Dafor to Nkonya, has also been completed.

The dualisation of the 10-kilometre road between Sokode Gbogame and the Ho Civic Centre, the first major dual carriageway in the Volta Regional Capital, is 85 per cent complete and scheduled for completion by the end of 2022.

Government is also working towards commencing work on the Volivo Bridge and approach roads. Work is expected to commence by the first quarter of 2023.

Tendering processes are also ongoing for the 39.2km Dorfor-Adidome-Asikuma Junction and the 23.9km Asutsuare JunctionAveyime roads, which will serve as approach roads to the Volivo Bridge. The project is to be funded by the African Development Bank, with work expected to commence by January 2023.

---DGN online
It has been more than 50 years since Queen Elizabeth II visited Sudan but there are still some who remember her tour of the formerly British-ruled territory in its first decade of independence.

In subsequent decades, repeated military coups and civil war between north and south have led to protracted isolation and partition into two independent nations.

There is not much nostalgia for British rule. Many in the rump Sudan left behind by the south's secession in 2011 blame it for fanning the ethnic and religious differences that eventually led to the bloody divorce.

But there was genuine fondness for the queen personally when her death at the age of 96 last week brought down the curtain on a reign lasting more than 70 years.

"I was a schoolgirl in my uniform and we were pulled out of school to greet the queen," recalled Khartoum resident Belqis Rikabi, now in her 70s.

Rikabi remembered that she had been impressed by the queen's dress and had tried to get through the jostling crowd to touch the fabric.

"One of the guards hit me very hard but then the queen saw this and called out: 'No, no, no'," Rikabi said.

"He stopped and then she held up the hem of the dress for me to examine it."

'Good resonance'

During her stay in the Sudanese capital in February 1965, the queen stayed in the colonial-era Grand Hotel overlooking the Nile, where a portrait of her still takes pride of place alongside pictures of other eminent Britons, including wartime prime minister Winston Churchill.

The hotel, which overlooks the Nile, boasts other famous visitors over the years, including anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela and US civil rights leader Malcolm X. By ASHRAF SHAZLY (AFP)

"The hotel holds memories, photos and records for all the world's greatest people who visited the country in different periods, most notably Queen Elizabeth," said the hotel's general manager, Abdelmoneim Abdelmahmoud al-Hassan.

The hotel was built in 1902 and other visitors over the years have included anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela and US civil rights leader Malcolm X.

Though it was long ago, the queen's visit "has good resonance" among Sudanese people, Hassan said.

Surviving newsreel footage of the visit is dominated by camel racing and camel-mounted cavalrymen in traditional robes.

But the queen also visited development projects first conceived when Sudan was still ruled under a British-dominated joint administration with Egypt.

'Great woman'

Outside Khartoum, she toured the Gezira agricultural scheme in the fertile soils between the Blue Nile and the White Nile, still one of the world's largest irrigation projects.

She visited farmers in the Gezira state capital Wad Madani and the Roseires Dam on the Blue Nile, which was completed the year after her visit.

Now 73, Manahel Abou Kashwa was among those who greeted the queen in Wad Madani.

As a 16-year-old, Abou Kashwa says she was among 10 pupils chosen to escort the monarch around their school.

"As a young girl, I was amazed at the queen and how people were doing everything for her. I was however happy to be chosen to accompany her."

Thirty-five years later and now married to a senior Sudanese diplomat, Abou Kashwa met the queen again when her husband, Hassan Abdeen, presented his credentials as Sudan's ambassador to the United Kingdom.

"I told her we met before and she laughed," Abou Kashwa said.

When Abou Kashwa learnt of the queen's death, she said: "I was saddened. She was a great woman."
14.09.2022 LISTEN

Founder and leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike has expressed shock at President Akufo-Addos latest statement on Chinese galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang.

Speaking on a Ho-based radio station in an interview, the President said he is unsure whether the Chinese national was indeed deported or fled the country.

Im not still sure whether she was in fact deported. Or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back. There still seems to be some uncertainty about itBut whichever way it is, shes become the sort of nickname for all that galamsey represents, President Akufo-Addo said.

Speaking to Citi TV in an interview, Akwasi Addai Odike said the statement from the President is an indication that he is not in charge.

In his view, it appears Ghana has no president and the country is currently on autopilot.

Do we call this man [Akufo-Addo] a president? He is not in charge. I saw Aisha Huang at the airport when she was about to be deported on TV. And now the President claims he is unsure whether the lady was deported. It tells us that the President is not in charge of the affairs of this country.

The country is on autopilot. When you wake up, thank your God that you are alive because we do not have a leader, the former presidential candidate shared.

Today, Aisha Huang has returned to court for the hearing of her case.

The state through the Attorney General has taken an interest in the case and has assured that Aisha Huang will face the full force of the law if found guilty of the offences.
France has rejected a request from a visiting delegation of Canadian Inuits to extradite a priest accused of sexual assault on young members of the Indigenous minority in the 1960s. The justice ministry said that France does not extradite its nationals.

A delegation of Canadian Inuits travelled to Paris earlier this month to press France to fulfil a request filed by Canada in August for the extradition of 92-year-old Joannes Rivoire, who lives in the French city of Lyon.

Rivoire, who holds both French and Canadian nationality, is accused of sexually abusing young Inuit in the 1960s while he was on a mission in the far north of Canada. He denies the accusations.

In turning down the extradition request, the justice ministry in Paris added that it has asked the Canadian authorities for details of the case, to see if proceedings can be instigated in France.

Rivoire left Canada in 1993 after 33 years of working as a missionary. He has been accused of sexual assault of three minors as well as a new complaint of an assault that allegedly took place 47 years ago.

Delegation hopes to meet priest

The Inuit delegation will now move on to Lyon, where they hope to meet with Rivoire himself.

Canada's extradition request was announced shortly after Pope Francis completed a landmark trip to Canada, where he apologised for the abuse of indigenous children in Catholic-run schools over decades.

In the Canadian north, Rivoire's case has become emblematic of the impunity of sexual abusers in the Church for decades.

"The pope is the leader of the Catholic Church and ... he must be able to require Rivoire to face his charges," Kilikvak Kabloona, the chief executive of an organisation representing the Inuit in Nunavut, said during the Pope's visit.
Former presidential candidate, Akwasi Addai Odike does not see any commitment by President Akufo-Addo to fight illegal mining (galamsey) despite the assurance that he backs Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame to prosecute Aisha Huang to the fullest.

The Chinese woman popularly called galamsey queen is facing court after her recent arrest for allegedly engaging in illegal mining and sale of minerals without a license, activities that got her deported from the country in 2018.

Speaking to Citi TV in an interview on Tuesday, September 13, Akwasi Addai Odike said he is not enthused about the willingness of the government to deal with Aisha Huang.

According to him, the Chinese galamsey kingpin is living comfortably at the BNI headquarters and not in the grips of police as reported earlier.

Akwasi Addai Odike said, Akufo-Addo coming out to support the Attorney-General for the prosecution of Aisha Huang means nothing. Lets see how it unfolds. We are only going to have her back at the galamsey site. I can tell you on authority now that Aisha Huang is living comfortably. She is not in the grip of the police. She is at the BNI headquarters, living a very good life."

In his view, Mr. Odike who is the leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP) said just like some chiefs in the country, the presidency is complicit in galamsey activities in the country.

From all indications of his presidency so far, he is incompetent. The chiefs are no better, they are also accomplices to galamsey, he alleges.

In the latest twist to the Aisha Huang brouhaha, President Akufo-Addo has revealed that he is unsure whether the Chinese national was indeed deported some years ago or she fled the country.

Im not still sure whether she was in fact deported. Or whether she fled the country the first time and has now come back. There still seems to be some uncertainty about itBut whichever way it is, shes become the sort of nickname for all that galamsey represents, President Akufo-Addo said.

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has called for a full-scale independent probe into the case.
AS MEMBERS of the Fourth Estate, journalists are imbued with the power of ensuring surveillance over society. They are also entrusted with the responsibility of keeping an eye on the society so as to being to the fore the challenges that confront the society.

They are also clothed with the power of watching over public institutions to make sure impropriety is exterminated. This impropriety could include misuse of public funds, looting of state resources and money laundering, among others.

When there is prevalence of corruption and its related activities in society, it remains lags behind in development. This is truism on the basis of the fact, the privileged in society would continue to swim in affluence through crooked means whereas the underprivileged continue to languish in extreme conditions.

The crime of corruption is as heavy as that of an elephant. Journalists, as watchdogs over society, are supposed to expose miscreants as well as public officials who use their offices to amass wealth with impunity, in order that the latter would face the full rigours of the law, thereby checking corruption. This would go a long way in strengthening the democracy of countries.

In Ghana, Chapter 12, Article 162 of the 1992 constitution gives journalists the freedom to discharge their duties without any fear or favour. The constitution empowers them to hold public officials accountable. This helps journalists to nib in the bud corrupt activities in the public service.

But the question which begs for an answer is: have the journalists really been vested with the authority to hold corrupt public officials and other miscreants accountable? There are a few journalists like Manasseh Azure Awuni, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and others who still valiantly expose corrupt officials as well as other social deviants. The works of these distinguished journalists have led to those found culpable of corruption to lose their jobs.

How can journalists play their watchdog role over society when society loses trust in then?

Some journalists in the country are actually afraid to vigorously pursue corrupt officials with the belief that their lives may be endangered and even be killed if they are found to be behind the tracking and reporting of corrupt officials. This is especially true because the lives of a few investigative journalists have been threatened in recent times for publishing stories that have led to most people losing their jobs. The lack of protection for these journalists has demotivated a myriad of journalists in the country to chart this path. It has succeeded in numbing many journalists who could have been a voice for the voiceless.

To this end, a cross section of the public have lost trust in the journalists ability to live to the standards of watching over the society. Most members of the public believe majority of journalists are unable to live to the standards of the profession owing to the fact that most of them have aligned themselves to political parties.

According to Christian, a student, journalists alignment to political parties in recent times has suppressed them from watching over society as their profession mandates them, though he concedes that there are some journalists who still perform to the standards of the profession.

One or two people are doing very well but a few are politically aligned journalists who do things to please political parties and we know a lot of them, Christian stated.

To a level 300 student of the University of Ghana, Awiah Kaweh Martha, journalists do not live to the standard of their profession of watching on the society. She, thus, attributed this to most of the journalists' desire of obtaining quick money to the detriment of being watchdogs of society.

Some of them who are into it for a very long time are particular about the money. Majority of them are not living up to expectation. Some are there; they are not watching the community, they are just looking at news that will trend, she said.

To Esther, a seamstress, Majority of journalists are not living up to the standards.

Sharahan, a teacher, corroborated Christians argument, saying Some of them, I don't know whether they belong to the political parties because per what I see, some of them are supporting the political parties. As I speak currently, there are some journalists who speak like they are politicians.

In Naffisahs view, journalists of today have thrown the ethics of the profession to the sea, adding that They have developed an unquenchable appetite for money.

These were five out of fifteen views expressed by residents of Accra in a random interview with Elijah Beyeni, a student friend of mine on Friday. These views are a clear manifestation of the fact that the public's confidence in journalists ability to watch over society has eroded.

In order to win back the trust of the public, I recommend that all successive governments should assist investigative journalists by protecting them so they can discharge their duties without fear of intimidation and victimisation. This would make the trade attractive to other journalists to take active part in investigative journalism and help to expose the ills of society.

Journalists should also see it as a necessity to adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). The GJA Code of Ethics advises journalists to shy away from taking bribes or any form of inducement that would influence their story writing. It also demands that journalists report the truth at all times. Journalists should see the need to uphold these ethics so that they can effectively play the watchdog role in society. This would help journalists win back the trust of the masses and consolidate the countrys much-touted accolade as the Oasis of Democracy in Africa.

BY Ayisha Mohammed

The writer is a Level 300 Student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism
Women at Kurosua Number Two, a farming community near Sunyani are undergoing three-week capacity building and skills training in soap making to improve their livelihoods.

The training for 60 beneficiaries, with support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana was organized by the Kavinang Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization focused on community development and women's economic empowerment.

Beneficiaries of the training, which started on last Monday would be taken through the production of soaps for bathing and washing in commercial quantities as well as the effective management of their finances to complement their seasonal farming activities.

Opening the training session, the Bono Regional Minister, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, entreated the participants and women in general to learn to add diverse handicraft and skill competencies to their activities for economic improvement.

She encouraged participants to ensure unity and cordial cohabitation, and demonstrate good attitude towards work so they can add economic value to themselves and their families.

Seasonal farming

Mr. Seth Cudjoe, the project coordinator in an interview explained that the area was known for only seasonal farming activities and that the women keep experiencing severe economic hardships.

Mr. Cudjoe added that the beneficiaries would be guided to form three groups made up of 20 members each with five leaders in each group.

They would contribute Ghs20 each as commitment fee and receive start-up kits.

He said the Foundation together with the facilitators would undertake six months strict monitoring for the sustainability of the project.

Mrs. Eunice Adama and Elizabeth Lareba, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the organizers of the project, saying as a result of their over-dependence on rain-water, they are only able to farms twice in a year and they usually engage in cassava, maize and vegetable farming.

They were hopeful that the training would give them additional sources of income in the farming community.
The founder and leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike says he has lost all hope in the galamsey fight.

According to him, all stakeholders have shown little commitment to the fight against the menace.

The fight against galamsey keeps failing because successive governments are part of the problem. They extort monies behind the scenes from these galamseyers [illegal miners]. I know what goes into these things. They pay their masters who are the politicians to stay away from them to enable them do their nefarious activities, he told Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Citi TV.

He said the President has lost the fight against galamsey though he has injected millions into it.

He said key among the problem is that soldiers prefer to go to galamsey sites than peace-keeping missions, since they stand to benefit from the illegal activities.

They go there to protect those who are destroying the environment. They do not go there to stop the activities, as they make it seem. This is the truth. We must speak truth to power and tell them in their faces. We were here when some military officers who were arrested for nefarious activities in the Atewa forest confessed before the court that they were sent from the Jubilee House. What has happened to the case?

Odike added that traditional leaders have not done any better.

Mr. Odike has already incurred the wrath of traditional leaders in Kumasi after he accused them of being complicit in illegal mining activities in the Ashanti Region.

---citinewsroom
Former beneficiaries of the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) have served a fresh notice of picketing at the Jubilee House, given governments failure to pay them allowances due them under the just-ended programme.

The NABCO Trainees Association of Ghana in a statement expressed worry that protests it has held in the past have yielded no results.

After exhausting all possible avenues, including the recently held picketing followed by the time window given to government to getting our arrears paid, the same issue lingers. It is clear that our welfare is not of concern to the government, parts of the release said.

The picket has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, 2022.

The level of insensitivity suffered in the hands of the current administration is condemnable to the highest degree. Trainees are to take note of this new development and watch out for subsequent updates leading to the exercise on our various platforms, the statement concluded.

The protest comes after the recently held one on September 6, 2022, by the Coalition of NABCO trainees after the NABCO program officially ended on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.

The program which was launched in 2018 for a three-year period was extended in 2021.

The beneficiaries say the non-payment of the allowances largely began with the extension.

---citinewsroom
One of the suspects in Aisha Huang's case has collapsed in court today.

This was few minutes after an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Bright Acquah today (Sept 14) denied them bail.

Jong Li Hua, one of the suspects charged alongside Aisha, collapsed in the course of the hearing.

En Huang also pleaded not guilty to the charge of engaging in sale of minerals without license, and mining without license.

Counsel for the accused, Nkrabeah Effah Dartey, in his bail application described the charges as minor and wondered why after 14 days of Aishas remand, the police had not been able to complete its thorough investigations.

According to him, the media had placed too much emphasis on what he described as A small case.

He added that his clients had people of good substance to stand as sureties for them.

Chief Inspector Frederick Sarpong, opposed the bail application on grounds that if granted bail, the accused persons would hamper investigations.

As Aisha stands here she cannot tell the court how she got into the country, the prosecutor added.

He clarified that the accused were charged with criminal offences and not merely before the court by virtue of their nationality or colour.

He prayed the court to remand the accused persons into police custody assuring the court that counsels will have access to them anytime they wish to.

In his ruling, Bright Acquah said Aisha was a well known galamsey operator and had gained notoriety as a galamsey kingpin.

The accused may not appear to stand trial and may interfere with evidence and hamper trial, he said.

The judge subsequently remanded the accused to police custody.

The suspects are to re-appear before the court on September 27.

Aisha Huang was arrested through a National Security operation after she reportedly sneaked into the country to again undertake illegal mining activity.

Aisha is currently facing criminal charges with three others at an Accra Circuit Court.

The other accused persons, all Chinese, are Jong Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huiad Hiahu.
Ghanas former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Senior UN Mediations Advisor, Dr. Emmanuel Bombande has said President Akufo-Addo has lost touch with the country's security system.

Speaking exclusively on Class 91.3 FM's 505 with Korku Lumor, Dr. Bombande revealed that President Akufo-Addo's uncertainty on Aisha Huangs deportation status is an indication that he is not in-charge of Ghanas security.

It comes across clearly to the people of Ghana that he's making a tacit admission, which is also a confession that he as the Commander-in-Chief, is not totally in-charge of our security architecture.

According to Dr. Bombande, the continous destruction of Ghana's water bodies by Aisha Huang and her cohorts, sharply contradicts the President's efforts at seeking global financing support for climate change adaptation.

If you put in context the dominance of Aisha Huang in our media headlines, associated with the destruction, ravaging and raping of our environment and taking it away from future generations with Aisha Huang representing symbolically, the image of the continuation of the destruction that we have (in Ghana) and our President's (efforts), together with the community of the developing world, seeking finances for climate adaptation, the picture is very contradictory, he stated.

Dr. Bombande further stressed that the re-entry of Aisha Huang into Ghana represents a breach in the country's security set up, and must be investigated to enhance the country's security.

A major concern for all of us is that there has been a breach in our national security set up in the context of her re-entry into Ghana and we must use that as the argument for a comprehensive investigation, to reframe and enhance how our security agencies review their capacities for the protection of Ghana, to make our borders (impenetrable), he advised.

Meanwhile, Chief of party at the Bureau of Public Safety, Nana Yaw Akwada has further revealed that President Akufo-Addo's recent comments on Aisha Huang, points to the fact that he and his appointees are not concerned about the wellbeing of Ghanaians.

I feel so violated because, the issue of galamsey is not a matter that should be taken lightly. It is a matter that threatens our very existence and if today, it is coming to light that the president and his senior minister are not on the same page, every Ghanaian, I think should be worried.

It means that, the things that concern us, really do not concern these people, he bemoaned.

He is, therefore, calling for a parliamentary probe into the circumstances surrounding Aisha Huang's deportation and subsequent re-entry into Ghana.

This matter should not rest here. I will want to see the parliamentary committee on Defense and Interior, take this matter up seriously.

We need to examine how our president is briefed, what issues make way into his daily security briefings and which ones do not, he said.

The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has come under fierce criticism for asserting that he does not think the Chinese national was deported out of Ghana, following her arrest for engaging in illegal mining activities.

This view, sharply contradicts his earlier admission three years ago during an engagement with the Ghanaian community in Colorado, USA, in which he categorically stated that the deportation of Aisha Huang was a mistake.

Source: Classfmonline.com
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday inspected works on a second phase of construction of the Ho Central Market.

The project comes under the World Bank Secondary City project, a 100-million-dollar infrastructure support for 25 selected municipalities in the country.

It includes close to 200 stores, a lorry terminal, and a mosque.

President Akufo-Addo was in the company of Ministers for Local Government, and Roads and Highways, and was briefed on the project by Mr Divine Bosson, the Municipal Chief Executive for Ho.

The project, which also provides several toilet facilities, was made possible through the reclamation of land, and the MCE said the market would be transformed upon completion.

He led the President around the four-block project ongoing in two phases, and which is about 90 per cent complete.

The President had arrived in Ho on Monday and opened the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Bar Association, before heading down the Eastern Corridor superhighway to inspect progress of its construction.

Prior to visiting the market, the President had met with leaders of the 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho, in a series of closed-door meetings.

The President had inspected a guard of honor at the Volta Barracks and had received a 21-gun salute at the Ho Technical University when he arrived for the Bar Conference.

President Akufo-Addo is using the two-day tour to inspect ongoing projects and is expected to commission a community day senior high school at Aflao, and a District Court in Battor before heading back to Accra.

GNA
In July 2022 Senegalese voters converged at polling stations to elect 165 members of parliament (MPs) to represent them in the National Assembly.

Despite a tense campaign period, low voter turnout (46%), and the opposition's calls to secure the votes in certain localities, election day remained peaceful and highly competitive.

From the eight major political coalitions that entered the electoral race, two emerged at the top. The stakes were high: just six months before the poll, the ruling coalition Benno Bokk Yakkaar had lost the major cities in municipal, regional and mayoral elections. In the run-up to the elections, some commentators suggested the coalition's performance would indicate what support there was for the incumbent, President Macky Sall , and his potential attempt to run for a third term in 2024.

In broad terms, these legislative elections were seen to reflect the ability of the opposition and the electorate to buoy democracy and check presidential ambitions to overstay.

Opposition gains ground

That's the message they seemed to send: Benno Bokk Yakkaar's electorate dwindled again, especially in urban areas. In cities and towns the Yewwi Askan Wi Wallu coalition, made up of two opposition groupings, won by a landslide.

In the end, Benno Bokk Yakkaar obtained 82 MPs and Yewwi Askan Wi earned 80.

For the first time in Senegal's political history, an opposition front managed to dog the presidential coalition and impose a split parliament with no absolute majority.

The opposition's breakthrough can be attributed to the dramatic fall in the popularity of Sall and his coalition. The electorate had become increasingly vocal in its demands for more accountability, justice and better socio-economic conditions.

Another contributory factor was the alliance of two major opposition coalitions. This political strategy derailed the presidential camp.

The alliance also benefited from Sonkomania, the popular support for Ousmane Sonko , aged 48. Sonko entered the political scene in 2014 when he formed his political party Senegalese Patriots for Work and Ethics . He remains popular despite a rape allegation case against him still pending in court, which he claims is politically motivated.

Sonko himself wasn't able to run in the legislative contest: the primary list of candidates to which he belonged was disqualified because it did not respect the gender parity law . Nevertheless, he remained (along with Barthelemy Dias , the mayor of Dakar) the flagbearer of Yewwi Askan Wi. Voter support for this coalition was widely interpreted as being mobilised by Sonko's popularity and the critique he has rallied against establishment incumbents.

Sonko's image as an incorruptible former civil servant and an anti-system politician drew more voters to Yewwi Askan Wi. He promised to hold the executive accountable for financial scandals through parliamentary actions. He also had a strong presence online and on the ground to mobilise supporters. The Yewwi Askan Wi-Wallu coalition built its electoral campaign around his image.

All eyes are now on the 2024 presidential elections. The ruling coalition's major setback casts new light on what could happen. The contest is shaping up to give the Senegalese a significant and competitive election, leaving voters in the driver's seat.

Who is Ousmane Sonko?

After earning a master's degree in public law in 1999 at Universite Gaston Berger, Sonko joined the prestigious National School of Administration.

As a tax inspector, he occupied a high-ranking position in the Senegalese civil service before being fired in 2016 for exposing and denouncing unethical practices in the national administration.

In 2017, he was elected to the National Assembly. He increasingly became the leading voice of the opposition. In March 2021, he was arrested on disorderly conduct charges on his way to the court in Dakar to begin the legal proceedings on the rape charges. His adherents followed his motorcade to court, protesting as a brigade of opposition. The situation escalated as the police attempted to disperse them. Subsequently, Sonko was arrested for public order disturbance and participating in an unauthorised demonstration.

This sparked an unprecedented uprising, with protests shutting down the major cities. Violence destroyed public infrastructure and French businesses were looted. Fourteen people died and more than 600 were seriously injured. For many, the arrest of a leading opposition figure over political protests by his supporters was viewed as an attack on democracy .

These events solidified Sonko's popular support and consolidated his stature as a serious contender for the presidency, and opposition leader.

Given his third-place standing in the 2019 election and the growth of his political base, he can certainly force a runoff election in 2024. His eligibility to run, however, will be determined by the outcome of the rape charge he faces.

Chances for 2024

Much of the uncertainty about 2024 hinges on whether Macky Sall decides to seek a third term. He has so far refused to answer that question, which has cost him in terms of popularity.

For the Senegalese electorate, the long presidencies of Leopold Senghor (20 years) and Abdou Diouf (19 years) are a bygone era.

The country has embraced the idea of two-term presidencies, and the incumbent's honeymoon won't last more than a decade, as Sall's predecessor Abdoulaye Wade found out.

Still, should Sall decide to seek a third term, he would have to clear a number of hurdles.

The first one is the Constitutional Court, which would rule on the legality of his candidacy.

Then he would face a number of opposition figures: Sonko, of course, but also potentially Barthelemy Dias , and possibly Khalifa Sall (a former mayor of Dakar) and Karim Wade .

None of the candidates is likely to earn a majority of the votes (50% plus one) in the first round. But, as Sall well knows, in 2000 and 2012 the incumbent lost the presidential elections when forced to a second round.

Should Sall not seek another term, his party is still in dire straits as it has not cultivated a national figure that would take over the party's leadership. And it might be too late for such a figure to emerge.

Sonko is well positioned for the 2024 elections  especially if he manages to make inroads with the electorate in rural areas. That would build on his solid popularity with urban voters.

Implications for Senegalese democracy

For some, Sonko's candidacy represents a new course for representation, accountability and quality of governance in Senegal.

By not aligning with the incumbent coalition, he offers an anti-establishment view and a contrast to veteran rivals.

His reputation as a whistleblower continues to drive electoral support, along with his attention to issues of debt, exploitation of natural resources, poverty, underfunded health and education systems and corruption.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

By Rachel Beatty Riedl, Professor of International Studies , Cornell University And

Bamba Ndiaye, Assistant Professor, Emory University And

Oumar Ba, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Cornell University
French Foreign Affairs Minister, Catherine Colonna, on Wednesday embarked on a two-day official visit to India. She is due to meet her Indian counterpart, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to discuss regional and global security issues.

"India and France are long-term strategic partners," Catherine Colonna said in a statement issued before her departure.

"The partnership is maintained by regular high-level consultations, and supported by a growing convergence of interest in a wide number of fields," the statement continues

The French minister is due to visit New Delhi and Mumbai.

Colonna's meeting with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Delhi's top diplomat, will notably look at smoothing the way on certain global questions which are likely to resurface at the United Nations Security Council, which France chairs.

The French minister is also to have a meeting with Ajit Doval, one of India's top security advisors. Those talks are likely to focus on shared security concerns, notably in the context of the international "No Money for Terrorism" project, this year hosted by India, and aimed at cutting the money flow to terrorist groups worldwide.

High-level exchanges

In Mumbai on Thursday, Minister Coilonna is due to meet Indian investors, with a view to boosting commercial partnerships. Defence, climate, migration, education and health are the headline topics.

There have already been high-level exchanges between Paris and Delhi.

Last month, President Emmanuel Macron spoke on the phone to Narendra Modi about the Ukraine crisis and the potential of that conflict to provoke wider destabilisatcion. The two leaders agreed to work to bring the Russia-Ukraine conflict to an end.

India's position as a major importer of Russia arms makes Delhi's attitude to the war difficult. But India did sign the G7 declaration in May calling for "respect for the sovereignity and territorial integrity of all states".

President Macron has promised French aid in coordinating the global effort to mitigate the food crisis provoked by the Ukraine conflict.
The mystery surrounding galamsey queen Aisha Huang's disappearance and reappearance in Ghana is getting murkier.

While President Nana Akufo-Addo had said he was not sure whether she was reported out of the country, his Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah came out to clarify that she was "repatriated".

In court today, Wednesday, 14 September 2022, however, Ms Hunag's prosecutors told the hearing that she "sneaked out" out of Ghana after her first arrest in 2017 and "sneaked" back into the country in "early 2022".

Meanwhile, Ms Huang pleaded not guilty to two charges at the Circuit Court in Accra Wednesday.

The charges are - mining without a licence and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a valid licence.

In May 2017, Aisha Huang became a household name for her notoriety in the galamsey business which gave her the nickname Galamsey Queen.

She was charged with three counts of undertaking small-scale mining operations, contrary to Section 99 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703); providing mining support services without valid registration with the Minerals Commission, and contrary to the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), and the illegal employment of foreign nationals, contrary to the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573).

However, the government suddenly discontinued the case and deported her in December 2018.

She is believed to have returned to the country through the Togo border to engage in the same illegal business for which she was arrested and deported.

The Attorney General says she would be prosecuted for her previous and current crimes.
Ivory Coast on Wednesday accused Mali of "blackmail" over 46 Ivorian troops who have been detained by Bamako and called for West African leaders to discuss the crisis as soon as possible.

Mali's ruling junta last week tied the troops' release to the extradition of Malians living in Ivory Coast -- a condition that amounts to "unacceptable blackmail," the government's National Security Council said in a statement.

It reiterated a call for the soldiers' "immediate release" and urged a meeting of leaders of the regional bloc ECOWAS "as soon as possible."

"The latest developments... are liable to harm peace and security in the sub-region," said the council, which is headed by President Alassane Ouattara.

The two countries have been locked in a diplomatic tug-of-war since July 10, when the Malian authorities arrested 49 troops who had arrived at Bamako airport.

The junta-led government said the troops had had no orders or supporting documents and described them as "mercenaries".

In August, the soldiers were charged with "attempted harm to external state security" and formally placed in custody.

Ivory Coast says the troops were simply on a routine rotation for personnel who provide back-up services for the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali.

Three women soldiers in the group were released in early September -- a move that Ivory Coast welcomed as a good sign.

'Hostages'

But last Friday, junta chief Colonel Assimi Goita called for "compensation for Mali", referring to Malians living in political asylum in Ivory Coast who were being sought by Bamako through international arrest warrants.

"This request confirms once more the fact that our soldiers are in no way mercenaries but hostages," Wednesday's statement said.

Malians in Ivory Coast include Karim Keita -- son of former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita overthrown by the junta in 2020 -- and Tieman Hubert Coulibaly, defence and foreign affairs minister under Keita.

Mali has been dominated by the military since the coup, which followed mass protests over the handling of a long-running and bloody jihadist insurgency.

In the runup to the dispute over the soldiers, bilateral ties had become fraught over the timetable for Mali's return to civilian rule.

Mali accused Ivory Coast of insisting that ECOWAS -- the Economic Community of West African States -- take a hard line on sanctions aimed at pressing the junta to hand back power.

Tough trade and financial sanctions were lifted in July after Mali, yielding to the bloc's demands, published a new electoral law and a timetable that includes a presidential election in February 2024.

But an Ivorian source told AFP at the weekend that sanctions could return to the ECOWAS agenda if no progress was made on the detained soldiers.

ECOWAS has previously said Mali will remain suspended from its ranks pending restoration of constitutional order.

It has also retained sanctions imposed individually against around 150 members of the junta.
By dismissing a security guard who approached him to search before boarding an aircraft, Kan Dapaah has shown himself to be a mediocre Minister for National Security. Kan Dapaah has to be sacked if Ghana is a good country with effective laws because he has violated every security legislation and protocol.

I'm not sure how this situation could seem to Africans, but in developed nations, the minister of national security would rather be fired for dismissing someone who was acting ethically in terms of security. The fact that Kan Dapaah is the National Minister for Security does not mean that he is above the law or that a security officer cannot contact him to make a demand.

I have repeatedly stated that almost all of the ministers appointed by President Nana Akufo Addo are not intelligent or qualified to serve as ministers. They are responsible for the extreme chronic corruption that has affected all of Ghana's infrastructures, causing the country's economy to collapse, a high rate of unemployment, crime, and enormous debt without accountability.



Kan Dapaah is among one of Akufo Addos minister wasting Ghana's resources every year, since he is unqualified for the position. He has embarrassed himself the most by firing an airport security officer who is superior at his job, to the Minister of National Security.

Imagine individuals like Hawa Koomson, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ken Ofori-Atta, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Jean Mensa, and a host of others who believe they are performing admirably but have contributed to the president's swift downfall because they are corrupt and unqualified to hold those positions. Politicians that are qualified serve the people, not the parties.

Airports are vital infrastructure facilities with complicated security control. The method for protecting such facilities is set down by legislation to guarantee the continuous and proper operation of civil aviation. Intruders must not interfere with the way the airport operates in addition to the safety of the workers and passengers.

Therefore, the primary goal of the security service is to prevent and deter unlawful entrance to the facility's grounds, including the transportation of guns, explosives, and other objects that present or could potentially present a threat to people, property, or flying equipment.

The administration that manages and operates the infrastructural facility is legally responsible for airport security. To identify and stop any efforts to enter the airport property illegally, they must first defend the building's perimeter and entrances. The aviation security service is the foundation of the airport security system.

As a result, the vast majority of airports enter into agreements with private security firms and actively engage with their staff regarding security-related matters. The right engineering solutions, implemented and maintained by trained professionals, are used for perimeter control. The following algorithm is used for admitting people to the airport's grounds:

1. The person or vehicle is identified by airport personnel.

2. It is determined if the grounds for entry or access to the area of the entrusted item are legitimate.

3. The right tools are used to search a person or vehicle.

The security of the airport's property is maintained to the same high standards as the security of any significant infrastructure facility that receives a high volume of visitors. The following duties are performed by the security service:

 Scrutinizing the buildings and surroundings of the airport.

 Ensuring that fixed security points are operational.

 Ensuring access control and visitor screening;  Video monitoring of airport grounds and nearby regions.

The victim, Mr. Awudu Basit, approached the minister on September 8, 2022. As required by law, Mr. Basit had the right to stop Kan Dapaah so that he could be searched; this was in no way embarrassing. In any good country, this individual deserves an award for performing that outstanding task.

The fact that Kan Dapaah feels out of place in his position as security chief and believes Mr. Basit has no authority to search is entirely incorrect. One of the reasons nothing is going well in the country under this NPP government is because people like Dapaah don't know their jobs, just like the president who hired him.

It's terrible that such a scenario occurred in Ghana because Africa is typically the source of idiotic cases like that. Still, Kan Dapaah should be sacked right away and Mr. Basit should be given his job back. No wonder they have been lying to Ghanaians that Aisha Huang has been deported, while she is still involved in illicit mining in the country.
14.09.2022 LISTEN

Lawyer Nkrabea Effah Dartey, Counsel for the embattled galamsey kingpin Aisha Huang has disclosed that the husband of his client is a prominent Ghanaian from the Ashanti Region.

The comment of the defense lawyer suggests that Aisha Huang only returned to Ghana to enjoy her husband after she was deported in 2018.

But as to when she got married to the Ghanaian was not stated. He only added they had a customary marriage in China.

Lawyer Effah Dartey further revealed that Aisha Huang has some of her relatives here in Ghana.

The lawyer in an interview on OTEC 102.9 FM's afternoon political show "Dwabrem" on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 only gave the name of Aisha Huang's purported husband as Mr Prince.

"Aisha Huang has relatives in Ghana; her husband is a pure Ashanti man whom she's been living with in Kumasi.

This person (Mr. Prince) am talking about once went to China to peruse his masters degree in engineering in China," he told the host of the programme Dr Cash.

According to him, the family of Aisha Huang sought his service as a lawyer to defend the other three Chinese who have been charged alongside Aisha Huang.

The Accra Circuit Court 9 on Wednesday denied galamsey queen Aisha Huang bail.

The notorious illegal miner is standing trial with three other Chinese nationals Jong Li Hua, Huang Jei and Huaid Hai Hun. They were all charged for mining without a valid license and engaging in the sale and purchase of minerals without a permit.

They will reappear in court on September 27.
The Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) has revoked the interdiction of one of its security officers, Awudu Basit.

Mr. Basit was interdicted for conducting a pre-boarding search on the National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah; an action airport authorities said was an embarrassment to the Minister.

In addition to the interdiction, Mr. Basit was to receive two-thirds of his salary during the period of interdiction.

But in a statement dated, Tuesday, September 13, 2022, the company said: management has reconsidered the interdiction.

The reinstatement followed further consultations and facts which have since come to its attention, the statement mentioned.

In the meantime, the committee of enquiry shall proceed with its mandate as spelt out in the Convening Order.

The search was said to have been conducted at the VVIP Lounge at Kumasi Airport on September 8, 2022.

An earlier letter signed by the Company's officer in charge of human capital and officer service, R. S. Tagoe indicated that the search created a negative impression.

The interdiction was to pave way for investigation.

In view of the negative impression it cast on the company's image and integrity, management has decided to thoroughly investigate the circumstances leading to this incident, the interdiction statement noted.

---citinewsroom
Dr Akwasi Osei, the Chief Executive Officer, Mental Health Authority (MHA), has charged the Government to ban tobacco usage in the country because it is killing more people annually.

He said, I know it is not going to be easy but the evidence is clear and scientists also agree that tobacco is killing people so why don't we hold the bull by the horn and place a ban on tobacco use in the country.

Dr Osei made the call at a stakeholders' meeting on tobacco control organised by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with developmental partners in Accra.

Data available indicated that more than 6,700 Ghanaians die annually from tobacco-related illnesses.

Out of this figure, 4,422 representing 66 per cent died prematurely under age 70 while 1,206 representing 18 per cent lost their lives due to exposure to second-hand smoke.

The CEO of MHA said, death due to tobacco is preventable, that is why we should not leave ourselves, 4 per cent of Ghanaians to die from tobacco. It should not be part of the worldwide picture of eight million tests a year, he added.

Dr Osei noted that tobacco use even though brought some form of benefits such as relieving restlessness and anxiety to smokers, the damage it caused far outweighed the benefits, thus cautioned people against it.

He said people must therefore find ways of dealing with their depression, anxiety, and restlessness as the continuous use of a particular drug could lead to addiction, adding that, addiction predisposes one to other types of mental illnesses.

The meeting formed part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), needs assessment in Ghana to identify gaps and provide recommendations on how to address these gaps.

It also sought to provide expert contributions and mobilise resources to support implementation of the WHO FCTC to contribute to the achievement of wider Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr Baffour Awuah, Acting Director of Technical Coordination and Special Advisor on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) to the Minister of Health, speaking at the event, said the Government was exploring the adoption of comprehensive smoke free policies and had ratified the World Health Organisation (WHO) Protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products.

He said the needs assessment mission in Ghana offers an opportunity to identify the rhythmic changes in tobacco control to enable the country to modify the best approach to curb the growing menace.

Dr Awuah said the Ministry of Health, requested for the needs assessment to assess the country's progress in the implementation of the WHO FCTC treaty whilst determining the gaps between the requirements of the treaty and the tobacco control measures adopted by Ghana over the last decade.

He thus commended the efforts of the coordinating team, the FDA, UNDP and WHO in moving the project forward.

Ms Emily Roberts, a Policy Analyst with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), noted that Ghana was losing GHS668 million every year due to tobacco use.

She said investing now in tobacco control measures would prevent more than 20,000 deaths and avert GHS1.3 billion economic losses by 2037.

Ms Roberts said it was important that Ghana implemented FCTC policy actions, including increasing tobacco taxation to reduce the affordability of tobacco products and create smoke-free public and workplaces to protect people from the harms of tobacco smoke.

She called on the Government to implement the plain packaging of tobacco products, enforce a comprehensive ban on all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship to win against the menace.

The Policy Analyst, among other things, recommended the development of a national tobacco control strategy to strictly enforce the prohibition of the sale of tobacco to minors.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, FDA, Seth K. Seneake, said the Authority was focused on enforcing the ban on tobacco advertising and promotion, implementing pictorial health warnings, ratification of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Tobacco Trade and mass media campaigns on tobacco dangers.

He noted that the WHO FCTC's needs assessment would help in developing the requisite legislation to address the rapidly evolving facets of tobacco control.

Dr Olivia Boateng, Director, Tobacco and Substances Abuse Directorate and Focal Person for Ghana WHO FCTC Secretariat, said the country had made much effort towards tobacco control.

But that notwithstanding, more efforts are being made to enhance the weak tobacco tax structure and cessation to attain the WHO recommendations.

GNA
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused former President John Dramani Mahama of peddling falsehood over his claims that he has been denied benefits as a former President.

Speaking to TV3 on the Ghana Tonight Show, the 2020 presidential candidate said contrary to benefits enshrined under Article 71, he is paying for his bills, rent and fuel for his vehicle.

I receive only my monthly pension like [former] President Kufuor, and [late former] President Rawlings was receiving [it] before he died. That is all I get.

"I pay the electricity bill for my house and my office, I pay the water bill for my house and my office. I live in my own accommodation so the State does not pay me anything for accommodation.

They havent given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay my own fuel, the State doesnt give me fuel, I pay my own domestic staff, I pay my own medical bills, I pay my own air tickets when I travel, former President Mahama shared.

Today, the NPP has organized a press conference to rubbish the claims.

Addressing the press, Communications Director. Mr. Richard Ahiagbah said there are documents to dispute the claims by the former President.

He said contrary to the claims, John Dramani Mahama is enjoying himself with the many benefits that come with being a former President.

There is something very cynical about the former Presidents blatant falsehoods about his enjoyment of the privileges of Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution. Ladies and gentlemen, we have assembled the relevant documentation that suggests former President Mahama is enjoying and has not been denied any of his article 71 guaranteed benefits, Mr. Richard Ahiagbah told the press.

According to the NPP Communications Director, the conduct of the former President is a threat to Ghanas democracy, peace, and security.

all former President Mahama is doing is what he has always done: to prey on the emotions of Ghanaians and leverage the resulting fear and worry for his politics. Mahama is not about the work; he is only about the talk, the NPP Communications Director said to conclude his address at the press conference.

Below is a copy of the statement delivered at the NPP press conference:

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE NPP, ADDRESSED BY THE NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, MR RICHARD AHIAGBAH

1. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we have invited you to this press conference to expose the insincerity, inconsistency and lack of seriousness of former President John Dramani Mahama about governance issues (hereafter Mahama).

2. Unfortunately, for Ghanaians, former President Mahama has brought his posturing to the Article 71 issues, creating the impression that given the political opportunity, he will amend it. However, this posturing on the repeal of Article 71 is inconsistent with the opportunities he had gotten to amend it when he had power as the Vice-President and President of this Republic effectively between 20092017.

3. Members of the press, on this matter, former President Mahama is all talk and no action because he has had every opportunity to repeal Article 71 as President of this Republic, but he failed to do so.

4. Recall that the Constitution Review Commission set up by the Mills-Mahama administration submitted its report on 20th December 2011, and the government issued a white paper accepting, among other things, the portion of the review relative to the provisions of Article 71.

5. Permit me to quote from the white paper an item captured under issue eight: Determinization of the Conditions of Service of Some Public Officers by the President. Government accepts the recommendation that an Independent Emoluments Commission should be established to determine the salaries, allowances and emoluments of all public officers, from the President to the lowest ranking public officer.

6. Mahama became President in 2012, barely a year after the acceptance of the recommendations of the Constitution Review Commission. All President Mahama needed to do was to present a draft bill to parliament, per Article 290 (2), to trigger the amendment process. But as the talk master general, former president Mahama did not act on the white paper. Instead, he ignored the white paper to create and benefited from emolument committeestwo of them.

7. Indeed, former President Mahama is the first living and serving President who added his spouse to the under-table payments, which used to be for widows of former Presidents only. How insincere and confused can a former President be if not for political mischief?

8. So, from all indications, former president Mahama loves Article 71 because he preserved it for himself when he got the golden opportunity to repeal it. In other words, what former president Mahama is saying today cannot be taken seriously because he has already failed Ghanaians on this matter. However, if former Mahama wants to be taken seriously, he should go ahead and repudiate all the Article 71 benefits he has gladly enjoyed from 2013 to date. But trust me, former president Mahama will not renounce these benefits because he loves the provisions of Article 71.

9. Ladies and gentlemen of the media, I am sure you watched former president Mahamas interview with Alfred Ocansey on TV3s Ghana Tonight show, where he said that the government does not take care of his expenses as a former president and beneficiary of Article 71. He said he takes care of all his bills, including his rented office and staff salaries. But is it true that the former President is denied his entitlements as provided for by law?

10. We have evidence of correspondence between former President Mahamas office and the Chief of Staff contradicting his claims on the Ghana Tonight Show. We also have a letter from the former Presidents office introducing his staff and who the state should pay. We have correspondences from the office of the Chief of Staff facilitating the payment of these salaries.

11. There is something very cynical about the former Presidents blatant falsehoods about his enjoyment of the privileges of Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution. Ladies and gentlemen, we have assembled the relevant documentation that suggests former President Mahama is enjoying and has not been denied any of his article 71 guaranteed benefits.

12. Ladies and gentlemen, the conduct of former President Mahama threatens our democracy, peace and security. So, the question is, what does former President Mahama want to achieve with these needless falsehoods? Could it be so that he can pretend to champion the clamour for the repeal of Article 71? Evidence of this rather unholy politics of former President Mahama abound.

13. Former President Mahamas denial that he is actively accessing his emolument benefits simply exploits the sympathies of unsuspecting Ghanaians. There is no record anywhere that former President Mahama has been renounced or that the government has denied former President Mahama his emolument or entitlement. These bizarre and downright false claims by the former President speak to a grand electoral strategy driven by desperation and deception.

14. You recall that on 22nd October 2020, Mahama promised to grant galamseyers amnesty if he won the election for President. Now contrast this amnesty position with what former President Mahama said on the Ghana Tonight show about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo needing to resign because he vouched to fight galamsey, whatever the cost.

15. In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to ask a favour; please inquire from former President Mahamahow does granting amnesty to galamseyers contribute to the fight against galamsey? But do not hold your breath because this talk about amnesty is no different from the NDCs promise to offer a one-time NHIS premium.

16. We believe that former President Mahama is pounding the pavements about article 71 because he is trying to exploit the difficulties related to the global cost of living crisis. When former President Mahama addresses international fora, he concedes that Africas economy has virtually been collapsed by the twin factors of Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war. However, in Ghana, former President Mahama pretends that the Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war has nothing to do with the cost-of-living difficulties. As a champion of the IMF, he is now fighting the IMF for confirming that Ghanas economic challenges are not due to bad policy choices but to the severe impact of Covid-19 and the war. This is the insincerity of former President Mahama continuing to make political promises he does not intend to keep.

17. So, you understand that all former President Mahama is doing is what he has always done: to prey on the emotions of Ghanaians and leverage the resulting fear and worry for his politics. Mahama is not about the work; he is only about the talk.

18. Thank you
An Information Technology Consultant has filed a GHC2-million suit against Bolt Ghana Limited for being, allegedly, negligent.

Mr. Justice Noah Adade, the Plaintiff, said Bolt Ghana Limited had breached the Data Protection law after using his biodata for one of its drivers without proper checks.

He said the Company, before registering vehicle with registration number GR 2052-22, did not ascertain the proper ownership of the car and prayed the court to direct Bolt Ghana Limited, an online transport platform, to delete his personal data from its database.

He is further praying an Adentan Circuit Court to order Bolt to pay him compensation of GHC2-million for using his personal data without his consent.

In a statement of Claim, the Plaintiff said he was a majority Shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of a software company in Accra.

The Plaintiff said the defendant was a Company registered under the laws of Ghana and operated a ride/ transport software platform that registered drivers as part of its business and created demand for the drivers by linking them to passengers.

According to the Plaintiff, sometime in the first half of 2022, a staff of a financial institution he provided services to, informed him that he had requested for a ride and saw the Plaintiffs details as the driver.

The Plaintiff said in August 2022, he ordered a ride on Bolt platform from Lakeside Ashaley Botwe to Saint Peters, all within the vicinity of Ashaley Botwe, Accra and to his surprise, his name and image appeared on the Bolt platform as the driver with vehicle registration number GR 2052- 22 assigned to pick him to his destination.

The Plaintiff said he waited for the ride and indeed the driver of the vehicle with registration number GR 2052-22 came, and he was someone known to him.

He said when he confronted the driver he started pleading for forgiveness.

The Plaintiff said he was traumatised by the experience and wondered about the likelihood and extent of crime that might have been committed in his name.

He said his reputation, which he had taken pains to build over the years had been battered and lowered and that Bolt Ghana Limited owed him as well as the public a duty of care to be diligent and thorough in the performance of its functions.

The Plaintiff says that the defendant failed to comply with the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) and thus has conducted itself illegally.

GNA
Greece is no nation At this point in their history, Greece was no nation. It consisted of, as discussed last week, a series of city-states dwelling severally on their respective lands. If written history is to be the ultimate source of validity, then we will say that beginning as far back as 800 B.C. through to where we are at todaythe 5th and 4th Century B.C., the nation we know today as Greece consisted ofas islanded as its geography iscity-states comprising different people, living independently of one another, and occasionally seeking conquests of one anothers lands.

Athens was a city which had excelled in supposed civilisationand it was civilisation in fact, for the people had made advancements in governance, politics, human rights, literature, science, etc., far exceeding those of its contemporaries like Sparta, which was primarily a brute bunch, focused on militaristic exploits more than it did, particularly, human advancements. And far up north was the state of Macedonia, a people comparatively so far off geographically and culturally from the people of Athens, that the Athenians, then, would rather die than to have any form of association with these people. Barbarians! That was the Athenian term for these two and more of such uncivilised states of their kind. And it was out of one of these barbaric lands that one of historys most prominent figures emergedAristotle.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves here.

Can Anything Good Come out of Nazareth?

Born in 384 B.C. in Macedonia, Aristotle spent his teenage and much of his adult years in Athens, having been sent off to this intellectually-stimulating city to further his education in The Academy'Platos Academy founded just three years prior. Its founder, the prolific thinker and writer Plato, had been the student of the great philosopher himself, Socrates. So of course, it was the place for the brilliant young man to be.

But 4th century B.C. was not precisely the best of times for the Athenian society. This ancient state had just come out of the 5th century B.C., an era plagued with countless warswars such as the Greco-Persian Wars... This was a series of battles fought between the then world superpower, the Persian Empire and some ancient Greek city-states. Lasting a whopping fifty years, this whole charade started when the ancient Iranian empire, the Persian Empire (stretching all the way from Europethe Balkan Peninsula through to present day Ukraine, then all the way to the Middle East, then through to parts of India, and then to North Africas Egypt) decided to invade and colonise these Greek city-states small, and to their dismay, found these states being stubborn about it. Athens was one of those city-states that launched a formidable resistance. The tiny state surprisingly won the battles against the Persian Empire. But victory did not mean this state was to be impervious to future attacks. It only meant that future invaders had to work harder at their plans of conquests and consequent colonisation.

But in the meantime the victors set to work. Under its then leader, Pericles, the state found itself ushered into their Golden Agean era of sheer expansion in importance, democracy, law, governance, economic growth, et al. The once-upon-a-time abused state (having suffered a potential Persian invasion) was to itself metamorphosise into an empire. It became leader of the Delian League (a confederacy of allied Greek city states formed after the Persian War).

One of such other 5th-century B.C. war fought was the First Peloponnesian War. Spanning fifteen good (bad) years, this war comprised a series of battles fought between the Spartans and Athenians when the former, among other reasons, were just not comfortable with the big-headedness their neighbouring city-state, those Athenian nerds, had been exhibitinga bigheadedness which could be attributed largely to this victory against the enormous Persian Empire years prior. The war-loving people of Sparta felt it necessary toas they saytame the Athenians before their heads and territories could grow any bigger. The Athenians won some of the battles; the Spartans won some; but in the end there were only losers, no winners. Both states found sense, and came to an agreement: no more fighting. So then, a peace agreement was signed between the two, dubbed the Thirty Years Peace Treaty in 445 B.C.

404: Athenian Empire Not Found

You guessed it: this peace treaty was eventually broken. Fourteen years after its signing, these two were back at it again. The Second Peloponnesian Wars were fought by these two states, seeking imperialistic rights over the rest of the Greek world. Lasting twenty-seven years, the war ended in the year 404 B.C.this time around with a decisive victory won. The Athenians came out losers. Because, you see, the Spartans had received assistance from the vengeful Persian Empire. Conquered, the Athenians were consequently colonised. Colonisations almost always comes with the imposition of ideologies and culturesby the coloniser on the colonised. So the supposed elite society of Athens had its systemsgovernance, laws, culture, etc., in the puny hands of the so-called barbarianthe Spartan. Alas, Sparta had won the race for Greek hegemony.

Needless to say, in the year 404 B.C., the Athenian empire, accumulated by the Athenian state after its victory against the Persian Empire years prior, could not be found. And in the hands of Spartan rule, the Athenians (together with the allied states) suffered the reign of, what has come to be referred to as, the Thirty Tyrants.

Oligarchy is No Democracy

After conquests, comes colonisation; colonisation is an arbitrary imposition of rule. So rule the Spartans gave the snobby people of ancient Athens in the form of oligarchythe rule of the few (we will dissect further this type of governance system sometime later).

This thirty-person government was selected by the Spartans right out of the Athenian locals, and reigned for less than a year. But within these months, these men undertook corrupt and atrocious acts on their fellow Athenian citizensbeing prisoners of war, if we are to use the term very loosely (please forgive this misuse of the term). The Athenian was killed recklessly, ruled mercilessly, exiled constantly (all democratic reminiscers and sympathisers were immediately, at best, ostracised). The executions, the exiles, the seizing of properties etc., were all done without trial.

This was a system of government and a legal regime that the people of Athens, having been born into the glory of democracy, had, before their colonisation, deemed the most barbaric of living. They had looked on other city-states like Sparta and Macedonia, and scoffed and belittled them; the former, for its oligarchy, the latter for its monarchy. But now, here was the Athenian, suffering this same tyrannical governance.

In the year 403 B.C. (eight months after their installation) the Thirty Tyrants were overthrown. But Athens was still under Spartan imperial rulea reign which was to last all the way to 394 B.C., when the people of Athens (together with certain allied statesThebes, Corinth, and Argos) once again fought their colonisers in a war dubbed the Corinth War. This became yet another war to end in the signing of a peace agreement, and not the overthrow of imperial Sparta as envisaged. It did add another layer of imperialism to the Athenian (and allied state) woe, though. Because not only was Athens and the rest of its allied Greek states to be under Spartan influence, but Persia, having once again assisted Sparta in this war, inserted itself into the mattergiving itself the rights to, per the content of the treaty, insert itself into issue surrounding Greek governance and politics.

Sparta was to remain atop of the Greek political food chain for more than half a centurywith the Persian Empire on top of it all, acting as some sort of supreme overlord, safeguarding this imperialistic state of affairs.

And our present state of affairs is this: to be continued.

[Published in the Business & Financial Times (B&FT) - 1st September, 2022]
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NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (AP)  Pope Francis told the Russian Orthodox hierarchy and other faith leaders Wednesday that religion must never be used to justify the evil of war, and asked at an outdoor Mass in Kazakhstan, How many deaths will it take? for peace to prevail in Ukraine.

An increasingly frail Francis made the appeal during his first full day in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, where he opened a global interfaith conference and ministered to the tiny Catholic community in the majority Muslim country.

In the conference audience of imams, patriarchs, rabbis and muftis was Metropolitan Anthony, in charge of foreign relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has firmly backed Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His boss, Patriarch Kirill, was supposed to have participated in the congress but canceled last month.

Kirill has supported Russias invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds, calling it a metaphysical battle with the West. He has blessed Russian soldiers going into war and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.

Francis didnt mention Russia or Ukraine in his remarks to the Kazakh conference. But he insisted that faith leaders themselves must take the lead in promoting a culture of peace, since it would be hypocritical to expect that non-believers would promote peace if religious leaders don't.

If the creator, to whom we have devoted our lives, is the author of human life, how can we who call ourselves believers consent to the destruction of that life? he asked. Mindful of the wrongs and errors of the past, let us unite our efforts to ensure that the Almighty will never again be held hostage to the human thirst for power.

Francis then laid down a challenge to all those in the room to commit themselves to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, not with arms.

May we never justify violence. May we never allow the sacred to be exploited by the profane. The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred!

He made the appeal more explicit in an afternoon outdoor Mass for Kazakhstans tiny Catholic community, in which he asked for prayers for beloved Ukraine.

How many deaths will it still take before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity? he asked. The one solution is peace and the only way to arrive at peace is through dialogue.

Kirill sent a message to the congress read aloud by Anthony. In it, the Russian patriarch didn't refer to the war but in general to problems over the past two decades caused by attempts to build a world without relying on moral values.

The Russian patriarch has blasted the West's secular mentality and claimed the seeds of the Ukraine conflict were sown by foreign threats to Russia's borders. He has depicted the conflict as a struggle against a foreign liberal establishment purportedly demanding countries hold gay parades as the price of admission to a world of excess consumption and freedom.

These attempts have led not only to the loss of the concept of justice in international relations, but also to brutal confrontation, military conflicts, the spread of terrorism and extremism in different parts of the world, Kirill said in his message.

Suggesting he felt Russia was the victim of a smear campaign, he denounced the spread of misinformation and the distortion of historical facts and manipulation of mass consciousness to spread messages of hatred towards entire peoples, cultures and religions.

In addition to the Russian Orthodox delegation, the religious leaders included Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning in Cairo, who warmly greeted Francis with a kiss on the cheek when the pope arrived in a wheelchair.

Al-Tayeb used his speech to the conference to complain that traditional religions had been replaced by a culture of lust and gay marriage. This is not acceptable, not even for animals and beasts, let alone for people with pure hearts and sound minds, he said.

The Right Rev. Jo Bailey Wells, the Anglican bishop of Dorking and one of only a half dozen women heading delegations, lamented that women represent half the worlds population but are hardly represented in religious leadership.

My expectation is it will be a challenge to those present to empower women in the family context and in public society, she told reporters.

Before Kirill bowed out, there had been speculation that Francis could meet with Kirill on the sidelines of the congress. The two met for the first time in 2016 in Cuba  the first-ever meeting of a pope and Russian patriarch  and spoke by videoconference in the early weeks of the war.

Francis afterward publicly criticized Kirill's justification of Russia's invasion and warned that he mustn't become Putin's altar boy.

Speaking to reporters after he met with Francis, Anthony said Francis' altar boy comment didn't go over well in Moscow. It wasn't expected and clearly it's not useful for the unity of Christians, he said. It was a surprise. But we know we have to move on.

He said a Kirill-Francis meeting is still possible, but insisted it had to be well-prepared ahead of time and must produce a concrete joint statement, as was issued after the Havana meeting.

In addition to the meeting with Anthony, Francis also was meeting with al-Tayeb, the head of Russias religious council of Muslims and other Orthodox, Jewish, Lutheran and Muslim leaders.

Another visitor in Kazakhstan on Wednesday was apparently not on Francis' agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Nur-Sultan on his first state visit outside China since early in the coronavirus pandemic. Vatican and Kazakh officials said they didn't expect Xi would meet with the pope during his brief visit to a key economic and political ally in the region.

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Paolo Santalucia contributed reporting to this story.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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AMMAN, Jordan (AP)  Jordanian teams on Wednesday rescued an infant and worked to save others from the rubble of a collapsed building, as officials said they had arrested three people in connection to the disaster.

State media said at least nine people were killed and others remained missing Wednesday, a day after the four-story building fell in Jordan's capital, Amman. Authorities said 10 other people were injured. It remained unclear what caused the collapse.

Nisreen al-Hmoud said she was at home with her two sons when the building collapsed.

The first thing I saw was the ceiling when it fell on my head. After that the floor split, and my children and I fell into it," she said. "The sofa flew toward my son and protected him from the rubble that fell on us.

Her 13-year-old son, Nour, speaking from a hospital room, said he remembered his mother telling him to move quickly and then the floor opening up before he lost consciousness.

Amman public prosecutor Hassan Al-Abdallat told the official Petra News Agency that three people had been charged with multiple counts of causing death and harm. He said his office would form a technical committee to determine the cause of the collapse and identify those responsible.

State media identified the suspects as one of the building's owners, its maintenance contractor and its maintenance technician.

Rescue crews, meanwhile, continued to dig through the ruins in hope of finding survivors. The Petra agency said an infant had been rescued and evacuated.

Brig. Gen. Hatem Jaber, director of the civil defense department, said rescuers were working on the assumption that everyone trapped inside is still alive. We work with cautious optimism, he said.

The building was located in Jabal al-Weibdeh, an older district of the Jordanian capital that is popular among wealthier residents and expatriates but also includes some poorer areas.

Jordan is a close Western ally that has long been seen as a bastion of stability in the volatile Middle East.
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Legacy Freshman High School was the topic of a special community meeting Tuesday evening at the MLK Center in east Midland.

Legacy Freshman Principal Candace Warren claimed that recent issues on campus are common in schools all around the country, while parents and community members in attendance claimed there are problems that must be fixed on campus.

Warren focused on the positive aspects of Legacy Freshman High School during the meeting, which took place in response to recent events at the school. Those events included an assault of a student by another in the girls bathroom that was shared on social media and a threatening text message involving a firearm that was sent by students to classmates in jest.

Warren briefly talked about the fight that took place that was shared on social media, saying that tensions had been brewing in the afternoon the day prior to the event.

She said that the school called freshmen students and parents into Warrens office the morning after the fight to find out who was involved the afternoon before. While this was happening, the feuding female students went into a bathroom to engage in what seemed like a pre-planned physical altercation, she said.

After the fight was broken up, a parent in Warrens office who was told about the situation became upset, fainted and their head collided with a cabinet. Emergency Medical Services was called, and the campus was placed on a secure status, where instruction continues but the hallways are to be kept clear, according to the principal.

Legacy Freshman parents in attendance would later disagree with Warrens description of the situation as a girl fight calling it a violent, scary assault and a brawl.

Warren detailed safety measures they have in place, rewarding students for good behavior moving forward and commended Legacy staff members.

Following her opening remarks, the audience was able to make comments or ask questions to District 2 City Council member John Norman, District 1 Trustee Michael Booker or Legacy Freshmen administration.

Parents, elected officials and concerned community members voiced their opinions, focusing less on the positives that Legacy provides and acknowledging that there is an issue regarding safety on campus.

Im kind of mad; Im kind of fed up, one Legacy parent said, I have a baby there right now and I have a baby coming up, and if Ive got to piss off a few people to get some changes made, then Im going to do that.

The mother claimed that the first step to figuring out a solution at the school is acknowledging that there is a problem and that using a community meeting to address the good about the school will not aid in minimizing recurring troubling events in the future.

She added that she couldnt sleep the night after the fight took place between the two students and claimed she represented much of the community in her concern.

She said that one full-time law enforcement officer in the school for 1,100 students is not a large enough law enforcement presence and breaking up altercations and locking down campus in the event of an emergency isnt part of a teachers job description.

She continued to say that the proposed addition of a hall monitor in the school was like putting a band-aid on a bullet hole.

Audience members continued to speak for about an hour.

Many stressed the importance of good parenting, stating that bad behavior typically begins at the household.

Teach your kids how to behave, teach them manners and youre not doing that, but you want to blame others. Look at yourselves, a Midland church leader said.

Some spoke about ways to reduce cell phone usage in school that allows students to engage in activities like sharing videos of a fight or sending a phony photo of a gun.

My kids put their cell phone in the bucket every morning that I stuff in the closet they can get it at the end of the day, a Midland 6th grade teacher said.

Others raised their concern about poor communication between administration and parents, especially during the confusing situation surrounding the secure status placed on the school earlier in the year.

In addition, many in attendance said that Legacy Freshmen should be moved into the high school campus with the sophomores, juniors and seniors.

The president of Midlands chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said that as Midland grows, schools should be built to overcome student population inequities as some Midland schools are underpopulated with students and other schools are seeing behavioral problems from students because it is difficult to keep tabs on so many given their staff size.
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If youve ever considered a Disney Cruise, then the D23 Expo last wek came with some big news you'll want to hear. Disney Parks Chairman Josh DAmaro announced at the big Disney event the newest ship in the fleet with decor fitting an animated classic, along with a few brand-new routes that'll take the magic through the Pacific Ocean.

Fans of "Aladdin" can rejoice, as the newest Disney cruise ship  Disney Treasure  sets sail in in a couple of years and is based on the famous animated film. The Grand Hall of the Treasure was displayed on a video shown during the D23 expo and fans were able to catch a glimpse of the real-world inspiration from Asia, Africa, and other locations around the world.
U.S. Congresswoman Aumua Amata of American Samoa, seated right, with Pacific leaders at the Pacific Island Conference of Leaders in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The chrome and metal will shine brightly Saturday when the 38th annual Community Park Car Show and Fall Cruise Night gets under way under different sponsorship.

The show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Community Park and the cruise from 5 to 9 p.m. on a route that runs along West Morton Avenue from Main Street to Lincoln Avenue.

The Jacksonville Cruise Nite Association had sponsored the show since its inception in 1984, but the show was canceled in 2021, and is now being sponsored by the Morton Ave. Misfits. The group also hosts downtown car shows and the summer cruise night.

Joel Buchanan, a member of the Misfits, said when Jacksonville Cruise Nite Association disbanded, there were four people who were part of the the group and they formed a new group with a new name, but it's essentially the same people.

"It'll be very similar to what it was before," Buchanan said. "We have quite a few new vendors. We're also doing a kids Hot Wheel drag racing around noon, which is new to this event. Otherwise, it will be pretty much the same."

All years of vehicles are welcome Saturday and free registration for the event will run from 9 a.m. until noon. Vendors will be on site and there will be a swap meet. Specialty awards will be given out and all proceeds will go to local charities.

The cruise will be headquartered at Hardees, 842 W. Morton Ave. There will be available parking, but trailers or motorhomes cannot park in the lot. Vendors will be on site and T-shirts will be available.

"Looks like the weather will be beautiful," said Buchanan, who has been involved with putting on car shows for 15 years. "We're looking for a good showing and hope everyone shares in our excitement for an event that is coming back to our community."
In his Illinois hometown, many know him as Chris Bridges.

But when he takes to the stage  like he will Oct. 15 in Champaign  the actor and rap music icon is known simply as Ludacris.

He will perform at the State Farm Center as part of the University of Illinois homecoming festivities. The 8 p.m. show will be opened by TikTok star charlieonnafriday.

Ludacris' first album, 1999's "Incognegro," initially drew local attention but really took off the following year, when it was released by his new label as "Back for the First Time." It spawned the hits "Southern Hospitality" and "What's Your Fantasy." His next three releases, "Word of Mouf," "Chicken-n-Beer" and "The Red Light District," were multi-platinum sellers, with the latter two reaching No. 1 on the charts, as did "Release Therapy" in 2006.

In 2003, he first appeared as Tej Parker in the movie "Fast and Furious," which led to roles in "Crash," "Gamer" and "New Year's Eve." He has appeared in more than two dozen movies, including 2021's "F9" and this year's "End of the Road." He is contracted for "Fast Xdagger" scheduled for release in 2023 and "Fast & Furious 11," which is scheduled for release in 2024.

Last year, he debuted a children's musical television series on Netflix called "Karma's World."

He has a restaurant called Chicken-n-Beer in Atlanta, where he moved at age 9, and founded The Ludacris Foundation in 2001.

Tickets go on sale at noon Monday through StateFarmCenter.com/Ludacris or by calling 866-455-4641. Prices range from $49.50 to $69.50.
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Amazon employees at a fulfillment center in St. Charles, Missouri presented petitions and held a rally for better pay and a safer work environment Wednesday morning.

Several speakers addressed the crowd today, including two employees who work in the facility.
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YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Fighting on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan killed about 100 troops Tuesday as attacks on both sides fed fears of broader hostilities breaking out between the longtime adversaries.

Armenia said at least 49 of its soldiers were killed; Azerbaijan said it lost 50.

The fighting erupted minutes after midnight with Azerbaijani forces unleashing an artillery barrage and drone attacks in many sections of Armenian territory, according to Armenias Defense Ministry. It said shelling grew less intense during the day but Azerbaijani troops were trying to advance into Armenian territory.

Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said it was responding to a large-scale provocation by Armenia late Monday and early Tuesday. It said Armenian troops planted mines and fired on Azerbaijani military positions.

The two countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh in a six-week war in 2020 that killed more than 6,600 people and ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged both parties to refrain from further escalation and show restraint. Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act in seeking to maintain friendly ties with both ex-Soviet nations. It has strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, while also has been developing close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

The international community also urged calm.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to take immediate steps to deescalate tensions, exercise maximum restraint and resolve any outstanding issues through dialogue" and implement previous agreements, his spokesman said.

The U.N. Security Council scheduled closed consultations Wednesday on the renewed fighting.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called Russian President Vladimir Putin and later also had calls with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Charles Michel and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with both Pashinyan and Azerbaijans president, Ilham Aliyev. The U.S. has a special envoy in the region, Blinken said, and my hope is that we can move this from conflict back to the negotiating table and back to trying to build a peace.

Speaking in parliament early Tuesday, Pashinyan accused Azerbaijan of having had an uncompromising stance at recent European Union-brokered talks in Brussels.

Armenia said the Azerbaijani shelling Tuesday damaged civilian infrastructure and wounded an unspecified number of people.

On Facebook, Aliyev expressed condolences to the families and relatives of our servicemen who died on September 13 while preventing large-scale provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Kalbajar, Lachin, Dashkasan and Zangilan regions of Azerbaijan.

Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, also placed the blame for the violence on Armenia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for Aliyev and said in a statement that Turkey and Azerbaijan are "brotherly ... in all matters.

The governor of Gegharkunik province, one of the regions that came under Azerbaijani shelling, said there was a 40-minute lull in the fighting, apparently reflecting Moscows attempt to negotiate a truce, before it later resumed. The governor, Karen Sarkisyan, said four Armenian troops in his region were killed and another 43 were wounded by the shelling.

The Armenian government said it would officially ask Russia for assistance under a friendship treaty between the countries, and also appeal to the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated security alliance of ex-Soviet nations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from comment on Armenias request but added during a conference call with reporters that Putin was taking every effort to help de-escalate tensions.

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Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
VALLEJO, Calif. (AP)  A Bay Area high school staff member was shot Tuesday after breaking up a fight on campus, authorities said.

The Vallejo High School staff member was struck at least once and is expected to survive, police said. Multiple media outlets reported the victim is Joseph Pastrana, one of the school's football coaches.

The staff member had just broken up a fight among several students and some unknown males" when the shooting occurred around 3:45 p.m. Some of the brawlers fled in a sedan, firing back toward the remaining group before they left, police said.

This is a senseless act of violence committed by some individuals who do not value human life, Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said in a news release. Enough is enough. Its a sad day anyone is shot in front of our children at school where they should feel safe.

The school was put on lockdown in the aftermath of the violence. There will be an increased police presence on campus Wednesday.
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BEARDSTOWN  Cass County Health Department will host a drive-up food distribution starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The event will take place at Roy Rogers Park.
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BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen announced a visit to Kyiv later Wednesday to show the blocs support for Ukraine as it fights back against the Russian invasion.

Dressed in the colors of Ukraine, von der Leyen said in her State of the European Union address that the bloc would come to the aid of Ukraine by opening its seamless single market more to Ukrainian products and said she would discuss all this with President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy.

Von der Leyen's trip symbolize the EU's increasing opposition to Russia's actions, which she called a war of autocracy against democracy, pushed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

And I stand here with the conviction that with the necessary courage and necessary solidarity, Putin will fail and Europe will prevail, she told the plenary of the European parliament in Strasbourg, France.

As Ukraine is pushing Russian troops back in the east with a lightning fast counteroffensive, von der Leyen took heart. We have seen in the last days the bravery of Ukrainians paying off, she said.

At the same time, she claimed there were increasing indications that Russia was suffering ever more from EU and other international sanctions  and certainly more that some critics of Western sanctions acknowledge.

Russias financial sector is on life support. We have cut off three-quarters of Russias banking sector from international markets, she said, adding that almost 1,000 companies had left Russia.

She said car production fell by three-quarters compared to last year and that the national airline Aeroflot was forced to ground planes

because of lack of spare parts. Russias industry is in tatters, she sai.

The EU has already committed billions in aid to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion by Russia. Von der Leyen announced Wednesday that the bloc will provide 100 million euros to build up schools destroyed during the invasion.
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A fire in the 200 block of West Greenwood Avenue in Jacksonville on Wednesday was quickly beat back by firefighters.

Firefighters from Jacksonville and South Jacksonville were called to 204 W. Greenwood Ave., shortly after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday after smoke was seen coming from the top of the house.
Stacker referenced news coverage and legal documents to compile a list of former leaders who were prosecuted after leaving office. Read on to learn about what they were charged with and the sentences they received.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Colorado River tributaries in New Mexico bring water to the alfalfa fields in the Four Corners and the forested hills of the Gila wilderness in the southwestern part of the state.

But Colorado River and reservoir management was designed during a much wetter period.

And now, water officials are grappling with how to make do with less.

State Engineer Mike Hamman, New Mexicos top water manager, said the state really feels the shortages because it doesnt have the big reservoirs of other states in the Colorado River Basin.

Thats the dilemma  looking at how we can reduce demand with as soft a blow as possible, Hamman said.

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EDITORS NOTE: This is part of a collaborative series on the Colorado River on the eve of the Colorado River Compact, signed nearly 100 years ago. The Colorado Sun, The Associated Press, The Albuquerque Journal, The Salt Lake Tribune, The Arizona Daily Star and The Nevada Independent are working together to explore the pressures on the river in 2022.

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U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton this year tasked Colorado River states with creating an ambitious conservation plan.

Touton said the states need to conserve an additional 2 to 4 million acre-feet of water next year to protect levels at Lake Powell in Arizona and Utah and Lake Mead in Nevada and Arizona.

A basinwide conservation plan had not materialized by the mid-August deadline.

Nevada, Arizona and Mexico will all receive less water from the Colorado River next year because of rapidly-declining reservoirs, the Interior Department announced on Aug. 16.

Interior officials did not issue any mandatory water cuts for New Mexico.

But the states existing water conservation programs could be under increased scrutiny.

The Upper Basin states of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming did release a five-point plan this summer that points to the regions limited conservation options.

For two years, the states have released additional water from at least three reservoirs  including New Mexicos Navajo Reservoir  to prop up Lake Powell levels.

Those Upper Basin reservoir releases will likely continue next year, Interior officials said.

A more arid climate means all water users need to work harder to live within our means, said Estevan Lopez, New Mexicos representative on the Upper Colorado River Commission.

It certainly seems that we have to reset our expectations for what we might be trying to get out of the river, said Lopez, a former Reclamation commissioner.

In 2021, water managers considered releasing even more water from Navajo Reservoir to help water levels in downstream reservoirs.

But Lopez said the additional release could have jeopardized regional water supplies.

Ultimately, we argued against it, he said. Reclamation would perhaps not have been able to fulfill its contractual obligations to folks like the Navajo Nation and Jicarilla Apache and others that depend on water out of Navajo.

The same issues could resurface next year if officials look to the New Mexico reservoir as an emergency supply for downstream users.

The Upper Basin plan hinges on existing conservation programs.

Strategies include fallowing fields and making irrigation more efficient.

But the entire region must work together, Lopez said, to avoid more mandatory cuts.

If we can get water users within places like the San Juan Basin to agree to shortage sharing agreements, then theres no need for strict priority administration, he said. Its a more acceptable solution, generally.

Colorado River tributaries serve relatively small portions of northwest and southwest New Mexico.

But the basins water is essential for the states largest city: Albuquerque.

Rio Grande flows in Albuquerque are closely tied to the Colorado via the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project.

The system of tunnels and dams at the New Mexico state line diverts water into the Rio Grande Basin.

Albuquerques municipal supply is entitled to as much as 15 billion gallons of San Juan-Chama water every year.

David Morris, the water utility spokesman for the city and county, said the Colorado River water has allowed the region to wean itself off of unsustainable groundwater pumping.

Since 2008, aquifer levels underneath the city have rebounded as much as 40 feet.

Thats exactly what we were hoping that our use of surface water would allow the aquifer to do, Morris said. Were in a very fortunate situation here in Albuquerque to have two different and distinct sources of supply.

But less snowpack and spring runoff resulting from climate change have led to several consecutive years when the utility and other New Mexico entities have received far less water than expected from the inter-basin project.

Its important for us to invest in things like outdoor water conservation and reuse, Morris said. Its quite possible that there just wont be as much San Juan-Chama water available in the future because of drought and climate change.

The Colorado River Compact was signed in 1922  just 10 years after New Mexico became a state.

New Mexico still uses only about half of its allotment under the compact each year.

That could change as more tribes reach water rights settlements and build out infrastructure to use those rights.

Agencies are making progress on large projects to deliver water to Navajo communities in western New Mexico.

A resilient future on the Colorado must have tribal sovereignty at the forefront, said Daryl Vigil, Jicarilla Apache Nation water administrator and a staunch advocate for tribal inclusion in water management issues.

The term consultation gets thrown around in the basin a whole lot, Vigil said. But if you know one tribe, you only know one tribe. Having a seat at the table means working with every tribe to learn their specific water rights and needs.

The U.S. Interior Department has said it will engage with tribes in the basin as parties hammer out some management details of the compact that are set to expire after 2026.

A historic influx of funding for infrastructure and drought response could also help New Mexico and other basin states reduce water use and prepare for a drier future.

Im optimistic that were going to sort through some of these more sticky problems with a good collaborative solution, Hamman said.
Joao Benavides/Getty Images

BAYLIS  John Wood Community College's Ag Alumni Association is hosting a livestock judging contest at 9 a.m. Friday at the newly opened Agricultural Education Center.

Students from more than 30 Illinois and Missouri high schools will compete as both individuals and on teams.
ISLAMABAD (AP)  Afghan and Pakistani authorities blamed each other Wednesday for an overnight clash at the border that caused casualties on both sides.

Taliban in a statement Wednesday said that Afghan authorities tried to stop Pakistani forces form building a check point close to the border in eastern Paktia provinces Dand-e Patan district, but the Pakistani forces opened fire.
We, as parents, refuse to be plunged into chaos due to the incompetence and lack of planning.

Keri Rodrigues  my friend, colleague, a partner in fighting for education justice, and founder of the organization I am proud to represent  captured precisely what millions of families were thinking as kids headed back to school.

Since the start of the pandemic, schools have asked parents for patience, for the benefit of the doubt, for trust, as theyve scrambled to try to achieve two important goals at the same time: returning to the classroom safely and ensuring continuous learning without disruption. Parents have shown grace. Weve been understanding, and in many cases tolerated utter incompetence.

In exchange? Weve been met with silence.

How are schools going to keep children safe? What plans do they have for winter breaks? How will schools avoid learning disruptions and ensure students receive 180 days of in-person instructional time? How are schools using millions of dollars in federal funding to close a learning gap that disproportionately affects Blacks and Latinos?

These are questions parents are asking, and far too many schools cant seem to answer. And so, we are right back where we were in the fall of 2020, wondering whether its because schools dont have a plan, dont care to be responsive to the parents concerns and if our schools will be safe.

Parents cannot and should not be expected to extend grace any longer. Its the children who suffer most and are expected to play catch up as test scores continue to decline. Schools have had more than enough time to figure this out.

Weve been warned by local and federal health officials that a fall COVID-19 surge is coming. Yet far too many schools will once again be asleep at the wheel. One exception is Philadelphia, where education justice warrior Maritza Guridy tells me many parents welcomed the news that kids and staff will be masked up for the first 10 days of school.

But in talking to parents across the country in my role as director of Parent Voice and Outreach at the National Parents Union, the Philly Plan is a rarity.

Its not just safety measures where parents are left in the dark. In the late spring, NPU released a poll of parents that found more than half have not heard anything about the federal funding being used in their childs school to help address challenges related to the pandemic.

It gets worse. Not only are the schools not communicating with parents about how Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds are being spent, but more than 60% of parents say their childrens schools havent asked parents to give input or feedback on how the money should be used.

Every time schools closed and sent children home without a plan of action, the living rooms became classrooms, cafeterias and gymnasiums.

No more being polite. Its time to fight. The grace weve shown, considering it is a pandemic, is gone.

School leaders must have two goals this fall: keep kids safe in the classroom and keep kids learning. Theyd have a much better shot at accomplishing both if theyd talk  and listen  to parents for once.
Chinas Xi visits Kazakhstan ahead of summit with Putin View Photo

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (AP)  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday started his first foreign trip since the outbreak of the pandemic with a stop in Kazakhstan ahead of a summit with Russias Vladimir Putin and other leaders of a Central Asian security group.

Wearing a blue suit and a face mask, Xi was met on the airport tarmac by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and an honor guard, all of whom wore masks.

Xis trip underlines the importance Beijing places on asserting its role as a regional leader amid tension with Washington, Japan and India.

Tokayevs government said the two leaders would discuss energy and trade. Kazakhstan, a sparsely populated country of 19.4 million people and sprawling grasslands, is a major oil and gas producer. China is a leading customer.

Tokayev thanked Xi for his visit, which he said was of historic significance and came at a time of unprecedented, after the end of the Cold War, escalation of international tensions. He also hailed Chinas support of the economic development of Kazakhstan and our international initiatives.

The Chinese leader promised to resolutely support Kazakhstan in protecting its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, firmly support your ongoing reforms to ensure stability and development, and categorically oppose the interference of any forces in the internal affairs of the country no matter how the international situation changes.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that after his visit to Kazakhstan, Xi flew to Samarkand in neighboring Uzbekistan for a summit of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, led by China and Russia.

Beijing and Moscow see the SCO as a counterweight to U.S. alliances in East Asia.

Other SCO governments include India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. Observers include Iran and Afghanistan.

The Chinese leader is promoting a Global Security Initiative announced in April following the formation of the Quad by Washington, Japan, Australia and India in response to Beijings more assertive foreign policy. Xi has given few details, but U.S. officials complain it echoes Russian arguments in support of Moscows attack on Ukraine.

Xi and Putin plan to hold a one-on-one meeting and discuss Ukraine, according to the Russian presidents foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.

Kazakhstan is part of Chinas multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative to expand trade by building ports, railways and other infrastructure across an arc of dozens of countries from the South Pacific through Asia to the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

The initiative and Chinas economic inroads into Central Asia have fueled unease in Russia, which sees the region as its sphere of influence. Kazakhstan and its neighbors are trying to attract Chinese investment without upsetting Moscow.

This visit is extremely important, said Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko this week ahead of Xis arrival. We certainly hope that it will advance political and economic and commercial relations with China.

Pope Francis was in Kazakhstan at the same time as Xi, but there was no indication they might meet. Aboard his flight, the pope was asked about a possible meeting and replied, I dont have any news about this. But I am always ready to go to China.

Xis trip  at a time when his government is urging the Chinese public to avoid foreign travel under its zero-COVID strategy  underlines the importance to the ruling Communist Party of asserting Chinas strategic ambitions.

Relations with Washington, Europe, Japan and India are strained by disputes over technology, security, human rights and territory.

The summit takes Xi abroad while the party prepares for an October congress at which he is expected to break with political tradition and try to award himself a third five-year term as leader.

That suggests Xi, Chinas most powerful leader since at least the 1980s, is confident his third term is secure and he doesnt need to stay home to make last-minute political deals. His trip also might help to promote his standing with nationalists in the ruling party.
How many must die? Pope blasts Russia war, appeals for peace View Photo

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (AP)  Pope Francis told the Russian Orthodox hierarchy and other faith leaders Wednesday that religion must never be used to justify the evil of war, and asked at an outdoor Mass in Kazakhstan, How many deaths will it take? for peace to prevail in Ukraine.

An increasingly frail Francis made the appeal during his first full day in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, where he opened a global interfaith conference and ministered to the tiny Catholic community in the majority Muslim country.

In the conference audience of imams, patriarchs, rabbis and muftis was Metropolitan Anthony, in charge of foreign relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has firmly backed Russias invasion of Ukraine. His boss, Patriarch Kirill, was supposed to have participated in the congress but canceled last month.

Kirill has supported Russias invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds, calling it a metaphysical battle with the West. He has blessed Russian soldiers going into war and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.

Francis didnt mention Russia or Ukraine in his remarks to the Kazakh conference. But he insisted that faith leaders themselves must take the lead in promoting a culture of peace, since it would be hypocritical to expect that non-believers would promote peace if religious leaders dont.

If the creator, to whom we have devoted our lives, is the author of human life, how can we who call ourselves believers consent to the destruction of that life? he asked. Mindful of the wrongs and errors of the past, let us unite our efforts to ensure that the Almighty will never again be held hostage to the human thirst for power.

Francis then laid down a challenge to all those in the room to commit themselves to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, not with arms.

May we never justify violence. May we never allow the sacred to be exploited by the profane. The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred!

He made the appeal more explicit in an afternoon outdoor Mass for Kazakhstans tiny Catholic community, in which he asked for prayers for beloved Ukraine.

How many deaths will it still take before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity? he asked. The one solution is peace and the only way to arrive at peace is through dialogue.

Kirill sent a message to the congress read aloud by Anthony. In it, the Russian patriarch didnt refer to the war but in general to problems over the past two decades caused by attempts to build a world without relying on moral values.

The Russian patriarch has blasted the Wests secular mentality and claimed the seeds of the Ukraine conflict were sown by foreign threats to Russias borders. He has depicted the conflict as a struggle against a foreign liberal establishment purportedly demanding countries hold gay parades as the price of admission to a world of excess consumption and freedom.

These attempts have led not only to the loss of the concept of justice in international relations, but also to brutal confrontation, military conflicts, the spread of terrorism and extremism in different parts of the world, Kirill said in his message.

Suggesting he felt Russia was the victim of a smear campaign, he denounced the spread of misinformation and the distortion of historical facts and manipulation of mass consciousness to spread messages of hatred towards entire peoples, cultures and religions.

In addition to the Russian Orthodox delegation, the religious leaders included Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning in Cairo, who warmly greeted Francis with a kiss on the cheek when the pope arrived in a wheelchair.

Al-Tayeb used his speech to the conference to complain that traditional religions had been replaced by a culture of lust and gay marriage. This is not acceptable, not even for animals and beasts, let alone for people with pure hearts and sound minds, he said.

The Right Rev. Jo Bailey Wells, the Anglican bishop of Dorking and one of only a half dozen women heading delegations, lamented that women represent half the worlds population but are hardly represented in religious leadership.

My expectation is it will be a challenge to those present to empower women in the family context and in public society, she told reporters.

Before Kirill bowed out, there had been speculation that Francis could meet with Kirill on the sidelines of the congress. The two met for the first time in 2016 in Cuba  the first-ever meeting of a pope and Russian patriarch  and spoke by videoconference in the early weeks of the war.

Francis afterward publicly criticized Kirills justification of Russias invasion and warned that he mustnt become Putins altar boy.

Speaking to reporters after he met with Francis, Anthony said Francis altar boy comment didnt go over well in Moscow. It wasnt expected and clearly its not useful for the unity of Christians, he said. It was a surprise. But we know we have to move on.

He said a Kirill-Francis meeting is still possible, but insisted it had to be well-prepared ahead of time and must produce a concrete joint statement, as was issued after the Havana meeting.

In addition to the meeting with Anthony, Francis also was meeting with al-Tayeb, the head of Russias religious council of Muslims and other Orthodox, Jewish, Lutheran and Muslim leaders.

Another visitor in Kazakhstan on Wednesday was apparently not on Francis agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Nur-Sultan on his first state visit outside China since early in the coronavirus pandemic. Vatican and Kazakh officials said they didnt expect Xi would meet with the pope during his brief visit to a key economic and political ally in the region.

___

Paolo Santalucia contributed reporting to this story.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By NICOLE WINFIELD

Associated Press
MBABANE  Mzwakhe Myeni has been expelled from the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO).

Myenis expulsion from the movement came as a result of the disciplinary hearing, which was conducted a few weeks ago, following his suspension. Myeni was first suspended as SWALIMO Lubombo District Chairperson. He was suspended on allegations of dishonesty, forgery and falsification of information. He was slapped with six charges. Among these charges, there was a charge for allegedly working outside his scope of work and for bringing the organisation into disrepute by falsifying the letter without consultation with the executive he was leading, as per the organisational governance procedures of the movement. Myenis expulsion was carried in the 22-page DC verdict that was sent to him. This publication is in possession of that document. The verdict is dated September 12, 2022. It was delivered to Myeni by one of the leaders within the movement. The leader sent the document to Myeni via WhatsApp yesterday at around 10:52am. Part 76.1 of the verdict states that Myenis membership is terminated forthwith.

Rehabilitate

The movement still needs to grow so is cde Mzwakhe. He must also rehabilitate himself . but his rehabilitation must take place outside the structures of the movement. The movement needs a dedicated and united force as it challenges a formidable regime. Self-destructive and factional leaders should not be welcome at this stage, especially those who are manipulative, deceitful, power hungry and media frenzy. It calls that I must tender a sanction that will be commensurate to the transgressions he had (allegedly) committed. The appropriate sanction is that; Cde Mzwakhes membership is terminated forthwith, reads the document. The document further stated that should Myeni wish to be part of the movement in future, he shall issue an unconditional apology to the SWALIMO National Executive Committee (NEC), Hhohho and Shiselweni districts chairpersons and to the movement at large. It was stated that such an apology shall be published in all the platforms he held interviews with where he was pillaging the name of the movement.

It was further stated that in his apology, he shall make a commitment not to in future intimidate leaders of the movement. It was stated that he shall also specifically state that he shall support all female leaders of the movement and protect them from any forms of intimidation of whatsoever nature. The movement said in the event he had complied with the above, he may be eligible to reapply for membership after three years of this verdict or after a national conference had taken place, whichever shall occur earlier.

Hearing

According to sources, the hearing was conducted in Myenis absentia as he made it clear that he would not attend the hearing. Myeni had described it as a kangaroo court. It was established that during Myenis hearing, five witnesses were paraded and thus the movement came to the conclusion of expelling him from the organisation. It was also gathered that the witnesses included the two district chairpersons (Hhohho and Shiselweni) and certain three branch chairpersons. When sought for comment, Myeni confirmed receipt of the 22-page document, which is titled DC verdict, informing him that he had been expelled from the movement. However, Myeni said he did not recognise the decision to expel him until the organisation adopted a constitution and went to a conference/congress where guiding measures and documents would be adopted. He said if one had committed any felony, the documents would dictate how such should be handled following proper disciplinary measures. Im still a SWALIMO member, said Myeni.

He said since he was of the view that the disciplinary forum was created by the movements President Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane, he (Myeni) could not be expelled by any individual who was also not even an elected president of the organisation but appointed by the founding members of the organisation. I wont even be expelled by a man who betrayed his own brothers (Hon Bacede Mabuza and Hon Mthandeni Dube), who vouched that no matter the situation they will not escape, but face the system and if need be; they will be arrested for the truth, said Myeni. He alleged Simelane betrayed them (Mabuza and Dube) and ran away, as they were languishing in prison today because he betrayed the whole course and currently, while Simelane was allegedly enjoying himself overseas, but still claimed to be fighting for emaSwati. He is living his best life while Bacede and Mthandeni and all emaSwati endure the pain of the system, said Myeni.

Myeni expressed hope that emaSwati would see now who was delaying the struggle. Who is sinking the whole mass democratic movement and why. Magawugawu thinks the route to liberation is his road where we will keep brushing his ego, never!! SWALIMO is not his property, it belongs to the masses, if he wants a yes man organisation, he can shift from politics to another entity, he added.

Fighting

He said he would not stop being a SWALIMO member; he would keep fighting for the truth and will serve emaSwati until they achieved liberation. I will work on the ground and I will always be visible in all SWALIMO activities as Im still a member until the branches deem otherwise, not an individual, he added. SWALIMO Spokesperson Thantaza Silolo said the movement was still to communicate with Myeni regarding the outcomes of the issue after deliberations on recommendations from the disciplinary committee. When further pressed regarding the document that Myeni had already received, he said the document was a report from the disciplinary committee which still needed to be discussed at NEC level and agreed upon, then communicated to the relevant stakeholders and the media as the final verdict. When sought for comment on the allegations made by Myeni that he (Simelane) betrayed the two MPs, and him living large in the UK, he (Simelane) said he did not have a comment on that as the matter had been addressed over and over again. He said Myeni should be allowed to say whatever he wanted to say.
Japanese emperor, empress to attend queens funeral View Photo

TOKYO (AP)  Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will travel to Britain to attend Queen Elizabeth II s state funeral next week to pay respects to her, Japans top government spokesperson said Wednesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the Japanese government requested they accept the British royals invitation to attend, considering the close relations between the two countries royal families.

Traditionally, a Japanese emperor stays away from funerals whether at home or abroad because of a cultural belief based in the Shinto religion that considers death impure. The decision for Naruhito to attend the queens funeral underscores the importance and the deep bond between the royal families.

Matsuno said Japans imperial family has had close relations with Britains Royal Family for three generations including Naruhitos grandfather, late Emperor Hirohito.

Queen Elizabeth had invited Naruhito to visit Britain as a first destination of his foreign visits after ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019, which had to be postponed due to the pandemic, Matsuno said.

There are no plans for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other government officials to attend the funeral, he said.

Naruhito on Friday expressed his deep sorrow and heartfelt condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth in a statement released through the Imperial Household Agency.

In a statement, in Japanese, Naruhito praised Queen Elizabeth for guiding and encouraging the people of Britain and its Commonwealth nations and her endeavor for the world peace and stability.

Naruhito noted that the queen always warmly watched over relations between the two countries and paid attention to the ties between British and Japanese royal families. He said the queen treated him kindly and thoughtfully while he studied at Oxford in the 1980s and during his official visits to Britain. On one occasion while Naruhito was studying in London, he was invited to the Buckingham Palace where the queen served him tea.

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

Associated Press
Infowars rep: False statements on Sandy Hook shooting View Photo

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP)  A representative for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones Infowars empire acknowledged on the witness stand Wednesday that the show and website spread falsehoods about the Sandy Hook school shooting.

I dont think that we disagree that there were false statements made, Brittany Paz testified at a civil trial involving Jones claims that the nations deadliest school shooting was staged as a pretext to tighten gun regulations.

Paz, a lawyer hired by Jones defense to testify on the companys workings, said she believed Jones didnt personally investigate the massacre. Nonetheless, he and Infowars repeatedly and falsely said it was a hoax, propped up by actors posing as grieving parents. Multiple Infowars videos featured what Paz called the crisis actor theory.

You mean lie? plaintiffs lawyer Christopher Mattei said, to objections from Jones attorney.

Theyre not actors. Correct, Paz ultimately responded.

Soon after the killings, Jones disseminated the notion that one slain childs father was reading a script devised by the government or media to shape public opinion, and Jones said the claim needs to be looked into.

Later on, another young victims father told Infowars in an email that the families were distraught at being harassed over the lies about the supposed hoax and crisis actors. An Infowars employee replied that the company was distancing itself from the claims. But another Infowars employee continued to develop the theory, Paz testified.

The jury is tasked only with determining what Jones has to pay to eight victims families and an FBI agent  a judge already found the Infowars host liable for damages, by default. She made that determination after he failed to turn over documents as ordered during the lawsuit.

Jones is expected to testify eventually, but he hasnt attended the trial so far. On his Infowars web show Wednesday, he called the proceeding a show trial meant to squelch dissent. He has cast the case as part of a dark campaign against him, his audience and Americans free speech rights under the First Amendment.

We knew they were using Sandy Hook to get the Second, but now theyre using it to kill the First, he said. The trial comes about a month after a Texas jury ordered him to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of a child killed at Sandy Hook.

Jones lawyer, Norm Pattis, has urged the Connecticut jury to keep any damages minimal, arguing that the families are making overblown claims of harm.

The families say the emotional and psychological harm was profound and persistent. Relatives say they were subjected to social media harassment, death threats, strangers videotaping them and their children, and the surreal pain of being told that they were faking their loss.

Its hurtful. Its devastating. Its crippling. You cant grieve properly because youre constantly defending yourself and your family and your loved ones, Carlee Soto Parisi testified Tuesday.

Her sister, teacher Vicki Soto, was among the 26 people killed on Dec. 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty victims were children.

Soto Parisi described seeing social media comments claiming that she was a crisis actor, that her sister wasnt shot or didnt exist, and that the massacre never happened. She testified about getting ominous social media messages with gun emojis and finding a note on her door from a stranger saying she needed to go to church.

And one time, she said, a conspiracy theorist showed up and shouted, This never happened! at a fundraising run that the family holds in Vicki Sotos honor.

The families argue that Jones trafficked in lies to boost his audience and, with it, customers for Infowars merchandise. Data shown in court Wednesday charted spurts in people viewing his websites and social media accounts after he started talking about Sandy Hook.

By 2016, Jones show aired on 150 affiliate radio stations, and the Infowars website got 40 million page views a month, according to statistics that the company used to pitch advertisers. Paz said she believes Jones has made hundreds of millions of dollars in the decade since the Sandy Hook slayings.

Jones now acknowledges the shooting was real. At the Texas trial, he testified that he realizes what he said was irresponsible, and he apologized.

He insists, however, that his comments were protected free speech.

I dont apologize for questioning it, he said on his show Wednesday. I apologize if, out of context, I hurt somebodys feelings.

___

Peltz reported from New York.

By DAVE COLLINS and JENNIFER PELTZ

Associated Press
Lewinsky says Starrs death painful for those who love him View Photo

NEW YORK (AP)  Monica Lewinsky had a tempered, compassionate response to the death of Ken Starr, the former independent counsel whose investigation of Bill Clinton helped reveal her affair with the president and, she once wrote, made her life a living hell.

As Im sure many can understand, my thoughts about ken starr bring up complicated feelings, she tweeted Tuesday after reports that Starr had died at age 76. But of more importance, is that i imagine its a painful loss for those who love him.

Lewinsky was a White House intern in the mid-1990s, in her early 20s, when she began a relationship with Clinton, one that Starr would document in exhaustive, explicit detail. Starr had initially been retained to look into an Arkansas real estate deal Bill and Hillary Clinton were involved in, but his investigation shifted after he learned of allegations about the presidents private behavior. Lewinsky denied their affair in a sworn affidavit, but did not know that her former colleague, Linda Tripp, had been taping their phone conversations about Bill Clinton and would turn them over to Starr.

Lewinsky would recall with horror being interrogated for hours in 1998 by Starrs prosecutors  but not Starr himself  and threatened with prison if she didnt cooperate with their investigation, a demand she initially refused. Months later, she agreed to testify about the affair, and turned over to prosecutors a dress stained with the presidents semen, in return for immunity.

Lewinsky later wrote that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, mainly from the ordeal of having been publicly outed and ostracized, and was for years subjected to crude jokes. But starting with a Vanity Fair essay in 2014 and a TED talk she gave in 2015 on The Price of Shame, she has become a widely respected anti-bullying activist. David Letterman and John Oliver are among those who have apologized for once mocking her.

Writing in Vanity Fair in 2018, Lewinsky remembered finally encountering Starr in person, at a Greenwich Village restaurant the previous Christmas Eve. Starr stepped forward with a warm, incongruous smile, and introduced himself to Lewinsky, who was dining with her family.

Ken Starr asked me several times if I was doing O.K. A stranger might have surmised from his tone that he had actually worried about me over the years. His demeanor, almost pastoral, was somewhere between avuncular and creepy. He kept touching my arm and elbow, which made me uncomfortable, she wrote.

I turned and introduced him to my family. Bizarre as it may sound, I felt determined, then and there, to remind him that, 20 years before, he and his team of prosecutors hadnt hounded and terrorized just me but also my family  threatening to prosecute my mom (if she didnt disclose the private confidences I had shared with her), hinting that they would investigate my dads medical practice, and even deposing my aunt, with whom I was eating dinner that night.

Starr would write about Lewinsky in his 2018 memoir Contempt, describing how Monica screamed, she cried, she pouted, and complained bitterly about her scheming, no-good, so-called friend (Tripp). But their threats, and the urging of Lewinskys mother to accept the prosecutors terms, did not change her mind.

Monica overruled her mother. She would fall on her sword rather than implicate the president of the United States, Starr wrote. It was becoming increasingly clear: in thinking she was a naive, starstruck young woman in love who would quickly cooperate, we underestimated her. In her determination to protect the president, Monica kept a team of experienced FBI agents and career prosecutors twiddling their thumbs for much of the day.

By HILLEL ITALIE

AP National Writer
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  North Dakota would spend up to $80 million in state savings over the next two years to address child care in the state, under a proposal pitched Tuesday by Gov. Doug Burgum.

The GOP-led Legislature meets again in January and will consider the plan that also includes a child care tax credit for low- to middle-income families, expansion of child care assistance and matching money for businesses that offer their employees child care.

The second-term Republican governor said the lack of available and affordable child care for families contributes to workforce shortages that have hamstrung the states economy. Adequate and affordable child care helps attract and retain companies in the state, he said.

North Dakota has tens of thousands of unfilled jobs, and many families have to make a choice to work and pay for child care or not work at all, Burgum said.

North Dakota has more than 64,000 children under the age of 5 in some 45,000 households across the state, Burgum said.

The states more than 800 licensed child care providers employ more than 6,000 people, he said.

In spite of that ... working families are experiencing a child care crisis, Burgum said. There are more children than there are slots.

Burgum pitched the proposal, which is still in draft form, at a press conference in Fargo, where he was flanked by several supportive  and mostly GOP  lawmakers, business leaders and others from across the state.

Democratic lawmakers expressed support for the proposal in a statement but said more may be needed. They also blamed the current crisis on the GOP, which wields supermajority control in the Legislature.

As long-time champions for making child care more accessible and affordable in North Dakota, we support these proposals, and we believe they dont go far enough because of the scale of the crisis, Fargo Democratic Sen. Kathy Hogan said. Democrats have proposed several bills to improve child care over the years, but unfortunately Republicans in power did not act to prevent todays crisis.

The oi-rich states financial reserves are flush with cash and far ahead of forecasts due to strong oil prices, steady production and an influx of federal coronavirus relief funds.

That bodes well for addressing the child care issue, the governor said.

Across the board, weve never been in better financial shape, Burgum said.
BOSTON (AP)  A package exploded on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston late Tuesday, and the college said a staff member suffered minor injuries.

Authorities said another suspicious package was found near a prominent art museum and the FBI was assisting with the investigation.

The parcel that blew up was one of two that were reported to police early in the evening. Boston's bomb squad neutralized a second package near the city's Museum of Fine Arts, which is on the outskirts of the Northeastern campus.

NBC Boston reported that the package that exploded went off as it was being opened near the university's Holmes Hall, which is home to the university's creative writing program and its women's, gender and sexuality studies program. It said the FBI was assisting the investigation.

Authorities declined to elaborate, but Northeastern spokesperson Shannon Nargi said in a statement that an unidentified university staff member suffered minor injuries to his hand in the explosion. Felipe Colon, a Boston police superintendent, later described the victim as a 45-year-old man.

Police converged on the campus shortly before 7:30 p.m., and the university asked students who had gathered for an evening journalism class at the hall to evacuate the building.

Northeastern is a private university in downtown Boston with about 16,000 undergraduate students. WCVB-TV said one of its reporters, Mike Beaudet, was teaching a class there at the time. Beaudet told the station his class was moved outside but that neither he nor his students heard an explosion.

Michael Davis, chief of Northeastern's police force, told reporters the campus was secure. Boston police didn't say whether any other suspicious packages were found.

Were monitoring the situation at Northeastern and were ready to work with the university and our law enforcement partners on any prosecutions that may develop," Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said, promising "a comprehensive investigation to determine exactly what occurred here.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both on the other side of the Charles River separating Boston from Cambridge, said they were increasing patrols on their campuses as a precaution and urging students and faculty to report anything suspicious.

Tuesday's explosion marked one of the first big scares in Boston since 2013, when two bombs planted near the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed three spectators and wounded more than 260 others.
BERLIN (AP)  German energy supplier Uniper said Wednesday that it is exploring the possibility of the government acquiring a majority holding in the company as its losses mount, a jump from the roughly 30% stake that the state already has pledged to take.

The government put together the rescue package in July after Russia's cuts to natural gas supplies forced Uniper to buy gas at far higher prices on the market to fulfill its supply contracts. As the energy crisis drives up prices, the European Union's executive Commission has proposed measures to help households, including tapping into the extraordinary profits of electricity producers.

Uniper is majority-owned by Finland-based Fortum, in which the Finnish government holds the largest stake.

Uniper said in a statement that due to the increased uncertainties in the operating environment, the parties are also looking into alternative solutions, including a straight equity increase that would result in a significant majority participation by the German government in Uniper.

It added that no decisions have yet been made beyond the July rescue package.

It includes a roughly 267 million-euro capital increase signed by the German government alone and an additional 7.7 billion euros through a tool that provides equity by issuing company shares  as Unipers cash needs require. An existing 2 billion-euro credit facility from Germanys state-owned KfW development bank was increased to 9 billion euros.

The government also decided to introduce a new levy on natural gas, aimed at rescuing importers slammed by the Russian cutbacks tied to the war in Ukraine. It later moved to lower value-added tax on gas from 19% to 7% until the end of March 2024 in an effort to make up for the effect of the surcharge.

Russias Gazprom started reducing gas deliveries to Germany through the main Nord Stream 1 pipeline in mid-June, citing alleged technical problems and the effect of Western sanctions. German officials have dismissed that explanation as an excuse for a political decision to create uncertainty and drive up prices.

Russia, which before the reductions accounted for a bit more than a third of Germanys gas supplies, has since cut off deliveries through Nord Stream 1 altogether.

As a result of that cutoff and extremely high and volatile gas and power prices in Europe, Uniper said its financial losses due to the higher gas procurement cost have significantly increased.

In a separate move last week, gas importer VNG also sought help from the German government.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Members of one union rejected a tentative deal with the largest U.S. freight railroads Wednesday, while two ratified agreements and three others remained at the bargaining table just days ahead of a strike deadline, threatening to intensify snarls in the nation's supply chain that have contributed to rising prices.

About 4,900 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 19 voted to reject the tentative agreement negotiated by IAM leadership with the railroads, the union said Wednesday. But the IAM agreed to delay any strike by its members until Sept. 29 to allow more time for negotiations and to allow other unions to vote.

Railroads are trying to reach an agreement with all their other unions to avert a strike before Fridays deadline. The unions aren't allowed to strike before Friday under the federal law that governs railroad contract talks, which include BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Kansas City Southern and the U.S. operations of Canadian National.

Government officials and a variety of businesses are bracing for the possibility of a nationwide rail strike that would paralyze shipments of everything from crude and clothing to cars, a potential calamity for businesses that have struggled for more than two years due to COVID-19 related supply chain breakdowns.

There are 12 unions  one with two separate divisions  representing 115,000 workers that must agree to the tentative deals and then have members vote on whether to approve them. So far, nine had agreed to tentative deals and three others are still at the bargaining table.

Of the nine that agreed to the deals, two  the Transportation Communications Union and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen unions  voted to ratify their contracts Wednesday. But IAM members voted to reject their deal. Votes by the other six unions that approved tentative deals are pending.

All the tentative deals are based closely on the recommendations of a Presidential Emergency Board Joe Biden appointed this summer that called for 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses in a five-year deal thats retroactive to 2020. Those recommendations also includes one additional paid leave day a year and higher health insurance costs.

The key unions that represent the conductors and engineers who drive trains are holding out in the hope that railroads will agree to go beyond those recommendations and address some of their concerns about unpredictable schedules and strict attendance policies that they say make it difficult to take any time off. They say the job cuts major railroads have made over the past six years  eliminating nearly one-third of their workers  have made a difficult job even harder although the railroads maintain their operations have just become more efficient as they rely on fewer, longer trains.

The unions want the railroads to provide unpaid leave time that workers could use to attend doctors appointments or attend to other personal business without being penalized.

Ron Kaminkow, general secretary of the Railroad Workers United labor group that includes workers from all the rail unions, said he left the freight industry for an Amtrak engineer job in Nevada years ago because of the grueling working conditions that have only gotten worse in recent years. He's seen many other workers make that switch even though it often comes with lower pay and means giving up seniority.

Everyone knows you can get more money in the freight industry. But its what we would call blood money, Kaminkow said. Its almost impossible to predict when you are going to be off and when you can attend to various life issues like family, like children, like an appointment.

Contract talks continued Wednesday with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh participating again to put pressure on both sides to reach a deal before Friday's deadline.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters at the Detroit auto show Wednesday that the Biden administration remains focused on preventing a strike. Biden himself made calls earlier this week, but the administration is preparing to respond if a walkout does happen.

Weve been engaging with the parties, and our message continues to be that the labor unions and railroads need to find the deal space to avoid any kind of disruption, he said. The most important thing is to try to prevent that from happening in the first place.

If the two sides can't agree, Congress could step in to block a strike and impose terms on the railroads and unions, but it wasn't clear Wednesday how quickly they could or would act because Democrats and Republicans can't readily agree on a solution. A number of business groups have written letters to lawmakers over the past week urging them to be prepared to step in because of their concerns that a rail strike would be what the Business Roundtable called an economic catastrophe."

With the midterm elections just weeks away, politics will play a role if Congress has to settle this dispute. Democrats are wary of becoming crosswise with their allies in organized labor, as unions tend to be strong supporters in elections. At the same time, Republicans see an opportunity to put pressure on Biden and his party if the railroads teeter toward a strike. But it's entirely possible that all sides would be blamed for a rail shutdown.

The many businesses that rely on railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products say a rail strike would cause significant problems particularly for oil refineries, chemical businesses, auto makers, retailers and agricultural groups. The Association of American Railroads trade group estimated that a strike would cost the economy more than $2 billion a day.

Businesses would likely try to turn to trucks and other modes of shipping if the railroads do shut down, but there isn't enough trucking capacity to take up all the slack. The railroad trade group estimated that 467,000 additional trucks a day would be required to deliver everything railroads handle now.

A freight rail strike would also disrupt passenger traffic because Amtrak and many commuter railroads operate on tracks owned by the freight railroads. Amtrak has already canceled a number of its long-distance trains this week, and it said the rest of its long-distance trains would stop Thursday ahead of the strike deadline.

___

Associated Press writers Tom Krisher, Anne D'Innocenzio, Lisa Mascaro, Cathy Bussewitz, Chris Rugaber, Scott McFetridge and Matt Ott contributed to this report.
ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistan's prime minister on Wednesday promised the country's homeless people that the government will ensure they are paid to rebuild and return to their lives after the country's worst-ever floods.

With winter is just weeks away, half a million people are living in camps after being displaced by the flood, which destroyed 1.7 million homes. So far, the governments priority has been to deliver food, tents and cash to the victims. The floods have killed 1,481 people since mid-June and affected 33 million.

We will do our best to financially help you so that you can rebuild homes" and return to a normal life, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif told several families living in tents and makeshift homes in the town of Suhbatpur in Baluchistan. Those who lost homes and crops will get compensation from the government," he said in his televised comments.

Sharif also told dozens of school children, who were studying in a tent with help from the U.N. childrens agency UNICEF in the town of Suhbatpur, that they will get a new school in the next two months.

Pakistan never witnessed such huge climate-induced devastation," Sharif told a gathering of lawyers in Islamabad on Wednesday. It was painful to see inundated villages, towns and cities."

Sharif said the winter season will start in Pakistan after 15 days, and then another challenge for the flood victims will be how to survive in the harsh cold as currently they were living in tents in summer.

Even providing clean drinking water to flood-affected people has become a challenge, he said.

The floods have destroyed 70% of wheat, cotton and other crops in Pakistan. Initially, Pakistan estimated that the floods caused $10 billion in damages, but now the government says the economic toll is far greater. The United Nations has urged the international community, especially those responsible for climate change, to send more help to Pakistan.

The monsoon rains have swept away entire villages, bridges and roads, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. At one point, a third of the countrys territory was inundated with water.

Multiple experts have blamed climate change for unprecedented rain-related damages in Pakistan.

Also Wednesday, Pakistan's minister for climate change, Sherry Rehman, told a gathering of lawmakers from the Asia Pacific in the capital, Islamabad that right now the entire world is facing a threat from climate change which, she said, knows no border."

She called for reducing emissions to save other countries from the damage that her country is facing now.

Meanwhile, the first planeload of aid from Saudi Arabia arrived in Pakistan overnight.

So far, U.N. agencies and various countries, including the United States, have sent about 90 planeloads of aid.

On Wednesday, Julien Harneis, who is U.N resident coordinator in Pakistan, told a news conference that member states had committed so far $150 million in response to an emergency appeal for $160 million.
IZIUM, Ukraine (AP)  Hand on heart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched his countrys flag rise Wednesday above the recaptured city of Izium, making a rare foray outside the capital that highlights Moscows embarrassing retreat from a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian forces left the war-scarred city last week as Kyiv's soldiers pressed a stunning advance that has reclaimed large swaths of territory in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region.

As Zelenskyy looked on and sang the national anthem, the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the burned-out city hall. After almost six months under Russian occupation, Izium was left largely devastated, with apartment buildings blackened by fire and pockmarked by artillery strikes.

A gaping hole and piles of rubble stood where one building had collapsed.

The view is very shocking, but it is not shocking for me," Zelenskyy told journalists, "because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories  the same destroyed buildings, killed people.

Bucha is a small city on Kyiv's outskirts from which Russian troops withdrew in March. In the aftermath, Ukrainian authorities discovered the bodies of hundreds of civilians dumped in streets, yards and mass graves. Many bore signs of torture.

Prosecutors said they so far have found six bodies with traces of torture in recently retaken Kharkiv region villages. The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said bodies were found in Hrakove and Zaliznyche, villages around 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Kharkiv city.

We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did. ... Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, listing places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities.

Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas Russia previously held, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted international demands to press war crimes charges against Russian officials.

As he was returning from the front early Thursday, a passenger car collided with Zelenskyy's vehicle in a motorcade in Kyiv, but he wasn't seriously hurt, his spokesman said on Facebook. Spokesman Sergii Nikiforov said the driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskyys medical team and was taken by ambulance. Medics examined the president, who suffered no serious injuries in the accident, Nikiforov wrote. He did not specify what injuries Zelenskyy, 44, might have suffered.

Moscows recent rout in northeastern Ukraine was its largest military defeat since Russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv area months ago. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along a road.

As Zelenskyy visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, de-mined retaken ground and investigated possible war crimes. He said that life comes back as Ukrainian soldiers return to previously occupied villages.

The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian soldiers were preparing to retake the area, which borders the Kharkiv region and was has been mostly under Russian control since July. Intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued, he said.

Haidai told The Associated Press that Ukrainian troops were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk.

But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the (Ukrainian) flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

A Russia-allied separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult.

In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago.

The counteroffensive has left more weapons in Ukrainian hands.

Russian forces likely left behind dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east, a Ukrainian think tank said Wednesday. The Center for Defense Strategies said one Russian unit fleeing the Izium area left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles. Another unit left 47 tanks and 27 armored vehicles, it said.

The center said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces ruin equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it. However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently forced them to abandon untouched ammunition and weapons.

With the recent Ukrainian gains, a new front line has emerged along the Oskil River, which largely traces the Kharkiv region's eastern edge, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday.

Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose, the institute said.

In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing more casualties in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said.

The Nikopol area, across a river from the shutdown Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, with no injuries immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Fighting also raged in the eastern Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, an industrial area that Moscow set out to capture following an unsuccessful attempt to invade Kyiv.

Russian troops are targeting critical infrastructure. Eight cruise missiles aimed at water equipment hit Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih, a city on the Inhulets River 150 kms (93 miles) southwest of Dnipro, the deputy head of the presidents office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, reported on his Telegram channel. Zelenskyy said the strikes appeared to be an attempt to flood the city and that a dam on a reservoir was hit. Video posted online showed elevated water levels on the Inhulets and flooded city streets, and evacuations of residents were suggested.

U.S. President Joe Biden observed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have made significant progress in recent days but added, I think its going to be a long haul.

While criticism of the invasion seems to be increasing in Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that the realization has grown over there by now that this was a mistake to start this war.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he had spoken with Putin about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraines Black Sea ports to address a famine threat. The U.N. chief said at a news conference in New York that high prices for fertilizer have reduced the planting of crops, making it critical to increase Russian exports of ammonia  a key fertilizer ingredient  by shipping it through Black Sea ports now used to transport grain from Ukraine.

Western military and economic support has allowed Ukraine to keep fighting since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and the Ukrainian government received more assistance Wednesday.

An international group of creditors, including the U.S., finalized a deal to suspend Ukraines debt service through the end of 2023, helping the country ease liquidity pressures and increase social, health and economic spending.

___

Arhirova reported from Kyiv. Associated Press journalist Jon Gambrell in Kyiv contributed.

___

Follow AP war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MANZINI  There are fears that the resignation of some civil servants from unions could lead to them losing recognition agreements.

The fear came at a time when about 365 civil servants are said to have tendered their resignation letters of membership from the public service unions (PSUs). These civil servants are said to be those who were unionised and, therefore, did not benefit from the three per cent cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA) of the monthly basic salary across the board which was backdated to April 1, 2022. In addition to this, they also did not get the once-off payment of one per cent of annual basic salary across the board. The about 365 members are said to have tendered their resignations from the membership of the PSUs which are: National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) and Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP).

Agreements

Secretary General of SNAGAP, Phumzile Masilela expressed concerns that this could result in some unions losing their recognition agreements as their numbers may dwindle if the resignations continued unopposed. She said in her organisation, there were about seven resignations which included people who were closer to retirement. It is worth noting that SNAGAP has a membership of about 800 civil servants and the seven resignations would result in their members being around 793. Masilela said the fears that were shared by most of those who tendered their resignations was that they would not be able to get better benefits when they retire as they were left with minimal months in the civil service. The others who were tendering their resignations with the hope of benefitting from CoLA and once-off payment, were given a breakdown of what their resignations meant and what they stood to benefit when the PSUs completed their negotiations with the employer, Masilela said.

She also bemoaned that the partitioning of civil servants when awarding the CoLA was the genesis of the resignations and also posed to leave some workers without a union which would negotiate for them when government implemented Enhanced Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme (EVERS). EVERS is targeting to minimise the number of civil servants by about 7 500, according to the Minister of Public Service, Mabulala Maseko. It shall be implemented in a period of two years, starting in the 2023/24 financial year and falling onto the subsequent financial year. Also, according to the Secretary General of SWADNU, Mayibongwe Masangane, his organisation had one nurse who tendered a resignation, who was in the employ of one of the public health facilities. In addition to the single resignation, Masangane said there were seven nurses who tendered their resignations due to being members of the National State Security Forces.

Reduced

SWADNU has a membership of about 2 019 nurses, which means the resignations has reduced it to about 2 011. Meanwhile, Masangane said the seven, in their letters of resignation from the union, claimed that they were not offered the three per cent CoLA and one per cent once-off payment due to their affiliation with the union. He said they also claimed that they were being pressured by their respective employers as they were not expected to be part of a union; but instead, they should join a staff association within their respective security organs.

Masangane said: The resignation of the members is a concern as it seeks to bring division in the collective bargaining power of workers. It shall also stall our projects which we had initiated basing our revenue on the subscriptions to be collected.

He also expressed concern that the figures could increase as some of the civil servants were eager to get the CoLA and one per cent once-off payment, regardless of the value or lack of it.

On the other hand, Secretary General of SNAT Sikelela Dlamini said about 50 members resigned from his organisation. He said a majority of them were head teachers who were seeking to benefit from the collective agreement reached by Government Negotiation Team (GNT) and the Eswatini Principals Association (EPA). This collective agreement was signed on June 27, 2022 and resulted in an agreement to implement the three per cent CoLA of monthly basic salary across board and an additional once-off payment of one per cent of annual basic salary across board with effect from the beginning of the government financial year, April 1, 2022.

Meanwhile, Dlamini said the figure was not shocking to them given that they were recruiting members monthly, while others were also leaving due to natural attritions and or retirement.

He said their membership was currently at 11 420. The secretary general also emphasised that being a member of a union for civil servants outweighed CoLA. Also, on Monday, this publication reported that about 300 unionised civil servants tendered their resignation from NAPSAWU. It was reported that branch executives of the NAPSAWU had received resignation letters from public service employees who were left out during the implementation of the three per cent CoLA for non-unionised employees.

Judiciary

Chairperson of NAPSAWU Mbabane Branch Johannes Simelane, was quoted saying that most of the resignation letters came from Cabinet and a few from other departments, including the Judiciary. He informed this publication that the civil servants who had tendered their resignation letters were hoping that if they ceased being union members, they would be paid the three per cent CoLA, come month end. Simelane said they explained to the resigning employees that the Joint Negotiation Team (JNT) was yet to deal with the issue of CoLA and table an offer at the roundtable with the Government Negotiation Team (GNT) as it (CoLA) was the next item on the agenda. According to Simelane, they were able to convince all but one of the civil servants under the Mbabane branch to be patient and wait for the roundtable process to be finalised. As such, the resignations have been held in ambiance.
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Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Charles Perry dropped by Taqueria Jalisco Tuesday morning for an 8 a.m. meet-and-greet with constituents.

The stop was part of a 131-stop bus tour through rural Texas, noted Alex Lovell, a spokesperson on Patricks team. The tour kicked off at San Antonio at the Alamo on Aug. 24.

Its been a quick tour with multiple stops per day. The team has stopped in at least 30 cities so far with plans to wrap the tour ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

Perry, Republican representative for Texas Senate District 28, tagged along for at least Tuesdays leg of the tour, which included stops in Lubbock as well as other towns around the region after the team left Plainview in Patricks charter bus.

Patrick worked the room Tuesday morning chatting with residents, including many Plainview and Hale County leaders and businessmen and businesswomen, before ending his rounds stopping at each occupied table in the restaurant, even sitting down at one.

Patrick, the Republican incumbent for lieutenant governor, seeks a third term in what is the second-highest executive office in Texas. He will face Democrat Mike Collier and Libertarian Shanna Steele in November.

Perry is running unopposed.

The last day to register to vote is Oct. 11. Early voting is scheduled for Oct. 24 through Nov. 4. The last day to apply for mail-in ballots is Oct. 28 (the request must be received by then, not postmarked, per the Secretary of States website). Election day is Nov. 8.
Inside Hook

On April 8, 2023, an auspicious anniversary will take place, marking 50 years since the 1973 death of Pablo Picasso. If you find yourself thinking that it might be time to revisit the artists life and work, you have that in common with countless museum curators across the world.



As Gareth Harris writes at The Art Newspaper, dozens of museums are planning to revisit Picassos art in the year to come. Theyll be taking part in a program known as Celebration Picasso 1973-2023, which has the backing of both the French and Spanish governments. Among the spaces participating will be the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Casa de Velazquez in Madrid.



Picassos grandson Bernard Ruiz-Picasso is on the commission behind Celebration Picasso, but it sounds as though the organizers are leaving room to address the artists less appealing qualities as well. Harriss article cites a statement from the organizers as noting that the retrospectives will include discussions of the reception of his work under the prism of feminism.



In particular, Picassos misogyny has been critiqued in recent years, and the shifting perspectives on the artists life and work will be discussed as part of a forthcoming exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum of Art that Hannah Gadsby has a hand in organizing.



Whether youre an ardent admirer of all things Picasso or more skeptical of his work and legacy, it certainly seems as though this array of exhibitions will have something to offer. Will this also result in more covers of The Modern Lovers Pablo Picasso being recorded? Well know that in 2023.
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ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Irene Papas, the Greek actress and recording artist renowned for her dramatic performances and austere beauty that earned her prominent roles in Hollywood movies as well as in French and Italian cinema over six decades has died. She was 93.

The Greek Culture Ministry confirmed her death Wednesday.

Magnificent, majestic, dynamic, Irene Papas was the personification of Greek beauty on the cinema screen and on the theater stage, an international leading lady who radiated Greekness, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described her as a source of admiration and inspiration to generations of Greeks.

Papas became known internationally following performances in The Guns of Navarone in 1961 and Zorba the Greek in 1964, acting alongside Hollywood stars Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. In all, she starred in more than 50 movies.

Born Irene Lelekou in the mountainous village of Chiliomodi, Papas was the daughter of two schoolteachers. Her father also taught drama.

She left home at 18 to marry Greek film director Alkis Papas despite her familys disapproval. They divorced four years later. After the death of American Actor Marlon Brando in 2004, Papas revealed in an Italian newspaper interview that the two had been romantically involved.

A supporter of the Greek Communist Party, Papas was a vocal opponent of the military dictatorship that governed the country between 1967 and 1974 and lived much for life outside Greece, including in Rome and New York.

Papas was also known for her appearance in ancient Greek tragedies. Many of her iconic international movie roles were earned portraying Greek characters. But she also starred with Kirk Douglas in the 1968 crime drama Brotherhood and with James Cagney in the 1956 Western Tribute to a Bad Man.

Greek arts institutions thanked Papas for her support for younger actors. The Athens-based Greek Film Center described her as The greatest Greek international film star, adding: Her image is a timeless imprint of Greek female beauty.

Papas publicly joked that she was often quoted as being three years older than her actual age. She started a 2004 interview with Greek state television by saying, I was born on Sept. 3, 1929. All the papers are there in Chiliomodi, which is located near the southern Greek city of Corinth.
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In just a few weeks, John Brasco was set to go to trial against two officers and their supervisor who were accused of torturing him while he was previously incarcerated by playing the song Baby Shark on loop for hours at a time. On Thursday, Sept. 8, Brasco was booked into Oklahoma County Jail on new drug charges  and by early Sunday morning, he was dead.

A cause of death has yet to be given, but Mark Opgrande, director of communications for the jail, confirmed to Rolling Stone that theyre looking into an overdose as part of their investigation. We rely on the Medical Examiner to give us the official cause of death, he said, adding that this process might take months.

But the overdose theory doesnt add up to Bascos lawyer Cameron Spradling, who says that Basco appeared to be in good health at age 48. In fact, the lawyer says he finds the timing of his clients death suspicious. Two plus two doesnt make four, he tells Rolling Stone. It was very fortuitous to this jail and those detention officers that John Bascos dead.  There is a criminal case and a federal civil rights case pending against three former detention officers, including a longtime lieutenant. One of the Baby Shark Torture Victims is conveniently dead within three days of his arrival.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is currently assisting in the investigation, but Spradling wants District Attorney David Prater to send in his own investigators, which the lawyer thinks would be more expeditious. He lost his most important witness for the upcoming criminal trial, he says. The D.A. needs to find out why this victim/witness died under these mysterious circumstances. Prater did not immediately respond to Rolling Stones request for comment.

In 2020, Prater charged two officers, Christian Charles Miles and Gregory Cornell Butler, Jr., along with their supervisor, Christopher Raymond Hendershott, with misdemeanor cruelty charges for an unusual form of punishment they inflicted on Basco, JaLee Foreman, Jr., Daniel Hedrick, and Joseph Joey Mitchell. The officers allegedly tortured each man on separate occasions by handcuffing him in a stress position in a small room where the childrens song Baby Shark blasted on repeat for hours. Hendershott allegedly did nothing to stop them. Lawyers for the officers did not immediately respond to Rolling Stones request for comment.

You hear something like that over and over again, it drives you, you know what Im saying, to the point that you want to scream. Like, what are you doing this for? Basco said in a 2021 interview. The practice of playing music at loud volumes on repeat was famously used in Guantanamo Bay to break Iraqi prisoners.

Butler confirmed that he used the booth as a means of punishment, an investigator wrote in an affidavit filed in the case. The playing of the music was said to be a joke between Miles and Butler.

The two officers resigned, and their boss retired. It was unfortunate that I could not find a felony statute to fit this fact scenario, Prater said at the time. I would have preferred filing a felony on this behavior. The inmates later filed a civil suit against the officers, as well as the Oklahoma County Sheriff, the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, and the Board of County Commissioners for Oklahoma County.

The states case against the three former jail employees was set to kick off on Sept. 21 with a status conference and a motion hearing. (The civil lawsuit was stayed until that case wraps.) Basco was arrested on Sept. 8 on new charges, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Rolling Stone; there was no warrant, according to the document, which was filed after the arrest on Sept. 9. Usually you have a probably cause affidavit that is on file first, which gives the officers the authority to seek out the individual, Spradling says. So that was unique to me. Moreover, since no charges had been filed yet, Basco could not be bonded out, which left him in jail over the weekend. They chose to take him on Thursday and to not file charges on Friday. That bothered me, Spradling added.

At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Bascos sisters called Spradling, wailing, with the news that Basco was dead. I liked him. Im just really sad that this happened, Spradling says, his voice breaking. If I just had until Monday, I could have got him out of there.

Our sympathies are with Mr. Bascos family and loved ones, Opgrande wrote in a statement to Rolling Stone when asked about the timing and manner of Bascos death. We can confirm there were no obvious signs of foul play. Additionally, we would like to note Mr. Bascos lawsuit was against the previous jail administration, not against the Oklahoma Country Criminal Justice Authority or the current leadership.

Basco was the 14th inmate to die at Oklahoma County Jail in 2022.
In the spring of 2012, portrait artist Ralph Heimans stood on the Cosmati pavement of Westminster Abbey and awaited the subject of his latest commission, Queen Elizabeth II. When she approached, he says, it was an extraordinary moment.

"She was wearing her Robe of State, with four footmen holding it, and as she came down the long corridor it was a very theatrical kind of entrance, Heimans said soon after he had learned that the queen had died Thursday at age 96.

After spending an hour the queen, discussing niceties, he came away with a sense of how thoughtful she was, almost a sense of shyness, an introspective quality. In his oil painting, which hangs in Westminster, he drew her as a solitary, even brooding figure, her eyes cast down, with the vastness of Westminster behind her like so much weight from the past  and present.

I wanted to show her in this private moment, with a certain gravity about her, he says.

Over the past 70 years, authors, filmmakers, playwrights, songwriters and painters have responded to the queen as both symbol and human being, whether commenting on the heights of her position or attempting to tease out the inner life of a woman who spoke infrequently in public and avoided personal revelations. The dual qualities, majesty and mystery, found her imagined in settings ranging from the sobriety of royal art to the rage of punk music to the varied characterizations of film and television.

I think because she was a constant presence who didn't say very much, it allowed people to project on her in different ways, says Elizabeth Holmes, whose HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style was published in 2020. Also, you can very easily make people look like the Queen. You can take that as a starting point and run.

On film, the queen has been fictionalized in everything from Helen Mirren's Oscar-winning portrayal in The Queen to the farcical Naked Gun movies and the grim Spencer, with Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana and Stella Gonet as Elizabeth. But she has been dramatized most fully in the Emmy-winning Netflix series The Crown," which follows her life from the beginning of her reign to recent times  and whose production was suspended Friday after her death.

When played by Claire Foy as a young and glamorous monarch, she is seen as finding her way in her new life, trying to maintain a happy relationship with her husband, Prince Philip. while approaching her royal duties with the sobriety of someone years older. Olivia Colman takes over as Elizabeth ages and becomes more mature and prickly, and flawed, failing initially to travel to the scene of a devastating mining tragedy in Wales and comfort the townspeople, and proving unsympathetic to Diana's troubles with her son Prince Charles.

I emote. The queen is not meant to, Colman told Vanity Fair in 2018. Shes got to be a rock for everyone, and has been trained not to (emote).

The queen herself didn't comment on works about her or always seem aware of cultural trends: Greeting Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page at a 2005 palace reception, she seemed unsure of who he was and what instrument he played. But she sensed her place in world and had enough savvy to appear with Daniel Craig, in character as James Bond, for a 2012 Olympics video, and enough good humor to allow herself to be pictured as parachuting from a helicopter with him (the former was really her, the latter a stunt double).

Fiction writers enjoyed setting the queen off on unusual adventures. In Emma Tennant's The Autobiography of the Queen, the monarch flees to St. Lucia in the Caribbean. S.J. Bennett worked from the premise What if the queen solved crimes? in writing the mystery novels The Windsor Knot and A Three Dog Problem.

She had such a unique perspective on the world. She was always looking out when everyone else was looking at her, so she must see a lot of things the rest of us dont see, Bennett, the daughter of a military veteran who had met the Queen, told The Associated Press.

It was her character that fascinated me, not her position as a symbol," she added. "She was intelligent, frequently underestimated because she wasnt traditionally educated, and endlessly curious about people. In the books I have her eagerly looking out of the windows of Buckingham Palace while being painted for a portrait, to see what was going on outside, because thats what she really did. She had a very wry sense of humor and a huge instinct for fun, but equally an almost supernatural instinct for diplomacy, and a world-class sense of duty.

Musicians have paid tribute, condemned her and invoked her name for a quick laugh.

For punk and New Wave artists, she was a monument to be torn down. The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead mocks the royal family and the succession to power: I say, Charles, dont you ever crave/To appear on the front of the Daily Mail/Dressed in your Mothers bridal veil? The Sex Pistols helped define the punk movement in 1976 with God Save the Queen," in which Johnny Rotten (now Lydon) declares No future as he snarls out some of the most scathing, nihilistic lyrics ever to top the British charts:

God save the queen

The fascist regime

They made you a moron

A potential H bomb

God save the queen

Shes not a human being ...

Songwriters otherwise responded with affection. Duke Ellington met her in the late 1950s and found her so inspiring he soon collaborated with Billy Strayhorn on the pensive The Queen's Suite, for which he arranged a single gold pressing just for her. In the late 1960s, Paul McCartney dashed off the acoustic, 23-second Her Majesty, with its cheeky refrain, Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl/But she doesn't have a lot to say," and the Beatles tacked it onto the end of Abbey Road.

As he explained in Paul McCartney: The Lyrics, published in 2021, he wrote the song in part because the queen really didn't offer many public statements, beyond her annual Christmas address and the opening of Parliament. McCartney would meet the queen numerous times, as a Beatle and a solo performer, and even played the song for her. But, he reaffirmed in his book: She didn't have a lot to say.

____

AP National Writer Jocelyn Noveck contributed to this report.
It looks like fans of one of San Antonio's go-to brunch spots and those fond of the Grateful Dead's founding member of the same name  may soon have something to look forward to.

The Pigpen, the Mahncke Park neighborhood watering hole essentially built outside of Smoke Shack, was initially opened by the barbecue joint's owner Chris Conger in 2016.

For over four years, they mixed drinks, hosted live music, and served hearty brunches featuring offerings like brisket-garnished bloody marys those surrounding the Broadway Corridor.

An outdoor area allowed kids to run around while parents chowed down on burgers, relaxed with margaritas and regularly enjoyed live music, including an annual Townes Vann Zandt tribute show.

Jerry Lara /Staff

After a prolonged, year-long closure, The Pigpen appears to be making a revamped comeback. Earlier this week, San Antonio-based mobile food truck company Cruising Kitchens teased Pigpen's return.

"San Antonio, I hope youre ready for the return of @the_Pigpen_bar - I know I am!! After fighting many obstacles my man, Chris Conger (@smokeshack), is bringing the phenomenal eats back!" wrote Cruising Kitchens CEO and President Cameron Davies in a social media post. "Be on the lookout for a major announcement coming soon! I cant wait for everyone to see what CK cooked up for the return of this badass establishment!

 Heres a sneak peek at what were cooking up for the return of The Pigpen Neighborhood Bar!???? Posted by Cruising Kitchens on Friday, September 9, 2022

In addition to the big hint, Davies also shared photos of a new Pigpen on wheels, featuring a pristine new truck with chrome interiors and teal and wood exterior paneling.

At this time it is unclear if the previous location will resume operating or if Pigpen will begin its new life nomadically or somewhere new. Still, it's a full circle moment for the Smoke Shack brand which launched as a food truck in 2012.

Chris Conger and Cruising Kitchens did not immediately respond to MySA's request for comment.

Find it: Pigpen at 106 Pershing Ave., San Antonio, TX 78209.
EAGLE PASS, Texas  On a sweltering August night, 16 vehicles idled beside a forlorn stretch of Texas Highway 131 in Maverick County.

Located on the Mexico border, more than two hours southwest of San Antonio, Maverick is poor and rural. Census figures show nearly 90% of its 58,000 people speak Spanish at home, one of the highest percentages in the nation. In the darkness, a state trooper peered at the glowing screen of a laptop revealing contours of the landscape all around.

For nearly six hours, he and another trooper piloted drones that whirred overhead, using infrared cameras to find migrants in the brush.

Its a waiting game, Chris Olivarez, South Texas spokesman for the states Department of Public Safety, advised two journalists in his pickup.

Just after 1:40 a.m., a sergeant in hushed tones told the drone pilots, I see eight men. Theyre still brushed up.

A large part of DPS mission is assisting the U.S. Border Patrol, especially with helicopter overflights. By day and night, its also seeking to grab migrants whove stepped on private land and charge them with the misdemeanor state offense of criminal trespassing  or criminal mischief, if theyve damaged a state-placed barrier such as concertina wire. While all states have such laws, Texas is the first to systematically invoke them to incarcerate unauthorized immigrants.

Most of America has not really understood the magnitude of the problem that we have on the border, Gov. Greg Abbott said on Fox News last month.

Abbott and lawmakers have poured more than $4 billion in the two-year budget cycle that began Sept. 1, 2021, into Operation Lone Star, a fivefold increase over previous cycles. Its a response to what he calls a crisis of President Joe Bidens making, with the federal government largely responsible for border security.

The money pays for thousands of soldiers to patrol different border sectors, including near Big Bend National Park in far West Texas, and for state police to protect the interests of private landowners by arresting migrants who trespass on their property, mostly in the Eagle Pass-Del Rio region. The state also has funded a portion of permanent border wall in Starr County and cyclone fences or concertina wire for scores of miles along the Rio Grande, mostly in Maverick and adjacent Kinney County.

Despite the states increased expenditure and effort, the number of migrants caught crossing in Texas is rising, reaching record levels in the past year. Border Patrol has reported 1,816,353 apprehensions along the countrys southwest border from October 2021 through July, compared with 851,508 in 2019. A COVID-19 pandemic-related health order, Title 42, inflates the numbers because migrants can make repeat tries without legal consequence.

Scenes from the Eagle Pass region  which had the borders highest number of apprehensions last month at nearly 50,000  show that even with some multiple counts, the increase is unusually high. By comparison, the far more populous Rio Grande Valley had about 35,000, Border Patrol data shows.

Operation Lone Star doesnt seem to be having a significant impact. It hasnt impacted the numbers at all, said Theresa Cardinal Brown, a former federal immigration official under Republican and Democratic presidents.

State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, said critics who say the Texas effort hasnt affected in-migration havent been to the border. You can go and just simply watch and see it reducing the flow, said Hancock, whos made multiple visits.

Since Governor Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021, Texas National Guard and DPS have apprehended over 300,000 migrants and turned back over 25,000 more, arrested over 19,000 criminals, including human traffickers and smugglers, and seized enough lethal doses of fentanyl to kill every American, she said in a written statement.

When Texas becomes the first state to erect its own border wall, it will deter crossings and funnel illegal immigrants towards areas manned by law enforcement, she said. Until President Biden upholds his oath of office and protects our national security, Texas will continue utilizing every strategy to secure our border and protect Texans.

With permission the Abbott administration only sparingly grants to news outlets, Dallas Morning News reporters and visual journalists spent several days near Eagle Pass, observing DPS officers by land and by air and talking with migrants and landowners to gain perspective on whats happening at the border.

What happens when migrants are caught

That night on Highway 131, the troopers and Guard soldiers left their vehicles to peer over the drone pilots shoulders after one said hed spotted eight men on foot more than a mile away.

Guided by drone pilots who could see when they veered off trails and paths, nine soldiers using night-vision goggles and several troopers entered a gate to the ranch, whose name and owner Olivarez would not disclose for the safety of the ranchers and operational security reasons. For nearly 40 minutes, the soldiers and troopers crashed through shrubs and around mesquite trees and cactus.

After tense moments when the pilots said they believed the migrants had escaped, the Guard and police contingent spotted the party. With inaudible drones 400 feet above detecting the heat of bodies, pilots watching white blobs on screens could, via radio headsets, direct soldiers and troopers to the right spot.

Stealthily, they approached and blinded a group of migrants with their flashlights. One male migrant crashed into a tree, hurting his leg.

Fifteen minutes later, the troopers and soldiers brought out of the woods five adult men and a 17-year-old girl. All were from Mexico. The men were taken to a state processing center in Del Rio, Olivarez later confirmed. The girl, who spoke briefly to a visual journalist as she was handcuffed and seated in a DPS van, said she was heading to Tampa, Florida, where relatives live. The teen said she didnt know the men with whom she was traveling.

Shell be released to Border Patrol, Olivarez said, citing the inability of local detention facilities to house women and girls.

None of the migrants who were interviewed during The News three-day visit said they paid anyone to transport them across Mexico.

State officials say many receive detailed instructions from coyotes, paid smugglers who are employed by criminal syndicates and cartels.

Migrants reportedly are told to cross at night, wear black or camouflage clothing and attach strips of carpet to their shoes to deter tracking by U.S. and Texas officials. All over the region, Border Patrol agents routinely drag huge tires behind their vehicles. The scouring scrapes the ground clean, making footprints easy to spot.

Was the evening a success? The brush team used drones, 16 vehicles and at least 20 personnel. During an eight-hour shift, it arrested the five men for criminal trespassing and turned the female teen over to the feds.

Olivarez, who admitted that scenes in which migrants are caught can tug at the emotions, nevertheless said the effort is necessary.

One might have criminal history, he said of the Mexican men detained.

These individuals dont want to be caught, Olivarez said. It raises questions as to why they want to avoid apprehension.

DPS officials said they couldnt produce data on how many migrants arrested for trespassing or destruction of property had criminal records. Compiling criminal histories from other states and the federal government is complicated and takes time, they explained. The News has requested it under the states open records law, but DPS spokesmen declined to elaborate on when such information might be available.

Border barriers of walls and wire

Abbott wants to carve out more legal leeway for states to crack down on illegal immigration. The governor, a former judge, has said he hopes to see a day when the U.S. Supreme Court rolls back a 2012 decision that largely quashed Arizonas attempt to bring its law enforcement powers fully behind efforts to stop people from crossing the border without papers.

Critics say that migrants are being detained without access to legal representation or the required probable cause, and that motorists of color are being unconstitutionally racially profiled. In late July, the ACLU of Texas and the Texas Civil Rights Project asked U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate possible civil rights violations in DPS traffic stops that are part of Operation Lone Star.

Since Operation Lone Star began on March 4, 2021, nearly 5,000 migrants have been arrested on trespassing charges. As of Aug. 25, 231 private landowners in six counties  69% of them in Kinney, Maverick and Val Verde (whose county seat is Del Rio)  had authorized state troopers to make the arrests, said DPS press secretary Ericka Miller.

In early July, based on state emails obtained through open records requests, the Texas Tribune and Pro Publica reported that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Operation Lone Star for possible racial discrimination in the trespassing-arrest effort. Abbotts office told the news outlets the arrests and prosecutions are fully constitutional.

As part of Operation Lone Star, the state has erected 1.8 miles of permanent border wall  steel bollards, put up by contractors hired by the Texas Facilities Commission. All of it is near Rio Grande City, in Starr County about 40 miles northwest of McAllen.

Under Abbott, the state National Guard also has installed 58 miles of chain-link fence and 42 miles of concertina wire  largely in the Eagle Pass-Del Rio region.

Eagle Pass lawyer Poncho Nevarez, a critic of Operation Lone Star, said that several weeks ago, he reluctantly agreed to have the state place the concertina wire  spirals of wire with sharp spikes  along about 2 miles of his ranchs riverfront.

I cant handle all the trash anymore, he said, noting that his cows eat from migrants garbage bags, a grave risk to their health.

In some places, the top of the wire is covered with clothing, offering migrants a safer grip to climb over. In others, its propped up with large logs, leaving enough space below for someone to crawl through.

On a recent Sunday morning on his 500-acre ranch, Nevarez said he spotted an exhausted, pregnant young migrant with an infant resting on the banks of the Rio Grande. A few scratches on her body were the only signs that shed encountered the wire fence.

Over the next several hours, Nevarez provided water, food and dry clothing to the 17-year-old Honduran and her child. He directed them to a nearby picnic table with a canopy over it, to get out of the sun. He told her hed summon the Border Patrol. The girl said she had an uncle in Miami and wanted to be turned over to the authorities, he recounted. For him to take her off his ranch, though, was potentially a no-no, Nevarez said.

If I were to drive somebody from my property to just about anywhere, even to the Border Patrol station, I could be accused of transporting them, he explained.

Nevarez used the Honduran girls crossing of Operation Lone Stars barriers to make a point: They may redirect, but deterring migrants will take military force.

Obviously, the border is not open. It doesnt look open, he said. But it still gets beat.

A former Democratic state representative, Nevarez said changing what drives migrants to take their desperate journeys to the U.S. is the only solution to reducing illegal immigration.

What needs to happen is our government at the very top needs to solve it based on root causes, he said, adding that the U.S. should vastly increase financial aid to improve economic conditions in countries migrants are fleeing.

The problem is beyond doing all this [stuff] that looks good on a campaign mailer. Its much bigger than that. And thats real work and a lot of people dont want to do it. They dont want to have to tell those voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania, You know what? Weve got to start investing in programs in Central America  Honduras, [El] Salvador and these other places.

Life on a border ranch

Twenty-five miles east of the river, rancher Donna Schuster began packing a pistol last year after she came face to face with a migrant in her garage at night. She shooed him away without incident but said she has been afraid ever since.

Now, as she performs ranch chores, she takes a newly acquired Texas heeler with her. The dog can warn Schuster if somethings amiss, she said.

On her familys 8,000 acres in Kinney County, migrants have cut fences, smashed a hole in a livestock water-storage system and strewn trash, she said. Fence-cutting can endanger some cows lives by mixing ages and sexes at the wrong times, she explained. If cattle wander onto Highway 90 and a motorist is harmed, she could face legal liability.

Schuster, 51, who hopes to pass on the land to her three adult children, said when they were little she could rise before dawn, check on water troughs and windmills for an hour or two, and get home in time to cook breakfast for them.

I dont leave before daylight now, she said. Its a different feeling. You dont know whos watching you. You feel like someones watching you all the time. Its very unnerving.

Donna and husband John Paul Schuster, a Realtor whos the GOP nominee for county judge, have been forced to cancel vacations, she said. They dont have a caretaker on payroll.

We feel like we cant leave, she said. If we leave, we only leave for like a day, maybe two days at the most  because we just dont know whats happening here.

Schuster has told her story repeatedly to national and state TV news crews. Shes a fan of Operation Lone Star.

When told of Nevarezs remarks, though, Schuster said she agreed with the Democrats contention that only more foreign aid to migrants countries of origin and improvements there would put a dent in the flow.

Weve got to do something else, she said. I dont know that building a wall or  weve got to work with Mexico to do something. As long as the cartel seems to be in control, were not going to stop them.

Crossing in Eagle Pass

At midafternoon on Aug. 17, four exhausted families sought shade from a mesquite tree after journeys spanning thousands of miles to reach the Texas-Mexico border.

Theyd just arrived in the U.S. after wading across the Rio Grande  in broad daylight. Now they were waiting on Border Patrol to pick them up, hoping to apply for asylum. They sipped water given to them by Texas National Guard members who sat in a Humvee that faced the river.

In Eagle Pass, the National Guard and state troopers dont appear to spend the bulk of their time in high-drama confrontations with smugglers. Usually, theyre watching the river, waiting with migrants until harried Border Patrol agents show up or searching for those who disappear into the brush.

Residents in this sparsely populated section of the border confront signs of the migration every day. In addition to the holes cut in fences that mark property lines, hotels are packed with Guard soldiers and state troopers, whose vehicles patrol all major roads. The Coahuila state polices red helicopters weave in and out with Texas black and white ones along the river.

Under the mesquite tree

On the banks of the Rio Grande, migrants strip off their wet clothes and shoes that form heaps on the scruffy sand. Bands of silver razor wire line the stalks of Carrizo cane. Colorful shipping containers form a makeshift barrier plunked on the grass between the international bridges.

From adjoining Piedras Negras, young men in life vests cross the river and pluck clothes from the ground. Theyll sell them at the market on the Mexican side, said Olivarez, the DPS spokesman.

A number of factors make Eagle Pass a popular place to cross, experts say. Theres less danger from cartels in this stretch of Mexico, and the river is often passable by foot.

The waters placid appearance, though, can conceal treacherous currents. Authorities in Eagle Pass recovered the bodies of three drowning victims on the morning of Aug. 17 after heavy rains pummeled the border.

The bodies of nine migrants were found Thursday after they died while trying to cross the rain-swollen Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said crews rescued 37 other migrants from the river and detained 16 more, while Mexican officials took 39 into custody.

Immigration policy by nationality

Conservative Texas politicians like to point to video clips of people crossing in small caravans of 100, 200, 300 as evidence the migrant flow is of epic proportions. The scene with the small group under the mesquite tree near Eagle Pass Bridge No. 2 is more typical, based on The News observations over three days.

The ones content to be processed by federal immigration officials, known as give-ups, wait for Border Patrol buses, which often dont come until there are more than 100 gathered. But other small groups, mainly made up of migrants who may face almost certain expulsion, come furtively, by day and especially at night.

The four families under the tree that day  from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela  said theyre motivated to come for a better life. Until conditions improve at home, thats unlikely to change.

At times, the migrants wept when they discussed mistreatment they suffered from Mexican authorities as they made the long trek to Eagle Pass. A Cuban mans voice broke with emotion when he learned from a Texas journalist that hell probably be allowed to stay in the U.S. to defend his case in immigration court.

Decisions about who stays and who is quickly forced out have less to do with the credible fear that an asylum-seeking migrant may have of being returned to his home country than with high-level diplomacy and which foreign governments have relationships with the U.S, policy experts say.

A large part of whats happening might be called immigration policy by nationality. This is because of a strong shift in the nationalities of people crossing the southwest border.

Because the U.S. and Mexican governments have complicated relations with Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, migrants from those countries are unlikely to be sent back soon.

Frosty diplomatic relations are at play, said Andrew Selee, president of the D.C.-based, nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. Theres no (U.S.) agreement right now to return people to those countries.  And so the U.S. is taking them in.

Very few are given a quick, coerced exit. Instead, they are released to await immigration court hearings and could wait an average of five years for their asylum cases to be processed, according to the Syracuse University nonprofit Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

Migrants from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are mostly expelled under Title 42, the pandemic-related health order. Exceptions to this are usually families and unaccompanied minors.

Title 42 has been used more than 2 million times since it was enacted in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to CBP. Without legal consequences, it has created a revolving door for repeat entries. In July, 22% of those who tried to cross the border had tried before, and for fiscal year 2021, 27% of those apprehended were repeat crossers, CBP officials said.

As he wrung out wet clothes, still dripping from crossing the Rio Grande, Edison, 34, one of the migrants under the tree, said back home in Venezuela, basic commodities are in short supply, or unaffordable. Because he will likely have a pending asylum case, The News is not using his surname.

We have children, we have family members to support, and that forces us to leave our country, Edison said. Its our only option. What do we do if we stay there? Will we let them be hungry? That is why one leaves.
Otto Ferdinand/Getty Images

A 100-year-old San Antonio man hopes to become the world's oldest male scuba diver on record, according to a report from KWTX. Arthur Graf Jr. told the station a doctor had already cleared him for his last dive.

Graf said he's been in the water since he was about 3 years old. He said he's logged in more than 700 dives in his lifetime with his most recent being last fall. He now has his sights set on one more dive this November. If he does, Graf said he'll be the new holder of the Guinness World Record for Oldest Male Scuba Diver.
MBABANE  Ntuthuko Dlamini allegedly told the Bhunya Police Station commander that he had done a great job after the shooting of three men at Mhlabubovu in 2020.

This is according to Inspector Mazwi Mngomezulu, who was the Bhunya Police Station Commander at the time of the shooting of three men at Mhlabubovu, allegedly by the former Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ntuthuko, on September 7, 2020. He was giving evidence during Ntuthukos trial for the murder of Sikhulu Shongwe, Simon Dlamini and Andreas Tsabedze. Mngomezulu, who is now the Station Operations Officer at Mafutseni Police Station, informed the court that on the day of the shooting, he was running personal errands in Matsapha and he received a call from Ntuthuko, who informed him that there were people from Luyengweni who were allocating land at Mhlabubovu.

Firearm

According to Mngomezulu, Ntuthuko, who is facing three counts of murder and one of unlawful possession of a firearm, requested him to dispatch police officers to chase those people away. He was referring to the Luyengweni Umphakatsi Inner Council and elders, who were in the company of Indvuna Yemcuba Dumisa Ginindza. They were at Mhlabubovu to officially hand over a piece of land to one Mbongiseni Dlamini. In his evidence-in-chief, Mngomezulu said he advised Ntuthuko to wait while he called Bhunya police to go and see what was happening at Mhlabubovu. He said he was aware that there was a dispute between the two chiefdoms over who had authority over Mhlabubovu. Mngomezulu said after about five minutes, Ntuthuko called him again and said he should hurry because there would be chaos if the police delayed.

I told the accused when he called for the second time that he should be patient because the police were on their way. I was on my way too. After sometime, he called yet again and said there was commotion and the people had assaulted each other and others were lying on the ground. I asked what had happened and he said sebashayene ngetagila, nalabanye sebafile (the people had attacked each other with knobkerries and others had died). He told me that he was running away because they almost hit him as well, said Mngomezulu. He also told the court that the call was terminated and he assumed that Ntuthuko was running away as a result of the chaos. Mngomezulu said when he arrived at Mhlabubovu, he found two men lying on the ground and Ntuthuko was no longer there.

Gunshot

According to Mngomezulu, he was informed that the accused person had left with three men. He submitted that he looked at the people on the ground and noticed that they had gunshot wounds. He said he spoke to Indvuna Ginindza and he allegedly informed him that Ntuthuko had shot them and a third man had been rushed to Mankayane Government Hospital. Around the same time, Mngomezulu said he received a call from Bhunya Police Station, informing him that Ntuthuko was at the police station with three men. He said the police told him that Ntuthuko brought two firearms and he put them on the counter at the police station. Since investigators had arrived at the scene at Mhlabubovu, Mngomezulu said he left for the police station and found the accused person and took him to his office.

Mngomezulu told the court that Ntuthuko admitted to have killed the men at Mhlabubovu because bayedzelela (they were being disrespectful). Mngomezulu said he advised the former minister that he had done something wrong, but to him it seemed like he had done a great job. The former station commander told the court that Ntuthuko took out his cellphone and showed him what he had done at Mhlabubovu. Principal Crown Counsel Ncamsile Masuku enquired as to what made Mngomezulu think that it seemed to Ntuthuko that he had done a great job? Mngomezulu informed the court that Ntuthuko said he (Mngomezulu) should thank him for what he had done and that he had helped them by what he had done. He said I should thank him because of what he had done; that he had done a great job, said Mngomezulu.

Ntuthukos attorney, Noncedo Ndlangamandla, objected to the evidence. Ndlangamandla said Mngomezulu, according to the law, was not supposed to disclose in court what the accused person told him. She said Mngomezulu was part of the investigation. The Principal Crown Counsel, Masuku, said Mngomezulu had told the court that he left investigators at the scene when he went to Ntuthuko, who was already at the police station. Masuku said when Ntuthuko called Mngomezulu, before the shooting, he was not reporting a case.

Authority

Judge Maxine Langwenya said as a police officer, Mngomezulu was the authority and when the police spoke to a suspect, certain considerations came into play. Ideally, according to the judge, the police are not supposed to tell the court what an accused person told them, regardless of whether the officer is the investigator. Judge Langwenya proceeded to expunge that piece of evidence from the record. When asked about his relationship with Ntuthuko, Mngomezulu said in the four years he spent at Bhunya Police Station, he got along well with the accused person. He was close to me and I was close to him, Mngomezulu said. He also told the court that after their conversation in his office, he advised Ntuthuko to look for a lawyer because a crime had been committed. He said Ntuthuko asked him (Mngomezulu) to assist him in getting a lawyer. Judge Langwenya told the witness that he should answer without telling the court what the accused person told him.

Confiscate

During cross-examination, Mngomezulu said he did not confiscate Ntuthukos cellphone. He agreed that he ordered the detention of the accused person for further investigation. However, he told the court that he could not show what Ntuthuko showed him on his cellphone regarding what happened at Mhlabubovu. Mngomezulu said he was aware of the dispute over boundaries between Luyengweni and LaMgabhi. He stated that he heard about a Liqoqo ruling regarding the dispute. According to Mngomezulu, after the incident, they were called to Ludzidzini where Chief Lembelele of Luyengweni was asked if he recalled the Kings ruling on the dispute. When asked what Chief Lembelele said, Judge Langwenya said that line of questioning became hearsay.
WATERBURY, Conn. (AP)  A sister of a teacher killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre and an FBI agent who responded to the school shooting became overwhelmed with emotion Tuesday as they described what it has been like to be accused of being crisis actors by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and others.

Carlee Soto Parisi and FBI agent William Aldenberg were the first witnesses to testify as a Connecticut jury began hearing evidence in a trial to decide how much money Jones owes for spreading the lie that the 2012 mass shooting in Newtown that killed 20 first graders and six educators didnt happen.

Soto Parisi said she has been hounded, both in Connecticut and after she moved to North Carolina, by those who believe she was acting. Some of the hoax believers went online and posted photos of grieving women, including an Associated Press photo of a distraught Soto Parisi outside Sandy Hook Elementary School after the shooting, saying they were the same actor.

I frequently got threatening emails and messages on all social media," she testified, crying at times. "And it got to a point where they would use the gun emoji. And I spoke with cops in Connecticut and my husband ended up having to speak with cops in North Carolina, because we were scared for our lives.

Aldenberg also broke down as he described being among the first law enforcement officers to enter the two classrooms where 20 children died. He described watching as the phone next to Vicki Soto's body lit up with messages from those trying to reach her.

Was what you saw in that school fake? asked attorney Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.

No, Aldenberg said. Its awful. Its awful.

He also testified about how he and others in the community and law enforcement were targeted with threats and conspiracy theories, including one that claimed he was an actor who also pretended to be the father of a victim.

Its one of the worst things that ever happened, if not the worst thing that ever happened here, what happened to them, Aldenberg said. And people want to say this didnt happen? And then they want to get rich off of it? That's the worst part.

The trial in Waterbury, less than 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Newtown, was attended by more than a dozen family members of victims, including David Wheeler, the father who conspiracy theorists had claimed was the same person as Aldenberg. Wheeler nodded his head as Aldenberg apologized for what Wheeler had to endure because of their resemblance.

Jones did not attend the trial on Tuesday. He is expected in court next week. Jones and his Infowars brand are based in Austin, Texas.

The Sandy Hook families and Aldenberg say they have been confronted and harassed for years by people who believed Jones false claim that the shooting was staged by crisis actors as part of a plot to take away peoples guns.

Some say strangers have videotaped them and their surviving children. Theyve also endured death threats and been subjected to abusive comments on social media. And some families have moved out of Newtown to avoid harassment. They accuse Jones of causing them emotional and psychological harm.

You know, you can say whatever you want about me, I dont care, Aldenberg said. Just say what you want. Im a frigging big boy. I can take it. But then they want to make profits, they want to make millions and millions of dollars. They want to destroy peoples lives. Their children got slaughtered. I saw it myself, and now they have to sit here and listen to me say this.

Its the second such trial for Jones, who was ordered by a Texas jury last month to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of one of the slain children. Jones was not at the trial Tuesday and is expected to attend next week.

A jury of three men and three women along with several alternates will decide how much Jones should pay relatives of eight victims and Aldenberg. Judge Barbara Bellis found Jones liable for damages without a trial last year after he failed to turn over documents to the families lawyers.

The judge also sanctioned Jones on Tuesday for failing to turn over analytic data related to his website and the popularity of his show. She told his lawyers that because of that failure, they will not be allowed to argue he didnt profit from his Sandy Hook remarks.

In opening statements, Jones was described by Mattei as a bully and by his own attorney as a crank in a town square who should be ignored.

Mattei showed jurors data indicating how Jones' audience increased as he spread lies about the shooting. He also showed them photos and videos of things Jones had said, and told the panel they already had the tools from their own life experiences to decide what to do in this case.

What your parents taught you, what your grandparents taught you to know the difference between right and wrong, to know the difference between the truth and a horrible lie, to know the importance of standing up to bullies when they prey on people who are helpless and profit from them and to know unless you stop a bully, a bully will never stop, he said. And when it comes to stopping Alex Jones, that will be the most important work that you do.

Jones' attorney, Norm Pattis, argued that his client has espoused a number of conspiracy theories over the years, something he has a Constitutional right to do.

At what point do we regard him as a crank on the village green, a person we can walk away from if we choose? he asked.

Pattis told the jury that although Jones is liable for damages, any award should be minimal and alleged the families were overstating the harm they say Jones caused them.

On his Infowars web show on Tuesday, Jones portrayed himself as the victim of unfair show trials.

How am I handling it? Were at war. This is total tyranny, he said. Ill tell you this, we can appeal this for years. We can beat this.

The trial is expected to last about a month and feature testimony from more victims' relatives. Jones also will be testifying, Pattis said.

Jones now says he believes the shooting was real. At the Texas trial, he testified that he realizes what he said was irresponsible, did hurt peoples feelings and he apologized. He continues, however, to insist that his comments were protected free speech. He views the lawsuits as efforts to silence him and put him out of business.

Jones lawyers say he intends to appeal the judgment against him in Texas. Jones also will face a third trial back in Texas involving the parents of another slain child.

___

Associated Press writer Pat Eaton-Robb contributed to this story from Hartford, Connecticut.
Tetra Images/Getty Images/Tetra images RF

Update on Friday, Sept. 16 at 11:00 a.m.: 28-year-old Baldemar Martinez was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 15 at around 6:30 p.m., police said.

Law enforcement, including the San Antonio Police Department and SWAT, were at the apartment complex until an unspecified time on Thursday, after which the perimeter was disbanded. Police said covert units remained and continued watching Martinez's residence, where officers saw the man get picked up and leave the apartment complex. Officials conducted a traffic stop and arrested Martinez without incident.
Priscilla Aguirre, MySA.com

Over a year after launching a fundraising campaign for improvements to one of San Antonio's oldest parks, the Brackenridge Conservancy Group announced Wednesday it has raised $4.7 million, which is $1.2 million over its goal. The group started fundraising in June 2021 with the hopes of raising money for park improvements, according to a news release.

The money will supplement park improvements laid out in the 2017 bond, which include the restoration of the 1878 San Antonio Water Works Pump House No. 1, its raceway, and the restoration of the 1776 Spanish Dam and Acequia.
Texas leaders are expressing their disapproval of the state's delay in the maternal death data publication. It's the state's first major updated count of pregnancy-related deaths in nearly a decade.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the findings will now be released next summer in 2023, most likely after the Texas Legislature's biennial session. The delay by the Department of State Health Services means lawmakers won't likely be able to use the analysis until the 2025 legislative cycle. It is covering deaths from 2019. The most recent data is nine years old, the Chronicle reported.

Health officials said they don't want to publish the data now as it's not easily and readily comparable to other data from other states. They said they don't want there to be room for misinterpretation. However, Texas Democratic leaders aren't agreeing with the delay.

"There are a lot of us that want to know whether or not pregnancy in Texas is a death sentence," Rep. Ann Johnson (D-TX 134th District) tweeted. "If we've got a higher rate of maternal mortality, we sure want to figure it out. You can't figure it out if somebody's sitting on the numbers, that's my worry."

Gina Hinojosa (D-TX 49th District) also shared on Twitter how Texas owes the mothers the dignity of recognizing their deaths and the moms-to-be the data to save their lives. Rep. Shawn Thierry (D-TX 146 District) said Texas pregnant moms and babies can't afford to wait for this data.

"We need the maternal mortality/morbidity data released like our lives depend on it...because they actually do," Thierry tweeted. "I will work w/

@TexasDSHS & House leadership to resolve this issue before our #txlege session begins."

Donna Howard (D-TX 48th District) tweeted the delay denies access to necessary information that can inform policies to prevent the deaths of Texas moms. Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan, who supports the 12-month extension, was also critical of the delay, saying it "comes at a time when Texas must support moms and families."

"Our work will start with passing legislation that further extends postpartum health coverage for new Texas mothers to a full year, which our chamber approved overwhelmingly in 2021 and I expect will do so again next year," Phelan said in a statement.
Courtesy to MySA

Parents are concerned and calling it the "new reality" after the Texas school shooting scare that occurred at Heights High School in Houston on Tuesday, September 13. The shooting was a hoax call, but students shared videos of what it looked like when SWAT officers entered their classrooms.

Houston police said the report claimed 10 people were shot in classroom 213, which turned out not to be true. Officers were seen searching the building while evacuating students. Police Chief Troy Finner said in a news conference that officers broke the door open to 213 after seeing how it was locked on the opposite side of the building.
Update: 3:30 p.m., September 14: This story has been updated with a statement and comments provided by the University of Texas at Austin after initial publication and an earlier request for comment. - Warren Brown, deputy editor

In 2016, the Miakan-Garza Band, a Central Texas Indigenous group, requested the return of three sets of ancestral remains housed at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) at the University of Texas at Austin for reburial. Under Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) law, federally funded institutions are required to transfer Native American human remains and cultural items to claimants. For more than 30 years, the Miakan-Garza Band has fought for and eventually reburied remains of its ancestors in repatriation ceremonies.

It took about four years, but in 2020, some hope glimmered for the group, which has reburied 300 sets of remains in its four decades of existence. That fall, after another denial earlier in the year, it appeared that the university was prepared to comply with the group's request.

Since then, Emi Aguilar, a Coahuiltecan arts educator who serves in the leadership circle as a culture and communications pilam for the Indigenous Cultures Institute says it has been radio silence, except for TARL reaching out once to inform them that one of the three sets isn't Native American remains.

"There's no pressure put on public entities to actually return the remains," Aguilar says. "And so they can literally just exhaust this for the end of time."

A timeline provided by UT to MySA after this story's initial publication contradicts Aguilar's assertion that the university failed to reach out. It says that in spring 2021, new TARL Director Fred Valdez met with the Miakan-Garza Band and multiple stakeholders to discuss a plan of dispersal of all remains at the laboratory, including the three requested by the Band. "Miakan-Garza Band expresses support for Fred Valdezs plan and indicates understanding that implementing plan will take time," the document reads. The timeline also has an entry for August 21, 2022, mentioning that Valdez updated the Miakan-Garza Band of the status of its request.

Aguilar believes that the university is stalling, hoping the group gets frustrated and forgets about the ordeal.

"Or die," she says. "Our elders are old, and have been working on having their ancestors returned for their entire lives. They're just waiting for us to go away."

But in mid-August, the Miakan-Garza Band re-upped its efforts.

On Wednesday, September 14, the Indigenous Cultures Institute, founded by members of the Miakan-Garza Band in 2006, will hold a pilgrimage and prayer circle. From 4 to 6 p.m., beginning at the Winship Drama Building at 23rd Street, members and supporters will be peacefully protesting the return of three sets of remains to the Miakan-Garza Band. From Winship, the group will walk to the UT Tower, many people holding cardboard boxes to symbolize the  for now  final resting places of the Indigenous remains.

The journey has been a fraught one, and the event on Wednesday marks almost two years since UT Austin President Jay Hartzell wrote a letter to founder Mario Garza of the Indigenous Cultures Institute, pledging to "promptly seek authority from the National Park Service to allow the remains identified in your letter to be reinterred" on September 25, 2020. Hartzell's letter, dated on the third day of his tenure as official president of UT Austin  he had been interim president since that April  goes on to outline a plan request a recommendation from the NAGPRA Review Committee to "offer the remains promptly for reburial."

After publication, UT Austin provided a statement to MySA.

Since 2016, TARL has worked diligently and within legal requirements to respond to a request to transfer sets of human remains to the Miakan-Garza Band. On multiple occasions, TARL has found insufficient grounds for repatriation, as well as opposition from two federally recognized tribes. TARL has since proposed an alternative process for reburial of the remains and has sought guidance from the NAGPRA Office on implementation. In March 2022, the NAGPRA Office directed TARL to place repatriation and transfer efforts on hold while the alternative plan is explored. TARL does not have the authority to override this directive or transfer the remains to Miakan-Garza Band without NAGPRA approval. TARL remains committed to working with the Miakan-Garza Band to arrive at a proper solution.

Indigenous Cultures Institute

The repatriation is complicated by the approach to those very recommendations. According to university literature, UT confirms that the remains that the Miakan-Garza Band requests are "undisputedly those of pre-historic Native Americans," but mentions that TARL cannot determine if they are Coahuiltecan, the state-recognized tribe to which the Band belongs. It also says that two other tribes "with geographic ties to the region where the remains were found objected to the repatriation." The latter point is one to which Aguilar and the Miakan-Garza band pointedly objects.

"It's entirely irrelevant," Aguilar says. "It doesn't matter if another tribe protests. It's not relevant to the law."

NAGPRA law states that "if there is more than one (1) claimant, the human remains, funerary object, sacred object, or objects of cultural patrimony may be held by the responsible museum or Federal agency or person in possession thereof pending resolution of the claim." If two other tribes were placing claim on the remains held at TARL, then UT would be allowed to keep possession of the remains for the time being. But Aguilar says that the way UT's statement is written doesn't tell the full story, that neither of the other tribes in question have made an actual claim on the remains.

"Those two tribes don't have a claim," Aguilar says. "They don't want the remains, they just don't want us to get them."

Indigenous Cultures Institute

Wednesday's event has some precedent; three weeks before Hartzell reversed his 2020 decision, the group held a teach-in and demonstration at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus, the northwest Austin location that houses the TARL and more than 2,400 sets of Indigenous remains. After Hartzell's letter arrived, Aguilar says the group felt "so much hope," but were apprehensive about the repatriation coming to fruition.

In the interim  and beginning before the UT claim in 2016  the Miakan-Garza Band has found a more willing partner in Texas State University. On March 27, the Miakan-Garza Band buried four ancestors in San Marcos, bringing the number repatriated from Texas State up to 11. The remains are reinterred at a burial site established by the City of San Marcos behind a wrought iron fence donated by Texas State.

"They understand the sacredness of that site that their university occupies," Aguilar says. "[UT] could learn from, not only Texas State, but other movements around the country  being good stewards and tapping into that moral conscience."
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin has a 90 minute phone call yesterday. Weve embedded the readouts below. Contrary to common practice, theres no indication as to who initiated the chat. But its not hard to think that Scholz did, since the German readout depicts him as presenting demands to Putin, the most cheeky being that Russia declare a ceasefire and immediately withdraw from Ukraine. Well return to these documents shortly. The striking quality of the readouts is there is almost no overlap between the two of them. It appears that each leader regarded virtually of what his counterparty said as not worth dignifying by repeating.

The timing of Scholz trying to arm-twist Putin does not appear to come out of the media-gasm over the Ukraine Kharkiv offensive. It instead appears to be driven by NATO attempting to escalate with Russia. I say attempting because like the Kharkiv offensive, this NATO bristling may be more optical than real. I must confess to having to rely on third-party takes as opposed to having read some of the key documents, so feel free to add confirming or conflicting information (preferably with links).

Right now, some of the Ukraine war-watching commentators are speculating on whether Russia will escalate due to the setback in Kharkiv. Note that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov this morning said that Russia is not considering general mobilization.

As well also cover soon, the more information comes out, the more it appears that this was a PR success achieved at real cost not just to Ukraines war-making capability but also its position on the battlefield.

However, Ukraine is seeking security guarantees from the West which would come awfully close to making Ukraine a de facto member of NATO. This may be just another Ukraine big ask, like its constant demands for more money and huge weapons deliveries. My guess is that if Russia escalates soon (and the occasional hits to the electrical grid would not amount to that; it would take major missile strikes and/or increased troop commitments), it would be that Russia regards the security guarantee threat as serious and decided to get out in front of it, and not due a mere battlefield embarrassment that might even be a plus in the long term.

To back up and give a timetable: NATO had a major meeting on September 8. Various commentators reported on rumors that Western officials had told the Zelensky government it needed to show some sort of success by this meeting so as to get more goodies. Personally, I think the goodies would have been forthcoming regardless. Western governments are too deeply invested in Ukraine to appear to back out now. And the reality is the West is running low on weapons it can send Ukraine. Note that Brian Berletic, who makes a habit of reading Department of Defense, Department of State, and NATO documents, read the new NATO, really US, commitments made at that meeting and didnt find them to be impressive. As I read it, its $2.2 billion, half Ukraine, half to 18 other countries. Berletic noted most of Ukraine spending was going to training, not equipment.

Ukraine had obligingly ginned up offensives. The one in Kherson was a disaster. The one in Kharkiv was either a stunning success or Ukraine pushing on an open door, depending on your vantage. My comments here are based on the latest roundup by Alexander Mercouris, who remember was highly critical of Russia not having prepared for and stood up to the Kharkiv offensive, since it had been known to be in preparation at least two weeks before. Mercouris reported that the evidence was supporting the view that Russia had engaged in a planned retreat. It had had a force equivalent to 10 BTGs in Kharkiv, but had reduced that to one by the time of the Kharkiv attack. The remaining forces consisted of DPR/LPR militia members and territorial officers and they got out with very few losses. It also appears Russia is holding the line at Oskil River.

Mercouris has changed his original view of the withdrawal from disastrous to deeply cynical but also said it left Ukraine punching at air. Even more important, Mercouris claimed that Ukraine had had to pull troops out of other positions in Donbass, including defending the linchpin city of Bahmut. Many believe that once Bahmut falls, the last Ukraine defense line in Donbass will collapse. The Wagner Group has apparently entered the Bahmut suburbs.

So if Russian forces can take Bahmut in the next couple of weeks, that suggests it might be possible for Putin to tamp down demands with Russia that the SMO kick into higher gear. Even if the Western press downplays the loss of Bahmut, the Russian public will understand the significance. And theres a dustup under way between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Ministry of Defense and Foreign Ministry might need to take stock of it, since it could make resource demands.

Nevertheless, theres every reason to think that Scholz was trying to take advantage of the perceived big Ukraine win in his call to Putin. But he hit a brick wall. Scholzs push to get Russia to negotiate with Ukraine based on a ceasefire, withdrawal of troops, and respect for the sovereignity of Ukraine which I take to mean respect for Ukraines right to join NATO was not dignified by mention in the Kremlin writeup.

Nor did the Kremlin readout acknowledge Scholz that Putin to implement the measures in the IAEA report on the Zaporizhia nuclear plant immediately. Instead, the Kremlin summary comes off as if Putin gave Scholz a lecture on what the document contained and pressed the point that Ukraine had been shelling and hence caused the safety risks.

Consider this section as an example why Russia hasnt made any substantive response to the document:

As many have pointed out, the IAEA would not acknowledge who was doing the shelling. The IAEA does say the shelling needs to stop, but then presents agreement by all relevant parties to the establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone as a precondition. First, one assumes Russia is a relevant party, but Ukraine wont negotiate with Russia and the feeling is mutual. Second, its unseroiusness verging on bad faith not at a bare minimum to recommend UN peacekeepers police any safety zone.

As to Scholzs demand that Ukraine POWs be treated properly and give the Red Cross access, the only part of that discussion reflected on the Russian side is Putin telling Scholz that Russia was compliant here and Ukraine was not.

Putin similarly made points that were not acknowledged in the German readout. The Kremlin account shows Putin complaining about Ukraine shelling civilians and destroying their infrastructure.

Putin also objected to unblocking the ports deal not being respected, since the rationale was to get grain to poor countries. Instead, Putin before this call publicized that nearly all of the Ukraine grain has gone to Europe. Putin also pointed to the failure to facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports, despite promises to do so.

Shockingly, the only Scholz readout reference to the discussion of grain and food was Scholz telling Putin not to discredit the agreement. If anyone from a poor country that thinks its been shortchanged on grain connects the two readouts and sees Scholz as trying to hector Putin into not calling out Europe for hogging the Ukraine grain, its not hard to imagine theyd be even more unhappy.

Finally, Putin again offered to open Nord Stream 2 and said it was deeply cynical for Europe to blame its gas mess on Russia.

Finally, back to the new Ukraine bright idea of bigger, better security guarantees. Yesterday, TASS featured this story prominently, including a detailed summary of what Ukraine was seeking, suggesting that Russia thought it important to acknowledge that this was on its radar. However, this scheme has been published after the NATO meeting last week, and was developed by Ukraine with the input of ex-Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, as in no current NATO or NATO member officials are involved. So this looks like Ukraine lobbying to get this item on a NATO agenda.

Dmitry Medvedev made clear that Russia would see any such move as a major escalation. As TASS described in a companion story, Medvedev describes Kievs draft of security guarantees as prelude to WWIII:

Kiev will not receive any security guarantees, in particular, because its draft is essentially a prologue to World War III, the deputy head of Russias Security Council Dmitry Medvedev believes. The Kiev camarilla has given birth to a project of security guarantees, which are essentially a prologue to a third world war. Of course, no one will provide any guarantees to the Ukrainian Nazis, he wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday. He believes that the agreement proposed by Kiev is tantamount to applying Article 5 of the North Atlantic Pact to Ukraine. This article refers to collective defense as a principle central to NATOs founding treaty. Collective defense means that an attack on one of the alliances members shall be considered as an attack on all members.

Reader Lawn Dirt translated Medvedevs Telegram statement:

Dmitry Medvedev: Prologue to the Third World War The Kiev Camarilla gave birth to a project of security guarantees, which are essentially a prologue to the Third World War Of course, no one will give any guarantees  to the Ukrainian Nazis. This is almost the same as applying Article 5 of the North Atlantic Pact (Washington Treaty) to Ukraine. For NATO, its the same shit, just a side view. Thats why its scary. Our sworn friends-Western superiors of various calibres, to whom this hysterical appeal is addressed-should finally understand one simple thing. It directly concerns the hybrid war between NATO and Russia. If these idiots continue to rampant pumping the Kiev regime with the most dangerous types of weapons, sooner or later the military campaign will move to another level. It will have no visible boundaries and no potential predictability of the actions of the parties to the conflict. It will follow its own military scenario, involving new participants in it. It has always been so. And then the Western countries will not be able to sit in their clean houses and apartments, laughing at how they gently weaken Russia with someone elses hands. Everything flares up around them. Their people will get their hands full of grief. They will literally burn the earth and melt concrete. Well be hard hit, too. It will be very, very bad for everyone. For it is written, By these three plagues, by the fire, smoke, and brimstone that came out of their mouths, a third part of the people died (Revelation 9: 18). But for now, dim-witted politicians and their dim-witted think tanks, thoughtfully twirling a glass of wine in their hands, talk about how they can deal with us without entering into a direct war. Dull idiots with a classical education.

Lets hope this trial balloon goes nowhere. Things will get even uglier if it doesnt.
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By KLG, who has held research and academic positions in three US medical schools since 1995 and is currently Professor of Biochemistry and Associate Dean. He has performed and directed research on protein structure, function, and evolution; cell adhesion and motility; the mechanism of viral fusion proteins; and assembly of the vertebrate heart. He has served on national review panels of both public and private funding agencies, and his research and that of his students has been funded by the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and National Institutes of Health

We are now nearly three years into the COVID-19 pandemic. Where do we go from here? According to the powers that be, we are over COVID. No, probably not.

The biomedical establishment (NIH, CDC, FDA, Big Pharma) went all-in on vaccines that were developed from the apex of modern molecular biology. Yes, mRNA-based vaccines make perfect biological sense. Their design is straightforward, and more importantly they are easily tunable to new variants, so we can keep up with variants as they appear. Well, yes and no.

The facility with which a modern molecular biology laboratory can pivot to new protein-coding mRNA constructs is astonishing, especially to a scientist who first cloned a gene when virtually all steps were done by hand in each individual laboratory: No cloning kits, no cloning vectors with multiple cloning sites, no PCR; the New England Biolabs catalog did not yet exist in its current biblical form, which every molecular biologist has one at the ready on her lab desk.

But the laboratory is one thing. Injecting human subjects with a perfectly designed but unproven mRNA is altogether something else. So, have the vaccines been effective? Yes, but that all depends on the definition.

It was known long before COVID-19 that lasting immunity to coronaviruses is problematic, so when the vaccines neither prevented infection nor transmission, despite various and sundry rationalizations from the politico-biomedical establishment, a new clinical endpoint was proposed: Vaccination prevented severe disease in many of those infected. Reasonably true, but not exactly what the people naturally expected of a vaccine. Nothing new here to the Naked Capitalism community, and I hope to return to this soon.

While there seems to be no rhyme to our collective response to the pandemic, the reasons are plain if largely hidden. What I would like to do here is consider the overall scientific response to COVID-19, as demonstrated by a view of the COVID-19 scientific literature, first from 30,000 feet and then at ground level.

By any conventional measure, the scientific response to COVID-19 has been astonishing. In the 34 months of the pandemic a search of PubMed using COVID as the database query reveals that more than 300,000 scientific papers have been published with COVID (or Covid, case does not affect the search results) somewhere in the body of the publication.[1] By any reckoning, this is a mind boggling number. Compare this, for example, with the scientific literature for another epidemic. A search with using HIV AIDS as the query (the paper included both HIV and AIDS somewhere in the published version) returns 161,633 results, from 1982 through 12 September 2022.

Breaking this down into citations per month, so far, COVID leads HIV AIDS by approximately 9,400 to 340. How can this be?

No sane person has the time to analyze each of papers in the COVID database or the HIV AIDS database, and few would use AI/machine learning to do so (with the latter probably missing critical information). It is difficult for those who were not present to believe how frightening the AIDS epidemic was in the 1980s. Most of my circle eagerly awaited the weekly editions of Science and Nature and the biweekly issue of Cell, and our weekly Journal Club frequently discussed the latest research on AIDS and then HIV-AIDS after the suspected retrovirus was identified by Luc Montaigner and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi.

In many ways, COVID-19 has been more frightening. It became clear early that AIDS, while lethal, was not easily transmitted, especially in the Global North[2]. SARS-CoV-2 was another matter altogether and has caused more than 6 million deaths worldwide over the past 34 months. This, from a virus that causes a version of the common cold according to much of the conventional wisdom.

One might justifiably ask, If the scientific response to COVID has been so robust, why havent we made more progress (neglecting political factors until a later post)?

What follows is primarily an educated guess based on a 40+ year career of reading the biomedical literature. The answer lies not in the practice of biomedical research.

In my view the apparent outsized response to COVID-19 is a direct consequence of changes in the business of scientific publishing, in the form of open-access journals, rather than any fundamental change in the capacity for an all hands on deck response to a medical crisis. This response identified risk factors for AIDS and HIV within a few short years.

The response to COVID-19, on the other hand, has swamped us in virtual paper. For a clear description of much of open-access publishing, I will defer to a preeminent authority on the subject, Jeffrey Beall:

When email first became available, it was a great innovation that made communication fast and cheap. Then came spam  and suddenly the innovation wasnt so great. It meant having to filter out irrelevant, deceptive, and sometimes offensive messages. It still doesThe same corruption of a great idea is now occurring with scholarly open-access publishing.

The HIV-AIDS literature long pre-dated the internet. This did not mean everything published in the early days of AIDS or more recently was correct or that none of it was mendacious. But most of the literature could be trusted as a genuine attempt to understand the problem. The pace may have been slower than with COVID-19, but the trail was clear. This is (still) true of early versions of open-access publishing represented, for example, by BioMedCentral (BMC), in which the intention was to make scientific publishing more open and rapid. One of my graduate students whose goal was to get a faculty position in a small teaching college took advantage of the opportunity provided by a BMC journal. Our extensive experience with that journal was that peer review was and remains rigorous at BMC (yes, n = 1, but I have reviewed for BMC and the process was exactly like that for legacy journals).

The basic model of open-access publishing is that the authors pay a fee upfront (typically $1,000 to $2,000 last time I looked; frequently higher to make contributions to legacy journals immediately available without a paywall) and then usually retain copyright.[3] It did not take long for a version of Greshams Law to conquer much of open-access publishing.

Thus, predatory journals followed soon after the initial open-access titles.[4] By no means are all open-access journals predatory, but many/most of them were established with the goal of making money, and a problem as pressing as COVID-19 is fertile ground. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with making money in scientific publishing, as long as standards are maintained.[5] One of the most successful open-access publishers is the Frontiers Group, which now publishes 178 online journals.[6] According to their website, they are the 3rd most-cited publisher and 6th largest publisher, with 1.9 billion article views and downloads. Which brings us to one ground level view of the COVID-19 literature.

A recent paper published in Frontiers in Pharmacology is worth consideration: COVID-19: Famotidine, Histamine, Mast Cells, and Mechanisms. The first and corresponding author is Dr. Robert W. Malone. The paper has 24 additional authors. Dr. Malone is well known as the self-described inventor of mRNA vaccines. But there is little evidence for that. However, he was first author on the first research showing that functional RNA can be introduced into mammalian cells, incidentally using the mRNA encoding luciferase from the firefly Photinus pyralis. As I noted in a previous post, light is very easy to measure! I remember this paper well, although through the corresponding author Inder Verma instead of Robert Malone.

The Malone et al. famotidine paper is very long, with 12 disparate figures and two tables spread over 21 formatted pages. However, this can be one of the major advantages of open-access publication. Space limitations are not a problem when the paper exists in cyberspace only until downloaded as full-text or pdf. The data generally support the conclusion that new COVID-19 multi-drug treatment strategies based on repurposing well-characterized drugs are being developed and clinically tested, and many of these drugs are available worldwide in inexpensive generic oral forms suitable for both outpatient and inpatient treatment of COVID-19 disease. But the results can hardly be called more than slightly suggestive. Whether this is true of famotidine, commonly known as Pepcid, remains to be seen.

However, this paper has been accessed 124,287 times, probably due to the identity of the primary author, and cited in papers in PubMed more than 30 times since publication in March 2021. Not bad, and 25 scientists can take credit for contributing to the response to COVID-19!

A second paper from Frontiers in Virology is a bit more problematic: MSH3 Homology and Potential Recombination Link to SARS-CoV-2 Furin Cleavage Site. This paper has 413,026 views, largely because it purports to prove that the presence of a unique19-base pair nucleotide sequence may prove that SARS-CoV-2 was generated in a laboratory. Naturally, it was a hit at the Daily Mail, which is most catholic in its consistently fantastical, but by no means always illegitimate approach to science.

I originally planned to dig deeper into this but found that someone else already had. Not abusing fair use, I trust, here is their take on the matter:

The Daily Mail article received more than 40,000 user engagements on Facebook. Others, such as the Facebook page for the political activist group Young Americans for Liberty and the website Not the Bee, promoted the Daily Mail article, serving as a springboard for such claims by social media users The study reported that a small snippet of the gene for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was a 100% match with a segment of a modified human gene sequence patented about three years ago by Moderna. The researchers wrote that The absence of [the sequence showing a 100% match] from any eukaryotic or viral genome in the BLAST database makes recombination in an intermediate host an unlikely explanation for its presence in SARS-CoV-2. They postulated that the sequence was acquired by a SARS-like coronavirus when it infected human cell cultures grown in a laboratory, thus producing SARS-CoV-2. This hypothesis paved the way for renewed claims that the virus was engineered in a lab or was leaked from a lab In its headline, the Daily Mail, in the fashion of just asking questions, implied that the match is evidence that the virus SARS-CoV-2 is manmade, writing of the study: More evidence Covid was tinkered with in a lab? As we will explain below, this is misleading and fails to account for the evidence we already have that runs counter to the claim that SARS-CoV-2 was engineered in a lab.

And explain they do. The sequence may not be a protein-coding sequence, and besides, it is not unique, being found in a chimney swift gene and in a mycobacterium genome. which would be expected for a 19-nucleotide sequence in the entire DNA sequence database available for searches, despite the result any probability calculations return.

But this paper, which has a subsequent corrigendum that is half as long as the original paper, took up a lot of oxygen in the COVID discussion arena. It also confuses homology with sequence similarity, but that is a most common category mistake.

This is not the only such paper, and they have been used on all sides of the COVID pandemic arguments is the spike structure in the vaccine construct really correct, to mask or not, its just a cold that everyone will get, there is nothing we can do so we might as well just relax and declare the pandemic over. My several colleagues who have recently had COVID, some with nasty Paxlovid rebound might differ on the latter.

In the long run do papers like this, often published where peer review can be lax, really matter?

I believe they do, and one other view from ground level indicates why. A measured review that is well supported by what we already know of the brain, was published in July 2022 in the Journal of Neurophysiology (American Physiological Society, 1938) by Leslie M. Kay. It asks the question: COVID-19 and olfactory dysfunction: a looming wave of dementia?

That the olfactory bulb is a gateway into the brain is well established:

The OB is particularly vulnerable to infection via the cribriform plate. Some viruses can infect olfactory sensory neurons directly, including many strains of influenza, herpesvirus, poliovirus, and West Nile virus. The transcribriform route is one method used to bypass the blood-brain-barrier for drug delivery. One example is nasal zolmitriptan used to treat migraines. Nasal application diffuses the drug easily into the CNS. Even if pathogens do not directly infect olfactory sensory neurons, they can cross the blood-brain-barrier in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the fascicles of the olfactory and nerve in the upper recesses of the nasal cavity or via infection of the glial olfactory ensheathing cells that surround these channels.



I would add that the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri also gains access to the brain through nasal passages and the cribiform plate, and that I will never swim in a freshwater river or pond again.

The review is open-access and readily accessible, so I will leave this with another extended quote from Dr. Kay:

This entire story is based on a hunch that comes from my deep knowledge of olfaction and its role in limbic system health. The hunch is (well) supported by confirmatory evidence. Maybe I am wrong. I hope I am wrong. There is not yet proof that infection in the OB will lead to dementia later on. However, there is enough evidence for the current pandemic and the place of the olfactory system in many diseases that result in dementia (e.g., Alzheimers disease, Lewy body dementia) that further research is warranted In 1920, in the wake of the Spanish Flu pandemic, we did not have the research infrastructure or the technologies that we have now. Although a catastrophe on many levels, the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to improve human health. We should take advantage of this opportunity (parentheses added).

Let er rip! and long covid may have even worse consequences. The key is deep knowledge. We do have enough deep knowledge to effectively attack COVID-19, but we are too distracted, as both a scientific community and as a polity, to focus. I hope to return to this subject in a subsequent post.

Nevertheless, these are the scientific issues of COVID-19 the Biomedical Establishment should be discussing and pursuing, in public, not whether SARS-CoV-2 was the result of a lab leak[7] or whether a 19-nucleotide sequence in a patent application is evidence of Big Pharma perfidy, or whether a drug for gastroesophageal reflux disease can be repurposed to treat COVID-19, in the absence of reasonable evidence for why it might[8], or whether new commercial mRNA vaccines to an old virus will work (probably not). The publication of a few hundred thousand papers that are meant to gain credit of some kind just will not do the job.

The evidence seems to indicate that Silvain Lesne thought differently regarding Alzheimers disease. Mother nature doesnt care what we think. But we should, and biomedical science properly pursued can answer our many questions about COVID-19.

Finally, one small bit of considered advice, which is unneeded in the NC community, but spread the word. When reading the scientific literature, dig deeper than the headline, the author(s), the title, and the journal. It is often difficult for a scientist, much less a layperson, to parse a journal title, if not its contents.

Open access journals always look and sound legitimate, which is the key to their persistence and profitability. A pdf from one will look exactly like a pdf from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. But legacy journals are not blameless by any stretch of the imagination. The Lancet, which is one of the very best biomedical journals, has led the way on many COVID-19 issues. It also loosed Andrew Wakefield upon the world. Caveat emptor, alas.



[1] On 12 September 2022, the search returned 289,698 results. When results from 2019-2022 are summed independently the total was 320,485.

[2] Nevertheless, it has been estimated that AIDS still may cause up to one million deaths per year, worldwide, despite the availability of HAARTsince 1995.

[3] Note that in traditional legacy journals the author(s) also pay commercial publishers, generally out of a line item in their grant support, in the form of page charges and added costs for color figures and diagrams. Page charges have required that the paper be identified as an advertisement, which is fairly ugly to contemplate. Fees are sometimes waived in extraordinary circumstances. These costs can run to more than $2,000 in some journals. Which is why my previous research in biochemistry was often published in Biochemistry, which is a journal of the American Chemical Society. No charges, at the time, and color was free if the editor agreed that it was required. A similar manuscript at the nominally leading Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) would cost as much or more than $2,000 in page charges and other surcharges. A close colleague who was an Associate Editor at JBC asked me if I would pay a $100 submission fee to JBC. I replied, of course, thinking it would be in lieu of the other charges. But no. The $100 would be in addition to the other fees. I asked him if it made more sense to spend the $2,000+ on lab supplies for research or to massage my vanity with a marginally higher impact factor. No good answer was forthcoming.

[4] Jeffrey Beall, who was an academic librarian and the University of Colorado-Denver, first identified predatory publishers in his eponymous Bealls List as titles that skirted peer review and published papers that were barely reviewed. Bealls List was disappeared, but a mirror site is maintained anonymously. There is much open-access money to be made at $1,000+ for each manuscript accepted, converted to pdf and posted on a website, and for a long time no one had really noticed what was going on. Beall here and here, for example. Jeffrey Beall is now retired. Nevertheless, many academic libraries maintain a list of suspect journals.

[5] One of the most prominent individuals to realize the profit in scientific publishing was none other than Robert Maxwell, proprietor of Pergamon Press and father of Ghislaine.

[6] Frontiers accused Jeffrey Beall of scientific misconduct; an investigation by the University of Colorado returned no findings or actions against Mr. Beall.

[7] Which it may have been, but the notion that the virus was created in the laboratory, even as a result of gain-of-function research, is barely credible but highly believable among many.

[8] There is some evidence the drug that dare not be named interferes with viral RNA synthesis. Thalidomide has uses in the treatment of leprosy and multiple myeloma.
My Nashville Post role has evolved since 2000 when I joined the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister publication in 2008 (when I began doing some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have been managing editor of the Post since late 2011.

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Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, has launched its suite of Alibaba Cloud for Financial Services solutions, comprising over 70 products.

The products are designed to help financial services institutions (FSIs) of all sizes across banking, insurance, securities, and FinTech digitalise their operations.

These solutions are designed to support every stage of a FSIs digital journey and provide easy access to cutting-edge cloud-native technology. Together, they deliver five core capabilities covering over 20 business scenarios to improve FSIs operational efficiency, customer experience, security and compliance:

Robust and elastic

Security and compliance solutions give FSIs confidence that they are operating in compliance with regional and industry-specific security and regulatory requirements.

Agility in business application development is achieved through a wide range of financial-grade cloud tools, middleware and distributed database products for developing cloud native applications, as well as the ability for FSIs to manage workloads through Alibaba Clouds public and hybrid cloud platforms, their own premises or via multi-cloud environments in a scalable and flexible way.

Digital onboarding and servicing leverages various Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and hybrid cloud deployments to support mobile and digital operations, remote video-based sales platforms and an electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) solution, helping FSIs verify and onboard users online anytime and from anywhere.

Digital engagement intelligence

Customer insights generation and analytics solutions harness AI, blockchain, machine learning and data analytics to help FSIs analyse and visualise omni-channel digital engagement intelligence, aiding the discovery of customer insights and enabling intelligence-driven decision making.

Our new solutions have been built in response to growing demand from FSIs around the world for cloud products capable of accelerating their digitalisation and enhancing the customer experience, said Raymond Xiao, Head of International Industry Solutions and Architecture, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.

By leveraging our extensive cloud capabilities and industry know-how, we have developed a comprehensive suite of solutions to advance growth and innovation in the finance sector. We look forward to further expanding our product offering as well as the geographic coverage of our services to support more FSIs in the future.

Trusted partner to FSIs across Asia

A recent survey commissioned by Alibaba Cloud found that the financial service sectors top priorities in Asia Pacific were to accelerate multi-cloud migration, increase automation and build analytics platforms.

Alibaba Clouds financial service solutions are designed to help FSIs overcome challenges and meet their strategic priorities. For example, China CITIC Bank International (CITIC), a leading Hong Kong-based commercial bank, was looking for ways to enhance its flagship mobile banking platform inMotion. By leveraging Alibaba Clouds Mobile Platform-as-a-Service (mPaaS) solutions, CITICs remote banking services, including real-time eKYC and video-based sales are now operating seamlessly on customers mobile devices without geographical restrictions.

Rapidly growing FSIs are also seeing value from cloud solutions. GCash, a leading Philippine-based mobile wallet enterprise, partnered with Alibaba Cloud to overcome the challenges their platform was facing from a rapid user base expansion. GCash adopted a mix of solutions, including eKYC, IaaS, ApsaraDB RDS databases and Object Storage Services to scale their operations and accommodate the traffic spike during the pandemic. The FinTech company also adopted security products such as Web Application Firewall and Anti-DDoS to protect their platform from DDoS attacks and other threats.

"The Philippines still has a large unbanked population and one of our goals is to offer a digital life that enables democratisation of access to financial services like savings, credit, insurance and investment. With Alibaba Clouds solutions, we have the ability to operate on a secure technology infrastructure that can scale in real-time and keep pace with the customers seeking new ways to transact, said Mark Frogoso, GCashs Chief Information Security Officer.

Touch 'n Go Digital (TnG Digital), a Malaysia-based company providing mobile e-wallet services, required secure, agile and scalable technology to support its business growth. Through Alibaba Clouds Elastic Compute Service, Content Delivery Network (CDN), and EMAS Mobile Test solutions, TnG Digital was able to expand their services effectively. The e-wallet provider also leveraged Alibaba Clouds Database Backup Services and PolarDB solution to reduce backup time and ensure peak performance during traffic spikes.

Support team

Alibaba Cloud's dedicated support team actively responds and provides high-quality support services, helping TNG Digital find quick solutions to any problems around the clock. In addition, their cutting-edge cloud technology and comprehensive security solutions enable TNG Digital to meet regulatory requirements and deliver products to market faster, said Leslie Lip Mun Foong, CTO of Touch'n Go Digital.

Bank Sumut, an Indonesian financial bank, was looking for a cloud service provider with robust infrastructure and security capability to accelerate its digital transformation. The bank partnered with Alibaba Cloud for its solution stack  including WAF, Security Center and ApsaraDB for RDS  which was ideal for streamlining Bank Sumuts business processes, addressing its security needs and meeting its application requirements.

Alibaba Clouds complete solution stack plays a critical role in helping us streamline our business processes, enhance the security features and fasten the application deployment and implementation procedures, said Mahdian Dado, Head of IT Division, Bank Sumut. In the future, we plan to further strengthen the collaboration and fully leverage the container and microservice capabilities of Alibaba Cloud to foster our digital transformation journey.-- TradeArabia News Service
(Natural News) The transhumanist movement seeks to gain eternal life with the help of technology instead of God, according to ReAwaken America Tour founder Clay Clark.

The narrative, language or the movement behind this idea of living forever, its called transhumanism, he told Doug Billings during the Sept. 6 episode of The Right Side on Brighteon.TV. That is the movement that seeks to gain eternal life through the help of technology and not God.

Billings agreed, pointing out that the World Economic Forum (WEF) and its founder Klaus Schwab are trying to convince people that transhumanism is a reality and a goal to achieve here on Earth. Thus, humanity ought to push back against the WEF and the Great Reset it espouses  a form of the New World Order.

To back up his argument, he played an audio clip of Jared Kushner, former senior advisor to former President Donald Trump. Kushner, incidentally Trumps son-in-law, remarked that he was keeping himself physically fit in the hopes of living forever.

I think that theres a good probability that my generation is, hopefully with the advances in science, either the first generation to live forever or the last generation thats going to die, Kushner said.

The Thrive Time Show host also played an audio clip of Israeli historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari, who argued that humanity needs completely new ideologies and religions based on technology. Clark added that Harari, Schwabs right-hand man, is at the forefront of the transhumanist movement.

Billings agreed with his guest, commenting that Harari seems to be the spiritual adviser for transhumanism. (Related: WEF lead advisor Harari: Humans are now hackable animals; free will is over  Brighteon.TV.)

Ultimately, Clark mentioned that only God knows the number of days a person is going to have in their lifetime. He cited the Holy Bible, specifically the book of Job: A persons days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. (Job 14:5)

Trumps Operation Warp Speed aided the transhumanist agenda

Clark also told Billings that while Trump believes that God has given a person a finite number of years and energy, Kushner is pushing transhumanism.

Trumps Operation Warp Speed that pushed the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines only served to fulfill the WEFs agenda. The mRNA nanotechnology shots were injected into the human body as planned: COVID-19 stood for Certificate of Vaccination ID.

Clark expressed belief that Trump was presented with information that was less than good and accurate, leading him to promote the lethal COVID-19 shots.

Moreover, Kushner created a series of issues for himself and the rest of Trumps Make America Great Again Team. The former presidents advisers Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro earlier said that Kushner has no place in the Trump administration and should not be given one.

Clark also mentioned that Trump went to the WEFs 2018 meeting and gave a speech there. He described the former presidents remarks that time as a sort of a middle finger to the globalist organization.

However, while Trump was clearly against the WEF  his daughter Ivanka, Kushners wife, is a member of it. This put the Trump family in a weird spot.

Follow Transhumanism.news for more news about the transhumanist agenda.

Watch the Sept. 6 episode of The Right Side below. Catch The Right Side with Doug Billings every Tuesday at 7-8 p.m. and every Saturday at 10-11 a.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Clay Clark digs into vaccines and transhumanism with Dr. Carrie Madej  Brighteon.TV.

Globalists push transhumanism agenda with computer chips inserted into humans via COVID injections.

World Economic Forum believes people are useless eaters, and views their brains and bodies as product that can be hacked, controlled and discarded.

Study: People with Machiavellian tendencies are in favor of transhumanism / mind uploading technology.

BardsFM: Elites seek control of Fourth Industrial Revolution, evolution of transhumanism  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

TheYucatanTimes.com

BibleGateway.com
(Natural News) A Colombian mosquito factory funded by businessman Bill Gates is breeding 30 million bacteria-infected mosquitoes per week.

The self-proclaimed world health czar and Microsoft founder has already invested $185 million in the creation of the mosquito factory as part of his World Mosquito Program (WMP). The projects stated purpose is to eliminate native mosquito populations believed to be responsible for dengue, zika and other viral diseases in humans using bacteria-infected mosquitoes that cause sterility.

Gates, who has drawn flak from the Indian Parliament for his unethical cervical cancer vaccine trials, posted the video on his YouTube channel.

In the video description, Gates gave a synopsis of how the WMP operation in Medellin breeds mosquitoes with the bacteria Wolbachia before releasing them across the country to breed with wild mosquitoes that can carry dengue and other viruses threatening to sicken and kill the population.

The projects goal, as reported by SensorReceptor, is to introduce Wolbachia into native mosquito populations by using lab-bred mosquitoes that results in the contamination of specific populations. (Related: Genetically modified mosquitoes are being released in Florida Keys despite protests.)

The Wolbachia bacteria, which is existing in 50 percent of all insect species on Earth, affects mosquito reproduction, specifically the African mosquito species Aedes aegypti.

As shown in the WMP video, if a male mosquito transports Wolbachia and mates with a female, the females eggs will not hatch; if a male does not and a female does, the females offspring will hatch and bears Wolbachia; and if both the male and female bear Wolbachia, the offspring will all hatch and bring Wolbachia.

WMP creating an entirely different mosquito population

Clearly, the final outcome of this interbreeding is an entirely different mosquito population, complete with Wolbachia infections in all and each one of its members. And full extermination of any males who are not infected with the bacteria.

As stated by Gates and WMP, this is beneficial since Wolbachia supposedly supports to decrease the number of viruses in a specific mosquito population.

WMP claimed this is the case since its researchers have introduced dengue virus into Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes and discovered that the virus didnt grow well in the mosquito. The WMP video went on to say that if the virus cant grow, it cant be transmitted to other people.

The former Microsoft CEO, in his post on Gates Notes describing WMPs efforts, emphasized a pair of studies supposedly showing the plans efficacy in disease prevention.

Gates mentioned a randomized controlled trial from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which claims to have decreased the citys dengue cases by 77 percent and dengue hospitalizations by 86 percent. He also lauded a current study from Medellin that claims to show an 89 percent drop in dengue occurrence since the release of Wolbachia mosquitoes in 2015.

Whats remarkable about the Wolbachia mosquitoes is that once enough of them are released to offer disease protection, its a solution thats self-sustaining. Over time, families will be spared the heartbreak of losing loved ones and communities wont need to spend money on prevention and treatment for these mosquito-borne diseases, freeing up funds for other health priorities, Gates said in his blog post.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explained the use of Wolbachia, saying the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered mosquitoes with Wolbachia to evaluate how effective they are in reducing numbers of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, not other types of mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes with Wolbachia are not genetically modified the CDC stated.

However, the National Library of Medicine research in 2010 has actually shown that Wolbachia [species] are gram-negative bacteria that infect filarial nematodes and elicit an inflammatory response in cats and dogs.

Follow Research.news for more stories like this.

Watch the video below to know more about the mosquito factory in Medellin, Colombia.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Bill Gates wants to deploy genetically modified mosquitoes to inject vaccines.

EPA approves release of GMO mosquitoes in the Florida Keys despite safety concerns.

GMO mosquito experiment goes horribly wrong: Insects adapt and overcome, transforming into super mutant mosquitoes that could cause mass death across South America.

FRANKENSCIENCE: Gene-editing experiment caused GMO hamsters to transform into hyper-aggressive bullies.

BOMBSHELL: Proof GMOs cannot be contained  GM mosquitoes have successfully mated with wild mosquitoes, spreading GM traits

Sources include:

GreatGameIndia.com

SenseReceptorNews.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The world is set to see a global shortage of rice as India restricted exports of the staple crop.

According to CNBC, India prohibited exports of broken rice and imposed a 20 percent duty on exports of various grades of rice. The ban and duty, which took effect on Sept. 9, followed the Hindu-majority nations attempt to augment rice supplies and stabilize local prices following below-average monsoon rainfall that curtailed planting.

All India Rice Exporters Association President B.V. Krishna Rao said the the duty will affect white and brown rice, which account for more than 60 percent of Indias exports. New Delhi, however, excluded parboiled and basmati rice from the export duty. (Related: Worlds largest rice exporter India bans export of certain rice varieties, places export taxes on others.)

With this duty, Indian rice shipments will become uncompetitive in the world market. Buyers will shift to Thailand and Vietnam, remarked Rao.

Himanshu Agarwal, executive director at Indian rice exporting giant Satyam Balajee, predicted that the countrys rice exports would fall by at least 25 percent in the coming months due to the extra taxes.

Buyers cant pay 20 percent more over [the] agreed price, and even sellers cant afford to pay the levy, he said. Agarwal called on the Indian government to exempt already signed contracts from the 20 percent tax.

Moreover, New Delhi also banned exports of 100 percent broken rice, which is mainly used for feed purposes. A few poor countries in Africa, such as Djibouti and Senegal, purchased broken rice for human consumption.

China had been the biggest buyer of broken rice from India, purchasing 1.1 million tons in 2021 for feed purposes. However, a dealer with a global trading firm based in Mumbai  Indias financial capital  warned that the ban could badly affect Beijings purchases of broken rice.

Except rice, prices of all food crops were rising. Rice is joining the rally now, he said.

Indias export ban on rice sure to have global repercussions

Indias ban on rice export is no laughing matter. Its exports topped a record 21.5 million tons in 2021. This surpassed the combined shipments of the worlds next four biggest exporters of the staple crop: the U.S., Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Hindu-majority nation accounts for more than 40 percent of global rice shipments, and exports rice to more than 150 countries. Any reduction in its shipments, which translates to less supply, would push already exorbitant food prices upward.

India mainly competes with other rice-producing nations such as Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam in the world marker. But with New Delhis trade edicts, buyers are very likely to avoid purchasing rice from India for the time being.

Economist and author Michael Snyder commented on the development in his blog.

Even though drought is devastating so many other crops all over the planet, I thought that there would be plenty of rice in 2023. Unfortunately, I was wrong, he said.

Some of the biggest rice producers in the entire world are being hit really hard, and rice production is going to be way below expectations this year. Of course rice is one of the primary staples that poor nations depend upon, and so this is a really big deal.

Snyder warned of enormous implications if the rice shortage becomes serious in 2023.

One hundred fifty different nations depend on rice from India. So where are they going to get their rice?

None of us have ever faced anything like this. The food that will not be harvested in the months ahead will not be on our store shelves in 2023. This is not a drill: Food shortages really are coming, and our world will be changing in wild and unpredictable ways.

Visit WheatWar.com for more stories about the impact of export bans on certain staple crops.

Watch Mike Martins talk about Indias earlier ban on wheat exports months ago.

This video is from the Mike Martins Channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Export bans put in place by different nations WORSEN food inflation.

Worlds largest rice exporter, India, warns of output crisis amid heatwave.

Global rice production to plunge by 10%, hundreds of millions to be affected.

Rice crisis incoming: Soaring fertilizer prices threaten rice production in Asia.

Rice production could plunge by 10% due to rising fertilizer prices, threatening half a billion people.

Sources include:

TheEconomicCollapseBlog.com

CNBC.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence recently revealed that she talks to her therapist about nightmares that she has over Fox News host Tucker Carlson and the influence hes had on her estranged family members.

Maybe its the sexy glasses, Carlson deadpanned about the mention. Who knows, we can only speculate.

In the September 8 episode of Reality Camp with Stacey Campfield, the host shared his views on a slew of topics, most notably Lawrences recent interview where she namedropped Carlson as someone she sees in her nightmares.

Lawrence mentioned in the October issue of Vogue that Carlson has an influence on her conservative family members in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, adding that the information they are getting is different, and that their life is different.

Carlson addressed the mention on air, saying: When you decide to work in television, you lose control of a lot of things. Foremost, the way other people perceive you. So can it really be your fault, are you really responsible, if major Hollywood starlets dream about you?

The Oscar Winner, a former Republican, said her family was divided over the 2016 election of Donald Trump, and the wounds that shes been trying to repair since then were ripped once again in June due to the Supreme Courts reversal of the historic Roe v. Wade abortion rights case.

Lawrence, who was then pregnant, was among the many who took to the streets to protest the decision and said her disappointment was directed at certain relatives, with whom she previously tried to reconcile since the arrival of her son, Cy.

I just worked so hard in the last five years to forgive my dad and my family and try to understand. Its different. The information they are getting is different. Their life is different, she said.

Ive tried to get over it and I really cant. I cant. Im sorry Im just unleashing, but I cant f with people who arent political anymore. You live in the United States of America. You have to be political. Its too dire. Politics are killing people. (Related: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, sending issue of abortion back to states where it always belonged.)

While Carlson did not delve into the political topics Lawrence discussed other than his initial quip and saying that hes flattered, he instead left it up to correspondent Trace Gallagher to highlight the dichotomy of Lawrences remarks.

Its important to note that while Jennifer Lawrence sees you in her head at night, shes likely not watching you now. But her parents are probably watching you because theyre fans, Gallagher said.

Trump derangement syndrome

Lawrence has always been an outspoken critic of conservatives and Trump. She doubled down on her views and also shared her thoughts on abortion rights and gun laws.

However, as Gallagher pointed out, Lawrence had Trump derangement syndrome. In 2017, the actor made headlines for blaming the former president for a series of hurricanes.

Apparently, side effects include blaming a sitting president for hurricanes hitting the U.S. mainland during hurricane season, the Hill media reporter Joe Concha said at the time.

He was referring to Lawrences interview with the British network, Channel 4, where she said it was scientifically proven that climate change is due to human activity, and people continue to ignore it. She also added that it was really startling to see Trump win the presidency. (Related: The powder keg we are sitting on is about to blow: The mainstream media and mental health professionals treating Trump Derangement Syndrome are all suffering from it.)

Why is it that as people get richer and more famous, sometimes they get sillier and more out of touch? Carlson asked back then, eventually concluding that being a celebrity is bad for your soul.

Visit JusticeDemocrats.news for more stories about Democrat celebrities and more.

Watch the video below for more of Stacey Campfields commentary on news and current events.

Reality Camp with Stacey Campfield airs Thursdays and Saturdays at 6:00 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Biden signs executive order promoting abortion on demand following Roe v. Wade overturn.

Pathetically hypocritical Hollywood stars who riffed on Trump for using a WORD refuse to condemn Harvey Weinstein for ACTUAL sexual assault.

Hollywood hate and bigotry: Scarlett Johansson shamed into leaving Trans film by triggered Transgendered people.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Vogue.com

LATimes.com

Insider.FoxNews.com
(Natural News) Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that his countrys Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is one step away from a radiation disaster due to Russian shelling, but Russian authorities have said that Ukraine is also guilty of shelling in the area.

The Russian-occupied nuclear power plant in Ukraine has long been a focus of concerns around the globe that fighting could lead to a nuclear disaster. Zaporizhzhia is the biggest nuclear power plant on the European continent and has been under the control of Russian forces since early March shortly after the country was invaded, although Ukrainian staff continued to operate the plant.

It has been the scene of shelling throughout the conflict, and the two sides have been trading blame in recent weeks for this concerning activity. In late August, the Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom claimed that Russian troops had shelled the grounds of the complex and the damage was being assessed, but Moscows defense ministry said that Ukrainian forces had shelled the complex three times in the preceding 24 hours.

In a statement, the Russian defense ministry said: A total of 17 shells were fired, four of which hit the roof of Special Building No. 1, where 168 assemblies of U.S. WestingHouse nuclear fuel are stored.

According to their report, 10 shells exploded close to a dry storage facility where spent nuclear fuel is being kept, with three more exploding close to a building housing fresh nuclear fuel. Despite this, the radiation levels at the plant reportedly remained normal.

Zelensky said that the situation at the plant was very risky after reconnecting two of its six reactors to the grid after shelling caused them to be disconnected for the first time in the plants history. He has been using the claims of Russian shelling to encourage the international community to deem Moscow a terrorist state and deepen sanctions against it.

The chief of the Ukrainian presidential staff, Andriy Yermak, tweeted: The Russians think they can force the world to comply with their conditions by shelling the Zaporizhzhia NPP (nuclear power plant). This will not happen. Instead, our military will punish them by hard hitting with precision on pain points.

Russia, however, has said that Ukraine is trying to recapture the plant by force.

At an economic forum in Vladivostok, Putin said that claims of Russian forces being responsible for shelling at a plant they are already occupying were absolute nonsense, asking, Well, are we shooting at ourselves or what?

He said that fragments from Western weapons had been found at the plant and that Ukraine could be firing on the facility to create an additional crisis. Others who have accused Ukraine of shelling the plant believe they are doing so to provoke Russia into returning fire.

IAEA proposes protection zone around nuclear plant

On Sunday, the presidents of France and Russia traded blame about the safety of the plant, with Russian President Vladimir Putin placing the blame for the plants attacks on Ukrainian forces and French President Emmanuel Macron accusing the Russians of being responsible.

For his part, Macron asked Russian forces to withdraw their weapons from the area and follow recommendations made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure the sites safety. The agency has called for the establishment of a security zone around the site. They confirmed that a backup power line had been restored to the plant recently, giving it the external electricity needed to cool reactors and defend against a meltdown risk.

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said that both Ukraine and Russia have expressed an interest in the agencys proposal to form a protection zone around the plant. The two countries are reportedly engaging with the IAEA and asking questions about the proposal.

Last week, Ukrainian authorities encouraged people living in the area surrounding the nuclear plant to evacuate for safety reasons.

Sources for this article include:

TheHill.com

Reuters.com

Reuters.com

TheNationalNews.com
(Natural News) What was once a thriving agricultural oasis brimming with bounty  a food-growing trophy of abundance, you might say  has become an agricultural wasteland.

We are talking about Californias Central Valley, and specifically the portion dubbed the rice capital of California. There, the latest satellite imagery shows a mini dust bowl, according to experts.

Kurt Richter, a third-generation rice farmer from Colusa, the heart of Californias rice capital, told the San Francisco Chronicle that many formerly abundant fields are now a massive wasteland of dry ground and nothing, in part due to drought.

The other part, as we reported previously, is deliberate mismanagement of this precious natural resource by the corrupt political class in the Golden State.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that of the 550,000 acres that encompass Californias rice capital, an astounding 300,000  more than half  will go without a harvest this year.

This could potentially drive up sushi prices nationwide because most of the rice produced in the state is for just that, one report explains.

According to Richter, many fields that even just last year were producing rice have been abandoned by farmers. These farmers either could not receive the water they needed to grow this year or were paid by the federal government to stop growing.

Aaron Smith, an agricultural economist at UC Davis, warns that farmer losses in the region could top $500 million, about 40 percent of which will be covered by federal crop insurance.

Scorching heat, lack of rain and the continued waste of freshwater resources that are pumped into the ocean rather than into crop fields is quickly turning Californias premiere growing regions into a chapter out of The Grapes of Wrath  and few people out there seem to be aware of what is actually happening and what it means for the future of the food supply.

Only two of Californias six top-producing rice counties will be unharmed by mega drought

One bit of good news in all this is that nearby Butte County, another California growing region, planted more rice this year than last year, which could help make up for some of the deficit.

Butte County farmers planted slightly more acres of rice than last year, the Chronicle reported, along with satellite imagery depicting lots of green right now in that area.

Growing rice, it turns out, is a particularly water-intensive operation. Those farms located closer to water have naturally fared better than those in areas where water is scarce or where state government officials have decided not to saturate.

Butte County, unfortunately, is an exception to the regional trend. While it and nearby Yuba County are expected to have slightly larger rice harvests this year, the four other counties that make up the rice-growing capital  Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, and Yolo  are all expected to see massive deficits.

Colusa is in the worst shape with an expected 73.4 percent reduction in outputs, followed by Glenn with a 66.9 percent reduction; Sutter with a 33.6 percent reduction; and Yolo with a 33.2 percent reduction.

All of these counties are located in the northern portion of Californias Central Valley, which is massive and stretches from the southeastern part of the state up through the northwestern part, almost smack-dab in the middle of the states borders.

Heres a novel idea: how about people put aside their petty differences and force the government to stop its dangerous geoengineering activity, wrote a commenter about another major factor that is affecting weather patterns: chemtrails.

With normal winters, there should be plenty of water for farming.

The latest news about the engineered destruction of Americas food supply can be found at Geoengineering.news

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) On September 13, 2022, the New Zealand government announced that they will be rolling back covid-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates. The Science is suddenly collapsing in New Zealand, as the population exits its state of mass psychosis and learns to reject new vaccine booster programs, forced masks and social distancing.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, Its time to safely turn the page on our COVID-19 management and live without the extraordinary measures we have previously used. She said the rollback on restrictions and mandates is a milestone and now the population can move forward with certainty.

New Zealanders no longer tolerating medical tyranny, as the science narrative collapses

Just a year ago, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern rolled out a traffic-light system of population control that held the people hostage to The Science of lockdowns, family separation, forced masks, isolation, PCR tests, and mandatory mRNA vaccines.

This miserable system of slavery granted special privileges to the vaccine-compliant, while barring the unvaccinated from public life. The vaccine-compliant, of course, were either manipulated, injured or killed. Vaccine survivors had to get sick on purpose, destroy their innate immune system, and give up their basic human dignity to comply with a system of abuse. The unvaccinated, on the other hand, had to endure a constant assault on their privacy, freedom and character, as historic levels of discrimination and segregation were used to punish them for imaginary crimes.

In the RED-LIGHT phase of the traffic light system, the government took full control over all private businesses, demanding that they shut out the unvaccinated and serve only the fully vaccinated. Restaurants, bars, gyms and other close contact venues were all seized by the government and forced to discriminate against innocent individuals.

In the ORANGE LIGHT phase of the traffic light system, (for which the government was currently enforcing) the government dictated masks mandates for flights, public transport, taxis, retail and all other public venues. During this phase, churches and other places of worship were only allowed to host one hundred people maximum, and attendees were required to worship in separate spaces, with no physical contact allowed.

New Zealand establishes a lightweight, new normal of medical tyranny

The New Zealand government is abolishing their traffic light COVID protection framework, but will establish a new normal of forced masking in health care and aged care settings. Likewise, the government will enforce covid-19 testing where they deem it suitable and will require that citizens isolate for seven days in a row if a PCR swab turns up positive for the advertised disease.

On the magic date of September 26, the vaccine mandates will be removed, allowing incoming travelers and aircrew to freely enter the country. On that date, the science will be tossed out, as the government takes an anti-vax approach that they censored and essentially criminalized for more than a year.

However, the New Zealand government and the courts will not uphold or protect the rights of the citizens when vaccine mandates are considered at the employer level. In fact, the government announced that employers across the country can violate individual medical privacy and mandate masks and vaccines at their own discretion. Any business can still use vaccine certificates as a form of mass surveillance to violate an individuals medical privacy and segregate them at will.

So, while there is progress in New Zealand, the truth about the covid-19 vaccine is still being ignored, and medical ethics are far from being restored. The totalitarian approach that was used a year ago was a maniacal negotiation tactic to condition the population to eventually accept lighter restrictions that STILL VIOLATE the bodily autonomy and health of the individual.

In short, we now move on to a simple two requirements system of masks in healthcare settings and seven days isolation for positive cases only, Ardern said, while refusing to defend the rights of the citizens to make their own healthcare decisions. For a full return to normalcy, the rule of law must be upheld against government officials like Ardern who continue to violate human rights and medical ethics.

Sources include:

12ft.io

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A new YouGov/Economist poll asking Americans about the likelihood of various dire political scenarios found that half the country think that within ten years the US will no longer be a global superpower and there will be a total economic collapse.

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

From YouGov:

Among 15 potential future scenarios involving instability or political violence, the one that most Americans consider likely in the next decade is that the U.S. ceases to be a global superpower (50% say this), followed by a total collapse of the U.S. economy (47%). Each of the 15 dire scenarios is considered somewhat or very likely in the next decade by at least 20% of Americans. [] 37% of Americans say [a civil war] is at least somewhat likely to occur.

[] After an end to the U.S.s global-superpower status and economic collapse, the next most likely scenario is that the U.S. will cease to be a democracy (39% say this is likely within the next decade). Slightly more say its likely the U.S. will become a fascist dictatorship (31%) than say it will become a communist dictatorship (21%). (The poll didnt ask whether people believe a given scenario has already occurred, so some people who believe this probably are included among those who said each scenario is likely.) Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe nearly all of the scenarios asked about are likely within the next 10 years. Two-thirds of Republicans (65%) believe that total economic collapse is at least somewhat likely, compared to only 38% of Democrats. Around half of Republicans (48%) say its likely that the government will confiscate citizens firearms; only 17% of Democrats say this. Republicans are also more likely than Democrats to believe there will be a total breakdown of law and order (49% vs. 31%) and that the U.S. will be invaded by a foreign country (41% vs. 24%).

While a similar share of Republicans and Democrats believe its at least somewhat likely that the U.S. will cease to be a democracy in the next decade, there is disagreement as to which type of government is likely to replace it. Democrats are slightly more likely than Republicans to say the U.S. will be a fascist dictatorship (37% vs. 32%). Republicans, on the other hand, are three times as likely as Democrats to say it will be a communist dictatorship (31% vs. 13%). In terms of the possibility of a civil war, Republicans are likelier than Democrats to believe there will be one between members of each party (45% vs. 35%) or between people from red and blue states (36% vs. 30%). Democrats are slightly more likely than Republicans to believe there will be a war between the poor and rich (37% vs. 25%) or between cities and rural areas (23% vs. 20%). Democrats and Republicans are equally likely (31%) to expect a civil war between racial groups.

[] Would the government be able to defend itself against an armed citizen uprising? Americans are twice as likely to believe the military and law enforcement would prevail against armed rebels (51%) as they are to say they would fail (26%). While Republicans and Independents have similar expectations on the matter, Democrats are far more optimistic about the governments prospects: 68% say the military and law enforcement are at least somewhat likely to succeed, relative to 44% of Republicans and Independents.

Judging by the actions of the Biden regime, theyre clearly expecting a similar doomsday scenario to take place as theyre already laying the groundwork by declaring all their political opposition to be white extremists and domestic terrorists.

Our globalist overlords would rather start a civil war in America than give the American people any political concessions.

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
Bahrain is set for solid growth, riding on a $30-billion infrastructure project pipeline which will attract investment in high-potential industries. The key finance and industrial sectors will enable Bahrain to lay firm foundations for the next phase of its growth plans, said a report.

The report produced by the global research and advisory firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) provides details of a drive under way to bring the private sector on board for the infrastructure projects pipeline that is expected to support growth in a number of sectors.

It shines a spotlight on the projects designed to facilitate the movement of both goods and people within and across the kingdoms borders and strengthen the countrys position in the regional logistics industry.

It also explores planned developments to support Bahrains tourism expansion efforts now that an easing of pandemic-related restrictions is reinvigorating the sector and increasing visitor numbers.

According to OBG, the report shines a spotlight on the infrastructure projects pipeline that is expected to support growth in a number of sectors, which include attracting investment in high-potential industries and rolling out big-ticket infrastructure projects.

It analyses the latest developments in the countrys vibrant financial sector, which vies with oil and gas as the largest contributor to the economy. The emergence of the country as a leading financial technology centre is one of several topics examined.

The potential impact of Bahrains new 2022-26 Industrial Sector Strategy is explored in detail, with a focus on how the kingdom can better generate downstream value-added to its natural resources and capitalise on the potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

With oil and gas prices fully recovered from the lows of the pandemic, the report also tracks the latest developments in Bahrains oil and gas industry, including ongoing efforts to commercialise a major shale discovery made in 2018.

Efforts gaining pace to attract investment for the renewables segment are another focal point as the country aims to meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2060, stated OBG in its report.

A major highlight of the report is a contribution by Sheikh Khaled bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure; Chairman of Mumtalakat, in which he shares his views on the kingdoms strategies for economic recovery and longer-term prosperity, together with a detailed sector-by-sector guide for investors.

It also features interviews with a broad range of high-profile political and business leaders, including: Mohamed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications; Jean-Christophe Durand, the CEO of National Bank of Bahrain; Ali Al Baqali, the CEO of Aluminium Bahrain (Alba); Mark Thomas, the CEO of nogaholding; and Nasser Ali Qaedi, the CEO of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.

The Report: Bahrain 2022 has been produced in partnership with the National Bank of Bahrain, the Bahrain Bourse and KPMG Bahrain. It marks the culmination of more than six months of field research by a team of OBG analysts.

The publication assesses trends and developments across the economy, including those in macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and others.

Speaking at the launch, OBGs Editor-in-Chief Oliver Cornock pointed out that high international oil prices and a robust project pipeline were helping Bahrain to rebound from the challenges of the pandemic.

"Bahrains economy grew by 2.2% in 2021, buoyed by a recovery in energy and tourism income, with foreign direct investment also rising, by more than half, year-on-year, in the first three quarters of 2021," stated Cornock.

"We expect large-scale projects to continue boosting infrastructure and investment, putting the country on track for a period of sustained growth," he added.

Jana Treeck, Managing Director for the Middle East, OBG, added that well-developed finance and industrial sectors had enabled Bahrain to lay firm foundations for the next phase of its growth plans.

"Bahrain benefits from having one of the most diverse economies in the Gulf, which is now supporting an ambitious programme to attract $30 billion in infrastructure investment alongside efforts to balance the budget by 2024," stated Treeck.

"Higher global oil prices should also help drive economic expansion and recovery, paving the way for Bahrain to achieve its Vision 2030 targets," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
(Natural News) By the end of the week (around September 18), more than 100,000 railroad workers across America are slated to walk off the job as part of a nationwide freight-rail strike that has been brewing for several months now.

Officials from the Biden regime are reportedly in talks right now with others in the transportation industry, including truckers, shippers and air freight, to forge contingency plans for when the rail shutdown inevitably materializes. Loss of rail service will deliver a massive blow to an already fragile and failing supply chain, we are told, and Bidens people have been tasked with developing a solution.

Nearly 30 percent of all United States freight moves via rail, the latest data shows. Half of that is bulk commodities such as energy, food, chemicals, metals and wood products, while the other half is shipping containers full of consumer goods.

If the strike ensues as planned, the U.S. economy will lose $2 billion per day in supply chain disruptions. This will be an absolute disaster for Joe Biden and other Democrats who are vying to keep their party in power this November.

Will Biden fulfill his promise of being the most pro-union president in history?

We are told that most of the railroad unions involved in contract disputes have either already reached agreements or are on the verge of doing so as of September 12. Two unions representing more than 100,000 workers, however, have not and are prepared to strike as soon as Friday, September 16 unless an agreement can be made before the deadline.

At the heart of the dispute is the unions demand that workers be allowed to take unpaid time off for doctors appointments without being penalized. Rail lines do not want to allow that while workers say it needs to be part of their contracts if they are to continue working past Friday.

It is now or never for Joe Biden to keep the rail lines running, which he promised to do when he dubbed himself the most pro-union president in American history. If talks sour and workers walk off the job this Friday, then Biden will have made an even bigger fool of himself than he already has.

Most of the 12 railroad unions have reached or finalized tentative agreements with BNSF Railway, CSX Corp., Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern Corp., and Union Pacific Corp. via collective bargaining, one report explains.

Two unions, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the International Association of Sheet Metal Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, accounting for more than 100,000 workers, are still holding out while negotiating.

Amtrak has already issued a warning to passengers that travel interruptions have already begun as three long-distance routes have been removed from its train schedule.

To avoid possible passenger disruptions while on route  these adjustments are necessary to ensure trains can reach their terminals prior to freight railroad service interruption if a resolution in negotiations is not reached, Amtrak said in a statement.

The Association of American Railroads also issued a warning that a freight rail shutdown could devastate Amtraks operations, resulting in tens of thousands of  if not more  daily commuters no longer being able to get to work.

Coal would stop, added Ernie Thrasher, CEO of Xcoal Energy & Resources LLC, the biggest U.S. exporter of coal. No coal is going to move until these guys go back to work.

Other products that will no longer move include corn, wheat, soybeans and other soy-based products, lumber, corn syrup, liquor, animal feed and various other grains and foods.

As the global supply chain disintegrates, we will keep you up to date with the latest at Collapse.news.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

ZeroHedge.com
(Natural News) Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (Colossians 1:55-17).

(Article by Scott Lively republished from WND.com)

She had a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the unclean things of her fornication; and upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, great Babylon, the mother of harlots, and of the abominations of the earth (Revelation 17:4-5).

Truth is the perspective of God about His Creation. He is omniscient, meaning His perspective is flawless and infinite. He is omnipotent, meaning he has absolute sovereignty over all He has made. And He is omnipresent, meaning He exists in and sustains every part of it.

We know this not only because the Bible tells us so, but because the Creation itself testifies to it, so clearly that those who fail to recognize Gods authorship have no excuse. (Romans 1:18-20). That deliberate choice to suppress truth is what damns every lost person to Hell: not sin, not false doctrine, not idolatry, not lawbreaking but simply unbelief in Christ. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18).

Because of Adams sin, every person begins life on the down escalator, Hell-bound, absent an affirmative confession of faith in Christ. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Salvation really is just that simple.

It is sanctification, or becoming Christlike over the course of our lives, that is the hard part, as we who are justified await glorification (perfect spiritual completion) upon His second coming. We are promised in Philippians 1:6 that He who began that good work in us WILL be faithful to finish it.

How does all this relate to American Babylon and the LGBT plague? Bear with me.

As Paul warns in Romans 1, suppression of truth about God doesnt just foreclose salvation to you, it sets you on a path away from sanctification, so that instead of becoming increasing more clean, healthy, life-affirming and Christlike, you become increasingly more dirty, sick, death-affirming and anti-Christlike. The far end of that path is the reprobate or depraved mind that the Bible associates specifically and singularly with homosexuality, which in turn is associated with a long list of civilization-destroying behaviors. Not every sinner goes that far down the path of defiance, but more will do so the more they see others do it.

Importantly, the warning is not primarily about the consequence to individuals, but to society as a whole. And it is the same warning given both to Noahs generation before the Great Flood and to Sodom and Gomorrah before they were incinerated. Bottom line: the widespread normalization of homosexuality is THE key harbinger of Gods wrath from Genesis to Revelation. This truth is crystal clear to those who actually study the evidence as I have summarized it in the chart at this link and explained in detail in my free book The Petros Prophecy: Simon Peters Prophetic Warning About the Heresy of the Last Days.

The reason people have no excuse for denying the existence of God or redefining Him to suit themselves (which is just another form of denial) is that we are part of the Creation. The plainest, most inescapable truth about Creation is that we are male and female by design. To deny ones DNA-dictated and physiologically self-evident binary heterosexual identity is not a joke. It is deep-seated mental illness and spiritual rebellion at the same time.

Critically, whatever the cause may be, no degree of temptation to indulge oneself in homosexuality or transgenderism, nor the degree of ones weakness in resisting that temptation, justifies the choice to define oneself by anything that God calls an abomination (Leviticus 18:22, Deuteronomy 22:5).

Where is America on the scale of rebellion against God in these matters? We are leading the entire world! Democracy, human rights, the rule of law and the liberal world order have all been redefined since the Obama regime began to prioritize sexual deviance. Should the MAGA red wave be defeated in November, this entire generation of young people will be coercively recruited to LGBTism beyond anything ever seen in this world. No human effort will be able to stop it.

U.S. hegemony has been virtually synonymous with global LGBT cultural arm-twisting since Obama, with only a partial slowdown under President Trump.

Likewise, an OBiden victory over pro-family Russia in the Ukraine war (strengthening and enhancing Americas sole-superpower status as global LGBT agenda-enforcers) would absolutely ensure Ukraine and all of Europe would get the same treatment as American schoolchildren  backed 100% by the Demons of Davos. Some will cringe at this idea, but Russia may be the only hope for stopping the globalists in Europe and saving the Ukrainians (and all Europeans) from a fate worse than death  the LGBT enslavement of their progeny.

It is impossible for me to summarize Americas current geopolitical role without being reminded of Revelation 18:2-3: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

But God also speaks to the Christian remnant in this passage, saying: Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities (Revelation 18:4-5).

Coming out of her may mean many things, but one of them certainly is personally distancing ourselves spiritually, culturally and politically from Americas embrace of all-things LGBT. It is also essential for the remnant collectively to expel gay theology and LGBT ideology from Christendom, the conservative/MAGA movements and the lives of our children and grandchildren.

Being Christlike ALWAYS means speaking plain truth to defeat lies. Sometimes it also means kicking over tables and driving bad people away with whips (John 2:15). As always let the Spirit be your guide in how and when you do that, but do something!

Read more at: WND.com
(Natural News) According to Ohio attorney Tom Renz, President Joe Bidens Sept. 1 speech essentially told half of the American population that they are a threat to the country.

For Biden, about half this country is a threat to the country. Think about that, Renz said during the Sept. 6 episode of Lawfare with Tom Renz on Brighteon.TV. MAGA  Make America Great Again  is a threat. The people who support America first  [and] America being a leader in the world are somehow a threat to our country.

It is not just a few people, but almost 80 million based on election results. The Ohio lawyer slammed Biden over his remark, noting that the president is supposed to represent 100 percent of the American people.

Renz said he does not know if Biden is weighing the interests of Americans who favor making America great versus those who apparently dont.

The fact that Biden just told half of Americas population that they are a threat was absolutely appalling, he continued. The Sept. 1 speech delivered in Philadelphia only created tension, turmoil and division  something Renz alleged Biden was doing intentionally. (Related: Bidens divisive MAGA Republicans prime-time address deemed hate speech by international group.)

[Former President] Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic, Biden said during his speech at the Independence National Historical Park in the City of Brotherly Love.

There is no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country.

Biden added that MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution, do not believe in the rule of law, do not recognize the will of the people and refuse to accept the results of a free election.

Renz warns Americans not to give in to provocations of violence

According to Renz, Bidens speech was also an attempt to pick a fight with MAGA adherents  outside of being a denouncement of half the population. The Brighteon.TV host also pointed out that Americans have been smart enough not to take the bait.

Given this, he stressed that Americans should not resort to violence and instead turn to peace. Renz continued that peaceful resistance is the only resistance against an American president who is trying to pick fights and fan the flames of violence.

We cannot allow violence. We have to stop it. We cannot let this president stoke violence and thats exactly what I think hes trying to do. We have to be smarter than that, Renz explained.

Moreover, the Ohio attorney pointed out that peaceful resistance works  and it is the only thing that is going to work.

Ultimately, the Lawfare host called on the people to be resolute and relentless in their pursuit of liberty. This, he said, can be achieved by peacefully resisting and refusing to resort to violence.

For more stories about Biden trying to smear and pick a fight with MAGA Republicans, head over to JoeBiden.news.

Watch the Sept. 6 episode of Lawfare with Tom Renz below. Lawfare with Tom Renz airs every Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30-1 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Tucker Carlson rips Biden over divisive speech, calls it a turning point in American history.

Divider in Chief: Biden impairs the soul of the American nation by pitting his people against one another.

The Resistance Chicks: Bidens attempt to smear MAGA movement backfires, feeds the MAGA beast  Brighteon.TV.

Bidens hateful rhetoric against Americans presents the GOP with a sterling opportunity.

Biden Pentagons extremism czar seeks to purge all MAGA personnel in bid to purge patriots from last viable American institution: The military.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

WhiteHouse.gov
(Natural News) With no fanfare or public announcement, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in the United Kingdom has decided that covid vaccines should no longer be given to children under 12 years of age.

As government officials in the United States continue to push the jabs on young children and even babies, British authorities now feel as though there is little-to-no risk of tiny tots catching covid.

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the government policy of administering covid jabs to children aged 5-11 was only ever meant to be temporary.

This one-off programme applies to those aged 5 to 11 years, including those who turn five years of age before the end of August 2022, reads the UKHSAs Green Book, which contains information about the jab rollout for use by public health professionals.

Subject to further clarification, on-going eligibility in 2022 / 23, after the one-off programme, is expected to be for children in the academic years where children are aged 11 or 12 years, the Green Book further reads. (Related: Pfizers mRNA [messenger RNA] covid injection recently triggered a massive hepatitis outbreak among children throughout the U.K.)

Covid vaccines havent just been discontinued for little ones in the UK: Theyre technically BANNED

The wording used by the UKHSA is a bit confusing, making it seem as though the shots have merely been discontinued for use in children under 12. It turns out that the shots are actually banned, meaning it is now a crime to jab pre-teens for the Fauci Flu.

I just wanted to post a quick note because, in many places and news media, this news is not described properly, wrote Igor Chudov on his Substack. People mention this program as being discontinued. That benign sounding description is not quite exactly correct.

The correct statement is that in the UK, Covid vaccines were just BANNED for all children under 12. Not a single UK child under 12 is allowed to get any doses of Covid vaccines.

The only exception to the new rule is children who are deemed to be severely immunocompromised.

In a statement following the rule change, health freedom activist Dr. Naomi Wolf praised the decision. She explained in an interview on Steve Bannons War Room program that Chinese Virus shots damage the reproductive ability of young children, potentially ruining their bodies for life.

The vaccines hurt the testes and hurt the parts of the testes that develop the masculinity and secondary sex characteristics of little boys, and baby boys, and teenage boys, Wolf explained.

So they literally harm the chances of your little boy child to grow up normally as a male human adult.

In the comment section, one person was not as thrilled by the decision  not because it was a bad one necessarily, but because it is too little, too late.

What do I think? Off with their heads! this person added, along with a screenshot of an article from The Expose pointing out that ever since Fauci Flu shots were introduced, there has been a massive increase in excess deaths among children across Europe.

Official mortality figures for Europe show that there has been a shocking 691% increase in excess deaths among children since the European Medicines Agency extended the emergency use authorisation of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for use in children aged 12 to 15 in May, the Expose article explains.

Before this decision by the European Medicines Agency, deaths among children in 2021 were below the expected rate. But following the emergency use authorisation, excess deaths among children by the end of the year had risen by a deeply troubling 1,599% compared to the 2017 to 2020 average.

The latest Chinese Virus injection news can be found at Immunization.news.

Sources for this article include:

Newspunch.com

NaturalNews.com

IgorChudov.substack.com

Expose-News.com
(Natural News) The ongoing heatwave in the U.S. has impacted fresh produce sourced by supermarkets. The resulting damage forced groceries to either sell these goods at a discount or look to other suppliers.

Natures Reward Fertility and Pest Control Manager Mark Mason remarked: We cant ship lettuce with defects. There are fields that are near losses. The California-based grower provides different kinds of lettuce such as romaine, iceberg and leaf.

Vegetable growers in the Golden State say the current heatwave could be fueling diseases that kill or damage lettuce. Mason attested to this, pointing out that diseases may have reduced lettuce yields for his company this season by at least 15 percent compared to the previous year. Aside from lettuce, the Natures Reward manager added that strawberry shipments were also affected.

Mason is not the only farm manager concerned with the heatwave. Grower-Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) President Christopher Valadez could not help but draw parallels to 2020. He remarked that the current situation on the ground  with high temperatures and disease incidence in lettuce  was similar to two years ago. (Related: Exceptional drought stressing crops in American West.)

The crop is under stress when its hot. That makes plants more vulnerable to infection, said Valadez. The GSA president added that disease prevalence in lettuce harvests reduced yields along Californias central coast by about 30 percent.

Figures from the Dutch financial company Rabobank projected dire straits for lettuce. In the year through Sept. 3, it found that shipments of iceberg, green leaf and red leaf lettuce have been the lowest since at least 2006.

Rabobank also discovered that annual prices of lettuce per pound for the same period were higher than the previous year. Average annual per-pound prices for the week ending Sept. 3 are higher than levels a year ago for all three lettuce varieties, with prices for iceberg and romaine at or above their highest in at least 16 years, data showed.

Supermarkets now sourcing fresh produce from other places

In response, groceries have resorted to giving less shelf space to produce with heat damage such as discolorations, bruises or burns. Others, meanwhile, have sold these at a discount.

Ultimately, these groceries procured fresh produce from other states  and other countries even.

Jeff Cady, vice president of produce and floral at New York-based Tops Markets LLC, said the company has been sourcing more iceberg lettuce and celery from Canada and Michigan. He cited continued challenges on the West Coast as a reason for this.

Cady warned that if California grapes remain in bad shape from the weather, Tops Markets will be forced to get grapes from Peru. It has a ripple effect, unfortunately, for the consumer and for us, he said.

Stefanie Katzman, executive vice president at S. Katzman Produce, said retailers are now selling lower-quality produce for a cheaper price  even if it translates to slimmer profit margins. She also noted that her company has purchased more inventory from New York, New Jersey and Ohio growers this year.

Doug Diffenderfer, vice president of produce at Pennsylvania-based Karns Quality Foods, remarked that Californias lettuce supply is among the biggest concerns for fall and winter. With lettuce becoming smaller and more expensive, customers are buying less.

Diffenderfer warned that if the quality of lettuce from the Golden State continues to decline, shoppers will also purchase less dressing, tomatoes and other items that accompany lettuce. It has a ripple effect, unfortunately, for the consumer and for us, he said.

Visit Harvest.news for more stories about heatwaves affecting California produce.

Watch this video that expounds on the effects of drought on crops and livestock.

This video is from the Grand Solar Minimum Solutions channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Food prices to soar higher as California farmers destroy crops because dust bowl conditions continue to spread.

FOOD COLLAPSE: Californias ongoing drought has left over half a million acres of farmland unplanted.

California farmers shaking almonds off trees to save drought-stricken orchards.

California farms face collapse as unprecedented droughts sizzle crops.

Californias untilled fields set to double amid water crisis in the state.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Data from the United Kingdom revealed that deaths from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines administered within 19 months surpassed fatalities from all other vaccines within a period of over 20 years.

The revelation came from the U.K.s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the British counterpart of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It served as a response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted on Aug. 6, 2021 by an individual who went by the name Mr. Anderson. The MHRAs Sept. 6, 2021 response showed alarming data regarding the COVID-19 vaccines.

The MHRA has received a total of 404 U.K. spontaneous suspected [adverse reaction reports] for any vaccine between Jan. 1, 2001 and Aug. 25, 2021 associated with a fatal outcome, the agency said. Please note this number excludes reports received for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Data from the U.K.s Yellow Card reporting system  the British counterpart of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System in the U.S.  showed significantly higher number of deaths linked to COVID-19 vaccines.

The Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was associated with 808 deaths in the country, while the Moderna shot was linked to 62. The home-grown vaccine from AstraZeneca was linked to 1,294 fatalities.

NaturalHealth365 staff writer Sara Middleton could not help but draw comparisons, outlining them in a Sept. 10 article.

Note that none of these shots were available prior to December 2020 at the latest. If all these reported deaths are indeed caused by adverse reactions to the COVID-19 shots, then this suggests the [vaccines] are 7,402 percent more deadly than all other vaccines currently available in the U.K., she wrote. (Related: COVID vaccines are 7,402% deadlier than all other vaccines combined, warns UK Medicine Regulator.)

Interestingly, the British regulator mentioned a caveat in its response to the FOI request. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean it has been caused by the vaccine, only that the reporter had a suspicion it may have.

VAERS reporting system shows similar trend

A similar trend of COVID-19 vaccine deaths exceeding those caused by all other vaccines was also observed in the United States. Brian Shilhavy of Health Impact News shed light on this back in March 2022.

One does not have to look very far to see the damaging effects of COVID-19 vaccines, he wrote. There are unprecedented increases in recorded deaths and injuries  since they were issued emergency use authorizations (EUAs), as compared to all FDA-approved vaccines for the previous 30 years.

Shilhavy cited figures from the 31-year history of VAERS ending March 28, 2022.

All other vaccines caused the death of 9,066 people, while the COVID-19 vaccines caused the death of 26,059 people. The clot shots also permanently disabled 48,342 people  more than double the 20,096 people suffering permanent disabilities from other vaccines.

VAERS data also revealed that 76,992 people were hospitalized after being injected with other vaccines. Meanwhile, 143,198 people were hospitalized due to the COVID-19 shots. There were also 13,572 people who suffered life-threatening injuries after getting non-COVID shots  less than half of the 29,443 who experienced life-threatening injuries after their COVID-19 vaccination.

The majority of cases now found in the [more than 31-year] history of VAERS are from Dec. 1, 2020  when the FDA granted EUA for the COVID-19 vaccines. wrote Shilhavy. This is mass murder and genocide

Head over to VaccineDeaths.com for more stories about fatalities caused by the COVID-19 vaccines.

Watch this video that talks about the COVID-19 vaccine deaths reported in VAERS.

This video is from the Vigilent Citizen channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

VAERS DATA SHOCKER: Total number of deaths from Covid vaccines nearly double all deaths from all other vaccines combined since 1990, at nearly 500 deaths per week

More vaccine deaths and injuries reported in 10 months following COVID-19 shots compared to all other vaccines over the past 30 years.

COVID-19 vaccines result in far more deaths in just 10 months than all other vaccines combined for the last 30 years.

FETAL DEATHS due to COVID vaccines are almost 2,000% greater than deaths associated with other vaccines.

COVID vaccines are at least 75x deadlier than all other vaccines combined according to Medicine Regulators.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

GlobalResearch.ca

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Dr. Paul Thomas, a pediatrician from Oregon, has filed a $35 million defamation lawsuit against the states medical board over the defamation of his independent practice due to his refusal to follow mainstream medical advice regarding child vaccination schedules.

Thomas, owner of the Integrative Pediatrics clinic, recently left his mainstream practice after seeing how many children were being harmed by the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. He has practiced pediatric medicine for over 30 years.

I started a practice where we honored informed consent, he said during an interview with Del Bigtree on The Highwire.

Over time, the medical board got wind of this  or maybe it was the publication of my book  whatever, they started coming after me. (Related: Health Ranger Report with Mike Adams: Thomas Renz preparing to expose Fauci for CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.)

In a different interview, this time with the Portland Business Journal, Thomas said his practice is just about asking questions and seeking the right information regarding the health outcomes of vaccinated children compared to unvaccinated children.

Thomas lawsuit stated that scientific inquiry has proven that children who received the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) recommended vaccine schedule were much less healthy than children who did not.

The lawsuit also detailed Thomas childhood. He grew up in Zimbabwe  then called Rhodesia  and his village had no running water, electricity or even glass windows. Thomas mother was a nurse, and their home became the de facto health center for the village.

By the time Dr. Thomas was in his teens, he had seen more deaths than most Americans will see in their lifetimes, read the lawsuit. Thomas went further by noting how he realized that the CDCs recommended vaccination schedule was poisoning children with mercury after listening to a presentation at a medical conference.

To this end, Thomas has come up with an alternative vaccination plan which he claims has been followed by more than 1,000 children born into his practice and none of whom have developed autism.

Lawsuit latest move in years-long battle with Oregon Medical Board over vaccinating children

Thomas suit stated that he has gone up against the Oregon Medical Board since Dec. 2018, when the board started scouring the earth with the intent to find something to put him out of business and unable to practice medicine.

Its insistence on absolute fealty to the CDC recommendations is anti-science, read the lawsuit.

In Dec. 2020, Thomas license was suspended over his alleged failure to adequately vaccinate children against preventable and debilitating diseases, a move that the Oregon Medical Board called grossly negligent.

At the time, the board said Thomas had published an alternative vaccination schedule that decreases the frequency of many recommended vaccines and omits others, including rotavirus. This, the board claimed without evidence, left hundreds of kids vulnerable to multiple potentially life-threatening illnesses including whooping cough, tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella.

Thomas suspension wasnt lifted until June 2021, when he agreed to a deal with the medical board to limit his practice only to patients that require acute care. This deal also prevented him from discussing vaccinations with his patients.

Then in Nov. 2021, the medical board issued an Amended Complaint and Notice of Proposed Disciplinary Action against Thomas, alleging unprofessional or dishonorable conduct, repeated negligence and claiming that he made so-called false or misleading statements.

Thomas $35 million lawsuit seeks to put an end to the harassment he is experiencing.

Im fighting for every kid in the world, said Thomas. We have got to get the power away from these boards that are actually changing  the whole patient-doctor relationship. Its being destroyed in front of our eyes.

Watch this episode of The HighWire with Del BigTree as he interviews Dr. Paul Thomas regarding his lawsuit against the Oregon Medical Board.

This video is from the channel The HighWire with Del Bigtree on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Romanian lawmaker GRILLS Big Pharma executives over lack of accountability for dangerous COVID-19 vaccines.

Military whistleblowers submit report claiming COVID-19 vaccine mandate is UNLAWFUL.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams fires 1,752 city employees for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine (that doesnt stop COVID infections).

Lawsuit seeks $6 million in damages for each plaintiff over Bostons COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Dr. Ardis Show: Oregon pediatrician reveals the truth about unvaccinated children.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

BizJournals.com
(Natural News) While all of her cohorts at Fox News had received the Fauci Flu jabs and were spreading COVID all over the workplace, Breanna Morello thought the semi-conservative network wasnt part of the liberal wasteland that denies people medical choice, but she was wrong. With dreams of producing the Tucker Carlson show, Breanna Morello had relocated to NYC last January after working remotely on Fox Business News shows, including Maria Bartiromos Wall Street and Wall Street Journal at Large. Fox Corporation did NOT inform her prior to her relocation that they were force-vaccinating all employees for gain-of-function syndrome, and had she known, she would have never even relocated from Florida.

Just as Fox News accepted the fake election results in 2020, they accepted the propaganda of the Fauci Flu, including forced vaccination mandates

Make no mistake, Fox Corp is in bed with Big Pharma, and always has been. Its a huge part of their revenue model, so they cant just go stabbing them in the back (pun intended) with counter-narrative (truth) about the deadly COVID jabs, or even allow employees freedom of medical choice. It just doesnt fit their business model. After all, Big Pharma helped fake a pandemic to help Biden steal the election, so why wouldnt Fox News Corp follow lockstep with illegal vaccine mandates?

Even though Tucker Carlson is very good at exposing the fraud and corruption of the Biden Regime and much of the COVID tyranny, the network as a whole was not planning on letting Breanna Morello climb to the top without first getting injected with the worlds most deadly injections.

At first, Morello was told she could voluntarily submit vaccination status via email, but when she declined, Fox Corp HR told her it was mandatory. Their pursuit of her personal medical records became relentless, even from the higher ups. They claimed they were only in need of her records for coordinating seating arrangements for when she returned to the office. Sure.

Morello was later informed she MUST receive her first dose of a billion spike proteins within days, or she would be put on unpaid leave for missing the deadline (another pun). This forced vaccination propaganda was hinged on the illegal NYC private sector mandate and even offered an illegal BRIBE of $500 for every employee who proved they had deadly spike proteins in their blood by a certain date.

Liberal hacks and pharma shills run Fox News Human Resources Department

Morello witnessed her vaccinated colleagues contract COVID just days after the holidays last year. They were ironically the office super-spreaders, not the unvaccinated. Still, the Fauci-worshipping goons in HR were pushing the vax narrative relentlessly, while Morello continued to work remotely as a weekend producer. HR goons created their own fake rules and told Morello she was allowed to enter the office for 15 minutes or less to handle certain business, then she must leave.

Not one person at the entire Fox Corp legal department sided with Morello and offered any advice or support for her justified denial of the deadly COVID jabs. She knew it probably meant the end of her opportunity to produce the Tucker Carlson show, and the end of her Fox Corp career. They were not going to let up, especially since Fox Corp took money from the Biden Admins HHS to promote the deadly Fauci jabs.

Finally, Morello was forced to submit her letter of resignation to HR at Fox Corp. She wrote, I believe it is unethical to continue promoting the sacrifices firemen, police officers, nurses, and other essential workers are making in order to push back against these unconstitutional mandates. We do all of this while knowing weve so cowardly caved. Based on our own reporting, we all know Im not a threat to anyones health in the office. We should believe in the work we produce. We shouldnt be spewing stories we dont actually believe in. I truly do believe in the message we deliver each day and thats why Im leaving. Please tell your colleagues, if they disagree with our companys messaging they should also resign.

Bookmark Vaccines.news to your favorite independent websites for updates on experimental vaccines that cause blood clots, myocarditis, and severe, chronic inflammation.

Sources for this article include:

BreannaMorello.substack.com

NaturalNews.com

Pandemic.news

GatewayPundit.com
(Natural News) A New York City middle school teacher has admitted to undercover journalists with Project Veritas that she is essentially grooming students to become left-wing revolutionaries who commit violence against their political opponents, which is actually the very definition of terrorism.

Ariane Franco, who is supposed to be an English teacher, explained to the undercover journalists how she tries to convince her students to behave when it comes to protests.

This is what I told my students. I was like, Guys, theres strategic ways to do this [protest]. You want toI brought up [a] crazy organization that has done this. Like, they chose which places to throw bricks in. They chose  and they didnt do it in their own neighborhoodThey didnt do it to black and brown communities. Doing it to our own community does not make sense, Franco said.

Translation: Go destroy someone elses neighborhood or business, but not where you live.

You got to go after the people who its not directly affectingThrow it [brick] at the people that are actually doing the things that [need to] change, she continued.

She is also teaching them to hate their own country.

I tell them  my kids  we dont stand up for the Pledge [of Allegiance]. We do the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, you know, but we keep going on our business, she said on hidden camera. It was a class decision at the beginning of the school year: Theyre not talking about me, so Im not standing up, you know?

Of course, the only way middle school students would believe that the pledge isnt about them is if they were taught to think that.

At one point, when I first started challenging it [the Pledge of Allegiance], I had my kids change the wordsIt was something like  I think we added at the end, And we will fight for those who this does not address, or something like that. We added to [it] because its like, And liberty and justice for all, and we will fight until that is true,' she said, denying that, in fact, it is already true in America.

She also told the undercover journalist that she used to try and take a knee during the pledge like supporters of Black Lives Matter, another sign of blatant disrespect for a country that protects her rights and the rights of every other American to express themselves in that manner.

In fact, her side of the political aisle  the left  is the side that does not believe political opponents deserve free expression. Their philosophy is that anyone who disagrees with them or espouses a position on an issue they dont like should be canceled.

Franco was just the latest left-wing education official to be exposed by Project Veritas. In late August, the group exposed Jeremy Boland, Assistant Principal of Cos Cob Elementary School in Greenwich, Conn., who also admitted to brainwashing students with left-wing political garbage by not hiring teachers believed to be right-leaning or conservative.

Believe it or not, the open-minded, more progressive teachers are actually more savvy about delivering a Democratic message without really ever having to mention politics, he told an undercover PV journalist.

So, its subtle. They [teachers I hire] will never say, Oh, this is [a] liberal or a Democratic way of doing this. Theyll just make that the norm  and this is how we handle things, its subtleThats how you get away with it, he continued. The conservative [teacher], who is stuck in her ways. Ill never be able to fire her, and Ill never be able to change her. So, I make an impact with the next teacher I hire.

Protestants in this area [of Connecticut] are probably the most liberal. But if theyre Catholic  conservativeYou dont hire them, he added.

Sources include:

ProjectVeritas.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The Small Business Administration (SBA) may have given away up to $1.3 billion in Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic relief funding to unqualified foreign applicants, including international criminal organizations, according to a report from the SBAs inspector general.

The SBA is an independent federal agency tasked with providing support to small businesses and entrepreneurs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it provided struggling small businesses and nonprofit organizations up to $2 million in loans each through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program, as well as other grants and advances.

The EIDL program was only meant to provide grants to businesses located within the United States that were impacted by the pandemic. But the SBA acknowledged that it failed to properly screen its loan approvals.

The SBA awarded 41,638 grants totaling $1.3 billion to applicants that applied for the aid using computers believed to be located abroad. This includes 3,097 approved grant applications from people located in six unspecified high risk countries. These people received more than $14 million in EIDL money. (Related: Biden is still spending TRILLIONS of taxpayer dollars that were set aside for COVID-19 stimulus.)

The report noted that these foreign recipients of EIDL grant money are different from Americans and foreigners living abroad who may have qualified for EIDL relief if they met certain eligibility requirements, noted the report.

The numerous applications submitted from foreign IP addresses are an indication of potential fraud that may involve international criminal organizations, the inspector generals report stated. It added that the risk of fraud in the program was very high because of the history of fraud originating from transnational crime organizations that have stolen funds from U.S. programs in the past.

The federal governments response to COVID was panicked and not thought out, noted E.J. Antoni, an economics fellow at The Heritage Foundations Center for Data Analysis, in an interview with the Daily Caller. The careless, shotgun approach to disbursing unneeded aid was an invitation for fraud, both at home and abroad.

Ranking member of the House Small Business Committee Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri, in an interview with the Free Beacon, noted that the report shows the SBA does not have the necessary measures in place for it to track down and prevent fraud.

The SBA is not outfitted with the necessary infrastructure to manage large-scale and direct loan programs such as EIDL, he said. With the already challenging task of recovering fraudulent funds now compounded with potential foreign criminal elements, the SBA requires significant programmatic reforms to prevent even more losses.

SBA blames Trump for COVID stimulus fraud

In response to the inspector generals report, SBA spokeswoman Christina Carr said that the issues stemmed from a technical decision made during the administration of former President Donald Trump, which has since been rectified.

Carr claimed that the $1.3 billion in questionable funds represented less than 0.04 percent of the $342 billion allotted for the EIDL.

Furthermore, Carr claimed that the SBAs systems successfully stopped millions of attempts to access its online application portal from foreign IP addresses and that the agency is committed to ensuring that effective fraud controls are in place for future programs.

Another SBA spokesperson laid the blame solely on the Trump administration. Under the previous administration, a decision not to require a static IP address for EIDL applicants was made, said a spokesman.

He added that under the leadership of current SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman, this administration immediately set to work to implement risk control measures designed to help prevent fraud, including monitoring of the IP static address for EIDL applicants.

Guzman began her tenure as SBA administrator in March 2021. The agency stopped accepting EIDL applications on Jan. 1 and the programs portal was shut down in May, strongly suggesting that Guzman didnt really oversee any changes to how EIDL applications were made and should not take any credit for preventing fraud.

Learn more about government corruption at BigGovernment.news.

Watch this clip from The Evening Edit on Fox Business as host Elizabeth MacDonald talks to Florida Rep. Byron Donalds about who is to blame for the massive amounts of COVID-19 relief fraud.

This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Government lost as much as $100 billion to stimulus money fraud during COVID-19 pandemic.

Wife of former Connecticut state representative admits to stealing COVID-19 funds.

AOC says she helped huge amounts of illegal aliens get taxpayer stimulus checks (Video).

Arrival of COVID-19 stimulus checks fueled a surge in opioid overdose deaths.

Secret Service: Almost $100 billion worth of COVID relief funds STOLEN.

Sources include:

FreeBeacon.com

DailyCaller.com

PhillyTrib.com

Brighteon.com
Aluminium Bahrain, one of the world' leading aluminium smelters, remains committed to the kingdoms Net Zero objectives, said its CEO Ali Al Baqali at a key industry event in Spain.

Al Baqali was speaking at the International Aluminium 2022 by Fastmarkets is being held at the InterContinental Barcelona.

Taking part in the Executive Panel Discussion today (September 14) along with other global industry leaders, Al Baqali highlighted the various initiatives under Albas ESG Roadmap to support Bahrains objectives to reach Net Zero Emissions by 2060 which include the addition of Block 4 to Power Station 5 that will contribute to reduce the companys overall GHG emissions.

At plus-1.561 million metric tonnes per annum (2021), Alba is one of the worlds largest aluminium smelters with more than 50 years of excellence in operations, safety, environment and socio-economic development. A blue-chip asset of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Alba completed five decades of commercial operations in May 2021. The company marked its Golden Jubilee by breaking all its previous records in Safety and topped 30 million Safe working-hours without Lost Time Injury (LTI) on 01 September 2022 for the first-time in its history.

The Executive Panel later discussed major industry issues such as the shifting market dynamics, regional outlooks for the industry, as well as strategic considerations of investment in a low-carbon world.

The Alba delegation, headed by Al Baqali, comprises Chief Supply Officer Waleed Tamimi, Director Marketing Boris Santosi as well as officials from Albas sales office in Zurich, Switzerland.-TradeArabia News Service
(Natural News) In a bid to prevent a global food crisis, the United Nations has resorted to begging Russia for mercy concerning its export of fertilizer to Western countries that need it for crops.

Right now, a pipeline that once transported ammonia from Russia to Ukraines Black Sea port of Yuzhny (renamed Pivdennyi) is offline due to Western sanctions against Russia. Consequently, much-needed fertilizer has stopped flowing.

Before the war, Russia accounted for about 20 percent of all global exports of ammonia, a key ingredient in fertilizer production. The ammonia pipeline in question has been closed since the February invasion began. (Related: The UN was warning back towards the start of covid that a famine of biblical proportions was soon to come.)

The pipeline is capable of transferring 2.3 million tons of ammonia per year, which would be really nice right about now amid skyrocketing fertilizer prices.

Talks are moving in the right direction and every effort is being made by all parties at every level to ensure a positive outcome, announced Rebeca Grynspan, a UN trade official.

Putin blasts UN for earlier grain deal, says EU took most of it rather than the poorer countries for which it was intended

If the UNs proposal is a success, some two million tons of Russian fertilizer worth $2.4 billion will make its way from the former Soviet Union through the same sea corridor that was recently unblocked following a grain deal forged between Russia and Ukraine.

That deal was made back in July as part of a UN-brokered deal similar to the one now being negotiated for ammonia. Part of that agreement included a promise from the UN to help lift international sanctions on exports of not just fertilizer but also food products.

Vladimir Putin agreed to that deal under an agreement that the grain would be sent to poorer developing countries most in need  countries that got caught in the fray of Western sanctions. A bulk of it, however, ended up being rerouted straight to the European Union.

Almost all the grain exported from Ukraine ended up in the EU, Putin is quoted as saying in condemnation of that deal and how it was handled.

With that in mind, one wonders if Putin will even consider the new UN proposal about fertilizer, seeing as how that, too, will likely end up being sent to the likes of Germany and France as opposed to Africa and the Middle East.

How about the UN urge the United States of Endless WAR to STOP sending arms to the Nazis in Ukraine! wrote a commenter at RT.

To whom, UN?! Africa or EU?! As you did with grain exports, wrote another about where all the fertilizer in question will be routed once all is said and done. Out of 89 ships that departed from Ukraine, 87 finished in EU, and only two in Africa. Bloody liars, thieves, and hypocrites.

Several others emphasized that the EU is owned and controlled by the enemy, adding that the UN is the largest terrorist group in the world and needs to be immediately defunded.

Beware the UN, wrote another. They want Europe to help steal the fertilizer just like they did the grain.

Not selling fertilizer to EU and NATO states might be a better deal than Russia selling fertilizers to them, someone else chimed in. They are, after all, engaged in a proxy war against Russia, and Russia doesnt owe them anything.

Another thing to consider is that fertilizer inputs can also be used to make explosives, which is another concern that Russia will want to consider before complying with the UNs request.

More of the latest news about this subject can be found at FoodCollapse.com.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

NaturalNews.com
Chicago is affected by a filthy scene caused by flash flooding. In Chicago on Sunday, torrential rain led to the flooding of hundreds of basements, many cars' abandonment, and Soldier Field's transformation into a swamp.

On Monday, the Midwest, particularly the area around Milwaukee, was still suffering from the severe rain.

Welcoming Rain

On September 11, a rainfall that affected the Chicago area all day long caused water pipes to rupture and cars to halt on city streets.

Up to 12:30 p.m., a flash flood warning was in effect-Sunday local time for most of Cook County. Just before 10:30 a.m., local law enforcement first received reports of flash flooding in parts of north Chicago. About an hour later, the National Weather Service reported further flooding on highways.

According to Block Club Chicago, hundreds of locals reported flooding in their basements, with some even reporting up to 6 inches of water. Under a Chicago Metra line, at least 2 feet of water had gathered, stalling vehicles.

Also Read: US West Starts to Cool Down

Flooding Everywhere

Only east of Interstates 90 and 94, Ravenswood Manor received 4.32 inches of rain just three hours late on Sunday morning. More than 2.5 inches of rain was recorded in several other localized regions, including West Ridge, Harwood Heights, and Portage Park.

According to NBC Chicago, the Windy City had its worst flooding in the previous two years. A homeowner of Ravenswood named John Carruthers told the news organization that on Sunday, he had to vacuum out around 1 inch of water from his basement. Fortunately, I finished it before the Bears game ended, Carruthers told NBC Chicago.

On Sunday morning, there was a significant water burst near Anthem Church Chicago. Photos and videos on social media showed the water rising above the structure as vehicles passed it on the flooded street. Near the Heritage Outpost Coffee Shop in uptown Chicago, another water burst was seen soaring several feet into the air.

Water could be poured into buildings in various sites throughout the city, including at Thorndale and Kenmore. On the Chicago subreddit, several Chicagoans uploaded pictures of their flooded streets and residences, including a basement in Lincoln Square and flash flooding in Rogers Park.

Moving Midwest

The storm moved into the Midwest late on Saturday, bringing many people's first rain drops. By early Sunday morning, a region of heavy precipitation and thunderstorms had formed throughout parts of Wisconsin and Illinois, drenching cities from Madison and Milwaukee to Rockford and Bloomington.

The storm moved into the Midwest early on Saturday night, delivering Wisconsin and Illinois torrential rain and thunderstorms. By Sunday morning, communities from Madison and Milwaukee to Chicago and Bloomington had received significant rainfall.

Reminder to Remain Careful

Residents were cautioned to use caution and refrain from driving through standing water on streets, viaducts, and low-lying areas by the National Weather Service and the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

Related Article: Exposure to Major Disasters Can Cause Long-Term Mental Health Problems

For more climate and weather updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Pakistani flood victims experience dangerous circumstances and food shortages. The weeks of relentless floods in the hard-hit nation have resulted in a humanitarian disaster; it urgently needs food, clean water, medication, and sanitary facilities.

Dire Situation

Over 100,000 people were forced from their homes in Pakistan after weeks of devastating flooding destroyed countless acres of crops, leaving those left behind in serious need of food, water, and medical attention.

Record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in Pakistan's northern highlands have caused flooding during the past month. As of September 5, the floods have affected 33 million people in Pakistan, claimed at least 1,314 lives-including 458 children and destroyed or damaged 33 million homes.

Extreme Weather

According to The Guardian, Pakistan had 15.4 inches of rain in July and August, roughly 190% higher than the 30-year normal. Additionally, according to AccuWeather, Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, had a more than 24-hour increase in rainfall during a monsoon storm in late July.

Numerous bridges, 7,000 kilometers of highways, and approximately two million houses and businesses have been destroyed, causing significant structural damage throughout the nation.

According to AFP, a new body of water that the floods in southern Sindh (one of Pakistan's four provinces) have formed has widened over the last several weeks, displacing thousands and submerging hundreds of communities and farms.

Ayaz Ali, a rescued villager, told AFP that "nobody knows where their hamlet is anymore; the average guy can no longer identify his own house."

Also Read: Global Weirding: Humans Have Drastically Altered the Climate to the Point of Bringing Chaos

Lack of Toilet Facilities

Those who have traveled to the temporary settlements have described conditions that are worse than what they found in their own houses, including foul smells from waste and rotting foliage and a lack of functional toilets.

According to Muhammad Iqbal of the Pakistan-based humanitarian group Alkhidmat Foundation, "there is an enormous demand for drinking water and bathroom facilities." He did warn them that they could have to wait longer.

Iqbal claimed that until the flooding problems have been handled, the government's priority is "draining the flooded regions," putting most of the relief efforts in the hands of volunteers.

Food Crisis

The country's agricultural heartland has been submerged, raising concerns about how the floods may affect Pakistan's food supply. According to the International Rescue Committee, Pakistan's crops have suffered damage on more than 3.6 million acres due to the floods.

Pakistan used to sell excess wheat to Afghanistan and other nations, but now it needs to import wheat and vegetables.

Shahbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, recently gave Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an update on the situation and thanked Turkey for sending aid supplies, including food, tents, and medication. The nation and its military, United Nations organizations and neighborhood charities have given much-needed food to people imprisoned in the temporary camps. More than 660,000 individuals are presently residing in the camps.

Call for Help

Many nations, including the United States, have stepped up and sent more than 60 planeloads of aid to Pakistan after pleading with the UN to dispatch assistance. According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, three American military aircraft bringing relief touched down in the southern Sindh province on Monday, making a total of 10 such flights to have done so since the crisis started.

The Meteorological Department predicts that this week will be another difficult one for the nation since light rain is anticipated to fall during the week in flood-affected areas.

Volunteers have consistently stood by their fellow citizens throughout the conflict.

Related Article: Exposure to Major Disasters Can Cause Long-Term Mental Health Problems

For more climate and weather updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
A false fall season will show a glimpse of cooler temperatures for some parts of the US, but will eventually fuel temperatures to skyrocket in the coming days, according to US meteorologists warn. As the summer season is about to end, forecast indicates that the country will experience further above-average temperatures, especially in the Central US.

False Fall Season

CNN Meteorologist Jennifer Gray on Monday, September 12, reported that fall-like temperatures are within reach but it will not be for everyone. This is because the autumn weather will only be short-lived for only some parts of the country.

Gray calls it as a "false fall" season, citing that cooler temperatures will not come since temperatures could continue to soar this week, especially for the Rockies and Great Plains.

Based on the meteorologist's forecast, it will seem there will be an extended summer season this year, regardless of the onset of the fall equinox on September 22.

Also Read: Later Longer Leaf Change Season Incoming

Autumn Season Summary

The meteorological autumn season spans from September to November each year. During this period, above normal temperatures and precipitation are expected, as shown in previous years, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

In its autumn season summary report, the NWS took the state of Illinois as a sample of weather conditions during the period, with fall temperatures averaging in the 40s and with reported moderate chances of rainfall.

US Weather Forecast

Prior to the official arrival of the fall season, the US is still experiencing the remnants of the summer, marked by hot temperatures, recurring heat waves, and thunderstorms. In addition, heavy rainfall due to a tropical moisture had also affected the southern half of the US, including the Southwest, Deep South, and Southeast regions.

For the meantime, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) of the NWS on Tuesday has issued a new short-range US weather forecast. It is valid until Thursday, September 15.

The weather outlook includes a risk of excessive rainfall in south-central and eastern Nevada, as well as to southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona. This is due to a reported shortwave energy that will support the moisture moving into the Southwest, Great Basin, and Intermountain West in the coming days.

Heavy Rain and Thunderstorms

The WPC also predicts a risk of severe thunderstorm and showers in the Northeast due to a surface front moving into the region. Severe storms are possible in some areas, including those from eastern New York to the western New England.

The occurrence of isolated hail and brief tornado is also possible during afternoon and evening hours, the weather authorities assert.

Third Hottest Summer on Record

Furthermore, the US weather agency also mentioned the warming of the Great Plains and the cooling down of the Western US, which is still engulfed by several dozens of wildfires, including in the states of California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

On September 9, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated the US just underwent the "third hottest meteorological summer on record." In August, the country reportedly experienced above-average temperatures, as well as extreme rainfall events.

Based on the latest reports, the recent weather events cloud over a potentially full-blown fall season, which is typically colder and more windier on a regular basis.

Related Article: As Fall Season Approaches, Eastern United States Will Experience Cooler Air
A Canadian family is taking a trip to see the world before three of their children develop retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic condition that can lead to blindness.

When Canadian parents Sebastien Pelletier and Edith Lemay first started to notice that their daughter Mia had vision issues, their daughter was only three years old.

Mia, the oldest of the four children, was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa, a few years after they first took her to a specialist. The condition results in a loss or deterioration in vision over time.

By this time, Pelletier and Lemay, who have then been married for 12 years, had observed that their two sons, Laurent, now 5, and Colin, now 7, were exhibiting the same symptoms.

When the boys received the same genetic disorder diagnosis in 2019, their fears were confirmed. Leo, their other son, who is now nine, received the all-clear at the same time.

Lemay says that Since there is currently no cure for retinitis pigmentosa or reliable treatment to halt its progression, there is nothing that can be done.

Although the parents are unsure of how quickly it will progress, they anticipate that by midlife, the children will be fully blind.

Visual memories

Once the couple had come to terms with the news, they concentrated on giving their kids the tools they would need to succeed in life.

Mia's specialist recommended that they engage her with "visual memories." Lemay recognized that there was one truly amazing way that they could do exactly that for Mia and the other kids.

Lemay believes it is way better that she will take her daughter to see an actual elephant rather than show her an elephant from a book. Lemay declares that she will give her daughter the best, most beautiful images possible to store in her visual memory.

She and her husband quickly started planning to spend a whole year traveling the world with their children.

Even though Lemay and Pelletier had taken their children on several trips and had traveled together regularly before becoming parents, an extended family vacation hadn't previously seemed doable.

Read also: Blind Man Partially Regains His Vision With the Help of Genes From Algae

Pelletier, who works in finance, adds that the retinitis pigmentosa diagnosis comes with a sense of urgency. There are wonderful activities to do at home, but nothing beats traveling. not only to view the scenery, but also the various people and cultures.

They quickly started working on saving money, and when the company Pelletier worked for and owned shares in was acquired, it gave them a much-needed boost.

Lemay, who works in healthcare logistics, admits that it was like a little gift from life, as the money for their trip was suddenly provided to them.

The six-person family had a detailed itinerary that included visiting China and traveling across Russia by land. They were originally scheduled to leave in July 2020, CNN Travel reports.

Related article: Immune System Can Slow Degenerative Eye Disease, NIH-led Mouse Study Shows
Microplastics have made their way into practically every ecosystem in the world, even though they have only been there for a short time.

They have been found in the soil, rivers, food, bottled water, and even the human body.

For the first time, researchers discovered microplastics in water trapped in plant leaf axils.

Katarna Fogaova, Peter Manko, and Jozef Obona of the University of Preov, Slovakia, first traveled to Eastern Slovakia to investigate the creatures that live in the little water puddles that occur in teasel leaf axils.

Dipsacus teasels have distinctive opposing leaves that grow on the stem above one other on multiple levels.

Microplastics from water trapped on plant leaves

Telmata is cup-like structures that gather water when they grip the stem, as per ScienceDaily.

Teasel phytotelmata are a very widespread yet underappreciated aquatic microcosm that appears for just three to four months.

Surprisingly, they discovered varied colored bits and strands, some of which reached 2.4 mm in length and were classified as microplastics.

"These phytotelmata are very tiny and have a brief lifespan," the researchers wrote in their report, which was published in BioRisk.

There were no additional sources of pollutants detected in the study region, thus the shards and fibers most likely originated from contaminated air, they propose; another idea is that snails transferred them from the soil or other plants in or on their bodies.

According to the researchers, the presence of microplastics in small short-term water reservoirs generated by plants is more proof that pollution of this type spreads through numerous channels and that no habitat on Earth is secure, which makes their discovery rather discouraging.

The results of the new study of teasel phytotelmata, on the other hand, as a very unusual and highly specific natural environment, offer many possibilities for use in researching the Spatio-temporal characteristics of microplastic pollution spread and its potential impact on the plants themselves, as well as organisms bound to them by ecological relationships.

Teasel phytotelmata, they argue, might be a suitable indication of microplastic presence due to their abundance and their capacity to acquire microplastics in a variety of ways from the environment.

As a result, the publication not only contains the first discovery of microplastic pollution in this type of habitat, but also the first proposition of an innovative methodology for the use of teasel phytotelmata and similar micro-ecosystems provided by plants (or artificially created) as bioindicators of the presence of microplastics in the environment potential sources and channels of their spread through the environment, and Spatio-temporal modifications in microplastic contamination.

Also Read: Robotic Fish That Sucks Microplastics from Waters Could Address Earth's Growing Microplastic Pollution

Root causes of microplastics in plants

Scientists have been working hard over the last decade to understand the effects of microplastics, as per PNNL.

Microplastics are piling up as a result of the breakdown of plastic bottles, the washing of the world's seven billion fleece coats, and the microbeads in facial cleansers.

It's uncertain how they affect living things like plants.

Plastics have the potential to produce chemical issues in the soil. Contaminants, like a magnetic attraction, can bond to plastics, resulting in harmful buildup.

Contaminants can also travel freely on plastics and potentially enter plants.

But first, scientists must determine if microplastics, or their much smaller progeny known as nano plastics, can enter plant cells in the first place.

Microplastics are a worldwide problem.

Particles have been discovered in every part of the globe, from isolated mountain peaks to ocean depths.

Over the previous decade, the majority of microplastic research has focused on aquatic habitats, which is paradoxical given that more microplastics have been discovered on land.

To comprehend the problems with nano- and microplastics in plants, researchers must first understand what's going on at the chemical and cellular levels, according to study co-author Carolyn Pearce, a geochemist at PNNL with a dual appointment in WSU's Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.

Microplastics, like a hazardous Trojan horse, can function as hot spots for contaminant transfer.

They attach to and collect soil pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

PCBs have been linked to cancer; their manufacture was prohibited in 1970, but they remain in the environment.

Not all microplastics are the same. They can range in size from a pencil eraser to a microbe. Nanoplastics are 100 times smaller than plant cells in size.

It's easy to envision plants absorbing plastic particles at that size, but there are size limits to what can pass through cell walls.

Related article: Researchers Have Found a Simple Method of Assessment in Microplastic Concentration to Urban Rivers
According to a tweet published by SAMI Defense on August 25, 2022, the first Avante 2000 (Al Jubail class) corvette Al Jubail has arrived in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

Avante 2000 corvette (Al Jubail class) Al Jubail (Picture source: SAMI Defense)

The Avante 2000 is a corvette design by the Navantia shipyard of Spain. Navantia has developed a Avante family of ships with different sizes but adapted to different missions and sharing the same design standard.

Navantia integrated multiple systems, including its Catiz combat management system, Hermesys integrated communications system, Dorna fire-control system and Minerva integrated bridge system.

In July 2018 it was announced that Navantia had signed an agreement with the Royal Saudi Navy for the production of five Avante 2000 corvettes with the last to be delivered by 2022 at a cost of approximately 2 billion Euros.

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia signed a joint-venture agreement with state-owned Saudia Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) to build five corvettes based on Avante 2000 for Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF).

Under the agreement, the last vessel must be delivered in 2024, including construction, Life Cycle Support for five years, with an option for another five years. The RSNF variant is called Avante 2200.

The Saudi Arabian variant is a 2,000-ton class vessel capable of performing anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and anti-air warfare (AAW). The Al Jubail-class corvette has a maximum range of 4,500 nautical miles, achieving 25 knots powered by four diesel engines in CODAD arrangement.

The Al Jubail-class is fitted with Leonardo SUPER RAPID 76mm main gun, Rheinmetall Air Defence MILLENNIUM 35mm close-in weapon system, four 12.7mm machine guns, 2x3 torpedo tubes, 2x4 anti-ship missiles, and 64 ESSM surface-to-air missiles (16-cell Mk 41).
The value of Bahrains exports of national origin jumped 8% during August to hit BD416 million ($1.09 billion) compared to BD386 million ($1.02 billion) for the same month last year.

The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 81% of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 19%, according to the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA).

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia topped the list of countries importing goods from Bahrain (worth BD88 million) followed by US with BD57 million and Netherlands with BD43 million.

Unwrought aluminum alloys emerged as the top products exported by the kingdom during August valued at BD161 million, agglomerated iron ores and concentrates came second with a value of BD58 million followed by aluminum wire (not alloyed) worth BD19 million, stated iGA in its foreign trade report of August 2022, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin), and re-exports.

Meanwhile, Bahrain's value of imports increased by 5%, reaching BD520 million during August compared to BD496 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 73% of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for 27%.

According to the report, China ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD90 million, followed by Australia (BD60 million) and Brazil (BD49 million).

Aluminum oxide emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain valued at BD58 million, while non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates came second with BD47 million, and parts for aircraft engines third with BD23 million.

According to iGA, the total value of re-exports increased by 14% to reach BD65 million for the month, compared to BD58 million the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 83% of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 17%.

KSA ranked first with goods worth BD14 million, followed by the United Arab Emirates with BD13 million and Hong Kong with BD6 million.

Vaccines topped the re-export items list valued at BD9 million, while wrist watches and nonprecious metal came in second place (BD5 million) and Turbo jets at third place with BD4 million, stated iGA in the report. .

The trade balance, the difference between exports and imports, recording a decrease in the value of the deficit totaling BD38 million during August 2022 compared to BD53 million for the same month of the previous year, an improvement of the trade balance by 27%, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Kempinski Hotel Muscat has selected six key Omani talents from the management, front office and culinary teams to be part its talent programme.



The team members were part of a six-week and eight-week cross exposure programme at five renowned Kempinski hotels in key feeder markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as part of the brands vision of being the Employer of Choice for local talents in luxury hospitality in Oman.



The participating hotels were Kempinski Hotel Das Tirol, Kempinski Hotel Berchtesgaden, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munchen, Kempinski Seychelles Resort and Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl - Doha.



As part of the programme, the task force team members were nominated to provide the necessary support to the selected hotels, to experience how some of our Kempinski hotels conduct their day to day business and provide their local versions of beautiful performances.



Kempinski Hotel Muscat, General Manager Carsten Wiegandt, said: As part of our contribution to Omans 2040 vision and to further strengthen our local Omani talent and the next generation of leaders, we are proud to take part in this program.



We fully support our shared values of encouraging creativity and innovation through the development of individual expertise, and are rooted in our authentic care for what we do. It is of utmost importance that we uphold Kempinskis philosophy of finding and developing local talents through training at various Kempinski hotels worldwide.



The participating team members from the Culinary Department showcased exquisite Omani and Arabic food in the hotels restaurants which saw a lot of excitement and great feedback from hotels in Europe.



Key positions from the Leadership Committee included Hotel Manager Nadine Al Balushi, Human Resources Manager Shamsa Al Wardi and Director of Finance Mohammed Al Harrasi, providing support to the hotels that they were assigned.  TradeArabia News Service
ILTM Asia Pacific took place in Singapore last week with some 800 attendees including business, networking and education leaders returning to participate in the APAC luxury travel event that has not taken place since the pandemic.



Launching dedicated research about the region entitled Decoding the luxury travel consumer mindset, Alison Gilmore Portfolio Director ILTM said: The pandemic has had a fundamental impact on traveller behaviour with some trends accelerating, some slowing down and others stabilising. The research surveyed almost 500 validated wealthy APAC travellers from 6 countries, a reliable barometer of luxury sentiment and habits in 2022.



The show floor saw many new hosted buyers from across the region as well as new exhibitors all eager to get back to business. Brent Wallace of SmartFlyer Australia spoke of the energy at the event. Its been amazing - this show has packed a punch. I have not stopped and have seen so many people I didnt expect to. The energy is amazing and I have got so much out of it."



Huiting Lim of Uniq Luxe Singapore said: Its been wonderful to reconnect with all our industry partners after so long. ILTM is the best place to meet luxury products that are suitable for our HNW clients.



Hanny Sutra Yunita of Travelplus Indonesia was a first time buyer at this years event and said; I was very excited about attending. This show is on another level to others. I met so many new products, from new destinations, Ponant Expeditions, Belmonds luxury trains and the many different regions of Switzerland.



Ming Tanaporn Owner, World Travel Designer (WTD) Thailand said: I first attended in 2019, and its nice to be back again. Its great to have an update of all the new properties that have opened over the past 2 years and to learn about those opening in the future. I loved seeing the Safari products and Rwanda especially was very interesting. We are expanding our business for clients into safaris so I was able to learn a lot. Our high-net-worth clients are now booking for next year and Europe is also one of their choices.



Exhibitors heard from the research presented during the ILTM Opening Forum that the future of this region has huge potential for luxury travel brands around the world.



Many affluent individuals are looking to resume travelling in style with almost half planning to spend more on holidays than pre-Covid trips, it said. At the same time, wealthy APAC travellers are also looking to use the services of a travel agent with 92% of those surveyed saying they will be using them over the next year.



Exhibitors were keen to make the most of their appointments with buyers to get their brands recognised once again and to seek those wealthy APAC travellers through their onsite pre-scheduled appointments.



Asia Jovanvic-Desir Director APAC, Australia and India Seychelles Tourism Board said: ILTM Asia Pacific is a prime opportunity for us and really cost effective. Ive seen over 30 agents in the short time we are here and had some 60 meetings overall. I managed to update a lot of Australian buyers which helps my business, as I have saved the cost of travelling there right now. Meeting the media was also very important as we dont know them individually, so for us to see journalists from Asia Pacific region and beyond with speed networking meetings, meant we could spread the word about the Seychelles. I can rate this whole experience as mission accomplished.



David Miro of the Catalan Tourist Board Asia Pacific added: This has been great. Getting back to face to face and learning from the buyers again has been wonderful. Its great to hear that the buyers want and need this event - so important to us as a tourist board here in the region.



In 2023, ILTM Asia Pacific will take place in Singapore 19 - 22 June.  TradeArabia News Service
Dhaka, Sep 14 (UNI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said that the new horizon of friendly relations between Bangladesh and India has started with her recent visit and added that India assured assistance to Bangladesh to solve the energy crisis.

The Prime Minister said this at the press conference organised about her recent visit to India. The press conference was held at Ganabhaban, the residence of the Prime Minister.

The press conference is being broadcast live on Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private television.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went on a four-day state visit to India on September 5. During the visit, Hasina held a bilateral and private meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It discussed issues related to security cooperation, investment, trade relations, cooperation in power and energy sectors, common river water distribution, water resource management, border management, drug smuggling and human trafficking prevention.

Seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between Bangladesh and India during her visit. After signing the memorandum, the two prime ministers issued a joint statement. After completing the visit, the Prime Minister returned to the country on the night of September 8.

UNI MAZ GK
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).
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Sunny along with a few clouds. High near 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low around 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Clear to partly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
Yerevan, Sep 14 (UNI) Armenia and Azerbaijan have reported nearly 100 troop deaths in their worst fighting since a 2020 war over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The last wave of fighting over Azerbaijans tense Armenian-populated enclave ended in a fragile truce brokered by Russia.

But on Tuesday, the Azeri defence ministry said 50 Azerbaijani servicemen died as a result of Armenias large-scale provocation, while Armenia earlier reported the deaths of at least 49 of its soldiers, Dawn reported.
The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a 113% increase in the "Years of Life Lost" among adolescents and young people in the United States due to unintentional drug overdose, according to researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine.

Study findings published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health also document the role of fentanyl in rising overdose rates.

Excess mortality was calculated in Years of Life Lost (YLL), which is the difference between the age at which a person dies and their expected remaining lifespan. In 2019, U.S. life expectancy at birth was 78.8 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mortality due to unintentional overdose in adolescents reached an all-time high in 2020. The majority of deaths involved fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. The trends depicted in this study signify the need for increased harm-reduction approaches and treatment of opioid use disorder in adolescents." Dr. O. Trent Hall, addiction medicine specialist, study corresponding author and assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ohio State

The number of adolescent YLL to unintentional drug overdose in the United States more than doubled from 39,579 in 2019 to 84,179 in 2020  an increase of 113%  after remaining relatively stable between 2016 and 2019. In 2020, the accumulated total of YLL to unintentional overdose surpassed that of cancer, said study first author Dr. Sarah Perou Hermans, clinical instructor in Ohio State's Department of Internal Medicine.

Synthetic opioids  including primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl  contributed to 81% of overdose deaths and 68,356 YLL, compared to 67% and 26,628 YLL in 2019. In addition, YLL to unintentional overdose during 2020 was higher for males (59,274) compared to females (24,905), Hermans said.

Researchers obtained data from the CDC's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research mortality file for years 2016-2020 to investigate unintentional overdose in adolescents aged 10-19.

"Our findings contribute to an emerging body of research documenting adolescent overdose and the impact of fentanyl across communities and this vulnerable population," Hermans said. "The death of a single adolescent to accidental drug overdose is unacceptable. We have sounded the alarm. Now it is time to start putting out the fire. We hope this study will spur public health officials into action. Our society has to prioritize these young lives."

This study replicates and extends Hall's earlier research, "Unintentional Drug Overdose Mortality in Years of Life Lost Among Adolescents and Young People in the US From 2015 to 2019," published in JAMA Pediatrics in January. That study was the first to use YLL to assessed unintentional drug overdose mortality among adolescents and young people.

"Our study extends on this research by examining trends by year, as well as by gender, age and substances involved. This study then compared unintentional overdoses with other leading causes of adolescent death to further quantify the impact of these mortalities," said Hermans.

For next steps, the research team intends to study overdose prevention, substance use treatment and harm reduction approaches to stop adolescents dying from overdose.
FUJIFILM Healthcare will be exhibiting at the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ISUOG) World Congress 2022 on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The hybrid event will be hosted both online and in person at the Novotel London West Hotel from the 16th to the 18th of September.ISUOG's World Congress is the leading event in ultrasound for obstetrics and gynaecology, with delegates attending from over 130 countries. The rich scientific program is designed and delivered by international experts, and promises to present the latest research and clinical best practice in the field.

Fujifilm is excited to be showcasing its new ARIETTA DeepInsight Ultrasound Series at the event. The platforms include Pure Imaging, seamless workflow, real-time virtual sonography, elastography and Foetal 3D, providing unprecedented image quality, user ergonomics and diagnostic confidence. Fujifilm will also be hosting several fascinating workshops and webinars featuring world-renowned specialists. These will cover a variety of key topics, such as Ultrasound imaging of normal foetal heart: the use of Doppler, and Ultrasound assessment of gynaecological diseases in childhood and adolescence. Meet the team at booth N1 in the exhibition hall and in the Graves (D7) meeting room, second floor. Book your place at the congress here.

About FUJIFLIM

FUJIFILM operates over 50 group companies and branches in Europe and is engaged in R&D, manufacturing, sales and service, with FUJIFILM Europe GmbH, located in Dusseldorf, Germany. The company operates as the strategic headquarters for the region. Throughout Europe, FUJIFILM entities serve a range of industries including medical technology, biopharmaceuticals, electronic materials, industrial products, chemicals, graphic systems, optical devices, data storage and all aspects of photography.

Over the last 20 years, the company has intensively focused on healthcare  from diagnosis to prevention and treatment. On March 31 2021, FUJIFILM Healthcare Europe, then known as Hitachi Medical Systems Europe, became part of the FUJIFILM group. FUJIFILM Healthcare Europe is a first-choice supplier of open and powerful high-field MRI systems, multi-slice CT systems as well as medical ultrasound devices in all kinds of clinical applications.

Together with FUJIFILM Medical Systems Europe, FUJIFILM Healthcare Europe is working side by side, acting as a one stop medical imaging partner that creates new value and contributes to the development of medical care. For more information about FUJIFILM Healthcare Europe, visit: https://hce.fujifilm.com  ARIETTA and DeepInsight are trade marks of FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation.
A team of international scientists led by the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has discovered that Neisseria - a genus of bacteria that lives in the human body - is not as harmless as previously thought, and can cause infections in patients with bronchiectasis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In a landmark study, published today in Cell Host & Microbe, the team showed conclusive evidence that Neisseria species can cause disease in the lung and are linked to worsening bronchiectasis (a type of lung disease) in patients.

Bronchiectasis is a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally enlarged for unknown reasons in up to 50 per cent of Singaporean patients. The disease is up to four times more prevalent among Asians as compared to their Western counterparts and can also occur following recovery from tuberculosis. In Singapore, research at Tan Tock Seng Hospital described 420 incident hospitalized bronchiectasis patients in 2017. The incidence rate is 10.6 per 100,000 and increases strongly with age.

Despite its prevalence among older people, no obvious cause is found in most cases of bronchiectasis and the condition tends to arise spontaneously and without warning.

To unravel the puzzle of why bronchiectasis worsens at a significantly greater rate among older Asian patients, the international team - spanning researchers and hospitals in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia, and the UK (see Annex) - led by LKCMedicine Associate Professor Sanjay Chotirmall, Provost's Chair in Molecular Medicine, matched disease and infection data from 225 patients with bronchiectasis of Asian (Singapore and Malaysia) origin to those from bronchiectasis patients in Europe.

Neisseria: not so harmless after all

While Neisseria species are well known to cause meningitis and gonorrhea, they are not known to infect lungs. Through detailed identification and meticulous characterization, the research team found that Neisseria dominated the microbiome of Asian patients with worsening bronchiectasis.

Specifically, bronchiectasis patients with predominant amounts of a subgroup of Neisseria called Neisseria subflava (N. subflava), experienced more severe disease and repeated infections (exacerbations) when compared to patients with bronchiectasis without such high amounts of Neisseria.

Upon further investigation using experimental cell and animal models, the research team confirmed that N. subflava causes cell disruption, resulting in inflammation and immune dysfunction in bronchiectasis patients with this bacterium.

Prior to this discovery, Neisseria was not considered to be a cause of lung infection or severe disease in bronchiectasis patients.

Lead investigator Prof Chotirmall from LKCMedicine, said, "Our findings have established, for the first time, that poorer clinical outcomes such as greater disease severity, poorer lung function and high repeated infection rates among bronchiectasis patients are closely associated to the bacteria Neisseria and that this finding is especially important for Asian patients."

"This discovery is significant because it can change how we treat our bronchiectasis patients with this bacterium. Doctors will now need to think about Neisseria as a potential 'culprit' in patients who are worsening despite treatment, and to conduct tests to identify those who may be harboring this type of bacteria in their lungs. We hope that early identification will lead to personalized therapy, and consequently, better disease outcomes for Asian patients with this devastating disease," said Prof Chotirmall, who is also Assistant Dean (Faculty Affairs) at LKCMedicine.

This study reflects NTU's efforts under NTU2025, the University's five-year strategic plan that addresses humanity's grand challenges such as human health. Conducted by international researchers from across various disciplines, the study also highlights NTU's strength and focus on interdisciplinary research.

Broader relevance of Neisseria

Aside from linking Neisseria and severe bronchiectasis, the NTU-led research team also detected the presence of the same bacteria in other more common chronic respiratory conditions such as severe asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - a condition that causes airflow blockage and breathing-related problems.

Using next-generation sequencing technologies, the team also sought to investigate where this bacterium may come from and sampled the homes of bronchiectasis patients with high amounts of Neisseria in their lungs. The researchers found the presence of the bacteria in the home environment, suggesting that the indoor living space and potentially the tropical climate may favour the presence of this bacteria in the Asian setting.

What is Neisseria?

The Neisseria bacteria species have been commonly identified as the cause of sexually transmitted infection like gonorrhea but also critically meningitis - an inflammation of the fluid and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Its sub-species N. subflava, however, is known to be found in the oral mucosa, throat, and upper airway of humans previously without any known link to lung infections.

This family of bacteria has always been thought of as harmless to humans, and infections caused by them have not been described - until now.

It is encouraging to see that we have made headway in identifying the Neisseria bacteria species as the cause of worsening bronchiectasis, the unlikely culprit that was originally not considered to be a threat. This comes as a strong reminder that we should not be too complacent when it comes to doing research and exercise more proactiveness in exploring various possibilities, as every seemingly innocent element could be a source of threat to our bodies and overall health." Wang De Yun, Co-author, Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore

Co-author Andrew Tan, Associate Professor of Metabolic Disorders from LKCMedicine, said, "The reverse translational approach adopted in this work was crucial to our success. Starting from the 'bedside' where we studied reallife patient experiences, we then worked backwards to uncover the biological process of the bacteria. Thanks to the interdisciplinary nature of the study, the team was able to interact with members from different research disciplines, offering an enjoyable experience while gaining unique insights into the disease."

The researchers are now looking to conduct further studies and clinical trials of Neisseria eradication from the microbiome through the newly launched LKCMedicine Centre for Microbiome Medicine, which is seeking evaluate the benefits of targeting and treating Neisseria with antibiotics at first detection, with the hope that this will lead to better clinical outcomes for patients with chronic respiratory conditions.
A team led by Van Andel Institute scientists has identified two distinct types of obesity with physiological and molecular differences that may have lifelong consequences for health, disease and response to medication.

The findings, published today in the journal Nature Metabolism, offer a more nuanced understanding of obesity than current definitions and may one day inform more precise ways to diagnose and treat obesity and associated metabolic disorders.

The study also reveals new details about the role of epigenetics and chance in health and provides insights into the link between insulin and obesity.

Nearly two billion people worldwide are considered overweight and there are more than 600 million people with obesity, yet we have no framework for stratifying individuals according to their more precise disease etiologies. Using a purely data-driven approach, we see for the first time that there are at least two different metabolic subtypes of obesity, each with their own physiological and molecular features that influence health. Translating these findings into a clinically usable test could help doctors provide more precise care for patients." J. Andrew Pospisilik, Ph.D., chair of Van Andel Institute's Department of Epigenetics and corresponding author of the study

Currently, obesity is diagnosed using body mass index (BMI), an index correlated to body fat that is generated by comparing weight in relation to height. It is an imperfect measure, Pospisilik says, because it doesn't account for underlying biological differences and can misrepresent an individual's health status.

Using a combination of laboratory studies in mouse models and deep analysis of data from TwinsUK, a pioneering research resource and study cohort developed in the United Kingdom, Pospisilik and his collaborators discovered four metabolic subtypes that influence individual body types: two prone to leanness and two prone to obesity.

One obesity subtype is characterized by greater fat mass while the other was characterized by both greater fat mass and lean muscle mass. Somewhat surprisingly, the team found that the second obesity type also was associated with increased inflammation, which can elevate the risk of certain cancers and other diseases. Both subtypes were observed across multiple study cohorts, including in children. These insights are an important step toward understanding how these different types impact disease risk and treatment response.

After the subtypes were identified in the human data, the team verified the results in mouse models. This approach allowed the scientists to compare individual mice that are genetically identical, raised in the same environment and fed the same amounts of food. The study revealed that the inflammatory subtype appears to result from epigenetic changes triggered by pure chance. They also found that there seems to be no middle ground -; the genetically identical sibling mice either grew to a larger size or remained smaller, with no gradient between them. A similar pattern was seen in data from more than 150 human twin pairs, each of whom were virtually the same genetically.

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"Our findings in the lab almost carbon copied the human twin data. We again saw two distinct subtypes of obesity, one of which appeared to be epigenetically 'triggerable,' and was marked by higher lean mass and higher fat, high inflammatory signals, high insulin levels, and a strong epigenetic signature," Pospisilik said.

Depending on the calculation and traits in question, only 30%50% of human trait outcomes can be linked to genetics or environmental influences. That means as much as half of who we are is governed by something else. This phenomenon is called unexplained phenotypic variation (UPV) and it offers both a challenge and untapped potential to scientists like Pospisilik and his collaborators.

The study indicates that the roots of UPV likely lie in epigenetics, the processes that govern when and to what extent the instructions in DNA are used. Epigenetic mechanisms are the reason that individuals with the same genetic instruction manual, such as twins, may grow to have different traits, such as eye color and hair color. Epigenetics also offer tantalizing targets for precision treatment.

"This unexplained variation is difficult to study but the payoff of a deeper understanding is immense," Pospisilik said. "Epigenetics can act like a light switch that flips genes 'on' or 'off,' which can promote health or, when things go wrong, disease. Accounting for UPV doesn't exist in precision medicine right now, but it looks like it could be half the puzzle. Today's findings underscore the power of recognizing these subtle differences between people to guide more precise ways to treat disease."

Pospisilik is hopeful that the team's findings will inform development of future precision medicine strategies and lead to a version of their method that may be used in doctors' offices to better understand individual patients' health and inform care.
Dan DeChellis started looking for a monkeypox vaccine around July Fourth but was unable to find a place that offered one in Orlando, Florida, where he lives.

After about a week of searching online, he and three friends made an appointment in Wilton Manors, a city about 3 hours south by car. DeChellis, who is gay, said he doesn't understand why the vaccine wasn't available closer to home or why getting answers about who was eligible from his local health department was so difficult.

"My biggest takeaway from our experience has been just the difference in the state of Florida from county to county," said DeChellis, 30, a supply chain manager who lost a half-day of work while traveling to get his first vaccine dose.

The perception that the response to the monkeypox virus in the South has lacked coordination has rekindled familiar concerns about recent state policies that leave members of the region's LGBTQ+ communities feeling marginalized and discriminated against. More urgently, it raises questions about whether state and local health departments are doing enough to protect the people principally affected by the virus: men who have sex with men.

States like New York and California have followed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation to prioritize gay and bisexual men in outreach, vaccination, and treatment for monkeypox. Such states have declared a public health emergency and initiated aggressive, targeted vaccination campaigns. Although New York and California are the states with the highest number of cases, Florida, Georgia, and Texas are home to robust gay communities and together have just over a quarter of the country's confirmed monkeypox cases.

But in Florida, and in other areas of the South, gay men fear that the monkeypox response is not being consistently prioritized because the virus affects the health of gay men, especially those who are Black or Hispanic. And they worry that local governments are not responding with urgency to diseases that primarily affect marginalized communities.

"They are not going to go out of their way to help us," said Hank Rosenthal, 74, a gay man and retired emergency medicine physician who lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Jeremy Redfern, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health and speaking on behalf of the local health departments, said the agency is "fully integrated" to respond to public health needs across the state's 67 counties. "There are no jurisdictional boundaries to our reach in Florida," he said. "There is no politics with monkeypox."

But recent laws like a Florida one that prohibits instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in some elementary school grades  referred to as the "Don't Say Gay" bill by opponents  and the state's ban on transgender care for people with Medicaid have created a hyperpoliticized atmosphere around issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups say. And that has some groups feeling the need to take matters into their own hands, especially in states that downplayed the covid-19 pandemic and banned face mask and vaccine mandates to limit the spread of the virus.

"We mobilize, and we try to make stuff happen because our job is to take care of our community," said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, an advocacy group for LGBTQ+ rights. "We can't depend on the state to provide the relief and safety that we need, so we have to organize ourselves."

Florida's first suspected case of monkeypox was reported in Broward County in late May. Since then, the health department has reported that most of the state's more than 2,200 cases  about 2 in 3  have occurred in South Florida's Miami-Dade and Broward counties, where DeChellis and his friends traveled to obtain a monkeypox vaccine.

The vaccine, called Jynneos, ships from the strategic national stockpile directly to five county health departments. From there, the state sends vaccines to doctors, hospitals, and other county health departments "as needed," Redfern said.

The national stockpile ships vaccines to five sites per state and at first used a distribution system that was unfamiliar to state officials; it required them to track doses manually and place orders by email instead of through an automated system, creating a bottleneck. On Sept. 6, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it had awarded a $20 million contract to a private wholesale company to significantly" expand vaccine distribution to more sites in the coming weeks.

As government responses improve, LGBTQ+ advocates and people who have tried to get vaccinated in Florida say vaccine access and information during the first months of the virus's spread were inconsistent. They said local health departments used different eligibility criteria, appointment scheduling systems, and public outreach.

Brandon Lopez of Orlando said that when he first tried to get vaccinated through his local health department in June, he was told that only health care workers in laboratories and those who draw blood were eligible. Lopez, 30, said he considered driving to Miami after hearing that friends there got the shots but was told appointments were only for local residents.

Some counties announced online scheduling for appointments in mid-July, but many people who tried to sign up said that no slots were available or that they received an error message prompting them to create a new email account.

"I'm looking at my friends that live in Chicago, that live in San Francisco, that live in Washington, D.C., and they're able to just walk up to a place," said Josh Roth, 33, of Orlando, who waited nearly three weeks to get his first vaccine dose. "They may have a couple of hours to wait, but they're able to get the shots."

Advocates are also concerned that people with more education, money, and time might be better able to access the shots.

Early data suggests that Black and Hispanic men are disproportionately affected by monkeypox cases, yet non-Hispanic white patients have received more first doses of the vaccine than any other group, according to the CDC.

More appointments began to open up in Florida in mid-August after the FDA authorized a new method of giving the vaccine that required training and special equipment but stretched the nation's limited supply.

DeChellis did not have to drive to Wilton Manors for his second shot on Aug. 23, and Roth received his second dose as scheduled. After trying for weeks to get an online appointment, Lopez got vaccinated in early August at the Orange County health department in Orlando.

But the experience made him feel as though monkeypox was not an urgent matter for local health officials. "My expectation is that if it doesn't affect a mass group of people, it's not going to be a priority," Lopez said.

After the monkeypox outbreak began, some health departments in the South began partnering with so-called trusted messengers in the LGBTQ+ community to raise awareness and host vaccine clinics.

In South Florida, for example, Broward County's health department reached out to high-risk groups in the community for help getting people vaccinated, said Robert Boo, CEO of the Pride Center at Equality Park, a nonprofit that provides health and social services for LGBTQ+ people and that hosted a vaccine drive. In Texas, Equality Texas held a webinar with doctors and other experts who answered questions from the public.

But in other areas, gay and bisexual men said they could not get answers, not even from their local health departments.

Florida, Georgia, and Texas together make up 26% of the nearly 22,000 confirmed cases reported as of Sept. 9, but their response has been unlike California's and New York's, where emergency declarations from governors have allowed more health care workers to administer the vaccine and local health departments to access more money from the state for vaccinations, education, and outreach.

"An emergency declaration does nothing for the response," said Redfern, the spokesperson at the Florida health department, which is responding to a concurrent outbreak of meningococcal disease also primarily affecting gay and bisexual men.

"There is nothing a new state of emergency order would do for Georgians that isn't already being done," said Andrew Isenhour, a spokesperson for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. He also said the Georgia Department of Public Health has been raising awareness about monkeypox and recently launched a statewide portal for scheduling vaccinations.

In Texas, Austin and Dallas officials declared local emergencies in early August. The Texas Department of State Health Services declined to comment on whether a declaration is warranted statewide.

Some providers, like Dr. Ivan Melendez of the Hidalgo County Health Authority in South Texas, agree that because monkeypox is spreading primarily among men who have sex with men, a statewide declaration is not needed. Lab testing, vaccines, and guidance for both clinicians and the public are available.

But others say an emergency declaration would signal that a threat exists, free up funding, require additional reporting, and cut bureaucratic red tape.

"It gives us a concerted response," said Jill Roberts, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of South Florida. "It allows for more information: Where are vaccines going? Where are cases happening? Where are the hot spots we can hit?"

Dr. Melanie Thompson, an Atlanta physician who provides care for people living with HIV, said she would like the state and governor to play a stronger role in coordinating a uniform response across Georgia's 159 counties. Not all local health departments are adequately staffed or funded, Thompson said.

"They're all out there doing their own thing," she said. "Some counties do a really good job with that. Other counties don't."
In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers assessed the immunogenicity, safety, and booster-efficacy of the Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccine currently being used for immunization against monkeypox.

Background

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease first documented in Western and Central Africa in the 1970s and 1980s. Over the last decade, emergent cases of monkeypox were reported from Africa until May 2022, when a more widespread outbreak resulted in the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring it a public health emergency of international concern.

The monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus and is related to the Variola virus, which causes smallpox. Smallpox was eradicated by the 1970s using two generations of replicating vaccinia virus-based vaccines and the third generation MVA vaccine. The MVA-BN vaccine is now being used to combat the global monkeypox outbreak.

The replicating vaccinia virus-based vaccines caused some potentially adverse reactions, including eczema vaccinatum, myopericarditis, and post-vaccinal encephalitis, especially in immunocompromised individuals. The attenuated non-replicating MVA vaccine had substantially lower adverse reactions. Although the MVA vaccine has proven effective in immunization against monkeypox, studies on its long-term immune response and booster efficacy are lacking.

About the study

In the present study, the researchers conducted an initial clinical study to measure the immune responses elicited by one or two primary doses of the MVA-BN vaccine and compared it to the anamnestic response from a booster MVA-BN dose in individuals with historic smallpox vaccination. The follow-up clinical study was conducted after two years to investigate the antibody persistence in the individuals immunized in the first study.

In the initial study, individuals with no previous history of vaccination and no vaccinia scar were randomly divided into three groups. One group received one dose of MVA-BN and one dose of placebo four weeks later (1MVA group). The second group received two doses of MVA-BN four weeks apart (2MVA group), while the third group received two doses of placebo (PBO group). A fourth group consisted of individuals with historical smallpox vaccination who received a single booster MVA-BN dose (HSPX+ group). The immune responses of all the individuals were assessed.

The follow-up study included rescreened participants from the 1MVA, 2MVA, and HSPX+ groups. After measuring their immunogenicity, the 1MVA and 2MVA groups were administered an MVA-BN booster dose. Their humoral responses were measured at baseline and one, two, four, and six weeks after the booster dose.

The humoral responses were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Cardiac changes and electrocardiogram (ECG) changes were monitored across vaccination groups to assess the safety of the vaccine.

Results

The results showed that the MVA-BN vaccine booster induced a comparable increase in neutralizing antibodies in participants with one and two primary vaccinations, as well as individuals with previous smallpox immunity.

Individuals who were given a single primary MVA-BN vaccination showed an increase in neutralizing antibodies till the fourth week. The participants who received two primary vaccination doses had neutralizing antibody levels almost 10 times that of the 1MVA group by the sixth week. For previously smallpox immunized individuals, the booster MVA-BN dose neutralized antibody levels almost four times those of the individuals who received two primary doses.

The neutralizing antibody levels six months after the last dose was higher than baseline in the HSPX+ group, and detectable levels above baseline were also observed in the 1MVA and 2MVA groups.

Rapid anamnestic responses with neutralizing antibodies were observed in both 1MVA and 2MVA groups following the booster MVA-BN dose in the follow-up study. The serum titers were higher than those observed in the initial study and were comparable to those seen in the HSPX+ group post-booster. The humoral response remained elevated six months after the booster dose.

Adverse reactions to the vaccinations were all mild to moderate and did not result in participants withdrawing from the study or mortality. Commonly experienced reactions were injection site pain and erythema, fatigue, headache, and myalgia.

Conclusions

Overall, the results showed that regardless of previous smallpox vaccination history or the number of primary vaccination doses, the MVA-BN booster dose elicits a strong immune response sustained above baseline levels for up to six months after the booster.

B-cell immune memory without neutralizing antibodies indicates protection against viruses with long incubation periods. Even a single primary vaccination dose can elicit a robust immune response to a booster dose two years later. Furthermore, the humoral response to the booster in individuals with one and two primary doses and the earlier replicating smallpox vaccines resulted in no major adverse reactions.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information
A new study examines how cannabis use among men could cause heritable effects on male fertility.

Introduction

Earlier research showed how heritable epigenetic changes occur following toxic exposures. The best known of these is sperm DNA modification, which is a heritable stable covalent change in gene expression without any change in the actual codons. DNA methylation is a key part of sperm formation and maturation but also offers an opportunity for potentially detrimental effects due to environmental exposures.

Cannabis use in pregnancy has been linked to neurodevelopmental, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular problems in the offspring. Earlier research showed methylation changes in sperms following male cannabis use, with partial reversal once the drug was stopped. This is supported by animal experiments using the most potent cannabis derivative, tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC), demonstrating heritable methylation effects at a candidate autism gene, as well as issues with synaptic transmission, voluntary movements, and impaired cognition.

The current study, published online in the journal Epigenetics and Chromatin, focuses on the effects of cannabis use by the father in the preconceptional period in the form of persistent methylation changes in the whole epigenome of the offspring.

Using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), the rat study looked at cannabis extract (CE) exposure for 28 days followed by 56 days washout (early exposure, EE); 28-day exposure to CE after the first 56 days of vehicle (late exposure, LE); and a control group. All were followed up for the same period. The 56 day period corresponds to a single spermatogenesis cycle.

What did the study show?

Late exposure, persistent changes

The study demonstrated differences in the extent of epigenetic modification via methylation with the time of exposure, even though the direction of change in both cases was the same. At both exposures, however, the average differences in methylation showed a strong correlation.

The 56-day washout period in the EE group of rats was associated with a marked decrease in methylation changes. This supports the hypothesis that exposure cessation for the duration of at least one spermatogenic cycle is effective at minimizing many of the CE-induced epigenetic effects in sperm.

The magnitude of change was greater with late exposure compared to early exposure, whether hypo- or hyper-methylation. The average difference of 15.5% at the hypomethylated sites in the LE group contrasts with the 8.5% difference at the same sites in the EE group. For the hypermethylated sites, the corresponding differences were 14% vs. 7.5%, respectively.

The EE group showed methylation changes in some genes in the sperm and brain DNA, relative to the controls, that were not found in the LE group.

The damage may be to the spermatogonial stem cells, which pass on the resulting methylation change to the sperm derived from them. Sperms derived from spermatogonia at a later stage of development might have been resorbed during the washout period, which accounts for the above finding.

This could indicate persistent or even permanent changes following early exposure of the self-renewing progenitor pool of spermatogonia stem cells, despite the washout period. The detection of strongly similar methylation patterns in the sperm and some brain tissues of the CE-exposed rat offspring might indicate that paternal preconceptional CE exposure-related methylation changes can be passed down through generations.

Interestingly, most of the genes affected were those implicated in development.

Heritable changes

These changes in the methylation of sperm DNA were confirmed to be heritable. The sperm of the offspring born to CE-exposed males (LE group) showed a marked loss of methylation compared to control offspring. With the EE group, the results just fell short of significance.

The same methylation losses were also found in the Mtss1 gene in the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens (NAc), compared to the control offspring, with hypomethylation in 4/9 sites analyzed. This gene controls changes in synaptic transmission, which indicates the importance of even slight changes in methylation due to the resulting enormously magnified effects on gene expression.

Sex-dependent changes in gene expression

However, this did not reflect in a uniform effect on the expression of these genes. When analyzed by sex, male control offspring showed a negative association, while females showed a positive association. In CE-exposed offspring, males showed a positive and females a non-significant negative association.

Interestingly, the inverted patterns of association between gene encoding and methylation levels seen between male and female offspring of CE-exposed male rats reflect the actual physiologic differences in patterns of behavior and cognition between the offspring of either sex following paternal exposure to CE.

Cardiomegaly

CE-exposed offspring showed increased heart weight in both groups, but when separately analyzed, females showed significant increases in both groups, whereas males showed an increase of significance only in the EE group. Overall, the effect was significant only in females.

What are the conclusions?

The study demonstrates heritable epigenetic changes in DNA methylation of sperms in CE-exposed male rats. Secondly, it shows such changes being passed on to the offspring, in the sperm as well as brain areas involved in development. Despite a washout period corresponding to one spermatogenesis cycle, some of these changes persisted. Earlier research suggests this could be due to stress-induced changes in the sperms that affect their differentiation and maturation.

The study also showed cardiomegaly in the male and female offspring of preconceptionally CE-exposed male rats.

Taken together, these results demonstrate that paternal preconception exposure to cannabis affects intergenerational outcomes. As cannabis legalization expands and consumption increases, it is imperative that we improve understanding of how exposure in one generation can shape health and disease of future generations.

Further research is required in many areas touched upon by this study, such as the mechanism of heritability, how the placenta plays a role in transmitting the effects of this paternal exposure to the offspring, the mechanism of cardiomegaly in the offspring of the exposed rats, and whether these offspring show any other neurodevelopmental or behavioral effects in keeping with the modifications in gene expression.
Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau will depart Hong Kong tomorrow for Cambodia to attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers meeting scheduled for September 17.

At the Sixth ASEAN Economic Ministers - Hong Kong, China Consultation meeting, Mr Yau and participating economic ministers of ASEAN member states (AMS) will discuss the progress of the free trade agreements implementation.

There will also be discussions on the related investment agreement between ASEAN and Hong Kong.

On the meetings sidelines, Mr Yau will hold bilateral meetings with various AMS economic ministers to exchange views on regional co-operation and issues of mutual interest.

The commerce chief will also attend a luncheon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and visit Hong Kong enterprises in Cambodia.

Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong on the evening of September 18. During his absence, Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan will be Acting Secretary.
Washington, Sep 14 (UNI) Russia has covertly spent more than $300 million since 2014 to influence politicians in more than 24 countries, the US has alleged.

The US Department of State's allegation is based on a declassified intelligence assessment released on Tuesday.

The US intelligence assessment released in a cable did not name specific countries or officials believed to have been targeted by Russia - but said they spanned four continents.

The BBC quoted a senior official from President Joe Biden's administration as saying: "We think this is just the tip of the iceberg."

Russia has not publicly commented on the issue. Moscow itself has repeatedly accused the US of meddling abroad.

American intelligence "assesses that these are minimum figures and that Russia likely has transferred additional funds covertly in cases that have gone undetected", said the Biden administration official during a phone briefing.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity, the BBC report said.

The administration official said the US intelligence community was now privately briefing select countries on the alleged Russian covert financing. The briefings would remain confidential, the official added.

Fictitious companies were said to be used to fund European parties and to buy influence elsewhere.

The Russian authorities have so far made no public statements on the US claim.

Moscow has previously blamed America's CIA intelligence agency for interfering in other countries' affairs, including by backing various coups around the globe, the BBC said.

On Tuesday, state department spokesman Ned Price called Russia's alleged covert funding an "assault on sovereignty".

Last year, US intelligence officials assessed in a report that Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely to have authorised attempts to influence America's 2020 election in favour of former President Donald Trump.

But it said no foreign government had compromised the final results. Russia called the allegations of election interference "baseless".

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Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

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Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Kharkiv (Ukraine), Sep 14 (UNI) In north-eastern Ukraine, a counter-offensive has seen the nation's forces recapture swathes of territory and drive out Russian troops. But in the newly-liberated areas, relief and sorrow are intertwined -- as accounts emerge of torture and killings during the long months of Russian occupation.

Artem, who lives in the city of Balakliya in the Kharkiv region, told the BBC he was held by Russians for more than 40 days and was tortured with electrocution.

Balakliya was liberated on September 8 after being occupied for more than six months. The epicentre of the brutality was the city's police station, which Russian forces used as their headquarters.
If you know of anyone experiencing domestic violence, please encourage them to contact the Interior Center for Non-Violent Living at 907-452-2293 or 1-800-478-7273.



The Public Safety Report is compiled from criminal complaints filed in state and federal courts, as well as some police blotter information, trooper dispatches, fire department reports and interviews with public safety officials. Individuals named as arrested and/or charged with crimes in this report are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain and Pakistan are keen to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise in the labour sector. This comes as Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer Noof Abdulrahman Jamsheer received Pakistani Ambassador to Bahrain Muhammad Ayub.

Jamsheer briefed the Pakistani Ambassador on the various aspects of the labour market reform project and the initiatives launched by the authority within the framework of maintaining a stable and balanced work environment to achieve growth in the labour market.

She praised the cooperation with government agencies regarding expatriate workers, stressed the importance of labour-exporting countries and urged them to abide by the labour market regulations.

Ayoub praised the Kingdoms care for all expatriate workers and its keenness to preserve their gains and rights in the labour market.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Supreme Council for Women (SCW) Secretary-General Hala Al Ansari has stressed the importance of intensifying cooperation in joint projects to ensure Bahrain womens sustainable participation in the media sector.

Al Ansari was speaking as she received Information Affairs Minister Dr Ramzan bin Abdulla Alnoaimi and discussed issues of common interest. She highlighted media support to SCWs plans, programmes and initiatives within the framework of the National Plan for Bahraini Women Development and its impact on the standing of the Kingdom of Bahrain as a pioneering country in spearheading womens advancement.

They stressed the need, mainly, to highlight Bahraini womens achievements in the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the follow-up of the Government, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

During the meeting, they highlighted the fruitful efforts undertaken by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of HM the King and SCW President. The SCW Chief wished the minister success in assuming his duties.

Dr. Alnoaimi hailed the SCWs national roles, chaired by HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Khalifa, to support Bahraini women and maintain family stability. He stressed the ministrys keenness on strengthening partnership with the council, in recognition of the importance of the issues to women and family.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak met with UAEs Climate Change and Environment Minister Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri on the sidelines of their participation in the 25th meeting of the Ministers of Municipal Affairs of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Al Mubarak praised the Bahrain-UAE relations and the strong cooperation at various levels to reduce gas emissions and improve the environment through afforestation strategies to double the number of trees in the country by 2035 according to the goals of the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP26).

The climate plan includes reducing gas emissions to achieve zero neutrality by 2060. Almheiri praised the bilateral relations on climate change, and stressed aspirations to enhance cooperation.
Agencies | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) is urging newlyweds and those who are about to get married in Bahrain to make use of a bundle of eServices related to marriage available on the national portal and the eGovernment apps.

The eServices, In line with its efforts to promote digital culture among families in Bahrain, help streamline marriage information and procedures, eliminating the need to visit government service centers in-person.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs & Endowments, the Authorized Marriage Official Directory allows access to a list of marriage officials and judges specialized in registering marriage contracts.

The Marriage Contract Terms and Conditions eService provides information on required documents, and Request Marriage Contract Notarization allows electronic verification of personal details by relevant authorities such as the Ministry of Health and the iGAs Population Registry, helping speed up the process.

Other services that can be helpful to newly-married couples include updating the ID personal details following the finalization of the marriage contract, which can be done via Update Civil Record Details, available as part of the ID Card eServices.

They can also use Address Services to update the residence address listed in their ID cards, which is important and iGA advised to conduct as many addresses are linked to government services such as electricity and water, municipalities, education, health, and others. Once their details are updated online, they can avail of support services offered by the government such as housing, subsidies for electricity and water through "Service Reconnection Request" & "Move-in Request" eServices, meat and other allowances.

The iGA called on the public to register for the Government Notifications Service available on the National Portal, which allows individuals to receive the latest alerts and notifications sent by government service entities in relation to transactions instantly via SMS or email, including notifications from the Ministry of Housing for housing services.

In case the newlyweds decide to rent a residence, whether for an apartment or a house, families can use the Lease Contract Services, available as part of other rent eServices on the Portal which is essential for registering the lease contract and other government services such as re-connecting EWA service to the residence. They can also view previously registered contracts to ensure all rights remain protected in case of any future disputes between the tenant and the property owner.

Newlyweds wishing to travel can download the 'Wejhaty app to register their flight, find information on the Kingdoms embassies, and more.

For more information or enquiries on the marriage eServices and other apps provided by the iGA, citizens and residents can submit their suggestions and feedback via the National Suggestion and Complaint System (Tawasul) or the Government Services Contact Center on 80008001, the iGA said.

The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) is urging newlyweds and those who are about to get married in Bahrain to make use of a bundle of eServices related to marriage available on the national portal and the eGovernment apps.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain International Airshow and Gulf International Bank (GIB), signed a partnership agreement under which GIB will be an official sponsor of the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) 2022.

The agreement was signed by the BIAS Director Yousif Mahmoud and GIBs CEO Jamal Al-Kishi. BIAS 2022 will be held on November 9-11 at the Sakhir Air Base. It celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

Yousif Mahmoud said: "This year, we celebrate the tenth anniversary since the launch of the first edition of the Bahrain International Airshow in 2010. We are confident that this edition of the airshow will serve as a platform that sets the stage for participants to network, exchange ideas, and form fruitful partnerships.

By doing so, we aim to strengthen the Kingdom of Bahrains position as a vital economic hub in the Arabian Gulf region. For his part, GIB CEO, Jamal Al-Kishi, stated: "We are honored to support the Bahrain International Airshow 2022.

Our sponsorship of the airshow is part of our efforts to highlight the exceptional capacity of the Kingdom of Bahrain to host prestigious international events and incubate diverse business sectors. Al-Kishi added, "The Bahrain International Airshow is a landmark event that enhances the Kingdom of Bahrain's global role and contributes to the growth of its economy.
Japan will implement a new system for filing invoices in October 2023, but it is unpopular among members of the creative industries who use pseudonyms.

Under the new proposed system, invoices can only be considered "verified" if individuals file them using their real names, and the names will be accessible to the public via a national database. This poses problems to workers who wish to keep their real names private, such as manga artists and Virtual YouTubers.

So far, Japan's Ministry of Finance has provided scant details regarding how the system will work for pseudonym-heavy occupations. On October 8, the Citizen's Liaison Group For Tax Justice (headed by lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya) submitted questions to the Ministry of Finance; the answers, as reported by Shueisha Online on Saturday, were not promising.

The Ministry of Finance is reportedly not considering countermeasures for privacy-related issues, responding that it did not believe that listing a person's real name is "highly risky personal information." According to a representative, the individual's real name was chosen over addresses or telephone numbers as a point of identity verification for this reason. The database will be open to commercial use; the MIF clarified that its purpose is to allow companies that deal with a large number of clients to verify invoices in batches, instead of identifying the individuals one by one. ...continue reading
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will travel to Britain to attend Queen Elizabeth II s state funeral next week to pay respects to her, Japans top government spokesperson said Wednesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the Japanese government requested they accept the British royals invitation to attend, considering the close relations between the two countries royal families.

Traditionally, a Japanese emperor stays away from funerals whether at home or abroad because of a cultural belief based in the Shinto religion that considers death impure. The decision for Naruhito to attend the queens funeral underscores the importance and the deep bond between the royal families.

Matsuno said Japans imperial family has had close relations with Britains Royal Family for three generations including Naruhitos grandfather, late Emperor Hirohito.

Queen Elizabeth had invited Naruhito to visit Britain as a first destination of his foreign visits after ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019, which had to be postponed due to the pandemic, Matsuno said.

There are no plans for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other government officials to attend the funeral, he said. ...continue reading
Moscow, Sep 14 (UNI) Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin will discuss the war in Ukraine and other "international and regional topics" at their meeting during the SCO summit later this week, the Kremlin says.

Putin will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, besides other leaders including those of Pakistan, Turkey and Iran - but his meeting with China's leader "is of particular importance," said Kremlin foreign policy spokesman Yuri Ushakov.

The two will meet in Uzbekistan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit that will show an "alternative" to the Western world, the Kremlin said.

Xi is making his first trip overseas since the beginning of the pandemic. He is seeking a historic third term while Putin's relations with the West are at rock bottom over Ukraine, the BBC report said.

Xi is beginning his three-day trip in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. He will then meet Putin on Thursday at the summit in Samarkand, which will run from September 15 to 16.

Kremlin said the summit was taking place "against the background of large-scale political changes".

China and Russia have long sought to position the SCO, founded in 2001 with four ex-Soviet Central Asian nations, as an alternative to Western multilateral groups.

Xi's visit comes amid a fresh set of lockdowns in China, where his zero Covid policy is still in place. While the rest of the world has opened up, learning to live with with the virus.

Xi last left China in January 2020 to visit Myanmar - just days before the first lockdown came into effect in Wuhan. He has remained in China since then, leaving the mainland only once in July this year to visit Hong Kong.

Putin is also making a rare foray abroad. His meeting with Turkish and Iranian leaders in Tehran in July was only his second foreign trip since Russian troops invaded Ukraine.

This is the two leaders' second meeting this year - they last met at Winter Olympics in Beijing in February.

Following the February meeting, the two leaders issued a joint statement saying the friendship between their countries had "no limits".

Russia invaded Ukraine days later - an action China has neither condemned nor voiced support for. Beijing, in fact, has said both sides are to blame.

China is not part of the international sanctions against Russia and trade between the two countries has continued to grow. Indian and Chinese imports of Russian oil have soared since the Ukraine invasion.

China too has seen its relations with the West and especially the US sour in recent months following tensions over self-ruled Taiwan. China claims the island as part of its territory.

Last month, Beijing staged a five-day military blockade around the island in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit.

UNI ING
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BROOKFIELD  Town officials are looking at their options after the last remaining member of a cemetery association said the group has for years planned to abandon the two centuries-old burial sites it owns and operates in the town.

I have to get on with my life. I have done my job getting it to this point, and I really need to just turn this over to the next group that is going to handle it, said Jeff Nolan, president of the Central Cemetary Association of Brookfield.

The association owns Laurel Hill and Central Cemetery in Brookfield. The separate properties cover a combined 12.9 acres of active burial grounds. According to deed filings, the association acquired Central in 1887 and Laurel Hill in 1900.

Ownership of burial ground in Connecticut is limited to municipalities, ecclesiastical societies and designated cemetery associations  one of many statutes Nolan believes make cemetery ownership not economically viable.

Other laws require the associations to be registered as nonprofits, thus they must file specific information each year with the Internal Revenue Service to maintain their tax-exempt status.

On March 15, 2021, the IRS added the Center Cemetary Assoc. of Brookfield to a list of nonprofits whose federal tax-exempt status had been automatically revoked after failing to file the notice for a period of three consecutive years. According to Nolan, the revocation was all part of the plan.

Nolan spoke to CTInsider on Wednesday, less than a week after he wrote a letter to First Selectwoman Tara Carr noting repeated attempts to find a buyer or entity willing to take over for the association. He also asked for the towns help to facilitate a transition to full-time professionals to run a regional cemetery operation that includes Central and Laurel Hill.

Five years ago, Nolan said the association made the decision to slowly wind down; choosing not to spend a lot of time and energy to reconstruct bylaws. He added that he believes the statutes governing associations make it impossible for burial ground ownership to be economically viable and believes the state, regional government or private sector should take over the job.

That is the problem that created everything, Nolan said.

The Board of Selectmen discussed the matter at its meeting last week after Carr received Nolans letter and directed the towns attorney to collect information on the best possible path forward for the town.

According to Brookfield Town Attorney Dennis Kokenos, the town could take over operations of the two cemeteries if they are abandoned. But the law is silent as to what is going to happen to the property itself  the property is titled to an association  so we are going to have to work with them, they are going to have to work with us in the solution process.

To purchase the property, the town must first ascertain as to what funds they have, what funds are still there, and if it was created as a perpetual fund, Kokenos added.

State law authorizes the town selectmen to annually maintain neglected burial grounds not under the control or management of any functioning cemetery association. Statutes also allow municipalities to acquire title to abandoned cemeteries, but they must use due diligence to identify any owners of the cemetery or any of its lots or grave sites and must notify them of its intention to acquire the cemetery, a state legislative research report says.

First Selectwoman Tara Carr said in an email Wednesday the town is not at this time considering purchasing the cemeteries but, will consider all options regarding the cemetery property.

The Association and its representatives are working with the Town to produce documents necessary to move this process forward, she added.

Under statutes guiding burial practices in Connecticut, a graveyard association must appoint a sexton to accurately record information related to each burial, including the burial date and location, which is reported to the town clerks office.

The association has not appointed a sexton since 2017. A message on its website notes the legal ramifications of incorrectly recording and reporting the burial data: no member (is) willing to assume responsibility for activities that carry Class D felony penalties described in Connecticut cemetery statutes.

Speaking at the boards meeting last week, Selectman Harry Shaker described the situation behind the associations decline as very, very, complicated, and said he spoke with Nolan about the decision to abandon the cemeteries.

There has been very little paperwork over the last, to my knowledge, over the last few years, and very little communication  so that is where it is now, Shaker said.

On Tuesday, Nolan said burials have taken place at the cemeteries within the last couple of weeks, but he noted the burial grounds history and said decades of using a paper system and human error draws attention to why state intervention is needed.

We cant have a bunch of volunteers try to build a system that is architected for a much, much larger problem, he said.

Selectman Steve Dunn told CT Insider this week that the association approached the town when he was first selectman. He recalled agreeing that something needed to be done and said he thought the town should step up. But he said recalled the group did not provide the financial information needed for town officials to make a decision.

I told them I thought it was a good idea, but I need to see some financial documents, Dunn said.

Nolan said he only reached out to Dunn for help elevating the issue to a regional level, adding that there would be no problem sharing the associations financial information.

I am very confident about the financial record-keeping, Nolan said. The burial records are an ongoing issue.
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CHICAGO (AP)  A federal jury in Chicago convicted R. Kelly on Wednesday of producing child pornography and enticing girls for sex after a monthlong trial in his hometown, delivering another legal blow to the Grammy Award winning singer who was once one of the worlds biggest R&B stars.

Prosecutors won convictions on six of the 13 counts against him, with many of the convictions carrying long mandatory sentences. But the government lost the marquee count  that Kelly and his then-business manager successfully rigged his state child pornography trial in 2008.

Both of his co-defendants, including longtime business manager Derrel McDavid  who had told jurors that testimony from four Kelly accusers had led him to change his mind about Kelly's believability  were acquitted of all charges.

The trial was, in ways, a do-over of Kelly's 2008 child pornography trial, with a key video critical to both. Kelly, who shed tears of joy when jurors acquitted him in 2008, gave a thumbs-up sign to spectators after Wednesday's verdict but otherwise showed little emotion.

Before Kelly was returned to federal lockup, McDavid hugged Kelly, who rose from poverty on Chicagos South Side to become a superstar.

Asked by reporters later outside court how Kelly felt after the verdict, his lead attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, said: Mr. Kelly is used to bad news.

Hes still got many fights to fight," she said. "But what he did say is that he had a sense of relief that this particular case was in the past now.

The verdict comes months after a federal judge in New York sentenced Kelly to 30 years in prison in June for racketeering and sex trafficking. Based on that sentence, the 55-year-old wont be eligible for release until he is around 80.

And two sexual misconduct trials still await Kelly  one in Minnesota and one in state court in Chicago.

After deliberating for 11 hours over two days, jurors convicted Kelly of three counts each of producing child pornography and enticement, while acquitting him of obstruction of justice, one count of production of child porn and three counts of receiving child porn.

Among the charges McDavid was acquitted of was conspiring with Kelly to rig the 2008 trial. Milton Brown, the other co-defendant, was acquitted of receiving child pornography.

Chicago-based U.S. Attorney John Lausch expressed satisfaction with the verdict. He told reporters that, when you add up the potential punishments on the six guilty counts, Kelly was staring at at least 10 years and up to 90 in prison.

Judge Harry Leinenweber did not set a sentencing date. He could order that Kelly serve whatever sentence he imposes simultaneously with the New York sentence or only after that one is fully served. The latter would, for practical purposes, mean a life sentence.

Prosecutors at the federal trial in Illinois portrayed Kelly as a master manipulator who used his fame and wealth to reel in star-struck fans, some of them minors, to sexually abuse then discard them.

Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, was desperate to recover pornographic videos he made and lugged around in a gym bag, witnesses said. They said he offered up to $1 million to recover missing videos before his 2008 trial, knowing they would land him in legal peril. The conspiracy to hide his abuse ran from 2000 to 2020, prosecutors said.

Some dozen Kelly fans regularly attended the trial. On at least one occasion during a break, several made hand signs of a heart at Kelly. He smiled back.

Bonjean, Kelly's attorney, told jurors in her closings that the government had relied, in some cases, on liars and and blackmailers as witnesses. She earlier implored jurors not to see Kelly as the monster she said prosecutors so badly wanted them to see.

In her closing rebuttal Tuesday, prosecutor Jeannice Appenteng cited testimony that Kellys inner circle increasingly focused on doing what Kelly wanted as his fame boomed in the mid-1990s.

And ladies and gentlemen, what R. Kelly wanted was to have sex with young girls, she said.

All four Kelly accusers who testified went by pseudonyms or their first names: Jane, Nia, Pauline and Tracy. Some cried when describing the abuse but otherwise spoke calmly and with confidence. A fifth accuser, Brittany, didn't testify, and jurors acquitted Kelly of the one charge related to her.

Four of his six convictions were tied directly to Jane and relied largely on her testimony.

She was the governments star witness and also pivotal to the trial fixing charge, of which he was acquitted, and which accused him of using threats and payoffs to get her to lie to a grand jury before his 2008 trial.

A single video, which state prosecutors said was Kelly abusing a girl of around 14, was the focal point of that trial. Three of the child porn charges that Kelly was convicted of Wednesday were related to that video and others depicting Jane.

Jane, 37, said publicly for the first time at the just-ended trial that the girl in the video was her at age 14 and that the man was Kelly, who would have been around 30.

Some jurors in the 2008 trial said they had to acquit Kelly because the girl in the video didnt testify.

Asked on the witness stand how many times Jane and Kelly had sexually abused her before she turned 18, Jane answered quietly: Uncountable times.  Hundreds.

Jane, who belonged to a teenage singing group, first met Kelly in the late 1990s when she was in junior high school. Soon after that, Jane told her parents Kelly was going to be her godfather.

Jane testified that when her parents confronted Kelly in the early 2000s he dropped to his knees and begged them for forgiveness. She said she implored her parents not to take action against Kelly because she loved him.

Defense attorneys suggested a desire for money and fame drove some government witnesses to accuse Kelly, and they accused several people of trying to blackmail him.

Prosecutors played jurors excerpts from three videos that Jane said featured her. Court officials set up opaque screens around the jurors so spectators couldnt see the videos or the jurors reactions.

But the sound was audible. In one video, the girl is heard repeatedly calling the man daddy. At one point she asks: Daddy, do you still love me? The man gives her sexually explicit instructions.

Prosecutors have said Kelly recorded the video that was also evidence in the 2008 trial in a log cabin-themed room at his North Side Chicago home around 1998.

Another accuser, Pauline, said Jane introduced her to Kelly when they were 14-year-old middle school classmates in 1998. She told jurors she still cares for Kelly. But, as a 37-year-old mom, she said she now has a different perspective.

If somebody did something to my kids, she said, Im killing em. Period.

___

Joey Cappelletti is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Michael Tarm on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mtarm and find APs full coverage of the R. Kelly trial at https://apnews.com/hub/r-kelly

___

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Derrel McDavids first name.
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /CNW/ -- SkySlope, the leading provider of digital transaction management software for real estate agents and brokers, has partnered with EXIT Realty Corp. International to become one of the company's celebrated Premier Partners. As a member of EXIT Realty's Premier Partnership network, SkySlope Suite will be offered to EXIT Realty's Canadian member base at a discounted membership rate.

SkySlope will provide EXIT Realty Associates with an all-in-one transaction management platform designed for brokers and agents to execute, store, organize, and audit real estate documents. A suite of add-ons can help to increase EXIT Realty Associates' efficiency while lending unparalleled value.

SkySlope is currently one of the largest transaction management platforms available, serving over half of the top 20 largest brokerages in the U.S. SkySlope is known for its 24/7 award-winning technical support and customized onboarding and training from an expertly-trained customer success team  both of which are now available to EXIT Associates who choose to sign up with SkySlope.

SkySlope launched in 2011 with a simple goal: to create technology that simplifies complicated workflows for real estate professionals. In October 2017, on the heels of several years of accelerated growth, SkySlope became a part of the Fidelity National Financial (NYSE: FNF) family. Since then, SkySlope has continued to develop cutting-edge products for its growing community of over 450,000 real estate professionals across the U.S. and Canada and manages nearly 3 million transactions annually.

Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, EXIT Realty was founded in 1996 by Chairman, Steve Morris. Morris envisioned a real estate company that provided its people with opportunities for retirement as well as a consistent, steady paycheck  generally, an anomaly in real estate. To implement his dream, Morris adopted a single-level residual income model.

In the past twenty-six-plus years, EXIT Realty has logged outstanding success with its people-powered business model. To date, EXIT Realty Corp. International has paid out more than 500 million dollars in single-level residual income to its Associates across the U.S. and Canada. A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty is applied to its charitable fund, and currently, more than 7 million dollars has been allocated.

In synonymy with their disruptive business model, EXIT Realty is dedicated to developing and implementing advancements in real estate technology and marketing. EXIT Realty's Expert Marketing Suite and My Smart Sign technology give consumers an edge in a competitive marketplace, and now SkySlope will offer a similarly competitive edge to EXIT Realty Associates who choose to take advantage of their Premier Partnership status.

SkySlope Suite for EXIT Realty members will include:

A broker dashboard that provides 360-degree visibility into any brokerage, making it simple for brokerages to track and grow their business.





that provides 360-degree visibility into any brokerage, making it simple for brokerages to track and grow their business. Quick Audit File Review , an optimized review process that helps admins triple their productivity.





, an optimized review process that helps admins triple their productivity. Transaction checklists can be customized to any brokerage in order to make the transaction experience easier for agents to follow.





can be customized to any brokerage in order to make the transaction experience easier for agents to follow. Data that is synced from the MLS to brokerage forms and association forms





Free, unlimited signatures with SkySlope DigiSign





Seamless integration with SkySlope Forms and DigiSign

"Our transaction management platform is used by top brokerages because we're dedicated to the goal of making agents' lives easier," says Tyler Smith, CEO of SkySlope. "We couldn't be more excited to partner with EXIT Realty and provide the SkySlope platform to their rapidly-growing team of Associates."

"Our Associates today are busier than ever," says EXIT Realty Co-Chair, Tami Bonnell. "As we continue to expand into new markets, we recognized the need for simple, intuitive tech that allows our agents to optimize their workflow, simply. With a suite of products that addresses the most pressing needs of agents and a user-friendly interface, we felt that SkySlope was a great platform to meet our Associates' needs."

For more information about SkySlope Suite, visit the SkySlope website.

About SkySlope

Established in 2011, SkySlope is the customer experience platform managing real estate transactions from contract to close. Serving over 450,000 real estate professionals across the U.S. and Canada, SkySlope manages nearly 3 million transactions annually. SkySlope is on a mission to build solutions that reshape the real estate industry by creating the most powerful autonomous transaction platform. For more information, visit SkySlope .

About EXIT Realty Corp. International

EXIT Realty is a company founded and built on human potential. A full-service, forward-thinking, real estate franchisor with offices across North America, EXIT has to date paid out more than half a billion dollars in single-level residual income to its associates. A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to its charitable fund, and to date, $7 million has been allocated to charity. For more information, please visit www.exitrealty.com and www.joinexitrealty.com .

Contact

SkySlope

[email protected]

1-800-507-4117

SOURCE SkySlope
Riopelle Studio Will Allow Tens of Thousands of Students to Immerse Themselves in the Artist's Vast Universe on the Occasion of His Centenary Celebrations

MONTREAL, Sept. 13, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - As students across Canada are going back to school this month, and just a few weeks ahead of the official start of world-renowned artist Jean Paul Riopelle's 100th anniversary celebrations, the Riopelle Foundation launches Riopelle Studio, an educational platform which now makes it possible for teachers to bring the country's 5 million elementary- and high school-grade students1 to discover Riopelle's oeuvre and vision.

This interactive platform, entirely accessible online and free of charge, offers plenty of playful, stimulating tools and resources intended for Canadian schools, both in English and French, including:

5 themes related to the oeuvre of Jean Paul Riopelle ;

; 10 art projects for kids and teenagers;

5 online creation games for everyone;

5 online appreciation games for everyone;

18 historical, technical and thematic video clips;

1 explanatory glossary.

Developed over the past year by the Riopelle Foundation's team, under the direction of art education expert Dr. Andree-Caroline Boucher, and in collaboration with Montreal creative agency Akufen, Studio Riopelle was inspired by the best practices in the fields of elementary and high school education to the arts, using the most recent technologies to offer Canadian schools a comprehensive, easy-to-use and accessible tool. The platform can be used either on an interactive whiteboard (IWB), a computer, tablet or phone.

Riopelle Studio was also based on various educational resources developed over the years by Yseult Riopelle, author of the Catalogue raisonne de Jean Paul Riopelle, Honorary Commissioner of Riopelle's Centenary Celebrations and daughter of the artist.

As for the Canada-wide cultural mediation program Dialogues: Encounters with Riopelle from Sea to Sea, for which a call for projects is currently ongoing until October 10, Riopelle Studio will benefit from a generous grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage. Details regarding the Government of Canada's financial support for the Riopelle Centenary Celebrations' official program will be announced soon.









1 Source: Statistics Canada

Making the Canadian Youth Discover Riopelle's Oeuvre

Through five themes related to the work of Riopelle  nature, freedom, the Earth, play and trajectories , students will be invited to create unique artworks inspired by Riopelle's oeuvre. These artworks will be virtually showcased on the Rio Gallery throughout Riopelle's centenary year in 2023.

The learning process comprises four steps:

Introduction: Covering all the important information about the project, including a collection of works organized by theme, showing how each one suffuses Jean Paul Riopelle's artistic process;



Preparation: Students will be invited to appreciate contemporary art and pay close attention to various works by Riopelle through entertaining and educational art appreciation games;



Creation: Thanks to a series of "art nuggets"  short and straightforward video clips providing step-by-step instructions  students will be able to use their newly acquired knowledge to create their own artworks inspired by the themes and techniques that were dear to Riopelle throughout his career;



Integration: This last step offers the opportunity to reflect on what was learned during the process.

A Resource Guide for Teachers

With the objective of providing Canadian teachers with comprehensive tools to help them develop their projects, the Riopelle Foundation, in collaboration with the Art Canada Institute, has recently published a teacher resource guide.

Titled Abstraction and the Inspiration of Nature through the art of Jean Paul Riopelle, the guide can be downloaded for free online, in English and French:

https://www.aci-iac.ca/education/teacher-resource-guides/abstraction-and-the-inspiration-of-nature-through-the-art-of-jean-paul-riopelle/

Quote

"In the 1930s, a young Jean Paul Riopelle discovered the arts thanks to his teacher Henri Bisson at Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague Elementary School, in his Montreal childhood neighbourhood. His growing passion would later bring him to become one of the greatest ambassadors for Canadian culture worldwide. The Riopelle Foundation is thus extremely proud to launch the Riopelle Studio educational platform with the objective of inspiring the next generation of artists through Riopelle's impressive artistic legacy. As the artist's centenary year will begin in less than a month, we wished to start these great celebrations along with the Canadian youth. Through it, Riopelle's avant-garde vision, which is more relevant than ever, will continue to live on for decades to come."

 Manon Gauthier, Executive Director of the Riopelle Foundation and General Commissioner of the artist's centenary celebrations

Never-Before-Seen Celebrations for a Canadian Artist

Orchestrated by the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation under the Co-Chairpersonship of France Chretien Desmarais and Thomas d'Aquino, and with Yseult Riopelle, author of the Catalogue raisonne de Jean Paul Riopelle and daughter of the artist, as Honorary Commissioner, the festivities surrounding Riopelle's 100th anniversary in 2023 will offer the general public a unique opportunity to (re)discover this Montreal-born artist who has marked on the history of art. Featuring a wide variety of artistic disciplines, from classical music to circus, theater, literature, as well as with the participation of museum and educational institutions, the official program of the centenary celebrations will give rise to a multitude of cultural projects in Canada and around the world. Starting in the fall of 2022 under the theme "One With Nature", a host of prestigious partners will contribute to making these celebrations  the most important ever planned for a Canadian visual artist  a resounding success, promoting Canadian talent and inspiring new generations of artists through Riopelle's impressive legacy.

Discover the centenary celebrations' official program on www.fondationriopelle.com/centenary

About the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation

Envisioned by Riopelle in the 1960s and established in 2019 by a group of Canadian philanthropists, the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation's mission is to celebrate and broaden the appreciation of Riopelle and his Oeuvre in the history of Canadian and international art, to support and inspire emerging visual artists, to encourage creative exploration and experimentation, and to promote teaching and learning. The Foundation also serves as a repository and centre of scholarship in the documentation, publication and discourse on the Oeuvre of Riopelle. The year 2023 will mark the centenary of his birth and will be the occasion of an ambitious celebration program in Canada and worldwide.

www.fondationriopelle.com

Facebook: facebook.com/FondationRiopelle | Twitter: @FdnJPRiopelle

Instagram: @fdnriopelle | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/fondationriopelle

SOURCE Fondation Jean Paul Riopelle

For further information: Raphael Melancon, Trafalgar Strategies,, 514 765-7879 | 514 444-6968, [email protected]
National contest for classrooms and youth ages 3 to 17

For more media materials, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/8wkkavpm

TORONTO, Sept. 13, 2022 /CNW/ - Following five successful years, Owlkids, publisher of Chirp, Chickadee, and OWL magazines, is partnering again with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to celebrate the sixth annual National Science Reading Day on Sept. 21, 2022, as part of Science Literacy Week.

Celebrate National Science Reading Day with Owlkids! (CNW Group/Owlkids)

Young Canadians ages 3 to 17 and their classrooms are invited to devote a period of the day between Sept. 20 and 22 to science readings  either fiction or non-fiction  as well as to enter a Canada-wide contest. There are over $3,500 in prizes to be won, including five classroom prizes and five individual prizes consisting of magazines and books from Owlkids, 4Canoes, Nimbus Publishing, Adventure Press, Common Deer Press, Annick Press, Orca, Usborne, and Harper Collins Canada.

By celebrating National Science Reading Day, Owlkids and NSERC aim to promote the benefits of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to children, families, and schools.

"National Science Reading Day has become one of our favourite events!" says Angela Keenlyside, Owlkids Publisher. "Science publications expand horizons, introducing us to deeper understandings of every part of our own world, not to mention worlds beyond! Above all, science is both an answer and a questioneven as it helps us comprehend one thing, it always opens up new avenues to explore. What better food for growing minds could there be?"

"Science Literacy Week is about helping us all appreciate the science, discoveries and ingenuity shaping our lives. By fostering a culture of scientific literacy, Canadians will be better equipped to challenge disinformation, think critically, and ultimately better understand the complicated world in which we live," says Alejandro Adem, NSERC President.

For full contest information, please visit owlkids.com/sciencereadingday For the French-language contest, visit jelislascience.com/

About Owlkids:

Owlkids has been publishing award-winning magazines and books for children ages 2 to 14 since 1976. Chirp (ages 3-6), Chickadee (ages 6-9), and OWL (ages 9-13) delight and engage hundreds of thousands of readers every year.

About Science Literacy Week:

Powered by the NSERC, Science Literacy Week is a nationwide back-to-school celebration of books, organizations, and activities that explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics. From September 19 to 25, Science Literacy Week 2022 exposes Canadians to a wide range of science literature available in libraries, stores, museums, and science centres.

SOURCE Owlkids

For further information: Susan Zuzinjak, [email protected], 416-782-2300
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Former Union minister and BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumars administration for the law and order situation in the state following two bike-borne criminals shooting at nine people and the death of one in Begusarai, Bihar.



The BJP leader paid the injured at Sadar Hospital a visit on Tuesday night. Strongly criticising the Bihar administration, Shahnawaz Hussain remarked, In Begusarai, I was attempting to establish industries, but right now, bullets are being fired like terrorists are doing in Kashmir and Punjab. There have been so many shootings and injuries. This incident is significant in Bihar. In Bihar, criminals morale is rising, and those who help them will not be forgiven by the public.

             ,         



     ,        ,       ,           pic.twitter.com/2hryPu2fQM  Syed Shahnawaz Hussain (@ShahnawazBJP) September 13, 2022

The BJP leader claimed that instances of this nature would damage the states reputation and questioned the Bihar government about the states progress.



What will the perception of Bihar be across the nation? Nitish Kumar needs to investigate this said Hussain.

One of the injured, Jeetu Paswan, told the media that the attackers came and fired at him when he was selling ice cream at Malhipur Chowk. He said that he was not the only one who was shot at.



He claimed that assailants on bikes also shot a tanker driver who was on his way to a tea shop in the vicinity of Godhna village.

Seven police officers were suspended by the Bihar Police on Wednesday, a day after a person was killed and nine others were hurt in separate shooting incidents in the Begusarai area.



Jitendra Singh Gangwar, additional director general of police (HQ), spoke to the media and said, Our patrolling party appeared to be on the streets at first. However, they were either unable to check or stop the offenders. Seven police officers have been suspended in this matter with immediate effect.



When asked about the attackers, ADG Gangwar revealed that authorities were able to identify the perpetrators using CCTV footage. He claimed that some persons had been arrested and were being questioned by the police.

All night long, there was checking. Districts nearby were informed. CCTV footage was gathered by a different investigation team. On them, one can see the crooks. We are checking. Several persons have been arrested and are being interrogated the officials noted



In separate shooting events on Tuesday in Begusarai, Bihar, one person died and nine others were injured, according to a police official.

According to Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar, the police are reviewing CCTV footage to identify the offenders.



According to the authorities, two bike-borne attackers are responsible for the shooting events where numerous individuals have reportedly been hurt.



The doctor at the Government hospital in Teghra announced that two patients with bullet injuries have been taken to the hospital. The matter is currently the subject of more study.

Read more: PM Modi condoles loss of lives in J-Ks Poonch accident, announces ex-gratia
Wyoming Manufacturing Works Center Brings Supply Chain Support to Manufacturers

Connecting Wyoming manufacturers and suppliers will soon be a lot easier. The Wyoming Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Manufacturing Works, will launch a new program called CONNEX Wyoming Sept. 29 to strengthen the local and domestic manufacturing supply chain.

CONNEX Wyoming is a free online manufacturer database and connectivity platform for Wyoming manufacturers to connect with one another, find local suppliers, discover new business opportunities and manage their supply chains. The goal of the platform is to increase manufacturing growth among Wyoming manufacturers while helping smaller Wyoming suppliers better connect with large U.S. manufacturers that need their services.

Manufacturing Works is always looking for ways to help Wyoming manufacturers achieve their goals, says Rocky Case, center director. We see CONNEX Wyoming as a great resource to help our states manufacturers mitigate supply chain risks, become stronger and grow.

Manufacturing Works is a part of the Business Resource Network at the University of Wyoming. CONNEX Wyoming also is supported by the Wyoming Business Council, the Wyoming Innovation Partnership and UW.

For manufacturers, the pandemic demonstrated just how vulnerable supply chains are, says Ron Gullberg, of the Wyoming Business Council. Many manufacturers are now searching for ways to domestically or locally develop supply chains to protect their operations from additional supply chain disruptions. We hope that Wyoming manufacturers will be a part of the CONNEX Wyoming program, which can help solve some of these problems.

To help manufacturers develop more reliable supply chains and find alternate suppliers, the CONNEX Wyoming platform will help manufacturers identify potential suppliers within the state based on their capabilities, not just current production. Results can then be filtered using hundreds of unique criteria such as equipment, processes, materials and certifications to meet a manufacturers specific needs.

Additionally, disruptions to existing supply chains have resulted in shortages of materials and inputs to manufacturing processes, which are hampering productivity and profitability of Wyoming manufacturers. CONNEX Wyoming will offer manufacturers the ability to post requests for information and requests for quotations for such items in the platforms B2B Exchange Center, where qualified suppliers may directly respond to the posts with their capabilities and availability. These platform features will help Wyoming manufacturers quickly find the materials and inputs they need to meet their productivity and profitability objectives while improving supply chain robustness for downstream manufacturers as well.

The CONNEX Marketplace technology was developed several years ago by i5 Services to connect the U.S. manufacturing supply chain. Its now being used by manufacturers and suppliers across the country to connect with one another and find new business opportunities. Wyoming is the ninth state to roll out the CONNEX Marketplace platform, joining Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, the West Texas region and Utah. In each state, the platform is managed by the states Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to provide a coordinated approach to outreach and direction for users.

We are thrilled to have Wyoming Manufacturing Works lead the way to implement and support CONNEX Wyoming, says Alan Davis, president and CEO of i5 Services. Its a sign of their strong leadership and commitment to the Wyoming manufacturing industry, which is one of the pillars of the Wyoming economy.

Free registration for Wyoming manufacturers and suppliers will begin Sept. 29 when the platform officially launches. The governors office will host a kickoff event that day at L&H Manufacturing in Sheridan. Both L&H CEO Mike Wandler and Gov. Mark Gordon will speak at the event and provide more information about the platform and how it will benefit Wyoming manufacturers.

To RSVP for the event or learn more about CONNEX Wyoming and how to sign up for a free subscription after the platform launches, visit https://manufacturing-works.com/connex-wyoming/; or email Case at rcase@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-4812.

About Manufacturing Works

Manufacturing Works, a part of UWs Business Resource Network, is a member of the National Institute of Standards and Technology MEP National Network. The MEP National Network is a unique public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing. Its focused on helping small- and medium-sized manufacturers generate business results and thrive in todays technology-driven economy.

About CONNEX Marketplace by i5 Services

Founded in 2015, CONNEX Marketplace is a SaaS platform that connects U.S. manufacturers, suppliers and buyers into a single, accurate, searchable supply-chain database based on deep data such as equipment, certifications and capabilities. Manufacturers and suppliers can quickly post and respond to needs, visualize supply chain risk, search for qualified suppliers and instantly discover new business opportunities.

CONNEX Marketplace strives to connect local manufacturers and suppliers; strengthen and grow a resilient local and domestic supply chain; provide an easy path to source local first; create value for manufacturers by connecting them with buyers, suppliers, workforce providers, research/development opportunities and capital; eliminate manufacturing barriers; and help create sustainable and meaningful manufacturing jobs throughout the world. For more information, visit www.ConnexMarketplace.com.
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India and France have a strong strategic alliance dating back 25 years, according to French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, and both countries strive to promote world peace and stability. Despite not being my first trip to India, it is my first as a minister. However, I had my heart set on India for my first trip as a minister in the Asian region. So, that was a purposeful decision.

#Inde | @MinColonna effectuera une visite en Inde les 14 et 15 septembre.



A l'agenda : lensemble des aspects de la relation bilaterale, en particulier le partenariat strategique    depuis pres de 25 ans et les cooperations dans lIndopacifique.



 https://t.co/1ILNq0JBdD pic.twitter.com/BZuPSbW7S2  France Diplomatie (@francediplo) September 12, 2022

The reason for this is that France and India have enjoyed solid strategic cooperation for about 25 years. Weve made great progress. We wish to contribute to the worlds peace and stability, said Colonna.

The French Foreign Minister explained that France and India collaborate on international issues as well as defence and security and that they would like to do more.



We collaborate on both international and defence security matters. The purpose of our visit is to do more, thus that is our desire. Ive only just begun the visit. Well meet a few of your ministers (from India). Honored to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today, the minister said in a statement regarding her visit.

We have a lot of desire, she added, adding that a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Emmanuel Macron may happen soon.

My President and Prime Minister Modi met in May of last year and will do so again soon; we already have a great relationship, Im sure.



The French Foreign Minister will meet with PM Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and NSA Ajit Doval during her three days in India starting on Tuesday to address bilateral, regional, and global matters of common concern.

She also visited Lady Shri Ram College and met with the students and urged them to indulge in the exchange programme.

Ce matin avec les etudiantes du Lady Shri Ram College a #Dehli pour attirer davantage d'etudiantes en .

Je les ai aussi invitees a participer plus nombreuses aux programmes d'echanges.

Heureuse d'avoir partage ce moment avec elles ! #india #education #diplomatiefeministe pic.twitter.com/QkXSytSM09  Catherine Colonna (@MinColonna) September 14, 2022



Colonna will also fly to Mumbai on Thursday for meetings with business titans and site tours.

Read more: National Games: Gujarat CM doubles cash rewards, sets Go for Gold target for team
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In connection with the Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez made an appearance before the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police on Wednesday.



Jacqueline arrived earlier today at the Delhi Police EOW headquarters on Mandir Marg. According to a senior police official, Jacqueline will be required to respond to a list of questions that EOW has prepared.

Her interactions with Sukesh and the gifts she received from him were the basis for the questioning. The officer stated that she will also be questioned about how frequently she spoke with or met Sukesh over the phone during that time.

Pinky Irani also showed up at the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police on Wednesday in relation to the money laundering case. Pinky Irani is said to have introduced Jacqueline Fernandez to Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

She has been asked to join the probe by EOW.



Irani, who knew both Sukesh and Jacqueline Fernandez, reportedly assisted Sukesh in getting in touch with her. Pinky and Jacqueline may be questioned together in order to clarify the situation, according to certain reports. Jacqueline has been informed that her inquiry may take longer than expected and has been asked to schedule her to stay in Delhi accordingly.

The enforcement agency taped Fatehis statements from September to October 2021 in which she admitted to accepting presents from the alleged conman and his actress wife Leena.



In connection with the alleged scheme and the FIR that the Delhi Police had filed, the ED had opened a money laundering case. The agency had previously stated that Fernandezs remarks, in which she acknowledged receiving gifts from Chandrashekar, were taped on August 30 and October 20, 2021.

Furthermore, it said that Fernandez had purchased expensive gifts for herself and her family members in India and overseas using the profits of crime, which constitutes money laundering in violation of section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002.



Sukesh Chandrashekhar, a resident of Bengaluru in the state of Karnataka, is presently detained in a jail in Delhi and is charged in more than 10 criminal cases.



When posing as a representative of the union law ministry and the PMO, Chandrashekhar is accused of extorting Rs 200 crore from Aditi Singh, the jailed former owner of Ranbaxy, in order to release her husband on bail, while he was being held in Rohini jail.

Read more: Prabhas to burn Ravans effigy in Delhis Lav Kush Ramleela at Lal Qila with Ayodhyas Ram Mandir replica in background
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As party members left for Kolkata to participate in Nabanna Abhiyan on Tuesday, a fight broke out between BJP members and police at the Raniganj train station.



In Raniganj, the police detained numerous workers as a preventative measure.



Further, as police prohibited BJP members from travelling to Kolkata to take part in the Nabanna Chalo march, a fight broke out between the two groups inside the Bolpur train station. Many employees were detained.

Police barred paths to railway stations as hundreds of BJP members travelled towards Kolkata to attend BJPs Nabanna march by trains. 20 of our workers were stopped by police near Durgapur railway station. I arrived here through alternate paths, said BJP leader Abhijit Dutta.

In the meantime, police deployed a lot of officers to thwart the BJPs Nabanna Abhiyan. To stop the parade, Kolkatas borders have been blocked off and are being guarded.

There are barriers blocking a number of the citys roads. The West Bengal Police have created a fortress in a 5-kilometer radius around Nabanna to stop the procession.

The Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan preparations have been done. It is not just the BJPs protest, but the protest of all Bengalis. Mamata Banerjee has to clarify why her administration has misled the people of Bengal, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said on Monday.

The West Bengal Home Secretary has till September 19 to submit a report regarding the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Nabanna Abhijan, per a request from the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday.

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, and MP Locket Chatterjee were both detained by the Kolkata Police before to the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) protest march to the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Tuesday.



When they were in charge of the Nabanna Chalo Abhiyan in Kolkata, BJP leaders were taken into custody from Hastings. BJP leader Rahul Sinha, Adhikari, and Chatterjee were brought to the Lalbazar headquarters of the Kolkata Police. In the meantime, police deployed a lot of officers to thwart the BJPs Nabanna Abhiyan. To stop the parade, Kolkatas borders have been blocked off and are being guarded. Howrah has also been heavily barricaded in preparation for the BJP march.

Read more: India to assume G20 presidency, expected to hold over 200 meets across country
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The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit 2022 is due to begin today, September 15, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is prepared to visit the international conference to hold bilateral talks with a number of world leaders.

According to sources and media reports, PM Modi will meet privately with foreign leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Notably, this will be PM Modis first in-person encounter with Putin since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The SCO summit is being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, this year, and the Indian prime minister is scheduled to meet with Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the president of Uzbekistan, to conduct bilateral negotiations.

The media agency was informed by a source that PM Modis bilateral meetings with Presidents Putin of Russia and Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan are practically set, and the discussions would take place on the margins of the SCO summit in Samarkand.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the SCO presidents wont have spoken to one another for two years. As a result, multiple bilateral discussions are anticipated to take place on the margins of the summit, with topics including commerce and defence systems expected to be discussed.

The SCO meetings will include discussion of the key issue of economic cooperation within the organisation. When we meet with central Asian nations, we talk about connectivity that will encourage trade, investment, and other contacts between India and central Asian nations, according to Manish Prabhat, the Indian ambassador to Uzbekistan.

Shahbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, and Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, in addition to the other foreign leaders already listed, are anticipated to attend the summit.

Additionally, it is anticipated that PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak on a number of important topics involving their respective nations, including the pandemic, the conflict in Russia and Ukraine, and Indias defence trade agreements with those nations.

The SCO summit is being chaired this year by Uzbekistan, and the world summit will be run by India the next year.

Read more: SCO summit: Modi to attend summit in Samarkand with Xi, Putin, Shehbaz on September 15 and 16
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The theater business is a tough one, especially post pandemic. Not many can say they have survived and continue to thrive after 50 years.

In 1972, a nomadic community theater group, a program of the the citys Parks & Recreation Department, was offered space in the newly municipally acquired Sterling Farms campus. They asked the then-artistic director, Albert Pia to pick a barn for his theatre. Originally named The Sterling Barn Theatre, it is now known as The Kweskin Theatre.

Pia ran the program through Parks & Rec for 20 years until he retired in 1992. At that point, Stamford wisely got out of the theater business, said Lou Ursone said, executive director of Curtain Call, the non-profit hired by the city to manage the theater.

Following Pias retirement, two Stamford women involved in the local theater community, Lynne Colatrella and Laurie Guzda - who had founded Curtain Call in 1990  managed the property for several years, both departing in the late 1990s. Ursone took over in 2000.

I didnt think Id be here more than three to five years. Im now starting my 23rd season, he said. I like to say I was in the wrong place at the right time, he said.

And since his arrival, Curtain Call has continued to grow.

When I started, they had a lot of comedy improv classes and just three full scale productions a year plus an annual summer youth production. Now have we have one full scale production a month plus a lot of other stuff, he said.

Ursone, who studied journalism, said part of the non-profits success is his fundamental passion about what he does.

I put all my energy into making it happen, relying on volunteers and my degree in journalism. I come to the job with a wide variety of skills. Im not just an artist, Im an entrepreneur at heart. I use all of my various skills and have a pit-bull tenacity, he said.

That tenacity was put to the test during the pandemic, much like many other creative operations in Connecticut and nationwide.

Ive recently joked to a friend saying, When I was a kid, I said my biggest dream was to run a theater during the pandemic, he said.

And though things have returned to somewhat normal, Ursone cautions that were not out of the woods yet.

Audience numbers are still slow to come back. I got an email from a long-time patron who still has tickets on her account but since shes high risk. Shes not ready yet, he said.

New in Entertainment











One thing that could help the arts in the state is more funding and grants from the legislature.

The population of the state absolutely supports the arts. The state itself is getting better at it but the legislature needs to understand the value of local theater, Ursone said.

He pointed out that for every dollar invested in community arts, it comes many fold  as people often dine before or after a night out at the theater. Ursone also pointed out that most of his employees are Connecticut residents, which contributes to the states jobs and income tax.

Ursone cited some state leaders that get it, including David Lehman of the state Department of Economic Development, and Liz Shapiro, director of the CT Office for the Arts.

Ursone said that one way those still unsure about venturing out to the theater can help keep these non-profits alive is to encourage others to go, and of course, donations always help.

Curtain Call is Stamford's longest running, and only nonprofit producing theatre company. With year-round performances in The Kweskin Theatre and The Dressing Room Theatre - conveniently located at Sterling Farms in Stamford -they also produce an annual free outdoor Shakespeare production. With at least 12 full-scale productions each year, plus many other special events. Additionally, they offer a full curriculum of performing arts programming for ages five through adult.

Upcoming shows include Neil Simons Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Cabaret, The Cemetery Club, Groundhog Day, the Musical, and The Wizard of Oz. For a full list of the upcoming shows for 2022-23 season or for more information, visit https://www.curtaincallinc.com/.
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Alabama told a federal judge that it could soon be ready to use a new, untried execution method called nitrogen hypoxia to carry out a death sentence.

The disclosure came Monday at a court hearing over inmate Alan Miller's request to block his scheduled Sept. 22 execution by lethal injection. Miller maintains that prison staff lost paperwork he returned in 2018 requesting nitrogen hypoxia, an execution method that the state has authorized but never used.

U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. asked whether Alabama was ready to carry out executions by nitrogen hypoxia.

James Houts, a deputy state attorney general, said the method could be available as soon as next week. He said, however, that a final decision on when to use the new method would be up to Corrections Commissioner John Hamm. The Alabama Department of Corrections did not respond to an email seeking comment about the status of the proposed new execution method.

Here is what is known about nitrogen hypoxia:

WHAT IS NITROGEN HYPOXIA?

Nitrogen hypoxia is a proposed execution method in which death would be caused by forcing the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, thereby depriving him or her of the oxygen needed to maintain bodily functions.

HAS IT EVER BEEN USED?

No. No state has used nitrogen hypoxia to carry out a death sentence. In 2018 Alabama became the third state  along with Oklahoma and Mississippi  to authorize the untested use of nitrogen gas to execute prisoners. However, lethal injection remains the state's primary execution method.

HOW IS IT SUPPOSED TO WORK?

Nitrogen makes up 78% of the air inhaled by humans and is harmless when inhaled with oxygen. The theory behind the execution method is that changing the composition of the air to 100% nitrogen would cause the inmate to pass out and then die from lack of oxygen.

WHY DID STATES PROPOSE THE NEW METHOD?

States began proposing nitrogen hypoxia as an alternate execution method because of difficulty obtaining lethal injection drugs and ongoing litigation over the humaneness of lethal injection. Proponents have theorized that nitrogen hypoxia would be a simpler and more humane execution method. Then-Sen. Trip Pittman, a Republican lawmaker who sponsored the 2018 legislation, theorized it would be similar to how aircraft passengers pass out when a plane depressurizes.

WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS?

Critics have likened the untested method to human experimentation. It is completely untested, said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. No state has publicly released a protocol describing how it would work. While proponents have theorized it would be quick and painless, Dunham noted that states once said the same thing about the electric chair. The American Veterinary Medical Associations euthanasia guidelines say inert gas hypoxia is acceptable, under certain conditions, for the euthanasia of chickens, turkeys and pigs but is not recommended for other mammals such as rats.

HOW WOULD ALABAMA CARRY OUT AN EXECUTION BY NITROGEN HYPOXIA?

Unknown. The state has released little information about the proposed method. Most of the available information has come from court proceedings. The Alabama Department of Corrections told a federal judge last year that it had completed a system to use nitrogen gas but did not describe it. During a Sept. 11 court hearing, a lawyer for the state said they asked Miller if he would agree to be fitted with a mask, an indication that the state may intend to place a face mask over the inmates' nose and mouth.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER STATES?

Oklahoma, which in 2015 was the first state to approve the use of nitrogen gas for use in executions, has not finalized plans to use it. The state has resumed lethal injections. Department of Corrections emails obtained by The Associated Press show the agencys former deputy chief of operations reached out to a manufacturer of reduced oxygen breathing units used to help train pilots on the signs and symptoms of hypoxia. The president of the company responded that she didnt believe executions would be an appropriate use of the product and that she had concerns about potential liability.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Alabama is working on finalizing a protocol for using nitrogen hypoxia, Houts told the judge. The steps must be added to the existing state protocol that describes the procedures for an execution using the electric chair or lethal injection. He said Alabama's prison commissioner has the final decision on when to allow its use. Litigation is expected if the state decides to go forward with the method. Lethal injection will remain the primary execution method in Alabama. However, when Alabama authorized nitrogen hypoxia in 2018, state law gave inmates a brief window to select it as their preferred execution method. A number of inmates selected nitrogen.

___

Associated Press writer Sean Murphy contributed to this report from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  A major Florida sheriff who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis after a high school massacre appears to have lied when he didn't disclose in his job application that he fatally shot another teenager when he was 14 and that he had used LSD, the state ethics commission found Wednesday.

Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony will now face a public hearing on the accusations or he could pursue a settlement. The ethics commission could recommend that Tony be removed by DeSantis, fined or censured. The hearing has not been scheduled.

The commission overruled a finding by its advocate, Melody Hadley, who concluded that Tony's actions had not violated state statutes. Tony's attorney, Stephen Webster, called the nine-member commission's decision unprecedented.

While disappointed in the Commissions action, my client looks forward to a swift finding of innocence, Webster said in a statement.

DeSantis appointed Tony sheriff of Florida's second most-populous county in January 2019, just days after taking office. He had fired Tonys predecessor, Scott Israel, for his alleged mishandling of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in February 2018, a decision that was upheld by the Florida Senate.

DeSantis' press office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. DeSantis recently suspended four members of the Broward school board after a grand jury found they had not properly overseen security improvements related to the school shooting.

A Florida Department of Law Enforcement report issued earlier this year said Tony repeatedly lied on his police applications, including failing to disclose that he fatally shot an 18-year-old neighbor during a 1993 fight at his family's Philadelphia home. Tony was found to have acted in self-defense and acquitted, but the applications required the disclosure of all criminal arrests no matter the court decision.

Tony's attorneys have argued that under Pennsylvania law, juveniles are not charged with crimes but acts of delinquency," so he has no criminal arrests. The shooting was uncovered in 2020 by the Florida Bulldog news website.

Before becoming sheriff, Tony was hired by the suburban Coral Springs Police Department in 2005. State investigators found that he also falsely answered no on that department's hiring questionnaire when asked Have you ever injured or caused the death of another person? and Were you ever in a fight involving a weapon?

He worked his way up to sergeant before resigning in 2016 to run a police consulting firm that specialized in active shooter training. DeSantis appointed him on the recommendation of the father of a Stoneman Douglas victim who knew Tony from the gym where they both worked out. The vetting process was completed in a day.

The investigation found that in 2003, Tony answered truthfully that he had once used LSD as a teenager when he applied for a job with the Tallahassee Police Department, his first law enforcement application. After that admission caused his rejection, investigators found that on subsequent police applications, Tony answered no when asked if he had ever used or handled hallucinogenic drugs.

Investigators say Tony also repeatedly lied on police and Florida drivers license applications by answering no when asked if his license was ever suspended. Pennsylvania suspended his license in 1996 for failing to pay traffic tickets. Tony last answered no to that question in 2019 when he applied for a new license shortly after he became sheriff.

In the August 2020 Democratic primary, Tony defeated his predecessor, Israel, who was trying to get his job back. That November, Tony easily defeated his Republican opponent in the general election to win a four-year term.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Business and government officials are bracing for the possibility of a nationwide rail strike at the end of this week while talks carry on between the largest U.S. freight railroads and their unions.

The railroads have already started to curtail shipments of hazardous materials and have announced plans to stop hauling refrigerated products ahead of Friday's strike deadline. Now businesses that rely on Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Kansas City Southern and other railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products have started planning for the worst.

Meanwhile, Biden administration officials are scrambling to develop a plan to use trucks, ships and planes to try to keep the most crucial chemicals and other goods moving if the railroads stop rolling. But the White House is also keeping the pressure on the two sides to settle their differences, and a growing number of business groups are lobbying Congress to be prepared to intervene and block a strike if they can't reach an agreement.

We have made crystal clear to the interested parties the harm that American families, business and farmers and communities would experience if they were not to reach a resolution, White House press secretary Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. She said a shutdown is not acceptable.

In addition to all the businesses that rely on railroads to deliver their goods, passenger railroads are also affected because many of them operate on tracks owned by one of the freight railroads. Amtrak has already cancelled several of its long-distance trains because there wouldnt be enough time for them to reach their destinations before a strike or lockout would be allowed to begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday.

Amtrak already suspended its California Zephyr and Empire Builder lines that run from Chicago to the West Coast, and starting Wednesday it will stop running its City of New Orleans, Starlight and Texas Eagle lines along with several others.

Commuter railroads would also be affected. In Chicago, Metra warned its riders that it wouldnt be able to run most of its trains if there is a strike.

The railroads have reached tentative agreements with most of their unions, including a ninth deal announced Tuesday, based on the recommendations of a Presidential Emergency Board Joe Biden appointed this summer that called for 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses in a five-year deal thats retroactive to 2020. The deal also includes one additional paid leave day a year and higher health insurance costs.

But all 12 railroad unions must agree to prevent a strike. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that represents engineers, and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union that represents conductors want the railroads to address some of their concerns about unpredictable work schedules and strict attendance rules in addition to agreeing to the recommended wage increases.

Ron Kaminkow, general secretary of the Railroad Workers United labor coalition that includes workers from a variety of railroad unions, said he doesn't think the unions are demanding much at this point  just the kind of things most U.S. workers already enjoy like the ability to take time off without being penalized.

We have attendance policies that have gotten more and more and more draconian. That offer very, very little leeway for workers who need to take time off for doctors appointments, for time with family, to be rested, Kaminkow said.

Starting Monday, all the major railroads put a hold on shipments of hazardous materials to ensure those dangerous chemicals wouldn't be stranded along the tracks if there is a strike. Norfolk Southern told its customers that it will also stop accepting shipments of intermodal containers full of goods starting Wednesday evening as it prepares for a controlled shutdown of the network.

Some businesses would likely be affected more than others by a rail shutdown. For instance, nearly all ethanol and coal and most grain moves by rail.

___

Associated Press Writers Seung Min Kim and Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Washington D.C.
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OAK GLEN, Calif. (AP)  Rescuers searched Wednesday for a person missing in a mudslide that swept boulders down fire-scarred slopes and damaged or destroyed 30 homes in the Southern California mountains as firefighters in the northern part of the state tried to contain an explosive week-old blaze.

Dogs aided the hunt for a person missing in a heavily damaged area of the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles where thunderstorms unleashed rocks, trees and earth that washed away cars, buried homes and affected 3,000 residents in two remote communities.

The force of mud barreling down the mountain late Monday drove a dumpster through the walls of the Oak Glen Steakhouse and Saloon. A massive tree lodged in the dining room, muck was waist-deep in the kitchen and wine bottles were slathered in mud.

We have trees in there ... 30 feet long that came straight through our building, said Brandon Gallegos, whose family owns the restaurant. Its crushing."

As the search, cleanup and damage assessment continued, firefighters in Northern California tried to tamp down a fire that flared up Tuesday and jumped a fork of the American River and on Wednesday became the largest blaze in the state this year. Evacuations were increased to more than 11,000 people as the fire threatened over 9,000 structures.

The muddy damage in Oak Glen and Forest Falls served as a powerful warning to residents of areas that have burned or are facing high fire danger of the damage wildfires can cause months or even years after flames are extinguished and the smoke clears.

An intense amount of rain even over a short period of time can have catastrophic effects on hillsides where fire has stripped vegetation that once held the ground intact.

In January 2018, mudslides thundered down a steep mountainside that burned a month earlier and killed more than 20 people in the tony beachside town of Montecito near Santa Barbara. The worst of the rain fell in a 15-minute span with Montecito getting little more than a half-inch (1.25 centimeter) in five minutes.

Jim Topelski, a San Bernardino County fire chief, said mudslides had been a concern in the area burned by the deadly El Dorado Fire that was sparked two years ago when a couple used a smoke device to reveal their babys gender. The couple was charged with involuntary manslaughte r in the death of a firefighter.

On Monday, nearly 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain fell top Yucaipa Ridge between Oak Glen, home to apple orchards that are a fall tourist destination, and Forest Falls, once a summer getaway for cabin owners that has become a bedroom community.

The mud and debris flow came down through the high steep terrain, Topeleski said. This entire area is blanketed with up to 6 feet (1.83 meters) of mud, debris, large boulders.

Mudflows had washed into Forest Falls a month ago, closing roads, but damaging no homes.

Residents in the area had been warned of the danger lurking above them, so they were dismayed but not surprised, Gallegos said.

We were just hoping and praying that it wouldnt happen, but it did happen, he said.

A video captured the spectacle of mud flowing like lava past the sign for Gallegos' restaurant under sunny skies. It was followed seconds later by a faster-moving and deeper surge of sludge carrying logs and sweeping across a road.

Out of view in the video was the damage being done as tons of mud poured into the tavern.

Evacuation orders remained in two areas over possible mudslides as well as to help workers clear roads buried in muck and restore water and power.

The burst of rain followed a rare tropical storm that ended a lengthy statewide heat wave last week that had pushed electrical supplies to the brink of power outages.

While the temporary relief was welcome in the drought-stricken West, a spate of flash floods that followed have wreaked havoc in many places.

Cars were marooned over the weekend in Death Valley National Park and new flooding again Tuesday closed all entrances into the park. Only the east entrance was open Wednesday and the western entrance is closed indefinitely because of extensive road damage.

In a desert area outside Las Vegas, a stranded truck driver and two people in a van had to be rescued after thunderstorms dumped more than 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) of rain within three hours early Wednesday and washed basketball-sized rocks onto roads in Valley of Fire State Park.

It was a different story in Northern California, where the Mosquito Fire burned more buildings Tuesday afternoon, just hours after officials reported making great strides. The blaze on Wednesday surpassed the size of the previous largest fire in 2022, the McKinney Fire, although this season has seen a fraction of last years fire activity so far.

Stronger winds pushed out a smoke inversion layer Tuesday that had been stifling the blaze and gave fresh oxygen to the flames, McLean said. The area is full of extremely dry vegetation that was rapidly igniting, challenging both firefighters on the ground and air.

Scientists say climate change has made the West warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. In the last five years, California has experienced the largest and most destructive fires in its history.

Firefighters were able to keep flames from crossing a key road and entering the town of Foresthill and cooler temperatures overnight helped keep it in check, fire spokesperson Scott McLean said Wednesday. He said some buildings burned, but the exact number wont be known until damage assessment teams were able to canvas the area.

Breezes were calmer on Wednesday afternoon and crews and helicopters knocked down hotspots.

It's trying to come back to life, McLean said from his perch overlooking the fire. But nothing like yesterday.

He said evacuations remain in place because of the unpredictable nature of the winds, which typically blow in the direction of several canyons in the area, which could rapidly spread flames if gusts pick up.

The blaze 110 miles (177 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco was one of three large fires in the state and had grown to roughly 100 square miles (258 square kilometers), with 20% containment Wednesday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. At least 64 homes and other buildings have been destroyed.

The Fairview Fire was burning about 75 miles (121 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. The 44-square-mile (114-square-kilometer) blaze was 75% contained by Wednesday night. Two people died fleeing the fire, which destroyed at least 35 homes and other structures in Riverside County.

___

Melley reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Christopher Weber and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

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For more AP coverage of the climate and environment: https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.
MOMBASA, Kenya (AP)  Kenyas newly elected president William Ruto said that climate change will be key to the government's agenda and made an ambitious pledge to ramp up clean energy and phase out fossil fuels for electricity by 2030.

In our country, women and men, young people, farmers, workers, and local communities suffer the consequences of climate emergency," said President Ruto at his inauguration speech on Tuesday at Nairobis Moi International Sports Complex.

"We must act urgently to keep global heating levels below 1.5 Celsius, help those in need and end addiction to fossil fuels, he added, echoing calls by the United Nations Secretary-General to cut the world's reliance on coal, oil and gas.

Taking cues from the countrys revised commitments on climate change submitted to the U.N., known as nationally determined contributions, President Ruto promised the country will have a full and just transition to electricity exclusively produced by solar, wind and geothermal energy by 2030 that will ensure all communities benefit from the move.

Kenya is on a transition to clean energy that will support jobs, local economies, and the sustainable industrialization," Ruto said. "We call on all African states to join us in this journey. Africa can lead the world. We have immense potential for renewable energy. Reducing costs of renewal energy technologies make this the most viable energy source.

The move, although welcome, might have too tight of a deadline given that the current devastating drought in Africa severely undermines hydropower, according to Evans Mukolwe, Kenya's former Meteorological Department head. He added that unless deliberate efforts are made to increase geothermal and solar power, the Presidents new goal may be difficult to achieve.

Ruto, who won the August presidential elections, was sworn in as Kenyas fifth President on Tuesday. He succeeds President Uhuru Kenyatta who stepped down after serving the constitutional two-term limit.

President Ruto will also take over Kenyatta's position as chair of the Committee of African Heads of State on Climate Change, which is the continents highest decision-making body on climate issues.

During the forthcoming U.N. climate conference in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt this November, Ruto said he will lead the continent in negotiating the delivery of finance and technology to the continent to support nations dealing with the effects of climate change.

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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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NEW YORK (AP)  A New York City mom accused of drowning her three children in the Atlantic Ocean was charged with murder Wednesday.

Authorities announced the charges two days after Erin Merdy, 30, was found wandering barefoot and soaking wet, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) from where children were discovered at the water's edge off of Brooklyn's Coney Island boardwalk.

The city medical examiner determined Tuesday that 7-year-old Zachary Merdy, 4-year-old Liliana Merdy and 3-month-old Oliver Bondarev died by drowning.

Merdy has undergone a psychiatric evaluation and remained in the hospital Wednesday, according to police. It wasn't clear when she might be arraigned in court.

Relatives have said in media interviews that Merdy appeared to have been struggling with the children.

Her estranged ex-husband, Derrick Merdy, told The New York Times his son, Zachary, would arrive for visits dirty and complaining that he wasn't getting enough to eat. Court records indicated that Merdy had been threatened with eviction for being thousands of dollars behind on her rent.

Acquaintances and relatives, though, also said she loved the children.

She did a little crazy stuff, but nothing that would lead to harming her children or herself, an uncle, Eddy Stephen, told The New York Post.

She loved her children to no end, her aunt, Dine Stephen, told the Daily News.

It was unclear when a lawyer would be appointed to represent Merdy. A defense lawyer could potentially ask a judge for a psychological investigation to see if Merdy is mentally fit to stand trial.

The children's bodies were found after a search that began when a relative dialed 911 at around 1 a.m. Monday and expressed concern that Merdy had harmed her children. Officers searched the beach and the boardwalk in the dark, intensifying the hunt when Merdy was discovered alone on the boardwalk.
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WEST HAVEN  Developers for a proposed Shingle Hill Road living community for people 55 and older were given a list of approximately 13 questions to answer from the Planning and Zoning Commission before the project can move forward.

The plan is to have 16 units in eight duplexes, with each unit being 1,250 square feet with a two-car garage. BLLT LLC, which purchased 37 Shingle Hill Road, recently settled with neighbors directly abutting the property who filed an appeal against the development. Per the settlement, the duplex directly adjacent to the neighbors property cannot be built until those neighbors relinquish ownership of their home.

The Zoning Board of Appeals approved multiple variances for the project, but progress had been tied up in court with the appeal. As developers sought a final approval for their proposal at a Tuesday Planning and Zoning public hearing, residents packed a meeting room on the second floor of City Hall.

As commissioners reviewed the materials, they raised multiple questions that the development team could not immediately answer.

Commissioner Christopher Suggs asked about snow removal, as storing snow on site could lead to snow tumbling downhill from the site onto other properties.

Attorney Vincent Amendola, representing the applicants before the committee, said a private snow removal contractor would be hired but the details had not yet been negotiated.

We do not have a snow removal plan in place right now, he said.

Commission Chairwoman Kathy Hendricks requested the development include more specific signage on the street to indicate that street parking is forbidden. She said the developers also had to provide more information about how emergency response vehicles  such as a firetruck  would be able to enter and exit the site and how it would easily locate which building is which in an emergency.

After more than an hour of presentations from the development team and questions from the commission, Hendricks announced that no decisions would be made.

Theres too many open questions. We will not be making a decision tonight, Hendricks said.

She made the announcement before the public was invited to speak, informing the public that the public hearing would remain open even after the meeting had adjourned, so any testimony at the following meeting would violate the one-time speaking rule for members of the public who opted to testify Tuesday.

Marty Northam, a neighbor to the development, said he opposed the scale of the project.

Youre kind of cramming this in where it doesnt belong, he said.

Neighbor Vincent Morrissey questioned whether there had been an adequate assessment of the potential effects of deforesting a parcel on a sloped street might have on the neighborhood.

Does the engineer know where water will go when the trees and shrubs come out? he said.

However, the development also had supporters, including West Haven native Rick Fontana, who said he had lived in a similar active adult residential community in Orange for a year.

Were missing in West Haven housing that wed love to have for active adult communities. Theres no perfect development but weve got to do something, he said.

Fontana said that, as opposed to single-family housing, the city needs more community housing.

Resident Alex Pericas said he had visited similar community developments in Florida and found them to be a highlight, with friendly people living as neighbors and doing activities together.

So long as the issues are resolved, Im for it, he said.

Hendricks said the public hearing would be continued to the commissions next meeting on Sept. 27.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
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WASHINGTON (AP)  A year after the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration said Wednesday it will transfer $3.5 billion in frozen Afghan central bank funds to benefit the Afghan people, as hunger grips every province there.

Funds will be dispersed after trustees of the new Afghan Fund meet to determine a timetable. The trustees are two Afghan economists, a U.S. government representative and a Swiss government representative.

Notably, the Taliban government will not have access to the fund, which will be held at the Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland. The bank in a news release said its role is limited to providing banking services to and executing the instructions of the Board of Trustees of the Fund without involvement in the Funds governance or decision making.

In the interim, Afghanistan's central bank, which in February had $7 billion in frozen funds, must demonstrate that it has the expertise, capacity, and independence to responsibly perform the duties of a central bank, the U.S. Treasury and State departments said in a joint statement. Robust safeguards have been put in place to prevent the funds from being used for illicit activity."

International funding to Afghanistan was suspended and billions of dollars of the countrys assets abroad, mostly in the United States, were frozen after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021 following the U.S. military's withdrawal.

The World Bank says income and economic output in Afghanistan have dropped between 20% and 30%, imports have declined by roughly 40%, and 70% of Afghan households report they are unable to fully meet basic food or non-food needs.

In February, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that called for banks to provide $3.5 billion of the frozen money to a trust fund for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs.

The other $3.5 billion will stay in the U.S. to finance payments from lawsuits by U.S. victims of terrorism that are still working their way through the courts, prompted by claims brought by family members of people killed on Sept 11, 2001.

The Afghan Fund will help mitigate the economic challenges facing Afghanistan while protecting and preserving $3.5 billion in reserves from Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), Afghanistans central bank, for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan, Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.

He said the Talibans repression and economic mismanagement had exacerbated longstanding economic challenges for Afghanistan that had made the return of the funds untenable.

In a Tuesday letter to Afghanistans central bank, Adeyemo said until conditions for the central bank are met, their control of assets would place them at unacceptable risk and jeopardize them as a source of support for the Afghan people.

Shah Mehrabi, a Montgomery College economics professor, is one of the trustees of the new fund. He told The Associated Press that the money should be used primarily to maintain price stability in the country, rather than for humanitarian purposes.

I think the purpose of board, as a member, is to address the liquidity and price stability issues in the country expeditiously, prior to a harsh winter, he said. There are ways we can provide relief so that Afghans are able to have food and energy and to perform their basic daily duties.

Human Rights Watch said in August that Afghanistans humanitarian crisis cannot be effectively addressed unless the U.S. and other governments ease restrictions on the countrys banking sector to allow economic activity and humanitarian aid.

Nearly half the Afghan population  18.9 million people  is estimated to be acutely food insecure between June and November 2022, the World Food Programme said. All 34 provinces in the country are facing some level of crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the people of Afghanistan are facing humanitarian and economic crises born of decades of conflict, severe drought, COVID-19, and endemic corruption.

Today, the United States and its partners take an important, concrete step forward in ensuring that additional resources can be brought to bear to reduce suffering and improve economic stability for the people of Afghanistan while continuing to hold the Taliban accountable, Sherman said.
WEST HAVEN  A decision to scale back the immediate availability of public meetings has rankled residents, who claim they are being excluded from city government.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when public safety guidance contributed to public meetings happening over video conferencing software that allowed for residents to watch live, City Council meetings have been broadcast live to YouTube. Dozens of residents  sometimes hundreds of residents depending on the meetings agenda  would watch the meetings on a computer or phone instead of live in City Hall. Some would discuss the meetings live on a popular Facebook group for city residents.

In September, the practice of live-streaming meetings stopped. At Mondays City Council meeting, the first in September, a contracted videographer filmed the meeting to later upload to the citys YouTube page, but did not stream the meeting live. Several members of the council were unaware, with some passing notes to the videographer or whispering in his ear that the livestream appeared to be down after receiving text messages from constituents.

City Council Chairman Peter Massaro, D-6, said that the meetings were livestreamed in the first place to fulfill a state requirement, but now that public meetings are being hosted in person that requirement is voided.

Its costing us money, Massaro said. COVID is over.

According to state data, there were 2,907 new infections of COVID-19 in Connecticut in the last seven days.

Massaro said that the city has been expected to pick up the tab for the use of streaming  a function that requires more equipment and labor for a videographer than only filming and later editing the meeting.

Videographer Andrew Kosarko said he charges the city a $150 rate to livestream meetings on top of a $100 hourly fee and the equipment he uses is his own.

Tom Hennick, public education officer for the states Freedom of Information Commission, affirmed that there is no legal requirement for livestreaming a public meeting that occurs in person. Under the law, public bodies, at minimum, must produce an audio recording of their meetings within seven days of the meeting.

Under the law if a meeting is in person theres no requirement for any type of livestreaming, Hennick said.

Several residents believe that just because its the law that it doesnt make it right.

Paige Weinstein, a resident who attended the meeting, posted on the popular West Haven - The Way It Is Facebook group to inform residents looking to watch from home that there were not technical difficulties.

I think its a poor decision, Weinstein said. I think its a lack of transparency. I believe we are a city in crisis and this creates division, even more division, between the administration or City Hall and the residents.

Although residents can only contribute to the meetings public speaking portion if they attend in person or submit a letter beforehand, Weinstein said she and others who regularly attend meetings in person have brought concerns that are texted to them or shared on Facebook to the council from the publics lectern.

Resident Rich Deso said he intended to attend the meeting, but last minute issues led him to decide to watch remotely. When the live video never appeared, he realized he had missed out.

Deso said he believes that if the city is already recording meetings then livestreaming them makes sense and is worth the cost.

Theres a lot of people that watch it live, like seniors and disabled people that cant get there at 7 at night. Theyre in their home at 5 and watch it live, he said.

Resident Paul Frosolone, who attended on Monday, said his phone was blowing up with residents wanting to know why they could not watch live. That decision, in addition to a recent decision to limit individual members of the public to three minutes during public session, makes you wonder whats going on, he said.

The livestream allows people who cant leave their families or work the opportunity to see whats going on, he said. The next day, people are working. In the evening probably 80 percent of people are home, eating dinner or watching the kids doing homework.

Weinstein said that, in a city where there is a disconnect between residents and City Hall following a rash of scandals last year that began with the arrest of former State Rep. Michael DiMassa for the alleged theft of over $1 million in federal funds intended to address pandemic needs, uploading meetings without showing them live creates another vector for residents to question the veracity of what they are seeing. She said that if the city goes the route of eventually just releasing audio recordings it deprives the public of the ability to see whether council members or other city officials are present or engaged.

During Mondays meeting, Finance Director Scott Jackson said that the city expects to have a budget surplus in excess of at least $1 million from the as-of-yet unaudited 2022 fiscal year. Weinstein said that, if that were the case, she believes the city does have the money to maintain a livestream.

Jackson and Mayor Nancy Rossi did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday about the financial impact of livestreaming meetings.

Purchasing Director Ricky Spreyer provided council members with an update at Tuesdays meeting that the city expects to move forward on purchasing a bid for a new camera and audio system in City Hall meeting rooms so that meetings can be broadcast with software embedded in the building and controlled remotely with smartphone access. Spreyer said the citys IT director Jumaine Samuels is looking to make a hire in his department to manage and oversee network security before moving forward with the process. Once that happens, though, Spreyer said he expects the network to be fully installed roughly four months after the purchase is made.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
Lagos-based Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe has declared support for frontline 2023 flagbearer, Bola Tinubu. The Progressives Congre...

Lagos-based Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe has declared support for frontline 2023 flagbearer, Bola Tinubu.

The Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate is a former governor of the state.

Addressing his church members, Ogundipe said he would not leave a fellow Yoruba man to support an Igbo man.

The Shepherd-in-Charge of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Global Genesis Parish in Lagos stressed that hes not a bastard.

Popularly known as Genesis, the cleric made it clear that his support was based on regional consideration.

His words: I support Tinubu, (whether) you like it or not. I dont care. If I see another Yoruba person, I will support.

That (Tinubu) is the only Yoruba person Ive seen. If you want to attack me, attack me. I am not a bastard.

I cannot be a Yourba boy and go and vote for Igbo. I am not afraid. I dont care, Im not afraid.

In 2020, the prophet made the news when the Lagos State High Court sentenced him to two years imprisonment in a fraud case involving a London-based woman, Olaide Williams-Oni.

Genesis, who was on trial since 2011, was charged with stealing, inducing delivery of money by false pretense, unlawful conversion of property and forgery.

Justice Olabisi Akinlade found the clergyman guilty of two of the seven charges but dismissed the remaining five over lack of evidence.

Justice Akinlade ordered Genesis to pay the complainant, Williams-Oni, the sum of N11million illegally obtained from her.

The defendant is to restitute N2.5million in respect of count two (stealing) and N8.5million in respect of count 4 (unlawful conversion of property not delivered), the judge ruled.

While Genesis was in prison, his lawyer, Babatunde Ogala, approached the Court of Appeal and applied for bail due to health challenges.

The cleric was released in April 2021 after the court ruled in his favour citing hypertension, diabetes, peptic ulcer and unending malaria.
The absence of Mr Wilfred Okoi, Counsel to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in a legal action challenging the validity of Atiku Abubakar...

The absence of Mr Wilfred Okoi, Counsel to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in a legal action challenging the validity of Atiku Abubakars candidacy as the Peoples Democratic Party PDP flag bearer in the 2023 general election on Wednesday stalled hearing of the suit.

Okoi was at the Federal High Court early in the day and was said to have suddenly developed sickness and had to hurriedly leave the courtroom.

A PDP chieftain, Newgent Ekamon, who instituted the suit alongside Wike informed Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed that the joint lawyer had to leave when his health challenges deteriorated.

Ekamon pleaded with the Judge to grant an adjournment in view of the development.

PDP National Legal Adviser, Mr Adeyemi Kamaldeen Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN did not object to the request for adjustment on the ground that anybody can fall sick at any time.

Justice Mohammed subsequently fixed October 7 for the hearing of the suit.

Wike had sued PDP, its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal over the conduct of the presidential primary of the party held in Abuja on May 28 and May 29, 2022.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, Wike and the PDP chieftain, Newgent Ekamon, are the two plaintiffs.

In the originating summons, PDP is listed as the first respondent while the Independent National Electoral Commission is the 2nd respondent.

Tambuwal and Atiku are listed as the 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.

In the originating summons, Wike and his co-applicant asked the court to determine eight issues including whether the purported transfer of Tambuwals votes to Atiku by the PDP was illegal and void.

The plaintiffs asked the court to determine if Tambuwal lost his claim to votes the moment he stepped down for Atiku.

They asked the court to determine whether Tambuwal having stepped down during the primaries ought to lose his votes.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council says Bola Tinubu, candidate of the party, is hale and hearty. The ...





The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council says Bola Tinubu, candidate of the party, is hale and hearty.

The campaign council said this in reaction to a comment by Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in a now viral video clip.

This is your country. You dont see the value of lets have something better. There will be confusion  and thats it. And they will support him because he gave them money. They will say Jagaban is the best candidate, even when the man is not well, Obi had said.

Jagaban is a nickname given to Tinubu by his supporters.

In a statement on Tuesday, Bayo Onanuga, the APC campaigns director of media and publicity, said Obi is elevating beer parlor gossip and social media lies being propagated by his IPOB supporters.

Obi in his characteristic manner is amplifying falsehood which should not have a place in a decent political campaign, Onanuga said.

We believe that political leaders should be guided in their utterances and be sticklers for the truth, but Obi has thrown all caution to the wind, pronouncing on issues he has no moral and professional competence to make a judgement call on.

We want to make it crystal clear to all the traducers of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate that Asiwaju Tinubu is not ill. He is hale and hearty.

A man who works for 20 hours a day, meeting people and strategising about finding solutions to Nigerias problems, cannot be said to be ill. We make bold to say that our candidate is as fit as the fiddle.

We also want to educate Peter Obi and his horde of gullible followers that Tinubus millions of supporters countrywide are backing him not because of any pecuniary benefit.

Asiwaju Tinubu supporters are rooting for him because of their strong belief in his demonstrable ability to provide progressive leadership for our country.

Coming so soon after his gaffe and falsehood in accusing Tinubu of mobilising Yoruba voters not to support him, Obi is coming across as a dangerous politician and a demagogue capable of spewing all manners of lies just to get the votes.

Already discredited with statistical lies and fallacies, Obi is now treading new ground, spreading lies with unfounded claims on Asiwaju Tinubus health.
Nollywood movie star, Yul Edochie has condemned the blocking of the ever-busy Lagos Ibadan road by university students protesting the prolon...





Nollywood movie star, Yul Edochie has condemned the blocking of the ever-busy Lagos Ibadan road by university students protesting the prolonged strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.





Recall that following the inability of the Federal government to resolve the lingering strike, students on Tuesday blocked the Sagamu Interchange section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, demanding an end to the seven months old industrial action.





The development which left many motorists stranded yesterday has generated reactions from concerned Nigerians.





Reacting, Yul, in a tweet on his verified Twitter handle, urged the students to instead, take their grievances to the National Assembly and Aso Rock.





He wrote, Dear students, its good to see youre expressing your displeasure over the ASUU strike. However, this move doesnt make much sense.





Citizens dont have to suffer bcos of the govts failure to resolve the strike. If you want to block the road, block the national assembly, block Aso Rock.
The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said that the protesting members of the National Association of Nigerian students, NANS, that blocke...

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said that the protesting members of the National Association of Nigerian students, NANS, that blocked a traffic-laden section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway are violating the countrys law.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, stated this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.





According to the Minister, the Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) recognises and protects citizens right to public protests but does not empower any Nigerian to inflict pain and inconvenience on other people.

The Ministets explanation came on the heels of the report that the protest embarked upon by NANS on Tuesday caused a gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, leaving motorists and passengers stranded.





The protest took place just after the Sagamu Interchange section of the expressway, towards Lagos.

The protesting students carried placards with different inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs as they lamented the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, that has prolonged for seven months.

They vowed to lay siege of the major highway and others to drive home their demand to end the strike.

But fielding question from journalists on the recurrent gridlock on the uncompleted sections of the highway, Fashola appealed for more patience from Nigerians saying that there is no alternative route in the already built-up areas.

He said Once again, I apologise and empathise with commuters who need that place to get on with their lives. Its the place we left to the last really because its the most built-up area, the last six kilometers into Lagos; very densely populated and occupied. Theres very little room for alternative routes for people. So, you just have to bear with us.

I also heard that some aggrieved students under the aegis of NANS are going to the road to protest. My respectful view is that is not helpful at all to the citizens.

The right to protest is a very well-protected right in our Constitution, but it does not include the right to inflict pain and inconvenience on other people. And so, whilst the protests can go on, they should refrain from blocking the road in order to do their protests. That in itself is a violation of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has charged two Nigerians for $6.2million wire fraud after attempts to scam Americans of $25.2mi...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has charged two Nigerians for $6.2million wire fraud after attempts to scam Americans of $25.2million.

The defendants are accused of defrauding nearly two dozen public and private entities around the United States, including at least one in Oregon.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) indictment unsealed in federal court charged Efeturi Ariawhorai a.k.a Efeturi Simeon, 35, a citizen of Nigeria and Vanuatu.

The other is Ikenna Nwajiaku, 41, believed to be residing in or near Lagos. The FBI declared them fugitives.

Ariawhorai and Nwajiaku face 11-count bordering on conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Quinn Harrington said federal law enforcement is determined to pursue cyber criminals and retrieve money mistakenly sent to unknown bank accounts.

The Cyber and National Security Unit Head at U.S. Attorneys Office for Oregon said when in doubt, anyone who thinks they are the victim of a cyber crime should report to the FBI.

Special Agent in Charge Kieran L. Ramsey said the level of greed it takes to steal from schools and hospitals, especially during the pandemic, is beyond disturbing.

We were able to recover the total loss of nearly $3million for a victim in Oregon and keep that money out of the hands of criminals, Ramsey disclosed.

The indictment said from June 2019 until January 2021, Ariawhorai and Nwajiaku conspired with others to defraud school districts, universities, colleges, and hospitals.

The duo contacted organizations by email, impersonated employees of the targeted companies or professionals and convinced them to send payments to bank accounts controlled by third parties.

Ariawhorai and Nwajiaku attempted to defraud 20 victim organizations out of more than $25million;15 lost a combined $6.2 million as a result of the scheme.

The alleged crimes are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and three years supervised release. The case, investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted by AUSA Harrington.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has accused Tukur Mamu, the Kaduna train attack negotiator, of aiding and abetting acts of terroris...

The Department of State Services (DSS) has accused Tukur Mamu, the Kaduna train attack negotiator, of aiding and abetting acts of terrorism.

The security agency said the publisher of Desert Herald is involved in the funding of international and local terrorism.

The DSS alleged that Tukur shares information with terrorist groups, resulting in the escalation of bandit attacks in the country.

This was made known in an affidavit in support of an ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1617/2022 and filed before Nkeonye Maha, a judge of the federal high court in Abuja.

According to NAN, the judge on Tuesday issued a ruling on the ex-parte motion moved by Ahmed Magaji, counsel for the DSS, granting the security agency permission to detain Mamu for 60 more days pending the conclusion of its investigation.

Preliminary investigation so far established, amongst others, the offences of the logistic supplier, aiding and abetting acts of terrorism as well as terrorism financing against him, the DSS was said to have written in the affidavit.

That the defendant (Mamu) has used the cover of his profession as a journalist to aid both local and international terrorist groups. That the action of the defendant has orchestrated the untimely death of several security personnel in North Central and North East parts of Nigeria.

That the defendant has discreetly given several information to bandits and terrorists that escalated various acts of terrorism in Nigeria. That the investigation has assumed a wider dimension and sophistication requiring time and advance expertise to conclude.

That some of the suspects working with the defendant are at large and premature release of the defendant will jeopardise the ongoing investigation. That it is in the interest of justice and national security to grant this application.

That the activities of the defendant and his associates at large constitute a potent threat to the unity and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria.

Recall that Mamu was arrested at the Kano International Airport after he returned from Egypt where he had been detained on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.

Mamu, an aide to Ahmad Gumi, a popular Islamic cleric, has been involved in negotiations for the release of persons abducted during an attack on a train in Kaduna, in March 2022.
The President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, said his regime has done extremely well considering the limited resources available to it. ...

The President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, said his regime has done extremely well considering the limited resources available to it.

The President, spoke during a stakeholders meeting at the Imo State Government House in Owerri, the state capital, after inaugurating the Owerri-Orlu Road, phase one of the Owerri-Okigwe Road and the state House of Assembly complex rebuilt by the administration of the state governor, Hope Uzodimma.

He said his regime was able to achieve much despite the scarce resources at his disposal.

This administration has done extremely well. I had to say it because those who are supposed to say it are not doing so. I dont know why, the President said.

He extolled his regime for dislodging Boko Haram terrorists in the North East and tackling infrastructural decay which he said he inherited from the Peoples Democratic Partys administration in 2015.

He commended Uzodimma for inviting him for the second time in a year to inaugurate projects executed by his administration.

He promised to continue to support all states irrespective of political affiliations, to deliver infrastructure assets.

According to him, the Federal Government will continue to support the government of Imo State to ensure that it continues to provide the dividends of democracy to the people.

This support is equally available to all the states of the federation irrespective of the differences in political party affiliations, Buhari assured.

While saluting the Imo governor for prioritising construction and institutional reforms in the past three years, the President said his regime will leave a legacy of major development projects across the country.

Commending Uzodimma for his efforts in developing the state, Buhari said, You have written your history.

In his address, Uzodimma said the roads Buhari inaugurated were abandoned by previous administrations for over decades.

The governor who said that his administration had constructed 105 roads in less than three years of his administration, averred that the economy of the state would in turn be boosted.
A Kaduna Chief Magistrates Court on Wednesday ordered that a 27-year-old man, Musa Haruna, be remanded in a correctional facility for alleg...





A Kaduna Chief Magistrates Court on Wednesday ordered that a 27-year-old man, Musa Haruna, be remanded in a correctional facility for allegedly attempting to rape a 9-year-old girl.





The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, who did not take the plea of Haruna for lack of jurisdiction to hear the matter ordered the police to return the case file to the Kaduna State Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.





He, however, adjourned the matter until Sept. 30.





Haruna, who resides at Ungwan Rimi Kaduna, is charged with attempted rape.





The prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Sept. 2 at his residence.





Leo said the defendant lured the 9-yearold into his room and attempted to rape her.





The prosecutor added that the girls scream alerted some neighbours who rescued her and handed the defendant to the police.





The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Section 207 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 (as amended).
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A man and a woman were found dead in their Treme home late Tuesday, New Orleans police said.

Neighbors called police around 7:15 p.m. and asked for a wellness check at the home in the 2200 block of Dumaine Street (map). Responding officers said they found a man and woman inside. Both had been shot and died at the scene.

Their names and ages have not been released.

Authorities did not say when the two people had been shot. No more information was immediately available, including a possible motive or a description of a shooter.

Murders so far this year

Including Tuesday's double homicide, there have been 195 murders in New Orleans this year, which is 30% more than at the same time in 2021, according to an analysis of information from the New Orleans Police Department and the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office.

The total is for murders only, which are defined as intentional and unlawful killings. They usually involve a weapon, such as a gun or knife.

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Murders are a subset of homicides, which include accidental, negligent and justified killings. So far, 15 killings have been found to be justified or due to negligence.

+3 New Orleans murders: See map of locations, neighborhood totals and 2022 statistics After years of falling murder rates in New Orleans, killings in the city are once again on the rise.

Editor's note: Previously, The Times-Picayune tracked homicides  a category that includes accidental, negligent and justified killings. The totals and the graphics, including all historic data, were updated Sept. 6, 2022, to focus solely on murders, which are defined as intentional and unlawful killings.
A heavy equipment operator from Harvey was sentenced by a federal judge to two years probation and fined $2,500 for rupturing an oil pipeline while working to restore a Louisiana island harmed by a much larger oil spill, the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

James Tassin, 52, plead guilty last year to misdemeanor charges in exchange for cooperation in a larger case against Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, the Houston-based company that the government hired to restore Chenier Ronquille, a sandy, uninhabited island east of Grand Isle.

Tassin was sentenced on Sept. 8 by District Judge Susie Morgan.

On Sept. 5, 2016, Tassin was a subcontractor operating an excavator marsh buggy for Great Lakes when it struck an underground pipeline jointly owned by Harvest Pipeline Co. and Arrowhead Gulf Coast Pipeline, releasing an estimated 5,250 gallons of oil into Bay Long on the south edge of Barataria Bay.

According to court documents, Tassin reported the spill to supervisors but they directed him to cover up evidence that he had been deepening an unauthorized access channel. Tassin was also instructed to keep quiet about the incident, his lawyer said.

The U.S. Coast Guard said at the time that more than 20 boats, eight skimmers and 10,000 feet of boom were deployed to contain the spill. At least 200 birds were oiled before a large share of the oil was recovered, Coast Guard officials said.

In a separate case, Great Lakes plead guilty to criminal charges and agreed to pay a fine of $1 million. Great Lakes also agreed to civil payments of almost $3.2 million to the pipeline companies. Tassins employer, Shallow Water Equipment Co., of Morgan City, also agreed in the same civil case to pay almost $1.7 million, for a total payment to the pipeline companies of more than $4.8 million.

The $36 million restoration of Chenier Ronquille was partly funded with money that BP spent on damages for its Deepwater Horizon disaster. The islands west side was heavily oiled during the disaster.

A 2013 environmental assessment prepared for the restoration project noted the island's value to a variety of migratory bird species and warned of oil and natural gas infrastructure on and around the work site.

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Chenier Ronquilles restoration is part of a much larger federal and state effort to restore Louisianas fast-eroding barrier islands. The islands provide critical bird-nesting habitat and serve as the coasts first line of defense against hurricanes.

But thousands of miles of buried and underwater pipelines lie in tangles across the coast, many of them abandoned or poorly mapped. Pipelines are a challenge for the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, which is carrying out a 50-year, $50 billion plan to restore Louisianas coastal marshes and islands.

In 2020, the agency abandoned plans to rebuild East Timbalier Island after determining that the large number of pipelines, wells and other oil and gas infrastructure there had severely damaged the island and made it too expensive and dangerous to restore.

Great Lakes has been involved in several restoration projects on Louisianas coast. The company frequently uses dredge vessels to dig up offshore sand and pile it on islands and coastal headlands.

The company is one of a handful permitted to do large-scale dredge work in U.S. waters. A scarcity of dredges has delayed several restoration projects planned in coastal states, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assessment.

Army Corps and CPRA officials said existing contracts with Great Lakes worth millions of dollars for restoration projects and dredging the Mississippi River and numerous harbors would not be affected unless a debarment order was issued.

+11 Saving Louisiana's coast may require more digging in the deep sea. Here's why. Its a lot like buying shoes. You can buy cheap shoes, but theyre not going to last as long as the more expensive and higher quality ones."
Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) sent a letter Tuesday to the National Archives inquiring about whether former President Donald Trump still has some of the presidential records he took out of the White House.

On Monday, in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Senate Judiciary Committee asked for all records related to alleged political interference by the Trump-era Justice Department.
VALPARAISO  When Julie Tran moved from Vietnam to America, she never dreamed that 20 years later she and her husband would be running their own nail salon.

Last month, LA Nails unveiled its fashionable new look on Calumet Avenue in Valparaiso, which has been over two years in the making. Although Tran and her husband, Andy Hoang, have owned the business for more than 15 years, they had previously rented out a storefront across the street from the new salon.

Tran and Hoang had the opportunity to purchase property to build their own storefront. They couldnt pass it up, expanding their space from 1,150 square feet to almost 1,700 square feet.

Business is going very good, Tran said. We relocated across the street because we didnt have to worry about losing any previous business, since it wouldnt be hard to find the new salon.

At 29, Tran moved to the U.S. by herself in 2000. She taught herself English by reading the labels of items at grocery stores and by reciting subtitles when watching English language movies.

I only had $1,200 in my pocket when I came here, she said.

Tran originally landed in Jacksonville, Illinois, and lived with a relative. Nearly a year later, she moved to Houston with a friend and planned to earn a college degree because her Vietnamese chemistry degree didnt apply in the U.S.

But she realized that, only working part-time at a nail salon, college was not in her financial reach.

The pay wasnt that good and I needed to make more money, Tran said. I talked to my uncle and he told me if I wanted to make better money Id have to go where it was cold."

After receiving some contacts for employment in a few Midwestern states, Tran received a call back from LA Nails in Valparaiso. Two years later, the former owner sold the salon to Tran in April 2004.

When I first came here I looked around and thought, Oh no, what did I get myself into?' she said with a chuckle. Houston was such a big city and I came to Valpo and thought, This is not good. But I started making good money because I was working seven days a week.

Tran and Hoang knew each other before she moved to America, but the two reconnected when she went back to visit Vietnam in 2003.

Id travel once a year to see him and communicated through Yahoo Messenger, FaceTime and Skype to keep our relationship going, Tran said. Every day Id come home and wed talk on the phone even though one person would be falling asleep because of the time change.

Although there was a 12-hour time difference between the two, they still managed to stay connected and got married in 2005, when Hoang also bought a stake in the nail salon. The couple each have different last names because in Vietnamese culture, you dont take over your partners last name, she said.

The couple endured a long-distance relationship for five more years until Hoang moved to the states in November 2010.

We lived separate for a long time because I had to become a citizen first in order to sponsor him. It was difficult process going through immigration, she said. It took us five, almost six years for Andy to get here.

Hoang became a citizen in 2014 and was able to pick up English swiftly after studying it in Vietnam for over seven years, he said.

This country has a lot better of an opportunity and such good people, Hoang said. Its real freedom.

Tran and Hoang now work at the salon and employ three workers.

I have a good establishment here now in Valpo. All of my friends are here and theyre incredible to me, Tran said. I credit my employees, my husband, my mom and everybody who comes to my salon. Theyre the ones who keep me going. Its a big factor for my success.
Former Purdue North Central Chancellor Jim Dworkin will sign copies of his children's books in Valparaiso Saturday.

He will read from his latest book, "The Ghost Who Ate My Toast," at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Valparaiso Barnes and Noble at 150 Silhavy Road #120 in the Valparaiso Marketplace.

Dworkin also will stick around after the reading to sign books and talk to kids about all his books. He's also penned "The Dog and the Dolphin," "Red's Nature Adventure," "The Dog and the Jet Ski" and "Scooter the Mischievous Elf."

"The book I will read is about a young boy whose favorite toast keeps disappearing before he can eat it, and he suspects the culprit is a ghost," he said. Come and find out if he is right. It was just a story that popped into my head one day when I was telling some stories to my younger grandchildren."

He often draws inspiration from real life.

"Some of my books are inspired by actual events I have witnessed. My first book called 'The Dog and the Dolphin' was based on my observation of a dog playing with a dolphin near Sanibel Island in Florida," he said. "I am a professor at Purdue University in West Lafayette and never intended to become a writer of childrens books. But after my first book became successful, I just kept writing and have produced a new book around every two years."

Dworkin previously served as chancellor at Purdue North Central in Westville from 2000 until 2016. He's working on several other book ideas, which are now in draft form.

"I have done hundreds of readings at bookstores, elementary schools, libraries and retail stores over the last 10 years in several states around the USA," he said.
HAMMOND  Police are seeking the public's help in nabbing two people caught by a surveillance camera stealing 10 puppies from the Hug-A-Pup store at 6921 Calumet Ave.

The footage shows two thin teenagers wearing dark-colored hoodies and pants smash the north window of the business late Sunday night or early Monday and enter the store, police said.

"Once inside they took 10 puppies from their cages and placed them in a large duffel bag and then fled eastbound down the rear alley of the 800 block of 169th Place," according to police.

The missing puppies include four orange Pomeranians, three white Poodles, and three white and orange "Teddy Bear" puppies (cross between a Shih Tzu and a Maltese), police said.

Police released photos of the two suspects.

"Be aware that the suspect photos show that they are wearing light colored clothing, but that's the result of the business's infrared cameras," police said. "The suspects were wearing ski masks."

Anyone with information about the thefts or suspects is encouraged to contact Hammond police detective Ron Hill at 219-852-2980 or by email at rhill@hammondpolice.com.
HAMMOND  A Hammond man pleaded guilty Tuesday to the armed robbery of a local credit union branch two years ago.

Murray Ford, 59, appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Andrew P. Rodovich, according to court records stating that Ford admitted taking $14,392 at gunpoint from the Teachers Credit Union, 1918 165th St., Hammond.

Police working with the Federal Bureau of Investigations Gang Response Investigative Team allege in the governments case that a man wearing a green neck gaiter face mask and a blue face mask and reflective sunglasses entered the financial institution at 3:15 p.m. Oct. 13, 2020.

Video from a security camera showed that man banging his revolver on the counter and shouting at tellers to give him all the money in their cash drawers as well as a bag in which to put the cash.

A video camera recorded the gunman arriving outside the bank in a white Chevrolet SUV and later exiting the bank and driving off.

Police traced the car to Hammonds Tanglewood Apartments later that evening, and a SWAT team raided an apartment, where the mailbox was labeled with Fords last name.

Hammond police said officers arrested Ford there and recovered the stolen money, a silver revolver and sunglasses the gunman was wearing.

Ford later admitted committing the armed robbery because he was in financial difficulty, police said.

The U.S. Attorneys office then charged Ford with brandishing a firearm while robbing the institution, offenses that carry a maximum penalty of between 20 years and life imprisonment.

Ford had pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to face a jury trial within two weeks.

Ford signed a plea agreement last week giving up his right to make the government prove the case against him in return for the U.S. Attorney recommending he receive some leniency at sentencing.

The plea deal states that Ford and government prosecutors agree a prison term of between eight years and nine-and-a-half years would be a fair sentence.
CROWN POINT  A mother admitted Tuesday to pushing and hitting her then-14-year-old son in 2020 in Hobart and told a judge she was "very, very sorry."

Dominica J. Gibson, 41, pleaded guilty to domestic battery, a level 6 felony.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota accepted Gibson's plea agreement and sentenced her to approximately one year in jail, suspended in favor of probation.

Gibson, who lost custody of her children after her arrest in January 2020, said her son is now 17 years old and has a choice of 14 different colleges to attend.

"That's my life, you know?" Gibson said. "I'm so very, very sorry."

Gibson's attorney, Angela Jones, said Gibson was a single parent working three different jobs in 2020.

Gibson lost her home after her arrest and was unable to live with a family member in the Region, because of a no-contact order for her children. As a result, Gibson relocated to Oklahoma and obtained a stable job, Jones said.

"She loves her kids," the defense attorney said. "This was an error in judgment."

Gibson had no criminal history and complied with conditions set in a separate case involving the Indiana Department of Child Services, including a substance abuse treatment program, parenting classes and mental health counseling, Jones said.

Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Douglas Shaw asked Bokota to accept the plea agreement.

Gibson moved forward with her life and recently received a good report from DCS, he said.

According to charging documents, the boy wasn't wearing shoes despite near-freezing temperatures Jan. 12, 2020, when he flagged down a Hobart police officer and said he mother was "drunk and mad."

The boy, who had scratches on his arms and cuts to his neck, was crying and told police his younger sister followed him out of their home in the 900 block of West 38th Avenue when his mother began beating him, records state.

The girl, who was also in tears, told the officer, "I can't live like this anymore," records state.

Gibson admitted in her plea agreement she struck the boy in front of his sister.

"I've never been without my kids, especially for this long," she said.

Gibson appeared to hesitate at times during the hearing, but she told the judge she wanted to make sure her actions in Lake Criminal Court would lead to reunification with her children.

If Gibson successfully completes probation, she can petition the court to reduce her conviction to a misdemeanor.
HAMMOND  A 48-year-old Dyer man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years behind bars after pleading guilty to possessing and producing child pornography, according to United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Ronald Ortega will serve five years on supervised release following his prison term.

"According to documents in the case, Ortega produced child pornography with two separate victims," Johnson said. "He also possessed child pornography of children, including victims that were under the age of 12."

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Dyer Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily A. Morgan.

Ortega was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, which is a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
DYER  Eleven local firefighters walked the equivalent of 110 floors Sunday in memory of those who served 21 years ago.

In honor of 9/11 and all fallen firefighters, 11 members of the Dyer Fire Department met at Anytime Fitness to climb the equivalent of the 110 floors of the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Using Stairmasters and donning full gear weighing nearly 70 pounds, firefighters climbed all 110 floors, or 2,200 steps.

That day in 2001, rescue units managed to reach the 79th floor of the south tower, said Dyer Fire Chief Joe Martin, making his 17th memorial climb.

Joining Martin were Captain Chase Sartori, six probationary firefighters in their first year and three regular firefighters.

This is empowering, said probationary firefighter Emily Morrison, 25. To feel what they went through that day, I just cant. I can only follow.

Morrison completed a similar climb the previous day at Green Bays Lambeau Field.

Each floor represented an acre, Martin said, asking participants to visualize responding to that wide a call.

This was the largest rescue in the history of the world, Martin said. They went in there knowing they probably might not come out. That day, they represented the best of society. This was about the preservation of life and dignity.

Martin, who started the climb, encouraged firefighters to keep moving, even when they grow tired. Every step you take matters this day, he said.

Logan Kwiatkowski, 19, was born two years after the attacks. It feels great to honor firefighters who gave their lives, he said.

Of the 2,977 fatalities from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, 343 Fire Department of New York personnel from 75 firehouses around the city died.

Several hundred more firefighters died later from diseases tied to 9/11 rescue efforts. Nationally 135 on-duty firefighters died in 2021.

Addressing firefighters was Don Basco, a Dyer resident and 9/11 survivor. At work that day in the first tower hit, Basco was on the 57th floor when he escaped.

Im lucky enough to be here because of those guys in New York, Basco said. They were instrumental in getting me out. If not for them, thered be a lot more casualties.

He added, Its very inspirational for me to be here and see you guys through this. Youre taking a step to reach out to those [firefighters] and their families, and all the ball games they cant be at.

Each firefighter was climbing in honor of a fallen NYFD member. Martin was climbing for Peter C. Martin (no relation). In a phone conversation with his widow Alice, the chief learned two of Martins three sons are firefighters and a second grandchild is on the way.

The military was also represented, as Firefighter Mitchell Pieniazek is in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Im here to honor to fallen firefighters and pay homage, so we never forget, said Pieniazek, making his second climb.

The climb was the culmination of several memorial events, including the Tunnel to Towers Run the previous weekend at Pheasant Hills Park in Dyer. The run, in full gear, is in honor of Stephen J. Siller, an off-duty NYFD member who responded to 9/11. Because the Brooklyn Tunnel was blocked, he exited his vehicle and with his gear ran to the World Trade Center, where he died.

It was exhilarating, firefighter Jacob Boshears recalled. In full gear, Siller ran and continued to do his job, what he was supposed to do.
Our conversation has been lightly edited.

How has it been working in Russia these past six months?

If I wanted a real discussion, people would only speak if someone they knew had vouched for me. And everyone I talked to asked that I dont use their name, that they cant be identified. I talked to a doctor in a small town where there was only one hospital. He asked me not to say he was a doctor because it would be clear right away that it was him speaking.

I went to Novgorod. At the hotel, I didnt make a reservation so that they couldnt trace where Id be. I just showed up and rented a room. But when a person came to talk to me, there was already an FSB car outside. And then an FSB car followed me all around Novgorod.

When it comes to senior officials, it can get downright absurd. With some, we talked with our arms around each other, as if we were kissing. They literally whispered into my ear.

The material that Im writing now  before, it would have taken me three to four days to get it. This time I spent more than a month and a half gathering it.

Why dont people protest?

Its simple  there is a strict authoritarian regime right now in Russia. People are afraid theyll end up in jail.

This is a genetic fear. The older generation remembers the stories from Soviet times. Everyone has someone who was either a prisoner or a guard. My grandfather was shot, for example.
A Starbucks employee in Buffalo who has helped lead the union campaign at the coffee chain over the past year has accused the company of forcing her out in retaliation for her organizing efforts.

The employee, Jaz Brisack, is the subject of an unfair-labor-practice charge filed by the union, Workers United, on Tuesday evening. The charge said that Starbucks had applied scheduling and availability policies to Ms. Brisack in a discriminatory fashion, and that this had effectively caused her separation from the company.

Ms. Brisack, who has a high profile among Starbucks employees because she is a Rhodes scholar and also works as an organizer for the union, said in an interview that the company had for months rejected her requests to change her work availability to one or two days a week from three.
Every morning, OB/GYNs, nurses, the NICU team and pharmacists meet to discuss their patients. Increasingly restrictive abortion laws have created fears that they will not be able to provide necessary care. We want the best for them emotionally and medically, and the ruling impacts that, Dr. Tristi Muir says. Health care decisions can be very complex, and theyre best made between the physician and the patient.

The uncertainties about how to interpret and deliver care in response to those exceptions meant the Cleveland Clinic personnel had to continue doing their jobs in unclear legal circumstances. How do you know if a mothers life is at risk? How do you predict, then prove, that the mother faces potentially irreversible bodily damage? As physicians, we literally take an oath to take care of patients, says Dr. Stacey Ehrenberg, who specializes in high-risk pregnancies at the Cleveland Clinic. And we now have our hands tied.

Once the heartbeat bill became law, routine procedures for treating miscarriage  which is how at least one in 10 pregnancies ends  could be considered abortions. The most effective drugs used in cases of miscarriage, mifepristone and misoprostol, are the same ones used to induce abortion by medication; the surgical evacuation of the uterus is another procedure used with miscarriages that is also an abortion method. The new law means that most patients admitted to the Cleveland Clinic Emergency Department while miscarrying are supposed to wait for 24 hours before receiving treatment  treatment given earlier than that could be considered an illegal abortion. Dr. Ashley Brant, an OB/GYN at the Cleveland Clinic, says that they had a core group of physicians providing abortion care who were well versed in what had been the law. But the new law, she says, opens up the floodgates of who might be providing this kind of care. A doctor in the emergency room accustomed to treating miscarriages with certain procedures, for example, could now potentially be breaking the law. That risk threatens to affect medical care.
The deaths of three children who were discovered unconscious along the Brooklyn shoreline this week have been ruled homicides, the medical examiners office in New York City said on Tuesday.

All three died from drowning, said Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. They were identified by the police and family members as Zachary Merdy, 7; Liliana Merdy, 4; and Oliver Bodnarev, 3 months old.

Their mother was located by New York City Police Department officers early Monday without her children, barefoot and soaking wet, Kenneth Corey, the chief of department, said at a news conference that morning. Chief Corey said the mother was being questioned, but was not in custody.
ALBANY, N.Y.  A Rensselaer County elections official was arraigned on Tuesday, accused by federal authorities of fraudulently obtaining absentee ballots last year, using personal information of voters without their consent.

The indictment of Jason Schofield, a Republican elections commissioner, emerged from a lengthy federal inquiry into potential ballot fraud across Rensselaer County, just east of Albany.

The indictment accused Mr. Schofield or an employee acting at his direction of using an online portal to apply for absentee ballots on behalf of at least eight people in 2021, when county elections were being held for Rensselaer county executive, clerk and legislature, as well as for the mayor of the City of Rensselaer and the Troy City Council.
Under a landmark 1981 agreement, the city is required to provide a shelter bed to every person who wants one. But this summer, the city shelters have been strained by the influx of migrants, many of them bused from the Texas border by Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, to pressure Democrats on immigration policy.

As of late August, Mayor Eric Adams said that there were 5,700 migrants in shelters. As of Monday, the number of people in the main shelter system had swelled by 9,000 in three months, to over 55,000  an increase of nearly 20 percent.

In July, the city violated the right-to-shelter law at its intake office for families with children in the Bronx, when some families slept on chairs or on the floor. The last time the city failed to provide enough beds for a significant number of single men was in 2009, Legal Aid said. The population of shelters for single men has jumped by nearly 1,000 just in the last month.

As part of our efforts to address the unprecedented need for shelter services, we have already provided shelter to thousands of recently arrived-asylum seekers, the Department of Homeless Services said in a statement, including hundreds yesterday alone, and we continue to open emergency sites citywide.
I wish that were possible. This column has been devoted for 27 years to advocating clean energy and mitigating climate change. Im still all in  all in  on those ends. But you cant will the ends unless youve also willed the means.

And we demonstrably have not done that!

Despite all the wind and solar investments in the past five years, fossil fuels  oil, gas and coal  still accounted for 82 percent of total world primary energy use in 2021 (required for things like heating, transportation and electricity generation), down only three percentage points in those five years. In America alone in 2021, about 61 percent of electricity generation was from fossil fuels (primarily coal and natural gas) while about 19 percent was from nuclear energy and about 20 percent was from renewable energy sources.

In a world of growing, energy-hungry middle classes in Asia, Africa and Latin America, it takes huge amounts of new clean energy to make even a small dent in our overall energy mix. Its not a matter of flipping a switch. We have a long transition ahead, and we will make it only if we urgently embrace smart, pragmatic thinking on energy policy, which in turn will lead to greater climate security and economic security.

Otherwise, Putin can still hurt Ukraine and the West badly.

Before the Ukraine war started, Russia provided nearly 40 percent of the natural gas and half of the coal Europe used for heat and electricity. Last week, Russia announced it was suspending most gas supplies to Europe until Western sanctions on Russia are lifted. Putin has also vowed to cut off all oil shipments to Europe if the Western allies carry out their plan to limit what they will pay for Russian oil.
The vote came on the first day of the trial of Eric Ruch Jr., who is believed to be the first police officer in the city to face murder charges in an on-duty killing.

Representative Josh Kail, one of the three Republicans who led the call to impeach Mr. Krasner for what they called dereliction of duty, said that the prosecutors policies, including dismissing some gun possession cases, were sending the wrong signal to criminals. The result of a district attorney who refuses to enforce the law is that it leads to a situation where people are not going to have a respect for the law, he said.

Mr. Krasners defenders argue that the Republican-dominated legislature has refused to pass gun restrictions that would curb violence and has instead weakened popular measures like expanding background checks. They say that several analyses have found little evidence that Mr. Krasners policies have contributed to crime.

The impeachment attempt is the latest in a series of efforts by conservative lawmakers to push back at a wave of progressive prosecutors who have won office across the country. Mr. Krasner, a former civil rights lawyer, is one of the most outspoken of that group and has long been a favorite target of Republican candidates.
A package exploded inside a campus building at Northeastern University on Tuesday night, injuring an employee and spreading fear among Bostons many college campuses, the police said.

Officers were called just after 7:15 p.m. to Holmes Hall at 39 Leon Street, which houses the writing center on the private universitys campus, for a suspicious package that had detonated, the authorities said. A further search revealed a second package, which was rendered safe by the Boston Police Departments bomb squad.

Felipe Colon, the superintendent of the Boston Police Department, said at a news conference late Tuesday that the employee, a 45-year-old man, had been transported to an area hospital with a minor hand injury.
Daniel McKee, the governor of Rhode Island, has secured the Democratic nomination to run for his first full term in office, according to The Associated Press. Mr. McKee, 71, overcame four challengers in a hard-fought primary with a focus on his leadership through the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic recovery.

Mr. McKee had served as the states lieutenant governor since 2015 and was first sworn in as governor in March 2021, when former Gov. Gina Raimondo resigned to join President Bidens cabinet as commerce secretary.

In the primary, he had been neck and neck with Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, 55, with whom he was elected to statewide office in 2014 and who drew from the same well of support. But it was Helena Foulkes, 58, a former CVS executive, who came in second place after a late-breaking surge in momentum that followed a strong debate performance and an endorsement from Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The Justice Department declined to comment.

In the documents case, prosecutors have articulated in their court filings a clear theory of which laws the former president may have broken.

The government has raised the possibility that Mr. Trump violated the Espionage Act by bringing sensitive national security information to his private club after he left the White House. It said he may have violated a law that prohibits the mishandling of sensitive national security records, some of which were discovered in an unsecured storage room. And it asserted that he may have obstructed the federal investigation, with one of his own lawyers having certified in June that all the documents the government was seeking had been returned when they had not been.

The documents investigation seemed to be moving apace in early August, when the Justice Department seized thousands of pages of presidential records from Mr. Trumps home, including additional batches of materials that were marked as highly classified. A redacted version of the governments affidavit said it had probable cause to believe that it would find evidence of obstruction at Mar-a-Lago.

But Judge Aileen M. Cannon, a federal judge in Florida, put the investigation into a holding pattern this month when she granted Mr. Trumps request for a special master to review the recently seized materials. The court must now settle key issues, including who will serve as the special master and whether the F.B.I. and other intelligence agencies can review 103 key documents for potential harm to national security while that arbiter completes his or her work.

What we consider before using anonymous sources. 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.

While the Justice Department indicated its openness to one of Mr. Trumps picks to serve as the special master, it appears ready to proceed with an appeal of Judge Cannons ruling, a step that could lead to continued delays and potentially slow the investigation even more.

On Tuesday, the Justice Department pushed back against a Trump legal team filing that reiterated the former presidents view that the special masters review should include about 100 documents marked as classified, meaning F.B.I. agents and prosecutors could not use them for any criminal investigative purpose until the masters work is complete.
RTHK: Huge crowds gather as Queen lies in state

King Charles, his sons Princes William and Harry, and other senior royals joined a solemn procession accompanying Queen Elizabeth's coffin as the late monarch made her final journey from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Huge crowds gathered in central London to witness the queen being taken from the palace to parliament as artillery guns fired salutes and Big Ben tolled, the latest in a series of poignant ceremonies as Britain mourns the queen who died last week aged 96 after seven decades on the throne.

Lying on a gun carriage, covered by the Royal Standard flag and with the Imperial State Crown placed on a cushion on top alongside a wreath of flowers, the coffin bearing Elizabeth's body was taken from her London home to Westminster Hall. There it will lie in state for four days.

Walking directly behind were Charles and his siblings, Anne, Andrew and Edward. In a group that followed were Charles's sons Princes William and Harry, a doleful scene reminiscent of when, as boys 25 years ago, they followed the casket of their mother Princess Diana when it was taken on a similar procession through central London.

It was also a symbolic show of unity as William, 40, now the Prince of Wales, and Harry, 37, the Duke of Sussex, are said to be barely be on speaking terms after a bitter falling out in the last couple of years.

"It was very moving, seeing the family. It was a powerful show of unity," said Jenny Frame, 54, who waited for more than four hours to see the procession.

Paul Wiltshire, 65, commented: "I don't think we'll see anything like that again ever, or a queen like that again. An end of an era."

A military band playing funeral marches and soldiers in ceremonial scarlet uniforms accompanied the gun carriage pulled by the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, as it moved slowly through central London, where many roads were closed to traffic.

Guns fired every minute at Hyde Park, while parliament's famous Big Ben bell also rang at 60-second intervals. The crowds stood in a hushed silence as they watched the procession but then broke into spontaneous applause when it passed. Some threw flowers.

Other senior royals including Charles' wife Camilla, now the Queen Consort, Kate, William's wife and now Princess of Wales, and Harry's wife, Meghan, travelled by car.

When the procession reached Westminster Hall, a medieval building with origins dating back to 1097 and the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster that houses the British parliament, the coffin was carried inside by soldiers from the Grenadier Guards and placed on a catafalque surrounded by candles.

A short service followed, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual head of the Anglican Church, as senior politicians watched on. The royals quietly departed, with Harry and Meghan holding hands. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2022-09-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
In a primary for the general election that was held the same day, Ms. Peltola led the field with nearly 37 percent. To win in November, she would again need a majority of voters to rank her on their ballots, even if she was not their first choice.

On Instagram in September, Ms. Palin, who has sparred bitterly with Mr. Begich, shared text messages she had exchanged with Ms. Peltola, with whom she has a personal rapport, in which the former governor praised her competitor as a real Alaskan chick! Beautiful & smart & tough. (Ms. Palin, like Mr. Begich, would need Ms. Peltolas supporters to rank her second in order to prevail in November.)

The House is scheduled to be in Washington for only 10 days before the elections, leaving Ms. Peltola little time to familiarize herself with the institution or the unfinished legislative work Mr. Young left behind before voters decide whether to grant her a full term. On Tuesday, Ms. Pelosi announced Ms. Peltola would sit on the House Committee on Natural Resources, which Mr. Young oversaw from 1995 to 2001.

In her first month of votes, she will consider a stopgap government funding legislation that may include a permitting reform deal that has rankled both liberals and conservatives. Under federal election law, she will also not be allowed to send out mass unsolicited mail to her constituents through her congressional office because it is less than two months before the general election.

How Times reporters cover politics. We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes participating in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money to, or raising money for, any political candidate or election cause. Learn more about our process.

Shes got to work that much harder to get the word out on everything shes working on, Zack Brown, a former aide to Mr. Young, said in an interview. He added, Shes going to be under an extra-large microscope.

Her spokesman said Ms. Peltola, since arriving in Washington on Saturday, had met with her new staff and was examining which bills she would pick up from Mr. Young. She has also hired Alex Ortiz, Mr. Youngs final chief of staff, to hold that position in her office, which garnered nods of approval from members of both parties.
West Virginia on Tuesday became the latest state to pass a near-total ban on abortion, with the two chambers of the Legislature reaching a compromise after deadlocking on the terms earlier this summer.

During a special session in July, the House and Senate disagreed in particular on whether abortion providers should face jail time. But in another special session that began this week, the Republican-dominated Legislature voted overwhelmingly for an amended version that would make abortions illegal in nearly all circumstances, with the exception of medical emergencies that put the mothers life at risk or, if certain conditions were met, in cases of rape or incest.

With the roar of protesters occasionally echoing outside  and at times within  the two chambers, the Senate passed an amended version of the earlier bill with about three-quarters support and then adjourned. Several hours later, the House passed it by an even larger margin. Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, was expected to sign the bill into law, which would go into effect immediately afterward.
It also put a temporary bandage over festering family tensions when Prince William and his wife, Catherine, were unexpectedly joined by Charless other son, Harry, and his wife Meghan, in a 40-minute walkabout outside Windsor Castle on Saturday. Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are virtually persona non grata in Britain, at least in the popular imagination, since moving to California and lobbing criticisms at the royal family from across the Atlantic. But the two couples shook hands with star-struck civilians and inspected bouquets of flowers left at the gates.

In another floral inspection at another royal palace, Prince Andrew, the second of Queen Elizabeths three sons, emerged briefly from his disgraced near erasure from the family and walked amicably alongside his siblings.

As she stood in Green Park near Buckingham Palace the other day, bouquets of flowers strewn every which way, Janet Ratcliffe, 75, said that after the unpleasantness of the Diana era, she had come to believe that the monarchy could thrive under Charles, and even under Camilla.

People were very sad, and it was very traumatic, she said of Dianas death. She mentioned Camilla, who by now had driven past (or not driven past) in the possibly royal car. She said that Charles had, as far as she could tell, grown into his new role.
The morale of Russian troops is just one factor in Ukraines calculus about whether it can extend its gains in two campaigns, in the east and the south, without overstretching its own forces. But it could prove critical, as it did over the last week, when Russian forces deserted their positions and gear en masse and Ukrainian forces swept into dozens of villages and towns.

Around 150,000 people in some 300 communities in northeastern Ukraine are living in areas reclaimed from Russian control, Hanna Malyar, Ukraines deputy minister of defense, said Tuesday.

Even after the lightning offensive, Russia still holds vast swaths of territory in eastern and southern Ukraine and outguns the Ukrainians with artillery and tanks. Russian troops have increased shelling in some areas, including on the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut, in the east, where both sides are deeply dug in. And the particular woes of units in the north may reflect a Ukrainian strategy of striking first where the Russians were weakest.
When that ended in 2015, I was 50, he said. I felt sad to think Im never going to be as fit as this again, this is it. Then I slowly began to think, No, I have one more thing left in me. He added, I put it into the universe.

The universe responded. In 2018, he went backstage at the Joyce Theater after watching The Tenant, choreographed by Arthur Pita, the partner of his old friend and flatmate Matthew Bourne. While chatting with Pita, Cumming was introduced to Linda Shelton, the executive director of the Joyce. She asked me if I had any dancey ideas, Cumming said. I do!, he answered.

He had been thinking about Burns at that time, he said, prompted in part by writing an autobiography and revealing dark aspects of his own past. It made me think how we dont have a holistic picture of our icons, he said. Burns is everywhere in Scotland  on statues, milk bottles, chocolate boxes  he is a sort of Scottish DNA wallpaper. But we dont really know who he is. Somehow, at that moment, the two things, Burns and dance, merged in my mind.
BERLIN  In a rehearsal hall on the citys outskirts, Xana Novais was hanging by her teeth. On a recent evening, the tattooed 27-year-old performer was suspended a few inches above the ground, biting down on a piece of leather hanging from a rope, perfecting a new skill called the iron jaw. It did not look easy.

Novais was practicing for a sequence in Ophelias Got Talent, a new work by the Austrian choreographer Florentina Holzinger that premieres at the Berlin Volksbuhne theater on Thursday. As part of the performance, which blends dance, stunts and sideshow-inspired acts, Novais was meant to dangle like a fish caught on a hook for about half a minute. But after 20 seconds, she let go, lowered herself down, and grimaced. This is about learning to manage discomfort, she said.

Discomfort is central to the work of Holzinger, 36, who has recently become a star of the European dance and performance worlds by pushing the limits of what performers  and audiences  can endure. Holzinger, whose interest in bodily extremes dates back to her own training as a dancer, has drawn acclaim for works that feature large casts of nude female performers and explore lofty ideas about art and gender while showcasing acts, sometimes involving bodily fluids, that obliterate the boundaries of good taste.
I rarely, however, borrowed a book, and if I did, I kept it hidden. To this day, I dont know why that was, exactly  why it felt wrong and scary somehow to bring books home with me. Maybe I wanted to keep books to myself, a secret of some kind. Or perhaps I was just scared that something would happen to the books if they were somewhere they didnt seem to belong. But unlike the real world, books never distressed me  even crime, horror and thriller titles  and I read everything. I would pick up a book from the shelf, sit down at a table, read, then return the book to its place and continue the next day from where Id left off.

The war in Kosovo in the 1990s made our family home rather anxious, so I spent as much time as I could away from it, in the new library  falling in love with books and stories and the Finnish language; gaining confidence as a speaker and as a child of immigrant parents; and dreaming of writing a book of my own one day, slowly growing from a reader to a writer.

Whats a good place to curl up with a book on a day off?

If, or when, you visit Helsinki, one of the first things you should do is dedicate a day to visiting two gorgeous libraries.

The first is Oodi, Helsinkis new central library  a sweepingly beautiful building that combines spruce timber and glass, inspired by Finlands exquisite nature. It opened in late 2018, and in 2019 the International Federation of Library Associations named it the best Public Library of the Year. From the third floor, reserved entirely for books, you can enjoy breathtaking views from a large terrace. Alternatively, you can attend events, see a movie or have coffee or lunch on the ground floor. Oh yes, and on the second floor you can book a work space, play video games with your friends and use a sewing machine, or even a 3-D printer. All free of charge.
In his first meeting with Byler about the translation of The Backstreets, Tursun said that five of his Uyghur classmates had suffered mental breakdowns while in university, prompting him to draw connections between alienation and mental health in his writing. According to Byler, he also cited Albert Camuss The Plague, with its depictions of fog, as a major influence: A miasmatic fog looms in The Backstreets, and the frosty treatment of the protagonist by Han Chinese added to the inhospitable surroundings in the novel.

Fog symbolizes various related things in the novel: obfuscation, mystery, dreams, confusion, death, and failed salvation as eternal punishment, wrote Mamtimin Ala, a philosopher and author of the essay collection Worse than Death: Reflections on the Uyghur Genocide, in an email. It is a metaphor for vagueness and uncertainty, capturing the essence of Uyghur reality.

Like the protagonist, Tursun found work at a government institute after graduating. His favorite part of the job as a researcher of ethnic arts, Izgil said, was the ample time it allowed for literary pursuits. Tursun published poems, essays and fiction exploring subjects such as sex and suicide, running afoul of Quranic teachings and making him a gadfly in the majority Muslim Uyghur community in Xinjiang.

In Tursuns 1991 novella, Messiah Desert, published in Uyghur, he delved into the teachings of Jesus. His 1999 novel, The Art of Suicide, also published in Uyghur, contained frank passages about sex, mental illness and suicidal thoughts. It drew the ire of Yalqun Rozi, a prominent Uyghur writer and critic who branded him a heretic in scathing reviews.

Tursun had trouble finding a publisher in China in the years that followed. The Backstreets, which he wrote in the early 1990s, was among the works he first published online in a Uyghur literary forum, in 2013.
Record floods strand Pakistanis

Pakistans record floods have submerged vast areas of the country. In Dadu District, one of the worst hit areas in the southern Sindh Province, more than 300 villages are completely submerged. Others are marooned on what are now islands in drowned farmland.

Pakistani officials warn that it may take three to six months for the waters to recede. They have urged people to leave isolated villages, warning that they could overwhelm already strained aid efforts, cause widespread food insecurity and spark a health crisis as diseases spread.

But many people have their reasons for staying. They need to protect their surviving livestock and valuables. Its too expensive to rent a boat to move their family and belongings. And the prospect of life in a tent encampment is bleak.
Amtrak said Wednesday that it was canceling all long-distance passenger trains, effective Thursday, because of a possible work stoppage on freight railroads whose tracks Amtrak uses.

The announcement was made as the rail freight industry and two key unions remained at an impasse in contract negotiations. A federally mandated 30-day cooling off period ends at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, opening a door to strikes and lockouts. Amtrak said the negotiations do not involve its employees.

Amtrak noted that outside the Northeast Corridor, which connects Boston, New York and Washington, most of its service runs on track owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads. As a result, it said, only trains that can reach their final destination by the Friday deadline were continuing to operate.
Obviously, Saudi-Russian ties are deepening, said Bill Richardson, a former U.S. energy secretary and ambassador to the United Nations.

By working more closely with Russia, the Saudis are effectively making it more difficult for the United States and the European Union to isolate Mr. Putin. As Europe gets ready to greatly reduce how much oil it imports from Russia, Saudi Arabia and countries like China and India are stepping in as buyers of last resort.

During the Cold War, Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union were bitter enemies. Saudi leaders helped finance the insurgency against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. But, in recent years, as hydraulic fracturing of shale fields has led to a boom in U.S. oil and natural gas production that undercuts the power of OPEC and other major oil producers like Russia, the two countries have come to see each other as valuable partners with similar interests. It probably helps that Saudi Arabia is an autocratic kingdom and that Mr. Putin has suppressed or eliminated most of his domestic political opposition.

After oil prices collapsed in late 2014 and 2015, Moscow and Riyadh collaborated to prevent U.S. companies from dominating the global energy market. In 2016, Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed to expand the oil cartel, creating OPEC Plus. Their partnership has proved enduring with the exception of a brief falling-out in early 2020, when the start of the coronavirus pandemic led to a collapse in oil prices and the two countries disagreed on what to do.
In the Exxon memo describing the edits it sought in the oil industry policy statement, which was drawn up ahead of the 2019 United Nations global climate talks, Peter Trelenberg, Exxons manager of environmental policy and planning, wrote: Need to remove reference to Paris Agreement from the statement because Creating a tie between our advocacy/engagements and the Paris Agreement could create a potential commitment to advocate on the Paris Agreement goals.

The memo, addressed to Exxon chief executive, Darren Woods, and other top executives, went on to indicate that Chevron had expressed that they are generally aligned with these edits.

Exxon and Chevron did not respond to requests for comment. A representative for the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative did not comment on the advocacy document but said that advocacy for Paris goals underpins everything that O.G.C.I. does.

Separate files from Exxon show the company grappling with a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign promoting the potential for fuels made from algae. The campaign focused on the promise of the technology and featured images of vast pools of algae, along with a scientist looking forward to calling herself an energy farmer. (Versions of the ads have appeared in The New York Times.)

A set of presentation notes that had been prepared for a September 2018 engineering talk by one of its executives stated that the technology is still decades away from the scale we need. And in a November 2016 email, an Exxon employee said that an early draft for the ad, prepared by the advertising agency BBDO Worldwide, needed to replace any lines that imply the technology is live today.

BBDO did not respond to a request for comment.

The Shell internal documents discussing the companys net zero pathway also included guidelines for employees that stated, Please do not give the impression that Shell is willing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to levels that do not make business sense.
The Chouinards then donated the other 98 percent of Patagonia, its common shares, to a newly established nonprofit organization called the Holdfast Collective, which will now be the recipient of all the companys profits and use the funds to combat climate change. Because the Holdfast Collective is a 501(c)(4), which allows it to make unlimited political contributions, the family received no tax benefit for its donation.

There was a meaningful cost to them doing it, but it was a cost they were willing to bear to ensure that this company stays true to their principles, said Dan Mosley, a partner at BDT & Co., a merchant bank that works with ultrawealthy individuals including Warren Buffett, and who helped Patagonia design the new structure. And they didnt get a charitable deduction for it. There is no tax benefit here whatsoever.

Barre Seid, a Republican donor, is the only other example in recent memory of a wealthy business owner who gave away his company for philanthropic and political causes. But Mr. Seid took a different approach in giving 100 percent of his electronics company to a nonprofit organization, reaping an enormous personal tax windfall as he made a $1.6 billion gift to fund conservative causes, including efforts to stop action on climate change.

By giving away the bulk of their assets during their lifetime, the Chouinards  Yvon, his wife Malinda, and their two children, Fletcher and Claire, who are both in their 40s  have established themselves as among the most charitable families in the country.

This family is a way outlier when you consider that most billionaires give only a tiny fraction of their net worth away every year, said David Callahan, founder of the website Inside Philanthropy.
Melvin Sokolsky, a photographer who pushed boundaries by creating fantastical tableaus for fashion bibles like Harpers Bazaar that seemed to defy both gravity and logic, died on Aug. 29 at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 88.

The death was confirmed by his son, Bing.

Mr. Sokolsky was an untrained photographer who grew up in a tenement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, snapping pictures with his fathers box camera as a child. His career in fashion photography imbued cool couture style with high-art surrealism, spanning the explosion of color and creativity of the 1960s. In 1969, he moved on to directing and shooting television commercials, collecting more than 25 Clio Awards and directing memorable spots like Ricardo Montalbans Corinthian leather Chrysler ads.

Regardless, it was his decade in magazines that became his legacy, helping to redefine what was possible in fashion photography  a period when he produced memorable portraits of Hollywood stars like Mia Farrow and Natalie Wood and earned praise from top models like Twiggy. Many of his images were later shown in galleries and museums, including the Louvre in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Getty in Los Angeles.
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In the middle of a nine-day reporting trip in Chile, three days before voters there would reject a proposed new constitution in a national plebiscite, Jack Nicas learned that there had been an assassination attempt on the most prominent politician in Argentina, Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. So he spent a day and a half reporting on the fallout in Argentina from Santiago, the Chilean capital, before returning to the plebiscite in Chile. After voters rejected the new charter on Sept. 4, Mr. Nicas flew to Rio de Janeiro and resumed reporting on next months closely watched presidential election in Brazil.

The demanding stretch of events comes with Mr. Nicass territory. As the Brazil bureau chief for The New York Times, he is responsible for the news in a lot of territory: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

After a two-month reporting post in Brazil last year, and four years covering the technology industry from The Timess San Francisco bureau, Mr. Nicas assumed his role in January. Recently, from Rio de Janeiro, he discussed the challenges of covering a region of diverse people, politics and geography. This interview has been edited.
On Wednesday, members of the police departments 60th Precinct, who responded to the scene, thanked Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell in a Twitter post for supporting them in the days after the drowning.

In 2020, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the citys Administration for Childrens Services found evidence to support a claim of neglect or abuse against Ms. Merdy. Details on the case were not available, and the agency said it could not discuss Ms. Merdy pending the outcome of its investigation of the deaths.

But an agency employee who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case said Tuesday that it did not file a petition in family court against Ms. Merdy, required to seek court-ordered supervision of the family or removal of children from her custody.

Last year, after a string of abuse deaths of children where it appeared that police or Administration for Childrens Services investigators appeared to have skipped steps or closed a case too soon, the city overhauled its system for keeping watch over families, including making more unannounced visits and beefing up investigations.

On Wednesday, in the lobby of Ms. Merdys Coney Island apartment building, neighbors had assembled a small memorial for the children. Balloons featuring animated characters like Minnie Mouse were fastened to cardboard box that was filled with plush toys and a small football  a nod to Zachary, who played wide receiver, linebacker and offensive line for a youth team called the Silverbacks.

R.I.P. Zachary Liliana Oliver, read one note left at memorial. You will always be in our hearts.
Cases of Legionnaires disease rose by an average of nearly 12 percent per year between 2007 and 2018 in New York, according to city data. Most people who are exposed to Legionella bacteria do not become infected. But among people who do, those who are at high risk of becoming sick include people who are 50 years or older, those with weakened immune systems and those with chronic diseases like lung disease.

In the city, infection rates are highest among older, Black and low-income people, who are more likely to live in poorly maintained housing. Legionella thrives in warmer conditions, meaning the risks are likely to increase as the climate heats up.

The nursing home has installed hospital grade filters on faucets and shower heads in the building, Mr. Jacomowitz said. In addition, the facility is providing bottled water for drinking and washing, he said.

According to the city Health Department, people cant get Legionnaires disease by drinking water that contains the bacteria. Those using that water for cooking or for making hot drinks should start with cold water, the agency suggests.

Since 2015, New York State has required cooling towers on buildings to be registered, regularly inspected and tested for Legionella.

Amsterdam Nursing Home has been cited twice for violations since 2017, out of five cooling tower system inspections there, according to city data. A 2017 violation was for a new cooling tower that was not adequately cleaned or disinfected before being used, and a second violation was for failing to collect and analyze a Legionella sample in March 2021. The most recent inspection in October 2021 showed no violations.
But I dont think this argument makes sense. Consider another debate where the stakes are life-or-death and there are pro-life and pro-choice sides: assisted suicide and euthanasia. Some of the issues at play at the end of life are obviously different from the issues surrounding abortion. But the ways in which they overlap are useful for thinking about whether its possible to allow for difficult cases and gray areas within a general restriction, a default ban.

At present, the Supreme Court does not recognize a general right to die (just as it no longer recognizes a right to abortion), which means that states may forbid doctors to help their patients commit suicide no matter how dire the patients health.

However, the court has also recognized, at least tacitly, a right to refuse lifesaving medical treatment  a refusal that in some circumstances, under some moral theories, could constitute an act of suicide. It has allowed the decision to discontinue treatment to be made by others in situations where the patient is no longer competent to decide, albeit within safeguards set by state law  a decision that could amount to euthanasia under some theories and circumstances. And it has acknowledged a distinction between actively assisting a suicide and pursuing aggressive pain-management regimes even when (to quote the courts majority in Vacco v. Quill) the drugs may have the foreseen but unintended double effect of hastening the patients death  with the latter being another zone of ambiguity in which the state might reasonably decline to tread.

All of these allowances compromise perfect pro-life consistency, acknowledging exceptional and ambiguous cases even where assisted suicide is banned. As such, they are somewhat analogous to the tacitly pro-choice compromise in life-of-the-mother exceptions to anti-abortion laws. So its notable that by the standards of the American culture war, the courts end-of-life approach has proved relatively workable: Physician-assisted suicide is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia, but remains illegal in most of the country; that variation has proved politically sustainable; and the laws against assisted suicide dont generate constant headline-grabbing prosecutions of doctors or hospitals dealing with edge cases and gray areas.

Against this backdrop, would it make sense to argue that if we acknowledge the moral ambiguities inherent in end-of-life care, we must therefore accept a general right to suicide, with clinics available to healthy people of any age who find themselves tempted toward a quietus? Surely not. Even supporters of assisted-suicide legislation are often at pains to insist that they are still talking about only edge cases, especially dire situations. And even liberal Americans seem troubled by those countries, from Belgium to Canada, where the right to suicide has become more general, and people are allegedly being euthanized because theyre depressed or petitioning for assisted suicide because they lack adequate financial support.

That Belgian-Canadian drift does clearly show that theres a legal-cultural tendency under liberalism for exceptional cases to be used to justify universal rights, and for societies to slide down a moral slope from gray-area allowances to a culture of death.
These trends manifest, the authors continue, in two ways: first, in any given survey year, rich people report being less materialist than the poor. Second, as average incomes increased over time, the U.S. population as a whole became less materially oriented.

In a separate 2020 paper, Moral Values and Voting, Enke found that

starting in the 1960s, Republicans and Democrats polarized in their moral appeal: for more than 30 years, Democrats increasingly placed a stronger emphasis on universalist moral concepts, a trend that was considerably weaker among Republicans. Thus, today the Democratic Party has a substantially more universalist profile than the Republican Party.

Enke measured the level of support for universalist values by using what he calls a moral foundation questionnaire that elicits respondents agreement with moral value statements, including such universalist statements as Compassion with suffering is a crucial virtue, Laws should treat everyone fairly and Justice most important requirement for society, in contrast to such communal values statements as Be loyal to your family even if they have done something wrong, Be a team player, rather than express oneself and Soldiers must obey even if they disagree with an order.

Analyzing the speeches of recent presidential candidates, Enke contends that Donald Trump stood apart for his focus on the world of his followers:

Trumps moral language is less universalist, or equivalently, more communal, than that of any other presidential nominee in recent history. Trump is also more communal than his 2016 primary contenders. Moreover, the difference in moral appeal between Trump and Hillary Clinton is particularly pronounced.

In their paper on morals as luxury goods, Enke, Wu and Polborn contend that it is the most affluent and best-educated citizens who propel the contemporary political emphasis on moral and cultural issues, stressing that the cultural or moral conflict is between different subsets of the elite. This conflict among elites induces party polarization, which then propagates into changes in voting behavior among the poor.

In a joint email, Enke and his co-authors elaborated on this process:

As the rich become richer over time, they place a higher weight on their moral values relative to their material incentives. As a result, some voters who are both rich and morally liberal who used to vote Republican swing to the Democrats. The Democratic constituency becomes more morally liberal on average, while the Republican constituency becomes more morally conservative, on average. To make these new constituencies happy, the Democratic Party moves to the left on social issues and the Republican Party to the right.

White voters who are low-income, morally conservative and formerly Democrats, the authors continue,

can now swing Republican because of the change in party positions. Now that the parties are polarized socially, it becomes more relevant for people to vote based on their values, simply because the stakes have increased. As a result, in our model, poor moral conservatives can swing Republican over time even though they dont become richer and even though economic inequality increased to their disadvantage. In our model, this is all driven by the fact that the parties partly accommodate the changing priorities of the rich, which are now more moral in nature.

In Identity, beliefs, and political conflict, Giampaolo Bonomi, a doctoral candidate in economics at the University of California, San Diego, and Nicola Gennaioli and Guido Tabellini, professors of economics at Bocconi University in Milan, make a similar argument:

Economic shocks that boost conflict among cultural groups can also trigger a shift to cultural identity. We offer two examples: skilled biased technical change and globalization. If these shocks hurt less educated and hence more conservative voters, and benefit more educated and hence more progressive voters, they make cultural cleavages more salient and can induce a switch to cultural identity. As a result, economic losers become more socially and fiscally conservative.

In support of their argument, Bonomi, Gennaioli and Tabellini cite the work of David Autor and of Italo Colantone and Piero Stanig to show that, both in the U.S. and in Europe, losses from international trade foster support for right-wing and conservative parties.
Most people who have gone through a pregnancy, or watched someone close to them go through one, know that there are certain white-knuckle benchmarks. At 10 weeks, you can get a blood test that checks for some prenatal genetic disorders, but it can tell you only your risk level. Most of the time we make diagnoses around things like fetal abnormalities, genetic abnormalities, at around 15 to 20 weeks, when we can do an amniocentesis, said Dr. Kristyn Brandi, an OB-GYN and abortion provider in New Jersey and the board chair of Physicians for Reproductive Health.

Then, at 20 weeks, pregnant patients are typically offered an anatomy scan, which checks, among other things, for problems like anencephaly, in which a fetuss brain and skull fail to develop.

Graham would condemn every single woman who gets disastrous news from her amnio or her anatomy scan to carry a doomed pregnancy to term, unless she could prove that it was going to kill her. Whether thoughtless or deliberate, the cruelty of this is almost unfathomable.

Politically, Grahams bill is a boon to Democrats. He seems to have been trying to shift the focus of the abortion debate to later abortions, where Republicans think they can paint their opponents as extremists. Instead, he has underlined Republican callousness toward the abortion patients likely to elicit the most public sympathy.

But Democrats shouldnt be gleeful. Republicans have shown themselves willing to impose such draconian prohibitions in places where they have complete power. Recently, Kailee Lingo DeSpain, who said that in the past she was your quintessential pro-life Texan, told CNN about having to leave the state for an abortion after finding out that her fetus had heart, lung, brain, kidney and genetic defects and would either be stillborn or die within minutes of birth. How, asked DeSpain, could you be so cruel as to pass a law that you know will hurt women and that you know will cause babies to be born in pain?

At the moment, Republicans dont have the ability to impose such a regime on the entire country. Nor are many of them interested in talking about national bans; some Republicans were furious at Graham for thrusting the issue into the spotlight. But Graham was probably right when he said, If we take back the House and the Senate, I can assure you well have a vote on our bill. So far, Republicans have tried their best to give the anti-abortion movement what it wants. When Graham tells us what they intend to do to us, we should listen.
As she walked through cities, towns and villages, we were surprised to discover that Little Amal has not just vulnerability, but power. Amal and those who animate her nightly sought out places of safety where she could rest, often in the company of friends she met along the walk. We were delighted to see how hopeful she made others feel. We found that people were curious about her and some even became emotionally attached to her.

We at first imagined that when we had completed Amals journey in Britain, we would go back to our lives making a more ordinary kind of theater. But as we traveled, we felt we needed to continue sharing her story  and what she represents  with people around the world. We decided that the first stop on the new leg of Amals journey would be New York, a city that looms so large as the gateway to opportunity.

New York is built on the movement of people through choice, through force and through displacement. These are the ingredients of America and its story. It is the story of what happens when people from all over the world come together to create something new.

Its the promise of that story, at least.

New York City is a symbol of what could be possible if we embraced one anothers differences. We could reach higher, be bigger, be the best, be audacious.
Right before my children went back to school this month, I had one of my most frequently recurring stress dreams. As usual, it was this version of a partially true experience: I am a few credits away from graduating from college, and I realize I have a Russian history test that I have not studied for at all. My books are stuck in a locker outside an unfamiliar classroom, and when I try to open it I cant remember the combination.

I was recounting this to my mother, who told me that her father had a similar recurring anxiety dream. My opa grew up poor in Vienna and then got a scholarship to a prestigious Jewish high school. When he matriculated, he was way behind in Hebrew and had nightmares about failing Hebrew tests for the rest of his life. I was quite surprised to hear that this was his most indelible stress dream, since he experienced so much more acute hardship as a Jew living in Austria in the 1930s.

That test anxiety dreams persisted for decades for my grandfather, despite all the other difficulties he encountered in his long life, is a testament to how powerful these kinds of dreams can be. Over the years, multiple newspapers have written about the fact that so many of us have academic stress dreams, and there are many Reddit threads devoted to people sharing their stories. One Reddit poster describes having panicky dreams relating to high school, like Realizing I havent attended one of my classes in months BUT I cant find or access my schedule anywhere or figure out where the class is, as frequently as once a week. (My children, who are both under 10, do not have these particular stress dreams  yet. Their nightmares tend to be about things like squirrel attacks or literal monsters, not about going blank during their timed multiplication tests.)
There is something unique about the way cataclysms are preserved in oral histories. In his 1936 essay The Storyteller, Walter Benjamin draws a distinction between the printed novel and the oral tale, where experience is passed from one mouth to the next. The direct line of transmission is significant: The story you hear from a living witness embeds itself into the mechanisms of memory, as Ive learned firsthand, like no other. And yet such a transmission poses certain challenging considerations. Is a human being defined by the worst, most tragic thing that happens in her life? Should it carry more importance than the periods that bracket it? What does it mean to be the person who shares this particular heirloom?

I have been haunted by these questions over the past seven years, after a chance encounter changed my life and, along with it, my understanding of the power and responsibility of memory. Late for a lecture one evening in the winter of 2015, I dropped into a chair next to an older, elegant woman who looked me over carefully before inquiring why I was in such a hurry.

I answered that my weekly French lesson had run long. She thought for a moment, then asked if I was interested in knowing how French served her in her life.
The actor and writer examined  and smelled  himself with a community of seekers in Hawaii.

Ben Sinclair was on a houseboat in the Rockaways section of Queens shooting an episode of High Maintenance  the HBO show he starred in and helped create  when he found a copy of Be Here Now, the 1971 book that sold millions of copies and helped introduce Eastern spiritual ideas to the American counterculture.

He opened the book to a page with an illustration of its author, Ram Dass, whose beard and balding pate resembled his own features. Oh wow, thats me, Mr. Sinclair remembered thinking.

That chance sighting of his doppelganger in 2018 sent Mr. Sinclair, who recently starred in the romantic thriller Spin Me Round, on a path that brought him to Maui, Hawaii, where he spent several weeks with the spiritual community that surrounded Mr. Dass at the end of his life in 2019 and continues to follow his teachings today.
They grew up around fashion. Ms. Tordinis father owns a showroom in Milan; Ms. Ambrosios family has clothing stores in Naples. They studied fashion in Milan, started consulting for brands and became street-style stars and early influencers along the way.

As much as other brands liked sending clothes to Ms. Ambrosio and Ms. Tordini in their influencer days, they were intent on creating their own brand. They started plotting during a taxi ride between shows at New York Fashion Week in September 2015.

We were just brainstorming about fashion and what we wanted to do, Ms. Tordini said. Like, what was missing, how we wanted to dress, what was the attitude, what was the woman that we were envisioning.

It began with a single item: the robe, based on vintage styles they had found at Showplace, a vintage art, design and fashion market in Manhattan. They liked the idea of something that was sexy like lingerie but also versatile. It could be worn on its own, as a dress, or else as a jacket over jeans. They sketched a collection of 38 robes and slip dresses, imagining the world of their woman  where she lives, what music she listens to, what she reads, where she travels. The name was the last component.

Attico means penthouse in Italian, Ms. Tordini said. It sums up this whole thing, and you envision immediately what its about.
In May of 1971, Artforum published a small portfolio by Arbus, and one of her works  a portrait of a stone-faced boy in a straw hat, marching at a rally in support of the Vietnam War  appeared on the cover. Several other images published in the magazine are now among her most famous, including one of Eddie Carmel  a Jewish giant, according to Arbuss caption  at home in the Bronx with his much smaller parents, and an eerie 1966 photograph of a pair of identical twins. Arbus introduced the portfolio with a cryptic note, describing a dream shed had that she was on a gilded, Cupid-encrusted ocean liner that was on fire and slowly sinking. There was no hope, Arbus writes. I was terribly elated. I could photograph anything I wanted to. Two months later she killed herself. The next year, she had her second museum exhibition, also at MoMA.
Given the size of Californias economy and Amazons role in it, this is a piece of litigation that has significant national implications, said Christopher R. Leslie, a professor of antitrust law at University of California, Irvine. If the antitrust claims prevail, there is no way other states wont pick up the mantle and bring other cases, he said.

The lawsuit echoes a case that was brought by Karl A. Racine, the attorney general for the District of Columbia, and that was thrown out this spring. Judge Hiram E. Puig-Lugo of Superior Court of the District of Columbia found that Mr. Racine had not provided sufficient evidence that Amazons policies were anticompetitive. Mr. Racine is appealing the ruling.

Similar to the D.C. attorney general  whose complaint was dismissed by the courts  the California attorney general has it exactly backwards, Alex Haurek, an Amazon spokesman, said in a statement. Sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store.

Amazon hopes the suit will be dismissed, Mr. Haurek said, and it takes pride in offering low prices across the broadest selection, and like any store we reserve the right not to highlight offers to customers that are not priced competitively.

Most of Amazons sales  57 percent of units last quarter  are products that third-party merchants offer on its website. They pay Amazon a referral fee to list their products, and often pay for Amazons fulfillment services, advertising and other offerings. Amazon collected more than $100 billion in third-party service fees in the last 12 months, according to its financial filings.

California has been investigating Amazon for more than two years, and the complaint, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, said the practices violated Californias Unfair Competition Law and the Cartwright Act, the states primary antitrust law. It asked for remedies that included ending the anticompetitive behavior and paying penalties.
Her journey into the limelight illustrates how deeply embedded the idea of voter fraud has become, aided by a highly partisan climate and social media. Even though such fraud is rare, Mr. Trump and his allies have repeatedly amplified Ms. Engelbrechts hashtag-friendly claims of ballot trafficking and ballot mules on platforms such as Truth Social, Gab and Rumble.

Misleading memes about ballot boxes have soared. The term ballot mules, which refers to individuals paid to transport absentee ballots to ballot boxes, has surfaced 326,000 times on Twitter since January, up from 329 times between November 2020 and this January, according to Zignal Labs, a media insights company.

In some places, suspicions of vote tampering have led people to set up stakeouts to prevent illegal stuffing of ballot boxes. Officials overseeing elections are ramping up security at polling places.

Voting rights groups said they were increasingly concerned by Ms. Engelbrecht.

She has taken the power of rhetoric to a new place, said Sean Morales-Doyle, the acting director of voting rights at the Brennan Center, a nonpartisan think tank. Its having a real impact on the way lawmakers and states are governing elections and on the concerns we have on what may happen in the upcoming elections.

Some of Ms. Engelbrechts former allies have cut ties with her. Rick Wilson, a Republican operative and Trump critic, ran public relations for Ms. Engelbrecht in 2014 but quit after a few months. He said she had declined to turn over data to back her voting fraud claims.

She never had the juice in terms of evidence, Mr. Wilson said. But now that doesnt matter. Shes having her uplift moment.
How does one translate Hamilton into another language? That was the challenge facing Sera Finale, a rapper-turned-songwriter, and Kevin Schroeder, a seasoned musical theater translator, when they were asked to collaborate on a German version of the show  the first in a language other than English.

The project turned out to be just as complicated as they had feared: complex rhyme schemes, elaborate wordplay and so many songs. There were drafts and demos and revisions; a member of the Hamilton music team, Kurt Crowley, learned German to help coordinate the process, and ultimately Lin-Manuel Miranda, the shows creator, had to approve or reject each line.

Here are six lyrics that demonstrate some of the challenges the team faced as they sought to preserve the meaning and melody of the original, but in a language with different sounds and syntax. The first line is the original English lyric; the second is the German lyric; and the third is the so-called back translation, which is what the German words literally mean in English.
Prosecutors asked a judge on Wednesday to overturn the conviction of Adnan Syed in the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, citing the possible involvement of two other people in a case that came to widespread attention when it was featured on the hit podcast Serial.

In a motion filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court, prosecutors said that a nearly yearlong investigation conducted with Mr. Syeds lawyer had uncovered new information concerning the involvement of two alternative suspects, as well as key evidence that prosecutors might have failed to disclose to Mr. Syeds lawyers in violation of their legal duty. Additionally, the motion stated, the investigation identified significant reliability issues regarding the most critical pieces of evidence presented at trial.

Prosecutors are not asserting that Mr. Syed is innocent, the motion stated. However, the state no longer has confidence in the integrity of the conviction, the motion stated. Prosecutors recommended that Mr. Syeds conviction be vacated in the interests of justice and fairness, and that, at a minimum, he be given a new trial.
The Treasury Department later relaxed some sanctions. Under a so-called general license, people can lawfully transfer money to civil servants in government agencies  including ministries now led by Taliban officials  for transactions like taxes, fees, import duties and the purchase or receipt of permits, licenses or public utility services.

Human rights advocates applauded the creation of the Afghan Fund but said it would not be sufficient to address the countrys economic crisis, which is leading to mass starvation. That, in turn, is creating an enormous and destabilizing wave of refugees.

John Sifton, the Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, called the fund essentially a shadow quasi-central bank situated outside Afghanistan. In a statement, he said many complicated issues had yet to be resolved, including how the fund would interact with the central banks of other countries and the World Bank.

This is a huge step forward in addressing Afghanistans economic crisis, which is a large part of what is driving its devastating humanitarian crisis, he said. It is ultimately only a workaround, not a comprehensive solution.

The United States had explored trying to directly recapitalize the Afghan central bank, or DAB, in trying to revive the countrys economy. But it was unable to figure out a way to do so that would ensure that none of its funds reached the Taliban.

If conditions change in the long term, the government said on Wednesday, any unspent money could someday be returned to DAB.
After Mr. Durhams team completes its report, it will be up to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to decide whether to make its findings public. The report will be Mr. Durhams opportunity to present any evidence or conclusions that challenge the Justice Departments basis for opening the investigation in 2016 into the links between Mr. Trump and Russia.

The Justice Department declined to comment. Mr. Durham declined to address the end of his investigation in response to a question from a reporter as he left Union Station in Washington on Wednesday evening.

I have no comment on anything, he said.

Mr. Durham and his team used a grand jury in Washington to indict Michael Sussmann, a prominent cybersecurity lawyer with ties to Hillary Clintons campaign. Mr. Sussmann was indicted last year on a charge of making a false statement to the F.B.I. at a meeting in which he shared a tip about potential connections between computers associated with Mr. Trump and a Kremlin-linked Russian bank.

Mr. Sussmann was acquitted of that charge at trial in May.

A grand jury based in the Eastern District of Virginia last year indicted a Russia analyst who had worked with Christopher Steele, a former British spy who was the author of a dossier of rumors and unproven assertions about Mr. Trump. The dossier played no role in the F.B.I.s decision to begin examining the ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. It was used in an application to obtain a warrant to surveil a Trump campaign associate.
WASHINGTON  State Department officials said Wednesday that they would give Egypt most of an allocated $300 million in conditional military aid despite pressure from senior Democratic lawmakers to withhold the full amount until the country improves its human rights record.

Seven lawmakers, led by the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Gregory W. Meeks of New York, said in a letter sent to the State Department on Tuesday that they were concerned about the ongoing, pervasive and systemic violations of human rights in Egypt that risk destabilizing the country.

They noted the many political prisoners, including some U.S. legal permanent residents, who are subject to abuse and mistreatment such as torture and medical neglect.
But neither would be the youngest person ever elected to Congress.

That record, unlikely ever to be broken, belongs to William C.C. Claiborne, who was 22 when he was elected to the House from Tennessee in 1797, according to congressional records. (There is some dispute in other sources about his exact age, but no dispute that he was younger than 25.) The age requirement was no different then: The Constitution said House members had to be at least 25, and Mr. Claiborne wasnt. But the House chose to seat Mr. Claiborne anyway.

A handful of 24-year-olds were seated in the 1800s, too, according to congressional records, as were some people who turned 25 less than a month before being sworn in.

In modern times, however, it is rare for a 25-year-old to be elected to the House.

Representative Madison Cawthorn, Republican of North Carolina, managed it in 2020; if elected this year, Ms. Leavitt would be less than a month younger than Mr. Cawthorn was when he was elected. Before Mr. Cawthorn, the last 25-year-old to serve in the House was Thomas Downey, a New York Democrat elected in 1974.

Generation Z leans strongly toward Democrats, but its members are not an ideological monolith, as evidenced by the political leanings of Ms. Leavitt and Mr. Frost.
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department said on Wednesday that it had charged three Iranians in a wide-ranging hacking campaign across the world that targeted local governments, public utilities and nonprofit institutions, including a domestic violence shelter and a childrens hospital.

According to an indictment unsealed in New Jersey, the men, who remain at large in Iran, breached the computers of hundreds of people in the United States, Israel, Russia and Britain. They demanded ransom in Bitcoin after deploying malware to block access to networks or to steal data and threatening to sell or make public sensitive information if their victims did not pay up, officials at the Justice Department and the F.B.I. said on Wednesday.

The State Department, which is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to their capture, said that those charged worked for tech companies linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a powerful branch of Irans military.
Two former employees of a South Florida auto dealership were arrested in connection to a systematic, organized scheme that defrauded the business and its customers of more than $643,000, the authorities said.

The men, William Jason Tyler, 48, of Oakland Park, Fla., and Walfredo Misas Cruz, 31, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., were arrested on Sept. 7 and each face 24 counts of grand theft auto, one count of grand theft in the first degree and one count of obtaining property over $50,000 by fraud, the Broward County Sheriffs Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Between November 2018 and July of this year, Mr. Tyler and Mr. Cruz set up a scheme that allowed them to steal 24 vehicles from Z Motors in North Lauderdale, in Broward County, and then sell those vehicles to various people and wholesalers for about $347,700, according to the Broward Sheriffs Office.
Where farmers once tilled fields of cotton and wheat, wooden motorboats now chug across the festering pond ferrying people between towns that were saved from the brunt of the flooding and their stranded villages. Scattered across the water are single sandals, medicine bottles and the bright blue books of elementary students that spill out from the windows of half-submerged schools.

Swarms of mosquitoes dance around the tree tops poking out from the water. Power lines dangle precariously close to its surface.

Tens of thousands of people whose homes were destroyed have been displaced to nearby towns and cities where they have found shelter in schools, public buildings, and along the roadside and canal embankments. They take refuge in tents cobbled together with spare tarps and rope beds they salvaged before the flood came.

Among the lucky few whose villages were not completely submerged, many have remained in their homes  effectively marooned. The Pakistani authorities have urged people to leave the isolated villages, warning that if thousands remain it could overwhelm already strained aid efforts, cause widespread food insecurity and spark a health crisis as diseases spread.

But the residents have their reasons for staying, they say: They need to protect their prized valuables  surviving livestock, refrigerators and tin roofs  from thieves. The cost of renting a boat and moving their family and belongings is too high. The prospect of living in a tent encampment is too bleak.
One night in March, an understaffed hospital in Red Lake, a tiny town in northwestern Ontario, took the drastic step of shutting down its emergency department. Road signs bearing the H symbol to guide drivers along the 60-mile route toward the hospital were covered up. The next hospital was more than two hours away.

Sue LeBeau, the chief executive of Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital, took a picture of the covered hospital road sign. This is something that moved me to tears when I saw it, she said.

It was the first unplanned emergency room closure in Ontario since 2006, and it signaled a growing crisis, not just in one province, but across Canada. Since then, dozens of emergency rooms across the country have been forced to close, usually for a night, but sometimes for a weekend, because they dont have enough workers.
The European proposal would make the national authorities of the blocs 27 members responsible for enforcing the ban. But critics say that failing to identify the regions or industries that are the biggest culprits, as well as leaving individual nations to determine how to implement the policy, stood out as major weaknesses.

In the United States, the authorities are empowered to seize goods suspected of being the products of forced labor coming from Xinjiang. But in Europe, the authorities have to prove that the goods are in breach of the rules, and only then can they withdraw them from the market. The administrative and legal burden on the European authorities, which have varying capacities and political commitment to this cause, will most likely weaken the implementation, analysts said.

A lot will depend on the political will of national governments, said Niclas Poitiers, a trade researcher at Bruegel, a Brussels-based research institute. I wouldnt be surprised if we see a very different application in Germany than in Hungary, he added. (Hungarys prime minister, Viktor Orban, has built a close relationship with Beijing, facilitating sprawling Chinese investment in his country.)

The proposed law follows significant pressure from civil society and European lawmakers to confront China about its human rights record. Last year, the European Parliament blocked a landmark commercial agreement between the bloc and China, citing rights violations and a totalitarian threat from Beijing. And in June, after the publication of the Xinjiang Police Files, which detailed years of repression against the Uyghurs, lawmakers adopted a resolution calling for an outright import ban.

The proposed law has been criticized for failing to mention China but also because it does not help victims of forced labor to claim back wages, retrieve their documents or seek compensation.

Does it help the fate of the Uyghurs? I am afraid it falls short, Reinhard Buetikofer, a German member of the European Parliament for the Greens, told reporters on Monday. I am not happy that state-induced forced labor is not even mentioned in the text, he added.
Consumers across the European Union are facing punishing electricity bills, which have increased as much as fivefold over the past year. And national governments, confronted with energy shortages, have been on a frenzied hunt for new suppliers.

The European Commission said that national governments should cap the revenue generated by suppliers of nuclear and renewable energy at 180 euros, or about $180, per a megawatt-hour. It said that, in turn, would generate an excess profit of about 117 billion euros per year, or around $117, that should then be channeled into subsidies for struggling households and businesses facing soaring energy bills.

In order to avoid a winter of blackouts and rationing, the European Commission also recommended that Europeans reduce their energy consumption by 5 percent during peak hours and encouraged governments to look for more energy savings. Some European businesses have already voluntarily switched their working hours to off-peak hours, when electricity is cheaper.

There was no way out of the crisis, the Commission warned, unless European countries reduced energy demand.
BRUSSELS  When Ursula von der Leyen, a former German defense minister and medical doctor, assumed her role as president of the European Commission in mid-2019, few people outside of Germany knew who she was.

The first woman to ascend to the position and the first person in recent decades to occupy the office without having previously served as a head of government, she was unusual in the patriarchal, conservative power structure of the European Union. Yet on Wednesday, three years after her appointment, she seemed in comfortable command of it all as she delivered her third State of the Union address to the European Parliament.

She laid out a plan for deep market interventions to help Europe weather a massive energy crisis unleashed by Russia turning off the natural gas taps to punish the European Union for supporting Ukraine. And she doubled down on her decisiveness to stay the course against Russia, no matter the cost.
LONDON  Borne on a gun carriage and saluted by the boom of artillery cannons and the tolling of Big Ben, the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was carried on Wednesday from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, a last transfer of the sovereigns body from her family to the British state.

At 2:22 p.m., the coffin, draped in the imperial standard and bearing the imperial state crown on a purple velvet pillow, began its stately roll across the forecourt of Buckingham Palace and through the main gate. That precise time was chosen, officials said, because it allowed the procession to reach Westminster Hall at the stroke of 3 p.m. The queen will lie there in state until her funeral on Monday.

King Charles III, in dress uniform and carrying a field marshals baton, walked behind the coffin, joined by his sister, Princess Anne, and their two brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. His elder son and heir, Prince William, newly named as the Prince of Wales, walked behind him, next to his brother, Prince Harry.
Ukrainian control of those locations would be strategically significant. It would indicate that fighting has extended beyond a new defensive line that Russias Defense Ministry established following its pullback in the northeast. And it would suggest that the city of Sievierodonetsk, which Russian forces captured at the end of June after a prolonged fight that brought huge casualties on both sides, could be vulnerable to a counterattack.

Lyman stands on an access road that runs west from Sievierodonetsk, while Kreminna lies to its north. Any advance would make Sievierodonetsk, and the twin city of Lysychansk, more vulnerable to Ukrainian artillery, military analysts said.

Everything north of Sievierodonetsk and that area is in a bit of turmoil for Russia, said Jack Watling, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a research institution in London. He said that the defeat in the northeast had effectively caused the collapse of one of Russias four military groupings in Ukraine, but added: I dont see the morale shock effect cascading into other groups of forces.

In recent weeks, Moscow has shifted some of its forces in Donbas to southern Ukraine to defend against a Ukrainian counteroffensive there. Even so, military experts said, some of its most effective forces remain in Donbas, bolstered by separatist fighters.
While most residents of Belgorod support the government in Moscow and the war effort, some express frustration that the rest of Russia is still living as if it isnt waging a full-scale war.

How are they not ashamed! shouted a middle-aged woman named Lyudmila, from the Komsomosky neighborhood.

In Moscow, they are celebrating City Day, while here blood is being spilled, she said, referring to a citywide celebration last week honoring the founding of the Russian capital, which featured fireworks and the grand opening of a large Ferris wheel by Mr. Putin. Here everyone is worried about our soldiers, while there everyone is partying and drinking!

Even those who support the war effort privately expressed frustration that the Kremlin insists on calling it a special military operation, when they can see that it is a full-blown war. Many wonder if there will be a draft, and if so, how soon.

Refugees arriving from Ukraine are also driving home the reality of the war.

Thousands of people from eastern Ukraine have arrived in recent months, especially last week as Ukrainian troops retook territory in the northeast that had been held by Russian soldiers. Some were worried about living under the control of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv, while others, especially those who had acquired Russian passports or taken jobs in the occupying administration, feared being treated as collaborators, according to activists who are helping them leave.
But while there are many pathways to the far right, once there, its voters have appeared to be remarkably loyal, Dehdari said. People may have begun voting for the Sweden Democrats in the wake of the financial crisis, but they didnt go back to mainstream parties once they got a new job, he said. A similar pattern may hold for more recent events too, such as the spike in crime, but it is too soon to say for sure.

The Pattern

Sweden is just the latest European democracy with a far right that is regularly able to command electoral support, joining a list that already included France, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Austria, Estonia, and others.

In many European countries, it seems like they get to 20 percent and then they hit the ceiling, Dehdari said. There needs to be some rather large change in society for them to grow a lot beyond 20 or 22 percent.

Twenty is a lot less than 50: such a party cannot expect to win an outright majority any time soon. But 20 percent is enough to be a major partner in a coalition  making the far rights votes increasingly tempting for other parties seeking to form a government.

So the most significant political question for Sweden is not how many votes the far right can get, but how the rest of the political system will respond to its growing popularity.

So far, Swedens mainstream parties have maintained a so-called cordon sanitaire, agreeing among themselves that they will shut the far right out of governing coalitions and government posts. It is a strategy that has been used in other European countries, such as France, Germany, and Greece, to keep the far right out of power.
A 40-year-old man has been dubbed South Africas dumbest criminal after walking into a police station to get a job there despite being on a wanted criminal list.

Thomas Ngcobo had been on the run for the last seven years, after stealing hardware products worth more than $1,200 while working as a delivery man in 2015. He reportedly diverted deliveries to other addresses without the owners consent or knowledge, and went on the run as soon as his manager realized that some invoices were missing and several products had been delivered to the wrong addresses. Ngcobos name was added to the polices wanted criminal list as soon as his employer filed a complaint against him, but he managed to avoid capture for seven years. And then he walked right into a police station like he didnt even have a criminal record

Photo: Francois Olwage/Unsplash

Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, told reporters that his colleagues at the local police station were baffled by Thomas Ngcobos visit. On August 15, the 40-year-old man reportedly walked into the station to complain that he hadnt received a reply to his application for a job at the station and ask what the hold-up was.

The suspect was unexpectedly nabbed on Monday, August 15, 2022, after he visited the Bethal SAPS to make enquiries about his application for a police recruitment drive, Mohlala said.

According to South African news sources, the provincial law enforcement has been promoting Ngcobos arrest as an example of its tireless pursuit of justice, conveniently forgetting to mention that the suspect literally walked into a police station.

We are working tirelessly day and night, sticking to our mandate of creating a safe environment for all citizens, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela said. We cannot achieve that stage while other suspects are still roaming the streets and terrorising communities. It is just a matter of time before we bring them to justice.

Ever since news of his arrest went viral online, Thomas Ngcobo has been dubbed South Africas dumbest criminal.
Eric Adams

Guns dont magically appear in the hands of shooters, said New York mayor Eric Adams during his Sept. 14 speech at the National Press Club.

He thinks one way to tackle the gun violence epidemic is for the media to name and shame the CEOs of gun manufacturers and their marketing enablers.

Just as media exposure of the Sackler family of Purdue Pharma helped lead to the opioid settlement, Adams wants the media to train their sights on those responsible for gun violence.

It is a travesty that we know the places where our citizens were murdered, but not the names of the CEOs who approved the marketing of the weapons that were used to kill them, said Adams, according to the mayors prepared remarks.

He named names:

People like Marty Daniel, CEO of Daniel Defense, makers of the gun used to kill at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

"Ron Cohen, president and CEO of Sig Sauer, makers of the guns used to kill 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and 60 people at a music festival in Las Vegas.

"Christopher Killoy, president and CEO of Sturm, Ruger & Company, makers of the weapon used by the killer who murdered 26 people at a Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

"And Mark Smith, president and CEO of Smith & Wesson, makers of the gun used to kill parade goers on the 4th of July in Highland Park, Illinois.

The mayor also put the communications business on notice.

He wants Americans to learn the names of every firm and agency that has been paid to shamelessly market guns, promote the tactical lifestyle' or mislead the public. They must be called out and held accountable.

ANA targets purpose-washing. The Association of National Advertisers CEO Bob Liodice warns that as more brands and businesses declare themselves purposeful, there is a growing cynicism among stakeholders over inauthentic attempts to appear socially and ethically conscious.

He cites a Razorfish and Vice Media survey that found only 43 percent of consumers believe brands are living up to their purpose.

And in todays call-out culture, a backlash is inevitable.

The ANA has developed six principles to avoid purpose-washing.

Media missed the boat on child poverty. The US has cut child poverty by 59 percent since 1993. The drop occurred in every state and among white, Black, Hispanic and Asian kids living with one parent or two.

David Leonhardt, who writes the New York Times This Morning newsletter, calls the downward childhood poverty trend one of the biggest unreported stories of recent times.

He blames the medias bad news bias for the lack of attention. Journalists and academic experts are often more comfortable reporting negative developments than positive ones, he wrote. We worry that we come off as blase or Pollyannaish when we report good news.

Joe Biden wants the media to snap out of it.

Its just business. The offices of King Charles and the Queen Consort are moving to Buckingham Palace in the aftermath of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

That means up to 100 staffers at Clarence House, the residence of Prince Charles and Camilla, may be getting the boot.

Many of them, including the members of the communications team, faithfully served the longest reigning monarch-in-waiting for years.

And the kicker: they received notifications of redundancies during the Sept. 12 thanksgiving service for the Queen that was held at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

A union official blasted the timing of the notifications as heartless.

It certainly was a bad PR move.
An beautiful Offaly bride and her groom exchanged wedding vows over the August Bank Holiday Weekend, grateful for their shared good health, made possible by the groom donating a kidney to his bride two years ago.

Like many other couples who faced delays with their wedding plans due to an unwelcome guest, Covid-19, Garda Shane Hunter (31) from Athlone, Co Westmeath and his art teacher bride, Briona Reynolds (30), from Tubber, in Co Offaly, postponed their nuptials which were to take place last summer. They wanted to ensure that all their family and friends could be invited to share in the celebration of their happy event, grateful that Brionas health struggles, and three times weekly hospital dialysis, were behind her.

The couple is sharing their uplifting stories in support of the Irish Kidney Association in highlighting European Day for Organ Donation & Transplantation which will be held next month on October 10.

Briona said: We had a wonderful wedding weekend and it was great to be surrounded by all the people we love. Everything has been going so well for us over the last two years, since Shane donated a kidney to me on June 22, 2020.

Sometimes we forget the struggles we experienced. We still talk about how things were back then but its always followed by how grateful we are for how much better things are now.

When I think about then and now its like two different lives, things now are so much more relaxed. We're currently renovating our house, planning little trips away and just enjoying life. Weve both returned to work and life is great!

Shane is now back to work at Tullamore Garda Station. Just a week before the transplant operation took place, Briona, completed her thesis for a masters in education, fulfilling her dream to become a secondary school art teacher. Briona secured a teaching post at Mullingar Community College and has just returned to work there after the summer holidays.

Briona and Shane first met through an introduction by Brionas sister in 2009. Love blossomed and thanks to the gift of organ donation they share a unique bond as they now embark on married life together.

In describing their wedding Briona said, the two-day wedding celebration was just amazing. We were very lucky as we had close to our original number of guests when we started planning four years ago.

We were delighted when the day finally came, after previously being a casualty of Covid-19, as it should have taken place last year. Luckily all of our vendors were still available, including the venue and Simon Casey and his band who were excellent.

Our wish was to keep things as local as we could throughout the wedding. We wanted it to be local and alternative. We got married in Mount Druid in Castletown Geoghegan, which is a wonderful venue, and the staff were so accommodating.

On the second day we celebrated at our home with a marquee and music provided by Adrian Hiney from across the village in Tubber.

After this we took a few days away and went down south just to relax. We are looking at honeymooning abroad at some point next year.

While Ill be forever grateful to Shane for the gift of life he has given me, I'd also like to thank his parents, Norman and Sharon Hunter, who now live in Dysart, Co Roscommon, as well as my mam and dad, Gina and Frank Reynolds for their loving support.

Briona and Shane by Moat Hill Photography

It was a case of third time lucky for the couple when their living donor kidney transplant went ahead in June 2020. Beaumont Hospital had suspended transplant operations before the country went into lockdown on March 27, 2020 including Briona and Shanes operations, which were initially scheduled to take place on March 23.

This was their second disappointment as a previous date for transplant, February 3, had also been cancelled due to safety concerns as Shanes blood results showed irregularities at the time.

By February 2020, Brionas kidney function had almost fully declined and she then had no option but to commence haemodialysis treatment to keep her alive.

Brionas mother Gina Reynolds was also found to be a suitable living kidney donor match but Shane was determined that he should be the one to proceed.

Shane shared, We had a great wedding. It is so rewarding and gives me great joy to see Briona so well and that we are both happy and healthy and can look forward to what the future will bring.

Individuals who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to Share their Wishes with their family and keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their drivers licence or having the digital organ donor card App on their smartphone. Organ Donor Cards can be requested by visiting the IKA website www.ika.ie/ get-a-donor-card or to your phone, phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050
OFFALY Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen said he looks forward to Offaly coming out of just transition far better than we came into it.

Just transition, which aims for fairness in the move away from a carbon-fuelled economy and society, has been especially controversial in Offaly because of the county's traditional reliance on jobs in the peat and electricity industries.

Following the closure of the turf-burning power station in Shannonbridge and the decision by Bord na Mona to cease all new peat production, a number of European and State initiatives have been instigated to ensure a just transition.

Speaking at the launch of a new energy project in Shannonbridge being developed by Offaly company Lumcloon Energy and Korean partner Hanwha, Deputy Cowen said Offaly was a county synonymous with power generation since a government decision many decades ago to develop an industry from the bogs.

There was 8,000 jobs emanating from that decision in the '40s come the '80s, said Deputy Cowen.

With the advance of climate change, the acceleration of decarbonisation and the refusal by Bord Pleanala for co-fuelling some years ago, that acceleration was at a far greater pace and much more sudden than we had envisaged.

And that presented huge challenges, not only to the workforce, the communities and the families, but obviously to the Government of the day. Obviously it was incumbent on the Government then to look at the likes of Bord na Mona and the ESB and say that they could no longer meet that defined and definitive remit that was given to them in the '40s.

So the Government had to regroup and find ways and means by which we might come out of the acceleration by decarbonisation better than we went into it. And it's because of that commitment by Government you've seen the carbon tax ringfenced and provided to help and assist in that transition.

Some 85m has been contributed through the National Development Plan to match the EU Coal Regions in Transition fund, which myself and and Eamon Dooley and others fought for at the time of the loss of the power plants here.

A fund for the Midlands is now being administered by the Midlands East Regional Board and in the coming months will play a pivotal role in ensuring we catch up with transition and this region being synonymous with power generation, with green power generation, with the expertise that is here in this locality

He described Lumcloon Energy founder and chief executive Nigel Reams as a product of Bord na Mona... a product of that school.

The TD said it was fantastic to see Lumcloon's expertise and professionalism matched with investment from Hanwha.

In a comment which was warmly greeted by his listeners, he said to the Korean energy company: We're only too glad to welcome you with open arms to welcome your expertise, your professionalism. I know that you will have an Irish office in Ireland in the coming months and years and I've no doubt based on the reception you've got here, based on the commitment that we in Government give to the likes of this enterprise and initiative that you will locate that office in Tullamore.

He said the communities will have to have a great role in the transition so that the benefit can be maximised.

He said he was conscious of progress which had been made with infrastructure in rural Offaly like greenways and Lough Boora but added: They're only the tip of the iceberg compared to what can be achieved. So communities have to be allowed to play a greater role. I know there is a directive from the EU, it recognises that and it will be transposed into Irish law as others have done over recent times.

He looked forward to an expansion of wind power generation offshore where there are huge opportunities and indicated Eirgrid's performance will be watched closely because Ireland had the potential to become an international power supplier.

And we can be at the front of a line rather than at the back end of one as is the case with many countries in relation to the Russian dominance that is there at present.

Also speaking at the event, Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, said Offaly is at the forefront of playing its part in a sustainable energy future for Ireland.

Since we entered the coalition government over two years ago the Taoiseach and I have worked together on many issues. I want to thank him for his support and indeed his deep personal interest in the work I do as minister, particularly in relation to issues such as planting trees, organic farming and indeed the wider biodiversity issues, said Minister Hackett.

Renewable energy is obviously massively significant in that also. Working together, this Government has done some very good work on ensuring a better country for future generations and indeed this is what this is about.

She defended the Government's climate action plan and acknowledged that it is presenting challenges.

Our climate action plan provides a clear path to make sure that the next generation will be left with a legacy on which they can continue to work and a world in which they can thrive. I know some actions will be difficult for some but we will not regret the progress we make now when we see the results in the future.

This county has always been central to the energy needs of Ireland. For so many decades here in Offaly power generation has been part of the community here, sustaining many families over the years. However, as the world continues to evolve and adapt, so too does Offaly and today represents another shift in how our energy systems will work into the future.

Further supporting renewables represents one more step in the right direction. The batteries which will be on site were originally commissioned to provide electricity support services when wind power was high in order to stabilise voltage on the grid. I'm delighted to hear that they now contribute to reserve power when the wind is low. In the coming months and years we will need many more battery energy storage systems in Ireland.
AN Offaly councillor has claimed the number of people coming into Ireland is crippling councils in the country.

Cllr John Foley said he didn't want to be controversial and he appreciated there was a war going on but he believed it's something that needs to be sorted at a top level.

Why are we allowing so many in? asked the Independent councillor from Edenderry.

We are only a small country and there is only so much we can do to facilitate.

He said it was very hard when someone would say to him Well, I'm on the housing list for so many years.

We just can't cater for them... I'm not against anyone coming in but we have a situation where it's gone into thousands and we really don't have the facilities in any county in Ireland for them at the minute, he told a meeting of Edenderry Municipal District this afternoon (Wednesday, September 14).

So I think there has to be joined up thinking at Government level to say look, there's no point in bringing in all these people if they're living on the street or living rough or whatever.

The councillor said authorities higher up than Offaly needed to look at the matter because it needed to bedealt with now.

Responding, Sharon Kennedy, director of service with Offaly County Council and district manager for the Edenderry area, said there were relatively small numbers of Ukrainian citizens in Offaly in comparison to other counties on a pro rata basis.

Thus far we've been able to appropriately assist them with their accommodation needs, said Ms Kennedy.

She said private contracts had been entered into between landlords and hotels and the international protection accommodation service.

The pledged accommodation that came in through the Irish Red Cross was also now being worked through and the council had also entered into an agreement with the Peter McVerry Trust.

Ms Kennedy insisted that the council was satisfying its requirements to provide services for those needing social housing and the Ukrainian community.

We didn't want any conflict or any difficulty in that regard because obviously we've to continue to make sure that our own, the people that are on our housing list, are appropriately taken care of, she told the meeting.

She also pointed out that the Laois & Offaly Education and Training Board had provided accommodation at the Birr Outdoor Education Centre.

That has made a huge difference to us in terms of the response from Offaly.

She said the council was trying to manage an appropriate, balanced and responsible response.

We've a moral obligation to help those who are in serious need of our help while at the same time maintaining momentum in Housing for All delivery.

She said she was confident Offaly would continue to achieve its joint requirements so there would not be tensions as a consequence of this humanitarian crisis.

She also thanked all the other agencies which were helping with education, language and transport, especially the Offaly Volunteer Centre and Offaly Local Development.

Offaly can be very proud of what we're doing, she said.

Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fail, supported Ms Kennedy's comments and said he knew the owner of apartments at Riverside, Portarlington where 180 Ukrainians are being accommodated.

It is a difficult situation for them because I see them there in the estate and the children are trying to integrate into the schools locally, said Cllr Fitzpatrick.

Cllr Fitzpatrick said the Ukrainians were being facilitated in centres around the country and he knew Ms Kennedy's insistence was that the council also must look after people that have been on the housing list for a long term of time and waiting.
AN architect has been appointed to design a new library and arts centre for Edenderry.

A meeting of Edenderry Municipal District was told this afternoon (Wednesday, September 14) that Offaly County Council had signed a contract with a design team.

The design will be done during the autumn. We're really excited about this, said Sharon Kennedy, Edenderry district manager.

Looking forward to moving forward with the architects who are very delighted with the contract.

Ms Kennedy said the council hopes a legacy building will be developed for the next generation in Edenderry and the wider district.

It's wonderful that we've got to this point.

The library and arts space will be located in the town centre at the site of the former Tesco building which was demolished this year.

That will be the first phase of a major urban regeneration redevelopment project on a site off JKL Street.

The entire site stretches back as far as Blundell Park and the castle ruins.

Cllr John Foley welcomed the progress on the project and said it was an example of a great news story.

Cllr Robert McDermott, district chair, joined in welcoming the appointment of the design team.
Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan is an Armenian politician serving as the prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018.
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The Biden administration unveiled its plan to invest more than $2 billion into the U.S. biotechnology sector directly ahead of a government-led summit on the emerging industry.
The UK has confirmed that Ukraine likely downed an Iranian-made war drone. And the Pope decried use of religion to justify war. DW has the latest.
The coalition government has put forward a proposal to ease the struggles of the unemployed in Germany. They plan to increase payments and reduce punishing sanctions.
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Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

532 institutional investors with US$39 trillion in assets under management (AUM) have called on governments to raise their climate ambition, including setting plans to phase out fossil fuel use and forcing companies to set out science-based transition plans, as government officials around the world prepare for the next U.N. climate change summit (COP27).

The 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP27, begins Nov. 6 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

The 2022 Global Investor Statement to Governments on the Climate Crisis is the most ambitious statement to date in terms of the policy recommendations contained within it, calling on governments to raise their climate ambition in line with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C.

The most ambitious actions called for include mandated climate transition plans from investors. In calling for this action, investors are directly asking for more climate disclosure regulation in the finance sector, in addition to calling for climate regulation of companies.

The global investor statement to the governments was signed by investor signatories and is being coordinated by the founding partners of Investor Agenda: Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, CDP, Ceres, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, Investor Group on Climate Change, Principles for Responsible Investment and United Nations Environment Programme Finance Init......................

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From the Hebrew University's bench to bedsides in Dallas, TX, VenoVision brings cardiological expertise to non-invasive hemodynamic remote patient monitoring. Dallas, Texas, September 12, 2022: VenoVision was selected as one of only 11 start-ups from hundreds to participate in the Health Wildcatters 2022 Program. VenoVision will help improve therapeutic management, patient outcomes, and drive down the billions of dollars wasted every year on preventable perioperative deterioration and rehospitalization of those suffering, or 
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreans shared congratulations on social media Tuesday for the multiple wins by Squid Game at the Emmy Awards, but the overall reaction was subdued as the country grows accustomed to its increasingly prominent role in global entertainment.

From K-pop sensations BTS and BLACKPINK to the movie Parasite that won four Oscars, South Korean pop culture is now a global phenomenon. While it was big news that Squid Game became the first South Korean drama to win an Emmy, many South Koreans weren't as surprised by such triumphs as in the past.

South Korean social media were flooded with messages after the star of the Netflix drama, Lee Jung-jae, won the award for best male actor in a drama series, and its creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, the award for best drama director on Monday. Both were the first Asians to win in those categories.

President Yoon Suk Yeol congratulated Lee and Hwang, saying the entire nation was celebrating their accomplishments in a show that resonated with viewers around the world.

(We) hope that (you) will continue to be active with your work and appear in good works that move hearts around the world, Yoon said in a message to Lee he shared on Facebook.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon wrote on Facebook that he was proud that South Korean artists are producing work that is enthusiastically celebrated and emphasized by the whole world.

Ordinary citizens also wrote congratulatory messages on social media. But some messages were critical of the drama, and the level of elation was much lower than when Bong Joon Hos Parasite became the first non-English-language film to win best picture at the Academy Awards in 2020 and won three other Oscars.

The president at the time, Moon Jae-in, and his advisers began a regular meeting by clapping to celebrate the Oscars, and South Korean media extensively played up the news.

Several hours after the Emmy wins by Squid Game," the news was still on the front pages of the internet editions of major South Korean media outlets, but not at the top, which was dominated by domestic politics.

People are getting used to (major awards), film critic Kim See-moo said. Bong Joon-ho took home four Oscars for Parasite, another one of our actors won an Oscar for Minari and then Park Chan-wook won best director at Cannes (for Decision to Leave). South Koreans no longer think there are any entry barriers for these awards, and they think anyone has a shot at winning if they put in the hard work.

Kim noted that South Koreans are less familiar with the Emmys than the Oscars, partly because Korean dramas previously didnt have a large presence in the United States.

South Korean TV dramas have been huge in Asia for years, especially in markets where people share similar emotional sentiments with South Koreans, Kim said. Squid Game became a broader global hit because it tackled the intense global issue that is inequality, but also took a refreshing approach by telling that story through a brutal and deadly competition of childrens games.

As a Korean, Im very proud of (the drama), Choi Hyun Sik, a 32-year-old office worker, told The Associated Press. I once again came to realize how popular Squid Game was.

(Lee) made an award speech in English but at the end he spoke in Korean and highlighted his fans and people in South Korea, so I was really touched by that, said Jeong Ye-won, a 22-year-old university student.

Squid Game is a brutal survival drama about desperate adults competing in deadly childrens games for a chance to escape debt. In the drama, Lee stars as the shows protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, a laid-off autoworker coping with a messy divorce and struggling with constant business failures and gambling problems.

___

Associated Press journalists Yong Jun Chang and Juwon Park contributed to this story.
SELIGMAN, Ariz. (AP)  Two people have been found dead after a small plane crashed in a remote area of northwestern Arizona, authorities said Tuesday.

Coconino County Sheriffs officials said deputies out of the Williams/Grand Canyon substation responded to a report of a missing aircraft north of Seligman.
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JERUSALEM (AP)  Palestinian gunmen opened fire on Israeli troops near a military checkpoint in the occupied West Bank Wednesday, killing an Israeli army officer, Israel's military said. Palestinian officials said that troops killed the two gunmen.

The overnight incident was the latest in a string of deadly clashes in recent months in the northern West Bank, where Israeli troops conduct nightly raids. Most of that fighting, including Wednesdays, has taken place near the city of Jenin, which is known as a bastion of Palestinian militants.

The military said soldiers spotted the two militants approaching Israels separation barrier in the northern West Bank and that it dispatched forces to the area. It said the two suspects began shooting automatic weapons at troops, who returned fire.

The Israeli army said that Maj. Bar Falah, 30, was killed in the shootout.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the Israeli army was holding the bodies of the two men. It identified them as Ahmad Abed, 23, and Abd al-Rahman Abed, 22, both from a village near Jenin.

The Israeli military confirmed that Ahmad Abed was a member of the Palestinian Authority security services, which coordinate with Israel in an uneasy alliance against their common foe, the Hamas militant group.

Late Wednesday, Israeli authorities said they were temporarily closing a pair of crossings into Israel, including the checkpoint where the shooting took place. They said they were also suspending Israeli entry and work permits for all residents of the attackers' hometown.

Hamas praised the attack, hailing the two gunmen as heroic martyrs.

In a phone briefing with reporters, Barbara Leaf, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, said the security conditions in the West Bank concern us greatly.

She said the U.S. was working to maintain and strengthen security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. She said that during a recent swing through the region, she also discussed ways to improve the Palestinian economy, saying this would also improve the security situation.

Israel has been carrying out nightly arrest raids in West Bank cities, towns and villages since a spate of attacks against Israelis in the spring killed 19 people.

Israeli fire has killed scores of Palestinians during that time, making it the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2016.

The Israeli military says the vast majority of those killed were militants or stone-throwers who endangered the soldiers. But several civilians have also been killed during Israels monthslong operation, including a veteran journalist and a lawyer who apparently drove unwittingly into a battle zone. Local youths who took to the streets in response to the invasion of their neighborhoods have also been killed.

Israel says the arrest raids are meant to dismantle militant networks. The Palestinians say the operations are aimed at maintaining Israels 55-year military occupation of territories they want for an independent state.

Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war and the Palestinians seek those territories for a future state.
BIG RAPIDS  Beginning this year, hunters will now have an updated deadline for reporting successful harvests this season.

Hunters will now be required to report a successful kill within 72 hours.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said the process should take only three to five minutes. Hunters must attach a paper kill tag to a harvested deer, which should remain with the head if the head and body of the deer are separated.

Chad Stewart, a Michigan DNR deer, elk and moose management specialist, said the positive aspect of the change is that it gives hunters more time to properly manage their kill as well as report it.

On average, reporting a buck harvest took about 30 seconds longer than reporting a doe harvest because of some additional questions surrounding antler points, Stewart told Michigan Farm News. Hunters who harvested and reported multiple deer through the system seemed to work through the report faster the second time, which tells us that the reporting process is easily understood after someone goes through it once.

In Mecosta and Osceola counties, hunters can report their kills to the Paris Field Office at 22250 Northland Drive. The office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 15-30, seven days per week. The office will be closed Nov. 25.

According to the Michigan Deer Harvest Report Summary, in 2022, Mecosta County hunters have already reported a total of 140 harvests, 122 antlered and 18 antlerless. In Osceola County, hunters have thus far reported 151 successful harvests, 120 antlered and 31 antlerless.

Other places to report deer harvest include:

By going online to the Michigan DNR Harvest Report: Visit mdnr-elicense.com/harvestreport and enter a kill tag license number and date of birth to begin the report.

By logging into eLicense at mdnr-elicense.com: Use a drivers license and birth date, or user ID and password then click on the Harvest Report tab to see the tags available to report.

By using the DNRs new Hunt Fish apps.

Friends and family of hunters can report a deer tag, too. They will just need the successful hunters kill tag license number, date of birth, and information about the hunters harvest and hunting location.

For more information on hunting in the Big Rapids area, visit the informational page for more resources at bigrapids.org/hunting.
To help teens and young adults get an early start planning for their futures, Michigan State Police expands its Explorer Program to a total of nine posts statewide.

"We want kids to know a public service career is possible and its pretty awesome," Sgt. Ashley Kierpaul with the MSP Recruiting and Selection Section said in a written statement. "What they think policing is can be much different than what they actually experience in our Explorer Program."

The program, which showcases law enforcement as a "rewarding employment option," started with two posts in the Metro Detroit area and the Marshall Post, according to authorities in a recent press release announcing the addition of six posts to the program. It was formed to battle staffing shortages and negative public perceptions about policing.

"Six additional posts have committed to hosting the program, which is exciting," Kierpaul continued. "We are now able to offer the experience to young adults around the state. They see firsthand all we have available from road patrol up to Colonel."

The program lets people between 14 and 21 years old experience what its like to be a police officer through training and mentoring by MSP troopers. When they reach 18 years old, theres an opportunity for them to apply for a paid position as a cadet, according to MSP in the release.

Thats the route 19-year-old Abigail Sands is taking. She and nine others graduated from the Cadet Academy this summer.

"My family knew I was interested in becoming a first responder, but I hadnt figured out which area I wanted to pursue," Cadet Sands, who is assigned to the Metro South Post, said in the press release. "A relative saw a flyer for the MSP Explorer Program online and shared it with me. Ive been in since May 2021."

The program has been better than she imagined it could be.

"Residents understand were here to assist along with the troopers," Sands continued. "They see us as kids making a difference.

To be accepted into the Explorer Program, applicants must:

Be 14-21 years old

Have good academic standing (2.5+ GPA)

Have no felony convictions

Have an excellent moral character

Interested? Apply here.

While the program allows flexibility for school and other responsibilities, participants have to attend 70% of the time, according to MSP in the release. Classroom sessions are held at MSP posts once weekly. The classes will include law enforcement-related topics and tackle scenario-based exercises like traffic stops. Leadership training and community service are also included.

To learn more about the program, contact Kierpaul at 989-513-4050 or kierpaula@michigan.gov.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Baltimore prosecutors asked a judge on Wednesday to vacate Adnan Syed's conviction for the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee  a case that was chronicled in the hit podcast Serial."

Baltimores states attorney filed a motion in circuit court, saying a lengthy investigation conducted with the defense had uncovered new evidence that could undermine the conviction of Syed, Lee's ex-boyfriend.

The motion filed today supports a new trial for Syed based on a nearly year-long investigation that revealed undisclosed and newly-developed information regarding two alternative suspects, as well as unreliable cell phone tower data, State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby's office said in a news release.

Syed, 42, has maintained his innocence for decades and captured the attention of millions in 2014 when the debut season of the Serial podcast focused on the case and raised doubts about some of the evidence, including cellphone tower data.

Prosecutors on Wednesday said they werent asserting that Syed is innocent, but they lacked confidence in the integrity of the conviction" and recommended he be released on his own recognizance or bail.

We believe that keeping Mr. Syed detained as we continue to investigate the case with everything that we know now, when we do not have confidence in results of the first trial, would be unjust, Mosby added.

The state's attorney's office said if the court grants its motion it would effectively put Syed in a new trial status, and his convictions would be vacated, but the case would remain active.

Whether the State ultimately continues with a trial in this matter or dismisses the charges will depend on the outcome of the ongoing investigation, the state's attorney's office said.

Prosecutors said a reinvestigation of the case revealed evidence regarding the possible involvement of two alternative suspects other than Syed. The two suspects may be involved individually or may be involved together, the state's attorney's office said.

One of the suspects had threatened Lee, saying he would make her (Ms. Lee) disappear. He would kill her, according to the filing.

Given the stunning lack of reliable evidence implicating Mr. Syed, coupled with increasing evidence pointing to other suspects, this unjust conviction cannot stand, said Assistant Public Defender Erica Suter, Mr. Syeds attorney and, Director of the Innocence Project Clinic. Mr. Syed is grateful that this information has finally seen the light of day and looks forward to his day in court.

The suspects were known persons at the time of the original investigation and were not properly ruled out nor disclosed to the defense, prosecutors said.

The investigation also found a separate document from the original trial file, in which a different person relayed information that can be viewed as a motive for that same suspect to harm the victim, prosecutors said. The information about the threat and motives to harm could have provided a basis for the defense and was not disclosed to the trial nor the post-conviction defense counsel, the state's attorney's office said.

Prosecutors also said new information revealed that one of the suspects was convicted of attacking a woman in her vehicle, and that one of the suspects was convicted of engaging in serial rape and sexual assault.

The state's attorney's office declined to release information about the suspects, due to the ongoing investigation.

Prosecutors also noted unreliable cellphone data used during Syed's court case to corroborate his whereabouts on the day of the crime. The notice on the records specifically advised that the billing locations for incoming calls would not be considered reliable information for location.

Evidence proved that the State should not have relied on the incoming call evidence, the state's attorney's office said.

Syed has served more than 20 years in prison for the strangling of Lee, who was 18 at the time. Her body was found weeks later buried in a Baltimore park.

More than a decade later, the popular Serial podcast revealed little-known evidence and attracted millions of listeners, shattering podcast-streaming and downloading records.

In 2016, a lower court ordered a retrial for Syed on grounds that his attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, who died in 2004, didnt contact an alibi witness and provided ineffective counsel.

But after a series of appeals, Marylands highest court in 2019 denied a new trial in a 4-3 opinion. The Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court that Syeds legal counsel was deficient in failing to investigate an alibi witness, but it disagreed that the deficiency prejudiced the case. The court said Syed waived his ineffective counsel claim.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Syed's case in 2019.
MECOSTA COUNTY  Deputies with the Mecosta County Sheriffs Office responded to the following calls Sept. 9-12. All calls may not be reported. All suspects are assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This is part of a lengthy report compiled by associate editor Julie Norwood.

 From Friday, Sept. 9, through Monday, Sept. 12, deputies responded to six car-deer crashes and three car crashes without injuries.

Friday, Sept. 9

 At 12:03 p.m., deputies responded to the 9000 block of 220th, Mecosta Township, for a fraud complaint. A female reported sending $300 to a fake Venmo account.

 At 2:07 p.m. deputies responded to the 9000 block of Clubhouse Drive, Morton Township, for a report of a 72-year-old male who allegedly keeps showing up at the business and harassing a female employee. Deputies made contact, and he was trespassed.

 At 2:35 p.m., deputies responded to the 2000 block of 9 Mile Road, Wheatland Township where a female filed a complaint alleging her ex is sending threatening text messages.

Sept. 10 Saturday

 At 4:52 a.m., suspicious activity was reported in the 7000 block of West Royal Road. According to police, a female with dementia reported suspicious activity. Police determined she had possibly left the garage doors open due to her leaving the residence.

Sept. 11 Sunday

 At 12:42 a.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop on vehicle for hitting a fog line near U.S. 131 and Jefferson Road, which resulted in an arrest for operating while intoxicate.

 At 11:40 p.m., deputies responded to a report of a 13-year-old who was riding his bike up U.S. 131 going to Cadillac. His mother picked him up.

 At 3:12 p.m., deputies responded to a personal injury accident near 50th and 18 Mile Road. A female driver was transported to Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital for back pain.

 At 3:29 p.m., deputies responded to the 12000 block of Lone Oak Drive, Stanwood, for a female who allegedly made suicidal statements. She was transported to Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital.

 At 8:05 p.m., deputies responded to the 17000 block of Pierce Road. A 15-year-old called, referencing to being disciplined and struck by father. Case is under investigation.

 At 9:52 p.m., deputies executed a warrant arrest for assault in the 22000 block of Hayes Road.

 At 10:13 p.m., deputies executed a warrant arrest near 30th Avenue and Meceola Road. A female was arrested for a felony warrant for unlawfully driving away of an automobile. She was transported to Mecosta County Sheriff's Office.

 At 10:32 p.m., a civil dispute was reported in the 14000 block of 21 Mile Road. Deputies provide a female with information on how to get a personal protection order.

Monday, Sept. 12

 At 8:13 a.m., a civil dispute was reported in the 14000 block of 21 Mile Road. Police said no assault occurred between male and female. A report will be turned over to the prosecutor.

 At 8:59 a.m., deputies responded to the 1200 block of 19 Mile Road, Fork Township, for a report of fraud. A male who invested $510,000 into crypto through ftx.com reported they now claim he owes another $400,000 in taxes.

 At 10:18 a.m., deputies responded to the 20000 block of 80th Avenue to assist Lake County with attempt to locate a male who is on GPS tether. A male allegedly had broken into several Lake County addresses. His vehicle was on video, according to police reports.

 At 11:21 a.m., a civil dispute was reported in the 6000 block of 170th Avenue, Austin Township. A female reported the Amish allegedly owed her $25,000 for two English bulldogs they had a verbal agreement about. Deputies advised her to contact a lawyer.

 At 3:09 p.m., deputies responded to a two-vehicle personal injury accident near 19 Mile Road and 220th Avenue in Green Township.

 At 5:15 p.m., deputies responded to the 17000 block of Monroe Road, Deerfield Township, for a report of harassment. A caller reported being threatened by a guy who is upset because the caller stole his woman.

 At 6 p.m., a male reported finding a bike along side the White Pine Trail near 15 Mile Road, Big Rapids Township.
Director of Content and Operations

Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half.
Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The Rassemblement du Peuple de Guinee (RPG Arc-en-ciel), the former ruling party, and its allies, are calling on the junta to respect its commitments to ousted President Alpha Conde, whose return to the country from Turkey, where he is undergoing medical treatment, is being demanded by the junta
New York, US (PANA) - Civilians are in increasing danger, while humanitarian needs across Sudan are growing exponentially, the head of the UN mission in Sudan told ambassadors in the Security Council on Tuesday
Photo: (Photo : ErikaWittlieb)

Influencer parents are everywhere and have done many nursery trends on various social media platforms. The most common is the monthly milestone photos, wherein the baby is made to pose with a symbol of their age in a creative setting. These photos must appear aesthetically as they will be posted to either Instagram or Pinterest.

These nursery trend ideas that influencers post show the ideal motherhood or what typical nurseries should look like but are these also recommended by the experts? Are the trends proven to be safe and done the right way?

Elizabeth Keys, a registered nurse and assistant professor at the School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, told Today's Parent that the nursery trends all over social media are inaccurate because they are only idealized, which means they are not necessarily reality or safe. Yet, they put a lot of pressure on parents to have that perfect image when it's something that cannot be achieved in one snap. They just look great on social media but don't really happen in real life.

Risking the life of the infant for the photography

Numerous trends include babies sleeping on something. Sleep consultant and founder of Good Night Sleep Site, Alanna McGinn, argue that these photos put style before safety, which is not recommendable.

Read Also: Providing Kids Enough Time To Discover and Unleash Hidden Talents and Passion

McGinn says that parents forget that the spaces they use are not safe for infants, even if it's just for photos for social media. These pictures depict false reality and influence others to do the same without considering any safety precautions or supervision.

One of the common trends is called the Moses basket, wherein the baby is placed inside the basket with a thin mattress or sometimes a fur carpet. Michelle Ponti, a member of the Canadian Pediatric Society's Public Education Advisory Committee, raised their concern that the mattress may be too soft and there is a big possibility that the infant might roll into the space between the mattress and the sides of the basket, which might suffocate the baby. The committee concluded that if the trend does not meet the safety standards, then they are not recommended.

Health Canada has recalled the hooded Moses basket due to injury risk. According to the federal agency, the basket appears unstable and could tip over, injuring the baby. Also, a ribbon on the hood of the basket was deemed a strangulation hazard.

Trendy ideas but not childproof

Many influencers have also posted photos that show a huge framed artwork over the crib or the changing table. Ponti clarified that although they may look appealing to the eyes, having something over your child's place is dangerous. Parents must consider the chances that the thing might not be secured properly, like a nail holding it in place could come loose, and the object might fall on the baby.

Also, if the child could already stand in the crib and reach for objects, they might pull these things down on top of themselves, leading to severe injury.

The parents must prioritize the safety of their baby first before any design or style. The Spruce suggested not to go overboard with a theme.

Related Article: Child Psychologist Reminds Parents on TikTok the Importance of Loving Their Kids for Who They Are
Photo: (Photo : FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

A mom from Manitoba with postpartum depression said she was dismissed last month by an emergency room physician when she sought help after having suicidal thoughts.

Delsie Martin, who has a two-year-old daughter and a six-month-old son, said she had been having persistent suicidal thoughts when she asked her husband to take her on a Sunday afternoon in August to the Neepawa Health Centre.

She did not get the service she wanted, though, as a doctor at the hospital in the southwestern town sent her away without referrals to other services or any treatment.

Martin sought treatment after having thoughts of suicide

According to Martin, the doctor gestured to her husband and told her she had no reason to be depressed as she had this wonderful man sitting there and their two children at home. The mom of two told the doctor that she was taking medication for postpartum depression, a condition that Martin also suffered after having her first baby.

She said that a health-care team in her home community in Manitoba's Interlake was treating her. However, Martin reached a breaking point while visiting her family in Neepawa.

She said her thoughts that day became overwhelming, and they were racing so fast. She added that suddenly, the thoughts of dying that she was able to logically talk herself out of before were becoming a lot more logical.

She said the doctor first asked her what kind of birth control she used. Then he told her that she should not have any more kids. She also told him about other sources of stress in her life, such as finances, child care, and schooling.

Martin said the doctor asked her if she knew what financial stress was. He then referred them to some sort of financial planner and said that she would be fine if she got financial planning and won't have babies.

Read Also: Pregnant Ukrainian Mom Leaves War-torn Country To Deliver Baby in Las Vegas

Mom said she left the hospital feeling ashamed and judged

The doctor said after a 20-minute visit that there was nothing he could do for her. He told Martin that nobody could help her and that only she could help herself. Martin acknowledged the doctor had a point, but her postpartum depression brain only heard the "nobody can help you" part.

She said she left the hospital feeling judged and ashamed without any referrals to other services. Martin, who has worked as a mental health support worker and social worker for the previous decade, said there is a stigma surrounding mental health, especially regarding postpartum depression.

Martin knew what happened to her in the hospital was not right, and she grew more upset about the interaction with the doctor in the following days. She told CBC that someone is going to go and attempt suicide and possibly die by suicide if they are going to get treated like that.

Related Article: Two Sisters Who Survived the Holocaust Die Days Apart in Alabama
Photo: (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A retired nurse is being hailed a hero after saving a three-month-old baby's life while on board a Spirit Airlines flight on September 8.

In an interview, Tamara Panzino told NBC affiliate WESH that she felt like her vacation had already begun about 35 minutes into the flight, which was taking her to Orlando, Florida, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Panzino said she was reading her book, not paying attention, and had her earbuds in when she heard a flight attendant say they had an infant who was not breathing. After the flight attendant asked if there was a doctor on board over the loudspeaker, Panzino said she immediately jumped out of her seat to tend to three-month-old Anjele at the back of the plane.

Panzino applies sternal rub on the baby, who was turning blue

Panzino said she had no idea whether the baby was choking and if the airway was clear. She did not know what she was dealing with. When she saw the infant, her head was back, she had blue lips, and her skin was already turning blue. Panzino said the baby was clearly in distress and not breathing and her heart just dropped.

Panzino said she gave the baby to the daddy. While holding his child, the retired nurse did a sternal rub on the baby, which is an aggressive shake of the chest. She said she was trying to make it cry or take a deep breath.

Panzino said the baby's family and a group of staff moved to the front of the plane once the child started looking better. She was so glad the baby's color started looking better. She added that she did not have to perform CPR on the baby and commended the Spirit Airlines staff for having everything they needed on board.

Ian Cassette, a meteorologist for Fox affiliate WOFL who was on the same flight, said in a tweet that he spoke to the baby's family after the scary incident. Cassette said they praised the positive energy of the plane and the heroic actions of Panzino in saving the baby.

Read Also: Single Mom Shows She Is the Perfect Role Model by Graduating From High School 20 Years Later

Spirit Airlines extends its deepest gratitude to Panzino

Panzino said that the baby was home free within a few minutes and she was going to be good. Panzino added that she felt total relief when she heard breathing sounds and a heartbeat.

Spirit Airlines issued a statement to TODAY, saying that it trains flight attendants to respond to medical emergencies onboard, including asking for assistance from medical professionals traveling on the flight.

The company said that they extend their deepest gratitude to Panzino for coming to the aid of their guests, and they applaud their crew for their quick response. Panzino noted that it is not a hero thing at all, saying that it is a community coming together and everyone volunteering to help with what their knowledge can do. She said she was glad she was there to help.

Related Article: Japanese Mom and Italian Dad Need Special Donor for Kid With Rare Kind of Leukemia
Photo: (Photo : Mufid Majnun on Unsplash)

For any parent, the idea of seeing a child discriminated against in society is horrifying. Our children are our future, and it is very important to ensure their future is bright. However, while many parents wrestled with the idea of vaccinating their children during the COVID pandemic, large numbers chose to do so regardless. With threats of vaccination mandates making it harder for parents and children to do things together, many took the plunge.

However, a group of religiously minded employees within the city of Los Angeles have taken the city to court over what they call a 'discriminatory' vaccine mandate. The lawsuit is simple: others argue that the mandate is discriminatory to people of religious faith. The mandate, passed in August 2021, required that all city employees would have the COVID-19 vaccine. Only very limited exceptions would be provided, with both medical and religious exemptions considered.

Many agree with the mandate and its ideal; others find it to be discriminatory and unconstitutional. This has led to hiring the kind of religious discrimination attorney Los Angeles provides for cases like this. Indeed, several legal professionals have been called upon by individuals to see if they will help them fight the case in a court of law.

The lawsuit, filed in March 2022 by a group of individuals calling themselves Roll Call 4 Freedom, alleges that the government's rationale for the mandate is not only discriminatory but illegal. The lawsuits claim that the current dominant strain of coronavirus, the omicron variant, is as likely to infect both the vaccinated and unvaccinated with similar ease. The lawsuit also alleges that there is very little that we can do to halt transmission - therefore, it is unfair that the unvaccinated are forced to pay for testing, take sick days, etc. - even if they are found to be asymptomatic.

Why are religious objections raised to vaccination?

According to the lawsuit, one of the main reasons that religious groups tend to reject vaccinations is due to the use of embryonic cell lines within the development of vaccination. This is seen as something that goes against religious faith and therefore is something that many religiously minded individuals will look to avoid putting into their bodies.

To receive a religious exemption, individuals are expected to fill in legislation that shows why their religious beliefs clash with the mandate and how long those beliefs have been held. Another form is expected to be filled out by an individual familiar with the religious beliefs of the person seeking the exemption. The suggestion is that the vaccination rejection has to be based on a clear religious doctrine as opposed to individual belief.

At the moment, it is unclear what will happen next. The lawsuit will eventually move forward, and the hope from the lawsuit is that they can encourage the city to treat religious exemptions with a different approach than presently utilized.

Parents who hail from religious backgrounds and those with religious children, then, might wish to keep a closer eye on this story as it develops.
Photo: (Photo : LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

A new study suggests that kids whose moms used cannabis after the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy may be more likely to develop mental health issues in early adolescence.

According to a report published in JAMA Pediatrics, an analysis of data from more than 10,000 kids aged 11 and 12 revealed that exposure to cannabis in utero was associated with a higher risk of developing disorders such as aggressive behavior, ADHD, rule-breaking behavior, and conduct disorder.

David Baranger, the study's first author and a postdoctoral research associate at Washington University in St. Louis, said that the take-home message from this study is that there is some evidence that one should be cautious about using cannabis during pregnancy.

Results fall in line with earlier research on the same children

Baranger added that the new study is an association and can't prove that cannabis is the cause of mental health problems. The results, however, align with earlier research on the same kids, who were also participants in the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.

The long-term project has been tracking the brain development of nearly 12,000 kids via MRI scans. This study is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Baranger said that the children's brain scans showed a hint of a potential impact of cannabis.

A study conducted in 2019 that looked at the kids when they were 9 and 10 found the same association between behavioral issues and prenatal cannabis. The study also showed that children exposed to cannabis in utero tended to have lower brain volume, white matter volume, and birth weight.

The number of women using cannabis during pregnancy in the United States is growing. According to a government survey, 4.7 percent of pregnant women reported cannabis use in 2018 and 5.4 percent in 2019.

Read Also: Mom Goes to the ER for Postpartum Depression but Was Told She Had Nothing To Be Depressed About

Impact of cannabis use seen in the middle of first trimester

Baranger advised pregnant women who rely on marijuana to help with their nausea to talk to their health care provider. Baranger and his colleagues analyzed data from 10,631 kids participating in the brain study by the NIH.

The researchers compared three groups of children in the study: those whose moms did not use cannabis during pregnancy, those whose moms were using cannabis but quit when they learned they were pregnant, and those whose moms continued to use cannabis after learning they were pregnant.

According to the study, the impact of cannabis use was seen in the middle of the first trimester. Baranger told NBC News that the use of cannabis earlier in the pregnancy before the mothers discovered they were pregnant, did not appear to have an impact on the risk of the kids developing behavior issues. Baranger suspects that is because cannabinoid receptors have not yet developed in fetal brains.

Related Article: Thousands of Missouri Kids Pay the Price After State Declines Tweak to Summer Meals Program
Photo: (Photo : Sergei Tokmakov, Esq. Terms.Law)

The 2023 Disney film, "The Little Mermaid," received numerous backlash after the casting decision, according to Crossroads. #NotMyAriel quickly trended online, with netizens taking potshots at Disney and African-American actress Halle Bailey, who was cast in the lead role, Ariel.

They disapproved of Bailey because they grew up with Ariel being white.

In the original animated film, released in 1989, the fictional mermaid Ariel is depicted as a white and red-haired woman; hence, having Bailey take on the role drew some kind of racist backlash online. People said Disney was "too woke" for casting a Black actress as the film's title character. They also had an issue with Bailey's hair not being red.

However, Disney debuted a teaser trailer of the film at D23 over the weekend, and it amassed nearly 11 million views on YouTube.

Little Black girls were ecstatic about having a representation in a Disney film to the delight of their parents, who have been sharing their daughters' reactions on social media.

In one video posted by a TikTok user, @nickyknackpaddywack, the little girl said, "Mommy! She's brown like me" while looking surprised and happy at her mother. The video is among the many shared across TikTok and Twitter, with parents using hashtags like #RepresentationMatters to help demonstrate the essence of diverse casting in children's media.

Read Also: Allowing Children To Decide What Type of Clothes To Wear

"Mama, she's Black! Mama, they made a Black Ariel!"

Another reaction video posted by Tiktok user Precious Avery showed a toddler lying on the couch, who quickly sits up when Bailey appears on the big screen. "I think she's brown! Brown Ariel is cute," the toddler can be heard saying.

TikTok user callmedarii also posted a video of her daughter's ecstatic reaction to seeing the modern Ariel and pointed out in the caption that representation indeed matters, and they now can't wait for the film, especially her young daughter.

Another TikTok user, Jendayis682, recorded her daughter asking, "Is Ariel actually black?" to which the mom answered, "In this 'Little Mermaid' she will be."

Jendayis682 said Black children would surely feel happy as they will now see someone exactly like them in fairytales which they don't usually see. "Complain all you want" I hear nothing but the joy and excitement of this little girl over seeing someone that represents her, the mother added.

Another girl expressed shock, "Mama, she's Black! Mama, they made a black Ariel!" the young girl exclaimed in the video, which has been liked more than 675,000 times on TikTok, per People.

Bringing some depth to the reimagined story

Director Rob Marshall told NBC News that the 2023 Disney Film "Little Mermaid" will feature four additional songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which will also be comprised of detailed mermaid tails and, of course, a Black princess.

Marshall added that the live-action remake would honor the original animated film but said he wanted to bring some depth to the reimagined story.

Related Article: Comedian Kevin Hart Says Good Black Fathers Are Not Represented Enough
Airport operator Lithuanian Airports has contracted construction company Eikos Statyba for 41.5m (US$35.9m) to build the passenger departure terminal at Vilnius Airport in Lithuania.

The terminal will be built between the VIP terminal and conference center and the old passenger terminal. Eikos Statyba intends to build an A++ energy-efficient departure terminal with a total area of more than 14,000m2 and to redevelop 34,000m2 of the airports access by the end of 2024.

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The building will have two floors, with a self-service check-in area on the ground floor, where passengers will be able to check in for their flights as well as check in their luggage. There will also be common public spaces, cafes and other commercial areas, as well as airline offices. The building will include all the necessary technical areas, such as baggage screening and sorting and engineering systems. After construction of the terminal, the total area of Vilnius Airports terminals will increase by one third and the passenger capacity will more than double (from 900 to 2,400 passengers per hour).

The company had won an earlier tender, but the contract was not signed then due to the geopolitical situation, with a sharp increase in construction and material prices, and the mandatory legal regulation of public procurement, which restricts the signing of a contract by modifying the pre-publicized terms of the contract on price indexation. The Public Procurement Service was also intensively consulted on the tender conditions for the Vilnius Airport Departures Terminal contract. Five companies took part in the procurement and submitted their tenders.

Arnas Dumanas, head of the operations and infrastructure department of Lithuanian Airports, said, Faced with legal challenges, we kept up our preparations for the new procurement  we held a public consultation and presented major changes to the procurement documents. As a result, we were able to quickly respond and successfully implement the new procurement.

Marius Skuodis, minister of transport and communications, said, Lithuanias main airport must be convenient for passengers, meet international standards and perform its functions properly. The new terminal at Vilnius Airport will make a significant contribution to the development of the aviation sector, opening up new capacity opportunities. As passenger traffic at the airport grows, it is important to ensure comfortable service conditions that meet modern standards.

Almantas Cebanauskas, head of Eikos Statyba, added, We appreciate the public sectors ability to react quickly and flexibly in a changing geopolitical and economic situation, and to prioritize the development of such important national infrastructure projects regardless of the current situation. We believe that the experience gained in the construction of complex structures, including our already completed Vilnius Airport VIP terminal construction project, will significantly contribute to the successful implementation of the new terminal construction.

Dumanas said, As aviation moved from recovery to growth, investment in the new terminal was essential. The capacity of the old terminal is no longer sufficient to meet demand. We forecast that by 2030 we will be handling around 10 million passengers, so the arrival of this terminal is one of the stages of preparation for the growing passenger flows. The construction of the new terminal sets a new quality bar for infrastructure and the investment will pay for itself in 10 to 15 years.
According to a new report this morning, the South Korean government has imposed $72 million in fines against Google and Meta for illegally collecting and using personal information for customized advertisements.

According to The Korea Herald, "The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) under the Prime Minister's Office decided to impose fines of 69.2 billion won (US$49.8 Million) and 30.8 billion won (US$22.8 Million) against Google and Meta, respectively, after it held a plenary session earlier in the day.

According to the PIPCs investigation into major online platforms with customized advertisements since February, Google and Meta were found to have been collecting and analyzing users behavioral patterns on different companies' websites and applications to utilize such information for tailored advertisements without notifying the users in advance or obtaining their consent.

The PIPC issued a corrective order to the two companies that they must inform their users clearly and easily, obtain consent and allow users the freedom to decide before collecting and utilizing users behavioral information from other firms.

The PIPC said Google has not clearly notified users of its collection and usage of users information for at least six years since 2016. The global IT giant used an expedient of setting the default option to agreeing with providing information while hiding the choice of viewing more options, the commission explained."

In the case of Meta, the PIPC said the company used its users behavioral information from other companies for customized advertisements since July 2018. There were no clear notifications or efforts to obtain consent from users, according to the PIPC.

According to the investigation, over 82 percent of Korean Google users and 98 percent of Korean Meta users had set their privacy agreements to allow the IT companies collection of their behavioral information from other firms. The PIPC said this has a high risk of infringing the rights of the information subject.

On another front we learn today that the EU court upheld that antitrust ruling against Google that carries a fine of $4.12 billon Euros (US$4.13 Billion). The dispute between Google and the EU courts is over whether it uses the Android operating system to quash competition.

More specifically, "The court said it 'largely confirms the European Commissions decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine.'"

In a statement provided to CNBC, Google said, We are disappointed that the Court did not annul the decision in full. Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world.

Google contends that Android phones compete with Apple phones, which use its iOS operating system, and that using Android still allows consumers a choice of phone maker, mobile network operator and the opportunity to remove Google apps and install others.

In Wednesdays judgment, the General Court said the new fine was appropriate in view of the significance of the infringement. For more, read the full CNBC report.
Tullow Ghana, an oil and gas exploration and production company, has affirmed its commitment to ensure indigenous Ghanaian participation in contracts awarded in accordance with the countrys local content and local participation regulations.



The company said it had no desire to replace indigenous Ghanaian companies with foreign companies.



In an official statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, on Friday, Tullow Ghana said from 2010 to date, it had awarded more than 4,000 contracts to indigenous companies.



Additionally, almost 3,000 contracts had been awarded to joint venture companies, which included indigenous participation.



Out of the total contracts awarded valued at $16.83 billion between 2010 and 2021. Of this, $11.24 billion worth of those contracts were awarded with local Ghanaian participation, it said.



The statement is in response to a writ of summons issued against it by the Ghana Oil and Gas Service Providers Association (GOGSPA).



An Accra High Court (Commercial Division) on September 8, 2022, adjourned the hearing of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction to restrain Tullow Ghana from re-awarding any petroleum contract being executed by indigenous Ghanaian companies to foreign joint venture companies.



The GOGSPA said the decision to sue followed many complaints that services reserved for indigenous Ghanaian companies under the laws in the upstream oil and gas sector were being taken away and awarded to foreign venture companies.



The case has been adjourned to October 10, 2022 for the hearing of the application.



While confirming the suit, Tullow Ghana said it had always recognised the need to support and build local expertise and had undertaken several skills development programmes to support the growth of local participation.



It said it had pursued targeted Supplier Development Initiatives aimed at enabling participation in the oil and gas industry in Ghana.



Those interventions, the company said, had impacted and benefitted more than 4,500 local entities.



Over the years, Tullow Ghana has been consistent in steadily increasing contracts awarded to indigenous companies and has no desire to replace indigenous Ghanaian companies with foreign companies.



On the contrary, between 2014 to 2021 when LI 2204 was passed, Tullow Ghana tripled its indigenous contract award spend to up to $1.47Bn compared to $500m in 2014, it said.



The company assured all stakeholders of its commitment to work with and develop the capacity of local Ghanaians to participate in the oil and gas industry in accordance with its contractual obligations and the law.



Tullow Ghana does not intend to prejudice the ongoing legal proceedings and, therefore, no further statements will be issued at this time, it said.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Head of Communication at the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU), Abass Ibrahim Moro says the union has been reluctant to increase transport fares due to the already hardship in the country.



But he said they have no option now than to adjust the fares because they have "sacrificed" a lot for the state.



According to Mr Moro, soon the union will communicate to the public new transportation fares following the incessant increase in fuel prices.



The union says the continuous rise in the price of petroleum products is draining the finances of commercial vehicle owners.



And Government is not doing anything to help us, he told NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie'.



The price of petrol per litre has crossed GH11 and diesel sells for over GH14 per litre at most pumps.

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.

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Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has called on the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful to reconsider the punitive action against unregistered SIM card holders.



The National Communications Authority (NCA) recently communicated to the public that those whose SIM cards are not re-registered will be blocked for 48 hours.



This means they will not be able to make calls and access internet services as well as other important phone services.



The Authority ordered the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to comply with the directive which began days ago.



All unregistered SIM cards of the MNOs (no registration attempt and stage one only) should be blocked after September 30, 2022. All unregistered SIM cards Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) should be blocked after September 30, 2022.



Subscribers who fully register their SIM cards within the period they have been blocked will only be unblocked by the MNOs after the 48 hours to avoid the MNOs tampering with their systems intermittently, the NCA said in a letter.



Ex-Prez Mahama's SIM Card Blocked



Former President John Dramani Mahama, in an interview on TV3, raised concerns about the SIM card blocking, defining it as problematic.



"The SIM registration, you can even start with new SIM cards and say that 'No Ghana Card, No SIM card' if you are purchasing. So we can start at that point while we mop up the others in the system. But if you say by September 30th, everybody must have it or else we will take punitive actions against you . . . your data will be more expensive, we will block your outgoing calls and so on and so forth, that's a major problem.



"And I must say I suffered a bit of that experience with the call barring. On one of my phones, my outgoing calls were not going through. My SIM was blocked for two days. They have turned it back on. We went through the process of registering.



"They said it wasn't registered properly. That's the kind of information I got, we didn't complete the exercise and yet they came here and sat with us and did SIM registration here and we called them to my office and so all my staff and everybody went through the registration but most of my staff found their calls blocked," Mr. Mahama stated.



Kwesi Pratt To NCA And Minister



Touching on the matter during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Kwesi Pratt made submissions in apparent agreement with the former President for the NCA to lessen the strictness in their decision against the unregistered SIM cards.



He shared similar concerns that there are some Ghanaians who through no fault of theirs haven't acquired their Ghana Cards, so cannot be made to suffer the same fate as those who haven't registered their SIM cards though they have received their Ghana Cards.



He also noted that the blocking of the SIM cards threatens the daily activities of many people as there are some people who blocking them means depriving them of their livelihood.



"With some people, their life has been programmed on the phone. The food the person must take, his or her medication, his or her rising time in the morning; their entire world is their phone. So, the phone is very important for various pertinent activities", Mr. Pratt said and appealed that "if there is something to do to ease the situation, let's do it to bring relief to every person".





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Nigeria has made history, joining other countries of the world like Ghana and Rwanda to easily and timely ferry needed medical commodities, including vaccines and blood across difficult terrains with drones.



This is as instant logistics drone services operator, Zipline, has just commenced commercial deliveries of medical commodities through drones, to health facilities in Kaduna State.



The company announced that Initial deliveries have been successfully made to Galadimawa HC, Kauru LGA among other facilities.



The health facilities are among several medical centres in Kaduna earmarked to be rolled onto Ziplines logistics platform for the speedy dispensing of healthcare.



The distribution centre, located in Pambegua, Kaduna state, is the first hub to be opened in Nigeria to support the governments effort to send medical logistics to health facilities within the state.



Speaking after the scheduled delivery of vaccines to the facility, Chongfilawos Irimiya, a medical staff at Galadimawa PHC, said, We thank God for Zipline. We are in the bush and cut off from urban facilities. We used to go very far to the Apex centres to get our vaccine, which is very stressful and uncomfortable, but with Zipline, all that is now in the past.



General Manager of Zipline Nigeria, Ms. Catherine Odiase, said since Zipline commissioned the distribution hub in June 2022, it has been working with the aviation regulatory authority to finalise the required approvals to operate these autonomous aerial vehicles in Kaduna.



She stated that the successful completion of the approval processes paved the way for the start of commercial flights.



Odiase commended the regulatory authorities for the fruitful engagements leading to the commencement of flight operations, adding that the company is pleased to have received the necessary regulatory approval to be able to support the health needs of the community. She added that our technology has proven to be a great resource in helping government achieve access to universal healthcare.



By this, we remain committed to ensuring that we support the government of Kaduna in meeting this target by way of efficient delivery of medical commodities and other products as will be agreed, to all parts of the state within 40 minutes or less from our distribution hub.



She pledged the readiness of Zipline to continue to partner with governments to ensure no one in the country is left behind in access to basic healthcare delivery services.



The first of three distribution hubs of Zipline to be sited in Kaduna has the capacity of delivering medical supplies to over 500 health facilities within an 80km radius at a speed of 110km/hr rain/shine: day/night.



Zipline also has the capacity to deliver other products including animal health vaccines and e-commerce products.



In February 2021, Zipline announced plans to construct three distribution centres in Kaduna State, Nigeria, supported by the Federal government. The states intent is to use Ziplines services to transport health products, including blood, medication, and routine vaccines.



In May 2021, Zipline announced a similar agreement with Cross River State, followed by the announcement of another agreement with Bayelsa State.



Ziplines drone delivery system is dedicated to expanding access to goods around the globe.



Over the years, the company has demonstrated the ability to work with governments and health systems to transform health supply chains to be accessible and work more effectively.



In total, the company has made more than 370,897 commercial deliveries containing more than five million units of vaccines and other medical products to facilities in Rwanda, Ghana, Japan and the United States, where it is based.



Nigeria is the third African country to use Zipline services, following national-scale operations in Ghana and Rwanda with operations in Kenya and Cote dIvoire to be launched later this year.

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.

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The world is lurching from crisis to crisis, trapped in a cycle of firefighting, and unable to tackle the root of the troubles that confront it.



Without a sharp change of course, the world may be heading toward even more deprivations and injustices, warns the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).



The latest Human Development Report, Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World, launched by UNDP last week, argues that layers of uncertainty are stacking up and interacting to unsettle life in unprecedented ways.



The last two years have had a devastating impact for billions of people around the world when crises like COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine hit back to back and interacted with sweeping social and economic shifts, dangerous planetary changes, and massive increases in political polarisation.



For the first time in the 32 years that UNDP have been calculating it, the Human Development Index (HDI)  which measures a nations health, education and standard of living  has declined globally for two years in a row. Human development has fallen back to its 2016 levels, reversing much of the progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



The reversal is nearly universal as over 90 percent of countries registered a decline in their HDI score in either 2020 or 2021, and more than 40 percent declined in both years, signalling that the crisis is still deepening for many.



Ghana ranks 133 out of 191 countries, and maintains the same human development index (HDI) value for 2020 and 2021 with 0.632.



This puts the country in the medium human development category. Between 1990 and 2021, Ghanas Human Development Index (HDI) value grew from 0.460 to 0.632 reflecting an increase of 37.4 percent. However, though Ghana falls in the medium human development category, when considered for unequal distribution of human development, the country records a loss of 27.5 percent in its HDI.



For instance, Ghanas level of gender inequality remains high over the years, and ranked 130 out of 170 countries in 2021 in terms of gender inequality between female and male achievements.



UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana, Angela Lusigi notes: We cannot achieve development without addressing unequal human progress that leaves many behind. We must all support efforts to remove existing structural, cultural and socio-economic barriers that block progress for young people, women, people living with disabilities, among others. Let us work together to unlock the potential of every Ghanaian to create a sustainable future in the face of uncertainty.



To chart a new course, the report recommends implementing policies that focus on investment  from renewable energy to preparedness for pandemics, and insurance  including social protection to prepare our societies for the ups and downs of an uncertain world. Also, innovation in its many forms  technological, economic and cultural  can also build capacities to respond to whatever challenges come next.



To navigate uncertainty, we need to double down on human development and look beyond improving peoples wealth or health, says UNDPs Pedro Conceicao, the reports lead author. These remain important. But we also need to protect the planet and provide people with the tools they need to feel more secure, regain a sense of control over their lives and have hope for the future.

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.

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Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, met the newly sworn-in President of Kenya, H.E Dr. William Samoei Ruto, on his first day in office at the State House in Nairobi.



The two leaders held fruitful discussions centred on deepening the economic ties between the two nations.



Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife, Samira, visited Kenya on Monday, September 13th 2022 to witness the inauguration of Dr Ruto held on Tuesday, September 14th 2022.



Following his inauguration, Dr William Ruto started work as President and hosted Dr Bawumia earlier today.



The meeting centred on relations between Ghana and Kenya with an emphasis on ways to deepen economic ties.



Earlier today, Dr Bawumia took to Facebook to congratulate Dr Ruto on his ascension to the highest office of the land and provide more details on their meeting.



Yesteday, I attended the inauguration of H.E Dr. William Samoei Ruto, the 5th President of the Republic of Kenya. Dr. William Ruto, until his election on 15th August 2022, had served as a two-term Deputy President in Kenya from 2012-2022.



It was such a colourful and moving ceremony which further entrenched the democratic credentials of Kenya. Today, I met with President Ruto at the State House on his first day at work and we had fruitful discussions on deepening the economic cooperation between Ghana and Kenya.



Congratulations to President Ruto, Her Excellency Rachel Ruto (First Lady), H.E Rigathi Gachagua (Deputy President) and Her Excellency Mrs Dorcas Rigathi (Second Lady). May the good Lord protect and guide them as they begin their term of office. Dr Bawumia wrote.



Currently serving as the 5th president of Kenya, William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto was born on 21st December 1966.



Prior to becoming president, he served as the 11th deputy president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. He previously served in several cabinet positions such as the Minister for Home Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and as Minister for Higher Education.



Meanwhile, the first lady of Kenya, Mama Rachel Ruto, hosted the second lady Samira Bawumia also at the State House.



Following the meeting, Rachel Ruto took to Twitter to inform the public.



Glad to have this morning met Her Excellency @SBawumia, the Spouse to the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana who paid me a courtesy call at State House, Nairobi, Rachel said.









Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com









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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Kofi Agyepong, has said the absence of relevant skills will continue to create high rates of unemployment in the country, despite the availability of vacancies for employment.



Mr Agyepong who was speaking at the 2022 Job Fair in Sunyani, therefore, called for the need to change the patterns of our investments into well enhanced skills that will stay with our youth forever.



He said; I have been asking myself since I took over the agency, if Tullow Ghana Limited asks me to supply them with 200 trained and certified electricians today, will I be able to provide them? If AngloGold Ashanti requests YEA to provide them with 500 trained and certified industrial machine engineers, will I be able to provide them?



If the Ghana Water Company requests 100 trained and certified plumbers for employment today, can I provide them? I met an investor friend a few days ago, his major problem has been finding certified mechanics who can repair his companys excavators, bull loaders, crushing machines at his quarry site at Shai Hills. Whenever any of these machines are faulty, it becomes a severe headache to him. He hardly can put together a team of hardworking young people to service the machines. These are the real skills needs on the grounds.



Another looming national crisis, Mr Agyepong identified was how the country is gradually losing her informal sector to artisans from neighboring countries, especially Togo.



You want the best of masons to put up a building for you, you want the best of P.O.P done for you in your house, you want the best of plumbers to fix your pipes, and even painting, and you are directed to artisans from Togo because they deliver the best of these services. Have we as a country considered the quantum of resources we are losing as a result of this? Are we saying that we cannot train our young men and women to provide these services? Will that not empower them with a lifetime skill that they can at all times provide for themselves, their families and ease the pressure on the government to provide jobs? he asked



He used the event to also commend the Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration (GCC) together with the GIZ, who through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development have been unrelented in their support for the fair.



He also commend the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations for their continuous support.



To my young people who participated in the fair, Mr Agyepong told them that the fair was the best opportunity you can find today to make that dream you long aspire to come through. Take every advantage of the fair and reach out to as many employers as you can. I entreat you to treat this event as just what it is: a job fair, not some sort of funfair.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Sam Okudzeto, a former president of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), has condemned what he describes as an attempt by the former president John Mahama to politicise the judiciary in Ghana.



Mahama has criticised Ghanas Supreme Court for recent judgments and has argued that the judiciarys reputation has been severely tarnished.



The image of our judiciary deteriorated [such] that many of our citizenry openly make a mockery of our justice system and of our justices, the former president said recently.



The phrase go to court is these days met with derisive laughter instead of hope that one will truly get justice if he went to the court.



According to the former president, If people are not poking fun about politics and inducement being used to sway the hand of justice in the lower court, then it is poking fun and making statements about the 7-0 of the Unanimous FC: verdicts which mostly involve cases of a political nature in our Supreme Court.



Existential threat

This is an unfortunate but serious development. One of the scariest existential threats to any democracy is when citizens think the judiciary holds no value for them, Mahama added.



However, reacting to the development on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (13 September 2022), Okudzeto urged Mahama to use the right channels to address any grievances he might have against the judges.



Sometimes you can perceive out of ignorance, and when you raise an issue, there are people who have the necessary experience and training and may correct you and say your perception is wrong, he said.



Okudzeto added, There is a jaw-jaw situation that is there for us to use, but when you are using a political platform, your agitations are not meant to create corrections. You should use a mechanism that can bring about change.

Source: asaaseradio.com









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Former President John Dramani Mahama says any Chinese who breaks the laws of Ghana must be made to face their full rigours as same will happen to Ghanaians who break the law in China.



He said he will not be surprised if there are some Ghanaians languishing in Chinese jails for breaking the laws of the Asian economic powerhouse.



Speaking in an interview on TV3, Mr Mahama said he had to deport almost 5,000 illegal Chinese miners and Boeing 747s were deployed by the Chinese government then to specially airlift its nationals back home.



This, he stressed, did not affect the good relationship Ghana had with China.



When I was president, we valued the relations with China but if you are a Ghanaian and you go to China and you engage in illegality, they dont say because of the good relation they have with Ghana, they are going to let you go scot-free.



You are going to face the full rigours of the law in China and I dont doubt that there are some of our citizens in jail in China.



The three-time Presidential Candidate continued: When I became President I was faced with this same illegal gold-mining.



I deported almost 5,000 illegal Chinese miners. I didnt say because of the good relation we have with China, we should allow them to continue to engage in illicit activities and we collaborated with the Chinese Embassies, they got 747s and they came and took their nationals away.



It didnt destroy our relationship.



This comes in the wake of fears expressed about the prosecution of popular Chinese businesswoman Aisha Huang, who is standing trial at an Accra Circuit Court for engaging in illegal mining.



She was deported in 2018 based on fears that her possible incarceration could mar the good relationship between Ghana and China.



But almost five years after her deportation, she is said to have sneaked into the country with a Togo visa to continue her illegal mining business.









Source: 3news.com









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Former President John Dramani Mahama has said for the country to prosper, there is the need for all to eschew greed and self-interest and unite for peace and development.



Our country today is confronted with major challenges. For our nation to prosper, we need to eschew greed; that is a message that must resound not only in our families but also in our places of worship, in our schools, in our communities and among the leadership of our country, he said.



Mr Mahama said this when he addressed a durbar as the guest speaker last Saturday to climax the annual Yam Festival (Te Za ) of the people of the Asogli State in Ho in the Volta Region.



Former President Mahama, speaking on the theme for the festival: Lets eschew greed, unite for peace and development, said: In the times of great strife and difficulty that we are in, what we need is unity and not division.



Place country first



Our Ghanaian culture teaches us to show solidarity with one another and, therefore, when a family is bereaved or having a naming ceremony, we contribute the little that one can to support the family, he said.



Most of our patriotic songs in the country reflect this virtue of Ghanaian solidarity. I believe that it will take the efforts of everyone working together to build our nation Ghana, Mr Mahama observed.



Unfortunately, it appears that greed and self- centredness are gradually eroding these time-tested virtues that were bequeathed to us by our ancestors, Mr Mahama added.



Today many people place their parochial interests above our collective interest as a nation, he stated.

Mr Mahama, therefore, called on his fellow politicians to lead the way for every Ghanaian and all the other stakeholders in the nations development.



Chieftaincy still relevant



Touching on the relevance and importance of the chieftaincy institution, former President Mahama said the chieftaincy institution was still relevant today as it was in the past.



Those of you who think the chieftaincy institution has no place in our modern governance and refuse to respect the traditional roles of chiefs have got it all wrong, he stated.



Abandoned projects/Corruption



Former President Mahama also lamented the number of abandoned projects in the Volta Region.



He stated that various projects started by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government had been discontinued.



Projects started by the NDC have been abandoned and others that are to be completed in the region are being done at a slow pace. For some of the projects, this government asked contractors to stop work, Mr Mahama emphasised.



He mentioned projects such as the Sokode-Ho road, Hohoe-Jasikan road, the interchange at the roundabout at UHAS and the Volivo Bridge over the southern Volta River, among others, as projects either abandoned or progressing slowly.



Mr Mahama indicated that the next NDC government would have a firm focus on the development needs of the region, and complete all abandoned projects.



But I make a commitment of the NDC that God willing and thanks to your votes in 2025, all these projects will resume, the former President assured.



Mr Mahama also expressed concern about the failure of the Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration to fight corruption following the infractions cited in the 2021 Auditor Generals Report.









Source: graphiconline.com









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Featured Video
Former President John Mahama says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lack the political will to fight illegal mining activities (galamsey) in Ghana.

According to Mr Mahama, if President Akufo-Addo were in another jurisdiction he would have resigned over the failed galamsey fight because he put his Presidency on the line on the matter in 2017.



Speaking in a television interview with TV3 on Monday, Mr Mahama said members of the New Patriotic Party including District Chief Executives and other party executives were the persons engaged in the government's Community Mining programme devastating forest reserves, hence the President could not win the fight.



If you go to the districts they talk about community mining. Community mining is the NPP executives and the DCEs who are doing the community mining," Mr Mahama said.



So, they are the ones doing what they are doing, so how can you expect him to fight galamsey when his own people are the ones who are doing it.



Resignation



It will be recalled that in 2017, President Akufo-Addo served notice that he was prepared to put his Presidency on the line in his quest to fight illegal mining.



He said many people had said he needed to proceed cautiously, since the people involved were the same people who had voted him into power, and that should he take such a decision against them, they would not vote for him in the next election.



Addressing a two-day workshop on galamsey for traditional leaders drawn from different parts of the country, the President had said: I have said it in the Cabinet, and perhaps this is the first time I am making this public, that I am prepared to put my Presidency on the line on this matter.



But Mr Mahama believes after such a pledge and given the state of affairs now in the fight against illegal mining, if President Akufo-Addo was in another jurisdiction, he would have simply resigned.



Indeed, if we were in some other jurisdiction, he would have resigned by now. By his word, he put his presidency on the line, because now his own people have been found to be the ones engaged in it.



"It makes very nice verbiage when you talk about it and express a will to do something, actions speak louder than words," he said.



He further accused the government of knowing the individuals behind illegal gold mining in the country.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has blasted critics describing former President John Mahama's claims that the Judiciary is a mockery to the public as bastardizing the image of the Judiciary.



Mr. Mahama, addressing a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lawyers Conference, called for a new Chief Justice to lead the Judiciary to repair its image.



So badly has the image of our Judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make mockery of our justice system and of our justices. The phrase Go to Court is these days met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice.



There is, therefore, the urgent need for the Ghanaian Judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry, and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land.



Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our Judiciary can lead such a process of change. We can only hope, that a new Chief Justice will lead the process to repair the broken image that our Judiciary has acquired over the last few years, he added.



Mr. Mahama's comments have been labeled as an attack on the Judiciary but Kwesi Pratt thinks otherwise.



Contributing to "Kokrokoo" panel discussion programme on Peace FM, Mr. Pratt argued that Mr. Mahama's remarks are acceptable as he like every human has the right to criticize the Judiciary when the person has his or her disagreements.



To him, there is nothing wrong with being biased, hence believed the former President's claims are "not an attack. It is allowed. It is part of the law".



"There is nothing existing that bias is not discernable. As humans as we are, sometimes bias is instigated through ethnicity. Sometimes through religious affiliations, a lot of things are basis of bias. So bias is a normal thing," he added.





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 Electoral Commission (EC) will commence the continuous voter registration exercise by the end of this year, the Chairperson of the Commission, Jean Mensa, has disclosed.

Mrs Mensa said the exercise, which was meant to replace the limited voter registration system that had been used since 1992, would ensure an all-year-round registration of Ghanaians who turn 18 years and those who had not been previously registered.



She explained that the new regime meant that eligible prospective registrants would go to a district office of the commission to be registered as a voter.



However, she said the commencement of the new registration system was subject to the approval of the Constitutional Instrument (C.I) on Public Elections (Registration of Voters) that would be laid in Parliament.



C.I on voter registration



Speaking at the Let the Citizens Know series in Accra last Thursday, she said the commission had engaged Parliament on the C.I but it was yet to be laid before the floor of the House.



"Parliament is currently on recess and we believe that when the House resumes, these discussions will continue and lead to the laying of the C.I on the floor of the House.



"We are hoping that it will mature before the end of the year and once that happens, we will start the continuous registration of Ghanaians who turn 18 and those who could not register previously," She said.



The EC boss said the commission had put in place the needed systems for the continuous voters registration and was ready to start implementing it in all of its district offices.



She said if the C.I was approved by Parliament, the Ghana Card issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA) would be adopted as the only source of identification for any qualified person to register as a voter.



The new system



The Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey, who addressed the press at the event, clarified that the continuous registration exercise was not meant for the over 17 million people who registered prior to the 2020 general elections.



He said it was only meant for persons who turned 18 years after the previous voter registration and those who were not previously registered.



Mr Tettey further explained that unlike the existing periodic registration system where eligible Ghanaians were only registered at stipulated times, the new paradigm would ensure that eligible voters registered at all times.



Continuous voters registration means the registration process will be continuous so no one will have to wait for a date to be announced before they can register. Those who are qualified to register should just walk to our offices in all the districts where they wish to vote, he said.



Significance of continuous registration



He noted that apart from doing away with long queues at registration centres that characterised the limited registration exercise, the new registration system would be less stressful and prevent the tendency of bussing people to the centres.



Again, he said, the continuous registration system would eliminate the tension that usually characterised the periodic registration exercises.



We are confident that the continuous registration will minimise the bussing of prospective applicants to the registration centres and thereby lead to an orderly process, he said.



Mr Tettey called on all stakeholders in the electoral process, including political parties, to support the new registration system.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Kwamena Duncan, former Central Regional Minister, says Ex-President John Dramani Mahama's revelation that he only recieves monthly pension is an absolute falsehood.



In an interview on TV3 on Monday, September 12, John Mahama stated that he has been taking care of his own expenses including those covered under his emoluments as an ex-Head of State.



I receive only my monthly pension, like President Kufuor or President Rawlings was receiving until he died. That is all I get.



I pay the electricity bill for my house, for my office. I pay the water bill for my house and my office. I live in my own accommodation so the state does not pay me anything for accommodation.



They havent given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay for my own fuel, the state doesnt give me fuel. I pay my own domestic staff, I pay my own medical bills. I pay for my own air tickets when I travel, he said on TV3.



But Kwamena Duncan says the former President is lying because he has been receiving other benefits aside his monthly pension from the State.



He disclosed on Peace FM's Wednesday edition of "Kokrokoo" that the Statesman has received cars comprising a brand new Mercedes Benz registered this year, two Land Cruisers and other vehicles as well as his travel costs covered by State.



"The man tells us that apart from his pension, in fact, he bears the cost of travels and all of those when it is a palpable lie; absolute falsehood! . . . If he tells you that except my monthly pension, nothing else is done for me, what does that mean? It means that for vehicles, I'm not getting vehicles. If it were travels, I'm not being supported in my travels. It it were this, even payment, except monthly salary or monthly pension. This is pure deception," he said.



To him, John Mahama has become desperate for power but cautioned Ghanaians stating "if there was anybody that this country had to be firm and build a solid Chinese wall between power and that individual is President Mahama. He must not have the least chance to corridor of power".



"He is become so desperate that there is a certain four-year term hanging there, I need to have it just for the sake of it that I have become President again . . . Ask yourself, what is President Mahama capable of doing? What can he do to change our fate?", he admonished the citizenry.





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
Black Sherif has been nominated for this years BET awards Best International Flow category.



The Kwaku The Traveller hitmaker becomes the second Ghanaian act to be nominated for the category after rapper Sarkodie who won the same category in 2019.



He is competing in the category with other acts such as Blxckie from South Africa, Nadia Nakai from Zimbabwe, Benjamin Epps and Le Juiice from France, Central Cee and Knucks from the United Kingdom, Haviah Mighty from Canada and Tasha and Tracie from Brazil.



The BET Hip Hop Awards 2022 will be aired on September 30, 2022, at Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta.

Black Sherif known in private life as Mohammed Ismail Sherif is currently one of the most celebrated artistes on the African continent.



He has been topping charts and trends with his songs with the latest being his Kwaku The Traveler hit song.

The song jumped to the number one trending song on Apple Musics Top 100 in Nigeria, making him the first Ghanaian artiste to achieve that feat in 2022. There are hopes he would make Africa proud at the Bet Award with a win.

Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and son Hadrien arrive to place flowers for Queen Elizabeth II prior to a ceremony to proclaim the accession of the new Sovereign, King Charles III, at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. Trudeau has declared Sept. 19 a federal holiday to mourn Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her state funeral in London. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Quebec Provincial Police headquarters is seen on April 17, 2019 in Montreal. Police say they're looking for a man in his 60s who is missing after a road collapsed in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region north of Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Zhdanov Leads From Start to Finish and Wins the GGPoker Super MILLION$

September 14, 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor

Almas Zhdanov went into the final table of the latest GGPoker Super MILLION$ holding a colossal chip lead over his eight opponents. Zhdanov, who won a WSOP Online bracelet last month, sat down with 152 big blinds in his stack, over three times as many as his nearest rival.

Zhdanov only relinquished his lead once during the final table, as he used his big stack with deadly efficiency to become the latest in a long line of GGPoker Super MILLON$ champions.

$10,300 Super MILLIONS Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Almaz Zhdanov Montenegro $317,265 2 Konstantin Maslak Russia $247,770 3 Andrii Novak Ukraine $193,498 4 Thomas Muehloecker Austria $151,114 5 Dominykas Mikolaitis Poland $118,014 6 Niklas Astedt Norway $92,164 7 Rodrigo Sirichuk Brazil $71,976 8 Leon "Rumuku!us" Sturm Austria $56,210 9 Chunlei Zhou Hong Kong $43,898

Countries as displayed in the GGPoker client

Chunlei Zhou sat down at the final table as the shortest stack with only nine big blinds in his stack, so it was unsurprising to see Zhou bow out in ninth place. Zhou crashed out when they open-shoved for 272,568 from under the gun with ace-jack, when blinds were 20,000/40,000/5,000a. Unfortunately for Zhou, Leon "Rumuku!us" Sturm woke up with the dominating ace-queen in the next seat along and Sturm called. A queen on the river was more than enough to bust Zhou.

Sturm was the next to fall despite boosting his stack with Zhou's chips. The runaway chip leader Zhdanov min-raised to 80,000 with ace-eight from early position, Sturm three-bet to 328,000 from the cutoff with pocket jacks, only for Thomas Muehloecker to find a pair of kings in the big blind. Muehloecker four-bet to 580,000, which folded out Zhdanov, but Sturm called off the 243,027 chips he had behind. The kings held, and Sturm headed for the rail.

Rodrigo Sirichuk

Seventh-place went to Brazil's Rodrigo Sirichuk after a clash with Konstantin Maslak did not go to plan. Maslak made it 105,000 to go from the hijack with ace-king with blinds of 25,000/50,000/6,000a, and he called the extra chips when Sirichuk three-bet all-in for 571,906 from the cutoff with what turned out to be the dominated ace-ten of diamonds. Neither player improved their hand, but Maslak did not need to. GG, Sirichuk.

The players at the final table breathed a sigh of relief when five-time Super MILLION$ champion Niklas Astedt bowed out in sixth place. Not only did Astedt's elimination make the road to victory a little easier, but it meant the surviving players were now guaranteed six figures for their efforts. Astedt busted during the 35,000/70,000/8,500a level when Zhdanov moved all-in from the cutoff for 20 big blinds effective, and Astedt looked him up from the big blind for his 1,085,476 stack. Astedt showed ace-jack, which was nicely ahead of the aggressive Zhdanov's ace-six until the latter flopped two pair. That hand improved Zhadanov's stack to almost 9.5 million, with Muehloecker's 1.67 million stack being the second-largest.

Dominykas Mikolaitis was the next player heading for the rail. Of course, it was Zhdanov that did the damage. With blinds of 40,000/80,000/10,000a, Maslak raised to 168,000 under the gun with suited queen-ten, Zhadanov flat-called with suited ace-jack, which prompted Mikolaitis to squeeze all-in for 1,134,222 with pocket kings. Maslak folded, but the hot-running Zhdanov called. It was a great spot for Mikolaitis right up to an ace landing on the turn. No miracle king on the river, and Mikolaitis bowed out.

Thomas Muehloecker

The final four became three with the elimination of Muehloecker, who lost a coinflip against Maslak. Muehloecker jammed from the small blind for a few chips more than 7.5 big blinds, doing so with pocket eights. Maslak called with ace-nine, and won the flip with an ace on the turn.

Andrii Novak was the chip leader going into three-handed play yet he fell in third place. First, Zhdanov doubled through Novak with ace-king versus the Ukrainian's pocket nines, then Zhdanov got his hands on the rest of Novak's stack with ace-king versus pocket queens. It was not Novak's day, that is for sure.

Zhdanov went into the one-on-one battle against Maslak with a lead of more than three-to-one, but Maslak doubled in the first few hands when a king on the river saw his king-jack beat Zhdanov's pocket nines. Zhdanov got his chips back and then some in a hand where Maslak tripled barrelled when Zhdanov had turned a flush.

The final hand took place during the 60,000/120,000/15,000a level, and saw Maslak limp-call all-in for 1,672,847 with pocket tens after Zhdanov took the bait and jammed with ace-deuce. When you run hot you run really hot, and an ace on the flop showed it was Zhdanov's day.
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Late last week, Steve Bannon was arrested for fraud. Bannon held a fundraiser called We Build the Wall, in which he oversaw the stated goal of amassing private funds to build portions of the wall on the Mexican border. Bannons group succeeded in raising $25 million, proving that no grift is too obvious for the MAGA crowd. That Bannon skimmed at least one million off from the sum to help himself proves that the grift is about the grifters. The grifter in chief, Donald Trump, sent supporters dozens of apocalyptic emails in the days following the elections, all blasting the need to stop the steal. Yet almost none of the money was used in litigation to test the election or actually stop the transition of power, even illegal activities. Instead, the money supported Trumps events post-administration. Sound familiar?

Good, because the FBI sees the behavior as akin to Bannons and the FBI investigates crimes like this on a daily basis, its their bread and butter, fraud that crosses state lines. The FBI now wants to examine documents pertaining to Trumps super PACs:

Save America PAC is under new legal scrutiny after the Justice Department issued a round of grand jury subpoenas that sought information about the political action committees fundraising practices.

Much of the money Trump has amassed was raised in the days and weeks after the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Thats when Trump supporters were bombarded with a nonstop stream of emails and texts, many containing all-caps lettering and blatant lies about a stolen 2020 election, soliciting cash for an election defense fund.

But no such fund ever existed. Instead, Trump has dedicated the money to other uses. Hes financed dozens of rallies, paid staff and used the money to travel as hes teased an expected 2024 presidential run.

You can flood progressive television news with sad footage of dogs and cats suffering, video that nearly compels a person to pull out the card, so long as nearly all the money is spent helping dogs and cats. You cannot make video of suffering animals and use it to purchase the new dog food youve invented, thus enriching yourself. The example is akin to what Trump did with the money raised. Instead of feeding off peoples compassion for animals, Trump used the MAGAs raw fury over the election to raise millions of dollars, sent with the belief that the money would be used to keep Trump in the White House. The FBI and others believe it was not.

Trump will now undergo a new round where he likely fights over whether the subpoena itself is legal. When it is shown to be legal, Trump will then surely fight over the scope and which documents are responsive. One thing is near certain. Trump is quite experienced and very wily when it comes to fooling people out of their money. Those emails will likely contain small print that Trump will argue gets him around any possible charge. It is doubtful that the issue will be as black and white as Bannons actions.

But it is not a fight Trump needed right now, and that likely factored into DOJs decision, too  use the timeline to help weaken Trumps overall defenses. Prosecutors around the country use the technique, and it is ethical, so long as the new effort is justified in the law. It is near impossible that DOJ would risk its position versus Trump with a mistake regarding this subpoena.
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COLUMBIA  Richland County fired its jail director Sept. 9, more than a month after learning he was fired from his previous job for sexual misconduct, documents from a state agency reveal.

Tyrell Cato was hired to run the troubled Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center at the beginning of July. Since then, Richland County learned he was fired from his last job, and two different state agencies launched investigations because of the circumstances surrounding his hiring.

Richland County fired Cato on Sept. 9 for "failure to complete the probation period successful(ly)," according to a document the county filed with the Criminal Justice Academy.

A county spokesperson confirmed Cato's termination in an email Sept. 14 and said it followed an internal review by Richland County Administrator Leonardo Brown.

Richland County Council Chairman Overture Walker said in a statement that hiring and firing are under Brown's purview, not the council's.

"The role of council is to set policy, not chime in on or influence decisions pertaining to county workers," Walker said in the statement. "The administrator is tasked with administering county government, and the council respects his right to exercise discretion in carrying out that obligation."

Cato was previously terminated from Kershaw County in May for making repeated inappropriate comments about female officers and asking them for sex, according to complaints two women filed during an investigation into his behavior.

Cato denied these allegations in a written statement during the investigation. A Kershaw County Grievance Committee upheld his firing.

Brown did not learn about the circumstances of Cato's departure from Kershaw until weeks after hiring Cato. A county representative did not request Catos work history from the state agency that tracks it until Cato had been working in Richland for nearly three weeks. No one from Richland called Kershaw County to ask about Catos work there until Aug. 23  nearly two months after his hiring.

The state Criminal Justice Academy finished processing the countys background check on Cato on Aug. 31, after rejecting two previous attempts for including wrong or incomplete information.

The Criminal Justice Academy is investigating Richland County for this belated background check process. The states Law Enforcement Training Council requires all agencies hiring a law enforcement officer to speak to the officers previous employer. The penalty for failing to do so is a $1,500 fine.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating Kershaw County after an employee submitted documents to the Criminal Justice Academy erroneously saying Cato had resigned voluntarily.

Kershaw County Administrator Danny Templar previously said he thought this was an honest mistake. Kershaw County Lieutenant Ervin Whack, who submitted the report, also filed a statement supporting Cato during the investigation following Catos firing.

Spokespeople for both agencies said they could not provide updates in the investigations Sept. 12.

Brown previously said he hired Cato with hopes that he could help fix the troubled jail.

Catos predecessor, longtime jail administrator Ronaldo Myers, left in September 2021 after emails showed he was on unapproved leave during a jail riot that injured two officers and led to charges for 12 inmates. This prompted the county to introduce more security measures, including body cameras, body scanners and more security in its parking lot.

Also in 2021, an inspection found the jail to be overcrowded and understaffed, prompting the county to freeze 50 positions and up its base pay to $40,000 a year.

Two federal lawsuits have alleged brutal conditions for inmates. One, filed in April, claimed mentally ill inmates in particular were subject to mistreatment. The other claimed the jail refused medical care to inmate Lason Butler before he died in the jail in February. The county coroner ruled his death a homicide, saying jail staff did not give him appropriate food or liquids.

Click here for more news from Columbia, S.C.
Cindi Boiter is a writer, editor and arts advocate. She is the founding editor of Jasper magazine and the Fall Lines literary journal and the executive director of The Jasper Project.
Charleston County School District trustees want to change the way they run their meetings, but the process has created some confusion and concern in the community.

CCSD school board meetings typically cover everything from academic performance to safety recommendations to student transfer requests.

Now, board members want to make academic performance their sole priority through a model called student outcomes-based governance.

The education coalition Council of the Great City Schools and their national school board governance leader AJ Crabill has helped school districts across the country adopt this framework, and it reportedly yielded strong results.

But local parents and education advocates have complained that the framework gives the superintendent too much power.

By reducing what the board takes on during meetings, more responsibilities are given to the superintendent. Though the board will continue to discuss non-outcomes-based matters privately and continue to publicly vote on what comes before the board, their public meeting time will be mostly devoted to student performance.

In Charleston, some community members are concerned because this overhaul is happening right before the November election when every school board board seat is up for grabs, and while temporary Superintendent Don Kennedy is in power. (The board expects to have a new superintendent in place by March.)

Other community members have pointed out that they don't understand what the phrase "student outcomes-based governance" means.

Board members Lauren Herterich, Kristen French and Courtney Waters on the governance ad hoc committee have spearheaded the process in Charleston.

Its about the students, Herterich said. And until we specifically focus on the students and stop letting adult issues cloud that focus, were never going to close these gaps.

Herterich admits there have been communication shortcomings during the frameworks adoption  but the mission remains the same. And she stressed that the new framework will allow the board to hold the superintendent accountable for directly impacting student performance.

This is not a process of giving the superintendent complete control, Herterich said. This is a process of focusing on students and governing like a board should govern.

The Charleston board started the overhaul at its July 18 meeting, in which it voted to begin splitting the districts policy manual into two  one board policy manual that the school board would be in charge of, and the other a district policy manual under the jurisdiction of the superintendent.

When we came in as a board, the goals didnt align with outcomes, Herterich said. The gaps kept getting bigger, especially with COVID. That was the premise of us starting this.

Following the adoption timeline, Kennedy provided his goal recommendations at the boards most recent August meeting, which included prioritizing reading and math performance.

While the board reviews his recommendations, the next step in the process for Charleston is setting up community meetings to take place in September. The meetings will each be led by two board members, and people can share their thoughts on what they think should be priorities for CCSD.

Then, the board will decide on three to five goals to focus on, which will likely include reading and math goals, and three to five guardrails, or sub-goals, to keep an eye on.

The timeline continues until June, according to a document provided in the Aug. 22 meeting agenda.

Additionally, the 34 candidates running for school board this November are strongly encouraged to attend upcoming governance training and listening sessions. At the meetings, they can share their thoughts on the governance model and get training to prepare for when they take their seats at the podium.

Crabill and the Council of the Great City Schools did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The framework is called a product by Charleston board member Cindy Bohn Coats, who said she doubts it can be applied to districts of different sizes in different areas with different needs.

Herterich says its just a blueprint to follow.

Midland, Texas

Midland ISD in Texas was in rough shape in 2016 when Crabill, the then-Texas deputy commissioner for governance, strode into town.

He was there to help Rick Davis, the board's president at the time, with the region's underperforming schools. In 2016, the district had nine failing schools.

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Midland Independent School District became one of the first school districts to adopt student-outcomes based governance, or Lone Star Governance, as it is called in Texas. Davis learned during his training that two of the most important things to do were to set realistic goals and establish clear ways to measure progress toward those goals.

Before Lone Star Governance, Midland had 15 to 20 goals they wanted to achieve.

In education, as in any other organization, if you have that many goals, youre not likely to achieve any of them, he said.

Afterward, Midland ISD cut its goals down to three to five  the same range Charleston is aiming for at the end of its process.

The trainings emphasized that the role of the school board is to represent the vision and values of the community, Davis said. In contrast, the role of the superintendent is to lead the professional educational staff of the district.

By January 2017, the Midland board members participated in a three-day retreat in which they set goals and their progress measures.

That was a real paradigm shift for us, Davis said. It was, in many cases, the first time where we actually sat side by side, rolling up our sleeves and working together instead of getting reports from the podium.

Those goals went into effect during the 2017-18 school year.

During the time the board was starting to adopt the Lone Star Governance, the district was looking for a superintendent. That spring, as they interviewed candidates, they also made sure they had a copy of the boards Lone Star Governance plan.

But things didn't always run smoothly. The district did hire a superintendent in 2017, but he was fired within three years. Davis said the framework made it clear that the former superintendent wasn't reaching the student outcomes goals. And the district's rating was still low, averaging around a C-.

Midland ISD knew the next superintendent they brought in had to be completely on board with the new governance model.

The board hired Angelica Ramsey, who was appointed Midland ISD superintendent in February 2021. During her time in Midland, she reorganized administrative staff, added reading specialists and adopted a new calendar with breaks in the fall. Despite the pandemic, the district is now a B-rated district, up from its C-rating in 2019.

Lo and behold, it was the first time we have hit every goal, Davis said.

This year, Midland ISD only has two failing schools, the lowest number in more than a decade.

Charlotte

Just over the South Carolina border, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, which leads one of the largest school districts in the country, started its transition to student outcomes-based governance in the spring of 2021.

Board members underwent months of training with the Council of the Great City Schools in which they learned how to tell the difference between all of the terminology  inputs, outputs and outcomes. Everything not directly related to student outcomes was struck from their main priority list.

Student outcomes are a measure of what students know or are able to do, Chair Elyse Dashew said. It's as simple as that. Its not about how good their lunch is, or class size. Those are important things to measure and pay attention to, but that's not a student outcome.

Fast forward about 16 months later, the Charlotte board is nearly done implementing the new framework. It has made a world of difference, according to Dashew.

Its really driving a sense of urgency and a sense of clarity and a sense of teamwork because everybody's on the same page, she said.

Prior to the frameworks adoption, the Charlotte school board members spent about 3 percent of their time talking about student outcomes, Dashew said. This year, theyre going to hit their goal of 50 percent.

Just The Facts To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Couriers Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab.

Busy work has been designated to the consent agenda, which is usually approved without fuss, and the board no long peacocks around the important issues, like student performance. One of Crabills repeated reminders has stuck and spread throughout the district: Student outcomes dont change until adult behaviors change.

When I visit principals, they say thank you for the first time in a long time, Dashew said. It is like a mantra throughout the district. Everybody knows the goals and guardrails, the community seems to know it.

That has also worked against the board  because of its transparency throughout the process, community members show up at meetings and use the boards data points and language to criticize it.

Dashew is just glad that the process has been made accessible to everyone, and that Charlotte is engaged, she said.

People still come to our meetings and tell us were doing a terrible job, and thats OK, she said. As long as theyre focusing on what matters.

The results of the governance change will show this academic year. While Dashew expects theyll still have a considerable amount of work to do, the board will be guided by its goals.
The Charleston County School District has admitted violating the states open records law during a July meeting, and the board of trustees voted to correct their mistake Sept. 12.

After receiving several complaints from parents, Attorney General Alan Wilson sent a letter to CCSDs board of trustees last month warning that if the district did not respond to parent allegations that it violated the Freedom of Information Act law, CCSD could face a lawsuit.

Parents alleged the board didnt provide proper notice of agenda items at two recent meetings.

CCSD takes these allegations very seriously, Superintendent Donald Kennedy said in a letter Sept. 7 to the attorney general.

The letter acknowledges a mistake on behalf of district staff and details the districts FOIA tracking process and strategy for publicizing meetings.

The boards monthly Committee of the Whole meeting and regular board meeting, which are typically scheduled two weeks apart, took place on the same day on July 18.

This happens about three times a year, said board member Kristen French, to accommodate staff availability around holidays.

The same situation also happens in December and April because of Christmas holidays and spring break. In July, many CCSD staff take vacation the week of Independence Day, French said.

Usually, the items discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting are later voted on at the boards regular meeting. Because of the scheduling, four items were added to the boards regular agenda the same day of the meeting.

The items included approving a timeline to move forward with a board governance restructuring, a health policy change, new K-8 English Language Arts curriculum and splitting the boards policy manual in two.

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Having done a review into what occurred on July 18, 2022, we have determined that staff erroneously added four items on the same day from the Committee of the Whole agenda, where those items had been discussed, to the regular board agenda, Kennedy said in the letter.

Under FOIA, all meetings hosted by public bodies, such as school boards, must be open to the general public and officials must adequately notify the public of when the meetings will occur and what will be discussed.

The only exceptions in which meetings can be closed to public include discussions of individual employment matters, government security, alleged criminal misconduct and business negotiations.

In Wilsons letter, which was the second he sent in a span of a week to a school district alleging misconduct, he warned that a consistent pattern of FOIA violations can lead to criminal prosecution for misconduct in office.

He asked that the board provide a general description of how the district attempted to comply with FOIA, a response to parent allegations and copies of the agendas, minutes and all documents related to the two July 18 meetings.

At the boards Sept. 12 Committee of the Whole meeting, the board voted again on those four items. They all passed  the same result from July 18.

We applaud the boards decision and will continue to evaluate this school board and others around the state to make sure they follow the law, said Robert Kittle, a spokesman for Wilson, told The Post and Courier. The Freedom of Information Act is too important to government transparency for any school district or public body to ignore or circumvent.

Andy Pruitt, the districts communications director, said CCSD had no further comment beyond the letter provided to the attorney general.
Greenville County school board candidates are criticizing a survey sent out by the local Republican Party that asks whether they think the U.S. is fundamentally racist.

Additionally they contend it's the latest sign that school board elections, which in most parts of South Carolina are nonpartisan, are being increasingly dominated by party politics.

The Greenville survey also asks candidates to state their positions on questions about race, transgender student rights and book bans. A similar survey was sent out last month by the Charleston County Republican Party to school board candidates.

It's no coincidence: Greenville County Republican Party Chairman Jeff Davis said his group has been strategizing with Charleston Republicans and other groups around the state over how to take a more active role in school board races.

While local Republican county chapters haven't historically been involved in school board races, some believe it's become a necessity, pushing their belief that Democrats are using K-12 education to push an agenda.

"It's more of an indoctrination as opposed to education," Davis said.

He said some Upstate parents grew frustrated about their children's education during the pandemic when remote learning enabled them to get a better idea of topics that were being taught in schools. He believes many parents were awakened to the fact that what children were being taught is not necessarily their morals or values.

The Greenville survey was brief and asked candidates to check whether they agree, disagree or are neutral on eight questions. One question asked if COVID precautions should be eliminated and whether it should be up to parents to control if their child wears a mask to school or gets vaccinated.

Another question asked if students should be educated on White privilege and the perceived unfair benefits it generates.

Three questions asked about LGBTQ issues: one was whether teachers should have the right to identify students by pronouns corresponding with their assigned gender at birth, and another about restrooms for transgender students.

The third question asked whether students should have access to certain books, specifically referencing one childrens novel about a transgender girl which the survey described as explicit.

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Davis said the questionnaire is the first step in the vetting process. Party officials will interview candidates who completed the survey where they will be given a chance to expand on their response.

Several candidates said they didnt complete the survey because the questions felt biased.

We have real problems in our school system that need to be addressed, like teacher retention and overcoming learning gaps from COVID, said Brittany Hilbert, one candidate. School board members should be deliberative and focused on creating policy that creates the best educational outcomes for our children, parents and teachers.

Ann Middleton, another candidate, wrote in an email to The Post and Courier that she didnt fill out the questionnaire because the format didnt allow her to fully share her thoughts.

"The school board is a nonpartisan position and I believe it should always be nonpartisan," she wrote.

Other candidates supported the survey. Tim Schuyler said he found the questionnaire very simple and easy to fill out.

I personally would like to know who is Republican and who is a Democrat in the races, Schuyler said. I know that doesnt always tell us who is truly conservative, but it at least gives us a starting point.

School board elections have historically been nonpartisan contests but in recent years Republicans across the county and within South Carolina have pushed to make them partisan. TheS.C. GOP surveyed the question as part of the June GOP primary and 76 percent of respondents said school board candidates should be able to run representing the political party of their choice.

Two school districts  Lee and Horry counties  hold partisan races currently. Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers from Lancaster County sought to make their school board race partisan. Gov. Henry McMaster vetoed the legislation, expressing concern that it could lead to a patchwork of inconsistent policies from county to county.

As our recent experience has made abundantly clear, school board elections are critically important, McMaster wrote in a March 14 letter to lawmakers. Thus, the manner in which these elections are conducted warrants scrutiny and debate, and the proposal to transition to partisan elections may have merit.
The Rev. Henrietta Rivers can name the handful of male pastors who helped shape her approach to ministry. But perhaps the most influential person to impact her life's journey was a woman  N.C. Williams, an instructor at the predominantly Black and now closed Charles A. Brown High School.

Rivers recalls how Williams would tell the freshmen students that their worth didn't come from their material possessions. She also taught the importance of being proud of one's heritage.

"She allowed us to see our human value," said Rivers, 55, who now preaches a similar message to middle school students in her role as chaplain at Porter-Gaud School.

It's the lessons from women like Williams that have helped Rivers successfully navigate life and ministry, leading to a historic feat in a religious institution. In a denomination where most of those in leadership positions don't look like her, Rivers was ordained to the priesthood Sept. 13 in the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, making her the first African American woman to be ordained to the office in the diocese's history.

Some of the member churches of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina have histories dating back to the 1700s and were formerly part of the Protestant Episcopal Church in South Carolina, which was established in 1785. As a denomination, the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina formed in 2012 when the group split from the Episcopal Diocese.

This new title allows Rivers to now pastor her own congregation in the diocese, if such an opportunity arises.

Rivers connected the moment to Scripture, citing the text in the Book of John where Jesus pronounces blessings upon those who "that have not seen, and yet have believed."

"History is catching up with God's story," she said.

Rivers, a downtown Charleston native who grew up on the East Side, also sees the ordination as part of a broader movement building throughout the nation  a movement Rivers says has been divinely appointed.

In Charleston, conversations about the city's racist roots, the need for congregations to step across racial lines, and the importance of inclusivity in houses of worship shaped up after the Emanuel AME Church shooting in 2015.

In more recent years, particularly following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the nation has wrestled with racism examples and there have been commitments from institutions across the country to be more inclusive and more attentive to the concerns impacting Black communities. The fact that numerous African Americans have been killed at the hands of police and others  Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor to name two  remains discouraging, she acknowledged.

But following their deaths has been a movement  one that has created a greater sense of social awareness around the need for inclusivity in institutions. But while Rivers feels that the lives taken weren't in vain, the newly-ordained priest is clear that she believes this moment is part of God's divine plan.

"God is doing a move," she said. "And in this move, man can't close doors that God has opened."

The Anglican group, whose congregations cover the eastern and coastal portions of the state, has 109 priests actively serving. Just three of the diocese's active priests are Black. Rivers now makes the fourth. Rivers said she believes her ordination does mark a move in the right direction for the diocese in its efforts to diversify leadership.

Bishop Chip Edgar of the Anglican Diocese said what's most important is that Rivers is qualified for the task at hand.

"As Henrietta herself says, more important than ordaining a Black woman, though I dont minimize that, is the importance of ordaining someone who is equipped and gifted for leadership in the church, someone who is called by God to ordained ministry," he said. "I'm delighted to be ordaining her."

Rivers said she believes her relationship with God began to form at an early age. Though her family didn't attend church much, a young and introverted Rivers  who was one of six children  spent a lot of time alone and would have quiet conversations with God.

As an adult, Rivers became interested in serving the church while coordinating worship and arts ministries at Mount Moriah Baptist in North Charleston. There, she oversaw plays, praise dances and other activities that sought to present the Gospel in a way that was "digestible" and not forced, she said.

An avid writer, Rivers said she "found that was my sweet space in ministry." God, however, had other plans, she said.

Rivers and her husband, the Rev. Matthew Rivers, arrived in 2018 to St. John's Chapel, a diverse mission church in the Anglican Diocese. At the time, she felt a call to enter into ordained ministry. She and her husband attended seminary, where they graduated with their master's degrees from Trinity School for Ministry in Pennsylvania.

However, there were barriers  some of which were within herself.

Rivers said she had to fight with the thoughts of feeling unqualified for ministry.

Other obstacles included navigating the ordination process.

Though the two graduated at the same time, Matthew Rivers would receive his priesthood ordination and first pastoral assignment six months later to St. John's. Henrietta Rivers is just now being ordained four years since graduating seminary, leaving her to wonder whether her gender has something to do with the delay.

Additionally, the couple have children. So, when Henrietta Rivers, during her ordination process, raised questions about financially stability and whether St. John's, a mission church, could sustain her and her husband economically, the question was perceived as her second-guessing her call to ministry.

Rivers wonders too whether that response is based on the fact that the perspective of women in ministry has been something that hasn't had to be largely considered in the diocese's history.

Nonetheless, she sees this new opportunity as one given by God.

Her ordination ceremony was held at St. John's Chapel, where the Rev. Matthew Rivers is pastor. The Rev. Henrietta Rivers will serve alongside her husband in the meantime. She'll also continue to serve as chaplain at Porter-Gaud.

She has also not ruled out the idea of pastoring her own congregation, and would welcome the opportunity.
Randal Seyler is the editor of the Georgetown Times and the Myrtle Beach Post and Courier.
GEORGETOWN  The Georgetown County Council moved to defer rezoning for a planned 2,061-acre solar farm project in the Lambertown community at its Sept. 13 meeting, but gave second reading approval to another measure that would make way for a new county detention center.

Nashville-based Silicon Ranch Corp.'s request for a Solar Energy Facility Floating District to be added to the tract off Saints Delight Road, described in council documents as "vacant, timberland," was deferred to a second reading on a 5-0 vote with councilman Steve Goggans absent.

Councilman Everett Carolina, whose district includes Lambertown, made the successful motion to defer the matter to another day.

Another 5-0 vote approved rezoning of 58 acres of the Crown Pointe Planned Development north of Georgetown to Limited Industrial for purposes of building a new county detention center across Browns Ferry Road from the existing one. That rezoning still needs third reading for final approval at a later date.

Several Lambertown residents rose to oppose the solar farm project in public comment, claiming they received insufficient notice about the effort and raising concerns about drainage from the clearing of trees at the site and possible health and economic effects.

"Six thousand acres that you want to build a solar farm on?" Amy Brandon said. "We need places for people to live."

Kevin Kellahan asked the council what would become of the site after the lifespan of its solar panels elapsed. The solar farm's lifespan is projected at "over 40 years."

"This is going to be in my backyard," Kellahan said. "Literally, in my backyard. It is going to kill the view that we have."

Gina Brown, the Silicon Ranch director of economic and community development, assured attendees that research showed no effects on property values from adjacent solar farms or health effects from the panels' electromagnetic fields.

County Planning Director Holly Richardson told the council that in addition to notification of property owners within 400 feet of the site, letters were sent to 132 adjacent property owners.

In his motion to defer the matter, Carolina asked County Administrator Angela Christian to contact all involved parties to develop a public information meeting for area residents.

The matter of the future detention center was preceded by an amendment to the county's Future Land Use Map to accommodate its use. A similar amendment for the solar farm, which would switch its tract from low-density residential to public or semi-public, as its power would be received by public utility Santee Cooper, was also deferred 5-0.

The Georgetown County Planning Commission expressed approval for both rezoning measures at its July 21 meeting, voting 7-0 for the detention center project and 5-0 for the solar farm.

The solar farm as planned would accommodate about 600,000 solar modules, occupying about 1,206 acres. In 2021, then-county economic development director Brian Tucker said the project would create $300,000 in tax revenue annually. Richardson said the project as planned would accommodate two 100-megawatt systems and a substation to connect to the Santee Cooper power grid.

The planned site for the new county detention center coincides with the Crown Pointe Planned Development, approved in 2007 for mixed-use development for more than 5,000 acres just north of Georgetown city limits. The planned development was nearly halved in 2010 when 2,303 acres were rezoned Forest and Agriculture on either side of Brick Chimney Road.

As Browns Ferry Road is maintained by the state, development on the site will require an encroachment permit from the S.C. Department of Transportation.
The South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the states civil forfeiture law in an order issued Sept. 14 but acknowledged the state Legislature could decide to change the law to make it more fair to those whove had possessions seized by law enforcement.

The decision comes more than 20 months after the court heard oral arguments in a case that presented a constitutional challenge to the state law. The court ruled the case did not meet the high bar to strike down the state law.

Several states have amended their statutory schemes to impose more stringent requirements on the government; however, the fact that certain states have legislatively altered their civil forfeiture laws provides no support for judicially changing ours, the order said. Legislative alteration might be a good thing, but we are not called upon to decide whether a change in the law would be wise.

The case originated out of the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office in Horry County following the seizure of nearly $20,000 in 2017 from Travis Lee Green, a convicted Myrtle Beach drug dealer. Fifteenth Circuit Court Judge Stephen John placed a stay on all forfeiture cases in the circuit, asked for arguments for and against the constitutionality of the states law and then ruled the state law violated both the state and U.S. constitutions.

The solicitors office appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, which reversed the lower courts ruling and remanded the case back to the circuit court for a jury trial on the merits of Greens forfeiture case.

The challenge drew attention from state and national advocates against forfeiture laws, including the American Civil Liberties Union, SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Police Accountability Project. Attorney General Alan Wilson wrote an argument in favor of the solicitor and the states existing law.

Robert Frommer, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, a national constitutional justice advocacy law firm that presented arguments in the case, said he was disappointed with the ruling and was evaluating whether to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Todays decision is very disappointing not just for Travis but for all South Carolinians, Frommer said. Both the majority and dissent recognize that legislative reform would be appropriate here and we call on the Legislature to do just that.

The Post and Courier reached out for comment from 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson and the Battle Law Firm, which argued the case.

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As part of its order, the court did modify the states current test of proportionality to expressly require an inquiry into whether a forfeiture is grossly disproportionate to the underlying criminal offense. That change came after the 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Timbs vs. Indiana that ruled the U.S. Constitutions clause against excessive fines also applied to states.

The tenor of the courts decision urged careful scrutiny of the merits of forfeiture cases by circuit courts while it left the current framework of the law unchanged.

Four justices agreed the circuit court decision should be overturned. Chief Justice Don Beatty agreed with the majority on the constitutionality of the law but dissented on due process, saying the civil court process in forfeiture cases unduly places the burden of proof on a property owner. Justice George James wrote the majority opinion on the case.

The current statutory scheme places an undue burden on property owners, many of whom are never charged with a crime, to prove they are not guilty of any wrongdoing in order to reclaim their property, Beatty wrote in his dissent.

The order came more than five years after a Post and Courier investigation into civil asset forfeiture and three years after an investigation by The Greenville News spurred a fresh look by the General Assembly into the law and led some police departments across the state to proactively change policies to limit the use of forfeiture.

A legislative task force convened to study the law and present changes, and a bill that initially held widespread support among state Representatives failed to pass the House.

The orders conclusion left it up to the General Assembly to make any further changes.

Of course, if the General Assembly believes our state's civil asset forfeiture laws should be amended to address the potential for abuse or be updated to align more closely with federal law, it may do so, it said.
COLUMBIA  A judges recent ruling will crater the value of a high-profile wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of 2019 boat crash victim Mallory Beach, her familys attorney has warned in new court filings.

In a 21-page motion, Allendale attorney Mark Tinsley pleaded with Circuit Judge Daniel Hall to reconsider his decision to split the Beach family lawsuit into two trials, one against the embattled Murdaugh family and another against Parker's Kitchen, the convenience store that sold alcohol to an underage Paul Murdaugh before the fatal crash.

Tinsley threatened to appeal Halls ruling to a higher court, arguing his decision means that the Murdaugh Defendants will never pay a penny for the Beach familys actual damages.

Yet, at least for now, Hall is pressing on toward a Jan. 9 trial in Hampton County that wont feature the Murdaughs as defendants. Last week, Hall said he wanted to try the Parkers Kitchen half of the case in October. But in finalizing his ruling, the judge pushed that trial back three months. The Murdaugh half of the case would go forward at a later date.

The dustup marks the latest legal wrangling in an aging case that brought fresh scrutiny to the Lowcountrys influential and wealthy Murdaugh family. The case tipped over the first domino in a dizzying string of developments that has since attracted worldwide attention.

Beachs parents sued the Murdaughs, Parkers and several other defendants in March 2019, weeks after their 19-year-old daughter was ejected and killed when the Murdaugh family boat slammed into a Beaufort County bridge piling after a night of partying.

Paul Murdaugh was criminally charged with driving the boat while drunk, charges that were dropped when he and his mother were murdered two years later outside the familys Colleton County hunting lodge. His father, Alex Murdaugh, has been charged with their June 2021 murders, along with dozens of other financial and drug crimes.

Beachs parents blamed the Murdaughs for enabling Paul Murdaughs excessive drinking and erratic behavior, including on the night of the crash. They blame Parkers Kitchen, a Southern convenience store chain, for selling Paul Murdaugh alcohol that night when he presented the ID of Buster Murdaugh, his taller and heavier older brother.

Parkers has mounted a vigorous defense. The companys lawyers have said their clerk performed due diligence in checking the ID before the sale and that the boat partiers and the Murdaugh family share far more blame for the tragedy.

In a Sept. 15 statement, Parker's attorney PK Shere wrote "the only reason (Tinsley) wants one trial is to tether the bad actions of the Murdaugh Defendants to Parkers, inflame the jury, hope Parkers gets swept up into the Murdaugh drama and, ultimately, have Parkers pay for the actions of the Murdaugh Defendants."

Parker's said the trial had been pushed back to January because the Hampton County Courthouse could not accommodate an October trial.

The case has dragged on for more than three years. Criminal charges filed against Alex Murdaugh have caused delays, as did the death of the Murdaughs top civil defense attorney, John Tiller, this summer from cancer.

In his Sept. 13 ruling, Judge Hall wrote that those delays contributed to his decision to split up the case.

Parkers lawyers had pushed for the split. Under South Carolina law, in alcohol-related cases where multiple defendants are tried together, one party can be made to pay the entire verdict amount if the other parties cant afford it.

That means a deep-pocketed corporation like Parkers could be on the hook for a multimillion-dollar verdict in the Beach case, even if it shares only a sliver of the blame.

That outcome was particularly likely in the Beach case, since the Murdaughs' likely won't have any money to pay the verdict. Their fortune stands to be drained by roughly a dozen lawsuits accusing Alex Murdaugh of theft, fraud and betrayal.

Tinsley, the Beach family attorney, has argued that splitting the case in two would help both defendants escape accountability, provide a tactical advantage to the Murdaughs, and add to the Beachs legal bills.

Going through two separate trials would also force the family to ensure an unfathomable and unnecessary emotional burden, he wrote.
FLORENCE  A Marion man was convicted of the 2021 kidnapping and murder of 80-year-old Mary Ann Elvington of Nichols, wrapping up a nearly weeklong federal trial in a Florence courtroom.

U.S. District Judge Sherri A. Lydon found 30-year-old Dominique Devonah Brand guilty on Sept. 14 on all of the charges he was facing for the shooting death of the Horry County grandmother, mother and retired schoolteacher.

The convictions covered kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death of a person in such a manner to constitute murder.

Last month Brand waived his right to a jury trial while opting for a bench trial, leaving his fate in Lydons hands. He faces a sentence of up to life in prison without the possibility of parole or death on all counts.

Authorities said Brand entered Elvingtons Nichols home on March 28, 2021, later kidnapping her and forcing her to drive him in her 2012 Buick Lacrosse to Lake Waccamaw, N.C., and then back to Lake View in Dillon County  a more than 80-mile trip.

Elvington was then put into the back seat and driven to an abandoned grocery store at the Zion Crossroads in Marion County, where she was shot and killed, according to court records. The vehicle was later driven to a wooded area behind a nightclub in Marion and abandoned.

Brand has been in federal custody without bond since his arrest last year.

During the three days of testimony, prosecutors told the judge that Brand stole a church van and ditched it near Elvingtons home. He then camped out near her home before breaking into it, according to reporting by WMBF-TV.

The judge heard a phone conversation between Mary Ann Elvington, her son and an OnStar operator during the kidnapping. During the call, Elvington reportedly said she did not know where she was and in one instance said, I think Im in North Carolina, I think I passed the South Carolina state line.

Sounds of car doors opening and then being shut could be heard during the call. A forensic pathologist who performed the victims autopsy testified that Elvington died from a single shot to the head, the TV station reported.

Brands defense argued during the trial that there was a lack of evidence to convict their client.
Richard Caines covers business and courts in Horry and Georgetown County for The Post and Courier. He graduated from the Cronkite School at Arizona State University and is a huge Philadelphia sports fan.
At the intersection on King and Huger streets on Charleston's West Side, residents have seen four months of drainage work with limited improvement to conditions during heavy rains. That's by design.

The first phase of the drainage project, which cost about $7 million, improved the intersection's drainage capacity by doubling the diameter of many of the pipes underneath the street. It also included upgrades to drains and catch basins nearby. It began in late 2021. But during a heavy storm and high tide, that work only goes so far.

"It does provide some benefit from drainage right now," said Charleston Stormwater Management Director Matt Fountain. "But if you get high tide and a really heavy rain, it's absolutely going to flood."

Just two months ago, cars were diverted or stalled out at the intersection when a period of heavy rainfall coincided with king tides.

On July 10, during one day of that deluge, nearby resident Bennie Kinloch told The Post and Courier the flooding was bad but getting better. As water stood in the streets once again, a man walked past her house by pushing a surfboard.

It used to be deep enough to paddle a boat through here, Kinloch said. It aint as bad as it was.

The second and final phase of the project is expected to address the high tide and heavy rain event flooding.

Phase 2 includes the installation of a pump station that will be able to quickly move water into nearby Newmarket Creek.

City Council approved a $10 million grant application Sept. 13 to fund the phase. The grant, which would come from South Carolina's allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds, also requires about a $3 million match from the city.

The latest phase is the final stage of the project and is more complex than the first phase.

The pump station will include a water feature out front and seating area, which Fountain describes as a "park-like atmosphere." The city hopes to make the building itself architecturally appropriate for the area. It will be located on the northeast side of the intersection on land given to the city by Enston Homes.

"Its an important intersection," Fountain said. "We want to focus on making it an amenity for the area."

The phase needs environmental approvals to be allowed to move water into Newmarket Creek and approvals from both the city's Board of Architectural review to build the pump station and park area. It also needs approval from the S.C. Department of Transportation to make connections to the drainage pipes under the road.

If the grant funding is approved, work could be complete by the end of 2023. The city is pursuing other funding methods as well, Fountain added.

In other business, City Council:
A North Charleston man was sentenced to 14 years in state prison for a 2019 drunken driving wreck that killed one person and seriously injured two others in a busy downtown Charleston intersection.

Thomas Cade Garris, 34, pleaded guilty Sept. 6 to one count of driving under the influence resulting in death and two counts of DUI causing great bodily injury.

He faced a maximum of 25 years in prison for the felony charges.

Prosecutors in 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson's office had been preparing to select a jury for Garris' trial, but the defendant instead struck a plea deal. Prosecutors discussed the evidence against him during a lengthy plea hearing.

Garris and his girlfriend were at Mynt, a nightclub on Calhoun Street, in the early morning hours of Jan. 26, 2019. The couple was asked to leave for rowdy behavior, prosecutors said.

Garris and his girlfriend argued for some time in an alleyway next to the bar before the man got inside his Ford truck, picked up the woman and drove north on Meeting Street.

Garris' truck blew through a red stoplight at Meeting and Columbus streets, striking the passenger side of a Mazda sedan as it lawfully traveled through the intersection. The sedan then hit a nearby building.

The sedan's front passenger, 32-year-old William Kappel Jr., died at the scene. Its driver and a rear passenger were also seriously injured.

The Charleston Police Department's Major Accident Team investigated the collision. An analysis of Garris' truck revealed it was going about 56 mph at the time of the crash, prosecutors said. The speed limit at the intersection is 35 mph.

Officers visited a hospital where Garris was being treated for injuries. His blood-alcohol content measured at least .162, prosecutors said  twice the legal limit to operate a vehicle in South Carolina.

Wilson's staff expressed their appreciation of the surviving victims and Kappel's family members, who showed "great patience and restraint throughout a difficult criminal process," according to a statement.
The S.C. Supreme Court has revived a challenge to the $75 million payday Attorney General Alan Wilson awarded to the lawyers who represented the state in a fight to remove tons of plutonium stored here.

The fight stems from a $600 million settlement the state reached with the U.S. Department of Energy after the federal government failed to meet a deadline to remove bomb-making material from South Carolina.

Authorities in the early 2000s moved a huge cache of plutonium to the Savannah River Site near Aiken, with plans to render it unusable in nuclear weapons.

The plutonium processing plan, known as the MOX project, cost the government $8 billion before it failed. And even before its demise, years of delays ensured that the stockpile wasnt going away quickly.

The state's agreement with the Energy Department allows the government to keep plutonium here into the 2040s in return for what's said to be the largest settlement in state history.

Wilson in 2020 handed more than a tenth of the proceeds to the Columbia law firms Willoughby & Hoefer and Davidson, Wren & DeMasters, which he hired to handle the case. Wilsons office has defended the payments, saying the state is bound by a contract that allows the firms to take a percentage of their winnings.

The Attorney Generals Office routinely signs such contracts, known as contingency fee agreements, with outside lawyers, and it insists it has the authority to do so.

The S.C. Public Interest Foundation and good-government advocate John Crangle sued to challenge the legal fees, calling them "unconscionable." They argued the state Legislature must vote to decide how the proceeds are split up, but their effort was swatted down in October 2020 by a circuit court judge who decided they didn't have standing to try the case.

The state Supreme Court disagreed Sept. 14 and restored the case.

In its order, the high court unanimously decided the case should proceed, in part because the courts ought to decide whether the attorney general can promise settlement money to lawyers without legislative approval.

This issue will inevitably arise again in the future because Wilson has seven other litigation retention agreements with private attorneys, Justice George C. James Jr. wrote for the majority.

The dispute hinges on a state law that requires the attorney general to deposit settlement funds into the state's general fund, where lawmakers can decide how to spend them.

Prior to the decision's release, the Attorney General's Office wrote a letter to the court contending that legislators didn't intend for the law to apply to legal fees.

Solicitor General Bob Cook wrote that lawmakers in the late 1990s considered making the attorney general submit contracts for approval, but declined to do so. Giving the Legislature control over legal fees, he wrote, would "virtually destroy the Attorney General's power to utilize contingency fee agreements to protect consumers, the public interest, and the rule of law."

Attorneys for the law firms did not respond to requests for comment.

The sheer size of the plutonium settlement and its $75 million payment to lawyers brought the subject of legal fees to the fore. The payments were questioned by Gov. Henry McMaster, a former attorney general, and 1st Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe, a Wilson critic who led the recent Statehouse corruption probe.

At the time, Pascoe said the payout reeks of political cronyism because Wilson formerly worked at Willoughby & Hoefer. Wilsons office has said the firm got the job because it approached the attorney general with a legal strategy, and it agreed to pay a percentage before anyone thought so much money would be in play.

On Sept. 14, Pascoe called the Supreme Courts decision a win for ethics and transparency in South Carolina.

That money doesnt belong to the attorney general to give to whomever he pleases, he said. It belongs to the citizens of this state, and we have a right to know what work these law firms do to earn these exorbitant fees  especially $75 million.

Crangle said he was pleased the challenge was back on and predicted a fierce fight, not least because the law firms have already been paid.

"It's like if the hamburger falls off the picnic table and the family dog gets ahold of it," Crangle said. "It's going to be a hell of a time trying to get it back."

Avery G. Wilks contributed to this report from Columbia and Glenn Smith contributed from Charleston.
SUMMERVILLE  Police officers arrested a woman on accusations she abused her mother, causing the elderly woman's death one year ago.

Darlene Whitlock was charged Sept. 10 with abuse of a vulnerable person resulting in death. Authorities contend the 68-year-old woman, who was designated as her mother's caretaker, allowed for a filthy living environment and stopped moving, bathing or feeding the elderly adult.

Officers opened an investigation into Whitlock over a year ago, on Sept. 2, 2021, after the S.C. Department of Social Services alerted them to a potential abuse case. Whitlock's mother, Viola Fairchild, had arrived days prior to an emergency room. She was unresponsive, "extremely malnourished" and covered "head to toe in feces," according to an incident report.

Whitlock told doctors she hadn't been able to move her mother, resulting in Fairchild's condition, the report states.

A Dorchester County social services worker visited the house on Candover Court off Alwyn Boulevard where Whitlock and Fairchild lived. She took photos of the home, which was in "complete disarray," according to the report.

A Summerville detective viewed the pictures, noting piles of clutter and trash littered throughout the rooms. Fairchild's mattress had a large indent on its right side, indicating someone had been in the spot for a long period of time. Bugs crawled on the floor, walls and near a window of the "filthy" bedroom.

Summerville detectives met with Whitlock at the residence on Sept. 8, 2021. The woman was packing up her car for a trip to Texas, where her mother's funeral would be held, she told the officer. Fairchild, 91, had by then been moved to hospice care.

Whitlock told the detective she'd "done her best" to care for her mother and had lived with her for two years in South Carolina after moving her out of Texas, the report states. The detective handed Whitlock a business card and asked to schedule a formal interview, but Whitlock never called.

Fairchild died two days later. While her cause of death isn't specified, doctors diagnosed Fairchild with a host of illnesses, including sepsis, ulcers, malnutrition, hypothermia, kidney failure and pneumonia.

The investigation stalled for several months while detectives gathered Fairchild's medical and social services records, according to the report. A Summerville municipal court judge on Dec. 16, 2021, signed a warrant for Whitlock's arrest.

Detectives again tried to make contact with Whitlock, but her voicemail box was full. She was arrested Sept. 10 after being located in Texas, Lt. Chris Hirsch said.

Whitlock was booked into the Dorchester County jail, where she remains held on a $20,000 surety bond.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.
This years first fatal case of West Nile Virus in South Carolina should serve as a reminder that while COVID is the third-leading cause of U.S. deaths after heart disease and cancer, theres a world of other out-of-nowhere diseases that can kill us. It should also remind us of the simple precautions we all should take to guard against mosquito-borne diseases.

West Nile Virus was first detected in the United States in 1999, and it quickly set people on edge: The idea that Americans could die from a mosquito bite  how many bites do we get in a typical summer?  was sobering. By 2002, there was so much concern about contracting it that the Food and Drug Administration advised people who needed blood transfusions to consider alternatives  such as storing their own blood or delaying elective surgery  to avoid a chance of receiving infected blood. Two decades later, thats pretty much only a theoretical possibility because we now have blood screening.

And happily, the number of deaths didnt skyrocket like so many people feared as the virus first spread across the nation: After jumping from two to 10 to 284 over three years, the number stabilized, staying well under 100 for many years and never reaching even 300 annually nationwide. By comparison, more than 300 Americans still die of COVID every day.

DHEC announced Monday that a Midlands resident had died of West Nile Virus, one of 11 South Carolinians confirmed to have been infected this year; no other details were released. But public health officials say the number of people infected is much higher: Only about one in five infected people becomes even slightly ill, and most people who do experience only mild symptoms.

Still, health officials advise contacting your physician immediately if youve been bitten by a mosquito and then develop fever, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, inflammation of the eyelids or a rash. Because some people do die, as weve just been reminded.

Its also important that we continue work to reduce the mosquito population  and thus the spread of West Nile and other mosquito-borne illnesses  by eliminating all sources of standing water on our property, including flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, birdbaths, old car tires, rain gutters and pet bowls that aren't changed daily.

We can take additional steps to protect ourselves by using mosquito repellent when were outdoors, making sure our doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep mosquitoes from getting inside and wearing light-colored clothing to cover our skin when were out.

Fortunately, West Nile Virus seems unlikely to regain its former status as an urgent public health threat, but it's still capable of sickening and killing people. And anytime we can take small, painless steps to protect ourselves and our neighbors from harm, we should do so.
New Hampshire held its late party primaries yesterday. The only interesting races were on the Republican side and Democrats had a hand in two of them. In the Senate contest to pick a challenger to vulnerable incumbent Maggie Hassan, Don Bolduc faced off against Chuck Morse. Democrats supported Bolduc because he is the less viable candidate. With 87 percent of the vote tabulated, Bolduc leads Morse by about 1300 votes (1 percent of the vote).

Democrats also supported Robert Burns for the Republican endorsement in New Hampshires Second District. Again, Democrats supported Burns. With 83 percent of the vote tabulated, Burns leads his closest opponent by about 1,000 votes (2 percent of the vote).

Neither of the two races has yet been called [UPDATE: RealClearPolitics shows that the Senate primary contest has been called for Bolduc], but the writing appears to be on the wall. The Washington Posts Annie Linskey touched on these races in a September 12 story that Jewish World Review posted here in accessible form. Linskey noted:

As primary season nears its Tuesday endpoint, Democrats are giving the strategy one more try in New Hampshire, in two congressional races. In the Republican Senate primary, Senate Majority PAC, a group aligned with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), is spending $3.2 million on ads that effectively enhance the candidacy in the GOP primary of retired Gen. Don Bolduc, by portraying his more moderate rival, state Senate President Chuck Morse, who has trailed in GOP primary polls to Bolduc, as beholden to the party establishment. Bolduc has said he concurred with Trumps false claims that the 2020 election was rigged and signed a letter along with other retired military leaders claiming without evidence that the FBI and Supreme Court ignored election irregularities in 2020. In a statement, Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Veronica Yoo said the spending was a response to Morses attacks on TV against Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), which the group wont sit idly by and tolerate. In New Hampshires 2nd Congressional District, where Rep. Annie Kuster (D) is seeking reelection, a group called Democrats Serve is directing about $100,000 into TV commercials accentuating the conservative credentials of Robert Burns, an otherwise poorly-funded Republican House candidate who acknowledges that President Biden won but has claimed that a ton of other unspecified elections were stolen in 2020.

The Democrats support of Bolduc and Burns belies the ravings of Joe Biden about fascism and his alleged support of democracy. Here we have the presidents party interfering in the deliberations of the opposing party for purely partisan advantage. The alleged threat of fascism must not be so great that the Democrats wont toy with it as it suits their purposes. If Republicans did the same, we would hear incessantly from Biden, the Democrats and the Democrats media adjunct that it presents a threat to democracy.

In New Hampshires First District primary, the AP has called the race for former Trump press staffer Karoline Leavitt. Age 25, Leavitt is only the second member of Generation Z to win a House primary and the first Republican, according to the NPR story on the race. Leavitts closest opponent was Matt Mowers, who lost to incumbent Democrat Chris Pappas in 2020. Pappas defeated Mowers by 20,000 votes (5 points) in 2020. This time around Leavitt will face of against against Pappas in what should be an uphill race that might be winnable.

Primary results via WMUR News 9 (Manchester).
Those who are doing their best to sell us out to Iran with another wrap on the JCPOA have given up for the time being. The AFP/Times of Israel story puts it this way: Europe: Serious doubts Iran wants nuke deal; program way beyond civilian purpose. The subhead cites a joint statement saying that France, Germany and the United Kingdom have reached the limit of flexibility while Tehran escalates its nuclear program way beyond any plausible civilian justification. The statement is published in a press release here. This is the text:

We the governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have negotiated with Iran, in good faith, since April 2021 to restore and fully implement the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), along with other participants to the deal and the United States. In early August, after a year and a half of negotiations, the JCPoA Coordinator submitted a final set of texts which would allow for an Iranian return to compliance with its JCPoA commitments and a US return to the deal.

In this final package, the Coordinator made additional changes that took us to the limit of our flexibility. Unfortunately, Iran has chosen not to seize this critical diplomatic opportunity. Instead, Iran continues to escalate its nuclear program way beyond any plausible civilian justification.

While we were edging closer to an agreement, Iran reopened separate issues that relate to its legally binding international obligations under the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its NPT safeguards agreement concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This latest demand raises serious doubts as to Irans intentions and commitment to a successful outcome on the JCPoA. Irans position contradicts its legally binding obligations and jeopardizes prospects of restoring the JCPoA.

In June, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution calling on Iran to take urgent action to answer the Agencys outstanding questions. Three months later Iran has taken no steps at all as confirmed by the IAEA Director Generals latest report.

Our position remains clear and steadfast. Iran must fully and, without delay, cooperate in good faith with the IAEA. It is up to Iran to provide technically credible answers to the IAEAs questions on the whereabouts of all nuclear material on its territory. The JCPoA can in no way be used to release Iran from legally binding obligations that are essential to the global non-proliferation Regime.

Given Irans failure to conclude the deal on the table we will consult, alongside international partners, on how best to address Irans continued nuclear escalation and lack of cooperation with the IAEA regarding its NPT safeguards Agreement.
The Abuja panel probing allegations of human rights violations committed by the defunct police unit, SARS, on Tuesday, awarded N289 million to victims.

The beneficiaries include a man who lost his limb after he was unjustly shot by a police officer and the family of a young man who was arrested by SARS operatives and who died in detention six years ago.

Wednesdays ceremony marks the second and final batch of compensation by the Abuja panel to victims of widespread rights abuses by the police.

In the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest, many states set up independent panels to probe rights violations by the police unit and other units of the Nigerian police. In Abuja, the Nigerian capital, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was saddled with the responsibility to conduct the probe.

The NHRC set up an 11-member panel, which was inaugurated on 21 October 2020.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the setting up of the panels in 29 states and Abuja was spurred by the nationwide #EndSARS anti-police brutality protest led by the young Nigerians in October 2020.

Following the protest, SARS was proscribed, with authorities promising broad police reforms and setting up judicial panels of inquiry across the states to investigate the allegations and award compensation to victims.

Compensation cant make up for losses

On Wednesday, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, said the compensation ceremony was a symbolic gesture of President Muhammadu Buhari-led governments commitment to the protection of human rights.

Mr Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), described the condition of victims of police violence as sad.

The amount that will be paid today will not compensate enough for the losses suffered, he said.

Similarly, the secretary of the panel, Hilary Ogbonna, said the mass abuse of Nigerians rights that occurred under the SARS would never happen again.

He noted that the best way to fight human rights violations was to prevent them from happening.

Chronicling the activities of the panel, which sat for nearly two years, Mr Ogbonna said the panel determined 295 out of the 297 petitions that were submitted.

Highlighting categories of the violations, the panels scribe said 25 of the complaints bordered on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearance, while 16 were related to illegal arrest and detention and four petitions centred on unlawful confiscation of assets by police officers, among other infractions.

In a pre-compensation speech, the Chairperson of NHRCs Governing Council, Salamatu Suleiman, apologised to the victims of police brutality across the country.

Mrs Suleiman said the commission would continue to promote and protect the human rights of every Nigerian.

Giving a breakdown of the amount awarded to victims of the gross rights violations, Mrs Suleiman said N289,384,094 has been approved as compensation to 74 beneficiaries and victims of human rights violations.

This brings the total amount awarded to 94 survivors and victims of police violence to N432 million (N431,884,094).

The panel had, in December 2021, awarded N146 million to victims of gross rights violations in the first batch of the exercise.

The chairperson of the panel, Suleiman Galadima, a retired justice of Nigerias Supreme Court, said paucity of funds encumbered its mandate.

He, however, lauded the federal government for providing the funds for the victims compensation.

PREMIUM TIMES recently revealed how lack of funds crippled the panels sitting. The report and others prompted the federal government to release funds to the panel.

Nothing compensates for the suffering  Victims

Tairu Garuba, an amputee, told this reporter at the ceremony that nothing can compensate for the loss of his left limb.

Accompanied by his nephew, Momoh Gabriel, Mr Garuba hobbled out of the award ceremony hall with his crutches.

Mr Garuba was hit by SARS operatives bullets in July 2020, Mr Gabriel told PREMIUM TIMES.

He said there was chieftaincy title dispute at their community in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, north-central Nigeria. The police shot at a crowd during the controversy and Mr Garuba was hit by a bullet.

Two years later, Mr Garuba has now received N3 million as compensation for his lost limb.

Another victim, Eric Ezeala, was arrested and murdered by SARS operatives in Imo State, south-east Nigeria.

At the Wednesday ceremony, her cousin, Ifeanyi Ofodu, said no amount of money will be enough for our breadwinners murder.

He said the deceased was abducted by the police, but the panels inquiry brought Mr Ezealas death in detention to light.

For six years we searched for him without clue only for the Abuja #EndSARS panel to determine that he had died in detention, Mr Ofodu said.
Four persons suspected to have been involved in the killing of an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Segun Ayebulu, in Ekiti State last week have been arrested.

It was gathered that the arrest was made possible through the efforts of local hunters in collaboration with other security agencies.

Mr Ayebulu was travelling with three of his relatives along the Oke-Ako/Irele Road when he encountered the gunmen on 3rd September.

He was said to be on his way to his hometown in Ogbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, when the incident happened.

The gunmen shot at his vehicle and he died from bullet wounds.

They eventually abducted other occupants of the vehicles and only released them after collecting N5 million as ransom.

The Chairman of Ajoni Local Council Development Area of Ekiti State, Micheal Ogungbemi, confirmed to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday that the suspects were arrested by Ajoni Local Security Network, codenamed Operation Eradicating Bandits at the Borders of Rural Ajoni Communities (EBBORAC).

He said the local security operatives arrested the suspects while patrolling the border area between Ekiti and Kwara states on Tuesday evening.

They had confessed to have perpetrated the killing of the NSCDC operative and kidnapping of his family members, Mr Ogungbemi said.

If not for the prompt action I took, they would have been mobbed by angry youth.

Recovered from them were two AK47. Immediately after the arrest, my office was contacted and I instantly informed the team from Amotekun Corps, Ikole Command, Officers of the Divisional Police Officer, Ikole LGA for immediate detention, investigation, and prosecution of the culprits.

READ ALSO: Gunmen who killed NSCDC officer demand N30 million ransom for captives

They are presently being detained at the police station in Ikole Ekiti.

The Corps Commander, Ekiti State Amotekun Corps, Joe Komolafe, confirmed the arrest of the four suspects.

Yes, they are now with the police. The local security network worked with our operatives in arresting the suspected killers and kidnappers, Mr Komolafe, a retired Brig. General, said.

Since the incident happened, our men have not rested. We have been combing the surrounding bushes at the border area. We are sounding a warning to criminals that Ekiti is not in any way safe for them.
The Kwara Police Command has rescued a woman and her son who were kidnapped, after an intensive search and rescue operation by the commands tactical teams, supported by vigilantes and hunters.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Okasanmi Ajayi disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Ilorin.

On Sept. 13, at about 11:20 p.m., a kidnap occurred in Shao, where one Afusat Lawal and her son, Taofeek Lawal were abducted and carried away, he stated.

Mr Ajayi said the kidnappers were accosted in the bush while sharing the ransom collected from the family of the victims.

The PPRO said that the kidnappers opened fire on the operatives immediately they were sighted.

He said that during exchange of fire, two of the kidnappers suffered gunshot injuries and were arrested and taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, where they were confirmed dead.

Consequently, their corpses were deposited in the hospital mortuary for autopsy, he said.

He said that exhibits recovered from the kidnappers were one Honda Accord Saloon Car with registration number, LAGOS GJ 52 LSR, one single barrel gun and an unspecified amount of money.

ALSO READ: Family of kidnapped DPO cries for help as abductors threaten to kill him

He, however, said that effort had been intensified to get other fleeing members of the gang arrested for prosecution.

Mr Ajayi confirmed that the rescued victims had reunited with their family.

(NAN)
Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), say they patronise second-hand clothing popularly called, okrika because it is affordable.

The residents in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, said they preferred to buy second-hand clothes because of durability.

Grace Ike, a resident of Nyanyan, said she buys fairly-used clothes and shoes for her children because they are cheaper, durable and could be passed from one child to another.

Ms Ike added that she also preferred to do her shopping very early in the morning to avoid a rush and to enable her to get the better ones from the sellers.

One has to come early when the bales would be open, otherwise you wont see the good materials to select, she said.

Kadijat Idris, a second-hand clothes patroniser and a student who resides at Karu said that new clothes are expensive and beyond her purchasing power.

As a student, I have much expenditure to make so I rather go for second-hand clothes in other to meet up with my daily needs, she said.

She said some of the new clothes are inferior; they wear out easily, especially jeans while second-hand clothes are very superior and they last longer.

It provides the opportunity for you to find unique items that no one else has, she said.

Ms Idris said that most of the second-hand clothes that you find in thrift stores are completely unique and sold at extremely low prices.

She said that instead of using the money to get new clothes, she prefers to buy food for herself and her family.

Ms Idris said that there was no need going for new clothes when the second-hand ones are less expensive and affordable.

Kadijat Idris, a banker, says she buys fairly-used bags, shoes and other accessories because of their quality, durability and uniqueness.

Fairly-used items last longer than some new ones because most of them are designer or branded items and I am sure of their authenticity, rather than buying new ones that dont last, she said.

Traders

Mama Ebuka, a trader at the Utako Market, said she usually sells her wears on market days across the metropolis and environs.

I have several customers, so I usually go to Mararaba markets every Wednesday, Madalla on Thursdays and Garki on Fridays to sell my goods, she said.

Ms Ebuka said people should jettison the perception that low-income earners buy fairly-used items more, adding that patronage cuts across all classes depending on preference and taste.

It is not just poor people that buy our things; I have a lot of rich customers, who I carefully select the kind of things I know they like, she said.

Caution

However, a medical practitioner, Martins Magaji, cautioned residents on the health hazards of using fairly-used clothing, especially pants and bras.

Using underwear that have been worn by another person exposes the user to some diseases, especially if the previous wearer had diseases such as skin or sexually transmitted diseases, he said.

Mr Magaji advised buyers to ensure that such clothes are properly washed with antiseptic, sun-dried and ironed before usage in order to reduce the risk of contacting diseases. (NAN)
A civil society organisation, Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), has called for more inclusion of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the nations political process.

The group, which advocates good governance, democracy and inclusion of PWDs, made the call on Tuesday, at a meeting with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), an umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, in Abuja.

IFA, in its observation during the meeting, argued that PWDs have not been given appropriate consideration in party leadership beyond election seasons.

The 2022 signed Electoral Act mandates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take reasonable steps to ensure that PWDs are provided with suitable means of communication during elections.

However, the Director of IFA, Jerry Grace, represented by Steven Idoko, said the political parties need to be deliberate on their concerns for the PWDs.

Political parties must be deliberate about the production of their campaign materials to ensure they are in accessible formats to reach different clusters of PWDs.

They must ensure that venues for meetings and campaign activities are accessible to all PWDs as enshrined in the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities Prohibition Act, 2018, Mr Idoko said.

The group expressed joy on the success of two PWDs as state legislators in Adamawa and Zamfara States, just as it noted the prospects of many more that have shown interest in the 2023 general elections.

IPAC Chairman, Yagagi Sani, in his address, said the umbrella body is already working on some of the concerns raised by the IFA.

We will reiterate some of the issues you listed here but we know that most of them are being taken care of but we will emphasize so that people will know.

Two of the things you want us to take note of include the structure and accessibilities to party offices. I know that they are issues not only taken care of by not only political parties but INEC is also that PWDs have access to voting facilities.

Like I said earlier, we will also reiterate some of these issues and we know that parties are also implementing this, Mr Sani said.

Other members of the IPAC executives at the meeting were its Deputy National Chairman, Mgbudem Maxwell from Accord Party (AP), National Secretary, Yusuf Dantalle of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), National Treasurer, Obidike Okolo, from the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

The spokesperson of the council, Agbo Major of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the National Organising Secretary, Egbeola Martins of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), were also in attendance.
The police in Edo State said they have arrested a medical doctor who specialises in stealing cars from cab drivers after giving them lethal injections.

The doctor, identified as Abbas Adeyemi, 36, works at the General Hospital, Kaiama, Kwara State, Nigerias North-central.

He has confessed to stealing cars from his victims after giving them injections, the police said.

Mr Adeyemi, father of two, hails from Offa in Kwara State, the police spokesperson in Edo State, Chidi Nwabuzor, told PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday.

Mr Nwabuzor, a superintendent of police, said Mr Adeyemi confessed to killing a cab driver, Emmanuel Yobo, in Edo.

The doctor allegedly killed Mr Yobo, 39, on 3 September after injecting him with different substances.

The suspect, during his first meeting with Mr Yobo in Edo, solicited and got the victims help to sell a vehicle he brought to the state.

On that 3th September (second meeting) he chartered the victim to take him round Benin City, where he injected different kinds of substance into his body which affected him adversely and resulted in his death, the police spokesperson said.

The suspect then dumped the victims body along Benin-Ondo Road (Benin Bypass) and fled with his Toyota Camry, according to the police.

Mr Nwabuzor said the investigation by the Anti kidnapping and Cybercrime Unit from the police headquarters in Benin City led to the doctors arrest and the recovery of the car in Osogbo, Osun State.

The suspect made confessional statements, admitting he killed the cab driver by injecting substances into his body, Mr Nwabuzor said.

The investigation led to the invitation of the buyer of the same vehicle who confessed how the suspect brought a vehicle from Kwara State, which he bought.

Mr Nwabuzor said the suspect confessed to killing another car owner.

The suspect has been charged to court, according to the police.

PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately reach Kaiama General Hospital for comments as of the time of this report.
The Ekiti State House of Assembly has approved the creation of state police and judicial autonomy in the ongoing fifth alteration to the 1999 Constitution.

The House also ratified the provisions stipulating the procedure for the removal from office of principal officers of the Houses of Assembly.

The amended bills were transmitted to the House of Assembly for ratification in March 2022.

Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday on the position taken by the Assembly, the Houses Leader of Government Business, Gboyega Aribisogan, said the lawmakers ratified the alteration to the issue of law reform in the country for radical improvement in the qualities of laws that will guide the three arms of government.

At the plenary today, the Assembly approved four areas being considered for amendment to the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly, he said.

What we did was just a concurrence to the amendments and not further alterations to what had been done by the National Assembly.

These include the approval for the law mandating the state to have a state police to improve security across the county.

We also approved a law stating the procedure to be followed for the removal of the principal officers of the Houses of Assembly to ensure stability and improve the quality of governance.

The Assembly also unanimously approved the alteration to the Constitution allowing State to have a law backing the establishment of State Judicial Council just like the National Judicial Council at the Federal level, so that the judiciary can be autonomous.

It also approved the amendment to the proper regulation of the law reform to ensure that quality laws are made to guarantee good legislation and robust governance and equality in the system.

The National Assembly in March this year transmitted 44 passed Constitution alteration bills to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for concurrence.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Amos Ojo, distributed the copies of the bills to clerks of the state Assemblies at a transmission ceremony in Abuja.

The federal lawmakers voted on the 68 amendments recommended by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Special Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.

The amended clauses were made possible after a two-third or four-fifth majority of each of the Senate and the House of Reps had approved the amendment.

It will take the concurrence of two-thirds or 24 of the 36 of the state Houses of Assembly to give effect to the amendments made by the National Assembly.
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Muhammad Barde, has accused the state government of masterminding attacks on his campaign office.

This is as the spokesperson to the governor, Ismail Misili, said Mr Barde was only trying to create a problem out of nothing to score cheap political points.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Barde said the frontage of his party office was destroyed by agents of the government.

He said the Gombe State Urban Development Agency led by one Captain Bilal violated a court order stopping the agency from demolishing his campaign office after the frontage of the office was destroyed by officials of the agency.

Our attention is drawn to the increased attacks by the Gombe state government to our campaign office and other apparatus of our party by agents purportedly sent by the state government. The first was done by an agency of the government, Gombe state Urban Development Agency under the directive of one Capt. Bilal, after violating the court order issued on the eighteenth of march, the agency thus went ahead to demolish the front row of the campaign office, Mr Barde alleged in the statement.

In a court order seen by PREMIUM TIMES, dated 18 March, the Gombe High Court 11 issued an interim injunction restraining the defendants from demolishing the office.

Gombe State Government, the attorney-general of the state, and Gombe Urban Planning and Development Agency were the defendants.

The Incorporated Trustees of Gombe Good Leadership Association, an organisation affiliated with the PDP candidate, was named as the plaintiff.

An order of interim injunction restraining or prohibiting the defendants whether by themselves or through their agents, servants, privies or otherwise described from demolishing or attempting to demolish or otherwise disturbing the plaintiffs quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the plaintiffs building or taking any step, doing any in connection with or dealing in the plaintiffs building situate and being at Jekadafari Liberty Stadium junction, Gombe State pending the plaintiffs motion on notice, the injunction, signed by the Principal Registrar 1 of the High Court No. 11, Aishatu Muhammad, read.

An order staying or prohibiting the defendants from acting on Demolition Notice marked on the plaintiffs building situate and being at Jekadafari Liberty Stadium junction, Gombe State pending the plaintiffs motion on notice, the injunction further stated.

Mr Barde further accused the Gombe Urban Planning and Development Agency of bias for not demolishing the campaign buildings of the incumbent governor and candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Inuwa Yahaya.

Asides from the attacks on our offices we have noticed with dismay the way and manner these agents avoided the state governor campaign offices and objects showing a motive that is divisive and partisan.

Its just politics  Gombe govt

However, Mr Misili told PREMIUM TIMES that the issue started long before Mr Barde became the PDP candidate.

He said the land where the campaign building is situated was originally allotted by the states urban planning authority for the erection of a billboard and not to build a campaign office as the place is directly facing the Presidential Lodge.

This is where the president or any important guest is kept, how then do you expect a political party to be allowed to open an office there? Even if its the ruling party, APC, the governor would not allow that, Mr Misili said.

Commenting on the court order stopping the demolition, Mr Misili said the order was not served to the State Government or the Gombe Urban Planning and Development Authority.

In a three-page response to the Principal Partner of Gedeba Solicitors, Mr Bardes legal representatives, the Gombe Urban Planning and Development Authority said it has no official engagement with the PDP candidate.

The urban authority further claimed its agreement with Gombe Leadership Association was for it to erect billboards at the location, but the organisation went ahead to erect buildings contrary to what was approved.

That consequent upon the above the authority served the association with all the statutory notices to regularize their documentation with the authority for it to continue with the construction, but it proves abortive. The authority was left with no option but to demolish the illegal structure, the letter read.

The urban authority said the ex parte order secured by Mr Barde has nothing to do with him.

That after the demolition of the said associations illegal structure, it went to court and obtained the said ex-parte order in suit no; GM/62m/2022 between Gombe Good Leadership Association and the Gombe State government and three Ors

That the said ex-parte order has no nexus with your client because he is not a party to the suit which is pending before the High Court.

That your client, having been donated with the premises of Gombe Good leadership Association, owes a duty to effect the change of ownership to the relevant government agency to reflect the new owner of the premises before embarking on any development on the premises.

That your client ought to know that for him to embark on any development on the premises of Gombe Good Leadership Association he must obtain approval from the Authority.

That your client is not connected/affected by the ex-parte order nor a party in suit no; GM/62m/2022 between Gombe Good Leadership Association Vs Gombe State Government and 3 others pending before the High Court, the statement added.

The urban authority insisted that Mr Barde should not have gone ahead to erect a building on the premises since he knew it was subject to litigation.

READ ALSO: Governorship aspirant accuses Gombe government of illegally demolishing campaign office

The lawyers were asked to advise Mr Barde to comply with the extant development control laws/regulations in the state to enjoy a peaceful possession of his property.

It is provocative  PDP

The National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party has reacted to the demolition of the campaign office, calling it cowardly and provocative.

The partys spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement asked the state government to rebuild the destroyed building.

The PDP, without any equivocation, demands that the Gombe State Government should immediately rebuild the demolished Campaign Office and tender unreserved apology to the people of Gombe State.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya is in mortal fear of the PDP Gombe State Campaign office which has become the rallying point of the people in the determination to liberate their State from the misrule and stranglehold of the APC administration.

The party said the governor of the state would be held responsible for the breakdown of law and order in the state as a result of his alleged persecution of the opposition candidate. He asked President Muhammadu Buhari to call the APC-led government in the state to order.

Our Party cautions Inuwa Yahaya to note that he has been exposed and would be held responsible for any breakdown of Law and Order as well as any terrorist attack in Gombe State ahead of the elections.

The PDP, therefore, invites President Muhammadu Buhari to call Governor Inuwa Yahaya to order before he causes another mayhem in Gombe State.

We also charge the Inspector General of Police to order an investigation into the use of police operatives to attack the people of Gombe State to facilitate the demolition of the Campaign Office, he said.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is currently investigating 15 cases of sexual harassment, the commissions chairperson, Bolaji Owasanoye, said Tuesday.

Mr Owasanoye, who bemoaned the ugly trend of lecturers demanding sexual gratifications from students in higher institutions of learning, said the commission had concluded two other cases of sexual harassment one of which, according to him, ended in the conviction of the suspect.

Highlighting ICPCs efforts to stem the trend, Mr Owasanoye said the commission was training and retraining its officers on how to handle sexual harassment cases.

In addition to these, about seventeen (17) reports relating to Sexual Harassment have been received by the Commission, one resulted in a conviction via a plea bargain, one resulted in system study, one criminal case was recently filed in court while some other cases are still ongoing investigation, he said.

He spoke at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Sexual Harassment in Educational Institutions, co-convened by ICPC and Gender Mobile Initiative with the support of the Ford Foundation.

He said adequate policy formulation, implementation and sensitisation were required to change the culture of silence over the fear of stigmatisation.

The ICPC boss added that the commission would upscale campaigns and public enlightenment against sexual harassment across the Country.

It has become quite common for teaching and non-teaching staff to demand or expect sexual gratification from their students to whom they are supposed to serve as parents.

Likewise, senior staff have been found to use their office to demand and at times obtain sexual benefits from their juniors. Recipients of such unwanted attention find that they feel forced to comply with the unlawful and unethical demands otherwise dire consequences and denial of benefits to which they are entitled would follow.

The culture of silence out of fear of reprisal and stigmatization has allowed sexual harassment to thrive in some quarters but with sensitization and appropriate policy implementation, it is hoped that this culture would gradually change, he said.

He said the commission had carried out about seven training and re-training programmes for its officers in Operations, Prosecution and Education and Public Enlightenment Departments.

According to him, the trained officers also conducted training for their colleagues.

Mr Owasanoye also said the commission had partnered with some civil society organisations to carry out training for students while the Education and Public Enlightenment Department had taken up the task of including talks on Sexual Harassment in its different engagements.

Deputy Senate President, others speak

In his remarks as a special guest at the event, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, vowed to fast-track the enactment of Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Prohibition, Prevention and Redressed Bill, 2019.

Mr Omo-Agege, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Itive Igbuzor, stressed that tertiary institutions must be devoid of corruption in the form of sexual harassment.

Driving the process for the enactment of the law against sexual harassment. I had the honour and privilege to sponsor the Bill, which had the unanimous support of virtually all Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic in the 9th Senate, the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Prohibition, Prevention and Redressed Bill, 2019 (Senate Bill (SB) 77) is aimed at combating the menace of sexual harassment in our educational institutions.

On his part, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, represented by the Registrar Joint Admissions, Matriculations Board(JAMB), Isa-haq Oloyede, pledged that the ministry would distribute the policy document on sexual harassment when completed across all schools in Nigeria.

He added that going forward, employers should provide their staff sexual harassment policy document as a way to prevent its occurrence.

He observed that the term sexual harassment should be reconceptulaised to sexual misbehaviour.

We will do everything to promote this policy document, let me also inform you that this template will be widely circulated as soon as it is finalised. Distribution of the document to all connected agencies of the Ministry of Education at no cost. Will enforcement, implementation of this policy document across schools in the Country, he said.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director, Gender Mobile Initiative, Omawumi Ogunrotimi, prayed that the engagement should translate into a better approach to ending campus sexual assaults and other sexual harassment in Nigeria.

She said that formulating a workable legal framework would go a long way in ending the menace.

Other contributors at the event took their turns to share ideas on the best policy models for curbing sexual harassment in Nigerias educational institutions.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said bandits and hoodlums would have overrun the state if not for the prompt intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Uzodinma stated this on Tuesday after the commissioning of the dualised 36-kilometer Owerri-Orlu Road and the first phase of the dualised 53-kilometer Owerri-Okigwe Road in the state by Mr Buhari.

The president also commissioned the reconstructed Imo House of Assembly Complex.

Your prompt intervention helped to restore peace and order in our state.

But for your timely, prompt and fatherly intervention through the security agencies, Imo State would have been overrun by bandits and hoodlums.

For this, I also say a big thank you Mr President, Mr Uzodinma said.

Like other states in the South-east, Imo State has recently become a hotbed of attacks attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, which is agitating for a sovereign state for the Igbo-speaking people in the South-east.

Although the state government enacted a law which domesticated South-east security outfit, Ebubeagu, to complement the efforts of security agencies against insecurity, the attacks have persisted in the state.

The governor also expressed gratitude to Mr Buhari for accepting his invitation to commission the projects, saying the visit to the state, which was his second within one year, was an evidence of his love for the state.

He praised Mr Buhari for his numerous development projects in the South-east since he assumed office.

You have demonstrated your love for Ndigbo through the completion of the second River Niger Bridge, a project that has been in the bucket list of Ndigbo for decades.

Mr President I must tell you that since the end of the civil war, it is only under your administration that the federal government would do one project at a cost in excess of N360 billion. It has not been done by any government before 2015, the governor said.

He said the presidents encouragement and support enabled him to complete the commissioned projects, which he claimed were ignored by successive administrations due to their intractable and capital-intensive nature.

Ive done more than 105 roads

Mr Uzodinma said his administration was still undertaking some infrastructural projects in the state, which would soon be commissioned, saying the government prides itself as apostles of road revolution given the number of accomplished projects in the state.

In less than three years since I took over as the governor, this administration has done more than 105 roads across the 27 local government areas of the state, he said. Our goal is to leave Imo state far better than we met it.

The governor said his administration refused to be distracted by rising insecurity in the state which he claimed was politically-contrived by his political opponents.

Ohanaezes message to Buhari

Meanwhile, the President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo George Obiozor, has told Mr Buhari that the region was committed to the Nigerian project.

Mr Obiozor, a professor, spoke during a reception held in honour of the president at the new banquet hall, Government House, Imo State on Tuesday.

I wish to reiterate and speak on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide  both home and in the diaspora  that our people are committed to the Nigerian project (and) that we desire a country that provides us the platform and opportunities to contribute our utmost best to the growth of our fatherland, he said. We seek justice, equity and fairness.

The President-General also appealed to Mr Buhari to assist the region in addressing myriads of challenges facing them.

Although our people are doing their utmost best to confront the plethora of challenges, the two that are of greatest importance to the South-east political zone are the issues of security and infrastructure, Mr Obiozor said.
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, is billed to travel out of the country on Wednesday (today) amidst the crisis rocking the party.

Mr Ayu, as disclosed by his media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam, in a statement on Tuesday, will be spending the next two weeks in an unnamed European country.

The statement did not indicate the purpose of the trip.

It, however, said ahead of the trip, Mr Ayu, has handed over to the PDP deputy chairman (north), Iliya Damagun, to oversee the affairs of the party till his return and has informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accordingly.

Already, the national chairman has communicated the handover to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He is expected back at month-end, .

Mr Ayu is travelling to Europe despite the raging crisis in the party arising from the May partys presidential primary and the demand for his resignation.

Governor Nyesom Wike, who lost to Atiku Abubakar in the primary, is leading a group of discontented party members decrying the imbalance in the leadership of the party.

They said it is innapropriate for the national chairman and the presidential candidate to come from the same part of the country. Both Messrs Ayu and Atiku are from the north.

While the calls for Mr Ayus resignation continues to resonate, the national chairman has shown no sign of taking a bow anything soon. He recently described those governors calling for his exit as children.

The partys National Executive Committee (NEC) also sealed the chairmans position in the party by passing a vote of confidence in his leadership last week.

Also, Mr Ayus trip comes despite criticisms trailing the frequent trips of some politicians in the country abroad to hold meetings.

In August alone, some politicians from different political parties held several meetings in Europe.

One of such meetings in London was held between the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State.

At the meeting, the Wikes camp demanded the exit of Mr Ayu as a condition to supporting Atiku in the February 2023 poll.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited said it will on Thursday sign agreements on the gas pipeline project with the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines of Morocco and the ECOWAS Commission.

NNPCL said the agreement is expected to drive the execution of the 7,000km Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project.

The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline was proposed in a December 2016 agreement between the NNPC and the Moroccan Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (National Board of Hydrocarbons and Mines).

The Federal Executive Council in June authorised the NNPC to enter into an agreement with ECOWAS for the construction of the pipeline.

The government says the gas pipeline, designed to be 7,000km long, will reduce gas flaring in Nigeria and encourage the diversification of energy resources in the country while cutting down poverty through the creation of more job opportunities.

It will further encourage utilisation of gas in the sub-region for cooking, and discourage desertification.

The NNPC in a statement on Tuesday said the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, paid a courtesy visit to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray in preparation for the signing of the agreement scheduled to hold on 15 September in Rabat, Morocco.

During the meeting, the statement said the NNPC and the ECOWAS Commission reaffirmed their commitment on the project to provide gas to the West African countries through the Kingdom of Morocco and subsequently Europe.

It said NNPC and ONHYM would also sign two Memorandum of Understanding with Societe Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures of Mauritania and Petrosen of Senegal, both of whom are expected to participate in the project.

Once completed, the project would supply about three billion standard cubic feet of gas along the West African Coast from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote dIvoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania to Morocco.

Other benefits of the NMGP project include improving the living standards of people, integration of the economies within the sub-region and mitigating against desertification through sustainable & reliable gas supply, it said.
The US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, said on Tuesday that countries who produce more emissions have to take higher responsibilities if the world must overcome the effects of climate change.

If we are going to as a planet come together, we all have to be part of the solution. Obviously with higher levels of responsibility to countries that produce more emissions, he said on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Abuja.

Mr Kerry, who visited Nigeria for two days, said he is here simply to talk about how we can do this future together in a way that works for everybody.

He said Nigeria is one of the most important countries on climate matters in Africa because as a major producer of petroleum, how Nigeria approaches the climate crisis will send a message to the rest of the continent as well as the global community.

Nigeria as a major gas producer and the country of so many millions of people, one of the most populous in the world, will help set the direction of our dealing with the climate crisis and so having the right mix of energy sources over the next few years is going to help us to find how the crisis will be dealt with, he said.

Acknowledging that climate action needs huge funding, Mr Kerry noted that private sector actors are as important as their public sector counterparts.

We cannot get to the solution without the private sector being part of the solution because no government in the world has enough money to be able to produce the trillions needed  those trillions are in the private sector and we need companies in the private sector to be making wise decisions about the energy future and we need them to be at the table with us in order to help us put together funding that can leverage other fundings, he said.

When asked if the US was considering Vice President Yemi Osinbajos debt-for-climate swap deal, Mr Kerry did not say if the Biden government bought into the idea but said it was a practice they have engaged in with countries in Latin and Central America.

He, however, said it makes a lot of sense because some of the developing world is drowning under debt and does not have the money to be able to invest and cannot invest

Mr Osinbajo was in Washington two weeks ago to seek global partnerships and support for Nigerias recently inaugurated Energy Transition Plan (ETP) where he proposed a Debt-For-Climate (DFC) swap deal in order to ensure a just energy transition for African countries.

Debt for climate swaps is a type of debt swap where bilateral or multilateral debt is forgiven by creditors in exchange for a commitment by the debtor to use the outstanding debt service payments for national climate action programmes.

Typically, the creditor country or institution agrees to forgive part of a debt, if the debtor country would pay the avoided debt service payment in a local currency into an escrow or any other transparent fund and the funds must then be used for agreed climate projects in the debtor country.

From 6th to 18th November, world leaders will gather at the Sharm el-Sheikh International Convention Centre (SHICC), Egypt, for COP27, the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference; to further continue the conversation on how the world can keep the goal of 1.5 alive and avoid the worst effects of climate change.

Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.
A 17-year-old teenager, Suleiman Muhammed, has drowned in a pond at Wailari Quarters in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, on Wednesday in Kano.

Mr Abdullahi said the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon.

We received an emergency call at about 03:47 p.m. from one Muhammed Salisu and we sent our rescue team to the scene at about 03:56 p.m, adding that Muhammed was brought out of the water unconscious and was later confirmed dead.

Mr Abdullahi said the corpse had been handed over to the ward head of Wailari Quarters, Magaji Adamu.

He also said the cause of the incident was local swimming by the deceased. (NAN)
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has backed his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, in echoing the call for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu.

Mr Makinde said Mr Ayus resignation will give a sense of belonging to the people of the south in the party.

The Oyo governor made this call at the South-west PDP meeting held in Ibadan, with the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar.

Messrs Makinde and Wike have been insistent on the call for the removal of Mr Ayu, saying the key positions in the party have been lopsided in favour of the north.

Both governors began the call for Mr Ayus removal and his replacement with a southerner following the emergence of Atiku as the partys presidential candidate.

The two men are from the northern part of the country

Mr Ayu and Mr Wike exchanged words last week over the latters call for the removal of the former as the party chair.

But Atiku has continued to back Mr Ayu to remain in office, and the party hierarchys vote of confidence on the chairman last week appeared to confirm that.

Incoming president

In his welcome address at the meeting, Mr Makinde described Atiku as the incoming president of Nigeria in 2023.

Mr Makindes description of Mr Atiku prompted applause from the PDP leaders present, who expressed joy at the governors words.

The truth is that we do not have any issue either with our party or our candidate. If there are challenges they must be tabled. We are supposed to give hope to our people because we want them to listen to us.

Our party wants to rescue Nigeria and our candidate is a unifier. He wants to restructure Nigeria

Eight years of the All Progressives Congress have left us sharply divided. As a result, we must practice what we preach. If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify the PDP first. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to bring inclusivity to the PDP.

We are asking the National Chairman to step down so that the South will be fully included. That is the message.
Member of the House of Representatives will on Tuesday resume plenary at a temporary venue as its chamber is undergoing renovation.

A hearing room at the new wing of the House has been converted into a interim chamber ahead of the resumption of the lawmakers on 20 September.

The room has been fitted with gadgets and other facilities though it can only take 271 lawmakers out of its 360 members.

The members of this 9th House may never use the Green Chamber again, as the renovation is expected to last till August 2023. This Assembly is expected to adjourn sine dine by the first week of June.

On Wednesday, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila toured the complex to monitor the ongoing renovation of the chamber.

Mr Gbajabiamila said the contractors are expected to deliver a state-of-the-art edifice with the best technological innovations.

It is, unfortunately or fortunately, this is not for the benefit of the 9th Assembly, it is for the benefit of the 10th Assembly. The old chamber is not going to be ready until sometime in August 2023.

So we are talking about close to a year. But so far so good. We are happy and this temporary site where we will be sitting for the next nine, 10 months is honestly a far cry from where we used to be but they have done well in adapting. This used to be hearing room to a legislative chamber, he said.

Mr Gbajabiamila also inspected the ongoing work on the N11 billion building of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC).

Bassey Etuk, a commissioner of NASC, said the commission opted to move into the National Assembly complex for operational reasons.

He disclosed that the building will cost N11 billion and is set to be completed within 24 months.

Controversial N37 billion NASS renovation

In 2020, the National Assembly had approved the Appropriation Act with a provision to spend N37 billion on the renovation of the complex.

The decision, however, generated public outcry because of the cost. Interestingly, some members of the National Assembly opposed the planned spending. It was subsequently reduced to N9 billion in the supplementary budget.

Before then PREMIUM TIMES had reported exclusively that the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory awarded the contract to a construction company, Visible Construction Limited, at the cost N42 billion.

The renovation involves the two chambers of the National Assembly and the entire White House.

Over the past couple of years, there have been incidents of leaking roofs and malfunctioning of the central cooling system.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the commencement of a process that will enhance the indigenisation of vaccine production in Nigeria.

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the councils meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said: The council considered a memorandum from the Ministry of Health today, which has to do with the first stage in indigenising vaccine production in Nigeria, the standard programme on immunisation, not COVID-19 vaccine.

As you know, the government has a joint venture agreement and formed the company called Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited, which is to start producing vaccines domestically.

Now, they are sourcing for international partners, who will join them and give them the technology transfer that they require.

And after going to various countries, South Africa, Indonesia, they settled with a Serum Institute of India, which will now be the technical partner to support them in setting up the vaccine production plant in Nigeria.

But of course, the Serium Institute of India is you have engaged the largest vaccine producer in the world, and also has vaccines that are approved by World Health Organisation.

Mr Ehanire further disclosed that with this development, Serium Institute of India will work with Bio Vaccine Nigeria, to build their manufacturing plant in Nigeria.

The plant is to be located in Ogun State, with the Nigerian company having 15 per cent of the market share.

So, who will buy it? So, government now has approved 15% of the vaccines that UNICEF normally supplies us for bio vaccine to supply to through contract manufacturing, Serium Institute of India.

And with this, Serium Institute of India will now be comfortable enough to come and join Bio Vaccine of Nigeria, in building their manufacturing plant here in Ota, Nigeria.

So, that arrangement has now been approved by the Federal Executive Council for Bio Vaccine Nigeria to have 15 per cent of the market share.

It will be used for contract manufacturing of those vaccines as an initial step over the next few years when the plant in Nigeria starts to work.

So, that was the approval that the council gave today, he said.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, also told the correspondents that the council approved N2.044 billion for the provision of internal roads and drainages at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Boards Gas hub in Bayelsa.

According to Mr Sylva, the gas hub was meant to encourage the development of countries that will process the Nigerian gas for export as well as promote the use of gas internally.

Council today approved the contract to construct internal roads and bridges in the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Boards Gas hub located at Polaku in Bayelsa.

The contract sum is N2.044 billion.

The gas hub is to encourage the development of companies that will process and develop our gas for export and to try to deepen the use of gas internally as well as construct gas cylinders.

Already there are companies that are in the gas hub. So, these drainages and roads.

The entire development of that area is to encourage more companies to come into the area in furtherance of our commitment to the decade of gas from 2021 to 2030 as declared by the president, he said.

(NAN)
A former Group Executive Director, Engineering and Technology Directorate of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Alexander Ogedegbe, has spoken on the factors behind Nigerias recurring woes in the oil sector.

Mr Ogedegbe, who retired from the NNPC in 2003, spoke on Arise TVs breakfast programme, The Morning Show on Wednesday.

He said the countrys oil sector has been underperforming due to the incompetence of NNPC staffers and other operators in the industry, pointing out that the oil firm has failed, for a long time, to invest in staff training for optimum capacity.

He claimed that the NNPC has been outsourcing all its technical capabilities for the past 20 years.

I tell you, when we were in office, you could look at every level of manning, thats staffing, and see competence and experience. But how many people at the level of executive directors, for instance, have ever drilled a well or been in an operative position. Thats the problem. When you have people, who man the company but have no hands-on experience, then what are we talking about? he said.

The former group director said the country has failed to record adequate production due to a lack of investment in the industrys operational facilities.

Gas investment in the last 10 years has been almost nil. For instance, there are no new wells. The old wells have been overdrawn. And oil companies are not investing. The wells can only produce and decline in production rate. You have to have new wells, development wells, and even some appraisal wells, but none of these has materialised. If you dont have new wells, you cant produce.

If you recall in 2017 or 2018, the expectation of new investment was about $16 billion to $17 billion, but only three or four per cent of this came on, he said.

Despite being ranked the 15th oil-producing country in the world, Nigerias oil industry has continued to suffer declining oil production.

With an average of 1,083,899 barrels per day in July, Nigerias crude oil production plunged below one million barrels per day (972, 394 bpd) in August, the lowest ever in several years, according to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

The situation, exacerbated by the rising oil theft, has continued to hinder the development aspirations of Nigeria, a country heavily dependent on oil revenues to meet its needs.

To solve the recurring woes in the sector, the Nigerian government recently unveiled the new Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which officially changed the oil firm from a wholly state-run entity to a commercial oil company, limited by shares.

But Mr Ogedegbe, an engineer, said he was yet to see the difference between NNPC and the NNPCL, aside from the change of name.

Maybe we will see something (differently) when they (NNPCL) roll out properly, he said.

On the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the former NNPC official said not much has been gained from the act and that the operations of oil & gas were not significantly improved by the act.

On oil theft, the former director said it is completely a security problem that should be tackled by the government and not the NNPC.

NNPC cannot handle security outside its limits, (there is) no facility to do it, he said.

What can be done

To address the recurring dilemma in the countrys oil and gas sector, Mr Ogedegbe said the oil firm should invest in training its staff members and recruit of best hands into the industry.

When I look back, 10 to 15 years ago, I dont see capable people replacing those who are leaving, Mr Ogedegbe said.

He also said the government should invest in the repair and consistent maintenance of refineries, saying it was disturbing that the countrys refineries have not been working for years.

In 1991, Nigeria was producing 100 per cent of its requirements for the products. All the refineries were running, some 90 per cent, some 80 per cent  I mean the refineries at Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt. Slowly, because of attrition of experienced staff and lack of proper funding and maintenance, the capacity decreased, he said.

NNPC, not capable of running refineries

Mr Ogedegbe equally asked the government to privatise the countrys refineries to reverse the trend. He said he had written to successive Nigerian governments, detailing how to properly carry out the privatisation, but that his suggestions were ignored.

I said (it should be) majority shareholding to competent operators with at least 25 to 30 per cent to the government or NNPC, so that you can still continue to get your dividends, he said.

But, under the present circumstances, the NNPC is incapable of running the refineries because all the staff that were trained and have experience are no longer there.

He said the government must remove subsidies before privatising the refineries, explaining that without removing the subsidies, operators will not make a profit.
KATHMANDU, Nepal, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Edvoy, a tech platform supporting and enabling international study abroad with its network, had held an event for students and introducers with the University of Roehampton. The event took place on 3rd September, 2022 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The event was led by Firoz Sait, VP South Asia at Edvoy. He welcomed Vidhi Mistry Head of Operations - International, University of Roehampton. Based in London, the University of Roehampton is a true international community. It prides itself on its diversity with students from over 140 countries.

Edvoy holds University of Roehampton meet-and-greet for students in Nepal

Mistry initially spoke with prospective students, doing on-the-spot assessments in a seminar, then spoke with introducers in the region.

The event was also attended by dignitaries Bishnu Hari Pandey, Immediate Past President of the Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal (ECAN), Deepak Raj Bhusal, General Secretary ECAN and Sunil Regmi, CEO Orbit MBB, the valued partner for the British Council in Nepal. From Edvoy, attendees also included Philip DC, Country Director Edvoy Nepal, Sunil Kumar, Manager Nepal.

Firoz Sait, VP South Asia, Edvoy

"Edvoy prides itself in connecting students with top global universities. We give them the opportunity to hear directly about entry requirements and ask questions to see if the university is the best fit for them. Transparency and trust is the foundation of our close relationship with university partners. We understand the decision international students are making, is life changing."

Vidhi Mistry, Head of Operations - International, University of Roehampton

"We cherish our partnership with Edvoy and are excited by the strategic relationship with them in Nepal. We are confident Edvoy's immense network will help us support students achieve their study abroad ambitions."

About Edvoy

Edvoy is a one-stop digital platform that supports overseas applicants in their entire study-abroad journey. Borne from the success of IEC Abroad, we have been providing excellence in global education support since 2007. IEC Abroad serviced thousands of students worldwide with tailored advice to help them realise their academic ambitions; Edvoy continues this legacy, digitally. Headquartered in Manchester, UK and with a presence globally. Our team is 300+ strong.

Our Mission

We want to simplify the world of education through technology. We're empowering students to make more informed decisions as they forge their educational paths.

Our Vision

We believe everyone has the right to an education. Our technology connects prospective students and education providers through impartial advice. Through innovation, we will make education global.

Links:

Business https://edvoy.com/about/

For partners https://partners.edvoy.com/

University of Roehampton https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/international/

Contact:

Syed Humam Ali | [email protected] | (+91) 9560209970

Kate Pickering | [email protected] | +44 (0)161 233 4295

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1898346/Study_abroad_meet_and_greet.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1862366/Edvoy_Logo

SOURCE Edvoy
Mission-driven organizations and nonprofit professionals from across North America were celebrated at the hybrid Raise 2022 conference

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OneCause, a leader in online and event fundraising, recognized fundraising innovation and excellence at its annual Raise Awards ceremony during the Raise 2022 hybrid conference in Chicago, Illinois. Nearly 1,000 nonprofit fundraising professionals came together in person and virtually September 12-13 to learn innovative fundraising strategies from industry experts, connect with fellow fundraisers, and share their knowledge with the nonprofit community.

"Celebrating the innovation, commitment, and ingenuity of nonprofit professionals and organizations is what the Raise Awards are all about," said Steve Johns, chief executive officer for OneCause. "Putting the spotlight on those working tirelessly to make the world a better place recognizes the hard work and impact of industry-leading fundraisers and their causes."

For five years, the Raise Awards have put the spotlight on nonprofits and fundraising professionals who are shaping the future of fundraising. This year's winners include a diverse array of mission-driven organizations, from local organizations creating change in their communities to large nonprofits with international recognition.

Innovative Nonprofit of the Year

The Innovative Nonprofit of the Year Award recognizes two organizations that uniquely push themselves, inspire others, and consistently reach new heights by implementing new ideas.

Anchorpoint Counseling Ministry addressed the growing needs for community services due to COVID-19 by committing to significantly expanding its individual giving program and engaging a local foundation, requesting a three-part challenge grant. They raised 290% more during a 3-month period compared to the same timeframe a year earlier. This result was 290% higher than in the same 3-month period a year earlier.

addressed the growing needs for community services due to COVID-19 by committing to significantly expanding its individual giving program and engaging a local foundation, requesting a three-part challenge grant. They raised 290% more during a 3-month period compared to the same timeframe a year earlier. This result was 290% higher than in the same 3-month period a year earlier. Leukemia & Lymphoma Society responded to the challenging times propelled by the pandemic by quickly pivoting to develop two national virtual fundraising campaigns. Each of these surpassed targets and reached new audiences. In 2021, LLS provided more than 42,000 patients with over $241 million in total grants, a 70% increase from 2020.

Storyteller of the Year

The Storyteller of the Year Award recognizes two organizations for excellence in communicating their purpose through branding, narrative, and promotion that inform the mind and move the heart.

Comfort Cases' story is most often told by its founder, Rob Scheer , who openly shares his own journey in foster care. With more than 250,000 followers on their social media platforms, and as host of Fostering Change, ranked for the second consecutive year as the #1-rated podcast related to issues regarding foster care and adoption, Comfort Cases furthers its mission of inspiring communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care. Since its founding 10 years ago, Comfort Cases has given out more than 185,000 comfort cases filled with essential items to use in each of the 50 states, Washington D.C. , Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom .

story is most often told by its founder, , who openly shares his own journey in foster care. With more than 250,000 followers on their social media platforms, and as host of Fostering Change, ranked for the second consecutive year as the #1-rated podcast related to issues regarding foster care and adoption, Comfort Cases furthers its mission of inspiring communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care. Since its founding 10 years ago, Comfort Cases has given out more than 185,000 comfort cases filled with essential items to use in each of the 50 states, , and the . Community Living works to enrich the lives of people with disabilities so they can achieve their highest potential by providing children and adults with services and programs that allow them to live, learn, and work in the community. Their stories aren't about nameless faces, they're about Tyler who was named homecoming king, and Karen who was laid off during the pandemic but is thriving in her new job and just bought a new car. Their storytelling engaged donors, resulting in a 60% fundraising lift compared to the previous year and growing annual recurring gifts by up to 15% and witnessing the frequency of giving literally double.

Fundraisers of the Year

The Fundraiser of the Year Award recognizes three nonprofit professionals whose leadership, success, and passion for their mission stand out among their peers.

Jane Kobak , Associate Director of Major Giving for Opportunity Enterprises: Jane is a true leader and develops strong relationships with staff, board members, clients, and the community. As a result of her dedication, Opportunity Enterprises exceeded their annual revenue budget by over 60% in the recent fiscal year.

Jane is a true leader and develops strong relationships with staff, board members, clients, and the community. As a result of her dedication, Opportunity Enterprises exceeded their annual revenue budget by over 60% in the recent fiscal year. Jennifer Berger , Director of Development for Rubicon Programs: Jennifer never settles for average. At times, gifts have come unsolicited  without a grant application or specific ask  because donors were so impressed by Jennifer and her passion for Rubicon's work. Rubicon hit their annual fundraising goal in under six months, thanks in large part to Jennifer's leadership.

Jennifer never settles for average. At times, gifts have come unsolicited  without a grant application or specific ask  because donors were so impressed by Jennifer and her passion for Rubicon's work. Rubicon hit their annual fundraising goal in under six months, thanks in large part to Jennifer's leadership. Megan Carfa , Operations and Development Director for Junior Players: Megan not only talks the talk, she walks the walk. She never asks anyone to do anything she won't do herself. She truly inspires everyone around her to take initiative and step up. In 5 short years, Megan's work has expanded their programs tenfold and has contributed to an increase of Junior Players' North Texas Giving Day goal every year raising 150% of their goal in 2021.

Raise Awards winners were selected by a committee of peer nonprofit professionals and industry experts looking for a focus on specific achievements, campaigns, and events from the last 12 months. In addition to the award recognition, winners receive a cash donation to their mission on behalf of OneCause.

To find out more about the Raise Awards, please visit: https://www.onecause.com/raise/awards/.

About OneCause

OneCause is driving the future of fundraising with easy-to-use event and online fundraising solutions that help nonprofits improve the giving experience and raise more money. OneCause builds technology that optimizes everyday generosity, making it easier for nonprofit organizations to fundraise and for nonprofit supporters to give. Since 2008, OneCause has helped over 10,000 nonprofits raise more than $4 billion for their missions. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., OneCause is committed to driving innovation in the charitable sector, bringing together nonprofit professionals across the world for the annual Raise Conference to exchange ideas that further fundraising. For more information, visit www.onecause.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

SOURCE OneCause
Inspired by love, a builder and his wife developed a bodywork that can avert two common emergency surgeries

GAINESVILLE, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Larry Wurn, Research Director at Clear Passage Therapies, loved Belinda from the time he was three years old. As they prepared to marry at age 30, she was diagnosed with aggressive cervical cancer. Emergency surgery saved her life but left physical therapist Belinda in debilitating pain from adhesions  powerful internal scars that can form after tissue damage. Her doctors said, "There is no cure for adhesions; surgery will create more. You will be in severe pain your entire life." The couple found this forecast unacceptable.

Three children born after therapy reversed infertility, opening her only remaining fallopian tube Physical therapist Belinda Wurn views x-rays of fallopian tube she opened for an infertility patients using only her hands Developers of the non-surgical Clear Passage Approach at an earlier age

"While adhesions form naturally after surgery, the only cure is another surgery  a problem for doctors in several fields of medicine," according to Wurn. "We had to find a non-surgical cure or my wife would be in terrible pain forever."

As a homebuilder, Larry viewed adhesions from a structural standpoint. In doing so, he suspected a weak spot existed among the powerful collagen fibers that comprise them. Interviews with medical experts helped confirm his suspicions. The couple began developing a hands-on bodywork (the Clear Passage Approach) focused on detaching bonds deep within adhesions, slowly shredding them like pulling out the run in a sweater. Larry left his profession to become a massage therapist.

Creating Life

After the therapy cured Belinda's pain, they started treating women with pelvic adhesions. They were shocked when women with totally blocked fallopian tubes became pregnant after receiving their new therapy. Several had successive full-term pregnancies indicating the therapy had lasting effects.

Richard King, MD, gynecologist Chief of Staff of a nearby hospital encouraged their research. "Their success rates rivaled what I could do surgically," he said. "We saw numerous full-term pregnancies in women whose tubes had been totally blocked by adhesions before therapy. The fact that they could decrease adhesions deep within the pelvis without the risks and costs of surgery was remarkable."

Saving Lives

After opening tiny fallopian tubes, the Wurns turned their therapy to adhesions that cause two of America's top five emergency surgeries (JAMA Surgery): abdominal adhesions and bowel obstructions. A study by doctors at Stanford and Washington University show that Clear Passage prevented life-threatening total bowel obstructions by 15 times the norm (p=0.0003)  without surgery or drugs.

Summary

Over 1,000 babies have been born to women diagnosed infertile, then treated at their Clear Passage clinics since the Wurns began their quest to help Belinda, 30 years ago. The Wurns estimate they have saved hundreds of lives and reversed chronic pain in many more. "It's like they have invented a new field of Medicine," Dr. King said.

Safety and effectiveness of the therapy for treating female infertility, pelvic pain and small bowel obstruction is supported by several peer-reviewed citations and studies. Available in clinics throughout the U.S.A. and in England, treatment is generally performed over five days, with two hours of hands-on therapy each morning and afternoon. No drugs or surgery are used. Applicants complete a Medical History Form which Clear Passage reviews at no charge to determine appropriateness and likelihood of success. For more information, click here, call 352-336-1433, email [email protected] or visit www.ClearPassage.com.

Contact: Larry Wurn

Clear Passage Therapies

Phone: 3523396606

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Clear Passage Therapies
MIAMI, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sisu Clinic , a doctor-led aesthetic medicine destination offering a comprehensive range of advanced non-surgical beauty treatments, is pleased to announce that its second U.S. location is opening Friday, September 16 at Brickell City Centre. Following the launch of its first location in Coral Gables, which opened doors to Miami-area residents and visitors in June at the Shops at Merrick Park, this opening signals Sisu Clinic's continued expansion in the U.S. market.

Sisu Clinic Lobby

"We are very excited to introduce our second clinic to the Brickell area," says Sisu Clinic CEO and Co-Founder Pat Phelan, noting the company has plans for accelerated expansion across the United States over the next few years.

Founded in 2018 and featuring 16 locations across Ireland and the UK, Sisu has long prioritized leading with the patient experience for those seeking cosmetic medical treatment in an industry where patients are often treated as consumers first and as patients second. The Sisu team is committed to setting a new standard of medical integrity within their practice, as reflected within their development of a rigorous hiring criteria and consistent investment in highly specialized training that evolves their universal techniques and protocols for administering treatment.

"At Sisu, we believe in empowering everyone we treat to put their best face forward. Our ethos has always been to put the patient first and focus on connecting with each and every individual to understand where they're coming from and what they want from their treatment. We believe the best results are achieved when we partner with our patients." says Dr. Brian Cotter, Co-Founder and Global Medical Director.

The new Sisu Clinic Brickell City Centre location will offer best-in-class services with a hyperfocus on botox and dermal fillers, as well as Kybella, Sculptra and a collection of Sisu exclusive treatment packages tailored to the discerning individual and designed to refresh and restore the patient's natural beauty with timeless results.

This opening also coincides with the U.S. launch of Sisu Clinic's Skin Booster treatments, which have been widely popularized across Europe since the early 2000's. Skin Boosters feature a proprietary hyaluronic acid compound formulated to boost collagen and elastin and deliver deep hydration to combat dull, dry, or damaged skin. The effect of this treatment results in an increase of volume, a reduction and smoothness of fine lines, and the restoration of the skin's overall radiance, acting as an always-on source of hydration with results that last for up to six months.

As a proud member of the The Miami Dade, Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Sisu Clinic will celebrate the grand opening of the Brickell City Centre location with an Inclusive Beauty Mega Mixer event with the Chamber on Thursday, September 15.

"As the largest LGBTQ+ business nonprofit in the country, we promote a unified and thriving LGBTQ-inclusive business and professional community in the greater Miami area and we couldn't be more excited to welcome Sisu Clinic with one of our Mega Mixer events," says Steve Adkins, President of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

Sisu Brickell officially opens to the public on Friday, September 16th and is located at 701 South Miami Avenue, 364-C (Level 3, East Block), Miami, Fla. 33131.To book an appointment or learn more, call (731) 318-0428, or visit https://us.sisuclinic.com/ . New clients are being welcomed with an introductory offer of $200 off of their first treatment (see website for terms and conditions).

Link to download imagery: https://sisuclinic.canto.com/v/MediaKit

About Sisu Clinic:

Sisu Clinic is a doctor-led cosmetic medicine destination offering a comprehensive range of advanced beauty treatmentsincluding botox, dermal fillers, Kybella, Sculptra, skin boosters and more. Sisu was created with the singular purpose of setting a new standard in aesthetic medical patient care by putting patients first. With over 18 clinics locations across Ireland, Northern Ireland, U.K. and the U.S. Sisu is committed to administering a human-centric, empathic approach to care when administering bespoke, nonsurgical treatments based on patients' unique needs, desires and individual physiology. Sisu was created in 2018 in collaboration between veteran tech start-up entrepreneur and CEO Pat Phelan, with brothers Dr James Cotter and Dr Brian Cotter. To date, Sisu has raised $11 million, including a $5.5 million round to support the U.S. expansion.

SOURCE Sisu Clinic
Equity, policy and innovation executives say they're ready to make lasting impact for older adults

LONG BEACH, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The SCAN Foundation (TSF), a California-based philanthropy devoted to transforming care for older adults in ways that preserve dignity and independence, recently hired three new vice presidents from diverse sectors of health care to its executive team:

Anika S. Heavener , Vice President of Innovation and Investments;

, Vice President of Innovation and Investments; Narda Ipakchi , Vice President of Policy; and

, Vice President of Policy; and Rigo A. Saborio , Vice President of Programs, Equity, and Community Impact.

The appointments conclude a broad executive search for proven, dynamic and diverse leaders to advance the Foundation's strategic priorities, according to TSF leadership.

"Anika, Narda, and Rigo draw from innovation, policy and community-focused experiences, respectively, which make them perfect fits to guide and grow TSF's bold vision to transform the lives of older adults with a focus on equitable care delivery, person-centered care and community engagement," said Dr. Sarita A. Mohanty, president and CEO of The SCAN Foundation. "This executive team joining me embodies our commitment to supporting older adults through policy change, social impact investing and equity-driven grantmaking."

Heavener will lead the innovation and investments portfolio to steward TSF's endowment of $270 million and develop the next generation of solutions for older adults. Most recently, she served as vice president, data strategy and operations at Homethrive, where she helped achieve Series B financing for efforts to support caregivers and older adults aging in place. Previously, Heavener assisted in the creation of the $350 million Dementia Discovery Fund on behalf of the U.K. government.

Ipakchi will oversee policy and strategy to work toward equitable policy recommendations to support the health and well-being of older adults at the state and federal levels. Most recently, she served as the Medicare and Medicaid policy director for the U.S. Senate Aging Committee on Capitol Hill, where she directed the Committee's Medicare and Medicaid legislative agenda. Previously, she worked as a senior consultant for Health Management Associates, an independent, national research and consulting firm specializing in publicly funded health care.

Saborio will work to ensure that community engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion are at the center of all TSF grants. He has more than 30 years of experience in the aging field, including shaping public policy, leading diversity outreach and designing direct services. He most recently spent 13 years as president and CEO of St. Barnabas Senior Servicesthe oldest senior service agency in Los Angeles. Previously, he was director of diversity outreach and alliances for AARP.

"These talented and driven individuals will help strengthen and accelerate dialogue and catalyze critical change for our aging population," said Anna Maria Chavez, TSF board chair. "Under Sarita's leadership, and with support from Anika, Narda, Rigo and the rest of the staff, the organization will ensure more meaningful care choices and supports for older adults in California and nationwide."

About The SCAN Foundation

The SCAN Foundation is an independent public charity dedicated to creating a society where older adults can access health and supportive services of their choosing to meet their needs. Our mission is to advance a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-quality services for older adults that preserve dignity and independence. Learn more at https://www.thescanfoundation.org/ and @TheSCANFndtn .

Contact: Jameson Roth, 443-717-3508

[email protected]

SOURCE The SCAN Foundation
SCRANTON, Pa., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Andreozzi + Foote has filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of a former client of attorney Corey Kolcharno, a former Lackawanna County assistant district attorney, and his law firm, Fanucci & Kolcharno. Recently, Mr. Kolcharno was arrested for sexual exploitation of his clients while representing them, their significant others, or family members. According to reports, Kolcharno would demand sexual services from female clients in exchange for payment. Andreozzi + Foote's lawsuit alleges Kolcharno withheld legal services from Andreozzi + Foote's client to pressure her to engage in unwanted sexual contact. The authorities have accused Kolcharno of similar conduct with three women in addition to Andreozzi + Foote's client.

Kolcharno's criminal charges remain pending. However, Kolcharno's criminal defense attorney stated publicly that Kolcharno will "take responsibility" for his unlawful conduct towards these women. Unfortunately, people in positions of power and trust, like attorneys, take advantage of those less fortunate. It is important that victims receive justice, and that those who are responsible for such abuse are held accountable. Andreozzi + Foote's lawsuit seeks to hold Kolcharno liable for his behavior.

Andreozzi + Foote is one of the nation's leading firms representing survivors of sexual abuse against powerful institutions. Andreozzi + Foote has handled many cases against schools, youth serving organizations, churches, and other institutions for abuse on their watch. If you or a loved one was the victim of sexual abuse or exploitation, please reach out to us for a free consultation at (877) 214-3238.

SOURCE Andreozzi + Foote
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Approved Oil Company is pleased to announce the acquisition of New Utrecht Fuel Oil Co., a full-service oil company based in Borough Park, Brooklyn. New Utrecht is a three-generation family-owned company that has been in business in the Brooklyn community for 78 years, since 1944. New Utrecht provided 24/7 fuel and service to its #2 oil residential and commercial customers, emergency maintenance on boilers, burners, and hot water heaters, as well as heating system/hot water system installations.

Approved Oil is a full-service oil company based in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn that operates with nearly 200 employees and over 250 vehicles. Approved Oil's core services include 24/7 heating oil and diesel deliveries, emergency service on boiler, burners and hot water heaters, heating system/hot water system installations, plumbing and fire protection services, and mobile steam boiler rentals. Approved Oil's customer base ranges from single family residential homes to large multi-family, commercial, and industrial properties throughout the five boroughs.

Through this acquisition, Approved Oil has further diversified and expanded its already deep-rooted position in the local heating community.

Vincent Theurer, CEO and President of Approved Oil, in discussing the acquisition stated, "We are proud to have New Utrecht employees and customers be a part of the Approved Oil family. Our core values and services align for growth, seamless integration, and we are looking forward to the winter."

The transition has already been completed and customers should not expect any interruption in deliveries and service.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your sales representative directly or contact us at (718)238-1050 or [email protected].

SOURCE Approved Oil Company
ATLANTA, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Artivion, Inc. ( NYSE: AORT), a leading cardiac and vascular surgery company focused on aortic disease, today announced that it will present at the upcoming Deutsche Bank 30th Annual Leveraged Finance Conference on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. The Company's presentation is scheduled to begin at 9:20 a.m. MST.

A live webcast of the presentation will be accessible through Artivion's website, www.artivion.com, on the Investors page. An archived copy of the webcast will be available for 90 days on the same website.

About Artivion, Inc.

Headquartered in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, Artivion, Inc. is a medical device company focused on developing simple, elegant solutions that address cardiac and vascular surgeons' most difficult challenges in treating patients with aortic diseases. Artivion's four major groups of products include: aortic stent grafts, surgical sealants, On-X mechanical heart valves, and implantable cardiac and vascular human tissues. Artivion markets and sells products in more than 100 countries worldwide. For additional information about Artivion, visit our website, www.artivion.com.

Contacts:







Artivion Gilmartin Group LLC D. Ashley Lee Brian Johnston / Lynn Lewis Executive Vice President & Phone: 332-895-3222 Chief Financial Officer [email protected] Phone: 770-419-3355



SOURCE Artivion, Inc.
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bank of America Corporation Board of Directors today appointed Jose (Joe) E. Almeida as a director, effective immediately.

Jose E. Almeida

Almeida, 59, serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Baxter International Inc., a position he has held since 2016. Before joining Baxter, Almeida served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Covidien plc from 2012 to 2015. Almeida also served in leadership roles at Tyco Healthcare (Covidien's predecessor), Wilson Greatbatch Technologies Inc., American Home Products' Acufex Microsurgical division, and Johnson & Johnson's Professional Products division. He began his career as a management consultant at Andersen Consulting (Accenture).

Almeida previously served on the boards of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., Analog Devices, Inc., EMC Corporation, State Street Corporation and Covidien plc. He currently serves on the Northwestern University Board of Trustees.

"Joe's experience in leading large, global companies and serving as a board member in a variety of industries will bring additional depth to our board," said Brian Moynihan, chair and chief executive officer.

Almeida has been appointed to the Audit Committee and Compensation and Human Capital Committee of the Bank of America Board of Directors.

"Joe has a tremendous record of achievement as a business leader and we look forward to him making a significant contribution to our Board," said Lionel Nowell, lead independent director.

A native of Brazil, Almeida received a bachelor's of science degree in mechanical engineering from Instituto Maua de Tecnologia.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,000 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 55 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock ( NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Reporters may contact:

Jessica Oppenheim, Bank of America

Phone: 1.646.855.1600

[email protected]

SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
PPA agreement totaling 48 MW of solar energy

Renewable energy from X-ELIO's Liberty Solar Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Plant, located in Houston

Photovoltaic 100% of the Freeport site's purchased power from renewable energy sources

FREEPORT, Texas, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BASF and X-ELIO have signed a 12-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to supply 48 megawatts (MW) of solar power to BASF's Verbund site in Freeport, Texas. With this agreement in place, 100% of the site's expected purchased power will be supplied from renewable energy.

BASF and X-ELIO have signed a 12-year PPA to supply 48 MW of solar power to BASF's Verbund site in Freeport, Texas. Tweet this BASF Verbund facility in Freeport, Texas. X-ELIO's Midway 1 solar project in Calipatria, California.

The project will further reduce carbon emissions at the BASF Freeport site and offset more than 82,000 metric tons of CO 2 emissions annually, based on EPA estimates. Freeport is one of BASF's six global Verbund sites, which takes an integrated approach to manufacturing, research and the overall management philosophy. Together with the maximum integration of infrastructure, processes, talent, energy and waste management, this philosophy creates a highly efficient manufacturing site.

"With this agreement, we take a big step forward, reaching 100% of the site's purchased power to be supplied from renewable energy," said Brad Morrison, Senior Vice President and Site Manager for the BASF site in Freeport. "Securing renewable energy at our Freeport site is a necessary step to improving our energy footprint and we appreciate the partnership with X-ELIO, which helps us realize the company's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050."

X-ELIO's 72 MW Liberty Solar Photovoltaic project located in Houston, expected to be operational by 2024, will generate 137 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean energy per year while delivering more than $130 million in capital investment in the state and creating up to 125 construction jobs. The project will also include a 60 MW Energy Storage System.

Bill Morrow, Country Manager of X-ELIO in the U.S. highlighted: "This agreement is a major milestone in the development of renewable and sustainable energy for the industrial supply, one of the major objectives to achieve the necessary energy transition goals.

X-ELIO is a great partner committed to the sustainability needs of its customers and it is an honor for us to be able to collaborate with exceptional partners like BASF."

This agreement is fully aligned with X-ELIO's strategy to support all sectors on their path to a net-zero way of doing business as well as BASF's climate protection goals. BASF aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by the year 2030 compared with 2018 and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 16,700 employees in North America and had sales of $25.9 billion in 2021. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 111,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of 78.6 billion in 2021. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.

About X-ELIO:

X-ELIO is specialized in the development, construction, financing and operation of sustainable energy projects with a global presence in Europe, the United States, Latin America, Japan and Australia. The firm has 17 years of experience with more than 2.6 GW built. The group is a world leader in the development of renewable and sustainable energy, with a strong commitment to greenhouse gas reduction and the fight against climate change.

www.x-elio.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/x-elio

https://twitter.com/X_Elio_

BASF Media Contact: X-ELIO Media Contact: David Winder Isabel Ruiz Tel.: (979) 415-6273 Tel.: +34 696 37 32 29 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

SOURCE X-ELIO
Combined Entity Would Become Significant Player in Bitcoin Mining Infrastructure

* * * * * *

MGT Issues $1.5 million in Convertible Notes

MIAMI and RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MGT Capital Investments, Inc. ( OTCQB: MGTI) today announced the execution of a non-binding letter of intent to merge with Bit5ive LLC in a stock swap MGT believes will benefit stockholders of both companies. Subject to the execution of a definitive agreement and certain closing conditions -- including the completion of Bit5ive's financial audit and approval by Bit5ive's members  the transaction will create a strong competitor in the design and operation of infrastructure used in the Bitcoin mining industry.

Bit5ive logo

Bit5ive, founded in 2015 by Robert Collazo, is a leading innovator within the cryptocurrency community, having developed the highly regarded Pod5ive mobile mining system that offers rapid deployment of mining operations. Bit5ive is an official distributor in South & Central America of Bitmain PTY, the world's leading cryptocurrency mining hardware producer. With its engineering expertise and industry connections, Bit5ive has played a significant role in facility design, land acquisition, property development, buildout, and management oversight of high-output Bitcoin mining facilities across the United States.

Under the proposed agreement, MGT would issue to Bit5ive's existing members a number of shares that represent 70% to 80% of MGTI common stock outstanding on a pro-forma basis after giving effect to the merger. Robert Collazo would be appointed Chief Executive Officer of the new company. Mr. Collazo stated, "We are excited to be entering the public market and bringing our company's vision to the world. Bit5ive has been growing rapidly, and we're delighted about this next chapter which will help us continue to innovate and provide new opportunities for our investors, partners, and employees."

MGT today also announced a private sale of $1.5 million principal value of senior secured convertible notes and warrants, providing the Company with $1,335,000 in net proceeds. Investors are urged to review the Company's report on Form 8-K filed today with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov) for more extensive details regarding the issuance of the convertible notes.

Except for the note transaction, which has closed, there can be no assurance that the actions contemplated above, including a definitive merger agreement with Bit5ive, will be executed on these terms, or at all.

About MGT Capital

MGT Capital Investments, Inc. ( OTCQB: MGTI) is a U.S.- based Bitcoin miner with operations at an owned facility in Georgia.

For more information on the Company, please visit: https://mgtci.com.

About Bit5ive

Bit5ive is an American technology company and leader in cryptocurrency mining and infrastructure. Its cutting-edge modular data centers and management systems enable institutional-scale investors to break into cryptocurrency mining with a turnkey approach. Bit5ive is committed to developing innovative solutions that power blockchain networks while providing competitive returns on investment.

Bit5ive's five pillars: Infrastructure, technology, education, environment, and lifestyle, underlie its mission to provide sustainability at scale within this growing industry. Bit5ive believes these core values will help achieve its mission of making cryptocurrency accessible to everyone while protecting our planet's resources.

For more information on the company, please visit: https://bit5ive.com.

Forwardlooking Statements

This press release contains forwardlooking statements. The words or phrases "would be," "will allow," "intends to," "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimate," "project," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forwardlooking statements." All information set forth in this news release, except historical and factual information, represents forwardlooking statements. This includes all statements about the Company's plans, beliefs, estimates and expectations including the growth of Bit5ive, and opportunities resulting from the proposed transaction. These statements are based on current estimates and projections, which involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include issues related to volatility in the Bitcoin market, failure to meet the closing conditions and other factors set forth in the Company's most recently filed annual report and registration statement. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forwardlooking statements, which reflect management's analysis only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forwardlooking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Readers should carefully review the risks and uncertainties described in other documents that the Company files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. MGT Capital Investments, Inc. provides no assurance regarding the actual outcome of the events contemplated by any forward-looking statements included in this release.

Investor and Media Contacts:

MGT Capital

Bit5ive LLC [email protected]

Javier Lopez 914-630-7430

[email protected]

SOURCE MGT Capital Investments, Inc.
Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and Salem State President John Keenan joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Lyft for celebratory event

SALEM, Mass. , Sept.14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Salem today announced the addition of seven new Bluebikes stations throughout the city, expanding access beyond the eight stations that were originally introduced when Metro Boston's public bikeshare system first entered Salem in 2021. The new stations, including one at Salem State University's North Campus, offer more opportunity for residents, students, workers, and visitors to experience the healthy, fun, and sustainable way of traveling via Bluebikes.

Earlier today, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Salem State University President John Keenan, executives from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts ("Blue Cross"), including Director of Public Affairs Maria Fernandes-Dominique and Sales Account Executive Adam Thornton, along with leadership from Lyft gathered for a celebratory event on Salem State's campus to commemorate the Bluebikes expansion. Blue Cross is the title sponsor of Bluebikes, which is owned by the municipalities and operated by Lyft.

"Expanding access to Bluebikes in Salem helps further connect our city and make more neighborhoods and destinations reachable by bike," said Mayor Driscoll. "With fifteen total stations now located throughout Salem, our residents, students, workers, and visitors have more access to this healthy, fun, and sustainable way of traveling  while also reducing our city's reliance on passenger vehicles and their associated climate and congestion impacts. The launch of Bluebikes in 2021 was a huge success, thanks to Blue Cross, Salem State University and our local program partners, all of whom made it an easy and seamless process to expand the number of stations in our city."

"We are proud to expand our partnership in this program, which increases our campus community's access to biking as a healthy, fun and environmentally safe way to travel," said Salem State University President John D. Keenan. "I am particularly grateful for Mayor Driscoll's leadership in increasing the City's biking infrastructure, including connecting the bike path through our Harrington Campus right into downtown Salem."

The expansion of Bluebikes was made possible by a combination of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other city funding and support from Blue Cross and Salem State University. With seven new stations, approximately 44 new bikes have been added throughout the city. The new stations are at the locations listed below:

Salem State University - North Campus

Essex St at Dalton Parkway

Forest River Park

Salem MBTA - Lower Level

Community Life Center

Goodhue St at Grove St

North St at Liberty Hill Ave

To see a full Bluebikes station map  including all stations in Salem  please visit member.bluebikes.com/map.

Through collaboration with the municipal owners of Bluebikes, Blue Cross is committed to promoting the overall health and wellbeing of Massachusetts residents by supporting system growth and accessibility  including through station expansions, system upgrades, and the addition of new bikes.

"We're committed to leveraging our title sponsorship of Bluebikes to make it easier for more individuals in Greater Metro Boston Area to experience the benefits of public bike share," said Jeff Bellows, vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs at Blue Cross. "With Salem's successful and enthusiastic launch of Bluebikes last year and the addition of seven new stations, we're thrilled to help broaden access to the bikeshare system across Salem and to support residents, students and visitors looking to lead healthy and sustainable lifestyles."

As a publicly owned bike share system, Bluebikes preserves and promotes equity of access for members and ensures that memberships remain affordable. The station-based system promotes riding and commuting across city lines, preserves predictability and management for the public right of way, and allows for the continuous monitoring of bike availability and maintenance needs.

Riders can purchase annual Bluebikes memberships  which include unlimited 45-minute ridesfor $119 a year or $26.75 for 30 days. A discount program, where annual passes are $50 and 30-day passes are available for $5, is available for residents with eligible incomes. Free 30-day Bluebikes passes are available to anyone during the MBTA's Orange Line shutdown. For more information on Bluebikes fare options, visit www.bluebikes.com.

To access and download photos from the celebratory event, please click here.

About Bluebikes

Bluebikes is public transportation by bike. The system is jointly owned and managed by the Cities of Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Salem and Somerville and the Town of Brookline. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is the system's title sponsor. Riders can find 400 stations and 4,000 bikes across 11 municipalities in Metro Boston. Since 2011, more than 14 million trips have been taken by bike share. For more information about Bluebikes, visit bluebikes.com.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.org) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable and equitable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
80 Percent Replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Coming to Tampa

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chapters Health Valor Program, operated by the Chapters Health Foundation, today announced plans to host the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, 1001 N. Boulevard in Tampa from Thursday, October 13 through Sunday, October 16, 2022. This event, sponsored by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, is open to the public and free of charge.

American Veterans Traveling Tribute (AVTT)

The American Veterans Traveling Tribute (AVTT) is a veteran-owned organization operated by the non-profit, The Texas Freedom Tribute. The AVTT includes an 80% scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. and tributes for every U.S. involved conflict since WWI, as well as a special 9/11 memorial. The AVTT travels the United States to honor American military Veterans and First Responders and educate communities about U.S. history.

On Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 3:00 p.m., Veterans' organizations including the American Legion and Patriot Guard Riders, will escort the Traveling Vietnam Wall from a staging location at Steinbrenner Field to Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.

An opening ceremony begins on Thursday, October 13 at 1:00 p.m. with remarks from Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and other community leaders. Opening remarks are followed by a performance of the national anthem and a wreath-laying ceremony. The Traveling Vietnam Wall and the Cost of Freedom Exhibit becomes available for visitors at 1:20 p.m.

The event includes a wide range of educational components for local students, supported by AECERN, focusing on the service and sacrifice of Veterans and First Responders. Featured speakers include Allie Braswell Jr., civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army  Florida.

"This wall is a testament to the valor, selfless sacrifice and commitment that our Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen made during the war in Vietnam," said Allie Braswell Jr., civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army - Florida. "As we look upon this wall, we must remember that our country's greatest value is our freedom. Our Freedom is not Free."

"It is important to acknowledge the sacrifice and service of veterans, first responders, and their families," said Dale Webber, shareholder and chair of the healthcare section at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. "The Traveling Tribute Wall gives the community an opportunity to celebrate, remember and honor them. We are proud to sponsor the event and support The Chapters Health Valor Program."

For more information on programming and a full schedule of events, please visit chapterstravelingtributewall.com.

The event coincides with the Chapters Health Foundation annual Rock the Dock event on Saturday, October 15. This year's event is a patriotic, rock n' roll themed fundraiser benefiting the Chapters Health Valor Program, which provides free services and support to Veterans and First Responders.

About Chapters Health System

As a progressive leader and premier health system, Chapters Health System is dedicated to delivering innovative home health, palliative, and hospice care, along with durable medical equipment and pharmacy services. Since 1983 as a community-based, not-for-profit organization, Chapters Health has provided choices, education, and guidance through its managed affiliates. All offerings are provided in order to improve the patient and family experience well in advance of end-of-life needs. In 2022, Chapters Health is certified for the fifth consecutive year as a great workplace in the Aging Services category by the independent analysts at the Great Place to Work Institute and in 2021, Chapters Health was named a Top Workplace by the Tampa Bay Times. To learn more, visit www.chaptershealth.org, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Chapters Health Foundation

Chapters Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization committed to supporting Chapters Health System, a progressive leader in home health, palliative care, hospice, and grief support. Chapters Health Foundation provides more than $7.4 million annually to help offset the accumulated costs of unfunded and underfunded programming, including but not limited to, charity care, helping to meet the needs of patients and families who cannot afford hospice services. Chapters Health Foundation also provides $1.3 million in funding for the provision of grief support across Chapters Health and in 2020, provided more than $1 million to assist with underfunded pediatric and adult palliative care services.

SOURCE Chapters Health Foundation
BANGALORE, India, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Chatbots Market is Segmented by Type (Software, Services), by Application (Websites, Contact Centers, Mobile Platform, Social Media): Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Software Category.

The global chatbots market size is projected to reach USD 3892.1 million by 2028, from USD 1079.9 million in 2021, at a cagr of 20.0% during 2022-2028.

Major Factors Driving the Growth of the Chatbots Market

The rising demand for chatbot software and services due to the increasing penetration of websites, social media platforms, and mobile applications will fuel the growth of the global chatbot market.

The demand for intelligent customer engagement, benefits such as time and cost savings along with the ability to offer personalized bots through AI integration will drive the market growth during the forecast period.

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TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE GLOBAL CHATBOTS MARKET

Consumers look for businesses online and want one-tap solutions instead of relentless searching. Hence businesses are integrating websites with chatbots to provide a smooth customer experience thereby bolstering the growth of the chatbots market. Timely response and round-the-clock availability ensure that customers are able to get quick support and products are sold efficiently. Websites with chatbots lead to well-qualified leads and convert higher. Enterprises can get repeat customers and collect detailed user insights.

Companies registered on social media platforms such as Facebook use chatbots to enhance customer service and collect relevant data and quality leads. The bots are also used for shopping recommendations and solving users' queries regarding products or services. The chatbots market will be impacted positively as the number of platforms and accounts using AI chatbots is going to increase tremendously in the coming years.

Intelligent natural language virtual assistants are playing a key role in improving the user experience in call centers. The bots are able to comprehend human speech and identify the intent behind the caller's inquiry without them having to speak in certain phrases or words. By establishing personalized interactions with customers and offering product recommendations based on past buying experience bots are expanding the growth prospects of the chatbots market. Furthermore, the AI-powered software helps push the prospects down the marketing funnel by guiding them through every aspect of the transaction. Chatbots predict customer behavior and send the right notifications to the right people every time. This provides an engaging shopping experience.

Companies are using chatbots on their smartphone apps for reaching directly to the customer. The tool analyzes the messaging and recommends which product fits a user's needs. This ensures that people are able to make informed decisions quickly thereby bolstering the growth of the global chatbot market. Moreover, people can engage easily without any prior training and the inbuilt NLP systems analyze the queries for providing context-based accurate answers.

Bots are essential for businesses as it allows them to reduce people-to-people interactions and cut labor costs. Apart from operational cost, massive savings comes from freeing up the time of workers doing routine tasks. Organizations are phasing out customer support staff gradually by bringing in chatbots thereby surging the demand for the global chatbot market. The entire interaction time on social media channels, phone calls, and messaging apps can be cut dramatically.

Self-learning chatbots are on the rise as it has the capacity to engage customers on a whole other level. This includes technical support, sales management, and account management. The bots can adapt to the changing conditions in the environment and mimic natural human-like interactions through the use of NLP and ML algorithms. The self-learning capability will foster the growth of the global chatbot market. Several initiatives are being undertaken to introduce the self-learning feature.

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CHATBOTS MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

Based on type, the services segment will grow the highest in the chatbot market share due to growing adoption by businesses to save costs and automate repetitive tasks.

Based on application, the website segment will maintain dominance in the chatbot market share due to rising integration with bots that help users in multiple ways like booking flights, scheduling appointments and ordering food, etc.

Based on region, Asia-Pacific will be the most lucrative due to rapid industrialization, technologically driven innovations, and digitization in countries like China, Japan, Singapore, etc.

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Key Players:

Artificial Solutions

IBM Watson

Naunce Communications

eGain Coporation

Creative Virtual

Next IT Corp.

CX Company

Speaktoit

Customer

Codebaby.

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SIMILAR REPORTS:

- The global AI Chatbots market size is projected to reach USD 95140 Million by 2027, from USD 1911.5 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 74.8% during 2021-2027.

- The global conversational AI market size was valued at USD 5.78 Billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 32.62 Billion by 2030, registering a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.0% from 2021 to 2030.

- Global Chatbot Tool Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

- Global Chatbot On Mobile Platform Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

- Global Chatbot Builders Market Size, Status and Forecast 2020-2026

- Global Chatbot Builders Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

- Global Chatbot for Banking Market Insights and Forecast to 2028

- Global Medical Chatbot Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

- Global Chatbot Development Software Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

- The intelligent virtual assistant market size was valued at USD 3,442 Billion in 2019, and is projected to reach USD 44,255 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 37.7% from 2020 to 2027.

- The global Digital Process Automation market size is projected to reach USD 11770 Million by 2027, from USD 6451.8 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 8.5% during 2021-2027.

- The global Metaverse market size is projected to reach USD 28 Billion by 2028, from 510 USD Million in 2022, at a CAGR of 95% during 2022-2028.

- The global artificial intelligence market size was valued at USD 65.48 Billion in 2020, and is projected to reach USD 1,581.70 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 38.0% from 2021 to 2030.

- The global Deep Learning market size is projected to reach USD 11910 Million by 2028, from USD 2671.2 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 23.6% during 2022-2028.

Click here to see related reports on Chatbots Market

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Copado's Fall 22 release delivers Continuous Quality by embedding end-to-end testing, security and compliance into CI/CD pipelines

CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Copado , the global leader in low-code DevOps, today launched its Quality Integration Framework which integrates AI-driven Robotic Testing and CI/CD within its DevOps platform for Salesforce . Designed for the new breed of non-technical and technical low-code delivery teams, Copado's Fall 22 release enables customers to integrate continuous quality into every branch of code deployed. One of the first companies to achieve this milestone, Copado ensures quality, security and compliance across every step of the software development lifecycle.

More than 150,000 businesses, including 90% of the Fortune 500, rely on Salesforce to build their digital business. Applications built on the Salesforce platform are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex. Yet rigorous, integrated and automated testing has not yet become commonplace: 84% of Salesforce teams report they are still relying on manual testing and most Salesforce teams lack the resources to test every change before deployment to production. At the same time, finding quality issues later in the release cycle is 640x more expensive .

"In order to achieve continuous quality, testing has to be accessible to both citizen and professional testers," said David Brooks, Senior Vice President of Products at Copado. "Copado has introduced a new click-based test creation and editing capabilities to improve collaboration across delivery teams. Businesses should shift-left and shift-right on testing to improve efficiency and achieve speed, security and quality."

In Forrester's Continuous Automation Testing Platforms Landscape, Q3 2022 report , Diego Lo Giudice wrote, "Software testing can't be an afterthought or a special event that happens once a quarter after a week-long integration. Enterprises recognize that the longer a defect lives, the more expensive the fix becomes. All forms of testing must be part of the continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline and 'shifted left' as early in the lifecycle as possible in order to identify and eliminate bugs before the overheads increase."

The Fall 22 release empowers citizen and technical testers to work collaboratively through a low-code platform. It offers a new Flow Editor so citizen testers can easily build regression and end-to-end test suites visually through a drag-and-drop interface. Teams can feel confident that tests are always up to date by leveraging AI-assisted test authoring with smart predictions and self-healing capabilities. Regardless of a user's skill level, they now have the flexibility to choose their preferred authoring mode all-in-one package that integrates tightly with Copado CI/CD pipelines.

Tests are viewable in the Copado Quality Integration Framework, giving customers a user-story centric view of the tests, quality gates, policies, security and compliance rules in the same place CI/CD pipelines are managed. This unique ability to centrally manage quality from the perspective of the pipeline gives Salesforce development teams unmatched visibility and control. The Copado Quality Integration Framework also enables customers to integrate any testing, security or compliance tool in the wider DevOps ecosystem into their pipeline.

"We needed to scale our Salesforce development and introduce structured, auditable processes for SOX compliance," said Derek Nelson, Lead Salesforce Administrator at Weave. "Copado gave us that scalability and structure, delivering great results. We used to dread deployment day but with Copado, it's stress-free. It's so easy that anybody can use it  even if they can't code. We just press a button, and if there's an issue, we can easily go back to our user stories to troubleshoot the problem. Now, we get to go home on time."

At Dreamforce 2022 in San Francisco , Copado will demonstrate key features of Fall 22 and show how Copado is redefining the standard of DevOps for Salesforce in booth 1300. Book a meeting here: https://www.copado.com/copado-at-dreamforce-22 . Learn more about all the new innovations by visiting the Fall '22 Release Hub .

Copado is redefining how to achieve success with enterprise SaaS and low-code platforms with its data-driven approach to delivering faster, higher quality releases and improving trust across customer transformation projects. Organizations that implement DevOps and automated testing best practices have been shown to deploy more often, fail less often and recover faster. A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Copado found that a composite organization comprised of interviewees with customers with experience using Copado delivered 20x shorter lead times, 10x faster recovery times, 4x reduction in change fail rate and 5-7% higher productivity. Further, organizations using Copado's DevOps platform can achieve $4.5 million in value and an ROI of 307% over three years with payback in less than 6 months.

Salesforce, Dreamforce, AppExchange and others are trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.

Follow Copado:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/copado-solutions-s.l/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CopadoSolutions

Blog: https://www.copado.com/learning/blog/

About Copado

Copado is the leading DevOps and testing solution for low-code SaaS platforms that run the world's largest digital transformations. Backed by Insight Partners, Salesforce Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund, Copado accelerates multi-cloud, enterprise deployments by automating the end-to-end software delivery process to maximize customers' return on their cloud investment. More than 1,000 companies rely on Copado to drive digital transformation with speed, quality and value including Boston Scientific, Coca-Cola, Fair Trade, Linde, MassMutual, Schneider Electric and Shell. Copado processes over 50 million DevOps transactions per month and is rated with a 100% score on the Salesforce AppExchange. More information can be found at: http://www.copado.com .

SOURCE Copado
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On a gorgeous, bright and sunny day in the sweltering heat of New York City, DEIJI presented its luxury line in a partnered show with Flying Solo during their "Ones to Watch" fashion week event. While fashion may come and go, style is eternal. DEIJI.com's radiant style has positioned itself to make its mark as one of the most sensational luxury fashion lines in existence. DEIJI's beaming and magnificent color convergence and elemental structure was soaked up by all in attendance.

Flying Solo model Domonique Alajuwan showcasing DEIJI's Rosa backpack, the Veronica belt, and the Black Dahlia sneakers. Photo Credit: Flying Solo Flying Solo model LaRae Day showcasing DEIJI's original Cleopatra tote and Nefertiti sneakers. Photo Credit: Flying Solo Flying Solo model Mackenzie Lubeck showcasing DEIJI's black version of the Cleopatra tote and the Black Rose sneakers. Photo Credit: Flying Solo Flying Solo model Kesley Farley showcasing DEIJI's Iris belt and silver Daniela heels. Photo Credit: Flying Solo Flying Solo model Lua showcasing DEIJI's original Elizabeth I tote and gold arrow sneakers. Photo Credit: Flying Solo The original Cleopatra signature tote bag designed from Mark Schwartz's original oil-painting on canvas. Photo Credit: Toni Pierdome

Taking place at 10 AM on September 10th, an hour before the event even started the crowd began to gather, which looped around the street corner and included the likes of fashion elites, fashion photographers, and journalists from across the globe. The whisper of excitement through the crowd alluded to what everyone already knows about fashion week in New York City: new fashion trends are right around the corner.

Positioned on the penthouse rooftop of 433 Broadway, DEIJI, which is led by legendary Creative Director, Mark Schwartz, showcased its luxury line in collaboration with the De La Cruz Collection, which is a luxury swimwear line located in Texas. Walking to an upbeat fusion of electric pop music, DEIJI's eye-catching pieces brought a fresh explosion of color to New York Fashion Week this weekend.

The first piece paired the beautiful original Cleopatra tote bag and the Nefertiti sneaker with a turquoise two-piece De La Cruz bathing suit. As Flying Solo's model walked the runway, the duo masterpieces, which were designed from Schwartz's original oil painting on canvas, a swatch of circles in black, pumpkin and beige tones, stood in a category of their own. Elevated to a unique stature of elegance and what luxury really means, the duo is named after two of the most powerful and history-shaping female pharaohs in Ancient Egyptian history.

Shortly after the Cleopatra and the Nefertiti were showcased, DEIJI paid homage to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with the signature tote bag, the Elizabeth I. Although named after King Henry VIII's daughter, who was the last ruler of the Tudor Dynasty, it was DEIJI's ode to pay tribute to the late Queen, whose lineage falls within the royal line. It could be said that the same fiery nature that allowed Elizabeth I to heal the religious unrest in 16th century England resonated with the same stature to that of Queen Elizabeth II, and was DEIJI's intent as they made the announcement on their Instagram leading up to the show.

Designed and released months ago, the Elizabeth I is patterned in squares of white, red, and orange from another one of Schwartz's oil paintings, the tote was paired with DEIJI's gold arrow sneakers and a De La Cruz tan one-piece swimsuit. Its bright use of colors made the tote the centerfold piece and would make any woman red with envy.

Another fashion-curated piece included the beautiful black version of the Cleopatra, which was paired with DEIJI's perforated moon sneakers the Black Roses. Marking a fresh take on luxury sneakers, the Black Rose appears both stylish and extremely comfortable.

Similar thoughts are echoed regarding the Black Dahlia, which is another luxury leather DEIJI sneaker showcased during the "Ones to Watch" show. Paired with DEIJI's luxury backpack, the Rosa, and its matching belt, the Veronica, which are designed in a silver anthracite dot pattern, these three pieces delineated a sleek and modern take on where fashion is headed.

Additional highlights of DEIJI's fashion event included the beautiful Iris belt, which is suede and all leather. Paired with a De La Cruz tan one-piece swimsuit and DEIJI's luxury heels, the silver Daniela, the Iris delivered DEIJI's messaging perfectly. It showcased Flying Solo's model, Kelsey Farley, as a human canvas with DEIJI as her pop of color. True to this motto, it was impossible to not notice DEIJI as the eye-capturing angle of this look.

Conclusively, it is clear Schwartz's brilliance as the Creative Director for DEIJI is unmatched. With almost forty years of experience in the fashion world, which includes studying under fashion icons such as Andy Warhol and Roger Vivier, coupled with ingenuity and a clear penchant for design, Schwartz is leading the way for where fashion is headed with DEIJI as centerfold. The luxury handmade Italian line is defining itself as a force of elegance and beauty to be reckoned with.

Schwartz has designed footwear per personal request for celebrities such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Lady Gaga, Julia Roberts, Katy Perry, Oprah, JLo, and Madonna amongst others. Additionally, he has also worked with fashion powerhouses such as Balenciaga, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, and Charles Jourdan Hermes.

DEIJI's luxury goods can be purchased both at Flying Solo's store in Soho NYC and on their website as well as on DEIJI.com's site.

SOURCE Fairmarkbrands.com LLC
Rosa L. McCormick and Jim Darcy Join Board; Srini Palamarthy Named Chief Financial Officer; Stewart Pickard Promoted to Chief Operations Officer; Millie Tarallo Named Chief Revenue Officer

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dropoff, the nationwide, same-day custom courier service specializing in last-mile delivery, today announced the appointment of Rosa L. McCormick and Jim Darcy as members of its board of directors in addition to Srini Palamarthy as Chief Financial Officer and Millie Tarallo as Chief Revenue Officer. Steward Pickard, Dropoff's longtime SVP of Operations, was named Chief Operations Officer. In these new roles, Palmarthy, Tarallo, and Pickard will respectively lead the company's financial, sales, and operations teams fueling the company's growth initiatives, and reporting to Dropoff CEO Sean Spector.

Recently named among Inc. Magazine's top 5000 fastest growing companies for the fourth consecutive year, and one of Texas' most innovative delivery companies, Dropoff's proprietary technology includes chain of custody transparency, real-time tracking, and intelligent dispatch. With this technology, Dropoff drives innovation in the same-day courier industry for healthcare, retail and industrial businesses.

"This expansion in executive leadership is an important moment for Dropoff as we position ourselves for expansive growth, particularly in the healthcare space," shared Dropoff CEO Sean Spector, "Rosa, Jim, Srini, Stewart, and Millie each bring outstanding qualifications and a deep breadth of experience to their roles; we are that much closer to driving the next generation of same-day shipping technology and innovation."

Rosa L. McCormick , Dropoff Board Member

A native Austinite and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, McCormick joins the Dropoff Board of Directors with over 20 years of technology and investment management experience. She is currently Managing Director of Wild Basin Investments which she co-founded. She is also the President of Key Light Capital, a related investment firm with broader investment themes.

McCormick has served on numerous technology company boards and currently represents Wild Basin Investments on the board of SignUp.com, HUVR Data, Inc. and Boomerangs Pies. Always active in promoting the growth of the entrepreneurial community in Austin, she served on the board of the Central Texas Angel Network from 2011-2016 and participates in numerous educational and industry events. McCormick is a Kauffman Fellow (Class 18).

Jim Darcy , Dropoff Board Member

Darcy joins the Dropoff Board of Directors having spent 37 years in senior roles in sales and strategy at UPS, most recently as VP of Healthcare Strategy supporting the development and implementation of solutions to help healthcare providers meet the needs of an industry experiencing great change. After retiring from UPS, Darcy founded a consulting firm, JPD Healthcare Performance Partners, with engagements focused on the logistics of delivering urgent goods and services to patients in clinics, hospitals, the doctor's office, or their homes.

Srini Palamarthy, Chief Financial Officer

Prior to joining Dropoff, Palamarthy served as Chief Financial Officer at Homeward, where he helped raise significant equity and debt capital, scaling the team and foundation for continued growth. He also served as SVP, of Finance at RetailMeNot in addition to various leadership roles in analytics, revenue, and product management.

Palamarthy will lead the finance function at Dropoff ensuring its continued commitment to financial excellence. "Dropoff already has an incredible leadership team in place and is a significant disruptor in the same-day shipping space. I am impressed by the team's dedication to solid, strategic growth," shared Palamarthy.

Stewart Pickard , Chief Operations Office

Pickard was welcomed to the Dropoff team over five years ago as Senior Director of Customer Success, before earning a promotion to SVP, Operations and, most recently being named as Chief Operations Officer where he will oversee account management, customer service, dispatch and field operations to deliver exceptional service.

Prior to joining Dropoff, Pickard led Client Services at TurnKey Vacation Rentals, helping establish Turnkey as a top 5 vacation rentals property management company in the US. He also served as Director of Commercial Relations and Client Partner at Bazaarvoice. "I have been a proud member of the Dropoff team for several years," shared Pickard, "and am delighted that in my new role I will continue to drive operational excellence that scales and elevates growth."

Millie Tarallo , Chief Revenue Officer

Most recently, Tarallo led sales and marketing strategy with the transportation and logistics company General Logistics Systems, Inc. as the Chief Commercial Officer, creating scalable growth through processes and customer experience excellence. Tarallo also served in leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, most notably 15 years with Staples, Inc. where she launched and oversaw the growth of her division's sales, sales operations, and customer service teams, serving all customer segments and achieving consistent hyper-growth initiatives.

In this new role at Dropoff, Tarallo will lead all aspects of the company's sales, business development, and new channel business, focusing on building highly motivated, results-oriented teams and scaling the organization for massive growth. "I'm excited about Dropoff's people-first culture and the opportunity to leverage its differentiating technology combined with a commitment to excellence in custom solutions in the demands of same-day delivery," Tarallo shared, "I am delighted to help steer Dropoff's rapid expansion and to share my deep knowledge of sales organization growth and scalability."

About Dropoff

Dropoff provides nationwide, same-day custom courier services in the healthcare, retail, and industrial industries. The company's proprietary logistics platform empowers enterprise businesses to gain full visibility throughout the chain of custody with real-time track & trace and intelligent dispatch. Discover how Dropoff is shaping the future of last-mile delivery by visiting Dropoff.com

SOURCE Dropoff
Study finds considerable emotional, financial and physical demands on family caregivers who try to do it all.

DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly all family caregivers say they are "always" or "often" providing emotional support (80%) to a loved one needing long-term care. That can levy a heavy toll on caregivers' well-being and relationships in their lives. In our survey, burn out, lack of expertise and concerns about their ability to focus on their jobs were cited as the most important reasons why family caregivers sought paid home care.

The Certification for Long-Term Care (CLTC), Home Instead and Homethrive co-sponsored the study: "Following the Journey of Family Caregivers." It examined the journey family caregivers experience when supporting a loved one needing care at home.

Well-known researcher in aging and long-term care, Eileen J. Tell, CEO of ET Consulting, LLC conducted the study and presented findings this week at the CLTC Leadership Summit in Minneapolis.

Among the survey's other findings:

33% of family caregivers find getting the emotional support they need one of their biggest challenges

32% of family caregivers worry about juggling caregiving and their job

27% of those who decided not to bring in paid home care did so because they felt it was their duty to provide care

44% felt using paid home care could have helped reduce the emotional and physical strain of being a caregiver

Amber Pate, Executive Director, CLTC, says, "The findings reinforce what we know so well at CLTC. Most family caregivers experience significant emotional, physical and financial strain trying to do it all. Having a plan can accommodate the addition of professional home care, relieving the burden on family and allowing for needed self-care."

"Knowing that 52% of Americans age 65+ will need long-term care and 72% have yet to plan for it is a serious concern," says Tell. "Americans need to recognize that not planning for care is performing a terrible disservice to those they care most about."

About the Study:

It was commissioned to gain further insights into the decision-making process associated with hiring professional home care.

The online survey questioned 400 family caregivers, 18+.

About CLTC:

The CLTC designation was created in 1999 and focuses on the discipline of extended care planning. It provides professionals the tools they need to discuss longevity and its consequences on their client's family and finances.

Media Contact: Kevin LaTorre | [email protected]

SOURCE The Certification for Long-Term Care
NOIDA, India, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights the Fiberglass Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 5% from 2021-2027. The analysis has been segmented into Type (S-Glass, E-Glass, A-Glass, D-Glass, E-CR-Glass, and Others); Resin Type (Polyester, Vinyl ester, Epoxy, and Others); Product Type (Woven Roving, Chopped Strand, Fabric and Others); Application (Composites and Insulation); Region/Country.

The report has been aggregated by collecting informative data from various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the Fiberglass Market in the Global context. This report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors that are influencing market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the Global Fiberglass Market at the regional & country levels.

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Market Overview

Fiberglass has a wide range of applications in aerospace, automotive, sports, marine, and construction industries, among others due to its low cost of production, lightweight, corrosion-resistant, ease of fabrication, good mechanical properties, and higher strength to weight ratio. As a result, helps industries in reducing the operating cost without compromising the performance. Further, increasing utilization of fiberglass mats in thermal insulation in the electrical industry is a major boost for the market with growth in industrialization and the growing government spending in the construction industry. Moreover, the expanding automotive industry along with the increasing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles is also encouraging the usage of fiberglass in body panels, panel assemblies, wheelhouse assemblies, battery boxes, front fascia, etc. Besides this, fiberglass is continuously replacing metal-based alternatives in pipes, tanks, subsea systems, etc., across the water treatment and oil & gas sectors. For instance, in April 2022 SK ecoplant announced that the company begin to produce fiberglass rebar using plastic bottles as raw materials for the first time in the world. As the name suggests, fiberglass rebar is an alternative to steel rebar made from glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP). SK ecoplant has succeeded in extracting one of the main raw materials for GFRP rebar from plastic bottles. Owing to such factors, the demand for fiberglass is likely to grow in the near future.

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC

https://univdatos.com/report/fiberglass-market/

The global Fiberglass Market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated.

Among these, woven roving is likely to showcase robust growth in the fiberglass market. It is one of the strongest textile fibers, having greater specific tensile strength than steel wire of the same diameter, at a lower weight. It has warp and weft roving aligned in a parallel, high strength, flexible, and uniform tension. Due to the following properties, it has wide applications in the petrochemicals for making pipes and storage tanks, transportation, and building materials for fence and wave color tiles.





Among both, the composites are likely to show robust growth in the fiberglass market during the foreseeable future. It has good mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties and is light in weight; due to this, the demand for composite materials is increasing in several industries. Further, the world is focusing on wind energy generation and bigger blades size and taller turbines are used for stronger production capacity. To make the blades of windmills composites are used in place of metals due to their lightweight. For instance, researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, supported by both the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy, predict that by 2035, wind plant designs will embrace towers even taller than previously thought. The researchers gained this insight by analyzing the opinions of over 140 of the world's leading experts, who predicted that the hub heights of onshore wind turbines will reach 130 meters by 2035.

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Fiberglass Market Geographical Segmentation Includes:

North America ( United States , Canada , and Rest of North America )

( , , and Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , United Kingdom , Italy , France , Spain , and the Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , and the Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , India , Australia , Japan , and the Rest of Asia-Pacific )

( , , , , and the Rest of ) Rest of the World

For a better understanding of the market adoption of the Fiberglass industry, the market is analyzed based on its worldwide presence in the countries such as North America (US, Canada, Rest of North America); Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, and the Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific); and the Rest of World. Asia-Pacific accounted for a significant share in the market and is expected to showcase substantial growth during the forecast period owing to a large and growing base of the end-use industry due to improving consumer spending power, rapid urbanization, and growing demand for better quality products. Moreover, increasing construction works with industrialization in the region would increase the demand for fiberglass as it is used for coating and insulation due to its thermal resistance and durability.

The major players targeting the market include

Owens Corning

China Jushi Co. Ltd.

PPG Industries, Inc.

BKP Berolina Polyester GmbH & Co. KG

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A.

Taiwan Glass Industry Corporation

Xingtai Jinniu Fiberglass Co. Ltd.

Taishan Fiberglass Inc.

Asahi Fiber Glass Co., Ltd.

AGY Holding Corp

Competitive Landscape

The degree of competition among prominent companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating in the global context. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the Fiberglass Market. The major players have been analyzed using different research methodologies for getting insight views on market competition.

Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include:

What are the latest trends, new patterns, and advancements in the Fiberglass Market?

Which factors are influencing the Fiberglass Market over the forecast period?

What are the challenges, threats, and risks in the Fiberglass Market?

Which factors are propelling and restraining the Fiberglass Market?

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Family with Deep Experience in Franchising Signs Multi-Unit Deal in Greater Tampa Bay Market

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Floyd's 99 Barbershop (Floyd's), the full-service haircare franchise known for its expert cuts in an amplified environment, has signed a five-unit franchise agreement to open shops in the Greater Tampa Bay area of Florida, with the first location anticipated to open by summer of 2023.

Behind this signed agreement is Josh Noyes, a 27-year-old Tampa-native, with the support of his Operating Partner Rich Thomas. Josh grew up in a family with deep roots in franchising where his dad, Adam Noyes, has held executive level positions at Checkers/Rally's and currently at Potbelly Sandwich Works. In fact, Adam's career is what inspired Josh to follow in his footsteps.

"I always knew I wanted to own my own business. After seeing my dad's involvement with many successful franchises over the last three decades, I knew starting my own franchise investment would be an exciting venture," said Josh. "This will truly be a family business that is focused on our clients. I entered into this partnership because I truly believe in the Floyd's Barbershop concept and we are looking forward to building the Floyd's brand in the thriving Tampa Bay market."

When considering his career path, Josh Noyes always eyed the service industry and with a deep passion for music, Floyd's quickly became the obvious choice as a business investment. In fact, he discovered that Floyd's fits a niche market between discount hair cutters and beauty salons by breaking through as unique with its music-centric culture and amplified haircare experience.

"Floyd's prides itself on finding experienced franchisees willing to invest in multiple units while embracing the brand's high-energy, people-centric culture," said Joe Zemla, Floyd's 99 Barbershop's Senior Director of Franchising. "With Josh's natural knowledge of the franchise world, coupled with his family's experience and support on his franchising journey, the Floyd's team is confident Josh will find success in the Tampa Bay market and complement our team of successful franchisees."

Just outside the Orlando market that's shown great success for the Floyd's brand over the last 13 years, Josh Noyes is targeting the Southern Tampa and Downtown St. Petersburg areas for the first of five locations across Tampa Bay's Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. The new shops will feature the Floyd's signature poster wall highlighting musical greats throughout the decades, along with a color bar to customize any hair color clients are looking for, and amplified tunes streaming from Floyd's 99 Radio, adding to the high-energy atmosphere.

Floyd's caters to clients of all ages and backgrounds, offering a full range of haircare services, including haircuts, shaving, color, waxing, deep conditioning treatments, and styling, as well as its own retail line of grooming products. Floyd's is additionally known for its iconic barbershop straight-razor neck shave with hot lather and steamed towels, and a complimentary shoulder massage after each service.

There are currently 127 Floyd's 99 Barbershop locations open across the country, with plans to have over 150 locations open by the end of 2023. To learn more Floyd's 99 Barbershop, please visit: floydsbarbershop.com.

ABOUT FLOYD'S 99 BARBERSHOP

Floyd's 99 Barbershop is a family-owned company, established in 1999 by brothers Paul, Rob, and Bill O'Brien on the principle that success is driven by providing superior client service and that satisfied employees result in satisfied clients. From the diverse styles and personalities of the stylists and barbers, to the signature rock-and-roll poster wall plastered with a time machine of music memorabilia, Floyd's 99 is creating a welcoming, all-inclusive environment while offering custom haircuts, colors, waxing, and shaves to everyone, including men, women, and children. Floyd's 99 Barbershop operates more than 127 locations in 14 states. For more information on franchising opportunities, please visit franchise.floydsbarbershop.com.

SOURCE Floyd's 99 Barbershop
LINK TO IMAGERY: HERE

Courtesy of The Paramount Hotel and Generator

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Generator announces it will manage the legendary Paramount Hotel in New York, joining the brand's current 15-property portfolio as the third Generator property in North America, including sites in Miami, Florida and Washington, DC. This deal marks a milestone for the company as an opportunity to operate its first third-party management agreement, with further deals to be announced shortly.

Generator announces it will manage the legendary Paramount Hotel in New York City's Times Square Tweet this Courtesy of The Paramount Hotel and Generator

Aby Rosen's RFR has selected Generator to curate the next chapter of the historic Paramount Hotel, and the takeover will see an extensive refurbishment aiming to retain the Paramount's essence and character while upgrading the hotel's 605 guestrooms, public areas, retail spaces, and iconic lobby bar.

Generator and its sister brand Freehand built its' success and market-leading profitability by championing the hybrid accommodation model with diverse offerings in private rooms, shared bunk options, and flexible social and co-working spaces. The company now initiates an asset light business strategy, and recovering from the travel disruption posed by the pandemic, the Generator brand recorded exceptional occupancy and rates across its portfolio with July 2022 performance delivering the company's best ever financials and highest to date profit margin.

Generator and Freehand CEO, Alastair Thomann, "We are delighted to announce we were selected to run our first third-party management contract with a property as iconic as The Paramount Hotel, which will be the first of many to come. At the beginning of the pandemic, hybrid accommodation was once doubted by the market but now, entering a post-pandemic world, Generator and Freehand management models have delivered all-time record-breaking figures and are seeing a bigger demand from investors than ever before. This new partnership with RFR comes at a time of exceptional growth and expansion for the company and we're looking forward to adding The Paramount Hotel to our portfolio."

"We are excited to partner with Generator to manage and re-program the historic Paramount Hotel. Generator's reputation for leading the shared accommodation space is unmatched and their record success aligns with our goals of creating a best-in-class destination in Times Square," added Aby Rosen, Principal of RFR.

With the inclusion of The Paramount Hotel, Generator's portfolio will reach 16 properties across North America and Europe. Generator also operates Freehand Hotels, a collection of four hybrid accommodation lifestyle hotels in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami.

The Paramount Hotel is currently available for booking on www.staygenerator.com and www.nycparamount.com . The refurbishment is set to start in Q4 2022. *Information as of September 2022 and subject to change.

About Generator

Founded in 1995, Generator is the leading boutique and lifestyle accommodation brand with a robust and growing portfolio across Dublin, London, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Venice, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Rome, Madrid, Miami Beach, Washington D.C. and now New York. Pioneers of affordable lifestyle and masters of the social experience, all Generator properties have redefined their respective markets with design-forward room types from shared to private bedrooms, co-working and casual public areas, exceptional bars, cafes and a variety of private event spaces - from street facing to penthouse suites and roof tops. In March 2017, Queensgate Investments acquired Generator, cementing its reputation as a leader in hospitality. Generator has recently been awarded its first third-party management agreement for The Paramount Hotel and continues on an impressive growth trajectory.

Press Enquiry:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Rachelle Kong, PR Manager, Generator

[email protected]

SOURCE Generator
Summit and Executive Order validate biotechnology innovations as part of the climate solution

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Genomatica (Geno) CEO Christophe Schilling applauded recent government investment to promote the growth of domestic biomanufacturing amid the newest White House Executive Order on emerging biotechnologies. Speaking at the White House Summit on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing for the American Bioeconomy, Schilling reiterated that the Order will be an important driver of more resilient domestic supply chains through domestic infrastructure, delivering sustainable materials at scale, and a key component of the Biden Administration's climate resilience plan.

The Order launches the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative that calls for federal agency coordination in funding biomanufacturing projects that will accelerate the transition to more sustainable materials, at scale. The Order also increases mandatory bio-based purchasing by Federal agencies through programs like BioPreferred which Geno's Brontide brand participates in. Further, the Order validates biotechnology innovations that reduce America's use of fossil fuel sourced products through highlighting plant-based alternatives as a significant part of the climate solution. This Order will be incorporated into the Biden Administration's climate policies where the biobased economy will play a critical role in mitigating the impacts of climate change. For Geno, the Order signals a critical moment that brings together our company and cross sector groups to accelerate the sustainable materials transition.

"It's not often that one action fuels the economy, combats climate change and strengthens supply chains at the same time," said Geno CEO Christophe Schilling. "By powering the bioeconomy to create jobs across America, bolster rural economies, onshore manufacturing and help industry transition away from fossil fuels, this week's executive order does just that through a whole-of-government approach. At a time when business and environmental interests are often on a collision course, biotechnology and biomanufacturing prove that there is a different path forward. Today's Summit and Executive Order jumpstarts this process, and Geno looks forward to continued engagement with the White House to put our unique solutions to work."

Schilling is Chair Emeritus of Biocom , the largest advocacy organization for California's life sciences sector and serves on BIO 's Industrial & Environmental Section Governing Board. He is also a member of YPO , an international leadership organization for chief executives, and previously served on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Biotechnology .

Geno already stands at the forefront of powering technologies that enable large scale biomanufacturing of sustainable materials. Geno is on path to deliver over 4 million liters of capacity and an annual production of 100,000 metric tons of plant-based products. Geno continues to be laser-focused on increasing its impact through scale and has recently closed multiple high-impact deals to accelerate the commercialization of sustainable materials. With the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100 million tons in upcoming years, recent milestones include scaling plant-based nylon , a collaboration with lululemon to bring plant-based materials into lululemon's products and a venture with Unilever to provide additional, responsibly sourced palm oil alternatives to market with a 50% lower carbon footprint.

About Geno

Geno is harnessing biology to remake everyday products and materials built by and for the planet. In response to the urgent climate crisis, Geno is developing and scaling sustainable materials derived from plant- or waste-based feedstocks instead of fossil fuels. Geno's technology, built over the last 20 years, now drives materials and ingredients in applications ranging from cosmetics, carpets, to home cleaners, apparel and more.

To learn more, visit genomatica.com

SOURCE Geno
DUBLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "FLT3 Inhibitors Market - A Global and Country Analysis: Focus on Commercialized Therapy, Potential Pipeline Product, and Region - Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global FLT3 inhibitors market is expected to reach $2,061.3 million in 2032 from $400.9 million in 2021 at a CAGR of 14.88% during the forecast period 2022-2032

The global FLT3 inhibitors market growth is expected to be driven by the introduction of novel products, the increasing incidence of acute myeloid leukemia, and the rising research and development investments, among others.

Market Lifecycle Stage

The global FLT3 inhibitors market is in the nascent stage. The landscape of treatment of blood cancers with FLT3 positive mutations by novel inhibitory therapeutics is massively growing, with many emerging and legacy companies venturing into the industry with their respective therapeutic portfolio exclusively developed and designed for the treatment of FLT3 mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Through imaging, genetic, and biomarker studies, researchers are gaining a deeper understanding of the biology of AML, which will likely resolve many current problems in FLT3 mutated AML diagnosis and classification.

The current study aims to assess the global FLT3 inhibitors market by focusing on the marketed and potential pipeline therapies. The current market for FLT3 inhibitors is majorly dominated by pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis International AG, Astellas Pharma Inc., and Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited. Increasing investments in the research and development of drug manufacturing are one of the major opportunities in the global FLT3 inhibitors market.

Impact

The growing interest of the pharmaceutical industry in the therapeutic potential for treating blood cancers with FLT3 positive mutations has been a catalyst for the progress of the global FLT3 inhibitors market. Recently approved products such as Xospata and Rydapt for treating FLT3 mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The recent increase in the number of drug approvals received for treating acute myeloid leukemia with FLT3 positive mutations is considered to have added value to the emerging potential drug development. There are three FLT3 inhibitors approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during 2015-2021. Also, many FLT3 inhibitors are in preclinical or clinical trials, indicating progress toward making an impact in the pharmaceutical industry.

Drug development is more prominent in countries such as the U.S., Germany, the U.K., and Japan. Moreover, the presence of major market players such as Astellas Pharma Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited., Novartis AG, Allarity Therapeutics, Inc., and AROG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a positive impact on the market growth.

Market Segmentation

The Type 1 FLT3 inhibitors segment represented the largest market share at 96.63% of total commercialized therapies in 2021. However, the Type 2 FLT3 inhibitors segment is anticipated to register a high growing CAGR of 14.63% during the forecast period 2022-2032.

The Dovitinib is expected to hold 59.56% of total potential pipeline products in 2032, while Crenolanib and SKLB1028 segment is expected to hold 33.71% and 6.73% in 2032, respectively.

The North America FLT3 inhibitors market was valued at $252.7 million in 2021, and the region is currently the leading contributor to the market. The growth can be attributed to the increased research and development activities in the region.

How can this report add value to an organization?

Product/Innovation Strategy: The product segment helps the reader understand the commercialized therapies present in the market, along with potential pipeline products that are in different stages of clinical trials. Moreover, the study provides the reader with a detailed understanding of regional analysis based on the presence of FLT3 inhibitors.

Growth/Marketing Strategy: The global FLT3 inhibitors market has seen major development by key players operating in the market, such as regulatory and legal activities, product approvals and launches, partnerships and alliances, and other development activities. The favored strategy for the companies has been regulatory and legal activities along with product approvals to strengthen their position in the market.

Competitive Strategy: Key players in the global FLT3 inhibitors market analyzed and profiled in the study involve drug manufacturers for the treatment of cancer with FLT3 positive mutations. Moreover, a detailed competitive benchmarking of players operating in the global FLT3 inhibitors market has been done to help the reader understand how players stack against each other, presenting a clear market landscape. Additionally, comprehensive competitive strategies such as partnerships, agreements, and collaborations will aid the reader in understanding the untapped revenue pockets in the market.

Recent Developments in the Global FLT3 Inhibitors Market

In March 2021 , Astellas Pharma's Xospata (Gilteritinib) met the overall survival endpoint in the COMMODORE trial of subjects having FLT3 mutated relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

, Astellas Pharma's Xospata (Gilteritinib) met the overall survival endpoint in the COMMODORE trial of subjects having FLT3 mutated relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. In December 2021 , Allarity Therapeutics submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. FDA for Dovitinib as a third-line treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

, Allarity Therapeutics submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. FDA for Dovitinib as a third-line treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In June 2021 , Cullinan Oncology received Investigational New Drug (IND) Clearance from the FDA for CLN-049 to treat relapsed/refractory AML.

, Cullinan Oncology received Investigational New Drug (IND) Clearance from the FDA for CLN-049 to treat relapsed/refractory AML. In June 2019 , Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. FDA for the New Drug Application (NDA) of Vanflyta (Quizartinib) to treat adult patients with relapsed/ refractory FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis

The companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and analyzing company coverage, product portfolio, and market penetration.

Some prominent names established in this market are:

Cullinan Oncology, LLC

Astellas Pharma Inc.

Allarity Therapeutics, Inc.

AROG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Aptose Biosciences Inc.

Novartis International AG

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited

CSPC ZhongQi Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd.

FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals U.S.A. , Inc.

, Inc. Jiangsu HengRui Medicine Co., Ltd.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Market

1.1 Product Definition

1.2 Market Scope

1.3 Research Methodology

1.4 Market Overview

1.4.1 Introduction

1.4.2 Current Market Size and Growth Potential, $Million, 2021-2032

1.4.3 Types of FLT3 Gene Mutations Involved in AML

1.4.3.1 FLT3-ITD Mutation

1.4.3.2 FLT3-TKD Mutation

1.4.4 Mechanism of FLT3 Inhibitors

1.4.5 Classification of FLT3 Inhibitors

1.4.6 Resistance to AML Therapy Targeted at FLT3

1.4.7 Epidemiology of FLT3 Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

1.4.8 Role of Companion Diagnostics in FLT3 Inhibitors Market

1.4.8.1 Drug-Diagnostic Co-Development

1.4.8.2 Companion Diagnostic Tests for FLT3 Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

1.4.8.2.1 LeukoStrat CDx FLT3 Mutation Assay

1.4.8.2.2 Dovitinib DRP Companion Diagnostic

1.4.9 Pipeline Analysis

1.4.9.1 By Clinical Phase

2 Industry Analysis

2.1 Overview

2.2 Legal Requirements and Frameworks in the U.S.

2.2.1 Clinical Trial Authorization

2.2.2 Marketing Authorization

2.2.3 Post-Authorization Regulations

2.3 Legal Requirements and Frameworks in Europe

2.4 Legal Requirements and Frameworks in Japan

2.5 Reimbursement and Cost Analysis

2.5.1 U.S.

2.5.2 Europe

3 Market Dynamics

3.1 Overview

3.2 Impact Analysis

3.3 Market Drivers

3.3.1 Increasing Incidence of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

3.3.2 Introduction of Novel Products

3.3.3 Rising Research and Development Investments

3.4 Market Restraints

3.4.1 High Treatment Cost Impacting the Adoption Rate

3.4.2 Disease Relapse in FLT3 Mutated AML

3.5 Market Opportunities

3.5.1 Massive Scope in Emerging Markets

4 Competitive Landscape

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Developments and Strategies

4.2.1 Regulatory and Legal Activities

4.2.2 Product Approvals and Launches

4.2.3 Partnerships and Alliances

4.2.4 Other Developments

4.3 Market Share Analysis (by Company), 2021

4.4 Growth-Share Analysis

5 Global FLT3 inhibitors Market (by Commercialized Therapies), $Million, 2021-2032

5.1 Overview

5.2 Type 1 FLT3 Inhibitors

5.2.1 Xospata (Gilteritinib)

5.2.2 Rydapt (Midostaurin)

5.3 Type 2 FLT3 Inhibitors

5.3.1 Vanflyta (Quizartinib)

6 Global FLT3 inhibitors Market (by Potential Pipeline Products), $Million, 2021-2032

6.1 Overview

6.2 Crenolanib

6.2.1 Crenolanib for Indication 1 (Newly Diagnosed FLT3 Mutated AML)

6.2.1.1 Safety and Efficacy Results of Crenolanib for Newly Diagnosed FLT3 Mutated AML

6.2.2 Crenolanib for Indication 2 (Relapsed/Refractory FLT3 Mutated AML)

6.2.2.1 Safety and Efficacy Results of Crenolanib for Relapsed/Refractory FLT3 Mutated AML

6.3 Dovitinib

6.3.1 Safety and Efficacy Results of Dovitinib for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

6.4 SKLB1028

7 Global FLT3 inhibitors Market (by Region), $Million, 2021-2032

7.1 Overview

7.1.1 Commercialized Products

7.1.2 Market Size and Forecast

8 Company Profiles

8.1 Company Overview

8.2 Role in the Global FLT3 inhibitors Market

8.3 Key Competitors of the Company

8.4 Key Insights about Financial Health of the Company

8.5 Recent Developments

8.6 Analyst's Perspective

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/703m4x

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets
Voting open through today

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthpilot Technologies, LLC, the digital platform that solved the complexities of enrolling in a Medicare plan, announced today that their next-level technology to provide the best Medicare plan recommendation for a customer's needs, has been named a Best Disruptor finalist in the in the second annual Excell Advisor Tech Awards presented by Cetera.

"We are thrilled to be recognized for our platform that transforms how people enroll in a Medicare plan," said Dave Francis, CEO and co-founder of Healthpilot. "We believe better healthcare starts with better coverage. Better coverage starts with the right plan. Healthpilot modernized the Medicare enrollment process with next-level technology and an intuitive user interface, giving customers the confidence and comfort to enroll in that right plan."

The Excell Advisor Tech Awards presented by Cetera recognizes the best technology solutions that focus on helping advisors improve client service, save time or solve industry problems. The winners include new products, major product updates, added service offerings, and new features that have rolled out in the last 12 months. The awards program, which is open to Carson Group vendors, recognizes achievement in three areas:

Best in Show

The Best in Show winner is making a profound difference in the profession by improving the advisor or client experience with the best overall technology addition in financial services.

Best Value

The Best in Value winner is proving their value in the industry by making processes more efficient for advisors, which saves them money and, most importantly, time.

Best Disruptor

The Best Disruptor winner provides game-changing technology that leaves its mark on the profession by solving a problem that's existed for centuries  or solving a problem we didn't even know existed.

"We know that having access to cutting-edge technology is critical to advisors who are tasked with helping clients navigate an increasingly complex financial landscape. This year's nominees are positively impacting the industry and providing solutions that improve both the advisor and client experience," said Nimesh Patel, Chief Technology Officers, Carson Group. "These companies represent innovators and disrupters in the fintech industry, and we are pleased to honor their achievements."

Finalists for each category were selected by a panel of judges. Winners for each category are determined by public vote which is open through today, September 14. Voters must be registered for the 2022 Excell Conference to cast their vote. Conference attendees can vote two ways, either via the online Attendee Hub or within the Excell App.

Carson Group will announce the award winners tomorrow, September 15, during the 2022 Excell Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Those not in attendance can follow conference happenings, include the award announcements, on Twitter via @CarsonGroupLLC and #Excell.

About Healthpilot Technologies, LLC

Healthpilot transformed the Medicare enrollment process so that every customer can find and enroll in the right insurance plan for their health and financial needs. Launched in 2021, Healthpilot uses proprietary AI-technology to provide tens of millions of Americans more control over their healthcare needs by delivering an unbiased, data-driven Medicare plan recommendation from well-known national carriers. In as little as 15 minutes, Healthpilot delivers a tailored Medicare plan recommendation alongside a dramatically better enrollment experience that's supported by an intuitive user interface. Customers can then enroll online at their convenience, all without leaving Healthpilot. Users who switch to a Healthpilot-recommended plan usually save an average of over $500 per year in out-of-pocket expenses, compared to their current plan, and can then expect yearly updates to ensure their coverage is still optimized to their needs. Healthpilot is free, safe, and secure. To learn more about Healthpilot, visit www.healthpilot.com.

About Carson Group

Carson serves financial advisors and investors through its businesses including Carson Wealth, Carson Coaching, and Carson Partners. The family of companies offers coaching and partnership services to advisor firmsand straightforward financial advice to the investing public. All three organizations are headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and share a common mission to be the most trusted for financial advice. For more information, visit www.carsongroup.com.

SOURCE Healthpilot
The collaboration focuses on personalized physician care and making healthcare

more affordable for patients on Medicare.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Honest Medical Group (Honest) and Oakland Physician Network Services, Inc. (OPNS), a physician-owned and operated corporation with more than 425 primary care and specialty physicians in Southeast Michigan, are pleased to announce a joint venture that will allow OPNS the opportunity to provide highly personalized care to its patients on Medicare. This new relationship empowers physicians to truly transform the current health care delivery model to now focus on whole-person-centric care of patients.

Honest was purpose-built to advance the doctor and patient experience, improve overall care, and to reduce health care costs. In partnering together, Honest and OPNS will provide a model of coordinated care that will work to improve clinical outcomes, slow disease progression, and to improve the quality of life for OPNS' patients on Medicare.

In addition, the physicians at OPNS will have the ability to focus on the unique needs of patients and while delivering custom care supporting physical, behavioral, emotional, and social needs for the better well-being of the patient. This results in a more efficient and effective practice.

"OPNS has always been focused on the care we provide our patients, as well as driven by innovation and how we can do things better. We are excited about our new relationship with Honest, leveraging their insights and support as we work together to take even better care of our Southeast Michigan community," said Rodger Prong, CEO of OPNS.

"I am excited for the opportunities our Honest-OPNS relationship brings to their physicians, practices, and, most importantly, their patients," said Dr. Aric Coffman, CEO of Honest. "Honest was purposefully built to improve our healthcare system, and by forging relationships with those on the ground delivering care, we are able to truly impact those in need of care."

About Honest Medical Group:

Honest Medical Group is a Nashville-based, privately-owned company that partners with physicians to improve their patients' care experience and to reduce costs for people with Medicare. Honest provides financial backing, real-time insights, care management teams and administrative staff so physicians can put their patients first. Honest was founded by health care innovators Adam Boehler, founder and CEO of healthcare investment firm Rubicon Founders; Abe Sutton; and Matt Kim.

For more information, visit HonestMedicalGroup.com or connect with Honest at @honestmedicalgroup on facebook, @honestmedgroup on twitter, and Honest Medical Group on LinkedIn.

About Oakland Physician Network Services

Oakland Physician Network Services, Inc. is an independent, physician owned and operated corporation comprised of over 425 primary care and specialty physicians. From its location in Oakland County, OPNS serves the medical community by centrally maintaining the infrastructure to support best practices in medical management, office management, and database management. It provides financial and quality analysis and reporting services that assist member physicians in delivering higher quality care and managing costs for more than 15 healthcare plans.

SOURCE Honest Medical Group
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Speech Improvement Center is hosting their very first Speech Pathology Intern Day on October 14th, 2022 in Pacoima, CA 91331. Speech Pathology Intern Day is open to all Speech Language Pathology and Speech Language Pathology Assistant students across all schools in California.

The event will be held at the corporate office located in Pacoima and will take place from 9:30am  3:30pm.

Join our team!

Speech Improvement Center is a private practice with over 24 locations in California. They specialize in speech therapy for pediatric population and come across different disorders such as voice, apraxia, and articulation, as well as expressive and receptive disorders. Speech Improvement Center is known for its extensive and detailed training programs for speech therapists and the career growth opportunities within the field. They also offer SLPA job and SLP job opportunities in all their centers.

The event is hosted for speech therapy students who want to learn more about the field and get an experience about what a day in the life of a speech therapist looks like. The students will get a chance to learn about different employment settings within the field, learn about the pros and cons of each setting, as well as hear from different professionals in the field about their experiences. There will also be different case studies and clinical subjects that will be covered through out the day, giving students a head start about the clinical knowledge and different disorders they might come across in the real world. Students will also learn about how to apply for their SLP/SLPA licenses in California. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, along with lots of fun games and activities designed specifically for students to learn and benefit from.

Speech Pathology Intern Day at Speech Improvement Center offers free admission and is open to all speech pathology students across the state of California. The event is hosted in person and will have limited seating. Those who are interested in attending the event should register before October 7th on Speech Pathology Intern Day - Speech Improvement Center.

Register now!

Speech Improvement Center also offers employment opportunities for Speech Language Pathologists, Speech Language Pathology Assistants, and Clinical Fellows. If you are interested in growing your speech therapy career with a company that provides multiple opportunities for growth and specialization, Speech Improvement Center might be the right place for you. For employment opportunities, please visit: Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA) - North Hollywood, CA - Speech Improvement Center

Even if you are not located in California but are interested in relocating, Speech Improvement Center will offer relocation assistance for the right candidates!

To check out all the locations throughout California, please visit: Locations - Speech Improvement Center

For more information, please reach out to [email protected].

Speech Improvement Center

818.206.3353

[email protected]

www.speechimprovementcenter.com

SOURCE Speech Improvement Center
Laboratory Informatics Market Geography Landscape

North America will account for 32% of the market's growth over the forecasted timeframe. The two biggest markets in North America for laboratory informatics are the US and Canada.

The research provides a current review of the market's geographic distribution. Given its recent rapid growth, North America is anticipated to present a number of chances for market vendors to expand over the forecast period. Over the forecast period, technological advancements will support the growth of the North American laboratory informatics market. Buy Sample Report.

Laboratory Informatics Market Segmentation

Component

Software



Service

Geography

North America



Europe



Asia



ROW

The efficiency provided by laboratory automation, technological advances, and increasing demand for reformed and processed data will offer immense growth opportunities. However, high maintenance and service costs, lack of stringent regulations and standards, and interfacing with diverse laboratory instruments will challenge the growth of the market participants.

To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Download Free Sample Report.

Companies Covered:

Abbott Laboratories

Agilent Technologies Inc.

Cerner Corp.

LabLynx Inc.

LabWare Inc.

McKesson Corp.

PerkinElmer Inc.

TCG Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Waters Corp.

Global Laboratory Informatics Market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying various organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market.

The growing competition in the market is compelling vendors to adopt various growth strategies such as promotional activities and spending on advertisements to improve the visibility of their services. Some vendors are also adopting inorganic growth strategies such as M&As to remain competitive in the market.

What our reports offer:

Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments

Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

Market trends (drivers, opportunities, threats, challenges, investment opportunities, and recommendations)

Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

Related Reports:

Picture Archiving and Communication System Market by Product, Application, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The picture archiving and communication system market share is expected to increase by USD 1.34 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.89%.

Chemoinformatics Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The chemoinformatics market share is expected to increase by USD 5.19 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 15.09%.

Laboratory Informatics Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 12.52% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 3.02 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 8.80 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and ROW Performing market contribution North America at 32% Key consumer countries US, Germany, Canada, China, and UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies Inc., Cerner Corp., LabLynx Inc., LabWare Inc., McKesson Corp., PerkinElmer Inc., TCG Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Waters Corp. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Browse for Technavio "Health Care" Research Reports

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2021

Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Component

Market segments

Comparison by Component

Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Service - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Market opportunity by Component

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Asia - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ROW - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Abbott Laboratories

Agilent Technologies Inc.

Cerner Corp.

LabLynx Inc.

LabWare Inc.

McKesson Corp.

PerkinElmer Inc.

TCG Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Waters Corp.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Long-term customer increases annual NEXTWave subscription by 33%

Intermap's accurate, reliable analytics support next-generation network planning

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP) ( OTCQX: ITMSF) ("Intermap" or the "Company"), a global leader in 3D geospatial data and intelligence solutions, today announced a leading mobile phone, internet services and IPTV provider, renewed its subscription for NEXTWave telecom analytics with a 33% annual rate increase.

Intermap's telecom client has increased its RF link profile usage by 191% since its first subscription in 2019. With this two-year subscription renewal, the client will use the NEXTWave platform to integrate on-demand RF link profiles analytics into its workflow. This renewal reflects the increase in demand for NEXTWave telecom analytics and its value in the network planning process.

"Intermap's NEXTWave telecom analytics support next-generation network planning, leveraging proprietary data and analytics in real-time anywhere in the world," said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap's Chairman and CEO. "The global communications network continues to grow with the deployment of 5G networks, driving the demand for accurate planning tools. Intermap is uniquely positioned to meet this demand with powerful, flexible, reliable and accurate elevation analytics that are provided as a service on a global basis."

There is growing demand for 5G networks around the world. Telecommunications companies require accurate data and line-of-sight analytics to implement infrastructure to support these networks. Radio frequency (RF) link profiles offer this analysis based on signal propagation algorithms, which enable service providers to evaluate tower placement and signal reach to customers. The RF link profiles assist the client with management, expansion and deployment of telecom services country wide.

The client has been using Intermap's NEXTWave telecom analytics since 2019 and a user of the Company's earlier generation telecom application. Intermap has developed new custom features to meet the requirements of its customers. This includes expanded import/export functions, mass point analysis, informative charts, built-in coordinate converter and the ability to change profile parameters on the fly. Intermap's NEXTWave telecom analytics continue to evolve to meet the needs of service providers.

Learn more about Intermap's telecom solution at intermap.com/telecom.

Intermap Reader Advisory

Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast", "will be", "will consider", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. 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 that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. 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 forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.

About Intermap Technologies

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQX: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermap's 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the world's largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Company's collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermap's products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation.

SOURCE Intermap Technologies Corporation
Shared high-performance computing and advanced networking funding from National Science Foundation this year aims to boost STEM education and other technology resources for minority and smaller higher education institutions in North Carolina

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Davidson College, Duke University and North Carolina Central University (NCCU), in collaboration with MCNC, today announced that the newly-created North Carolina Shared Research & Education collaborative infrastructure (NCShare) has received two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants totaling approximately $1.4 million to provide high-speed research network capacity, support high-performance computing, and boost STEM education to at least eight minority-serving, smaller, or mid-sized institutions of higher education throughout North Carolina.

The first NSF award (Abstract #2201525 for CC* Regional: NCShare Science DMZ) is for $984,868 and spans two years in order to establish a parallel science network infrastructure to interconnect campus researchers to external sites with a speed and style of connectivity that is typically only available at large research universities. Rather than each participant needing to build their own science network infrastructure, this project builds a shared, regionally-based network operating on MCNC's existing state-wide research and education network. The result is expected to lower costs, require fewer campus support personnel, and provide fast and unrestricted data movement to multiple institutions. This virtualized approach increases accessibility of high-speed data-driven research by democratizing access to advanced cyberinfrastructure, enhancing research productivity, promoting collaboration, and reducing the time required for scientific discoveries at participating minority-serving and smaller institutions. Duke University Chief Information Officer (CIO) Tracy Futhey is the principal investigator (PI) for the project supported by co-PIs Davidson College CIO Kevin Davis, NCCU CIO Leah Kraus and Director of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute Deepak Kumar, and MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks.

"The NCShare partnership is an important step towards addressing historical IT infrastructure inequities at minority-serving institutions such as North Carolina Central University and preparing a diverse STEM/high computing workforce of the future," said Deepak Kumar, Ph.D., who also serves as interim associate provost and dean of Research and Sponsored Programs at NCCU. "The proposed infrastructure will foster collaborative and multidisciplinary research in areas such as big data and high-performance computing in genomics, drug discovery, clinical care and public health."

The second NSF award (Abstract #2201105 for CC* Compute: NCShare Compute as a Service) is for $397,557 and also is a two-year grant that dovetails the work above but focuses on creating a shared computing environment supporting a common set of software and services, with priority use by Davidson, NCCU, and other North Carolina minority-serving and smaller institutions. The project leverages MCNC's high-speed, high-bandwidth network and Duke's already mature capability in automated provisioning, software containerization and advanced networking, which will accelerate implementation and make computation and powerful software environments quickly available to researchers, educators and students in the region.

As a result, faculty at participating institutions will benefit from having access to tools and services that ease the delivery of customized computing systems to meet their research needs and enable easy access to powerful tools for students. By starting from a common base environment and then supporting customizations that can meet the specific research and education demands of participating institutions, this project provides hands-on opportunities for students to use advanced science capabilities and software environments. Charley Kneifel, Chief Technology Officer at Duke's Office of Information Technology, is the PI for the project supported by co-PIs Duke's Tracy Futhey, NCCU's Leah Kraus and Davidson's Kevin Davis.

"North Carolina Central University is proud to partner with Davidson College and Duke University to enhance the overall academic experience and intellectual climate for our respective community members," said David H. Jackson, Jr., NCCU provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. "Through making our data infrastructure and software access more robust, this collaboration will assist us in fulfilling our Eagle Promise with innovative research opportunities that prepare our students to graduate on time with leadership skills, global relevance, and employment or acceptance to graduate and professional schools."

"NCShare's assistance to current and future faculty and students with teaching, learning and research will be especially important to Davidson and other small North Carolina colleges and universities like us," said Shelley Rigger, interim vice president for academic affairs at Davidson College. "We don't have the resources or the demand to invest in technology at this level for ourselves alone. The funding provided by the NSF enables us to partner with North Carolina institutions as we invest in high-power computing to turbocharge undergraduate research."

MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America's longest-running regional research and education networks, providing high-performance networking services for education, research, libraries, health care, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout state. This network is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for more than 850 of these institutions (including all public K-20 education) in North Carolina.

"This is a big moment," said MCNC's Tracy Doaks. "Our incredible minority and smaller institutions of higher education throughout North Carolina play a key role in our state's overarching digital equity and inclusion plans; they are hubs for innovation and economic opportunity in their communities. For over 40 years MCNC has been a trusted collaborator offering technology solutions and advanced networking to connect North Carolina. We are pleased to continue our long tradition of supporting important efforts such as this one."

A virtual information session is scheduled Oct. 20 for those interested in these projects and want to learn more.

About NCShare

The North Carolina Shared Research and Education (NCShare) infrastructure provides access to networking, scientific and statistical computing services to minority-serving institutions and smaller to mid-sized institutions of higher education in North Carolina, encompassing both private and public institutions. The program establishes a parallel research network infrastructure (a Science DMZ) to interconnect campus researchers to external sites. NCShare is a shared, regionally-based network operating on MCNC's existing state-wide research and education network, rather than as a separate infrastructure. The result is expected to lower costs, require fewer campus support personnel, and provide fast and unrestricted data movement to multiple institutions. NCShare is a joint effort established by Duke University, Davidson College, North Carolina Central University and MCNC. Additional information is available at www.ncshare.org.

SOURCE MCNC
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- De Beers Jewellers natural & responsibly sourced diamonds dazzled on actor Lily James at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Lily James in De Beers at the 2022 Emmy Awards

James, nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Pam and Tommy radiated natural elegance in pieces from De Beers Talisman collection paired with a bronze-hued gown. Comprised of rough diamonds juxtaposed against polished diamonds, the Talisman collection is inspired by the ancient appreciation of rough diamonds as a symbol of power. The collection tells the story of natural diamonds, nature's most precious treasures, from the moment that they are discovered by De Beers in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Canada to the refined craftsmanship of the diamond jewelry that makes its way onto the red carpet.

De Beers Jewellers looks at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards include:

Lily James

De Beers Talisman Hoop Earrings set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Hoop Earrings set in Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Closed Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Closed Bangle set in Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Closed Bangle with Rough & Polished Diamonds set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Closed Bangle with Rough & Polished Diamonds set in Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Small Band set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Small Band set in Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Large Band set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Large Band set in Yellow Gold De Beers Dewdrop Diamond Band set in 18k Yellow Gold

Dewdrop set in Yellow Gold De Beers Dewdrop Diamond Band set in 18k Rose Gold

Dewdrop set in De Beers Micropave Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold

Micropave Bangle set in Yellow Gold De Beers Micropave Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold

Micropave Bangle set in Yellow Gold De Beers Micropave Bangle set in 18k Rose Gold

Mindy Kaling

De Beers Lea Earrings set in Platinum, 4.04 carats

Lea Earrings set in Platinum, 4.04 carats De Beers Adonis Rose Pear-Shaped High Jewelry Ring set in Platinum, 5.39 carats

Adonis Rose Pear-Shaped High Jewelry Ring set in Platinum, 5.39 carats De Beers Adonis Rose Cluster Ring set in 18k White Gold, 1.94 carats

Nicholas Braun

De Beers Talisman Azulea Large Band set in 18k White Gold

Talisman Azulea Large Band set in White Gold De Beers DB Classic Bangle set in 18k White Gold

Download images here

About De Beers Jewellers

Founded in London, with a flagship store on Old Bond Street and a presence in the most exclusive locations around the world, De Beers Jewellers is the pinnacle of luxury diamond jewellery. Building on De Beers' 130 years of expertise, the House glorifies the world's most beautiful diamonds through creativity and craftsmanship in bold, distinctive designs.

De Beers is invested in ensuring all the diamonds it discovers create a lasting positive impact for people and the places where they are found. This comes with a pledge to build a better future  one that is fairer, safer, cleaner and healthier, in which communities thrive, ethical practices are maintained, and the natural environment is protected. We call this long-term commitment Building Forever.

De Beers Jewellers has 30 stores globally and ships to 15 markets via debeers.com.

SOURCE De Beers
Existing Multi-Unit Franchisees Seize Open Market Potential in Southwest Virginia While Expanding Statewide Reach

ROANOKE, Va., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marco's Pizza, the nation's fastest-growing pizza brand*, announces a multi-unit signed agreement that will bring seven new stores to the Roanoke and Lynchburg areas of Virginia over the next two and a half years. Multi-unit expansion with existing franchisees continues to lead Marco's overall growth strategy, as the brand recently hit both development and sales milestones with the opening of its 1100th store and surpassing $1B in annual systemwide sales.

Franchisees Brandon Hudson and Damion Mason boast a 20-year friendship and have been with Marco's for over five years. The duo plan to build out the Greater Lynchburg and Roanoke areas of Virginia as they grow their Marco's portfolio. They currently have eight additional stores in development across the state, including a new store slated to open by the end of this year at 5817 Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond.

The best friend team has seen great success in the Richmond market and jumped on the opportunity to develop in the Roanoke and Lynchburg areas as untapped markets for Marco's. Due in part to having one successful Marco's location already in Greater Lynchburg, combined with an underdeveloped Marco's market in Roanoke, the two cities showed prime potential for adding to Hudson and Mason's multi-unit portfolio in Virginia.

"Damion and I have grown with Marco's, joining when there were 700 stores to now with 1,100 stores and counting," said Hudson. "Expanding with the brand as it continues to grow means that we get to help share the quality Marco's product with even more people. As one of the brand's largest African American multi-unit operators, we're excited to continue sharing our legacy for our families and the community."

The first of the seven Marco's locations planned for Roanoke and Lynchburg is slated to open by the end of this year, with the next three to follow in 2023 and all seven to be open in the next three years.

"Over the years and through various business ventures, we've learned that entrepreneurial success is much easier when you are partnered with someone you trust and when you're helping to further develop a brand that's on the same fast-track for growth that you are. While we've had strong performance with our existing Marco's locations, the brand's recent nationwide, record-breaking sales and development success speaks for itself, and it has created a heightened potential for the multi-unit franchise opportunity," added Mason.

Marco's now spans 1,100 stores across 33 states with locations in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. The brand is on track to rise in the ranks as Nation's Restaurant News Top 500 Report shows Marco's achieved the highest percent year-over-year sales change (+18.2%) when compared to the nation's top 4 pizza brands**, making Marco's the No. 5 pizza brand in systemwide sales in America.

With strong growth and performance, Marco's now sets its sights on becoming the No. 4 brand in pizza as it experienced a 12.8% increase in year-over-year Average Unit Volume (AUV), and the Top 50% of Marco's franchised stores generated $1,198,201 AUV for 2021***.

Marco's franchise expansion also continues to accelerate with more than 200 stores in various stages of development with more than 350 agreements signed. Company leadership is prioritizing investments in enhancing the franchise development program, new technology, personnel, strategic vendor partnerships, multi-channel national advertising, and more  all with an eye on maximizing franchisee profits while meeting the needs of today's modern customer.

For example, Marco's recently announced the investment of millions of dollars in technology innovations over the next few years designed to create business efficiencies, maximize order growth, and improve the customer experience. Areas of investment include AI-enabled voice-to-text ordering and automated promise times, integration with third-party delivery services, migrating to a 100% cloud-based order management system , plus testing new operational equipment.

For more information on Marco's Pizza franchise opportunities, visit https://www.marcos.com/franchising/ or call 866-731-8209 to speak with Shannon Iverson, Vice President of Franchise Sales.

ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA

Marco's Pizza is America's Most Loved and Most Trusted Pizza Brand, according to the 2019 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is the fastest-growing pizza brand in the United States. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,100 stores in 33 states with locations in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Most recently, Marco's Pizza was ranked No. 2 in the Pizza category on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2022 "Franchise 500" ranking, and No. 4 in the Fastest Growing category on Restaurant Business' 2021 "Top 10 Fastest Growing Chains" ranking. Other recent accolades include a first-time presence on Newsweek's 2022 "America's Best Customer Service" in pizza chains list, ranked No. 40 on QSR's Top 50 and has been featured five consecutive years on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 500" ranking.

*Marco's Pizza is the fastest-growing pizza brand based on year-over-year unit growth, according to 2021 NRN Top 500 U.S. Restaurant Ranking LSR Pizza Segment.

**Nation's Restaurant News partnered with Datassential and its Firefly data platform to provide an in-depth look at the performance across the Top 500 restaurant chains.

***Based on the Average Unit Volume of the top 50% of our Franchised Stores for fiscal year 2021. Based on fiscal year 2021, 146 of 389 Franchised Stores in the category (38%) met or exceeded this average. This information appears in Item 19 of our 2022 FDD  please refer to our FDD for complete information on financial performance. Results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well.

SOURCE Marco's Pizza
Brand Also Launches New Scholarship Sweepstakes to Encourage More to Enter the Profession

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sometimes dreams do come true. For one lucky entrepreneur, the dream of becoming a licensed massage therapist is about to become a reality  thanks in part to the support of Massage Envy. Davina Lockhart, a massage therapy student enrolled at the Cortiva Institute campus in Cromwell, Connecticut, recently received a special grant from Massage Envy live on the September 2 episode of ABC's Good Morning America (GMA).

"As the industry leader, we wanted to do something big and purposeful to give back to the industry," said Massage Envy CEO Beth Stiller, "so we recently launched the Massage Envy National Scholarship Sweepstakes for Massage Therapists. The sweepstakes will award eight people a month over the next year a $2,500 scholarship that can be used to attend any massage school of their choice. But as part of the GMA announcement, we found one person, Davina, whose story is so inspirational that we wanted to do something extra special for her."

Stiller surprised Davina with a check for $15,000 to enable her to complete her massage school studies this year. This gift was separate from the sweepstakes scholarship, and to make sure all of this was a total surprise to Davina, the GMA team developed a cover story as they filmed Davina in training and used that video for an emotional telling of Davina's story prior to the check presentation.

"I am just so grateful to Massage Envy for this gift," Davina said. "I am still speechless in so many ways. I'm just out there trying to live and take care of my kids, and to be recognized for that is just amazing."

"Davina's story is an inspiration, and we wanted to help her realize her dream," Stiller said. Stiller also presented Davina with a new portable massage table, massage tools and a year's worth of massage supplies to help her get started on her career.

While the path to graduation now looks bright for Davina, it wasn't always that way. From the time she was young, she always harbored an entrepreneurial spirit. She knew she eventually wanted to serve in the healing arts, but early opportunities eluded her.

Born in Meriden, Connecticut, Davina's parents struggled financially as they sought a better life for Davina and her seven siblings. As a young adult, Davina left Connecticut to settle first in Florida and then North Carolina. Along the way, she raised a family as a single parent  four boys who now range in age from eight to 24 years old, and a girl, now age six. When the health of her aging parents began to fail three years ago, Davina returned to Connecticut. She halted her massage training to take care of them, and then she suffered the anguish of losing her role models with the loss of her mother in 2020 and her father just a few months later. This heartache followed an earlier tragedy: Davina's brother James was murdered during a robbery. Like the pain of losing her parents, Davina says the pain of losing a younger brother she adored will never go away, but his memory lives on today through her fourth child, whom she named James.

Ever the entrepreneur, Davina started her own business 10 years ago, creating body butter and sugar scrubs.

"I had some things happen in my life and starting my own business then seemed like the best thing for me," Davina said. "I wanted to do something I loved, helping people heal by formulating products that were good for them."

Still, Davina never lost sight of her dream of becoming a massage therapist.

"It just seemed like a natural fit. I have always been drawn to massage, but there was no financial aid when I was 18 and 19. Then I started a family. Between that and the rat race of life, massage therapy was just a dream that I had to set aside," Davina said.

That dream  long delayed  is now about to become a reality. After years of being unable to fulfill her aspiration and some heartache along the way, Davina is scheduled to graduate in November. She intends to take her state certification exam and begin 2023 as a Licensed Massage Therapist.

She said she wants to get some experience somewhere and then eventually start her own practice. "I want to create a healing spa," she said.

As for others who may be interested in massage therapy as a career, Davina has this advice: "If you're considering massage as a career, there's a reason. Just sign up and do it. If you don't know the reason, it will come to you in class. Massage therapy is very fulfilling and a great way to help people."

While Massage Envy's gift to Davina was extra special, others can benefit through the Massage Envy National Scholarship Sweepstakes for Massage Therapists. To be eligible for a chance to win $2,500, entrants must be of legal age in their state. Entrants only need to enter once. The first recipients will be drawn in October 2022 and announced in November 2022 with additional recipients announced in the following months.

To learn more about the scholarship program or to enter, please go to www.massageenvy.com/scholarship.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S./D.C. residents, 18+ (residents of AL & NE who must be 19+ or residents of MS who must be 21+) as of date of entry. See Official Rules at massageenvy.com/scholarship for entry periods, odds, prize description, limitations, and complete details. Sweepstakes begins August 22, 2022 and ends August 31, 2023. Sponsor: Massage Envy Franchising, LLC, 14350 N 87th St Ste 200, Scottsdale, AZ 85260.

About Massage Envy

Massage Envy, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a national franchisor and does not independently own or operate any of the Massage Envy franchised locations nationwide. The Massage Envy franchise network, through its franchise locations, is the leading provider of massage services. Founded in 2002, Massage Envy has approximately 1,100 franchise locations in 49 states that have together delivered more than 190 million massages and facials. For more information, visit www.massageenvy.com, or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @MassageEnvy.

SOURCE Massage Envy
BIO-CAPSULE and MICROBILIZE Protect and Position Microbes to Maximize Impact

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meristem announced here today the commercial launch of two patent-pending biological delivery systems  BIO-CAPSULE and MICROBILIZE  building on their effort to bring real productivity gains to farmers. Both innovative technology systems result from work with leading industry partners and are designed to work seamlessly with farming operations to dramatically increase the performance of a broad range of biologicals.

BIO-CAPSULE and MICROBILIZE Protect and Position Microbes to Maximize Impact

"A very important piece of our mission at Meristem is opening up a faster pathway to more farmers for new innovative technology," said Mitch Eviston, Meristem Founder and CEO in unveiling the two new patent-pending systems. "We're out to clear any hurdle to using these new beneficial biologicals and with BIO-CAPSULE and MICROBILIZE we take two more giant steps. This is all about creating greater productivity for American farmers."

The BIO-CAPSULE TECHNOLOGY Planter Box Delivery System, is a revolutionary packaging system designed to carry, protect, and dispense a multitude of biologicals into a seed lubricant blend plus micronutrients. It will be launched commercially in crop-year 2023 as part the REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE product evolution.

"REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE Corn, now powered by BIO-CAPSULE, is truly a game changer because the new technology allows for so many proven ingredients to work together effectively as a single product," said Joe Gednalske, Meristem Product Development Lead, who already holds 41 patents on crop inputs and application technology. For crop year 2023, said Gednalske, one of Bio-Capsules will be charged with Terrasym, an industry leading proprietary bio-stimulant developed by NewLeaf Symbiotics that helps plants increase nutrient uptake to develop a massive root structure. Another BIO-CAPSULE will be charged with a microbial team proven to fix nitrogen and solubilize nutrients. In the base is an 80/20 talc blend with iron and manganese, plus 1.35 pounds of a specially-formulated zinc.

"The BIO-CAPSULE TECHNOLOGY enables these microbes to stay separated from talc and zinc to keep their full strength all the way to when they are deployed at planting," explains Gednalske. "That means more vigor and vitality in the furrow."

NewLeaf Technical Product Director, Dr. Allison Jack, says the BIO-CAPSULE system is key to what's next because it delivers live microbes in powder formulation directly to the seed in a way that ensures they only become active during seed germination. "The microbes are protected until they are ready to use. The BIO-CAPSULE will give us the opportunity to show what our new corn rootworm biological can do," she said. "We've just gotten the green light from the EPA and are excited to work with Meristem on demonstrating its efficacy and its convenience, pending state approvals."

MICROBILIZE Microbe Technology Delivery System, the second patent-pending product announced, covers a liquid formulation technology that enhances microbe health, increases vigor, and speeds reproduction at the target. MICROBILIZE uses a surfactant system, fulvic acid and other ingredients to increase the shelf life and performance of microbes. The first commercial launch for MICROBILIZE is a new improvement of Meristem's industry leading residue management and nutrient release product --- EXCAVATOR.

"With MICROBILIZE, the surfactant package penetrates the cuticle for faster breakdown of the residue," said Gednalske. "We've seen a dramatic increase in microbe survivability and productivity." Gednalske worked with researchers at DPH Biologicals and others to measure the impact of MICROBILIZE. Meristem will license the technology to other providers of biologicals with the tagline "Powered by MICROBILIZE Microbe Technology Delivery System." Meristem's EXCAVATOR carries a unique collection of six different residue-eating microbes, reaching a total of 700 billion total colony-forming units (CFUs) per gallon.

"As biologicals become more mainstream, it is important for these products to consistently perform to earn grower trust," said Mick Messman, president and CEO of DPH Biologicals. He added that innovations like the MICROBILIZE delivery technology paired with DPH Bio's unique biological platform play an important role in generating a new level of consistent performance that will drive rapid adoption. "Trusted biologicals are proving their ROI (return on investment) and we have seen significant growth with our portfolio over the past year. We look forward to continued collaborations with Meristem to develop and introduce new innovative biological solutions."

John Gertz, Meristem's COO, said combining EXCAVATOR and REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE can truly be considered the starter system for the next generation. "That's why we focused on getting these new delivery systems right  to bring more real productivity to American farmers." He said BIO-CAPSULE is a step-change innovation enabling a bolt-on of new formulations without the expense of re-registration, which reduces waste. "Simply put, we can help farmers add more bushels and keep more of what they earn from each one."

"We serve farmers best when we can bring them innovation that helps them produce more output for every unit of input," summarizes Rob McClelland, Meristem President and CMO. "But we must make it convenient for them at field-level. And that's what these new delivery systems are about  safeguarding the product and making it easier for farmers to improve crop health, yields and ROI. We're excited for the opportunity this brings our dealer-partners to be market leaders."

About Meristem Crop Performance

Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC (www.meristemag.com) is one of the fastest-growing crop input companies in America. Meristem sources, formulates, licenses, and delivers high- quality crop inputs to farmers at the highest possible value, at substantial savings. Meristem is focused on building a highly efficient channel to bring crop inputs to market so farm businesses can make the most of their infrastructure and intellectual property investments and better compete in the global agricultural market. Meristem's team of experienced ag professionals also works to create real productivity gains for farm businesses through novel biological delivery systems and accelerated access to farm-ready innovations.

Media Contact:

K. Elliott Nowels

[email protected]

SOURCE Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC
Leading HVAC Distributor Expands into Goodman Equipment and Sheet Metal Fabrication

NEW LENOX, Ill., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Munch's Supply, the HVAC division of Marcone, has acquired Total Air Supply and Spiral Air Manufacturing, including three branches servicing Manchester, Derry and Nashua, New Hampshire. This will expand Munch's geographic footprint to 74 locations serving 17 states and one Canadian province.

Munch's Supply is a Marcone company that has been operating in the Chicagoland area for more than 65 years and is consistently ranked as a top 10 HVAC distributor in the United States. Marcone, a leading distributor of home appliance, HVAC and plumbing repair parts and equipment across North America acquired Munch's Supply in 2021. Together, the companies operate with a singular goalto become the hub for parts and services to the home for both technicians and consumers.

"This acquisition marks our very first partnership with Goodman, a subsidiary of Daikin Industries. This is an established equipment brand and working with them, we are pleased to expand our reach on the east coast," said Kevin Baxter, President HVAC, Munch's Supply/Marcone.

"This business has been in my family for almost 50 years. We are proud to provide our customers quality Goodman equipment along with parts and custom sheet metal, said Sue Quintiliani, owner, Total Air Supply.

"The Quintiliani family has done a fantastic job building a successful, customer-focused organization with superior dedication to their family of contractors," added Baxter. "We look forward to working with Sue, Dave, Greg and the rest of their talented team."

"We are excited to be part of a company with similar valuesone that puts people first, both customers and employees," added Quintiliani.

The acquisition demonstrates Munch's ongoing dedication to the HVAC and plumbing marketplace and reinforces its commitment to partnering with family and customer-service focused businesses looking for either a long-term partnership or an exit strategy.

About Munch's Supply

Munch's Supply was founded in 1956 by Willard Munch, who wanted to develop a local source of electrical supplies for area contractors. Today the company has more than 1,200 employees focused exclusively on supplying heating, cooling and plumbing industry contractors with quality products. For more than 65 years, Munch's Supply has operated with a commitment to service as a leading distributor for trusted brands such as American Standard, Trane, Mitsubishi, Rheem, Goodman, IPEX, AO Smith, Kohler, Tempstar, Keeprite and Frigidaire. For more information, visit www.munchsupply.com.

About Marcone

Marcone is an authorized distributor for major brands such as Whirlpool, Electrolux, General Electric, Maytag, Bosch, Samsung, L-G and many more. Through its vast distribution network, Marcone supplies the largest inventory of original replacement parts in the country for household appliances such as refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, and dryers. Marcone exports globally and also operates a comprehensive training institute offering quality business and technical training. Headquartered in St. Louis, Marcone operates 122 facilities, has approximately 2,100 employees, and serves approximately 43,000 technician customers. For more information, visit www.marcone.com.

Media Contacts:

Mary Jo Hann

[email protected]

847-833-5223

SOURCE Munchs Supply
NEW YORK and HOUSTON and DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic Capital Group announces its partnership with the University of Texas by committing to financial support for multiple years as part of joining its Wealth Management Network. The Network supports its Wealth Management Center that focuses on changing the way investment is being made in the industry's future. Housed within a top-ranked business school at Texas McCombs School of Business, the center is concentrating on integrating the academic community and industry partners for a future that strengthens the wealth management industry.

Republic Capital Group

"The University of Texas is one of America's leading universities and we are honored to partner with them. We are so excited for this opportunity to invest in tomorrow's Wealth Management leaders. We will be interacting with students through teaching, hosting industry events and bringing in industry leaders for them to learn from," says John Langston, Founder and Managing Partner of Republic Capital Group.

Peter Nesvold, Partner of Republic Capital Group, also comments, "Education is the great equalizer. Everyone at Republic Capital came from modest means and all benefited from a strong educational grounding. We are thrilled to pay it forward by enabling the next generation of aspiring students and enthusiastically encourage them to do the same when they can do so."

In addition to Republic Capital Group's investment, The John and Candace Langston Fellowship for Wealth Management was founded with The McCombs School of Business to financially support students pursuing Wealth Management.

Candace Langston, Co-Founder of The John and Candace Langston Fellowship, and VP of Marketing and Communications at Republic Capital Group, shares, "We believe with strategic cultivation, these talented individuals will be essential pillars in the future of the wealth management industry."

Dr, Ramesh K.S. Rao, Founding Director of the McCombs Wealth Management Center said, "The John and Candace Langston Fellowship is a generous and important contribution not only to the Texas McCombs Wealth Management Program but to the industry as a whole. The fellowship will go a long way towards attracting new students into the wealth management career path, thus addressing the shortage of young and new talent in the wealth management industry. We, at McCombs, are grateful to the Langstons' and Republic Capital Group for their generosity and leadership."

About Republic Capital Group

Republic Capital Group specializes in providing investment banking services to the RIA, Asset and Wealth Management communities. Republic Capital Group serves firms throughout the country and clients include several industry leaders.

Learn more about Republic Capital Group at www.republiccapgroup.com

Media Contact:

Candace Langston

Republic Capital Group

832-953-6542

[email protected]

Republic Capital Group - securities offered through Kingswood Capital Partners, LLC.

SOURCE Republic Capital Group
MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half has promoted George Denlinger to operational president, overseeing U.S. operations for technology, marketing and legal talent solutions. In this role, he will also lead the company's national technology accounts, managed technology solutions and managed creative solutions.

George Denlinger

A 24-year veteran of Robert Half, Denlinger has held many leadership roles, including regional vice president for technology and creative talent solutions, district president for the legal practice group and, most recently, operational president for professional talent solutions in the Central United States.

"With the demand for specialized talent on the rise, we will continue to find innovative solutions to meet the needs of our customers in the technology, marketing and legal space," said Paul F. Gentzkow, president and CEO of talent solutions at Robert Half. "George has the knowledge, tenure and passion we need to lead this critical business unit and take it to new heights."

In addition to his work at Robert Half, Denlinger is involved in several nonprofit organizations, including Food Bank of the Rockies, Ronald McDonald House, Project Angel Heart and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. A champion for diversity, equity and inclusion, Denlinger is also an executive sponsor of Robert Half's Somos Familia Employee Network Group and leads the company's partnership with ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals for America).

About Robert Half

Robert Half ( NYSE: RHI) is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm that connects people with meaningful work and provides clients with the talent and subject matter expertise they need to confidently compete and grow. Visit roberthalf.com and download the company's award-winning mobile app.

SOURCE Robert Half
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rollick, a leading customer engagement technology provider for the Marine, Powersports, and RV industries, announced today the launch of GoRollick Sell, a new offering within the GoRollick Marketplace platform to help consumers sell their used outdoor recreational vehicles to Rollick dealers.

The Covid-19 pandemic turned many people's work lives and leisure time upside down, causing an increase in outdoor recreation vehicle purchases. This was followed closely by the supply chain crisis, which is continuing to impact many industries. And now, as U.S. consumers' lives begin to return back to normal, some first-time buyers are looking to offload the vehicles they recently purchased, and selling to a dealer is the preferred option.

"We recognized that our affinity-based customers, which come from trusted organizations like Sam's Club, AAA, Progressive, Allstate and thousands of U.S. employers, are not always in a trade-in situation," said Jill Tarallo, Chief Operating Officer of Rollick. "Sometimes they just want to sell an existing vehicle without buying a new one. GoRollick Sell was created to give the millions of consumers we reach a simple, fast, and easy way to get offers from our dealers wherever and whenever they are ready to sell."

Launched within a new "Sell Your Vehicle" tab in the site navigation of the GoRollick Marketplace platform, GoRollick Sell first became available to program users in late 2021 with a pilot program. Customers can choose to receive offers from participating Rollick dealers and partners for their RV , motorcycle , boat , ATV , UTV , scooter , or watercraft after sharing information about their vehicle and completing a registration form.

"GoRollick Sell customers are proving to be one of our best partner lead sources," said Mike Adams, CEO of Pop Sells. "And given Pop's unique business model, these customers are getting connected with the right buyer at the right price in a safe, convenient transaction. Rollick and Pop have teamed up to provide these sellers with the type of experience they've come to expect from the largest online marketplaces combined with the personalized service of our nationwide team of Pop Consultants."

About Rollick, Inc.

Rollick connects manufacturers, dealers, and finance and insurance providers with in-market consumers in the Powersports, RV, and Marine industries to deliver a seamless customer journey. Rollick's OEM solutions include new customer acquisition, enterprise lead management, customer experience/loyalty, and marketing automation. In addition, the company has rapidly built its GoRollick.com outdoor recreational vehicle buying marketplace to include a nationwide network of dealers, over 100 manufacturers, and an affinity partner network with access to over 250 million high-quality customers including policyholders of major insurance providers, employees at more than 2,000 top U.S. companies, members of the military, veterans and first responders. For more information, visit Rollick.io .

SOURCE Rollick
Led by Alpine Space Ventures Partner and former SpaceX VP, Bulent Altan, company to leverage funds to meet increased demand of smallsat focused solutions

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Morpheus Space , the leading provider of in-space mobility systems, today announced the close of a $28M Series A funding round led by space exclusive VC, Alpine Space Ventures. Alpine was joined by Morpheus Ventures, and existing investors - Vsquared Ventures, Lavrock Ventures, Airbus Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Pallas Ventures, and Techstars Ventures who returned from the company's Seed Round.

Morpheus Space will leverage the financing round to expand and improve its manufacturing capabilities, namely, with a new factory in Dresden, Germany. The decision was prompted by a rapidly increasing demand for electric propulsion devices as brands mobilized around the creation of small satellite focused constellations. In just two years, the number of small satellite launches has jumped up nearly 450% from what it was in 2019, now sitting close to 1,800 annually. As entities continue to mobilize around a commercial future for Space, that number is expected to increase further as smaller space economies and new startups get up to speed on modern satellite mobility protocols and practices. With current constrictions to the supply chain, and the residual effects of COVID, satellite companies have found it increasingly more difficult to find partners that can meet their scaling needs in a short timeframe. The fund raise will enable Morpheus to expand and futureproof its production capabilities to a new level that can comfortably meet current and projected demands.

"The industry has seen significant growth in the last few years, unlike anything we've experienced before, and it has presented numerous opportunities for Morpheus to succeed and grow. However, we've also seen with our competitors how it presents multiple challenges and lost opportunities for those that cannot keep up. Both the blessings and problems associated with the space industry right now can be attributed to scalability," said Morpheus Space CEO and co-founder, Daniel Bock.

"To succeed, we need to rely on each other and help solve the problems of our partners to maintain growth. With this funding round, we will be able to produce high quality hardware on a much larger scale that the industry needs and we look forward to how it will open doors for us and others in the future", asserted Istvan Lorincz, co-founders and President of Morpheus Space.

After officially launching in 2018 Morpheus completed their seed round in 2020, since then the company has seen their headcount increase by 8x and YoY number of contracts increase by over 250%. Although demand has dramatically improved, the company still runs a small, tight knit operation of mostly engineers and software developers. A portion of the funding will be used to expand staffing across multiple disciplines and levels, with the goal of bringing their final headcount to over 100 people across multiple time zones within the next 6 to 12 months.

"Morpheus Space 's closing of their impressive Series A financing round in the context of an uncertain global environment, is a testimony of the team's stringent technical and commercial execution," said Bulent Altan, Investment Partner at Alpine Ventures and CEO of Mynaric. "As Alpine Space Ventures, we are proud to be the lead investor in their company's series-A round enabling the Company to reach the production capabilities required to meet growing customer demand. Looking ahead, the five-year rule for post-mission disposal of LEO satellites, which is being proposed by the FCC, strongly confirms the company's value proposition. Combined with the ever growing need to be maneuverable in LEO for debris and collision avoidance, we expect the demand for small to medium satellite propulsion to grow significantly. We are excited to support Morpheus Space on their journey."

Garnering awards from NASA and others, Morpheus Space is one of the premier startups in the mobility space, bringing partners industry leading propulsion and artificial intelligence based satellite routing. In recent months they have worked with several space companies, including Spire Global, Antaris Space and Rocket Factory Augsburg with more on the horizon.

For more information about Morpheus and how to work with them, visit www.morpheus-space.com .

About Morpheus Space:

Morpheus Space is a leading provider of the most scalable and efficient spacecraft electric propulsion systems. Its technology disrupts the New Space industry by introducing Sphere Flow; a fusion between cutting edge electric propulsion and artificial intelligence enabling truly dynamic constellations. The solution package enables satellite service providers to operate entire constellations as one entity by utilizing the world's smallest and most efficient space propulsion system servicing satellites <1Kg to >1000Kg. The Morpheus Space technology enables each satellite to perform countless orbital maneuvers, which allows the possibility of "objective first" mission planning with 100% automation. This provides a never-before-seen flexibility of satellite networks that is exploited by the A.I. to optimize the constellations and fulfill customer objectives.

Media Contact:

N6A on behalf of Morpheus Space

[email protected]

SOURCE Morpheus Space
The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors Invites Successful Entrepreneurs to a Lunch and Learn (LIVE / IN-PERSON)

SAN RAMON, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors announces its Savvy Women Lunch and Learn event, that educates, empowers, and inspires women business owners to take action to make a bigger impact on your lifestyle, your family, and the causes you care about deeply.

The in-person and online event will be held on Thursday, September 29th, 2022, from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM PDT.

Marilyn Suey

"Join us for the 're-start' of our live programming for our Savvy Women community," said Marilyn Suey, founder of the Diamond Group Wealth Advisors and Savvy Women. "You will enjoy a hosted lunch and an in-depth conversation on estate and legacy planning. Participants will hear the latest tools, tips, and techniques that may help you manage, transfer, and preserve your hard-earned assets."

Robert Silverman, Attorney at Law, will share real-life stories that will inspire you to take action. He will also discuss the underlying laws, legal and tax considerations you need to know as you establish or review your plan.

"I am excited to share with you our guidance on optimal primary and alternate beneficiary designations, asset titling, reducing and avoiding taxes when feasible, and obtaining limited liability protection, to name a few. More importantly, to help you navigate and understand what it takes to optimize your wealth transfer options now and into the future," said Silverman, of the R. Silverman Law Group.

"We have worked with clients in estate planning and administration over the years and we could not stress enough importance and urgency on having an estate plan simply because we are not immortal," said Suey. "The power of proper planning can certainly ease the pain and sadness when one loses a beloved."

"Estate planning has become a critical part of your Financial House, to use one of the Diamond Group's visual aids," said Silverman. "In the work we have done with our clients, taking time to not only establish a plan but to review it on a regular basis, is key to having confidence and clarity that your hard-earned assets will serve you and your family well."

"Our overarching goal is to bring together women from all walks of life to events that ignite curiosity, continue to educate, and empower you to take action," she said. "What has sprung from my first book, 36 Quick Tips for Savvy Women - Taking Control of Your Work, Your Wealth and Your Worth, has made an enormous impact on our Savvy Women community.

To RSVP:

About: Robert Silverman-Attorney at Law -R. Silverman Law Group

Robert J. Silverman, Attorney-at-Law, owns and manages the R. Silverman Law Group.

Mr. Silverman and his staff support their clients in estate planning, trust administration and probate. Mr. Silverman has helped more than a thousand individuals and families establish meaningful estate plans for the benefit of their families, loved ones, and charities.

Mr. Silverman also represents clients in connection with real estate matters, including purchase/sale transactions; intra-family deal structuring; and Limited Liability Company (LLC) formation.

He earned his degrees as follows: a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California at Davis; and a Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. His professional affiliations include membership in the Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley (Past President) and Contra Costa County Bar Association. Mr. Silverman has been a licensed real estate broker since 1981. He's most delighted with, and proud of, his marriage of more than 33 years and his three wonderful young-adult children.

About The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors

The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors is an independent wealth management firm providing integrated financial planning and investment management services for business owners, healthcare professionals, and women in transition. Using our disciplined planning system, Your Prosperity Blueprint Process, we collaborate with our clients to design personalized plans to define their path to financial independence. Our goal is to serve and support our clients so they can take care of their families, businesses and/or careers, and the causes they care about deeply. Our core values are trust, transparency, commitment, compassion, and collaboration.

For more information, visit http://www.diamondgroupwealthadvisors.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/The-Diamond-Group-Wealth-Advisors-1921023328178564/ and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilyn-suey-933134.

Marilyn Suey is a registered representative with, and securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Strategic Wealth Advisors Group, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Strategic Wealth Advisors Group, LLC. And the Diamond Group Wealth Advisors are separate entities from LPL Financial. CA Insurance License #0E01981.

Contact

Marilyn Suey

[email protected]

925-219-0080

SOURCE The Diamond Group
To honor "America's First Foodie" who loved spending time at Serendipity3, the famous NYC restaurant is giving back a portion of proceeds to the James Beard Foundation

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate its 68th anniversary, Serendipity3 , the famous NYC landmark, is honoring one of the most influential icons in the food industry, James Beard. Available from Thursday, September 15 through Sunday, September 18, Serendipity3 is bringing back the famous "James Beard Fine Herbes Omelette with Urbani Kaluga Caviar and Creme Fraiche" to the menu for $68 with 10% of proceeds donated to James Beard Foundation .

The James Beard Fine Herbes Omelette with Urbani Kaluga Caviar and Creme Fraiche is available at Serendipity3 this weekend for $68 in honor of the restaurant's 68th Anniversary with 10% of the proceeds going to the James Beard Foundation.

The "James Beard Fine Herbes Omelette with Urbani Kaluga Caviar and Creme Fraiche'' is a French style omelette infused with fine herbes, such as parsley, tarragon, chervil and chivestopped with a dollop of creme fraiche and finished with a generous 1/2 ounce of Urbani Kaluga Caviar . This iconic breakfast dish is also served with a herbed frisee salad with champagne vinaigrette.

James Beard, known as "America's First Foodie," loved and frequently dined at the NYC establishment. During his time spent at the restaurant, he connected with Serendipity's founders, the "Three Princes of Serendip" eventually teaching them how to make the "James Beard Fine Herbes Omelette with Creme Fraiche and Kaluga Caviar".

"As a chef, I personally admire James Beard and all that he has done for the food and culinary industry. He is a legend here at Serendipity3 and our patrons are going to love this omelette tribute in celebration of our 68th anniversary," said Chef Joe Calderone, Creative Director of Serendipity3 and home of the world famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, "We are thrilled to bring a version of this omelette back, in support of the James Beard Foundation. We have so many fond memories with the famous foodie rooted in our restaurant's history."

Located at 225 E 60th Street, Serendipity3 is open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. EST. For more information and to book a reservation, please visit: www.serendipity3.com .

About Serendipity3:

Serendipity3, the legendary New York City restaurant and general store, founded in 1954, as one of the city's truly unique dining experiences. The home of amazing food and decadent desserts, such as the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, Serendipity has been captivating millions of patrons since its inception. It's an enchanting place where artists got their inspiration and actors fulfilled their cravings. Beginning with Marilyn Monroe, Andy Warhol, Grace Kelly and Cary Grant in the 1950's, continuing with a celebrity following that includes Cher, Candice Bergen, Melanie Griffith and Ron Howard, the restaurant continues to attract celebrities such as Beyonce, Ryan Reynolds, Selena Gomez and Kim Kardashian. In addition, the restaurant has been the setting of three major Hollywood productions, One Fine Day (1996) with George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer, Serendipity (2001) with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, and Trust The Man (2005) with Julianne Moore and David Duchovny.

About James Beard Foundation:

The James Beard Foundation (JBF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that celebrates and supports the people behind America's food culture, while pushing for new standards in the restaurant industry to create a future where all have the opportunity to thrive. Established over 30 years ago, the Foundation has highlighted the centrality of food culture in our daily lives and is committed to supporting a resilient and flourishing industry that honors its diverse communities. By amplifying new voices, celebrating those leading the way, and supporting those on the path to do so, the Foundation is working to create a more equitable and sustainable futurewhat we call Good Food for Good. JBF brings its mission to life through the annual Awards, industry and community-focused programs, advocacy, partnerships, and events across the country. For the first time in the Foundation's history, thousands of visitors and food and beverage professionals will be able to reimagine James Beard's legacy and experience unforgettable culinary programming at the Pier 57 food hallcoming soonthat will inspire food-lovers for decades to come. Learn more at jamesbeard.org , sign up for our newsletter, and follow @beardfoundation on social media for the latest information.

SOURCE Serendipity3
New report by the leading analyst firm Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) published  zvoove highlighted as the leading provider of end-to-end software solutions for the temporary staffing industry

WIETMARSCHEN-LOHNE, Germany, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The current report of the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) "Global Staffing Backoffice Software Landscape" honors the zvoove Group as the global leader in the industry: zvoove has both the largest range of modules and the best product maturity on the market. With its market-leading products and services, zvoove has its finger on the pulse and offers solutions that are precisely tailored to the needs of European temporary staffing companies.

As the most renowned market analyst with a focus on the temporary staffing sector, SIA regularly conducts in-depth market research. SIA compared 19 software providers and presents a comprehensive overview about providers and their solutions to temporary staffing firms. In the detailed report, zvoove is highlighted as a provider of holistic end-to-end solutions that always keeps an eye on the market's needs. As a unique selling point, the report states that zvoove offers the most comprehensive range of functions for temporary staffing on the market and reliably ensures legal compliance.

Software as a Service (SaaS) is an important trend that is shaping the software landscape around temporary staffing. Here, too, the report confirms that zvoove is the leading provider that has already set itself up for the future with its SaaS solutions. "The results of the SIA report confirm our strategy. We recognized at an early stage that software must support the flexibilization of the labor market," explains Pascal Deters, Product Manager Lead at zvoove. "With our SaaS solutions, we offer our customers great benefits, for example more flexibility, faster innovation and update cycles, and maximum security."

The SIA report also emphasizes that zvoove is successfully expanding its market leadership on the European market for temporary staffing software. Highlights include the different language versions and guaranteed compliance that ensure coverage of many non-English speaking regions. In addition, zvoove is on a strong international growth path. Most recently, the company acquired the Dutch provider Pivoton. This makes zvoove the only provider to offer market leading ERP solutions in several European countries. "By expanding into countries that represent important markets for temporary staffing, we are also expanding our pool of experts and software assets and can therefore offer our customers more innovative software with cutting-edge technology," emphasizes Sascha Alber, CPO/CTO of zvoove. "In addition to our compliant ERP systems, individually for different countries (verticals), we provide pan-European synergies with our horizontal solutions like zvoove Recruit."

About zvoove

The zvoove Group is the market-leading provider of SaaS solutions for temporary staffing and facility management in Europe. In a dynamic ecosystem of service providers, the extended workforce and corporates, zvoove improves the world of work through end-to-end digitalization for service providers, more job offers and career opportunities for employees and reliable workforce for corporates. More than 3,700 customers and over 50,000 end users trust in zvoove. Today, they manage over 700,000 temporary workers, 12 billion euros in annual payroll and 500,000 applications per year via zvoove`s platforms. zvoove employs more than 350 employees at 8 locations across Europe.

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KONTEXT Kommunikationsagentur

Jan Frankowski | Klaus Schardt

Melli-Beese-Strae 19

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+49(0)911-97 47 8-0

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Contact zvoove

zvoove Group GmbH

Von-Humboldt-Str. 2

49835 Wietmarschen-Lohne, Germany

[email protected]

SOURCE zvoove Group GmbH
Sorel earned a collection of coveted accolades during the 2022 spirits awards season, including top-ranking honors and distinctions from the industry's most important spirits awards:

ADI International Spirits Competition - Best of Class (Bottled & Blended Spirit - Liqueur), Best of Category (Bottled & Blended Spirit - Herbal/Botanical/Spice Liqueur), Double Gold (Spirit Excellence)

American Craft Spirits Association - Innovation Award

Chilled Magazine - Chilled 100 Spirits Awards - Breakout Brand, 97 Points

- Chilled 100 Spirits Awards - Breakout Brand, 97 Points Craft Distillers Spirits Competition - Best of Class; 93 Points

Distiller Magazine - 5/5 Star Rating

5/5 Star Rating Distillery Awards - Diamond Certification

Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition - Gold Medal

Great American International Spirits Competition - Best in Show; Platinum Medal

John Barleycorn Awards - Double Gold (Bottle Design), Gold (Packaging Design)

Micro Liquor Spirit Award Competition - Triple Gold (Spirit), Triple Gold (Packaging Design), 97 Points

New Orleans Spirits Competition - Best in Category, Gold Medal

New York International Spirits Competition - Double Gold, 96 points

San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Gold Medal

Singapore World Spirits Competition - Gold Medal

Sip Awards - Platinum Medal

Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Chairman's Trophy, 96 points, Top 100 Spirits, Extraordinary Ultra Recommendation

Wine Enthusiast - Spirit Brand of the Year finalist (2021), 94 Points (2022)

- Spirit Brand of the Year finalist (2021), 94 Points (2022) World Liqueur Awards - Best American Herbal Liqueur

Craft Competition International Awards - Gold Medal

Sorel is currently sold in retail shops, hotels, bars, and restaurants across the country, with distribution in 20 states planned by the end of 2022, and nationwide availability in 2023.

In March 2022, Summers was honored among the inaugural class of Food & Wine magazine's "Drinks Innovators of the Year," and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the Bar World for the fourth year, ranking at #29. Earlier this year, Summers was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Media Award for his personal essay All the Food You Can Eat and Only The Family You Can Stand (Epicurious). Most recently, he was included among Wine Enthusiast's Future 40 class of people shaping the way we drink.

For media inquiries or interview requests, please email [email protected].

About Jackie Summers

Jackie Summers is an acclaimed author, seasoned public speaker, and serial entrepreneur. Summers is the founder of JackFromBrooklyn Inc. and the creator of the award-winning Sorel Liqueur. Most recently, Summers was nominated for the 2022 James Beard Media Award for Personal Essay, Long Form, and was also honored among Food & Wine magazine's inaugural class of Drinks Innovators of the Year. He has been included among the world's 100 Most Influential Bar Industry Figures by Drinks International Magazine (2019, 2020, 2021), The 50 Most Influential People In Brooklyn Food (Brooklyn Magazine, 2015), named to the Imbibe 75 (2021), and named the 2019 Award winner for "Best Food Essay" by the Association of Food Journalists. Summers has contributed to publications including the James Beard Foundation, Plate, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, Epicurious, Delish, and Edible Brooklyn. He currently serves as a co-chair of the Education Committee for the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, and as a member of the Education Committee for Bar Convent Brooklyn. Summers' mission is to tell stories of marginalized peoples in their own voices.

About Sorel Liqueur

Sorel Liqueur is an alcoholic rendition of sorrel, the 500+ year-old traditional hibiscus-based beverage brought to the Caribbean from West Africa. After being diagnosed with a spinal tumor and given a small chance to live, Jackie Summers not only beat those odds, but left his decades-long corporate career to create Sorel as a way to honor his Barbadian heritage. Following 623 failed attempts, Summers perfected the first and only shelf-stable sorrel liqueur. After an impressive debut in 2013, Sorel ceased production for several years, and was brought back to market in October 2021 with the support of Fawn Weaver and the Uncle Nearest Venture Fund. Sorel will be available in 20 states by the end of 2022, and continues to expand its presence in bars, restaurants, and retailers throughout the United States, as well as impending availability at Disney properties. Visit SorelOfficial.com for more information and follow @SorelOfficial on Instagram and Facebook.

SOURCE Sorel Liqueur
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Susan G. Komen, the world's leading breast cancer organization, will hold an in-person Race for the Cure to raise critical funds that support breast cancer patients by breaking down barriers to timely, quality care that create poor breast health outcomes. The Race will be held on October 2 at Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

"We look forward to creating a community for anyone impacted by breast cancer as we gather, in person, for this year's Race. Funds raised from the Race for the Cure will further Komen's ability to meet the needs of patients and advance our health equity revolution, so everyone gets the care they need," said Stacie Spitzkoff, State Executive Director of New York at Susan G. Komen.

John Dias, reporter for CBS New York, and Natalie Duddridge, anchor/reporter for CBS New York, will serve as Emcees of the event.

Participants can expect to enjoy the following at the Race:

Hope Village , a place for survivors and those living with metastatic breast cancer to gather

, a place for survivors and those living with metastatic breast cancer to gather We Remember Area where attendees can hang a photo or message about the person they're remembering

Pillar Tents where attendees can learn more about Komen's four pillars  Research, Care, Community and Action

Moving program featuring the Pathway of Hope followed by a 5K Race/Walk through Prospect Park

Komen Race for the Cure

Prospect Park

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sunday, October 2, 2022

7:30 AM EVENT OPENS

8:45 AM OPENING CEREMONY

9 AM RACE

Register Online

https://www.komen.org/greaternycrace

About Susan G. Komen

Susan G. Komen is the world's leading nonprofit breast cancer organization, working to save lives and end breast cancer forever. Komen has an unmatched, comprehensive 360-degree approach to fighting this disease across all fronts and supporting millions of people in the U.S. and in countries worldwide. We advocate for patients, drive research breakthroughs, improve access to high-quality care, offer direct patient support and empower people with trustworthy information. Founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy's life, Komen remains committed to supporting those affected by breast cancer today, while tirelessly searching for tomorrow's cures. Visit komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at www.komen.org/contact-us/follow-us/.

CONTACT: Amanda DeBard

Susan G. Komen

(972) 701-2131

[email protected]

SOURCE Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Southside Chicago Family with Deep Roots to Iconic Brand will Bring Rainbow Cone Classic Flavors to Sarasota, Florida through Specialty Franchise Program

SARASOTA, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Original Rainbow Cone , a Chicago tradition for over 95 years, has today announced its first out-of-state location. The new location will bring the Windy City favorite to Sarasota, Florida, through Rainbow Cone's uniquely designed franchise program, with entrepreneurs Dave and Erica Campbell. The Campbell family are third-generation Rainbow Cone customers with strong personal connections to the historic brand, dating to its original Western Avenue building. The Sarasota shop is projected for late Spring 2023.

Erica and Dave Campbell pictured with their children. Prototype rendering of the Sarasota location projected to open spring 2023.

"As a child, my family would bike to Rainbow Cone's beautiful pink building on Western Avenue and watch in awe as the staff quickly stacked the five flavors of ice cream on the cone," said Erica Campbell. "Our family is honored to be awarded the first Rainbow Cone out-of-state franchise location. It's time to bring Rainbow Cone to the Sunshine State!"

"When our oldest daughter was young, we would go to The Original Rainbow Cone location in Beverly whenever we visited Erica's parents. I look back fondly on those memories," said Dave Campbell. "When the opportunity to partner with Rainbow Cone came up, it was the perfect fit."

In addition to their deep connection to Rainbow Cone, the Campbell's have over twenty years in hospitality, sales, marketing and financial experience together. They believe Rainbow Cone will be a hit in the Sarasota community for its one-of-a-kind, stacked five flavors of ice cream, modern store design, and place for family experiences, as well as their commitment to being leaders in the region. They have a strong faith in the Sapp and Buonavolanto family, and share the same passion for Rainbow Cone's delicious flavors and values.

"We've partnered with a great Chicago family to open the first Rainbow Cone in Sarasota," said Joe Buonavolanto III, VP of Franchise and Sales at The Buona Companies. "We stand behind Erica and Dave as they start their new business and bring classic Chicago flavors to the region, and support them as they serve as leaders in the Sarasota community."

Founded in 1926 by "Grandpa Joe" Sapp, who was never satisfied with just one ice cream flavor, Rainbow Cone features five delicious flavors on a single cone. The brand has since expanded to kiosks and trucks throughout the Chicago area, and launched its new franchise program in 2022. The program includes a range of opportunities, with a proven, proprietary business approach developed and fine-tuned by Rainbow Cone that spans industry-leading technology, support, training, and quality assurance, as well as allocation of marketing resources, field teams and more to help franchisees thrive and succeed.

Rainbow Cone plans to host a Rainbow Cone truck tour in Florida, Grand Opening festivities, and giveaways to alert the region of the Campbell's Sarasota Rainbow Cone location. The company's franchise program will open additional locations across Florida, including Tampa, Fort Myers, Keys and Naples. For more information about the Rainbow Cone franchise program, visit Rainbowconefranchise.com

About The Original Rainbow Cone:

The Original Rainbow Cone serves ice cream featuring extraordinary flavors and textures, including the world-famous 5-flavor "Rainbow Cone," sundaes, milkshakes, and memories dedicated to last forever. After opening in 1926, the "Rainbow Cone'' received its fame and quickly became the most unique ice cream cone anyone has ever seen. As Rainbow Cone works to expand their locations and showcase our new adventures, like ice cream trucks, they are excited to share their love for Rainbow Cone's signature sliced cone with even more communities. The Original Rainbow Cone is also available for nationwide shipping via Goldbelly. With four locations in the Chicago area and growing, locals count on The Original Rainbow Cone as a Chicago staple and a sweet treat. For more information, visit rainbowcone.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

SOURCE The Original Rainbow Cone
TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Thyroid cancer surgeons at the Clayman Thyroid Center and Tampa's new Hospital for Endocrine Surgery celebrated Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month by joining Tampa Bay Business & Wealth (TBBW) magazine to screen women executives for thyroid cancer using state of the art ultrasonography.

Thyroid cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women. Tweet this The Hospital for Endocrine Surgerys thyroid surgeons teamed up with TBBW magazine for its annual Womens Wellness Retreat, where they screened women executives for thyroid cancer using state of the art ultrasonography.

Thyroid cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women. Thyroid cancer is the most quickly increasing cancer diagnosis in the United States and it affects women nearly three times as often as men. Despite this, screening for thyroid cancer is not performed anywhere in the world. Breast cancer screening, through mammography, has been routine for decades but, unfortunately, screening for thyroid cancer in the general population does not occur. The dramatic findings in these women aged 30 to 65 suggest that thyroid cancer screening, in select populations, should be done.

The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery's thyroid surgeons teamed up with TBBW magazine for its annual Women's Wellness Retreat, hosted in August at the Salamander Spa at Innisbrook Resort. The event brought together female executives from the Tampa Bay area for a day of networking, relaxing and, most importantly, self-care. The world-renowned ultrasound team from the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery performed free screening on over 70% of the women in attendance. Abnormal findings appeared in 49% of the ultrasounds.

Senior thyroid surgeon Dr. Rashmi Roy led the program and personally reviewed each woman's scans, connecting with those who had significant or abnormal findings to discuss the specifics of their case and suggest next steps.

"These women had no previous history of thyroid masses, nodules, goiters or cancer," stated Dr Roy. "So, this was a true screening program. We found 21 of the 43 women to have abnormal growths or cysts in their thyroid gland, 13 with scans suggested a more detailed workup and, possibly, biopsy was required and another 5 who were very likely to need surgerypossibly having thyroid cancer."

In fact, one of those identified with an abnormal finding was the event's organizer and CEO of TBBW, Bridgette Bello.

"The goal of this event was to really encourage these busy, successful women to take a time out for themselves and to prioritize their own health," said Bello. "So, I was thrilled to have the expert surgeons from the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery on board for their screening program. I didn't expect to have so many women with suspicious findings and I certainly didn't expect myself to be one of them."

The fact is, not only does thyroid cancer disproportionally affect women, but it is also most prevalent in women aged 30 to 50. Thus, while the results of the screening program may appear shocking, at face value, they are fairly typical for a group of women in this age range.

What's next for those who will need additional workups, biopsies and surgery? Dr Nate Walsh, another one of the hospital's surgeons specializing in thyroid cancer, states that an expert evaluation at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery starts with a high-resolution ultrasound that looks at the thyroid gland and all the lymph nodes with a detection capability as small as 1 millimeter. "If anything look suspicious, an ultrasound guided needle biopsy is immediately performed," Dr Walsh explained. Endocrine pathologists are onsite and will immediately interpret the findings and determine if cancer is present. This process can take several weeks at most centers, but is provided at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery in about 20 minutes. If surgery is required, it can be scheduled out or performed the same day as the biopsy. This is particularly beneficial for traveling patients who need to streamline and expedite the process.

The screening program was a huge success according to Dr. Gary Clayman, founder and medical director of the Clayman Thyroid Center at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery. The team plans to perform more free thyroid cancer screenings in Tampa Bay in the near future and will offer this program again at future TBBW events.

"The good news is that we can identify cancers very early with this type of screening program which makes them nearly 100% curable," stated Dr Gary Clayman, director of thyroid surgery at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery. "When we find thyroid cancer earlier, it allows the robotic scarless approach possible in certain patients. This approach, which leaves no neck scar, whatsoever, is performed here at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery more than any hospital in the US."

Robotic thyroid surgery is an innovative, new approach which involves using minimally invasive techniques to treat thyroid tumors and small thyroid cancers. The results are a smaller surgery with less pain, an easier recovery and, of course, no visible scar in the neck.

The Hospital for Endocrine Surgery houses Dr. Hyun Suh and the Scarless Thyroid Surgery Center. Dr. Suh is one of the world's leading experts in scarless thyroid surgery, including robotic thyroid surgery, and he performs more robotic thyroid operations than any other surgeon in the US.

"My patients love that they can get right back to work and no one will ask them what happened," said Dr. Suh. "There's no visible scar, so there's nothing to explain. Plus, because the surgery is minimally invasive, it lets them return to work quicker and get back into their daily activities with very little downtime."

About the Clayman Thyroid Center:

Founded by one of the nation's best-known thyroid surgeons, the Clayman Thyroid Center is the highest volume thyroid cancer referral center in the United States. The Center boasts the most experienced thyroid surgeons in the US who provide personalized care allowing the greatest opportunity for cancer cure, wellness and cosmetic, and functional, outcomes via all types of thyroid surgery from minimal incision to scarless thyroid surgery to advanced cancer care.

www.thyroidcancer.com | (813) 940-3130

About the Scarless Thyroid Surgery Center

The Scarless Thyroid Surgery Center is a worldwide destination for the most advanced robotic surgical techniques that allow removal of nearly all thyroid masses and smaller cancers without a scar. With chief surgeon, Dr. Hyun Suh, previously Chief of Endocrine Surgery at Mt Sinai, NYC, the center performs more robotic thyroid surgery operations than any other hospital in the United States.

www.scarless-thyroid.com | (813) 940-3130

CONTACT:

Julie Canan, Director of Marketing

941 468 3002

[email protected]

SOURCE Clayman Thyroid Center
Expansion of the travel & tourism industry, surge in government initiatives for the development of MICE segment & SME sector, growth of information and communication technology (ICT), industrial growth, and increase in globalization of business drive the growth of the travel risk management services market.

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Travel Risk Management Services Market by Service type (Health Security, Travel Security, Crisis Management, Assistance and Tracking, Data Security, Others), by Enterprize Size (Small Enterprises, Medium Enterprises, Large Enterprises), by Industry (Pharmaceutical and Healthcare, Agri, Food and Beverage, Hospitality, Business Services and Consulting, IT, Technology and Telecom, Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031." According to the report, the global travel risk management services industry generated $96.26billion in 2021, and is estimated to reach $223.62 billion by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 8.1% from 2022 to 2031. The report offers a detailed analysis of changing market trends, top segments, key investment pockets, value chain, regional landscape, and competitive scenario.

Drivers and Opportunities

Expansion of the travel & tourism industry, surge in government initiatives for the development of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) segment & SME sector, growth of information and communication technology (ICT), rapid urbanization, industrial growth, and increase in globalization of business are expected to fuel the growth of the global travel risk management services market. However, transportation cost and time barriers hinder the market growth. On the other hand, current trend of online booking option of risk management services and lucrative offers made by the governments of developing nations to attract foreign investment present new opportunities in the market in the coming years.

Covid-19 Scenario:

The COVID-19 pandemic hampered the growth of the global travel risk management services market. The demand for travel risk management services was significantly reduced in 2020.

The pandemic resulted in cancellations of almost all the MICE events across the globe which impacted the market globally.

Conversely, with the pandemic situation getting better, travel risk management service companies began resuming their services, thereby helping the market to recover.

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The crisis management segment to grow at the fastest pace during the forecast period

Based on service type, the travel security segment contributed to the highest share of nearly one-fourth of the global travel risk management services market in 2021 due to the growing business travel needs of people in different industries such as manufacturing, retail, IT, and others. However, the crisis management segment is projected to witness the fastest CAGR of 9.1% from 2022 to 2031, owing to the increasing concern of travelers regarding the natural or financial crisis.

The large enterprises segment to maintain its lion's share during the forecast period

Based on enterprise size, the large enterprises segment held the largest share of more than two-fifths of the global travel risk management services market in 2021, and is expected to maintain a prominent growth during the forecast period, as large enterprises offer unique services, leisure activities, and others. However, the small enterprises segment is likely to exhibit the highest CAGR of 8.8% in 2031, owing to the increase in focus of small organizations toward adoption of new services and technologies to expand their businesses.

Asia-Pacific to dominate in terms of revenue by 2031

Based on region, Asia-Pacific held the largest market share in 2021, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global travel risk management services market, and is likely to lead the trail throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing interest of international players in tapping opportunities in India and China. However, LAMEA is anticipated to manifest the fastest CAGR of 9.5% during the forecast period, 2022-2031. The growth is driven by liberalization to access trade license and government initiatives to encourage private investment & FDIs in the region. Moreover, initiatives to develop the MICE events fueled the frequency of business travels in LAMEA.

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Leading Market Players:

BCD Group

Carlson, Inc.

Everbridge

FocusPoint International, Inc.

Global Rescue LLC

Healix

Kroll, LLC

Millbank Solutions

The Collinson Group Limited

Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.

The report analyzes these key players of the global travel risk management services market. These players have adopted 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 determining the business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and developments by every market player.

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Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Operation: Coming Home and Mattamy Homes held a raising of the flag ceremony as part of a celebration that honored U.S. Army Golden Knight SSG George Perez and his family.

At the ceremony on September 8, the former U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division soldier and his 16-year-old son raised a US flag in front of their future homesite, as Mattamy Homes continues construction on what will be their custom-built Hero Home 26 in Mattamy's Providence Creek community in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.

At a ceremony on September 8, former U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division soldier George Perez and his 16-year-old son raised a US flag in front of their future homesite - being built by Mattamy Homes as part of the Operation: Coming Home program. (CNW Group/Mattamy Homes Limited)

This flag-raising ceremony paid tribute to the veteran and his family, who was seriously wounded in Fallujah, Iraq. His company encountered a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) on September 14, 2003. The blast killed one of his team and left Perez with multiple injuries. Doctors had no choice but to amputate Perez's left leg below the knee joint.

Far from feeling defeated, Perez had no intention of retreating from duty. As soon as he recovered enough to try, he rejoined regular training using a prosthetic, despite the intense pain and debilitating swelling during daily maneuvers. Through intense effort and sheer willpower, he was soon able to continue regular operations with his fellow soldiers. He rejoined the 82nd Airborne in 2004 and became the first amputee to qualify for static line jumps.

"Our partnership with Operation: Coming Home is an extremely humbling opportunity," said Bob Wiggins, president of Mattamy Homes' Raleigh Division. "As a builder, Mattamy Homes is able to come together with multiple vendors and trades and donate a dream home for a truly deserving veteran -- and SSGT Perez is no exception. We are ready to come together to make this home everything it needs to be and present to SSGT Perez and his family in just a few months."

Key speakers such as Senator Jim Burgin (North Carolina State Senator, 12th District), Lewis Weatherspoon (Harnett County Commissioner) and other members of the HBA and builder team spoke to recognize their appreciation for the Perez family.

Mattamy Homes is building the Perez family's Clearwater / French Country ranch floorplan home with accommodations for the veteran including a study and an owner's suite super shower with seat. An open-concept floorplan will make Perez's everyday living and special gatherings more inspiring with an attractive and free-flowing gourmet kitchen, dining area, Great Room and screened-in porch  in addition to the exceptional design of the individual rooms, baths and other living areas.

Building materials, land, and labor will all be donated. The Mattamy Homes team, alongside veterans and trade partners will be helping throughout the coming months to create his dream home.

The Perez family will receive keys to their brand-new home at a ceremony on November 10, 2022.

About Mattamy Homes

Mattamy Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, with 40-plus years of history across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps more than 8,000 families realize their dream of homeownership. In the United States, the company is represented in 11 markets  Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, Jacksonville, Orlando (where its U.S. head office is located), Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and Southeast Florida. In Canada, Mattamy Homes' communities stretch across the Greater Toronto Area as well as Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton. Visit www.mattamyhomes.com for more information.

About Operation: Coming Home

Operation: Coming Home (OCH) is a partnership between members of the U.S. Veterans Corps (USVC), the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA) and various area nonprofits and businesses. Made up of veterans and non-veterans, this team is honoring the sacrifices of the severely wounded veterans of recent Middle Eastern wars by building homes for them at no charge. For more information, visit http://www.operationcominghome.com.

SOURCE Mattamy Homes Limited
The vendors of the global mobile AI market are evaluated on the basis of their product offerings, investments in R&D, and the degree of superiority of their service offerings. The competition among vendors is moderate as they focus on maintaining their position in the market. The report identifies AIStorm Inc, Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Blaize, Cerebras Systems Inc, CrossCert, Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics Co. Ltd., Graphcore Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Imagination Technologies Ltd, Intel Corp., International Business Machines Corp., MediaTek Inc., NVIDIA Corp., Qualcomm Inc., SambaNova Systems Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SenseTime Group Inc, Think Force, and Xilinx Inc. as major market participants.

Although the increasing smartphone penetration will offer immense growth opportunities, the inadequate availability of AI experts will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Request Sample Report Here

The global mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market is segmented as below:

Application

Smartphone



Camera



Automotive



Robotics



Others

The market growth in the smartphone segment will be significant over the forecast period. The increase in smartphone replacement cycles and integration of advanced technologies by smartphone manufacturers are fostering the growth of the segment.

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



The Middle East and Africa

North America will emerge as a key market, occupying 41% of the global market share. The increasing adoption of autonomous vehicles and the presence of a well-developed ecosystem of IoT devices are driving the growth of the regional market. Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market report covers the following areas:

Mobile Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market 2022-2026: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research report on the mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market is designed to provide entry support, customer profile, and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Mobile Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market 2022-2026: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2022-2026

Detailed information on factors that will assist mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of mobile artificial intelligence (AI) market vendors

Related Reports:

Mobile Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 29.06% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 23.61 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 27.42 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 41% Key consumer countries US, Canada, China, South Korea, UK, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AIStorm Inc, Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Blaize, Cerebras Systems Inc, CrossCert, Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics Co. Ltd., Graphcore Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Imagination Technologies Ltd, Intel Corp., International Business Machines Corp., MediaTek Inc., NVIDIA Corp., Qualcomm Inc., SambaNova Systems Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SenseTime Group Inc, Think Force, and Xilinx Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table Of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Application

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Application

5.3 Smartphone - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Smartphone - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Smartphone - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Smartphone - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Smartphone - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Camera - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Camera - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Camera - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Camera - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Camera - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Automotive - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 36: Chart on Automotive - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Automotive - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 38: Chart on Automotive - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Automotive - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.6 Robotics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 40: Chart on Robotics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Robotics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 42: Chart on Robotics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Robotics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 44: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 46: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.8 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 48: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 49: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 50: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 52: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 64: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 74: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 75: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 76: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 77: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 82: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 83: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 84: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 85: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 86: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 87: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 88: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 89: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 90: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 91: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 92: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 93: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 94: Chart on South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 95: Data Table on South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 96: Chart on South Korea - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 97: Data Table on South Korea - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.14 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 98: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 99: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 100: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 101: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 102: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 103: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 104: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 Alphabet Inc.

Exhibit 105: Alphabet Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 106: Alphabet Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 107: Alphabet Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 108: Alphabet Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 109: Alphabet Inc. - Segment focus

10.4 Apple Inc.

Exhibit 110: Apple Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 111: Apple Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 112: Apple Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 113: Apple Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 114: Apple Inc. - Segment focus

10.5 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 115: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 116: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 117: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 118: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

10.6 Imagination Technologies Ltd

Exhibit 119: Imagination Technologies Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 120: Imagination Technologies Ltd - Product / Service



Exhibit 121: Imagination Technologies Ltd - Key offerings

10.7 Intel Corp.

Exhibit 122: Intel Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 123: Intel Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 124: Intel Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 125: Intel Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 126: Intel Corp. - Segment focus

10.8 International Business Machines Corp.

Exhibit 127: International Business Machines Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 128: International Business Machines Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 129: International Business Machines Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 130: International Business Machines Corp. - Segment focus

10.9 MediaTek Inc.

Exhibit 131: MediaTek Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 132: MediaTek Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 133: MediaTek Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 134: MediaTek Inc. - Key offerings

10.10 NVIDIA Corp.

Exhibit 135: NVIDIA Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 136: NVIDIA Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 137: NVIDIA Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 138: NVIDIA Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 139: NVIDIA Corp. - Segment focus

10.11 Qualcomm Inc.

Exhibit 140: Qualcomm Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 141: Qualcomm Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 142: Qualcomm Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 143: Qualcomm Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 144: Qualcomm Inc. - Segment focus

10.12 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 145: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 146: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 147: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 148: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 149: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 150: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 151: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 152: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 153: Research methodology



Exhibit 154: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 155: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 156: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The nationally recognized trial litigation firm of Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann has announced that longtime Dallas attorney and former partner Britta Stanton has rejoined the firm.

"Britta is an experienced and insightful attorney and a consummate strategist, and we're pleased that she made this decision," says the firm's managing partner Chris Schwegmann. "As courts in Texas have reopened and more trials are being scheduled, being able to rely on someone with Britta's experience presents a great advantage for the firm and our clients."

Ms. Stanton was a member of the firm for 16 years before leaving in 2019 to join a trial strategy advisory firm, assisting attorneys in selecting juries, crafting narratives, and consulting on courtroom techniques. She briefly joined a trial boutique firm last year, before deciding the time was right to return to LPHS. She began her legal career in 2002 at the firm of Beck Redden in Houston.

"I'm thrilled to return to practice at Lynn Pinker, which has always felt like home," says Ms. Stanton. "During my time away from the firm, I've researched how jurors think, and honed my skills by helping trial lawyers learn the best methods to persuade judges and juries. I'm ready to put those skills to work for my clients."

Ms. Stanton earned her law degree magna cum laude from Baylor Law School and her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas. She has taught advocacy at Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law, is a member of the Patrick Higginbotham Inn of Court, and recently completed her term of service as chair of the Court Advisory Committee for the Northern District of Texas.

Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann is a nationally recognized commercial litigation firm and has been ranked among the top five commercial litigation firms in Texas by the highly respected Chambers USA Guide to the Legal Profession for the past three years. The firm has received accolades from The Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers, Benchmark Litigation, D Magazine and Texas Lawyer, and was awarded "Defense Win of the Year" in the U.S. by the National Law Journal, the only firm to receive that recognition twice.

Media Contact:

Barry Pound

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann LLP
CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Water Street Healthcare Partners, a strategic investor focused exclusively on the health care industry, announced today that it has appointed Ryan Pavlik as vice president of debt capital markets. Mr. Pavlik is the newest addition to Water Street's team as the firm expands its resources to support its growing group of companies specializing in health care services and technology, medical products and diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals and life sciences.

Ryan's specialized knowledge and network of relationships in the lending community will contribute greatly to our partner Tweet this Ryan Pavlik will support Water Street and its family of health care companies with financing strategies

In his newly created role, Mr. Pavlik will develop and support Water Street's financing strategies for new investment opportunities. He also will collaborate with Water Street's family of health care companies on debt financing initiatives that support acquisitions and other initiatives aimed at advancing their goals for growth. Mr. Pavlik has concentrated on debt financings for broadly syndicated and middle-market companies for the past eight years as vice president at Golub Capital. He began his career in investment banking with PNC Capital Markets.

Max Mishkin , partner, Water Street stated:

"Ryan's specialized knowledge and network of relationships in the lending community will contribute greatly to our partnerships with health care companies. As we pursue new investments and work with leadership teams on strategic acquisitions and initiatives that can benefit from debt financing, Ryan will be an important resource that helps us identify the best lending organizations and loan structures that address each company's unique needs and growth objectives."

About Water Street

Water Street is a strategic investor focused exclusively on health care. The firm has a strong record of building market-leading companies across key growth sectors in health care. It has worked with some of the world's leading health care companies on its investments, including Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Smith & Nephew and Walgreen Co. Water Street's team is comprised of industry executives and senior investment professionals with decades of experience investing in and operating global health care businesses. The firm is headquartered in Chicago. For more information about Water Street, visit waterstreet.com.

SOURCE Water Street Healthcare Partners
CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WTTx Market size is projected to grow from USD 4.9 billion in 2022 to USD 33.0 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 46.4% during the forecast period, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets.

Browse in-depth TOC on "WTTx Market"

237  Tables

51  Figures

239  Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=47692663

By operating frequency, above 24 GHz segment to have highest growth rate during forecast period

Millimeter wave (mmWave) 5Gallh operates in an area above 24 GHz and has access to massive amounts of data, allowing speeds of more than 1 Gbps. This is the current spectrum used by mobile operators, such as Verizon for 5G, and T-mobile and AT&T's 5G networks. mmWave quickly shows the benefits of 5G with its incredible speed and capacity. The high bands are TDD-based and provide high capacity when used with Massive MIMO.

By component, services segment to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period

Device and service orchestration platforms under the WTTx Market provide a great digital experience across wireless broadband technologies while lowering operational expenses. WTTx services help in resource management, automation fulfilment, and business process management. The service segment of the WTTx Market has been broadly classified into managed services and professional services. Companies must provide better local support, thus helping launch new networks and services, tailored technical support, and onsite troubleshooting. The global managed services segment is highly fragmented and comprises players from diverse backgrounds, ranging from specialized MSSPs to telecommunication companies, system integrators, and VARs.

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Asia Pacific to have highest growth rate during forecast period

China, South Korea, and India are the major revenue contributing countries for the Asia Pacific WTTx Market. Due to the ongoing digital transformation in various industries including retail, education, and transportation and logistics in this region, the requirement for managed IT services is increasing. With the 5G network launch, the emerging economies in Asia Pacific are projected to drive market growth for fixed wireless access during the study period. Government initiatives and policies are boosting the growth of the WTTx Market in this region. In June 2020, South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT (MSICT) announced deploying a 6GHz Wi-Fi band and ensuring the availability of 5925-7125 MHz for indoor operations. The investment and participation of Asia Pacific in technological development have made the region a hotspot for this industry.

Market Players

The major players in the WTTx Market are Huawei (China), Nokia (Finland), Ericsson (Sweden), Qualcomm (US), CommScope (US), Samsung (South Korea), Eltel Group (Sweden), Airspan (US), Inseego (US), Gemtek (Taiwan), Fibocom (China), Anritsu (Japan), Keysight Technologies (US), Technicolor (France), Lumine (Canada), Remcom (US), Cohere Technologies (US), EDX (US), Kelly (Canada), Digi International (US), BLiNQ Networks (Canada), AVSystem (Poland), Tarana Wireless (US), Telrad Networks (Israel), and Jaton Technology Ltd (China). These players have adopted various growth strategies, such as partnerships, agreements and collaborations, new product launches and product enhancements, and acquisitions, to expand their footprint in the WTTx Market.

Browse Adjacent Markets: Mobility and Telecom Market Research Reports & Consulting

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About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AUVSI Hampton Roads, working with the Commonwealth of Virginia, will host an Advanced Air Mobility and Space Exposition on September 27-29, 2022 in Hampton Roads Virginia. This hallmark occasion begins on the 27th at Fort Monroe, 100 Stillwell Road with robotic demonstrations (Unmanned Air and Ground) for Virginia's first responders. The 28th and 29th will be a symposium held at the Newport News Marriott, City Center focused on Advanced Air Mobility & Space speakers and panel discussions. Speakers include leadership from the State of Virginia, NASA, DOD, Virginia Space, and more. The 3-day event culminates with a NASA Langley reception celebrating its anniversary and an evening Gala hosted by Virginia AeroSpace Business Association.

2022 AUVSI Advanced Air Mobility and Space Exhibition 2022 AUVSI Advanced Air Mobility and Space Exhibition

Event details can be viewed at http://bit.ly/expoUxS.

About AUVSI Hampton Roads:

AUVSI Hampton Roads was founded during the mid-1990's to serve the needs of emerging defense and industry technologists who were supporting uncrewed systems development. Our region includes the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, and NASA and 18 local municipalities that comprise Hampton Roads. Our growing base includes members from academia, industry, and local governments. We reach from Northeast North Carolina, to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, to Richmond.

About VASBA:

VASBA is the voice of all aspects of the aerospace industry in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Representing more than 25 companies, nonprofits, and individuals representing many facets of the market segment, VASBA is the state's advocate for the aerospace industry before federal, state and local policy-makers.

Media Contact:

Connor Zimmermann, [email protected]

SOURCE AUVSI Hampton Roads
Community Relief Fund provides immediate payments from $50 million fund

WEED, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- About 80 fire survivors received initial financial assistance Tuesday during the first day of Roseburg Forest Products' $50 million Community Relief Fund being distributed to residents of Weed, Lake Shastina and nearby communities directly affected by the Mill Fire.

Independent administrators assisted residents making claims to cover immediate needs such as temporary housing, transportation, food and clothing, and medical issues. Roseburg began distributing funds from the company's Community Relief Fund less than two weeks after the fire began on Sept. 2.

"Roseburg is so grateful for the patience and response by a number of impacted families who now have initial funds to support their immediate needs," said Pete Hillan, a spokesperson for the company. "Tuesday was only the start of our efforts to help people recover now instead of waiting years for financial support."

Fund administrators will provide assistance at the Weed Community Center, 161 E. Lincoln Ave., Weed, Ca., throughout the week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The application process has been designed to be streamlined and user-friendly, and to provide on-the-spot funds for those with legitimate claims. More information also is available at: www.weedrelieffund.com

Individuals coming to the Community Center may elect to be represented by an attorney. It is not necessary to have representation, however, to participate in this Fund. In addition, people who accept money from the Fund will be asked only to sign a receipt, so that the Fund has an accurate record of how much it paid. People will not be asked to waive any claim they may have related to the fire as a condition of receiving benefits from the Fund.

"Roseburg has been part of this extraordinary community for 40 years, so it's important for us to do everything we can to support our neighbors, economically and otherwise, during this difficult time," Hillan said.

About Roseburg Forest Products

Founded in 1936, Roseburg Forest Products is a privately-owned company and one of North America's leading producers of particleboard, medium density fiberboard and thermally fused laminates. Roseburg also manufactures softwood and hardwood plywood, lumber, LVL and I-joists. The company owns and sustainably manages more than 600,000 acres of timberland in Oregon, North Carolina and Virginia, as well as an export wood chip terminal facility in Coos Bay, Ore. Roseburg products are shipped throughout North America and the Pacific Rim. To learn more about the company please visit www.Roseburg.com.

Contact: Pete Hillan

[email protected]

831.227.5984

SOURCE Roseburg Forest Products Co.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. announces the release of a market assessment report on the "Global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market By Cell type (Autologous and Allogeneic stem cells), Product Type (Cell Line, Culture Media, Media, Sera And Reagents), Disease Conditions (Cancer, Obesity, Wounds And Injuries, Cardiovascular Diseases, Musculoskeletol Diseases And Others), Application (Therapeutic, Research, Others ), End-User (Cell Banks & Tissue Banks, Research Laboratories And Academic institutes, Hospitals and Trauma centers and Other end user industries) -Trends, Industry Competition Analysis, Revenue and Forecast To 2030."

According to the latest research by InsightAce Analytic, the global adipose-derived stem cell market is valued at US$ 1035.13 million in 2021, and it is expected to reach US$ 3013.93 million by 2030, with a CAGR of 13.05% during the forecast period of 2022-2030.

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The extraction of adult stem cells suitable for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications can now be accomplished using adipose tissue, which is a convenient, abundant, and stable source. Preclinical research on the isolation, characterization, cryopreservation, differentiation, and transplantation of newly isolated stromal vascular fraction cells and adherent, culture-expanded, adipose-derived stromal/stem cells in vitro and animal models has exploded in the past ten years. The richness of the ADSC plays a crucial role in the restorative abilities of fat grafting. It is necessary to follow an isolation protocol for separating ADSCs from adipose tissue, and quality, safety, and effectiveness should all be considered. According to research, ADSCs can boost revascularization, activate regional stem cell niches, lessen oxidative stress, and control immunological reactions. ADSC products are attractive regenerative cell therapies because they can be retrieved in significant quantities with minor damage to the donor site. As ADSCs become more valuable in clinical settings, the goal of making ADSCs that are good enough for clinical use becomes more critical. Several countries have noticed that the industry of cell therapies is growing and have put in place rules to make sure they are safe.

There are a number of key market drivers for the adipose-derived stem cell market, including increasing regulatory approvals for clinical trials of ADSCs medicines and increasing funding for the development of regenerative therapies. In addition, there has been a recent rise in the formation of strategic collaborations between research institutes and manufacturers to accelerate the process of discovering new drugs and isolating them.

It is possible that disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens will be introduced into the processing phase of adipose-derived stem cell therapy, which can lead to an infection. This is a potential consequence of adipose-derived stem cell therapy. Additionally, there are some constraints regarding the preservation and delivery of the cells, both of which will be responsible for restraining the market's growth.

The North American region will dominate the ADSC market. Consistently rising investments in research and development over the past decade bode well for rapid and widespread progress in this therapeutic field.

Major market players are Allocure, Inc., Celgene Corporation, Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. (Pluri, Inc), Intrexon, Inc., Celleris SA, Tissue Genesis, Inc., Mesoblast Ltd., Cytori Therapeutics, Antria, Inc., ThermoFisher Scientific, American CrysoStem, Merck KGaA, and Other Prominent players.

Key Developments in the market

In July 2022 , The name change from Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. to Pluri, Inc. reflects the company's goal of expanding the use of its cutting-edge 3D cell-based technology platform beyond the healthcare sector. Pluri's advanced technology will sustain the advancement of healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

The name change from Pluristem Therapeutics, Inc. to Pluri, Inc. reflects the company's goal of expanding the use of its cutting-edge 3D cell-based technology platform beyond the healthcare sector. Pluri's advanced technology will sustain the advancement of healthcare and pharmaceuticals. In Dec 2021 , Pluristem and the pharmaceutical company, Innovare R&D teamed up to bring the ARDS programme linked to COVID-19 to Mexico . Innovare will initiate clinical sites and patient enrollment for the proposed clinical study in Mexico under the terms of the agreement. Innovare will provide the funding for the Mexican study and will acquire the PLX cells for the study from Pluristem.

Pluristem and the pharmaceutical company, Innovare R&D teamed up to bring the ARDS programme linked to COVID-19 to . Innovare will initiate clinical sites and patient enrollment for the proposed clinical study in under the terms of the agreement. Innovare will provide the funding for the Mexican study and will acquire the PLX cells for the study from Pluristem. In Nov 2019 , It was announced by Celgene that after the acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb is finalized, Celgene intends to transfer the listing of its contingent value rights. After the deal was finalized, Celgene became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, as stated in the merger agreement.

It was announced by Celgene that after the acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb is finalized, Celgene intends to transfer the listing of its contingent value rights. After the deal was finalized, Celgene became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, as stated in the merger agreement. In Aug 2019 , The U.S. FDA approved INREBIC (Fedratinib) as the first novel therapy for myelofibrosis patients in almost a decade. INREBIC offers patients a novel, once-daily oral treatment alternative for their uncommon bone marrow cancer.

Curious about this latest version? Obtain Report Details @ https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/enquiry-before-buying/1360

Market Segmentation:

Global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Cell Type, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Autologous Stem Cells

Allogeneic Stem Cells

Global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Product Type, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Cell Line

Culture Media

Media

Sera

Reagents

Global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Disease Indication, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Cancer

Obesity

Wounds and Injuries

Cardiovascular diseases

Musculoskeletal diseases

Others

Global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Application, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Therapeutic

Research

Others

Global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by End-user Industry, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Cell banks & Tissue banks

Research laboratories and Academic institutes

Hospitals and Trauma centers

Others

Global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Region, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

North America Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

U.S.

Canada

Europe Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

Russia

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

India

China

Japan

South Korea

Australia & New Zealand

Latin America Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of Middle East & Africa

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To receive a comprehensive analysis of the prospects for the global Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market

To receive an industry overview and future trends of the Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market

To analyze the Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market drivers and challenges

To get information on the Adipose-derived Stem Cell Market size (Value US$ Mn) forecast to 2030

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SOURCE InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd
Industry veteran brings culture-first integrated strategy expertise to the agency

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Today, annex88 announced the addition of Brandon Solis as the creative agency's newest executive director head of strategy. The hire comes on the heels of Andre Gray's appointment as chief creative officer in July. An expert in integrated strategy across advertising marketing and communications, Solis will support new business and oversee priority clients Ralph Lauren Fragrances and BuyBuyBaby.

Brandon Solis joins annex88 as the newest executive director head of strategy. (CNW Group/Havas New York)

"Memorable creative starts with real strategy  an insightful, surprising, sticky 'a-ha' about the people you're trying to talk to," said Andre Gray, chief creative officer of annex88. "When you find a strategist like Brandon who loves to mine the world for those 'a-has,' you're set on a path to success. I can't wait for us to roll our sleeves up."

Having worked at both big and small agencies, Solis' strategic planning experience runs the gamut. Most recently, Solis served as the executive director of social and connections at Grey, overseeing comms planning, influencer, and social marketing. Previous roles include Eleven, Inc. in San Francisco, where Solis led strategy, DEI, and culture; and R/GA New York, where in addition to comms planning and integrated strategy, he helped bridge the gap between creative and media for clients like Verizon, Uber, Samsung, DuPont, Pepsi Waters+, and Nike.

Understanding that there is power in partnership, Solis is looking forward to collaborating with Gray and executive managing director Elena Grasmann to shape the future of annex88 and build on its reputation as an agency that shifts, shapes, and moves culture. A longtime fan of the agency, Solis is energized by the nimbleness of working in an independent shop backed by the scale and power of the Havas Creative network.

"There's an amazing toolbox here, and I can't wait to really get cooking," said Solis. "Our goal at annex88 is to help brands speak to Culture (with a capital-C) and solve for specific challenges some megashops just don't have the efficiency to tackle."

Solis will report to Tim Maleeny, Havas North America chief strategy officer and Havas New York president.

ABOUT ANNEX88

At annex88, we look at everything we do through the lens of Culture who your people are, what conversations they are in, and how your brand can bring something to the potluck. annex88 is built to chase what's next  bringing together thinkers, tinkerers, directors, artists, photographers, designers, storytellers, influencers, and producers under one roof  all backed by in-house production. We help brands 'Be Memorable.' We create ads, art, quick-hitting projects, breakthrough stories, and emotional connections, and we bring our clients into conversations in Culture  fusing independent spirit with the global scale of the Havas Creative Network. Learn more at annex88.com.

SOURCE Havas New York
Three new best-in-class technology partners provide MSPs and IT Departments the tools they need to scale up their business and services

TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atera, the cloud-based all-in-one remote monitoring and management (RMM) and professional services automation (PSA) platform for IT professionals, today announced the expansion of its partnership program with the integration of three new companies to further empower IT professionals: Veeam Software , the leader in backup, recovery and data management solutions that deliver Modern Data Protection, ThreatLocker, a leader in endpoint security technologies, and Domotz, an award-winning network monitoring software.

Through Atera's expanded partnership program, the company has built out its all-in-one RMM and PSA platform enabling IT professionals to shift from reactive responders to proactive problem solvers, with each integration playing an integral role in optimizing tasks, boosting security, and growing their businesses.

"By partnering with these top providers, Atera is the go-to platform for the modern-day IT professional to work more efficiently," said Gil Pekelman, CEO of Atera. "As Atera continues to grow, we are excited to see these valuable integrations play an integral role in the enhancement of our robust, all-in-one platform that is helping businesses unlock their full potential."

These latest partnerships with best-in-class solutions for backup, security, and network monitoring allow customers to become more efficient in their day. Additional details include:

Veeam

The partnership with Veeam, recently positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders quadrant of the 2022 Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Backup and Recovery Solutions for the sixth consecutive time, provides simple, flexible, reliable and powerful solutions for modern data protection for cloud, virtual, physical, SaaS and Kubernetes environments. This integration includes Veeam Cloud Connect, which delivers fast and secure backup and data recovery to the cloud while giving businesses the functionality needed to ensure customers' security no matter where their data resides. One of the most requested integrations from Atera' community, this solution will also support businesses in scaling their services by helping them build and grow a competitive disaster recovery and data storage offering with partnering options that are perfectly matched for their businesses, whether they're looking to resell, brand, or host their own cloud.

ThreatLocker

As cyber threats continue to change and increase, it's crucial that IT Professionals have the necessary tools they need to protect their businesses, and any they look after. Atera is able to prepare for these shifts with the integration of ThreatLocker, a global leader in endpoint security technologies that offers a new type of security solution through its Zero Trust model. ThreatLocker's solution package is comprised of five key components: Allowlisting, which blocks all untrusted applications, Ringfencing, which controls what trusted applications can do, Storage Control which protects your data, Elevation Control which allows targeted elevation, and Network Access Control which offers advanced controls over inbound network traffic. ThreatLocker provides Zero Trust control at the kernel level.

"At ThreatLocker our aim is to bring Zero Trust to businesses of all sizes, and MSPs and IT departments are an integral part of that success. Through our partnership with Atera, we will help IT professionals to highlight the importance of implementing a true Zero Trust security model. Our commitment to this partnership will enable us to streamline this process and expand our reach. We are excited to start this next adventure, and look forward to working closely with Atera," said Danny Jenkins, CEO & Co-Founder, ThreatLocker.

Domotz

The partnership with Domotz, a cloud-based and multi-tenant network monitoring software, empowers users by providing a tool for identifying, monitoring, and managing all devices on the network. The software provides full control of the network from IT infrastructure such as firewall, switches, routers, access points and servers, to operational technology such as printers, point-of-sales', video security systems and audio and visual systems. The software boasts affordable pricing, simple set-up, and an intuitive interface. Its features include automated device discovery, automated topology mapping, security scanning, network configuration management and backup, secure remote device access, remote power management, SNMP and more.

"We're thrilled to now have Domotz available on the Atera marketplace. This new partnership exemplifies how Domotz and Atera complement each other to guarantee full security, awareness, monitoring and control of everything in a network," said Silvio Di Crosta, CEO of Domotz.

Last quarter, Atera has introduced four additional software integrations: Axcient, Emsisoft, Ironscales, and Malwarebytes, helping the company to broaden its feature set and expand IT support offerings for customers and businesses. As Atera continues to implement community feedback, these added integrations will help customers take their business to the next level using Atera's platform.

Contact

[email protected]

About Atera

Atera is the developer of a Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) and Professional Services Automation (PSA) platform, built with a dispersed workforce in mind. With more than 10,000 customers in over 105 countries, Atera's intuitive all-in-one platform offers IT professionals and businesses improved operational efficiency, seamless integrations, and end-to-end real time visibility across multiple systems at industry-disruptive pricing. Atera's platform empowers IT teams of all sizes to maximize efficiency and drive growth and improvements while transforming to a streamlined remote work environment by analyzing over 60,000 data points per second, 24/7. To learn more, visit atera.com.

About ThreatLocker

ThreatLocker is a leader in endpoint security technologies, providing enterprise-level cybersecurity tools for the Managed Services Provider (MSP) industry, to improve the security of servers and endpoints. ThreatLocker's combined Application Allowlisting, Ringfencing, Storage Control, Elevation Control, and Network Access Control (NAC) solutions are leading the cybersecurity market towards a more secure approach of blocking the exploits of unknown application vulnerabilities. To learn more about ThreatLocker visit: www.threatlocker.com

About Domotz

Founded in 2015, Domotz is an award-winning network monitoring software that enables MSPs, System Integrators, and IT Departments to run their businesses more efficiently. The software enables businesses to remotely monitor and manage their networks and devices through features including automated network topology, configuration management, remote device access, SNMP monitoring, network diagnostics, remote power management, device alerts, team collaboration, network mapping, and multiple VLAN support. More than 4,000 MSPs, IT professionals, and integration businesses in 190 countries use Domotz daily to deliver remote support to tens of thousands of networks.

SOURCE Atera
According to Technavio, the growth of the market is primarily driven by augmented demand from APAC.

Developing countries such as India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia have observed a drastic increase in FDI in the automotive segment over the years. This can be attributed to various initiatives undertaken by governments to boost the manufacturing sector. For instance, the Make in India initiative by the Indian government has attracted significant FDI in the manufacturing sector. In October 2018, Suzuki Motors announced its plans to start building a new manufacturing facility in Gujarat, India. In addition, rapid industrial growth in countries such as China, India, and the rising adoption of electric vehicles are creating huge growth opportunities for vendors, which is fostering the growth of the market in focus.

"Rise in adoption of automation in the automotive industry and the use of lightweight metals in the automotive industry will further accelerate the growth of the market", says an analyst at Technavio.

The global automotive die-stamping equipment market is fragmented in nature and characterized by the presence of several well-established and small regional players, which makes the market extremely competitive for new entrants. Apart from top vendors, several regional and local vendors have started manufacturing customized and energy-efficient equipment. These vendors are posing tough competition to their international counterparts in terms of cost. Hence, to counter the threat from low-cost substitute products, international players in the global automotive die-stamping equipment market are constantly expanding their footprint in developing countries and are focusing on providing effective after-sales services to differentiate their products and increase their product portfolio.

Technavio identifies AIDA Engineering Ltd., AMADA Co. Ltd., American Industrial Co., Andritz AG, Galdabini SPA, Haco, Hyundai Motor Co., Industrie Automatisierungsgesellschaft mbh, JIER MACHINE-TOOL GROUP CO.LTD., Keats Manufacturing Co., Komatsu Ltd., Maschinenfabrik Lauffer GmbH and Co. KG, Macrodyne Technologies Inc., MONDRAGON Corp., and OMERA Srl as dominant players in the market.

The report breaks down the market into the following segments:

End-user: automotive OEMs and independent stamping presses

Geography: Europe , APAC, North America , South America , and the Middle East and Africa

Automotive OEMs are the prime end-users in the market. The growing demand and production volume of automobiles is driving the growth of the segment. In addition, the rising popularity of electric vehicles, increasing adoption of hot stamping technology, and increasing spending on new automobile production facilities in emerging markets will have a positive impact on the growth of the segment.

In terms of region, Europe will emerge as the dominant region, occupying 45% of the global market share. The increasing demand for lightweight metal components will be a key factor driving the growth of the regional market. In addition, the growth in automobile sales and the revival of the aerospace industry will further accelerate the growth of the automotive die-stamping equipment market in Europe during the forecast period.

The complete report on the global automotive die-stamping equipment market offers detailed insights on the potential business segments and regions to invest in over the forecast period. Before making the purchase, we recommend reading our Sample PDF Report .

The automotive die-stamping equipment market report answers questions such as:

Is the market structure fragmented or concentrated?

What was the market size in 2021 and the forecast for the automotive die-stamping equipment market through 2026?

Which are the best product segment areas to invest in over the forecast period?

What is the market share of dominant and strong vendors in the automotive die-stamping equipment market?

What are the inhibiting factors and the impact of COVID-19 on the automotive die-stamping equipment market growth?

What are the latest trends and regulatory frameworks in the automotive die-stamping equipment market?

Users who bought this report also purchased,

Automotive Die-Stamping Equipment Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.94% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 133.06 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 5.12 Regional analysis Europe, APAC, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution Europe at 45% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AIDA Engineering Ltd., AMADA Co. Ltd., American Industrial Co., Andritz AG, Galdabini SPA, Haco, Hyundai Motor Co., Industrie Automatisierungsgesellschaft mbh, JIER MACHINE-TOOL GROUP CO.LTD., Keats Manufacturing Co., Komatsu Ltd., Maschinenfabrik Lauffer GmbH and Co. KG, Macrodyne Technologies Inc., MONDRAGON Corp., and OMERA Srl Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table Of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by End-user



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by End-user

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by End-user

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by End-user



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by End-user

5.3 Automotive OEMs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Automotive OEMs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Automotive OEMs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Automotive OEMs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Automotive OEMs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Independent stamping presses - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Independent stamping presses - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Independent stamping presses - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Independent stamping presses - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Independent stamping presses - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by End-user

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by End-user ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 43: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 44: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 45: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 46: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 48: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 52: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 53: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 63: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 64: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 65: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 66: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 67: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 68: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 69: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 87: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 AIDA Engineering Ltd.

Exhibit 89: AIDA Engineering Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 90: AIDA Engineering Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 91: AIDA Engineering Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 92: AIDA Engineering Ltd. - Segment focus

10.4 AMADA Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 93: AMADA Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 94: AMADA Co. Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 95: AMADA Co. Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 96: AMADA Co. Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 97: AMADA Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

10.5 Andritz AG

Exhibit 98: Andritz AG - Overview



Exhibit 99: Andritz AG - Business segments



Exhibit 100: Andritz AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 101: Andritz AG - Segment focus

10.6 Galdabini SPA

Exhibit 102: Galdabini SPA - Overview



Exhibit 103: Galdabini SPA - Product / Service



Exhibit 104: Galdabini SPA - Key offerings

10.7 Haco

Exhibit 105: Haco - Overview



Exhibit 106: Haco - Product / Service



Exhibit 107: Haco - Key offerings

10.8 Hyundai Motor Co.

Exhibit 108: Hyundai Motor Co. - Overview



Exhibit 109: Hyundai Motor Co. - Business segments



Exhibit 110: Hyundai Motor Co. - Key news



Exhibit 111: Hyundai Motor Co. - Key offerings



Exhibit 112: Hyundai Motor Co. - Segment focus

10.9 Industrie Automatisierungsgesellschaft mbh

Exhibit 113: Industrie Automatisierungsgesellschaft mbh - Overview



Exhibit 114: Industrie Automatisierungsgesellschaft mbh - Product / Service



Exhibit 115: Industrie Automatisierungsgesellschaft mbh - Key offerings

10.10 JIER MACHINE-TOOL GROUP CO.LTD.

Exhibit 116: JIER MACHINE-TOOL GROUP CO.LTD. - Overview



Exhibit 117: JIER MACHINE-TOOL GROUP CO.LTD. - Product / Service



Exhibit 118: JIER MACHINE-TOOL GROUP CO.LTD. - Key offerings

10.11 Komatsu Ltd.

Exhibit 119: Komatsu Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 120: Komatsu Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 121: Komatsu Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 122: Komatsu Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 123: Komatsu Ltd. - Segment focus

10.12 Macrodyne Technologies Inc.

Exhibit 124: Macrodyne Technologies Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 125: Macrodyne Technologies Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 126: Macrodyne Technologies Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 127: Macrodyne Technologies Inc. - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 128: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 129: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 130: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 131: Research methodology



Exhibit 132: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 133: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 134: List of abbreviations

in manufacturing industry: Market dynamics in some major processes and discrete industries are changing drastically, and manufacturers are gradually feeling the brunt of excessive demand fluctuations. The fluctuating prices of oil and gas and metals in the global market and the shortage of a skilled workforce worldwide have directly affected the profitability of manufacturing companies. A sudden and unexpected shift in market dynamics can drastically impact manufacturing processes and investments in capital goods.

slowdown in the automotive industry: High motorization rates in North America and Europe , the increase in tariffs on imported vehicles in the US and China , and the global economic slowdown are likely to reduce vehicle sales in the coming years. Anticipating a decline in vehicle sales, several vehicle manufacturers are halting their vehicle production. For instance, in March 2019 , Ford announced the shutdown of its three vehicle-manufacturing sites in Russia . Similarly, in August 2019 , Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. stopped vehicle production at its manufacturing units in India for 8-14 days. During the same month, Maruti Suzuki announced that it had cut its vehicle production for the sixth consecutive month in 2019. In August 2019 , Honda announced a halt in car production at its Argentina -based manufacturing plants. Such a slowdown in the automotive industry is expected to hamper the growth of the market during the forecast period.

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Cincoro Gold is an exceptional, high-quality blend of all four Cincoro expressions, with generous amounts of Cincoro Extra Anejo.

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cincoro Tequila today announced the release of its fifth expression, the ultra-luxury Cincoro Gold. A blend of Cincoro Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, and a generous proportion of Extra Anejo, this rare addition to the award-winning portfolio reflects the signature hallmark of all four Cincoro tequilas, namely richer blends with delicious, toasted oak profiles and incredibly long, complex finishes.

Cincoro Tequila announced the release of its fifth expression, the ultra-luxury Cincoro Gold. A blend of Cincoro Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, and a generous proportion of Extra Anejo, Cincoro Gold is a rare addition to the award-winning portfolio. The Cincoro family portfolio offers five luxurious tequila expressions with SRP per 750mL bottle starting at $89.99 for Blanco, $109.99 for Reposado, $149.99 for Anejo, $349.99 for Gold, and $1,699.99 for Extra Anejo. Cincoro Tequila founders, Emilia Fazzalari and Jeanie Buss celebrate the brands newest and fifth expression, Cincoro Gold, at a private launch party in New York City. Cincoro Tequila founders, Wyc Grousbeck and Wes Edens celebrate the brands newest and fifth expression, Cincoro Gold, at a private launch party in New York City.

NBA owners Jeanie Buss of the Lakers, Wes Edens of the Bucks, Emilia Fazzalari and Wyc Grousbeck of the Celtics, and Michael Jordan of the Hornets launched the Cincoro brand in 2019. In just three years, Cincoro has sold 1.5 million bottles nationally and has won 23 awards in accredited spirits competitions.

"We began with a mission to create the world's finest tequila and Cincoro Gold delivers on that mission," said Emilia Fazzalari, Cincoro chief executive officer and co-founder. "We are committed to innovating to bring to market truly special and exceptional expressions that redefine luxury tequila.

"Cincoro Gold joins only a handful of 100% de Agave Gold tequilas. This rare tequila blends all four Cincoro expressions, with generous amounts of Cincoro Extra Anejo tequila, which is barrel aged for more than 40 months. The result is an intense flavor experience, with notes of sweet honey, toasted oak, vanilla, and dried fruits. The Cincoro Gold experience is reminiscent of a finely aged scotch or cognac," added Ms. Fazzalari.

Priced at $349.99 (750ml), Cincoro Gold will be available at the finest retail establishments throughout the United States in October 2022, and online for exclusive pre-release through luxury e-commerce platform, ReserveBar. The first release will be limited to 4,000 cases. The expression will be presented in Cincoro's award-winning bottle with a distinctive gold finish. The sleek and contemporary bottle is five-sided to capture the beauty of the agave plant and represents each of the five founders.

The creation of all Cincoro expressions begins with the harvesting of agave plants, at least seven years of age, from the most rugged terrain in both the highland and lowland regions of Jalisco, Mexico. These stressed plants deliver the biggest flavor. The agave is then slow cooked and fermented for six days to retain and create the unique, rich Cincoro flavors. The distilling process is also consistent for all Cincoro expressions. All the brand's tequilas begin as Cincoro Blanco and are then aged in American whiskey barrels. Cincoro Gold is unique among all tequilas, because it is a rare blend of Cincoro's Blanco, Reposado, Anejo and Extra Anejo expressions.

Last month, Cincoro launched a national advertising campaign, featuring the brand's five co-founders and its stunning bottle. The advertising campaign showcases the authentic story behind the luxury brand and underscores the "Life Well Played" brand platform, positioning Cincoro as the ultimate trophy for earned victories. The creative culminates with a wink and a nod to co-founder Michael Jordan's celebratory nature, with footage from the 2020 ESPN and Netflix documentary, The Last Dance.

About Cincoro

In July 2016, five friendly competitors met for dinner and bonded over their shared passion for tequila. After many more adventures together, this group of five founding partners set out with one mission: to create the finest tequila anyone has ever tasted. Cincoro Tequila is uniquely made with 100% Weber Blue agave from private farms in both the highland and lowland regions of Jalisco, Mexico. The agave is hand-selected and slow-cooked in a small batch process, distilling the highland and lowland tequilas separately, before blending them together to create the Cincoro signature taste profile. This is the heart of Cincoro: a naturally rich and delicious family of tequilas that are smooth on the palate with a complex, long finish. Cincoro Tequila is a taste experience unlike any other, created to be sipped neat, but also to elevate cocktails. For more information about Cincoro, please visit www.Cincoro.com and @Cincoro.

The Cincoro family portfolio offers five luxurious tequila expressions with SRP per 750mL bottle starting at $89.99 for Blanco, $109.99 for Reposado, $149.99 for Anejo, $349.99 for Gold, and $1,699.99 for Extra Anejo.

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE Cincoro Tequila
With the appointment, the elevated hospitality brand is preparing to launch Barsala Homes in vacation rental markets across the United States

SEATTLE, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Barsala, an elevated hospitality brand in the short-term rental sector currently managing over 800 multifamily units nationwide, announced this week that it has appointed Jason Istrin as the Vice President of Real Estate for their single-family residential division. Jason's appointment comes as Barsala raised $20m and prepares to launch Barsala Homes, a new brand that will specialize in larger bedroom count single family homes designed and operated in vacation rental markets across the country.

"We've been preparing to launch Barsala Homes for a while and Jason will play a key role in executing this exciting new initiative," said Barsala CEO Michael Monu. "Jason's expertise will help us launch a truly differentiated product and one that we're confident the public will appreciate."

Prior to joining Barsala, Jason spent three years building out the organic supply engine at AvantStay, which recently closed their Series B for $140m along with a $500m PropCo raise. During his time at AvantStay, Jason built and led the Real Estate team through successful launches of 19 markets as the Director of Real Estate. As Barsala's new Vice President of Real Estate, Jason will be primarily focused on Inventory Acquisition and Asset Management, including Market Selection, Acquisition, and Stabilization. He will also help assist in efforts to align brand value while creating a cohesive collection of homes.

"I'm thrilled to join the Barsala team and look forward to helping lead the launch of Barsala Homes," said Jason. "Since its founding in 2016, Barsala has proven to be an industry leader in the hospitality space through its outstanding product, as evidenced by its quick expansion across the United States. I know we're on-track for even greater success with Barsala Homes."

About Barsala : Barsala set out to solve the traveler's dilemma. Whether you're a solo business traveler, a couple looking to get away, or a family needing an extended stay, you'll find an upscale, well-designed home base with premium hotel amenities, 24/7 concierge support, and the flexibility of a fully-stocked apartment.

The best of home. The best of a hotel. We're Barsala.

SOURCE Barsala
LAVAL, QC, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) (the "Company") announced today the results to date of its previously announced offers (the "Exchange Offers") to exchange the existing senior notes set forth in the table below (the "Existing Senior Notes") for up to an aggregate principal amount of $4.0 billion (subject to increase or decrease by the Offerors (as defined below), the "Maximum New Secured Notes Amount") of New Secured Notes (as defined below) and the related solicitations of consents (the "Consent Solicitations" and, together with the Exchange Offers, the "Offers") to amend certain provisions of the indentures (the "Proposed Amendments") with respect to the respective applicable series of Existing Senior Notes. The terms and conditions of the offers and consent solicitations are described in an Exchange Offer Memorandum and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated August 30, 2022 (the "Exchange Offer Memorandum"). All terms and conditions of the Offers remain unchanged as set forth in the Exchange Offer Memorandum.

As reported by D.F. King & Co., Inc., the exchange agent and information agent for the Offers, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Sept. 13, 2022 (the "Early Tender Time"), an aggregate principal amount of $5,577,725,000 of Existing Senior Notes had been validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) in the Offers, as set forth in the table below.

Title of Existing Senior Notes CUSIP Number(1)

(Rule 144A/Reg S) Principal Amount

Outstanding Tender Cap Acceptance

Priority Level(2) Principal Amount

Tendered 9.00% Senior Notes due 2025 91911KAP7 /

C94143AM3 $ 1,500,000,000 N/A 1 $ 534,100,000 9.25% Senior Notes due 2026(3) 91911XAV6 /

U9098VAN2 $ 1,500,000,000 N/A 2 $ 751,831,000 8.50% Senior Notes due 2027(3) 91911XAW4 /

U9098VAP7 $ 1,750,000,000 $500,000,000(4) 3 $ 500,000,000 5.25% Senior Notes due 2031 071734AL1 /

C07885AG8 $ 909,188,000 N/A 4 $ 336,099,000 5.25% Senior Notes due 2030 071734AJ6 /

C07885AE3 $ 1,201,000,000 N/A 5 $ 330,887,000 5.00% Senior Notes due 2029 071734AM9 /

C07885AH6 $ 834,000,000 N/A 6 $ 369,352,000 5.00% Senior Notes due 2028 071734AH0 /

C07885AD5 $ 1,176,000,000 N/A 7 $ 708,120,000 6.25% Senior Notes due 2029 071734AK3 /

C07885AF0 $ 1,406,000,000 N/A 8 $ 539,909,000 7.25% Senior Notes due 2029 071734AF4 /

C07885AC7 $ 745,000,000 N/A 9 $ 372,370,000 7.00% Senior Notes due 2028 071734AD9 /

C07885AB9 $ 748,000,000 N/A 10 $ 536,618,000 8.50% Senior Notes due 2027(3) 91911XAW4 /

U9098VAP7 $ 1,750,000,000 N/A 11 $ 598,439,000

























(1) No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP numbers listed in this press release or printed on the Existing Senior Notes. They are provided solely for convenience. (2) The Maximum New Secured Notes Amount of New Secured Notes that may be issued to Eligible Holders pursuant to the Offers is $4.0 billion. The Offerors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, subject to applicable law and the consent of the Supporting Holders, to increase or decrease the Maximum New Secured Notes Amount, but there can be no assurance that the Offerors will do so. Existing Senior Notes accepted for exchange on any settlement date will be accepted in accordance with their Acceptance Priority Levels set forth herein (with "1" being the highest Acceptance Priority Level and "11" being the lowest Acceptance Priority Level). The Offerors will only accept for exchange Existing Senior Notes up to an aggregate principal amount that will not result in the aggregate principal amount of New Secured Notes issued pursuant to the Offers to exceed the Maximum New Secured Notes Amount. (3) Bausch Health Americas, Inc. ("BHA") is the issuer and the Company is a guarantor of such series of Existing Senior Notes. (4) No more than $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 8.50% Senior Notes due 2027 (as it may be increased by the Offerors in their sole discretion, the "Level 3 Tender Cap") will be purchased at level "3" in the Exchange Offers.

Based on the aggregate principal amount of the Existing Senior Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) in the Offers as of the Early Tender Time and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, including the applicable Acceptance Priority Level, the Level 3 Tender Cap, the Exchange Consideration Reallocation (each, as defined in the Exchange Offer Memorandum) and proration, we would expect approximately $3,119 million of New Secured Notes to be issued in the Offers, consisting of approximately (i) $1,768 million in aggregate principal amount of new 11.00% First Lien Secured Notes due 2028 (the "New First Lien Notes"), (ii) $351 million in aggregate principal amount of new 14.00% Second Lien Secured Notes due 2030 (the "New Second Lien Notes" and, together with the New First Lien Notes, the "New BHC Secured Notes"), in each case, to be issued by the Company, and (iii) $1,000 million in aggregate principal amount of new 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (the "Intermediate Holdco Secured Notes" and, together with the New BHC Secured Notes, the "New Secured Notes") to be issued by 1375209 B.C. Ltd. (the "Holdco Issuer" and, together with the Company, the "Offerors"), an existing wholly-owned unrestricted subsidiary of the Company that holds 38.6% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Bausch + Lomb Corporation. However, such principal amounts may be adjusted as a result of any additional participation from Eligible Holders tendering Existing Senior Notes in the Offers after the Early Tender Time and at or prior to the Expiration Time.

All Existing Senior Notes of a series validly tendered at or before the Expiration Time having a higher Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted before any Existing Senior Notes of another series tendered at or before the Expiration Time having a lower Acceptance Priority Level are accepted, even if the Existing Senior Notes having a lower Acceptance Priority Level were tendered prior to the Early Tender Time and the Existing Senior Notes having a higher Acceptance Priority Level were tendered after the Early Tender Time but on or prior to the Expiration Time. Accordingly, Existing Senior Notes validly tendered at or before the applicable Early Tender Time may be subject to proration if the Offerors accept Existing Senior Notes tendered after the applicable Early Tender Time but on or prior to the Expiration Time that have a higher Acceptance Priority Level than such Existing Senior Notes.

In addition, as of the Early Tender Time, the Company and BHA have received the requisite number of consents to adopt the Proposed Amendments with respect to the following series of Existing Senior Notes: (i) 9.25% Senior Notes due 2026, (ii) 8.50% Senior Notes due 2027, (iii) 5.00% Senior Notes due 2028 and (iv) 7.00% Senior Notes due 2028. Pursuant to the terms set forth in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, the Company or BHA, as the case may be, intends to enter into a supplemental indenture with the respective trustee for each such series of Existing Senior Notes to effectuate the applicable Proposed Amendments, which would become operative upon the settlement date of the Offers; provided that, as described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, if any series of Existing Senior Notes are subject to proration, the Consent Solicitation with respect to such series shall be terminated, the supplemental indenture shall not become operative with respect to such series and the terms of the existing indenture governing such series shall continue to apply.

Withdrawal rights for the Offers expired as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 13, 2022 (the "Withdrawal Deadline"). Because the Withdrawal Deadline is not being extended, holders may not withdraw previously tendered Existing Senior Notes or revoke any related consents, and any tenders and consents after the Early Tender Time may not be withdrawn or revoked, in each case, except as may be required by law.

Each Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time on September 27, 2022, or any other date and time to which the Offerors extend such Offer in their sole discretion (such date and time for such Offer, as it may be extended, the "Expiration Time"), unless earlier terminated. Subject to the terms of the Offers, including the Maximum New Secured Notes Amount and the proration, Existing Senior Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time but on or prior to the Expiration Time and accepted for purchase will be entitled to receive the applicable Exchange Consideration set forth in the Exchange Offer Memorandum (but not the applicable Early Exchange Premium described therein) plus accrued and unpaid interest to the settlement date. Subject to all conditions of the Offers having been either satisfied or waived by the Offerors, the settlement date is expected to be within three business days following the Expiration Time or as promptly as practicable thereafter.

Each Offer is a separate offer and/or solicitation, and each may be individually amended, extended, terminated or withdrawn, subject to certain conditions and applicable law, at any time in the Offerors' sole discretion, subject to the consent rights of the Supporting Holders (as defined in the Exchange Offer Memorandum), and without amending, extending, terminating or withdrawing any other Offer. No Offer is conditioned upon any minimum principal amount of Existing Senior Notes of any series being tendered nor the consummation of any other Offer. Additionally, notwithstanding any other provision of the Offers, the Offerors' obligations to accept and exchange any of the Existing Senior Notes validly tendered pursuant to an Offer is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, as described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, and each Offeror expressly reserves its right, subject to applicable law, to terminate any Offer and/or Consent Solicitation at any time.

The Offers are being made, and the applicable series of New Secured Notes are being offered, only to holders of the Existing Senior Notes who are either (a) persons other than "U.S. persons" as defined in Regulation S, and who agree to purchase the New Secured Notes outside of the United States, and who are otherwise in compliance with the requirements of Regulation S; or (b) persons who are reasonably believed to be both (i) "qualified institutional buyers" as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and to whom the New Secured Notes are offered in the United States in a transaction not involving a public offering, pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and (ii) qualified purchasers (as defined in Section 2(a)(51) of the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended); provided that, in each case, if such holder (i) is a resident in Canada, such holder is required to complete, sign and submit to the exchange agent a Canadian holder form, which may be obtained from the information agent, or (ii) is in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, such holder is a "qualified investor" and is not a "retail investor". With respect to holders in the European Economic Area, a "retail investor" means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a "retail client" as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II"); or (ii) a "customer" within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a "qualified investor" as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129. The holders of Existing Senior Notes who have certified to the Offerors that they are eligible to participate in the Offers and Consent Solicitations pursuant to at least one of the foregoing conditions are referred to as "Eligible Holders." Eligible Holders may go to www.dfking.com/bhc to confirm their eligibility.

Full details of the terms and conditions of the Offers are described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum. The Offers are only being made pursuant to, and the information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Exchange Offer Memorandum, which is being sent by the Offerors to Eligible Holders of the Existing Senior Notes. Eligible Holders of the Existing Senior Notes are encouraged to read these documents, as they contain important information regarding the Exchange Offers and the Consent Solicitations. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any Existing Senior Notes in the Exchange Offers or the Consent Solicitations.

Requests for the Exchange Offer Memorandum and other documents relating to the Offers may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc., the exchange agent and information agent for the Offers, at (212) 232-3233 (for banks and brokers only) or (877) 478-5045 (toll-free) (for all others) or [email protected].

None of the Company, the Holdco Issuer, any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates, or any of their respective officers, boards of directors or directors, the dealer manager and solicitation agent, the exchange agent and information agent or any trustee is making any recommendation as to whether Eligible Holders should tender any Existing Senior Notes in response to the Exchange Offers or deliver any consents pursuant to the Consent Solicitations and no one has been authorized by any of them to make such a recommendation. Eligible holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender their Existing Senior Notes and deliver consents, and, if so, the principal amount of Existing Senior Notes as to which action is to be taken.

The Offers are not being made to Eligible Holders of Existing Senior 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. In any jurisdiction in which the Offers are required to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offers will be deemed to be made on behalf of the Company, the Holdco Issuer and BHA, as applicable, by the dealer manager and solicitation agent, or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction.

The New Secured Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The New Secured Notes have not been and will not be qualified for sale to the public by prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws and, accordingly, any issuance of New Secured Notes in Canada will be made on a basis which is exempt from the prospectus requirements of such securities laws.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the New Secured Notes in the United States and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of the New Secured Notes in any jurisdiction where such offering or sale would be unlawful. There shall not be any sale of the New Secured Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

About Bausch Health Companies Inc.

Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) is a global diversified pharmaceutical company whose mission is to improve people's lives with our health care products. We develop, manufacture and market a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, international pharmaceuticals and eye health, through our approximately 88.7% ownership of Bausch + Lomb. With our leading durable brands, we are delivering on our commitments as we build an innovative company dedicated to advancing global health.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements about the future performance of the Company, which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "subject to" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Actual results are subject to other risks and uncertainties that relate more broadly to the Company's overall business, including those more fully described in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and detailed from time to time in the Company's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian securities administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference.

SOURCE Bausch Health Companies Inc.
EATONTOWN, N.J., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With our unwavering support for the Autism community, Bierman Autism Centers (Bierman) opens its third New Jersey facility in Eatontown, New Jersey, this September. Bierman's other New Jersey locations are in Berkeley Heights and West Windsor.

Bierman Autism Centers opens third New Jersey facility in Eatontown

Founded in 2006, Bierman Autism Centers are a place where young kids engage in play to learn foundational skills they can build on, such as self-advocacy and communication. Serving children as young as 18mo to 9yrs of age, Bierman's one-on-one approach allows us to drive progress and measurable outcomes while each child advances on their terms.

Assessments and intake processes are currently taking place as we prepare for the opening. Visit our website, www.biermanautism.com, for more information. Bierman accepts most private insurance plans and is located at 40 Christopher Way, Eatontown, NJ 07724.

Regarded as the gold standard of autism treatment, Bierman's Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services can help your child improve behaviors, learn new skills and reach new goals. We use naturalistic teaching to teach through play. We understand that children are always right  and if they are not learning, we adapt to them. We ensure children progress and develop skills through our proprietary data measurement system. We seek to create lifelong learners and long-term success.

Bierman's Chief Clinical Officer Christina Barosky, BCBA shares, "I am excited that Bierman is opening a third location in New Jersey. We can continue our mission to create progress and possibilities for children diagnosed with autism in New Jersey. I am also excited to be able to grow our team! Many excellent clinicians in the area will help us continue to provide the highest quality of care."

We're proud to have some of the best employees at Bierman. Our Behavior Technicians, Behavior Analysts, and Occupational and Speech Therapists are committed to understanding how your child's mind works and giving them the resources needed to succeed. If you are interested in joining our team, please visit www.biermanautism.com/about-us/careers/.

About Bierman Autism Centers:

Bierman Autism Centers is where kids as young as 18 months to 9 years of age engage in play to learn foundational skills they can build on, such as self-advocacy and communication. They recognize that every kid's success is unique, and their one-on-one approach allows them to drive progress, and measurable outcomes, while each child is advancing on their terms. With over 150 graduations, BIERMAN currently has centers and is expanding in: Arizona, Indiana,

Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. For more about Bierman Autism Centers, visit www.biermanautism.com.

Media Contact:

Alexis Ducharme, VP of Marketing

[email protected]

SOURCE Bierman Autism Centers
TOLEDO, Ohio, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mike Gramke, President of The Bostwick-Braun Company's Hardware Business Unit, today announced the hiring of Rob Dilts as the unit's first-ever Director of Supply Chain and 22-year company veteran Damian Nicholson as Merchandise Manager.

Dilts will oversee all the Hardware Business Unit's supply chain functions and its two warehouse facilities. In addition, he will identify how to best increase staff productivity and efficiency, analyze unit financial transactions, assist in contract negotiations with vendors, minimize expenses and provide strategic planning input to senior management.

All Toledo and W. Helena Purchasing, Merchandising and Procurement personnel will report to Dilts, and he will work closely with Warehouse Operations to ensure clear communication and strategy between both locations.

In his new role, Nicholson will guide the Hardware Business Unit's product strategy by developing and leading vendor selection, directing promotional activities and managing and participating in various store resets, and merchandising and design activities with key customers.

Nicholson will also serve as the liaison between the Hardware Business Unit's customers, field sales and purchasing and be responsible for setting expectations with vendors, evaluating new vendors and product lines and negotiating pricing. Along with Dilts, Nicholson will monitor profitability of lines within the unit's key categories.

Prior to joining Bostwick-Braun Company's Hardware Business Unit, Dilts had over 30 years' experience in supply chain management at HJ Heinz, Hearthside Food Solutions, Dana Corporation, Thyssen Krupp, MTD and Vigoro Industries. He mostly recently served as Senior Materials and Logistics Manager at Norcold, Inc., a manufacturer of specialty refrigerators to the RV and marine industries.

In his 22 years at Bostwick-Braun, Nicholson served as a Customer Service Manager, National Accounts Assistant, Promotions and PRO Programs Manager and Regional Sales Manager.

"These new roles will help shape the design of our business moving forward," said Gramke. "I am confident in Rob's and Damian's abilities to drive the changes needed for our unit's continued business growth."

About The Bostwick-Braun Company

The Bostwick-Braun Company is a wholesale distributor of hardware and industrial supplies, and is one of the largest and oldest in the Midwest. For more than 160 years, we have assisted stores with their supply needs and provided them with business services and guidance to ensure their longevity. We also supply companies with MRO products, fasteners, cutting tools and value-add solutions that help them reduce costs and improve productivity.

Contact:

The Bostwick-Braun Company

Brad Rosenthal

VP Marketing and eCommerce

[email protected]

SOURCE BOSTWICK-BRAUN
Project will destroy wetlands in scenic Great Pee Dee River and harm vulnerable communities

PAMPLICO, S.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy, one of the nation's top polluters, has immediate plans to condemn the land of several African-American heirs and working class citizens as part of their proposed pipeline project, which would run along the Great Pee Dee River and through several communities, including Pamplico. To address these urgent issues and build continued community support, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League will host a meeting on Saturday, September 24 from 10:00am to 1:00pm at Pamplico Public Library, which is located at 100 Main Street in Pamplico.

Pamplico is a rural area already plagued with poverty and public health problems, and Dominion's plans will only exacerbate these issues. BREDL has recently received word from its members that Dominion is moving forward with its plans to condemn the heirs property of Florence County residents to build its 14.5 mile long pipeline, which will run from the gas regulating station at River Neck Road, east of North Old River Road and South Old River Road to its termination with a connection at the Kingsburg Valve Station near the intersection of South Old River Road and East Brazen Road.

"It's unconscionable what Dominion Energy is trying to do," said Kathy Andrews, Director of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. "They have threatened and intimidated property owners to sign away their land for an unnecessary pipeline that will not only devastate wetlands and the environment of endangered species in our communities but will destroy a way of life for people who have depended on the Great Pee Dee River and the surrounding land for decades."

BREDL is also very concerned about the pipeline's construction on nearby waters, including Jefferies Creek, Barfield Mill Creek, Mills Branch, Briar Branch, Bigham Branch, Bullock Branch, and other tributaries of the Great Pee Dee River.

"At SCELP, we believe that environmental protection and justice go hand in hand, and we are proud to represent BREDL in their pursuit for environmental justice for the Pamplico community," said Lauren Milton, Staff Attorney with South Carolina Environmental Law Project, which represents BREDL in their environmental fight against the Dominion pipeline.

"Based on all the facts we have gathered during the last two years, there is absolutely no reason to disrupt the communities along the Great Pee Dee River with a second gas pipeline," said Lou Zeller, Strategic Advisor for BREDL. "Dominion Energy is trying to bulldoze and bully residents whose farms, families and livelihoods depend on a healthy river. The company would destroy all of this for its own private gain. The people of Pamplico are saying, 'Go home, you're not welcome here!'"

Meeting Information:

Urgent Community Meeting

Saturday, September 24

10:00am  1:00pm

Pamplico Public Library

100 Main Street, Pamplico, SC 29583

Media contact:

Kathy Andrews

Director, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League

[email protected]

(843) 698-9816

SOURCE Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League Inc
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambrian BioPharma , a multi-asset longevity biotech, today announces its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and appointment of C. David Nicholson, PhD and Frank S. Walsh, PhD to lead. The SAB is an independent, external group that provides strategic guidance to the company and regularly reviews its R&D pipeline with the aim to objectively assess and validate the progress made for various pipeline companies.

The SAB was formed in October 2021 and meets biannually to review the strategy, plans and progress of projects in the R&D pipeline. As an independent entity, the board adds value by providing an objective external perspective and constructively challenges the strategy, plans and execution of each program. SAB reports are shared with individual pipeline companies for consideration in project strategy and planning and are also shared with the Cambrian BioPharma Board of Directors. Moving forward Cambrian may add further SAB members or ad-hoc advisors as its pipeline grows and matures.

"Cambrian BioPharma is honored to have two highly experienced R&D executives to assist with our pursuit of expanding healthspan in the 21st century," said Brenton L. Saunders, Cambrian BioPharma Board of Directors. "Their insight and knowledge will help us to propel our pipeline companies and R&D forward and ensure that we are headed on a path to success."

C. David Nicholson, PhD is currently the non-executive chairman of the board of directors at Excientia, a lead independent director at Actinium Pharmaceuticals and an operational partner at Gilde Healthcare. Formerly, David was EVP and Chief R&D Officer at Allergan (2014-2020), Chief Technology Officer and EVP at Bayer Crop Science (2012-2014), SVP Licensing and Knowledge Management at Merck (2009-2011), SVP Global Project Management and Drug Safety at Schering-Plough (2007-2009), and EVP R&D at Organon (2006-2007), a company he joined in 1988. He received his PhD in 1980 from University of Wales and his BSc from University of Manchester.

C. David Nicholson shared: "I am excited to be a member of the Cambrian SAB. Healthy aging is an aspiration for us all, and advancements in science make this goal increasingly achievable. l am delighted to be able to provide guidance to the teams at Cambrian developing agents to enhance health as we age."

Frank S. Walsh, PhD is the CEO of Ossianix, a privately held protein engineering biotech company that he founded for the development of biological therapeutics using single-domain VNAR antibody technology. Formerly, Frank was SVP/EVP and Head of Discovery Research worldwide at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in Collegeville (2002-2009). Prior to joining Wyeth, he was SVP at GlaxoSmithKline and Head of the Neurology CEDD (2000-2002), and VP of Neuroscience Research at SmithKline Beecham (1997-2000). Before joining the pharmaceutical industry, Frank had a distinguished academic career in Neuroscience as the Sir William Dunn Professor of Experimental Pathology at London's UMDS, Guy's Hospital. Frank received his PhD in 1977 from University College London and his BSc from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. He is the author of over 200 scientific publications and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the UK Academy of Medical Sciences.

Frank S. Walsh shared: "Cambrian has identified and invested in a number of companies that have exciting and innovative programs in the area of longevity. The problem is extremely important to all of us and there are now glimmers of progress. I look forward to assisting Cambrian in turning these assets into therapeutics with huge medical and commercial potential."

The announcement of the SAB comes on the heels of a number of exciting pipeline companies coming out of Cambrian BioPharma such as Oviva Therapeutics and Tornado Therapeutics . Cambrian BioPharma has an exciting roadmap planned  to learn more visit https://www.cambrianbio.com/pipeline

About Cambrian BioPharma

Cambrian BioPharma is building the medicines that will redefine healthcare in the 21st century  therapeutics to lengthen healthspan, the period of life spent in good health.

As a Distributed Development Company, Cambrian is advancing multiple scientific breakthroughs each targeting a biological driver of aging. Its approach is to develop interventions that treat specific diseases first, then deploy them as preventative medicines to improve overall quality of life during aging. To date, Cambrian has more than a dozen novel therapeutics in development across its pipeline. For more information, please visit www.cambrianbio.com or follow us on Twitter @CambrianBio and LinkedIn .

Contact

Rosa Argyropoulos

Senior Director, Global Corporate Communications,

Cambrian BioPharma

[email protected]

SOURCE Cambrian Biopharma
Filing weighs in to help shape unsettled law in the absence of regulatory guidance

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Chamber of Digital Commerce submitted a motion for leave to file an amicus curiae brief in SEC v. Ripple, a legal proceeding pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

"SEC v. Ripple represents an opportunity for the court to shape the legal framework and rules of the road for the digital assets industry," said Perianne Boring, Founder and CEO of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. "Our preference would always be action by policymakers to set a clear and consistent set of rules for our industry. Absent that, however, this case appears to be a precedent-setting forum that will influence the digital asset marketplace in the U.S. moving forward."

In 2020 the SEC filed suit against Ripple Labs and its executive leadership, claiming Ripple's XRP digital asset was a security. In its brief, the Chamber does not take a view on whether Ripple's offer and sale of XRP is a securities transaction or on the merits of any arguments made by either party in the case. Rather, the Chamber lays out the applicable legal precedent for initial offerings of digital assets and makes the court aware that no federal law (or regulation) governs the legal characterization of a digital asset recorded on a blockchain. The Chamber also urges the court to clarify that the law applicable to an investment contract is separate and distinct from the law applicable to the subject of that investment contract. The Chamber also suggests that the court defer to the legislative branch to provide clear guidance for rulemaking, and cites several current legislative proposals that might provide appropriate guidance.

"The Chamber, as amicus curiae, plays a critical role in providing the Court an overview of the current state of the law. Howey can be applied to determine whether an initial offering of digital assets is an investment contract, while there is no precedent that applies to transactions in the same digital assets that are used to power key blockchain technology functions," said Lilya Tessler, Partner, head of FinTech and Blockchain, Sidley Austin LLP. "I am delighted to represent the Chamber in this monumental case considering the recurring legal issues that the blockchain community encounters on a daily basis."

"There is little to no clarity on the applicability of long-standing securities law for digital assets previously bought in an investment contract and later sold in a commercial or technology transaction," continued Boring. "This lack of clear regulatory guidance is creating a significant and unprecedented degree of confusion for the industry and investors. This uncertainty is hindering efforts of advisors, broker-dealers, digital asset exchanges, custodians, and other players in the marketplace to provide the necessary regulatory and compliance support for digital assets."

This amicus curiae filing is not the first time the Chamber of Digital Commerce has engaged the federal court system on behalf of the industry. The Ripple filing builds on the Chamber's previous amicus brief in the 2020 SEC v. Telegram litigation.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE Chamber of Digital Commerce
The Business Research Company's cognitive assessment and training market research report expands on key drivers, trends, and growth opportunities in the market.

LONDON , Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognitive Assessment and Training companies are increasingly focusing on developing mobile apps for their clients. These apps sensitively and objectively measure cognitive function, quantify levels of performance and impairment, and demonstrate the effectiveness of interventions in brain health. Cloud technology enables efficient, non-invasive means of assaying brain function and participant outcomes, improving clinical trials and accelerating decision-making. For instance, in February 2017, Savonix developed a mobile, evidence-based neurocognitive assessment platform that the company says can eliminate the need for pen and paper exams that screen for cognitive functions. The mobile medical app, available on iTunes, evaluates long-term learning and language memory; delayed verbal memory; word memory; impulse control; emotional recognition; one's ability to sustain attention through a task; and executive function.

The global cognitive assessment and training market size is expected to grow from $4.26 billion in 2021 to $5.74 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34.8%. The cognitive assessment and training market share is expected to reach $15.66 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 28.5%.

Request a free sample of the Cognitive Assessment And Training Market Report

Rise In Healthcare Expenditure  A Major Driver For The Market  ( https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/cognitive-assessment-and-training-global-market-report )

Increasing healthcare expenditure is predicted to upsurge the demand for the cognitive assessment and training market. The growth in healthcare expenditure is aiding governments and organizations to spend more on hospitals, diagnostic centers and physical & clinical services, thereby driving the cognitive assessment and training market. According to the WHO, 47 million people have advanced cognitive impairment worldwide, increasing to almost 75 million in 2030 and 132 million in 2050. In the UK, suspected neurological conditions account for about one in 10 GP consultations and around 10% of emergency admissions.

North America Was The Largest Region In The Market In 2021

North America was the largest region in the cognitive assessment and training market and was worth $1315.3 million in 2021. The cognitive assessment and training market in North America is supported by the growing geriatric population, the rising adoption of gamification for cognitive assessments, and by increasing government initiatives. For instance, according to the Population Reference Bureau, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older age group's share of the total population will rise from 16 % to 23 %.

Pearson PLC Held The Largest Share In The Market In 2021  ( https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/cognitive-assessment-and-training-global-market-report )

Pearson PLC was the largest company in the cognitive assessment and training market, with an 11.99% share of the market in 2021. Pearson plc (Pearson) is engaged in providing test development, processing, and scoring services to governments, educational institutions, corporations, and professional bodies. Pearson's growth strategy focuses on incorporating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for learning through the launch of new products. For instance, in November 2019, Pearson announced the launch of Aida Calculus, an AI-powered tutoring app. Aida uses deep learning technology for analyzing a student's work and providing relevant feedback. It provides hints and recommendations to the students, based on best practices from the cognitive and learning sciences.

See more on the Cognitive Assessment And Training Market Report

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Name Change Reflects Krusteaz Heritage as well as Ambitious Future for Full Portfolio of Brands

TUKWILA, Wash., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What started 90 years ago in Seattle by an entrepreneurial woman named Rose Charters is today one of the most beloved baking mix brands in America, Krusteaz. In celebration of the brand's 90th anniversary, Krusteaz parent company, Continental Mills, announces its name change to The Krusteaz Company. The name change honors the brand's roots of entrepreneurialism and ingenuity  notably Charters' innovation of the world's first just-add-water pie crust in 1932  which are woven into the DNA of the company.

Family-owned and operated, The Krusteaz Company is focused on the power of food to inspire joyful connection through making, baking and sharing.

"Our mission as an organization is to build the most beloved and wow-inspiring brands in the industry, including Krusteaz as our flagship brand," said Andy Heily, President and CEO of The Krusteaz Company. "We say that Krusteaz is 'by makers for makers' and our 800+ employees are makers, rooted in a spirit of fierce pride. This name change is as much about honoring our past as it is about looking forward to a future built on a culture of ingenuity that will continue to deliver some of the most beloved and trusted brands."

Known for its iconic pancake and waffle mix, today Krusteaz is sold in every major retailer across the US, making more than 100 delicious products including mixes for pancakes, waffles, muffins, quick breads, cookies, dessert bars, cornbread, crumb cakes and a line of Gluten Free products as well as high protein and whole grain options. Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix is so popular that one box is sold every other second, and enough pancakes are sold each year to circle the Earth nearly two times.

The Krusteaz Company is also home to more than 150 other quality products, including private label and licensed brands and well-known baking, breakfast and snack brands, including WildRoots trail mixes, Buck WildTM snacks, Kretschmer Wheat Germ, Albers Cornmeal and Grits and Alpine Cider. The Krusteaz Company manufactures at its hometown plants in Kent, Washington as well as Effingham, Illinois, Manhattan, Kansas and Hopkinsville, Kentucky  known as the Batter Capital of the World.

"What strikes me, inspires me really, is that our first product, the Krusteaz pie crust, hit grocery shelves in the early 1930s, when Seattle was in the grip of the Great Depression," continued Heily. "Ingenuity in the face of challenge has always been our way, and I know today as consumers face pressures from all sides, including rising grocery costs, we want to continue to find ways to inspire them. We are a family of makers, who hopes that when families open their pantries, seeing one of our products is a moment of joy and possibility."

The Krusteaz Company will host a 90th birthday party celebration at its headquarters in Tukwila, Washington on September 14 and local plant celebrations throughout the remainder of the month.

For more information about Krusteaz products, visit www.Krusteaz.com.

ABOUT THE KRUSTEAZ COMPANY

The Krusteaz Company is a third generation, family-owned maker of some of the best-loved breakfast, baking and snack brands. Under the portfolio of breakfast and baking is flagship brand Krusteaz, as well as Kretschmer Wheat Germ, Albers Cornmeal and Grits, Alpine Cider, and several licensed product extensions. The Krusteaz Company's snacking portfolio includes WildRoots Trail Mixes and Buck WildTM snack mixes sold in Retail and Club stores. The Krusteaz Company headquarters is located in Tukwila, WA, just outside of Seattle, and products are sold through retail, foodservice, and club store channels throughout the United States.

The Krusteaz Company employs 800+ employees, and is committed to addressing food insecurity in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America through the "Feeding Great Futures" initiative, as well as work with Food Lifeline, Feeding America and other local non-profit organizations.

For more information, visit www.TheKrusteazCompany.com.

SOURCE The Krusteaz Company
Name of Product: thyssenkrupp Access Corp. Residential Elevators

Hazard: Children can become entrapped in the space between the exterior hoistway door and the elevator car door or gate and suffer serious injury or death if the elevator is called to another floor.

Remedy: Inspect, Repair

Consumer Contact: TKA at 800-285-9862 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at the TKA Home Elevator Safety Program at https://homelevator-safety.com or by emailing [email protected].

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that it settled an administrative lawsuit against thyssenkrupp Access Corp. (TKA), now known as TK Access Solutions Corp., of Grandview, Missouri. The lawsuit, filed in July 2021, involves home or residential elevators under a variety of TKA-owned model names, including Chaparral, Destiny, LEV, LEV II, LEV II Builder, Rise, Volant, Windsor, Independence, and Flexi-Lift that TKA manufactured and sold to dealers for installation in homes between approximately 1996 and 2012.

There have been three incidents involving these elevators, including a 2-year old child who died in 2017 and a 2010 incident that left a 3-year old child permanently disabled.

As part of the settlement, TKA is recalling to inspect the elevators, providing free inspections, and, if necessary, free installation of safety devices, known as space guards, at no charge to consumers.

The consent agreement, which was approved by a vote of 4-1, resolves charges that the elevators present a hazard because children can become entrapped in the space between the exterior hoistway door and the elevator car door or gate and suffer serious injury or death if the elevator is called to another floor.

Homeowners should immediately contact TKA for a free inspection and free installation of the free space guard(s), if necessary, by calling toll-free at 800-285-9862 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at the TKA Home Elevator Safety Program at https://homelevator-safety.com or by emailing [email protected]. Alternatively, TKA will provide inspection and installation instructions directly to homeowners who do not wish to have an installer come into their home.

Until the inspection and installation of space guards has been completed, homeowners should prevent children living in or visiting their homes from accessing a residential elevator.

The settlement of this matter does not constitute a determination by the Commission, or an admission by TKA, that the elevators contain a defect or present a substantial product hazard. About 16,800 residential elevators, sold for between $15,000 and $25,000 for a two-landing installation, were manufactured and distributed by ThyssenKrupp Access Manufacturing, LLC, thyssenkrupp Access Corp., Access Industries, or National Wheel-O-Vator through 2012.

Commissioner Statements:

Commissioner Feldman Statement

About the U.S. CPSC

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.

For lifesaving information:

- Visit CPSC.gov.

- Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.

- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.

- Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.

- Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).

- Contact a media specialist.

Release Number: 22-221

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
SAN PEDRO GARZA GARCIA, Mexico, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cydsa, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Cydsa") (BMV: CYDSASA) announced today that it has commenced a tender offer to purchase for cash (the "Tender Offer") up to an aggregate principal amount of its 6.250% Senior Notes due 2027 (the "Notes") that will not result in the Aggregate Purchase Price (as defined below) for the Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdraw) and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer to exceed U.S.$60 million (such amount, as may be modified by Cydsa in its sole discretion, the "Maximum Amount"). The Tender Offer is being made pursuant to the terms of an Offer to Purchase dated September 14, 2022 (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase"), and is subject to certain conditions.

The Tender Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on October 12, 2022, unless extended or earlier terminated by Cydsa in its sole discretion (such time and date, as the same may be extended, the "Expiration Time"). In order for holders of Notes to be eligible to receive the Total Consideration (as defined below) for their Notes, such holders must validly tender (and not validly withdraw) such Notes at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 27, 2022, unless extended by Cydsa in its sole discretion (such time and date, as the same may be extended, the "Early Tender Time"). Holders that tender Notes after the Early Tender Time but at or prior to the Expiration Time will only be eligible to receive the Tender Offer Consideration (as defined below), which does not include the Early Tender Payment (as defined below).

The consideration for each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer (the "Total Consideration") is U.S.$907.50, which includes a payment equal to U.S.$50.00 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer (the "Early Tender Payment"). Holders who tender (and do not validly withdraw) their Notes after the Early Tender Time but at or prior to the Expiration Time will be eligible to receive consideration (the "Tender Offer Consideration"), equal to (i) the Total Consideration minus (ii) the Early Tender Payment, on the Final Settlement Date (as defined below). The Total Consideration and the Tender Offer Consideration will be payable in cash in U.S. dollars. Holders will also receive accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date up to, but not including, the applicable Settlement Date (as defined below) for the Notes accepted for purchase (the "Accrued Interest"). The aggregate amount of Tender Offer Consideration and Total Consideration that holders of Notes are entitled to receive, excluding Accrued Interest, for Notes that are validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) and accepted for purchase by Cydsa is referred to as the "Aggregate Purchase Price." The following table describes certain terms of the Tender Offer:

Title of Securities Outstanding

Principal Amount Tender Offer

Consideration(1) Early Tender

Payment(1)(2) Total

Consideration(1)(3) 6.250% Senior Notes due 2027 (CUSIP/ISIN: 232553AA5 /

US232553AA57 (Rule 144A);

P3R26HAA8 / USP3R26HAA81

(Reg S)) U.S.$396,538,000 U.S.$857.50 U.S.$50.00 U.S.$907.50

_______ (1) Consideration in the form of cash per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes that are validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn). Excludes Accrued Interest, if any, which will be paid in addition to the Tender Offer Consideration or Total Consideration, as applicable. (2) The Early Tender Payment will be payable to Holders who validly tender (and not validly withdraw) Notes on or prior to the Early Tender Time. (3) Includes the Early Tender Payment for Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdraw) on or prior to the Early Tender Time

On any business day following the Early Tender Time and before the Expiration Time, Cydsa will have the right, but not the obligation, to accept for purchase any Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Time (the settlement date of such purchase being referred to as the "Early Settlement Date"), subject to the Maximum Amount and proration. The Early Settlement Date with respect to the Tender Offer will be determined at Cydsa's option, subject to all conditions to the Tender Offer (including a financing condition) having been either satisfied or waived by Cydsa. Regardless of whether Cydsa exercises its option to have an Early Settlement Date with respect to the Tender Offer, Cydsa will purchase any remaining Notes that have been validly tendered at or prior to the Expiration Time and that Cydsa chooses to accept for purchase, subject to all conditions to the Tender Offer (including a financing condition) having been either satisfied or waived by Cydsa, within three business days following the Expiration Time or as promptly as practicable thereafter (the settlement date of such purchase being referred to as the "Final Settlement Date"; the Final Settlement Date and the Early Settlement Date, each being referred to as a "Settlement Date"), subject to the Maximum Amount and proration.

If the purchase of all Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Time would cause Cydsa to accept for purchase an aggregate principal amount of Notes that results in an Aggregate Purchase Price in excess of the Maximum Amount, then the Tender Offer will be oversubscribed at the Early Tender Time and, assuming satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the Tender Offer (including a financing condition) and if Cydsa elects to have an Early Settlement Date, Cydsa will purchase on the Early Settlement Date, Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase on a prorated basis according to the principal amount of such Notes, such that Cydsa purchases an aggregate principal amount of Notes that results in an Aggregate Purchase Price that does not exceed the Maximum Amount. Accordingly, if the Maximum Amount is reached in respect of tenders made at or prior to the Early Tender Time and Cydsa elects to have an Early Settlement Date, no Notes tendered after the Early Tender Time will be accepted for purchase.

Tendered Notes may be withdrawn in accordance with the terms of the Tender Offer prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 27, 2022, unless extended by Cydsa in its sole discretion (such time and date, as the same may be extended, the "Withdrawal Deadline"), but not thereafter. The Early Tender Time and/or Expiration Time Offer can be extended independently of the Withdrawal Deadline (as defined below) for such Offer and the Early Tender Time, Expiration Time or Withdrawal Deadline with respect to any other Offer.

Cydsa's obligation to accept for purchase, and to pay for, any Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Tender Offer is conditioned upon the satisfaction or, when applicable, waiver of certain customary conditions, which are more fully described in the Offer to Purchase, including, among others, a financing condition as described in the Offer to Purchase.

In addition, subject to applicable law, Cydsa reserves the right, in its sole discretion, at any time (i) to waive any condition to the Tender Offer, (ii) to amend any of the terms of the Tender Offer, (iii) to terminate the Tender Offer; (iv) to increase or modify the Maximum Amount, (v) to extend the Withdrawal Deadline, (vi) to extend or amend the Early Tender Time or the Expiration Time, or (vii) to modify the Tender Offer Consideration or the Early Tender Payment, in each case (other than clause (v)) without extending the Withdrawal Deadline or otherwise reinstating withdrawal rights of holders.

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. is acting as the dealer manager for the Tender Offer and can be contacted with questions regarding the Tender Offer at the following telephone numbers: +1 (212) 225-5501 (collect) or +1 (800) 372-3930 (toll free) or at the following email: [email protected].

Copies of the Offer to Purchase are available to holders of Notes from D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent and the tender agent for the Tender Offer. Requests for copies of the Offer to Purchase should be directed to D.F. King at +1 (800) 669-5550 (toll free), +1 (212) 232-3233 (collect) or [email protected].

Neither the Offer to Purchase nor any related documents have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, nor have any such documents been filed with or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer to Purchase or any related documents, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary.

The Tender Offer is being made solely on the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Under no circumstances shall this press release constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes or any other securities of Cydsa or any of its affiliates. The Tender Offer is not being made to, nor will Cydsa accept tenders of Notes from, holders in any jurisdiction in which the Tender Offer would not be in compliance with the securities laws of such jurisdiction. No recommendation is made as to whether holders should tender their Notes with respect to the Notes. Holders should carefully read the Offer to Purchase because it contains important information, including the various terms and conditions of the Tender Offer.

About Cydsa

Cydsa is a Mexico-based holding company, headquartered in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon, operating through subsidiaries located in eight cities throughout Mexico, engaged in the industrial sector. Since the incorporation of the company in 1945, Cydsa has grown into a diversified company and Cydsa's current products and services range from edible salt to specialty chemicals for diverse industries to clean energy alternatives and hydrocarbon storage. Cydsa sells over 100 different products in more than 15 countries, including Mexico, the United States, Canada, Central America, South America and Europe. As part of Cydsa's strategy, it offers the first system in Mexico and Latin America dedicated to processing and underground storage of hydrocarbons in salt caverns, offering clean, efficient and safe storage of hydrocarbons, while helping reduce the hydrocarbon storage deficit in Mexico. Cydsa currently operates through its chemical manufacturing and specialties business group and its energy processing and logistics business group.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Cydsa's perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. All statements that express belief, expectation, estimates or intentions, as well as those that are not statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Such statements use forward-looking words such as "proposed," "anticipate," "project," "potential," "could," "should," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "may," "believe," "will," "plan," "seek," "outlook" and other similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Cydsa cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Although the expectations in the forward-looking statements are based on Cydsa's current beliefs and expectations, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by federal and state securities laws, Cydsa undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason.

Contact: Oscar Abundio Casas Kirchner

Corporate Finance Director

[email protected]

+52 (81) 8152-4500

SOURCE Cydsa, S.A.B. de C.V.
Work Leads to New Theory on Cause of Alzheimer's disease

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An emerging field explores how groups of molecules condense together inside cells, the way oil droplets assemble and separate from water in a vinaigrette.

In human cells, "liquid-liquid phase separation" occurs because similar, large molecules glom together into dense droplets separated from the more diluted parts of the fluid cell interior. Past work had suggested that evolution harnessed the natural formation of these "condensates" to organize cells, providing, for instance, isolated spaces for the building of cellular machines.

Furthermore, abnormal, condensed  also called "tangled"  groups of molecules in droplets are nearly always present in the cells of patients with neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease. While no one knows why such condensates form, one new theory argues that the biophysical properties of cell interiors change as people age  driven in part by "molecular crowding" that packs more molecules into the same spaces to affect phase separation.

Researchers compare condensates to microprocessors, computers built into circuits, because both recognize and calculate responses based on incoming information. Despite the suspected impact of physical changes on liquid processors, the field has struggled to clarify the mechanisms connecting phase separation, condensate formation, and computation based on chemical signals, which occur at much smaller scale, researchers say. This is because natural condensates have so many functions that experiments struggle to delineate them.

To address this challenge, researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases built an artificial system that revealed how the formation of condensates changes the action at the molecular level of enzymes called kinases, an example of chemical computation. Kinases are protein switches that influence cellular processes by phosphorylating  attaching a molecule called a phosphate group  to target molecules.

The new analysis, published online September 14 in Molecular Cell, found that the formation of engineered condensates during phase separation offered more "sticky" regions where medically important kinases and their targets could interact and trigger phosphorylation signals.

"Our study results show that physical changes like crowding can drive condensate formation that is converted into biochemical signals, as if condensates were squishy computers," says lead study author Liam Holt, PhD, associate professor in the Institute for Systems Genetics at NYU Langone Health.

Among the study kinases seen to be more active in a crowded, condensed environment was Cyclin Dependent Kinase 2, known to phosphorylate the microtubule-binding protein Tau. Tangled condensates of Tau are found frequently in the brain cells of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

"Our experiments suggest that formation of more Tau condensates drives more Tau phosphorylation," adds Holt, also faculty in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology. "Whether these mechanisms lead to more brain cell death, and whether reversing them could be a new treatment approach, will be important questions in our upcoming work."

Specifically, the study found that when Tau and Cyclin Dependent kinase condensed together into dense droplets, there was a three-fold acceleration of a phosphorylation at a group of sites on Tau (the AT8 epitope) linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Engineering a Biosensor

In seeking to engineer useful versions of these computers, the research team tested several artificial condensates, synthesizing different scaffold molecules to see which best pulled sample kinases  MAPK3, Fus3, and Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 (Cdk1)  together with their targets to increase signaling. Condensates form as scaffold molecules mesh together within droplets. The team found that, in their model, the gathering of large biomolecules into droplets inside one-celled living organisms called yeast made phosphorylation reactions hundreds of times faster.

The study also found that condensate formation let the included kinases phosphorylate more kinds of molecules, and without the presence of the molecular shapes usually required. This suggests that condensates in crowded cells create altered computation types, some potentially disease-related.

Moving forward, the research team seeks to build on a past study in Holt's lab, which found that a protein complex called mTORC1 controls molecular crowding by determining the number of ribosomes, "machines" that build other large proteins in cells. The team plans to study whether compounds known to inhibit mTORC1 can reduce crowding and Tau phosphorylation.

Finally, the researchers also hope that their findings advance the design of other cellular computers that react to physical forces. This could include the introduction of engineered processors into immune cells that  to attack cancer cells  would be turned on as they sought to squeeze into tissue made dense by growing tumors.

Along with Holt, authors of the study from the Institute of Systems Genetics at NYU Langone Health were Dajun Sang and Tong Shu. Also study authors were Christian Pantoja, Alain Ibanez de Opakua, and Markus Zweckstetter of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Gottingen, Germany. Zweckstetter is also faculty at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of NMR-based Structural Biology.

The study was funded by National Institutes of Health grants R01 GM132447, R37 CA240765, and TR01 NS127186. Also supporting the work were the American Cancer Society, the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Award, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) competition, the Deutsche Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), and the European Research Council.

Contact:

Gregory Williams

[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Health
TSX.V: DME

U.S. OTC: DMEHF

Frankfurt: QM01

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY CORP. (the "Company") (TSX.V: DME) (OTC: DMEHF) (Frankfurt: QM01) is pleased to announce that it has closed its non-brokered private placement previously announced on September 1, 2022 (the "Offering"), raising gross proceeds of CAD $6,090,400. The Company issued 2,342,461 units (the "Units") at a price of CAD $2.60 per Unit. Each Unit is made up of one common share of the Company and one share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant allowing the subscriber to purchase one additional common share for a period of three years at a price of CAD $3.50 per share. The expiry of the warrants may be accelerated by the Company if the closing price for the common shares shall be equal to or greater than CAD $7.00 for a minimum of ten (10) consecutive trading days. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid aggregate finders fees of $128,128 in cash, 119,477 Finder units and 45,280 Finder warrants.

The Company plans to use the proceeds for exploration, and development of the Company's helium processing facilities, working capital and general corporate expenses.

All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a 4-month plus one day hold expiring January 14, 2022. Any securities referred to herein will not nor has been offered nor registered under the U.S. Securities act of 1933 (The "1933 ACT") and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to a person in the absence of such registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 ACT.

ABOUT DESERT MOUNTAIN ENERGY

Desert Mountain Energy Corp. is a publicly traded resource company primarily focused on exploration, development and production of helium, hydrogen and noble gases. The Company is primarily looking for elements deemed critical to the renewable energy and high technology industries.

We seek safe harbor

"Robert Rohlfing"

Robert Rohlfing

Exec Chairman & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements made in this press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ from the Company's expectations.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward looking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding the Company's anticipated performance in the future the planned exploration activities, receipt of positive results from drilling, the completion of further drilling and exploration work, and the timing and results of various activities.

Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and the United States; financial risks due to helium prices, operating or technical difficulties in exploration and development activities; risks and hazards and the speculative nature of resource exploration and related development; risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Company's title to properties.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the continued operation of the Company's exploration operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend to, and nor does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Desert Mountain Energy Corp.
Collaboration Redefines Customization and Granularity of Google Drive Data Access

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DoControl , the automated Software as a Service (SaaS) security company, today announced that it has joined the Google Cloud Partner Advantage program as an integrated technology partner, giving Google Workspace customers additional layers of preventative data access security controls to protect business critical assets in Google Drive.

As a Google Cloud technology partner, DoControl offers customers a solution that integrates with Google Drive to help secure shared data and files accessed by identities and entities across internal employees, third party collaborators, and third party OAuth applications. DoControl connects Google Drive activity with business-context from identity providers (IdP), Human Resources Information Systems (i.e. BambooHR), Endpoint Detection and Response solutions (EDR/XDR), and other existing platforms.

This bidirectional feed enhances the value of existing IT and security investments, and creates a single view for the full inventory of every public and private drive within the environment. From there, security teams can enforce fine-grain Security Workflows to help prevent data overexposure and exfiltration, classify and scan sensitive data (i.e. PCI, PHI, and PII), extend governance and control over third party OAuth apps, and allow for secure content collaboration throughout Google Drive.

Key features include:

A comprehensive view of the entire organization with visibility into individual user interactions within Google Drive.

A risk-based approach to securing Google Drive by prioritizing the necessary identities and assets that carry higher levels of risk.

The ability to establish future-proofed security workflows to mitigate the risk of data overexposure and exfiltration.

The capacity to implement the granular access controls required to maintain business continuity by granting each group/department with the necessary sharing capabilities.

"To bolster the protection of sensitive company data and files, applying SaaS Security Workflows to Google Drive is vital to all organizations, no matter their size," said Adam Gavish, CEO and Co-Founder of DoControl. "By integrating Google Drive into the DoControl Platform, customers can monitor and control every entity and third party OAuth application accessing corporate data across another one of today's most highly used enterprise ecosystems."

As a Google Cloud partner, DoControl's offering enables the visibility required to manage and control access for groups and domains that need regular access to sensitive company data. With full visibility into all public and private drives through DoControl, teams can create automated secure workflows and policies to allow for secure file sharing between all users, both internal and external.

Supporting DoControl Resources

About DoControl

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in New York, DoControl is an automated data access controls platform for SaaS applications, improving security and operational efficiency with ease for enterprises. DoControl is backed by investors Insight Partners, StageOne Ventures, Cardumen Capital, RTP Global, and global cybersecurity leader CrowdStrike's early stage investment fund, the CrowdStrike Falcon Fund. The company's leadership team combines product, engineering and sales experience across cybersecurity, enterprise, and SaaS innovators. For more information, please visit www.docontrol.io . Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn .

For Media Inquiries:

Sena McGrand for DoControl

Lumina Communications

(917) 941-4975

[email protected]

SOURCE DoControl
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

The Dodge brands Last Call lineup heads into the homestretch with a special-edition Dodge vehicle that owns a royal racing pedigree: the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona.

2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona traces its lineage to the 1960s and 1970s West Coast drag-racing scene

Special-edition 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona bumps the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody to 807 horsepower

Only 300 of the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona special-edition vehicles will be produced

2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona pairs Go Mango exterior with unique orange interior appearance

exterior with unique orange interior appearance Exterior stands out with Satin Black King Daytona rear fender graphics, Satin Carbon Warp Speed wheels, Satin Chrome exterior badging and more

Black Nappa/Alcantara "Daytona" seats with orange stitching and King Daytona orange instrument panel badge highlight the interior

orange instrument panel badge highlight the interior Orange interior stitching accents the instrument panel, console, steering wheel and door trim

Sixth special-edition Dodge "Last Call" model will be revealed on Sept. 21, 2022

Seventh and final 2023 special-edition model  the very last of its kind  will be revealed at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas , scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022

, scheduled for Like all 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger models, Dodge Charger King Daytona will carry a commemorative "Last Call" underhood plaque

Details and specific information on Dodge "Last Call" models available at Dodge.com

Information on the Never Lift 24-month road map to the Dodge brand's future is available at DodgeGarage.com

The Dodge brand's "Last Call" lineup heads into the homestretch with a special-edition Dodge vehicle that owns a royal racing pedigree: the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona.

The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona traces its lineage to a famous monarch of the 1960s and 1970s West Coast drag-racing scene: William "Big Willie" Robinson, who nicknamed his 1969 Dodge Charger "King Daytona" and used it not only in claiming victory at the drag strip, but also in keeping racers on the track and off the streets. The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona honors the original by bumping performance to 807 horsepower and pairing a Go Mango exterior with unique orange interior accents.

The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona represents the fifth of seven special-edition Dodge "Last Call" models that celebrate the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger, which in their current form are coming to an end. The Dodge Charger King Daytona follows previously announced Dodge Challenger Shakedown, Dodge Charger Super Bee and Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger models.

Only two more Dodge "Last Call" models will be announced: one on September 21, 2022, and the seventh and final special-edition model  the very last of its kind  at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022.

"The special-edition Dodge Charger King Daytona honors a true icon of muscle car history," said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer  Stellantis. "The final Dodge 'Last Call' models will continue to celebrate the legacy of the Dodge Charger and Challenger by paying tribute to two vehicles that hold a special place in our brand's history."

2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona

Only 300 of the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona "Last Call" models will be produced, all based on the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody in vivid Go Mango exterior color. The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona adds:

Extra 10 horsepower that takes the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye from 797 to 807 hp

Satin Black King Daytona rear fender graphics

Satin Black hood and roof graphics

20-by-11-inch Satin Carbon Warp Speed wheels

Satin Chrome exterior badging

Orange six-piston Brembo brakes

Bright Mopar hood pin kit

Satin Black spoiler

Black Nappa/Alcantara "Daytona" seats with orange stitching

King Daytona interior instrument panel badge

interior instrument panel badge Orange interior accent stitching on the instrument panel, console, steering wheel and door trim

Suede headliner

Carbon fiber interior bezels

Alcantara steering wheel

Harman Kardon premium audio system

premium audio system Power sunroof

Navigation package

The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona, as with all seven of the "Last Call" special-edition models, will be allocated to specific dealerships, with pricing and dealer information shared on DodgeGarage.com when vehicle ordering opens later this fall.

Details on the Dodge "Last Call" models are available at Dodge.com. Information on the Never Lift 24-month road map to the Dodge brand's future is available at DodgeGarage.com.

"Last Call" Highlights

In addition to the seven "Last Call" special-edition models, Dodge brand will also celebrate its 2023 model lineup by bringing back three beloved heritage exterior colors: B5 Blue, Plum Crazy purple and Sublime green. One popular modern color, Destroyer Grey, also returns to the fold. Charger and Challenger will each offer 14 total 2023 exterior color options. 2023 Charger and Challenger R/T models will also feature new "345" fender badging, a callout to the 345-cubic-inch HEMI engine under the hood.

All 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger models will also carry a special commemorative "Last Call" underhood plaque, making every 2023 Charger and Challenger especially desirable. The brushed aluminum underhood "Last Call" plaque features the vehicle name and a vehicle silhouette, as well as "Designed in Auburn Hills" and "Assembled in Brampton" to proclaim each vehicle's origin.

The brand is also expanding the reach of its popular SRT Jailbreak models, which were introduced earlier this year for the Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, unlocking color combination ordering restrictions and exclusive content. For 2023 model year, Jailbreak models will also be available for the 717-horsepower Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat, providing even more owners the option of building their own one-of-a-kind muscle car.

Dodge is taking a new approach in getting the Charger and Challenger in the hands of its enthusiasts. The entire 2023 Charger and Challenger model-year run will be allocated to dealerships all at once, helping customers to identify and secure their dream cars more easily. Dodge will provide customers a guide for locating their desired Charger or Challenger at DodgeGarage.com, which will include information on all 2023 Charger and Challenger inventory at each Dodge dealership.

Ordering information for the 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger will be announced fall 2022.

Dodge//SRT

For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT Hellcat versions of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Dodge Durango, as well as an R/T plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet, representing the brand's first-ever electrified performance vehicle. Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock; the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world; and the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful SUV ever; and best-in-class standard performance in the compact utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet. Combined, these four muscle vehicles make Dodge the industry's most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2022, the Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market), making it the only domestic brand ever to do so three years in a row. In 2020, Dodge was named the "#1 Brand in Initial Quality," making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS).

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis ( NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge and company news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dodge and @StellantisNA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

SOURCE Stellantis
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New Zealand based soft tissue regeneration company Aroa Biosurgery (AROA) is delighted to announce the appointment of award-winning medical researcher and inventor, Dr. Catherine Mohr as a Non-Executive Director to the board.

AROA's products are developed from a proprietary AROA ECM technology platform, a novel extracellular matrix biomaterial derived from ovine (sheep) forestomach. Over 5 million AROA devices have been applied in treating patients to date.

Born in New Zealand, Dr. Mohr, who has lived in the United States for many years, received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and her Doctor of Medicine from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Dr. Mohr's experience spans several areas, including surgery, medical technology, engineering, product development and design, healthcare, alternative energy, automotive, aerospace, global entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property litigation, U.S Food & Drug Administration compliance and education.

Dr. Mohr has been involved with several successful emerging companies in medical technology and other areas, notably co-founding VeriSure, where she invented the LapCap, the first of a new category of laparoscopic surgery enabling products.

On joining the AROA Board, Dr Mohr says, "I have watched the AROA story unfold with interest and look forward to being involved in the future of this innovative organisation at the forefront of regenerative healing".

Dr. Mohr is currently the President of the Intuitive Foundation, the corporate Foundation of Silicon Valley based Intuitive Surgical, pioneers in the robotic-assisted surgery field and maker of the da Vinci surgical robot system.

Prior to heading up the Foundation, Dr. Mohr was a key member of the Intuitive Surgical management team for over 12 years. Beginning her tenure in 2006, Dr Mohr held several senior roles, including Vice President of Strategy and Director of Medical Research, making a significant contribution to the organisation's growth.

AROA CEO Dr. Brian Ward says, "Dr. Mohr's diverse skillset and considerable experience in research and development will be immense assets to AROA. We are delighted to welcome Dr Mohr to the Board to support us in our mission to unlock regenerative healing for everybody".

Dr. Ward's sentiments are echoed by Board Chairman Jim McLean who says: "We welcome the broad international experience and valuable insight Dr. Mohr brings to the Board of AROA".

Dr. Mohr's appointment to the Board is targeted to take effect from 1 November 2022, following completion of Australian law director identification number requirements. Dr Mohr will stand for election by shareholders at AROA's next Annual Meeting in or around August 2023.

SOURCE Aroa Biosurgery
New hunting gear collection brings classic camouflage patterns to Duluth's workwear favorites

MOUNT HOREB, Wis., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duluth Trading Co. , a casualwear, workwear and accessory retailer for men and women, announces a new limited-edition collection with Mossy Oak , America's leading camo brand since 1986. Available now, the new 11-piece Duluth Trading x Mossy Oak collection takes all the function and innovation of classic jobsite favorites from Duluth and douses them in an equally classic camouflage pattern.

Duluth Trading and Mossy Oak collection.

"At Duluth Trading, we're known for our dedication to create workwear that's tough enough for the jobsite without sacrificing flexibility or function  which is why many hunters have worn their Duluth favorites straight from work to the woods for years," said Ricker Schlecht, Senior Vice President of Product, Merchandising and Inventory. "Now, by teaming up with Mossy Oak, we've added hunting-specific designs that will keep wearers concealed, capable and comfortable. You've never seen hunting gear like this."

"Mossy Oak has been getting people closer to nature for decades, and since right around the time Mossy Oak was founded, Duluth Trading has been creating better and better work clothing that can do it all," said Daniel Haas, Executive Director of Brand Marketing for Mossy Oak. "We're proud to see our original pattern  Bottomland  paired with the legacy of Duluth and some of the most durable do-it-all gear around."

Key pieces in the new collection include:

Men's DuluthFlex Fire Hose Mossy Oak Cargo Pants: Purpose-built with incredibly tough-yet-bendable 8-oz. DuluthFlex Fire Hose canvas. The 97% cotton/3% spandex fabric is now available in the one-and-only Mossy Oak Bottomland camo with the same Crouch Gusset and tuckable cargo pockets that made Fire Hose Work Pants a favorite of tradesmen across the country.

Purpose-built with incredibly tough-yet-bendable 8-oz. DuluthFlex Fire Hose canvas. The 97% cotton/3% spandex fabric is now available in the one-and-only Mossy Oak Bottomland camo with the same Crouch Gusset and tuckable cargo pockets that made Fire Hose Work Pants a favorite of tradesmen across the country. Men's Fire Hose Flannel-Lined Mossy Oak Limber Jac: A shirt jacket design updated in Mossy Oak's iconic camo and built for action with Duluth's rugged, abrasion resistant Fire Hose  cotton canvas. The Limber Jac also has a stain- and moisture-repellent FendOff Finish  fabric treatment.

A shirt jacket design updated in Mossy Oak's iconic camo and built for action with Duluth's rugged, abrasion resistant Fire Hose cotton canvas. The Limber Jac also has a stain- and moisture-repellent FendOff Finish fabric treatment. Men's Superior Fire Hose Mossy Oak Vest: Duluth's burliest, most rugged winter work vest now boasts a Mossy Oak  Bottomland  camo print, obscuring body outlines in almost any outdoor environment.

Duluth's burliest, most rugged winter work vest now boasts a Mossy Oak Bottomland camo print, obscuring body outlines in almost any outdoor environment. Men's Longtail Mossy Oak Relaxed Tees: Duluth's Longtail T Shirt has long hidden the scourge of Plumber's Butt, while Mossy Oak Bottomland camo has concealed hunters in nearly any hunting environment imaginable. Now, these two classics come together in a shirt that'll obscure your outline and disguise your backside. The tee is available in long-sleeve and short-sleeve crew styling.

Items in the Duluth Trading x Mossy Oak Collection range in price from $34.50 to $209.50. The full collection is available to shop now at duluthtrading.com and limited Duluth Trading stores.

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 Mossy Oak

Established in 1986, Haas Outdoors Inc. is headquartered in West Point, Miss., and is home to Mossy Oak. For more than 35 years, Mossy Oak has been a leading outdoor lifestyle brand specializing in developing and marketing modern camouflage designs for hunters and outdoors enthusiasts and helping people get closer to nature. The Mossy Oak Brand and patterns can be found on a multitude of products worldwide. Haas Outdoors Inc. is the parent company of Mossy Oak , BioLogic , Capture Productions , MOOSE Media , Nativ Nurseries , Nativ Living , GameKeepers , GameKeepers Kennels , Mossy Oak Properties, and Mossy Oak GO . Mossy Oak is the official camouflage of the National Wild Turkey Federation , Ducks Unlimited, Mack's Prairie Wings , and Bonefish and Tarpon Trust .

Follow Mossy Oak on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , Pinterest, and YouTube .

MEDIA CONTACTS

Duluth Trading Co.

TURNER PR

(212) 889-1700

[email protected]

Mossy Oak

Gregory Sugg

Director of Media Relations & Licensing Support

662-495-9301 Office

662-831-0904 Cell

[email protected]

SOURCE Duluth Trading
WorldHotels RewardsSM members will earn double the points on every stay this Fall at any participating WorldHotels property

PHOENIX, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WorldHotels announced today that the company's industry-leading loyalty program  WorldHotels Rewards (WHR)  is rewarding guests for their fall travel. From September 12, 2022 to November 21, 2022, all WHR members will earn double points on every stay at any participating WorldHotels property. To be eligible, WHR members must register on worldhotelsrewards.com prior to the completion of their first stay.

"With four collections and hotels in some of the world's most iconic destinations, WorldHotels provides our guests with a luxury or upscale experience, whether they are traveling for leisure, business or bleisure," said Ron Pohl, President of WorldHotels. "We're privileged to welcome our most loyal guests back to our properties worldwide as travel demand continues to rebound. To help our guests enrich their stay, we're pleased to offer our double points promotion that will make their fall travel even more rewarding."

WorldHotels' collections include Crafted, Elite, Luxury and Distinctive. Each is carefully curated and features some of the finest independent hotels and resorts around the world. With a collection of properties in more than 200 iconic destinations worldwide, WorldHotels offers travelers the opportunity for exciting discoveries in the most unexpected places. From the Scottish Highlands to the glistening lights of Paris and everything in between, WorldHotels provides guests with unparalleled upscale and luxury experiences worldwide.

Learn more about WorldHotels Rewards and register to Earn Double Points on your next stay.

About WorldHotels Collection:

WorldHotels Collection is a privately held hotel soft brand within the BWH Hotel Group global network. Founded by independent hoteliers dedicated to the art of hospitality, and celebrating its 50th year anniversary in 2021, WorldHotels offers one of the finest portfolios of independent hotels and resorts around the globe, expertly curated to inspire unique, life enriching experiences that connect people and places. WorldHotels is comprised of four unique collections, each with its own personality and style to appeal to the needs of today's traveler. The collections include: WorldHotels Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive and WorldHotels Crafted. For more information visit WorldHotels.com.

Media Contact:

Katie Ray

Director, Public Relations & Corporate Communications

602.957.5526

[email protected]

SOURCE WorldHotels
DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CarSaver, the leading automotive e-commerce marketplace and fintech platform announced today at the CMFG Ventures Fintech Summit that EECU, a $3.6 billion credit union institution with 16 financial centers across Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), has joined CarSaver's industry-first Marketplace and Automated Upgrade Platform. CarSaver's e-commerce platform is built to help auto lenders increase member satisfaction, loan retention and dealer satisfaction and enables members to buy, finance and insure new and used cars entirely online.

EECU Logo

EECU members will save time and money on their purchase and have access to new and used vehicles. CarSaver's Automated Upgrades will make it easy for members to change cars before they change tires, avoiding costly repairs in the later years of the vehicle's life. CarSaver's proprietary automated upgrade platform identifies members with an auto loan who qualify to upgrade to a new car for a lower monthly payment then links them to a personal portal where they can see their upgrade options. With a click of a button, they can complete the entire transaction online and have the car delivered directly to their home or pick up at a local certified dealer.

"We are proud to welcome EECU to our network and provide their members and dealer partners a faster, friendlier personalized car buying experience that will save them time and money. EECU has thousands of members who qualify to upgrade their car to a new one and lower their payment," said Chad Collier, co-founder and CEO of CarSaver. "We've been impressed with EECU's commitment to their members, dealer partners and the DFW community and are excited to partner with them to make car buying fun and easy."

"Our partnership with CarSaver demonstrates our commitment to delivering a faster, friendlier personalized experience that truly reflects the EECU difference," said Matt Kaudy, Chief Growth and Strategy Officer of EECU. "CarSaver's best-in-class technology combined with EECU's low rates makes the car buying experience fast and easy for our members and saves them time and money while helping our dealer partners sell more cars and take more trade-ins. This is a big win for the DFW community."

EECU's partnership with CarSaver comes on the heels of another partnership announcement earlier this year between the automotive e-commerce platform and CUNA Mutual Group. CMFG Ventures, the venture capital arm of CUNA Mutual Group, also invested substantial funds to fuel CarSaver's growth as a result of the partnership.

The marketplace will be available on EECU.org and will include all the top brands of new and used cars available from local certified dealer partners. Members eligible for the upgrade will receive a notification via email and instructions to visit their personalized portal to see their upgrade offers.

Dealers can get more information or enroll at CarSaverCommerce.com/eecu.

About CarSaver

Launched in 2016, CarSaver is the leading online automotive marketplace for new and used cars, helping buyers and sellers save time and money by automating the entire process, from first click to home delivery. CarSaver makes it easy for consumers to do everything 100% entirely online; buy, finance, lease, sell and trade, all the top brands of new and used vehicles in a simple and seamless online experience that is personalized to each customer.

CarSaver's marketplace is used by some of the most trusted brands in the world, including Walmart, Nissan, iHeartMedia and SHOP.com, to automate the entire online buying process, making it faster and easier for buyers and sellers to conduct contactless commerce completely online. CarSaver licenses its enterprise platform to car companies, EV distributors, banks and credit unions who white label CarSaver's e-commerce platform to power their online transactions.

CarSaver has established a nationwide network of certified dealers who provide hundreds of thousands of new and used cars from all the top brands available in one marketplace. In addition, certified dealers perform maintenance and warranty repairs for CarSaver's lifetime warranty that comes standard at no cost, not even a deductible on every car.

CarSaver was recently named a 2021 Automotive News PACE Award winner. The prestigious award honors automotive suppliers for superior innovation and technological advancement. CarSaver was recognized for launching the first end-to-end, 100% online car buying platform for new, used and certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles, and its work with Nissan to power the [email protected] experience.

For more information visit CarSaverCommerce.com/eecu , follow CarSaver on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , YouTube and LinkedIn .

Dealers visit CarSaverCommerce.com/eecu .

About EECU

EECU is a not-for-profit cooperative that returns profits to our Members in the form of better rates and fewer or no fees. EECU is committed to delivering value, supporting community initiatives, and delivering a faster, friendlier personalized service to our Members. The credit union currently serves more than 250,000 Members throughout Texas with total assets exceeding $3.6 billion.

Press Contacts

Erin Haworth

High10 Media for CarSaver

[email protected]

Matt Kaudy

Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, EECU

[email protected]

SOURCE CarSaver
Inspired by the Crystalline Waters of Mayan Cenotes And Made From 100% Blue Weber Agave, The Choice is Clear with Espolon Cristalino

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Espolon Tequila is excited to announce the newest addition to their portfolio, Espolon Cristalino - a super-premium, aged tequila and one of the last passion projects of legendary Maestro Tequilero Cirilo Oropeza before his passing in 2020. Espolon's Cristalino is made from 100% Blue Weber Agave and water from the natural well underneath the brand's distillery in Los Altos de Jalisco. The new tequila is as clear and complex as the Crystalline waters from the cenotes in Mexico, which inspired the special liquid. To celebrate the U.S. launch, Espolon will host the Urban Cenote, a mesmerizing, immersive experience in the heart of New York City. From September 21st -23rd, 21+ fans are invited to be visually transported to the age-old caves and crystal-clear waters of Mexico while enjoying a first taste of Espolon Cristalino.

Espolon Cristalino

Espolon Cristalino was developed using a combination of traditional and modern techniques; a true representation of late Maestro Tequilero Cirilo Oropeza's tequila-making philosophy. Featuring a unique blend of their awarded Anejo and a touch of extra Anejo, the tequila is minimally filtered through charcoal, enabling the mingling of the most intriguing flavors while maintaining the authentic tequila characteristics. The result is a Cristalino with bold tasting notes of caramelized agave and honey followed by a fruity, oaky finish for an unparalleled and unforgettable taste. At 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume) Espolon's silky aromatic Cristalino is best sipped neat to enjoy the complexity of its flavor profile.

This new expression was years in the making and a culmination of Cirilo's more than 50 years of artisanship in tequila-making. The Espolon team unanimously decided that Cirilo's original formula was superior to every other version tested - a true testament and tribute to his passion and experience, delivering maximum taste through minimum filtration, delivering on Cirilo's mission in crafting this expression.

"Espolon's Cristalino is a testament to our late founder, Maestro Cirilo, who has proven that a truly authentic tequila experience is achievable only through time and passion," said Sean Yelle, Senior Category Marketing Director at Campari Group USA. "A project years in the making, our Cristalino was created using both traditional and modern techniques, resulting in a one-of-a-kind liquid that celebrates Espolon's rich heritage and Cirilo's trailblazing spirit."

Espolon's iconic glass bottle, recognized for its vivid labels illustrating Mexico's storied history, is reimagined for this new spirit. The Espolon's Cristalino bottle is, like its liquid, crystal clear, allowing drinkers to see through to an illustration featuring the brand's iconic rooster, Ramon. The illustrated scene celebrates the ancient Mayan gifting ritual of offering objects into the crystalline cenotes. This design honors the rituals that inspired Cristalino's unique liquid and continues Espolon's tradition of telling Mexican stories through design, while allowing the translucent liquid of Cristalino to shine through.

To celebrate Cristalino Espolon will be launching the Urban Cenote - a mesmerizing, immersive experience that emulates the breathtaking cenotes of Mexico - for three days only. With limited availability, fans who are 21+ invited to RSVP to be transported to the mystical waters of the cenotes while enjoying performances by Latinx artists and learning about the unique distilling process through invigorating interactive experiences. The Urban Cenote will be located at 43 Crosby St in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan from September 21st -23rd.

Espolon Cristalino will be available nationwide in limited quantities for an SRP of $59.99 for a 750ml bottle.

ASSETS FOR MEDIA USE

ABOUT ESPOLON TEQUILA

Distilled from hand-harvested 100% Blue Weber Agave in Los Altos, the Highlands region of Jalisco, Espolon's award-winning tequilas are the pride of the Casa San Nicolas. Espolon was the realization of a lifelong desire for late founder and Master Distiller Cirilo Oropeza, who dreamed of creating a tequila that blends artisanal Mexican tradition with modern techniques.

Espolon is, at its heart, a tribute to Mexican culture, with striking bottle designs inspired by the rich, storied history of Mexico. Through its labels, Espolon pays tribute to a true luminary  Jose Guadalupe Posada. Posada was a 19th century artist and printmaker, a real pioneer, and a bit of a rebel. His most famous work, the calaveras (skeletons), were a powerful commentary on the social injustices of his time. He gave his people a voice and gave the art world a style that continues to influence pop culture today. Today, Espolon Tequila Blanco, Espolon Tequila Reposado, Espolon Tequila Anejo and Espolon Cristalino each spotlight different moments in Mexican history, led by the legendary rooster, Ramon. For more information on Espolon, visit espolontequila.com.

ABOUT CAMPARI GROUP

Davide Campari-Milano N.V., together with its affiliates ("Campari America"), is a major player in the global beverage sector, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. Campari Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. Campari Group's portfolio, with over 50 brands, spans spirits (the core business), wines, and soft drinks. Its internationally renowned brands include Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, SKYY, Wild Turkey, and Grand Marnier. Headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, Campari Group owns 22 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 22 countries. Campari Group employs around 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company, Davide Campari-Milano N.V. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM), have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy our brands responsibly.

SOURCE Espolon Tequila
Southern California's Fastest-Growing Urgent Care Provider Continues to Enhance Patient Experience, Now Providing Porter Ranch with Convenient and Affordable Medical Care

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Exer Urgent Care opened its 29th Southern California location, expanding into Porter Ranch. Located at The Vineyards at Porter Ranch, conveniently next to Whole Foods, the new Exer location will provide the community with convenient, affordable and high-quality medical care. Offering more comprehensive medical services than traditional walk-in clinics, Exer helps reduce the strain on local emergency rooms at a fraction of the cost.

"We are so excited to further our expansion throughout Southern California and offer unparalleled services, helping the local community avoid inconvenient and expensive trips to the emergency room," said Rob Mahan, CEO, Exer Urgent Care. "Our team is thrilled to bring Porter Ranch a reliable healthcare solution that is more comprehensive than your typical walk-in clinic, providing high-quality, convenient and affordable care, because the needs of our patients come first."

Exer Urgent Care is Southern California's fastest-growing urgent care company servicing a whole range of minor-to-major healthcare needs. Exer offers an in-house PCR lab and COVID-19 rapid test (antigen) results available by end of day and PCR test results available by end of next day. With on-site x-ray and pharmacy, IV, laceration treatment, and diagnostics, Exer can treat many everyday emergencies seen in an ER for a fraction of the cost. Exer's patient portal offers access to test results as well as discharge and other health information.

Exer Porter Ranch is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the last patient registered at 8:30 p.m. Exer accepts most PPO, HMO and Medicare, and offers affordable monetary compensation options for those with minimal or no health insurance.

For more information about Exer Urgent Care visit ExerUrgentCare.com and follow @ExerUrgentCare on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Exer serves the greater Los Angeles regions, Orange and Ventura counties. Their current facilities reside in: San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Clarita, South Bay, Ventura, Central Los Angeles, Orange County and the Westside.

ABOUT EXER URGENT CARE

With 29 Southern California locations, Exer Urgent Care is designed to get you better. With the peace of mind that comes from easy access to highly-trained doctors and other medical professionals, Exer services a whole range of minor-to-major healthcare needs in a convenient, high-quality and affordable environment. With an in-house PRC lab, on-site x-ray and pharmacy, IV, laceration treatment, diagnostics and more, Exer can treat many of the everyday emergencies seen in an ER for a fraction of the cost. Exer is here to make healthcare work better, feel betterand deliver better resultsfor everyone. Now let's get you better. For more information on Exer Urgent Care, visit ExerUrgentCare.com.

SOURCE Exer Urgent Care
RI&S to upgrade FAA's space-based precision navigation system to support safer air travel

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business ( NYSE: RTX), has been awarded a competitive indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract from the Federal Aviation Administration with a ceiling value of $375 million over the next 10 years. Task orders, valued at $215 million, were executed at contract award to provide technical refresh and Dual Frequency Operation (DFO) upgrades to the FAA's Wide-Area Augmentation System, or WAAS, a space-based precision navigation system, that will enhance safer air travel in support of the National Airspace System.

The Wide Area Augmentation System or WAAS monitors and evaluates all GPS signals over North America to enable pilots to fly using augmented GPS data for safety of life missions like precision landing and en-route navigation. The system allows pilots to safely land in places that were previously inaccessible because of the airport location and/or weather. It also makes airports without ground-based navigation available to pilots.

Under the WAAS DFO-2 contract, RI&S will deliver more modern, and therefore sustainable, processing, system security, and network architecture, while also adding dual frequency service.

"There is no margin for error during take-off, flight or landing," said Denis Donohue, president, Surveillance & Network Systems at RI&S. "Our modernization effort for WAAS will improve system robustness during ionospheric events and ensure safety-of-life requirements continue to be met."

WAAS is a Satellite-based Augmentation System (SBAS), which provides GPS corrections for critical navigation for the aviation community, first responders and other government agencies, ensuring pilots can land safely in austere environments, despite weather challenges. It also provides corrections for SBAS-capable receivers in use across a diverse set of communities, including agriculture, maritime and surveyance, among others.

Raytheon Technologies has been the prime development contractor for WAAS since 1996. Since reaching initial operational capability in 2003, Raytheon Technologies and the FAA have developed and fielded dozens of enhancements expanding WAAS's precision approach capability, coverage area, and reliability, including improvements to the system infrastructure in preparation for Dual Frequency service. WAAS Dual Frequency service will enable increased system accuracy, integrity, and availability when subject to ionospheric perturbations, including solar storms.

Work for this effort is based in Fullerton, California.

Media Contact:

Tamar Brill

[email protected]

About Raytheon Intelligence & Space

Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, delivers the disruptive technologies our customers need to succeed in any domain, against any challenge. A developer of advanced sensors, cyber services and software solutions, Raytheon Intelligence & Space provides a decisive advantage to civil, military and commercial customers around the world.

About Raytheon Technologies

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With four industry-leading businesses  Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense  the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

SOURCE Raytheon Technologies
Tools Further Shared Decision Making and Healthcare Engagement for Older Patients

Initiative Supported by Grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of an initiative funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation, FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit, today launched five new shared decision-making tools, three new FH Total Treatment Cost tools, educational content and resources related to the care of older adults. This initiative aims to advance shared decision making among older patients, especially those with serious illnesses, as well as their caregivers and care partners, by providing them with the information and resources needed to make informed healthcare decisions and better navigate the healthcare system. Access the tools here.

New Older Adults Section on FAIR Health Consumer https://www.fairhealthconsumer.org/for-older-adults

The tools, content and resources were launched on a dedicated section for older adults and caregivers on FAIR Health's free, award-winning consumer website, fairhealthconsumer.org, which also houses tools and resources relevant to palliative care for seriously ill patients. The new tools combine clinical and cost information associated with different treatment options for early-stage breast cancer, hip osteoarthritis, hip replacement, spinal stenosis and fast-growing prostate cancer. FAIR Health also launched "total treatment cost" scenarios highlighting the range of costs associated with three conditions particularly relevant to an older population: Alzheimer's disease/dementia, heart failure and major depression. In addition to these tools, the newly created Older Adult section features explanatory content about the conditions, a section on financial health literacy, patient- and caregiver-oriented checklists with suggested questions to ask providers, and links to external resources relevant to the conditions.

Shared decision making (the discussion between clinicians and patients and/or their patient caregivers to decide on treatment options that incorporate patient values and preferences) has been shown to increase patient engagement and satisfaction, reduce healthcare costs and improve treatment outcomes. This is especially important considering the growing issue of "financial toxicity"the financial, emotional and mental burden patients experience from medical costs, which can lead to diminished access to care and reduced quality of life. By providing tools that combine clinical and cost information, FAIR Health seeks to improve financial health literacy among older patients, their caregivers and their care partners.

FAIR Health will disseminate the tools to older patients, family caregivers, care partners and providers in four major urban centersNew York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicagoand their environs. Providers can access the tools here on FAIR Health's provider-centered website, fairhealthprovider.org. An evaluation of the utility and value of the tools will follow in the wake of this launch.

FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd said, "We thank The John A. Hartford Foundation for its generous support of our efforts to empower older patients and family caregivers in navigating the healthcare system with actionable tools and information. This initiative will engage older adults and caregivers and care partners in healthcare decision making, and help them better manage their healthcare costs."

The John A. Hartford Foundation Vice President of Program Rani E. Snyder said, "In keeping with our commitment to advancing age-friendly care, The John A. Hartford Foundation is proud to support FAIR Health's efforts to promote its new healthcare engagement tools and resources. A wide range of stakeholdersin particular, older adults, family caregivers and care partnerswill benefit from the tools and resources provided as part of this initiative."

Cleveland Clinic's Endowed Chair of Geriatric Innovation and Section Chief of the Center for Geriatric Medicine Ardeshir Hashmi, MD, said, "FAIR Health's shared decision-making tools, total treatment cost scenarios and resources empower patient-centric care. They aim to help older patients thrive in the 4 Ms of mentation, mobility, medication and what matters most to themthe mainstays of age-friendly health systems."

To access the Older Adult section tools, click here.

Follow us on Twitter @FAIRHealth

About FAIR Health

FAIR Health is a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. It is dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation's largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 38 billion claim records and is growing at a rate of over 2 billion claim records a year. FAIR Health licenses its privately billed data and data productsincluding benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics and market indicesto commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D; FAIR Health includes among the private claims data in its database, data on Medicare Advantage enrollees. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health's systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers' compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish, which enables consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offers a rich educational platform on health insurance. An English/Spanish mobile app offers the same educational platform in a concise format and links to the cost estimation tools. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. FAIR Health also is named a top resource for patients in Dr. Marty Makary's book The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Careand How to Fix It and Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal's book An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org.

Contact:

Rachel Kent

Senior Director of Marketing

FAIR Health

646-396-0795

[email protected]

SOURCE FAIR Health
Intellagents quickly and securely digitizes connections across businesses, brokers and insurers, and software providers, leveraging AI to score risk, maximize protection to deliver "real change and innovation" to the insurance sector.

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FatBrain AI (LZG International Inc.; OTC: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for start-up and mid-market businesses (SMEs), has acquired Intellagents , an innovative insuretech platform.

The FatBrain and Intellagents combination empowers businesses, brokers and insurers to leverage Peer Intelligence technologies to optimize transactions, score risk, enhance productivity and simplify actionable insights for everyone across the insurance supply chain creating never-seen-before opportunities for growth.

FatBrain acquires Intellagents, launches peer intelligence service for real change & innovation in the insurance sector Tweet this

"We are excited to welcome Intellagents into the FatBrain family," said Peter B. Ritz, co-founder and CEO of FatBrain AI. "Intellagents SaaS offers powerful, easy-to-use automation to accelerate Peer Intelligence growth for all participants connecting the insurance supply chain. Adding one connection per week to the insurance knowledge market, Intellagents SaaS accelerates the pace of innovation and improvement. Each such connection means actionable insights for tens of millions of businesses, hundreds of thousands of agents, many thousands of insurers and insuretechs."

Intellagents unifies an insurance-specific integration and API management marketplace with connectors to more than 60 insurance capabilities orchestrated within minutes into unique solutions. It enables insurers and brokers to rapidly realize improvements and efficiencies across multiple domains, including: client engagement; channel optimization; risk selection, pricing, and fraud mitigation; product speed to market; and "Book of Business'' acquisitions.

"Our clients join a comprehensive ecosystem enabling rapid innovation and growth with a simple self-service experience to harness the power of data and AI," said Mark Stender, CEO and co-founder of Intellagents. "No single insurer, broker or software company can solve the challenges of the insurance industry alone. The power of many "best-in-class" insurance capabilities connecting together, each continuously learning to improve individual performance, expands the overall insurance knowledge marketplace. The latest advances in AI 2.0 technologies coupled with the burgeoning data availability accelerate this realization."

Intellagents solutions are SOX, GDPR and HIPAA compliant and capable of passing any compliance exam from insurers.

"We've seen peer data turbo-charge the market in life insurance and annuities," said Shawn R. Carey, chief operating officer at FatBrain AI and co-founder, CTO-emeritus at iPipeline, a Roper Technologies, Inc. ( NYSE: ROP) company. "Contributory peer insights powered by AI promise to accelerate growth beyond what we realized at iPipeline. With Intellagents ecosystem, connectivity, marketplace, team and technology we're starting on 3rd base."

"Our mission at FatBrain AI is to equip entrepreneurs and mid-market businesses with simple to use AI solutions that will help them reclaim time, save money and boost their bottom lines," said Rajarshi Das, chief scientific officer at FatBrain AI. "Intellagents and FatBrain AI are united in this mission and eager to support the global community of businesses, brokers and insurers."

This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to buy any securities of any entity. This release contains certain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially from those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business, which include the risk factors disclosed in our Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 13, 2022. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions, or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," and "would" or similar words. All forecasts provided by management in this release are based on information available at this time and management expects that internal projections and expectations may change over time. In addition, the forecasts are based entirely on management's best estimate of our future financial performance given our current contracts, current backlog of opportunities and conversations with new and existing customers about our products and services. We assume no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.):

FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.; OTC: LZGI) provides powerful and easy-to-use AI solutions to empower the star enterprises of tomorrow (aka mSMEs) to grow, innovate, and drive the majority of the global economy. FatBrain's AI 2.0 technologies and advanced data services transform continuous learning, narrative reasoning, cloud and blockchain technologies into auditable, explainable and easy to integrate AI solutions. FatBrain's subscription model allows all companies to deploy its advanced AI solutions quickly and easily, securely utilizing them on premises behind their firewalls or via cloud.

For more information, please visit: https://www.fatbrain.ai

About Intellagents, LLC:

Intellagents, LLC was formed in 2018 and has been solving insurers challenges in production flawlessly since 2019. Intellagents was founded on the principle that digital transformation requires significant improvements to an insurer's systems portfolio and that many gaps will need to be filled with AI and new innovations created by 3rd parties. Intellagents has built over 60+ connectors using unique integration and automation technologies to improve speed, personalization and agility.

For more information, please visit: https://www.Intellagents.com

SOURCE FatBrain
First of its kind index measures status of state religious liberty laws

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy (CRCD), an initiative of First Liberty Institute, today published the first annual Religious Liberty in the States report which includes an index reflecting free-exercise protections at the state level.

The data for this first year of the project are based on 11 legal "safeguards" of religious liberty. Once aggregated, they produce one index score per state, suitable for ranking states and, in time, tracking changes. At the index website (religiouslibertyinthestates.com) a separate downloadable scorecard is available for each state for those who are curious about individual states or who wish to communicate more effectively with their elected officials.

"The RLS index makes a significant and unique contribution to the field in a way that is rigorous, thorough, and thoughtful," said Kelly Shackelford, President, CEO, and Chief Counsel to First Liberty Institute. "We are proud of this project and thankful for the hard work that has made it possible."

"Not only do we construct an index that gives each state a single score and a place in our ranking, making interstate comparisons straightforward, we also have compiled a dataset like nothing else that is out there," said Sarah M. Estelle, director of the CRCD's Religious Liberty in the States project.

The index revealed some surprising results. There are both red and blue states at the top and bottom of the rankings. "Red" Mississippi ranked first, followed closely by "blue" Illinois. Texas, known as a conservative state, ranked in the middle at 25th. While a few of the bluest states rank in the bottom three California (48th) and New York (50th), other blue states such as Washington (5th), Maryland (8th), Connecticut (11th), and Maine (14th) scored in the top third.

"A great virtue of this Index is that it provides very clear and concrete opportunities for states to improve their protections of religious liberty," said Jordan J. Ballor, director of research at CRCD. "For every state there are examples from other states -- whether their neighbors or from different parts of the country -- that can be adapted and used to address gaps in their safeguards of free exercise."

The index measures the presence or lack of safeguards including conscience protections for health-care workers, opportunities for absentee voting for religious reasons, the ability of

religious organizations to refuse participation in marriage and weddings that violate religious beliefs, and exemptions to childhood immunization requirements. The full list of safeguards is available in the report.

The Religious Liberty in the States launch event included a panel discussion on the report, livestreamed on CRCD's YouTube channel.

About the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy

The Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy (CRCD) supports the creation and promotion of high-quality scholarship at the intersection of religion, culture, and democracy. Our publications, programming, and resources affirm the importance of religion as a public good for strengthening social bonds and reinforcing foundational freedoms.

About First Liberty Institute

First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.

About Religious Liberty in the States

Religious Liberty in the States is a project of the CRCD and parent organization First Liberty Institute (FLI). The RLS index is a measure of laws and constitutional safeguards for religious exercise in the fifty states, including a ranking of the states across twenty-nine items that contribute to eleven distinct safeguards.

SOURCE First Liberty Institute
Feature ensures that no single party processing user data in Anonymous Mode account has complete information on both who the user is and what they are trying to access

LONDON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Flo , the #1 leading female health app, today announced the release of its 'Anonymous Mode' feature in an effort to further protect sensitive reproductive health information in a post-Roe America. Anonymous Mode allows any Flo user the option to access the app without name, email address, and technical identifiers from being associated with the health data in their Anonymous Mode account, marking the first female health app to take this level of precaution in terms of privacy and security. Flo has partnered with Cloudflare to integrate an Oblivious HTTP system, App Relay Gateway, which ensures that no single party processing user data for Anonymous Mode accounts has complete information on both who the user is and what they are trying to access.

Flo's mission is to build a better future for female health and provide its 48M active users with evidence-based information including effective contraceptive methods and sexual health. Flo's Anonymous Mode is based on the principle that users should feel empowered to access medically credible information to help them make informed decisions about their health without anxiety or concern. Flo has already made significant efforts to offer the highest standards of privacy and security to all users, including encryption of all data and passcode protection to reduce the risk that unauthorized users access the app on their personal device.

Flo's Anonymous Mode introduces an even deeper layer of privacy for reproductive health data. By using Cloudflare's App Relay, Flo takes user privacy to a deeper level than simply removing the connection between IP addresses and users' health data. The new feature ensures its users privacy on various levels, from logged symptoms on the device through the data transfer over the network to the server side. This groundbreaking approach allows users to continue tracking their health and benefit from the information logged before, but with as much privacy as possible. In effect, the user leaves significantly reduced digital footprints when communicating with Flo.

"Women's health information shouldn't be a liability," said Cath Everett, VP of Product and Content at Flo. "Every day, our users turn to Flo to gain personal insights about their bodies. Now, more than ever, women deserve to access, track, and gain insight into their personal health information without fearing government prosecution. We hope this milestone will set an example for the industry and inspire companies to raise the bar when it comes to privacy and security principles."

Regardless of whether a user chooses to set up an Anonymous Mode account, all user data remains subject to Flo's state of the art privacy and security protections. Flo does not sell identifiable user health data to any other company, but wanted to take this additional step to reassure users who are living in states affected by an abortion ban. It is important to note that once Anonymous Mode is activated, users will no longer be able to recover data when the device is lost, changed, or stolen and there may be limitations to using the app's full personalization benefits. This is why Flo is offering Anonymous Mode as an option for concerned users instead of activating it by default.

The new Anonymous Mode is localized into 20 languages and can be accessed via the app's settings in iOS (now available) and Android (to be released in October 2022). Users are able to enjoy all Flo's health features, with limited exceptions.

"Recent legislation around women's health has made Internet privacy a renewed concern with real-world consequences for many people," said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO, Cloudflare. "Cloudflare's App Relay system, based on a privacy-preserving standard championed by Cloudflare, will help Flo's Anonymous Mode set a new expectation for how companies can protect their users' health data."

This update comes on the heels of Flo recently becoming the first period and ovulation tracker to receive the ISO 27001 certification, the internationally recognized standard for information security. Established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the certification affirms that Flo's policies, processes, and procedures meet the world's most rigorous standards and attests that Flo protects users' data at the highest standard possible.

ABOUT FLO:

Flo is the most popular women's health app globally; it is #1 OB-GYN-recommended app for period and cycle tracking based on a survey among US OB-GYNs. Over 240 million people have downloaded Flo, and 48 million people use it on a monthly basis. With over 100+ medical experts, Flo supports women during their entire reproductive lives and provides curated cycle and ovulation tracking, personalized health insights, expert tips, and a fully closed community for women to share their questions and concerns. Flo prioritizes safety and keeps a sharp focus on being the most trusted digital source for women's health information. Flo health app is available in more than 20 languages on iOS and Android. For more information, please visit https://flo.health.

ABOUT CLOUDFLARE:

Cloudflare, Inc. (www.cloudflare.com / @cloudflare) is on a mission to help build a better Internet. Cloudflare's suite of products protects and accelerates any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare have all web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Company Cultures 2018 list and ranked among the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2019. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Cloudflare has offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Dubai, Lisbon, London, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo.

CONTACT:

Denae Thibault

[email protected]

774-275-1462

SOURCE Flo Health Inc.
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Food Flavor and Enhancer Market size are expected to grow by USD 3.07 billion during the forecast period of 2021-2026. Technavio report is compiled on research from a mix of primary interviews and secondary research, along with analytical tools that have been used to build the forecast and predictive models. The report will comprise of detailed analysis of emerging market trends, regional outlook, competitive landscape, and comprehensive analysis of different market segments helping you to plan your business strategies. Grab your Free Sample Report on Food Flavor And Enhancer Market Right Away!

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Food Flavor and Enhancer Market 2022-2026

The food flavor and enhancer market provides a detailed analysis of the market overview, market drivers, opportunities, and potential applications.

Food Flavor and Enhancer Market Vendors

Archer Daniels Midland Co.

Bell Flavors and Fragrances GmbH

and Fragrances GmbH Custom Flavors

DuPont de Nemours Inc

Firmenich SA

Flavorchem Corp

Givaudan SA

Kerry Group Plc

McCormick and Co. Inc.

Robertet SA

S H Kelkar and Co. Ltd.

Solvay SA

The food flavor and enhancer market will be affected by the rising demand for organic food flavors. Apart from this, other market trends include an increasing number of strategic alliances and recent developments and technological advances in the food flavor industry. Buy Sample Report.

Food Flavor and Enhancer Market Split

Application

Bakery and confectionery



Food and nutrition



Beverages



Dairy and frozen desserts



Others

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



The Middle East and Africa

The regional distribution of food flavor and enhancer market industries are considered for this market analysis, the result of which is utilized to estimate the performance of the International market over the period from 2021-2026. The food flavor and enhancer market research report shed light on the foremost regions: North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa. Download Free Sample Report.

Imperative Insights on the following aspects:

What was the size of the global food flavor and enhancer industry by value?

What will be the size of the global food flavor and enhancer industry in 2026?

What factors are affecting the strength of competition in the global food flavor and enhancer industry?

How has the industry performed over the last five years?

What are the main segments that make up the global food flavor and enhancer market?

The food flavor and enhancer market research report presents critical information and factual data about the food flavor and enhancer industry, with an overall statistical study of this market based on market drivers, market limitations, and its future prospects. The widespread trends and opportunities are also taken into consideration in the food flavor and enhancer market study.

The product range of the food flavor and enhancer industry is examined based on their production chain, pricing of products, and the profit generated by them. Various regional markets are analyzed in the food flavor and enhancer market research report and the production volume and efficacy across the world are discussed.

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Food Flavor And Enhancer Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Decelerate at a CAGR of 6.7% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 3.07 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 7.66 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 29% Key consumer countries US, China, Germany, UK, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Archer Daniels Midland Co., Bell Flavors and Fragrances GmbH, Custom Flavors, DuPont de Nemours Inc, Firmenich SA, Flavorchem Corp, Givaudan SA, Huabao International Holdings Ltd, Kerry Group Plc, McCormick and Co. Inc., Robertet SA, S H Kelkar and Co. Ltd., Solvay SA, Symrise AG, Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd., Takasago International Corp, TER INGREDIENTS SL, The MANE Group, and TREATT Plc Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Browse for Technavio "Consumer Staples" Research Reports

Table of Content:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Application

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Application

5.3 Bakery and confectionery - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Bakery and confectionery - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Bakery and confectionery - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Bakery and confectionery - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Bakery and confectionery - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Food and nutrition - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Food and nutrition - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Food and nutrition - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Food and nutrition - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Food and nutrition - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Beverages - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 36: Chart on Beverages - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Beverages - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 38: Chart on Beverages - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Beverages - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.6 Dairy and frozen desserts - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 40: Chart on Dairy and frozen desserts - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Dairy and frozen desserts - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 42: Chart on Dairy and frozen desserts - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Dairy and frozen desserts - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 44: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 46: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.8 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 48: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 49: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 50: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 52: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 64: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 74: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 75: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 76: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 77: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 83: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 84: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 85: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 86: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 87: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 88: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 89: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 90: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 91: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 92: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 93: Data Table on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 94: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 95: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 96: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 97: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 98: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 99: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 100: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 Archer Daniels Midland Co.

Exhibit 101: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Overview



Exhibit 102: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Business segments



Exhibit 103: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Key offerings



Exhibit 104: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Segment focus

10.4 DuPont de Nemours Inc

Exhibit 105: DuPont de Nemours Inc - Overview



Exhibit 106: DuPont de Nemours Inc - Business segments



Exhibit 107: DuPont de Nemours Inc - Key offerings



Exhibit 108: DuPont de Nemours Inc - Segment focus

10.5 Firmenich SA

Exhibit 109: Firmenich SA - Overview



Exhibit 110: Firmenich SA - Product / Service



Exhibit 111: Firmenich SA - Key offerings

10.6 Flavorchem Corp

Exhibit 112: Flavorchem Corp - Overview



Exhibit 113: Flavorchem Corp - Product / Service



Exhibit 114: Flavorchem Corp - Key offerings

10.7 Givaudan SA

Exhibit 115: Givaudan SA - Overview



Exhibit 116: Givaudan SA - Business segments



Exhibit 117: Givaudan SA - Key offerings



Exhibit 118: Givaudan SA - Segment focus

10.8 Kerry Group Plc

Exhibit 119: Kerry Group Plc - Overview



Exhibit 120: Kerry Group Plc - Business segments



Exhibit 121: Kerry Group Plc - Key news



Exhibit 122: Kerry Group Plc - Key offerings



Exhibit 123: Kerry Group Plc - Segment focus

10.9 Solvay SA

Exhibit 124: Solvay SA - Overview



Exhibit 125: Solvay SA - Business segments



Exhibit 126: Solvay SA - Key news



Exhibit 127: Solvay SA - Key offerings



Exhibit 128: Solvay SA - Segment focus

10.10 Symrise AG

Exhibit 129: Symrise AG - Overview



Exhibit 130: Symrise AG - Business segments



Exhibit 131: Symrise AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 132: Symrise AG - Segment focus

10.11 Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 133: Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 134: Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 135: Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.12 The MANE Group

Exhibit 136: The MANE Group - Overview



Exhibit 137: The MANE Group - Product / Service



Exhibit 138: The MANE Group - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 139: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 140: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 141: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 142: Research methodology



Exhibit 143: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 144: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 145: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact Us:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
WENZHOU, China, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On the evening of the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Chinese traditional Mid-autumn Festival, the Mid-autumn Festival Activity held by Cangnan Foreign Cultural Diffusion Centre as well as Zaoxi Full Moon Admiring Activity was successfully taken place in Cangnan Zaoxi Town.

On that evening, the Zaoxi Old Street saw the bustling scene of crowded visitors who were in the Hanfu with lanterns in different models such as the moon and the jade hare in their hands. The visitors felt the charm of Chinese traditional culture and experienced festival atmosphere as well as its historical deposits in various ways such as cruising the streets, clocking in different sites by taking photos, visiting landscapes and tasting local characteristic delicious foods, all of which demonstrated a full sense of ceremony.

The activity has set different activity parts such as experiencing wearing the Song Dynasty Hanfu, feeling intangible cultural heritage, suspending wish cards, taking part in the moon-worshipping ceremony as well as the activity of visiting "the old street under the moon" and tasting teas and delicious foods. Inside the Changtai Academy, in the reading and sharing session, under the theme of "Forever Mid-autumn Festival, Eternal Family Affection", people read books together and shared mid-autumn themed poems and stories. In the Old Street, visitors had immersive experiences, in a short range, of the performances of inheritors of the intangible cultural heritages such as Marionette, the Glutinous Rice Sculpture, Sugar Painting, the Sugar Figure Blowing Art, Crochet Hook Embroidery. On the moon-worshipping ceremony, people surrounded the fete table with lightened red candles on it, and expressed their wonderful wishes of the Luna blessing them. Under the big banyan tree, on the special concert of folk songs, county sages and members of chamber of commerce were invited to talk freely about the development of Zaoxi Town, while tasting teas, worshipping the moon, talking about common wealth as well as listening to folk songs. The abundant activities and thoughtful arrangements put international friends, overseas Chinese, visitors from all other parts of the country and local residents together, and gave them an enjoyable flowing feast of Mid-autumn Festival.

SOURCE Cangnan Publicity Department
HONG KONG, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to foreign media reports about "Chinese regulatory authorities asking banks and some of the state-owned companies to examine their exposure to Fosun" on 13 September, Fosun said such reports are completely false.

It is understood that Fosun has sought confirmation from regulatory authorities through multiple channels. The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) has not asked commercial banks to check about their financial exposure on Fosun, and many commercial banks that cooperate with Fosun have never received relevant notices.

Gong Ping, Executive President and CFO of Fosun International, said, "Fosun's recent seemingly frequent reductions in shareholdings and divestments are a continuation of its financial strategy of balancing investment and divestment in the past few years. Fosun has been dynamically sorting and optimizing its asset portfolios. Such moves are not just for coping with the current market environment. However, we noticed that the complex external environment has raised public opinion on the disposal of the Group's assets, resulting in a one-sided interpretation of such asset disposal, while neglecting the Group's general principle of asset optimization, which is our long-term dynamic asset optimization."

According to the interim results announced on 30 August, Fosun's four major business segments of Health, Happiness, Wealth, and Intelligent Manufacturing demonstrated resilience. In the first half of the year, Fosun achieved sustainable revenue growth, its total revenue reached RMB82.89 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 17.7%. Its enterprise operation profit increased by 35.5% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the Group's funds remained stable. As at the end of the reporting period, cash, bank balances and term deposits were abundant, amounting to RMB117.65 billion; the adjusted NAV remained stable at HK$24.2 per share.

SOURCE Fosun
Foxit to Showcase New Solution at Dreamforce 2022

FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Foxit, a leading provider of innovative PDF and eSignature products and services, helping knowledge workers to increase their productivity and do more with documents, today announced Foxit eSign for Salesforce. The new solution allows users to vastly improve productivity by completing and automating the entire eSignature process inside Salesforce with Foxit eSign. Foxit will showcase the solution at this year's Dreamforce conference taking place September 20  22. Foxit will be at booth #1513.

By integrating Foxit eSign into Salesforce, users can create reusable templates, collect signatures, securely store documents and more, without ever leaving the application. Benefits of the collaboration include:

Create and manage templates and signature requests all in one convenient place

Upload documents locally from your computer, cloud repositories, or Salesforce directories for quick and easy signature requests

Monitor documents throughout all stages of completion and act when needed

Update Lead and Opportunity stage/status automatically following document changes

Receive signed documents and certificates of completion automatically into the corresponding Salesforce record

Managed users can use their own Foxit eSign account or work from a shared company account

"Foxit is constantly innovating new ways to allow our customers to unlock their efficiency and effectiveness. Integrating Foxit eSign into Salesforce, a solution they already rely on and are incredibly familiar with, is another fantastic way we increase productivity," said Mahender Bist, Head of Foxit eSign at Foxit. "We are excited to launch this new Salesforce integration at this year's Dreamforce and showcase how customers can spend more time closing and less time on paperwork."

Foxit eSign provides full, legally binding, and secure eSign workflow and makes it easy to create and sign digital contracts, agreements, and forms to expedite business in a digital world. With Foxit's electronic signature service now available within Foxit's flagship PDF Editor, users now have powerful yet easy workflows to create, edit, and sign documents across the desktop, mobile devices, and web - whether you're at the office, home, or on the go.

Foxit's PDF Editor Pro + offering provides users with the:

PDF Editor desktop application for Windows or Mac

Foxit eSign cloud service

Foxit eSign for Salesforce app (when available)

PDF Editor cloud service

PDF Editor mobile app

To learn more about Foxit, please visit www.foxit.com.

About Foxit

Foxit is a leading provider of innovative PDF and eSignature products and services, helping knowledge workers to increase their productivity and do more with documents. Foxit delivers easy-to-use desktop software, mobile apps, and cloud services that allow users to create, edit, fill, and sign documents through their integrated PDF Editor and eSign offerings. Foxit enables software developers to incorporate innovative PDF technology into their applications via powerful, multi-platform Software Developer Kits (SDK).

Foxit has over 700 million users and has sold to over 485,000 customers, ranging from SMBs to global enterprises, located in more than 200 countries. The company has offices all over the world, including locations in the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Asia. For more information, please visit https://foxit.com.

SOURCE Foxit Software
WILMINGTON, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One thing is certain--everybody dies. The Funeral Consumers Alliance North Carolina (FCANC) is helping make the inevitable less intimidating by hosting Death Expo 2022.

Free and open to the public, Death Expo 2022 will feature topics, speakers, panelists and exhibitors on death and dying, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, 10 a.m.  4 p.m., at The Moseley Center, Elon University, 100 Campus Drive in Elon, North Carolina.

FCANC is a statewide, all-volunteer, nonprofit organization focused on education and advocacy to protect consumers' rights in choosing meaningful, affordable funerals.

This day-long event seeks to remove the stigma of death by providing information and resources to anyone exploring and planning one's own final arrangements or those of a loved one.

"Professionals, experts and volunteers within the deathcare industry will inspire, inform, and provide the public with everything necessary for their environmental, cost-friendly end-of-life needs" says Sara Williams, FCANC president. "This is an opportunity to meet local death doulas and learn about aquamation, natural burials, organ donations and more."

Organizers are asking those who plan to attend the free Death Expo to register at www.funeralsNC.org. Pre-orders for an optional paid box lunch ($10) are also available upon registration.

Death Expo Speakers include:

A special message from Caitlin Doughty , Los Angeles mortician, New York Times best-selling author, blogger, YouTube sensation and advocate for death acceptance.

, mortician, best-selling author, blogger, YouTube sensation and advocate for death acceptance. Mallory McDuff , professor of Environmental Education, Warren Wilson College , and author of Our Last Best Act.

, professor of Environmental Education, , and author of Joshua Slocum , executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance.

, executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance. Tanya Marsh , professor of law, Wake Forest University and author of The Law of Human Remains.

Two panel discussions will be presented. What Will I Do with My Body When I Die? considers options other than burials and cremations and Dishin' with the Death Doulas features local death doulas and their roles assisting with the dying process.

Visit www.funeralsNC.org/deathexpo

About Funeral Consumers Alliance North Carolina

FCANC is a grassroots, all volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on funeral consumer education and advocacy. Known as "the Consumer Reports" of the state funeral industry, FCANC protects consumers' rights to choose a meaningful and affordable funeral. Visit www.funeralsnc.org

SOURCE Funeral Consumers Alliance North Carolina
HONG KONG, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Bay Bio (hereinafter referred to as "GBB") is pleased to announce today the completion of its USD 15M Pre-series B funding led by Tiger Jade Capital (hereinafter referred to as "Tiger Jade"). The funding was oversubscribed and upsized with participation from one of the world's top life science MNCs, AEF Greater Bay Area Fund (managed by Gobi Partners GBA), and Vectr Ventures, as well as existing institutional investors. The Pre-series B round was advised by DL Securities, a boutique investment bank based in Hong Kong. Tiger Jade was seeded by TigerMed, one of the largest CROs of clinical trials in PRC and covers over 300 companies/clients in its ecosystem, all of which may require services from GBB directly or indirectly. The other strategic investor is a Fortune 500 life science MNC with a capitalization over USD 200B. Their business spans over 125 countries, thus providing an anchor for GBB's global business expansion going forward. The funds raised will mainly be used to accelerate the development of AI-empowered bioprocessing platforms, the construction of production facilities; as well as the establishment of a global commercial development team. Looking ahead, GBB will strive to develop and provide an "end-to-end" AI-enabled bioprocessing platform to satisfy the R&D and commercial demands of global customers.

Driven by growing global needs for higher R&D and bioprocessing efficiency, GBB pioneers a concept of "AI + Bioprocessing" and aims at a vision of "Global Bioprocessing Made Simpler and More Efficient". Two proprietary AI+CMC technology platforms, AlfaCell and AlfaMedX, have been successfully commercialized and used by multiple biopharma companies. Empowered by the AlfaCell platform, the uncertainties of productivity and stability are eliminated in the cell line development process, thus significantly reducing the workload and improving the efficiency of upstream bioprocess development. The AlfaMedX platform enables GBB to quickly establish a culture medium library of more than one thousand formulas and provide rapid customized culture medium development services to customers. Currently, AlfaCell, AlfaMedX and other AI solutions have been used to improve the CMC process of various biological drugs including fusion proteins, monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibody drugs, etc. Meanwhile, GBB's end-to-end solutions have supported R&D of synthetic biology, industrial enzyme preparations, cultured meat, and other biomanufacturing fields.

Kingsley Leung, Chairman and Co-founder of GBB, commented, "We are pleased to know that GBB's disruptive innovations in the bioprocessing field are recognized by the market and our robust forward tested data and promising commercial success are accepted by investors. With the support from Tiger Jade Capital and one of the world leading MNC, GBB can quickly integrate into the global biopharmaceutical ecosystem, and accelerate the realization of our vision of "Global Bioprocessing Made Simpler and More Efficient". In turn, GBB will help customers accelerate developmental timelines, reduce the cost and risk of biomanufacturing, ultimately, allow affordable biological drugs to patients in need."

Mr. Jasper Jiang, the partner of Tiger Jade Capital, commented, "We are excited to have GBB in our portfolio, an excellent locally built AI-driven bioprocessing startup in the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. The fact that GBB stands out in a relatively tough market environment, and receive favor from a top multinational company and other well-known venture capital speak volumes about the company's technological achievements and development prospects. There are several distinctive Hong Kong based funds also joining the funding of GBB, including the Pentepebble, a local medical incubation investment institution that we are exploring to establish an incubator together. We believe that this investment will also better meet the national strategy of vigorously developing the Greater Bay Area and bring confidence to future capital entering the biomedical industry in this area."

About Tiger Jade Capital

Tiger Jade Capital established in 2019, obtained the support and cornerstone investment of China's leading CRO Company TigerMed (300347. SZ, 03347. HK). Its investment fields include early and medium-term equity investments in global medical care fields, such as innovation drugs, CROs and medical equipment.

Since its establishment, Tiger Jade Capital has invested in a number of well-known biomedical companies, including several leading companies in the fields of mRNA vaccine and cell therapy, as well as the biotechs with globally innovative technologies and biomedical enterprises that have been listed or are in the process of listing. The latest fund of the company pays close attention to the policy dividend of the Greater Bay Area and explores the important role played by Hong Kong as an international biomedical research platform for the globalization of Chinese Biomedical enterprises, and actively incubates and looks for early-stage companies with international standards.

About Great Bay Bio

Great Bay Bio (GBB), headquartered in Hong Kong, was founded in 2019 with extensive footprint in the Greater Bay Area. Adhering to the corporate vision of "Global Bioprocessing Made Simpler and More Efficient", GBB is committed to applying AI and other cutting-edge technologies to promote bioprocessing innovations, thus solve pain points, such as long timelines, high cost and low success rate, in drug development. GBB takes improving human life, health and value as its long-term goal.

The core team of GBB is composed of global talents with expertise in medicine, pharmacy, synthetic biology and AI. With a 3000 m2 R&D center and CMC platform, GBB has successfully pushed several biological drugs into the NDA stage, including national class 1 new drugs. During the three years since its establishment, GBB has applied for more than 30 patents for its AI empowered bioprocesses solutions. The resulting AI platforms were successfully commercialized, enabling GBB to establish long-term cooperation with many domestic and foreign leading enterprises.

GBB has attained the titles of National "High-Tech Enterprise" twice in a row by the National High-Tech Enterprise Certification Management Leading Group Office, "Sprouts List Most Valuable Enterprises for Investment in China for the Year 2020 by the Zero2IPO Group, "Top 50 Innovative Biotechnology Companies in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Award 2020" by ZDVC RESEARCH and KPMG China, "Top 15 in the 2021 Merck Greater Bay Area Innovation Bootcamp" and "Spring class of Microsoft accelerator entrepreneurship acceleration plan in 2022".

SOURCE Great Bay Bio
DUBLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Fat Replacers Market (2022-2027) by Type, Applications, Form, Source, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Fat Replacers Market is estimated to be USD 469.94 Mn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 716.12 Mn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 8.79%.



Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Fat Replacers Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors.

There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.

Company Profiles

The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are Archer Daniels Midland Company, Corbion NV, Fiberstar, Inc., Kerry Group PLC, Quizlet Inc., Tate & Lyle PLC, etc.



Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Fat Replacers Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification.

The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global Fat Replacers Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Fat Replacers Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary

4 Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Increasing Awareness About Health & Wellness

4.1.2 Increasing Prevalence of Obesity

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Compliance with the International Quality Standards and Regulations for Food Ingredients

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Increasing Consumption of Convenience Foods

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Consumer Perception About the Flavor of Fat Replacers



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Regulatory Scenario

5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Fat Replacers Market, By Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Carbohydrate-Based

6.3 Protein-Based

6.4 Lipid-Based



7 Global Fat Replacers Market, By Applications

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Bakery & Confectionery Products

7.3 Dairy & Frozen Desserts

7.4 Convenience Foods & Beverages

7.5 Sauces, Dressings, and Spreads



8 Global Fat Replacers Market, By Form

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Liquid

8.3 Powder



9 Global Fat Replacers Market, By Source

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Plant

9.3 Animal



10 Americas' Fat Replacers Market

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Argentina

10.3 Brazil

10.4 Canada

10.5 Chile

10.6 Colombia

10.7 Mexico

10.8 Peru

10.9 United States

10.10 Rest of Americas



11 Europe's Fat Replacers Market

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Austria

11.3 Belgium

11.4 Denmark

11.5 Finland

11.6 France

11.7 Germany

11.8 Italy

11.9 Netherlands

11.10 Norway

11.11 Poland

11.12 Russia

11.13 Spain

11.14 Sweden

11.15 Switzerland

11.16 United Kingdom

11.17 Rest of Europe



12 Middle East and Africa's Fat Replacers Market

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Egypt

12.3 Israel

12.4 Qatar

12.5 Saudi Arabia

12.6 South Africa

12.7 United Arab Emirates

12.8 Rest of MEA



13 APAC's Fat Replacers Market

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Australia

13.3 Bangladesh

13.4 China

13.5 India

13.6 Indonesia

13.7 Japan

13.8 Malaysia

13.9 Philippines

13.10 Singapore

13.11 South Korea

13.12 Sri Lanka

13.13 Thailand

13.14 Taiwan

13.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Competitive Quadrant

14.2 Market Share Analysis

14.3 Strategic Initiatives

14.3.1 M&A and Investments

14.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

14.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



15 Company Profiles

15.1 AAK Kamani Pvt. Ltd.

15.2 Archer Daniels Midland Company

15.3 Ashland Inc.

15.4 Cargill Inc.

15.5 Corbion NV

15.6 CP Kelco ApS

15.7 DuPont de Nemours, Inc.

15.8 East Asia Palm Products Sdn Bhd

15.9 Fiberstar, Inc.

15.10 Fooditive Group

15.11 Grain Processing Corp.

15.12 Ingredion Corp.

15.13 Kerry Group PLC

15.14 Koninklijke DSM N.V.

15.15 Nestle SA

15.16 Olenex Sarl

15.17 Quizlet Inc.

15.18 Tate & Lyle PLC

15.19 Ulrick & Short Ltd.



16 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ddh5pp

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Generic Drugs Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global generic drugs market reached a value of US$ 320 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 482.5 Billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 7% during 2022-2027. 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.

A generic drug is a medicine that contains the same active ingredient and has an equivalent therapeutic effect as the branded drug. It is also identical in terms of safety, quality, dosage, strength, route of administration, intended use, effect, form, quality and side effects.

These medications can be produced only after the patent expiration of the brand-name drug. As compared to branded drugs, the production of generics costs much less as it does not require the repetition of clinical (human) and animal studies to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of the medicine. Due to a reduction in the upfront cost of research, generics are typically sold at a substantially lower price in the market.

Market Trends:

Due to an aging population and increasing incidences of chronic diseases, governments of developed countries have been making efforts to reduce healthcare costs by promoting the production of generics. Whereas, in developing countries, affordability and accessibility are some of the primary issues faced by the healthcare industry.

To address these problems, governments and other regulatory bodies have been encouraging manufacturers to introduce effective generic drugs. However, despite the rapid patent expiry of branded drugs, there has been a shortage of generics. This situation is currently being rectified by various initiatives taken by hospitals, institutions and other organizations across the globe.

For instance, in 2018, a coalition of seven hospitals and three philanthropies in the US announced that they would be addressing drug shortages and the high cost of essential medications by launching a generic drug company, named Civica Rx. The company is producing 14 short-supply, FDA-approved drugs that have been available in the market since the beginning of 2019. Other than this, in 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) created policies to make the process of market entry and generic approval more efficient. It issued guidance documents for the development of both hard-to-copy drug categories and specific complex drugs.

Key Market Segmentation:

The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global generic drugs market, along with forecasts at the global and country level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on therapy area, drug delivery and distribution channel.

Breakup by Therapy Area:

Central Nervous System

Cardiovascular

Dermatology

Genitourinary/Hormonal

Respiratory

Rheumatology

Diabetes

Oncology

Others

Breakup by Drug Delivery:

Oral

Injectables

Dermal/Topical

Inhalers

Breakup by Distribution Channel:

Retail Pharmacies

Hospital Pharmacies

Regional Insights:

United States

China

Brazil

Germany

France

India

United Kingdom

Japan

Canada

Italy

Others

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction



5 Global Generic Drugs Industry



6 Performance of Key Countries



7 Market Breakup by Therapy Area



8 Market Breakup by Drug Delivery



9 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel



10 Competitive Landscape



11 Generic Drugs Manufacturing Process



12 Project Details, Requirements and Costs Involved



13 Loans and Financial Assistance



14 Project Economics

Companies Mentioned

Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.

Mylan N.V.

Novartis AG

Pfizer Inc.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Fresenius SE & Co.

Lupin Limited

Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Aurobindo Pharma Limited

Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/i5ibea

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

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SOURCE Research and Markets
PUNE, India, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a recent market study published by Growth Market Reports, titled, "Global K-12 Education Market" by Types (Public, Private, and Online), by Applications (Pre-primary School, Primary School, Middle School, and High School), and Regions: Size, Share, Trends and Opportunity Analysis, 2021-2030", the market was valued at USD 8 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a healthy growth rate of 31.6% by the year 2030. The global K-12 education market is projected to expand at a rapid pace, due to the increasing shift from the traditional way of blackboard teaching to the adoption of technologies in education.

Key Market Players Profiled in the Report

McGraw-Hill Education

Pearson Education Inc.

Cengage Learning India Pvt. Ltd.

K12 Inc.

Blackboard Inc.

Tata Class Edge

Educomp Solutions

Next Education India Pvt. Ltd.

Adobe Systems

TAL Education Group

The report covers comprehensive data on emerging trends, market drivers, growth opportunities, and restraints that can change the market dynamics of the industry. It provides an in-depth analysis of the market segments which include types, technologies, enterprises, applications, industry verticals, and competitor analysis.

Download PDF Sample here: https://growthmarketreports.com/request-sample/4657

This report also includes a complete analysis of industry players that covers their latest developments, product portfolio, pricing, mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations. Moreover, it provides crucial strategies that are helping them to expand their market share.

Highlights on the segments of the K-12 education market

In terms of types, the global K-12 education market is segmented into public, private, and online. The online segment is anticipated to expand at a sustainable CAGR during the forecast period. Educational institutions aspire to collaborate with Edtech platforms to deliver high-quality education globally. Online education platforms offer more interaction time for learners with their instructors.

Based on applications, the global K-12 education market is segmented into pre-primary school, primary school, middle school, and high school. The high school segment is expected to grow at a significant pace during the forecast period, due to the inclusion of technology in education and the provision of high-quality education to students.

Based on regions, the market is segmented into five major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The market in the Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the increasing adoption of online platforms for learning in countries including China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

To Buy the Complete Report: https://growthmarketreports.com/report/k-12-education-market-global-industry-analysis

Key Takeaways from the Study:

The market in the Asia Pacific region is expected to hold a major share of the revenue, due to the increasing number of online education systems that provide high-quality education to a wide range of audiences.

region is expected to hold a major share of the revenue, due to the increasing number of online education systems that provide high-quality education to a wide range of audiences. Pre-primary school segment is anticipated to grow at a significant pace, owing to the government initiatives to improve the quality of K-12 education.

Key players are focusing on partnerships and acquisitions to achieve a geographical presence in the market.

Read 198 Pages Research Report with Detailed ToC on "Global K-12 Education Market" by Types (Public, Private, and Online), by Applications (Pre-primary School, Primary School, Middle School, and High School), and Regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa) - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Share, Size, Trends, and Forecast 2021  2030"

For Any Questions on This Report: https://growthmarketreports.com/enquiry-before-buying/4657

Key Segments Covered

By Types

Public

Private

Online

By Applications

Pre-primary School

Primary School

Middle School

High School

By Regions

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Other Related Reports:

Global Education Data Security Market by Type (Cloud-based, On-premise), By Application (K-12 Education, Higher Education) and Region ( North America , Latin America , Europe , Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa ), Forecast From 2022 To 2030

Global Interactive Textbooks Market by Type (App based, Web-based, Others), By Application (K-12 Education, High School, Higher Education ) And By Region ( North America , Latin America , Europe , Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa ), Forecast From 2022 To 2030

Global eTextbooks and Multimedia in Higher Education Market by Type (Vocational Training, Professional Education, Skill Development, Others), By Application (University, College, Research & Development Firm, Others) and Region ( North America , Latin America , Europe , Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa ), Forecast To 2028

Global Higher Education Catalog and Curriculum Management Software Market by Types (Cloud-Based, On- Premises), by Applications (School, Colleges/ Universities, Vocational Inst.), and by Regions ( North America , Latin America , Europe , Asia Pacific , and Middle East & Africa )

About Growth Market Reports:

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Our key analysis segments, though not restricted to the same, include market entry strategies, market size estimations, market trend analysis, market opportunity analysis, market threat analysis, market growth/fall forecasting, primary interviews, and secondary research & consumer surveys.

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SOURCE Growth Market Reports
DUBLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Product, By Application, By End User, Estimation & Forecast, 2017 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global moist wound dressing market held a market value of USD 4,353.8 million in 2021 and is estimated to reach USD 7,191.0 million by the year 2030. The market is projected to list a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period.

The moist wound dressing industry is projected to grow at a substantial rate owing to the increasing incidences of chronic and acute wounds, and the rising innovations in wound dressings area.

For instance, in October 2019, 3M acquired Acelity Inc, a med-tech company focused on advanced wound care products marketed under its KCI brand. Such moves aid the market growth considerably.



The increasing launches of novel therapies and its cost effectiveness is also boosting the market growth. The rising product launches is a lucrative opportunity for the market growth, and is anticipated to contribute significantly for the growth of the moist wound dressing marketspace during the forecast period. Moreover, the surging geriatric population in the developing and developed regions is contributing towards the market growth.



However, the market is expected to be negatively influenced by the high availability of alternative moist wound dressings. Furthermore, the high risk and damage is also expected to hinder the market growth to a limited extent.



Growth Influencers:

Increasing Cases of Acute and Chronic Wounds



The rising cases of chronic wounds in the developing regions is one of the contributing factors for the growth of the moist wound dressing market. For instance, according to the American Burn Association, an approximate of 450,000 patients are hospitalized owing to burns every year and the risk of infection is higher in these patients. Similarly, according to a survey conducted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020, surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the highest expensive healthcare-associated infection (HAI) type in the US. Therefore, such rising incidences boost the growth rate of the moist wound dressing market.



Increasing Geriatric Population



The rising elderly population around the world contributes towards the rise in the growth rate of the moist wound dressing market. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, the geriatric population worldwide (aged 60 years and above) is projected to reach around 2 billion by 2050. Thus, such measures contribute towards the growth rate.



Segments Overview:

The global moist wound dressing market is segmented into product, application, and end user.



By Product,

Foam Dressings

Gauze Dressings

Non- reabsorbable Gauze Dressings

Occlusive wound dressing

Hydrophilic wound dressing

Transparent Membrane Dressings

Alginates Dressings

Composites Dressings

Hydrocolloids Dressings

Hydrogel Dressings

By Application,

Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Pressure Ulcers

Burns and Scalds

Chronic Leg Ulcers

Surgical Wounds

By End User,

Hospitals

Homecare

Clinics

Dispensaries

The global moist wound dressing market report provides insights on the below pointers:

Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the prominent players

Market Development: The report offers detailed information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes penetration across mature segments of the markets

Market Diversification: Provides in-depth information about untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

Competitive Landscape Assessment: Mergers & acquisitions, certifications, product launches in the global moist wound dressing market have been provided in this research report. In addition, the report also emphasizes the SWOT analysis of the leading players.

Product Development & Innovation: The report provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments

Pricing Analysis: Pricing analysis of various metals and other components used in the manufacturing of moist wound dressing products

Manufacturing Cost Analysis: Cost-share of various components in moist wound dressing tools, cost analysis of solar street lights, Unit Cost Analysis of moist wound dressing products

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Research Framework



Chapter 2. Research Methodology



Chapter 3. Executive Summary: Global Moist Wound Dressing Market



Chapter 4. Global Moist Wound Dressing Market Overview



Chapter 5. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Product



Chapter 6. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Application



Chapter 7. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By End User



Chapter 8. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Region



Chapter 9. North America Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 10. Europe Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 11. Asia Pacific Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 12. MEA Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 13. South America Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 14. Western Europe Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 15. U.S. Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 16. South-East Asia Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 17. India Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 18. Japan Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 19. Company Profile

Companies Mentioned

3M Co.

Co. Advanced Medical Solutions

B. Braun

BSN Medical

Cardinal Health Inc.

Hollister Incorporated

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp.

Laboratories Urgo

Lohmannand Rauscher

Medline Industries

Molnlycke Health Care

ConvaTec Group

Coloplast A/S

Hartmann Group

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1nw15v

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets
PUNE, India, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a recent market study published by Growth Market Reports, titled, "Global Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Market" by Types (Rigid and Flexible), by Applications (Pipes & Fittings, Films & Sheets, Profiles & Tubes, Cables, Bottles, and Others), by End-users (Construction, Automotive, Packaging, Consumer Goods, and Others), and Regions: Size, Share, Trends and Opportunity Analysis, 2021-2030", the market was valued at USD 63.04 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.6% during the forecast period. The global polyvinyl chloride (PVC) market is projected to expand at a rapid pace, due to the rising use of PVC in electrical and electronic materials.

Key Market Players Profiled in the Report

Occidental Petroleum Corporation

Kem One

Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd

Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Co. Ltd.

Mexichem S.A.B. de C.V.

Formosa Plastics Group

INEOS Group Ltd

Solvay S.A.

AXIALL Corporation

The report covers comprehensive data on emerging trends, market drivers, growth opportunities, and restraints that can change the market dynamics of the industry. It provides an in-depth analysis of the market segments which include types, technologies, enterprises, applications, industry verticals, and competitor analysis.

Download PDF Sample here: https://growthmarketreports.com/request-sample/4676

This report also includes a complete analysis of industry players that covers their latest developments, product portfolio, pricing, mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations. Moreover, it provides crucial strategies that are helping them to expand their market share.

Highlights on the segments of the Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Market

In terms of types, the global polyvinyl chloride (PVC) market is bifurcated into rigid and flexible. The flexible segment is anticipated to expand at a sustainable CAGR during the forecast period, owing to rising demand for PVC from various end-users for various applications, due to its flexible property. Moreover, in the construction industries, flexible materials are chosen for manufacturing cables, pipes, flooring, coverings, and fencing applications.

Based on applications, the global polyvinyl chloride (PVC) market is segmented into pipes & fittings, films & sheets, profiles & tubes, cables, bottles, and others. The cables segment is expected to grow at a significant pace during the forecast period, owing to the increasing adoption of PVC for electrical & electronics applications by consumers.

Based on regions, the market is segmented into five major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The market in the Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period, due to the high use of PVC in the electronics sector. China is growing at a rapid pace as it accounts for large production of electronics.

To Buy the Complete Report: https://growthmarketreports.com/report/polyvinyl-chloride-pvc-market-global-industry-analysis

Key Takeaways from the Study:

The market in the Asia Pacific region is attributed to the increasing use of PVC material in the manufacturing process of electric vehicles.

region is attributed to the increasing use of PVC material in the manufacturing process of electric vehicles. Construction segment is anticipated to grow at a significant pace, as PVC has many applications in the construction sector in flooring, windows, roofing, and in pipes. PVC is utilized for roofing applications for more than three decades, as it is durable.

Key players in the market introducing advanced and innovative products. Manufacturers are encouraged to invest in automated processes and research and developments to enhance their market share.

Read 196 Pages Research Report with Detailed ToC on "Global Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Market" by Types (Rigid and Flexible), by Applications (Pipes & Fittings, Films & Sheets, Profiles & Tubes, Cables, Bottles, and Others), by End-users (Construction, Automotive, Packaging, Consumer Goods, and Others), and Regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa) - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Share, Size, Trends, and Forecast 2021  2030"

For Any Questions on This Report: https://growthmarketreports.com/enquiry-before-buying/4676

Key Segments Covered

By Types

Rigid

Flexible

By Applications

Pipes & Fittings

Films & Sheets

Profiles & Tubes

Cables

Bottles

Others

By End-users

Construction

Automotive

Packaging

Consumer Goods

Others

By Regions

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Other Related Reports:

Global Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Floor Market By Product Type (Sheets, Vinyl Tiles (VT), Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT)), By Composition (Homogenous, Heterogeneous), By End-Use (Commercial, Residential), By Sales Channel (Manufacturer/Distributor/Service Provider, Aftermarket) and Region ( North America , Latin America , Europe , Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa )

Global Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Resins Market by Type (Suspension Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Resins, Emulsion Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Resins, Blended Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Resins), By Application (Automotive, Building & Construction, Consumer Goods, Others) and Region ( North America , Latin America , Europe , Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa ), Forecast From 2022 To 2030

Global Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Foam Market Report 2021  Market Size, Share, Price, Trend and Forecast

Global Polyvinyl Chloride PVC Membranes Market by Type (Plasticized PVC Membranes, Unplasticized PVC Membranes), By Application (Construction and Building, Packaging and Transportation, Electronics and Electrical, Automotive and Aerospace Industries, Others) and Region ( North America , Latin America , Europe , Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa ), Forecast To 2028

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Our key analysis segments, though not restricted to the same, include market entry strategies, market size estimations, market trend analysis, market opportunity analysis, market threat analysis, market growth/fall forecasting, primary interviews, and secondary research & consumer surveys.

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SOURCE Growth Market Reports
Shares Outstanding: 295,599,756

Trading Symbols: TSX: GGD

OTCQX: GLGDF

2,192 g/t AgEq over 1.3m within 18.2m of 241 g/t AgEq at El Nayar

905 g/t AgEq over 1.6m within 17.3m of 132 g/t AgEq at Gran Cabrera

HALIFAX, NS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - GoGold Resources Inc. (TSX: GGD) ( OTCQX: GLGDF) ("GoGold", "the Company") is pleased to release the results of 6 drill holes from the El Nayar area and 15 drill holes from the Gran Cabrera area within Los Ricos North property. The El Nayar and Gran Cabrera areas are targets of the Los Ricos North regional exploration drilling program. Hole LRGNY-21-027 at El Nayar intersected 2,192 g/t silver equivalent ("AgEq") over 1.3m, contained within 18.2m of 241 g/t AgEq. At Gran Cabrera, hole LRGCB-22-020 intersected 905 g/t AgEq over 1.6m, contained within 17.3m of 132 g/t AgEq. See Table 1 for a breakdown of gold and silver values at El Nayar and Table 2 for Gran Cabrera.

Figure 1: El Nayar Plan View (CNW Group/GoGold Resources Inc.) Figure 2: Gran Cabrera Plan View (CNW Group/GoGold Resources Inc.) Figure 3: Los Ricos North Site Map (CNW Group/GoGold Resources Inc.)

"This drilling represents results from exploration from outside of our resource areas and are some of the first results from these new targets. These targets will require future drilling which will be aimed at developing future resources. At Gran Cabrera, we encountered voids in our drilling due to historical underground mining on half of the holes which we drilled, with the voids averaging about 4 metres. As we continue exploring this area, our focus is locating areas where the high grade portion of the veins has not been mined out," said Brad Langille, President and CEO. "We've shifted some of our drilling rigs to Los Ricos South as a re-evaluation of our data has opened up additional areas for potential growth of the mineral resource. In addition to our drilling, we continue to work on consolidation of additional ground in Los Ricos South and expect an update on that in the near future."

Table 1: El Nayar Drill Hole Intersections

Hole ID Area / Vein From To Length1 Au Ag AuEq2 AgEq2



(m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) LRGNY-21-022 El Nayar 261.7 262.9 1.2 0.45 45.0 1.05 79.0

and 283.9 285.1 1.2 0.26 126.0 1.94 145.5 LRGNY-21-024 El Nayar 0.0 10.5 10.5 0.18 60.8 0.99 74.0

including 8.5 9.5 1.0 0.83 275.0 4.50 337.3 LRGNY-21-025 El Nayar 65.7 71.0 5.3 0.38 66.5 1.27 95.1

including 68.7 69.7 1.0 1.42 124.0 3.07 230.5

and 170.0 171.8 1.8 0.15 116.3 1.70 127.8 LRGNY-21-026 El Nayar 105.9 106.8 0.9 6.66 0.2 6.66 499.7 LRGNY-21-027 El Nayar 47.1 49.2 2.1 1.27 137.2 3.09 232.1

and 57.5 58.5 1.0 0.77 152.0 2.80 209.8

and 185.9 195.2 9.3 0.15 89.0 1.33 100.1

including 190.1 191.7 1.6 0.77 454.7 6.83 512.2

and 207.6 225.7 18.2 1.54 125.4 3.21 241.0

including 212.8 217.3 4.6 6.02 440.5 11.90 892.1

including 213.5 214.8 1.3 20.40 662.0 29.23 2,192.0 LRGNY-21-030 El Nayar 82.0 86.4 4.5 0.18 53.3 0.89 66.6

including 84.9 85.4 0.6 0.93 254.0 4.32 323.7





1. Not true width 2. AqEq converted using a silver to gold ratio of 75:1 at recoveries of 100% 3. Holes LRGNY-21-028 and LRGNY-21-029 did not intersect significant mineralization.





El Nayar is located approximately 6 kilometres north-west of the La Trini deposit within Los Ricos North (see Figure 3). It consists of multiple subvertical veins and stockwork mineralization, and limited historical underground mining. La Castellana vein is an epithermal argentiferous quartz vein ranging from 1m to 2m in width and averaging about 1.20 m. The vein contains minor credits in gold, zinc, lead and copper in addition to the silver. The mineralization is a mixture of sulphide and oxide species; galena, sphalerite, pyrite, unidentified argentiferous minerals (mostly black), copper carbonates and some manganese minerals were observed underground.

Gran Cabrera is located approximately 2 kilometres northwest of La Trini (see Figure 3). The Gran Cabrera mega-system contains stockworks, breccia hosted ore bodies, and large vein feeder sub-systems at the intersection of the Sierra Madre and the Trans Mexican Volcanic Arc. Within the property there are more than fifteen significant old precious metals mines that historically produced high grade silver-gold ore periodically over a period of more than 350 years beginning with their discovery by early Spanish Conquistadors. The Company's exploration team has conducted a detailed sampling and mapping program within the last year and has identified dozens of historical underground workings along an E-W trending structure over a distance of 1,700 metres along strike and widths extending more than 20 metres.

Table 2: Gran Cabrera Drill Hole Intersections

Hole ID Area / Vein From To Length1 Au Ag AuEq2 AgEq2



(m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) LRGCB-22-001 Gran Cabrera 50.0 60.3 10.3 0.07 111.5 1.56 116.7

including 50.0 50.7 0.7 0.17 335.2 4.64 347.7

and 115.7 118.8 3.1 0.13 116.4 1.68 126.0 LRGCB-22-002 Gran Cabrera 18.2 78.2 60.1 0.06 45.4 0.67 50.1

including 63.0 65.7 2.7 0.10 152.3 2.13 159.7

and 84.0 102.0 18.0 0.21 61.7 1.04 77.7

including 84.0 86.3 2.3 0.02 153.8 2.07 155.5 LRGCB-22-003 Gran Cabrera 23.5 41.4 18.0 0.13 105.0 1.53 114.4

including 35.7 40.0 4.3 0.39 199.4 3.05 228.7

including 36.6 38.6 2.0 0.34 252.7 3.71 278.5

and 68.0 69.0 1.0 2.81 25.3 3.15 236.3 LRGCB-22-004 Gran Cabrera 24.1 24.7 0.6 0.07 66.3 0.95 71.5 LRGCB-22-007 Gran Cabrera 52.5 55.0 2.5 0.06 130.9 1.81 135.6 LRGCB-22-009 Gran Cabrera 26.0 31.5 5.5 0.09 100.4 1.43 107.4

including 29.5 30.5 1.0 0.23 291.3 4.12 308.7

and 138.6 139.5 0.9 1.82 115.1 3.35 251.5 LRGCB-22-010 Gran Cabrera 88.6 98.2 9.6 0.17 73.7 1.15 86.6

including 91.9 92.4 0.6 1.83 368.3 6.74 505.2 LRGCB-22-012 Gran Cabrera 20.2 22.6 2.5 0.20 147.9 2.17 162.7

including 21.7 22.6 1.0 0.22 244.7 3.49 261.5 LRGCB-22-013 Gran Cabrera 49.5 56.3 6.8 0.31 77.7 1.35 101.1

including 55.6 56.3 0.7 1.60 541.8 8.82 661.5 LRGCB-22-015 Gran Cabrera 4.8 5.7 1.0 1.11 7.6 1.21 90.9

and 35.3 38.8 3.5 0.35 107.9 1.79 134.0

including 36.2 37.0 0.8 1.17 326.8 5.53 414.5

and 55.5 57.0 1.5 0.78 180.7 3.18 238.9 LRGCB-22-016 Gran Cabrera 47.6 56.3 8.7 0.23 128.3 1.94 145.4

including 52.6 53.3 0.7 0.64 356.9 5.40 404.7 LRGCB-22-017 Gran Cabrera 69.5 74.9 4.1 0.26 199.6 2.92 218.8

including 69.5 70.2 0.7 0.47 313.4 4.65 348.5 LRGCB-22-018 Gran Cabrera 1.5 2.2 0.7 0.11 100.0 1.44 107.9

including 25.2 26.1 1.0 0.28 193.8 2.87 215.1 LRGCB-22-019 Gran Cabrera 38.1 70.9 30.7 0.06 64.4 0.92 68.9

including 53.9 59.7 3.8 0.31 354.6 5.03 377.6

including 56.5 57.2 0.6 0.37 648.5 9.02 676.5 LRGCB-22-020 Gran Cabrera 76.0 93.3 17.3 0.19 118.1 1.76 132.1

including 82.4 83.9 1.6 1.28 808.9 12.06 904.6





1. Not true width 2. AqEq converted using a silver to gold ratio of 75:1 at recoveries of 100% 3. Holes LRGCB-22-005,006,008,011,014 did not intercept significant mineralization





Table 2: Drill Hole Locations

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Length LRGNY-21-022 578393 2344249 765 319 200 -70 LRGNY-21-024 578477 2344118 726 235 200 -45 LRGNY-21-025 578505 2344191 741 322 200 -45 LRGNY-21-026 578361 2344458 705 195 200 -65 LRGNY-21-027 578506 2344191 741 235 200 -57 LRGNY-21-030 578452 2344488 651 143 200 -45 LRGCB-22-001 583580 2343010 712 152 200 -45 LRGCB-22-002 583581 2343011 712 113 200 -55 LRGCB-22-003 583581 2343011 712 288 0 -90 LRGCB-22-004 583537 2343048 684 213 200 -45 LRGCB-22-007 583622 2342978 725 125 200 -65 LRGCB-22-009 583788 2342562 783 249 200 -45 LRGCB-22-010 583647 2342892 748 138 200 -50 LRGCB-22-012 583544 2342325 815 141 200 -45 LRGCB-22-013 583607 2342323 832 116 200 -45 LRGCB-22-015 582666 2342521 930 62 200 -45 LRGCB-22-016 582666 2342521 930 113 200 -70 LRGCB-22-017 582667 2342521 930 116 0 -90 LRGCB-22-018 582698 2342513 942 110 200 -55 LRGCB-22-019 582649 2342542 917 91 200 -55 LRGCB-22-020 582649 2342542 917 105 0 -90

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for GoGold can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/decks/10437 and on the Company's website at: www.gogoldresources.com.

Los Ricos District Exploration Projects

The Company's two exploration projects at its Los Ricos Property are in Jalisco state, Mexico. The Los Ricos South Project began in March 2019 and an initial Mineral Resource was announced on July 29, 2020 which disclosed a Measured & Indicated Mineral Resource of 63.7 million ounces AgEq grading 199 g/t AgEq contained in 10.0 million tonnes, and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 19.9 million ounces AgEq grading 190 g/t AgEq contained in 3.3 million tonnes. An initial PEA on the project was announced on January 20, 2021 indicating an NPV 5% of US$295M.

The Los Ricos North Project was launched in March 2020 and an initial Mineral Resource was announced on December 7, 2021, which disclosed an Indicated Mineral Resource of 87.8 million ounces AgEq grading 122 g/t AgEq contained in 22.3 million tonnes, and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 73.2 million ounces AgEq grading 111 g/t AgEq contained in 20.5 million tonnes. The Company has a drill program for an additional 100,000 metres of drilling for 2022 in place.

Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control and Data Verification

The diamond drill core (HQ size) is geologically logged, photographed and marked for sampling. When the sample lengths are determined, the full core is sawn with a diamond blade core saw with one half of the core being bagged and tagged for assay. The remaining half portion is returned to the core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work.

The sealed and tagged sample bags are transported to the ActLabs facility in Zacatecas, Mexico. ActLabs crushes the samples and prepares 200-300 gram pulp samples with ninety percent passing Tyler 150 mesh (106m). The pulps are assayed for gold using a 50-gram charge by fire assay (Code 1A2-50) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 1A3-50). Silver and multi-element analysis is completed using total digestion (Code 1F2 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 8-Ag FA-GRAV Ag).

Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain-of-custody of the samples and includes the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified standards, blanks and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed GoGold's QA/QC protocols.

Mr. David Duncan, P. Geo. is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information of this release.

About GoGold Resources

GoGold Resources (TSX: GGD) is a Canadian-based silver and gold producer focused on operating, developing, exploring and acquiring high quality projects in Mexico. The Company operates the Parral Tailings mine in the state of Chihuahua and has the Los Ricos South and Los Ricos North exploration projects in the state of Jalisco. Headquartered in Halifax, NS, GoGold is building a portfolio of low cost, high margin projects. For more information visit gogoldresources.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

The securities described herein 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, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy of any of GoGold's securities in the United States.

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" as defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Los Ricos South and North projects, and future plans and objectives of GoGold, including the intention to undertake further exploration at Los Ricos North, and the prospect of further discoveries there, constitute forward looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions in connection with the continuance of GoGold and its subsidiaries as a going concern, general economic and market conditions, mineral prices, the accuracy of mineral resource estimates, and the performance of the Parral project. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from GoGold's expectations include exploration and development risks associated with GoGold's projects, the failure to establish estimated mineral resources or mineral reserves, volatility of commodity prices, variations of recovery rates, and global economic conditions. For additional information with respect to risk factors applicable to GoGold, reference should be made to GoGold's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with securities regulators, including, but not limited to, GoGold's Annual Information Form. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date of this release.

SOURCE GoGold Resources Inc.
Expanding Partnership Accelerates FHE Broad Market Adoption

HOBOKEN, N.J., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duality Technologies , the leader in privacy preserving secure data collaboration today announced that Google integrated its open-source Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) Transpiler, which was built using XLS SDK and resides on GitHub, with the Duality-led OpenFHE, the leading open-source fully homomorphic encryption library, to make cryptographic expertise more accessible and streamlined, thus accelerating FHE adoption by developers.

Google Leverages Duality-Led Open-Source Fully Homomorphic Encryption Library

Yuriy Polyakov, senior director of cryptography research and principal scientist at Duality commented, "Our team has achieved significant milestones with our OpenFHE library, and it has quickly become the choice for many of today's technology leaders, like Google. The Google Transpiler provides access to the latest features of OpenFHE for the community of application developers who are not FHE experts."

FHE refers to a class of encryption methods that differ from typical encryption methods in that it allows computation to be performed directly on encrypted data without the need for a secret key. Rooted in post-quantum open-source lattice cryptography, OpenFHE was founded by a community of world-renowned cryptographers, that designed the library for maximum usability, improved APIs, modularity, cross-platform portability and, when integrated with hardware, a project accelerator. OpenFHE coupled with Google's Transpiler allows developers to convert high-level code, such as C++ routinely used on unencrypted data, into high-level code that operationalizes encrypted data without the need to learn cryptography.

"At Google, we are intent on democratizing access to cutting-edge technology that helps secure the Internet and keeps people safe online. Our FHE Transpiler is one step in that direction, and we are happy with the working partnership we've established with Duality. Whether developers are working on Cloud applications or on the edge, we are eager to see the exciting new use cases of the Transpiler that will help provide advanced security and privacy protections and guarantees." Miguel Guevara, product manager, privacy and data protection office, from Google advised.

The Google Transpiler streamlines the process for leveraging FHE-powered applications without requiring the significant software development expertise currently needed to implement FHE from scratch. This bridges the gap sometimes experienced by software designers and developers who want to take advantage of the capabilities of FHE without the steep learning curve.

Polyakov added, "A major strategic goal of OpenFHE is to make FHE usable for many important practical problems, with special focus placed on machine learning applications. Our collaboration with the Google Transpiler team plays a significant role in realizing this vision."

For more information about Google Transpiler and its off-the-shelf approach to FHE  please read: The General Purpose of Transpiler for Fully Homomorphic Encryption .

For more information about OpenFHE  please read the white paper, " OpenFHE: Open-Source Fully Homomorphic Encryption Library ", or visit the project website: https://OpenFHE.org .

About Duality Technologies

Duality is the leader in privacy enhanced secure data collaboration, empowering organizations worldwide to maximize the value of their data without compromising on privacy or regulatory compliance. Founded and led by world-renowned cryptographers and data scientists, Duality operationalizes privacy enhancing technologies (PETs) to accelerate data insights by enabling analysis and AI on encrypted data, while preserving data privacy, compliance and protecting valuable IP. A Gartner Cool Vendor, Duality was named a Tech Pioneer 2021 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and listed on Fast Company's 2020 Most Innovative Companies and recently won the 2022 CB Insights' AI 100, the 2022 RegTech 100 Awards, and the AIFinTech100 2022 Awards.

For more information, visit dualitytech.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter .

Media Contact:

Marcella Arthur

[email protected]

Tel. +1 908 601 2333

SOURCE Duality Technologies
This news release constitutes a "designated news release" for the purposes of the Company's prospectus supplement dated October 15, 2021, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated September 10, 2021.

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX: GPR) (NYSE-A: GPL) ("Great Panther" or the "Company"), reports that it has a received a letter from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") notifying the Company that as a result of the filing of a notice of intention to make a proposal under the Bankrupcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) (the "BIA") and in accordance with the NYSE American Company Guide, NYSE Regulation has determined that the Company's common shares (the "Shares") will be delisted from the NYSE American LLC ("NYSE American"). The NYSE also notified the Company that trading of the Shares has been halted as of September 13, 2022.

The Company has elected not to appeal NYSE Regulation's determination. A Form 25 will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will remove the Shares from listing and registration on the NYSE. The Company expects that its Shares will be eligible to be quoted on the OTC Pink operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc. (the "OTC Pink") if one or more brokers choose to make a market for the Shares. To the extent the Shares are quoted on the OTC Pink, the Company expects such market may provide significantly less liquidity than the NYSE American, and trading prices of the Shares may decline. However, there can be no assurances regarding any such initial quotation, the existence of a market or trading prices. Due to the risks and uncertainties resulting from the BIA proceedings, trading in the Company's Shares during the pendency of the BIA proceedings poses substantial risks.

ABOUT GREAT PANTHER

Great Panther Mining is a precious metals producer focused on the operation of the Tucano Gold Mine in Brazil where the Company controls a land package covering nearly 200,000 hectares in the prospective Vila Nova Greenstone belt.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company's intention to make a proposal under the BIA, whether a broker will make a market in the Company's Shares on the OTC Pink, the liquidity of the Shares, and the trading price of the Shares on the OTC Pink.

These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant procedural, operational, business, economic and regulatory risks and uncertainties, including risks related to the restructuring process and its impact on the Company's operations and financial conditions, uncertainty regarding the ability to obtain protection against all collection and enforcement actions during the judicial reorganization proceedings, uncertainty regarding the Company's ability to identify and pursue strategic alternatives that will maximize stakeholder value, and the risks described in respect of Great Panther in its most recent annual information form and management's discussion and analysis filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com and its most recent annual report on Form 40-F and management's discussion and analysis on Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov.

There is no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove accurate or that actual results will not vary materially from these forward-looking statements. Although the Company 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 as anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements and information are designed to help readers understand management's current views of our near- and longer-term prospects and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not intend, nor does it assume any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, changes in assumptions, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

SOURCE Great Panther Mining Limited
Bids Due December 1, 2022; Auction to be Held December 8, 2022

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank (www.HilcoStreambank.com) announced that it is seeking offers to acquire or license the patent portfolio and related assets of rapid, precision liquid heating technology company, Heatworks Technologies, Inc.

Bids are due on or before December 1, 2022. Hilco Streambank will conduct an auction on December 8, 2022. Interested parties may click here to learn more and are encouraged to contact Hilco Streambank to access confidential information.

Heatworks has developed novel liquid heating technology that utilizes graphite electrodes to pass controlled electric currents through any surrounding conductive liquid, utilizing the liquid itself as the electrical resistor. The process nearly instantaneously heats the liquid passed through the electrodes and overcomes the shortcomings of traditionally immersed metallic heating elements, which are prone to scaling, inefficient, and imprecise. Click here for a demonstration of Heatworks' technology versus traditional heating elements.

Heatworks has successfully commercialized the technology in the form of a smart, electric, tankless water heater that provides endless hot water on-demand, the Model 3. Heatworks has also developed unique prototypes for a countertop dishwasher, the Tetra, and a dual-spouted instant-hot and cold water carafe, the DUO Carafe. The Heatworks suite of technology offerings has earned the 2018 CES Editor's Choice Award, 2019 CES Best of Innovation Honoree Award, Home Appliance Category, and has been featured in the London Design Museum Beazley Designs of the Year and numerous trade and consumer publications.

In surveying the competitive landscape, Hilco Streambank CEO Gabe Fried stated, "Manufacturers of immersion and circulation heating devices can now leapfrog significant R&D expense and quickly get to market with the next generation of fluid heating technology. The applications range from consumer appliances such as coffee makers and on-demand water heaters to industrial-scale heaters used in breweries and beverage processing." Fried continued, "This technology addresses both the efficiency and durability challenges that plague more conventional systems and reduces both water and fuel consumption as a result. Having product in the market and developing custom products for name brand appliance manufacturers demonstrates the commercial acceptance of this technology."

Hilco Streambank Senior Vice President and head of patent advisory, Karl Maersch, added, "Advancements in a technological field often involve incremental improvements over the existing technology. What we see here is a massive leap forward in the field of liquid heating, one that brings hundred-year-old heating technology into the 21st century."

The assets are being offered for sale or license on behalf of David Baker, the company's court-appointed receiver.

About Hilco Streambank: Hilco Streambank is a market leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property disposition and valuation. Having completed numerous transactions including sales in publicly reported cases, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet, and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois based Hilco Global, the world's leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization, and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, real estate, and strategic capital investments.

SOURCE Hilco Streambank
Aaron Ritter, M.D., joins Hoag from the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian welcomes a luminary Alzheimer's and degenerative brain health expert, Aaron Ritter, M.D., as director of the Memory & Cognitive Disorders Program and new Center for Integrative Brain Health at Hoag's Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute. Dr. Ritter comes to Hoag from the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, where he led programs and research studies involving cognitive disorders and dementias.

His clinical research interests include improving early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Lewy body dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He is also a beloved clinician whose patients describe him as empathetic and approachable.

"Dr. Ritter is a perfect fit for Hoag. He leads with equal parts compassion and intellectual curiosity," said Michael Brant-Zawadzki, M.D., F.A.C.R., the Ron & Sandi Simon Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair of the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute and Senior Physician Executive at Hoag. "He spearheads a comprehensive team focused on enabling patients and caregivers to identify signs of cognitive decline as early as possible, allowing treatment and optimizing maintenance of their long-term quality of life. We are excited to have his leadership for integrating cognitive and mental health with the challenges of physical health that increase with aging."

Dr. Ritter joined the Cleveland Clinic in July 2014, initially as a clinical fellow in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry. Until his move to Hoag this month, he served as principal investigator for the Center for Neurodegeneration and Translational Neurosciences, co-director of the Huntington Disease Comprehensive Care Clinic and the Department Lead of Cognitive Disorders. He also led the Nevada Exploratory Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.

At Hoag, his responsibilities include continued development of the Center for Integrative Brain Health, which will empower primary care physicians and non-neuro specialists with the necessary personnel expertise, processes, and tools to integrate care for cognitive and mental health challenges so commonly associated with chronic and acute medical conditions.

"With our rapidly aging population, especially in Orange County, integrating brain health into the primary and specialized care of aging adults, many of whom have chronic health conditions, is a huge challenge for the U.S. health care system," said Dr. Brant-Zawadzki. "That's why Hoag created the Orange County Vital Brain Program 12 years ago. This community-based program provides patient and physician education in memory and cognitive disorders, tools for screening and early assessment, and evidence-based patient-care pathways."

Under Dr. Ritter's leadership, he added, the Center for Integrative Brain Health will further expand on these resources and services to help even more of the population maintain brain health as they age, and support the Hoag frontline, primary care practitioners who treat them.

"Hoag has a reputation for being a patient-focused, innovative hospital that is dedicated to advancing patient care," Dr. Ritter said. "I am excited to work among brilliant colleagues in an environment focused on improving patient lives through better, lifelong brain health."

ABOUT HOAG

Hoag is a nonprofit, regional health care delivery system in Orange County, California. Delivering world-class, comprehensive, personalized care, Hoag consists of 1,800 top physicians, 15 urgent care facilities, 10 health & wellness centers, and two award-winning hospitals. Hoag offers a comprehensive blend of health care services that includes six institutes providing specialized services in the following areas: cancer, digestive health, heart and vascular, neurosciences, women's health, and orthopedics through Hoag's affiliate, Hoag Orthopedic Institute , which consists of an orthopedic hospital and four ambulatory surgical centers. Hoag is the highest ranked hospital in Orange County by U.S. News & World Report and the only OC hospital ranked in the Top 10 in California, as well as a designated Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). For more information, visit hoag.org.

SOURCE Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
NEW YORK and ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency according to AdAge Data Center 2022, has selected Catalina as its purchase-based data insights provider, strengthening its proprietary blu. data platform and support of CPG clients that rely on SKU-level sales data. Through blu., drawing on broad range of consumer insights, Horizon Media is able to develop and deliver on marketing campaigns with CPG brands tailored to individual consumer's purchasing habits while preserving privacy. Catalina, offering deep shopping behavior insights on virtually all U.S. households through a combination of rich, real-time transactional data as well as third party enrichments available via its anonymized shopper intelligence platform, integrates seamlessly with blu. and provides Horizon Media with more sophisticated targeting capabilities.

Horizon Media and Catalina

Horizon Media won The Hershey Company's business last year, including brands Reese's, KitKat, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, and Pay Day, based in large measure on the capabilities and flexibility of blu. The platform taps data on more than 288 million individuals tied to unique personal blu.IDs to ensure privacy and can integrate data from a host of different sources.

"In conducting our media agency review last year, the strength and scope of each competitor's data platform was a critical consideration. We were impressed then with Horizon blu. and are thrilled that Catalina has further fortified the blu. platform to provide an unmatched level of data to inform, accelerate and measure the effectiveness of our marketing efforts," said Lynn Hemans, VP Consumer Intelligence & Analytics at The Hershey Company.

The Hershey Company and Horizon have expanded the Catalina relationship, seeking additional data beyond its core confectionary business to encompass newer snacking categories/brands in its portfolio.

"Catalina set itself apart with its scale, granularity, and the real-time speed in which they refresh the data," said Laura McElhinney, EVP, Chief Data Officer at Horizon Media. "Catalina provides us with purchasing insights that are refreshed daily, which enables us to mine actionable insights, model audiences, and activate and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns."

"Horizon has led the charge on the agency front to develop a clean room environment that shares aggregated data sources, while protecting an individual's privacy, and we are thrilled to be forging a relationship with them," said Christine McGovern, VP, Media & Data Solutions at Catalina. "We're grateful that Horizon helped open doors for us with a world-class marketer like Hershey, a relationship we're already building upon, and we look forward to establishing relationships with more of their clients in the coming months."

About Horizon Media

Horizon Media, Inc, the largest U.S. media agency according to AdAge Data Center 2022, delivers data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands. Founded in 1989, headquartered in New York, and with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto, the company employs 2,400 people and has media investments of more than $9 billion. Horizon Media's fundamental belief is that business is personal, which drives its approach to connecting brands with their customers and engaging with its own employees resulting in industry-leading workplace satisfaction levels (Glassdoor). The company is consistently recognized by independent media outlets for its client excellence and has earned several "Best Workplaces" awards reflecting its commitment to DEI and the life and well-being of everyone at Horizon Media.

About Catalina

Catalina is a leader in shopper intelligence and highly targeted in-store, TV, radio, podcast and digital media that personalizes the shopper journey. Powered by the world's richest real-time shopper database, Catalina helps retailers, CPG brands and agencies optimize every stage of media planning, execution and measurement to deliver $6.1 billion in consumer value annually. Catalina has no higher priority than ensuring the privacy and security of the data entrusted to the company and maintaining consumer trust. Catalina has operations in the United States, Costa Rica, Europe and Japan. To learn more, visit www.catalina.com or @Catalina on Twitter.

SOURCE Horizon Media
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global hyaluronic acid market size is expected to reach USD 16.8 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 7.45%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Factors, such as increasing concern of population regarding chemicals, desire to get quick and evident results, and shorter recovery time are high impact rendering drivers.

Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report:

The osteoarthritis segment dominated the global industry and accounted for the maximum share of the overall revenue in 2021.

The rising obesity resulting in osteoarthritis and joint pain has increased the demand for hyaluronic acid injections as a treatment.

Hyaluronic acid acts as a shock absorber or a cushion and lubricates the joints, thus helping in proper functioning.

There are a number of ophthalmic surgical products that use hyaluronan/hyaluronic acid as an active ingredient.

These include Vitrax, Healon, Amivisc Plus, Amvisc, Hylan G-F20, and Opegan.

The increasing prevalence of age-related eye diseases, dry eye syndrome, adult-vision impairments, and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, are major factors leading to segment growth.

Read 150-page full market research report, "Hyaluronic Acid Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Dermal Fillers, Osteoarthritis, Ophthalmic, Vesicoureteral Reflux), By Region (MEA, EU, North America, APAC), And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research.

Hyaluronic Acid Market Growth & Trends

The industry is evolving rapidly due to the increasing adoption of aesthetic procedures in developed and developing regions. Increasing the use of hyaluronic acid surfaces in cardiovascular implants, such as stents and vascular grafts, for improving the compatibility coupled with the growing awareness about anti-aging products is fueling the growth.

The efficacy and evident results of hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers are attracting this population base. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the dynamics of many industries, with movement restrictions, social distancing, and revised practices becoming the "new normal." As the cosmetic industry is gradually resuming its operations, a number of doctors have reported a significant increase in the inquiries for aesthetic surgeries. Moreover, the lockdown has encouraged all professionals to use video-conferencing facilities, which has made people more conscious of their looks. In some cases, it has led people to opt for cosmetic treatments; this is termed the "Zoom Boom" or the "Zoom effect."

Cosmetic surgeons across the world have witnessed a significant increase in the number of patients as a result of the pandemic, particularly in countries, such as the U.S., Australia, and Japan. North America held the maximum revenue share in 2021. Preference for short-treatment regimens, even though high-priced, and the prevalence of target diseases, such as osteoarthritis, are the key factors attributed to the high share. In 2021, the most lucrative product applications in the North America region were in the form of dermal fillers and viscos supplements for the management of osteoarthritis. Asia Pacific is anticipated to register the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.

The growing geriatric population in China and Japan provide a large customer base for anti-aging products and services. Rising awareness about product applications and efficacy also fuels the demand. In addition, increasing disposable income levels are further supporting the region's expansion. Europe has undergone impressive changes over the last 2 years. The growing demand is witnessing increasing price competition owing to new entrants. The WHO recently announced the obesity epidemic in the U.K. and Germany. The relationship between the increasing aging population and obesity is a potential driver for the Europe regional sector.

Hyaluronic Acid Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global hyaluronic acid market based on application and region:

Hyaluronic Acid Market - Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Dermal Fillers

Osteoarthritis

Single-injection



Three-injection



Five-injection

Ophthalmic

Vesicoureteral Reflux

Hyaluronic Acid Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

U.K.



Germany



France



Italy



Spain

Asia Pacific

China



Japan



India



Australia



South Korea

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Argentina

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

& (MEA) South Africa



Saudi Arabia



UAE

List of Key Players of the Hyaluronic Acid Market

Allergan

Sanofi

Genzyme Corp.

Anika Therapeutics, Inc.

Salix Pharmaceuticals

Seikagaku Corp.

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ag

Galderma Laboratories L.P.

Zimmer Biomet

Smith & Nephew Plc

Ferring B.V.

Lifecore Biomedical, Llc

HTL Biotechnology

Shiseido Company, Ltd.

Bloomage Biotechnology Corporation Ltd.

LG Life Sciences Ltd (LG Chem.)

Maruha Nichiro, Inc.

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Hyaluronic Acid Raw Material Market - The global hyaluronic acid raw material market size is expected to reach a value of USD 7.25 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing use of hyaluronic acid in various medical applications, such as osteoarthritis, wound healing, postoperative adhesion, tympanic membrane repair, tumor diagnosis, fracture healing, and soft tissue repair is expected to fuel the market growth over the forecast period.

The global hyaluronic acid raw material market size is expected to reach a value of by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing use of hyaluronic acid in various medical applications, such as osteoarthritis, wound healing, postoperative adhesion, tympanic membrane repair, tumor diagnosis, fracture healing, and soft tissue repair is expected to fuel the market growth over the forecast period. Hyaluronic Acid-based Dermal Fillers Market - The global hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers market size is expected to reach USD 5.9 billion by 2026, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., registering a 7.4% CAGR during the forecast period. Rising emphasis on physical appearances, increasing demand from the aging population to look young and fit, and growing awareness regarding minimally invasive aesthetic procedures with faster recovery is expected to boost market growth during the forecast period.

- The global hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers market size is expected to reach by 2026, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., registering a 7.4% CAGR during the forecast period. Rising emphasis on physical appearances, increasing demand from the aging population to look young and fit, and growing awareness regarding minimally invasive aesthetic procedures with faster recovery is expected to boost market growth during the forecast period. Facial Injectable Market - The global facial injectable market size is expected to reach USD 35.0 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to register a CAGR of 9.1% from 2022 to 2030. The facial injectable is a substance that is used to reduce wrinkles and restore volume and fullness in the face.

Browse through Grand View Research's Medical Devices 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: [email protected]

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

Grand View Compass | Astra ESG Solutions

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc
RENO, Nev., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - i-80 GOLD CORP. (TSX: IAU) ( NYSE: IAUX) ("i-80", or the "Company") is honored to announce that the Company is the recipient of two Mine Operator Safety Awards by the Nevada Mining Association ("NVMA") as well as two Individual Awards.

Awards are given to the top mines in designated categories based on their safety rate, which is calculated through a formula that factors the number of employees on site, number of hours worked, penalties for losttime accidents, number of reportable incidents, and lost-time days.

Cammie Holland(left), Lone Tree Lab Superintendent, received the Supervisor Safety Award and Dillion Pollock(right), Ruby Hill Electrician, received the Safety Champion Award (CNW Group/i-80 Gold Corp)

Lone Tree and Ruby Hill both received the Small Surface Operator Safety Award. Each mine site hosted a celebratory lunch to thank our employees for their ongoing dedication to safety.

The Nevada Mining Association also recognizes individuals and mine operators that exemplify the industry's dedication to workplace safety as a part of its annual Safety Awards.

Cammie Holland, Lone Tree Lab Superintendent, received the Supervisor Safety Award and Dillion Pollock, Ruby Hill Electrician, received the Safety Champion Award. 37 individuals were recognized at an awards luncheon on September 10, 2022, at the NVMA Convention in Lake Tahoe.

"In creation of i-80 Gold we brought together a collection of high-quality assets, and these assets have come with an exceptional team of dedicated professionals. This is evident with the Nevada Mining Association's recognition of two properties and two individuals as 2022 Safety Award recipients. Thank you to everyone at i-80 Gold for your exceptional performance in Health and Safety leadership." Stated Matthew Gili, President & COO of i-80 Gold Corp.

About i-80 Gold Corp.

i-80 Gold Corp. is a well-financed, Nevada-focused, mining company with a goal of achieving mid-tier gold producer status through the development of multiple deposits within the Company's advanced-stage property portfolio with processing at i-80's centralized milling facility that includes an autoclave.

Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.

Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed below and elsewhere in this release, as well as unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations.

SOURCE i-80 Gold Corp
The new constellation is planned to be launched as a collection of four satellites in total, each capable of under 1-meter resolution imaging.

HELSINKI, Finland , Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ICEYE, the owner of the world's largest synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation and SATLANTIS, a leading New Space optical imaging company, today announced preliminary plans to develop and manufacture a proposed Tandem for Earth Observation (Tandem4EO) constellation consisting of two radar and two VHR optical satellites. The announced program is planned to support the New Space strategy of several European Union nations, with a focus on Spain.

Credit: ICEYE Credit: ICEYE

Current ICEYE manufacturing and R&D facilities in Jumilla, Spain, and the headquarters of SATLANTIS in Bilbao, Spain, will be at the heart of the development, manufacturing and planned cooperation. Both companies will continue to increase their investments in their local operations, supporting Earth observation downstream applications in the European Union, and the growth of the local New Space ecosystem.

The Tandem4EO constellation is planned to be launched as a collection of four satellites in total, each capable of under 1-meter resolution imaging. The satellites are to be flown in a sun-synchronous orbit, with two ICEYE SAR imaging spacecraft flying in a bistatic formation, and two SATLANTIS very high-resolution optical imaging spacecraft trailing behind. With closely coordinated operations, the constellation intends to serve solutions related to natural catastrophes, security, environmental monitoring at land and sea, infrastructure development, precise SAR Interferometry (InSAR) based change detection and more.

"Earth observation is ultimately about truly understanding what is happening in a selected location - with confidence," says Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE. "To achieve robust and fast analysis, combining the strengths of optical and SAR satellites in a single constellation yields incredibly useful insights for stakeholders in Spain and Europe."

"Spain is in a remarkable position in Europe, with two leading New Space companies established in its territory opening new and unique opportunities in Earth observation," says Juan Tomas Hernani, CEO of SATLANTIS. "This proposed initiative is the type of aerospace collaboration that would not have been feasible before. We're in the golden age of New Space, and now is the right time to act on it."

What makes the development of the Tandem4EO constellation unique, is that the combination of SAR and optical imaging with video capability will enable a new level of effectiveness for assessing in detail what is happening in a location of interest right now and over time. With this dual-instrument approach, data users will gain the benefits of versatility, reliability, and ease of use. In addition, the bi-static nature of the ICEYE SAR satellites allows for simultaneous radar acquisitions to produce InSAR data.

About ICEYE

ICEYE delivers unmatched persistent monitoring capabilities for any location on earth. Owning the world's largest synthetic-aperture radar constellation, the company enables objective, data-driven decisions for its customers in sectors such as insurance, natural catastrophe response and recovery, security, maritime monitoring and finance. ICEYE's data can be collected day or night, and even through cloud cover. For more information, please visit www.iceye.com

Media Contact:

[email protected]

About SATLANTIS

SATLANTIS is a medium-sized company, profitable leader in Optical Earth Observation Technologies, that uses its own infrared and visible technology to lead 6 space missions, covering applications ranging from methane emissions to security, among others. One of those missions has recently been acquired as an End-to-End solution by another country's governmental subsidiary company. SATLANTIS headquarters are in Bilbao, and it has a subsidiary company in Gainesville, Florida, run by US investors from the Oil & Gas sector.

www.satlantis.com

Media Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE ICEYE
The SensaVision Platform, enabled by InnovizOne LiDARs, gathers data on traffic volume and other roadside safety metrics for root cause analysis of pedestrian-related incidents, improving pedestrian and automobile safety. The smart corridor will test smart sensing for intersections powered by Innoviz and Sensagrate via (I2V) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications, all powered by NVIDIA jetson edge computing. In addition to the sensors on the infrastructure, the platform is further connected with UCLA's autonomous vehicle, enhancing the V2X analytics. Both Innoviz and Sensagrate are excited for the site results and insights ahead of October, which is National Pedestrian Safety Month .



The InnovizOne LiDAR is ideal for smart city applications because it provides accurate data during adverse weather and lighting conditions, and its robust design ensures durability over time. The InnovizOne LiDAR does not impinge on privacy, unlike other sensors that may have difficulty complying with GDPR and other privacy laws.



"Innoviz is excited to advance our partnership with Sensagrate and demonstrate the value of our InnovizOne LiDAR for smart city applications at one of the top universities in the world," said Omer Keilaf, Co-Founder and CEO of Innoviz. "Innoviz and Sensagrate both firmly believe that LiDAR-based intelligent traffic decisions will improve traffic flow and reduce traffic congestion, leading to a decrease in road fatalities and carbon emissions. We're looking forward to scaling this solution across the US and globally."



"The Innoviz One LiDAR provides a unique and high quality resolution for their field of view and range. This is critical as we look to detect different objects in various settings and at ranges greater than 100 meters," said Darryl Keeton, Founder and President of Sensagrate. "Innoviz has provided a great product and is proving its strong partnership abilities to promote safety. We are excited to witness how the InnovizOne and SensaVision integration at the UCLA pilot site can promote smarter and safer streets."

This news builds on the Sensagrate and Innoviz partnership announced in 2021 . Innoviz's traction in smart city applications is further demonstration of its innovation and expanding scope of product coverage following its significant automotive design win with CARIAD SE for Volkswagen Brands in August 2022 .

About Sensagrate

Sensagrate is a computer vision software company that provides traffic AI solutions on the edge to bring state-of-the-art innovation solutions that provide real-time, predictive analytics to decrease congestion and emissions, and improve public safety. SensaVision intelligent transportation system products include computer vision software, computer vision on the edge, and traffic and safety data and analytics. For more information, visit www.sensagrate.com .



About Innoviz Technologies

Innoviz is a global leader in LiDAR technology, working towards a future with safe autonomous vehicles on the world's roads. Innoviz's LiDAR and perception software "see" better than a human driver and reduce the possibility of error, meeting the automotive industry's strictest expectations for performance and safety. Operating across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Innoviz has been selected by internationally-recognized premium car brands for use in consumer vehicles as well as by other commercial and industrial leaders for a wide range of use cases. For more information, visit innoviz-tech.com .



Join the discussion: Facebook , LinkedIn , YouTube , Twitter

Media Contact

[email protected]



Investor Contact

Maya Lustig

Innoviz Technologies

+972 54 677 8100

[email protected]

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the services offered by Innoviz, the anticipated technological capability of Innoviz's products, the markets in which Innoviz operates and Innoviz's projected future results. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this announcement, including but not limited to, the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, the ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, and potential changes and developments in the highly competitive LiDAR technology and related industries. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in Innoviz's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 21, 2021, and other documents filed by Innoviz from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Innoviz assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Innoviz gives no assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

SOURCE Innoviz Technologies
Fortriator Insurance offers more value to customers and passive income for agents.

DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new independent insurance technology (insurtech) agency is launching and aims to improve consumers' negative sentiment toward insurance.

Over the past two years, the insurance industry has become more digital than ever, largely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, customers became unsatisfied and confused about their policies and coverage, according to the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study. The study found that property claim satisfaction fell to a five-year low , with customer repairs being completed in an average of 18 days, up from three days in 2021.

Fortriator Insurance is changing that with a mission to "Go Against the Status Quo." The independent agency's disruptive, tech-forward approach to property and casualty insurance is part of its nationwide expansion. The agency offers a white glove experience, ultimately giving customers more value faster, at a cheaper cost, and with a more lucrative opportunity for agents. Customers will enjoy 24/7 customer support and faster, more accurate insurance quotes.

The insurtech agency developed the name Fortriator to illustrate its commitment to customers' satisfaction and agents' success. The moniker is a combination of the words "fortress" and "gladiator," reflecting the two primary ways the agency seeks to better serve its customers.

Agents will enjoy reduced workloads because of smarter technology, access to advanced training, and active support. This is all made possible by Fortriator equipping its network of independent agents with its proprietary technology and systems, which were developed to save agents time and allow wider market access to more than 100 carriers nationwide.

"Your home is more than your castle: it's your fortress  the place where your family should feel safest and most loved," said Zack Farris, Fortriator founder, and CEO. "When your home is damaged by a coverable threat, we'll fight against all odds to ensure that you're fairly compensated and your home is made whole, safe, and fully livable again."

Fortriator's "industry-disrupting software" reduces time from quoting to binding, allowing agents to provide a quicker and simpler customer experience. The company's headquarters are at 3122 Nealy Way in Longview, TX 75605. Learn more at www.fortriator.com or call 682-267-8787.

SOURCE FORTRIATOR INSURANCE
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to help my wife to be able to use her portable oxygen tank easier," said an inventor from La Mirada, Calif., "so I invented the E-Z FLOW CARRIER."

The invention offers greater convenience for individuals on supplemental oxygen, making it easy to have a portable oxygen tank available wherever it is needed. The carrier is more stable and easier to maneuver than standard oxygen tank caddies as well as more comfortable to use by people of different heights. It's efficiency, practicality, and enhanced safety will makes life easier for anyone who uses portable oxygen tanks. The inventor has created a prototype.

The original design was submitted to the Riverside sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-RSD-181, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp
NEWBURGH, N.Y. , Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Managing partner Andrew Finkelstein is pleased to announce that the 2021 Orange County jury verdict that found in favor of the firm's client was the second highest in the state of New York in 2021. "This distinction is not something we take lightly. We are proud of our strong track record of success, and this verdict was especially satisfying as we were able to hold a distracted driver accountable, particularly in an instance where the injuries were not immediately apparent," he stated.

Andrew G. Finkelstein, Managing Partner Kenneth Fromson, Trial Attorney

In October of 2021, Finkelstein & Partners trial attorneys Kenneth Fromson and Andrew Finkelstein argued successfully that a company's employee who drove distracted and hit our client in the rear caused serious bodily injury and should be held accountable for their actions. While our client was immediately rushed to an emergency room following the crash, she did not break any bones and was discharged the same day. Unknown at that time, the impact aggravated her asymptomatic arthritic ankle as well as injuring her shoulder. After suffering for 8 years and enduring multiple surgeries on both her ankle and shoulder, an Orange County jury voted for a verdict in her favor totaling $13,500,000. The award included $2,000,000 dollars for past medical expenses and $3,000,000 for future medical expenses.

At the time Mr. Finkelstein noted, "On behalf of our client, who has truly suffered, we are relieved and grateful to the members of the jury for acknowledging the driver's responsibility. Their decision sends a powerful message to our community. On a personal note, they have also provided our client financial relief, not only for the past 8 years' worth of medical expenses, but the verdict also enables her to finally look to the future with hope."

Headquartered in Newburgh, NY, Finkelstein & Partners, LLP has been successfully winning serious injury cases for nearly 60 years. Offices are located throughout New York and New Jersey and services include Personal Injury, Social Security Disability Benefits, Workers' Compensation, Nursing Home Neglect and Veterans Services. The firm's Commit to Quit Distracted Driving program highlights the serious dangers of distracted driving for teen drivers. We care deeply about the work we do and the communities we serve. We encourage our family of employees to devote time and assistance to community projects, because we want to be a part of building better communities. To learn more, visit the firm's website at lawampm.com or call 1-800-Lawampm / 1-800-529-2676.

For more information, contact

Danielle Mackey  845.563.9522 or

[email protected]

SOURCE Finkelstein & Partners, LLP
Just past six-month mark since start of war, JustAnswer surpasses $600K milestone in support of Ukraine and pledges continued support

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JustAnswer , a platform that connects people with experts for on-demand professional help, announced today that the company  through its partnership with the nonprofit Arizae Foundation  has raised over $600,000 for Ukraine relief efforts since the Russian invasion in February. The milestone comes on the heels of Ukraine's recent success retaking the Kharkiv region and signs of a turning tide in the 200-day-old war.

Donations raised through JustAnswer, which employs approximately 290 people in Ukraine, and Arizae, working with the Lviv IT Cluster in Ukraine, have helped:

Create seven fully equipped shelters in Western Ukraine

Deliver medical supplies and humanitarian aid to those in need in Kharkiv and Kyiv combat zones and the Lviv Military Hospital

combat zones and the Lviv Military Hospital Provide supplies to defenders including bulletproof vests and helmets, night vision systems, patrol drones, etc.  many of which were hand-delivered by JustAnswer CEO and Founder Andy Kurtzig and his family

and his family Protect critically important IT infrastructure by partnering with SpaceX and ordering almost 1,000 Starlink devices

Support the creation of a satellite defense system through the Sky Project

Launch a new safety project called VISION in partnership with the Ukraine National Police that equips Lviv with security cameras and face recognition systems to detect all saboteur groups and criminals, prevent crimes and find fugitives

"From the day JustAnswer first established an office in Ukraine and throughout these incredibly challenging times since the Russian invasion in February, we have remained 100% committed to Ukraine and our team there," said JustAnswer CEO Andy Kurtzig. "Many other companies have pulled out of Ukraine or scaled back operations there, but that's exactly what Putin wants. We're not going to run away. The Ukrainian people are smart, kind and honest people who have been fighting for their freedom for hundreds of years, including lots of progress in the last 35 years. And, they've been getting very close to full independence over the last 8 years. We stand with Ukraine and will continue to fight for Ukraine's freedom."

About JustAnswer

JustAnswer is an online platform that connects people with live Doctors, Lawyers, Veterinarians, Mechanics and other verified and vetted Experts for real-time, personalized assistance and answers to just about any question or problem 24/7. With more than 12,000 experts across 150 categories, JustAnswer is the leading destination for accessing affordable professional help on-demand when and from wherever you need it.

Media Contacts:

Aimee Grove for JustAnswer

[email protected]

415-706-1906

SOURCE JustAnswer
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Katten announced today that HFM recognized the firm for its industry-leading hedge fund client offerings during the 2022 HFM US Services Awards ceremony in New York. Awardees were chosen based on rigorous judging by a panel of top hedge fund chief operating officers, chief financial officers, general counsels and others.

Katten was named Best Onshore Law Firm.

"Receiving this distinction underscores what clients and others have told us they appreciate about Katten: That we provide excellent and sophisticated counsel in a business-savvy manner that takes into account the practical aspects of our clients' business; that we analyze complex market and legal issues and close investments and transactions, navigating regulatory issues quickly and comprehensively; and that we quickly see the big picture, to name just some of what we hear," said Lance Zinman, Global Chairman of Katten's Financial Markets and Funds (FMF) group, which encompasses the firm's Investment Management and Funds practice.

"We are thoroughly pleased and quite honored to receive this award," said Zinman, whom American Lawyer named a "Trailblazer" for his pioneering legal work in the fields of proprietary, quantitative and algorithmic trading. "We are deeply appreciative of the opportunity to serve captains of the hedge fund industry and in the field of finance generally."

Accepting the Katten award during the HFM ceremony at a historic midtown Manhattan restaurant on Tuesday were Wendy Cohen and Allison Yacker, co-chairs of the firm's Investment Management and Funds practice.

Katten has garnered several top HFM honors. Last year, the firm was named "Best Law Firm" during the 2021 HFM US Quant Services Awards virtual ceremony. There, Katten was spotlighted for its many years of providing top-of-class, business-savvy counsel to scores of asset managers, the largest quant funds, most of the industry's major proprietary trading firms, including pioneers of these strategies and other market participants deploying them. The year before, HFM named Katten "Top Onshore Law Firm for Start-ups."

A long-established leader in the financial services industry known for its 360-degree counsel, Katten's FMF practice spans the full breadth of the dynamic and ever-evolving finance industry  global investment banks, a wide range of investment managers, hedge funds, private equity and other alternative funds as well as prop trading firms, global exchanges and trading platforms.

The FMF practice continually grows as it attracts top legal talent. Last year, this included Daniel Davis, formerly general counsel at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and Jonah Roth, who previously served as general counsel and chief compliance officer at a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)- and CFTC-registered quantitative hedge fund manager and proprietary trading firm. A few years prior, Susan Light, who had been a senior leader and regulatory officer at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), joined FMF.

This year, Stephen Morris, formerly in-house counsel at multinational investment bank Morgan Stanley, joined as did Ilene Froom, who was a partner at two other top law firms and served for many years as in-house counsel for JP Morgan Chase bank before joining Katten.

Katten is a full-service law firm with nearly 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm's core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals.

For more information, visit katten.com.

SOURCE Katten
TORONTO and MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - A brighter future for commercial occupiers is here, as Landmark Advisory Services and ENCOR Advisors have announced their new strategic partnership. Leveraging their proven client-centered service model, over 80 years' of combined experience and a larger platform with national coverage, the collaboration fills an important void in the market for Canadian businesses.

Rob Renaud , ENCOR President said, "With our shared values of prioritizing client services while striving for constant innovation, coupled with our dedicated team of diverse real estate experts, this meaningful partnership will propel our combined efforts as industry changemakers."

Jacob Cowles , Landmark Managing Partner, added, "We have already received significant enthusiastic feedback, from current clients to other like-minded brokerages who see real value in partnering with us. Our collective history and broader suite of services will reinforce our clients' best interests, improve the corporate leasing landscape for all stakeholders, and leverage our unique, integrated platform to a wider base."

The tactical union will underpin Landmark and ENCOR's services in hundreds of markets Canada-wide and internationally, fortifying their expertise in market intelligence, transaction management, legal services, account management, lease administration and audits, facility management, and project management. It will launch from their current offices in Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal.

Changing the occupier landscape

Championing the occupier is critical in Canada's rapidly-shifting commercial real estate market. Protecting client interests is paramount to both Landmark and ENCOR, especially at a time when there is so much pressure on workplace strategies and industrial supply chains. With accredited processes, expertise, technology and resources, this platform aims to drive value for occupiers through the reduction of occupancy costs and risk.

The promises to be a catalyst for positive change in the commercial real estate landscape, in the absence of dedicated, national tenant representation firms. As independent firms are increasingly absorbed by larger international players, the nimble Landmark/ENCOR model presents a rich opportunity to partner with an accountable and authentic service that provides unparalleled expertise to occupiers exclusively.

As an ally to other occupier-focused brokerages, the Landmark/ENCOR partnership paves the way for other firms to maintain their independence while using their platform to build and service more multi-market clients. Both firms are excited by the opportunity to scale the client partnership model that is coveted by major space occupiers whose core business is not real estate.

Having the right expertise at the table is vital. This strategic partnership provides the flexibility to attract the best and brightest advisors to its platform, while spearheading much-needed change in today's commercial real estate market. Tenants will receive a transparent and sophisticated suite of services that puts their needs first.

ENCOR Advisors, backed by 50 years of commercial real estate legacy, is the evolution of a top-performing team under a new generation of leadership with a passion for delivering even better value for their clients. Occupier-focused, employee-owned, and results-driven, ENCOR goes the extra mile for clients.



Landmark Advisory Services Inc. is a commercial real estate advisory services firm whose purpose is to be an industry disruptor and driver of change using a relationship-driven model in a transactional structured industry. This national firm's foundation is built on creating dedicated partnerships with clients. Partner smarter.

SOURCE Encor Advisors Canada Ltd., Brokerage
CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Laser Marking Market is estimated to grow from USD 2.9 billion in 2022 to reach USD 4.1 billion by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2022 to 2027, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The growth of the laser marking market can be attributed to higher performance of laser markers over traditional material marking techniques, increasing adoption of laser markers in various industries for traceability and identification of parts, and growing adoption of smart manufacturing techniques.

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Hardware segment to hold largest share of laser marking market during the forecast period.

The hardware segment accounted for the largest share of the laser marking market in 2021, and this trend is expected to continue during the forecast period. The high requirement for hardware in several types of laser marking systems has contributed to the leading position of this segment, in terms of market size. Recent advancements in laser marking hardware solutions include new product launches by key players in the laser marking market. In May 2022, Gravotech launched LW2 laser marking workstation suitable for identification plates, tools, electronic and electrical components, automotive parts, medical instruments, and permanent markings.

Laser marking market for packaging industry is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The laser marking market for the packaging industry is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Laser markers are used for displaying variable data, such as expiration dates and batch and serial numbers, as product labels in most packaging companies. In the packaging industry, CO2 lasers are highly used for marking applications. Laser marking is used for different packaging solutions, such as on food items and PCBs.

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Laser marking market in Europe is expected to hold the second largest size during the forecast period.

Laser marking market in Europe is expected to hold the second largest size during the forecast period. Germany, France, and the UK are the major contributors to the European laser marking market growth. The region has a strong industrial base and is globally recognized for its outstanding engineering capabilities, quality workforce, and R&D activities, which are also the key driving factors for the growth of the laser marking market in Europe. Furthermore, all medical devices in Europe registered within the European Union must obtain CE Mark. With a CE mark, companies can market and sell their products simultaneously in all EU member states whether that is Germany, France or Croatia. This is expected to drive the laser marking market in Europe during the forecast period.

Key players involved in the manufacturing of laser marking systems are Coherent, Inc. (US), TRUMPF (Germany), Han's Laser Technology Co., Ltd. (China), Gravotech Marking (France), IPG Photonics Corp. (US), 600 Group (UK), Danaher Corp. (US), Novanta Inc. (US), KEYENCE Corp. (Japan), Huagong Tech Co., Ltd. (China), Trotec Laser (Austria), Epilog Laser (US), and MECCO (US), among others.

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Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports &Consulting

Related Reports:

Laser Technology Market by Type (Solid, Liquid, Gas), Product (Laser, System), Application (Laser Processing, Optical Communication, Optoelectronic Devices), Vertical (Telecommunications, Industrial) and Region - Global Forecast to 2027

Laser Processing Market with COVID-19 Impact analysis by Laser Type (Solid Lasers, Liquid Lasers, Gas Lasers), Configuration (Fixed Beam, Moving Beam, Hybrid), Revenue (System Revenue, Laser Revenue), Application, End-user Industry, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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MarketsandMarkets INC.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
DNA and Computer Voice Stress Analysis Help Clear Innocent/Find Guilty

LEWES, Del., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Innocent people are being exonerated in record numbers as new technologies, such as DNA, become more sophisticated and the Computer Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) is increasingly being used for truth verification instead of the old polygraph. This is according to Clifford Payne, a retired investigator with the Atlanta (GA) Police Department who also serves as a Regional Director of the National Association of Computer Voice Stress Analysts, an organization representing the nearly 2,800 US law enforcement agencies that utilize the CVSA.

"As law enforcement professionals, our main goal is to make sure only the guilty are prosecuted," stated Payne. With the refinement of DNA testing, we are now better able to accurately determine where the criminal justice system failed in the past as innocent men and women, some whose lives are ruined forever, are being released from prison on a regular basis. This is in no small part due to organizations such as the Innocence Project, improved DNA testing, and the help of technologies such as the CVSA."

Miami-Dade (FL) Police Det. Lisa Morales is among the thousands of detectives that have experienced this first hand. Det./CVSA Analyst Lisa Morales reported that a female subject was accused of repeatedly stabbing her ex-boyfriend and children's father. There was an adult male witness that implicated the female and uniformed officers were poised to arrest her based on both men's statements even though the female insisted that she was being "framed" by the two men. The investigating detective just had one of those feelings and asked if Det. Morales would run a CVSA exam on the female. She passed and the "witness" ultimately confessed that he stabbed his uncle and they conspired to have the female falsely arrested so that the father could get custody of the children because the female refused to reconcile with him. According to the NACVSA, this is just another example of the CVSA exam being used to clear someone rather than implicate them. (Read more Real Cases at https://www.CVSA1.com/realcases.htm).

Payne stated that before the CVSA, law enforcement had to rely on the old polygraph. "Our main problem was that 30% of polygraph examinations are 'inconclusive,' meaning that there were no discernible results. With the CVSA, there are always correct results 100% of the time. When you also take in to account that it takes ten weeks to train a polygraph examiner and only five days to train a CVSA examiner, plus the fact that polygraph exams take between 2-3 hours and the CVSA exam can be performed in 1 hour with perfect results, it is clear which system to use." The Atlanta Police Department now has 13 CVSA's and discontinued the polygraph in 2003.

Major US law enforcement agencies such as the Atlanta P.D., New Orleans P.D., Nashville P.D., Nevada Attorney General's Office, Kansas City P.D., Salt Lake City P.D., California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as well as the California Highway Patrol, depend upon the CVSA to investigate criminal cases as well as for screening police applicants. "As an investigative and decision support tool, the CVSA has proven itself to be invaluable to law enforcement," stated Det. Chad Jeansonne, of the Alexandria, Louisiana, P.D., who serves as the Legislative Affairs Director for the NACVSA.

For more information on the NACVSA, visit NACVSA.org, call 888-358-5025 or email [email protected]. For further information on what is being called 'One of the most important investigative tools available today' visit CVSA1.com, email [email protected], or call 561-798-6280.

Media Contact:

Kim Tegtmeir

888-358-5025

[email protected]

SOURCE National Association of Computer Voice Stress Analysts
-Service members and civilians were exposed to toxic water at North Carolina's Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987, causing health issues for them and their families.

-These health issues include various types of cancer, Parkinson's Disease, birth defects, and other serious and often deadly medical conditions.

-Signing of the PACT Act on August 10th finally gives victims the right to pursue financial compensation for damages

HOUSTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Houston law firms Reich & Binstock LLP and the Barton Law Group seek long-awaited justice for Marine veterans and others who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune military base in North Carolina from 1953 to 1987, including any of their family members who suffered birth defects or health issues as a result of that exposure.

President Biden signed the PACT Act on August 10th, allowing for those victims to pursue compensation by removing prior constraints under North Carolina law. The toxic substances found in the contaminated wells included dangerous chemicals such as benzene, vinyl chloride (VC), trichloroethylene (TCE), and perchloroethylene (PCE).

"All of these substances can be linked to serious health issues," said attorney Dennis Reich of Reich & Binstock. "Just looking at the effects of any one of these is horrific; take vinyl chloride, for example. The National Cancer Institute tells us that exposure can lead to an increased risk of liver, brain, and lung cancers, as well as lymphoma and leukemia. TCE can cause birth defects . The dreadful effects on these families are occurring over generations."

Anyone who lived and worked at Camp Lejeune and subsequently suffered an illness or injury from the contaminated water may be entitled to compensation and should contact Reich & Binstock immediately.

"We have extensive experience in handling these types of toxic tort cases, as well as birth injury and MDL, or Method Detection Limit, cases," Reich said. "Victims need this type of expertise on their case so they can finally, after all these years, get the justice they deserve and hopefully give their families some hope of a better future. They also need someone who cares. We fight these fights passionately because what happened to our service members and innocent civilians is wrong. Their lives are forever changed because for years, the government didn't care. We care, and now it's our turn to go to work for them."

Reich emphasized that anyone who thinks they may be eligible for compensation can call them for a free, no-obligation consultation, at 1-866 LAW 2400, or through their website at www.reichandbinstock.com .

About Reich and Binstock

For more than 30 years, Reich and Binstock has handled complex personal injury and pharmaceutical injury cases that require a high degree of discretion and skill. We value the relationships we build with our clients. We believe the better we understand your personal and legal needs, the better job we can do as attorneys working for your best possible outcome. Our attorneys will work with you every step of the way, from your initial consultation through the successful conclusion of your case.

Media Inquiries

Christine Haas, Haas Communications

[email protected]

(512)751-1592

SOURCE Reich & Binstock, LLP
Chainstep, peaq, Datarella, 51nodes, Ocean Protocol, Fetch.ai, and deltaDAO collaborate with top industry names including Bosch, Continental, and Airbus as part of Gaia-X moveID project in joint push towards a decentralized digital backbone powering the future of mobility

BERLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An array of leading Web3 projects join forces within the Gaia-X moveID consortium with an overall size of more than 20 million. As part of the collaboration, Chainstep, peaq, Datarella, 51nodes, Ocean Protocol, Fetch.ai, and deltaDAO will work to develop the framework for a decentralized digital backbone powering the future of mobility.

Through billions-worth acquisitions, Web2 tech giants assert themselves in more and more sectors, from healthcare to Internet of Things appliances, prompting concerns of pervasive user surveillance . This expansion provides for more centralized control over an increasing number of aspects of users' daily lives, oftentimes unbeknownst to the users themselves.

Rising as an alternative to centralized platforms, Gaia-X is a pan-European cross-sector consortia group for a more open and democratic data infrastructure, bringing together more than 300 companies and organizations, including top industry names such as Bosch, Continental, and Airbus. Gaia-X's 19-member moveID consortium is focused on innovative solutions for decentralized digital identity and decentralized data sharing  real-world mobility use cases for blockchain technology, placing it at the foundations of real-world services and processes. Secure and verifiable digital IDs are a crucial foundational feature that will enable all mobility participants  humans or machines  to identify each other, transact, and interact between themselves without mediation from centralized third parties and the associated fees and privacy concerns.

As part of the collaboration, the participating Web3 projects will take on the following roles to put decentralization and openness at the core of the digital infrastructure of the future:

Chainstep , one of the leading deep tech companies for enterprise implementation and connection of DLT, IoT, and Machine Learning, will develop connectors to build the link between the digital and physical world. The company is developing a solution for connecting Edge IoT (V2X) devices securely to the Gaia-X cloud platform. Self-sovereign identities (SSIs) work as the basis for decentralized integration security, allowing removal of the single point of failure in relying on a centralized authorization provider.

Konstantin Graf, CEO Chainstep, says: "We need easy-to-use applications with high value in the real world and everyday life. A Web3 infrastructure is very important for Europe. I believe in ecosystems and cooperation as the only way European companies will stay competitive."

peaq , the Web3 network powering the Economy of Things, will conduct intense research and development within the project. peaq will further build up its layer-one blockchain in line with the co-created requirements and standards, aiming to grant Gaia-X's moveID the perfect infrastructure for decentralized mobility applications. peaq will also provide its core functions: peaq ID  Self-Sovereign Machine Identities (SSMIs), peaq access, and peaq pay. peaq is built using Substrate and will soon be live on both Kusama as well as Polkadot. It is working on enabling collaboration and interoperability with the Ethereum and Cosmos ecosystems for other Web3 consortia collaborators in Gaia-X.

Siddharth Singhal, Director of Enterprise at Parity Technologies, says: "Web3-enabled platforms will play a crucial infrastructure role as we build the future of the IoT industry. We are proud to see Polkadot playing a crucial role serving pan-EU citizens via moveID partners and expect greater Web3 adoption in this vast industry."

Datarella , a Web3 company builder, will co-develop the infrastructure for decentralized digital identities and data sharing, leveraging SSI components and Autonomous Agents. To ensure a future market acceptance of applications based on moveID, Datarella also contributes its experience in Web3 mobility applications, such as MOBIX.

Michael Reuter, CEO and Founder of Datarella, says: "Europe needs a resilient, sustainable Web3 infrastructure that allows for privacy-preserving, autonomous applications serving all European citizens. The moveID partners are committed to make this possible."

51nodes , a Web3 developing and integration company, brings to the project its experience with SSI architecture and implementation in the context of decentralized mobility infrastructure. In addition to the development and integration of various SSI technologies, the focus of work will be on SSI interoperability challenges.

Jochen Kaberger, CEO/Co-Founder of 51nodes, says: "At moveID, we are working together with great partners on digital infrastructure for V2X use cases using decentralized digital technology. We are excited to be part of the integration of digital mobility in Europe."

Through BigchainDB, Ocean Protocol  the Web3 platform to unlock data services for AI and business innovation  is providing technical infrastructure for moveID to expedite the development of a decentralized digital identity infrastructure for European mobility. Essential components of Ocean's decentralized data marketplace technology, Compute-to-Data, and data pricing mechanisms are being leveraged to build a system architecture that ensures a seamless exchange of information between providers and customers of mobility applications.

Bruce Pon, Ocean Protocol Founder, says: "Secure data processing is critical to the future of mobility. Via BigchainDB, Ocean is proud to support the moveID initiative with the technical elements needed for building digital identity infrastructure and help enable an inclusive Data Economy."

Fetch.ai is developing the infrastructure and tooling for creating Web2 and Web3 AI applications. Fetch-ai Network has a Cosmos SDK based self-sovereign blockchain ledger and the supporting tools for developing DApps on the network and also the modular Autonomous Economic Agents (AEAs) and the Digital Twin Platforms that can efficiently and securely communicate peer-to-peer and provide interconnectivity with multiple networks.

In the context of Gaia-X's moveID, the AEAs and the Agent framework enables decentralized identities (SSI), and can run on edge devices in a decentralized microservice architecture. All the products support cross-chain interoperability which will help achieve Gaia-X's vision to support many new multi-stakeholder mobility applications.

Humayun Sheikh, Fetch.ai Founder and CEO, says: "We are excited to support Gaia-X's moveID project that has the potential to reshape the future of mobility. We look forward to working with other technology and industry partners who share our belief in Web3 technology's potential to unlock innovative and new collaborative business models."

deltaDAO AG, a web3 software development, integration and consulting company, will co-develop decentralized data infrastructure and federation services in the context of the broader Gaia-X ecosystem. deltaDAO AG contributes its extensive knowledge regarding Gaia-X compliance, interoperability, and integration.

Frederic Schwill, deltaDAO AG Co-Founder, says: "We believe that Europe needs a more sovereign, resilient, and sustainable data infrastructure, enabling value creation and new sustainable mobility business models. We are thrilled to be joining the moveID project and build, together with our partners, towards the future of decentralized mobility."

"Web3 technologies offer a promising digital foundation for future mobility solutions," says Peter Busch, Product Owner for Distributed Ledger Technologies (Mobility) at Bosch. "With MoveID, we are setting the foundation for a hyper connected mobility infrastructure by leveraging self-sovereign device identities and decentralized data sharing to enable hundreds of potential use cases. We are thrilled to be exploring this exciting prospect side by side with some of the leading projects in the decentralized space such as Fetch-ai Network, peaq, Ocean Protocol, Datarella, 51nodes, deltaDAO, and Chainstep."

About Chainstep

Chainstep is a deep tech product and company builder with a focus on developing and implementing solutions to link the digital and physical world leveraging IoT, Cloud, and distributed ledger technologies. Believing that innovation comes from collaboration, especially when it comes to cross-technology projects like Web3, Chainstep grants its clients end-to-end support in their digital transformation with the goal to bring the best possible product-market-fit and maximize the real-world impact.

Chainstep has developed 4 SSI-based solutions for different industries as well as its own products. It has already built Web3 solutions like the NFT ecosystem Kollektor.io and the ESG data tracking solution certbloc.net to bring the advantages of digital assets into everyone's life.

About peaq

peaq is the Web3 network powering the Economy of Things (EoT). peaq enables people to build decentralized applications (dApps) for vehicles, robots, and devices, while empowering dApp builders and dApp users to govern and earn from machines providing goods and services to people and other machines. The peaq network leverages Machine DeFi and Machine NFTs to align the incentives of all stakeholders in the Economy of Things. peaq is designed to solve some of our most pressing societal and economic challenges of our time, ensuring that people earn more as machine-associated job automation increases.

For more information, visit peaq , join our Discord , or follow us on Twitter .

About Datarella

Datarella is a Web3 company builder - leveraging our technology stack of Blockchains, Self-Sovereign Identity SSI, Decentralised Data Marketplaces, Autonomous Economic Agents AEA, and Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence AI as the tech hub for projects and companies like MOBIX, MOBIX family, IMMOBIX, or NOMIX. We support our clients in outsourcing-their internal Web3 projects.

For Datarella, technology is an instrument to increase the quality of living, by supporting human beings in professional activities and private lifestyles. Our ecosystem's growing complexity and diversity requires technological infrastructures that facilitate collaboration and cooperation. By creating respective Web3 solutions, Datarella illustrates the real-world benefits of Web3.

About 51nodes

The economy of the future is digital, collaborative and decentralized. That is why 51nodes support companies in the implementation of Web3 projects in the areas of decentralized digital platforms, SSI and tokenisation. 51nodes enables digital and disruptive innovation through the use of open source blockchain technology and all the services a company needs for successful decentralized transformation: Technical design, full-stack software and blockchain development, hardware and system integration, ecosystem and venture management.

About Ocean Protocol

Ocean Protocol is a decentralized data exchange platform spearheading the movement to unlock a New Data Economy, break down data silos, and open access to quality data. Ocean's intuitive marketplace technology allows data to be published, discovered, and consumed in a secure, privacy-preserving manner By giving power back to data owners, Ocean resolves the tradeoff between using private data and the risks of exposing it.

About BigchainDB

BigchainDB is a company that allows developers and enterprises to deploy blockchain proofs-of-concept, platforms and applications. It also supports a wide range of industries and use cases from identity and intellectual property to supply chains, energy, IoT and financial ecosystems. BigchainDB is the founding member of Ocean Protocol.

About Fetch Network

Fetch AI is a Web3 venture studio developing peer-to-peer solutions using deep tech stack that includes blockchain, AI and multi-agent systems. Our products include the Fetch-ai Network, Autonomous Economic Agents (AEAs), Digital Twins Platform that powers the Fetch.ai app, DeFi Apps - Atomix, BotSwap and Mettalex, and AI products - Axim, CoLearn, and DabbaFlow.

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About deltaDAO

deltaDAO AG is a web3 software development, integration and consulting company based in Hamburg, Germany. Its focus is to enable a transparent, secure, and decentralized data economy in which enterprises, SMEs and public institutions can keep full technical control over their private data, while being able to use and monetize it. As specialists for distributed ledger technologies (DLT) deltaDAO is engaged in Gaia-X and built the first Minimal Viable Gaia-X ( https://minimal-gaia-x.eu/ ) in 2021, based on open-source software and web 3.0 technology.

SOURCE peaq
Top pre-settlement funding company offers fastest funding approvals and best rate guarantee for rideshare cases.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay, the Pre Settlement Funding Company, announced that they are seeing an increase in Uber and Lyft accident filings. Even if the Uber or Lyft driver isn't at fault, their insurance may still cover damages. As a result, ridesharing lawsuits have reached an all-time high.

Plaintiffs in these accidents are seeking restitution for the harm done to themselves and/or their vehicles, whether as a passenger in an Uber or a fellow driver hit by one. Rather than wait indefinitely for these cases to see the inside of a courtroom, more claimants than ever are turning to presettlement funding. Legal-Bay is expanding their underwriting department to handle the influx so that they are prepared to offer same-day approval on select cases, along with a best-price guarantee.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, says, "The need for ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft has increased in recent months, creating a surge in roadway accidents, and consequently, an uptick in motor vehicle accident lawsuits. Unfortunately, these cases tend to take an exorbitant length of time to resolve in the courts. With increased demand for settlement funding, we are prepared to offer same-day funding along with our best price guarantee."

If you are a plaintiff with an active Uber or Lyft lawsuit and need an immediate cash advance against an impending settlement, please visit Legal-Bay HERE or call toll-free at 877.571.0405.

Legal-Bay is considered one of the best lawsuit funding companies when it comes to Uber and Lyft cases. They are able to approve applications within 24-hours from receiving case documents, and stand ready to provide needed cash funding immediately afterward.

Legal-Bay's settlement loan programs are designed to provide immediate cash in advance of a plaintiff's anticipated monetary award. The non-recourse lawsuit loans are risk-free, as the money doesn't need to be repaid should the recipient lose their case. Legal-Bay funds all types of loans for lawsuits including personal injury, slips and falls, car, boat, or construction accidents, and many more.

To apply for a law suit loan right now, please visit the company's website HERE or call toll-free at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by.

SOURCE Legal-Bay, LLC
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LEONID, a Department of Defense Trusted Capital Provider, is pleased to announce the closing of its latest Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), LEONID Capital Management SPV 2, with the funds raised to be exclusively used for originations under the Company's unique Government Contract Financing model.

Raised from both existing investors and new, strategic investors, the SPV closed within four weeks of launch, and is already 100% deployed or committed to immediate-term pipeline.

"Our ability to raise and deploy capital in a rapid fashion is becoming the hallmark of our growing organization," said LEONID Founder, Christopher Lay. "The new investors coming in are wonderful to have, but the real feather in our cap was the roster of our existing investors that came back for a second and larger bite."

The projected portfolio yield on the SPV holdings is well above target, includes six different US Government Prime Contracting clients, ten individual contracts, and eight different Federal payors.

"To be able to achieve such a wide diversification, while maintaining yields and capital deployment targets is a defining goal of our strategy," added LEONID Co-founder James Parker. "We love the headline of 'Federal Government as loan security', but it is important to realize there are thousands of different Government departments and offices, and hundreds of thousands of contractors in our target niche."

LEONID offers true government contract financing in the form of term loans and revolving lines of credit, based on the full, future value of contracts. With this successful close and deployment, LEONID has begun raising into its third SPV with a targeted close of Oct 31st, 2022.

About LEONID

LEONID is the leading financial services platform supporting U.S. Federal Government contractors. As an official Department of Defense Trusted Capital Provider, LEONID offers advance financing on all government contracts, including SBIR and STTRs, up to $25MM. The firm can help companies improve their working capital position to help finance growth strategies and manage operating expenses. LEONID contributes 50% of net profits to mission-oriented charitable causes that are committed to veterans' causes and warfighter support. Learn more at leonidfinance.io.

SOURCE LEONID
NEW YORK and LONDON, Sept. 14 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LianLian Global , a leading global cross-border payments service provider, announced the introduction of the world's first cross-border payments guarantee to China. LianLian Global's end-to-end business payments network and best-in-class Know Your Customer (KYC) process enables the company to provide global online merchants and ecommerce entrepreneurs with the most transparent, compliant, and safe cross-border payment options to the country.

LianLian Global's world-first cross-border full value payments guarantee to China is a new feature introduced to the company's recently launched international digital wallet. The policy provides assurance that payments to China-based suppliers are delivered to the right bank account  every time. All payments on LianLian Global's end-to-end payments network are vetted and verified through LianLian Global's enhanced KYC capabilities, which support additional due diligence on customer profile checks. These checks mitigate payment risks and fraudulent transactions, while satisfying regulatory compliance in the Chinese market.

Ecommerce entrepreneurs seek payment security across their supply chains to secure their inventory to succeed internationally. LianLian Global's transparent payments guarantee to China assures users that their payments are received in the bank accounts of intended parties in every case, increasing reliability in the supply chains of merchants and ecommerce entrepreneurs. If there is a problem, the payment is stopped and refunded immediately without waiting for multiple third-party correspondent banks. Customers also benefit from an added layer of robust security, speed, and competitive pricing. LianLian Global removes all the "middlemen" or correspondent banks, eliminating payment delays and the additional costs to hold and send the transfer.

With more payments transactions being made on online marketplaces, there is a growing need for seamless payments that are reliable every time, particularly with big global economies. Between September 2020 and August 2021 , third-party sellers on Amazon sold more than 7,400 products per minute. However, if payments fail, or are delayed through correspondent banks, online merchants risk losing significant revenue to competitors for each day they are out of stock, while a refund or payment cancellation is processed.

As the scale of ecommerce sales grows globally, LianLian Global aims to eliminate the risks associated with international payments. As cash flows change with ongoing economic volatility, LianLian Global offers ecommerce entrepreneurs the much-needed reliability for their funds.

"LianLian Global has years of experience, deep domain knowledge, and technology assets and capabilities in China. This makes us the ideal partner to help international companies and online sellers manage payment risks when dealing with business partners in the country," said David Messenger, Executive Chairman, LianLian Global. "We have invested in an end-to-end solution, and own all of our payment licenses, to remove all the middlemen and correspondent banks from the transaction process. This ownership allows LianLian Global to offer the world's first cross-border payments guarantee to China at unrivalled speeds and extremely competitive prices."

The international digital wallet, or cross-border payments platform, launched in Q2 2022, is designed to make payments faster, more accessible, and cheaper than the traditional cash and bank transfers for ecommerce businesses.

LianLian Global has offices in 12 countries that help more than 1.4 million ecommerce stores grow their cross-border businesses. LianLian Global owns over 60 licenses worldwide. In addition, the company has partnered with leading financial institutions such as Citi, Deutsche Bank, and J.P. Morgan to power their solutions.

Visit www.lianlianglobal.com/payments-to-china-guaranteed to discover more about the China payments guarantee, as well as an offer of the first 30 days of supplier payments free.

About LianLian Global

LianLian Global is a leading cross-border payments company that connects local sellers to global opportunities. We make it easy for ecommerce merchants to do more international business. So when sellers need to receive international payouts, get financing, solve shipping logistics, manage foreign exchange, or pay tax obligations abroad, we simplify the complexity of operating in other countries, giving merchants and sellers the freedom to do business seamlessly. Part of LianLian Digitech, and with licenses and offices in the Americas, Europe and throughout Asia, LianLian Global is integrated into mainstream ecommerce platforms worldwide, with services covering more than 100 countries and regions. www.lianlianglobal.com

SOURCE LianLian Global
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) announced today the appointment of Craig T. Peterson as President following a six-month national search and a unanimous Board decision. Peterson, who assumes the Presidency of LMCC on October 17, 2022, arrives at a very important moment in time for LMCC as it celebrates half a century as a cultural leader in New York City, and embarks on a campaign to support the next fifty years of The Arts Center at Governors Island in helping to advance the Island as a publicly accessible, global hub for arts and culture, research, development, and education centered on climate solutions and environmental sustainability. A dynamic curator, programmer, and producer who has championed artists throughout all career stages and disciplines, Peterson brings over three decades of experience in arts and cultural leadership and advocacy to LMCC.

Craig T. Peterson (credit: Victor Gigante)

"We are thrilled to welcome Craig to LMCC. Craig brings an exceptional record of artistic vision, community engagement, and leadership to LMCC," said Timur Galen, Chair of LMCC's Board of Directors. "Among a diverse pool of very strong candidates, Craig stood out as someone with aspirations and capabilities that deeply align with ours. His passion and expertise in support of artists as essential catalysts for community development and sustainability is fundamental to our mission. From the broad range of multidisciplinary projects he has curated and presented in different environments and to diverse audiences throughout New York and beyond, to the evident care and commitment he brings to working with his professional team and colleagues, we are truly delighted that Craig will be joining us to lead LMCC into the future."

"As a cultural programmer over the last three decades, I have long admired the support that LMCC provides to artists and the innovative cultural programming that it brings to the city," said Craig Peterson. "The generosity of LMCC's programming, not only through its expansive granting efforts but with the free public art festival, River To River, makes LMCC a dynamic and exciting place to continue my career. Perhaps most thrilling is the opportunity to advance the mission of The Arts Center at Governors Island, which has become a beacon of support for artists to create, gather and collaborate in one of NYC's most unique environments. I believe that artists are the heartbeat of NYC and we must make every effort to increase their ability to innovate and present work, particularly as we emerge from the pandemic. I am excited to bring my skills, experience, and passion to LMCC to help craft a sustainable future for our creative communities."

Peterson joins LMCC from his previous dual role at Henry Street Settlement: Vice President for Visual and Performing Arts and Executive Artistic Director of Abrons Arts Center, a home for contemporary interdisciplinary arts in Manhattan's vibrant Lower East Side neighborhood. While there, Peterson led programming and advocacy for diverse artist communities at Abrons' multi-use arts space that housed educational programs, residencies, exhibitions and presentations. Prior to his role at Abrons and Henry Street Settlement, Peterson was Co-Artistic Director of Dance Theater Workshop (DTW, now known as New York Live Arts) and Director of DTW's Community Development program from 1996-2004; Designer of the Live Arts Brewery (LAB), a program for artistic research and development in the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival (now known as FringeArts); and Director of the Philly Fringe Festival. Peterson also served as Director of Programs at Gibney Dance, where he curated and directed programming for the Dance Center's dance studios, performance venues, and public art gallery.

Peterson is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program of Columbia University's School of Business, received a BA in Dance and Theater from Bard College and currently serves on the board of directors for the MAP Fund, Big Dance Theater and the Alliance of Artists Communities.

About LMCC's Search

LMCC began its search in Spring following the announcement that Lili Chopra would step down as President to become a Special Advisor to the Board of Directors. The Board formed a search task force chaired by Ekene Ezulike, chair of the Board's Nominations & Governance Committee, and retained Phillips Oppenheim (PO) as its search consultant. Through the subsequent months, outreach was made to over 140 individuals, as both prospective candidates and sources for recommendations, which ultimately generated a pool of more than 40 candidates. Seven of those were invited for first round interviews, leading to two finalist candidates who completed additional interviews and visits to LMCC and The Arts Center at Governors Island. The search task force was unanimous in its recommendation to the Board of Trustees that they hire Peterson.

"On behalf of the Search Task Force and the Board of Directors, I am gratified that such a remarkable group of people wanted to be considered for this position with LMCC," said Ekene Ezulike, chair of the Search Task Force. "It is equally gratifying that Craig emerged from this group with such evident strengths and preparedness. This is an important moment for LMCC as we begin a new chapter, and we are fortunate to have Craig to lead us through it."

About LMCC

LMCC was founded in 1973 as Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, driven by the belief that artists are pillars of resilience and inspiration, and vital to New York City's cultural life. As the borough of Manhattan's arts council, LMCC serves, connects, and makes space for artists and community.

Originally created to improve the quality of life in Lower Manhattan and the Financial District through free cultural programs in the World Trade Center Plaza, LMCC's work has grown in programmatic scope, community impact, and capacity to serve artists and communities throughout all of Manhattan and Governors Island.

LMCC's Artist Services programs provide artists with critical resources to develop their work, including funding, studio space, professional development, and networking opportunities. Since 1997, LMCC's Artist Residency programs have supported over 1500 artists throughout Lower Manhattan and Governors Island. As NYC's largest regrantor of city and state funding, LMCC's Grants program awards over $1.5 million annually to Manhattan-based artists and arts organizations, supporting hundreds of local and neighborhood arts projects through grassroots local arts programming.

As a curator and producer, LMCC brings free Public Programs, performances and artistic experiences to hundreds of thousands of audience members annually through the River To River Festival, Downtown NYC's largest free summer arts festival; Open Studios with LMCC's artists in residence; and work developed and presented at The Arts Center at Governors Island, a 40,000 square foot arts space for residency programs, exhibitions, workshops, talks, and more.

In the face of relentless change impacting life on global and local levels, LMCC remains a champion of New York City's independent artists and a model of resiliency and cultural leadership. Looking ahead to its 50th anniversary in 2023, LMCC continues its commitment to serving artists while leveraging its unique model of private-public partnerships, creating a fertile environment for artists to deepen their creative practices, share their process with their local communities, and thrive in their local neighborhoods and beyond.

www.LMCC.net

Instagram: @LMCC_NYC

Twitter: @LMCC

Facebook: facebook.com/LMCCNYC

Media Contact:

Meryl Cooper

9179740022

[email protected]

SOURCE Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The " Luxury SUV Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 " report has been added to Technavio's offering. According to the report, the market size will increase by 1798.24 thousand units between 2021 and 2026, accelerating at a CAGR of 7.73% during the forecast period. The report considers various aspects such as the consumer base, adoption rate, average selling price, revenue generated by vendors, and various other factors to estimate the market size. Download Sample PDF Report Here to get an idea of the overall scope of the full report.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Luxury SUV Market 2022-2026

The global luxury SUV market is fragmented and highly competitive, with an increasing demand for luxury vehicles. The brand position is a major factor by which a company can differentiate itself from other vendors. Selling luxury SUV vehicles under the same brand name would negatively impact sales. Therefore, almost every vehicle manufacturer has positioned its luxury brand under a different brand name. Honda Motor has its luxury brand Acura, Toyota Motor has its luxury brand Lexus, Nissan Motor has its luxury brand Infiniti, and Ford Motor has its luxury brand Lincoln.

Changes in tax policies in various countries are increasing the overall cost of the vehicle, and the rise in demand for the luxury SUV is intensifying competition. Cost pressure on luxury vehicle manufacturers is increasing as they have to offer vehicles at competitive prices. The market is highly capital-intensive, with high entry barriers. Therefore, the possibility of new players entering the market is low during the forecast period. Thus, the growing demand for luxury vehicles will push luxury SUV manufacturers to increase their production capacity by opening new manufacturing plants or expanding existing plants which will drive the growth of the market in focus during the forecast period.

Some of the dominant players operating in the market include AB Volvo, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, China FAW Group Co. Ltd., Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Hyundai Motor Group, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Mazda Motor Corp, Mercedes Benz Group AG, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Renault SAS, SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd., Stellantis NV, Tata Motors Ltd, Tesla Inc., The BYD Motors Inc., Toyota Motor Corp, and Volkswagen AG.

Although the increased preference for safety and comfort to drive sales of luxury SUVs will offer immense growth opportunities, to leverage the current opportunities, market vendors must strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Luxury SUV Market 2022-2026: Segmentation

Type

Mid-size Luxury SUVs



Full-size Luxury SUVs

The demand for mid-size luxury SUVs has been significant in the market. The segment is driven by the increasing sales of compact luxury SUVs, especially by cost-conscious consumers in APAC and European countries.

Geography

North America



APAC



Europe



South America



The Middle East and Africa

North America is the major market for luxury SUVs, occupying 48% of the global market share. The high presence of the HNWI population in countries such as the US is the key factor driving the growth of the regional market. In addition, the rising popularity of high-end electric SUVs is expected to further accelerate the growth of the luxury SUV market in North America during the forecast period.

The report also covers the following areas:

Luxury SUV Market 2022-2026: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2022-2026

Detailed information on factors that will assist luxury SUV market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the luxury SUV market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the luxury SUV market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of luxury SUV market vendors

Related Reports:

Luxury SUV Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.73% Market growth 2022-2026 1798.24 th units Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 5.44 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 48% Key consumer countries US, Canada, China, Germany, and UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AB Volvo, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, China FAW Group Co. Ltd., Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Hyundai Motor Group, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Mazda Motor Corp, Mercedes Benz Group AG, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Renault SAS, SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd., Stellantis NV, Tata Motors Ltd, Tesla Inc., The BYD Motors Inc., Toyota Motor Corp, and Volkswagen AG Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Type



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Type

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Type

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Type



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Type

5.3 Mid-size luxury SUVs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Mid-size luxury SUVs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Mid-size luxury SUVs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Mid-size luxury SUVs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Mid-size luxury SUVs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Full-size luxury SUVs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Full-size luxury SUVs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Full-size luxury SUVs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Full-size luxury SUVs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Full-size luxury SUVs - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Type

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Type (thousand units)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 46: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 48: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 52: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 53: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 56: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 64: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 68: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 72: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)

Exhibit 76: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 78: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 79: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 (thousand units)



Exhibit 80: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 81: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography (thousand units)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 84: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 85: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 86: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 87: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 88: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 AB Volvo

Exhibit 89: AB Volvo - Overview



Exhibit 90: AB Volvo - Business segments



Exhibit 91: AB Volvo - Key offerings



Exhibit 92: AB Volvo - Segment focus

10.4 Bayerische Motoren Werke AG

Exhibit 93: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG - Overview



Exhibit 94: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG - Business segments



Exhibit 95: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG - Key news



Exhibit 96: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 97: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG - Segment focus

10.5 Ford Motor Co.

Exhibit 98: Ford Motor Co. - Overview



Exhibit 99: Ford Motor Co. - Business segments



Exhibit 100: Ford Motor Co. - Key news



Exhibit 101: Ford Motor Co. - Key offerings



Exhibit 102: Ford Motor Co. - Segment focus

10.6 General Motors Co

Exhibit 103: General Motors Co - Overview



Exhibit 104: General Motors Co - Business segments



Exhibit 105: General Motors Co - Key news



Exhibit 106: General Motors Co - Key offerings



Exhibit 107: General Motors Co - Segment focus

10.7 Mercedes Benz Group AG

Exhibit 108: Mercedes Benz Group AG - Overview



Exhibit 109: Mercedes Benz Group AG - Business segments



Exhibit 110: Mercedes Benz Group AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 111: Mercedes Benz Group AG - Segment focus

10.8 Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 112: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 113: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 114: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 115: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 116: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

10.9 Tata Motors Ltd

Exhibit 117: Tata Motors Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 118: Tata Motors Ltd - Business segments



Exhibit 119: Tata Motors Ltd - Key news



Exhibit 120: Tata Motors Ltd - Key offerings



Exhibit 121: Tata Motors Ltd - Segment focus

10.10 Tesla Inc.

Exhibit 122: Tesla Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 123: Tesla Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 124: Tesla Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 125: Tesla Inc. - Segment focus

10.11 Toyota Motor Corp

Exhibit 126: Toyota Motor Corp - Overview



Exhibit 127: Toyota Motor Corp - Business segments



Exhibit 128: Toyota Motor Corp - Key news



Exhibit 129: Toyota Motor Corp - Key offerings



Exhibit 130: Toyota Motor Corp - Segment focus

10.12 Volkswagen AG

Exhibit 131: Volkswagen AG - Overview



Exhibit 132: Volkswagen AG - Business segments



Exhibit 133: Volkswagen AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 134: Volkswagen AG - Segment focus

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 135: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 136: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 137: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 138: Research methodology



Exhibit 139: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 140: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 141: List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

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SOURCE Technavio
The culinary icon will be featured in upcoming ORIGIN campaigns and making appearances on behalf of the brand

STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The original master chef, Wolfgang Puck, is joining BlueTriton Brand's premium ORIGIN spring water brand as an Ambassador. The award-winning restaurateur, who has been a favorite of Presidents and celebrities alike, brings his discerning taste to the ORIGIN Refreshingly American Spring Water brand.

"We are very excited to welcome world-renowned master chef, Wolfgang Puck to our team as an ambassador for the ORIGIN brand," says Origin brand lead Brittany Lewis "His refreshingly American entrepreneurial spirit speaks to the core of our values of crafting a better and more purposeful world."

Master Chef Wolfgang Puck's newest venture Tweet this

"I am excited to be joining the ORIGIN team," says Puck. "I have always focused on fresh, local ingredients because I believe they are the key to great flavor and a unique dining experience. BlueTriton and ORIGIN bring that quality experience with their spring-to-table water."

As the newest face of ORIGIN, fans of Puck will soon be able to see him make public appearances and be featured across platforms in social media and video campaigns.

About ORIGIN

We all have a unique story to tell. And now more than ever that story is one of connection and purpose . Resilience and determination. Innovation and creativity. And with these stories, we help re-define what being Refreshingly American truly means.

ORIGIN is a new brand that has its own unique story to share as a Refreshingly American Spring Water . Sourced and bottled in the U.S., ORIGIN is truly spring-to-table so none of the goodness of nature is lost. With a crisp, refreshing taste, we are the brand of choice for those looking for a small spark during the day to naturally refresh, refuel, and inspire the innate quest for potential and possibility.

ORIGIN is also available in sparkling varieties. Enhanced with the perfect balance of fine bubbles that tingle on the tongue and naturally occurring electrolytes for a crisp, clean taste, ORIGIN Sparkling 100% Natural Spring Water provides an exceptional drinking experience that can help elevate any occasion. With Lime, Berries and unflavored options available in beautifully designed and recyclable aluminum cans that add a special touch.

Our Commitment

Not only do we 100% source, bottle and can ORIGIN in America, we also help conserve the spring sources where our water comes from. Nature isn't just beautiful, it's precious. From the design of our bottles and cans, to the care we put into helping to conserve our springs, we are devoted to bringing you spring water that provides an exceptional drinking experience for any occasion.

About Wolfgang Puck

The world-renowned master chef and restaurateur has carefully crafted a vast empire since the early 1980s which includes fine dining restaurants, premium catering services, casual restaurants, licensed retail food, houseware products, cookbooks, and media run by three distinct companies - Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Wolfgang Puck Worldwide.

Puck began cooking as a child, at his mother's side. She was a chef in the Austrian town where he was born, and with her encouragement, Wolfgang started his formal training at fourteen years of age.

In 1975, Wolfgang came to Los Angeles and very quickly garnered the attention of the Hollywood elite as chef of Ma Maison in West Hollywood. His dynamic personality and culinary brilliance that bridged tradition and invention made Ma Maison a magnet for the rich and famous, with Wolfgang as the star attraction. From Ma Maison, Wolfgang went on to create his first flagship restaurant, Spago, originally located in West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip. From its opening day in 1982, Spago was an instant success and culinary phenomenon. Wolfgang and Spago earned many accolades during its popular eighteen years in West Hollywood, including winning the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef of the Year, twice, in 1991 and 1998, and the James Beard Foundation Award for Restaurant of the Year in 1994. Wolfgang is the only chef to have won the Outstanding Chef of the Year Award multiple times.

SOURCE Origin
GUANACASTE, Costa Rica, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Merida Capital Holdings LLC, a leading cannabis private equity firm with more than 75 companies in its portfolio, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Azucarera El Viejo, to build a world-class medical cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, and finished goods production facility on its land in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

With the passage of Expediente No 21.388, Costa Rica has legalized the use of cannabis for medical and therapeutic purposes and is in the process of creating regulations around medical cannabis as well as hemp as a food additive. Expediente No 21.388 is designed specifically to offer Costa Rica's population an alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals by allowing patients access to medical cannabis as a treatment for a variety of ailments and conditions, as well as therapeutic use for those suffering from chronic conditions.

By partnering with an established leader in medical cannabis investments, El Viejo will bolster its leadership position in the agricultural production industry by adding medical cannabis to its diverse portfolio that includes both sugar and other finished goods.

"We are thrilled to partner with Merida and to bring premier industry knowledge and experience to our production in Costa Rica," said Alfonso Gomez, Vice President of Azucarera El Viejo.

Tapping El Viejo's leading cogeneration and carbon-friendly methods as well as Merida's vast experience in building medical cannabis facilities, El Viejo and Merida intend to create a sustainable cultivation and production campus that aims to help smaller operators bring products to market for the benefit of Costa Rican patients.

"El Viejo's presence as a well-respected and established operator in both the agricultural and finished goods industries is a perfect complement to Merida's medical cannabis focus," commented Mitch Baruchowitz, Managing Partner of Merida Capital Holdings.

The project is expected to begin in 2023 and will be located on El Viejo's agricultural production site in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The project, which seeks to eventually include manufacturing facilities to assist smaller growers, as well as an innovation lab testing facility, may employ up to 200 people in its first phase, growing to more than 500 employees by the end of its third year.

SOURCE Merida Capital Holdings
Technical training school honored for academic achievement and commitment to industry-aligned education

CANTON, Mich., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MIAT College of Technology-Canton, which is part of the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) family of schools, has been awarded one of the most prestigious institutional achievements given by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), the "School of Distinction" award for 2021-2022.

The "School of Distinction" Award recognizes ACCSC-accredited schools that have demonstrated a commitment to the expectations and rigors of accreditation, as well as a commitment to delivering quality educational programs.

MIAT logo

ACCSC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the designated accrediting body for more than 650 post-secondary, trade and technical schools that serve more than 150,000 students nationwide in a variety of vocational programs each year. Three UTI and MIAT campuses across the country have been recognized as a School of Distinction and ten UTI campuses have been recognized as a School of Excellence by the ACCSC since 2014.

"We strive to maintain the highest standards. Currently 13 of our campuses are classified as a School of Excellence or Distinction. Six of our campuses have achieved this award twice in their history, and one campus has received this award three times in its history," said UTI CEO Jerome Grant. "This 'School of Distinction' designation is a true honor and testament to MIAT employees and their unwavering commitment to our students and industry partners. The best measure of our success is the achievement of our graduates and ability of the employers we serve to secure the trained workforce they require."

"ACCSC is pleased to recognize MIAT in Canton, Michigan as a 2022 School of Distinction and to acknowledge the school's impact in its community and its work toward promoting and enhancing student success in the workforce," said Dr. Michale McComis, ACCSC's Executive Director. "We look forward to celebrating MIAT's significant achievement in earning this award at our Professional Development Conference this month, and it is our hope that the school will carry this success forward for many students to come."

"At MIAT, we are committed to delivering a high-quality education that provides needed industry-aligned training for our students, graduates and employer partners," said Jennifer Paugh, campus president at MIAT Canton. "This award is a true testament to the operational excellence of our campus, and we're proud to be recognized for our state-of-the-industry training programs, exceptional graduation rates and long record of educational success."

MIAT offers students a variety of technical training programs in aviation, industrial maintenance, wind energy, energy technology, robotics and automation, HVACR and welding.

About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.

Founded in 1965 and headquartered in Phoenix, Universal Technical Institute's ( NYSE: UTI) mission is to serve our students, partners, and communities by providing quality education and support services for in-demand careers. Approximately 250,000 students have graduated from one of UTI's 16 campuses located across Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Texas. UTI's campuses are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), while its employer-aligned technical training programs are offered under four brands: Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute / Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute, and MIAT College of Technology. For more information and a complete list of all programs offered, please visit www.uti.edu or follow on LinkedIn @UniversalTechnicalInstitute and on Twitter @news_UTI.

About ACCSC:

Since 1967, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) has been recognized by the United States Department of Education as a reliable authority on educational quality. ACCSC is committed to supporting and enhancing the student educational experience at accredited member institutions, facilitating meaningful workforce development opportunities, and bridging the growing skills gap in the United States. More information on ACCSC is available online at www.accsc.org, @ACCSCAccredits, and facebook.com/accscaccreditation.

Media Contact

Faye Shroff

[email protected]

704.591.4353

SOURCE Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
Rise in number of on-going R&D activities, increase in government support for research and development activities and surge in healthcare expenditure drive the growth of the global microarray market.

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Microarray Market by Product & Services (Consumable, Instruments, Software and Services), by By Type (DNA Microarray, Protein Microarray, Other Microarray), by End User (Research and Academic Institutes, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies, Diagnostic Laboratories, Other End Users): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2031". According to the report, the global microarray industry generated $3.9 billion in 2021, and is anticipated to generate $8.4 billion by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 7.8% from 2022 to 2031.



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Prime determinants of growth

Rise in number of on-going R&D activities, increase in government support for research and development activities and surge in healthcare expenditure drive the growth of the global microarray market. Furthermore, rise in incidence of cancer, the rapidly evolving information and software technology and emerging bioinformatics are considerably contributing toward the market growth. However, limitations of microarray analysis technology and lack of skilled professionals are hindering the microarray market growth. Conversely, the surge in applications of microarray technique in the medical field presents new opportunities in the coming years.

Covid-19 Scenario

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the global microarray market, owing to an increase in demand for microarray technology to detect the molecular tests and for mapping COVID-19 antibody for Covid-19 infection.

Increase in the demand of COVID-19 vaccines led to the rise in the research and development activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. For instance, in April 2020 , JPT Peptide Technologies (JPT) launched the ready-to-use peptide tools to study and profile the immune response towards SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, in May 2020 , the UC Irvine Vaccine R&D Center developed a way to test COVID-19 immunity against 34 coronavirus antigens, or 33 antigens.

The consumable segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on product & services, the consumable segment held the highest market share in 2021, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the global microarray market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. Moreover, the same segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 8.1% from 2022 to 2031. This is attributed to increase in number of on-going R&D activities, surge in government support for expenditure, increase in usage of instruments, and expected launch of pipeline products.

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The DNA microarray segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

Based on type, the DNA microarray segment accounted for the largest share in 2021, contributing to more than two-thirds of the global microarray market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is owing to increase in number of DNA analysis by microarray technology and surge in expenditure in research in the field of DNA microarray analysis. Moreover, the protein microarray segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 8.5% from 2022 to 2031, due to surge in demand for protein microarray analysis and increase in prevalence of diseases such as cancer.

The research and academic institutes segment to witness fastest growth during the forecast period

Based on end user, the research and academic institutes segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 8.5% from 2022 to 2031, owing to high incidence of diseases, increase in prevalence of chronic diseases, and rise in smoking of tobacco. The report also analyzes segments including pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies and diagnostic laboratories.

North America to maintain its dominance by 2031

Based on region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2021, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global microarray market, and is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period. This is due to the presence of large patient population, strong presence of key players, ease of products availability, well developed healthcare infrastructure, favorable expenditure policies in healthcare system and higher number of research, development & innovation activities in the region. Moreover, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 9.9% from 2022 to 2031. This is attributed to the increase in number of cancer affected population and rise in awareness related to microarray analysis in the region.

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Leading Market Players: -

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Arrayit Corporation

bioMerieux SA

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.

Danaher Corporation

Diasorin Group

GE Healthcare

Illumina, Inc.

Invitae Corporation

Merck KGaA

Microarray Inc.

NextGen Sciences

PathogenDx, Inc.

PerkinElmer Inc.

RayBiotech Life, Inc.

Schott Minifab

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc

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Due to the overwhelming success and understanding that the nation's baby formula shortage is not yet resolved, ConceiveAbilities is extending its hugely successful #MilkBankChallenge to the end of 2022 in an effort to feed and nourish as many infants as possible. Launched in May, the initiative has inspired women to donate almost 50,000 ounces of breast milk in just a few short months. For perspective, one ounce of breast milk can feed an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for an entire day.

Because of the #MilkBankChallenge, almost 50,000 ounces of milk have already been donated and we're just getting started

ConceiveAbilities Founder and CEO, Nazca Fontes is proud of what the campaign is accomplishing, "An enormous thank you to everyone for joining forces with us and making such an incredible impact on so many families' lives. Every ounce makes a difference and we're just getting started."

Dr. Berkeley Luck, founder of the breast milk freeze-drying service Milkify, weighs in on the #MilkBankChallenge impact, "Experts around the world agree that breast milk is the optimum source of nutrition for infants. Breast milk is linked to better health outcomes for all infants but it can be life-saving for premature babies in the NICU."

ConceiveAbilities will continue to provide a one-time $250 gift for women who are able to donate their breast milk to milk banks and match any one-time financial contribution to non-profit milk banks up to $250 until the end of 2022. They have also released a tutorial on how to pump, ship and donate breast milk featuring Mothers Milk Bank lactation expert Lenna Gregory to help with the milk donation process.

From using the gift cards to purchase pumping equipment, women continue to share the many ways the gift card helps them continue to pump and donate their much-needed breast milk.

Lisabeth Good was able to replace her sterilizer with her gift card and commit to another 6 months of donating to the Prolacta Bioscience Tiny Treasures Milk Bank in California.

Jessica Bentz dropped off 215 ounces of liquid gold to her local Chicago Mothers Milk Bank of Western Great Lakes after seeing the campaign on The Bump and plans on donating even more. "The one time gift card especially helps since I had to order another pump overnight due to my pump malfunctioning."

ConceiveAbilities surrogate, Heather Slates shared her decision to donate her milk to Ohio Mothers Milk Bank after her surrogacy journey, "I wanted to do something to help other moms who may be struggling and sick babies in the NICU. What a rewarding experience it has been giving to those in need especially with the formula shortage!"

You can make a difference, too! Learn how to join the Milk Bank Challenge today at ConceiveAbilities.com

SOURCE ConceiveAbilities
DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mohr Partners, Inc., a leading global corporate real estate services firm, recently announced the successful sale leaseback of the Republic Finance office building located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Situated near Louisiana State University, the 27,160-square-foot building recently served as Republic Finance's headquarters, with over 200 employees in Baton Rouge.

Mohr Partners, Inc. recently announced the sale leaseback of the Republic Finance office building in Baton Rouge, LA. Tweet this Republic Finance in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The company signed a 15-year lease (plus multiple options) as part of the sale, committing to the site as it builds a new headquarter in Plano, Texas.

Mohr Partners' Capital Markets division  led by Managing Principal/Shareholder Eric Beichler, Managing Director Trent Smith and Managing Director Grant Palmer  sourced and worked the opportunity to a local buyer in Louisiana.

"We were very pleased with the work of our national real estate provider Mohr Partners, Inc., and their team in assisting us with a successful sale-leaseback transaction of our Baton Rouge facility," Republic Finance Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Mark Freeman said.

The property sits just minutes from the Towne Center at Cedar Lodge, a 350,000-square-foot shopping center, and the Louisiana Farm Bureau's brand new 84,000-square-feet office.

The building also features sustainable design aspects, including a high-efficiency HVAC system, high-performance exterior glass, a high-albedo roofing system, Kone EcoDisc elevators, exterior solar shading devices, high performance lighting fixtures and Levitron lighting control system.

Additionally, the property is well-connected to local and national transportation infrastructure, boasting easy access to the local Capital Area Transit System, Interstate 10  one of the largest interstates in the U.S.  Interstate 12 and U.S. Route 190.

Mohr Partners exclusively represented the buyer in the transaction. Additional terms of the sale were not disclosed.

About Mohr Partners, Inc. Mohr Partners, Inc. is a global corporate real estate advisor, providing corporate tenants with an integrated set of portfolio services including strategic planning, business intelligence, lease administration/accounting & FASB ASC 842 compliance, research and site selection, labor analytics, project and construction management, comprehensive demographics analysis, economic incentives negotiations and transaction management. Since 1986, Mohr Partners has been managing real estate portfolios for corporations, and each year completes transactions for its clients in all 50 U.S. states, all provinces of Canada and locations around the world. Mohr Partners seamlessly provides corporate real estate services globally through its strategic alliance partners in Canada, Mexico/Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information on Mohr Partners, please visit www.mohrpartners.com.

SOURCE Mohr Partners, Inc.
Increased Frequency of Allergies and Respiratory Infections to enhance Nasal Spray Demand, expected to reach US$ 6 Billion by 2032. Nasal spray market in Europe is expected to display a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period. By distribution channel, the retail segment is expected to have captured about 54% of the global nasal spray market

NEWARK, Del., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global nasal spray market is likely to exhibit a CAGR of 6.5% while procuring US$ 6 Billion during the forecast period. Changing lifestyles across the globe, enhanced patient compliance, expanding geriatric population, and increasing pollution levels are expected to augment the market size in the forecast period. Increased demand for self-administration will offer remunerative opportunities for the global nasal spray market to expand through the assessment period. Also, various advantages provided by nasal sprays like painless drug delivery, better patient convenience, and easy availability are other vital factors promoting the market during the forecast period.

Also, growing equipment approvals by regulatory bodies are expected to benefit the market in the forecast period. For instance, in March 2019, FDA approved Spravato nasal spray for curing adult patients with treatment-resistant depression. In 2018, FDA revealed that about 7.4 million adults suffer from treatment-resistant depression in the U.S which widens the scope of suicidal tendencies and hospitalizations. The nasal spray offers drugs in an easy way since it comprises active ingredients and medications which are dissolved in solutions.

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Players in the market are taking various initiatives to develop the market in the forecast period. Increasing investment in R&D to offer innovative products in the market is likely to prepare a conducive environment for market growth during the forecast period. For instance, in February 2022, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a renowned pharmaceutical company, and Canadian pharmaceutical company SaNOtize Research & Development Corp announced the launch of its Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray under the brand name FabiSpray  in India. The product aims to kill the COVID-19 virus in the upper airways. Such initiatives are expected to augment the market size in the assessment period.

However, nasal may spray result in itchiness, redness, and swelling in the nose, leading to reduced consumption, thus, hindering the market expansion. Further, the regulatory obstructions owing to strict laws for the sales of drugs in countries such as Russia and Mexico are likely to be another potential factor controlling the market growth. For instance, the regulatory authority of Mexico, COFEPRIS, set forth new guidelines for permitting registrations of generic drugs, which is not inclusive of patents of new therapeutic uses in its linkage system

Key Takeaways from the Market Study:

The global nasal spray market is expected to secure a market value worth US$ 3.2 Billion in 2022.

in 2022. The nasal spray market in Europe is expected to display a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period.

is expected to display a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period. In 2021, the retail segment is expected to have captured about 54% of the global nasal spray market.

The nasal spray market in North America is expected to display a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period.

Manufacturers are focusing on introducing nasal sprays capable of administering drug formulations with high efficacy and potency. Hence, the introduction of robust product lines has become a reality, leading to a host of new product launches and innovations, remarks an analyst at FMI.

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Competition Analysis:

Key players in the global nasal spray market include Astra Zeneca Plc., Cipla Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Limited), Glaxosmithkline Plc., Novartis International AG, Procter & Gamble, Sanofi S.A. (Sanofi-aventis LLC.), Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, AdvaCare Pharma, Bayer AG (Bayer Consumer Health, Covis Pharma S.a.r.l., Nipro Corporation (NIPRO JMI Pharma Ltd.), Viatris Inc. (Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc.), Perrigo Company plc, AptarGroup, Inc., Berry Global, Inc., URSATEC GmbH, Gerresheimer AG, Bona, Avantor, VWR International, LLC, Spectrum Laboratory Products, Inc. (Spectrum Pharmacy Products), SKS Bottle & Packaging, Inc., and Coster Tecnologie Speciali S.p.A.

Recent Updates from the Industry:

In October 2021 , Cipla's consumer health arm announced an anti-viral nasal spray called Naselin, which contains 'povidone Iodine' to protect against coronavirus and respiratory tract infections.

, Cipla's consumer health arm announced an anti-viral nasal spray called Naselin, which contains 'povidone Iodine' to protect against coronavirus and respiratory tract infections. In August 2021 , CDMO Bora Pharmaceuticals Laboratories Inc. announced its partnership with Kyowa Pharmaceuticals Industry Co. Ltd. The initiative aims to manufacture generic products, including nasal sprays, in Japan .

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More Valuable Insights:

Future Market Insights, in its new offering, presents an unbiased analysis of the global nasal spray market, presenting a historical analysis from 2017 to 2021 and forecast statistics for the period of 2022-2032.

The study reveals essential insights on the basis of by Product (Decongestant Sprays, Nasal Steroid Sprays, Nasal Antihistamine Sprays, Nasal Cromolyn Sodium Sprays, Nasal Anticholinergic Sprays, Nasal Triamcinolone Sprays) by Formulation (Aqueous, Hydroalcoholic, Nonaqueous-Based Solution, Suspension, Emulsions, Dry Powder/Micro particles), by Packaging (Pressurized Canisters, Pump Bottles), by Distribution Channel (Institutional Sales, Retail Sales), & Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America).

Key Players:

Astra Zeneca Plc.

Cipla Ltd.

Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Limited)

Glaxosmithkline Plc.

Novartis International AG

Procter & Gamble

Sanofi S.A. (Sanofi-aventis LLC.)

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH

AdvaCare Pharma

Bayer AG (Bayer Consumer Health

Covis Pharma S.a.r.l.

Nipro Corporation (NIPRO JMI Pharma Ltd.)

Viatris Inc. (Meda Pharmaceuticals Inc.)

Perrigo Company plc

Key Segments Profiled in The Nasal Spray Market Report

Product:

Decongestant Sprays

Nasal Steroid Sprays

Nasal Antihistamine Sprays

Nasal Cromolyn Sodium Sprays

Nasal Anticholinergic Sprays

Nasal Triamcinolone Sprays

Formulation:

Aqueous

Hydroalcoholic

Nonaqueous-Based Solution

Suspension

Emulsions

Dry Powder/Micro particles

Packaging:

Pressurized Canisters

Pump Bottles

Distribution Channel:

Institutional Sales

Hospitals

Community Clinics

Specialty Clinics

Public Health Agencies

Veterinary Hospitals & Clinics

Retail Sales

Retail Pharmacies

Drug Stores

Mail Order Pharmacy

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Table of Content

1. Executive Summary

1.1. Global Market Outlook

1.2. Demand Side Trends

1.3. Supply Side Trends

1.4. Technology Roadmap

1.5. Analysis and Recommendations

2. Market Overview

2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy

2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations

3. Key Market Trends

3.1. Key Trends Impacting the Market

3.2. Product Innovation & Development Trends

4. Key Inclusions

4.1. Disease Epidemiology by Key Region

4.2. Application Analysis By Pump Types

4.2.1. Single-Dose Pumps

4.2.1.1. Migraine

4.2.1.2. Vaccines Delivery

4.2.1.3. Cancer Pain

4.2.1.4. Vitamin Deficiency

4.2.1.5. Drug Overdose

4.2.2. Multi-Dose Pumps

4.2.2.1. Allergy

4.2.2.2. Allergic Rhinitis

4.2.2.3. Common Cold

4.2.2.4. Sinusitis

4.2.2.5. Others

4.3. Regulatory Overview

4.4. Production Capacity/Consumption Analysis

TOC Continued..!

Have a Look at Healthcare Domain Related Research Reports:

Steroid-Free Nasal Sprays Market Size: The global steroid-free nasal sprays market was valued at US$ 7.7 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach US$ 14.9 Bn by 2032

Migraine Nasal Spray Market Growth: Migraine Nasal Spray Market is seen to have lucrative growth during the given forecast period 2021-2031

Nasal Antihistamines Market Outlook: global Nasal Antihistamines Market was valued at US$ 1.8 Bn in 2020 and is expected to register a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period 2021-2031

Nasal Packing Devices Market Share: Nasal packing devices market is expected to reach a market valuation of US$ 182.03 Million by the year 2022

Nasal Implant Market Analysis: North America dominates the global market for Nasal Implant due to high adoption rate and diagnosis rate, followed by Western Europe

ABOUT FUTURE MARKET INSIGHTS, INC.

Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and is headquartered in Delaware, USA. A recipient of Clutch Leaders Award 2022 on account of high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries.

Contact:

Future Market Insights, Inc.

Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive,

Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA

T: +1-845-579-5705

Enquiries: [email protected]

Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/nasal-spray-market

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/FMI_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Future Market Insights
LONG ISLAND, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- National Business Capital, the leading FinTech marketplace offering small business loans and competitive financing options, secured a combined $11 million in capital to support an entrepreneur looking to take their operation to the next level

The client, an apparel wholesaler, supplies major retailers with many of the clothes and shoes you're wearing today, but they couldn't purchase their inventory fast enough because of cash flow constraints from expedited growth.

The supply chain issues that have plagued businesses since the pandemic are still evident today. All business owners are having difficulty finding the materials they need to meet the demand of their clients, especially those in retail distribution.

Coming across a vendor for products has become a needle in a haystack situation. Anyone who finds one will have to place an order quickly or risk losing out to another business in their industry, making the ability to access capital extremely important for entrepreneurs staying competitive and winning business.

With growth on the horizon, they needed to access a significant amount of capital to increase their buying power and fulfill the demand of their clients. They reached out to their bank and found that they were growing too fast for their lending capabilities, so they came to National for a financing solution to continue their growth.

National collaborated with their current bank, brought them up to speed, and worked in tandem to secure a separate $7 million revolving line of credit facility, as well as an additional $4 million term loan. Due to the collaboration, the client was able to continue working with their bank, too, which eliminated any potential disruption in their daily operations.

Now, with their new facilities in place, our client is positioned to achieve a new level of buying power. This will help them fulfill the demand of their clients, prevent them from missing out on new revenue opportunities, and, more importantly, support their continued growth in the apparel industry.

National's team, including CEO Joe Camberato, was instrumental in getting the deal across the finish line. "Financing of this caliber isn't easy to achieve, especially in the current economic climate. This deal was possible due to years of financing relationships," says Camberato. "There's a reason we have 75+ lenders on the platform. It's not about receiving just any approval; It's about finding the right lenders to help support your growth."

"I want to give notable praise to my team. Our years of partnerships with lenders really shine through here, but having a team of seasoned finance professionals to support the transaction was more than a contributing factor in the success as well." Camberato continues.

At National, we have immense respect for entrepreneurs who succeed despite challenging times. Our client navigated successfully through the pandemic and its respective lockdowns, and they're now able to grow even further with $11 million in capital.

"Business is built on relationships, and financing relationships are one of the most important in an economy with rapidly changing tides. When you need financing, it's more important than ever that you work with a team that has the capability to bring in the right lenders at the right time. If we didn't bring all the right people to the table and work together, this deal would have never happened," Camberato emphasizes.

National Business Capital helps entrepreneurs secure quick and fair financing to save time and cultivate sustainable growth.

Their stress-free online platform is designed for simplicity and speed, helping business owners go from application to approval in a matter of hours. And while they remain a leader in the Fintech industry, our clients agree it's our personalized service and award-winning team that sets us apart.

From SBA loans to lines of credit, equipment financing, and more, business owners can access all the different financing programs available to them in one place. Through their streamlined process, they have helped clients secure over $2 billion in financing since 2007, and, more importantly, they've helped entrepreneurs save a tremendous amount of time and grow faster.

National has secured $2 billion in competitive financing through 25,000+ transactions since 2007. Their mission of "Driving Growth for All" is evident in all of their work, from their partners and clients to the members of their team. Innovative technology and talented team members combine to create a business financing machineone that is constantly evolving and looking to improve its client-focused process. Entrepreneurs have a friend, ally, and financing partner in National, regardless of the economic conditions around them.

About National Business Capital

National Business Capital is a top-rated FinTech financial firm that offers small business loans to small businesses looking for growth capital. Harnessing the power of innovative technology and smart people, National Business Capital has streamlined the approval process to secure over $1 billion in financing for small business owners to date. Its expert Business Financing Advisors work within a 75+ Lender Marketplace to secure easy access to the best low-interest SBA loans, short and long-term loans and business lines of credit. We strengthen local communities one small business loan at a time. For every deal we fund, we donate 10 meals to Feeding America!

For more information, visit http://www.NationalBusinessCapital.com; email [email protected], or call (888) 488-GROW.

PRESS CONTACT

Lauren Coppolone

631-387-4163

SOURCE National Business Capital
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement from Jen Judson, President of the National Press Club and Gil Klein, President of the National Press Club Journalism Institute on the murder, September 11, of two Haitian journalists: Frantzsen Charles and Tayson Lartigue.

"We call on the Haitian government to do everything in its power to bring to justice the killers of Frantzsen Charles and Tayson Lartigue. These two journalists were reportedly ambushed by the G9 gang after interviewing the parents of a teenager who had been killed in gang violence in the Cite Soleil section of Port Au Prince. Several other journalists with them were attacked but managed to escape. The bodies of Charles and Lartigue were burned by the gang members. Our hearts go out to their families and colleagues.

"This brings to five the number of Haitian journalists killed so far this year. While the situation in Haiti is difficult for many people, we urge all members of Haitian society including government officials and gang members to respect the vital need for journalists their work unimpeded and without fear of violence."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists The Club has 3,000 members and is an outspoken advocate for press freedom worldwide.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.

Contact: Bill McCarren for the National Press Club, 202-662-7534

SOURCE National Press Club
Las Vegas born Fetching Foods is opening a new higher capacity manufacturing facility to produce their signature ultra-premium raw dog and cat meals.

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fetching Foods Inc will have it's grand opening at their new facility 3111 S. Valley View Blvd #O-101, Las Vegas NV 89102. The grand opening is slated to be held on September 22, 2022 at 10am.

The opening of their new facility will include a ribbon-cutting, tour, a presentation from Clark County Commissioners and Senator Jackie Rosen's office. Refreshments will be served.

Kiesha Allison, President, said, "I'm delighted to be a part of the diversification of Las Vegas' economic base by adding a manufacturing business, employing food workers impacted by the pandemic, expanding their skill set, and setting an example of what it means to be a strong female leader to our workers, vendors, and customers."

"We have a niche in the market that no one else occupies," said Troy Allison CEO. "Our growth rate has been in the triple digits for the last four years because there is no product on the market that approaches our level of quality. We're use exceptionally high-end human-grade ingredients that are all natural and minimally processed. Along with a scientifically created formula, our food is truly healing. Customers across the country see the difference in their pets and word spreads fast when you have a revolutionary product that really works."

Fetching Foods is handcrafted. Over 20 different varieties of Meats come from the USA, with the exception of some specialty items from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. All meats are non-GMO, hormone free, humanely raised USDA certified (or the equivalent) for humans. Our packaging is recyclable. Once made it's delivered or shipped directly to your door in all 50 states.

We offer standard formulations that are either gently cooked or raw, or you can design a completely custom food for your pet's specific needs.

For more information you can contact Troy Allison, [email protected], 775-487-7387, www.fetchingfoods.com.

Fetching Foods is a veteran and minority owned business.

Additional Information

American Business Women's Day  September 22, 2022

Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week - September 18-24, 2022

SOURCE Fetching Foods
PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An astounding 498,000 primarily Black and Hispanic students who attend 639 high schools across the United States will have access to a personal finance course thanks to a one-time grant to nonprofit Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF) from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand.

The grant is modeled after NGPF's Financial Equity and Empowerment (FEE) Grant program, which began in 2020 as part of the organization's commitment to increase access to financial education within school districts serving majority Black and Hispanic students.

Through the FEE Grant program, NGPF partners with the largest U.S. public school systems who share a commitment to increasing the financial capability of their students. Funds support a dedicated Personal Finance Specialist, who will work locally to provide curriculum support and professional development to teachers in their district with ongoing assistance from NGPF.

Additionally, the Jordan grant provides for extras such as an expansion of NGPF's online curriculum offerings and the creation of student investment clubs coordinated via the personal finance specialists in cooperation with teachers.

Financial Equity and Empowerment (FEE) Grant recipients supported by the 2022 Jordan grant include the Fund for Public Schools, which supports New York City Public Schools; Philadelphia Financial Scholars, which supports public high schools in Philadelphia; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; Fulton County Schools (Atlanta, Ga.); Guilford County Schools (Greensboro, N.C.); and Detroit Public Schools Community District.

These school systems were chosen not only because of their large number of students, but also because the percentage of Black and Hispanic students ranges from 56-95 percent, furthering the impact of the grant.

"This grant has the opportunity to change the financial trajectory of historically excluded communities across the United States," said Tori Mansfield, NGPF's Senior Program Manager, who leads this grant initiative. "Students will graduate understanding how to maintain good credit, invest in the stock market, and prepare financially for life after high school."

A study conducted by Montana State University's Dr. Carly Urban of nearly 12,000 public high schools serving more than 12 million high schoolers shows access to financial education courses to be inequitable, especially for Black, Hispanic and low-income students.

Excluding the eight states that have fully implemented a one semester high school personal finance course guarantee for all students, she found that just one in nine students in the rest of the nation will receive financial education prior to graduation.

However, this number dips to one in 20 students in schools with more than 75 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-priced lunch or more than three-quarters Black and Hispanic student populations.

One study from economist Daniel Mangrum found that among first-generation or low-income students who had taken such a course, loan repayment was higher, which suggests those students were more likely to have finished college and found a higher-paying job. Another study found after personal finance education is required, credit scores go up and delinquency rates go down.

"We are amazed by the generosity of Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand, which will increase access to this essential course and build financial capability for the next generation," said NGPF Co-Founder Tim Ranzetta.

This institutional grant to NGPF was made through Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand's 10-year, $100 million Black Community Commitment (BCC). Established in 2020, this joint commitment is designed to drive sustainable solutions and systemic change for Black communities through investments centered in economic justice, education, narrative change and social justice. The BCC's institutional grantees are leading the way to create a world in which Black people can thrive.

About Next Gen Personal Finance

Next Gen Personal Finance is a nonprofit organization with a mission to guarantee that by 2030 ALL students will take a one semester personal finance course before graduating high school. To support that mission, NGPF provides middle and high school educators with everything they need to teach financial skills with confidence, at no cost. This consists of ready-to-use financial literacy curriculaincluding personal finance, math, and economics collections with Spanish translationsas well as free professional development training. Learn more at www.ngpf.org.

Media Contact:

Tori Mansfield

Senior Program Manager

Next Gen Personal Finance

[email protected]

SOURCE Next Gen Personal Finance
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurovation Labs, Inc., a biotechnology company targeting physiological biomarkers of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 11,439,715, on September 13, 2022. The patent, entitled "Compositions and Methods to Detect GluA1 in Brain and to Identify the Presence of GluA1-Mediated Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Other Neurological Disorders," is directed to novel radiotracer compositions as well as methods for detecting GluA1 and GluA1-containing central nervous system receptors.

"The compounds protected by this patent are part of a series of radiotracers that Neurovation Labs is developing to enable objective diagnosis of brain disorders and to better evaluate the mechanisms underlying PTSD and other brain traumas. These compounds and the corresponding methods covered by the patent represent a novel, targeted approach to mental healthcare where we may definitively detect central nervous system disorders," said Dr. Jennifer Perusini, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the company. "We aim to visualize, measure, and subsequently alleviate wounds in patients that were previously considered invisible."

This patent is owned solely by Neurovation Labs and is the second issuance from a broader intellectual property portfolio stemming from the company's research and development. The company is currently exploring applications and extensions of its technology to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and micro-TBI, with support from a U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract.

About Neurovation Labs, Inc.

Neurovation Labs is a biotechnology company revolutionizing the way psychiatric disorders are diagnosed and treated, with an initial focus on PTSD. Founded in 2016, the company is leveraging a major brain biomarker discovery to develop two products: (1) a molecular diagnostic and (2) a companion targeted treatment. Both products are in preclinical development and have the potential to transform PTSD healthcare.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include statements about the Company's products, its intellectual property, and the Company's approach and objectives. We have attempted to identify these statements by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimate," "expect," and "intend," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Neurovation Labs' current expectations and actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, risks, and uncertainties, such as the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals including from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the impact of changes in global economic conditions, the company's need for additional financing, risks associated with data analysis and reporting, risks related to the progress of pre-clinical and clinical research and development, and uncertainties of intellectual property protection and litigation, among others. As with all pharmaceutical and biotechnology products under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval, and commercialization processes. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date thereof. Neurovation Labs undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this presentation, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by the federal securities laws.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Neurovation Labs Inc.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspiring journalists can apply now for a new scholarship that provides free housing and a monthly stipend to support student journalists of color who plan to intern at news media outlets in Washington, D.C., in spring 2023.

Applications are open for the National Press Club's new Lewis Scholarship, which aims to improve accessibility to experiential learning opportunities in the nation's capital for students of color. This scholarship, administered through the National Press Club Journalism Institute, will extend the Lewis family's commitment to increasing representation in Washington, D.C., to include news media, adding to their work founding and operating the Washington Intern Student Housing program and the HBCU National Center.

The deadline to apply for the Spring 2023 Lewis Scholarship is Thursday, October 20. Application instructions, including eligibility requirements, are available here .

The $4,000 scholarship will be awarded each spring, summer, and fall semester to a student journalist of color who demonstrates a commitment to a journalism career in the nation's capital. The recipient also will receive housing, valued at $6,000 per semester, through the Washington Intern Student Housing program.

The Lewis Scholarship program was established on April 15, 2022, by the family of former Washington correspondent Robert "Bob" D.G. Lewis to honor Mr. Lewis's tenacity, dedication to investigative journalism, and involvement in leading journalism organizations.

"Experiential learning is so important to students gaining insight into the real world and workplaces outside of home and school", said Jacqueline Lewis. "We're so happy to create this program with the National Press Club to help young journalists who might not otherwise be able to gain access to internships in Washington, D.C. Getting people up on the ladder is the first step to a more representative workforce."

The scholarship will be open to currently enrolled college students of color in their junior or senior year of undergraduate study who are at least 18 years old and have at least a 3.0 grade-point average. Graduating seniors may apply for this scholarship if their internship takes place in the semester immediately following graduation.

Students must independently secure an on-site journalism internship in Washington, D.C., to take place during the semester they would receive the scholarship. If applying for a spring or fall scholarship, scholarship recipients also must be enrolled in online classes at their college or university during their time in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Lewis was a longtime Washington correspondent for Michigan's Booth newspaper chain who retired as a senior editor at Newhouse. Lewis served as chairman of the National Press Club's Board of Governors from 1975 to 1977. He was president of the Society of Professional Journalists from 1985 to 1986 and chairman of its Freedom of Information Committee from 1978 to 1983.

Founded in 1908, The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute , the club's non-profit affiliate, promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement.

If you'd like promotional materials to share with student journalists in your network, please let us know .

For information on National Press Club scholarships, visit our website or email the National Press Club Journalism Institute at [email protected] .

Contact: Beth Francesco, deputy executive director, [email protected]

SOURCE National Press Club Journalism Institute
BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is expanding its capabilities with the creation of a New York investment sales team led by real estate veteran David E. Ash. Highly regarded in the industry for his personal touch and strategic deal matchmaking, Ash is recognized for delivering a highly curated service to his clients that focuses solely on their needs. As managing director, Ash's deep knowledge of the New York market will be paramount as he builds out and manages Walker & Dunlop's investment sales efforts across all asset classes in New York.

New York Real Estate Game Changes with Walker & Dunlop's Launch of Investment Sales Team Led by David E. Ash

"David's entrepreneurial track record with institutional buyers and his thoughtful approach to business will be invaluable as we grow our team. His strong relationships and independent investment sales background complement the unparalleled expertise of our capital markets financing business in New York," said executive vice president of investment sales, Kris Mikkelsen.

Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Ash founded Prince Realty Advisors, a boutique capital markets and advisory firm based in NYC which executed almost $6 billion in sale transactions over the past 10 years. Ash cultivated and pushed forward a distinct business model at PRA, counseling institutional investors to buy, sell, and creatively structure commercial real estate transactions across all asset classes.

"I am thrilled to join the team and build on the success of the New York capital markets group by expanding WD's investment sales business to include all CRE asset classes. Drawing from my previous expansive platform, we will be able to curate a business approach that will enhance Walker & Dunlop's offerings for new and existing clients," said Ash.

The company's capital markets business grew its transaction volume 170% year over year, from $10.9 billion in 2020 to nearly $30 billion in 2021. Walker & Dunlop's national investment sales team is currently ranked 4th in multifamily broker sales according to Real Estate Alert's H12022 report, with 166% growth year over year.

"Combining David's strategy with our existing market presence, expands our overall platform to better serve clients' needs with the ability to handle debt, equity and investment sales all in one shop. Broadening our New York platform will be a true game changer for the market " said senior managing director and co-head of Walker & Dunlop's New York capital markets team, Aaron Appel.

Ash earned his bachelor's degree in marketing & international business from the NYU Stern School of Business. He was named one of the top ten power brokers in New York and has been nominated twice for most ingenious deal of the year by the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY). He is a member of REBNY, The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and is a CoStar Power Broker.

Outside of work, Ash is the founder and Chairman of an NYC-based nonprofit called Donate Your Time Inc. that matches individuals with volunteer opportunities in their communities.

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.
Class A Multi-Tenant Industrial Building is Expected to Deliver in August 2023

JLL Will Serve as Owner's Leasing Representative

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, North Signal is pleased to announce that onsite construction activity is underway on its fully-entitled light-industrial zoned, 40-acre land parcel. This announcement follows the creation of a new joint venture between North Signal Capital and Fox Capital Partners, and the acquisition of the land in March of this year. North Signal's planned +/- 422,136 SF, Class A multi-tenant industrial building, located at 1000 Imeson Park Boulevard in the Imeson Park submarket of Jacksonville, FL, is expected to deliver in August 2023.

The North Signal planned building, designed for multiple tenants, will match the same Class A standards employed across all of its projects. The facility will be designed to highest institutional standards including tilt-up concrete construction, 36-foot clear height, ESFR sprinkler systems, and includes an above-market 180 striped trailer parking spaces (~43/100,000 SF). To facilitate immediate occupancy North Signal is constructing two (2) 1,000 SF speculative offices at each corner of the building, 25 FC LED Lighting for bulk storage, and purchasing a mix of 35,000 and 40,000 lbs. mechanical dock levelers for all dock-high doors and seals for installation at completion. The project will also benefit from a cohesive design and construction teams. The construction team will be led by Evans General Contractors and include LS3P, England-Thims & Miller (ETM), LJB, and OMNI Partners. North Signal has developed or is developing nearly six million square feet in Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA and Jacksonville, FL with nearly the same key project team. JLL will be the listing agent on the planned spec building. North Signal has partnered again with Synovus Bank to provide construction financing for the project.

"We are excited construction is underway at 1000 Imeson Park Boulevard. Industrial vacancy rates in Jacksonville are approximately 3.0% and the market continues to have exceptional tenant demand. The Port of Jacksonville continues its expansion and population growth is expected to drive net in migration of ~75 people to Jacksonville every day for next 5 years. Further, corporate users are continuing to choose Jacksonville over markets with higher taxes, higher costs of doing business and higher costs of living. As a result, more industrial development is needed. North Signal expects to address Class A space requirements between 80,000 and 150,000 SF. These industrial needs are in particularly short supply across Jacksonville" said Luke Pope, Senior Managing Director, JLL.

North Signal will be represented by Luke Pope and Ross Crabtree at JLL.

For more information on this project please visit, www.imesoncommerce.com.

About North Signal Capital LLC

North Signal Capital LLC is a real estate investment firm that develops, owns and manages functional, flexible and strategically located distribution and manufacturing facilities in the Southeastern US. For more information regarding North Signal Capital LLC, please visit www.northsignal.com.

About Fox Capital Partners

Fox Capital Partners is a real estate investment firm focused exclusively on the industrial sector. Fox Capital manages a series of discretionary funds and separate accounts which invest alongside trusted developers and operators on institutional grade industrial developments and value-add acquisitions. For additional information, please visit www.foxcapitalpartners.com.

About JLL

JLL is a Fortune 500 financial and professional services company specializing in real estate. The company offers comprehensive integrated services on a local, regional, and global basis to owner, occupier, investor, and developer clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying, or investing in real estate.

SOURCE North Signal Capital LLC
IRVING, Texas, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The North Texas Commission has announced recipients of the organization's 2022 Regional Leadership. The awards recognize North Texas organizations and individuals who have had a lasting impact shaping the region.

The North Texas Commission's Regional Awards Selection Committee convened in early August to determine who would receive the awards. Out of more than 50 nominees, nine recipients were selected to receive the Awards, including business leaders, elected officials, civic leaders, and organizations. Honoring the memory of the organization's former president/CEO Dan Petty, the North Texas Commission also established the Dan Petty Regional Visionary Award, announced for the first time during the Commission's 51st Annual Members' Luncheon.

"These nine unique awards represent the significance of our region's public and private sector leaders and the importance of collaboration in North Texas. These past few years have reminded us that we are better together as we work as one, unified region to tackle our challenges and work on future growth opportunities," said Chris Wallace, the NTC's President and CEO.

Recipients of the 2022 Regional Leadership Awards are:

Civic Leadership Award: Dr. Susan Bohn, Aledo ISD  In addition to serving as Superintendent of Aledo ISD, Dr. Bohn is an engaged and active member of her North Texas community. By forging meaningful relationships with leaders in the region, she has created strategies to help boost economic development and collaboration.

Corporate/Organization Leadership Award: DFW International Airport  DFW Airport serves as a major economic generator for the North Texas region. The organization supports over 200,000 full-time jobs, promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion through programs like their Capacity Building Program Series, and works to enhance infrastructure development through various sustainable design projects such as the Terminal D expansion, which incorporated sustainable approaches and products to reduce energy usage.

Diversity Leadership Award: Wendy Lopez, AECOM  As one of the most significant female leaders within AECOM, Wendy Lopez has had the power to influence positive change across the region. As a gay female in a male-dominated industry, Wendy has worked with her peers and colleagues to help grow AECOM's diversity, equity, and inclusion focus. As a top female executive in North Texas, Wendy has been able to encourage members of the LGBTQ community and young engineers to be themselves.

Education Leadership Award: Dr. James Hurley, Tarleton State University  Since becoming president of Tarleton State University in 2019, Dr. Hurley has shown his commitment to education. Through the creation of partnerships with regional school districts and two-year colleges, he has deepened the university's commitment to educational attainment and affordability for all North Texas students.

Elected Official Leadership Award: Councilmember Adam McGough, City of Dallas  Throughout time as a Dallas City Councilmember, Adam McGough has made significant contributions to the North Texas region. McGough has served on the City of Dallas's Public Safety committee, Regional Transportation Council, and TEX-21. During his time as an elected official, Councilmember McGough has championed the voice of the underrepresented and has been known to bridge gaps, provide solutions, and mitigate disagreement and dissension inside of his council.

Philanthropy Award: Anthony Mbroh, Mbroh Engineering  Anthony Mbroh, PE, is an advocate and a leader who has devoted his time to supporting various North Texas non-profit organizations over the past 25 years. Tony's philanthropic endeavors include mentoring disadvantaged students, donating his time to help small businesses grow, and supporting the ongoing education at the University of Dallas.

Social Impact Award: University Crossroads, The University of Texas at Arlington  For more than three decades, University Crossroads has been helping students navigate the road to higher education by providing services that focus on college awareness, readiness, and access; career exploration; and financial literacy. Through the help of community partners, the organization is able to offer these services free of charge to more than 40,000 students annually across North Texas.

Rising Star Award: Kyle Riley, HNTB  Kyle Riley has not only become a leader in the HNTB organization but as a rising leader in the Dallas-Fort Worth community. Kyle currently leads the HNTB Fort Worth office, has been appointed to the Downtown FTW Inc. board, is an Leadership North Texas Alumnus, and participates in several local chambers. As he continues to rise in his career, Kyle will continue to make a positive impact in the region.

Dan Petty Regional Visionary Award: Victor Vandergriff  Recognizes a visionary leader who has demonstrated a history of pioneering solutions across a wide spectrum of sectors and needs.

Established in 1971, the North Texas Commission is a unique public-private partnership that drives large impactful projects and legislative issues benefiting a robust 13-county region, and tackles the region's greatest challenges with board and staff subject matter experts who provide resources to market the region and educate future leaders. The Commission also manages the region's unified advocacy voice at the state and federal levels.

Contact Information

Kayleigh Maddie

Alpha Business Images, LLC

[email protected]

832-691-9390

SOURCE North Texas Commission
Patricia Obo-Nai, Vodafone Ghana; Jayshree V. Ullal, Arista Networks; and Wendell P. Weeks, Corning Incorporated to headline the industry's premier event for optical communications, telecom and data center optics

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2023 Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) will be held 05-09 March 2023 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, USA. OFC is the premier conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals. This year's conference will be a hybrid format with in-person and virtual components to meet the unique needs of a global audience.

OFC 2023 Plenary Speakers

Patricia Obo-Nai, Chief Executive Officer, Vodafone Ghana; Jayshree V. Ullal, President and Chief Executive Officer, Arista; and Wendell P. Weeks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Corning Incorporated will provide attendees with insight into how revolutionary technologies are shaping our world and the impacts they will have on the industry moving forward. The plenary program is scheduled for Tuesday, 07 March 2003, 08:00-10:00 UTC.

"We believe access to broadband means access to opportunityfrom communication, to education and healthcare," said OFC chairs Christopher Cole, II-Vi Incorporated; Ramon Casellas, Centre Tecnologic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya, and Ming-Jun Li, Corning Incorporated. "We are excited to announce this year's visionary leaders who will explore topics in the future of network buildouts in Ghana, data-driven cloud networking, and reliable high-speed networking."

The five-day technical conference features peer-reviewed presentations and invited speakers, the thought leaders in the industry presenting the highlights of emerging technologies. Additional technical programming throughout the week includes special symposia, special sessions, in-depth tutorials, workshops, panels and the thought-provoking rump session.

Patricia Obo-Nai , Vodafone Ghana

Obo-Nai joined Vodafone Ghana as Chief Technology Officer in January 2011, having previously worked for 14 years in Technology and IT at Tigo Ghana. She has extensive management and leadership experience and was appointed Chief Executive on 1 April 2019 after former roles as Director of Fixed Business, Customer Operations and Acting Director of Consumer Business. Obo-Nai is the first Ghanaian to be appointed CEO of Vodafone Ghana and is highly respected in the telecoms industry in Ghana.

Jayshree V. Ullal , Arista Networks

As President and CEO of Arista for over a decade, Ullal is responsible for Arista's business and thought leadership in cloud networking. She led the company to a historic and successful IPO in June 2014, from zero to a multibillion-dollar business. Formerly Ullal was Senior Vice President at Cisco, responsible for a $10B business in datacenter, switching and services. With more than 30 years of networking experience, she is the recipient of numerous awards including E&Y's "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2015, Barron's "World's Best CEOs" in 2018 and one of Fortune's "Top 20 Business persons" in 2019.

Wendell P. Weeks , Corning Incorporated

Weeks has served as Corning's Chief Executive Officer since April 2005 and Chairman of the Board since April 2007. He has been a member of the company's board of directors since December 2000. Weeks began his career with Corning in 1983 in the finance group. In his 38 years with the company, he has held a variety of financial, business development, commercial, and general management roles, including strategic positions in the company's television, specialty glass, and optical communications businesses.

During his tenure as CEO, he has overseen acquisitions in Optical Communications, Life Sciences, and Display Technologies. He has also played an instrumental role in numerous innovations, including the development of Corning Gorilla Glass. Furthermore, he has earned 33 U.S. patents.

About OFC

The 2023 Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) is the premier conference and exhibition for optical communications and networking professionals. For more than 45 years, OFC has drawn attendees from all corners of the globe to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and move business forward.

OFC includes dynamic business programming, an exhibition of global companies and high impact peer-reviewed research that, combined, showcase the trends that are shaping the entire optical networking and communications industry. OFC is co-sponsored by the IEEE Communications Society (IEEE/ComSoc) and the IEEE Photonics Society and co-sponsored and managed by Optica (formerly OSA). OFC in 2023 will be presented in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual components and will take place 05-09 March 2023 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, USA. Follow @OFCConference on Twitter, learn more at OFC Community LinkedIn, and watch highlights on OFC YouTube.

Media Contacts:

[email protected]

SOURCE The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC)
HOUSTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Opptly, an AI leader and direct sourcing pioneer, has unveiled a refreshed brand reflecting its evolution as a tech company breaking boundaries in the workforce solutions space. Though the company's name and logo have not changed, Opptly's bold new look & feel represent a commitment to addressing clients' hiring challenges head-on with innovation and intent while also making it faster and easier for job seekers to connect with ideal career opportunities.

The new tagline, Talent Search Meets Talent Found, speaks to Opptly's influence in modernizing hiring strategies by combining the company's proprietary, purpose-built AI; intuitive user experience; and expert curation partners. For Opptly clients, the result is expanded access to talent as well as scale, acceleration, and enhanced accuracy of matches. On the other side of the hiring equation, job seekers connect with career opportunities that best fit their skills, experience, workstyle needs, and more, all within an app that aligns with the ways they already use today's direct-connect technologies.

At the heart of Opptly's platform is its sophisticated AI, which leverages best-in-class data engineering and deep machine learning to provide advanced skills-based and success profile matching, career progression models, and more. Clients can enhance the value of their private talent communities by applying Opptly's technology or get immediate access to talent through Opptly's talent community. The combination of both provides the greatest reach to help companies win in an intensely competitive market for talent.

"The workforce solutions space is evolving rapidly. As a market-leading AI platform, Opptly continues to break boundaries and leverage our technology in progressive new ways, and our brand needed to reflect that," said Lori Hock, Opptly CEO. "The new Opptly brand is bolder in the way we look and the way we talk because our offerings are transformative in their ability to accelerate and improve the search for talent. We are a passionate team dedicated to effecting positive change for our clients and candidates through our AI, our focused approach, and our overall commitment to advancing the industry."

Visit Opptly's new website at Opptly.ai.

About Opptly

Opptly has revolutionized the way talent and work connect. With our purpose-built AI, intuitive user experience, and expert curation partners, Opptly has created a single platform that powers our direct sourcing solution and accelerates optimal matches between job seekers and hiring companies. We're changing the course of the workforce industry, using AI to effect positive change, and help companies win in an intensely competitive market for talent.

Talent search meets talent found. Learn more at opptly.ai.

Media Contact:

David Cooper

Internal Communications

Opptly

(817) 999-7093

[email protected]

SOURCE Opptly
Optoma launches new premium IFPDs with Creative Board for enhanced learning experiences and remote collaboration in education and corporate markets

FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Optoma, a world-leading manufacturer of large display solutions and the #1 4K UHD brand and the #1 DLP brand worldwide and in the Americas,* today launched its new Creative Touch Interactive Flat Panel Displays (IFPDs) for education and corporate environments. Offering intuitive and easy to use software, the new 5-Series Interactive Flat Panel Displays feature Creative Board, an enhanced whiteboard with a floating toolbar and several annotation tools, bringing collaborative thinking and idea-sharing to life. With new tools and added functionality, Optoma's IFPDs are the perfect cornerstones for educators and professionals to create and connect their way, enhancing learning and remote collaboration in classrooms, lecture halls, boardrooms and other professional environments.

Optoma Unveils New Premium Creative Touch 5-Series Interactive Flat Panel Displays

Optoma's range of Creative Touch IFPDs are perfectly suited to accommodate the ever-changing needs of educational environments. Designed to support distance learning, the IFPDs allow students to work together in real time from home, in the classroom, or anywhere, maximizing engagement in remote and hybrid learning environments. With the ability to connect to webcams along with Optoma's unique software, the Creative Touch 5-Series IFPDs provide the ultimate collaboration solution.

Customization is front and center with the new IFPDs, which feature several intuitive tools that allow users to modify and tailor the display to their specific needs. The quick-launch pen features a dual-tip, enabling teachers to switch between note taking and highlighting in nearly any color  ensuring lessons flow with ease. Simply take the pen from the holder, and the Creative Board app or annotation mode will launch automatically.

The new Creative Board provides users with greater flexibility by expanding their writing canvas via the infinity canvas feature, spurring creativity and boundless collaboration. The tool also provides users with the ability to move annotations across the screen, allowing teachers, for example, to hide answers to quizzes and then share at a later time. Additionally, users can embed browser pages to the screen, allowing them to pull information such as images and other content directly into the workflow for better productivity.

"The new IFPDs were carefully designed based on customer feedback and the needs of the education and corporate markets, giving educators and business professionals even more customization options and innovative remote tools that foster collaborative classroom, hybrid learning and working environments where lessons and ideas can come to life," said Gordon Healis, business manager, IFPD and LED at Optoma.

Known for their bright, fingerprint resistant panel, ultra-slim bezel, anti-glare glass, and up to 30-point multi-touch capabilities, the new IFPDs deliver incredible interactive features for dynamic lessons, presentations, and creative brainstorm sessions.

Optoma Creative Touch 5-Series Interactive Flat Panel features:

Creative Board with improved floating toolbar, customization tools, and infinity canvas feature for added writing space

Built-in Android system and compatible with popular operating systems, including Windows, Mac and Chrome

Creative Cast Pro app enables simultaneous image, document and screen sharing from up to four devices on the same network

Single sign-on via Google account for easy access to Google Workspace, Google Drive, Dropbox, One Drive, and other connected cloud applications

Customizable, dual-tipped quick launch pen that provides a realistic writing experience and automatically activates the whiteboard application or annotation mode when in use

A value-added solution, Optoma Management Suite Cloud (OMS) is available on the 5-Series IFPDs, offering IT administrators and technicians a real time remote platform to monitor, manage, and diagnose multiple displays simultaneously that are either on the same network or connected through the cloud server. OMS enables technicians to check the status and make configurations to optimize performance and broadcast emergency messages, alerts, or announcements across displays worldwide.

To further support our customers in the U.S., Optoma is offering a five-year product warranty, including onsite service, for purchases made on the Creative Touch 5-Series models 5652RK, 5752RK, 5862RK from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, 2022.

To learn more about the line-up, please visit: https://www.optomausa.com/products/interactive-flat-panel-displays/education

DLP is a registered trademark of Texas Instruments.

OMS is a trademark of Optoma Corporation.

*No.1 4K UHD Brand Worldwide

Data source: PMA Research: Worldwide Projector Census, Y2021 / Q1-Q2, 2022.

*No.1 DLP Brand Worldwide

Data source: PMA Research: Worldwide Projector Census, Y2021 / Q1-Q2, 2022 for projectors +1000 lumens

*No.1 4K UHD Brand in Americas

Data source: PMA Research: Worldwide Projector Census, Y2021 / Q1-Q2, 2022

*No.1 DLP Brand in Americas

Data source: PMA Research: Worldwide Projector Census, Y2021/ Q1-Q2, 2022 for projectors + 500 lumens

About Optoma Technology, Inc.

Optoma combines cutting-edge technology and innovation to deliver remarkable visual display products designed to connect audiences with engaging video experiences. From the company's ProScene projectors and Creative Touch interactive flat panel displays, to LED displays, Optoma's suite of products can meet the demands of nearly any professional environment, including conference rooms and classrooms, digital signage, corporate, houses of worship, retail, simulation environments and control rooms. Optoma Technology is the U.S. headquarters for The Optoma Group, with continental headquarters also in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit optoma.com.

SOURCE Optoma Technology
TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - McLean & Company, the globally trusted partner of HR and business leaders, has published the research-backed resource, titled Uncover the Employee Value Proposition. The up-to-date blueprint offers HR leaders key considerations when addressing current labor market challenges to help them strategically highlight organizational strengths in a compelling and realistic way to both attract and retain the right talent.

A strong employee value proposition (EVP) should be aligned, accurate, aspirational, compelling, clear, and comprehensive in order to best attract and retain talent amidst current labor market challenges, according to McLean & Company's "Uncover the Employee Value Proposition" blueprint. (CNW Group/Mclean & Company)

"Talent attraction and retention challenges exist for all organizations, whether onsite, remote, or hybrid," says Laura Ribadeneira, director, HR Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. "In an effort to combat these obstacles, a realistic and compelling employee value proposition (EVP) should be created."

McLean & Company's blueprint explains that an up-to-date EVP provides a holistic view of the organization's strengths and offerings. It also uncovers the lived experience and organizational offerings that employees highly value, allowing potential and current employees to both assess organizational fit and support acquisition and retention efforts.

With only 5% of organizations offering potential candidates an up-to-date EVP that accurately reflects the current employee experience, HR departments' overall effectiveness at enabling recruiting decreased by 22% between 2021 and 2022, according to McLean & Company's 2022 HR Trends Report. However, 43% of organizations have no plans to revisit their EVP despite the drastic changes to the work environment and the employee experience throughout the pandemic.

"A strong EVP supports recruiting efficiency, performance, retention, and productivity while diminishing turnover and recruitment costs," continues Ribadeneira. "Organizations electing to forego updating and prioritizing their EVPs are doing their recruiting efforts a disservice."

To support organizational and HR leaders in improving their talent attraction and retention strategies, the blueprint from the HR research and advisory firm features a four-step process to develop an up-to-date, organizationally aligned EVP below:

Build a plan to develop the EVP  Identify the goals and success metrics for the EVP, select a project team and determine roles and responsibilities, and create a detailed project plan outlining key activities and timelines. Uncover the EVP  Collect and analyze data from focus groups and existing internal data sources, draft the EVP statements, and develop tailored EVP statements for key employee segments. Evaluate and refine the EVP  Evaluate the uniqueness of the EVP to ensure competitor differentiation, assess the alignment of the EVP with HR programs and policies, collect and integrate employee and candidate feedback into the EVP, and create a short elevator pitch. Implement and sustain the EVP  Create a communications plan to share the EVP internally, plan how to transition into the employer branding project that will promote the EVP, and establish guidelines around the sustainment of the EVP.

To learn more about developing and implementing an up-to-date EVP to improve talent attraction and retention for organizational and HR leaders, download the Uncover the Employee Value Proposition blueprint from McLean & Company.

For more information about McLean & Company or to download the latest research, visit hr.mcleanco.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.

About McLean & Company

Through data-driven insights and proven best-practice methodologies, McLean & Company offers comprehensive resources and full-service assessments, action plans, and training to position organizations to meet today's needs and prepare for the future.

McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and Industry analysts through the ITRG Media Insiders Program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

SOURCE Mclean & Company
DUBLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Healthcare Data Storage Market (2022-2027) by Deployment, Architecture, Type, Storage System, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Healthcare Data Storage Market is estimated to be USD 820.61 Mn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 1794.54 Mn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 16.94%.

Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Healthcare Data Storage Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors.

There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.

Company Profiles

The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are IBM Corp., Fujitsu Ltd., HP Enterprise (HPE), Hitachi, Ltd., Toshiba Corp., Microsoft Corp, etc.

Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.

Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Healthcare Data Storage Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification.

The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global Healthcare Data Storage Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth.

Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Healthcare Data Storage Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description

2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Massive Growth in Digital Data Volume in Healthcare Organizations

4.1.2 Innovative Cloud-based Solutions for Managing Healthcare Data

4.1.3 Increasing Adaption of Electronic Medical Records and Electronic Health Records

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Increasing Healthcare Fraud

4.2.2 Cybercrimes and Privacy Threats

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Increased Need for Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Rising Security Concerns Related to Cloud-based Image Processing and Analytics

4.4.2 Lack of Structured Data



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Regulatory Scenario

5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Healthcare Data Storage Market, By Deployment

6.1 Introduction

6.2 On-Premise

6.3 Hybrid

6.4 On-Cloud



7 Global Healthcare Data Storage Market, By Architecture

7.1 Introduction

7.2 File Storage

7.3 Object Storage

7.4 Block Storage



8 Global Healthcare Data Storage Market, By Type

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Flash & Solid-State Storage

8.3 Magnetic Storage



9 Global Healthcare Data Storage Market, By Storage System

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Storage Area Network

9.3 Direct-Attached Storage

9.4 Network-Attached Storage



10 Americas' Healthcare Data Storage Market

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Argentina

10.3 Brazil

10.4 Canada

10.5 Chile

10.6 Colombia

10.7 Mexico

10.8 Peru

10.9 United States

10.10 Rest of Americas



11 Europe's Healthcare Data Storage Market

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Austria

11.3 Belgium

11.4 Denmark

11.5 Finland

11.6 France

11.7 Germany

11.8 Italy

11.9 Netherlands

11.10 Norway

11.11 Poland

11.12 Russia

11.13 Spain

11.14 Sweden

11.15 Switzerland

11.16 United Kingdom

11.17 Rest of Europe



12 Middle East and Africa's Healthcare Data Storage Market

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Egypt

12.3 Israel

12.4 Qatar

12.5 Saudi Arabia

12.6 South Africa

12.7 United Arab Emirates

12.8 Rest of MEA



13 APAC's Healthcare Data Storage Market

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Australia

13.3 Bangladesh

13.4 China

13.5 India

13.6 Indonesia

13.7 Japan

13.8 Malaysia

13.9 Philippines

13.10 Singapore

13.11 South Korea

13.12 Sri Lanka

13.13 Thailand

13.14 Taiwan

13.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Competitive Quadrant

14.2 Market Share Analysis

14.3 Strategic Initiatives

14.3.1 M&A and Investments

14.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

14.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



15 Company Profiles

15.1 IBM Corp.

15.2 Cloudian

15.3 DataCore Software Corp.

15.4 Dell Inc.

15.5 Drobo, Inc.

15.6 Fujitsu Limited

15.7 HP Enterprise (HPE)

15.8 Hitachi, Ltd.

15.9 Huawei Technologies Co.

15.10 NetApp, Inc.

15.11 Nuance Communications, Inc.

15.12 Pure Storage

15.13 SAMSUNG

15.14 Scality

15.15 Tintri, Inc.

15.16 Toshiba Corp.

15.17 Intel Corp.

15.18 Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

15.19 Rackspace Technology

15.20 Microsoft Corp

15.21 Iron Mountain Inc.



16 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dxnl06

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland Cement Association (PCA) President and CEO Mike Ireland alongside Thomas Guillot, CEO of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), will host a hybrid panel event during New York Climate Week, with attendance available either in-person or online.

Industry leaders, as well as Selwin Hart, Special Advisor to UN Secretary General for Climate Action and Just Transition, will discuss the progress and next steps for the cement-concrete industry to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. (Read more about PCA's Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality here.) The panelists also will address specific policies that are vital in building a green, net zero concrete future, as well as showcase the tools available to stakeholders and policymakers worldwide. Following the event, Mr. Ireland will be available for questions and one-on-one interviews, as will Sean O'Neill, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at PCA. Participants can also tune into the event virtually.

WHERE: Blender Event Space, 135 Madison Avenue, or join us online. Register here.

WHEN: 11:00 AM ET Tuesday, September 20, 2022

WHO:

Keynote - Selwin Hart , Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations for Climate Action and Just Transition

, Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations for Climate Action and Just Transition Jan Jenisch , CEO, Holcim - and President, Global Cement and Concrete Association

, CEO, Holcim - and President, Global Cement and Concrete Association Thomas Guillot , CEO, Global Cement and Concrete Association

, CEO, Global Cement and Concrete Association Ron Henley , President, GCC America and Chairman, Portland Cement Association

, President, GCC America and Chairman, Portland Cement Association Filiberto Ruiz , President and CEO, Votorantim Cimentos North America and Vice Chairman, Portland Cement Association

, President and CEO, Votorantim Cimentos North America and Vice Chairman, Portland Cement Association Mike Ireland , President and CEO, Portland Cement Association

, President and CEO, Portland Cement Association Maria Jose Garcia, Executive Director, Federacion Interamericana del Cemento (FICEM)

REGISTER: Registration can be found here. If you would like to set up a separate interview with Mike Ireland, please contact Remi Braden at [email protected] or Alex Adams at [email protected]

The Portland Cement Association (PCA), founded in 1916, represents 93 percent of U.S. cement production capacity and have facilities in all 50 states. The association promotes safety, sustainability, and innovation in all aspects of construction, fosters continuous improvement in cement manufacturing and distribution and generally promotes economic growth and sound infrastructure investment.

SOURCE Portland Cement Association
Ranking at Number 20 Validates Paradigm's Commitment to Excellence and People-focused Culture

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paradigm, the industry leader in solving catastrophic and complex health care challenges and improving lives, today announced that Great Place to Work and Fortune have honored the company as one of the Best Workplaces in Health CareTM 2022. This is Paradigm's first time being named to this prestigious list, and its strong ranking at number 20 reflects the company's commitment to a positive, diverse, and supportive employee-centric culture.

The Best Workplaces in Health CareTM award is based on an analysis of survey responses from over 161,000 employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations in the health care industry. In that survey, 90% of Paradigm's employees said Paradigm is a great place to work , significantly higher than the average U.S. company's employee assent rate of only 57%.

"This achievement represents Paradigm's dedication to a highly supportive and collaborative company culture." Tweet this

"We are honored to be recognized as one of the best workplaces in health care by Great Place to Work and Fortune," said John S. Watts Jr., CEO, Paradigm. "At Paradigm, our focus is on putting people firstfrom the injured workers and clients we serve to the employees who embody our values and work tirelessly every day to further our mission. As we continue to expand our business with innovative solutions that allow us to serve more people and deliver better health outcomes, this journey is only made possible through the efforts of our dedicated teams."

The Best Workplaces in Health CareTM list is highly competitive. Great Place to Work, the global authority on workplace culture, selected the list using rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback. Companies were only considered if they are a Great Place to Work-Certified organization, a designation that Paradigm received earlier this year.

"This achievement represents Paradigm's dedication to a highly supportive and collaborative company culture that empowers our employees and their teams," said Karen Jones, Chief Human Resources Officer, Paradigm. "One of the core values that guides our company is creating a culture of shared purpose, centered on making a difference and delivering exceptional outcomes for the injured workers and families we serve. As our business grows, we believe our purpose-driven mission will continue to attract top talent that will help us make a positive impact on the lives we touch."

Great Place to Work is the only company culture award in the United States that selects winners based on how fairly employees are treated. Companies are assessed on how well they are creating a great employee experience across race, gender, age, disability status, or any aspect of who employees are or what their role is within the organization.

Learn about the people-focused culture and opportunities for meaningful work at Paradigm .

About Paradigm

Paradigm is an accountable specialty care management organization focused on improving the lives of people with complex and catastrophic injuries and diagnoses. The company has been a pioneer in value-based care since 1991 and has an exceptional track record of generating the very best outcomes for patients, payers, and providers. Deep clinical expertise is the foundation for every part of Paradigm's business, including its risk-based clinical solutions, case management services, high-value specialty networks, home health, and payment integrity programs.

Paradigm is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, with offices across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.paradigmcorp.com .

Media Contact

Ronda Clement

VP of Marketing

[email protected]

(727) 488-9345

SOURCE Paradigm
As per Technavio, the availability of mobile applications will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth.

Personal Finance Software Market: Availability of mobile applications

Improvements in communication services in rural areas have increased the penetration of mobile phones worldwide. In addition, the emergence of low-cost smartphones and the availability of low-cost data packages have increased the number of active internet users. To capitalize on this opportunity, vendors in the market are adopting mobile collaboration services to increase the profitability of their businesses. This trend is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the global personal finance software market during the forecast period.

"The advent of SaaS-based application scheduling software and the availability of fully-automated solutions will further accelerate the growth of the market, says an analyst at Technavio.

Personal Finance Software Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the personal finance software market by end-user (home business users and individual users), product (web-based software and mobile-based software), and geography (North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and the Middle East and Africa).

The North American region led the personal finance software market in 2021, followed by APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa respectively. During the forecast period, the APAC region is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the high adoption of mobile-based personal finance software and the increasing market penetration of global vendors.

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request Sample Report Here

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

Related Reports:

Personal Finance Software Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.24% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 242.41 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 3.92 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 43% Key consumer countries US, Canada, China, Japan, Germany, and Italy Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Alzex software, BankTree Software Ltd, BUXFER Inc., CoinKeeper, CountAbout Corp., doxo Inc., Finicity Corp., HomeBank, Intuit Inc., MechCAD Software, Microsoft Corp., Money Dashboard Ltd., Moneyspire Inc., NCH SOFTWARE Pty Ltd., Personal Capital Corp., PocketSmith Ltd., Quicken Inc., The Infinite Kind, Tiller, and You Need a Budget LLC Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by End-user



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Product



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 09: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 10: Parent market



Exhibit 11: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 12: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 13: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 18: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 19: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 20: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 21: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 22: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 23: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 24: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by End-user

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 25: Chart on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 26: Data Table on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by End-user

Exhibit 27: Chart on Comparison by End-user



Exhibit 28: Data Table on Comparison by End-user

5.3 Home business users - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 29: Chart on Home business users - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Data Table on Home business users - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 31: Chart on Home business users - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 32: Data Table on Home business users - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Individual users - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 33: Chart on Individual users - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Data Table on Individual users - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 35: Chart on Individual users - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 36: Data Table on Individual users - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by End-user

Exhibit 37: Market opportunity by End-user ($ million)

6 Market Segmentation by Product

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 38: Chart on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Product - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Product

Exhibit 40: Chart on Comparison by Product



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Comparison by Product

6.3 Web-based software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 42: Chart on Web-based software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Web-based software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 44: Chart on Web-based software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Web-based software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.4 Mobile-based software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 46: Chart on Mobile-based software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Mobile-based software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 48: Chart on Mobile-based software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on Mobile-based software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.5 Market opportunity by Product

Exhibit 50: Market opportunity by Product ($ million)

7 Customer Landscape

7.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 51: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

8 Geographic Landscape

8.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 52: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

8.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 54: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 55: Data Table on Geographic comparison

8.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 56: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 58: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 60: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 61: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 62: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 64: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 65: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 66: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 68: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 70: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 72: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 74: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 76: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 77: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 78: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 79: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 80: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 82: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 83: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.10 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 84: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 85: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 86: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 87: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 88: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 89: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 90: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 91: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.12 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 92: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 93: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 94: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 95: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.13 Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 96: Chart on Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 97: Data Table on Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 98: Chart on Italy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 99: Data Table on Italy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.14 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 100: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

9.1 Market drivers

9.2 Market challenges

9.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 101: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

9.4 Market trends

10 Vendor Landscape

10.1 Overview

10.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 102: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

10.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 103: Overview on factors of disruption

10.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 104: Impact of key risks on business

11 Vendor Analysis

11.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 105: Vendors covered

11.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 106: Matrix on vendor position and classification

11.3 BankTree Software Ltd

Exhibit 107: BankTree Software Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 108: BankTree Software Ltd - Product / Service



Exhibit 109: BankTree Software Ltd - Key offerings

11.4 BUXFER Inc.

Exhibit 110: BUXFER Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 111: BUXFER Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 112: BUXFER Inc. - Key offerings

11.5 MechCAD Software

Exhibit 113: MechCAD Software - Overview



Exhibit 114: MechCAD Software - Product / Service



Exhibit 115: MechCAD Software - Key offerings

11.6 Microsoft Corp.

Exhibit 116: Microsoft Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 117: Microsoft Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 118: Microsoft Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 119: Microsoft Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 120: Microsoft Corp. - Segment focus

11.7 Money Dashboard Ltd.

Exhibit 121: Money Dashboard Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 122: Money Dashboard Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 123: Money Dashboard Ltd. - Key offerings

11.8 Moneyspire Inc.

Exhibit 124: Moneyspire Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 125: Moneyspire Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 126: Moneyspire Inc. - Key offerings

11.9 Personal Capital Corp.

Exhibit 127: Personal Capital Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 128: Personal Capital Corp. - Product / Service



Exhibit 129: Personal Capital Corp. - Key offerings

11.10 PocketSmith Ltd.

Exhibit 130: PocketSmith Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 131: PocketSmith Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 132: PocketSmith Ltd. - Key offerings

11.11 Quicken Inc.

Exhibit 133: Quicken Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 134: Quicken Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 135: Quicken Inc. - Key offerings

11.12 The Infinite Kind

Exhibit 136: The Infinite Kind - Overview



Exhibit 137: The Infinite Kind - Product / Service



Exhibit 138: The Infinite Kind - Key offerings

12 Appendix

12.1 Scope of the report

12.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 139: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 140: Exclusions checklist

12.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 141: Currency conversion rates for US$

12.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 142: Research methodology



Exhibit 143: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 144: Information sources

12.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 145: List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
NOIDA, India, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights the Plant-based Meat Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 17% from 2021-2027. The analysis has been segmented into Source (Soy, Wheat, Pea, Other Sources); Product (Burger patties, Strips & nuggets, Sausages, Meatballs, Other Products); Type (Beef, Chicken, Pork, Other (Seafood)); Region/Country.

The report has been aggregated by collecting informative data from various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the Plant-based Meat Market in the Global context. This report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors that are influencing market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the Global Plant-based Meat Market at the regional & country levels.

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https://univdatos.com/get-a-free-sample-form-php/?product_id=10907

Market Overview

As per our analysis, it is predicted that global plant-based meat sales are expected to grow at a CAGR of about 17%. Furthermore, as per the analysis global plant-based meat sales is expected to reach around US$ 85 billion by 2030, compared to US$ 5 billion in 2018. It is further expected that plant-based products would account for 10% of global meat consumption within the next five years. Consumption of conventional meat products is expected to decline in coming years. It is expected that supply of conventional meat products would reduce by more than 50% by 2040.

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC

https://univdatos.com/report/plant-based-meat-market/

COVID-19 Impact

During the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for meat reduction and replacement was witnessed among the consumers. However, few companies reported increase in sales. Covid-19 have created increased awareness about the impact of humanity on environment among the consumers. In the recent past climate change has become one of the forefront policies of the government. Due to country wide lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was seen that sales of both plant-based and conventional meats witnessed a spike as consumers filled their refrigerators and freezers for the long period. In March 2020, grocery stores sold 231% more fresh plant-based products, compared to the same period in 2019. Further, as per IRI data analyzed by The Good Food Institute witnessed an increase of around 454% in the sales of plant -based meat.

The global Plant-based Meat Market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated.

Based on source, soy-based meat segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. Protein rich content and popularity is accelerating the demand for soy-based meat or meat alternative.

In 2020, Burger patties segment dominated the market and is expected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Plant-based meat burger patties have low-fat and gluten content. Numerous companies are investing in retail sector, owing to lockdowns imposed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Owing to sudden rise in demand, many companies have already started changing their business strategies. However, stringent emission control norms may hamper the sales of these systems during the forecast period.

Based on type, plant-based chicken dominated the market followed by plant-based beef. Impossible Foods offers plant-based meat, including plant-based burgers, received US$ 500 million funding prior to the Covid-19 outbreak and plans for significant expansion in restaurants and retail sector in 2020.

Have a Look at the Chapters - https://univdatos.com/report/plant-based-meat-market/

Plant-based Meat Market Geographical Segmentation Includes:

North America ( United States , Canada , and Rest of North America )

( , , and Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , United Kingdom , Italy , France , Spain , and the Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , and the Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , India , Australia , Japan , and the Rest of Asia-Pacific )

( , , , , and the Rest of ) Rest of the World

For a better understanding of the market adoption of the Plant-based Meat industry, the market is analyzed based on its worldwide presence in the countries such as North America (US, Canada, Rest of North America); Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, and the Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific); and the Rest of World. Based on the estimation, North America dominated the market in 2020. However, Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness highest CAGR growth during the forecast period.

The major players targeting the market include

Beyond Meat

Impossible Foods Inc.

Maple Leaf Foods

Tofurky

Alpha Foods

The Vegetarian Butcher

Quorn Foods

Morningstar Farms

Amy's Kitchen

Hooray Foods

Competitive Landscape

The degree of competition among prominent companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating in the global context. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the Plant-based Meat Market. The major players have been analyzed using different research methodologies for getting insight views on market competition.

Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include:

What are the latest trends, new patterns, and advancements in the Plant-based Meat Market?

Which factors are influencing the Plant-based Meat Market over the forecast period?

What are the challenges, threats, and risks in the Plant-based Meat Market?

Which factors are propelling and restraining the Plant-based Meat Market?

What are the demanding regions of the Plant-based Meat Market globally?

What will be the market size in the upcoming years?

What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by the companies?

We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature. Please let us know If you have any custom needs.

Browse Other Related Research Reports from UnivDatos Market Insights

About UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI)

UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients.

Contact

UnivDatos Market Insights

Ankita Gupta

Director Operations

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Website: https://univdatos.com/

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SOURCE UnivDatos Market Insights Pvt. Ltd.
BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Premise Health, the leading direct health care company, has once again received its multi-site accreditation for a full three-years through the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Premise has accreditation for 114 wellness centers and its corporate office, growing upon its 94 accredited sites in 2019.

AAAHC is a leader in ambulatory health care accreditation. Informed by more than 40 years of experience, AAAHC has accredited more than 6,600 organizations by providing external, independent review. AAAHC's accreditation program measures the quality of services across all sites of care for any participating organization against stringent, national quality standards.

"Premise Health continues to demonstrate why its direct health care model is industry leading. By undergoing external validation, such as that which the AAAHC offers, we demonstrate that our wellness sites meet nationally recognized standards for patient care," said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jonathan Leizman. "We are extraordinarily proud of all of our team. They continue to consistently drive our strategy into action by providing exceptional, value-driven care to all of our members."

AAAHC has been a vital partner in Premise's effort to help members get, stay and be well. Accreditation means that an organization has demonstrated its commitment to providing safe, high-quality services to its patients through a three-year accreditation cycle.

The 115 accredited sites offer a blend of health and wellness services including primary care, occupational health, care management, care navigation, fitness, musculoskeletal care, pharmacy, behavioral health, dental, and vision. This comprehensive and integrated care is delivered by teams and supported by Premise's robust virtual care capabilities.

Premise Health is the leading direct health care company and one of the largest digital providers in the country, operating more than 800 onsite and nearsite wellness centers for more than 400 of the leading companies in the U.S. With more than 30 types of care available on one integrated platform, no one offers more ways to help more people.

About Premise Health

Premise Health is the world's leading direct health care provider and one of the largest digital providers in the country, serving over 11 million eligible lives across hundreds of the largest commercial and municipal employers in the U.S. Premise partners with its clients to offer fully connected care  in-person and in the digital environment. It operates more than 800 onsite and nearsite wellness centers in 45 states and Guam, delivering care through the Digital Wellness Center and onsite, nearsite, mobile, and event solutions.

Premise delivers value by simplifying complexity and breaking down barriers to give diverse member populations access to convenient, integrated, high-quality care. It offers more than 30 products, delivering the breadth and depth of care required to serve organizations' total populations. The result is health care that meets the needs of members and their families, helping them live healthier while lowering costs for organizations. For more information on Premise Health, visit www.premisehealth.com.

Media Contact:

Lacey Hunter

(615) 419-7722

[email protected]

SOURCE Premise Health
Stephanie Lokker's presentation goes in-depth on the essentials of a measurable, sustainable strategy that is both operational and flexible in its execution.

PASSAIC, N.J., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockerbie & Co., is pleased to announce that its Managing Partner and Founder, Stephanie E. Lokker, presented at the NGLCC's Corporate Procurement Council during the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce's (NGLCC) International Business and Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lokker's speaking engagement was an invite only selection of 200 multi-national corporate partners where they met to discuss and vote on pressing issues regarding the future of supplier diversity.

The presentation, Let's Get Strategic with Supplier Diversity: From Planning Through Execution, highlights the industries best practices on measuring the success of a company's plan, and the potential ROI-value the right plan holds. Lokker highlighted the current successes the Supplier Diversity programming infrastructure she has built in New Jersey during the last eight months of her current term as a new-Board Member charged with overseeing Supplier Diversity and Certification for The New Jersey Pride Chamber of Commerce (NJPCC).

During the presentation, Lokker introduced Paul Shay, the Global People & Business Resource Group Lead for PRIDE Alliance at Bristol Myers Squibb, USA, to discuss their new corporate partnership with NJPCC.

Attendees gained additional insights on how to implement supplier diversity strategies and execute on creating a broader supplier base with capacity building programs. This presentation was directed towards corporate leaders who build successful programs and meaningful relationships within the diversity and inclusion of their industries.

Procurement officers and leadership executives interested in viewing Lokker's presentation should send an email to: [email protected]

MORE ABOUT LOCKERBIE:

Lockerbie is entering its fourth year in business since it opened its doors in 2019, after its Managing Partner left positions at a Big 4 and Big 3 management consultancy firms to better equip organizations to fulfill their missions and advocate for good. Their clients are Fortune 1000 and Private Equity clients. They are headquartered in a HUBZone and have fifteen federal and state supplier diversity-owned certifications.

For more information visit us online: www.letsgetstrategic.com

Press Inquiries:

Andrea M. Garcia

COMMS/NATION LLC.,

[email protected]

SOURCE Lockerbie & Co.
SINGAPORE, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Prudent Shipping Investments (Prudent), a Singapore based Company, has today (14th September 2022) closed financing for 2 modern Supramax bulk carriers (a KHI58 and a Tsuneshi58) valued at USD45mn.

The senior debt was provided by a blue-chip Japanese financial institution, which is relationship driven and highly selective in choosing their business partner. A very attractive cost of finance was achieved for the borrower, a Singapore based mid-size ship owner. Prudent acted as the exclusive Arranger in this deal on behalf of the borrower.

Since starting operations in early 2017, Prudent has arranged USD630mn of financing via senior debt and lease structure for owners based in Singapore, India, Middle East, UK, Denmark and the US. In addition, Prudent has also arranged 6 equity and mezzanine tranche transactions and acted as an advisor on one M&A deal. We continue to work humbly basis our guiding principles of discretion, speed and results.

Divay Goel, the Chief Investment Officer of Prudent commented, "while arrangement fees helps pay our bills, what is more heart warming is that we have been able to act as catalysts for our clients' vessel acquisition strategy execution, helping them build up fleets of bulk carriers, product tankers and feeder container vessels in the last few years when asset values were low. We feel happy that we have played a small part in our clients' success."

"While the past few years have been good, we are always guarded about the future and would never like to forget that shipping is a cyclical industry. Increase in Libor and softening earnings could present a scenario of testing times. It would be Prudent to tighten belts before-hand. We ourselves remain highly cognizant of keeping overheads low, so as to be always ready to sustain low business periods and to also not get desperate to suggest clients to acquire assets just to further our business".

Prudent Shipping Investments advises financial institutions to invest in shipping and ports. Prudent works with a close, fixed set, of institutional investors with whom it has developed a relationship of trust over several years of material relationship. Prudent's services include structuring deals, due diligence and assessment of technical, operational and commercial parameters, including aspects of vessel valuation/condition survey, insurances, and projections of earnings, operating expenses and residual value.

The founder, Divay Goel has been in shipping for the last 32 years. He has arranged capital and advised on more than 250 shipping and ports investments in his career, including for Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Carlyle, Blackstone, 3i, IFC/World Bank and GIC. He was recently chosen by BIMCO as a member of the SHIPLEASE sounding board, advising on BIMCO's new standard sale and leaseback term sheet. He was also a core member of the team at the Baltic Exchange in London, which developed the concept of electronic trading of Forward Freight Agreements/FFAs.

Prudent welcomes ship owners and operators to touch base with the company for their vessel financing requirements. Prudent's contact details are, Email: [email protected], Phone: +65 91875990. The Company works on its principles of Discretion, Speed and Results.

SOURCE Prudent Shipping Investments
Free, Virtual Event is the Biggest Pre-Health Event in the World

BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mappd has opened registration for MappdCon, enabling premedical and pre-health professionals to attend a free virtual conference with some of the world's foremost pre-health experts.

This is third year of this annual event. MappdCon is a continuation of the event formerly known as National Premed Day. With 10,000+ Premeds in attendance in 2020, its inaugural year, National Premed Day became the biggest premedical student event in the world. In 2021, the event expanded to include a pre-physician assistant track. In 2022, the event was renamed MappdCon and will offer workshops aimed at helping a wide range of future health professionals.

Thousand of pre-health students meet for free live virtual conference with speakers from all over the pre-health world. Tweet this

"MappdCon is something I've wanted to do for a long time," said Dr. Ryan Gray, Mappd CEO and co-founder. "I started National Premed Day to bring the best minds in the premed world together to help students navigate their journey to med school. I'm excited to expand this free event to help not only future physicians but also physician assistants and other future health professionals."

"Only about half of medical school applicants are accepted into med school," explained Rachel Grubbs, Mappd COO and Co-founder. "Acceptance rates are similar for other pre-health professional programs. In many cases, the issue is not a lack of talent but rather a lack of knowledge of the steps required before applying. I hope to help all future health care professionals, regardless of background or economic situation, access clear information about the road to med school."

Premedical students, as well as their families and advisors, are all welcome to attend. Registration is open now at MappdCon.com

Company information. Mappd, LLC was founded in 2019 by Ryan Gray, MD, and Rachel Grubbs. Gray is a physician by training and retired Air Force Flight Surgeon. He created the award-winning Premed Years Podcast with over 5 million downloads. Grubbs has been a professional advisor of test preparation and higher education for more than 20 years. Mappd's smart technology and advising services take the guesswork out of planning, tracking, and applying to professional health programs. For more information about Mappd, LLC, visit https://mappd.com//

SOURCE Mappd
Event encourages RE/MAX affiliates around the world to support local communities through fundraisers, volunteering and acts of service

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RE/MAX, LLC announced its second annual "Global RE/MAX Day" will take place on Wednesday, October 5. The goal of the event is to activate the vast RE/MAX network, which includes 140,000+ affiliates and a presence in over 110 countries and territories, in a coordinated effort to give back to the communities in which they live and work. RE/MAX affiliates and RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. staff members are encouraged to volunteer at a charity of their choice or through a community service project on Global RE/MAX Day.

"RE/MAX affiliates commit time and resources to the betterment of the communities they work and live in," says Shawna Gilbert, RE/MAX Senior Vice President of Global Development. "Global RE/MAX Day provides us with another opportunity to positively impact our respective networks. Because of the incredible turnout last year, RE/MAX affiliates were able to make a meaningful difference all around the world  we look forward to building on that success and making an even bigger impact this year and for years to come."

In 2021, RE/MAX affiliates worldwide raised money for important causes and organizations, including long-time RE/MAX philanthropic partner Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals. Affiliates and RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. employees also volunteered at food banks, supported animal rescue missions, cleaned up their cities and towns, gathered supplies for those in need, and so much more.

Making a difference in the community has been a longstanding RE/MAX tradition. Since 1992, the brand has partnered with CMN Hospitals to raise funds for children treated at pediatric hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. During the nearly 30-year charitable partnership, RE/MAX affiliates have donated over $185 million to CMN Hospitals through fundraisers and initiatives like the Miracle Home and Miracle Property Program.

Follow hashtag #GlobalREMAXDay on social media on October 5 to see how participants are giving back to their communities worldwide. For ideas on how to participate in the second annual Global RE/MAX Day, click here.

About the RE/MAX Network

As one of the leading global real estate franchisors, RE/MAX, LLC is a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings ( NYSE: RMAX) with more than 140,000 agents in almost 9,000 offices and a presence in more than 110 countries and territories. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, as measured by residential transaction sides. RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger, with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence. RE/MAX agents have lived, worked and served in their local communities for decades, raising millions of dollars every year for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities. To learn more about RE/MAX, to search home listings or find an agent in your community, please visit www.remax.com. For the latest news about RE/MAX, please visit news.remax.com.

SOURCE RE/MAX, LLC
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordic Bioscience, a leading biomarker company, today announced that the internationally recognized New England Journal of Medicine Evidence (NEJME) has published research that further establishes and positions its extracellular matrix (ECM) biomarker, PRO-C6, as a potential next-generation biomarker for trial enrichment in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The paper is entitled "Endotrophin, a collagen VI formation-derived peptide, in Heart Failure" and can be found here: https://evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/EVIDoa2200091

The studies, conducted in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb and the University of Pennsylvania, combined analyses of six independent cohorts of HFpEF patients from around the globe which are being evaluated with the PRO-C6 biomarker. HFpEF is a highly heterogenous syndrome greatly affected- and driven by underlying comorbidities, with no current treatments that selectively reduce morbidity and mortality. It poses one of the greatest unmet medical needs today, and its prevalence is projected to increase in the coming years.

This discovery has led to the issuing of an official Letter of Support from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)1, acknowledging and supporting the further study of the PRO-C6 biomarker assay for trial enrichment in HFpEF:

"The plan to study the PRO-C6 biomarker assay for prognostic enrichment is consistent with the FDA's guidance document 'Enrichment Strategies for Clinical Trials to Support Approval of Human Drugs and Biological Products'. The ability to identify patients at greater risk for events can reduce the sample size needed to show an effect in an outcome study," excerpt from the official FDA Letter of Support.

The PRO-C6 biomarker assay has been transferred to the Roche Diagnostics cobas e platform, increasing accuracy in sample measurements, enabling future IVD-based decision making. This is an important step in making sure that clinical samples are utilized in the best way possible and to enable patient segregation and drug decision-making in clinical trials.2

"Having the PRO-C6 biomarker assay on the Roche Diagnostics cobas e platform is an important step for increasing the utility of the biomarker and paving the way for clinical decision-making in a disease area with significant complications where better diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are required. Seeing the data validated and published in the NEJM Evidence journal is a great scientific achievement," said Morten A. Karsdal, Chief Executive Officer of Nordic Bioscience.

"Identifying and developing therapies for the broad HFpEF population has been a challenge. Many clinical trials have failed due to the inability to identify patient subgroups and match them to potential therapies," said David Gordon, vice president, Cardiovascular & Fibrosis Discovery Biology, Bristol Myers Squibb, a GHFC leader. "Data on PRO-C6 gathered thus far and the letter of support from the FDA reinforce the potential of this biomarker to be used in routine cardiology practice to help identify individual patient risk, prognosis, and even potentially guide therapeutic decisions."

Fibrosis is acknowledged to be a key driver of HFpEF pathology, contributing to ventricular stiffness and reduced function. Improving understanding of how fibrosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover are regulated could be the key to unlocking novel treatments for HFpEF patients.

The PRO-C6 biomarker assay measures type VI collagen formation, which is known to be upregulated when fibroblasts are activated. This increased activity causes fibrosis. Furthermore, when type VI collagen is formed, a bioactive molecule, endotrophin, is released, which is known to be involved in pathological processes that could contribute to HFpEF pathology, including inflammation and fibrosis. The PRO-C6 biomarker assay therefore describes key pathological features of HFpEF, highly associated with risk of outcome, that are not currently described by other biomarkers in the field.

"PRO-C6 represents a highly promising biomarker for assessing risk in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which is an extremely important clinical problem," said study lead and corresponding author Julio Chirinos, MD, PhD, an associate professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. "We urgently need novel approaches for risk stratification and precision therapeutics for this common form of heart failure, and this research moves us in the right direction."

About Nordic Bioscience

Nordic Bioscience is a Danish biomarker company headquartered in Herlev, Denmark. Nordic Bioscience is engaged in biomarker development using our unique neoepitope technology. We combine our expertise in biomarker development with preclinical and clinical research. This enables us to develop biomarkers that provide fast and objective decision-making for compound selection and development in clinical trials as well as provide value for patients in a diagnostic setting.

For more information about Nordic Bioscience, visit us at https://www.nordicbioscience.com/

1 https://www.fda.gov/drugs/biomarker-qualification-program/letter-support-los-initiative

2 The Elecsys PRO-C6 prototype immunoassay from Roche, running on a fully automated cobas e platform, is presently intended for research use only in exploratory studies. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. PRO-C6 is presently only available at the Nordic Bioscience CAP-accredit laboratory in Herlev, Denmark.

SOURCE Nordic Bioscience
The Resonea family of solutions help improve motor carrier reputations and document their commitment to safety through comprehensive programs of sleep education, screening/testing/treatment, compliance monitoring and reporting.

According to Resonea's chief medical officer Dr. Karen Underwood, "At the center of our system is an FDA-cleared smartphone app that provides drivers an easy way to assess the risk of sleep apnea with an overnight breathing analysis."

Screening with DROWZLE is more private, convenient, comfortable and enables anytime/anywhere testing with confidential results delivered by email in the morning.

According to Steve Newton, Challenger's director of safety, "Driver satisfaction and safety remain top priorities for Challenger and are one of the major reasons we have been frequently selected one of the top fleets to drive for by the Truckload Carriers Association."

For more information on how we can make your workforce safer and mitigate your company's risk contact Kevin Kruke at Resonea.

About the Companies

Challenger Motor Freight -- As one of North America's largest privately owned transportation and logistics companies, Challenger transports goods across North America as well as internationally with our full range of transportation, logistics, warehousing and distribution services.

Since 1975, we continually strive to surpass previous standards of quality and performance, carving innovation into our culture along the way. We have always been on the forefront of operational and technological advancements allowing us to exceed our customers evolving needs, influence the transportation industry and attain an impressive record of customer satisfaction.

Resonea, Inc. is a sleep health technology company whose mission is to advance the science of sleep health to improve performance, safety and quality of life. Resonea offers solutions to companies looking to reduce the effects of fatigue on their workforce and document their investment.

SOURCE Resonea
Virus Filtration System Manufacturers to Capitalize on Burgeoning Demand for Air Purifiers in Veterinary Hospitals and Animal Kennels

Fact.MR in its latest global virus filtration market report presents in-depth analysis for the upcoming decade. It also offers a 360-degree view of growth factors and trends impacting the sales in the market. Further, the report also dives deep into strategies adopted by incumbents, new entrants, and established players across the globe.

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global virus filtration market is set to reach US$ 6.5 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 13% between 2022 and 2026. Growing emphasis on maintaining optimal air quality is likely to drive sales of virus filtration systems during the assessment period. Further, increasing prevalence of chronic ailments such as cancer and diabetes is likely to necessitate the use of virus filtration systems.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), one in every six deaths worldwide is caused due to cancer. WHO further states that the number of people suffering from diabetes increased to 422 million in 2014 from 108 million in 1980. There was a 5% surge in premature mortality occurring due to diabetes from 2000 and 2016.

These chronic illnesses don't come alone but bring along various other ailments such as kidney failure, eye-ailments, and heart attacks. As focus on preventive healthcare increases, demand for devices that improve air quality is also expected to surge during the forecast period.

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Further, demand for biopharmaceutical products is another crucial factor driving growth in the global virus filtration market. These products can treat diseases and ailments and not merely their symptoms, which has been crucial in the continual adoption of these products. Moreover, growing adoption of single-use technologies, coupled with rapid technological advancement is anticipated to drive sales during the forecast period.

Besides, high demand for air purifiers in healthcare facilities like hospitals, clinics, veterinary hospitals, boarding kennels, and animal kennels to maintain indoor air quality for both staff and patients is likely to aid growth. These purifiers are capable of eliminating odors, airborne pathogens, and allergens from the air.

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. virus filtration market is set to be valued at US$ 1 Billion in 2022 owing to rising need for biologics.

in 2022 owing to rising need for biologics. China virus filtration market is expected to be valued at US$ 900 Million by the end of 2026.

virus filtration market is expected to be valued at by the end of 2026. By type, the reagents and kits segment is likely to expand at a CAGR of 15% between 2022-2026.

The global virus filtration market is projected to reach a valuation of US$ 4 Billion in 2022.

in 2022. Based on region, North America is set to lead the virus filtration market on the back of investments by pharmaceutical companies in the manufacturing of biologics.

Growth Drivers:

Technological advancement in mAb downstream procedures is likely to push the development of more efficient virus filtration systems, which is expected to boost sales.

Use of virus filtration systems to reduce inflammatory mediators is anticipated to spur their uptake in the healthcare domain.

Restraints:

Membrane filtration systems are fragile and sometimes break on autoclaving, which may hamper their demand in the evaluation period.

Some of the newly developed virus filtration systems like Balston Manifold have cadmium-coated center posts that can corrode easily, thereby hindering sales.

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Competitive Landscape:

Virus filtration manufacturers are adopting various strategies to consolidate their positions in the global market. These include new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, and geographical expansions. Some of the other key players are joining hands with local companies to co-develop innovative solutions for attracting a large consumer base.

For instance,

In August 2021 , Honeywell announced a "drop-in" filter that is capable of clearing out 97% of the Sars-Cov-19 virus. It will be available for schools and government offices that don't want to spend heavily on denser filtration.

, Honeywell announced a "drop-in" filter that is capable of clearing out 97% of the Sars-Cov-19 virus. It will be available for schools and government offices that don't want to spend heavily on denser filtration. Estonian UV Tech in 2021 released the first virus-killing air purifier. The device is worn around the neck and has the ability to filter 99% of viruses and bacteria. It provides protection against E.Coli with a 99.88% reduction, as well as against Alphavirus, which it claims to stop at a rate of 99.44%. The process goes through the internal filter and a germicidal UV-C light before ventilating to the user.

Key Companies Profiled by Fact.MR

Sartorius AG

QIAGEN

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Pall Corporation

Hologic, Inc.

Lonza Group AG

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG

Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.

Sartorius AG

Abbott Laboratories

BioMerieux SA

WuXi Biologics

More Valuable Insights on Virus Filtration Market

In its latest study, Fact.MR offers a detailed analysis of the global virus filtration market for the forecast period of 2022 to 2026. This study also divulges key drivers and trends promoting sales of virus filtration market through detailed segmentation as follows:

By Type:

Kits & Reagents

Services

Filtration Systems

Others

By Application:

Biological

Medical Devices

Water Purification

Air Purification

Others

By End User:

Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies

Contract Research Organizations

Academic Research Institutes

Medical Device Companies

Others

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

East Asia

South Asia & Oceania

& Oceania MEA

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https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=EB&rep_id=7611

Key Questions Covered in the Virus Filtration Market Report

What is the anticipated market size of the virus filtration market in 2022?

At what rate will sales in the global virus filtration market grow until 2026?

Which are the factors hampering the demand in the virus filtration market?

Which region is expected to dominate the global virus filtration market during 2022-2026?

Which are the factors driving sales in the virus filtration market during the forecast period?

What is the expected market valuation of the virus filtration market during the forecast period?

Explore Fact.MR's Coverage on the Healthcare Domain

Dental Cameras Market : The global market for dental cameras is set to be valued at US$ 2.3 Billion in 2022 and is anticipated to reach US$ 4 Billion by the end of 2027. From 2022 to 2027, demand for dental cameras is expected to grow at an astounding CAGR of 11.7%. In the upcoming decade, demand for intraoral dental cameras is anticipated to rise significantly due to their advantages such as capable of taking direct dental impressions, reducing the need for restoration remakes, and facilitating better clinical workflows.

Anesthesia Monitoring Devices Market : The market for anesthesia monitoring devices is expected to generate US$ 2.2 Billion in terms of revenue in 2022. It is set to be valued at US$ 3.4 Billion by the end of 2027 and exhibit growth at an outstanding CAGR of 9.1% during 2022 to 2027. The market for anesthesia monitoring devices is being driven by growing prevalence of chronic diseases, which has increased the number of surgeries being conducted globally.

Vitrectomy Machines Market : By the end of 2027, the global market for vitrectomy machines is anticipated to reach US$ 610 Million from US$ 430 Million in 2022. A high-value CAGR of 7.2% is expected to be showcased by the market between 2022 and 2027. Vitrectomy machines are gaining more popularity as they reduce the risk of vision loss by cauterizing the ocular blood vessels.

Respiratory Virus Vaccines Market: Fact.MR expects the respiratory virus vaccines market size to surpass US$ 14 Bn valuation by the end of 2030. Europe is forecast to emerge as the second-leading market for respiratory virus vaccines.

Check it Out More Reports by Fact.MR on Healthcare Industry

https://www.factmr.com/industry/healthcare

About Fact.MR

Fact.MR is a market research and consulting agency with deep expertise in emerging market intelligence. Spanning a wide range  from automotive & industry 4.0 to healthcare, technology, chemical and materials, to even the most niche categories. We are committed to deliver insights that help businesses gain deeper understanding of their target markets. We understand that making sense of the vast labyrinth of data can be overwhelming for businesses. That's why focus on offering insights that can actually make a difference to bottom-lines.

Specialties: Competition Tracking, Customized Research, Syndicated Research, Investment Research, Social Media Research, Business Intelligence, Industry Analysis, Thought Leadership.

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SOURCE Fact.MR
NEO: SHWZ

OTCQX: SHWZ

Continues to Go Deep, Adding to Retail Footprint in Colorado

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Schwazze, ( OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO:SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), announced that it has signed definitive documents to acquire certain assets of Lightshade Labs LLC ("Lightshade"). The proposed transaction includes the adult use Lightshade dispensaries located at 503 Havana St. in Aurora, as well as 2215 E. Mississippi Ave. in Denver's vibrant Washington Park neighborhood. This acquisition continues Schwazze's aggressive expansion in Colorado and upon close will bring the Company's total number of Colorado dispensaries to 25.

The consideration for the proposed acquisition is US$2.75 million and will be paid as all cash. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023 after Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division and local licensing approval.

"Schwazze is excited to add to our retail footprint in the greater Denver area, providing two additional retail locations to our existing 23 throughout Colorado. We look forward to extending our exceptional customer service and wide product selection to both new and existing customers in these new locations," said Collin Lodge, Division President of Colorado.

Since April 2020, Schwazze has acquired or announced the planned acquisition of 35 cannabis dispensaries as well as seven cultivation facilities and two manufacturing assets in Colorado and New Mexico. In May 2021, Schwazze announced its BioSciences division and in August 2021 it commenced home delivery services in Colorado.

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 best 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

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "plan," "will," "may," "continue," "predicts," or similar words. 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 outside the state, (vii) our ability to consummate the acquisition described in this press release or to identify and consummate future acquisitions that meet our criteria, (viii) our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses, including the acquisition described in this press release, and realize synergies therefrom, (ix) the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, * the timing and extent of governmental stimulus programs, and (xi) the uncertainty in the application of federal, state and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws. 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.

SOURCE Medicine Man Technologies, Inc.
29th Annual Seaside Prize Weekend to Take Place February 24-26, 2023

SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Seaside Institute is pleased to announce that Donald Shoup, Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA, will be honored as the 2023 Seaside Prize recipient for his radical rethinking of parking policy. In his groundbreaking 2005 book, The High Cost of Free Parking, and his work since then, Shoup changed the way cities view the relationship between parking and the built environment, traffic congestion, energy consumption, and local economic development. The Institute will hold the 29th Annual Seaside Prize on February 24-26, 2023.

Dr. Donald Shoup headshot

Last year's winner, Jeff Speck, wrote in his seminal Walkable City Rules: "Parking covers more acres of Urban America than any one thing, and yet planners have neglected it for years  that was until the research of one man, who helped change the way planners think about parking forever." That man was Donald Shoup. As noted in The Wall Street Journal, Shoup is described as a "parking rock star" whose works have inspired a group of followers dubbed Shoupistas.

The New York Times wrote that Shoup's work "has led to a revolution in ideas about relieving congestion." The High Cost of Free Parking and Shoup's 2018 book, Parking and the City, remain classics in the fields of transportation and city planning. Jeffrey Tumlin, the author of Sustainable Transportation Planning, wrote: "If your city wants to focus on one topic for reducing traffic congestion, improving housing availability, cleaning the air, lessening climate change, making government more efficient, and enlivening the economyall at the same timethen it should focus on parking."

The Seaside Institute awards the Seaside Prize annually to individuals, organizations, or places that have made major contributions to the quality of the built community. Recipients have significantly influenced how towns and cities can best be built and rebuilt to reflect and promote New Urban principles, such as walkability, affordability, diversity, beauty, and sustainability. For more information on the Seaside Prize, visit Seaside Institute.org .

In addition to his position at UCLA, Shoup is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, an Honorary Professor at the Beijing Research Center, a winner of the American Planning Association's National Excellence Award as a Planning Pioneer, and the American Collegiate Schools of Planning's Distinguished Educator Award. More on Shoup can be found at ShoupDogg.com .

For Walton County, FL, like other areas throughout the country and world, parking and traffic congestion are critical challenges. With wit and humor, Shoup will present solutions that he discovered over many years of research.

The Seaside Prize Weekend will include guest lectures (some of which will be CEU accredited); the Seaside Prize Gala and awards ceremony; walking tours of Seaside, Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach; and social gatherings. The Prize Weekend is an opportunity for all who have an interest in New Urbanism, walkable communities, and human-scale planning and design. While the Prize Weekend is often of interest to architects, planners, and design students, all members of the community are invited to attend and learn why parking and traffic can be manageable with the right policies.

"You don't have to be a planner to appreciate Dr. Shoup's insights. Everyone in our community will be enlightened by his perspectives on why "free parking is anything but free," said Seaside Institute Executive Director Thomas Cordi.

2023 Seaside Prize tickets are available now; visit Seasideinstitute.org for more information. To become a member of the Seaside Institute, visit SeasideInstitute.org/membership .

About the Seaside Institute

The Seaside Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our mission is to inspire livable communities. The Seaside Institute offers strategically designed educational programs and symposia that bring together residents, visitors, architects and scholars to share ideas for building and supporting livable communities. The Institute's three core tenetsSustainability, Connectivity, Adaptabilitywork together to expand the lessons of New Urbanism and develop new strategies for a rapidly changing world. To learn more about the Seaside Institute, please go to www.seasideinstitute.org .

SOURCE Seaside Institute
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sense, the leader in real-time home energy intelligence, announced the close of $127.6 million in Series C financing with Volery Capital Partners joining Blue Earth Capital, TELUS Ventures, MCJ Collective, Schneider Electric, Energy Impact Partners, Prelude Ventures, iRobot and others.

This investment brings Sense's funding to date to $179.6 million USD and allows the company to accelerate on its path to broad consumer adoption in partnership with smart home innovators, utilities, insurers, and the construction industry. Sense will also expand its global footprint to Europe, Asia Pacific and other regions.

Led by pioneers in machine learning who commercialized voice recognition technology in hundreds of millions of mobile phones, Sense's mission is to reduce global carbon emissions by making homes smarter and more efficient. Sense provides engaging consumer applications that give people real-time insights into how energy is used in their homes so they can save money, make their homes more reliable and avoid household disasters.

For instance, the Sense app can reveal hidden electrical issues such as floating neutrals and arcs in home electrical wiring, appliance failures that could lead to electrical fires, water heaters that run continuously, or broken pumps. With this knowledge, Sense can help consumers, utilities, and insurers reduce risk.

Through go-to-market partnerships, Sense has been integrated into smart meters from Landis+Gyr and smart electrical panels from Schneider Electric. These partnerships are expected to lead to a scaled rollout of Sense intelligence into millions of homes, where it will enable automated energy savings, reduce carbon emissions, and contribute to the grid's flexibility.

Said Sense CEO Mike Phillips: "A decarbonized, digitized grid and the electrification of homes and vehicles is the most viable path to reducing the carbon impact of homes and transportation. As the world moves toward this reality, consumers will play a crucial role in this energy transition. With Sense intelligence built into millions of homes, we'll help people and the grid evolve to address climate change."

Manny Citron, Managing Partner of Volery Capital, said, "We believe Sense's technology is significantly differentiated and has the potential to be an essential building block of the energy transition, providing a critical enablement layer of data for use cases including energy efficiency, automated and behavioral demand response, grid analytics, insurance risk management and home energy audits. We look forward to working with Mike and the Sense team to help them execute on the opportunity."

About Sense

Sense's mission is to reduce global carbon emissions by making homes smarter and more efficient. We empower people to care for their homes and families while contributing to a cleaner, more resilient future. Founded in 2013 by pioneers in speech recognition, Sense uses machine learning technology to provide real-time insights on device behavior, even for those devices that are not "smart." Customers rely on Sense for a wide range of uses including monitoring their home appliances, determining whether they left appliances running and identifying how to reduce their energy costs. Sense is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. To make sense of your energy, visit: https://sense.com .

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., has served as the company's exclusive financial advisor for the entire Series C round.

About Volery Capital Partners

Volery Capital Partners is a growth-stage private equity firm that invests in companies addressing climate change or economic inclusion. Volery's portfolio includes financial services and technology companies that are thematically focused within energy transition, resource efficiency, and financial inclusion and well-being. For more information, visit www.volerycapital.com .

SOURCE Sense
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Ra Medical (NYSE American: RMED) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with Catheter Precision.

Click here to learn how to join the action: https://www.ademilaw.com/case/ra-medical-systems-inc or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Ademi LLP alleges Ra Medical transaction with Catheter Precision may not be fair to Ra Medical's shareholders.

We are investigating the conduct of Ra Medical's board of directors, and whether they are fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders.

If you own Ra Medical common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/ra-medical-systems-inc.

We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contacts

Ademi LLP

Guri Ademi

Toll Free: (866) 264-3995

Fax: (414) 482-8001

SOURCE Ademi LLP
The program is best suited for professionals with 2+ years of work experience

Upon completion, learners will receive certificates from Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota and Simplilearn

The program includes masterclasses delivered by distinguished faculty from the University of Minnesota and industry experts

The program will also consist of career assistance from Simplilearn

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplilearn , one of the world's leading bootcamp for digital skills training, announced its partnership with Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota to launch a Blockchain Bootcamp for the US market. This program will provide a comprehensive training on Blockchain which covers the Fundamentals of Blockchain and Blockchain Application and Architecture. The program is suited for graduates from any discipline, along with fundamental mathematical and programming skills. It is also suitable for working professionals with 2+ years of experience in job roles such as Full Stack Developer, Application Development Manager, Technical Project Manager, QA & Test Engineer.

The Blockchain Bootcamp will be based on a blended format of online self-learning and live virtual classes. The key features of this program include industry-relevant, hands-on projects, capstone projects, and masterclasses by faculty from the University of Minnesota. Learners will also have access to integrated labs with mentorship sessions to provide a high engagement learning experience. The modules covered under the program include introduction to Blockchain and Bitcoin, learning the concepts of Ethereum, Consensus and Hash, understanding Hyperledger Fabric, Smart Contacts and Network, and the applications of Blockchain.

On completion of the program, learners will receive a certificate of completion, and will also be eligible for Simplilearn's career assistance program which will help identify suitable jobs in the industry.

Speaking about the program, Mr. Anand Narayanan, Chief Product Officer, Simplilearn, said, "Digital employment is creating a boom in the IT industry and Blockchain is one of the fastest growing skills in the job domain. The blockchain market is expected to reach USD 39.7 billion by 2025, at a growth rate of 67.3 percent. Keeping the industry needs in mind, we have partnered with the University of Minnesota to curate this Blockchain Bootcamp that will provide the learners an extensive knowledge of the same and open up new growth opportunities in their careers."

Speaking about the Blockchain Bootcamp program, Vivian Fang, Associate Professor of Accounting at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota said, "Blockchain has turned out to be one of the most sought after jobs in the IT domain as it has the potential to change the way we handle data and conduct business. Businesses and organizations are rapidly embracing blockchain technology as a secure way to store sensitive data. Because of this, many young professionals and graduates are looking at Blockchain Technology as a career choice."

Simplilearn conducts more than 3000 live classes, with an average of 70,000 learners who together spend more than 500,000 hours each month on the platform. Programs offered by Simplilearn gives learners the opportunity to upskill and get certified in popular domains. In 2020, Simplilearn introduced a free skills development program called SkillUp . This allows learners to explore in-demand topics in top professional and technology fields for free, helping them make the right learning and career decisions.

About Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

The Curtis L. Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota is a recognized leader in business education and research. Established in 1919 and located in Minneapolis, the Carlson School is committed to developing leaders who believe business is a force for good through experiential learning, international education, and the school's strong ties to the dynamic Twin Cities business community.

With 13 degree programs that are ranked consistently among the world's best, the school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as executive education programs hosted both domestically and abroad. Today, the Carlson School has nearly 60,000 alumni in more than 100 countries.

About Simplilearn

Founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco, California, and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn, a Blackstone company is one of the world's leading online Bootcamp for digital economy skills training. Simplilearn offers access to world-class work-ready training to individuals and businesses around the world. The Bootcamps are designed and delivered with world-renowned universities, top corporations, and leading industry bodies via live online classes featuring top industry practitioners, sought-after trainers, and global leaders. From college students and early career professionals to managers, executives, small businesses, and big corporations, Simplilearn's role-based, skill-focused, industry-recognized, and globally relevant training programs are ideal upskilling solutions for diverse career or/and business goals.

For more information, please visit www.simplilearn.com/

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1100016/Simplilearn_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Simplilearn
Three founding partners are top ranked advisors by Forbes/Shook, including the #6 wealth advisor in California

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanctuary Wealth, home to the next generation of elite advisors, welcomes SLK Private Wealth, led by its Founders and Managing Partners Glen Strauss, Jonathan Lewis, and Edward "E.J." Kahn. The members of the new firm previously practiced as The Strauss/Lewis/Kahn Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors and advised on over $1.6 billion in client assets.

"It's highly gratifying and validates what Sanctuary Wealth is all about, as a team of such outstanding caliber chooses our network and platform above all the other options out there," said Jim Dickson, CEO and Founder of Sanctuary Wealth. "This is the fourth billion dollar plus team that we've added this year and the second in Southern California in just the past week. We're excited to welcome Glen, Jonathan, E.J., and the rest of the SLK team to our network"

"Independence is the next logical evolution in our business. We chose to start our own firm in partnership with Sanctuary Wealth where we can control the client experience and truly act in their best interest without conflict or distraction," said Glen Strauss, Founder and Managing Partner, SLK Private Wealth. "Sanctuary has built a robust platform for serving clients with an elite network of likeminded, successful advisors. The culture and capabilities are unmatched in the industry. We will have a much more robust selection of solutions available and the ability to determine which strategies make the most sense for each individual client."

Founder & Managing Partner Glen Strauss has more than 35 years of financial advisory experience. He was previously a Managing Director and PIM Portfolio Manager, building custom investment strategies and managing equity accounts for clients. Glen earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, and a JD degree from the Gould School of Law at the University of Southern California practicing law as a corporate attorney for several years. His accolades include being among Forbes America's Top Wealth Advisors, 20182022, Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, 20182022 (including the #6 spot in California in 2022), Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors, 20142020, Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors, 20082013; and Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisors, 2015. He was recently recognized by Forbes as one of the top 250 Wealth Advisors in the country.

"We conducted extensive due diligence before arriving at such an important decision and it was obvious that for our team and our clients that Sanctuary was the way to go," said Jonathan Lewis, Founder and Managing Partner, SLK Private Wealth. "We really liked their business model and found the resources available to be far beyond what any other firm provides. Sanctuary offered us all the things that matter to us and our clients."

Jonathan Lewis has spent nearly 30 years providing clients with insightful, independent, and individualized wealth management and investment planning advice. As a relationship-driven advisor, Jonathan helps guide clients through the practical and emotional elements of the planning process, drawing out essential details that enhance his investment selection, and advice. More than just an investment advisor, Jonathan earned a CPA certificate in 1980, although he is no longer a practicing accountant, and was a senior PIM portfolio manager at Wells Fargo Advisors, where he worked for 22 years. He was named to the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022.

"Sanctuary Wealth has disrupted the industry and stands out as the ideal partner for top bank and brokerage teams with a client focused mission and an entrepreneurial spirit. We want to be part of that," added Edward "E.J." Kahn, Founder and Managing Partner, SLK Private Wealth. "It played a big part in our decision."

Founder and Managing Partner E.J. Kahn began his financial services career in 2013 at Canyon Capital Advisors, before moving to Wells Fargo Advisors three years later, where he quickly established himself as a top young producer on both sides of the balance sheet. He earned both a master's degree in investor relations and a bachelor's degree in finance (honors) from the University of San Francisco. After graduation, E.J worked with start-ups prior to heading to Canyon Capital Advisors. E.J. was named to Forbes America's Top Wealth Advisors list in 2018, 2019 and 2020; Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, 20182020; and Forbes Americas Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors 2019, 2021, 2022.

In addition to the three founding partners, SLK Private Wealth also includes Partner and Portfolio Manager Hank Krakover, a financial advisor since 1995 and Chief Investment Officer Razmig Der-Tavitian, a veteran of 15 years in institutional asset management who has earned both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.

Financial Advisor Joseph Plutsky, Investment Analyst Eric Beatty, Registered Client Associates Michi Lunde and Barbara Moreno, and Client Associates Evan Richardson, Derek Finch, Armen Kesian, and Kevin Ozbay round out the team.

"Glen, Jonathan, and E.J. have put together an outstanding team, with a range of experience and a deep bench that few other firms could match," said Vince Fertitta, President, Sanctuary Wealth. "Our partner firms are all industry leaders. Collectively, they form somewhat of a think tank made up of the best of the best. SLK will make all Sanctuary partner firms better and their clients will benefit from the collective wisdom of our network."

To learn more about SLK Private Wealth, please visit: www.slkprivatewealth.com.

About Sanctuary Wealth

Sanctuary Wealth (sanctuarywealth.com/) is the advanced platform for the next generation of elite advisors, who have the entrepreneurial spirit to build and own their own practices and desire the freedom to deliver the tailored service their clients deserve. Sanctuary Wealth's ecosystem of partnered independence provides a complete technology and operations platform, as well as support from a community of like-minded advisors and the resources of invaluable affiliated businesses. Currently, the Sanctuary Wealth network includes partner firms in 27 states across the country with approximately $25 billion in assets under advisement. Sanctuary Wealth includes the fully owned subsidiaries; Sanctuary Advisors LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, Sanctuary Securities, Inc. a FINRA member broker-dealer as well as Sanctuary Alternative Holdings, Sanctuary Asset Management, Sanctuary Insurance Solutions, Sanctuary Global, and Sanctuary Global Family Office.

CONTACT: Michaela Morales

JConnelly

973 224 7152

[email protected]

SOURCE Sanctuary Wealth
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SMOORE Technology participated in a meeting with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as a member of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA) alongside the VTA and other industry representatives. SMOORE, the only Chinese company and the only vaping device manufacturer invited to the meeting, was given the opportunity to address the attendees. Eve Wang, Vice-President of SMOORE Technology, introduced SMOORE's business to the meeting participants, and explained that SMOORE has been supplying the US market with quality vaping devices for over a decade through ODM service to leading brands. Eve also noted that SMOORE has supported many customers to undergo the PMTA review.

SMOORE understands and fully supports the FDA's mission to protect public health and reduce tobacco use by minors. SMOORE has been actively pursuing innovation in vaping technologies and making continuous improvements in the manufacturing process so as to improve the quality and safety of vaping products. It is SMOORE's core belief that innovation and regulation will work in tandem to provide less harmful alternatives to adult smokers whilst reducing tobacco use by minors.

Ann Zeng

+86-18063830915

[email protected]

SOURCE SMOORE
Procurement Promotional Products Procurement report explains key category management objectives that should form the base for sourcing strategy, including:

Top-line growth

Scalability of inputs

Green initiatives

Category innovations

Supply base rationalization

Demand forecasting and governance

Minimalization of ad hoc purchases

Adherence to regulatory nuances

Cost savings

Customer retention

Reduction of TCO

Supply assurance

Sign Up for a Sample Procurement Promotional Products Procurement Market Report: https://spendedge.com/sample-report/promotional-products-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

Price Strategies and Benchmark

It is critical to monitor current and future pricing changes in order to maximize the value of the acquisition. Price projections can help in purchase planning, especially when combined with constant monitoring of price-influencing factors. Due to different market drivers prevalent across several regions, the market anticipates an additional spend of USD 6.87 billion over the forecast period. In addition, the report discusses several cost-cutting factors by analyzing the following criteria:

Identify favorable opportunities in promotional products 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.

Key Selling Reports:

Mobile Device Management - Forecast and Analysis: The mobile device management procurement category is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.22%. International Business Machines Corp., BlackBerry Ltd., and Microsoft Corp. are among the prominent suppliers in mobile device management market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Corporate Training Sourcing and Procurement Report: Corporate Training Procurement, prices will increase by 8.93% - 9.40% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a Moderate bargaining power in this market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Temporary Corporate Housing - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report offers detailed insights and analysis of the major cost drivers, volume drivers, and innovations of the temporary corporate housing procurement and sourcing market, which the global suppliers have been leveraging to gain a competitive edge across regions. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report.

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

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.

Contact

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge
EDGEWOOD, Ky., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients at St. Elizabeth Healthcare now have the ability to screen for 50 different types of cancer, thanks to a new blood test launched in June 2022.

This new test, known as Galleri, detects DNA from cancer cells in the bloodstream. Because this DNA is different than DNA from the rest of the body's normal cells, it can help identify a potential tumor that may require medical attention.

The new test is ground-breaking for patients because it can pinpoint cancers that are currently difficult to detect.

"This test is very good at picking up cancers where we don't currently have good screening options, such as ovarian or pancreatic cancer," says Jaime Grund, M.S., Director of St. Elizabeth Precision Medicine and Breast Centers. "Those cancers are difficult to detect at early stages. This new test allows us to screen for those diseases in a way that we haven't been able to before."

The impact of this early detection test could be significant because 70% of cancer deaths are from cancers that don't have an effective screening. Currently, screenings exist only for breast, cervical, colon, lung, and prostate cancer and must be conducted one at a time. This blood test checks for 50 different cancers at once.

According to officials, it's important to note the Galleri test is intended to supplement existing cancer screenings, such as mammograms, low-dose CT scans, or colonoscopies  not replace them. Consequently, patients should still see their provider for routine check-ups.

The blood test is currently available at St. Elizabeth for patients over age 50 who are thought to be cancer free but who may be at risk. It isn't recommended for pregnant individuals. Any patient previously treated for cancer must be in remission for at least three years before getting tested.

How the test Works and Impacts Treatment

The test is simple. It only requires a blood draw, and results are available within two weeks. Positive results may identify concern for cancer in a specific part of the body, up to two affected body parts. For example, results may indicate a positive screening for either lung or pancreatic cancer.

When a patient receives positive results, they are contacted by a licensed genetic counselor to review the results and are immediately enrolled in the St. Elizabeth Cancer Prevention Clinic. Clinic staff help schedule an appointment with an oncologist for additional tests and any needed imaging studies.

The Cancer Prevention Clinic is part of the St. Elizabeth Precision Medicine and Genetics Program dedicated to genetic testing, early detection and prevention. The Clinic provides services for patients who want to proactively prevent cancer after learning they have a hereditary risk or increased risk due to a very strong family history of cancer. The Galleri test will be a helpful addition to the health system's existing preventive measures.

"We see patients in our Prevention Clinic because we're trying to identify cancers at their earliest stages when they are most easily treatable. We're also interested in measures that can be taken to prevent cancer," Grund says. "This blood test fits nicely into our early detection and prevention efforts."

To date, St. Elizabeth has completed the test on a handful of patients, and no one has received a positive result. In fact, based on cancer incidence rates, only one to two percent of people can anticipate positive results. Overall, patient response has been relief from anxiety and worry.

"This test is very good at picking up the things it's looking for, but it's very unlikely that a patient will have cancer," she says. "It's far more likely that if you take this test, we're going to give you reassurance instead of concern. Still, with this test, we have a net in place to identify those who do have cancer. It's an opportunity to help them through diagnosis and treatment."

Currently, the test isn't covered by insurance and costs $949 out-of-pocket. To learn more, please contact a licensed genetic counselor at (859) 301-GENE (4363).

About St. Elizabeth Healthcare

St. Elizabeth Healthcare operates six facilities and more than 172 primary care and specialty practices throughout the Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana and Greater Cincinnati region. Sponsored by the Diocese of Covington and a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, St. Elizabeth is a mission-based organization committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, providing more than $108 million in uncompensated care and benefit to the community each year.

Media Contact:

Guy Karrick

[email protected]

SOURCE St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Innovative multipurpose port injector also can deliver compressed natural gas, and dimethyl ether (DME) fuels

DETROIT, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanadyne, a leading global fuel and air management systems supplier, is unveiling a new alternative fuel injector for medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial vehicle powertrains at the 2022 North American International Auto Show (aka Detroit Auto Show). The company has developed a multipurpose port injector for delivering hydrogen, compressed natural gas, and dimethyl ether (DME) fuels.

"Demand for gaseous fuel injection is expected to increase significantly on the path to net zero, driven by the transport market (heavy trucks, trains)," said Stanadyne CEO John Pinson. "Our alternative fuel delivery systems lower emissions, increase efficiency, and improve performance on the path towards zero-carbon fuel compatibility."

Stanadyne's new low-pressure fuel injector is capable of high flow rates and has flexible packaging for a variety of port fuel injection applications. The higher flow capacity and fuel-air mixing features of the new injector permit equivalent energy density fuel delivery when compared to traditional hydrocarbon fuels. Its modular design is based on improved materials for robust hydrogen, compressed natural gas, and DME compatibility.

"Stanadyne is working hard on near-term solutions bridging the significant adoption gap between fossil-fueled propulsion and low-carbon or zero-carbon fueled vehicles," said Pinson. "Decarbonization of the transportation sector is, and will remain, a defining global priority."

Natural gas, diesel, and gasoline internal combustion engines are forecasted to remain the dominant medium-duty and heavy-duty commercial vehicle powertrain through at least 2040. Renewable fuels offer an effective means to reduce the carbon footprint of these powertrains on the way to reaching global climate goals.

Stanadyne's hydrogen-compatible injector is making its industry debut at the Detroit Auto Show. It will be on display at the company's Automobili-D vehicle pod during Industry Days being held September 14-15, 2022.

About Stanadyne

Stanadyne designs, manufactures, and remanufactures fuel delivery systems and components for gasoline and diesel engines, as well as low-carbon alternative fuels. Founded in 1873, the company specializes in pioneering technology for engines that move our world and remanufactured components that help keep them operating efficiently. The company provides customers with customized design, engineering, and manufacturing solutions from its United States, China, Italy, India, and United Arab Emirates locations in partnership with its global aftermarket service dealers and distributor network. For more information, visit stanadyne.com.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Stanadyne LLC
Lt. Governor Jeanette Nunez honors Tampa General with award for its commitment to providing the safest care to mothers and their babies in the Tampa Bay region and for exceeding national goals.

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital has been recognized for exceeding national goals for reducing the number of unnecessary cesarean deliveries for first-time mothers with low-risk pregnancies and instead promoting vaginal deliveries.

Tampa General is one of just 26 delivery hospitals in Florida to achieve the distinction in 2022.

Dr. Karen Bruder, left, associate professor and director of the Division of Specialists in General OB/GYN, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and medical director of OB/GYN, Genesis Health at Tampa General, receives an award for exceeding national goals for reducing the number of unnecessary cesarean deliveries from Dr. Joseph Ladapo, state surgeon general, Florida Department of Health and Jeanette M. Nunez, Lieutenant Governor of Florida. (PRNewsfoto/Tampa General Hospital)

Florida has one of the highest cesarean section (C-section) rates in the U.S., leading to state and national efforts to promote safe vaginal deliveries. Tampa General achieved a C-section rate of 21.4 percent  exceeding the goal of 23.6 percent set by Healthy People 2030, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services women's and children's health initiative. The current national cesarean delivery rate is 32 percent. The initiative is focused on preventing pregnancy complications and maternal deaths and helping women stay healthy before, during and after their pregnancies.

Lt. Governor Jeanette Nunez visited Tampa General today to present the hospital with an award for its continuing efforts to reduce unnecessary C-section deliveries and promote safe vaginal deliveries. She was joined by Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Florida's Surgeon General, and officials from the state Agency for Health Care Administration and the Florida Department of Health.

"Exceeding national goals for reducing unnecessary C-sections for two straight years is a tremendous recognition for all of those working with the Women and Children's Institute at Tampa General," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "We are honored to receive this award from Lt. Governor Nunez and Surgeon General Ladapo as we continue on our journey to provide the safest and highest quality care in the country to mothers and their babies."

In all, only 26 of 114 hospitals in Florida  or 29 percent of those participating  exceeded the national goals and are being recognized by the state.

"We are honored to see our primary hospital partner receive this recognition from the state," said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health, dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and a maternal-fetal medicine expert. "Obstetrician-gynecologists across the state are working together to safeguard women's and children's health by preventing unnecessary surgeries that carry increased risk."

Cesarean deliveries can prevent injury and death in women who are at higher risk of having complicated deliveries or unexpected complications, including prevention of injury and death in their newborns. But C-sections are also linked to an increased risk of severe bleeding, infections, blood clots, and complications in future pregnancies. Some women who aren't at higher risk for delivery complications may have unnecessary C-sections that lengthen their recovery times. That has prompted efforts at hospitals and by medical providers to help reduce the number of C-sections performed on low-risk mothers.

"The success in reducing the number of unnecessary C-sections is the result of ongoing close teamwork between Tampa General, OB/GYN physicians, and midwives who deliver patients at the hospital," said Dr. Karen Bruder, associate professor and director of the Division of Specialists in General OB/GYN, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and medical director of OB/GYN, Genesis Health at Tampa General. She also credited the ongoing work of the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative at the USF College of Public Health, which has initiatives that focus on providing evidence-based perinatal care, education and training.

"Collaboration among our partners and our relentless emphasis on following best practices leads to better health care for women and children as reducing C-section rates for first time mothers impacts their health and safety throughout their lifetime," Bruder said. "I am delighted for the entire team who share in this award, but even more so for the impact we're having on providing the safest care to mothers and their babies in the Tampa Bay region."

Tampa General delivers more babies than any other hospital in Tampa Bay, with about 6,500 births at the hospital since Oct. 1, 2021, noted Dr. Judette Louis, James M. Ingram Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and medical director of the Women's Institute at Tampa General Hospital. "Our success in preventing unnecessary C-sections in low-risk women once again underscores our commitment to the safety of our patients and sends a message to expectant mothers that where you choose to receive your prenatal care and deliver your baby really does matter."

Along with this latest recognition, Tampa General Hospital has been ranked #1 in Florida and Top 50 in the nation in Obstetrics and Gynecology by U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, named a Best Maternity Hospital in 2022 by Newsweek, and was one of only 15 hospitals in Florida recognized in 2021 for exceeding the national Healthy People 2030 goals for reducing unnecessary C-sections, and was also named a Best Maternity Hospital by Newsweek and the Leapfrog Group in 2020.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL

Tampa General Hospital, a 1,040-bed, not-for-profit, academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals, and is tied as the third highest-ranked hospital in Florida, with seven specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic medical center's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings  first nationally in the 2022 America's Best Employers for Women and sixth out of 100 Florida companies in the 2022 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2020, provided a net community benefit worth more than $182.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging powered by Tower outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track. As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to https://www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Karen Barrera

Assistant Director of Communications & Partnerships

(813) 844-8725 (direct)

(813) 928-1603 (cell)

[email protected]

SOURCE Tampa General Hospital
Study results will shape strategy to become a top-ten fastest-growing economy by 2033

COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TEDCO, Maryland's economic engine for technology companies, announced today it has selected RTI International (RTI) and its partner Keen Point Consulting to analyze Maryland's national position in cybersecurity, the life sciences, and advanced and emerging technology industries, producing a study that will shape Maryland's innovation competitiveness strategy.

Study results will shape Maryland's strategy to become a top-ten fastest-growing economy by 2033 Tweet this RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. TEDCO has selected RTI International (RTI) and its partner Keen Point Consulting to analyze Marylands national position in cybersecurity, the life sciences, and advanced and emerging technology industries, producing a study that will shape Marylands innovation competitiveness strategy.

"We have an ambitious but attainable goal here in Maryland: to vault our state to the list of top-10, fastest-growing innovation economies, with the economic benefits shared broadly by all Marylanders," said TEDCO CEO, Troy LeMaile-Stovall . "TEDCO has selected RTI and its knowledgeable experts to perform the analysis needed to reach that goal, and we're eager to get started on this crucial work that will both accelerate our state's innovation economy and offer exciting new career opportunities to residents who have been under-represented in Maryland's advanced tech fields."

The Maryland General Assembly tasked TEDCO with overseeing the study, which will include an examination of publicly financed advanced industry investment funds in other states and an analysis of minority participation in Maryland's advanced technology industry careers. RTI will begin work this month, with a completed report due by December 30, 2022.

"This study is crucial to our goal of increasing the number of companies working in high-growth, high wage industry sectors like cybersecurity, medtech and therapeutics. RTI and partner Keen Point Consulting have a deep understanding of the factors driving innovation- and technology-based economic growth and development, as well as the data that can be used to identify potential targets for Maryland's innovation strategy, including increasing the participation of people of color and diverse communities," said Stephen Auvil , TEDCO Chief Program Operations Officer.

RTI International and Keen Point Consulting

RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice. RTI works to deliver reliable data, thorough analysis, innovative methods, novel technologies, and sustainable programs that help clients inform public policy and ground practice in evidence. Their global staff of nearly 6,000 works in more than 75 countriestackling hundreds of projects each year to address complex social and scientific challenges on behalf of governments, businesses, foundations, universities, and other clients and partners .

RTI's partner for this project is Keen Point Consulting , a small, minority-owned (African American) firm whose President specializes in technology-based economic development and brings practical experience developing and implementing programs to support founders of color and their businesses. RTI and Keen Point have partnered on the creation of three state science and technology plans over the last 3 years.

Charge from Maryland Legislature

TEDCO has been charged by the Maryland General Assembly to deliver a report on the effectiveness and impact of the State's current economic development strategy or actions as it relates to specific areas, including financial, policy, and governance recommendations for the establishment of a Maryland Equitech Growth Fund.

TEDCO will use the final report to begin a statewide strategic planning process that will include building a consensus around the steps needed to make Maryland a top-ten, fastest-growing innovation economy by 2033 and a top ten global innovation economy by 2050. Initial thinking about this effort suggests a need to focus on creating a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership across all communities in Maryland with a specific focus on our youth, the future leaders of our business community.

Request for Proposals

TEDCO sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on June 24, 2022. The RFP sought qualified firms that could collect data, perform analyses and generate a final report on several specific areas associated with the impact of Maryland's current economic development strategy or actionsespecially as it applies to ensuring Maryland's long-term leadership in building an inclusive, advanced, tech-based, innovation and entrepreneurial culture across the state. The proposal due date was August 1.

A total of 14 firms submitted competitive applications, which were reviewed and scored according to criteria set forth in the RFP. Four finalists were selected and interviewed and RTI was selected. The company was engaged on September 9. A final report will be delivered by December 30, 2022.

About TEDCO

TEDCO , the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com .

Media Contact

Tammi Thomas , Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, TEDCO, [email protected]

SOURCE TEDCO
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians has named Patience Long as its new executive director, the organization announced today.

Long most recently served seven years as executive director of the Center for the Arts, Inc., in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she managed a thriving nonprofit centered around revenue development, education programs, and community engagement.

Headshot_Patience Long

Her previous experience also includes leadership roles at other nonprofits, including Manager of Development for Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Bloomington, Illinois, and Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for Middle Tennessee State University.

Long is a 2001 graduate of MTSU and is currently completing her Master's in Public Service Management from Cumberland University.

"The Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians is excited to welcome our first new executive director in 40 years," said Dr. Amanda Dellinger, TAOP president.

Representing more than 600 optometric physicians, optometry students, and paraoptometric assistants and technicians across Tennessee, the TAOP was founded in 1901 and maintains offices in Nashville.

"With Patience Long serving as executive director, the TAOP is more committed than ever to promoting the highest quality of eye health and vision care for Tennessee residents," Dellinger said.

The TAOP's immediate strategic goals include advancing the profession of optometry across the state through scope of practice enhancements and other measures that benefit patient care provided by the state's optometric physicians.

"The TAOP serves as the primary resource for public health information related to eye health and vision care in Tennessee, and we're looking forward to the progress that Patience will be making in our effort to improve access to critically important eyecare for our state's residents," Dellinger said.

Long's volunteer work includes serving on the board of the Murfreesboro Art Committee and an active membership in the Rotary Club of Murfreesboro, among others.

About the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians

The mission of the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians is to promote the highest quality eye health and vision care for the residents of Tennessee; to advance the profession of optometry through education and advocacy; and to serve as the primary resource for public health information regarding eye health and vision care in Tennessee.

The TAOP represents more than 600 optometric physicians, students and paraoptometric assistants and technicians in nearly every county across the state. The association was founded in 1901 and maintains offices at 2727 Bransford Avenue, Nashville, TN 37204.

For more info, please contact:

Dr. Amanda Dellinger

[email protected]

800-451-2438

SOURCE Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians
Trans-pacific agreement connects two of the largest host kitchen networks in the world

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TGAL, one of Japan's most recognized food conglomerates who has also developed the largest host kitchen network in Japan announced today its partnership alongside Franklin Junction , an innovative restaurant e-commerce platform credited with creating the host kitchen model which allows any restaurant to generate incremental revenue by producing food for other brands,

The partnership will now enable renowned Japanese brands will have access to growth in the US through Franklin Junction's host network.

Likewise, restaurants in TGAL's network to become a Franklin Junction Host Kitchen and restaurant brands based in the United States to enter and expand in the Japan market using Franklin Junction's partnership as a conduit for growth.

As a result, host kitchens and brand partners in either country will be able to optimize their assets while driving revenue through delivery channels.

"We are pleased to announce a strategic alliance with Franklin Junction, one of the most well-organized and well-respected food tech companies in the world," said Yasuhiro Kono, CEO and Founder of TGAL. "Having a partner like Franklin Junction will allow unprecedented and unrivaled access to innovation and growth of Japanese cuisine in the United States. Our brands will now be able to instantly penetrate underserved markets, it's an absolute game-changer for both, TGAL and Japanese cuisine in America."

TGAL has partnered with over 1,400 restaurants in Japan and operates an AETA model that offers host kitchens multiple brands on a subscription basis. The company operates over 100 of its own multi-brand vertically-integrated food halls and owns more than 120 Japanese concept brands. TGAL recently opened its first Japanese multi-brand restaurant in New York City, J's Kitchen New York, to rave reviews.

https://jskitchen.nyc

"We are very excited to enter the Japan market with a highly regarded partner in TGAL. We have a strong track record of introducing our brand partners to new diners and many of them have expressed interest in Japan as being a dream destination due to the country's fervent desire for American cuisine," said Rishi Nigam, CEO and Co-Founder of Franklin Junction. "The rapid growth and increased adoption of food delivery is revolutionizing the way foodservice concepts expand to new markets and we are honored to be at the forefront of that innovation by building an international presence for our customers."

Franklin Junction pioneered the host kitchen model in the United States. With a deep emphasis on powering the technology that drives the success behind the platform, Franklin Junction has been able to help hundreds of restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and other foodservice businesses monetize their underutilized kitchen assets without any additional capital expense. Notable brands who have partnered with Franklin Junction to leverage the host kitchen network include iconic brands such as Hooters, Nathan's Famous, and Arthur Treacher's, as well as up and coming brands The Cumin Bowl, Nuchas, Fuku, and Milkbar.

To find out more about Franklin Junction, follow https://www.franklinjunction.com .

About TGAL

TGAL Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda- Ku, Tokyo) was founded in 2013 by Yasuhiro Kono to solve the issue of inefficient food delivery in Japan by turning restaurants into multi-concept kitchens. TGAL's network has grown to over 1400 host kitchens and over 120 brands ranging from Michelin star cuisine to notable Japanese chains to purpose-created virtual brands, reproducing the authentic taste that has been handed down from famous stores and hidden local gems in various locations. TGAL also operates over 100 vertically-integrated multi-concept ghost kitchens that include order generation, food preparation, and delivery by TGAL couriers directly to customers. For more information, visit http://tgal.jp.

About Franklin Junction

Franklin Junction is a digital platform that allows kitchens to optimize excess infrastructure capacity by serving as a "Host Kitchen." Hosts are matched with a thoughtfully curated roster of proven restaurant brands, Cloud Concepts, allowing the Hosts to increase revenue, while providing Concepts a platform to expand geographic reach without any capital expense. Franklin Junction's proprietary technology includes aggregated order management, automated accounting, and data-driven marketing to create and sustain high margin incremental revenue for clients. For more information, visit https://www.franklinjunction.com.

Contact:

Andrew Yoneda

9172620434

[email protected]

SOURCE TGAL NEW YORK INC.
DUBLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market (2022-2027) by Component, End User, Application, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market is estimated to be USD 23.02 Bn in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 36.49 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.65%.

Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors.

There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks.

Company Profiles

The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are 1010Data, Adobe, Amazon Web Services, BRIDGEi2i Analytics Solutions, Capillary Technologies, Cisco, etc.

Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.

Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification.

The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth.

Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Surge in Adoption of Big Data Analytics Software by Multiple Organizations

4.1.2 Increase in Demand for Cloud-Based Big Data Analytics Software

4.1.3 Numerous Benefits Provided by Big Data and Business Analytics Solutions

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 High Implementation Cost

4.2.2 Lack of Skilled Workforce

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Increase in Need to Gain Insights for Business Planning

4.3.2 Emerging Advanced Process Control Analytics Applications and Trends in Semiconductor Manufacturing Facilities

4.3.3 Increase in Adoption of IoT Devices Coupled with The Ongoing Industry 4.0 Trend

4.4 Challenges



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Regulatory Scenario

5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market, By Component

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Software

6.3 Services



7 Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market, By End User

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Semiconductor

7.3 Electronics

7.4 Analytics Tool

7.5 Dashboard & Data Visualization

7.6 Self-service Tools

7.7 Data Mining & Warehousing

7.8 Reporting

7.9 Others



8 Global Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market, By Application

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Customer Analytics

8.3 Supply Chain Analytics

8.4 Marketing Analytics

8.5 Pricing Analytics

8.6 Workforce Analytics

8.7 Others



9 Americas Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Argentina

9.3 Brazil

9.4 Canada

9.5 Chile

9.6 Colombia

9.7 Mexico

9.8 Peru

9.9 United States

9.10 Rest of Americas



10 Europe's Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Austria

10.3 Belgium

10.4 Denmark

10.5 Finland

10.6 France

10.7 Germany

10.8 Italy

10.9 Netherlands

10.10 Norway

10.11 Poland

10.12 Russia

10.13 Spain

10.14 Sweden

10.15 Switzerland

10.16 United Kingdom

10.17 Rest of Europe



11 Middle East and Africa's Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Egypt

11.3 Israel

11.4 Qatar

11.5 Saudi Arabia

11.6 South Africa

11.7 United Arab Emirates

11.8 Rest of MEA



12 APAC's Big Data Analytics in Semiconductor & Electronics Market

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Australia

12.3 Bangladesh

12.4 China

12.5 India

12.6 Indonesia

12.7 Japan

12.8 Malaysia

12.9 Philippines

12.10 Singapore

12.11 South Korea

12.12 Sri Lanka

12.13 Thailand

12.14 Taiwan

12.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific



13 Competitive Landscape

13.1 Competitive Quadrant

13.2 Market Share Analysis

13.3 Strategic Initiatives

13.3.1 M&A and Investments

13.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

13.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



14 Company Profiles

14.1 1010Data

14.2 Adobe

14.3 Amazon Web Services

14.4 BRIDGEi2i Analytics Solutions

14.5 Capillary Technologies

14.6 Cisco

14.7 Cubelizer

14.8 Domo

14.9 Dor Technologies

14.10 EDITED

14.11 Fit Analytics

14.12 Fujitsu

14.13 Google, LLC

14.14 HCL Technologies

14.15 IBM

14.16 Microsoft

14.17 Oracle

14.18 SAP SE

14.19 SAS Institute

14.20 Sisense

14.21 Tableau Software

14.22 Teradata

14.23 TIBCO Software

14.24 WNS Global



15 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lc736o

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. and NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Third Wave Recovery Systems, LLC (TWRX) is pleased to announce its acquisition of SRX, LLC (SRX), a leader in pharmaceutical rebate management services for the skilled nursing and long-term care (LTC) industry. In conjunction with the acquisition, TWRX has appointed a new leadership team, led by CEO Ed Lagerstrom, former President of UnitedHealthcare Networks, and received a growth equity investment from WindRose Health Investors.

As experts with a broad background in skilled nursing and LTC, SRX has helped operators collect tens of millions of rebate dollars. SRX's technology allows nursing homes and long-term care facilities to receive the lowest net cost on drug spend and, through a suite of proprietary reporting tools, identify discrepancies and improve efficiencies. The SRX team is comprised of dedicated professionals with extensive backgrounds in skilled nursing, LTC, pharmacy, analytics, and IT, who have supported the success of the business since its founding.

Scott Taylor, former CEO of SRX and newly appointed COO of TWRX, expressed his excitement over the acquisition, "This partnership between SRX and TWRX is going to revolutionize the rebate and prescription drug cost management industry. As a leading innovator in the healthcare sector, WindRose's and TWRX's investment is a recognition of SRX's world-class technology, tools, and capabilities, but most importantly, our team of dedicated experts. Together, we will drive even more value, allowing us to serve new industry verticals and leverage our technology to truly impact drug costs across the healthcare industry."

With Ed Lagerstrom's deep domain knowledge, SRX's technology platform, and TWRX's extensive network of healthcare industry relationships, the combined entity is equipped with the team, capital, technology, and relationships to drive significant growth for the company and reduce costs for its customers. "I'm pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with talented healthcare executives on a disruptive business model. TWRX is positioned as a market leader, predicated on transparency and compliance in an industry that has been historically opaque," said Ed Lagerstrom, newly appointed CEO at TWRX.

Following the close of the acquisition, Eric Moskow, M.D., will continue to lead TWRX as its Chairman. "TWRX's mission has always been to establish strong industry relationships to understand what's really affecting outcomes and cost in the market," said Dr. Moskow, Chairman of TWRX. "As we meticulously considered our long-term strategic options, we determined that SRX and TWRX were natural partners. We are all building an integrated experience that supports a more transparent and genuine approach to pharmaceutical rebate management services and I look forward to executing on our shared vision for the future."

About TWRX

TWRX is a rapidly expanding pharmaceutical rebate manager offering market-differentiated services to LTC facilities, hospitals, oncology practices, and other specialty provider groups. The TWRX platform that leverages advanced technology, analytics, and nationwide industry contracts to assess and reduce the net-cost of its client's drug spend.

SOURCE Third Wave Recovery Systems, LLC
Randolph, Clay and Quitman Counties Latest to Step Up Rural EMS/911

Services with Unique Public-Private Partnership with AmeriPro Health

ATLANTA, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AmeriPro Health LLC, a portfolio of healthcare companies committed to making patient logistics and last-mile healthcare delivery more efficient and valuable, today announced that three more rural Georgia counties have voted to transfer their EMS/911 services to AmeriPro EMS, an innovative operator of high-quality ambulance, mobile integrated health, and patient logistics services in the Southeastern United States. Implementation will take place over the next several months once the contracts are finalized.

"Rural America is struggling across the nation to meet the needs of their citizens with Emergency Services and provide access to affordable and sustainable health care," said Larry Richardson, Chief Business Officer at AmeriPro Health. "We are the answer to those struggles."

AmeriPro Health brings many benefits to rural communities, including state of the art ambulance services, increased clinical and diagnostic capabilities, last-mile health care and a unique public-private partnership with local healthcare providers and hospital facilities in the region.

"Clay County is a small rural community, so when they closed our nearest community hospital back in 2020, we became very dependent upon EMS services for our emergency healthcare needs," said James Davenport, Chairman of Clay County Georgia. "Unfortunately, under the current system, we were not receiving quality, reliable care. By joining forces with our surrounding communities and contracting with AmeriPro, we will be able to provide our community state-of-the-art, reliable EMS and emergency healthcare services."

"We look forward to a long-lasting, symbiotic relationship with AmeriPro Health," said Carvel Lewis, Chairman of Quitman County, Georgia. "Despite the economic woes of our area in Southwest Georgia, AmeriPro will enable us to improve the quality of life for our residents and strengthen our mission to improve economic development in our county and region."

In general, rural American has fewer opportunities, fewer resources, and less access to good health care, so by utilizing the AmeriPro Health broad service offerings, communities can gain better access to sustainable health care. AmeriPro strategically aligns with government counterparts to build better access to health care beyond the existing level of transportation services.

"Rural America should not have to compromise on health care," adds Richardson "Through these strategic public-private partnerships and collaboration with the local health care facilities, we can design a long-term sustainable solution to the challenges of rural America and provide an elevated level of Emergency Medical Services and better access to health care to counties like Randolph, Clay and Quitman County. We look forward to working with other rural communities in our country to fill the void and lack of quality healthcare. It is opportunities like these that allow us to bring additional service offerings like acute care to communities that have not had access to these services in the past and help provide a sustainable healthcare ecosystem."

AmeriPro Health is the new parent company of AmeriPro EMS. The company plans to continue expansion into other areas supporting its mission of patient centered, value-based services to provide sophisticated emergency, critical care and non-emergency medical transport and patient logistics. For more information about AmeriPro Health, please visit www.ameriprohealth.com .

About AmeriPro Health LLC

AmeriPro Health LLC is a portfolio of healthcare companies committed to making patient logistics and last-mile healthcare delivery more efficient and valuable. These sophisticated emergency, critical care and non-emergency medical transport, patient logistics and high touch home centered care companies offer a complement of services across the entire patient care continuum that delivers better patient outcomes, more efficient care, and unprecedented access to the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Through its portfolio of companies, AmeriPro Health offers a customizable suite of patient-centered, value-based services to meet and exceed the needs of communities, health systems, health plans and employers. As an innovator in last-mile healthcare, our adaptability and foresight allow our companies to execute rapidly to meet the transformational needs of our customers.

Contact:

Paulette Brown

Carabiner Communications

+1 770.714.0678

[email protected]

SOURCE AmeriPro Health
PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CTL Chromebooks NL72, NL72TW and PX14EXT have been recognized as winners of the Tech & Learning Magazine's Awards of Excellence: Back to School 2022.

"We are again proud to win Tech & Learning's Awards of Excellence," noted CTL's CEO Erik Stromquist. "These awards are a testament to CTL's goal of providing purpose-built Chrome devices that enable students to thrive both at home and in the classroom."

CTL Chromebook NL72 CTL Chromebook PX14EXT

The PX14EXT and NL72 awards were in the category of Primary Education, while the NL72TW was in Secondary Education.

According to Tech & Learning, the Awards of Excellence Back to School award celebrates products that offer schools versatility, value, and solutions to specific problems to support innovative, effective teaching and learning. From security solutions to LMSs to hardware and software, this reward recognizes both new and legacy technology that support effective teaching and learning practices in the new school year.

Overall, the Awards of Excellence are an award program recognizing innovation in the edtech industry. Specifically, Tech & Learning magazine's Awards of Excellence program for Back to School is a way to celebrate the most impressive products and solutions that support the work of teachers, students, and parents as they prepare for the new 2022-23 school year.

CTL's award-winning products include:

CTL Chromebook NL72

With rugged reliability and a safe and secure connection, students and teachers get more done in less time with the CTL Chromebook NL72.

The NL72's Intel Jasper Lake processor makes multi-tasking a breeze. Work in multiple tabs, stream media, and surf the web - all without sacrificing performance. Reduced loading times enable users to power on more efficiently during work and play.

With continued increase in remote learning, it is crucial to have a reliable and secure internet connection to work efficiently. Wi-Fi 6 makes sure each connected device maintains a quality, secure connection, while using less battery.

The new and improved rotating camera allows users to take advantage of 360 degree views, providing students and educators with a wide range of options for photo and video media.

CTL Chromebook NL72TW

Get smooth multitasking and amazing responsiveness at all times with a robust Intel Quad-Core N5100 CPU running at 2.8GHz combined with 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB storage.

The NL72TW provides maximum durability because it is designed for spills and drops with reinforced USB ports, a drop-resistant construction, a spill-proof keyboard, and gorilla glass for enhanced screen protection.

Plug in any device you want via two high-speed USB 3.0 Gen 1 ports and enjoy charging through two power delivery enabled USB-C ports. Take advantage of the safest networking features with Wi-Fi 6 support.

With a rotating 360 design, the NL72TW converts between laptop, stand-up display, and tablet form factors..

CTL Chromebook PX14EXT

Students stay connected in more ways than one with a front-facing HD camera, digital mic, multiple DP/PD USB ports, Bluetooth 5.0, and WiFi 6. Long battery life and Google H1 HW Security ensures the device is protected while connected.

The Intel Jasper Lake CPU is perfect for the education market, delivering up to 35% better overall application performance compared to Gemini Lake Refresh processors.

Measuring in at 12.9 x 9.0 x .74 in, the PX14EXT is built for portability while not sacrificing quality. The touchscreen display features Intel 14" HD graphics for image clarity during class, streaming media, and more.

The PX14EXT is ready to power on your individual and collaborative projects with the simplicity of a Google account sign-in. With durable hardware and June 2029 AUE, users have plenty of time before needing to replace their device.

Request a quote for bulk purchases of the above CTL Chromebooks or any other CTL products, here: https://ctl.net/pages/request-a-quote .

About CTL

CTL has been manufacturing best-in-class Chromebooks, Laptops, Desktop PCs, Computer Displays, Workstations, and High-End Servers since 1989. CTL's rugged Chromebooks for Education, Chromebox, and Chromebook Tablets have received widespread recognition from noted tech publications such as PC Magazine, ChromeUnboxed.com, Android Police, Android Central, CNET, and Laptop Magazine. CTL's headquarters, sales, and support teams are all located in the United States. CTL is a Google for Education Premier Partner, and an Intel Technology Program Platinum Partner. For more information about CTL and to purchase CTL products, visit us at ctl.net .

Contact: Mark Jorgensen

Email: [email protected]

Number: 503-866-0850

SOURCE CTL
Safari Professionals matches funds raised to benefit the Tiger Trust

HIGH POINT, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A donation will be made to the Tiger Trust as part of an event held by Safari Professionals during this year's Association of Zoos & Aquariums annual conference in Baltimore Maryland. Safari Professionals, a concierge provider of private and small group wildlife conservation safaris, took donations in exchange for entries into a raffle for a framed tiger photo donated by James Ward, Chief Adventure Officer for Safari Professionals, at this year's conference. They then matched the total donated amount to be awarded to the Tiger Trust.

The actual print of the Tiger Photo taken by James Ward of Safari Professionals while on Safari in Central India, 2022. For more wildlife photography, please visit our website. Tiger Trust Raffle Winner pictured with the Tiger Print, taken by James Ward (at left) in Central India.

In response to the alarming decline in India's Bengal tiger population, the Tiger Trust was founded in 1989. Its leader, Kailash Sankhala, inspired international efforts to save the tiger and resulted in the Late Smt. Indira Gandhi officially giving him the title of "The Tiger Man of India."

Safari Professionals is proud to partner with Kailash Sankhala's grandson, Amit, for wildlife conservation safaris in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. A third-generation trustee of the Tiger Trust, Amit's commitment to conservation extends beyond tigers, providing Safari Professionals and its travelers, opportunities to also focus on India's other endangered big cat  the snow leopard.

"When evaluating options to leverage the AZA conference to further our impact on conservation, it made perfect sense to raise funds for this incredibly important initiative," noted Sam Kanakanui, Chief Opportunities Officer for Safari Professionals. "We're thrilled to be working with Amit as we design conservation safaris and raise resources and awareness for the Tiger Trust."

For more information on Safari Professionals and its services for the zoo and aquarium community, please contact James Ward at [email protected] .

About Safari Professionals

The luxury brand Safari Professionals, specializes in designing affordable both private and small group wildlife travel throughout the world for zoos, aquariums, conservation groups and educational organizations. Guided by the principles of responsible travel, current destinations include the India, Malaysia, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Media Contact:

Leann Stanley

800-779-2146

[email protected]

SOURCE Safari Professionals Partners
An industry innovator, Dain brings the experience and leadership needed to continue NorthstarMLS' momentum and direction

TWIN CITIES, Minn., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NorthstarMLS is pleased to announce that Tim Dain has joined the company as chief executive officer. In this role Dain will oversee daily operations of the regional multiple listing service (MLS) as well as lead new business development efforts including continued expansion of the organization's common data platform (CDP) to other regional MLSs and REALTOR associations.

Tim Dain announced as new NorthstarMLS CEO.

Dain brings a wealth of industry experience, including serving as vice president and general manager for leading real estate technology company Remine and as president and CEO of MARIS, a regional MLS serving over 15,000 subscribers across 67 counties and 15 REALTOR associations in Missouri and Illinois.

"Tim has the knowledge, experience and leadership acumen needed to maintain NorthstarMLS' momentum and direction in serving its REALTOR users' new and evolving needs," said Brian Rossow, board chairman of the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc.

Added Todd Shipman, the board member leading the search committee, "We learned a lot about ourselves through this exhaustive search process and felt Tim has a great understanding of the value NorthstarMLS provides REALTORS in our drive to help make consumers more successful."

Dain succeeds John Mosey, who retires from the role after 20 years, during which time NorthstarMLS became a regional economic engine, facilitating 104,631 real estate transactions in 2021 valued at $35.5 billion.

"Just as I stepped into this organization 20 years ago and helped NorthstarMLS evolve and grow, Tim is the ideal steward who can help the organization continue to deliver top value for our REALTOR subscribers now and into the future," said Mosey.

It is a tremendous honor for me to be chosen to succeed John and lead an organization that I hold in such high regard," said Dain. "I'm looking forward to stepping into an organization that has established a national reputation for commitment to leadership, quality and customer service. In this era of MLS cooperation and evolution, it is my goal to continue the progress made by John and the NorthstarMLS leadership team toward a more efficient Midwest marketplace."

Dain has been a REALTOR salesperson, broker-owner, MLS executive and vendor during his career in real estate. He was named to the 2017 Swanepoel Power 200 list of the most powerful and influential executives in the residential real estate industry.

About NorthstarMLS

The Regional MLS of Minnesota, Inc. doing business as NorthstarMLS, provides participating real estate brokers and agents with fast and reliable access to the information and resources that make the real estate market function efficiently and effectively for both buyers and sellers. It serves three shareholder and seven client REALTOR Associations, supporting more than 22,600 REALTORS across Minnesota and into Western Wisconsin, with 96.3% of all Minnesota REALTORS sharing listing information and connecting buyers and sellers through the platform. NorthstarMLS licenses the use of its Common Data Platform (CDP) in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois and North Dakota (joining Q1, 2023) Learn more at https://www.northstarmls.com.

CONTACT

NorthstarMLS Board of Directors Brian Rossow, President

507-282-1700

[email protected]

NorthstarMLS

Mandy Boldt, Marketing & Communications

612-750-2480

[email protected]

SOURCE NorthstarMLS
BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- From breakthroughs in the prevention of post-concussion syndrome to unprecedented advances in post-stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal cell regeneration, TransMedia Group will bring major media attention to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and one of the fields' greatest pioneers, Veteran Hall of Famer Raymond Cralle.

"With HBOT, patients breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, helping injured or damaged cells begin to replicate, ultimately creating new, non-injured cells," said TransMedia Group President, Adrienne Mazzone. "Our PR campaign will highlight the outcomes from Cralle's groundbreaking studies of brain and spine injured veterans, and the staggering outcomes. We will educate the media on HBOT's powerful anti-inflammatory effects, including Cralle's protocols which have broken science barriers and are proven to grow new healthy stem cells."

To further build credibility and awareness, TransMedia Group will highlight many of the prestigious recognitions Cralle has received from top neurologists around the world, including the Hyperbaric Medicine Symposium, support from Florida Senator Tom Wright resulting in a Bill through the Florida Legislature and pro-bono care for countless veterans garnering his induction into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame.

"We believe that HBOT will be more widely practiced as the public learns of its effectiveness," says Raymond Cralle, Founder of Oxygen Rescue Care Centers of America (ORCCA). "That's why TransMedia Group will help simplify the science while also giving reporters and editors our clients' incredible testimonials and home footage- bringing concrete success stories out of the medical journals and into life."

Mazzone says, "'Before' and 'After' Brain Scans are some of the most compelling pitch materials, along with the research that clearly shows how HBOT can sharply decrease veteran suicide rates, diminish the effects of PTSD, including less anger, sleep deprivation and mental anguish."

"We are excited to offer in-depth interviews spotlighting veterans, elite athletes, stroke patients, anti-aging enthusiasts and families who have had their lives changed at Cralle's outpatient neuropathic hyperbaric center in Delray Beach, Florida," said Mazzone. Cralle and his 501 C.3. Hope Springs are at the start of new horizons for HBOT.

TransMedia Group is an international public relations firm serving clients worldwide since 1981. One of its core niches is healthcare and wellness.

Media Contact: Adrienne Mazzone [email protected] 561-908-1683

SOURCE TransMedia Group
Special day of action and support dedicated to champion the estimated 4.7 million Latino business owners who contribute to their communities and the U.S. economic engine

, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Support Latino Business (SLB), a community-founded nonprofit dedicated to providing resources and opportunities for Latino small businesses, officially announces the fourth annual Support Latino Business Day tomorrow, Wednesday September 14, 2022. Intentionally kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month one day early (September 15-October 15), Support Latino Business Day highlights the transformative impact made by the driving contributors of our nation's economy - Latino Small Businesses.

Powered by volunteers and community advocates, Support Latino Business engages Mayors across the country to officially recognize and celebrate the significant contributions Latino businesses make to local communities on September 14 and everyday. Participating City Mayors in Support Latino Business Day 2022 include: Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Washington DC Mayor Murial Bouser, and over 50 more.

"Every single day, Latino business owners make incredible and invaluable contributions to communities here in Chicago and across the country," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "We are honored to continue our partnership with Support Latino Business this year to recognize those contributions and celebrate the positive impact Latino business owners have had on our society and economy."

In addition to working with local leadership to galvanize support for Latino-led businesses, Support Latino Business partners with Latino-focused organizations to provide mentorship, networking, and unrestricted grants to small business owners to invest back in their businesses. With support from SLB, Poderistas hosted the 2022 Jefa Nation Grant to give Latina entrepreneurs and jefas poderosas an opportunity to receive resources to help grow and scale their business.

Also, honoring and celebrating diverse small businesses across the nation and opening on Support Latino Business Day are applications for the second annual #SupportSmallBiz Grant in partnership with Small Business Majority.

"Hispanic Americans are highly entrepreneurial, launching businesses at twice the rate of native-born Americans and creating meaningful opportunities through job creation," said Xiomara Pena , Vice President, Engagement, Small Business Majority. "We know Latino small business owners help grow the economy by filling labor needs, purchasing goods and paying taxes. And despite overwhelming challenges in accessing federal aid during the pandemic, this community pushed through and started new businesses at historic rates. We are excited and honored to help kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month with partner Support Latino Business. We look forward to participating in continued efforts that will spotlight the accomplishments of Latino small business owners and celebrate the diversity and innovation that this community brings to the small business ecosystem."

Support Latino Business will also be presenting grants through the SLB Impact Fund and will also begin taking applications starting September 14, 2022. For more information on these resources, visit https://supportlatino.biz/slb-resources/ .

"We are honored to work alongside community advocates, city mayors and partners across the country to uplift the Latino/x narrative in the U.S. and celebrate the vital and often unsung contributors of our nation's economy, Latino/x-business owners and entrepreneurs," said Jennifer Meza, Support Latino Business President. We look forward to advancing our mission to recognize, resource and champion diverse small business owners and entrepreneurs to continue building a thriving and equitable economy."

According to the 2021 State of Latino Entrepreneurship Report (SOLE) by LBAN and the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative (SLEI), in the past 10 years, Latino-owned businesses have started at a faster rate than other groupsa 44% growth ratecompared to only 4% for non-Latino-owned firms.

Helping more patrons connect with and find Latino businesses to support, Support Latino Business has a growing national directory of Latino owned businesses of Interested Latino business owners. Individuals can sign up for the free directory at www.supportlatino.biz/directory .

Created for the community and by the community, the Support Latino Business initiative is championed by a diverse group of partners including City Mayor offices, local chambers, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Majority, Univision, along with support from partner agencies Captura Group, The Twins PR, and APC Collective. To become part of the Support Latino Business movement, visit https://supportlatino.biz/ and to find ways to participate in this Support Latino Business Day visit https://supportlatino.biz/slb-day-toolkit/ .

About Support Latino Business

Support Latino Business is a national community-led initiative shining a light on the significant economic contributions Latino businesses make, the jobs they help create, and the positive impact they bring to all local communities and the U.S. economy. One of the nation's most diverse networks of partners  including business leaders, owners, entrepreneurs, local activists, community organizations, elected officials, and corporate brands  come together to tell stories about the impact Latino/x businesses have today, and the endless possibilities they'll be realizing tomorrow. For more information or to be a part of the Support Latino Business movement, visit: https://supportlatino.biz/ .

SOURCE Support Latino Business
In a Phase 3 cinical study interim analysis, sabizabulin showed a 55.2% reduction in deaths compared to placebo in hospitalized adult patients with moderate-severe COVID-19 who are at high risk for ARDS





Sabizabulin also showed significant reduction of days in ICU, days on mechanical ventilation and days in the hospital





Veru submitted a request for emergency use authorization to FDA in June 2022





Veru plans to request that Health Canada utliize the NDS-CV (a prioritized, COVID specific review and authorization submission) through the ACCESS Consortium regulatory pathway

MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Valeo Pharma Inc. (TSX: VPH) ( OTCQB: VPHIF) (FSE: VP2) ("Valeo" or the "Company"), a Canadian pharmaceutical company, announced today that it has entered into a Commercial Services Agreement with Veru Inc. (Veru) for sabizabulin for COVID-19 in Canada. Sabizabulin is a novel dual antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent being targeted for the treatment of hospitalized moderate-severe COVID-19 patients at high risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death.

"Provincial healthcare systems across the country are still battling with high numbers of COVID-19 hospitalized patients and related deaths. In a pivotal Phase 3 study, sabizabulin demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 55.2% reduction in deaths compared to placebo. It also showed a significant reduction of days in ICU, days on mechanical ventilation and days in hospital," said Steve Saviuk, CEO, Valeo. "Veru plans to pursue an expedited review process with the Canadian healthcare authorities with the objective of making sabizabulin available in Canada at the earliest time possible."

The sabizabulin Phase 3 COVID-19 clinical trial was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 204 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe COVID ( WHO 4-supplemental oxygen) at high risk for ARDS and death. The primary endpoint was the proportion of deaths by Day 60. Patients in both treatment groups were allowed to receive standard of care treatment including remdesivir, dexamethasone, anti-IL6 receptor antibodies and JAK inhibitors. Based on a planned interim analysis of the first 150 patients randomized, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee unanimously halted the study for clear clinical efficacy and no safety concerns were identified. Treatment with sabizabulin 9 mg once daily, an oral, first-in-class, new chemical entity, microtubule disruptor that has dual anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, resulted in a clinically meaningful and statistically significant 55.2% relative reduction in deaths compared to placebo. The results of the interim analysis of the Phase 3 COVID-19 study have been published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Evidence.

In June 2022, Veru submitted a request for emergency use authorization to the US FDA. Veru will be working with Health Canada and plans to submit its application via the "NDS CV" submission type  which has been created for New Drug Submissions (NDSs) that seek approval on the basis of any of the specific requirements including COVID (CV). Veru will be requesting that Health Canada utilize the ACCESS Consortium regulatory pathway which supports increased harmonization across a number of global health authorities.

About Veru

Veru is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel medicines for COVID-19 and other viral and ARDS-related diseases and for the management of breast and prostate cancers.

The Company's late-stage breast cancer development portfolio comprises enobosarm, a selective androgen receptor targeting agonist, and sabizabulin. Veru's late-stage prostate cancer portfolio comprises sabizabulin, VERU-100, a long-acting GnRH antagonist, and zuclomiphene citrate, an oral nonsteroidal estrogen receptor agonist.

About Valeo Pharma Inc.

Valeo Pharma is a fast growing Canadian pharmaceutical company dedicated to the commercialization of innovative prescription products in Canada with a focus on Respiratory/Allergy, Ophthalmology and Hospital Specialty Products. Headquartered in Kirkland, Quebec Valeo Pharma has all the necessary capabilities and a complete infrastructure to register and manage its growing product portfolio through all stages of commercialization. For more information, please visit www.valeopharma.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about Valeo's objectives, strategies and businesses that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are "forward-looking" because they are based on our current expectations about the markets we operate in and on various estimates and assumptions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions turn out to be inaccurate.

SOURCE Valeo Pharma Inc.
PRAGUE, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vendavo, the global leader in B2B pricing and selling solutions, has announced the official re-opening of its Czech Republic office in Prague.

Located in the Luxembourg Plaza, just minutes from downtown Prague, the new office is a hub for collaboration and innovation and will house a mix of Vendavo's Engineering, Customer Experience, Services, Customer Operations, HR, IT, and Finance teams. An employee-only ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for September 20, 2022, to celebrate the grand re-opening.

"Over the last few years, businesses across the globe have faced unparalleled economic uncertainty. At Vendavo we're growing fast, investing in our employees, creating jobs, and fostering community, despite the economic disruption," said Bruno Slosse, Chief Executive Officer at Vendavo. "This is a win-win for Vendavo and our Czech Republic workforce. We are thrilled to welcome the team to the new office and celebrate Vendavo's commitment to economic restoration."

Innovative startups, established technology companies, and investors have their eyes on Prague as a potential technology giant. Vendavo has a long-standing commitment to the Czech Republic market and aims to attract Prague's top tech talent.

"The talent coming out of Prague is unmatched. Our passionate people, leading products, and empowering culture make Vendavo a great option for anyone looking to build their career in the tech space," said Kristin Thielking, Chief People Officer at Vendavo.

With more than 240 Czechia-based employees, Vendavo continues to expand its Czech Republic footprint and has additional offices in Hradec Kralove and Ostrava.

About Vendavo

Vendavo's AI-embedded pricing and sales solutions power the shift to digital commerce for the world's most demanding B2B companies, unlocking value, growing margin, and accelerating revenue. With the Vendavo SaaS commercial excellence platform and our best-in-class CPQ and price optimization solutions, our customers develop dynamic customer insights and execute optimal pricing strategies that maximize margin, boost sales effectiveness, and improve customer experience. Vendavo has global offices in Denver, Stockholm, Bangalore, and Prague. For more information, please visit https://www.vendavo.com.

SOURCE Vendavo
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The automotive technology company Veoneer is hosting an Executive Briefing panel at the Detroit Auto Show's AutoMobili-D on Thursday, September 15 from 12:20  12:50pm EST.

The panel, titled "ADAS for Everyone  The Industry Responsibility to Make it Happen", will address how working towards a common goal requires the use of collective knowledge across the industry in order to rapidly improve technology and advance mobility. As vehicles and supporting infrastructure advance at lightning speed, a great deal of pressure is placed on all contributors within the automotive market to develop and adapt to the demand. OEMs and suppliers have a great responsibility to push the boundaries of technology and provide features that save lives and improve vehicle comfort, all while facing the challenge of doing it safely and predictably.

The panel, moderated by Tim Stevens (World Car Awards / previously CNET / AOL / Engadget), will include:

Steven Jenkins , CTO and EVP Active Safety Integration, Veoneer

, CTO and EVP Active Safety Integration, Veoneer Anshuman Saxena , Senior Director and Head of ADAS/AD Products, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

, Senior Director and Head of ADAS/AD Products, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. CJ King, VP of Platform Engineering, HERE Technologies

AutoMobili-D is centrally located in Halls B and C on the main show floor at Huntington Place (1 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226).

For more information please contact:

Thomas Jonsson, EVP Communications & IR,

[email protected], tel +46 (0)8 527 762 27

Veoneer is an automotive technology company. As a world leader in active safety and restraint control systems, Veoneer is focused on delivering innovative, best-in-class products and solutions. Our purpose is to create trust in mobility. Veoneer is a Tier-1 hardware supplier and system integrator with products being part of more than 125 scheduled vehicle launches for 2022. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Veoneer has 6,100 employees in 11 countries. The Company is building on a heritage of close to 70 years of automotive safety development.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/veoneer/r/veoneer-hosts-executive-briefing-panel-at-detroit-autoshow-s-automobili-d,c3630808

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE Veoneer
The new round brings its valuation to $3.2B, and will accelerate investment into new and existing product lines, hiring across all functions, and geographic expansion

SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leader in cloud-managed enterprise building security and management, Verkada, today announced a $205 million Series D funding round with new and existing venture partners. The round was led by Linse Capital, with participation from MSD Partners, L.P., and existing investors, including Felicis Ventures, Next47, Sequoia Capital, Meritech Capital, and First Round Capital. Since its founding in 2016, Verkada has raised more than $360 million in funding and the latest round values the company at $3.2 billion.

Verkadas ecosystem of bestinclass solutions provide a scalable way to easily configure, monitor and respond to events from anywhere. Verkada's six product lines include video security cameras, door-based access control, environmental sensors, alarms, guest, and mailroom management. Verkada's security and building management solutions provide unparalleled visibility through a single cloud-based software platform.

Verkada will use the investment to fulfill its mission to build the operating system for the physical world - specifically by enhancing its existing offerings, developing new product lines, hiring across all functions, and continuing its geographic expansion.

Driven by customer demand for Verkada's solutions, the company has maintained a strong growth trajectory. Since its last fundraise in January 2020, Verkada has both quadrupled its customer count and its team size, and opened six new offices. In the last twelve months, Verkada grew its team by 68%, opened three new offices, and nearly doubled total revenue year-over-year.

"We founded Verkada in 2016 with the vision to modernize the world of physical security - one of the last industries to experience a migration from on-premise solutions to cloud-based software. We started with security cameras and an intuitive cloud-based platform, and in just six years, we've expanded to include five additional product lines that help enterprises to protect and manage their people and assets," said Filip Kaliszan, Co-Founder and CEO of Verkada. "This latest commitment of capital is further validation from investors that we are well positioned to capture the opportunity that lies ahead."

"Verkada has already made impressive strides in responsibly building a long-term, diversified business with numerous product lines, supporting thousands of customers across various industries," said Bastiaan Janmaat, Managing Director at Linse Capital. "In the face of a challenging broader market environment, we see Verkada as a shining example of a business positioned to stay on its rapid growth trajectory, and we're looking forward to supporting the team as they provide real value for Verkada's end customers."

"The need for businesses to secure and manage their people and physical assets via technology with scale and speed  today, a $100 billion addressable market opportunity  is mission critical and continues to increase. Verkada has achieved remarkable growth as it captures this market, reflecting both its compelling suite of security products and the quality of the team driving the company forward," said Victor Hwang, Managing Director and co-Head of MSD Growth. "We are proud to partner with Filip and the Verkada team as they redefine the ways that organizations protect and manage their physical operations."

Designed with simplicity in mind, Verkada's six product lines  video security cameras, door-based access control, environmental sensors, alarms, guest, and mailroom management  provide unparalleled visibility through a single cloud-based software platform. Today, the platform is trusted by more than 13,000 organizations worldwide, including more than three dozen companies in the Fortune 500.

For more information on Verkada's products and the impact they are delivering to customers today, see here .

About Verkada

Verkada is the leading physical security platform to protect people and assets in a privacy-respecting manner. Designed with simplicity in mind, Verkada's six product lines - video security cameras, access control, environmental sensors, alarms, visitor management and mailroom management - provide unparalleled visibility of building security through an integrated, secure cloud-based software platform. Over 13,000 organizations worldwide trust Verkada as their physical security layer for easier management, intelligent control, and scalable deployments.

About Linse Capital

Linse Capital is a growth equity firm that leverages multi-decade macro trends and deep sector knowledge to partner with a select number of entrepreneurs in the energy, mobility and logistics sectors, helping their businesses become world leaders in their respective industries. Linse Capital's portfolio includes ChargePoint ( NYSE: CHPT), Redaptive, Skydio, Valens ( NYSE: VLN) and Verkada. Linse Capital is based in Puerto Rico with team members in California and Florida and has $1.9 billion in AUM. For more information, please visit www.linsecapital.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. MSD Growth seeks to back exceptional growth businesses with proven unit economics and strong commercial acceptance of their products, including companies such as 6Sense, Fanatics, Flexport, Guesty, iCapital and Stripe. For further information about MSD Partners, please see www.msdpartners.com.

SOURCE Verkada
New initiative led by state's tourism promotion organization

supported by coalition of tribes across California

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- State officials and tribal leaders joined Visit California in unveiling a new statewide initiative designed to showcase California's vibrant Native communities and cultural tourism experiences to travelers from around the world. The announcement was made today at the site of the future Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza in downtown Palm Springs.

"Visit California is honored to create a platform that showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Native Americans who have called this place home for thousands of years," Visit California President & CEO Caroline Beteta said. "We're committed to partnering with California's tribes and creating spaces to uplift and honor their voices, communities and cultures."

Home to more than 100 federally recognized tribes, California's Native culture is woven into the fabric of its communities. Visit Native California will be a vital source of information on all of the cultural tourism experiences visitors can find across the state  including museums and cultural centers, outdoor experiences like hiking and boating, restaurants, tasting rooms and so much more.

Visit Native California is funded by a federal grant awarded as part of the American Rescue Plan Act to help the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The grant earmarks $1 million to increase awareness of and travel to the state's cultural heritage tourism experiences.

The funding will allow Visit California to create and share stories on the Visit Native California platform, which will be housed online at VisitCalifornia.com. Stories will celebrate the spirit and diversity of California's people and promote visitation to tribes' cultural heritage tourism experiences.

Native storytellers will help expand the California Responsible Travel Code's emphasis on preserving the state's cultural heritage and natural resources, while bolstering the people who provide and promote Native experiences across the state.

"As the state with the highest population of Native Americans, and one of the nation's leading tourism destinations, California is poised to drastically boost national Native tourism promotion and interest with this undertaking," said Sherry Rupert, CEO of the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association. "We've seen the economic benefits that come from uniting under a common banner, but more importantly we see the power of cultural tourism to support preservation and perpetuation of our culture. This is a tremendous opportunity for California's tribes."

The site of the announcement at the Agua Caliente Cultural Plaza was a symbolic nod to what is expected to be a jewel in the crown of California's vast offerings of Native experiences. Expected to open in spring 2023, the plaza will feature the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, the Spa at Sec-he and an outdoor Oasis Trail.

"The Agua Caliente people have been deeply dedicated to bringing California's tribal nations together to promote our shared history and a bright future that we're eager to share with our California family and visitors alike," Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Chairman Reid D. Milanovich said. "Today marks a great new chapter for California."

Tribal leaders from across California joined statewide officials and national Native advocates in announcing the Visit Native California platform, and sharing with journalists a sampling of the state's vast array of offerings.

The Yurok Tribe in Northern California, for instance, maintains its territory in the majestic redwood forest and coastline, as well as the Klamath River. The tribe operates a busy Visitors Center in Klamath, and leads tours of the river in jet boats and dugout redwood canoes.

"A visit to Yurok Country awakens the senses, and you will feel at one with the river, ocean and forest," Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers said. "There is no other place on Earth like it  and adventurers come to take in the majesty of this place and our ancient traditions. Visit Native California will make it possible to share the Yurok story with the world in ways never before possible."

ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA :

Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs  in partnership with the state's travel industry  that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor's Guide, go to visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.

SOURCE Visit California
The Howard Hughes Corporation delivers newest addition to acclaimed Honolulu community offering enhanced urban island lifestyle with environmentally conscious design

HONOLULU, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Howard Hughes Corporation ( NYSE: HHC) today announced the opening of the Koula tower at Ward Village, the sixth residential project to open at the acclaimed 60-acre master planned community located in the heart of Honolulu, just blocks from the Pacific Ocean. Designed by Studio Gangthe renowned architecture firm led by Jeanne Gang, who TIME Magazine named one of the world's most influential peopleKoula exemplifies innovative architectural design focused on community connectivity and ecological awareness. Embracing the unique qualities of Hawaii's climate, vegetation, and sense of community that define Ward Village, Koula seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor spaces that allow residents to forge new connections to nature and each other.

Koula at Ward Village, Courtesy of Ward Village Koula Exterior with Ocean View, Courtesy of Ward Village Koula Detail of Exterior Facade, Courtesy of Ward Village Koula Porte Cochere, Courtesy of Ward Village

"With today's opening of Koula, the latest residential tower to be completed at Ward Village, we are welcoming new residents into our ohana at Ward Village, a LEED-ND Platinum-certified master planned community which continues to demonstrate record-breaking sales momentum as it offers an outstanding modern island lifestyle that you can't find anywhere else," said David R. O'Reilly, Chief Executive Officer of The Howard Hughes Corporation. As of September 14, 2022, Koula is now 96.6% pre-sold with closings expected to commence on September 14, 2022.

The building exemplifies Studio Gang's process of drawing insight from ecological systems to create striking places that create community and that connect with the surrounding environment. The name Koula, which translates to "red sugar cane," is an homage to the native plant whose twisting appearance informed Studio Gang's design for the 41-story tower. To create the distinctive, wave-like appearance of the building's facade, Studio Gang employed an innovative structural system composed of stacked "wallumns"a hybrid element that serves as both wall and column, offering column-free interiors with flexible layouts that allow each residence to angle toward the coastline and capture idyllic views of the Pacific Ocean, the city, and the Koolau Range. The wallumns also provide support and self-shading for each residence's private lanai to keep temperatures comfortable and improve environmental performance.

Koula offers 565 residential homesa variety of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartmentswith the floor plans for each residence designed to bring the outdoors in and extend each unit's livable space. The building includes an array of social areas, making up more than one acre of amenity space. An expansive open-air lobby creates a seamless connection to the surrounding neighborhood and an inviting entrance from the outdoors. One-of-a-kind leisure and fitness spaces on the building's eighth level continue the relaxed, calming atmosphere for everyday living. Koula is the latest demonstration of Ward Village's vision of a natural sanctuary where the community can come together to connect with each other and celebrate the culture and the beauty of the island of Oahu. A new open space surrounding the tower, Victoria Ward Park, reinforces this sense of community and connectivity by serving as a new central gathering space.

"We designed Koula to connect residents with Honolulu's spectacular natural ecology," said Studio Gang Founding Partner Jeanne Gang. "The living spaces subtly peel off from the building's core towards the coastline to capture mauka-to-makai views, and each home extends outdoors onto spacious lanai that draw fresh air and natural light inside year-round. We also designed a series of social spaces and strong links to the adjacent park to help residents meet, come together, and feel part of the larger Ward Village community. I'm excited to see how residents will make these spaces their own."

Interiors of the building are designed by Yabu Pushelberg in collaboration with Studio Gang. Yabu Pushelbergan Interior Design Hall of Fame inductee named among the world's most influential design studiosrarely takes on residential projects but was motivated to contribute to the future of Hawaii living. Guided by the desire to combine the warmth and openness of Hawaii with its natural surroundings, the studio designed interiors which seamlessly follow the rhythm of the architecture and communicate their signature "high-humble," qualitative approach to modern island living.

Outside Koula, the interior spaces flow directly across to Victoria Ward Park, Ward Village's newest gathering place devoted to health, wellness, and community connectivity. The park's 3.5 acres of green space is surrounded by extensively landscaped pedestrian walkways and is designed to enhance the community programming and retail activations that characterize Ward Villageincluding the many restaurants, cafes, farmers' markets, and shopsand make Victoria Ward Park a new centerpiece of life at Ward Village. The enhancement of open green space throughout Ward Village is a critical element of the award-winning community's master plan.

"Our vision for Ward Village has been to create a community distinguished by its design, walkability, unique offerings, and distinct sense of placefostering deep and meaningful connections between the natural environment and the people of the community. Koula is a tangible expression of this philosophy, designed to capture the essence of what makes Honolulu so special within a vibrant urban island setting," said Jay Cross, President of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "Intertwining all categories of housing, commercial, and retail development throughout Ward Village gives residents the exceptional experience of living in a uniquely Hawaiian, expertly planned community."

About Ward Village

Ward Village is a 60-acre master planned community by The Howard Hughes Corporation in the heart of Honolulu, located between downtown and Waikiki. Honoring the distinct history of its land, Ward Village is at the forefront of sustainable community developmentintegrating striking architecture, culture and arts, and public open space. At full build-out, the community will include approximately one million square feet of unique retail and thousands of homes, in what Architectural Digest named "Best Planned Community in the United States." Responding to the strong demand for new housing in urban Honolulu, Ward Village continues to demonstrate an increasingly exceptional pace of sales at its mixed-use residential towersWaiea, Anaha, Aeo, Ke Kilohana, Aalii and Koulathat are transforming the popular shopping and dining district into a thriving urban neighborhood that offers expansive open space, including its newest outdoor gathering place, Victoria Ward Park, and views of the surrounding ocean and mountains. New residential buildings in development or under construction include Victoria Place, Ulana Ward Village, and The Park Ward Village, which has become the fastest-selling market tower in the history of Ward Village since launching public sales in July 2021. As a LEED-ND Platinum-certified master planned community, Ward Village continues to demonstrate its commitment to responsible, mixed-use development by investing in public benefits and amenities for Honolulu's urban community.

About Studio Gang

Studio Gang is an international architecture and urban design practice founded and led by Jeanne Gang. Driven by an ethos of actionable idealism, the studio uses a research-based design process to create striking places that build stronger relationships between people, their communities and the natural environment. The studio's award-winning work ranges from community centers and cultural institutions such as Writers Theatre to tall buildings like Aqua Tower and Solar Carve that foster community. Upcoming projects include an expansion to the American Museum of Natural History; a new United States Embassy in Brazil; a unified campus for California College of the Arts and the Global Terminal at OHare International Airport. Regularly named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Architecture Companies, Studio Gang is headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York, San Francisco and Paris.

About The Howard Hughes Corporation

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country's preeminent portfolio of master planned cities and communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: the Seaport in New York City; Downtown Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin in Las Vegas, Nevada; Ward Village in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Douglas Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The Howard Hughes Corporations portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC. For additional information visit www.howardhughes.com.

Media Contact

The Howard Hughes Corporation

Cristina Carlson, 646-822-6910

Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact

The Howard Hughes Corporation

Eric Holcomb, 281-475-2144

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE The Howard Hughes Corporation
Robust age-verification technology enhances Gen Z platform's existing safety tools and combats bad actors  bots or humans  seeking to breach security systems

PARIS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yubo, a live social discovery platform for Gen Z, is the first major social media app in the world to implement comprehensive age-verification for all its users, a groundbreaking milestone in a key area of concern in online safety today.

Yubo's new age verification system further strengthens safety on the platform.

In partnership with leading digital identity provider Yoti , Yubo first introduced this age-verification system in May for users ages 13 and 14, with the goal of scaling verification across all ages by year-end. Following the successful trial, the technology integration was accelerated, with all Apple users becoming verified three months ahead of schedule. The new age-verification technology will be fully deployed to Android users, who make up roughly 10 percent of users on Yubo, in the coming weeks.

The new system further mitigates risks of child abuse and other such acts by preventing users who might misrepresent their age for ill intent from joining the platform. Age-verification technology also strengthens age-gating on Yubo, which separates users into different communities based on age to limit interaction betweens teens and adults  a unique feature among social media platforms today.

"Our commitment to empowering Gen Z to express themselves and connect authentically online is second only to our commitment to continually advancing Yubo's position as a leader in safety innovation," said Yubo CEO Sacha Lazimi. "By continually applying new safety measures, such as mandatory age verification, to our platform, we are taking a clear stance that we are willing to drive away a portion of users in order to prioritize making Yubo as safe as it can possibly be."

Yubo's new age-verification system prompts first-time users signing up for an account, or existing users who haven't yet been verified, to take a real-time photo of their face on the app, using Yoti's facial age estimation technology. Yoti's technology accurately estimates age by looking at an image of a face, which is analyzed as a pattern of pixels. The technology converts the pixels to numbers and matches them to an age. Designed with privacy at its core, the system has no way of linking a face to a name. If analysis detects a discrepancy between the age provided and Yoti's facial age estimation, additional identification steps to access Yubo are required, through an in-app process overseen by Yubo Safety Specialists in accordance with "privacy by design" principles set forth by European data privacy laws.

Yoti is able to correctly verify with 98.9 percent accuracy that a user is above or below a given age threshold consistently across all ages, genders, and skin tones, and its technology is certified by iBeta, the gold standard for such technologies. Yoti is a trusted partner of major retail and financial services firms, business software clients, government agencies and the Post Office of the United Kingdom, where Yoti is headquartered.

"With over 60 million users, Yubo understands the immense challenge of ensuring that their community remains safe," said Yoti CEO Robin Tombs. "By using our industry-leading age verification across their entire platform, users who want to enjoy Yubo responsibly have an easy, privacy-preserving tool to verify their age. We are proud to collaborate with Yubo to help safeguard young people and create age appropriate experiences online."

All developments and policies on the platform are guided by the expertise of Yubo's Safety Board, which is made up of respected thought leaders from such organizations as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Thorn, and INTERPOL.

"Yubo has gone above and beyond to enhance the online experiences of Gen Z on its platform by proactively mitigating safety risks," said Annie Mullins OBE, Yubo Independent Safety Advisor and former executive of Yahoo! UK and Vodafone, where she led user-protection programs and other such initiatives. "Its rapid, full-scale deployment of sophisticated age-verification technology with Yoti is just the latest evidence of its unwavering commitment to online safety innovation."

In addition to implementing age-verification tech across its entire platform, Yubo is also the first social media platform in the world to introduce real-time audio and video moderation of livestreams, with instant intervention from human Safety Specialists when needed. In addition to Safety Specialists and the Emergency Escalation team members who support them, a range of cutting-edge technical tools also monitor activity on Yubo.

ABOUT YUBO

Yubo is a live social discovery app making it easy for Gen Z to expand their social circles and hang out online with new friends from around the world. By eliminating likes and follows, we empower young people to show up as their true selves and connect as authentically as they would offline. Safety is a cornerstone of our platform, and we are proud to be the first social app in the world to introduce comprehensive user-age verification tools and real-time video and audio moderation for livestreams. Founded in France in 2015, Yubo today is used across more than 140 countries by over 60 million users. Visit us at yubo.live to learn more and follow our journey.

ABOUT YOTI

Yoti is a digital identity technology company that allows organizations to verify identities and trusted credentials online and in person. Yoti's products span identity verification, age verification, document eSigning, access management, and authentication. Over 12 million people have downloaded the free Yoti app globally. Yoti is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Polish. Yoti is certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2013 for ID Verification Services, ISAE 3000 (SOC 2) Type 2 certified for its technical and organizational security processes. For more information please visit www.yoti.com .

Media Contact:

Debora Lima, Yubo U.S. Media Director

[email protected]

Relevant Assets:

Yubo age-verification tutorial video [ YouTube ]

] Yoti facial age estimation technology FAQ [ Blog ]

] Static UI images [ Dropbox ]

SOURCE Yubo
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomd Technologies Ltd. (TSXV: ZOMD) (OTC: ZMDTF) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Zoomd Ltd. (collectively, "Zoomd" or the "Company"), the marketing tech (MarTech) user-acquisition and engagement platform, is pleased to announce it has signed a new publisher agreement with Mexico-based El Universal magazine on July 6, 2022. Pursuant to the arrangement, Zoomd's on-site search engine is expected to be embedded within the noted publishers' websites.

El Universal is one of the most visited Spanish-language news websites in the world1, ranking in the top 1,000 worldwide in terms of traffic, with over 44 million visitors and over 120 million page views per month2.

The onboarding process included both mobile and desktop integrations. Zoomd's award-winning technology, coupled with its advanced ML algorithm and NLP, leads publishers to scale their businesses, monetize their content, and get quality search-based results.

ABOUT ZOOMD:

Zoomd (TSXV: ZOMD) (OTC: ZMDTF), founded in 2012 and began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in September 2019, offers a site search engine to publishers, and a mobile app user-acquisition platform, integrated with a majority of global digital media, to advertisers. The platform unifies hundreds of media sources into one unified place. Offering advertisers, a user acquisition control center for managing all new customer acquisition campaigns using a single platform. By unifying all these media sources onto a single platform, Zoomd saves advertisers significant resources that would otherwise be spent consolidating data sources, thereby maximizing data collection and data insights while minimizing the needed resources Further, Zoomd is a performance-based platform that allows advertisers to advertise to the relevant target audiences using a key performance indicator-algorithm that is focused on achieving the advertisers' goals and targets.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

DISCLAIMER IN REGARD TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the success of El Universal's integration within the Zoomd ecosystem and the overall future growth of the Company and its prospects. . Forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, estimates, expectations and projections that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, technological, legal, privacy matters, political and social uncertainties (including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the current war in Ukraine and the current market downturn), the extent and duration of which are uncertain at this time on Zoomd's business and general economic and business conditions and markets. There can be no assurance that any of the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The reader should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Company Media Contacts:

Amit Bohensky

Chairman

Zoomd

[email protected]

Website: www.zoomd.com

Investor Relations

Lytham Partners, LLC

Ben Shamsian

New York | Phoenix

[email protected]

1 https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/el-universal

2 https://www.similarweb.com/website/eluniversal.com.mx/#traffic

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1039696/Zoomd_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Zoomd Technologies Ltd.
Members of the Queens immediate family held a vigil at her side in Westminster Hall as she lay in state for a third day.

Memebers of the public continued to flock in thousands to pay their respects, though having been closed for a period on Friday due to the huge number the queuing time is now said to be down to 14 hours.

People can visit up until 6.30am on Monday 19 September, the day of her funeral.

Heads of countries all over the world meanwhile have started to arrive for Mondays ceremony.

Commonwealth leaders from Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica and New Zealand reportedly have all held audiences with King Charles III in Buckingham Palace.

A one-minute silence will be held across the UK at 8pm on Sunday.

Monday 19

The Queens state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey.

Plans involve the Queens coffin to be carried along by carriage pulled by sailors rather than horses, with senior members of the Royal Family following behind.

The military will line the streets and join the procession, as well as heads of governments, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key public figures.

The service will be televised and a national two minutes silence is expected to be held.

The Queens coffin will be taken to St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle, and her final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annexe to the main chapel.

Here, her mother and father are buried, as well as the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.

Her late husbands coffin, the Duke of Edinburgh, will be moved from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen's.
It could only be a matter of a few days now before shares in MetalNRG PLC (LSE:MNRG) start to enjoy a substantial re-rating.

The occasion will be a legal hearing that will take place on in the fourth week of September which ought to decide once and for all an issue which has dogged sentiment towards MetalNRG since April of this year.

Back in April the company was constrained to rescind a deal it had struck with BritNRG after it emerged that the deal ought, under law, to have been put to shareholders.

Accordingly, BritNRG now owes MetalNRG just over 1mln that was earlier paid over, and lawyers for MetalNRG are fairly confident that the upcoming judgement will legislate for that money to be returned.

If that is the outcome, not only will MetalNRGs coffers enjoy a significant boost, but months of uncertainty will have come to an end.

In such circumstances, share prices have a habit of ticking upwards, although with legal battles it doesnt always pay to be premature.

After the summary judgement is released, a few loose ends will remain  including an ongoing appeal in the courts of Scotland by a former director of MetalNRG, Pierpaolo Rocco, and issues that will become before an employment tribunal that also relate to Mr Rocco.

Nevertheless, MetalNRGs chief executive Rolf Gerritsen remains cautiously optimistic that the companys legal issues will soon be resolved.

Our legal team is anticipating a positive outcome, he says, justifying that belief in part because the opposing party hasnt offered any real defence.

That being so, there remains the question of the 1mln that MetalNRG is owed. Does BritNRG actually have the cash? Thats not entirely clear, although BritNRG says it does. And if thats true, then under the terms of any court order thats issued, it will have 14 days to pay that money over. If it fails to do so, then MetalNRG is likely to appoint a liquidator.

All things being equal though, it wont come to that, and the world for MetalNRG will look a very different place at the end of next week.

With the court case resolved, MetalNRG will be able to get back to concentrating on the two main strands of its business  the waste to energy portfolio that its building up, and which will shortly be generating cashflow, and the gold exploration opportunities that has in Arizona.

Gerritsen is hopeful of significant movement on both before the end of this year, although he says that the main focus of MetalNRG for now is the waste-to-energy partnership with EQTEC which already has one project in Italy thats close to generating cash.

We will be commissioning the plant in the next few months, says Gerritsen, and we will then be revenue generating.

He expects MetalNRGs annual net income from this Italian project to be of the order of between 200,000 and 250,000, a sum which should cover most of the companys running costs going forward.

At the same time, shareholder loans that have been provided to get the Italian operation up and running can be refinanced on favourable terms once the cash is coming in, and then recycled into further projects. In that way MetalNRG hopes to build up a sizeable portfolio in a relatively short time.

And although that will be the main event, drilling on the Arizona gold project is also planned for this year, meaning that a raft of positive newsflow is likely to come in before the end of December.

Will that all add up to a re-rating? Nothing is guaranteed. But the ducks are all lining up, and the shares certainly are poised for a rebound. Watch this space.
CentralNic Group PLC (AIM:CNIC) has revealed it is broadening its reach in social media and native advertising with the acquisition of tech firm Aporia for US$11.2mln net in cash.

The acquisition is part of a larger vertical integration strategy, providing the group's online marketing segment with more direct access to high-quality traffic to monetise, said the company.

Aporia is already an exclusive supplier to CentralNic, it noted, so while the transaction will increase gross and EBITDA margins, it will have no immediate impact on revenue.

In 2021, the Israeli business generated revenue of US$35mln, gross profit of US$3.5mln and EBITDA of US$2mln, and the acquisition is immediately earnings accretive.

Up to another US$7.8m is payable to Aporias vendors dependent on performance up to and including 2024.

In a statement, Ben Crawford, CentralNics CEO, said: "Disintermediating the value chain holds enormous potential to create a more efficient ecosystem in CentralNic's Online Marketing business, removing transaction costs and friction losses."

This acquisition represents a major step forward in our disintermediation strategy, creating more value for CentralNic, as well as for the users of our customer acquisition and traffic monetization services," he added.

In addition, CentralNic said former Future PLC executive Claire MacLellan has joined its board as a non-executive director.

For six years up until recently, MacLellan was Future's chief growth officer where she orchestrated an acquisitions strategy that saw profits grow from six figures to US$250mln in four years.

Crawford commented: "We are delighted to welcome Claire to our board. She has a wealth of experience in growing a public company similar to CentralNic both organically and inorganically. Claire's skillset is an ideal fit with CentralNic's strategic ambitions.

MacLellan replaces Tom Pridmore, who steps down by rotation after nine years. His departure is a source of great regret, said CentralNic chairman Iain McDonald.
Marks and Spencer Group PLC (M&S) saw its shares fall by 2.3% at 119.10p in late afternoon trading after analysts at Deutsche Bank cut their target price for the high street retailer to 145p from 155p following the recent profit warning from its joint venture with Ocado Group PLC.

In a note to clients, the Deutsche Bank analysts said: "We find it hard to believe that these same consumer and cost pressures will not be felt by M&S in its core Food business and to a lesser extent in Clothing. We took a cautious view on M&S back in April given these issues and we see no reason to change that view until we see the actual evidence of the consumer slowdown on the core business."

The analysts said they lowered their full-year 2023 pre-tax profit estimate for M&S by around 8% and full-year 2023 pre-tax profit estimate by around 7% leading to the reduction in price target to 145p, while retaining a 'Hold' rating on the FTSE 250-listed stock.

11.50am: Naked Wines shares laid bare

Shares in Naked Wines plunged 34.5% in late morning trade after announcing plans for a financial and operational review alongside the surprising departure of non-executive director, Pratham Ravi.

Ravi represented the groups largest shareholder and only joined less than three weeks ago.

The online wine retailer said it will provide an update on the plans alongside a trading statement due on the week commencing 17 October.

Analysts at Liberum Capital said something has gone somewhat awry with the departure of Ravi and suggested the trading update in October could be rather negative.

The broker repeated a 'Sell' rating on Naked Wines and cut its price target to 100p from 150p after the latest update citing its weak balance sheet, question marks around the covenants in quarter one, liquidity and going concern issues and also how the group will drive liquidity in quarter two.

10.00am: Record profits boost Dunelm shares

Homeware retailer Dunelm Group PLC (LSE:DNLM) was a rare riser on Wednesday after reporting a 32.4% rise in full year pre-tax profits to a record 209mln, on total sales of 1.6bn, up 16.2% on the year.

The retailer said its active customer base grew 8.5% over the year and paid a final dividend of 26p a share, up from 23p a year earlier.

Shares advanced 3.4% to 745p bucking the weak market trend.



Chief executive Nick Wilkinson said: "We feel confident and well prepared to weather the current economic pressures.

That said, the operating and economic environment is extremely challenging.



Dunelm said sales have remained "robust" in the first 10 weeks of the new financial year and that it's on track to deliver full year 2023 results in line with analysts' expectations for pre-tax profit of 178mln.

Analysts at Peel Hunt were upbeat: There is no sign of trading down, or weakness in any category it said.

Indeed, Dunelm enters full year 2023 with record brand awareness, active customers and an intent to double down on value.

We see strong market share growth and a 35+% three-year dividend return the broker added.

9.05am: Aston Martin hit by possible legal action

Aston Martin Lagonda topped the FTSE 250 fallers on Wednesday after reports that is facing a lawsuit from two former dealers.

The Financial Times said the two former dealers claim they are owed about 150mln for underwriting the development of its troubled Valkyrie hypercar, .

The luxury car maker revealed that Nebula Project AG (a Swiss company owned by Andreas Baenziger and Florian Kamelger) had filed a case against Aston in London, the report said although details are not public.

The case centres on a deal to underwrite the development of the 2.5mn Valkyrie hypercar, according to two people with knowledge of the matter, the FT said.

When the carmaker began developing the Valkyrie in 2016 it turned to Baenziger and Kamelger to underwrite the project.

They were guaranteed royalty payments of about 3%, worth about 150mn, once the cars were on sale, according to three people with knowledge of the arrangement at the time.

However, last year Aston claimed the pair had withheld Valkyrie customer deposits from the company, and sued them to recoup the 15mln it said it was owed.

At the same time, it cancelled the contract.

The FT quoted a statement on Tuesday evening from Aston chair Lawrence Stroll who said: We are confident in our legal position and believe their counterclaims are retaliatory and without merit.

8.15am: Deutsche downgrade hits abrdn

Shares in asset manager abrdn PLC were a weak feature on Wednesday, falling 3.7% to 143p, hit by a downgrade by Deutsche Bank.

The broker has taken a more cautious stance on the company, downgrading the stock to sell from hold with a reduced price target of 135p, down from 175p.

Analyst Rhea Shah said there are downside risks to the shares from both an earnings and capital perspective with a 25% cut to the dividend now forecast beginning with the final payout for 2022.

Additionally, Deutsche also values the excess capital locked within the Indian stakes at a 5% larger discount to reflect concerns around the uses of sale proceeds.
ReNeuron Group PLC said it appointed John Hawkins as its chief financial officer (CFO) and a board member with immediate effect.

The UK-based leader in stem cell derived exosome technologies also announced that Simon Dew will be joining its executive team as chief business officer (CBO).

Hawkins joined ReNeuron in October 2014 as financial controller and was also appointed company secretary in June 2021. He is an experienced finance professional with a breadth of experience gained within a variety of businesses, from large PLCs to family-owned SMEs. Hawkins graduated from university with a 1st class honours degree in industrial chemistry and started his career with KPMG, where he qualified as a chartered accountant and worked for the initial part of his career.

Dew is a senior healthcare executive with extensive experience in Business Development and Corporate Strategy. His career spans working at SmithKline Beecham, IQVIA, Astellas Pharma, Gyroscope and more recently exosomes company Evox Therapeutics, where he was responsible for leading two transformational partnership deals with global pharmaceutical companies.

Additionally, ReNeuron said it is making other changes to its executive team. With immediate effect, Dr Randolph Corteling assumes the role of chief scientific officer (CSO) with Professor Stefano Pluchino moving to the role of chair of the company's Scientific Advisory Board, continuing to combine working with ReNeuron and his academic work in Exosomes and Regenerative Neuroimmunology at the University of Cambridge.

Meanwhile, Suzanne Hancock, currently Head of Operations, who has worked with the group since 2017, moves to the position of chief operations officer (COO), it added.

In a statement, Iain Ross, ReNeuron non-executive chairman, commented: "I am delighted to announce John Hawkins' appointment as CFO and a director of the Company and also to welcome Simon Dew as member of the Executive team. I believe under Catherine's leadership we have a strong executive team in place to execute our plans."

Catherine Isted, ReNeuron chief executive officer, added: "I am delighted John has accepted the position of CFO. He has been a key part of the team redefining the operational and strategic focus of the Group and his extensive knowledge of the business and tireless work ethic have been invaluable especially in this period of transition."

"The appointment of Simon Dew as CBO will be a key role in the new ReNeuron Executive team to maximise the opportunity we see ahead of us in the field and to accelerate our partnership opportunities. We are delighted to have been able to attract a candidate of such high calibre and experience, especially in the field of exosomes, to join the Group.

"With the other Executive changes announced today, I believe we have the right team in place to deliver on the full potential that our customisable Exosomes platform has to offer to biotech and pharma partners and ultimately deliver value to our shareholders as we build ReNeuron into the sustainable growing and commercially validated business we know it can become," she concluded.
Bezant Resources PLC (AIM:BZT) has said it plans diamond drilling in coming weeks to follow up on high values of manganese seen in trench assay results at its 100% owned high-grade Kanye project in Botswana.

Lab assays from trench sampling at the Loltware prospect returned in-situ chip/grab sample peak results of 41.4% manganese oxide (MnO), 49.23% MnO and 40.83% MnO from one metre wide zones of siliceous manganese mineralisation within a continuously mineralised zone of 40 metres (m) at 11.53% MnO.

At the Moshaneng borrow pit, excavation of shallow clays by a local contractor for road fill has exposed further manganese-rich pods over a width of approximately 12m-15m and a strike length of 250m, the company said.

It noted that the "strongly anomalous" soil geochemistry suggests that the mineralised zone at Moshaneng may extend for more than 2 kilometres (km) in total.

Bezant said it is planning maiden diamond drill testing of both targets, adding that a contract has been signed with a local drilling company, with mobilisation expected later this month.

"The trench results produced some very high values of manganese and provided the impetus for this drilling programme," said Bezant executive chairman Colin Bird in a statement.

"The Moshaneng Borrow pit gives us more information as it progresses and upgrades our confidence in this project area. I look forward to keeping the market advised on drilling results as they emerge," he added.

At Moshaneng, Bezant proposes to test for continuity of high-grade manganese mineralisation at shallow depths on drill two profiles, while at Loltware, a profile of three short angled holes is planned to test the full interval of manganese mineralisation encountered in trench LT-TR01.

"These holes should provide important information on the bedding orientation as well as the style, continuity and grade of manganese mineralisation below the near-surface detrital manganese recorded in the trenches," the company said.
Rio Tinto PLC (LSE:RIO) and China Baowu Steel have agreed to invest US2bn in a new iron ore mine in Pilbara.

The venture, in which Rio Tinto will hold a 54% stake and the Chinese steelmaker the rest, will develop the Western Range iron ore project in Pilbara.

Construction will start early next year with production to start in 2025.

Rio Tinto's existing Paraburdoo mining hub will use Western Range's anticipated annual production capacity of 25mln tonnes to produce Pilbara Blend.

In addition, the companies entered into an iron ore sales agreement under which Baowu will purchase up to 126.5mln tonnes over a 13-year period, equal to the Shanghai-based firm's 46% stake in Western Range.

Rio Tinto's share of capital costs has already been already included in its capex forecasts, the mining major said in a statement.

Capital costs and mine operating costs will be paid by both parties, plus a nominal ongoing resource contribution fee based on production volumes at Western Range. No upfront consideration is being paid.

We have enjoyed a strong working relationship with Baowu for more than four decades, shipping over 200 million tonnes of iron ore under our original JV, and we are looking forward to extending our partnership at Western Range, said Simon Trott, chief executive of Rio Tinto Iron Ore.

At the same time, Rio Tinto and Baowu continue to work together on low-carbon steelmaking research, exploring new methods to reduce carbon emissions and improve environmental performance across the steel value chain.
MP Evans Group PLC (AIM:MPE)'s (MP Evans Group PLC (AIM:MPE)) CEO Matthew Coulson joins Proactive London to talk about its performance in the first six months of 2022 - with profits up 53%.

As a consequence, the firm raised its dividend by 25% - as the price of mill-gate crude palm oil rose to an average of US$1,305 per tonne from US$724 a year earlier.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused oil commodities to soar exacerbated by a short-term ban on exports in Indonesia, which has since been lifted.

Operating cash inflow in the first half more than doubled to US$69.7mln (2021: US$33mln). # MP Evans #palm oil #Indonesia
"Flaring gas is something we do not do lightly as we own the enriched gas flared as it was purchased for the miscible flood," added the COPL CEO

Canadian Overseas Petroleum Limited (LSE:COPL, CSE:XOP) (COPL) has noted that a hearing on the application by its affiliate, Southwestern Production Corporation to flare additional gas volumes at its Barron Flats Shannon Unit (BFSU), located in Converse County Wyoming, has been delayed.

Southwestern has made an application to the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) to temporarily flare additional gas at its operated BFSU miscible flood project. The WOGGC hearing on the application was scheduled for September 13, 2022.

COPL said Southwestern has requested a continuance to the scheduled hearing docket in October in response to an objection to the application filed shortly before the scheduled September hearing.

The objector is known to the company as they hold a 0.1% working interest in the BFSU as well as ownership of the surface rights, COPL noted, saying it is Southwestern's preference to have an uncontested hearing. As such, therefore, it is in discussions with the objector regarding their concerns and conditions to withdraw the objection, which the company feels the majority of these can reasonably be met.

In a statement, Arthur Millholland, COPL president & CEO, commented: "While the delay in the hearing is unfortunate, the company's application is based on extensive and sound engineering which we look forward to presenting to the WOGCC in October. Flaring gas is something we do not do lightly as we own the enriched gas flared as it was purchased for the miscible flood. In addition, we are seeing positive responses to our wax treatment program in the field and I look forward to updating the market with results once we see some stability. We also continue to be focused on our 2022 objectives as laid out earlier this year."

COPL said it has previously disclosed the BFSU miscible flood is performing beyond its expectations, which is also outlined in the application. The issues facing the company are unexpected very high pressures on certain producing wells. These high pressures have caused safety issues during workovers, at well-site production facilities and with the current gas gathering system in addition to restricting oil production.

The company said that temporary gas flaring at some or all of these wells will mitigate these issues until a field-wide solution is engineered and implemented.

Gas production from one of these wells has recently been tied directly into the gas plant to reduce the load on the gas gathering system. Two additional wells will also be tied directly into the gas plant after recent receipt of direct right of why consent from the objector. Once completed these actions will mitigate the high-pressure effects on three of the current five wells with the issue, and current flared gas volumes will also be reduced, COPL said.

As the miscible bank continues to move across the field, certain wells will respond as simulated but some are more than likely to respond similarly to the current wells causing the issues at hand. Thus, the company said it requires flexibility to operate with safety being paramount under ongoing 'Good Oilfield Practices.

COPL is an international oil and gas exploration, development and production company actively pursuing opportunities in the United States with operations in Converse County, Wyoming, and in sub-Saharan Africa through its ShoreCan joint venture company in Nigeria, and independently in other countries.

The company's Wyoming operations are one of the most environmentally responsible with minimal gas flaring and methane emissions combined with electricity sourced from a neighbouring wind farm to power production facilities.
A community has managed to keep LUNC alive with deflationary tokenomics and a Twitter rally cry

Do Kwon, the maligned founder of Terraform Labs, has been issued an arrest warrant by South Korean authorities on breaches to capital markets law.

According to Bloomberg, the Seoul courts issued a warrant for Do Kwon and five others, all of whom currently reside in Singapore.

Do Kwon became a pariah after his supposed stablecoin TerraUSD (UST) collapsed in May, bringing sister token LUNA down with it in a spectacular US$60bn crash.

When asked by Coinage in August if he would ever return to South Korea to face the music, Do Kwon said: Its kind of hard to make that decision, because weve never been in touch with the investigatorsTheyve never charged us with anything.



Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon spoke with Coinage in August in first appearance since Terras crash  Source: YouTube screenshot

However, South Korean prosecutors raided the home of Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin on allegations of illegal activity behind Terras collapse and now that Seoul prosecutors have officially levied charges, Kwon has yet to express his cooperation.

Amid the legal troubles, the legacy Terra LUNC coin is facing its own crisis after enjoying a stunning rally in recent weeks.

A short-lived short squeeze

Reading the tea leaves, we can see a bearish engulfing pattern forming on the LUNC/BUSD chart.

LUNCs unexpected rally began drawing back earlier this week  Source: binance.com

This could signal further negative price action to come.

As it stands, LUNCs exchange price of less than US$0.0003 represents a drawdown of 65% from last weeks high.

In straight terms, LUNCs current market capitalisation of US$1.77bn represents losses of around US$2bn in just six days.

Why is LUNC down?

Now run by the community, LUNC is the original LUNA project, while LUNA is Do Kwons revamped LUNA project (I wish things were simpler too).

LUNCs revival over the past few weeks was something of a miracle.

Once among the largest cryptocurrencies with a US$40bn market valuation under its original ticker LUNA, it became essentially worthless in a matter of days after suffering one of the most spectacular crashes in the history of the digital asset market this May.

Do Kwon may have abandoned stakeholders and refocused his attention on a fresh relaunch, but for token holders with billions on the line, the story wasnt over.

Inspired by prior meme stock rallies  think GameStop and AMC  investors rallied around a short squeeze.

It was going well for a while, reaching its peak last Thursday September 8 when it hit a market valuation of over US$3.6bn; not bad for a project abandoned by its maker.

A deflationary tokenomics revamp and fresh support from a few major exchanges helped spur the token up over 360% in two weeks alone.

But just as we saw with GameStop and AMC, a short squeeze can only squeeze for so long and it looks like the grip is slipping on LUNC.

Top holders may have exited their positions en masse following the rally, or the short squeeze was an unsustainable bubble likely a mixture of both is the culprit.

For what its worth, LUNA  the rebranded one headed by Kwon that is  is faring far worse, having shed around 30% of its market valuation today alone.

The bottom line? The community-run Terra LUNC project is worth around five times more than Do Kwons LUNA coin, but both are bleeding value.

Utility, what utility?

With all the furore over Do Kwons arrest and LUNCs revival, its easy to forget that Terra 2.0 (that's Do Kwon's project) is meant to be a blockchain ecosystem with some real-world use to justify its existence.

So what is Terra LUNA actually being used for?

Not much by the looks of it.

Around 30 projects have been built using Terra 2.0 protocols, predominantly generic decentralised exchanges and barren NFT marketplaces.

Thats the challenge for Do Kwons revamped Terra 2.0: without some genuine utility its doubtful whether it has much potential in a crowded blockchain marketplace.

As for LUNC, it looks to be heading in a downward position for the moment but given the utter unpredictability of the markets, the story might be different next week.
Moho Resources Ltd (ASX:MOH) has developed a portfolio of strategically located rare earth element (REE) projects in Western Australia which it intends to explore, develop and capitalise on to meet a predicted global shortage of REEs.

REEs are a group of 17 elements with properties vital to advanced technological applications, including powerful magnets, batteries, lights, screens, glass, catalysts, steel alloys, computers and missile guidance systems.

Exploration for these elements has increased drastically as their uses continue to expand and their applications become vitally important to global economies.

The company is well placed to capitalise on its strategically located projects for rare earths, Moho Resources managing director Ralph Winter said.

The expanding supply shortages for rare earth minerals will provide Moho with opportunities to create value for the company and its shareholders.

Mohos REE portfolio

MOH holds several projects with a combination of precious metals, battery metal sulphides and REE prospectivity.

Burracoppin

The Burracoppin Project in Western Australias Wheatbelt was originally explored for gold and silver under a joint venture (JV) with IGO Ltd.

IGO has since independently discovered the potential for REEs and specifically heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) on nearby tenure.

The discovery prompted Moho to review its substantial geochemical, geological and geophysical database on the Burracoppin Project to search for tenements that may hold REEs and other critical minerals.

The company expects to release the preliminary results of this work shortly.

Peak Charles

The Peak Charles Project is one of seven projects generated from an agreement with Whistlepipe Exploration Pty Ltd, considered prospective for nickel and associated battery and precious metals.

The Ravensthorpe-Esperance region appears to be rapidly developing an iconic clay-hosted REE province in this area, with several ASX-listed explorers taking up significant landholdings with a focus on this type of mineralisation.

Moho is particularly interested in clay-hosted REEs as they are easily explored; often close to surface and accessible with aircore drilling.

Anomalous neodymium and praseodymium have also been reported on nearby tenure by OD6 Metals Ltd.

With so many companies in the region already undertaking extensive exploration and metallurgical studies, MOH is confident it will be able to quickly leverage results to progress the project.

The project is also close to essential infrastructure, being only 70 kilometres northwest of the industrial port of Esperance.

Moho Resources has begun a review of historical data for Peak Charles, with consultant geochemist Richard Carver reviewing the limited historical soil and shallow auger results over the Peak Charles tenements.

MOH has stated its intention to continue to expand assessment of its projects for REE and battery metal potential and has already begun a review of aircore drill core samples from the Empress Springs Project.
The cost to access water from the Stirling Trunk Main pipeline matches the assumption in the pre-feasibility study.

Frontier Energy Ltd (ASX:FHE) has agreed to access water for its green hydrogen facility at the Bristol Springs Renewable Energy Project from the existing Stirling Trunk Main pipeline, a major milestone achieved in consultation with the Western Australian Government-owned Water Corporation.

Fronters Stage One strategy is to develop a 114 megawatt (MW) solar farm to power a 36.6MW alkaline electrolyser, which will produce about 4.4 million kilograms of green hydrogen per annum. The long-term target is to generate renewable energy in excess of 1 gigawatt.

The pipeline is 3.5 kilometres from the project located about 120 kilometres from Perth.

Location of the Stirling Trunk Main pipeline and the Bristol Springs Project.

Big advantage

The location of our Bristol Springs Renewable Energy Project has again given the company a significant advantage compared to our peers in more remote locations, said Frontier executive chairman Grant Davey.

Accessing suitable water, one of the two critical elements for green hydrogen production, the other being renewable energy, via the existing water pipeline network means the company does not require the development of a desalination facility.

This not only saves the project millions in capital development costs but also reduces the time to first production as additional approvals and environmental studies are not required.

More than enough water

The pipeline connection has a capacity for 1,250 kilolitres (Kl) of water per day, which is more than sufficient to supply the 750Kl per day needed for Stage One of the project. It is also enough to meet Frontiers mid-term expansion strategy.

As well, the indicative cost for water usage matches the $2.5/Kl assumed in the pre-feasibility study.

A final agreement with Water Corporation is expected later this year.
An SAS individual cell rated at 2.58 V each.

Altech Chemicals Ltd (ASX:ATC) is trading higher after executing a Joint Venture Shareholders Agreement with leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS to commercialise IKTS revolutionary CERENERGY Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery that is free of lithium, graphite, copper and cobalt.

The SAS CERENERGY battery uses common table salt and ceramic solid-state technology and Altech believes that these batteries are the game-changing grid storage alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

CERENERGY batteries are fire and explosion-proof, have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates.

Shares have been as much as 28.13% higher to A$0.1025 and have risen from A$0.044 at the market close on June 23.

Altech involvement

Altech and associated entity Altech Advanced Materials AG will hold 75% of the joint venture company, which will commercialise a 100 MWh project to be constructed on Altechs land in Schwarze Pumpe, Germany.

The battery technology uses table salt and nickel - is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

SAS technology has been developed by Fraunhofer IKTS over the last eight years and has revolutionised previous technology, allowing higher energy capacity and lower production costs.

Commercialisation comes next

SAS-type batteries, in terms of capacity, have already been successfully tested in stationary battery modules. The IKTS SAS batteries are in the final phase of product testing and ready to commercialise.

IKTS has spent in the region of EUR 35 million on research & development and operates a EUR 25 million pilot plant in Hermsdorf, Germany.

Ceramic solid-state electrolyte at IKTS pilot facility.

The final CERENERGY battery modules, at 10 KWh each, are specially designed for the grid storage market and have been undergoing extensive performance testing in Germany.

These modules are designed to fit in racks housed in sea containers that can be deployed for grid storage.

Altech fits criteria

IKTS has been looking for an entrepreneurial partner that has German land available, has access to funding, is a builder of projects, has battery background and has technology in alumina used in ceramics.

Altech fitted the criteria and a Joint Venture Shareholders Agreement was executed. Altech group will own 75% of the project with IKTS 25% free carried. The intellectual property will be licensed exclusively to the JV.

Altech and IKTS have elected to develop a 100 MWh SAS battery plant (train 1) on Altechs site in Saxony, Germany.

Market growth

The target market for this project will specifically focus on the grid (stationary) energy storage market which is expected to grow by 28% Compound Annual Growth Rate in the coming decades.

Other market positives are that the global grid energy storage market is expected to grow from US$4.4 billion in 2022 to US$15.1 billion by 2027 while the market is expected to grow from 20 GW in 2020 to more than 3,000 GW by 2050.

Altech believes that SAS batteries can provide high security, at low acquisition and operating costs, for the stationary energy storage market.

Production plan

The proposed battery plant will produce 10,000 SAS battery modules annually, rated at 10 KWh each. These SAS battery modules are expected to sell for between EUR 7,000-9,000 per module, or EUR 700-900 per KWh, at final pack costs.

SAS cells in battery module.

IKTS has estimated that the total cost of production for CERENERGY batteries will be 40%-50% cheaper than lithium-ion batteries.

The JV partners have started the planning process for a bankable feasibility study required for the commercialisation process.

Once train 1 is built and operating, the longer-term vision for the joint venture is to construct additional trains or a Gigawatt battery facility.

What is a CERENERGY battery?

A CERENERGY battery consists of a ceramic tube (conductive to sodium ions but insulator for electrons) with a positive terminal in the centre of it.

The solid ceramic tube (solid state technology) performs the same function as a liquid electrolyte in a lithium-ion battery, allowing sodium ions to transfer through it.

IKTS has developed solid-state technology to produce these large solid ceramic tubes with micro-structures that allow fast sodium ion transfer.

The ceramic tube is filled with cathode granules consisting of common table salt and nickel. To ensure contact between the solid cathode granules and the ceramic electrolyte tube, the tube is flooded with a sodium aluminium chloride medium.

The ceramic tube is housed in a steel canister which acts as the negative terminal. The positive and negative terminal tabs are installed at the top of the cell for electrons transfer and connection to other cells.

SAS cell with positive and negative terminal.

Each cell operates at 2.58V and a collection of 40 cells are installed in a refractory insulated module casing. Each module is rated at 10KWh and 100 Ah.

The technology highlights for CERENERGY batteries are high specific energy; excellent performance and cycle life in harsh operating environments; ultra-long battery life span and low environmental impact.

The advantages

Advantages of the SAS batteries are:
Surefire Resources NL (ASX:SRN) has confirmed the presence of lead and silver mineralisation through rock chip sampling at Mt Conspicuous prospect of the Kooline Project in Western Australia.

Reconnaissance rock chip sampling and mapping returned high-grade results, including:

16.2% lead and 41 g/t silver; and

14.2% lead and 55 g/t silver

The company is particularly encouraged by these results, as they confirm Surefires interpretation of recent airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey data, supporting the idea of a large corridor of high-grade lead-silver mineralisation, specifically a massive sulphide lead-silver body beneath shallow cover.

Surefire says these results confirm Mt Conspicuous as a high-priority exploration target and plans are already underway for further geochemical sampling, ground-based electromagnetic (EM) surveying and exploration drilling.

Potential to yield high-grade discoveries

Reconnaissance sampling in the Mt Conspicuous area supports Surefires interpretation that the Mt Conspicuous AEM geophysical anomaly is associated with an extensive corridor of high-grade lead-silver mineralisation, Surefire Resources CEO Cain Fogarty said.

These results show Kooline has the potential to yield high-grade discoveries in this under-explored historical mining field.

The next steps at Kooline are detailed mapping and sampling, and consideration is being given to a detailed ground-based EM survey to refine the coinciding geophysical and geochemical anomalies, ahead of drilling.

AEM slice over the Kooline silver-lead field showing historical mines and mineralised trends.
Coffee with Samso Episode 153 with Willem Vriesendorp, chief executive officer of Clean TeQ Water Ltd (ASX:CNQ) is all about our most precious resource, Aqua - Water.

There is a common understanding that water is a resource that we cannot live without. However, if you ask your average investor in the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), what is the most critical resource, you will be surprised that many, if not all, will not mention water.

Investors talk about critical metals and resources but they forget that without water, nothing will work. No mining can happen if you do not have the correct form of water. You cannot even drill the holes without a good source of water.

Willem brings across the business of cleaning water. The business of desalination, nutrient removal, zero liquid discharge and hardness removal may seem unimportant, but these are big revenue generators when you do it for governments and companies. The revenue that can be generated is a lot more than one would expect. I would go as far as saying that the revenue margin is a lot better than most mining projects.

Clean Teq currently works with a focus on municipal wastewater, surface water, industrial wastewater and mining process water.

Watch the interview: Coffee with Samso Episode 153

What is most important is that Clean Teq is a technology company that is doing business in the water industry. The company creates the tech and they are the innovation. This is the point of difference.

Water treatment for industries has to be the most important aspect of the new world. Investors are preparing for the electrification of the next generation, but they must also learn that without water, there is no next generation.

Chapters:

00:00 Start

00:20 Introduction

01:20 The Clean TeQ Water Story

02:59 Is water a critical resource?

05:52 The core business of Clean TeQ Water.

11:35 How does the business work?

15:02 Reaction from potential investors.

19:44 Does this new technology work?

22:10 History and success of metal recovery.

25:12 How should investors look at Clean TeQ Water Limited?

29:44 Are there any competitors?

31:59 What are the downsides?

34:15 News flow.

37:36 The image of CNQ.

41:06 Conclusion.

PODCAST

About Willem Vriesendorp

Chief Executive Officer

Willem has lived and worked in China since 2010. After moving to China, Willem initially worked as CFO and head of Strategy at a carbon trading and clean energy focused venture capital firm. In 2012, Willem founded a waste water treatment company based out of Beijing. Before moving to China, Willem worked for over 7 years as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in Europe, the US and Asia, primarily focusing on clients in the energy and clean technology sector.

Willem has a Masters in Applied Physics from Groningen University and an MBA from Insead in Paris.

About Clean Teq Water Limited

Clean TeQ Water is one of the world's most innovative water treatment companies. We provide a wide range of water treatment solutions to customers around the world.

An ASX-listed company, recognised as one of Australias most innovative water treatment and resource recovery.

We provide innovative metals recovery and water treatment solutions for governments and companies. Our technology solutions include desalination, nutrient removal, zero liquid discharge and hardness removal.

Our sectors of focus include municipal wastewater, surface water, industrial wastewater and mining process water. Clean TeQ Water has offices and laboratories in Melbourne, Beijing and Tianjin, and a partner office in Africa. We provide turnkey metals recovery and water treatment plants everywhere in the world.

Fresh water is the Earths most essential commodity. Population growth, the environmental challenges associated with urbanisation, economic development, and climate change are driving the water treatment market to become one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world.

In addition to these challenges, stricter regulation on water effluent quality is being driven by increased public concerns on the effect of micropollutants and demand for innovative water technology solutions. These trends are driving investors focus towards ESG compliant businesses.

Clean TeQ Water is well placed to capitalize on these market conditions with its deep expertise and unique portfolio of innovative technologies. Our technologies, which include continuous ion exchange solutions for targeted removal of pollutants, encapsulated bacteria for enhanced biological treatment, and new graphene based membranes, offer fundamentally new ways to treat water that address some pressing challenges in todays global water sector.

With the successful delivery of several commercial sized treatment plants, we have proven the benefits our technology can bring to customers.

Please let Samso know your thoughts and send any comments to info@Samso.com.au. Remember to Subscribe to the YouTube Channel, Samso Media and the mail list to stay informed and make comments where appropriate. Other than that, also feel free to provide a Review on Google.

For further information about Coffee with Samso and Rooster Talks visit: www.samso.com.au

About

Samso is a renowned resource among the investment community for keen market analysis and insights into the companies and business trends that matter.

Investors seek out Samso for knowledgeable evaluations of current industry developments across a variety of business sectors and considered forecasts of future performances.

With a compelling format of relaxed online video interviews, Samso provides clear answers to questions they may not have the opportunity to ask and lays out the big picture to help them complete their investment research.

And in doing so, Samso also enables companies featured in interviews to build valuable engagement with their investment communities and customers.

Headed by industry veteran Noel Ong and based in Perth, Western Australia, Samsos Coffee with Samso and Rooster Talk interviews both feature friendly conversations with business figures that give insights into Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) companies, related concepts and industry trends.

Noel Ong is a geologist with nearly 30 years of industry experience and a strong background in capital markets, corporate finance and the mineral resource sector. He was founder and managing director of ASX-listed company Siburan Resources Limited from 2009-2017 and has also been involved in several other ASX listings, providing advice, procuring projects and helping to raise capital.

He brings all this experience and expertise to the Samso interviews, where his engaging conversation style creates a relaxed dialogue, revealing insights that can pique investor interest.

Noel Ong travels across Australia to record the interviews, only requiring a coffee shop environment where they can be set up. The interviews are posted on Samsos website and podcasts, YouTube and other relevant online environments where they can be shared among investment communities.

Samso also has a track record of developing successful business concepts in the Australasia region and provides bespoke research and counsel to businesses seeking to raise capital and procuring projects for ASX listings.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this article is the writers personal opinion and is provided for information only and is not intended to or nor will it create/induce the creation of any binding legal relations. Read full disclaimer.
Tempest Minerals Ltd (ASX:TEM) has completed regional Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) surveys across its Yalgoo and Mt Magnet projects in Western Australia with more than 250 potentially mineralised responses detected.

This work confirms the prospectivity of the companys portfolio and the correlation of the responses to multiple existing targets provides further evidence as Tempest moves towards drilling multiple areas in the coming quarter.

Data from the surveys first phase has yielded at least 250 metal-related anomalies. At least 50 are in the Meleya Project area and five are spatially proximal to a number of established high-priority exploration localities including the high-profile Orion target and the Master target at which TEM is drilling.

What is EPR?

EPR is the process of measuring the differing spectra emitted as a result of unbound electron spin changes and relaxation from an excited state due to the influence of a magnetic field.

In addition to the magnetic field, unpaired electrons are also sensitive to their local environments.

The resulting interaction between the electron and the nuclei can provide a great deal of information about the sample including providing information about the number and identity of nuclei in a complex as well as their distance from the unpaired electron.

Committed to innovation

Tempest Minerals is committed to innovation in all aspects of its work. This focus includes adapting new technologies that have the potential to advance its operations.

EPR was identified in 2021 and researched as a potential tool for advancing non-invasive exploration at its projects in Western Australia.

Tempest entered into a partnership in 2022 with Southern Sky Energy, which is a primary provider of proprietary EPR services in Australia.

Together, the team designed a broad brush regional scale survey across the Yalgoo and Mt Magnet portfolios.

Trial scoping survey

This trial scoping survey using the first two of a number of possible phases of the survey technique (airborne with ground tie-in points) was completed recently.

As with all potential field and remote sensing methods, EPR must be cross-referenced with a wide variety of spatial, mapping and geochemical data to understand their full relevance.

Factors such as signal interference and non-unique solutions are possible, meaning that all targets shall be assessed against other geoscientific datasets prior to drilling.

EPR technology

EPR has been extensively implemented across a wide variety of industries including material science, biomedical, food quality control and hydrocarbon exploration.

Although previously having limited mainstream adoption within the metalliferous sector, EPR has been used in Australia since at least the 1990s and used on several occasions to identify mineralisation in exploration of several commodities including base metals.

More recent work in Western Australian gold exploration identified that As the emphasis in exploration changes to more difficult terrains, the suitability of EPR needs to be widely tested. These preliminary results from Western Australia suggest that EPR may have some significant role to play in the search for deeply buried gold deposits.

When certain ground conditions can be met, this spectroscopic technique has the potential to detect hydrocarbons, metals, halogens, biomarkers and other pathfinder elements potentially associated with precious and base metal deposits at significant depth.

This technique can advance regional targeting - for example - in the absence of other large grid-based soil or shallow sampling by disregarding areas that have no EPR signal and focusing on priority areas. EPR augments and can be used in conjunction as another layer of evidence with more well-known methods of standard exploration methods such as magnetics and drilling.

Next steps

The next steps for Tempest at these properties include:
Zatko's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday revealed that Twitter's security issues could be far more serious than thought

Twitter Inc was informed by the FBI of at least one Chinese agent working at the company, US Senator Chuck Grassley said during the Senate hearing on Tuesday where a company whistleblower testified, Reuters has reported.

Peiter 'Mudge' Zatko, a famed hacker who served as Twitter's head of security until his firing in January, said some Twitter employees were concerned the Chinese government would be able to collect data on the company's users, the newswire said.

Zatko's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday revealed that Twitter's security issues could be far more serious than thought, with the allegations for the first time that the company was informed of agents of the Chinese government working at the social media firm.

While Senator Grassley wondered how Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal would keep his job if the allegations were true, many senators used the testimony to support legislation they had introduced to rein in the market power of Big Tech, with a few calling for immediate direct action against Twitter, Reuters reported.

Shares of Twitter still rose almost 1% on Tuesday, however, despite a sharp market sell-off, after its shareholders voted in favour of billionaire Elon Musk's pulled $44 billion deal to buy the company after a virtual special meeting of stockholders.

The shareholder approval now sets the stage for the battle between Musk and Twitter in the Delaware Courts, though analysts at Wedbush think that there is "the high possibility ... that some form of negotiation likely takes place ahead" of the trial start date on October 17, 2022.

Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com
Helium One Global Ltd (AIM:HE1, OTCQB:HLOGF) has announced a milestone partnership ahead of phase II drilling at its Rukwa project in Tanzania.

The company said it has signed a letter of intent with international oil and gas consultants Baker Hughes (BH), which will provide integrated services ahead of the spudding of an evaluation well in January or February next year.

Specifically, BH will ensure the company has the best equipment on site.

Mobilising equipment currently in operation in Southern Africa allows us to deliver a cost-effective solution to overcoming the scarcity of downhole tools experienced globally, said David Minchin, Helium Ones chief executive in a statement.

At the same time, rig audit work has been key in identifying component wear issues that are being rectified in the crucial preparatory period in the run-up to the evaluation wells spud date.

In a comprehensive update, Helium One said it is in the process of renewing the licences for the Rukwa project area. However, it has committed to surrendering certain areas that arent prospective for helium, saving $309,600 a year in the process.

Located in southwestern Tanzania, Rukwa is estimated to be host to an unrisked prospective recoverable helium resource of 138bln cubic feet of the inert gas, making this the largest known primary helium resource in the world. Helium One has identified 21 prospects and four leads.

Global demand for helium, which is used in MRI machines and other medical equipment, continues to grow exponentially. In particular, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has prevented any additional new supply from being developed from the Amur facility in Siberia as Linde, Air Products and Air Liquide have officially suspended all activities in Russia.

This has led to a sharp increase in both spot and export prices for the gas.
US railroad workers are preparing to strike over poor working conditions after a breakdown in negotiations after three years of talks.

The government has announced contingency plans intended to ensure the timely delivery of critical goods in the event of a shutdown of the rail system.

On Friday the cooling off period imposed by the government is due to end.

With almost 40% of the USs long-distance raw materials and finished products being carried by rail, a shutdown would be, according to the head of the US Chamber of Commerce, an "economic disaster."

President Biden and members of his cabinet were in contact with unions and railroads as part of their efforts to avert a strike, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

"We have made crystal clear to the interested parties the harm that American families, businesses and farmers and communities would experience if they were not to reach a resolution," Karine Jean-Pierre said, reports AP.

"The administration has also been working with relevant agencies to assess what supply chains and commodities are most likely to face severe disruptions," she said.

Workers point to the 40,000 jobs lost in the industry between November 2018 and December 2020 and the record profits for BNSF (owned by owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE:BRK.B)) and Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP), the two largest American railroad corporations.

Labour Secretary Marty Walsh has met with the parties this week.

"A shutdown of our freight rail system would be an unacceptable outcome for our economy and our people," said a Labour department spokesperson.

Prior to Friday's strike deadline, railroads have already begun to restrict shipments of hazardous materials and have announced plans to cease hauling refrigerated products.

Businesses that depend on Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC), UNP, BNSF, CSX, Kansas City Southern, and other railroads for the delivery of raw materials and finished products have begun preparing for the worst.

A ninth agreement was announced Tuesday based on the recommendations of a Presidential Emergency Board Joe Biden appointed this summer, which recommended a 24% pay raise and US$5,000 in bonuses in a five-year deal retroactive to 2020.

The agreement provides for an additional day of paid leave per year and increases the cost of health insurance.


Kainantu Resources is an Asia-Pacific focused gold mining company with three highly prospective gold-copper projects - KRL South, KRL North and the May River project

Kainantu Resources Ltd (TSX-V:KRL) (KRL) has told investors that three high-priority targets have been identified at the Ontenu area of its KRL South project in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Historic fieldwork in the area along with an airborne geophysical survey by the company in the first half of 2022 have shown it to host several highly prospective copper-gold targets, the company noted.

The explorer said it was now engaging with the local community in a bid to support fieldwork at Ontenu in the second half of this year ahead of a potential drill program.

"Building on extensive exploration work at KRL South since listing, the company has successfully expanded activities in the broader project; with the Ontenu area identified as highly prospective for gold and copper," said Matthew Salthouse, the CEO of KRL, in a statement.

"In addition to other initiatives in Kainantu, KRL will accelerate activities around Ontenu with three targets already identified for immediate work. All are on trend and in proximity to other successful high-grade miners in the region. We are confident Ontenu will yield further encouraging results, adding value to the portfolio of high quality KRL projects," Salthouse added.

Ontenu lies on the world renowned so-called Kainantu transfer structure and sits around 27 kilometres (km) south-west of the K92 Mining Inc operating mine.

Over coming months, a focused grided soil sampling program of around 1,000 samples will take place at the three priority targets ai Ontenu, in addition to further mapping and rock sampling.

The aim is to produce zoned geochemical and alteration mapping to aid vectoring towards drill targets, the company said.

Research of historic records held by the PNG Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) has confirmed that Ontenu was first identified by Renison Gold Corp in the 1980s, with three holes drilled, including 100 metres (m) at 0.32 grams per ton (g/t) gold and 0.1% copper from 14m downhole.

Highlands Pacific and Barrick conducted further exploration activities at the area with Barrick defining a 1km by 0.4km gold-copper-moly soil geochemical anomaly within a grid area of more than 15 square kilometres (sq km). The major also completed 7 sq km of surface mapping.

Kainantu Resources is an Asia-Pacific-focused gold mining company with three highly prospective gold-copper projects - KRL South, KRL North and the May River project.

The company also recently executed an agreement to acquire the Kili Teke project in the western highlands of PNG

Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com
Energy giant Uniper, which runs seven UK power stations, may be bailed out by the German government as part of its efforts to avoid a collapse of the country's energy system.

Shares of Uniper fell by more than 16% on Wednesday after the company said it was looking at bailout alternatives with the German government.

Berlin may increase its stake in the company, the company confirmed, with reports suggesting that it may rise above 50% and could even see a full nationalisation of what is the country's largest gas importer.

The Dusseldorf-based group still needs more government assistance after already tapping into a support package worth US$20bn.

The government intervened in July with a rescue package including a 30% stake as a result of a surge in natural-gas prices and Russian supply cuts, due to which Uniper expects to post huge losses in 2022.

Uniper had earlier borrowed 2bn amid bailout negotiations.

Reports indicate a possibility that Chancellor Olaf Scholz's administration will increase its stake above the 50% threshold and inject more capital.

There are also discussions about Uniper's full nationalisation, and its Finnish parent company Fortum Oyj would be involved.

Fortum's majority owner, the Finnish government, is in talks with Germany, which has previously stated that it would not be interested in buying out the Finnish stake.

Uniper confirmed one of the options being discussed is for the German government to take a "significant majority" stake.

Fortum issued a statement saying no decisions have been made "beyond what was agreed in the stabilisation package in July" but added "alternative solutions" are under consideration.

Fortum, the German government and Uniper will continue to discuss a long-term solution while the deteriorating operating environment and Uniper's financial situation are taken into account, Fortum said, adding it would "update the market as and when necessary."


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Ranchi, Sep 14 : Peeved by the drinking habit of men coming from adjoining Bihar to villages of Jharkhand to consume liquor, women of a village in Jharkhand have embarked upon a unique liquor prohibition campaign where they stop such men from consuming liquor in their villages and have destroyed local breweries.

The liquor ban in Bihar has become a bane for many villages in Jharkhand.

Every day hundreds of group of men from Bihar cross over to the border areas of Jharkhand to consume liquor. Due to this the women living in villages across Jharkhand have decided to take up the onus upon themselves to protect their villages and banish such alcholic men from crossing over from neighbouring Bihar.

Women of Asnakoni village in Satgawan block of Jharkhand, located close to Nawada district of Bihar, have started guarding their village with sticks and wooden blocks to stop alcoholic men coming from outside the village outskirts. This campaign, which has been launched for the last one month has become the talk of the town.

The women living in Asanbani village have also demolished half a dozen liquor breweries selling liquor illegally. Police are also helping the women of this village to keep this initiative alive. A meeting of men and women living in the village was held on the instructions of a self-help organisation in which it was decided that all people would form a group and guard the village border carrying sticks and logs all day and night. As a result, alcoholic men in Bihar dare to enter this village.

Similar to Asanbani village, now a meeting of locals is being held against liquor consumption in Danua and Chordaha villages as well as Chatra district of Chauparan in Jharkhand, adjoining Bihar's Gaya district. In these areas too, locals have started a movement against liquor prohibition.

Asha Devi, one of the women leading the liquor prohibition campaign in Asanbani village, says that due to such men entering her village it has compelled the locals here to take such a step.

The situation was such that there used to be a gathering of alcoholic men coming from Bihar entering the village each day. Incidents of frequent scuffles and assaults had become common sight in the village which had an adverse impact on children and women.

The locals living in Asanbani village warned those selling liquor illegally after which they demolished several liquor breweries selling liquor illegally.

Anita Devi, a Anganwadi centre social activist in Asanbani village, says the identity of her village had been tarnished due to such men entering her village from Bihar.

People have now started knowing this village by its original name Kalali Mod. She says that the locals living in her village also sought help from the police and district administration.

"Police station In-charge Uttam Baidya has also fully supported our campaign against liquor prohibition," Anita said.

Local youth led by Manoj Dangi of a local self-help organisation have also come forward in this liquor prohibition campaign.

Last week, people travelling in a Bolero car, who had come to consume liquor from Bihar, got washed away in the Dhadhar river in Parsatari under Bhaghar panchayat in Chauparan, adjoining Bihar. Three drunk men in the Bolero car also drowned in the river and were rescued with the help of locals here. Now the people of this village are also running a campaign to stop miscreants coming from Bihar to consume liquor here.
United Nations, Sep 14 : Talk of a cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia's embattled Tigray region is no green light for international relief operations to resume, UN humanitarians said.

Tens of thousands of people have reportedly been displaced in parts of Tigray, Afar and Amhara since hostilities resumed three weeks ago. Humanitarian convoys into Tigray and UN Humanitarian Air Service flights between Addis Ababa and Tigray's capital of Mekelle remain suspended, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday.

The UN office added the suspensions block the flow of material aid and hamper the rotation of humanitarian workers and the transfer of cash for humanitarian operations, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We and our partners continue the distribution of available aid in Tigray, including cold chain equipment -- freezers and refrigerators -- and medical supplies to health centres and hospitals," OCHA said.

"Partners have also mobilised shelter supplies for 23,000 newly displaced households in Shire and Mekelle towns." In the Amhara region, there was an interagency needs assessment for Mersa town in the North Wollo Zone, where nearly 12,000 newly displaced people, mainly women and children, are taking refuge in five schools. Partners will start distributing food and non-food items and have mobilised a mobile health and nutrition team for the town, OCHA added.

On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the regional Tigray government's readiness for an immediate cessation of hostilities and to peacefully resolve the conflict. He was encouraged by the stated willingness of the regional government to participate in a peace process under the auspices of the African Union.

OCHA said the drought is getting worse in eastern and southern Ethiopia, and more than 16 million people need humanitarian assistance through the end of this year. About half that number received food, nutrition supplements, agricultural support, water, sanitation and hygiene services and other assistance.
Beirut, Sep 14 : Lebanon, Cyprus and Greece have signed a tripartite agreement to strengthen their cooperation on diaspora affairs, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Lebanon's caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister of Diaspora Greeks Andreas Katsaniotis, and Cyprus' Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues and Overseas Cypriots Fotis Fotiou signed the agreement at Lebanon's foreign ministry, according to NNA on Tuesday.

The agreement is "essential for exchanging expertise in diaspora affairs, participating in expatriates' activities organised by the three countries, and benefiting from the experience of expatriate delegations," said NNA as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Meanwhile, a statement released by Fotiou's office said the agreement "aims to bring the diaspora of the three countries closer together. Groups from all three countries will be able to organise joint events and exchange know-how and best practices on diaspora topics through their cooperation on issues of common interests," according to a report on the website of the daily Cyprus Mail.
Lucknow, Sep 14 : The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended the Joint Director (Health), who had issued an order directing all the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to ensure that signboards/nameplates at all health facilities in the state, were written in Urdu as well.

A senior Health Department officer confirmed that Joint Director (Health), Tabassum Khan had been suspended on charges of dereliction of duty.

"The procedure for issuing the government order was not followed by her. The order directing CMOs to ensure that signboards and nameplates at government hospitals were written in Urdu also was issued by her without informing senior officers," he said.

In the order issued on September 1, Khan said that one Mohammad Haroon of Unnao had complained that many government departments were skipping Urdu on signages despite it being the second official language of the state.

"All CMOs have been advised to ensure compliance of the order issued to all hospitals, primary and community health centres to carry information on signboards in Urdu also," she had added.
Lucknow, Sep 14 : Uttar Pradesh has crossed the 38-crore mark of administering Covid-19 vaccine doses and has become the first state in India to have achieved this figure.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi has, so far, administered over 38-crore total doses of Covid-19 vaccine. The success ensuring India's victory over Covid-19 is dedicated to committed health workers and disciplined citizens." As per data from the CoWin portal, at least 38.01 crore of the total 215 crore doses administered in the country are from Uttar Pradesh, said a press statement from the state government.

Strengthening its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Uttar Pradesh government is providing vaccination cover to all children aged between 12 and 18 years in a time-bound manner.

More than 2,73,20,364 vaccine doses have been administered so far to children in the age group of 15-18 years and more than 1,63,59,874 vaccine doses to children in the age group of 12-15 years in the state.

Uttar Pradesh started administering booster shots (precaution dose) on January 10.

More than 3.52 crore 'precaution doses' have been administered in the state so far.

Uttar Pradesh is followed by Maharashtra with 17.65 crore doses administered so far.

In terms of percentage, 100 per cent of the adult population is fully vaccinated in the state now, said the press statement.
Lucknow, Sep 14 : The Uttar Pradesh government will be launching a state-wide campaign against communicable diseases from October 1 which will last for one month.

The encephalitis and vector-borne disease prevention programme will be run by 11 departments, said a government spokesman.

Instructions have been issued to the medical and health department, urban development, panchayati raj and rural development, education, department of medical education, agriculture and irrigation, animal husbandry, empowerment of persons with disabilities department, horticulture and information department to prepare an action plan.

Additionally, the Dastak campaign will be run between October 7 and October 21.

Under the campaign, workers including ASHA and Anganwadi workers will go door to door to identify those suffering with TB, flu, fever, malnourishment, and other influenza like illnesses.

At the state level, nodal officers will be chosen from each department.

A major focus of the programme is raising awareness about vector control, hygiene, garbage disposal, preventing water-logging, and the availability of clear drinking water, the press statement read.

As part of the campaign, door-to-door distribution of zinc tablets, ORS packets, and chlorine tablets to purify water will be held keeping in view the acute diarrhoea cases.

To raise awareness about vector-borne diseases, the education department will host poster, discussion and quiz contests while the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities will conduct a survey.

An Ayushman fortnight will be observed from September 15 to mark four years of the scheme on September 23.

The fortnight-long campaign aims to ensure all eligible get their Ayushman cards.

State Chief Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said that camps will be conducted in villages and information about camps will be shared by ASHA and Anganwadi workers with eligible families.
Los Angeles, Sep 14 : Oscar-winning documentarian Laura Poitras slammed the Venice and Toronto film festivals for "providing a platform" for the Clinton family to engage "in a kind of whitewashing." Her comments come as TIFF this week hosted the Canadian premiere of Poitras's "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed," a documentary about the artist and activist Nan Goldin, and just days after the film won Venice's top prize, the Golden Lion, reports 'Variety'.

It is the rare document to land slots at the superfecta of Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York, and Poitras said she thought "long and hard" about whether or not to voice criticism at the same venues feting her latest work. Nevertheless, she said, "journalists need to ask hard questions." Hillary and Chelsea Clinton have made appearances at both Venice and Toronto in support of both their forthcoming Apple documentary series Gutsy; and in support of Tamana Ayazi and Marcel Mettelsiefen's documentary "In Her Hands,a which the Clintons produced.

Speaking at TIFF's Doc Conference on Tuesday, Poitras said: "There is nothing more serious that threatens the First Amendment, not just in [America], but also threatens journalism globally," than the prosecution of Julian Assange. The Wikileaks founder is facing extradition to the U.S., where he would be prosecuted under the Espionage Act for his role in publishing revelations about U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Those revelations came at a time when Hillary Clinton served as Secretary of State in the Obama administration.

"This is literally the most important issue facing journalism globally right now," said Poitras. "And it's alarming to see some of the most powerful people in the world, such as Hillary Clinton, walking a red carpet at Venice, and at TIFF, and saying nothing." She added that programming the Clintons' feel-good documentary work amounted to "engaging in a kind of whitewashing" on their behalf.

"Hillary Clinton was actively involved in the wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan," Poitras said. "She supported the escalation of troops. And I really find it troubling that this is all being forgotten and we're providing a platform.

"Documentary is journalism," she added. "Hard questions should be asked. We stand for facts and holding people accountable. And I don't understand why there isn't more interrogation -- we really have to look at what this means for the state of documentary." Poitras's "Bloodshed" is considered a leading contender for the best documentary feature Oscar, a prize she previously won in 2015 for 'Citizenfour', her film on exiled NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

She added that there was a degree of hypocrisy to seeing fall festivals program "No Bears," the latest film from imprisoned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Pahani, while at the same time welcoming figures such as Clinton. "The U.S. government's effort to indict and prosecute Assange is, I would say, not dissimilar to imprisoning Jafar Pahani," she said.

Elsewhere at the Q&A, held with TIFF Docs programmer Thom Powers, the filmmaker explained how making a film about an artist battling the Sackler family's attempts at philanthropic art-world whitewashing didn't feel a world apart from her prior films dealing with the NSA and the Iraq War.

"There are a lot of similarities, I think, between the work that I was doing with looking at the War on Terror, which was always sort of a critique of U.S. power, and this," she said, "looking at a different struggle, but also [in Goldin] somebody sort of at the forefront of a historical moment who's causing change. I was immediately drawn to that." Poitras also addressed her position in making a film critical of the Sackler family, given that she herself comes from a wealthy family that has in the past made multi-million-dollar philanthropic donations in the medical sector.

"I am very aware of my position and have used it, because I do not wish to perpetuate [those] sort of injustices and inequalities in the world that we inhabit," she said.

"I can assure you, I've been very vocal about my problems with the choices that my family made. I don't agree with them, and they know it very well."
Los Angeles, Sep 14 : Swedish filmmaker Ruben Ostlund and the cast of 'Triangle of Sadness' convened for the first time since the sudden, shocking death of the film's young star Charlbi Dean.

The satirical dark comedy, which won the Palme d'Or in Cannes just four months ago, had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday night -- just 15 days since the 32-year-old Dean died of an unexpected illness in New York on August 29.

"It's a very emotional screening for us because of Charlbi Dean, our colleague, one of the main actors who passed away 15 days ago." "We wanted her to be here, by our side, to share in this fantastic moment," said Ostlund during his introduction for the screening. He was joined on stage by stars Harris Dickinson and Dolly De Leon, who were clearly moved by the moment and hugged one another.

"I want to say a couple of words about Charlbi," the director continued.

"She was a very caring colleague and a person who was lifting up everybody on set and bringing out the best of everyone. You will also see that she was a very, very precise actress. So take a close look at her performance in this film." "The three of us want to dedicate this screening to her family and to Charlbi, in order to pay honour to her work," said Ostlund.

"I'm 100 per cent sure that Charlbi would like us to have a really fantastic night here. This would be an important night for her also, to present the film to the North American audience." At the time of her death, Dean was reported to be suffering from a chest infection. An official cause of death has yet to be disclosed.

'Triangle of Sadness' marked Dean's first major film role. The South African model and actor starred alongside Dickinson as a high-fashion, celebrity couple who are invited on a cruise for the ultra-rich, which at first seems like paradise to the wealthy, social media influencers.

However, they soon discover that their shipmates include a Russian oligarch, a British arms dealer and other criminals. The power dynamic shifts aboard the ship and class conflict emerges.

On Tuesday, Dickinson paid tribute to Dean in a social media post, writing that "in the short time we knew and worked with each other, you made a huge impact." "Kind and generous in ways people only hope to be. I'll miss you friend. See you on the other side," wrote the British actor.

Filipina actor De Leon, the film's breakout star, honored Dean days after her death in a lengthy Instagram post: "This big, gaping hole in my heart may never mend. It hurts so so much and I'll never be ready to say goodbye. So I'll just see you around the corner. In the meantime, don't finish all the fries and chocolates, okay? Save some for me." The crowd-pleasing 'Triangle of Sadness' was a hit at the Cannes Film Festival and is set to be released in the US on October 8.

Neon swooped for the film for around $8 million in a competitive market that also involved buyers such as A24. After Toronto, "Triangle of Sadness" will also screen at the New York Film Festival.

As Sweden's leading contemporary filmmaker and producer, Ostlund's previous films include 'Force Majeure' in 2014 and 'The Square', which won the Palme d'Or in 2017.

'Triangle of Sadness' marks his English-language debut.
Beirut, Sep 14 : The Lebanon Humanitarian Fund (LHF) has allocated $8 million to help vulnerable families in the country hit by an unprecedented financial crisis, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), operator of the fund, said.

"Vulnerable families in Lebanon are affected by insufficient access to water, unaffordable prices of basic commodities, and limited access to life-saving services. We need to act to avoid a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation," said Edouard Beigbeder, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon.

This LHF allocation will provide urgent and critical life-saving assistance to all population groups, ensure the minimum continuity of water services, support the return to school, and protect those most in need, Xinhua news agency quoted the OCHA statement as saying.

The fund would prioritise 17 sectoral and multisectoral projects in the education, child protection, shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors with the highest severity of needs, it added.

"More than half of the funding will target Lebanese people, and the remaining will go to migrants and Palestinian and Syrian refugees," it noted.

In line with the LHF's vision to boost the localization agenda in Lebanon, 29 per cent of the allocation funding is disbursed to local and national non-governmental organisations, it added.
Kathmandu, Sep 14 : Nepal and India discussed matters pertaining to bilateral and mutual interests during the Foreign Secretary-level talks in New Delhi.

At the invitation of his Indian counterpart Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Nepal's Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Poudyal arrived in New Delhi and held the bilateral talks at Hyderabad House on Tuesday where two sides discussed a wide range of issues and issues related to mutual interest and concerns, according to statements issued by New Delhi and Kathmandu.

The Foreign Secretaries discussed multiple areas of cooperation between Nepal and India covering trade, transit, connectivity, infrastructure, power sector, irrigation and inundation, agriculture, investment, development cooperation, health sector cooperation, culture, and people to people relations, among others, a statement issued by the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi said.

"They reviewed the progress on the discussions held during the high-level visits of the Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba to India on April 1-3 and of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to Lumbini, Nepal on May 16. The two Foreign Secretaries discussed the ways and means to build on momentum generated by those visits. They also discussed cooperation on multilateral forums," the statement added.

Kwatra and Poudyal also expressed satisfaction at the progress made in different areas including power sector, construction of transmission line, railway connectivity, construction of ICPs, mototable bridge and other important infrastructures.

They also discussed early conclusion of the Transit Treaty including its Protocol and the Memorandum to the Protocol and expediting the review of the Treaty of Trade, said the statement issued by the Nepali side.

Matters related to fertilizers supply, waiver of export restrictions in wheat, sugar, paddy, and rice were on the agenda as well.

Nepal is expecting to receive fertilizer from India on an annual basis and is seeking the waiver of some essential items that India has put a ban for exporting following the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Recalling the outcome of high-level visits, both sides discussed seamless power trade under mutually beneficial arrangement, the statement issued by the Nepali side said, the two Foreign Secretaries also discussed the boundary matters.

In this regard, they exchanged views on completing the boundary works on remaining segments through established bilateral mechanisms, the Nepali statement added.

Similarly, according to the Indian statement, two Foreign Secretaries reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation between India and Nepal, including economic and commercial cooperation, enhancing connectivity, development cooperation, trade, culture and people-people relations.

"Recent progress in bilateral cooperation in the power sector including through export of power from Nepal to India was appreciated. It was also agreed that both sides will work to further strengthen such cooperation in keeping with the Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation adopted during the visit of the Prime Minister of Nepal to India in April 2022. Both sides welcomed the recent signing of the MoUs between NHPC, India and IBN, Nepal on the development of West Seti and SR-6 projects," said the statement.

During the meeting, in terms of connectivity projects, the progress made in operationalisation of Kurta-Bijalpura segment of Jayanagar-Bardibas rail link and Bathnaha-Nepal Custom Yard segment of Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link, which are significant steps in further strengthening the people-people links, was noted with satisfaction.

"The Nepali side appreciated the Covid-19 assistance provided by India during the pandemic and also thanked the Indian side for keeping the supply lines of trade open, even during the peak of the lock down," said a statement issued by India's Ministry of External Affairs.

To further strengthen people-people links, both sides agreed to expeditiously progress on project proposals for the Ramayana Circuit, said the ministry.

Both sides also agreed to expeditiously implement extension of petroleum pipeline from Amlekhgunj to Chitwan and construction of an LPG pipeline from Motihari to Chitwan, the Indian statement added.

Poudyal is scheduled to call on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday.
Washington, Sep 14 : Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has introduced a legislation that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy across the country.

The bill would prohibit doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks gestation except in situations involving rape, incest, or risks to the life and physical health of the mother, reports Xinhua news agency.

Graham told reporters on Tuesday that the measure "will put the United States abortion policy in line with other developed nations".

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded by issuing a statement that "this bill is wildly out of step with what Americans believe." In June, the Supreme Court overturned the 50-year-old landmark Roe v. Wade legislation, which eliminated the constitutional protection of abortion rights for women.

Without Roe v. Wade, states are able to impose their own legislation on the medical procedure.

Abortion has been one of the most divisive issues in the US.

According to a Pew Research Center survey last month, a majority of American voters said the issue of abortion would be very important in their midterm vote.
Mumbai, Sep 14 : 'Paatal Lok' actor Ishwak Singh, who will be reprising his character of physicist Dr Vikram Sarabhai in the second season of 'Rocket Boys', said he spent long hours doing the research for his role.

The entire series is based on the life of Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai, an astronomer and physicist, who had a major contribution towards the development of nuclear power in India and in fact he is known as Father of the Indian Space Programme.

Bringing him alive on screen was not at all an easy task and thus Ishwak read a lot of books about him and attended lectures also.

He said: "I prepared for Vikram Sarabhai with a multipronged approach. I wanted to know him inside out, right from his childhood days in Ahmedabad to his education in Cambridge, the various aspects of his personal and professional life." "It was like going back to school as I ended up reading science text books, geeked out on lectures by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Walter Lewin, studied about Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the making of the bomb and modern history." Ishwak worked in various web series and movies. He made his debut with the film 'Raanjhanaa' and later did movies such as 'Aligarh', 'Tamasha' and was also seen in the first season of 'Rocket Boys'.

The actor added that while doing all the preparation work he kept reading the script too and maintained a connection with the story so that nothing is missed out and he can portray the great scientist with perfection.

"I also studied the basics of rocket science and its evolution and that's how I got to know about the pioneers. But while I was going about doing prep work I'd keep coming back to the script which was sacrosanct for me and was carved out so meticulously by Abhay Pannu." "He had done immense research and had interwoven the highlights of Vikram Sarabhai's life beautifully in the story." Singh said it took months to work on the character. "Over a period of 18 months, we compared notes and hand crafted the character almost like a sculpture. What encapsulates Vikram Sarbhai is that he was a man of science and that's how I played him," he concluded.

'Rocket Boys 2' will be streaming on Sony Liv.

Apart from 'Rocket Boys 2', Ishwak will be seen in an upcoming spy thriller 'Berlin', which is written and directed by Atul Sabharwal and features Aparshakti Khurana.
Islamabad, Sep 14 : Pakistan Prime MiniAster Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has no plans to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, this week.

"No meeting is envisaged with the Indian Prime MiniAster," Foreign Office spokesman Asim Iftikhar told Dawn news.

An official said though a brief courtesy meeting between the two was possible, they would not be holding talks saying none of the two sides have sought a meeting.

The Foreign Office in a statement, however, confirmed that Prime Minister Sharif would attend the 22nd annual Meeting of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) of SCO.

"Besides attending the summit, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with other participating leaders on the sidelines of the CHS," it said.

The Pakistani leader will be participating in the CHS meeting on the invitation of Uzbek President Shavkat MirziyAoyev, who would chair it.

The leaders of SCO members and observer states as well as the heads of SCO organisations and other special guests would attend the meeting.

The CHS is the highest forum of the SCO, which considers and defines strategy, prospects and priorities of the organisation.

At the forthcoming CHS, the SCO leaders will deliberate on important global and regional issues, including climate change, food security energy security, and sustainable supply chains.

They would also approve agreements and documents that would chart the future direction of cooperation among SCO member states.

The SCO is a major trans-regional organisation spanning South and Central Asia.

Founded in 2001, the SCO upholds the values and principles enshrined in the "Shanghai Spirit" that include mutual trust, mutual benefit and pursuit of common development, Dawn reported.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14 : A lower court here on Wednesday read out the charges against State Education Minister V.Sivankutty and four other leaders of their involvement in vandalism in the floor of the Assembly in 2015.

The Assembly had witnessed violent scenes in March 2015, after the then Left opposition tried to prevent then Finance Minister K.M. Mani from presenting the Budget, alleging his role in the bar bribery case.

Of the six accused, Sivankutty and K.T. Jaleel are members of the present Assembly. While Sivankutty is the state education minister, Jaleel is a former minister. The others are Left Democratic Front convenor E.P. Jayarajan, C.K. Sadasivan, Kunhammed Master and K. Ajith (all four were legislators during 2011-16).

On Wednesday barring Jayarajan, all the others were present and the charge sheet was read out implicating their role in vandalisation that caused a loss of Rs 2.50 lakh to the properties in the floor of the Assembly.

All the five present denied doing such a thing, while Jayarajan's counsel said he was indisposed and was resting at his Kannur house.

The court while granting leave for Jayarajan, asked him to be present on September 26, when his charge sheet would be read out and the detailed schedule of the trial will be put out.

Incidentally, the Kerala government had previously approached the Supreme court seeking withdrawal of the criminal cases against these six leaders, but the apex court ruled that there was no immunity or privilege to protect legislators indulging in vandalism during a House session.

The apex court had asked all of them to face trial.

This had created a political furore with the Congress and the BJP demanding Sivankutty's resignation, which was outrightly rejected by the CPI-M.

They all have been charged under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and other provisions.
Chennai, Sep 14 : The Tamil Nadu police will soon assign a support person for helping the child abuse victims in the state.

Suitable person will be assigned to the children through the Child welfare committees in the concerned districts to support and assist the abused children during investigation and trial.

Notably, the state police, in four southern districts, have embarked on a mission to support sexual abuse victims, including women and children. Police in Tirunelvelli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, and Kanniyakumari districts have started intimating the sexual abuse victims the position of their cases through SMS messages and Whatsapp messages.

Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Asra Garg told mediapersons that the project which is functioning in the four Southern Districts will soon be implemented in Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Madurai, and Virudhunagar districts.

Police sources told IANS that the project has been running effectively in the four districts and is planning to spread it across the state. The police have taken this initiative as many victims are not aware of the position of their case as also many don't know the rights they have to ensure that justice is delivered to them.

A senior officer in the Theni district told IANS: "This measure implemented by the South Zone Inspector General will help increase the conviction rates and thereby put a hindrance on people who are inclined to do such activities on women and children." It may be noted that Tamil Nadu police have been effectively handling the cases related to sexual abuse and child abuse and victims are made aware of their rights. Cases that are registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act are given utmost priority by the state police.

The police update report on the Child abuse victim, including preliminary details, about the victim and the offense committed against them within 24 hours of registering the First information report (FIR).
Chennai, Sep 14 : Any amendments to Indian insurance laws should not change their basic structure that was derived from the Malhotra Committee on Insurance Reforms, said experts.

Low penetration of insurance in India cannot be linked to statutory capital and solvency norms as they are entirely different, the experts added in the context of the Indian government planning to reduce the minimum capital for an insurance company.

"The cause for the low insurance penetration should not be attributed to the extant statutory capital and solvency norms, coupled with robust regulatory framework, which have withstood the test of time," D. Varadarajan, a Supreme Court advocate specialising in company/competition/insurance laws, told IANS.

It is more than two decades since the insurance sector was opened up on the pretext of increasing penetration with better products than that was vended by the government companies and additional funds for the infrastructure sector.

However, the twin objectives have not been realised as the insurance penetration is still low.

A large portion of insurance penetration in India can be attributed to the government insurance schemes - central and state.

Later, on the pretext of getting more foreign direct investments (FDI) the equity holding percentage for foreign joint venture partners in Indian insurance companies was hiked from 26 per cent to 49 per cent and then to 74 per cent.

Again not many foreign partners have upped their stakes in their Indian joint ventures to 74 per cent bringing in the earlier touted millions of dollars.

Now, again on the pretext of increasing penetration the government is planning to bring down the minimum capital for an insurance company and allow regional and niche insurance companies.

"Not very long ago, Parliament had advisedly kept the minimum capital requirement for an insurance company at Rs 100 crore and Rs 200 crore for a reinsurance company," Varadarajan said.

"As insurance is a capital intensive business, even the above limits are only moderate, going by the solvency requirement of 1.5 times of liabilities. Virtually, in today's context there is no insurance company which has pegged its capital at the threshold limit, and it is much more, to comply with the robust solvency requirements." The government instead of reducing minimum capital for corporates can allow cooperative societies with lower capital and also relax application of certain sections of Insurance Act, said K. Subrahmanyam, a retired Executive Director (Actuary), IRDAI.

"There was amendment of Section 94A of the Insurance Act, 1938, vide Insurance Amendment Act, 2002, which gave sweeping powers to the IRDAI to register cooperative societies with any lower amounts of capital, and also to relax application of certain sections of the Insurance Act. During 2002 to 2014, there was no cooperative society. In 2014, this section was deleted," Subrahmanyam told IANS.

Now the IRDAI proposes to bring back Section 94A in different forms, with an intention to increase insurance penetration. Instead of doing such, the central government can restore Section 94, so that IRDAI can register any co-operative society as an insurer, according to the needs of the society, he added.

When the banking industry was embroiled in various issues like non-performing assets (NPA), financial scams and others, the insurance industry acquitted itself well and came out unscathed.

That was possible due to the statutory and regulatory dispensation, especially in regard to capital adequacy/solvency norms, strict investment regulations regarding investment of insurance assets, meticulous oversight by the appointed actuaries and their periodical reports to the insurance regulator, Varadarajan remarked.

Given the promoter exits, merger and acquisitions that have happened in the sector till recently the big question is whether there is a market space for more insurers.

The first Chairman of IRDAI N.Rangachary had told IANS that the insurable population should be properly estimated.

If insurance penetration should increase then the IRDAI should address the basic issue of public confidence that a claim will be settled fast and in a just manner.

"The IRDAI focus should be on (a) customer satisfaction-the major problem is that customer is not answered immediately in case of any issue; (b) mis-selling by intermediaries including banks and c) the behaviour of intermediaries and insurers towards customers," Subrahmanyam told IANS.

Varadarajan said the policymakers should bear in mind the conditions that led to the nationalisation of life and general insurance businesses.

"Hence, history should caution and not repeat. Instead, the focus should be on shunning micro-management of insurers and to provide the needed 'play in the joints'. It is also time to introspect as to what has been done by the Regulator towards insurance advocacy towards orderly growth of insurance business and protection of interests of policyholders, as enshrined in the preamble to the IRDA Act, 1999," he added.

"Therefore, any attempt at amending the statutory and regulatory framework, should clearly keep away from tinkering with the 'basic structure' of the insurance laws and regulations so as not to aim at low hanging fruits," Varadarajan said.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
Gandhinagar, Sep 14 : After the Aam Aadmi Party and Shankersinh Vaghela's Prajasakti Democratic Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has also announced that it will contest all seats in the Gujarat Assembly elections.

The big question is how will these small parties with little or no grassroots network cash in on the anti-incumbency votes.

The Ram Vilas Group president Chirag Paswan is in Surat, after landing in Gujarat on Tuesday night. He has announced that his party will contest all the seats in Gujarat.

On Wednesday, he will meet Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in Surat.

According to the Election Commission's record of 2017 Assembly election results, Congress candidates lost 16 seats with less than 3,000 votes margin, of which three lost with less than 1,000 margin. On the other hand, BJP had won 16 seats with less than 2,000 votes. In such a close game, independents and smaller parties play a big role in cutting votes.

The EC record says 54 unrecognised parties had contested on 367 seats and fetched 5,13,030 votes meaning 1.71 per cent of the total polled votes went into their accounts. Whereas registered state parties contested on 104 seats and got 96,708 votes. Even national parties like the BSP had contested on 139 seats and fetched 0.69 per cent votes. None of these parties had won a single seat. But, each vote that goes to their account indirectly benefits the ruling party.

"It is not that only smaller parties can eat into the vote share of the opposition, even strong independent candidates can harm the prospects," believes Paresh Dhanani, former Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly.

His observation is that the Congress has minimum committed votes of 33 per cent in the state, even in the worst situations like 1990 or 2002 elections, the Congress had not performed below this.

Dhanani said that the LJP or Vaghela's new party will not have any impact, because in the past voters of the state have not voted stalwarts like late Chimanbhai Patel's regional party KIMLOP, late Keshubhai Patel's GPP and Vaghela's RJP. But with regards to AAP, he said, "The AAP is likely to damage BJP in the urban areas, as urban voters seem to be more impressed by the party, which is the core vote bank of BJP. However, it will have little impact on the rural voters, where the Congress is strong."
San Francisco, Sep 14 : Meta-owned photo and video-sharing platform Instagram is internally testing a new tipping feature for creators on the platform, media reports say.

The test feature called "Gifts" would enable creators to earn money through Reels, reports TechCrunch.

"This feature is an internal prototype and not testing externally," a company spokesperson was quoted as saying in an email to the website.

The feature was first spotted by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi back in July, when Instagram was developing the feature under the name "content appreciation".

According to screenshots posted by Paluzzi, the feature would allow creators to toggle an option that will enable their fans to send them "Gifts".

Creators would also be able to check if they are eligible for the feature under a new Gifts tab in their settings. The screenshots also suggest that users would be able to send Gifts via a button displayed at the bottom of Reels.

In 2020, Instagram launched Badges, a feature that allows users to show support to creators during a live video. Badges can cost $0.99, $1.99 or $4.99.

When users purchase a badge during a live video, a heart icon appears next to your name in the comments, the report said.
Poonch: An injured being shifted to a hospital at Mandi after a mini-bus he was travelling in met with an accident at the Sawjian area in Poonch on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. At least 11 died and 25 injured in the accident. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Poonch: An injured being shifted to a hospital at Mandi after a mini-bus he was travelling in met with an accident at the Sawjian area in Poonch on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. At least 11 died and 25 injured in the accident. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Jammu, Sep 14 : Death toll in the road accident in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district rose to 12 on Wednesday as three injured persons succumbed to their injuries in the hospital while five were airlifted to Jammu city for specialised treatment, officials said here.

"Three persons among 27 injured succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Five have been airlifted to Jammu city for specialised treatment," the officials said.

The accident occurred this morning when a minibus with registration number JK12 1419 went out of the driver's control near Brari Ballah Sawjian in Poonch district and dropped into a gorge.

Rescue teams of the Army, local police and civilians rushed to the spot. Nine passengers died on the spot.

"Five of the 24 injured passengers have been airlifted to Jammu city for specialised treatment", officials said.

President of India Droupadi Murmu said on the Rashtrapati Bhavan Twitter page, "The loss of lives in a tragic road accident in Sawjian, Poonch is deeply distressing. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery of the injured".

J&K Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has announced ex gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakhs each to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in this accident.

Sinha said on his official Twitter page, "Saddened by loss of lives due to road accident in Sawjian, Poonch. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Rs 5 lakh will be given to next of kin of deceased. Directed police and civil authorities to provide best possible treatment to the injured".
Chennai, Sep 14 : The Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, who have been living in rehabilitation camps in Dindigul for the past 30 years, can now live in concrete houses.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated the Sri Lankan Tamil's rehabilitation camp through video conferencing from Chennai.

The rehabilitation camp at Dindigul for Tamil refugees is spread across seven acres of land and has 321 houses. These houses have been constructed at a cost of Rs 17.84 crore. According to Dindigul district administration, each house has a 300 sq ft area with a living room, a bedroom, a kitchen, and a toilet. Each house cost Rs 4.95 lakh. The foundation stone for the project was laid in December 2021 and completed in nine months.

The rehabilitation camp for Tamil refugees at Dindigul also has an overhead water tank with a capacity of 60,000 litres.

Currently, 70 families who are living in the Dindigul camp will be shifted to the new concrete houses. Inmates of camps in Gopalpatti, Adiyanthu, and Thottanuthu will be shifted to the Dindigul rehabilitation camp.

Notably, it was the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi who had allocated thatched houses for Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka at Adiyanthu. The Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have reached the state in 1990 after they fled from the island nation during the civil war in that country.

Tamil Nadu minister for cooperation, I. Periyasamy, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, R. Sakkarapani and Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non -Resident Tamils welfare, Gingee S. Masthan handed over the keys of the houses to the benefeciaries.
Washington, Sep 14 : The US has alleged that Russia covertly spent more than $300 million since 2014 to influence politicians in over 24 countries, the media reported on Wednesday.

The Department of State's allegation is based on a declassified intelligence assessment released on Tuesday, the BBC reported.

According to a senior official from President Joe Biden's administration, "this is just the tip of the iceberg".

American intelligence "assesses that these are minimum figures and that Russia likely has transferred additional funds covertly in cases that have gone undetected", the official said during a phone briefing.

The intelligence assessment released in a cable did not name specific countries or officials believed to have been targeted by Russia, but said they spanned four continents, reports the BBC.

The administration official said the intelligence community was now privately briefing select countries on the alleged Russian covert financing, adding that the briefings would remain confidential.

Fictitious companies were said to be used to fund European parties and to buy influence elsewhere.

The Russian authorities have so far made no public statements on the US claim.

Moscow has previously blamed America's CIA intelligence agency for interfering in other countries' affairs, including by backing various coups around the globe, BBC reported.

The US has meddled in foreign elections more than 80 times worldwide between 1946-2000, not including coups or attempts at regime change, according to a database kept by Carnegie Mellon University researcher Dov Levin.

On Tuesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price called Russia's alleged covert funding an "assault on sovereignty".

Last year, US intelligence officials assessed in a report that Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely to have authorised attempts to influence the 2020 election in favour of former President Donald Trump.

But it said no foreign government had compromised the final results.

Russia called the allegations "baseless".

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New Delhi, Sep 14 : The petitioners on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that according to the religious text, wearing of hijab was 'farz' (duty) and the courts were not equipped to determine its essentiality.

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, representing some petitioners, submitted before a bench comprising Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia that once it was shown that wearing a hijab is a bona fide practice then it was permitted, while citing the apex court's decision in Bijoe Emmanuel case. Dhavan said that the conclusion of the Karnataka High Court was puzzling, as it said hijab was not mandatory due to the absence of prescription of penalties.

The bench queried Dhavan that his argument was that the courts were not equipped to decide the matter, and if a dispute arises then which forum will decide it? Dhavan said what was the dispute? Whether hijab was an essential practice? He added that hijab was worn all over the country, and as long as it was bona fide and prevalent, the practice must be allowed and there was no need to refer to the religious text.

Dhavan argued that according to the tenets of the faith, if something has been followed, it was allowed, and if it was bona fide, there was no need to go back to the text. Also, if a belief of a community was proved then a judge was bound to accept that belief, instead of sitting on a judgment on that belief, he added.

Citing the Kerala High Court decision, he added that the analysis of the Quranic injunctions and the Hadiths would show that it was a 'farz' to cover the head. The bench queried, what was the basis of saying it was a 'farz'? Justice Gupta told Dhavan, "You want us not to do what the Kerala High Court has done?" He replied that "if one were to interpret the text then the answer to it is farz, and if it is a ritual that is prevalent, and is bona fide, your lordships will allow." Dhavan further added that the rationale in the Kerala case given by the Board was that it was a measure to prevent malpractices in the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) in 2016, but in Karnataka case, there was no rationale given. He added that hijab was permitted across the board in public places, so what was the basis to say hijab can't be allowed in a classroom and was opposed to public order? Concluding his argument, Dhavan said there was no foundation in the government order against hijab, it violates Article 14 and 15, and this was not permissible in the Constitution.

The hearing in the matter will continue at 2 p.m.

The apex court was hearing submissions on the fifth day against the Karnataka High Court's judgement of March 15 upholding ban on Hijab in pre-university colleges.
Kolkata, Sep 14 : A special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at Asansol in West Bengal's West Burdwan district on Wednesday issued arrests warrant against 15 individuals in connection with an ongoing probe in the multi-crore coal smuggling scam.

Besides the names of certain individuals directly involved with the illegal coal trade, some factory owners are in the list against whom arrest warrants have been issued as beneficiaries of the scam.

On July 19 this year, the CBI submitted its charge sheet in the case at this special court. The charge sheet named 41 individuals, which included 15 persons against whom arrest warrants were issued on Wednesday afternoon.

The other named in the charge sheet included the prime accused Anup Maji alias Lala, the latter's absconding associates Binoy Mishra and Ratnesh Verma, four notorious coal mafias, namely Jaideb Mondal, Narayan Chanda, Nirad Mondal and eight former and present officials of the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), among others.

Although Binoy Mishra is currently absconding and is believed to have taken shelter at Vanuatu Islands, his brother Bikash Mishra is currently in judicial custody at Presidency Central Correctional Home. The CBI had also arrested eight former and present ECL officials.

However, the prime accused Anup Maji alias Lala has managed to escape arrest because of a shield from the Supreme Court. However, he had been questioned a number of times by the CBI sleuths.

The sleuths of Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a parallel probe in the matter, have questioned Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress's national general secretary and nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee in the case. Abhishek Banerjee's wife, Rujira Narula Banerjee and sister-in-law Maneka Gambhir have been questioned by the ED. A number of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from the state have also been questioned in the case.
Perth, Sep 14 : The government of Western Australia (WA) on Wednesday announced the launch launched several schemes worth a combined total of A$16.8 million ($11.3 million) aimed at reinvigorating the state's international education sector.

Making the announcement on Wednesday, WA International Education Minister David Templeman said A$10 million would go towards an agent incentive scheme to "promote WA as a study destination of choice to prospective international students." Templeman said it was vital that the WA government "incentivizes international student agents, as well as students, to encourage them to consider and ultimately make the right choice to study in our state".

The scheme will pay the agents a bonus of between A$500 to A$1,000, depending on whether a student enrolls at a vocational training institute or at a university.

The remaining A$6.8 million will go towards two separate subsidies: one for accommodation and the other for education fees for eligible full-time international students.

Those one-off subsidies will each be worth A$1,500.

Templeman said the programs supported the WA government's commitment to international education and formed part of the additional A$41.2 million in initiatives for that sector announced in the 2022-23 state budget.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed former BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy to hand over the possession of his government bungalow to the estate officer within six weeks.

Citing security reasons, Swamy, who was the former Union Minister, was allotted the government accomodation in the Lutyens zone by the cabinet committee on January 15, 2016 for a period of five years.

He was knocking the doors of the high court seeking re-allotment of the accommodation citing 'continuing security threats'. His Rajya Sabha term came to an end on April 2022.

The Centre opposed his plea arguing that the accommodation was required to be given to other ministers and MPs.

Hearing Swamy's plea, Justice Yashwant Varma observed that the original allotment was made for a period of five years and there was no material to show that the applicant required the allotment of the government bungalow as per his claims.

"The Court further directs the petitioner to ensure that the possession in question is handed over to the estate officer concerned within a period of six weeks from today," the court said, while disposing of the plea.
Bengaluru, Sep 14 : Amid the raging controversy over celebration of Hindi Day, the Janata Dal (S) led by former Karnataka chief minister observed an "anti-Hindi Day" protest on Wednesday.

The Janata Dal (S) legislators participated in the protest event held at the Gandhi statue located near the Vidhana Soudha. The protestors sang Kannada songs to express their opposition to celebration of Hindi Day in Karnataka.

Speaking on the occasion, HD Kumaraswamy accused the BJP-led central government of constantly trying to impose Hindi on the country. "Even 75 years of independence, there are people who speak languages other than Hindi," he pointed out.

In other parts of the city too, pro-Kannada activists held anti-Hindi protests. Kannada Rakshana Vedika held a protest meet at Freedom Park on Wednesday.

In Karnataka, the celebration of Hindi Day has become a bone of contention between the ruling BJP and the opposition Janata Dal (S) after HD Kumaraswamy had written to chief minister Basavaraj Bommai against holding celebrations. Even as it has been declaring its pro-Kannada credentials, the ruling party has been coming out in support of Hindi Day celebration too.
Hyderabad, Sep 14 : The BJP has come under flak for its members staying away from Telangana Legislative Assembly when it passed a resolution requesting the Centre to name the new Parliament building after Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

Some Dalit activists on Wednesday staged a protest in Hyderabad against the BJP for not expressing its stand in the Telangana Assembly over the resolution.

The BJP has been criticized by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) as its member was present in the Assembly when the resolution was moved and passed.

Raghunandan Rao was not present in the Assembly while his party colleague Eatala Rajender was suspended from the House for inappropriate remarks against the Speaker. BJP's third MLA Raja Singh is currently in jail.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Wednesday that he has forwarded to the Union government the request for naming the new Parliament building after Ambedkar.

Sanjay said based on representation given by balladeer Gaddar for naming the Central Vista after Ambedkar, he has forwarded the request.

The BJP leader's tweet came a day after Telangana Legislature unanimously passed a resolution, requesting the Centre to name the new Parliament building after Ambedkar.

The TRS government had moved the resolution after Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had made a request to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

The chief minister asserted that there was no better person than Ambedkar for the new Parliament building to be named after.

Meanwhile, TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao hoped that the BJP-led NDA government would respond positively to the request. "Telangana State Legislature has unanimously resolved that the new Parliament should be named after Bharat Ratna Dr. BR Ambedkar Ji It is befitting to name the highest abode of democracy after the Chief Architect of Indian constitution Hope that the NDA Govt will respond positively," tweeted Rama Rao.

Gaddar on Tuesday met the CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka and MLAs D. Sreedhar Babu and Seethakka and thanked the Congress for ensuring that the Assembly passed a resolution.

Gaddar said Vikramarka played a crucial role in impressing upon the chief minister to pass the resolution. He said similar resolutions should be passed in all the Assemblies in the country.
Bangkok, Sep 14 : Thailand's Constitutional Court announced on Wednesday that it is set to rule on the case of Prayut Chan-o-cha's term limit as Prime Minister on September 30.

"The court has sufficient evidence to make a ruling," the Constitutional Court said in a statement, adding that examination has been ended and the court is scheduled to issue the decision on September 30.

The statement was issued after the court held a meeting Wednesday to discuss the case, reports Xinhua news agency.

Last month, judges of the court agreed by five votes to four to suspend the premiership of Prayut, effective on August 24, following a petition filed by the opposition parties for a ruling on when his eight-year tenure should conclude, which the opposition parties believed should have ended.

The opposition parties also urged Prayut to step down.

During the period, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has been serving as the Interim Prime Minister.

Prayut was selected as the Interim Prime Minister after a 2014 coup and was later royally endorsed as the 29th Prime Minister on August 25, 2014.

His supporters argue that the clock on his tenure should begin when the 2017 constitution was instituted, or even after the 2019 general election when Prayut was elected as the Prime Minister.
Ramallah, Sep 14 : An Israeli army officer and two Palestinians were killed on Wednesday in an exchange of fire at an army checkpoint, authorities have confirmed.

An Israeli army spokesman said in a statement that troops noticed two Palestinians holding arms approaching the checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, reports Xinhua news agency.

When the soldiers tried to arrest them, the Palestinians opened fire, killing the officer, and were then shot dead, the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry said that two Palestinian men with unknown identities were killed by Israeli soldiers.

Local sources in Jenin said the Israeli army held the bodies of the two men and one of them was a member of the Palestinian security apparatuses.

The violence was the latest in a string of clashes between Israel and Palestine.

Israeli forces have carried out frequent nightly arrest raids in the West Bank since March, triggering clashes with Palestinians, in which dozens of Palestinians were killed or injured.
Shanghai, Sep 14 : Shanghai on Wednesday upgraded its typhoon emergency response to Level III, the third-highest, as Muifa, the 12th typhoon this year, moves closer.

The municipal flood control and typhoon and drought relief headquarters raised the response level at 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to the flood control office of Shanghai.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 1,900 ships had returned to port, and two tourist attractions and two parks had been temporarily closed, reports Xinhua news agency.

The city had also assigned personnel to inspect dikes, construction sites and other areas as Shanghai braced for the typhoon.

In China's Zhejiang province, the local flood control and typhoon and drought relief headquarters upgraded the emergency response to Level I, the highest level,on Tuesday afternoon.

A total of 11,680 fishing boats had returned to port in the province by Tuesday noon.

More than 719,800 people had been evacuated to safe places by Wednesday morning.

Muifa was observed over the ocean 185 km southeast of Xiangshan county in Zhejiang province at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

It is expected to move northwestward at a speed of 20 to 25 km per hour, China's National Meteorological Centre said in a statement.

The typhoon will make the first landfall in coastal areas between Sanmen county and Zhoushan, Zhejiang province around nightfall.

The second landfall is expected between the coastal areas of Jiaxing city in Zhejiang and Shanghai's Pudong district on Wednesday evening, according to the forecast.
Tehran, Sep 14 : Saif Mohammed Al Zaabi, the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Ambassador to Iran, has resumed duties six years after ties between the two nations downgraded, the Foreign Ministry in Tehran said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Ministry said that Zaabi met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Tuesday during which the latter said that Tehran is interested in expanding relations with the UAE based on the neighbour-oriented policy, reports Xinhua news agency.

Amir-Abdollahian noted the need for regional countries to cooperate for stability and peace and the necessity to use the existing capacities in the development of relations between the two countries.

The UAE Ambassador, who said he is glad to return to Iran, highlighted that the economic and commercial capacities of both countries is an important factor in promoting bilateral relations.

The decision for the envoy to resume his duties in Tehran was announced by the Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in August, in a move "to contribute to further advancing bilateral relations in cooperation with officials in the Islamic Republic of Iran to achieve the common interests of the two countries and the wider region".

Abu Dhabi recalled its ambassador from Tehran in 2016 in support of Saudi Arabia, which cut diplomatic ties with Iran in protest against the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran following the Saudi execution of a Shia cleric.
Chennai, Sep 14 : Tamil Nadu police have courted controversy over providing protection to history-sheeter Naresh Babu during his marriage.

Police were present in every nook and corner of the wedding hall when Naresh Babu walked up the dias for the rituals.

As per police, he was given protection as a rival gang had plans to eliminate him during his wedding. Apparently, Naresh Babu (35) of Nadvarupettu has several criminal cases pending against him at Somangalam police station and on his wedding day, a rival gang was planning to kill him.

A large number of police from Kancheepuram station were seen frisking the guests who were arriving at the high-profile wedding.

Naresh Babu was allegedly involved in the recent beheading in the Somangalam police station limits a month ago and there was a death threat to him from the rival gang. He married a woman from Kodambakkam.

All the vehicles that arrived at the wedding hall were checked to prevent any goon entering the hall in plain clothes and attacking the groom.

Sources in police told IANS that Naresh Babu was asked to wind up the celebrations before 10 p.m. and that bloodshed be avoided.

However, police said that no unwanted element was present in the wedding hall as maximum precautions were taken to prevent any untoward incident.
Lucknow, Sep 14 : Muslim-centric parties in Uttar Pradesh will now launch a campaign and mobilise people to oppose a survey of madrasas.

The parties that are a part of this initiative include the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Peace Party and Rashtriya Ulama Council.

AIMIM state unit president Shaukat Ali is already holding meetings in various districts to mobilise people from the Muslim community over the issue and gear up the party cadre.

He said that the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has termed the survey of madrasas as a "mini- NRC" and alleged that the UP government was "harassing" the Muslim community in the name of a survey.

Peace Party chief Mohammad Ayub said party leaders and workers have launched an awareness campaign in the east UP districts to enlighten the community over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's order on the madrasa survey.

It is a plan to "polarise" the Hindu and Muslim communities on the issue, he observed.

"The Uttar Pradesh government knows people from the weaker section of the Muslim community are not in a financial position to admit their wards to regular schools. With the help of donations, madrasa management give free education, food and lodging facilities to students. Free education for every child is the Constitutional responsibility of the government. Instead of fulfilling its responsibilities, the government is trying to close madrasas," he said.

The national president of Rashtriya Ulama Council (RUC), Maulana Aamir Rashadi Madani, said there was an uneasiness in the Muslim community over the survey of madrasas across the state.

"Muslim bodies and organisations running madrasa should join hands to oppose the state government order. It is a conspiracy against the Muslim community, and we will have to prepare a work plan to challenge the government plan to close madrasas," he said.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : Over 56 per cent of clearing and grubbing (C&G) work has already been settled in the 594-km-long Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday.

Hundred per cent of land acquisition has been completed in the expressway project that will link western Uttar Pradesh with eastern parts of the state besides Delhi-NCR.

Significantly, the length of the airstrip on the Ganga Expressway will assist in emergency take-offs and landing of Indian Air Force (IAF) planes, which will also provide a strategic edge to the country against foreign forces. There are already airstrips on three expressways in the state. Two of these airstrips are located close to two air bases of the Air Force, Agra, and Hindon. With the upcoming Ganga Expressway, the country's security system will further be improved.

Officials said that the unique aspect of the expressway is that it will link other expressways in the state through Lucknow-Agra Expressway, Purvanchal Expressway and Ballia Link Expressway. The 594-km-long six-lane expressway will open the way for better connectivity and will link western Uttar Pradesh with eastern parts of the state and with Delhi-NCR. This will further boost the economic and industrial development of the state.

The Ganga Expressway, passing through 519 villages in 12 districts, will thus emerge as a strong backbone of UP's infrastructure, said a government official.

The UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority has been authorised by the government to build dedicated industrial parks on both sides of the expressway (Meerut, Hapur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Hardoi, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Prayagraj).

The expressway will boost agricultural and industrial income and development. It will also act as a catalyst for the establishment of food processing units, MSMEs, warehouses, mandis and milk-based industries. It will also be an industrial conduit connecting various production units, development centers and agricultural production areas with the national capital.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : An Air India Express flight B737 IX-442 MCT-COK (Muscat-Cochin) VT-AXZ witnessed smoke and fire in its engine number two at Muscat airport on Wednesday.

The plane was carrying 145 passengers, including four infants, the officials said, adding that all of them were safe and no injuries have been reported.

"A DGCA official said that during taxiing for takeoff, the engine number two experienced smoke and fire. Appropriate Checklist was completed after the incident. Slides were deployed and all passengers and Crew were evacuated on taxiway and all of them were safe and no injuries reported," said the official, adding that passengers have been transported to the terminal building.

As per local reports, there was scare among the passengers after the smoke was detected in the engine of the plane.

The official said that another relief flight will be organised for the passengers. The aircraft was currently parked on the taxiway and further probe was on.
Panaji, Sep 14 : Dinesh Gundu Rao, the in-charge of Congress in Goa, on Wednesday termed the act of MLAs who joined the BJP as 'height of betrayal' and 'shamelessness'.

"People of #Goa voted for these MLA's as they were @INCIndia candidates. They had sworn in front of temples, church & dargah that they will not defect to #BJP. They gave affidavits that they'll always be with the Congress and took a pledge on the constitution," Rao tweeted.

"Isn't this the height of betrayal and shamelessness by @digambarkamat, @MichaelLobo76 and the others," he further said while tagging Digamabar Kamat and Michael Lobo, who joined the BJP earlier in the day.

Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes are the eight legislators who have switched sides.

First attempt to join BJP was made on July 10, 2022, by these MLAs. However they had not succeeded in it. Even recently they tried again to make a number of eight, two-third, MLAs to avoid action under the anti-defection law. However, even the second time they couldn't make their wish fulfill.

Dinesh Gundu Rao, on July 10, reacting to the first 'attempt' of defection, had attacked the BJP for allegedly offering money to the MLAs to split the party. "In spite of offering huge money, six of our MLAs have stood firm. I am proud of them. BJP was trying for a two-third split in Congress, so minimum 8 MLAs leave the party," Rao had said.

"Many of our MLAs were offered huge amounts of money to switch parties. I can't express, I am shocked about the amount of money BJP offered to them," he had said.

Even Goa Congress former Chief Girish Chodankar had said that the BJP's industrialist friends, mine owners and coal mafias were offering Rs 30 to 40 crore to the Congress MLAs to defect.

The Congress had removed Michael Lobo as the Leader of Opposition alleging that he was the one who hatched a conspiracy, along with former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, by hobnobbing with the BJP to split the Congress.

After the latest defection, the Congress is now reduced to three MLAs.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Congress on Wednesday squarely blamed the BJP for its eight MLAs crossing over to the saffron party in Goa, saying it was resorting to such means unnerved by the tremendous response the Bharat Jodo Yatra was receiving.

"Operation Kichad of BJP in Goa has been fast tracked because of the visible success of the #BharatJodoYatra. BJP is nervous. A daily dose of diversion & disinformation is handed out to undermine the Yatra. We remain undeterred. We will overcome these dirty tricks of the BJP," said party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh in a tweet.

Taking a jibe at the grand-old party, BJP leader and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said: "Bharat Jodo Yatra" has failed and elected representatives have instead started the "Congress Chhodo Yatra" from the coastal state.

"I think most of the Congress leaders will leave the party and join BJP. 'Congress Chhodo Yatra' has now started from Goa," Sawant quipped.

After joining the BJP, Michael Lobo, one of the eight MLAs, said: "We have started the 'Congress Chhodo and BJP ko Jodo' yatra from Goa. While connecting with the BJP, we want to take to people Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's visions and strengthen them. Government schemes should reach all people and smooth functioning should take place in Goa." Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, said that instead of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress should have organised 'Congress Jodo Yatra'.

Besides Lobo and Kamat, the others that joined the BJP are Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes.
Moscow, Sep 14 : Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit this week where Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines, the Kremlin said that trade turnover between New Delhi and Moscow has soared nearly 120 per cent so far this year.

"Our relations are actively developing, the trade has also increased significantly with supplies of Russian oil, coal and fertilizers increasing," RT news quoted Kremlin foreign policy spokesman Yury Ushakov as saying to reporters in Moscow.

The Summit will take place on Thursday and Friday in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.

According to Ushakov, the two countries are currently working on bilateral measures to expand the use of national currencies, the ruble and the rupee, in mutual settlements.

Last month, New Delhi's Ambassador to Moscow Pavan Kapoor also noted that Russia-India trade turnover had been growing in both volume and scope in recent months, RT reported.

He added that businesses in both countries had been working to overcome the obstacles to closer cooperation posed by sanctions.

Moscow and New Delhi were reportedly discussing mutual acceptance of Russia's Mir and India's RuPay payment cards, as well as options to implement each other's interbank transfer services: India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and SPFS, the Russian alternative to SWIFT.

India has been boosting purchases of Russian crude over the past six months, while the US has repeatedly urged New Delhi to support a price cap on Russian oil.

However, India has been reluctant to join the Western sanctions on Moscow, placing domestic energy security above geopolitical conflicts

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Mumbai/Moscow, Sep 14 : In a unique honour, a bust of the Maharashtra-born Tukaram B. Sathe, famed as 'Annabhau Sathe', the Father of Dalit Literature - was inaugurated at the famed Margarita Rudomino All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow, on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the bust, terming it as "a historic development which will further strengthen relations between India and Russia".

Fadnavis consecrated the bust - gifted by the University of Mumbai - in the presence of Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, the varsity's Annabhau Sathe Study Centre Director Dr. Baliram Gaikwad and Dr. Sanjay Deshpande, Director, Central Eurasian Studies Department, ICCR President Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, besides around 300 invitees at the famed library campus in the Russian capital this afternoon.

The Dy CM also recalled the sterling contributions of Annabhau Sathe to Dalit literature though he attended school "for only one day" owing to the prevalent social systems," but went on to create an impressive body of literary works and is a famous figure in the Russia academia.

"After his epochal visit to Russia, he wrote the 'Ballad of Stalingrad' and 'My Journey To Russia - A Travelogue', many of his books were translated into Russian language and he was regarded as the 'Maxim Gorky of India', plus fostered ties between the people of the two countries," Fadnavis said.

A portrait of Annabhau Sathe, gifted by the Millionaire Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mumbai to the ICCR was also unveiled and went on display at the Indian Embassy in Moscow.

Dr. Gaikwad told IANS earlier that Annabhau Sathe was the proponent of Rural Literature in India, and had travelled to Russia for two months in 1961 as India's 'cultural ambassador'.

"He left an indelible mark there and was the first Indian whose books were prescribed by Russian universities' syllabi," said Dr. Gaikwad of Annabhau Sathe, who had humble beginnings but emerged as one of the tallest litterateurs from Maharashtra gaining international respect.

Russia has also instituted scholarships in his name, many scholars have specialized on his literature, while his books have been translated into 27 languages worldwide, and three of his books in Russian language were also relaunched on Wednesday at the 101-year old library.

Born into an 'untouchable' family in Sangli on August 1, 1920, Annabhau Sathe became a legendary social reformer, freedom-fighter, an actor, folk poet, Dalit writer, and despite lack of education, went onto to pen 35 novels, 12 film screenplays, 10 ballads, poems, etc in Marathi, totalling 104 works in various genres.

His novels include the torch-bearer "Fakira" (1959), which bagged the state government's top literary award (1961) and in 1963 was made into a Marathi film by the same name with Annabhau Sathe enacting the title role, and "Waarnecha Wagh." Dr. Gaikwad said that since he was a staunch follower of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar "Annabhau Sathe's stories were testaments to Dalits' self-respect and resistance India" which earned him many admirers in the Communist Russia at the height of the Cold War with growing warmth between the two countries.

A Dalit icon, the state government set up the Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Development Corporation (1985), processions are taken out in his name annually, a Kurla (Mumbai) flyover is named after him, there is a memorial dedicated to him in Pune, India Post issued two postage stamps in his honour in 2002 and 2019, while all political parties invoke him for attracting Dalit votes.

Besides the Annabhau Sathe Study Centre in University of Mumbai, there are departments in his name at Pune and Aurangabad universities, while there are proposals to start the same in New Delhi, Nanded and Nagpur varsities.

Annabhau Sathe died in Mumbai on July 19, 1969, aged 48, and his descendants live in Mumbai and Sangli.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at:Aq.najmi@ians.in)

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Chennai, Sep 14 : A team of students and professors of Mannar Thirumalai College in Madurai recently discovered a 400 year old Naick-era stone inscription at a temple in Andipatti taluk in Theni.

The archaeologically precious material was discovered by Assistant professors of the Department of History of the college, R. Praiya and S. Rajagopal along with a few students.

Social activist S. Aswath was also in the team.

The stone inscription was originally installed at Pandya Meenakshi Sundareswar temple. However, this temple is now in a dilapidated condition.

Unaware of its archeological and historical significance, local people installed the stone inscription at Vinayagar temple.

The stone has a Vaishnava symbol, the sun, the moon and a lotus flower with blurred letters.

Retired Archeologist Dr C. Santhalingam, while told media persons: "The inscriptions on the stone talk about Veerakandama Naicker having received a donation from Muthu Veerappa Naick who was the 6th ruler of the Madurai Naick Kingdom".

According to the local people, further exploration could provide more information on the Kandamanaykkanur local administration.
Hyderabad, Sep 14 : A CBI court here on Wednesday sentenced former Member of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh, Kothapalli Geetha, her husband P. Ramakoteshwara Rao and two bank officials to five years imprisonment in a bank fraud case.

Geetha, a former member of Lok Sabha from Araku, and others were arrested and shifted to Chanchalguda Central Jail.

Sentencing them for cheating the Punjab National Bank to the tune of Rs 42.9 crore, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on Geetha and her husband.

The former MP was charged with cheating the bank by submitting false documents to obtain loan for Visweswara Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (VIPL).

Ramakoteshwara Rao is Managing Director of the company. The company also diverted the loan for purposes other than it was sanctioned for.

The CBI had filed the charge sheet against them in 2015.

The others convicted and sentenced are B.K. Jayaprakasam, then branch manager of Mid Corporate Branch of PNB, and K.K. Aravindakshan, then general manager, PNB head office.

Geetha was elected to Lok Sabha from Araku in 2014 on the ticket of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). In 2018, she floated political party Jana Jagruti.

She later joined the BJP and merged her party with it.
Gandhinagar, Sep 14 : Gujarat Congress MLA Punja Vansh has sought Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's intervention to get all ill fishermen released from the Pakistan jail.

Vansh in a latter addressed to CM Bhupendra Patel has stated that fisherman Bhupat Chauhan from Una taluka was held by Pakistan Marines in November 2021. Chauhan has undergone bypass surgery of heart in past, he needs regular treatment and medication, which is not provided by the Pakistan jail authorities.

The MLA has requested the Chief Minister to take up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs and also request the Indian government to inquire about other ill fishermen and request Pakistan to release all ill fishermen at the earliest on humanitarian ground.

He has also demanded to treat apprehended fishermen at par with the deceased of accidents, and sought same ex-gratia for the families, as in accident cases, the government gives Rs 4 lakh compensation.

At present, there are 444 Gujarat fishermen in Pakistan jail, out of which 346 fishermen's families are receiving financial assistance, still 98 families are left out, they too should be paid financial assistance at the earliest, the MLA demanded.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids at multiple locations belonging to payment gateway i.e Paytm and PayU in connection with a case pertaining to Chinese Loan apps.

Sources said that raids were going on in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, Lucknow and Kolkata.

The ED has not given any official comment on the matter.

On September 3 raids were conducted at the premises belonging to online payments gateway including Razorpay Pvt Ltd, Cashfree Payments and Paytm Payment Services Ltd.

The case is based on 18 FIRs registered by Cyber Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, against numerous persons for their involvement in extortion and harassment of the public who had availed small loans through the mobile apps being run by those entities.

"During enquiries, it had emerged that these entities are operated by Chinese persons. The modus operandi of these entities is that by using forged documents of Indians and making them dummy directors of those entities, they are generating proceeds of crime," the ED had said.

The ED had said that it has come to their notice that the entities were conducting their suspected business through various Merchant IDs/Accounts held with Payment Gateways/banks.

The premises of Razorpay Pvt Ltd, Cashfree Payments, Paytm Payment Services Ltd and entities controlled/operated by Chinese persons were covered in the search operation.

"During the search operations, it was noticed that the said entities were generating proceeds of crime through various Merchant IDs/Accounts held with Payment Gateways/banks and they are also not operating from the addresses given on the MCA website/registered address and having fake addresses. An amount of Rs 17 cr has been seized in merchant IDs and bank accounts of these Chinese persons-controlled entities," the ED official had said.

Meanwhile, a Razorpay spokesperson had said "Some of our merchants were being investigated by law enforcement about a year and a half back. As part of the ongoing investigation, the authorities requested additional information to help with the investigation. We have fully cooperated and shared KYC and other details. The authorities were satisfied by our due diligence process." The search operations are still in progress.

--IANS atk/bg

A
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday concluded search operation at four premises belonging to Raksha Bullion and Classic Marbles.

The searches were conducted in connection with the money laundering probe in case of Parekh Aluminex limited.

The ED had registered money laundering case against Parekh Aluminex Limited on March 8, 2018.

An official said that the company duped banks and took loans to the tune of Rs 2296.58 crore. The money was thereafter siphoned off by layering through various companies. The money was routed to various accounts in context of providing unsecured loans and investments. The same was not the purpose of taking the loans and there were no agreements in place for such transactions.

During the search action, keys to private lockers were found in the premises of Raksha Bullion. On searching the private lockers, it was found that the locker operation was being done without following the proper norms.

"No KYC was followed and there was no CCTV camera installed at the premise. There was no in and out register. Searching the locker premise revealed that there were 761 lockers of which three belonged to Raksha Bullion. On operating the lockers, 91.5 kgs of gold and 152 kg of silver was found in two lockers and the same was seized. An additional 188 kgs of silver was also seized from the premises of Raksha Bullion," said the official.

The ED said total value of seized items is Rs 47.76 crore.

"Earlier amount of Rs 46.97 crore and Rs 158.26 crore were attached by the ED in this case on different dates," said the ED official.

Further investigation in the matter is on.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the proposal to notify several tribal communities under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category in Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda told media persons after the Cabinet meeting that these proposals were lying pending for several years.

Basically due to spelling errors and similar sounding names of several communities, these could not be brought under the ST category for a very long time, he added.

The Cabinet approved the ministry's proposal for the inclusion of Narikoravan, along with the Kurivikkaran, community of Tamil Nadu under ST category through the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

Similarly,it granted ST status to the Betta-Kuruba community as a synonym of Kadu Kuruba of Karnataka. This also would be done through the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

Further, Gonds, along with its five sub-castes, in Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh were included in the ST list of Uttar Pradesh.

The Union Cabinet also granted tribal status to the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district. The decision marks the inclusion of the Hattee community in four blocks of the area.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 14 : The crime branch of Odisha Police busted an inter-state pre-activated SIM card racket and arrested six persons including the mastermind from Khunta area in Mayurbhanj district, a police officer said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, crime branch IG, Amitendra Nath Sinha, said the accused were identified as Vishal Khandelwal, who was the mastermind, Tapan Kumar Patra, Ajay Kumar Patra, Nigam Patra, Sudhansu Das and Aju Patra.

The arrest was made based on a complaint filed by the Department of Tele Communications, Ministry of Communications, on Monday, he said.

Soon after receiving the complaint, the Odisha crime branch formed a special team, which busted the racket conducting raids in a remote area in Mayurbhanj district despite heavy rainfall, informed the IG.

Sinha said that the police seized two SIM card boxes (machine-based numbers) used to defraud people in various parts of the country. It has also seized over 2,500 SIM cards of Airtel, Jio, Vodafone and BSNL telecom companies along with seven laptops, around 20 mobile phones, bank passbooks, Jio routers and other articles.

The seized SIM cards included 1,049 of Airtel, 1,231 of Jio, 158 of Vodafone, 134 cards of BSNL company, he said.

The IG further said the criminals were operating their network in Khunta forest area and cheating people by sending fake KYC suspension and SIM card block messages to the people to defraud people. He said police would bring them on remand for interrogation.

Though it was not yet clear from where the accused were bringing the SIM cards, the accused however said they sourced it from Chennai, he stated.

Investigation is on to find out if more people are involved in the racket.

Huge number of MTNL KYC fraud SMSes are being generated from these SIM boxes and mobile numbers are operating in Bihar and Odisha, the police official said.

The team initially apprehended one Tapas Kumar Patra and subsequently others after interrogating him.

Informing about their modous operandi, the police officer said, Vishal Khandelwal @ Jonti who is the mastermind behind this crime had procured SIM box and engaged Tapas Kumar Patra for sending messages by using pre-activated SIMs being supplied by Sudhansu Das, Nigam Patra.

They were circulating 100s of fake messages every day. After a few months, Tapas Patra engaged other accused persons namely Aju Patra and Ajay Kumar Patra in the crime, he added.
Shillong, Sep 14 : Amid the strong opposition from various circles against the issuance of licences to operate casinos in Meghalaya, the state government has issued licences to set up three casinos in the hilly state, officials said on Wednesday. The Joint Action Committee Against Casino (JACAC) and other organisations have been strongly agitating against the setting up of casinos in the state including in Ri-Bhoi district, which borders Assam.

Meghalaya Taxation Minister James P.K. Sangma told the state assembly on Monday that temporary licences were issued to provide additional attractions to the tourists, visiting the state from other states. "There are huge competitions to attract the tourists. The other northeastern states have a similar topography like Meghalaya and the states also have historical and archaeological sites. To attract the tourists, we have to give them some additional amusement," the minister had told the House.

The JACAC Secretary Ferdynald Kharkamni on Wednesday said they are upset over the government's decision, which also contradicts Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's earlier assurance. He pointed out that people of Meghalaya are not familiar with casino-type gambling which are now operating in Sikkim and Goa.

"Though for the past 20-25 years, gambling has been going on in the state with traditional archery games being betted upon on a daily basis, the state government doesn't earn any revenue from this informal betting. The JACAC would hold a public meeting in Nongpoh (headquarters of Ri-Bhoi district) on September 23 to decide on the further course of action on the issue. All five MLAs of the district, chiefs of traditional bodies, church, teachers and students leaders would be invited for the meeting," JACAC leader Kharkamni said.

The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), a civil society organisation of the Khasi tribal people, strongly criticised the National People's Party (NPP) led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government for introducing the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021, to pave the way for casinos. Government officials said that the Gaming Act was introduced to regulate gambling parlours that have been operating for years in the northeastern state.

Various organisations, including the influential Meghalaya United Christian Forum (MUCF), voiced "apprehension and shock" over the state government's decision to legalise gambling and online betting for tourists coming to the state. The MUCF in a statement earlier said that online gambling and casinos might generate a lot of revenue for the government but the bigger question is whether people are willing to pay the price and are they ready to bear the repercussions of such an endeavour on the society at large.
London, Sep 14 : Vladimir Putin has no good options for how to react after a lightning offensive by Ukraine inflicted Russia's most serious and rapid military defeat on the battlefield since the Second World War, a UK military expert said, Daily Mail reported.

Justin Bronk, a research fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, has analysed the latest situation in an article as Ukrainian troops continued to pile pressure on retreating Russian forces.

Ukraine is now seeking to hold onto its sudden momentum that has produced major territorial gains, with Russian troops surrendering en masse amid hopes that a turning point in the war has finally been reached.

The counter-offensive left the Kremlin struggling for a response to its largest military defeat in Ukraine since Russia pulled back from areas near Kyiv after a botched attempt to capture the capital early in the invasion, Daily Mail reported.

It comes as Russia's state media war correspondent Alexander Sladkov accidentally revealed the scale of their losses in Ukraine, telling the Kremlin-run Rossiya 1 news channel that a 'huge number of people' have died, Bronk said.

Bronk said Ukraine has 'baited Russia into accepting an attritional battle in a very militarily disadvantageous position', adding that Russia 'will be hard pressed simply to avoid any more disasters before winter'.

The expert said it had been 'one of the most successful counter-offensives we've seen in modern history in terms of territory gained over a given speed of advance,' Daily Mail reported.

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Patna, Sep 14 : A day after unidentified criminals went on an indiscriminate shooting spree across Bihar's Begusarai district, killing one and injuring 10 others, police have detained five persons on Wednesday.

Begusari's Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar also said that there were not two but four attackers who committed the crime using two motor bikes.

"We have cordoned off the entire district and are also taking the help of police of adjoining districts. We have also scanned CCTV cameras of different locations and have some leads about the accusedd.

"We have constituted four teams in this matter. We have every suspicious person under the scanner and raids are being conducted on their hideouts and houses. We are also scanning the accused who were released from jail recently," he said.

The SP also said that during the investigation, it appeared that patrolling teams were under performed in this matter, and seven police personnel have been suspended for negligence.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has taken the incident very seriously and called DGP S.K. Singhal in this matter. He has asked the DGP to take appropriate action against the accused and give the result immediately.

"We are investigating each and every point in this matter. During my tenure, such an incident never happened in Bihar. The police officers are investigating it and no one will be let off in this matter. We are proactive on it," the Chief Minister said.
Chennai, Sep 14 : Rajagopal in Tiruvendurai village was in for a shock when he was informed that he had to get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Wakf Board office in Chennai for selling his one acre land.

The villager, who was shattered, checked all his documents and found that it was all intact and in place.

When checked, the block development office informed him that all the lands in Tiruchendurai village belonged to the Wakf board and people who wanted to sell the land need an NOC from Wakf headquarters in Chennai.

However the district administration office did not find any truth in the claims of the Wakf Board. Also, there was no information available that Muslims are owning the land in the area.

It is known that the Wakf Board head office from Chennai has sent a 20-page letter to the 12 registration offices in Tiruchi district of Tamil Nadu. The letter claimed that it had land in several areas of the district.

It is to be noted that 1500-year-old famous Sundaresar temple is in Tiruchendurai and the customs and traditions related to Srirangam temple were held in the village.

When contacted, the Tiruchi district administration officials told IANS that they are looking into the matter. However Wakf board officials refused to comment on the matter.
Guwahati, Sep 14 : The Assam government plans to convert all its secondary schools to higher secondary level, the Assembly was told on Wednesday.

Replying to a question, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said that as per the New Education Policy, the state government has already upgraded 215 high schools to the higher secondary level.

The preparation to convert another 785 high schools to the higher secondary level is underway, he added.

The initial upgradation list was prepared by the Education Department, based on the availability of logistics, manpower, etc. and gradually, the other schools will also be upgraded, Pegu said.

The minister also said that operationalisation of classes in the newly-upgraded schools will be looked into at the district level. The required administrative machinery will be provided by the state government.

Earlier, a majority of the state government schools in Assam had classes up to 10 only while a few could take students at 10+2 level also.

The state government colleges in the state have the facility to teach higher secondary standard students.
Mumbai, Sep 14 : Rattled by the political fallout of the Vedanta Group-Foxconn Rs 2.06 lakh-crore mega project choosing Gujarat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde blamed former CM Uddhav Thackeray's government for the loss. At the same time the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi allies slammed Shinde for "treachery, and bulldozing the state economy", here on Wednesday.

Clearly taken aback by the political-economic bombshell with long-term ramifications, Shinde spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Tuesday where the latter reportedly assured him of "giving even bigger projects to Maharashtra" in the future.

"We are finding out the details. We have come (to power) only two months ago but Vedanta-Foxconn did not get the desired response from the earlier (MVA) government," said Shinde.

Both Shinde and Industry Minister Uday Samant confirmed the discussion with the Prime Minister and the reported promises, but there were no takers in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of the Nationalist Congress Party-Congress-Shiv Sena.

Virtually all parties have demanded a thorough probe into the sequence of events leading to Vedanta-Foxconn opting for Gujarat when more than 90 percent of its deal was finalised with Maharashtra, including allotment of 1,100 acres of land near Pune.

Leader of Opposition, NCP's Ajit Pawar shot off a letter in which he has alleged that the project has gone to Gujarat due to high-level political pressure, and said Shinde must take steps to ensure it returns to Maharashtra.

Attacking the government, NCP MP Supriya Sule said Shinde must immediately catch a plane to New Delhi and ensure that the Vedanta-Foxconn project -- "which had come to Maharashtra on merits" -- is immediately restored.

She rejected the claim that "bigger projects" would be given to Maharashtra and demanded that first the Vedanta-Foxconn project must be brought back in the interests of the state's youth and economy.

Shiv Sena's ex-Minister Aditya Thackeray said that Shinde has again resorted to 'treachery' - first by toppling the MVA government in June with the help of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and now failing the people of this state by allowing the mega project to go to the BJP-ruled Gujarat.

Congress state president Nana Patole accused Shinde of being "a dummy CM" with Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah running the show, "which is a very serious matter and detrimental to this state".

"Maharashtra had given a very attractive package to the Vedanta-Foxconn project, but it has chosen Gujarat due to the BJP's 'conspiracy' to weaken Maharashtra economically," said Patole.

In a virulent statement, Shiv Sena national spokesperson Kishore Tiwari said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government is running "a bulldozer in Maharashtra to crush the economy and aspirations of jobless youths in the state only to help Gujarat".

"If Shinde's allegations are true, then Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal must clarify how the MVA did not cooperate with him and also reveal if he was under any political pressure to shift the project to Gujarat," Tiwari demanded.

Dismissing Shinde and Samant's contentions, Congress state general secretary Sachin Sawant said that "Maharashtra is always No. 1 in industrialisation and doesn't need any favours from the PM", but called upon Shinde-Fadnavis to advise Modi to show less love for Gujarat.

Deputy Leader of the Shiv Sena Dr Raghunath Kuchik accused the Shinde-Fadnavis government of "a systematic conspiracy with all projects being diverted to destroy Maharashtra's economy and boost Gujarat's development agenda" with an eye on the upcoming elections there.

NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said "this is the price that Gujarat has extracted for making Shinde the CM" and he remained helpless as Vedanta-Foxconn slipped out of the state.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray said when the project was virtually wrapped-up by Maharashtra, "how could it go to Gujarat" and demanded an investigation into the matter.

Senior leaders from the MVA like Subhash Desai, Balasaheb Thorat, Atul Londhe, Jayant Patil and Ramdas Kadam (Shinde group) have issued tough statements in the matter.

Since the past two days, the Opposition has gone hammer and tongs at the Shinde-Fadnavis regime after it notched up what is considered its 'biggest political-economic disaster' as Vedanta-Foxconn ditched Maharashtra for Gujarat.
Panaji, Sep 14 : Calling the defection of its eight MLAs to the BJP as the murder of democracy, the Congress unit in Goa on Wednesday said that the wrath of the public against the saffron party will reflect in the Lok Sabha elections.

"Murder of democracy by BJP is going on across India. They are rattled by the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was claiming that they had enough numbers, then what was the need to take more MLAs. That means BJP had an agenda to finish the opposition as 67 per cent voters had voted against them," Goa Congress chief Amit Patkar said, addressing a press conference here.

MLAs Yuri Alemao, Altone D'Costa and Carlos Alvares Ferreira, who remained with the Congress, were also present at the press meet. The Congress strength in the Goa assembly has come down to three after its eight MLAs joined the BJP.

"I am proud of these MLAs, they were also under pressure. But they stood with their principles and values. Those (MLAs) who defected have betrayed the people who voted for them," he said.

"People are witnessing the political developments. Because of this incident people of Goa will elect the Congress from the state in the Lok Sabha polls," he said.

He said that the remaining three MLAs of the Congress will raise all the issues concerning Goa.

MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira questioned what was the threat to the BJP government, who took away eight MLAs. "We are absolutely shocked. We tried to take steps to speak to everyone and to block any such move. But since last night to today morning what happened is in the public domain," he said.

"We are shocked because we were united and had given our 'word' not only to the people, but we (all candidates) had taken oath before the Gods that we will not leave the Congress," Ferreira said.

Ferreira said that they will revive the party and will go ahead.

Yuri Alemao said that it was a very unfortunate incident. "It is unfortunate because people have elected us on the Congress symbol. We had taken all precautions, we went before God and had legally sworn affidavits. I fail to understand how these people defied God," Alemao said.

He said that the BJP had even tried such moves in 2007 to topple the Congress government. "The BJP is a master in this," he said.

MLA Altone D'Costa said that he feels proud that he has not betrayed his voters.
Washington, Sep 14 : Former President Donald Trump claimed the US had become a "weaponised police state" after fuming over a report that MyPillow CEO Mike Lindells cellphone had been seized by the FBI.

Lindell, one of the most prominent 2020 election conspiracy theorists, said federal agents took his phone while questioning him about Tina Peters, a Colorado clerk who is under incitement over allegations of tampering with election voting equipment, the Newsweek reported.

Lindell posted a video online charging that he was targeted by a "weaponised" FBI, adding what happened to him was "disgusting." In a post on Truth Social, Trump also made a similar claim while showing support for the man who frequently backs the "false claim" the former President lost the last election due to widespread voter fraud.

"Our Country is a laughing stock all over the World. The majesty of the United States is gone. Can't let this happen. TAKE BACK AMERICA!", he said.

Speaking on his online show The Lindell Report, the MyPillow CEO described how FBI agents approached him while he was at a Hardee's fast food restaurant in Mankato, Minnesota.

Lindell said the agents asked him about Peters, Dominion Voting Systems, and Doug Frank, an Ohio math teacher who claims he has a mathematical algorithm to prove the last election was stolen from Trump, which has frequently been debunked.

The agents then told Lindell they had a warrant to seize his phone and ordered him to turn it over. Lindell shared with the Washington Times a letter, he said, accompanied the search warrant which stated there is "an official criminal investigation of a suspected felony is being conducted by an agency of the United States and a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Colorado".

Last week, Peters, a Mesa County Clerk who ran for the GOP nomination for Colorado Secretary of State in June, pleaded not guilty to 10 felony and misdemeanor counts including tampering with election equipment and official misconduct, the Newsweek said.

Peters is accused of allowing an unauthorised person into a secure facility during an annual upgrade to Mesa County's software update conducted by Dominion employees in May, after which sensitive information from the machines was posted online.

It is unclear if Lindell himself is under investigation. FBI spokeswoman Vikki Migoya was reported to have told the media that she could confirm that the FBI was at that location executing a search warrant authorized by a federal judge."
Kolkata, Sep 14 : A few days ago, women clad in trendy burqas, with fashionable sunglasses shielding their eyes, started appearing outside some reputed girls' schools in Kolkata just when the students were leaving for their homes.

As they waited for school buses or their parents to collect them, these women offered them modelling assignments. One of these schools was where the grand niece of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee studies.

The Kolkata Police initiated a probe after the parents complained. After the investigation, the police gave a clean chit to these women. The report stated that it was all a misunderstanding. The women in question (some of them are allegedly students of well-known south Kolkata colleges) were apparently scouting for talent for fashion shows involving children and teenagers, the report claimed.

However, no explanation was given as to why the talent scouts had to dress up in that particular manner (to conceal their identities) or never considered seeking permission from the parents before approaching the children.

Now, a PIL has been filed in the Calcutta High Court, seeking a thorough probe into such incidents. The petitioner is Vijay Kumar Singhal, a chartered accountant and lawyer by profession who's also a social activist.

The PIL was filed by his counsel Phiroze Edulji. In the petition, Singhal has mentioned that he was compelled to approach the court as the police response is not at all commensurate with the gravity of the offences committed by the so-called talent scouts.

These women violated several provisions of law and the children were at the risk of being trafficked with the lure of money and fame. One of the children approached is barely 8-year-old.

West Bengal is among the top states in the country from where women are trafficked. It has been estimated that over 40 per cent of such women (most of them minors) are trafficked and sold as sex workers. Recently, the West Bengal government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra government to crack down on this racket.

"How could the police give a clean chit to such people who have violated several laws? Approaching a minor without parents' consent amounts to an attempt to kidnap. Minors can't be engaged for activities such as acting or modelling without the consent of the parents.

"Even if an event is planned with minors, permission has to be taken from the district magistrate after submitting all the details, including consent from parents. All such laws were flouted but the police gave the accused a clean chit. We demand a thorough probe. We would also want to know who these women were and why they were concealing their identities," Edulji said after filing the petition.

It has also been claimed by the police that the talent scouts chose to approach the students outside the school premises after one of the schools denied them permission to carry out such activity inside.

This only goes to prove that the organisation involved didn't have the best interests of the children in mind while offering them modelling assignments, the petition claimed.

Nowadays, thanks to easy access to social media, children are vulnerable, said a professor in the social sciences department of Calcutta University.

"The most vulnerable are teenagers who feel that they are sufficiently old to decide for themselves. That is natural for their age when it is normal to be rebellious. There have been instances when children have accepted offers from strangers without informing their parents. The parents only came to know after the children got into trouble," he said.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : France's Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed President Emmanuel Macron's message of friendship and cooperation to him.

Colonna is on an official visit to India from September 13-15.

Modi, during the meeting, fondly recalled his recent meetings with President Macron in Paris and Schloss Elmau (Germany) and conveyed his desire to welcome the President in India at an early opportunity, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday lauded the efforts of the Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs (CBIC) and underlined the need for training personnel for better utilisation of Artificial Intelligence and data analytics.

"You keep doing good work, generating revenues, you are noticed for it, Prime Minister made a special appreciative mention recently on level of GST revenues," she said while inaugurating 'Kendriya GST Parisar', the housing complex for CGST officers of Mumbai zone in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.

The Finance Minister also spoke about the need for training CBIC officials for better utilisation of Artificial Intelligence, data-analytics, IoT and other technologies to identify fraudulent practices, such as detection of tax evasion.

She was also appreciative of the Central Intelligence Unit team of CGST Mumbai Zone for fantastic data analysis and mining tools used for large scale tax evasion resulting in big recovery and booking of offenders.

She also lauded the effort of the department to take care of future needs and development required for the second phase for welfare of officers and staff.

CBIC Chairman Vivek Johri said that 7 per cent of GDP and 40 per cent of foreign trade is contributed by Mumbai.

Mumbai Customs Zone contributes 25 per cent and Mumbai CGST 18 per cent of GST revenue in the country whereas 14 per cent workforce of CBIC is in Mumbai itself, he added.

Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj was also present on the occasion.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) after conducting raids at multiple locations belonging to payment gateways i.e Paytm and PayU in connection with a case of Chinese Loan apps, asked Paytm to freeze certain amounts from a few Merchant IDs (MIDs).

Sources said the raids were conducted in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, Lucknow and Kolkata.

The ED has not given any official comment on the matter.

On September 3, raids were conducted at the premises belonging to online payments gateways including Razorpay Pvt Ltd, Cashfree Payments and Paytm Payment Services Ltd.

A Paytm spokesperson said that as part of the ongoing investigations of a specific set of merchants, the ED has sought information regarding such merchants to whom we provide payment processing solutions.

"These merchants are independent entities, and none of them are our group entities. We are, and will continue to, fully cooperate with the authorities, and all the directive actions are being duly complied with," said the Paytm spokesperson.

The ED has instructed Paytm to freeze certain amounts from the Merchant IDs of a specific set of merchant entities (as mentioned by the ED in its press release).

"None of the funds which have been instructed to be frozen belong to Paytm or any of our group companies. As we have mentioned before, ED continues to seek information about certain merchants from various payment service providers, and we have shared the required information," the Paytm spokesperson said.

What is the case? The case is based on 18 FIRs registered by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Bengaluru City, against numerous persons for their involvement in extortion and harassment of the public who had availed small loans through the mobile apps being run by those entities.

"During enquiries, it had emerged that these entities are operated by Chinese persons. The modus operandi of these entities is that by using forged documents of Indians and making them dummy directors of those entities, they are generating proceeds of crime," the ED said.

The ED had said that it has come to its notice that the entities were conducting their suspected business through various Merchant IDs/Accounts held with Payment Gateways/banks.

The premises of Razorpay Pvt Ltd, Cashfree Payments, Paytm Payment Services Ltd and entities controlled/operated by Chinese persons were covered in the search operations.

"During the search operations, it was noticed that the said entities were generating proceeds of crime through various Merchant IDs/Accounts held with Payment Gateways/banks and they are also not operating from the addresses given on the MCA website/registered address and having fake addresses. An amount of Rs 17 crore has been seized in merchant IDs and bank accounts of these Chinese persons-controlled entities," the ED official had said.

Meanwhile, a Razorpay spokesperson had said "Some of our merchants were being investigated by law enforcement about a year and a half back. As part of the ongoing investigation, the authorities requested additional information to help with the investigation. We have fully cooperated and shared KYC and other details. The authorities were satisfied by our due diligence process." The search operations are in progress.
A langur is attending class everyday with children in a school in Jharkhand, video is going viral. Image Source: IANS News

A langur is attending class everyday with children in a school in Jharkhand, video is going viral. Image Source: IANS News

A langur is attending class everyday with children in a school in Jharkhand, video is going viral. Image Source: IANS News

Ranchi, Sep 14 : A monkey has been spotted attending classes with students for the past one week at a government school in Danua village in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district. The movements of the monkey have become a matter of curiosity.

Videos and pictures of the monkey's presence from the classes to the school office have gone viral.

The school's headmaster Ratan Verma told IANS that the monkey reaches the school premises as soon as the school opens at 9 in the morning and usually leaves in the evening only after the classes end. A week ago, when he suddenly entered Class 9 of the school, the students were terrified. He did not harm anyone and sat on a bench in the class. Since then, reaching any class and sitting in the front row with the students has become a regular routine.

On Wednesday, it reached the headmaster's room and sat on the table. When the classes started, he again went to the class. The principal attempted to drive the monkey away, but he remained in the classroom.

School Management Committee chairman Sakaldev Yadav said that the forest department was informed about it. A team reached the school, but it could not catch the monkey.
Chennai, Sep 14 : Tamil Nadu forest officials are interrogating four people who were held by the Naxalite (Maoist) Special Division of the Erode district police after a tip-off that elephant tusks were being smuggled to Karnataka from Bagur hills.

The team held K. Chandrashekar, 45, of Kavundapadi with four tusks in a gunny bag at the Thamaraikkarai area. On questioning, he revealed that the tusks were given to him by Rasu, 37, of Varattupallam check post, Subbu, 38, of Kalvarai, Sellappan, 35, of Thamaraikarai, and Mahendran of Eratti.

The police arrested all three except Subbu who is absconding and handed them over to the Forest Department officials. Forest officials said that they are interrogating the arrested to ascertain whether they had taken the tusks after killing elephants or whether they had got the tusks from other people.

All four were produced before the judicial magistrate's court and sent to judicial custody.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14 : Congress's Kerala President K.Sudhakaran on Wednesday slammed the "unethical" coverage by the CPI-M-backed Kairali TV channel of party leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Sudhakaran claimed all the basic rules to be followed in journalism have been thrown out of the window by Kairali TV channel, which is airing baseless reports, especially on the yatra.

"The underlying agenda of this yatra is unite the country against the present fascist regime which is dividing the society and at this time, instead of providing support to the yatra, baseless news and unethical journalism is being practised by the CPI-M backed TV channel," he said.

Sudhakaran contended that the CPI-M has turned jittery seeing the massive response to the yatra and is now working overtime to discredit it.

"The news that there is a division in the party over the yatra is utter nonsense and Kerala's people know the real reason why such baseless news is being put out. This is being done with the knowledge of the top CPI-M leadership," he said.

The yatra reached the Kerala border on September 11 and will cover 43 Assembly and 12 Lok Sabha constituencies as it traverses 453 km through the state in 19 days.

There is no yatra on Thursday as the general body meeting of the state unit of the Congress is being held in the state capital.

The yatra has 118 permanent members and will crisscross the country covering over 3,750 kms through 12 states and reach its destination in 150 days.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez left the office of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police after being grilled by the cops for over eight hours in connection with the Rs 200 crore extortion-cum-cheating case involving multimillionaire conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is presently lodged in jail.

Jacqueline had reached the EOW office at around 11 am, but she didn't speak to the media and went straight inside. She was accompanied by her counsels.

The actress was confronted with Pinky Irani, her associate in the matter. The EOW unit had prepared a long list of questions.

"She was asked about her relationship with Chandrashekar, and about the gifts and money she received from the conman. Irani and Fernandez both were confronted together," a source in the EOW said.

She was also asked how much money she and her family members received from Chandrashekar.

"We asked why she was in touch with him even after knowing that Chandrashekar was a conman. Why did she take his help to take her family out of a financial soup," the source said.

Jacqueline reportedly confessed that Chandrashekar did help her family. She also said that a few gifts were returned by her.

Earlier in the first week of September, the EOW officials had recorded the testimony of another Bollywood personality, Nora Fatehi, in connection with the same case.

Chandrashekhar was arrested for allegedly cheating and extorting money from some high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh.

Many Bollywood actors and models have been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for their alleged links to Chandrashekhar.

In April last year, Chandrashekhar was arrested in a money laundering case linked to the 2017 Election Commission bribery case, which allegedly involved a former AIADMK leader, among others.
Washington, Sep 14 : The US has responded to Indian concerns over the proposed sale of F-16 spares and services to Pakistan with studied silence.

A readout issued by the US Defense Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's phone call with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday made no mention of the "concern" conveyed by the Indian official, as it talked about general ties and broad future contours for discussion and cooperation.

Rajnath Singh noted in a post on Twitter that he had "conveyed India's concern at the recent US decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fleet".

India has been alarmed by the recent proposal by the Biden administration to provide $450 million worth of sales and services for Pakistan's fleet of F-16s, around 75 according to one count. The Congress was notified of the proposal late last week and it has 30 days to object.

The US has said the sale does not include new capabilities, it is part of a long-standing policy of providing "life cycle maintenance and sustainment packages for US-origin platforms", and that it will not alter the "basic military balance in the region".

And, finally, the sale is meant to support Pakistan's counterterrorism measures and that the US expects "Pakistan to take sustained action against all terrorist groups".

But Pakistan does not use its F-16s just for counterterrorism operations. It used them against India such as in the February 2019 air combat with Indian Air Force planes.

Rajnath Singh finally voiced New Delhi's disquiet with the F-16 sale and services deal in the call with Austin. In 2016, India had protested more forcefully and immediately to a proposal from the Obama administration to sell 8 F-16s to Pakistan, which was eventually scuttled by US Congress.

He said the conversation was "warm and productive" and that the of them discussed "growing convergence of strategic interests and enhanced defence & security cooperation" and ways "to strengthen technological and industrial collaboration and also explore cooperation in emerging and critical technologies".

The Americans also said the conversation took place on the heels of 2+2 2+2 Intersessional and Maritime Security Dialogues, and the two officials "committed to expanding information-sharing and logistics cooperation" and they "agreed to initiate a dialogue later this year to deepen bilateral collaboration in space, cyber, artificial intelligence, and other new defence domains".

They discussed the Quad, a platform for Indo-Pacific cooperation they form with Japan and Australia, and "underscored the value of advancing cooperation through the Quad partnership to sustain regional peace, stability, and prosperity".

Austin also congratulated Rajnath Singh on the commissioning of INS Vikrant, India's first home-made aircraft carrier.

In conclusion, the US readout said, the two sides reaffirmed "the centrality of the US-India defence partnership to their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region".
New Delhi, Sep 14 : Ahead of the assembly elections in Goa the Congress had administered an oath that the elected MLAS will not leave the party but on Wednesday 8 MLAS switched to the BJP leaving the Congress in shock.

The Congress had P Chidambaram as senior election observer and Dinesh Gundu Rao as state in-charge. Both of them failed in the elections as the BJP swept to power.

The turncoats had been in the BJP earlier. Digambar Kamat, an old BJP hand, switched to the Congress and was made chief minister and has now defected again. Similarly Michael Lobo and his wife were also in the BJP.

P Chidambaram said, "Carlos Ferreira, Yuri Alemao and Altone D' Costa stand tall and proud among the ranks of Honourable MLAs, I salute them for their steadfast loyalty to God, their party, their electorate and their principles".

He said the curse of Goa's politics is the "buying" of MLAs. Since 2014, there is a wholesale buyer in the Indian market.

On January 22, three dozen Congress candidates for the assembly elections pledged their loyalty to the party at three religious institutions; a temple, a church and a mosque, ahead of the February assembly polls in the state.

The precaution was taken because of doubts in the voters' minds that the Congress candidates may defect to the BJP, following the mass defection of 10 Congress legislators to the BJP in July, 2019.

The Congress lost 8 MLAs on Wednesday. Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar had said that the party had tweaked its candidate selection procedure to ensure that not a single elected MLA would be poached by rival parties after the 2022 polls.

"Not a single MLA will break this time round. We have changed our selection process to that effect," he had said, Dinesh Gundu Rao, the in-charge of the Congress in Goa, on Wednesday termed the act of the MLAs who joined the BJP as the 'height of betrayal' and 'shamelessness'.

"People of #Goa voted for these MLAs as they were @INCIndia candidates. They had sworn in front of temples, church & dargah that they will not defect to #BJP. They gave affidavits that they'll always be with the Congress and took a pledge on the Constitution," Rao tweeted.

"Isn't this the height of betrayal and shamelessness by @digambarkamat, @MichaelLobo76 and the others," he stated while tagging Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo, who joined the BJP earlier in the day.

Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Rajesh Faldesai, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes are the eight legislators who have switched sides.

The first attempt to join the BJP was made on July 10, 2022, by these MLAs. However they had not succeeded. Even recently they tried again to gather eight, two-third, MLAs to avoid action under the anti-defection law. However, they failed the second time also.

Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Wednesday said it was under God's guidance that he decided to quit the Congress and join the BJP.

"God told me 'you take the decision, I am with you'. Hence I decided to join the BJP," the senior politician said.
Mumbai, Sep 14 : In another shocker, the Shiv Sena said on Wednesday that Maharashtra has lost out the mega project of Bulk Drugs Park to adjoining Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh this month.

Sena ex-Ministers Aditya Thackeray and Subhash Desai told the media that earlier this month, a Central notification indicated that Maharashtra has forfeited the prestigious project.

Corroborating the claim, they said that the September 1 statement said: "Centre grants in-principle approval of three bulk drug parks in Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. The three states to submit their detailed project report in next 90 days", and added it was another move to make the country Atmanirbhar in bulk drugs.

The Sena duo said that Maharashtra is missing in the Centre's statement implying that this state has lost out on the project, though it was vigorously pursued by the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress.

This is the second big political-economic jolt to the state this month, after the Vedanta Group-Foxconn decided to shift its proposed Rs 2.06 lakh-crore project to Gujarat, sparking a major row in Maharashtra.

Aditya Thackeray said that the MVA government had reserved 5,000 acres of land in Raigad district for the Rs 30,000 crore Bulk Drug Park project which had the potential to create at least 75,000 jobs for locals.

The duo said that both the projects were planned to be implemented in Maharashtra "on merits", but owing to the "current unconstitutional government in the state and its disinterest in the state's development" - implying Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis - it has gone out.

Then CM Uddhav Thackeray had written a letter to the Centre proposing to set up the Bulk Drugs Park in Raigad while Desai had brought it up before the state cabinet, but now the Centre has asked Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh to start working on it, they pointed out.
Srinagar, Sep 14 : An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashhmir's Srinagar district on Wednesday, police said.

"On a specific input generated by police, an encounter has started in Nowgam area of Srinagar district. Srinagar Police and 50RR are on the job," police said.

The firefight started after a joint team of security forces got an input about the presence of terrorists there.

After security forces cordoned off the area, terrorists hiding there started firing on security forces and the latter retaliated.

A terrorist was killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces at Heff Shirmal area in Shopian district on Monday.
Guwahati, Sep 14 : Joymala, an elephant which was allegedly tortured at a temple in Tamil Nadu, has become the bone of contention between the Assam and Tamil Nagu governments.

The Assam government has now moved the Gauhati High Court seeking the custody of the elephant.

It has been alleged that Joymala has been kept at the Srivilliputhur Nachiyar Thirukovil temple for over a decade now and the animal is facing torture there. A number of videos surfaced on social media in this regard a few days ago.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India had urged the state governments to look into the elephant's well-being.

Soon after that, the Assam government sent a four-member team to Tamil Nadu to bring back Joymala. But it has been alleged that the Tamil Nadu government did not allow the team to even see the elephant.

The Tamil Nadu forest department in a letter addressed to Assam government said that Joymala is fine and Assam should not waste its time trying to meet her.

However, the officials of the four-member team are still in Chennai and trying to meet Joymala.

An official of the team informed that the matter has been moved to the Gauhati High Court and a report has been sent to the court stating all the details.

As per sources, the Tamil Nadu government also did not agree for a discussion with the officials from Assam for the custody of Joymala.

The official added, "It is getting difficult as the Tamil Nadu government is adamant about not letting anyone from Assam meet Joymala."
Chennai, Sep 14 : Six Hindu Munnai workers were arrested after they ransacked an eatery named after Dravidian ideologue and social reformer, Thanthai Periyar, police said on Wednesday.

Eatery owner Prabakaran, in his complaint before the police, said that the eatery was to be opened on Wednesday but the miscreants reached the premises on Tuesday evening and destroyed the board and vandalised the inside of the eatery.

Prabakaran was running a gas agency and a chicken meat stall. He said that a few Hindu Munnani workers had earlier approached him and informed him that he could not use the name of Periyar in their area.

"I am from Karamadai and those who attacked the eatery were from Kannampalayam. They did not target me and instead attacked the eatery as they were unhappy with the name," he told media persons.

On the complaint from Prabakaran, Karamadai police registered an FIR under various sections of the IPC including rioting, criminal trespass, obscene language, and the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act.

The arrested were produced before the judicial magistrate's court and sent to judicial custody.
New Delhi Sep 14 : Like previous years, St. Stephen's College of Delhi University wanted to include interview in the admission process this year too. However, the Delhi High Court has told St. Stephen's College that it will have to follow the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

Delhi University has also clarified that it will not recognise the admissions taken by St. Stephen's College in case of non-compliance of CUET procedure.

Not only this, Delhi University has clarified that if St. Stephen's College does not comply with CUET, then the admissions made here can be declared invalid. The Delhi University can also refuse to recognise the degree of students who have secured admission on the basis of interview.

After the new changes, now St. Stephen's College will also have to withdraw its prospectus. In fact, in its new prospectus, the college will have to make it clear that admission in St. Stephen's College is being given only on the basis of CUET examinations. In the prospectus released earlier, St. Stephen's College had decided to give 85 per cent weightage to CUET exams and 15 per cent weightage to interviews. However, the decision of St Stephen's College has now been set aside.

In fact the stand of St. Stephen's College has been that it will abide by the CUET without compromising on the privileges granted by the Constitution. The college had also cited the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench decision that St Stephen's as a minority institution has its own admission procedures which are guaranteed by the Constitution. This is the reason, St. Stephen's College may approach the Supreme Court after the High Court ruled in favour of CUET.

This time admission in DU is being done through CUET score. CUET result for undergraduate (UG) courses is to be declared on or before September 15. Delhi University has shared the information related to admission in DU on September 12, after the tentative date of CUET result was revealed.

There are about 80 departments under the DU where postgraduate degrees, PhD, certificate courses, degree courses, etc are conducted. Similarly, Delhi University has about 79 colleges in which undergraduate, postgraduate studies are done. Every year more than 70,000 students are admitted in these colleges and departments in the subjects of science, commerce and humanities at the graduation level.

On the other hand, minority educational institution, Jamia Millia Islamia has decided to implement the CUET for admission in many undergraduate courses from the academic session 2022-23. The university has also informed the UGC and National Testing Agency (NTA) about this.

UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain wrote a letter to the Vice Chancellors and Directors of all universities and colleges to adopt CUET. The UGC had appealed to all state governments and private universities to adopt the CUET for admitting students.
Kabul, Sep 14 : Following Pakistans letter to Kabul seeking to locate, report and arrest Maulana Masood Azhar -- the head of banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed -- the Taliban government on Wednesday denied his presence in Afghanistan, media reports said.

On Tuesday, Pakistan wrote to Kabul asking it to arrest the JeM chief, a UN-desiganted terrorist most wanted in India, stating that he was hiding somewhere in the Taliban-led country, The News reported.

In the letter, Pakistan wrote that Azhar was possibly residing in two different Afghan provinces - Nangarhar and Kunar.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban, said that the banned outfit's chief is not in Afghanistan, but in Pakistan, The News reported.

Islamabad had formally banned JeM on terrorism charges on January 14, 2002, during General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf's rule in Pakistan.

After 17 years of ban on JeM, the Interior Ministry -- after receiving credible intelligence -- banned two more organisations named Al-Rehmat Trust, Bahawalpur, and Al-Furqan Trust, Karachi, on May 10, 2019.

Defunct JeM chief Azhar being a suspected terrorist also remained part of Schedule 4 of the Anti Terrorism Act 1999. He has allegedly planned multiple terrorist activities in different places, The News reported.
London, Sep 14 : The European Union wants to raise $140 billion by tapping the windfall profits of some energy companies to help households and businesses pay eye-watering gas and electricity bills, media reports said.

On Wednesday, the European Commission proposed capping the profits of renewable and nuclear electricity producers, and taxing the windfall earnings of oil and gas companies, CNN reported.

Profits at power generators using wind, solar and nuclear energy have ballooned because their tariffs are linked to the wholesale price of natural gas, which soared to a record high in March after Russia invaded Ukraine, and now stands about 550 pert cent up on year-ago levels, the report said.

Europe sanctioned Russian oil and coal exports after the invasion, prompting Moscow to slash supplies of gas in return.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the bloc would conduct a "deep and comprehensive reform" to decouple the cost of gas from the price of electricity.

"These companies are making revenues they never accounted for, they never even dreamt of," she told EU lawmakers in a speech in Strasbourg, France.

"It is wrong to receive extraordinary record profits benefiting from war and on the back of consumers," she added, CNN reported.

The Commission's proposals still need to be debated and adopted by EU member states.

The bloc could introduce a cap of $180 per megawatt hour on the electricity produced by renewable energy firms, the Commission said in a statement.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Chandigarh, Sep 14 : Following the complaint filed by AAP MLAs, Punjab Police on Wednesday registered an FIR under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Police Station State Crime in Mohali near here for threats and money offers to the legislators to switch loyalties.

A police spokesperson said they have registered an FIR based on prima facie basis and investigation has been transferred to the Vigilance Bureau as per standard guidelines.

Earlier in the day amid allegations of the BJP attempting to bring down the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, the AAP said it has filed a formal complaint, along with all proof, with Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav for a fair probe into threats and money offers to its legislators.

It lashed out at the saffron party, calling it a "serial killer" of democracy and condemned "Operation Lotus" for the "dubious manner" in which elected governments in the country are being brought down.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema told media here that the BJP has "murdered democracy" by toppling elected governments in various states after "using" central investigation agencies and through money lures.

It tried the same in Punjab, but the staunch soldiers of AAP foiled the BJP's "nefarious agenda".

He alleged BJP agents and workers from Delhi and Punjab have "tried to break" 35 MLAs of the AAP to topple the government in Punjab.

Cheema said a complaint against BJP leaders and agents has been submitted before the DGP for "offering Rs 25 crore each to at least 10 MLAs in the state and also giving life threat to Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural and others for exposing their wicked agendas before the public".

Stating that the BJP is baffled with "growing popularity" of the AAP and its supremo Arvind Kejriwal, he said the BJP is now afraid of Kejriwal and is trying to stop him by any means.

"The work of horse-trading adopted by the BJP has been going on in different states of the country. The BJP under its Operation Lotus had earlier changed governments in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Hyderabad, Sep 14 : The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Telangana Police have set up a Joint Task Force camp at Chennapuram near the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border for anti-Maoist operations.

CRPF Director General Kuldiep Singh and Telangana DGP M. Mahendar Reddy on Wednesday inaugurated the Joint Task Force camp at Chennapuram in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.

The camp will be used by teams of the CoBRA, District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the Greyhounds as a launch base for anti-Maoist operations, according to a statement from the DGP's office here. The camp will prove to be a milestone in the penultimate battle against the Maoists, it added.

Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) is anti-Maoist battalion of the CRPF. The DRG is a unit of Chhattisgarh Police engaged in operations against Maoists. Greyhounds is the elite anti-Maoist force of Telangana Police.

The Joint Task Force camp is part of the coordination between the states and the CRPF in tackling Maoists.

This is likely to help all the three forces to carry out coordinated operations against Maoists on the border between Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

Though the Maoist violence has drastically come down in Telangana in recent years, the area near Chattisgarh border has been witnessing some Maoist activity. Telangana Police have stepped up the vigil to stop Maoists from crossing over into the state from Chhattisgarh.
Agartala, Sep 14 : The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday got a shot in the arm as President and various office bearers of local party, the Tripura Democratic Front (TDF), along with the members of 450 families joined it.

TDF President Pujan Biswas said that due to inclement weather, hundreds of members of his party could not come to Agartala from different parts of the state to join the Trinamool. However, many leaders and workers of the TDF would soon join it, he said.

Trinamool Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev and party's state in-charge and former West Bengal Minister Rajib Banerjee welcomed Biswas, other party functionaries and workers into the party.

Congress' former Tripura unit chief and veteran lawyer Pijush Kanti Biswas, Vice President Tapas Dey, General Secretary Tajen Das, former Youth Congress state President Pujan Biswas and a few other senior leaders in October last year quit the Congress and formed the TDF.

Pujan Biswas, son of Pijush Kanti Biswas, urged everyone to unitedly fight against the BJP and defeat it in the Assembly elections next year.
Bengaluru, Sep 14 : Janata Dal-Secular's Karnataka state chief C.M. Ibrahim sparked a fresh controversy on Hindi Day on Wednesday with his remarks comparing Hindi speakers to 'gol gappa' sellers.

Speaking to reporters, Ibrahim criticised Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai over the alleged attempts by the BJP-led Central government to impose Hindi language in Karnataka.

"Bommai is promoting Hindi with our money. We will not allow the imposition of Delhi language in our state," he said.

Over the past few days, the issue of Hindi Day celebrations in Karnataka have gradually raised political heat. JD-S leader and former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy had earlier written to Bommai urging him not to organise Hindi Day celebrations in the state.

On Wednesday, Ibrahim went a step further. "We don't need to learn Hindi and go to north India to sell gol gappas. All these people from Gujarat and Hindi states come here to sell pani puri," he said.

While there have been no reactions as yet to Ibrahim's comments, observers feel that the Hindi language issue may not rouse passions to the extent it does in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez and Pinky Irani got involved in a heated exchange of words during the course of questioning in connection with the Rs 200 crore extortion-cum-cheating case involving multimillionaire conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

According to the police, Mumbai-based Irani was a friend of Chandrashekhar who had introduced him to Jacqueline.

Both were summoned by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police to join the investigation and get their statements recorded before the agency.

When the EOW team questioned Jacqueline seperately, she reportedly gave the 'right' answers to most of the questions, while giving misleading answers to a few.

As soon as the EOW confronted her with Irani, both started fighting. Now Jacqueline is expected to be summoned again next week. Sources said the EOW is now satisfied with all of Jacqueline's answers.

In the afternoon, the EOW officials had told her that she was free to go to her hotel for lunch, which she denied and instead had lunch at the police canteen.

"We have asked her to prepare a list of gifts which Chandrashekhar gave her," an official said.
Kohima, Sep 14 : A two-day session of the Nagaland Assembly would be held from September 20 where a fresh resolution urging the Central government to resolve the Naga political issue was expected to be adopted in the house, officials said on Wednesday.

On the other hand in a significant development, the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), NSCN-IM and the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) in a joint meeting on Wednesday adopted a resolution to continue dialogue "in order to move forward, live in peace and overcome the cynicism, anxiety, and disagreements that have caused us to see each other as foes and strangers, rather than members of the same family".

A senior official said that the 12th session of the 13th Nagaland Assembly is again likely to adopt a resolution requesting the Centre to finalise the long-pending Naga political issue at the earliest. The Assembly earlier also, cutting across party lines, adopted such unanimous resolutions to settle the Naga political issue without further delay.

The business advisory committee of the Assembly in its meeting on Monday finalised the schedule.

The ruling parties in Nagaland, all other Naga bodies and civil society organisations are making all out efforts to resolve the Naga political issue before the next Assembly elections, expected to be held in February next year.

On Monday, the Parliamentary Core Committee headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and urged him to finalise the Naga political settlement at the earliest.

Meanwhile, a joint statement after the Wednesday's meeting of FNR, NSCN-IM and NNPG said that the meeting was held in the interest of pursuing genuine understanding among the Nagas and incrementally progressing forward.

"The 'covenant of reconciliation' of June 13, 2009, signed by the late Isak Chishi Swu, late S.S. Khaplang, and Brig (retired) S. Singnya would be honoured in letter and in spirit.

"Hence, we renew 'to work together in the spirit of love', and desist from all forms of armed violence and refrain from indulging in violence of words through print and social media among Naga Political Groups and the general public. From this time forth, in order to chart a path forward, we remain committed to 'peace and respect and to resolve outstanding issues among us'," the joint statement said.

Appreciating the Wednesday's meeting of FNR, NSCN-IM and NNPG, Rio tweeted: "I express my deep appreciation to the FNR, the Collective Leadership of NSCN/GPRN and the Working Committee NNPG on the historic step taken in resolving to remain committed to peace, unity, respect and settle outstanding issues. Peace and unity is the only way forward."
Bhubaneswar, Sep 14 : Vedanta Resources Chairman Anil Agarwal on Wednesday said his company has new investments of more than Rs 25,000 crore in line for expansion of its aluminium, ferrochrome and mining business in Odisha.

He made the announcement while meeting Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the sidelines of Make in Odisha-2022 roadshow in Mumbai.

"We (Vedanta) stand testimony to what is possible if you Make in Odisha. It is amongst the most favourable investment destinations in India, ably led by the stable governance, leadership, and vision of Naveen Patnaik ji, which is reflected in the state's Ease of Doing Business rankings," he said in a statement.

Th single window clearance system, 5T framework, focus on infrastructure projects, etc. have increased the investor community's confidence in Odisha, said Agarwal.

Apart from the Rs 25,000 crore new investments, he pointed out that the company is also setting up one of the largest Aluminium Parks near Jharsuguda smelter plant to boost the domestic aluminium downstream ecosystem.

"It heartens us to see our investment in Jharsuguda turn the district into a vibrant industrial hub with an airport. Odisha's rich culture, technically skilled manpower and natural resource sector have contributed significantly to boost the GDP of the nation," he said.

Beyond business, the Vedanta is in the process of establishing 650 Nand Ghars, which will benefit more than 5 lakh women and children with interventions in education, nutrition, healthcare and skill development, he said, adding: "This will be in addition to our 360-degree community development programmes in hundreds of villages." The Vedanta Group has made its single largest investment in Odisha till date, in aluminium manufacturing value chain, ferrochrome, mining and value-addition, to the tune of Rs 80,000 crore, the company said.

With this quantum of investment, Vedanta is contributing nearly 4 per cent to Odisha's state GDP through its operations (direct & indirect). The company said it has also created over 5 lakh livelihood opportunities and fostered hundreds of MSMEs in the state.

The Chief Minister, who is in Mumbai on the three-day trip, also held one-to-one meetings with top businessmen including Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra.

Patnaik in a tweet said he invited Mahindra to explore vast opportunities for investment and ease of doing business available in the state. He also urged Birla Group to expand its operations in the state.

He also met leaders of banking institutions including SBI Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara, HDFC Bank country head Arvind Vohra and ICICI Bank Executive Director Rakesh Jha, and invited them to expand their banking services in the unbanked areas of the state.
Islamabad, Sep 14 : Pakistan has rejected Bangladesh's offer to supply humanitarian aid worth 14 million takas (roughly $145,000) as the country continued to suffer great loss during monsoon flooding, according to local media.

On September 1, Bangladesh's Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief reportedly allocated funds for 10 tonnes of biscuits, 10 tonnes of dry cakes, 1,00,000 water purification tablets, 50,000 packets of oral saline, 5,000 mosquito nets, 2,000 blankets, and 2,000 tents to be sent to Pakistan.

However, it remains to be seen whether Islamabad would accept the friendly and humanitarian Bangladeshi gesture, Khaama Press reported.

According to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League government had always been generous towards humanity and that the authorities concerned had been directed to assist in the relief efforts in Pakistan.

"Pakistan Army is reportedly averse to the proposal of aid from Bangladesh as any such relief assistance may undermine Pakistan's global image," she said as per local media.

Pakistan fears that floods might have caused over $40 billion in economic losses and damages as the National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) dismissed the initial assessment of $18 billion, Express Tribune reported.

The $40 billion losses were flagged in a flood response centre meeting during discussion on an interim report titled "An Early Assessment of Flood Impact on Pakistan's Economy", presented by the Ministry of Finance.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Naga peace talks saw a merciful positive moment on Wednesday. Amid fast changing developments with regard to the Naga peace talks, the two warring militant groups -- NSCN-IM led by Thuingaleng Muivah and the umbrella organisation NNPG led by N. Kitovi Zhimomi -- on Wednesday pledged in a joint statement to "overcome the cynicism" and make forward movement in peace.

"We are committed to a dialogue in order to move forward, live in peace and overcome the cynicism," read the statement inked by V.S. Atem, the top military commander of NSCN-IM, and Alezo Venuh, NNPG coordinator.

The statement said, among other things, that "disagreements" between Nagas and Naga groups have made each one "foes and strangers, rather than members of the same family".

It said, "We are aware of our differences", adding that therefore, all individuals and organisations should "refrain" from all forms of "rhetoric, assumptions and agendas that are divisive".

The joint statement added: "Such a culture must end immediately." The initiative for the joint meeting was taken by a group of social workers and intellectuals under the platform 'Forum for Naga Reconciliation'.

Notably, the development came within two days after the Centre categorically directed the Nagaland Core Committee of legislators and ministers to meet the NSCN-IM leadership and convince them to sign the final peace pact at the earliest.

The NNPG -- the umbrella body of seven militant groups operating in Nagaland -- had finalised details with the Government of India in 2017 and 2019 and is keen to ink the peace pact to herald an era of lasting peace in Nagaland.

When contacted, a key NNPG leader told this reporter that "the need of the hour is that Nagas should no longer confuse themselves, and instead focus on an early solution for peace in the state of Nagaland".

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also expressed his "deep appreciation" to the FNR, the NSCN-IM and the working committee of NNPG on the "historic step taken to remain committed to peace, unity, respect and settling outstanding issues".

"Peace and unity is the only way forward," Rio tweeted late on Wednesday.

There are some inherent complexities in the entire issue. While the NNPG wants a solution for Nagas of Nagaland and also that the 'regional territorial council" should be given to the Nagas outside Nagaland -- like in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh -- for its part, NSCN-IM holds a sizable presence in the hilly areas of Manipur.

Thuingaleng Muivah himself is a Tangkhul Naga from Manipur and reportedly the 'Manipur angle' figured at the September 12 meeting in Delhi between Home Minister Amit Shah and a Naga delegation led by Chief Minister Rio.

Various socio-political bodies and even the NNPG had earlier alleged that the NSCN-IM wants to dictate terms to 'Nagas of Nagaland' -- which they would reject outright.

At the September 12 meeting, Shah had told the Naga delegation that they were approaching the "wrong man" when Chief Minister Rio and others were trying to impress upon the government of India to expedite the peace process.

This reference was made to the NSCN-IM, which had stalled the peace talks by raising the demands for a Naga flag and a separate Constitution.

At the meeting, recent data revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau that the state of Nagaland tops the list of states for extortion and related offences also figured.

"People are fed up with extortion in the name of peace process," several Naga leaders insisted.

With regard to the flag and a separate Naga constitution, Shah was reportedly yet again categorical, saying: "Woh baat nahi karna (Please do not raise these two issues)." The Home Minister, however, assured: "You ask for anything else, we are there with you." The ball is finally yet again in the court of the NSCN-IM -- which originally entered the peace parleys with the centre way back in 1997.

With the Centre having made it clear that the onus is on the NSCN-IM to end the stalemate and ensure an early inking of a peace pact, the Nagaland Core Committee led by Chief Minister Rio is now likely to meet the militant leaders after September 22.

The inking of a joint statement by the NSCN-IM and the NNPG incidentally came on Wednesday -- hours before BJP national President J.P. Nadda is to make a two-day visit to the state.

Elections are due in Nagaland by February-March 2023.

Five years back during the 2018 Assembly elections, the 'Election for Solution' slogan was raised chiefly by the BJP and also by the Rio-led NDPP, which fought the polls together.

Public pressure and general mood in the state seemed to have influenced the thought process of Nagaland legislators and ministers.

At the meeting with Shah on Monday, an 11-member panel admitted that it would be difficult for political leaders irrespective party affiliation to face the electorate in Nagaland without a solution to the Naga political problem.

(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. The views expressed are personal)
United Nations, Sep 14 : UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres projected a gloomy picture of a world in "great peril" on Wednesday as he demanded immediate action on many fronts, from climate change to raging conflicts.

At a news conference ahead of the General Assembly's high-level meeting that starts next week, he said: "Our world is blighted by war, battered by climate chaos, scarred by hate, and shamed by poverty, hunger, and inequality; conflicts and unrest continue to rage." The global response to these "dramatic challenges" have been paralysed by the "geostrategic divides (that)are the widest they have been since at least the Cold War", he said.

Guterres said that in his speech to the Assembly's general debate, which will figure a parade of monarchs, heads of state and government and ministers, he "will address these issues with concrete recommendations and a call to action".

"This year's general debate must be about providing hope and overcoming the divisions that are dramatically impacting the world," he said.

"That hope can only come through the dialogue and debate that are the beating heart of the United Nations and that must prevail next week against all divisions," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as key figures like Russian President Vladimir Putin and and Chinese President Xi Jinping, will not be at the UN session but will be meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan this week.

Guterres said that the war in Ukraine has devastated that country and ricocheted into a global food and financial crisis, He had spoken to President Putin just before coming to the news conference.

They discussed the agreement to allow the export of foodgrains through Black Sea ports reached through is efforts, the safety of the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant that is under Russian control and is facing attacks in the area, and the prisoners of war, he said.

But he was sceptical about an end to the war calling the odds "minimal at the present moment".

"It would be naive to think we are close to the possibility of a peace deal," he said.

He said attempts will continue to widen the deal on exports to include ammonia, an essential ingredient for agriculture.

Guterres's area of focus as Secretary General has been combatting climate change and he highlighted the immediacy of the problem through catastrophic floods in Pakistan.

"I have just returned from Pakistan, where I looked through a window into the future: A future of permanent and ubiquitous climate chaos on an unimaginable scale," he said.

"What is happening in Pakistan demonstrates the sheer inadequacy of the global response to the climate crisis, and the betrayal and injustice at the heart of it," he said.

But he blamed the G20 countries, which includes developing countries like India, Indonesia and South Africa.

"G20 countries are responsible for 80 per cent of emissions," he said, adding: "If one-third of G20 countries was under water today, as it could be tomorrow, perhaps they would find it easier to agree on drastic cuts to emissions." However, targeting the G20, which is made up of both major developed and emerging countries, skirts the greater responsibility of the major greenhouse emitters by disregarding the per capita emissions.

For example, the per capita carbon dioxide emission in tonnes is 1.8 for India, and 2.3 for Indonesia compared to 6.1 for the Euro area, Portugal for 4.3 and 14.7 for the United States, according to World Bank figures for 2019.

Guterres appealed to international financial institutions and to nations "not to lose one moment in providing Pakistan with the financial resources that are necessary for the gigantic tasks" ahead for its recovery.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at aru.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

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Tokyo, Sep 14 : India and Japan agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on maritime security, including expansion of joint drills and institution of a high-level defence dialogue.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met their Japanese counterparts Hamada Yasukazu and Hayashi Yoshimasa during the second India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue held in Tokyo on September 8.

They held detailed discussions on all critical challenges to a rules-based global order which increasingly binds the two countries, reinforcing their special strategic and global partnership.

India and Japan are members of several influential global platforms. India will be chairing the G20 next year, overlapping with Japan's chairship of the G-7. Their common commitment to reformed multilateralism is reflected in their regular G-4 consultations, the next session of which is to be held later this month.

Citing their common interests as active providers of development assistance, especially in South East Asia, South Asia, and Africa, Jaishankar observed that the scope of the special strategic partnership between India and Japan exceeds well beyond the immediate region.

Japan was the second country, after the US, to establish two-plus-two talks with India. The SDF and the Indian military, which ran their first joint naval exercise in 2012, have since participated in several joint drills and exercises with other countries. Japan and India inked an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement in 2020.

The 2+2 ministerial meet assumes significance against the background of heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait. In August, China reportedly lobbed five ballistic missiles in Japan's exclusive economic zone, during a military exercise, China's largest ever in the Taiwan Strait.

Japan's Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi called it "a serious problem that affects our national security and the safety of our citizens".

The exercise came two days after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan and hours after China cancelled a scheduled foreign minister-level meeting with Japan expressing displeasure with a G-7 statement urging China to resolve Taiwan tensions peacefully.

Japan is currently witnessing a massive domestic debate that will hopefully result in a revision of Tokyo's national security strategy, national defence strategy, and medium-term plans to build new military capabilities.

Deepening defence partnerships forms one of the three broad elements in Japan's new strategy to cope with the rising Chinese power. The other two are reorienting Japan's diplomacy and boosting national capabilities. Japan is currently the 9th largest defence spender in the world, but a doubling of the defence allocation over the next few years, could make it the third-largest defence spender after the US and China.

Some defence experts in Japan are calling for the acquisition of counterstrike capabilities, meaning the deployment of long-range missiles. Tokyo is also seeking to strengthen security partnerships with like-minded countries such as Australia and India, promising to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Indo-Pacific countries, unilaterally as well as through the Quad.

In a reference presumably to Chinese "expansionism", the four ministers affirmed their opposition to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea area. Jaishankar called for stronger bilateral security and diplomatic relations, while Hayashi emphasized the need to cooperate more than ever, given the challenges to the "existing global order".

In a joint statement following the meeting, the ministers highlighted their commitment to a common strategic goal of a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific, coercion free and based on the rule of law. Reiterating their strong support for ASEAN's unity and centrality, they reaffirmed their strong support behind the framework of "ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)" which upholds the principles such as the rule of law, openness, freedom, transparency, and inclusiveness.

There has been considerable progress in India-Japan bilateral relations since the last meeting in November 2019 in the bilateral security and defence cooperation, which constitutes an important pillar of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Noting with approval the importance of multilayered dialogues between the two countries, the ministers welcomed the deepened cooperation discussed through the Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue of February 2021, the Maritime Affairs Dialogue of September 2021, the Space Dialogue of November 2021, and the Cyber Dialogue of June 2022.

Looking ahead, the two countries geared up to enhance dialogues in economic security.

In a statement after the meeting, Jaishankar observed that the two countries were also working together on cyber security, 5G deployment, and critical and strategic minerals, which formed part of the deliberations.

Several agreements on defence cooperation were arguably the most significant takeaway from the meeting. The ministers noted with pleasure the progress in the defence cooperation and exchanges, welcoming the participation of Japan for the first time in the multilateral exercise MILAN and the operationalisation of the Agreement Concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Self-Defence Forces of Japan and the Indian Armed Forces.

They also appreciated the close cooperation between the air services of the two countries towards the early conduct of the inaugural India-Japan fighter exercise. There were talks also on enhancing cooperation in defence technology. The Ministers noted with satisfaction the cooperation in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/Robotics, under the auspices of the Sixth India-Japan Joint Working Group on Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation.

Japan and India will "further identify concrete areas for future cooperation in defence equipment and technology," the joint statement said.
New Delhi, Sep 14 : A Delhi court on Wednesday made it clear that it has not yet summoned Kerala MLA K.T. Jaleel for his Facebook post in which he allegedly made derogatory remarks about Kashmir.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue Courts was dealing with a plea moved by advocate G.S. Mani against the post on the social media platform, in which Jaleel reportedly mentioned Kashmir as 'India Occupied Kashmir' and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) as 'Azad Kashmir'.

In the order, the judge clarified that "it is made abundantly clear that this court has not summoned the accused K.T. Jaleel as yet, nor has it reached the stage of summoning." "The matter is pending for orders on an application u/s 156 (3) Cr.PC. It is further made clear that till the time the order on the said application is passed, no opinion on merits has been placed on record," read the order.

Advocate Subhash Chandran K.R, appearing on behalf of Jaleel, said that he came to the knowledge of the present proceedings after reading about it in the Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi and Malayala Manorama and also on eA-newspapers such as Mathrubhumi and Asianet etc.

He also placed on record the translations of these publications.

On the other hand, Mani has submitted that this is merely a bonafide mistake and he never intended the newspapers to believe that an FIR has actually been ordered.

Six mediapersons from the regional media were also present in the court. They submitted that they would publish a corrigendum/apology for incorrect media reporting.

The matter will be next heard on September 16.

A controversy erupted after the Facebook post of Jaleel with the BJP and Congress demanding immediate action by the Kerala Chief Minister against the legislator, who is an Independent MLA supported by the Left.

It was reported last month that in the post written in Malayalam, the Kerala MLA reportedly said, "The part of Kashmir annexed to Pakistan was known as 'Azad Kashmir' and it was an area where the Pakistan government does not have direct control." Jaleel was a minister in the previous CPI-M-led LDF government in Kerala.
New Delhi, Sep 15 : The reconstituted National Medical Device Promotion Council (NMDPC) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals held its first meeting in New Delhi and was updated on the steps taken up by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the state licensing authorities for the smooth transition to licensing of class-A and class-B medical devices from October 1.

The NMDPC deliberated on the important issues of the Medtech (medical technology) industry.

The Council under the chair of the Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, has members from stakeholder departments, organisations, functions of which have a bearing on the growth of the sector and has representation from several medical device industry associations, representing the sector in India.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals presented the latest status of the various initiatives taken by it for the sector to the Council such as 100 per cent FDI in MedTech sector on automatic route, PLI scheme for medical devices, medical devices parks in four states, assistance for common infrastructure facility of superconducting magnetic coil testing facility, etc.

The Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW) updated the preparedness for transition to licensing of class-A and class-B medical devices from October 1 under Medical Devices Rules, 2017. The Council appreciated the various efforts done by the CDSCO/DoHFW in rolling out the licensing process of class-A and class-B medical devices.

The Council also heard the views of the industry as well as AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) on the requirement of NABL accreditation of in-house laboratories of the manufacturers of specific medical devices on the radiation safety requirements at the manufacturing sites. The industry suggested various issues to be taken up in the subsequent Council meeting.

The Industry Associations' representatives were encouraged to actively engage with states, which were sanctioned medical devices parks by the Department of Pharmaceuticals for creating common infrastructure facilities and come forward to invest in the proposed parks to boost domestic manufacturing.

The industry's support was also solicited for the proposed National MedTech Expo, 2022, being organised by the Department in December 2022 at New Delhi's Pragati Maidan to showcase the strengths and capabilities of Indian medical devices industry involving start-ups, innovators, domestic manufacturers, hospitals etc.
The winners were revealed during IDSA's annual International Design Conference (IDC).

The winners of the 2022 IDSA Awards were revealed live on September 14, 2022, as part of IDSA's annual International Design Conference (IDC) in Seattle, WA.

The awards ceremony, held in person at Benaroya Hall and livestreamed to a virtual audience, was hosted by ClayVon Lowe, IDSA, At-Large Director of Awards on IDSAs Board of Directors and Chair of IDSAs Awards Committee.

Learn more about the winners below and at http://www.idsa.org/2022-IDSA-Awards.

ACADEMY OF FELLOWS

Peter Haythornwaite, FIDSA, was inducted into IDSAs prestigious Academy of Fellows.

Haythornwaite discovered Industrial Design at the University of Auckland in the 1960s and progressed to post-graduate studies at the University of Illinois. He worked at Henry Dreyfuss Associates in New York City and led the University of Aucklands design program. He also worked with Charles W. Pelly, FIDSA, at DesignworksUSA and later formed Peter Haythornthwaite Design.

His many design awards include an IDEA Gold and his work is represented in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. An early advocate of what came to be called Design Thinking, he co-established Equip Design Integration Consultants, which conceived and delivered the New Zealand Governments Better by Design program and the State of Victorias Design to Business initiative.

Haythornwaite became an IDSA member in 1978 and has invited IDSA associates to inform New Zealand businesses and government about the value of design. He has received the 2003 John Britten award and a 2016 Royal Honour, "Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to design. One of his nominators wrote that Peter contributed to a global Industrial Design explosion that is seldom seen in a single persons work... and he is admired by all who have had the pleasure of knowing him."

The first New Zealander to be made a Fellow of IDSA was Joseph Sinel, FIDSA, in 1965. Sinel worked in California and was reportedly the first person to set up a consultancy using the words "Industrial Design." Almost 60 years later, IDSA is proud to welcome another pioneering industrial designer from New Zealand as a Fellow.

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The 2022 recipients of IDSAs Individual Achievement Award are Dr. Lorraine Justice, FIDSA, Dean Emerita and Professor of Industrial Design, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and Bruce Hannah, IDSA, Professor Emeritus, Pratt Institute.

Dr. Lorraine Justice has dedicated her career of 40+ years to promoting, strengthening, and supporting Industrial Design in the United States and around the world. Prior to joining the faculty at RIT, Justice was Dean for seven years at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where she helped raise funding to bring the Zaha Hadid Innovation Tower to the PolyU campus to house the School of Designa first in Hong Kong. Before that, she was the Director of the Industrial Design program at Georgia Tech for six years, and previously worked in industry and as a professor at The Ohio State University for over 10 years. Justice is a Fellow of IDSA and the author of The Future of Design. She conducts international workshops on the future of design and technology for corporations, governments, and non-profit organizations. One of her nominators wrote that Justice is equally determined in a boardroom, classroom, and every community she selflessly serves. She has mentored generations of students, resulting in extraordinary global designers delivering the highest quality of life for people of all ages and abilities, with equity.

Bruce Hannah is a 1963 Pratt Institute graduate who joined the Industrial Design department as a professor in the early 1970s. He went on to chair the department and, after retiring in 2015, was named Professor Emeritus. Hannah began collaborating on seating for Knoll in the late 1960s. In 1990, his iconic Hannah Desk System was awarded Design of the Decade by IDSA. His other notable honors include 1st Designer in Residence at Cooper Hewitt - National Design Museum in 1992 and the Federal Presidential Design Achievement Award in the year 2000 for his "Unlimited by Design exhibit. For his significant contributions to Industrial Design education, Hannah received IDSAs Education Award in 1998 and the Rowena Reed Kostellow Award in 2003. One of his nominators wrote that Hannah is certainly an important part of the history of Industrial Design, the teaching at Pratt Institute, and the industry as a whole.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The 2022 recipient of IDSAs Special Achievement Award is Brett Lovelady, IDSA, founder and partner, Astro Studios.

Brett Lovelady founded Astro Studios in 1994 to blend the value of design with technology and cultural insights. Since then, he has become one of Americas top design leaders, and Astro Studios has become an international powerhouse in industrial design by creating industry-leading products for the likes of Nike, Microsoft, HP, Herman Miller, Xbox, and many more. Astro and Lovelady have received numerous industry recognitionsincluding multiple International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), the first IDSA Catalyst Award, and two BusinessWeek Design of the Decade awards. Lovelady and Astro also expanded beyond design in 2007 when they spun-off Astro Gaming into an industry-leading, high-performance e-Sports company. Lovelady continues to have a tremendous impact on the career successes of designers through his guidance and mentorship, furthering his influence on the next generation of leaders. As one of his nominators wrote, "There is nobody better than Brettto both work for and learn fromin the industry.

EDUCATION AWARD

The 2022 recipient of IDSAs Education Award is Dr. Sebastian Proulx, Associate Professor of Design, The Ohio State University.

Dr. Sebastian Proulx holds a PhD in Design and a Master of Applied Science in Design and Complexity from the University of Montreal, where he also completed postdoctoral studies at the Public Health Research Center and was an instructor in the School of Design for 12 years. At The Ohio State, Proulx is a hands-on professor and program coordinator who inspires his colleagues with responsible, inclusive, and future-oriented design education.

His collaboration with faculty and students resulted in the founding of the DESIS Lab, investigating design for social innovation and sustainability. He proposed to start vertical design charrettes in the Industrial Design program to elevate students communication with each other and with industry. He also was a trailblazer in the department for securing both an affordable learning grant to allow ID students to share their leftover prototyping materials and for championing a racial equity fund to bring design justice work to his classroom.

Sebastien is a dedicated design educator and design researcher who cares about his students and society," one of his nominators wrote. "His work ethic and passion for teaching are features that set him apart. He is accessible to his students, and he knows how to motivate and inspire.

YOUNG EDUCATOR AWARD

The 2022 recipient of IDSAs Young Educator Award is Aziza Cyamani, IDSA, Assistant Professor of Product Design, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).

Aziza Cyamani is a multidisciplinary designer with specialized training in user-centered design, visual communication, product development, and sustainable systems. She received her master's degrees in Industrial Design and Sustainable Environments from Iowa State University and is currently developing a Product Design program at UNL.

Cyamani enjoys working with students and educators and using her skills to create entities that promote equity for all. She has co-edited and contributed multiple articles to IDSAs INNOVATION Magazine, including a limited series highlighting the diverse voices of academia on mainstream Industrial Design issues. For the past two years, she co-emceed IDSAs Education Symposium and currently serves on the IDEA Jury. This is all on top of her work with UNL faculty to build a more robust Product Design minor, and to connect students to globally complex problems that have rendered purposeful and innovative design solutions.

Aziza cares deeply about empowering students and about the issues of diversity and inclusion that concern us," one of her nominators wrote. "She was essentially the foundation to my education as an industrial designer.

IDSA AWARDS COMMITTEE

All candidates who qualify for annual IDSA Awards are rigorously evaluated by IDSA's Awards Committee and subsequently approved by IDSA's Board of Directors before being presented with the recognition they have earned.

The 2022 IDSA Awards Committee is led by ClayVon Lowe, IDSA, with members Betsy Barnhart, IDSA, Shea Tillman, IDSA, Jasmine Kent, IDSA, Sheng-Hung Lee, IDSA, Nancy Perkins, FIDSA, and George McCain, FIDSA.

MORE INFORMATION

Follow the program at #IDSAAwards on social media and visit http://www.idsa.org/awards/IDSAAwards to learn more.
Encore Energy, Inc. is a fully integrated oil and natural gas operator that specializes in horizontal well drilling and production in Lawrence County, Kentucky. The Company is currently drilling multiple horizontal Berea oil and gas wells while developing a natural gas pipeline system in Lawrence County, Kentucky. The horizontal Berea oil and gas play is the most prolific horizontal play in Kentucky, and Lawrence County is the highest oil volume producing county in the state.

The future for the oil and natural gas industry has never been brighter!

Oil and gas investments involve a high degree of risk and are only suitable for SEC defined accredited investors who can afford the loss of their entire investment (SEC Reg D, Rule 506c). No assurances can be made as it relates to production, income, reserves, profitability, timelines, and/or other estimates.

For more information, contact Steve Stengell MBA at (270) 438-9956 and/or visit the Companys website at http://www.encore-energy.com

SEC Regulation D, Rule 506(c)  (Federal Exemption): Section 201(a) of the JOBS Act requires the SEC to eliminate the prohibition on using general solicitation under Rule 506 where all purchasers of the securities are accredited investors and the issuer takes reasonable steps to verify that the purchasers are accredited investors, as defined by the SEC. Encore shall only make investment opportunities available only to SEC defined accredited investors who are sophisticated in making investment decisions and can afford the loss of their entire investment. Encore shall take reasonable steps to verify the accredited status of each prospective investor and utilizes the principles based method for purposes of accredited verification.

Investment Risk, Disclaimer and Cautionary Statement: The information herein may contain forward-looking statements, and actual results may vary. Words such as estimate, will, intend, continue, target, expect, achieve, strategy, future, may, goal, or other comparable words or phrases or the negative of those words, and other words of similar meaning indicate forward-looking statements and important factors which could affect actual results. Forward-looking statements are made based upon Managements current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects upon Encore Energy, Inc. Oil and gas investments involve an extremely high degree of risk, uncertainty and are only suitable for qualified Accredited (SEC Definition) investors who are sophisticated in making business decisions and can bear the financial loss of their entire investment, while delivering a turnkey profit to the Company for providing the prospect development, lease acquisition, drilling, completion, engineering, ongoing production operations and other services. The Company does not provide tax advice and investors should seek the advice of their tax professional. Any tax and/or other information herein is provided for illustration purposes only and may include estimates that are uncertain and subject to change. It is impossible to accurately forecast profitability, production, reserves, income, expenses and timelines for any project. No assurances can be made as it relates to reserves, production, income, profit, prices, timelines and/or other estimates. Actual production and results are beyond the control of management. In the event that commercial production is achieved, it may take many years for the investor to recoup his or her investment. The Companys lease acreage position under is subject to change and includes acreage under lease, Farmout agreement, verbal agreement, renewals, expired terms and any other prospective acreage in which the Company has communicated and/or negotiated with the landowner the leasing of oil and gas rights, now or in the future, and the lease / mineral owner has leased or communicated their intent to lease there mineral lease rights to the Company. The Companys well operations is located primarily in the extremely remote, mountainous and challenging terrain of East Kentucky. This extremely challenging terrain may result in indefinite project delays and escalating costs beyond the control of management. It is important for qualified investors to acknowledge the fact that the US government provides them with tax savings (100% IDC tax deduction) to mitigate or at least off-set some of the financial risk associated with domestic oil and gas investments. This is not an offer to sell or buy a security. An offer shall only be made pursuant to SEC Regulation D, Rule 506(c) by a private placement offering memorandum, and this is not a private placement offering memorandum.
We needed a partner who really understood the challenges facing health centers. - Dr. Kellee Farris, Chair of the CHCA Steering Committee and CEO of Lee County Cooperative Clinic

HealthTalk A.I., a leading patient engagement company, today announced it has been selected as the patient engagement vendor of choice by Community Health Centers of Arkansas (CHCA).

CHCA is a Primary Care Association (PCA) that provides advocacy, training, and support for community health centers (CHCs) located throughout Arkansas. This partnership will provide preferred access to the HealthTalk A.I. platform, helping CHCA member health centers improve access to care and reduce health disparities for underserved Arkansans.

We needed a partner who really understood the challenges facing health centers, said Dr. Kellee Farris, Chair of the CHCA Steering Committee and CEO of Lee County Cooperative Clinic. HealthTalk A.I. has a successful track record working with CHCs and delivers a solution thats flexible and built for todays healthcare consumer. Were confident that the HealthTalk A.I. platform will help our members expand access, close more care gaps, and improve the patient experience for the unique communities they serve.

HealthTalk A.I. was formed to change the way patients and providers connect. Their patient engagement platform helps healthcare organizations drive quality by scaling outreach and scheduling encounters with the appropriate resource. The ability to aggregate the data and deliver actionable information makes it an excellent fit for PCAs or Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCNs) looking to implement a state-level program.

Were thrilled to have been selected by CHCA and are excited to get to work, said Jerrod Ullah, CEO and founder of HealthTalk A.I. CHCs play an integral role in delivering equitable care to underserved communities and this allows us to push forward with our mission to expand access for all patients regardless of background or language.

About Community Health Centers of Arkansas:

Community Health Centers of Arkansas (CHCA) provides advocacy, training, and support for 12 CHC organizations and their 190+ service locations. To learn more about CHCA, visit http://www.chc-ar.org.

About HealthTalk A.I.:

HealthTalk A.I. helps healthcare providers improve access to care and intervene like never before possible. Their fully-automated, omni-channel platform delivers user-friendly communication with messages and rules configured by each healthcare organization. This gives providers the ability to engage their entire population and close the loop with customer recovery actions and clinical encounters. To learn more, visit HealthTalkAI.com. Watch this video to see how HealthTalk A.I. supports health centers. Follow HealthTalk A.I. on Linkedin.
Alert 360 offers the best home security systems in Los Angeles. Video monitoring services have become extremely popular with our customers, said David Corio, Regional Vice President of ACS Security

As recently as 2020, it was estimated that 63 percent of U.S. households want smart locks and alarms in their homes. Additionally, more than three in five Americans claim that a smart home's top benefit is security. Popular smart security systems include carbon monoxide detectors, lighting, thermostats, and locks along with advanced home security options  including live security camera monitoring.

Security services and the companies that offer them have been around for decades for good reason. A 2019 FBI report shares that property crimes resulted in losses estimated at $15.8 billion in the United States in that single year alone. In addition, statistics show that security systems prevent crime and help make neighborhoods safer. Most insurance companies also recognize security systems as deterrents and offer a discount on premiums for a professionally monitored security system.

Sadly, countless social media posts and daily news stories share examples of thieves stealing from mailboxes, front porches, locked businesses, storage facilities, and more. Carjackings occur at busy convenience and gas markets. Thieves look for easy opportunities to steal catalytic converters. Vandals senselessly throw bricks and rocks through windows at night. These crimes are often captured through security camera monitoring services, which provide rapid notification as well as helpful insight. Protecting their properties, families, staff, and valuable assets is a top priority as home and business owners go about their busy lives. Fortunately, security technology offers multi-layers of protection and options that make creating a safer, more secure home or business easier than ever.

Live Remote Video Monitoring Services Rise in Popularity

The monitored security industry keeps up with crime trends and offers enhanced security services for home and business owners. Todays security systems have advanced to include remote video monitoring, high-quality security cameras, and home or business automation that helps save time and money. Live and remote security camera monitoring help prevent costly theft and capture criminals. In addition to an alarm system, patrol services and live video monitoring services increase protection for high-end residential areas.

When combined with basic intrusion detection systems, remote or video monitoring services add a critical layer of protection that helps prevent home invasions, smash and grabs, vandalism, break-ins, armed robberies, and more. Security experts around the country, including Los Angeles home security provider, ACS Security, know that the current criminal trends include crimes of opportunities and bolder thieves. These crimes occur even during the day, in busy residential or business areas. According to ACS Security, one of the best approaches to making your home, business, and neighborhood safer include awareness and professional alarm monitoring services.

Video monitoring services have become extremely popular with our customers, said David Corio, Regional Vice President of ACS Security. We work hands-on with our clients to determine the best alarm monitoring and smart security services to help them save time, money, and property. Specifically, business security systems and automation services help manage staff, openings and closings, deliveries, overnight patrol, liabilities, and customer security.

On the residential side, homeowners enjoy the same benefits along with a helpful eye on their yards, swimming pools, vehicles, remote properties, children, and pets, Corio shared.

Another, large Los Angeles security company, Alert 360 agrees. In this example, an Alert 360 security customer shares how their live video monitoring service helped prevent and capture a thief in action. Recently, Alert 360 video monitoring agents observed a male wandering the parking lot of a local gas station in the middle of the night. The man began to pull on the front door before meddling with vending machines outside the facility. Shortly after, a vehicle arrived and pulled around the backside of the building. The man followed in the same direction. Alert 360s video monitoring agent contacted the police, who arrived in time to remove the man as well as the occupants of the car from the property. As one of the largest providers of home security systems in the United States, Alert 360 sees the following as the most beneficial aspects of advanced security options like live video monitoring services:



Both live and remote video surveillance mean help can arrive faster.

Security videos provide an extra eye on your property when you arent there or are short-staffed.

Video records help if a crime is committed and with insurance claims.

Remote and live monitoring help the limited police forces and during surges in crime.

Simply the presence of security cameras can deter thieves.

Understand your Business, Home Security Service Options

ACS Securitys Corio shares that having options and a professional on your side are critical and comforting. Working with thousands of clients for their Los Angeles area home security services, Corios team at ACS Security has served celebrities and high-end clients for nearly 40 years. With a focus on the Los Angeles area and offices in Bel Air and Chatsworth, ACS Security provides services ranging from the basic Los Angeles home security options to more advanced security, including armed patrol services and video monitoring services.

Our goal is to help make homes, businesses, neighborhoods, and individuals more secure. The great news is that there are security options at all price points, said Corio. Additionally, the savings created through a monitored security system and services, as well as preventing loss or damage, often offset the monthly costs. What makes us most proud is when customers tell us that the peace of mind our systems offer is priceless.

When combined with automation, remotely open and close doors, and monitoring for temperature changes or water leaks, todays wireless and remote security options, also save home and business owners valuable time and money. Most larger, local security providers, like Alert 360 or ACS Security, offer the widest range of security options. The best place to start is with a company that offers everything from home automation and life safety devices to the most advanced CCTV security cameras. In addition to live or remote video monitoring, security guard patrol services have become popular with those looking for fast response and more personal protection.

Find the Best Home Security Companies in Los Angeles

Fortunately, adding a little peace of mind to your life is not hard. Awareness of potential threats and vulnerable areas of your home, business, or routine, along with simple security measures, helps reduce crime and loss. For more advanced security systems or options, look for an experienced, local, full-service security company. Most security companies offer a free consultation to discuss your security concerns, options, and price ranges.

Over the years, as home and business owners security needs have changed and technology has advanced, alarm monitoring companies have advanced far beyond basic security systems. Security devices are now smarter, easier to install, and offer remote options. Security and automation systems are easily controlled via a cell phone, keeping home and business owners connected and aware 24/7. From basic home security systems to custom security systems with live security camera monitoring, there are a multitude of options for home and business owners. Understanding your options and working with a professional alarm monitoring company also help increase overall neighborhood security and safety.

About these Local, Best-rated Security Companies Combined, ACS Security and Alert 360 serve approximately 350,000 customers and employ over 1,000 security experts. Across the United States, Alert 360 monitors over two million security sensors and has an active base of over 80,000 CCTV cameras installed. Visit Alert360.com to schedule a free security evaluation.

As a premier home and business security provider since 1984, ACS Security offers comprehensive and customizable security services from one source. Based in Bel Air, Calif., ACS is one of the only local providers that monitors, dispatches, and responds to alarms. This means expedited service for the nearly 20,000 customers across more than 40 communities ACS serves in the Los Angeles area. Find out more at ACSSecurity.com.
Powerplay Retail and The International Fusion Corporation have launched a joint venture to provide retailers with a full-service sourcing solution for reusable bag options.

Powerplay Retail (Powerplay) and The International Fusion Corporation (Fusion) have launched a joint venture to provide retailers with a full-service sourcing solution for reusable bag options as more states and municipalities enact legislation banning single-use plastics. Available now, retailers can order private label and owned brand sustainable, reusable, bags made from a wide range of substrates including non-woven and woven, jute, canvas, cotton and washable paper. The full range of bags available comply with single-use plastic ban requirements and are distributed by Powerplay, with blank options and private label customization available.

With Powerplays broad reach of retail partners and distribution capabilities paired with Fusions product design and development know-how and responsible sourcing and factory relationships, the partnership unlocks capabilities to support retailers in providing sustainable, owned brand and private label solutions at affordable price points. Customized, turnkey service plans are now available to meet retailers specific needs including the support of experienced retail operations teams, product testing and compliance, packaging and display services, high volume production capacity, distribution, and efficient freight pack-out and planning.

Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, according to Waste Management. To help combat the environmental impact of single-use plastics, eight statesCalifornia, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon and Vermonthave banned single-use plastic bags and containers. Other cities and counties across the country have similar bans each with their own requirements on material and durability standards, making it challenging for retailers to monitor and comply with laws that can vary by zip code. The Fusion and Powerplay partnership delivers streamlined manufacturing capabilities along with an alternative bag solution that can be implemented at stores nationwide to help simplify operations for retailers.

We believe we are uniquely positioned as partners to be able to make a significant impact and render lasting change throughout the retail industry in terms of reducing the environmental impact and need for plastic packaging, said Tracy Thie Principal & Co-Founder of Powerplay Retail. The private label reusable bags are just the beginning of this mission. We intend to introduce an entire suite of products available for customized private label or branded under the washable paper EarthgradeTM brand that will address many of the most pertinent issues the retail industry is facing when it comes to sustainability. Simon Norman, the Founder and CEO of Fusion, commented: Our partnership with Powerplay allows our innovative and sustainable products to reach a large number of US retailers to help them achieve their sustainability targets and boost their environmental credentials. We look forward to our reusable bags and washable Earthgrade bags becoming widely used through the whole of the US.

About Powerplay Retail

Powerplay Retail is a privately held, Minnesota-based company with offices in Bentonville, Arkansas, and San Francisco, California. With over 250 years of combined retail experience bringing brands like Beats by Dr. Dre and GoPro to consumers they continue to vet and identify new market opportunities to best serve their brand and retail partners. For more information on Powerplay Retail, visit powerplayretail.com.

About The International Fusion Corporation

Fusion is a privately held Australian-based company with principal offices in Melbourne and Sydney (Australia), Hong Kong and Manila (the Philippines), China, Vietnam and New Zealand. For over twenty years Fusions project delivery teams across retail design, visual merchandising, temporary and permanent displays and print procurement have generated the critical mass that has released energy, ignited creativity and shaped outcomes for more than 600 brands across the Asia Pacific region. For more information on Fusion, visit fusioncorp.co.

For more information about working with Powerplay Retail and The International Fusion Corporation to replace single-use plastic bags with private label bags, visit https://powerplayretail.com/powerplay-fusion/
Ride Watcher Log your route with confidence.

Ride Watcher allows you to log your ride with confidence and doesnt need to be constantly monitored. The user is free to enjoy the ride or perform other tasks while the app is running. No user interaction is necessary between starting the recording and ending it. The reports generated by Ride Watcher will give users the evidence they need to take action after falling victim to unscrupulous drivers or non-optimal routes generated by ride sharing apps. Reports include the following: The name of the starting point, the name of the ending point, the start time, the ending time, the actual route distance, the suggested route distance, the actual route time, the suggested route time and a route score ranging from one to five stars. A share button is available to allow the PDF reports to be printed or shared in various ways, such as email, text message or air drop.

Pricing

Ride Watcher is completely free to use. No in-app purchases are necessary to unlock any functionality of the app.

Availability

Ride Watcher is available now on the App Store and Play Store and can be downloaded in any country not subject to U.S. sanctions.

Target Audience

Ride Watcher is designed to be useful to a worldwide audience. It will automatically switch between metric and imperial units based on user location. There is built in support for 26 languages beyond English: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Vietnamese. The supported languages include most of the population of the world and make the app accessible to virtually everyone anywhere.

Media Information

For more details please contact John Bowman by emailing press(at)ridewatcher.com

Key Ride Watcher Links:


We scored these brokerages utilizing sophisticated, industry-first algorithms, and we applaud the winners demonstrated commitment to service, quality, and positive employer feedback.

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review, and evaluate insurance brokers is pleased to announce the winners of its Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards based in New York, New York area. Mployer Advisor has named more than 600 winners in over 50 regions as part of its second annual 2022 awards. The class of 2022 winners account for less than 5% of all brokerages nationwide.

Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards Program evaluates brokerages based on the breadth and depth of their experience across employer industries, sizes, insurance products, and employer reviews. We recognize esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers, and peers.

The team at Mployer Advisor is proud to honor this group of top insurance consultants as part of the 2022 class for our second annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards, said Brian Freeman, the Founder and CEO of Mployer Advisor. Employer-sponsored healthcare and benefits cover over 150M Americans. Who an employer selects as their benefits advisor has more impact on cost and quality than who they choose as the insurance carrier. We scored these brokerages utilizing sophisticated, industry-first algorithms, and we applaud the winners demonstrated commitment to service, quality, and positive employer feedback.

Mployer Advisor determined the winners of the second annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards by analyzing each brokerage based on historical data, online reviews, their M Score rating, and demonstrated business experience.

The New York, New York area job market is one of the most competitive in the Northeast, employing over 9 million people. Offering competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for the regions employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2022 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for the New York, New York area are as follows:



The above winners are a snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 1, 2022. To view a full list of consultants in New York, New York, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

To view a complete list of the 2022 recipients of Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards, visit https://mployeradvisor.com/best-insurance-brokers.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate, and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Because Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Abbey Dean (Director of Content)

Abbey.dean@mployeradvisor.com

###
We scored these brokerages utilizing sophisticated, industry-first algorithms, and we applaud the winners demonstrated commitment to service, quality, and positive employer feedback.

Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review, and evaluate insurance brokers is pleased to announce the winners of its Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards based in Connecticut. Mployer Advisor has named more than 600 winners in over 50 regions as part of its second annual 2022 awards. The class of 2022 winners account for less than 5% of all brokerages nationwide.

Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards Program evaluates brokerages based on the breadth and depth of their experience across employer industries, sizes, insurance products, and employer reviews. We recognize esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers, and peers.

The team at Mployer Advisor is proud to honor this group of top insurance consultants as part of the 2022 class for our second annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards, said Brian Freeman, the Founder and CEO of Mployer Advisor. Employer-sponsored healthcare and benefits cover over 150M Americans. Who an employer selects as their benefits advisor has more impact on cost and quality than who they choose as the insurance carrier. We scored these brokerages utilizing sophisticated, industry-first algorithms, and we applaud the winners demonstrated commitment to service, quality, and positive employer feedback.

Mployer Advisor determined the winners of the second annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards by analyzing each brokerage based on historical data, online reviews, their M Score rating, and demonstrated business experience.

The Connecticut job market is one of the most competitive in New England, employing over 1.8 million people. Offering competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for the regions employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2022 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for Connecticut are as follows:



The above winners are a snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 1, 2022. To view a full list of consultants in Connecticut, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

To view a complete list of the 2022 recipients of Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards, visit https://mployeradvisor.com/best-insurance-brokers.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate, and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Because Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Abbey Dean (Director of Content)

Abbey.dean@mployeradvisor.com
We scored these brokerages utilizing sophisticated, industry-first algorithms, and we applaud the winners demonstrated commitment to service, quality, and positive employer feedback.

September 14, 2022  Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review, and evaluate insurance brokers is pleased to announce the winners of its Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards based in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Mployer Advisor has named more than 600 winners in over 50 regions as part of its second annual 2022 awards. The class of 2022 winners account for less than 5% of all brokerages nationwide.

Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards Program evaluates brokerages based on the breadth and depth of their experience across employer industries, sizes, insurance products, and employer reviews. We recognize esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers, and peers.

The team at Mployer Advisor is proud to honor this group of top insurance consultants as part of the 2022 class for our second annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards, said Brian Freeman, the Founder and CEO of Mployer Advisor. Employer-sponsored healthcare and benefits cover over 150M Americans. Who an employer selects as their benefits advisor has more impact on cost and quality than who they choose as the insurance carrier. We scored these brokerages utilizing sophisticated, industry-first algorithms, and we applaud the winners demonstrated commitment to service, quality, and positive employer feedback.

Mployer Advisor determined the winners of the second annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards by analyzing each brokerage based on historical data, online reviews, their M Score rating, and demonstrated business experience.

The Massachusetts and Rhode Island job markets are competitive in the New England area, employing over 4 million people. Offering competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for the regions employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.

The recipients of the 2022 Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards for Massachusetts and Rhode Island are as follows:



The above winners are a snapshot of Mployer Advisors matrices and proprietary M Score on June 1, 2022. To view a full list of consultants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, visit MployerAdvisor.com.

To view a complete list of the 2022 recipients of Mployer Advisors Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards, visit https://mployeradvisor.com/best-insurance-brokers.

About Mployer Advisor:

Mployer Advisor is changing the way employers search, evaluate, and select insurance advisors. The intuitive platform connects employers and employees to great benefits and insurance plans by providing employers with actionable data to easily evaluate and select the best advisor for a companys specific needs. Most brokerages have a profile on Mployer Advisor, which provides independent ratings of insurance advisors to support employers. Insurance brokers cannot pay to influence their Mployer Advisor rating. Only highly rated brokerages are allowed to advertise on the platform. To learn more about Mployer Advisor, visit https://mployeradvisor.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: Rankings are dynamic, and this report may not reflect the rankings currently listed on Mployer Advisors website. Because Mployer Advisors research is ongoing, interested companies that want to join next years list are encouraged to claim their free profile on Mployer Advisor.

Media Contact:

Abbey Dean (Director of Content)

Abbey.dean@mployeradvisor.com

###
The education, tools, and support Daytona Beach Jewish Funerals provides helps families honor loved ones in the ways they feel most comfortable said Michael Schimmel, the founder and CEO of Sympathy Brands.

Today, Jewish Funeral Group launched DaytonaBeachJewishFunerals.com in partnership with Lohman Funeral Home Ormond, a StoneMor, Inc. property. The digital platform provides comprehensive support, education, and information for those planning or searching for funeral services to understand and choose traditions and rituals appropriate for them.

Home to a dedicated Jewish community since the early 1900s in the Daytona Beach area, DaytonaBeachJewishFunerals.com provides both locals and snowbirds funeral and burial planning information and access to a broad range of services. Dedicated to ensuring comprehensive education and services are available to everyone, Daytona Beach Jewish Funerals provides information regarding funeral and shiva rituals, pre-planning and at-need planning, and community resources.

Daytona Beach Jewish Funerals gives families a resource for navigating loss and planning end-of-life matters, said Michael Schimmel, the founder and CEO of Sympathy Brands. The education, tools, and support Daytona Beach Jewish Funerals provides helps families honor loved ones in the ways they feel most comfortable.

In partnership with DaytonaBeachJewishFunerals.com, Lohman Funeral Home Ormond offers services in accordance with longstanding Jewish traditions, including a Tahara room for ritual washing and Yahrzeit calendars and reminders. Lohman Funeral Home Ormond was purposely selected based on its leading family care and community relationships.

Lohman Funeral Home Ormand is looking forward to continuing our partnership with Sympathy Brands by beginning to serve more families in the Daytona Beach Market said Joe Redling, CEO of StoneMor Inc.

Jewish Funeral Group is a subsidiary of Sympathy Brands. The resource integrates with shiva.com, National Jewish Memorial Wall, and local organizations to help with mourning customs, such as meals of comfort for shiva, and honoring and commemorating the deceased. Following launches in Jacksonville and Orlando, the Daytona Beach area welcomes Jewish Funeral Group with continued expansion in Miami in 2022 and beyond Florida in early 2023. For more information, please visit JewishFuneralGroup.com.

About Sympathy Brands Company

Sympathy Brands is the parent company for JewishFuneralGroup.com, shiva.com, eCondolence.com, SympathyBrands.com, Cemetery.com, and others. The company mission is to support families and industry experts through all stages of end-of-life matters with its trusted marketplace, leading technology, and highly curated network of strategic partners. To learn more, please visit SympathyBrands.com.

About StoneMor Inc.

StoneMor Inc., headquartered in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is an owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes in the United States, with 301 cemeteries and 69 funeral homes in 24 states and Puerto Rico.

StoneMor's cemetery products and services, which are sold on both a pre-need (before death) and at-need (at death) basis, include: burial lots, lawn and mausoleum crypts, burial vaults, caskets, memorials, and all services which provide for the installation of this merchandise. For additional information about StoneMor please visit StoneMor's website, and the investors section, at http://www.stonemor.com.
Alibi Cannabis and Astral Treats launch their first selection of Astral x Alibi edibles. Featuring Astrals signature star shape confection, the gummies are infused with strain specific full spectrum cannabis extract from Alibis organic soil-grown indoor flower.

Alibi Cannabis and Astral Treats launch their first selection of Astral x Alibi edibles. Featuring Astrals signature star shape confection, the gummies are infused with strain specific full spectrum cannabis extract from Alibis organic soil-grown indoor flower. Available for purchase at select dispensaries, the edibles are offered in two flavors: Stardust Huckleberry and Stardust Peach. selection of Astral x Alibi edibles.

Of the collaboration, Alibi Cannabis co-founder and CEO, Marianne Cursetjee says, Creating amazing products is our focus and we are excited to forge a relationship with Astral Treats to bring a unique, delicious gummy to our Oregon consumers. Elle Rahman, co-founder and COO of Astral Treats adds innovation, design and delivering high quality products are pillars we pride ourselves on. Rahman continues we share these principles with Marianne and Alibi, so as two women-led brands, our collaboration has been nothing short of thrilling and powerful in this space. Were proud to come together to offer delicious, completely doseable edibles to our home state.

Astral x Alibi is a partnership between Astral Treats, an Oregon Cannabis brand inspired by the infinite possibilities of space and innovation; and Alibi Cannabis, an Oregon cultivator and brand, growing with decades of passion, experience and attention to detail while producing unique strains. By combining Alibis years of carefully cultivated strains and Astrals innovative design, these collaborational treats bring a relaxing, enjoyable, mindfully transformative experience to all that eat them.

Astral Alibi Gummy Flavors



Astral Alibi is launching gummies in two flavors. Product information is available at https://www.astralalibi.com/products Stardust Huckleberry (infused with cannabis oils from Kush Mints cultivar)

Stardust Peach (infused with oils from Animal Cookies & Rainbow Crush cultivars)

Availability: Astral Alibi Stardust Gummies are available now and come in a package of two 5 piece stars for a total of 100mg per package. Astral Alibi Stardust Gummies can be purchased in select dispensaries in Oregon, including:



About Alibi Cannabis: Founded in 2017, Alibi Cannabis is a woman-owned craft cannabis company based in Portland, Oregon. Known for their top shelf handcrafted flower, Alibi Cannabis is grown with decades of passion, experience and attention to detail. Alibi Cannabis produces unique strains that are slowed cured for a consistent user experience. Alibi Cannabis is available in licensed retailers throughout Oregon. To learn more and find retail locations and finely crafted branded merchandise, visit https://alibicannabis.com/, http://alibi.shop and follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/alibicannabis/.

About Astral Treats:

Founded in 2020, Astral Treats is an Oregon-based cannabis lifestyle inspired by the infinite possibilities of space and innovation; crafting products that are as effective as they are tasty and unique. Founded by a Physicist and her Bestie, Astral's mission is to enhance life by bringing joy and relief through delicious earth-powered, premium products. To learn more, find locations and merch, connect with Astral on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/astraltreats.eth/ or sign up for updates at http://www.astraltreats.com.
The addition of these highly experienced and talented professionals is critical to the execution of our asset-focused, value-add strategy, said Benjamin Joseph, Founding Partner.

Skylight Real Estate Partners, a privately-held real estate investment firm, announces several strategic hires, taking the total number of its staff to over 30. The appointments include Brennan Bicknese as Vice President of Acquisitions; Michael Loya as Vice President of Development; Ewelina Ottenbreit as Senior Project Manager; and Jeremy Tabora as Senior Vice President of Design.

The addition of these highly experienced and talented professionals is critical to the execution of our asset-focused, value-add strategy, said Benjamin Joseph, Founding Partner. We are excited to continue our recruiting efforts and to expand our leadership team to help manage our growing portfolio.

Brennan Bicknese, Vice President of Acquisitions

Mr. Bicknese is responsible for sourcing and evaluating new value-add and distressed opportunities, developing and executing asset-level business plans, and reviewing financial performance. Prior to joining Skylight, he served as a Senior Associate at Apollo Global Management where he was responsible for investing private equity fund capital into value-add and opportunistic real estate assets.

Michael Loya, Vice President of Development

Mr. Loya is focused on sourcing and evaluating new development and re-development opportunities and the full life-cycle execution of the firms development pipeline. Joining from JPMorgan Chase & Co, Loya served as Vice President of Development where he oversaw the entitlement, design, and construction of 270 Park Avenue, the firms 2.5M SF trophy office tower in Midtown Manhattan, as well as corporate office and retail acquisitions across the US and Europe.

Ewelina Ottenbreit, Senior Project Manager

Ms. Ottenbreit is responsible for managing and overseeing all phases of pre-construction and construction activities. Those activities include managing schedules, budgets, contracts, quality control, and procurement. She previously worked at The Vertex Companies, Inc., as a Project Manager providing construction consulting services to building owners, specializing in distressed assets.

Jeremy Tabora, Senior Vice President of Design

Mr. Tabora will oversee design for Skylight and will utilize his architectural and real estate development experience in leading design consultants to execute and realize the company's vision from concept phase to completion. Before joining Skylight, he was Vice President at The Related Companies for a decade where he implemented a holistic approach to design and construction aimed at creating value and resolving issues within the development process.

This is an exciting time for our firm as we continue to bolster the strength of our operations backed by a diverse and talented team, added Gavin Evans, Founding Partner. These leaders each bring unique skill sets, insights, and stellar industry reputations that are well aligned with our culture and strategy.

In addition to the appointments above, over the past year Skylight has also hired three investment associates Elijah Akhtarzad, Cameron Hardington, and Nick Romanoff.

Since its inception in 2021, Skylight Real Estate Partners has made five separate investments totaling over $1 billion in total asset capitalization in its core markets of New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

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About Skylight Real Estate Partners

Skylight Real Estate Partners is a privately held real estate investment firm with deep experience acquiring, developing, and managing residential and commercial assets in New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Central and South Florida. The teams management platform is focused on three complementary investment strategies: value-add, development, and distressed opportunities. Since 1998, the founding partners have collectively invested $5.5 billion of equity in assets totaling over $16 billion of gross asset value. This experience comprises over 9,000 residential units and 20 million square feet of office and retail assets. Skylight offers its investors, tenants, and partners extensive market knowledge, long-standing relationships, and institutional thinking fueled by a motivated and deeply experienced leadership team with a proven record of consistent success. Learn more about Skylight Real Estate Partners at http://www.skylightrep.com/.
The ARI product has always been a work horse for our customers and, with the release of the next-generation ARI-600 Series, they can now gain significant performance increases.

RAID Incorporated, the leader in providing customized storage systems that help organizations deliver the best time to results, is proud to announce the release of the ARI-600 Series, the third generation of its ARI systems, replacing the popular ARI-200 and ARI-400 Series.

While the new systems look and feel like its predecessors, the ARI-600 Series has new processors, interconnects, ASICS, advanced declustered RAID technology and self-healing storage technology (Self Sufficient Drive Restoration, or SSDR), which offer greater performance, higher capacities, faster than ever rebuild times and five nines availability (99.999%).

Increased performance is a major highlight of the series; the products boast 12GB/sec on sequential reads and 10GB/sec on sequential writes while also being able to sustain up to 740,000 random read IOPS in all-flash configurations. The systems can also be configured for several different file systems and applications, making the ARI-600 Series a perfect storage solution for many different verticals.

The product line comes in three form factor sizes, including a 2U 12-bay 3.5 (ARI-600), a 2U 24-bay 2.5 (ARI-603) and a 5U 84-bay (ARI-609). The ARI-609 product allows for hybrid configurations of SSD, 10K, and 7.2K HDD media with a maximum capacity of 6.7PB. The ARI-609 product is fully qualified to ship with 20TB HDDs while the ARI-603 supports SSD capacities of up to 15.36TB per slot. In addition, the latest generation ARI systems support 12Gb SAS as well as 32Gb FC and 25GbE iSCSI to leverage newer host connections available in the market.

RAID Inc. is extremely excited for this product announcement, stated Marc DiZoglio, General Manager of RAID Incorporated. The ARI product has always been a work horse for our customers and, with the release of the next-generation ARI-600 Series, they can now gain significant performance increases. Our goal has always remained the same, and that is to be as fast and flexible as possible while providing first-in-class support to our customers.

To learn more about the ARI-600 Series, please visit our website.

About RAID Incorporated

RAID Inc. was founded in 1994 to deliver high-performance storage solutions. The company has earned industry praise for providing platform agnostic technical guidance in high performance computing (HPC), big data, cloud, and software-defined data centersin the most efficient, reliable and cost-effective manner. The worlds leading research facilities, government, life science, financial, healthcare, energy, and cloud service providers leverage our team of engineers extensive academic, research lab and commercial expertise that makes RAID Inc. a trusted industry leader. For more information, visit our website http://www.raidinc.com or call 1.800.330.7335.
Neue Auctions principal Cynthia Maciejewski stands in front of one of the Joseph O'Sickey paintings for sale to benefit the Cleveland Sight Center. Second only to New York City in philanthropy, Cleveland has deep roots in supporting arts and culture. There is a high level of interest by those who knew Joseph and Algesa; who have also collected or coveted the O'Sickey's artwork for years! says Neue Auctions principal, Cynthia Maciejewski.

The Gilded Age tradition of spectacular cultural philanthropy continues with a recent gift of brilliant paintings from the Estate of artists, Joseph and Algesa OSickey. Neue Auctions is delighted to partner with The Cleveland Sight Center (CSC) to offer this incredible collection of historic, fine art to the community and raise funds for CSC programming.

The OSickey estate donated 22 works by Joseph including many brightly colored, over-sized oil paintings for which he is best known. Two-hundred charming and never-before seen paintings, sketches and studies by Algesa also complete the collection.

Kevin Krencisz, executive vice president of Cleveland Sight Center says, This generous donation directly supports the programs and services our staff offer individuals we partner with at Cleveland Sight Center. Because of donations like this, we continue to provide solutions and tools to individuals who struggle with their vision to ensure they live the lives they want. None of this would be possible without the art experts themselves, Neue Auctions! Thank you for showcasing this artwork in honor of the OSickeys and all the people we serve.

"Second only to New York City in philanthropy, Cleveland has deep roots in supporting arts and culture. There is a high level of interest by those who knew Joseph and Algesa; who have also collected or coveted the O'Sickey's artwork for years!" says Neue Auctions principal, Cynthia Maciejewski. She adds, "The younger collectors of Cleveland have also taken notice of the importance of this body of work and we hope to place many of these wonderful works with appreciative owners interested in the history of Cleveland and its artists."

RARE PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE COLLECTION: (open to the public with limited tickets)  Join Cleveland Sight Center & Neue Auctions for The OSickey Collection VIP Viewing Party on Thursday, September 22 from 6pm to 8pm at Neue Auctions inside the Ohio Design Center at 23335 Mercantile Rd., Beachwood, Ohio 44122. REGISTER HERE: https://bit.ly/3Aev0nb

To check availability of any of the O'Sickey works or to purchase, please call Cynthia Maciejewski at Neue Auctions at 216.245.6707.

About Cleveland Sight Center

Cleveland Sight Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) agency and consists of a team of professionals dedicated to providing services and support with a high level of compassion and expertise to people of all ages who have vision challenges. The team of optometrists, vision rehabilitation therapists, teachers, employment specialists and other staff work with individuals and their families to understand their unique vision-related challenges and provide solutions that empower them to reach their goals and live independently. For more information: http://www.clevelandsightcenter.org.

About Neue Auctions

Neue Auctions is a full-service online auction house specializing in fine art, antiques, jewelry and decorative arts. Neue Auctions leads online auctions with the most experienced team of arts leaders in the region setting a new course for local and regional sellers as well as our local and international buyers in an age-old business.

Neue Auctions offers white-glove consignment services for single items or entire estates. Neue Auctions also assists clients in the complicated process of settling estates and general downsizing, working with both private individuals, as well as trusts, estates, banks and attorneys. In addition, Neue Auctions continues the long-standing history and tradition of art collecting in Cleveland by bringing fine works of art to the market for sale, encouraging both the current and next generation of collectors. Learn more at NeueAuctions.com.

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To request additional art, book an interview or for more information contact: Kathleen Colan, KC Media Partners, 440.479.0932, KC@KCMediaPartners.com
TuneCore is focused on helping indie artists make their music better and become better known. With Groover, weve found a like minded music platform which exists to support artists in the same way, aligning perfectly with TuneCores priorities," said Andreea Gleeson, CEO, TuneCore

Leading independent DIY digital music distributor TuneCore, owned by global digital music company Believe, has partnered with Groover, an innovative web platform which allows independent artists to connect with music industry tastemakers and professionals who then give their input to the music creators.

The partnership will allow TuneCore artists to engage Groovers expansive worldwide network of music professionals, independent playlist curators and radio stations to receive guaranteed feedback on their music and gain exposure. Songs can be sent at any stage of release - from demos to tracks that have already been released. Groovers platform allows artists to specify which music professionals from whom they wish to receive input.

Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore said, TuneCore is focused on helping indie artists make their music better and become better known. We do this by providing artists with the tools they need to improve as music creators while equipping them with the skills they require to gain traction with their careers. With Groover, weve found a like minded music platform which exists to support artists in the same way, aligning perfectly with TuneCores priorities.

Earlier this year, TuneCore launched its revolutionary new pricing program which allows artists at any stage of their careers to distribute their music. The program allows music creators to release tracks and albums on an unlimited basis via plans ranging from free/no upfront cost (social platforms), $14.99 (rising artist), $29.99 (breakout artist) to $49.99 (professional). All TuneCore artists will receive an exclusive discount on their next Groover campaign, VIP service, including artist support via direct chat on the Groover website, and personalized recommendations of Groovers most relevant contacts & curators for their music.

Groover Co-Founder Dorian Perron stated, Serving independent artists every day and helping them break the wall separating them from music curators and industry professionals is what drives us forward since we started Groover 4 years ago. When we think about independent artists and how to help them grow their careers, its impossible not to think about TuneCore. With the launch of their unlimited plans, they have shown how much they understand the evolving needs of music creators. This is why Groover is excited to partner up with TuneCore to empower independent artists to release their music, get their tracks heard by industry professionals, build up their network and get the visibility they deserve.

Faryal Khan Thompson, Vice President of International, TuneCore, commented, Groovers global presence and deep connections to industry partners give all TuneCore artists access to high level input on their music. That feedback is important to all artists but for music creators in emerging international markets, the previously gated availability of musical expertise is especially valuable.

As an additional benefit, independent artists using both TuneCore & Groover will be automatically considered for the brand-new Breakout by TuneCore & Groover playlists, featured across major streaming platforms as well as future promotional opportunities and artist spotlights on Groovers social media channels.

ABOUT TUNECORE

TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers  with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Tencent and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin, and operates globally through local teams based in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Japan and Singapore across 5 continents.http://www.tunecore.com

ABOUT GROOVER

Groover helps artists get their music heard. Through an innovative web platform, Groover connects artists who want to promote their music with the best curators, radios and labels seeking emerging talents. On Groover, artists can send their music directly to a selection of blogs, radios, playlist curators, record labels and pros of their choice, get guaranteed feedback, build their network and gain coverage. More than 2 millions pieces of feedback have been given by more than 2,000 active music curators & pros located all around the world, 400k+ shares (reviews, playlist adds etc.), and 1,000+ signatures on record labels thanks to Groover.

ABOUT BELIEVE

Believe is one of the worlds leading digital music companies. Believes mission is to develop artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career and development. Believes passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Groups global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music. Its 1,565 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naive. Groove Attack and AllPoints. Believe is listed on compartment A of the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Ticker: BLV. ISIN: FR0014003FE9).
The dedicated team equipped to provide strategic content marketing services will extend their services to aid clients in navigating the complexities of social media. Social media success takes time, effort, and experience, and ACBM is here to take you through every step of the way to help you grow your reach, extend your engagement, and empower your community, says Bethany Chambers, general manager of online and marketing services, AC Business Media.

AC Business Media (ACBM) announced the launch of its social media management services, an extension of EXTEND Connected Content which launched earlier this year. The dedicated team equipped to provide strategic content marketing services to the heavy construction, landscape, and supply chain marketplaces, will extend their services to aid clients in navigating the complexities of social media.

Through 24/7 monitoring and regular consultation, ACBMs team of proven experts will help partners create a community, build their brands authority, project authenticity, and maximize their return of investment (ROI) with low-cost, high-impact marketing on the platforms that their target audience is already actively participating in, and where most buyers turn for information.

Social media can be tricky. Not only do social teams need a deep understanding of their audience, but they also need to know what platforms their audiences are using, and how to reach them. Algorithms and audience expectations are changing rapidly, so what you learn today may not be the same tomorrow, says Bethany Chambers, general manager of online and marketing services. Social media success takes time, effort, and experience, and ACBM is here to take you through every step of the way to help you grow your reach, extend your engagement, and empower your community.

By partnering with ACBMs EXTEND content marketing team of established social media managers, writers, editors, videographers, and designers, clients will have access to years of experience in the industries ACBM serves, the tools and resources to dominate the social space, and the strategic solutions creating loyal engagement.

No matter the product, service, or niche, ACBMs Social Media Management Services will help partners grow their social presence through proven strategy, impressive content creation, active audience engagement, and dependable analytical tracking.

Supporting our clients goals, the Social Media Management Services will establish consistent cadence, tone, and brand identity while correlating with the intricate algorithms of social media.

Marketers need to change their messaging to adapt to many different platforms, trending topics, and ever-changing social algorithms, allow ACBM to extend your budget, team, audience, and success rate by learning more at https://www.acbusinessmedia.com/content-marketing/

About AC Business Media

As one of Americas top business-to-business media companies, AC Business Media reaches millions of professionals annually and leads the way in providing targeted content to top decision-makers and organizations. With a portfolio of renowned brands in heavy construction, asphalt, concrete, paving, rental, sustainability, landscape, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain markets, AC Business Media delivers relevant, cutting-edge content through its industry-leading digital properties, trade shows, videos, magazines, webinars, and newsletters. It also provides advertisers with the analytics, data, and ability to reach their target audience.

About EXTEND Connected Content

EXTEND Connected Content provides clients with access to an expert team of writers, editors, videographers, social media managers, and designers that deliver strategic custom content marketing services. This program, a one-stop shop for content marketing demands, delivers years of experience, the tools and resources to execute, and the strategic solutions to create loyal customers and grow their sales. The EXTEND Connected Content suite of products includes written content (articles, info-sheets, and case studies), infographics, eBooks, white papers, podcasts, full-service social media management, and a range of video products. To learn more, visit: https://www.acbusinessmedia.com/content-marketing/
Leaders at AdventHealth Tampa recently announced a $2 million investment in advanced heart care utilizing the most recent GE Allia technology for catheterization procedures. According to GE, the technology is the first of its kind in Tampa for heart and vascular procedures, one of only three locations in the state of Florida, and one of only 15 in the United States.

We now have the clearest and most precise imaging of blood vessels possible which means even better results for our patients, said Dr. Diego Ayo, vascular surgeon at AdventHealth Tampa. This new catheterization lab is the most innovative to date and shows our commitment to staying on the forefront of medical advancements and expertise.

Additionally, the catheterization lab control room is powered by a special monitoring unit from Carrot Medical that is only found in two other locations in the United States. Traditionally, catheterization labs use four to six computer systems with the same number of keyboards to monitor procedures, which would require multiple team members to perform a single task. This updated monitoring system allows for all monitoring to happen on one large screen, integrating into one system. According to Carrot Medical, UCLA and Stanford Medical Centers are the only other facilities using this unique monitoring system.

The implementation of Carrot Medicals technology in addition to the massive upgrade to the GE Allia system streamlines how we are able to safely monitor procedures, said Karen Crisanti, BSN, RN, RCIS, Director of Cardiology Services at AdventHealth Tampa. This renovated lab will support our team members and patients in a substantial way for years to come.

In addition to heart and vascular procedures, the lab is adaptable for neurological procedures that also require vascular care. More than $1.3M of the project was funded by the AdventHealth Tampa Foundation Pepin Heart Institute fund.

AdventHealth Tampa is home to expert heart and vascular care, including achieving the American College of Cardiologys (ACC) accreditations for heart failure, cardiac catheterization, chest pain, electrophysiology, transcatheter valve certification and earned ACC's HeartCARE Center designation.

The West Florida Division of AdventHealth has some of the nations brightest medical minds making lifesaving breakthroughs with surgical pioneers, scientists and researchers using leading edge technology and innovation to deliver our brand of whole-person care. Our network of care includes AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Connerton, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Heart of Florida, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth Lake Wales, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wauchula, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as well as seven freestanding offsite Emergency Rooms including AdventHealth Belleview ER, AdventHealth Brandon ER, AdventHealth Central Pasco ER, AdventHealth Four Corners ER, AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER, AdventHealth TimberRidge ER, and AdventHealth Westchase ER. We are more than hospitals, as we have a robust system of care including specialty acute care, over 200 primary care and specialty employed physicians, Express Care at Walgreens clinics, urgent care centers, wound care, physical therapy, home care, mobile mammography and more. AdventHealth is a faith-based not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and more than 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com, or Facebook.com/AdventHealth.


Comprising a team of experienced technology specialists and entrepreneurs, we are very excited to be partnering with Lendovative in the launch of their new venture, said Lori Frank, President, and CEO of Argos Risk.

Argos Risk, a leading provider of Third-Party Risk Intelligence (TPRI) services for managing and monitoring the financial viability and overall business health of third-party relationships, announce its partnership with Lendovative Technologies, Inc.

Lendovative is committed to one simple mission, to empower financial institutions by expanding their ability to meet the cash flow needs of business clients. Their goal is to connect businesses to financial institutions through advanced technology; thereby, maximizing access to short-term capital. Their flagship platform, BB-360, is a SaaS solution that launched this month and will allow businesses to leverage their accounts receivable, inventory, and other business assets as collateral.

When we started Lendovative, Argos Risk was the first partner we turned to. We recognized the importance of arming both businesses and lenders with critical information to manage their own emerging credit risk, said Patrick True, President of Lendovative. The integration of AR Surveillance with BB-360 is a great example of where 1 + 1 can sometimes equal 3.

AR Surveillance provides key information into a companys operations, incorporating financial viability, current trade payment behavior, business health, industry outlook, and much more. The SaaS solution encapsulates key metrics and assigns risk scores to a companys third-party relationships. It automatically generates and sends alerts about significant changes, including lawsuits, liens, mergers, acquisitions, key executive changes, and other material news and events.

Comprising a team of experienced technology specialists and entrepreneurs, we are very excited to be partnering with Lendovative in the launch of their new venture, said Lori Frank, President, and CEO of Argos Risk. Combining our risk management analytics platform, with their experienced team and state-of-the-art technology, will help both companies clients thrive and reach their full potential, added Frank.

About Argos Risk

Argos Risk is a leading provider of Third-Party Risk Intelligence solutions. Trusted by financial institutions and commercial businesses of all sizes. AR Surveillance, Argos Risks proven SaaS solution, provides organizations with an efficient, timely, and comprehensive approach to assess, monitor, and mitigate third-party commercial risk. Visit http://www.argosrisk.com to learn more.

About Lendovative Technologies, Inc.

Lendovative, headquartered in Brentwood, TN, is a provider of niche lending technologies for financial institutions. Lendovative's borrowing base lending platform, BB-360, empowers financial institutions to serve the cash flow needs of business clients more effectively. To learn more about Lendovative, visit https://lendovative.com/.
Samuel Chen announces his return into the publishing scene with the release of How to Destroy America (published by Archway Publishing), a book that calls out the misguided policies of Donald Trumps America and argues that the countrys survival depends on reversing course.

Chen who escaped from China after being forbidden to leave, calls out the folly of Trumps policies in this book, arguing that in this age of the internet, America needs to flex its muscles on behalf of freedom. He emphasizes that the world is a global village and everyone is interconnected and inseparable. He argues that Trumps arbitrariness, and arrogance will have inevitably led the United States into decline. He believes that as president, Trump even became friends with rogue countries, emboldening bad behavior from other nations.

"How to save the United States is the responsibility of the American people in later generations. If we fail to learn the lessons of history, the future America will always experience new tyrants and tyranny, Chen says. He adds, There is no any thinker or any writer in America who can see the changing world as well as I do.

When asked what he wants readers to take away from the book, Chen answers, God wants to test the loyalty of humankind and arranges for a lot of devils and sufferings to appear. In the midst of trouble, we can only maintain faith, hope, love, and joy. May the Lord bless us all. For more details about the book, please visit https://www.archwaypublishing.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/823161-how-to-destroy-america

How to Destroy America

By Samuel Chen

Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 172 pages | ISBN 9781665719889

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 172 pages | ISBN 9781665719896

E-Book | 172 pages | ISBN 9781665719902

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Samuel Chen lived in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. He worked in Beijing as an interior designer but after participating in the southern streets activities in Guangdong province, the Public Security Bureau put him on a blacklist and forbade him to leave the country. He eventually escaped to Vietnam before fleeing to Europe and then the United States of America. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 844-669-3957.
Union carpenters are at the forefront of clean energy and leading the charge on rebuilding our country. Its time for veterans to be able to make an impact on this countrys future and join the trades.

In celebration of National Tradesmen Day (September 16, 2022) and National Construction Appreciation Week (September 19  23, 2022), the Carpenter Contractor Trust (CCT) is highlighting four union tradespeople who have dedicated their lives to building (quite literally) a better future for the United States. Michael Conner, Lauren LaForge, Layla Bibi, and Abbey Agius all come from vastly different backgrounds and represent several generations of U.S. trade union builders. What unites them, however, is their commitment and dedication to their craft, which is paving the way for the future of the U.S. construction industry.

Michael Conner is a veteran of the United States Army, a piledriver, and a current representative for the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (EASRCC) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. After spending 20 years as an Army Ranger, he started a career in the building trades by attending commercial deep sea diver school at Divers Academy International in New Jersey, which has since become the only union-run diving school where carpenters train other carpenters in underwater welding. He also participated in the union carpenters piledriver apprenticeship program. As a tradesman, Conner worked on digging deep foundations for high-rise commercial buildings and has helped build momentum for the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind industry.

There are so many options and opportunities for veterans in the construction industry today, says Conner. You dont have to go to college or get a job as a government contractor to have a fulfilling career outside of the military. Union carpenters are at the forefront of clean energy and leading the charge on rebuilding our country. Its time for veterans to be able to make an impact on this countrys future and join the trades.

Conner adds: The greatest part about my job is being able to accomplish one task and then, 50 or 60 years later, see the work you did still standing.

Lauren LaForge is an interior systems carpenter in northern New Jersey. She started her career in construction 13 years ago after serving in the Marine Corps. Just like Michael Conner, LaForge learned her trade through the unions apprenticeship program. LaForge started out by working with her cousin, a residential carpenter. Today, she works on steel framing and sheet rocking projects for large commercial construction sites for Carpenters Union Local 253. For instance, she has recently had a hand in building a new hospital site in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

Construction has given me the opportunity to have an exciting career, where no two days are the same, LaForge says. The new hospital in Ridgewood that I worked on will help save thousands of lives. Not a lot of people can say that about their jobs. As part of her training, LaForge has studied an intensive infection control risk assessment program led by union carpenters to help safeguard construction worksites at healthcare facilities.

With 17 years of carpentry experience, Council Representative Layla Bibi is now serving as the Committee Chair of EASRCCs Sisters in the Brotherhood, an organization that helps bring more women into the trade. She is also a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), an association dedicated to career growth and development for women in construction. In her role, Bibi is closely involved in the EASRCCs Carpenters Apprentice Ready Program (CARP), a twelve-week, weekend pre-apprenticeship program created to enhance career opportunities for underrepresented groups.

Bibis involvement with CARP allows her to reach women of all ages, encouraging them and other minorities to enter the trades. Throughout her career, she has learned to deal with the stigma of being a woman on construction sites and has since advocated for women in the trades. Now that womens employment in the construction industry has increased by 3.2%, the largest in any industry, Bibi is seeing her efforts result in a real paradigm shift.

My mentor told me that if I wanted to see a change, I had the obligation to make it happen myself, says Bibi. I knew that if I stayed in this career, the next woman hoping to be a carpenter would feel more comfortable seeing another womans face.

At 23, New Jersey-native Abbey Agius found her place in the construction industry as a flooring specialist, laying hardwood for commercial and residential construction projects in the region, and as a steering committee member for Sisters in the Brotherhood. After completing the CARP program at 18, Agius signed up for a full 4-year carpenter apprenticeship program, which has helped double her starting wage and granted her access to life-changing benefits. She is now leading her current worksite as a foreman, ensuring the productivity of daily operations on the job.

Its really cool to see younger generations starting to figure out that we belong in the trades and that there is a place for us, Agius says. We are capable of doing something that was seen as a mans job for so long. Its crazy empowering to see that you can do this work. Were going to be building stuff forever and construction is a great place for young women.

National Tradesmen Day and National Construction Appreciation Week were created to honor the men and women whose skills and hard work help build America. Through programs like CARP, more people are joining the trades, contributing to the construction industry, and laying the foundation for Americas future every day.

If youre interested in learning more about the carpenters union or joining the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters in your area, visit https://eascarpenters.org/locations.

About The Carpenter Contractor Trust

The Carpenter Contractor Trust is a labor-management trust formed to bond the relationship between the trained talents of union carpenters and their qualified signatory contractors to gain market share within the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters area. We serve as a liaison to amplify the voices of our partners to bring attention to matters that affect them most. Learn more at http://www.cctmarketing.org.
Todays workers are searching for flexibility and with the severe skilled workers shortage, these assignments allow individuals opportunities to gain experience in various environments." - Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller

Hiring efforts continue to climb as 90% of U.S. hiring decision-makers say their company plans to hire employees in key departments through the end of the year and are looking to bring full-time, mid- or entry-level workers on board.

IT/technology support (29%), customer service (26%), general labor (25%) and sales (25%) are among the top positions companies plan to hire for in 2022. This is according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

Hiring managers most commonly plan to hire full-time employees (84%), either hourly (59%) or salaried (48%). Interest in hiring full-time employees has been steadily increasing since the first half of 2020, when 66% said they planned to hire full-time employees in 2020, compared to now when 84% report their intentions to hire full-time employees in 2022.

When it comes to the job levels of open positions, mid-level (55%) and entry-level (52%) rise to the top. Around 3 in 10 companies are planning to hire senior-level employees (31%), about a quarter for individual contributors (26%) and/or a fifth for C-suite executives (20%).

Market Hot for Recent Grads

To fill these entry- or mid-level positions, U.S. hiring decision-makers will often turn to recent grads, as more than half (51%) say their company plans to hire applicants from this group.

College graduates have been among the top segments of the workforce hiring decision-makers have sought over the past two years52% in the second half of 2021, 48% in the first half of 2021, 43% in the second half of 2020 and 38% in the first half of 2020. Around 2 in 5 say they plan to hire vocational/career tech graduates (45%) and/or college students (39%) in 2022.

Temporary Hires

Yet given the current labor shortage, some companies may consider more temporary hires. A quarter of hiring managers (24%) report their company plans to hire seasonal, temporary or contract workersan increase compared to 2021 (20%). Nearly 4 in 5 (79%) agree their company is willing to hire contingent (i.e., temporary or contract) workers to meet business needs.

Turnover a Major Factor

Most clients still prefer to hire full-time employees but have been forced to work with part-time or flex scheduling to meet their needs, according to Georgia Express franchise owner John Culpepper. As for what level of worker is needed most, Culpepper says it depends on the industry and region.

This is subject to where each business is located, he said. In our area, light industrial is king, so entry level is most in demand because of the many distribution centers and manufacturing companies attracted to our area by the business friendly perks provided by local government.

In Texas, Express franchise owner Nancy Reed says entry-level positions are experiencing a lot of turnover, resulting in constant demand.

Mid-level roles are the ones proving difficult for employers to bring back to the workplace, Reed said. Many of these employees do not want to return to in-person settings, so some employers are having to separate from them, or these employees are finding new jobs altogether.

Contingent Workforce as a Solution

Heading into the holiday season with above-average demand for seasonal employees, one solution is to turn to the contingent workforce.

Worker need is so high that any solution is welcomed, Culpepper said. Companies are using any means possible to attract and fill their labor needs. This is opening many doors to those who have not considered this pool of employees before.

Employers should realize that contingent workers can provide the necessary coverage and can become their future workforce, Reed adds.

Using contingent employees can assist companies in building a longer-term workforce for their organization, she said. Managers can evaluate applicants skills and identify the employees who best fit their companies while they are on a temporary assignment.

Traditionally known as gig work, flexible staffing arrangements can benefit both employees and employers.

Todays workers are searching for flexibility and with the severe skilled workers shortage, these assignments allow individuals opportunities to gain experience in various environments, Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. These shorter working stints can often lead to permanent employment, creating the perfect solution for todays tight labor market.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between May 3 and May 23, 2022, among 1,003 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

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If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment

International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor

supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 586,000 people globally in 2021 and 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com, and find more employment insights at ExpressPros.com/AmericaEmployed.


Greenberg Traurig Co-President Ernest LaMont Greer will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anti-Defamation League Southeast (ADL) Sept. 15 at the organizations 25th Anniversary Jurisprudence Luncheon. This honor follows a year of recognitions for Greer, including his induction into the 2022 Junior Achievement Atlanta Business Hall of Fame, and receiving the 2021 Legacy Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, as well as the 2021 CEO of the Year by The Atlanta Business League.

ADLs Jurisprudence Awards pay tribute each year to lawyers who have, over the course of their careers, dedicated themselves to securing justice and fair treatment for all people. According to ADL, the Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a lawyer who adheres to the highest ideals of the profession and seeks to make a difference in the world. Previous honorees include Congressman John Lewis, Governor Roy Barnes, Justices Leah Ward Sears, Robert Benham, and Carol Hunstein.

Ernest Greer is a pillar of the Atlanta legal community and the community at large. He is well-deserving of this honor given his lifelong commitment to making a positive impact in Atlanta and beyond," said Eytan Davidson, Regional Director for the ADL Southeast. In addition to his reputation for excellence within the business and legal communities, he is a champion for justice in alignment with the mission of the ADL.

Greer is one of few African American executives at an Am Law 20 firm. As co-president of the $2 billion+ global firm, he is a key member of Greenberg Traurigs leadership. He is dedicated to continuing to shape the firms brand as a collaborative law firm providing high-quality legal work and excellent service to clients and the communities it serves. Greer also serves as chairman of the firms Washington, D.C. office. Previously, he served as vice president of the firm, co-chair of the U.S. Strategic Committee, and the Atlanta offices managing shareholder.

Greer is a highly accomplished business attorney and an outstanding recognized leader in Georgia and throughout the country with a vision for creating opportunities for others. He serves on the boards for Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, the Atlanta History Center, Achieve Atlanta, the Atlanta Police Foundation, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Equal Justice Works. He also currently serves as a director on the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta and of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Guardsman, Inc. Past board memberships include the Center for Civil & Human Rights, the Atlanta History Center, 100 Black Men of Atlanta, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, and The Carter Centers Board of Councilors, which he joined at former President Carters request. Greer also served as the chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 2014, where he was the first lawyer to serve in this capacity in the Chambers more than 100-year history. The impact of Greers leadership, his significant accomplishments, life of service, and his far-reaching legal practice have been recognized by many industry publications and organizations.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2500 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021 and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, and NLJ 250. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e Energy program certifies that the firms U.S. offices are 100% powered by renewable energy. The firm is often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP  Atlanta: Greenberg Traurig's Atlanta office offers clients the local capabilities and wide-ranging experience of more than 100 attorneys, supported by the resources and reach of the firm's global platform. The firm's collaborative culture is reflected by attorneys who serve their clients with a combination of legal and business skills that are vital in today's competitive, global environment. Greenberg Traurig's Atlanta team brings a practical approach to the representation of our clients.


"My premise was if we want the best student experience, we have to have the best employee experience. We all have to work and collaborate together for the student experience to be strong." - Chris Kuberski, President, Highland Community College

Culture Partners, a leading culture management consulting firm, empowered Highland Community College (HCC) to transform its culture with accountability and trust. As a result of HCCs transformational cultural shift, the college was awarded a $10,000 grant from CampusWorks, a consulting company for institutions of higher education, to continue enhancing its culture.

HCC, based in Freeport, Illinois, has been prioritizing culture since 2020. With the tuition costs of four-year universities ever increasing, more and more students are gravitating to community colleges to begin their higher education. For this reason, among others, HCC shifted their focus to the student experience by prioritizing the employee experience through culture.

My premise was if we want the best student experience, we have to have the best employee experience, Chris Kuberski, President of HCC, says. We all have to work and collaborate together for the student experience to be strong.

HCC saw their new focus working when they faced a challenge. Before the college had begun its culture work, the institutions academic accreditation was at risk. This initially created concern and mistrust. However, using culture tools and approaches helped to create newly formed trust and accountability shifts within the organization uniting faculty and staff to rise to the occasion and ultimately exceed accreditation review standards

By focusing on Be Bold, [one of HCCs Cultural Beliefs] I see less hesitation to take risks and try new things, says Kuberski. I dont see people throwing caution to the wind, but they are reframing the question to How do we do that?

HCCs success with shifting its culture garnered a $10,000 grant, which was promptly re-invested in continuing the culture journey, ensuring a culture of trust and accountability will thrive.

Accountability and trust are critical elements of a healthy work culture but are often ignored by many organizations, says Culture Partners CEO Joe Terry. Highland Community College is not one of them and they have committed to making these elements cornerstones of their culture.

To learn more about how Culture Partners helped Highland Community College, read the full case study.

About Culture Partners

For over 30 years, Culture Partners, a leading culture consulting firm based in Temecula, Calif., has empowered clients across the world to harness the power of culture. Using human industrial-organizational psychological methods, they help organizations inspire action by connecting experiences, beliefs, and actions. Culture Partners culture management frameworks help thousands of top organizations realize their potential by owning their growth.

About Highland Community College

Celebrating 60 years in 2022, Highland Community College serves a 64-mile swath of Northern Illinois  encompassing Stephenson, Carroll, Jo Daviess and Ogle counties. HCC believes the nearly 100,000 residents of these largely rural communities deserve access to a quality education right here where they live, tailored to their unique dreams for the future. From high school dual credit to lifelong learning, and continuing career education to traditional college pathways, Highlands 70-plus programs have something for everyone. At Highland Community College  Its All Here.
HIRTA automates bid distribution with the Iowa Purchasing Group HIRTA invites all potential vendors to register online.

HIRTA announced today that it has joined the Iowa Purchasing Group. Bidnet Directs Iowa Purchasing Group helps local governments, such as HIRTA, post, distribute and manage RFPs, quotes, addendums, and awards online. The Iowa Purchasing Group provides notification to registered vendors of new bids related to their industry, any addenda, and award information from 2 participating agencies across Iowa. All potential HIRTA vendors are encouraged to register online with http://www.bidnetdirect.com/iowa/hirta to access upcoming solicitations.

HIRTA joined the Iowa Purchasing Group in July 2022. There was a need for HIRTA to automate the purchasing process to save time, increase competition and achieve cost savings over the traditional paper-based bid process. The Iowa Purchasing Group streamlines the creation and issuance of bid requests, supplier response submission, and the awarding of bids. By utilizing the Iowa Purchasing Group, the HIRTA can also utilize robust tools such as Online Q&A, Bid Tabulation, and Electronic Bid Submission feature. With the Iowa Purchasing Group providing a single, online location for managing sourcing information and activities, local Iowa government agencies minimize costs and time delays associated with the procurement process.

HIRTA now has access to an extensive vendor pool and utilizes automatic bid notifications to registered vendors, thereby enhancing competition without increasing distribution costs. In addition to the existing vendors on the Iowa Purchasing Group, all vendors looking to do business with local government agencies can register online: https://www.bidnetdirect.com/Iowa. HIRTA invites all current vendors not registered on the Iowa Purchasing Group to do so today.

We look forward to being able to improve our efficiency by using the Iowa Purchasing Groups features such as electronic bid submission and automatic bid notifications, stated Brooke Ramsey, Business Development Manager of HIRTA when asked why they joined Iowa Purchasing Group. In addition to our time savings, our valued vendors can now access not only our open bids but those from other municipalities, counties, and school districts throughout Iowa. We invite all of our current vendors to register.

Vendor benefits include:



Access bids, related documents, addendum, and award information

Receive targeted bids

Receive bid deadline reminders

Notification of term contract expiration

Access a single point of entry for all participating agency bids

Contact a dedicated vendor support team

Vendors may register on the Iowa Purchasing Group: https://www.bidnetdirect.com/Iowa. Vendors may also contact Bidnet Directs vendor support team at 800-835-4603 option 2 with any questions regarding registration or the bidding system.

Other local Iowa government agencies looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact Iowa Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution.

About HIRTA:

In 1981, the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA) was formed under a 28E agreement with the 7 counties in central Iowa.

Region 11, better known as HIRTA, was established to provide public transit services in the counties of Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story, and Warren. At that time, HIRTA was set up to contract all transit services to other agencies and only had 2 employees.

In 2011, things began to change and HIRTA started providing transit service in-house in Jasper County. Over the next several years, HIRTA began operating services directly in more counties within the region.

About Bidnet Direct:

Bidnet Direct powered by mdf commerce is a sourcing solution of regional Iowa Purchasing Groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. Bidnet Direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the Iowa 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
Emily is a key part of our Chicago-based leadership, and we cant wait to bring in a team to celebrate her accomplishments at the Holiday Showcase.

MCI USAs Association Solutions division is pleased to announce that Emily Burch, Vice President, Association Solutions, MCI USA, was selected by the Association Forum as one of the association management communitys 40 most accomplished and up-and-coming professionals under the age of 40. Burch will be recognized at the Association Forums Leadership Lunch at Holiday Showcase on November 30 at the Hilton Chicago.

Im so proud to congratulate Emily Burch on being named to the 2022 class of Forty Under 40, said Erin Fuller, FASAE, CAE, President, Association Solutions, MCI USA. "Emily is a key part of our Chicago-based leadership, and we cant wait to bring in a team to celebrate her accomplishments at the Holiday Showcase.

The Forty Under 40 Award recognizes Burchs demonstrated success in leadership roles and her strong commitment to the association management profession. Burch serves as Managing Director of the International Technology Law Association, a legal association with a global membership base representing six continents and spanning more than 60 countries. Burch has also served as Executive Director of several medical associations and professional societies including the Association of Women Surgeons, Association of Oncology Social Work and Association of College & University Auditors.

I am thrilled and honored to have been selected as one of this years Forty Under 40 award recipients, said Emily Burch. Im happy to represent MCI USA in this group of accomplished association professionals.

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ABOUT MCI

MCI is a global engagement and marketing agency. We design human-centric solutions that unleash the power of people to deliver innovation and growth for our clients. Our offering includes live & virtual events, strategic & digital communications, consulting & community solutions. We help brands, companies, associations and not-for-profits solve their challenges, bringing their people together to shape their tomorrow. MCI is an independently owned company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a global presence in 60 offices across 31 countries. http://www.wearemci.com

MCIs US headquarters is in the Washington, DC area with offices in New York, Baltimore, Dallas, and Chicago. http://www.wearemci.com/en-us
Family caregivers are essential to safeguarding the health of millions of Americans, but they often perform this role at the expense of their own health, emotional well-being, and financial security, creating a silent public health crisis.

The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) in partnership with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) issued a report that outlines immediate actions to help the public health community better serve family caregivers and improve their own health. Chronic Disease Family Caregiving Through a Public Health Lens puts forth actions for integrating caregivers and caregiving into public health practice and existing initiatives. The report is the result of a survey of 59 Chronic Disease Directors from U.S. states and territories, focus groups among the Chronic Disease Director network and a thought leader roundtable of experts in public health, aging, chronic disease, and family caregiving.

Family caregivers are essential to safeguarding the health of millions of Americans, but they often perform this role at the expense of their own health, emotional well-being, and financial security, creating a silent public health crisis that deserves urgent attention, said Jason Resendez, President and CEO of NAC. We are proud to partner with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors to shine a light on this crisis and to catalyze the action needed to address it.

According to the NAC and AARP, more than one in five adults  a total of 53 million Americans  are unpaid family caregivers, creating ripple effects across families, communities, and the public health of the nation. Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) finds that 40% of family caregivers report having two or more chronic diseases and over half (53%) of caregivers indicated that a decline in their own health has comprised their ability to provide care. Given a lack of affordable and accessible long-term services and adequate home and community-based supports, unpaid family caregivers are essential to supporting family members navigating chronic conditions, serious illnesses, and intellectual and development disabilities across the lifespan.

NAC and NACDDsupported by The John A. Hartford Foundationworked with a wide range of experts at the intersections of public health and family caregiving to identify actions that can be taken by public health departments, states, and the federal government to strengthen their ability to meet the complex needs of family caregivers, including:

National-Level Recommendations



Improve data collection on the health status of family caregivers  including factors that influence their health, disparities and evaluation of caregiver support and education programs.

Integrate and improve the science of family caregiver research and literature within the schools of public health and professional associations to adapt current systems and prepare future public health workforces.

Develop and disseminate messaging about the essential role of family caregivers and the importance of maintaining their health to audiences including providers, practitioners, employers, and emergency response officials.

Community-Level Recommendations



Convene multi-sector stakeholders to strengthen, support, and mobilize communities and partnerships that can implement policies and practices that ensure the health and wellness of family caregivers as well as the persons receiving care.

Increase funding and capacity for home and community-based services that are critical for family caregivers, including home care and direct care services, transportation, congregate and home-delivered meals, and family caregiver support.

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors recognizes that family caregivers are key contributors to the health of their loved ones and friends, said John W. Robitscher, MPH, CEO of NACDD. We are pleased to partner with the National Alliance for Caregiving and The John A. Hartford Foundation to address the important public health issue of family caregivers, which affects the lives of millions of peoplenot only for those receiving care, but also the impact on the lives and health of the caregivers, themselves.

The report can be found here at https://www.caregiving.org/public-health/.

The report and corresponding meetings were supported by funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation.

Addressing the health and well-being of family caregivers must be a public health priority, said Rani E. Snyder, MPA, Vice President of Program at The John A. Hartford Foundation. This report from two highly expert organizations provides a clear pathway on how the public health sector can join the growing whole-of-society movement to better support people who are lynchpins of care for millions of older adults.

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About the National Alliance for Caregiving

Established in 1996, the National Alliance for Caregiving is a non-profit coalition of national organizations focusing on building health, wealth, and equity for family caregivers through research, innovation, and advocacy. We envision a society that values, supports, and empowers family caregivers to thrive at home, work, and life. Learn more at http://www.caregiving.org.

About the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors

NACDD and its more than 7,000 Members seek to strengthen state-based leadership and expertise for chronic disease prevention and control in states and nationally. Established in 1988, in partnership with the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NACDD is the only membership association of its kind to serve and represent every chronic disease division in all states and U.S. territories. For more information, visit chronicdisease.org.
A Hero of Kindness: a charming opportunity to discuss how young readers can be heroes in their everyday lives. A Hero of Kindness is the creation of published author Sherri Bush, who lives in Maryland with her husband, Roy, and their three childrenJevon, Jordan, and Kyra. Bush grew up in Florida and graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelors degree in health and wellness. After graduating, she served in the army for five years. She currently works for the government as a medical lab tech and attends the District Heights Church of Christ, where she teaches youth and women Bible classes.

Bush shares, Sasha wants to be a great hero. She wants to be fearless and confident as David, her favorite Bible person. In her journey to become a hero, she learns its not easy and the true meaning of being a hero.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Sherri Bushs new book will entertain while imparting important lessons on decency and kindness.

Bush offers a vibrant tale that will open conversation between parents, guardians, educators, and the young readers in their care regarding key tenets of growing up to be kind, compassionate adults.

Consumers can purchase A Hero of Kindness at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about A Hero of Kindness, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Being based in Houston has been a very important factor contributing to our worldwide growth over the past 38 years. We will continue to help grow Texass thriving technology sector in the coming years and beyond.

Smith, a leading global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, today announces that it has been named the largest family-owned business in the greater Houston area by Houston Business Journal. The rankings were based off the companys 2021 sales revenue. This is Smiths second year in a row to hold the lists top position.

Brothers Bob and Lee Ackerley founded Smith in 1984, setting up their first office in Bobs dining room in Houston, TX. Since then, the company has grown to include 17 sales offices and four operational hubs and employs nearly 1,000 people worldwide. Smith announced record-breaking revenues in 2021, generating more than $3.4 billion in global sales  more than doubling its 2020 revenue.

It is an honor to be named Houstons largest family-owned business again, said Bob Ackerley, Co-Founder and Director at Smith. Being based in Houston has been a very important factor contributing to our worldwide growth over the past 38 years. We will continue to help grow Texass thriving technology sector in the coming years and beyond.

The company has seen unprecedented success amidst the ongoing semiconductor shortage. Smiths customer base grew 44 percent year over year in 2021, and its total workforce has increased by 17 percent since January of this year.

Despite the monumental growth weve experienced over the last several years, we are still very much a tight-knit company, said Lee Ackerley, Co-Founder and Director at Smith. We strive to create a work environment filled with opportunities for growth and professional development while maintaining the close bonds our employees have built across departments, offices, and even oceans. These investments in our people and processes will help to guide our success as we move into this new era of our business.

About Smith

Founded in 1984, Smith sources, manages, and distributes the electronic components that go into everything from mobile phones and computers to appliances and directional drilling systems. In 17 cities around the world, Smiths legion of employees communicates in 50 languages and dialects and buys and sells components 24 hours per day, generating global annual sales in excess of $3.4 billion in 2021. Smith is always moving: helping manufacturers navigate market shifts; customizing supply chain solutions; testing components using cutting-edge technology. The support of Smiths flexible Intelligent DistributionTM model optimizes customers supply chains from beginning to end, including offering customized options for IT asset disposition that deliver maximum ROI, sustainability, and security. Smiths testing and logistics hubs in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam cover critical areas like quality management, counterfeit prevention, and environmental safety. Smiths operations, purchasing, and sales worldwide are seamlessly integrated with the companys global IT infrastructure, offering real-time, global inventory and logistics visibility. Smith is the leading independent distributor of electronic components and ranks number seven among all global distributors. For more information, please visit http://www.smithweb.com or reach out to a Smith representative any time of day at +1 713.430.3000.

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Christine Coulson Christine has a high level experience in both Accounting and Human Resources, which makes her an excellent fit for her new role at Stertil-Koni as General Accountant.

Heavy Duty vehicle lift leader Stertil-Koni, a Buy America-compliant company celebrating its 25th anniversary, today announced that Christine Coulson has been promoted to General Accountant, based in the companys North American headquarters location in Stevensville, Maryland.

In her new post, Coulson will be responsible for activities that span payroll, health insurance, 401K administration, personnel administration as well as various corporate compliance matters and accounting responsibilities.

In making todays announcement, Tore Melsom, Chief Financial Officer at Stertil-Koni, noted, Christine has a high level experience in both Accounting and Human Resources, which makes her an excellent fit for her new role at Stertil-Koni as General Accountant. With her professional expertise, can-do attitude, and high energy level we look forward to Christine making an even greater contribution to the ongoing success of Stertil-Koni.

Coulson, who joined Stertil-Koni in 2017, previously served in a senior role as Retirement Plan Specialist for T. Rowe Price, a leading investment management company in Baltimore.

Coulson who has a B.S. from Frostburg State University, resides on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband, son, and daughter. In her spare time, Coulson is an avid quilter.

About Stertil-Koni

Stertil-Koni - proud to be a Buy America company - is the market leader in heavy duty vehicle lifts, notably bus lifts and truck lifts, and proudly serves municipalities, state agencies, school bus fleets, major corporations, the U.S. Military and more. Stertil-Koni's breadth of products meets all ranges of lifting needs and includes portable lifts such as mobile column lifts, 2-post, 4-post, inground piston lifts, platform lifts, and its axle-engaging, inground, scissor lift configuration, ECOLIFT. The companys innovative, inground telescopic piston DIAMONDLIFT is now available with an optional Continuous Recess system, ideal for low clearance vehicles. Stertil-Koni USA is headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland with production facilities in Europe, The Netherlands, and Streator, IL.


For Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022, the ITRC will release its Q3 2022 Data Breach Analysis and 2022 Business Impact Report "We look forward to helping educate people from all walks of life on how they can keep themselves, their families and their businesses safe online," said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Today, the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization established to support victims of identity crime, announced its commitment to Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022. Founded in 2004 and held each October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is the worlds foremost initiative aimed at promoting cybersecurity awareness and best practices. The Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions Program is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations and individuals committed to the Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022 theme of Its easy to stay safe online.

The ITRC is proud to, once again, be a champion of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. As an organization dedicated to helping victims of identity crimes, one of the best ways of reducing the number of victims is to reduce the number of successful cyberattacks. We look forward to helping educate people from all walks of life on how they can keep themselves, their families and their businesses safe online.

The ITRC will take part in the following activities during Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022:



October 12, 2022  Release of Q3 2022 Data Breach Analysis

On October 12, the ITRC will release its data breach information for the third quarter of 2022. In the ITRCs H1 2022 Data Breach Analysis, data compromises were up two (2) percent in the second quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of the year. However, the overall number of data compromises was down four (4) percent in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.

October 26, 2022  Release of 2022 Business Impact Report

On October 26, the ITRC will release its second annual report on the impacts of identity crimes and cyberattacks on small businesses. Cyberattacks and the resulting security and data breaches can have a devastating effect on any business. However, small organizations and solopreneurs often lack the resources to prevent or defend against cybercrimes. The Business Impact Report is the first major independent, publicly-reported research into what happens specifically to small businesses following a data or security breach.

The ITRCs Weekly Breach Breakdown and Fraudian Slip Podcast Episodes

Check out the ITRCs latest podcasts, The Fraudian Slip (monthly), where we talk about all-things identity compromise, crime and fraud that impact people and businesses, as well as The Weekly Breach Breakdown (weekly), covering the most recent events and trends related to data security and privacy.

More on Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022:

From mobile to connected home devices, technology is becoming more intertwined with our daily lives. While the evolution of technology is moving at the speed of sound, cybercriminals are working just as hard to find ways to compromise technology and disrupt personal and business life. Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022 aims to highlight some of the emerging challenges that exist in the world of cybersecurity today and provide straightforward, actionable guidance that anyone can follow to create a safe and secure digital world for themselves and their loved ones.

This year, Cybersecurity Awareness Months main focal areas revolve around four key fundamental cybersecurity best practices:

Recognizing and reporting phishing  still one of the primary threat actions used by cybercriminals today.

Understanding the benefits of using a password manager and dispelling existing myths around password manager security and ease of use.

Enabling multi-factor authentication on personal devices and business networks.

Installing updates on a regular basis and turning on automated updates.

The ITRC is proud to support this far-reaching online safety awareness and education initiative, which is co-led by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

For more information about Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022 and how to participate in a wide variety of activities, visit staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/. You can also follow and use the official hashtag #BeCyberSmart on social media throughout the month.

About the Identity Theft Resource Center

Founded in 1999, the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization established to empower and guide consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. Through public and private support, the ITRC provides no-cost victim assistance and consumer education through its website live-chat idtheftcenter.org and toll-free phone number 888.400.5530. The ITRC also equips consumers and businesses with information about recent data breaches through its data breach tracking tool, notified. The ITRC offers help to specific populations, including the deaf/hard of hearing and blind/low vision communities.

About Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is designed to engage and educate public- and private-sector partners through events and initiatives with the goal of raising awareness about cybersecurity to increase the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident. Since the Presidential proclamation establishing Cybersecurity Awareness Month in 2004, the initiative has been formally recognized by Congress, federal, state and local governments and leaders from industry and academia. This united effort is necessary to maintain a cyberspace that is safer and more resilient and remains a source of tremendous opportunity and growth for years to come. For more information, visit staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/

About National Cybersecurity Alliance

The National Cybersecurity Alliance is a nonprofit organization on a mission to create a more secure, interconnected world. We advocate for the safe use of all technology and educate everyone on how best to protect ourselves, our families and our organizations from cybercrime. We create strong partnerships between governments and corporations to amplify our message and to foster a greater digital good. National Cybersecurity Alliances core efforts include Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October); Data Privacy Week (Jan. 24-28); and CyberSecure My Business, which offers webinars, web resources and workshops to help businesses be resistant to and resilient from cyberattacks. For more information, please visit staysafeonline.org.

Media Contact

Identity Theft Resource Center

Alex Achten

Head of Earned & Owned Media Relations

888.400.5530 Ext. 3611

media@idtheftcenter.org
Unitek Learning is the parent company of several distinguished learning institutions: Unitek College, Unitek EMT, Eagle Gate College, Provo College, and Brookline College. By joining this partnership, Unitek Learning has committed to providing Banner Health participants with a specialized tuition rate, waived application fee, and the ability to start classes every month at Brookline College.

Unitek Learning has announced an educational partnership with nonprofit Banner Health to expand their Career Pathways for Essential Frontline Healthcare Workers program. The Career Pathways program supports employees currently working in areas such as environmental services, culinary, and patient transport who want to move into essential frontline health care roles.

People are at the center of all we do and by investing in our team members futures, we can continue to deliver meaningful care together, said Julie Ann Alvarado-Dubek, Banner Health EVP and Chief HR Officer. Our Career Pathways program is a creative approach to help our team members realize their clinical aspirations, while simultaneously addressing the health care worker shortage.

Thanks to a $1.2M workforce development grant issued to the Banner Health Foundation from Maricopa County, the Career Pathways program provides a fully funded experience for eligible team members to receive career advisement, job shadowing, education and support services to develop and transition into high-demand jobs.

Through the partnership, Banner Health employees can enroll at no cost in medical assisting and sterile processing programs at Brookline College. Students receive on-site instruction, access to simulation labs, and hands-on clinical training and can attend the programs through the Phoenix or Tempe campuses.

An increased demand for a strong workforce has been evidenced by recent events, said Karilyn Van Oosten, VP of Strategic Business Development at Unitek Learning. Our partnership with Banner Health will allow Unitek Learning and Brookline College to become part of the solution. We want to help create a career-ready workforce that is needed by an organization like Banner Health.

By joining this partnership, Unitek Learning has committed to providing Banner Health participants with a specialized tuition rate, waived application fee, and the ability to start classes every month at Brookline College. Through this partnership, Unitek Learning has identified themselves as one of Arizonas most dedicated academic institutions.

At Unitek, we are committed to education and workforce alignment so that the next generation can thrive, said Dr. Abdel Yosef, Chief Academic Officer at Unitek Learning. Were honored to join forces with Banner Health and help transform the health care workforce. As a learning institution, we measure Uniteks success by our capacity to increase the quality of teaching overall.

Unitek Learning is the parent company of several distinguished learning institutions: Unitek College, Unitek EMT, Eagle Gate College, Provo College, and Brookline College. Unitek programs teach the clinical practices and theory used in the field today. Equipped with a multitude of sought-after skills, Unitek graduates are prepared to excel in many of the fastest-growing careers in health care and nursing. https://www.uniteklearning.com/

Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. In addition to 30 acute-care hospitals, Banner also has an academic division, Banner  University Medicine, and a partnership with one of the worlds leading cancer programs, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banners array of services includes a health-insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division and a nursing registry. To make health care easier, 100% of Banner-employed doctors are available for virtual visits, and Banner operates a free 24/7 nurse line for health questions or concerns. Patients may also reserve spots at Banner Urgent Care locations and can book appointments online with many Banner-employed doctors. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
Interview with Pablo Escobar Wife on Armchair MBA Podcast with Tom La Vecchia Santos breaks nearly 30 years of silence on topics such as the familys home life and the trials she faced throughout her marriage to Escobar.

Maria Isabel Santos, the widow of Pablo Escobar, opens up about her relationship with the notorious drug lord and leader of the Medellin Cartel on the Armchair MBA Podcast. Marrying at just 15, Santos was thrown into a life of violence, drugs and fear at a young age. Following Escobars death, she sought refuge in Argentina where she still resides today.

Santos and Armchair MBA host, Tom La Vecchia, discuss what life was like being so intertwined with the workings of the most infamous drug trafficker of all time. Santos answers candid questions in this rare and exclusive interview offering viewers an insight into a dangerous life that many are entirely oblivious to.

Santos met Escobar at 12 years of age in the Colombian neighborhood of La Paz de Envigado when he was 23 years old. Within the community, Escobar was a leader and served as secretary to the President of Communal Action, which was a group aimed at handling the welfare of the people. Early on, Escobar was admired by many. Quickly after embracing the courtship, Santos' life began to change dramatically.

At home, Escobar was a loving father and husband, but it became clear that his behavior inside the house was a far cry from his actions in the drug world. As money and financial stability grew for Escobar, life became more perilous for both him and his family.

His social action and strife for a better community drew Santos in, but it would eventually be learned that his methods for achieving such stability were paradoxically juxtaposed with the idea of a better life for Colombians. After the assassination of Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, which was ordered by Escobars operation, everything changed. Santos notes that event as the line between the before and after.

In this one-of-a-kind Q&A, Santos breaks nearly 30 years of silence on topics such as the familys home life and the trials she faced throughout her marriage to Escobar.
Woolpert wants to bring innovative technology to our customers in a way that simplifies and improves service delivery and adds value not complexity.

Scott Yates, an experienced technology consultant and a leader in facilities management, asset management and business operations, was hired by Woolpert to serve as its director of digital transformation. Yates will join the firms strategic consulting team, which is made up of veteran thought leaders from across multiple industries.

Yates has built a career in business process consulting, technology and software solutions, specializing in enterprise asset management programs across multiple market verticals. Over roughly a dozen years, due to his ability to cost-effectively advance client projects and drive growth, Yates rose from business analyst to consulting manager to vice president of operations to chief operating officer.

Yates said he came to Woolpert because of a shared mission to intelligently integrate technology with the built environment to benefit everyone.

There is a high bar for industry talent and knowledge sharing here that takes me a step beyond my previous realm, he said. Woolpert wants to bring innovative technology to our customers in a way that simplifies and improves service delivery and adds value not complexity. We are aligned in our belief that enterprise asset management begins in the design phase of the asset life cycle and that the asset management systems of the future are geospatial-based, mobile-enabled and connected to smart assets.

Yates will be working out of Woolperts office in the St. Petersburg Innovation District, where his data and technology background can flourish. His crusade over the last three years was to improve the flow of data through the entire life cycle of facilities and systems even before design and construction decisions are made. He said that advancing geospatial technologies, including building information modeling and digital twins, are integral to this approach.

These technologies provide a critical toolset for customers to optimally manage assets and operations, helping them connect the dots from planning through execution, Yates said. The next step is to produce solutions that bridge the gap between virtual design and construction and traditional enterprise asset management systems to seamlessly support the entire asset life cycle

Woolpert Vice President Eric Dillinger said Yates background, strategy and vision will help Woolpert advance.

Scott helped build a strategic consulting business from the ground up, so he is familiar with addressing all levels of the process from the perspective of a variety of clients, Dillinger said. His ability to align the latest technology solutions with real-world client need is invaluable. We are extremely happy that he joined our team.

About Woolpert

Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG) and strategic consulting firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is an ENR Top 150 Global Design Firm, has earned six straight Great Place to Work certifications and actively nurtures a culture of growth, inclusion, diversity and respect. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been Americas fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. The firm has 1,900 employees and more than 60 offices on four continents. For more, visit woolpert.com.
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While musician Colin Meloy may be best known for his long-running stint as frontman of the indie-rock band The Decemberists, hes also an accomplished middle grade author. His fifth novel, The Stars Did Wander Darkling, which is set in 1987, hearkens back to Spielbergian adventures of the 80s and classic Stephen King, as four friends in a small seaside town in Oregon battle a mysterious evil force. PW spoke with Meloy shortly after the culmination of The Decemberists latest tour, about his new books origins, his relationship with horror stories, and what drew him to writing for children.

What was the genesis of this story?

It was Halloween 2017, and I was out on the street with my kids, and my youngest at the time was four. The new movie adaptation of It had just come out, and there were all these Pennywise the clowns walking around, and it was kind of horrifying to see these older kids dressed up as him. I was surprised that there were all these eight- and nine-year-olds who not only recognized Pennywise, but knew his name. It reminded me that kids that age have an appetite for horror, but are often shielded from it. I recalled my own childhood, as a 10-year-old and being really enamored of horror, but I had a hard time finding horror novels that were accessible to me. Thankfully, I had parents who kind of let me do my own thing, and I ended up finding Stephen King when I was in sixth grade. I just thought that there needed to be more horror books for those kids who recognize Pennywise, and they need to be genuinely scary, not silly, but without all the baggage and adult content that comes with Kings novels.

Besides Stephen King, what other influences speak to your writing style?

Another big touchpoint for me as a kid was Ray Bradbury. I think he often gets lumped into sci-fi because of The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451, but I really loved his short stories, and Something Wicked This Way Comes, and The Illustrated Man. In some ways, hes squarely a horror writer, and so I wanted to imbue that same kind of vibe into this story.

Would you say that this story is also a callback to 80s adventure movies?

As a kid, I actually visited the Oregon coast the summer The Goonies came out. I was really into that movie and enamored of that area. That whole summer was a particularly fertile time for my imagination. So in some ways, this book is the book that young me wanted to read that summer.

In The Stars Did Wander Darkling, you reference vintage horror and fantasy movies, both real and fictional. How did you approach that process?

I was drawing a lot from my own childhood and my own childhood obsessions. So of course these kids would be in love with all kinds of genre movies, like horror and fantasy. I also felt it was important to include certain archetypes in the book, with one of those being the idea of the Sage, whos an archetypal ingredient of any hero myth or fantasy story. I thought it would be funny to have it be a guy who runs a video rental store, which could also act as my heroes headquarters. And in my hometown when I was young, there was a video store that really picked their side of the format battle, and were exclusively Betamax. So the first VCR my father brought home was Betamax because thats all the store offered.

This is your fifth book for young readers. What initially drew you to writing middle grade?

When I initially conceived of the Wildwood series, it felt squarely middle grade. I really wanted to work with my wife Carson [Ellis] and have it be heavily illustrated, and it just had that feeling of a childrens book. Ive just been drawn to writing for that crowd. I feel like you dont have to worry about a lot of the rules that either younger, like chapter or picture books, or older, like YA or adult novels, put in for you. I feel like middle grade novels can exist outside of genre, that theres no real genre ghetto for them, that they dance in and out of the various kinds of stories. There are fewer rules about what middle grade is supposed to look like and what its supposed to do.

I like writing for readers that age because its a super fertile, exciting time for young readers. In my experience, thats when I discovered my own love of reading. Initially, I even pushed HarperCollins to see if we could label Wildwood as all ages, instead of the requisite 812, but it didnt stick.

What are you hoping your audience will take away from this book?

First and foremost, I hope they get scared. That was my intention from the outset. I wanted to scare kids in just the right way: that kind of excitement, that thrill of being so scared you have to shut the book before youre really done reading because you felt like it was getting a little late. Maybe it brings some unquiet dreams that night but youre drawn back to it the next day. And ideally, when you finish it, youre excited and you want to pass it along and be like, Read this, itll scare you. Thats the best thing that can possibly come out of this book.

How do you balance being both a writer and a musician? Do those roles ever overlap?

I find theyre a nice break from each other. They both satisfy an itch I have as a creative person. I find that if Im stuck with songwriting, Ill be drawn to a book idea and vice versa. If Im feeling frustrated or overburdened by the idea of writing, sometimes just sitting down and working on songs can be the right change of pace.

Whats next for you in your various pursuits?

Ive got various writing projects in different states of work and completion, but nothing I can really speak about. I am, however, interested in trying my hand at writing for adults. It wont be straight literary fiction, but whatever it is, its gonna be weird. And Im also working on a musical project, and some songs for The Decemberists. I think well probably find our way into the studio in the next year or so.

The Stars Did Wander Darkling by Colin Meloy. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $17.99 Sept. 13 ISBN 978-0-06-301551-7
Four years, a pandemic, and another novel for teens (The Project, 2021) separate Courtney Summerss 2018 breakout bestseller, Sadie, and her new thriller Im the Girl, which offers an unflinching, often uncomfortable look at grooming, sexual abuse, and consent through the eyes of 16-year-old Georgia Avis. PW spoke with Summers about connecting this new book to Sadie, developing Georgias character and her story, and writing as a refusal of injustice.

Im the Girl isnt a true sequel or companion to Sadie, but its being pitched as a spiritual successor. How would you describe the relationship between the two books?

Im the Girl has a direct reference to Sadie in it that ties the two stories together, but more broadly, it continues the conversation about rape culture that Sadie started. I think Sadie would have died for a girl like Georgia and, depending how you read the novel, she did. I think [Sadies little sister] Maddie could have easily grown into a girl like Georgia, and I dont think Sadies love, devotion, and fierce protectiveness would have changed under those circumstances.

I knew I wanted to write a book loosely based on the Jeffrey Epstein case, and, as I worked on it, I realized how much Im the Girl would be in conversation with Sadieand even the books Id written before. In a lot of ways this book brings things full circle for me.

In a 2018 interview with PW, you said your need to tell Sadies story was stronger than the difficulty of writing books about power and violence against young women. Why did telling this new story feel so necessary for you?

I think weve reached a moment where its become more socially acceptable than ever to hate women. We are more willing to put victims of sexual abuse and violence on trial for the actions of their abusers [than to hold abusers accountable]. We are constantly looking for ways to discredit victims and survivors by posing questions of their likeability, as if that has any place in the conversation. These reactions towards victims and survivors of abuse and violence in the public sphere have intensified and are becoming increasingly grotesque. Among them are the stories like the Epstein case and Britney Spearss recent fight for professional and bodily autonomy, both of which informed Georgias experiences in Im the Girl.

Because Im an author who is led by what makes me angry, stories like these often become the seed of a new novel. When you constantly feel youre existing in a space that hates women, the only thing that combats the feelings of helplessness is flat-out refusal. My books are a refusal of a world women are constantly told we have to accept. Well, I dont, and I cant, and I wont, and I never will.

Im the Girl is deeply enmeshed in how one 16-year-old moves through the world and how she feels about her body. The way she narrates her experiences and responds to her abuse is going to be really unsettling for readers. Its meant to be, and it should be. Georgia has been groomed to believe her abuse is empowerment and the book does not shy from this portrayal. Crucially, it doesnt qualify those moments for the comfort of readers.

This is a meticulously researched and vetted book and I refuse to use this book as the platform to moralize, generalize, or simplify Georgias experiences for the reader. I didnt want other characters to shame her or explain what she went through to make her a more likeable or palatable victim. The scenes that were toughest to write and are the most unsettling to read were approached with a tremendous amount of care and thought. What people expect of a novel like Im the Girl is for someone to pause at some point in the book to say, We know this is wrong, even if she doesnt. No narrative like this should be at a characters expense or the expense of victims and survivors who have had similar experiences. It's so important to me to never write from a place where I believe Im better than the girls whose stories I tell. When authors write from that place, readers know.

While Im the Girl feels like a Courtney Summers book, Georgia stands out among your previous heroines, who often are fighting for agency and power. In contrast, Georgia often seems unaware of the danger she finds herself in. Can you speak about your inspiration for and development of her character?

I have to go back to Sadie to answer this question. There were five books and five girls before Sadie and all had a similar edge to them; she was a culmination of their anger and their quest for agency. It all crystalized into this girl who was seeking revenge on a world that had hurt her. After Sadie, I wanted to subvert the expected Courtney Summers protagonist just a little bit. So I wrote The Project and Lo, who starts out very much like Sadie, aiming to take down a cult, but thenspoiler alert!she gets taken in by it. Some readers were very betrayed by Lo because they thought she would be their Sadie, but Lo was her own thing. Georgia completes the subversion. Shes the girl who believes in the world and doesnt want to believe that she would be a victim of the worst it has to offer. She might understand everything thats happening to her, but she pushes back on other peoples belief that shes stupid. She really wants to believe in herself more than the people around her do and shes doing anything she can to prove she isnt what they all believewhich unfortunately leads her into horrible situations.

All my protagonists are in conversation with one another and, depending on where a reader comes into my bibliography, they might not always like what comes next. Its interesting to see how readers respond to the conversation depending upon their entry point.

What do you hope for this story and its readers?

I cant control a readers response, but what I feel I have done with Im the Girl is offer readers a space where they have nothing to lose by supporting, believing, and empathizing with one girls story. Im very curious about how readers will react] and why.

Im the Girl by Courtney Summers. Wednesday Books, $18.99 Sept. 13 ISBN 978-1-250-80836-3
More than a decade after opening its London office and successfully publishing into the international childrens market, Nosy Crow will expand its presence in the U.S. with the spring 2023 launch of Nosy Crow Inc. Based in Boston under the direction of president John Mendelson, the new company will publish the full roster of genres that has been the backbone of Nosy Crow U.K., ranging from books for infants to works for middle-grade readers.

Mendelson, formerly senior v-p of sales at Candlewick Press, announced that Nosy Crow Inc. will release 30 titles during its first year of publishing, with an emphasis on novelty board books, picture books, and nonfiction. Within a few years, the list will expand into chapter books and other fiction, and will include books that originate in North America, created by a diverse group of authors and illustrators, as well as those acquired by Nosy Crow U.K. The new American list will be sold and distributed by Hachette Book Group.

A Leap Across the Pond

There are, unsurprisingly, multiple logistical issues to consider when starting up a new publishing arm on different turf from the original model. The childrens book markets in the U.K. and the U.S. vary in key ways, observed Kate Wilson, group CEO of Nosy Crow, who will oversee both the U.K. and U.S. companies.

Of course, the North American market is bigger, Wilson said, and there is a more lively and better-funded institutional market in the U.S. In the U.K, libraries are lamentably underfunded. And obviously, each country is dealing with a different population mix, which makes the market interesting and challenging. On the other hand, kids are kids, and they all love lifting flaps, seeing themselves in a mirror in a board book, and learning about sharksthat is universal content.

Noting that 70% of Nosy Crow U.K.s revenue derives from outside of the U.K., Wilson heralded the contributions that Nosy Crow Inc. will make to the continued growth of the overall company. John has already become embedded in our acquisitions process since his arrival last May, she said. He has also been instrumental in bringing a North American eye to book covers and to the voice of Nosy Crow. We are confident that he and the U.S. team he establishes will tap into their international expertise, to the benefit of both lists.

Mendelson is performing a balancing act as he pulls together Nosy Crow Inc.s inaugural lists, which he described as varied, commercially powerful, creatively distinct, and fully Americanized. He regularly visits Nosy Crow U.K.s office to work with Wilsons creative team. He also works with freelancers in Boston to adapt for American readers books that originated in the U.K., some of which will have redesigned covers for the U.S. market. And, he added, I have begun conversations around building an editorial and design team in Boston.

Ready to Roll Out

Highlights of Nosy Crow Inc.s launch list, on sale next May, include Everything Possible, the companys first joint acquisition with Nosy Crow U.K. Illustrated by Alison Brown, this picture book is based on American musician Fred Smalls folk song of the same title. The lullaby, first performed 40 years ago, celebrates love and friendship, and encourages children to dream their own dream and choose their own path, wherever it may take them.

Other picture books on the debut list are Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor Ballesteros, a meditation on friendship; and How to Count to One by Caspar Salmon and Matt Hunt, a counting book with a twist. Also included are the first books in the Look Its... board book series by Camilla Reid, featuring Clare Youngss collage artwork and felt flaps and foil on each spread; and Welcome to Our Table, a celebration of food from around the world, by Laura Mucha and Ed Smith.

Nosy Crow has, of course, sold North American rights to a range of publishers over its 12-year history, and those titles will continue to be sold by their existing U.S. publishers. This particularly applies to Candlewick Press, which has published (under the Nosy Crow imprint) many board book series and character-based picture books. Going forward, Candlewick will continue to publish backlist and new titles in many of these series, but under its own banner rather than the Nosy Crow imprint.

These include Bizzy Bear, which has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide; the felt flaps and Peekaboo series, both illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius, which together have sold almost six million copies worldwide; and the 100 First Words series, illustrated by Edward Underwood, whose sales total more than 280,000 copies worldwide. Titles previously published under the Nosy Crow imprint will change to the Candlewick imprint upon reprint.

Karen Lotz, president and publisher of Candlewick Press and group managing director of the Walker Books Group, said, Over the past 11 years, since their founding, we have truly enjoyed our partnership with the talented Nosy Crow team under Kate Wilson and establishing their many innovative, beloved, and popular creators, titles, and series in our market. We look forward to continuing to bring these series to U.S. and Canadian shelves even as we focus more firmly on our homegrown initiatives going forward, including our partnership with the MIT Press on MIT Kids Press and MITeen Press.

Listen Up!

Another new development accompanying the launch of Nosy Crow Inc. involves the expansion of Nosy Crows Stories Aloud program into the North American market for the first time. Introduced in 2013 by Nosy Crow U.K., this initiative bundles free digital audio with print titles, by including a QR code on the inside cover which, when scanned, provides access to an audio edition of the text, enhanced with music and sound effects.

All Nosy Crow Inc. board and picture books will include this audio component, which is promoted on the front covers. With its free access, this add-on has received an enthusiastic reception from retailers, teachers, and librarians in the U.K., Wilson said, noting that Stories Aloud had two million streams in 2021.

Mendelson views Stories Aloud as an asset that will help establish Nosy Crow Inc.s identity in North America, and help us connect with teachers, librarians, and parents by providing easy access to audio so that children can engage more deeply in the reading experience.

With Nosy Crow Inc. poised for liftoff, there is much positivity on both shores. Having known Wilson since Nosy Crow U.K.s inception, Mendelson said, We have a level of connection and trust that is ultimately what is going to help us successfully build the business on this side of the Atlantic and continue to work collaboratively.

Wilson seconded that, adding, John not only knows the market very well, but we have an affinity and shared sense of values about what is important to childrens booksas well as a confluence of taste. We are so excited about this new venture, which feels like such a natural extension of our publishing program. Its now time to spread our wings and engage directly with the amazing and very different market that is North America. And I believe were off to a flying start.
California Independent Booksellers Alliance welcomed 130 booksellers to Fall Fest this year, along with exhibitors from across the state including Chronicle Books, Red Hen Press, Heyday Books, The Collective Book Studio, and Cameron + Company. Oregon publishers Blackstone and Microcosm, Seattle-based audiobook service Libro.fm, Vancouver, B.C.s Orca Book Publishers, and Big Five representatives also showed up to connect with the California book trade.

CALIBA treasurer Bridget Schinnerer of Vromans in Pasadena acknowledged that CALIBAs annual income has not yet matched pre-pandemic levels, yet projected that CALIBA would remain in the black for 2022: Our rainy day fund means we have some cushion in case there is an economic downturn, Schinnerer said. Co-executive director Kristin Rasmussen said this years Golden Poppy Book Awards drew almost 300; CALIBA will announce finalists in early November, and booksellers may vote starting in January. Rasmussen said she and co-director Ann Seaton would begin planning the Spring Forum as soon as the dust settles after Fall Fest.

Attendees also discussed how to start and sustain profitable programs beyond traditional bookselling practices. Wendy Sanchez and Robert Turner operate online shop Chukaruka, a virtual space for minority and underrepresented voices with an education and literacy focus; they came to CALIBA curious about how to grow their business and whether a bricks-and-mortar location was in their future. Alex Hemming, manager at Skylight books, distributes hard-to-find international titles including art books about L.A. and zines and comics from Mexico. Skylight general manager Mary Williams noted how Hemmings love of international art books led to the bookstore distributing an entire print run of Caroline and Cyril Desroches Los Angeles Standards, an oversize, $55 paperback of architectural photos published by Poursuite and popular among L.A. residents.

Order Direct, and Know Thy Rep

Williams, CALIBAs incoming president, moderated a discussion on how to build and maintain successful relationships with publishers. Panelists gave indie booksellers the skinny on getting exclusive deals, emphasizing that sales representatives have insider information and that direct orders are the way to a publishers heart.

Reps offer a partnership, said Roz Hilden, direct sales specialist at Scholastic. They identify trends, flag co-op materials, and troubleshoot ordering issues and invoices. Your rep will tell you, were worried about this title, so order up on this one, said Valerie Pierce, who handles retail marketing and creative services at Sourcebooks. Reps make your job easierits plug-and-play for you guys.

Booksellers who dont yet have a rep should ask for a markup of their territory for starters, said PGW/Two Rivers/Ingram Academic sales manager Leslie Jobson. This opens up a line of communication, because publishers are offering promotions, special deals, for the indie market, said Toi Crockett, Simon & Schuster director of independent sales. What are the key titles that are coming to the top? You wont have that info if you go into Edelweiss cold.

Mutual loyalty is important too. If you want to have a direct relationship with a sales rep, you need to support the publisher and the rep, said Hilden. I had someone who was doing popups set up an account, place an order, the title was not available, and they never ordered again. Scholastic noticed. Williams agreed that special orders, things you need real fast, come from a wholesaler. But the more that goes direct, the more that counts. Crocketts advice is to open up a credit line rather than a pre-pay account, which establishes a commitment without cost.

Publishers keep track of analytics, such as which stores order frontlist only, and this makes a difference when it comes to stores' special requests. If you want an author [whos on tour], said Pierce, a publisher might check sales data to find out have you ordered? Have you submitted Indie Next recs for us? The stronger the relationship, the more we lean on those stores. The other panelists concurred and Crockett offered a concise tip: Ordering direct, the discounts higher. And you get co-op.

The panelists indicated that open channels of communication help them support indies and vice versa. Scholastic requires proposals for hosting authors, said Hilden, who told the audience that Kristin Rasmussens proposal for a Dav Pilkey visit to {pages} in Manhattan Beach became the model for pitching an event. If you want a major author, its go big or go home! When bookstores sustain connections with publishersand heed advice on how many copies to ordergood things happen, like the time a small Colorado bookstore wanted a visit from Y.A. novelist Jennifer Nielsen. Five schools noticed locally, and the store made an order for 200 books, said Hilden. Bam, its on her radar screen.
Maria Pallante took over as president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers in January 2017. In selecting Pallante, a former U.S. Register of Copyrights, the AAP pointed to her strong background in IP law and policy. Copyright protection has long been one of the main priorities of the AAP, and in a time when copyright issues have become more contentious, copyright protection is job one for the organization. Thus, in June 2020, the AAP coordinated a copyright infringement lawsuit by four publishers against the Internet Archive; in July, both sides filed motions asking for summary judgment, and last week reply briefs to those motions were made. More filings are due in October. PW caught up with Pallante to discuss the AAPs reaction to ongoing copyright challenges, as well as other association initiatives.

For some time now, the AAP has made protection of copyright its top priority. Can you tell me how that decision was reached?

Copyright has been our top priority for more than five decades because it is the legal foundation of the publishing industry, but you are right that weve been unusually busy of late. Thats because the Internet Archive and its affiliate Library Futures have aimed a series of torpedoes at the Copyright Act, efforts that would irrevocably weaken the ability of authors to license their works, if not create them in the first place. Our board has prioritized these threats and takes them seriously, as should anyone who cares about the future of books.

When e-books first emerged, many publishers were concerned that their frictionless ease of use through libraries would lead to a decline in the sales of both print and e-books. That talk faded, but it seems to be a concern once again, with publishers seeing it as a reason e-book sales have not grown. Is that something thats being talked about?

This is a fair observation, because e-book sales are definitely declining and e-borrowing is definitely exploding. Logically, the more seamless it becomes to download a digital copy for free without waiting, the more publishers will worry about the balance between their respective markets. They have a responsibility to their authors and their own sustainability to do so.

In a recent e-book study, the Federation of European Publishers proved the correlation between frictionless borrowing and consumer decline, and I dont think anyone was surprised by that conclusion. But for copyright businesses, friction is an established calculation that goes far beyond libraries. Its the reason we experience a constantly changing menu of streaming, subscription, and download services for music, movies, and video games, with continual adjustments to pricing, release dates, and wait times. These terms can be mystifying, indeed frustrating, from the outside, but they are designed to promote creative works within fiercely competitive environments.

I do think publishers have worked hard to provide e-books to libraries at the same time as consumer releases, because librarians are respected partners in a books success. As OverDrive reports, libraries achieved all-time records for digital loans in 2021 while lowering the average cost per title borrowed. Indeed, most licenses permit libraries to transmit e-books to patrons dozens of times under terms that are, all told, a fraction per-use of what consumers pay for restricted access, meaning no redistribution.

One thing I can say with confidence is that technology is constantly evolving, and therefore authors, publishers, and libraries, as well as booksellers, will continue to negotiate their respective agreements and budgets. Copyright markets dont work very well if theyre stuck in time, which is why we no longer have eight-track cartridges in our cars.

What is your view of controlled digital lending, or CDL?

CDL is a baseless justification for infringement and antithetical to both copyright law and common sense. It was hobbled together by a small group of individuals with close ties to the Internet Archive, and for that reason it will always be associated with that defendants conduct. The law is clear that formats are distinguishable, meaning that no onenot a private person, public library, or piratemay distribute digital bootlegs of tangible copies, whether they are ripping hardcover books, vinyl albums, or compact discs. It doesnt matter if the defendant claims to manage a virtual bookshelf or maintains the physical copies, as made clear by cases in the music and movie space. Courts have decried such format shifting because it exceeds the first-sale doctrine and forces authors to subsidize activity that they did not license and cannot contain.

What I will say as a former policymaker is that there are important instances in which libraries and museums should be able to make copies of works in or for their collectionsfor example, to capture, preserve, or loan at-risk material. But activity like this does not require a new theory and moniker: it will already be governed by fair use and/or the detailed library exceptions in the Copyright Act. Neither Congress nor the courts has ever sanctioned a practice like CDL, because it strips authors of the benefit of their intellectual property, while permitting aggressors to prosper in their stead.

With the surge in book banning, what are some of the things AAP is doing to protect free expression and free speech?

It has been painful to see authors, librarians, and teachers targeted so capriciously, especially in instances where a few people appear to be deciding for the many. We have participated in two legal challenges in the past few months, a brief in Missouri in April and one in Virginia in July, both involving violations of Supreme Court precedent. The Missouri case is now on appeal, but the dismissal of obscenity charges in Virginia, which came down just before Labor Day, was a resounding affirmation that both writing and reading are constitutionally protected.

Relatedly, our education companies are working to uphold the accuracy and integrity of instructional materials as to history, race, and gender, and we are helping where we can. I do worry about the authors who are caught in the crosshairs, including those writing about LGBTQ+ issuestheir books are so important and must remain discoverable no matter what.

What is the status of your diversity/equity/inclusion and climate and sustainability efforts?

We have added climate and sustainability issues to our global policy priorities, and we are about to announce our first vice president for DEI initiatives.

So much to do, so little time!
Aundi Kolber Reups with Tyndale

Tyndale Refreshs senior acquisitions editor Jillian Schlossberg bought world rights from Don Gates of The Gates Group to Strong like Water by therapist Aundi Kolber (Try Softer). The new book redefines personal strength as more than pushing on and pushing through pain, bearing every heavy burden on our own, according to the publisher, and it asks, What if, instead, it were more like the tide: soft and bold, fierce and gentle, moving together as one powerful force? Publication is slated for March 2023.

Debut, Tied to Film, Goes to Broadleaf

Broadleaf Books associate editor Jarrod Harrison took world rights from Liz Nealon of Great Dog Literary for the debut book from NAACP honoree, director, writer, and photographer Kim Watson. Tentatively titled Trespass and slated for spring 2024, the book features black and white photographs as well as descriptions of Watsons time spent befriending and caring for houseless citizens of Los Angeles. Trepass will be released in three modules as part of a multi-media project: a film produced by husband-and-wife duo Mara Brock and Salim Akil that will be directed by and star Watson; an art installation in L.A. that will be free to the public for two weeks; and Trespass to be published in print and digital formats.

WaterBrook Signs A Female Pastor

Tom Dean of A Drop of Ink Literary sold world rights to acquiring editor Jamie Lapeyrolerie of WaterBrook for Faith Eury Chos tentatively titled The Purpose of Wilderness. The book promises to equip and heighten readers confidence to build a genuine friendship with Jesus, inspired by Brother Lawrences classic The Practice of the Presence of God. Eury Cho, whose book is scheduled for fall 2023, is CEO and founder of The Honor Summit, a nonprofit organization that promotes Asian American women in the church, and is co-founder and co-pastor, with her husband, of Mosaic Covenant Church in New Jersey.

Broadleaf Takes Memoir/Manifesto

Broadleaf Books acquisitions editor Valerie Weaver-Zercher took North American rights from Lara Love Hardin at Idea Architect to Troubling the Water: The Urgent Work of Radical Belonging by Reverend Ben McBride. Slated for publication in 2023, the memoir explores a future that includes loving our enemiesand if that does not seem possible to readers, McBride lays out ways to become someone who can.

Brutality Victims Sister Pens Memoir

Chalice Press executive director Rebeca Seitz bought world rights to Allisa Charles-Findleys memoir After Botham: Healing From My Brothers Murder by a White Police Officer, to be released in April 2023. The unagented memoir, co-written with Claudia Love Mair, chronicles Charles-Findleys relationship with her brother Botham Jean, learning of his shooting death in his home by a police officer, and the aftermath as she fights for justice and to keep her lifelong faith. She is president of the Botham Jean Foundation, which promotes Christian intervention for social change, and serves as president of Sisters of the Movement, a coalition of sisters of police brutality victims.

Brazos to Publish Disability Expert

Katelyn Beaty, editorial director for Brazos, took exclusive world rights from Karen Neumair of Credo Communications to J. Lamar Hardwicks tentatively titled Disabling God, scheduled to release in spring 2024. Hardwick, a pastor in the Atlanta area and author of Disability and the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion, received an autism diagnosis as an adult. His upcoming book helps the church understand connections between ableism and racism and how to dismantle both.

Baker Lands an Anglican Priest

Mary DeMuth of Mary DeMuth Literary sold world rights, excluding curriculum and merchandising, to Stephanie Duncan Smith, executive editor of Baker Books, for Summer Joy Grosss tentatively titled Turn Your Face to Me. Scheduled for a spring/summer 2024 release, the book by the spiritual director and Anglican priest is a journey to awaken readers to Gods nearness through everyday practices such as doing breath prayer, lighting a candle, and carrying a cross in a pocket, according to the publisher.
During its first in-person gathering since 2019, the 2022 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference took place in St. Louis, Mo. from September 8-11, attracting over 300 attendees. The event is an opportunity for authors to meet with editors, aspiring novelists to meet with agents, and for professionals from across the publishing industry to share insight on the genre of Christian fiction.

Workshops included Unleash Your Writing Superpowers, Landmines in Your Book Contract, How to Make Money in Publishing, From Story to Manuscript to Published, and The Changing Landscape of Fiction PublicityWhy Publicity Matters More Than Ever, among others. Spotlight sessions included a Q&A with Tyndale Publishings acquisition editors Stephanie Broene and Elizabeth Jackson as well as one with Bethany House editors Rochelle Gloege and Jessica Sharpe. Literary agents Linda Glaz, Steve Laube, and Barb Roose also hosted a discussion panel during the conference.

The ACFW Awards Gala concluded this year's event and recognized Christian fiction authors with Carol Awards for outstanding titles published in the past calendar year. Winners included Chris Fabry, author of A Piece of the Moon (Tyndale House), in the contemporary category, while Elizabeth Camden took home the historical romance award for The Prince of Spies (Bethany). For a full list of the winners, click here. The evening also revealed winners of ACFW's Genesis Contest, which recognizes the work of unpublished Christian fiction writers awaiting discovery.

New to the ACFW conference this year was Storyfest, a reader-fan event featuring a meet-and-greet with Christian fiction authors such as Rachel Hauck, Kimberly Witemeyer, Cara Putnam, Toni Shiloh, and over 40 others.

Find photos from ACFWs 2022 conference and more details about the event below. Next year, the conference is slated for August 24-27, and it will be held in St. Louis once again.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  The Purdue Global School of Nursing has donated surplus medical and nursing supplies from its former campus facility in Des Moines, Iowa, to Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).

Andrea Hughes, who oversees the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program for Purdue Global, worked to find a suitable recipient of the equipment. Among the items donated were manikins, catheterization kits, sutures, forceps, needles, tubes, vials, gloves and pads.

We are proud to collaborate with our nursing colleagues at Des Moines Area Community College to support their efforts as they prepare and educate nursing students, said Melissa Burdi, Purdue Global vice president and dean of the School of Nursing. Together, we are supporting nursing education and building the much-needed nursing pipeline.

According to John Hadley, DMACC professor and surgical technology program chair, the donated items will help several of the schools health and sciences departments.

The DMACC simulation center, emergency medical services, surgical technology program and nursing program all greatly appreciate the donation and will benefit from the generosity provided by the Purdue Global School of Nursing, Hadley said.

Purdue Global has strong ties to the Des Moines area and the state of Iowa, highlighted by simulation partnerships with Dallas County Hospital in Perry, Iowa, and UnityPoint Health  Jones Regional Medical Center in Anamosa, Iowa.

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations  no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue Universitys flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit https://stories.purdue.edu/purdue-global/.

Writer/Media Contact: Tom Schott, tschott@purdue.edu

Sources: Melissa Burdi

Dee McNamara

John Hadley
After a two-year hiatus, Northern Waves TV will feature speakers representing leading broadcasters and operators from across the Nordics and Europe.Northern Waves 2022 will be a platform where key strategists and decision makers to present the OTT business value chains including pre-content production technologies, distribution methods and processes. Topics like ad-based video on demand (AVOD) and high-quality delivery methods with 4K and 5G will be prominent topics on the conference agenda.Speakers include Camilla Amundsen, CMO at Telenor Norway, who will speak of securing quality TV content for consumers; Felipe Fernandez, head of AVOD Product at TV4 Media Sweden, who will present topics around interactivity on CTV devices; and Mike Echternach, Partnership Manager Entertain at Deustche Telekom, will speak of the partnerships needed to maintain large operator TV services. Other speakers from leading broadcasters and operators from the Nordics include Jesper Dahl from PlutoTV, Nicole Ostman from Viaplay, Jon Espen from Allente, Madelen Ottosson from SVT Sweden, Erik Vold from NRK Norway are scheduled to speak among others.The event encourages the streaming TV and OTT service owners to introduce themselves and debate on the current choices of technology or business models, where the industry will benefit from shared knowledge. The event will be a whole day event in Oslo and is presented and organised by Oslo based Norigin Media.I hope for Norway to become the TV tech capital of Europe because of its digitally forward consumers, strong connectivity of networks, content production and the multitude of creative TV tech companies based here, said Norigin Media CEO Ajey Anand. It is great to invite everyone to Oslo to exchange some great ideas around OTT and TV.For further information, please visit: www.northernwaves.tv
Ann Dowd said her character in The Handmaid's Tale Season 5, premiering Wednesday on Hulu, attempts to correct her government's abuses of women.

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Dowd, 66, plays Aunt Lydia, a high-ranking officer in the oppressive nation of Gilead, which forces women to give birth to commanders' children.

"She's starting to see what's in front of her," Dowd told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. "She's starting to drop the armor, to take the blinders off."

Based on Margaret Atwood's novel, The Handmaid's Tale is set in a near future in which the Gilead regime has taken over the United States. The fertility rate declined, so commanders capture fertile women and force them to be handmaids.

Lydia has supported impregnation ceremonies and punishments for women who resisted because she believes it is God's will that women give birth to Gilead children.

After four seasons, Dowd said Lydia has grown close enough to Janine (Madeline Brewer) and other handmaids that she is having trouble sanctioning the abuse anymore.

"Once that change begins to happen, she's not going back," Dowd said. "Once those eyes are open, once that armor begins to drop, I don't think there's any going back."

That does not transform Lydia into an empathetic hero, Dowd said. She still believes in impregnating handmaids for religious purposes, but begins to question the pleasure commanders derive from it.

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"I think her relationship with God is hugely important to her," Dowd said. "That's her mission -- to bring these girls to a better place, to a relationship with God."

Dowd, who won an Emmy for her portrayal of Aunt Lydia, said years of Gilead ceremonies have opened Lydia's eyes that commanders and their wives were turning a religious process into an opulent display of conspicuous consumption.

"She tolerates so much -- even the wives with the ridiculous teal dresses, 52 of them per closet, and the ridiculous parties giving their kids extravagant gifts," Dowd said. "I think what shocks her truly is the abuse by the commanders and the permission they gave themselves to rape the handmaids."

Lydia brings some suggestions to modify impregnation ceremonies to Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford). He, however, was under no illusions about "the hypocrisy of these pious men" of Gilead, Whitford said.

"Open up your Twitter feed and you'll see plenty of examples of pious men who need a little kink," Whitford said.

Janine is left behind in Gilead with the latest group of handmaids. In Season 4, Janine escaped with June (Elisabeth Moss) and others into the northern territories, but Janine was recaptured to be reposted as a Gilead handmaid.

"I think it's harder for her to be without her friends than anything else," Brewer said. "Most of her anxiety really comes from the fact that she does not want to be posted again. She'd rather die."

The cast of The Handmaid's Tale was filming Season 5 in June when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision, which established federal protections for abortion. But Dowd said she couldn't focus on real-world events while portraying Lydia on the show.

"As an actor and a human being, if I think about that, I'm going to get way off track in disbelief and anger at this absurdity," Dowd said.

"But that's easy for Lydia, because she would say there's no place in this world for abortion, ever. Imagine taking the life of a baby, particularly in our society in Gilead, where the birth rate is dropping."

Dowd said working on The Handmaid's Tale is so exhausting she must leave her work behind when she comes home. Dowd said she also reminds herself that the show "is make-believe."

Whitford said he was "horrified" by not only the overturning of Roe, but also by the banning of books around the country and the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill in Florida, which forbids teachers from addressing sexual identity or gender orientation in class.

"We have to go beyond making television shows about it and start making the political changes that we need to make to restore a little sanity and humanity in our country and the world," Whitford said. "It's a worldwide problem."

Handmaid's Tale showrunner Bruce Miller, who adapted Atwood's book for the series, said the Supreme Court decisions drove home how timely the show is.

"There's nothing fun about sitting around with smart people coming up with the worst things you can think of and then seeing them reflected in the real world," Miller said. "At least I have some way to express myself or help or be part of the conversation."

Executive producer Warren Littlefield echoed Miller's sentiments that wished the struggle for women's rights were only the subject of a fictional television show, not a real-life issue.

"We wish we were less relevant," Littlefield said. "Sadly, that's not the case. We remain perhaps more relevant than we've ever been, and so we'll continue to try and tell a powerful human drama that the world keeps pointing to."

New episodes of The Handmaid's Tale premiere Wednesdays on Hulu.
Netflix is giving a glimpse of Love is Blind Season 3.

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The streaming service shared a teaser and premiere date for the new season of the dating reality series Wednesday.

Love is Blind features singles who can date but not see each other while sequestered in "pods." The couples meet face-to-face after getting engaged and then live together until their wedding day.

Season 3 was filmed in Dallas, Texas. In the teaser, the new singles share their hopes for romance.

"We came out here to take a chance on love," one person says in a voiceover.

"I am not for everybody," another person adds. "I just hope I will be for him."

Love is Blind Season 3 will premiere Oct. 19.

Netflix will also release the Love is Blind: After the Altar Season 2 special on Friday, which gives an update on Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones, Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson, Natalie Lee and Shayne Jansen, and other cast members.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/14/2022



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Which couples are still together and which MAFS couples have broken up and divorced? And where are they now?

's first fourteen seasons followed 54 different couples who got married at first sight -- so which couples are still together, who broke up and divorced, and where are they all now?Each season of -- which premiered in the United States eight years ago and is based on a Danish series -- features couples (previously three couples, but four couples on Seasons 8 and 9, and five couples beginning with Season 10) being matched together by relationship experts and agree to marry when they first meet.Complete strangers become husband and wife in a matter of minutes, and the couples' lives are then documented by TV cameras over the course of the next four to eight weeks (eight weeks, in the case of 's most recent seasons).The couples typically enjoy their first night together in a hotel after exchanging vows -- with some couples deciding to consummate their marriage immediately -- and then embark on a honeymoon, move in together, and simply attempt to deal with the struggles of daily life as man and wife.At the end of the extreme marriage experiment, each couple must decide whether they'd like to stay married or get a divorce on "Decision Day."has experienced very mixed results over the years. While a significant number of couples decide to stay together and continue their new marriage at the end of their season, the real world seems to hit them hard after the cameras leave, resulting in the couple splitting up only months later.Do cast members see a different side of their spouses once cameras are gone, or do the romances naturally fizzle over time?Some couples are still together to this day and are extremely happy. Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner from Season 1, for example, have had two children.Several other couples have also had children -- including Ashley Petta and Anthony D'Amico Shawniece Jackson and Jephte Pierre Danielle Bergman and Bobby Dodd Deonna McNeill and Greg Okotie , and Jessica Studer and Austin Hurd However, there are also relationships that ended badly. Jessica Castro from Season 2, for instance, accused Ryan De Nino of alleged death threats, and she went on to file a restraining order and lawsuit against him.Some couples have also never even made it to "Decision Day" and ended their marriage prematurely, including Season 4 couple Heather Seidel and Derek Schwartz as well as Season 6 couple Molly Duff and Jonathan Francetic Are the remaining couples now lovers, friends or enemies?! What about early season couples like Cortney Hendrix and Jason Carrion, Jaclyn Methuen and Ryan Ranellone, Vanessa Nelson and Tres Russell, Sonia Granados and Nick Pendergrast, and Lillian Vilchez and Tom Wilson?And how about more recent season couples like Danielle DeGroot and Cody Knapek Sheila Downs and Nate Duhon Jaclyn Schwartzberg and Ryan Buckley Dave Flaherty and Amber Martorana , and Tristan Thompson and Mia Bally Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth , and AJ Vollmoeller and Stephanie Sersen Click thelink below to see photos of each couple and find out!

BEGIN GALLERY >>

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
Whether you decide to go Greek or not at the University of Georgia, you will almost undoubtedly feel the influence of Greek life both on and off campus. One of the biggest events in Greek life is the annual Panhellenic fall recruitment.
On Aug. 29, Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz signed and issued a proclamation recognizing the week of Sept. 4-10 as National Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in individuals aged 25 to 34 and the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 to 24, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Members of the Brattleboro Police Department and Wilmington Police Department run from the old police station, at the Municipal Center in Brattleboro, to the Dummerston town line for the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Vermont on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022.
Photographer / Multimedia Editor

Has been working as a photojournalist since 2007, before moving into newspapers, he worked with an NGO called Project HOPE. He then went to work for the Press and Sun-Bulletin in New York, and then in New England working for the Brattleboro Reformer.
BRATTLEBORO  A man who shot and killed an intruder in his apartment at Great River Terrace on Friday night is facing federal charges for sell
Hartford Police / Contributed Photo /

HARTFORD  A man has been sentenced to four years in prison for a fentanyl trafficking offense, according to the Department of Justice.

Regino Morillo-Espinal, 40, most recently of Allentown, Pa., was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven, according to the DOJ.
STRATFORD >> Stratford police have arrested a man accused of accosting the family of a school shooting victim at a charity event.

Police said 32-year-old Matthew Mills of Brooklyn, New York, approached Victoria Sotos family at the Vicki Soto 5K in Stratford on Saturday and claimed that the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown never happened.

Mills ran from police, but was caught and charged with breach of peace and interfering with police.

Mills posted a $10,000 bond and is due next week in Bridgeport Superior Court. He has an unlisted telephone number and could not be reached for comment.

Soto, a first-grade teacher, was among the 26 people shot to death on Dec. 14, 2012.

The annual run raises money to provide scholarships for students seeking careers in education.
WEST HARTFORD  Local police are investigating after a person was found dead Tuesday near the town line.

West Hartford police received a call about the discovery of a body in the 400-block of Prospect Avenue about 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Sgt. Amanda Martin said. She wouldn't say whether the person was found inside or outside, how police believe the person died or whether the deceased was a man, woman or child.

"I would not want to compromise the investigation by releasing information," Martin said Wednesday.

She did say "the identity of the deceased cannot be confirmed so therefore we have not been able to make proper next of kin notifications." She didn't elaborate.

Police consider the death to be an "isolated" incident, Martin said, and the general public is not believed to be at risk.

The 400-block of Prospect Avenue is near Boulevard in West Hartford and Capitol Avenue in Hartford. Prospect is the dividing line between the two municipalities, with the capital city across the street.

The West Hartford Police Department is actively working on the case, Martin said Wednesday morning.

Anyone who may have information about the person's death is asked to call the detective division at 860-570-8870, police said.
Shells landing in Bangladesh during fighting in Rakhine state led to diplomatic protests by Dhaka.

Abul Wafa, his wife, Minara, and Dildar Begum (right), joined by two infants, have settled into a Rohingya camp in Coxs Bazar after fleeing from Myanmars Rakhine state, Sept. 10, 2022.

Hundreds of people were waiting to cross into Bangladesh from Myanmar, a small group of newly arrived Rohingya told BenarNews, amid fierce fighting close to the border that has sparked diplomatic protests over reports of artillery and mortar shells landing in Bangladeshi territory.

One of the new arrivals said he saw several hundred people clustered along a river that separates Coxs Bazar district in southeastern Bangladesh from Myanmars Rakhine state, and who were trying to cross the frontier several days ago. It was not immediately clear what happened to those other people apparently displaced by intense clashes in recent weeks between Burmese junta forces and Arakan Army (AA) rebels.

In Bangladesh, where the government has tightened security along the border amid the violence in Rakhine, authorities have not confirmed reports of any new refugee arrivals or influx into Coxs Bazar.

Meanwhile, a Rohingya leader said that at least five Rohingya fleeing Myanmar had arrived at a Coxs Bazar camp in recent days.

Two Rohingya families of five people, including two infants, have taken shelter at the Lambasia camp in Ukhia, Muhammed Jubair, secretary general of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH), told BenarNews.

The adults were identified as Abul Wafa, his wife, Minara, and another woman, Dildar Begum.

Wafa said they fled from Buthidaung in Myanmar on Sept. 6 as junta and AA forces clashed.

The junta started torturing the Rohingya in Buthidaung, he told BenarNews. Thats why we came to Bangladesh to save our lives, but we are also hiding here.

When we were entering Bangladesh, we saw several hundred Rohingya people, mostly women and children waiting to leave near the Naf River, Wafa said.

Two days earlier, on Sept. 4, the Foreign Ministry issued a news release expressing deep concern over mortars that reportedly landed on the Bangladeshi side of the frontier the day before. The release noted that Myanmar Ambassador U Aung Kyaw Moe was summoned regarding the incident, just as he had been summoned on Aug. 21 and 28.

During the meeting, the ambassador was also told that such activities are of grave threat to the safety and security of the peace-loving people, violation of the border agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar and contrary to the good neighborly relationship, the ministry said.

On Tuesday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said he expected firing inside Myanmar along the border to end soon.

We heard that a group called Arakan Army was fighting with the government forces inside Myanmar. When the government forces attack the Arakan Army, some shells land inside our territory, he told reporters.

Our Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), as well as Foreign Ministry, have strongly protested the incidents by calling the ambassador of Myanmar.

Refugees accounts

Jubair said Wafa and the others sheltered with a relative after arriving in Bangladesh before moving into another camp.

Wafa said his group gave a boatman a piece of gold jewelry to carry them across the Naf River because they had no money to pay him.

Dildar Begum, 22, said her husband, Syed Ullah, was killed by the Mogh army a month ago. She was referring to the Arakan Army although Mogh is a term that Rohingya also often use to refer to the Burmese military.

I fled with Wafas family to Bangladesh as there was no other option for me, she told BenarNews.

In Rakhine state, an official with the AA rebels denied that the group was targeting members of the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority.

The allegations on AA targeting Muslims are not just wrong but baseless accusations, because the fighting [in the state between Arakan Army and junta troops] has been more than a month, Khine Thu Kha, a spokesman for the rebel group, told RFA Burmese.

We want to question back, did you guys see or hear any report of a Muslim killed or injured by the fighting? Did you hear any report or see anyone saying there was a shell or a bullet from AA falling in a Muslim village so far? Otherwise, it is just an accusation with other intentions to defame our organization.

Despite the claims made by the Rohingya, Md. Shamsud Douza, Bangladeshs commissioner for Refugee Relief and Repatriation, said there was no official information about any new arrivals from Rakhine state infiltrating Bangladesh territory.

Clashes are occurring between two groups in Myanmar. It is very normal that it will create some tension on our border as a neighboring country, he told BenarNews. Our decision is very clear  we cannot allow even a single Rohingya to enter Bangladesh.

Robiul Islam, additional superintendent of police, said his unit was not sure about a fresh entry of Rohingya but we are looking into the matter.

Sheikh Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar, a senior official of Border Guard Bangladesh, said the border police force had tightened security at the frontier to prevent any attempts by refugees to enter the country. From January to June, 478 Rohingya were denied entry and four were arrested, according to the BGB.

Repatriation hopes

A Rohingya who lives in Maungdaw, Myanmar, and asked to not be named for security concerns, said that the increasing conflict in the state had dampened Rohingya hopes for repatriation.

It will be difficult for them to return in this situation. The current situation will not allow them to come here, the resident told RFA.

The situation here is not very good. There is no security. People here are fleeing to other areas because fighting is going on. In this situation, they will not be able to come back.

Fighting between the military and the AA resumed in July. Oo Maung Ohn, a resident of Maungdaw Township, blamed the resurgence in Rakhine State after a nearly two-year ceasefire on the junta.

Do you know why all this fighting resumed? They (the junta) closed the roads and started the fighting and they arrested many innocent people, he told RFA. They arrested village administrators, questioned them and hit them.

Rakhine State Attorney General Hla Thein, a junta spokesman, did not immediately respond to RFA requests for comment.

Army leaders from 24 countries including the U.S., China, India and Indonesia meet with Rohingya at a refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, Sept. 13, 2022. Credit: BenarNews Regional army chief visit camps

Meanwhile, top army officers from 24 countries, including the United States, China and India, who were taking part in a conference in Dhaka, took a side trip on Tuesday to visit the Rohingya refugee camps in Coxs Bazar.

The delegation, including Bangladesh Army Chief Gen. S.M. Shafiuddin Ahmed and Gen. Charles A. Flynn, the American army chief in the Indo-Pacific, spoke with Rohingya leaders at the camps. The U.S. military did not immediately release details of those discussions.

While delivering the keynote address during the first day of the conference on Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned that the prolonged stay of more than 1 million Rohingya in the crowded Coxs Bazar camps had become a serious security and stability concern.

Most of those refugees, about 740,000, fled from Rakhine state during a Myanmar government crackdown five years ago. Within months, Bangladesh and Myanmar officials agreed to repatriate the Rohingya, but none have returned to their homeland under the program.

Ahammad Foyez in Dhaka and RFA Burmese contributed to this report by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated news service.
The move comes as the government tries to boost the country's flagging birth rate, as population growth slows.

A staff member feeds a newborn baby in the pediatric ward of a hospital in Fuyang in China's eastern Anhui province, April 25, 2021.

Faced with falling birth rates, authorities in Anhui are gearing up to remove bans on unmarried women having children.

The Anhui Provincial Health and Health Commission issued a draft change to regulations for public comment that will free up requirements around registering births and remove a ban on single women registering a birth, the official provincial news website AnhuiWang reported.

"Citizens who already have children will no longer be restricted to a certain number of births, and will be able to apply to register new births," the document said.

"If no marriage has been registered, the ID card or household registration booklet should be supplied," the draft rules say.

The draft rules go further than a similar document issued by the central province of Hunan in July 2022, which allowed couples to register births if marriages were planned in the next few months, according to a report on the Sohu news platform.

The proposals come as China's population records zero growth, with the number of newborns falling to just 10.62 million in 2021, the Global Times newspaper quoted the National Bureau of Statistics as saying.

Lu Jun, founder of the non-profit Beijing Yirenping Center, who now lives in New York, said that the reproductive rights of unmarried women in China were ignored for a long time during the era of family planning controls under the draconian "one-child" policy.

"Unmarried [mothers] couldn't get a birth certificate in the past; hospitals wouldn't give them pregnancy tests, prenatal care or deliver their babies," Lu said.

"Birth certificates weren't available to them ... and if they had a baby it wouldn't have a hukou [household registration]," he said. "Without the hukou, the kid wouldn't even be able to go to school, and there would be no benefits such as maternity insurance."

'Predicated on marriage'

Lu welcomed the proposed changes in Anhui, but also called for changes to the law and regulations to allow single women to freeze their eggs or access other forms of fertility technology -- something they are currently barred from doing.

"This technology is all predicated on marriage," he said.

"They think that people's right to reproduce needs to be managed by the state, and they don't see it as part of their natural rights as human beings," Lu said.

Online responses to the plan have been mixed, with some commentators worrying about the effect on children of growing up without a father, and others about a lack of legal protection for children born out outside of marriages.

But Lu said the biggest purveyor of discrimination is the Chinese government.

"China has always claimed to be a socialist country and should pay more attention to equality," Lu said. "Children born out of wedlock should enjoy the same rights and dignity as children born in wedlock."

"If these rights were respected, then prejudice and discrimination wouldn't naturally not exist," he said. "Then how would children be negatively impacted? It could set a good example for the whole of society."

Kuan-ting Chen of the Taiwan Next-Gen Foundation think tank, agreed.

"The rights and interests of children born can't be damaged by [their mother's] unmarried status," Chen said. "This is unfair to children."

"Whether single-parent families have problems depends on many factors, including their level of income and education," he said.

"The situation [should be] that, when both parties agree not to marry, [the child] is raised by the father or mother [alone]."

Supportive policies

He said the democratic island of Taiwan has a raft of policies aimed at encouraging people to have kids.

"There's good nursery provision, public kindergartens, and a system of qualified childminders," Chen said. "The key thing is that the government plays an important role in creating an environment suitable for children to grow up in."

"Taiwanese society is relatively open, and [the government] uses policy to adjust the level of assistance and make that good environment."

Lu said that without more supportive policies, any move to allowing single parenthood is unlikely to have much impact in China in the near term.

Officials vowed last month to ensure unmarried mothers receive maternity benefits, with Liu Juan, deputy director of payment security at the National Healthcare Security Administration, following media reports that regional authorities were still asking for marriage certificates.

A joint plan announced by 17 government departments in August 2022 vowed to offer "support policies in finance, tax, housing, employment, education and other fields to create a fertility-friendly society and encourage families to have more children."

They promised expanded community nursery services, better infant and child care services at local level, including funding for the building of new early years facilities and government controls on childcare fees, as well as government perks for nurseries in the form of cheaper bills.

They also promise to "build a fertility-friendly employment environment," encouraging flexible working and family-friendly workplaces, and safeguarding the labor and employment rights of parents.

But women's rights activists and other commentators said discrimination in the workplace still presents major obstacles to equality for Chinese women, despite protections enshrined in the country's law.

Chinese women still face major barriers to finding work in the graduate labor market and fear getting pregnant if they have a job, out of concern their employer will fire them.

Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Imee Marcos says reaching a COC without ASEAN non-claimants may speed agreement on the contested waters.

A Philippine senators suggestion to negotiate a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea among claimant countries, and not between the whole Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, was met with both approval and reservation from analysts.

During a hearing at the Philippine Senates Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Imee Marcos - the committees chairwoman  asked if there was a possibility for a code of conduct that includes only us claimants in the South China Sea, parts of which are known in the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea.

Why dont we formalize and come up with some kind of code, just between us. The first step of consensus-building is a long and torturous path, she was quoted as saying by Philippine media.

Six parties - Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and China - hold claims over the sea. ASEAN comprises ten member countries, among which Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand are non-claimants in the South China Sea.

ASEAN members and China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea twenty years ago and embarked on the negotiation on a Code of Conduct (COC) which is expected to be legally binding and playing a decisive role in diffusing regional territorial disputes.

A draft text of the COC was released in 2018 and has now entered the second reading, but the prospect of a final agreement remains dim despite Chinas efforts to speed it up.

China claims historical rights to almost 90 percent of the South China Sea, an area roughly demarcated by the nine-dash line. Other claimants have rejected those claims and a 2016 international arbitration tribunal ruled that they had no legal basis.

Activists protest outside the Chinese Consulate on the fifth anniversary of the PCA ruling invalidating Beijing's claims over the South China Sea, in Makati City, the Philippines, July 12, 2021. CREDIT: Reuters

The ship has sailed

Some Philippine analysts were quoted in local media as saying that Imee Marcoss idea was worth exploring.

Political analyst Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy wrote theres no harm if the Philippines initiates a COC among the claimant-states, which include China.

This could be faster, more efficient, effective, and less tedious, she wrote in the Asian Century Journal.

It will probably hasten the process, given the number of countries involved in the negotiation is fewer, Malindog-Uy wrote.

Another analyst, Lucio Blanco Pitlo III from the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, suggested one of the best ways to go forward is for the four ASEAN claimants to have some consensus first.

BusinessWorld as saying that if, after that, all ten members of ASEAN could reach an agreement, they can have better leverage in negotiating with their bigger neighbor and the biggest claimant, China.

Regional analysts however seem uncertain about the proposal.

I think the ship on this sailed a long time ago, said Shahriman Lockman, Director of Malaysias Institute of Strategic and International Studies.

To exclude the non-claimants at this stage would be a nonstarter as all ten countries have been involved for so many years, he said.

Besides, non-claimant Indonesia has overlapping jurisdictional claims with China in the South China Sea and Singapore is a major user state given its central role in international shipping.

Singapore also administers the flight information region (FIR) in the airspace above the South China Sea. It is not a claimant, but obviously has a huge stake in what goes on there, Shahriman told RFA.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo visits a military base at Natuna, Indonesia, near the South China Sea, January 9, 2020. CREDIT: Antara Foto/Reuters

External factors

Philippine analysts, such as Malindog-Uy, warned against what they called external factors.

Countries not parties to the South China Sea dispute, like the United States, should not be involved, for it will just complicate and muddle the situation, she wrote in her column.

Malindog-Uys statement resonated with those of Chinese scholars who said some extra-regional countries with ulterior motives hope to realize their regional strategies by exaggerating the tension in the South China Sea.

Hu Bo, Director of the Center for Maritime Strategy Studies at Peking University, wrote in an article on the South China Sea Probing Initiative website that the United States ostensibly emphasizes maintaining a rules-based international order, but [is] actually trying to create a maritime order to exclude China in the South China Sea and even the Indo-Pacific region.

Hu also accused some ASEAN countries of having some unrealistic expectations, adding that neither the DOC nor the COC is a platform for resolving disputes in the South China Sea.

Any attempt to raise a negotiating price is intended to prevent or destroy consultations, the Chinese analyst wrote.

Demanding too much from China is not the way to be a good neighbor and friend, nor does it serve the interests of all parties as well as the whole region, he added.

Chinas behavior, on the other hand, is seen by several stakeholders in the South China Sea as aggressive and not helpful to the COC negotiating process.

Huynh Tam Sang, a lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Vietnam, said a major obstacle in the negotiation is Chinas maritime aggression.

As the U.S. has been more determined to boost its engagement in the South China Sea under the motto of freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs), China has at the same time stepped up its military exercises in the contested sea, he said.

In essence, China wants the COC to be built upon the PRCs interests rather than those of ASEAN states, Sang told RFA, using Chinas official name - the Peoples Republic of China.

Yet the analyst argued that as the role of ASEAN has increased in the eyes of great powers like the U.S., Japan, Australia and India, the determination of middle powers like Vietnam and the Philippines will likely increase and make the conclusion of the COC within this year unlikely.
Xi is en route to a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived in Kazakhstan at the start of a state visit to two Central Asian countries that will see him meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a regional strategic summit in Uzbekistan, and amid speculation of a meeting with the Pope.

Xi touched down in Nur-Sultan on Wednesday morning, where he was met by Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev and other senior officials, state news agency Xinhua reported.

He will be in the country at the same time as Pope Francis, prompting speculation that there could be a meeting.

Asked en route to Kazakhstan whether he would meet Xi, the Pope replied that he was ready to go to China at any time, but said he had no information on any potential meeting.

Taiwanese national security researcher Shih Chien-yu said that even if the meeting does take place, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is unlikely to concede much on its treatment of Chinese Catholics, amid an ongoing clampdown on all forms of religious activity.

"The CCP hasn't been in further contact with the Holy See [since a deal was signed between the two sides in 2018]," Shih said. "They haven't felt the need to make any more concessions ... because they are implementing their sinicization of religions policy."

Chang Chia-lin, former religious affairs professor at Taiwan's Aletheia University, said the 2018 deal had been functioning well so far.

"I think it has been maintained so far," Chang said. "As for the Pope, if he makes any visits to Chinese dioceses, then this will likely be a warning signal that the Vatican is getting ready to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan."

"But he hasn't been allowed to visit them yet by the Chinese side."

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he boards a plane after his visit to Kazakhstan, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. Credit: Press service of the President of Kazakhstan/Handout via Reuters Meanwhile, Beijing declined to comment on the forthcoming meeting with Putin, which has been confirmed by the Russian side.

"The heads of state of China and Russia have maintained close contact and conducted strategic communication through various means for a long time now," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news briefing in Beijing.

"Regarding the specific questions you mention, I have no information at present, and refer to you previously published news." she said.

Li Zhanshu, the No. 3 figure of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the National People's Congress, has just left Russia. while Yang Jiechi, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, met the Russian ambassador to China on Sept. 12.

Xi's trip is expected to focus on broad strategic concerns in response to the United States' formation of the Quad alongside Japan, Australia and India in a bid to counter Beijing's increasingly assertive foreign policy.

Xi and Putin will meet at the eight-member SCO Summit, which also includes Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan, with the president taking the trip at a time when Chinese citizens have been barred from non-essential foreign travel.

It also comes as his ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gears up for its 20th National Congress on Oct. 16, during which Xi is widely expected to secure an unprecedented third term in office following constitutional amendments in 2018.

The last time Xi met Putin at the February 2022 Winter Olympics -- shortly before Russian launched its invasion of Ukraine -- the two leaders declared a "no limits" friendship that has seen China claim neutrality but decline to criticize the war, amid a large spike in its exports of electronics components and other raw materials to Russia since the war began.

Until now, Xi has taken part in other international engagement via video link, only making the trip to Hong Kong to mark the 25th anniversary of the city's handover to China.

Formed under Xi's predecessor Hu Jintao, the SCO is seen as a counterweight to U.S. alliances across East Asia to the Indian Ocean amid increasingly tense relations with Washington, Europe, Japan and India over trade, technology, security, Taiwan, Hong Kong, human rights and territorial conflicts at sea and in the Himalayas.

Rolling out his "Global Security Initiative" in April, Xi said he aimed to uphold the principle of indivisibility of security and oppose the building of national security on the basis of insecurity in other countries.

Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A tweet by a member of the Yay Bawai (Octopus) People's Benevolent Youth Organization references a story about the group's anti-junta protest in Yangon, Sept. 14, 2022.

Authorities in Myanmars commercial capital Yangon arrested 15 people on Tuesday evening after breaking up an anti-junta protest calling on the United Nations to extend the tenure of the shadow National Unity Governments (NUG) envoy to the world body.



A young man who took part in the protest march on Panbingyi Road in West Yangons Kyimyindine township told RFA Burmese that several members of the security forces in civilian clothes pulled up in five vehicles at around 4:30 p.m. and confronted his group.

I can confirm [the identities of] those who were arrested and Id say they are in a very dangerous situation, said the man, who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

There were a lot of them in civilian clothes. They arrived in two taxis and three private cars, coming in from all four sides. I saw the guy who was arrested in front of me severely beaten, grabbed by the throat, and dragged away.

The man said he was late to join in the march and heard the sound of gunshots and screams when he arrived, just as the protest was being broken up.

Those who were arrested were members of the Yay Bawai (Octopus) People's Benevolent Youth Organization, Basic Education Young Students Association (Ah-ka-la-Central), Myanmar Labor Alliance, Burma Youth Network, Pyinnya Nandaw Private School Students' Union, and the Owl Community, he said.

The protesters had been marching with banners calling on the U.N. to extend the tenure of NUG representative Kyaw Moe Tun, instead of replacing him with an envoy from Myanmars military regime, which came to power in a Feb. 1, 2021 coup that unseated the countrys democratically elected government.

In December, the U.N. Credentials Committee announced that it would indefinitely postpone the decision, allowing Kyaw Moe Tun to retain his seat, in what observers called a serious blow to Myanmars junta on the world stage.

On Wednesday, the leader of Yay Bawai, which organized the protest, confirmed to RFA that two men, two women, and a person identifying as gender non-binary were among those arrested from his group. He added that the detainees are being held at the Shwe Pyitha and Yay Kyi Aing interrogation centers.

The Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM) announced on Wednesday that five of its members  two women and three men  were among those arrested.

A person who fled arrest told RFA that he saw a few men and some cars  including a Toyota Alphard  parked nearby before the protest started.

Soon after the protest began, people in civilian clothes came out of the cars and violently arrested the protesters, he said, adding that shots were fired and at least one protester was injured.

Reports by local media said that some journalists covering the protest were among those arrested on Tuesday, although RFA was unable to independently confirm the claim.

Tuesday evenings protest took place on the same street where on Dec. 5 authorities arrested several anti-junta demonstrators after a military vehicle drove into the crowd, hitting several people.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Residents of 61 villages have left their homes due to junta airstrikes, according to the KNU.

Former residents of Mone township who fled the fighting in a photograph taken on September 13.

The number of people fleeing fighting between junta forces and the Karen National Union (KNU) in Bago regions Mone township is nearing 20,000, according to the KNU.

The groups Brigade 3 controls part of the township in Nyaunglebin district.

Some 18,669 locals from 3,236 households in 61 villages left their homes after junta airstrikes, according to a KNU statement, released Tuesday.

A woman, who declined to be named for safety reasons, said she wanted to return to her home, which she left almost four months ago.

I had to flee in the last week of May, and was living in neighboring villages, she said.

The fighting erupted again where I had taken shelter and I ran into the forest. I want to go back to my home and I want the military dictatorship to end as soon as possible.

The woman said no one dared to stay in the village after the juntas airstrikes.

RFAs calls to Bago region's State Administration Council spokesman Saw Khin Maung Myint went unanswered on Wednesday.

Kayin (Karen) State lies directly to the east of Bago region, with the KNU controlling parts of both areas, leading to fighting spilling over the border as junta forces try to regain control.

Kayin has seen the highest number of battles between junta forces and pro-democracy groups since the Feb. 2021 coup and July this year, according to an Institute of Strategy and Policy (ISP-Myanmar) report on August 29. It said junta forces and the affiliated Border Guard Force fought 3,993 battles against the KNU, Karen National Liberation Army and Peoples Defense Forces.

Nearly 90,000 residents of Kayin State have become Internally Displaced Persons since the coup, according to a United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report on September 5.
The measures have led to starvation in some cases due to a lack of food.

A view of a coronavirus quarantine center (top L) in Ghulja, northwestern China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and young Uyghurs suffering from a lack of food during a strict COVID-19 lockdown, September 2022.

More than 600 mostly young Uyghurs from a village in Ghulja were detained by authorities in Xinjiang on Monday after they ignored a strict COVID-19 lockdown and staged a peaceful street protest against a lack of food that has led to starvation and deaths, a local police officer said.

The detention figure was much higher than Chinas official number issued the same day on an official police website stating that only two people who violated the lockdown restrictions in Ghulja (in Chinese, Yining) city were sentenced to five days of detention.



Ghulja, a city of roughly a half-million mainly Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in Ili (Yili) Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in the northern part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), has been under lockdown since early August, prompted by outbreaks of COVID-19.

Video posted by Uyghurs on Chinese social media last week showed that strict policies were denying them medical care and preventing them from getting food, leading to starvation in some cases. RFA could not independently verify the videos

The lockdowns, along with mandatory testing, are part of China's zero-COVID approach to preventing the further spread of the highly contagious respiratory virus, but they have triggered exorbitant commodity prices, significant food shortages, and a lack of health care, especially for those living below the poverty line.

In response to the zero-COVID policy, the residents of Ghuljas Karadong village walked en masse out of their homes and took to the streets.

We came out because of the deaths, otherwise we would have remained silent, a Uyghur protester said in a soundbite of a social media post on Monday. Look at these people who took to the streets! We, the people of Karadong village of Ghulja city, took to the streets! They [the authorities] did not send any aid here; therefore, people took to the streets when they couldnt endure it.

The villagers demonstrated despite warnings that aired on state-run Xinjiang TV warning citizens that authorities would punish them as separatists if they "spread rumors" about the wave of COVID-19 infection in the area.

Those who use the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic to create and spread rumors to split the country, harm the unity of the country, or incite the overthrow of the state regime and the socialist system, fall under Article 103, Section 2, and Article 105, Section 2 of the Criminal Law and will be prosecuted for the crime of inciting to split the country and to overthrow the state regime, the announcement said.

When asked by RFA about the number of protesters arrested, an officer at the Karadong Town 2 Police Station said 617 people from Karadong village had been detained. He also said officers from his station arrested 182 people in the neighborhood for which they are responsible.

Most of them are misguided youths  17, 18, 19 [years old] or even younger, he said. Some of them I have spoken to. They all said they did wrong and acknowledged the [Chinese Communist] Partys and the governments benevolence. During the interrogations, they all expressed remorse.

The officer said officials are helping impoverished families during the lockdown implemented since early August

Village and township cadres are visiting and distributing flour, oil and meat, he said. Economically well-off families in the village are also helping the poor.

An officer at the Ghulja Yengihayat Police Station contacted by RFA said he did not know how many people involved in the protest were arrested

Those handling the case know this. We don't know. They havent informed us yet, he said.

An officer at the Ghulja City Police Command Center declined to provide information about the protesters over the phone.

Please ask the relevant offices, he said. We cannot provide information about this. There is data published by the police department about this, look it up online.

But when RFA pointed out to him that there was a difference between the information posted online and what the officer from the Karadong Town 2 Police Station said, he replied: I don't know how many cases have been filed in this case. The prosecutors know that.

'Terrible things are transpiring'

Many Uyghurs have posted short videos of the starvation they are experiencing on Chinas Douyin video-hosting service, though some of them, including some Han Chinese, complained that censors were deleting their videos.

A warning in the Uyghur language telling residents not to post any information about the COVID lockdown on social media appeared on Douyin on Monday.

Starting today until Sept. 18, nobody is allowed to share any news, any graphic with news written on it, or images of desperate expressions or videos on social media, especially in separate chat rooms because our country will hold its National Congress on October 18, the message said. Were all fully aware of it. That is why we must strictly abide by this.

The Chinese government wants to prevent large-scale COVID outbreaks in Xinjiang and other parts of China in the run-up to the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, when the partys national policy goals for the next five years will be set and its top leadership elected.

Meanwhile, Uyghur residents have complained that their residential management offices are charging exorbitant fees to deliver for food donated from outside the area, while Uyghurs from outside Ghulja say housing manager have refused to accept food they wanted to donate to help those in the city environs who need it.

Members of Uyghur organizations abroad demonstrated peacefully over the weekend to protest the starvation of Ghulja in front of Chinese embassies and consulates around the world, in the United States, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Australia and Turkey.

Adrian Zenz, a researcher at the Washington, D.C.-based Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and expert on the Xinjiang region, tweeted Monday, terrible things are transpiring from Uyghur regions, including severe and potentially life-threatening conditions caused by lockdowns.

My heart very much goes out to the Uyghur community at this time, praying for strength in the face of what appear to be depictions of utter desperation and even death amid a ruthless COVID lockdown, he tweeted. Years of oppression have left Uyghurs in the region utterly helpless.

As many as a dozen people in Ghulja country have died from starvation or lack of access to medicine since the coronavirus lockdown was imposed by Chinese authorities, RFA reported on Sept. 9, citing information from residents and local officials.

At the end of August, the United Nations human rights chief issued a report on Xinjiang, saying that Chinas arbitrary detention and repression of Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in the region may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.

Translated by Mamatjan Juma for RFA Uyghur. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
UPDATED AT 2:04 PM EST ON 9-14-22

The United Nations has hit out at Vietnams human rights abuses, calling on the government to release jailed activists and live up to its commitment to meeting international human rights standards.

The comments came in its Global Update, released Monday, which criticized Vietnam for failing to live up to its commitments to the U.N.s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The governments growing restrictions on civic space and fundamental freedoms, as well as the sentencing of people on charges related to their human rights work and efforts to promote a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment are worrisome, said U.N. Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif.

I urge the government to ensure diverse and robust participation for civil society, including human rights defenders, and to release those who have been arbitrarily detained or imprisoned for such activities.

Since the beginning of the year, Vietnamese authorities have arrested at least 16 human rights and social activists, eight of them accused of conducting propaganda against the state, or making, storing and distributing documents for propaganda against the state. Five were charged with "abusing democratic freedoms.

Among those arrested was Radio Free Asia blogger Nguyen Lan Thang.

In the past week alone, three activists and bloggers were arrested and charged with making, storing and distributing documents for propaganda against the state.

Da Nang-based human rights activist Bui Tuan Lam, Dang Phuoc, a music lecturer at Dak Lak Pedagogical College and Hanoi-based blogger Phan Son Tung were all charged under Article 117 of the 2015 Criminal Code.

The Vietnam courts have also jailed 21 human rights activists this year. Among them, six were found guilty of anti-state propaganda or distributing propaganda materials and sentenced to prison terms of between five and eight years. Another 10 were sentenced to between one and five years on charges of "abusing democratic freedoms."

Josef Benedict, a researcher at the international human rights alliance CIVICUS, told RFA that Vietnams civic space is rated closed by the CIVICUS Monitor, which tracks threats to civil society.

For many years human rights groups have been reporting on the dire human rights situation under the one-party rule of the Communist Party of Vietnam, he said.

This includes the systematic criminalization and jailing of human rights defenders, restrictions on movement, a crackdown on the media as well as pervasive censorship.

Benedict also noted that Vietnam has recently started using tax evasion laws to target activists and said that the UNs call for action puts more pressure on the government to improve its human rights record.

The fact that human rights concerns in Vietnam have now been highlighted by the UN Acting Human Rights Commissioner in her update at the Human Rights Council, shows that Vietnam is now higher on their agenda and that finally these issues are getting increased global attention. Vietnam cannot continue to hide or try to cover up such abuses, he said.

The U.N.s Al Nashif said the coming months will be a critical test of whether countries that crack down on human rights freedoms have the political will to change.

When galvanized through multilateral and concerted action, by building bridges rather than sowing division, political commitment that is grounded in international human rights standards can propel us forward towards more just and equal societies, she said.

The pursuit of peace, stability and justice unites us all. It lies at the core of the mission of this Council  to fulfill it is therefore, to uphold our collective commitment to the enduring principle that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Letter of concern

Al Nashif's comments came as 52 winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize sent a letter to U.N. Human Rights Council urging the body to reject Vietnam as a new member ahead of its 51st session in light of its use of tax laws to imprison activists in the country, including fellow award recipient Nguy Thi Khanh, who is serving a two-year prison sentence for alleged "tax evasion." The Goldman Prize, which recognizes individuals who put themselves at risk to protect and enhance the environment, was awarded to Khanh in 2018 for her efforts to moderate Vietnams coal expansion plans, raise public awareness about the impact of coal plant emissions on air quality, and advance the use of renewable energy sources in her country.

The letter noted that Khanh, environmental lawyer Dang Dinh Bach, and at least two other environmental leaders are in prison for alleged violations of Vietnamese tax law, which U.N. Special Rapporteurs on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association and on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression have found to be incompatible with human rights norms and are being used to silence leaders of nonprofit organizations in the country.

"Ms. Khanh, Mr. Bach, and the other environmental defenders currently imprisoned in Vietnam have dedicated their lives to creating a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, which was declared a universal human right by the UN General Assembly last year, the letter, addressed to UNHRC members, said. "With these experts behind bars and concerns about the possibility of more arrests, how will Vietnam uphold this universal right?"

The letter called on Vietnam to immediately revise its tax code to prevent its use as a tool to silence members of civil society and release Khanh, Bach, and the other environmental defenders prosecuted under such laws.

"Until then, we do not believe that Vietnam meets your criteria of upholding high human rights standards and we urge you to vote against the countrys membership into your Council when it comes before the General Assembly," it said.

This story has been updated to correct Josef Benedict's name and add the letter of concern from the winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize.
The NATO military alliance said it would support Ukraine in its fight against Russia for as long as it takes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stepped up calls for Western sanctions against Moscow following the discovery of a mass burial site in a city once occupied by Russian forces.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

NATO military committee Chairman Admiral Rob Bauer on September 17 said Western military aid was making a crucial difference as Ukraine conducts a powerful counteroffensive to retake occupied lands in the east and south of the country.

"The ammunition, equipment, and training that allies and other nations are delivering are all making a real difference on the battlefield," he said at a meeting in Tallinn.

"With its successes on the ground and online, Ukraine has fundamentally changed modern warfare," he added, citing both military and civilian actions.

Bauer said NATO would support Ukraine for "as long as it takes. Winter is coming but our support shall remain unwavering."

The reaffirmation of support came as Zelenskiy called on the global community to condemn the Russian "terrorist state following the discovery of a mass burial site and evidence of torture in Izyum days after the city was retaken from Russia.



Speaking in his nightly video address on September 16, Zelenskiy said Russia should be punished with tougher sanctions.

"There is already clear evidence of torture, humiliating treatment of people. Moreover, there is evidence that Russian soldiers, whose positions were not far from this place, shot at the buried just for fun," he said.

Zelenskiy compared the discoveries made in Izyum this week with the Bucha massacre in the spring and reiterated his call for an international tribunal to be set up to hold Russia accountable for any crimes it committed in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has said that at least 440 bodies had been found at the site in Izyum.

The UN Human Rights Office said it planned to send investigators to Izyum.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described the reports as "repugnant" but said they were "in keeping with the kind of depravity and the brutality with which Russian forces have been prosecuting this war."

The Czech Republic, which currently holds the rotating EU Presidency, called for the creation of an international war crimes tribunal after the new mass burial sites were found.

"Russia left behind mass graves of hundreds of shot and tortured people in the Izyum area. In the 21st century, such attacks against the civilian population are unthinkable and abhorrent," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Twitter.

"We must not overlook it. We stand for the punishment of all war criminals," he added.

Moscow has not commented on the mass burial site in Izyum, which was a Russian frontline stronghold before Ukraine's counteroffensive forced its forces to flee.

Reacting to the reports, U.S. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said war crimes in Ukraine cannot be hidden.

"In terms of the totality of the scale [of potential war crimes], I don't know. But I would tell you that the world will discover that. War crimes cannot be hidden, especially things like mass graves," Milley told reporters traveling with him after arriving in Estonia for a NATO gathering.

Milley lauded Ukraine's military for seizing the "strategic initiative" from Russia -- suggesting that Ukraine had momentum in the war.

Asked whether Ukraine would be able to retake all its territory, Milley said: "The offensives are in the early stages. We're only looking at probably about two weeks so far. And it remains to be seen how far the Ukrainians can press this fight. So I think we'll have to wait and see how the fighting develops."

Elsewhere, the UN atomic watchdog said the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has been reconnected to the Ukrainian national grid after one of its four power lines was repaired.

The plant had been completely shut down a week ago amid heavy fighting in the area, raising fears of a potential radiation disaster. Russia has taken control of the plant, but it is still operated by Ukrainian personnel.

Near the city of Zaporizhzhya, which is still under Ukrainian control, the Vatican reported that papal envoy Cardinal Konrad Krajewski came under light arms fire as he delivered humanitarian aid in the name of Pope Francis. No one was hurt and it was not clear where the shots came from.

The cardinal is scheduled to visit Kharkiv after previously traveling to Odesa.

WATCH: The speed and efficiency of Ukraine's counteroffensive in the northeastern region of Kharkiv came as a stunning surprise to the Russian military. Ukraine went to great lengths to keep its counteroffensive secret, including deliberately deceiving Russian forces about its military maneuvers. RFE/RL spoke to some of the soldiers involved, who described their tactics.

Meanwhile, Russias TASS news agency quoted local authorities in Russia's Belgorod region as saying Ukrainian shelling from across the border had killed one person in the area. The report could not be independently verified.

Ukrainian authorities say that Russian forces have used the border region to fire missiles into nearby Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city.

In a Twitter update on September 17, British military intelligence said Ukraine continued its offensive operations in the northeast of the country while Russian forces have established a defensive line between the Oskil River and the town of Svatove.

"Russia likely sees maintaining control of this zone as important because it is transited by one of the few main resupply routes Russia still controls from the Belgorod region of Russia," the Defense Ministry said on Twitter.

"Russia will likely attempt to conduct a stubborn defense of this area, but it is unclear whether Russia's frontline forces have sufficient reserves or adequate morale to withstand another concerted Ukrainian assault," it added.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, Reuters, dpa, AP, and AFP
Clashes erupted again on September 14 between Azerbaijan and Armenia as world leaders called for an immediate cessation in hostilities and international peace efforts intensified.

Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of instigating new rounds of cross-border shelling, which came a day after the deadliest clashes between the two Caucasus neighbors since the end of a 2020 war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on September 14 raised the number of ethnic Armenian troops killed in the recent clashes from 49 to 105, and Azerbaijan said it was ready to hand over the corpses of up to 100 Armenian troops to the other side.

Azerbaijan said on September 13 that it had lost 50 troops. The Defense Ministry's press service did not give an update on casualties during a briefing on September 14 but said additional information would be provided.

Pashinian told parliament that Armenia had appealed to the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to help it restore its territorial integrity.

Our allies are Russia and the CSTO, Pashinian said, adding that the collective security pact states that an aggression against one member is an aggression against all.

We don't see a military intervention as the only possibility because there are also political and diplomatic options, Pashinian told the parliament.

Armenia's Defense Ministry accused Azerbaijani forces of launching combat drones in the direction of the Armenian resort town of Jermuk overnight and renewing shelling with artillery and mortars in the direction of Jermuk and the village of Verin Shorzha.

As a result of shelling, six civilians were injured, four of whom were hospitalized, the Ministry of Health said.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Aram Torosian said the situation remained tense. In the late afternoon on September 14 the enemy continued intensive rocket attacks along the entire border from Sotk to Goris, during which civilian settlements were also targeted, and attack drones were widely used, Torosian said.

The Azerbaijani military said two Azerbaijani civilians were killed in shelling of its positions in the Kalbacar and Lacin districts of Azerbaijan near the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Diplomatic efforts to calm the situation were under way on September 14.

Toivo Klaar, the special representative of the European Union for the South Caucasus, met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and expressed concern. Klaar noted that EU leaders had spoken by phone with Pashinian and Aliyev.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke by phone with the two leaders, while the State Department said Washington would "push for an immediate halt to fighting and a peace settlement."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also urged the two sides to urgently de-escalate tensions.

Aliyev accused Armenia of provoking the attacks and said that Azerbaijan supports the peace agenda already begun by Brussels.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry echoed Aliyevs statement, saying on September 14 that, despite the appeals of the international community, Armenian armed forces continue attacks and provocations in the state border using artillery and other heavy weapons."

Baku and Yerevan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for years. Armenian-backed separatists seized the mainly Armenian-populated region from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people.

The two sides fought another war in 2020 that lasted six weeks before a Russia-brokered cease-fire, resulting in Armenia losing control over parts of the region and seven adjacent districts.

Under the cease-fire Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers. Russia moved quickly to negotiate an end to the latest hostilities, but a renewal of the cease-fire has failed to hold.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of other CSTO members discussed the situation on September 13, urging a quick cessation of hostilities. They agreed to send a mission of top officials from the security alliance to the area.

The first group of members of the CSTO mission will arrive in Armenia on September 15, said Vladimir Zaynetdinov, a spokesman for the organization.

Putin is set to hold a meeting on September 16 with Aliyev in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they both plan to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security grouping dominated by Russia and China.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and AFP
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.



I'm RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here's what Ive been following during the past week and what Im watching for in the days ahead.

The Big Issue

For the past week, the families of prisoners on death row have been staging protests to demand that authorities halt their pending executions.



Dozens of protesters have rallied in front of Iran's judiciary headquarters in Tehran and outside the Islamic Revolutionary Court in the city of Karaj.



Amateur videos and images from the protests have shown protesters holding signs that read Dont execute and No to executions.



On September 12, which was to be the sixth consecutive day of the protests, law enforcement and security officers dispersed the demonstrators and arrested several of them.



The protests came amid a significant rise in the number of executions carried out in Iran under hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi and judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, a former intelligence minister.



Amnesty International and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran warned in July that Iranian authorities have embarked on an execution spree, killing at least 251 people between January 1 and June 30.



The rights groups said that, if executions continue at the current pace, they will soon surpass the total of 314 executions recorded for the whole of 2021.

Why It Matters: Public protests by the families of prisoners on death row are rare in the Islamic republic, which has one of the highest rates of executions in the world.



Desperation appears to have forced the families of those sentenced to death to rally, with the demonstrators hoping to pressure the authorities to drop the sentences.



The protests prompted Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard to call for Iran to end the death penalty.

What's Next: The protests could raise public awareness about Irans use of the death penalty, which has been abolished in 144 countries around the world.



Criticism of the executions has increased in recent years.



In 2020, Iranians participated in an unprecedented social media campaign using the hashtag #dont_execute, which resulted in the overturning of the death sentences of three young men arrested during nationwide 2019 anti-government protests. Last week, the lawyer of the three men suggested that they could be released conditionally.

Stories You Might Have Missed

 Iranian authorities have been accused of secretly implementing a draft bill that is designed to intensify online censorship and limit Internet access. The proposed legislation has been met with fierce criticism inside the country, where the government already blocks tens of thousands of websites and regularly cuts Internet connectivity.



The Supreme Cyberspace Council last week sidestepped the parliament and adopted three articles of the unapproved law. The move raised concerns that the contentious bill is gradually becoming a reality. If approved, the legislation would hand over control of Iran's Internet gateways to the armed forces and criminalize the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), which many Iranians use to bypass state censorship of the Internet.

 Imprisoned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival over the weekend for his latest film, No Bears.



Panahi, 62, was imprisoned in July after a Tehran court ruled he must serve a six-year sentence he was handed more than a decade ago for supporting anti-government demonstrations.



Iranian actor Reza Heydari told journalists after the award ceremony that Panahi had sent him a message from prison. "He told me not to get into trouble for him," said Heydari, who plays one of the main characters in No Bears. "The award he has received brings a message -- an artist in a prison or outside a prison can still produce his message because he loves art and he loves cinema."

What We're Watching

For the first time, Kyiv has said it downed an Iranian Shahed suicide drone used by Russia in its war in Ukraine. Iran has not publicly reacted to the claim, which follows an August 29 report in The Washington Post suggesting that Russian cargo planes have picked up the first batch of Iranian-made drones for use in Ukraine.

Why It Matters: The reported downing of an Iranian drone in Ukraine is likely to increase concerns over Tehrans drone program and the countrys deepening ties with Russia.



It comes a few days after the United States imposed sanctions against an Iranian air transportation company it accused of coordinating military flights between Iran and Russia, including for transporting drones and related equipment. Three other Iranian companies were also sanctioned for the production of drones.

Thats all from me for now. Dont forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have.



Until next time,



Golnaz Esfandiari



If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday.
ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- In the days leading up to Chinese leader Xi Jinpings arrival in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, activists have been arrested and intimidated for protesting their relatives imprisonment in China's Xinjiang Province and its vast internment camp system.

Bakhyt Zharykbasovas husband, Baibolat Kunbolat, was one of those arrested and sentenced to 15 days in jail. For more than a year and half, Kunbolat has been organizing demonstrations outside the Chinese Consulate in Almaty, the country's biggest city, demanding the release of his brother along with other Kazakhs whose relatives are missing, jailed, or trapped in the neighboring region.

But in the lead-up to Xis high-profile September 14 visit -- his first trip abroad in more than two years -- protesters say they have been met with a wave of arrests, police summonses, and warnings not to travel to Nur-Sultan in an attempt to prevent dissent during the Chinese leaders state visit.

The authorities warned him and I warned him, [too], but he decided that this is what he is going to do and [that] he will keep doing it, Zharykbasova, whose husband was arrested on September 10, told RFE/RL. Baibolat says he is fine [in detention], but I know they will not let him out as long as the Chinese president is here.

Chinas crackdown in Xinjiang has seen more than 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minorities put into mass detention camps. Since Beijings dragnet accelerated in 2017, the plight of ethnic Kazakhs interned in China has been an unexpected source of dissent, with the testimonies of former detainees and family members fueling a guerrilla advocacy campaign that brought outsized international attention to the issue.

This left the Kazakh government walking a tightrope between appeasing Beijing -- which denies the long list of abuses that have been documented in its camp system -- and dealing with an exasperated segment of its population lobbying for family members in China.

There is only one goal here [with these arrests and threats] -- to please the Chinese leader, Yerbol Dauletbek, the leader of the officially registered chapter of Atajurt Eriktileri, a group lobbying for ethnic Kazakhs detained in Xinjiang and their relatives, told RFE/RL. This is how [the government] helps to hide the crimes of China.

Silencing Xinjiang Protests

Demonstrators were facing growing pressure from the authorities even before Xis meeting with Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev was announced.

In recent years, the government has led a swift crackdown against activists working on Xinjiang issues in the country: shutting down organizations, arresting activists, and intimidating leading figures into exile, leaving only a small but devoted segment -- such as Kunbolat and his peers -- for public protests.

On September 12, Gulfiya Kazybek, Gaukhar Kurmanaliyeva, and Qalida Akytkhan -- who were all part of ongoing protests outside the Chinese Consulate in Almaty and embassy in Nur-Sultan since February 2020 -- said police officers removed them from a bus that they were on while traveling to a wedding in the southwestern city of Shymkent.

The police demanded that we get off the bus and then they took us to the police station, Kazybek told RFE/RL.

Once at the police station, the three women were told that an administrative case had been opened over the violation of the procedure for holding peaceful assemblies and they were handed summonses.

Kurmanaliyeva and Kazybek went to their local police station in Almaty on September 13 but were told by officers that no materials on their case had been received yet and they were asked to wait for a phone call for more information which had not been provided by the time this article was published.

Kurmanaliyeva told RFE/RL that she believes security operatives had been tailing her and other protesters since September 10, saying that she and others had documented instances of being followed at the market and outside their homes.

We'll keep protesting until our relatives are out, she said. I am against Xi Jinping's visit. He is making genocide against Kazakhs and Muslims in Xinjiang and he comes here like nothing has happened. He should answer for what he is doing.

Following the release of a damning UN report earlier this month that said China has committed serious human rights violations in mass detention camps in Xinjiang that may be crimes against humanity, activists urged Toqaev to raise the issue of the treatment of ethnic Kazakhs during his talks with Xi.

Kurmanaliyeva says an official from Almaty's city administration had told her Toqaev would raise the plight of their relatives when he meets with Xi, although she doubts it will happen.

They just didn't want us to go to [the capital], Kurmanaliyeva said. They told us: You'll create a bother.

Other protesters who had been part of the regular pickets outside the Chinese Consulate and embassy also faced detention and harassment in the lead-up to Xis visit.

Akikat Kaliolla, a musician whose relatives are believed to be in Xinjiangs camp system, was also sentenced to 15 days in jail for allegedly violating laws on public protests and was taken directly by police from his recording studio.

Nurzat Yermekbay, who has also regularly participated in demonstrations against the camps, said he was detained for four hours on September 10 in Almaty and warned by police not to go to the capital.

Bekzat Maksutkhan, the head of Naghyz Atajurt, an unregistered advocacy group that works with families who have relatives missing in Xinjiang, told RFE/RL that the Kazakh authorities have been effective in silencing dissent around the issue and that the treatment of ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang is not receiving mainstream attention in the country.

The Chinese Embassy in Nur-Sultan has not responded publicly to the appeals of protesters and neither the embassy nor the consulate in Almaty responded to RFE/RLs request for comment about the fate of ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang and the protesters complaints.

Xi Arrives

The fact that Xi chose Kazakhstan and Central Asia as the location to first step outside of China since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic brings prestige and geopolitical significance to the government in Nur-Sultan.

Expanding its already deep economic and political ties with China has been a priority for the Kazakh government and local authorities have treaded cautiously with Beijing over the issue of interned Kazakhs.

The issue is further complicated by the complex family connections across the lengthy 1,782-kilometer border between China and Kazakhstan.

Cross-border ties have been a mainstay for centuries but accelerated when the Kazakh government sought to attract ethnic Kazakhs living in Xinjiang to move following the collapse of the Soviet Union. This led to many Chinese-born Kazakhs uprooting and resettling in neighboring Kazakhstan. They have become permanent residents and even Kazakh citizens while still maintaining close connections to family in China.

In instances where Kazakh citizens, many of whom were originally born in China, were detained in Xinjiang, the Kazakh government has negotiated behind-the-scenes with Beijing to secure their release. But it says it has no jurisdiction in other cases.

Since the Kazakh diaspora living in Xinjiang are citizens of the People's Republic of China, all issues related to them relate to China's internal affairs, a spokesperson for the Kazakh foreign ministry told RFE/RL. Therefore, its necessary to consider ways to resolve this issue without prejudice to the comprehensive and eternal strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China.

Temur Umarov, an expert on Chinas relations with Central Asia at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told RFE/RL that the internment camps are a sensitive political topic for Beijing and, given Nur-Sultans track record, Toqaev is unlikely to raise the issue publicly and even less likely to criticize Chinas detention system during meetings with Xi.

There is an unspoken rule in relations between Kazakhstan and China: only successes are publicly raised and problems are never spoken about, he said. The countries of Central Asia cannot afford to criticize Beijing simply because they depend on [China]. Criticism can come back to haunt them with economic consequences.

Written and reported by Reid Standish in Prague based on reporting by Nurtai Lahanuly and Elnur Alimova in Almaty, and Chris Rickleton in Nur-Sultan.
DUSHANBE -- Some 1,500 troops have been sent from a vast Russian military base in Tajikistan to Ukraine, multiple sources told RFE/RL, where the Russian Army is said to have suffered enormous casualties in its unprovoked war.

About 600 more soldiers are set to be dispatched to the frontlines from Russian military facilities located in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, and the southern city of Bokhtar, the sources said.

It comes as hundreds of contract soldiers were deployed from Russia's Kant Air Base in neighboring Kyrgyzstan to Ukraine in recent months, according to residents, activists, and soldiers' relatives.

Both Central Asian countries -- allies of Moscow -- host one Russian base each with multiple facilities in several locations.

The number of Russian personnel in Tajikistan is estimated at up to 7,000 troops, while Kyrgyzstan reportedly hosts about 500 Russian servicemen. The exact figures havent been made public.

Officials at the Russian military bases have not yet responded to RFE/RLs requests for comment on the reported redeployments and RFE/RL cannot independently verify the movement of Russian troops from Central Asia to Ukraine.

Contacted by RFE/RL, Vasily Makhovoy, chief media officer at the 201st Russian military base in Tajikistan, refrained from confirming or rejecting the claim.

But multiple sources -- including several soldiers and a local nonmilitary base worker -- confirmed that some of the servicemen have been sent to Ukraine. Residents and employees of local businesses, shops, and restaurants also said they have noticed a significant drop in the number of Russian soldiers who once frequented their venues.

They said that between 1,000 and 1,500 Russian troops have already left for Ukraine with hundreds more undergoing training before being dispatched to the war.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, two Russian soldiers separately told RFE/RL on August 27 that 600 more soldiers will be sent to Ukraine in the coming days.

Several other servicemen confirmed that many soldiers have already been redeployed to the conflict zone but didnt provide a number.

'Temporary Duty'

A Tajik civilian employee of a warehouse that belongs to the Russian military base said the amount of food supplies the Russians have ordered has declined considerably in recent months.

The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the decline in food orders is linked to a drop in the number of troops stationed at the base.

About 1,500 servicemen were sent to Ukraine from this military facility, he told RFE/RL. But this number might have changed.

According to the employee, the soldiers have been told that their deployment to Ukraine was going to be temporary.

As far as I know, the servicemen were going to be there for no more than four months to take part in the special operation in Ukraine, and that they would then return here. But they havent returned yet, the man said. Its been said that the soldiers are on vacation now after completing their four months [of service].

Russia calls its full-scale, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine a "special military operation."

According to U.S. estimates, as many as 80,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded in Ukraine by early August, less than six months after the war began. Russia does not regularly provide casualty figures.

With a dire need to fill the ranks, Russian officials have reportedly been recruiting mercenaries and even prisoners to fight.

Many Russian soldiers and contractors have said that they were stationed in Ukraine without their consent.

At least 90 contract soldiers from the Russian Republic of Tyva were first transferred to the Kant military base in Kyrgyzstan before being sent to Ukraine against their wishes this summer, an investigation by RFE/RL showed.

At least 10 of them were killed and about 20 were wounded in action, according to a group supporting Tyvans who refused to fight in Ukraine.

Russian Clients Gone

Originally created as the 201st Rifle Division during the Soviet Union, the base in Tajikistan is one of Moscows largest bases outside of Russia.

With several thousand personnel stationed there -- some with their families  their presence generates additional income for small businesses near the base, local merchants said.

Taxi drivers, shopkeepers, and restaurant workers say their Russian clientele has decreased recently.

Dushanbe resident Abdurahim Solehov provides short-term apartment rents near the Russian base. The majority of his clients were Russian servicemen.

I havent had any customers for the past two months, Solehov told RFE/RL. Russian officers and contractors used to come asking for a place to rent. Nobody has come lately.

There is also a constant line of taxis near the sprawling Russian base in Dushanbe waiting for clients. The taxi drivers, too, spoke about having fewer Russian passengers now.

One driver claimed his Russian regulars often mentioned soldiers from the base being sent to Ukraine. The troops were sent in three separate groups of 500-600 people, the driver told RFE/RL, citing his unnamed Russian customers.

I had many acquaintances among [the Russians] who were my regular clients, but several of them are gone, he said. I asked their colleagues about them and they told me they were sent to Ukraine.

Similar sentiments were voiced by taxi drivers and other local workers in Bokhtar who mostly relied on Russian soldiers for income.

A Bokhtar taxi driver who gave only his first name, Avazali, said the number of Russian clients has dried up lately.

The soldiers would hire taxis a lot during the weekends to take them shopping, swimming, or to eat out, he said. But now you can only see a handful of [military] wives and children here.

Restaurant Ehson is a popular spot for Russian soldiers, according to residents in Bokhtar. A waiter who introduced himself as Namozali told RFE/RL that some of the servicemen visiting the restaurant mentioned there were troop redeployments to Ukraine.

Based on what the soldiers said, 200 troops from Bokhtar have left for Ukraine, Namozali said.

In another Bokhtar restaurant, a waiter who gave his name as Sasha said two regular Russian clients bid farewell to him on July 26, saying they were being sent to Ukraine.

On Bokhtars Aini Street, shopkeeper Rukhsora Gangieva complained that sales have dropped because there are not as many Russian soldiers in the city as there used to be.

Russia reinforced its bases in Central Asia in late 2021, just months before it invaded Ukraine on February 24.

In Kyrgyzstan, residents living at the Kant Air Base claimed the number of contractors from Tyva -- who were on friendly terms with locals -- jumped drastically from dozens to several hundreds but that almost all of them were eventually sent to Ukraine.

The military base in Tajikistan received an additional 30 upgraded T-72B3M tanks in early December as Russian soldiers there carried out exercises with missile-defense systems.

At the time, Russian media and military officials linked those events to the situation in Afghanistan.

Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RLs Tajik Service
KYIV -- When Ukrainian soldiers tore a poster with the Russian flag from a billboard in Balaklia, a city in the Kharkiv region that was liberated on September 8, they unexpectedly revealed a poem by Ukraine's foremost 19th-century poet, Taras Shevchenko, beneath.

"Keep fighting -- you are sure to win!" read the words of one of his most famous pieces, titled The Caucasus and written more than 150 years ago to glorify the national liberation struggle against the Russian Empire.

The phrase, which in recent months has become a popular wartime slogan, reflects the enthusiastic mood prevailing across Ukraine after Kyiv's lightning offensive in the Kharkiv region that led to the near-total collapse of the Russian line of defense there.

The success of the operation surprised even Ukraine's defense minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, who told the Financial Times that the operation had gone "better than expected."

Now, as the picture of what happened is becoming clearer, RFE/RL spoke with several Ukrainian military analysts about what happened and what to expect next.

Success Brings Challenges

"I believe that Reznikov might have been indeed surprised with our army's success," Ukrainian military analyst Mykhaylo Zhirokhov said. "Usually, operations of such scale would be carried out by at least six brigades, whereas Ukraine engaged from three to four brigades there."

According to Zhirokhov the aim of the initial blow by Ukrainian forces was very well chosen: they first attacked the poorly trained militias mobilized from the recently occupied Ukrainian territories and then units of Russia's National Guard, which are usually used to suppress demonstrations and have limited combat experience. When the Russians tried to bring up regular troops, it was already too late and the chaotic retreat was in full swing, he says.

When Ukrainian troops took control of the key northern cities of Kupyansk and Izyum in just four days and reached the Oskil River two days later, the Russians had no chance to redeploy troops from other areas.

This was only possible because Russian commanders were taken completely by surprise. Beginning in early August, Kyiv was broadcasting a counteroffensive in the Kherson region, prompting Russia to shift some of its best forces to the south.

Due to the informational blackout imposed by the Ukrainian authorities in the zone of military action, the public has limited and delayed knowledge of Ukrainian advances. At the moment, fighting is reportedly still going on around the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region, and on September 12 Ukrainian forces confirmed they had liberated Svyatohirsk.

But the rapid successes bring new challenges. Most likely, Ukraine will soon need an operational pause in places where it recaptured territory, Zhirokhov says. "When the left flank of the units in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk is fully protected, Ukraine's military will have to focus on securing logistic and defense structures on the 6,000 square kilometers it has recaptured," he explained.

South Still The Key

Meanwhile, the focus of confrontation could return to the south.

"Although the attention of observers has now shifted to the Kharkiv region, the key to the future of the war still lies in the south," security expert Pavlo Lakiychuk told RFE/RL.

According to Lakiychuk, by moving its troops to the western bank of the Dnieper River, Russia not only reduced its forces in the northeast, but also left them in a position that is becoming increasingly dangerous.

Over the past month, Ukrainian forces have repeatedly cut the two bridges across the river and crippled Russian efforts to resupply their forces via barge and pontoon ferry.

Ukrainian forces have also recently made significant territorial gains in the south -- about 500 square kilometers of territory over the past two weeks, according to the Operational Command South spokeswoman Natalya Humenyuk.

"The Kherson counteroffensive was never a feint," Lakiychuk said, "but its logic is the opposite of the Kharkiv operation."

In his view, Russia would be better off if it retreated to the eastern bank of the Dnieper, but domestic political considerations prevent this. Ukrainian commanders are using this strategic mistake to systematically weaken the capabilities of the Russian troops trapped on the western bank.

"The effect will be the same as in the northeast: Russian soldiers will be left to their own devices by their command and will either surrender or try to flee," Lakiychuk added.

According to Humenyuk, some Russian units in the Kherson region have begun trying to negotiate a surrender to Ukrainian forces after they learned about the failure around Kharkiv. "The degree of creaking resolve and demoralization is so high that even the commanders now realize they don't have anywhere to go," she said on September 12.

'We Just Need To Keep Going'

Most Ukrainian military experts agree that after last week's counteroffensive, the Russian goal of capturing the entire Donetsk region is no longer feasible, and thus the Kremlin needs to come up with a new agenda.

"Ukraine has once again thwarted Russia's plans, exactly as in late March and early April when, after the Battle of Irpin, Ukraine regained control of the entire Kyiv region," Ivan Stupak, a former Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) officer and military expert at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, told RFE/RL.

"It is telling that Russian official media could not swallow these developments before they were able to report about the bombing of our energy infrastructure," he added, referring to Russian rocket strikes against civilian electrical and water facilities that were reported in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Zaporizhzhya, and Dnipropetrovsk regions on September 11.

According to Stupak, Russia will intensify its shelling of power plants, heating stations, and electrical transmission lines. And it will continue to exploit its control over the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to "terrorize and blackmail Ukrainian society." But such tactics reveal Russia's strategic weakness, he argues.

"The Kremlin is not able to announce a mobilization, and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin seems to be losing control over what is being said on Russian state television," Stupak said. "The initiative is clearly on our side; we just need to keep going."
4 Ukrainian soldiers stand on a destroyed bridge that once crossed the Siverskiy Donets River in Izyum on September 13. The loss of Izyum is regarded as a strategic setback for Moscow as its troops had relied on the city as a base and resupply route for its forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has traveled to Izyum, one of the largest cities recently retaken from Russia in a lightning counteroffensive in the eastern part of the country.

The Ukrainian military in a statement on social media said Zelenskiy and military officials "took part" in a ceremony raising the Ukrainian flag over the liberated city, which was key for Russia's ambitions to capture the Donbas region.



Photos showed Zelenskiy greeting Ukrainian soldiers participating in the rapidly advancing counteroffensive.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Zelenskiy said in his nightly address on September 13 that Ukraine was in full control of more than 4,000 square kilometers of territory recaptured from Russian forces and stabilizing another 4,000 square kilometers.

"Our blue-yellow flag is already flying in de-occupied Izyum. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and village," Zelensky said on Telegram.



"We are moving only in one direction -- forward and until victory," he said in a post on social media after his visit.



The Ukrainian military has pushed Russian forces out of hundreds of cities and towns in the northeast of the country, and Zelenskiy said the stabilization of the liberated communities was under way.

Zelenskiy also criticized Russia for missile strikes that hit a hydroelectric facility in Kryviy Rih, which he said was an attempt to flood the city and leave its people without water, electricity, heat, and food.

Russian troops fired eight cruise missiles at Kryviy Rih, hitting the facility, said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a senior aide to Zelenskiy. No civilians were injured, and the damage caused is being repaired, he said.

He said the rockets were aimed at critical facilities with the goal of creating an emergency situation and panic among the population.

"They need our panic," Tymoshenko said. "That's why we don't panic."

Earlier on September 14, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 13, said Putin hasn't changed his thinking on invading Ukraine.

"Sadly, I cannot tell you that the impression has grown that it was a mistake to begin this war. And there was no indication that new attitudes are emerging," Scholz told a press conference on September 14.

The Kremlin, which has made little mention of the setbacks in recent days, vowed to continue fighting. It also said on September 14 that Putin had discussed getting Ukrainian grain to countries most in need in a telephone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The conversation "mainly focused on implementing the Istanbul agreements on exporting Ukrainian grain" from Black Sea ports, and the export of Russian food and fertilizer, the Kremlin said in a statement.

"Both sides emphasized the importance of meeting the needs, as a priority, of those in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America who need food," the Kremlin said.

Guterres said he was hopeful a UN-brokered deal would be maintained and expanded to include Russian ammonia.

"To remove the obstacles that still exist in relation to the export of Russian fertilizers is absolutely essential," Guterres told reporters shortly after speaking to Putin.

"There are...talks in relation to the possibility of Russian ammonia exports through the Black Sea," said Guterres, adding that there was a "dramatic situation" on the world fertilizer market.

Facilitating Russia's food and fertilizer shipments is a central aspect of the deal brokered in July that also restarted Ukraine's Black Sea grain and fertilizer shipments. Russia has recently criticized the deal, complaining that its exports were still hindered.

A pipeline transporting ammonia from Russia to a Ukrainian Black Sea port was shut down when Russia invaded Ukraine. The United Nations is now trying to broker a resumption of those ammonia exports.

In Strasbourg, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said she would travel to Kyiv later on September 14. It will be von der Leyen's third visit to Kyiv since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Current Time correspondent Borys Sachalko visited the newly liberated town of Balaklia in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region. He met a man who said he'd been electrocuted by Russian interrogators and a mother who said her son was shot dead at point-blank range by Russian forces the day before their retreat.
Naval Base Coronado officials recently updated the Imperial Beach City Council about construction of the new $1 billion SEAL training center.

Capt. Scott Mulvehill, executive officer of Naval Base Coronado, told City Council members the Navy is committed to alleviating, as much as possible, any negative impacts associated with the 24 coastal campus projects planned along state Route 75.

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The 600-acre campus will add 1.5 million square feet of buildings to the base, which includes spaces for SEAL Teams, logistical support buildings, training facilities and classrooms.

The project is estimated to take 10 years to complete with about 3,300 personnel moved gradually from the current Naval Amphibious Base.

The strip of land is south of Silver Strand State Beach along a scenic coastal corridor and near homes in Coronado and Imperial Beach.

As soon as the proposal came forward, it prompted concern among neighbors and others interested in sensitive wildlife and habitat.

As part of the Jan. 18 update, Mulvehill went over re-occurring neighborhood concerns: traffic and congestion, noise and intersection design.

Mulvehill said he is focusing on a queue on base to alleviate traffic on Route 75. He said there will be about 800 feet of roadway leading up to the first guard. Once motorists are off Route 75, theyre on base property.

Heading northbound on the strand, Mulvehill said there will be a dedicated turn lane 600 feet long, which he said can hold between 25 and 30 cars.

Mulvehill said in total, theyve got the capacity to accommodate up to 110 cars.

Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said the issue with traffic on Highway 75 isnt each individual light.

Its the cumulative impact of having an antiquated traffic signal system from the entrance to Interstate 5 all the way out to your new base, Dedina said.

Mulvehill said the Navy is in negotiations with the Metropolitan Transit System and Caltrans to install a bus stop on the base.

This was a goal of our community and the Navy, Councilwoman Lorie Bragg said. We really want to work with MTS in getting sailors to utilize public transportation, so I see this as a step in the right direction.

Other considerations include low key signs for the campus that blend in with surrounding scenery.

We couldnt ask for a better neighbor, Councilman Robert Patton said. And the fact that youre here checking in with us it means a lot, because youre doing something huge next to us.

Mulvehill encouraged citizens to call the Naval Base Coronado Community Concerns hotline at (619) 545-8847.
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A wildfire that began Tuesday near Dutch Flat in Placer County torched 48 acres and was 50% contained by Wednesday, Cal Fire said.

The blaze, called the Dutch Fire, ignited near Interstate 80 and Ridge Road around 12:50 p.m. Tuesday and caused the temporary shutdown of Interstate 80 in both directions.
UPDATE: Amtrak averts nationwide strike and restores Bay Area train service.

At least two Bay Area Amtrak train routes will be affected by the transportation companys decision Wednesday to cancel long-distance routes in preparation for a potential nationwide strike among freight railroad workers.

The locally impacted trains are the California Zephyr, which departs from Emeryville en route to Chicago, and the Coast Starlight, a West Coast train that travels from Seattle to Los Angeles and passes through the Bay Area, Amtrak spokespersons said.

Amtrak trains are changing course in response to a potential strike by tens of thousands of freight railroad workers across the U.S. expected on Friday. While Amtrak itself is not involved in any of the underlying labor negotiations, the company is affected because the unionized workers  who are anticipated to strike in droves  perform maintenance and operate many of its rails.

Amtrak spokespersons said that such an interruption could significantly impact intercity passenger rail service. The agency operates almost all of its 21,000 route miles outside of the Northeast Corridor on tracks owned, maintained and dispatched by freight railroads.

In anticipation of the strike, Amtrak will only operate trains this week that it can ensure will have enough time to reach its final destination by 12:01 a.m on Friday, September 16. The agency said it will notify additional customers scheduled to be on upcoming trains about the possibility of more disruptions.

The strike is expected because the railroad industry failed to reach a contract agreement with two unions that represent most of its railroad workers: the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the SMART Transportation Division, both of which detailed the issues railroad workers are facing in a joint press release, including that employees are overworked and punished for calling in sick.

Penalizing engineers and conductors for getting sick or going to a doctors visit with termination must be stopped as part of this contract settlement, the press release stated. Let us repeat that, our members are being terminated for getting sick or for attending routine medical visits as we crawl our way out of a worldwide pandemic.

Beyond impacts to train transportation, the strike was expected to snarl U.S. supply chains, which rely on rail workers to help deliver a broad array of goods and commodities.

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 SMART Transportation Division is composed of approximately 125,000 active and retired members of the United Transportation Union, while BLET represents nearly 57,000 professional locomotive engineers and trainmen throughout the United States.

Neither agency was immediately available for comment.

While some uncertainty still remains over whether the strike will happen on Friday, nearly 100% of BLET members voted in favor of one in July, according to a press release from the union.

Aside from affecting commuter rail passengers, the strike could be an extensive disruption to the larger supply chain network, with a report from the Association of American Railroads projecting that the rail service interruption could cost more than $2 billion per day of a shutdown.

Annie Vainshtein (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annievain
San Franciscos beleaguered Laguna Honda nursing home is racing against the clock to make fixes that health officials hope will persuade federal regulators not to halt funding on Nov. 13 and avoid shutting down the facility.

The 156-year-old Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center lost certification in April. Its closure would displace more than 600 medically fragile people, many of whom are very poor and have nowhere else to go.

Chief Executive Roland Pickens told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that he hoped to be able to apply for recertification before the Nov. 13 deadline  but he wasnt sure the facility would be ready.

We dont want to submit and then fail, Pickens said. Im confident in saying were on the right track to making improvements. Are we there 100% there? No were not.

Pickens said Laguna Honda has been simulating the federal inspection process with the help of outside experts, and the facility has already implemented hundreds of improvements, including retraining every employee in infection control. But another simulation is scheduled for next month, he said, and with that, more improvements to be made before the nursing home will be ready to apply for recertification.

The update came on the day the 156-year-old facility was originally supposed to shut down under orders from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, known as CMS, which decertified the facility in April after state inspectors declared it to be in a state of substandard care last fall. Those inspectors found deficiencies, including cigarette lighters and drug paraphernalia, that started the clock on how much time Laguna Honda would have to fix its problems.

It wasnt enough. Federal officials said that as of Sept. 13 they would stop paying the $18 million monthly Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements the nursing home needs to support its hundreds of residents.

CMS also required Laguna Honda to begin transferring patients in May to prepare for closure, even though there was almost nowhere to send them to. Of the facilities able to meet the residents medical needs, few also accepted Medicaid, the public health care subsidy for low-income people known as Medi-Cal in California.

Of the 57 patients who were transferred or discharged, nine died within days or weeks of their moves. Federal officials paused the transfers on July 28 at the request of city officials, who said it was likely that transfer trauma had contributed to the deaths.

A public outcry over the deaths and a pair of lawsuits prompted a two-month reprieve for Laguna Honda, which now has until Nov. 13 before CMS stops payments.

City officials, who operate Laguna Honda, are fighting that fate on multiple fronts.

Pickens said Laguna Honda hired 40 patient care assistants this month and has implemented 371 corrective actions since midsummer  including monitoring for infection prevention around the clock.

Were making sure medication is stored appropriately, that staff is washing their hands when they go in and out of a patients room, and that they are not wearing gloves in the hallway, which raises the risk of infection, Pickens told the board.

The city has also gone to court to fight the closure.

On Aug. 3, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees CMS, to force the agency to keep reimbursing Laguna Honda until the city has a chance to resolve its appeal of the April decertification  or until all Laguna Honda residents have been safely transferred or discharged.

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We are in conversation with lawyers for the federal government and are hopeful we will be able to find an overall solution to the issues raised in our litigation and administrative appeals, which remain active, said Jen Kwart, a spokesperson for Chiu.

At the same time, former City Attorney Louise Renne filed a separate class-action lawsuit against state and federal officials on behalf of Laguna Honda residents, some of whom lived there for decades.

At Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Myrna Melgar said she was concerned about the possibility that the Nov. 13 date would have to be renegotiated.

I dont want to have families put in the same position as before, she said, referring to the anguish that many felt when their relatives faced possible transfer out of Laguna Honda.

Pickens said he would be in a better position to know the timing of the recertification application after the next simulation, in October.

Im cautiously optimistic that were moving in the right direction for the first time in a long time, said Supervisor Hilary Ronen. How cruel do you have to be to close down or even shrink this facility?

The supervisors agreed to hear another update on Nov. 1.

Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov
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UPDATE: Another earthquake rattles the Bay Area, striking Berkeley.

Two quakes struck the Bay Area within a minute of one another  a magnitude 4.4 and a 4.3 (upgraded from 3.9) aftershock  knocking frames off walls, cracking water lines and rattling nerves on Tuesday night. The first quake struck at 6:39 p.m. and the second at 6:40 p.m. and each had an epicenter in Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal said crews were sent to reports of stuck elevators at senior housing buildings and at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. He had no information yet about whether there were people needing rescue inside.

Across central Santa Rosa, Residents reported broken gas lines and water pipes, sending firefighters across town to investigate the damage. The quake hurled items off of store shelves and cracked a store-front window at a liquor store near the epicenter.

Lowenthal, who lives near the epicenter in a neighborhood rebuilt after the 2017 fires, said he was cooking dinner when the quake hit. Things fell off the walls, light fixtures broke.

I turned off the stove and said, Guess I'm going to work, he said.

People in Santa Rosa reported feeling two big jolts and the U.S.G.S. said the shaking was felt as far north as Mendocino County and as far south as Santa Clara County. The ShakeAlert early warning system sent out alerts that reached people moments before the first temblor.

Bravo to the CA earthquake early warning system, a Twitter user named Amanda Stupi wrote. Had enough time to get my kid and I under the kitchen table. Husband had enough time to text us and make sure we saw alert. My mind is kind of blown.

The U.S.G.S. said that by the time the ShakeAlert warning went out on peoples cell phones, the quakes had already been felt in a 9-mile radius from the epicenter. People in Vallejo had an 11.4-second warning before the quakes hit; San Francisco got an 18.8-second warning and Oakland residents got a 19.2-second warning. ShakeAlert had warned that the quake could be as big as a magnitude 5.0.

Lucy Jones, a seismologist and author, wrote on Twitter that the quake was in the northern part of the Rodgers Creek fault, part of the San Andreas fault system  and that Rodgers Creek had not seen a major quake since the 18th Century.

Every quake has a 5% chance of being followed by a larger quake within the next 3 days, Jones wrote. But most are only a little bit larger. When it is right on a big fault, capable of a big quake, the chance that that following earthquake will be big is a little higher, but still small.

Jana Pursley, a geophysicist for the U.S.G.S., said the second of the two quakes was an aftershock.

Aftershocks happen in reaction to motion around the fault, its like the faults way of rearranging itself after a bigger event, she said.

USGS pinned the epicenter under a cluster of homes between the Hidden Valley neighborhood and the old county hospital. Neighbors were stunned to learn the temblor originated there and amazed they had so far discovered little damage.

At home off Parker Hill Road, Carolyn Anderson was sitting in a rocking chair when she felt the first jolt. She looked at her husband and said, That felt like it was under the house. Two pictures fell off the wall.

Down a shared driveway, neighbors Seth and Jenna Capri said they were shopping at Costco and expected the worst when they returned home. A few tchotchke had toppled - but, remarkably, not the dishes and glassware on open shelving in their kitchen.

Across the street, 15-year-old Charlie Scoby was watching Rick and Morty on TV when the whole house shook like it grew legs and started to walk.

At home near downtown Santa Rosa, Brooks Anderson was gathering garbage to put out on trash night when he heard a rumble then felt a slam - as if a semi truck had hit the house. A group of his oil paintings featuring the Maine Coast fell off the walls.

I wasnt sure if a plane had gone down nearby - it was so loud, said Anderson, an artist.

Then moments later the second slam hit. More fell of Andersons works fell off the wall. Again, another set depicting Maine.

His home, built in 1876, has been through two damaging earthquakes that have struck the Bay Area. The 1906 quake that devastated San Francisco and twin tremors in 1969 that hit the North Bay.

Its been through some doozies, Anderson said. "What did this earthquake have against Maine?"

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.

Tyler Silvy, 36, was at home in Santa Rosa when the shaking began. Silvy, who moved to California in 2019, said he was afraid because he'd never experienced anything like it. Silvy said that hes only encountered one earthquake before this in Oklahoma but that it paled in comparison to this one.

Before I got the notification, I thought someone was running aggressively up our apartment stairs. It was two intense, sharp rounds of shaking, he said.

Silvy said his main priority was the safety of his kids and that he had them crouch near the couch in his house away from the walls away from hanging decorations.

Id prefer not to experience another one (earthquake), Silvy concluded about his experience.

Police in Santa Rosa said they did not receive reports of major injuries.

Santa Rosa city councilwoman Victoria Fleming was canvassing for her re-election campaign in a neighborhood near the epicenter when she felt the first jolt and hit the ground. Her volunteer was getting up but she pulled her back down in time for the aftershock.

People came out of their houses and said, Victoria, whats your policy on earthquakes? Fleming said. I said, If re-elected I will ban them.

Tuesdays quakes were the second and third to rattle the Bay Area this week  on Sunday, a 2.9 magnitude quake shook up the East Bay.

Check out The Chronicles earthquake tracker for more information about recent seismic events.

Julie Johnson (she/her) and Jordan Parker (he/him) are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com, jordan.parker@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @jparkerwrites @juliejohnson
As the 4.4 magnitude earthquake and 4.3 aftershock socked Santa Rosa Tuesday evening, the ShakeAlert system kicked into service, swiftly sending warnings to cell phones in the area and beyond.

Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey, which operates the earthquake early warning system, said Wednesday that the system worked as planned, speedily sending automated alerts to MyShake and Google, which sent out cell phone warnings.

We were very pleased with the outcomes, said Robert De Groot, systems operations manager for the ShakeAlert program. Its a sign that ... things are working as we planned.

Residents in the North Bay, though shaken by the quakes, agreed, reporting on social media that the alerts gave them a few seconds to take cover.

Bravo to the CA earthquake early warning system, Twitter user Amanda Stupi wrote. Had enough time to get my kid and I under the kitchen table. Husband had enough time to text us and make sure we saw alert. My mind is kind of blown.

ShakeAlert uses a network of more than 1,000 motion sensors across California, Oregon and Washington state to detect the first waves of earthquakes and instantaneously send them to USGS processing sensors, including one in Menlo Park.

The centers quickly analyze the data, verify that it indicates an earthquake and send that information to alert providers and partners.

Its all automated and very fast, De Groot said. Everything happens in seconds, and every day were working at increasing the speed.

The farther from the epicenter, the longer the warning.

The USGS said that by the time the ShakeAlert warning went out on cell phones, the quakes had already been felt in a 9-mile radius from the epicenter. ShakeAlert had warned that the quake could be as big as a magnitude 5.0.

Brian Ferguson, a spokesperson for the Governors Office of Emergency Services, said alerts are only sent out to areas where the shaking is expected to exceed magnitude 4.5. Alerts went out to about 21,000 people in the greater Santa Rosa area, he said.

While the earthquake was felt by many in other parts of the Bay Area, including San Francisco, they didnt necessarily receive alerts because serious shaking wasnt anticipated in their locations.

Some residents near the epicenter said they got the warning as they hunkered down under the kitchen table, De Groot said. But even that has the benefit of letting people know an earthquake struck.

One guy said he was glad to know it wasnt a bomb, he 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.

One part of the ShakeAlert program that didnt kick in Tuesday night is a system that automatically slows and stops BART trains. BART spokesperson Jim Allison said the quake was too far away to trigger the automated shutdown. BART and Southern Californias MetroLink commuter rail system are the only two transit systems using and testing the automated early warning shutdowns.

At other agencies, including the North Bays SMART trains, humans receive the warnings and make the decision whether or not to stop trains. SMART stopped all of its trains for 15 minutes Tuesday night to inspect tracks for possible damage, then resumed service.

While ShakeAlert worked as planned, De Groot said, one thing that needs work is teaching people how best to use those extra seconds.

Instead of watching the chandelier sway or running outside, he said, people should duck under a table or drop to the ground and cover their heads with their arms. People are often injured trying to run outside during earthquakes, he said, when they collide with others, crash into walls or are struck by falling objects.

Those few seconds between when you get the warning and when the shaking starts could make a big difference, he said  the difference between being unscathed and being hit by a brick.

Michael Cabanatuan (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
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The Trump administration's separation of thousands of immigrant parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border has been renounced by President Biden. Now a lawsuit by an immigrant mother and daughter living in Oakland, who were forcibly separated for more than 10 months after crossing the border, could help determine whether the government will pay any price for the former policy.

J.R.G. and her 8-year-old daughter, M.A.R., as theyre identified in court filings, fled their native El Salvador and were stopped while crossing the border at El Paso, Texas, in May 2018. According to their suit, filed this week in federal court in San Francisco, less than a day later, at about 1 a.m., an officer grabbed the terrified child from her mothers arms and took her away, and soon afterward J.R.G. was escorted to a freezing detention center run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Despite a Border Patrol agents promise of quick reunification, the suit said, they did not see each other again until March 2019. Meanwhile, J.R.G. pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of illegal entry and was sentenced to probation, but was nevertheless locked up for 10 months, suffering pain, cramps, dizziness and fevers, the familys lawyers said.

M.A.R., meanwhile, was placed with a purported foster family but was released two months later to her father, who had also left El Salvador. Her mothers request for political asylum, based on fears of persecution in her home country, was initially rejected by a government asylum officer, who said her claim was not credible.

But a federal immigration judge later granted her asylum, and she now lives legally in Oakland with her daughter, who attends public school, and the childs father, said attorney Matt Adams of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. Saying their privacy was essential, Adams declined to give details of the asylum case or discuss the familys circumstances and said they were not available to speak to reporters.

Both mother and daughter still suffer nightmares from their separation and captivity, the suit said. It accuses the government of wrongful abduction and intentional infliction of emotional distress and seeks $6 million in damages.

They are among several thousand families who were separated at the border by the zero tolerance policy announced in 2018 by President Donald Trumps attorney general, Jeff Sessions, as a deterrent to illegal immigration.

Biden denounced the policy during his 2020 campaign and set up a task force last year to reunite parents and children, hundreds of whom remain separated. But he has not been able to overturn another Trump edict that largely shut down the U.S.-Mexico border, allegedly to prevent an influx of COVID-19 cases.

Biden also dropped settlement talks with formerly separated immigrant families seeking reparations. And after three Central American immigrants who had been reunited with their children filed suit in San Francisco in June 2021, the Justice Department sought to dismiss the case, arguing that immigration officers who separated the families had made discretionary decisions that could not be challenged in court. A federal magistrate disagreed this May and allowed the suit to proceed, one of several such cases pending around the nation.

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Adams, of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, said Wednesday the Biden administration has challenged legal arguments in those cases but has not addressed the central issue of whether the government must be held responsible for the harm caused by its actions. He said the suit by M.A.R. and her daughter will seek an answer to that question.

It comes down to accountability, he said. The government disavowed the zero-tolerance policy and family separation. Are they ultimately going to acknowledge that this was an egregious violation of these individuals rights that requires compensation?

The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
The light overnight showers that drizzled over Northern California did not seem to help firefighting efforts as the Mosquito Fire continued to grow, weather officials said.

Monsoonal moisture dropped one hundredth of an inch of rain overnight in areas around the fire in El Dorado County, said Emily Heller, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

They got ... very light sprinkling around the Mosquito Fire. I wouldnt say it significantly helped (firefighting efforts), said Heller.

September rain: Will looming storm fight the Mosquito Fire and the drought?

Meteorologist Scott Rowe said monsoonal moisture over California mountains was common in the summer months, which could trigger light showers.

No rain was in the forecast Wednesday for El Dorado County, the NWS said, but chances were rising for scattered showers to bring up to 0.75 inches of rain to the Sierra, starting on Sunday. Thats enough to potentially dampen the Mosquito Fires fuel, but likely not enough rain to trigger flooding or mudslides near the fires perimeter.

The rain also had no appreciable affect on dams that supply drinking water to much of California, according to data from state reservoirs.

The Mosquito Fire became more active Tuesday thanks to strong southwest winds, Cal Fire said. The fires size grew another 8,200 acres overnight to a total of 58,544 acres as of Wednesday morning, and containment dropped 5% to 20%.

Firefighters were able to keep the fire within control lines overnight along the southern edge of Foresthill and Todd Valley, which is west of the fire and under evacuation orders, Cal Fire said,

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Fire officials said Wednesdays number one priority was to protect both communities as southwest winds were expected to continue.

Chronicle meteorologist Gerry Diaz contributed to this report.

Jessica Flores (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
San Francisco police said thieves made off with catalytic converters taken from the Police Departments own vehicles this week.

Around 1 p.m. on Monday, a San Francisco police officer discovered that a marked police truck parked on Potrero Hill in San Francisco had its catalytic converter stolen.

After inspecting other police vehicles, the officer saw that several other marked police vehicles had their catalytic converters stolen, Police Department spokespeople said.

The thefts occurred near a Police Department-leased building surrounded by numerous police cars and vans at 17th and De Haro streets. In total, four department vehicles  two trucks and two vans  had their converters stolen, according to the Police Department.

The thefts were first reported by Mission Local.

No arrests have been made and it remains an open investigation, the Police Department said.

Catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed across the Bay Area, particularly during the pandemic, as shelter-in-place orders left more cars sitting vulnerable in streets and driveways. Thieves can often remove the devices in minutes.

Just hours before the police vehicles were targeted, a San Francisco police officer was injured and hospitalized while chasing suspects who had stolen a converter, department spokespersons confirmed.

Officers responded to a report of a catalytic converter theft at the 400 block of Chestnut Street in the Marina district at around 5:08 a.m. Monday morning. The victim told officers two people stole his converter and fled in a vehicle.

After officers spotted the vehicle and attempted to stop it, the driver fled, hitting one of the officers in their car.

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Officers chased the suspects, who struck both parked and occupied vehicles and eventually took off on foot. Officers detained a female suspect, but a man was still at large, Police Department spokespersons said.

No other injuries were reported aside from the officer, who had non-life threatening injuries. This too, remains an open investigation. Anyone with information in either case is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.

Annie Vainshtein (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @annievain
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In the months before her niece was found dead, Emerald Johnson said she repeatedly told Alameda County social workers the 8-year-old was in danger.

The warnings started in January 2021 and included accusations that Sophia Mason had been beaten and choked. Each time, Johnson said, social workers either didnt investigate or found insufficient evidence to remove the child from the home.

They couldve saved her, Johnson said.

Authorities found Sophias remains March 11 in a bathtub in the Merced home where her mother  Johnsons sister  had moved with her from Hayward. The mother, 30-year-old Samantha Johnson, and Samantha Johnsons boyfriend, Dhante Jackson, 34, face murder and child abuse charges. Samantha Johnson has been jailed since earlier this year. Jackson was arrested Saturday in Newark, near Fremont, after a six-month manhunt, authorities said.

Last week, Samantha Johnsons mother, Sylvia Johnson, served Alameda County with legal papers signaling an intent to sue over social workers alleged repeated failures to save Sophia. In the documents, attorney Carly Sanchez wrote that Alameda County Social Services Agency employees had declined to investigate five of seven abuse allegations in the last 15 months of the childs life.

The agency oversees the countys Children and Family Services, which is responsible for responding to reports of child abuse or neglect.

Representatives for the Alameda County Social Services Agency didnt respond to messages seeking comment. An attorney for Samantha Johnson didnt respond to a message seeking comment. Attempts to determine if Jackson has an attorney were unsuccessful.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

In the eight-county Bay Area, Alameda County received 11,271 allegations of a child being mistreated in a 12-month period ending this past March, second only to Santa Clara County, which received 523 more allegations. Thats according to data from the California Child Welfare Indicators Project, a partnership between UC Berkeley and the California Department of Social Services.

Those figures mean there is one report of maltreatment for roughly every eight children under the age of 5 in Alameda County or one report for every 29 youths under the age of 18, when factoring in census figures.

Alameda County also investigates alleged child mistreatment at a rate far below the state as a whole, data from the California Child Welfare Indicators Project shows. In 2021, social workers around the state investigated 71.4% of the allegations they received that year. Social workers in Alameda County, however, investigated less than half  48.9%.

Thats the third lowest investigation percentage in the region, behind only San Francisco and Marin counties, which have much smaller caseloads. Santa Clara County, which had a slightly larger caseload than Alameda County, investigated 75.7% of child maltreatment allegations.

Sophia, recalled as a bubbly girl who loved TikTok dance challenges and tried to cheer people up when they were sad, lived with her grandmother from age 1 to 7 in Hayward.

Emerald Johnson said her sister had only been in her daughters life through occasional visits. She said her sister had mild mental health issues and a habit of disappearing.

In January 2021, Samantha Johnson reappeared and took custody of Sophia, the aunt said.

Calls to Alameda County social workers soon followed, according to the claim filed by the grandmother. In California cases where a lawsuit is likely against the government, a person must first file a claim with the entity, explaining the facts.

In one of two calls where the county investigated, the claim alleged, Sophia herself told social workers that her mother had choked her and placed her hand over her mouth to muffle the childs screams.

Emerald Johnson said she spoke about her nieces statements with a case worker who said she needed to do more investigating before taking the child from the mother.

Later, Emerald Johnson said, she helped arrange a meeting with her sister, Sophia and the case worker at a park in Hayward. There, the aunt said, she witnessed Sophia in tears telling the case worker that shed been abused by her mother and her mothers boyfriend.

She was crying, shaking and kind of hyperventilating, Emerald Johnson recalled.

The case worker found insufficient evidence, according to the legal claim.

In March, Sophias grandmother filed a missing persons report for Sophia.

The mother had moved with the child and her boyfriend to Merced. Officers there interviewed Samantha Johnson, who said she had been looking for Sophia and didnt know what happened to her, an officer wrote in one of a series of Merced Police Department reports reviewed by The Chronicle.

She said her boyfriend had been forcing the child to live in a shed in the yard and had put marks and bruises on her. Samantha Johnson said she had last seen her daughter weeks earlier when her boyfriend had become angry with the girl when she was brought inside to bathe.

Jackson allegedly dragged Sophia by the hair and threw her to the floor. The mother said she left Sophia with Jackson and before long heard a thud, a police report 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.

The mother said she later couldnt find Sophia and noticed a bathroom door on the ground floor was locked. Samantha Johnson said she didnt check the bathroom and didnt contact authorities because she was afraid of what her boyfriend might do, according to a police report.

When police entered the house with a search warrant, an officer noticed that incense had been burning outside the bathroom door; the fan was running.

The officer kicked in the door and found the childs decomposing remains in the bathtub, a police report said.

The mother, who told police she suffers from an intellectual disability, said that her boyfriend had abused both her and Sophia. Samantha Johnson said Jackson had previously threatened her  and himself  with a knife. She said shed once jumped out of a car he was driving.

Asked how often Jackson abused Sophia, the mother said too often, a police report said.

Police found video evidence on the mothers phone that Jackson had sexually assaulted the child, according to one officers report.

Samantha Johnson reiterated several times that she had been too afraid of Jackson to contact authorities about what hed allegedly done to Sophia.

Emerald Johnson said she blames Alameda County social workers for failing to intervene to protect Sophia.

I know they dropped the ball, the aunt said. When a child is telling you theyre being abused, theres protocol that theyre supposed to (follow), and they did not.

San Francisco Chronicle race and equity editor Raheem Hosseini contributed to this report.

Joshua Sharpe is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: joshua.sharpe@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joshuawsharpe
Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

The Alameda County district attorneys office charged a 12-year-old child in the accidental shooting that injured a classmate at a school in East Oakland last month.

The shooting occurred Aug. 29, just before 1:30 p.m., at Madison Park Academy, a middle and high school in the Sobrante Park neighborhood with 750 students, authorities said.
Ashland resident Diana Maravilla can count on one hand the number of trees along the route she walks her terriers Foxy and Linus.

On days like Thursday, when the thermostat shot to at least 102 degrees for the third time in five days, her walks become a dangerous game of hide and seek.

Im having to stop for shade at any tree I find because I know its going to be a while before we see another one, Maravilla said. As an environment, its not safe for anyone.

Despite Ashland being named after the towering ash trees of Oregon, actually finding tree shade is near impossible. Its a familiar plight to Maravillas fellow residents of western Alameda County, in an unincorporated area with a name that evokes paradise: Eden.

But that name, too, belies reality.

Eden includes the neighborhoods of Ashland, Cherryland, Hayward Acres and San Lorenzo, where 3% of the terrain had shade-producing trees in 2018, according to the most recently available data from the Alameda County Public Health Department. A lack of tree cover is one of the factors climate experts say exists in low-income communities that are more vulnerable to the kind of extreme heat that stifled California during a historic heat wave last week.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Heat already accounts for more fatalities than any other weather-related hazard in the country, according to the U.S. Natural Hazard Statistics, and research shows that extreme heat is not felt evenly across society. A 2021 study published in the Journal Plos One found that low-income neighborhoods had on average over 15% less tree cover and were 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than their high-income counterparts.

The Eden area, which is 36% Latino, is home to more vulnerable communities. The area was the source of 22% of Alameda Countys unemployment claims in October 2021, despite Edens 147,000 residents accounting for only 8% of the countys population.

Maravilla is an environmental justice expert who also serves as the health and wellness coordinator for the San Lorenzo Unified School District. In her job, she identifies the local inequities that negatively impact the health of the districts roughly 10,000 students and their families.

Maravilla said many Eden area residents live in older housing without air conditioning or personal vehicles. Further compounding matters is the political reality of living in the unincorporated parts of the county, where people might not know who their elected supervisors are or how to lobby for infrastructure investments.

Meanwhile, the planet continues to warm. Alameda County estimates that by 2050, extreme heat days where temperatures are almost 93 degrees or above will happen roughly three times as often as they did in 2018.

Jennifer Burney, an environmental scientist at UC San Diego, said that metropolitan areas with dense infrastructure tend to be warmer because of the ways that they absorb and store heat while areas with natural landscapes tend to be cooler because of the shade and moisture that trees and vegetation provide. This is called the urban heat island effect.

A citys physical structure impacts the local environment because it changes the amount of sunlight that is reflected by the surface of the earth, she said.

Todays environmental inequities can, in part, be traced to the countrys history of racist housing policies, according to a 2020 study published in the journal Climate. Using historic redlining maps from the Home Owners Loan Corporation, the study found that historically redlined neighborhoods were more likely to be exposed to extreme heat.

But Burney said the same heat vulnerabilities can also be found in newer cities.

So it suggests that its not just the legacy of explicitly discriminatory housing policy thats sort of reaching generations into the future, Burney said. We know that to be true for sure. But additionally, the default settings on how governments go about zoning and permitting are creating these disparities all over again.

Ashlands Thursday temperature of 102 degrees was 21 degrees above the neighborhoods temperature on the same day last year.

Along Ashlands main thoroughfare of East 14th Street that afternoon, pedestrians and bikers drank from water bottles as they waited at stop lights and crosswalks. Others fanned themselves with hats, spare t-shirts or their hands as they walked into local businesses.

On one of the busier blocks, between 163rd and 164th avenues, four palm trees offered little shade outside of Tom Eplins Automotive Center.

Three years ago, several government agencies in Alameda County collaborated to launch the Cooling Our Communities program, a tree-planting and heat preparedness pilot project. The county created heat vulnerability maps, using features such as socioeconomic status, to determine where to focus their tree planting and community outreach work.

Their eventual target? Eden.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

When the Planning Department staff saw maps of Alameda County overlaying factors that contribute to heat vulnerability, such as low tree cover, they wanted to take action to reduce heat vulnerability in unincorporated communities, Sarah Church, the sustainability project manager of the Alameda County General Services Agency Office of Sustainability, said in an email. They focused efforts on Ashland and Cherryland, where tree cover was less than 1 percent.

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 program ran from 2019 until this year, resulted in over 315 trees planted and the creation of multilanguage pocket books on health and heat.

Depending on the type of tree planted and where its located, it may be another five to 10 years before these trees create enough cover to have a measurable cooling impact.

Elsewhere in the East Bay, efforts are underway to establish resiliency centers, where community members can go when temperatures are too high. Shina Robinson, the resiliency hubs manager of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, said the network and its partners plan to establish its first resiliency center in Oaklands Chinatown, in the soon-to-be renovated Lincoln Recreation Center.

Robinson said that APEN will tailor its resiliency center to the communitys needs, making it a place where people can come to escape poor air quality, charge their phones, refrigerate their medications and more. Robinson said that community members have had to fend for themselves and that finding equitable climate solutions and investing back in the community are essential steps in addressing environmental racism.

Folks shouldnt have been in sacrifice zones to begin with, Robinson said.

Aisha Perry lives in one of these areas. She was parking at Launder Land, a laundromat along Ashlands East 14th Street, on Thursday when the temperatures were creeping into triple digits.

I could have walked over here, Perry said as she pulled a small gray laundry bag out her backseat. But Im not trying to walk in this heat. I dont think anybody should.

Three recently planted trees about 6 feet high stood near the parking lot. Less than a dozen trees of about the same size were scattered along sidewalks and in the East 14th Street median. Outside of those, there was little visible natural reprieve from the heat for several blocks.

As Perry walked toward Launder Lands entrance, she pointed to a few of the small trees behind her car: We could use a few more of those, thats for sure.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Chasity Hale is a former San Francisco Chronicle intern. Email: justin.phillips@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @justmrphillips, @chas_hale
The three main contenders vying to finish the term of ousted district attorney Chesa Boudin faced off in their first public debate Tuesday evening, each billing themselves as a tough yet deliberate enforcer of the law amid a vicious debate over the citys public safety priorities.

Civil rights attorney Joe Alioto Veronese, defense attorney John Hamasaki and incumbent District Attorney Brooke Jenkins appeared over Zoom, in an event held by San Francisco community groups.

The debate preceded the release of polling  paid for by the Jenkins campaign  that found Jenkins leading by a comfortable 23 points ahead of Hamasaki, the second-place contender.

In the poll, 49% of likely voters in San Franciscos November race named Jenkins as their first-choice candidate, 26% said theyd choose Hamasaki and 15% said theyd vote for Alioto Veronese if the election were that day.

Jenkins, who was appointed to the post by Mayor London Breed in July after helping lead the successful recall against Boudin, in recent weeks has begun to roll out policies that will distinguish her from her predecessor, known as a standard-bearer in the progressive prosecutor movement.

The policies, which could result in enhanced penalties for certain drug dealers, drug users and juvenile defendants, have reflected Jenkins calls for more criminal accountability, while being summarily blasted by reform advocates as harmful and regressive.

Alioto Veronese and Hamasaki both seized on the opportunity to disparage the incumbent  both at least once referred to Jenkins as the interim district attorney  though neither took aim at specific policies she enacted during her first two months in office.

Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

Instead, the men appealed to what they hoped was a broader sense of voter distrust in a status quo they say Jenkins represents.

Hamasaki zeroed in on the district attorneys appointment by Breed, painting Jenkins as another acolyte in an administration that has failed to make a dent in the citys persistent challenges with drug use, mental health and homelessness.

That is why we need an independent district attorney, unafraid to tackle the difficult issues facing the city, and take on the people in power, who have been putting their own interests ahead of the rest of us, Hamasaki said.

Hamasaki also called attention to the fact that Jenkins had criticized Boudin for not being tough enough on violence against the Asian community, but has not charged hate crimes in recent, high-profile attacks.

Alioto Veronese said he believes Jenkins hasnt done enough to ensure the safety of San Franciscans, and that at least one high-profile attack on an older Asian woman  allegedly committed by an 18-year-old man and three juveniles, ages 14, 13 and 11  should have been charged as a hate crime.

In the first 60 days of my administration, you will feel safer, Alioto Veronese said. This D.A. has had that chance. Do you feel safer? Ask yourself that question.

Amy Osborne/Special to The Chronicle 2019

Jenkins drew on her record as the only candidate with a prosecutorial background, and said her challengers lack of experience was evident in their responses at the debate.

Jenkins said she never promised to charge every case at her desk as a hate crime, and said that as a former hate crimes prosecutor she understands the difficulties in proving a hateful motive before a jury.

That is the danger in having individuals who have no prosecutorial experience  that they make comments like we just heard without having any understanding of the very laws that theyre talking about enforcing, she said.

Hamasaki, who developed a reputation as a progressive firebrand during his time as a police commissioner, struck a decidedly more centrist tone during the debate.

One of Hamasakis key priorities, he said, would be tackling recidivism. He said offenders are not really set up with the tools to succeed and become a member of society.

Hamasaki said hed like to see more treatment options for drug users; and for the sellers, escalating consequences for repeat offenses.

Hamasaki said hed also take a hard line on prosecuting property crimes, and would focus both on the street-level thieves as well as high-level operators.

Alioto Veronese highlighted his experience as a former San Francisco police officer and civil rights attorney, and said it was part of my DNA to fight for victims.

He promised to crack down on the criminals who he said were coming into San Francisco and preying on older Asian people, referring to the offenders as thugs.

She should be going after those thugs that are coming to San Francisco to prey on our vulnerable. That should be priority No. 1, he said, referring to Jenkins. We should be seeing press conferences about people being captured in the East Bay who have been coming to San Francisco to do this.

Alioto Veronese said he would additionally push a ballot measure that would allow the district attorney, rather than the mayor, to appoint the chief of police, in a move he said would depoliticize the Police Department.

Jenkins said she is developing an individualized approach to criminal justice in San Francisco. Accountability can take many forms, she said, including anything from therapy and vocational training to incarceration for repeat or violent offenders.

As a prosecutor, I know firsthand what those opportunities are, what those programs are, that have proven effective, she said.

Jenkins said many of San Franciscos judges are already embracing one of her recent policy changes, approving her prosecutors requests to detain alleged repeat fentanyl dealers in jail while they await trial.

Jenkins additionally called out Alioto Veroneses use of the word thug noting its implied racist reference to a Black person.

I cannot believe that I have heard that tonight, and that is something that I find quite offensive, said Jenkins, who is Black an Latina.

Alioto Veronese said he hadnt referred to anyones race when he used the term, and said it describes someone who preys on a vulnerable person.

San Francisco voters will choose their next district attorney in a special, ranked-choice election Nov. 8. The winner will serve the remainder of Boudins term, which will end either in January 2024 or a year later if a ballot measure passes that will hold certain city elections to presidential election years.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
This fall promises to be an exciting one for the Bay Area dining scene.

Restaurants that specialize in cuisines that are less common in the region, from vegan Puerto Rican food to Malaysian fare, are slated to open. And several big-name chefs are on expansion tears, including barbecue blockbuster Matt Horn, who is working on an Oakland burger shop, and Reem Assil, who is bringing her hit eponymous Arab bakery to San Franciscos Ferry Building in October. Cassava, a neighborhood favorite for Californian cuisine in the Outer Richmond, is moving into a larger space in North Beach with a Sept. 29 grand opening.

Theyll join a few hotly anticipated restaurants that just debuted, too: a San Francisco pizza slice shop from a Mister Jius alum and a viral fried chicken spin-off from the Michelin-starred Birdsong.

Others, however, have been slowed by delays. Kajiken, a popular brothless ramen chain in Japan, is now planning its first California location in San Mateo for late fall. Two Bay Area bagel outfits with devoted followings  Poppy Bagels in Oakland and Ethels Bagels in Petaluma  are also hoping to open their first brick-and-mortar spaces later this fall.

Fall officially starts on Sept. 22. Read on for more on the 11 most anticipated restaurants set to open throughout the Bay Area this fall, listed in alphabetical order.

Stephen Lam/Special to The Chronicle

Azalinas

Chef Azalina Eusope recently shut down her two acclaimed Malaysian restaurants in San Francisco: Mahila and the original Azalinas in the Twitter Building. But now shes making her return with a revamped concept in the Tenderloin. The reborn Azalinas will be intimate, with capacity for 35 diners, and will take visitors to new, unexpected places within the expansive world of Malaysian cuisine. Eusope, who proudly boasts of her familys tradition of cooking street food, says she is looking to offer a tasting menu with four or five traditional dishes seldom seen in the Bay Area, each paired with a specific drink. Look for sweet potato dumplings stuffed with roasted coconut and plenty of noodle dishes from the Penang region, which fuses Indian, Malay and Chinese influences.  M.C.

Projected opening: September/October.

499 Ellis St., San Francisco. azalinas.com

Michael Short/Special to The Chronicle

Calabash

Equal parts market, restaurant and bar, Calabash will offer an eclectic culinary experience by three local chefs: Nigel Jones, owner of popular Jamaican restaurant Kingston 11; Hanif Sadr, chef and co-founder of Northern Iranian restaurant Komaaj; and Azalina Eusope, the chef who used to run two Malaysian restaurants in San Francisco. Years in the making, the collaboration is set to feature dishes and ingredients in its marketplace from cuisines not widely represented in Oakland across the restaurant and marketplace areas, with ready-to-eat items available to-go all day in the latter. The bar area is set to host both a cocktail counter and a wine counter, with regional vintages and tastings.  M.C.

Projected opening: October.

2302 Valdez St., Oakland

Provided by Greg Kuzia-Carmel

Canteen

The first restaurant to open at Springline, a splashy, food-filled development in Menlo Park, will be Canteen, the second act from the chef behind popular and nearby restaurant Camper. The casual, all-day restaurant and wine bar from Greg Kuzia-Carmel will serve snacks like crispy chickpea panisse fries dipped in a habanero-tomato sauce, and raw oysters dressed simply with a smoked Meyer lemon and koji mignonette. To drink, there will be Californian and international wines, local beers and nonalcoholic options. Renderings show a light-filled, airy space with bar seating and an outdoor patio. Kuzia-Carmel opened Camper in 2018 after cooking at acclaimed fine dining restaurants Quince and Per Se. He will also run a separate cafe inside a co-working space at Springline, serving Sightglass Coffee and grab-and-go food like sandwiches and salads. Canteens neighbors will eventually include San Francisco Italian hit Che Fico, omakase spot Robin and high-end Mexican restaurant Mirame.  E.K.

Projected opening: November.

Canteen, 550 Oak Grove, Menlo Park; Canteen Cafe, 1300 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. instagram.com/canteenmpk

Courtesy Nicola Parisi

Casa Borinquena

What is likely the Bay Areas only vegan Puerto Rican restaurant will open in late September in North Oakland. Casa Borinquena, which owner Lourdes Marquez-Nau started as a pop-up, will serve pastelillo, a fried, empanada-like turnover filled with plant-based Impossible meat; and pastelon, a lasagna-esque dish layered with ground Impossible meat, cheese and plantain. In the mornings, there will be Puerto Rican coffee and sweets like mallorca, a soft roll dusted with powdered sugar.  E.K.

Projected opening: Sept. 30.

6211 Shattuck Ave., Oakland. casaborinquena.com

Crumble & Whisk

Crumble & Whisk

Oakland native Charles Farrier is setting up his first brick-and-mortar outpost after developing a following for his cheesecakes and baked goodies at farmers markets. Set to open in October in the Laurel District, the incoming Crumble & Whisk will feature Farriers signature cheesecakes  known for inventive, seasonal flavors like peach crumble and beet with berry  in full-size and personal-size versions, along with cinnamon rolls, scones and other baked goodies. Savory options on deck for breakfast and lunch include croque monsieurs, sandwiches of the hearty breakfast and roasted veggie varieties, and seasonal soups and salads.  M.C.

Projected opening: October.

4104 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, crumbleandwhisk.com

Courtesy Aron Pruiett

Damansara

Malaysian food like laksa and curry puffs will star at Damansara, the first restaurant from popular pop-up chef Tracy Goh. Beyond classics like laksa, the famed Malaysian noodle soup, the Noe Valley restaurant will serve small plates like grilled otak-otak, a spiced coconut fish cake grilled in banana leaves. Here, fried chicken gets coated in a salted egg sauce and a crunchy blend of breakfast cereal, butter and spices. Malaysian restaurants are few and far between in San Francisco, which may have helped fuel a devoted following for Gohs home pop-ups and pandemic food deliveries.  E.K.

Projected opening: late September.

1781 Church St., San Francisco. instagram.com/damansarasf

Celeste Noche/Special to The Chronicle

Koolfi Creamery and Cafe

After years of selling Indian-inflected ice cream in flavors like chickpea ghee fudge at pop-ups and grocery stores, the East Bays Koolfi Creamery will soon have a permanent home. Owners Priti Narayanan and Madhuri Mads Anjis first location in San Leandro wont just be an ice cream shop, though, but a full-service Indian cafe. In addition to more than 30 ice cream flavors, expect Indian street food like samosas and chaat as well as South Indian filtered coffee and chai.  E.K.

Projected opening: late September/early October.

599 MacArthur Blvd., San Leandro. koolficreamery.com

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Justin Katigbak/Speical to The Chronicle

Loquat

An exciting new bakery is taking up the sweets mantle at the former 20th Century Cafe space in San Franciscos Hayes Valley. Loquat is the brainchild of two business partners from Four Barrel Coffee and the Mill, Tal Mor and Jodi Geren, who brought on former Tartine pastry chef Kristina Costa. Loquat will specialize in pastries that pull from the Jewish diaspora and Levantine flavors inspired by Mors family roots in Israel, Iraq, Palestine and Eastern Europe. Think baked goods like laminated cardamom-ricotta babka and Turkish coffee cream pie. Bourekas, a flaky Sephardic pastry filled with ingredients like fried sage and ricotta, can be ordered warm with an egg and zhough, the spicy, herby Yemeni condiment. Cups of espresso will arrive with a small house-made treat, like halvah or candied citrus. Loquat will be a daytime cafe to start and later will stay open for events and natural wine in the evenings.  E.K.

Projected opening: mid/late October.

198 Gough St., San Francisco. instagram.com/loquat_sf

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Mattys Old Fashioned

The hotly anticipated burger spin-off from barbecue chef Matt Horn is gearing up to open in Old Oakland. Mattys Old Fashioned will serve burgers made from a proprietary blend of dry-aged meats, topped with caramelized onions, cheese and a secret sauce. Mattys is inspired by classic burgers Horn ate growing up in Fresno, though hot dogs, corn dogs, milkshakes and cocktails will also be on the menu. After opening Horn Barbecue to national acclaim and very long lines in 2020, the chef-owner has steadily expanded his culinary empire with a fried chicken restaurant, a cookbook and plans for a taco trailer.  E.K.

Projected opening: October.

464 Eighth St., Oakland. instagram.com/mattyburgers

Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle

Moro

Lucky for Wine Country diners, renowned chef Mourad Lahlou is bringing his Moroccan food to the region. Moro, a Moroccan street food restaurant, will open at Napas Oxbow Public Market with grilled meats served alongside flatbreads, salads, wraps and spreads. The counter-service restaurant will be more casual than his Michelin-starred restaurant Mourad and sister spot Aziza in San Francisco. But the Moro menu may nod to familiar dishes, like Azizas popular spreads (white bean with olives; piquillo peppers and almond; and dill-labneh with smoked trout roe).  E.K.

Projected opening: late fall.

601 First St., Napa.

Celeste Noche/Special to The Chronicle

SanDai

Northern Californias agricultural bounty is set to meet Southeast Asian cooking at this eagerly anticipated Walnut Creek restaurant. SanDai is set to offer plates rooted in head chef Nora Harons Indonesian and Singaporean roots but with a contemporary influence. The chef also leads the food at Killiney Kopitiam, the Singaporean coffee chain in Palo Alto, and previously ran kitchens at SoMas Local Kitchen and Oaklands Drip Line. Also inside is Kopi Bar, a coffee shop pouring drinks made with single-origin beans from Indonesia and offering baked goods like lapis gulung, an Indonesian treat that resembles rolled-up cakes. Haron, a former kitchen manager for third wave coffee chain Blue Bottle, brings major weight to the baking side of the coffee shop.  M.C.

Projected opening: mid-November.

1522 North Main St., Walnut Creek. sandai.us

Elena Kadvany and Mario Cortez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com, mario.cortez@sfchronicle.com
One of the most hotly debated issues in California wine these days involves a chemical that can be found in every Home Depot in America: Roundup.

Monsantos high-profile herbicide is the go-to method of weed control for many California vineyards. As with all crops, weeds are a nuisance among grapevines, competing for resources like water and potentially causing young vines to die.

But Roundups active ingredient, glyphosate, is probably a carcinogen, according to the World Health Organization. Repeated exposure to glyphosate has been linked to cancers like non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Recently, new research has revealed just how pervasive glyphosate may be in our environment: In July, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study of 2,310 subjects that found glyphosate in the urine of 80% of adults and 87% of children.

That revelation has spurred a new outcry in the California wine industry. Some winegrowers who farm according to organic, biodynamic or regenerative protocols  which prohibit the use of glyphosate and other synthetic chemicals  are speaking out against Roundup with renewed fervor, calling for an end to its use in vineyards.

Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

Im incredibly frustrated that these chemicals continue to be used and that nobody calls it out, said Beth Milliken, owner of Spottswoode Winery in St. Helena. She finds it amazing that in a place as image-conscious as Napa Valley, people are still spraying poison.

For now, the odds of the states $44 billion wine industry abandoning glyphosate look slim. Its so effective, and so much cheaper than alternative methods of weed control, that some say its irreversibly entrenched as an industry practice. The weedkiller is not just in our water, said organic vineyard manager Phil Coturri, of Sonomas Enterprise Vineyards: Roundup is also in our culture.

Yet some argue that the wine industry, as an agricultural sector dealing with a luxury product that carries a strong cultural cachet, has the power to change that. Theres means here. Theres wealth here, said Milliken of the Napa wine community. If Napa Valley cant do it, who can?

A need for weed control

Napa County applied almost 33,000 pounds of glyphosate to vineyards in 2018, and Sonoma County 48,000 pounds, according to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. About 43% of Napas vineyard acreage was treated with glyphosate that year, and about 55% of Sonomas vineyard acreage.

Its often farmworkers, not vineyard owners, who are tasked with spraying herbicides on weeds, and who therefore bear the largest risk of developing health problems. In 2020, a group representing farmworkers filed litigation in San Francisco asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to prohibit the sale of glyphosate products after the agency had reapproved them. The agencys current guidance is that there is no evidence that glyphosate causes cancer in humans. A federal appeals court in June asked the agency to reconsider its stance.

People diagnosed with cancer after using Roundup have filed tens of thousands of lawsuits against Bayer, Monsantos parent company. Juries in the Bay Area have awarded $133 million in damages in three of those cases.

California has not banned the use of glyphosate, though it has issued a warning about its carcinogenic potential under Proposition 65. Some individual cities have issued bans or restrictions on its use, including the cities of Napa and Sonoma on city-owned property. Bayer has said it will stop selling Roundup for residential use in 2023, though the company maintains the products safety.

Nevertheless, many California farmers continue to use Roundup for a simple reason: Its good at what it does.

Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle

Weeds are a constant issue, said Benjamin Leachman, director of viticulture at Walsh Vineyards Management, which farms 2,500 acres of grapes in Napa and Sonoma counties. Weeds pose the biggest threat in the first few years of a vines life, while its scrawny. Common invaders like morning glory and field bindweed, Leachman said, will wind their way around the young grapevine, choke it out and take all the water. Others, like poison oak and the thorn-studded Himalayan blackberry, can also prick or inflame the skin of humans working in the field.

A single spray of Roundup can wipe these weeds away. The alternative is mechanical or manual weed removal using a weed whacker or a shovel. That requires time and strenuous labor, and therefore more money. Spraying herbicide tends to cost one-third as much as mechanical weed removal, estimated Ben Mackie, vineyard program manager for Napa Green, a sustainability certification program.

Mechanical weed removal is even trickier in hillside vineyards, where rocky soil and slopes can be dangerous terrain for a machines operator. Worker health is the main consideration, said Leachman, who estimated that 30%-50% of the acreage he farms is herbicide-free. But weed eating on a slope means a worker can slip and fall. It introduces the potential for hurting the crews.

Organic herbicides, its generally agreed, dont work very well. Theyre designed to be nontoxic, after all. Many organic winegrowers still feel burned by a product called Agro Gold Weed Slayer, an herbicide that was marketed as organic but which was ultimately revealed to contain glyphosate. A class-action lawsuit over those false claims has been filed.

That leaves organic farmers with little recourse for weed control.

There are many times I wish I had a tool like Roundup, said Coturri. But his opposition to it is absolute. Many of the vineyards he farms are adjacent to streams that feed into larger bodies of water, including drinking water sources. Everything I put on a vineyard in Napa or Sonoma County, the residue ends up in the San Francisco Bay, Coturri said. Hes hoping that new technologies, like weed-eating robots, will become available.

The evolving definition of sustainability

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

It may surprise some wine drinkers that many California vineyards that have achieved sought-after sustainability certifications, such as Napa Green and Sonoma Sustainable, are allowed to use glyphosate. Coturri, Milliken and others have spoken out against this. How sustainable can a wine truly be, they ask, if its grapes are farmed with glyphosate?

Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle

Sonoma Sustainable did not respond to a request for comment. But Napa Green executive director Anna Brittain defended her program, saying shes frustrated by the myopic focus on glyphosate in conversations about responsible farming.

Growers who seek the Napa Green certification have to show that theyre reducing their use of glyphosate by 5% each year, Brittain said. In an ideal world, its use would be illegal, she said, but in reality, too many Napa growers rely on it to ban it outright at the moment.

The majority of growers say, If you prohibit the use of glyphosate, then I wont use your program, Brittain said. That would mean she risks alienating them from the other practices that Napa Green promotes, like climate action and social equity. She also noted that there are herbicides that are more toxic to humans and to the soil than Roundup, and she fears that the pressure to abandon it would result in growers switching to those products.

Every tasting room gets questions about Roundup at this point, she said. Its the laser-focus issue that consumers have, without having a bigger picture. Ive become so frustrated with that.

But what if the wine industry has overestimated the threat that weeds actually pose? Is it possible that in some vineyards  especially mature ones, where the vines are established and strong  weed control may not be necessary to such a large degree, or maybe at all?

Everyone interviewed for this story pointed out that a major reason for weed control in Bay Area vineyards is aesthetics. Vintners have come to cherish the appearance of a weedless vineyard, with neat strips of dirt underneath the vines. For a long time, it was like, Oh, the winemakers coming out to look at the vineyard, lets make sure there are no weeds, said Leachman. Certainly, if your vineyard was near a winery, youd spend more money (on weed control) on the blocks right next to the winery.

Slowly, though, that aesthetic is shifting. More vintners are embracing the look of a messy, overgrown, weedy vine row. Some people are trying to showcase their ugly vineyards now, said Mackie of Napa Green. Maybe, over time, environmentally conscious wine consumers will take note, equating an unruly-looking vineyard with an herbicide-free one, and accounting for that in their purchasing decisions.

Ultimately, pressure from customers could be the most powerful force driving grapegrowers away from synthetic chemicals. At the end of the day, we can't persist as an industry relying on these chemicals, Mackie said. But when it comes to convincing farmers, they dont want to hear about peer-reviewed articles, he said. They want to know what their neighbor did and whether it worked.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles senior wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley
UPDATE: Here are the latest updates on COVID in the Bay Area and California.

Vaccine uptake for the youngest eligible children in the U.S. continues to lag, with just 7% of those between the ages of 6 months and 4 years having received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. A growing number of Americans say theyve moved on from the pandemic, according to a new poll. San Francisco reported the lowest average of new coronavirus infections since early March, but hospitalizations ticked back up.

Latest updates:

COVID-19 response massive global failure at multiple levels, Lancet commission says

Widespread failures during the COVID-19 pandemic at multiple levels worldwide have led to millions of preventable deaths and a reversal in progress towards sustainable development for many countries, the Lancet COVID-19 Commission said in a report Wednesday. The investigative group said the death toll from the pandemic has been both a profound tragedy and a massive global failure at multiple levels, as it laid out steps UN member states and agencies could have taken to gain control of the pandemic. Too many governments have failed to adhere to basic norms of institutional rationality and transparency, too many people  often influenced by misinformation  have disrespected and protested against basic public health precautions, and the worlds major powers have failed to collaborate to control the pandemic, the commissioners wrote.

Omicron subvariants caused rapid waning of vaccine effectiveness, researchers say

Among individuals who completed their primary two-dose vaccination series and a booster dose, effectiveness against hospitalization faded as early as three to four months after vaccination when the omicron sublineages were dominant, according to a report published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers from South Africa analyzed data from 32,883 patients between November 2021 and June 2022, tracking changes in protection against hospital admission. With two doses, they found that vaccine effectiveness was 56.3% during the BA.1- BA.2 wave and 47.4% during the BA.4 - BA.5 wave. A third dose bumped vaccine effectiveness against severe disease caused by all four sublineages by one to two months, but by three to four months it had dropped to 50% during the BA.1 - BA.2 wave and 46.8% during the BA.4 - BA.5 wave. Our data indicate that boosting maintains vaccine effectiveness against severe disease caused by the current omicron sublineages, although the evidence of rapid waning of durability indicates the need for regular boosting as early as four months after the last dose or the need for vaccines to incorporate variants of concern to maintain protection, they wrote.

California health officials: No new variants on the horizon

With winter approaching, so far no concerning new coronavirus variants appear poised to replace the waning BA.5 omicron subvariant that gripped California this summer, said Dr. Erica Pan, the state epidemiologist, in an update with health care providers this week. A handful of highly infectious variants that could out-compete BA.5  including BA.4.6 and BA.2.75, which is driving cases in India  have been identified globally but none has yet threatened California, she said. BA.5 and the closely related BA.4 subvariant are really dominating still, and nothing else seems to be trying to compete them out, Pan said. But were watching closely, and watching wastewater surveillance. Its really hard to predict what will happen over winter.

Nursing home residents should be evaluated for Paxlovid or other treatments

All residents of skilled nursing facilities who have symptomatic COVID-19 should be evaluated by a clinician to potentially receive therapeutics such as the antiviral pills Paxlovid and molnupiravir and the intravenous medications remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies, the California Department of Public Health said this week in a letter to all skilled nursing facilities in the state. California ranks 44th among all states in the percentage of COVID-positive skilled nursing home residents whove received therapeutics, Dr. Jessica deJarnette of the state public health departments clinical team science branch, said this week during a call with the California Association of Long-Term Care Medicine. DeJarnette urged nursing homes to take steps now to prepare for a potential fall or winter surge by confirming with their pharmacy that they have supply of therapeutics, identifying which drugs would be best for patients if they test positive, and reviewing residents prescription medications for drug-drug-interactions with Paxlovid. Because two main medications, remdesivir and Paxlovid, must be given within the first week of symptoms, preparing now can save a lot of headache and frustrationif there are plans in place in case a patient tests positive, she said.

Johns Hopkins University to scale back COVID data tracking

Officials at Johns Hopkins University  which has closely tracked coronavirus case numbers, deaths, and other vital metrics since the start of the pandemic  say that they will scale back reporting on COVID-19 starting Sept. 21 due to a slowdown in the availability of public health data. We have seen a dramatic shift in the way that state and local governments not only collect this data but share it publicly, Beth Blauer, data head for the universitys Coronavirus Resource Center, told the Wall Street Journal. That deeply constrains the way that we can actually report. As part of the shift, the universitys tracker will eliminate case numbers altogether, with officials saying they have become an unreliable pandemic marker due to the widespread use of home testing. The dashboard will no longer provide hourly updates either. The changes are being driven by the declining quality and utility of pandemic data reported by state governments, the university said in an email to Axios.

New weekly COVID cases fall by 28% worldwide

The number of new weekly COVID-19 cases worldwide fell 28% last week compared to the previous week, with over 3.1 million new cases reported, according to the latest update from the World Health Organization. The U.N. health agency also said deaths fell by 22% in the past week, to just over 11,000 reported worldwide. Thats the figure that prompted WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to tell reporters the end is in sight for the coronavirus pandemic, comparing the effort to that made by a marathon runner nearing the finish line. Now is the worst time to stop running, he said. Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap all the rewards of our hard work. As of Sunday, 605 million confirmed cases and 6.4 million deaths had been reported globally since March 2020.

COVID increases Alzheimers risk by up to 80%, study finds

Older adults who have had COVID-19 are at 50% to 80% higher risk for a new diagnosis of Alzheimers disease within a year, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University analyzed at electronic health records of 6.2 million patients ages 65 and older who received medical treatment between February 2020 and May 2021 and had no prior diagnosis of Alzheimers. They compared results for 400,000 patients infected with COVID-19 against 5.8 million individuals who were not infected in the study group, finding that over a one-year period those in the former had a 0.68% chance of developing Alzheimers compared to 0.35% in the non-COVID cohort. The risk was highest among women aged 85 and older. The factors that play into the development of Alzheimers disease have been poorly understood, but two pieces considered important are prior infections, especially viral infections, and inflammation, said Pamela Davis, a research professor from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and co-author of the study.

TikTok pumps toxic misinformation about COVID to young users

Researchers who searched for content about prominent news topics on the social media app TikTok said they found that nearly one in five of the automatically suggested videos contained misinformation about issues such as COVID-19, climate change, or Russias invasion of Ukraine. In a report published Wednesday by NewsGuard, researchers said the service pumps toxic misinformation to its young users. Searches for information about mRNA vaccine, for instance, yielded five videos (out of the first 10) that contained misinformation, including baseless claims that the COVID-19 vaccine causes permanent damage in childrens critical organs, according to an Associated Press analysis of the report. TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, is the second most popular domain in the world, according to online performance and security company Cloudflare, exceeded only by Google. Steven Brill, the founder of NewsGuard, a firm that monitors misinformation, questioned whether the company deliberately allows misinformation to proliferate as a way to sow confusion in the U.S. and other Western democracies. Its either incompetence or its something worse, Brill told The Associated Press. TikTok released a statement in response to NewsGuards report noting, We do not allow harmful misinformation, including medical misinformation, and we will remove it from the platform.

1,300 New York Times employees balk at return-to-office plan

A majority of staffers at The New York Times have refused the companys demand that they return to the office amid another rise in coronavirus cases in New York, according to the union that represents them. Today, we delivered to the leadership of The New York Times the names of nearly 1,300 NewsGuild member employees who have signed a pledge to continue to work remotely this week, the first week the company wants us back in the office, the Times Guild said in a Twitter post on Monday. The union said members of the newspapers Tech Guild and Wirecutter joined it in the pledge and believed the company was compromising workers health and safety. We will continue to produce high-quality, award-winning work while reminding the company it cannot unilaterally change our working conditions, the message continued. The company reportedly offered free lunch boxes as an incentive to come back to in-person work this week. In the letter, obtained by the Daily Beast, the employees said there is a strong likelihood they would strike if The New York Times did not allow them to continue to work from home.

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.

End is in sight for COVID-19 pandemic, says WHO leader

The head of the World Health Organization sounded an optimistic note during a briefing Wednesday, saying the world is closer than ever to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. We are not there yet. But the end is in sight, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. The virus has killed nearly 6.5 million people globally since March 2020, but vaccines and therapies have curbed the severity of the disease. Ghebreyesus said COVID-related deaths were the lowest on record last week since the start of the pandemic. WHO leaders said that people should not yet let their guard down, as there may be more surges in the future. We expect there to be future waves of infections, potentially at different time points throughout the world caused by different subvariants of omicron or even different variants of concern, said the agencys senior epidemiologist, Maria Van Kerkhove.

California drops COVID testing requirement for unvaccinated workers in high-risk settings

California will no longer require screening testing for unvaccinated workers in congregate settings, such as schools, health care facilities, shelters, prisons, and adult care centers, effective Saturday. Mandated testing of the small number of unvaccinated workers in high-risk settings is not effectively preventing disease transmission as with prior variants earlier in the pandemic, the states health department said in an update Tuesday. Officials said that due to the high rate of vaccine coverage among workers in those settings, the proportion of unvaccinated workers is small enough to no longer be a concern  even though those who have not received their shots remain at higher risk of infection. Californias health care workers are still required to receive primary series and at least one booster, but those with medical or other exemptions are no longer required to do screening testing.

Santa Clara County rescinds vaccine mandate for workers in high-risk settings

On Monday, the Santa Clara County health officer rescinded a COVID vaccine mandate for workers in high-risk settings. Citing high vaccination rates, Dr. Sara Cody said the requirement, put in place last summer, was no longer necessary. COVID-19 remains a serious threat to our community, and I urge everyone to continue to protect each other and the most vulnerable among us by masking and staying up to date on their vaccinations with the latest bivalent booster, she said in a statement. In advance of the state rollback, she also said large health care providers are no longer required to regularly test their employees for the coronavirus, be vaccinated against the flu, or wear a mask. To date, over 87% of eligible county residents have completed their initial COVID vaccination series, and 69% of residents ages 5 and up have received at least one booster dose.

Vaccination uptake stalls for youngest children in the U.S.

Vaccine uptake for the youngest eligible children in the U.S. continues to lag, with just 7% of those between the ages of 6 months to 4 years old having received at least one dose of the life-saving shots against COVID-19 as of Sep. 7, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows figures are slightly higher for the next age group. About 38% of 5 to 11 year-olds have received their first vaccine dose, and 31% have completed their primary series. By comparison, 70% of 12 to 17 year-olds have received their first shot, and 60% have completed their two-dose series. The rate of uptake for young children has steadily declined since mid-August, even though pediatric coronavirus cases are on the rise while the rate of infections in adults continues to fall. There were 83,272 child COVID-19 cases reported for the week ending Sep. 9, with children representing 19.3% of all the weekly reported cases.

Contra Costa County to close or scale back vaccination and testing by years end

In another sign the pandemic is transitioning to endemic status, Contra Costa County plans to close or scale back several public vaccination and testing sites by the end of the year, health officials said Tuesday during a COVID-19 update to county supervisors. The shift comes amid falling demand for vaccination and lab testing, and expectations that the public health emergency declaration will end early next year. Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act that the county has allocated to COVID spending is projected to decline significantly each quarter between now and mid-2023. On Oct. 1, the county will close its San Ramon testing site and scale back COVID services at Richmond Auditorium, which currently provides vaccination and testing, to vaccination only. On Jan. 1, it will close vaccination clinics at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center in Antioch, on Oak Grove Road in Concord, and Richmond Auditorium. Now that residents with insurance can access COVID testing, vaccination and treatment through their own providers, the county will tailor its focus to the uninsured population, said county health director Anna Roth.

Americans have moved on from pandemic, poll finds

Concern about COVID-19 has hit a low point in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, even though hundreds of Americans are still dying every day from the virus, according to the latest and final Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index released Tuesday. While White House officials anticipate another fall and winter surge, the latest results find a country that has largely  though not completely  moved on from the pandemic, states the report which has been running regularly since mid-March 2020. Only 37% of the respondents in the latest poll said they still sometimes wear a mask in public spaces, compared to 71% in September 2021. Few are worried about the most severe or long-term outcomes of the disease. Only about 18% said they are concerned about the symptoms of long COVID; 12% are worried about hospitalization; and 11% about death. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents said there is a small risk or no risk in returning to their normal, pre-COVID life  and nearly half said they already have.
San Francisco recorded its first year-over-year increase in new HIV infections in nearly a decade in 2021, though at least some of those cases likely were in people who became infected in 2020 and only tested positive last year due to pandemic lockdowns and other restrictions that led to testing delays.

According to the citys annual HIV/AIDS report released on Tuesday, 160 people tested positive for HIV in San Francisco last year, a 16% increase from 2020, when 138 new cases were recorded, and the first time that number has climbed since 2012. That was still fewer new infections than 2019, when 173 cases were reported, before the COVID pandemic caused major disruptions in access to testing and treatment.

Health officials could not say how many of the new infections reported last year were actually from 2020 but only identified in 2021 due to testing lags. HIV testing dropped about 45% across San Francisco during the first year of the pandemic.

The report describes how the pandemic, in its second year, continued to impact San Franciscos decade-long effort  known as Getting to Zero  to stamp out HIV transmission in the city. Almost all markers of HIV in the city worsened in 2021 compared to the previous year or pre-COVID years.

We still havent seen a complete recovery from COVID, said Dr. Susan Buchbinder, co-chair of the citys Getting to Zero steering committee. This report underscores how much work needs to be done to get to where we need to go.

Buchbinder added that though testing increased overall in San Francisco last year  in some places surpassing 2019 levels  there remain pockets of the community that arent being tested as much as they should. So new infections may have been undercounted again in 2021, as they were the previous year, she said.

She was also concerned about rates of viral suppression, a critical marker of HIV that demonstrates how well the virus is controlled in an individual. With antiretroviral treatment, a persons viral load can be pushed so low that it is undetectable and the individual cannot infect others.

In the first nine months of 2021, 75% of people with HIV were virally suppressed within six months of diagnosis. In the same time period in 2019, 79% of people were virally suppressed within six months. Thats not a large drop, but the percentage had been climbing steadily before the pandemic, suggesting some ground was lost in getting newly diagnosed people into care, health officials said.

I dont think it should come as a surprise that there were disruptions in HIV testing and care across the board, said Vince Crisostomo, director of aging services for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, who saw firsthand how the pandemic interrupted access to care, especially for people who were already struggling with homelessness or drug use. In fact I think this report could have been a lot worse, and Im grateful for that.

The report also noted that health equity with regards to HIV worsened in 2021, especially among people who are homeless, who made up a quarter of all new cases last year  the greatest proportion of new infections in at least a decade.

In addition, new infection rates among Black and Latino men were about three times higher than for white men in 2021, continuing longstanding trends in HIV. Black and Asian people were also less likely to be virally suppressed after six months than white people: about 65% for Black and Asian people, compared to 73% for white people.

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 report analyzed some data through 2021 and others through 2020. Deaths among people who were HIV-positive increased in 2020  the most recent year for which figures are available  across most demographics, according to the report In 2020, 286 deaths were reported, up from 263 the year before.

Nearly three-quarters of the 2020 deaths were not from HIV-related causes, and the annual increases likely reflect in part that people with HIV are getting older in San Francisco.

But health officials said they were concerned by the rising fatality rates, especially among certain demographic groups, including Black men and transgender women. Overdose deaths in particular increased, echoing similar trends across the city; they accounted for 11% of deaths in people with HIV from 2009 to 2012, and 15% of deaths from 2017 to 2020.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday
Imagine an institution that operates the largest free Wi-Fi network in San Francisco. It employs 900 people spread across 27 locations. Its resources are available in more than 50 languages. And due to its expansive electronic programming, its resources are available 24 hours a day.

No, this is not the latest technology company to hit the Bay Area, were talking about the San Francisco Public Library system. By passing Proposition F in November, voters can secure funding for this robust system for the next 25 years.

They should.

On a crowded and complicated ballot, Prop. F stands out as a no-brainer. Mayor London Breed and the Board of Supervisors are in support and theres no paid opposition to this measure. Thats because its simply asking voters to extend something theyve supported before; Prop. F provides an extension of the Library Preservation Fund that was put on the ballot in 1994 and passed with more than 70% of the vote.

The fund provides money to the library system from two sources: 2.5 cents per $100 of an already existing property tax is set aside each year for the library, in addition to a baseline 2.3% of aggregate discretionary revenue from the general fund, the specific amount of which is determined yearly by the city Controller. In the event of an economic crisis and a deficit in funds, that amount can be frozen yearly until the city recovers. In all, these two sources of income make up 95% of the librarys annual budget, which this fiscal year is $171 million. The fund is set to expire at the end of 2023 if voters dont elect to renew it.

The one notable difference between Prop. F and the measure it replaces is that it will extend the fund for 25 years instead of 15. Supporters say thats necessary due to infrastructure demands: With 27 branches, many in aging buildings more than a century old, sustained financing takes libraries out of the crowded capital planning process that nearly every other city department must wade through, ensuring that it has the funds to care for its buildings now, in five years and in two decades.

That work is already underway. The Mission District library is undergoing a $25 million renovation and another $30 million has been secured for Chinatowns branch; both of those are old, historic libraries built by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in the early 1900s. The citys smallest library, in the historically underfunded Oceanview neighborhood, will be replaced by a new, large library.

In all, operating, maintaining and preserving libraries amounts to less than 2% of the citys budget. For that expenditure, we get an incredible return on investment. We are long removed from the days of libraries being a place where you go just to get physical copies of books. These facilities provide English classes for immigrants, support childhood literacy, offer free use of computers and printers, and support job searchers. In a time of continued fear over COVID, its robust electronic lending system also means people can stay home and borrow books on their Kindles or smartphones.

San Franciscos library system is also the only major urban library in the state thats open seven days a week, something to be incredibly proud of. Investing in its future for years to come is an easy choice to make.
Regarding Push needed to hit climate goals (Editorial, Sept. 11): My suggestion is to mandate that all new light-duty vehicles sold in the U.S. beginning with the 2027 model year be hybrids.

My husband and I own a 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid (non-plugin) that has averaged 44.5 miles per gallon over 13,000 miles, almost twice the mileage of the gasoline version. The battery is charged as you drive. We only paid about $2,000 more for our hybrid compared to the gas model.

Our two college-age grandsons drive previously owned Ford C-Max hybrids and our daughter just purchased a Ford Maverick hybrid (small truck), and they all average over 40 mpg.

If all new cars were hybrids, gasoline usage and carbon emissions would be cut in half almost immediately at very little cost increase.

Bio-fuel, electric and hydrogen vehicles could follow in 2035 as the California Air Resources Board has mandated.

Rosemary Lake, San Leandro

Priced out of wineries

Regarding Wineries eager for fall after dry tourist season (Bay Area & Business, Sept. 11): All I can say is get a grip! I moved to the Bay Area in 1980 when the only winery that charged for tasting was Caymus, where you paid $3 to taste excellent wine and got a souvenir glass to take home.

Napa wineries wonder where their customers are when they expect you to pay hundreds of dollars for a few sips  and by reservation only. Hotels for a mere $950 a night and bookings are down?

Come on folks, get serious. Wineries have priced wine tasting out of most peoples budgets and taken all the fun out of it. Its a sad story indeed but the industry has no one to blame but itself.

You can still head up to Amador County and taste some excellent California wine for free.

Glenn Appell, Oakland

Vote on the issues

Regarding Shifting election could aid Breed (Front Page, Sept. 12) Is the election for San Francisco mayor really solely about which faction, progressive or moderate, turns out to vote? The article suggests nothing else matters.

The truth is that Mayor London Breed has no likely opponent on the horizon. No local leader that I am aware of has even suggested possibly challenging her. This could change, however, if the mayor missteps. With her poll numbers as low as they reportedly are, not least because of the failure of her administration to deal substantially with the homeless crisis, another dramatic failing in her mayorship could galvanize an opponent to declare for the office.

This could present her with a real challenge. The reality is that its not about which electoral faction turns out. The election will be about issues  if the mayor has done what she ran on and whether the city is better off.

To suggest moderates would turn out to support a failed mayor would be wishful thinking, not data analysis.

Alan Collins, San Francisco

Ghosts of Russell City

Regarding Tracing remnants after erasure of Bay Area town (Bay Area & Business, Sept. 11): As a kid, in San Francisco, I would hear about Russell City, but then all mention of it stopped. I used to wonder what happened to it, thinking that I must have been hearing about Foster City. This is yet another instance of the white power structure stealing land from Black folks, this time, recently. So sad, so sad.

Michael Benardo, Vallejo
By 2035, all new cars sold in California will be zero-emission.

Sonoma County environmentalists have proposed one of the most aggressive policy ideas yet to help the state's transition to electric cars: Ban construction of new gas stations.

On this episode of the Fifth & Mission podcast, Woody Hastings of the Coalition Opposing New Gas Stations joins host Cecilia Lei to explain the local effort that is quickly spreading across the state and beyond.

Photo above: Drivers pump gas at Twin Peaks Auto Care in San Francisco in 2020.
As downtown San Francisco struggles to get back on steady economic footing, some local officials are trying to figure out just how badly the urban cores challenges could strain city finances in the coming years  and how they might reverse the trend.

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman sent a letter Tuesday to the citys controller and treasurer asking them to complete an analysis by April 1 of how business tax revenue has been reshaped by the sharply reduced ranks of people regularly working in San Franciscos many office towers.

In his letter, Mandelman said COVID-19 has had profound impacts on where office work is performed, citing the well-established remote and hybrid work schedules embraced by many of the businesses whose employees previously filled downtown skyscrapers five days a week.

Such trends have been particularly acute in San Francisco, Mandelman said, due to the citys high concentration of office workers and professional service companies that could easily adapt to a more distributed work model.

He cited data that showed San Francisco had the most population loss last year of any major American city  with a particular decline in residents who have jobs that can be done remotely.

To the extent that such shifts in where work is performed persist, it may have a significant impact on the Citys economy and tax revenues, Mandelman wrote.

He said that since 2019, San Francisco has already endured major losses in business tax revenue because fewer relevant employees are doing their jobs within city limits. Additionally, Mandelman said the citys downtown economic recovery from the pandemic has been ranked last in the nation and economic indicators reported by the Controllers Office show that the citys peers have better rates of returning office workers, air travelers and public transit riders.

The long-term persistence of these pandemic shifts are still not entirely clear, but their implications for the Citys tax base and tax structure  which is heavily and increasingly dependent on revenue from commercial buildings and the businesses filling those buildings  are significant, Mandelman said in his letter. Policymakers need to consider how these shifts will impact our tax structure and prepare for these long-term shifts.

In addition to a requested analysis of business tax revenue and how it could affect city finances, Mandelman also asked the controller and treasurer to make recommendations that San Francisco leaders should consider as they try to steer the city out of the pandemic.

Hes not the only Board of Supervisors member trying to assess the extent of downtowns economic woes and chart a path forward.

Also Tuesday, Supervisor Ahsha Safai called for a hearing about the lackluster economic recovery underway in San Franciscos once-bustling downtown. Safai said he would also be putting together a working group that could assess possible changes to city land-use rules, tax reform and financial incentives that might help downtown bounce back. He said the working group would include representatives from government, business leaders, labor unions, nonprofits and more.

We need to have a real honest discussion about the future of our downtown core, Safai 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.

Supervisor Catherine Stefani previously sent a letter to various city officials asking them to analyze how the reduced demand for commercial space would impact local tax revenue. She said Tuesday that city departments were working on a model that would inform the analysis and it should be ready in October. Stefani said she wanted to have a hearing as well.

At the same time, Supervisor Connie Chan said she wanted to push city leaders to look at how they can better support businesses in neighborhoods outside downtown and had asked the boards Budget and Legislative Analyst for advice.

It is perhaps time to break the traditional downtown mold and really think about neighborhoods in San Francisco and think about the city as a whole, Chan said Tuesday.

The efforts land as two downtown San Francisco office buildings that were put up for sale last spring have been yanked from the market because bids came in far below the sellers worst-case-scenario projections. That signals investors are shying away from the city, worrying real estate professionals.

The decline in the value of downtown office buildings will have long-term implications for the citys tax base, as building owners ask the city for reassessments, which has already started to happen.

J.D. Morris (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris
Mayor London Breed pledged during a public meeting Tuesday to coordinate city efforts in the Castro around homelessness and addiction after neighborhood merchants threatened weeks ago to withhold taxes if officials didnt take action. Breed said, if necessary, police can step in to ensure people who refuse shelter or treatment multiple times dont wreak havoc.

The Castro Merchants Association sent a letter to city officials on Aug. 8 urging the city to step in  and threatening to stop paying city taxes and fees if officials dont respond. In the letter, they said people living on the streets regularly experience psychotic episodes and have vandalized storefronts and harassed business owners, employees, residents and tourists. The group asked for a plan to address people who refused services.

City officials who work on homelessness and public health responded that they too were concerned and working hard on the issues.

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman pressed Breed during Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting on what she would do to fix the crisis on the streets. But he said that despite her efforts and significant improvement since the height of the pandemic, the status quo of encampments, drug activity and people who are a danger to themselves or others on the streets is unacceptable.

Breed responded that she is frustrated too.

Part of my frustration comes that weve been adding shelter and housing like never before, she said.

She pointed out that the city has accelerated opening thousands of shelter or housing beds and hundreds of treatment beds in the past two years for people struggling with mental illness and addiction. Officials have said the investments helped bring down the citys homelessness numbers by 3.5% from 2019 to 2022.

But despite that progress, Breed said, it doesnt always make a visible difference on the streets.

Even with all of these resources, more and more, we are encountering people who we cannot help simply by offering them a bed, she said. Many of these individuals we are tracking in the Castro have refused what staff has offered them.

She said that the city needs to make clear to struggling individuals that this is an option they need to take.

Breed said change would come when departments worked together to ensure that when someone did not accept help, other interventions might be needed.

If multiple offers of service or shelter are refused, the police will not allow individuals to continue to disrupt the neighborhood, she said.

San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Kathryn Winters said in a statement that police are part of an array of services-focused city services and that each interaction will be handled on a case-by-case basis in a caring and compassionate manner.

Its not illegal to be homeless in San Francisco. The SFPD is committed to treating all residents equally, regardless of their economic or living conditions, Winters wrote.

But Winters did list a slew of things that are illegal: To consume alcohol or drugs in public, urinate or defecate in public, leave garbage on the sidewalks, panhandle aggressively, loiter near ATMs, camp or sleep on a public street or park or sit or lie on a public sidewalk between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Breed spokesman Jeff Cretan said if someone refused services multiple times, the health and homeless services departments would notify police to enforce existing laws. While the goal is to get people to accept help, they wont allow people who refuse to be disruptive, he said.

Dave Karraker, co-president of the Castro Merchants Association, wrote in a statement that the group was very pleased by the mayors comments. In his email, Karraker said people refusing services is an issue and it is inhumane to allow the mentally ill and drug addicted to continue to suffer on the streets.

We are hopeful the Mayors announcement signals a new chapter in moving these folks towards support services, he wrote, explaining that they were looking forward to what the holistic, cross-departmental plan and publicly available metrics to gauge success would be.

The city cannot continue with what they have been doing for the past several years, which simply isnt enough to address the severity of this crisis, he said.

Advocates protest the service-resistant narrative, arguing that at times, no appropriate treatment beds are available, leading to long waits for those in crisis. For the homeless, sometimes only group shelter is available, an unappealing option for people who want to bring their partners or belongings inside.

Permanent supportive housing  which is scarce  is also understaffed, dangerous and decrepit, according to a recent Chronicle investigation. While people have turned down city offers of a hotel room in an old building with a shared bathroom, theyve accepted newer hotel rooms with a private bathroom, according to city data.

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.

So-called service resistance is much more a myth than a reality, said Tyler Rougeau, directing attorney of the Shelter Client Advocates Program at the Eviction Defense Collaborative in San Francisco.

He also said that unhoused people who decline shelter offers are often doing so because of past bad experiences, such as being kicked out for needing a higher level of care than shelters could provide.

Theres all sorts of very legitimate reasons why somebody, even if given the option of a shelter placement, may decline. Some folks have already been down that road, Rougeau said. The characterization of people as being service resistant doesnt reflect the reality.

The idea that police will become more involved in responding to homelessness and addiction in the Castro is likely to spur pushback. Advocates and Breeds political opponents have also protested police responding to homelessness, arguing it doesnt help get someone housed or into treatment and can escalate to violence. The city announced earlier this year it will seek to replace police responding to low-level 911 calls about homelessness with teams of community advocates, but it could take another year to implement.

Breed also said that the city is hamstrung by limitations on putting people under court-ordered treatment, called conservatorship.

Supporters of conservatorship say its too hard to get and, as a result, mentally ill people are deteriorating the streets. But critics protest that mandated treatment is a violation of civil rights that can be abused and that adding more voluntary treatment options is the way to deal with those in crisis on the streets.

Breed mentioned a new alternative to conservatorship, called Care Court, which would get people into court-ordered mental health treatment. The program, which just passed the state legislation, would roll out in San Francisco and other counties in phases starting in 2023. Another package of reforms to existing conservatorship laws supported by Breed and other big city California mayors failed.

We will try again next year, Breed said.

Raheem Hosseini contributed to this story.

Mallory Moench (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench
Jade Le has lived in the Tenderloin for 11 years and loves her San Francisco neighborhood. But its now in the worst state that shes ever seen, particularly in terms of safety.

Le, who is Vietnamese and Chinese, said she was assaulted four times near her home during the pandemic  punched in the back of her head while crossing the street, grabbed while walking her dog and grabbed by a homeless person with an exposed penis.

A homeless person in a wheelchair also threw trash at her and called her a bat eater, a racist insult referring to the potential origin of the coronavirus in China. All four assaults happened in broad daylight.

Im afraid to leave my own home, she said.

Les sentiments arent an outlier.

About the poll As part of the SFNext project to help San Francisco residents solve some of the citys problems, we polled more than 1,650 people to measure attitudes on whats working, what isnt, performance of city government, the future of the city and more. Send feedback, ideas and suggestions to sfnext@SFChronicle.com

Asian American residents, who make up more than a third of San Franciscos population, are more pessimistic and critical of the city than other ethnic groups, according to a poll of 1,653 residents by The Chronicle as part of the SFNext project. The results reflect widespread dissatisfaction that helped fuel this years recalls of three school board members and District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

Only 14% of the 490 respondents who identified as Asian believe that living in the city will be better in two years, the lowest rate among all ethnic groups and below the overall 22% of 1,653 survey respondents who think the city will improve. Forty-four percent of Asian Americans think the city will be worse in two years, compared with 35% overall.

U.S. census data shows that over 5% of San Franciscans speak Cantonese as their primary language, but are not fluent in English, and 92 respondents took a survey translated into Chinese. Respondents did not disclose their specific ethnicity.

The SFNext poll asked residents more than 90 questions about numerous aspects of life in San Francisco. It was conducted in late June and July, and respondents reflect the citys demographics. More details on the surveys methodology are shown at the right.

When asked about the citys biggest problem, the most common top answer among Asian respondents was safety/crime, in contrast to other ethnic groups, who were most likely to pick homelessness.

Asian Americans were sharply critical of city officials, with only 20% responding that the mayor was doing an excellent or good job. Support was even lower for the Board of Supervisors, with 9% of Asian Americans ranking their performance as excellent or good, and the police, at 16%. In all three cases, Asian Americans ranked city officials performance a few percentage points lower compared with the overall response.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Le, who is 42 and works in retail operations, said she voted for Boudin when he was running for district attorney in 2019, but she voted to recall him in June.

His ideas were super progressive. I was for it, she said. But she believed that while in office, Boudin blamed problems on the pandemic rather than addressing criticisms, and seemed to prioritize protecting criminals over victims.

She said she believes that Mayor London Breed is making efforts to improve the city, but progress has been modest. Shes unsure how shell vote in the election next year, as its still unclear if Breed will have challengers.

Asians  and weve seen this in the voting booth  are very skeptical about our current political leadership, said David Lee, executive director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee. Theres a feeling that city leadership has failed to address the chief concerns of Asians.

Asian residents dissatisfaction could shape political races in the fall and next year, when Breed is up for re-election. Lee, who studies voter turnout, said Asian voters supported the school board and district attorney recalls at a higher rate than other ethnic groups, and many of the recall leaders are also Asian Americans. He also believes that the June Muni bond failed because more conservative Asian voters came out in greater numbers.

Asians were also more likely to say they were bothered by homeless people affecting them, as opposed to feeling sad about the problems homeless people face, compared to other ethnic groups. Asians were also much more likely to be upset to live within a 10-minute walk from housing for the homeless and the citys poorest residents.

Lee expects Asians to continue to feel unsafe, after a slew of attacks on Asian elders in the past two months that included a 70-year-old Asian woman assaulted inside her apartment complex. Asians continue to feel targeted, and elderly women in particular feel vulnerable, Lee said.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

The new district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, has gone out of her way to visit Chinatown and meet with Asian leaders as she prepares to face voters in November, Lee said. D.A. Jenkins wants the Asian vote, he said. Shes going to need to convey what is her plan and actually take action.

Asian American survey respondents were the ethnic group that was least likely to report being victimized by a crime in the poll, despite saying it was the citys biggest problem. Lee said that, generally, Asian victims may be reluctant to report crimes. And even if they havent personally been affected, many Asian Americans are reading about assaults and robberies of other Asian Americans, perpetuating a mood of fear, he said.

Malcolm Yeung, executive director of the Chinatown Community Development Center, a nonprofit that manages affordable housing and advocates for the neighborhood, said the negative sentiment in the city wasnt surprising as crime is top of mind for everybody, he said.

While the brutal assaults against Asians have been in the spotlight, such attacks have been going on in the three decades that Yeung has been active in the city, he said. Theyve just been underreported, and are only recently capturing media attention, he said.

Theres a gap between reality and perception, he said. San Francisco police data shows no major surge in violent crime this year. Yeung also sees a major contrast between the political and social views of wealthier, English-speaking Asian Americans and monolingual speakers or new immigrants.

One example is their views on affordable housing.

Chinese Americans are one of the most significant beneficiaries of affordable housing in San Francisco and one of the most ardent supporters of expanding affordable housing, he said.

Sanjay Subhedar, a Transbay resident and poll respondent, said he was outraged by the state of the city and blamed city leaders.

I dont mind paying high taxes, but I think inefficient, incompetent government is what we get, said Subhedar, who is 70 and Indian American. I find the city becoming dirtier, unsafe.

Subhedar, who is managing director at Menlo Park venture capital firm Storm Ventures, said he has not been a victim of a crime, but said many of his friends have had their cars broken into, and some who are of Chinese and Indian descent have been verbally abused.

We need to recall more than just the D.A., he said. I think Gavin Newsom is terrible.

Yeung said the pandemic and renewed focus on racial justice has given the Asian American community an opportunity to assert its voice around challenges like hate crimes, which have long been an issue.

This is not new, were finally in a moment where we can discuss this publicly, Yeung said. Theres a stage for it, and thats a good thing.

Editors note: A previous version of this story misidentified the Chinese written language.

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf
Teslas claims about its electric cars self-driving capabilities have landed the company in hot water again, with a complaint filed in San Francisco federal court Wednesday alleging the technology does not work as advertised and that buyers were deceived into paying more for it.

The suit, filed by law firm Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, is seeking class-action status and claims the company has misled consumers about its autopilot, enhanced autopilot and so-called full self-driving capabilities since at least 2016.

As alleged in the complaint, people have relied upon the representations of Tesla that the self-driving capabilities are completely safe, when Tesla knew they had many problems, Joe Cotchett said in a statement.

Tesla did not respond to an emailed request for comment, and has reportedly not employed a public relations department dating back to last year.

On its website, the company outlines the current and planned features of the different software, but specifically warns: The currently enabled Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.

The suit claims that instead of producing an actual self-driving car, Tesla has sent out updates for its full self-driving mode to select customers, which CEO Elon Musk has touted on Twitter. He announced the most recent update this month, claiming its top priority would be safety, so expect it to be overly cautious, especially around pedestrians.

But the suit claims that federal and state investigations, along with press reports, have shown the company knew about the problems with its various automated driving software, but made false claims anyway.

Tesla did so to generate excitement about the companys vehicles and thereby improve its financial condition by, among other things, attracting investment, increasing sales, avoiding bankruptcy, driving up Teslas stock price, and helping to establish Tesla as a dominant player in the electric vehicle market, the lawsuit said.

Tesla has yet to produce a car that actually drives itself, attorneys alleged, and its full self-driving beta software has myriad problems, such as cars failing to make routine turns, running red lights, and steering directly into large objects and oncoming traffic.

Along with breach of warranty and false advertising, the lawsuit claims breach of the states unfair competition law, negligence, fraud and deceit. It also demands a court order stopping Tesla from making allegedly false claims about its technology, and seeks punitive damages as well as civil penalties.

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The suit is not the first time the companys claims about the cars driving themselves have run into public scrutiny. Last month the California Department of Motor Vehicles accused the company of making false and misleading statements about its self-driving technology, seeking to revoke its dealer and manufacturing licenses, among other penalties.

Dozens of people have suffered fatal and other serious injuries as a result of these (advanced driver assistance systems)-related collisions, triggering a host of investigations by state and federal regulators, the lawsuit said.

There have been multiple instances of Teslas driver-assistance systems being engaged that resulted in fatal crashes. One 2018 incident in Mountain View, investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, found the driver was likely distracted and overly reliant on the automated systems when his Tesla model X failed to successfully exit a freeway and crashed, killing the driver and resulting in injuries to another driver who then struck the vehicle.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
Darrel Cruz recently wrote up proposals to rename three landscape features of the dramatic mountains surrounding the Palisades Tahoe ski resort  all of which carried the derogatory term squaw.

Cruz, director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office for the Washoe Tribe, whose ancestral lands encompass Lake Tahoe, was instrumental in helping Palisades rebrand itself last fall after operating as Squaw Valley for 72 years.

Many Native American tribes deride the term as an offensive, dehumanizing objectifier of Indigenous women.

Cruz, a member of the Hungalelti band of Washoe, was grateful for the resorts gesture  his tribe had been asking it to change its name for decades  but felt there was more to do. The valley itself, as well as a creek and peak there, all carried the term. Cruz submitted petitions to the federal Board on Geographic Names and waited.

Last week, he learned that all three of his suggested names were accepted: Squaw Peak and Squaw Creek have been renamed Washeshu Peak and Washeshu Creek; the term is a pluralization of Washoe. Perhaps more importantly, the valley has been officially relabeled Olympic Valley, bringing it into alignment with the name of the ski community there.

Olympic Valley is a big deal for me, Cruz said. He has been working to restore the few Washoe cultural sites in the valley in hopes of reviving his tribes link to the land. Removing the term squaw removes a barrier, he said.

It just furthers our commitment to reconnecting with our places without that name lingering over it, Cruz said. Now that the whole valley is not called squaw, its inviting us back to our homeland.

Max Whittaker / Special to The Chronicle 2021

In a Sept. 8 announcement, the Interior Department revealed that it has renamed 643 sites and features on federal lands across the country that once used the term squaw  mountains, valleys, creeks, canyons, valleys, lakes and more  including the ones in Cruzs petitions. The overhaul, which affects 80 sites in California, followed an order by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland last fall to excise the term as an effort to ensure that our public lands and waters are accessible and welcoming, Haaland, the first Native American to hold the post, said in a statement.

Most of the new monikers come from indigenous dialects and are meant to honor the countrys earliest inhabitants. In Lake County, for example, Big Squaw Valley became Habematolel Valley, so named for a band of the native Pomo people that have long occupied the region.

In response to the federal announcement, the California Department of Parks and Recreation said it has renamed six features on its lands that once held the term  two in Auburn State Recreation Area, two in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, and two in Southern California.

The changes were welcomed by indigenous communities and grassroots organizations that have been asking local and state governments  for decades, in some cases  to remove the harmful term from public lands.

California has the dubious distinction of being the state with the most geographic features named with this offensive term, said Paul Spitler, senior legislative policy manager at the Wilderness Society, which worked on the renaming initiative. Its high time the state got rid of racist and offensive place names.

The moves by the Interior Department and State Parks didnt remove the term entirely from California place names.

Clara Mokri/Special to The Chronicle 2021

For example, a rural town in Fresno County called Squaw Valley, where debate over the terms meaning has simmered lately, has not been renamed, though it may be soon. The Board on Geographic Place names will seek out additional review from the local communities and stakeholders before making a final determination on unincorporated communities, the interior department said. Squaw Valley is an unincorporated community, though more details of exactly which places the board would review were not immediately available.

Separately, a bill on Gov. Gavin Newsoms desk could purge the term from the state. AB2022 would require local governments to scrub the word from geographic features and place names by 2025. Several states have passed laws to eradicate the word from public lands, including Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Maine.

A local coalition of tribal members and advocates in Fresno County has proposed changing the towns name to Yokuts Valley; the term means the people to ancestral communities in the area, according to Roman Rain Tree, a member of the Dunlap Band of Mono Indians and Choinumni tribes who has been helping lead the renaming effort.

Rain Tree is optimistic the towns name will soon be changed. The federal movement has given his cause a boost, he said.

We have been butting heads and getting nowhere with Fresno County lawmakers, he said. Now all of a sudden the issue has gotten a lot more attention.

Gregory Thomas is The San Francisco Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas
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Starting this month, Californias tourism bureau is trying something its never tried before: nudging travelers toward the states tribal lands, many of which havent historically hosted large numbers of sightseers, in hopes of benefiting from a largely untapped resource of rich cultural history.

A promotional campaign called Visit Native California represents the bureaus first effort to spotlight the cultural heritage of some of the 109 federally recognized tribes here and help them gain a foothold in the states immense tourism market. It comes at a time when several tribes and Indigenous communities are just beginning to build tourism businesses.

When I found out about (the campaign), I started crying because Ive been waiting for something like this to happen here, said Ashley Bowers, marketing lead for Yurok Country, the promotional arm of Northern Californias Yurok Tribe, of which she is a member. This is huge.

The idea came about organically from conversations between tourism bureaus and tribes around the state, coordinators say, and comes as Californias tourism industry tries to pull out of the economic hole left by the pandemic. International and business travel to the state is still well below 2019 levels and not expected to rebound until 2024.

Midwestern states have been promoting visitation at Native American reservations for years, and British Columbia has showcased tours, restaurants and cultural exhibits on its native lands as well. But this is a new step for California.

We think this is perfect timing. More and more tribes are developing visitor experiences, said Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta. This is a unique differentiator that you cant experience anywhere else.

The Yurok have about 7,000 members whose ancestral lands trace the Klamath River and span Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Last year, the tribe consulted with the California Department of Parks and Recreation in renaming an oceanside state park north of Eureka with a tribal term used to describe the land for centuries. Bowers called it a huge step for native people in general.

The tribe owns a small casino-hotel, RV parks and a visitor center. But recently it has expanded its approach to attract a newer type of tourist, Bowers said.

Ive seen the change in people, she said. Theyre becoming more aware and they want to learn  theyre more interested in who we are.

Last year, the tribe began offering tours on the Klamath in traditionally made, 20-foot-long redwood canoes where guests learn about the Yuroks creation stories and relationship to the land.

Its the first real ecotourism were doing here, Bowers said.

Visit California and some of its tribal partners announced the campaign Wednesday at the site of a soon-to-be Indigenous cultural plaza under construction in downtown Palm Springs. Owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the plaza will open next year and include a museum and mineral spa.

The tribe, which has more than 500 members, has offered interpretive guided hikes on its ancestral lands for 20 years. But the prominence of a downtown venue in a city that drew more than 14 million visitors in 2019 will vault the tribes profile and clue travelers in to the broader shift on native lands in the state, according to Kate Anderson, the Agua Caliente tribes director of public relations.

People just dont yet think of California as a place where tribes are, said Anderson, a member of Citizen Potawatomi Nation, a tribe in Oklahoma. Were on the verge of becoming a major hub for Native American cultural tourism in Southern California.

Bringing in visitors isnt just an economic boon to tribes; its an opportunity to establish direct connections with people who may know little to nothing about the presence of Indigenous communities in California, said Agua Caliente Chairman Reid Milanovich.

Its important for each tribe to have their own voice and educate the public about who they are, he said. That way, when people come to visit our tribal lands they have a better understanding of our culture, our history, the fact that weve been there since the beginning, so they respect our traditions.

Gregory Thomas is The Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas
UPDATE: Here's today's S.F. Bay Area weather forecast.

Its hard to believe that just a week ago Bay Area cities were breaking all-time temperatures records while fires broke out across Northern and Southern California. And while those fires are still raising air quality concerns across places like Tahoe and the Inland Empire, Wednesdays weather will help greatly help in stomping out some of the pesky smoke thats been anchored over the Bay Area for the past few days.

Cool, breezy air is setting up shop in the Bay Area.

The cooling trend that started on Monday will carry over into the rest of the week thanks to a robust weather system in the Pacific Northwest. This system will steer the sea breeze into the farthest stretches of the East Bay on Wednesday, bringing 15-20 mph gusts and cool Pacific air all the way into the San Ramon and Livermore valleys.

This breeze will quickly spread past the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by Wednesday afternoon and make its way into the Sacramento Valley where it will churn cool, moist air into the western flank of the Sierra Nevada.

Gerry Diaz / Weatherbell

This breeze will be important for two reasons. The first is that the added humidity will help with firefighting operations on the Mosquito Fire. The second is that these winds will push a lot of the fires smoke out of California. This is good news for the Bay Area and Sacramento Valley but not-so-good news for the residents downwind of the smoke plume, including the cities of Tahoe and Reno.

On Wednesday AQI levels will reach unhealthy values once again in the Reno metropolitan metro, while moderate AQI levels remain confined to eastern Sacramento County and the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

Thats not to say that the Bay Area is completely out of any smoke concerns for Wednesday.

The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model is picking up on the chance for some smoke from wildfires in Oregon and Washington to curl back into the North Bay by Wednesday afternoon. This is thanks to the prevailing northwest winds from the weather system. If that plays out, cities like Santa Rosa and Petaluma may be in for another evening of hazy skies.

Smoke isnt the only thing coming ashore Wednesday.

Gerry Diaz / Weatherbell

Some models, including the North American Model, are suggesting that this strong sea breeze may tap into some of the remnants of Kay and bring some drizzles to the SF Peninsula on Wednesday morning.

Yes, there is still some lingering moisture from Kay sitting off the coast. This weather system looks keen on bringing some of it ashore, so for now these chances for drizzle remain moderate.

So, there you have it: a cooldown, smoke and drizzle are all on tap for Wednesday as this weather system locks onto the West Coast.

Wednesday Breakdown

 San Francisco: Morning fog and clouds on the west side will be followed up by 15-20 mph gusts across the city. A slight chance of drizzle is also on tap for the city as the fog saturates some of the streets. The greatest chances look confined to the west side but residents up on Twin Peaks may get some of the action before the fog lifts.

Prevailing west winds will help to steer some of the fog over Sutro tower before it fizzles out by noon. Look for sunnier afternoon skies and highs around 70 degrees. Winds will generally peak by around 4-6 p.m. Residents in the Sunset and Richmond districts can then expect patchy fog to return just before sunset as temperatures cool back to the upper 50s.

 The Pacific Coast: Residents along Highway 1 between Half Moon Bay and Pescadero are in for patchy fog and the chance for some drizzles in the morning before winds pick up after noon. Look for highs in the upper 60s all along the coast and for an early return of patchy fog just before sunset.

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 sea breeze is set to bleed into the San Bruno Gap and spread into most of the Peninsula by Wednesday afternoon, keeping bay-facing cities from Brisbane down to Belmont comfortably in the low 70s.

 North Bay: North Bay residents in Napa, Santa Rosa and Petaluma are in for a bittersweet Wednesday forecast. The good news is that this weather system will keep daytime temperatures from going above the mid-70s thanks to a comfortable breeze off San Pablo Bay. But the same system will curl smoke from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest toward Sonoma and Marin counties.

Unfortunately, this means that parts of the North Bay may once again see hazy skies and periods of moderate air quality levels Wednesday afternoon. Smoke will be less widespread south of Novato, meaning Tiburon and San Rafael can look for clearer skies. Temperatures will generally hover around the low 70s while the bay breeze will remain between 10-15 mph for most of the day.

 East Bay: Early morning fog along the Berkeley hills may be accompanied by drizzles this Wednesday morning. That will be thanks to the added moisture from the winds coming off the SF Peninsula. Look for the fog to clear out by noon but for 10-20 mph gusts to continue through the rest of the day in Oakland and every town along the I-880 corridor. Daytime temperatures will mostly hover in the low 70s.

Isolated chances for drizzle cant be ruled out for Contra Costa County this morning, but the main story for residents east of I-680 is the much cooler weather that will continue Wednesday.

Cities like Walnut Creek and Fairfield can expect 10-15 mph gusts and for daytime highs to hover in the upper 70s. A few 80s cant be ruled out in some of the wind-blocked portions of the San Ramon and Livermore valleys.

 South Bay and Santa Cruz: Santa Clara Valley cities like Palo Alto and San Jose are in for a pleasant Wednesday with temperatures in the mid-70s and breezy 5-15 mph winds. Look for similar temperatures and winds along Highway 17.

Patches of fog will encroach the Santa Cruz coast Wednesday morning, but skies will clear in the afternoon as temps climb to the low 70s. Look for 10-20 mph gusts from Capitola to Bonny Doon.

Gerry Diaz (he/they) is a San Francisco Chronicle newsroom meteorologist. Email:gerry.diaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter @geravitywave
UPDATE: Rare storm will hit Northern California with rain, snow and heavy winds this weekend  heres where

After a heat dome brought record-breaking temperatures to California and set off wildfires from Riverside to Tahoe, it feels like the state is being whipped with unusually cooler weather this week.

Cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco are running 10-20 degrees cooler than they were during the height of the heat wave, and this cooling trend is set to continue through the weekend as an unusually strong storm sets up shop over the state. So where is this system suddenly coming from?

September rain: Will looming storm fight the Mosquito Fire and the drought?

Sure enough, a typhoon

Typhoons are tropical cyclones that develop over the western Pacific, and have the same properties as hurricanes or any other tropical systems that form in the rest of the world.

There are three of these typhoons spinning off the coast of Japan. Even though thats over 5,000 miles from us, were likely going to feel some residual impacts.

Typhoon Merbok is being pushed by neighboring typhoons north, toward the jet stream. Weather models show that Merbok will eventually lose its typhoon status and its remnants will get absorbed into the jet stream, churning its moisture into Alaska by Thursday and Friday.

Starting Saturday, the new storm will slide south into the West Coast, where the European, American and Canadian weather models expect the center of the system to be just off the coast of the Bay Area. There is a wide range of possible impacts from this storm depending on whether the center stays over water, or inches closer to land.

Gerry Diaz / Weatherbell

Both the European and American weather models have been going back and forth on the timing of the first rain showers, but for now it is looking like the earliest showers will arrive in Northern California around Saturday night. Most of these initial showers will hover over the southern Cascades and the Mendocino Coast before eventually curling into the San Francisco Peninsula, the Sonoma Coast and the Central Coast by Sunday morning.

Look for rainfall totals by the end of Sunday to range from a tenth of an inch to as much as a third of an inch in the North Bay highlands, the Santa Cruz Mountains, on the Peninsula and in the Berkeley hills, while some isolated northwest-facing areas on the coastline may see up to a fifth of an inch of rain. The Central Coast is also looking to get in on the action, with the Monterey Bay forecast to see between a quarter of an inch to three-quarters of an inch of rain. The Big Sur coast could see much higher totals, over an inch if enough moisture curls into the Santa Lucia mountains on Sunday.

Showers are then likely to develop over the Sierra Nevada by Saturday afternoon, with some models even bringing rain showers over the Mosquito wildfire perimeter. There is a lot of spread here, meaning that some models expect as much as four-tenths of an inch of rain, while others lean toward less than a tenth of an inch.

Winds and burn scar risks

Strong westerly winds along the Sierra, colloquially called zephyr winds, are also forecast to pick up this weekend, so air quality impacts to the Reno and Tahoe area cannot be ruled out. A few models even suggest that these strong winds may begin as early as Saturday, before rains arrive, which could fuel fire activity. These zephyrs may pose challenges to firefighting if rain accumulations remain below a tenth of an inch around Tahoe.

Gerry Diaz / Weatherbell

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.

Assuming the drier scenario plays out, the Tahoe National Forest could be looking at 24 hours of moderate to strong winds gusting to 35-45 mph before any of the rains breach the Sierra.

On the other hand, if a lot of rain drops over a short period, there is also the risk of landslides and debris flows, which are fast-moving masses of loose mud, rocks and any other material that gets washed down the side of a hill or mountain. Last month there were debris flows on the Tamarack burn scar in the Sierra, and that was all thanks to the monsoons rains. The region quickly saw totals climb as high as three-quarters of an inch over just a few hours.

Thankfully, the extreme end of rain totals in the models looks less and less likely, so for now the hope is that this storm taps into enough moisture to bring beneficial rains to the fire perimeter.

Some snow potential

Rain will continue into Monday before eventually fizzling out in the Bay Area. But some showers are looking to hover over south Tahoe into Monday night and Tuesday morning. This is significant, because this storm system will bring a strong cold front down into the Sierra between Sunday and Monday. And by Monday night, the cold, drier air over the mountains is likely to fall below freezing.

So, if enough residual moisture hangs around Monday night, residents above 3,000-4,000 feet may wake up to flurries and even a couple of inches of snow on the ground. The area where the Mosquito Fire is burning could also get a dusting.

All in all, this is looking to be a very unusual storm system with widespread impacts for California.

Gerry Diaz (he/they) is a San Francisco Chronicle newsroom meteorologist. Email: gerry.diaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter @geravitywave
Twilio, a corporate communications tech giant headquartered in San Francisco, has laid off 11% of its staff as part of a broader company restructuring  a move that could eliminate more than 800 employees.

The restructuring was approved by the companys board of directors Monday, according to a SEC filing published Wednesday, as first reported by CNBC. In total, the company employed 7,867 people as of December 2021. (A Twilio spokesperson declined to provide a current employee headcount.)

In a letter made public by the filing to Twilio staff  or Twilions, as CEO Jeff Lawson writes  Lawson takes responsibility for the companys accelerated growth and, consequently, this layoff round. The tech industry has pulled back on its pandemic-era expansion amid larger economic headwinds and investor concerns, prompting layoffs and hiring freezes.

Twilio has grown at an astonishing rate over the past couple years, he writes in the letter. It was too fast, and without enough focus on our most important company priorities.

In August, Twilio released a third-quarter forecast that missed analyst estimates, causing its stock to plummet. Lawson, speaking to CNBC, said that the company is headed toward profitability in 2023.

Laid-off employees will receive 12 weeks of severance pay, plus an additional week for every year worked at Twilio, Lawson says. Employees will also receive the full value of Twilios next stock vest. And in a rare acknowledgment of its employees with work visas, Lawson said the company will be giving those team members even more support to hopefully minimize the disruption to them and their families.

Twilio is a cloud communications company, providing messaging systems for businesses like Lyft, Netflix and Airbnb.

The company estimates that the restructuring will cost it between $70 million and $90 million.
This article was first published on NerdWallet.com.

About two and a half years into the pandemic, you might be wearing masks less often and traveling more often than you did last year. Most countries have lifted the restrictions that prevented international travel.

In an August brief, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the pandemic has moved into a different phase, pointing to lower disease severity. The CDC also released newly relaxed guidelines that may have a big impact on how people think about the health risks related to travel.

There is generally less risk of severe illness as a result of COVID-19 due to the resources we have available to reduce symptoms, like vaccinations, medications, and boosters, says Dr. Janice Johnston, chief medical officer and co-founder of Redirect Health, a healthcare solutions platform.

So does that mean you can go back to traveling like you used to, with no worries about COVID-19? Only you can assess your risk tolerance, and it likely depends on your pre-existing conditions and the nature of your trip.

What the CDC guidelines say now

The CDC updated its guidelines regarding COVID-19 in August. Among the biggest changes:

Eliminating quarantining after exposure: The CDC no longer recommends that you quarantine if youve been exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19, even if youre unvaccinated.

The CDC no longer recommends that you quarantine if youve been exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19, even if youre unvaccinated. Reducing isolation periods: If you test positive, the CDC says its safe for you to end isolation after five days (even if you still test positive), as long as youve been fever-free for at least 24 hours and symptoms are improving. Mask-wearing is still recommended through day 10.

Reduced isolation periods  as well as the end of quarantine recommendations for people who have been exposed to COVID-19  make it less likely that youd have to cancel a planned trip just because your coworker got sick the day before your departure.

It also cuts back on the likelihood that youll have to cancel a trip if you catch COVID19 a couple of weeks before you leave.

How to think about international travel

In June, the CDC rescinded the requirement for travelers to show a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 to board any U.S-bound aircraft from a foreign country.

That said, all non-immigrant, non-U.S. citizen air travelers are still required to be fully vaccinated  with proof  prior to boarding an airplane to the U.S.

Sure, there is still some risk of being exposed to COVID-19 abroad. But if you do test positive in a foreign country, the reduction of the 10-day isolation period to five also cuts down on the extra time you may need to spend in isolation abroad.

While you shouldnt jump on an airplane if you have symptoms or know you're positive, you don't have to take a COVID test simply to board. Previous testing requirements were complicated and expensive. Some travelers reported paying $1,000 for COVID-19 tests so their families could travel internationally. Travelers who tested positive while abroad documented the stress of finding lodging and rebooking flights last minute.

Accept that anything can change  and have a plan if it does

If the past couple of years taught us anything, its that flexibility is king. Some cities have encouraged people to mask up again. Borders have reopened, but they could close again if another pandemic necessitated it. The state of the COVID-19 pandemic today might be different by the time your trip rolls around  and rules and recommendations might be different too.

Given the ongoing uncertainty of travel, it can be wise to purchase travel insurance. Policies typically cover illness and injury, so if you test positive for COVID-19 and can no longer travel (or need to extend a trip youre already on to isolate), your insurer can cover those costs. And you might not even need to pay for travel insurance. Many premium travel credit cards include trip insurance as a benefit for trips paid for on that card.

And while you can take steps to mitigate personal risk, travel still may not be for everyone.

People should not be afraid to return to pre-pandemic travel practices, though masks can always be worn in crowded spaces, and those who are significantly immunocompromised should consult with their physicians before travel, says Dr. Joseph Kerby Gray, an emergency medicine resident in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The vast majority of people are safe to travel as they were during pre-pandemic times, especially if they are vaccinated.

Sally French writes for NerdWallet. Email: sfrench@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @SAFmedia.

The article How Will Relaxed COVID Guidelines Affect Your Next Trip? originally appeared on NerdWallet.
At D23 this past weekend, Josh DAmaro, chair of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, announced that Disneylands Avengers Campus would be getting an expansion, and a new ride.

This has always been our vision for Avengers Campus, DAmaro said. To give our guests more of what they love, and then some. We want more stories. We want more heroes. We want more villains, and we want more of the land.

Its a significant expansion from when Disneyland opened Avengers Campus in June 2021. Back then, fans literally could not get there quickly enough to experience the first Marvel-themed land made by Disney, and the first one on the West Coast. (Universal has one in Orlando, but its very different.) But the overall experience left me wanting more.

Laurent Viteur/Getty Images

I know this first-hand: I was there on Avengers Campus opening day, one of the thousands of people scrambling for a spot in the virtual queue to ride WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure. Getting a return time in the queue meant automatic entry into Avengers Campus when it was your turn to ride. I missed the 7 a.m. window, but I still went to the park, posting up in Disney California Adventure in the hopes Id still get in on the second virtual queue. As soon as the clock turned to 1 p.m., you could tell from the screams of joy and anguish throughout the park who had succeeded.

It took me five long hours after that to get into Avengers Campus. Thousands of people who couldnt get a spot on the Spider-Man ride chose to wait in line in blistering heat. Some that I spoke to said theyd been waiting, standing in the sun, for that same five hours.

When we got inside, a lot of people had the same reaction I did. This is so cool, I remember thinking, but is this everything? The months of anticipation and long hours of waiting culminated in a land that had a lot less than I had dreamed of: one new ride, one re-themed ride, one quick service restaurant, one gift shop, and a couple of food stands. Character appearances, which I would later learn are the best part of Avengers Campus, were hard to find, because I was entering the land so late and the crowd was so big.

Julie Tremaine

The just-announced Avengers Campus expansion will include a new ride and a new superhero to meet. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that the Marvel cinematic multiverse will inform the new ride. The Avengers Multiverse ride will replace the Wakanda-themed Quinjet attraction that was supposed to be the lands original e-ticket ride.

The fun thing about Marvel is the characters, all the characters, all of the time, and with the multiverse at Avengers Campus, youre going to be able to do that, Feige said. In this new attraction, youre going to be able to battle alongside all the Avengers against all the foes from anywhere, from every when that you can possibly imagine.

Anaheims Avengers Campus was always going to be a two-part opening, the same way Star Wars: Galaxys Edge had a staggered opening of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Rise of the Resistance. The major difference was that the empty e-ticket ride building in Avengers Campus is right in the middle of the space, the visual centerpiece of the land  so not only was there less to do in the Marvel land, but there was an eyesore reminding you of what you couldnt do yet.

Julie Tremaine

That large, empty building across from Pym Test Kitchen was supposed to house Avengers Quinjet Experience (its bigger, more exciting Rise of the Resistance-type ride). But in March, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the ride was in a holding pattern and there were no new developments on when it would actually happen, blaming the financial woes of the pandemic shutdown for the delay.

Julie Tremaine

Theres no timeline on when the expansion will happen, and no real details on what kind of ride the new Multiverse attraction will be. But to get a sense of what an updated Avengers Campus could look like, theres Disneyland Paris, which opened its Marvel land in July. When I visited Avengers Campus at its French counterpart during its opening week, I had the opposite reaction. This is so cool, I thought, and theres so much here.

Not only does Paris have that same Spider-Man ride and a re-themed Avengers Flight Force roller coaster (which used to be the Rock n Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith), but it has three restaurants, more shopping, and a Hero Training Center, where recruits can get face time with Avengers who will put them through the paces of becoming a superhero trainee, even going so far as to make people do push-ups during the photo op.

Julie Tremaine

There are also a lot of character interactions that go beyond standing on a balcony and waving (though I did see Sam-as-Cap and Captain Marvel do that quite a lot). Thor and Loki have a little show where they bring up people from the crowd and compete to have them pledge fealty to their favorite Asgardian with the promise of getting to try to lift Mjolnir and proving themselves worthy of wielding the hammer. Star Lord and Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy host a dance party that even had me, who is allergic to joining public displays like that, bopping along.

Disneyland Paris doesnt have a Mystic Sanctum of Dr. Strange, but it does have the Spider-Man stunt show, the Dora Milaje warrior demonstration, and the stunt show between Black Widow, Black Panther and Taskmaster.

It also has some really exciting restaurants, not necessarily from the food, but from the immersion. I didnt eat at Pym Kitchen, but I did walk through. The artwork with Ant-Man creating the Eiffel Tower out of food was really fun, as was the blue Chardonnay served in beakers, but the food didnt look nearly as appetizing or as playfully in-world as what theyre serving in Californias Pym Test Kitchen.

Julie Tremaine

Theres also Stark Factory, a quick-service restaurant that has a huge Hulkbuster Iron Man suit in the center, lockers hanging above that each belong to a different Avenger, and a dining room fashioned as Peggy Carters office from S.H.I.E.L.D. Just seeing that alone gave me chills in a way nothing in Disneylands Marvel land ever has. A Super Diner, and two food trucks, serve New York-style food. (Disneyland Pariss interpretation of American food is  not always successful, but it was delightful to experience what they think Americans eat, if purely for the cultural education.)

Granted, the Disneyland Paris version had a lot of advantages, especially the benefit of getting fan reaction to the California land and an additional year of lessening pandemic restrictions. For me personally, it was my first visit to Disneyland Paris, so there was also the excitement of newness. But my immediate reaction was that the Paris land felt more immersive, and more complete, in a way that the Anaheim land doesnt match. Yet.

Details were thin on Disneylands expansion at D23, and my gut says that not even Disney has a clear picture on that yet. But just the promise that it will be happening  that well be getting more of the anywhere and every when that makes Avengers Campus so successful  is exciting to me.

For now, as of this week, California Marvel fans will get to meet the Hulk in Avengers Campus.
MADRID (AP)  Oscar-winning director Pedro Almodovar says that he is withdrawing from his first English-language feature, A Manual for Cleaning Women produced by and starring Cate Blanchett.

Almodovar, 72, told entertainment news website Deadline Hollywood that he was unable to handle the commitment.

It has been a very painful decision for me, Almodovar told Deadline Hollywood. I have dreamt of working with Cate for such a long time. Dirty Films has been so generous with me this whole time and I was blinded by excitement, but unfortunately, I no longer feel able to fully realize this film.

A new director hasn't been announced yet by Blanchetts Dirty Films production company.

Almodovar's brother and business partner confirmed the decision in a social media post on Wednesday.

Pedro Almodovar is leaving the A Manual for Cleaning Women project, which will continue forward with Cate Blanchett, Agustin Almodovar, who helps his sibling run their El Deseo production company, wrote on Twitter

A Manual for Cleaning Women is an adaptation of the eponymous collection of short stories by American author Lucia Berlin.

Pedro Almodovar won Oscar awards for best foreign language film for All About My Mother (1999) and for best original screenplay for Talk To Her (2002). He made his first short in English, The Human Voice, featuring Tilda Swinton, in 2020.
After receiving its Connecticut debut in New Haven in July, Branford native and director Christopher Rucinski is bringing his pandemic thriller to Branford for its hometown premiere.

Northern Shade is a high-intensity thriller that follows the fictional character U.S. army vet Justin McLaughlin as he attempts to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of his brother as well as his recruitment into an extreme militia group. Meanwhile, Justin faces his own demons during the pandemic as he struggles to re-enter civilian life.

The film will receive a premiere during the first annual 2022 Legacy Theatre Film Festival on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The screening will take place at 10 a.m. at the Legacy Theatre, and it will be followed by a talkback with Rucinski. According to the theater's website, the venue has recently been refurbished and once served as the home for Orson Welles and his Mercury Players. The award ceremony for the festival will take place starting at 4 p.m. at the Gallery at Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library.

According to Rucisnki, key scenes for the movie were filmed at the H.W. ZuWalick Sawmill and Stony Creek Quarry, which are only a mile from where the movie will be screened in Branford. The movie was also filmed in the surrounding towns of Guilford, East Haven, New Haven and Voluntown.

Rucinski and Greg Gill, the movies cinematographer, are 2004 Branford High School graduates. Rucinski said he was inspired to pursue filmmaking after taking a class with Roger Reale, a local music and art legend.

Since their modest beginnings in Branford, the two have solidified themselves within the world of film. Gill has traveled the world documenting everything from ISIS prisoners in Iraq to searching for snow leopards deep in the Himalayas, he said. Meanwhile, Rucinski has become a notable post-production filmmaker with work in War for the Planet of the Apes, Ford v Ferrari and The Adam Project.

It was kind of easy taking all of the lessons that weve learned from bigger projects and applying them to our movie, which had a much smaller scale, Rucinski previously told Hearst Connecticut. It was a micro-budget film but we were definitely asking a lot of the cast and crew just in terms of the plot and the scope of the story.

The movie has since won Best Screenplay at the Phoenix Film Festival and Best Feature at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival, and was nominated for "Best Narrative Feature Film" at the Woods Hole Film Festival. It will have its Los Angeles premiere on Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Regal LA Live.
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NEW YORK (AP)  Hannah Waddingham wore Dolce & Gabbana with bedazzled high top sneakers on her feet Monday while Elle Fanning went Old Hollywood in a gown designed by Sharon Long of her show, The Great, as glamour returned to the Emmys in sticky Los Angeles humidity.

Waddingham, from Ted Lasso, showed off her comfy white shoes beneath her corseted strapless pink look. Fanning, her hair in a pinned-back bob, said she wanted to honor the creatives on her show that provided her with her first Emmy nod. Fanning's look was black and pink, embellished at the chest.

Ive always been inspired by the Old Hollywood glam of the 50s, Fanning said.

Sheryl Lee Ralph of Abbott Elementary had a fashion faux pas before arriving at the Emmys.

A designer gave my co-star and me the same sketch for the same gown, she said, having discovered it on set when Lisa Ann Walter showed Ralph what she was wearing to the awards.

Up until five days ago I had no gown so Brandon Blackwood stepped up. He was in Japan and started rendering the gown on his Pacific flight, Ralph said.

Ralph was resplendent in a black velvet strapless gown with an orange underside and a slit to her upper thigh. She carried a tiny orange purse.

The stars went all out.

Zendaya, working with her stylist Law Roach, was in a classic black strapless corset look with a full skirt and dainty bow at the waist. It was Valentino, and she was dripping in Bulgari jewels, including a fresh, young white diamond choker with a center, 4.45-carat stone at the center. She, too, had pockets.

Connie Britton was in a goddess gown by Monique Lhuillier in a soft pink, a cape like effect at the back. Britt Lower, from Severance, donned a Venetian beaded gown in gold with matching elbow-length gloves. There were cut outs up top and thin embellished straps.

It felt like I wanted to wear outer space. I have an appreciation for fabrics, my mom was a home economics teacher. I feel great in it, Lower told The Associated Press.

People's style and beauty director Andrea Lavinthal, said pink carried the night, though lots of other colors brightened up the carpet.

Pink seems to be continuing its dominance as the red carpet color of choice. Theres just a lot of stars who are gravitating towards different shades of pink, she said.

Not Rachel Brosnahan. She stood out in a plunging Pamella Roland column gown in beautiful violet. It was adorned with tulle and pearl floral bow appliques from the designer's fall 2022 collection.

Laverne Cox and Himesh Patel helped kick off the parade of fashion, she in a bold black armor-esque Jean Paul Gaultier Couture mini and he in a white print tuxedo jacket, eschewing the usual evening black. Royal blue on Sarah Thompson (a Yellowjackets writer), marigold yellow and more  color took the night.

Im quite warm, Im in a three-piece suit. I love this suit, but I wasnt expecting the heat, Patel said.

Natasha Rothwell of The White Lotus chose red for a gown with balloon short sleeves and a hot commodity on fashion carpets  pockets! It was custom silk taffeta from Safiyaa. Megan Stalter also went for red in a sheer dress that celebrated her curves. Jen Tullock of Severance was in the red zone, a thigh high slit and structured sleeve number by Thierry Mugler, worn with drop pearl earrings.

Im such a fan of his line. Its elegant but still has a sense of humor," Tullock said.

Stalter, from Hacks," was in burned out velvet by Norma Kamali. She had a faux red rose pinned between her breasts.

It took my breath away and my words. Its kind of a sexy dress. Its wild like me, she said.

Jung Ho-yeon, the it girl and Louis Vuitton ambassador from Squid Game, wore an all-around, multicolored figure-hugging look from the brand. It was custom in a tweed design with all-around sequins. Her jewels were Vuitton, too.

"I still cant believe it. It hasnt sunk in yet, but Im just going to enjoy the day and cherish the moment, she said of her nomination.

Reese Witherspoon went for blue and sunglass-worthy bling in blue sequins. Around her neck was a knockout aquamarine, blue zircon and diamond choker from Tiffany & Co. Amanda Seyfried wore a body hugger in pink from Armani Prive, paired with Cartier drop diamond earrings in platinum.

I'm a mermaid tonight, Seyfried said.

Another refreshing surprise for Lavinthal? The men who dismissed black for all-white tuxedos, including Nicholas Braun from Succession in a double-breasted tux from Christian Dior. Andrew Garfield also went for white, along with Seth Rogan. Speaking of white, Jean Smart decided on it, too, with an elegant collar that fell off one shoulder. Ellie Saab designed Kerry Washington's short draped dress with a long overskirt and a riot of organza lilies on one shoulder.

Washington's black tights had some scratching their heads. So did Kaley Cuoco's high-low Dolce & Gabbana tutu style and Julia Garner's Gucci bellybutton cutout on her dark brown velvet look with silver crystals.

I thought we'd seen every kind of cutout on the red carpet, but a bellybutton cutout was something new, Lavinthal said.

Among Lavinthal's highlights was Lily James in coppery Versace.

It was very much 2022, but it could have come right off a '90s runway with the chainmail and the sculpted cups, she said.

Smart's gown was made by Christian Siriano, as was the white look of Laura Linney.

Robin Thede also wore Siriano (he landed eight gowns on the carpet) in stunning pastel blue, while Jerrod Carmichael went furry in a long, white fox fur coat. Carmichael laughed at the heat and humidity.

This was Puff Daddys coat. He wore it in a video, the comic said.

Carmichael was shirtless under the fur and wore a sunburst platinum necklace. His black satin pants were accented by the top of his white underwear peaking out. He was sockless in his black loafers.

Another Siriano fan? Melanie Lynskey from Yellowjackets. Hers was a mint green with sheer overlay that made her feel half princess and half bad (expletive). Of the designer, she said: He's the sweetest man alive and I adore him. I feel like he made something that was for me, for my body.

Rachel Tashjian, fashion news director for Harper's Bazaar, saw a different trend.

The standout looks on this years red carpet declared a turning point in celebrity style hinted at by the recent Venice Film Festival: The craziest and loudest outfit is no longer the best. Instead, stars are gravitating towards real elegance, even classicism," she said.

She pointed to Zendaya, who is often a risk taker.

Here she was in a very traditional sweeping strapless Valentino gown and gorgeous late 1950s socialite coiffed hair, Tashjian said.

Similarly, Fanning was in a very classic 1950s-ish couture dress with an old school coiffure. she said.

Another of her highlights was Issa Rae in a fitted, flattering Sergio Hudson look that was on his runway Sunday. But her absolute favorite was Lizzo in her "gorgeous red Giambattista Valli gown  a refined, glamorous statement that dazzles.

Among other standouts was Ariana DeBose in Atelier Prabal Gurung. It was a lilac silk chiffon hand-draped with a cape.

Jodi Kahn, vice president of luxury fashion for Neiman Marcus, said pink  in its many shades  is something her shoppers are also drawn to and can easily wear.

Pink is a universally flattering color that women can feel very beautiful and confident and happy in. It's something weve noticed specifically with our clients, she said. It's great for any skin color, any body type.

Metallics, too, like that of James and the russet custom Dolce & Gabbana worn by Quinta Brunson, is another draw for Kahn's customers.

Specifically the textured metallics, she said. They're something you can implement very easily from the red carpet into your every day life for occasion or evening dressing.

Colman Domingo of Euphoria was already a winner as he walked the carpet. He earned an Emmy for guest actor in a drama series at the earlier creative arts awards.

Ive been celebrating all week long to the point where I had to wake up and take a couple of ibuprofen, he said.

Domingo wore a gold brocade open jacket and matching pants.

I want to feel like a king, he said.

Domingo carried a platinum-studded battery-operated fan in an attempt to ward off the oppressive humidity, unusual for Los Angeles.

Stylist Holly Katz, host of the Fashion Crimes podcast, named Washington  black stockings and all  her best dressed.

She killed it, Katz said.

Katz called Waddingham's sneakers the best-kept fashion secret of the night!

Mark Indelicato was in the red club, sort of. Indelicato's hair was bright red and his black tux sported long split tails like a train. And more of the men? Phil Dunster of Ted Lasso went for burgundy tux with black lapels, though his Lasso co-star Brett Goldstein stayed with black.

Emily Heller, meanwhile, went in a different direction. She had a Kick Me sign on the back of her short floral dress, and a bit of toilet paper stuck to one shoe.

___

Associated Press writer Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

___

For more on this years Emmy Awards, visit: www.apnews.com/EmmyAwards
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LONDON (AP)  Reports that up to 100 staff at King Charles IIIs former residence could lose their jobs have drawn criticism of the British monarchy, within days of his accession to the throne.

The Guardian newspaper reported Tuesday that dozens of staff at Clarence House, Charles former official residence, were given notice that their jobs were on the line. The report said the notices came in the midst of a busy period of transition as Charles and his wife Camilla, the queen consort, move to Buckingham Palace after Queen Elizabeth IIs death on Thursday.

The Public and Commercial Services Union called the royals decision to inform staff of job cuts during a period of mourning nothing short of heartless.

While some changes across the households were to be expected, as roles across the royal family change, the scale and speed at which this has been announced is callous in the extreme, the unions general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said

Britain is in a national period of mourning until Monday, when the queens state funeral will be held.

In a statement, Clarence House said that following Charles accession, operations of his and Camillas household have ceased and as required by law, a consultation process has begun.

Our staff have given long and loyal service and, while some redundancies will be unavoidable, we are working urgently to identify alternative roles for the greatest possible number of staff, the statement added.

The Guardian said one unnamed member of Charles staff told the newspaper that everyone is absolutely livid  people were visibly shaken by it.

The criticism added to negative press for the 73-year-old monarch after two videos showing him visibly irritated by a leaky pen and a pen holder went viral on social media in recent days.

In one video, Charles was seen losing his temper at a leaking pen while he was signing a visitors' book in front of cameras in Northern Ireland, where he was visiting Tuesday on the latest leg of his royal tour of the U.K.s four nations.

Charles was heard exclaiming Oh god I hate this! and muttering I cant bear this bloody thing  every stinking time.

The video came after another pen-related incident on Saturday, when the new monarch was seen gesturing in irritation at his staff when a pen holder got in his way as he signed a document during his accession ceremony.

Charles has been under intense media scrutiny and had a grueling schedule since his mothers death in Scotland on Thursday. He and Camilla flew from Scotland to London for his accession ceremony and a visit to Parliament to address legislators, before flying back to Scotland where he walked behind the queens coffin.

He then jetted to Northern Ireland on Tuesday and returned to London the same night, in time for the procession of the queens coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday.

___

Follow AP coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
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NEW YORK (AP)  Oprah Winfrey has selected a prison memoir by Jarvis Jay Masters, currently on death row in San Quentin State Prison in California, for her latest book club pick. Masters' That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row was first published in 2009.

Activists for years have called for the release of Masters, sentenced to death in 1990 for taking part in the murder of a San Quentin prison guard. Masters, first imprisoned in 1981 for armed robbery, has filed numerous appeals in efforts to have his murder conviction overturned. A hearing is scheduled for next month in federal court.
Just off Highway 101 North on route to Rohnert Park is an unassuming storefront attached to a Shell gas station. The building is home to Vinoma restaurant, where a selection of handmade savory and sweet empanadas are prepared by the hundreds. If you dont pull over, you might miss out on one of the best Bay Area restaurants to eat at right now.

I found myself at Vinoma on a recent drive to Sonoma County. The road to Rohnert Park isnt exactly a quick trip from my East Bay home, but when I heard that an Argentinian restaurant attached to a gas station recently took the top spot on a list of 100 Bay Area restaurants, I knew that I needed to take the 80-mile drive north to see what the buzz was all about.

After a near 2-hour drive, I arrived at Vinoma ready to see whether the restaurant lives up to the title. A takeout menu is fixed on the main entrance and highlights an assortment of 15 empanada and canastita (open-face empanada) flavors that include traditional options (think spicy beef) and the nontraditional (like blueberry cobbler on the dessert section). Guests can opt to pay $3.89 for a single empanada or select a combination of 12 for $41.38. I chose the latter and took my seat at a shaded dining table outside, where I watched cars whoosh by on Redwood Drive.

Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE Vinoma, located at 5085 Redwood Dr. in Rohnert Park, serves gourmet empanadas off Highway 101. (Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE) Vinoma, located at 5085 Redwood Dr. in Rohnert Park, serves gourmet empanadas off Highway 101. (Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE)

When most people walk up [to Vinoma] they don't know what to expect since they're at a gas station, owner Brian Corrigan said, laughing. Some people don't know what empanadas are. They have no experience with eating anything like this, but by the time they leave, they're usually ecstatic that they had something they've never had before.

Corrigan shared that Vinomas location is convenient more than anything. For travelers commuting through the high-traffic area, Vinoma is an ideal pit stop since it's right off the highway. Corrigan shared that foodies are especially willing to take a detour to Vinoma on their way to other neighboring cities.

Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE

Vinoma had a promising start when it opened just before the pandemic in 2020. At the time, Corrigan was open for sit-down service, seven days a week. But as the months went by and fewer customers dropped in, he adapted to the changing times by cutting hours of operation to two days and shifting to a takeout-only model. The bumps along the way even led Corrigan to consider closing altogether. So, when he learned that Vinoma not only made Yelps top 100 list, but also beat out 99 Bay Area businesses for the top spot, he couldnt have been more pleased and surprised about the timing.

We thought we would be on the list somewhere but to be No. 1 was a huge honor, Corrigan said. We got extremely busy after the announcement  and there's still some excitement in the air.

What drew me most to Vinoma (besides the recent accolade) were the crispy canastita empanadas, which almost resemble a quiche tart. Much to my surprise, I had never seen nor heard of a canastita before my visit, and I was determined to change that.

When Corrigan brought out my order, he handed me my takeout box, which came with a reference sheet and two lovely dahlias from his backyard. The flowers are a special touch added to every order, while the reference sheet helps guide customers through the coveted treats inside.

He recommended that I start with the plum and bacon canastita empanada, which is made with rehydrated plums, crispy bacon and cheese. My first bite was met with the sweetness of the plum followed by the saltiness of the crispy bacon. The flavor combinations were unexpectedly reminiscent of a thin crust pizza as I took a moment to appreciate the cheesiness of the mozzarella. In no time, I was ready for more.

Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE

Corrigan pointed out that each standard empanada has a branded letter that signifies different fillings. Thats where the reference card comes in handy. I studied the empanada manual carefully before spotting a spicy beef variety marked with the letter B and found the empanada with the matching letter in the box. Its among one of the more traditional flavors Vinoma offers, Corrigan told me.

The tiny treats are harder to make than one may think. Its a labor-intensive meal that begins with making the fillings, which Corrigan compared to preparing a stew. Many of the fillings take days to complete between cooling times and rest periods that help develop a rich depth of flavor. The other part of the equation is letting the dough rest, rolling and then cutting the fresh dough into pieces that will become decadent flaky empanadas.

It's a whole process, Corrigan shared. You need to let things set up. It's about being patient and taking the steps to make them properly. The final product is something you're going to get in 10 minutes.

A trip that changed everything

Corrigans life changed 20 years ago when he took a trip to South America. In 2002, he headed to Argentina for the first time with his wife to visit her relatives, and during the trip, Corrigan ate his first empanada, he said. He was instantly hooked. For the remainder of the trip, Corrigan spent quality time with his wifes aunts making handmade empanadas from scratch.

Back in the states, Corrigan became obsessed with trying to recreate empanadas by memory from the various restaurants and food counters he visited while in Argentina. At first, he started making batches at home to share with his family, until a close friend of Corrigan linked him to a few catering events. It allowed him to sell them professionally until Corrigan decided to devote his passion to opening his very first restaurant, which he lovingly named after his two children: Vincent and Paloma.

Susana Guerrero/ SFGATE

I couldn't find empanadas like the ones I had in Argentina so  I took it upon myself to make sure that people knew what good empanadas taste like, Corrigan said. I wanted to bring something different to our area.

Corrigan shared that he loves serving local families most, but he gets a real sense of pride when he learns about local Argentines who make the drive to Vinoma, especially when they are craving the culinary dish.

It definitely means a lot to me when there are Argentinians who come from far away, Corrigan said. A lot of them are skeptical at first and then once they try the food, they're super excited. We've had a lot of customers travel from a couple of hours away to get our empanadas.

Myself included, and Im glad I did. With so many fast-food options like In-N-Out and Chick-fil-A surrounding Vinoma, any commuter might overlook the Argentinian restaurant for the mega chains, but theyd be wrong to do so.

We know that great meals arent confined to the parameters of a traditional brick-and-mortar, and the convenience of Vinomas location makes pulling over more worthwhile. As for me, being able to grab a box of gourmet empanadas to-go from a gas station restaurant was a guaranteed win in my eyes and worth the drive.

Vinoma, 5085 Redwood Drive, Rohnert Park. Open Thursday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Fred Franzia, who shook the wine industry with successful bargain wines, died Tuesday morning at his home in Denair, California. He was 79 years old.

Bronco Wine Company, co-owned by Franzia, confirmed his passing on Instagram and shared that the founders vision had always been to make wine accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

When asked how Bronco Wine Company can sell wine less expensive than a bottle of water, Fred T. Franzia famously countered, They're overcharging for the water  dont you get it? Bronco Wine Company wrote in a statement.

Even if youve never heard of Franzia himself, you know his wine. Charles Shaw, best known as Two Buck Chuck, has been a popular inexpensive wine ever since it hit shelves at Trader Joes 20 years ago. In a deep dive about Two Buck Chuck, The Hustle estimated that the grocery chain sold more than 1 billion bottles between 2002 and 2018.

Amanda Bartlett/SFGATE

Franzia was no stranger to the wine industry. He came from a lineage of winemakers beginning with his great-grandfather, Giuseppe Franzia, who founded Franzia Brothers Winery in the late 1800s, decades before the company was sold to Coca-Cola. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Franzia worked in sales at the family business and later founded Bronco Wine Company in 1973 alongside his brother and cousin. (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another.)

Franzia, who vehemently criticized the pretentiousness of the wine industry, purchased Charles F. Shaw Winery for $27,000 (about $52,471.24 today) after the business filed for bankruptcy in 1995. The brand would lay dormant for nearly 10 years before Franzia updated the former elite wine company (known to sell $50 bottles) and turned it into a brand celebrated for deals as low as $1.99.

During the 1990s, Franzia also acquired other struggling wineries and later used wine labels that said cellared and bottled in Napa to sell wines made with grapes grown in San Joaquin Valley.

Although federal law requires a wine carrying an appellation name, like Napa Valley, to be composed of at least 75% grapes from that region, any brands created before 1986 had been exempt, the Chronicle wrote. That had allowed Franzia to sell Central Valley wines with names like Napa Ridge, Napa Creek and Rutherford Vintners. (All three of those brands had been created prior to 1986, though Franzia purchased them later.)

He was also able to offer low-priced wines by cutting bottling expenses that included replacing traditional corks with cheaper materials.

Gado/Gado via Getty Images

Charles Shaw, the former owner of his namesake wine, had some choice words about the outcome of his business years after it was sold to Franzia. In an interview with the Napa Valley Register, he told the outlet that he considered Two Buck Chuck to be "embarrassing and demeaning." His frustration seemed to stem from the use of his brand name since he didnt consider Two Buck Chuck to be a true Napa Valley wine.

"To take that and come out and have a lesser wine from another appellation, that isn't what I started out to do, was it? And I paid a pretty big price," Shaw told the outlet in 2003.

Despite how it was perceived by the former owner, Charles Shaw wines would go on to win accolades over the years. In 2004, the brand earned a double gold medal at the International Eastern Wine Competition for its 2002 Charles Shaw Shiraz.
Jorge Trujillo was hanging precariously off the high branches of a tree near Lake Merced when he was scouted.

A former San Francisco Zoo keeper spotted Trujillo landscaping and stopped to tell him how impressed he was with his work. The zookeeper needed someone just like Trujillo and convinced him to leave his job. Twenty-four years later, Trujillo still works for the zoo in a role he could have never imagined even existed.

Trujillo is part of one of the zoos horticulture teams, which spends their days searching for eucalyptus in San Francisco parks that looks tasty enough for a koala. Its part of the browse program  a zoology term for animals eating off the leaves of foliage  which supplies more than 60 tons of plant life per year for the zoos animals to enjoy. The group of six employees has more than 100 years of collective experience in the field, estimates horticulture manager Greg McCoy. They spend two to three hours each weekday cutting back shrubs and trees, using extensive knowledge to select the diverse vegetation that animals at the zoo will either eat or use as scent enrichment.

Charles Russo/SFGATE

Koalas are the only species that can consume eucalyptus since its toxic to most mammals. The animals have a unique stomach that can break down the toxicity as they digest it, and 1 to 2.5 pounds of leaves a day are required to keep them at their normal weight. Eucalyptus, for regions where it doesnt grow well, is prohibitively expensive to ship in, and even if a zoo could afford it, it only lasts for a day or two once its unfrozen. For this reason, only 11 zoos in the country have koalas because they have to be able to support this type of feeding.

The SF Zoo currently has two koalas, a 5-year-old male named Cobar Wollemi and a 2-year-old female named Stacey, and they wouldnt have enough to eat without SFs many parks. Trujillo has learned over the years that koalas are very picky eaters  theyll only eat new growth eucalyptus, selecting just the tips of the branches cut for them. They get all their water intake from the plant and prefer a few different species of eucalyptus each day (even their keepers find their tastes unpredictable). The zoos current duo enjoy the more fragrant species of eucalyptus (there are about 15 species of eucalyptus in SF and about 50 in California), though sometimes theyll even eschew branches theyve previously enjoyed. If its droopy, they wont touch it, Trujillo said. They only want quality, they dont want quantity.

Charles Russo/SFGATE

Luckily, the invasive species grows wildly in San Francisco from when it was brought to the city in the 1850s by migrating Australians. The city needed quick-growing wood to supply the booming area, using it for everything from woodworking to firewood to providing windbreaks.

Today, the browse team cuts about 5% of the plants it needs from Golden Gate Park and gets the rest from spots like McLaren Park, Stern Grove and even smaller parks like Golden Gate Heights. McCoy said he and his team know the citys greenery better than anyone, and theyre always scouting for new places to cut. They may even stop when they spot a good-looking tree on the street or inquire at a construction site to save some soon-to-be cleared trees.

McCoy said the greenery is so plentiful in the city that they rarely have to check in with park managers to update them on where theyll be cutting. At private sites, people often seem skeptical about requests to trim, McCoy said, until they explain theyre from the zoo and the cuttings will go to feeding a koala. Once he mentions that, they usually let him right in.

Charles Russo/SFGATE Charles Russo/SFGATE Charles Russo/SFGATE Charles Russo/SFGATE (Charles Russo/SFGATE) (Charles Russo/SFGATE)

But its not just cutting down branches. Each and every trimming needs extensive documentation, noting the species of the plant and the exact location of the cut. This way, the animal keepers can learn from each batch, weighing how much the koalas ate every day from the cuttings. McCoy said, for example, one time they cut from beside a freeway ramp and the koalas didnt like that much, so they dont return to that area.

The department often receives calls from people who know about the program and have trees theyre planning to cut down. Often, the leaf gatherers will hop in their trucks and head straight to the site.

While the browse team is crucial for the zoos koalas, it also provides for more than 100 other animals, including giraffes, rhinos, gorillas, lemurs and red pandas. Even if the animals dont eat the plants, the foliage can be played with or used for scent exploration. Acacia longifolia, another plant native to Australia, makes up a large portion of the teams other cuttings, adding up to about 30 tons per year. Sometimes, the zookeepers may even request the team to search out certain species that specific animals might enjoy.

Charles Russo/SFGATE

Not every zoo has a browse program, as it needs the climate to support it. We probably rate in the top 10 in the country [for our browse program] because we have almost 10 months of growing, McCoy said.

Back near the intersection of 38th Avenue and Lincoln Way, Trujillo crushes eucalyptus leaves between his fingers to bring out the oils and emphasize how different one species might smell from another. He then points to the different colors and textures of certain leaves, showcasing the delicate stems the koalas favor. The zookeeper that scouted him and later trained him retired years ago, and now Trujillo trains all new browse employees. Its amazing how time flies, he said. Twenty-four years later, Im still here.
DETROIT (AP)  When it came time to showcase its electric Chevrolet Equinox SUV to the public this year, General Motors decided against doing so at the big Detroit auto show, as it typically would have done in the past. Instead, it unveiled the Equinox six days earlier.

GMs decision symbolized just how much smaller this years auto show will be, with few new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and possibly lower attendance.

Though the pandemic is partly to blame, larger forces are at play, too: Automakers have figured out that new models can make a bigger splash when theyre unveiled to a digital audience on a day where they dont have to share the spotlight with their rivals. Not to mention that making a debut at an auto show can be hugely expensive.

So despite moving the show from January to balmy September and adding outdoor events, the North American International Auto Show wont be the glitzy event it was the last time it was held in chilly January, more than three years ago.

The industry has changed  the world has changed, said Karl Zimmermann, vice president of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, which runs the show. Do I think its going to be the same as it was before? No. It's a much different format. Were using indoors. Were using outdoors.

This year's show will be geared more toward consumers and less toward the industry. General Motors and Volkswagen will offer test drives. There will be ride-alongs in new electric vehicles from Ford and others.

I think thats the likely track of the future  more consumer-focused than industry-focused, because the consumers dont need all the the fanfare, said Jeff Schuster, president of global forecasting for LMC Automotive, a Detroit-area consulting firm. They can essentially have it look like a showroom.

Gone from Detroit's Huntington Place convention center are the elaborate multi-story displays that cost millions and took months to construct. There won't be any attention-grabbing stunts, like driving cars up steps and through the front doors or an ice rink with figure skaters. Though many automakers, including some from Europe and Asia, decided not to attend, area dealers stepped in with displays for their brands.

Instead of around 50 new model debuts as in past years, there's only one truly new one: The Ford Mustang, unveiled Wednesday night at a big outdoor event along the Detroit River attended by about 3,000 Mustang enthusiasts and Ford employees. Instead of the usual 5,000 journalists, only about 1,900 received credentials this year.

The seventh-generation Mustang, which goes on sale next summer, may well be the last gas-powered version of the muscle car as Ford powers more of its lineup with batteries. The company plans for half of its global production to be electric by 2030.

The new Mustang is built on the same underpinnings as generation six. But it gets an all-new look inside and out with a revamped 5-liter V8 in the GT and a new 2.3-liter turbocharged four for lower trim lines.

The V8's up to 500 horsepower tops any other Mustang engine, and the four-cylinder will be more efficient than its predecessor.

The company wouldnt say whether the next generation would be electric, but Khan said Ford can meet government fuel economy requirements for this generation because of the four-cylinder engine and the Mustang Mach E SUV and other electric vehicles. Last month Stellantis said fuel economy requirements are one reason its canceling its gasoline muscle cars by the end of next year. The company plans an all-electric Dodge Charger in 2024.

Where we go next, well see how things will go, said Eddie Khan, engineering manager for the car. The whole industry is changing."

The Mustang gets all new sheet metal outside, and Ford says it has lower wind drag than any other generation. You can still get a six-speed manual transmission on the GT; otherwise its an improved 10-speed automatic.

Don Andrews of Detroit, who owns a 2018 V8 Mustang, said he hopes this isn't the last gasoline version. I hope they keep it petrol because more people like it, he said. Everybody likes that rev, that noise. Thats what makes it a Mustang.

Andrews said he's glad the show was moved to a warmer month so events like the Mustang reveal can take place outdoors. He thinks more people will attend the show than they did when it was in January.

Zimmerman said the downsizing of auto shows is part of worldwide trend that started about a decade ago and this year forced the cancellation of the auto show in Geneva, Switzerland. Other auto shows, too, are shifting their focus to letting customers in their region see and even drive new vehicles.

Even with the changes, the show still amounts to a major production. So much so that President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg attended.

Biden, a gearhead who owns a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, sat in a high-performance Corvette Wednesday, and he drove a Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV slowly down an aisle in the convention hall.

The show won't be entirely devoid of glitz. Ford, Jeep and Stellantis' Ram brand have displays that will hold vehicles as they drive over steep slopes. Dirt and trees were trucked in for a natural look. There are tracks where customers can ride in new electric vehicles, including Ford's F-150 Lightning pickup. Outside, there's a 60-foot-tall inflatable rubber duck, paying homage to a Jeep tradition of enthusiasts leaving a small yellow duck on a Jeep they think is cool.

Zimmermann agreed that attendance will likely be smaller than the roughly 800,000 the show drew during peak years of the past. He said he would be pleased with 500,000 for the 12-day show. This year, those who attend outdoor activities alone won't be counted, which will hold down the total.

One thing is sure: Electric vehicles will be big draws for the public. Many will be on display for the first time to customers even though automakers unveiled them earlier.

They want to know how they ride, how they drive and have experience with them, Zimmermann said. Its not just enough to see a car on a carpet or to see just a digital display on a screen, but to really interact with the vehicle.

It's the interaction, with vehicles and with other people, that Zimmermann says will enhance the show after the lengthy pandemic pause.

We like to think that after 3 1/2 years away, we'll do nothing but grow," he said.

____

AP White House reporter Colleen Long contributed to this report.
NEW BOSTON, Texas (AP)  A state police investigator testified Tuesday that a woman accused of killing a pregnant woman and removing her unborn child conducted intensive research on how to fake a pregnancy convincingly.

The testimony came in the capital murder trial of Taylor Rene Parker for the October 2020 killing of Reagan Simmons-Hancock and her stolen child.

Special Agent Dustin Estes of the Texas Department of Public Safety testified that Parker viewed numerous YouTube videos on delivering and caring for babies.

On the day of the killing, she watched a video on the physical exam of an infant delivered pre-term at 35 weeks, he said. Simmons-Hancock had a 35-week pregnancy when she was killed.

Parker also ran numerous Google searches about pregnancy, Estes said.

She watched all these videos, clicked on all these links, and they were all at 35 weeks, prosecutor Kelley Crisp said.

My opinion is Taylor Parker faked her pregnancy. ... She planned and carried out the murder of Reagan, Estes said.

Parker's attorney, Jeff Harrelson, challenged that opinion, telling Estes, You can see somebody looked them up, but you dont know why. You can have a theory.

Parker, 29, has pleaded not guilty to capital murder and kidnapping in the October 2020 deaths of Simmons-Hancock, 21, and the daughter who died after being cut from her mothers womb. Authorities say Simmons-Hancock was stabbed and cut more than 100 times and had her skull crushed with a hammer in her New Boston, Texas, home before a scalpel was used to remove her unborn baby. She is also charged with non-capital murder in connection with the babys death.

In her opening statement Monday, Crisp told the Bowie County jury that Parker acted not because she wanted a baby but to keep from losing her boyfriend. Crisp said Parker disguised herself to make her look pregnant for nearly 10 months, faked ultrasounds, had a gender-reveal party and posted about her fake pregnancy on social media while searching for a possible victim, Crisp said.
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  A federal judge told Alabama to stop being vague and give a firm answer by Thursday evening on if the prison system is ready to use the untested execution method of nitrogen hypoxia at an execution next week.

U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker, Jr. gave the state the deadline to file an affidavit, or declaration, on whether the state could try to execute inmate Alan Miller by nitrogen hypoxia on Sept. 22 if the use of lethal injection is blocked. The order came after the state dangled the possibility during a Monday court hearing of being ready to become the first state to attempt an execution with nitrogen hypoxia.

Nitrogen hypoxia is a proposed execution method in which death would be caused by forcing the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, thereby depriving him or her of the oxygen needed to maintain bodily functions. It's authorized as an execution method in three states  Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi  but has never been used.

The state provided vague and imprecise statements regarding the readiness and intent to move forward with an execution on September 22, 2022, by nitrogen hypoxia, Huffaker said.

The judge asked the state Monday whether it was ready to use the method at Millers execution. A state attorney replied that it was very likely it could use nitrogen hypoxia next week, but said the state prison commissioner has the final decision.

On or before September 15, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. CDT, the defendants shall file an affidavit or declaration of Commissioner John Q. Hamm, Attorney General Steve Marshall, or other appropriate official with personal knowledge, definitively setting forth whether or not the Defendants can execute the Plaintiff by nitrogen hypoxia on September 22, 2022, the judge wrote in a Tuesday order.

Miller is seeking to block his scheduled execution by lethal injection, claiming prison staff lost paperwork he returned in 2018 choosing nitrogen hypoxia as his execution method.

Miller testified Monday that he is scared of needles so he signed a form selecting nitrogen hypoxia as his execution method. He said he left the form in his cell door tray for an prison officer to pick up. The state said there is no evidence to corroborate his claim.

Miller, a delivery truck driver, was convicted in the 1999 workplace shootings that killed Lee Holdbrooks, Scott Yancy and Terry Jarvis in suburban Birmingham. Miller shot Holdbrooks and Yancy at one business and then drove to another location to shoot Jarvis, evidence showed.

A defense psychiatrist said Miller suffered from severe mental illness but his condition wasnt bad enough to use as a basis for an insanity defense under state law.

Alabama lawmakers in 2018 approved legislation that authorized nitrogen hypoxia as an alternate execution method, although lethal injection would remain the primary method for carrying out death sentences. State law gave inmates a brief window to select nitrogen as their execution method. A number of inmates selected nitrogen.

The Alabama Department of Corrections did not respond to an email seeking comment about the status of the proposed new execution method or what it would look like.

The state has disclosed little information about the new execution method. The Alabama Department of Corrections told a federal judge last year that it had completed a system to use nitrogen gas but did not describe it.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California will impose first-of-its-kind requirements on social media companies to publish their policies for removing disturbing content including hate speech, with details on how and when they remove that content, under a bill signed into law by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

California will not stand by as social media is weaponized to spread hate and disinformation that threaten our communities and foundational values as a country, Newsom said in a statement Tuesday announcing the signing.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  With more than 100,000 people living on Californias streets, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a first-of-its kind law on Wednesday that could force some of them into treatment as part of a program he describes as care but opponents argue is cruel.

Newsom signed the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Act on Wednesday. It would let family members, first responders and others ask a judge to draw up a treatment plan for someone diagnosed with certain disorders, including schizophrenia. Those who refuse could be placed under a conservatorship and ordered to comply.

Right now, homeless people with severe mental health disorders bounce from the streets to jails and hospitals. They can be held against their will at a psychiatric hospital for up to three days. But they must be released if they promise to take medication and follow up with other services.

The new law would let a court order a treatment plan for up to one year, which could be extended for a second year. The plan could include medication, housing and therapy. While it shares some elements of programs in other states, the system would be the first of its kind in the country, according to the office of Democratic state Sen. Tom Umberg, a co-author of the law.

For decades, California has mostly treated homelessness as a local problem, funneling billions of dollars to city and county governments each year for various treatment programs. But despite all of that spending, homelessness remains one of the state's most pressing and visible issues.

Continue to do what youve done and you get what you got. And look what weve got. It's unacceptable, Newsom said Wednesday before signing the law. This (law) has been architected completely differently than anything you've seen in the state of California, arguably in the last century.

Some progressives have spoken out against Newsom blocking certain priorities, including vetoing a bill that would have authorized supervised safe-injection sites for drug users and opposing a new tax on millionaires that would pay for more electric cars.

But in a year when Newsom is on his way to a shoo-in reelection bid with speculation building about his presidential aspirations, this new program prompted criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, with some on the left arguing it goes too far while others on the right saying it does not go far enough.

Newsom signed the law over the strong objections of the American Civil Liberties Union of California, Human Rights Watch, Disability Rights California and numerous other organizations that work with homeless people, minority communities and people with disabilities who say the new program will violate civil rights.

They say that courts are a frightening place for many people with severe mental illness and coercion is antithetical to the peer-based model that is critical to recovery. In other words, critics say, a person needs to want to get help and that could take months or years.

There is absolutely no evidence that this plan will work. It's just one more non-solution, said Eve Garrow, policy analyst and advocate for ACLU of Southern California. The research shows that adding a coercive element to either housing or mental health services does not increase compliance.

The program is not exclusively for homeless people. It only applies to people who have a severe mental illness  mostly psychotic disorders  and only if they are unlikely to survive safely in the community without supervision or are likely to harm themselves or others.

That means people struggling with alcohol and opioid addiction won't qualify unless they have a diagnosed psychiatric disorder.

The Newsom administration estimates about 12,000 people could get help under the program. James Gallagher, the Republican leader of the state Assembly, said that's not enough.

Although better than nothing, (the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment) court essentially amounts to a new bureaucratic half-measure, said Gallagher, who like most of his Republican colleagues voted for the bill in the state Legislature. It's not the groundbreaking policy change we need. It will help some severely mentally ill people get treatment, but will not stop the explosion of homeless camps in our communities."

The program would not begin until next year, and only in seven counties: Glenn, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne must establish programs by Oct 1, 2023. All other counties would have until Dec. 1, 2024.

Each of California's 58 counties would have to set up special courts to handle these cases. Counties that don't participate could be fined up to $1,000 per day.

The biggest challenge for the new law will be having enough funding, housing and workers to implement it without siphoning resources from the hundreds of thousands of county clients already counting on the vital behavioral health and substance use disorder services we provide, said Michelle Doty Cabrera, executive director of the County Behavioral Health Director's Association of California.

Newsom echoed those comments, saying implementation will be key. The state budget this year includes $296.5 million for the Workforce for a Healthy California for All Program, which aims to recruit 25,000 community health workers by 2025.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of California supports the proposal, as do business organizations and dozens of cities, including the mayors of Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Diego.

They say treatment models and anti-psychotic medications have changed significantly since people were warehoused in institutions. The individual should be able to thrive in the community given the right clinical support team and housing plan, supporters say.

Newsom said he was exhausted by arguments from civil liberties groups that the program goes too far.

Their point of view is expressed by what you see on the streets and sidewalks all across the state, he said.

___

Beam reported from Sacramento, California.
LOS ANGELES  One of the first things attorney Dawn Florio told PnB Rock when she began representing the rapper was to be careful about what he posted on social media and when.

Avoid sharing a specific location until youve left, and never post your current location, Florio recalls telling him.

You cannot tell people where youre going to be, she said.

On Monday, Rock was having lunch at Roscoes House of Chicken and Waffles in South Los Angeles.

He was killed during a botched robbery after being targeted for his jewelry, police said. A suspect brandished a firearm inside the restaurant and demanded items from Rock, who was shot after a brief struggle with the assailant.

Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday that the Los Angeles Police Department is investigating whether the killing stemmed from an Instagram post by the rappers girlfriend that geotagged Roscoes, at Main Street and Manchester Avenue. It was shared minutes before the shooting.

Police said they are searching for the gunman and attempting to determine a motive, so it may take time to know what role the post played in the slaying of the 30-year-old rapper, whose real name was Rakim Allen. But the shooting has reignited discussion of the dangers of the real-time use of social media by celebrities who post about their locations and luxury possessions.

This has been an issue for more than a decade, dating back to a group of young L.A. thieves known as the Bling Ring, who targeted the homes of celebrities after seeing their jewelry and other valuables in social media posts.

More recently, rapper Pop Smoke was gunned down in 2020 at a Hollywood Hills rental during a botched robbery. The young Brooklyn rapper, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, had posted a photo of a black gift bag from luxury clothing brand Amiri that exposed the address of the rental where he was staying. Police said a 15-year-old saw the post and hatched a plan with three others to rob the rapper of his gold chain and diamond-studded watch, which led to the killing.

Police say such crimes linked to social media are rare. But Moore said hes concerned about the proliferation of guns on the streets being used by robbers targeting victims for high-end jewelry.

Florio doesnt think Rock was targeted because of the Instagram post.

I believe he probably was followed. It doesnt make sense to me that the murderers were stalking her social media posts, Florio said. What his girlfriend did was very innocent. I cant fault her for that.

Regardless, police are investigating whether the post led to Rocks slaying.

The rapper was with his family  with his girlfriend or some kind of friend of his  and as theyre there, enjoying a simple meal, (he) was brutally attacked by an individual who apparently (came) to the location after a social media posting, Moore said.

Pop Smoke and Rocks slayings highlight a trend in Los Angeles of follow home robberies and other violent attacks, some of which have specifically targeted rappers.

Wakko the Kid was shot Sept. 1 at his home in North Hollywood and told The Times he believed the attack occurred after he showed off money and jewelry on social media accounts.

Its a popular thing in hip-hop and pop culture to show off wealth and new clothes and jewelry and nice cars, the rapper said Monday. Its all part of it; its glitz and glamour.

Prominent rappers Nicki Minaj and Cardi B took to Twitter to hash out whether Rock was targeted because of his girlfriends post  or if he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

After Pop Smoke theres no way we as rappers or our loved ones are still posting locations to our whereabouts. To show waffles & some fried chicken????! Minaj tweeted.

Cardi clapped back that the crime likely had more to do with the neighborhood than with the girlfriends Instagram post.

He was in a bad location and people stay outside plotting. Its very irresponsible and inconsiderate to blame her for something so tragic, Cardi B tweeted.

Florio says there is a common denominator in the spate of crimes against rappers.

When you have jewelry, you are a target, she said.

The dangers of real-time social media posts pose security questions for anyone with a substantial online following.

A burglary crew with ties to a South L.A. gang followed celebrities posts and noted when theyd be away from home, then pounced, prosecutors said in 2018. The group targeted Los Angeles Dodger Yasiel Puigs San Fernando Valley home, as well as that of rapper Chief Keef. In those cases, the gang tried to avoid confrontations by targeting the homes when they knew the celebrities would not be around, authorities said.

Even the Kardashian family said they were going to change how they used social media following the 2016 robbery of Kim Kardashian in Paris. One of the alleged participants in the armed robbery said he and his crew tracked her movements online and through social media.

Weve been able to adjust and make some changes in the way that we post (on social media), but in no way do I want this to affect the heart of the family, matriarch Kris Jenner said in 2016. Youre putting your life out there in real time. Were now taking a lot more precaution.

Its a problem with which influencers, who live their lives under the eyes of internet strangers, are familiar. Keeping their location and personal information private can help prevent stalking, doxxing, harassment  or worse.

With real-time posting, you have to be extra careful, said Brian Nelson, who works with influencers through his marketing agency the Network Effect. What I tell them to do is to shoot everything on camera roll and then post after they leave the location.

Times staff writers Brian Contreras and Salvador Hernandez contributed to this report.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

HONG KONG (AP)  Chinas second largest gaming firm NetEase has received its first online game license in over a year in a possible sign Beijing is gradually easing a crackdown on the industry.

The National Press and Publication Administration, which issues licenses for video games, on Tuesday published a list of approvals for 73 games, including a mobile game by NetEase called All-Star Street Ball Party.
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BOSTON (AP)  A package exploded on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston late Tuesday, and the college said a staff member suffered minor injuries.

Authorities said another suspicious package was found near a prominent art museum and the FBI was assisting with the investigation.

The parcel that blew up was one of two that were reported to police early in the evening. Boston's bomb squad neutralized a second package near the city's Museum of Fine Arts, which is on the outskirts of the Northeastern campus.

NBC Boston reported that the package that exploded went off as it was being opened near the university's Holmes Hall, which is home to the university's creative writing program and its women's, gender and sexuality studies program. It said the FBI was assisting the investigation.

Authorities declined to elaborate, but Northeastern spokesperson Shannon Nargi said in a statement that an unidentified university staff member suffered minor injuries to his hand in the explosion. Felipe Colon, a Boston police superintendent, later described the victim as a 45-year-old man.

Police converged on the campus shortly before 7:30 p.m., and the university asked students who had gathered for an evening journalism class at the hall to evacuate the building.

Northeastern is a private university in downtown Boston with about 16,000 undergraduate students. WCVB-TV said one of its reporters, Mike Beaudet, was teaching a class there at the time. Beaudet told the station his class was moved outside but that neither he nor his students heard an explosion.

Michael Davis, chief of Northeastern's police force, told reporters the campus was secure. Boston police didn't say whether any other suspicious packages were found.

Were monitoring the situation at Northeastern and were ready to work with the university and our law enforcement partners on any prosecutions that may develop," Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said, promising "a comprehensive investigation to determine exactly what occurred here.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both on the other side of the Charles River separating Boston from Cambridge, said they were increasing patrols on their campuses as a precaution and urging students and faculty to report anything suspicious.

Tuesday's explosion marked one of the first big scares in Boston since 2013, when two bombs planted near the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed three spectators and wounded more than 260 others.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)  Eight people have been killed in a roadside bombing that targeted an anti-Taliban village elder's vehicle in northwestern Pakistan, police said.

Saeed Khan, a senior police official in Swat, said the slain head of a village peace committee, Idrees Khan, was traveling in the area when the roadside bomb hit his vehicle. He said that initial reports suggested the bombing killed five but later they concluded eight people had died, including two policemen.
After decades of fish stocking decreases to balance the alewife and Chinook salmon populations, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is seeing good indicators that a modest stocking increase may be warranted in Lake Michigan.

To discuss this proposal and receive public feedback, the DNR will host a virtual meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. on Monday. Michigan Sea Grant will assist with the meeting.

We have seen several years of good Chinook salmon growth and have a slight increase in the alewife biomass, or abundance of those fish, said Jay Wesley, the DNR's Lake Michigan basin coordinator, in a news release. Although the alewife biomass is a fraction of what it was historically, we have a good 2021-year class and have seen up to six-year classes of alewives in our fisheries surveys  that means there are up to six different age groups in the current population of alewife."

A "year class" refers to all of the fish of any species hatched, either through natural reproduction or through fish-rearing efforts, during that year's spawning period.

Wesley said a recently run predator-prey model also suggests that Lake Michigan has a good ratio of Chinook to alewife biomass, which is one of many indicators used to inform stocking decisions.

The proposed 54% increase from 650,000 to 1 million spring fingerlings is a modest increase compared to the estimated 4.5 million wild Chinook salmon in Lake Michigan, he said in the release. It will allow us to increase numbers at sites like Charlevoix that contribute to the entire lake fishery and reinstate stocking sites like Ludington State Park and Fairport.

Visit bit.ly/3L98yRe to join the meeting. The webinar ID is 994 1124 7153 and the passcode is 2022. The meeting can also be joined via telephone by dialing 646-876-9923 or 301-715-8592.

Meeting organizers will provide an update on the conditions of Lake Michigan, along with proposed stocking locations and number of fish stocked.

The Michigan DNR works with the Lake Michigan Committee, which is represented by the states that border the lake (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin) and the Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority, to co-manage the fishery in Lake Michigan.

To learn more about how the DNR manages fisheries, visit Michigan.gov/Fishing.
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HARTFORD  The State Elections Enforcement Commission has opened an investigation into an allegation of absentee ballot fraud during Bridgeports recent Democratic primary for the 127th House District.

The five-member commission voted last week to move forward with the probe after the campaign manager for state Rep. Jack Hennessys reelection bid accused a member of the Marcus Brown campaign of effectively stealing a voters absentee ballot.

The commissions enforcement unit, which is charged with investigating violations of state election law, has begun collecting evidence in the case, according to commission documents obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media.

Brown, a 31-year-old City Council member, was declared the winner of the hard-fought primary last month following a second recount that gave him a razor-thin two-vote lead over the incumbent.

But Hennessy, 71, challenged the outcome in state Superior Court, alleging that numerous irregularities and absentee ballot fraud resulted in Browns narrow win. As of Wednesday, the case is still pending.

The formal complaint that prompted the commissions investigation was filed in mid-August by Councilwoman Maria Pereira, a Hennessy ally who ran the veteran and former truck drivers reelection campaign.

Pereira alleged in the complaint that Maria Agueda, a Brown campaign worker, broke state law by taking possession of an absentee ballot that had been completed by an elderly voter but had not yet been mailed to election workers.

Under state law, only the voter or their designee  a caregiver, family member or local public official  can legally possess or handle an undelivered absentee ballot.

I hope theres a significant financial penalty, and Id like to see Maria Agueda incarcerated, Pereira said Tuesday. What a complete lack of moral fiber must you have to think that this is in any way appropriate?

Pereira said in a sworn affidavit filed with the complaint that she learned of the incident directly from the elderly voter while she was delivering sample absentee ballot applications to the voters apartment building.

She explained to me that Maria told her that Marcus Brown was the Democrat on the ballot and that she should vote for him, Pereira said in the affidavit.

Agueda, who was paid nearly $1,300 for her work on the Brown campaign, according to campaign finance records, declined comment Tuesday. The Brown campaign did not return requests for comment.

The elections commission, which reviews dozens of complaints from across the state every year, has until August 2023 to resolve the case, but could extend the deadline to a later date if needed, according to SEEC documents.

The first recount in the race was triggered when the initial vote count on Aug. 9 showed Brown holding a narrow five-vote lead  579 to 574  over Hennessy, the Park Citys current longest serving state lawmaker.

Despite losing track of nine ballots during the chaotic recount, election officials initially named Hennessy the winner by a single-vote margin. Brown then filed an appeal, claiming the city had improperly stored the ballots.

The rival campaigns eventually reached a settlement and agreed to hold a second recount with new moderators who would tally each vote by hand. The nine missing absentee ballots were recovered, which gave Brown enough votes to pull ahead.

Hennessy, however, has asked a judge to throw out the results, claiming the primary was marred by numerous irregularities and ballot fraud.

richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com
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BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union unveiled plans Wednesday to ban products made with forced labor, in an effort to crack down on a modern-day form of slavery that a U.N. agency estimated affects more than 27 million people worldwide.

The European Commission, which proposes EU laws, said the policy would remove from the 27-nation blocs markets all products made with forced labor. It would also stop them from being made in the worlds biggest trading bloc or shipped through it.

The move does not target specific companies, industries or countries.

Our aim is to eliminate all products made with forced labor from the EU market, irrespective of where they have been made. Our ban will apply to domestic products, exports and imports alike, commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said.

The EU's executive arm defines forced labor as a situation where a person is coerced to work through violence or intimidation, or in more indirect ways by having their debt manipulated, their identity papers stolen or being threatened with denunciation to immigration authorities.

Under the plans, the commission would set up and operate a public database containing information about suspect products and practices. EU countries would designate an authority to enforce the rules, and customs officers would have responsibility for ensuring compliance at the blocs borders.

The aim is to focus on high-risk products. Investigations would be launched if national authorities believe forced labor may have been used. Suspected cases involving bigger operators that make the most products would be the preferred target, rather than small businesses.

If a product made with forced labor is already sold in the EU, the company involved would be required to pull it off the market and dispose of it. If the company refuses, it would face penalties under the law of the country it operates in.

Europes main union umbrella organization, the European Trade Union Confederation, welcomed the plans.

Many of the people in forced labor are manufacturing goods destined for sale in Europe, so a properly enforced ban should cripple the profits of the criminals behind these violations, ETUC Deputy General-Secretary Claes-Mikael Stahl said.

The International Labour Organization estimated that in 2021 around 27.6 million people were forced to work on any given day, including 3.3 million children. Women and girls accounted for 11.8 million of that number.

Textiles, mining and agriculture are among the industries most notorious for the practice.

The commissions proposal must now be debated by the EU member countries and the European Parliament. The rules would enter force two years after an agreement is concluded.
BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union lawmakers on Wednesday adopted new legislation aimed at guaranteeing decent minimum wages for workers across the 27-nation bloc.

The vote  with 505 in favor, 92 against and 44 abstentions  came as inflation and skyrocketing energy bills have left many households struggling to make ends meet.

Minimum wages across the EU vary widely, and setting a minimum remains a competence of member countries. The highest minimum wages are in Luxembourg, Ireland and Germany, the lowest in Bulgaria, Latvia and Estonia, according to EU data.

Under the new law, member countries will have to guarantee that their national minimum wages allow workers to lead a decent life, taking into account the cost of living and wider pay levels," the Parliament said.

The legislation will apply to all EU workers who have an employment contract or employment relationship.

EU governments will have two years to comply with the legislation once it is formally approved by the European Council, likely later this month.

Prices for groceries, energy bills and housing are exploding. People are really struggling to make ends meet. We have no time to waste, work must pay again," said Agnes Jongerius, a lawmaker from the Socialists and Democrats group.

The law would also boost collective bargaining for pay in countries where fewer than 80% of workers are covered by the process.
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Border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan have killed 155 troops on both sides in the largest outbreak of fighting between the neighbors and longtime adversaries in nearly two years, fueling fears of even bigger hostilities.

Here is a look at the decades-long conflict between the two countries, and the latest clashes.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Armenia and Azerbaijan have faced off for more than three decades in a conflict over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The mountainous region is part of Azerbaijan, but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

The territory in the southern Caucasus covers an area of roughly 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles), about the size of the U.S. state of Delaware.

During the Soviet era, the mostly Armenian-populated region had an autonomous status within Azerbaijan. Long-simmering tensions between Christian Armenians and mostly Muslim Azeris, fueled by memories of the 1915 massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by Muslim Ottoman Turks, boiled over as the Soviet Union frayed in its final years.

Fighting broke out in 1988 when the region made a bid to join Armenia, and after the 1991 Soviet collapse hostilities escalated into a full-blown war, killing an estimated 30,000 people and displacing about 1 million.

When the war ended with a cease-fire in 1994, Armenian forces not only held Nagorno-Karabakh itself but also broad areas outside the territorys borders.

International mediation efforts over the following decades failed to achieve a diplomatic settlement.

THE 2020 WAR

On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan launched an operation called Iron Fist to reclaim control over Nagorno-Karabakh.

NATO-member Turkey, which has close ethnic, cultural and historic bonds with Azerbaijan, offered it strong support.

In six weeks of fighting involving heavy artillery, rockets and drones that killed more than 6,700 people, Azeri troops drove Armenian forces out of areas they controlled outside the separatist region and also seized broad chunks of Nagorno-Karabakh proper.

A Russia-brokered peace deal on Nov. 10 allowed Azerbaijan to reclaim control of the areas occupied by Armenian forces outside Nagorno-Karabakh for nearly three decades, including the Lachin region, which holds the main road leading from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. Armenian forces also agreed to surrender control over significant sections of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Russia has deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.

The agreement triggered years of protests in Armenia, where the opposition denounced it as a betrayal of the country's interests and called for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Pashinyan has weathered the pressure, defending the deal as the only way to prevent Azerbaijan from seizing all of Nagorno-Karabakh.

AND THE NEW HOSTILITIES?

Sporadic clashes between Azeri and Armenian forces have repeatedly erupted in the area, but the fighting that began Tuesday was the most serious since the 2020 peace deal.

Both sides blamed each other for starting hostilities, with Armenia accusing Azerbaijan of an unprovoked attack and Baku saying it was responding to shelling by Armenian forces.

Armenia said at least 105 of its soldiers were killed, while Azerbaijan said it lost 50.

Russia moved quickly to help negotiate an end to hostilities, but a cease-fire it tried to broker has failed to hold and clashes have continued.

Late Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a call with leaders of countries belonging to the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated grouping of several ex-Soviet nations that includes Armenia. The leaders agreed to send a fact-finding mission including top officials from the grouping to the conflict area.
KILLONA, La. (AP)  A nuclear power plant west of New Orleans will be getting extra inspections because an offsite radiation monitor was miscalibrated for more than a decade, federal regulators said Tuesday.

The error at the Waterford 3 plant in Killona  roughly 25 miles (40 kilometers) from downtown New Orleans  had low to moderate safety implications, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission news release said.
NEW DELHI (AP)  The French foreign minister said Wednesday that the war in Ukraine will not overshadow Frances commitments to the Indo-Pacific region, where India and its allies view Chinas rising influence with suspicion.

Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and her Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed the security situation in the region and the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including concerns about food security and rising inflation, officials said.

Colonna said the two countries share the same concern about China's role in the region.

We spoke a lot about the general situation in the Indo-Pacific and the many challenges that have emerged because of China. We have basically the same analysis, we also share the same concerns, because we know the role the Chinese are playing and we want to make sure that there is no imbalance in the Indo-Pacific, Colonna said at a news briefing.

Jaishankar said that it was important for like-minded countries to work together in the region to ensure peace, security and prosperity. We consider France as an Indo-Pacific player that has a long-standing presence in the Indian Ocean, he added.

Indian and Chinese soldiers last week began pulling back from a key friction point on their disputed border as part of efforts to lower tensions in a more than two-year standoff that has sometimes led to deadly clashes. The two countries have stationed tens of thousands of soldiers backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets along the de facto border, called the Line of Actual Control.

In June 2020, India said it lost 20 troops and China said it lost four soldier when the two sides fought with clubs, stones and fists.

Jaishankar said Wednesday that the disengagement of troops was completed.

Colonna said France is working to ensure that food coming from Ukraine, which is essential for many countries, continues in the form of exports while the European Union strives to ensure transparency in the market so that prices remain reasonable.

Colonna and Jaishankar echoed calls to find solutions to end the war. There should be a return to dialogue and diplomacy, Jaishankar told reporters.

Colonna, who is on a three-day visit to India, will travel to Mumbai on Thursday, where she will meet with industry leaders.
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PARIS (AP)  A French court on Wednesday ordered a Yemeni airline that operated a passenger plane that crashed into the Indian Ocean in 2009 to pay damages to the flight's lone survivor and the families of 65 French citizens who died.

The Yemenia flight departed from Paris, picked up more passengers in the southern French city of Marseille and made a stopover in Sanaa, Yemen, where 142 passengers and 11 crew members boarded another plane to continue to the capital of Comoros, an island nation off Africas east coast.

The aging Airbus A310 crashed about 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the Comorian coast on June 30, 2009 while attempting to land in strong wind. A total of 152 people were killed, a majority of them from Comoros.

Yemenia, which is the flagship carrier of Yemen, was charged in the Paris court with "manslaughter and unintentional injuries. The trial in the civil case ended in June.

The company had denied responsibility. But the court ordered Yemenia to pay a total of 225,000 euros ($237,000) in damages to the survivor, Bahia Bakari, and to the families of the French victims. Yemenias lawyers said they would appeal.

Bakari, whose mother died in the crash, said she was relieved by the courts decision but that it would not erase the trauma and grief she has suffered.

Its something that has impacted me, that will impact me all my life, Bakari told The Associated Press after the verdict was issued.

Bakari, who was 12 years old at the time of crash, survived by clinging to floating debris from the plane for 11 hours before being rescued. She suffered a broken collarbone, a broken hip, burns and other injuries.

Now 25, Bakari gave powerful testimony in a packed Paris courtroom in May, earning praise for her bravery from judges and lawyers.

Other witnesses slammed what they claimed was the poor state of air travel from Yemen, which has since been embroiled in a brutal civil war. Some claimed Yemenia was more interested in profits than in taking care of its passengers.

A lawyer for the victims families, Said Larifou, denounced the operation of passenger planes that he claimed were flying coffins.

In 2015, two French courts that oversaw civil proceedings ordered Yemenia to pay more than 30 million euros ($31.6 million) to the victims families, who deplored the slowness of the proceedings between France and the Comoros, a former colony that became independent in 1975.

The airline in 2018 signed a confidential agreement with 835 beneficiaries, who had to wait several more years to receive compensation.



Surk reported from Nice, France
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GENEVA (AP)  Jean-Luc Godard, the iconic enfant terrible of the French New Wave who revolutionized popular cinema in 1960 with his first feature, Breathless, and stood for years among the film world's most influential directors, died Tuesday. He was 91.

Godard died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones at his home in the Swiss town of Rolle, on Lake Geneva, his family said in a statement. The statement gave assisted suicide, which is legal in Switzerland, as the cause of death.

A medical report recently revealed the director had multiple invalidating pathologies, according to the family statement, which did not specify the conditions.

Over a long career that began in the 1950s as a film critic, Godard was perhaps the most boundary-breaking director among New Wave filmmakers who rewrote the rules for camera, sound and narrative  rebelling against an earlier tradition of more formulaic storytelling.

For the low-budget Breathless, Godard relied on a mobile, lightweight camera to capture street scenes and reach moviegoers in a new way.

He dispensed with contrived backdrops and the artifice of Hollywood cinema of the time, said one film expert. The impact was immediate  Breathless arrived like a cinematic thunderclap when it was released in 1960  and lasting.

There's a bit of Godard in nearly all films today, said Frederic Maire, president of the Swiss Cinematheque. Nearly all directors who have gone to film school today, or learned movie-making at cinematheques, have seen Godard's films  and were amazed, jolted and shocked by his way of telling stories.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute, saying: We have lost a national treasure, the eye of a genius.

Godard worked with some of the best-known actors in French cinema, such as Jean-Paul Belmondo, who was propelled to stardom through the director's films, and Brigitte Bardot, who starred in his acclaimed 1963 work Contempt.

Beyond that, he profiled the early Rolling Stones, gave a voice to Marxist, leftist and 1960s-era Black Power politics, and his controversial modern nativity play Hail Mary grabbed headlines when Pope John Paul II denounced it in 1985.

While many of his works were lauded, Godard also made a string of films that were politically charged and experimental, and pleased few outside a small circle of fans, while frustrating many critics who saw them as filled with overblown intellectualism.

Cannes Film Festival Director Thierry Fremaux said by phone he was sad, sad  immensely so" at the news of Godard's death.

Born into a wealthy French-Swiss family on Dec. 3, 1930 in Paris, Godard grew up in Nyon, Switzerland, and studied ethnology at the Sorbonne, where he was increasingly drawn to the cultural scene that flourished in the Latin Quarter cine-club after World War II.

He became friends with future big-name directors Francois Truffaut, Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer, and in 1950 founded the short-lived Gazette du Cinema. By 1952 he had begun writing for the prestigious movie magazine Cahiers du Cinema.

After working on two films by Rivette and Rohmer in 1951, Godard tried to direct his first movie while traveling through North and South America with his father, but never finished it.

Back in Europe, he took a job in Switzerland as a construction worker on a dam project. He used the pay to finance his first complete film, the 1954 Operation Concrete, a 20-minute documentary about the building of the dam.

Returning to Paris, Godard worked as spokesman for an artists agency and continued to hone his writing.

He also began work on Breathless, based on a story by Truffaut.

The movie stars Belmondo as a penniless young thief who models himself on Hollywood movie gangsters and who, after he shoots a police officer, goes on the run with his American girlfriend, played by Jean Seberg.

Godard's cinematic creations were suffused with the gritty, sassy tones of a resurgent postwar France  known domestically as the Glorious 30 years through to the late 1970s -- and they served up some of the most poignant images and lines from what was then a rich, avant-garde heyday of French filmmaking.

The images in Breathless of an ingenue Seberg traipsing along Paris Champs-Elysees loudly hawking New York Herald Tribune newspapers in a tight T-shirt, and close-ups of a cigarette-smoking, fedora-wearing Belmondo running a thumb methodically, pensively across his lips could be enshrined among the most memorable images of French cinema.

Along with Truffauts The 400 Blows, released in 1959, Godards film set a new tone for French movie aesthetics. Godard rejected conventional narrative style and instead used frequent jump-cuts that mingled philosophical discussions with action scenes. He spiced it all up with references to Hollywood gangster movies and nods to literature and visual art.

Godard also launched what was to be a career-long participation in collective film projects, contributing scenes to The Seven Deadly Sins along with directors such as Claude Chabrol and Roger Vadim. He also worked with Ugo Gregoretti, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Roberto Rossellini on the Italian movie Lets Have a Brainwash, with Godards scenes portraying a disturbing post-Apocalypse world.

Godard, who was later to gain a reputation for his uncompromising left-wing political views, had a first brush with French authorities in 1960 when he made The Little Soldier. The movie, filled with references to Frances colonial war in Algeria, was not released until 1963, a year after the conflict ended.

His work turned more starkly political by the late 1960s. In Weekend, his characters lampoon hypocrisy in bourgeois society even as they demonstrate the comic futility of violent class war. It came out a year before popular anger at the establishment shook France, culminating in the iconic but short-lived student unrest of May 1968.

Godard harbored a life-long sympathy for various forms of socialism depicted in films from the early 1970s to the 1990s.

Some of global cinemas greatest directors counted Godards boundary-breaking work as an influence, including Quentin Tarantino, Bernardo Bertolucci, Brian De Palma and Jonathan Demme.

Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky tweeted: learned a lot from my vhs copy of breathless thank you maestro.

Godard took potshots at Hollywood over the years.

He remained home in Switzerland rather than travel to Hollywood to receive an honorary Oscar at a private ceremony in November 2010 alongside film historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, director-producer Francis Ford Coppola and actor Eli Wallach.

His lifelong advocacy of the Palestinian cause also brought him repeated accusations of antisemitism, despite his insistence that he sympathized with the Jewish people and their plight in Nazi-occupied Europe.

Though the academy received some complaints about Godard being selected to receive the award, academy President Tom Sherak said the director was recognized solely for his contributions to film in the New Wave era.

Godard married Danish-born model and actress Anna Karina in 1961. She appeared in a string of movies he made during the remainder of the 1960s, all of them seen as New Wave landmarks. Notable among them were My Life to Live, Alphaville and Crazy Pete  which also starred Belmondo and was rumored to have been shot without a script. Godard and Karina divorced in 1965.

Godard married his second wife, Anne Wiazemsky, in 1967. He later started a relationship with Swiss filmmaker Anne-Marie Mieville. Godard divorced Wiazemsky in 1979, after he had moved with Mieville to Rolle, where he lived with her for the rest of his life.

___

Adamson reported from Paris. Former AP correspondent John Heilprin contributed biographical material to this report.
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BERLIN (AP)  The German government has sold its last shares in the country's biggest airline, Lufthansa, which it stepped in to rescue at the height of the coronavirus crisis.

The government's Finance Agency said late Tuesday that the remaining stake of some 9.9% has now been sold to international investors. The agency's head, Jutta Doenges, said the total proceeds from selling the government's holdings came to 1.07 billion euros (dollars)  a significant gain over the 306 million euros for which the shares were acquired.
Jacksonville will get a $75,000 cash infusion to accelerate economic recovery initiatives, with an emphasis being placed on housing, state officials said Tuesday.

Forty-two communities and economic development groups are among those sharing $3.5 million in Research in Illinois to Spur Economic Recovery funds, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. It was among other projects providing more than $300 million for Back to Business grants, rebuilding downtown areas, and rebuilding and promoting tourism in the state.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the program in March. Government and development groups could apply for funds to address job losses and business closings, shifting economic trends or critical economic and public health infrastructure.

Applicants had to include specific initiatives or capital investments that would accelerate pandemic recovery. Those facing financial constraints or located in under-served communities were given priority.

In addition, communities will have the opportunity to apply for funding to put the plans into effect once the plans are developed.

"In a state as large and diverse as Illinois, it is to be expected that recovery from the pandemic will be uneven. Funding to support local units of government and economic development organizations will help spur economic recovery in places that need help the most," said Chris Merrett, director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University.

Jacksonville's funding will be used for an "economic recovery planning project with an emphasis on housing," according to the state.

The grants will cover costs associated with developing or updating an economic recovery plan, including salaries or contractual costs, research, outreach and public meetings as well as expenses associated with administering the grant, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Cities, regions, towns and villages across Illinois understand the opportunities and needs of their own communities and the RISE program empowers them to collaborate and plan for improvements, Pritzker said. These grants will help communities craft economic development plans that reflect the specific impact of the pandemic on their region."

Grants statewide focus on such things as developing plans to build more affordable housing or make investments that improve the community's quality of life or economic viability.

Other west-central Illinois communities being awarded grants include:
HRAKOVE, Ukraine (AP)  Theres not much left of Hrakove. Its houses and shops lie in ruins, its school is a bombed-out hull. The church is scarred by rockets and shells, but the golden dome above its blasted belfry still gleams in the fading autumn light.

Only about 30 people remain, living in basements and gutted buildings in this small village southeast of Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, according to resident Anatolii Klyzhen. About 1,000 lived here when Russian troops rolled over the border in February, occupying the village shortly after.

Those forces abandoned Hrakove around Sept. 9 as Ukrainian soldiers advanced in a lightning counteroffensive. That blitz could be a turning point, setting the stage for further gains in the east and elsewhere  but it could also trigger a violent response from Moscow, leading to a new and dangerous escalation in the war.

There were no signs the Russian soldiers were about to leave. "Nobody knew anything. They left very quietly, said Viacheslav Myronenko, 71, who has lived in the basement of his bombed-out apartment building with three neighbors for more than four months.

The detritus of a fleeing army still litters the village: packs of empty Russian army food rations, abandoned crates with instructions for using grenades, a gas mask dangling on a tree, an army jacket trampled into the mud. Just outside the village by the bus stop, a Russian tank lies rusting on a road pockmarked with craters from shells, its turret and cannon blown off its body.

Feral dogs roams the mud-rutted streets, and authorities warn of mines and booby-traps in the weeds.

Before, the village looked really beautiful, said Klyzhen, who spent 45 days living in his buildings basement while Russian soldiers occupied his now-trashed apartment on the second floor. He eventually managed to flee, deciding to take his chances at checkpoints.

The Russian soldiers were both frightened and paranoid, he said, and would check residents mobile phones for anything anti-Russian or anything they thought might give away their positions. Some people were taken away, and he never saw them again.

I figured I could die at home or die at the checkpoint, the 45-year-old said Tuesday. But he made it through, and returned after Hrakove was retaken to see what remained of his home. He found the windows blasted out and Russian army food packets, clothes and boxes strewn around. In one room lay a pile of TVs that he thinks soldiers may have stolen.

After retaking the village, Ukrainian authorities removed abandoned Russian military vehicles, and exhumed the bodies of two men who had been buried by the side of a road after being shot in the head, Klyzhen said. He thinks they were Ukrainian soldiers, but hes not sure.

They were killing locals, shooting them, he said. There was nothing good in here.

Serhii Lobodenko, head of the Chuhuiv district that includes Hrakove, said the area saw fierce battles during six months of occupation.

There were a lot of destroyed roads, private houses, a lot of people dead and a lot of people missing, both military and civilians, he said, as residents in nearby Chkalovske gathered to receive food and water. Now we are trying to repair the infrastructure, the electricity and gas. The food is brought in because people did not have food.

Images of devastation and stories of hardship are emerging from other places recaptured in the Ukrainian advance, including Izium, a strategic city also recently retaken that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Wednesday in a rare foray outside the capital.

A few weeks into Russian occupation in Hrakove, Myronenko and his neighbors banded together to clear junk out of the basement of their apartment building and turn it into a shelter. With their apartments destroyed, it remains their home.

They found a couple of metal pipes and wedged them between the floor and the ceiling, hoping that would keep it from caving in as the building shook from explosions, said one of the four, 70-year-old Oleh Lutsai. They ventured outside to plant potatoes despite the incessant shelling, knowing they needed food to survive.

Of course it was scary, it is very scary for everyone, when everything is shaking in here, said Lutsai. An oil lamp hung on the wall, casting a soft glow over the cramped room. A kettle whistled softly on a wood-burning stove that Lutsai and his neighbors built.

Leaving wasnt an option for him. I'm 70 years old, I was born here," he said. Even if I had to die here  but obviously I want to live  I just want to die in Ukrainian Ukraine, not (Russian President Vladimir) Putins one. ... So why should I run away from here?

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Follow AP war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MEMPHIS, Tenn., (AP)  Officials at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Memphis say a house where families can stay while their relative is being treated will be built at the facility.

The Memphis Veterans Affairs Health Care System Medical Center is among the sites selected to establish a Fisher House, officials said in a news release Monday.
(RNS)  Tucked away on a hill beyond a vast commercial landscape are the first two Dharmic temples to exist in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin.

The 22 acres that are home to the Hindu and Jain Temples of Wisconsin were situated in the middle of nowhere when they were built in 2001, according to Sarvesh Geddam, the secretary of the two congregations. Now, the area is laden with fast-food restaurants and surplus warehouses, and Pewaukee, a village next to Waukesha in Milwaukees far-west suburbs, has become home to two more groups: devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba, a 20th-century Hindu saint, and BAPS, or Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a larger Hindu denomination that follows gurus, or swamis, and is often recognizable for its grand temples.

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This content is written and produced by Religion News Service and distributed by The Associated Press. RNS and AP partner on some religion news content. RNS is solely responsible for this story.

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When the Hindu and Jain temples were finished 20 years ago, the community was decidedly unmarked by South Asian culture. Even today, outsiders might wonder that the Wisconsin suburbs  and a state known predominantly for its freezing temperatures (as well as its dairy farming and its importance in national elections)  would draw people from the homelands of Hinduism and Jainism.

In fact, the Indian population of Wisconsin is the second-largest minority Asian group after the Hmong and has grown in population by more than 80% since 2000-2010, according to Wisconsins Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Forum.

The midwest offered the members of the four temples what it has offered any immigrant: space to call their own.

Of the nearly 2 million Indians in the United States today, more than half identify as Hindu. The earliest immigrants to arrive worshipped at makeshift shrines in peoples homes, but with the expansion of immigration quotas from Asian countries in 1965, more than 1,450 temples now exist in the U.S. In New Jersey, California and Texas, where the majority of South Asian Americans live, there are enough adherents to populate temples dedicated to particular deities, as is common in India.

Although Jainism also contains multiple sects within it, the JAINA society now has more than 80 Jain centers nationwide and an estimated population of 30,000 worshippers.

This is a pan-Indian umbrella, said Geddam. We are helping people who are struggling to cope with the change of coming here. When the first worshippers came to the temple, said Geddam, they felt grateful and amazed to find a slice of home.

To cater to the nearly 1,000 Wisconsinites who attend the Pewaukee Hindu temple, the building was built to accommodate what Geddam calls an arcade of deities  a collection of marble statues depicting the many manifestations of God that Hindus worship, Krishna, Shiva and Ganesh being just the most widely recognized of dozens of forms of the divine known as deities or gods.

The Hindu temple initially offered to host Jain idols as well, but it soon became apparent that different sects had different needs. The Jain holiday Samvatsari and the Hindu one of Ganesh Chaturthi often fall on the same day, for instance. While the Jain holiday is about quiet meditation and reflection, the latter is an event of great jubilation and noise.

As the South Asian community continued to grow, the two other Indic faiths began to meet at the Hindu temple. The Sai Baba devotees and BAPS members used to schedule worship around each other at the Hindu temple, but soon they, too, wanted their own spaces.

In 2013, the Sai Baba devotees walked into a nondenominational church that had come up for sale in downtown Pewaukee and saw a great hall with no benches or pews to remove. The followers of Sai Baba, who also center themselves on serving others, raised $200,000 in just two days from the small surrounding community, many of whom had never stepped foot in an Indian house of worship.

The location, now the Wisconsin Shirdi Sai, has the feeling of visiting Babas home temple in Shirdi, India, say its new owners, who claim on their website that it was selected by their founder, Sai Baba himself.

It was not magic, it was a miracle, said Satya Karri, the temples main trustee. We were waiting, and with Babas grace we got it.

The BAPS Swaminarayan temple got its start in 2018 on the same street as the Hindu and Jain temples in what used to be a mattress warehouse. BAPS temples are nearly uniform wherever they are found, with a store offering Indian snacks and books, classrooms separated by gender and a large assembly hall.

The idea is to create continuity with not only the faith but the culture of western India, where BAPS originated. When they come here, it gives them a feel of where they grew up, said Mayur Brahmbatt, the teenage son of the temples head priest, about its elder members.

For larger events that cater to a wider audience, like Diwali, the Hindu temple is still the hub. Thousands of Indian Americans, young and old, flock to this little epicenter of Midwestern India.

The surrounding community, more than 70% Christian and many of them evangelicals, responded with typical midwestern hospitality and practicality, mixed with curiosity. Teachers in the local school district attended seminars at the temple to learn more about their Indian students. The temples have given back to the community as well: In 2020, they hosted clinics that administered 5,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, more than 87% of them to non-Hindus.

We believe we can attain moksha here in this lifetime, said Geddam, referring to the devotion to service that characterizes Dharmic beliefs.

While the temples have helped anchor new South Asian American families in the U.S., Kamal Shah, president of the Jain Temple, said they also foster hope that basic Jain teachings, like vegetarianism and ahimsa, will pass down to following generations.

When I first came here, people said, When you come to this country, you cant continue to be in the old religion, said Shah. Though our belief is very, very ancient, we are able to keep this up in America. That is the biggest transformation.
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  Missouri lawmakers on Wednesday returned to the Capitol for a special session aimed at cutting taxes.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson called on lawmakers to cut the top income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.8%. He also wants the GOP-led Legislature to increase the standard deduction by $2,000 for single filers and $4,000 for couples.

Parson specified that, based on the limits in his special session call, lawmakers cannot cut income taxes so deeply that the state loses more than $700 million per year in revenue.

Parson proposed the special session as an alternative to lawmakers planned one-time tax refund, which he vetoed in June.

He told lawmakers to return to Jefferson City last week. But they delayed work to continue private negotiations.

Lawmakers on Wednesday filed bills with a variety of tax-cutting options, including undoing recent gas tax hikes and eliminating corporate income taxes.

Legislators also met Wednesday in their annual veto session but did not vote on whether to override any of Parson's vetoes.
ALTON  The Mississippi Earthtones Festival returns to the Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater Saturday for the 16th annual celebration of the river through art, music and conservation.

Presented by Alton Main Street and the Sierra Club, the free event runs noon to 10 p.m. with a theme this year of "Amplify the River." After several years in downtown Alton, the festival this year is returning to the Alton riverfront.

We look forward to filling our riverfront with a celebration of the beautiful Mississippi River, said Sara McGibany, executive director of Alton Main Street. This event attracts the most wonderful attendees who are passionate about protecting Altons greatest natural asset.

Several groups will be on hand to teach consumers how to incorporate more sustainable practices into their daily lives. The Sierra Club will have an informational booth on pollinators and clean energy, as well as a watershed model table for kids and a childrens painting booth that will contribute to a large festival sculpture.

This years event offers strong education components that are working towards a sustainable future, especially as it relates to the Mississippi River, said Christine Favilla, Three Rivers Project Co-Coordinator for Altons Sierra Club. The Alton Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, so be sure to check out the citizen action items you can take at this festival.

Local artists have been commissioned to build large installations for this year's festival. The Riverbend Yarn Bombers are knitting and crocheting a textile sculpture titled "Eyes on the River" that will encompass the fountain at Riverfront Park. Kooliverse will present artwork, including a 16-foot kaleidoscope. A light show is planned by local projection artists and a meet and greet with a river mermaid is part of thos year's festival.

Jacoby Arts Center has lined up an art playground of performances and interactive experiences featuring painting, dance and flag performances, aerial arts, pole acrobatics, hoop spinning, stilt walking, hydro dipping, free body painting and a community ceramics project. A big top tent will provide a shady Zen Zone coordinated by Soul Sanctuary that will offer yoga classes, guided meditation, chair massages and a flow workshop for poi spinners.

Wind-powered music is planned all day. The main stage will feature Loftys Comet with alternative Indie jazz) noon to 2 p.m., the Nonstop Reggae Band 3-6 p.m., and the Jakes Leg Grateful Dead tribute band 7-10 p.m. Jason Gordo Gordon, a one-man 10-piece band, will perform 2-3 p/.m. aand 6-7 p.m. ASL interpreting will be provided by Gateway Interpreting Services.

The Alton Museum of History & Art will present information on the history of the Mississippi River and exploration in the Riverbend, including a fossil identification activity. The National Great Rivers Research & Education Center booth will discuss river research and offer an interactive trash timeline. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will have its interactive wildlife trailer for kids.

Park rangers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rivers Project, volunteers from the National Great Rivers Museum, and staff from the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary will discuss environmental stewardship and navigation along the Mississippi River. They will present water safety games and giveaways, as well as an overview of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam.

As part of its "IMG Gives Back" program, Imperial Manufacturing Group will collect jackets, hats, gloves and blankets for those in need. The first 25 donors will receive a recycled backpack IMG cooler.

The Better Building Institute will teach about energy efficiency, zero-energy home building and energy audits. Midwest Solar Solutions will discuss home solar panels. And V Salon by Valeries will offer hair braiding and vegan, organic, biodegradable hair care products.

Dozens of local artisans will offer nature-inspired, hand-made, environmentally-friendly wares including tie dyes, knit and crocheted items, leatherwork, handmade pet accessories and upcycled jewelry. Handmade all-natural soap and body care products also will be available, along with unique home decor, bird feeders, nature themed artwork, photography, products made with local honey, woodworking items, thrifted clothing, hemp products, eco-friendly scrubs and plants.

At 3 p.m. Confluence Conservation Leadership Award will be presented to Dr. Connie Frey Spurlock, Rachel Lappin and Emily Ehley.

Foods and beverages will be sold by Gentelin's on Broadway, Big Boys Q, The Rivers Vedge, Team Honduras, Taqueria Los Toros, BHB Mobile Kitchen, Foxes Boxes, Flourish Farm, CJs Juicery, The Old Bakery Beer Company, Idle Roasting Co., Bubba Grump Smoked Pretzels and 3 Sisters Tea, Apothecary & Yoga Studio.

Volunteers are still sought for the festival; anyone who pitches in will receive a free festival T-shirt. Volunteers can also sign-up for the MEF River Clean Up planned 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 24th. To date, the clean-ups have removed more than 45 tons of trash from the Mississippi River. To volunteer, visit www.DowntownAlton.com/Events.

Festival supporters include The Telegraph, the City of Alton, the Village of Godfrey, Madison County Resource Management, Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, Simmons Hanly Conroy, Lewis & Clark Community College Sustainability Department, Illinois Natural History Survey Great Rivers Field Station, Illinois American Water, AltonWorks, Giant City Properties, Argosy Casino Alton, Republic Services, 3As Sign Language Interpreting Services, Gateway Interpreting Services, Cope Plastics, The Old Bakery Beer Company, Chiro One Wellness Centers, Renewal by Andersen, Kooliverse, Jacoby Arts Center, Imperial Manufacturing, Taqueria Los Toros, Theodora Farms, Midwest Solar Solutions, Bright Star Uniform Shop, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Riverbender.com, WBGZ Radio and AdVantage.

For more information, visit www.DowntownAlton.com.
EDWARDSVILLE  Illinois' implementation of the SAFE-T Act will result in the "greatest jailbreak" in the county's history, according to Madison County States Attorney Thomas A. Haine.

Starting Jan. 1 the act, also known as House Bill 3653, eliminates cash bail and requires police officers to only issue a citation when someone is committing a Class B or C misdemeanor instead of detaining them. According to Haine, that will mean more than 100 defendants "walking free in Madison County" instead of posting bail.

"Many who will be released are repeat offenders with multiple pending felonies," Haine said. "Many have previously failed to appear in court or violated some other condition of release. Now they will be automatically released again."

The General Assembly passed the 700-page bill in 2021 after what some lawmaakers have described as limited discussion on its ramifications. At the time, law enforcement agencies throughout Madison County criticized the bill.

On Wednesday Haine said the new law will result in the elimination of Illinois longstanding system of requiring certain defendants to post a cash bail to be released from jail while awaiting trial.

The greatest jailbreak in Madison County history will occur on Jan. 1, 2023, Haine said in a released statement. On that date, approximately half of our present jail population must be released under the terms of the new SAFE-T Act, and cash bail will be eliminated throughout Illinois.



Haine said defendants charged under entire categories of serious crimes  such as second-degree murder, robbery, burglary, arson and aggravated battery  will be non-detainable while awaiting trial under the new law. Pretrial detention in those types of cases and many others will be allowed only if prosecutors can convince a judge that the defendant poses a specific, real and present threat to others or has a high likelihood of willful flight, he said.

Under the existing cash bail system, defendants seeking pretrial release from jail have routinely been required to post a monetary bond, at an amount determined by the court.

"A critical part of our current criminal justice system is our ability to detain some criminal defendants prior to trial when appropriate," Haine said. "This protects witnesses and victims, stops repeat offenders, and allows a swifter resolution to cases.

"An individual charged with a non-detainable crime may be demonstrably dangerous," he said. "But the SAFE-T Act mandates that as long he continues to remain dangerous here and doesnt try to flee, we cannot keep him in jail while he awaits trial."

Haine said the cash bail system has protected people against repeat offenders and violent offenders, as well as defendants who are flight risks, such as out-of-state drug traffickers. He added the system helps ensure defendants show up for future court proceedings.

Once the law takes effect, Haine said, it prevents a judge from issuing a warrant for the arrest of a defendant released without bail who fails to show up at his next court date. Instead, an absent defendant must be served  within 48 hours of the hearing  with a court order asking them to appear a second time. If they cant be found within 48 hours of the hearing, the court cant issue any warrant.

"Such a convoluted exercise is a toothless waste of time and taxpayer resources which would be better aimed at reducing crime instead of catering to the scheduling needs of no-show criminal defendants," Haine said.

He said the new law will make victims and witnesses less inclined to cooperate with law enforcement if they know a defendant will be immediately released back onto the streets.

"An order of protection or other conditions of release may not provide sufficient protection," he said. "Without witnesses it becomes increasingly difficult for prosecutors to convict criminals and protect the public."

Haine called the new law a massive unfunded mandate requiring Madison County to spend more money on the criminal justice system while fundamentally weakening it.

"This is not a prescription for good government or for public safety," he said, urging residents to ask Gov. J.B. Pritzker to postpone implementation of the law "until a further review of its true impact."
Multiple law enforcement sources told Boston sister station WCVB that the report of a Pelican-style case detonating when opened by an employee on the Northeastern University campus on Tuesday is now being investigated as a possible hoax.

Investigators identified inconsistencies in the employee's statement and became skeptical because his injuries did not match wounds typically consistent with an explosion, said one official.

As WCVB reported earlier, sources confirm that a note was found inside that case referencing virtual reality and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

The lab where the incident happened is an "Immersive Media Lab" on Northeastern's campus that focuses on the exploration of virtual worlds including virtual reality and augmented reality.

Boston police, the FBI and the ATF are all involved in this investigation. All of the agencies declined official comment, calling this an active investigation.

The package delivered to Holmes Hall detonated just after 7 p.m. Tuesday when a staff member opened it, the university had said in a statement. The staff member, a 45-year-old man, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries to his hand, police said. No name was made public.

Boston firefighters also responded to the scene and helped police evacuate some of the buildings on campus, according to Boston police Commissioner Michael Cox.

A search revealed a second similar package that was ultimately handled by the Boston Police Department's bomb squad.

Northeastern in a message posted on its website Wednesday said the campus is safe.

"Events such as the incident that took place on our Boston campus last night can create or heighten anxiety for many of us," said the post, credited to Provost David Madigan and Chancellor Kenneth Henderson. "We would like to underscore what was communicated to our community last night: Multiple law enforcement agencies have determined that the campus is safe and secure."

The campus opened normally for classes and other activities Wednesday. Counseling and other support services were made available for students, faculty and staff.

Despite reassurances from the school, many students remain concerned.

"Every time I go to a class or dining hall or anything in general, people are just talking about what's going on and what went on yesterday," student Lisbeth Martinez said Wednesday. "A lot of people are still anxious and obviously scared of the situation."



Boston's bomb squad neutralized a second package near the city's Museum of Fine Arts, which is near Northeastern's campus.

Holmes Hall is home to the university's Immersive Media Labs, which according to its website includes technologies for design, development, and exploration of virtual worlds. It is also home to the creative writing program and the women's, gender and sexuality studies program.

Northeastern is a private university in downtown Boston with about 16,000 undergraduate students.

The case marks one of the first big scares in Boston since 2013, when two bombs planted near the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed three spectators and wounded more than 260 others.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As Kaiser Permanente therapists across Northern California enter the second month of an ongoing strike, a growing number of patients are saying theyve been unable to get appointments during the work stoppage, despite the HMOs legal obligation to provide timely access to mental health care.

The California Department of Managed Health Care, which launched an investigation into Kaisers behavioral health services last month, said its help center has received 100 complaints about patients struggling to access care through Kaiser between Monday, Aug. 15, and Saturday, Sept. 3, the most recent data available.

Lisa Rubio, who lives in San Rafael and has been attending weekly sessions with her Kaiser therapist for the past eight years, said her appointments abruptly came to an end in mid-August. Rubio described her therapist as her primary form of emotional support through a liver cancer diagnosis last year. Kaiser has offered her little assistance since the strike began, even as she awaits the results of an MRI and other tests related to abnormal growths in her liver. If the HMO were to offer her an appointment with a new therapist  which they havent  she isnt sure she would take it.

Its derailed my life, she told SFGATE. I dont see how somebody that doesnt know me can help me.  Rehashing it would be harder than going through it alone.

Still, she doesnt begrudge her clinician going on strike to fight for better working conditions.

I could tell he was overworked. Im a caregiver and 63 years old. I know when somethings wrong, she said. I kept asking him why he didnt look good. One day during session, he finally told me, Im not sick, Im working nights.

Alexis Petrakis, a child psychologist for Kaiser who works with patients in Petaluma and San Rafael, said she did not expect to be on strike for this long, but would not return to work until Kaiser improved upon its standards for patient care, insufficient staffing levels and unsustainable working conditions, which have led to a retention crisis. According to regional data provided by the National Union of Healthcare Workers last month, 377 clinicians based in Northern California left their jobs at Kaiser between June 2021 and May 2022.

We want to get back to work. My colleagues and I are ready. But were certainly not ready to return to the status quo, Petrakis told SFGATE by phone Tuesday afternoon while driving home from the picket line in San Rafael. People need more frequent care and support and as it stands, our system cannot accommodate that in any way.

Petrakis is optimistic about the ongoing bargaining, which reopened today after a month without any official meetings between Kaiser and union representatives.

Im hoping that we are able to really come to a place of mutual agreement and understanding, and arrive at a fair contract that gets the patients the care that they need and deserve, Petrakis said. We want a resolution.

Ariana Bindman/SFGATE

Dave, who lives in Vacaville and requested to only use his first name to discuss private medical issues, said his daughter, who is in her 20s, had been seeing a therapist for depression and anxiety. She was also in the middle of an intensive 12-week group therapy program related to trauma when the strike began. Both her individual appointments and her group sessions were canceled without being rescheduled; she now hasnt seen a therapist in four weeks.

Mental health issues dont go away, they get worse, he told SFGATE by phone Monday. Shes made it very clear that shes been having a very difficult time hanging in there, trying to survive.  We feel like there arent any options.

Even before the strike, Dave said his daughter was only able to see her therapist once every three or four weeks. Because her group therapy sessions were postponed partway through, hes worried she will have to start over with the trauma program.

Its got to get tough before it gets better, and she was in the tough part [of the program], Dave said. She wasnt even able to get through to the other side where she could learn how to cope with and manage the issues. [Kaiser] really dropped the ball at the worst time.

Matt Artz

In a statement, Kaiser told SFGATE it was using every resource available to ensure that its enrollees mental health needs were met during the open-ended strike, and that it had not canceled any appointments without extending options for alternative care. When asked how many appointments had been canceled, how many clinicians were on strike, and how many external therapists were being brought in, Kaiser declined to comment.

About 50% of our dedicated clinicians are caring for members instead of striking, a spokesperson for Kaiser said by email. In addition, our Kaiser Permanente psychiatrists, clinical managers, and other licensed clinicians have stepped in to meet with people needing care. We have brought in dozens of skilled clinicians on a temporary basis to help care for patients during the strike.

The National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents the striking therapists and filed an official complaint with the Department of Managed Health Care prior to the strike, believes Kaiser is overstating the number of therapists who are crossing the picket line, and that it has been illegally canceling and postponing appointments. Last month, Kaiser therapist Sarah Soroken told SFGATE Kaisers actions are in violation of state laws like Senate Bill 221, which took effect in July and requires that insurance companies like Kaiser provide therapy patients a follow-up appointment within 10 days of their requesting one. Senate Bill 855, which went into effect in January 2021, similarly places health insurance companies under an obligation to provide full coverage for all mental health conditions.

This strike is about patient care, union president Sal Rosselli told SFGATE in a statement. Kaiser Permanente makes patients wait months for therapy sessions in violation of state law, and Kaiser executives lie about the care available to patients when their only focus is the bottom line. Mental health clinicians at Kaiser have sacrificed a months worth of salary to fight for their patients, but Kaiser executives dont care about the patients whose premiums fund their seven-figure salaries.

Ariana Bindman/SFGATE

Nam Nguyen, a Kaiser employee who lives in Benicia, had been seeing a therapist for depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Her regularly scheduled appointments and support group were halted at the beginning of the strike, she told SFGATE. She was only able to get an appointment with a therapist after she reached out to a lawyer with the Department of Managed Health Care.

Nguyen said she had called Kaiser on the first day of the strike to request some form of interim therapy; she was referred to an outside partial hospitalization program, but they never called. When she reached out to Kaiser again to ask what was going on and see if she could request an individual therapy appointment or access to a support group, they sent her to the emergency department. Nearly two weeks later, a lawyer for the Department of Managed Health Care intervened and was able to get her into an intensive outpatient program run by an outside provider.



I was struggling with suicidal ideation, because I hadnt talked to anybody, Nguyen said.

Nguyen said she knew what steps to take to get an appointment in part because shes a Kaiser employee. She worries how people without that background are handling the ongoing disruptions.

It was hard enough for me to go through the system. I cant imagine what it would be like for someone else, she said. They set up a decent patchwork program to stabilize me, but its not a long-term solution. Im just waiting for my therapist to come back.

Editor's note: This story was updated on Sept. 15 at 9:19 a.m. to correct the timeline of Nam Nguyen's experience at Kaiser.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP)  Members of the Philadelphia City Council announced plans Wednesday to introduce legislation aimed at protecting access to abortions inside city limits  including a bill proponents said would be one of the nation's strongest privacy protection laws.

The measures would bar the voluntary sharing of information about reproductive health choices for the purpose of prosecution or civil lawsuits and update the city's antidiscrimination laws to include protections for reproductive health decisions. It also would create a right of patients and providers to counter-sue if they are sued by out-of-state residents under one of several laws seeking to prevent people from traveling across state lines to seek abortions.

The legislation will be introduced at Thursdays City Council meeting.

A resolution calls on the city to bar city resources from being used to cooperate with out-of-state lawsuits, prosecutions or investigations related to abortions, to work with providers to increase safety at clinics, to create an abortion access task force and to support allocating additional city funds to help offset the costs of abortions and reproductive care among other requests.

We want to affirm our municipal rights at this time to be able to establish new protections for individuals, for people here in this city and to be able to send that message broadly across the state and across the country," said At-Large Councilmember Helen Gym.

Gym said the supporters expected pushback, but she said the bills would hopefully set some legal precedent and advance new territory in protecting reproductive health decisions.

The proposed local legislation comes after the U.S. Supreme Court's June decision overturning Roe v. Wade, a ruling that pushed regulating abortions to states. It also comes less than two months before midterm elections that will likely decide the future of abortion access in Pennsylvania moving forward.

We did want to push on the privacy issue because we think its so fundamental and its really the fundamental underpinning behind Roe v. Wade, that (abortion) was and always is a private decision about what to do with your healthcare and your body, Gym said.

Philadelphia isn't the first municipality to consider local regulations around abortion access.

In July, the Pittsburgh City Council passed three bills aimed at protecting access to abortion locally. Those measures included a law that protects abortion providers from out-of-state investigations  known as a shield law and legislation that requires local law enforcement agencies to deprioritize the enforcement of any criminal ban on abortion enacted at the state level.

The third Pittsburgh bill increased scrutiny on practices at pregnancy crisis centers, which often work to dissuade pregnant women from seeking abortions. It creates a complaint process for what the council said were deceptive practice and a way to refer those complaints for possible criminal investigation.

Leaders in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have called the cities refuges for people travelling from other states that have enacted strict abortion bans to seek reproductive healthcare.
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MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said its wrong to describe his late father as a dictator and that his brutal martial law rule in the 1970s was not meant to prolong his grip on power  comments that were immediately rejected by human rights activists.

The namesake son of the former president who was ousted in a 1986 pro-democracy uprising also denied in a TV interview aired late Tuesday that he and his family were whitewashing history.

It was the first time since he took office in June that Marcos Jr. has addressed some of the controversial issues that have hounded him and his family. A transcript of the interview on new broadcasting company ALLTV by TV host and actress Toni Gonzaga, who backed Marcos Jr.'s candidacy, was released by his press secretary.

Asked if he has been affected by media references to him as a dictators son, Marcos Jr. replied: No. It would hurt me if they were right, but theyre wrong.

How many times have I been here in this room where he was in consultation with different groups? he said in the interview at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, where his father held office after rising to the presidency in 1965. A dictator does not consult. A dictator just says `this is what you will do, whether you like it or not.

The elder Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, a year before his term was to expire. He padlocked Congress and newspaper offices, ordered the arrest of many political opponents and activists and ruled by decree.

Marcos Jr. defended that decision by repeating his father's justification that martial law was crucial to fight growing Muslim and communist insurgencies. It was necessary to  in my fathers view at the time  to declare martial law because a war was really raging already at the time, he said.

Renato Reyes of Bayan, an alliance of left-wing groups, said the newly elected presidents defense of the martial law declaration nearly 50 years ago was a big lie, which has been discredited by facts.

Marcos Sr. used martial law to scrap the elections, extend his term, dissolve Congress and centralize power unto himself, making him dictator from 1972 to 1986, Reyes said. That was not defending government but making government your personal fiefdom.

Asked why his father's basis for declaring martial rule was not widely disseminated, Marcos Jr. said, The government fell. So, the victors wrote this history.

Opponents of the Marcos dictatorship had also said that violent incidents in the early 1970s, including the ambush of a convoy supposedly carrying then defense chief Juan Ponce Enrile, were staged to provide the justification for martial law.

Enrile later broke off from Marcos and together with other rebellious military and police officials backed a massive 1986 People Power uprising that toppled Marcos and drove him and his family to U.S. exile. The massive protests awed the world and became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Marcos Jr. denied he and his family were trying to revise history but acknowledged without elaborating the problems that happened, the abuses that occurred, like in any war. He said he can prove what actually happened, saying we have video, we have photographs, we have records, but did not go into detail.

The ousted president died in exile in Hawaii three years later without admitting any wrongdoing, including accusations that he and his family amassed an estimated $5 billion to $10 billion while he was in power.

A Hawaii court later found him liable for human rights violations and awarded $2 billion from his estate to compensate more than 9,000 Filipinos who filed a lawsuit against him for torture, incarceration, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

His widow, Imelda Marcos, and her children were allowed to return to the Philippines in 1991. They have since made one of the most dramatic political comebacks in history that was capped by Marcos Jr.s landslide election victory in May.

He attributed the win to his steadfast campaign call for national unity but critics said it was the outcome of a well-funded social media propaganda aimed at burnishing the Marcos name.
BANGOR, Maine (AP)  A Maine National Guard soldier accused of raping a fellow soldier during a drill weekend reached a plea deal in which he was convicted of aggravated assault.

David Cyr is serving 90 days in jail after pleading no contest in exchange for prosecutors dropping two counts of gross sexual assault last month.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  A right-wing bloc that includes a nationalist anti-immigration party won a narrow majority in Swedens parliament Wednesday. It was a major political shift in the Scandinavian country that had a decades-long history of welcoming refugees, but is grappling with a crime wave linked with immigration.

Center-left Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson conceded defeat with 99.9% of the vote from the weekend elections counted Wednesday. She said she would step down Thursday.

Populist Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson declared victory for the four-party bloc. He said his party would be a constructive and driving force in the work of rebuilding safety in Sweden. He said it was time to put Sweden first.

The bloc that includes the Sweden Democrats  the country's second-largest party  won a thin majority in parliament. Though a few votes were outstanding they were not enough to sway the final outcome.

Prime Minister Andersson said that the preliminary result is clear enough to draw a conclusion that her center-left forces had lost power.

Andersson became Swedens first female prime minister last year and led the country in its historic bid to join NATO following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

While Andersson is personally popular, anxiety in Sweden has grown over high crime rates in segregated districts that are home to large numbers of immigrants who have failed to integrate into Swedish society. Some blamed her Social Democrats, who have been in power for eight years.

Ulf Kristersson, the leader of Swedens third largest party, the Moderates, whos considered to be the leading figure in the right-wing bloc and a possible prime minister, thanked voters for their trust. Now we will get Sweden in order, he wrote on Facebook.

The Moderates and the other parties on my side have received the mandate for the change that we asked for. I am now starting the work of forming a new, effective government, Kristersson said.

The Sweden Democrats were long shunned by Swedes because the party was founded in the 1980s by neo-Nazis and other far-right extremists. In recent years it has moved into the mainstream by expelling extremists, and gained support with a tough stance on crime and immigration amid a rise in shootings and other gang violence.

Its transformation was led by 43-year-old Akesson, who in his speech Wednesday evening said it was time for a new chapter in Sweden.

Now it will be enough with the failed Social Democratic policy that for eight years has continued to lead the country in the wrong direction, Akesson said. It is time to start rebuilding security, welfare and cohesion. It is time to put Sweden first. The Sweden Democrats will be a constructive and driving force in this work.

Now the work begins to make Sweden good again, he said.

The tally gave the right-wing bloc 176 seats in the 349-parliament, the Riksdag, and Anderssons center-left bloc with 173 seats. A majority in Sweden requires 175 seats.

The four right-wing parties appear to have received just under 50% of the votes in the election, and in the Riksdag, they have gained one or two mandates. A thin majority, but it is a majority," Andersson said.

"Tomorrow I will therefore request my dismissal as Prime Minister and the responsibility for the continued process will now pass to the Parliament Speaker and the Riksdag.

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Gera reported from Warsaw, Poland.
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday called up 75 members of the Illinois National Guard to help organize shelter, food and medical care for migrants arriving by bus from Texas.

The Democratic governor signed an emergency declaration to speed up procurement of necessary supplies as well as seek National Guard help with logistics.

About 500 people seeking asylum in the United States have been transported from the border to Chicago by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott since Aug. 31. Thousands have also been shipped to New York City and Washington, D.C., Democratic-led cities serving as sanctuaries for immigrants.

Pritzker said buses arrive with little advance notice and that attempts to communicate with Texas colleagues go unheeded, which Pritzker says Abbott ordered.

To Gov. Greg Abbott: Now is the time to stop trying to sow the seeds of chaos, to put aside politics and focus on human rights, communicate with us, have your state agencies call us back, Pritzker said at a Chicago news conference. Spare us the unnecessary drama and let us go about the work to resettle these asylum seekers.

Abbott's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Pritzker's emergency declaration speeds up procurement of supplies and the National Guard will help provide services they need.

We are now 11 buses deep, and we know from speaking with our counterparts in New York and D.C., this will not relent, said Grace Hou, secretary of Human Services.

Last spring, Abbott and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, both Republicans, announced plans to send busloads of migrants, largely from Central and South America, to Washington, D.C., in response to President Joe Bidens decision to lift a pandemic-era emergency health order that restricted migrant entry numbers by denying them a chance to seek asylum. Buses soon arrived in New York and in recent weeks, Chicago.

This is about politics for him without regard to the fear and anguish and the challenges that it poses for these refugees, Pritzker said.

Washington, D.C. sought the use of National Guard troops to help, but the Pentagon twice denied the request in August, saying it would weaken the readiness of the troops and that they did not have the training for direct contact with migrants to be able to provide food, sanitation or other support.

Illinois faces no such barrier. Governors of states have control of their National Guard troops. And officials in Illinois say they're confident in the National Guard's assistance after watching how hey set up sites and distributed vaccines during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Follow Political Writer John OConnor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Donations are pouring in to help a 17-year-old sex trafficking victim who was ordered by a court to pay $150,000 to the family of a man she stabbed to death after he raped her.

A GoFundMe campaign set up for Pieper Lewis has already raised more than $200,000 just one day after the restitution order was handed down by an Iowa judge.

Lewis also received a deferred 20-year prison sentence on Tuesday that will be expunged if she successfully completes five years of closely supervised probation. Prosecutors described the sentence as merciful for a teen who had been horribly abused  and the judge said the law compelled him to order the $150,000 payment  but it struck many observers as unnecessarily harsh.

Lewis pleaded guilty last year to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury in the June 2020 killing of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks, a married father of two. Lewis was 15 when she stabbed Brooks more than 30 times in a Des Moines apartment.

Lewis has maintained that she was trafficked against her will to Brooks for sex multiple times and stabbed him in a fit of rage. Police and prosecutors have not disputed that Lewis was sexually assaulted and trafficked.

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual assault, but Lewis agreed to have her name used previously in stories about her case.

Heres a look at how Lewis ended up facing criminal charges in an Iowa court and what's next for her:

WHAT'S THE BACKSTORY OF THE GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN FOR LEWIS?

The account was set up late last year for Lewis by one of her former high school teachers. Initially the goal was set at $150,000 to cover the restitution payment. All additional money raised will help Lewis pay for college or start her own business, and help other young victims of sex crimes.

Pieper has five years of probation ahead of her; five years that she will be required to be nearly perfect to avoid facing 20 years in prison, Leland Schipper, a math teacher at Des Moines Lincoln High School, said on the GoFundMe page. Piepers path to true freedom will not be easy, and she is still a teenager that has experienced a lot of trauma.

The vast majority of donations came in increments of less than $50. Almost every donor offered words of encouragement or outrage over the teen's prosecution  and sometimes both.

Pieper, from one survivor to another, life gets better," one $20 donor wrote. I am disgusted you spent a second in jail, but dont look back. Use whatever funds are left to move on and move up.

WHY WAS LEWIS ORDERED TO PAY $150,000 TO THE ESTATE OF HER ATTACKER?

Iowa law mandates that anyone convicted of a felony that leads to the death of another person must pay at least this much to the victim's estate.

The payment cannot be discharged through bankruptcy, and it does not preclude a victim's family from suing for more damages. But there is nothing in the law that would appear to bar someone from using donations to pay the restitution, said Grant Gangestad, a criminal defense attorney who helps lead the Iowa Association for Justice, a trade group for trial lawyers.

Lewis lawyers argued that as a victim of human trafficking and sexual abuse, she should be spared from making any payment at all. They argued that Brooks was partially responsible for what happened and that such restitution would be cruel and unusual under the circumstances.

The judge rejected those arguments at Tuesday's sentencing hearing, noting that the Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the state's restitution law even in the face of some of those same arguments.

It is not clear whether Lewis lawyers will appeal; they said Wednesday they are still weighing their options.

WHY DID PROSECUTORS CHARGE LEWIS FOR KILLING A MAN WHO RAPED HER?

Dozens of states have so-called safe harbor laws that give trafficking victims at least some level of criminal immunity. Iowa is not one of them.

Iowans can avoid being convicted of violent crimes, however, if they can prove that they faced imminent'' serious injury.

While nobody disputed that Lewis was sexually assaulted and trafficked, prosecutors successfully argued that Brooks was not an immediate danger to Lewis because he was asleep at the time he was stabbed.

Prosecutors said that their goal in seeking charges against Lewis was twofold: To ensure the protection of the public from someone capable of stabbing another person to death, and to ensure that Lewis receives the rehabilitative help she needs.

HAS THE MAN LEWIS ACCUSED OF TRAFFICKING HER BEEN CHARGED?

No. Lewis has said she lived with a man for more than two months in 2020 after she had run away from an abusive home. The then-28-year-old man told her she was his girlfriend, but told others she was his niece, Lewis said.

The man told her she couldnt live with him for free, she said, and created a dating profile for her on websites and arranged for her to have sex with other men for money, which occurred seven or eight times when she lived with him.

It was this man who took her to Brooks beginning in May 2020 to have sex, she said. When she resisted going back to Brooks apartment another time, Lewis said the man held a knife to her neck and cut her with it.

Lewis names the man in court documents, but The Associated Press is not releasing his name because he has not been charged with a crime.

Polk County Attorney John Sarcone on Wednesday gave few details on why.

No charges have been filed," Sarcone said. "The matter is under investigation, and our office will not comment further.

WHATS NEXT FOR LEWIS?

Lewis' five years of supervised probation will be spent at the state's Fresh Start Women's Center in Des Moines, a low-level prison facility that allows convicts some level of freedom to work and make some trips outside the facility. Lewis' whereabouts will be monitored through a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet.

She was also ordered to conduct 600 hours of community service, to be carried out by speaking to other young people about the dangers they face and the importance of making responsible choices.

You have a story to tell, Polk County District judge David M. Porter said at her sentencing. You should be willing to tell it to other young women.

Lewis, who earned her GED diploma while being held in juvenile detention, has said she would like to go to college and dreams of being a fashion designer.

At Tuesday's sentencing hearing, she expressed both hope and fear for her future.

I know that I am being watched by a million eyes. The reality is, I will make mistakes, even with the courts pressure," she said, reading from a prepared statement.

I refuse to fail," she said. "I refuse to let the system fail me.

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Beck reported from Omaha, Nebraska.
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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Chinese President Xi Jinping's first trip overseas since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic will overlap with a visit by Pope Francis to Kazakhstan, although the Vatican says there are no plans for them to meet.

Xi's state visit Wednesday comes just weeks ahead of an all-important political meeting in China where he is expected to take a third term as he cements his grip on power. The pope is in Kazakhstan until Thursday for a state visit and an interfaith congress of world religious leaders.

Asked during his flight to Kazakhstan about a possible meeting with Xi, the pope said, I dont have any news about this. But I am always ready to go to China.

The two have been in the same vicinity before and not met, including New York for the United nations General Assembly in 2015 and Xi's visit to Italy in 2019.

The Vatican and China are due to renew their 2018 deal on bishop nominations at the end of this month. A Vatican delegation recently returned from Beijing, and Holy See officials expect the deal to be continued.

Here's a look at Beijing's complicated relationship with the Vatican and the conditions that worshippers face in China.

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WHAT IS CHINA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VATICAN?

China does not have diplomatic relations with Vatican, ever since the ruling Communist Party required Roman Catholics in China to sever ties with the Vatican in the 1950s. For decades, people could worship only in churches affiliated with the party-controlled Patriotic Catholic Association.

The Association follows Vatican doctrine and sends theologians to Rome for study sessions, but the ruling party rejects any role for the pope in picking bishops in China or managing churches.

The two sides reached an agreement in 2018 that gave the Holy See the final say over bishops proposed by Beijing, but details have never been released. Francis has said the process involves a dialogue, but that he has the final say.

Beijing had long insisted that it must approve appointments as a matter of its national sovereignty. The Vatican has insisted on the popes divine authority to choose the successors of Christs apostles.

Vatican officials have said if the Vatican didnt hammer out something new, there was a risk of the Catholic Church in China becoming irrevocably split.

Vatican City, of which the pope is head of state, is the last European government to maintain ties with Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy the Communist Party claims as part of its territory. Any agreement to establish formal ties with Beijing would likely require the Vatican to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan and endorse the partys claim to the island.

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HOW HAS THE BEIJING-VATICAN RELATIONSHIP CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS?

Vatican officials have said they hope the 2018 deal will lead to improvements in the conditions for the Chinese Catholic community and not just focus on bishop nominations.

The deal has brought China and the Vatican closer together in the past four years, said Chang Chia-lin, a professor of religious studies at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

In the future, if China agrees to let the pope make a visit, I think the possibility for Vatican-China to establish diplomatic relations will deepen, Chang said.

Despite the closer ties, Catholics practicing outside state churches face great pressure and harassment. Rights groups have criticized the deal, saying the costs outweighed whatever benefits have been brought.

Joseph Zen, a prominent Catholic cardinal in Hong Kong who had been a staunch critic of China's Communist Party, was arrested in May as part of a crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

The Vatican issued a statement of concern  a rarity given its delicate relationship with Beijing.

It seems likely that in order to maintain the positive diplomacy required to continue with the Sino-Vatican agreement, the Vatican has been unwilling to condemn the Chinese governments ongoing crimes against humanity targeting Uyghurs and the human rights crackdown in Hong Kong  even when it has affected prominent Catholics like Cardinal Zen, said William Nee, the Research and Advocacy Coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

An estimated one million or more Uyghurs and others from predominantly Muslim ethnic groups were held in internment camps in the western Xinjiang region in what the U.N.'s human rights body said may amount to crimes against humanity.

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WHAT IS THE SITUATION FOR CHRISTIANS IN CHINA?

Under Xi, China has launched a crackdown on Christianity in recent years, part of an overall tightening on religious freedoms that has also affected worshippers of Islam and, to a lesser extent, Buddhism and Daoism.

Tens of millions of Chinese Roman Catholics as well as Christians had worshipped for decades in informal house churches" and their presence was tolerated.

But Chinas drive to Sinicize religion and give ultimate control to the Communist Party rather than a religious leader has led to informal churches coming under intense pressure to shut down. Christian worshippers have seen their churches raided, while facing interrogations and surveillance. Police have arrested pastors and priests associated with these churches.

Some, like the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, have fled overseas in order to practice their version of their religion.

Despite the crackdown, the number of Catholics and believers of other Christian denominations have grown over the past few decades, experts say.

In China, an ordinary Christian, or Catholic, they have limited religious freedom. They can go to the church for Mass and prayer, and this so-called limited religious freedom, and its under the church which is controlled by the Communist Party, said Chang.

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Associated Press writers Joe McDonald in Beijing and Nicole Winfield in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, contributed to this report.
JUNCTION CITY, Ky. (AP)  A 2019 pipeline explosion that resulted in one death and the destruction of five homes in Kentucky happened when the pipeline ruptured and released natural gas caught fire, the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.

Fourteen other homes were damaged as the fire burned about 30 acres (12 hectares) in Lincoln County, the NTSB said.

The 30-inch pipeline, owned and operated by Enbridge Inc., had a preexisting manufacturing defect known as a hard spot, the agency said. That combined with a degraded pipeline coating and ineffective cathodic protection led to cracking induced by hydrogen at the outer surface, the NTSB said.

Cathodic protection prevents corrosion where the coating has been damaged, according to the agency.

The NTSB said Enbridge's integrity management program did not accurately assess the pipeline condition or estimate risk, contributing to the accident.

In an emailed statement, Enbridge spokesman Michael Barnes said the company was deeply sorry for the impact to the community and to the family who lost a loved one." He called the findings a stark reminder" of the importance of safely maintaining and operating the company's pipelines.

The NTSB issued safety recommendations to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and Enbridge Inc. The safety recommendations address topics including incomplete evaluation of risks, incomplete assessment of threats and missed training opportunities.

Barnes said in the statement that the company takes the NTSB recommendations very seriously" and has worked diligently to understand the contributing factors to this incident and (has) made tremendous strides to change our procedures, processes and conducted extensive inspections in an effort to make our pipes safer than ever."

Enbridge pipelines carry about one-quarter of the crude oil produced in North America and one-fifth of the natural gas used in the U.S. Several of its pipelines have been the subjects of lengthy legal and political fights and two of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  A man fatally shot a woman inside an apartment building in Sioux Falls, before turning the gun on himself Wednesday morning, according to police.

Authorities were called at 7:30 a.m. to an apartment for a report of a family dispute.
RENO, Nev. (AP)  Smoke from wildfires in Northern California has prompted public school officials to close most campuses to in-person instruction Wednesday in the Reno and Sparks area.

Washoe County School District officials cited current hazardous air quality, National Weather Service projections and the potential for harm to vulnerable students and those who walk or bike to school.
GREENWICH  The duo arrested in the violent robbery of a central Greenwich store in the summer appeared to be traveling cross-country, stealing and selling designer merchandise along the way, according to an arrest warrant application.

Investigators probing the June 25 robbery  in which a handgun was allegedly displayed and a store worker seriously injured  had plenty of evidence to work with, much of it wrapped inside a yellow Chanel bag one of the alleged thieves was carrying.

Kristen McKenzie, 24, of Metairie, La., turned herself in at police headquarters last Friday, after an arrest warrant was issued by Greenwich police. Lamoine Ward, 25, of La Place, La., was held in Las Vegas on the warrant issued from Greenwich and will be charged in Connecticut following extradition, police said.

Their arrests ended a cross-country tour that was documented with photos on Instagram that police used to apprehend the suspects.

According to the arrest-warrant application on file at state Superior Court in Stamford, McKenzie carried the a yellow Chanel bag into a consignment store in central Greenwich while her alleged accomplice was waiting outside in a black Toyota Highlander.

McKenzie grabbed a Gucci bag and two Valentino bags, worth a total of $1,4850, and made for the exit, the affidavit stated.

She was confronted by store workers outside, and Ward allegedly rammed the Toyota Highlander onto the sidewalk and brandished a handgun from the drivers window, according to the affidavit. A store worker was injured  with bleeding elbows and road burn  and it was later determined they sustained a broken hip, according to court records.

They took off in the Highlander, which later collided with a vehicle nearby before leaving town, court records said.

During the scrum, the affidavit stated, McKenzies Chanel purse fell to the ground, emptying a number of personal items, including beauty products, as well as a check made out to Kristen McKenzie for hair services, a photo-booth image of a young woman, as well as a reference to an Instagram account, court records said.

The photos on the social-media site matched up with images of McKenzie, according to court papers, showing her carrying a yellow Chanel bag and modeling a Christian Dior shirt and Balenciaga handbag in several posts.

The social media posts also tied in with Lamoine Ward, nicknamed Lemme, and a brand of blue jeans he has been marketing, Draconem jeans, court papers stated. Police noted that draco is street slang for a gun, or an automatic weapon in particular.

In one Instagram post, Ward was taking a selfie next to a green Lamborghini, and the geo-tagged data for the post came back as Greenwich, the arrest warrant application states.

Investigators said they obtained video footage showing a man who appears to be Ward crouching next to a green Lamborghini and taking a selfie in town.

Police said he also took a selfie posted to Instagram from a site in Brooklyn, N.Y., in which he is holding a gray-metal gun. Witnesses to the Greenwich robbery told police the gun brandished was gray metal. The social-media posts also show him with a black Toyota Highlander, the court papers state.

The court records stated that the duo had been traveling to Colorado Springs, Washington, D.C., and Myrtle Beach, S.C., often showcasing high-end fashion accessories. An Instagram post from Mayfield, Ohio, makes reference to a vintage store there.

The arrest-warrant application concluded that the trip around the country was following a plan. It suggests the duo traveled along the East Coast stealing and selling designer merchandise, the affidavit stated.

A Stamford judge set a bond of $500,000 for McKenzie last week, and as of Tuesday, she was still in state custody. McKenzie was charged with first-degree robbery, a felony, as well as larceny and conspiracy.

McKenzie has a previous arrest record in Utah and Louisiana, for criminal possession of marijuana over 100 pounds and theft of goods under $500, the court documents stated

Ward has an arrest record of robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, assault and larceny, the court papers stated. He is awaiting sentencing in Las Vegas for charges involving larceny, possession of a stolen vehicle, engaging police in pursuit and firearms violations, police said.
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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP)  A Tennessee panel has kicked off hearings over whether to let charter schools linked to Hillsdale College open despite rejections from local school boards, a process unfolding in the wake of controversial comments about teachers by Hillsdale's president.

On Wednesday, only advocates for opening the school in Rutherford County, which includes booming suburbs of Nashville, spoke during a public comment session in front of Tennessee Public Charter School Commission staff. Michelle Garcia, a volunteer board member for the American Classical Education charter group and a Rutherford County mother, afterward touted the testimony of the dozen or so people as an indicator that local parents, teachers and students want more public education choices.

But opponents of the schools showed up as well, several of whom said they wanted to testify at the meeting, but the speaking slots were capped and quickly filled weeks ahead of time. They gathered outside before and after the meeting in front of TV cameras to voice their concerns. Written comments are still being accepted.

As moms who had to find child care and take off work, it took us some time to figure out if we could be here, said Lea Maiten, who opposes the school. And by the time we did, there was no opportunity for us to speak.

Still, a decision on the American Classical Academy Rutherford won't come for weeks.

The commission's top staffer will recommend whether to let the school open or not, but ultimately, the choice will be made at an Oct. 5 meeting by the nine-member board. Some voting members  all of whom are appointed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee  were on hand to listen in during Wednesday's hearing.

Similar hearings are scheduled Thursday in Jackson and Friday in Clarksville for proposed Hillsdale-linked charter schools that were denied by local school boards.

Hillsdale, a small conservative college in Michigan, holds outsized influence with Republican politicians. College President Larry Arnn had recently spearheaded the 1776 Curriculum, inspired by former President Donald Trumps short-lived 1776 Commission, as a direct response to The New York Times 1619 Project focusing on Americas history of slavery. Curriculum materials glorify the founders, downplay Americas role in slavery and condemn the rise of progressive politics.

Its prominence has strengthened among conservatives amid the national debate over the role schools should play in teaching race and sexuality. South Dakota, for one, turned to a former Hillsdale politics professor to write proposed social studies standards for its public schools. They align with the 1776 Curriculum.

Scrutiny over Hillsdale has also centered on Arnn's comments on teachers, including a declaration that educators are trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country. The governor, who was on stage with Arnn during some of his remarks, has refused to condemn his words. Previously, Arnn said Lee wanted 100 Hillsdale-linked charters in Tennessee, but Arnn announced plans to open 50.

Chris Littleton, a father of three school-aged children, including one in a private school modeled similarly to the Hillsdale-linked charters, testified that he wasn't bothered by Arnn's comments and supports the school. He said he wish he could've taken his tax dollars elsewhere already.

He said consideration of Hillsdale's involvement is is wholly irrelevant and equally insulting, as it presumes that parents cant judge facts or intent for ourselves."

I heard exactly what was said and I dont care about Hillsdale or Arnn, Littleton said. "With regards to school, as a parent, Im laser-focused on one thing, and that is good education for my children.

Angela Wynn  with three of her children currently in Rutherford County public schools  said she couldn't dismiss Arnn's words.

If you have someone who is in a public speaking capacity degrading teachers, not just with big words but literally calling them dumb, and then you want to come into our schools and try to say that you're going to do better for our children? That's not how it works, Wynn said.

The hearing also allowed commission staff to question leaders of the proposed school and Rutherford County Schools officials over the application and rejection, which cited shortcomings ranging from its curriculum to its plans to serve disabled children. There also were extensive questions about ties to Hillsdale and some board changes.

Caitlin Bullard, school choice and charter coordinator for Rutherford County Schools, also said that the public testimony Wednesday didn't change a lack of sufficient community support for the school, saying the supporters represent the voices of a small segment of our community.

In a July meeting, no leaders from the school testified before the Rutherford County board rejected the application. Commission staffers, in text messages obtained by the AP in a records request, expressed shock that no one spoke.

Dolores Gresham, a charter group board member and former Republican state senator, has said they received two days' notice that they might get to speak in July, and a personal emergency prevented the executive director from doing so.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Nashville's Radnor Lake State Park has been named Park of the Year by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

In the past year the park hosted a Junior Ranger Intern Program with 51 youth participants, according to a news release Tuesday. It recycled a record 900 Christmas trees in its annual Trees to Trails program. More than 1,500 volunteers helped with park projects ranging from invasive plant removal to stream cleanups.
BANGKOK (AP)  Thailands Constitutional Court will rule on Sept. 30 whether suspended Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has already served eight years in office and must resign.

Prayuth, then the Thai army commander, led a coup that ousted an elected government eight years ago, and critics who contend he came to power illegitimately say he has exceeded the term limit set by a 2017 constitution.

The court last month suspended Prayuth as prime minister pending its ruling on a petition signed by 171 members of the House of Representatives. The nine-member court said Wednesday it had sufficient witnesses and evidence to proceed to a ruling.

After the May 2014 coup, the ruling junta installed Prayuth as prime minister on Aug. 24, 2014, under an interim post-coup constitution.

The petitioners and critics of the government say, based on that date, he was legally obliged to leave office last month. Others contend the starting date of his time as prime minister should be the date the current constitution was adopted on April 6, 2017. Some argue that the countdown began on June 9, 2019, when Prayuth took office following a 2019 general election.

Prayuth remains in the Cabinet as defense minister, while Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan is acting prime minister.

Prawit would be expected to take over the prime ministers position if the court rules against Prayuth, though that is not a certainty. A new election must be called by March.

If Prawit takes over as prime minister, no changes in policies are likely, since he and Prayuth are both former army commanders and comrades in arms for decades backed by a political party set up as a proxy for military interests.

Prayuths critics also accuse him of retaining power illegitimately because his junta-imposed government passed election laws that handicapped its major opponents. He has also been accused of mishandling the economy and botching Thailands response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the courts, like the military, are a key element of the nations ruling class, and consistently have turned back challenges to the conservative established order.
STAMFORD  After a series of resignations, the Zoning Board is headed toward a game of musical chairs.

You may notice were a little light on members tonight, Board chair David Stein said at the top of a Monday night meeting held over Zoom. Aside from him, only two other members graced the screen.

Stein announced at the bodys first meeting in more than a month that two members of the five-member had resigned during its summer recess, leaving those now-empty seats open until appointments from Mayor Caroline Simmons were made.

Board member Roger Quick  a Republican  and board alternate Richard Rosenfeld  a Democrat  both stepped down during the seven-week break. The board normally has three alternates.

Just before the summer recess, longtime member Joanna Gwozdziowski left office. Simmons appointed Alejandro Knopoff, an architect, to replace her. The Board of Representatives, which must confirm most political appointments, approved Knopoffs nomination at its full board meeting last week.

Board alternate Sara Summons, who joined the board in early 2021, vacated her seat in May, citing time conflicts with her work as an attorney.

Quick, Rosenfeld and Gwozdziowski all served on the Zoning Board past their terms expiration. Both Quick and Rosenfeld hit their expiration dates on Dec. 1, 2021, according to a document presented to the Board of Representatives in June. Gwozdziowskis term expired on Dec. 1, 2018.

Rosenfeld told The Stamford Advocate in a brief interview that he opted to step down because his term had expired. Quick explained in a similar interview that he had moved to Florida during the pandemic, though he still owns property in Stamford. Because his Stamford home is no longer his primary residence, Quick told The Stamford Advocate that the Law Department advised him to step down.

The diminished membership puts the board in a precarious position if any member is absent. Three people remain on the Zoning Board, the same number necessary for a quorum. Rosenfelds departure leaves the board without any alternates. Any changes, permanent or temporary, to the composition of the board would prevent it from holding votes.

Mayoral spokesperson Lauren Meyer told The Advocate that Mayor Caroline Simmonss administration could submit new names to the Board of Representatives for approval as early as October but would not submit any last-minute appointments during September.

City Representatives have in recent months scrutinized the number of expired board members across all appointed bodies. The charter lays out that appointed board members can serve three-year terms. City statute allows that person to stay in office for six months post-expiration or until the Board of Representatives approves a successor.

Barring Knopoff, all the remaining Zoning Board members are serving expired terms.

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
TikTok may be the platform of choice for catchy videos, but anyone using it to learn about COVID-19, climate change or Russia's invasion of Ukraine is likely to encounter misleading information, according to a research report published Wednesday.

Researchers at NewsGuard searched for content about prominent news topics on TikTok and say they found that nearly 1 in 5 of the videos automatically suggested by the platform contained misinformation.

Searches for information about mRNA vaccine," for instance, yielded five videos (out of the first 10) that contained misinformation, including baseless claims that the COVID-19 vaccine causes permanent damage in children's critical organs.

Researchers looking for information about abortion, the 2020 election, the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, climate change or Russia's invasion of Ukraine on TikTok found similarly misleading videos scattered among more accurate clips.

The amount of misinformation  and the ease with which it can be found  is especially troubling given TikTok's popularity with young people, according to Steven Brill, founder of NewsGuard, a firm that monitors misinformation.

TikTok is the second most popular domain in the world, according to online performance and security company Cloudflare, exceeded only by Google.

Brill questioned whether ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, is doing enough to stop misinformation or whether it deliberately allows misinformation to proliferate as a way to sow confusion in the U.S. and other Western democracies.

It's either incompetence or it's something worse, Brill told The Associated Press.

TikTok released a statement in response to NewsGuard's report noting that its community guidelines prohibit harmful misinformation and that it works to promote authoritative content about important topics like COVID-19.

We do not allow harmful misinformation, including medical misinformation, and we will remove it from the platform, the company said.

TikTok has taken other steps that it says are intended to direct users to trustworthy sources. This year, for example, the company created an election center to help U.S. voters find voting places or information about candidates.

The platform removed more than 102 million videos that violated its rules in the first quarter of 2022. Yet only a tiny percentage of those ran afoul of TikTok's rules against misinformation.

Researchers found that TikTok's own search tool seems designed to steer users to false claims in some cases. When researchers typed the words COVID vaccine" into the search tool, for instance, the tool suggested searches on key words including COVID vaccine exposed" and "COVID vaccine injury."

When the same search was run on Google, however, that search engine suggested searches relating to more accurate information about vaccine clinics, the different types of vaccines and booster shots.

TikTok's rise in popularity has caught the attention of state officials and federal lawmakers, some of whom have expressed concerns about its data privacy and security.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on social media's impact on the nation's security. TikTok's chief operating officer, Vanessa Pappas, is set to testify alongside representatives from YouTube, Twitter and Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook.

___

Follow the AP's coverage of misinformation at https://apnews.com/hub/misinformation.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)  A newly constructed University of Michigan facility that will be home to the most powerful laser in the United States is hosting its first experiment this week as the nation seeks to become competitive again in the realm of high-power laser facilities.

The experiment will be conducted at ZEUS  short for Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System  by researchers from the University of California, Irvine. They traveled to Ann Arbor as part of their study of extremely intense interactions of light and matter, and how such interactions can be harnessed to shrink particle accelerators.

At the height of its power, ZEUS will be a 3-petawatt laser.

Three petawatts is 3 with 15 zeroes after it, said Louise Willingale, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Michigan.

And 3 petawatts is 3,000 times more powerful than the U.S. power grid, she said.

Michigan was awarded $18.5 million by the National Science Foundation to establish ZEUS as a federally funded international user facility.

Initially, the facility  housed in a building that is home to U-Ms Gerard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science  will host research teams conducting experiments that use a fraction of the lasers full power potential. The system gradually will ramp up, and ZEUS is expected to begin its signature experiments in the fall of 2023.

The U.S. built the worlds first petawatt laser a quarter-century ago, but hasn't kept pace with more ambitious systems in Europe and Asia. While ZEUS doesnt feature the same raw power as its contemporaries overseas, its approach will simulate a laser that is roughly 1 million times more powerful than its 3 petawatts.

ZEUS primarily will study extreme plasmas, a state of matter in which the electrons have enough energy to escape atoms, creating a sea of charged particles. Nearly all of the seen universe is made of plasma. The sun is an example of a plasma.

Experiments are expected to contribute to the understanding of how the universe operates at the subatomic level and materials change on rapid timescales. Scientists also hope they lead to the development of smaller and more compact particle accelerators for medical imaging and treatment.

ZEUS will have a huge range of applications across science, technology, engineering and medicine, Willingale said.

Proposals to use ZEUS will be evaluated by an external panel comprised of scientists and engineers. Because of the NSF funding, there will be no cost to users whose experiment proposals are selected to conduct research, beyond providing their own travel costs to the facility.

The proposals will be selected on scientific merit and technical feasibility, Willingale said.

Franklin Dollar, an associate professor in Cal-Irvine's Department of Physics & Astronomy, and four UCI graduate students arrived at Michigan last week to begin preparing for their experiment.

One of the major challenges in our field is access to high quality, intense laser light, Dollar said. ZEUS will not only be the most powerful laser beam on the continent, but perhaps more importantly will provide multiple powerful beams.

Rather than solely making highly energetic plasmas from a laser, there is a second beam which can interact with the plasma as well, he said.

ZEUS is an upgrade over the University of Michigan's 0.5-petawatt laser, known as HERCULES.

While Michigan researchers are thrilled with the birth of ZEUS, they are cognizant of how their naming conventions aren't exactly in keeping with the chronology of Greek mythology.

HERCULES was the predecessor to ZEUS, Willingale said. Its slightly backward, because Hercules was the son of Zeus.

So, were building the father after the son.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The United States announced Wednesday that it will provide more than $750 million in additional humanitarian funding for the Syrian people.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the U.N. Security Council the new donation is in addition to the over $800 million in added U.S. humanitarian aid for Syria that she announced at a donors conference in Brussels in May.
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MEXICO CITY (AP)  This week the objective was to insert mention of Julian Assange into a meeting between Mexicos president and the United States top diplomat. Next week, it will be to have Australias prime minister bring it up with the U.S. president at Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral.

The efforts are part of the campaign by John Shipton, father of the WikiLeaks founder, to find allies and convince the U.S. to drop espionage charges against Assange, who remains in a British prison awaiting extradition to the U.S.

The journey by the septuagenarian Australian architect together with another son, Gabriel, brought them this week to Mexico. The country has become the familys main ally in Latin America since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador offered Assange political asylum and called for the U.S. to allow him to seek refuge there.

We call President Lopez Obrador an ice-breaker, because afterward the leaders of Chile, Colombia and Bolivia called for his release too, Gabriel Shipton said during the visit to Mexico. Among a packed scheduled of events, John Shipton received the key to the capital Wednesday on behalf of Assange, a ceremonial honor the city bestows on distinguished guests. The day before, he addressed Mexicos Senate.

American prosecutors say Assange helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk. He faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse.

His defenders consider Assange a symbol of a free press and a fight for justice who exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Assange was arrested in London in 2010 at the request of Sweden pending a preliminary investigation into allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied. In 2012, he broke the conditions of his bail and sought refuge in Ecuadors embassy where he stayed until being asked to leave in 2019. He was immediately arrested again.

When his father visited him in jail that year, Assange asked for help.

That led Shipton to launch his globetrotting campaign with Gabriel, trying to reach average people, because politicians want those peoples votes, he said.

They went from Australia to Europe, the United States and Mexico. Each politicians statement in favor of Assanges release, every headline, is oxygen for Assange, who has been held in a maximum security prison.

The effort has been all consuming, Shipton said in a Mexico City hotel, as he and Gabriel listed the days events, which included a protest at the U.S. embassy, a meeting with a government official, press interviews and phone calls, including one with Assange.

Those calls from prison cut after 10 minutes, said Shipton, who declined to say how often they speak or what they discuss. I cant report on conversations between father and son. This is not public, he said.

Shipton was estranged from Assange until his 20s, according to a documentary called Ithaka, produced by Gabriel Shipton, which suggests a complicated relationship.

John Shipton smiled remembering Assanges wedding in March to his lawyer Stella Moris, a day Shipton described as like a flower in the desert.

Uncomfortable with media, but conscious that he needs then, Shipton questions them constantly, telling them Assanges case directly affects their ability to continue reporting freely.

His visit to Mexico will finish with his participation in Independence Day activities Thursday night and Friday. Lopez Obrador invited Shipton to events with relatives of Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Che Guevara, in what appeared to be an attempt to evoke emblematic figures of the 20th century.

The Shiptons plan to continue their efforts in Latin America next year, hoping that Brazils Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva returns to the presidency.

You just take each moment as it comes and you do your very best you can, you dont depend upon optimism, hope, you just do your work, Shipton said, noting its a work that never ends.
Predictably, many Republicans melted into volcanic spasms and hissy fits after President Biden delivered his speech in Philadelphia a few weeks ago.

In one of his rare prime time addresses to the nation, Biden declared in clear and no uncertain terms that the American democratic experiment is in serious danger due to Donald Trump and those in the GOP who remain his steadfast allies.

Former South Carolina governor and ex-U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said she was disturbed by the dark imagery surrounding the president. The habitually shameful Marjorie Taylor Greene referred to Biden as demented. Equally horrendous Fox News host Tucker Carlson compared the background accompanying the presidents message to Nazism. Monica Crowley, a former Fox News contributor and Trump administration official, referred to the event as nothing short of satanic.

No one should be surprised by such juvenile political histrionics coming from the more extreme corners. After all, such routine overzealousness is their stock and trade.

For all the chest thumping and disingenuous ranting and raving, did Biden say anything that was false? For those who claim the speech was angry, divisive, or hateful, the reality is that many extremists epitomize those same traits. By and large, these extremists do not have any genuine regard for the Constitution, spit in the face at the rule of law, disregard the will of the American people and refused to accept the results of a free, fair and equitable election.

Indeed, many of their faithful  from politicians to ordinary citizens  were supportive of Trumps determination to overturn his election defeat in November 2020. Who doesnt remember many rioters (I will not call them protesters) ferociously yelling chilling chants to Hang Mike Pence!

Trump, in ever Machiavellian fashion, said in a radio interview that if he was elected again in 2024, he would look very, very favorably at pardoning the Capitol insurrectionists. Lets not forget, Trump-worshiping sycophant Lindsey Graham promised there will be riots in the streets if Trump is criminally charged for hoarding top-secret documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago. Relatedly, you have Republican elected officials in numerous states aiming to place themselves in positions of power to manipulate and control voting machines and other equipment in future elections in an effort to potentially disregard any Democratic wins as null and void.

In response, a number of prominent historians met with president Biden earlier this summer and discussed their concerns over what they see as a democracy potentially teetering on the brink of collapse. As someone who is a historian by training, not since the 1850s has this nation been so politically and culturally volatile or vulnerable.

To be sure, the president made it clear he was not speaking of all Republicans  just the right-wing MAGA types. In the true bipartisan fashion that has been one his primary attributes, Biden proudly discussed how he has productively worked with a number of those on the other side of the political aisle, crafting and passing legislation for the betterment of the nation. Such an image is a far cry from the wanton, retrograde MAGA forces that currently dominate and control the party.

There was considerable talk across the political spectrum of Biden having two uniformed Marines in the background as he delivered his speech. Such imagery seemed ominous, but given the theme of his speech, their inclusion seemed most fitting and appropriate. Biden unequivocally stated, We are in a battle for the soul of this nation, pitting democracy against autocracy. I concur with such sentiment.

Most rational minded people can probably only shudder at the prospect of a 2024 presidential election in which a MAGA-controlled Congress propels the reactionary agenda of a dictator-in-waiting, whether it be Trump or some wannabe MAGA clone. Such a situation would likely make martial law seem benign in comparison.
Youve probably never heard of Mark Finchem. I hadnt either until just a few weeks ago. But these days, Mark is causing me a lot of headaches.

Mark is an election denier (Trump won!) and an Arizona state legislator. The Arizona Republican Party just endorsed him to be their next secretary of state  the top administrator of elections. Finchem (who kept a treason watch list and talked about stockpiling ammunition) won 40 percent of the primary vote; another Arizona Republican election denier came in second with 20 percent of the vote. In the Arizona state legislature, Finchem introduced bills to decertify the 2020 presidential election and to make all votes public. If Finchem wins this fall, hell oversee the 2024 elections in a critical swing state.

As Senate vice-chair of the legislatures Government Administration and Elections Committee, I find Finchems rise terrifying for future of our democracy. But Arizona is thousands of miles away. Why lose sleep in Connecticut over elections on the other side of the country?

Im worried that Mark Finchem is the tip of the iceberg. Of course, I know and love many Republicans in Connecticut. But my friends on the other side of the aisle who will accept the outcome of the election, even if their candidate comes up short, are losing their grip on the Republican Party. According to a new FiveThirtyEight statistical analysis, election deniers make up a third to half of all the 1,148 Republicans endorsed for public office this year. Whats worse, a June 1 poll by the Economist and YouGov found that 75 percent of Republicans in America dont believe that Joe Biden was legitimately elected as president of the United States.

How did we get here? The short answer is: rampant disinformation. How do we claw ourselves back to a functioning democracy with two rational parties? First, we need a secretary of the state who will always put democracy above party. Stephanie Thomas is the clear choice in Connecticut this November. Next, we need to continue funding a misinformation officer within the secretary of the states office.

Connecticut hired a part-time election misinformation officer back in 2020 who uncovered several examples of inaccurate information about our elections on social media. He often got those social media companies to remove that misinformation. But sadly, the problem has only gotten worse. With disinformation exploding all across the country, we voted this year to make that part-time position into a full-time position.

Keep in mind, this misinformation officer is not a partisan warrior tasked with determining which candidate is lying and which is telling the truth. Rather, the job entails combing the internet (think Twitter, Instagram, Tik-Tok and Facebook, but also 4-chan, 8-chan and Reddit) for false information on subjects like polling sites and polling times, then correcting it.

Surely everyone who believes in democracy should support the work of honestly informing voters. But the party of Mark Finchem stood in the way of funding this vital work  Silencing dissenters! and attempting to control the political discussion! state GOP Chairman Ben Proto carped. Dominic Rapini, Connecticuts Republican nominee for secretary of the state, pledged that this position would be his first cut if elected.

Im left wondering whats happened to the Republican Party to which my grandparents once belonged. While Democrats and Republicans once disagreed on taxes, or health care, we now find ourselves at odds over the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next. Protos second-in-command, Republican Party Vice-Chair Maryann Turner, attended Donald Trumps Jan. 6 Stop the Steal rally in Washington, D.C. Rapini called those folks storming the Capitol patriots.

I think we need two parties. Democrats dont have a monopoly on good ideas, and partisan debate is at the core of creating good public policy. But I dont know how to debate with a party that rejects democracy and embraces misinformation.

So, if you share my concern about protecting free and fair elections, weve got two tasks ahead of us. First, lets elect Stephanie Thomas as our next secretary of the state. Then, lets continue to support the fight against election misinformation.

State Sen. Will Haskell represents the 26th Senate District, which includes Redding, Ridgefield, Wilton, and parts of Bethel, Weston, Westport, and New Canaan.
After a New York Times analysis revealed that Bay Area Rep. Ro Khanna is the member of Congress with the highest number of possible conflicts of interest stemming from stock trades, the lawmaker's office told SFGATE he will vote for any of the proposed lawmaker stock trading bans if they come up for a vote on the House floor.

The New York Times found that Khanna has 149 possible conflicts of interest because trusts in the name of his wife and children made trades involving many companies being investigated by congressional committees Khanna was a member of. These companies include AbbVie, Lockheed Martin and Johnson & Johnson.

For reference, the member of Congress with the second-highest number of possible conflicts of interest identified by the New York Times is New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who had 43. The California lawmakers who had the highest totals outside of Khanna were Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Alan Lowenthal, who had nine each, the Times reported.

Khanna has long maintained that the stock trades are not made by him and that he supports a ban on members of Congress trading stocks. His office reiterated as much to SFGATE Tuesday.

Khanna supports a stock trading ban and will vote for what comes to the House floor," a spokesperson for Khanna said. "For spouses, he believes that a highly diversified trust managed by a third party, which is functionally similar to an index fund, is an ethical solution.

There are several stock ban bills being debated by Congress. The first major bill came from Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Chip Roy at the House level, and Sens. Jon Ossoff and Mark Kelly introduced a similar bill in the Senate not long after. There's a third bill from Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, but unlike the other two bills, Hawley's bill does not ban trades made by dependent children.

When lawmakers signaled openness to a bill that would only ban member-trading, Spanberger said, To put forth a stock ban that only applies to members would be, as I would perceive it as an American  kind of a slap in the face to the American people."

Spanberger's bill would require lawmakers and family members to place investments in a blind trust, or diversify investments by placing them in "widely held, diversified mutual or exchange-traded funds, or U.S. Treasury bills, notes, or bonds." Khanna has said that the trust that makes trades in his wife's name "is run by financial managers who make the day to day decisions."

Congressional stock trading became a closely watched topic after a group of senators made a series of trades after a confidential January 2020 briefing on the then-nascent COVID-19 pandemic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also became a heavily scrutinized figure given the trading prowess of her husband Paul.

While the New York Times reported no conflicts of interest involving Pelosi because she a not a member of any legislative committees, the publication wrote she "has immense power over which legislation makes it to the House floor  including various proposals being considered to regulate stock trading by members of Congress and their immediate families." Pelosi originally signaled hostility to the bills, but has since softened her stance.

You can read the full report from the New York Times.
Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

San Francisco Mayor London Breed spoke to KGO on Tuesday about a recent poll that shows residents are generally not impressed with her performance and the direction of the city, saying the results will not discourage her from attempting to get things done.

The poll, which was conducted by the San Francisco Chronicle earlier this summer, shows that only 23% of residents think Breed has done an "excellent" or "good" job at making San Francisco "a better place to live and work during the last three years" (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another). Another 42% think she has done a "fair" job in achieving that goal, while 35% say she's done a "poor" or "very poor" job.
The Star Wars universe is full of memorable moments, but in the history of the franchise, there are few sequences as important as the final Death Star trench chase in A New Hope.

The newly released six-part Disney Plus streaming docuseries Light & Magic goes deep into the history of George Lucas San Francisco-based special effects studio Industrial Light & Magic, which was founded in 1975. The ending of the second episode explores the process behind the Death Star scene, in which the fate of the Rebel Alliance hangs on Luke Skywalkers ability to speed his X-wing through a narrow trench and blast a thermal exhaust port that is only 2 meters wide.

In reality, the entire surface of the Death Star was a hand-built model that measured approximately 15 by 40 feet. Meticulous craftsmanship contributed to the verisimilitude, but the documentary reveals that the filmmaking techniques that made the scene feel so real are actually rooted outside the realm of special effects. It turns out that the entire sequence hinged on a model developed during an urban planning study at UC Berkeley in the early 1970s, which also happened to shape the future of San Franciscos skyline.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

The Berkeley Experiment, as it is referred to in the documentary, was funded by the National Science Foundation and led by urban planning professor Donald Appleyard at the schools Environmental Simulation Lab. Completed in 1972, the project entailed building a small-scale model of Marin County and a computer-controlled stop-motion 16 mm camera system. The goal was to achieve a sense of realism as a model car traversed the miniature cityscape, in hopes that the technique could guide civic decision-making regarding construction choices.

They wanted to do a perception study, Light & Magic director Lawrence Kasdan told SFGATE. They wanted to know if they showed film to people, and one of the films was totally artificial and miniaturized, had they successfully made it feel real? Was their physiological reaction different than when they saw actual footage from out of a car?

One of the primary people behind the model was John Dykstra, who just a few years later went on to supervise the team behind the original Star Wars. Dykstras tenure at Industrial Light & Magic was short, but he would go on to work on dozens of blockbusters, from Spider-Man 2 to Once Upon a Time  in Hollywood. It turned out that the techniques he brought from his time at Berkeley were incredibly influential to the future of Lucas studio.

Courtesy of Imagine Documentaries

Thats the basis for everything ILM has ever done. They want to make you feel youre there, Kasdan said. John Dykstra wasnt thinking about that when he was at Berkeley. He wasnt thinking about how to solve this problem. But that turned out to be the ethos of Industrial Light & Magic for 40 years.

Dykstras own description of the project sounds like a problem pulled from a photography textbook. The challenge at the time was to emulate human vision, so buildings far in the distance would still be in focus. That requires an extremely high f-stop, which thus demands an incredible amount of light to get an even exposure. If the miniatures were in focus but the background was blurred, the viewer would instinctively be able to tell something was wrong.

Its a dead giveaway that its a miniature, Dykstra told SFGATE. We were working on subliminal cues, which was the important part of this, to get a response from the viewer. We wanted to make it optically as real as possible.

Courtesy of Imagine Documentaries Courtesy of Imagine Documentaries Archival photos of a model of Marin County in the UC Berkeley Environmental Simulation Laboratory. (Photos courtesy of Imagine Documentaries) Archival photos of a model of Marin County in the UC Berkeley Environmental Simulation Laboratory. (Photos courtesy of Imagine Documentaries)

In the Berkeley lab, Dykstra and the rest of the team used a camera on a crane that functioned like an upside-down periscope. Controlled by a mainframe computer, it moved a fraction of an inch at a time. The goal was to make the viewer feel like the camera was traveling at 30 miles per hour, with each inch representing 30 feet. The camera was programmed to move in six motion directions: along the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis, plus pitch, jar and roll. Those programming techniques also played a part in making the Death Star sequence feel real.

Roll is the thing that was actually perfected in Star Wars, said Berkeley professor Peter C. Bosselmann, who served as the head of the simulation laboratory from 1976 to 2017. It wasnt all that necessary traveling on roads. [Roll] means you sort of tilt your head to one side as you would do in an airplane if youre a pilot.

Industrial Light & Magic took these ideas and applied them to a much larger scale, with a single foot of the model representing 40 miles. Given that a spaceship would theoretically be traveling at incredibly high speed, there would need to be motion blur to give the viewer a sense of velocity.

Courtesy of Imagine Documentaries

Courtesy of Imagine Documentaries

Once again, Dykstra thought back to his time at Berkeley and how the recordings they made of cars moving between buildings felt faster than those on the highway. For the Death Star scene to have a true sense of speed, Luke Skywalker couldnt simply be flying above the space station. The solution to the problem clicked after some members of the Industrial Light & Magic team went on a recreational motorcycle trip in the desert, driving through deep gullies. Being surrounded by a towering peripheral landscape made everything feel more exciting.

The reason the Death Star had trenches in it was because it was the only way we could achieve a sense of speed, Dykstra said.

The Death Star surface took ILM model shop employee Lorne Peterson two months to build because of the detail required. Six hand-painted module molds were used for the surface, arranged randomly to create a sense of diversity and feel like a living cityscape. There were tens of thousands of little windows in the molds, each with retroreflective tape with glass beads that reflected the light. Originally, the windows were twice the size, until Lucas former wife Marcia, the films editor, stepped in and said to make them smaller.

Once the model was complete, filming of the epic conclusion of A New Hope took place in a parking lot. The team calculated that the camera would need to move at 20 miles per hour to achieve a sense of realism, something a motorized rig couldnt accomplish.

20th Century Fox

The only way we could get the camera to a high-enough speed would be with a motorized vehicle, guerrilla filmmaking. Put the camera in the back of the truck, Dykstra said in the Disney Plus docuseries.

The results are history, but the ripple effects of the Berkeley Experiment go far beyond Episode IV. A 1979 episode of the BBCs Tomorrows World connects the dots, showing how further research at Berkeley helped guide San Francisco city planners. At the time, technology wasnt refined enough to create 3D computer models, so a full-scale model of San Francisco was created.

One of the models first uses was by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce to lobby for a 20-story limit on the height of new buildings. The proposal was in response to the potential construction of a 38-story Crocker National Bank tower in the Financial District. The proposal failed, resulting in the construction of what is now One Montgomery Tower and paving the way for other divisive high-rises like the Salesforce Tower.

So although that humble miniature cityscape created in a Berkeley lab did manage to save the galaxy from the Galactic Empire, it wasnt quite as successful in saving the San Francisco skyline.
WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, September 14, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

Flash Flood Statement

National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX

610 PM CDT Wed Sep 14 2022

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING

FOR NORTHWESTERN BREWSTER, SOUTHEASTERN JEFF DAVIS AND WEST CENTRAL

PECOS COUNTIES...

At 610 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy

rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3.5 inches of rain have

fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,

highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor

drainage and low-lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...

mainly rural areas of Northwestern Brewster, Southeastern Jeff

Davis and West Central Pecos Counties

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are

potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded

roads. Find an alternate route.

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

Northwestern Crane County in western Texas...

Southwestern Ector County in western Texas...

Northeastern Ward County in western Texas...

Southeastern Winkler County in western Texas...

* Until 915 PM CDT.

* At 613 PM CDT, 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 of 1 to 2 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...

Monahans and Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
WFO PENDLETON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, September 13, 2022

_____

FLASH FLOOD WARNING

The National Weather Service in Pendleton has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...

The Schneider Springs burn scar in...

Northwestern Yakima County in south central Washington...

* Until 645 PM PDT.

* At 446 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing

heavy rain over the Schneider Springs Burn Scar. Between 0.5 and 1

inch of rain has fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.5

inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing

or expected to begin shortly.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar may result in debris flow. The

debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose

materials.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms in and around

the Schneider Springs Burn Scar.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flooding of areas in and around the Schneider Springs

Burn Scar.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...

Cliffdell.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

This is a life threatening situation. Heavy rainfall will cause

extensive and severe flash flooding of creeks...streams...and

ditches in the Schneider Springs Burn Scar. Severe debris flows can

also be anticipated across roads. Roads and driveways may be washed

away in places. If you encounter flood waters...climb to safety.

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood

deaths occur in vehicles.

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

The Summit Trail Burn Scar in...

Central Ferry County in northeastern Washington...

* Until 745 PM PDT.

heavy rain over the Summit Trail Burn Scar. Between 0.5 and 1 inch

of rain has fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin

shortly.

Excessive rainfall over the burn scar will result in debris flow

moving through the Summit Trail burn scar. The debris flow can

consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

the Summit Trail Burn Scar.

IMPACT...Flooding of areas in and around the Summit Trail Burn

Scar.

mainly rural areas of Central Ferry County

Hail Creek Road, Sitdown Creek Road, and Lynx Creek Road.

The affected areas are in and below the Summit Trail burn scar west

of Inchelium, including Hail Creek Road, Sitdown Creek Road and Lynx

Creek Road. Some drainage basins impacted include Hail Creek,

Sitdown Creek, and Lynx Creek. High intensity rainfall on the burned

area may cause flash flooding, mud slides and rock slides. Hikers,

residents, and motorists in and below the Summit Trail burned area

should take immediate precautions to protect life and property.

ditches in the Summit Trail burn scar. Severe debris flows can also

be anticipated across roads. Roads and driveways may be washed away

in places. If you encounter flood waters...climb to safety.

_____

Copyright 2022 AccuWeather
On September 14, the Peoples Committee of Dong Thap Province said that the agency and the Management Board of Tram Chim National Park are completing all procedures to receive two red-crowned cranes from the zoo in Vientiane, Laos.The two red-crowned cranes are around 20 years old with a weight of five to six kilograms and they have been raised at the zoo in Vientiane.The process of breeding faces some difficulties to meet survival conditions for the cranes in the wild so the Laotian zoo decided to contact the International Crane Association in the United States to find a suitable place for them. Thereby, Doctor Tran Triet, a member of the International Crane Association worked with Dong Thap Province to receive the two cranes to Tram Chim National Park which is eligible for the natural condition for them. Tram Chim National Park covers 7,500 hectares recognized as the worlds 2,000th Ramsar site of Wetlands of International Importance in the world and the fourth in Vietnam where has rare bird species, especially the red-crowned cranes, which often migrated here from Cambodia in the dry period between December and April of the following year.
Page Content

State governments are continuing to propose and adopt legislation that requires businesses to implement policies and procedures to ensure privacy rights for consumers. Businesses operating in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania should prepare for the potential dawning of a new day.

While California led the way with the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), a number of other states (Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and Virginia) followed suit and passed comprehensive privacy legislation that will become fully effective in 2023.

Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are now considering bills similar to California's strict law that would require covered businesses to implement policies and procedures providing privacy rights to consumers. While it is too early to tell which, if any, will become law, businesses operating in these states should be mindful of the requirements that may be imposed on them.

Michigan

The Michigan legislature is currently considering the Consumer Privacy Act (House Bill 5989). This bill was introduced by 15 Democratic lawmakers in April 2022 and currently sits in the House Committee on Communications and Technology.

The Michigan Consumer Privacy Act would apply to for-profit entities that conduct business in Michigan or produce products or services that are targeted to Michigan residents and:

During a calendar year, control or process personal data of not less than 100,000 consumers; or

During a calendar year, control or process personal data of not less than 25,000 consumers and derive over 50 percent of gross revenue from the sale of personal data.



The bill would provide consumers with rights, including:

The right to access the personal data that has been collected about them.

The right to request that a business correct any personal data about them that is inaccurate.

The right to request that a business delete any personal data that was collected from that consumer or about that consumer.

The right to opt out of the processing of personal data for purposes of targeted advertising or profiling.

The right to obtain the personal data that they provided to the business in a portable and readily usable format.

The right to opt out of the sale of the consumer's personal data.



The Michigan Consumer Privacy Act does not provide consumers with a private right of action for violations.



Ohio



The Ohio Personal Privacy Act (House Bill 376) was introduced in July 2021, sponsored by 10 Republican lawmakers. It was then referred to the House Government Oversight Committee. On Feb. 16, it was deemed to be "informally passed." On Feb. 22, the bill was re-referred to the Rules and Reference Committee, where it now sits.



The Ohio Personal Privacy Act would apply to certain for-profit entities that conduct business in Ohio or produce products or services that are targeted to consumers in Ohio, and satisfy one of the following:

Have annual gross revenues of over $25 million generated in Ohio;

During a calendar year, control or process personal data of 100,000 or more consumers; or

During a calendar year, derive over 50 percent of gross revenue from the sale of personal data and process or control personal data of 25,000 or more consumers.



The Ohio Personal Privacy Act specifically excludes certain organizations from its coverage, including state agencies, financial institutions governed by Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, entities governed by HIPAA, and higher education institutions.



The Ohio Personal Privacy Act would provide consumers with rights, including:

The right to access the personal data that has been collected about them.

The right to request that a business delete personal data that the business collected from the consumer for commercial purposes and that the business maintains in an electronic format.

The right to opt out of having data processed or disseminated.

The right to request their personal data be provided electronically in a portable, readily usable format.

The right to opt out of the sale of the consumer's personal data.



Like Michigan's proposal, the Ohio Personal Privacy Act does not provide consumers with a private right of action for violations.



Pennsylvania



Pennsylvania is currently considering three pieces of privacy legislation: two bills titled Consumer Data Privacy Act (House Bill 2202 and House Bill 1126), and the Consumer Data Protection Act (House Bill 2257).



HB 2202 was introduced in December 2021 by 24 Republicans and seven Democrats. It was then referred to the Consumer Affairs Committee, where it currently sits. It applies to for-profit entities that perform business in Pennsylvania and satisfy one or more of the following thresholds:

Have annual gross revenue in excess of $20 million;

Alone, or in combination, annually buy, receive for commercial purposes, sell or share for commercial purposes, alone or in combination, the personal information of 100,000 or more consumers; or



Derive 50 percent or more of annual revenues from selling consumers' personal information.



HB 2202 would provide consumers with rights, including:

The right to access the personal data that has been collected about them.

The right to request that a business correct any personal data about them that is inaccurate.

The right to request that a business delete any personal data that was collected from that consumer or about that consumer.



The right to opt out of the processing of personal data for purposes of targeted advertising or profiling.

The right to obtain the personal data that they provided to the business in a portable and readily usable format.

The right to opt out of the sale of the consumer's personal data.



HB 2202 does not provide consumers with a private right of action for violations.



Meanwhile, HB 1126 was introduced in April 2021 by 15 Democrats and two Republicans. It was then referred to the Consumer Affairs Committee, where it currently sits. It applies to for-profit entities that conduct business in Pennsylvania and satisfy one or more of the following thresholds:

Have annual gross revenue in excess of $10 million;

Alone or in combination, annually buy, receive for commercial purposes, sell or share for commercial purposes, alone or in combination, the personal information for 50,000 or more consumers, households, or devices; or

Derive 50 percent or more of annual revenues from selling consumers' personal information.



HB 1126 does not provide consumers with the same rights as HB 2202 or the Consumer Data Protection Act (HB 2257). For example, it does not include the right to correct inaccurate information, restrict the processing of personal data for targeted advertising or profiling, or obtain data in a portable format. It does, however, include:

The right to access the personal data that has been collected about them.

The right to request that a business delete any personal information that the business collected from the consumer.

The right to opt out of the sale of the consumer's personal data.



HB 1126 provides a private right of action when a consumer whose nonencrypted or nonredacted personal information is subject to an unauthorized access and exfiltration, theft or disclosure as a result of the business' violation of the duty to implement and maintain the reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the information.



Pennsylvania's Consumer Data Protection Act was introduced in January 2022 by 25 Democratic lawmakers. It was then referred to the Consumer Affairs Committee, where it currently sits.



The Consumer Data Protection Act applies to for-profit entities that conduct business in Pennsylvania or produce goods, products or services that are sold or offered for sale to residents of Pennsylvania, and that satisfy one or more of the following thresholds:

During a calendar year, control or process personal data of at least 100,000 consumers; or

Control or process personal data or at least 25,000 consumers and derive over 50 percent of gross revenue from the sale of personal data.



The Consumer Data Protection Act excludes certain organizations from its coverage, including state agencies, financial institutions governed by Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, entities governed by HIPAA, and higher education institutions.



The Consumer Data Protection Act would provide consumers with rights, including:

The right to access the personal data that has been collected about them.

The right to correct inaccuracies in the consumer's personal data.

The right to delete personal data provided by the consumer or obtained by the controller about the consumer.

The right to opt out of the processing of personal data for purposes of targeted advertising or profiling.

The right to obtain the consumer's personal data that the consumer previously provided to the controller in a portable and readily usable format.

The right to opt out of the sale of the consumer's personal data.



The Consumer Data Privacy Act does not provide consumers with a private right of action for violations.



Next Steps for Businesses



For businesses operating outside of Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, it is important to be mindful that state privacy legislation has been gaining an undeniable momentum across the United States. This trend will likely continue, unless comprehensive federal legislation is passed, preempting conflicting state laws, so be on the lookout for updates in your region in the coming months.



Organizations conducting business in Michigan, Ohio, or Pennsylvania should stay abreast of the developments on these pieces of legislation. You may want to preemptively coordinate with your data privacy counsel to begin planning possible changes you would need to consider, should any of these bills get signed into law.



Jeffrey M. Csercsevits is an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Philadelphia.  2022. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
It's late 1998 and three men are working overtime to define the initial technical plan for a startup. They're jammed into an office space no bigger than the average bedroom. The scene has a familiar ring to it. '98 is still the heart of the dot-com craze, and similar setups are in place all over the valley-in San Francisco lofts, Palo Alto apartments, Stanford dorm rooms, and the like. These are days when everyone thinks they have a shot at being the next Yahoo!But this particular setup is a little different. The three men in the tiny office are not really traditional "dot-comers." They have all just left senior positions at Oracle, and, to make things more interesting, the Oracle stock that they left on the table is on its way to quadrupling in value since their departure. The three men are, no doubt, a little uneasy about their decision to start out on their own. It seems they have put their careers on the line.Yet are they really taking a big risk? Because the other unique thing about this scene is that the office that the three men are working from--though small--is the furthest thing from a loft, dorm room, or out-of-the-way office building. Here, the parking lot looks like it might be a combined Mercedes and BMW dealership, with sparkling new examples of German auto engineering on all sides. This is no ordinary setting for a startup. We're on peaceful Sand Hill road and the sign on the door of the building reads "Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers."VC IncubationWhat were these three guys doing at the world's top VC firm? The three men mentioned above are Asera co-founders Kenneth Ng, Anil Nori, and Chin Hong. The story goes that Ken Ng "bumped into" Vinod Khosla in mid '98 and Khosla pitched him an idea that he had for a new company--now Asera. Ng, Nori, and Hong became Khosla's hand-picked management team, and the three were "incubated" in a manner of speaking by the VC firm. Khosla had hired someone from Stanford Business School to write up a business plan for the prospective company and it was the three engineers' job, in Khosla's words, "to decide if it was a good enough plan.""In a sense I feel spoiled," concedes Anil Nori about living his first entrepreneurial venture with the backing of Kleiner Perkins from day one. "I've heard stories about going from venture capitalist to venture capitalist," he says in a manner that would make many young entrepreneurs mad with envy. But to be fair, Nori and the team were not just along for the ride.It's true that Khosla and KPCB had already agreed on the funding structure from day one. It's also true that they were waiting for the founders to prove to them that they could build a viable business. Says Khosla, The question wasn't what the deal would be, but if we would do it." While Nori, Hong, and Ng were still in the tiny office, watching their abandoned Oracle stock increase in value, and trying to prove that they could make Khosla's idea a reality, Kleiner was just looking on and waiting for the results. Khosla explains, "We wanted to know--can we do it? In how much time? Is it competitive?"Soon more people came on board. "Money wasn't a problem," Nori explains, "Vinod believes in recruiting key guys in each area." The object was to reach critical mass quickly in order to execute the plan. In January of '99 the team presented the plan to all the Kleiner partners and the company was funded. In February, Asera had a core team of 30 people in place.The BusinessSo what was this idea that Vinod Khosla just had to bring to life? Nori explains, "At a company like Cisco, all interactions are done over the Web-from customer interactions, to interactions with the sales force. Cisco brings in 80 percent to 90 percent of its revenue over the Web. But to achieve that they spend millions of dollars and have an IT department that numbers in the thousands." The Asera goal was to build an architecture that would offer the same level of Internet integration as a pioneer like Cisco, but achieve it at sharply lower cost and offer the system as a service to the masses.It was a time when the concept of "everything as services"--championed by Khosla--was just beginning to emerge. The ultimate plan involved offering any number of application solutions for B2B companies in a customized framework that would offer a unified look and feel, as well as a unified business process. The goal was to make the product highly service oriented.Admittedly, the initial Asera concept sounds like a pitch for a B2B-based ASP (application service provider). But Nori assures that Asera has grown into much more than that. He maintains, "Asera is not a pure ASP. Asera provides a service that is customized for our customer...and where customers can plug in their own applications as well. Typical ASPs offer little scope for customization and personalization." Asera is also unique in that it generates revenue through activation charges and subscription fees--making it a kind of monthly service for its customers. Says Nori, "It's like subscribing to a phone company--you try out call waiting and if you don't like it you drop it. That's a very attractive model for the customer."For now, none can argue with Asera on paper. The company has just received $115 million in series C funding-on top of a previous $50 million. Asera's investors have tagged the company with an impressive valuation of approximately a billion dollars-up from a previous $250 million for the series B round. "It's a huge market space," says Vinod Khosla. But will the company live up to the multiples? Asera will undoubtedly not be alone in the space--but it's hard to ignore the power of the Khosla/KPCB pedigree.Taking On the GiantsAll of this said, the quest for success, per se, is not really the end of the road for this blossoming Kleiner-incubated venture. Asera is now housed in its own building--a brilliant white structure in Belmont, CA. The company has over 350 employees and has customers like BP Amoco and Novell. But there's more to be achieved.Anil Nori asks himself the question, "Can I build a company that can topple Oracle?"
ThoughtSpot, the Modern Analytics Cloud company, today announced plans to invest $150M across its operations in India over the next five years. Additionally, ThoughtSpot has announced the opening of a new office in Trivandrum, the companys third R&D center in India. The new investment will fuel continued product innovation for the Modern Analytics Cloud, empowering every company to build their business on data.

Dominating the decade of data with Live Analytics

Today, how organizations leverage data determines whether they win, thrive, or fail. In this defining decade of data, the most successful organizations are embracing an entirely new modern data stack. ThoughtSpot was built as the experience layer for this new stack, empowering anyone to tap into the full value of these innovations through intuitive, interactive Live Analytics. Any team member, from store clerk to business analyst, to executive chair, can leverage search and AI to self-serve insights and take action that drives their business forward.

Companies across the globe have raced to adopt this new approach, resulting in substantial growth for the company. In the last year, ThoughtSpots annual recurring revenue from its cloud offerings grew by 102%. ThoughtSpots R&D teams in India, composed of fully integrated teams that span engineering to design to operations, have been instrumental in delivering this growth. With the new investment in India, this momentum will continue to grow by growing headcount by more than 30% across offices in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Trivandrum in the next year alone, while simultaneously expanding beyond traditional R&D with partner engineering, working closely with software integrators (SIs) and other tech partners to build joint solutions and value for customers.

The next step in ThoughtSpots strategic bet on India

The investments ThoughtSpot is making in India over the next five years is part of the companys long term strategy in the market and a natural evolution of activity to date. Founded by Ajeet Singh and Amit Prakash, both Indian immigrants who knew the promise and power of talent in India, ThoughtSpot has established a presence in the last five years including:

Launching its first R&D center in Bangalore in 2017 responsible for product building from design to development

Expanding with $25M USD investment two years later to support continued product innovation and talent recruitment.

The acquisition of Diyotta in 2021, adding 50% more headcount in India, including an expanded footprint in Hyderabad.

India is a hotbed of technological innovation, with so many SaaS companies clamoring for a modern analytics partner to help take their growth to the next level. With our continued investment in growing our talent in the market and expanding our presence with regional SIs, were able to bring our product teams even closer to customers to work hand in hand as they look to build their businesses on data. India is the place to build a platform in partnership with these data savvy, SaaS organizations. This exposure to customers, paired with an inclusive culture that recognizes the contributions of every Spotter, is at the core of what makes our customers, and our team, so successful  said Sudheesh Nair, CEO, ThoughtSpot.

The unmatched innovation and product capabilities that the team in India is designing and delivering continue to set new industry limits and amaze our customers around the globe, from growth stage companies to the Fortune 5. The proof is not only in the adoption and scale of growth in our business, but also in that of our customers who are able to create new offerings and tap into new revenue streams as they build their business on data, said Ajeet Singh, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, ThoughtSpot.

Our customers look to ThoughtSpot as the experience layer that maximizes the value of their modern data stack. Delivering on this promise requires the right mix of team agility and product quality. Our team in India has proven they have both qualities in abundance. From our Data Workspace to ThoughtSpot Everywhere to Liveboards, the amount of value our team in India is creating for customers in India and around the world is truly exceptional. The new investment will take this to the next level, helping all of our customers dominate the decade of data, said Sumeet Arora, Chief Development Officer, ThoughtSpot.

Delivering innovations for global customers

While the R&D teams in India work closely with global counterparts to deliver innovation across the platform, the team has also built ThoughtSpot Everywhere, the first low-code embedded analytics platform that allows developers and product leaders to incorporate the best of ThoughtSpot into their own apps and services. ThoughtSpot Everywhere, entirely built out of India, is supporting a global market of customers across industry verticals co-innovate and design products and applications that keep users coming back for more.

In the 12 months, ThoughtSpot has more than tripled its ThoughtSpot Everywhere customer base, and has realized nearly 400 percent growth in monthly active users at organizations such as Capital One, Nue, Chick-fil-A, Go Sharing, and Hogarth Worldwide. As the fastest growing ThoughtSpot offering, the team will continue to invest in product research, design and development.
Bangalore: One of the most successful entrepreneurs in India and the chairperson of the countries leading biotechnology firm, Kiran Mazumdar has been a great inspiration to young entrepreneurs. The leader of Biocon and Times Magazines one of the Most Influential People in the World humbly describes her career as that of an Accidental Entrepreneur.

Confessions of an Accidental Entrepreneur, Kirans interview to TV18 plots the remarkable journey of the biotechnology pioneer to transform the sector and change the way business is done in India.

Let us take a look at the 5 entrepreneurial lessons that can be learnt from the greatest woman entrepreneur in India.

1. Fight against the stream

Kiran had never decided to become an entrepreneur and instead had the plans of pursuing a brewing career. In spite of facing many hurdles like a huge gender barrier in technology and several financial problems, Kiran was on her way to start an enterprise in a road less travelled, Biotechnology. I suddenly found that my gender came against me. People kept acknowledging the fact that I had very good technological capabilities but they weren't willing to risk having a woman in their management cadre. It was an accidental encounter with an entrepreneur from Ireland that actually saw me start my company, says Kiran about her days in the late 70s.
The IT Ministry's MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) and Meta (formerly Facebook) on Tuesday launched a startup Programme to help 40 early-stage startups in India -- with a grant of Rs 20 lakh each -- create products and solutions based on Extended Reality (XR) technologies.

XR encompasses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR).

The 'XR Startup Programme' will include an accelerator and a grand challenge to boost the emerging tech ecosystem in the country and encourage innovation in a variety of sectors such as education, learning and healthcare, among others.

"Immersive technologies like XR have the power to transform the digital landscape and can have significant economic benefits for the country," said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics & IT.

"I look forward to the collaboration with Meta and I hope it provides the necessary impetus towards fuelling the growth of investments in future technologies in line with the government vision for making India a trillion dollar economy by 2025," the minister added.

The grand challenge will shortlist 80 innovators and select 16 for further support contributing to the advancement of the XR technology ecosystem in the country.

Joel Kaplan, Vice President, Global Policy, Meta said that India will play a pivotal role in defining future technologies.

"Decisions and investments made here in India now shape global discussions on how technology can deliver more economic opportunity and better outcomes for people," he noted.

This initiative will help shape the ecosystem for Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in the country.

According to a recent study by the Analysis Group, the metaverse is estimated to add $240 billion or 4.6 per cent to India's GDP by 2031.

"Young Indian startups, especially from tier 2 and 3 cities, will play a significant role in emerging tech areas like Web 3.0, blockchain, AI, metaverse etc. and will shape the future of Technology and the internet for India and the world," said Chandrasekhar.

At first, 80 innovators will be shortlisted to attend a bootcamp, out of which, a total of 16 innovators will be provided grants of Rs 20 lakh each and further support to help them develop Minimum Viable Product (MVP)/ prototypes.

Ajit Mohan, Vice President and Managing Director, Facebook India (Meta), said that for the future to be equitable, it will require active participation from all stakeholders, including developers, businesses, creators, policymakers and entrepreneurs.

The MeitY programme is supported by Meta's XR Programs and Research Fund, a two-year $50 million investment.
Every household in India has used Birla as the synonym for opulent. We wont have come across one person who has not heard of the Birlas. Lets meet the fourth generation of the Birla family, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, a commerce graduate, who went on to pursue MBA from London Business School from where he even holds the honorary award. On his father Aditya Vikram Birlas insistence, he later enrolled into CA at Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, which he cleared in the very first attempt and emerged as one amongst the toppers. After losing his father to cancer, Kumar took charge as the Chairman of the prestigious Birla Group at the young age of 28 in 1995.

Initially, many doubted his efficiency to manage the enormous empire, but Kumars educational background and business ethics, which he inherited from his ancestors, proved them wrong. On obtaining his business lessons from his father, he says, My father taught us that to thrive, excellence in technology, quality, and customer service along with cost competitiveness is a prerequisite. His contribution to business, the economy, and society at large can never be underscored enough.

In his tenure, Kumar majorly worked on reorganizing the business, among all the sectors in which the company is spread across, intending to be the leader of those sectors. He has a unique style to incorporate currents trends in the business world, and also comes up with easiest solution for even the most complex problem the business goes through. These are the key tips for his exceptionally successful leadership. He even claims that he always remains calm and patient while at work and has lost his temper only thrice in his more than two decades of entrepreneurial journey, which was also for genuine reasons.

Business Acquisitions

Though the Birla Group was an ancestral business, which was passed on to Kumar, it was his hard work and business strategies that brought in the global recognition for the Aditya Birla Group. Under his leadership, nearly 36 acquisitions were completed, which stands out to be the highest amongst other Indian multinationals. His major international acquisitions include Novelis, Columbian Chemicals, Domsjo Fabriker, and CTP GmbH- Chemicals & Technologies. Subsequently, the dealmaking tycoons acquisitions in his motherland include Jaypee Cement plants, Binani Cement, Cement division of Larsen & Toubro, Indal, Madura Garments, the Chlor Alkali division of Kanoria Chemicals and Solaris Chemtech Industries. The most recent & prominent acquisition of all is the merger of Vodafone & Idea, which now has turned as the worlds second largest telco. By all these take overs, Kumar has elevated the Birla Group. The companys enormous turn over from $2 billion in 1995 to $48.3 billion in 2019 is the witness for Kumars contribution to the Group.

Every individual post his success usually chooses to give back to the society through charity and philanthropic works. But Kumar choose to contribute through education as he says, There are two roadblocks in the way of transforming India into an economic giant and one of them was education. I believe that if education is privatized at primary and secondary level, lot of our problems will be answered to. Being an educationalist, he is the Chancellor of BITS, IIT Delhi, and IIM Ahmedabad. He also encourages other educational works through Aditya Birla Foundation.

Awards and Appreciation

Kumar for his impeccable contribution towards the stewardship has been bestowed with innumerous awards. Most prominent among them are CEO of the Year Award 2016, Global Leadership Award 2014, Entrepreneur of the Year 2012, NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards 2012, Business Leader Award in 2003 & 2013 and many more.

The born billionaire, being satisfied on his journey states, I think a leader has many roles to play. So, you know, one role is that of incubating talent; the other is that of being a strategist. Its a very interesting job Ive got.
Success is every persons dream. But only few can make it up to attain it. Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry (Emeritus Chairman of Shapoorji Pallonji Group), after graduating from Imperial College London, Pallonji like any other scion ventured into his fathers real estate business, to assist him. Even though it was a family business, Pallonji began his career from the scratch by supporting his father and took over the company after his fathers demise. Gradually, with his constant hard work and zeal he expanded the business into various sectors such as construction, textiles, engineering goods, shipping, publication, biotechnology and power. The Group also owns an extensive range of companies that include SP International, Afcons Construction, Sterling & Wilson, Eureka Forbes and more.

Pallonji is a very media shy person. He always chooses to maintain a low profile and has also stayed away from the scandals and controversies. In spite of his introvert personality, he has grown to be a splendid business tycoon and holds the net worth of $16.9 billion. He is also the largest individual stakeholder of the esteemed Tata Group. It all started when his father Shapoorji Mistry brought the Tata Sons shares in 1930s and eventually the equity has grown to be 18.9 percent today, making Pallonji the fifth richest Indian. This is when the ties between the Tatas and Mistrys began. It is been speculated in corporate world that the Mistrys never had a warm acceptance into Tata Group until Noel Tata, half brother of Ratan Tata, married Pallonjis eldest daughter Aloo, post which the relation between the two eased.

It is also stated that on Pallonjis insistence, Ratan Tata proposed Cyrus Mistry, second son of Pallonji, as the Chairman of Tata Group. In 2012, Cyrus took charge as the Chairman, but within four years, on October 24, 2016 the board of Tata Group removed him from the chair, citing management differences. The business associations of these two families also include the constructions of the The Taj Mahal Palace Tower and The Oberoi Hotel. They also took the responsibility of the renovation of the two iconic creation post the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008.

Shapoorji Groups Establishment

The construction icon Shapoorji Group traces its origin back in 1865 with the joint venture along with Littlewood Pallonji. At a slow pace the company went on to work on small projects such as nuclear establishment stadiums & auditoriums, factories, airports, skyscrapers, roads & expressways, power plant and many more. It is also renowned for constructing some most risky creation such as reservoir on Malabar Hills.

Later in 1973, under Pallonjis leadership, the Group went on to build some masterpieces in Mumbai, which includes Taj Mahal Tower, The Reserve Bank of India, The Bank of India Building, HSBC Bank, Breach Candy Hospital, The Trident and lot more. In 1976, it constructed the The Palace of the Sultan of Oman in Oman; this marked the companys first international project. It was the defining moment for the company. Since then there is no looking back for the Shapoorji Group. Pallonji always believed in giving the best, no compromise on quality and on time delivery has largely elevated their reputation.

The Indian born Pallonji gave up his Indian citizenship to marry an Irish born Patsy Perin Dubash and obtained Irish citizenship in 2003 as India doesnt permit dual citizenship. He has two sons, Shapoor Mistry and Cyrus Mistry, and two daughters, Aloo and Laila. His intense love for horse is why he owns a stud farm in Pune with more than hundred horses.

Awards &Accolades

Pallonji for his outstanding contribution towards the trade and industry has been honored with the countrys third highest civilian Award Padma Bhushan in 2016 by the Government of India. In 2008, Manju Namburu has penned a short biography on Pallonji titled The Moguls of Real Estate. Later in 2012, he chose to retire and passed on the legacy to his eldest son Shapoor Mistry.
Rahul Bhatia, the co-founder of the countrys largest and low budget carrier IndiGo Airlines, recently made headline with the strained relationship with his long time partner Rakesh Gangwal. They indulged in a corporate rift over the alleged corporate governance lapse. Rakesh had sent across a letter to Securities and Exchange Board of India, charging that there is an uncertain transaction between InterGlobe Enterprises (IGE) Group and IndiGo, IGE Groups unusual privilege under the shareholders agreement (SHA) and the women directors onboarding. These were the three complaints Rakesh charged. While Rahul countered these allegations stating that it was under the IGEs nutriment IndiGo has evolved to this extend and also the major financial risk was managed by Rahul himself.

Invading Business World

Rahul completed his engineering from University of Waterloo, and held two years of experience from IBM, which he had acquired as a student. He was intending to pursue PhD and aspired to be a teacher. But his destiny had different plans in store for his future. His father Kapil Bhatia was running a travel agency Delhi Express, which was co-founded with nine other partners in 1964. Considering his fathers deteriorating health, unwilling Rahul joined his fathers business in 1988. Past three years is when he and his father realized that few of the companys partners have confidentially acquired majority of the companys stake by buying its equity. Consequently, Rahul and his father were forced out of the company.

This incident triggered Rahul to set up his own business; this time he had to start from the square one. With $37,000 as seed capital, he initiated InterGlobe- which handled the IT & BPO services majoring in hospitality, travel & transport. It was a tough beginning for Rahul, especially managing the financial crisis. But Rahuls vast network was a blessing in disguise, which attracted all the airlines associated with his old travel agency to InterGlobe. Since then it was no looking back for Rahul, as the company entered into joint venture with the Galileo International in 1999 to provide back-office services. InterGlobe then went on to attain conglomerate status by expanding its business into technology, retails, travel, hospitality and more.

Birth of IndiGo

While in his glorious period, Rahul came in contact with his future partner Rakesh Gangwal (CEO, US Airways). This is when the idea struck him to kick start his own airline. He pitched this idea to Rakesh, but he was ambivalent over this idea considering the monetary figure the airline industry takes in. With Rahuls continuous perseverance, Rakesh had to eventually give in. During the dinner at the Bhatias, Rakesh stated, Look, you guys decide how much money you want to lose. I will work with you. I don't want any part of this business. I will give you all my knowledge or whatever experience I have. But once you have lost that money, shake hands and remain friends. Thus IndiGo Airlines took birth.

The airline had obtained its license in 2004, Rahul held 51.12 percent share while Rakesh has 48 percent in IndiGo. With lot of guts, Rahul ventured the airline industry in 2006, when the aviation fuel rates were at its peak. In addition to this, he placed a shocking order for 100 Airbus A320-200 to begin his airline operation. After four years of its commencement, IndiGo placed itself in third position among the countrys largest airlines. The following year, the company further obtained 180 Airbus A320 neo aircraft which was worth $15 billion, along with this it even acquired permission to set up international flights. By the passing years, the airlines became the most profitable airline in the nation, also being the low cost carrier.

For his entrepreneurial achievements Rahul was honoured with Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010, and Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year2011.

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It is quite inspiring to see the success of certain entrepreneurs who start from the scratch and go on to reach the pinnacle. Shiv Nadar (Founder & Chairman, HCL (HCLTECH.NS)) is one such person, he ventured into IT sector when India had not carved a niche for itself in the tech world and built an empire that is 1.502 trillion entities. The young Shiv after completing his engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, initiated his career as a management trainee at DCM; it is here he met his future partners Ajai Chowdhry (Ex-Chairman, HCL Infosystems), Arjun Malhotra (CEO & Chairman, Headstrong), Subhash Arora, Yogesh Vaidya, S. Raman, Mahendra Pratap and DS Puri, with whom he began his own venture.

The Moist Beginning

Initially the partners came up with Microcomp, teledigital calculators named Televista, with a vision that microprocessor would bring about a lot of changes in the world. This eventually led to the establishment of HCL in 1976 with an initial capital of 1, 87,000. Under the guidance of Shiv, the company gradually reaped its benefits. The void left behind by the IBMs exit from India also gave HCL a wider access to the market space. In 1984, Shiv began to build out personal computer solutions named Busybee  a UNIX based solution. By late 80s, the company had collected revenue of 100 crore and stood as No.1 Company in India. Over the time, HCL steadily transformed itself from an IT hardware company to an IT enterprise.

After topping the list nationally, Shiv was awaiting a global opportunity. As a result, HCL America was born in 1989, but Shivs wrong market analysis led to its fiasco. Post this, HCL and HP teamed up to build a joint venture- HCL HP Ltd. The joint venture intended to target the local computing markets; this also marked the HCLs first outsourced Research and Development. In the mid-90s, the company had 40 subsidiaries, while Shivs attention had also traversed from IT hardware to IT services. With the new evolution, the joint venture was associated to the HCL Consulting and the company obtained its new name HCL Technologies, and further the joint venture was eventually called off.

In 1999, Shiv made HCL public, while it stood second among the largest IT companies. After the arrival of internet, HCL could not match the pace with its rivals, hence Shiv decided to link up all the acquisitions with HCL. Its acquisition includes Deutsche Software Limited and Apollo Contact center, but this didnt seem to help much as HCL comparatively performed low in this relation as of 2005. This led to the consolidation of the five companies of HCL namely HCL Technologies, HCL Infosystems, HCL Comnet, HCL Perot and NIIT into two  HCL Technologies & HCL Infosystems. In 2013, Shiv onboarded his sole kid Roshini Nadar, as the Vice Chairman of the company.

An Ardent beliver in the art of Giving

Philanthropic works add in great benefits to ones business. Shiv is most noted for his charitable works. He was also named as Most Philanthropic Indian 2016 by Hurun Research Institutes most generous individual. In 1994, he set up Shiv Nadar Foundation, which supports various rural and urban areas in the field of education and art by establishing many institutes across the country (SSN Institutions, VidyaGyan, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art are the institutes and museum set up by Shiv Nadar Foundation). He even contributed 630 crore for the charitable activities through the foundation. Shiv also presented 1 million worth HCL shares to his college  SSN College of Engineering. Free scholarship and donation of computer and other equipments to VidyaGyans students also includes to his charity works.

Awards & Honour

Shiv, for his tremendous contribution to the IT industry, was honored by the Government of India with the countrys third highest civilian award  Padma Bhushan in 2008. Madras University presented him the Honorary Doctorate Degree in 2007. The same year he was also recognized as the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year. Shiv received CNBC Business Excellence Award; later in 2010 he was honored with Dataquest Lifetime Achievement Award. Shiv was ranked No.16 in Indias most powerful people of 2017 by India Today amongst many such honors to his name.

Over four decades, the company has seen many ups and downs but still remains one among the leading companies in the IT industry globally, through the constant guidelines of Shiv Nadar, who says, Adaptability and constant innovation is key to the survival of any company operating in a competitive market.

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The first direct flight between Australia and southern India took off on Wednesday, under a new route supported by funding by the NSW government in an effort to boost visitation with the countrys fifth-biggest trading partner.

The new Qantas route between Sydney and Bengaluru received funding from the state governments $60 million Aviation Attraction Fund. An A330 aircraft will take off from Sydney to Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport four times per week on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

An A330 aircraft will take off from Sydney to Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport four times per week on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

In 2019, India was the fastest growing market to NSW, with 175,000 visitors spending an estimated $444 million. In July, India was the third-largest source of visitors to the state, with the NSW government expecting that number to surge over the coming months due to pent-up demand.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the service hopes to support more than 100 jobs and generate more than $19 million in delivering more than 44,000 inbound international seats to Sydney up to June 30, 2023. Many Australian companies have operations in Bengaluru, and the new route cuts the current travel time between the two cities by three hours.
Rio Tinto and China Baowu Steel Group will spend $US2 billion ($3 billion) on the Western Range iron ore project in the Pilbara region to start delivering 25 million tonnes a year of the steel-making ingredient by 2025.

The deal will help the Australian mining giant maintain its iron ore production from Western Australia as other reserves such as the Eastern Range iron ore deplete.

Under the joint venture agreement - which Rio shareholders are yet to approve as both Baowu and Rios 11 per cent shareholder Chinalco have a common owner, the Chinese government - the miner will bear 54 per cent of the cost of the project, in line with its equity stake.

Western Range will allow Rio Tinto to maintain iron ore production from WA as other reserves deplete. Credit:Krystle Wright

Under ASX listing rules, the transaction constitutes the sale of a substantial asset to an associate of a substantial shareholder and hence has to be given the green light by a majority of the non-Chinalco shareholders at general meetings of Rios UK and Australian entities on October 25.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size In 1977, the English poet Philip Larkin was commissioned to write a short poem to mark Queen Elizabeth IIs diamond jubilee. Larkin wrote: In times when nothing stood

But worsened, or grew strange,

There was one constant good:

She did not change. The penultimate line was the result of a late alteration. Larkin had originally written: We had one constant good. At the last moment, he crossed out We had and wrote There was. Larkin didnt think much of his jubilee poem. In a way, you can see why. The first two lines are a bit arbitrary, especially if you dont share Larkins sense that all change is bad and that the world has been generally going down the toilet since 1952. But the poems clinching two lines are what poetry is for. In nine simple words, Larkin totally hit the bullseye about Queen Elizabeth II. Since her death, his words have only come to feel more right. She did not change. These days its rare to find a proposition we can all agree with. But we all seem to agree about that. This is why Larkins last-minute revision of the poem was crucial. Just in time, he registered the key point that the Queens constancy was no mere matter of opinion. It was not  or not just  a matter of what we had. It existed beyond us. It was an objective fact. There was one constant good: she did not change. Not all the tributes paid to her majesty in 1977 were as respectful as Larkins. The Sex Pistols marked the silver jubilee by releasing the scandalous God Save the Queen. At the start of each verse, Johnny Rotten snarled the titular phrase. As the song proceeded, he was therefore obliged to find a succession of different rhymes for Queen. In the first verse he went for the snappy and controversial Her fascist regime. In the second verse he went with She aint no human bein. Finally, he opted for the anticlimactic We mean it, man.

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The Sex Pistols outside Buckingham Palace in 1978. Credit:Getty The Queen outlived many things and people during her 70-year reign. Among the things she outlasted were punk and the wrath of Johnny Rotten. In 2017, having long since rebranded himself as John Lydon, the ex-Pistol made it clear that hed never had any beef with the Queen personally. Thats a human being, he said, and I would sorely miss her as a human being on Planet Earth. Last week, Lydon proved this by swiftly paying his respects when news of the Queens death broke. Rest in Peace, Queen Elizabeth II, he tweeted. Send her victorious. Loading Over time, then, Lydon recanted his charge that the Queen was no human bein. But theres a sense in which that claim was not too far off the mark. The Queen was certainly no normal human being. Her single-minded commitment to duty was downright creepy. It was more superhuman than human. This is why every thinking person admired her, and no thinking person envied her. Elizabeth was 10 when her father unexpectedly inherited the throne from her feckless, Nazi-sympathising uncle. Does that mean youre going to be Queen? Elizabeths little sister Margaret asked her. Elizabeth said it probably did. Poor you, Margaret said. Their grandmother noticed that Elizabeth began praying ardently for a brother at this point because the appearance of a male heir was the only thing that would now save her. But no brother materialised. On her 21st birthday, Elizabeth made a solemn public pledge: I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.

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Lots of people make such far-fetched promises without intending to keep them. Elizabeth meant exactly what she said. This was selflessness in a radically literal sense. Her devotion to duty would be so total that she would effectively have no self. Five years later, she became Queen. Fittingly, she didnt look happy at her coronation. Happiness would have been inappropriate, given how diligently she intended to do her job. The prospect of living a normal life  a life dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of boredom  was off the table forever. Philip Larkins best friend, the novelist Kingsley Amis, had lunch with the Queen once. For days beforehand, Amis strictly avoided eating beans and onions, to reduce the risk that he would fart or belch in the royal presence. In the event, he didnt, and the occasion went smoothly. When the topic of books came up, the Queen confessed that she had no time to read for pleasure. So much of my work is reading, she said. Amis named some of his favourite English authors. When he mentioned Dick Francis, the Queens ears pricked up. Oh yes, Mummys jockey, she said. It was true: Francis had ridden horses for the Queen Mother before turning his hand to thriller writing. English poet Philip Larkin (1922 - 1985) with Monica Jones at Westminster Abbey in 1984. Credit:Getty Kingsleys son Martin has a lower opinion of the royal family than his father did. Theyre philistines, he declared, after meeting the Queen and Prince Philip. The Prince had distinguished himself by having no idea that Amis was a writer. As for the Queen, Amis had tried to break the ice by mentioning that she had knighted his father. Her only reaction was to look far away, vaguely staring at a painting on the wall, the novelist recalled. The problem is, the Queen doesnt listen to what you say  Possibly, Amis should have spared a thought for the Queen here. Such meetings cant have been too thrilling for her, either, and she had to be present at all of them, not just one of them. On a daily basis, she had to attend gatherings and cultural events that most of us would crawl over half a mile of broken glass to avoid just once. Nor did she have the option of quitting. Her uncle had done that, and hed almost destroyed the monarchy.

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Of course, well never know for sure what it was like to be her; the Queen was scrupulous about keeping her opinions to herself. But as Amis found, her body language occasionally gave things away. For example, we can safely infer that she was not into the electric guitar. In 2005, at Buckingham Palace, the Queen was introduced to four English masters of that instrument: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Brian May and Jimmy Page. The encounter was filmed, and the footage is notoriously excruciating. For maximum comic effect, it should be watched in full on YouTube. But the gist of it is that the Queen didnt have the faintest idea who these tuxed, nervous-looking legends of the axe were. Writer Kingsley Amis in 1985. Credit:Getty May was first in line. After a cursory chat with him, the Queen moved along the line to Page. And are you also a  ? the Queen said, before trailing off in a way that made it painfully clear that she a) didnt have a clue who Page was; and b) had paid such minimal attention to May that she didnt even know the word she was after was guitarist. Im a guitarist as well, yes, the composer of Stairway to Heaven tactfully replied, supplying information that he probably hadnt been called on to supply for about three decades.

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Clapton was next in line. Having watched the Page fiasco unfold, he tried to avert a similar bin fire by loudly announcing his own name up front. Youve been playing quite a long time, havent you? the Queen rejoined. Conceivably this meant she had caught Claptons name and was familiar with it. Slightly more conceivably, it didnt. Nor did Jeff Beck get much joy out of her. Maybe she thought he was Johnny Rotten. Queen Elizabeth II (L) speaks with British actor Christopher Lee in 2015. It was great to meet her and it doesnt matter at all that she didnt know who we are or what we do, Clapton said later. I wouldnt expect her to. This was surely the right way to look at it. After all, they were the ones getting to meet her; she wasnt the one getting to meet them. They were there of their own free will. She wasnt. Since birth, she had rarely done anything of her own free will. Just as shed never had enough me-time to read books, shed never had much chance to get the Led out, or immerse herself in the 15-minute jazz-rock odysseys of Jeff Beck. That wasnt what shed been put on Earth to do, so she didnt do it.

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The water that flows through the Royal National Park is usually sparkling, but along Camp Gully Creek it is black and murky and the river bed is coated in sludge after a pollution incident involving a local mine.

Local trail runner James McCormack was jogging past the Hacking River last week when he noticed a black substance floating atop the water.

Concerned locals spotted black sludge in Camp Gully Creek last week, which is linked to a pollution incident from the nearby Metropolitan Colliery mine. Credit:James McCormack, Wild Magazine

Theres this inky black water flowing quietly through otherwise pristine rainforest and mossy boulders, said McCormack, who is also the editor of Wild Magazine, an adventure and conservation publication.

Theres large amounts of sludge floating on top of the water there. Its like thick custard thats just floating on the water that you can scoop off the water and hold in your hands. Its absolutely disgusting, he said.
The question quickly arose, though, was Albanese going too far? ABC journalist Laura Tingle queried on the weekend, for example, why Australias parliament was suspended for a fortnight while the British parliament was still sitting, albeit only for condolence speeches on the Queens death. Members of the Yukembruk dance group perform at the proclamation ceremony in Canberra. Credit:Getty Why couldnt parliament today and tomorrow have been put aside for condolence motions now, Tingle asked Albanese directly at a press conference on Monday. Thats what the British parliament has done. I think that we have seen enough of breaches of protocol and arrangements and conventions, Albanese said. I intend to act in accordance with the advice, I have done that.

Albanese tying Labor to tradition in this way, symbolically occupying the middle ground and not just the left of centre, has vast potential dividends for the government for which incredulity among some of its own supporters is a small price to pay. Thats because if you want to make really significant changes while in office, building and banking trust among centrist voters makes those big changes far more achievable. Big changes like a First Nations Voice to parliament, and transforming our nation from a constitutional monarchy with a foreign head of state to an independent republic with an Australian head of state. The incredulous are being asked to trust Albaneses strategic judgment that his hasten slowly approach is the one most likely to succeed. Albanese is smart not to make the achievement of a First Nations Voice riskier by moving at the same time to develop a republic proposal in the wake of the popular Queens death.

Careful sequencing, achieving the Voice in this term of office and the republic later  by implication in the governments next term  makes sense. Loading The alternative crash through or crash approach would be more exciting. But if you want results, tactical cunning wedded to good strategy and sensible timing is the way to go. With Albanese embracing opportunities to position Labor as respecters of norms and conventions, he is building goodwill and sense of security among those centrist voters needed for the incredibly difficult task of winning referendums in Australia. Toey republicans would do well to recall the nastiness of the 1999 republic referendum campaign. When Labor does put the republic back on the active agenda, some of the old stagers will be back, including arch monarchist Tony Abbott whose you cant trust politicians to select a president line had such a devastating effect.

The next republic referendum campaign has to anticipate and negate attack lines like this which this time round will be harnessed to nefarious effect on social media. It will be like the 1999 Tony Abbott on social media steroids. Loading The UK Labour Party has had a pro-monarchy position reaching back to the post-World War II Labour government of Clement Attlee. Belief in constitutional monarchy as a bulwark against the rise of extremist government is the main reason. Attlee and later Labour prime ministers did not see it as an impediment to pursuing social democratic ends. Its different in Australia where the constitutional monarch is not one of us, and where we risk being an embarrassing case of arrested development, still tied to home at the advanced age of 121 years old.

Australian Labor showing you dont need to be against the British monarchy to be for a federal republic of Australia will be helpful to making the eventual case that, for an Australian republic, its time. Loading Meanwhile, Albaneses decision to suspend parliament represents a real risk to his overriding goal that Labor be seen to keep its election pledges. Crossbenchers fear the suspension of parliament will mean theres not enough time to debate and pass the governments imminent independent integrity commission bill properly before Christmas. They have framed this as a potential broken promise in the making. Albanese counters that Labor promised to introduce the bill before the end of the year but not necessarily pass it by then. He cites in his defence, too, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus repeated meetings with crossbencher Helen Haines and other interested parties, and to additional parliamentary sitting days scheduled to make up for lost time.
A Sydney businesswoman accused of defrauding the National Australia Bank of millions of dollars told a senior bank staffer in an intercepted call that her phone may be tapped before using the phrase story, story, story, a court has heard.

Rosemary Rogers, who was chief of staff to the banks chief executive from 2009 to 2017, has told the NSW District Court trial of businesswoman Helen Rosamond that she approved inflated invoices from Rosamonds event management company Human Group to NAB as part of a fraudulent scheme.

Rogers gave evidence on Wednesday about intercepted phone calls between the pair, starting on April 10, 2018, after Rosamonds Potts Point home was raided by police.

Rosemary Rogers arriving at court in January, 2021. Credit:Nick Moir

Rosamond said in the first call that she had cooperated with police and told them: Ive got nothing to hide; take everything you need.
One of the 10 chosen Aussies to attend the Queens funeral will not be attending due to COVID-19.

Racehorse trainer Chris Waller was invited to London for the royal event but due to COVID-19 related circumstances, he will not attend.

Mr Waller issued a statement this afternoon saying he is unable to attend due to COVID-19.

I will live with and cherish for the rest of my life the fond memories I have of Her Majesty, he wrote in a statement.

Her love of horses and all animals; her passion for life, and the respect she gave everyday people. My deepest condolences go out to the Royal Family and the rest of the world that currently mourn.

What a great life Her Majesty lived; and what an inspiration she was, and will continue to be, to so many generations around the globe.
Nine Entertainment has apologised to former federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming as part of a settlement of his Federal Court defamation action over a Queensland news broadcast.

Laming filed proceedings against Nine, publisher of this masthead, in August last year over a segment on Nine News Queenslands 6pm news bulletin on March 27 that he alleged portrayed him as a lecherous person and a pervert who took a photo of a womans buttocks for sexual gratification.

Andrew Laming, pictured in Parliament House last year. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The broadcaster spoke to a woman who claimed the then Liberal National Party MP took an inappropriate photo of her bottom on his mobile phone while she bent down to fill a fridge with drinks at a Brisbane business.

Queensland Police conducted an investigation into the allegations about the photograph, and determined the evidence did not support the conclusion that any criminal offence had been committed by Laming.
Amend the constitution to make PM our head of state Geoffrey Robertsons contention that Australia does not need a separate head of state given that we have an elected PM is such common sense (Can we do without a head of state?, September 14). The republican debate in Australia has been hamstrung for years by the who and the how of a presidential functionary. By deleting that role, and the financial impost associated with it, we have a clear road to our republican future. It will require constitutional amendments, but that gives our constitutional gurus the opportunity to update and upgrade a constitution that could finally legally recognise the role of prime minister. Barry Ffrench, Cronulla What better time than now to critically reconsider our need for the $25 million anachronism of a governor-general. And while were at it, ask ourselves what we will want a president to do when we become a republic. If nothing more than our present GG, we could do without and save ourselves any argument about how a president should be elected. Col Nicholson, Hawks Nest I am not a monarchist, but I believe the late Queen gave stability during her long reign. I think we should reflect long and hard on what that change to our head of state might yield. Names such as Trump, Bolsonaro, Putin and Lukashenko are not those of kings. Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield I thought I might have been one of those calling for a republic. But Charles shows every sign of being a good king. Wouldnt it be better to embrace someone who supports good causes, loves Australia, has a great knowledge and has a sense of history than have the instability and uncertainty of untested leaders? Christine Stewart, Glebe

Even a stable nation needs a titular head of state empowered to dismiss a government behaving badly and force an election. Although we dont expect such a situation right now, extreme examples might be giving a foreign power command over our armed forces or incarcerating political opponents. Andrew Cohen, Glebe Robertsons solution is admirable but too radical to find acceptance. Why not give the task to state governors on rotation given that their sinecures are for the time being unchallenged? Peter Wilson, Murrays Beach Each year we elect a group of Australians as Australians of the year. Could these people not carry out official duties where they are purely representatives, rather than authority figures? Neville Turbit, Russell Lea Perhaps we can also use this opportunity to remove any reference to royal in our institutions as the first step to moving to independence from the British royal family. No more Royal Prince Alfred or Royal North Shore hospitals, no Royal Life Saving Society, forget the RSPCA, the Royal Flying Doctor Service or Royal Randwick.

Dale Bailey, Five Dock With the continuous coverage of the Queens death, the abandonment of parliament, proclamation of a day of mourning, it shows that Australia is still a British colony. Paul Keys, Clouds Creek

Day of mourning I work in a cancer care clinic and the first thing I thought of when I heard about the public holiday was what was going to happen to patients who have long-standing chemotherapy treatments and consultations (I mourn the Queen, but my cancer does not observe holidays, September 14). When I took a number of phone calls from patients anxiously asking the same question, the relief and appreciation was palpable when I said the clinic would remain open. Angela Miller, Bondi Junction The significance of the Queens death will be recorded in history whether we have a public holiday or not. Wrong call, prime minister. John Nelson, Mudgee Mourning? I know people who are now also taking Friday off to create a pleasurable long weekend. I heard of people whose long-awaited surgery is delayed indefinitely. Whose weird idea was it to declare a day of mourning for the Queen? I doubt she would have approved. Naomi Roseth, Mosman Lets get one thing straight. The public holiday is not some populist idea dreamed up by the PM on a whim. It is something that was always going to happen on the death of the Queen, regardless of who was in power in Canberra. Whether we like it or not (and, as an ardent republican, I dont) she was our head of state and served faithfully for an incredible 70 years. Surely, the least we can do in return is to take one day in her honour. Gerald Smith, Adelaide (SA)

Mere wrist slap a safe bet for star Since when have gambling and making vast profits from casinos involved morality (Star threw out moral compass, says casino watchdog, September 14)? And people are astonished at the evident lack of integrity and accountability of these places, the involvement of organised crime and widespread community harm and misery. Give us a break. We all know very little responsibility will be accepted by those who claim oversight, and punishment will be negligible. Jennifer Katauskas, Wahroonga Can moral compass and casino ever be uttered or written in the same sentence? Cora Moore, Strathfield No matter how insidious, immoral, corrupt or illegal their conduct, casinos escape serious consequences. Theres plenty of outraged condemnation from regulators and governments, but never any significant punishment or, heaven forbid, actual loss of licence. Promises of reform are sufficient. Any expectation that the rebuke of Star will bring a different result is fanciful. Gary Stowe, Springwood

Fleeting enjoyment In its dispute with the government over the introduction of the new intercity fleet of trains, the rail union says it wants to put pressure on senior bureaucrats, not the travelling public (Rail union to switch off all Opal card readers, September 14). The public should sympathise and take advantage of the current pleasant weather to make intercity trips on the existing trains, which have reversible seating. Once the new trains are introduced, their fixed seats will force half the passengers to travel backwards. This design trait, too, was forced on the public by unwavering senior bureaucrats. Kevin Eadie, Drummoyne What the union doesnt understand is that Im not stupid. Turning off the Opal Card readers does hurt commuters; it hurts all of us in NSW. Specifically, it hurts our ability to pay the very people who we do want to pay more  teachers and nurses  and invest in improving the infrastructure they need. The fact that 90 per cent of commuters tap on and off despite the union leaving the gates open shows that the decision to now switch the machines off altogether is more aligned to moral bankruptcy, not public leadership. Move on. Tom Key, West Pymble

Vision of high-rise hell It is good of the deputy mayor of the Inner West Council to say that the council has to abide by the Liberal state governments demands to crowd thousands more people into housing in our area and to do so in a way that is sensitive to the local character of our community (A high-rise nightmare: inner west up in arms, September 14). But there was nothing sensitive about the three-page leaflet I received under the door of my federation 1912 home on Friday, August 26. The initial proposal is to demolish 258 existing homes in the following [seven] streets which  council believes is the best option for growth around the [Dulwich Hill] train line  the whole area is proposed for the demolition of all houses to be replaced with approximately 600 units, it stated on page 3. I rang my local councillors and was told no decisions about such matters had been made yet, but rezoning and growth demands by the Liberals had to be accommodated. It was hardly comforting, hence the anger and fear. Dulwich Hill is naturally a federation-era old community with most homes from that era, similar to Glebe, Paddington and Hunters Hill. It is a heritage area, sometimes flooded by the local Cooks River. It is certainly not high-rise country. Peter Manning, Dulwich Hill

Support, dont punish, jobseekers As a social worker in acute psychiatric care in the 1980s, I can attest to the accuracy of Ross Gittins article (Jobless services set up to fail, September 14). I worked in an environment which supported the existence and validity of the Commonwealth Employment Service. It had trained and dedicated staff to attend to the requirements of clients with special needs and enabled their appropriate placements. The callous dismantling of this valuable resource by the Howard government in the late 1990s then enabled private untrained agencies to flourish  making vast sums of money for their opportunistic owners while the needs of their clients went largely ignored. For many of us who voted in the last election, there is hope that a change of government might herald a more compassionate provision of services to those who most need it. The Anglicare report gives a much-needed road map. Joanna Barnes, Mosman Gittins highlights the role of the Commonwealth Employment Service until it was abolished. I arrived in Melbourne in 1965 as an assisted migrant and was housed in the Broadmeadows immigration reception facility. The next day an officer of the CES interviewed all the newly arrived migrants. My interviewer asked me about my wishes, previous work experience and then made an appointment with one of the major Australian banks for the following day. Waiting for approval, I worked at the nearby Ford factory as a picker of spare parts. How easy it was then under Sir Robert Menzies. Dierk Mohr, Turramurra AI art OK There has always been resistance to art that departs from the comfortable and familiar (As tool of the artist, AI helps humans produce valid art, September 14). But art is an idea. It doesnt matter how that idea is realised or whether its made of plywood or pixels. The intent of the maker is what matters  how the idea started, developed and reached its conclusion. Allowing mistakes to happen can create other ideas and a change of direction. And knowing where to stop is as important as knowing where to start. Machines can be just another art-making tool. Its the brain behind the tool that counts. Judy Hungerford, North Curl Curl
All workers walk out of G.P.O.

All workers in the Mail Branch at Sydney G.P.O. walked off the job last night, paralysing the handling of mail. At a mass meeting the men decided to remain on strike until another meeting at Leichhardt Stadium tomorrow afternoon. They decided to extend the strike to the parcels branch  Postmen will deliver mail as usual today  but with no sorters in operation at the G.P.O. there will soon be little mail to deliver. Telegraph services are not affected.

Milk to be sold in cartons

Milk will be sold in cartons in the metropolitan area from September 28. The cartons will sell at 1/- for  a pint - ld a pint more than bottled milk. The secretary of the Milk Board, Mr. W.E. Murphy, said last night the board had authorised the sale of milk in cartons because of the shortage of bottles. Cartons would be sold by shops, factory canteens and at sporting functions. Household milk deliveries would be in bottles unless cartons were specified.

A frenzied first night

Hundreds of teenagers shouted, screamed and danced in the aisles at the first Australian showing of a rock n roll film last night, Rock Around the Clock. Gaudily dressed bodgies, widgies and rock n rollers last night queued for more than two hours outside the Victory Theatre, Sydney, to get a seat at the Australian premiere. The start of the film was the signal for a roof-rocking outburst of cheering and shouting from the audience.
Detectives hope footage of multiple cars visiting an apartment block in Sydneys north  which police believe have been registered in the names of ordinary Sydneysiders  could be key to solving the killing of crime figure Bilal Hamze outside a Japanese restaurant in the CBD last year.

On Thursday morning, police released more than four minutes of footage that shows several vehicles of interest driving in and out of an apartment complex car park on Walker Street in North Sydney between July 15 and August 14 last year.

Hamzes brother Ibrahem lived in the apartment block; he is thought to owe his life to traffic police who attempted to stop a car close to the building in August last year. Detectives believe it was en route to execute him.

Detectives have since charged three men  all believed to have connections with the Alameddine family  over their alleged roles in the failed execution.
Victorian health minister forced to apologise following colleague's comments

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Big gas users including Alcoa and Wesfarmers have called for the federal government to intervene in the West Australian gas market ahead of concerns about a looming shortage.

The DomGas Alliance wants the federal government to apply to WA its Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism designed for the east coast market, where gas prices have surged due to demand from export plants in Queensland.

Woodsides Pluto LNG project has to date sold little of its gas reserved for the WA market. Credit:Woodside

The WA market has escaped disruption from LNG exports due to a much-lauded policy for liquefied natural gas projects to reserve 15 per cent of their gas for domestic use.

Industry consultancy EnergyQuest recently labelled gas in WA as the cheapest in major industrialised countries, however a shortage between 2025 and 2027 predicted by the Australian Energy Market Operator in 2021 could cause prices to jump.
Taipei: Chinese President Xi Jinpings first trip overseas since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic will overlap with a visit by Pope Francis to Kazakhstan, although the Vatican says there are no plans for them to meet.

Xis state visit on Wednesday comes just weeks ahead of an all-important political meeting in China where he is expected to take a third term as he cements his grip on power. The Pope is in Kazakhstan until Thursday for a state visit and an interfaith congress of world religious leaders.

Security officers on patrol walk past the gates of the Wangfujing Church, a Catholic church in Beijing. Credit:AP

Asked during his flight to Kazakhstan about a possible meeting with Xi, the Pope said, I dont have any news about this. But I am always ready to go to China.

The two have been in the same vicinity before and not met, including in New York for the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 and during Xis visit to Italy in 2019.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The clip-clopping of horses, a coffin draped in the royal flag and a 24-hour military guard can mean only one thing: the lying-in-state has begun. After making the journey from Balmoral Castle to London, Queen Elizabeth IIs coffin will be taken from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday, in a slow procession, accompanied by a military parade. Her majestys coffin will be placed in view at Westminster Hall  the oldest building in Londons parliamentary estate  where members of the public are invited to pay their respects over four days. More than three-quarters of a million people are expected to take part in the British version of this tradition dating back to the 17th century, where mourners file past the Queens closed coffin 23 hours a day until the morning of the funeral. What will they see? Where does the tradition come from? And what is the pageantry for? Members of the public file by the coffin of the Queen Mother in Westminster Hall in 2002. Credit:AP What does lying in state mean, exactly? Its a formal occasion where a coffin is placed on view to allow the public to pay their respects to the deceased before the funeral ceremony. The tradition is reserved for sovereigns, the current or past Queen consort and sometimes former prime ministers.

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Viewing a body is something many ordinary people do, but a lying-in-state ceremony is a time-honoured tradition that happens all over the world as a final tribute for distinguished leaders. Considered a high honour, it is usually followed by an invitation for the public to pay its respects. In the United States, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the first woman to lie in state following her death in 2020. And in 2011, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il lay in state at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang. The first monarch to lie in state in Westminster Hall was Edward VII in 1910, but the tradition stretches back to the 17th century during the Stuart era. The Queens father, King George VI, and sovereigns before him lay in state as well as two former prime ministers  William Gladstone in 1898 and Sir Winston Churchill in 1965. The Queen Mother was the last person to lie in state following her death in 2002. At his request, Prince Philip did not lie in state following his death last year. Whats involved? The Queens coffin, draped in the Royal Standard  representing the sovereign and the United Kingdom  will be placed on a catafalque, a raised platform, inside Westminsters grand hall. Here, it will be topped with the Imperial State Crown adorned with a significant sapphire, ruby and huge diamond.

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Queen Elizabeth IIs casket is made from rare English oak and lined with lead  necessary for preservation  because the Queen will be interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel rather than given a traditional burial. The casket was made more than 30 years ago by the same firm that made Prince Philips casket as well as those of celebrities such as Diana Dors and Freddie Mercury. Loading Once in the hall, a short service will be held, attended by the King and senior members of the royal family, before the hall is opened for the public. This follows another vigil  known as the Vigil of the Princes  which took place earlier in the week in Edinburgh. There, Princess Anne made history as the first female member of the royal family to stand guard alongside her brothers, the King, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex. The tradition dates back to 1936 when the four sons of George V stood in vigil over his coffin in Westminster Hall. While it may sound like something borrowed from a medieval tale, the vigil this week was only the third such occasion in history. The coffin will lie in state from 5pm London time on Wednesday (2am Thursday AEST) until 6.30am on the day of the Queens funeral in the nearby Westminster Abbey next Monday. The platform will be guarded in a continuous vigil by the Kings bodyguards who serve the royal household. An estimated 200,000 mourners turned out to see the Queen Mothers coffin over three days after her death, aged 101, in 2002. Queen Elizabeth II famously left the note In Loving Memory, Lilibet on her mothers coffin. Mourners queue to view the coffin of Queen Elizabeths father, King George VI, in 1952. Credit:Getty Images

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When Queen Mary died in 1953, it was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II and worn by her in the 50s. The tiara achieved global recognition when it was loaned to Princess Diana, who complained about its weight and the swinging pear-shaped pearls. In recent years, the tiara has been loaned to Catherine. No complaints. Cartier Halo Tiara Catherine Middleton wearing the Cartier Halo Tiara at her wedding to Prince William Credit:AP Another tiara given new life by Catherine is the Cartier Halo Tiara worn on her wedding day in April 2011. It was commissioned by King George VI, then the duke of York, for his bride, the future Queen Mother. On becoming Queen consort, she ditched the elegant tiara with 739 brilliant cut diamonds and 149 baguette diamonds, diving into the royal vaults for bigger pieces, giving her wedding gift to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth, in 1944.

Queen Elizabeth II was never seen wearing the tiara, lending it to her sister, Princess Margaret, and daughter, Princess Anne, before loaning it to Catherine. Queen Mary Art Deco Bandeau Tiara Meghan wears the Queen Mary Art Deco Bandeau Tiara on her wedding day. Credit:AP When it came to the tiara on the day, I was very fortunate to be able to choose this gorgeous art deco-style bandeau tiara, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, said in the recording for an exhibition following her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018. Harry and I had gone to Buckingham Palace to meet with her majesty the Queen to select one of the options that were there, which was an incredibly surreal day as you can imagine. The art deco bandeau style with 11 segments was created by Queen Mary in 1932 to accommodate a detachable brooch given to her in 1893 by the County of Lincoln. When Queen Mary died, it was passed onto Queen Elizabeth II, who was never seen wearing it. The tiara had faded from prominence before Meghans high-profile outing, failing to make it onto any of the tiara prediction lists for the wedding day.

Queen Marys Fringe Tiara Princess Beatrice wears her grandmothers Norman Hartnell couture gown on her wedding day along with Queen Marys Fringe Tiara. Credit:Instagram/TheRoyalFamily Worn by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day and loaned to Princess Anne for her wedding to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973 and Princess Beatrice for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, the tiara has been through some scrapes. On the morning of her wedding to Philip, the tiara snapped and was rushed to be repaired by Garrard jewellers before the Queen walked down the aisle. The tiara was commissioned by Queen Mary in 1919 using diamonds that were part of a necklace given to her by Queen Victoria as a wedding gift in 1893. It was then given by Queen Mary to her daughter-in-law, the Queen Mother. The tiara was part of the Queen Mothers collection until 2002, when it was left to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Vladimir Tiara Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Vladimir Tiara with the Cambridge Emeralds and the King of Thailand at the state banquet in the Chakri Palace throne hall in Bangkok, Thailand, October 28, 1996. Credit:AP Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, married to Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia, the uncle of Tsar Nicholas II, had an eye and considerable budget for jewellery. The last of the Romanovs to escape Russia, she managed to smuggle 224 of her jewels from the country with the aid of her antiques dealer, Albert Stopford. Following her death in 1920, the grand duchesss family sold the jewels. Eventual owners included Woolworths heiress Barbara Hutton, Elizabeth Taylor and Queen Mary. Queen Mary purchased the damaged Vladimir Tiara, repairing it so that it could accommodate the Cambridge Emeralds. The tiara became the property of Queen Elizabeth II who had the gold frame replaced with platinum and wore it frequently to official events.

The Cullinan III & IV Brooch (Grannys Chips) Queen Elizabeth II wore the Cullinan brooch on the balcony for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Credit:Reuters Pool Brooches may make less of an impact than tiaras but the Cullinan III & IV brooch consists of two spectacular diamonds valued at more than 50 million ($93 million). The piece is nicknamed Grannys Chips, a nickname given to the piece by Queen Elizabeth II when it belonged to her grandmother, Queen Mary. Cullinan III is a pear-shaped drop of 94.4 carats and Cullinan IV is a cushion-shaped stone of 63.6 carats, both carved from the original Cullinan stone. Discovered in South Africa in 1905, the Cullinan was the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever mined. The gem was given to King Edward VII in 1907. Cullinan I is mounted in the Sovereigns Sceptre with Cross and Cullinan II is now part of the Imperial State Crown.

The brooch was reserved by Queen Elizabeth II for significant occasions, such as her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The Greville Legacy Along with rescued Romanov jewels and Queen Marys hand-me-downs, many of the Queens most recognisable pieces come from the collection of Margaret Greville. The illegitimate daughter of a brewery millionaire and his married cook, Greville wed the heir to a baronetcy and acquired a considerable jewellery collection through the patronage of Boucheron and Cartier. Margaret Greville photographed on October 5, 1900. Credit:Victoria & Albert Museum A close friend of Queen Mary, Greville, on her death in 1942, left the bulk of her jewellery to the Queen Mother. According to the UK National Trust, the jewellery was delivered in an unremarkable black tin box with the full extent of its contents undocumented.

The Greville Tiara Camilla wears the Grevillle Tiara on a visit to Sri Lanka. Credit:Getty Images The honeycomb tiara was commissioned by Greville from Boucheron in 1921 and altered by Cartier for the diminutive Queen Mother in 1953 for greater height. The tiara was loaned by Queen Elizabeth II to Camilla, now the Queen Consort, who has worn it on several official engagements. The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara Princess Eugenie arrives for her wedding ceremony to Jack Brooksbank at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, wearing the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara. Credit:AP
PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United Peoples Party MP Rolando Brison is following up on the motion of August 13th, 2019 in which the government was asked to ensure the millions of guilders owed by Shipyard N.V and its then director Michael Ferrier are paid, and that allegations of Fraud and Forgery by Mr. Ferrier be investigated.

Considering the difficult financial position the country finds itself in, it is very important for the government to increase collections of long lease land, especially of those entities and their directors who have failed to make payments due to the government for large parcels of commercial land, Brison stated in his letter to Ministers of Finance and VROMI, Irion and Doran.

One such example is the entity of Shipyard N.V. As you are aware, this company had owed the government millions in long lease fees that were never paid. Documents presented to Parliament show that Mr. Michael Ferrier, former Minister of Finance, was a director at the company responsible for the payment of leases during which the huge sum was accumulated, an amount in the millions of guilders. Mr. Ferrier based on the documentation with parliament removed himself as director at one point, but then sent letters to the Council of Ministers on March 26th, 2019 on behalf of Shipyard, a paradox that was difficult for members of parliament at the time to reconcile, due to the lack of clarity the government at the time was willing to provide, stated Brison.

Brison believes it is important for the government to collect these funds as soon as possible. He believes that all options should be exhausted, including holding directors personally liable in the event Shipyard N.V is not able to pay. If Ferrier was indeed a director at the time, then he may need to go pay.

Especially considering that this was a motion of Parliament of August 13th, 2019, which was presented by MP Emmanuel at the time and supported by 5 other members and voted down against by only 3 including MP Wescot Williams, I would like an update on the progress of this case, and when collections can begin, and if need be, if the statutory director responsible for such reckless behavior in not giving the people of St. Maarten what is due for the use of that land, Brison stated, before presenting questions to the Ministers as follows:

Questions to you Minister of Finance:

1) What is the current debt from Shipyard N.V and Mr. Michael Ferrier, the company and director respectively that according to the motion of March 13th 2019 has accrued a large number of late fees, legal fees, and legal interest?

2) Can the government confirm what agreements or attempts were made to have this amount deferred, written off, or renegotiated in any way during the tenure of the UD/SMCP government?

3) In its last update to parliament, the government stated this case was brought to the courts. What is the latest outcome of such litigation?

4) To what extent is a statutory director of a company, despite removing himself after the fact, personally liable for such a huge debt accrued? If Shipyard is unable to pay, is the statutory director at the time held personally liable?

5) In the motion of parliament, it states that in a letter from Mr. Ferrier on March 26th, 2019 he was impersonating a director of Shipyard NV. However, chamber of commerce records show at that point, after the debt was accumulated, he resigned as director. If indeed his letter to the council of ministers was signed as a director of Shipyard, is this considered to be forgery as per article 2:185 of the penal code? If this is the case, has this infraction been reported to the authorities?

6) As was mentioned in the Parliament meeting of August 13th, 2019, it was alleged that in a meeting following his letter of March 26th, Mr. Ferrier tried to convince the council of ministers to renegotiate a settlement with shipyard NV that allegedly would allow them to avoid payments? Can you share what attempts were made for such renegotiation by the Council of Ministers? And if it is indeed so, is the Council of Ministers prepared to shield itself from previous breaches of integrity? After all, as the saying goes old habits die hard, and it is important to protect the council of Ministers from a repeat of such behavior.

7) Can the Minister provide a plan of action for the collection of these funds, and if the statutory director of that time is held personally liable, a plan of action to begin the collection of the millions of guilders from him?

8) What are some of the ways the Minister of Finance could propose such much-needed funds be used if finally collected, after going uncollected for over a decade?

Questions to the Minister of VROMI:

1) Who currently holds the lease of land known as Shipyard N.V?

2) What are the plans for this property?

3) Is their grounds due to lack of payment for repossession, if that has not been done already?

4) What measures can the Ministry of VROMI implement to prevent such a long backlog of payments as was allowed by past governments prevented from happening again in the future?

5) Has Mr. Ferrier also come to your office, or communicated in writing, as he did with your predecessor Minister Giterson, to negotiate on behalf of Shipyard NV?
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Fire Chief and National Disaster Coordinator of the Office of Disaster Management (ODM) Clive Richardson, is calling on residents and the business community to remain vigilant and prepared for the hurricane season, as Tropical Depression #7 (TD#7) has formed several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands.



TD#7 is forecast to become a tropical storm on Wednesday night or Thursday. The system is forecast to move through the Leeward Islands on Friday or Friday night.



Tropical Storm Watches (tropical storm conditions of sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour are possible within the specified area within 48 hours) may be required for portions of the Leeward Islands.



Residents and the business community are advised to continue to pay keen attention to weather reports in the coming days and weeks in order to be able to take the appropriate action when called upon to do so by the ODM/Emergency Operations Center (EOC).



In the meantime, residents and business owners are requested to review their hurricane season preparations, and to make sure their property is storm/hurricane ready.



Additional information will be forthcoming from the ODM as the weather system approaches the Leeward Islands.



The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your Hurricane Season Readiness Guide and Hurricane Tracking Chart.



Listen to the Government Radio station  SXMGOV 107.9FM - for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane.



For official weather-related information, check out the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com or visit their social media page Facebook.com/sxmweather/



Remember, it only takes one hurricane to make it a bad season. Remain vigilant and prepared!



The hurricane season runs through November 30.
PHILIPSBURG:--- With one-third (5 out of 15) Members of Parliament having declared themselves as Independent Members of Parliament, this clearly undermines the fabric of our statutory Election System of Proportional Representation and endangered the application of proportional representation. It presents a danger for several reasons.

Chapter 4 of the Constitution clearly states that the composition of Parliament shall be based on proportional representation within the limits to be laid down by national ordinance. This means that the make-up of Parliament is required to reflect or represent the entire populace of Sint Maarten, elected by proportional representation.

By National Ordinance / Election Ordinance, this proportional representation is to be achieved through the division of the total number of votes cast by the electorate by the number of available seats in Parliament, referred to as the election quota. Thereafter, seats are assigned to the election participating political parties as many times as the election quota is included in the number of votes that the political party received. Based on these calculations every participating political party is assigned a number of seats in Parliament in proportion to the number of votes cast for that particular political party. In other words, a party that wins 10% of votes in the election will also hold 10% of seats. (Election Ordinance, Explanatory Memorandum, Article 47: Election of Members of Parliament)

Permitting Members of Parliament to declare themselves as Independent Members of Parliament, does not appear to have any basis in the Constitution, and allowing them to maintain seats in Parliament does a great danger to the constitutionally mandated proportional representation of Parliament. Not only would these seats most likely be occupied by persons who have not received votes equal to or more than the election quota but would be a serious breach of the statutory order allowing for only registered political parties to participate in the election to fill Parliamentary seats.

The rules are clear, our election system is a system of lists (political parties), not a system of persons (candidates). Candidates are nominated (to fill Parliamentary seats) via the lists that are drawn up by the political parties taking part in an election. (Election Ordinance, Explanatory Memorandum, Section 2 paragraph 1)

Equally important, the composition and assignment of seats in Parliament are enacted by ministerial regulation on the notification of the Central Voting Bureau. Contradictory, there appears to be no ministerial regulation enacting the present observed change in the composition

and assignment of seats in Parliament. The process adopted now simply seems for Members of Parliament to declare themselves as Independent Members of Parliament on the floor of Parliament and thereafter officially notify Parliament and the Central Voting Bureau of this decision. Such an act is clearly inconsistent with the Constitution and the Election Ordinance.

The Central Voting Bureau needs to provide some explanation and justification for these apparent constitutional inconsistencies. Knowing that it was established by Government as an independent body to ensure the application of proportional representation as mandated by the Constitution and to further execute the voting and election procedures as stipulated and regulated in the Election Ordinance, the Central Voting Bureau has a responsibility here.

The Bureau is to stipulate the legal basis upon which Members of Parliament can declare themselves as Independent Members and maintain a seat in Parliament, a practice that is evidently inconsistent with the principles of proportional representation. Likewise, specify which statutory order or regulation, explicitly or implicitly, affords Parliament the authority to accept the notion of Members of Parliament declaring themselves as an Independent Member effectively ascending them as a new political party faction in Parliament.

In addressing this election system of proportional representation danger, electoral reform is needed now more than ever.
Tin  important then and now

Even though the tin price is volatile and has come down quite a bit in recent months, the metal still has the best prospects for the future.

The tradition of making figures (tin soldiers) or jewelry from pewter is more than 700 years old in Germany. It made the toy industry an important economic sector. Today, tin can be found in printed circuit boards, lithium-ion batteries and displays. Despite global volatile commodity markets, demand for tin is viewed positively by most, as the market fundamentals are in favor of the raw material. Even if demand concerns are currently weighing on the tin price. One of the world\-s largest tin producers from Indonesia has just announced that its production in the current year will be around 40 percent lower than originally expected. Indonesia is the second largest tin producing country. Most tin, around 30 percent, comes from China.

Most of the tin produced comes from soap deposits in coastal areas or along rivers. This from central China via Thailand to Indonesia. In Germany, tin is found in the Ore Mountains. Already in the 13th century the metal was extracted here. The towns of Geyer and Gottesberg are said to be home to the world\-s largest untapped tin deposit.

In Saxony, First Tin  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3sL_BuWsq4  is active in the field of tin with its TellerhAuser project, which can already be described as advanced.

Tin One Resources  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHDhi8677c  takes care of tin projects in Tasmania and in New South Wales in Australia. At Tin One Resources\- Aberfoyle project, tin mineralization was discovered as early as 1916.

Current corporate information and press releases from First Tin (- https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/companies/first-tin-plc/ -).

In accordance with A34 WpHG I would like to point out that partners, authors and employees may hold shares in the respective companies addressed and thus a possible conflict of interest exists. No guarantee for the translation into English. Only the German version of this news is valid.

Disclaimer: The information provided does not represent any form of recommendation or advice. Express reference is made to the risks in securities trading. No liability can be accepted for any damage arising from the use of this blog. I would like to point out that shares and especially warrant investments are always 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 errors, especially with regard to figures and prices. The information contained herein is taken from sources believed to be reliable, but in no way claims to be accurate or complete. Due to court decisions, the contents of linked external sites are also co-responsible (e.g. Landgericht Hamburg, in the decision of 12.05.1998  312 O 85/98), as long as there is no explicit dissociation from them. Despite careful control of the content, I do not assume liability for the content of linked external pages. The respective operators are exclusively responsible for their content. The disclaimer of Swiss Resource Capital AG also applies: https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/disclaimer/
Summa Silver Intersects 1,273 g/t Silver Equivalent Over 1.4 m Within 535 g/t Silver Equivalent Over 4.6 m at the High-Grade Silver-Gold Hughes Property, Nevada

Summa Silver Corp. (aSummaa or the aCompanya  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/summa-silver-corp/ ),(TSXV:SSVR) (OTCQX: SSVRF) (Frankfurt:48X) is pleased to report continued intersections of high-grade silver and gold mineralization from the Hughes Project, near Tonopah, Nevada. Seven of the eight holes tested the Murray target on the western side of the project demonstrating excellent continuity from previous drilling results.

Murray Target:

 All holes intersected multiple zones of stacked, vein-hosted silver and gold mineralization. Highlights include (see attached figures):

535 g/t silver equivalent* (335 g/t Ag and 2.73 g/t Au) over 4.6 m including 1,273 g/t silver equivalent* (811 g/t Ag and 6.35 g/t Au) over 1.4 m in SUM22-57.

233 g/t silver equivalent* (146 g/t Ag and 1.2 g/t Au) over 5.8 m in SUM22-53.

Belmont Target:

 One hole tested 100 m along-strike from the core of the stacked and high-grade Rescue Veins:

Intersected several zones of vein-hosted silver and gold mineralization.

496 g/t silver equivalent* (173 g/t Ag and 4.0 g/t Au) over 0.5 m in SUM22-58.

Dimensions of Mineralization:

High-grade mineralization at Murray has been intersected in several stacked structures over an area of 500 x 300 m where it remains open to expansion.

High-grade mineralization at Belmont has been intersected in several stacked structures over an area of 400 x 100 m where it remains open to expansion.

Further mineralization is present in multiple additional areas over a length of 3.5 km, including the Ruby discovery, a 1.3 km step-out from the historic Belmont Mine.

*AgEq is calculated using US$20/oz Ag, US$1,800/oz Au, with metallurgical recoveries of Ag a 90% and Au a 95%. AgEq = (Ag grade x Ag recovery)+((Au grade x Au recovery) x (Au price / Ag price)). True widths are not yet known.

Galen McNamara, CEO, stated: aWe continue to be pleased with the results from the Hughes project in the historic Tonopah district. This classic American high-grade silver district still has much to offer, and we have the feeling that between the two companies active in the district, we are only beginning to scratch the surface of the full discovery potential here.a

Drill Program

Murray Target

Results from all seven holes that tested the Murray vein-system on the western side of the Hughes project in 2022 are reported in Table 1. The infill and exploration holes were designed to further investigate grade continuity and the extension of mineralization up- and down-dip along the Murray vein-system. Previous drilling at Murray has identified significant broad zones of high-grade silver and gold mineralization (e.g., 455 g/t silver equivalent* over 6.1 m in SUM21-40; see September 22nd, 2021 news release).

Recent geological modelling at Murray suggests that mineralization is hosted in a series of stacked veins and oblique vein-splays rather than one complex vein. Mineralization is associated with broad intervals of strong argillic alteration cored by zones of quartz stockwork up to 30 m wide and local Ag-sulfide bearing, banded quartz veins. This stacked vein interpretation is supported by hole SUM22-57, which intersected a broad 110 m zone comprised of numerous intervals of epithermal-related mineralization and associated veins and vein-breccias (e.g., 2,793 g/t AgEq over 0.2 m and 535 g/AgEq over 4.6 m including 1,273 g/t AgEq over 1.4 m). Similarly, hole SUM22-56 intersected multiple zones of mineralization over 85 meters (Table 1).

Hole SUM22-53 represents one of the largest down-dip step-out holes drilled to date at the Murray target (Figure 2). The hole intersected 233 g/t AgEq over 5.8 m and supports the down-dip potential of the Murray vein-system.

Further drilling down-dip as well as drilling focused on targeting veins and interpreted vein-splays higher-up in the Murray system is warranted. Geological modelling is ongoing and targets across the project, including Murray, are being ranked and prioritised for the next round of drilling.

Belmont Target

Results from one hole (SUM22-58) that tested the Rescue Veins of the Belmont Target are reported in Table 1. The hole was designed to test for the along-strike and down-dip extent of the high-grade core to the complex, multi-vein, stacked system (e.g., 3,971 g/t silver equivalent* over 2.8 m in SUM21-30 and 1,559 g/t silver equivalent* over 4.3 m in SUM21-31; see news releases from July 21st, 2021 and September 22nd, 2021). The hole intersected multiple zones banded to brecciated quartz A adularia veins with local silver sulfides and associated argillic alteration halos highlighted by 496 g/t silver equivalent over 0.5 m within 141 g/t silver equivalent over 3.4 m (Table 1). The results demonstrate mineralization continuity within many of the high-grade Rescue veins along strike to the west. Further drilling and modeling are required to fully evaluate the new zone for additional higher-grade and plunging mineralized shoots.

Analytical and QA/QC Procedures

All samples were sent to Paragon Geochemical Laboratories in Sparks, Nevada for preparation and analysis. Paragon meets all requirements of the International Accreditation Service AC89 and demonstrates compliance with ISO/IEC Standard 17025:2017 for analytical procedures. Samples were analyzed for gold via fire assay with an AA finish (aAu-AA30a) and silver via atomic emission spectroscopy or inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy after four-acid digestion (aAgMA-AAS or 48MA-MSa). Samples that assayed over 8 ppm Au were re-run via fire assay with a gravimetric finish (aAu-GR30a). Samples that assayed over 200 or 100 ppm Ag (depending on Ag method) were re-run via fire assay for Ag with a gravimetric finish (aAg-GRAA30a). In addition to Paragon quality assurance / quality control (aQA/QCa) protocols, Summa Silver implements an internal QA/QC program that includes the insertion of sample blanks, duplicates and certified reference materials at systematic and random points in the sample stream.A A A A A A A A A A A

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Galen McNamara, P. Geo., the CEO of the Company and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Summa Silver Corp

Summa Silver Corp is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company. The Company owns a 100% interest in the Hughes property located in central Nevada and has an option to earn 100% interest in the Mogollon property located in southwestern New Mexico. The Hughes property is host to the high-grade past-producing Belmont Mine, one of the most prolific silver producers in the United States between 1903 and 1929. The Mogollon property is the largest historic silver producer in New Mexico.A Both properties have remained inactive since commercial production ceased and neither have seen modern exploration prior to the Companya?s involvement.

Follow Summa Silver on Twitter: @summasilver

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/summa-silver-corp/

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

aGalen McNamaraa

Galen McNamara, Chief Executive Officer

info@summasilver.com

www.summasilver.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Giordy@summasilver.com

(604)288-8004

In Europe:

Swiss Resource Capital AG

Jochen Staiger & Marc Ollinger

info@resource-capital.ch

www.resource-capital.ch

This news release contains certain statements that may constitute forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or achievements that Summa anticipates or expects may or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: exploration and development of the Companya?s mineral exploration properties, including but not limited to expansion potential at the Hughes Project; and discovery potential at the Tonopah District. Often, but not always, forward-looking information 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 statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results \may\, \could\, \would\, \might\ or \will\ (or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Summa to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to Summa, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management\-s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth, results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of Summa should be considered highly speculative.

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.
Demand and Exceptional Customer Retention

NEW YORK a September 13, 2022 a Dataiku, the platform for Everyday AI, today announced the appointment of Daniel Brennan as its new Chief Legal Officer. Brennan, who previously spent more than a decade at Twitter, joins the company during a surge of enterprise demand, traction and exceptional customer retention rates.

Driven by large-scale adoption and unparalleled customer loyalty among enterprise organizations, Dataiku has experienced massive momentum in the past twelve months with 60% year over year ARR growth. There are more than 150 organizations within the Forbes Global 2000 currently using Dataikua?s platform. Additionally, Dataikua?s customer retention rate within the Global 2000 stands at over 95%.

aI have long been fascinated with the power of software, and nowhere is that power more profound than in the fields of AI and machine learning,a said Brennan. aDataikua?s platform is catching on like wildfire among global enterprises. This groundbreaking AI technology, along with the companya?s employee-first culture, was an incredibly appealing combination, and I am looking forward to playing a part in the companya?s growth.a

Before joining Dataiku, Brennan served as Vice President, Deputy General Counsel of Twitter, where he helped to build and lead the organizationa?s commercial, international, corporate and securities, and legal operations teams. Prior to this, he spent nearly 11 years at Dell 67, finishing his tenure as Director, Legal, for its multi-billion dollar Global Services business unit.

aDaniel has worked for some of the fastest-growing, most innovative global companies of our time a a perfect match for Dataiku as we continue to scale,a said Florian Douetteau, co-founder and CEO of Dataiku. aWith this appointment, our leadership team has never been in a better position to build on our strong momentum and ensure that we continue to empower the enterprise with Everyday AI.a

The company has significantly bolstered its C-Suite throughout 2022. In addition to Brennana?s appointment as Chief Legal Officer, Adam Towns was hired as CFO in March (formerly at SiSense, Mimecast), and Bridget Shea joined as Chief Customer Officer in June (formerly at Mural, Salesforce).

Dataiku has also been honored with a number of high-profile awards in recent months. Highlights include:

a Named to the 2022 Forbes Cloud 100, the definitive ranking of the top private cloud companies in the world

a Listed on the 2022 Forbes AI 50, the top private companies in North America using artificial intelligence to transform industries and shape the future

a Named the Snowflake Machine Learning/AI Partner of the Year for the second time

a Recognized by the 2022 Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing private companies

a Achieved Great Place to Work certification with 94% of Dataikers say it is a great place to work (compared to 57% of employees in a typical US-based company.)

a Triveni Gandhi, Dataikua?s Responsible AI Lead, was honored for aResponsibility and Ethics of AIa at VentureBeata?s Women in AI Awards
Cloud leaders in India to gather and discuss the roadmap for Cloud and Data Centers

MUMBAI, INDIA, Sept 13, 2022  (ACN Newswire)  After completing a series of high-level future-tech events on Cloud and Data Centers in Jakarta, Manila, Dubai, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Qatar and Egypt, Trescon\-s World Cloud Show is set to make its return to India, as a physical, in-person event.

The 18th edition of this global series is anticipated to create a significant impact on the cloud and data center landscape in India.

Taking place on 14 September 2022, at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai, C-suit attendees such as Global CIOs & CTOs, Chief Cloud Officers, Heads of IT Infrastructure, Heads of IT Networks, IT Compliance, and Cloud Specialists among other Cloud & Data Center decision makers will be attending the India edition of World Cloud Show.

Innovative solution providers are expected to showcase emerging projects, products, solutions, and breakthroughs in the cloud sector. The widespread presence will offer a fantastic opportunity to maintain the \-Cloud Vision,\- while presenting a strong international outlook  on which Indian government\-s initiatives are centered. India is intended to become the top location for investments in cloud computing, data dissemination, and other cloud-related services under the Cloud Vision initiative.

To explore the latest cloud and digital infrastructure trends, along with data centers that will drive the next phase of cloud transformation in India, following early adopters of this future-tech have confirmed their participation as speakers:

 Roberto Frongia  Strategy & Operations Director, Technology and Digital Compute & Innovation, Neom

 Amajit Gupta  CEO, Lightstorm

 Prasanna C  Head of Product and Marketing, Lightstorm

 Ananth Kumar  Engineering Leader, Site 247

 Ashish Sharma  Strategy Head Special Projects, Web Werks

 Suresh Chandrasekaran  Executive Vice President, Denodo

 Suresh Sankaranarayanan  Senior EVP & Chief Technology Officer, Kotak General Insurance

 Ankur Varshney  Chief Technology Officer, SBI Payments

 Nikunj Jain  CIO and Digital Leader, Procter & Gamble, India

 Dr. Avadhut Chandrakant Parab  Chief Information Officer, Parle Agro

 Rajgopal Nayak  CTO, Metro Brands

 Vamsi Krishna Ithamraju  CTO, Axis Mutual Fund

\Cloud Native architectures are as much an engineering cultural choice (if not more) as they are about solving for scale,\ stated Vamsi Krishna Ithamraju, CTO of Axis Mutual Fund, a leader with over 18 years of industry experience, and also one of the esteemed speakers at World Cloud Show  India.

\We\-re happy to gather industry leaders, innovative solution providers, and regional & international policymakers under one roof; to embark on the exciting digital transformation journey,\ Mithun Shetty, CEO of Trescon was found quoting.

\Data and Technology are at the heart of our digital business strategy and Cloud is what gives life to this heart. This is how great organizations create a superior experience for consumers and customers,\ stated Nikunj Jain, CIO and Digital leader of Proctor & Gamble, India.

World Cloud Show  India edition is officially:

 Supported By: NITI Aayog

 Co-Powered By: Lightstorm

 Gold Partner: Site24x7 & Web Werks

 Silver Partner: Denodo

About World Cloud Show

World Cloud Show takes place in strategic locations across the world which gathers pre-qualified CIOs, CEOs, CTOs, Heads of Research, Industry Practitioners, IT Decision Makers, and Experts in Cloud Computing among others from cross industry verticals.

The show will feature exciting keynotes, government and enterprise use-case presentations, product showcase, panel discussions and tech talks to discuss the latest challenges and explore latest applications of cloud-based solutions.

About Trescon

Trescon is a global business events and consulting firm that provide wide range of business services to a diversified client base that includes corporations, governments and individuals. Trescon is specialises 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:

Nupur Aswani

Head  Media, PR and Corporate Communications, Trescon

+91 9555915156 | media@tresconglobal.com
Prospects of Qatar Cloud Computing debated at World Cloud Show 12th edition by most prominent cloud leaders

QATAR, UAE, Sept 13, 2022  (ACN Newswire)  A virtual conference with an explicit focus on Cloud and data centers technologies was held on September 6, 2022, where more than 150 C-level tech decision makers participated virtually, including key stakeholders in Qatar\-s Cloud ecosystem were gathered by the event\-s host, Trescon.

Leading solution providers in the cloud industry such as GBI, Prime Holding, and Manage Engine congregated at the virtual conference to discuss the potential for the cloud and data center ecosystem in Qatar.

The event featured an intriguing collaboration between experts like:

 Santiago Banales Lopez  Managing Director, Iberdrola Innovation Middle East, Doha, Qatar

 Dr. Antonio Sanfilippo  Chief Scientist and Program Director, Qatar Foundation / Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute, Qatar

 Dr. Ahmed Darwish Elsayed  Head of Digital Delivery, Bank Albilad, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

 John Mankarios  Vice President, QInvest LLC, Qatar

 Manish Khanijo  Manager  Technology & Security, Qatar Free Zone Authority, Qatar

 Chadi Rahi  Director of Technology & Business Development, Prime Holding, Qatar

 Belal Hafnawi  Commissioner, Board Member, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC Jordan)

 Gigi Mathew Thomas  Group Head  IT & Digital Transformation, Ittihad International Investment LLC, UAE

 Imran Chowdhury  Global Head of Data Protection and Governance, Al Jazeera Media Network, Qatar

 Karthik Ananda Rao  Regional Technical Head, Manage Engine, MEA, UAE

 Mahdi Khorram  Product Development and Marketing Director, GBI

 AWS Hattab  Sr. Director of Contact Center, Bank Al Etihad, Jordan

 Thuraya Al-Harthi  Senior Specialist  Innovation & Emerging Technology Development, MTCIT, Oman

 Mohamed Ghazala  Head of Data Architecture & Analytics, Leading bank in Egypt, Egypt

 Mai Alowaish  Chief Data and Innovation Officer, Gulf Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait

 Ahmad Musa  Head of Planning and a DBA candidate, University of Strathclyde, UAE

 Hamid Ali Raja  Senior Audit Manager, GWC Logistics, Qatar

 Ahmed Sharif  Senior IT Support Engineer & Cloud Solutions expert, ADDA, UAE

 Fady Rafla  Chief Digital Officer, Post for Investment, Egypt

John Mankarios discussed at length on \-Leveraging Cloud Technology for Workplace Digital Transformation.\- He was reported as saying, \Cloud enables employees to improve their CX. With Cloud infrastructure employees have access to real time measurements and analytics tools that they can use to make smarter decisions about their customers journey.\

While speaking about \-Connectivity in Digital Transformation\-, Mahdi Khorram, Product Development and Marketing Director, GBI mentioned that, \When we talk about banking or financial applications, latency is really significant. I hear people talk about blockchain, crypto, stock market, and so on, a lot of finance industries pertains to, but latency is very crucial to make sure the services reach the end user very quickly.\

\In this era of digitalization, space and culture do not have such an impact on the employees as technology does,\ said Karthik Ananda Rao, Chief Technical Evangelist, Manage Engine, A Division of Zoho Corp Inc, in his tech talk on the topic,\ Enhancing Employee Experience through Cloud IT Management.

Santiago Banales Lopez, Managing Director, Iberdrola Innovation Middle East spoke at length on \-Cloud and Energy Transition: The Case of Iberdrola\-. He was quoted saying, \It\-s not only about investing in infrastructure; but it\-s also about investing in people, building our own knowledge, building our capital knowledge in order to be able to do this transformation across different businesses, across different countries.\

In addition to other panel discussions, the event featured one on the subject of \-Cloud  A Brighter Future: Exploring Strategies to Deliver Cloud Transformation,\- which was chaired by Belal Hafnawi.

\The last three years have crunched every budget and pushed every strategy to ensure fast adoption of digitization. Businesses that have not yet gone digital may not last much longer. The cloud has become an essential part of every organization\-s growth strategy, and virtualization is the path that everyone, (especially enterprises with both legacy and modern IT infrastructures) need to take,\ says Mithun Shetty, CEO, Trescon.

The 12th global edition of World Cloud Show  Qatar was officially sponsored by:

 Gold Sponsor  GBI | Prime Holding

 Silver Sponsor  Manage Engine

About World Cloud Show

World Cloud Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused, global series of events that takes place in strategic locations/time zones across the world.

The show featured exciting keynotes, and enterprise use-case presentations, panel discussions and tech talks that discussed latest challenges and explored latest applications of cloud-based solutions.

About Trescon

Trescon is a global business events and consulting firm that provide a wide range of business services to a diversified client base that includes corporations, 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 on the announcement, please contact:

Nupur Aswani

PR, Media & Corporate Communications, Trescon

+919555915156 | media@tresconglobal.com
Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media

Charles Valentino, a Republican who was the last Fairfield County high sheriff before that patronage system ended more than 20 years ago, won a pardon this month, expunging a criminal record that included a year in prison after he was caught selling foreclosed cars at auction, including a Mercedes whose owner had accumulated $500 in back taxes.

Valentino, a former Bridgeport zoning official and leader of the local GOP, was among 86 people granted so-called absolute pardon on Sept. 6 by the Waterbury-based state Board of Pardons and Paroles. The board meeting, in which applicants were referred to by their initials, quickly approved the pardon with little discussion. Attempts to contact Valentino, 74, for comment were unsuccessful. Last year he was a candidate for city sheriff.
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NORWALK  A new matching scholarship program for local nursing students aims to improve the pipeline for fresh blood pumping into area health care.

Norwalk and Stamford hospitals are partnering with the Norwalk Community College's nursing program to bring graduating resident nurses a matching scholarship to aid in their pursuit of a bachelor's degree.

Orchestrated by the Norwalk Community College Foundation, the scholarship will provide up to $5,000 per year for each student, aiding in both school and living costs while they pursue their careers. Half will be provided by NCCF, with matching respective donations from Norwalk Hospital/Nuvance Foundation or Stamford Health/Stamford Hospital Foundation when the students secure employment at those hospitals.

"We look forward to great things to come from this batch of students," said John Maduko, Connecticut State Community College president, who was among the officials joining about 30 nursing students, graduates and instructors at a news conference at NCC's west campus on Tuesday afternoon.

He and others pointed out the strong need for nurses in Fairfield County and throughout the nation.

"We know that attracting the next generation of health care workers is critical," said Ellen Komar, Stamford Health senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer.

She said many NCC graduates currently hold positions with Stamford Health, and many more will be needed in coming years.

"This collaboration is extremely important," said Komar, who herself began as an associate degree nurse.

Peter Cordeau, president of Norwalk Hospital, said that workforce development was especially important to him, as was the longstanding partnership with NCC.

"This scholarship program is a natural extension of our work together," he said.

"It isn't just a win for us at the hospital," he said, "it's a win for our patients and it's a win for our community."

Several people spoke about the value of Fairfield County residents joining the health care workforce and giving back to their own communities.

"There's a shortage throughout the whole country," said Julissa Infante, an NCC nursing student from Stratford.

She said the school has not only encouraged her to work in a field she believes in, but have been supportive with both her skills and confidence.

Dahlia Williams-Jarrett, an adjunct instructor who works at Greenwich Hospital, stressed the importance of guiding local talent into nursing.

"Without the nurses of the future, we don't know where we stand," she said. "We're getting older every year and there comes a time when we will all need someone to care for us."

According to The American Nurses Association, there are more registered nursing jobs available than any other profession, with 275,000 projected to be needed before 2030. Of the approximately 3.9 million nurses in the United States, 1 million are due to retire in 2030, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

"It is so amazing the way our students continue to give back to their community, which has helped them in their journey," said Cheryl De Vonish, NCC CEO.

She said the NCC nursing graduates have a post-graduation employment rate that peaks at 95 percent.

"This not only benefits our students, but the residents of Fairfield County," said Carrie Bernier, NCCF president and CEO.
Democracy, democracy, democracy. All this talk of saving democracy  as if it actually survived!

If truth be told, our democratic republic was lost. It was lost in 2016 when a smooth-talking real estate magnate was elected president of the United States.

Subsequent events tend to recall Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte III, the elected president of France in 1848, who reconstructed his power as emperor in 1851, retaining this authority until 1870. Like Napoleon III, of Second Empire fame, our new president had designs on rule beyond a single, elected term.

American democracy ended stunningly abruptly with the enthused anointment of Americas first king, Donald J. Trump  potentate, extraordinaire. Some, though not all, of the people sought rule by one man, because he claimed, I alone can fix it (... because nobody knows the system better than me).

This writer sees Americas First Republic as the period from 1789 to 2016. In retrospect, was this not a remarkably stable period, until upended by the tendencies of a petty king  one who denies the results of an election loss and seeks restoration of his reign two years after being dethroned?

The American republic was restored by the Biden presidency in what can be construed in this context as the Second American Republic. There is an incessant claim, however, by No. 45th and his multitude of oath-ed followers, that kings cannot be replaced. Once a king, always a king; it is a divine right.

It should not take a doctorate from Harvard or Yale to recognize to dissolution of the democratic republic of America with the election of President Trump. It was off with their heads, from day one. Any contender for shared power was sliced and diced in the public square of Twitter  which is precisely what kings do. Why? Because they can. There is no one to stop them.

As monarchs, kings have no need for a Department of Justice, standing before the people within the realm as both judge and jury. Kings, as rulers, are arbitrary, self-righteous and self-serving. Representatives and elected officials are reduced to fawning subjects, jostling for position among themselves in an attempt to stay as close to the kings ring as possible. Beheadings be damned!

Would-be kingmakers are working assiduously to bring about an end to Americas Second Republic. Mitch McConnell, Peter Thiel and other masterminds are maneuvering to remove a democratically elected president from office in 2024. We, as citizens, await the nations choice between governance by what many see as an emotionally charged, one-man circus  or affirmation that a democratic republic can be sustainable. Will we choose the imperfect but workable rule of law? Or the whimsical chaos we came to know during four years of rule by one man, throatily and violently supported by so many?

Departure from the give-and-take of democratic governance was striking; no Republicans offered up any support for any proposal by any Democrat. Democrats are spoken of as the enemy. Would that be because todays Democrats tend not to believe in kings?

Good luck, America.

Its our choice.

Lets hope we make the right one.

Sallie Marsico is a Norwalk resident.
The Senate will take up one of two nominations to fill vacancies of Connecticut judges on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week as Democrats race to confirm more of President Joe Bidens nominees before the November elections  or at least by the end of the year.

Sarah Merriam was nominated by Biden last year to serve as a federal district court judge in Connecticut but was quickly elevated earlier this year when he tapped her to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Circuit Judge Susan Carney. A procedural vote is scheduled for Wednesday, followed by an eventual vote on confirmation to the 2nd Circuit.

But Merriam is not the only vacancy in Connecticut that Democrats are hoping to tackle over the next few months. In late July, Biden also nominated Maria Araujo Kahn, who serves as an associate justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court, for another spot on the 2nd Circuit Court.

There are also vacancies for another federal court in the state. If Merriam secures confirmation, that will open up her seat on the U.S. District Court for Connecticut. And on that same court, Chief Judge Stefan Underhill recently said he will take senior status in November, which will give Biden another opportunity to make an appointment, according to Law360.

Since returning to Washington from recess last week, Senate Democrats are specifically prioritizing Circuit Court nominations with the Nov. 8 midterm elections quickly approaching and the possibility of losing their majority in the upper chamber.

The Senate is only in session for several more weeks between now and the election, and while judicial nominations are a top concern for the party, Congress still needs to deal with government funding, since it runs out by Sept. 30.

If they are unable to process enough nominations by then, Democrats say they still have some time in the lame duck session before the end of the year and when Congress swears in a new session. But if Democrats ultimately hold the Senate after the midterms, they will be afforded much more time to fill vacancies on the federal judiciary during the last two years of Bidens term.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., acknowledged that getting through all of the nominations, including the ones for Connecticut, will be a challenge, but he is hopeful his party can get through many of them by years end.

I think its smart to have the circuit courts be the priority. I hope that well stay here for as long as it takes to get the circuit courts done, Murphy said in an interview. Obviously, members want to be back home campaigning  then youre on top of the holidays. But I think theres a lot of good will in our caucus to stay here some long hours through the end of the year to get nominations done.

The 2nd Circuit Court is based in New York City and has jurisdiction over Connecticut, New York and Vermont. Three of the 13 lifetime appointments go to a nominee from Connecticut. Biden has the chance to fill two of those Connecticut seats, while former President Donald Trump appointed William Nardini, whos sat on the bench since 2019.

On Monday evening, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., filed cloture on Merriams nomination, which prompted a procedural vote to limit debate on Wednesday. If she gets support from a simple majority, the Senate will then move to the final confirmation vote, though an exact date is uncertain.

Merriam has a history of winning bipartisan support in a narrowly divided Senate. When she was nominated to the U.S. District Court last year, she was confirmed in a 54-46 vote. Four Republican senators joined all Democrats in supporting her confirmation, though it is not guaranteed she will get similar support this time around for a 2nd Circuit Court seat.

Biden has sought to expand diversity in the federal judiciary when it comes to not only gender and race but also in professional background, which includes nominating more people with backgrounds as public defenders. Merriam is a former federal public defender and previously helped manage the campaigns of Democratic senators in Connecticut, including Murphy.

She will be the sixth Circuit Court judge this chamber has considered since the beginning of this work period, Schumer said in a Tuesday floor speech. I made clear confirming more of President Bidens judicial nominees would be a top priority for Senate Democrats, and were making good on our promise by voting on six Circuit Court judges in the first two weeks of this work period alone.

As of Monday, the Senate has confirmed 80 federal judges nominated by Biden: one Supreme Court justice, 21 for circuit court seats and 58 district court appointments.

Biden and the Democratic-controlled Senate have made confirming judges a priority. He has appointed more federal judges at this point in his presidency than any president since John F. Kennedy, according to Pew Research Center.

While the Senate is making progress on Merriams nomination, it is unclear when the chamber will take further steps on Kahn, who was nominated several months after Merriam.

Kahn, who would replace retiring Judge Jose Cabranes if she is confirmed, is a former federal prosecutor and public defender and has served as a judge on two other state courts. She was born in Angola to Portuguese parents and emigrated from Africa to the U.S. as a child.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said hes pushing to get Kahns appointment on the docket before the November election. Blumenthal sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which processes judicial nominations. A hearing before the committee about Kahns nomination has yet to be scheduled.

Theres been no scheduling for her, but Im very hopeful we will reach her, Blumenthal said in an interview. Potentially, the lame duck could consider a number of these nominees. I think its perfectly appropriate to move forward in the lame duck.

Senate Democrats have already made some substantial progress to install new federal judges in Connecticut.

Last year, the Senate confirmed three nominations to the U.S. District Court in Connecticut, which included Merriam. The other judges who were confirmed included Omar Antonio Williams and Sarala Vidya Nagala, who became the first federal judge from Connecticut of South Asian descent.

Democrats only need a simple majority to confirm any judicial nominees. But confirmation isnt guaranteed especially with a divided 50-50 Senate where absences of senators or even a small lack of support can doom a vote.

That scenario happened Tuesday, when Democrats failed to reach a majority on the confirmation vote for Arianna Freeman to the 3rd Circuit, though they plan to take another vote in the future. Like Merriam, Freeman is also a former public defender and would become the first Black woman on the appellate court in Pennsylvania.
The National Institute of Public Health informs that, in the week of September 5 - 11, 35.5pct of the COVID-19 cases were recorded in Bucharest, Cluj, Timis, Iasi and Brasov.

According to the Weekly Surveillance Report, 48.7pct of the confirmed cases were recorded among non-vaccinated people.

Among the vaccinated who got sick, 49.5pct got sick either immediately after vaccination or more than six months after the last dose.

INSP specifies that 30.4pct of the total deaths were recorded in the Mehedinti, Alba, Bacau, Botosani and Cluj counties, told Agerpres.

78.6pct of the deaths were recorded among unvaccinated people.

From the beginning of the pandemic until now, according to the INSP, 86.5pct of all deaths were recorded in people over 60 years old, and 54.7pct of the deaths were recorded in men.

93.7pct of the deceased had at least one associated comorbidity.
The annual amounts for Romania's accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) range between 3.5 and 5 million euros, stated, on Wednesday, the Secretary of State for Romania's accession to the OECD with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), Luca Niculescu.

"It depends on how long the accession process will be. The annual amounts are somewhere between 3.5 and 5 million euros - to give a very wide range," said Luca Niculescu, at the Victoria Palace, after the government meeting.

He stated that the first installment for the OECD accession process was paid on September 1st, with the second one to be paid by January 1st. Niculescu showed that the money comes from the MAE budget, with the necessary supplement from the Ministry of Finance.

The government approved, in Wednesday's meeting, a memorandum on Romania's accession to the OECD.

According to the Secretary of State Luca Niculescu, joining the OECD is an objective of strategic importance for Romania.

"After joining NATO and the EU, it is the most important strategic objective for Romania," emphasized Niculescu, and in the process of joining the OECD, Romania will submit an initial memorandum.

"A path full of challenges awaits us. The next step is the submission of a so-called initial memorandum, this means a document written by Romania that includes a self-assessment of how the legislation, policies and practices in Romania align with the legal instruments of the OECD, and here we are talking about more than 230 such instruments. There will be a lot of work, however - be warned - we are not starting from scratch. Over the last years, many ministries, many institutions have participated in OECD activities and have become familiar with the organization's actions," highlighted the secretary of state.AGERPRES
The border authorities in Arad caught 72 migrants who, in the last 24 hours, tried to leave the country illegally, hiding in a truck carrying car tyres.

According to a press release of the Territorial Inspectorate of the Border Police (ITPF) Oradea, a Romanian citizen arrived at the Nadlac II Border Crossing Point (PTF) for the control formalities, on the way out of the country. He drove a truck registered in Romania and was transporting car tyres to Spain, according to the respective documents, told Agerpres.

"After thoroughly controlling the transportation mean, the police found 72 citizens from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Ethiopia, who wanted to illegally cross the state border of Romania heading to Western Europe," reads the press release.

Also in Nadlac II, the border police stopped another truck carrying aluminum ingots to Slovakia.

"While checking the vehicle, the policemen found six persons hidden among the ingots. They were discovered to be foreign citizens from Bangladesh, India, Sudan and Pakistan, aged between 19 and 39 years old, asylum seekers in Romania. They intended to illegally cross to the Schengen Zone," explained the representatives of ITPF Oradea.

In both cases, the border policemen are carrying out investigations into the respective crimes, with the required legal measures to be taken.
The Minister of Culture, Lucian Romascanu, attended on Wednesday, in Chisinau, a meeting dedicated to the file "The art of the embroidered Romanian blouse", submitted to UNESCO on March 29, 2021 by Romania and the Republic of Moldova for the registration in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Elements of Humanity, the Ministry of Culture said in a release to AGERPRES.

During the meeting, Minister Lucian Romascanu supported the resumption of these meetings, which have an essential role in order to safeguard, protect, capitalize and promote the rich common intangible cultural heritage.

Dubbed "A common history, a common heritage: The art of the embroidered Romanian blouse - element of cultural identity in Romania and the Republic of Moldova", the event started with the joint meeting of the National Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the two countries.

At the same time, possible joint projects and exchange of best practices in the field of intangible cultural heritage were analyzed and debated.

On this occasion, an exhibition of Romanian costume from the collections of the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant in Bucharest and of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History in Chisinau was opened, followed by a folklore concert held by the Serghei Lunchevici National Philharmonic Orchestra, at the desk of which was Mihail Agafita.

At the meeting, organized by the Department for relations with the Republic of Moldova and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, the Ministry of Culture of Romania was also represented by state secretary Diana Baciuna, who was joined by the members of the National Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The file "The art of the embroidered Romanian blouse" was made with the participation of national groups of experts from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, its elaboration being coordinated by the Ministry of Culture from Bucharest. The working group of the Ministry of Culture of Romania included experts, professors of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest, researchers of the Institute of Ethnography and Folklore Constantin Brailoiu of the Romanian Academy, but also researchers and museographers of the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant, the National Village Museum Dimitrie Gusti, the Oltenia Museum, the ASTRA - Sibiu National Museum complex and the Brasov Museum of Ethnography.

The Ministry of Culture reminded in June that the nomination file will be evaluated during the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in November/December 2022.
The Minister of National Defense, Vasile Dincu, on an official visit to Tel Aviv, had a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Gantz, on Wednesday, a press release from the Ministry of National Defense reads.

During the bilateral discussions, the two officials addressed topical issues on the current security agenda in the Middle East and the Black Sea region, respectively the status and perspectives of cooperation in the field of Defense, the source says, told Agerpres.

The Romanian official pointed out the consistency of the bilateral relationship, Israel being a strategic partner of Romania in the Middle East region.

"I agreed with Minister Gantz that we enjoy a very good collaboration at the level of joint training, but which can be further strengthened by approaching new fields such as research and development, including emerging and disruptive technologies, artificial intelligence or military medicine," minister Vasile Dincu said.

The above-mentioned source also says that the Romanian minister highlighted Israel's relevant experience in terms of the resilience of the entire society, considering the increasingly complex challenges that define the current security environment.
Dumitru Prunariu, the only Romanian to fly into outer space, on Tuesday evening was the guest of honour of the 3rd edition of the Illustrious Seniors Gala organised by the Institute for Active Aging Association at the Elisabeta Theatre House in Bucharest.

He shared with the approximately one hundred participants his experience in outer space, and also how he came to be selected for the flight and the preparations he had to make. He also talked about what experiments he did in space and the reasons why there were no more manned flights to the moon.

"We were part of a government programme when I was selected to fly into outer space under the Intercosmos programme. It was a programme coordinated by the Soviet Union at the time; it included all the partner countries, and so they started flying into outer space in 1978. The first European cosmonaut was from then Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic (...) after that a Pole followed, a German from Democratic Germany and only in 1983 did another non-American astronaut fly aboard the American space shuttle, an astronaut from West Germany. (...) I represented Romania in 1981; Romania was the 11th country in the world to send a human message into outer space, including Russia and America, and I was the 103rd in the world at that time, now there are 600 astronauts all over the world," said Prunariu, told Agerpres.

He spoke about how he passed all the medical examinations and how he ended up being among the two candidates fit to fly in outer space.

"While I was a military conscript, right after college, the commander of the unit in Bacau, where I was assigned for military training as an aviation engineer, came up and said that Romania is participating in a piloted programme to investigate outer space and volunteers are being sought. We remained awestruck, shocked: do we have what it takes to reach the outer space? And he asked who wanted to volunteer (...) The commander stimulated us with other proposals and told us that whoever wants to volunteer will be taken to Bucharest on a military transport plane (...), a complete medical examination will be performed at the Military Hospital (...). And I raised my hand and said 'I am a volunteer!'. (...) I was declared accepted. (...) In the end there were five of us, then three. Three of us went for a full medical examination at the Institute of Medical-Biological Studies in the Field of Aviation and Astronautics in Moscow, and from there two we returned as 'fit to carry out the full preparation for the cosmic flight,'" Prunariu said.

The hardest moment he felt in his flight around the Earth was during the landing.

"The most difficult moment was during the return. Everything was timed to the second. The countdown starts from the moment the rocket leaves the launch pad, and the timer closes the moment the ship with the staff on board touches the Earth. The launch is the same as with a plane. (...) However, upon landing, somewhere closer to the Earth, we realised that our parachute had a problem, that it did not open on time, we were timing already the seconds that had passed since the moment when the parachute had to open, we had cold sweats, we were looking at each other, we were communicating with those on the ground by radio, suddenly there was silence in that room and everyone was waiting for an outcome : we either make a hole on landing or the parachute opens and we land smoothly. And finally, the parachute did open, there was a 'Hurray!' in our headphones from ground control, and we breathed a sigh of relief. After a few minutes, we reached the ground safely," he also said.

The Romanian cosmonaut also explained why in the last 50 years no manned flights to the Moon were scheduled.

"Fifty years ago the last manned flight to the Moon was carried out. The American ship Apollo 17 landed on the Moon, American pilots walked on the moon with a Rover, returned to Earth bringing samples of lunar soil, did experiments on the surface of the Moon and since then the Moon has not been reached. Many wonder why. (...) Since then, NASA [National Space Agency] - NASA has the largest budget allocated for outer space in the world, a budget that exceeds the sum of many budgets of other countries that deal with intense space activities, including Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan, China - considered that the budget should be allocated to other priority programmes. Those other programmes were the Space Shuttle, later the International Space Station, which is still in orbit and whose life is proposed to be extended throughout 2030. The 18 billion US dollars allocated annually to the American Space Agency were enough only for those programmes, they was no longer enough money for the Moon," Prunariu underscored.

Asked if he believes in extraterrestrials, Prunariu said that he is convinced that there is life on other planets.

"I am convinced that there is extraterrestrial life somewhere on other planets, in other galaxies. I do not think that we are the only ones in the Universe who are alive and intelligent. Whether or not they have arrived on Earth, whether or not something has happened is a completely different issue. So the basic, conceptual problem is that life exists elsewhere in the Universe. For now, we're looking for points of ancestral life on Mars - and they're looking hard. Scientists are convinced that about three million years ago Mars was a living planet," said Prunariu.

Actress Doina Ghitescu dedicated a poem to Prunariu and handed him an honorary diploma from the Omenia International Foundation.

At the end of the event, the organisers presented Dumitru Prunariu with a plaque with the message: "For the remarkable activity carried out for the promotion of science, carrying an entire Romania beyond the stars, towards the great Universe."
The government will approve a decision by which all students facing socio-economic difficulties will benefit from social scholarships of 200 lei, the Minister of Education, Sorin Cimpeanu, informs.

"All students who are facing socio-economic difficulties will benefit from social scholarships from the state budget. There are being considered, first of all, those from families with low incomes, and also absolutely all children with chronic diseases, children with disabilities, orphans of one or both parents. All these categories of students will receive and are receiving - we have the Government's decision today on the agenda - social grants in the amount of 200 lei. In 2020 it was 100 lei, before 2020 it was only a few lei," Sorin Cimpeanu said on Wednesday, during the Government meeting, told Agerpres.

At the same time, he explained that next week a draft of an emergency ordinance regarding the settlement of the transport of students who study in a different locality than the one of residence would be submitted to the Government for approval.

The Minister wanted to specify that the social grants are ensured through the budgets of the local authorities, from the state budget, and the transport of all students in Romania, from home to school, is ensured from the budget of the Ministry of Education.
Fifth grade students are to receive scholarships from the first day of the school year, Minister of Education Sorin Cimpeanu told a press conference on Wednesday, at the end of the Government meeting.

"Fifth grade students benefit from scholarships and for the first time in the post-December history of the education system in Romania, they receive these scholarships starting with the first day of the school year. Until now, the fifth grade students could only receive scholarships in the second semester, for four months. The scholarships were worth 200 RON, if you refer to the merit scholarships. Few received these scholarships. At present, all these students receive scholarships of 150 RON, for nine months. As a parent, I would consider what is preferable - to receive a four-month scholarship of 200 RON, as it was until now, or to receive a nine-month scholarship of 150 RON per month, as it is from now thanks to this minister's order," said Cimpeanu.

He added that all students who meet the social, income, medical or other criteria receive social scholarships. According to the minister, all students who need transportation to school in another locality receive an allowance in this regard.

"No one is being eliminated. No one has cut anyone's scholarship. At a time when the scholarship budget is increasing fivefold, I think it goes without saying that students will receive much more money, including students from rural areas who need transport to schools," explained Sorin Cimpeanu.AGERPRES
The government approved on Wednesday the draft law on the protection of the IT systems of public authorities and institutions in the context of the invasion launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the gov't informs in a press release.

The draft law establishes the necessary legal and institutional framework in order to prohibit in Romania the purchase and use by public authorities and institutions, from the central and local level, of antivirus software products and services originating from the Russian Federation.

The Government specifies that, if there are such services already purchased and/or installed, they will be disconnected and/or uninstalled, with the support of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, the Authority for Digitization of Romania, the National Cyber Security Directorate, the Romanian Information and Special Telecommunications Service.

"The measure was taken in the context in which specialists warn that the presence of Russian anti-virus software represents a vulnerability to the cyber security of the Romanian authorities and institutions. The tendency of all the member states of the European Union is to issue recommendations or pieces of legislation that impose their own public institutions to change their antivirus solutions if they use those that come directly or indirectly from the Russian Federation, because there is a risk that Russia will exploit these software in a cyber attack," the release says.

According to the Executive, the measure is a temporary one, in accordance with the rules provided by art. 53 of the Constitution, and produces effects for the entire duration of the invasion launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, until the date of the signing of a peace treaty or a permanent armistice agreement to establish the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitization, Sebastian Burduja, stated on Wednesday that the Government will request an emergency procedure for this draft law in the Parliament.AGERPRES
Secretary of State with the Ministry of Health Adriana Pistol was elected, on Wednesday, a member of the Standing Committee of World Health Organisation Europe, a press release from the Ministry of Health informs.

This structure is one of the governing bodies of WHO Europe and it includes, for a 3-year term, elected representatives of 12 of the 53 member states of the region.

A delegation from Romania, which includes the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, the presidential adviser Diana Paun, the secretary of state Adriana Pistol, participated in the period 12-14 September in Tel Aviv (Israel) in the 72nd meeting of the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization for Europe, which brings together the representatives of the 53 member states of the region.

"The Romanian Minister of Health proposed the establishment of a WHO regional center of excellence in the field of behaviors and cultural elements that influence health, expressing Romania's availability to host it," the press release says.

The meeting was honored at the opening by the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and by the representatives of the executive management of the WHO.

Also, the Romanian delegation met with the Minister of Health from Israel, Nitzan Horowitz, in order to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of primary medical care, social health insurance and digitization, to improve patients' access to medical services. Collaboration in the field of medical staff training with the medical universities of the two countries was also discussed.AGERPRES
The French military deployed in Romania to strengthen NATO's Eastern Flank defense are participating, together with the Romanian military, in a training course of approximately two weeks at the 22nd Mountain Hunters Battalion Ciresoaia, informs the Sfantu Gheorghe Military Garrison.

The French soldiers are part of the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, and the purpose of the training is to be able to successfully carry out joint missions.

"Between September 12 and 23, at the 22nd Mountain Hunters Battalion Ciresoaia in central Sfantu Gheorghe, a series of joint training activities will take place alongside French soldiers of the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment with NATO's enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Romania. The training activities carried out jointly with the French partner are a special opportunity for practicing the techniques, tactics and procedures specific to combat in the mountain environment, for the development of a common vision regarding the management of military actions at the tactical level, as well as for the proactive development of interpersonal relations between soldiers in a multinational and multicultural context," reads a post on the Facebook page of the Sfantu Gheorghe Military Garrison.AGERPRES
The Ministry of National Defense announces the start of the training exercise "JUSTICE EAGLE 22.II", in which military from several countries take part.

About 700 Romanian troops from the South-East Multinational Brigade in southern Craiova and allies from France, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and the United States of America, with over 80 technical means, participate, between September 12 and 23, in the joint training exercise "JUSTICE EAGLE 22.II" in the Smardan Secondary Training Centre for Combat, the ministry said in a statement sent on Wednesday.

The exercise aims to increase interoperability and mutual trust among allies through training exercises with troops in the field and tactical, with firing battles.AGERPRES
Local and county officials from northwestern Salaj County were present, on Wednesday, in Ip, along with several dozen locals, at the commemoration of the victims of the massacre that took place in this locality, on the night of September 13 to 14, 1940, when 157 locals were killed by the Horthy's troops.

The ceremony included memorial services for the dead, supported by several priests and the bishop of Salaj, Petroniu, at the Heroes' Cemetery and at the monument in the centre of the town, with flowers laid by the officials.

"The history and restless souls of the martyrs compel us, every day of September 14, to be present here, at Ip, to commemorate those who lost their lives in what would remain as one of the blackest pages in the recent history of Romania. More than eight decades after the atrocities committed in September 1940 by the Horthy's army in several localities in Salaj, it is still very difficult for us to find words to express the absurdity of those times events. The most accessible are the words of consolation for the descendants of the victims, together with a pious tribute for those who lost their lives 82 years ago," prefect Dari Toma said.

The commemoration, which also included an artistic moment sustained by students from the locality, ended with the parade of the Guard of Honour, to the music performed by the Zalau Town Hall Promenade Band, while the area was flown by three helicopters of the Ministry of National Defence.AGERPRES
The General Inspectorate of the Border Police informs that, on Tuesday, 73,865 people entered Romania, through the border crossing points, out of whom 9,422 were Ukrainian citizens, increasing by 2.4pct compared to the previous day.

According to a press release sent on Thursday to AGERPRES, approximately 159,000 persons, Romanian and foreign citizens, carried out the control formalities at the border crossing points nationwide, both on the way in and on the way out, with more than 44,000 means of transport.

Starting with February 10, 2022 (pre-conflict period), 2,295,777 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania, told Agerpres.

"In terms of the specific activity at the border crossing points and the "green border," the border police discovered 49 illegalities (28 crimes and 21 contraventions) committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens, with the amount of fines applied exceeding 7,700 lei," the same source shows.
The Romanian government will approve an increase in the reward funds for students winning prizes at international competitions, according to Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca.

"We will pass decisions related to what it means to increase the reward funds the government uses for rewarding high performance, recognising and rewarding high performance, and that will be up to 20,000 lei for international prizes won by participating Romanian students in such competitions," Ciuca said on Wednesday at the beginning of a government meeting, told Agerpres.

He also mentioned school transport for rural students, especially those from families with financial problems.

He said that at the level of the government and in his private discussions with the minister and the local administrations they requested that there should be coordination to ensure children in Romania their access and right to education.
As many as 2,254 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, down 860 from the previous day, with over 19,000 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Wednesday.

Of the new cases, 474 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 - 320, and in the counties of Timis - 162, Cluj - 135, and Iasi - 131, told Agerpres.

The highest 14-day notification rate is in Cluj County - 2.51, followed by Timis County - 2.33, and Sibiu County - 1.84.

As of Wednesday, 3,247,140 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania.

- Hospitalisations -

As many as 1,646 people with COVID-19, down 117 from the previous reporting, including 221 minors, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities.

Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 146, down five, are in intensive care.

Of the 146 patients admitted to ICU, 127 are unvaccinated against COVID-19.

- Deaths -

According to the ministry, eight Romanians, six men and two women, are reported dead in the last 24 hours.

Of the eight deaths, one was recorded in the age group 50-59 years, two in the age group 60-69 years, two in the age group 70-79 years and three in the age group over 80 years.

All deaths were in patients with comorbidities.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 66,882 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania.
In the first seven months of 2022, Romania's industrial production declined 1.3% as unadjusted data and 2.2% when adjusted for seasonality and working days, both y-o-y, according to data published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

Unadjusted, there were decreases in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning production and supply (-6.5%), mining and quarrying (-4.2%) and manufacturing (-0.2%).

When adjusted for working days and seasonality, it was lower in the first seven months by 2.2%, as a result of decreases in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning production and supply (-6.3%), mining and quarrying (-4.2%) and manufacturing (-1.3%).

In July 2022, industrial production decreased by 1.9% on a monthly basis unadjusted due to a decrease in manufacturing (-3.2%). Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning production and supply and the extractive industry increased by 6% and mining and quarrying by 1.9%, told Agerpres.

When adjusted for working days and seasonality, industrial production was higher by 0.3% on a monthly basis, as growth was recorded in manufacturing and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning production and supply (+1.3%, each ). On the other hand, mining and quarrying decreased by 0.3%.

Industrial production (unadjusted) recorded a 3.1% decrease in July 2022, y-o-y as a result of decreases in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning production and supply (-6.8%), mining and quarrying (-2.9%) and manufacturing (-2.5%).

When adjusted, industrial production was lower by 0.9%, as a result of decreases in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning production and supply (-6.5%), mining and quarrying (-2, 6%) and manufacturing (-0.2%).
The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marcel Ciolacu, is to participate, on September 27, in Tokyo, in the State Funeral organized in honour of the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Standing Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies approved a memorandum in this regard on Wednesday.

According to the document, after the funeral, the participants are invited to the Guest House of the Prime Minister of Japan, for an event called Greeting Occasion, during which the Prime Minister of the Japanese Government, Kishida Fumio, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hayashi Yoshimasa, and the widow of the former prime minister, Akie Abe will present their farewell, with the Romanian Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies to also participate in this action, told Agerpres.

Marcel Ciolacu will be accompanied by Gabriela Romascanu, parliamentary adviser at the Chancellery of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

On the occasion of his trip to Japan, Ciolacu will have bilateral meetings with Hosoda Hiroyuki, Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives, and with Henrik Dam Kristensen, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Denmark. He will also have talks with the Japanese prime minister, along with other dignitaries.

The trip will take place between September 24 and 29.
The extractive industry and the processing industry had important contributions to the increase of over 26.5pct in the turnover of the Romanian industry, in the first seven months of this year, compared to the similar period of 2021 before, shows the data published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

Thus, the turnover in the industry, in the analyzed period, increased in nominal terms, overall, by 26.5pct, due to the growth of the extractive industry (+128.3pct) and the processing industry (+23.8pct). On the large industrial groups, turnover increases were recorded in the following sectors: energy industry (+114.0pct), intermediate goods industry (+27.9pct), consumer goods industry (+23.7pct), the capital goods industry (+14.2pct) and the durable goods industry (+12.6pct), told Agerpres.

According to official statistics, in July 2022, the turnover in the industry decreased, compared to the previous month, in total nominal terms by 2.4pct, as a result of the decreases recorded in the extractive industry (-5.9pct) and in manufacturing industry (-2.2pct). On the large industrial groups, decreases were recorded: energy industry (-5.3pct), capital goods industry (-2.8pct), intermediate goods industry (-2.4pct), consumer goods industry (-0.4pct) and the durable goods industry (-0.3pct).

Compared to the corresponding month of the previous year, the turnover in the industry increased in July, in nominal terms, by 24.1pct, due to the growth recorded in the extractive industry (+83.6pct) and in the processing industry (+22.4 pct). On the large industrial groups, increases were recorded: the energy industry (+140.1pct), the capital goods industry (+19.2pct), the consumer goods industry (+17.9pct), the intermediate goods industry (+16.6pct), and the durable goods industry (+10.7pct).
King Charles was urged to keep up his own and his late mother's efforts towards reconciliation between the divided communities of Northern Ire
If Victor Goines has his way, Jazz St. Louis will be held in the same regard as the esteemed Village Vanguard jazz club in New York City.

The Village Vanguard  that name is on many records, says Goines, who takes over Sept. 19 as president and CEO of Jazz St. Louis. It has a historical presence in the world of jazz. The Bistro deserves that kind of recognition.

Jazz St. Louis presents programming at Ferring Jazz Bistro inside the Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz in Grand Center. Goines, 61, replaces Gene Dobbs Bradford, who left this year to run the Savannah Music Festival.

Goines is a native of New Orleans and most recently lived in Chicago. A saxophonist and clarinetist, he has performed with Bob Dylan, Terence Blanchard, Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Dianne Reeves, Branford Marsalis and Wayne Shorter.

In order to elevate Jazz St. Louis and make the organization known around the world, hed like to release live albums recorded there. He also would like to send out touring ensembles of artists under the Jazz St. Louis banner.

Jazz St. Louis presents music at the highest level  the best of jazz, Goines says. So many people from around the world have performed here.

Goines has always pointed to New Orleans, New York and Chicago  cities where he has lived and worked  as his triangle of jazz. He now adds St. Louis.

St. Louis is another important city for jazz, he says. We all embrace the concept that the birthplace of jazz is somewhere around New Orleans, but we cant ignore Sedalia, Missouri (birthplace of ragtime). St. Louis certainly had things going on while other cities had (their) things going on. The lens shined on different places at the same time.

Longtime Jazz St. Louis head Gene Dobbs Bradford will depart to lead Savannah Music Festival Gene Dobbs Bradford's vision revitalized the organization and led to the opening of the Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz.

Name-checking Miles Davis and Clark Terry, natives of the St. Louis area who went on to become international jazz stars, Goines says: I look forward to being around a new group of musicians and seeing what they have to offer.

Before coming to Jazz St. Louis, Goines served as director of jazz studies and was a tenured professor of music at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Since 1993, he has been a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Septet and was director of the jazz program at the Juilliard School.

Goines sees his new appointment as the next step in his evolution as a performer, leader and executive.

Its a big responsibility from an organizational point of view to lead a group of people into the next point of where theyre going, says Goines, a fan of Bradfords long tenure at the helm of Jazz St. Louis.

Bradford oversaw the construction and opening of the Steward Center for Jazz in 2014 and is credited with booking more progressive acts.

Theyve had so many successes, he says. I wanted to make sure I was ready for that leadership position and to inspire people to want to follow me. I wanted to make sure my skill set was in place to allow me to do it successfully. Im trying to understand the dynamic of St. Louis as a community.

Goines has never been a lead performer at Jazz St. Louis, though he has played with other artists, including with Marsalis at the centers grand opening.

They were working so hard trying to get the building completed in time, working right up to the last moment, says Goines, who was impressed by the sightlines and the sound. Its more like an amphitheater but more intimate. As a performer, when you can see people on that level, its a different kind of energy.His most recent headlining show in St. Louis was in 2015. He and his quartet performed with the North County Big Band at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Theres no doubt Goines will grace the Jazz St. Louis stage with a new band he will form here.

Its coming  its got to come, he says. I want to be a part of it, every aspect of it, not just a presidential CEO.
TUESDAY, Sept. 13, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- President Joe Biden made a renewed push for his cancer moonshot initiative on Monday.

Speaking at the famed John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Biden likened JFK's space race to his own effort to slash cancer rates by 50 percent in the next 25 years. "He established a national purpose that could rally the American people and a common cause," Biden said of Kennedy's space effort. "And I believe we can usher in the same unwillingness to postpone, the same national purpose, that will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills to end cancer as we know it and even cure cancers once and for all."

In his speech, Biden said the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched a study that will look at using blood tests to screen against multiple cancers.

Danielle Carnival, the White House coordinator for the cancer effort, told the Associated Press that the Biden administration sees huge potential in such blood tests. "One of the most promising technologies has been the development of blood tests that offer the promise of detecting multiple cancers in a single blood test and really imagining the impact that could have on our ability to detect cancer early and in a more equitable way," Carnival said.

Carnival added that the National Cancer Institute study was designed so that any promising findings could be quickly put into clinical practice while the longer study -- expected to last up to a decade -- continues. She said the goal is to detect cancers through routine blood work instead of invasive tests and biopsies.

While touting the cancer initiative on Monday, Biden announced that Renee Wegrzyn, M.D., would become the inaugural director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, which has been tasked with studying potential treatments and cures for cancers, Alzheimer disease, diabetes, and other diseases. Biden also announced a new NCI program that will fund young scientists studying treatments and cures for cancer, with a focus on underrepresented groups.
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Battling COVID and eager to do anything that will limit you to a mild infection?

Grab a neti pot, a new study advises.

Flushing your sinus cavity twice daily with a mild saline solution can significantly reduce a COVID patient's risk of hospitalization and death, researchers report.

"We found an 8.5-fold reduction in hospitalizations and no fatalities compared to our controls," said senior author Dr. Richard Schwartz. He's chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

"Both of those are pretty significant endpoints," Schwartz said in a college news release.

For the study, 79 COVID patients self-administered nasal irrigation using saline water mixed with either povidone-iodine (the brown antiseptic used in surgery) or baking soda. They started doing this within 24 hours of testing positive.

In all, 1.3% of the participants needed hospitalization and none died, compared with about 11% of people from a matched control group who either landed in the hospital or died.

"The reduction from 11% to 1.3% as of November 2021 would have corresponded in absolute terms to over 1 million fewer older Americans requiring admission," the researchers concluded. If the findings are confirmed in other studies, the potential reduction in illness and death worldwide could be profound, they said.

The researchers suspect that saline -- salt water -- inhibits the COVID virus' ability to infect cells in the nasal cavity, mouth and lungs.

Saline irrigation also appears to help limit the severity of patients' symptoms. Patients who more diligently stuck to the twice-daily schedule reported quicker resolution of symptoms, the researchers said.

This technique can be used at home by mixing a half-teaspoon each of salt and baking soda into a cup of boiled or distilled water, then flushing out the nasal cavity with a sinus rinse bottle.

The findings were recently published in the Ear, Nose & Throat Journal.

More information

The Mayo Clinic has more about neti pots.

SOURCE: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, news release, Sept. 13, 2022

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Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has introduced a bill calling for a nationwide abortion ban. The bill would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the physical health of the mother. The legislation introduced Tuesday is sending shockwaves through both parties with just weeks before voters go to the polls. Grahams own Republican colleagues did not immediately embrace his abortion ban bill, which has almost no chance of becoming law in the Democratic-held Congress. Democrats reject it as extreme and an alarming signal of where Republicans are headed if they win control of the House and Senate in November.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he sent the two buses of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border who were dropped off near Vice President Kamala Harris home in residential Washington. It's part of a political battle over the Biden administrations immigration policies. Abbott tweeted Thursday he sent the buses to call on the Biden administration to "secure the border. The men and women who were dropped off stood outside Harris' official residence, the U.S. Naval Observatory, clutching bags of their belongings before moving to a nearby church. Republicans say President Joe Biden's policies encourage migrants to vanish into the U.S. Democrats criticize the Trump-era policy of forcing migrants to wait out their asylum cases in Mexico.
WASHINGTON PARK  A MetroLink train hit a vehicle Wednesday shortly before 2 p.m. here, sending at least one person to an area hospital.

The extent of the injuries weren't clear, said Herb Simmons, director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency.

Trains stopped operating between the Emerson Park and Fairview Heights MetroLink stations, according to MetroLink spokesman Jerry Vallely. A bus was transporting passengers between the following stops: Emerson Park, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, Washington Park and Fairview Heights. Passengers could experience delays up to an hour.

The crash temporarily trapped a man in his truck, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.

Washington Park police were investigating. They declined to provide additional details on the crash.
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

JEFFERSON CITY  School was in session and state Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, was teaching.

I would argue very clearly that this letter is inadequate, Proudie said.

She was speaking to the Ferguson-Florissant School District superintendent, Joseph Davis, and his attorney, Jimmie Edwards, of the Lashly & Baer law firm. The two men were in the witness chairs in Hearing Room 7 in the basement of the Missouri House in Jefferson City. Proudies Urban Issues committee was discussing the suspension policies of the north St. Louis County school district.

The letter in question was a generic one sent to about 40 parents of McCluer High School last year, when Davis transferred those students to virtual learning, sparking complaints from parents, the nonprofit law firm Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and, ultimately, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The letter didnt mention the possibility of a hearing or appeal. It wasnt individualized to each student so parents would know specifically what policy their child was accused of violating.

This letter is foolishness, Proudie said. This letter is trash.

Edwards, a former judge, didnt necessarily disagree.

We recognize that there was an issue, he told Proudie and her committee about placing students into virtual school during the previous school year. The moves were de facto year-long, out-of-school suspensions.

To go retroactively back and address what happened at this point is virtually impossible.  There was almost a total rewrite of due process.

That Edwards and Davis were at the hearing at all was a surprise. Davis had told Proudie in a letter last week he would decline to appear at her hearing.

Proudie gave the district what it didnt give to students the last couple of years  an opportunity to be heard  as out-of-school suspensions skyrocketed to a rate higher than any other district in the state.

Parents complained to Legal Services, which negotiated last year with the district to update its policies. But when suspensions without due process continued, Legal Services attorneys complained to the school board. This summer, the board implemented new policies to make sure that every student and parent receives proper notice, and a hearing, if they receive a long-term suspension.

In the hearing Tuesday, Legal Services attorney Hopey Fink outlined the organizations concerns; Davis was present and represented by counsel; and Proudie and her fellow lawmakers peppered witnesses with questions, offering a full airing of the suspension crisis.

As Proudie sought to look back at what happened last year, and make sure that students and their parents were made whole for violations of their rights, Edwards, on behalf of Davis, sought to look forward to the new suspension policy that he called robust.

We agree with due process, Edwards said. Were not against anything Legal Services wants.

Edwards also told the committee that DESE had ended its investigation of the districts suspension practices. In a Sept. 8 email, DESE regulators wrote:

DESE has had the opportunity to review the materials you have provided, and that has resolved the outstanding questions we have at this time. We appreciate the efforts the districts board and administration have taken to define and outline practices related to suspension or reassignment of students. We will continue to monitor the districts progress in these issues.

While the Legal Services complaints about Ferguson-Florissant suspension processes may have led to new policies, the larger issue of reassigning students to virtual education as a discipline alternative is one that holds lessons for districts across the state, Fink told lawmakers.

Earlier this year, Legal Services published a paper about virtual practices during the pandemic, finding massive disparities among districts in how they provided technology for students who needed laptops or wireless connections. Students living in poverty often didnt have access to the tools they needed for education, the study found.

When virtual education  particularly without daily supervision by teachers  is used as an alternative to suspension, it creates a host of problems, Fink said Tuesday.

During the pandemic, we saw this practice increase, Fink said. Its something we have seen in several districts. Our point is that these types of transfers require the same sort of due process as a suspension.

Thats now the case in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, according to the policies the school board passed in August. In the case of long-term suspensions, parents and students will receive notice of the alleged violation, a hearing with the administration and the right to appeal to the school board. The same rights will apply to transfers to virtual education.

The school-to-prison pipeline is not new, said Edwards, who famously started his own school for children involved in the criminal justice system when he was a judge. We dont want these kids put out of school, but we also want to make sure the other students, teachers and staff are safe.  The best place for children is in school, with a teacher.
This story was updated Wednesday afternoon with additional information.

FERGUSON  Police on Wednesday canceled an Amber Alert for a 12-year-old girl after announcing she was in the company of someone she knows. The girl is still considered a runaway juvenile.

Police said the teen had tried to run away on Sunday, but her mother intervened. Then shortly after 6:30 p.m. Monday, the mother told police her child was missing.

An Amber Alert was issued around 11 p.m. Tuesday, and police said they feared the girl had been abducted Monday afternoon outside Ferguson Middle School.

On Tuesday, when police showed the mother a video from Monday of a woman putting her daughter in a blue minivan outside of the school, the mother said she didn't recognize the woman.

Police found the minivan on Wednesday, but neither the girl nor the people suspected of taking her were inside. The owner of the minivan contacted police, and when police asked the mother again if she recognized the woman in the video, she confirmed it was the girl's older sister.
ST. LOUIS  Jurors in the murder-for-hire trial of former reality TV star James Tim Norman heard dramatically different closing arguments before they began to deliberate on Wednesday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angie Danis said in her closing argument for the prosecution that Norman initiated the plot to kill his nephew in hopes of a payout. Not only did he know, he was the architect of this plan, Danis said. This plan doesnt exist but for Tim Normans greed.

Normans defense attorney Michael Leonard responded that the murder plot presented by prosecutors was a made up theory.

The picture from everyone in this case was that he was a man of character, Leonard said.

Norman, 43, is accused of orchestrating the 2016 murder of his 21-year-old nephew, Andre Montgomery, and then attempting to cash out up to $450,000 in a fraudulent life insurance policy he took out on Montgomery before he was killed. He faces two federal murder-for-hire counts and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.

Norman and his nephew starred in Welcome to Sweetie Pies, a long-running OWN reality show about the popular soul food business Robbie Montgomery  Normans mother and Andres grandmother  founded in the St. Louis area.

Prosecutors argued the day of the shooting Norman paid $10,000 to an exotic dancer, Terica Ellis, to track his nephews location. They accuse Norman of then using a friend to pay $5,000 to the shooter, Travell Anthony Hill, after he killed Montgomery.

Both Ellis and Hill testified for the prosecution.

The defendant saw his opportunity to cash in and he tried, Danis argued. He had his own nephew executed.

Norman made the rare decision for a criminal defendant to take the stand in his own defense in the final day of testimony Tuesday.

He told the jury he asked Hill and Ellis to find and confront his nephew about a recent burglary at his mothers home, but said he never paid them or asked them to hurt his nephew.

He testified that about 18 months before the killing, he brought Montgomery to St. Louis, paid his rent and enrolled him in music school. He said he then cut him off financially after Montgomery stopped going to work and school.

The defense called former Sweetie Pies employees and other character witnesses who said Norman and his nephew were close.

Leonard questioned the credibility of the testimony from Normans alleged co-conspirators and argued Ellis felt compelled to testify to get a shorter sentence.

In making lifes most important decisions would you make that based upon a stripper who said she looked in your face and lied to you? Leonard said.

He also emphasized that the shooter, Hill, who prosecutors called Normans hired gun, said: Nobody else should be responsible for my actions but me. I looked up to Tim as a mentor.

Hill testified that he bought a gun and killed Montgomery after he was told by a mutual acquaintance that Norman would pay to have his nephew killed.

Hill said he was paid $5,000 after the killing by another man, Darryl Howard, who testified he made the payment at Normans direction.

Leonard emphasized that Hill testified he was a heavy drug user at the time and hopped up on drugs that day.

Thats the level of credibility of their star witnesses, Leonard said pointing to prosecutors.

In her rebuttal, prosecutor Danis told jurors not to trust Normans testimony.

The defendant sat up there for four hours and spun tales because thats what he does, Danis said. Theres about 45 reasons why you cant trust a word this man says.

Danis emphasized that all the testimony from alleged co-conspirators was backed up in trial by texts, call records and location data.

He scripted a show to portray an image of wealth and success that wasnt real, Danis said. She said Norman created an image of being a mentor and a father figure to all these people, but its fiction.

The jury began deliberations before noon Wednesday. In the midafternoon, jurors asked the judge for all of the texts in evidence, flight records and a life insurance application, among other things.

Jurors deliberated for nearly six hours without reaching a verdict.

Deliberations will continue Thursday morning.
BELLEVILLE  A former counselor at a Lutheran summer camp said she was groomed and repeatedly sexually assaulted by her 39-year-old supervisor when she was 17, according to a lawsuit filed last month.

The suit accuses leadership at Camp Wartburg, located in Monroe County roughly 30 miles south of downtown St. Louis, of not doing enough to prevent the abuse of the woman, identified only as Jane Doe. It asks for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.

A representative from the camp declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

The suit is the latest example of a Christian camp that has come under the microscope for sex abuse allegations. Kanakuk Kamp, in Branson, has faced a slew of complaints, including criminal charges against a prominent former director. Young Life, a Christian ministry headquartered in Colorado Springs, has also faced its own share of abuse allegations against employees.

Camp Wartburg is an affiliate of Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois that hosts more than 15,000 people each year for overnight camps, summer day programs, facility rentals and other events, according to its website.

Doe was working at the camp in 2020, the suit alleges, when her supervisor, Matthew T. Hubbard, groomed her by frequently isolating her in one-on-one activities, taking her for driving lessons and bringing her as his date to parties off camp grounds. He also repeatedly coerced her into engaging in sex acts between July and December 2020, according to the lawsuit.

Other camp employees reported to leadership that Hubbard was flirting with Doe, and the suit said Hubbard admitted to leaders that he was in a relationship with her.

Camp executive director Robert A. Polansky and manager John Sparky Hemenway eventually issued verbal and written warnings to Hubbard, but Polansky told local law enforcement officials that to his knowledge Doe was a willing participant in a relationship, the suit said.

The lawsuit says beyond failing to protect Doe, Wartburg also didnt do enough to vet employees and kept Hubbard on staff despite his conduct.

A hearing in the case is set for Oct. 24 in St. Clair County.
ST. LOUIS  Former Sweetie Pies star James Tim Norman testified Tuesday as the final witness in his own murder-for-hire trial. He said he paid his nephews rent. He said he enrolled him in school.

He painted the picture of a concerned uncle.

This is my brothers kid, so I tried my best to step in and be a father figure, Norman told the jury during more than four hours of testimony. I tried my best to show him right from wrong and tried to be a friend at the same time.

Norman, 43, is accused of orchestrating the 2016 murder of his 21-year-old nephew, Andre Montgomery, and then attempting to cash out up to $450,000 in a fraudulent life insurance policy he took out on Montgomery before he was killed. Norman and his nephew starred in Welcome to Sweetie Pies, a long-running OWN reality show about the popular soul-food business Robbie Montgomery  Normans mother and Andres grandmother  founded in the St. Louis area.

Prosecutors have argued Norman paid $10,000 to an exotic dancer, Terica Ellis, to track his nephews location the day he was killed. They accuse Norman of then using a friend to pay $5,000 to the shooter, Travell Anthony Hill, after he killed Montgomery.

But Norman on Tuesday described a dramatically different story, saying he wanted to show Montgomery an example of success by running the familys restaurants.

I just tried to show him you could make it doing regular stuff, Norman said through tears.

Norman told jurors he moved his nephew back to St. Louis about 18 months before he was killed. He said he supported him by paying his rent and enrolling the young aspiring rapper in the exTreme Institute by Nelly music school at Vatterott College.

Around that time, Norman said he took out a life insurance policy on his nephew to give a longtime customer of the family restaurants, Waiel Rebhi Yaghnam, some business.

The agent, Yaghnam, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the case in July, but did not testify during the trial.

Prosecution witnesses, including FBI agents, testified multiple insurance applications submitted by the agent and signed by Norman included false information: listing Normans number under contact information for Montgomery, overstating Montgomerys net worth as $200,000 and listing an address for a Sweetie Pies restaurant as Montgomerys home.

Prosecutors also presented texts between Norman and the insurance agent. In one, Norman said he didnt want to talk about the life insurance policy in front of his nephew.

But Norman responded on Tuesday that his nephew did know about the policy; he had attended a meeting to set up the coverage. Norman just didnt want him to know he could cash it out.

In a second text, Norman told the agent: Montgomery might not make it six months bro.

But, again, Norman said Tuesday that he was just worried about Montgomerys safety.

He was out on the streets at this point, Norman said. We were not seeing much of him.

Norman also testified that life insurance applications had errors he would not have made, like spelling Sweetie Pies incorrectly and having an age listed for his own brother who was killed years ago when his son, Montgomery, was an infant.

Norman testified he cut his nephew off financially after Montgomery stopped attending school and going to work.

He said Montgomery then disappeared from St. Louis after a 2015 burglary at Robbie Montgomerys north St. Louis County home.

At least $220,000 worth of cash, jewelry and other items were stolen, according to police reports from the burglary.

Norman told jurors his mother and he hired a private investigator to attempt to find his nephew then, but added he had no intention of hurting him.

They still hadnt located his nephew when, Norman told jurors, he flew to St. Louis on March 14, 2016  the day Montgomery was killed.

Norman said he made the trip as a part of his regular stops in St. Louis to collect cash from Sweetie Pies locations and do other jobs for the businesses.

Once he arrived, Norman said he arranged to meet Ellis for sex at the Chase Park Plaza hotel in the Central West End.

Ellis testified for the prosecution earlier in the trial that in the hotel Norman paid her $10,000 from a duffle bag of cash to track Montgomerys location that day.

But Norman testified on Tuesday that he only paid Ellis $1,000 for sex and another $2,000 to help her open a boutique she was trying to launch in Memphis. He admitted he did ask Ellis to help him find his nephew, but said he wasnt planning to hurt him and never paid her to do so.

I told her weve been calling all over the country looking for him, Norman said. I told her we were trying to get back my mom and Is stuff.

Norman agreed with Ellis testimony that she went with him to buy burner phones at a nearby Walgreens so they could communicate that day. But Norman said he had a fiancee at the time, so would typically use burner phones to talk to other women.

In his testimony, Norman said he connected Ellis with his friend Hill so that Hill could find his nephew that night. Norman said he wanted Hill to get the items stolen form his mothers home back, not kill Montgomery. He said he never paid Hill for the shooting and didnt learn he was the culprit until years after the death.

Normans account contradicts statements from Hill, who testified for the prosecution earlier in the trial.

Hill told the jury he never directly spoke with Norman about the killing, but decided to shoot Montgomery after he was told by a mutual acquaintance that Norman would pay to have Montgomery killed. He admitted to then buying a gun from a friend, going to an address Ellis sent him and shooting Montgomery twice.

A friend of Normans, Darryl Howard, testified earlier in the trial that Norman told him to pick up $5,000 in cash from The Chase Park Plaza to deliver it to Hill a few days after Montgomerys death.

Hill testified he believed the money was payment for the shooting, but also tried to take sole responsibility for the killing.

Nobody else should be responsible for my actions but me, Hill said during cross-examination. I looked up to Tim as a mentor.

Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in July and is awaiting sentencing.

Norman also addressed in his testimony phone records that show him speaking first with Ellis and then Howard in the minutes after Montgomery was killed.

Ellis testified Norman told her on the call not to worry about the gunshots. She said he told her to go home, destroy the burner phone and delete her Instagram account.

Norman denied that account, saying Ellis never mentioned that Montgomery had been killed when they talked that night.

Robbie Montgomery attended court Monday and Tuesday during her sons defense, but declined to comment on the case. The defense originally intended to call her as a character witness, but prosecutors successfully opposed her testimony as not relevant to the case.

Norman is facing two federal murder-for-hire counts and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.

The trial is expected to continue Wednesday with closing statements.
CLAYTON  An assistant St. Louis County prosecutor began opening statements at a rape trial here Tuesday by reciting the names of nine teenage girls.

None of them know each other, but are linked only by Dominic Salvatore Yocco, who sexually assaulted all of them, the prosecutor said.

The crimes happened between 2016 and 2018, prosecutors said. He lured and charmed the victims on social media, and plied them with alcohol and drugs, Assistant Prosecutor Allison Gensch told jurors during opening statements Tuesday.

Yocco, 22, is standing trial this week in St. Louis County Circuit Court on 32 felonies including various counts of rape, sodomy, child molestation and sexual abuse.

Yocco, of the 1600 block of Celerity Drive in north St. Louis County, was 17 and 18 at the time. The girls were between 14 and 16.

Yoccos lawyer Thomas Kissell disputes the allegations and said some of his clients accusers are ex-girlfriends whove lied in the past. Kissell told jurors that in some cases the sex was consensual, and in others fabricated.

The evidence is going to show that we are all here for regret, Kissell said.

Gensch provided similar details about each alleged attack, saying Yocco would typically take the girls back to his home and take advantage of them while they were heavily intoxicated and after they refused his advances.

Yocco raped one of the girls in 2017 and told her, I hate to break it to you, youre not a virgin anymore, Gensch said.

One of Yoccos victims said he threatened to shoot her if she reported what happened.

One of the alleged victims testified Tuesday that she awoke to Yocco trying to have oral sex with her, and that she told him no but he assaulted her anyway. Yoccos lawyer questioned her about her dinner outing with Yocco earlier that evening with Yoccos friends, when she and Yocco flirted with each other. She said the flirting did not mean it was OK for him to rape her.

Yocco has been free on bail since March 2020 when he posted a $250,000 cash bail with conditions that restricted him from having social media accounts and unsupervised contact with unrelated minor females. In May, prosecutors sought to revoke Yoccos bail after he was recorded on video at a March birthday party attended by girls.

At this weeks trial, Circuit Judge Ellen Nellie Ribaudo is limiting spectators in her courtroom to only relatives of Yocco and his alleged victims. The court opened a second, overflow courtroom for media and spectators that has a closed-circuit television feed that provides audio only of witness testimony without showing witnesses or the lawyers asking questions.

Also, the judge has ordered spectators to turn off cellphones and place them in locked pouches before entering the overflow courtroom to ensure there is no photographing, recording, broadcasting or other transmission of the trial. The trial is expected to last the rest of the week.
ST. LOUIS  Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, who ran on promises of increased transparency in city government, is a defendant in a new lawsuit from a noted Missouri open government advocate alleging St. Louis has developed a scheme to routinely keep records from the public.

The lawsuit was filed Monday by attorney Elad Gross, who ran in the 2020 Democratic Party primary for Missouri attorney general and last year won a major Sunshine Law case at the Missouri Supreme Court after he sued Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons administration for overcharging for public records.

Gross 273-page lawsuit names Jones, City Counselor Sheena Hamilton and city Sunshine Law coordinator Joseph Sims as defendants, saying they have established a system by which they regularly violate Missouris Sunshine Law and use public funding to deny the public access to public records.

It follows complaints from attorneys and a Riverfront Times article about the citys online public records request center that routes all open records requests through a centralized portal in the city counselors office, giving city officials the ability to keep tabs on requests across the bureaucracy. Sims, the coordinator, says all communication with a departments custodian of records must go through the portal.

The records portal predates the Jones administration, but record custodians in city departments and Sims began insisting on its use early in the Jones administration.

In response to Sunshine Law requests by the Post-Dispatch, the city has claimed that some records did not exist, when in fact they did. Other newspaper requests have been released with some records missing.

What Elads doing definitely needs to be done, said Mark Pedroli, another well-known government transparency lawyer based in Clayton. There needs to be more litigation against St. Louis city regarding their utterly deficient Sunshine Law request responses.

Gross lawsuit against the city stems from delays receiving records from the St. Louis Justice Center, the downtown city jail. Also listed as a plaintiff is Robert Childs, who was detained at the city jail and suffered injuries after disturbances at the jail when detainees escaped due to failing cell locks.

In September 2021, Gross sent several Sunshine Law requests for video of assaults that occurred at the jail in August 2021 as well as emails, texts and reports regarding the assaults. It took months before the city told Gross that no records existed for some of his requests, and some of his requests have still not been fulfilled.

The city portal, Gross says, only provides a standard response saying records will be available several weeks in the future. As that date approaches, the system then pushes back the date another month or so. That violates the Missouri Sunshine Laws requirements that requestors are given the earliest time and date records will be available and that public bodies provide a detailed explanation for any delays in production.

I have experience making Sunshine requests around the state, Gross said in an interview. I was very surprised how difficult it was to work with the city of St. Louis in making a Sunshine request.

In his lawsuit, Gross said he asked to speak with the attorney overseeing city Sunshine Law requests. He was transferred to Sims, who is not an attorney, according to Gross lawsuit. When Gross asked to speak with Hamilton, Sims told him he was the final authority on responding to Gross Sunshine Law requests.

The Sunshine Law is designed to increase public access to public records so Missourians can see what our government is doing, and the last thing that you need in that process is someone either pretending to be a custodian or who doesnt know where records are that is delaying the process unnecessarily, Gross said.

The custodians who actually keep records  and can often facilitate more precise, easier-to-process requests  are told not to communicate with members of the public, the Post-Dispatch has found in requesting records. And though the names and locations of custodians are required to be released, Sims has recently declined to provide contact information to a reporter, saying only they are located in City Hall. All requests and communication, Sims says, needs to go through the portal.

Gross lawsuit asks for penalties for purposeful violations of the Sunshine Law as well as an injunction. But he hopes City Hall will realize it needs reform.

My hope is the city will say, OK, this is serious now, lets change our practices, Gross said.

But Pedroli worries there is a cultural dismissiveness to the Sunshine Law within the city counselors office.

If you want to know whos running the city, you dont go to the elected officials, you go to the lawyers, he said. You have an elected mayor coming in and promising transparency. (Jones is) not gonna get it until she goes in there and sits them down and tells them, This is what I want and you have to do it.

Nick Desideri, a spokesman for Jones, declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
JEFFERSON CITY  A top Senate budget writer rejected a major component of Gov. Mike Parsons tax cut plan and instead called Wednesday for $325 rebate checks to be sent to Missouri taxpayers by Dec. 1.

In legislation filed on the opening day of a special session called by the governor, Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, said individuals who earn $150,000 or less would receive the checks.

Couples filing jointly and earning less than $300,000 annually would receive $650 checks.

The plan also would phase in additional reductions in the overall income tax rate if state tax revenue meets certain thresholds, ending when the rate hits 4.5%.

The proposal by Hough, who is expected to take the reins of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee next year, is similar to a rebate check plan vetoed by Parson in June.

Rather than issue rebate checks, the governor called the Legislature back to the Capitol to act on his call for a $700 million election year tax cut by moving the states current income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.8%.

The Republican governor says the timing is right for a reduction after the state general revenue fund through July 31 had a surplus of more than $4.2 billion. Tax revenues have increased nearly 24% this fiscal year.

Along with those increases, Missouris budget has been fueled by more than $9.8 billion in federal pandemic aid since April 2020.

Democrats have cautioned that even with flush coffers the state is failing to provide adequate services, ranging from long waiting times on state hotlines to a lack of bed space in mental hospitals and nursing homes for military veterans.

And, they say, Missouri could be caught short of funds in an economic downturn.

A price tag for Houghs legislation, which includes a series of tax breaks for agriculture businesses sought by Parson, was not available Wednesday. Aides said it could be next week before the cost of the tax rebates is compiled.

In the House, Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith said Tuesday he supports the governors call for a tax reduction but is reviewing additional options, including a phased-in reduction that goes further than 4.8% in the coming years.

The differences between Parson, Hough and a House tax reduction plan sets the stage for what could be weeks of negotiations over the details in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

But the overall sentiment for cutting taxes appeared to be shared. In the Senate, nearly two dozen separate pieces of tax-cutting legislation were filed Wednesday by 11 different senators.

We should return as much of peoples hard-earned money to them, said lame-duck Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis, who is term-limited after eight years in the upper chamber.

Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, introduced legislation that would further reduce the corporate income tax rate, which stands at 4%.

I think its time that we consider lowering it again, Moon said.

Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, filed a measure that would eliminate the corporate tax.

House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-OFallon, said House and Senate leaders are working together to craft a plan that can meet the muster of rank-and-file lawmakers.

He said the talks have been amicable.

Were just not there yet, Wiemann said.
BOSTON (AP)  A package exploded on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston late Tuesday, and the college said a staff member suffered minor injuries.

Authorities said another suspicious package was found near a prominent art museum and the FBI was assisting with the investigation.

The parcel that blew up was one of two that were reported to police early in the evening. Boston's bomb squad neutralized a second package near the city's Museum of Fine Arts, which is on the outskirts of the Northeastern campus.

NBC Boston reported that the package that exploded went off as it was being opened near the university's Holmes Hall, which is home to the university's creative writing program and its women's, gender and sexuality studies program. It said the FBI was assisting the investigation.

Authorities declined to elaborate, but Northeastern spokesperson Shannon Nargi said in a statement that an unidentified university staff member suffered minor injuries to his hand in the explosion. Felipe Colon, a Boston police superintendent, later described the victim as a 45-year-old man.

Police converged on the campus shortly before 7:30 p.m., and the university asked students who had gathered for an evening journalism class at the hall to evacuate the building.

Northeastern is a private university in downtown Boston with about 16,000 undergraduate students. WCVB-TV said one of its reporters, Mike Beaudet, was teaching a class there at the time. Beaudet told the station his class was moved outside but that neither he nor his students heard an explosion.

Michael Davis, chief of Northeastern's police force, told reporters the campus was secure. Boston police didn't say whether any other suspicious packages were found.

Were monitoring the situation at Northeastern and were ready to work with the university and our law enforcement partners on any prosecutions that may develop," Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said, promising "a comprehensive investigation to determine exactly what occurred here.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both on the other side of the Charles River separating Boston from Cambridge, said they were increasing patrols on their campuses as a precaution and urging students and faculty to report anything suspicious.
Britain and Norway are sending Ukraine a hundred Black Hornet PD-100 micro-drone systems. British and Norwegian forces are PD-100 users and the PD-100 is manufactured in Norway. The PD-100 is a unique UAV because it is a helicopter -type UAV that is small and quiet enough to be covertly.

Since 2011 military and police customers in over 30 countries have ordered over 5,000 PD-100s. This UAV is tiny and very inexpensive. Its popularity springs from the fact that the Black Hornet provides stealthy reconnaissance of the enemy in the minutes or seconds just before you go on the attack. No other UAV has been able to provide that kind of information and for that reason, troops (and police) who regularly face dangerous and unpredictable situations see Black Hornet as a long-sought tool.

Black Hornet is a tiny (10x2.5 cm/4x1 inch) and lightweight (16 g, less than half an ounce) helicopter UAV. The rotor diameter is 12 cm (4.8 inches). Developed by a Norwegian firm and first used in by British commandos in Afghanistan during 2013, it was noticed by other special operations troops there, especially from U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and by 2014 American troops were testing Black Hornet, suggested some new features and by 2015 were using it in combat. By then the British had bought over 300 Black Hornets. Suggestions from early users resulted in Black Hornet 2, which had the same performance as the first version but was cheaper (under $50,000 per UAV) and more reliable. Despite the high cost, in the hands of well-trained troops it increased combat capabilities considerably and saved lives of the troops using it. By 2017 the lower cost and rave reviews saw many more potential customers (most of them NATO members) trying it out and then placing orders. One of the recent adopters has been the Australian Army, which made Black Hornet 2 available to infantry and armored units as well as special operations forces. Black Hornet 2 can easily be used from inside an armored vehicle without any of the crew exposing themselves to enemy fire. This made Black Hornet 2 very attractive for armored units training for urban combat.

A complete Black Hornet system consists of two UAVs, the base station (with detachable wireless handheld controller) and a small tablet type display unit which can be viewed while sitting on the users chest via a strap around the neck. The user has the base station in a pocket. The user is thus fully mobile and has his weapon handy if needed. This degree of portability was especially useful for special operations operators who often put Black Hornet to work just before an attack to confirm the location of the target and any nearby civilians. Infantry and police SWAT units also used Black Hornet this way, providing last second (rather than minute) dangers.

The complete system (two UAVs and all other gear) weighs 1.3 kg (under three pounds) and fits into a compact and sturdy case. A user can have a Black Hornet operational in less than a minute, including booting up the controller and doing a self-check. Black Hornet is launched and recovered from the open hand of the operator. When used from a vehicle the only thing visible is a small antenna outside the vehicle. The operator opens a hatch, lets the UAV fly off and then closes the hatch.

What makes Black Hornet so useful is that is virtually undetectable at night because it is battery powered (for up to 25 minutes per sortie) and can operate autonomously and transmit HD pictures and lower def video back to the operator via an encrypted data link or store them onboard for viewing when the UAV returns to the operator. The small system case can be attached to the troops like ammo or other gear already is. The UAVs can be recharged in the carrying case. The UAV can be controlled up to 1,600 meters from the operator, who can guide the UAV and zoom the camera and select the type of images to send back. The PD-100 also carries GPS, a thermometer, compass and altitude sensor. Max speed is 10 meters a second (36 kilometers/22.5 miles an hour), max altitude is about 500 meters and it can hover. The Black Hornet 2 weighs 18 g (.55 ounce) and can handle wind gusts of up to 43 kilometers (27 miles) an hour. In Afghanistan British and American special operations troops found the PD-100 ideal for reconnaissance and spotting snipers as well as searching inside buildings or cave entrances, even at night because Black Hornet has night vision in addition to the standard higher definition day camera.

Even though the commandos had night vision gear they cant normally see around corners or on the other side of walls or other obstacles. Since the enemy could not see or hear the PD-100 at night they were often taken by surprise because they thought they were well hidden in the dark. At night the Black Hornet is virtually impossible to detect, a feature special operations users put to the test frequently. Even in daylight Black Hornet is difficult to hear although if you are looking really hard for little bird-sized objects that hover, you could spot one nearby.

The PD-100 can stay in the air for 20-25 minutes per sortie depending on how much time it spends hovering (low battery use) or moving high and fast (uses a lot more battery power). The PD-100 is made of hard plastic and it was designed to be the ultimate infantry UAV. Only later was it found to be equally invaluable for armored vehicles operating in congested places like urban areas or forests.

Special operations troops are used to being enterprising and inventive and they quickly developed many new uses for the PD-100. While becoming an expert user can take hundreds of hours of combat use, you can be taught basic operating skills in less than 20 minutes and there is computer simulator software so users can develop operating skills without risking loss or damage to an expensive UAV (on a cost per kilogram basis, which is over $600,000).

By 2015 the manufacturer had figured out how to get a night vision vidcam on the PD-100 and found ways to reduce the high cost. The PD-100 originally cost nearly $100,000 each. The initial high cost was due to many custom parts as well as the need to recover development costs and use skilled people to hand assemble each one. Since 2013 components have been produced in large quantities and assembly uses more automation.

The manufacturer has developed a larger (38 gr/1.1 ounce) Black Hornet 3 which will not replace Black Hornet 3 but complement it. Black Hornet 3 has higher resolution day and night sensors and moves faster, farther and does this for longer periods. The larger and heavier Black Hornet 3 is even more resistant to wind gusts.

UAVs like Black Hornet are so small and light that they are not considered a flight risk for manned aviation and that led to their popularity with police departments. Black Hornet 3 is also a non-threat and contains features most requested by users.

UAVs like the PD-100 and larger ones (like Raven) that can still be carried by the infantry had a bigger impact on infantry operations than the introduction of frequent aerial reconnaissance a century ago. The aircraft-based air reconnaissance revolutionized warfare, for generals and colonels but not so much for small infantry units. About a century after the first aircraft flew this new, tiny and radical new aerial technology took air recon to a new level. That level is low, a few hundred meters off the ground. It all began in the American military after September 11, 2001, when the concept of tiny UAVs rapidly developed into a fleet of nearly 6,000 small (under ten kg/11 pounds) UAVs in use by American ground troops. Traditional U.S. military aviators and the 10,000 manned aircraft they operate were somewhat disdainful of these tiny, unmanned, aircraft. But for the troops on the ground, they are a lifesaver and the key to many victories. This sort of thing has happened before.

Just as the first recon aircraft a century ago changed the way armies fought, the micro-UAVs have changed the way small units of soldiers fight. A century ago, the aerial observers reported to generals and their staff. The commanders with troops in contact with the enemy rarely got the aerial photos and whatever information they got was hours or days old when it reached the combat zone. In the late 20th century, the army began using its own helicopters and light aircraft, with observers talking to commanders below via radio, to give the troops some immediate intel on the enemy. But now UAV video goes to platoon or company commanders, or the leader of a small Special Forces team in real time. The lightweight, hand-launched Raven UAV can only stay airborne about an hour per sortie, but troops have found that this is enough time to do all sorts of useful work, even when there's no fighting going on. This is most of the time. The Black Hornet, in the air for about 20 minutes, proved to be very useful despite the availability of Raven.

Because of Raven, better training and leadership in Iraq and Afghanistan, the enemy did not want to confront U.S. troops directly (this tended to get you killed). So, there was an unceasing effort to set up ambushes, plant mines and roadside bombs, and fire rockets or mortars at American bases. All of these activities were much less effective against troops equipped with Raven or similar UAVs. U.S. troops learned how to think like the enemy, and quickly figured out the best ambush positions, or places to plant mines or fire rockets. By sending micro-UAVs over these spots periodically the enemy was put in danger of being spotted. The enemy knew that usually led to a prompt attack from American mortars or helicopter gunships. These mind games, of sneaking around trying to get a shot off at the Americans, was more stressful and dangerous if the U.S. troops had Ravens. And most of them do.

By 2012 the U.S. Army had over 5,000 RQ-11 Raven UAVs, which were popular with combat and non-combat troops alike. The army developed better training methods which enabled operators to get more out of Raven. Combat troops use it for finding and tracking the enemy, while non-combat troops use it for security (guarding bases or convoys). In both cases, troops have come to use the Raven for more than just getting a look over the hill or around the corner. The distinctive noise of Raven overhead is very unpopular with the enemy below and is often used to scare the enemy away or make him move to where he can be spotted. By then the first Black Hornet was available and, despite the high price, began to gain a following among those who needed the kind of aerial recon only a tiny, silent hovering UAV could provide.

Meanwhile Raven had already matured. The current model, the Raven B (RQ-11B), was introduced in 2007, a year after the original Raven entered service in large numbers. This UAV is inexpensive ($35,000 each) and can stay in the air for 80 minutes at a time. The Raven is battery powered (and largely silent unless flown close to the ground). It carries a color day vidcam, or a two-color infrared night camera. It can also carry a laser designator. Both cameras broadcast real-time video back to the operator, who controls the Raven via a handheld controller, which uses a hood to shield the display from direct sunlight (thus allowing the operator to clearly see what is down there). The Raven can go as fast as 90 kilometers an hour but usually cruises at between 40 and 50. It can go as far as 15 kilometers from its controller and usually flies a preprogrammed route, using GPS for navigation.

The Raven is made of Kevlar, the same material used in helmets and protective vests. On average, Raven can survive about 200 landings before it breaks something. While some Ravens have been shot down, the most common cause of loss is losing the communications link (as the aircraft flies out of range) or a software/hardware failure on the aircraft. Combat losses have been high, as nearly 20,000 have been built and most of those have been lost in training or the battlefield. A complete system (controller, spare parts, and three UAVs) costs $250,000. The UAV can be quickly taken apart and put into a backpack. It takes off by having the operator start the motor, and then throwing it. This can be done from a moving vehicle and the Raven is a popular recon tool for convoys. It lands by coming in low and then turning the motor off. Special Forces troops like to use it at night, because the enemy cant see it, and often cant hear it either.

The controller allows the operator to capture video, or still pictures, and transmit them to other units or headquarters. The operator often does this while the Raven is flying a pre-programmed pattern (using GPS). The operator can have the UAV stop and circle, in effect keeping the camera on the same piece of ground below. The operator can also fly the Raven, which is often used when pursuing hostile gunmen.

Raven, and nearly a thousand slightly larger UAVs don't get much publicity, but they have a larger impact on combat than the few hundred much larger (Shadow, Predator, Reaper) UAVs. These big, and often armed, UAVs carry out vital missions but comprise a tenth of the airtime that the micro-UAVs rack up. Moreover, these smaller UAVs have opened up lots of other possibilities. There are already small, single-use UAVs that are basically guided bombs. Even smaller UAVs, like Black Hornet, can be used for spying, as well as battlefield recon. These little aircraft are having an enormous impact on warfare, rivaling what happened a century ago when the first crude aircraft were used for aerial reconnaissance.
Three U.S. Army AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters from the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade fire 2.75 folding fin rockets during a combined arms live fire demonstration during Noble Partner 22, at the Vaziani training area in the country of Georgia, Sept. 9, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas Mort)

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by Austin Bay September 13, 2022

In early 1993, at a conference in Virginia, the Secretary of Defense's Office of Net Assessment director, the great Andrew Marshall, presented his staff and consultants with a long-term thought experiment: How could the U.S. fight and win a war for national survival circa 2020 to 2025?

Marshall didn't name the adversary, but I'd heard him ask a version of the question in his office a couple of months earlier.

So, I'd thought about potential adversaries three decades on...

"You mean against China?" I blurted out. Silence among the conferees. The future admiral sitting to my right shot me a glance.

Then Marshall nodded. Yes, China.

Andrew Marshall very likely had the finest strategic mind of his era. He wanted everyone in the room to consider the political, technological, economic, military, social, bilateral, regional and global contexts for such a terrible war.

A subset of politics is leadership.

It's now 2022 -- we're within Andy Marshall's long-range time frame for a U.S.-China war of ultimate consequence.

Burn the words in your brain: war for national survival.

Ukraine is fighting one against another imperialist dictatorship, Russia. Vlad Putin's Russia, like Xi Jinping's China, justifies expansionary wars on questionable historical claims of lost territory and injustice that incite ethnic passions. Substituting racist for ethnic is quite fair. What Teuton supermen were to Adolf Hitler's Gross-Deutschland 1942, ethnic Han are to Xi's Greater China circa 2022.

China's bribed media and academia won't tell that story. But it's the truth. Ask the Turkic Uighurs in western China, the victims of a genocide perpetrated by Beijing's privileged Han.

Chinese war scenarios proliferate in the Pentagon. Buyer beware: scenarios are projections, not predictions. My last book, "Cocktails From Hell" (Bombardier Books, 2018) sketched five scenarios. Here are two:

No. 1: A meeting engagement in the South China Sea. The cause: China's aggressive territorial claims in the area and outright theft of Filipino territory. As tensions mount, accident, incompetence and/or itchy trigger fingers ignite a deadly sea battle involving U.S. and Chinese forces. Diplomacy prevents escalation -- maybe. If the U.S. Navy comes out second best, China gains a diplomatic edge throughout the western Pacific.

No. 2: China Invades Taiwan. The cross-Strait invasion ignites The Big One. It also craters the global economy (including China's), so economic factors make a case Beijing's threats are bluster. But don't dismiss the possibility. Xi is fanatically committed to seizing Taiwan. In the 1962 Sino-India War, China's surprise attack caught India off guard.

Several factors indicate China has a moment of strategic advantage, a window of opportunity from now until 2026 to deal the U.S. a severe defeat. Beijing's goal: diplomatic and economic superiority lasting decades. U.S. weakness could lead to Taiwanese capitulation.

Arguably, China has a military edge along the Asian littoral and into the western Pacific. Its modernized military forces are powerful. China's navy has more ships than the U.S. Navy and can focus its power on the western Pacific. The U.S. confronts a "hull deficit" -- not enough ships to maintain a global naval presence (which has a deterrence effect prior to war) and not enough to fight a widely dispersed battle when conflict erupts.

China has a plan to defeat U.S. Navy carrier battle groups approaching Taiwan or force them to remain east of Hawaii. It's called anti-access/area denial using ballistic "carrier killer" missiles and subs. U.S. Navy carrier groups have immense offensive power but are big targets. U.S. admirals know losing one carrier is a major defeat.

China has a leadership advantage, at least through January 2025. Beijing knows it will never confront an American president as weak as President Joe Biden. His administration's Afghanistan debacle put its incompetence, weakness and arrogant fecklessness on global display.

However, serious problems threaten to erode China's edge. China faces population decline. StrategyPage.com recently pointed out China's GDP growth rate continues to slide as bank failures increase. Beijing is now "concentrating on preventing a collapse of the financial system."

Can anything be done to counter China's moment of advantage? The answer is yes, and I'll address several ideas in my next column.
Ukraine has sent 28,000 tons of grain to Somalia, enough to feed 1.5 million people for a month. Somalia faces its second major famine since 2011. That one killed at least 250,000 people. The 2022 famine threatens over seven million people, is worse than the 2011 famine and the worst since the 1980s. This time at least a million potential famine victim on living in al Shabaab controlled areas where the Islamic terrorists demand cash to allow aid to reach those who need it.

The UN complained that only two percent of the money needed for food aid in Somalia during 2022 had been pledged. With half the Somali population in need of food aid, fewer have been receiving it over the last year. This is because more donors were refusing to contribute. The donors were sending their aid elsewhere, where it was less likely to be stolen and more likely to reach the people who needed it.

Corruption in Somalia has long been epic and recognized as the worst in the world for over a decade. Corruption ratings come from the annual Transparency International survey. While the hunger and suffering in Somalia are often reported in mass media, the donor nations face more demand that aid donors can handle and are increasingly refusing to provide aid for nations where little of the aid, particularly food aid, reaches the people in need and are featured in the mass media. Foreign journalists are allowed to cover hunger but not corruption. Doing so will get you arrested or worse. Media that depend on local sources for details on corruption have a difficult time documenting the aid thefts but it is obvious after more than three decades of disappearing aid that is not getting through. This scam has been ongoing in Somalia for decades.

There are frequent incidents reminding everyone how the culture of corruption works. For example, in 2019 the far north an unexpected failure of the annual monsoon rains caused a severe drought, major crop failures and many people facing famine and starvation. Aid for this was difficult to obtain because of the chronic corruption that often cripples such aid efforts and enriches a few local officials and gangsters. These droughts and famines have always been present in this region but emergency foreign food aid is a late 2oth century development that has saved a lot of lives and made a lot of local leaders and gangsters rich. Much of the food never gets to those who need it most (the ones who cannot afford to even buy food) but enough of the food does reach famine victims to make it worthwhile to keep trying.

Part of the foreign aid problem is the nature of Somali culture. It is very competitive, entrepreneurial, violent and resourceful. For many Somalis al Shabaab is not so much a religious movement as it is an opportunity to make some money. Al Shabaab is very much a criminal organization whose main goal is to make more money so it can recruit more members, arm them and use violence, bribes and extortion to obtain still more power and wealth. This Somali outlook put al Shabaab at odds with al Qaeda and other international Islamic terror groups. In the end the Somalis won that argument in Somalia.

The resourcefulness can be seen in how al Shabaab has overcome the problems with widespread cell phone use. Initially this made it more difficult for al Shabaab to operate because people who opposed them could alert the security forces, or local militia, when al Shabaab activity was spotted. Shutting down the cell phone systems was a common approach with Islamic terrorists but al Shabaab saw different opportunities. Cell towers and other cell phone assets were only attacked if the cell phone companies would not pay a tax to operate in an area where al Shabaab was active and able to make good on threats. With control of the cell phone service providers, al Shabaab was able to communicate, especially with their informants. Al Shabaab paid for useful information and becoming an al Shabaab informant was a good way to make some extra cash, as well as stay off the al Shabaab hit list. Al Shabaab isnt the only group in Somalia that uses cell phones like this. Powerful clans maintain armed militias and an informant network among clan members. This is why the media regularly report the government or peacekeepers consulting clan elders, negotiating with al Shabaab (or another clan). Often al Shabaab will have to deal with the clan elders because al Shabaab has found that making an enemy of a powerful clan is bad for business. An example occurs in the south, on the Kenyan border, where al Shabaab has found its operations disrupted because of disputes with the powerful Marehan clan. Most situations where al Shabaab has problems doing business is because they have run afoul of a powerful (and usually heavily armed) clan. Al Shabaab tries to intimidate clans into cooperating but failing that al Shabaab must either fight, make a deal or move somewhere else. Somalia is a patchwork of areas where al Shabaab tries to avoid because of the powerful clan organizations. These clans are usually the ones with clan elders who can negotiate with al Shabaab. For example, clan elders were called on three years ago when two Cuban doctors were kidnapped by al Shabaab and held for a $1.5 million ransom. While the Cuban economy is a wreck, the country does provide free medical school for nearly all Cubans who are capable of handling the demanding courses. Cuba has lots of doctors but little money for medications or medical equipment in general. Cuba does demonstrate that good primary care has a very positive overall impact. Cuba eventually had more doctors than they could use and found that renting out its doctors for foreign countries, especially in South America and Africa, could be lucrative. That business now brings in over $10 billion a year. The Cuban doctors involved are paid more than they receive back in Cuba and have opportunities to defect, which a growing number do. The Cuban government holds kin of doctors hostage but that, and the fact that kin will no longer receive part of the doctors foreign pay, is often not sufficient to prevent defection. The Cuban doctors are appreciated in foreign countries, where the local medical facilities are generally better than back in Cuba and the patients grateful for the specialist care and surgical skills the Cuban doctors often provide to people who would otherwise not receive much medical care at all.

The 2019 kidnapping in northern Kenya had an immediate impact. Local tribal elders and others with contact or clout with al Shabaab began negotiations to get the doctors released. After all, the doctors also treated Kenyan Somalis and refugees from Somalia. Clan elders soon reported that the two doctors were back in Somalia and safe. In fact, the two doctors were regularly treating patients there. Before the kidnapped doctors were freed, other Cuban doctors working near the Somali border withdrew to safer areas until their colleagues were released and Kenya increased security for those Cubans working in areas where al Shabaab is known to operate.

In short, al Shabaab is powerful but not omnipotent. They can be hurt by things you rarely hear about, like feuds with powerful clans. More visible things that hurt al Shabaab are American UAV missile strikes and the American intelligence gathering effort that provides the location of targets for the missile strikes. These missile attacks concentrate on doing major damage to al Shabaab leadership or operations. The peacekeeper force is another problem. The government security forces (army and police) are easier to deal with (via intimidation or bribes). Another al Shabaab asset is corruption in the Somali government which means many officials are for sale or rent. This is one reason the Americans keep their local intelligence network separate from anything the Somali government is doing in that area. The Americans share some intel with the Somali government or the peacekeeper force. Some of this intel gets back to al Shabaab and the usual result is al Shabaab itself is impressed and intimidated at how much the Americans know. Most of the American intel comes from UAV video and electronic (of communications) surveillance.

September 13, 2022: In central and southern Somalia (Hiran and Galgaduud regions) Somali troops and clan militias killed over a hundred al Shabaab gunmen as they cleared al Shabaab out of twenty villages they were using as bases. The operation had the advantage of aerial surveillance and lots of tips telephoned in by locals. Al Shabaab did not suspect such a large and intense operation against them. Most Somalis regard al Shabaab as gangsters with religious pretensions who specialize in kidnapping and extortion.

September 10, 2022: In the south (Lower Shabelle region) soldiers and special forces raided the town of Mubarak, which is95 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu and a base for al Shabaab extortion efforts. The troops killed the al Shabaab leader for the area and another man in charge of kidnapping and extortion activities. Ten other al Shabaab gunmen were wounded and captured. A number of civilian hostages were freed. The day before the Somali air force bombed the al Shabaab base, killing al Shabaab gunmen and some civilian hostages.

This is not the first time Somali troops have tried to clear this area of al Shabaab presence. Villages in the area are used as bases for al Shabaab groups that maintain lucrative checkpoints that demanded fees from vehicles in order to pass. Returning these roads to government control made it more difficult for al Shabaab to terrorize larger towns and the population in general.

September 7, 2022: The new (since May) Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, replaced the mayor of Mogadishu with a Yusuf Hussein Jimale, who had served as mayor from 2015-17, when Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was president for the first time. The mayor is also governor of the Banaadir region, which covers the same area as metropolitan Mogadishu. The president wants a mayor with experience in development, something Mogadishu has had little of since 2017.

September 5, 2022: In central Somalia (outside Beledweyne) al Shabaab intercepted and destroyed at least eight vehicles and killed at last 19 civilians overnight. Al Shabaab claimed it was seeking out and killing members of a local clan militia that opposes the al Shabaab presence in the area. Clan leaders are calling on the government to send more troops to the area to chase al Shabaab out once and for all. Al Shabaab has been carrying out a lot of attacks on civilians in the area over the last few years.

September 3, 2022: In the north (Hiran, a region 200 kilometers north of Mogadishu) al Shabaab forces attacked a food convoy as well as passenger vehicles. Nearly 30 civilians were killed and the food aid and the trucks carrying it were burned.

September 1, 2022: Outside Mogadishu (the Galgaduud region) al Shabaab destroyed wells and communications towers. Several towns in the area were also attacked.

August 19, 2022: In Mogadishu al Shabaab attacked the well-protected Hayat Hotel using explosives and gunfire. This got the attackers into the hotel compound where they took hostages and used them as human shields to prolong the siege to about 30 hours. Eventually most of the attackers were killed and over a hundred hotel guests and staff were rescued. There were about 30 dead, mainly the attackers and security forces and twice as many wounded.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2022 / Perk Labs Inc. (CSE:PERK)(OTCQB: PKLBF)(FKT:PKLB) ("Perk" or the "Company"), the company helping businesses transition to the digital economy, is pleased to provide a corporate update on its product traction, sales and growth plans, product roadmap, marketing and rebranding, cost reductions and financing initiatives, and investor relations activities.

Product Traction

Our business has evolved dramatically in the past year, as we changed our business model from a transaction based B2C marketplace to a B2B software-as-a-service subscription based model. In the second and third quarters of the year we recruited our first few subscription-based paying customers - this was critical work as these customers helped us validate and refine our product, improve our product positioning, and provide us with important social proof.

We are continuing to sign up new paying customers and continue to see increases in the number of orders through our platform.

Sales and Growth Plans

With much of the heavy R&D work now completed to get our platform robust and scalable and building upon our early successes in signing new customers, we are now moving to a "sales-first organization": We recently engaged a consultant with deep domain knowledge in the hospitality software space to work with our sales team, completed a review of the state of our sales program and made several improvements on how to increase our execution in lead generation, market positioning and partnership opportunities.

We've recruited a new Director of Sales who will be focused on signing up larger customers and enterprise accounts. We plan to make a further announcement about this within the next two weeks. We've also recently added to our sales team by engaging Allenton Deazle as a sales executive, and aim to add three sales representatives across Canada. As part of Mr. Deazle's compensation, he will be compensated in shares of the Company.

We also have ongoing discussions with a group in the United States whom we plan to partner with to grow our presence in the U.S. We expect to make an announcement in the next 30 days.

As part of our growth plan, we are also developing partnerships with several distribution channel partners, including partnerships with a large reseller of digital services, a major point-of-sales provider, a nationwide payment processing and loyalty provider, and we are pursuing a partnership with a well-known hospitality equipment provider. We believe that forming partnerships with the right incentives in place such as mutual referral programs is the way that we can significantly scale customer growth through a much broader distribution of our products.

We will provide further updates on these partnerships as they develop and progress.

Product Roadmap Update

Providing an update on the Company's product roadmap, Gary Zhang, CTO of Perk said "Omnichannel order management is the foundation of our next-generation membership-based sales and marketing solution. Our product team is working on the top 5 sales order channels: QR-based on-site orders, pickup orders, neighbourhood delivery orders, reservation orders and subscription orders. Our team plans to complete work on reservations and subscriptions by the end of October 2022. In the last quarter of 2022, our product team will deliver more advanced functions such as an advanced reward system, white-label customization, notification-driven omnichannel marketing and branded token."

By adding subscription orders, the Company believes it will open up additional revenue opportunities by being able to support many other types of businesses that require recurring subscription-based payments such as club and gym memberships, fitness studios, services and product subscriptions.

With respect to blockchain and NFT technology, the Company believes that while much of the hype and excitement that captured the market's attention surrounding blockchain and NFT technologies in the earlier part of the year has cooled, there still exists very practical uses of blockchain in the loyalty space and that NFTs can be a tool to provide access to things like club memberships or executing a subscription to a service. The Company plans to further develop its loyalty token on the Solana blockchain to provide a white-label loyalty platform to brands that will also include NFTs as a mechanism for unlocking memberships, subscriptions, events, and special benefits. As validation of this business opportunity, Starbucks recently announced that it is launching its own NFT marketplace with exclusive Web3 benefits for its members:

https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/starbucks-brewing-revolutionary-web3-experience-for-its-starbucks-rewards-members/

Rebranding

To better reflect our new direction, we are currently working with a branding expert and plan to unveil our new brand in October with updates to our website, messaging and marketing materials.

Cost Reductions and Financing Initiatives

We've taken several steps to reduce our monthly cash burn and, unfortunately, over the past few months, had to let go of a few team members. Another planned cost reduction measure is to phase out our digital gift card offering for which we currently incur a minimum monthly fee.

As previously announced, to increase our cash position, we recently sold over $600,000 in Hero Innovation Group stock. We are also exploring other ways to increase our cash position, including potential equity, debt financing and special bank loan programs that are available as part of Government of Canada programs for startups.

Investor Relations Activities

We also plan to ramp up our investor relations activities to help build Company awareness and increase exposure within the global investment community. As previously announced, the Company has engaged MarketOne, Stockhouse and Proactive Investors, and plans to ramp up its activities through those partners, including attending investor conferences and videos and articles on media platforms such as the Financial Post and Business News Network (BNN Bloomberg).

About Perk Labs Inc.

Perk Labs Inc. (CSE: PERK) (OTCQB: PKLBF) (FKT: PKLB) is the owner of Perk Hero, the mobile commerce platform on a mission to empower business owners with the digital tools to provide their customers with experiences that are more engaging, convenient and rewarding. Perk Hero is growing through a unique community-driven digital franchise business that is available to entrepreneurs at an attractive start-up price.

For more information contact:

Jonathan Hoyles

CEO

Perk Labs Inc.

(833) 338-0299

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "may", "believe", "thinks", "expect", "exploring", "expand", "could", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "pursue", "potentially", "projected", "should", "will" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. These forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, relate to, among other things, the discussion of the Company's business strategies and its expectations concerning future operations, including statements regarding the Company effectively generating high-margin revenue reliably, that we will be adding three sales representatives across Canada, that by adding subscription payments, it will open up additional revenue opportunities. Although the Company considers these forward-looking statements to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking information, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are based will occur.

SOURCE: Perk Labs Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
The Bank of America Corporation Board of Directors today appointed Jose (Joe) E. Almeida as a director, effective immediately.

Almeida, 59, serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Baxter International Inc., a position he has held since 2016. Before joining Baxter, Almeida served as chairman, president and chief executive officer of Covidien plc from 2012 to 2015. Almeida also served in leadership roles at Tyco Healthcare (Covidien's predecessor), Wilson Greatbatch Technologies Inc., American Home Products' Acufex Microsurgical division, and Johnson & Johnson's Professional Products division. He began his career as a management consultant at Andersen Consulting (Accenture).

Almeida previously served on the boards of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., Analog Devices, Inc., EMC Corporation, State Street Corporation and Covidien plc. He currently serves on the Northwestern University Board of Trustees.

"Joe's experience in leading large, global companies and serving as a board member in a variety of industries will bring additional depth to our board," said Brian Moynihan, chair and chief executive officer.

Almeida has been appointed to the Audit Committee and Compensation and Human Capital Committee of the Bank of America Board of Directors.

"Joe has a tremendous record of achievement as a business leader and we look forward to him making a significant contribution to our Board," said Lionel Nowell, lead independent director.

A native of Brazil, Almeida received a bachelor's of science degree in mechanical engineering from Instituto Maua de Tecnologia.
Heliogen, Inc. (NYSE: HLGN), a renewable energy technology company utilizing concentrated sunlight and thermal storage to decarbonize industry, today announced the appointment of Barbara J. Burger, PhD, as a member of the Board of Directors, effective September 12th. Dr. Burger replaces David Crane following his recent nomination by President Biden to serve as Under Secretary for Infrastructure at the Department of Energy.

We are pleased to welcome Barbara to the Heliogen Board and are excited to leverage her unique understanding of our customers needs for industrial decarbonization, said Bill Gross, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Heliogen. Her expertise in the energy and chemical sectors combined with her deep experience in industrial growth and innovation will be a key asset to Heliogen as we scale our technology globally and advance our mission to decarbonize heavy industry.

Most recently, Dr. Burger served as Chevrons Vice President of Innovation and President of Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV). During her more than 30-year career at Chevron, Dr. Burger held management positions across International Marketing, Chemicals, Technology Marketing, Lubricants, Ventures, and Innovation. Additionally, Dr. Burger has held a wide range of civic and industrial leadership governing board and advisory council positions including the MIT Energy Initiative, Houston Exponential, Houston Symphony Society, Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Climate Investment LLP, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Greentown Houston, Activate, and Rice Universitys Corporate Innovation Practice. Dr. Burger holds a bachelors degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester, a doctoral degree in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, and an MBA in finance with academic honors, from the University of California, Berkeley.

Heliogen is an exceptional company, and I am honored to join the Board of Directors to help accelerate their growth and their customers transition to renewable energy, said Dr. Burger. I look forward to the opportunity to join Bill and the rest of the talented Heliogen team as we work to execute the companys growth strategy and scale its transformative technology.
OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A++ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICRs) of aaa (Exceptional) of New York Life Insurance Company, New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation (NYLIAC), Life Insurance Company of North America (LINA) and New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (NYLGICNY). All companies are referred to as New York Life and headquartered in New York, NY. AM Best also has affirmed the Long-Term ICRs of aaa (Exceptional) of New York Life Global Funding and New York Life Funding. Lastly, AM Best has affirmed the Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings (Long-Term IRs) on the funding agreement-backed securities programs, the outstanding notes issued therein and the Long-Term IRs on the existing surplus notes of New York Life Insurance Company. The outlook of the Credit Ratings (rating) is stable. (See below for a detailed listing of the Long- and Short-Term IRs)

The ratings reflect New York Lifes balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its very strong operating performance, very favorable business profile and very strong enterprise risk management.

The rating affirmations reflect the companys ability to maintain capital levels, financial flexibility and earnings during a period of volatile financial markets. The company continues to exhibit the ability to absorb, through its balance sheet, continued financial market volatility and credit impairments while its capital adequacy, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), remains strong. The group has a well-diversified asset portfolio, which has provided protection from credit market impairments through the pandemic and to date.

The groups very strong operating performance is derived from a diverse revenue base, which has improved as a result of the Cigna Group Insurance acquisition, providing ample additional protection from financial market volatility. An expanding and diverse profitable book of annuities, life insurance and employee benefits provides support for New York Lifes favorable business profile.

The following Long-Term IRs have been affirmed with stable outlooks:

New York Life Funding: aaa (Exceptional) program rating

New York Life Global Funding - aaa (Exceptional) program rating

 aaa (Exceptional) on all outstanding notes issued under the program

New York Life Insurance Company

 aa (Superior) on $1 billion 5.875% surplus notes, due May 2033

 aa (Superior) on $1 billion 6.75% surplus notes, due November 2039

 aa (Superior) on $1.25 billion 3.75% surplus notes, due May 2050

 aa (Superior) on $1 billion 4.45% surplus notes, due May 2069

The following Short-Term IR has been affirmed:

New York Life Capital Corporation 

 AMB-1+ (Strongest) on the commercial paper program

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Bests Credit Ratings, Bests Performance Assessments, Bests Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Bests Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005980/en/

Anthony McSwieney

Senior Financial Analyst

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5715

[email protected]

Michael Porcelli

Senior Director

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5548

[email protected]

Christopher Sharkey

Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

[email protected]

Jeff Mango

Managing Director,

Strategy & Communications

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204

[email protected]

Source: AM Best
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) recently hosted its first annual Black Advisor Summit, bringing together advisors, field leaders and staff to champion the success of Black financial advisors and diversity at the firm. The two-day event was held in August in Washington D.C. in partnership with the firms Black Empowerment Advisor Community Network (BEACN).

The summit featured compelling remarks from Ameriprise executives, BEACN leaders, and keynote speakers. In addition, an inspiring and highly successful panel of Black advisors shared their experiences and insights on delivering exceptional service to clients and driving growth in their practices. During the summit, BEACN launched a financial literacy initiative aimed at increasing generational wealth in the Black community and attendees participated in a volunteer activity benefitting Miriams Kitchen.

Building a network of advisors as diverse as the clients we aspire to serve is a priority for us. Our culture of premium support and robust capabilities, in conjunction with impactful offerings like the Black Advisor Summit, position us well to get there, said Bill Williams, EVP, President Ameriprise Franchise Group.

BEACNs vision is to unify advisors, develop talent and expand financial literacy with the purpose of increasing wealth in the Black community, said Tre Carruthers, Ameriprise Private Wealth Advisor and BEACN President. The Black Advisor Summit marked a historic moment for Ameriprise and provided a powerful platform to showcase BEACNs progress toward its vision and strategies.

Ameriprises BEACN educates, empowers, and advocates on behalf of the firms advisors, clients and the Black community.

As a firm, were putting commitment into action to recruit, retain, develop and engage diverse professionals at Ameriprise, said Kelli Hunter Petruzillo, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Ameriprise Financial. An important element of this work is creating advisor and employee networks that support various dimensions of diversity. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of BEACN and the amazing work our advisors and employees do every day on behalf of clients across the country.

To learn more about BEACN, visit here. For more information about diversity, equity and inclusion at Ameriprise, visit https://www.ameriprise.com/about/diversity-equity-inclusion.

About Ameriprise Financial

At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for more than 125 years. With extensive investment advice, asset management and insurance capabilities and a nationwide network of approximately 10,000 financial advisors, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors' financial needs. For more information, or to find an Ameriprise financial advisor, visit ameriprise.com.

Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value.

Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

 2022 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005520/en/

Cassandra Osei, Media Relations

212.437.8682

[email protected]

Source: Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
GROTON, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc., a private drug discovery and development company advancing novel cerebroprotective therapeutics for patients with brain injuries, today provided an update on the preclinical and clinical development of its lead drug candidate, AST-004, in preclinical brain injury studies and in an ongoing clinical Phase 1 study. Theodore Liston, Ph.D., Vice President of Research at Astrocyte, presented recent results during an oral session at the U.S. Defense Department's premier scientific meeting, the Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS) held in Orlando, FL.

In todays presentation, Dr. Liston discussed the Companys progress with the first-in-human study (designated AST-004-1-02), promising preclinical efficacy of AST-004 in both stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI), and progress with additional product formulations.

Our first single-dose Phase 1 clinical study is proceeding as planned, and we have now completed all dose levels in the healthy volunteer subjects. AST-004 was extremely well tolerated at all dose levels, and there have been no safety signals or significant adverse effects associated with AST-004, said Dr. Liston. Astrocyte will next conduct an additional Phase 1 study to assess target cerebrospinal concentrations of the drug to confirm the doses to be utilized in Phase 2 efficacy studies, the first of which is planned to start in late 2023 or 1H 2024.

TBI is a top health priority of the military; 22 percent of all combat casualties in recent years are brain injuries, remarked retired Colonel Dallas Hack, M.D., M.P.H., and advisor to Astrocyte. The data presented by Dr. Liston to military health leaders today demonstrates a very encouraging safety, efficacy and pharmaceutical profile for AST-004, and the exciting potential for it to be the much-needed treatment for both warfighters and civilians suffering traumatic brain injuries.

About Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a privately held, clinical stage, drug discovery and development company dedicated to accelerating the recovery and well-being of brain injury patients. The company is committed to proving the cerebroprotective benefits of enhancing astrocyte function, and advancing breakthrough therapeutic agents for treating brain injury resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury, concussion, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers disease. For more information, please visit us at Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Research described in this press release is funded in part by the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) of the United States of America Department of Defense. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy or position of MTEC, the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding, among other things, statements relating to goals, plans and projections regarding the companys financial position, results of operations, market position, product development and business strategy. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statements can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from such statements. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005969/en/

Media:

William Korinek

[email protected]

Source: Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc.
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CloudMoyo Inc. has announced its support for OnProcess Technologys Project Shelter, an initiative that provides aid for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war for neighboring countries like Bulgaria.

In June 2022, OnProcess Technology launched a global six-month donation campaign aimed to provide financial aid to Ukrainian refugees. Project Shelter not only works to provide accommodation, allowance, and 3 meals per day, but this initiative also helps fund education for children and work opportunities for adults in these families. OnProcess Technology has engaged with its vendors, customers, and partners  including CloudMoyo  to contribute to the cause.

CloudMoyo will be donating 5% of its July invoice to support Project Shelter. In line with CloudMoyos Four Rings of Responsibility, CloudMoyo seeks to #TakeCareofCommunity by participating in this initiative. CloudMoyos CSR program CMSankalp also includes other initiatives which have been dedicated to the betterment of communities globally. From setting up COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Pune, India to partnering with OneTreePlanted to fight against climate change, CloudMoyos donation to Project Shelter is another addition to building a better world, not only technologically, but also for future generations.

CloudMoyo is a digital engineering firm and global partner of choice at the intersection of Cloud and AI. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Bellevue, WA, they are a leading Icertis Partner as well as a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner with expertise across technologies and industries.

OnProcess Technology is one of CloudMoyos partners, focused today on applying analytics, AI, and machine learning to improve the way enterprises manage service supply chains. They are a global pioneer, powering the worlds circular service value chains. Their technology, OnProcess Agora offers a fully-integrated stack of critical insight-deriving, problem-untangling tools that allow full control and visibility across the entire service supply chain.

Were inspired by the work OnProcess Technology has done to give back to communities, especially for those fleeing violence and leaving behind their homes and livelihoods. This war has taken a toll on many people around the world, especially those who are in the midst of chaos. CloudMoyo is constantly seeking to improve the communities were a part of, so our contribution to Project Shelter is just one way we hope to take care of the community  our partners community. Were proud to be a part of this initiative and are excited to be a part of Project Shelters impact, says Manish Kedia, co-founder, and CEO of CloudMoyo.

If you would like to donate to Project Shelter, please visit https://fundly.com/project-shelter-2 or email OnProcess Technology at [email protected] for Project Shelter bank account details or any questions you may have. All donated funds will go directly to helping Ukrainian families stay sheltered and safe.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005985/en/

Sejal Patil

Senior Manager  Marketing

+1 (425) 885-5800

[email protected]

Source: CloudMoyo
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dalrada Financial Corporation (OTCQB: DFCO, "Dalrada"), an innovator in health care, clean energy, precision manufacturing, and technology, is pleased to announce today the appointment of Anuradha Biswas to the Company's Board of Directors.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005977/en/

Anuradha Biswas, Founder and CEO of Prakat Solutions, has joined the Dalrada Board of Directors. (Photo: Business Wire)

Anuradha Biswas is the Founder and CEO of Prakat Solutions Inc., a subsidiary of Dalrada, that was established in 2009. Prakat is an advanced technology company that previously earned the Best Start-up award at Startup City and has been featured in various media as a catalyst in creating an inclusive tech environment for people with disabilities.

Anuradha has built large teams with strong technology and domain competencies in FinTech, AgriTech, Telecom, Retail, Health Care, Manufacturing, Legal, and IT infrastructure. I'm excited to work with Anuradha and I welcome her to our Board of Directors," said Dalrada's Chairman and CEO, Brian Bonar.

Her experience includes helping to build the independent testing business for CA Technologies, Aztec (acquired by MindTree), and Infosys. Anuradha has made key contributions in these companies and others such as VeriFone and Cybercash, that has included organization building, service portfolio creation, business planning, and enabling sales and global service delivery teams. She holds prestigious positions within industry organizations like NASSCOM, a premier trade body, and the Chamber of Commerce of the Tech industry in India, which is comprised of over 3,000 member companies.

Anuradha has created a major social impact by building inclusive technologies and work forces, and she initiated and actively promotes an annual event called GAAD (Global Accessibility Awareness Day) India. She leads initiatives with women empowerment groups like eMERG and Wequity, and promotes thought leadership through academia and tech forums across multiple industries.

"Im looking forward to leveraging my experiences with large corporations in building strong, globally-dispersed technology teams, while we continue to grow our global customer base through technology usage across the Dalrada companies, Anuradha said. Joining the Dalrada Board of Directors will allow my efforts to influence multiple areas that can fundamentally change not only how technology is used, but what we can do with it.

She actively encourages second careers for everyone, and supports them with technological impetus, networking support, and go-to-market backing. Additionally, she consciously inspires younger professionals and budding entrepreneurs  a quality she picked up from her mentors.

Anuradhas recent accolades include the Solidarity Idol Award at the 2020 Wequity Awards, and the Entrepreneur of the year by eMERG in 2018. Shes been featured in distinguished publications like The Economic Times, The Hindu, The Enterprise Magazine, and many others. She has also served as an Indian delegate to Argentina, the India Supplier Diversity Mission to Atlantic Canada, the Canada-India Businesswomens Forum in Toronto, and the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) National Conference in Orlando.

About Dalrada (DFCO)

Dalrada Financial Corporation drives innovation that positively impacts people, businesses, and the planet. With subsidiaries firmly positioned in the worlds top-growing industries of health care, clean energy, precision manufacturing, and technology, Dalrada creates solutions that are sustainable, affordable, and accessible.

The company works continually to produce disruptive products and services that accelerate positive change for current and future generations. Dalradas global solutions directly address climate change, post-pandemic gaps in the health care industry, and technology solutions for a new era of human behavior and interaction, ensuring a bright future for the world around us.

Established in 1982, Dalrada has since grown its footprint to include the unique business divisions: Dalrada Health, Dalrada Energy Solutions, Dalrada Precision Manufacturing, and Dalrada Technologies. For more information, please visit www.dalrada.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Disclaimer

Statements in this press release are not historical facts, the statements are forward-looking, including statements regarding future revenues and sales projections, plans for future financing, the ability to meet operational milestones, marketing arrangements and plans, and shipments to and regulatory approvals in international markets. Such statements reflect management's current views, are based on certain assumptions, and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results, events, or performance may differ materially from the above forward-looking statements due to several important factors and will be dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, our ability to obtain additional financing that will allow us to continue our current and future operations and whether demand for our products and services in domestic and international markets will continue to expand. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof or to reflect any change in the Company's expectations regarding these forward-looking statements or the occurrence of unanticipated events. Factors that may impact the Company's success are more fully disclosed in the Company's most recent public filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including its annual report on Form 10-K.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005977/en/

Michael Eslinger

[email protected]

Source: Dalrada Financial Corporation
Guests who donate $2 to the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation at participating Dunkin restaurants will receive a free Gold Joy Donut

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Dunkin is giving guests a sweet way to support children battling cancer. Today, Dunkin announced it is inviting guests to shine gold from September 14-28 and support the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundations mission to bring joy to kids battling illness. As part of the program, guests at participating Dunkin locations throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia can make a $2 donation to the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation and will receive a free Gold Joy Donut as a thank you.

Thanks to the generosity of Dunkin franchisees throughout the Southeast Region, 100 percent of funds raised from the Dunkin Gold Joy Donut will be granted to local childrens hospitals in to bring joy to kids battling illness. The Gold Joy Donut is a traditional donut ring featuring gold icing and topped with a glazed MUNCHKINS Donut Hole Treat, paying homage to the Childhood Cancer Awareness Months gold ribbon icon.

Grant funding will help enhance child life programming spanning from art, music and integrated therapy programs to electronic gaming equipment and specialized camps that provide joyful experiences and environments for patients and their families. Last year, Dunkin and the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation granted over $240,000 to local childrens hospitals through the Shine Gold program to bring joy to kids battling cancer.

Dunkin is proud to shine gold in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and help children battling cancer right here in our communities, said Dave Baumgartner, Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation Board Member and local Dunkin franchisee. As local franchisees, its incredibly important to help our communities beyond our restaurant doors. We all have been touched by cancer and it is something no child or parent should have to endure. We want to show our unwavering commitment to this important cause and bring joy to kids who need it the most. Our Gold Joy Donut is a delicious treat and a great way to help support these amazing kids!

According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 11,000 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022. Since its inception in 2006, the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $40 million to national and local nonprofits. In 2022 alone, the Foundation has awarded 115 grants to hospitals totaling more than $2.3 million to help bring joy to kids battling illness.

To learn more about the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation, visit www.bringjoy.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

About Dunkin'

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' is America's favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced regular/decaf/flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin' has earned a No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category for 16 years running. The company has more than 12,600 restaurants in 40 countries worldwide. Dunkin' is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

About the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation

The Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation, the charitable foundation supported by Dunkin, provides the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. The Foundation partners with food banks, childrens hospitals and nonprofit organizations to fund joyful environments and joyful experiences for kids when they need it most. Since 2006, the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation has granted more than $40 million to hundreds of national and local charities across the country thanks to the generosity of its franchisees, guests, vendor partners and employees. For more information, please visit www.bringjoy.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005683/en/

Guy Rudiger

On Behalf of Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation

443-867-4701

[email protected]

Source: Dunkin'
VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSXV: EVGN)(OTCQX: EVGIF) (EverGen, or the Company), Canadas Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Infrastructure Platform, is pleased to announce that the Companys common shares begin trading on the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX) in the United States under the symbol EVGIF as of the opening of the market on September 15, 2022. EverGen upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB Venture Market.

During this milestone rich quarter for EverGen, we are pleased to provide increased access & liquidity for investors in the US who seek to participate in the energy transition, said Chase Edgelow, CEO of EverGen. An upgrade to the OTCQX in the United States is a natural progression for EverGen allowing us to introduce our RNG infrastructure platform to a broader audience as we continue to execute on our growth plans with clear visibility to deliver over 1 million gigajoules of RNG annually.

The OTCQX, operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., is recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as an established market providing companies the opportunity to build visibility, expand liquidity and diversify their shareholder base on an established public market. The OTCQX provides investors who cannot access trading on the TSX Venture Exchange with an alternative access to EverGens common shares though regulated US broker-dealers. US investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the Company at www.otcmarkets.com.

About EverGen Infrastructure Corp.

EverGen, Canadas Renewable Natural Gas Infrastructure Platform, is combating climate change and helping communities contribute to a sustainable future. Headquartered on the West Coast of Canada, EverGen is an established independent renewable energy producer which acquires, develops, builds, owns and operates a portfolio of Renewable Natural Gas, waste to energy, and related infrastructure projects. EverGen is focused on Canada, with continued growth expected across other regions in North America and beyond.

For more information about EverGen Infrastructure Corp. and our projects, please visit www.evergeninfra.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914006002/en/

EverGen Investors

Kelly Castledine

416-576-8158

[email protected]

EverGen Media

Katie Reiach

604-614-5283

[email protected]

Source: EverGen Infrastructure Corp.
Industry-Leading ESG Product Receives Top Honors at the 2022 SaaS Awards

Judges Hail Equilibrium as Sophisticated, Impressive, Easy to Use, and The Future of ESG

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE), a leading AI-driven enterprise SaaS company that delivers market intelligence and data insights, today announced that Equilibrium, an AI-powered platform which helps organizations unify, manage, and benchmark carbon, climate and ESG data management across their entire operations, supply chain, and portfolio, has been declared the Winner of the Best SaaS Product for CSR or Sustainability category at the 2022 SaaS Awards.

The SaaS Awards recognizes excellence and innovation in software solutions, with categories for the 2022 SaaS Awards ranging from Best Security Innovation in a SaaS Product to Best SaaS Product for Email Marketing and Best SaaS for Productivity. Finalists and awardees were selected by a judging panel of international industry experts. Hundreds of organizations entered the 2022 SaaS Awards, with entries from across the globe - covering the Americas, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East.

This is a great honor for Equilibrium and for our worldwide teams who innovate constantly to enhance our industry-leading product that empowers organizations to become sustainability leaders, said Frank Meehan, General Manager of FiscalNote ESG Solutions. It will come as no surprise to FiscalNotes ESG customers that Equilibrium would be recognized as the premiere SaaS solution in the ESG marketplace, considering the organizations we serve are on track to reduce time spent on ESG data collection and management by over 50%. Were excited about continuing to solve mission-critical challenges for organizations and their ESG teams, and were firing on all cylinders to help guide the industry's evolution from reporting for compliance to holistic ESG risk management. On behalf of Equilibrium, Id like to warmly thank the judges for this recognition, and congratulate all the other awardees, finalists, and contenders.

The Lead Judge for the Best SaaS Product for CSR or Sustainability award category, Annabelle Whittall, commented: Equilibrium is incredibly easy to use. The sophisticated and impressive benchmarking system that is supported by AI delighted the SaaS Awards judging panel. This, in our opinion, is what the future of ESG will look like. Congrats, Equilibrium!

James Williams, Head of Operations for the award program, stated: Equilibrium is a worthy winner of the SaaS Awards, offering something truly and effectively stand-out in an incredibly competitive category. Every edition of this business software Oscars sees progressively exciting innovations as we face the increasing challenges and changes of the modern world.

In addition to Equilibriums top honor, FiscalNotes Curate also came in first place in the Best Data Innovation in a SaaS Product  category at the 2022 SaaS Awards.

About FiscalNote

FiscalNote (NYSE: NOTE) is a leading technology provider of global policy and market intelligence. By uniquely combining AI technology, actionable data, and expert and peer insights, FiscalNote empowers customers to manage policy, address regulatory developments, and mitigate global risk. Since 2013, FiscalNote has pioneered technology that delivers mission-critical insights and the tools to turn them into action. Home to CQ, Equilibrium, FrontierView, Oxford Analytica, VoterVoice, and many other industry-leading brands, FiscalNote serves more than 5,000 customers worldwide with global offices in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. To learn more about FiscalNote and its family of brands, visit FiscalNote.com and follow @FiscalNote.

About FiscalNote ESG Solutions

FiscalNote ESG Solutions is the most comprehensive ESG platform and advisory solution in the market helping organizations become sustainability leaders  from getting started with strategic insights, benchmarking, and reporting to embedding ESG into an organizations DNA. FiscalNote ESG Solutions brings together Equilibriums AI-powered platform, award-winning analysis, global advisory, and a peer community to help an organization achieve its ESG goals. Visit: fiscalnote.com/esg.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005885/en/

Nicholas Graham

FiscalNote

[email protected]

Source: FiscalNote
In response to growing demand for cloud computing skills, the tech education provider will offer AWS Training to its students and alumni

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fullstack Academy, a national tech education provider, announced today it has joined the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Authorized Training Partner program. AWS Training Partners (ATP) are the only organizations that can deliver or offer official AWS Training through their AWS Authorized Instructors (AAI).

As an ATP, Fullstack Academy will integrate AWS Training and Certification into several of its existing bootcamp programs. Starting in 2022, students enrolled in the Data Analytics Training Accelerator (DATA), a no-cost training program offered in partnership with NYCs Tech Talent Pipeline, will receive the training needed to earn the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification. The certification validates an individuals cloud fluency and foundational AWS knowledge, establishing credibility within their organization or qualifying for new career opportunities. Training for this certification will be rolled out to additional Fullstack Academy bootcamps later this year. The organization also plans to offer this training standalone to new students and alumni.

Cloud computing skills are in high demand, with 85% of organizations reporting the need for employees with cloud expertise, according to a 2020 report from 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Adoption of cloud computing services grew 25% in 2021 alone, and were seeing companies using AWS to become more agile, improve scalability and innovate more quickly, said Jerrad Tausz, CEO of Fullstack Academy. For many tech professionals, cloud computing skills are essential to landing a job and advancing their career. By becoming an AWS Authorized Training Partner, Fullstack Academy is better able to support our students and alumni looking to develop the in-demand skills needed to implement cloud solutions.

Before Fullstack became an ATP, its students and graduates were seeking AWS Certifications outside of the bootcamp to complement their credentials.

As I was preparing for a job search in the information technology field, I wanted to set myself up for success and demonstrate my knowledge of cloud computing to potential employers, said Sean Borry, a Fullstack Academy graduate now working as a Consultant at Deloitte. The technical knowledge and professional confidence I gained as a student at Fullstack Academy, combined with becoming an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, played a huge part in me being able to secure a job in the industry. Borry graduated from the Fullstack Academy Cybersecurity Bootcamp in May 2022.

In todays increasingly cloud-driven world, many of our students and alumni are looking to bolster their cloud expertise with AWS Certifications, Tausz added. Were thrilled to incorporate the training into our offerings.

According to a 2022 report from Enterprise Strategy Group, 83% of learners reported increased job security as a result of AWS Certifications, and 74% reported higher earnings.

Employers also report benefitting from AWS Certifications. Among IT leaders that employ staff with AWS certifications, 90% say productivity improved, 89% report faster troubleshooting, and 86% report improved cloud security.

Professionals with cloud skills are fundamentally key to helping organizations transform their business and thrive which is why these skills are in such high demand, said Maureen Lonergan, Vice President, AWS Training and Certification. AWS Training and Certification, along with ATPs like Fullstack Academy, aim to equip the builders of today and tomorrow with the knowledge to tap into the power of the cloud.

Learn more about Fullstack Academys bootcamp programs.

About Fullstack Academy

Fullstack Academy is a national tech education provider based in New York City. Founded in 2012, it offers web development, cybersecurity, data analytics, DevOps, and product management bootcamps. Fullstack Academy also offers the Grace Hopper Program, an immersive software engineering course for women and non-binary students, in addition to partnerships with leading universities nationwide, including Virginia Tech, Caltech CTME, and Louisiana State University. Graduates have been hired by Google, Facebook, Fortune 100 firms, and startups. For more information, visit www.fullstackacademy.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005333/en/

Molly Aggas

(704) 641-6641

[email protected]

Source: Fullstack Academy
FRANKFURT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Harris Williams, a global investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, announces it is advising PharmaLex Group (PharmaLex) on its pending sale to AmerisourceBergen. PharmaLex, a portfolio company of AUCTUS Capital Partners AG (AUCTUS), is a leading provider of specialized services for the pharma, biotech, and medtech industries worldwide. The transaction is being led by Paul Hepper, Julian Feneley, Cheairs Porter, Stephan Doering, Christopher Duerolf and Jason Sarro of the Harris Williams Healthcare & Life Sciences (HCLS) Group.

We believe PharmaLex is well-positioned to continue to benefit from the growth in outsourcing from pharma, biotech, and medtech companies, which are faced with increasing regulatory demands, said Paul Hepper, a managing director at Harris Williams. PharmaLex is a differentiated provider that will continue to benefit significantly from the market tailwinds in the sector, and we look forward to seeing the companys continued success and growth with AmerisourceBergen."

"The PharmaLex team has done a tremendous job of building an international, tech-enabled, regulatory-focused functional solutions platform, said Julian Feneley, a managing director at Harris Williams. It is a pleasure working with the teams at PharmaLex and AUCTUS on this transaction, and we believe PharmaLex has found a fantastic new home in AmerisourceBergen."

"We are thrilled to represent PharmaLex across our Frankfurt, London and Richmond offices, said Cheairs Porter, a managing director at Harris Williams. By working together across geographies, we are able to deliver tailored advice that is specific to PharmaLexs global reach, which is resulting in an ideal outcome for all parties.

With a global team of scientific, regulatory, and safety and compliance (GxP) experts, PharmaLex guides its clients from early strategic planning activities and non-clinical requirements through clinical development, regulatory submission processes, and post-approval/maintenance post-launch activities. PharmaLexs experts use technology-enabled solutions to enhance its service offerings and support clients throughout the entire product lifecycle. The companys global presence, local expertise, and high-touch engagement model reduces execution risk for clients, delivering unique value and helping to solve the life science industrys largest and most complex regulatory challenges. PharmaLex has completed 37 strategic acquisitions to date and has more than 2,000 employees, with 65 offices in over 30 countries.

With approximately 350 investments in the last 20 years, AUCTUS is the most active investment company for German-speaking SMEs. The focus of their investments are majority stakes in companies with annual sales of between 10 million and 150 million. More than 20 experienced AUCTUS investment experts currently manage approximately 45 platform investments from various economic sectors with an annual turnover of over 2 billion.

AmerisourceBergen fosters a positive impact on the health of people and communities around the world by advancing the development and delivery of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. As a leading global healthcare company, with a foundation in pharmaceutical distribution and solutions for manufacturers, pharmacies, and providers, AmerisourceBergen creates unparalleled access, efficiency, and reliability for human and animal health. The companys 42,000 global team members power its purpose: AmerisourceBergens employees are united in their responsibility to create healthier futures. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #10 on the Fortune 500 with more than $200 billion in annual revenue.

Harris Williams, an investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, advocates for sellers and buyers of companies worldwide through critical milestones and provides thoughtful advice during the lives of their businesses. By collaborating as one firm across Industry Groups and geographies, the firm helps its clients achieve outcomes that support their objectives and strategically create value. Harris Williams is committed to execution excellence and to building enduring, valued relationships that are based on mutual trust. Harris Williams is a subsidiary of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC).

The Harris Williams HCLS Group has experience across a broad range of sectors, including healthcare providers; payors and payor services; outsourced pharmaceutical services; medical device supply chain; healthcare IT; and pharmacy. For more information on the HCLS Group and other recent transactions, visit the HCLS Groups section of the Harris Williams website.

Harris Williams LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is a private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 8th Floor, 20 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AB, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 07078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH is registered in the commercial register of the local court of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, under HRB 107540. The registered address is Bockenheimer Landstrasse 33-35, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (email address: [email protected]). Geschaftsfuhrer/Directors: Jeffery H. Perkins, Paul Poggi. (VAT No. DE321666994). Harris Williams is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC, Harris Williams & Co. Ltd and Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH conduct business.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005891/en/

For media inquiries, please contact Julia Moore at [email protected].

Source: Harris Williams LLC
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KBRA Analytics, a division of Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA), announces its acquisition of AXES, an automated XBRL extraction and standardization application, from The Woodlands, Texas-based AsReported, LLC.

AXES is a fully-automated framework that captures and standardizes corporate financial data from SEC filings and other published reports. The technology will be integrated into the KBRA Financial Intelligence (KFI) offering, which provides coverage of the North American financial sector and banking data. AsReported Founder Robert Santoski will join the KFI team as a consultant to integrate the AXES software application and expand its capabilities.

We are excited to close on this transaction and welcome Mr. Santoski to the KBRA Analytics team, said Jim Nadler, KBRAs President and CEO. Our combined services will allow us to expand our KFI offering and lead the way in developing best-in-class products and services.

Im thrilled to be working with KBRA to continue to evolve the AXES framework and work with their amazing team, said Robert Santoski.

Further information about KBRA Analytics is available at www.kbraanalytics.com.

About KBRA Analytics

KBRA Analytics is our premier product platform for high-quality data and advanced analytics. Our seasoned teams of industry specialists across each product provide unparalleled insight creating a foundation for users of deeper analysis and rapid discovery.

About AsReported

Founded in 2013, AsReported specializes in expert design and rapid prototyping of data extraction software, ETL systems, document handling, data warehousing, and process technology. Online data provider of XBRL-based financial data, earnings release data and non-financial operating metrics.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005565/en/

Adam Tempkin, Director of Communications

+1 (646) 731-1347

[email protected]

Robert Santoski, AsReported, LLC

+ 1 (936) 520-0520

[email protected]

Source: Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KBRA is pleased to announce the assignment of preliminary ratings to 18 classes of BMO 2022-C3, a $726.7 million CMBS conduit transaction collateralized by 48 commercial mortgage loans secured by 89 properties.

The collateral properties are located throughout 30 MSAs, of which the three largest are New York (24.4%), Phoenix (6.1%), and Detroit (5.4%). The pool has exposure to all major property types, with four types representing more than 10.0% of the pool balance: multifamily (26.8%), office (22.2%), industrial (18.0%), and retail (17.6%). The loans have principal balances ranging from $2.7 million to $37.5 million for the largest loan in the pool, Park West Village (5.2%), which is secured by an 850-unit multifamily property located in New York Citys borough of Manhattan. The five largest loans, which also include Yorkshire & Lexington Towers (5.1%), Phoenix Industrial Portfolio IX (5.1%), Kingston Square (5.1%), and 50 Tice Corporate Center (5.0%), represent 25.5% of the initial pool balance, while the top 10 loans represent 46.7%.

KBRAs analysis of the transaction incorporated our multi-borrower rating process that begins with our analysts' evaluation of the underlying collateral properties' financial and operating performance, which determine KBRAs estimate of sustainable net cash flow (KNCF) and KBRA value using our U.S. CMBS Property Evaluation Methodology. On an aggregate basis, KNCF was 9.0% less than the issuer cash flow. KBRA capitalization rates were applied to each assets KNCF to derive values that were, on an aggregate basis, 44.1% less than third party appraisal values. The pool has an in-trust KLTV of 96.3% and an all-in KLTV of 106.7%. The model deploys rent and occupancy stresses, probability of default regressions, and loss given default calculations to determine losses for each collateral loan that are then used to assign our credit ratings.

Click here to view the report. To access ratings and relevant documents, click here.

Related Publications

Disclosures

Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above.

A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here.

Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here.

Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at www.kbra.com.

About KBRA

Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA) is a full-service credit rating agency registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority pursuant to the Temporary Registration Regime. In addition, KBRA is designated as a designated rating organization by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005796/en/

Analytical

Vidhya Naidu, Director (Lead Analyst)

+1 (646) 731-1315

[email protected]

James Wang, Managing Director

+1 (646) 731-2450

[email protected]

Nitin Bhasin, Senior Managing Director (Rating Committee Chair)

+1 (646) 731-2334

[email protected]

Business Development

Michele Patterson, Managing Director

+1 (646) 731-2397

[email protected]

Source: Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC
California school district selects PowerSchool Unified Classroom Performance Matters to improve student performance and assessment capabilities

FOLSOM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PowerSchool (NYSE: PWSC) today announced Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District (NCLUSD) in Newman, California has selected PowerSchool Unified Classroom Performance Matters to improve the districts student assessment, reporting, and districtwide collaboration efforts while informing its personalized learning initiatives and saving teachers time. Once implemented and paired with PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS), Performance Matters will provide NCLUSD educators with a unified hub for following student academic performance and pinpointing instructional gaps to improve learning.

We are always looking for ways to make our systems more effective and efficient, and PowerSchool has proven they have a robust suite of solutions capable of doing just that, said Kim Bettencourt, Assistant Superintendent, Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District. As a longtime PowerSchool SIS user, Im excited to see the increased student assessment and reporting capabilities Performance Matters will provide to support our teachers, once fully implemented.

Prior to selecting Performance Matters, NCLUSD managed student assessment and reporting through various channels. While functional, the district realized the operational inefficiencies and potential margin for error the differing channels could cause when it came to generating accurate student assessment data. As a result, the district selected Performance Matters to consolidate its software stack and improve overall student assessment, data-driven classroom instruction, and broader districtwide collaboration efforts.

Once fully implemented into NCLUSDs network, Performance Matters will complement the districts PowerSchool SIS platform by saving teachers time and allowing them to simplify instruction. This is achieved through the aggregation of student demographic and performance data into a unified hub, increasing districtwide collaboration, and providing accessibility to key resources. Further, the real-time insights provided by Performance Matters will help the district rapidly pinpoint learning gaps and fuel more data-driven instruction efforts.

Providing robust solutions capable of helping educators monitor their students academic performance and apply remediation when its needed is at the core of what we do, said Craig Greenseid, PowerSchool Chief Revenue Officer. We're excited that Performance Matters will soon help Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District create more data-driven instruction and were anticipating the positive learning outcomes they will create.

NCLUSD is a public school district located in Newman, California on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. The district serves over 3,200 students across eight total schools, including four elementary, one middle, one high school, and two alternate education schools. As part of the districts commitment to enriching students lives in and out of the classroom, NCLUSD offers various programs such as its Dual Language Immersion, Advanced Placement, Career Technical Education, PSAT/SAT testing, and STEM/STEAM education programs.

For more information about Performance Matters, visit https://www.powerschool.com/solutions/unified-classroom/performance-matters/.

About PowerSchool

PowerSchool (NYSE: PWSC) is the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America. Its mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential, in their way. PowerSchool connects students, teachers, administrators, and parents, with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. From the office to the classroom to the home, it helps schools and districts efficiently manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resources, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, grading, assessments and analytics in one unified platform. PowerSchool supports over 45 million students globally and more than 15,000 customers, including more than 90 of the top 100 districts by student enrollment in the United States, and sells solutions in more than 90 countries. Visit www.powerschool.com to learn more.

 PowerSchool. PowerSchool and other PowerSchool marks are trademarks of PowerSchool Holdings, Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

PWSC-C

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005811/en/

WE Communications for PowerSchool

[email protected]

(503) 443-7155

Source: PowerSchool Holdings, Inc.
High-resolution industrial sensors for forklift, port equipment, and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) manufacturers automating production fleets

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ouster, Inc. (NYSE: OUST) (Ouster or the Company), a leading provider of high-resolution digital lidar sensors, announced the release of a 3D industrial lidar sensor suite designed for high-volume material handling applications. The industrial line of high-resolution OS0 and OS1 sensors is configured to meet the unique requirements of forklift, port equipment, and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) manufacturers at price points that enable adoption on high-volume production fleets.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005078/en/

Ouster's industrial line of high-resolution OS0 and OS1 sensors for high-volume material handling applications. (Photo: Business Wire)

Material handling OEMs and companies manufacturing their own warehouse robots with unit demand for thousands of sensors require competitive volume pricing and a unique set of sensor capabilities, said Nate Dickerman, Ousters President of Field Operations. The 3D capabilities of our industrial sensor suite outperform legacy 2D laser scanners by delivering superior resolution, range, and field of view without increasing system cost or complexity. Customers retrofitting their fleets with our industrial sensors can expect a compelling return on their investment with improved speed, safety, and fleet efficiency.

Built to high standards for ruggedness, robustness, and reliability in all-weather conditions, Ousters industrial sensors can be used both indoors and outdoors, particularly for applications that require short range detection and an ultra-wide field-of-view for maneuvering in narrow spaces and dynamic environments. The industrial sensor suite can help material handling customers reduce incidents in the warehouse that are a result of 2D lidar limitations, while also expanding the use of automated equipment to more shared workspaces.

Industrial Sensor Suite Highlights

Industry-leading reliability

High-resolution (128 channels)

Detects common warehouse obstacles that 2D lidar sensors miss

Range up to 100 meters

Ultra-wide field of view: up to 90 vertical and up to 360 horizontal

Rated for indoor and outdoor use in all weather conditions

Ouster is poised to become the default choice for industrial automation with the launch of our industrial sensor suite alongside upcoming chip releases, software, and industrial safety certifications, said Ouster CEO Angus Pacala. With this product line, we aim to capture a significant share of the $1 billion market for industrial lidar sensors as customers see the immense benefits of converting from analog 2D industrial lidar to our digital 3D lidar suite.

For more information on Ousters industrial sensor suite, read more or reach out to an Ouster representative at [email protected]

About Ouster

Ouster (NYSE: OUST) is building a safer and more sustainable future through its high-resolution digital lidar sensors for the automotive, industrial, smart infrastructure, and robotics industries. Ousters sensors offer an excellent combination of price and performance with the flexibility to span hundreds of use-cases and enable revolutionary autonomy across industries. With a global team and high-volume manufacturing, Ouster supports approximately 600 customers in over 50 countries. Ouster is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.ouster.com, or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding Ousters technological advancements, market opportunities, market growth expectations, potential pipeline of customers, whether the products will meet the unique requirements of forklift, port equipment, and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) manufacturers at price points that enable adoption on high-volume production fleets, poised to become the default choice for industrial automation with the launch of our Industrial OS hardware coupled with upcoming chip releases, software, and industrial safety certifications, commercial expansion plans including expecting large volumes to grow revenue while quickly reducing costs and delivering more profitability through our other end-markets, anticipated product releases, positioning to capture market share, and driving near and long term revenue growth. Forward-looking statements give Ousters current expectations and projections relating to its financial condition, competitive position, financial position, future results of operations, plans, objectives, future orders whether binding or non-binding, and business. You may identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such as aim, anticipate, estimate, expect, project, plan, forecast, intend, believe, may, will, should, can have, likely, guidance, continue, could, would, potentially, preliminary and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that we expected, including but not limited to Ousters limited operating history and history of losses; the negotiating power and product standards of its customers; fluctuations in its operating results; supply chain constraints and challenges; cancellation or postponement of contracts or unsuccessful implementations; the adoption of its products and the growth of the lidar market generally; its ability to grow its sales and marketing organization; substantial research and development costs needed to develop and commercialize new products; the competitive environment in which it operates; selection of its products for inclusion in target markets; its future capital needs and ability to secure additional capital on favorable terms or at all; its ability to use tax attributes; its dependence on key third party suppliers, in particular Benchmark Electronics, Inc., and manufacturers; its ability to maintain inventory and the risk of inventory write-downs; inaccurate forecasts of market growth; its ability to manage growth; the creditworthiness of its customers; risks related to acquisitions; risks related to international operations; risks of product delivery problems or defects; costs associated with product warranties; its ability to maintain competitive average selling prices or high sales volumes or reduce product costs; conditions in its customers industries; its ability to recruit and retain key personnel; its use of professional employer organizations; its ability to adequately protect and enforce its intellectual property rights; its ability to effectively respond to evolving regulations and standards; risks related to operating as a public company; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic; risks related to certain of its warrants being accounted for as liabilities; and other important factors discussed in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as any such factors may be updated from time to time in the Companys other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), and in other reports the Company files with or furnishes to the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements represent managements reasonable estimates and beliefs as of the date of this press release. While Ouster may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it disclaims any obligation to do so, other than as required by law, even if subsequent events cause its views to change.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005078/en/

For Investors

Sarah Ewing

[email protected]

For Media

Heather Shapiro

[email protected]

Source: Ouster, Inc.
BRADLEY BEACH, N.J. & PARAMUS, N.J. & MOUNT LAUREL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey (BIANJ), a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals impacted by brain injury, will host its Annual 5K Run/Walk/Roll for Brain Injury Awareness on Saturday, October 8, 2022. This year will celebrate 20 years of BIANJs Run/Walk/Roll. More than 1,000 participants are expected to walk, run, and roll individually or in teams to raise brain injury awareness.

Brain injury is more common than you might think, said Wendy Berk, BIANJs Vice President. Approximately 15,000 New Jersey residents sustain a brain injury each year, and about 175,000 individuals in the state are living with disabilities from a brain injury right now. This event supports people living with brain injury and offers an opportunity for socialization and recreation.

The event is held in three locations:

5th Avenue Pavilion, Bradley Beach Boardwalk, Bradley Beach (5K run and walk)

Saddle River County Park, 221 Paramus Rd., Paramus (walk)

Laurel Acres Park, 1045 S. Church St., Mt. Laurel (walk)

Funds raised will be used for vital programs and services that BIANJ provides to people impacted by brain injury. Visit the 5K Run/Walk/Roll event page to register.

BIANJ would like to thank Event Partner Rehabilitation Specialists and Event Sponsor NJ Relay & CapTel; All-Star Sponsors Capital Health, Cooper University Health Care, Encompass Health, GE Healthcare, Horizons Neurological at Allaire Rehab, Integra Foundation, Jersey Mikes Subs, the Kyle Family, NJM Insurance Group, Shore Neuropsychology & Behavioral Health, and Stark & Stark Attorneys at Law; and Varsity Sponsors Childrens Specialized Hospital, New Jersey Natural Gas, and Victorias Bagel Bistro.

About the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey

The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life people experience after brain injury. Founded in 1981 by a small group of concerned parents of children who had sustained brain injury, BIANJ has grown to become the premier source of information, education, advocacy, support, and hope for people with brain injury and their families in New Jersey. Today, our dedicated staff, board, volunteers, donors, and community partners proudly serve over 10,000 New Jersey residents each year. For more information, please visit www.bianj.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006195/en/

For press inquiries:

Jerry Kimbrough, Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey

Director of Communications

[email protected]

Source: The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey
VIENNA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) (Spire or the Company), a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, today announced that it has filed an S-3 shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). When declared effective by the SEC, Spire may from time to time issue various types of securities, including Class A common stock, preferred stock, depository shares, debt securities and/or warrants, up to an aggregate amount of $180 million in one or more offerings. The registration statement also includes an at-the-market (ATM) offering prospectus supplement that would allow for the sale of up to $85 million of the Companys Class A common stock that may be issued and sold under an equity distribution agreement.

The registration statement has been filed with the SEC, but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted under the Form S-3 registration statement prior to the time the Form S-3 registration statement becomes effective. Potential investors should read the prospectus forming part of the registration statement, and the prospectus supplement relating to the ATM offering and other documents the company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Spire and the ATM offering program. You may obtain copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus without charge by visiting the SECs website at www.sec.gov.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor may there be any sale of Spires Class A common stock or other securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement with the SEC and registration or qualification under the securities law of any state or jurisdiction.

About Spire Global, Inc.

Spire (NYSE: SPIR) is a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, offering access to unique datasets and powerful insights about Earth from the ultimate vantage point so that organizations can make decisions with confidence, accuracy, and speed. Spire uses one of the worlds largest multi-purpose satellite constellations to source hard to acquire, valuable data and enriches it with predictive solutions. Spire then provides this data as a subscription to organizations around the world so they can improve business operations, decrease their environmental footprint, deploy resources for growth and competitive advantage, and mitigate risk. Spire gives commercial and government organizations the competitive advantage they seek to innovate and solve some of the worlds toughest problems with insights from space. Spire has offices in San Francisco, Boulder, Washington DC, Ontario, Glasgow, Oxfordshire, Luxembourg, and Singapore.

Safe Harbor Statement

This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as estimate, plan, project, forcast, intend, will, shall, expect, anticipate, believe, seek, target, continue, could, may, might, possible, potential, predict or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding plans and expectations with respect to the registration statement on Form S-3 and any potential future offering or capital raises, including the ATM offering. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this communication, and on the current expectations of the Companys management. These forward-looking statements are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual circumstances or events are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from these forward-looking statements. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those factors discussed under the heading Risk Factors in Part II, Item 1A of the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, as well as other documents the company has filed or will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If any of these risks materialize or the Companys assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied in these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that the Company currently does not know or that the Company currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect the Companys expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Companys assessment to change. Spire undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update the information contained in this press release, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Companys assessment as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005983/en/

For Media:

Hillary Yaffe

Head of Communications

[email protected]



For Investors:

Benjamin Hackman

Head of Investor Relations

[email protected]

Source: Spire Global, Inc.
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

Pierre et Vacances (Paris: VAC) (the "Company") announces today the success of its capital transactions provided for by its accelerated safeguard plan approved by the Commercial Court of Paris on 29 July 2022 (the "Accelerated Safeguard Plan") allowing a massive debt reduction and strengthening of the equity of the Pierre & Vacances  Center Parcs Group (the Restructuring Transactions), namely:

- a capital increase with shareholders' preferential subscription rights (the "Subscription Rights") for an amount of EUR 50,085,641.25, issue premium included, subscribed exclusively in cash (the "Rights Issue);

- a capital increase without preferential subscription rights for the benefit of: Alcentra; Fidera; Atream; Schelcher Prince Gestion and holders of Ornane1 excluding Steerco who entered into the agreement on 10 March 2022 (the Agreement) between 28 March and 28 April 2022, for an amount of EUR 149,914,343.25, issue premium included, subscribed exclusively in cash (the Reserved Capital Increase);

- a capital increase without preferential subscription right for the benefit of unsecured financial creditors of the Company and its subsidiary Pierre et Vacances FI2 for an amount of EUR 554,820,400, issue premium included, subscribed exclusively by offsetting receivables (the Conversion Capital Increase);

- the issue and free allocation of 42,321,972 Companys stock warrants (the Shareholders Warrants) for the benefit of all of its shareholders3;

- the issue of 41,934,100 subscription warrants for Companys shares (the Creditors Warrants) upon their detachment from the new shares issued in the context of the Conversion Capital Increase; and

- the issue and free allocation of 39,107,134 Company stock warrants (the Guarantors Warrants) to Alcentra and Fidera.

Results of the Rights Issue

The gross proceeds of the Rights Issue, which subscription period lasted from 9 August to 9 September 2022, amount to 50,085,641.25 (including issue premium), corresponding to the issuance of 66,780,855 new shares at a unit subscription price of 0.75.

Following the subscription period, total subscription orders amounted to approximately EUR 78.2 million, representing a subscription rate of 156.05%:

- 59,191,128 New Shares were subscribed on a non-reducible basis (a titre irreductible), representing 88.63% of the New Shares;

- orders submitted on a reducible basis (a titre reductible) represented 45,019,062 New Shares and will therefore be partly fulfilled. 7,589,727 New Shares (representing 11.37% of the New Shares) will be allocated according to a coefficient of 1.19522304 calculated based on the number of rights exercised on a non-reducible basis, provided that there is no allocation of a fraction of a New Share and that no allocation may exceed the number of New Shares subscribed on a reducible basis. The allocation table, established pursuant to Article L225-133 of the French Code de commerce, is annexed to this press release.

Alcentra and Fidera acquired off-market from S.I.T.I. a total of 4,883,720 Subscription Rights at a unit price of EUR 0.20. Furthermore, Alcentra and Fidera did not acquire any Subscription Rights in the context of the liquidity offering.

Results of the Reserved Capital Increase

The gross proceeds of the Reserved Capital Increase, which subscription period only took place today, amount to 149,914,343.25 (including issue premium), corresponding to the issuance of 199,885,791 new shares at a unit subscription price of 0.75.

Results of the Conversion Capital Increase and issuance of Creditors Warrants

The gross amount of the Conversion Capital Increase, which subscription period only took place today, amounts to EUR 554,820,400 (including interest), corresponding to the issuance of 138,705,100 new shares at a unit subscription price of 4, to which are attached a total of 41,934,100 Creditors Warrants (43 new shares being accompanied by 13 Creditors Warrants) which will be subject to a detachment from settlement-delivery of the new shares scheduled for 16 September 2022.

Issuance and free allocation of Shareholders Warrants for the benefit of the Company's shareholders

The Company proceeded to the issue and the free allocation of a total of 42,321,972 Shareholders Warrants4 for the benefit of the shareholders of the Company justifying an entry in account of their shares on 5 August 2022, on the basis of 77 Shareholders Warrants for 18 existing shares.

Each Shareholders Warrant will give the right to subscribe for 1 new share at a unit price of EUR 2.75, which will be carried out exclusively in cash.

Holders of Shareholders Warrants may exercise them at any time during a period of five years from their settlement-delivery scheduled for 16 September 2022, i.e. until 15 September 2027.

Issuance and free allocation of Guarantors Warrants for the benefit of Alcentra and Fidera

The Company issued and allocated free of charge a total of 39,107,134 Guarantors Warrants to Alcentra and Fidera as follows: Fidera received 19,553,567 Guarantors Warrants and Alcentra received 19,553,567 Guarantors Warrants.

Each Guarantors Warrant will give the right to subscribe for 1 new share at a unit price of EUR 0.01, which will be carried out exclusively in cash.

Alcentra and Fidera irrevocably undertook to exercise their Guarantors Warrants no later than 15 October 2022.

Settlement-delivery

The settlement-delivery and admission to trading on the regulated market of Euronext in Paris (Euronext Paris) of the 405,371,747 new ordinary shares resulting from (i) the Rights Issue, (ii) the Reserved Capital Increase, (iii) the Conversion Capital Increase (together, the New Shares) is scheduled for 16 September 2022.

The New Shares will carry current dividend rights and will be immediately assimilated to the existing shares of the Company and will be traded on the same quotation line under the same ISIN code FR0000073041.

The settlement-delivery and admission to trading on the regulated market of Euronext Paris of the (i) Shareholders' Warrants, (ii) Creditors' Warrants and (iii) Guarantors' Warrants, which have been the subject of a prospectus approved by the Autorite des marches financiers (the AMF) on 16 June 2022 under number 22-217, is also scheduled for 16 September 2022.

The Shareholders Warrants will be traded on Euronext Paris under the ISIN code FR001400B4H9.

The Creditors Warrants will be traded on Euronext Paris under the ISIN code FR001400B4G1.

The Guarantors Warrants will be traded on Euronext Paris under the ISIN code FR001400B4F3.

In order to preserve the rights of their holders, the Shareholders Warrants, Creditors Warrants and Guarantors Warrants will be adjusted in accordance with legal and regulatory provisions. They will also be adjusted in the event of distribution by the Company of the proceeds of any sale of assets.

The Company will publish a new press release following the completion of the aforementioned settlement-delivery operations.

Reminder of the use of proceeds of the Restructuring Transactions

The gross proceeds in cash from the Restructuring Transactions, i.e. EUR 200 million euros, including EUR 50,085,641.25 from the Rights Issue and EUR 149,914,343.25 from the Reserved Capital Increase (the Conversion Capital Increase not generating a cash payment for the benefit of the Company), will reimburse the entire share of the Group's debt, in the amount of EUR 160 million, called to be extinguished as a result of the Restructuring Transactions.

The balance of this gross proceeds, i.e. EUR 40 million, will be allocated in the amount of EUR 39.5 million to the payment of expenses related to the Restructuring Transactions (commission due to certain creditors of the Company having accepted or adhered to the Restructuring Transactions for an amount of EUR 2.7 million, expenses related to related agreements for an amount of EUR 2 million, and financial intermediary, legal and administrative expenses for an amount of EUR 34.8 million). The surplus, i.e. EUR 0.5 million, will contribute to the financing of general corporate purposes of the Group.

Impact on the shareholding structure of the Company

After the issue of the New Shares, the breakdown of share capital and voting rights would be as follows:

Shareholders Non diluted basis 1 Non diluted basis following full exercise of the Guarantors Warrants 2 Diluted basis 3 Number of shares and voting rights % of the share capital and voting rights 4 Number of shares and voting rights % of the share capital and voting rights 4 Number of shares and voting rights % of the share capital and voting rights 4 Alcentra 95,302,701 23.0 114,856,268 25.3 117,389,456 21.8 Fidera 90,076,527 21.7 109,630,094 24.1 110,583,268 20.6 Creanciers PGE 5 53,867,903 13.0 53,867,903 11.9 70,153,544 13.0 Pastel Holding (affilie d'Atream)6 40,000,000 9.6 40,000,000 8.8 40,000,000 7.4 Free float 135,919,811 32.7 135,919,811 29.9 199,983,462 37.2 Treasury shares 7 8 98,267 0.0 98,267 0.0 98,267 0.0 Total 415,265,209 9 100 454,372,343 9 100 538,207,997 100

1 The transition from the non-diluted basis to the diluted basis results from the full exercise of the Shareholders' Warrants, Creditors' Warrants and the Guarantors Warrants. 2 The Guarantors Warrants will be delivered on 16 September 2022. 3 Calculations not taking into account the issue of a maximum number of 43,415,988 shares which will be allocated free of charge under the free share allocation plans to be implemented as part of the Restructuring Transactions, including the preference shares to be allocated free of charge to Mr. Gerard Bremond. 4 This table takes into account the cancellation of double voting rights approved on 8 July 2022 by the special meeting of shareholders holding double voting rights and the combined general meeting of shareholders of the Company subject to the condition precedent of the completion of the Restructuring Transactions. 5 Holding of the Group's lending institutions as a result of the conversion of an amount of EUR 215 million of the loan guaranteed by the State of EUR 240 million obtained by the Company on 10 June 2020. As announced in the press release of the Company dated 10 March 2022, the State benefits under its guarantee from a repayment obligation in accordance with the decree of 23 March 2020. This repayment obligation is structured under the terms of a contract of trust whose settlors are the lending institutions and the beneficiaries are, on the one hand, the State and, on the other hand, the lending institutions, after deduction of the expenses of the trustee. The lending institutions have informed the Company that they are not acting in concert, within the meaning of Article L. 233-10 II, 5 of the Commercial Code, either among themselves or with the fiduciary. 6 The breakdown of the capital and voting rights of Pastel Holding is as follows: (i) Pastel Performance (another AIF controlled by Atream) holds 25.1% of the capital and 50.1% of the voting rights of Pastel Holding, (ii) France Investissement Tourisme 2 (Specialized Professional Investment Fund (Articles L. 214-154 and following of the Monetary and Financial Code) managed by its management company Bpifrance Investissement) holds 47.1% of the capital and 31.3% of the rights of Pastel Holding, and (iii) NOV Tourisme Actions Non Cotees Assureurs - Caisse Des Depots Relance Durable France (Specialized Professional Fund (AIF not approved by the AMF) managed by Montefiore Investment) holds 27.9% of the capital and 18 .6% of the voting rights of Pastel Holding. 7 Excluding treatment of fractions. 8 Treasury shares are deprived of voting rights. 9 The number of theoretical voting rights amounts to on a non-diluted basis.

Lock-up commitments

The Company has agreed to a lock-up period of 180 days following the completion of the Rights Issue, subject to certain exceptions.

As part of the Accelerated Safeguard Plan, it is provided that a plan for the free allocation of preferred shares to Mr. Gerard Bremond will be authorized by the General Meeting called to meet on 30 September 2022. In this context, each investor party to the Agreement (including Alcentra, Fidera and Atream) has individually undertaken to keep its shares, to be receive as part of the Restructuring Operations, until the date of this General Meeting. Mr. Gerard Bremond will, for his part, be bound by an obligation to retain his free preferred shares for one year from the end of the acquisition period, which will itself be one year from their allocation by the Board of Directors.

To the knowledge of the Company, there is no other lock-up commitment from other existing shareholders of the Company or of investors that are not parties to the Agreement intending to become shareholders of the Company in the context of the Restructuring Transactions.

New governance

In accordance with the Accelerated Safeguard Plan, the Board of Directors of the Company will be fully renewed on the final completion date of the Restructuring Operations scheduled for 16 September 2022 and composed as follows:

Name Date of beginning of term Date of the end of term

(following the general meeting convened to approve the financial statements for:) M. Franck Gervais,

Chief Executive Officer 16 September 2022* (decision of the general meeting held on 8 July 2022) 30 September 2024 Alcentra Flandre Limited 16 September 2022* (decision of the general meeting held on 8 July 2022) 30 September 2024 Fidera Limited 16 September 2022* (decision of the general meeting held on 8 July 2022) 30 September 2024 M. Pascal Savary 16 September 2022* (decision of the general meeting held on 8 July 2022) 30 September 2024 M. Georges Sampeur** 16 September 2022*

(by cooptation***) 30 September 2024 Mme Christine Declercq** 16 September 2022*

(by cooptation***) 30 September 2024 Mme Delphine Grison** 16 September 2022*

(by cooptation***) 30 September 2024 Mme []** 16 September 2022*

(by cooptation***) 30 September 2024 M. Emmanuel de Pinel

de la Taule**** 30 October 2020

(elected by the employees) 30 October 2023***** Mme Claire Linssen**** 9 November 2020

(appointed the European Works Council) 9 November 2023*****

* I.e. the scheduled date of final completion of the Restructuring Transactions. ** Independent director within the meaning of the Afep-Medef Code. *** Approval to intervene during the General Meeting of 30 September 2022. **** Director representing the employees of the Company. ***** The term of office of Directors representing employees is set at three years from the date of their election or appointment.

Information on the four new directors whose cooptation will be subject to the ratification of the shareholders at the general meeting of 30 September 2022 pursuant to article L. 225-24 of the French Commercial Code, provided for by article R. 225-83 of the said Code, are available on the Pierre et Vacances website, at the following address: www.groupepvcp.com (Finance / General Meeting / General Meeting section  30 September 2022).

Available Information

- The first Prospectus relating to the Reserved Capital Increase, the Conversion Capital Increase and the Shareholders Warrants, the Guarantors Warrants and the Creditors Warrants, approved by the AMF on 16 June 2022 under number 22-217 and composed of (i) the Company's Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 17 March 2022 under number D.22-0119 (the Universal Registration Document), (ii) the first amendment to the Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 16 July 2022 under number D.22-0119-A01 (the First Amendment) and (iii) a securities note (including the summary of the Prospectus) and;

- the second Prospectus relating to the Rights Issue and approved by the AMF on 1st August 2022 under number 22-332 and composed of (i) Universal Registration Document, (ii) First Amendment, (iii) the second amendment to the Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 1st August 2022 under number D.22-0119-A02 (the Second Amendment) and (iv) a securities note (including the summary of the Prospectus) dated 1st August 2022 (the Securities Note), are available free of charge at the registered office of Pierre et Vacances, LArtois  Espace Pont de Flandre, 11 rue de Cambrai, 75947 Paris Cedex 19, on the Company's website (http://www.groupepvcp.com/fr) as well as on the AMF website (www.amf-france.org).

Appendix

REDUCIBLE SUBSCRIPTION BREAKDOWN SCALE COEFFICIENT PARITY NB OF RIGHTS PRESENTED NB OF SHARES GRANTED ON A REDUCIBLE BASIS 1.19522304 4 4 DS 4 shares 8 DS 9 shares 12 DS 14 shares 16 DS 19 shares 20 DS 23 shares 24 DS 28 shares 28 DS 33 shares 32 DS 38 shares 36 DS 43 shares 40 DS 47 shares

Disclaimer

This press release and the information it contains do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe, or a solicitation of an order to buy or subscribe, Pierre et Vacances S.A. securities in Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States of America or in any other country in which such an offer or solicitation would be prohibited.

The dissemination, publication or distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a violation of the legal and regulatory provisions in force. Accordingly, persons physically present in such countries and in which this press release is disseminated, distributed or published should inform themselves of and observe any such local restrictions.

This press release must not be disseminated, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, in Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States of America. This press release is a promotional communication and does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of Regulation 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14, 2017 on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market and repealing the Prospectus Directive 2003/71/EC (the Prospectus Regulation).

No communication or information relating to the transactions described in this press release may be disseminated to the public in any jurisdiction in which registration or approval is required. No action has been taken (nor will be taken) in any jurisdiction (other than France) in which such action would be required. The subscription to or purchase of Pierre et Vacances S.A. securities may be subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain countries. Pierre et Vacances S.A. assumes no liability for any violation by any person of these restrictions.

With regard to the Member States of the European Economic Area other than France, no action has been nor will be taken to allow a public offering of securities requiring the publication of a prospectus in any of the Member States concerned. Consequently, any offer of securities of Pierre et Vacances S.A. may only be made in one or other of the Member States (i) to qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation; or (ii) in any other case exempting Pierre et Vacances S.A. from publishing a prospectus in accordance with Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation.

This press release and the information it contains are being distributed to and are only intended for persons who are (x) outside the United Kingdom or (y) in the United Kingdom who are qualified investors (as defined in the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) and are (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the Order), (ii) high net worth entities and other such persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) or (iii) other persons to whom an invitation or inducement to participate in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial 4 Services and Market Act 2000) may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons in (y)(i), (y)(ii) and (y)(iii) together being referred to as Relevant Persons). Any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire securities to which this press release relates will only be engaged with Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this press release or any of its contents.

This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities nor of any offer or solicitation to sell securities in the United States. The securities mentioned herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Pierre et Vacances S.A. does not intend to register any portion of the proposed offerings in the United States nor to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements that are predictions of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives, based on certain assumptions and all statements that do not directly relate to a historical fact. These forward-looking statements are based on the managements current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, as a result of which actual results could differ materially from the forecast results explicitly or implicitly mentioned in the forward-looking statements; for more information on these risks and uncertainties, please refer to the documents filed by Pierre et Vacances S.A. with the Autorite des marches financiers.

1 Refers to bonds redeemable in cash and/or in new and/or existing shares issued by the Company on 30 November 2017 for a nominal amount of approximately 100 million and whose initial maturity is 1 April 2023. 2 The receivables held on Pierre et Vacances Fi subject to compensation are subject to prior delegation and are held on the Company at the time of the Conversion Capital Increase. 3 The Shareholders Warrants are allocated to the Company on the basis of its treasury shares which will be automatically cancelled, in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 225-149-2 of the French Commercial Code. Taking into account the 98,267 treasury shares, 420,343 Shareholders Warrants will be allocated to the Company then automatically canceled thus increasing the number of Shareholders Warrants in circulation as a result of the settlement-delivery operations from 42,321,972 to 41,901,629. 4 The Shareholders Warrants are allocated to the Company on the basis of its treasury shares which will be automatically cancelled, in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 225-149-2 of the French Commercial Code. Taking into account the 98,267 treasury shares, 420,343 Shareholders Warrants will be allocated to the Company then automatically canceled thus increasing the number of Shareholders Warrants in circulation as a result of the settlement-delivery operations from 42,321,972 to 41,901,629.

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Pierre et Vacances

Source: Pierre et Vacances
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Executive Chairman William P. Lauder and President and Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Freda of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL) (ELC) announced an organizational evolution across its brand portfolio to strategically position the company for long-term, sustainable growth in a fast-paced evolving global landscape.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005700/en/

Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Executive Group President, The Estee Lauder Companies (Photo: Business Wire)

Effective September 1, 2022, the companys brand portfolio evolved into two brand clusters led by Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Executive Group President, and Stephane de La Faverie, who has been promoted to Executive Group President. This new brand leadership structure is designed to ensure continued portfolio-wide alignment, enabling the business to focus on the greatest areas of opportunity. Jane and Stephane will continue to report directly to Fabrizio Freda.

This evolution further positions The Estee Lauder Companies brands to win with consumers in a complex and continuously changing beauty landscape, while elevating our internal talent bench and organizational planning to position us well to deliver on the companys long-term strategy with agility, said Fabrizio Freda. The strength of our portfolio reflects the strength of our leadership team, and this evolution leverages the track record and high potential of each leader to take our business to even greater heights in the future.

Building upon their enterprise-wide leadership responsibilities, Jane and Stephane, in partnership with the Brand Presidents, will oversee their brands businesses, equity and innovation, continuing to work in close alignment with all internal functions and regions. Additionally, they will work closely with brand and value chain leaders to drive the strategy and growth plans for the companys product categories and key subcategories.

We have been and will continue to be a brand-led company. This exciting update to the organization will further enable our brands industry leadership, said William P. Lauder. Leveraging ELCs internal talent pipeline globally underscores our commitment to create new professional development and career advancement opportunities for the next generation of leaders across our organization.

This organizational evolution aligns with ELCs forward-looking corporate strategy and Compass to accelerate the companys ability to deliver now while simultaneously preparing for the future. The companys top brand leaders are organizationally aligned in a management structure designed to promote cross-brand synergies and advance development at multiple levels of the organization. In line with the companys internal talent vision, this announcement also includes the appointment of several leaders to elevated brand roles within the clusters of Jane and Stephane.

Executive Group President Jane Hertzmark Hudis will continue leading one of the companys brand clusters, with a portfolio of brands that includes: La Mer and Bobbi Brown; TOM FORD BEAUTY; MAC; Clinique and Origins; Aveda; Bumble and bumble; and Dr.Jart+. Jane will also continue her enterprise-wide executive leadership of skin care and hair care, which are important growth-driving categories for our company. All the current brand leaders will remain the same, with the exception of Sandra Main taking direct responsibility of La Mer. In addition, Jane will continue as an executive sponsor for key strategic enterprise-wide priorities, including initiatives focused on marketing excellence and winning with Chinese consumers.

As one of the most accomplished, visionary executives in prestige and luxury beauty, Jane has a proven track record of leading, building, and transforming global brands to achieve outstanding broad-based growth. Jane will leverage her tenured expertise, including her vast knowledge of China, luxury beauty, and consumer-centric local relevance, to further enable her brand portfolio to win across categories, regions, and channels.

Jane is a passionate advocate of leadership development, mentorship, and womens advancement. In addition to her enterprise-wide responsibilities at the company, Jane co-founded The Estee Lauder Companies Womens Leadership Network (WLN) in 2017 to inspire and engage women across the organization, helping them become exceptional leaders and mentors. Under Janes co-executive sponsorship, WLN has become the companys largest employee resource group with a presence in every region.

As Executive Group President, Stephane de La Faverie will continue to lead one of the companys brand clusters including Estee Lauder and AERIN Beauty; Jo Malone London; Le Labo; KILIAN PARIS, Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, Darphin Paris and LAB Series; and DECIEM (The Ordinary, NIOD, and Avestan). Additionally, Stephane will add ELCs California-based brands to his portfolio  Too Faced; Smashbox and GLAMGLOW  expanding his category leadership to now include makeup, in addition to fragrance and subcategories of home, bath and body, and mens skin care and grooming. With the exception of Estee Lauder, all the leaders of the brands now in Stephanes portfolio remain the same. Stephane will also continue to drive integrated planning and end-to-end business operations enterprise-wide.

Stephanes promotion to Executive Group President reflects his outstanding track record of building successful global brands and his deep expertise across categories and channels, helping build fragrance as a powerful engine of growth for the company, and leading the Estee Lauder brand to be one of the worlds most beloved prestige beauty brands.

Stephanes strength as an inclusive and empathic leader, and his ability to balance emotional inspiration, authenticity and strategic insights to drive long-term, sustainable growth, have helped him successfully build his portfolio of brands and nurture a winning leadership team.

Additional Brand Leadership Updates

Justin Boxford has been appointed Global Brand President, Estee Lauder. He will report to Stephane. A separate announcement on Justins appointment will be shared in the coming days.

Sandra Main, Global Brand President, La Mer and Bobbi Brown, will assume direct leadership of La Mer and will oversee Bobbi Brown until a new leader is named. Sandra will continue reporting to Jane.

Michelle Freyre has been promoted to Global Brand President, Clinique and Origins, expanding her brand oversight. Michelle will report to Jane.

Amber Garrison, who assumed the role of Global Brand President, Origins in July 2022, will continue as a member of Janes leadership team and report to Michelle Freyre.

About The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the worlds leading manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. The companys products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, LAB Series, Origins, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD BEAUTY, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, and the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD.

ELC-L

ELC-C

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Investor Relations:

Rainey Mancini

[email protected]

Media Relations:

Jill Marvin

[email protected]

Source: The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
Advanced contemporary womens brands including Missoni , DL *-1961 , Magnlens , Silk Laundry, Maxime Simoens, HNST, Handvaerk, Vayre, Ibeka, Muse for All, Ninety Percent , Vegan Tiger and more.

Enhanced programming includes immersive experiences on sustainability and fashion technology using augmented reality for the entire COTERIE community to experience

To register, please visit: HERE

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- COTERIE New York, fashions premier event serving womens contemporary and advanced contemporary markets, hosted by global industry connector Informa Markets Fashion returns to New York September 18-20 at the Javits Center, with a ground up rebrand that is the COTERIE as you know it, but not as you would expect it.

COTERIE New York brings thousands of top-tier retailers and premium brands together to display upcoming collections and immediates at this premier fashion wholesale event during market week in the U.S. fashion capital. This will be the first peek into the evolution of COTERIE featuring a new look, new vision, and new offering.

The new era of COTERIE will feature three immersive experience areas, centered around sustainability, technology, and community, which will come together to create a living representation of the current and future state of fashion. COTERIE New York has collaborated with world renowned architect Gonzalez Haase AAS to create two of the three design experience areas as well as a new unique concept area on the show floor which will feature a selection of carefully curated COTERIE brands.

The new era of COTERIE will bring a modern energy to the womens advanced contemporary and contemporary market. COTERIE is where ideas and conversations converge to create new ideas and drive new innovations through meaningful connections. -Kelly Helfman, President Informa Markets Fashion We recognize that the COTERIE community expects a higher level of standards when it comes to this show. We plan to exceed these expectations with this evolution.

In line with COTERIE New York's evolved mission and vision, sustainability will be at the forefront of the show. This season COTERIE has partnered with Arcadia Earth and AMER_ICAN to shine a light on the current reality of the impact humans are having on the environment and call into question how far our industry will go to protect it. Part immersive metaverse experience and part educational moment, this space is designed to inspire all of us to work together towards a more sustainable future. This exciting opportunity combines both the physical and virtual worlds for attendees to experience.

COTERIE New York welcomes cutting edge technology to the ever-modernizing fashion industry, being presented in partnership with DRESSX. The future-gazing aspect of COTERIE explores technological advancements and new forms of craft that are shaping fashion. This season the show is bridging IRL and digital fashion through an interactive AR (Augmented Reality). Attendees can discover the possibilities of digital fashion and try on a custom digital piece: a COTERIE New York digital tee.

The COTERIE Community Hub will be the cornerstone of the event in which the COTERIE evolution will be shared through intentional design. The COTERIE Community Hub will serve as a meeting spot, discussion area, and learning space for brands, retailers, and partners. The hub will feature a variety of amenities including a lounge area, complimentary water bottles, espresso hours, cocktail hours, show bags.

In addition to viewing the show floor registered guests can attend thought-provoking panel discussions led by industry leaders and held daily on the education stage. Highlights include:

 Optimizing the Wholesale Model for the Future led by Robin Mellery-Pratt, The Business of Fashion and panelists Katie Kolodinski, Founder & Creative Director at Silk Laundry and Lander Desmedt, Co-Founder and CEO of HNST and Kate Linstrom, Design Director at MAGNLENS .

led by Robin Mellery-Pratt, and panelists Katie Kolodinski, Founder & Creative Director at and Lander Desmedt, Co-Founder and CEO of and Kate Linstrom, Design Director at .  BEYOND THE BUZZWORD: (Re)defining Sustainability in 2022 and Beyond, with moderator Kelly Helfman, President of Informa Markets Fashion and panelists Valentino Vettori, Founder, Arcadia Earth and Vesna Cremona, Founder, AMER_ICAN will discuss a future vision where fashion companies and the industry as a whole is actively working towards a more sustainable future together.

with moderator Kelly Helfman, President of and panelists Valentino Vettori, Founder, and Vesna Cremona, Founder, will discuss a future vision where fashion companies and the industry as a whole is actively working towards a more sustainable future together. (DIGITAL) FASHION FORWARD: Decoding Opportunities in Digital Fashion, during which a panel of experts will dive deeper into the opportunities that digital fashion and NFTs have to offer.

Show events, education, and daily happenings can be found HERE.

Over 820 brands will showcase their latest designs, including local New York brands SERPUI, ONCEPT NYC, DL1961, Amanda Uprichard, Saylor, Blank NYC, Halston, Mignonne Gavigan, and international brands MISSONI, Silk Laundry, and Maxine Simoens. An incredible selection of Black-owned brands at COTERIE includes Jessica Rich, LITA by Ciara, Ibeka, Carlton Jones and Rollie Nation. Brands can apply HERE to participate in this bi-annual fashion wholesale event.

Top buyers from retail chains, boutiques, online retailers, and big box majors will be onsite in New York to discover latest trends and shop the leading domestic and international brands. Registered retailers include Anthropologie, Beams, Bergdorf Goodman, Big Drop, Bloomingdales, Fenwick, Intermix, ISETAN, Merci, Neiman Marcus, Printemps, Saks Fifth Avenue, Shopbop among many others.

For more information about additional 2022 Informa Markets Fashion events, please visit: https://www.findfashionevents.com

ABOUT INFORMA MARKETS FASHION:

Informa Markets Fashion connects and inspires the global fashion community through online experiences, industry insights, and worldwide fashion trade events including MAGIC, COTERIE, PROJECT, and SOURCING at MAGIC. From more effective manufacturing and supply chain opportunities to creative design inspiration and retail on the wholesale floor, Informa Markets Fashions diverse portfolio supports the entire fashion ecosystem - fostering innovation and driving creativity year-round. For more information on upcoming events, please visit: www.findfashionevents.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005697/en/

Kristin Borland

Informa Markets Fashion

[email protected]

Joe Yang

Agentry PR

[email protected]

Source: Informa Markets Fashion
Angela Salazar highlighted among leaders in Hispanic professional networking community at national conference

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Angela Salazar, Financial Aid officer, and Lead for La Fuerza, the University of Phoenix Hispanic employee resource group (ERG), was selected as an honoree of the 2021 Rising Star Award by Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA), at its national conference, held August 7-11, 2022.

Angela is a servant leader, both inside the University of Phoenix community and out, states Julie Fink, vice president of Human Resources at University of Phoenix. She builds bridges between departments, organizations, and community leaders. She is committed to creating awareness and access of opportunities to those who can benefit most.

Salazar joined ALPFA Phoenix Chapter in 2019, where she volunteered as a mentor, and began serving as Community Affairs Director in 2020. She was instrumental in establishing relationships between ALPFA Phoenix and organizations such as Teach for America, Chicanos Por La Causa, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix. She is a nominee for the 2022 Athena Awards by the Greater Phoenix Chamber for her exceptional work as Community Affairs director with ALPFA Phoenix Chapter. In 2022, she was invited to serve on the Advocacy committee for the YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix.

Salazar is Lead of La Fuerza, the Universitys Hispanic ERG, which has a mission to create and maintain an inclusive environment where differences are valued as strengths, and promote creativity, innovation and the maximization of individual potential. She also serves as Unified ERG Strategy Director at University of Phoenix and is a member of the Presidents Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB.)

Once we can empower an individual, they will take the reins for their own professional growth, Salazar states. Networking and building social capital are critical to helping individuals from the humblest of backgrounds to bring their experience, ideas, and innovation into the light, to the benefit of our communities and businesses. Helping build relationships and connections with ALPFA and La Fuerza  this is my passion work. The Rising Star Award gives me confidence and encouragement in that effort.

ERGs at University of Phoenix bring together individuals with shared interests and life experiences. These employee-led, voluntary groups seek to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace, increase employee engagement, and support professional and personal growth. They connect people who may otherwise not meet to create new relationships and cross-disciplinary partnerships. Salazar has been instrumental in bringing external speakers to engage with La Fuerza ERG members and in ensuring that members of all ERGs can be involved and have an impact. In addition, she collaborates with departments throughout the University and the community to organize events and volunteer opportunities in the Phoenix area.

I am a Chicana and an urban Native American as a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Salazar shares. I was born and raised in an underrepresented and mostly Hispanic community in Phoenix, and I want to share what Ive learned to help others succeed as well. I aim to be a source for Hispanic and Indigenous community members, volunteerism, events, and resources.

Salazar leverages her engagement with La Fuerza to collaborate with colleagues across the university to promote understanding and appreciation of diverse perspectives, including the Universitys Office of Educational Equity which serves the Universitys students, alumni, community and alliances and hosts the Universitys monthly Educational Equity webinar series. She has led sessions of Inclusive Cafe, a virtual place for staff to gather, connect, and build community through monthly sessions focused on topics designed to discuss differing perspectives and generate compassionate conversation. Salazar participated in the planning of the University-wide initiative, the newly established annual Inclusive Leadership Summit.

Salazar has been an employee of University of Phoenix since 2003.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005906/en/

Sharla Hooper

University of Phoenix

[email protected]

Source: University of Phoenix
VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wenco International Mining Systems Ltd. ("Wenco") is pleased to expand its sales and support to customers in Northern Europe through its new partnership with Rotator Oy, a leading provider of mining equipment and solutions, based in Finland.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006133/en/

This new agreement extends Wencos reach with a capable value-added reseller, paving the way for customers in the region to further leverage Wencos open and interoperable approach to mining technology.

Wenco is a leading provider of technology solutions to the global mining industry with a comprehensive suite of digital solutions that boost productivity, decrease operating costs, extend equipment life, enhance safety, and give mining companies actionable insights into their operations. Mines realize these benefits through systems for fleet management, machine guidance, safety, and asset health  all grounded in an open systems philosophy that empowers them to freely integrate systems to support their unique business processes, data requirements, and reporting needs.

Were very positive about the establishment of this partnership with Rotator, says Andrew Pyne, President and CEO of Wenco. They have a very strong presence in the region and an excellent track record of sales and support for Hitachi Construction Machinery, our parent company. Were looking forward to working closely with Rotator to deliver value through the application of our technologies to their customers in the region.

Rotator CEO Janne Wartiovaara concurs with Pyne. We are excited to add Wenco to our Mining offering and look forward to bring more valuable solutions to our customers, says Janne Wartiovaara.

In addition to solutions for fleet operations, Rotator and Wenco are introducing innovative fatigue management solutions to the market with Wencos SmartCap, the only technology proven to eliminate safety incidents caused by fatigue. SmartCap uses EEG to measure operator fatigue, then notify users of reduced ability to resist sleep  before a fatigue-related incident occurs.

Wenco and Rotator formed this partnership due to their shared focus on delivering customer-centric solutions to the mining industry. Founded in 1954, Rotator is one of the most experienced and well-established machine import and after-sales service companies in Finland. Located in Pirkkala with satellite offices in Vantaa, Kuopio, Seinajoki, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Sotkamo, and Lieto, Rotator is committed to providing reliable, efficient, and safe solutions to customers through Finland and Sweden.

The companys rich history of support for customers made it a natural partner for Wenco in Northern Europe.

Rotator is now in discussions with mines across Finland and Sweden on how they can advance their digital transformation with Wencos solutions. To learn more, please contact Rotator Sales Manager Sami Laitila at [email protected] or +35840-8242-495. For all other inquiries into Wenco and its solutions, please contact Wenco Regional Manager Europe, Middle East, and Kazakhstan, Klaus Hansson at [email protected] or +971-522-600-596.

About Wenco International Mining Systems

For over 30 years, Wenco International Mining Systems has worked with mining companies to extract unrealized value. In support of this mission, Wenco has developed an integrated suite of solutions to support the digital transformation of the mining industry. Fleet management, asset health, fatigue management, and other technologies join together in the spirit of open interoperability to raise mine productivity and efficiency, lower routine costs, and establish a safe and smooth mining operation.

www.wencomine.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913006133/en/

Media:

Jessica Steward

Magnolia Marketing Communication

[email protected]

+1-604-349-7600

Source: Wenco International Mining Systems Ltd.
Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business (NYSE: RTX), has been awarded a competitive indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract from the Federal Aviation Administration with a ceiling value of $375 million over the next 10 years. Task orders, valued at $215 million, were executed at contract award to provide technical refresh and Dual Frequency Operation (DFO) upgrades to the FAA's Wide-Area Augmentation System, or WAAS, a space-based precision navigation system, that will enhance safer air travel in support of the National Airspace System.

Under the WAAS DFO-2 contract, RI&S will deliver more modern, and therefore sustainable, processing, system security, and network architecture, while also adding dual frequency service.

"There is no margin for error during take-off, flight or landing," said Denis Donohue, president, Surveillance & Network Systems at RI&S. "Our modernization effort for WAAS will improve system robustness during ionospheric events and ensure safety-of-life requirements continue to be met."

WAAS is a Satellite-based Augmentation System (SBAS), which provides GPS corrections for critical navigation for the aviation community, first responders and other government agencies, ensuring pilots can land safely in austere environments, despite weather challenges. It also provides corrections for SBAS-capable receivers in use across a diverse set of communities, including agriculture, maritime and surveyance, among others.

Raytheon Technologies has been the prime development contractor for WAAS since 1996. Since reaching initial operational capability in 2003, Raytheon Technologies and the FAA have developed and fielded dozens of enhancements expanding WAAS's precision approach capability, coverage area, and reliability, including improvements to the system infrastructure in preparation for Dual Frequency service. WAAS Dual Frequency service will enable increased system accuracy, integrity, and availability when subject to ionospheric perturbations, including solar storms.

Work for this effort is based in Fullerton, California.
FILE PHOTO: The Comcast NBC logo is shown on a building in Los Angeles, California, U.S. June 13, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake

By Eva Mathews

(Reuters) -Comcast Corp and Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday unveiled buybacks worth billions of dollars as they joined a rush of U.S. companies seeking to avoid a new tax on such repurchases.

The $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act imposes a 1% tax on buybacks and a minimum 15% tax on corporations from next year.

Comcast doubled its share buyback authorization to a record $20 billion after increasing it to $10 billion in January, while J&J announced a repurchase program of up to $5 billion.

Wireless carrier T-Mobile US Inc, seeds and pesticides company Corteva Inc, coffee chain Starbucks, and several smaller companies, have laid out plans to buy back shares.

While the new tax will encourage companies to pull forward buybacks and increase repurchases in the near term, the weakness in equities markets is also a major reason, said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley.

"When valuations are low and markets are down, companies tend to buy back their shares. So it's a reflection of where markets are," Hogan said.

The benchmark S&P 500 index has declined nearly 18% this year as runaway inflation spurs super-sized rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.

When the S&P 500 posted its biggest quarterly loss in two years in the first three months of 2022, buybacks hit a record $281 billion, according to S&P analyst Howard Silverblatt.

Silverblatt estimates buybacks in the second quarter to be around $220 billion, breaching the $1 trillion mark on a 12-month basis.

The fourth quarter would see a significant uptick, as companies planning for 2023 repurchases would prepone their plans due to the new tax, he said.

Shares in Comcast and Johnson & Johnson rose 1.7% and 2%, respectively.

(Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Tiyashi Datta;Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Sriraj Kalluvila)
FILE PHOTO: Unused oil tank cars are pictured on Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad tracks outside Hinsdale, New York August 24, 2015. Picture taken August 24, 2015. REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario/File Photo

By Laila Kearney, Laura Sanicola and Jarrett Renshaw

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Some trains carrying fuel components to the U.S. Northeast have been halted in preparation for a possible railroad shutdown in the coming days, two sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

The northernmost East Coast states rely on railroad shipments to supplement pipeline deliveries from the U.S. Gulf. The region is among the largest fuel consumers in the nation, where U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data shows that in July inventories of heating oil and diesel reached the lowest levels in at least three decades.

Major railroads, including Union Pacific and Berkshire Hathaway's BNSF, must reach a tentative deal with three unions representing 60,000 workers before 12:01 a.m. on Friday to avert a shutdown.

Unit trains to the Northeast that carry commodities including ethanol and crude oil have already stopped, two sources told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

All railroads are preparing to wind down operations in the next day, said a spokesperson at Norfolk Southern who declined to comment further. Passenger rail operator Amtrak has already canceled all long-distance routes nationwide as their trains run largely on freight lines outside of the U.S. Northeast.

Nationwide, stocks of distillates, which include heating oil and diesel, are at their lowest levels seasonally since 2000, according to EIA data.

The situation is more dire in New England and the Central Atlantic states. In that region, stretching from Maine to Maryland, stocks are at 16.6 million barrels, lowest seasonally since the EIA started keeping the data in 1990.

Fuel distributors generally have inventories to last several days and those markets can also receive imports, but prices would be expected to rise in anticipation of a possible shortage.

Some shippers, anticipating a shutdown, have already stopped transporting hazardous materials around the United States, including fuel blending components.

I already have companies that have been limiting their production knowing this was coming and now theyll have to face the music and shut down," said Tom Williamson, a railcar broker and owner of Transportation Consultants, which manages over 2,000 railcars.

He said he has been busy the past few days communicating with clients who are starting to shut down production of hazardous materials.

The upper Northeast relies on rail for shipments of crude oil, natural gas and fuel products more than other regions because of a lack of pipelines. New England receives most of the natural gas it uses to heat homes and light stoves by rail, according to consultancy RBN Energy, making it vulnerable to a stoppage.

"Over the past 20 years, regional imbalances between where products are produced and where they are demanded has increased," said Debnil Chowdhury, vice president, Americas head of refining and marketing, S&P Global Commodity Insights. "This has increased the need to transfer products from the Gulf Coast to the (Northeast)."

Pipelines carrying fuel and natural gas from Texas and other oil and gas-producing states of the U.S. South are already full, Chowdhury said, leaving little room to increase flows on the lines if a shutdown happens.

"All sorts of stuff is going to grind to a halt," said one executive familiar with the region's rail operations, who asked not to be named. "It's going to be brutal."

In July, governors of New England states wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm warning her that the region faced surging winter heating bills due to lack of natural gas pipeline connectivity.

They also asked the Biden Administration to suspend the Jones Act, which requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by ships built domestically and staffed by U.S. crew, for the delivery of LNG for at least a portion of the upcoming winter.

In 2021, the six-state New England region got most of its power, or 46%, from natural gas, according to ISO New England, the region's power grid operator. On the coldest winter days, the grid relies on oil as well to fuel a much bigger percentage of power generation.

Nationwide, shippers for oil and chemical companies are making contingency plans.

"We are starting to see impacts already," said Chris Ball, chief executive officer of Quantix, a Houston-based company that provides trucks and trailers to transport chemicals for companies including Exxon Mobil, Dow and LyondellBasell.

"They (railroads) have already restricted what they're taking and so we're getting a fair amount of trucking orders across our whole network," Ball said.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney, Laura Sanicola and Jarrett Renshaw; Additional reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston and Scott DiSavino in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
A United Airlines Boeing 737-900ER plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake

(Reuters) - U.S. carrier United Airlines and Dubai's Emirates announced a codeshare agreement on Wednesday amid strong demand for air travel.

United said it would launch a direct flight between Newark/New York and Dubai from March. Passengers of the flight can travel on Emirates or its sister airline flydubai from Dubai to other cities.

The carrier also added that soon customers of both airlines would be able to book these connecting flights on a single ticket.

Reuters in August, reported that the carriers would announce a codeshare agreement.

(Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
Berkeley, CA, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As You Sow today released new Fossil Free Finance and Insurance ratings that score mutual funds and ETFs based on their investments in banks and insurers providing loans and underwriting that support fossil fuel projects.

The Fossil Fuel Finance and Fossil Fuel Insurance ratings are the latest additions to the Fossil Free Funds investment tool. The new fund ratings score investment portfolios based on their exposure to banks that are financing fossil fuels and insurance companies that are underwriting and investing in coal, oil, and gas. The new fund ratings are designed to help investors identify investments that avoid climate risk from financial institutions.

Since the Paris Agreement, the six largest U.S. banks  JPMorgan Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs  have provided $1.4 trillion in financing to the fossil fuel industry, contributing to the climate crisis and resulting in substantial portfolio risk for investors, said Andrew Montes, manager of As You Sows Invest Your Values program. Investors in mutual funds, ETFs, and 401(k)s deserve to understand the climate risk embedded in their portfolios from these financial institutions.

Commercial and investment banks' carbon-intensive funding is fundamentally incompatible with reaching the 1.5-degree aligned global goal necessary to prevent catastrophic climate harm. Primary insurers and reinsurers are also continuing to underwrite and invest in coal, oil, and gas, while experiencing dramatic losses associated with catastrophic weather-related events.

By continuing to provide support to high-carbon companies and projects, financial institutions are exacerbating the climate crisis and delaying the transition to a clean energy economy, said Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow. Climate change creates financial risk. Investors should be aware of which companies in their portfolios are contributing to those risks.

The new ratings use data from the Banking on Climate Chaos report and the Insure Our Future scorecard on bank lending and insurer policies related to fossil fuels  including high-risk operations like tar sands, arctic drilling, and coal mining.

Fossil Free Funds is one of As You Sows eight Invest Your Values online tools, which also include Deforestation Free Funds, Gender Equality Funds, Gun Free Funds, Prison Free Funds, Weapon Free Funds, Tobacco Free Funds, and the Retirement Plan Sustainability Scorecard.

# # #

As You Sow is the nations leading shareholder advocacy nonprofit, with a 30-year track record promoting environmental and social corporate responsibility and advancing values-aligning investing. Its issue areas include climate change, ocean plastics, pesticides, racial justice, workplace diversity, and executive compensation. Click here for As You Sows shareholder resolution tracker.

Stefanie Spear As You Sow 216-387-1609 [email protected]

Source: As You Sow
SAN RAMON, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CMG Financial, a well-capitalized privately held mortgage banking firm headquartered in San Ramon, CA, has been recognized for the second consecutive year as a Best Mortgage Company to Work For. On Sept. 4, 2022, Wells Fargo's Equity Research Division put out an Industry Update titled, "The Best Mortgage Company to Work for Is...". The annual report analyzes and ranks the nation's top 25 non-bank mortgage companies based on employee feedback in a variety of categories. This year, CMG Financial was ranked number two, just behind Veterans United but much higher than many notable industry names, including Guaranteed Rate, Movement Mortgage, Caliber Home Loans, and Better.com.

"Results of the analysis indicate that many of the mortgage lenders that were better ranked are smaller and privately owned," notes CFA, CPA, and Wells Fargo Equity Analyst, Michael Kaye.

The companies were rated based on three statistics: employee overall satisfaction, the percentage of employees who would recommend their company to a friend, and the percentage of employees who approve of their company's leader. CMG Financial stood out with 4.3 stars, 91% who would recommend it to a friend, and 96% who approve of CEO Chris George.

CMG makes exhaustive efforts to ensure employee success and satisfaction by offering location flexibility, generous PTO, company-paid paternity and maternity leave, 401(k) matching, and equal pay. CMG Financial also provides reduced pricing on employee home loans, free 24/7 access to licensed mental health clinicians, and paid-on-the-job training and tuition reimbursement. Additionally, CMG Financial has unique proprietary products like HomeFundIt and the All In One Loan to help originators reach more clients and help more buyers achieve the American Dream.

"You ask anybody that works here, we are a family," says CMG Loan Officer, Tim Loss, NMLS 187037. "The ability to communicate with the underwriters on a loan officer level to problem solve challenging loans. It doesn't stop with operations - I have access to upper management right on my cell phone, and when you call, they really pick up the phone. The difference between CMG and other companies is they actually listen when you have something to say."

"I have always considered myself a top producer, but upon joining CMG in 2017 I realized I was among the best of the best," writes Don Blaize, CMG Branch Manager/Area Sales Manager, NMLS 18488. "Since joining, my production has more than doubled! I closed out 2021 with over $90 million in funded volume, while managing a branch that has done over $220 million in 2021. I can say that CMG gives every loan officer, manager, and support staff the tools to be successful. CMG is a company built by producers and made for producers."

If you're interested in joining team CMG or would like to learn more about our benefits, visit https://www.cmgfi.com/careers.

###

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]

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LAKEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstBank, one of the nations largest privately held banks with a focus on banking for good, is launching its Empower All initiative, which is a collection of online financial education resources, videos and in-person events to help foster financial independence. All videos and resources are offered in English at efirstbank.com/empowerall and Spanish at efirstbank.com/todos.

FirstBank created its Empower All campaign believing everyone should have the foundation to build strong financial habits. Empower All topics include how to build and improve credit, the steps to buying a home, fraud prevention, saving, budgeting and investing as well as banking basics. FirstBank also provides easy-to-follow tips and tricks on financial health, business success, homeownership and more on the banks Smart Cents blog.

Throughout September and early October, FirstBank is hosting free bilingual events, providing the opportunity to learn more about Empower All, enjoy free food and refreshments from local restaurants and a chance to win prizes.

No individual should be held back from achieving their goals because of limited access to financial education, said Kevin Classen, President of FirstBank. We are thrilled to connect with our communities on a deeper level and offer real-world tools to help individuals and families cultivate a strong financial future.

In addition, FirstBank created a Multicultural Banking Center (MBC), which joined the organizations Spanish and Asian Banking Centers, where customers can receive banking services and financial literacy in their native language, ranging from Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese to Ethiopian dialects and more. The MBC also provides opportunities for various businesses, nonprofits, and community members to attend networking events and collaborate on community projects.

See the full Empower All event schedule below or at efirstbankblog.com/empowerall. These events have limited spots and are first come, first served.

Wednesday, September 7, 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Aurora: Mariscos El Rey  10293 E Iliff Ave.

Thursday, September 8, 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Denver: Kitchen Network  1785 Quebec St.

Tuesday, September 13, 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Greeley: 477 Distilling  825 9th St. Unit B

Wednesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Glenwood Springs: Tequilas  132 W 6th St.

Tuesday, September 20, 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Colorado Springs: Senor Manuel Mexican Cuisine  4660 N Nevada Ave.

Thursday, September 22, 4:00 p.m.  6:00 p.m.

Thornton: FirstBank  3990 E 104th Ave.

Thursday, September 22, 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Edwards: Fiestas Cafe & Cantina  57 Edwards Access Rd.

Thursday, October 6, 6:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m.

Indio, CA: El Tapatio Restaurant  83161 Indio Blvd.

Longmont: Las Palmeras  199 S Main St.

Avondale, AZ: Raul & Theresas Restaurant, 519 W Main St.

Online resources for Empower All are available in English and Spanish.

About FirstBankFirstBank began providing banking services in 1963. Today, its known as an industry leader in digital banking and has grown to be one of the largest privately held banks in the United States, maintaining more than $28 billion in assets and 100 branch locations across Colorado, Arizona and California. FirstBank offers a variety of consumer deposit accounts, home equity loans, mortgages, rental property loans and a full range of commercial banking services, including business financing, commercial real estate loans, treasury management and more. Since 2000, FirstBank has been recognized as a top corporate philanthropist, contributing nearly $80 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable organizations. The company is also unique in that a large portion of its stock is owned by management and employees, giving employees a financial stake in the banks success through its Employee Stock Ownership Program. For more information, visit www.efirstbank.com.

MEMBER FDIC

Media ContactChandra Brin303.235.1402[email protected]

Source: FirstBank
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fragrance Creators Association (Fragrance Creators) issued the following statement from President & CEO Farah K. Ahmed acknowledging the Administration's efforts to advance U.S. innovation:

"Fragrance Creators recognizes the new Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy, which aligns well with our industry's priorities related to biomanufacturing. The Association has met with the Administration, including meetings with the White House National Economic Council, sharing solutions that empower the fragrance industry's ability to responsibly advance an adaptable and sustainable economy while ensuring human, community, and environmental needs are prioritized and justly integrated, both here and around the world. Because the fragrance value chain's success is dependent on a healthy planet, we heavily invest and deeply understand the connection between nature and science. Supply chain resilienceparticularly in the space of biotechnology and biomanufacturingis of utmost importance, with biotechnology being a critical piece in protecting natural ingredient biodiversity. It is equally important to recognize there are many critical natural fragrance ingredients that must continue to be imported because they cannot be grown successfully in the U.S. Our members continually analyze supply chains to ensure natural materials are sourced responsibly so native ecosystems are preserved.

"As a multibillion-dollar industry and an integral part of the nation's critical infrastructure, our members are proud of their current support and reliance on the skills and talents of our diverse American workforce. We commend the Administration for including a commitment to diversifying the biotechnology workforce further. Biotechnology is a rapidly evolving discipline, and we support streamlining regulations to ensure that products quickly and safely come to market. Fragrance Creators continues our active engagement with the Environmental Protection Agency and have advanced solutions to the backlog of approvals of newer, greener fragrance chemistries and we look forward to strengthening our partnership with the Administration to advance U.S. innovation in this area as well."

###

Fragrance Creators Association is the trade association representing the majority of fragrance manufacturing in North America. We also represent fragrance-related interests along the value chain. Fragrance Creators' 60+ member companies are diverse, including large-, medium-, and small-sized companies that create, manufacture, and use fragrances and scents for home care, personal care, home design, fine fragrance, and industrial and institutional products, as well as those that supply fragrance ingredients, including natural extracts and other raw materials that are used in perfumery and fragrance mixtures. Fragrance Creators established and administers the Congressional Fragrance Caucus, ensuring ongoing dialogue with members of Congress and staff. We are an active participant in IFRA and have a designated representative on the IFRA Board to help ensure the associations' membership is represented in global discussions and the North American perspective is considered in global fragrance positions and policies. Fragrance Creators also produces The Fragrance Conservatory, the comprehensive digital resource for high-quality information about fragrancewww.fragranceconservatory.com. Learn more about Fragrance Creators at fragrancecreators.orgfor people, perfume, and the planet.

Contact: Malory Todd

[email protected]

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NEW YORK and JERSEY CITY, N.J., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lotto.com, the first digital platform for ordering lottery tickets on any device, with no app download or deposit required, has appointed Havas as its first creative agency of record following a competitive pitch process. Havas will be responsible for elevating Lotto.coms awareness across the country and launching the platforms first-ever brand campaign.

Weve seen how fast Lotto.com has grown across the United States  from starting as a licensed lottery courier in New Jersey to the recent announcement of its expansion of operations to New York, Texas, and Colorado  Lotto.com is rapidly reaching new customers across the country, said Tim Maleeny, Havas New York President and Chief Strategy Officer for Havas North America. Were thrilled to be their agency of record and showcase their brand as they transform the industry.

With Lotto.com, players in select states can order lottery tickets and check results at any time, day or night. With this in mind, Havas created the brand platform Welcome to WINever to creatively showcase how any moment has the potential to be life changing with just a few taps on a phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.

We all know the feeling of having a ticket for that weeks big game and letting yourself get lost in all the things you would do and buy if you won, said Thomas Metzger, CEO of Lotto.com Inc. With the continued growth of online and mobile transactions throughout the country, the Lotto.com framework helps reach new lottery players where they are to generate incremental funds for state lotteries and the beneficiaries they support. Were proud to partner with Havas at such an exciting and pivotal time for Lotto.com.

Inspired by the mundane moments when most people would love to be doing something far more interesting, Welcome to WINever flips the script with Lotto.com as the spark that turns the prosaic into potential for millions  making what feels surreal very real for the winners. Crazy cats, dancing dead, and a flabbergasted flamingo headline a Lotto.com world that makes any moment instantly unforgettable.

The fun extends into out-of-home and digital with location-specific, headline-driven executions that remind office workers they can win between taking this offline and circling back, or subway riders to win between your exs place and your nexts place.

Lotto.com is revolutionizing the industry and we are excited to be a part of it, said Dan Lucey, Chief Creative Officer of Havas New York. We are taking a traditional, decades-old practice and displaying it in a fresh, modern way. There is no platform on the market like Lotto.com and our creative campaign shows that. The agency will roll out a fully-integrated creative campaign across TV, social media, digital, and out-of-home throughout the month of September. Click here to watch.

About Havas GroupHavas is one of the world's largest global communications groups. Founded in 1835 in Paris, the Group employs 20,000 people in more than 100 countries and operates through its three business units covering all communication activities. Havas Group's mission is to make a meaningful difference to brands, businesses and people. To better anticipate client needs, Havas has adopted a fully integrated model through its 60+ Havas Villages around the world. In these Villages, creative, media and healthcare & wellness teams work together, ensuring agility and a seamless experience for clients. We are committed to building a diverse culture where everybody feels they belong, can be themselves, thrive and grow. Havas Group integrated into Vivendi in December 2017. Further information about Havas Group is available on the company's website: havasgroup.com.

ABOUT LOTTO.COM INC.Headquartered in New Jersey, Lotto.com Inc. is the first digital platform for ordering lottery tickets on any device, requiring no app download or deposit. Offering a secure, convenient and contactless way to order official state lottery tickets, the platform enables players to manually select lucky numbers or use the Quick Pick lucky number generator. As a courier facilitating user participation in U.S. state lotteries, Lotto.com also helps drive lottery proceeds which support education, parks, emergency responders, veterans' health, and other important services. Lotto.com is currently available in New Jersey, New York, Colorado and Texas, with plans to expand to other states in the U.S. in the near future.

MEDIA CONTACTLotto.com[email protected]

Source: Lotto.com Inc.
KINDERHOOK, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maple Hill, America's original 100% grass-fed organic dairy, today announces it has been selected to receive up to $20 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to grow markets for climate-smart, grass-fed organic dairy. The grant was one of 70 announced on September 14, 2022 through the U.S. Department of Agricultures Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, awarding $2.8 billion in funding to pilot projects that will help build and expand opportunities for consumers to purchase food grown in a climate-friendly way.

The grant will fund a project led by Maple Hill to expand climate-smart markets for our small family dairy farmers and enable a network of partners and producers to further enhance industry leading climate-smart practices by incentivizing implementation and providing training support. This will lead to even more impactful environmental practices and enhanced viability for farms that implement them.

As the largest 100% grass-fed dairy business in the U.S., it is incumbent on Maple Hill to continue to develop, implement, and lead best practices in sustainable dairy farming, said Jim Hau, president of Maple Hill. All of us involved with the Maple Hill business are excited to receive this funding, which will not only allow us to build on industry best practices for sustainability, but allow us to continue to educate more consumers on why grass-fed organic dairy is better for consumers, the environment, the cows, and the farmers.

More than a dozen like-minded partners will join Maple Hill in this project including, Dharma Lea, LLC, Paul Harris Development, Stone Barns, Point Blue Conservation Science, DGA Dairy Grazing, Open TEAM at Wolfes Neck Center, Shannon O'Sullivan, K&O Farm, James Young, Amber Waves, Spring Weather, Serenity Acres Farm, Evening Star Ranch, Reginelli and Aeschlimann, Adam Tafel, Periggo Farm, and Whole Foods.

For more information about Maple Hill Creamery, visit www.maplehill.com. Visit usda.gov/climate-smart-commodities to learn more about this effort, and visit usda.gov/climate-solutions for climate-related updates, resources and tools across the Department.

Media InquiriesJenn McFerron Sloan[email protected]

About Maple HillMaple Hill has been disrupting the dairy industry since its beginnings in 2009. From day one Maple Hills founders committed to using regenerative agriculture practices that are better for the animal, for the planet and for everyone. The company was founded with a mission to create clean, organic, low sugar and no sugar dairy products and continues to meet that demand for consumers today.

Maple Hill produces milk, kefir and yogurt procured from small family farms in Upstate New York. You can find their products nationwide in more than 8,000 retailers including Whole Foods Markets, Amazon Fresh, Natural Grocers, Target, Walmart, Jewel, Sprouts, Stop and Shop, ShopRite, Shaws, Meijer, Central Market, King Soopers, PCC Markets, Safeway, Albertsons, Hannaford and Earth Fare, as well as many specialty and independent retailers. For more information, visit maplehill.com, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @maplehillcreamery.

Source: Maple Hill Creamery
VIENNA, Va., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McFadyen Digital, the leading global agency for e-commerce marketplace strategy and implementation, is appointing Peter C. Evans, PhD, as its Chief Strategy Officer. In this role, Evans will be responsible for leading McFadyen's rapidly growing strategic services practice, tasked with helping clients ranging from large global enterprises to well-funded startups with the formation and execution of their multi-vendor e-commerce marketplace strategy.

Peter Evans has a PhD and MCP from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also serves as the co-chairman of the MIT Platform Strategy Summit held yearly in Cambridge, MA. This former KPMG principal and GE senior strategy director is also the co-chair of the NTWK Summit in Barcelona, Spain, and a course leader at Caltech Executive Education, teaching digital transformation and platform strategy. Evans is a sought-after speaker on innovation-heavy topics related to Web3 businesses and technologies in addition to his work on the platform economy.

"Platform dynamics drive the many competitive advantages that marketplaces offer to businesses. Peter is one of the top platform thinkers in the world and his experience advising dozens of Fortune 500 companies is invaluable to our clients," remarked CEO and author Tom McFadyen. "He also brings great insight in Web3 topics like NFT marketplaces, the metaverse, and cryptocurrency."

"I'm excited to be joining McFadyen Digital at a time when a growing number of companies around the world are positioning for the future by investing in marketplace and digital commerce," said Evans. "We've had many successful collaborations in the past and have been mutual admirers of one another's capabilities. I look forward to drawing on McFadyen's deep technical experience to help our clients build winning marketplace strategies."

By solidifying this key leadership position, McFadyen Digital continues to invest in experienced talent that clients can rely upon to build strategy roadmaps, support complex implementations, and create best-in-class user experiences. As commerce continues to evolve with multi-vendor platforms and Web3 pushing the bounds of innovation forward every day, McFadyen's ability to help its clients deliver measurable, scalable results continues to lead the market.

To learn more about Peter Evans, McFadyen Digital, and their Web3 commerce work, join The Varsity Gems NFT Marketplace webinar Thursday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. ET. Register now: https://bit.ly/3KfRwR8.

About McFadyen Digital

McFadyen Digital is the leading global agency for e-commerce marketplace strategy and implementation. We create award-winning digital shopping experiences for the world's most prominent brands. Our clients seek to delight their customers with memorable online shopping experiences that scale, and we deliver those results on time and on budget. With over two decades of experience with large enterprise commerce projects, our strategy, technology, design, and ongoing innovation services delivered from our offices in the U.S., Brazil, and India provide scalable and repeatable results.

During 20+ years of global delivery, McFadyen Digital has optimized the quality, cost, and timeframe benefits of on-shore, near-shore, and off-shore team collaboration. We are honored to have enabled digital commerce and marketplaces for 10% of the Fortune 500 and hundreds of mid-market companies.

For more information, visit www.mcfadyen.com, connect with us on LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter.

Contact: McFadyen Digital Thomas Gaydos [email protected] @ThomasGaydos

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Image 1: Peter C. Evans, PhD - McFadyen Digital's Chief Strategy Officer Peter Evans, PhD, has joined leading e-commerce marketplace agency McFadyen Digital as its Chief Strategy Officer.

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Peter C. Evans, PhD - McFadyen Digital's Chief Strategy Officer Peter C. Evans, PhD - McFadyen Digital's Chief Strategy Officer

Source: McFadyen Digital
Washington, D.C., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lacks constitutional authority to bring a lawsuit for monetary damages and injunctive relief against Walmart Inc., argues the New Civil Liberties Alliance in an amicus curiae brief submitted in the case FTC v. Walmart, before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. As the brief puts it, FTC is on the horns of a dilemma. First, Humphreys Executor v. United States was wrongly decided in the 1930s because, given the breadth of the executive power vested in the President, FTC Commissioners cannot constitutionally enjoy protection from his removal. But second, even under the holding of Humphreys, the Commissioners cannot exercise executive power, such as bringing a lawsuit in court. Remarkably then, the district court should simultaneously reject Humphreys and follow it.

After an investigation into third-party abuses of Walmarts money order services, FTC supposed that Walmart had violated several statutes and that a lawsuit against the company was necessary to obtain monetary penalties and an injunction against future violations. But when the Department of Justice declined FTCs recommendation to initiate suit, FTC decided to act on its own. This it cannot do. FTC Commissioners are not removable at-will by the President, so they may not exercise executive power. Initiating litigation seeking monetary or injunctive relief employs quintessential executive power. FTC initiated the lawsuit pursuant to powers purportedly granted by statutes enacted in the 1970s. NCLA argues that FTCs structure precludes augmenting its authority. Therefore, its actions are unconstitutional, and the 1970s-era statutory additions to FTCs capabilities must be set aside.

In Humphreys Executor, the Supreme Court upheld, against a constitutional challenge, the provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act, which made Commissioners removable only for cause. When Humphreys Executor upheld the constitutionality of FTCs independence, it reasoned the agency, as it existed in 1935, did not exercise any executive power. As a matter of constitutional history, practice, and understanding, Humphreys was mistaken. The Supreme Court in recent cases has acknowledged, though not yet corrected, its error.

The district court has no choice but to follow Humphreys, because it is bound by Supreme Court precedent. But faithfully following the Humphreys precedent, which only approved of the FTC after concluding that it has solely quasi legislative and quasi judicial powers, requires the court to conclude that FTC may not exercise executive power, which includes bringing suit in an Article III court.

These dual layers of analysisunder the Constitution and under a wayward precedentclarify the district courts path forward. FTCs attempt to bring suit against Walmart is unlawful on two grounds: (1) it is unlawful when one focuses on the Constitution and recognizes that Humphreys was factually and legally mistaken about the power FTC may exercise; and (2) it is unlawful when one simply follows Humphreys, because that precedent bars the FTC from exercising executive power in suits brought in the courts. Either way, the district court really has no choice but to grant Walmarts Motion to Dismiss.

NCLA released the following statements:

Humphreys Executor is a relic from a time when the Supreme Court was less focused on constitutional history or practice. It is not surprising that in recent years, with the Court consistently seeking to interpret Constitutional provisions by reference to those provisions original public meaning, the Court has come to conclude that Humphreys is an exception to the traditional understanding of executive powers and that that exception has not withstood the test of time. NCLAs amicus brief brings the errors of Humphreys into stark relief, while simultaneously pointing out thateven under Humphreysthe powers FTC claims cannot be sustained. Gregory Dolin, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA

This motion to dismiss will hopefully remove any lingering doubt regarding what ought to be clear constitutional law: only federal officials removable at will by the President may take Care that the Laws be faithfully executedthat is, initiate lawsuits. Brian Rosner, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA

For more information visit the amicus page here.

ABOUT NCLA

NCLA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the Administrative State. NCLAs public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unlawful power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans fundamental rights.

###

Judy Pino New Civil Liberties Alliance 202-869-5218 [email protected]

Source: New Civil Liberties Alliance
TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

The following is a statement by the Ontario Health Coalition:

What: Leading advocates for elderly patients are responding to the Health Ministers statement about the regulations.

The Ford government made a statement today regarding the regulations for Bill 7, which was passed without public consultation at the end of August. The new law, disingenuously titled More Beds, Better Care Act, gives new powers to hospitals to assess patients waiting for long-term care beds in hospitals without their consent, share their personal information with an array of corporations without their consent, to fill in an application without consent and to admit them into a long-term care home without their consent.

The Health Minister released details regarding planned regulations to be implemented starting September 21, 2022, thus there will be no normal 30-60 day consultation period on the regulations. The government appears to have expanded the number of services for which patients may be waiting. They are planning to expand who is targeted by this legislation to include people waiting for home care and other community care as well. They have announced plans to charge patients $400 a day if they do not move out of hospitals to a place to which they do not want to go, overriding their right to consent. In Southern Ontario they have announced plans to move people up to 70 km and in Northern Ontario up to 150 km away. Very disturbingly, not one part of the Ford governments statement gave any recognition whatsoever to the patients right to consent. A number of false and incorrect statements were made by the Minister. These issues will be covered in the press conference.

The Coalition is inviting media to a press conference Thursday September 15 at noon by Zoom as follows:

When: Thursday September 15 at 12 p.m. by Zoom.

Please register below and you will receive a meeting link in your email.

Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuduqrrDsjE9FwJRGTndrucmx7pViYjL9b

Speakers: Natalie Mehra, executive director, Ontario Health Coalition; Jane Meadus, lawyer and institutional advocate, Advocacy Centre for the Elderly

For more information: Natalie Mehra, executive director, (416) 230-6402

Source: Ontario Health Coalition
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Planck, a leading AI-powered data and analytics platform, recently closed a $23 million funding round to continue its mission of empowering commercial insurers with real-time and accurate insights. The financing, which brings the companys total to $71 million, was led by Vintage Investment Partners and all existing financial investors, including Team8, Greenfield, Arbor Ventures, Viola, 3L Capital, HDI and Nationwide, alongside private angel investors.

By partnering with Planck, commercial insurance carriers and their agents can achieve breakthrough levels of improvement in their processes and profitability by having clear, real-time views into their underwriting and business risks that are not available from standard industry data flows and typical providers, said Gary Gregg, former Executive Vice President of Liberty Mutual Group, advisor and investor in Plancks latest round. Insurer partners will reap the benefits from these insights to greatly improve their customer experience, operations, and bottom line.

The financial backing allows Planck to act quickly on opportunities that arise in today's changing market and will specifically bolster development of additional products that complement the platform, along with continued geographic expansion. Planck recently launched solutions like its underwriting risk search engine, which solves for the shortcomings of traditional research methods, and Prospect Intelligence that helps carriers expand into new markets, reduce customer acquisition costs, and drive growth.

Our record acceleration and the confidence of investors during this economic uncertainty is a strong indicator of the platform's value and necessity, said CEO and founder Elad Tsur. We are energized to continue our journey of bringing the most advanced AI-powered insights to the financial services industry across the globe, and thankful for the ongoing trust of our customers and partner community.

Among others, six of the top ten commercial insurance carriers in the U.S, as well as top carriers in Europe and Japan are already benefiting from Plancks offerings.

About Planck Planck, an automated AI-powered data platform for commercial insurance, has solved the industry's long-standing need for real-time accuracy and truth. Planck enables insurers to drive service and underwriting excellence by connecting the most up-to-date insights, with just a business name and address. Global carriers, MGAs, and insurtechs leverage Plancks holistic solution for growth strategies; submission prefilling; prioritization and validation; underwriting new business; renewing existing policies; premium auditing and more. The platform makes managing risk much faster and more predictable, resulting in increased written premium while reducing loss and expense ratios.

Planck was founded by a team of relentless entrepreneurs with extensive backgrounds in insurance and technology, and has almost 100 employees globally. The company has raised $71 million to-date, led by Vintage, 3L Capital, Greenfield Partners, Arbor Ventures, Viola Fintech, Team8, Nationwide, HDI and Eight Roads.

For more information, visit www.planckdata.com.

Media Contact Audrey Wayne312.837.1522[email protected]

Source: Planck
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ranchero Gold Corp. (Ranchero or the Company) (TSX.V: RNCH) announces that it has terminated its marketed public offering that was previously announced on July 21, 2022 due to market conditions. The Company is in discussion with investors to fund the continued exploration work that is currently underway at its Santa Daniela gold project and will provide a financing update shortly.

Management Changes

Ranchero also announces that Brian Szeto has resigned from his role as the President of the Company to focus on his other business interests. He remains on the Board of Directors and will serve as a director.

About Ranchero

Ranchero is a gold exploration and development company currently focused on its 100%-owned Santa Daniela project located in Sonora, Mexico. The Santa Daniela project consist of a large land package in excess of 22,200 hectares within Mexicos Sierra Madre Occidental - a newly emerging gold belt. The Santa Daniela project is also near a number of major gold mining operations in the region. Maiz Azul is the Companys most advanced prospect where exploration efforts are underway.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company:

William PincusChief Executive Officer and Director+1303 589 3734

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words anticipate, plan, continue, expect, estimate, objective, may, will, project, should, predict, potential and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning the planned completion of the Private Placement, the anticipated proceeds of the Private Placement, and the use of proceeds of the Private Placement. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with the state of the equity financing markets and regulatory approval.

Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Companys future operations. The Companys 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 the Company will derive from them. These forward looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company 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.

Source: Ranchero Gold Corp.
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Society of Baking (ASB) has announced that registration is open for BakingTECH 2023, the premier educational and networking event for baking professionals, to be held at the Hilton Chicago from February 28March 2, 2023.

BakingTECH 2023 will feature leading innovators in the baking industry, presenting technical sessions on timely topics that are valuable to attendees businesses and careers. The 2023 theme of Resilience is meant to reflect the adaptability and perseverance exhibited in generations of bakers, from the past through today, that helps baking professionals manage the challenges of an ever-changing marketplace.

BakingTECH has a great impact on a bakers business, said Nathan Norris, Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for Highland Baking Company. Bakers get to see all the latest trends and innovations, which can be taken back to their company and implemented causing increased efficiencies and lower waste that increase their bakeries profitability. This can be in safety/quality, equipment, ingredients, sanitation, maintenance, and supply chain. There is something for everyone who attends BakingTECH.

The full agenda will feature topics including ingredient technologies, innovative engineering, todays consumer, scaling up productions, and sustainability.

Beyond the educational content of the program, attendees and exhibitors will be able to re-connect and establish relationships at the MarketPlace Table Top tradeshow, which is expected to bring in 130+ ingredient and equipment suppliers and services providers. During BakingTECH 2023 attendees will also have the opportunity for BrainExchanges, which will offer knowledge-sharing conversation and networking in a group or one-on-one setting.

BakingTECH is the commercial baking industrys annual technical conference and marketplace exposition. Recognized as the industrys Best Week in Baking, BakingTECH includes technical learning sessions, keynote speakers, the Baking Hall of Fame awards ceremony, the MarketPlace exposition, and the national Product Development Competition for college students in the fields of baking and culinary science. More information on the event and registration is available at www.asbe.org/bakingtech2023/.

The American Society of Baking is a community of baking industry professionals who have joined together to provide continuing education, networking opportunities, and professional development. The members include commercial bakers, engineers, food technologists, and the suppliers of equipment, ingredients, and services in the grain-based food industry. Colleagues share knowledge, encourage and promote skill development, and create resources that advance the industry and its workforce. The Societys mission is to facilitate this interaction by promoting personal growth and professional development through education and collaboration. It is through the interactions and contributions of our members that they foster mutually meaningful business relationships. More information on ASB is available at www.asbe.org.

Contact:Tawnee S. BrydebellDirector, Meetings800.713.0462 x2[email protected]

Source: American Baking Society
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rover Metals Corp. (TSXV: ROVR) (OTCQB: ROVMF) (FSE: 4XO) (Rover or the Company) announces that further to its release of August 16, 2022, the Company has signed a definitive option agreement (the Option Agreement) with Panarc Resources Ltd. (Panarc) for the staged acquisition of up to a 90% ownership interest in the Indian Mountain Lake VMS project, NT, Canada (the Project).

Indian Mountain Lake VMS ProjectThe Indian Mountain Lake VMS Project has had exploration dating back to the 1940s and has a historical resource spread across four zones on the project. The BB Zone and Kennedy Lake Zone have a combined historic resource of 1,400,000 tons grading 10% combined zinc and lead with 3.5 OPT (ounces per ton) of silver*. Approximately 900 metres west of the BB Zone, the Kennedy Lake West Zone has a historic resource of 610,000 tons grading 1.15% copper*. About 8 km southeast of the BB Zone, the Susu Lake Zone, has a historical resource consisting of 142,500 tons grading 0.95% copper*.

The property is located approximately 195 km east-northeast of Yellowknife, NT, off the eastern arm of Great Slave Lake. Seasonal access relies upon fixed or rotor wing support. A right of way was cleared to the Project from Thompson Landing in the 1970s. If this right of way were to be brushed out, it would provide barge access at Thompson Landing, from Yellowknife, with ground transportation, considerably lowering any logistical costs. Future Government of Canada federally funded hydro-energy infrastructure could come close to the Project if the Taltson Hydro Dam expansion proceeds through the eastern arm of Great Slave Lake into Yellowknife. At the southwest-end of Great Slave Lake, Osisko Metals is gearing up to reopen the Pine Point Zinc-Lead Mine. At nearby Hay River, NT, there is a rail line to the Teck Resources Zinc Refinery in Trail, BC.

*These resources are historic in nature. Further drilling is needed to bring them up to CIM Definition Standards. The historic data has not been verified by Rover. The historic information is provided in the 2103 Assessment Report for Indian Mountain Lake which is in public record with the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Technical information has been approved by Gary Vivian, M.Sc., P.Geo., QP for the purposes of NI 43-101.

Summary of the First Year Terms of the Indian Mountain Lake Definitive Option AgreementIn accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement, during the first year following the date of the Option Agreement, the Company has committed to incurring $200,000 in exploration expenditures on the Project and making a cash payment of $20,000 to Panarc. In addition, and subject to the approval by the TSX Venture Exchange, Rover will issue Panarc an aggregate of 3,500,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (the Common Shares) within six months of the signing of the Option Agreement. The Common Shares, if authorized for issuance, will be subject to the standard four-month regulatory hold period.

Upcoming ConferenceRover Metals will be presenting at the Redefining Electric Metals Conference in Calgary, AB, on September 19th and 20th. Registration is at www.redefiningelectricalmetals.com

New WebsiteAn updated Corporate Fact Sheet is now available on our new website.

Judson Culter, CEO at Rover Metals, states We see tremendous growth coming for critical minerals fueled by domestic EV demand in the U.S. and Canada. 97% of the Indian Mountain Lake greenstone belt, or approximately 30,000 acres, remains largely unexplored with the drill bit, so we are very excited about this projects future.

Corporate UpdateA Q&A interview with Rovers CEO, Judson Culter, is now also available for viewing here.

About Rover MetalsRover is a publicly traded junior mining company that trades on the TSXV under symbol ROVR, on the OTCQB under symbol ROVMF, and on the FSE under symbol 4XO. The Company is now developing both: (1) critical minerals projects; as well as (2) precious metals projects. The Company is exclusive to the mining jurisdictions of Canada and the U.S. Five of the Companys mineral resource development projects are located near to the city of Yellowknife, 60th parallel, Canada.

You can follow Rover on its social media channels:Twitter: https://twitter.com/rovermetalsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rover-metals/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoverMetals/for daily company updates and industry news, andYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJsHsfag1GFyp4aLW5Ye-YQ?view_as=subscriberfor corporate videos.Website: https://www.rovermetals.com/

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Judson Culter Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information, please contact: Email: [email protected]Phone: +1 (778) 754-2617

Statement Regarding Forward-Looking InformationThis news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Rover'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. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. There can be no assurance that such statements prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any factor could cause actual results to differ materially from Rovers expectations. Rover undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. 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.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Source: Rover Metals Corp.
The Boards of Directors of DNB Bank ASA (DNB) and Sbanken ASA (Sbanken) have today signed a merger plan for the merger of Sbanken into DNB. Sbanken is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DNB, and the merger will be completed in accordance with the provisions as set out in Section 13-24 of the Norwegian Public Limited Liability Companies Act, cf. Section 12-1 of the Norwegian Financial Institutions Act.

The merger will be carried out by Sbanken transferring all its business, including all assets, rights and obligations, to DNB as the acquiring company in the merger. No merger consideration will be paid.

The purpose of the merger is to fulfil the conditions set out in the Ministry of Finances acquisition permit of 1 July 2021, whereby DNB has been granted a temporary permission to operate Sbanken as a subsidiary. The implementation of the merger is conditional upon inter alia Finanstilsynet or the Ministry of Finance granting the necessary permissions to implement the merger in accordance with section 12-1 of the Financial Institutions Act.

For further information, please contact:

Rune Helland, Head of Investor Relations, tel.: (+47) 23 26 84 00 / (+47) 97 71 32 50

The information in this statement is subject to the disclosure requirements under Section 5-12 of the Securities Trading Act.
Issy-les-Moulineaux, September 14, 2022

2022 Half-Year Financial Report

SFIL announces that the French version of its 2022 Half-Year Financial Report was filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) on September 14, 2022 and that it can be obtained from its website: http://sfil.fr/infos-f i n a nc i eres / pub l ications/ (heading: Rapports financiers). The English version of the 2022 Half-Year Financial Report will be available by the end of September 2022 on the internet site: http://sfil. f r/ e n/financial-informations/publications/ (heading: Financial reports).

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LONDON, Sept. 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Small Pharma Inc. (TSXV: DMT) (OTCQB: DMTTF) (the Company or Small Pharma), a biotechnology company focused on short-acting psychedelic-assisted therapies for mental health conditions, today announced that it has entered into an automatic share purchase plan (the ASPP) with Eight Capital (the Broker) in order to facilitate repurchases of the Company's common shares (the Shares) under its previously announced normal course issuer bid (the NCIB). The ASPP has been approved by the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) and is expected to be implemented effective as of September 13, 2022.

Under the ASPP, the Broker may purchase Shares under the NCIB at times when the Company would ordinarily not be permitted to do so due to regulatory restrictions or self-imposed blackout periods. Such repurchases will be carried out by the Broker based on trading parameters established by the Company prior to the commencement of the restricted trading period in accordance with the terms of the ASPP, applicable securities laws and the rules and policies of the TSXV. Outside of these restricted trading periods, the Company may at its discretion effect repurchases of the Shares through the Broker under the NCIB.

The NCIB commenced as of August 19, 2022. Pursuant to the NCIB, the Company may, if considered advisable, purchase up to a maximum of 5,000,000 Shares for cancellation through the facilities of the TSXV in open market transactions or by such other means as may be permitted under applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV, from time to time until the earlier of: (a) August 18, 2023; and (b) the date on which the maximum number of Shares purchasable under the NCIB have been acquired by the Company.

About Small PharmaSmall Pharma is a biotechnology company progressing a pipeline of short-acting psychedelics with therapy for the treatment of mental health conditions, with a current focus on depression. Small Pharma initiated a clinical program into N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) assisted psychotherapy in February 2021. This program includes a Phase I/IIa trial on the Companys lead candidate alongside the development of a pipeline of proprietary preclinical assets.

About DMT DMT is a naturally occurring psychedelic tryptamine found in plants and in the brain of mammals. Scientific evidence suggests DMT offers the potential for rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepressant effects. DMT is differentiated by its short psychedelic experience (

For further information contact:

Small Pharma Inc. George Tziras, Chief Executive OfficerEmail: [email protected]Tel: +1 (646) 751-4363

Investor Relations Contacts:Eric RibnerLifeSci AdvisorsEmail: [email protected]Tel: +1 (646) 889-1200

Kristi PapanikolawKCSA Strategic CommunicationsEmail: [email protected]Tel: +1 (347) 487-6181

Media Relations Contacts:USA - McKenna MillerKCSA Strategic CommunicationsEmail: [email protected]Tel: +1 (949) 949-6585

Rest of World - Jaber MohamedMHP CommunicationsEmail: [email protected]Tel: +44 (0)7720 326 847

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking information (forward-looking information) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the price and number of Shares that may be purchased under the NCIB.

In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. 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 information. Such factors include but are not limited to: compliance with extensive government regulations; domestic and foreign laws and regulations adversely affecting the Companys business and results of operations; the impact of COVID-19; and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise.

Small Pharma makes no medical, treatment or health benefit claims about its proposed products. The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or other similar regulatory authorities have not evaluated claims regarding DMT-assisted therapies and other next generation psychoactive compounds. The efficacy of such therapies has not been confirmed by MHRA-approved research. There is no assurance that such DMT-assisted therapies and other psychoactive compounds can diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Vigorous scientific research and clinical trials are needed. Any references to quality, consistency, efficacy and safety of potential therapies do not imply that Small Pharma verified such in clinical trials or that Small Pharma will complete such trials. If Small Pharma cannot obtain the approvals or research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a material adverse effect on Small Pharmas performance and operations.

The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source: Small Pharma Inc.
TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For years, Sunwing has brought Canadians to Floridas Sunshine State to experience its tropical-like climate and attractive offerings. This winter, the tour operator is thrilled to announce the addition of Melbourne, a brand-new destination along the south of Floridas Space Coast offering more sun, beach and out-of-this-world exploration.

The tour operator will also be returning to two beloved destinations in the United States this winter with multiple direct flights from Toronto and Montreal, including Orlando, one of Floridas greatest attractions, and Miami, a popular vacation destination for city exploration and cruise departures.

This winter, were thrilled to be returning to Florida with Melbourne as our newest destination offering for Sunwing customers, said Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing. In addition to the desirable destinations of Orlando and Miami, theres much to explore along Floridas Space Coast with beautiful beaches, a historic downtown core and nearby attractions, plus easy access to Port Canaveral for winter cruise sailings. Given the incredible customer demand for sun vacations this winter, we look forward to bringing more customers to Melbourne to experience its family-friendly charm.

We are incredibly excited about the new service being offered by Sunwing as it opens up an important market for us, said Peter Cranis, Executive Director, Space Coast Office of Tourism. No other country brings more visitors to our region than Canada, and now we have a great opportunity to serve them well as they choose the Space Coast for their winter vacations. We look forward to a long-lasting partnership with Sunwing and introducing Canadians to all that Melbourne has to offer.

In Melbourne, or The Harbour City, travellers can enjoy the sun and sand at Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and Melbourne Beach, home to one of the worlds most significant Sea Turtle nesting habitats, or tour the local culture in Melbournes historic downtown centre with authentic cuisine, famed mural art, shopping and street festivals.

Travellers can also sample fresh seafood in Port Canaveral, tour the Grapefruit Trails in Palm Bay or interact with over 900 animals at Brevard Zoo. Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex, one of Floridas most popular attractions an hour outside of Melbourne, offers up-close views of Space Shuttle Atlantis, life-sized Mars rover replicas and NASA rockets. Vacationers can also drive to Orlando for a day of fun at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

The exciting announcement of our partnership with Melbourne Orlando International Airport and Floridas Space Coast Office of Tourism comes at a crucial time when demand for holiday and winter travel is at an all-time high, added Eric Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Partner Development for Sunwing. Following the recent expansion to the passenger terminal in Melbourne, our customers can enjoy a seamless vacation experience from beginning to end and enjoy their travels in Melbourne with ease. With even more opportunities to discover Florida this winter, were confident Melbourne will become a new favourite for Canadians.

We are delighted to welcome Sunwing Airlines to Melbourne Orlando International Airport, said MLB Executive Director Greg Donovan. A.A.E. The addition of Sunwing to our expanding list of air service partners is an incredible win for MLB and the greater Central Florida community. Through this new partnership, we are providing new international air service options, linking our convenient hometown airport with three major Canadian cities and welcoming thousands of travellers directly to our coastal gateway to Central Florida. Its the perfect opportunity to connect visitors, relatives and family.

Whether extending their getaway or stopping in to set sail, Sunwing vacationers can embark on their winter cruise sailings from Port Canaveral and soon book Norwegian Cruise Line Escape for January 2023 departures, visiting exciting ports of call from the Bahamas to the British Virgin Islands, with a range of fun-filled amenities on board.

With a number of hotels coming soon to destination, Sunwing customers can book the Sunshine State for winter travel starting November 1, 2022 with weekly direct flights on board Sunwing Airlines, including:

Between Toronto and Orlando, daily starting November 1, 2022

Between Toronto and Melbourne, Saturdays and Wednesdays starting December 10, 2022

Between Toronto and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022

Between Winnipeg and Melbourne, Saturdays starting December 10, 2022

Between Montreal and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022

Between Halifax and Melbourne, Fridays starting February 10, 2023

About Sunwing

The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing has more flights to the south than any other leisure carrier with convenient direct service from airports across Canada to popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations as well as cruise packages and seasonal domestic flight service. Sunwing customers benefit from the assistance of the companys own knowledgeable destination representatives, who greet them upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. The company supports the communities where it operates through the Sunwing Foundation, a charitable initiative focused on the support and development of youth and humanitarian aid.

For more information:

Melanie Anne FilippDirector, Corporate Communications & Media RelationsSunwing Travel Group1-800-387-5602 | [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b94f0256-23e0-46d1-95bf-2630af3a2a9e

Sunwing announces Melbourne as a brand-new destination Customers can return to Floridas Sunshine State this winter

Source: Sunwing Vacations Inc.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upright Education is pleased to announce new partnerships with two community colleges in the Springfield, Mass., area, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College, the only technical community college in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Both colleges are excited to partner with Upright to create more technical jobs, including in the growing information technology (IT) sector, and skilled labor opportunities for the Western Massachusetts workforce.

The colleges and Upright are offering online educational opportunities for adult learners looking for a new career in technology. No experience is necessary to enroll.

STCC is an institution dedicated to closing gaps in opportunity and achievement for students who traditionally face disproportionate challenges in the professional sphere. HCC pursues a similar mission by fostering a connected college experience designed to educate students holistically in an open and inclusive atmosphere. Both are also designated Hispanic Serving Institutions dedicated to promoting diversity in public education in Massachusetts.

Upright President and CEO Benjamin Boas and the Presidents of both colleges participated in a formal announcement on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022.

STCC President John B. Cook said, "STCC is excited to partner with Upright Education to offer short-term certificate programs that will help anyone in Western Massachusetts who would like to change their career or develop technical skills to find jobs in high-demand fields, which includes high tech. This new partnership aligns strongly with STCC's technical mission and helps meet the demand for skilled workers in the region."

HCC President Christina Royal said, "HCC is happy to join in the announcement of our joint partnership with Upright to provide 21st-century skills for today's job seeker. The development of skills in IT will make our students more ready for the jobs in the future. Together Upright, HCC and STCC will help make jobseekers of Western Mass. job ready."

Along with Greenfield Community College, Upright now partners with three different colleges in the Massachusetts area. These partnerships represent Upright's investment in the growing tech sector in the state, particularly surrounding Springfield, which Boston Business Journals ranked the #1 city in the country for tech job growth in 2021.

Massachusetts has received support and resources for its tech sector from major companies in the tech industry, including an annual donation of $500,000 of cloud computing resources from Microsoft. Upright's presence also continues to grow in the Northeast more broadly, where its partnerships include multiple schools in New York and Vermont, and nationally, where it has signed 11 total education partnerships to date.

"Adults working hourly jobs want salaried careers where they can work remotely, enjoy a comfortable lifestyle, and reside in a neighborhood that doesn't break the bank. Western Massachusetts represents a landscape that is ripe for providing these career opportunities in the growing tech economy," said Benny Boas, CEO, and Founder of Upright Education. "Upright's partnership with Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College provides direct-to-career pathways for in-demand technology jobs through accessible programs, which don't require industry experience or a college degree."

Upright's full- and part-time bootcamps and individual courses currently maintain a job placement rate of 92% and offer a 30% increase in salary for students coming from prior careers.

Expanding services in areas like Springfield supports Upright's mission of stimulating economic growth in areas where large populations of working adults stand to benefit from innovative educational opportunities and skilled training in burgeoning professional fields like software development and designing visual elements on a website and improving user experience and user interface with the website (UX/UI design). Upright is proud to be taking this vital step toward its stated goals.

If you are interested in learning more about these programs, an informational session hosted by the enrollment team will be taking place via Zoom on Thursday, Sept. 22, at noon EDT. Register here.

Press Contacts:

STCC: Jim Danko - [email protected]

HCC: Chris Yurko - [email protected]

Upright: [email protected]

Related Images

Image 1 From left, Assistant Vice President of Workforce Development Gladys Franco, STCC President John B. Cook, Upright CEO Benny Boas, HCC

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Featured Image for Upright Education Featured Image for Upright Education

Source: Upright Education
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corp. (ValOre; TSXV: VO; OTC: KVLQF; Frankfurt: KEQ0, the Company) today announced Trado auger sample assay results from the Nambi target (Nambi) at ValOres 100%-owned Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE, 2PGE+Au) Project (Pedra Branca) in northeastern Brazil. The Nambi target is located 1 kilometre (km) north of and along trend from the Trapia PGE deposit (NI 43-101 inferred resource 885,000 oz 2PGE+Au grading 0.96 g/t in 28.8 Mt) and 1 km south of the Massape PGE deposit (NI 43-101 inferred resource129,000 oz 2PGE+Au grading 1.21 g/t in 3.3 Mt).

We are very encouraged by the assay results received for Trado auger samples collected at the Nambi target, with 12 holes returning PGE mineralization from surface to a depth of 11 m, stated ValOres VP of Exploration, Colin Smith. Follow up exploration at Nambi has begun, with the excavation of 4 trenches along the 1.2-kilometre-long PGE-mineralized trend. Sampling and geological mapping highlights include 5 m of chromitite-rich UMs exposed in the central trench, TR22NB02.

Nambi Trado Auger Assay Highlights:

10 metres (m) grading 0.46 grams per tonne palladium + platinum + gold (g/t 2PGE+Au ) from surface;

) 11 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface;

from surface; 3 m grading 0.92 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface;

from surface; 1.5 m grading 1.83 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface;

from surface; 1.5 m grading 1.43 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface.

Nambi 2022 Exploration Program

The Nambi target area, situated just a few kilometres from the 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource areas of Trapia and Massape (see Figure 1), is characterized by historical geophysical (magnetic high) and geochemical anomalies (PGE-in-soils and rock samples >7 g/t 2PGE+Au). ValOre conducted detailed geological mapping and prospecting along the anomalous trend and subsequently followed up with 75 Trado auger holes totaling 178 m. At-surface, ultramafic (UM) or UM-derived rocks were intercepted in 30 of 75 Trado holes, with significant PGE mineralization reported in 12 of the 30 UM-bearing Trado holes, defining a PGE-mineralized trend of 1.2 km.

Trado auger assay highlights include some of the thickest UM intervals augered by the Trado at Pedra Branca to date, including holes AD22NB63 and AD22NB64, which returned 10 m grading 0.46 g/t 2PGE+Au and 11 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au respectively, and elevated PGE assay intercepts in the central portion of the target, including holes AD22NB12, which returned 1.5 m grading 1.83 g/t 2PGE+Au and AD22NB26, with 3 m grading 0.92 g/t 2PGE+Au. See Table 1 below for a summary of significant Trado assay results.

End-of-hole depths typically represent the onset of impenetrable unweathered bedrock, indicating that mineralization and UMs remain fully open at depth and require follow-up core or Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling.

Table 1: Trado Auger Drilling Highlights for Nambi Target.

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) 2PGE+Au (g/t) 2PGE+Au Interval Summary AD22NB05 0.00 4.00 4.00 0.17 4 m grading 0.17 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB11 0.00 2.00 2.00 0.23 2 m grading 0.23 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB12 0.00 1.50 1.50 1.83 1.5 m grading 1.83 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB21 0.00 1.50 1.50 0.52 1. 5 m grading 0.52 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB25 0.00 1.50 1.50 1.43 1.5 m grading 1.43 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB26 0.00 3.00 3.00 0.92 3 m grading 0.92 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB33 0.00 1.50 1.50 0.28 1.5 m grading 0.28 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB35 0.00 6.50 6.50 0.40 6.5 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB44 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.16 1 m grading 0.16 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB63 0.00 10.00 10.00 0.46 10 m grading 0.46 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB64 0.00 11.00 11.00 0.40 11 m grading 0.40 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface AD22NB65 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.71 1 m grading 0.71 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface

The PGE-bearing Trado auger assay results warranted follow-up trenching to investigate in-situ continuity of the PGE-mineralized UM and UM-derived sequences along the 1.2-km-long trend.

Of the 4 planned trenches, 3 have been excavated to date (77 m total) with all 3 trenches confirming UM and UM-derived rocks continuity along strike. Sampling and geological mapping of all trenches are in progress, with highlights including 5 m of chromitites and chromitite-rich UMs intercepted in the central trench, TR22NB02.

Historical Core Drilling

One historical core drill hole (DD14NB01, see Figure 1) was drilled in 2014 by Anglo American Platinum at the south end of the central anomalous zone at Nambi. No PGEs were reported.

ValOre relogged and re-sampled a core interval interpreted to represent altered UM-derived rocks which were not previously sampled. Anomalous PGE grades were reported from 19 to 24 m, with results up to 0.10 g/t 2PGE+Au in two samples (at 19 m and at 24 m depth).

These reassay results, along with Trado, trenching and mapping data, suggest that the target PGE-mineralized UM sequence is locally thinning in the region of drill hole DD14NB01; however, the presence of PGE-bearing UM-derived rocks indicated geological continuity of the prospective layer towards the southernmost mineralized Trado holes, where 11-m-thick peridotites have been intercepted in trench TR22NB01 (assays pending).

ValOres interprets that the historical core hole targeted the magnetic anomaly but did not test the UM and chromitite showings occurring just a few metres to the north and south of the drill hole location.

PGE-bearing ultramafic rocks remain open and underexplored, at depth and along strike, over the 1.2-km-long trend that defines the Nambi target zone.

Figure 1: Plan map of Nambi target, locating Trado auger holes and trenching along the main mineralized trend.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f83f581e-05a0-44fb-8ef5-98a61250c37f

About the Trado Auger and Trenching methodology

CLICK HERE for more information regarding Trado Auger and Trenching methodology

Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QA/QC) and Grade Interval Reporting

CLICK HERE for a summary of ValOres policies and procedures related to QA/QC and grade interval reporting.

Qualified Person (QP)

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Colin Smith, P.Geo., ValOres QP and Vice President of Exploration.

About ValOre Metals Corp.

ValOre Metals Corp. (TSXV: VO) is a Canadian company with a portfolio of highquality exploration projects. ValOres team aims to deploy capital and knowledge on projects which benefit from substantial prior investment by previous owners, existence of high-value mineralization on a large scale, and the possibility of adding tangible value through exploration, process improvement, and innovation.

In May 2019, ValOre announced the acquisition of the Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE) property, in Brazil, to bolster its existing Angilak uranium, Genesis/Hatchet uranium and Baffin gold projects in Canada.

The Pedra Branca PGE Project comprises 52 exploration licenses covering a total area of 56,852 hectares (140,484 acres) in northeastern Brazil. At Pedra Branca, 7 distinct PGE+Au deposit areas host, in aggregate, a 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource of 2.198 Moz 2PGE+Au contained in 63.6 Mt grading 1.08 g/t 2PGE+Au (CLICK HERE for news release dated March 24, 2022). All the currently known Pedra Branca inferred PGE resources are potentially open pittable.

Comprehensive exploration programs have demonstrated the "District Scale" potential of ValOres Angilak Property in Nunavut Territory, Canada that hosts the Lac 50 Trend having a current Inferred Resource of 2,831,000 tonnes grading 0.69% U3O8, totaling 43.3 million pounds U3O8. For disclosure related to the inferred resource for the Lac 50 Trend uranium deposits, please CLICK HERE for ValOre's news release dated March 1, 2013.

ValOres team has forged strong relationships with sophisticated resource sector investors and partner Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) on both the Angilak and Baffin Gold Properties. ValOre was the first company to sign a comprehensive agreement to explore for uranium on Inuit Owned Lands in Nunavut Territory and is committed to building shareholder value while adhering to high levels of environmental and safety standards and proactive local community engagement.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Jim Paterson

James R. Paterson, Chairman and CEO

ValOre Metals Corp.

For further information about ValOre Metals Corp., or this news release, please visit our website at www.valoremetals.com or contact Investor Relations at 604.653.9464, or by email at [email protected].

ValOre Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: http://www.discoverygroup.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.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although ValOre believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to ValOre. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors including those set forth in other public filings could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the future operations of ValOre and economic factors. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and, except as required by applicable law, ValOre does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ValOre undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of ValOre, or its financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities.

Figure 1: Plan map of Nambi target, locating Trado auger holes and trenching along the main mineralized trend. Figure 1: Plan map of Nambi target, locating Trado auger holes and trenching along the main mineralized trend.

Source: ValOre Metals Corporation
CHICAGO, IL, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vedder Price is pleased to announce the launch of a novel bitcoin ETF registered and regulated exclusively under the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act). The Hashdex Bitcoin Futures ETF (Fund) differs from existing bitcoin futures ETFs, which are registered and regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Investment Company Act).

The Fund is sponsored by Teucrium Trading. Teucrium offers a range of ETFs focused on providing investors with exposure to alternative markets, including agricultural commodities markets such as wheat and corn. Vedder Price, led by Shareholder Tom Conner, assisted Teucrium in obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals to launch the Fund.

The first necessary regulatory approval was obtaining stock exchange listing authority from the SEC. The SEC granted approval based in part on arguments that the bitcoin futures market has grown and matured to the extent that its surveillance agreement with the Funds listing exchange (NYSE Arca) can reasonably be expected to identify trading abuses.

The Fund was the first of its kind to obtain SEC listing approval. This listing approval has broad industry implications and signals that this type of ETF will continue to be approved by the SEC. In addition, ETF sponsors have contended this approval may open the door for a spot bitcoin ETF because a spot bitcoin ETF would be governed under the same rules as the Fund.

Vedder Price guided Teucrium through the SEC registration process, with the Fund's registration statement being accelerated by the SEC on September 14, 2022. Vedder Price also assisted Teucrium in obtaining necessary approvals from the National Futures Association.

About Vedder Price:

Vedder Price is a thriving commercial law firm with eight offices in major global cities including Chicago, New York, Washington, DC, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Singapore and Dallas. The firm offers a unique and sophisticated mix of finance, corporate, labor and employment, and litigation legal services, including market-leading practices in global transportation finance, middle-market finance/M&A, executive compensation, employment class actions, investment services and more. Vedder Price has enduring relationships with marquee organizations, and many of the firms clients have been with the firm since its founding in 1952. For more information, visit vedderprice.com.

# # #

Brian Grabowski Vedder Price 312-609-4180 [email protected]

Source: Vedder Price
FILE PHOTO: The logo of car manufacturer Tesla is seen at a dealership in London, Britain, May 14, 2021. REUTERS/Matthew Childs/File Photo

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Tesla Inc was sued on Wednesday in a proposed class action accusing Elon Musk's electric car company of misleading the public by falsely advertising its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features.

The complaint accused Tesla and Musk of having since 2016 deceptively advertised the technology as fully functioning or "just around the corner" despite knowing that the technology did not work or was nonexistent, and made vehicles unsafe.

Briggs Matsko, the named plaintiff, said Tesla did this to "generate excitement" about its vehicles, attract investments, boost sales, avoid bankruptcy, drive up its stock price and become a "dominant player" in electric vehicles.

"Tesla has yet to produce anything even remotely approaching a fully self-driving car," Matsko said.

The lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco seeks unspecified damages for people who since 2016 bought or leased Tesla vehicles with Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features.

Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It disbanded its media relations department in 2020.

The lawsuit followed complaints filed on July 28 by California's Department of Motor Vehicles accusing Tesla of overstating how well its advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) worked.

Remedies there could include suspending Tesla's license in California, and requiring restitution to drivers.

Tesla has said Autopilot enables vehicles to steer, accelerate and brake within their lanes, while Full Self-Driving lets vehicles obey traffic signals and change lanes.

It has also said both technologies "require active driver supervision," with a "fully attentive" driver whose hands are on the wheel, "and do not make the vehicle autonomous."

Matsko, of Rancho Murieta, California, said he paid a $5,000 premium for his 2018 Tesla Model X to obtain Enhanced Autopilot.

He also said Tesla drivers who receive software updates "effectively act as untrained test engineers" and have found "myriad problems," including that vehicles steer into oncoming traffic, run red lights, and fail to make routine turns.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has since 2016 opened 38 special investigations of Tesla crashes believed to involve ADAS. Nineteen deaths were reported in those crashes.

The case is Matsko v Tesla Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 22-05240.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2022) - Gelum Resources Ltd. (CSE: GMR) (OTCQB: GMRCF) (the "Company" or "Gelum") has mobilized a Hydracore 2000 drill rig to the Eldorado Gold property and started drilling a 3000-metre helicopter-supported programme targeting high-grade gold mineralization.

Gelum Resources Director, Henk van Alphen, stated: "The Eldorado Project contains two past producing gold mines and numerous gold occurrences located in a large 3 by 4-kilometre alteration footprint associated with surface rock and soil gold-arsenic-antimony anomalies, which are a testament to the Project's gold endowment." Henk went on to explain that, "The newly defined exploration targets at Eldorado are a product of systematic data compilation, analysis and ranking by the Company's technical team and represent an excellent opportunity to create shareholder value through discovery of a large, high-grade gold deposit."

The Eldorado Gold Project Drill Programme

Gelum has engaged Quesnel Bros. Diamond Drilling ("Quesnel") to drill approximately 3000 metres from ten (10) drill pads located targeting gold-arsenic-antimony geochemical anomalies and their possible source structures (see Map 1). The areas to be tested have very shallow or no previous record of historical drilling. Quesnel will use a lightweight Hydracore 2000 drill rig and helicopter service will be provided by Blackcomb Helicopters, with a base in nearby Gun Lake.

The first drill hole will be collared near the entrance to the Northern Lights No. 1 historical adit, where a 4,643-pound sample of sulphide-vein mineralization from an adjacent historical test pit returned 1.74 ounces/ton (2108 kg at 54 g/t) in 19341. Several directions of gold-bearing sulphide veins are present in addition to thick panels of listwanite cutting the Eldorado diorite and older Bralorne greenstone units over 1000 metres along strike, on the east slope of the highly gold-anomalous ridge leading south from Nea Peak (see Gelum's NR Dec. 15, 2021). The second hole will target this mineralization along strike 250 metres to the north of the first (see Map 1). The remaining holes are targeting the largest gold-arsenic-antimony talus geochemical anomaly 1500 metres to the north, as well as the north end of a highly gossanous, gold-mineralized feldspar-porphyry dike on the Robson claim.

Readers are cautioned that surface sampling results reported here should be viewed primarily as a guidance for future exploration drilling. Surface sampling is prone to sampling bias and is not necessarily a reliable indicator of mineralization at depth. The qualified person for this release has not done sufficient work to independently verify the historical sampling results described above.

High-grade gold mineralization in similar listwanite-bearing rocks on the southern portions of the same north-northwest, regional fault structures is being successfully targeted by Endurance Gold Corporation on their Reliance Gold project, located 14 kilometres to the southeast. Tempus Resources Ltd. is successfully targeting similar orogenic gold mineralization on the Elizabeth Gold Project, located 25 kilometres east of Eldorado, and hosted in similar geological units (Late Cretaceous diorite intruding ultramafic rocks). Talisker Resources are actively expanding resources at the Bralorne mine and exploring a wide area east and north of the Eldorado claim block (see Map 2).

The Eldorado Gold Property is located 22 kilometres north of the Bralorne mine, and 17 kilometres North of the community of Gold Bridge (Map 2). The 9028-hectare property covers multiple Minfile listings and two past-producing (1930s & 40s), small-scale gold mines that form the northern extent of the Bridge River-Bralorne/Pioneer orogenic gold system. Gold occurs in polymetallic sulphide veins and vein-stockworks within broad quartz-carbonate alteration in the Eldorado granodiorite stock and surrounding rocks. These units are complexly juxtaposed by numerous faults associated with regional-scale structures linked to gold mineralization. For detailed maps and project photos, please download the presentations at https://www.gelumcapital.com/.

References

References to other mines and deposits made in this news release provide context for the Eldorado Project, which occurs in a similar geologic setting, but this is not necessarily indicative that the property hosts similar grades and tonnages of mineralization.

Qualified Person

John Drobe, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Drobe is not independent of the Company as he is a consultant of the Company.

About Gelum Resources Ltd.

Gelum Resources is a Company led by seasoned management and advisors in the mining and financial sectors. The Company currently has two objectives under management. The first is to define a multi-million-ounce economic gold deposit on the 9028-hectare Eldorado Gold Project, located within the Bralorne-Bridge River gold district, only 190 kilometres north of Vancouver and 74 km northwest of the town of Lillooet, B.C. The Bralorne mines historically exploited the largest, highest-grade, longest-producing lode-gold deposit in B.C. Management is proud to have developed an excellent working relationship with the Bridge River Indian Band (Xwsten) the project is within the traditional territory within the St'at'imc territory (Traditional Territory) in which Xwisten and its members assert, hold and exercise constitutionally protected Aboriginal Title and Rights ("Indigenous Title and Rights"). The Company plans to complete a 3000-meter drill programme this fall.

The second objective is to discover an alkalic porphyry and related skarn deposit within a prolific B.C. porphyry belt in the Interior Plateau region. The recently acquired ML property is accessible by 90% paved roads via Williams Lake, and the remainder by all-season dirt roads and secondary logging roads. The low to moderate relief allows year-round access and work. Airborne geophysics comprising magnetics and radiometrics was completed in early spring of 2022.

For further information about the Company and its exploration portfolio, please refer to Gelum Resources Corporate Presentation:

PowerPoint Presentation (gelumresources.com)

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

David Smith, President

For further information about Gelum, please contact:

David Smith, President

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 604 484-1228

Cell: 778-834-1141

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE- Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This presentation contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward- looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding any potential increase in shareholder value through the acquisition of undervalued precious metal deposits for development, joint venture or later disposition, the potential to partner with mine developers to achieve production at any of the Company's properties (existing or future); the potential for the capital costs associated with any of the Company's existing or future properties to be low; the potential for the Company to outline resources at any of its existing or future properties, or to be able to increase any such resources in the future; concerning the economic outlook for the mining industry and the Company's expectations regarding metal prices and production and the appropriate time to acquire precious metal projects, the liquidity and capital resources and planned expenditures by the Company, the anticipated content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions about the level and volatility of the price of gold; the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals; permits and authorizations necessary to implement and carry on the Company's planned exploration programs at its properties; future economic and market conditions; the Company's ability to attract and retain key staff; and the ongoing relations of the Company with its underlying lessors, local communities and applicable regulatory agencies.

Accordingly, the Company cautions that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ, and such differences may be material, from those set out in the forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, material adverse changes in economic and market conditions, changes in the regulatory environment and other government actions, fluctuations in commodity prices and exchange rates, the inability of the Company to raise the necessary capital for its ongoing operations, and business and operational risks normal in the mineral exploration, development and mining industries, as well as the risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's most recent management discussion and analysis filed with various provincial securities commissions in Canada, available at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this presentation or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or any person acting on its behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements herein.





Map 1. Map of drill pads on geology and rock gold geochemistry.



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Map 2. Location of other active orogenic gold projects near Eldorado



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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/137067
"We could record a (global) tax collection of S/160 billion (around US$41.4 billion) in 2022. We see that the gastronomy sector ranks second in the recovery of sales," he expressed.

His remarks were made at the opening of the first international business roundtable on gastronomic tourism "Peruvian Culinary Experiences 2022."

The government official explained that said activity also includes services provided at hotels and restaurants throughout the country.

"But despite this recovery in sales, which is at pre-pandemic levels, we have seen a contradiction in employment, which remains at the same level as at the beginning of the pandemic. This is an indicator that does not lie," he commented.

Business roundtable

As part of the first international business roundtable on gastronomic tourism "Peruvian Culinary Experiences 2022," Sanchez highlighted the interest of investors in identifying the opportunities offered by the gastronomy sector in Peru.

"This business roundtable will allow them to open discussion on the potential to be developed in our country," he remarked.

Cancilleria participo en la ceremonia de inauguracion de la Rueda de Negocios - "Peruvian Culinary Experiences 2022"; evento organizado por PromPeru con el fin de posicionar al Peru como destino lider en turismo gastronomico. pic.twitter.com/DJJnvSXzsh
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2022) - Hemostemix Inc. (TSXV: HEM) (OTCQB: HMTXF) (FSE: 2VF0) ("Hemostemix" or the "Company") invites individuals, brokers and financial advisors, institutional investors and analysts, to attend its real-time, interactive presentation at the Emerging Growth Conference at 12:00 ET today https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1552113&tp_key=93e040bf55&sti=hmtfx.

ABOUT HEMOSTEMIX

Hemostemix is an autologous stem cell therapy company, founded in 2003. A winner of the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Award, the Company has developed, patented, and is scaling a patient's blood-based stem cell therapeutics platform that includes angiogenic cell precursors, neuronal cell precursor and cardiomyocyte cell precursors. Seven studies including 260 ACP-01 recipients define its safety and efficacy profile as a treatment for heart diseases such as Dilated and Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, Angina, and diseases of Ischemia such as Critical Limb Ischemia. The Company owns 91 patents across five patent families. For more information, please visit www.hemostemix.com.

For further information, please contact: Thomas Smeenk, President, CEO & Co-Founder

EM: [email protected] PH: 905-580-4170

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to: its presentation of forward-looking information at the Emerging Growth Conference in respect of its lead product ACP-01, the Phase II Clinical Trial results, the retrospective study of ischemic and dilated cardiomyopathy, and the commercialization of ACP-01. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Hemostemix's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Hemostemix and on assumptions Hemostemix believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the underlying value of Hemostemix and its Common Shares; the successful resolution of the litigation that Hemostemix is pursuing or defending (the "Litigation"); the results of ACP-01 research, trials, studies and analyses, including the analysis being equivalent to or better than previous research, trials or studies; the receipt of all required regulatory approvals for research, trials or studies; the level of activity, market acceptance and market trends in the healthcare sector; the economy generally; consumer interest in Hemostemix's services and products; competition and Hemostemix's competitive advantages; and Hemostemix obtaining satisfactory financing to fund Hemostemix's operations including any research, trials or studies, and any Litigation. Forward-looking information is Subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Hemostemix to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the ability of Hemostemix to complete clinical trials, complete a satisfactory analyses and file the results of such analyses to gain regulatory approval of a phase II or phase III clinical trial of ACP-01; potential litigation Hemostemis mayface; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations including the actual results of future research, trials or studies; competition; changes in legislation affecting Hemostemix; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; long-term capital requirements and future developments in Hemostemix's markets and the markets in which it expects to compete; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; and risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, non-essential business closures service disruptions, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing, disruptions to markets, disruptions to economic activity and financings, disruptions to supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession or depression; the potential impact that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on Hemostemix which may include a decreased demand for the services that Hemostemix offers; and a deterioration of financial markets that could limit Hemostemix's ability to obtain external financing. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Hemostemix's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although Hemostemix has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Hemostemix as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, it is Subject to change after such date. However, Hemostemix expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/137119
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2022) - Taurus Gold Corp., ("Taurus" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its initial public offering ("IPO") in which it issued 8,315,250 units (the "Offered Units") for total gross proceeds of $1,716,800. The Offered Units of 7,240,250 non flow-through units ("Common Share Units") sold at a price of $0.20 per Common Share Unit and 1,075,000 flow-through units ("Flow-Through Units") sold at a price of $0.25 per Flow-Through Unit includes 1,084,000 Common Share Units issued pursuant to the exercise of the over-allotment option by Canaccord Genuity Corp. ("Canaccord"), the agent for the Offering.

Each Common Share Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company ("Common Share") and one half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") entitling the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.35 per Common Share until September 14, 2024. Each Flow-Through Unit is comprised of one Common Share which qualifies as a "flow-through share" pursuant to the Income Tax Act, and one half of one Warrant. The Warrants were issued pursuant to a warrant indenture dated September 14, 2022 between the Company and its warrant agent.

Canaccord received a cash commission fee equal to 8% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Offered Units as well as a corporate finance fee in cash and 160,000 Common Share Units. In addition, Canaccord and its selling group members received 665,220 non-transferable unit purchase warrants (the "Agent's Warrants"), with each Agent's Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one Common Share Unit at the exercise price of $0.20 for a period of 24 months following the closing date.

The Common Shares will begin trading effective at the market open on September 15, 2022 on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "TAUR". The Warrants will not be listed for trading.

Directly following closing of the IPO, the Corporation issued an aggregate of 1,625,000 stock options to officers, directors and a consultant of the Company.

The gross proceeds from the IPO will be used by the Company to complete its exploration program of the Charlotte Property located in the Mt. Nansen area in west-central Yukon Territory, Canada. More information about the Company, its exploration program and its interest in the Charlotte Property can be found in the final prospectus of the Company dated June 27, 2022 and in the Company's CSE listing statement, which are both posted on the Company's profile on www.sedar.com.

Taurus is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company advancing the Charlotte gold property. Taurus has an option to earn 100% interest in the Charlotte Property.

About the Charlotte Property

The Charlotte property region is characterized by gold veins and breccia, as well as copper-gold porphyry mineralization. The 2,217.8 hectare (approximately 23 km2) Charlotte property is adjacent to Rockhaven Resources' Klaza project. Other active mineral projects in the Dawson Range area include Triumph Gold's Freegold project and Granite Creek Copper's drill program on the copper-gold Stu project.

The Charlotte property is underlain by Devonian and older metaplutonic, metasedimentary, and metavolcanic rocks. Middle Cretaceous granodiorite and quartz-feldspar porphyry of the Dawson Range phase of the Whitehorse Plutonic Suite, and middle Cretaceous andesite of the Mt. Nansen Group volcanic suite variably intrude the host rocks. There are several historical mineralized zones of interest, including the Huestis, Webber, and Flex precious metal vein systems in the southern part of the Charlotte property. A large stock of Late Cretaceous Casino Porphyry Suite located in the northwest part of the property hosts underexplored copper-molybdenum-gold mineralization.

For more information, please contact:

Trevor Harding, Chief Executive Officer

Tel: 403 807 9345

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://taurusgold.ca/

Forward Looking Statements

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's proposed use of the proceeds of its initial public offering. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The securities of the Company 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, the securities of the Company may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

/NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRES/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/137153
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks outside a polling station after voting in the Delaware primary, in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., September 13, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden plans to nominate career diplomat Lynne Tracy as U.S. ambassador to Russia, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Tracy currently serves as U.S. ambassador to Armenia. The U.S. ambassador post in Russia has been vacant since Sept. 4, when envoy John Sullivan concluded his tenure there amid soaring bilateral tensions due to Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The State Department declined to comment on the news, which was first reported by CNN. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Tracy, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow from 2014 to 2017.

Before being sworn in as ambassador to Yerevan in 2019, she served as senior adviser for Russia affairs in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Rami Ayyub and Kanishka Singh; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Berkrot)
FILE PHOTO - Taiwan flags flutter during a welcome ceremony for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves (not pictured) outside the presidential palace in Taipei, Taiwan August 8, 2022. REUTERS/Ann Wang

By Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday approved legislation that would significantly enhance U.S. military support for Taiwan, including provisions for billions of dollars in additional security assistance, as China increases military pressure on the democratically governed island.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee backed the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 by 17-5, despite concerns about the bill in U.S. President Joe Biden's administration and anger about the measure from Beijing.

The strong bipartisan vote was a clear indication of support from both Republicans and Biden's fellow Democrats for changes in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, such as treating it as a major non-NATO ally.

Sponsors said the bill would be the most comprehensive restructuring of U.S. policy toward the island since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 - the bedrock of U.S. engagement with what China views as one of its provinces since Washington opened up relations with Beijing that year.

"We need to be clear-eyed about what we are facing," said Senator Bob Menendez, the committee's Democratic chairman, while stressing that the United States does not seek war or heightened tensions with Beijing.

"If we want to ensure Taiwan has a fighting chance, we must act now," said Senator Jim Risch, the committee's top Republican, arguing that any change in the status quo for Taiwan would have "disastrous effects" for the U.S. economy and national security.

Taiwan's presidential office thanked the Senate for its latest show of support, saying the bill will "help promote the Taiwan-U.S. partnership in many ways", including security and economic cooperation.

The bill would allocate $4.5 billion in security assistance for Taiwan over four years, and supports its participation in international organizations.

The act also includes extensive language on sanctions toward China in the event of hostilities across the strait separating the mainland from Taiwan.

BEIJING'S OPPOSITION

When the bill was introduced in June, China responded by saying it would be "compelled to take resolute countermeasures" if Washington took actions that harmed China's interests.

"We haven't discussed any specifics," Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan's de facto ambassador to Washington, told reporters at an event at the Capitol when asked if she has had discussions with the White House over specific sanctions.

"We talked about integrated deterrence in a broader sense of the need to explore different tools to ensure that the status quo in the Taiwan Strait can be maintained," Hsiao said.

She said she had expressed "gratitude" to Congress for the legislation. "Given the complication of different views here in the United States too, we're hoping that we can reach some consensus on security, which is our top priority," she said.

The committee's approval paved the way for a vote in the full Senate, but there has been no word on when that might take place. To become law, it must also pass the House of Representatives and be signed by Biden or win enough support to override a veto.

The White House said on Tuesday it was in talks with members of Congress on how to change the act to ensure that it does not change long-standing U.S. policy toward Taiwan that it considers effective.

The Taiwan bill is likely to be folded into a larger piece of legislation expected to pass late this year, such as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual bill setting policy for the Department of Defense.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Michael Martina; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Richard Chang and Kim Coghill)
After an unexpected rise in late-season flu cases last season and a steep rise in 2022 cases in the Southern Hemisphere, the United States might face an unpredictable flu season, with potential severe impact on the public due to reduced exposure over the past two seasons.1,2,3

Flu vaccination is necessary to help protect people from flu and its complications, especially those at highest risk, such as individuals 50+ and those with underlying health conditions.4,5

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people from certain racial and ethnic groups are at higher risk for being hospitalized with flu, and flu vaccination is especially important for these communities.6

SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Nurses Association (ANA) in collaboration with Sanofi and actor Jason Alexander have launched the Not Today, Flu national flu vaccination campaign. The campaign encourages everyone who is eligible from 6 months and older to get their flu shot this upcoming season.

Despite the risk of flu and flu-related complications each year, millions of Americans still do not get their flu shot annually. ANA is urging everyone to follow the scientific evidence supporting flu vaccination and the guidance of nurses and health care professionals. All people eligible should get their flu vaccination and encourage their loved ones to do the same.

"The flu shot is more vital now than ever to help protect ourselves and our communities against the flu and its related complications. We are still working to manage COVID-19 while facing other emerging viral threats to public health," said ANA President Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN. "Each one of us has to do our own part. The best way to help reduce the burden of flu on the health care system7 is to get your flu vaccine as recommended by your nurses and the CDC.8 Everyone eligible, including nurses and health care professionals, should get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible."

The United States may face a resurgence of the flu this upcoming season, and there is an unprecedented risk of possible severe COVID-19 and flu co-infections due to low immunity against influenza and the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.3,9 Flu can lead to potentially life-threatening complications, including pneumonia or serious heart conditions.8 Not Today, Flu is launching to drive awareness around the importance of flu vaccination and the urgency to vaccinate as many people as possible to help protect against flu and flu-related complications. Between 2010-2020, flu infections caused more hospitalizations and deaths annually than any other virus on the planet, with as many as 810,000 hospitalizations and 61,000 deaths during this 10-year period.10

"Every day, things come up that you have no control over, and they can really ruin your plans  the flights getting cancelled, deliveries not arriving, your computer freezes, it rains. It can all make you just a little crazy. So, when there's something I can do to help take back control, I do. Like getting the flu shot," said Jason Alexander. "It can help protect people from getting sick with the flu and suffering from flu-related complications.9 That's why I'm delighted to be part of the Not Today, Flu campaign. It empowers people to help protect themselves and their loved ones by getting their flu shot. I've been getting it for over 20 years and I intend to keep getting it each year."

Visit NotTodayFlu.com to learn more about the importance of flu vaccination, especially for adults over age 50, underrepresented communities with historically lower rates of flu vaccination6, and those with chronic health conditions, and discover where you can schedule a flu shot where you work or live. Share your support by utilizing #NotTodayFlu on your social channels.

About The American Nurses AssociationThe American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier organization representing the interests of the nation's 4.3 million registered nurses. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on healthcare issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of healthcare for all. For more information, visit nursingworld.org.

About Sanofi We are an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the center of our ambitions.

About Jason AlexanderBest known for his award-winning role as George Costanza of television's Seinfeld, Jason Alexander has achieved international recognition for a career noted for its extraordinary diversity. He has worked extensively as a writer, composer, director, producer and teacher of acting. He has well-known roles in such shows as "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Two and a Half Men" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and in films "Pretty Woman," "Jacob's Ladder" and "Love Valor Compassion." On Broadway, he won a Tony Award for his performance in "Jerome Robbin's Broadway," and starred in "Fish in the Dark" and "The Portuguese Kid," among others. After moving to LA, Jason continued working in the theater, notably serving as the artistic director for the Reprise Theatre Company and starring in "The Producers."

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm. Accessed September 2022. 2 Australian Government Department of Health. Australian Influenza Surveillance Report  2022 Influenza Season in Australia. Available at: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-surveil-ozflu-flucurr.htm. Accessed September 2022. 3 Dhanasekaran, V., Sullivan, S., Edwards, K.M. et al. Human seasonal influenza under COVID-19 and the potential consequences of influenza lineage elimination. Nat Commun 13, 1721 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29402-5. Accessed September 2022. 4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimated Flu-Related Illnesses, Medical visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths in the United States  20192020 Flu Season. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2019-2020.html. Accessed September 2022.5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People at Higher Risk of Flu Complications. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/index.htm. Accessed September 2022.6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu Disparities Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/disparities-racial-ethnic-minority-groups.html. Accessed September 2022.7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventive Steps. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/prevention.htm. Accessed September 2022.8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccination. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm. Accessed September 2022.9 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Guidance for Routine and Influenza Immunization Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pandemic-guidance/index.html. Accessed September 2022.10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Past Seasons Estimated Influenza Disease Burden. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/past-seasons.html. Accessed September 2022.

Media Contact:Keziah Proctor301-628-5197[email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/actor-jason-alexander-and-american-nurses-association-encourage-people-across-the-country-to-get-their-flu-shot-to-help-protect-against-flu-and-its-complications-301623768.html

SOURCE American Nurses Association
Reflects confidence in ePac's unique, digitally enabled business model, providing excellent opportunities to expand Amcor's addressable markets

ZURICH, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amcor (NYSE: AMCR) (ASX: AMC), a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, today announced a further strategic investment of up to $45 million in ePac Flexible Packaging ("ePac"), a leader in high quality, short run length digitally-based flexible packaging. The investment will increase Amcor's minority shareholding in ePac Holdings LLC.

Amcor's Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development, Ian Wilson, said, "This additional investment reflects our confidence in ePac's entrepreneurial team and their proven ability to rapidly scale in the high growth, often higher value short run segment. Since our initial investment last year, we have been deeply impressed with ePac's focused and innovative business model centered around deploying a very high level of digitalization and customization. ePac's proven digital technologies enable the delivery of exceptional service levels and significantly reduced lead times. These specializations are designed to meet the unique speed to market and service needs of locally based small to medium customers, skill sets that are highly transferable to areas of Amcor's core business.

"We believe this investment complements Amcor's existing digital activities and is well aligned with our vision that packaging will continue to become more personalized and more connected, as well as more sustainable," Wilson continued. "This partnership is an excellent example of our objective to partner with high growth, visionary companies that provide opportunities for Amcor to leverage new innovations and value propositions while generating strong returns for Amcor shareholders. We are excited to be extending our relationship with a highly successful startup and continuing to support ePac's future growth ambitions."

Founded in 2016, ePac has a fast-growing global footprint and is focused on digital printing technologies to service the short run needs of small customers in the consumer goods industry. Annual revenue has grown more than 600 percent over the past three years to a run rate of over $200 million. ePac operates 25 sites globally, all with an identical set-up, offering customers automated quoting, digital printing capabilities and exceptional service times across a number of product specifications.

About ePac

ePac's founders began with a mission to provide locally based consumer packaged goods companies the ability to compete with large brands with great packaging. ePac's customers are predominantly small and medium size companies, many of whom are focused on creating natural and innovative products for consumers. ePac's customers benefit from speed to market, the ability to order to demand, and the latest in connected packaging technology through eConnect.

About Amcor

Amcor is a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal-care, and other products. Amcor works with leading companies around the world to protect their products and the people who rely on them, differentiate brands, and improve supply chains through a range of flexible and rigid packaging, specialty cartons, closures, and services. The company is focused on making packaging that is increasingly lighter weight, recyclable and reusable, and made using an increasing amount of recycled content. In fiscal year 2022, 44,000 Amcor people generated $15 billion in annual sales from operations that span 220 locations in 43 countries. NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC

www.amcor.com I LinkedIn I Facebook I Twitter I YouTube

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SOURCE Amcor
Leading Healthcare Apparel Brand Supports Healthcare Workers and Those They Serve This October 2022 & Beyond

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Barco Uniforms, a recognized leader of design innovation in the premium professional apparel industry, today unveiled a Skechers by Barco limited-edition capsule collection in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2022. In partnership with Skechers, the two brands have come together with a fashion-forward line designed to inspire hope and support of those affected.

"Since our inception, Barco has been committed to supporting healthcare professionals by innovating with the purpose of helping to make their lives better," said Ron Wagenseil, Barco Uniforms CEO. "Through this collaboration with our friend and partner Skechers, we hope to show our healthcare workers and the patients they serve that not only will Barco always be there to lend our support, but also that we are in this together."

In their continued effort to give back, beginning this month through October 31st Barco Uniforms will donate 10% of all wholesale orders from the collection to leading nonprofit organization, Susan G Komen. The world's largest nonprofit source of funding for the fight against breast cancer, Susan G. Komen, leads in investing in groundbreaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 60 countries.

"We are excited to offer this limited-edition collection as part of the Skechers by Barco collection," said Kerry McLeod, Barco Uniforms CMO. "As long-time supporters of our healthcare workers, we hope this collection highlights the ongoing support that Skechers and Barco will continue to provide to this incredible community in the fight against breast cancer."

Designed with eco-friendly fabric, comprised of seven recycled bottles in each garment, this sustainable material features 4-way stretch and moisture-wicking technology for optimal comfort and style all day long. Staying true to Skechers by Barco's bold, vibrant, and warm aesthetic, the five-piece collection features three styles for women and two styles for men, in a limited-edition fashion color, Wild Pink, that is sure to brighten up any day.

The women's offerings include classic V-neck scrub top, on-trend jogger, and a warm-up to round out the look. The men's line also includes a classic V-neck scrub top and jogger combination that brings comfort and color to the perfect work look.

The Skechers by Barco limited-edition capsule collection is now available online only at select retail partners and on SkechersbyBarco.com with inclusive sizing to fit all bodies ranging from XXS  5XL, retailing for $20-$31. To keep up with the latest from Barco Uniforms please visit BarcoMade.com and follow @barcomade on Instagram and @barcouniforms on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

About Barco Uniforms Founded in 1929, Barco Uniforms is a leader of design innovation in the premium professional apparel industry, offering award-winning premium uniforms that elevate and honor the individuals in the healthcare, enterprise, and food service industries. With a robust portfolio of products across the company, Grey's Anatomy by Barco, Barco One, Skechers by Barco and Barco Unify brands, Barco Uniforms' designs are more custom rather than cookie-cutter. Each garment is made with the same craftsmanship and durability that made the initial designs so iconic. Barco Uniforms is headquartered in Los Angeles with approximately 250+ local employees across multiple disciplines including design, product development, marketing, sales, supply chain, and distribution. To continue celebrating nurses, Barco's NightingalesSM Foundation, founded in 2008 helps children around the world and highlights the stories of healthcare workers that are making a difference. For more information, visit www.barcomade.com and follow the company on Instagram at @barcomade and @barcouniforms on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube.

About Skechers USA, Inc.Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE: SKX), The Comfort Technology Company, based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company's collections are available in over 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through digital stores and 4,355 Company- and third-party-owned physical retail stores. The Company manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, Skechers' future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will," "could," "may," "might," or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include the disruption of business and operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic; delays or disruptions in our supply chain; international economic, political and market conditions including the effects of inflation around the world, the challenging consumer retail markets in the United States and the impact of Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in Skechers' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q in 2022. Taking these and other risk factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration, the dynamic nature of these circumstances means that what is stated in this press release could change at any time, and as a result, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and we cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.

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SOURCE Barco Uniforms
For Third Consecutive Year, Capwell Honored by Journalists as One of the Best PR Agencies in the U.S.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Capwell Communications  a bespoke, boutique PR firm dedicated to illuminating the life-enhancing benefits of healthcare brands  has been named Best Small Agency of the Year by the 2022 Bulldog PR Awards. This is the third consecutive year Capwell has received national acclaim.

"This award is a testament to the culture we've nurtured at Capwell. As a purpose-driven agency, we show up every day asking, 'How can we change lives for the better?'" said CEO and founder Kimberly Capwell. "It's an honor and a privilege to do what we do. It's doubly rewarding to have our strategies and results recognized by Bulldog Reporter."

Capwell's reputation for strategic positioning helped the agency achieve double-digit growth for the fifth year in a row. In 2021, Capwell added key staff, including Liz Wilkins, senior vice president, formerly with IMW Agency and Edelman. "Capwell helps shine a spotlight on healthcare innovators making a difference for patients by improving the standard of care. It's rewarding work that's positively impacting lives," Wilkins said.

Capwell's strategic counsel and tenacious media relations moved the needle for many forward-thinking healthcare and consumer wellness brands, including long-term clients Prolacta Bioscience and HearingLife. Additionally, Capwell recently saw two clients  a global leader in in vitro diagnostics and an innovative glaucoma treatment company  through successful exit via IPO and acquisition.

The Bulldog PR Awards have the unique distinction of being the only PR awards program judged exclusively by journalists. Capwell is recognized as Small Agency of the Year for its needle-moving PR and integrated communications campaigns on behalf of venture and equity-backed healthcare brands that are improving the standard of care for patients worldwide.

About Capwell

Capwell is an independent, woman-owned PR firm dedicated to illuminating the life-enhancing benefits of venture-backed wellness brands. Recognized as Bulldog Reporter's Best Small Agency of the Year 2022 and Best Boutique PR Agency two years prior, Capwell is known nationally for helping healthcare brands increase reputation, boost awareness, and speed exit via acquisition or IPO. The Capwell team believes change is about forward motion. Mapping out the challenge. Moving the needle. Measuring the impact. If you're looking for positive change, come have a conversation us.

Media ContactCapwell Communications[email protected]949-999-3303

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SOURCE Capwell Communications
Name Change Reflects Krusteaz Heritage as well as Ambitious Future for Full Portfolio of Brands

TUKWILA, Wash., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What started 90 years ago in Seattle by an entrepreneurial woman named Rose Charters is today one of the most beloved baking mix brands in America, Krusteaz. In celebration of the brand's 90th anniversary, Krusteaz parent company, Continental Mills, announces its name change to The Krusteaz Company. The name change honors the brand's roots of entrepreneurialism and ingenuity  notably Charters' innovation of the world's first just-add-water pie crust in 1932  which are woven into the DNA of the company.

Family-owned and operated, The Krusteaz Company is focused on the power of food to inspire joyful connection through making, baking and sharing.

"Our mission as an organization is to build the most beloved and wow-inspiring brands in the industry, including Krusteaz as our flagship brand," said Andy Heily, President and CEO of The Krusteaz Company. "We say that Krusteaz is 'by makers for makers' and our 800+ employees are makers, rooted in a spirit of fierce pride. This name change is as much about honoring our past as it is about looking forward to a future built on a culture of ingenuity that will continue to deliver some of the most beloved and trusted brands."

Known for its iconic pancake and waffle mix, today Krusteaz is sold in every major retailer across the US, making more than 100 delicious products including mixes for pancakes, waffles, muffins, quick breads, cookies, dessert bars, cornbread, crumb cakes and a line of Gluten Free products as well as high protein and whole grain options. Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix is so popular that one box is sold every other second, and enough pancakes are sold each year to circle the Earth nearly two times.

The Krusteaz Company is also home to more than 150 other quality products, including private label and licensed brands and well-known baking, breakfast and snack brands, including WildRoots trail mixes, Buck WildTM snacks, Kretschmer Wheat Germ, Albers Cornmeal and Grits and Alpine Cider. The Krusteaz Company manufactures at its hometown plants in Kent, Washington as well as Effingham, Illinois, Manhattan, Kansas and Hopkinsville, Kentucky  known as the Batter Capital of the World.

"What strikes me, inspires me really, is that our first product, the Krusteaz pie crust, hit grocery shelves in the early 1930s, when Seattle was in the grip of the Great Depression," continued Heily. "Ingenuity in the face of challenge has always been our way, and I know today as consumers face pressures from all sides, including rising grocery costs, we want to continue to find ways to inspire them. We are a family of makers, who hopes that when families open their pantries, seeing one of our products is a moment of joy and possibility."

The Krusteaz Company will host a 90th birthday party celebration at its headquarters in Tukwila, Washington on September 14 and local plant celebrations throughout the remainder of the month.

For more information about Krusteaz products, visit www.Krusteaz.com.

ABOUT THE KRUSTEAZ COMPANY

The Krusteaz Company is a third generation, family-owned maker of some of the best-loved breakfast, baking and snack brands. Under the portfolio of breakfast and baking is flagship brand Krusteaz, as well as Kretschmer Wheat Germ, Albers Cornmeal and Grits, Alpine Cider, and several licensed product extensions. The Krusteaz Company's snacking portfolio includes WildRoots Trail Mixes and Buck WildTM snack mixes sold in Retail and Club stores. The Krusteaz Company headquarters is located in Tukwila, WA, just outside of Seattle, and products are sold through retail, foodservice, and club store channels throughout the United States.

The Krusteaz Company employs 800+ employees, and is committed to addressing food insecurity in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America through the "Feeding Great Futures" initiative, as well as work with Food Lifeline, Feeding America and other local non-profit organizations.

For more information, visit www.TheKrusteazCompany.com.

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SOURCE The Krusteaz Company
Copado's Fall 22 release delivers Continuous Quality by embedding end-to-end testing, security and compliance into CI/CD pipelines

CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Copado, the global leader in low-code DevOps, today launched its Quality Integration Framework which integrates AI-driven Robotic Testing and CI/CD within its DevOps platform for Salesforce. Designed for the new breed of non-technical and technical low-code delivery teams, Copado's Fall 22 release enables customers to integrate continuous quality into every branch of code deployed. One of the first companies to achieve this milestone, Copado ensures quality, security and compliance across every step of the software development lifecycle.

More than 150,000 businesses, including 90% of the Fortune 500, rely on Salesforce to build their digital business. Applications built on the Salesforce platform are becoming increasingly sophisticated and complex. Yet rigorous, integrated and automated testing has not yet become commonplace: 84% of Salesforce teams report they are still relying on manual testing and most Salesforce teams lack the resources to test every change before deployment to production. At the same time, finding quality issues later in the release cycle is 640x more expensive.

"In order to achieve continuous quality, testing has to be accessible to both citizen and professional testers," said David Brooks, Senior Vice President of Products at Copado. "Copado has introduced a new click-based test creation and editing capabilities to improve collaboration across delivery teams. Businesses should shift-left and shift-right on testing to improve efficiency and achieve speed, security and quality."

In Forrester's Continuous Automation Testing Platforms Landscape, Q3 2022 report, Diego Lo Giudice wrote, "Software testing can't be an afterthought or a special event that happens once a quarter after a week-long integration. Enterprises recognize that the longer a defect lives, the more expensive the fix becomes. All forms of testing must be part of the continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline and 'shifted left' as early in the lifecycle as possible in order to identify and eliminate bugs before the overheads increase."

The Fall 22 release empowers citizen and technical testers to work collaboratively through a low-code platform. It offers a new Flow Editor so citizen testers can easily build regression and end-to-end test suites visually through a drag-and-drop interface. Teams can feel confident that tests are always up to date by leveraging AI-assisted test authoring with smart predictions and self-healing capabilities. Regardless of a user's skill level, they now have the flexibility to choose their preferred authoring mode all-in-one package that integrates tightly with Copado CI/CD pipelines.

Tests are viewable in the Copado Quality Integration Framework, giving customers a user-story centric view of the tests, quality gates, policies, security and compliance rules in the same place CI/CD pipelines are managed. This unique ability to centrally manage quality from the perspective of the pipeline gives Salesforce development teams unmatched visibility and control. The Copado Quality Integration Framework also enables customers to integrate any testing, security or compliance tool in the wider DevOps ecosystem into their pipeline.

"We needed to scale our Salesforce development and introduce structured, auditable processes for SOX compliance," said Derek Nelson, Lead Salesforce Administrator at Weave. "Copado gave us that scalability and structure, delivering great results. We used to dread deployment day but with Copado, it's stress-free. It's so easy that anybody can use it  even if they can't code. We just press a button, and if there's an issue, we can easily go back to our user stories to troubleshoot the problem. Now, we get to go home on time."

At Dreamforce 2022 in San Francisco, Copado will demonstrate key features of Fall 22 and show how Copado is redefining the standard of DevOps for Salesforce in booth 1300. Book a meeting here: https://www.copado.com/copado-at-dreamforce-22. Learn more about all the new innovations by visiting the Fall '22 Release Hub.

Copado is redefining how to achieve success with enterprise SaaS and low-code platforms with its data-driven approach to delivering faster, higher quality releases and improving trust across customer transformation projects. Organizations that implement DevOps and automated testing best practices have been shown to deploy more often, fail less often and recover faster. A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Copado found that a composite organization comprised of interviewees with customers with experience using Copado delivered 20x shorter lead times, 10x faster recovery times, 4x reduction in change fail rate and 5-7% higher productivity. Further, organizations using Copado's DevOps platform can achieve $4.5 million in value and an ROI of 307% over three years with payback in less than 6 months.

Salesforce, Dreamforce, AppExchange and others are trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.

Follow Copado:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/copado-solutions-s.l/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CopadoSolutionsBlog: https://www.copado.com/learning/blog/

About CopadoCopado is the leading DevOps and testing solution for low-code SaaS platforms that run the world's largest digital transformations. Backed by Insight Partners, Salesforce Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund, Copado accelerates multi-cloud, enterprise deployments by automating the end-to-end software delivery process to maximize customers' return on their cloud investment. More than 1,000 companies rely on Copado to drive digital transformation with speed, quality and value including Boston Scientific, Coca-Cola, Fair Trade, Linde, MassMutual, Schneider Electric and Shell. Copado processes over 50 million DevOps transactions per month and is rated with a 100% score on the Salesforce AppExchange. More information can be found at: http://www.copado.com.

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SOURCE Copado
Presidente @PedroCastilloTe firmo hoy el Decreto Supremo que declara la Semana de la Cocina Peruana con el fin de revalorar la gastronomia nacional. Rescatemos lo historico y cultural de nuestras comunidades, de nuestras regiones. pic.twitter.com/pl6g2njMNX
MONROE, Mich., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Monroe Community Credit Union is pleased to announce the promotion of Denise Miller to Vice President, Controller. In addition to managing the accounting, payment strategies and payment solutions departments, Miller oversees the financial and regulatory functions of the credit union.

"Since joining the credit union in April of 2020, Denise's responsibilities have steadily increased in the financial operations of the credit union. As a former auditor, her talents are appreciated in continuing to ensure the safety and soundness of the credit union, in addition to strategically managing its exceptional financial performance," said Kristine Brenner, President/CEO of MCCU.

Miller received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a double major in Accounting and Finance from Central Michigan University and her Master of Business Administration from Walsh College. She has over 25 years of experience in the financial institution industry.

About Monroe Community Credit Union:

MCCU is a locally owned and operated, not-for-profit financial institution headquartered in Monroe, MI with $330 million in assets, six banking locations and 30,000 members. MCCU's field of membership includes those who live, work, worship, or attend school in the state of Michigan and in the Ohio counties of Fulton, Lucas, or Wood. MCCU was voted Best Credit Union and Best Mortgage Lender in Monroe for 2021.

Contact: Kate Hall MCCU Phone: 734-384-2717 Fax: 734-242-6911 715 N. Telegraph Rd. Monroe, MI 48162 www.monroecommuntiycu.org

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SOURCE Monroe Community Credit Union
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a Ministerial roundtable at the Global AI Summit, member states of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) agreed to adopt the Riyadh AI Call for Action Declaration (RAICA), which seeks to use AI technology to benefit people, communities, nations, and the world as a whole.

The declaration was signed by all members of DCO including Bahrain, Cyprus, Djibouti, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Jordan, Rwanda, and Saudi Arabia.

The call to action aims to advance the DCO's commitment to identify and address present, emerging and future humanitarian issues in the field of AI. The declaration highlights the different ways AI can be used as a tool to benefit the lives of millions of people around the world by improving the quality of work, developing better designed public policies and nurturing efficiencies into the ecosystem.

Deemah Al Yahya, Secretary General of DCO, said: "DCO was created with the ethos of establishing an inclusive digital economy through collaboration across diverse entities at all levels. The RAICA declaration is this idea put into practice. By signing this declaration all DCO member states are reaffirming their shared desire to usher in a brighter future for all by harnessing the huge potential of AI to improve the lives of people around the world."

The declaration highlights seven key pillars that will help to bring this future into reality. Each is comprised of principles that seek to address methods to ensure that benefits of AI are enjoyed by all while harming none.

Close the digital divide

Empower underprivileged communities

Promote digital development

Ensure fairness and non-discrimination

Drive innovation in AI

Combat climate change by using AI

Engage in international collaboration and cooperation

DCO has developed a series of action areas to help these pillars to be implemented. To do this the member countries will push to provide all individuals with the resources they need to obtain AI literacy; work with organizations to identify how to employ AI to advance human rights; improve digital infrastructure; adopt comprehensive AI ethical guidelines; develop AI-supported initiatives to address global challenges; use AI to reduce human impact on the climate; and setup multilateral collaboration to accelerate AI accessibility across nations.

To view the full declaration, visit www.dcoinsights.com/RAICA

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SOURCE SDAIA
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona traces its lineage to the 1960s and 1970s West Coast drag-racing scene

Special-edition 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona bumps the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody to 807 horsepower

Only 300 of the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona special-edition vehicles will be produced

2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona pairs Go Mango exterior with unique orange interior appearance

Exterior stands out with Satin Black King Daytona rear fender graphics, Satin Carbon Warp Speed wheels, Satin Chrome exterior badging and more

Black Nappa/Alcantara "Daytona" seats with orange stitching and King Daytona orange instrument panel badge highlight the interior

Orange interior stitching accents the instrument panel, console, steering wheel and door trim

Sixth special-edition Dodge "Last Call" model will be revealed on Sept. 21, 2022

Seventh and final 2023 special-edition model  the very last of its kind  will be revealed at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022

Like all 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger models, Dodge Charger King Daytona will carry a commemorative "Last Call" underhood plaque

Details and specific information on Dodge "Last Call" models available at Dodge.com

Information on the Never Lift 24-month road map to the Dodge brand's future is available at DodgeGarage.com

The Dodge brand's "Last Call" lineup heads into the homestretch with a special-edition Dodge vehicle that owns a royal racing pedigree: the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona.

The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona traces its lineage to a famous monarch of the 1960s and 1970s West Coast drag-racing scene: William "Big Willie" Robinson, who nicknamed his 1969 Dodge Charger "King Daytona" and used it not only in claiming victory at the drag strip, but also in keeping racers on the track and off the streets. The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona honors the original by bumping performance to 807 horsepower and pairing a Go Mango exterior with unique orange interior accents.

The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona represents the fifth of seven special-edition Dodge "Last Call" models that celebrate the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger, which in their current form are coming to an end. The Dodge Charger King Daytona follows previously announced Dodge Challenger Shakedown, Dodge Charger Super Bee and Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger models.

Only two more Dodge "Last Call" models will be announced: one on September 21, 2022, and the seventh and final special-edition model  the very last of its kind  at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022.

"The special-edition Dodge Charger King Daytona honors a true icon of muscle car history," said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer  Stellantis. "The final Dodge 'Last Call' models will continue to celebrate the legacy of the Dodge Charger and Challenger by paying tribute to two vehicles that hold a special place in our brand's history."

2023 Dodge Charger King DaytonaOnly 300 of the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona "Last Call" models will be produced, all based on the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody in vivid Go Mango exterior color. The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona adds:

Extra 10 horsepower that takes the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye from 797 to 807 hp

Satin Black King Daytona rear fender graphics

Satin Black hood and roof graphics

20-by-11-inch Satin Carbon Warp Speed wheels

Satin Chrome exterior badging

Orange six-piston Brembo brakes

Bright Mopar hood pin kit

Satin Black spoiler

Black Nappa/Alcantara "Daytona" seats with orange stitching

King Daytona interior instrument panel badge

Orange interior accent stitching on the instrument panel, console, steering wheel and door trim

Suede headliner

Carbon fiber interior bezels

Alcantara steering wheel

Harman Kardon premium audio system

Power sunroof

Navigation package

The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona, as with all seven of the "Last Call" special-edition models, will be allocated to specific dealerships, with pricing and dealer information shared on DodgeGarage.com when vehicle ordering opens later this fall.

Details on the Dodge "Last Call" models are available at Dodge.com. Information on the Never Lift 24-month road map to the Dodge brand's future is available at DodgeGarage.com.

"Last Call" HighlightsIn addition to the seven "Last Call" special-edition models, Dodge brand will also celebrate its 2023 model lineup by bringing back three beloved heritage exterior colors: B5 Blue, Plum Crazy purple and Sublime green. One popular modern color, Destroyer Grey, also returns to the fold. Charger and Challenger will each offer 14 total 2023 exterior color options. 2023 Charger and Challenger R/T models will also feature new "345" fender badging, a callout to the 345-cubic-inch HEMI engine under the hood.

All 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger models will also carry a special commemorative "Last Call" underhood plaque, making every 2023 Charger and Challenger especially desirable. The brushed aluminum underhood "Last Call" plaque features the vehicle name and a vehicle silhouette, as well as "Designed in Auburn Hills" and "Assembled in Brampton" to proclaim each vehicle's origin.

The brand is also expanding the reach of its popular SRT Jailbreak models, which were introduced earlier this year for the Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, unlocking color combination ordering restrictions and exclusive content. For 2023 model year, Jailbreak models will also be available for the 717-horsepower Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat, providing even more owners the option of building their own one-of-a-kind muscle car.

Dodge is taking a new approach in getting the Charger and Challenger in the hands of its enthusiasts. The entire 2023 Charger and Challenger model-year run will be allocated to dealerships all at once, helping customers to identify and secure their dream cars more easily. Dodge will provide customers a guide for locating their desired Charger or Challenger at DodgeGarage.com, which will include information on all 2023 Charger and Challenger inventory at each Dodge dealership.

Ordering information for the 2023 Dodge Charger and Challenger will be announced fall 2022.

Dodge//SRTFor more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT Hellcat versions of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Dodge Durango, as well as an R/T plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet, representing the brand's first-ever electrified performance vehicle. Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock; the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world; and the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful SUV ever; and best-in-class standard performance in the compact utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet. Combined, these four muscle vehicles make Dodge the industry's most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2022, the Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market), making it the only domestic brand ever to do so three years in a row. In 2020, Dodge was named the "#1 Brand in Initial Quality," making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS).

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Follow Dodge and company news and video on:Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.comMedia website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.comDodge brand: www.dodge.comDodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/dodgeInstagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficialTwitter: www.twitter.com/dodge and @StellantisNAYouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

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SOURCE Stellantis
DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CarSaver, the leading automotive e-commerce marketplace and fintech platform announced today at the CMFG Ventures Fintech Summit that EECU, a $3.6 billion credit union institution with 16 financial centers across Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), has joined CarSaver's industry-first Marketplace and Automated Upgrade Platform. CarSaver's e-commerce platform is built to help auto lenders increase member satisfaction, loan retention and dealer satisfaction and enables members to buy, finance and insure new and used cars entirely online.

EECU members will save time and money on their purchase and have access to new and used vehicles. CarSaver's Automated Upgrades will make it easy for members to change cars before they change tires, avoiding costly repairs in the later years of the vehicle's life. CarSaver's proprietary automated upgrade platform identifies members with an auto loan who qualify to upgrade to a new car for a lower monthly payment then links them to a personal portal where they can see their upgrade options. With a click of a button, they can complete the entire transaction online and have the car delivered directly to their home or pick up at a local certified dealer.

"We are proud to welcome EECU to our network and provide their members and dealer partners a faster, friendlier personalized car buying experience that will save them time and money. EECU has thousands of members who qualify to upgrade their car to a new one and lower their payment," said Chad Collier, co-founder and CEO of CarSaver. "We've been impressed with EECU's commitment to their members, dealer partners and the DFW community and are excited to partner with them to make car buying fun and easy."

"Our partnership with CarSaver demonstrates our commitment to delivering a faster, friendlier personalized experience that truly reflects the EECU difference," said Matt Kaudy, Chief Growth and Strategy Officer of EECU. "CarSaver's best-in-class technology combined with EECU's low rates makes the car buying experience fast and easy for our members and saves them time and money while helping our dealer partners sell more cars and take more trade-ins. This is a big win for the DFW community."

EECU's partnership with CarSaver comes on the heels of another partnership announcement earlier this year between the automotive e-commerce platform and CUNA Mutual Group. CMFG Ventures, the venture capital arm of CUNA Mutual Group, also invested substantial funds to fuel CarSaver's growth as a result of the partnership.

The marketplace will be available on EECU.org and will include all the top brands of new and used cars available from local certified dealer partners. Members eligible for the upgrade will receive a notification via email and instructions to visit their personalized portal to see their upgrade offers.

Dealers can get more information or enroll at CarSaverCommerce.com/eecu.

About CarSaver

Launched in 2016, CarSaver is the leading online automotive marketplace for new and used cars, helping buyers and sellers save time and money by automating the entire process, from first click to home delivery. CarSaver makes it easy for consumers to do everything 100% entirely online; buy, finance, lease, sell and trade, all the top brands of new and used vehicles in a simple and seamless online experience that is personalized to each customer.

CarSaver's marketplace is used by some of the most trusted brands in the world, including Walmart, Nissan, iHeartMedia and SHOP.com, to automate the entire online buying process, making it faster and easier for buyers and sellers to conduct contactless commerce completely online. CarSaver licenses its enterprise platform to car companies, EV distributors, banks and credit unions who white label CarSaver's e-commerce platform to power their online transactions.

CarSaver has established a nationwide network of certified dealers who provide hundreds of thousands of new and used cars from all the top brands available in one marketplace. In addition, certified dealers perform maintenance and warranty repairs for CarSaver's lifetime warranty that comes standard at no cost, not even a deductible on every car.

CarSaver was recently named a 2021 Automotive News PACE Award winner. The prestigious award honors automotive suppliers for superior innovation and technological advancement. CarSaver was recognized for launching the first end-to-end, 100% online car buying platform for new, used and certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles, and its work with Nissan to power the [email protected] experience.

For more information visit CarSaverCommerce.com/eecu, follow CarSaver on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Dealers visit CarSaverCommerce.com/eecu.

About EECU

EECU is a not-for-profit cooperative that returns profits to our Members in the form of better rates and fewer or no fees. EECU is committed to delivering value, supporting community initiatives, and delivering a faster, friendlier personalized service to our Members. The credit union currently serves more than 250,000 Members throughout Texas with total assets exceeding $3.6 billion.

Press Contacts

Erin HaworthHigh10 Media for CarSaver[email protected]

Matt KaudyChief Strategy and Growth Officer, EECU[email protected]

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SOURCE CarSaver
Shared high-performance computing and advanced networking funding from National Science Foundation this year aims to boost STEM education and other technology resources for minority and smaller higher education institutions in North Carolina

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Davidson College, Duke University and North Carolina Central University (NCCU), in collaboration with MCNC, today announced that the newly-created North Carolina Shared Research & Education collaborative infrastructure (NCShare) has received two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants totaling approximately $1.4 million to provide high-speed research network capacity, support high-performance computing, and boost STEM education to at least eight minority-serving, smaller, or mid-sized institutions of higher education throughout North Carolina.

The first NSF award (Abstract #2201525 for CC* Regional: NCShare Science DMZ) is for $984,868 and spans two years in order to establish a parallel science network infrastructure to interconnect campus researchers to external sites with a speed and style of connectivity that is typically only available at large research universities. Rather than each participant needing to build their own science network infrastructure, this project builds a shared, regionally-based network operating on MCNC's existing state-wide research and education network. The result is expected to lower costs, require fewer campus support personnel, and provide fast and unrestricted data movement to multiple institutions. This virtualized approach increases accessibility of high-speed data-driven research by democratizing access to advanced cyberinfrastructure, enhancing research productivity, promoting collaboration, and reducing the time required for scientific discoveries at participating minority-serving and smaller institutions. Duke University Chief Information Officer (CIO) Tracy Futhey is the principal investigator (PI) for the project supported by co-PIs Davidson College CIO Kevin Davis, NCCU CIO Leah Kraus and Director of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute Deepak Kumar, and MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks.

"The NCShare partnership is an important step towards addressing historical IT infrastructure inequities at minority-serving institutions such as North Carolina Central University and preparing a diverse STEM/high computing workforce of the future," said Deepak Kumar, Ph.D., who also serves as interim associate provost and dean of Research and Sponsored Programs at NCCU. "The proposed infrastructure will foster collaborative and multidisciplinary research in areas such as big data and high-performance computing in genomics, drug discovery, clinical care and public health."

The second NSF award (Abstract #2201105 for CC* Compute: NCShare Compute as a Service) is for $397,557 and also is a two-year grant that dovetails the work above but focuses on creating a shared computing environment supporting a common set of software and services, with priority use by Davidson, NCCU, and other North Carolina minority-serving and smaller institutions. The project leverages MCNC's high-speed, high-bandwidth network and Duke's already mature capability in automated provisioning, software containerization and advanced networking, which will accelerate implementation and make computation and powerful software environments quickly available to researchers, educators and students in the region.

As a result, faculty at participating institutions will benefit from having access to tools and services that ease the delivery of customized computing systems to meet their research needs and enable easy access to powerful tools for students. By starting from a common base environment and then supporting customizations that can meet the specific research and education demands of participating institutions, this project provides hands-on opportunities for students to use advanced science capabilities and software environments. Charley Kneifel, Chief Technology Officer at Duke's Office of Information Technology, is the PI for the project supported by co-PIs Duke's Tracy Futhey, NCCU's Leah Kraus and Davidson's Kevin Davis.

"North Carolina Central University is proud to partner with Davidson College and Duke University to enhance the overall academic experience and intellectual climate for our respective community members," said David H. Jackson, Jr., NCCU provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. "Through making our data infrastructure and software access more robust, this collaboration will assist us in fulfilling our Eagle Promise with innovative research opportunities that prepare our students to graduate on time with leadership skills, global relevance, and employment or acceptance to graduate and professional schools."

"NCShare's assistance to current and future faculty and students with teaching, learning and research will be especially important to Davidson and other small North Carolina colleges and universities like us," said Shelley Rigger, interim vice president for academic affairs at Davidson College. "We don't have the resources or the demand to invest in technology at this level for ourselves alone. The funding provided by the NSF enables us to partner with North Carolina institutions as we invest in high-power computing to turbocharge undergraduate research."

MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America's longest-running regional research and education networks, providing high-performance networking services for education, research, libraries, health care, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout state. This network is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for more than 850 of these institutions (including all public K-20 education) in North Carolina.

"This is a big moment," said MCNC's Tracy Doaks. "Our incredible minority and smaller institutions of higher education throughout North Carolina play a key role in our state's overarching digital equity and inclusion plans; they are hubs for innovation and economic opportunity in their communities. For over 40 years MCNC has been a trusted collaborator offering technology solutions and advanced networking to connect North Carolina. We are pleased to continue our long tradition of supporting important efforts such as this one."

A virtual information session is scheduled Oct. 20 for those interested in these projects and want to learn more.

About NCShareThe North Carolina Shared Research and Education (NCShare) infrastructure provides access to networking, scientific and statistical computing services to minority-serving institutions and smaller to mid-sized institutions of higher education in North Carolina, encompassing both private and public institutions. The program establishes a parallel research network infrastructure (a Science DMZ) to interconnect campus researchers to external sites. NCShare is a shared, regionally-based network operating on MCNC's existing state-wide research and education network, rather than as a separate infrastructure. The result is expected to lower costs, require fewer campus support personnel, and provide fast and unrestricted data movement to multiple institutions. NCShare is a joint effort established by Duke University, Davidson College, North Carolina Central University and MCNC. Additional information is available at www.ncshare.org.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/introducing-ncshare-301624648.html

SOURCE MCNC
Introducing a transformative approach to replace gas-powered commercial landscape equipment with an entirely new battery system and technology.

CHARLOTTE, N.C, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kress is leading the transition from gas-powered commercial lawn equipment for professional operations with the introduction of the industry's first true game-changing innovation in battery-powered equipment. Until today, despite a growing environmental awareness, commercial landscape professionals and facilities managers in the industrial channel have been forced to accept high-emission, gas-powered equipment as the only economical option that provides them with the performance and runtime required to complete a full day's work. Battery-powered equipment simply has not been a viable alternative due to the expense of multiple battery packs, the hassle of overnight charging and the high cost to replace dead battery packs after only a few months of daily re-charging.

Kress has changed all of that: now commercial landscapers and facilities managers can even save money and time by switching from gas to battery power. Based on the current price of gas, a typical landscaping business can recoup the entire purchase price of their Kress battery-powered equipment in less than one season. Kress offers lawncare professionals the opportunity not only to save the planet, but to save money as well.

"Our new Kress battery technology will ignite a dramatic shift in the professional outdoor power equipment industry that has been dominated by loud, dirty gas-powered tools and equipment for the past 50 years," says Don Gao, Chairman and CEO of Positec Group, the parent company of Kress. "The revolutionary, new Kress battery charges to 80 percent capacity in only five minutes, provides 10 times more re-charges than current lithium-ion batteries and produces the power and performance that meets or exceeds that of comparable combustion gas-engines. In the time it takes for a short water break, lawncare professionals now can rest assured that their fuel supply  the new powerful, proprietary Kress batteries  will be re-charged and ready to go. No wasted down time, more productivity and more profits for our customers  that's what Kress is all about."

As a part of the well-established Positec family of leading brands, Kress has built a reputation for advanced German engineering and has been recognized for designing and manufacturing electric motors for over 50 years. Today, the Kress brand unveils its new line of professional outdoor power equipment which is powered by its exclusive cordless battery technology  specifically designed for commercial lawn-care professionals  that will forever eliminate the need for petrol equipment.

The Kress battery technology explained

The new commercial Kress 8-minute Cybersystem battery platform was engineered and designed specifically to meet the demanding needs of commercial landscapers. The system features both 4Ah and 11Ah battery packs with the ability to recharge each 60v battery pack to 100% charge in only 8 minutes or 80% charge in 5 minutes, the fastest re-charge of any commercial battery system available. Due to its proprietary battery cell technology, each 60v Cyberpack battery is capable to produce up to twice the power output of standard lithium-ion batteries. The added power output allows Kress outdoor power equipment to meet or exceed the same performance as comparable commercial gas-powered machines but with less noise and zero harmful emissions. In addition, the Kress Cyberpack battery can be re-charged thousands of times - up to 10 times more than standard lithium-ion batteries. The extended battery life supports multiple re-charges per day and greatly reduces the cost of replacement battery packs over the life of the equipment. The Kress 8-minute Cybersystem is the first and only cordless battery power supply that will allow commercial landscapers to finally replace their expensive gas-powered equipment without sacrificing performance, power or runtime.

The new Kress 8-minute Cybersystem battery platform will power a full line of Kress professional outdoor equipment that includes commercial-grade backpack and handheld blowers, grass trimmers, edgers, chainsaws and hedge trimmers, as well as heavy-duty walk-behind commercial mowers. Each Kress commercial-grade tool is designed and engineered for heavy-duty use with a high-efficiency brushless motor and state-of-the-art features and performance. There are no more excuses to keep operating noisy, high-cost gas equipment or wasting time with cordless battery tools that won't get the job done.

Launch information and Dealer inquires

Kress will introduce the brand's complete line of commercial-grade equipment and revolutionary battery technology in North America in Q4 2022 in conjunction with the International Equip Exposition (formerly GIE). Kress is positioned to become a powerhouse in producing professional-grade, cordless outdoor power equipment as it partners with leading equipment dealers in the United States and Canada.

North American-based dealers interested in learning more about the Kress brand launch should visit Kress.com.

Join the landscape revolution. Visit www.kress.com for more information.

About Kress

In 1966, Kress launched a quiet revolution. While others were focused on loud, smelly combustion engines, Kress perfected clean, quiet, tough-as-nails electric tools with zero emissions. Positec Group has acquired the Kress brand in North America and positioned Kress to become a powerhouse in producing professional-grade cordless equipment valued by professional landscapers and facilities managers in the industrial channel. Many benefits of Kress's batteries have never before been available in OPE in North America. Kress will sell its products at select dealer locations in the United States and Canada beginning January 2023. Join the quiet revolution.

Visit Kress.com.

Media Contact:Matt Lochel[email protected]803.984.2883

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SOURCE Kress
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- De Beers Jewellers natural & responsibly sourced diamonds dazzled on actor Lily James at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

James, nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Pam and Tommy radiated natural elegance in pieces from De Beers Talisman collection paired with a bronze-hued gown. Comprised of rough diamonds juxtaposed against polished diamonds, the Talisman collection is inspired by the ancient appreciation of rough diamonds as a symbol of power. The collection tells the story of natural diamonds, nature's most precious treasures, from the moment that they are discovered by De Beers in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Canada to the refined craftsmanship of the diamond jewelry that makes its way onto the red carpet.

De Beers Jewellers looks at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards include:

Lily James

De Beers Talisman Hoop Earrings set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Hoop Earrings set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Closed Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Closed Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Closed Bangle with Rough & Polished Diamonds set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Closed Bangle with Rough & Polished Diamonds set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Small Band set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Small Band set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Talisman Large Band set in 18k Yellow Gold

Talisman Large Band set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Dewdrop Diamond Band set in 18k Yellow Gold

Dewdrop Diamond Band set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Dewdrop Diamond Band set in 18k Rose Gold

Dewdrop Diamond Band set in 18k Rose Gold De Beers Micropave Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold

Micropave Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Micropave Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold

Micropave Bangle set in 18k Yellow Gold De Beers Micropave Bangle set in 18k Rose Gold

Mindy Kaling

De Beers Lea Earrings set in Platinum, 4.04 carats

Lea Earrings set in Platinum, 4.04 carats De Beers Adonis Rose Pear-Shaped High Jewelry Ring set in Platinum, 5.39 carats

Adonis Rose Pear-Shaped High Jewelry Ring set in Platinum, 5.39 carats De Beers Adonis Rose Cluster Ring set in 18k White Gold, 1.94 carats

Nicholas Braun

De Beers Talisman Azulea Large Band set in 18k White Gold

Talisman Azulea Large Band set in 18k White Gold De Beers DB Classic Bangle set in 18k White Gold

Download images here

About De Beers Jewellers

Founded in London, with a flagship store on Old Bond Street and a presence in the most exclusive locations around the world, De Beers Jewellers is the pinnacle of luxury diamond jewellery. Building on De Beers' 130 years of expertise, the House glorifies the world's most beautiful diamonds through creativity and craftsmanship in bold, distinctive designs.

De Beers is invested in ensuring all the diamonds it discovers create a lasting positive impact for people and the places where they are found. This comes with a pledge to build a better future  one that is fairer, safer, cleaner and healthier, in which communities thrive, ethical practices are maintained, and the natural environment is protected. We call this long-term commitment Building Forever.

De Beers Jewellers has 30 stores globally and ships to 15 markets via debeers.com.

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SOURCE De Beers
Speedee Labs Will Focus on Innovation, Driving the Customer and Restaurant Team Experience Forward

CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, McDonald's Corporation is announcing the establishment of a new facility, Speedee Labs, which will be focused on driving the customer experience and supporting restaurant teams through innovation, at its global headquarters (MHQ) located at 110 N. Carpenter Street in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. An example of McDonald's commitment to the city of Chicago, this new facility will bring teams from McDonald's corporate office and the existing Innovation Center (IC) in Romeoville, IL together in a new innovative environment creating more opportunities for collaboration and end-to-end development of restaurant solutions and technologies.

Introduced in 1948, McDonald's Speedee Service System revolutionized the way a restaurant could operate. New kitchen processes streamlined crew responsibilities, making it easier than ever to serve customers efficiently. Now, through Speedee Labs, McDonald's will continue to define tomorrow's restaurant solutions.

"Our customers' and restaurant teams' needs are changing, and meeting their expectations requires us to work together in new ways," said Manu Steijaert, McDonald's Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. "Just as the creation of McDonald's Customer Experience team brought key aspects of our business strategy together, the creation of Speedee Labs will enable more of our customers, restaurant teams, markets and global teams to contribute to our innovation, while driving growth and creating more seamless and memorable McDonald's experiences."

The new facility will utilize a combination of McDonald's existing footprint as well as an additional 15,000 square feet in leased space within the same building as MHQ, furthering McDonald's innovation strategy and delivering solutions for a new generation of customers. Speedee Labs is expecting a phased opening to begin in the second half of 2023, which is when teams currently operating services out of the IC will relocate to MHQ.

McDonald's moved its headquarters from Oak Brook, IL to Chicago's West Loop in 2018. In the 12 months ending June 30, 2022, MHQ saw more than 11,000 visitors to the building - a figure expected to increase with the creation of Speedee Labs. Additionally, in that same time span, McDonald's System had a total impact of approximately $2B on the economy of Cook County.

"I am thrilled that McDonald's is continuing to bet on Chicago by adding Speedee Labs to their global headquarters," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "This new addition will draw even more visitors from around the world to our city, and I look forward to welcoming them as they come to collaborate and innovate with this iconic brand."

Since opening in 1995, McDonald's IC has offered live restaurant testing  and more recently remote, and simulation-based training  to help the global McDonald's System refine operations and develop new solutions to improve experiences for customers and restaurant teams in nearly 40,000 restaurants around the world. The IC has long been a hub for collaboration among the company, suppliers and franchisees on customer-facing solutions and driving innovation within the System. Many strategic initiatives for the McDonald's System, including streamlined kitchen processes, updated cooking methods, McDelivery and Mobile Order and Pay, were developed or tested at the Innovation Center.

McDonald's plans to relocate all jobs from its Innovation Center in Romeoville to MHQ's Speedee Labs, adding to its Cook County workforce. In total, in the 12 months ending June 30, 2022, the McDonald's System supported more than 14,000 jobs in Cook County.

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SOURCE McDonald's Corporation
BIO-CAPSULE and MICROBILIZE Protect and Position Microbes to Maximize Impact

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meristem announced here today the commercial launch of two patent-pending biological delivery systems  BIO-CAPSULE and MICROBILIZE  building on their effort to bring real productivity gains to farmers. Both innovative technology systems result from work with leading industry partners and are designed to work seamlessly with farming operations to dramatically increase the performance of a broad range of biologicals.

"A very important piece of our mission at Meristem is opening up a faster pathway to more farmers for new innovative technology," said Mitch Eviston, Meristem Founder and CEO in unveiling the two new patent-pending systems. "We're out to clear any hurdle to using these new beneficial biologicals and with BIO-CAPSULE and MICROBILIZE we take two more giant steps. This is all about creating greater productivity for American farmers."

The BIO-CAPSULE TECHNOLOGY Planter Box Delivery System, is a revolutionary packaging system designed to carry, protect, and dispense a multitude of biologicals into a seed lubricant blend plus micronutrients. It will be launched commercially in crop-year 2023 as part the REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE product evolution.

"REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE Corn, now powered by BIO-CAPSULE, is truly a game changer because the new technology allows for so many proven ingredients to work together effectively as a single product," said Joe Gednalske, Meristem Product Development Lead, who already holds 41 patents on crop inputs and application technology. For crop year 2023, said Gednalske, one of Bio-Capsules will be charged with Terrasym, an industry leading proprietary bio-stimulant developed by NewLeaf Symbiotics that helps plants increase nutrient uptake to develop a massive root structure. Another BIO-CAPSULE will be charged with a microbial team proven to fix nitrogen and solubilize nutrients. In the base is an 80/20 talc blend with iron and manganese, plus 1.35 pounds of a specially-formulated zinc.

"The BIO-CAPSULE TECHNOLOGY enables these microbes to stay separated from talc and zinc to keep their full strength all the way to when they are deployed at planting," explains Gednalske. "That means more vigor and vitality in the furrow."

NewLeaf Technical Product Director, Dr. Allison Jack, says the BIO-CAPSULE system is key to what's next because it delivers live microbes in powder formulation directly to the seed in a way that ensures they only become active during seed germination. "The microbes are protected until they are ready to use. The BIO-CAPSULE will give us the opportunity to show what our new corn rootworm biological can do," she said. "We've just gotten the green light from the EPA and are excited to work with Meristem on demonstrating its efficacy and its convenience, pending state approvals."

MICROBILIZE Microbe Technology Delivery System, the second patent-pending product announced, covers a liquid formulation technology that enhances microbe health, increases vigor, and speeds reproduction at the target. MICROBILIZE uses a surfactant system, fulvic acid and other ingredients to increase the shelf life and performance of microbes. The first commercial launch for MICROBILIZE is a new improvement of Meristem's industry leading residue management and nutrient release product --- EXCAVATOR.

"With MICROBILIZE, the surfactant package penetrates the cuticle for faster breakdown of the residue," said Gednalske. "We've seen a dramatic increase in microbe survivability and productivity." Gednalske worked with researchers at DPH Biologicals and others to measure the impact of MICROBILIZE. Meristem will license the technology to other providers of biologicals with the tagline "Powered by MICROBILIZE Microbe Technology Delivery System." Meristem's EXCAVATOR carries a unique collection of six different residue-eating microbes, reaching a total of 700 billion total colony-forming units (CFUs) per gallon.

"As biologicals become more mainstream, it is important for these products to consistently perform to earn grower trust," said Mick Messman, president and CEO of DPH Biologicals. He added that innovations like the MICROBILIZE delivery technology paired with DPH Bio's unique biological platform play an important role in generating a new level of consistent performance that will drive rapid adoption. "Trusted biologicals are proving their ROI (return on investment) and we have seen significant growth with our portfolio over the past year. We look forward to continued collaborations with Meristem to develop and introduce new innovative biological solutions."

John Gertz, Meristem's COO, said combining EXCAVATOR and REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE can truly be considered the starter system for the next generation. "That's why we focused on getting these new delivery systems right  to bring more real productivity to American farmers." He said BIO-CAPSULE is a step-change innovation enabling a bolt-on of new formulations without the expense of re-registration, which reduces waste. "Simply put, we can help farmers add more bushels and keep more of what they earn from each one."

"We serve farmers best when we can bring them innovation that helps them produce more output for every unit of input," summarizes Rob McClelland, Meristem President and CMO. "But we must make it convenient for them at field-level. And that's what these new delivery systems are about  safeguarding the product and making it easier for farmers to improve crop health, yields and ROI. We're excited for the opportunity this brings our dealer-partners to be market leaders."

About Meristem Crop Performance

Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC (www.meristemag.com) is one of the fastest-growing crop input companies in America. Meristem sources, formulates, licenses, and delivers high- quality crop inputs to farmers at the highest possible value, at substantial savings. Meristem is focused on building a highly efficient channel to bring crop inputs to market so farm businesses can make the most of their infrastructure and intellectual property investments and better compete in the global agricultural market. Meristem's team of experienced ag professionals also works to create real productivity gains for farm businesses through novel biological delivery systems and accelerated access to farm-ready innovations.

Media Contact:

K. Elliott Nowels[email protected]

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SOURCE Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC
Ten cars, three trucks and 13 utility vehicles will advance to finalist round

DETROIT, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards organization announced its list of semifinalists today at the North American International Auto Show.

Following a vote by NACTOY jurors, 26 vehicles have been selected to advance to the next round of the 2023 awards process. The list includes ten cars, three trucks and 13 utility vehicles that are all new or substantially new and are or will be on sale this year. The semifinalists emerged from an initial list of 47 eligible cars, trucks and utility vehicles that was announced in June via the first of three NACTOY jury votes.

"This year's group of semifinalists highlights the changes we've seen sweeping across the automotive industry in recent years: Most mainstream vehicles now fall into the Utility category; most vehicles in the Car category are focused on performance or luxury; and more electric vehicles than ever before are starting to hit the market," said NACTOY President Gary Witzenburg. "NACTOY jurors look forward to testing and evaluating these vehicles before the next vote."

NACTOY's awards are unique because they are not decided by a single publication. Instead, they are evaluated throughout the year by 50 respected jurors from print, online, radio and broadcast media across the U.S. and Canada. Those jurors vote three times during the year to reduce the list of eligible vehicles down to semifinalists, finalists and, finally, winners.

"I would also like to thank Rod Alberts, executive director of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, for the opportunity to announce our semifinalists here at the Detroit Auto Show," Witzenburg said. "Last year's semifinalist announcement at Motor Bella delivered the excitement of a new format, and it's invigorating to be part of re-launching the Auto Show in its new fall schedule with this year's slate of estimable vehicles."

An important next step in the year-long process is an annual comparison drive that will take place Oct. 17-20, where jurors will evaluate the semifinalist vehicles before voting to select the three finalists in each group. The finalists will be announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16, and winners will be announced at a special event in Detroit on January 11, 2023.

2023 Semifinalists:

North American Car of the Year

AcuraIntegra

BMW i4 eDrive40

Genesis G80 EV

Genesis G90

Mercedes-Benz C Class

Mercedes-Benz EQE

Nissan Z

SubaruWRX

Toyota Crown

Toyota GR Corolla

North American Truck of the Year

Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

Ford F-150 Lightning

Lordstown Endurance

North American Utility Vehicle of the Year

Audi Q4 e-tron

BMW iX xDrive50

Cadillac Lyriq

Genesis GV60

Honda CR-V

Honda HR-V

Kia EV6

Kia Sportage

Lexus RX

Mazda CX-50

Nissan Ariya

Rivian R1S

Volvo C40 Recharge

Spanish and French versions of this release will be available on NACTOY's website. For more information about NACTOY and its history: http://northamericancaroftheyear.org.

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN CAR, TRUCK, AND UTILITY VEHICLE OF THE YEAR

The awards are intended to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value. The organization gives out three awards. They are: "North American Car of the Year," "North American Truck of the Year," and the "North American Utility Vehicle of the Year." The awards are unique because they are given by an independent jury of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada instead of being given by a single publication, website, radio or television station.

Media contact:Alli CookeLambert & Co.M: 704.953.3633E: [email protected]

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SOURCE North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards




Said regulation was approved via Supreme Decree No. 210-2022-EF, published in the Official Gazette El Peruano on Wednesday. It consists of five titles, 129 articles, 13 final complementary provisions, and three transitory complementary provisions.

The rule indicates that this supreme decree comes into force as of September 15, 2022, in all those aspects that do not contravene the investment agreements or the contracts signed under the Works for Taxes mechanism.

Besides, the legal instrument indicates that the entry into force of the supreme decree does not imply rolling back the processes or procedures underway, which will be adapted to the regulations in the phase in which they are found.

The publication of this supreme decree and its annex in the Single Digital Platform for Citizen Orientation of the Peruvian State and in the digital headquarters of the MEF is arranged.

Finally, the rule establishes the repeal of Supreme Decree No. 036-2017-EF, which approves the regulations of the Law that promotes regional and local public investment with the participation of the private sector (Law No. 29230) and of Article 17 of the Law that establishes measures to promote economic growth (Law No. 30264); and its amendments.





(END) CNA/RMB/MVB

The Peruvian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has approved the regulations of the Law that promotes regional and local public investment with the participation of the private sector (Law No. 29230), and Legislative Decree No. 1534, which provides measures to promote investment under the Works for Taxes mechanism.Published: 9/14/2022
DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Seconds count when communicating during urgent events, and the ability to navigate quickly and easily within a mass notification platform is crucial. This ease of use is accomplished by both the application design and meeting of accessibility standards that allow all users, regardless of disability, to easily navigate through, read and understand every element of the application.

The update is much more user friendly and has a better flow, allowing me to create messages even faster than before.

Already well-known and award-winning for its ease of use, RedFlag's latest refresh continues its commitment to be the easiest-to-use platform on the market. This update includes enhanced navigation and interface design to support accessibility and improve natural pathways for users.

"The user experience is always at the forefront of our discussions. Updating our interface to encapsulate feedback, align with enhanced design practices and meet additional accessibility standards is a practice we do regularly," said Neal Guilliotti, Head of Product and Delivery at Pocketstop. "This design refresh enables users to have greater visibility to all of the functions within RedFlag, ensuring they navigate seamlessly and more efficiently so no time is wasted  even from less experienced users."

Specifically, this release standardizes application sections with intuitive groupings and layers, as well as adds shortcuts for new messages and support. An optimized color palette and refreshed design meets accessibility standards. These changes ensure users can quickly navigate and draft messages, as well as get assistance.

"The update is much more user friendly and has a better flow, allowing me to create messages even faster than before," said Luis Rivas, Aviation Safety Coordinator and RedFlag user.

To see more details on the refresh, schedule a walkthrough of the platform here.

About Pocketstop

Pocketstop is a communication software solutions company who empowers companies to create personalized, automated messages designed to provide rapid ROI, backed by the industry's best support at a cost customers can afford. For more information, visit https://pocketstop.com.

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SOURCE Pocketstop
Award-winning Healthcare IT PR Agency and Care Operations Automation Leader Partner to Bring World-Class Operations to Health Systems

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amendola, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and technology public relations and marketing agency, announced that Qventus, the leader in AI-powered software for care operations automation, has selected the firm to amplify client successes and industry best practices.

Qventus knows manual operational processes are holding health systems back from improving resource utilization, reducing staff workload, and growing strategic revenue. To address these challenges, health systems across the country are automating their care operations  the operational activities involved in the delivery of care, such as OR access and growth, discharge planning, and more. Qventus provides AI-powered automation software that simplifies everything from growing OR revenue to improving discharge planning and transitions of care.

"It can be challenging for health systems to understand the enormous strategic, operational, and financial value they can attain by automating care operations. We needed an agency with a deep knowledge of healthcare IT to help us tell the story of what's possible," said Greg Schneider, Chief Marketing Officer, Qventus. "Amendola is a proven PR leader in the healthcare and healthcare IT space. They have the expertise, energy and industry connections to tell our story."

Qventus, which is based in Mountain View, Calif., earlier this year raised $50 million in growth capital, an investment that will allow it to expand its technology to additional hospitals and health systems across the United States.

"Eliminating waste and achieving greater operational efficiencies is essential for hospitals and health systems to remain fiscally sound. Qventus has shown it can help its clients accomplish that," said agency CEO Jodi Amendola. "Working with companies whose services truly benefit the industry makes our job more rewarding and fulfilling."

Amendola, which beat out multiple agencies in an extensive review, is implementing a comprehensive media and communications plan for Qventus that will showcase the company's current technology and services, new offerings, accomplishments, customer wins, and industry partnerships.

About Amendola

Amendola is an award-winning, insights-driven public relations and marketing firm that integrates media relations, social media, content and lead gen programs to move healthcare, life sciences/pharma and healthcare IT decision-makers to action. The agency represents some of the industry's best-known brands as well as groundbreaking startups that are disrupting the status quo. Nearly 90% of its client base represents multi-year clients and/or repeat client executives. Amendola's seasoned team of PR and marketing pros understand the ongoing complexities of the healthcare ecosystem and provide strategic guidance and creative direction to drive positive ROI, boost reputation and increase market share. Making an impact since 2003, Amendola combines traditional and digital media to fuel meaningful and measurable growth. For more information about the industry's "A-Team," visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Qventus

Qventus is the leading provider of AI-based software for care operations automation. Integrating with EHRs, the Qventus platform uses AI, machine learning, and behavioral science to power best-practice solutions for inpatient, perioperative, emergency department, and command center settings. As a partner to leading health systems and hospitals across the country, including Boston Medical Center, M Health Fairview, Saint Luke's Health System, ThedaCare, and UAMS Health, Qventus delivers proven outcomes, including 30-50% fewer excess days, 1 full day reduction in length of stay, and over 2 new cases added per operating room per month. For more, visit www.qventus.com.

Media Contact:Marcia G. RhodesAmendola Communications[email protected]

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SOURCE Amendola Communications
SHREVEPORT, La., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Radiance Technologies (Radiance), a national leader in defense technologies and solutions, commits to expanding the economic development of the Shreveport-Bossier City region. Radiance recently partnered with BRF, a North Louisiana economic development organization, to expand its office in Shreveport.

"We welcome Radiance's expansion in Shreveport at BRF's InterTech 1 facility located on Kings Highway near downtown," said John F. George Jr., M.D., BRF President and CEO. "Radiance and its CEO Bill Bailey have been supporters of the region since his time here at Barksdale Air Force Base. His title sponsorship of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is another example of his commitment to the area. The new positions coming with Radiance's planned expansion are high quality jobs for our region."

To support efforts at both Air Force Global Strike Command and all mission areas across the company, Radiance plans to hire up to 150 high-tech research and development professionals in Shreveport-Bossier City in the next three to five years.

"Growing our presence in North Louisiana pleases me to no end. Barksdale AFB, Shreveport-Bossier, and Louisiana Tech were foundational and transformational for me," said Radiance CEO Bill Bailey. "Being postured to better support Global Strike will ensure that Radiance continues to do what's important to us - support our warfighters. The business case for growing in North Louisiana is solid. The BRF, Shreveport-Bossier, and LED have made it known that they want us in Louisiana."

In addition to its role as the title sponsor of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, Radiance is looking forward to expanding its strong connections to the Shreveport-Bossier City region and being a strong community partner as it continues the economic development of the area.

"Radiance Technologies' planned expansion is a terrific economic development win. These positions will be good-paying jobs for Northwest Louisiana residents and will support the mission of our defense community," said Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins.

About Radiance Technologies:

Radiance Technologies is an employee-owned small business prime contractor founded in 1999. Radiance has over 1000 employee-owners across the United States serving the Department of Defense, national intelligence community and other government agencies. From concepts to capabilities, Radiance leads the way in developing customer-focused solutions in the areas of cyber security, systems engineering, prototyping and integration as well as operational and strategic intelligence including scientific and technical intelligence.

About BRF:

BRF, headquartered in Shreveport, is an economic development organization establishing North Louisiana as a preferred destination for high growth initiatives. Diversifying the region's economy is its mission. It fulfills this mission through initiatives that start new businesses, recruit new businesses and retain current businesses in the region, and through supporting the development of a science and technology-based workforce.

Contact:Julia Parrish (256) 929-7969 | [email protected]

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SOURCE Radiance Technologies
This marks SandboxAQ's first acquisition and second deal in its Strategic Investment Program

PARIS and PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SandboxAQ, an enterprise SaaS company delivering the compound effects of AI and Quantum tech (AQ) to governments and the Global 1000, today announced it has acquired Cryptosense, a leading cybersecurity and encryption analysis software company. SandboxAQ's acquisition comes just weeks after the company unveiled its Strategic Investment Program and initial investment in evolutionQ.

The acquisition of Cryptosense complements and accelerates the deployment of SandboxAQ's Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) solutions to corporations and government institutions worldwide. SandboxAQ's cybersecurity products enable large enterprises to scale cryptography management across their IT infrastructure, providing CISOs with a single, 360 view of how encryption is used throughout the enterprise  a critical first step in migrating to PQC.

This migration to stronger cybersecurity is important for critical infrastructure sectors such as financial services, technology, energy, biopharma, logistics, and government.

Cryptosense is used by leading technology and financial services organizations and is a fellow NIST NCCOE partner. The combined customer relationships will help SandboxAQ bring its PQC solutions to market faster and protect these organizations and their customers from existing and emerging quantum threats, such as Store Now, Decrypt Later (SNDL) attacks.

"Rapid advances in quantum computing and AI challenge the effectiveness and performance of existing cryptography-based cybersecurity solutions. The combined leadership, talent, and expertise that SandboxAQ and Cryptosense bring to the marketplace accelerates the deployment of more effective cryptography solutions to protect the world against the security threats of today and tomorrow," said Jack D. Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ. "The caliber of the Cryptosense team is recognized throughout the information security community, with the leadership by Graham Steel and Clement Jeanjean. We welcome Cryptosense to the SandboxAQ family and look forward to our continued success as one company."

Dr. Graham Steel, Cryptosense founder, added, "The complementary functionality and expertise between Cryptosense and SandboxAQ enables us to build and deliver SaaS solutions at scale with higher touch customer service. PQC implementation is critical to protect the world's sensitive data and together we will make a greater impact."

Cryptosense was advised by Stifel and Hogan Lovells and SandboxAQ was advised by Morgan Lewis.

About SandboxAQ

SandboxAQ is an enterprise SaaS company, providing solutions at the nexus of AI and Quantum technology (AQ) to address some of the world's most challenging problems. The company's core team and inspiration formed at Alphabet Inc., emerging as an independent, growth-capital-backed company in 2022. For more information visit www.sandboxaq.com.

About Cryptosense

Cryptosense is an enterprise SaaS company that helps organizations identify and catalog the cryptography leveraged within their applications and infrastructure. Some of the largest technology and financial services companies worldwide use Cryptosense for their cybersecurity needs. Cryptosense announced a $4.8 million funding round in May 2021 backed by Amadeus Capital Partners, Elaia Partners and BGV.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sandboxaq-acquires-cryptosense-to-accelerate-delivery-of-security-solutions-to-global-organizations-301623840.html

SOURCE Sandbox AQ
NEO: SHWZOTCQX: SHWZ

Continues to Go Deep, Adding to Retail Footprint in Colorado

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), announced that it has signed definitive documents to acquire certain assets of Lightshade Labs LLC ("Lightshade"). The proposed transaction includes the adult use Lightshade dispensaries located at 503 Havana St. in Aurora, as well as 2215 E. Mississippi Ave. in Denver's vibrant Washington Park neighborhood. This acquisition continues Schwazze's aggressive expansion in Colorado and upon close will bring the Company's total number of Colorado dispensaries to 25.

The consideration for the proposed acquisition is US$2.75 million and will be paid as all cash. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023 after Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division and local licensing approval.

"Schwazze is excited to add to our retail footprint in the greater Denver area, providing two additional retail locations to our existing 23 throughout Colorado. We look forward to extending our exceptional customer service and wide product selection to both new and existing customers in these new locations," said Collin Lodge, Division President of Colorado.

Since April 2020, Schwazze has acquired or announced the planned acquisition of 35 cannabis dispensaries as well as seven cultivation facilities and two manufacturing assets in Colorado and New Mexico. In May 2021, Schwazze announced its BioSciences division and in August 2021 it commenced home delivery services in Colorado.

About SchwazzeSchwazze (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 best 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 StatementsThis press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "plan," "will," "may," "continue," "predicts," or similar words. 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 outside the state, (vii) our ability to consummate the acquisition described in this press release or to identify and consummate future acquisitions that meet our criteria, (viii) our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses, including the acquisition described in this press release, and realize synergies therefrom, (ix) the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, * the timing and extent of governmental stimulus programs, and (xi) the uncertainty in the application of federal, state and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws. 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.

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SOURCE Medicine Man Technologies, Inc.
TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - SCI Group, a leading Canadian 3PL specializing in e-commerce fulfillment and Transportation Management, has partnered with Bench, an athleisure clothing brand, to create a cross-border ecommerce fulfilment solution for the U.S. market leveraging duty savings made available through Section 321. This direct-to-consumer strategy enables Bench to deliver to e-commerce customers in the U.S. directly from Canada, creating cost efficiencies without any impact to delivery times.

Beginning in early 2021, SCI and Bench have built their relationship based on trust, strategic planning and proven results through the expansion of Bench's Canadian, coast-to-coast wholesale business. This led to a new opportunity to expand Bench's business into the USA with the SCI team building out a cross-border solution through their expertise in southbound ecommerce fulfillment and Section 321.

"We've had a great experience partnering with SCI to develop a new coast-to-coast distribution strategy for our Bench brand that services both the Canadian and U.S. direct-to-consumer market," says Victor Levis, CFO/COO at Freemark Apparel Brands International. "SCI's team worked closely with us to help us understand the benefits of Section 321 and guided us through the process from start to finish. Thanks to their expertise we've been able to expand our business and conveniently reach U.S. consumers."

Section 321 is an exemption in the Canada-US-Mexico free trade agreement that allows shipments of products valued at $800US or less to enter the U.S., from Canada, duty free. For direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce retailers, this offers an opportunity to reduce their cost per unit through waived or refunded import duties on items that enter Canada bound for U.S. recipients, without effecting the customer experience.

"We're thrilled to be able to drive this North American e-commerce strategy for Bench from Canada," says Dave Mack, Vice President, Omni-channel Retail at SCI. "By consolidating distribution in strategic centers in Canada, Bench is able to reduce their inventory carrying costs and turn products faster, while driving out duty and tariff costs"

To learn more about Section 321 and how SCI can help reduce your cross-border costs, please visit: https://www.sci.ca/section-321

About Bench:

Inspired by an active 24-hour lifestyle, Bench is a brand that designs, sources, and markets clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. Born in the heart of Manchester, England, it originated in the late '80s as a niche t-shirt brand, taking influence from the music and the skate scenes. Bench is dedicated to design clothing that embraces individuality and supports all lifestyles. From heritage hoodies to iconic track suits, Bench's wardrobe staples focus on multipurpose components that meet the modern needs of city dwellers. Learn more at Bench.ca.

About SCI:

SCI makes North American businesses even better by offering our clients a suite of innovative supply chain solutions in the omni-channel retail, technology, health, beauty and wellness sectors.

Across Canada's most extensive national distribution and transport network, SCI manages complex logistics for both Canadian and North American clients. We pride ourselves on adding value to clients' business with our commitment to reducing costs, risks and complexity through continuous improvement, business intelligence, analytics, and transparency. We give our clients the competitive advantage they need to grow their business.

SCI's tagline "We'll make you even better" is a commitment today from a business that's leading clients into tomorrow. As a trusted strategic partner, our team is dedicated to understanding the unique intricacies of our clients' businesses, providing end-to-end management of the entire customer experience. We have the North American expertise and 30+ years experience to deliver on this commitment and keep our clients steps ahead of their customers' expectations.

For further information:

SCI - http://www.sci.ca, Natasha Wookey, [email protected]; Bench - http://www.bench.ca, Michael Routtenberg, [email protected]

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SOURCE SCI Group Inc.
One year after its return to market, Sorel celebrates a spree of industry awards and explosive cross-country distribution, solidifying the trend prediction that 2022 is the year of hibiscus

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sorel, the hibiscus liqueur inspired by sorrel, the ancestral Afro-Caribbean beverage, is the most-awarded liqueur of 2022. Sorel returned to shelves in October 2021 with the support of Fawn Weaver and the Uncle Nearest Venture Fund, which invests in BIPOC/minority-founded spirits businesses. The spirit swept every major beverage award this year with Gold honors or higher, and as Sorel approaches the first anniversary of its relaunch, founder Jackie Summersacclaimed author, activist, entrepreneur, and self-taught distillerreflects back on the last year to acknowledge the forces that brought this reincarnation to life.

"With Sorel's second iteration, I've learned the importance of finding the right partnerswhether financial backers, business consultants, or bartendersand letting them do what they do best," says Jackie Summers, Founder of Sorel. "The key to our success has been about putting values over valuations, which is an atypical approach, but it works every time. Our relationship with Uncle Nearest has been fruitful because it's not just a transactional investor relationshipwe share the vision of honoring heritage and history through spirits."

Sorel earned a collection of coveted accolades during the 2022 spirits awards season, including top-ranking honors and distinctions from the industry's most important spirits awards:

ADI International Spirits Competition - Best of Class (Bottled & Blended Spirit - Liqueur), Best of Category (Bottled & Blended Spirit - Herbal/Botanical/Spice Liqueur), Double Gold (Spirit Excellence)

American Craft Spirits Association - Innovation Award

Chilled Magazine - Chilled 100 Spirits Awards - Breakout Brand, 97 Points

- Chilled 100 Spirits Awards - Breakout Brand, 97 Points Craft Distillers Spirits Competition - Best of Class; 93 Points

Distiller Magazine - 5/5 Star Rating

5/5 Star Rating Distillery Awards - Diamond Certification

Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition - Gold Medal

Great American International Spirits Competition - Best in Show; Platinum Medal

John Barleycorn Awards - Double Gold (Bottle Design), Gold (Packaging Design)

Micro Liquor Spirit Award Competition - Triple Gold (Spirit), Triple Gold (Packaging Design), 97 Points

New Orleans Spirits Competition - Best in Category, Gold Medal

New York International Spirits Competition - Double Gold, 96 points

San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Gold Medal

Singapore World Spirits Competition - Gold Medal

Sip Awards - Platinum Medal

Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Chairman's Trophy, 96 points, Top 100 Spirits, Extraordinary Ultra Recommendation

Wine Enthusiast - Spirit Brand of the Year finalist (2021), 94 Points (2022)

- Spirit Brand of the Year finalist (2021), 94 Points (2022) World Liqueur Awards - Best American Herbal Liqueur

Craft Competition International Awards - Gold Medal

Sorel is currently sold in retail shops, hotels, bars, and restaurants across the country, with distribution in 20 states planned by the end of 2022, and nationwide availability in 2023.

In March 2022, Summers was honored among the inaugural class of Food & Wine magazine's "Drinks Innovators of the Year," and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the Bar World for the fourth year, ranking at #29. Earlier this year, Summers was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Media Award for his personal essay All the Food You Can Eat and Only The Family You Can Stand (Epicurious). Most recently, he was included among Wine Enthusiast's Future 40 class of people shaping the way we drink.

For media inquiries or interview requests, please email [email protected].

About Jackie Summers

Jackie Summers is an acclaimed author, seasoned public speaker, and serial entrepreneur. Summers is the founder of JackFromBrooklyn Inc. and the creator of the award-winning Sorel Liqueur. Most recently, Summers was nominated for the 2022 James Beard Media Award for Personal Essay, Long Form, and was also honored among Food & Wine magazine's inaugural class of Drinks Innovators of the Year. He has been included among the world's 100 Most Influential Bar Industry Figures by Drinks International Magazine (2019, 2020, 2021), The 50 Most Influential People In Brooklyn Food (Brooklyn Magazine, 2015), named to the Imbibe 75 (2021), and named the 2019 Award winner for "Best Food Essay" by the Association of Food Journalists. Summers has contributed to publications including the James Beard Foundation, Plate, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, Epicurious, Delish, and Edible Brooklyn. He currently serves as a co-chair of the Education Committee for the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, and as a member of the Education Committee for Bar Convent Brooklyn. Summers' mission is to tell stories of marginalized peoples in their own voices.

About Sorel Liqueur

Sorel Liqueur is an alcoholic rendition of sorrel, the 500+ year-old traditional hibiscus-based beverage brought to the Caribbean from West Africa. After being diagnosed with a spinal tumor and given a small chance to live, Jackie Summers not only beat those odds, but left his decades-long corporate career to create Sorel as a way to honor his Barbadian heritage. Following 623 failed attempts, Summers perfected the first and only shelf-stable sorrel liqueur. After an impressive debut in 2013, Sorel ceased production for several years, and was brought back to market in October 2021 with the support of Fawn Weaver and the Uncle Nearest Venture Fund. Sorel will be available in 20 states by the end of 2022, and continues to expand its presence in bars, restaurants, and retailers throughout the United States, as well as impending availability at Disney properties. Visit SorelOfficial.com for more information and follow @SorelOfficial on Instagram and Facebook.

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SOURCE Sorel Liqueur
Lobbying Efforts Focus on Antitrust Legislation, Combating Corporate Greed

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 150 Teamsters from around the U.S. ascended Capitol Hill today to meet with lawmakers and urge them to enact legislation that would rein in massive corporations like Amazon while empowering workers to join together and advocate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

These Teamsters, who are in town this week to attend the union's annual political coordinators meeting, lobbied elected officials from their states about the importance of measures like the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and antitrust reform. Such legislation ensures that hardworking Americans aren't left struggling to support their families while corporate executives hoard huge profits.

"Corporate control of the congressional agenda must end," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien. "UPS, Amazon, the rail carriers, and many others are making historic profits while ignoring worker safety and quality of life. Lawmakers need to realize that working people put them in office, and their well-being is paramount. Passage of the PRO Act and antitrust reform are important legislative steps this country needs to take now."

Teamsters called on senators to vote on both the PRO Act and S. 2992, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The former strengthens the National Labor Relations Act so that workers seeking to organize a union and negotiate better wages and benefits will be protected. The latter bill ensures real competition exists in big tech's consumer and labor markets.

Teamsters met with the offices of more than 150 members of Congress from 35 states, urging elected officials to stand with workers. These bills would make it easier for workers to organize while curtailing the power and influence of multibillion dollar companies that continue to post record revenue by denying workers decent wages and a better quality of life.

"Teamsters like me let Congress know we're not going to sit back and continue to allow all the spoils of our hard work benefit our big bosses," said Paul Slattery, political coordinator of Teamsters Local 120. "They know this union won't take 'no' for an answer."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org to join us. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and like us at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:Ted Gotsch, (202) 508-6437[email protected]

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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Established by major music recording labels, the MPTF distributed 120 scholarships to benefit aspiring professional musicians and children of professional musicians

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A scholarship program utilizing assets of the recording industry's Music Performance Trust Fund has granted more than $165,000 to 120 students.

"We are constantly learning. It's important to learn what we can to share with younger generations," wrote one student.

The MPTF's Music's Future scholarship revives an initiative from the 1990s that supports aspiring professional musicians studying at the post-secondary level. The 30 recipients attend colleges and universities in geographically diverse areas, including:

Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA

Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, MB

Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL

Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA

Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX

Towson University, Towson, MD

University of Georgia, Athens, GA

University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI

"Music's Future scholarships will open doors for students studying music performance, education, therapy, and conducting," said Dan Beck, MPTF Trustee.

Students wrote about themselves and their futures in music:

"I want to teach students how to express themselves through music and show them music is something deeper than playing notes on a page."

"I come from a Mexican immigrant family so I'm the first in my family to graduate from college and, more specifically, music school."

"We are all students in this world, constantly learning. What's important is that we learn as much as we can and share it with younger generations."

"As an African American.... I feel as if it's my job to help make change."

A complete list of Music's Future 2022 scholarship recipients can be viewed here: https://musicpf.org/home/musicsfuturescholars/

More than 90 students whose parents are members of the American Federation of Musicians received the MPTF's Music Family scholarships to pursue higher education and become leaders in their chosen fields. More than 33% are studying for music-related careers. The MPTF established this scholarship fund in June 2020 to encourage AF-M member families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Music benefits cultures and communities," continued Beck. "We are pleased to help more young people learn, play, teach, and express themselves through music  and to encourage us all to make and appreciate music."

About the MPTF: The recording industry's Music Performance Trust Fund is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit public service organization whose mission is to support admission-free, live events performed by professional musicians throughout the United States and Canada. We seek to enrich the lives of the public, young and old, through music, and to contribute to the public's knowledge and appreciation of music. We also seek to make music and music education an exciting experience, and to expand it to every child's life experience. The MPTF was established more than 70 years ago by recording companies including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Interested parties may contact Hepburn-Beaty at [email protected] or visit www.musicpf.org.

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SOURCE Music Performance Trust Fund
Ferrero, Mars, VF Corporation and more expected to attend conference hosted by Sourcemap, a pioneer in supply chain mapping

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sourcemap, a global provider of supply chain transparency and traceability software, will host its second annual Supply Chain Transparency Conference this September 2122, 2022. The conference will feature executive speakers from top brands in food & agriculture, apparel, energy and other sectors, as well as compliance and policy experts in North America and Europe, with more than 500 audience members expected to attend.

Logistics and trade disruptions exacerbated by ongoing world events are now punctuated by emerging policies that call for greater due diligence within global supply chains. In the U.S., the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) went into effect on June 21, 2022, banning goods proven or suspected to be made within the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in China. Beyond the U.S., the EU is following suit with a directive aimed at banning products made, extracted or harvested with forced labor anywhere in the world. These emergent regulations lead to increasingly complex supply chains for industries across the globe, impacting top international corporations and other economic powers.

Bringing together policy, supply chain and industry experts to address timely topics including "The Business Case for Traceability," "Navigating Forced Labor Laws" and "Scaling Up Sustainable Supply Chains in Energy," the Supply Chain Transparency Conference will comprise two days of keynotes, panels and interactive Q&As. Speakers include executives from American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), CSR Europe, Energize Ventures, Ferrero, Kelley Drye and Warren LLP, Mars, Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), Sucden, VF Corporation, Williams Sonoma, and more.

"Supply chain visibility used to be a nice-to-have, but today, it is a cornerstone of any successful business," said Leonardo Bonnani, CEO and founder of Sourcemap. "This year, we are delighted to bring together some of the world's leading business and regulatory experts on how corporations can keep supply chains moving and bottom lines strong."

To register and learn more about the conference, including the full conference agenda and list of speakers, visit https://www.supplychaintransparency.org/.

About Sourcemap

Sourcemap is the pioneer of supply chain transparency and traceability software, spun out of early MIT research in 2011. Since then, major traders, manufacturers and brands have adopted Sourcemap's full-suite solution for assurance on the raw materials-to-finished goods supply chain, including ongoing monitoring for production, quality, sustainability and risks such as deforestation and forced labor. To learn more, visit http://www.sourcemap.com/.

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SOURCE Sourcemap
El presidente @PedroCastilloTe inspecciono el funcionamiento de la planta desalinizadora y de tratamiento de aguas residuales del proyecto #PROVISUR que abastece de agua potable a cerca de 100 000 habitantes de distritos balnearios de Lima Sur. pic.twitter.com/dbobUj7TTP
WILMINGTON, Mass., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF), a North American leader in providing managed business uniform programs, facility service products, and first aid and safety products and services, has signed a multi-year partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers, becoming an Official Partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and an Official Uniform Supplier of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In addition to being an official partner, UniFirst will be promoting its business services through a variety of activities including in-stadium signage, the Steelers.com website, and Pittsburgh Steelers pre-game radio broadcasts.

Throughout the Greater Pittsburgh area, UniFirst's redesigned and rebranded delivery trucks, a major aspect of the company's ongoing brand evolution initiative, will communicate the partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"UniFirst is excited to join forces with the Pittsburgh Steelers in our multi-year partnership," said Asit Goel, UniFirst Vice President of Marketing. "With several hundred associates servicing tens of thousands of workers and businesses in the Greater Pittsburgh communities, we share in the excitement with all of Steelers Nation."

UniFirst has evolved into a North American leader in providing managed uniforms, protective clothing, and custom corporate image apparel programs to businesses large and small. The company services over two million workers across the U.S. and Canada in high-quality, hygienically clean uniforms each workday. UniFirst also helps keeps businesses clean, safe, and healthy through an extensive line of facility service programs, first aid products and safety trainings.

For more information about UniFirst and how we always deliver for our customers, please visit UniFirst.com.

About UniFirst

Headquartered in Wilmington, Mass., UniFirst Corporation (NYSE: UNF) is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of uniform and workwear programs, as well as the delivery of facility service programs. Together with its subsidiaries, the company also provides first aid and safety products, and manages specialized garment programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries. UniFirst manufactures its own branded workwear, protective clothing, and floorcare products; and with 260 service locations, over 300,000 customer locations, and 14,000 employee Team Partners, the company outfits more than 2 million workers each business day. For more information, contact UniFirst at 800.455.7654 or visit UniFirst.com.

ABOUT THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The fifth-oldest franchise in the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers were founded on July 8, 1933, by Arthur Joseph Rooney. Pittsburgh is among the most successful franchises in League history. The Steelers have won six Super Bowl titles, tied for the most in the NFL, and appeared in eight overall. Pittsburgh has also participated in 16 conference title games and hosted 11  both, of which, are the most of any franchise in the League.

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SOURCE UniFirst Corporation
In a Phase 3 cinical study interim analysis, sabizabulin showed a 55.2% reduction in deaths compared to placebo in hospitalized adult patients with moderate-severe COVID-19 who are at high risk for ARDS

Sabizabulin also showed significant reduction of days in ICU, days on mechanical ventilation and days in the hospital

Veru submitted a request for emergency use authorization to FDA in June 2022

Veru plans to request that Health Canada utliize the NDS-CV (a prioritized, COVID specific review and authorization submission) through the ACCESS Consortium regulatory pathway

MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Valeo Pharma Inc. (TSX: VPH) (OTCQB: VPHIF) (FSE: VP2) ("Valeo" or the "Company"), a Canadian pharmaceutical company, announced today that it has entered into a Commercial Services Agreement with Veru Inc. (Veru) for sabizabulin for COVID-19 in Canada. Sabizabulin is a novel dual antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent being targeted for the treatment of hospitalized moderate-severe COVID-19 patients at high risk for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death.

"Provincial healthcare systems across the country are still battling with high numbers of COVID-19 hospitalized patients and related deaths. In a pivotal Phase 3 study, sabizabulin demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 55.2% reduction in deaths compared to placebo. It also showed a significant reduction of days in ICU, days on mechanical ventilation and days in hospital," said Steve Saviuk, CEO, Valeo. "Veru plans to pursue an expedited review process with the Canadian healthcare authorities with the objective of making sabizabulin available in Canada at the earliest time possible."

The sabizabulin Phase 3 COVID-19 clinical trial was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 204 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe COVID ( WHO 4-supplemental oxygen) at high risk for ARDS and death. The primary endpoint was the proportion of deaths by Day 60. Patients in both treatment groups were allowed to receive standard of care treatment including remdesivir, dexamethasone, anti-IL6 receptor antibodies and JAK inhibitors. Based on a planned interim analysis of the first 150 patients randomized, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee unanimously halted the study for clear clinical efficacy and no safety concerns were identified. Treatment with sabizabulin 9 mg once daily, an oral, first-in-class, new chemical entity, microtubule disruptor that has dual anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, resulted in a clinically meaningful and statistically significant 55.2% relative reduction in deaths compared to placebo. The results of the interim analysis of the Phase 3 COVID-19 study have been published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Evidence.

In June 2022, Veru submitted a request for emergency use authorization to the US FDA. Veru will be working with Health Canada and plans to submit its application via the "NDS CV" submission type  which has been created for New Drug Submissions (NDSs) that seek approval on the basis of any of the specific requirements including COVID (CV). Veru will be requesting that Health Canada utilize the ACCESS Consortium regulatory pathway which supports increased harmonization across a number of global health authorities.

About Veru

Veru is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel medicines for COVID-19 and other viral and ARDS-related diseases and for the management of breast and prostate cancers.

The Company's late-stage breast cancer development portfolio comprises enobosarm, a selective androgen receptor targeting agonist, and sabizabulin. Veru's late-stage prostate cancer portfolio comprises sabizabulin, VERU-100, a long-acting GnRH antagonist, and zuclomiphene citrate, an oral nonsteroidal estrogen receptor agonist.

About Valeo Pharma Inc.

Valeo Pharma is a fast growing Canadian pharmaceutical company dedicated to the commercialization of innovative prescription products in Canada with a focus on Respiratory/Allergy, Ophthalmology and Hospital Specialty Products. Headquartered in Kirkland, Quebec Valeo Pharma has all the necessary capabilities and a complete infrastructure to register and manage its growing product portfolio through all stages of commercialization. For more information, please visit www.valeopharma.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about Valeo's objectives, strategies and businesses that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are "forward-looking" because they are based on our current expectations about the markets we operate in and on various estimates and assumptions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions turn out to be inaccurate.

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SOURCE Valeo Pharma Inc.
CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Water Street Healthcare Partners, a strategic investor focused exclusively on the health care industry, announced today that it has appointed Ryan Pavlik as vice president of debt capital markets. Mr. Pavlik is the newest addition to Water Street's team as the firm expands its resources to support its growing group of companies specializing in health care services and technology, medical products and diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals and life sciences.

Ryan's specialized knowledge and network of relationships in the lending community will contribute greatly to our partner

In his newly created role, Mr. Pavlik will develop and support Water Street's financing strategies for new investment opportunities. He also will collaborate with Water Street's family of health care companies on debt financing initiatives that support acquisitions and other initiatives aimed at advancing their goals for growth. Mr. Pavlik has concentrated on debt financings for broadly syndicated and middle-market companies for the past eight years as vice president at Golub Capital. He began his career in investment banking with PNC Capital Markets.

Max Mishkin, partner, Water Street stated:

"Ryan's specialized knowledge and network of relationships in the lending community will contribute greatly to our partnerships with health care companies. As we pursue new investments and work with leadership teams on strategic acquisitions and initiatives that can benefit from debt financing, Ryan will be an important resource that helps us identify the best lending organizations and loan structures that address each company's unique needs and growth objectives."

About Water Street

Water Street is a strategic investor focused exclusively on health care. The firm has a strong record of building market-leading companies across key growth sectors in health care. It has worked with some of the world's leading health care companies on its investments, including Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Smith & Nephew and Walgreen Co. Water Street's team is comprised of industry executives and senior investment professionals with decades of experience investing in and operating global health care businesses. The firm is headquartered in Chicago. For more information about Water Street, visit waterstreet.com.

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SOURCE Water Street Healthcare Partners
BEIJING and XIAMEN, China, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)  a global network of more than 300 highly-connected, mutually supportive businesses and organizations  recently participated in two leading international platforms in trade and investment  the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) held in Beijing, China from August 31  September 5, 2022 and the 2022 China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) held in Xiamen, China from September 7-11, 2022. The former, CIFTIS, focuses on fast-growing and emerging areas of service trade, and is hosted annually by the China Ministry of Commerce and Beijing Municipal Government. The latter, CIFIT, focuses on connecting investors, traders, service providers and government agencies to China and the rest of the world, and is hosted annually by the China Ministry of Commerce.

Since 2016, the WTCA has served as an official international partner of CIFTIS to organize forums with its WTCA members and local partners. Earlier this year in May, the WTCA successfully co-hosted the North American leg of the 2022 CIFTIS global roadshow to learn about the opportunities and challenges of the Chinese trade service market and how CIFTIS plays a role to facilitate connections. The association has also participated in CIFIT for the past 11 consecutive years in trade missions and forums to provide access to the Chinese market for its WTC members and their business networks.

WTCA Executive Director-Business Development Robin van Puyenbroeck delivered opening remarks at both international conferences in which he commended cooperation in the healthcare sector and stressed the importance of regional economic integration platforms such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

During this year's CIFTIS, the WTCA co-hosted the "China International Healthcare Industry Development and Investment Forum." With the theme of "Innovative Medical Services to Help Building a Community of Health for All"  hosted in partnership with the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Medicines & Health Products, the Beijing Association for Trade in Services and the Huahe International Business Consultancy  the hybrid forum drew a virtual attendance of more than 250,000 viewers on the live broadcast channel.

During this year's CIFIT, the WTCA co-hosted the "21st World Business Leaders' Roundtable" with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the CIFIT Organizing Committee for the eighth consecutive year with the theme of "RCEP: A New Vision for Regional Cooperation and Development." In addition, the WTCA co-hosted the "2022 FujianMaritime Silk Road International Economic & Trade Cooperation Matching Symposium (RCEP Special Session)" with CCPIT Fujian with the theme of "Sharing Development Opportunities and Expanding Areas of RCEP Cooperation."

"After taking effect at the beginning of this year, the RCEP became the world's largest regional free-trade agreement encompassing ASEAN and major trading powers such as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, which resulted in the formation of the world's largest trading bloc comprised of 30% of the global GDP and 30% of the global population. I would like to congratulate China and other RCEP member countries for this marvelous achievement  and I firmly believe that the implementation of the agreement will boost the international trade and investment for the region as well as the world. This achievement also demonstrates China's determination to further liberalize trade to deepen its economic integration within the rest of the world, which will surely bring tremendous benefits to businesses throughout the RCEP region," said Mr. van Puyenbroeck during his keynote remarks.

MEDIA CONTACT:

World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)Chanelle KasikPhone: +1 212 432 2644Email: [email protected]

About World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)

The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a network of more than 300 highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations in 92 countries. As the owner of the "World Trade Center" and "WTC" trademarks, the WTCA licenses exclusive rights to these brands for Members to use in conjunction with their independently-owned, iconic properties, facilities and trade services offerings. Through a robust portfolio of events, programming and resources that it offers its Members, the goal of the WTCA is to help local economies thrive by encouraging and facilitating trade and investment across the globe through Member engagement. To learn more, visit www.wtca.org.

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SOURCE World Trade Centers Association
New specially designed training courses equip Zum drivers to better support students with disabilities

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zum, the leader in modern student transportation, is ensuring an even safer ride for students with disabilities by partnering with SPED Safe, which offers specialized training programs to enhance safe environments for all students, especially individuals with disabilities. The series of Specialized Training for Transportation Professionals, which are now part of the Zum SafeGuard Driver Program, are designed by distinguished experts and leaders in special education and law enforcement to support specialized services, accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities.

More than 7 million children across America have disabilities, and, for many, school transportation provides their only access to education. Through SPED Safe's decades long work in the special education field, they have designed a curriculum that prepares Zum drivers to understand the unique nature, needs and characteristics of each student's disability, and mitigate situations as they arise, regardless of that student's special need.

"Each and every student deserves the best possible care. Parents trust that we are caring for their child to the best of our ability, and our new partnership with SPED Safe is designed to ensure our drivers are well prepared to support students, no matter their mental, physical, emotional, and behavioral needs," said Ritu Narayan, CEO and founder of Zum. "Since the early days of Zum, I recognized that the disabilities community was being disproportionately affected by lack of access to sufficient school transportation. We have made it a mission of ours to provide them with the best care possible. With the enhanced training, drivers will be even more equipped than before to look after individuals who require extremely personalized attention, ensuring the safety of all students before, during and after the school ride."

Educator-backed driver curriculum

Zum's partnership with SPED Safe introduces a new six module curriculum specifically designed to train drivers on how to properly care for individuals with disabilities:

Behavioral basics: Zum drivers are trained on the ABCs of behavior, behavioral science and the principles of applied behavior analysis. This introductory training helps drivers better understand how to provide more personalized care for students.

Zum drivers are trained on the ABCs of behavior, behavioral science and the principles of applied behavior analysis. This introductory training helps drivers better understand how to provide more personalized care for students. Overview & awareness: Drivers receive an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and learn about special education law and confidentiality.

Drivers receive an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and learn about special education law and confidentiality. Structure & routine: Zum is training its drivers on the importance of structure and routine to give them the tools needed to prepare students with disabilities for any changes that may arise day-to-day.

Zum is training its drivers on the importance of structure and routine to give them the tools needed to prepare students with disabilities for any changes that may arise day-to-day. Evidence based practices: To help aid with positive reinforcement behaviors and practices, Zum drivers are trained on the types of reinforcement strategies they can take that are consistent with how educators would care for students with disabilities in the classroom.

To help aid with positive reinforcement behaviors and practices, Zum drivers are trained on the types of reinforcement strategies they can take that are consistent with how educators would care for students with disabilities in the classroom. Response & de-escalation: Whether it be a student conflict or an isolated circumstance, Zum drivers are equipped to respond to an individual appropriately based on their needs and are taught a variety of de-escalation tactics.

Whether it be a student conflict or an isolated circumstance, Zum drivers are equipped to respond to an individual appropriately based on their needs and are taught a variety of de-escalation tactics. Communicating & reporting: Transparency has always been a critical component of Zum's model. Zum is further enhancing its communications by preparing drivers to report effectively to parents, school district staff and the community for any and all incidents.

"With our combined experience of over 100 years in top leadership positions, SPED Safe is proud of its exclusive partnership with Zum because of our shared commitment to enhancing safety across Zum's school transportation operations," said Dr. Paul Lavigne, SPED Safe Co-Founder. "Zum's commitment and participation in the SPED Safe Transportation Series demonstrates their willingness to go above and beyond in enhancing school transportation experiences for students, families, and drivers alike. The SPED Safe Transportation Series in conjunction with Zum's advanced technology and safety features will redefine transportation for all students, particularly those with disabilities."

Raising the bar on industry standards

Zum is at the forefront of driving innovation in student transportation to increase the safety and well-being of all students before, during and after each and every ride. Zum is working with SPED Safe to design highly specialized courses, exclusive to Zum drivers, to ensure its drivers are qualified to provide premier service and care for students who require additional support. With enhanced training for driving professionals comes added confidence to parents and of course a sense of comfort and safety that will be felt by the students.

"Some special needs students express their frustration through actions," said Zum driver Angela Watson. "The SPED Safe training modules of the Zum SafeGuard Driver Program are how we as bus drivers are learning about the needs of each individual student and help cater to their needs. I didn't have the knowledge as a driver of the ABC SPED Module previously. It really helped me understand that sometimes students demonstrate communication through behavior."

These new training modules complement the additional safety measures provided through the Zum platform. The Zum app provides ongoing visibility into route updates, a child's location, and the driver's profile. Families can also use the app to share changes in schedule or pickup location, preferences, and feedback, as well as speak with the Zum team directly at any time. Zum also recently introduced SafeGuard, a comprehensive program ensures the quality and experience of each Zum driver, gives drivers the skills to deliver the best experience to each student on every ride and provides drivers access to its modern technology platform. More transparency, more control and better communication at every step in the process means families can worry less about how their kids are getting to and from school. This emphasis on personalized service and care is especially important for families where a child has a disability.

To learn more, visit www.ridezum.com.

About Zum

Zum has reimagined student transportation, the nation's largest mass transit system. Our integrated end-to-end cloud-based platform provides a modern service for school districts purpose-built around the needs of kids and the expectations of their families. Zum provides one seamless, real-time interface for parents, drivers, schools, districts, administrators, and operators, to transport children safely and with increased visibility and personalized care. Our multi-sized vehicle approach includes an electric vehicle-first commitment, reduces student commute times by up to 20%, and coupled with our marketplace, delivers added fleet efficiency and optimization. We have been driving the industry forward since 2015, and with more than 8 million miles completed to date, we are leading a new era of safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable transportation. Learn more at www.ridezum.com.

About SPED Safe

SPED Safe was founded by leading experts in special education and law enforcement with a commitment to enhancing safe environments for all. The SPED Safe Transportation Series was designed to address the identified gaps of preparing the school transportation system with professional learning in evidence-based practices for all students. Learn more at www.spedsafe.org.

Media Contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE Zum
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): September 13, 2022

Dr. Foods, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada 000-56277 00-0000000 (state or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification Number)

3F Ks Minamiaoyama 6-6-20 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan 107-0062 (address of principal executive offices) (zip code)

81-90-6002-4978 (registrants telephone number, including area code)

N/A (former name or former mailing address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) [ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 ( 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company [X]

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. [ ]

We, Us, Our, DRFS and or The Company refer to Dr. Foods, Inc., a Nevada Corporation.

Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

See Item 5.03 of this report which is incorporated into this Item 3.03 by this reference.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On September 13, 2022, the Company filed a Certificate of Change (the Certificate) with the Nevada Secretary of State to effect a Reverse Stock Split (the Stock Split), whereas every 200 shares of the Companys issued and outstanding Common Stock will be automatically converted into one issued and outstanding share of Common Stock, without any change in the par value per share. The effective date of the Certificate of Change is September 21, 2022. Fractional shares as a result of the Stock Split will be rounded up to the nearest whole number. The Stock Split will affect all shares of the Companys common stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Stock Split. The Authorized Shares prior and following the Stock Split will remain the same at 4,800,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

The Companys board of directors (the Board) approved the aforementioned transaction.

In accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Section 78.209, under Nevada law, no amendment to the Companys Articles of Incorporation was required in connection with the Reverse Stock Split.

The effective date listed on the Certificate of September 21, 2022 will likely differ from the market effective date when posted on FINRAs daily list. An 8-K will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission after completion of our FINRA corporate action relating to the Stock Split, which at this time remains pending. It will include additional details, including, but not limited to, information regarding the market effective date of the Stock Split when posted on FINRAs daily list.

Non-Certificated Shares; Certificated Shares: Stockholders who are holding their shares in electronic form at brokerage firms do not have to take any action as the effect of the Reverse Stock Split will automatically be reflected in their brokerage accounts. Stockholders holding paper certificates may (but are not required to) send the certificates to the Companys transfer agent at the address given below. The transfer agent will issue a new stock certificate reflecting the terms of the Reverse Stock Split to each requesting stockholder. Stockholders will be required to pay a transfer fee to exchange his, her, or its old certificates.

The contact information for the Companys transfer agent is as follows:

Olde Monmouth Stock Transfer Co., Inc.

200 Memorial Parkway

Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716

Phone (732) 872-2727

Fax (732) 872-2728

The foregoing summary of the Certificate of Change is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Certificate of Change, which is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

-2-

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

The exhibit listed in the following Exhibit Index is filed as part of this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Exhibit No. Description 3.1 Certificate of Change

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dr. Foods, Inc. Dated: September 14, 2022 /s/ Koichi Ishizuka Koichi Ishizuka Chief Executive Officer

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ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

CERTIFICATE OF CHANGE
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report:

(Date of earliest event reported)

Timberline Resources Corporation (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Commission File Number: 001-34055

_____________________________________

Delaware 82-0291227 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (IRS Employer Identification No.)

101 East Lakeside Avenue Coeur dAlene , Idaho 83814

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

( 208 ) 664-4859

(Registrants telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class Trading Symbol(s) Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered Common Stock, $0.001 par value TLRS TBR OTCQB TSX-V

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b2 of this chapter).

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. 

SECTION 7  REGULATION FD

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On September 14, 2022, the Company issued a press release entitled Timberline Intersects 22.8m at 4.29 g/t Gold in Southern Extension of Water Well Zone at Eureka Project.

A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information set forth herein and in the press release attached hereto is deemed to be furnished and shall not be deemed to be filed for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The information set forth in Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be deemed an admission as to the materiality of any information in this Current Report on Form 8-K that is required to be disclosed solely to satisfy the requirements of Regulation FD.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

*The foregoing exhibit relating to Item 7.01 is intended to be furnished to, not filed with, the SEC pursuant to Regulation FD.

2

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

TIMBERLINE RESOURCES CORPORATION Date: September 14, 2022 By: /s/ Ted R. Sharp Ted R. Sharp Chief Financial Officer

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(Tribune News Service)  As the 75th anniversary of the Air Force approaches on Sunday, it may be time to recall how a band of Dayton citizens came together nearly a century ago to persuade the federal government to not move early military aviation functions from Dayton.

Their work preserved what became Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the largest employer in one place in the state of Ohio and one of the most important Air Force bases.

The local protectiveness around military functions and history  seen today in organizations like the Dayton Development Coalition, the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park  was present from the beginning.

"Without that critical piece  without that Chamber of Commerce stuff  it (early aviation work) likely would have left entirely and gone somewhere on the East Coast," said Kevin Rusnak, chief historian of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson.

"Dayton even back then had adopted this mindsight that Dayton was the birthplace of aviation," said Steven Byington, cultural resources manager for the 88th Civil Engineer Group at Wright-Patterson.

The birthplace of aviation

Substantial research into sustainable flight began in Dayton. In a real sense, it never left. Wright-Patterson is the locus of Air Force research, logistics and sustainment.

After their historic first flight above a North Carolina beach on Dec. 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers started the heady business of learning to fly at Huffman Prairie in 1904, with permission of the field's owner, learning to turn, fly circles, figure 8s and more, Rusnak said.

There in northwestern Greene County, the brothers established a school for people buying their planes. Part of the U.S. Army's first contract involved the brothers teaching Army students how to fly the planes the military bought.

Among those first students was future Air Force five star general Hap Arnold, around 1911 or 1912.

Dayton's McCook Field became another formative location in the building of what became an Air Force base. Wilbur Wright died in 1912. World War I sparked the furtherance of aviation, inspiring the creation of flying schools across the country.

The nation realized it needed to expand its supply of planes in order to fly a war. "We needed to build and buy a lot of airplanes; we needed to crank out thousands of pilots," Rusnak said.

"We needed to create all that infrastructure to provide all of this," he added. "These sites grew up around the country. Dayton happened to be one of those."

Why Dayton? It was connected to the Wright Brothers  and also to another important local figure.

Edward Deeds, a classic early 20th century industrialist, became an Army Reserve officer in charge of supplying the nation's early air service. Rusnak sees Deeds as someone protective of Dayton's place as an industrial center.

McCook Field and more

A litany of familiar names quickly pops up in the history books: When Wilbur Wright Field began pilot training work in 1917 (near today's Area A of Wright-Patterson), it helped form what became a trio of aviation-focused sites, with McCook Field in Dayton and the Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot, a logistics operation near Wilbur Wright Field.

That logistics function may have slowed in the period between the first and second world wars. But the seeds of what became Wright-Patterson were being planted.

McCook, a small triangle of land near downtown Dayton, was home to early aeronautical research on engines, propellers, lubricants and much else besides.

Threats to all of this loomed from the beginning.

'Thanks for donating this'

Soon enough, there was was talk of moving those Wilbur Wright Field functions to bases in Texas and Alabama.

"You don't really want brand new pilots learning to fly in the ice and snow and bad weather in Dayton," Rusnak said.

So Dayton's operations switched to training armorers and mechanics early in the First World War.

Still, the threat to local operations lingered. Schools devoted to training closed as the Great War ended.

And airplanes were getting bigger, faster and more dangerous. "Occasionally, they would have airplane crashes into houses," Rusnak said.

By the early 1920s, the writing was feared to be on the wall for McCook Field and other fledgling aviation functions  and local residents sprang into action.

Like Deeds, National Cash Register founder John Patterson understood the importance of keeping engineering work in Dayton.

Community leaders banded together to create the "Dayton Air Services Committee" to convince the government not to move those functions.

In 1924, the group had a two-day fundraising campaign, raising well over $400,000 to purchase land from the Miami Conservancy District  the area's multi-county flood control effort  to give to President Calvin Coolidge and the U.S. government.

"I actually have the copy of the letter from President Coolidge saying, 'Thanks for donating this,'" Rusnak said.

"It's definitely a considerable amount, considering they did it only in about 48 hours," said Byington, the 88th Civil Engineer Group's cultural resources manager. "That was really where the business community of Dayton realized that aeronautics and aviation was going to be sort of a long-term investment for the city of Dayton."

"They really put their money where their mouth was in terms of wanting that industry to stay in the area," he said.

In 1926, federal money was allocated, with a groundbreaking on today's Area B.

Area B (Wright Field) was the home of the engineering function. And Area A (Patterson Field) focused on logistics. Today's State Route 444 became the dividing line between the two areas.

(c)2022 Springfield News-Sun, Ohio

Visit at www.springfieldnewssun.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
FORT BENNING, Ga.  Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said she promises big boosts in barracks spending in the coming years, saying she fears soldiers across the service are living in substandard quarters.

The Armys top civilian on Tuesday made her first trip to Fort Benning, Ga., and said she did not yet know how large a funding increase would be needed to the services roughly $1 billion annual budget for barracks upkeep and renovations. What is clear, Wormuth noted, is more must be done considering the situation at Fort Bragg, N.C., where post leaders last month ordered hundreds of soldiers to relocate from barracks buildings  known as Smoke Bomb Hill  where troops were living with relentless mold and an outdated, often nonworking heating and air conditioning system.

Our goal is to try to get to a point where we don't have any more Smoke Bomb Hill barracks  where we don't have a situation where there are barracks that we didn't realize were as bad as they were, Wormuth said after touring near-century-old barracks now undergoing renovations at Fort Benning. I think with an inventory of barracks as large and as old, in some cases, [as the Army has] I couldn't look you in the eye and say, No, theres nothing else like [Smoke Bomb Hill] out there. 

Wormuth and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, the services top enlisted soldier, toured Fort Bennings historic Olson Hall quarters, known as the Cuartels, during their stop at the southwest Georgia training post for the annual Army Maneuver Warfighter Conference. The senior leaders said they came away impressed with the renovation efforts at the barracks, which date to the 1920s and have for years housed Army noncommissioned officers attending advanced schooling at the installation.

Fort Benning began the Cuartels renovation project about two years ago and just recently completed the first of seven sections of the building to allow soldiers to begin moving into the upgraded quarters. That first section cost some $31 million, and Benning officials expect to spend about $30 million on the second. The full renovation, which should be completed in about a decade, is estimated to cost about $125 million, according to Amy Vaughn, resident engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District, which is leading the effort.

The upgrades include complete renovations of the buildings antiquated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, its plumbing and its electrical systems, according to Derick Wolf, the chief of engineering for Fort Bennings public works department. It also includes modern upgrades such as large bathrooms with walk-in showers, efficient toilets and LED lighting.

Im really proud of this. This is really cool, Grinston said over the background sounds of hammers and power tools after viewing the upgraded quarters and rooms in a section that has yet to be completed. Weve got to keep pushing on it and making sure were renovating barracks like this.

It takes leadership

It was Grinstons own inspection of Fort Braggs Smoke Bomb Hill barracks in late July that led installation leaders to order their near-immediate closure of 17 buildings  setting off the ongoing effort to relocate the nearly 1,200 soldiers living in subpar conditions. The 1970s-era barracks already had been planned for demolition or renovation in the coming years, but after Grinston found the quarters were hot, moldy and, in some cases, in disrepair, Bragg leaders determined they must close all the buildings as soon as possible.

The Army quickly moved some $115 million in its current budget to pay to demolish 12 of the barracks buildings and rapidly refurbish three others within about one year. Two of the Smoke Bomb Hill buildings already had been funded for some $30 million in renovations, which are expected to be completed within the next three years, Bragg officials said last week. The other three renovations will cost some $75 million and are planned to be completed within 12 months after contracts are awarded at the end of this month, officials said.

Wormuth said the rapid decision to shutter the Smoke Bomb Hill barracks and find the money to address the problem even before the next budget cycle showed her and other top service leaders commitment to do what's necessary in the year of execution to take care of our soldiers when health and safety problems come to light. She has long publicly stated soldiers quality of life is her top priority.

But it should not take the Armys top officials flying in from their Pentagon offices for installation leaders to realize soldiers are living in poor conditions in aging barracks, Grinston said.

Army leaders at every level  from the smallest units to those in charge of the services largest organizations  must listen to soldiers when they speak about their living conditions and take it upon themselves to visit barracks and other on-post quarters, the sergeant major of the Army said. They cannot simply rely on the most recent inspection grades in the Armys internal systems to determine the state of barracks.

So, if the system says this is the rating of that building, and you see something different, it takes leadership, Grinston said. That leader has to go, Hey, wait a minute, this isnt right. They have got to connect the dots at the ground level.

Grinston said he recalled visiting Fort Bennings Cuartels barracks several years ago at the request of another noncommissioned officer living in them who had complained about the conditions. Within a few years, the service had marked the old quarters for the ongoing renovations.

Weve got work to do

Wormuth on Tuesday morning told a packed auditorium of Maneuver Warfighter Conference attendees, including hundreds of uniformed soldiers, she had met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on the previous day to discuss the services barracks issue.

I think we have underinvested a little bit in housing, and so that is something that I am really, really focused on, the Army secretary told the crowd. I want to make sure that our soldiers  that you all and that your families have quality housing to live in.  And thats an area I think [in which] weve got work to do.

Barracks problems are not new for the Army. Soldiers for decades have complained of mold and inadequate heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in their living spaces, even as Army leaders publicly pledged to do better.

At Fort Stewart, Ga., 3rd Infantry Division leaders Monday held a stand down for several units so soldiers could discuss moldy barracks with post leaders after troops raised the issue through official channels and via social media posts, officials at the base said.

Wormuth said such examples show how seriously she and other Army officials are taking the issue.

She pointed to myriad issues that have contributed to substandard housing and barracks. The Army is enormous, she said. It owns thousands of barracks buildings across the world. For example, Fort Bragg  the Armys most populous base  has some 129 barracks buildings.

With so many buildings, it is not a simple task for the Army to budget for all the maintenance needed in its barracks or ensure it has insight about the state of every single room the Army owns, Wormuth said.

But she added soldiers living conditions probably have not been as high of a priority as they should have been for the service during two decades of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. More recently, the Pentagon has focused its top efforts on modernization, pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into new classes of weapons meant to prepare it for large-scale combat operations against rivals such as China or Russia.

Ultimately, Wormuth said new funding for improved quality-of-life issues, including better barracks has become a higher priority for service leaders.

With everything that we were doing in the last 20 years, where the focus was so much downrange, you know, we probably were not paying as close attention to our own infrastructure, as we are right now, she said.

She fingered one other major problem impacting living spaces across much of the Army  global climate change. Wormuth and other Army leaders have said hotter, wetter weather has made it more difficult to combat mold and air condition problems in their barracks and other on-post housing.

At Fort Bragg, officials said part of the reason that the problems at the Smoke Bomb Hill barracks arose was a hotter-than-normal summer that led to mold growth at levels that they had not previously seen. The problems were exacerbated by taxing old HVAC systems, which would fail, leaving soldiers suffering in sweltering rooms.

A lot of places  just like where we are today at Fort Benning  it's getting hotter, you're seeing more extreme weather, more rain makes it harder to deal with mold, Wormuth said. I think that that has been a key part of the challenge.

Grinston agreed, adding Congress must also do its part to ensure the Army can pay for the improvements needed to ensure barracks are hardened against a warming climate. Congress has failed repeatedly in recent years to pass a Pentagon budget before the beginning of the fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, which can impact when military officials can begin projects including construction and renovations.

It really does take timely, adequate and predictable long-term funding, Grinston said. And when you don't have that  when you don't know what [funding] is going to be exactly two years from now  Its hard to go, Hey, were going to renovate this level. We don't have unlimited funds in the Department of the Army.
WASHINGTON  The Coast Guard will step up operations in the increasingly contested Arctic region, crack down on illegal fishing and forced labor, and improve oil spill response under legislation approved Wednesday by a Senate committee wary of competition from Russia and China.

Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation said the Coast Guards mission is growing in importance as melting ice in the Arctic creates a new frontier for economic and navigational opportunities. Russia and China are developing a robust military presence in the region, with Russia boasting the largest icebreaker fleet in the world and China planning to build the largest icebreaker.

To meet that emerging threat, lawmakers want to authorize $841 million for a third Polar Security Cutter icebreaker ship for the Coast Guard and $20 million to establish an Arctic Security Cutter program office, which will begin work on the next generation of medium icebreakers.

We are not just discussing the Arctic theoretically but making real investments, said Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve and a member of the committee.

Members of the service, or Coasties, are also expected to see more options for child care, better access to affordable housing and expanded medical care and education opportunities as they fulfill a mission to safeguard ports and waterways and secure the maritime economy, according to the Coast Guard Authorization Act for fiscal years 2022 and 2023.

The bill would authorize $14.94 billion for the service for fiscal 2023, which begins Oct. 1. It would amount to a 21.5% budget increase from fiscal 2021. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation overwhelmingly advanced the legislation on Wednesday.

In my view, the Coast Guard often gets overlooked on many issues  funding, support, retirement  Im glad to say that this bill makes good strides in a couple areas that will bring the Coast Guard up to what the other services in the military have, Sullivan said.

The Coast Guard is the only military branch that falls outside the jurisdiction of the Defense Department and instead operates in peacetime under the Department of Homeland Security. During times of war, it can be transferred to the Navy by order of the president or Congress.

Lawmakers said they also are prioritizing efforts to end illegal fishing and forced labor on the high seas, acts largely committed by China. The bill calls for new enforcement and coordination to catch illegal fishermen and provides new training for Coast Guard personnel to identify instances of oppressive child labor in the international fishing industry.

Another major priority is improving the Coast Guards response to oil spills across the country, said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the committees chairwoman. The legislation requires the creation of a new program to improve response operations and a national study on regional and local oil spill response plans and their effectiveness.

The size of the Coast Guard will remain the same as in previous years, with an active-duty force of 44,500, according to the bill.

Service members are poised to see multiple new benefits under the legislation.

The Coast Guards child care subsidy program will get a 56% funding boost, giving families more help to pay for nannies or other types of child care. A new pilot program would assist families with fertility treatments while another will allow members to request a transfer to billets located near fertility treatment facilities.

Lawmakers are pushing the Coast Guard to improve access to affordable housing, pointing to skyrocketing costs in coastal communities where units are often based. The national housing shortage, aging Coast Guard housing and short-term vacation rentals have left many families without options, senators said, and the Coast Guard needs to study and develop a viable plan to address the issue.

The Coast Guard would also be required to develop a 10-year strategy to enhance diversity in its ranks and establish a partnership program with an institution serving underrepresented communities, according to the bill. A study last year found the representation of women and minorities declined as rank increased.

These demographics are largely the cumulative effect of the service's personnel system in which the pool of potential senior leaders narrows at each stage of the career life cycle, along with the number of candidates from underrepresented groups, according to Rand Corp., the studys author.

Other legislative measures are set to improve service member access to medical care and training. The bill establishes a behavioral health policy for the Coast Guard and authorizes research into expanding telemedicine at remote stations such as Cape Disappointment in Washington state.

Another provision raises limits on how many members can enroll in post-graduate programs, aiming to raise the number of Coast Guard members training in the medical field.

Senators said they are also looking to clamp down on sexual assault, within the Coast Guard and the maritime industry. Their bill would expand penalties for failures to report sexual assault and harassment at sea and provide the Coast Guard with the authority to revoke credentials to mariners who have committed certain sex crimes.

An additional provision establishes a process for mariners to report crimes to the Coast Guard.

Despite being under resourced, our Coast Guard men and women continue to fulfill their mission saving American lives, protecting our homeland and keeping maritime transportation flowing safely, said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. This bill would provide substantial support for these men and women.

The Coast Guard last year assisted more than 20,400 people in search-and-rescue missions and saved more than 4,500 lives, according to Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
SOUTHERN INDIANA (Tribune News Service)  A former Clarksville-based United States Marine Corps. recruiter is facing additional sex crimes charges after first being charged in a separate case in Clark County.

Police found evidence of at least one other victim after investigating the cellphones of Steven Robinson following an incident in August.

In both cases he's accused of using his position as a Marine recruiter to groom minors. The charges in the second case stem from cellphones Jeffersonville Police placed into evidence and were granted a search warrant to investigate. Robinson, 24, was back in court Tuesday.

In this case, he 's facing two felony 5 child seduction charges. He's also facing four felony 6 child pornography charges.

In the first case Robinson is charged with one count of child seduction, a Level 5 felony; two counts of Level 6 possession of child pornography and one misdemeanor count of false informing in a separate case.

Jeffersonville Detective Jonathan Herring wrote in the probable cause affidavit that after investigating digital evidence on the phones he was able to determine there was another potential victim.

While searching one of Robinson's phones the detective said he located naked photos of another minor.

After contacting the minor's parent police were able to confirm the teenager was in the process of joining the Marine Corps. The minor's parent said she and the minor's guardian had actually gone to the recruiting center previously, but were told they couldn't go inside.

The juvenile told the guardian she and Robinson had engaged in sexual contact. The juvenile told police she and Robinson met over Snapchat and that he sent her the friend request.

On one occasion Robinson allegedly picked up the victim so the pair could engage in physical training to prepare her for the Marines. On two other occasions Robinson allegedly picked up the victim and they engaged in sexual conduct at the Marine office.

The victim's guardian told police she thinks Robinson was using his position as a Marine recruiter to prey on girls. She said she was under the impression he was picking up the minor to help her get into physical shape for the military and to help tutor her in math.

According to evidence police said they found in the case, there are messages between Robinson and the victim in which the victim tells him they are in high school.

Police said Robinson was using an application on his phone that enabled him to screenshoot and save photos from Snapchat without the other party knowing it.

In the initial case against Robinson, involving another victim, Jeffersonville Police said in the probable cause affidavit they were called to a hotel on Aug. 16 where they found Robinson and a minor engaging in sexual activity.

Officers said at first they had determined it was consensual, but were tipped off that Robinson might be a USMC recruiter. Evidence showed that it was likely Robinson was using his position as a Marine recruiter to groom this juvenile as well.

According to court documents, Robinson was released today on bond. He's ordered not to have contact with victims or anyone else under the age of 18.

Robinson's recruiting privileges have been revoked and he is no longer permitted to be at the recruiting office.

(c)2022 The Evening News and The Tribune (Jeffersonville, Ind.)

Visit The Evening News and The Tribune (Jeffersonville, Ind.) at newsandtribune.com

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CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa  Born in the midst of World War II, the Marine Corps 3rd Division played key roles on Guam and Iwo Jima and again in Vietnam at Khe Sanh and the evacuation of Saigon.

Subsequent generations of its Marines fought in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. From its beginnings, the division has stood watch in the Western Pacific.

On Wednesday, Marines and sailors of the 3rd Marine Division, flanked by rocket launchers, artillery pieces and U.S. state flags, marked the divisions 80th anniversary with a ceremony beneath a scorching September sky.

I am proud of each and every one of the thousands of young men and women who had volunteered and honorably served over these 80 years, division commander Maj. Gen. Jay Bargeron said to Marines at parade rest on the Camp Hansen field and to guests filling the nearby bleachers.

Some better known than others, but together collectively they've been the real strength of the division, Bargeron said. Men and women of many different backgrounds but with one important thing in common: selfless desire to serve their country as Marines and sailors.

Activated on Sept. 16, 1942, at Camp Elliott in San Diego, the division was relocated permanently to Okinawa in November 1969.

Along the way, the Fighting Third has produced more than 40 Medal of Honor recipients, earned 11 streamers for its unit flags, including two presidential citations, in World War II, Vietnam, the Global War on Terrorism and humanitarian relief efforts in Indonesia in 2004. It also took part in Operation Tomodachi, the effort to assist survivors of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that leveled communities in northeastern Japan in March 2011.

These decisions to sacrifice and to put others before themselves, these decisions are really the lifeblood of our nation and these individual decisions to serve continue to be made today, Bargeron said.

The 3rd Marine Division today is a stand-in force ready to seize and control key maritime terrain on the island chain that stretches from northern Japan down through Okinawa and the Philippines, according to the division's mission statement.

The division has five major elements, including the recently constituted 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment in Hawaii and the 12th and 4th Marine Regiments, the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion and the Headquarters Battalion on Okinawa, Japan.

We are the first line of defense, we are the caltrap, along with the Japanese and our joint partners, Sgt. Matthew Wampler told Stars and Stripes after the ceremony. The caltrap, the divisions symbol, is a spiked weapon deployed on the ground to slow an enemys advance.

Wampler, 24, a native of Seattle and a radio operator with the headquarters battalion communications company, has been in the Corps for six years. He said he enlisted in the Marines because they are the best of the best.

Sgt. Apreanna Johnson, 28, of Chicago, a 10-year Marine who served in Afghanistan in 2014, carried the colors for 4th Marine Regiment during the ceremony at Hansen.

To me our motto means to be mentally and physically strong, ensuring we incorporate our [military occupational specialties] into the Marine Corps concept as a whole, she told Stars and Stripes. I work in supply, but I am also a Marine, I am a rifleman, so I need to be ready to deploy.

Bargeron concluded the hourlong ceremony by thanking the divisions troops.

Together every day we operate within range of clear threats to our peace and security, and we do so with great confidence, he said. Its a confidence thats rooted in the commitment of our allies and partners in the trust of our fellow Marines and sailors and in the legacy of fidelity, honor and valor forged by those who went before us we owe them past and present a great debt.
ITOMAN, Okinawa  Larry Paleno, 61, had never been outside the United States, but he dropped everything and flew to Okinawa on Friday after learning that a team of volunteers may have discovered the remains of his uncle lost in World War II.

Marine Pfc. John Quinn Jr., was killed June 29, 1945, one week after the Battle of Okinawa ended, when he entered a supposedly cleared cave in Itoman for souvenirs and was ambushed by Japanese soldiers. He died alongside Pvt. John Hartman, who rushed in to save him. The cave was sealed after the Japanese troops refused to surrender.

On the eve of Palenos visit, Kuentai-USA, a Japan-based non-governmental organization working to find Quinn and Hartman, unearthed what it thinks are Quinns remains. Paleno grew emotional Saturday morning after viewing the spot where his uncle was believed to lie.

Very surreal; wow, he said, his voice wavering. All these volunteers; its unbelievable, all the work theyve done in that cave to find him.

The apparent discovery of Quinns remains on Sept. 6 capped a long journey for Paleno, a recently retired union electrician from Kings Park, N.Y. He began researching his uncle in 2006 after watching Steven Spielbergs classic film Saving Private Ryan.

His efforts took on a greater urgency a year later after his uncle, Gerald Quinn, requested a memorial Mass for his long-lost brother that was attended by dozens of family and friends.

When I started, nobody knew anything about him; you know, what happened to him, where he was. Every story was different, Paleno told Stars and Stripes on Saturday.

He said his search picked up steam after stumbling upon the 6th Marine Divisions website. Bill Pierce, a veteran of the battle and then public affairs director for the organization, helped Paleno request Quinns service record and casualty file from the National Archives. In those files, Paleno found the coordinates for the cave on Okinawa.

Subway search

In 2011, retired Marine Maj. Kerry Quinn, no relation to Pfc. Quinn, contacted the family to return one of the missing Marines dog tags that had been found in the cave. Paleno traveled to Washington, D.C., the following year to accept it and met then-Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos.

About six years later, Paleno, on his way to work one day aboard the subway, Googled his uncles name. He was shocked to learn that Kuentai had begun looking for Quinn. He reached out to the groups secretary general, Yukari Akatsuka, and started planning for a trip.

The pandemic hit, and we couldn't go, he said.

Paleno lost touch with the group in the two years that followed. Kuentai went back to excavate the cave in April. Paleno reconnected with the group during a second dig in July and again started to plan a visit.

If I dont come now, Ill never come, he recalled. It was something that I had to come see.

Meanwhile, Kuentai volunteers made a promising discovery.

On Sept. 5, they were trying to clear a giant rock that had caved in over the years when Senior Airman Lukas Maschmeier, 23, of the 18th Component Maintenance Squadron at Kadena Air Base, spotted an American-made rubber boot sole. The volunteers agreed to focus their efforts in that area.

The following day, they found another of Quinns dog tags, then a Marine Corps ring, a belt buckle, a Marine Corps button and bones and teeth. They paused digging and cordoned off the area to await Palenos arrival.

Now, looking at the outside of that area, it looks like fragments of a skull right there, Maschmeier said Saturday, describing the discovery as he prepared to reenter the cave. The volunteers also found what looks like a pelvic bone.

This right here is the fruits of repatriation, literally giving remains and personal effects back to the family, Maschmeier said.

Nobody looked

Airman 1st Class Collin Brady, 21, of the 18th Munitions Squadron, believes they have found Quinns final resting place.

It was under a big ol rock, he said. Nobody ever looked under that rock, and its just kind of amazing that we somehow pinpointed that location, and its even more amazing that Larrys here, all the way from New York.

Brady helped find Quinns dog tag and what could be his Marine Corps boot camp graduation ring.

As Paleno stood outside the cave holding his uncles dog tag, tears streamed down his face. Later that day, while recovering what they believe to be Quinns remains, Kuentai volunteers also found teeth they believe could belong to Hartman.

On Monday, Paleno accompanied Kuentai to the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum in Mabuni to turn over the recovered remains. He hopes they will be given to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to identify and return to the family for burial. Quinn still has two siblings who remember him well.

We wanted to find him and bring him home and bury him with our family and we never thought that would be realized, Paleno said. But I have no doubt that thats him and maybe that will happen someday. Im so grateful.
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  A B-1B Lancer bomber diverted to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, after an air refueling incident involving a KC-135 Stratotanker over the weekend, according to Pacific Air Forces.

The Stratotanker, an aerial refueler, belongs to the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa; the Lancer is attached to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., PACAF spokesman Capt. Brandon Romano told Stars and Stripes in an email Wednesday.

The B-1 landed at Andersen AFB and the KC-135 landed at Yokota AB without incident, he said. No injuries were reported. Yokota Air Base is in western Tokyo.

The incident happened Saturday during a bomber task force mission, Romano said.

An investigation will determine the extent of damage to both military aircraft, said Romano, who did not provide details of the incident.

During bomber task force missions, Air Force crews fly throughout the world at a moment's notice to help maintain global stability and security while enabling units to become familiar with operations in different regions, according to the Air Force website.

The missions have become commonplace in the Indo-Pacific as part of U.S. demonstrations in response to Chinas military asserting itself in the region.

Photographs released by the 28th Bomb Wing show B-1Bs taking off from Ellsworth on Aug. 19 and returning the next day from a long-duration mission to the Indo-Pacific region.

The refueling incident was described as an in flight emergency by 374th Airlift Wing spokesman 1st Lt. Danny Rangel in an email Monday.

Rangel provided no details of the emergency.

An incoming charter aircraft traveling to Yokota was diverted to Narita International Airport in nearby Chiba prefecture as a result, he said.

An investigation will determine the extent of damage to both military aircraft, Romano said.
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan  The commander of U.S. Forces Japan drew on personal ties to Great Britain when expressing condolences upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Ricky Rupp, who oversees U.S. military relations with Japan from his headquarters at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, recalled his birth and upbringing in England while remembering the queens service to her country.

Queen Elizabeth II served as a world leader of unassailable character for more than 70 years demonstrating unwavering determination and resolve in pursuing global peace and prosperity, Rupp said in a statement Tuesday.

Rupp was born in England to a British mother and graduated from an English secondary school, according to the official statement posted on USFJs official Facebook page and Twitter account.

For me personally, I am especially touched by the outpouring of support to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom, he wrote.

Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at Balmoral, her estate in Scotland, at age 96. She occupied the British throne for 70 years, the longest reign of any monarch in her nations history. She provided the kingdom an inspirational figure from its lean years following World War II and its loss of empire, through the Cold War, scandals within the royal family and the onset of a digital age.

Her steady hand bolstered the Alliance between our two great democracies and helped build a rules-based international order, rooted in close cooperation and shared democratic values, Rupp wrote. Queen Elizabeth served as Queen through good times and bad and was always a rock upon which people could lean on.

Rupps grandfather served in the Royal Artillery in World War II, he wrote. His mother survived German bombings of her village during the war.

As commander of USFJ, Rupp is the senior U.S. military representative in Japan. To him fall questions about the U.S. military presence in Japan, plans for military exercises and combat readiness of the U.S. forces there and issues affecting day-to-day life of the 66,000 service members and civilian Defense Department employees and their 45,000 dependents, according to the USFJ website. He also commands 5th Air Force, which encompasses units at Yokota, Misawa and Kadena air bases in Japan.

According to his official resume, Rupp has served at bases across the U.S., Japan, Germany and South Korea but not, so far, in the United Kingdom, where the Air Force has a sizable presence.
Moscow's rapid loss of more than 2,300 square miles of territory in northeastern Ukraine has raised the prospect that the Russian military is spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, which could limit Russian President Vladimir Putin to defending the Ukrainian territory he already holds while leaving him open to additional defeats, according to military analysts.

The situation is a sobering reality for Putin, whose forces barreled into Ukraine on Feb. 24 on a mission to "demilitarize" and "denazify" the country but retreated from Kyiv just over five weeks later to concentrate on expanding control over Ukraine's east through artillery warfare. As Ukrainian forces roll back those eastern gains, Putin faces obstacles in replenishing the battered ranks and degraded equipment of his military to any degree that would allow Russia to again take the initiative on the battlefield.

The result is an opportunity for Ukrainian forces, which despite significant losses of their own, are hoping to make more territorial gains before winter conditions harden battle lines. Further gains by Ukraine  particularly around the southern city of Kherson  would deal additional blows to Russian morale and increase pressure on Putin, who is already facing calls by hard-line Russians to announce a general mobilization that could be politically toxic for his regime.

The rapid collapse of the Russian front around Kharkiv in recent days "reflects the structural problems with manpower and low morale in an overstretched Russian military," said Michael Kofman, a Russian military analyst at Virginia-based research group CNA.

"The Russian military's approach is fundamentally unsustainable," Kofman said. "Russian forces face exhaustion, retention problems and a steady degradation of combat effectiveness."

A "partial mobilization" in Russia could provide a boost looking into next year, Kofman said, but Russia lacks the forces in the short term to defend its territory in the south of Ukraine while also making any meaningful advances in the eastern Donbas region.

Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commander of U.S. Army Europe, said the Russian military had reached what military theorist Carl von Clausewitz called the "culminating point," or the moment when an attacking force can no longer proceed. Hodges said Ukrainian forces helped bring that about.

"What's happening now is the culmination of a couple of months of really hard work, of planning and preparation by the Ukrainian general staff, to disrupt Russian logistics, destroy command posts, destroy their artillery and ammunition supplies  to weaken them so they would be vulnerable to a counterattack," Hodges said. The key now, he said, is: "Can the Ukrainians sustain this?"

Ukraine's Western partners will continue to send weapons and intelligence to Kyiv to enable Ukrainian forces to keep up the pressure, Hodges said, but it will still be a challenge to maintain the operation with fuel, ammunition and rested personnel without losing momentum. Having so many external partners should help Kyiv, he said.

"The Russians not only have manpower problems and will-to-fight problems, they don't really have any friends," Hodges said. "Iranian drones aren't going to move the needle at all. I am very skeptical of reports of North Korean artillery ammunition coming in and making a difference."

The Ukrainian military's focus will probably shift to Kherson, the occupied city in Ukraine's south, where Russian forces are defending a vulnerable swath of territory on the eastern side of the Dnieper River. Russia has moved elite units into the area to defend the position, which will make the fight difficult for the Ukrainians, analysts said.

"The next thing that Russia will want to do is make sure things don't collapse in Kherson," said Dara Massicot, a Russian military analyst at the Rand Corp. "I think it would be very difficult for them to recover from two rapid collapses in succession."

Massicot said the mounting pressure on Moscow, with separatist proxy fighters starting to mutiny and Russian military units retreating in some cases before engaging in combat, traces back to "the very abusive way that Russia has managed its fighting force."

American officials cast the Russian failures in northeast Ukraine as something that was only a "matter of time," considering the Kremlin's months-long failure to organize, command, equip and sustain its forces on the battlefield  and Ukraine's growing arsenal of weapons from the West.

The Russian military was "riven with all kinds of weaknesses that were not apparent to the leadership and probably should have been" at the outset of their Feb. 24 invasion, according to a senior U.S. defense official, who, like some others, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

"A lot of the key elements of a strong defense are the capabilities of your soldiers, the capabilities of logistics, and command, and we've seen fractures in all of those elements, and they played out in many places over time in the east," the senior U.S. defense official said.

The rapid retreat around Kharkiv has also cost Russia critical equipment that will be difficult to replace. According to preliminary estimates from Jakub Janovsky, a military analyst and contributor to the Oryx blog tally of equipment losses, Russia lost 40 tanks, 50 infantry vehicles, 35 armored vehicles and two jets.

U.S. officials have estimated that Russia has suffered as many as 80,000 casualties since February, including more than 15,000 deaths.

The Russian open-source military analysis group Conflict Intelligence Team, now in Tbilisi, Georgia, estimated losses of equipment and personnel to be so dire that it downgraded the Russian military's fighting ability in Ukraine from "capable of attacking" to "capable of limited defense."

In particular, the Ukrainian successes around Kharkiv revealed the weakness of Russia's 11th Army Corps, based in Kaliningrad, and its vaunted 1st Guards Tank Division, based outside Moscow.

"Previously, we were not sure that the problems known to us, that we gleaned from intercepts, saying there was a lack of working equipment or negligence of commanders [in individual units], have been this systemic," the CIT expert, Ruslan Leviev, said in a Monday briefing. "But now it turned out that the 11th Army Corps was completely incapable of defending the front line."

The CIT said the 11th Army Corps was the main force responding to the Ukrainian counteroffensive but is unlikely to operate independently anytime soon, as it has been depleted following the Ukrainian advance.

The Ukrainian offensive "also revealed that the organizational structure of the 1st Tank Army was completely broken due to a large number of casualties and prolonged participation in hostilities," Leviev said, adding that losing these two formations is "a serious loss for the Russian army."

Russia's 1st Guards Tank Army is considered an elite force, "allocated for the defense of Moscow, and intended to lead counterattacks in the case of a war with NATO," the U.K.'s Defense Ministry said Tuesday in its daily intelligence update.

But CIT said the tank army has suffered massive losses since February, forcing the Russian Defense Ministry to swap service members between various units.

"So instead of independent units within one structure of a division, only fragments remained, and from these fragments, they've been forming other battalion tactical groups, and it all turned into something of a minced salad," Leviev said.

"Russia doesn't have the capacity anymore to regain the positions it lost to Ukraine," Leviev added, but CIT noted that Russia may still prove able to defend its existing positions around Kherson.

The failures on the battlefield have caused problems for Putin among hard-liners at home.

Disgruntled by the way Russia is faring in Ukraine, pro-war Telegram bloggers who boast a huge following, state media figures and even some officials have come out with rare criticism of Putin's decision to not launch a general mobilization and attempt to portray the war as a limited operation.

Sergey Mironov, the leader of A Just Russia party, publicly criticized the lavish Moscow Day celebrations in which Putin took part over the weekend, blessing a new Ferris wheel that reportedly broke down a few hours after the ceremony.

"It's time for a full-scale mobilization! But not a military one but mobilization in our minds," said Mironov, addressing the Russian parliament on Tuesday. "It cannot be that there is a war going on, and the entire country is dancing and having fun. Enough! Only the truth and an honest assessment of what is happening will help us win."

The longtime leader of the Russian Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, said that Russia's undertaking in Ukraine can no longer be called a "special military operation," the Kremlin's preferred euphemism for war.

"Over the past two months, the special operation in Ukraine and Donbas has turned into a war. Any war requires a response. First of all, maximum mobilization of forces and resources is required," Zyuganov said.

A few hours later, the party's press secretary backtracked, saying Zyuganov referred to the "mobilization of economy and the political system," not the enlistment of the entire eligible population, suggesting "those who published the news item" should be executed.

Even if Putin were to take the political risk of a general mobilization, it would take months to train and equip new soldiers and many of Russia's battlefield woes would remain unsolved.

"I have some questions about whether the system can even comply at this point with a mobilization order," Massicot said. "Who is going to train or who is going to lead these people? You are going to be relying on reserve officers. What equipment are you going to use?"
KYIV, Ukraine  Ukraines ability to expel Russian forces from its country as soon as possible now depends largely on Germany and its willingness to send desperately needed armor, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday.

But Germany is balking, causing deep frustration in Kyiv. It is an echo of the earliest days of the invasion, when Berlin was derided for offering helmets when Ukraine needed heavy weapons.

Germany needs to understand that the timeline for the end of the war is dependent on its position, Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelensky, told The Washington Post in an interview on Tuesday.

A sweeping counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region has forced Russian soldiers into a hasty retreat and returned more than 1,100 square miles to Ukrainian control, a potential turning point more than six months into the war.

Kyiv believes the requested heavy armor  including battle tanks and personnel carriers  could help shift that turning point into a tipping point. Ukrainian officials are now urging their Western partners to provide them with more weapons immediately.

The faster we receive this or that weapon from Germany, the faster Germany finally breaks this feeling of closeness with Russia, the faster the war will end, Podolyak said. He said that Ukraine is specifically asking for armored personnel vehicles and tanks to be able to support its battlefield momentum.

But Germany, so far, has been unwilling to grant the request. The German government did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday night, but has emphasized it is coordinating its response with allies.

No country has delivered Western-built infantry fighting vehicles or main battle tanks so far, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said in an event in Berlin this week. We have agreed with our partners that Germany will not take such action unilaterally.

In a Monday news conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Chancellor Olaf Scholz listed what he called extensive German weaponry already supplied, saying it had been crucial in the success of the counteroffensive.

Virtually no outside nations have provided tanks to Ukraine, instead sending aging models such as the M113, an armored personnel carrier with tracks that was first fielded by the United States in the 1960s. Denmark provided 54 M113s that were upgraded by Germany and then sent to Ukraine, according to the German defense ministry.

Poland and the Czech Republic have sent a few hundred Soviet-era T-72 tanks to Ukraine, with Germany promising to backfill their supplies. There is little doubt now that Ukraine could make use of more modern equipment, even if it would require further training.

On Monday, a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon, said that the Ukrainians have shown in their counteroffensive that they are quite effective while using armored vehicles.

So clearly, that kind of capability is important, the defense official said, adding that the United States does not have any specific plans about a specific capability at this point.

Since the first days of Russias military offensive, Germany has been accused of dragging its feet on arms deliveries to Kyiv. Initially, as Russian troops massed on Ukraines borders, Berlin said its unique world war history, and long-standing policy, meant it could not send weapons.

Days after Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion, as part of what was seen as a sea-change in the countrys defense policy, Germany said it would send arms. But the government, led by Scholz, a social democrat, has still agonized over sending heavier weapons, and since then has been criticized for the speed and scope of deliveries.

Under public and political pressure, Berlin in April announced that it had approved shipping German-made self-propelled antiaircraft guns to Ukraine, with 24 sent so far. But it has resisted calls to send tanks, including the German-made Leopard 2.

According to German media reports, the manufacturer has 100 ready to send.

During a visit to Kyiv on Saturday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told the Yalta European Strategy conference that Germany is 150 percent at the side of Ukraine and the people of Ukraine.

But in a joint news conference with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, Baerbock did not commit to supplying the equipment that Kyiv has been requesting. As the situation on the ground changes, we are reexamining our support and will discuss further steps, she said.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Kuleba echoed Podolyak, adding that Ukraine was also hoping for Marder infantry fighting vehicles. The Leopard is a tank operated by numerous NATO allies, including Canada, Poland and Turkey, while the Marder is an armored vehicle with tracks that carries infantrymen and does not have a large-caliber main gun.

Disappointing signals from Germany while Ukraine needs Leopards and Marders now - to liberate people and save them from genocide, Kuleba wrote. Not a single rational argument on why these weapons cannot be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses. What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not?

Scholzs center-left Social Democrats have historically espoused a policy of detente toward Russia, while the chancellor himself is known for an extremely cautious public style.

His government has voiced various arguments for resisting pressure to expand arms deliveries  from not wanting to trigger World War III, to saying Ukrainian troops would need training in order to operate modern weaponry. But often the statements have been contradictory.

Germany had initially said it could not spare any of its Marder infantry fighting vehicles, but later pursued a deal to send them to Slovenia so the eastern European country could send its own Soviet-era tanks onto Ukraine. Berlin entered into a similar arrangement with Poland and the Czech Republic, a swap system meant to get tanks to Ukrainian forces more quickly, but those efforts have largely stalled.

Scholz says he is carefully coordinating deliveries with western partners. And in a 90-minute call with Putin on Tuesday, Scholz said he stressed that Russia must withdraw its troops and respect Ukraines territorial sovereignty. But even among NATO allies there appears to be some frustration with Berlin.

In an interview with German television station ZDF on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann said she welcomed Germanys efforts in support of Ukraine but my expectations are even higher.

The war in Ukraine has posed a challenge to Germanys standing in Europe.

In the early days of the war, Germany, long dependent on Russian fossil fuel, was a notable sanctions holdout, particularly on energy. The Baltic nations and Poland called for a full and immediate energy embargo. Germany and others opposed the idea, arguing it would hurt Europe more than the Kremlin.

Though evidence of Russian atrocities in Bucha helped get Germany and the rest of the bloc to phase out most oil imports from Russia, frustration with Berlin has lingered, particularly in Ukraine and among central and eastern European states.

In April, Zelensky rebuffed the offer of a visit from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has a complicated history with Ukraine because of his role in the failed Minsk peace accords.

In a recent interview with Der Spiegel, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called out German energy policy and said that on Ukraine, Berlins hesitation, its inaction, seriously calls into question the value of the alliance with Germany.

And we are not the only ones saying that, he continued. I am hearing this from quite a few other heads of government in Europe as well.

Ukraines current pressure campaign on Germany comes after the latest meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of dozens of nations organized by the Pentagon. Ukrainian officials, including Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, attended and briefed the group, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Germany has defended its record and called attention to its financial and military assistance to Ukraine. In diplomatic and policy circles, however, there is still much talk of Germanys fading leadership within the European Union and in European security more broadly.

The question now is whether Ukraines most recent offensive will change Berlins calculus, spurring another major foreign policy shift.

I understand that there is still a certain conservative thinking, there are certain fears, and there is a certain regret about the missed opportunities in the energy sector with the Russian Federation, Podolyak said. We all understand this, but there will be no return to the past. And now, in my opinion, is coming a critical moment for Germany when it is necessary to express its real position, the position of the European leader.

Morris reported from Berlin, Rauhala from Brussels and Lamothe from Washington. The Washington Posts Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.
YEREVAN, Armenia  Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of instigating new rounds of shelling Wednesday across their borders as hostilities reignited between the two longtime adversaries.

Armenia's Defense Ministry accused Azerbaijani forces of launching combat drones in the direction of the Armenian resort town of Jermuk overnight and renewing shelling with artillery and mortars in the morning in the direction of Jermuk and the village of Verin Shorzha.

The Azerbaijani military, in turn, charged that Armenian forces shelled its positions in the Kalbajar and Lachin districts of Azerbaijan, near the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenia said at least 49 of its soldiers have been killed since fighting erupted early Tuesday, while Azerbaijan said it lost 50 troops.

The two ex-Soviet countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

During a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories held by Armenian forces. More than 6,700 people died in the fighting, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.

Russia moved quickly on Tuesday to negotiate an end to the latest hostilities, but a cease-fire it sought to broker has failed to hold. The two sides traded blame for violations of the cease-fire, while the international community urged calm.

"Despite the appeals of the international community and the reached cease-fire agreement, Armenian armed forces continue attacks and provocations in the state border using artillery and other heavy weapons," Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

It said two Azerbaijani civilians were injured by the Armenian shelling of the Kalbajar and Lachin districts.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday that his government has asked Russia for military support under a friendship treaty between the countries, and also requested assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Moscow-dominated security alliance of ex-Soviet nations.

"Our allies are Russia and the CSTO," Pashinyan said, adding that the collective security pact states that an aggression against one member is an aggression against all.

"We don't see a military interference as the only possibility, because there are also political and diplomatic options," Pashinyan said, speaking in his nation's parliament.

Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act in seeking to maintain friendly ties with both nations. It has strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, while also has been developing close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

Some observers saw the outbreak of fighting as an attempt by Azerbaijan to force Armenian authorities into faster implementation of some of the provisions of the 2020 peace deal, such as the opening of transport corridors via its territory.

"Azerbaijan has bigger military potential, and so it tries to dictate its conditions to Armenia and use force to push for diplomatic decisions it wants," Sergei Markedonov, a Russian expert on the South Caucasus region, wrote in a commentary.

Markedonov noted that the current flare-up of hostilities comes just as Russia has been forced to pull back from areas in northeastern Ukraine after a Ukrainian counteroffensive, adding that Armenia's request for assistance has put Russia in a precarious position.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of other CSTO members discussed the situation in a call late Tuesday, urging a quick cessation of hostilities. They agreed to send a mission of top officials from the security alliance to the area.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the mission will deliver a report assessing the developments to the leaders of CSTO member states. "The situation has remained tense," Peskov said in Wednesday's conference call with reporters.

On Friday, Putin is set to hold a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they both plan to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security grouping dominated by Russia and China.

Aida Sultanova in London and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive in northeast Ukraine has forced Russia to surrender a wide swath of territory that it spent months, and many lives, capturing.

Videos and photos posted on social media have provided a glimpse into what Russian troops left behind during their hasty retreat.

In videos verified by The Washington Post, Ukrainian troops have documented war machines in various states, from combat-ready tanks to vehicles in need of repair. In some cases, Ukrainian forces have obliterated Russian weapons, leaving smoldering vehicles to be discovered by the advancing forces. Russian forces may have also damaged their own weapons as they retreated.

Many of the discoveries were clustered around Izium, a strategic city southeast of Kharkiv positioned along transportation routes that had been key to Russian movements. The city also became an important intake for armored vehicles in need of maintenance, said Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.

The abandonment started from the Russian side pretty quickly once it became clear that the highways and the railway connection north were cut off, Bronk said.

Video filmed by approaching Ukrainian forces on the edge of Izium is notable for what it shows  and doesnt show. The state of the equipment at the site is unclear, though much of it appears to lack significant damage. There are enough tanks for everyone, someone can be heard saying. Look how many there are.

After Russia captured Izium, video and satellite imagery showed military vehicles at the same site  indicating it may have been used as an equipment hub.

In the video posted Sunday, several tanks and armored personnel carriers are dispersed throughout a wooded area. They appear to be assembled in a circular formation, allowing 360 degrees of visibility, said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former commander of U.S. Army Europe. Its possible Russian forces stopped for fuel or were waiting for a mission when they fled, Hodges said.

Hodges, who examined the video, said it appears that the Russians withdrew hastily, leaving behind tanks that show no outward signs of being sabotaged to prevent their use by the Ukrainians. The Russians may have left on foot or in other vehicles in an attempt to keep a lower profile as they fled.

If you get out of the tank to escape, its because you think the tank is a target, Hodges said.

Vehicles abandoned in serviceable condition are a boon to Ukrainian forces, who have suffered their own losses with a much smaller inventory still reliant on Soviet-era systems. While their crews work quickly to repair their own stocks, Ukrainian forces can also absorb newer Russian vehicles into their ranks because their design is familiar and they use ammunition already in circulation.

The equipment left behind in the video amounts to about a tank company, Hodges said, which is typically outfitted with about 10 or 11 tanks.

Several of them are variants of the T-80, a high-powered tank prone to breakdowns, Bronk said.

Some of them are no doubt reasonably functional, he said. You would expect at a major staging point that there would be quite a lot of equipment that is there specifically because it was damaged or needed servicing.

 Ukrainian forces driving through Izium, the city is empty. Russian forces abandoned their equipment and retreated. #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/3dRoTBnSmZ  MilitaryLand.net (@Militarylandnet) September 11, 2022

Another video, taken along a street in central Izium, shows a marooned 2S19 Msta self-powered howitzer. The system does not have obvious signs of being disabled.

Other pictures taken in Izium show heavier damage to Russian military equipment, indicating they were hit in battle. One armored vehicle can be seen at a gas station in the city with bullet holes, burn marks and deflated tires.

There is no panic thread.



Part I. pic.twitter.com/SCwoZ4zM94  Kriegsforscher (@OSINTua) September 11, 2022

Ukrainian forces published a video showing the husk of a TOS-1A, a multiple-rocket launcher, using its nickname Solntsepyok.

The soldier knew the nickname as well.

Oh, sunshine! he says in the video.

The system is capable of launching thermobaric munitions, which first distribute a fuel aerosol before another charge ignites the cloud, helping cause a greater explosion used to target fortified positions. It can be an indiscriminate and catastrophic weapon for people near its target.

Oryx, an open-source analyst site, has documented only five TOS-1As in Russian stocks that have been damaged, destroyed or captured.

As Ukrainian soldiers took stock of weaponry left behind in Izium, officials said they are still pushing farther into Russian-held areas. On Monday, the Ukrainian military said it had taken a further 20 settlements in 24 hours.
BOSTON  Homeland Security is diverting nearly $650,000 to a victims' compensation fund from the sale of a suburban Boston home that belonged to a couple authorities say illegally did business with a Syrian electronics company, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The Syrian company was involved in the acquisition of parts that could be used to build improvised explosive devices and used against United States and coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. authorities said.

The $642,702 was recovered through a civil forfeiture action against the former residence of Anni Beurklian, and her husband, Antoine Ajaka, who operated Top Tech U.S. Inc. from the Waltham home, according to a statement from the office of U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins.

Beurklian and Ajaka fled the U.S. in early 2018 before they were indicted on several charges including illegal provision of services to Syria and smuggling. They are now believed to be in either Lebanon or Syria, prosecutors said.

No defense attorney was listed in court records.

Their business from 2014 until 2018 exported electronics, computer equipment and other items to customers in Lebanon and Syria, according to federal authorities.

One customer was Syria-based EKT Electronics, which the U.S. government alleged was "involved in activities related to the acquisition, attempted acquisition and/or development of improvised explosive devices, which were being used against United States and coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan."

The U.S. requires anyone doing business with EKT to obtain an export license, which authorities say Top Tech failed to do.

Beurklian and Ajaka filed a claim to maintain ownership of the home, but last year a federal judge denied the claim under the fugitive disentitlement law, which allows the court to deny a claim in a civil forfeiture case from a person trying to avoid criminal prosecution.

Homeland Security Investigations sold the home for more than $856,000, three-quarters of which will go to the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, prosecutors said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. There no question that Russia has outsized influence with both Azerbaijan and Armenia and the United States have called on Russia and continues to call on Russia to use that influence and to use that leverage in a way that helps to achieve a cessation of hostilities, and more broadly a de-escalation of those tensions, United States Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said at a press briefing.

Of course, weve seen tensions simmering in the Caucasus for quite some time. Its precisely why we have been concerned about the potential for violence and in more recent hours the reports of attacks along the Armenian-Azerbaijan border. Secretary Blinken has been personally engaged on this. It is why we and he put out a statement last night just within hours of these escalation of tensions calling for an immediate cessation of violence. Its why he picked up the phone in the wee hours. He was on the phone until after 1:00 a.m. Eastern with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan underscoring for them the importance of the core message that he issued in his statement, namely the imperative of an immediate cessation of these hostilities. He urged President Aliyev to cease hostilities immediately, to disengage military forces, and to work to resolve all outstanding issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan through peaceful negotiations, Price said.
(Tribune News Service)  Spies and Navy SEALs are not the only ones who don night vision goggles  at least not anymore.

Now, elite firefighting pilots wear them too.

A handful of firefighting pilots in California, in fact, have used new night goggle technology to combat the destructive Fairview Fire near Hemet and the vast Mosquito fire in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The new, yet dangerous-to-use goggles, allow pilots to get closer to wildfires at night, spot new flareups and gather other crucial information.

The state-of-the-art goggles and Cal Fire's modified Blackhawk helicopter are being used, for the first time, to fight wildfires at night.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has 12 modified Blackhawk helicopters that are about 33% faster than the reliable Huey aircraft and carry far more water. But only a few of these new Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopters carry the night goggle technology  and pilots must be specially trained because it's difficult to master.

The elite group of goggle-trained firefighting pilots have attacked vast fires at night in Northern and Southern California, playing a role in the Fairview fire that killed two and blackened 28,000 acres in the Inland Empire. A modified Blackhawk has pulled 1,000 gallons of water at a time from Diamond Valley Lake to drop on the Fairview fire.

The night-vision goggles use technology that works on a subatomic level, converting photons into electrons and then multiplying them. Tiny flashes from the electrons brighten the image the user sees through the goggles.

The new night technology makes firefighter pilots "ready for extended attack," a Cal Fire spokesman said in an interview with Fox Channel 40 Sacramento, which is covering the Mosquito fire. The Mosquito fire is the largest in California, blackening 50,000 acres and destroying 24 homes.

Only a handful of pilots, according to Cal Fire, are trained to use the night vision goggles, whose technology makes flying far more challenging.

Normally, a firefighting pilot has a 200-degree field of view. But when wearing the night goggles, their field of vision is far narrower  40 degrees.

For years, attempts to attack wildfires at night were seen as dangerous, and Cal Fire limited its efforts to daylight hours.

But now, thanks to intensive training of pilots who use the advanced aviation technology, night flying operations are expected to expand.

That will give firefighters another tool to fight deadly and destructive wildfires  a tool once reserved for spies and SEALs.

San Gabriel Valley Tribune staff writer Jeff Goertzen contributed to this report.

(c)2022 San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif.

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Earl J. Silbert was in bed when the telephone rang early in the morning of June 17, 1972, rousing him from his sleep.

A colleague was on the other end of the line, calling to inform Mr. Silbert, then the principal assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, of the strange events that had transpired hours earlier at the Watergate complex on the banks of the Potomac River. Five men wearing business suits had been arrested in an attempt to bug the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. One of them was James W. McCord Jr., the security chief for President Richard M. Nixons reelection campaign and a former CIA employee.

It was going to be a hot case, Mr. Silbert recalled years later. The only thing open was how hot was hot going to be.

By his own account, Mr. Silbert did not immediately grasp the cases magnitude when, as the first prosecutor in the matter of the Watergate affair, he set out to obtain indictments of the five burglars and two key co-conspirators, former White House aides G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt. He said he regarded the break-in as too clumsy to be the work of anyone but underlings, and too foolish to have been approved by anyone of real power.

You always assume  and maybe that was a mistake  an underlying rationality, he told the New York Times in 1975.

In the two years after the Watergate burglary, the investigation started by Mr. Silbert and carried forward by special prosecutors, inquiries by congressional panels and reporting by newspapers including The Washington Post revealed a pattern of corruption and coverup reaching deep into the White House. On Aug. 9, 1974, confronted by overwhelming evidence of his role in the wrongdoing, Nixon became the first U.S. president in history to resign.

Mr. Silbert died Sept. 6 at a hospital in Keene, N.H., his family said. He was 86 and had suffered an aortic dissection. After Watergate, he served for five years as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and later established a private practice in Washington. But he remained forever associated with the case that began that summer morning in 1972, when he was a 36-year-old federal prosecutor known for his polished manner as Earl the Pearl.

During the Watergate prosecution and in the years since, Mr. Silberts critics have argued that he fell severely short by leading an investigation that focused narrowly on Liddy, Hunt and the burglars  known as the Watergate Seven  instead of pursuing higher-ranking Nixon associates who eventually went to prison for their role in the Watergate affair. They included, among others, former attorney general John N. Mitchell, former White House chief of staff H.R. Haldeman and former domestic affairs adviser John D. Ehrlichman.

Defenders of Mr. Silbert insist that his goal was to conduct the prosecution in an apolitical manner and that he performed ably under impossible conditions  including the interference of acting FBI director L. Patrick Gray III, who thwarted the Watergate investigation by furnishing information about the inquiry to John W. Dean III, the Nixon White House counsel who later pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

Mr. Silbert worked on the Watergate prosecutions with two co-counsels, Seymour Glanzer and Donald E. Campbell, as well as investigators including FBI agent Angelo J. Lano. They obtained indictments of the Watergate Seven in September 1972 and won convictions in January 1973 of McCord and Liddy, whom Mr. Silbert had identified as the man in charge of the burglary.

Hunt and four burglars, Bernard L. Barker, Frank A. Sturgis, Eugenio R. Martinez and Virgilio R. Gonzalez, all pleaded guilty. McCord later helped blow open the Watergate investigation by asserting in a letter to the judge in the Watergate case, John J. Sirica, and in testimony before the Senate Watergate Committee that perjury had occurred in the trial and that he had been told White House officials including Mitchell and Dean were complicit in the Watergate bugging scheme.

During the trial, Sirica, plainly dissatisfied, had discarded traditional judicial restraint by expressing his incredulity at witness testimony, questioning witnesses from the bench and pushing prosecutors to pursue the case more aggressively.

Mr. Silbert said his strategy was to first obtain indictments of the burglars and their immediate supervisors. Those indictments  and the convictions, plea deals and immunity to follow - would help investigators close in on higher-ranking conspirators.

There is an unwritten rule in the Justice Department, he told Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who recorded his remarks in their 1974 book All the Presidents Men. The higher up you go, the more you have to have them by the balls.

Amid mounting evidence of a coverup and growing impatience on Capitol Hill about the speed and scope of the investigation, Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson appointed special prosecutor Archibald Cox to assume authority for the Watergate investigation in May 1973. Cox was fired in the Saturday Night Massacre that October and was succeeded by Leon Jaworski.

In his 2022 book Watergate: A New History, journalist and historian Garrett M. Graff wrote that Mr. Silbert and his two co-counsels regarded the appointment of the special prosecutor as an insult  and too late to be of any help.

Glanzer died in 2018. Campbell, the surviving co-counsel, told The Post after Mr. Silberts death that everything Earl did was to perfection.

His whole goal was we follow the evidence and we go from there, Campbell said. Meanwhile, Lano recalled, we were getting lies from everyone.

Asked about his handling of the Watergate investigation, Graff said in an interview that I think to this day we dont have a good sense of what kinds of internal pressures Earl Silbert was under, and to what degree any shortcomings of the prosecution were due to his not wanting to know the answers versus being told not to find the answers.

I think it is inescapable, Graff also observed, that Earl Silbert failed to answer any of the hard questions of the Watergate conspiracy at the time the case was in his control.

Mr. Silbert became interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia in January 1974 and was later officially nominated for the post by Nixon. The nomination encountered resistance in the Senate, where Mr. Silbert was asked to defend the Watergate prosecution. He was renominated twice by President Gerald Ford, Nixons successor, before his ultimate confirmation  after a wait of nearly two years  in October 1975.

Mr. Silberts champions during the confirmation process included members of the Washington bar and judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia  as well as Cox and Jaworski.

There are points on which my judgment might have varied from yours, Cox had written to Mr. Silbert and his colleagues when they stepped down from the Watergate prosecution. But thus far in the investigation, Cox continued, none of us has seen anything to show that you did not pursue your professional duties according to your honest judgment and in complete good faith.

Earl Judah Silbert was born in Boston on March 8, 1936, and grew up nearby in Brookline. His mother was a social worker and homemaker. His father, a lawyer, had served briefly as a Republican member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The younger Mr. Silbert was a Democrat.

After graduating in 1953 from the private Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, Mr. Silbert enrolled at Harvard University, where he received a bachelors degree in history in 1957 and a law degree in 1960. He began his legal career in the Justice Departments tax division and worked in private practice after stepping down as U.S. attorney in 1979. His clients included Kenneth L. Lay, the Enron founder who was convicted in 2006 on conspiracy and fraud charges related to the energy firms collapse.

Mr. Silberts survivors include his wife of 52 years, the former Patricia Allott of Chevy Chase, Md.; two daughters, Leslie Silbert of New York City and Sarah Silbert of Randolph, Vt.; a sister; and three grandchildren.

In recent years, Mr. Silbert worked with his daughter Leslie on a forthcoming memoir, The Missing Watergate Story. He recalled in the book that the Watergate prosecution made him a lightning rod not only in public, but also at home. His wife, who had worked on the campaign of George S. McGovern, Nixons Democratic opponent in the 1972 election, loathed Nixon, Mr. Silbert wrote, and was convinced he was involved from the start.

She frequently proclaimed him guilty, and my stock response  Show me the evidence  infuriated her, Mr. Silbert wrote. I sympathized. Sharing a home with one of the few people in the country who had inside information on the most-talked-about mystery of the day  and revealed none of it  could only have been maddening.

One evening, he recalled, his wife became so frustrated by his reticence that she lost all patience and emptied her glass of port onto my legal pad.

I couldnt win anywhere, Mr. Silbert wrote. But that was the job.
(Tribune News Service)  A former National Guardsman accused of raping another soldier during a drill weekend in 2019 accepted a deal last month where he was convicted of felony aggravated assault, and, in exchange, two counts of gross sexual assault were dropped.

David Cyr, who served with the Maine Army National Guard, entered a no contest plea to the assault charge on Aug. 18 during a Zoom hearing in Washington County Superior Court, according to his lawyer, Jeffrey Davidson. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but nevertheless results in a conviction much like a guilty plea.

Cyr, whom the Guard discharged earlier this year, is now serving a 90-day jail sentence at the Washington County Jail in Machias and will then serve three years of probation. The plea deal means he will not have to register as a sex offender.

"The offer was too good to turn down, was sort of the perspective we had," Davidson said, noting that his client could have faced years in prison if he went to trial and lost.

Cyr's case was one of several featured in a Bangor Daily News investigation last year that exposed a predatory culture inside the Maine Army National Guard.

The criminal charges were notable inside an organization where women are often afraid to come forward. At the same time, the plea agreement speaks to how difficult it is, in Maine and elsewhere, to prove rape allegations in court.

In April 2021, Cyr, who held the rank of specialist, was charged with one count of gross sexual assault for allegedly raping a woman two years earlier while the two were out drinking with their unit following a day of training in Washington County, according to a police affidavit. He was indicted on an additional count last November.

A female witness told a detective that the woman had disappeared with Cyr for a time, then returned with her shirt inside out, acting "weird" and "panicky." She then confided in the woman and later to police that Cyr had sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said.

The next morning, the female witness told a supervisor about it, according to her statement. She also told the detective that Cyr "was known for going for any woman that came into the unit."

But as the case headed toward trial, prosecutors saw challenges that could pose a risk of losing in court, said Matt Foster, district attorney for Washington and Hancock counties, and he didn't want Cyr to walk away with an acquittal.

Cyr accepted the plea deal but maintains his innocence, his attorney said.

After Cyr was charged, the Guard stripped him of his rank and told him not to come to drills until further notice, Davidson said.

Cyr no longer serves in the Guard. He was discharged in March, according to Maj. Carl Lamb, a spokesperson for the Guard. Lamb otherwise declined to comment on the specific details of the case, citing federal confidentiality laws.

It is unclear what kind of discharge Cyr received, which would affect the benefits he is entitled to and whether he is able to reenlist.

"While we cannot comment on the administrative disciplinary action of individual service members, I can tell you that the Maine National Guard initiates administrative separation proceedings against perpetrators for all substantiated allegations of sexual assault," Lamb said. "Sexual assault is not compatible with any type of military service."

(c)2022 the Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine)

Visit at www.bangordailynews.com

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CHICAGO (Tribune News Service)  Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is signing a disaster proclamation to secure resources for the asylum-seekers bused to Illinois from Texas and has deployed 75 National Guard members to assist with the logistics of receiving the migrants, he announced Wednesday.

Speaking at a news conference, Pritzker again criticized his Texas counterpart, Greg Abbott, for failing to coordinate or communicate with Illinois and Chicago officials and derided his actions as a stunt.

Im not going to mince words here: The governor of Texas is forcing on New York and (Washington) D.C. and Chicago and potentially other places a needlessly last-minute and complex process that is a heartless display of politics over people, Pritzker said. Why not give reasonable notice? Why send these folks only to blue cities or blue states? Why isnt Abbott sending refugees to Mississippi or Oklahoma or Idaho? This is about politics for him.

Pritzker said the migrants are in the country legally as asylum-seekers and that many trekked for months to make it to the U.S. border to escape oppression and persecution. But upon arrival, Pritzker said, they were herded into buses and dumped in the dead of night at Chicagos Union Station.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot characterized the situation as a manufactured crisis by ambush and accused the Abbott administration of tricking the migrants into boarding the buses.

Frankly, I believe that they have been misled and the only option for them that theyve been presented to by the folks in Texas is a free bus ride, because theyre not providing any other option to them to go elsewhere into the country where many of them would prefer to go, Lightfoot said. This is again an orchestrated plan to create chaos in Democratic-controlled cities. Make no mistake about it.

Lightfoot said since Aug. 31, when the first busload of asylum-seekers arrived, about 500 migrants have arrived in Chicago. She expects that number to grow.

Pritzker said he will seek all available federal assistance, while Lightfoot suggested federal assistance should be diverted from Texas to other places that are welcoming the migrants.

Any dollar that goes to the state of Texas  every single one of those dollars needs to be re-committed to cities like Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., Lightfoot said. We should not and taxpayer dollars should not be used to pay for this kind of callous, inhumane treatment on the part of someone who is racing to the bottom for a political stunt. Those monies need to be reprogrammed and come to us.

Meanwhile, Pritzker said that the Illinois attorney general and Chicago city attorneys, among other agencies, are investigating whether there is criminal liability for Abbotts actions.

We are still examining and interviewing the folks who have come to Illinois and listening to their stories about whether or not they willingly got on these buses, knew where they were going, were given the information, Pritzker said, stressing the word willingly.

He added that though it appeared the migrants signed waivers before boarding the buses, they may not have understood what they were doing and that the papers were not an appropriate way for Abbotts administration to release itself from liability.

Officials said an 11th bus from Texas arrived Tuesday night. Prior to that, more than 100 people in two buses arrived from Texas to Chicagos Union Station Friday.

Some members of the group said they were from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Most got onto a couple of CTA buses that were waiting for their arrival, while a few others waited at Union Station for other accommodations.

Fridays group was at least the fourth round of asylum-seeking migrants in the past two weeks to arrive from Texas, part of a practice by Abbott to bus migrants who arrive at the Texas-Mexico border to northern cities that have also included New York and Washington, D.C.

The first group arrived at Union Station on Aug. 31 in two buses carrying approximately 75 people seeking asylum. Another bus of migrants arrived in Chicago over the holiday weekend with more than 50 people looking for new beginnings. And more than 150 asylum-seekers arrived in three more buses earlier last week.

Most all of the people who get off the buses from Texas carry the same clear plastic bags that have their paperwork and small personal items.

Lightfoots office said Fridays group was being taken on the CTA buses to a religious organization for next steps. The city has taken previous groups to shelter at Salvation Army Shield of Hope and even sent some to the suburbs for temporary housing, for which the city has gotten some backlash.

Suburban Elk Grove Village had two buses carrying 90 migrants arrive Saturday, and Mayor Craig Johnson said he was notified of their arrival Friday afternoon but had several questions about the logistics. He asked that the city and state work with suburban mayors to arrange for a more organized transition for the people arriving in the area.

Last week, 64 migrants were placed in temporary hotel housing in southwest suburban Burr Ridge, and the village was not consulted or contacted ahead of time about their arrival, according to a statement from Mayor Gary Grasso.

On Wednesday, Pritzker and Lightfoot vowed frequent and open communication with all local governments, though Pritzker did characterize some of the complaints as grumbling.

I know that there are some who are grumbling and upset that hotels or motels in their communities are opening their doors to strangers in need, arguing that they received short notice, Pritzker said. So lets talk about the challenges presented to the city of Chicago and to the state. Remember, the governor of the state of Texas is choosing not to notify the city or the state when he is sending busloads of families.

Pritzker also raised the idea of suing the Texas government in federal court.

Were absolutely looking into all of those options. But lets be clear: Were going to take care of the people who are on the buses when they arrive in Illinois, Pritzker said. What consequence comes to the governor of Texas or to the state of Texas is another question.

2022 Chicago Tribune.

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Diminished combat readiness, recruitment woes and lower retention are among the factors the Pentagon could face now that nearly half of active-duty servicewomen live in states that have severely curtailed abortion access, a new policy study says.

The possible costs to (the Defense Department) are wide-ranging, the nonpartisan research group Rand Corp. wrote this month, in an analysis of the potential effects of the U.S. Supreme Courts June ruling that eliminated federal abortion protections, leaving all such decisions up to individual states.

The result of the ruling is that 40% of active-duty servicewomen in the U.S. will have very limited access to abortion services where they are stationed or no access at all, Rand said.

Additionally, nearly 43% of civilian women in the Defense Departments workforce are in the same situation, according to the report.

Ultimately, the most important effect might be a decrease in force readiness and our national security, Rand said.

Between 5,000 and 7,400 active-duty servicewomen and DOD civilian women seek abortion services in any given year, according to a Rand estimate that relied on various Pentagon health surveys.

Given that many of the militarys largest bases are in states where abortion has been either banned outright, such as Texas, or restricted, the Pentagon will need to assess the implications, the report said.

As of July, 21 states restrict abortion care. States that have instituted a ban or severe abortion restrictions and also have large military installations include Texas, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Arizona, Rand said.

North Carolina and Virginia also have large active-duty populations and are considering changes to their abortion laws, the report stated.

The Pentagons options are limited when it comes to dealing with the possible negative effects.

Federal law prohibits abortions on military installations in cases other than pregnancy from rape or incest or when a mothers life is in danger. As a result, DOD may need to focus efforts on ramping up conception education and awareness programs, Rand said.

About 63% of servicewomen who had an unintended pregnancy were not using any form of contraception just before the pregnancy, according to Rand. And 32.8% were using a form of contraceptive that is not considered to be highly effective.

Efforts to lower the unintended pregnancy rates among service women and DoD civilians could both reduce the demand for abortion and improve reproductive health, the report said.

If more unintended pregnancies are carried to term, DOD will need to provide care to those women during and after pregnancy and anticipate higher demand for child care and education, Rand said.

Meanwhile, there will be an inevitable operational impact because pregnant women in the military often have duty restricted and cant deploy, according to the report.

Although there is an individual cost to pregnant women in terms of medical readiness, there is a collective cost to operational readiness, Rand said.
Donald Trump and the Justice Department dont agree on much, but one thing they came to consensus on is a retiring federal judge in Brooklyn.

Raymond Dearie, who last month announced his intention to retire after more than 30 years as a judge, is the sole person among four candidates that both Trump and the Justice Department said they could support as a special master. If named by the Florida judge overseeing the case, Dearie would be tasked with reviewing thousands of documents seized from the former presidents Mar-a-Lago home to determine whether Trumps privilege claims apply to any of them.

Dearie was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in February 1986 and has handled everything from organized crime to terrorism to corruption at FIFA, as well as national security cases while serving a rotation on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Trump may think a Republican judge will help him, but its a big mistake to think that because Dearie is a Republican hell shade in favor of Trump in this case, said Daniel R. Alonso, a former federal prosecutor in Brooklyn who served as chief of the offices criminal division from 2002 to 2005. Dearie is not a good pick for Trump here, because he doesnt tolerate nonsense.

Dearie is still an active judge, with senior status, on the Eastern District court, which includes three New York City counties as well as Long Island. A court official said he planned to take inactive status at the end of 2022. The Justice Department previously alerted U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida that it would defer to Dearie and the court to hash out whether the special-master job would be considered outside employment. Federal judges face limits on taking other jobs and receiving compensation, but there are fewer restrictions for senior judges.

As a district judge, Dearie already has security clearance to view classified materials. The Florida judge has yet to rule on the Justice Departments request to carve out from the special masters review a key set of roughly 100 documents that the government says feature classified markings. Dearie didnt respond to a request for comment for this report.

Andrew Weissmann, a former federal prosecutor in Brooklyn who was a senior member of special counsel Robert Muellers team, said Dearie is basically the platonic ideal of a fair, wise jurist, and you will hear that from prosecutors and defense counsel alike. He recalled that when he was a prosecutor, Dearie was once late for a court appearance and sent him and the defense lawyer personal handwritten notes apologizing.

Moe Fodeman, a former federal prosecutor in Brooklyn whos now a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati in New York, recalled a sentencing hearing before Dearie that showed how seriously the judge took the issue.

He literally stopped the sentencing, went back to chambers and thought about it, Fodeman said. Its not uncommon for him to stop a proceeding to think about a thorny legal issue that presents itself rather than making a knee-jerk decision.

Dearie was born in 1944 in Rockville Center in New Yorks Nassau County on Long Island. He got his law degree from St. Johns University School of Law in 1969.

After law school, Dearie worked in private practice, then joined the government as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York in 1971. He worked his way through the office ranks to become executive assistant U.S. attorney under U.S. Attorney Edward Korman.

When Korman left the office in 1982, Dearie stepped into the job. His tenure leading the office overlapped with Rudy Giulianis time as U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Giuliani, a Trump ally, declined an interview request through his lawyer Robert Costello. Costello wrote in a text that Giuliani had nothing to do with Trumps process for choosing special-master candidates.

Dearie led the U.S. attorneys office until 1986, when he was appointed to the district court. He handled cases ranging from al-Qaeda terrorists to white-collar criminals such as Jose Carlos Grubisich, the former Braskem chief executive whom Dearie sentenced to 20 months in prison for his role in a sweeping bribery plot tied to Brazil construction giant Odebrecht.

Dearie also served a seven-year rotation on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, an arm of the federal judiciary that mostly operates in secret because of the sensitive nature of the covert operations and national security interests at stake.

Dearie was one of several judges to sign off on a succession of warrants that the FBI sought to surveil Carter Page, an adviser to Trumps 2016 campaign, as part of a broader investigation of Russian interference in the election. The Justice Department inspector general later concluded that federal investigators had made mistakes and omissions in its warrant applications to the court, fueling long-running criticism of the Russia probe by Trump and other Republicans.

Dearie told the New York Law Journal in August that he was moving to inactive status after 36 years on the bench. Im going to miss it, he said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Luxembourg expressed deep concern over the Azerbaijani attack on Armenia, calling for the hostilities to stop.

Luxembourg is deeply concerned at reports about military operations by Azerbaijan directed against Armenia that have caused many casualties. Hostilies [sic]must stop, the Foreign Ministry of Luxembourg tweeted, adding that Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn calls on both parties to refrain from further escalation.
Mr Burke, an evangelical Christian, was jailed nine days ago after breaching an injunction restraining him from attending, or attempting to teach pupils, at the Church of Ireland diocesan boarding school in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath.

The teacher is set to argue there is no lawful basis to a decision by Wilsons Hospital School to place him on administrative leave.

Mr Burke, an evangelical Christian, was jailed nine days ago after breaching an injunction restraining him from attending, or attempting to teach pupils, at the Church of Ireland diocesan boarding school in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath.

Despite being suspended on August 24 following incidents in which he publicly voiced opposition to transgenderism, he continued to turn up at the workplace.

He has claimed in court that due to his religious beliefs he could not comply with a request from the schools principal last May to address a transgender pupil by a different name and to use the pronoun they instead of he.

The teacher is due to be brought to the court from Mountjoy Prison in time for a hearing at 2pm today where a judge will be asked to consider granting an injunction restraining the school from continuing his suspension.

If his application is successful, it would likely lead to his release from jail without having to purge his contempt of court.

The effect would be to vacate the order, effectively freeing me from Mountjoy. I would be back in the classroom tomorrow, Mr Burke told the court on Monday.

Teacher Enoch Burke

The matter will be taken up today by a duty judge as the High Court is still in the middle of its long vacation.

The judge will either agree to hear the injunction application or set a date for the hearing of the application.

Four different duty judges have heard aspects of the matter since the schools board of management secured a temporary injunction against Mr Burke on August 31, and it is expected a fifth judge will enter the fray today.

Mr Burke filed a counterclaim against the school on Monday.

In the action, he had also been seeking injunctions restraining the board of management from holding a disciplinary meeting in Mullingar, Co Westmeath today and from dismissing him.

Mr Burke has claimed the disciplinary process breaches his constitutional rights to freedom of conscience, expression and religious belief.

However, Mr Justice Conor Dignam ruled on Monday that only his application for an injunction against his suspension would be heard.

He decided the other injunctions sought in the counterclaim did not need to be ruled upon at this stage after a lawyer for the board of management informed the court the disciplinary meeting had been adjourned indefinitely and that Mr Burke would be given three days notice if it was to be rescheduled.

In his counterclaim, Mr Burke alleges his suspension was unreasonable, unjust, unfair and unlawful and in breach of Department of Education rules.

He also claims a report by the schools then principal Niamh McShane, which was considered by the board of management before it suspended him, contained highly prejudicial conclusions.

In the report, Ms McShane voiced serious concerns about how Mr Burke might act in future.

These concerns extend to the student concerned and the entire student body, she said.

A number of incidents were outlined in the report.

These included Mr Burkes interruption of a chapel service last June marking the schools 260th anniversary.

As the final blessing was being made, he stood up and spoke for two or three minutes, objecting to Ms McShanes request to staff.

According to an affidavit filed by chair of the board, John Rogers, a dinner took place afterwards. It is claimed that after the meal Mr Burke approached Ms McShane and, in a heated manner, asked her to withdraw the request.

Mr Burke, it was claimed, followed her and continued to question her loudly, only stopping when other people stood in between them.

The teacher has sought to downplay both incidents and denies pursuing Ms McShane in a heated manner.
Niall Sheerin (29) from Tyrconnell Street in the city admitted possessing the Hammerli pistol between September 11, 2018, and June 6, 2020.

A police officer lays flowers at the scene in Derry following the death of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee   PA

A man who admitted possession of the gun used to kill the journalist Lyra McKee in Derry has been jailed for seven years.

Niall Sheerin (29) from Tyrconnell Street in the city admitted possessing the Hammerli pistol between September 11, 2018, and June 6, 2020.

Ms McKee was shot dead while covering rioting in the Creggan area of Derry in 2019.

Earlier this month, Sheerin appeared at Belfast Crown Court where his barrister made the case the plea to possessing the handgun was on the grounds that he 'warehoused' it for a short period - but was unaware of its history.

Ms McKee - a 29-year old journalist and author - died after being struck by a bullet fired at police during rioting in the Creggan area of the city in April 2019.

Lyra McKee

The New IRA subsequently claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting.

Prior to the murder, the handgun had been used in four dissident republican attacks in Derry and was located during a planned search over a year after her death.

A Crown barrister revealed that on June 5, 2020, police and the Army carried out a search at fields in the Whitehouse Road area of Derry,

A plastic binliner was found in a hole in the ground behind a telegraph pole, and the handgun and an empty magazine were located within a second bag in the binliner, along with loose rounds of ammunition.

The items were removed, underwent forensic testing and Sheerin's DNA was located on two areas of the weapon.

A photo issued by PSNI of the gun used to kill journalist Lyra McKee   PA

The Crown barrister said: "The first profile was at least one billion times more likely to have originated from the defendant than an unrelated male chosen at random."

He also revealed that when found, the gun was in "good condition" and there was "firing residue in the barrel which indicated "it hasn't been cleaned since it was last fired."

As a result of the DNA evidence, Sheerin was arrested at 7am on July 15, 2022. He gave no reply when cautioned and was interviewed seven times, during which he remained completely silent.

During the sixth interview, the father-of-three provided a written statement where he denied involvement in dissident republican activity linked to the gun.

A police officer lays flowers at the scene in Derry following the death of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee   PA

Sheerin also denied both rioting in the Fanad Drive area of Derry the night Ms McKee lost her life and having any involvement in her murder.

In the statement, the bookmaker also denied touching or handling the gun and claimed he was 'at a loss' as to how his DNA was found on it.

He later admitted possessing .22 calibre Hammerli self-loading pistol, magazine and a quantity of .22 calibre cartridges with intent to enable another person to endanger life or cause serious damage to property on dates between September 22, 2018 and June 6, 2020.

The Crown barrister told Mr Justice Fowler whilst it could not be established Sheerin was aware of the specific history of this weapon, it was the Crown's case that he was aware of dissident republican activity in Derry at the relevant time,

Regarding this issue, defence barrister Kieran Mallon QC addressed the "misconception" of Sheerin's involvement with the gun - and again stressed his client was not in Creggan the night Ms McKee was murdered.

Mr Mallon also pointed his client had "no knowledge of the specific history of the firearm" - but by his plea, Sheerin accepted "he came in to contact with it some time afterwards." The barrister added his client was a hard-working family man.

More to follow...
Adrian Ursu (33) is also accused of seriously injuring two others when his car struck a taxi earlier this year

A motorist is to stand trial for allegedly causing the deaths of two men in a Belfast road crash, a judge ordered today.
Initial post-mortem results indicated Ms Thomson had died from suffocation and had a fracture to cartilage in her neck

A 31-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 28-year-old Hollie Thomson in west Belfast.

Ms Thomson, from the Greenan area in the west of the city, was found dead at her home on Sunda September 11. A murder investigation was launched following a post-mortem of her body.

Christopher Morelli, of Willowvale Avenue in Belfast, was charged with Ms Thomson's murder on Tuesday night and appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, via videolink.

Detective Inspector Griffin said she could connect Morelli to the charge.

Speaking on the circumstances of the case, DI Griffin said Morelli was the partner of the deceased and initial post-mortem results indicated Ms Thomson had died from suffocation and had a fracture to cartilage in her neck.

Hollie Thomson   eyJpdiI6ImpNU3BLa1IxVmFTWEkrWWNL

The police officer said CCTV is still being collected in relation to the case and officers are in the process of interviewing potential witnesses. She added that an object involved during the commission of this offence remains outstanding.

DI Griffin said, following Ms Thomsons death, the accused harmed himself seriously and had attempted to take his own life, resulting in him being hospitalised for 24 hours.

The officer said Morelli was somewhat estranged from most of his family, but lived with his elderly grandmother. The accused denied the charge during interviews with police, DI Griffin said, but otherwise gave no comment responses to other questions.

Objecting to an application for bail, DI Griffin said there are concerns the defendant could commit further offences and is a risk of flight.

A defence solicitor contended that his client had a clear record and no properties in other countries and, with certain conditions, bail should be granted.

District Judge McGarrity denied bail, with Morelli to appear before the court via video link on October 12.
David Stamper (67) entered pleas to 82 charges when he appeared in Dublin District Court

A retired Dublin bus driver has admitted theft and money laundering offences in a fraud at his former work credit union.

David Stamper (67) entered pleas to 82 charges when he appeared in Dublin District Court.

He was sent forward for sentence to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Mr Stamper, with an address at The Crescent, Abbey Farm, Celbridge, Co Kildare, was charged with stealing thousands of euro and transferring crime proceeds.

The money was the property of Citybus Employees Credit Union and the offences date from the 2010s

Mr Stamper was charged last year and when the case came back before the court, a state solicitor said 10 counts were being withdrawn - one of theft and nine of money laundering.

Mr Stamper could be sent to the next sittings of the circuit court on signed pleas of guilty for the remaining charges, the solicitor told Judge Bryan Smyth. There was consent to the accused being remanded on bail under existing terms.

Mr Stamper nodded to the judge to acknowledge his signature on the plea papers and the bail bond when he was shown them.

Judge Smyth granted free legal aid after a defence solicitor said there had been no change in Mr Stamper's financial circumstances.

On a previous court date, Detective Garda Mairead Murphy said the accused had met her by appointment at Store Street garda station, where he was charged and cautioned.

The court heard Mr Stamper was a pensioner who was previously a bus driver. He was a carer for his wife and had no assets, his lawyer said during a legal aid application.

Bail, with no garda objections, had been granted in the accuseds own bond of 500, with no cash lodgement required.

Under conditions, Mr Stamper was to live at his home address, inform gardai or any change of residence and have no contact directly or indirectly, including by electronic means, with any witnesses or members of staff at Citybus Employees Credit Union.
Burke claimed his suspension following incidents where he expressed opposition to transgenderism on religious grounds, is unconstitutional and unlawful

The High Court is this afternoon hearing an application from Mr Burke for an injunction restraining the school from continuing to place him on administrative leave pending the outcome of a disciplinary process.

Mr Burke, an evangelical Christian, was jailed nine days ago after breaching an injunction restraining him from attending, or attempting to teach pupils, at Wilsons Hospital School, the Church of Ireland diocesan boarding school in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath.

Representing himself in court, he told Ms Justice Eileen Roberts it would be unconscionable and against natural justice and fair procedure for the disciplinary process to continue further.

He also claimed he had suffered reputational damage and significant damage to my teaching career as a result of the actions of the schools board of management.

Wilson's Hospital in Co Westmeath

The teacher believes he will be released from prison and be able to return to work without having to purge his contempt if the court grants him the injunction.

He was supported in court today by his parents, Sean and Martina, and siblings Isaac and Ammi. All are members of a well-known family from Castlebar, Co Mayo, some of whom have been involved in a number of legal and other disputes in recent years, some relating to their religious beliefs.

Mr Burke told the judge that as well as seeking an injunction halting his suspension, he was seeking declarations the suspension was contrary to various articles of the constitution relating to personal rights, freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion.

He is also seeking declarations his suspension is unfair, unjust and unlawful and that a report by former school principal Niamh McShane, which was a factor in his suspension, did not ascertain or present facts in a fair manner.

A further declaration is being sought that the manner in which he was suspended was contrary to a Department of Education circular.

He alleged that any conclusions reached against him as part of a disciplinary process would be legally unsustainable.

His application is being opposed by the schools board of management.

Mr Burke has claimed that due to his religious beliefs he could not comply with a demand from Ms McShane last May to address a transgender pupil by a different name and to use the pronoun they instead of he.

He was brought to the court from Mountjoy Prison for the hearing of the application, which got underway at 2.30pm.

If his application is successful, it would likely lead to his release from jail without having to purge his contempt of court.

The effect would be to vacate the order, effectively freeing me from Mountjoy. I would be back in the classroom tomorrow, Mr Burke told the court at an earlier hearing on Monday, when he filed the counterclaim.

In the action, he had also been seeking injunctions restraining the board of management from holding a disciplinary meeting in Mullingar, Co Westmeath today, taking other steps in the disciplinary process, and from dismissing him.

However, Mr Justice Conor Dignam ruled on Monday that only his application for an injunction against his suspension would be heard.

Mr Justice Dignam decided the other injunctions sought in the counterclaim did not need to be ruled upon at this stage after a lawyer for the board of management informed the court the disciplinary meeting had been adjourned indefinitely and that Mr Burke would be given three days notice if it was to be rescheduled.

Ms McShanes report, the content of which Mr Burke is now objecting to, voiced serious concerns about how the teacher might act in future.

These concerns extend to the student concerned and the entire student body, she said.

A number of incidents were outlined in the report.

These included Mr Burkes interruption of a chapel service last June marking the schools 260th anniversary.

As the final blessing was being made, he stood up and spoke for two or three minutes, objecting to Ms McShanes request to staff.

According to an affidavit filed by chair of the board, John Rogers, a dinner took place afterwards. It is claimed that after the meal Mr Burke approached Ms McShane and, in a heated manner, asked her to withdraw the request.

Mr Burke, it was claimed, followed her and continued to question her loudly, only stopping when other people stood in between them.

The teacher has sought to downplay both incidents.

He claimed he spoke at the chapel service as he wanted to honour the legacy of the schools funder, Andrew Wilson.

He also denied pursuing Ms McShane in a heated manner.

Many of these findings are damaging to my personal and professional reputation, he said.
Dublins latest murder victim had been in and out of foster homes since he was a young boy.

Murder victim Tony Dempsey is a classic example of someone who fell through the cracks of our society.

People familiar with the tragic man say that he never stood a chance due to the chaotic background.

The 28-year-olds remains were discovered on Tuesday after they had been left to decompose in a north inner city drugs den for days..

He had been in and out of foster homes since he was a young boy. He also spent time as a juvenile in a number of different institutions  being placed in care 10 times.

But that is not to say that he was not loved by many. He had many family members who supported and loved him.

No one deserves Tonys grim end  his decomposing body left near a bed as drug addicts continued to party only a few feet away from where his body was covered with blankets.

Not only was he savagely attacked in a flat where he suffered unpublishable fatal head injuries in a dwelling that has been described as a place of absolute horror by a person who had the misfortune of being in it this week.

Gardai at the scene at Kevin Barry House on Coleraine Street Dublin where Tony Dempsey's body was found. (Photo: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos)

Tony is fondly remembered by his family and friends and he had to endure some terrible recent tragedies within his close family unit.

No one knows what his frame of mind was when he was savagely attacked in the grim north inner city drugs den where he lost his life.

But what is known is that, even as a juvenile teenager, Tony got sucked into a life of drugs, crime, violence and then jail which also led to him being homeless at stages of his tragic life.

The murdered 28-year-old man was a feature of garda intelligence bulletins before he was even old enough to vote.

Tony was one of dozens of young men sucked into senseless gangland feuding in the capitals south inner city a decade ago, much of it fuelled by convicted killers Fat Freddie Thompson and his arch-rival Brian Rattigan  the so-called Crumlin/Drimnagh feud.

But in reality much of the violence in this dispute happened in areas like Inchicore where Tony grew up.

Almost nine years ago, he appeared before Dublin District Court where he admitted having control of a petrol bomb and components in a south inner city Dublin flat complex.

Tony Dempsey

Barely old enough to face court as an adult, he was jailed for nine months after he decided not to contest the case in the Circuit Court which has wider sentencing powers.

There was an incident at the Basin Street flats in Inchicore on October 24, 2012  in which a Dublin couple were shot at while making a fast food delivery  and as a result gardai searched the flats complex.

An explosive petrol bomb and components were found by gardai in a bedroom in one of the flats on October 25.

Gardai said Tony was seen running from the area. He was later arrested and admitted that the petrol bomb and components were under his control.

He continued to be involved in gangland violence and drug dealing and ultimately drug addiction in the years after that.

In July, 2013, he was involved in a shocking incident in which a man was viciously stabbed.

The victim was beaten with his fists, then with a crutch. He was also stabbed with a knife twice in the back.

Gardai were called to the scene and followed a trail of blood from the ambulance treating the victim to where he was assaulted in the Basin Street flat complex.

The victim was hospitalised for his injuries. He was reluctant to make a statement to gardai, but did confirm he had been stabbed.

Tony was jailed for two years for this offence. He also given another two years after for possessing stolen property, including an axe, on August 7, 2013.

He was spotted hiding under a hedge at Wainsford Manor Crescent, Terenure, Co Dublin holding an axe which he had stolen from a nearby house.

He was also carrying stolen house and car keys from the house, and other items including a stolen screwdriver and silver necklace.

He was arrested and admitted the offence.

Court records show that Tony Dempsey had more than 50 criminal convictions including 22 for road traffic offences, and others for theft, drugs, criminal damage and possession of knives and firearms.

But no one deserves what happened to him.

Ultimately his involvement in drugs cost him his life as sources said today that gardai believe his murder was drug related.
He left Arbour Hill Prison in Dublin city centre this morning after finishing his 21-year sentence imposed in 2009 for the sexual attack on the 85-year-old woman in Monaghan.

The sex beasts previous rape of a 13-year-old girl sparked the C Case legal battle over whether she was allowed to travel to the UK for an abortion.

He left Arbour Hill Prison in Dublin city centre this morning after finishing his 21-year sentence imposed in 2009 for the sexual attack on the 85-year-old woman in Monaghan.

Simon McGinley walks out of Arbour Hill

As he left the jail carrying a plastic bag, McGinley was wearing a dark jacket and had a mask covering his face.

When asked by the Sunday World if he wished to apologise to his victims as he walked out of the prison, McGinley refused to comment.

The notorious sex offender was then was picked up by a taxi driver and driven away from the jail.

McGinley was told at his trial he will be under post-release supervision for 12 years.

Simon McGinley pictured in 2008

When passing sentence in 2009, Justice George Birmingham said the case was one of the worst he had heard considering the age and frailty of the victim.

Then aged 35, McGinley was found guilty by a jury of raping the elderly woman on June 16, 2008. He had denied the charges.

The woman known as Miss C was also in court for McGinleys sentence hearing where the daughter of the elderly woman outlined the devastating impact of the rape on her mother.

"The most heart-breaking thing is the loss of joy from our mother's life," said the victims daughter.

The elderly woman had been unfit to give evidence during the trial due to her worsening dementia, but a statement she gave at a previous District Court hearing in October 2008 was read to the jury.

A drunken McGinley had raped her repeatedly during the night and put his hand over her mouth at one point when she cried out.

Judge Birmingham said the crime was "about as bad as it gets" and at the upper end of the spectrum.

The one place that an elderly lady should be able to feel safe and family members should feel she was safe was in her home, he said.

It was also heard how cowardly McGinley had wanted to serve his time in Arbour Hill because he was deeply worried about his safety behind bars.

In 2009 Miss C spoke to RTE radio about the brutal attack by McGinley that left her pregnant and sent to various care homes.

She was also caught at the centre of an infamous legal battle over her right to have an abortion when a decision to send her to the UK was opposed by pro-life activist.

He ruined my life and I am still coming to terms with that. My life is destroyed.

Simon McGinley

I never got schooling or anything like that. I dont know how many times I tried to kill myself but I have a little five-year-old son now so he keeps me going, she said at the time.

She spoke about living in constant fear and receiving death threats.

Her ordeal began as a 13-year-old schoolgirl in 1997 when she babysat for McGinleys children and he insisted on dropping her home afterwards.

He drove past the halting site [where she lived] and I said where are you going? and he said Im going up the road to get matches and smokes and then he pulled into the side of the road and dragged me into the back of the van and raped me and started punching me around.

He did it again. He did it about 20 times that night maybe. I tried to escape. I got out of the van and he ran after me, grabbed me by the throat and threw me back into the back of the van and raped me again and after he finished raping me, he dropped me home, put a knife up to my throat and said if I told anybody hed kill me and all my family.

She only discovered she was pregnant when a foster mother took her to the doctor because she kept getting sick. Next morning I woke up and there was all social workers at the table, she said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The Great Britain-Armenia friendship group at the UK parliament condemned the Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia.

UK Member of Parliament Tim Loughton released a statement from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Armenia on the latest aggression by Azerbaijan:

In the last 24 hours Azerbaijan has unleashed new brutal attacks on the sovereign territory of Armenia, stretching across the Syunik, Gegharkunik and Vayotc Dzor provinces. It is not only attacking military bases but civilian communities and infrastructure. These attacks are not targeted on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region but on internationally recognised sovereign boundaries of Armenia itself and were entirely unprovoked and without justification.

Armenias Ministry of Defence confirmed that at 00:05 on September 13, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces began intensive shelling of Armenian positions from artillery and large-calibre guns, also utilizing UAVs. The APPG expresses its strongest condemnation of the Azerbaijan regime for this latest act of violence and extends our deep concern for the victims and their families.

These acts of aggression have clearly been timed to take advantage of the worlds attention being diverted to events in Ukraine and most recently the widespread mourning for the death of Queen Elizabeth, and such aggressive opportunism needs to be condemned in the strongest terms and met with a robust response.

There is a very urgent need for the international community, including the UK to condemn Azerbaijan and to call it to account for these latest war crimes. We urgently request the UK Government to join other nations in demanding an immediate end to the Azerbaijan aggression and bring forward sanctions for as long as it continues its unjustified actions. We also ask the UK Government to support the request to the United Nations to consider the matter in emergency session and put its weight behind an ending of this hostile action.

The Azerbaijan regime still needs to be held properly accountable for its war crimes committed against Armenia and the people of Nagorno-Karabakh a couple of years ago and it is clear that it continues to have only a passing acquaintance with the international rule of law and standards expected to qualify as a decent and responsible nation.

Tim Loughton MP

Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Armenia in the UK Parliament.
Michael Collins (61) who was once part of a notorious kidnap gang, has now been jailed for more than seven years

A cocaine dealer who had his throat slashed while in prison has been jailed again after continuing to sell drugs despite being arrested three times.

Michael Collins (61) who was once part of a notorious kidnap gang, has now been jailed for more than seven years after continuing to sell drugs throughout Hartlepool.

Collins was in custody in 2017, 2019 and 2021 after being caught with huge amounts of drugs.

But every time he was released pending further investigation he continued to operate as soon as he walked out of the police station.

Collins was jailed in 2008 after being part of a gang who bundled businessman Tony Pattison into the back of a van, at gunpoint in Seaton Carew in 2004.

The gang demanded a 25,000 ransom and the building contractor was freed 30 hours after his abduction.

Tens of thousands of pounds was handed over, but later recovered by police in a sting operation.

The kidnap followed a dispute over the supply of contraband tobacco, Monday's sentencing hearing at Teesside Crown Court was told.

Collins' barrister, Martin Scarborough, said that his client spent a long time in hospital after he was attacked in jail during a seven-and-a-half year sentence handed down for the kidnap and blackmail.

Teesside Crown Court heard that when he was eventually released, Collins was held to the "significant debt" for the tobacco that had been found and confiscated.

It was then that he had started to sell drugs but was seen by police carrying a Tesco's bag out of his flat on Melrose Street in Hartlepool on August 4, 2017.

Officers arrested him after they found 243g of cocaine, worth between 10-15,000.

Collins had 10 bags of cocaine, of 86 per cent purity, worth approximately 1,200, and 1,015 in cash in his pocket.

When his car was searched, more cocaine and amphetamines were found. In his flat, officers found ecstasy, cannabis and more amphetamines as well as a "tick list" of customers and digital scales.

Prosecutor Paul Abrahams told the court that Collins refused to answer police questions, and he was released while further investigations were carried out.

Three days later, Collins was stopped while driving southbound on the A19 with 9,335 cash on him.

His flat on Melrose Place was searched again and this time officers found cannabis, amphetamines and 53grams of cocaine - of 95 per cent purity.

Again, Collins was arrested and released by police, as they continued to investigate.

In February of last year, Collins was stopped again in his car - which Recorder David Gordon said was, "like a pharmacy inside" and he was arrested and released for the third time.

In May 2021, Collins was arrested on York Road in Hartlepool after a search of a room in The Station Hotel, Port Clarence, uncovered cannabis. Police searched another flat associated with Collins, on York Road, and found 26 grams of amphetamines.

The court heard that over 100,000 of drugs were recovered from Collins over five years.

Collins, of Crosby Terrace in Port Clarence, pleaded guilty to four counts of the possession with intent to supply a class A drug; nine counts of the possession with intent to supply a class B drug; seventeen counts of the possession with the intent to supply a class C drug; and two counts of the possession of criminal property.

In addition to cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines and cannabis; Collins was also dealing in tramadol; pregabalin and zopiclone. He has 16 previous convictions for 38 offences, which included dealing in cannabis.

Mr Scarborough told the court that Collins resorted to drug dealing after being pursued over the "significant debt" stemming from his previous buying and selling of cigarettes.

This had been his "motivation for offending this time, the defence barrister argued, adding that his client, who is a father and a grandfather, is now, "not in the best of health," as he struggles with COPD and emphysema.

Sentencing Collins, Recorder Gordon said: " Those who deal in class A drugs - effectively supplying poison to addicts on the street - can expect lengthy prison sentences. They cause devastation; misery to addicts and misery for those who care for drug users.

"They see their loved one change from decent human beings to something rather less."

Collins was jailed for seven-years-and-four-months. A proceeds of crime application was scheduled, meaning any money and assets Collins has, are at risk of being confiscated.
His arrest came after extensive consultation between the Moroccan and Dutch governments

A cousin and close confidant of Dutch gang boss Ridouan Taghi has been jailed in Morocco.

Jaouad F (28) also known as Bolle, was given six years behind bars.

The National Public Prosecutors Office said: Jaouad F. was recently sentenced to 6 years in prison for participating in a criminal drug organisation.

He was arrested by Moroccan police in October on suspicion of involvement in the murder of a high court judge's son in a case of mistaken identity.

Jaouad is considered a close confidant of Ridouan Taghi.

A leader of the notorious Mocro Mafia, Dutch media claim Taghi was behind the murder of well-known crime journalist Peter De Vries who had been advising and acting as a confidant for a witness in a case against Taghi, when he was gunned down in Amsterdam in July.

According to "well-informed sources in the criminal environment, Moroccan authorities believe the Dutch-born man arrested in Tetouan, was involved in the murder of a high-ranking Moroccan judge's son in Marrakesh in November 2017.

Court documents say that gunmen had been assigned to carry out the killing of Mustapha F, a successful drug smuggler and rival of Taghi.

However, they accidentally killed the judge's son who was a 26-year-old medical student.

According to reports, they mistook the young medical student for the target because he sat in the same chair as Mustapha F and he was dressed similarly.

Moroccan authorities are still hunting for others involved in the 2017 killing.

Jaouads name is associated with several criminal cases, according to criminal files and reportedly works as a handyman for criminals.

A study of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce reveals that until a few years ago, Jaouad F, who was born in Breda, in the Netherlands, was the owner of car rental companies in Nieuwegein as well as the director of a financial firm.

His arrest came after extensive consultation between the Moroccan and Dutch governments who are said to have collaborated very closely during the search for him.

Investigations by the American Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) established that Taghi who is alleged to have formed a European 'super-mafia' with Daniel Kinahan, as well as other senior criminals, was a prominent guest at Kinahan's wedding in Dubai in July 2017 while he was on the run from police in his own country.
One could be forgiven for thinking the visit was about them [Sinn Fein] and not marking the death of our sovereign and the first visit of her successor!

Many news outlets have focussed on the new monarchs encounter with First Minister-designate Michelle ONeill and her party colleague, Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey.

It is the first time a sovereign head of state has met with members of Sinn Fein since they officially became the largest party in Northern Ireland after the Assembly election earlier this year.

Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill greeted King Charles III when he visited Belfast

Various political commentators and journalists have praised the republican partys respectful approach to the newly ascended King Charles and his Queen Consort Camilla, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II last week.

Writing in The Express, Dame Arlene suggested one could be forgiven for thinking the visit was about them [Sinn Fein] and not marking the death of our sovereign and the first visit of her successor!

"Inside the [Hillsborough] Castle the politicians had assembled and much has been said (far too much in my view) about the meeting between Sinn Fein members and the new King, the former First Minister wrote.

"For anyone who covers and knows Northern Ireland, this is not really big news, as Sinn Fein members have met both the late Queen and the new King on many occasions.

The coverage got so intense about Sinn Fein on some mainstream broadcasts that you would be forgiven for thinking the visit was about them and not marking the death of our sovereign and the first visit of her successor!

The Fermanagh native also praised the people of Northern Ireland for rising to the occasion of the Kings visit and said now knows hell make a great King.

She also attended the service for the new King at St Annes Cathedral in Belfast on Tuesday, and brought attention to the fact that the Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, had made an appearance.

"The President of Ireland, as he is styled, who could not bring himself to attend an ecumenical service to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland last year was present on this occasion to remember our gracious Queen. Progress of sorts, she continued.

The GB News presenter also made reference to the death of King Charles great-uncle, who was killed by an IRA bomb.

"The late Queen made a historic visit to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, the first since the Republic ceded from the United Kingdom, and she showed tremendous leadership in reaching out to those who would not be royalists by nature.

She did all that despite the pain that she had endured personally when the IRA murdered Lord Louis Mountbatten in County Sligo in 1979.

She and her late husband were very close to Philips uncle and their son, the now King saw him as a mentor. Yet she chose the Christian path of love and forgiveness, and in her role as monarch has influenced so many to show tolerance and respect for difference.

Whilst attending Hillsborough Castle on Tuesday, the Royal familys residence in Northern Ireland, King Charles spoke to Dame Arlenes successor as leader of the DUP, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, as well as Michelle ONeill about the NI Assembly and its current impasse.

Sir Jeffrey reportedly told the new monarch that there are positive sounds coming from the EU side and that he was hopeful matters would progress.

Among those attending the reception was a broad mix of sports, politics and business people, including Alliance leader Naomi Long and SDLPs Matthew OToole.
The broadcaster paid tribute to Lisa Cash (18) and her eight-year-old twin brother and sister, Christy and Chelsea Cawley

The broadcaster paid tribute to Lisa Cash (18) and her eight-year-old twin brother and sister, Christy and Chelsea Cawley, outside their home in Rossfield Avenue in Brookfield.

Tubridy said that he was deeply moved by the tragedy and felt compelled to visit the scene to pay his respects to the deceased.

This is a story that got under the skin of the nation and it was really very upsetting personally. I spoke about this on radio last week and I got very upset, he told the Irish Mirror.

He was joined by secondary school principal Kevin Shortall of St Aidans Community College, where Lisa was a pupil, in front of a large decorative tribute to the siblings at their house.

The 49-year-old had visited the school earlier that day before Mr Shortall accompanied him to Rossfield Avenue.

Today out of the blue I just said I need to go and visit the beautiful children of this school St Aidans. Ive just been there for the last couple of hours. I felt very moved by it, Tubridy explained.

They were amazing and I met a couple of kids who were still deeply affected by what happened.

I had a quiet chat with them. Ive often said it, you know, stories they cant just end for me in the studio, theyre too important. If Im talking about this on the radio or TV again, Ill know, Ive seen. Ive been to the community, Ive met the beautiful children.

Tubridys visit comes after he broke down on his RTE Radio One Show while speaking about the tragic murders.

Today I looked at the photographs  I tried to avoid them, being honest with you  Im not strong enough to look at these things because theyre kids.

He then cut to an ad break abruptly before returning to explain that speaking about the incident greatly upset him.

He said: You would think I would be a bit more able for it all but sometimes it just gets you. And thats the truth of the matter. So sorry about all that and here we go.

24-year-old Andy Cash charged with the murder of his two sisters and brother was further remanded in custody last week.

He appeared for his second hearing before Judge Cephas Power at Cloverhill District Court via video link from Midlands Prison on the day of his siblings funeral.

Judge Power held him in continuing custody to appear again on October 6 for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Shortly after arriving at Northern Irelands only royal residence, King Charles was given the pen to sign the estates visitors book, only for the pen to leak  much to the King's annoyance.

Britains King Charles III expressed frustration at a pen he was given to sign a visitors book on Monday afternoon at Hillsborough Castle in Co Down.

It was the second pen-related incident the new monarch has experienced this week.

Shortly after arriving at Northern Irelands only royal residence, King Charles was given the pen to sign the estates visitors book, only for the pen to leak  much to his annoyance.

Cameras at Hillsborough documenting Charles first visit to Northern Ireland as king picked up his ire, capturing him turning to his wife Camilla to say: Oh God, I hate this (pen).

The new queen consort quickly pointed out the pens ink had leaked over the book, saying: Oh look, its going everywhere.

Wiping his fingers, King Charles continued to rant, adding: I can't bear this bloody thing... every stinking time.

King Charles III and the Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle, Co Down on Thursday (Photo credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire)   PA

Read more #NotMyKing hashtag trending in the UK as Charles III visits Northern Ireland

Earlier this week, the new king also made headlines after instructing an aide at his first Privy Council meeting in London to remove an ink pot off the table where he was signing documents.

A member of staff was on-hand to quickly remove the offending decorative pot from the Kings writing space, but not before video of the incident was captured showing King Charles grimacing at the writing tools and shared on social media.

The new King and Queen consort were in Northern Ireland on Tuesday as part of a tour of the UK ahead of the Queens funeral on Monday.

The couple visited Hillsborough Castle where they were introduced by speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly Alex Maskey before heading to a service of reflection for the late monarch at St Annes Cathedral.

The service at St Annes Cathedral was attended by numerous political figures in Northern Ireland including Michelle ONeill, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Naomi Long and Doug Beattie. They were also joined by Irish President Michael Higgins, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Prime Minister Liz Truss.

It has been reported that prior to becoming king, King Charles was known for carrying his own fountain pen to events in order to sign the customary visitors books of locations on royal visits as the Prince of Wales.

It appears this may be a custom he will want to continue as king.
Solidarity to the protesters arrested! Its your right to protest! We all stand with you. #NotMyKing.

Jedward have continued their Twitter tirade objecting to the fanfare in the wake of the Queen Elizabeth IIs death despite a bit of a backlash on social media.

The twin brothers, whose real names are John and Edward Grimes, have published a series of tweets criticising the British monarchy following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday.

And despite even receiving death threats in relation to their comments the unrepentant twins have not backed down.

In their most recent stream of new tweets the twins said it was inhumane cancelling funerals and rescheduling cancer treatments due to the Queens funeral!

No one should be treated as second class citizens! they added.

In an earlier tweet, Jedward wrote: Solidarity to the protesters arrested! Its your right to protest! We all stand with you. #NotMyKing.

And they also demanded: Why are food banks being closed? The homeless and vulnerable families shouldnt suffer.

Some of the reactions are mixed with one person backing the lads: I think its ridiculous people are getting arrested for freedom of speech. Its not disturbing the peace its called silencing.

People have a right to use their voice not be shut down regardless of whats happening in the world.

However, another added: And how would you feel if someone was shouting abuse at you whilst you accompanied your dead mum to her final resting place?

Earlier this week the Lucan lads revealed that they had been receiving death threats over their comments in relation to the Queen

Psychos are sending us death threats! they tweeted. Your threatening behaviour and criminality will not intimidate us.

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There was a flood of support from well-wishers, with one saying: Hope youre both safe! Death threats are a criminal offence.. you should forward them onto the police! one fan wrote.

Another added: Keep your heads up lads. The truth can't be silenced.

One other said: That's insane :((( why can't people just agree to disagree on things and let it be, it is what it is. No matter the subject. There's no right or wrong on some stuff, just opinions.

One supporter added: Some people really go OTT in their responses when they dislike something. I've reported a few. I'm not always keen on what you're saying or how you say it, but it's nothing that people should be getting so violently angry about.

At the weekend, former Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson was just one to hit back at Jedward after they demanded King Charles to hand back the six counties of Northern Ireland in a series of tweets.

On Saturday, they wrote: Abolish the monarchy and give the people real democracy!

They then added: King Charles should hand back the six Irish counties on his visit to Northern Ireland - No war! Just words! Its time.

Enniskillen native Charlie had some choice words for the X Factor stars, responding with: Shut up ypair of tw*ts!!

The soap favourite, who is best known for playing Jim McDonald on Coronation Street, hit out at the Dubliners again on Sunday after they posted a tweet criticising the backlash they received about their anti-monarchist posts.

Jedward wrote: People in denial about Britains Imperialist past need to get a grip. Change is hard when your education is a censored version of history.

And Charlie replied on Monday: Oh, shut up!

The 62-year-old's replies sparked a flood of messages of support for both parties, with one person telling the Corrie star: I dont like much of what you say Charlie but this was on point.

Others sided with Jedward and were unimpressed with Charlies juvenile remarks, dubbing him a snowflake.

What age are you Charlie? Name calling on social media? Oh, your words really hurt... wise up and act your age! one commenter wrote.

Jedward got over 21k likes so theyre not alone in their opinion lol, another added.
Theyre mans best friend. But for some people, our canine counterparts are so much more than that. Theyre life-changers.

For people living with long-term disabilities, a Mobility or Therapy Dog can increase their independence, confidence, self-esteem, and participation in New Zealand communities.

Founded in 2003, the everyday work of registered charity, Mobility Dogs, is focused on partnering highly skilled Mobility and Therapy Dogs with individuals living with physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spinal injury, stroke and Parkinsons disease.

Currently in the Western Bay of Plenty, there are five working dog partnerships, two puppies in training, two people awaiting a match, and one undertaking initial assessment. Thanks to a TECT grant of $8000, another two matches will be able to be made.

Mobility Dogs staff evaluate each application individually and provide assessment, training and follow-up to each client's specific needs.

A comprehensive training programme sees a puppy living with and receiving training from a puppy raiser for about 12 months.

Puppy raisers ensure the puppy learns the specialist skills required of a mobility or therapy Dog.

The puppies then graduate to Advanced Training with a senior trainer, who matches them with a client.

During this time, they learn how to provide help with daily tasks that many of us take for granted.

This includes retrieving and carrying items, opening and closing doors and drawers, taking shoes and socks off, pressing buttons for elevators and pedestrian crossings, and helping with payments in shops.

Mobility Dogs funding and grants coordinator Dianne Armstrong says that beyond the physical benefits, the dogs also play an important role in the social and community life of an individual.

Research has shown that equally as important as the specialist tasks, are the psychosocial benefits.

These include loyalty, companionship, empowerment, motivation, and being an ice breaker in social situations.

Therapy Dogs are trained to the same high standard as Mobility Dogs; however, they live with a clinician and accompany them to their work clinic.

These dogs skills are tailored to suit the needs of patients or clients, which are usually to reduce blood pressure, stress or anxiety levels.

Dianne says Mobility Dogs is grateful for the support they receive from donors, sponsors, and grants like TECTs.

The result of this grant is two clients who are able to function independently, with less reliance on their carers or families, as well as a growing understanding of the role Mobility Dogs play in the community.

Mobility Dogs wear green jackets to identify them when they are out in public.

This is to ensure that people are aware that the dog is working to support their owner, but it also helps to increase the visibility of the organisation.

Dianne says that, unsurprisingly, the cute, fluffy golden retriever Mobility Dogs attract public attention when out and about, but it is important to remember they are service dogs, focused on keeping their owner safe.

You may see Mobility Dogs out and about in communities, but if you want to pat one, make sure you talk to the owner first, being mindful not to distract the dog. It is a great opportunity to connect and grow your understanding.

One anonymous client says they felt privileged when they were matched with their Mobility Dog, Franklin.

I didn't realise just how difficult my daily life had become. Previously, I was able to walk with a walking stick, but was unstable and often fell while out shopping; this led to me losing confidence and I eventually stopped going out on my own. Once I was placed with Franklin, my confidence began to grow and together, we ventured out to the shops.

Franklin's favourite task is helping with the laundry. He loves getting socks from the bedrooms and putting them into the washing machine, whether the socks are dirty or clean.

I can't imagine my life now without Franklin. He is my helper, my companion, he keeps me safe and loves me unconditionally.

TECT Trustee Peter Farmer says the Trust is pleased to be able to support the creation of two new matches in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Mobility Dogs make an invaluable difference on their owners lives, empowering them with increased independence and a greater quality of life.

Whats great is that they not only provide immeasurable value to their owners, but they can also act as ice breakers, fostering connections between people in the community. TECT is proud to stand by an organisation championing connection and inclusion.
Rotorua newborn Addison Hawkes first day ever came with an extra cause to celebrate, thanks to her mother scoring a "cash bonus" from an initiative set up by 2degrees.

To mark 2degrees joining forces with Vocus New Zealand in June, the teleco company announced all babies born on June 1, 2022,will be eligible to receive a cash bonus from a $222,000 prize pool.

Shawna Hawke, Addisons mother from Rotorua, was one of many Kiwis across the country to receive $1,552.45 to set up her new daughter for a "fairer future."

The 31-year-old says she first heard of the competition from being told to enter by her extended family and friends.

I was still in the hospital and had just had Addison, and I started getting all these messages from friends and family saying I had to enter this competition.

Things like this dont usually come up, but I decided to enter and about two weeks after entering I found out we would get it.

Shawna says her and her husband Brad are absolutely stoked.

We felt really lucky and grateful 2degrees has done this. Things like this dont usually happen to us!

When sharing the news of her win with her family, she says they were very excited.

Shawna and her husband have both set up a plan for what to do with the money, which will help with the costs of having a new baby.

We are going to buy a car seat for Addison for when she grows out of her capsule, which is amazing because car seats are super expensive.

We also really want to go away sometime as a family at some point, and to set some aside for Christmas.

Anything is a huge help when you have a new baby. When you are not working, and your parental leave is not as high as your normal pay.

Im sure all the other people who have got this payment as well were helped hugely too. Its a really cool idea 2degrees had to help a lot of families out there. Having a baby is a stressful time and it is a whole new thing for most people.

I kind of know what Im doing as Addison is my third baby, but it is still a lot to deal with.

Shawna Hawke and her newest child Addison. Photo: Supplied/SunLive.

Shawna says her other daughters love having a new baby sister in the house, and describes Addison as very relaxed.

The sleepless nights Im not enjoying so much, but it is great to have a new member to the family.

Across the country, 143 other families were given the same payment. According to 2degrees, there were 75 boys and 68 girls who were born on June 1 who signed up for the cash bonus.

The most common names were Quinn, Amelia, Hugo and Willow, and the most babies were born in Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington.

Chief Executive of 2degrees Mark Callander says June 1 was a huge day for the company.

June 1 represented the next generation in our evolution, and what better way to share the excitement than to support the next generation of Kiwis. Our mission has always been to create a fairer future for all New Zealanders, and this was one way we could do that, says Mark.

Its awesome to hear some of these bonuses will be going towards investments for a babys future, while others will be going towards purchasing a family vehicle, reuniting with family from overseas and those practical things, like new car seats. Were stoked to have supported two sets of twins  two is our lucky number!

The big day was also surprising for another reason, as June 1 is one of the least common New Zealand birthdays, falling at 355th on the list, just ahead of Christmas and New Years Day.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has set new permanent speed limits for some sections of State Highway 5 and State Highway 30, in Rotorua.

The new limits come following consultation in March and April 2021.

The roading agency says it committed to Road to Zero, a vision for New Zealand where no one is killed or seriously injured on NZ roads.

Regional relationships director David Speirs says safe speeds save lives.

Our speeds really matter. They can make a substantial difference to creating safe and sustainable communities. When speeds are safe for the road, simple mistakes are less likely to end in tragedy. Thats why were making the speed limit safer for everyone who uses this road.

"People told us they feel unsafe between Hemo roundabout and Waipa State Mill Road, and near Whakarewarewa School. We also heard, and agree with the feedback, the area by the Rotorua Airport isnt as developed, so the speed limit will remain at 80km/h until things change in the future.

Speeds on a road impact how safe other road users feel to walk, bike, or travel with their tamariki on that same road.

Whakarewarewa School and the Board of Trustees shared their concerns about children walking to/from school, near a busy state highway.

As part of this review a variable school speed zone was proposed and will be implemented. The speed limit will be lowered to 30km/h around school drop off and pick up times.

From Monday, October 3, the new permanent speed limits are:

Location Location description Current speed limit (km/h) New speed limit (km/h) Old Taupo Road /Hemo Road SH5: 70m north of Malfroy Road (existing speed limit change point) to 258m southwest of the SH5/SH30 Old Taupo Road/Hemo Road roundabout. 50, 80 50 Waipa SH5: 258m southwest of the SH5/SH30 Old Taupo Road/Hemo Road roundabout to 400m south of Waipa State Mill Road. 80, 100 80 SH5/SH30 roundabout  Tarawera Road SH30: from the centre of the SH5/SH30 Old Taupo Road/Hemo Road roundabout to 100m northeast of Tarawera Road. 80, 60, 50, 70 50 South of SH5/SH30 roundabout SH30: 193m southwest of the SH5/SH30 intersection to the SH5/SH30 intersection. 80, 100 80 Whakarewarewa School variable school speed zone SH30: Whakarewarewa School electronic variable school speed zone, 50m west of McIntyre Avenue to 200m south of Scott Street intersection. 50 50, 30 Tarawera Road  Coulter Road SH30: 100m northeast of Tarawera Road to 90m north of Coulter Road. 60 No change Coulter Road  Alfred Road SH30: 90m north of Coulter Road to 185m north of Alfred Road. 70 No change Alfred Road  Rotokawa Road SH30: 185m north of Alfred Road to 140m northeast of Rotokawa Road. 80 No change SH30/SH30A Sala Street intersection SH30A: 150m west of the SH30/SH30A intersection to the SH30A eastern termination point. 70 50

We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where theyre going safely. Even when its not the cause of a crash, speed is the difference between someone being seriously injured, killed or unharmed.

The setting of the permanent speed limits follows engagement with the Police, the AA, and road user groups, and consultation with the public.

We thank the members of the public that provided their feedback on the proposed speed limits.

More information on the permanent speed limits and our consultation summary, including the submissions can be found at: nzta.govt.nz/BOP-speed-reviews

Delivering safety improvements in speed and infrastructure are an important part of Road to Zero, Aotearoa New Zealands road safety strategy.

They are underpinned by the internationally proven Safe System approach, which acknowledge that as humans, we all make mistakes  but these mistakes do not need to cost us our lives.
October 1 is perhaps the most important day in the life of a trout fisher.

It marks the start of the new fishing season and the opportunity to get back out there after the winter.

Anglers all around New Zealand will be counting down the days until October 1.

The Rotorua lakes offer some of the best fishing in the country and the season traditionally kicks off with a bang when hundreds of fishers get out onto lakes Rotoiti, Tarawera and Okataina.

The lakes close over winter and that gives the fish a bit of a rest period. Opening day usually produces some good fishing as the rested fish tend to be a little more naive, says Fish & Games Matt Osborne.

Last season, all of the lakes in the Eastern Fish & Game region were fishing well with a good balance of catch rate and fish size, says Matt.

Its rare to have all the lakes performing well at the same time, but we saw it last season so we are hoping for more of the same over the coming summer.

Fishing is seen to provide huge mental and physical benefits and Fish & Game are promoting family inclusion with a licence specifically for that.

The family licence can include a partner to the primary licence holder and up to four children or grandchildren under the age of 18.

Licences are on sale now, and anglers are encouraged to check out the many categories available to ensure they get the most suitable and best value licence for their needs.

It will be important for anglers and other lake users to remember the Check, Clean and Dry message as we roll into summer too, says Fish & Game.

Ensuring we keep local waterways pest free is critical to our continued enjoyment of the resource and everyone needs to do their part.
PINUNO HAILS SIGNING OF IRR OF HIS 12-YEAR OLD LAW, SAYS FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE NOW WITHIN REACH FOR POOR FILIPINOS

Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid on Wednesday, September 14, said poor Filipinos can now finally avail of free legal assistance 12 years after his Republic Act No. 9999, or the Free Legal Assistance Act of 2010, more commonly known as Lapid Law, was signed into law.

"Sa wakas, nakamit na natin ang tagumpay sa pagpapatupad ng ating batas. Halos labing dalawang taon po mula nang mapirmahan ang Lapid Law bilang batas, ang Implementing Rules and Regulations o ang IRR nito ay napirmahan na noong Setyembre 8," Lapid said.

"Isa itong landmark victory para sa ating mga kababayan na lubos na nangangailangan ng libreng serbisyong legal. Abot-kamay na nila ang free legal services sakaling sila ay mangailangan nito," Lapid added.

The senator from Pampanga also expressed his gratitude to BIR Commissioner Lilia Guillermo and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno for prioritizing the promulgation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for R.A. No. 9999.

"Taos-puso akong nagpapasalamat kina Commissioner Lilia Guillermo at Secretary Benjamin Diokno sa pagtugon na sa wakas ay magkaroon na ng IRR ang batas na ito," Lapid expressed.

Lapid's landmark bill, the Free Legal Assistance Act of 2010, seeks to encourage lawyers and professional firms to render actual free legal services to the poor in order to help decongest the workload in the Public Attorney's Office, and ensures that every person who cannot afford the services of a counsel is provided with a competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice.

R.A. No. 9999, granting lawyers tax deductions for giving legal services to poor clients, was signed into law during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2010 but remained unimplemented 12 years after the bill was signed into law due to the lack of IRR.

It can be recalled that earlier, Lapid in a letter addressed to Commissioner Lilia Guillermo dated July 11, requested the prioritization of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for RA No. 9999 from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Russias COVID-19 case tally rose by 51,735 over the past day to 20,208,878, TASS reported citing the Russian anti-coronavirus crisis center.

A day earlier, 44,045 daily cases were recorded.

As many as 4,481 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, down 3.9% from a day earlier. The number of hospitalized patients increased in 34 regions, while in 46 regions the figure decreased. The situation remained unchanged in five regions. A day earlier, 4,663 people were rushed to hospitals.

Moscows COVID-19 cases surged by 8,610 over the past day versus 4,946 cases a day earlier, reaching 3,116,224, according to the anti-coronavirus crisis center. St. Petersburgs COVID-19 cases increased by 3,623 over the past day versus 3,478 a day earlier, reaching 1,703,997.

COVID-19 recoveries

Russias COVID-19 recoveries rose by 50,251 over the past day, reaching 19,195,104, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Wednesday.

A day earlier some 48,187 patients recovered.

COVID-19 death toll

Russias COVID-19 death toll rose by 98 over the past day, reaching 385,628, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Wednesday.

A day earlier 101 COVID-19 deaths were registered.
Police have taken further enforcement action for alleged offending under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993.

This follows the earlier arrests of a man and a woman in Christchurch in late August for offences under the Act.

"Police have continued to make enquiries into the matter. A 68-year-old Auckland man has been summoned to Court to face a charge of possession of an objectionable publication with knowledge," says a police spokesperson.

"He is expected to appear in the Auckland District Court on September 29, 2022.

"As the matter is before the Court, Police are not able to comment further."
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. A group of representatives of the upper and lower houses of the Parliament of Italy adopted a statement over the escalation of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, urging to stop the military aggression and clearly stating that it is taking place in the sovereign territory of Armenia, the Embassy of Armenia in Italy reports.

In their statement the Italian parliamentarians expressed hope that the international community will openly condemn the aggressor side.

Several MPs have also condemned the Azerbaijani attack on Armenia in a separate statement. Massimiliano Capitanio condemned the attack on Armenia, expressing hope that the statement on the ceasefire will be respected, and the Armenian people would be able to finally live peacefully without continuous and unjustified aggression. The war should end, he said.

Senator Alberto Airola expressed his strict concerns over the armed clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, calling it a serious violation of the ceasefire as a result of the aggression of the Azerbaijani forces, which resulted in loss of dozens of lives on the Armenian side. Acts of violence should be condemned. Escalation that threatens to again blow up the conflict, which, in the conditions of current international tension, could open a new and very dangerous front of conflict between Russia and the West, is in full interests of Erdogans Turkey which has long been stocking the fire by pursuing its plans of neo-Ottoman hegemony, he said.

Senator Enrico Aimi said the fact of 49 Armenian soldiers killed by the Azerbaijani attack has created a great panic in Europe and all over the world. With our prayer we are close to the families of the victims. Its necessary for the conflict to be quickly stopped at its initial stage to avoid serious consequences which could destabilize the situation, which is being attempted to be maintained with a difficulty in this problematic territory, he said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. PM Nikol Pashinyan says Azerbaijan is attempting to present Armenia in the West to be a strong pro-Russian country, and in Russia as a strong pro-West country.

The PM made the remarks when asked by MP Shirak Torosyan whether or not he sees a geopolitical factor behind Azerbaijans attack.

Yes, there is a geopolitical context because for a very long time Azerbaijan is engaged in the following policy: they go to the West and tell them that Armenia is a pro-Russian state, a pro-Russian country, and to say the least are trying to advance the idea in the West of opening a second front for Russia in Armenia in context of the situation around the Ukraine issue. While in contacts with Russia, Azerbaijan is presenting Armenia to be a strong pro-Western country which has intense relations with the EU and the US and are trying to create a perception in Russia that perhaps its worth to punish Armenia so to say for its pro-Western policy and are attempting to create a perception in Russia for aggressive policy against Armenia, the PM said.

The PM didnt rule out that there are circles in the West and in Russia who like these ideas. However, Pashinyan expressed hope that there is no such perception on the state level. He stressed that in the recent period Armenia intensified its contacts with both Russia and the Western countries, explaining to them that the above-mentioned narrative is totally false.

Semi-truth is more dangerous than lies. Armenia has very close relations with Russia, thats a fact, it cant be denied. Armenia has intensive contacts with Western countries, thats also a fact. We very closely cooperate with the EU, we have strategic dialogue with the US. But the context which Azerbaijan is trying to present has nothing to do with reality because Armenia is a sovereign and independent state which is committed to its obligations, the PM said.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket recently launched the BlueWalker 3 satellite, which is the biggest commercial communications array flown in space by AST SpaceMobile, according to Interesting Engineering.

(Photo : CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink 4-20 mission, launches from Space Launch Complex 40 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 4, 2022.

It also marks the company's heaviest rideshare payload and first-ever five-engine burn mission to deploy payloads in orbit.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated on a tweet that it was one of their "most complex" missions.

One of our most complex missions  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2022

Astronomers are Worried

The BlueWalker 3 satellite has its structure pointing towards the Earth. This worries astronomers because of the array antenna reflecting sunlight to Earth. As a result, this cause blinding streaks of light on astronomical images that may compromise scientific data.

And it's not only that. Following BlueWalker 3, SpaceX could send over 100 satellites, the BlueBirds, to orbit by the end of 2024. The Bluebirds are operational satellites, which means that they can produce brighter lights. Additionally, since they are larger, they could interfere with scientific data. It's possible that these satellites, once they're out there, could shield astronomers' views of the cosmos.

SpaceX is not the first to worry astronomers. In fact, the US military and astronomers have been battling over space-based solar power for decades. Most of the time, this battle has been successfully avoided. However, there have been cases where the US military has restricted access. On the other hand, there are cases when astronomers have protested against the US military because of their space solar power possibilities.

Also Read: SpaceX's Holy Grail is Starship? Here's Why This Rocket is Irreplaceable

The Advantage to Consumers

Despite it interfering with scientific data, BlueWalker 3 remains appealing to the consumer market. This is because the satellites will link directly to mobile phones. Therefore, there is no need for a cell tower. Users don't need to install a dish and a space router on the ground to connect to the internet. Rather, they can simply connect to the satellite and enjoy fast internet connection.

SpaceX's creation of satellite is a feat in itself. A successful launch, however, is not enough to claim victory. Everything that goes into sending a satellite into space also comes with risk. The SpaceX launch is a huge step forward for the company. Its success also brings interest in SpaceX and what they have to offer.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket may have made history and opened new innovation, but it also has raised new concerns and fears that could interfere with scientific data. And because of this, astronomers might have to deal with these new concerns.

It's very clear that SpaceX is not stopping with the BlueWalker 3. They will keep on launching the satellites. It's also very likely that they will keep on increasing their fleet of satellites.

Related Article: SpaceX: Starlink Satellites Disintegrate Without Debris and Parts Falling Back to the Earth [WATCH]

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by April Fowell

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Unsplash/Souvik Banerjee) Twitter

Twitter's former head of security, Peiter Zatko, is scheduled to appear before Congress on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Zatko accused the social media company of alarming security and privacy issues.

Zatko to Appear Before Congress

According to The Guardian, Zatko worked as the head of security for the platform until he was fired in January.

In July, he filed a whistleblower complaint with Congress and claimed that he witnessed extreme deficiencies in Twitter's security system.

He also claimed that the company violated the terms of a 2011 Federal Trace Commission (FTC) settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger security measures to protect the privacy of its users.

Zatko's claims could affect Elon Musk's attempt to back out of his $44 billion deal to purchase Twitter. In July, Musk revealed that he would no longer purchase the social media platform because the company won't provide the real number of spam bots.

Also Read: Elon Musk Shares How Twitter Board Chose Not to Disclose Complete Spam Prevalence: Half of the Employees have Access to Sensitive Data, Whistleblower

Musk's Accusations

According to Associated Press, Musk accused Twitter of failing to provide enough information about the number of fake accounts on the platform.

Twitter fired back and sued Musk for backing out of the $44 billion deal, accusing the billionaire of making excuses to not follow through with their agreement.

The social media platform had the choice of pushing for a $1 billion breakup fee that Musk agreed to pay, but the company did not want to go down without a fight.

Musk's lawyer Mike Ringler complained that the billionaire had asked Twitter for the exact number of fake and spam accounts for two months. He also asked for the data from the company because he wanted the review the process himself.

However, Twitter kept on delaying his request.

The case court hearing is scheduled in October, and a Delaware judge agreed that Musk could use Zatko's claims against Twitter in his argument in court.

Big Tech vs. Congress

According to The Guardian, the Musk vs. Twitter hearing is the latest to put a tech company in the hot seat as the tech industry is under fire for its abuse of power.

Twitter is also the latest company scrutinized regarding its security and news operations.

Jasmine Enber, the principal analyst at Insider Intelligence, said that the social media company has an outsized impact on global politics and events, and it tried to reposition itself as a news app in the past.

Enber added that Musk's complaints about the platform caught the eye of regulators, and Zatko's testimony added fuel to the fire.

Zatko is the latest whistleblower against big tech after former Facebook employee Frances Haugen came forward with serious allegations in 2021.

Twitter had called out Zatko after his allegations against the company were published by The Washington Post in early September.

A company spokesperson said that Zatko is spreading a false narrative about the company and its privacy and data security practices.

The social media giant also pointed out that Zatko's statements are riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies, and it lacks important context.

Related Article: Twitter's Whistleblower Claims Company Mislead Investors and Regulators About its Security and Privacy

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan says that the aggressor, the Azerbaijani forces, must be withdrawn from the territory of Armenia, the political task is the restoration of Armenias territorial integrity.

We do not solve a problem of position in general, our political task is to restore the territorial integrity of Armenia. The aggressor must be withdrawn from the territory of Armenia. The territory of Armenia is the territory on which the Republic of Armenia has declared independence, it is the territory of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. If Azerbaijan does not recognize that line, its another matter, he said during a Q&A session in the Parliament.

On behalf of Armenia and its people, the PM thanked and expressed gratitude to all those who are defending the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the homeland.
Verizon's latest iPhone 14 accessory sale will allow you to get the advanced MagSafe at a lower price.

(Photo : Filip Chudzinski via Twitter @choreographics)

iPhone 14 Accessory Sale: Verizon Offers 25% for MagSafe! Other US Carrier Promotions You Need to Know

This is a great deal since many Apple consumers are expected to order the newest iOS smartphone model.

Of course, many people might want new smartphone accessories for their upcoming iPhone 14 unit. This is why Verizon launched its iPhone 14 promotions on Friday, Sept. 9.

As of writing, the American wireless network operator offers MagSafe chargers with 25% of discounts.

The tech firm also reduced the price of its MagSafe bundles, allowing consumers to purchase them 20% cheaper.

iPhone 14 Accessory Sale: Verizon Offers 25% for MagSafe!

According to MacRumors' latest report, Verizon offers direct discounts on MagSafe accessories. Here are the company's exact promotions:

(Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @MacMike1000)

iPhone 14 Accessory Sale: Verizon Offers 25% for MagSafe! Other US Carrier Promotions You Need to Know

Also Read: Apple to Soon Introduce 'Subscription Services' For All Devices This or Next Year-What Can You Get From It?

MagSafe Charger (from $39 to $29.99)

MagSafe Duo Charger (from $129 to $96.74)

MagSafe Battery Pack (from $99 to $74.24)

Those tracking Verizon's promotions said that the discounted prices of MagSafe Duo Charger and MagSafe Battery Pack are the best ones yet.

On the other hand, here are the MagSafe accessory bundle discounts provided by Verizon:

iPhone 14 Silicone Case + MagSafe Charger + 20W Power Adapter ($23 off)

MagSafe Leather Wallet + MagSafe Charger + 20W Power Adapter ($25 off)

MagSafe Battery Pack + MagSafe Charger + 20W Power Adapter ($32 off)

iPhone 14 Plus Silicone Case + MagSafe Charger + 20W Power Adapter ($23 off)

iPhone 14 Pro Silicone Case + MagSafe Charger + 20W Power Adapter ($23 off)

iPhone 14 Pro Max Silicone Case + MagSafe Charger + 20W Power Adapter ($23 off)

If you want to see further details about Verizon's ongoing iPhone 14 promotions, you can click this link.

Other US Carriers Offering iPhone 14 Promos

Aside from Verizon, there are also other U.S. carriers that offer iPhone 14 promotions.

One of these is T-Mobile. If you consider getting the company's T-Mobile's Ultimate+, Business Unlimited Advanced, Magenta MAX, or Ultimate plans for your new iOS handset, you can get $1,000 off any iPhone 14 unit.

You can have this discount if you have an eligible trade-in.

AT&T also offers a similar iPhone promotion. GSM Arena said that you could get a $1,000 discount on all iPhone 14 if you have an eligible trade-in device that uses a service of AT&T.

But, your plans should have a minimum cost of $75 per month.

In other stories, the iPhone 14 battery capacities were recently revealed in a list.

On the other hand, iPhone 14's brighter display allows consumers to see their screens, even when the sunlight is too bright.

For more news updates about iPhone 14 promos and other smartphone deals, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: [UPDATED] iPhone 14 Smartphones Are Now Available for Preorder | Here's How to Get Apple's Latest Flagship

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On Tuesday, Sept. 13, Twitter's shareholders voted to approve Elon Musk's $44 billion offer to purchase the social media company.

During a company call, the company confirmed that enough votes were made to approve the deal.

Shareholders Approve Musk's Bid

According to CNBC, the shareholders' vote comes as Musk backed out of the deal because of Twitter's bots and fake accounts.

The social media company had stood by its figure of less than 5% of monetizable daily active users being bots or fake. It said it had provided Musk with all the information he needed when he signed the deal.

The shareholders' vote will allow Twitter to continue with a lawsuit intended to prevent Musk from backing out of the $44 billion agreement to acquire the company.

According to The Verge, the trial will begin in October in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Musk is set to argue that Twitter concealed important facts about its internal operations, including an alleged undercount of bot and spam accounts and details revealed by Twitter's whistleblower Peiter Zatko.

Meanwhile, Twitter is expected to push to close the deal despite Musk's complaints about the company.

Also Read: Twitter's Whistleblower Claims Company Mislead Investors and Regulators About its Security and Privacy

Twitter's Case Against Musk

In July, Twitter sued Musk for breaching their agreement, and the judge in the case allowed Musk's camp to revise his counterclaim against the company to include allegations made by Zatko.

The outcome of the dispute between the billionaire and the social media company could be unpredictable.

Legal experts say the dispute could involve a judge forcing Musk to complete the deal or forcing him to pay a $1 billion breakup fee.

Other possible outcomes include a settlement, renegotiation of the purchase price, or even Musk walking away without paying anything.

In April, Musk planned to purchase Twitter for $54.20 per share. The stock was trading at only $34 per share at the time, which was over 37% lower than Musk's offer.

Twitter believes that the decline in stock trading was due to Musk's actions, although other social media companies have also seen their share prices slide during the same period.

Zatko Testifies

Zatko revealed to Congress on Tuesday, Sept. 13, that Twitter executives put profit ahead of security, making the platform vulnerable to infiltration by hackers,

According to NPR, Zatko told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Twitter's leadership is misleading the public, regulators, lawmakers, and board of directors.

Twitter's cybersecurity failures make it vulnerable to exploitation, making it a dangerous platform to its users.

In a federal whistleblower complaint in August, Zatko accused Twitter of lax security practices, neglecting user privacy, misleading regulators, and violating its 2011 settlement with the Federal Trade Commission or FTC.

Zatko also revealed that Twitter employed foreign government agents who had access to the company's internal systems and data.

The complaint has raised concerns in Washington, giving Twitter's role as a place where government leaders, businesses, and prominent figures get their message out.

Zatko's disclosures have thrown a new twist into the company's legal battle with Musk. A Delaware judge allowed Musk to use Zatko's claims to justify his decision to walk away from the acquisition of the platform without penalty.

Related Article: Twitter Whistleblower to Testify In Front of Congress About the Company's Security Issues

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A 26-year-old innovator, Ben Nowack, has developed a way to produce solar energy during the night, according to Interesting Engineering. Nowack is a former SpaceX employee and is now the CEO of Tons of Mirrors. His company's main goal is to replace fossil fuels by making solar energy cheaper and more accessible than ever.

(Photo : JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images)

Solar panels are pictured on the surface of a water reservoir in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on the the border with Syria, on September 4, 2022.

The Plan

Nowack plans to install a special setup that features large mirrors and a collimator device on the International Space Station (ISS) to redirect sunlight to solar panels on our planet during the night.

With this, the ISS will serve as an orbital solar reflector. For Nowack, his initial plan was to encircle the Earth with a long vacuum tube that has the sunlight directed using mirrors in space. However, he made changes to this idea because it wasn't economical.

Instead, he created a structure that consisted of multiple parabolic mirrors and collimator tiles. Nowack thinks that this design is scalable, efficient, and economical.

University of Glasgow researchers are working on space-based satellite solar reflector technology that will let large solar farms get enough supply of sunlight at times when energy demand is at its peak.

Additionally, China has plans to release three artificial moons in space that can produce bright lights that can replace streetlights in the country by the end of the year.

Nowack told Vice, "Today, with the solar panels that are out there, it's a $20 billion-a-year industry. What I'm building is bigger than any of the markets they currently have. If this is the electric solution, and let's say in 200 years this replaces fossil fuels, it's a $17 trillion market."

Also Read: 'Solar Facade': These Embedded Solar Panels Produce 50 Times More Power Than Standard Panels!

The Future

Currently, Nowack is raising funds to get the collimator tiles installed on the ISS. Aside from this, he has plans to launch satellites equipped with the same technology in the future.

This doesn't come without any challenges at all. In fact, there are a few challenges when it comes to space-based solar reflector technology. For one, when the amount of redirected light is not controlled properly, it could cause harm to animals, plants, and insects. It also needs a huge area in space.

Nowack is working hard to overcome these challenges and believes that the collimator tiles can shut down fossil fuel plants globally. And in the future, we could be using space-based solar reflector technology to power Earth.

When people think about solar energy and its potential, many think about the cost of setting up solar panels on rooftops or the limitations of the technology. However, these perceptions are changing with new innovations and breakthroughs.

Aside from space-based solar reflector technology, there are other types of solar energy that people can use. Even though the cost of setting up solar panels on rooftops is still high, it's getting more affordable.

Related Article: New Solar Cell Uses Night Vision Tech To Generate Electricity Even in Complete Darkness

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A new research decided to take a deep dive into learning more about thermonuclear explosions in space, particularly with the white dwarf star which exploded hundreds of years ago, in a faraway region. The SNR 0519-69.0 or SNR 0159 is a known remnant of a former dwarf star in a small galaxy region far from the planet, with its present surveys helping bridge a discovery for astronomers.

Supernova Timeline Discovered by Astronomers

(Photo : NASA/ESA/STScI)

A Supernova timeline is often unknown to the world, especially as most ones happened long ago, even before the time of the early humans who formed initial civilizations on the planet. However, researchers were able to find a way to map out this phenomenon and able to determine it in Earth's time, giving context to what led to its eruption into different elements and materials in space.

According to a release by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the researchers behind this new study, said that the blast wave from the explosion range from about 3.8 million to 5.5 million miles (9 million kilometers) per hour.

Traveling at the faster rate in the estimates would have made the supernova visible 670 years ago, but the researchers said that it was more recent, only happening several hundreds of years back. The light may have traveled slower, giving researchers a chance to know its timeline.

Read Also: AI Technology Detects 11 New Space Anomalies

Thermonuclear Explosion Study

A study published in The Astrophysical Journal entitled "Evidence for a Dense, Inhomogeneous Circumstellar Medium in the Type Ia SNR 0519-69.0" brings a significant look at thermonuclear explosions from a past supernova in space.

This new study aims to explain the many mysteries behind supernovas and humongous explosions, particularly with its timeline in the Earth's time, as well as its proximity to the planet. Researchers were able to see this via Chandra and Hubble, as well as NASA's retired Spitzer Space telescope.

Supernova in the Universe

Studies about supernovas are massive on the planet now, especially as astronomers try to explain the massive phenomenon in space and gain significant information regarding how it happens. A possible Type II supernova in the universe was the center of one study, something which the researchers aim to understand how and why it happens.

Supernovas create a good background image for a computer or phone because of their colorful display caught on telescopes and x-rays from previous studies, but that is not all there is to it. NASA's Hubble is one of the most capable to detect and capture supernovas with its instruments and cameras, something which contributes to further research regarding it.

Sci-fi clips may provide background on supernovas but they are only one piece of information or piece of the puzzle than what is going on in space. It is why there are researchers which pursue the study of these phenomena and share it with the world for more knowledge on the happening.

The SNR 0519 remains and debris brings much information about what it used to be, and how it came to be in the present.

Related Article: Australian Supercomputer Produces Image of a 'Golden Supernova's Remnant' With Gorgeous Details!

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Tesla's Cyberwhistle is now available via the company's shop, and the tech CEO announced it to the world, with the new novelty item commemorating a known design from its EVs. The Cyberwhistle is not exactly a tech gadget, but it is an accessory that embodies the Tesla Cybertruck, released ahead of the electric vehicle which only accepts Doge as payment.

Tesla Cyberwhistle is Now Available

(Photo : Tesla Shop)

Tesla Cyberwhistle is now available via its online shop, making a return after several months of being unlisted from the company's platform.

Elon Musk shared a link to the Tesla shop's Cyberwhistle via his Twitter account, and it only signifies one thing, and that is the return of the accessory from the company. The Cyberwhistle was previously removed from the platform's listing and became unavailable, with many people questioning what happened to the whistle.

In Musk's thread about the Cyberwhistle, he said that the product is only available via Dogecoin purchases, and users need to have the cryptocurrency before they can get their hands on the accessory.

It is also a commemorative accessory that reflects that of the Cybertruck, a famous electric car from the company which still sees no release date from Tesla.

Read Also: Elon Musk 'Cyberwhistle' Sold Out | Spinoff Tshirts 'I Wanted a Cyberwhistle But All I Got is This Boring Tshirt' Pops Off

But u have to pay in Doge  Naughtius Maximus (@elonmusk) September 13, 2022

Improvements Coming to Make it Louder

On Musk's thread, he also said that the team is working on the Tesla Cyberwhistle to make it "louder,", especially with previous reviews on the whistle which did not perform well. It is unknown if this new Cyberwhistle with improvements is already available via the Tesla shop, with Musk not revealing further details regarding it.

Tesla's Cyberwhistle and the Cybertruck EV

The Tesla Cyberwhistle was made available by the company in 2021, and it was a previous shade to the Apple Cloth which is another non-tech accessory that was famous before. Tesla brought the Cyberwhistle to the world and it presents the shape of the Cybertruck, with many thinking that the electric vehicle would be next to release.

However, fast forward to a year later, there is still no information on the Cybertruck's availability from the company.

Several reports and claims from Musk say that the Cybertruck is coming either in late 2022 or by 2023, with a known prototype of the vehicle already spotted in Giga Texas. Tesla has not yet revealed whether the company is already done with its production, known for using a casting machine to create the vehicle's body for soon use.

While the Cyberwhistle and the Cybertruck are two very different and same releases from Tesla, it still presents a massive rift between the products. Still, after being long gone from the Tesla shop's listing, the Cyberwhistle is making a return online, with the company offering the accessory now available for all but only available via Doge.

Related Article: Tesla CyberWhistle Online Listing Disappears | Page Not Found Error 404

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According to officials, Cruise, General Motors' autonomous driving unit, has created its own chips for self-driving cars that will be used by 2025 to reduce costs and increase output, as reported first by Reuters.

By using specialized CPUs rather than Nvidia's products to power their vehicles, Cruise is borrowing a strategy from EV producer Tesla.

Head of Cruise hardware Carl Jenkins seemed to refer to NVIDIA when he said that two years ago, they were paying a lot of money for a GPU from a "famous vendor." He said Cruise could not negotiate because the industry has not yet begun producing autonomous vehicles in large quantities.

Although it recently became the first firm to obtain approval to charge for autonomous rides, its activities are still limited, and its technology is still in the exploratory stages, as noted by Reuters.

"There is no negotiation because we're tiny volume. We couldn't negotiate at all. So that's why I said, okay, then we have to take control of our own destiny," Jenkins said in a statement with Reuters.

The unique chips that will power Cruise executives' Origin vehicle, which has no pedals or steering wheel, were revealed this week for the first time.

Read also: GM's Cruise to Offer Autonomous Taxi Service in Austin, Phoenix in Late 2022

Hitting that Sweet Spot

Jenkins claimed that scaling up the production of cars that use numerous processors will allow for the repayment of expenditures made for in-house chip research.

However, he opted not to disclose the project's investment by the corporation.

In 2025, the Origin will "hit that sweet spot from a cost perspective," according to Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt, and personal ownership of autonomous vehicles will be feasible.

This comes after GM CEO Mary Barra said earlier this year that the company would have a "personal autonomous vehicle" by the middle of the next decade.

According to Jenkins, Cruise has created four internal chips so far: the Horta computing chip, which serves as the vehicle's brain; Dune - analyzes sensor data, a chip for the radar; and one that will be revealed later.

Additionally, the sensors and computer chips would use less power, extending the driving range.

Related Article: Waymo, Cruise Gets Permit for Robotaxi and Self-Driving Ventures in SF, Receiving Payments for Rides

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 sparked the beginning of an intensified war between the two forces. Now, the richest man in Ukraine, Rinat Akhmedov, set out to build shelters for Ukrainian soldiers as the war raged on with all of its devastations.

According to Bloomberg's report, a Ukrainian steelworks controlled by billionaire Akhmetov has started constructing prefabricated dugouts and transporting them to soldiers engaged in front-line combat with Russia.

War Capsules

According to steel manufacturer Metinvest Holding LLC, the capsules can resist impacts from 150-millimeter rounds after being buried 1.5 meters (5 feet) beneath the surface. They may be utilized as field bathrooms, canteens, or hiding places during assaults.

The cost of one of these shelters is roughly 200,000 hryvnia ($5,450), but the company has already given away 10 of them to the front lines and plans to manufacture 20 of them each month.

A small team of people may transport the completed item because it can be carried in numerous pieces, each weighing 50 kilograms (110 pounds), and assembled after delivery.

The products are made in a Metinvest facility in Zaporizhzhia, a city in southeast Ukraine that the Russian military has partially controlled.

Read also: US Spends $92 Million to Send Its Most Accurate Artillery Shell to Ukraine

Symbol of Defiance

The economic impact of Russia's conflict with Ukraine on Metinvest is significant. As Russia shelled the complex with a holdout of Ukrainian troops inside earlier this year, the company's Azovstal steelworks in the country's southeast became a symbol of defiance.

The wealthiest person in Ukraine, Akhmetov is the owner of System Capital Management, the biggest industrial conglomerate in the nation with holdings in mining, metallurgy, and energy. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he is worth $5.6 billion.

The Ukrainian steel and mining giant Metinvest Group control the full value chain, from mining and processing coal and iron ore to producing and distributing semi-finished and completed steel goods.

SCM Holdings, owned by Rinat Akhmetov, holds the majority of shares in Metinvest Group (71.24%), followed by Smart Holding Group (23.76%), and Clarandale Limited (5%).

Since 2013, Yuriy Ryzhenkov has served as the general director, chief executive officer, and chairman of the executive committee for Metinvest.

Related Article: IAEF Chief Announces Mission to Ukraine After A 'Suicidal Nuclear Plant Explosion' Alarm Was Raised at Europe's Largest Nuclear Facility

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(Photo : Hannah McKay-Pool/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 17: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies remotely during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled, "Breaking the News: Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election" on Capitol Hill on November 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is also scheduled to testify remotely.

Mark Zuckerberg has "really lost his way," and is driving his firm Meta toward ruin, according to Bill George, a senior fellow at Harvard Business School.

George made these remarks in an interview with CNBC, discussing his latest book, "True North: Leading Authentically in Today's Workplace, Emerging Leader Edition."

Condemned to Fail

George has dedicated the last two decades of his life to researching leadership blunders in the workplace. George himself was a previous CEO of a medical technology business.

His most recent book is a summary of his research, in which he discovered that bosses who lose sight of their principles and goals are condemned to fail.

In essence, George claims that those in charge who lose sight of their most cherished ideals, principles, and role as a leader-especially when doing so for the sake of fame or power- are practically doomed.

He claims that after studying prominent company failures for decades, Zuckerberg and Meta of today bear significant similarities.

As a student in college, Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook, which he has now grown into a $450 billion tech giant. He also oversaw the organization's redesign in preparation for creating the metaverse, which is expected to be the next big thing on the internet.

However, the metaverse and everyone who entered it last year, 2021, has not had a good year in 2022. Building the platform has cost billions of dollars for Zuckerberg's rebranding business, and it has received a wave of criticisms after revealing a screenshot of Meta's Horizon Worlds for its graphics.

Read also: Amazon Exec Says Zuckerberg's Metaverse a 'Distraction', Throws Shade At The Meta Project

Bad Boss

In his book, George examines five different sorts of bad bosses, and he claims that Zuckerberg fits into not just one but three of those types.

First, George claims that Zuckerberg is a rationalizer, the kind of leader that refuses to own up to or learn from their mistakes, so they resort to blaming others.

In February, Meta had the largest single-day decline of any American stock in history, losing more than $232 billion from its market value, as per CNBC.

The outcomes were attributed to several causes by Zuckerberg and his team, including Apple's privacy changes in 2021, which have made it more difficult to target advertisements to smartphone consumers, and growing competition from rivals like TikTok.

Secondly, George claims that Zuckerberg has turned into a loner who avoids developing close connections and alienates others. These bosses frequently refuse assistance, suggestions, or criticism, which leaves them open to more errors.

Lastly, he believes that Zuckerberg is a glory-seeker who values fame and money above all else. These are the bosses that are never genuinely happy with what they have and would do anything to get more.

George claims that Zuckerberg puts Meta's earnings and growth ahead of the company's billions of users.

However, he still believes that Zuckerberg can still turn things around if he takes a break from work and reflects on his goals and principles that would ultimately shape Meta.

Related Article: Could the Metaverse Become a Successor to the Internet? Here's How It Might Turn Out

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Scientists are now looking for the so-called "COVID-19 super-dodger." As of press time, many countries across the globe are still experiencing rising daily infection cases.

(Photo : Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

A woman wearing a protective mask is seen in Union Square on March 9, 2020 in New York City. There are now 20 confirmed coronavirus cases in the city including a 7-year-old girl in the Bronx.

Since the novel coronavirus hasn't been completely neutralized, more than 600 million individuals are already infected by the viral disease.

Although there are new variants that are quite contagious, some individuals are still able to avoid contracting COVID-19.

Many of them were even exposed to people infected with the coronavirus. If you are among these individuals, then there's a high chance that you are a COVID-19 super-dodger.

Why COVID-19 'Super-Dodgers' are Valuable to Health Experts

According to NPR's latest report, 80% of children under the age of 18 in the United States have been infected. However, some have been exposed multiple times but never tested positive for COVID-19.

(Photo : Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Healthcare professionals prepare to screen people for the coronavirus at a testing site erected by the Maryland National Guard in a parking lot at FedEx Field March 30, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. The guard, in cooperation with the state of Maryland and Prince Georges Count.

Also Read: Free At-Home COVID-19 Test Orders To Be Suspended? US Government Explains Why and How To Get Tests For Free

"We've heard countless anecdotes about nurses and health-care workers, being exposed without any protection and remaining negative over and over again," said Jean-Laurent Casanova, a pediatrician at Rockefeller University.

There are various factors why many people were not infected despite getting exposed. A team of researchers at the University of California conducted a new study to understand how people become COVID-19 super-dodgers.

Jill Hollenback, the health expert leading the research, said they found a genetic mutation that can prevent an individual from developing COVID-19 symptoms.

However, he and his team clarified that this genetic mutation still can't prevent people from getting infected.

Now, the new study called "COVID Human Genetic Effort" aims to know if COVID-19 super-dodgers are really naturally immune from the disease.

How to Participate?

If you were exposed to infected individuals but still tested negative for COVID-19, then you can help with the new study.

The California-based health team allows participants to be involved remotely and in person. You can either visit their physical centers or have a video-call interview.

For those who are interested in participating, just visit the official website of COVID Human Genetic Effort or click this link.

In other stories, new COVID-19 cases forced the world's biggest electronics wholesale market to close.

On the other hand, China's COVID-19 cases reportedly threaten Apple and other businesses.

For more news updates about COVID-19 and other health topics, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: COVID-19 Vaccine Can Now Be Administered For Young Children, FDA Says

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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced once again that Armenia will not give a corridor through its territory.

We have a clear discussion with all our allies on this issue and have a common perception, in my assessment, also with the international community. There is no country speaking about a corridor during the discussions with us. If there is any country that will try to speak about it, we will not do that discussion because we are not discussing such an issue. What corridor? Who invented that corridor? Where is corridor written? Azerbaijan says according to Point 9th of the 2020 November 9 [statement]. That Point 9th is a published point. I call on all literate people around the world to find that word corridor in Point 9th, the PM said during the Q&A session in the Parliament.

He reminded that on January 11, 2021, a new trilateral statement was signed over the implementation of Point 9th, which said what Point 9th means and what it is about. Let me tell you a secret. We have presented a new package of proposals to Azerbaijan in the format of the trilateral working group, and I also handed over that proposal to the President of Azerbaijan in Brussels. As soon as they accept that proposal, we are ready to immediately start its implementation. That proposal is about all our public statements that we are ready to open roads and give and receive, the PM stated.
Officials said Tuesday that Israel is engaged in a diplomatic campaign to prevent world powers from returning to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.

Israel is working to persuade the international community not to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement signed in 2015 that seeks to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions on it, an official with the Israeli Foreign Ministry told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"Over the past weeks, Israeli officials have been holding intensive talks behind the scenes with U.S. senators and Congress members as well as European officials in order to convince them to accept the Israeli position," the official said, adding Israel also provided the United States and Europe with new intelligence information on Iranian nuclear sites' activity.

According to the official, Israel believes the current setbacks in the negotiations might be resolved after the mid-term election in the United States in November.

Israel, a longtime vocal opponent of the Iranian nuclear deal, says the agreement will enable Iran to obtain atomic weapons without the burden of the sanctions and to funnel funds to its allies, including Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group and a major enemy of Israel.

Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin to discuss the emerging deal. Restoring the agreement would be "a critical mistake," Lapid said in joint statements after the meeting.

The deal cannot achieve the goal of stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear arms, Lapid said, adding it was "time to move past the failed negotiations" with Iran.

Scholz expressed regret that Iran has not accepted European proposals to restore the deal.

In his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Lapid applauded France, Britain and Germany, known as the E3, for their joint statement on Saturday that Iran's demand to close a probe by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, into uranium particles found at three sites "raises serious doubts as to Iran's intentions and commitment to a successful outcome on the JCPOA."

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nassar Kanaani said it is regretful that the E3, instead of responding positively to the "constructive" actions of Iran in the course of reaching an agreement and its cooperation with the IAEA, has been influenced by a country, which is not a member of any safeguards systems of the IAEA, alluding to Israel's allegations against Iran's nuclear program.

The recent statement of the E3 about Iran's response to an EU nuclear proposal was "wrong" and "untimely," Kanaani added.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz also took part in the Israeli diplomatic blitz to stop the revival of the 2015 deal, calling for joint action against Iran during a briefing for UN Security Council ambassadors on Monday.

"The international community must ensure military deterrence, in addition to diplomatic and economic efforts," a statement issued on his behalf on Tuesday quoted Gantz as saying.

According to Gantz, "Iran is not only advancing in its capabilities, but also in its rate of production."

Prior to Lapid's visit to Berlin, David Barnea, the director of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, traveled to Washington on Sept. 5. In a series of security-diplomatic meetings with senior U.S. officials, Barnea and U.S. officials focused on "tightening security and intelligence coordination (between the two sides) regarding the Iranian nuclear issue," according to a statement issued by the Israeli prime minister's office.

The statement quoted U.S. officials as saying that the United States "remains committed to the security of Israel" and will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and will "continue to act in full cooperation" on regional issues concerning Israel's security.

In late August, some 5,000 senior reserve officers of the Israeli military sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, warning that the emerging nuclear deal would be "catastrophic for the peace and security of the United States, Israel and the world."

At a press conference in Vienna on Monday, also the first day of an IAEA Board of Governors' quarterly meeting, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the agency found in its inspections traces of uranium in places that were never declared by Iran, adding the information gap with regard to Iran's nuclear program is getting "bigger and bigger."

A spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) on Tuesday rejected Grossi's claim, calling on the IAEA to refrain from judging and commenting about Iran's nuclear program on the basis of the "politically motivated" documents Israel has provided.

Israel considers Iran its arch-foe and a big threat to its security. Lapid, like his predecessors Naftali Bennett and Benjamin Netanyahu, warned that Israel will not allow Iran to gain nuclear weapons and might attack it if diplomacy fails.
5 movies (that have succeeded in theaters) and you can see in Movistar Plus +
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Tehran continues closely following the developments taking place on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said during todays telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, stating that any change in the inter-state border between Armenia and Iran is unacceptable, Fars news agency reports.

The border between Iran and Armenia must remain unchanged, the Iranian FM said.

During the telephone talk the Iranian and Azerbaijani FMs exchanged views about the latest incidents in the South Caucasus. The Iranian FM expressed strong concerns over the outbreak of a new armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, stating that Iran is ready to assist in solving the disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan through peaceful political means.

We always attach a special importance to the preservation of territorial integrity of countries, including Azerbaijan and Armenia, and think that the border between Iran and Armenia is a historical path of communication which must be maintained without any changes, the Iranian FM said.

He also stated that the region cannot allow one more war.

The Islamic Republic of Iran calls on the sides to show restraint, FM Hossein Amir Abdollahian said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. US Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) spearheaded bipartisan legislation, along with the leadership of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, condemning Azerbaijan's unprovoked military attacks on the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh. Introduced in the House of Representatives, the Resolution calls for an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire," and for "all assistance to Azerbaijan to be immediately ceased," reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

"We applaud Chairman Schiff, along with the Caucus leadership, for introducing this timely resolution urging the cessation of all aid to Azerbaijan," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "Azerbaijan's egregious attacks against Armenia's sovereign territory undermine U.S. and international efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and is a continuation of Azerbaijans attempts to eliminate the centuries-old Christian presence of Armenians.

Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Jackie Speier (D-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA) said in a statement: "We strongly condemn the deadly attacks by Azeri forces in sovereign Armenian territory. This egregious escalation of Azeri violence shows just how emboldened the Aliyev regime has become when its unprovoked aggression is met by deafening silence and false equivocations from the international community  empowering Azerbaijan to continue and expand its attacks. We call on the Biden administration and State Department to unequivocally condemn Azerbaijan's actions and cease all assistance to the Aliyev regime immediately. And we stand firmly with the people of Armenia and Artsakh in support of their territorial integrity, and their right to peace and freedom."

The Resolution highlights Azerbaijan's "unprovoked assault on sovereign Armenian territory," on September 12, 2022, with intensive shelling and drone strikes on the Armenian towns of Vardenis, Jermuk, Goris, and Tatev, along with the Artsakh villages of Karmir, Shuka and Taghavard, which to date, has resulted in the deaths of at least 105 Armenian soldiers and civilian, as well as scores of injuries.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan assures that he has not signed any document, there is even no draft document, therefore, he ordered the Armenian servicemen to stand on the borders, territorial integrity and defense positions of the country and not to give in to manipulations.

I have just been informed that people spread news claiming that I have signed a document. It has nothing to do with the reality. I officially state that no paper has been signed, moreover, no paper is going to be signed, there is no talk about any paper. And this is done for a special purpose in order to weaken the resistance of our soldier standing at the border, the PM said live on Facebook, adding that he is not going to sign any document.

He added that what he has stated today during the Q&A session in the Parliament does not differ from his previous publicly-made stances.

The PM reminded that Azerbaijan has proposed points for the peace treaty, and the Armenian side said that there is nothing unacceptable in that points, but it does not contain all the issues on the agenda, and amended that agenda which includes also the rights, security guarantees of the people of Nagorno Karabakh and other conditions deriving from it which guarantee the security and the exercise of rights of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.

We have stated that we will not give a corridor through Armenias territory to anyone. We will not sign a paper that will question Armenias territorial integrity in any way. It is ruled out, he said, once again assuring that he has not signed any document. I have not signed any paper. Nothing like this has been envisaged, there is no draft paper on my table today which should be signed or should not be signed. Nothing like this is planned for the coming days as well. At this moment there is no text or a paper for me to sign or not to sign. I was told that today soldiers are calling from the border, asking whether its true that a document has been signed, so it means we are not guarding our borders anymore? the PM said.

Pashinyan called for uniting around statehood to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity. Our homeland, Armenia, is more than sanctity, it is not subject to bargaining. I have said this today in the Parliament. Be that with a corridor or something else, we are not going to make our sovereignty, territorial integrity a subject of bargaining, we are not going to do that. I have stated that on the other hand we will not avoid responsibility if we see that there is a solution, even not of a dream, which does not cross the red lines of Armenias interests, we are ready to take the responsibility of it as well and go to that solutions, the PM stated.

He ordered the soldiers of Armenia to stand at the borders, territorial integrity and defense positions of the country, and urged them not to give in to manipulations.
First NBC Bank of New Orleans failed in 2017, leaving the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on the hook for almost $1 billion.
Lara Nicholson writes for The Advocate as a Report for America Corps Member. Email her at lnicholson@theadvocate.com or follow her on Twitter @LaraNicholson_.

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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The members of the United Nations Security Council have expressed their support to the establishment of a ceasefire between Baku and Yerevan as soon as possible, Russias Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya told reporters, adding that a statement of the Security Council is being prepared in the format of press elements, RIA Novosti reports.

Everyone spoke unanimously in favor of an early ceasefire and the settlement of the situation politically and diplomatically. Now the press elements are being discussed, the experts are working on that, he said, adding that Moscow insists that the press statement has a reference to the trilateral statements of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan which serve as a base for the settlement of the relations between the two countries.

Vasily Nebenzya also said that during the UN Security Councils closed session Russia has informed about the activities being done within the CSTO for stopping the conflict.
Elon Musk is counting on investors like Spyridon Mentzas to cement his position as the worlds richest person.

Mentzas, a former co-head of equities at Mizuho Securities, set out to start his own firm with the sole purpose of buying shares of SpaceX, Musks closely held rocket company. It took his Hijojo Partners three years, but it now owns a stake in the business, which was valued at about $US125 billion ($186 billion) in its latest funding round.

As recently as 2019, Elon Musks SpaceX stake exceeded the value of his Tesla shares. Credit:AP

Hes hardly alone in vying for a piece of whats now the most valuable US startup. Edoardo Zarghetta, fund manager of Miami-based PreIPO Club, started buying SpaceX shares two years ago in the secondary market, where they still trade at premiums of more than 10 per cent. Investors from Norway to Hong Kong say theyre fans of Musk and are in it for the long haul, though some acknowledge theyre dealing with murky financial information around the Hawthorne, California-based company that quickly burns through cash.

For me, its just being able to be a part of it, Olav Trent, who heads Rex Fund, a hedge fund for wealthy Norwegian families, said in an interview from Antwerp. We would be the only Norwegian company involved in the space program.
He would go on to do volumes of stage and screen work, with credits including the following: Stage: Jack Charles Up and Fighting (1972), Bastardy (1972), Dimboola (1973), Cradle of Hercules (1975), No Sugar (1990), Dead Heart (1993), Jack Charles v the Crown (2010-2018), Coranderrk (2010-2017), Black Ties (2020). Film: Chant of Jimmie Black Smith (1978), Blackfellas (1993), Bedevil (1993), Bastardy (2009), Pan (2015), Wolf Creek (2016). TV: Ben Hall (1975), Women of the Sun (1981), Clever Man (2016), Mystery Road (2013), The Gods of Wheat Street (2014), Preppers (2021). Reflecting on Jacks impressive career and quite how extraordinary a person he was, it is even more remarkable given the journey it took him to get there.

Loading There isnt an Aboriginal family in this country that hasnt been impacted by the forced removal of children under the Aboriginal Protection Act, as documented in the Bringing Them Home report (1997), and the devastating trauma resulting from the disconnection from family and culture. Its worth noting that the recommendations from that report have not been acted on, and the removal of Aboriginal children today is at higher rates than under the Aboriginal Protection Act. It was in those early years, when first discovering his love and talent for acting, that he also discovered heroin  and so began the long journey of living with raging brer rabbit, falling into crime to support the addiction, then spending time paying for the crimes committed. All up, Jack spent 22 years of his life in jail, 35 years addicted, and almost as many homeless. And yet whenever he could  and the opportunity presented itself  he was back up on the stage or screen. Jack Charles and Amiel Courtin-Wilson during the making of the film Bastardy. Eventually, he got off the treadmill, with several factors potentially contributing to this turning point. He participated in a cultural healing program, the Marumali Program, created by Lorraine Peeters, which involved learning the relationship between ones wellbeing and the knowledge of who one belongs to and where one comes from. It was possibly also the making of the documentary Bastardy, in which documentary maker Amiel Courtin-Wilson followed him around over several years, allowing his story to be witnessed and validated, through which Jack was able to see the trauma treadmill he was stuck on. Or maybe it was the threat of losing his home, after being homeless for so many years and finally getting his own apartment.

Whatever the reason, it was in the final years of making the documentary that he decided to step off the treadmill and get healthy. And so began the next extraordinary chapter of his life, making up for lost time. He has earned his place in the heart of every Australian, as a household name, as a highly respected elder in the community, as a highly sought-after voice on almost every media channel and program. His legendary life will live on long beyond his passing. He will live in the memories and hearts of all those who had the privilege of meeting him  on the streets, the screens and airwaves. Loading Jacks many awards are a testament to the high regard in which he is held. They include: Victorian Indigenous Performing Arts (VIPA) Award 2004

Tudawali Award  Message Sticks Festival  Lifetime Contribution to Indigenous Media (2009)

Lifetime Achievement  Green Room Awards (2014)

Victorian Senior Australian of the Year (2016)

Red Ochre Lifetime Achievement Award (2019)

NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year (2022) His journey of finding his family would take a lifetime.

During the making of Jack Charles v the Crown, I recall he received photos from one of the old Box Hill Boys Home boys. He had never seen photos of himself as a child before. As he said in the show, I got my childhood back. It was in this production, a one-man script with a three-piece band, that he told his story as a survivor of the stolen generation. That show toured around the world for eight years, putting a human face to the lived experience and true impacts of the inhumane policy that took children away from their families. Hearing Uncle Jack tell his story with his immeasurable generosity, charm and wit was incredibly moving. It affected all who witnessed it. The latest piece of Jacks life puzzle fell into place in just 2021 when he featured on the TV series  as Jack called it Who The F--k Do You Think You Are? In taking a DNA test for the show, he finally discovered who his father was: Yorta Yorta man Hilton Walsh. He also met his brother, Grady, for the first time. Uncle Jack Charles at the Stolen Generations Marker in Fitzroy. Uncle Jack was the first to give evidence to the Yoorrook Justice Commission in April. Credit:Joe Armao Acting was his gift, but his passion was his community  in particular, it was his desire to inspire and help those who were still on the treadmill that he himself had been on. He wanted people to know that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He was aware of the power of his high profile and influence, and he was determined to use it in his activism. His dream was to establish a safe place for mob coming out of prison, with workshops, meeting spaces and pottery studios. He called this place the Nindabaya Workshops. He was passionate about visiting prisons to talk to the men inside. His criminal record prevented him from going inside initially, but through his persistent lobbying, he was eventually able to bring about this change.
Guillaume Brahimi is one of Australias most celebrated chefs, as well as TV presenter and author. His new show, Guillaumes Paris, sees him return to the city of his birth to explore the greatest in French food.

Chef, author, TV personality and presenter of Guillaumes Paris, Guillaume Brahimi. Credit:SBS

Im no expert on French food  do you find Australians generally have a lot to learn about the cuisine of your homeland?

I think we all have to learn, you have to discover, travel and see it. But I think there is some synergy between whats happening in France and whats happening in Australia. We are eating more seasonal produce in Australia, we are going to farmers markets, something we didnt do before. And restaurants in Australia are getting better and better.

It feels like Australia still doesnt have a food identity of its own, as opposed to somewhere like France  which has the strongest food identity you could imagine.

Yeah, I get that, there is a big opening for a debate on that. But I think we are such a young country: we are, as Australian consumers, so lucky because we eat the best of Chinese food, the best of Asian food, the best of Italian, Greek, French  you know what I mean? I think thats the Australian cuisine.

So its the melting pot.

Its a melting pot of great talent and real authentic talent. And I think whats Australian is a way of dining  when you dine in Australia the service is relaxed, but not casual. We know how to serve guests, and we know how to cook, but were doing it in a very Australian way.
For almost a decade, Australias engagement with the Pacific has been perceived as inauthentic. Despite Pacific leaders highlighting the devastating role that the continued burning of fossil fuels has had on our countries, we have felt ignored by the Australian government. But no longer.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong at the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji in July. Credit:Joe Armao

The new Australian administration is a breath of fresh air for relations with the Pacific. Foreign Minister Penny Wongs words, promising a new era in Australian engagement, are very encouraging.

But we need Australia to stop digging up, exporting and burning fossil fuels and become a global climate leader. This will help save all members of the Pacific family, including Australia.

Our Pacific culture prioritises talanoa, coming together and talking. But the honest truth is that the world has run out of time for talking about climate. Impacts of climate change are here and now. Extreme weather events are plunging one-third of Pakistan underwater and baking the northern hemisphere from Europe to China. Australians have seen the future with their own eyes, with the impacts of devastating flooding and fires. The Pacific is seeing its islands disappear underwater. As usual, it is both the poorest, most vulnerable and those who have contributed the least to climate change who bear the brunt of its impacts.
Phillip (Falk) Maisel was born in 1922 in Vilna (now Vilnius), the capital of Lithuania. As well as sister Bella he had an older brother, Josef. Their mother died when Phillip was 10 years old. In August 1940, the Russians annexed Vilna, and Phillips father was stripped of his business. The Germans occupied Vilna in 1941. Phillip and his sister tried to escape to Russia but were unsuccessful.

Phillip Maisel recorded the testimonies of 1000 Holocaust survivors, leading to a sense of fulfilment that I did something, I achieved something. Credit:Eddie Jim

He leaves behind his twin sister, Bella, his two daughters, Yvonne and Michelle, and grandsons Nathan, Robert and Jason.

Phillip Maisel loved life, he loved people, and he was an inspiration to all who met him. He died on August 22, just one week after his 100th birthday.

Phillip (sitting front left) with his family at his grandmas house in the early 1920s.

In September 1941, the Germans established a ghetto in Vilna. Phillips family had 20 minutes to move into the ghetto, leaving most of their possessions behind. The Nazis began to issue people who worked outside the ghetto with certificates that became a way to survive extermination. To save his life, Phillips father secured him a job as an auto-electrician.

After two months, Estonian troops liquidated the ghetto, and Phillip was arrested and sent to Estonia, where he was incarcerated in six labour camps between 1943 and 1944. He was sent to Stutthof concentration camp in Germany in August 1943, followed by Dautmergen and Frommern camps.

His job was serving as an auto-electrician in a mobile garage unit, working in a garage during the day and sleeping at the camp at night, sometimes even acquiring food from grateful drivers. In April 1945, he survived a death march and was liberated by French troops on April 27 in Oslach, Germany.

Phillip later learned that his father had been murdered in September 1944 in the Klooga concentration camp in Estonia. Sister Bella, who had managed to escape from the Vilna ghetto, survived after being incarcerated in Stutthof concentration camp. Phillips brother Josef, who had studied in France, survived as an officer in the French army.
Sydney private school Cranbrook will undertake a detailed internal review following reports of anti-Semitic bullying and concerns raised from parents and alumni.

In a letter to parents on Thursday, Cranbrook school council president Jon North said he joined the headmaster in condemning all forms of anti-social, bullying and discriminatory behaviour ... including racist slurs and jokes.

Cranbrook school council has announced a detailed review following reports of anti-Semitic behaviour. Credit:Flavio Brancaleone

The Herald revealed last week that the Bellevue Hill boys school was dealing with at least three families who had complained about anti-Semitic behaviour, including a video shared among students of a boy in Cranbrook uniform performing a Nazi salute at school.

North said he had since received correspondence from several parents and alumni who are deeply concerned by this behaviour and have called upon the school to implement additional educational initiatives around anti-Semitism, discrimination and bullying.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. In response to the Azerbaijani militarys ongoing strikes on Armenia, Freedom House president Michael J. Abramowitz issued the following statement:

The Azerbaijani armed forces must immediately cease their deadly attacks on Armenian territory and commit to the ongoing peace process facilitated by the EU, the US, and Russia. Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia should be carried out through diplomacy and negotiation, not through artillery and drone strikes.

The people of Armenia and Azerbaijan deserve peace and security. Military attacks on sovereign nations have no place in the rules-based international order, which is why we urge the US government, fellow democracies, and international organizations to call for an immediate cease-fire. We welcome the commitment by French president Emmanuel Macron to hold discussions at the UN Security Council, and urge democratic governments to consider additional steps to protect Armenias territorial integrity.
A new public square near Macquarie Street will be named after Queen Elizabeth II and feature a monument in her honour as the NSW government pushes ahead with plans to reinvent the precinct.

The modern block adjoining the historic Registrar Generals Building in the centre of Sydney will be bulldozed later this year to make space for the outdoor plaza beside Hyde Park Barracks.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the royal tribute on Wednesday, and said the commemorative square would be named Queen Elizabeth II Place.

Perrottet said the square and monument would remember the service and dedication of Queen Elizabeth to the great people of NSW.
Who hid the ram? There was real gold glinting in the windows of the 60-year-old AMP Building at Circular Quay, and rumours of a 600-kilogram life-sized golden replica of a sheep lurking in a basement.

The ram was missing when AMP Capital began work on the new multibillion-dollar Quay Quarter Tower, part of the nearly completed redevelopment bordered by Bridge, Alfred, Young and Loftus streets, and revitalising the adjacent city block where the statue once perched on a wool stores roof.

A replica of a gold ram found in the basement of the AMP Building. Credit:Louie Douvis

Nobody had a clue where it was. There were lots of guestimations. It was here, there and everywhere, said architect Shaun Carter of Carter Williamson Architects, whose practice restored and adapted Hinchcliff House - the site of a woolstore owned by Andrew Hinchcliff, called Sydneys wool king - across the road on Young Street.

When the ram was found in the basement of the former AMP Centre at 50 Bridge Street, it was crumbling and hobbled with a broken leg. Made of concrete and weighing 600 kilos, it was too heavy and dangerous to put on top of any building, said Carter. A lightweight replica finished in gold leaf now takes in the views from the top of Hinchcliff House.
A police officer found Anthony Kolettis behaviour extremely strange and unusual  when he took 30 hours to report his wife Melissa Caddick missing and then said he was too busy working at home to come into the police station.

Giving evidence at the inquest into the disappearance and presumed death of Caddick, Detective Sergeant Trent Riley said that on 13 November 2020 he spoke to Koletti after being alerted to concerns felt by a junior officer whod answered Kolettis first call to police to report his wife missing.

Anthony Koletti arrives at the NSW Coroners Court followed by his lawyer Judy Swan. Credit:Kate Geraghty

In that call Koletti, 40, a part-time hairdresser and DJ, said his wife had been missing for two days but he couldnt come in to be interviewed because he had too much work on that day.

When Riley later spoke to Koletti, he told the detective that his wife was in good spirits the last time he saw her and that he couldnt understand why she would be missing.
Loading CBD called the vendor on Tuesday to congratulate him on his coup. He didnt call back. The house is one of five, all fixer-uppers at 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 Charming Street, sold to the shows holding company MicJoy Pty Ltd, public records show, in an off-market deal worth a total of $14.3 million  indicating the neighbours did rather well too. The former owners of number 22 will also be happy. They paid a shade under $1.9 million for the house in June 2021 and sold it to MicJoy for $2.75 million. But considering The Blocks star and national tradie Scott Cam lives in Bondi, where $3 million buys you, well, not much, maybe the shows producers thought they were snagging a bargain in Bayside Melbourne.

A SHORE THING Gladys Berejiklian and Arthur Moses. Credit:John Shakespeare Its been a little over a year since news broke about a budding romance between then NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian and the dreamy-eyed barrister who represented her at the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Angry Arthur Moses. Its been a turbulent year for the couple, with Berejiklian dramatically resigning as premier under an ICAC-shaped cloud, and Moses spending weeks representing Ben Roberts-Smith in the trial of the century. Now, Sydneys hottest power couple have moved a step closer to co-habitation, with Moses buying property in Northbridge, where Berejiklian just happens to live.

Sources close to the couple were tight-lipped about whether they were living together. But the new Moses Manor, purchased last December for $7.2 million, has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, a swimming pool, and sweeping views of Middle Harbour. Hardly a bachelor pad. Makes sense for Moses to come to her  Northbridge also happens to be in the electorate of North Sydney, one of those previous blue-ribbon Liberal seats lost to the teal wave, and which, come 2025, might be crying out for a prominent, moderate woman. But perhaps were speculating a little too much. TELE KELLY Weve been keeping an occasional eye on the post-politics travails of Australias would-be next prime minister Craig Kelly, now reduced to the ignominy of being a private citizen with a webcam. Last week, news broke that Clive Palmers United Australia Party, of which Kelly is still national director, had been deregistered by the Australian Electoral Commission, which took the partys sole elected representative, the $100 million Senator Ralph Deej Babet, by surprise.

Loading Despite Babets initial claims that it was all an administrative error, Kelly took to Telegram late on Sunday night, where he shares his most unvarnished thoughts, to claim it was all part of a cunning plan to take on the AEC. Attacking misinformation in the media from enemies of freedom, Kelly said the party had temporarily taken the step of deregistering, partly to protest at the conduct of the AEC at the past election. The conduct in question was the AEC taking Kelly to court on the eve of the election over display of his campaign corflutes, with Federal Court judge Jayne Jagot dismissing an attempt to restrain his campaigning on the day. Something youd expect to happen when a military junta was running the country, Kelly said. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the rumours of our death are completely exaggerated.

YOU LEGEND Victorian Liberal leader Matthew Guy caused brows to furrow deeply on Spring Street on Tuesday as he paid tribute in state parliament to the late Queen Elizabeth II with this gem. The monarchy ... is an institution that can draw on centuries of history, in fact over 1000 years, back to the house of Wessex, the opposition leader told the lower house chamber. Among all those monarchs, from figures well known  King Arthur, Henry VIII and so on  the longest reigning of them all was Queen Elizabeth II. Well, it wouldnt be hard to reign longer than King Arthur, since there is no agreement among historians on whether the dude ever existed. And if  its a big if  Arthur was a historical and not mythical figure, he would have lived in the fifth or sixth century, long pre-dating anything even barely related to the modern monarchy.

A legendary performance from the staffer who wrote (Sir) Guys speech. COURT JESTERS Speaking of non-existent persons, we cant say for sure, but there is compelling evidence that Tuesdays Heidelberg Magistrates Court hearing for Joseph Favrin, the Loyola College principal accused of sexual misconduct  which he denies  attracted a few onlookers from the schools student body. How can we say such a thing? Well, among those tuning into the hearing via WebEx, with cameras turned off, were LeBron James, Michael Angelo, Tony Soprano and that hardy perennial of juvenile japesters, the one-and-only Ben Dover. You kids are hilarious.
The hunt for two men over the fatal public stabbing of a man outside a Brisbane gym on Monday has been escalated as police release their names and headshots.

Police believe 23-year-old Levi Johnston was ambushed outside the Goodlife Health Club in Mansfield by a group of men in two vehicles who rammed his Mercedes-Benz, smashed his drivers side window, pulled him from the car and attacked him.

Queensland police are searching for 24-year-old Kyle Martin and 35-year-old Thomas Myler. Credit:Queensland Police Service

The victim collapsed at the scene, on the corner of Brigadoon Street and Pine Mountain Road.

A 34-year-old East Brisbane man was arrested by dog squad officers a short distance from the scene and has since been charged with weapons offences.
In 2019, before the pandemic, Victorias cruise industry contributed $353 million to the states economy, including 1000 local full-time jobs, and lured more than 300,000 visitors to the state, the minister said. Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece described the ships arrival as a momentous moment for the city. This is a day when we can say we are turning the page and seeing our city and our lives get back to something like what we knew before COVID came along, he said. Reece explained that Station Pier had witnessed people arrived in Victoria for the gold rush, soldiers leave for world wars and waves of post-war immigrants disembark.

Standing here today, I feel like we are at a historic moment as well. When Melbourne turns the page, Victoria turns the page. The borders are open again. The port is open again and Melbourne is back in business, he said. Reece also talked of the economic impact of shiploads of tourists arriving in Melbourne again. Thats 2000 people who are going to enjoy the amazing shopping experiences of Melbourne, he said. Two thousand people who might enjoy a show in Melbourne like Hamilton or Harry Potter. Two thousand people who might go to the Picasso exhibition at the NGV or the ACMI Tate show. The cruise ship industry became notorious for major COVID-19 outbreaks during the first year of the pandemic, with many contributing to the rapid spread of the disease before vaccination was available. Governments and ports around the world responded by preventing many cruise ships from docking. The Diamond Princess, also operated by Princess cruises, was quarantined off Japan for two weeks in February 2020 when more than 700 people became infected with the virus. At least a dozen people died as part of the outbreak.

The Coral Princess sister ship, the Ruby Princess, hosted a major COVID-19 outbreak in Australia in 2020 which led to more than 650 infections across the country and 28 passenger deaths. The Victorian government earlier this year announced it planned to ease restrictions on cruise ships arriving in the city. Cruise ship passengers are required to be double vaccinated, are tested before embarking and must wear face masks whenever they are not in their cabins or on an open deck. More than 2000 visitors were onboard the Coral Princess maiden voyage into Melbourne. Credit:Darrian Traynor If anyone tests positive onboard they are isolated to their cabin. The Coral Princess was caught up in a COVID outbreak in early 2020, and was docked in Miami, Florida, and as recently as July there were active COVID outbreaks on the Coral Princess as she docked in Brisbane and then Sydney.

President of Carnival and P&O Cruises Australia Marguerite Fitzgerald said isolation protocols for any passengers who tested positive while on board were the same as what would happen on land. Onboard it feels almost the same as it would have previously [before the pandemic], she said. Americans Tom and Jan Gurnee, who have taken 130 cruises before, arrived in Melbourne on the Coral Princess on Thursday morning. Credit:Rachael Dexter American tourists on the Coral Princess Tom and Jane Gurnee said the requirement to wear a mask on board made them feel very safe. The die-hard cruise fans have been on about 130 cruises in their lifetime, including the current voyage on Coral Princess around Australia which will last more than 60 days.

We were on the very first Princess ship that sailed again in July 2021. That was the first one they did [and it] was just out to Alaska, said Jane, 74. We love it. Loading The arrival of Melbournes first cruise-liner post-pandemic came as United Airlines announced it was increasing direct services to Melbourne, with daily flights from both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Daily flights will resume between Melbourne and San Francisco in late October, while Melbourne flights to and from Los Angeles will resume in December. Thirteen cruise ships will be visiting or home porting in Melbourne during the upcoming summer cruise season. The Coral Princess will stay in Melbourne for two days before heading to Adelaide.
At a chaotic Brunswick warehouse party nearly 20 years ago, one young man lost his life and another was left unable to move on.

Boxer Khalid Baker has spent more than a third of his young life in prison for murder despite a friend telling police that it was he  not Baker  who pushed 22-year-old Albert Snowball near a window at the party in 2005.

Khalid Baker outside the Court of Appeal on Wednesday. Credit:Darrian Traynor

Baker was jailed for 13 years and has fought ever since to clear his name.

On Wednesday, Baker, who was released on parole in September 2018, vowed to take his case to the High Court after his latest bid to appeal his conviction was rejected by the Court of Appeal.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared next Thursday, September 22, a national day of mourning to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

This means its a public holiday nationwide.

Queen Elizabeth takes a tram to Government House in October 2011. . Credit:Angela Wylie

What does it mean for Victorians?

There are no official protocols that need to be observed during the mourning period. The day of mourning will be like any other Victorian public holiday.
Save for a few outliers, the Queens death has been an apolitical affair in Australia.

Republicans mostly have been steadfast in their restraint, and those who havent have been shot down quickly.

The Elizabeth Line in London. Credit:David Levenson/Bloomberg

The Australian Republican Movement has paused all campaigning during the official mourning period, right at the moment Australians minds are focused on the transfer of regal power.

Now is not the time to talk about our constitutional arrangements, were told.
Press Release

September 14, 2022 MANIFESTATION OF SUPPORT OF SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA

ON THE 2023 PROPOSED NATIONAL EXPENDITURE PROGRAM

September 14, 2022 I would like to manifest my support for the 2023 Proposed National Expenditure Program or the President's budget. I believe in the rationale presented by the Department of Budget & Management in the National Expenditure Program turned over to Congress last August 22 and explained further in the President's Budget Message, with the theme Agenda for Prosperity: Economic Transformation Towards Inclusivity and Sustainability. I have read and studied both the President's Budget Message and the National Expenditure Program. I appreciate that the National Budget, for the first time, is anchored on the Medium Term Fiscal Framework - which our Chair so ably, comprehensively defended on the Floor - and the 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda that serve as the roadmap for economic transformation that the present administration seeks to achieve. I am one with our economic managers in seeking to achieve the goals of 6.5 to 8% real GDP growth annually between 2023 and 2028, 9% or single digit poverty rate by 2028 - I hope we can bring it sooner and lower; pagtulungan po natin - 3% National Government (NG) deficit to GDP rate by 2028, less than 60% NG debt-to-GDP ratio by 2025, and the ultimate attainment of upper middle income status for Filipinos as presented by our economic team led by Secretary Diokno. After a thorough perusal of the budget, at least in the macro sense, I believe and it is clear to me that it is structured towards the attainment of the goals that you have so aptly set. As such, I believe it is important for us to support these efforts towards economic transformation, inclusivity and sustainability. Therefore, I will not ask any question, Mr. Chair, I have no objections to the 2023 National Expenditure Program in so far as the macro-economic assumptions are concerned, but of course, I will be present in every and each agency's hearing and posit questions to help the Chair. Thank you very much. We appreciate the presence and the very comprehensive presentation of our economic team. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Member of the Los Angeles City Council Nithya Raman released a message addressing Azerbaijans unprovoked military attacks against civilians in Armenia.

Council member Raman represents the Fourth Council District, home to one of largest Armenian populations in the City of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.

Council member Ramans statement is as follows:

I stand with the Armenian community in Los Angeles, and with Armenians worldwide, in strongly condemning Azerbaijans unprovoked military attacks against civilians. I have the privilege to represent a vast, vibrant Armenian community in the Fourth District, so many of whom have welcomed me as their representative with open arms  and I deeply share in their sadness and anger.

This senseless violence must end, and I join in loudly calling for Congress to halt all military aid to Azerbaijan.
Victorian authorities failed to protect the most vulnerable children from sexual predators, the Commissioner for Children and Young People has said, after an Ombudsman investigation found the state had one of the countrys weakest systems to screen adults who work with children.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass said former youth worker Alexander Jones slipped through the cracks when authorities missed multiple highly concerning red flags. She urged the Andrews government to strengthen Victorias Working with Children Check scheme.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass says Victorias Working With Children Check system must be overhauled. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Jones was last year convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy, known by the alias Zack. Jones briefly worked at Melbourne City Mission between 2016 and 2017, but gained unauthorised access to dozens of files in the child protection system for more than a year after he left his position.

Glass on Wednesday said Jones accessed other childrens files, but not Zacks. However, she found serious shortfalls in Victorias working with children screening because the authority was unable to consider relevant and highly concerning police and child protection intelligence to assess Alexander Jones suitability to work with children.
Experts and locals have called for more homes to be built in regional Australia to improve the cost of housing since it went through the roof during the pandemic-era property boom.

Country and coastal towns with an acute shortage of housing also need different types of homes to be built, rather than just house and land packages on their fringes, to provide options to residents and help bring down the price of housing, a panel has heard at the Regional Australia Institutes national summit in Canberra on Wednesday.

A quiet Macquarie Street in the centre of Dubbo, where the sales and rental market struggled to cope with the influx of newcomers. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Regional towns need to build smaller homes, granny flats and medium-to-high density units to accommodate residents at different stages of their life, the panel heard.

House price growth in many regional council areas has outpaced capital cities. Regional NSWs median house price jumped 43.7 per cent since the pandemic hit Australian shores, on Domain data, pricing out locals and even displacing them in some instances. Similar scenarios have played out in regional Victoria, Tasmania and elsewhere.
Three weeks after the pair met, Putin invaded Ukraine. It has proved to be a brutal, deadly folly. After initially attempting to force the whole nation to surrender, Putin was forced to reduce his ambitions, and his failing military is now being forced back out of hard-won territory. Even some nationalistic Russian commentators are beginning to waver, and the countrys economy is feeling the pinch of isolation and sanctions from the West.

At the time, Putins reputation as a master political tactician was unblemished and Xis authority, at least within China, had been burnished by his firm hand on the pandemic, while the West was being ravaged by the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

When Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, the respective presidents of Russia and China, last met on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, they cemented their partnership by signing a stridently anti-West statement declaring their friendship had no limits. It was a geopolitical power-play by the worlds two most powerful authoritarian leaders that many believed would give rise to a new Cold War.

Xi has offered tentative support for the invasion, describing it as legitimate. Meanwhile, he has also faced his own troubles at home. China is now struggling to shake off the pandemic, with its economy being battered by continuous lockdowns as it maintains its COVID-zero stance. Questions have been raised over the handling of a meltdown in its property market after one of its biggest property developers faced insolvency.

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After Americas haphazard withdrawal from Afghanistan last year, there was a perception that the West was in retreat. Then came the war in Ukraine which, rather than splintering the relationship between Europe and America, has served as a cause for the West to rally around. They have common ground in defending democracy and national sovereignty against authoritarianism.

It is significant that the expected meeting of Putin and Xi is part of the Chinese leaders first trip abroad since the outbreak of the pandemic. He will make a state visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and then attend a summit that includes Russia, India, Pakistan and four Central Asian countries.

Putin will be well aware that he needs Xis support a great deal more than Xi needs his. The world will be watching keenly to see whether Xi offers to strengthen Beijings strategic partnership with Moscow by offering Putin more vocal backing for his Ukraine invasion and the economic ties between the two countries. Gas and oil sales from Russia to China are already keeping the Russian economy afloat, albeit at heavily discounted prices.
David Krumholtz wasn't an actor when he made his Broadway debut. At 13, he had accompanied his friends to an audition for a role in the Broadway production of Herb Gardner's Conversations With My Father, and sure enough, ended up landing a role he didn't even want to try out for. That launched a unique and surprising career, dotted with iconic 1990s films like Life With Mikey, Addams Family Values, The Santa Clause, and 10 Things I Hate About You.

A prolific screen career followed. He did 113 episodes of the series Numb3rs, 20 episodes of The Deuce, and more films, like the Harold and Kumar series. Now, he's returning to Broadway, three decades after his inadvertent debut, in one of the central roles in Tom Stoppard's Holocaust drama Leopoldstadt, which begins performances tonight at the Longacre Theatre. This role scared Krumholtz more than any of his others. But it also reconnected him to his Jewish roots. Here, he tells us about getting ready for the production.

David Krumholtz

(image provided by the production)

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

It's been 30 years since you made your Broadway debut as a kid in Conversations With My Father. How does it feel to be coming back with Leopoldstadt?

It's important to note that, thematically, the plays are very similar. Conversations With My Father is a play about a Russian Jewish immigrant on the Lower East Side who was in denial of his identity, and was all about becoming less Jewish and changing his name, and the flack he gets for that from his family and friends. He had enough of being persecuted for being Jewish and America, in his mind, was the land of a new start.

Hermann, the character I play in Leopoldstadt, is very similar minded, but he's in Austria, in Vienna. Modern Vienna, a city of art lovers and intellectuals like no other. When we find him, he's already 15 years into having converted from Judaism to Christianity. He has this awkward mix of a Jewish mother and a non-Jewish wife, and he gets a lot of flack for that, just like the character Judd Hirsch played in Conversations With My Father. And it comes to a point where he's forced to accept the natural law of who he is and how your identity can be chosen, but it can't necessarily be undone, which is an interesting theme relevant to our times.

This is the completion of a circle for me, or the beginning of a new circle. My first job ever was Conversations With My Father. I got discovered off the street as a kid. I'd never acted before, nor did I want to be an actor. So it's just odd that, 30 years later, this play has come into my life. I'll be honest with you. At first, I had a lot of fear about saying yes to auditioning for it.

Why?

I felt strongly that I was not up to the task. It had been 30 years since I stepped onto the stage, and, I mean, I've done multicam sitcoms for live audiences, but that's a different beast. I didn't know if I could do it and I thought it would be a disservice to the play. To [director] Patrick Marber's credit, he wouldn't take no for an answer. We had a long discussion about my particular issues, and sometimes, you do need somebody to say "You're the guy we want," and then you have to wrap your head around that. Because we all have an image of ourselves that we think is the real thing, and then there's this essence of ourselves that other people see that we never quite grasp. He believes in me, so I should probably audition. And here I am, three weeks into rehearsals thinking that I was born to do this. It's been revelatory. This rehearsal process is a challenge and really exciting, and is the reason I have sat in the audience of a thousand plays in the last 30 years, and auditioning for plays throughout and not getting them and being frustrated. I've been pining for an opportunity to get back on stage.

Faye Castelow and David Krumholtz in rehearsal for Leopoldstadt

( Jenny Anderson)

What have you gone out for, if you're willing to say?

Oh, a few things here and there. I almost did The Bedwetter prior to the pandemic. I almost did The Sunshine Boys in Los Angeles with Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch, but it didn't work out. I'd come close a bunch of times. But this is the experience I wanted, as difficult as it is. This is the experience I longed for. It is a stark mirror, not only to myself as an actor, but to myself as a Jew. I'm not a practicing Jew, if you will. In many ways, as an actor, I've been avoiding or trying to play Jewish roles, even though, in the last few years, that's what I've been doing, because that's how I'm seen. I've had insecurity about it. I'm open to saying that. But I hope this play has this same effect on audience members who might feel similarly about their religious identity. It's had a profound effect on my pride as a Jew.

This play is interesting to me as a Jew, because I find thatIn the media, Jewish history is generally depicted as the Holocaust.

That's one of my concerns with the genre. It's been done, and it's been done really well. But it ended with Jacob the Liar and Life Is Beautiful. Both very good movies, but both Holocaust comedies. And everything after Schindler's List is derivative. So you get to a point where you go, "Well, that's plenty." That was my concern with doing this, because I want to see more stories about prosperous Jews.

Right. And the direction Stoppard takes the genre in this play is something I don't think I've ever really seen depicted.

This particular story is about an interfaith family in the heart of the Holocaust, which is something that hasn't been discussed. That there were Jews in that time that were attempting to escape their Judaism, whether it before their own personal preference or for survival. So what of the Jews that converted to Christianity or Catholicism? Did they avoid the gas chambers? And what does it matter if, at the end of the day, they're gonna put you on a train and send you off to be killed anyway? This is a very heavy play, there's no doubt about it, and it ends in a very blunt force trauma manner. But I believe there's hope and a lesson to be learned.

What is it?

My hope is that the audience, the Jewish audience and the non-Jewish audience, can sit at the end of the play and go "it's 2022, and with all our problems, we've still come a long way." It's been 80 years since the Holocaust, but it's been 80 years of prosperity. And in that way, it has that lesson to teach people.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. American-Armenian rock band System of A Down (SOAD) issued a statement over the Azerbaijani attacks on Armenia, asking for help in spreading the world about this evil aggression by Azerbaijan, bolstered by Turkey, that committed the genocide of Armenians.

In their statement the SOAD said they are extremely worried and concerned for the safety of our people and country.

We have friends and family in harms way in Armenia right now. It is clearly a deadly attack on the sovereign state of Armenia, they said.
Luxembourg expressed deep concern over the Azerbaijani attack on Armenia, calling for the hostilities to stop.

September 14, 2022, 12:35 Luxembourg expresses concern over Azeri military operation against Armenia

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 14, ARTSAKHPRESS: Luxembourg is deeply concerned at reports about military operations by Azerbaijan directed against Armenia that have caused many casualties. Hostilies [sic]must stop, the Foreign Ministry of Luxembourg tweeted, adding that Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn calls on both parties to refrain from further escalation.
Cheyenne, WY (82001)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low 48F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph, becoming W and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low 48F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph, becoming W and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The Great Britain-Armenia friendship group at the UK parliament condemned the Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia.

September 14, 2022, 12:28 UK lawmakers call for sanctions against Azerbaijan amid attack on Armenia

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 14, ARTSAKHPRESS: UK Member of Parliament Tim Loughton released a statement from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Armenia on the latest aggression by Azerbaijan:

In the last 24 hours Azerbaijan has unleashed new brutal attacks on the sovereign territory of Armenia, stretching across the Syunik, Gegharkunik and Vayotc Dzor provinces. It is not only attacking military bases but civilian communities and infrastructure. These attacks are not targeted on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region but on internationally recognised sovereign boundaries of Armenia itself and were entirely unprovoked and without justification.

Armenias Ministry of Defence confirmed that at 00:05 on September 13, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces began intensive shelling of Armenian positions from artillery and large-calibre guns, also utilizing UAVs. The APPG expresses its strongest condemnation of the Azerbaijan regime for this latest act of violence and extends our deep concern for the victims and their families.

These acts of aggression have clearly been timed to take advantage of the worlds attention being diverted to events in Ukraine and most recently the widespread mourning for the death of Queen Elizabeth, and such aggressive opportunism needs to be condemned in the strongest terms and met with a robust response.

There is a very urgent need for the international community, including the UK to condemn Azerbaijan and to call it to account for these latest war crimes. We urgently request the UK Government to join other nations in demanding an immediate end to the Azerbaijan aggression and bring forward sanctions for as long as it continues its unjustified actions. We also ask the UK Government to support the request to the United Nations to consider the matter in emergency session and put its weight behind an ending of this hostile action.

The Azerbaijan regime still needs to be held properly accountable for its war crimes committed against Armenia and the people of Nagorno-Karabakh a couple of years ago and it is clear that it continues to have only a passing acquaintance with the international rule of law and standards expected to qualify as a decent and responsible nation.

Tim Loughton MP

Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Armenia in the UK Parliament.
Rooted in Cheyenne will be conducting its 11th neighborhood tree planting event on Saturday, September 17. Members of the community are encouraged to volunteer by calling (307) 637-6428.

Volunteers are needed for the afternoon planting shift, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Lunch and a T-shirt will be provided, as well as a coupon for a free drink at Freedoms Edge Brewing Company.

Volunteers will be paired up with local green industry professionals who will lead crews in planting over 100 trees along Cheyennes streets. Motorists are asked to slow down and be cautious of crews planting trees in the right-of-way.

Rooted in Cheyenne is supported through generous sponsorships from local businesses and organizations. This years platinum sponsors are Wyoming State Forestry Division, HF Sinclair, and Laramie County Conservation District.

The program provides homeowners with low-cost trees to be planted in or adjacent to the public right-of-way. Trees cost $50 and homeowners are allowed 2 trees per planting season.

In addition to this program, the Rooted and Branching Out program, funded through the Cheyenne Sustainability Challenge, supported by Microsoft, is also providing free street trees to homeowners in neighborhoods with low tree canopy.

More information is available on Rooted in Cheyennes website at https://rootedincheyenne.com/
After two unusual years, this is the first release of WY-TOPP scores since the pandemic.

In 2019-2020, WY-TOPP was canceled.

During the 2020-2021 school year, WY-TOPP assessment results were not used for accountability.

It is a celebration that we were able to offer WY-TOPP in a more typical environment.

We view this as a baseline moving forward.

WY-TOPP measures student proficiency rates and performance.

It provides a snapshot of student achievement at a set point in time.

For example, it shows how well third-grade students at each school performed on an English language arts or math test on a specific day last spring.

When it is administered again in the spring of 2023, last years third graders will have moved on and will be taking the fourth-grade assessment.

Because we are not testing the same students, year-to-year comparisons should be looked at through this lens.

For this reason, we also measure student growth.

Tracking the growth of an individual student over time allows us to assist students with their individual needs.

Our goal is to keep students learning at or above their grade level.

If a teacher sees dips, they can address learning gaps as they occur and adjust their instructional needs.

Across the board, the pandemic has been hard on all of us.

COVID-19 has affected teacher attendance, student attendance and the availability of substitute teachers.

We are working to recapture learning that was interrupted.

We have also experienced social-emotional issues from both the adult and student perspective.

We are working to address these issues using the federal relief funds.

As we have transitioned back to a more typical situation, overall, our focus has been on student learning and not just their test taking.

With the exception of a few schools, we have not seen a lot of growth.

However, we are excited to report that many students were able to maintain their learning and not lose ground.

We appreciate the students and teachers for showing up every day and working hard and would like to focus on some of our WY-TOPP celebrations.

With 37 schools

1. 17 schools improved in math (46%)

2. Of the 17, 6 schools improved in math by 5% or more (16%)

3. Of the 17, 1 school improved in math by 10% or more (3%)

This past year, we implemented a new core reading program.

As with any new program during the first year, it is common to see a slight dip in scores.

Its important to note that not every student did worse.

In English Language Arts

1. 8 schools improved (22%)

2. Of the 8, 2 schools improved by 5% or more (5%)

3. Of the 8, 1 school improved by 10% or more (3%)

Five schools increased in both ELA and math.

We did see some challenges.

In math

1. 19 schools decreased (51%)

2. Of the 19, 7 schools decreased by 5% or more (19%)

In ELA

1. 28 schools decreased (76%)

2. Of the 28, 12 schools decreased by 5% or more (32%)

Sixteen schools decreased in both ELA and math.

WY-TOPP is just one source of data.

The best measure of a student is their long-term success.

We appreciate our parents for sending their students to school ready to learn.

We recognize that there are no excuses for poor performance.

This snapshot provides us with an opportunity to improve.

Through the student readiness strand of our strategic plan, moving forward we will be taking a variety of proactive steps, which will include the alignment of all professional learning.

The district will be conducting a standards review so we can realign our practices.

We will be implementing a new K-8 math program and adding STEM in many of our elementary schools.

We will be working with the Wyoming Department of Education to establish a teacher apprenticeship program.

Additionally, we will update our school improvement process and continue with our literacy review committee at the elementary and secondary levels.

We are also in the process of updating our special education programming.

Finally, we will hold ourselves accountable and report on our results using our new public facing data dashboard located on the Strategic Plan page of the district website.

Through the healthy environment and community engagement strands of our strategic plan, moving forward, we will be implementing Sources of Strength to provide students with a healthy way to advocate and address specific concerns.

Since nearly 50% of our students start and end their educational career in different schools, Sources of Strength gives us a consistent districtwide vocabulary.

Businesses and organizations throughout Cheyenne are also undergoing training as part of a community-wide kindness effort.

We will continue to work closely with our Parent Advisory Committee and engage the community in education through organizations like the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, Boys & Girls Club of Cheyenne, F.E. Warren Air Force Base and United Way of Laramie County.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday Papua New Guinea had proposed a security treaty between both countries amid increasing tensions in the Pacific islands after China struck a security pact with neighbouring Solomon Islands.

PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko also told ABC Television he had discussed a security treaty with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong during her visit to Port Moresby on Tuesday, while Wong told ABC the discussions were in a "very early stage."

The Solomon Islands has had a tense relationship with the United States and its Pacific allies since striking a security pact with China in April. Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific island countries have said security needs should be met within the region.

"This is an idea that has been put forward by PNG," Marles told ABC radio on Wednesday.

"We have been making it really clear we want to be as close to PNG as we can be. We want to build on the already close military to military relationship that we have with Papua New Guinea, which we see as one of the most important military to military relationships that we have," he added.

Papua New Guinea is Australia's closest northern neighbour, separated by only a few kilometres, and a former colony, but has increasing trade and investment ties with China.

China failed to reach a sweeping trade and security pact with 10 Pacific nations including PNG in June.

Australia and the United States are funding the upgrade of a naval base on PNG's Manus Island, after a failed Chinese offer to redevelop a naval base in 2018.

Chinese navy vessels transit through the narrow Torres Strait separating Australia and PNG, with the activity becoming a point of friction in February when a Chinese ship directed a laser at an Australian military surveillance aircraft in flight over Australia's northern approaches.

The Solomon Islands, which has maritime borders with PNG and Australia, on Tuesday said it was suspending port visits by foreign navies until it puts in place a new approval process.

Story continues

Marles declined to comment directly on whether Australia had been notified of the moratorium on port visits, after the United States government received notice a week after a U.S. coast guard vessel was unable to make a port call in Honiara.

"We want to see Australia be the natural partner of choice for the countries of the Pacific, that is not something that we take for granted," he said.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)
Russian forces in eastern Ukraine are fortifying their defences and it will be hard for Kyiv's troops to repeat the rapid success of their recent lightning counter offensive, a senior regional Ukrainian official warns.

The sobering assessment was issued as Russian President Vladimir Putin told Xi Jinping, his Chinese counterpart, in a meeting in Uzbekistan, that he understood that Xi had questions and concerns about the situation in Ukraine but welcomed China's "balanced position".

Thousands of kilometres to the west, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, was holding talks in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about helping Ukraine move closer to joining the European Union.

Putin's meeting with Xi was their first since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The Russian leader has yet to publicly comment on a severe setback suffered by his forces this month in eastern Ukraine.

The stunning reversal occurred in the northeastern region of Kharkiv after Ukrainian troops made a rapid armoured thrust, forcing a rushed and chaotic Russian withdrawal which left dozens of tanks and other armoured vehicles abandoned in haste.

Kyiv says it recaptured more than 8000 sq km, nearly equivalent to the size of the island of Cyprus. The speed of the advance has lifted Ukrainian morale, pleased Western backers who have provided arms, intelligence and training, and raised hopes of further significant gains before the winter sets in.

But Serhiy Gaidai, governor of Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, warned that it would be a tough fight to wrest control of his region back from Russia, which recognises it as an independent state controlled by separatists.

"Here the Russians are digging in at Svatove and Troitske," Gaidai told Ukrainian TV, referring to two settlements in Luhansk.

"Heavy fighting continues in many directions, including in (the) Luhansk region. The Kharkiv 'instant scenario' will not be repeated. We will have to fight hard for our region. The Russians are preparing for defence."

Story continues

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council, said in an online post: "We should avoid euphoria. There is still a lot of work to be done to liberate our lands, and Russia has a large number of weapons."

There was no let-up either in Russia's daily missiles strikes on Ukraine, a day after it fired cruise missiles at a reservoir dam near Kryvyi Rih, President's Zelenskiy's hometown.

Authorities in the city of Kharkiv said Russian shells had hit a high-pressure gas pipeline, while a rescue operation was underway in the city of Bakhmut with four people suspected to be trapped under rubble after a strike, Pavlo Kyrylenko, the Donetsk regional governor, said.

Britain's defence ministry said in an update that Ukraine's forces were continuing to consolidate their control of newly liberated land in the region.

On Wednesday, the first teams of war crimes prosecutors, both Ukrainian and international, gained early access to begin investigating the vast swathes of recently liberated territory.

They said initial indications were that widespread atrocities appear to have taken place.

Nigel Povoas, a British lawyer who went to the newly recaptured territory as part of an international team helping Ukraine with war crimes investigations, said the long Russian occupation of such a large area meant atrocities there were likely to have reached "an unprecedented level of horror".

"Widespread civilian torture and executions appear to have occurred at make-shift detention centres around the region, for example, in Balakliia and Izium," he said.

The evidence so far was "following a similarly dreadful pattern" to that in cities occupied early in the war by Russian troops near Kyiv.

Russia denies that its forces commit war crimes, casting allegations as fabrications designed to besmirch the reputation of its armed forces.
15-Year-Old Girl Dies From Drug Overdose at School in Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.One girl is dead and at least two others are in the hospital Sept. 14, apparently victims of drug overdoses, according to reports from the media and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

A 15-year-old girl was found dead in the girls bathroom at Helen Bernstein High School in Hollywood on Sept. 13 night, Los Angeles Police Department investigator Lt. John Radtke told Fox 11 news. Another 15-year-old girl and a teenage boy were taken to a hospital. All were victims of drug overdoses, Radtke said.

The teenagers bought Percocet that might have been laced with fentanyl, Radtke said.

Homicide detectives from the police departments West Bureau were investigating the death and overdoses.

LAPD Hollywood officers responded at around 9 p.m. to an overdose investigation. A parent told police he found his missing stepdaughter at the high school. The girl was overdosing on drugs and she told her stepfather her friend was in the girls bathroom.

They went to buy Percocet [an opioid pain reliever], ingested a pill, and began to feel ill almost immediately, Radtke told Fox 11.

Paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department were called and tried to revive the victim who died at the scene.

The other 15-year-old girl was taken to a hospital in stable condition, LAPD Officer Rosario Cervantes told City News Service.

Investigators learned two other overdoses occurred at nearby Lexington Park Tuesday night and the victims are believed to be Bernstein High School students or attend other local high schools.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to two other calls of overdoses in the area of Lexington Park.

We think the two cases could be related, Cervantes said.

The dead girls name is being withheld pending family notification.

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) released a statement Wednesday morning regarding the events that happened at Bernstein High School.

We are working with the Los Angeles Police Department, the lead agency on this ongoing investigation, and at this point and due to confidentiality issues, we have no further information to share. However, the school will be open today and we will have grief counselors on-site and available to support all students and employees.

As we work together with LAPD to uncover details of this tragic situation, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of both students. We also thank everyone for their understanding and support today and we will share more information as it becomes available, the school districts statement said.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho went to Bernstein High Wednesday morning to meet with the dead girls family. He lashed out at the scourge of drugs being sold to teen students at Lexington Park.

Lexington Park is two blocks away from this school, Carvalho said. Meaning Lexington Park is two blocks away from literally hundreds of teenagers.

He decried the death of a 15-year-old girl who perished at this school on the coldness of a bathroom floor.

That should not be the case, not in this school. Not in any school in Los Angeles or across our country, he said. But thats the situation were facing.

 For the individual who apparently for a number of weeks has been spreading pain, destruction, and now deathrest assured, we are going to use the full weight and muscle of this school system, the full weight of the citys law enforcement entity, the [Drug Enforcement Administration], to know who you are, who the people behind you are, Carvalho said. And we shall bring justice to the grieving parents at this school and all schools in our community.

Carvalho said he has spoken to City Councilman Mitch OFarrell, and said Lexington Park has been closed.

In a statement to City News Service, OFarrell called the overdoses a horrific tragedy, adding, my heart breaks for the community of families and friends who are dealing with unimaginable grief.

Th illicit drug trade catering to vulnerable populations, especially children, deserves our immediate national attention, he said. We need all government and health agencies to act now and get fentanyl off the streets and out of our communities. It is literally a matter of life and death.

Anyone with information on this overdose investigation should contact West Bureau Homicide investigators at 213-382-9470 or 877-LAPD-24-7. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
2 Teenage Boys Shot to Death at Lincoln Heights Carnival

LOS ANGELESLos Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore will join with homicide investigators and victims family members Sept. 14 to ask for the publics help in solving the killing of two 17-year-old boys in a shooting at a street carnival in Lincoln Heights.

Investigators are seeking witnesses to the shooting that occurred around 9 p.m. Sept. 11 at Broadway and Workman Street.

Javier Mejia and Winfield Lee, both of Los Angeles, died at the scene, the county coroners office reported.

According to police, a male suspect fired multiple shots at the boys and ran away. The motive was not known.

Moore, investigators, and relatives of the boys are scheduled to gather at the Los Angeles Police Departments Hollenbeck Community Police station to ask for leads in the case.

Anyone with information can call 877-LAPD-247.
A child wears a face mask while attending an online class at a learning hub inside the Crenshaw Family YMCA during the Covid-19 pandemic in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 17, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

72 Percent of Los Angeles Students Fail to Meet Math Standards

More than half of students across all grade levels tested in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) failed to meet state testing standards in subjects like mathematics and English for the 202122 school year.

The districts preliminary results show that only about 42 percent of students met English standards, while only 28 percent met those for mathematics, according to data released by the district Sept. 9. The California Department of Educations Smarter Balanced Assessments test students in grades 38 and 11.

District officials said in a statement that the results were expected due to school lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, which they said has erased two decades of progress in math and reading.

As anticipated, the preliminary state assessment results illustrate that there is no substitute for in-person instruction, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.

Students and parents wearing face coverings wait in line for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

The scores are also lower than three years ago across all grade levels tested, except for eighth-grade English, which increased by about half a percentage point to about 42 percent. The 201819 school year was the last time the tests were conducted before being interrupted by the pandemic.

Students meeting English standards decreased from 44 percent three years ago to about 41.7 percent.

As for math, only about 28 percent of students meet the standards compared with the previous 33.5 percent.

Students in 11th grade suffered the biggest drop in the most recent math and reading test results, which fell by seven percentage points and about 10 points respectively.

Third graders fell by 4.5 percentage points in reading, and fourth graders fell by about 4 points.

Math scores decreased in every grade level tested, with both eighth and sixth graders seeing a nearly six-point drop.

Alberto Carvalho, then Miami-Dade Schools superintendent, is seen during a school board meeting in Miami, Fla., on March 1, 2018. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Carvalho said the district is proactively addressing the decline in achievement performance.

We are working collaboratively to accelerate and realize the learning potential of every student, bolstering important support systems including instructional, mental health and community supports to meet the needs of our students, he said.

The district also plans to boost academic results through targeted support, such as additional school days for students falling behind and more training for teachers at high-needs schoolsor those with more students that are socio-economically disadvantagedaccording to the LAUSDs statement.

However, the United Teachers of LAthe union representing LAUSD teacherssaid last month they would boycott the districts first of four optional additional school days, which its members said were added to this school year without labor negotiation.

The four days will occur Oct. 19, Dec. 7, March 15, 2023, and April 19, 2023, according to district officials.

The districts school board approved in April adding four days to help students catch up on learning. The board also added three optional daysAug. 9, 10, and 11for teachersprofessional development.
An Amtrak worker keeps watch at a station stop in Burbank, Calif., on Dec. 9, 2021. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Amtrak Cancels Some Long-Distance Trains Ahead of Potential Strike

DETROITPassenger railroad Amtrak canceled service on four long-distance routes Tuesday and will cancel trips on another seven long-distance routes Wednesday because of a potential freight rail strike as soon as Friday.

Amtrak workers are not involved in the labor dispute but Amtrak operates almost all of its 21,000 route miles outside the Northeast Corridor (NEC) on track owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads.

Amtrak said while it is hopeful that parties will reach a resolution, Amtrak has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week.

The new trains being suspended include the City of New Orleans that provides service to Chicago, Coast Starlight (Seattle to Los Angeles), Crescent (New York to Orleans), Lake Shore Limited (New York to Chicago), Silver Star (New York to Miami), Sunset Limited (New Orleans to Los Angeles) and the Texas Eagle (Chicago to Los Angeles).

On Monday, Amtrak said it would begin suspending service on four routes Tuesday including the Southwest Chief route from Chicago to Los Angeles, Empire Builder route from Chicago to Seattle, California Zephyr route from Chicago to San Francisco, and the Los Angeles to San Antonio portion of the Texas Eagle route.

Amtrak said it will only operate trains this week that we can ensure will have enough time to reach their final destinations by 12:01 a.m. on Friday.

Most travel within the Amtrak-owned NECBostonNew YorkWashingtonand related branch lines to Albany, New York; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Springfield, Massachusettswould not be affected: high-speed Acela trains will operate a full schedule, and only a small number of Northeast Regional departures would be impacted.
Passengers board an Amtrak train inside New York's Penn Station in New York on July 7, 2017. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Amtrak to Cancel All Long-Distance Trains for Now

DETROITPassenger railroad Amtrak said it will temporarily cancel all of its long-distance trains starting on Thursday because of a potential freight rail work stoppage that could start the following day.

Amtrak workers are not involved in the labor dispute, but the railroad operates almost all of its 21,000 route miles outside the U.S. Northeast Corridor on track owned, maintained and dispatched by freight railroads.

Railroads including Union Pacific, Berkshire Hathaways BNSF, and Norfolk Southern have until a minute after midnight on Friday to reach tentative deals with three holdout unions representing about 60,000 workers before a work stoppage affecting freight and Amtrak could begin.

Amtrak made its announcement on Wednesday after earlier in the week deciding to cancel a number of long-distance trains throughout the United States ahead of the Friday deadline.

The latest trains to be canceled starting on Thursday are: the Auto Train (Washington to Sanford, Florida), Capitol Limited (Washington to Pittsburgh), Cardinal (Washington to Chicago), and the Palmetto (south of Washington to Savannah, Georgia).

Some commuter train systems such as Chicagos Metra have also said they will be forced to begin cutting service on Thursday. Minnesotas Northstar Commuter Rail, operated under contract by Berkshire Hathaways BNSF, that serves the Minneapolis area, said its service could be suspended as early as Friday.

Moodys said Amtraks decision to suspend long-distance trains is credit negative, as it will impact customer retention and revenue, resulting in higher operating losses. However, as the company relies on federal funding and operating losses were anticipated, the suspension will have a limited credit impact on Amtrak unless it persists.

By David Shepardson
Anti-Abortion Groups Ask State Attorneys General to Protect Them From Online Censorship

Facing violence in the real world and censorship in the virtual one, anti-abortion groups are asking state attorneys general to do more to keep them from being wiped off the mapGoogle map.

Tension over abortion rights began even before the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision on June 23 overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade opinion that had made abortion a constitutionally protected right for nearly half a century.

In an unprecedented move, a preliminary draft of the decision was leaked, and published by Politico on May 2. It led not just to demonstrationsincluding some outside Supreme Court justices homesbut to acts of violence and vandalism against pregnancy centers that support pregnant women to encourage them to carry their babies to term. An investigation into the leak continues, Justice Neil Gorsuch said recently, adding he hoped it was finished soon.

CompassCare, an upstate New York group whose Buffalo-area center was firebombed on June 7, said it had documented a sustained pro-abortion effort successfully pressuring tech giants Google and Yelp into censoring and ostracizing them. And the effort has some law enforcement officers, notably New York State Attorney General Letitia James, plus the Biden White House, on their side.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and CompassCare CEO Rev. Jim Harden at the reopening of the CompassCare Pregnancy Services center in Amherst, N.Y., on Aug. 1, 2022. (Photo courtesy of CompassCare.)

Beginning on August 23, despite the threat of chief law enforcement (officers) in 17 different states, both Google and Yelp began the process of defaming and censoring pro-life pregnancy centers through misleading consumer warnings as well as wiping them off the map function so women who think abortion is their only choice could not find them. At the same time, Google raised Planned Parenthood to number 1 in all organic search results for keywords related to abortion, giving them millions of dollars worth of free advertising, CompassCare said in a public statement.

Big tech conspiring with the political elite to silence any who differ with their ideology is a classic fascist move, destroying anyone who gets in their way, CompassCare CEO Rev. Jim Harden said in the statement. Our only objective is to protect all people equally, both mother and child. If a benevolent goal like that is a threat to those in power, what kind of mania is driving them? This is truly the pro-abortion Kristallnacht.

To learn more about the AG antitrust legal strategy to protect a womans ability to choose the support of a pro-life pregnancy center and not just abortion, contact their offices, CompassCare said.

A lengthy timeline provided by CompassCare details when pressure was applied to the tech companies, when they complied, and how effectively anti-abortion groups were made invisible on maps and in searches. Google on Aug. 25 detailed extra layers of verification increasing the likelihood that pregnancy centers would be flagged for allegedly being misleading or inappropriate.

A vandal left pro-abortion slogans on Loreto House, a crisis pregnancy center in Denton, Texas, on May 7, 2022. (Courtesy of Loreto House)

Attorneys General Warn Google

The attorneys general of 17 states warned Google in an open letter on July 21 that the company might, if it continued censoring anti-abortion groups, be held in violation of antitrust laws.

We, the undersigned Attorneys General, are extremely troubled by this gallingly un-American political pressure. We wish to make this very clear to Google and the other market participants that it dwarfs: if you fail to resist this political pressure, we will act swiftly to protect American consumers from this dangerous axis of corporate and government power, the letter said.

We cannot imagine a potential antitrust violation more odious to American ideals than the deployment of monopoly power to suppress the expression of a particular idea, done at the behest of government actors. Because of the fundamental American values at stake here, if you comply with this inappropriate demand to bias your search results against crisis pregnancy centers, our offices will (1) conduct thorough investigations to determine whether this suppression violates the antitrust laws of the United States and our states.

The letter, whose lead authors were Jason Miyares of Virginia and Daniel Cameron of Kentucky, was also signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

How Govt and Pro-abortion Groups Joined Forces

The timeline details how government and pro-abortion groups have joined forces to defame and suppress abortion opponents and those working to help women who choose not to have one. And the pressure has continued steadily since and despite the July 21 warning from the state attorneys general.

CompassCare spokesman Isaac Harden said the group and its allies had a team of 30 lawyers and legal experts with various projects in the works. But the attorneys general have the resources. It would be ideal if they pursued this cause.

Here are some excerpts:

On Nov. 4, 2021, Planned Parenthood posted on its website: Crisis pregnancy centers (also called CPCs or fake clinics)  look like real health centers, but they have a shady, harmful agenda: to scare, shame, or pressure you out of getting an abortion, and to tell lies about abortion, birth control, and sexual health. There are a lot of these CPCs in the U.S  exposefakeclinics.com  and The Fake Clinic Database can help you figure out which clinics in your area are crisis pregnancy centers. This statement constitutes defamation, CompassCare alleges.

On June 29, 2022, the president of NARAL, Mini Tammaraju, was quoted in a release by the New York attorney generals office: Google is the first place many people will turn to find out what care they have available to them  We thank New York State Attorney General (Letitia) James for leading this effort to ensure everybody looking to access care  can find that information without being misled by dangerous fake health centers. This constitutes defamation of a competitor, CompassCare alleges.

The government and the press picked up the gauntlet.

On June 13, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law the Pregnancy Center Investigation Bill to regulate the activities of pro-life pregnancy centers.

On June 22, the New York Times said in a story, For years, abortion rights advocates have called on Google to stop allowing crisis pregnancy centers to run misleading abortion-related ads on the search giants platform  In an email, a Google spokesperson said that protecting users from harmful and misleading ads was a top priority.

On June 28 and 29, James office posted two statements pressuring Google to censor pro-life pregnancy centers, CompassCare documents:

CPCs exist solely to intercept and dissuade pregnant people from making fully informed decisions about their health care  Including these organizations in a list for an individual seeking abortion services is dangerous and misleading  This issue continues to persist in some New York regions, providing misleading information.

And, New Yorkers, and others traveling to the state, should trust that Google Maps will provide accurate information and direct them to real and safe care  By relying on Googles search results in these cases, individuals are unknowingly directed towards dangerous situations and harmful experiences  Attorney General James warned Google to immediately address the misinformation.

New York Attorney General Letitia James calls on a journalist during a briefing in New York City on May 21, 2021. (Richard Drew/AP Photo)

And censorship has taken place:

Beginning in June, pregnancy centers have had their speech rights curtailed by ordinances passed in numerous cities, beginning in June, CompassCare said. Cities including Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, Austin, and Columbus, Ohio, have deprioritized enforcement of abortion regulations, deregulating abortionists, CompassCare charges.

On July 8, the Biden administration posted an Executive Order Fact Sheet on the White House website which said, The Presidents Executive Order takes additional steps to protect  people seeking reproductive health care from inaccurate information, fraudulent schemes or deceptive practices. Thats censorship, CompassCare charges.

On July 12, Senator Elizabeth Warren called for the shut down of pregnancy centers: In Massachusetts right now, those crisis pregnancy centers that are there to fool people who are looking for pregnancy termination, she told a television reporter. We need to shut them down here in Massachusetts, and we need to shut them down all around the country. You should not be able to torture a pregnant person like that.

Pregnancy centers have faced more than wars of words or legal procedures. A shadowy group called Janes Revenge, which uses a website based in Italy, took credit in a communique posted June 15 for the Buffalo attack and numerous others on pregnancy centers across the country.

You have seen that we are real and that we are not merely pushing empty words. As we said, we are not one group but many. You have seen us in Madison, WI, Ft. Collins CO, Reisertown MA, Olympia WA, Des Moines IA, Lynwood WA, Washington DC, Asheville NC, Buffalo NY, Hollywood FL, Vancouver WA, Frederick MA, Denton TX, Gresham OR, Eugene OR, Portland OR among others, and we work in countless locations invisibly.

Your thirty days expired yesterday  We promised increasingly drastic measures against oppressive infrastructures. Rest assured that we will, and those measures may not come in the form of something so easily cleaned up as fire and graffiti  Eventually your insurance companies and your financial backers will realize you are a bad investment.

Radical pro-abortion group Janes Revenge leaves threats at Harbor Church in Olympia, Wash. on May 22, 2022 (Photo courtesy of Harbor Church)

At least 67 pregnancy resource centers have been attacked since the Dobbs opinion leaked in May, according to CatholicVote.org.

Janes Revenge is emboldened by the inaction of our governor, our attorney general, and our majority Democrat legislature, said New York state Sen. George Borrello, a Republican, at the CompassCare centers defiant reopening on Aug. 1. Someone has to die before the progressives think its violence.

CompassCare detailed how slowly local and federal authorities are investigating the June 7 pregnancy center firebombing in Amherst, a Buffalo suburb. Amherst police that day confiscated the centers computers containing its security footage.

On July 13, more than a month later, they asked the center to sign a release allowing them to share a copy of the security footage with the FBI for forensic analysis. A center executive did so the same day. CompassCare CEO Jim Harden met with police on July 14 to view several printed screen grabs of the footage, but police refused to let him view the security footage itself.

Police didnt make their first public statement on the investigations progress until Aug. 1, nearly two months after the attack. Harden met with the FBI agent assigned to the case on Aug. 17. The agent told him the agency was considering but had not yet begun a height analysis on a suspect captured on video. On Aug. 19, Amherst police once more refused to return CompassCares security footage.
A man votes in the California primary at City Hall in San Francisco on June 7, 2016. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Appeals Court Allows Noncitizens to Again Vote in San Francisco School Board Elections

A California appeals court decision will effectively allow non-U.S. citizens to vote in San Francisco school board elections in November, despite a court ruling earlier this year that struck down the local law as unconstitutional.

California Superior Court Judge Richard Ulmer struck down the citys ordinance allowing noncitizens to vote on July 29. However, the First District Court of Appeal in August granted a request by the city for a stay of the decision.

The appellate court then denied on Sept. 9 a request to expedite Ulmers ruling against San Franciscos noncitizen voting law in time for the General Election.

The constitutional challenges  are significant ones that are entitled to deliberate consideration, according to the appeals court decision. However, the court decline[s] to order an injunction. No extensions of time will be granted absent a showing of exceptional good cause.

This means noncitizens can cast ballots in the Nov. 8 election, according to James V. Lacy, an attorney who filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco ordinance on behalf of conservative groups in March 2022.

Lacy told The Epoch Times that the procedural delay will harm election integrity and allow the counting of votes that a judge has already ruled are illegal.

It puts a cloud on the election, he said on Sept. 13. At a time of very high skepticism in the general public about the integrity of our elections, what the court has basically done is undermining the credibility and the vote of the San Francisco election.

San Francisco voters approved the ordinance that appeared as Proposition N on the 2016 ballot, and the law was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2022, until the city extended it indefinitely last year. Since it went into effect, noncitizens have been allowed to vote in at least four local elections, according to court documents.

According to deputy city attorneys, noncitizens may only vote in school board elections and are not given an opportunity to vote for any other office.

The underlying idea was to give noncitizen parents a say in who is elected to school boards but the problem is that it is illegal, Lacy told EpochTVs California Insider host Siyamak Khorrami in an Aug. 24 episode. Its alarming that this ballot initiative even got on the ballot.

Lacy contends that voting is a fundamental right of citizens only, and a cornerstone of democracy that should not be tinkered with.

The California Constitution clearly states that only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote in state and local elections, Lacy told California Insider at the time.

According to the constitution, A United States citizen 18 years of age and resident in this State may vote. However, attorneys for the city argued the may vote language doesnt prohibit a local government to allow others to vote.

In his July 29 ruling, Judge Ulmer said that based on the same flawed logic, the city could argue that children under 18 and residents of other states may also vote in California elections, which our Constitution does not allow.

He said the constitution uses the words may vote for good reason.

Had it instead used the mandatory word shall  resident citizens of age would be legally required to vote. Election laws in many nations make voting mandatory, but not the United States, Ulmer said.

Catherine Engelbrecht of True the Vote, a national election integrity watchdog group, denounced the appellate courts decision to deny the request for expedition.

Name any other country in the world that would allow noncitizens to vote in their countrys elections. There isnt one, Engelbrecht told The Epoch Times on Sept. 13.

The suggestion that noncitizen voting will only occur in local elections is like saying ballot drop boxes will only be used during pandemics. These efforts never stay limited or temporary, she said via text message.
When the year ends, so will the Auburn YMCA's management of the Skaneateles YMCA & Community Center.

The Auburn YMCA will no longer oversee the Skaneateles center when its management agreement with the Skaneateles Recreational Charitable Trust, which owns the facility, expires on Dec. 31. The Auburn YMCA has managed the center and its programming for 12 years.

In an email to members Tuesday night, Auburn YMCA interim CEO Denise Tabone, Auburn YMCA Branch Executive Director Amy Wallner and Skaneateles YMCA Branch Executive Director Dorothea Hughes did not disclose a reason for the split. The Skaneateles Recreational Charitable Trust will announce a new management structure for the center in October, according to the email.

"SRCT has stated that it is a priority to maintain continuity with existing programs members have enjoyed at the (Skaneateles Community Center), including fitness and wellness, aquatics, sports, and ice-rink offerings," the Y leaders wrote, adding that the YMCA and the trust are committed to a "collaborative transition for the community and members."

The decision to end the management agreement was made on Aug. 21, according to the YMCA. In a joint response to a question from The Citizen, the trust and YMCA said they "were unable to come to terms that align with Y-USA regulations, therefore the (Skaneateles Recreational Charitable Trust) is choosing a new management structure."

The Auburn YMCA began managing the Skaneateles Community Center in 2010. The facility was previously operated by the town of Skaneateles, but the town board voted in 2009 to no longer manage the center.

After the village of Skaneateles declined to take over the center's operations, the Auburn YMCA had conversations with the Skaneateles Recreational Charitable Trust about managing the facility. The Auburn YMCA took over day-to-day operations on Aug. 1, 2010.

The end of the agreement leaves many unanswered questions  a fact acknowledged by the YMCA leaders in an email to members. They wrote that the Skaneateles Recreational Charitable Trust has prioritized the continuation of programs for school-aged and preschool children. There are also ongoing talks about the childcare programs offered at the center.

Employees at the Skaneateles facility will be offered jobs through the center's new management or the YMCA. The center employs 135 people, including 11 full-time workers.

Members will no longer be able to use their memberships to access both the Auburn YMCA and the Skaneateles center. They will have the option of continuing their YMCA membership or joining the Skaneateles Community Center. They could do both, but separate memberships would be necessary.

"Please be assured Skaneateles programs will remain unchanged through the end of the year," Hughes, Tabone and Wallner wrote. "We will share more details in the coming weeks, and in the meantime, please accept our thanks for your continued support and patronage."
Arizona Man Gets Prison Time for Illegally Voting in 2020 Presidential Election

An Arizona man was sentenced with an 18-month prison sentence on Sept. 12 for illegally voting during the 2020 presidential election, according to the state attorney generals office.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said Roberto Garcia, 35, completed a voter registration form and falsely indicated that he wasnt convicted of a felony. He also falsely said he had his voting rights restored, according to a Sept. 13 press release from Brnovichs office, adding that he cast a vote during the 2020 general election.

It isnt clear who Garciawho entered a guilty plea on a felony count of illegal voting earlier this yearvoted for during the election. Brnovichs office didnt release that information.

The indictment alleged that Garcia falsely completed a voter registration form indicating that he had not been convicted of a felony or that his rights had been restored, his office said, noting that Garcia was previously convicted of two felonies and didnt have his voting rights restored.

As part of a plea deal, Garcia admitted he knew that he wasnt entitled to vote when he cast a ballot on Nov. 3, 2020.

But according to Brnovichs office: Garcias ineligibility was unknown to Pinal County Election Officials at the time the defendant registered [to vote] in January of 2020, and his vote was counted in the 2020 General Election.  Garcia will be eligible to register to vote again only after applying for rights restoration after his sentence is complete.

Garcia is currently serving a prison term for an unrelated offense. Brnovichs office said his 18-month prison term will be served concurrently with the other prison sentence.

Roberto Garcia, 35, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Sept. 12, 2022, for felony illegal voting. (Arizona Attorney Generals Office)

During the election, Joe Biden was certified by Arizona election officials as the winner of the states 11 electoral votes. But in the aftermath of the contest, allegations of voter fraud surfaced before culminating in the Legislature-backed audit of Maricopa County in mid-2021.

Arizona lawmakers have since passed election integrity measures such as a proof-of-citizenship requirement. The Biden administration has attempted to block the law from going into effect.

About a month ago, Pinal County saw a slew of ballot problems during the statewide primary that resulted in the resignation of the countys elections director.

Authorities in Pinal County confirmed in early August that then-elections chief David Frisk is no longer in the position of Elections Director and is no longer employed by Pinal County amid widespread complaints about ballot shortages.

Im not sure how the ballot shortage happened, Jeffrey McClure, chairman of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors, told reporters at the time. We opened the boxes, and there werent enough ballots.
Azerbaijanian servicemen cross the ArmenianAzerbaijani border and approach the Armenian positions in a still from video released on Sept. 13, 2022. (Armenian Defense Ministry via AP)

Armenia, Azerbaijan Report 99 Troops Killed in Border Clash

YEREVAN, ArmeniaFighting on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan killed about 100 troops Tuesday as attacks on both sides fed fears of broader hostilities breaking out between the longtime adversaries.

Armenia said at least 49 of its soldiers were killed; Azerbaijan said it lost 50.

The fighting erupted minutes after midnight with Azerbaijani forces unleashing an artillery barrage and drone attacks in many sections of Armenian territory, according to Armenias Defense Ministry. It said shelling grew less intense during the day but Azerbaijani troops were trying to advance into Armenian territory.

Azerbaijanian servicemen cross the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and approach the Armenian positions in a still from video released on Sept. 13, 2022. (Armenian Defense Ministry via AP)

Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said it was responding to a large-scale provocation by Armenia late Monday and early Tuesday. It said Armenian troops planted mines and fired on Azerbaijani military positions.

The two countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over NagornoKarabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of NagornoKarabakh in a six-week war in 2020 that killed more than 6,600 people and ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged both parties to refrain from further escalation and show restraint. Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act in seeking to maintain friendly ties with both ex-Soviet nations. It has strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, while also has been developing close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

The international community also urged calm.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to take immediate steps to deescalate tensions, exercise maximum restraint and resolve any outstanding issues through dialogue and implement previous agreements, his spokesman said.

The U.N. Security Council scheduled closed consultations Wednesday on the renewed fighting.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called Russian President Vladimir Putin and later also had calls with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Charles Michel, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with both Pashinyan and Azerbaijans president, Ilham Aliyev. The United States has a special envoy in the region, Blinken said, and my hope is that we can move this from conflict back to the negotiating table and back to trying to build a peace.

Speaking in parliament early Tuesday, Pashinyan accused Azerbaijan of having had an uncompromising stance at recent European Union-brokered talks in Brussels.

Armenian Prime minister Nikol Pashinyan delivers his speech at the National Assembly of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia, on Sept. 13, 2022. (Tigran Mehrabyan/PAN Photo via AP)

Armenia said the Azerbaijani shelling Tuesday damaged civilian infrastructure and wounded an unspecified number of people.

On Facebook, Aliyev expressed condolences to the families and relatives of our servicemen who died on September 13 while preventing large-scale provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the Kalbajar, Lachin, Dashkasan, and Zangilan regions of Azerbaijan.

Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, also placed the blame for the violence on Armenia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for Aliyev and said in a statement that Turkey and Azerbaijan are brotherly  in all matters.

The governor of Gegharkunik province, one of the regions that came under Azerbaijani shelling, said there was a 40-minute lull in the fighting, apparently reflecting Moscows attempt to negotiate a truce, before it later resumed. The governor, Karen Sarkisyan, said four Armenian troops in his region were killed and another 43 were wounded by the shelling.

The Armenian government said it would officially ask Russia for assistance under a friendship treaty between the countries, and also appeal to the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-dominated security alliance of ex-Soviet nations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from comment on Armenias request but added during a conference call with reporters that Putin was taking every effort to help de-escalate tensions.

By Avet Demourian
The company logo for pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca on a screen on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange on April 8, 2019. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

AstraZeneca Beats US Shareholder Lawsuit Over COVID-19 Vaccine Disclosures

NEW YORKAstraZeneca Plc. on Monday won the dismissal of a U.S. shareholder lawsuit claiming that it concealed problems in developing its COVID-19 vaccine, making it unlikely the treatment would win regulatory approval in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken in Manhattan said AstraZeneca shareholders in the proposed class action failed to identify any misleading statements, or adequately allege that the Britain-based company intended to defraud them.

Shareholders said the price of AstraZenecas American depositary shares fell in late 2020 and early 2021 as it became clear that clinical trials for its vaccine had been hamstrung by design and execution flaws and poor communications with regulators and the public.

The shareholders said the failures included giving some participants half the designed dosages, not testing enough people over age 55, and allowing subtle differences among patient subgroups that undermined the validity of any findings.

In a 23-page decision, Oetken said AstraZeneca and its executives had no generalized duty to disclose negative facts about the trials.

He also said Chief Executive Pascal Soriot was not liable for saying AstraZeneca was moving quickly but without cutting corners, and that the company was not liable for general pledges to follow the science and make safety a priority.

Even if defendants had access to the omitted facts, the nondisclosures here do not raise a strong inference of conscious misbehavior or recklessness, the judge wrote.

Oetken dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought again.

The lead plaintiffs are Detroit-based Wayne County Employees Retirement System and Nuggehalli Nandkumar. Their lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

AstraZeneca and its lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests.

The company developed its vaccine with Oxford University, and sells it under the brand names Vaxzevria and Covishield.

AstraZenecas vaccine has struggled to compete globally with those from Pfizer Inc./BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc., whose shots use mRNA technology. It has not won approval for use in the United States.

The case is In re AstraZeneca Plc Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 2100722.

By Jonathan Stempel
Australian Government to Extend COVID-19 Pandemic Leave Payments Indefinitely

The Australian government has confirmed that it will indefinitely extend pandemic leave payments for workers contracting COVID-19.

This means infected people who have to take leave from work can apply for support payments as long as they are under mandatory isolation in all states and territories.

The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment scheme was introduced by the previous Coalition government in August 2020 and was due to expire at the end of September 2022.

Under the current program, qualified employees can receive a maximum payment of $750 (US$505) for their seven-day isolation period, while payments for those subject to a five-day isolation period are capped at $540.

Details of the Expanded Scheme

The extension came after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held a national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders on Sept. 14.

He said the federal and state governments would share the payments 50-50.

We remain obviously of the view that if people are sick, whether from COVID or from other health issues, they should not be at work, and that is important, the prime minister said.

The government has a responsibility to provide support for the appropriate period which is designated.

Previously, the scheme was due to expire at the beginning of July. However, the government decided to extend it to September following backlash from the public and a rise in COVID cases.

The program has cost Australian taxpayers $2.2 billion since its inception, including the $320 million incurred during the extended period.

Albanese said the government would maintain mandatory isolation periods of five days for workers contracting COVID-19 in normal situations and seven days for those working in high-risk settings.

While workers can continue to apply for support payments, new changes have been made to the program, which limits the number of claims that can be made over a six-month period to three unless in extraordinary circumstances.

At the same time, the prime minister said there was evidence of fraud as Services Australia found that 2.6 percent of all claims received triggered real-time fraud checks.

Regarding lowering isolation period requirements, he said the national cabinet meeting did not discuss the matter in detail but noted that it was likely to be put on the table when leaders met in person at the end of September.

What we are seeing is gradually a move towards COVID being treated like other health issues, he said.
A Bank of America logo in New York on Jan. 10, 2017. (Stephanie Keith/Reuters)

Bank of America Is Fined $5 Million for Failing to Report 7.42 Million Options Positions

A U.S. regulator on Monday fined Bank of America Corp. $5 million for failing to report over-the-counter options positions approximately 7.42 million times, making it harder to monitor markets for possible manipulative behavior.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority said BofA Securities failures occurred from 2009 to October 2020, and included 26 options positions that exceeded applicable size limits by 20 percent to 2,900 percent.

FINRA also said the banks supervisory system was not reasonably designed to comply with reporting obligations to the regulators Large Options Positions Reporting platform from 2014 to October 2020.

Bank of America did not admit or deny wrongdoing in agreeing to settle, and has corrected the causes underlying the reporting failures, FINRA said. The regulator also imposed a censure.

In a statement, Bank of America said the matter arose from an undetected system issue in the reporting process, and that the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank has added data quality checks to ensure it meets its reporting obligations.

FINRA is an independent nonprofit that recently regulated about 3,400 securities firms.

By Jonathan Stempel
A sign of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) is seen at its headquarters in Beijing, China, on Nov. 16, 2020. (VCG via Getty Images)

Beijing May Not Comply With Audit Rules for US-Listed Firms

Commentary

Five Chinese companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges said on Aug. 15 that they would voluntarily delist. The companies included Sinopec, China Life Insurance, Aluminium Corporation of China, PetroChina, as well as Sinopec entity Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co. All of these companies were targeted by U.S. regulators for possible delisting as a result of their refusal to comply with U.S. audit requirements.

For decades, regulators have demanded that the 200 Chinese companies listed on U.S. exchanges comply with the same audit requirements as all other listed companies. The Chinese side has argued that the financial records of their companies are sensitive data and that due to security concerns, Chinese law prohibits firms from submitting their financial records to foreign auditors.

Since the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act became law in 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has stepped up its enforcement of audit rules. As of the final week of August, 163 Chinese companies, including Alibaba, faced possible delisting.

Goldman Sachs estimates that Americans have about $200 billion invested in Chinese companies, and there was concern about what delisting would mean for these investors. If Chinese companies are forced to delist, the value of their shares could drop by 13 percent, according to Goldman analysts.

The logo of Alibaba Group is seen at its office in Beijing, China, on Jan. 5, 2021. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

On Aug. 26, the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) reached an agreement, which according to a statement by the PCAOB, would grant U.S. authorities unrestricted access to the necessary financial records. American investors welcomed the news as U.S.-listed Chinese stock prices rallied. However, legal experts have warned that optimism may be premature, as it is yet to be seen if the U.S. and the Chinese sides interpret the agreement in the same way and if the Chinese will comply.

The PCAOB similarly cautioned investorsit stated that it would have to wait and see if China continues to obstruct access or not. Continued obstruction would be a violation of the Holding Foreign Companies Act. The first audit inspections are expected to be carried out in September, with the PCAOB making a determination by December as to whether or not Beijing is aiding or hindering U.S. access to Chinese company financial data.

Immediately following the agreement, both Beijing and the PCAOB issued statements. Beijings reaction emphasized that the agreement must be one of equal cooperation and that the U.S. regulators would have to request the documents through the Chinese regulators. The latter would also be involved in interviews and the taking of testimonies.

This statement by Beijing directly conflicts with the statement issued by the PCAOB, which said that the PCAOB would be granted sole discretion to select the firms, audit engagements and potential violations it inspects and investigateswithout consultation with, nor input from, Chinese authorities. The statement said that the PCAOB has direct access to interview and take testimony from all personnel associated with the audits the PCAOB inspects or investigates. Based on these statements, it appears that the two sides are already in disagreement.

Meanwhile, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said that the agreement would only come into effect if it met the requirements of regulators in both countries. It remains to be seen if Beijing will grant sufficient access to U.S. regulators in order to meet U.S. requirements. Meanwhile, current U.S. regulations state that companies out of compliance could be delisted by 2024.

Given the partial recovery of Chinese stock prices after the agreement was signed, Goldman Sachs estimates that investors feel it is only 50 percent likely that Chinese companies will be forced to delist. This is an improvement from the pre-agreement sentiment. In March, investors believed the likelihood of delisting was about 95 percent.

In addition to skepticism about Beijings compliance with the new rules, continued U.S. investment in Chinese firms may be restricted by the so-called Reverse CFIUS. Currently, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) can monitor and evaluate Chinese investments in the United States and recommend their termination if national security is threatened.

U.S. lawmakers have proposed to create Reverse CFIUSa screening process to review outbound investments benefiting entities or countries of concern. The proposed legislation, called the National Critical Capabilities Defense Act of 2022, would grant the government similar authority to block U.S. investment in Chinese companies.

Between existing legislation, proposed legislation, and Beijings history of non-compliance, the threat of delisting Chinese stocks seems far from over.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Passengers line up at John F. Kennedy International Airport after airlines announced numerous flights were canceled during the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in Queens, New York, on Dec. 24, 2021, Christmas Eve. (Dieu-Nalio Chery/Reuters)

Biden Touts US Crackdown on Airlines Over Passenger Treatment

WASHINGTONPresident Joe Biden said on Monday his administration had cracked down on U.S. airlines to improve treatment of passengers, a claim rejected by the carriers.

Biden said prior to changes made in customer service plans by major airlines if your flight was canceled or delayed, no top airline guaranteed covering your cost of hotels and meals.

My administration is also cracking down on the airlines to get passengers fairer treatment, Biden said. Secretary Buttigieg, at my request, called them out.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told airlines in August he would publish their responses in a dashboard and gave them two weeks to disclose what customer service protections they would commit to offering when delays were the fault of the airline.

As of last week, airlines now cover hotels  eight of them; nine (cover) meals; nine rebook for free, Biden said. Were going to get more rules in the works to protect airline passengers even further.

Airlines for America, a trade group representing American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and others, took exception to Bidens assertions.

It is not accurate to say that no U.S. airline covered meals and hotels for passengers severely impacted by carrier-caused flight delays and cancellations, it said in a statement, adding that the dashboard reflected airlines formalizing existing policies.

Airlines canceled or delayed tens of thousands of flights this summer as they struggled to ramp up staffing as demand returned from historic COVID pandemic lows, and Congress has pressed the administration to take a tougher line on airlines.

The Department of Transportation (USDOT) has five categories for rating airlines on for both canceled and delayed flights, including whether they provide meal vouchers for three-hour delays, and pay for hotels, transportation to lodging for stranded passengers and rebooking passengers on the same or another airline. They get checkmarks for providing such services.

American, Delta, United and JetBlue all got five checkmarks for both delayed and canceled flight policies, while Southwest and Alaskan Airlines got four checkmarks. Low-cost carrier Allegiant initially received no checkmarks but now has three for hotel, transportation and rebooking policies.

Buttigieg told Reuters last month the U.S. approach to regulating airlines and ensuring passengers are properly treated needs improvements.

USDOT has proposed rules to strengthen airline passenger protection and require airlines to provide vouchers that do not expire when passengers are unable to fly for pandemic-related reasons.

Buttigieg plans to finalize a new rule proposed in July 2021 to require passenger airlines to refund fees for bags that are significantly delayed and for services like onboard Wi-Fi that do not work.

Buttigieg said in July USDOT had completed investigations into 10 unnamed airline over delayed or withheld passenger refunds and plans enforcement actions.

By David Shepardson
Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie gets up during a break in a meeting of the Broward County School Board in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on March 5, 2019. (Lynne Sladky/AP Photo)

Broward School Board Stops Funding Legal Fight for Ousted Members

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.The Broward School Board voted unanimously on Sept. 13 that four former members will have to pay their own legal bills for their defense against the State of Florida.

Ann Murray, Donna Korn, Patricia Good, and Laurie Rich Levinson were suspended from serving in their elected positions by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Aug. 26, following a grand jury recommendation citing incompetence, neglect of duty, and misuse of authority.

DeSantis took action after a statewide grand jury released a 122-page report accusing the school board members of a range of inexcusable actions  and unacceptable behavior related to the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. During the massacre, the shooter killed 17 people and wounded 17 others.

The current board unanimously voted that the four former members will be responsible for their own legal bills rendered after Aug. 26.

Chairman Torey Alston, recently appointed to the school board by DeSantis, requested the action after reports surfaced that Ann Murray and Donna Korn had accrued legal bills totaling more than $120,000 over 16 months.

These Suspended Officers sought to expunge portions of the Grand Jury Report. The School Board provided payment for the legal representation in these actions, according to the agenda item. The School Board has the discretion to cease payment of legal services for the representation of the Suspended Officers.

However, the school district will pay for the ousted members legal services prior to the suspension, said Marylin Batista, general counsel for the school board, during the meeting. State law requires legal coverage for school board members if the legal action is related to their jobs, she said.

But, Batista continued, the law doesnt require coverage for suspended board members.

It was reported that Murray had billed the district $74,689; Korns lawyers had billed $45,391. Goods bills were combined with services for a former district employee and totaled $4,141. Levinson has not submitted legal bills.

Korn and Murray fought to have negative information, including the call for their removal, expunged from the grand jury report. The report was concluded in April 2021, but it was not released until August, due to legal challenges by the suspended board members.

Murrays attorney Peter Patanzo told board members at the meeting that he had asked for a delay of the grand jurys report before Korns final appeal was rejected, citing that there were problems with the grand jury process that needed to be resolved.

He said that a statewide grand jury is supposed to span multiple jurisdictions, but the report focused almost entirely on Broward.

Grand juries are also supposed to keep out the names of witnesses who are not indicted, Patanzo said.

This is going to set a precedent one way or another and they cant have unlimited executive authority, Patanzo told media outlets at a press conference on Sept. 10.

The grand jury reports release resulted in appeals by the now suspended school board members, who fought to have it redacted or expunged.

A county judge rejected the requests.

The members then appealed to the 4th District Court of Appeals. That court denied their appeals twice.

They appealed to the state Supreme Court. Justices there declined to hear the case.

School board members would have to pay their own legal fees if they choose to appeal their suspension to the state Senate, which would make the final decision on their removal.

The terms of Murray, Korn, and Levinson are set to expire in November, making it unlikely that the Senate could hear their case before then. Goods term is scheduled to expire in November 2024.

DeSantis said on Aug. 26 that he took the reports recommendations and decided to act on his constitutional authority as governor.

It is my duty to suspend people from office when there is clear evidence of incompetence, neglect of duty, misfeasance or malfeasance, he said in a written statement. We hope this suspension brings the Parkland community another step towards justice. This action is in the best interest of the residents and students of Broward County and all citizens of Florida.

In announcing the suspensions, DeSantis said, These are inexcusable actions by school board members who have shown a pattern of emboldening unacceptable behavior, including fraud and mismanagement, across the district.

In 2019, the governor asked the Supreme Court to convene a grand jury to look into safety and security issues statewide in the aftermath of the Parkland tragedy.

The Epoch Times reached out to the board members for comment but they would not comment on the ongoing case.
Gas prices are advertised at a Chevron station as rising inflation and oil costs affect the consumers in Los Angeles, California, on June 13, 2022. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Chevron CEO Warns Americans to Brace for Higher Natural Gas Prices This Winter

The chairman and CEO of energy company Chevron has warned Americans to brace for price increases in natural gas this winter.

CEO Mike Wirth made the comments in an interview with CNN on Sept. 13 in which he warned consumers that theres certainly a risk that costs will go up when it comes to natural gas.

Prices already are very high relative to history and relative to the rest of the world. Were already seeing this impact being felt in the European economy and I do think its likely that Europe goes into a recession, Wirth said.

Europe has been suffering from an energy squeeze in recent months, driven by its decision to wean itself off fuel from Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine along with chronic shortages and a move by some EU countries to phase out coal.

The outlook for Europe this winter is now looking more strained after Russian state-owned energy corporation Gazprom scrapped plans to restart gas flows through its Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany earlier this month.

Following what was expected to be a temporary shutdown for routine maintenance, Gazprom said that it could not safely restart gas deliveries through the key pipeline until an oil leak in a critical turbine was fixed. Officials have not yet stated when gas supplies will resume through the pipeline.

While Worth noted that the situation in the United States would not be as bad as it is in Europe, the CEO stated that natural gas prices could still be significantly higher this winter in the former.

Last month, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm sent a letter to seven refiners including Valero, ExxonMobil, and Chevron, urging them not to increase exports of fuels like gasoline and diesel and instead help build domestic supplies.

Export Ban Could Have Unintended Consequences

Given the historic level of U.S. refined product exports, I again urge you to focus in the near term on building inventories in the United States, rather than selling down current stocks and further increasing exports, Granholm said in the letter, before noting that the Biden administration will need to consider additional federal requirements or other emergency measures, if the companies fail to do so.

President Joe Biden and other White House officials have also accused oil giants of slowing down production in the United States in order to keep prices high. Oil companies including Chevron have denied those claims.

When asked about the letter on Tuesday, Worth said that stopping gas exports outside of the United States would not help to bring down prices for consumers in the country.

The risk in an action like that is that it has unintended consequences. An export ban runs the risk of taking supplies that are needed in other parts of the world and reducing those which can drive world prices up, which then can affect the price of imports into this country, he said.

I think theres a risk that it could take prices up not down, he added.

Chevron posted earnings of $11.6 billion in the second quarter of 2022, up from $3.1 billion in the second quarter of 2021.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin enter a hall for talks in the Kremlin in Moscow, in this 2019 file photo. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo)

China-Russia Alliance Has Nothing Good in Store for Democracies: Expert

China and Russia are aligning against the United States and its allies regardless of the absence of an official treaty between Beijing and Moscow, according to one expert.

This may be a marriage of convenience, but sometimes thatll be enough to cause the civilized world a lot of trouble, said Grant Newsham, a senior fellow with the Center for Security Policy think tank.

Theyve already got an alliance of sorts  theres a real cooperation between these two dictatorships.

Newsham delivered the comments during a Sep. 13 interview with NTD, a sister media outlet of The Epoch Times. The interview comes just days ahead of a face-to-face meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Chinese and Russian diplomats have said that the leaders will use the occasion to discuss Ukraine and Taiwan, as well as to plan how to best change the trajectory of the international order.

Experts like Newsham are concerned that more increased cooperation between the two powers is on the horizon.

The thing to always keep in mind that, while they may not have signed an agreement, this is definitely a meeting of the minds between two countries which have nothing good in store for democracies and freedom, Newsham said.

The Putin-Xi meeting also follows closely behind a Ukrainian counteroffensive that reclaimed a tenth of the territory occupied by Russian forces. As such, Putin may be more eager than before to cement ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), even if it means doing so as a junior partner.

For Russia, the meeting is an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that it is not isolated. For the CCP, it offers the chance to champion a China-led alternative to the rules-based international order.

According to Newsham, it is yet another symbol of the growing alliance between the two powers and another indicator that China is more than willing to provide cover for Russian aggression.

Ukrainian service members prepare to transport a Russian tank captured during a counteroffensive operation in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, in a photo released on Sept. 11, 2022. (Press service of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/Handout via Reuters)

When the attack started on Ukraine, the Chinese actually issued orders to their Propaganda Ministry and the [media] outlets to not say anything bad about Russia, because when the time comes with Taiwan, we all want the Russian support.

So this willingness to keep mouths closed, and to call the Russians out for what theyve done, that is immensely valuable to the Russians.

Moreover, Newsham said that the CCP was watching and learning from Russias strategic fumbles in Ukraine, and using its newly gleaned observations to prepare for its own invasion of Taiwan.

[The CCP] have been watching this assault from the very beginning and calculating how it would actually work with Taiwan and what didnt work out well for the Russians. Thats been pretty obvious, Newsham said.

To that end, Newsham cautioned that CCP leadership would not see the many failures of Russia in Ukraine as a reason to refrain from war with Taiwan but would rather believe itself capable of performing better.

Unfortunately, what the Chinese will do is they will look at what they think the Russians did wrong, and theyll try to do it better, or do it differently, Newsham said.

I dont think this really changes Xi Jinpings mind about taking and enslaving Taiwan if he can.
When the CIA unveiled a statue of Harriet Tubman at its headquarters in Langley, Virginia, last week, it was the product of a years-long effort by the agency to recognize the abolitionist's accomplishments and skills.

In 2018, the agency launched a training program, the Harriet Tubman Leadership Ethos Ride. CIA Press Secretary Susan Miller said the program uses Tubman's experiences to "teach CIA officers how to be the best stewards of the trust the American people have placed in them."

Miller added that the "recognition of Tubman's contributions as an intelligence practitioner" led intelligence officers who participated in the program to push for the installation of a statue at CIA headquarters.

Tubman is best known for escaping from slavery, her work on the Underground Railroad and her involvement in the women's rights movement. But she was also a spy for the Union Army during the Civil War and led the Combahee River Raid.

Miller called Tubman "a trailblazer in American intelligence" and "an exceptional leader  serving with courage, conviction and selflessness."

"From disguises to secret communications to safehouses to building trusted networks of contacts, Harriet Tubman was a formidable practitioner of what we would now call 'intelligence tradecraft'  and much of the tradecraft she practiced remains the hallmark of modern intelligence operations," Miller said.

The CIA embraced its officers' effort to erect a statue of Tubman. The agency turned to Brian Hanlon, the same sculptor who built the Tubman statue that stands outside of the Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn. The statue at CIA headquarters is a replica of the Auburn statue.

There are only a few statues on the CIA campus, according to Miller. The statues, she explained, are positioned to show the history of intelligence leading up to the creation of the CIA.

The first statue honors Nathan Hale, who was a spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Tubman's statue is next. Inside the lobby of headquarters is a statue of Gen. William Donovan, who led the Office of Strategic Services  an intelligence agency that was established during World War II before the CIA was founded.

CIA, Miller said, "takes inspiration from those pioneers of intelligence who came before our 75-year existence." Tubman, she continued, is "a standout example of one such pioneer."

"Harriet Tubman was an intelligence collector who lived CIA's ethos of courage and selfless service decades before the agency was even created," Miller said.

The ceremony to unveil the Tubman statue was held on Wednesday, Sept. 7. CIA Director William Burns attended the event and joined Tina Wyatt, Tubman's great-great-great-grandniece, to cut a ribbon dedicating the statue.

In remarks shared on the CIA's Facebook page, Burns said that the agency is "not honoring Tubman simply because of the ops she ran or the intel she collected. We're honoring her for the example she set."

"It's an example of courage, of conviction, of service, and sacrifice, and selflessness," he said. "Of all the things we hope to live up to every day at CIA."
A Tibetan watches Chinese police officers patrolling in front of Potala Palace, in Lhasa, Tibet, on June 20, 2008. (Guang Niu/Getty Images)

Chinese Police Conducting Mass DNA Collection From Tibetans for Purposes of Social Control: Canadian Researchers

The Chinese regime has been conducting mass systemic DNA collection on Tibetan civilians, with up to 1.2 million samples collected over the past five years, according to the University of Torontos Citizen Lab.

Published on Sept. 13, the study analyzed 100 publically available sources, including 44 reports containing figures of the number of DNA samples police had collected in particular areas of Tibet.

In further analysis of those 44 reports, The Citizen Lab estimated that between June 2016 and July 2022, Chinese police collected roughly between 919,000 and 1,207,000 DNA samples, representing between one quarter (25.1 percent) and one-third (32.9 percent) of Tibets total population of 3.66 million.

Our research suggests that mass DNA collection is a form of social control directed against the Tibetan people, the study said, noting police have targeted men, women and children for DNA collection outside of any ongoing criminal investigation.

In some cases, police have targeted Buddhist monks, it said.

Chinese authorities often justify their collection of DNA samples and other biometric identification data like fingerprints and facial scans on its people as a crime prevention measure, according to the study.

Political repression against ethnic and religious minorities like the people of Tibet, as well as civil society activists and political critics, is often justified in terms of fighting crime, it said.

Authorities have used anti-crime campaigns in Xinjiang to crack down on Uyghurs and other indigenous people. Elsewhere in China, authorities have used the courts to charge feminist activists, labour activists, and human rights lawyers with picking quarrels and provoking troubles, disturbing public order, and subversion of state power.'

The Citizen Labs report follows a Sept. 5 report from Humans Rights Watch that found the DNA collection in Tibet has targeted children in kindergarten, with some collection drives specifically targeting boys aged 5 and older.

Social Control

The study noted Tibetans have been targeted for intense state repression, since the ruling Chinese Community Party (CCP) invaded the regions in the 1950s, with subsequent violent crackdown campaigns launched in 1987 and 2008.

Repressive measures include the mass surveillance of entire communities, restrictions on religious worship, the arrest of Tibetans for criticizing state language policies and for supporting its spiritual leader in exile, the Dalai Lama.

The Citizen Lab said many Chinese forensic scientists have conducted research that aligns with the CCPs domestic security concerns, including genetic research focused on people from ethnic minority communities like the Tibetans.

One example cited in the study is a 2017 article published by the scientific journal Human Genetics , in which it said police-affiliated researchers of genetic diversity collected approximately 38,000 DNA samples from men, including Tibetans and Uyghurs. The journal retracted the article in 2021 out of concern for the lack of clear consent from the studys participants.

It also noted that since 2012, Chinese public health authorities have conducted annual physical exams for almost all residents of Tibet, with 3 million receiving medical checks in 2017 alone, adding that numerous reports indicate that these exams also include the collection of blood samples.

History of Arbitrary Personal Data Collection

The Citizen Lab study said the Chinese polices collection of basic informationincluding personal ID numbers, text messages, banking information, and biometric data like vocal scans and DNA samplesis not unique to Tibet, with the creation of a national police-run population information system dating back to 2015 .

The study cited a 2015 article, published in the Chinese academic journal Forensic Science and Technology, which said basic information systems are meant to integrate existing police databases (of people, fingerprints, DNA, etc.) into a single system, to address the problems of incomplete, inaccurate, or duplicated data, and to facilitate data collection and sharing between public security organs across China.

Starting in the early 2000s, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, Chinas national police agency, has sought to create a forensic DNA database, which accrued 68 million DNA samples as of 2018.

In recent years, Chinas police have begun collecting DNA from entire populations, the study said, specifically targeting Uyghurs and other indigenous people in Xinjiang and from tens of millions of men across China.

It cited an annual free public health program launched throughout Xinjiang in 2016 dubbed Physicals for All. The physical exam reportedly included collecting DNA samples, fingerprints, and iris and facial scans from Xinjiang residents aged 12 to 65, according to a 2017 document from Aksus prefectural government. The program was visited 53.8 million times by 2019.

DNA collection by the police and other authorities also accompanied the mass detention of perhaps one million people in the region, the report said, noting authorities have previously denied the Physicals for All program included DNA collection.

While the total number of DNA samples collected by authorities in Xinjiang is unknown, it is estimated to be in the millions.

The CCPs personal data collection efforts not only target ethnic minorities but also Chinas largest Han population, the study said, citing a 2017 nationwide program aimed at creating a male ancestry investigation system containing DNA samples and genealogical records for 3570 million Chinese men.

The Citizen Lab study concluded that without clear limits on police DNA collection, the possibility for misuse is great.

Statesincluding Chinamust enact and enforce strict limits on police collection, analysis, and storage of DNA and other sensitive biometric data, in order to minimize the potential harm to those from whom data were collected, their kin, and their wider community, it said.

At the international level, states, civil society groups, researchers, and international organizations should work together to establish global norms on the proper handling of biometric data.

Jocelyn Neo contributed to this report.
CNN Legal Expert Page Pate Dies, Cause of Death Revealed

Regular CNN guest Page Pate died at the age of 55 after he was swept away by a rip current near St. Simons Island, Georgia, according to his law firm and local officials.

Glynn County Fire-Rescue acting Chief Vinnie DiCristofalo told CNN, where he served as an on-air legal expert, that Pate was swept away by a rip current at around 2 p.m. on Sunday at Goulds Inlet beach. His body was recovered by a rescue boat later that day, officials said.

First responders got a call about two swimmers in distress, DiCristofalo said, adding that the other swimmer was Pates son. Later, responders learned that the adolescent victim reached shore safely, DiCristofalo added.

I dont have direct information whether they were together and got drawn out, DiCristofalo continued, noting that Goulds Inlet is known to have harsh rip currents.

Glynn County Coroner Marc Neu told the Brunswick News that a rescue crew tried to revive Pate when he was pulled from the water. He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Neu said.

Some of Pages happiest moments were on trips with his sons, whether long hikes on the West Coast or taking in NASCAR races, Pates family said in a statement to 11Alive news.

Though he was a formidable, sometimes intimidating, attorney in the courtroom, Page had an easy smile, an earnest laugh, and a great sense of humor, Pates law firm, Pate, Johnson, and Church, also told local outlets in a statement.

Pate was a resident of Georgia and had 25 years of experience in civil litigation and criminal defense, according to the law firms website.

And CNN wrote that it considered Pate as a trusted legal voice for many local and national media organizations, including CNN, where he appeared frequently to provide insight and perspective as a criminal defense and constitutional law attorney on high-profile cases.

Other details about his death were not provided.

Rip Currents

A rip current is a type of water current that can occur near beaches. Its described as a strong and narrow current of river-like water that moves directly away from the shore, cutting through breaking waves

Panicked swimmers often try to counter a rip current by swimming straight back to shoreputting themselves at risk of drowning because of fatigue, says the U.S. National Ocean Service, adding: Lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year, but it is estimated that 100 people are killed by rip currents annually.

It advises people who are caught in a rip current to not fight it. Instead, people caught in rip currents are recommended to swim parallel to the shore before swimming back to the shore at an angle.

Another federal website says that while rip currents can be difficult to spot, people can locate them in places where waves arent breaking or where there is foam, discolored water, or seaweed that is being pulled away from the shore.
Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Conscientious Objection Reason Enough to Refuse mRNA Vaccines as Preventive Treatment for COVID-19: Study

A Canadian paper published in a peer-reviewed international journal proposes that conscientious objection is an adequate reason to refuse mRNA vaccines as a preventive treatment against COVID-19.

The authors present the scientific basis for their proposal, explaining that mRNA vaccines consist of artificial mRNAs wrapped in lipid nanoparticles that force the recipients cells to produce, against their nature, a biological active viral protein of an unknown dose and quality.

Unlike a drug produced in a pharmaceutical factory and formulated at a known dose and a well-defined protein product profile, the mRNA vaccine acts as a pro-drug encoding for the viral Spike protein of the virus to be produced by our own cells; both the dose and the quality of the proteins produced are unknown, wrote the authors of the paper published on Aug. 23 in the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research.

We also ignore the distribution of the lipid nanoparticles carrying this mRNA in our body, they added, stating that they consider the conscientious objection raised by the above considerations is a reason enough to refuse mRNA vaccines or similar technologies as a preventive treatment against COVID-19.

The five co-authors include Dr. Patrick Provost and Dr. Nicolas Derometwo professors who were recently suspended by Quebecs Laval University for questioning the need to vaccinate children against COVID-19.

Other co-authors include Dr. Bernard Massie, retired director general of the Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre at the National Research Council of Canada, Dr. Christian Linard, a professor at the department of chiropractic at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres, and Dr. Jean Caron, a retired professor at McGill Universitys department of psychiatry.

According to the paper, some vaccinessuch as Sinovac Biotechs CoronaVac and Bharat Biotech BBV152were produced on the basis of traditional technology using inactivated virus, while other injectable formulations were based on viral vectorssuch as the vaccines produced by AstraZeneca, Janssen, and CanSino Biotechor experimental genetic products based on mRNA as developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

The authors said there are several reasons for using conscientious objectionan objection based on moral or religious groundsto refuse these mRNA vaccines, which they said make human cells perform a function that they would not normally execute: the production and expression of a foreign viral protein on their surface.

To begin with, they said that both proponents and opponents of the new mRNA technology agree it is unnatural, and in addition the technologys long-term effects are as yet either completely unknown or just beginning to come to light.

While the technology has been used against certain cancers and infectious diseases, before COVID-19 no such technology has ever been used as a prophylactic drug for preventing a disease, the authors said, adding that several vaccines in record time received conditional approvals until the end of their experimental phase three.

Although the definition of vaccine has recently been changed to include mRNA and closely related genetic vectoring products, these experimental formulations are closer to gene therapy platforms rather than the long established and familiar vaccines aimed at polio or measles, the authors said.

Whereas traditional vaccines aim to deliver a dose of some active component, such as dead or weakened pathogens, into the human body intended to be detected by specialized immune defence cells to induce protection, the theory behind both mRNA and viral vector injections is to cause the body to produce multiple copies of the coronavirus spike protein.

Such traditional vaccines have never required, in theory or in practice, 100% coverage of the population to reduce or stop the spread of a targeted virus, they said. In contrast, the mRNA injections aimed at COVID-19 neither prevent contagion nor transmission, despite repeated injections.

The authors also pointed to a discrepancy between the mRNA vaccines claimed effects and the real-world infection rate.

Countries with the highest vaccine coverage have the highest number of infections by the targeted virus, the authors said, pointing to another study that found COVID-19 infections appear to be unrelated to vaccination levels across 68 countries and 2,947 United States counties.

The mandatory vaccination measures introduced by governments around the world during the pandemic is another reason for conscientious objection of mRNA vaccines.

Despite the scientific uncertainties surrounding the use of mRNA vaccines, the authors noted that many countries have imposed mandatory vaccination policies such as a vaccination passport. In Canada, mandatory vaccination was imposed from October 2021 to June 2022 on the public service and federally regulated workplaces. Unvaccinated individuals were also not permitted to board a plane, train, and some marine vessels during that period.

We consider that the conscientious objection raised by the above considerations is a reason enough to refuse mRNA vaccines or similar technologies as a preventive treatment against COVID-19, the authors said in conclusion.

The paper came as another report claims to have found irrefutable proof that mRNA vaccines cause vascular and organ damages. Several Italian surgeons, while analyzing the blood from a group of roughly 1,000 people who developed symptoms after receiving a Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna mRNA injection, have also found metal-like objects in 94 percent of those individuals.
COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Estimated to Turn Negative Over Time in Children: Study

The effectiveness of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine against infection turned negative over time for children aged 5 to 11, according to a new study.

Researchers found that for kids in the age group, the effectiveness peaked at 60 percent to 70 percent several weeks after the first dose. It then dropped, nearing zero at week 18 for previously uninfected children and week 20 for previously infected children. After that, the effectiveness was pegged as turning negative, which means the vaccinated children were more likely to contract COVID-19 than unvaccinated children.

Researchers cautioned against reading too much into the estimates because of potential confounding factors.

Our study showed a decline over time of vaccine effectiveness against omicron infection in children. However, not many children had been vaccinated for more than 5 months, so there was great uncertainty in the estimate of vaccine effectiveness after 5 months, Dan-Yu Lin, a professor of biostatistics at the University of North Carolina, told The Epoch Times via email. Thus, one should focus on the trend of waning effectiveness rather than the estimate at the end.

Researchers said in the study, which was published by the New England Journal of Medicine, that the effectiveness estimates may have been confounded by earlier infection and vaccination in children more at-risk from COVID-19 due to underlying serious health problems. That could have led to the vaccines effectiveness being underestimated.

The group analyzed data from the North Carolina COVID-19 Surveillance System and the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System, with records on 887,193 children aged 5 to 11 available. That included data on vaccination from Nov. 1, 2021, to June 3, 2022, and data on clinical outcomes such as a positive COVID-19 test from March 11, 2020, to June 3, 2022. The group employed a Cox regression model to estimate the vaccine effectiveness.

The research was funded in part by a National Institutes of Health grant.

Pfizer did not respond to a request for comment.

Other Findings

In addition to studying vaccine effectiveness, the researchers wanted to see what kind of protection previous infection, or natural immunity, provided against the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.

Omicron became dominant in the United States in late 2021 and one of its subvariants is the currently dominant strain.

While natural immunity was better than the hybrid natural immunityvaccination during the Delta wave, getting a vaccine in addition to natural immunity provided better shielding during the Omicron era, according to the study.

Unvaccinated children with natural immunity had 90.7 percent protection against infection at two months past infection and 51 percent protection at five months, researchers estimated. Among vaccinated children who also had natural immunity, protection was 94.3 percent at two months and 60.9 percent at five months.

Natural immunity did appear to do better against hospitalization. After starting at 99.5 percent in the first month, the protection was still high, at 86.9 percent, after 10 months, according to the estimates. The effectiveness of Pfizers vaccine, known as BNT162b2, against hospitalization peaked at 88.2 percent at four weeks after dose one and was down to 76.1 percent at week 20.

The uncertainties surrounding the estimates of protection against hospitalization in both groups were greater because of the small number of hospitalizations, researchers said.

Both the BNT162b2 vaccine and previous infection were found to confer considerable immunity against omicron infection and protection against hospitalization and death, the researchers said. The rapid decline in protection against omicron infection that was conferred by vaccination and previous infection provides support for booster vaccination.
A man jogs around the back bay of Newport Beach District 3 in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Decade-Long Newport City Council-Goer Runs for Office

For the last 13 years, one Newport Beach resident has attended nearly every city meeting, earning the title of City Watchdog.

Jim Mosher, 74, is a Caltech physics Ph.D. graduate who retired from working as a research scientist and consultant with a focus on space phenomena.

Now hes running in the citys Nov. 8 election for a seat on its council representing District 3, which encompasses neighborhoods surrounding upper Newport Bay.

I made a resolution to myself in January of 2011  to not only go to the council meetings, but to every city meeting that was noticed on the website, Mosher told The Epoch Times.

Newport Beach City Council candidate Jim Mosher speaks at the Newport Beach Public Library in Newport Beach, Calif., on Aug. 18, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

According to Mosher, a 42-yearlong resident, he has only missed two meetings when one of his relatives was sick.

He decided to become a faithful watcher of city hall doings in 2009 after the city approved the construction of a cell phone site in his neighborhood, despite there already being one nearby.

Although he didnt have much success in preventing the construction of the cell site, it sparked a growing interest, he said, in city affairs.

I began attending all city meetings to obtain a better understanding of what our government was doing, including what it was doing that it shouldnt be doing, Mosher wrote on his campaign website. The rest, as they say, is history.

When Mosher threw his name in the ring in early August there was only one candidate running in the race.

It seemed to be very undemocratic that we would have a ballot with only one name on it, he said.

Since then, Newport Beach resident Amy Peters has also declared her candidacy.

I think I have something quite different that either of them has to offer on the city council, he said. I frankly think Id be a better council person.

One of the biggest issues Mosher says the city faces is the states housing requirements. Under a California housing law, the state requires a certain number of units to be zoned for during planning periods.

Affordable housing units are mandated to be included in the construction of the new development, which creates a challenge for developers to make a profit, he said.

If a luxury apartment unit were constructed, under Californias housing law a certain amount of units would be required to be priced as affordable.

For a developer, that would be a big money loser, Mosher said.

So, they have to . . . [put] in a huge number of luxury units to subsidize the affordable units, he said.

If elected, Mosher said he promises to continue thoroughly looking over city staff recommendations, as well as analyzing the countless city council agenda packet pages as hes done for the last decade.

He says often it seems councilmembers havent analyzed or read an agenda item before voting on it, which, he said, he hopes to change.

Not to mention that 13 years of criticizing the work of others comes with an obligation to, at least once, offer to attempt to do the job better than they have, Moshers campaign website reads.

Mosher has not reported campaign donations as of the last filing deadline on June 30.
A researcher works on a vaccine against the new coronavirus COVID-19 at the Copenhagen's University research lab in Copenhagen, Denmark, on March 23, 2020. (Thibault Savary/AFP via Getty Images)

Denmark Government Advises People Under 50 Not to Get COVID-19 Boosters

Denmark will not offer those under the age of 50 more COVID-19 vaccine boosters, the Danish Health Authority announced this week.

The purpose of vaccination is not to prevent infection with COVID-19, and people aged under 50 are therefore currently not being offered booster vaccination, the agency wrote in a Sept. 13 statement.

The Scandinavian country also explicitly dropped any pretense to halt the spread of COVID-19 and announced it will focus on protecting vulnerable individuals, including people with compromised immune systems and the elderly. Those people, it said, are the most at risk of developing severe COVID-19 cases.

Instead, the agency has an aim to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death, the statement said.

The Health Authority noted that people under the age of 50 are generally not at particularly higher risk of becoming severely ill from the virus.

Younger people are well protected against becoming severely ill and a very large number of them have already been vaccinated and have previously been infected with COVID-19, it said.

There is consequently good immunity among this part of the population, the agency said. It is important that the population also remembers the guidance on how to prevent the spread of infection, including staying at home in case of illness, frequent aeration or ventilation, social distancing, good coughing etiquette, hand hygiene, and cleaning.

Denmark was one of the first countries in the world to stop giving COVID-19 vaccines to healthy children. The UK has recently followed suit and ended giving COVID-19 vaccines to most children aged 11 and under.

Children and young people who are at risk of developing COVID-19 cases can still receive the vaccine in Denmark if recommended by a doctor, the health agency said last month.

The Danish Health Authority does not currently plan on recommending vaccination to persons under the age of 18 as a group, Lotte Baelum, a spokesperson for the Health Authority, told The Associated Press. Children and young people who are at increased risk of a serious course of COVID-19 will continue to have the option of vaccination after individual assessment.

The UK Health Security Agency said in September that children who hadnt turned 5 by the end of August wouldnt be offered COVID-19 vaccines, noting that the COVID-19 vaccine offer for kids aged 5 to 11 was a temporary directive.

In the United States, about two months after federal health officials authorized COVID-19 vaccine doses for young children and infants, only a very small percentage of children have received the first dose, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Attorney General Merrick Garland makes remarks at a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington on Aug. 5, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

DOJ Charges 3 Iranian Nationals for Cyberattacks Targeting Local US Governments

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday charged three Iranian nationals for alleged cyber attacks targeting U.S. infrastructure and local governments.

An indictment (pdf) that was unsealed in a federal court alleged that Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda, and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari engaged in a series of ransomware schemes starting in October 2020 to hack computer systems across the United States, Israel, Russia, the United Kingdom, Iran, and elsewhere.

The Government of Iran has created a safe haven where cyber criminals acting for personal gain flourish and defendants like these are able to hack and extort victims, including critical infrastructure providers, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said in a statement, claiming that the Iranian regime has failed to follow international norms and stop Iranian cyber criminals targeting individuals even within Iran.

Within the United States, the three targeted a broad range of organizations such as businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, religious groups, and educational entities, the DOJ said. Healthcare centers, transportation services, and utility companies were also targeted.

Officials said the hackers were thwarted before they could do actual damage to critical infrastructure. Some victims, however, paid ransom to the individuals to regain access to their computer systems, the DOJ said.

The three alleged hackers broke into the networks of a New Jersey local government, a Mississippi power company, an Indiana utility, a domestic violence shelter in Pennsylvania, and others, according to the court document.

According to the indictment, the Iranians in March of this year allegedly demanded $50,000 in cryptocurrency from a New Jersey accounting company after breaching its computer system. Khatibi then allegedly emailed a representative of the company, asking: Are you ready to pay?

And in another one, he alleged that he locked more than 20 systems and demanded: If you dont want to pay, I can sell your data on the black market. This choice is yours.

DOJ officials said the three men are believed to still reside in Iran. The United States and Iran havent resumed official diplomatic relations since the revolution that installed the current regime in Tehran four decades ago, meaning that its unlikely the three suspects will ever be extradited to the United States to be tried in an American court.

These three individuals are among a group of cybercriminals whose attacks represent a direct assault on the critical infrastructure and public services we all depend on, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.

The suspects targeted known vulnerabilities within victims systems before encrypting and stealing data from the networks. They then would threaten to release the stolen data if they werent paid a ransom.
Economic Catastrophe: Democrats Face Tough Choices Over Rail Strike, Potential Political Fallout

Congressional Democrats are facing tough calls over an impending strike of rail workers, which observers fear could cause an economic catastrophe for the United States already strained supply chain.

Railroad workers unions and major U.S. railroad services over the past several weeks have been involved in negotiations over wages and the railroads strict attendance policies, which limit workers from taking sick days.

Under current law, the right to strike is recognized, but rail workers will not be permitted to begin a strike until Sept. 16, which is only a few days away. The strike would be legally permissible because it falls 30 days after the Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) released guidance for negotiations, calling for a substantial pay bump, back pay, and cash bonuses.

However, railroad unions say their workers will not vote in favor of the PEB recommendations because they do not address one of workers largest complaints: the strict attendance policy enforced by many major railroad companies. The companies, meanwhile, are anxious to ratify the PEB recommendations, which they say is a fair compromise.

Over the past year, the U.S. supply line has faced a series of challenges and shortages. A railroad workers strike, observers fear, would reverse any progress that has been made in restoring the integrity of the still-fragile supply chain.

Though they still have a few days to hammer out a deal, or at least to extend the striking deadline, some railroads are already cutting back on traffic in preparation for the strikeplacing pressure on Congress to act quickly.

Democrats Face Political Dilemma

For Democrats, who have long portrayed themselves as pro-working class and pro-union, the situation is a tough dilemma for the party. If Democrats find themselves forced to legally bar the strike from moving forward, it may alienate large swaths of their base ahead of crucial midterm battles; but if they allow the strike to go ahead, and the supply chain crumbles, Democrats will find their electoral prospects similarly grim with moderates.

Though some Democrats are preparing to take the former course, mostincluding Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)are hoping that unions will agree to push back the strike and continue to negotiate.

In comments on the issue, Pelosi tried to balance the competing political demands of remaining favorable with both the unions and the general American public.

I have been engaged in conversations with the White House and with the unions involved in this, Pelosi said when asked about the issue during a Wednesday press conference, her first since Congress returned from its August recess. Were all hoping that negotiations will continue so there is no real strike.

She continued, [Labor Secretary Marty Walsh] is very much hoping that we can get a resolution of this.

Pelosi said the main area of disagreement is over sick leave for the workforce.

The White House, however, has said its already preparing for the possibility of having to substantially reorder the supply chain to try to avert a catastrophe.

We are working with other modes of transportation, including shippers and truckers, air freight, to see how they can step in and keep goods moving in case of this rail shutdown, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during a Tuesday press conference.

Business Roundtable CEO Joshua Bolten warned on Sept. 13 that if the strike goes ahead, the nation could face economic catastrophe, a scenario already being prepared for by some big business interests.

In Congress, many Democrats are echoing Pelosis sentimentsbut are bracing for the possibility of more dramatic congressional action.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on Sept. 12 that if needed, Congress would pass legislation to stop a strike.

GOP Favors Railroad Companies

Democrats also face the problem of likely GOP resistance in the Senate to any proposal that goes further than the PEB recommendations. Behind the scenes, some Democrats have been hoping to impose a more comprehensive contract on the railroad companies weighted more in favor of the unions, but Republicans have made clear that they stand by the recommendations laid out in the PEB, foreshadowing trouble for Democrats if they hope to stay in the good graces of union workers and leaders.

On Sept. 12, Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) unveiled a congressional resolution that would impose the PEB guidelines on unions and railroads alike, a resolution in line with the hopes of railroad companies and their shippers.

The PEB recommendations are a fair and appropriate solution to a years-long negotiation process, but labor unions are continuing to hold the entire nations rail system hostage as they demand more, Burr said in a statement on the issue.

In this situation, Speaker Pelosi and Democrat leaders may have a headache in wrangling their ideologically-divided caucus behind a Senate-passable resolution that doesnt go as far as progressives might like.

Unions Blame Railroads for Stalemate

So far, the majority of rail unions10 of the 12 involvedhave reached an agreement with their railroads or are in the process of wrapping up agreements.

However, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the SMART Transportation Division, which represent over 57,000 crucial rail workers, have not reached an agreement and say they are holding out for better terms.

Specifically, the two unions are demanding that workers be permitted to take unpaid time off work for medical visits, illness, or family emergencies. Workers on rail lines have long complained about the strict attendance policies enforced by railroads, which often see violators penalized under company policies.

The two union holdouts say the railroads are refusing to so much as negotiate for these terms, instead relying on the hope that Congress will intervene in the railroads favor, as indeed it seems set to do.

If Congress were to pass a resolution imposing a contract on the unions and railroad companies, even one that doesnt grant the unions demands, workers will be legally barred from carrying out a strike.

In a statement on this possibility, the unions wrote: Our unions will not cave into these scare tactics, and Congress must not cave into what can only be described as corporate terrorism.

With ideological splits among Democrats, squabbles between Democrats and the GOP, and the realpolitik considerations of a rapidly-approaching midterm battle, it remains unclear how the situation will be resolved.

Ultimately, Democrats best hope is that the unions and the railroads will agree to continue negotiations past the Sept. 16 deadline, as either optionthe imposition of a Senate-passable contract on unions or the further breakdown of the U.S. supply chaincould weaken Democrats already-dire outlook in November.
The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, passing along the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, on Sept. 11, 2022. (Euan Cherry/Scottish Daily Mail via PA Media)

English MP Writes to Police Scotland After Anti-Monarchy Protesters Arrested

Conservative MP David Davis has written to Scotlands chief constable to express his concerns about an impingement on free speech after anti-monarchy protesters were arrested in Edinburgh.

Davis wrote to Sir Iain Livingstone, head of Police Scotland, after a 22-year-old woman was arrested and then charged with a breach of the peace after holding aloft a placard which said, [Expletive] Imperialism: Abolish the Monarchy outside St. Giless Cathedral in Edinburgh on Sunday when King Charles III was being proclaimed as monarch.

It has since emerged that a 22-year-old man was also arrested on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh after heckling the royal procession.

On Tuesday the Metropolitan Police confirmed the public absolutely have a right of protest about the monarchy in the wake of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, whose funeral is due to take place on Monday.

They issued a statement after a viral video showed barrister Paul Powlesland being confronted by police officers when he held up a blank piece of paper in Parliament Square in London.

Powlesland said one officer asked him for his name and address and told him he would be arrested if he wrote not my king on the paper.

MP Calls for Liberal Approach From Police

In his letter Davis, the MP for Haltemprice and Howden in Yorkshire, said: It is not for me to interfere in the judicial process. However, with the accession of our new monarch, I would hope that the police will continue to respect the right to free speech.

If the individual concerned committed acts of violence, or the police had reason to believe she would, then action was obviously necessary. But if the individual was simply stating an opinion, I trust you agree that a liberal approach would be desirable, he added.

The then-Brexit secretary David Davis (right) with then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson outside Downing Street in London in July 2016. (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Davis, 73, has been an MP since 1987 and was Brexit secretary between July 2016 and July 2018.

On Tuesday he wrote on Twitter: At a time of national mourning, we should all ensure that we behave respectfully. But we must not sacrifice the principle of free speech upon which modern Britain is built. I am a staunch monarchist, but republicans have as much right to voice their opinions as anyone else.

Joanna Cherry, the SNP MP for Edinburgh South West has also raised concern over the arrests.

The MP and SNP spokesperson on home affairs wrote on Twitter: Im concerned by reports in Scotland & England of seemingly legitimate protesters being arrested. Whilst many might question whether this is an appropriate time for such protests, the right to protest is fundamental to our democracy & should be facilitated.

A Police Scotland spokesman told PA, Weve received correspondence and the content is noted.

Thousands of people are expected to queue up to see the Queen lying in state, ahead of her funeral.

On Wednesday the Mets Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: We know there are some people who want to protest on a range of issues even at this time of national mourning. People have a right to freedom of expression and we must balance the rights of protesters with those of others who wish to grieve and reflect.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Tian Feng Ying (L) at a panel on forced labor in China following a screening of "Letter from Masanjia," in Perth, Australia, on Dec. 9, 2019. Tian is holding flower decorations similar to the ones she was forced to make while at the Shandong No. 1 Female Labor Camp between 2002 and 2005 in Jinan City, China. (The Epoch Times)

European Union to Prohibit Goods Manufactured Using Forced Labor

The European Commission has proposed a ban in the European Union (EU) market on products made with forced labor, with the prohibition covering all products consumed in the region, whether locally produced or imported.

The proposed ban will make a real difference in tackling modern-day slavery, Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice president and commissioner for trade, said in a Sept. 14 statement.

Our aim is to eliminate all products made with forced labor from the EU market, irrespective of where they have been made, he said. Our ban will apply to domestic products, exports, and imports alike. Competent authorities and customs will work hand-in-hand to make the system robust.

In the preliminary phase, member states will assess forced labor risks from many sources, including due diligence performed by companies and submissions from civil society. Products on which well-founded suspicions exist that they were made with forced labor will be investigated.

Officials can conduct inspections and checks, even in nations outside the EU. If any product is identified as having been produced with forced labor, authorities can issue a withdrawal order for the item from the market and prohibit further sale of it. Companies will be made to dispose of such goods.

The proposal must be discussed and agreed upon by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament before it takes effect.

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the main union umbrella organization in the region, has welcomed the proposal to ban forced labor.

Many of the people in forced labor are manufacturing goods destined for sale in Europe, so a properly enforced ban should cripple the profits of the criminals behind these violations, ETUC Deputy General Secretary Claes-Mikael Stahl said in a statement on Sept. 13.

Global Forced Labor, CCP Terror

The European Commissions proposal follows a report released by the U.S. International Labor Organization (ILO) that estimates about 50 million people worldwide are held in modern slavery.

There are 27.6 million people in situations of forced labor on any given day. This absolute number translates to 3.5 people in forced labor for every thousand people in the world. Women and girls make up 11.8 million of the total in forced labor. More than 3.3 million of all those in forced labor are children, the report states.

Half of the global total of forced labor, amounting to 15.1 million people, are in Asia and the Pacific, followed by Europe and Central Asia with 4.1 million, Africa with 3.8 million, the Americas with 3.6 million, and the Arab states with 0.9 million.

The United States has taken action against global incidences of forced labor. In 2021, for example, President Joe Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which seeks to make sure that U.S. entities dont fund forced labor among the Uyghur minority in Chinas Xinjiang region.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is notorious for subjugating prisoners in labor camps and at mass-production factories. Here, mostly prisoners of consciencesuch as Falun Gong practitionersare forced into slave labor under threat of physical and mental torture.
A federal judge has dismissed two out of three counts of the Cayuga Nation's lawsuit against a Montezuma smoke shop and denied the nation's motion for a preliminary injunction against the business.

The defendants in the lawsuit are now seeking damages from the nation due to the closure of the Seneca Falls smoke shop that preceded the Montezuma one, as well as attorney's fees.

The lawsuit, filed by the nation's governing council this spring, alleged that Pipekeepers Tobacco & Gas, 7153 Route 90, was stealing business from the nation and operating without its authority.

Specifically, the suit alleged that Pipekeepers owner Dusty Parker and several codefendants were involved in a "pattern of racketeering activities," including money laundering and the sale of untaxed cigarettes and marijuana. The nation sued on the grounds that the defendants were violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and sought $15 million in damages.

In a decision filed Aug. 12, however, Judge Brenda Sannes of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the RICO violation and RICO conspiracy counts of the suit. The third count, investment of racketeering income, can proceed. In a statement to The Citizen, the nation's governing council said it was "pleased" by that part of the decision.

"The Nation will continue to vigorously pursue its preserved RICO claim through discovery and a trial on the merits," the statement said.

In her decision, Sannes wrote that the nation failed to show that it had been directly damaged by Pipekeepers, a prerequisite of civil RICO proceedings.

"There are no specific factual allegations in the Complaint showing that Defendants alleged money laundering and sale of marijuana, however illegal, has harmed the Cayuga Nation," she wrote.

"With respect to Defendants trafficking of contraband cigarettes or contraband smokeless tobacco in violation of the (Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act), it appears that any direct harm would be to the governmental entities entitled to the payment of taxes," she continued. "The Cayuga Nations loss of revenue could have resulted from factors other than Defendants alleged sale of cigarettes."

In denying the nation's motion for a preliminary injunction, Sannes said it failed to prove irreparable harm to the nation's reputation.

"The Cayuga Nation has not provided any evidence that that Defendants conduct has had a negative impact on Cayuga Nations customers beliefs about Cayuga Nation businesses or that customers are refusing to do business at Cayuga Nation stores," she wrote. "It has provided no evidence that the Montezuma Pipekeepers displays any affiliation with Cayuga Nation."

Sannes provided another reason for dismissing the RICO counts against one of the defendants, Paul Meyer, who sold the Montezuma property to Parker and subleased him the Seneca Falls location of Pipekeepers. Parker was forcibly evicted from that location by the nation on Jan. 1. In 2016, he opened a short-lived smoke shop behind the Finger Lakes Drive-In in Aurelius, which Meyer also owns.

In her decision, Sannes refuted the nation's argument that Meyer's transactions with Parker "formed the bedrock of the RICO Enterprise's ground operation."

"The Complaint alleges nothing about the relationship between any of the Parker Defendants and Meyer," Sannes wrote, noting that he sold the property to Parker for $180,000 six months after buying it for $30,000. "There are no facts about either property or the transactions themselves that would allow a plausible inference that Meyer ... had any part in directing the alleged enterprise's affairs."

Sannes' decision came two months after staying the proceedings until they played out in Cayuga Nation Civil Court, a doctrine known as tribal exhaustion. On Aug. 1, she was notified they had been.

Following her decision, a counterclaim was filed Aug. 26 by Parker, his wife, Nora Weber, and Pipekeepers employee Andrew Hernandez, while another was filed the same day by Meyer. Both counterclaims seek an unspecified amount of damages from the nation stemming from its purchase of the Seneca Falls location of Pipekeepers in December and subsequent eviction of the business.

Parker alleges the nation has seized approximately $200,000 of gas, inventory and personal property, hacked Pipekeepers data and damaged his business. The nation has since opened a Lakeside Trading store at the location, 126 E. Bayard St., and Parker accused it of selling his inventory. The counterclaim called the nation's actions "conscious, intentional, wanton, malicious and criminal."

Meyer alleges the nation has refused to allow him access to the Seneca Falls property, which he argues is his right due to a four-year commercial lease agreement with its previous owner, the Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma. The nation has also interfered with Meyer's property stored there, he said. Like Parker, he seeks both damages and attorneys' fees through the counterclaim.

The nation's governing council said it was pleased the defendants "have finally been forced to answer the allegations" in their counterclaims, which the nation called "meritless" and will move to dismiss.

"In all events, the Nation looks forward to vindicating its rights under the federal RICO statute through the judicial process," the council's statement said.
Police and emergency personnel respond the scene of an explosion at Northeastern University in Boston on Sept. 13, 2022, in a still from video. (Reuters/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Explosion at Northeastern University in Boston, at Least 1 Injured: Reports

FBI joins Boston police in investigation

An explosion took place at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, injuring at least one person, according to multiple reports.

The FBI has joined Boston police in the investigation into the incident.

The bomb squad from Boston police also traveled late Tuesday to Huntington Avenue, near the citys prestigious Museum of Fine Arts, to investigate another suspicious package at the university, reports said.

Boston Police Superintendent Felipe Colon said at a press conference held at 10:30 p.m. local time that the bomb squad had found a second suspicious package that the squad rendered safe. He added that the scene is secure and the investigation is ongoing, reported the Boston Herald.

Police had arrived near the universitys Holmes Hall around 7:16 p.m., authorities told ABC News. A police bomb squad sealed off part of the campus to investigate a suspicious package. Boston police said they had received reports of a package that exploded when it was opened near Holmes Hall, on Leon St.

Northeastern is a private university in downtown Boston. It asked students who had gathered for an evening journalism class at the hall to evacuate the building. The university said a notification was sent to the Boston campus at 7:55 p.m. urging people to avoid the area, per ABC News. It also said the package was delivered to Holmes Hall at around 7 p.m. local time, reported NBC Boston.

Northeastern University Police said in an alert late Tuesday: Emergency services responding to an incident at Holmes Hall. Please avoid the area during the investigation.

The package had detonated when a staff member opened it, and the staff member sustained minor injuries and is being treated, the university told WCVB. Firefighters and paramedics were at the scene, reported WCVB.

The staff member is 45 years old and suffered minor hand injuries that are not life threatening, the Boston Herald reported, citing authorities.

The Boston EMS said in a statement late Tuesday that multiple emergency units had responded to the scene and that [o]ne patient [was] treated and transported by [Basic Life Support] ambulance to an area hospital.

Other Boston universities including at Harvard and MIT issued alerts to their students about the detonated package, and asked people to report any suspicious packages.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Families Devastated by Gender Ideology: Kelsey Bolar

Radical gender theories are tearing American families apart, according to Kelsey Bolar of the Independent Womens Forum.

Families are being devastated by gender ideology, she told EpochTVs Jan Jekielek in a Sept. 12 interview at the National Conservatism Conference in greater Miami, Fla.

The Independent Womens Forum is a conservative womens group.

Bolar has worked on the Forums new Identity Crisis video series, which details how the legal weaponization of gender ideology has alienated mothers from daughters.

The first mini-documentary chronicles Jeanette Cooper, a Chicago mother who lost custody of her daughter after the daughter transitioned because she would not refer to the child as a boy.

In her [Coopers] own words, people who are in prison have more communication with their child than I do, Bolar said.

In other cases, teachers actively transition children behind the backs of their parents.

And the deception doesnt always end there: When they communicate with the childs parents, in some cases, they use the [childs] real name.

Social Contagion

Transgenderism, Bolar explained, has the hallmarks of a social contagion. Thats not a narrative transgender activists want to entertain.

An episode from the Identity Crisis series offers a starkly contradictory example.

I guess they just think its a coincidence that after never showing signs of confusion, a young girl who moves to Alaska, who just happens to live on a block with multiple girls identified as transgender, and then happens to go to school with even more girls identifying transgender decides she too is transgender, Bolar said.

Were supposed to believe this is just a coincidence. This is clearly not a coincidence. This is a man-made issue thats arising, she added.

Two of the Forums upcoming videos tell the heartbreaking story of detransitionersin this series, young women who have taken major steps to alter their bodies, only to regret the decision. One even went as far as to have her breasts surgically removed before having a change of heart.

While one detransitioner in the series was ultimately able to bear a healthy child, Bolar pointed out that the age at which children are taking puberty blockers is being pushed further and further back.

These young girls are sterilizing themselves. They might not ever be able to carry children, should they change their minds a few years later and decide they want to, she said.

Bolar noted that detransitioners have faced blacklisting from the media, thanks to pressure from transgender activists.

But their accounts cannot be ignored forever.

Hearing these stories of detransitioners is an important piece of this conversation.

Nathan Worcester Follow Nathan Worcester is an environmental reporter at The Epoch Times. He can be reached at nathan.worcester@epochtimes.us
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies during a Senate hearing in Washington on Sept. 14, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Fauci Says Hes Handed Over Documents for Big Tech Censorship Lawsuit

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sept. 14 that he and his staff members have handed over all responsive documents to a lawsuit alleging the U.S. government colluded with Big Tech to censor social media users.

I have handed and my staff have handed over every document that the Department of Justice has asked for, and its up to them to make it available, but I have held nothing back from anything that I was asked to provide, Fauci said during a Senate hearing in Washington.

The attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana filed the suit in May, and the first tranche of discovery returned evidence of collusion, including emails between the federal officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House and officials at Facebook parent company Meta, Google, and Twitter.

Absent from the release were any messages from Fauci and just a few involving officials at the agency he directs, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Thats because government lawyers asserted most of Faucis communications should be shielded. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, the Trump appointee overseeing the case, disagreed.

First, the requested information is obviously very relevant to Plaintiffs claims. Dr. Faucis communications would be relevant to Plaintiffs allegations in reference to alleged suppression of speech relating to the lab-leak theory of COVID-19s origin, and to alleged suppression of speech about the efficiency of masks and COVID-19 lockdowns, Doughty said.

The judge ordered the government on Sept. 6 to produce the requested Fauci records to plaintiffs within 21 days.

Any communications that are made in that regard as far as Im concerned are an open book and available, Fauci said during the Senate hearing.

The Department of Justice and NIAID did not return requests for comment.

Personal Cell Phone

Fauci has acknowledged that he was in contact with Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook.

Several emails between them sent in 2020 were released in 2021 through a Freedom of Information Act response.

Zuckerberg asked whether he could provide resources to potentially accelerate the COVID-19 vaccines, which were still in development at that time. Fauci thanked him and said that I believe we will be OK.

There was one communication or two perhaps with Mark Zuckerberg in which he emailed me and wanted to know if there was anything he could do, Fauci said under questioning by Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) in July 2021. It was mostly propagating a public health message, it had nothing to do with the origins of the virus at all.

Braun asked if Fauci consults with social media companies frequently, and Fauci said no. Fauci also said he was not sure whether he had Zuckerbergs cell phone number.

The discovery produced so far in the lawsuit shows that Zuckerberg provided Fauci with the number, according to a joint statement by plaintiffs and defendants.

And on August 28, 2022, Meta disclosed Dr. Fauci in its list of 32 federal officials who may have communicated with Meta about content modulation on Facebook and Instagram, they said. Meta is the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.

Mark Zuckerberg speaks in New York City on Oct. 25, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Dont Get Involved

In 2021, Fauci denied being involved in the Biden administrations efforts to pressure social media companies to take down posts containing alleged misinformation.

I have not at all been involved, even indirectly, in that, Fauci told Braun.

He later said that the issue was beyond my area of expertise.

I develop vaccines to save peoples lives. I dont get involved in flagging things, he said.

Categorically No

Braun asked Fauci in this weeks hearing whether there were any discussions with any social media company employees about the origins of COVID-19.

No, to my knowledge there was not, Fauci said.

I want to make sure I get correct your question. If the question is do we influencing [sic] social media in any way, the answer is categorically no, Fauci added.

A plaintiff in the case disagreed, citing the voluminous documents produced in the first tranche of discovery.

The evidence already uncovered on discovery in our case suggests that Dr. Faucis statement is grossly inaccurate, and that he knows it to be inaccurate but is saying it regardless to the United States Senate, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, chief of medical ethics at The Unity Project, told The Epoch Times via email.
FBI Agents From Muellers Team Interviewed Anti-Trump Dossier Author: Filing

FBI agents working on then-special counsel Robert Muellers team interviewed Christopher Steele, the author of the anti-Donald Trump dossier, according to a filing made public on Sept. 13.

Agents interviewed Steele, an ex-British spy whose work was funded by Hillary Clinton and other Democrats, on Sept. 18 and Sept. 19, 2017, according to the filing, which was composed by special counsel John Durhams team and filed with the U.S. court in Alexandria, Virginia.

Steele told the agents that Igor Danchenko, a Russian national, collected election-related material in the United States for Orbis Business Intelligence, Steeles company.

Steele also said that Danchenko informed him that he met in person with Sergei Millian, a businessman and Trump supporter, at least twice, including once in New York.

Danchenko later told the FBI, which paid him as an informant, that he actually never met with Millian. In November 2017, Danchenko told the FBI that Steele incorrectly believed the defendant had met in-person with Millian, and that he (the defendant) did not correct Steele in that misimpression, according to the new filing.

Steele did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He has not been charged by U.S. authorities.

Former special counsel Robert Mueller on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 24, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

The FBI has declined to comment on the filing, made as prosecutors prepare for Danchenkos October trial on five counts of lying to the government. The bureau referred questions to the Department of Justice, which hasnt responded.

Mueller, whose team published a report concluding there was not cooperation or coordination between Trump and his campaign and Russian actors, declined during a congressional hearing in 2019 to answer when asked if his team interviewed Steele.

I am unable to address questions about the opening of the FBIs Russia investigation, which occurred months before my appointment, or matters related to the so-called Steele and dossier. These matters are the subject of ongoing review by the Department. Any questions on these topics should therefore be directed to the FBI or the Justice Department, Mueller said.

Mueller did say that members of his team traveled overseas as part of their work but declined to say to which country or countries they went.

He also declined to say whether he had read the dossier, and said that examining the dossiers veracity was outside my purview. Steeles report was described as unverified allegations about Trump in Muellers report.
FBI Put Key Dossier Source on Payroll in Apparent Effort to Conceal Dossier Fabrications

Commentary

Special counsel John Durham filed a pre-trial motion in limine on Sept. 13 in his false statements case against Igor Danchenko, the primary sub-source of Christopher Steeles dossier on Donald Trump. Danchenko, who is charged with five counts of lying to the FBI about his sources for the dossier, had earlier filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him.

Motions in limine are routine motions that are used to determine what evidence may and may not be used at trial. Danchenkos trial is scheduled to begin next month.

However, Durhams motion is anything but routine and contains a series of stunning revelations about Danchenko.

Perhaps the most stunning disclosure is that Danchenko was given confidential human source (CHS) status by the FBI in March 2017. Notably, this was after Danchenko had disowned the Steele dossier in a January 2017 FBI interview, having admitted that it was based on gossip and rumors. Given the admission, there was no legitimate reason to extend the protections of CHS status to Danchenko, who no longer had any bona fide value to the FBIs investigation into alleged TrumpRussia collusion.

In fact, the FBIs investigation ought to have ended as soon as Danchenko disclosed the true provenance of Steeles reporting.

The FBIs goal in giving Danchenko the highly coveted CHS status appears to have been to take Danchenko off the grid. As a CHS, Danchenko enjoyed special protections and privileges. Crucially, the FBI was able to use his status to conceal Danchenko and his disclosures from congressional inquiries, such as the investigation by then-Rep. Devin Nunes led by Kash Patel. Other inquiries, such as Freedom of Information Act requests, could similarly be stonewalled by reference to the sources and methods justification for concealing the identity, and even the existence, of a CHS.

The FBI had huge incentives to hide Danchenko. Although Danchenko told the FBI several lies in what Durham now describes was an attempt to reconcile what Danchenko had told Steele, the overarching message from Danchenko was that the dossier was untrue. This effectively ended any legitimate inquiry into TrumpRussia collusion. Danchenkos disavowal also meant that the FBIs Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against Trump campaign adviser Carter Pagewhich were issued based on the Steele dossierwere effectively invalidated.

The FBI had a legal duty to inform the FISA court about Danchenko but failed to do so. In fact, they successfully applied for two further FISA warrants against Page on the basis of the Steele dossier which they knew to be false.

The timing of Danchenkos elevation to CHS status coincided with two major developments. First, on March 20, 2017, then FBI Director James Comey told Congress that the Trump campaign was under investigation for alleged ties to Russia. At the time, Comey knew that Danchenko had shredded the investigations predicate, yet he chose to forge on regardless. Second, also in March 2017, Nunes found out from a whistleblower in the intelligence community that the Trump transition team had been spied on. Nunes complained that Congress hadnt been given that information.

As head of the House Intelligence Committee, Nunes immediately ratcheted up his own investigation into the TrumpRussia matter. That investigation would lead to the Nunes memo in February 2018. However, the Nunes memo made no mention of Danchenko or of the fact that he had disavowed the dossier. After the FBI put Danchenko on their CHS payroll, he was completely off the grid and any information about him was withheld from Congress under the sources and methods justification.

The FBIs apparent scheme to bury Danchenko seems to have worked as planned. Neither Nunes nor anyone else knew about Danchenko or his disavowal of the Steele dossier until December 2019, when Justice Department (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz issued his report on the FBIs FISA abuses. Horowitz didnt disclose Danchenkos name and provided very little information other than that Steele had a primary sub-source whose story differed from the one told by Steele himself.

It wasnt until July 2020 that a group of online sleuths, including myself, were able to extrapolate Danchenkos name from various data points in Horowitzs report, as well as from heavily redacted interview notes published by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

With the identification of Danchenko, any remaining credibility of the Steele dossier collapsed. Contrary to the FBIs claims, Danchenko wasnt a Russian-based source with access to Kremlin insiders. Instead, he was a Beltway insider who had spent a number of years working at the Democratic-leaning Brookings Institution, where anti-Trump impeachment witness Fiona Hill was his mentor.

Yet, the FBI continued to pay Danchenko, as well as maintaining his CHS status until October of 2020. By then, Durham had already been investigating the origins of the TrumpRussia probe for 19 months. It also isnt known when Durham found out about Danchenkos CHS status. Its likely that Danchenkos CHS status was revoked after then-Attorney General Bill Barr disclosed in September 2020 that Danchenko had been suspected of working for Russian intelligence.

That fact was known to the FBI since 2009, but Barrs public disclosure may have forced the bureaus hand.

It appears that the sole purpose of making Danchenko a CHS was to conceal FBI malfeasance from Congress, from the FISA court, and from the public; that opens up new avenues for Durham to criminally pursue FBI officials. These officials include former FBI Director James Comey, former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former head of counterespionage Peter Strzok, and Danchenko case agent Brian Auten.

It was thought that the statute of limitations for bringing charges against FBI officials had lapsed earlier this year, when five years had passed from the time the officials took their respective actions. However, it now appears as if the time limit has been extended because the FBI continued employing Danchenko under false pretenses until October 2020. That gives Durham plenty of time to pursue FBI officials, if hes so inclined.

Aside from the CHS revelations, Durhams new motion also sheds light on the above-mentioned incident in which Barr disclosed that, while Danchenko was employed by the Brookings Institution, he allegedly had approached two fellow employees and told them that if they had access to classified information, and wanted to make a little extra money, he knew some people to whom they could speak.

After the incident was reported to law enforcement in 2009, the FBI opened a full investigation into Danchenko after learning that he (1) had been identified as an associate of two FBI counterintelligence subjects and (2) had previous contact with the Russian Embassy and known Russian intelligence officers.

Until Sept. 13, the status of that investigation remained unknown. Durham now has revealed that the FBI closed the investigation into Danchenko in 2010 because it incorrectly believed that he had left the country.

It isnt known whether Durham believes the FBIs threadbare explanation. Its noteworthy that Durham hasnt charged Danchenko with lying about his contacts with Russian intelligence officers. During his January 2017 FBI interview, Danchenko claimed not to know or have met with any such officers.

Its also notable that Durham hasnt charged Danchenko with lying about the infamous pee tape story. The dossier claims that the story originated in June 2016 from a senior Western employee at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Moscow. However, Durham has now revealed that his office tracked down the only Western hotel employee at the time, a German national.

According to Durham, that German national will testify at Danchenkos trial that he never met Danchenko and had never heard of the pee tape story until the media started reporting about the dossier in 2017.

Similar to the situation involving the Russian intelligence officers, it isnt known why Durham hasnt charged Danchenko specifically with lying about his supposed interactions with the German hotel manager. Given the massive interest that the pee tape story generated, it would have seemed to be a natural path to pursue, in particular since the hotel manager is able and willing to testify in court.

The managers account is backed up by Charles Dolan, a political adviser with connections to Bill and Hillary Clinton. According to Durham, Dolan will testify at Danchenkos trial that he and Danchenko had traveled to Moscow in June 2016 but that, unlike Dolan, Danchenko didnt stay at the Ritz-Carlton and didnt meet the German hotel manager. It appears that Danchenko made up the pee tape story from whole cloth, falsely attributing it to the German manager whom he never met.

While Danchenko is charged with lying about his interactions with Dolan, Durham is asking the court to also allow the hotel manager to testify as a means of demonstrating Danchenkos efforts to fabricate and misattribute information reflected in the Steele Reports.

In another stunning revelation, Durham has now disclosed that in February 2016, only a few months before his dossier work, Danchenko briefed the managing partner of a business intelligence firm on how to fabricate sources. According to Durham, Danchenkos advice to the partner was that if there were no sources, one should use oneself as a source while obscuring this fact by citing others to save the situation.

Although Danchenkos interactions with the business intelligence partner arent directly tied to the dossier or to Danchenkos alleged lies to the FBI, Durham is asking the court to allow that information to be presented to the jury as a means of showing Danchenkos modus operandi in fabricating sources.

While Durhams latest revelations are extremely damning for Danchenko, they are far more damning for the FBI who appears to have perfidiously used the CHS mechanism to take Danchenko off the grid and bury the fact that he had disavowed the dossier. By doing so, FBI leadership deceived Congress, the courts, the DOJs inspector general, and the public. Worst of all, they did it in order to be able to continue with their efforts to take down then-President Trump.

While Danchenkos chances of conviction have risen considerably with these latest revelations, Durhams filing shows that the real prize is FBI leadership. Whether Danchenko is convicted is largely meaningless if FBI leadership isnt held to account.
The West Block of Parliament Hill is pictured through the window of the Sir John A Macdonald building in Ottawa on May 11, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Federal Employees Say Fear of Reprisal Their Top Concern With Reporting Wrongdoing: Report

Federal employees are increasingly unlikely to report wrongdoing committed within the federal public sector out of fear of reprisal, says a report prepared for the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (PSIC).

Not only is fear of reprisals the top concern associated with reporting a wrongdoing, it is also a real concern according to nearly all participants, said the report, titled Exploring The Culture Of Whistleblowing And The Fear Of Reprisal In The Federal Public Sector, published on March 25.

The reality is that the workplace culture is dominated by an attitude that no one should rock the boat, it noted.

The reports findings, first reported by Blacklocks Reporter, were drawn from questionnaires with employees from unnamed federal departments and agencies, conducted via nine online focus groups between March 3-10.

Five focus groups were conducted with non-management employees and four groups with executives and managers. PSIC paid Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc. $68,108.59 to conduct the research on its behalf.

Virtue Signalling

The report noted that the attitude of federal employees toward whistleblowing in the public service has changed over time, with an increasing trend toward hesitancy.

In describing how their attitude has changed, participants described themselves as having become less naive, more pessimistic, more cynical, more jaded, less bright-eyed, and more disillusioned about the process of reporting wrongdoing, the report said.

Some described themselves as having become more reluctant, more cautious, and more sceptical about reporting a wrongdoing, or more likely to consider whether something is worth reporting given the negative impact this could have on their career.

Though participants said there is much more awareness-raising and education, regarding whistleblowing in the workplace, as well as official measures or procedures in place to support it, many complained that such efforts amounted to virtue signalling.

Many held the view that such changes amount to virtue signalling or window dressing as opposed to constituting real cultural change in the acceptability of whistleblowing in the workplace environment, the report said.

In 2017, Parliament passed the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA) granting the integrity commissioner the authority to investigate allegations of reprisal against federal employees who report wrongdoings committed in the federal public sector.

The act applies to most federal departments and agencies, including parent Crown corporations and the RCMP, covering about 400,000 public servants.

However, the act does not apply to elected officials or their staff, and employees of the House of Commons and the Senate are excluded, said PSIC on its website.

Risks

Typical reprisals in the federal public sector, according to the report, range from having ones reputation tarnished by being labelled as someone who cant be trusted, to being shunned by other employees, sustaining stunted career development, or being taken off projects or not assigned to special projects.

It was suggested that reprisals are usually not so brazen or blatant as to involve outright termination, but that this cannot be excluded as a possibility because reprisals might include looking for reasons to terminate a whistleblower, the report said.

The report comes five years after the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates concluded in their 2017 report that the PSDPA does not sufficiently protect whistleblowers from reprisals as most of them face significant financial, professional and health-related consequences.

The committees report, titled Strengthening The Protection Of Public Interest Within the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act is a joint effort by members of federal political parties, to recommend ways to protect whistleblowers who disclose wrongdoing. Cabinet has not acted on the recommendations.
Pennsylvania's Lieutenant Governor and U.S. senatorial candidate John Fetterman holds up a "Fetterwoman" campaign shirt while delivering remarks during a "Women for Fetterman" rally at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pa., on Sept. 11, 2022. (Kriston Jae Bethel/AFP via Getty Images)

Fetterman Agrees to Late October Debate With Oz, Weeks After Early Voting Begins

Criticized for weeks by Republican opponent Mehmet Oz over ducking and dodging forums, Pennsylvania Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman has agreed to a televised debate next month.

The event will be held in Harrisburg, which is the capital of Pennsylvania, and coordinated by Nexstar Television on Oct. 25, exactly two weeks before the Nov. 8 general election day. The debate will be aired live throughout the state.

Fetterman continues to recover from a stroke he suffered just before the Democratic primary in May. The Pennsylvania lieutenant governor has made few public appearances since winning the Democratic nomination and has been the subject of criticism by Oz and recent editorials in the Washington Post, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Philadelphia Inquirer that have questioned his health.

Last week, Fetterman agreed to debate Oz, but he did not set a date. Oz has proposed five debates, the first of which would have taken place last week. The Oct. 25 forum falls after the start of early voting. Oz has insisted that the first debate be held in September before early voting begins.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dr Mehmet Oz (R) holds a press conference with U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 6, 2022. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

In a statement, Fetterman senior campaign adviser Rebecca Katz said, We said from the start that wed do a debate, which John reiterated very clearly again last week. Enough distractions, its time to talk about the issues.

While John will be debating Dr Oz next month, Oz doesnt have to wait that long to be honest with Pennsylvania voters about where he really stands on abortion, Katz added.

Its a simple question, doctor: Would you vote for the Republicans national abortion ban, or would you vote against it?

Dressed in a Carhartt hoodie, Fetterman stood at a podium, held up a pink T-shirt emblazoned with a Fetterwoman logo on the front, and told the audience, My name is John Fetterwoman! on Sept. 11.

The speech, which took place at a Women for Fetterman rally in suburban Philadelphia, marked one of the few public appearances Fetterman has made since suffering a stroke before the Democratic primary in May.

Women are the reason we can win! Women are the reason we win! Fetterman added.

Fetterman frequently mentioned women throughout his address, emphasized his campaign pledge to support legislation that would legalize abortion nationwide and criticized Mehmet Oz for comments he made at a campaign stop before the Republican primary.

If life starts at conception, why do you care what age the heart starts beating at? Oz said regarding heartbeat bills banning abortion at six weeks.

Its, you know, its still murder, if you were to terminate a child, whether their hearts beating or not.

Fetterman asked the audience, Should the right to abortion be made up to Dr Oz? Or to a woman and a real doctor, to choose?

Oz believes abortion is murder. He said that, he said that. No exceptions, rape or incest, Fetterman added. If every abortion is a murder, that means Dr Oz considers every woman who had to choose an abortion is a killer. Think about that.

Last week, Oz told Politico that he is pro-life and believes in exceptions for rape, incest, and if the mothers life is at risk.

At a rally last weekend in Bucks County, north of Philadelphia, Oz continued to admonish Fetterman for not agreeing to a specific day, time, and location for a debate.

John Fetterman has been ducking, dodging these debates, which is insulting to the voters of Pennsylvania, Oz said.

He has to own the reasons for his desire to avoid a debate with me. Either hes healthy, which he says he is, and doesnt want to answer for his radical positions in past statements, or hes lying about his health.

Either way, the voters of Pennsylvania deserve an answer, and I think they deserve that answer pretty quickly, since the absentee ballots will be mailed out in the next two to three weeks, Oz added.

Editorials in the Washington Post, Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, and Philadelphia Inquirer over the last week have questioned Fettermans wellness.

The Post-Gazette editorial board wrote, If Mr Fetterman is not well enough to debate his opponent, that raises serious concerns about his ability to serve as a United States senator.

The Washington Post editorial board published an Op-Ed earlier this week calling for Fetterman to release his full medical records and agree to debate Oz before early voting begins this month in a race that could impact which party controls the Senate in January 2023.

On Sept. 13, an opinion column published in the Inquirer said, With the start of the campaign season, Fetterman has been forcedrecovered or notto return to the trail. His speeches reveal that while he may make a full recovery in time, he certainly has not yet done so.

Now that mail-in voting is widespread in Pennsylvania, each day that passes without a detailed disclosure about how Fetterman was affected by the stroke is one in which Pennsylvanians will make a choice without having as much information as they should about the Democratic nominees health.

Oz and Fetterman are vying to replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who joined Oz at a Sept. 6 press conference in Philadelphia.

This campaign has one candidate, Dr Oz, who wants to engage in a robust debate of the differences, and another candidate who sits at home and does social media all day. He attends few public events and answers no questions from the press, Toomey said.

As someone who served in the United States Senate for almost 12 years now, I have a really good understanding of how the place works, Toomey added.

If John Fetterman were elected to the Senate, and hes not able to communicate, if hes not able to engage with the press, if hes not able to engage with his colleagues, he would not be able to do the job. Its just not possible.

In a tweet from February, Fetterman said that debates are an important part of the Democratic Senate primary.

We believe voters deserve no fewer than three network televised debatesincluding all candidates who make the ballotbefore major media markets across Pa. [Pennsyvania], Fetterman said, a few months before the stroke.
Fight Back Against Sacramento: Newport City Council Candidate Amy Peters

Previous 2016 and 2020 Newport Mesa School Board candidate Amy Peters is running for Newport Beachs District 3 city council seat, which encompasses neighborhoods surrounding the upper Newport Bay, in the upcoming Nov. 8 election.

Independent thought and expertise from someone who is not a lifelong politician is something she said she hopes to bring to the table if elected.

I hope to be a mirror for the people and what the people want to have happen in our community, Peters told The Epoch Times.

(Courtesy of Amy Peters)

Her goal, she said, is to focus on what our actual needs are and what she calls outside influences.

Id like to minimize those as much as possible and fight back against Sacramento, she said.

According to Peters, requirements to zone for nearly 5,000 apartments and single-family homes by 2029 is one example of unreasonable mandates by the state.

The number of units has to reflect the area that we have to build on, she saidalso mentioning that the United States is one of the few countries allowing non-citizens to own homes.

Peters is a longtime resident of 40 years, mother of three, and owner of a consulting company that prepares businesses for sale. Shes also been involved in her childrens schools.

While volunteering for Woodland, Kaiser, and Ensign elementary schools as well as Newport Harbor High School, she helped found the Kaiser Woodland Schools STEM-focused foundation which helps raise funds to promote more science-based education in schools.

Peters said she decided to run for the city council seat last December, after thieves tried twice to steal the catalytic converter from her 2006 Toyota Prius.

During the second incident, which occurred early one morning while she was walking her dog, she said she confronted the would-be thieves. Before driving off, one of them, she said, grabbed and shoved her, leaving a bruise on her arm.

She said police told her that gang members steal 20 to 30 converters a night to sell to junkyards for $1,500 a piece.

Thats really what has motivated me to become involved in this process, she said.

Peterss opponents are first-time runners, Jim Mosher and Erik Weigand, seeking to fill termed-out Duffy Duffields open seat.

She said she wishes she had more competition in the race.

More people should be running for office, she said. It should be five or six people running for each position. We should all be so involved in our own local government that we all understand whats going on.

She said since the incident with her catalytic converter, shes learned more residents should be involved with their neighborhood watch program.

If we have expectations of a safe environment and having a community where we all want to live, it means we have to get to know our neighbors, she said. We have to support each other, and we have to get involved  if you see something, say something.

Peters has not reported campaign donations as of the last filing deadline on June 30.
An army member gestures during Taiwan's southern armoured brigade live-fire exercises in Pingtung county, southern Taiwan, on Sept. 6, 2022. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

Global Coalition Meets in Washington to Counter Chinas Threat to International Order

Lawmakers from 30 countries met in Washington on Tuesday to discuss countering the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) threats to democracy, international order, and human rights.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) aims to issue a communique on Wednesday outlining its objectives to defend human rights, strengthen democracies, and support Taiwan and Ukraine, Nikkei Asia reported.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), IPAC co-chair, said that legislation has been put forward to provide Taiwan with the equipment and training necessary to defend itself against the CCPs military threat.

And I say this to you under the full recognition that I believe there is no way that we get to the end of this decade without something happening, one way or the other, with regards to Taiwan, Rubio said in his speech.

If, in fact, the Chinese Communist Party is successful in subjecting the people of Taiwan to living under tyranny, it will be a moment that will steer the course of human events for generations, he added.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland. The CCP began its largest military drills near Taiwan in August following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to the island.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said that regional tensions are not a choice between the West and China but rather about the [kind of world] we want to live in, according to IPAC on Twitter.

British politician Iain Duncan Smith said that Ukraine will join the coalition. IPAC was formed in June 2020 with members from the United States, Australia, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Taiwan to Push China Sanctions

Hsiao Bi-khim, the Taiwanese ambassador to the United States, reportedly hosted 60 international lawmakers in Washington on Tuesday to call on democracies to stand against Chinas military pressure on Taiwan.

We certainly hope that as the international community stands with Ukraine, that the international community will also stand with Taiwan  that together we can deter the further aggression coming from China, Hsiao told reporters.

Its unclear whether the meeting was the same as the IPAC meeting. Reuters reported that it involved IPAC members who back sanctions on China for aggression toward the self-ruled island.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The rainbow flag is hanging next to the US national flag over the entrance to the the US embassy in Moscow on June 25, 2021. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)

Globalist American Empire Is Wellspring of Wokeness: Ex-Trump Speechwriter

Cautions that nationalists should avoid 'battered spouse syndrome'

Wokeness has become the unofficial religion and ideology of the globalist American empire (GAE), similar to the communist ideology of the Chinese regime, says Darren Beattie, a former speechwriter in the Trump administration.

Its not that the corporations and big tech companies are reluctant to embrace wokeness, but they dont really have a choice, Beattie told an audience at the National Conservatism Conference in greater Miami.

A major corporation or institution in the globalist American empire can no more repudiate wokeness than a major institution or corporation in China can rebuke the [Chinese Communist Party].

Beattie, a former academic, is the founder of Revolver.news.

He argued in his talk that the phenomenon of wokeness cant easily be disentangled from the soft power of the United States, both internationally and over its own population.

In recent years, for example, U.S. embassies have repeatedly flown the rainbow flag, often over the objections of the local population.

Wokeness, Beattie continued, is deeply embedded into not only the American culture but the American economy and legal system, on account of the entire ecosystem developed to accommodate civil rights and disparate impact law.

These concerns led him to title his speech Can One Be an American Nationalist?

American nationalists, he argued, run the risk of empowering the state, woke corporations, and other forces that are ultimately hostile to nationalism and nationalists.

At the very least, I would encourage would-be American nationalists not to fall into the battered spouse trap of supporting the very institutions that have been repurposed for the destruction of American nationalists, he said.

Beattie Worries Speech Was Politically Correct

In a follow-up interview with The Epoch Times, Beattie worried that he had been too gentle in his remarks to the National Conservatives.

The fact that my talk didnt scandalize anyone in the room makes me think that I didnt push it hard enough, he said.

He explained another one of his concerns with the term nationalism: It has become too safe. Beattie alluded to the terms increasing popularity in the mainstream conservative press.

If its dangerous to be a nationalist, if its politically incorrect to use the term nationalist, then it has utility, he said.

He compared the change to another shiftnamely, the way politicians and the media talk about China. In just a few years, worries over the CCPs influence have moved into the mainstream.

Beatties perspective on wokeness informed his critiques of Hungarian conservatives, who were prominent fixtures at the National Conservatism Conference.

The countrys conservative leader, Viktor Orban, has attracted international attention for his stance against open borders and in favor of family formation. In the United States, those moves are denounced by many liberals but championed by some conservatives.

Beattie contends that Hungary only looks based because it hasnt been exposed to the GAE for very long.

After all, in a world torn between the United States, China, and perhaps Russia, Hungary lacks any meaningful capacity for self-defense. Unless it definitively turns to Russia or Chinaan unlikely prospectit will stay under the sway of the GAE.

Its only a matter of time before the disease gets to them, he told The Epoch Times.

At the end of his conference talk, Beattie agreed that wokeness could ultimately be defeated.

But how?

It begins with using terms like nationalism or any of these as just organizational principles, to get people who are smart, young, talented, disaffected from the system to kind of coordinate and go through the process of both entering into institutions and building their own parallel institutions, he said.

Crushing wokeness will take a competing moral visionone that is just as powerful and unflinching.

According to Beattie, the current mainstream response to wokeness lacks muscle.

The woke people are saying silence is violence. That means anyone in the room who doesnt agree with me is committing violence and must be corrected. Whereas the right is saying, Dont tread on me, just leave me alone,' he said.

When they come into conflict with each other, silence is violence will always destroy dont tread on me.'
For years, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh has not endorsed in the central New York congressional race.

Until now.

Walsh, an independent, is supporting Democratic candidate Francis Conole in the 22nd Congressional District. The city of Syracuse and Onondaga County are in the district, along with all of Madison and Oneida counties, plus a small portion of Oswego County.

"We've been fortunate to have a long line of representatives in Congress that have been willing to work in a bipartisan fashion to get things done and deliver for central New York," said Walsh, the son of former Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh.

"From his time in the Navy, to serving under secretaries of defense of both parties, Fran has shown that same ability to bring people together, find common ground and solve problems. As central New York becomes a stronger force in the New Economy and as our nation grapples with political extremism, these skills are needed now more than ever in Washington, D.C."

The endorsement is significant because Walsh leads the largest city in the district and he has stayed out of past congressional races. Since being elected mayor in 2017, he did not endorse either Republican U.S. Rep. John Katko or Democratic candidate Dana Balter in the 2018 or 2020 congressional elections. However, he did have a good working relationship with Katko, who has represented Syracuse in Congress for the last eight years.

After winning the Democratic primary, Conole has positioned himself as the moderate candidate in the 22nd district race. His GOP opponent is Brandon Williams, who has taken more conservative positions on issues.

Conole welcomed Walsh's support. He called the Syracuse mayor "an outstanding leader who has put community and country over party politics."

"His tenure has been marked by a growing economy, population and tax base, and enhancing the quality of life for the working families in Syracuse," Conole said. "This pragmatic and collaborative approach is something that is sorely missing in Washington, D.C., today and something Brandon Williams has pledged not to do. I look forward to working closely with Mayor Walsh to deliver for central New York."

The 22nd district race is being eyed by Democrats as a pickup opportunity after Katko held the Syracuse-area seat for four terms. He chose not to run for reelection this year. Republicans hope to retain the seat and are planning to invest millions into the race.
A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta in front of displayed Google logo on Nov. 2, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Google, Meta Fined for Collecting Personal Data Illegally in South Korea

The South Korean government on Wednesday fined Google and Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, billions of won for allegedly collecting personal data without users consent.

The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) fined Google 69.2 billion ($50 million) and Meta 30.8 billion ($22 million), the highest amount ever levied for alleged data privacy violations by the commission, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The PIPC said its probe found that Google and Meta have been collecting and analyzing behavioral data to use for personalized online advertising without informing or getting prior consent from users.

The firms were ordered to inform their users clearly and obtain their consent before collecting or utilizing users behavioral information on websites or other platforms.

It stated that Google failed to clearly notify users of its data collection since 2016 by using a default setting that makes users agree to share data.

As for Meta, the PIPC stated the company did not obtain consent from users before using their behavioral data for personalized online advertising since 2018.

A Google spokesperson told Reuters that the firm disagrees with the PIPCs findings, and will review them once they are shared. Meta said it opposed the PIPCs decision and said that it was open to all options, including taking the case to court.

Google also faces damages claims for up to 25 billion ($25.4 billion) over its digital advertising practices in two suits to be filed in British and Dutch courts in the coming weeks by a law firm on behalf of publishers.

The French competition watchdog imposed a fine of 220 million on the company last year, while the European Commission and its UK peer are investigating whether Googles ad-tech business gives it an unfair advantage over rivals and advertisers.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Tourists walk past the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, on March 18, 2020. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images)

Hovercraft Service Plans to Take Passengers Between Toronto and Niagara in 30 Minutes

A new hovercraft service could cut travel time between Toronto and the Niagara Region down to 30 minutes.

Hoverlink Ontario Inc. announced that they have entered the final stage of approval to introduce a high-speed hovercraft service to the Golden Horseshoe. The first of its kind in North America.

With plans to begin operation next summer, the hovercraft service will travel across Lake Ontario between Ontario Place in downtown Toronto and Port Weller in St. Catharines, Ont., a trip that can take about two hours by car or train.

What this means for families across our country is potentially game changing, Michael Pinball Clemons, Hoverlinks chief government relations officer and former Toronto Argonauts star, said.

The company said the service will complete 48 rides each day, carrying up to 180 passengers on each trip. The hovercraft is designed to operate on land, water and ice, making it available for trips year-round.

But why is there currently no transportation across Lake Ontario?

Spirit of Ontario 1, a fast-ferry company offering journeys from Toronto to Rochester, N.Y. had tried operating fleets across Lake Ontario in 2004. However, the company only lasted two season before succumbing to financial restraints.

I think the real difference is the craft itself, said Clemons.

Significant advancements in hovercraft technology have allowed for safe travel to occur across Lake Ontario year-round, Clemons said.

We wanted to create the safest and most environmentally friendly option available.

Hoverlink said the hovercraft will be a green alternative form of travel as it will limit the number of cars travelling on Queen Elizabeth Highway. In addition, the hovercraft will leave virtually no wake and not harm the shorelines.
How the Left Is Using the Bible to Say God Is Pro-Choice

Commentary

Christians who are becoming aware of the lefts increasing tensions with the church should check out EpochTVs latest series, Church and State presented by Lucas Miles, an ordained minister and best-selling author. In this episode, he breaks down pro-abortion arguments made by the left that God is pro-choice.

Historically, the pro-choice argument has claimed to be based on science, saying that babies in the womb arent human or that they are simply part of the mothers body. From a secular standpoint, the left has argued that any religious reason for outlawing abortion is a violation of the separation of church and state, saying that abortion is not a religious issue, but a human rights issue. However, since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the left has shifted its approach to using Christianity and religion to advocate for abortion, and even attempting to claim that God is pro-choice.

Can a Pastor Be Pro-Choice?

In the EpochTV episode, Miles quotes an article written by a female pastor who is pro-choice. He notes that being pro-choice is a heretical viewpoint and not one that a pastoror even a true Christiancan hold. Although he believes there is grace for peoples blindness to various issues, he says people need to understand that, as Christians, they cant look at social issues and pick and choose which ones we will adhere to the Bible on and which ones we wont.

The Bible is very clear on these issues and it is very clear on the issue of life. The Bible teaches emphatically and without question that God is a pro-life God. Hes the one who created life; Hes the one who sustains life. Miles says that playing god over another innocent life and deciding whether it lives or dies is not a position Christians can ever support.

Fake Pastors and Lost Christians

One of the common tactics employed by the left is to use the voices of pro-choice people and present those people as Christians who represent Christianity accurately. For example, the pastor who wrote the article about being pro-choice is ordained through the United Church of Christ, a far-left denomination known for its anti-Biblical standpoints, placing itself far outside the Christian faith on a host of issues. It is important to be aware of this tactic, because when people see an ordained minister they associate that person with the Christian faith, but in this pastors case, she is ordained by a church that stands contrary to the Christian faith and is irrelevant to what the Bible says or what the true church believes.

It also states in her article that she has served on Planned Parenthoods board as a clergy member. She is not the average pastor who happens to believe that God is pro-choice, she is a pro-choice activist who has been serving the murderous industry of abortion for decades.

Revising History and Virtue Signaling

Revisionist history is another tactic the left attempts to use, claiming that the church has always been in support of abortion because its the compassionate and moral stance to take. They paint the conservative right as the bad guys who have been misrepresenting or drowning out the voice of the church. The article by the pro-choice pastor concludes by relying heavily on virtue signaling, saying that being pro-choice is not about the life of a child but about lovethat compassion and love mean accompanying people in places where they choose to go, whether they choose to kill their baby or to let it live. Its typical leftist ideology to say that condoning sin is the loving and compassionate thing to do.

Free Will

One of the most common arguments used by the pro-choice movement in recent months is to claim that because God gave Christians free will, God is pro-choice and therefore Christians must be pro-choice as well. They argue that even if God doesnt want people to make a certain choice, if God has given free will, then God is pro-choice, and therefore abortion should be legalized. Miles notes that its important to understand that not every Christian believes in free will. However, Miles personally does, so he goes on to dissect the argument using free will theology.

First, in the EpochTV episode, Miles notes that whether or not something is illegal does not determine whether someone can still choose to do that thing or not. Someone can still choose to murder, lie, commit adultery, and so on. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, outlawing certain acts and behaviors. That doesnt mean people cant break the commandments. However, they are not suggestions, they are commandments from God outlawing those actions. So he is not pro-choice in those Ten Commandments, he is laying out clearly and without a doubt what Christians are supposed to do and how they are supposed to act. Is God pro-choice on the issue of murder because he doesnt stand in the way of someones free will to commit murder, so therefore we should legalize murder? Miles says that God is not pro-choice, He is pro-right choice. A wrong choice should not be legalized and is not condoned by God simply because a person allegedly has free will.

Old Testament Passages Taken Out of Context

Many people are using Old Testament Mosaic laws, particularly a passage in Numbers 5, claiming that God taught priests how to perform abortions. Miles exposits the texts, explaining that the text is referring to the jealousy ritual, not an abortion. The jealousy ritual specifically addresses when a man suspects his wife of having an affair but he has no proof of it. Its important to note that it is not for whether he suspects she is pregnant, just that he is concerned she may have been unfaithful. Under Mosaic Law, a woman caught in the act of adultery was stoned. Miles first notes that he believes this passage was a grace built into the Mosaic Law because, in the Christian faith, we know that we all have sinned and fallen short, and the punishment for sin is death. His view is that the passage in Numbers 5 served to prevent unlawful stoning to death under the Mosaic Law, and instead provided a scenario for the husband to bring his wife to the priest and have the priest help him discern whether she had been unfaithful. Ancient customs in modern times certainly can seem bizarre to modern readers, but since Jesus death and resurrection, Christians do not live under the Old Covenant.

Liberals argue that the ritual concocts some kind of potion that causes the woman to have an abortion, but the text clearly states she drinks water mixed with dirt only. This was a way to bring about Divine judgment, not physical. If she drank it and was not lying, nothing would happen because again, there is nothing harmful about this mixture. However, if she was lying, the text says her womb would shrivel and her body swell, again, caused by God, not by the drink or the priest. Miles dives into the original language, noting that the Hebrew word translated into womb is a difficult word to translate. The word has various meanings, such as loins, stomach, and more. Nowhere in the passage does it say anything about her being pregnant, conceiving a child, or any mention of a child in this situation whatsoever.

The situation explained in the passage is simply a husband who is concerned about his wifes faithfulness. However, the NIV (New International Version) uses the word miscarries in one translation. Miles says that every other translation translates the word differently because its not what the word says. He explains that the Hebrew word is not talking about miscarrying because she is pregnant, it is talking about a physical judgment in her body, such as potentially a thigh rotting or a womb shriveling, etc. according to various other translations. Perhaps this could affect her ability to conceive in the future, which as he reminds viewers, is more of a mercy than being stoned. But the ancient language and text do not say that she was pregnant and that this drink would somehow cause her to have an abortion, as the left is claiming.

This passage has nothing to do with abortion. God did not teach the Israelites how to perform an abortion. This passage has nothing to do with even having a child, says Miles, calling the lefts argument spiritual propaganda that is twisted and pushed on people who have no understanding of the Bible. He says it shows the left is rabid to convince Americans to support abortion. Basically, the state is using the church as a useful idiot to push this agenda forward.

The Real Motive of the Left

Miles concludes the EpochTV episode by saying that the left wants to get rid of any belief that there is foundational truth, and attempt to overthrow the moral foundation of the church. If Christians dig deeper into scripture, they will find that God is a God of life. He advises that if a pastor is buying into any idea that God is pro-choice, then Christians should find a new church. You need to start looking someplace else to find a church that is committed to teaching the word of God, absolutely, without any sort of apologies without ever bending a knee or bowing a head to the culture of the day. Miles believes that if Christians do that, they will impact generations to come to know and understand the truth.



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Security guards stand at the gates of what's officially known as a vocational skills education center in Huocheng County in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, on Sept. 3, 2018. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Human Rights Watch Urges Australia to Act on CCPs Human Rights Abuses in Xinjiang

An advocacy group is calling on the Australian government to sanction Chinese officials for human rights abuses in Chinas Xinjiang region.

Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international nongovernmental organisation (NGO) that works to raise awareness of human rights abuses globally, published an article on Sept. 13 urging the Australian government to take firm action against the Chinese government. The organization suggested that the actions include imposing targeted sanctions and introducing legislation to prevent the import of goods made with forced labor.

Australia should impose targeted sanctions against Chinese government officials who are implicated in crimes against humanity and other grave abuses against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.

The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a 48-page report on human rights concerns in Xinjiang on Aug. 31.

For the first time, the office has uncovered serious human rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which it has concluded may amount to crimes against humanity.

The headquarters of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, known as Palais Wilson, honouring former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson is seen in Geneva, Switzerland, on Jan. 8, 2018. (Fabrice Coffrin/AFP via Getty Images)

The report recommends that countries, companies, and the international community should take action to end the CCPs abuses and advance justice and accountability.

In a coordinated effort in March 2021, the European Union, U.K., U.S., and Canada imposed targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, on senior officials in Xinjiang who have been accused of serious human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims, the HRW article reads.

Richardson said, The European Union, U.S., UK, and Canada have already taken these steps, and Australia should join these efforts to hold those responsible for these actions accountable and to stand with victims.

The advocacy group also called on the Australian government to pass new legislation that could prohibit forced labor and include a designation in the new law for the Xinjiang region as a location where the risk of forced labor is very high. It said that based on this legislation, Australia could then introduce a presumption that imports made, in whole or in part, in Xinjiang would be associated in some form with forced labor.

In this Dec. 5, 2018, photo, two layers of barbed wire fencing ring the Hotan City apparel employment training base, where Hetian Taida has a factory in Hotan in western Chinas Xinjiang region. This is one of a growing number of internment camps in the Xinjiang region, where by some estimates 1 million Muslims are being detained, forced to give up their language and their religion, and subject to political indoctrination. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

They also suggested that the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade should provide clear guidance in some format to Australian businesses about the risks of buying products from or investing in Xinjiang.

In particular, they suggested that the government should emphasize the sectors that can potentially be exposed to the issue, such as clothing manufacturing and the solar panel industry.

Current Actions

Australia passed its Magnitsky legislation in December 2021. The legislation enables the government to sanction foreign officials who abuse human rights, engage in corrupt practices, or threaten Australias national security.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed in a Sept. 6 interview that Australia will work with international partners to respond to the harrowing U.N. report and continue to protect and promote human rights.

One of the things we said before the election that Im very focused on, and partly because of my engagement with NGOs, is to improve the Modern Slavery Act, Wong said.

Australias Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Penny Wong speaks to the media alongside opposition leader Anthony Albanese in Melbourne, Australia, on May 18, 2021. (AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)

Because if we have a domestic framework which more strongly enforces a ban on products made from forced labour, I think that is one of the ways we can use supply chains to ensure we dont promote, we dont condone, and we dont financially support forced labour.

Rex Patrick, then an independent senator, introduced legislation in April 2021 to amend Australias Customs Act to ban all imports from the Xinjiang region. The legislation also proposes a ban on the import of any goods from the rest of China that are produced using forced labour.

The U.N. Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, for nearly a month starting on Sept. 12, is expected to debate a resolution formally condemning the CCP for its abuses in the Xinjiang region.

HRW also urged Australia to lead efforts at the U.N. Human Rights Councils upcoming session to establish an independent investigation into Chinas abuses in Xinjiang, taking all measures necessary to advance accountability and provide Uyghurs and others the justice they are entitled.

The Australian government should turn words into action to help Uyghurs and other oppressed communities in Xinjiang, Richardson said. Australia should stand side by side with a growing global coalition of nations that will not allow Chinese government crimes against humanity to go unpunished.
Haitian migrants, part of a group of over 10,000 people staying in an encampment on the U.S. side of the border, cross the Rio Grande river to get food and water in Mexico, after another crossing point was closed near the Acuna Del Rio International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas on Sept. 19, 2021. (Paul Ratje/AFP via Getty Images)

Illegal Immigrants Cost US Taxpayers an Extra $20.4 Billion Annually: Report

U.S. taxpayers are forking out an additional over $20 billion each year to meet the needs of illegal aliens who entered the country under the Biden administration, according to a new cost analysis by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

The immigration group said it conservatively estimates that American taxpayers will end up paying each illegal alien $9,232, or an overall $20.4 billion burden a year to support the population. It comes in addition to the $140 billion existing annual cost of providing benefits and services for long-term illegal immigrants.

The calculation is based on an estimated 2.3 million illegal aliens who successfully entered the countrys interior under President Joe Biden, including about one million gotaways who evaded apprehension and have since disappeared into American communities.

Even in an age in which trillion dollar spending packages are considered modest, the additional $20.4 billion the Biden Border Crisis has heaped onto the backs of American taxpayers is still staggering, FAIR President Dan Stein said in a Sept. 13 press release.

After rolling back key Trump-era policies designed to deter illegal entry through the southern border, Biden has presided over the largest number of apprehensions of illegal immigrants at the U.S.Mexico border in a calendar year in history.

$20.4 billion could address some very important needs of the American public, instead of covering the costs of the surge of illegal migration triggered by this administrations policies, Stein continued.

He cited a recent study that found more than one-third of families that work full time, year-round do not earn enough to cover a basic family budget that includes food, housing, child care, medical care, transportation, taxes, and other necessities.

These are the people President Biden pledged to champion. Instead, he is choosing to divert an additional $20.4 billion away from their needs, in order to fund a radical open borders agenda with no end in sight, the president concluded.

The group detailed that the estimated $20.4 billion could provide every homeless American veteran $50,000 per year for a decade, or offer a grocery voucher of roughly $410 to every U.S. family earning $50,000 or less. The money could also be used to hire 330,000 new teachers or more than 315,000 police officers, according to the analysis.

The Biden administration, in the meanwhile, has touted its increased funding of the Fiscal Year 2023 for the Department of Homeland Security, as well as what it called a Root Causes Strategy to cut border encounters, by addressing the violence, organized crime, corruption, and poverty in Central America, which drive many to flee.

Vice President Kamala Harris claimed that the U.S. southern border is secure during a Sunday interview.

The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system, in particular, over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed. Harris said on NBCs Meet the Press.

FAIR said last month that a total of 4.9 million illegal aliens have crossed the U.S. border in the one year and a half since Biden took office, about the equivalent of the entire population of Ireland.
Police attack two protesters on the west side of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in this scene from the EpochTV documentary, "The Real Story of Jan. 6." (Steve Baker/EpochTV)

Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charges From Jan. 6

An Illinois man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to felony charges for assaulting a law enforcement officer and a reporter during the protests at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

The DOJ said in a statement that 44-year-old Shane Jason Woods lowered his shoulder and rammed into a Capitol Police officer as she began to chase after an individual who sprayed her with a chemical irritant at around 2:10 p.m.

The incident happened in the Lower West Terrace area of the Capitol grounds, the DOJ said. It is not clear if the chemical irritant belonged to the individual or a law enforcement officer.

According to court documents, the officer was knocked off her feet by Woods and sent crashing into a downed bicycle barricade. She immediately felt hurt and the next day described her pain as if she had been hit by a truck, according to the DOJ.

The DOJ said that Woods and others later gathered at around 5 p.m. in the media staging area on the northeast side of the Capitol building.

He walked around some of the piled media equipment that had been and was in the process of being destroyed by other rioters, and he tossed some of it himself, the DOJ said.

At the same time, a member of the news media attempted to walk away to protect himself and his camera. Woods took a running start and hit the man with a blindside shoulder tackle, knocking him to the ground and causing him to drop the camera.

Capitol Protests and Violence

The Jan. 6, 2021, protests took place during a joint session of the United States Congress that had been convened to certify the results of the 2020 general election, which were disputed by former President Donald Trump and his supporters.

During this time, a large crowd gathered outside the Capitol building to protest the certification.

The protests spilled over the permanent and temporary barricades with some people entering the Capitol building. Thousands of protesters, mostly peaceful, remained outside.

The series of events and who was responsible are disputed, with reports of suspicious actors who breached the police lines on the east side of the U.S. Capitol.

One protester, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer while inside the building. Another woman, Rosanne Boyland, was crushed and trampled when the crowd of protesters was pushed out of a tunnel, then repeatedly struck by police as she lay unconscious.

More than 850 people have been arrested over criminal charges related to the protests at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, including over 260 people who have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

Five deaths have been linked to the aftermath of the protests, most prominently the death of Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was determined to have died from homicide, having been shot and killed by U.S. Capitol Police officer Lt. Michael L. Byrd.

Three other people died of what were ultimately determined to be natural causes, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick who died on Jan. 7, 2021. At first, his injuries were attributed to protesters but were ultimately found to be due to a stroke.

It is unclear how many protesters may have been injured as a result of police actions on Jan. 6.

Woods was arrested on June 24 in Springfield, Illinois, and is expected to be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2023.

His charges related to the officer carry a statutory maximum of eight years, while the charges related to the reporter carry a maximum of one year.
Cynthia Farahat is an expert on Islamic terrorism. After co-founding the Liberal Egyptian Party in 2006, she was targeted by the Muslim Brotherhood and fled to the United States.

Since then, she has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, briefed more than 200 congressional offices, and advised intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

Farahat says radical Islams influence is growing in Washington, D.C. She explains how some elements of the U.S. government are working directly with Islamic terrorists and why.

I told him, You should, as an American, be doing all your best to stop the Muslim Brotherhood from taking over the Middle East. And I said, We should do something about it. And he said No, no, no, no, there is no way. We want the Muslim Brotherhood, you are on your own. Thats a quote from a very prominent official in State Department.

NTDs Paul Greaney talks to Farahat as the Biden administration pushes for a revival of the Iran nuclear deal.

You can watch part one of his interview with Farahat here:

Part 1: Bidens Nuclear Deal Will Help Iran Get Nukes: Cynthia Farahat

BUY Jan 6 DVD: https://www.epochtv.shop/product-page/dvd-the-real-story-of-january-6, Promo Code Paul for 20% off.

* Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List.

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John Lennons Killer Denied Parole Again, for 12th Time

ALBANY, N.Y.The man who shot and killed John Lennon outside his Manhattan apartment building in 1980 has been denied parole for a 12th time, New York corrections officials said Monday.

Mark David Chapman, 67, appeared before a parole board at the end of August, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Chapman shot and killed Lennon on the night of Dec. 8, 1980, as Lennon and Yoko Ono were returning to their Upper West Side apartment. Lennon had signed an autograph for Chapman on a copy of his recently released album, Double Fantasy, earlier that day.

A large portrait of John Lennon at the John Lennon Museum in Saitama city, suburban Tokyo, on Dec. 8, 2006, to commemorate former Beatless murder on this day in New York in 1980. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP via Getty Images)

State officials have yet to make transcripts of Chapmans latest board interview available, but he has repeatedly expressed remorse in previous parole hearings. Chapman called his actions despicable during his hearing in 2020, and said he would have no complaint whatsoever if they chose to leave him in prison for the rest of his life.

I assassinated him  because he was very, very, very famous and thats the only reason and I was very, very, very, very much seeking self-glory. Very selfish, Chapman said then.

Chapman is serving a 20-years-to-life sentence at Green Haven Correctional Facility, north of New York City, according to online state corrections records.

He is next due to appear before the parole board in February 2024.
Just What Were Biden Campaigns 10,000+ Volunteers and 600 Lawyers Doing During the 2020 Election?

Commentary

Ever since Nov. 3, 2020, the Democrats and their acolytes in the mainstream and social media have tried to shut down any suggestion of impropriety in the result, going so far as to claim it was the most secure election in U.S. history.

However, it was the Democrats who first raised fears that the last election was going to be stolen. In early June 2020, Joe Biden appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah to claim: Its my greatest concern, my single greatest concern. This president is going to try to steal this election.

This was a clever psychological ploy as, by suggesting that Trump would have to resort to cheating, it assumed a Democrat victory was inevitable. A CNN poll released at the same time gave Biden a 14-point lead, which the Trump team claimed was also designed to cause voter suppression.

In the same interview, conducted five months before the election and two months before Biden received the official DNC nomination, he took the inevitability of his victory one step further by postulating that Trump would refuse to accept defeat.

When Noah asked, Have you ever considered what would happen if the election result came out as you being the winner and Trump refuses to leave? Biden replied, Yes, I have, and I was so  proudyou have four chiefs of staff coming out and ripping the skin off of Trump.

He added to his violent rhetoric, And you have so many rank and file military personnel saying, Whoa, were not a military state, this is not who we are. I promise you I am absolutely convinced they will escort him from the White House with great dispatch.

Was that sentence a threat as well as an oxymoron?

He knew that the most likely reason for Trump to question the result would be fraud made possible by the increase in postal voting to avoid people contracting COVID-19 at polling booths.

He also announced on June 30 that he would not be holding any more campaign rallies due to COVID-19. But how could he and the Democrats have been so confident of victory, five months before the election, while his opponent was still filling stadiums across the country?

As it was, in the three-week run-up to the election Biden did appear at 23 events in 10 states while Trump campaigned for 21 straight days, making 48 stops across 15 states, drawing much bigger crowds.

The Democrats Election Protectors

Biden pushed the fraud button again on July 1, 2020, when he announced his campaign had gathered a group of 600 lawyers and more than 10,000 volunteers to go into every single state to try to figure out whether chicanery is likely to take place, as he believed Trump would interfere to ensure his victory.

The presidential candidate added that his campaign will fight any effort to exploit the pandemic for political purposes. That is, any effort other than using it to promote postal voting, which he knew would help him more than Trump.

The pandemic was precisely the reason that Trump had suggested the election should be delayed, but Congress disagreed. So too did Biden who was more than happy to extend postal voting.

He told his audience that his campaign is in the process of getting into the states in question to train them [the volunteers] to be in a polling place.

Thats 200 plus per state, but what exactly were they being trained to do? Certainly not the normal activities of a party volunteer.

Bidens July 1 announcement was widely reported, and none in the mainstream media disparaged his claims of fraud as they too shared the belief that Trump would resort to cheating.

Their response, however, was very different when Trump expressed similar fears. Reuters wrote, For months, President Donald Trump has tried to convince Americans that the Nov. 3 election will be rigged, claiming without evidence that mail voting will open the door to mass cheating.

Following the presidential result, the Democrats claimed 2020 was the fairest election ever. This, despite two Iranian hackers being named for allegedly trying to affect the result in Alaska and attempting to do the same in 10 other states.

What happened to Bidens allegations that Trump would throw the 2020 result? Are the Democrats now admitting those claims were false?

As to the Russians who the Democrats falsely claimed had helped Trump to victory in 2016, the FBI claims it took care of their attempts at disinformation this time by warning Mark Zuckerberg and others that the Hunter Biden laptop was fake.

But if that election was the fairest ever, was that due to Bidens 10,000 volunteers and 600 lawyers? If so, why were they never publicly acknowledged for keeping democracy alive and well in America? Indeed, just what were they doing that night and in the run-up to it?

Did they ever produce a report?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Federal law enforcement has issued a warning to the public after police seized thousands of rainbow fentanyl pills, a brightly colored version of the highly toxic synthetic opioid, which authorities worry could be targeting children.

To date, rainbow fentanyl has reportedly shown up in Arizona and Oregon.

At the end of August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Port Director Michael Humphries wrote on Twitter that Arizona border agents had seized 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine, almost 186,000 blue fentanyl pills, and 47,000 rainbow-colored pills from a floor compartment of a vehicle at the port of Nogalez.

Rainbow fentanyl resembles hard candy, or in some cases, sidewalk chalk.

My first thought was, why are they making these look like a bag of candy? This could be trying to target younger users, Humphries told Fox 13 News.

The Department of Justice also issued a public warning in Oregon after two notable seizures of rainbow fentanyl in the Portland metro area at the end of August.

According to the statement, fentanyl, which is 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin, and 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, is responsible for hundreds of fatal overdoses in the United States every day.

In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 107,000 fatal drug overdoses in 2021 in the United States, an increase of almost 15 percent from 2020. Synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) only accounted for more than three-quarters of these deaths.

Steve Mygrant, chief of the Narcotics and Criminal Enterprises Unit of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Oregon, claimed fentanyl is commonly disguised in fake prescription pills.

If you find or come in contact with pills not dispersed by a licensed pharmacist, assume they are fake and potentially lethal. Fake pills are indistinguishable from real pills, he advised.

Seattle Field Divisions DEA acting special agent in charge, Jacob D. Galvan, insisted that fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat we face today.

He explained that whatever shape, color, or form its in, as little as two milligrams of the drug is enough to kill a person.

American lives are at stake, he said.
Poe questions 'news blackout' on spate of kidnappings

Sen. Grace Poe expressed concern on the seeming media blackout implemented by authorities on the allegedly increasing kidnapping incidents in the country.

Amid fears and anxiety over reports of abductions, Poe noted the lack of official and verified information from the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the matter.

"Gusto naming malaman mismo sa PNP, ano bang nangyayari dito? Bakit nagkaroon ng news blackout?" Poe said in an interview.

"It needs to be verified from the authorities, either from the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) or the PNP," stressed Poe, who is set to participate in the Senate hearing on the matter Thursday.

Poe asked the PNP not to dismiss reports from concerned citizens and organizations, as she warned that the abductions may just be a precursor to much graver crimes, such as prostitution and human trafficking.

"Hindi nila pwedeng sabihin na kung hindi malawakan ay hindi importante," Poe emphasized.

"Malawakan man o hindi, 'pag nagkakaroon ng mga ganyang krimen ay dapat talaga tayong umaksyon."

The senator recently filed Senate Resolution No. 195, which calls for a legislative inquiry on the allegedly rising abduction cases in Metro Manila and Luzon.

Aside from official figures from the PNP, Poe also sought an explanation from authorities on the increasing use of private armed security by certain groups.

Poe said that while citizens are entitled to their own protection, existing laws regulate and limit the hiring of such bodyguards.

"Kung umasta sila, parang may private army na sila sa dami ng bodyguards nila...Siga na, eh," Poe said.

The public hearing on Thursday will be conducted by the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  A few days before middle school teacher Shaun Nielsen joined a work group to develop South Dakota's social studies standards, he got a thick package in the mail.

Sent from Hillsdale, Michigan, home to a conservative private college enjoying outsize influence among top Republicans, it contained materials that would ultimately form what the state's public schools students could be expected to learn about American history and civics.

Whoa -- these are already written, Nielsen remembers thinking as he opened the document this spring.

Hillsdale College, which has sought in recent years to revive the American tradition of K-12 education by fostering a nationwide network of schools, won new prominence when then-President Donald Trump tapped the school to help develop a patriotic education project. Now, in a sign of Hillsdale's growing influence in public education, South Dakota has proposed statewide standards that contain distinct echoes of Hillsdale's material.

While Republican governors such as Tennessees Bill Lee and Floridas Ron DeSantis have embraced Hillsdales education for K-12 students, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been perhaps the most enthusiastic. Larry Arrn, the school's president, even said in a speech last year that Noem had offered to build us an entire campus in South Dakota.

That doesn't appear to be in the works. But it was Noem, widely seen as a 2024 White House hopeful, who turned to former Hillsdale politics professor William Morrisey to develop the states social studies standards. The state paid him $200,000, and he tapped Hillsdales material, according to members of the standards commission.

The college played an integral part in Trump's 1776 Report," a conservative response to work like the New York Times' 1619 Project," which re-examined the founding of the United States with the institution of slavery at the center. Hillsdale followed up by producing The Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum, which offers nearly 2,400 pages of lesson plans on American history.

South Dakotas proposed standards released in mid-August align with the 1776 Curriculum. Both emphasize the ideals of the countrys founders as an argument for American exceptionalism  an idea popular in conservative circles that the U.S. is uniquely worthy of universal praise.

The documents both define patriotism similarly, as preserving the good of the country while correcting its flaws. They teach that progressivism conflicts with the nation's founding ideals, and assert that most of the founders  including such slave owners as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison  wanted to end slavery.

Morrisey declined an interview, and Hillsdale did not grant a request to interview a member of its K-12 Education Office.

Noem's administration referred questions to Ben Jones, who oversees the South Dakota Historical Society and worked on the commission to develop the standards. Jones defended the scholarship at Hillsdale as respected in higher education and said Morrisey brought the commission a generic version of U.S. history that could be found in most textbooks.

Frankly, its a logical fallacy to say that something is bad because its associated with this group that I dont agree with over this other thing, he said of criticism of Hillsdale.

Jones pointed out that Morriseys draft included descriptions of how the first Africans were enslaved and brought to the colonies and how the U.S. broke treaties with Native American tribes.

The good, the bad, the ugly was all there, he said.

Jones added that the group discussed and debated the standards over several meetings and by the end, my sense was that we all made this very much our own.

When Noem's administration formed the 15-person commission, it chose three people, including Nielsen, currently certified to teach in South Dakota public schools. The group decided which grade levels should learn the standards and added South Dakota and Native American components to the proposal, Nielsen said.

As the proposal became public last month, Nielsen said he felt conflicted. He said he is a conservative but is careful to separate his political opinions from his classroom teaching. He said he agreed with Noem's desire to make South Dakota a national leader in social studies education and even with much of the content it covered.

Ultimately, he said, he decided to speak out against the standards because they didn't originate with South Dakota educators.

The 1776 curriculum -- its pretty much close to that," he said.

When youre handed a set of standards to approve, its not a collaborative process at all, he added. The standards, he worried, were not written with the practical needs of a classroom in mind.

Prominent voices among South Dakota educators agree. The standards  which will be subjected to public hearings this fall before the governor-appointed Board of Education Standards decides whether to adopt them  have been greeted coolly by organizations representing teachers, school boards and school administrators.

Its coming from a private, out-of-state college," said Tim Graf, the superintendent of Harrisburg School District outside Sioux Falls. "I just dont want it to be political in any way.

Jennifer Lowery, the superintendent at Tea Area School District, worried teachers for younger grade levels would have to spend more time on social studies at the expense of foundational skills like basic math and reading.

Were not stomping our feet because our feelings got hurt or our profession was disrespected, she said. Youre hearing the outcry because this isnt whats best for our kids.

Several educators said the standards rely too much on memorization and too little on inquiry-based learning that teaches students to question and analyze. Jones, the state historian, countered that memorization at younger grade levels will pave the way for analysis later.

Stephen Jackson, a history professor at the University of Sioux Falls, said that runs counter to criteria for state standards from the American Historical Association, which says inquiry engages students and helps them connect historical events to modern contexts.

Jackson was part of a group that created social studies standards last year, only to have its work scrapped by the governor. As conservatives began pushing back against historical analyses that argued racism and U.S. history are inextricably intertwined, Noem called for teaching how the U.S. is the most special nation in the history of the world.

Noem said the new standards are the best in the nation, calling them a true, honest, and balanced approach to American history that is not influenced by political agendas. Hillsdale College used similar language when it launched its curriculum.

Jonathan Zimmerman, an education historian at the University of Pennsylvania, suggested high school students could benefit from analyzing the 1619 Project alongside the Trump administration's 1776 Report and learning how to evaluate and debate them. That's unlikely in South Dakota, since Noem has moved to block teachings like the 1619 Project from public schools.

People like Kristi Noem are correct when they say that the fundamental narrative of America is under challenge like never before, Zimmerman said. I just think it's a good challenge.

This story has been corrected to show that history professor Stephen Jackson referenced the guidelines of the American Historical Association, not the American Historical Society.
Monkeypox has been spreading in many countries. Many media and public health agencies have consistently emphasized that monkeypox mainly spreads through contact via the skin in their public statements, educational flyers, and media articles in the last few months. However, more research found that monkeypox mainly spread through sexual contact.

New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published a study on 528 Monkeypox virus infections across 16 countries between late April and late June. Overall, 98 percent of the persons with infection were gay or bisexual men, and transmission was suspected to have occurred through sexual activities in 95 percent of the persons with infection.

UK Health Security Agency also warned that the monkeypox outbreak continues to grow and cases remain primarily in gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men (MSM).

There is more evidence showing that the monkeypox virus is spreading through sexual contact. Many symptoms are similar to those of sexually transmitted infections.

A paper published in the British Medical Journal found all infections have mucocutaneous lesions. In addition to the most common systemic symptoms of fever, lymphadenopathy, and myalgia, other symptoms include rectal pain, penile swelling, and oral lesions, all of which are symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases.

A portion of those infected with monkeypox have concomitant sexually transmitted infections. For example, a paper published in Infection describes a 40-year-old male who went to the hospital with a red spot on the tip of his nose. It was initially thought to be a sunburn. But within three days, the skin in the nasal area progressed to necrosis. In parallel, typical monkeypox virus lesions (confirmed by PCR) appeared on the whole body with serious infection of the penis and oral mucosa.

The patient had never been tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) before. Further tests revealed that he had an advanced HIV infection.

Other statistics show that 35.5 percent of those who were infected with monkeypox virus are HIV positive. About one third of monkeypox virus infections also have other sexually transmitted infections, such as gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis), herpes, and syphilis (Treponema pallidum).

Monkeypox Virus and HIV Infect the Same Group of People

In fact, sexual minority groups are exposed to bigger health risks. As mentioned in the aforementioned article, over one third of people infected with monkeypox also are HIV positive, which is another huge health threat.

According to CDC statistics in 2020, 68 percent of HIV virus infection happened among men who have sex with men.

Another high risk group for HIV infection is transgender women. The risk factor of this group is 49 times that of the general population. This might be because the sex reassignment surgery could damage the immune system making the person more susceptible to virus.

Some people argue that the mentioning of these statistics is discrimination against the sexual minority group. But, in fact, only by objectively discussing the potential health risks can the public protect themselves better. This is a responsible approach to public health.

We are obligated to remind the public, especially the youth, about the risk factors in different forms of sexual behaviors and the transgender procedures, just as its important as reminding children to wash their hands before eating. Many people feel that it is politically correct to not talk about the health risks specifically for LGBTQ people. However, it is bona fide negligence or discrimination and violation of ethics rules to intentionly hide, or not inform of the health risks related to these communities or anyone who intends to make a similar choice of lifestyle. NOT telling the facts will harm people more. A good medicine might taste bitter.

Male-to-male Sexual Contact: High Risk of Contracting These Diseases

In addition to monkeypox and HIV, there are other diseases that can easily transmit through male-to-male sexual contact.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

There are many types of HPV, some of which are hard to cure. Even though there are drugs and vaccines for it, they dont provide complete protection.

Its very common for people with HIV to carry HPV, especially for men who have sex with men (MSM). National LGBT Cancer Network statistics show that anal HPV is present in approximately 65 percent of MSM who are HIV negative, and 95 percent of MSM who are HIV positive. Homosexual men are more susceptible to HPV infection than females, no matter whether they are HIV positive or negative.

Hepatitis

CDC statistics show that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men have a higher chance of getting viral hepatitis including Hepatitis A, B, and C, which are diseases that affect the liver. About 10 percent of new Hepatitis A and 20 percent of all new Hepatitis B infections in the United States are among gay and bisexual men. There are vaccines against Hepatitis A and B, but not C. Experts recommend that all gay and bisexual men be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B.

Gonorrhea and Syphilis

Male to male sexual contact brings much higher risk of contracting gonorrhea and syphilis. CDC statistics on syphilis cases in the United States from 2007 to 2013 shows syphilis infections increasing among men who have sex with men.

Anal Cancer

A research published in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that the highest risk of anal cancer is in HIV positive men who have sex with men.

Mental Health Issues in Homosexuals

In addition to health concerns related to gay men, lesbians are also suseptible to cancer, STDs, high blood pressure, HIV, mental disorder, and drug abuse.

A survey done with 1,925 lesbians from all 50 states showed that about three fourths had received counseling at some time during the past year, and half had done so for reasons of sadness and depression. About half were not able to perform normal daily activities due to mental issues. More than one third of the participants had depression and 21 percent had suicidal thoughts.

Mental disorders can exacerbate other issues, such as smoking, drinking, drug abuse. Mental disorders can prevent the person from following procedures to treat other diseases resulting in cancer and HIV.

Is Sexual Orientation Determined by Genetics?

The physical and mental health issues among sexual minority groups are more severe than what the public know about. Many conditions plague the person for life.

Some youth are confused about their own sexual orientation. But before they make a decision regarding their sexual orientation, they are not fully aware of the associated health risks.

To truly respect life, we must face these issues and tell people the truth. Our society is still lacking when it comes to educating our youth about these issues.

So, what determines a persons sexual orientation?

Many think that genetics determines a persons sexual orientation and cant be changed. But a report in Science magazine refutes this notion.

The report analyzed three independent studies and concluded that even though five autosomal loci were found to be associated with same-sex sexual behavior, there is not a single gene found to determine the sexual orientation of an individual.

Moreover, sociocultural influences on sexual preference might interact with genetic influences. A persons postnatal selections, habits, behaviors can also have an influence. To certain extent, a persons intention and thoughts can also influence sexual orientation.

So, a persons sexual orientation is determined by a complex combination of factors, and not by a single gene expression. Many media reports ignore this point, the same way they ignore the health issues of this group of people.

To the public, especially the youth, before they make a big decision such as changing their sexual identity, it is very important for them to know the risk factors associated, either short term, long term, physical, or mental. Parents, teachers, media agencies, and community advocates are all obligated to educate the public about the health risk factors in this issue.

Considering the continuing spread of monkeypox virus, now is also the right time to update the educational flyers or website information for health departments or agencies regarding the transmission routes of monkeypox virus. The success of monkeypox vaccination campaigns among LGBTQ communties also requires honest and effective education with true information.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, right, locks arms with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on May 26, 2022. (Xinhua via AP)

Lets Field Weapons to Defeat Chinas Pacific Strategy

Commentary

My last column argued China has a 3-to-5-year window of opportunity to deal America a strategic defeat giving the dictatorship uncontested global economic and diplomatic clout and regional military dominance lasting for decades.

Chinas modernized military, prolific warship building, and new South China Sea bases give it a military edge on the Asian littoral. The U.S. Navy doesnt have enough ships to maintain a global presence and fight a dispersed, high-intensity Pacific battle with China.

Focusing on the western Pacific, since 1996 China has made military and diplomatic preparations to break the first island chain (Japan-Taiwan-Philippines). China seeks bases beyond the chain where missiles and planes can quickly hit Hawaii. In April China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands. In August the Solomons denied a U.S. Coast Guard cutter port access. Micro tiff? NoChina shapes the battlespace.

America and its allies have responded to Chinas threat. Marine littoral regiments will fight fast-moving, dispersed operations. The Army and Navy are fielding new precision long-range weapons. Taiwan is rearming to fight a Ukraine-type peoples war. The Navy thinks autonomous vessels may solve its hull deficit problem. But the robots are untested. Chinese cyber-electronic warfare may disable them. Mining Chinas coast is a must. But U.S. and allied air and sea forces will face intense Chinese fire and mining the coast wont stop Chinese ships in the Solomons.

A U.S. response to the Navys ship shortage must be fielded fast, when it can still deter. It must be able to fight in forward areas, defending allies and supporting marines and soldiers.

But Congress and the Pentagon act slowly. Big warships take years to build and are big targets. China plans to sink U.S. Navy carrier battle groups approaching Asia or force wary admirals to keep the carriers east of Honolulu. Beijing calls it anti-access/area denial using carrier killer missiles and subs.

My last column asked this question: Can anything be done to counter Chinas moment of advantage? I answered yes.

Heres a specific solution to the hull deficit. In May 2021 I received a detailed briefing on a remarkable 96-foot-long warship, the H96. At first glance its a 21st-century PT boat, the Navys WWII king of speed and combat punch per pound and per dollar. Quick and cheap to build, the PT deployed in narrow seas to blunt post-Pearl Harbor Japanese naval might.

The H96 is designed to fight a Pacific Ocean war against Chinaproviding multi-mission firepower and surveillance in forward area battles for air-sea-space supremacy and islands. The H96 has 40-plus knot speed but its fuel capacity, beam, and shrewd hull design give it long-range transit capability. It can deploy friendly air and sea drones in an electronic-cyber warfare environment.

Impressed by the briefing, on my own initiative I wrote a Net Assessment-type operational study. I thought the ship has the speed and stealth to survive in forward areas. Shallow draft means it can move troops. Cheap to build, with a crew of 15, U.S. Navy capital ships arent risked in early battles. Configure it to carry long-range missiles and it can strike Chinese land targets. Its tactical weapons are proven systems, two manned quad-fifty stations (cyber wont affect them) and eight 30 mm remote-controlled chain guns. Its engines are proven and available, not theoretical, and hull design tested. Given its speed and handling, the H96 could conduct escort, anti-smuggling, and anti-piracy missions.

This September I met the designer for an update. How fast can you build the H96? Quickly. A year or so from the Go. The price of one nuclear carrier and air wing gets the Pentagon up to 500 H96s sporting six to eight long-range precision missiles.

Chinas threat has no one single answer. The H96, however, definitely complicates Chinas war plans built on defeating big carriers and static bases. Now 500 lethal targets vex Beijing and alter the balance of power in the forward battle area.

The great Chinese strategic theorist Sun Tzu said the acme of strategy is to defeat the enemys strategy. The H96 is a weapon capable of giving China an American dose of Sun Tzus enlightenment.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Loudoun County Parents Rally Against American Marxism

ASHBURN, Va.Over 100 parents and residents joined a rally organized by the Army of Parents, a parental rights advocacy group, outside a county school board meeting on Tuesday. Speakers criticized the county school board for promoting American Marxism: critical race theory (CRT)a quasi-Marxism framework that views America as systematically racist, a pro-transgender policy not to disclose a students gender identity and transgender status to parents, and obscene books in school libraries.

In 2021, such rallies were regular events in Loudoun County. The county in northern Virginia, about 30 miles from Washington D.C., is known as the ground zero of the parental rights fight in America and one of the leading factors that helped Glenn Youngkin to win the Virginia gubernatorial election in November 2021. Since then, parents have taken a break and are now back.

A small opposition group of about 20 also rallied outside the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) administration building in Ashburn, Virginia, to support the boards policies and practices.

Julie Levin (R), an attorney with conservative legal group America First Legal Foundation, with Elicia Brand, president of the Army of Parents, a parental rights advocacy group, at a rally in Ashburn, Va., on Sept. 13, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times)

American Marxism

Julie Levin, an attorney with conservative legal group America First Legal Foundation, told The Epoch Times that American Marxismthe title of her husband Mark Levins recent booksummarizes whats happening now in schools across America, in various forms, various ideologies.

Critical race theory (CRT) is a perfect example of American Marxism, and it must, must, must be eliminated from school, she said. According to her, the Left has taken over colleges and universities and is looking to do the same in schools K through 12.

If we are to keep the United States of America with the founding principles upon which this country was created, then we need to get back to [our] first principles, we need to walk away from all these ideologies, and wethe parents of not just Loudoun Countybut all across the United States, need to take back our schools, she added.

At the rally, she donated her late father-in-laws and husbands books to the Return to Literacy Book Drive, a campaign the Loudoun County Republican Womens Club (LCRWC) launched to donate classic books to LCPS. LCRWC president Erin Roselle-Poe announced at the event that her organization had collected over 1,600 books for the drive.

Levin is also on Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkins commission to combat antisemitism he established via Executive Order Number Eight (pdf) on his first day of office in January 2022.

John Amanchukwu, author of a forthcoming book Eraced: Uncovering the Lies of Critical Race Theory and Abortion, told The Epoch Times that he started to work on exposing the racism behind CRT during the summer of 2021. At an abortion clinic in the southeast, a black man in a Black Lives Matter T-shirt asked him, Why are you out here fighting a white mans issue?

On that Saturday morning, most people protesting outside the abortion clinic were white, yet most of the women getting an abortion there were black, according to Amanchukwu. He said the questioner might not know CRTs definition, but he was a walking poster child for all things CRT because, in CRT, they see people as groups and not individuals; they also see racism in all instances and at all times.

I believe that racism is not a skin tone or a color. But racism is a sin. People choose to be racist, he added.

LCPS has repeatedly denied teaching CRT in its schools. Yet parents argued that CRT is not a course but a thought framework embedded in teachers training and school policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Suzanne Satterfield, vice president of the Loudoun County Republican Womens Club and a county resident whose son graduated from Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), brought sunflowers to the LCPS superintendent and school board members at a board meeting in Ashburn, Va., on Sept. 13, 2022. The sunflower was to remind them of an ex-transgender teens story and the potential consequence of their policy that permits non-disclosure of transgender status to parents. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times)

Transgender Status Without Parental Consent

Sept. 13 marks the first anniversary of LCPSs adoption of a pro-transgender regulation, in which staff members are required not to disclose a students gender identity or transgender status to parents. The rule also states, A students gender identity or transgender status should not be shared without the students consent.

Suzanne Satterfield, vice president of LCRWC and a county resident whose son graduated from LCPS, commented about the regulation at the school board meeting.

LCPS waited over 30 days to add the regulation, which kept the public from reviewing and commenting on it before it could be put into place, she said the regulation was slipped in.

The underlying policy 8040 (pdf)Rights of Transgender and Gender-Expansive Studentswas commented on, discussed, voted on, and adopted on Aug. 11, 2021. Yet the part about not sharing a students transgender status in the regulation was not.

LCPS has broken their own inclusive rule by protecting the rights of one student over the others, Satterfield said at the school board meeting. They stripped parents of their rights to make decisions about their childrens well-being. Children have been taught not to trust adults that tell them to keep secrets from their parents. LCPS has broken that rule and potentially put children in harms way.

Before her speech, she gave the board 12 print copies of an ex-transgender teens story and 12 sunflowers. She felt the sunflower represents the story of children who were irresponsibly rushed into gender transition because The Epoch Times report features pictures of teenage girl Chloe Cole in a sunflower dress. She wanted the superintendent and school board members to keep Cole in mind when they think of adopting such policies.

I thought given the article and the flower, they have to take a step to touch it and think about it, Satterfield told The Epoch Times. I wanted to give a symbolic message and reminder to them that [Chloe Cole] is real. This is real.

In an email to The Epoch Times, Wayde Byard, LCPS Public Information Officer, denied that LCPS had put anything in Policy 8040. He said the policy was approved upon a vote in an open session on Aug. 11, 2021, after extensive public comment.

However, he didnt respond to the question about the additional partsnon-disclosure to parents about a students gender identity or transgender statusin the regulation. The Epoch Times didnt find any public discussion records on the non-disclosure part between Aug. 11 and Sept. 13, when the regulation was adopted.
Man Rescued From Fuel Tank at LAX

A 30-year-old man was hospitalized on Sept. 14 after he fell into a fuel tank at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) personnel responded to a 911 call around 12:30 a.m. from FedEx employees at the airport where a colleague of theirs had fallen into the confines of a fuel tank.

We got a call  for a confined space rescue, LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart told The Epoch Times. One person working inside a fuel tank was extricated and transported directly.

The man, whose identity was not released, was doing maintenance work in the vicinity of the fuel tank when he became unconscious before falling in, according to the LAFD.

He was unconscious while rescuers extracted him from the tank. There have been no further updates to his condition, according to the LAFD.

Five co-workers who responded to the incident with an attempted rescue were also evaluated by LAFD personnel on site and were not expected to be hospitalized.

They were involved in trying to rescue the person, so they were just evaluated for any medical concerns, Stewart said.

While the victim was reported to be a maintenance worker, it is not clear what type of maintenance was being conducted during the time of the incident.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) heads toward the Senate Chamber in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Aug. 11, 2021. (Liz Lynch/Getty Images)

McConnell Suggests GOP Senators Not Keen to Consider Grahams 15-week Abortion Ban

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Monday suggested that Senate Republicans arent anxious to consider Sen. Lindsey Grahams 15-week national abortion ban even if the party takes the majority next year.

The bill, unveiled by Graham earlier the same day and dubbed the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act, would impose criminal penalties on physicians who carry out an abortion after the 15-week mark, when research suggests the unborn infant can feel pain and distress.

The legislation seeks to balance pro-life policy goals with some exceptions and exemptions, targeting doctors who would perform illegal abortions rather than women who seek them out.

For instance, the bill establishes a new federal criminal offense for performing or attempting to perform an abortion if it is probable that the infant is at least 15 weeks old, roughly the point at which unborn children are capable of feeling pain and distress, though scientists remain divided on when exactly an infant can feel pain.

Doctors and other health professionals who violate the 15-week rule would be on the hook for a fine and as much as a five-year stint in federal prison.

The legislation would allow some exemptions. Specifically, a doctor under the bill is permitted to perform an abortion if the procedure is deemed medically necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. The text lays out certain procedures and standards physicians must follow if they are relying on one of these exemptions to perform a late-term abortion.

The bill would not target, either civilly or criminally, pregnant women who seek out an illegal abortion if the bill passed.

But McConnell, following the announcement of the bill, suggested that its not high on his list of priorities if he becomes Senate majority leader next year, saying many Republicans would prefer to leave the issue up to the states.

With regard to his bill, youll have to ask him about it. In terms of scheduling, I think most of the members of my conference prefer that this be dealt with at the state level, McConnell told reporters, hinting that the push was Grahams own initiative and not a GOP leadership-backed one.

Graham acknowledged as much, saying he did not consult with the minority leader before unveiling the legislation.

Still, when Graham introduced a substantially similar bill last year, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, McConnell affixed his name to the bill along with 44 other Republicans. The comment suggests a switch as McConnell prepares for the possibility of becoming the leader of a restored GOP Senate majority next year.

McConnell reiterated past comments that Republicans should instead focus on President Joe Bidens handling of the economy, which has seen rapid consumer price and energy cost increases for average American families.

There Arent Sixty Votes: McConnell

As far as electioneering, McConnell said that each Republican Senate nominee should approach the issue as they see fit.

I think every Republican senator running this year in these contested races has an answer as to how they feel about the issue and it may be different in different states, McConnell said, adding, So I leave it up to our candidates who are quite capable of handling this issue to determine for them what their response is.

For instance, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)who is currently involved in a tight race with Kelly Tshibaka, a challenger endorsed by President Donald Trumphas on various occasions reiterated her support for the Supreme Courts 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade. Murkowski was one of only a small handful of Republicans who did not join Graham in endorsing the pain-capable abortion ban early last year.

Though not up for reelection this year, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has also expressed ambiguous sentiments towards the ruling in Roe v. Wade, and also did not join Grahams effort last year.

In this climate, a federal abortion ban is highly unlikely to make any substantial progress through the Senate even with a substantial GOP majority. Under the most optimistic predictions, a Republican supermajoritylikely a requirement since Democrats would almost certainly be unanimously opposed to such a billis astronomically unlikely, and without the support of every single Republican even a GOP supermajority would face long odds of passing such a bill.

Even if they overcame this hurdle, a Republican Senate will still have to square up against a Democrat-controlled White House during the next session of Congress, and Biden, who announced opposition to Grahams bill today, would be sure to veto any such legislation.

In past comments made before the long-anticipated decision overturning Roe v. Wade, McConnell said as much, citing the failure of other abortion bills to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Historically, there have been abortion votes on the floor of the Senate, McConnell said then. None of them have achieved 60 votes.

I think its safe to say there arent 60 votes there at the federal level, no matter who happens to be in the majority, no matter who happens to be in the White House.
The logo of U.S. memory chip maker MicronTechnology is pictured at their booth at an industrial fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 14, 2015. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

Micron Breaks Ground on $15 Billion Chip Plant, Says More to Come Soon

Micron Technology Inc., the biggest U.S. memory chip company, on Monday broke ground for a $15 billion factory in Boise, Idaho, and its chief executive told Reuters an announcement of another new U.S. plant will be coming soon.

We are in final stages of another high volume manufacturing site that is going to be announced in the coming weeks, CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said.

Both plants will produce DRAM chips that are widely used in data centers, personal computers and other devices. Once operational, U.S. plants will account for 40 percent of Microns DRAM production volume globally, up from 10 percent today, Mehrotra said. The Boise factory will be operational in 2025, he said.

Micron said this will be the first new memory chip factory built in the United States in 20 years, and will create 17,000 jobs by the end of the decade.

Since President Joe Biden signed the Chips and Science Act, which provides $52 billion to support home grown semiconductor manufacturing, a slew of companies have announced plans to make chips in the United States.

Intel Corp. on Friday broke ground on a $20 billion factory in Ohio to build cutting edge processor chips.

While Micron once made chips in Boise where it got its start, volume manufacturing has moved away and it has big production centers in places like Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore.

The companys core research and development operation has remained in Boise. Having manufacturing and R&D together will help accelerate the time to market, the CEO said.

Mehrotra said the U.S. investments do not represent a move away from Asian countries.

This is not about divesting from manufacturing in any other part of the world, or bringing back manufacturing. This is about increasing, he said.

To meet the growing demand for memory, we have to increase our production, he said, adding that the Chips and Science bill enables it to be increased here in the U.S.

Micron has previously said it will be investing $150 billion through the decade, $40 billion of that in the United States. Mehrotra said that includes funds for research and development, the cost of which is increasing with advanced technologies.

By Jane Lanhee Lee
Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow, speaks during a rally on the National Mall in Washington on Dec. 12, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Mike Lindell Says FBI Seized His Phone

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell on Tuesday revealed that the FBI seized his phone earlier that day while he was at a Hardees drive-through in Mankato, Minnesota.

Lindell announced on his live-streamed show, The Lindell Report, that he and a travel buddy had pulled into the drive-through after a fishing trip when his car was surrounded by FBI agents driving all different models of cars.

While he was pulling his car up to the window, another car pulled up perpendicularly in front of Lindells car and cut him off.

Id been around the block and I said to my buddy, I said, Thats either a bad guy, or its FBI. I said that straight up. I said, Its either FBI, or its a bad guy. Not to say that some FBI guys cant be bad guys. Right? Lindell said.

A second car pulled up alongside Lindells car, he explained, before a third car pulled in behind his car in the drive-through, pinning him in.

Once they identified themselves as FBI, Lindell requested to see their badges and asked why they were there. Lindell noted that he wouldnt know the difference between a real FBI badge and a fake one.

Lindell said the agents asked him about voting machines in Colorado and embattled Colorado Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, who oversees the countys elections and recently pleaded not guilty to charges related to a security breach of her offices election equipment.

The MyPillow CEO said he told the agents he doesnt have a computer and relies on his phone to run five companies. He also said on his show that his hearing device is connected to the phone.

However, his lawyer told him over the phone that he would need to hand it over, and so he did. He noted that, based on the recent FBI raids of others, he knew they would take the phone by force if they had to.

Lindell also noted that he was not given a chance to back up his phone before the FBI took it.

According to the warrant, which Lindell displayed on his show, Lindells phone was subpoenaed as part of a federal grand jury investigation in Colorado. The warrant notes that he should not disclose the existence of this subpoena for an indefinite period of time.

The incident comes as allies of former President Donald Trump are being targeted by the FBI amid investigations.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed that agents were at the Hardees in Mankato executing a search warrant but could not confirm or deny what the investigation was for.

This would include describing investigative steps we might or might not have taken, interviews we might or might not have conducted, and information we might or might not have learned, FBI spokesperson Vikki Migoya told The Epoch Times via email.

Without commenting on this specific matter, I can confirm that the FBI was at that location executing a search warrant authorized by a federal judge, she continued. Generally speaking, allegations of criminal conduct are reviewed by the FBI for their merit with consideration of any applicable federal laws, but such a review does not necessarily result in the opening of a full investigation.

Migoya added that the FBI will, when warranted, take any actions appropriate to the matter, such as seeking further information, referring the matter to a partner agency or referring our findings to the appropriate U.S. Attorneys Office.

Lindell Advocates for Election Integrity

Lindell is an advocate for election integrity and has been vocal about allegations of widespread voting irregularities and election fraud during the November 2020 general election.

The MyPillow CEO has questioned the results of the election on social media, leading to bans from Twitter for repeatedly violating the companys civic integrity policy. A month later, Twitter permanently suspended his account for violating its policy against ban evasion.

In early 2021, he made headlines when he was photographed leaving the Oval Office with mysterious notes in his hand. Lindell told The Epoch Times that the notes, which appeared to refer to martial law, were not official and claimed he was helping deliver them from a lawyer who said it was a suggestion for Trump.

The Jan. 6 House committee has subpoenaed a number of people as part of its investigation, including Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn, his former adviser Stephen Bannon, and his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Lindell sued the committee in an effort to stop telecommunications company Verizon from sharing his information with the panel.

Lindell filed the suit (pdf) after the House select committee issued Verizon a subpoena for all of his records of communication on a cellphone he regularly uses for the period between Nov. 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021.

The Epoch Times contacted Lindell for comment.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. This article was updated to include the FBIs statement.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at The Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 25, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Mike Pompeo Tells Chicago Crowd Hes Prepping for 2024 Run

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a crowd in Illinois this week that he is preparing to run for president during the 2024 elections.

Weve got a team in Iowa, a team in New Hampshire and South Carolina. And thats not random. We are doing the things one would do to get ready, Pompeo told 1,100 people during a Chicago event on Tuesday, according to a Politico reporter.

Unlike others, if I go down an escalator, no one will notice, Pompeo joked, referring to former President Donald Trumps announcement in 2015 that he was running.

The Epoch Times has contacted Pompeos Champion American Values PAC for comment.

We are trying to figure out if that is the next place for us to serve, he also said during the event. If we conclude it is, well go make the case to the American people of why that is. And in the end, the American people, I pray, will make a good decision about whos going to be their next leader.

Pompeo, a former secretary of state and director of the CIA under Trump, made the comments while speaking at the Navy SEAL Foundation Midwest Evening of Tribute on Tuesday evening.

Its been no secret that Pompeo may be planning to run for president in 2024. In August, the former GOP congressman said he would run for the nations highest office no matter who decides to get in, including his former boss.

Were going to make our decision based on if we think this is the right place for us to serve, Pompeo said at a Faith and Freedom barbeque in late August. If I come to believe I ought to become president, that I have something to offer the American people, I will run no matter who all decides to get in and who else decides not to get in the race.

Pompeo has not made an official announcement on whether he will run. Trump and other top Republican candidates similarly have not said whether they will run, although Trump has strongly hinted that he would in several public speaking engagements.

In a July interview with The Hill, Trump indicated that its not a question of whether he will run but rather a question of when hell make the announcement. That came weeks before the FBI raided the former presidents Mar-a-Lago on Aug. 8, which Pompeo condemned last month.

I would say my big decision will be whether I go before or after, he said. You understand what that means?

Trump also indicated that the announcement would come around the 2022 midterm elections. Do I go before or after? That will be my big decision, he said.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to Life for Selling Fentanyl That Caused 11 Deaths

A man from Hopkins, Minnesota, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for distributing fentanyl online, which resulted in 11 people fatally overdosing and also caused serious bodily injury to multiple others.

In a Sept. 12 press release, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Aaron Broussard, 31, was convicted in March of 17 counts, including conspiracy and distribution of fentanyl, resulting in death and serious bodily injury.

During Mondays hearing, senior U.S. district judge Susan Richard Nelson told Broussard, Your disregard for human life is terrifying, and lauded the courageous character of victims and their families in providing impact statements to the court.

Eleven lives lost, attorney Andrew M. Luger said in a statement. Families, friends, and communities forever changed by the devastation brought on by Aaron Broussards deadly fentanyl.

Aaron Morrison, Broussards defense attorney, argued in a court filing before sentencing that a 20-year prison term would be sufficient, saying his client didnt know he was mailing fentanyl to his victims. Federal prosecutors said customers thought they were buying a stimulant similar to Adderall.

Justin King, special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division, hailed the sentence, saying he hopes it will serve as a wake-up call to drug traffickers bringing fentanyl and other deadly controlled substances into American communities.

A mere 2 milligrams of fentanyl, equivalent in size to a few grains of salt, is enough to potentially kill a person, said King. The threat of fentanyl is real, and the traffickers pushing this deadly substance will be held accountable for the lives theyve taken, the families theyve hurt, and the communities theyve devastated.

A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chemist checks confiscated powder containing fentanyl at the DEA Northeast Regional Laboratory in New York, on Oct. 8, 2019. (Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images)

Broussard obtained fentanyl, among other controlled substances, from China-based drug suppliers from 2014 through late 2016, according to evidence presented at the trial. He conspired with the suppliers to smuggle these deadly synthetic opioids into the United States and market these drugs for sale on his website, PlantFoodUSA.net, under the guise of selling plant food.

In March 2016, he sent packages that contained 100 grams of 99 percent pure fentanyl to more than a dozen customers throughout the country.

The customers had ordered and were expecting to receive an amphetamine analogue, similar to Adderall, according to prosecutors. They were not opiate users and had no tolerance for the deadly fentanyl Broussard sent them. After ingesting the fentanyl, believing it was Adderall, eleven of the customers died from a fentanyl overdose, and at least four customers suffered serious bodily injury.

After Broussard learned that several people had been hospitalized and nearly died, he didnt bother to warn others to whom hed sold the drugs.

Fentanyl, a highly addictive pain killer, is roughly 3050 times more potent than heroin. About 3 milligrams is enough to kill an adult. The majority of it is made in China or synthesized from precursor chemicals supplied from China. Its then smuggled to the United States either directly or via the southern border.

Because its cheap, fentanyl is sometimes mixed into heroin to increase the potency of the street drug. In recent years, drug traffickers have often been pressing fentanyl into small blue pills stamped M30 to resemble the color and markings of prescription opioid painkiller oxycodone.

Last year, DEA seized over 20 million counterfeit pills containing fentanyl or other drugsmore than the total seized in the previous two years.

From NTD News
Flags wave outside the Alliance headquarters ahead of a NATO Defence Ministers meeting, in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 21, 2021. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters)

NATO Begins Large-Scale Crisis Response Exercise in Mediterranean Sea

The United States and 11 other members of the NATO alliance have begun large-scale naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in a crisis-response exercise dubbed Dynamic Mariner.

Dynamic Mariner is held in conjunction with the Turkish Navys Exercise Mavi Balina, which brings together 12 Allied nations off the coast of Turkiye, according to a statement from officials. The exercise, which began on Sept. 11, will run to Sept. 22.

Led by NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), the exercise aims to test and demonstrate NATOs Response Force Maritime Component (NRF/M) and interoperability between NATO forces, enhancing flexibility while also improving the ability to work together among Allied nations.

A total of 50 surface units, five submarines, five air assets (including maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters), 1,500 Marines, and other personnel from across the 12 NATO nations of Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Turkey, and the United States are participating.

Its unclear exactly how many U.S. ships and Navy personnel are taking part, although officials stated that Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, which is led by the flagship destroyer USS Forrest Sherman, is involved.

Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two also is participating, officials said.

According to a statement from the U.S. Navy, the exercise will include training in specific skillsets to include surface, air, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), mine countermeasures, amphibious, hybrid, and force protection operations.

The exercise comes as tensions between Russia and NATO have soared following President Vladimir Putins decision to invade Ukraine in February, which prompted the West to unleash a series of strict sanctions.

Dynamic Mariner will place a number of NATO vessels in a region that has seen an increased Russian naval presence.

No Aggressive Behavior From Russian Ships

In a previous statement this month, NATO said it had been monitoring three Russian Navy ships transiting the North Sea, English Channel, and Celtic Sea but that its forces hadnt seen any aggressive behavior from the Russian ships, and they remain vigilant and continuously adapt to changing tactical situations.

Dynamic Mariner is an incredibly important large-scale maritime exercise, MARCOM Deputy Commander French Navy Vice Adm. Didier Piaton said in a statement on Sept. 12. This years event includes more assets than ever before, facilitating increased interoperability between our nations and enhancing operational readiness. We continue to work closely with Turkiye and other Allies and Partners to deter aggression and defend the Alliance.

In August, Putin listed NATO and the United States as Russias main maritime threats, in an updated naval doctrine signed on July 31. The Russian president vowed to protect Russias borders firmly and by all means while signing the new decree, adding that Americas course towards dominance in the World Ocean and NATOs movement closer toward his countrys borders were major security threats to Russia.

The major challenges and threats to the national security and the sustainable development of the Russian Federation related to the World Ocean are: the U.S. strategic course towards dominance in the World Ocean and its global influence on international processes, including those related to the use of transportation lanes and energy resources of the World Ocean, reads the document, which was translated by the state-run Tass news agency.

It added that NATOs plans of moving its military infrastructure close to the Russian borders and the alliances attempts to assume global functions continue to be unacceptable to Russia and remain a determining factor in its relations with NATO.

The latest joint exercise comes as Ukraine vowed to take back all of its territories on Sept. 13, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claiming the countrys forces had already reclaimed large swaths of Russian-occupied territory in a recent offensive.
The Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also invited BMW to collaborate with the state government in the e-mobility sector.

Automaker BMW has agreed to set up its auto part manufacturing unit in Punjab, as per a state government release. The decision was taken during the visit of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at BMW headquarters in Germany. This will be the second unit of the company in India as one such unit was already operational in Chennai.

The minister also invited BMW to collaborate with the state government in the e-mobility sector. He said that e-mobility is a major sector of focus for the auto giant, which targets 50% of its global sales to consist of fully electric vehicles by 2030. He added that Punjab's EV Policy is expected to usher in a new era for the e-mobility sector in the state.

(Also read | BMW teases new M2 ahead of October 11 debut, to get rear-wheel drive)

The company recently has launched the X4 50 Jahre M Edition in the Indian market for a price of 72,90,000 (ex-showroom) for the 30i variant whereas the 30d variant costs 74,90,000 (ex-showroom). The 50 Jahre M Edition is brought to India to celebrate the 50th anniversary of BMW's M division. It is expected that the manufacturer will bring limited numbers of the 50 Jahre M Edition. before the X4, BMW launched 50 Jahre M Edition for their 6 Series, M4 Competition and X7.

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The X4 50 Jahre M Edition is offered with two engine options. There is a 3.0-litre diesel engine or a 2.0-litre petrol engine. Both engines are twin-turbocharged and come mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The petrol engine produces 252 hp of max power and 350 Nm of peak torque whereas the diesel engine produces 265 hp of max power and 620 Nm of peak torque.

First Published Date:
Volunteers across the U.S. cook up some warmth and love through "quintessential comfort food"

Theres no problem that a pan of lasagna cant solve.

While that statement isnt really true, Rhiannon Menn believes it can at least help.

Lasagna is the quintessential comfort food, she told The Epoch Times. It communicates warmth and love.

At the start of the lockdowns in March 2020, Menn was a mom in San Diego who wanted to do something kind to support families in her neighborhood who were contending with pandemic-related woes.

Through a social media post, she offered to deliver a hot pan of lasagna to the doorstep of anyone who was interested in one.

In those early days, I didnt just want to deliver a meal; I wanted to deliver that sense of warmth and love and kindness that said: Were here for each other. Im here for you. Were going to get through this together. And I think lasagna does that, she said.

The First Delivery

After Menn posted her offer online, there were seven families who responded.

One of them was a woman who was taking care of her mother, sister, and a 6-month-old baby. Her income had stopped due to the lockdown and their refrigerator had broken down.

They had been eating ramen noodles for two weeks, Menn said. That just broke my heart.

When Menn drove up to the residence, she saw the discarded refrigerator out front.

I burst into tears, she said.

She knew then that she had to keep donating pans of lasagna as long as she could.

Menn delivered more lasagna and baby food to that family several more times.

Exponential Growth

In March and April 2020, Menn made the first seven deliveries on her own.

By May, I had 10 volunteers in San Diego and I wasnt even looking for volunteers. I wasnt looking to grow, she said.

By September, Menn had 500 volunteers. She named the charity Lasagna Love.

Former mid-Atlantic regional director and current Lasagna Love volunteer chef, Megan Gotimer, of Maryland. (Courtesy of Lasagna Love)

At the end of September, Menn was on the Today show.

We went from 500 to 5,000 volunteers within a month, she said.

That program was Kelly Andolinas introduction to Lasagna Love.

I immediately went to sign up to be a volunteer, she told The Epoch Times. Andolina is now its regional director of New York and Pennsylvania.

Lasagna Love became an official charity with 501(c)(3) status in November 2020.

It has delivered more than 250,000 pans of lasagna, made by more than 35,000 volunteers (called lasagna chefs) in all 50 states plus Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It delivers upwards of 3,500 pans of lasagna weekly.

Not Just for Families

In addition to delivering to families in need, Lasagna Love also provides food for firefighters, police officers, and hospital nurses.

In one night, Andolina oversaw the delivery of a staggering number of pans of lasagna to three hospitals in upstate New York to feed a total of about 300 nurses. This included salad and dessert.

Volunteers have also provided meals to first responders and victims of natural disasters, such as the California wildfires.

Lasagna Love volunteer chef Kathy Kirschner of Omaha, Neb. (Courtesy of Lasagna Love)

A Lifetime of Cooking

When the United States experienced a large influx of European immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the matriarchs of those families cooked traditional meals from the country from which they came. The children of these immigrants learned to cook the same meals. Essentially, Italian families cooked Italian meals, Hungarian families cooked Hungarian meals, and so on.

Times have changed. Young people learning how to cook in modern America learn how to cook meals from ethnicities in addition to their own.

Lasagna is an Italian dish. Menn is of Ukrainian descent.

We make borscht and perogies, she said.

Ive been cooking since I was small enough to make brownies in the microwave.

Menn learned to cook all through grade school into high school, and owned a catering company at age 16.

So she doesnt limit herself to borscht and perogies. She makes dishes from a wide variety of regions, and that includes lasagna.

Paying It Forward

Menn discovered that a large percentage of the recipients are so touched by the gesture that they pay it forward, often immediately.

Lasagna Love volunteer chefs and co-regional leaders Kirsten Glaser and Kelly Kolling of Georgia. (Courtesy of Lasagna Love)

One January, a recipient said he was so moved and impacted by the donation that he turned around and paid his upstairs neighbors heating bill.

In another instance, a woman received a pan of lasagna and the next day learned about a local family who had lost everything in a fire. She happened to have three storage units full of furniture. She donated it all to the family.

The world needs more kindness, Andolina said. And I think that this organization shines through with the kindness. Its amazing.
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo speaks at a news conference on the previous day's arrest of Clark County Public Administrator Robert "Rob" Telles, in Las Vegas on Sept. 8, 2022. (John Locher/AP Photo)

Nevada Official Robert Telles Charged With Murder of Journalist

A Nevada elected official was charged with the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German during an appearance in court on Sept. 13.

Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, a Democrat, was arrested last week on a charge of open murder following a search of his home by authorities which led to a positive match for his DNA with Germans DNA found at the crime scene, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Capt. Dori Koren told reporters at a press conference on Sept. 8.

Telles, 45, appeared in a Clark County court after he was formally charged with murder with a deadly weapon in Germans death, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday and obtained by CNN.

The complaint alleges that Telles did willfully, unlawfully, with malice aforethought, kill Jeffrey German, who was 60 years of age or older, with use of a deadly weapon.

It further alleges that Telles stabbed German multiple times about the body and that police believe Telles was lying in wait for the journalist, adding that the murder was wilful, deliberate and premeditated.

We consider him to be a flight risk and a danger to the community, so when the bail issue arises, were going to argue for a very high bail, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson told reporters on Sept. 13.

He is being held without bond and faces a life sentence behind bars. His lawyer on Tuesday asked for additional time to prepare for his clients arraignment, and a local judge rescheduled the hearing for Sept. 20.

German was found dead with multiple stab wounds outside of his northwest valley home on Sept. 3 at around 10:30 a.m.

Altercation Took Place

Police said that video footage from the prior morning showed an individual wearing a long-sleeved orange T-shirt with reflective stripes and a straw hat that covered their face in what was likely done in an attempt to disguise or conceal his identity. The individual was carrying a duffle bag.

The individual was seen approaching Germans house and police said that German came out of his home and that ultimately, an altercation occurred between the suspect and the victim.

The altercation took place at around 11.16 a.m. and German was stabbed multiple times, police said.

Jeff German, investigative reporter, poses for a portrait at the Las Vegas Review-Journal photos studio, in Las Vegas, on Jan. 19, 2017. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

Further video surveillance footage showed a maroon GMC Yukon Denali driving around suspiciously in Germans neighborhood on the morning of the murder and prior to the murder.

The suspect in the orange shirt had fled in the vehicle after the time of the murder, police said. The vehicle matched the description of a car that was registered to Telles wife.

Law enforcement officials said they had identified Telles as a potential suspect early on because he had been the subject of multiple articles that German, 69, had written about him.

German had reported on Telles for months and was working on a story about him in the week leading up to this death, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Potential Wrongdoings

Articles written by German exposed his potential wrongdoings police said. They contributed to Tellers reelection loss in June, according to the publication.

Telles was upset about articles that were being written by German as an investigative journalist that exposed potential wrongdoing, and Telles has publicly expressed his issues with that reporting, Koren said during Thursdays press conference.

Telles, who lost reelection in June, had spoken publically about his dislike of German on Twitter. He had also denied the reports, the Review-Journal said.

In June, he tweeted: Looking forward to lying smear piece #4 by @JGermanRJ. #onetrickpony I think hes mad that I havent crawled into a hole and died.

The arrest of Robert Telles is at once an enormous relief and an outrage for the Review-Journal newsroom, Executive Editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal Glenn Cook said in a statement. We are relieved Telles is in custody and outraged that a colleague appears to have been killed for reporting on an elected official.

Journalists cant do the important work our communities require if they are afraid a presentation of facts could lead to violent retribution. We thank Las Vegas police for their urgency and hard work and for immediately recognizing the terrible significance of Jeffs killing. Now, hopefully, the Review-Journal, the German family, and Jeffs many friends can begin the process of mourning and honoring a great man and a brave reporter.

Telles defense attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
A soon-to-be-built winery in Goshen, New York, is expected to employ 55 permanent staff. File image of the vineyard at St. Supery Winery on Sept. 20, 2006 in Rutherford, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

New Wine Project Rekindles Debate on IDA Reform in Orange County

A soon-to-be-built winery in Goshen rekindled a local discussion on the very agency that had waived almost $32 million in taxes for the new project.

Orange County Industrial Development Agency, or IDA, is a public benefit corporation under New York state law with unique authority to attract new businesses into the county with tax incentives.

IDA in August approved nearly $32 million in property taxes, sales taxes, and mortgage recording taxes for Royal Wine Corporation, which sought to build a kosher wine manufacturer off Route 17M over the next two years.

State senator James Skoufis told The Epoch Times, This may be the most egregious, worst tax break ever issued by the Orange County IDA, and the reason for that is one of math. It is very simple.

Skoufis said he arrived at a per-job subsidy of almost $500,000 after dividing the total tax break of $32 million by 55 new jobs at the future winery.

The winery also creates 470 temporary construction jobs, which Skoufis did not include in his math because the tax break was granted over a period of 15 years, way beyond the construction period, he said.

Skoufis added that the location being sought by Royal Wine is a prime piece of real estate, adjacent to major highways and in a ready-to-built condition, which sells itself even without incentives of this magnitude.

Skoufis, whose 39th senate district covers part of Orange County, has engaged in IDA reform within the state legislature for years, having helped pass several IDA bills in the Senate.

Orange County IDA executive director Bill Fioravanti told The Epoch Times that the agency follows a standard cost-and-benefit analysis on each project and will not greenlight any project unless it sees a benefit several times bigger than the cost.

In the agencys calculation, the ratio of the benefit (including jobs and tax revenue) to the cost (tax break) is 5 to 1.

Fioravanti said the agency grants applications under the Uniform Tax Exemption Policy, which sets rules on the lengths of tax exemption as well as tax abatement schedules.

For a company that gets a 15-year IDA tax exemption, it only pays 5 percent of full taxes in year one, gradually increasing to 50 percent in year 10 and then to a full 100 percent in year 16.

Everybody always looks at the economics during that 15 years when we are providing incentives to an employer, but they disregard the fact that after the 15 years, the company will be paying full market rate taxes for perpetuity, Fioravanti said.

The IDA board has the discretion to act outside of the policy on a case-by-case basis.

IDAs board has seven volunteer members, each appointed by the county legislature. All agency operating expenses are covered by fees collected from applicants.

On Sept. 6, a long list of local elected officials, including mayors, town supervisors, and county executive Steven Neuhaus signed off on a letter to ask that their voices be included in IDA decisions.

Neuhaus told The Epoch Times that hed like to reform the process by which Orange County IDA board members are selected.

He also thinks IDA benefits should not be allowed for projects already underway.

Middletowns Mayor Joe DeStefasno, who signed off on the letter, told The Epoch Times, I think the best part of the letter is that it opens a dialogue. It is a legitimate discussion, and I support senator Skoufis on it.

DeStefasno said that he believes Orange County IDA is for economic development in the state and that IDA tax breaks are best used in areas that truly need them.

Some projects are going to happen no matter what benefits are given to them. I dont think its the best use of IDA tax breaks when a project is going to come here anyway, he said.

Fioravanti told The Epoch Times that local leaders can voice their opinions in public hearing sessions, but he is not so sure about including them in IDA decisions.

It is unusual for local municipal leaders to have a final say on IDA benefitsand that is intentional. That is really to ensure there is impartiality on the part of IDA.

Fioravanti was appointed by the IDA board shortly after three former IDA officials pleaded guilty to corruption charges in September 2021.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) speaks at a news conference in New York City, on Aug. 3, 2022. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Ends States COVID Emergency

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced she will not renew the states COVID emergency that expired at midnight on Tuesday, Sept. 13 amid mounting criticisms of abuse of power.

Her announcement was made Monday following a continuous drop in cases and with her election race just weeks ahead.

I will not be renewing them this time, were watching the numbers right now. Were feeling comfortable that we can suspend them, Hochul said in Manhattan.

Were in a different place now, the governor added, referring to the states lifting of the mask mandate for public transportation on Sept. 10.

We have a new booster shot as of a few days ago, she added.

The governor had extended the state of emergency twice with executive orders since she replaced then Gov. Andrew Cuomo late last year.

The declaration allowed the state to ease its regular purchasing and vendor bidding procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also helped to secure COVID testing kits and to send tests to laboratories out of state, according to Hochul.

Abuse of Power

Republicans have decried Hochuls prolonged renewal of the emergency state as an abuse of power.

State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay said in a statement following her latest move: For too long, Gov. Hochul took advantage of her self-imposed authority and the lack of oversight and review typically required by state law.

Barclay further urged for ending all pandemic-related mandates.

Allowing the expiration of this state of emergency is merely step onenow, all pandemic-related mandates must come to an end, he stressed.

Meanwhile, Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), Houchuls main contender in the governors race, argued that her decision to terminate such powers was long overdue.

This should have happened a VERY long time ago, Zeldin wrote on Twitter.

He further pointed to the allegations that Hochul signed off on a $600 million contract for at-home COVID tests with Digital Gadgets while the company CEO contributed more than $300,000 to her campaign. The account was covered by The Times Union on Sept. 8. According to the news outlet, the companys offered price nearly doubled those of its competitors.

With this power, she suspended NYs competitive bidding laws & awarded an overpriced $600M+ COVID testing contract to one of her top donors, Zeldin stated.

Meanwhile, Barclay joined with other Republicans in asking for a public hearing on the questionable contract.

Joining my Republican colleagues to call for a public hearing to address the wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars under the COVID-19 emergency, he wrote.

Hochul has repeatedly dismissed the narrative that her campaign donors affected her decision on budget spending.

I knew in order to get children back to school in late December, early January, I had to amass a large number of test kits and vaccine sites, Hochul said Monday. All those powers were necessary at the time.
Northern Hemisphere Drought Conditions May Remain as Australia Declares Third La Nina Event in a Row

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has confirmed that the south pacific is heading into its third consecutive La Nina weather event, meaning continued dry conditions for the southern parts of the United States, a colder and wetter winter in the northern U.S. and Canada, and a wetter summer for those on the east coast of Australia.

The head of BOM long-range forecasts, Andrew Watkins, said the bureaus three-month climate outlook shows a high chance of above-average rainfall for most of the eastern half of the Australian mainland and eastern Tasmania.

During La Nina events, waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are cooler than normal, and waters in the western tropical Pacific Ocean warmer than normal. This causes changes in wind, cloud and pressure patterns over the Pacific, BOM said. When this change in the atmosphere combines with changes in ocean temperature, it can influence global weather patterns and climate, including increasing rainfall over large parts of Australia.

Watkins said that forecasters advise communities in eastern Australia, which has seen above-average rainfall for the past two and half years, should be prepared for above-average rainfall over spring and early summer. They believe that the weather pattern is weaker this time around and may peak during spring before easing during summer.

People kayak along a flooded street from the overflowing Hawkesbury river due to torrential rain in the Windsor suburb of Sydney, Australia, on July 4, 2022. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)

Continued Weather Pattern to Influence Global Rainfall

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), during periods of La Nina, trade winds are even stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia. Off the west coast of the Americas, upwelling increases, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface.

These cold waters in the Pacific push the jet stream northward. This tends to lead to drought conditions in the southern U.S. and heavy rains and flooding in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. La Nina can also lead to a more severe hurricane season.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 2020 noted that during a La Nina event, the Greater Horn of Africa and Central Asia received below-average rainfall. However, there are also data sets, like an analysis completed by James Peacock, the Head Meteorologist at MetSwift, that demonstrate strong La Nina events can also generate below-average rainfall in Europe.

Low water levels are visible at Lake Oroville in Oroville, California on July 22, 2021. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

According to WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas, the weather event will generate a cooling influence on global temperatures for a temporary period. However, he noted that it was exceptional to have three consecutive years with a la Nina event.

The worsening drought in the Horn of Africa and southern South America bear the hallmarks of La Nina, as does the above average rainfall in South-East Asia and Australasia. The new La Nina Update, unfortunately, confirms regional climate projections that the devastating drought in the Horn of Africa will worsen and affect millions of people, Taalas said.

Meanwhile, South East Asia, some of the Pacific Islands and the northern region of South America will receive above-average rainfall.

East Coast of Australia Should Expect More Floods

Meanwhile, Watkins warned Australians that the weather event was looking more dire because it was combining with two other weather events in the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean.

La Nina is not the only driver influencing this wet outlook. To our west, a significant negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event is underway, Watkins said. The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) is also in a positive phase and likely to remain positive into summer.

Positive SAM during summer pushes weather systems south, which increases the chance of rain in New South Wales, eastern Victoria and southern parts of Queensland, he said.

He said all these climate influences push Australias climate towards a wetter phase and together have shaped the outlook for the coming months that show more than 80 percent chance of above-average rainfall for many parts of the eastern half of Australia.
An empty road is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, as the provincial capital city is under COVID-19 lockdown on Sept. 2, 2022. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Over 300 Million in 74 Cities Under COVID Lockdown Ahead of Chinas 20th Party Congress

Chinese think tank warns of high socio-economic costs

Since late August, more than 300 million people in at least 74 cities in China have been placed under full or partial lockdown. A Chinese think tank criticized the move, describing it as having high social and economic costs to the country.

The widespread shutdown comes as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) prepares for its 20th national congress, a major meeting set to take place on Oct. 16 in Beijing. The twice-a-decade conclave is expected to unveil the Partys new top leadership, during which Chinese leader Xi Jinping is seeking a record-breaking third five-year term in office.

Chinas National Health Commission on Sept. 8 announced that enhanced prevention and control measures would be implemented to ensure no large-scale pandemic occurs around the Mid-Autumn Festival (Sept. 10) and National Day (Oct. 1) holidays.

The health authority said the COVID-19 curbs would begin on Sept. 10 and end on Oct. 31.

The measures include advocating for the public to celebrate the holidays locally and avoid big gatherings. Passengers who travel by air, high-speed rail, trains, inter-provincial long-distance buses, and ships must show proof of a negative nucleic acid test within 48 hours.

In addition, inter-provincial travelers would be inspected for COVID after arriving at their destinations. Key places such as hotels and tourist attractions would require health codes and negative nucleic acid test results.

Chinese media Caixin reported on Sept. 3 that during the peak tourist season this summer, Hainan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Yunnan, and other tourist destinations have successively implemented static management, resulting in a large number of tourists left stranded.

Static management forces residents to stay indoors and suspends public transportation.

For example, Sanya, a city in Hainan Province, has implemented static management since Aug. 6 and has yet to be lifted (at the time of this reporting).

A tourist goes through pre-departure formalities at the Sanya Phoenix airport as stranded holidaymakers prepare to leave the COVID-hit resort city of Sanya on Hainan Island on Aug. 9, 2022.  Tens of thousands of tourists stranded in a COVID-hit resort city in southern China due to travel curbs can begin leaving in batches, authorities said on Aug. 9, but many remain trapped. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Between the end of August and the beginning of September, many Chinese provinces such as Hebei, Sichuan, Liaoning, and Guangdong have upgraded their control measures to static management.

Presently, at least 33 cities, including seven provincial capitals and one municipality directly under the central government, are still under full or partial lockdown, affecting more than 65 million residents.

Since Aug. 20, at least 74 cities with over 313 million residents have been under partial or complete lockdown, according to a CNN report. The lockdowns cover entire cities and districts, including 15 provincial capitals and Tianjin, a provincial-level municipality.

Huang Yanzhong, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, told CNN that the CCP wants to make sure nothing untoward, such as a major outbreak, could potentially threaten social stability, shadow the leadership transition process  and Xis personal leadership credibility.

Huang said he expects more cities to be placed under lockdown in the coming month and a half and local officials to double down on the zero-COVID approach to demonstrate their loyalty to Xi.

Think Tank Calls on Beijing to Adjust Pandemic Policies

On Aug. 28, Beijing-based think tank Anbound Consulting criticized the CCPs zero-COVID policy, arguing that its prevention and control measures have incurred high social and economic costs to the country.

The piece was titled Its Time for China to Adjust Its Pandemic Prevention and Control Policies. The think tank had rarely criticized or gone against the CCPs public policies.

However, the piece was removed from social media such as WeChat and Weibo the day after it was published. But sites like China Digital Times, a U.S.-based website covering China, had retained the publication.

The report said the risks of COVID-19 had been significantly reduced and that preventing an economic slowdown should be the number one task.

The country needs to adjust its pandemic prevention and control policies, focus on economic recovery, and gradually integrate with the world under the complex geopolitical and economic situation, the report said.

It added that the risks from the real estate market, local debt, financial institutions, and other vital fields continue to deteriorate and develop into systemic risks for the country.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on April 7, 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Pentagon in Potential Noncompliance With Law in Denying Religious Exemption Requests to Vaccine Mandate: Leaked Memo

The Department of Defense (DoD) has been in potential noncompliance with standards for reviewing and communicating denials of religious accommodation requests to the vaccine mandate, the Pentagons watchdog wrote to the secretary of defense in a June memo obtained by The Epoch Times.

The June 2 memo by acting Inspector General (IG) Sean W. ODonnell stated that after reviewing dozens of complaints from service members who were denied religious accommodation, the IGs office found a trend of generalized assessments rather than the individualized assessment that is required by Federal law and DoD and Military Service policies.

The purpose of the memo was to inform the secretary of defense of potential noncompliance with standards for reviewing and documenting the denial of religious accommodation requests of Service members identified through complaints submitted to the [IGs] office.

The denial memorandums we reviewed generally did not reflect an individualized analysis, demonstrating that the Senior Military Official considered the full range of facts and circumstances relevant to the particular religious accommodation request, the memo stated.

The memo provided an example of such cursory treatment. An Air Force general used a one-sentence statement to deny an airmans request: I disapprove your request for exemption from vaccinations under the provisions of AFI 48-110, paragraph 2-6.b.3.

The acting IG also noted that the volume and rate of denial decisions were concerning.

An average of 50 denials per day were processed over a 90-day period, according to the memo.

Assuming a 10-hour work day with no breaks or attention to other matters, the average review period was about 12 minutes for each package, it stated.

Such a review period seems insufficient to process each request in an individualized manner and still perform the duties required for their position, the memo continued.

The acting IG drew attention to DoD Instruction 1300.17 Religious Liberty in the Military Services. Paragraph 3.2.d, which was extracted in a footnote of the memo, states that officials charged with making recommendations or taking final action on a Service members request for the accommodation of religious practices will review each request individually, considering the full range of facts and circumstances relevant to the specific request  The means that is least restrictive to the requestors religious practice and that does not impede a compelling governmental interest will be determinative. [Emphasis added in the memo]

The memo was received by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who in a Sept. 2 memo, also obtained by The Epoch Times, referred the matter to the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness for appropriate action, in coordination with the Secretaries of the Military Departments and the DoD Office of General Counsel, as necessary and appropriate.

Uniform standards must be applied to all requests for medical or administrative exemption in a manner consistent with law and DoD policy, including DoD Instruction 6205.02, DoD Immunization Program, and DoD Instruction 1300.17, Religious Liberty in the Military Services, the Sept. 2 memo signed by Austin, a Biden appointee, stated.

When contacted by The Epoch Times about the June memo, a spokesperson for the IGs Office said via email, The memorandum in question is Controlled Unclassified Information and will not be released at this time. It did not dispute the authenticity of the document.

To date, the combined services have separated at least 7,476 service members over the vaccine mandate, according to the most recent publicly-released figures.

As of July 11, the Air Force had approved 104 religious exemptions and has administratively separated 834 service members for refusing the vaccine mandate; As of Sep. 8, the Marine Corps had approved (pdf) 14 religious exemptions and separated 3,436; As of Aug. 24, the Navy had approved 46 religious exemptions and separated 1,533 people; As of Sept. 1, the Army had approved 32 religious exemptions, with 1,673 separations.

Unethical Behavior

Army Chief Warrant Officer Danny Erickson (a pseudonym) discovered the IG memo through a fellow member of the military earlier this week, and posted extracts of the memo on his personal website that he created to be a voice for service members who continue to battle against the militarys vaccine mandate.

Erickson, an active-duty service member for over 20 years and whistleblower, spoke to The Epoch Times using a pseudonym due to fear of reprisal.

The officers website provides over two dozen examples of Air Force and Navy religious accommodation request denial letters sent to service members. Air Force denials are almost identical while Navy denials are an exact match, he said. For the last year, Ive seen hundreds of other letters with striking similarities.

According to Erickson, these identical letters expose a level of corruption or unethical behavior within chains of command and leadership.

They are clearly not looking at individual cases considering the full range of facts and circumstances relevant to specific requests for religious accommodation, he said, referring to the requirements under DoD Instruction 1300.17 Religious Liberty in the Military Services.

They are blanket denying any the religious accommodations, and its happening at the highest levels, he said.

The DoD has flat out, undeniably, broken the law concerning religious liberty and the [secretary of defense] is fully aware of it, because of the memo dated June 2. Whats more, he alleged, the secretary has done nothing to address the acting IGs warning.

A Common Theme Warrants Investigation

The Epoch Times also spoke to Navy Commander Robert A. Green Jr., who was relieved from his position as an executive officer of one of the seven Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadrons within Navy Expeditionary Combat Command on Jan. 7.

I provided evidence that the Navy was violating federal law and military regulation in how they adjudicated the standardized pre-determined denials of religious accommodation requests, Green said. He was relieved of his duties as an executive officer only four days after this evidence was used as the basis for a preliminary injunction granted to Navy SEALs by a federal court, he said.

In December 2021, I filed an internal Navy complaint against Vice Admiral John Nowell who was the Chief of Naval Personnel and the person designated by the Navy to adjudicate all religious accommodation requests for COVID-19 products, Green said.

Greens complaint pointed to Vice Admiral Nowells utilization of a Standard Operating Procedure which streamlined the process his staff would take to deny all religious accommodation requests. Green noted that one of the very first steps in the process, once they received a request, was to paste the requestors name into the denial template and then route the denial for review.

It wasnt until one of the last steps of the process, that a staffer was finally directed to actually open the request, he said.

His complaint was formally dismissed in August. A letter from the Office of the Naval Inspector General said his complaint was reviewed and evaluated and determined to not warrant an investigation due to insufficient evidence.

This is shocking because the Navys response came two months after the [IGs] memo to the secretary of defense, Green said. Claiming that they could find no evidence should have been impossible, considering a higher-level inspector general had already found that blanket denials of religious accommodations were being given to service members.

Even Judge OConnor from the Navy SEAL case in the [District Court for the] Northern District of Texas noted the evidence in his ruling granting a classwide injunction for the Navy, Green noted.

In that March ruling, U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor, a George W. Bush nominee, stated that [t]he evidence overwhelmingly indicates that class members [religious accommodation] requests and appeals will be summarily denied with boilerplate language and simplistic analysis.

Both Erickson and Green allege that the DoD has violated federal regulations of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 and DoD Instruction 1300.17 with the ongoing use of blanket denials of religious accommodation.

Congress should be compelled to investigate these crimes immediately, Erickson said. The [IGs] memo to the [secretary of defense] cannot be ignored.

Erickson and Green emphasized that their views do not reflect those of the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, or the Department of the Navy.

The DoD and Office of the Naval Inspector General did not respond to requests for comment.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Members of the military and first responders stand in salute as an American flag is unfurled on the side of the Pentagon to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, in Arlington, Va., on Sept. 11, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Pentagon Says 13 Percent Jump in Sexual Assault Reports in Military Is Tragic and Disappointing

The number of sexual assault reports in the United States Armed Forces surged during the fiscal year 2021, according to an annual report released by the Department of Defense (DOD) in August.

The report (pdf) showed that the department received a total of 8,866 reports of sexual assault, which marks a roughly 13 percent increase from the 7,816 reports made in the fiscal year 2020.

Of the 8,866 reports, 7,260 were from active duty members making an unrestricted or restricted report of sexual assault for an incident they claimed to have experienced during military service.

The number of sexual assault cases is the highest reported by the department since it began tracking sexual assault and unwanted sexual contact cases in 2006.

According to officials, an estimated 8.5 percent of female active duty service members indicated that they experienced unwanted sexual contact in 2021, while 1.5 percent of male service members received unwanted sexual contact.

The fiscal year covered in the report ran from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021.

Based on these rates, the Department estimates that 35,875 active duty Service members experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact in the year prior to being surveyed, the report states.

Congress requires the DOD to provide an annual report on sexual assault involving members of the military. The term sexual assault as used by the department refers to a number of crimes such as rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual contact, abusive sexual contact, and attempts to commit such offenses.

The department noted that it is unable to scientifically determine if there was a true increase in the prevalence of unwanted sexual contact for Fiscal Year 2021 due to the change in the metric used to measure sexual assault. That change was bought about by budget cuts prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unhealthy Military Climate

In a departure from prior surveys, which used a 41-item measure of specific behaviors, intent, and mechanisms aligned with the elements of the Uniform Code of Military Justice offenses, this survey used a five-item measure of unwanted sexual contact, an umbrella term for a range of behaviors which constitute certain elements of these offenses, the report states.

However, estimated rates of other misconduct highly correlated with unwanted sexual contact (i.e., sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and workplace hostility) also increased for women, compared to Fiscal Year 2018 rates, suggesting an overall growth in unhealthy military climate since that time.

The report noted that the department had sufficient evidence to take disciplinary action in 2,683 cases completed in Fiscal Year 2021.

In a statement on Twitter on Sept. 2, Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder called the figures on sexual assault in the military tragic and disappointing, but said that we can and will change this trajectory.

He added that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the DOD are already undertaking unprecedented cultural and organizational change to directly address this problem.

The report, which comes at a time when the Army is already struggling to take on new recruits, did note, however, that the overall rate of those reported experiencing sexual assault appeared to decrease compared to the fiscal year 2018.

Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff for the Army, told a House military personnel panel in July that the service may have as few as 466,400 troops in the force by the end of the 2022 fiscal year on Sept. 30, marking a drop of 6,600 from the original target.
A Chinese Coast Guard ship sails near a Philippine Coast Guard vessel during its patrol at Bajo de Masinloc, 124 nautical miles west of Zambales province northwestern Philippines, on March 2, 2022. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

Philippines Filed Over 100 Protests Against Chinas Sea Incursions This Year

Chinese vessels continue to swarm Philippine waters in the disputed South China Sea despite the Philippines having filed over 100 protests against Chinas sea incursions this year, according to officials.

A total of 172 protests were filed against Chinas illegal presence, illegal fishing, harassment of local fishermen, and unauthorized marine scientific research as of Aug. 31, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Angela Ponce told the senate committee on foreign affairs on Sept. 8.

Of those, 48 protests were filed under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office on June 30. His predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, filed 388 diplomatic protests against China over his six-year term as president.

Ponce said the government also filed two diplomatic protests against Vietnam over the South China Sea, which the Filipinos refer to as the West Philippine Sea, local media Inquirer.Net reported.

Sen. Imee Marcos, sister of the president, questioned the effectiveness of filing hundreds of protests against China.

Whats the point of sending hundreds of protests aside from annoying both parties? she asked the officials, according to Inquirer.Net. Its embarrassing when you keep on writing to them, only to be ignored. You lose your dignity and respect, and it doesnt look good.

Philippine Seeks to Bolster Maritime Capabilities

Defense Undersecretary Angelito de Leon said in the same meeting that swarming incidents persist in Philippine waters despite the protests, prompting the national coast guard to bolster maritime domain awareness and patrols.

The current situation in the West Philippine Sea remains to be worth looking into because there are certain concerns on security, De Leon told the senate committee.

De Leon said the Philippine coast guard aims to increase its capabilities by leveraging alliances with the nations allies and partners to conduct joint drills and acquire additional monitoring equipment and ships.

We have limitations. We do not want to escalate the issue and go into a full-blown military confrontation because of the disproportionate use of force, he said.

Beijing claims much of the South China Sea as its own under its so-called nine-dash line. The Hague Tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016. But the ruling has not impacted the Chinese regimes behavior, with Chinese vessels repeatedly intruding into the Philippines territorial zones.

Manila lodged a diplomatic protest against China on June 9 over the illegal presence of over 100 Chinese vessels swarming Julian Felipe Reef in April, the same area where 200 Chinese vessels were spotted sailing in March 2021.

Marcos has earlier vowed to uphold the Hague Tribunals 2016 ruling and said that his new administration would talk to Beijing with a firm voice regarding territorial issues.

We will not allow a single square, and maybe make it even more smaller, single square millimeter of our maritime coastal and up to 200 kilometers rights to be trampled upon, he said on May 26.
Police officers work at the scene of an active shooter on Poplar Avenue in Memphis, Tenn., on Sept. 7, 2022. (Mark Weber/Daily Memphian via AP)

Police Say 3 PeopleNot 4Killed in Memphis Rampage

MEMPHIS, Tenn.Police in Tennessee have revised the number of people killed in a mans shooting rampage from four to three after a different suspect was identified in the slaying of a teenager during the tense ordeal in Memphis.

In a Facebook post, Memphis police said the killing of a 17-year-old girl, Corteria McKinnie, was not part of the series of shootings last Wednesday that led to a shelter-in-place order.

The teen was shot as police frantically hunted the man who posted some of his actions on social media. Police said Ezekiel Kelly, 19, carjacked two motorists and drove around Memphis and north Mississippi, opening fire on people.

Kelly has been charged with first-degree murder in one of the shootings. More charges are pending, authorities said. Kellys next court appearance is scheduled for Friday. The court-appointed public defender has not returned calls seeking comment in his case.

At a news conference early Thursdayjust after Kelly was arrestedMemphis Police Director Cerelyn CJ Davis provided a timeline that included four people killed and three others wounded.

In a Facebook post made after-hours Friday, police said the shooting of McKinnie in south Memphis was not carried out by Kelly but by a different suspect. Police said McKinnie reported the shooting at a fire station, but she was shot in her car at a separate location by a man wearing all black.

McKinnie died at a hospital.

During the initial investigation, it was believed she was a victim of the mass shooter, police said in the Facebook post. Further investigation revealed that another individual was responsible for the shooting.

It was not immediately known if police had made an arrest in McKinnies killing. Memphis police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph confirmed Tuesday that the number of shooting deaths from the rampage now stands at three.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- ZEEKR, the Chinese premium EV brand owned by Geely Holding, announced on Sept. 14 the cumulative deliveries of the ZEEKR 001, its first production model, has reached 40,000 units.

According to ZEEKR's WeChat post, it took the carmaker 110 days, 107 days, and 64 days respectively to deliver the first, second, and third 10,000 vehicles. However, the period for the deliveries of the fourth 10,000 ones was shortened to only 45 days.

ZEEKR 001; photo credit: ZEEKR

ZEEKR saw the monthly deliveries of the ZEEKR 001 hit a new high of 7,166 units in August, leaping 42.7% from the previous month.

By the end of August 2022, the EV maker had delivered 37,205 ZEEKR 001s cumulatively, 31,198 units of which were delivered this year.

ZEEKR eyes an annual delivery volume of 70,000 units in 2022. Based on the delivery performance achieved so far this year, the EV maker should deliver around 36,000 vehicles in the rest of the year to fulfill the target.

ZEEKR's second mass-produced model is an all-electric MPV, named ZEEKR 009. It will be the worlds first production model with CATLs Qilin battery inside.

The automaker has released some basic information of the ZEEKR MPV, including exterior, dimensions, and electric motor power. Notably, the model will feature a drag coefficient as low as 0.27.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed inside Westminster Hall in London, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Nariman El-Mofty - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth II Lying in State in Westminster Hall Ahead of Funeral on Monday

Queen Elizabeth II, who died in Scotland on Thursday, is now lying in state in Londons Westminster Hall for a four-day vigil until her funeral on Monday.

Huge crowds gathered in central London on Wednesday to witness the Queen being taken from Buckingham Palace to Parliament as artillery guns fired salutes and Big Ben tolled.

Her coffin was carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage that had borne the coffins of her mother and father, in a procession through the heart of the British capital watched by tens of thousands who lined the route.

The Imperial State Crown is seen on the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during the procession in London, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

King Charles III led the royal family as they walked behind the coffin, which was draped in the Royal Standard and topped with the Imperial State Crownencrusted with almost 3,000 diamondsand a bouquet of flowers and plants, including pine from the Balmoral Estate, where the Queen died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96.

Guns fired every minute at Hyde Park, while Big Ben also rang at 60-second intervals. The crowds stood in a hushed silence as they watched the procession but then broke into spontaneous applause when it passed. Some threw flowers.

Heathrow Airport temporarily halted flights, saying it would ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

The coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest for the Lying-in State in Westminster Hall, London, on Sept. 14, 2022. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Long Queues

Westminster Hall was opened to the public at 5 p.m. to offer mourners the opportunity to say a personal farewell ahead of the Queens funeral on Monday, but thousands of people had taken their spots in the queue well in advance.

According to the live queue tracker run by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the line was already 2.5 miles long when the door opened.

The line has the capacity to stretch back 10 miles, with no guarantee that everyone who joins it will get to file past the late monarchs coffin.

There will be more than 1,000 volunteers, stewards, marshals, and police officers on hand at any one time as people brave the wait on the banks of the River Thames.

Also on Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to King Charles to offer his condolences on the death of his mother.

Biden recalled the Queens kindness and hospitality when she hosted him and the first lady at Windsor Castle in June, the White House said in a statement.

He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, the statement said.

PA Media, Reuters, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Queensland Should Control Spending, Not Impose a New National Land Tax

Commentary

Queenslands government has proclaimed that in the spirit of the states long-standing fiscal tradition, it is committed to no new or increased taxes and to its tax take being below the average of other states.

Taxpayers would be relieved to hear of this commitment. But it is difficult to reconcile with the Queensland governments recent tax policy actions, which have included a new payroll tax levy and a new land tax provisionnot to mention a large hike in coal royalties which, although not technically a tax, certainly feels like one to those paying it.

The key to this contradiction is that the no new or increased taxes commitment is subject to so many and such malleable escape clauses that it is worthless. Taxpayers can take no comfort from it.

The government justifies the new payroll tax levy on the grounds that it is earmarked for increased mental health funding. But there is no connection between payrolls and mental health expenditure. Any tax increase could be dressed up that way by making a spurious link to any increase in government spending.

The stated justification for the land tax change is also spurious.

Up to now, land tax in Queensland, as in other states, has been calculated only with reference to the value of land held in Queensland, without regard to land held anywhere else. You may think this makes perfectly good sense for a statenot nationalland tax, but not the Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick, whose discovery of a loophole is his cover in this instance for deviating from the no new or increased taxes pledge.

The change, which takes effect in 2022-23, defies a simple description. Increased complexity is one of the issues it raises, apart from the sheer cost to the taxpayers affected.

How the Change Will Affect Investors

Basically, Queensland authorities will factor in the value of land held outside Queensland in calculating how much a taxpayer owes. For example, if someone owns $500,000 in taxable land value in each of Queensland and Victoria, their Queensland land tax bill will be half what it would be if they held $1 million of land value in Queensland alone.

While this may seem unexceptional, it dilutes the value of the Queensland tax-free threshold to those affected. This will result in very large increases in land tax for many individuals and businesses.

In the above example, the landowner would currently pay no Queensland land tax because of the tax-free threshold (up to $599,999 or US$404,000), but in future will pay half the land tax on the difference between $1 million and the tax-free threshold.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is seen briefing the media before handing down the 2022/2023 Queensland state budget at Queensland Parliament in Brisbane, Australia, on June 21, 2022. (AAP Image/Darren England)

State land taxes have never, in the more than 100 years they have existed, taken into account anything other than land values within each state. So if there was a loophole, Queensland was pretty slow to do anything about it.

A national land tax would be based on a taxpayers land holdings across all states and territories, but Australia has not had such a tax since the federal government withdrew from the field in 1952. If that was when the loophole opened up, then it has still taken Queensland governments 70 years to close it.

The reality is that it is not a loophole at all, but a deliberate and obvious design feature of state land taxes, which are taxes on the value of land within each state, subject in all states to a tax-free threshold, and wide exemptions such as for principal residences and agricultural land.

Dick is redesigning his land tax, not closing a loophole.

It is the tax-free threshold that appears to irk Dick, as it enables landowners with holdings in multiple states to benefit from the threshold in each state. This would not happen under a national land tax, but instead of proposing a national approach, Dick has chosen to go his own way and scoop up some extra revenue for Queensland.

Property sales signage is displayed in North Lakes in Brisbane, Australia, on June 10, 2016. (Glenn Hunt/Getty Images)

This will only work if the tax administrations of other states agree to pass information on landholdings in their states to their Queensland counterparts. It will be fascinating to see whether they do this, and whether other state governments even decide to copy Queenslands approach and take into account land held in other states.

If they all did so, the array of state land taxes would approximate a national land tax, albeit in a messy and complex way.

New Tax Rules Could Drive Away Out-of-State Investors

Some economists advocate replacing state land taxes with a national land tax. Perhaps Dick is trying to force the issue with his go-it-alone approach, but this seems unlikely. It is just another revenue grab by another government that cant control its urge to spend more. Moreover, the states must have some taxes of their own and land tax is one of the better taxes to be assigned to them.

Queenslands new land tax law may well be challenged in the High Court. The constitution does not allow one state to tax something in another state. Queensland is not doing so in the legal sense because its land tax will still be based on land value within the state.

But the economic reality is that it will impose land tax at a higher rate if an owner of land in Queensland also owns land elsewhere in Australia. In effect, that could be deemed to be a tax on land held outside Queensland.

Thousands of taxpayers affected by the change are enraged, but Dick is counting on escaping the wrath of most Queensland voters.

Although Queenslanders with taxable land both in their own state and somewhere else in Australia will be adversely affected, there are many more investors in other states with taxable land in Queensland. It is non-Queenslanders that will be coughing up most of the extra land tax.

Such tax-shifting is a short-sighted, cynical, and opportunistic action that will eventually take its toll on private investment in the state.

Queenslands land tax increase is imaginative. Its just a pity they are not as imaginative in finding ways to control state government spending.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The coffin of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II being borne on a gun carriage in a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where it will lie-in-state, on Sep. 14, 2022. (Howard Cheng)

Queue Builds as up to 400,000 Expected for Queens Lying in State

Labour Party leader calls on anti-monarchists to 'respect' mourners

A huge line has formed in central London as people queue up to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth IIwho died in Scotland on Thursdayahead of her funeral on Monday.

Up to 400,000 people are expected over the next four days to pass by the Queens coffin as she lies in state in Westminster Hall.

Hundreds of people were already in the line between Lambeth Bridge and Westminster Bridge by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, even though the doors of the hall were not due to open until 5 p.m.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said hundreds of police officers from other parts of the country had come to London to help maintain a highly visible policing presence in central London as well as maintaining usual levels of policing elsewhere in the capital.

Members of the public in line to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state, on the South Bank of the river Thames in London on Sept. 14, 2022. (PA)

Cundy said: We are expecting large crowds as so many will come to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen. Police officers will be in the areas where people are queuing to ensure they are safe.

As for protesters, he said: We know there are some people who want to protest on a range of issues even at this time of national mourning. People have a right to freedom of expression and we must balance the rights of protesters with those of others who wish to grieve and reflect.

It is thought the line might end up being four miles long.

The Queen Made Me Feel Proud to Be British

Among the mourners was Kate Paysen, 58, who had flown in from Portugal, where she now lives.

She explained: I always felt that when the Queen died I would come and pay my respects. My father was in the army and I grew up in a royalist household, and I think its important to come and be part of history. I think the Queen for me always made me feel proud to be British.

Helen Redding, 60, said: I felt like I had to be here, to be part of history and I didnt want to miss this opportunity to pay my respects. Im really glad I did because its a lovely atmosphere here.

King Charles III leading members of the Royal Family, including Prince William Prince of Wales and Prince Harry Duke of Sussex, in a procession behind the coffin of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on Sep. 14, 2022. (Howard Cheng)

Gina Carver, 60, said: To give up my day queuing is nothing compared to what shes done for 70 yearsand she does feel like our grandmother. She was the face of reason, you always think things are going to be alright if she says its alright.

Sarah Santangelo, 50, said, Shes sacrificed her whole life for this country, the least I could do is pay my respects.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer urged anti-monarchists to respect the mourners.

He told the BBC: If people have spent a long time waiting to come forward to have that moment as the coffin goes past, or whatever it may be, I think: respect that, because people have made a huge effort to come and have that private moment to say thank you to Queen Elizabeth II.

Obviously we have to respect the fact that some people disagree. One of the great British traditions is the ability to protest and to disagree, but I think if it can be done in the spirit of respect  respect the fact that hundreds of thousands of people do want to come forward and have that moment, dont ruin it for them, Starmer added.

PA Media contributed to this report.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki and deputy commissioner Brian Brennan wait to appear as a witnesses at the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, on July 25, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Recorded Call of RCMP Commissioners Alleged Promise to Feds on NS Tragedy Weapons Disclosure Deleted: Deputy Commissioner

The phone call at the heart of the allegations of political interference in the investigation of the Nova Scotia mass shootings had been recorded but has since been deleted, a top RCMP official testified on Sept. 9.

Deputy Commissioner Brian Brennan told the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC) that Dan Brien, director of media relations with the RCMP, had at least recorded a portion of the call, reported CBC.

The MCC is investigating the April 2020 events when a gunman killed 22 people around Portapique, N.S.

Brennan said he knew of internal efforts to retrieve the recording that were unsuccessful.

It doesnt exist because Mr. Brien has deleted it from whatever phone he was using, Brennan said.

RCMP spokesperson Robin Percival corroborated to CBC that some part of the call had been recorded but that it is no longer available. Percival said the RCMP is reviewing the matter.

The phone call in question occurred on April 28, 2020, and involved RCMP staff from its headquarters in Ottawa and from H Division in Nova Scotia.

During the teleconference, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki reportedly told H Division she had made a promise to the minister of public safety and the prime ministers office to publically reveal information about the firearms used in the attack, and allegedly tied it to pending Liberal gun legislation.

This information was corroborated by several RCMP employees on the call, such as Superintendent Darren Campbell and communications director Lia Scanlan.

Campbell has said H Division did not want to release the weapons information so as to not jeopardize its investigation.

Lucki had initially shared that same view, and told her superiors as much in an email on April 23, saying the information should not be widely disseminated.

Miscommunication

Lucki has maintained she was never under political pressure to release the weapons information and has said her previous remarks were misunderstood.

Regarding my use of the word promise during the [April 28] meeting I had with my team following that press conference at that time, and in that context, I was trying to convey that Id already confirmed to the minister that the information about the weapons would be released during the press conference, a confirmation made based on the information I had been provided [by her communications staff], Lucki told the House of Commons public safety committee on July 25.

Lucki explained the controversy as a miscommunication problem and said the question on whether information on firearms would be released to the public came from minister Bill Blairs chief of staff. Blair, now in charge of emergency preparedness, held the public safety portfolio at the time.

The government announced a ban on assault-style firearms on May 1, 2020, a few days after the tragedy. Blair told the public safety committee on July 25 that the date of the announcement was picked shortly after the events of April 18-19, 2020.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in late June there was no undue pressure exerted on Lucki.

The Conservatives have accused the government of a coverup.

The staff meeting in which the Commissioner revealed this promise was recorded by the former Director of Communications to a Liberal Public Safety Minister, but it has disappeared, Tory MPs Raquel Dancho and Pierre-Paul Hus wrote in a Sept. 14 statement.

Canadians can only wonder how long it took before that recording was mysteriously erased.
LA County Board of Supervisors Sheila Kuehl speaks onstage at The 44th Annual Peace Over Violence Humanitarian Awards at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on Oct. 16, 2015. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Peace Over Violence)

Sheriffs Department Searches LA County Supervisors Home Over Corruption Allegations

The home of Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl was searched the morning of Sept. 14 by the sheriffs department as part of a public corruption investigation.

Kuehl, elected in 2018 to represent District 3, was escorted out of her home around 7 a.m. by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department (LASD). The supervisor was accused of aiding nonprofit Peace Over Violence in winning contractstotaling over $890,000 between 2014 and 2020with LA Metro to operate a hotline for reporting sexual harassment on its trains and buses.

Officers could be seen entering her home, going into different rooms, and taking photos and videos.

The affidavit that led to the warrant describes the case as a probe into an allegation of criminal conduct by Kuehl. It details the long history of friendship between Kuehl and Patricia Patti Giggans, who runs Peace Over Violence, noting that Kuehl officiated Gigganss wedding in 2004 when she was a state senator.

It also noted that Kuehlwho serves on the Metro Board of Directorsis a member of the advisory board of Peace Over Violence and that she appointed Giggans to the Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commission.

According to the affidavit, a witness claims former LA Metro CEO Phillip Washington pushed forward the contract to the nonprofit to remain in good graces with [Kuehl]. The witness also claimed she pointed out billing irregularities involving the nonprofit to the CEO, who ordered her to pay the bills because he did not want to upset any of Supervisor Sheila Kuehls friends.

Detectives from the LASDs Public Corruption Unit also served search warrants at the home of Giggans and at the Peace Over Violence headquarters.

In addition, the public corruption unit served search warrants at the county Hall of Administration and LA Metro Headquarters.

Kuehl told reporters outside of her home Sept. 14 the search was a bogus non-investigation.

She also said in a statement released in the late afternoon of Sept. 14 she had no involvement in the awarding of the contract to the non-profit. She also said the search of her home was questionable and will be investigated.

This mornings storming of my home by deputies with bulletproof vests and tactical gear was an effort to harass, intimidate and retaliate against a public figure who has been an outspoken critic of LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, she said.

Kuehl and the county Civilian Oversight Commission have a history of clashing with Villanueva and have repeatedly called for his resignation over alleged deputy gangs within the sheriffs department.

Villanueva has called the boards allegations against him a political act to stifle his reelection campaign. He is running in November against former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna.

The search warrant affidavit notes that Villanueva recused himself from any involvement in the investigation to avoid any appearance of conflict.

However, Villanueva on Sept. 14 sent a letter to the state Attorney Generals Office requesting that it investigate a statement made by Kuehl following the raid, indicating a county attorney had contacted her the night before and informed her of the impending sheriffs department search.

Villanueva suggested in the letter that county Inspector General Max Huntsman and the county counsels office had interfered with a criminal investigation by notifying Kuehl of the search, calling it a potential felony offense.

The illegal acts committed by Mr. Huntsman and county counsel have potentially compromised the integrity of this criminal investigation including, but not limited to, the concealment or destruction of evidence, the sheriff wrote.

Peace Over Violence did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sheriffs department didnt comment on the search warrants.

City News Service contributed to this report.
Alberto Carvalho, then Miami-Dade Schools superintendent, is seen during a school board meeting in Miami, Fla., on March 1, 2018. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Shots-Fired Report at Hollywood High School a Hoax: LAUSD Official

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.A shots fired report that resulted in a police response to the campus of Hollywood High School Sept. 13 was a hoax, authorities said.

Officers were sent to the campus on Highland Avenue north of Sunset Boulevard at about 9:45 a.m. on a report of an assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. A preliminary investigation determined that no one had been injured, police said.

A short time later, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said on Twitter that the incident was being considered a hoax.

Recent reports of a critical incident at Hollywood High School are unfounded and, after swift law enforcement response and internal individual classroom verification, we are deeming the incident as a hoax, Carvalho said.

In a separate statement on Twitter, the school district said:

There were unfounded reports of gunshots fired on campus at Hollywood High School today. All students and staff are safe and school will resume as normal.

Non-credible school hoaxes are a serious offense that Los Angeles Unified takes seriously. Threats disrupt the educational environment, increase stress levels, and interfere with law enforcements ability to protect schools from real dangers. It also poses a serious risk to our community, draining resources and occupying the time of critical first responders.
A sign indicating school closure due to the spread of the CCP virus is displayed at Deer Valley High School in Glendale, Arizona, on April 2, 2020. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

School Choice Under Threat in Arizona as Signature Drive Aims to Halt Implementation

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.Valerie Shannon of Scottsdale, Arizona, said shes happy that both her children are able to attend public schools in the city.

She also looks forward to having more parental control over her childrens education under a universal school choice program that begins in Arizona on Sept. 24.

However, all that might not happen if opponents of the law successfully garner the required 118,000 signatures to refer the matter to Arizonas secretary of state to suspend the legislation, and bring it to a statewide ballot vote in 2024.

Special interests have long been [forcing] through bills expanding these [programs with the ultimate goal of dismantling the public education system and erecting a for-profit, taxpayer-funded system in its place, according to Save Our Schools (SOS) Arizona.

Striking Los Angeles Unified District teachers are joined by parents and students in front of Evelyn Thurman Gratts Elementary School in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 22, 2019. (Richard Vogel/AP)

SOS Arizona opposes an expanded Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) funding program for school choice in Arizona.

The group said on its website that Arizonas public school system already has ESA scholarships, as well as School Tuition Organization (STO) tax credits, programs that allegedly siphon public tax dollars into private school programs.

Children are not getting the quality education they deserve due to underfunding, SOS Arizona argues.

Schools have been forced to slash budgets for teacher and staff salaries, programs, nurses, counselors, extracurriculars, advanced coursework, the arts, and more.

SOS Arizona could not immediately be reached for comment and did not return an email from The Epoch Times.

Decisions To Make

Shannon said that an expanded ESA program enables parents to withdraw their children from public schools that may not work for them and seek better alternatives.

She said that parents are increasingly looking to take more of the parental role, trying to fix a societal problem over a struggling education system.

Maybe some kids need that.

Shannon, who has a child in 6th Grade and another in high school, said what students dont need are schools stepping in as a second parent.

They need to be taught basics. They dont need extra social workers. There is still a need for public schools, she told The Epoch Times, but every kid is different. Its not one size fits all. I think this allows deciding whats best for kids.

Aude Odeh, an English teacher at Barry Goldwater High School, cheers in support of the #REDforED movement during a rally in front of the State Capitol in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 26, 2018. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

According to the Arizona Department of Education, 49 public schools in the state received an F grade on a 2019 performance report card and were in danger of shutting down.

More than a dozen schools in Maricopa CountyArizonas most populous countyreceived a failing grade. They had to create a performance plan with the school improvement staff.

At the same time, 16 Arizona schools received Ds three years in a row, making them eligible to receive federal funding aid.

As an open enrolment state, Arizonas traditional public education system is still considered one of the best options by many parents.

Still, a growing number of parents demand a more significant voice and stake in their childrens education, even if it means taking them out of the system to attend a private or charter school, or home school.

Education Gold Standard

Speaking at Phoenix Christian Preparatory School, Gov. Doug Ducey said that Arizonas 1.1 million students could enroll in any school they want given universal school choice.

Arizona is now the gold standard for educational freedom in America, Ducey said in an Aug. 16 statement. Our kids will no longer be stuck in underperforming schools. Were unlocking their educational potential and advancing a bold new era of learning opportunities.

Ducey said the bill opens ESA funding to every K-12 student in Arizona. The program will provide $6,500 for each child yearly for a private school, homeschooling, micro-schools, tutoring, and any other service outside of the traditional public education system.

There are currently 691 school districts in Arizona238 traditional districts, 429 charter districts, and 24 other education organizations.

While many parents prefer the traditional public school model, others feel the system doesnt allow them a voice in what children learnwhere and how.

I think many families love their public schools in Arizona and theyre more than happy to stay there. Universal [school choice] gives families whose kids need something different, said Jenny Clark, a mother of five and founder of Love Your School in Arizona.

Arizonas traditional public education system is still considered one of the best options by many parents. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times)

Clark launched the nonprofit education concierge service about four years ago to help parents find the school program that fits the needs of their children. The organization supports universal school choice and wants to spread the word.

She said the level of interest in universal school choice has been considerable since her organizations July 5 webinar that drew 440 in attendance.

Theyre usually coming to us now because they have some sort of issue theyre sorting out regarding the ESA program.

To me, school choice is important. We are dealing with a generation of students who, for various reasons, are not doing well [in school], Clark told The Epoch Times.

Theyre not doing well because of COVID. Theyre struggling academically and emotionally. We need to provide families with every option to find the school environment that works for their children.

If thats the public schoolfantastic. If its not, we need to ensure its not only the wealthy families with school choice, which is what it is right now.

Choice For Change

Clark said many Arizona public school systems oppose universal choice because it challenges the traditional education model.

Brad Scott of Prescott, Arizona, said that the public school system a community provides to its children is critically important to the long-term success of the community.

In a letter to Prescotts school district board, Scott said his personal experience with the district is that funding is not the only problem.

Failures of leadership have trickled down from the administrative offices to the classroom, he said.

The pandemic made matters worse.

In learning pods, or microschools, small groups of families take turns teaching children, or pool resources to hire a teacher. (Andrii Medvednikov/Shutterstock)

However, Scott said his 8th Grade son was fortunate to qualify for ESA funding before it became available to all Arizonans.

Because he did qualify, my wife and I removed our son from public school after the seventh grade, enrolling him in a private Catholic school. It was not an easy decision at the time, but in retrospect, we wish we had moved him years earlier.

Acknowledging a movement is underway to kill the expanded ESA program, Scott said Arizona families havent even had the chance to experience universal school choice.

I dont want to destroy the public education system; I simply want to save my son. Every parent should be able to do the same, Scott said.

Safety First

While many factors go into a parents enrollment decision, school safety is one of the top concerns.

Texas Education Agency records show that withdrawals from public to home school were 40 percent higher in the spring of 2021 than the previous year, according to the Texas Home School Coalition (THSC).

We often see a spike in homeschooling following a mass shooting. We also know that concern about safety and the school environment are reasons parents cite as the most important reasons they choose to homeschool, THSC spokesman Stephen Howsley said in a letter to The Epoch Times.

Even so, Howsley said the organization doesnt have definitive data on how the tragedy in Uvalde may be driving decisions to homeschool. Moreover, the state and federal data show that the rate of homeschooling families returning to public schools has not increased.

Based on U.S. Census data, we estimate that there are currently 750,000 homeschool students in Texas. This is more than all private and charter school students combined, Howsley said.

He added that homeschooled students significantly outperform their public school peers on standardized tests. That fact is true regardless of the parents education level, the familys income level, or the level of state regulation on homeschooling.

Clark said opponents of HB2853 in Arizona only support a traditional public school model.

Theyre essentially not happy [that] parents will have this new choice. They are staunch supporters of a district-school-only model. They are very concerned theyre losing funding if families go to different environments, she said.

Our response is whyhow? Do you think that many children suddenly are going to leave for an ESA?

Decline To Sign is a grassroots organization that opposes the SOS Arizona signature drive while the clock winds down to the Sept. 24 deadline.

Clark said it remains unknown whether the groups efforts to suspect the bill will be successful.

This is where they try to circumvent the natural political process, Shannon said. Many parents are awake to poor student performance in public schools and paying attention. The legislature is doing what their constituents want them to do.

If you dont like what your legislators are doing, then elect new ones.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) attends a press briefing following a House Republican conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 29, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Stefanik Announces Bid for House GOP Chair, Faces Challenger Donalds

Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) will compete to be the next House Republican Conference chair after the November elections.

Stefanik, the current conference chair who replaced Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in the position in May 2021, announced her reelection bid on Sept. 13. Her announcement signals that she will not seek the position of House majority whip, should the Republicans retake the House in November.

For the next 56 days, Im laser-focused on working to ensure we earn a historic Republican Majority, Stefanik wrote in a statement on Twitter. I am proud to have unified the entire Republican Conference around our country in crisis message and shattered fundraising records as House GOP Conference Chair raising over $10M for candidates and committees this cycle.

With the broad support of NY21 and my House GOP colleagues, I intend to run for Conference Chair in the next Congress.

With Republicans optimistic about their chances of taking back the House after the midterm elections, there could be reshuffles in the House Republican hierarchy. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said last month that he believes he will be the next House speaker. Meanwhile, current Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) is likely to move up to majority leader, meaning the position of the majority whip is up for grabs.

In May 2021, Stefanik was elected to the No. 3 post in the House Republican leadership, after Cheney was ousted from the position over her vocal criticism of former President Donald Trump and the partys messaging.

Donalds, who serves on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, also announced his candidacy for the conference chair on Sept. 13.

As one of the most prominent voices of the House GOP Agenda, Im the best candidate to lead an effective communications strategy should Republicans take back the House, Donalds wrote in a statement. In the weeks and months ahead, we must focus on sending Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi packing by electing a wave of America First candidates.

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) questions Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young during a House Committee in Washington on March 29, 2022. (Rod Lamkey  Pool/Getty Images)

Endorsements

Stefanik immediately won several endorsements. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), vice chair of the House Republican Conference, took to Twitter to say he gave his full support to Stefaniks bid.

Serving as Vice Chair of @HouseGOP alongside @RepStefanik has been one of the great highlights of my time in Congress, Johnson wrote. I look forward to continuing our work to retake the majority by promoting the GOP agenda.

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said Stefanik has done well as conference chair.

Im proud to be on her team and support her, Hinson wrote on Twitter. We will continue to work together to take back the House in November and get our country back on the right track.

McCarthy and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, will also support Stefanik for the position, The Hill reported on Sept. 13, citing the two lawmakers spokespeople.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), communications chair of the House Freedom Caucus, offered her support to Donalds by writing, Im for it!! on Twitter, while retweeting Donaldss statement.

McCarthy didnt think there would be much of a competition between Stefanik and Donalds.

I dont think itll be a race, McCarthy told the Washington Examiner on Sept. 13. I think Elise has done an excellent job and will continue to be conference chair.
Taiwanese and Lithuanian flags at the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Jan. 20, 2022. (Janis Laizans/Reuters)

Taiwan Says New Lithuanian Office in Taipei Begins Operations

TAIPEILithuanias new representative office in Taiwan has already effectively begun operations though its physical location is still being fitted out, a senior Taiwanese diplomat said on Tuesday.

The Chinese communist regime, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania and pressured multinationals to sever links with the Baltic nation of 2.8 million people after it allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius.

Remus Chen, head of Taiwans Foreign Ministrys Department of European Affairs, told reporters that the new Lithuanian representative Paulius Lukauskas had arrived in Taipei earlier this month, and on Monday had formally applied for his accreditation.

The new Lithuanian office was therefore basically now in operation, but office equipment is still being installed, Chen added.

The Chinese regime has repeatedly denounced Lithuanias engagement with Taiwan.

Last month, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposed sanctions on Lithuanian Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Agne Vaiciukeviciute for visiting Taiwan.

The CCP says Taiwan is one of its provinces with no right to the trappings of a state.

Taiwans democratically-elected government strongly objects to the CCPs claims, saying that the Peoples Republic of China has never governed the island and has no right to speak on its behalf globally or decide its future.
A car stops at a Canadian customs booth in Niagara Falls, Canada, on March 18, 2020, hours after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the closing of the border with the United States to all tourists. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images)

Taxpayers Advocacy Group Criticizes Federal Tourism Agency for Giving Bonuses During Lockdown

Employees at Destination Canada received bonuses and pay raises in 2020 and 2021 while the tourism industry shut down during COVID-19, records show.

There were 84 Destination Canada employees who received a bonus in 2020, with costs totalling $617,095, according to records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) through Access to Information requests. In 2021, there were 92 employees that received a bonus, costing $604,153.

Federal director of the CTF Franco Terrazzano said a federal Crown corporation dedicated to promoting tourism shouldnt be giving employees bonuses and pay raises while Canadas tourism industry wasnt allowed to host tourists.

Its tone deaf for Destination Canada to hand out bonuses and pay raises while the industry its supposed to promote was shut down, Terrazzano said in a statement.

Federal Crown corporations should be sharing in the tough times, not handing out bonuses and pay raises while their neighbours outside government take cuts and lose their job.

Destination Canada is a federal Crown corporation whose objective is marketing Canada nationally and abroad.

The records show that 87 percent of Destination Canada employees received a bonus in 2020, while 76 percent received a bonus in 2021.

Among its executives, the average bonus was $32,652 in 2020.

Destination Canada said it reduced bonus pay for its executives in 2021 in recognition of the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry. Bonus pay averaged $16,126 for each executive in 2021.

Another 79 Destination Canada employees received a pay raise in 2020 and 63 employees received a pay raise in 2021, totalling $349,309 over the two years. No employees received a pay cut.

In March 2020, the government prohibited any foreign national, including U.S. nationals, from entering Canada in all modes of travel (air, land, rail and marine) for optional or discretionary purposes.

More than a year later, in August 2021, the federal government began allowing fully-vaccinated American citizens to enter Canada for non-essential travel.

Canadas tourism spending was cut in half in 2020 due to these measures.

In 2020, almost 900,000 jobs were lost at the height of the crisis, representing 43 per cent of all tourism employment, according to Destination Canada. In 2021, tourism employment over the first 10 months of the year remained 21 per cent below pre-pandemic 2019 levels  a loss of 360,000 jobs.

Destination Canada received $121 million from taxpayers in 2021-22 and $96 million in 2020-21, according to its most recent annual report.
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.

SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle names CEO of Rising Auto as new general manager

On September 14, SAIC Motor confirmed that due to work adjustments, SAIC Motors vice president, Yang Xiaodong, would no longer take on as general manager of SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle. Instead, the current CEO of the auto groups Rising Auto, will assume the additional position of general manager to the subsidiary.

R7; photo credit: Rising Auto

iFLYTEK sets up subsidiary in Inner Mongolia

Chinas intelligent speech developer iFLYTEK incorporated a new subsidiary in Inner Mongolia with a registered capital of 50 million yuan. The new company is authorized to operate in AI theory and algorithm software R&D, sales of intelligent automotive equipment, and others.

NIO, Hisense to cooperate on several NEV-related businesses

Chinese EV manufacturer NIO and the multinational appliance and electronics manufacturer Hisense Group entered into a framework agreement on Sept. 13 to conduct all-round strategic cooperation in several fields related to the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, according to a press release from Hisense.

GAC Mitsubishi inaugurates new R&D center

GAC Mitsubishi Motors ("GMMC"), the joint venture among GAC Group, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, and Mitsubishi Corporation, inaugurated its new R&D center on September 13, which will help the automaker greatly boost the R&D of its proprietary products and technologies.

Aptiv deploys central vehicle controller in Chinese market first

Aptiv introduced on September 14 the industrys first central vehicle controller (CVC), which will be firstly implemented in the Chinese market.

China's Mogo Auto sees fully-autonomous MOGO BUS roll off line

Chinas autonomous driving solution provider, Mogo Auto, saw its new-generation autonomous bus, the MOGO BUS, roll off the production lines of Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Co., Ltd.

Geely-backed ZEEKR hits delivery milestone of 40,000 units

ZEEKR, the Chinese premium EV brand owned by Geely Holding, announced on Sept. 14 the cumulative deliveries of the ZEEKR 001, its first production model, has reached 40,000 units.

Haomo.ai to build supercomputing center for autonomous driving advancement

Great Wall Motor-backed autonomous driving technology developer, Haomo.ai, introduced its new professional achievements and products at the HAOMO AI DAY held on September 13.

SAIC Motor puts MG MULAN BEV onto global market

SAIC Motor announced on Sept. 13 the MG MULAN (named "MG4 ELECTRIC" or "MG FOR ELECTRIC" in overseas regions) officially hit the global market. On the same day, 10,000 MG MULANs departed for European markets from Shanghai.
Teen Who Killed Her Alleged Rapist Sentenced to Probation, Must Pay $150,000 Restitution to Mans Family

A 17-year-old victim of sex trafficking who killed a man she accused of raping her received a deferred prison sentence on Tuesday and was ordered by an Iowa court to pay restitution to the dead mans family.

When Pieper Lewis was 15, she stabbed 37-year-old Zachary Brooks more than 30 times in a Des Moines, Iowa, apartment. Officials have said Lewis was a runaway who tried to escape her abusive adoptive mother and was sleeping in the hallways of a Des Moines apartment building when a 28-year-old man took her in before forcibly trafficking her to other men for sex, including Brooks.

Lewis said Brooks had raped her multiple times in the weeks before his death, and that the 28-year-old man who trafficked her had forced her at knifepoint to go to Brookss apartment.

In June 2020, Lewis, in a fit of rage, grabbed a knife and stabbed Brooks, killing him in the process.

In 2021, Lewis pleaded guilty to willful injury and involuntary manslaughter, charges that are punishable by up to 10 years in prison each. On Tuesday, Polk County District Judge David M. Porter deferred both prison terms and instead sentenced Lewis to five years of supervised probation.

If Lewis violates any part of her probation, she could be sent to prison. In addition, Lewis was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to Brookss family.

This court is presented with no other option, Porter said about the restitution, which is mandatory under Iowa law.

The judge said he was concerned that Lewis sometimes didnt want to follow the rules at the juvenile facility where she stayed while her case moved through the court.

The next five years of your life will be full of rules you disagree with, Im sure of it, he said. This is the second chance that youve asked for. You dont get a third.

Lewis was slated to be sentenced the previous week. However, her sentencing was delayed after her lawyers brought multiple witnesses to the court who testified that Lewis should not go to prison as she was deemed not a threat to the community.

Safe Harbor Laws

Prosecutors did not dispute that Lewis was trafficked and sexually assaulted. However, they did point out that at the time she stabbed Brooks, the man was asleep, and thus not an immediate danger to the girl.

Prosecutors argued that Lewiss action left Brookss children without a father and that she failed to take responsibility for the stabbing.

Lewiss sentencing has triggered a heated debate over safe harbor laws for trafficking victims in Iowa. Such laws could offer protection for trafficking victims against liability or penalty provided certain conditions are met.

Earlier in 2022, the Iowa House passed a bill to create a safe harbor law. However, it failed to pass the Senate due to concerns raised by law enforcement groups.

Stephan Bayens, commissioner at the Iowa Department of Public Safety, pointed out that the proposed bill provided trafficking victims with blanket immunity, something he was worried about.

If a victim of human trafficking was abusing a child, they could be immune from prosecution, Bayens told Radio Iowa. Even if they had committed attempted murder, they could be immune from prosecution, so I think there are some significant issues there.

Leland Schipper, one of Lewiss former teachers, set up a GoFundMe page to help raise $150,000 to pay the restitution. At the time of publication on Sept. 14, the campaign had raised over $182,000 and the goal had been increased to $200,000.

In an update to the fundraiser, Schipper said that after the restitution is covered, the rest of the funds collected will be given to Lewis to continue her education or start a business, and also so she can help other young victims of sex crimes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Streaks of light are seen as Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercept rockets launched from the Gaza Strip toward Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, on Aug. 7, 2022. (Amir Cohen/Reuters)

The Perfect Storm Facing Israel

Commentary

In Israels next war, it could face a perfect storm with Iran attacking it from the east, Hamas in Gaza from the south, Hezbollah in Lebanon from the north, and an insurrection from within by Israels large Arab population. Israels civilian casualties could be immense as tens of thousands of missiles rain down on it, overwhelming defensive systems such as Israels much-vaunted Iron Dome.

The shot that ignites the war would be an Israeli attack on Iran, which is believed to be on the verge of securing a nuclear bomb, and which is on record in its desire to eradicate the state of Israel. For its part, Israel is on record with its intention to eradicate Irans nuclear bomb-making ability, and it has the track record to show its seriousness.

In 2007, Israeli jets destroyed a nuclear reactor in Syria that the North Koreans were secretly building for President Bashar al-Assad. That attack followed a 1981 attack when Israeli jets destroyed a nuclear plant being built by France for Iraq under former-President Saddam Hussein.

The precedent of pre-emptively destroying nuclear plants, known as the Begin Doctrine, was announced by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin two days after the 1981 bombing: We chose this moment: now, not later, because later may be too late, perhaps forever. And if we stood by idly  another Holocaust would have happened in the history of the Jewish people, he stated at a press conference. Never again, never again! Tell so your friends, tell anyone you meet, we shall defend our people with all the means at our disposal. We shall not allow any enemy to develop weapons of mass destruction turned against us.

Hussein, without the ability to retaliate against Israel 500 miles away, stood down, despite the humiliation. Al-Assad, whose country borders Israel, also decided to stand down, reportedly out of fear that Israel would respond to Syrian retaliation with Israels own nuclear bomb. Exercising discretion over valor, Assad kept the destruction of his reactor a secret, as Israeli intelligence expected he would, avoiding the public humiliation of failing to act.

If Irans mullahs, like Syrias al-Assad and Iraqs Hussein, decide to stand down after a successful Israeli attack on its nuclear infrastructure, Israel will have lived to fight another day. But the mullahs, religious fundamentalists who await the end-of-days return of the Twelfth Imam, may have a different calculation than the secular al-Assad and Hussein. The current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a fervent Twelver, as was Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. Khamenei might well take an Israeli attack as a signal that Judgment Day has finally arrived, and unleash the dogs of war to bring about the military triumph that will establish Islam as the worlds ruling faith.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting via video conference with people from East Azarbaijan in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 17, 2022. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA/Handout via Reuters)

Unlike al-Assad and Hussein, who were relatively powerless to confront Israel, the mullahs can rain fire on Israel, an objective they have been working toward for decades. Iran has some 3,000 missiles, many of which have the range to reach Israel, as well as attack drones. But Irans greater threat comes from its proxies, which sit on Israels border.

In Gaza, Hamas has an estimated 8,00010,000 rockets and Palestinian Islamic Jihad 5,500, most financed or smuggled to them by Iran. These missiles are all trained on Israeli targets, chiefly population centers in Israels south. In past wars with Gaza, although Hamas has launched its rockets in clusters so as to overwhelm Israels Iron Dome defence, Israel has nevertheless managed to neutralize some 90 percent of the rockets by redeploying Iron Dome batteries to the southern front.

If Hezbollah in the north simultaneously joins the fray, however, Israels Iron Dome will be utterly overwhelmed. Hezbollah, which has an estimated 150,000 rockets, intends to fire 4,000 a day when war starts with Israel, and then continue at the rate of 2,000 a day. Simultaneously, Israelis could be facing another Intifadaa realistic prospect since Israelis recently experienced a rash of random attacks on city streets by ISIS-inspired Israeli-Arabs.

With the prospect of Israeli civilians slain on city streets by an Arab insurrection and by rockets fired upon them from both north and south, Israel would have little choice but to mobilize its reserve army and go on the offense against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah.

The casualties could be high for Israelis and Arabs alike. Because the Arab rockets tend to be fired from mobile launchers located within disparate civilian areas in Gaza and Lebanon, bombardments of launch sites would claim a large number of civilian lives, and likely fail to fully stop the fire. Israel might then feel compelled to invade its neighbors, where house-to-house combat would claim many on both sides.

Israel has no good options, and also no allies that it can count on. The Biden administration has been cool to Israel and might even be reluctant to resupply Israel with weapons. Russia, which until recently greatly aided Israel in its efforts to prevent Iran from arming Hezbollah, has also become cool following Israels criticism of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Israels predicament comes of wishful thinking. Following international condemnation, in 2000 Israel abandoned a six-mile-wide security strip in southern Lebanon, where it had supported the Christian South Lebanon Army (SLA) in its war against Hezbollah, a terrorist organization bent on Israels destruction. The kudos Israel hoped for by withdrawing didnt materialize. Instead, the SLA Army soon collapsed, leading to Hezbollahs rise as the effective governing power of Lebanon.

Then in 2005, Israel unilaterally left Gaza to the Palestinians, a decision that involved forcibly removing its 8,000 Jewish residents. Gaza, too, became a terror base intent on Israels destruction. Wishful thinking also led Israel to delay taking out Irans nuclear infrastructure before it became hardened, based on Western assurances that a diplomatic solution could be found.

Israeli restraint never led to the goodwill and safety the wishful thinkers hoped for. It only delayed the day, and worsened the odds, that Israel will face in its inevitable reckoning.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Patricia Adams Follow Patricia Adams is an economist and the President of the Energy Probe Research Foundation and Probe International, an independent think tank in Canada and around the world. She is the publisher of internet news services Three Gorges Probe and Odious Debts Online and the author or editor of numerous books. Her books and articles have been translated into Chinese, Spanish, Bengali, Japanese, and Bahasa Indonesia. She can be reached at patriciaadams@probeinternational.org.
After interruption by a global pandemic and a war, the 6th NTD International Piano Competition is fast approaching, and participating pianists are set to receive the much-awaited commissioned piece that serves as the centerpiece of the competition.

On Sept. 15, pianists will see the work The Sacred Journey for the first time. They have 45 days to prepare for this monumental challenge, which will be played in the semi-final round.

Since 2016, the competition has made a special effort to commission a piano arrangement of a piece by D. F., the artistic director of Shen Yun Performing Arts, a world renowned music and dance company that has led the way in the revival of traditional Chinese culture through the arts.

The piano piece was arranged by Qin Yuan, a composer and piano accompanist with Shen Yun. Qin is a prolific composer with notable expertise in delivering the melodies and rhythms of ancient Chinese music through the language of classical music as it was established in the West. Many musicians around the world have tried their hand at combining the musical traditions of the East and West, but none so successfully as Shen Yun, which has wowed millions the world over with its unique compositions and orchestrations.

In past years, jury members have advised pianists to study Shen Yuns music as they prepare the commissioned piece, as the work is given special weight. Classical music with a Chinese flavor is not common in competitions, at least not nearly as often as French, Russian, Polish, or the Austrian schoolso established in the repertoire that a general listener can recognize their origin after a few bars, and a musician can explain why exactly that is so.

The special works commissioned by the NTD International Piano Competition receive acclaim from listeners and pianists alike; during the semi-final round both are often moved to tears. Perhaps it is also stirring to hear new, serious literature for the piano. When Beethoven expanded the repertoire with the Hammerklavier, he wrote that this could occupy pianists for the next 50 years, underestimating the zeal of composers of future centuries. Yet too few composers, even great composers, have added to the canon of great classical piano literature, but today the NTD International Piano Competition is making the effort.

The Sacred Journeyvast, virtuosic, and pianistic is a work well worth the effort and study. Like other works of NTDs commissioned works it serves to promote the pure authenticity, pure goodness, and pure beauty of traditional arts, and showcase the glory of piano masterpieces from the 250-year golden period of piano literature.

Theres a common saying that the piano itself is a small orchestra, with its expansive range, expressivity, and dynamics, its a very fitting instrument for this undertaking, Qin said.

A Message of Universal Relevance

Qins advice to the interpreters is this: You must mind the details meticulously, carefully study it, and alsobe bold.

I cant give too many spoilers away, lest we encroach on the pianists imagination and freedom as they approach this work for the first time, she said.

At the forefront of her mind when she began to compose was that the music would face an international audience. The competition has historically drawn scores of contestants from scores of different countries around the world, and Qin wanted to deliver a message of universal relevance. This would be a work that artists would contemplate for many hours, and she wanted it to be well worth that deep reflection.

How can I let them contemplate something meaningful? Qin thought.

Its an ancient Chinese belief that mind and matter are one; every thought of the artists would appear in their works. For example, ancient China produced a great number of landscape paintings, Qin said, and these landscapes were not depictions of a view the artist saw. Rather, when viewing such a painting, you are experiencing the artists state of mind.

Qin had to first calm her mind, clear it of any stray thoughts, and keep only the purest of intentions before she wrote a single note.

In the end, her thoughts turned toward the three essential questions of life.

Where do we come from? What is the purpose of life? Where do we go after death? Qin asked. To think about the spirit is meaningful. As a human being, we live a few decades, and then we pass. What we will leave behind for others? I found this important to contemplate as well.

Shen Yuns mission is the revival of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, a culture believed to be divinely inspired, Qin explained. The entirety of this traditional culture was passed down by the divine, she said, and what God has always given people is hope.

In traditional cultures of both the East and the West, faith and hope are intertwined. Hope, as Thomas Aquinas examines thoroughly in his Summa Theologica, is only virtuous if one first has faith.

It is Qins wish that this piece brings a little hope to pianists and listeners alike.

We human beings should preserve the kindness and goodness in our hearts, no matter the external circumstanceswhether a pandemic, or a warwhatever chaos arises in the world around us, the one thing we can maintain is what is our our hearts, our goodness and dignity, Qin said.

The Myth of Pentatonic Music

Any casual listener can tell if music sounds as if it is Chinese, but the technical and structural components of Chinese musictraditional, ancient Chinese musicare beyond most of us.

A lot of people think its based on a pentatonic scalebut its actually not. In ancient China there were three scales most commonly used, but all three of these were seven-note scales, Qin said. They really used the same notes as the ones you find in Western classical music. But whats different is how the notes are used and arranged; the musical rules are then entirely different.

Qin spoke of studying ancient Chinese arts the way pianists study not just Bachs scores, but his life, in order to understand what the devout Lutheran had left behind in his music. It meant looking at those landscape paintings, and knowing what poems were composed in tandem with the paintings. It was reading the Chinese classic The Journey to the West while understanding what the author had gone through in life before he penned the story. Being immersed in this culture is part of what makes Qin one of the foremost composers of music that seamlessly blends East and West. Her works include the music heard in dance performances, where ancient Chinese melodies are brought to life with the arrangement and grandeur of a classical orchestra.

The pipa and the erhuboth of which we include in our orchestrasare two of the most distinct Chinese instruments, Qin said.

These two instruments are very characteristic of Chinese music, and so understanding them a bit is key to understanding how to express the music appropriately.

The pipa is an instrument that is strummed and plucked, many individual and separate notes are played, but the effect is a long unbroken lineits very interesting, and I like this instrument a lot, Qin said.

The erhu is the instrument closest to the human voice; it has only two strings, which are bowed to be played, but the expressive range and power is tremendous, Qin said. Many have made a comparison between the instruments two strings and the two bands that form our vocal chords; it is an instrument often used to express distinct emotion, from sorrow to mischief, longing to exaltation.

Theres probably a lot of different ways to interpret the music, but I tried to leave very clear directions, said Qin, who pored over the score with the publisher over and over, minding even the amount of space printed between two notes. So the interpreter as a lot of freedom, but can still find their way.

The 6th NTD International Piano Competition will take place in New York with the semifinal round on Oct. 31, final round on Nov. 1, and the awards ceremony with concert on Nov. 2. All three days will be livestreamed. For more information on NTD Competitions, visit Competitions.NTDTV.com
CHICAGOWith Ernani, Verdis fifth opera, his fame took a giant leap. The opera premiered in Venice in 1844, and then went on to world stages in London, Paris, and New York, making the Italian composer an international superstar in his own time.

Based on the Victor Hugo play, Hernani, with the libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, Ernani takes place in 16th-century Spain and revolves around a love quadrangle. At the center of the tale is the nobleman Ernani who has become an outlaw after the murder of his father and the confiscation of his estates. He is motivated by two passions: to revenge his fathers death and to marry Elvira, the woman he loves. But to have her for his wife, Ernani must first save her from the clutches of her aged uncle and guardian, Don Silva, who has plans to marry her, as well as from Don Carlo, the King of Spain, who also desires her hand.

The moral core of the tale, though, is not just about love and marriage, but also a struggle over ideas of life, duty, and death. Will honor triumph over love is the question at the operas climactic ending.

Ernani hasnt been performed in Chicago for almost 13 years. This production is part of Lyric Operas new music director Enrique Mazzolas initiative to present one of Giuseppe Verdis early operas within five seasons. Indeed, the new maestro brought out the melodic best from the performers and the fantastic Lyric orchestra in the spectacular revival.

Although it is not as well-known as some of Verdis greatest works, such as Rigoletto, La traviata, and Il trovatore, Ernani is still worthwhile for its exceptional arias, and enthralling duets.

Strong Male Voices

Focusing more specifically on the individual voices rather than the chorus was the most important aspect of the opera at the early stage of the Verdis career. This is the opera in which he defines for the first time his male vocal archetypes: the rock-hard bass (Silva), the lyrical and heroic tenor (Ernani), and the richness of the baritone (Don Carlo). Ernani was created from the combination and clash of these three voice types.

As Ernani, Russell Thomas delivers a strong tenor that captivates the woman he loves, as well as the Lyric audience. As Elvira, Tamara Wilson provided a wonderful soprano that went a long way in explaining why all the men are in love with her.

As Don Carlo, baritone Quinn Kelsey, who stole the hearts of Lyric audiences a few years ago in Rigoletto, once again stands out, this time as a king torn between the harshness of ruling and the empathy of kindness. Its not an easy stretch to make the switch between the two emotions believable, but Kelsey rises to the challenge.

As Silva, Christian Van Horn is an imposing presence who almost stops the show with his lush, deep bass-baritone, and although a villain, he comes across almost as a sympathetic figure when he reveals the heartache of having to give up the one desire of his elderly years.

Verdis music, under Mazzolas baton, comes across to perfection, and was given a stirring rendition by an ensemble of extraordinary vocal talents. Its a terrific production to kick off the Lyrics 68th season. In addition, under Louisa Mullers skillful and taut direction, the colorful opera features a fast-paced suspense that offers the excitement of a cloak-and-dagger thriller.

Furthermore, the scenic design by Scott Marr presents a stunning recreation of the Spanish opulence and elegance of 1519 Spain, the setting in which the events of Ernani unfold. The gargantuan and ornate wooden doors that reach to the ceiling, the spacious and empty halls of the Spanish castle, plus Duane Schulers lighting effectshanging chandeliersmake for dazzling imagery that is enhanced by Marrs ravishing period costumes that transport one to another time and another place.

The Lyric Chorus, led by chorus master Michael Black, once more is in top form, adding as they always do a rich textured background to Verdis enchanting score.

One last thing that always makes opening nights at the opera such a meaningful and special pleasure is the Lyrics commitment to begin its proceedings with the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner. Watching the entire audience stand up with hands on their hearts singing in unison the anthem of our great country is an experience in itself.

Ernani

The Lyric Opera of Chicago

20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago

Tickets: 312-827-5600 or LyricOpera.org

Runs: 2 hours, 50 minutes

Closes: Oct. 1, 2022
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) speaks at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, in Philadelphia, Pa. on July 28, 2016. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Tim Ryan Calls for Bipartisanship, Implores Democrats to Kill and Confront Extremist GOP Movement

While calling for bipartisanship and touting that he is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, Ohio Democratic Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Ryan also implored Democrats to kill and confront the extremist Republican movement in a Sept. 13 MSNBC interview.

According to multiple polls, Ryan and Donald Trump-endorsed Republican J.D. Vance are embroiled in a tight race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman.

Though voting records show that Ryan has voted with President Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, the 10-term Congressman is running as a populist and hopes to attract crossover voters in a state Trump won by eight points in 2016 and 2020.

Im one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. The last two congresses I have been in the top 10 percent of most bipartisan. I want to work across the aisle, Ryan told MSNBC.

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) speaks during an event at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on Oct. 13, 2019. (Duane Prokop/Getty Images for Wellness Your Way Festival)

Democrats arent right on everything, Ryan explained, adding that there are some Republicans he is not interested in working with to fix broken systems and move away from the current age of stupidity.

Some of those answers will come from Republicans, not the extremists that were dealing with every single day, Ryan said. Weve got to kill and confront that movement.

Its important to work with normal, mainstream Republicans, Ryan added.

A USA Today/Ohio-Suffolk University poll published earlier this week showed that 47 percent of voters in Ohio would cast their ballot for Ryan if the election were held today, while 46 percent said they would vote for Vance.

Six percent were undecided in a survey with a 4.4 percent margin of error.

Ryan has distanced himself from Biden in all but one visit to Ohioan Intel Corp. groundbreaking last weekbut his comments on MSNBC reflect Bidens onslaught against MAGA Republicans and Trump supporters.

During a recent appearance at a Democratic fundraiser rally in Maryland, Biden told a sparse audience, What were seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy. Its not just Trump, its the entire philosophy that underpins the Im going to say something, its like semi-fascism.

At the same event, Biden later said that he respects conservative Republicans but not these MAGA Republicans.

Biden has started traveling the country campaigning for Democratic candidates, including Ryan. An I&I/TIPP poll of 1,277 voters released on Sept. 12 indicated that 73 percent of Democrats believe the presidents comments about Trump supporters were divisive.

Only 50 percent of Republican respondents think that Bidens remarks drove Americans even farther apart, the poll shows.

Ryan is peppering the Ohio TV airwaves with ads presenting him as a candidate who is appealing to Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. Vance continues to point out Ryans voting record.

If you actually look at where he comes down on issues, its totally disingenuous, Vance recently told reporters. In his TV commercials, he says he believes things that his own voting record proves he doesnt believe in.

The Tim Ryan Im worried about is not the Tim Ryan of his well-produced TV commercials. Its the Tim Ryan who has spent 20 years in Washington and always votes with [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and Biden.

Earlier this month, Ryan suggested to Youngstowns WFMJ-TV that Biden should not run for president in 2024, adding that his hunch is that we need new leadership across the board Democrats, Republicans.

I think its time for a generational move for new leaders on both sides, Ryan added. I think the environment politically across the country is poisonous and, you know, people  want some change and I think its important for us in both parties.

Last month, Ryan criticized Bidens $500 billion student loan forgiveness plan. In 2021, Ryan said that eliminating student loan debt is great for people who have those student loans and families who have those student loans, including mine.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Vance arrives onstage after winning the primary, at an election night event at Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 3, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Vance told Fox News Digital that Ryan flip-flops in a matter of hours and tries to move away from positions he held in previous years.

I feel like each time I get out of an event, Tim Ryans tune has changed, Vance said. Hes trying to persuade people that hes a moderateor even a conservative Democratwhen his voting record is that hes a far-left guy. He always bends the knee to Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi.

Vances first post-Labor Day TV ad emphasizes his childhood in Middletown, located between Cincinnati and Dayton, the Democrats intent to defund the police, and Ryans rhetoric about the American criminal justice system.

The ad includes a clip of Ryan saying at a 2019 town hall that The current criminal justice system is racist. I believe in my heart that its the new Jim Crow.

Vance is endorsed by the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, which represents 23,000 law enforcement officers.

Vance is scheduled to join Trump at a Save America Rally on Sept. 17 in Youngstown, which is where Ryan lives.
Conservative MP Tom Kmiec rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 26, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Tory MP Drafts Bill Proposing to Hold Corporate Executives Accountable for Activist Statements

A Conservative MP is drafting a bill that proposes to hold officers and directors of large publicly traded companies accountable to shareholders whenever they make activist statements that have nothing to do with their line of business.

Tom Kmiec, who represents the riding of Calgary Shepard, says the bill would ensure that the interests of shareholders of large public corporations are prioritized above any agendas pushed by management that are unrelated to their business, yet can impact their bottom line and share value.

Im going to put shareholders back in the drivers seat in charge of the company, making sure to keep [the senior executives and board of directors] accountable, Kmiec told The Epoch Times. The purpose of business is to return value to shareholders, not to engage in the public debate of civic discourse.

The private members bill will target publicly traded companies registered under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) that have market shares worth $100 million or more. It seeks to amend paragraph 1 and subparagraph 1.1 of Section 122 of the CBCA, which deal with the duty of care of directors and officers and the best interests of the corporation, respectively.

In 2019, the Liberal government amended the CBCA through Bill C-97, which expanded the scope of fiduciary duties of corporations beyond the interests of shareholders.

It was drastically expanded to include a whole bunch of different other concepts like the long-term interests of the corporations, the environment, their employees, retirees, pensioners, creditors, consumers, and governments, Kmiec said, calling the changes stakeholder capitalism.

Everything Is Becoming Political

The Tory MP stressed that stakeholder capitalism is a system pushed by politicians who identify with the left wing, who maintain that corporations should support progressive causes as they have a responsibility to all of society.

When I hear things like that, all I hear is [that] the interests of the owners of the company dont matter anymore, and that shareholders should have to bear the costs of decisions that will very likely reduce their retirement  payments theyll receive in the future, and that will hurt them at the end of the day because theres another interest being played into here, he said.

With the changes made to the CBCA three years ago, corporations are now weighing in on almost every public policy issue, Kmiec said, and sometimes putting out statements that are just mobbing, and contributing to this irrational debate we sometimes have on unimportant complex issues.

Back in 2019 when the federal government made these changes, they were warned that something like this would happen, that companies will start going off track instead of focusing on their bottom line, he said.

This is what Canadians dont want. When I go buy my groceries, just like the rest of my constituents, they dont want to be moralized by their grocer, their retailer, or their car dealership on issues of social justice or on civil cultural issues that are going on right now.

Everything is becoming political, he added.

Duty of Care to Shareholders

Kmiec says his bill would not prevent corporations from making statements on political or social issues, but would require the social media, communication people to seek approval from their board of directors before they post activist statements beyond the scope of their business purpose.

The board of directors has to approve whatever statements are going to be made on any social media outlets, he said. After they approve it, at the next annual general meeting of the company, the shareholders will get the final say to  approve it or get to cancel it at that moment.

Should there be any damage caused to the companys reputation, bottom line, or share value as a result of the social media post, shareholders will have the authority to take legal action against the directors, if the bill passes in Parliament.

Shareholders will now be able to action that in court and sue the board of directors for harming the company, and it will extend the duty of care principle already in the act to the shareholders so that the board of directors has both a fiduciary responsibility and a duty of care to its shareholders, Kmiec explains.

He said the bill would allow companies to make statements that are material to their business.

If Wendys restaurant were to talk to me when I enter there about their grass-fed beef or how they source or how they never freeze their beef, thats entirely OK, he said. But what you dont want to hear about is Wendys restaurant talking about climate change when you enter and youre buying a burger.

The MP foresees pushback from the federal government and a few people who are woke.

I fully expect the gatekeepers to be all out there defending big businesses being allowed to take a side in political debate, but I just think thats not their role, he said.

A companys primary purpose is to return a profit, and profit should not be a dirty word. Profit is the outcome of success of delivering a service or product that people want and are willing to pay for.

The bill is expected to be introduced this fall.
It is common to hear someone complain, I cant sleep at night. I feel so cranky. What should I do?

If you often find it difficult to fall asleep, have many dreams while sleeping, or still feel tired after waking up, you probably suffer from insomnia.

While some people turn to sleep pills for help, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) practitioners suggest alternative methods to alleviate all those symptoms. They include acupoint massage, hot water baths, foot baths, and avoiding strenuous exercise before bed to improve sleep quality.

Insomnia was expounded as early as 2,000 years ago in the Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine (the fundamental doctrinal source of ancient Chinese medicine).

Insomnia is called sleeplessness in Chinese medicine, which refers to a condition in which normal sleep is hard to obtain, the depth of sleep is inadequate, or not long enough. In mild cases, it is difficult to fall asleep or sleep soundly, or one wakes up from time to time or cannot sleep again after waking up. In severe cases, sleeplessness all night often affects everyday work and life.

Unlike Western medicine, Chinese medicine believes that having too many dreams is also a symptom of insomnia because excessive dreams can lead to restless sleep or cause people to wake up from them.

Recently, Taiwan Shun Hsin Chinese Medicine Clinic advised that there are multiple factors causing insomnia. They include:

Psychological factors, such as tension, anxiety, or depression;

Lifestyle, such as jet lag, smoking, drinking caffeine or other stimulating drinks before going to bed;

Environmental factors, such as sound, light, smell, insect bites, uncomfortable bed;

Room temperature too low or too high;

Physiological factors include polyuria, cough, pain, or other physical discomforts.

More and more studies have also found that chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, depression, diabetes, and obesity and impairs cognitive function, memory, and the immune system.

Nine Ways for Better Sleep

To improve sleep quality, in addition to drug treatment, the post suggests nine ways to enhance sleep quality. They set out below:

Massaging acupoints, including Sanyinjiao, Yongquan, Shenmen, Neiguan, and Fengchi, can help to improve sleep quality. (Health 1+1/The Epoch Times)

1. Massaging various acupoints such as the Fengchi, Shenmen, Neiguan, Sanyinjiao, and Yongquan;

2. Hot water bath and foot bath, which can help relieve tension;

3. Use electric blankets or hot packs for around 30 minutes to warm up before going to bed;

4. Do not watch TV or use mobile phones one hour before going to bed; keep your mind calm;

5. People with nocturia should stop drinking water two hours before going to bed to avoid restless sleep due to frequent urination;

6. Avoid strenuous exercise such as running and fitness exercises four hours before bedtime;

7. After dinner, drink one cup of caffeine-free herbal tea, such as chamomile, mint, rose, lemon balm, and South African Rooibos;

8. If you cannot fall asleep, do not lie down all the time; get up and walk around, and do some light stretching exercises until you feel tired and sleepy;

9. Do not stress about not being able to sleep, or it will make insomnia worse.

In the end, the doctor reminds everybody who suffers from insomnia to find out what might be the cause first and follow some good sleeping practices regularly. If you still cant get rid of insomnia after much effort, you should seek medical help as soon as possible.
Trio Found Guilty of Assaulting or Helping to Assault Officers at US Capitol on Jan. 6

Three men were found guilty on Sept. 13 of assaulting or helping to assault law enforcement officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Patrick McCaughey III, 25, was found guilty of nine charges, including aiding or abetting or assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers, disorderly conduct on restricted Capitol grounds with a weapon, and other charges.

Tristan Stevens, 26, was found guilty of nine charges, including the assault charge and interfering with an officer during a civil disorder.

David Mehaffie, 63, was found guilty of four charges, including the assault charge and aiding and abetting in committing an act of violence in the Capitol building or on Capitol grounds.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, handed down the convictions after a bench trial, chosen by each defendant in lieu of a jury trial.

McFadden acquitted Stevens and Mehaffie of the charge of obstruction of an official proceeding.

McFadden said that U.S. prosecutors didnt prove that the defendants committed the felony, WUSA-TV reported. That finding was based, in part, because Mehaffie said that he thought the 2020 electoral votes were already certified when he arrived at the Capitol.

Additionally, McFadden declined attempts by prosecutors to add enhancements to the assault charges.

According to court documents, McCaughey used a riot shield to assault a Metropolitan Police Department officer during the Capitol breach. Stevens was said to have assaulted a U.S. Capitol Police Department officer, and Mehaffie was said to have assaulted an officer.

Evidence at the trial included surveillance and body camera footage.

McCaughey faces up to up to 70 years in prison. Stevens faces up to 57 years and six months in prison. Mehaffie faces up to 14 years in prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for Stevens on Jan. 13, 2023; for McCaughey on Jan. 26, 2023; and for Mehaffie on Jan. 27, 2023. Each side will file papers before then regarding the length of sentencing and factors the judge should consider before he hands down the sentences.

As of Sept. 6, more than 870 people have been charged in relation to the Capitol breach, including about 269 defendants with assault or assault-related charges, according to the Department of Justice. FBI agents are still pursuing hundreds of others believed to have committed crimes on Jan. 6.

About 380 defendants have pleaded guilty, including 80 to felonies.

Of the trials that have taken place, all have ended in convictions on at least one count except for one. McFadden acquitted a New Mexico man of four charges in April following a bench trial.
Aaron Babbitt with his wife, Ashli, who was killed at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Aaron Babbitt)

Trump Calls Ashli Babbitts Mother: We Are With You

Former President Donald Trump spoke to the mother of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed during the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, as she held a rally for Jan. 6 prisoners in Washington.

Its a terrible thing that has happened with a lot of people that have been treated very, very unfairly. We love Ashli and so horrible what happened to her, Trump can be heard saying in a video as he spoke to Micki Witthoeft, the mother, via a speaker phone.

You look at all of the riots that took placefor a long period of time, not just 2020, the last long period of time, and almost nothing has happened to those people, he continued, referring to the widespread Black Lives Matter-related unrest that occurred in the summer of 2020.

Trump recently said that if he becomes president again, he will issue pardons to some individuals who were charged by the Department of Justice in relation to the Capitol breach.

While Trump did not elaborate on whether he would issue more pardons during his call with Witthoeft, the 45th president said that he is supporting her in her efforts to uncover more details about Babbitts death. Witthoeft held a rally outside the District of Columbia jail where some Jan. 6 detainees are being kept.

We are with you. We are working with a lot of different people on this. We cant let this happen, said Trump.

Babbitt, a 35-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran, was gunned down by an officer outside the U.S. Capitol Speakers Lobby on Jan. 6. Video footage showed Babbitt climbing through a side window into the Lobby and was subsequently shot by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, Texas, on Aug. 6, 2022. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Her family members, including her husband, have said that she was murdered by the officer, who was not charged in connection with the case. One use-of-force expert told The Epoch Times for its Real Story of Jan. 6 documentary that he believes the shooting was unjustified.

My conclusion  based on what I saw and observed in the video clips, is that Ashli Babbitt was murdered, said Stan Kephart, a 42-year veteran of law enforcement and former director of security for the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. She was shot and killed under color of authority by an officer who violated not only the law but his oath, and committed an arrestable offense, he said.

An attorney for Byrd disputed his assertion, saying the conclusion was unsupported and erroneous. Byrd, he added, opened fire after Babbitt allegedly entered through the window and [refused] the verbal commands.
Kyrgyz border guards patrol at a border post in the village of Maksat, near the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, some 1,200 kilometers from Bishkek, on May 4, 2021. (Vyacheslav Oseledko/AFP via Getty Images)

2 Reported Killed in Clashes Between Kyrgyz and Tajik Border Guards

BISHKEKKyrgyz and Tajik border guards exchanged fire in three separate incidents in a border dispute on Wednesday, killing at least two people, officials on both sides said.

The clashes came on the eve of a regional security summit, and a day after new fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan raised fears of instability spreading to other parts of the former Soviet Union while Russian forces fight in Ukraine.

Kyrgyz border guards accused the Tajiks of having taken positions at a part of the border that has not been demarcated. The Tajik side said Kyrgyz guards had opened fire on a Tajik outpost without any provocation.

Clashes at the border occur regularly, and last year almost triggered an all-out war between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, both allies of Russia that host Russian military bases.

Kyrgyzstan said at least two of its servicemen and two civilians were wounded, and that fire had also been exchanged in two other areas in Batken Province, a southern area bordering Uzbekistan as well as Tajikistan.

Russias Foreign Ministry urged both sides to return the situation to the political and diplomatic arena and jointly prevent any kind of provocation, adding:

We express our readiness to assist the parties in reaching a long-term, mutually acceptable solution to border issues, using Russias rich experience in border demarcation, including with its Central Asian neighbors.

Kyrgyz media showed videos of residents of one border village leaving homes, saying they had been shelled from the Tajik side. Tajik media also showed children being evacuated from a school in a border village.

Kyrgyzstans border guard service said talks to end hostilities were under way.

Kyrgyz and Tajik leaders are expected to attend a summit of the Shanghai Security Organisation in Uzbekistan this week alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and other regional leaders.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SAIC Motor announced on Sept. 13 the MG MULAN (named "MG4 ELECTRIC" or "MG FOR ELECTRIC" in overseas regions) officially hit the global market. On the same day, 10,000 MG MULANs departed for European markets from Shanghai.

The new model is a full-electric hatchback built on SAIC's Modular Scalable Platform (known as the Nebula Platform in China) and fitted with Mofang (Rubik's Cube) batteries. Coming with four trim levels, the MG MULAN is priced between 129,800 yuan and 186,800 yuan ($18,640-$26,830) in China, while its price range for European markets is 31,990-37,990.

Photo credit: SAIC Motor

Targeting the global market, the MG MULAN (MG4 ELECTRIC) will go on sale in nearly 20 European countries, including Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, this year. By 2023, the all-electric model will become available for sale in over 80 countries on 6 continents worldwide, eyeing an annual global sales volume of 150,000 units. In 2025, the model is expected to be Chinas first global vehicle model to hit a cumulative sales volume of 500,000 units.

Photo credit: SAIC Motor

The MG MULAN is designed to appeal to consumers in both Chinese and overseas markets. At the front, the model features a shark-like nose section, three-eyed headlights, and a muscular bumper coupled with vertically placed air intakes. The lip spoiler delivers a dynamic overtone.

Photo credit: SAIC Motor

To meet various users' behaviors, SAIC Motor's R&D team designed and developed the model based on local conditions of different regions. For instance, in Europe, the MG MULAN (MG4 ELECTRIC) features a more concise interior and a harder chassis tuning than that of in China. In the Middle East, the cooling ability of the air-conditioning system has been improved to tackle the frequent torridity; in the mountainous region of Chile, the model's gradeability has been increased by 20%.
Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh thumbs through a well-worn, pocket-sized copy of the U.S. Constitution as he testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the second day of his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 5, 2018. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Understanding the Constitution: Originalism Was Not Invented by Partisan Republicans

Commentary

Several Supreme Court justicesmost consistently Clarence Thomasdescribe themselves as originalists. In a prior Epoch Times column , I answered the question, What is Originalism? I wrote:

Although originalists disagree among themselves over some details, they share one core belief: The courts should read the U.S. Constitution much the same way they read other documents  understand[ing] a document the same way the documents creators understood it.

Without the discipline of originalism, judges can, and do, inject their own preferences into the Constitution. In other words, they become unelected lawmakers.

Occasionally we are not certain about the exact meaning of a constitutional phrase. In such cases, even originalist judges must exercise discretion. But that discretion is narrower than the free rein assumed by non-originalist judges.

Serving Arbitrary Power

James Wilson was one of our leading Founders. In a lecture at what is now the University of Pennsylvania, he made the following observation:

Every plausible notion in favour of arbitrary power, appearing in a respectable dress, is received with eagerness, protected with vigilance, and diffused with solicitude, by an arbitrary government.

The truth of his comment is shown by the plethora of professors who pander to arbitrary, centralized power. Because the Constitution controls and limits power, they often spread nonsense about the Constitution. And sometimes its nonsense on stilts.

One illustration of nonsense on stilts is the claim that originalism was a partisan political idea cooked up by conservatives during the Reagan administration. The truth is that, although the label originalism is new, the idea it represents is very old.

Old Originalism

Originalism has been the standard way for interpreting most documents for centuries.

The ancient Greek historian Polybius (c. 200118 BCE) described a legal dispute where a key issue was the meaning of the word abduction in a particular law. When a party to the suit argued that a suggested interpretation was not the intention of the lawgiver, the magistrate allowed the party to explain why. Although the magistrate ultimately ruled the other way, the takeaway from the case is that the magistrate recognized the controlling force of the intention of the lawgiver. (Polybius, Histories 12.16.9).

Another example: The Byzantine-Roman Emperor Justinian (527565) ordered that Roman law be codifiedthat is, organized in a more usable form. The result, the Corpus Juris Civilis, is the foundation of modern European and Latin American law. The Corpus Juris also has influenced our Anglo-American common law in numerous ways.

A passage in the Corpus Juris, based on comments by a leading third-century commentator, explains how to interpret certain contracts: The reader is to consider both the words of the contract and the mens convenientiumthat is, the intention or understanding of the parties. (Justinians Digest, 2.14.7.8.) The passage gives an example that shows how testimony of intent can alter the apparent meaning of the words.

Unlike Greek and Roman legal systems, the English legal system was the direct ancestor of our own. For English lawyers and judges, the guide for interpreting legal documents was the intent of the makersthat is, the understanding of the parties.

If an English judge had to determine the meaning of a phrase in a contract, he asked, How did the parties to this contract understand this phrase? And if the evidence isnt clear on this point, what was their most likely understanding?

Similarly, if the disputed language appeared in a parliamentary statute, the judge asked, How did the Members of Parliament who voted for this law understand the phrase? Or, if the evidence isnt clear on this point, what was their most likely understanding?

This is pure originalism. And it was in full flower 500 years ago, if not earlier. In a 2007 scholarly article, I explained how it worked in practice (pdf).

Originalism = Textualism

This is a good place for a related observation: Many people confuse originalism with textualism. They are not the same thing.

Originalism is applying a document according to how its creators understood it. Textualism is a particular way of achieving that result. Textualism sometimes is appropriate and sometimes not.

Textualism means searching for the parties understanding from the text of the document only. A textualist does not consider outside evidence, such as prior history or testimony about what the parties intended.

Whether to consider outside evidence in a particular case is an age-old problem. It arises in many areas of the law: Thirty years ago, I examined the issue in a book on land conveyancesModern Law of Deeds to Real Property.

A much more famous commentator, the late Justice Antonin Scalia, pointed out that individual members of Congress and staffers often try to skew interpretation of a pending bill by injecting their own ideas into the legislative history. Therefore, Scalia argued, when reading modern federal statutes, we should ignore legislative history and examine only the enacted text.

In other cases, howeverincluding constitutional interpretationoutside evidence often is quite reliable and worth considering. So in constitutional interpretation, its not a good idea to be a pure textualist. The English jurists had a Latin maxim that said, Qui haeret in litera haeret in corticeWhoever sticks to the letter, sticks to the bark. This means that reading the text gives you only a superficial understanding of the document. You need to look at the context as well.

Early American Originalism

Even before the U.S. Constitution was written, judges started applying originalist principles to state constitutions. An example is the 1782 Virginia case of Commonwealth v. Caton. Six of the eight justices deciding the case were important American Founders, and all eight justices interpreted their state constitution according to the understanding of its makers.

In Caton, the state constitutions makers were the legislature that adopted it. However, the makers of the U.S. Constitution (as the Founders made clear) were the state ratifying conventions that converted the Constitutional Conventions recommendation into the supreme law of the land.

In 1803, after the U.S. Constitution had been in effect for 14 years, the Supreme Court decided the famous case of Marbury v. Madison, with Chief Justice John Marshall writing for a unanimous court.

In Marbury, the court had to construe a federal statute. Then it had to construe the Constitution to see if the statute complied with the Constitution. The court applied originalist methods to both: First, it interpreted the statute according to the intention of the law. Next, it interpreted the Constitutions grant of the judicial power according to the intention of those who gave this power.

Later History

Originalism remained the standard way of interpreting the Constitution until well into the 20th century. However, during the 1930s and 1940s, progressive Supreme Court justices (most of whom had no prior judicial experience) displaced originalism with methods of reading the Constitution that exalted federal power at the expense of individuals and the states. (See my Epoch Times series, How the Supreme Court Rewrote the Constitution.)

In other words, the methods applied by progressives are the new, partisan inventions. Originalism is the standard bequeathed by the ages.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Saltzman testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Sept. 14, 2022. (U.S. Committee on Armed Services/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

US Military Dominance in Space Faces Most Immediate Threat From China: Top Space Force General

The Chinese regimes aggressive efforts to dominate outer space posed the most immediate threat to the U.S. satellite capabilities and ground infrastructure, according to the general nominated to lead the U.S. Space Force.

The most immediate threat, in my opinion, is the pace with which our strategic challengers, first and foremost the Chinese, are aggressively pursuing capabilities that can disrupt, degrade and ultimately even destroy our satellite capabilities and disrupt our ground infrastructure, Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Saltzman said.

Saltzman, President Joe Bidens nominee to the Space Forces chief of space operations, made the remarks on Sept. 14 before the Senate Armed Services Committee. During his first confirmation hearing, he was questioned about U.S. satellite capabilities in the face of threats from the Chinese regime and Russia.

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) noted that the United States has gone from the unquestioned leader in space to merely one of two peers in a competition during the past decade, and most of the public doesnt realize the situation.

Saltzman, who currently serves as the deputy chief of space operations, said he is confident about U.S. military dominance, though he cant talk specifics given the hearings public nature.

We are still the greatest spacefaring nation on the planet, Saltzman told the senators. The Space Forces capabilities, what we can provide to the joint force, are extremely capable, and I still put us at the head of the table.

However, Saltzman noted the pacing advancement by China and Russia in their space capability is worrisome.

Unfortunately, our adversaries are investing heavily to close that gap and supersede us. Im worried about the pace with which they are making those changes, Saltzman said. China [is] first amongst them, but Russia is also committed to investing heavily in the kinds of capabilities that are going to disrupt, degrade, and even destroy our on-orbit capabilities. And so its that pace of change and their commitment to disabling it thats most concerning to me.

A Long March 7Y4 rocket carrying the Tianzhou 3 cargo ship launches from the Wenchang Space Launch Center, in Chinas southern Hainan Province, on a mission to deliver supplies to Chinas Tiangong space station on Sept. 20, 2021. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Warfighting Domain

While Saltzman said neither the Chinese regime nor Russia would cripple the United States today, he urged a shift to a more defensible architecture as the space has become a warfighting domain.

I think the best way to state that is the current attacks that we are seeing are not sufficient to take out our capabilities, he said. We are resilient and [as of] today.

As soon as we go into a crisis contingency, I do not believe we designed our system to operate in that level of a contested environment, he continued. So we need to change to a more defensible architecture to account for the fact that space has shifted from a benign environment to a more contested warfighting domain.

According to Saltzman, such a resilient architecture would be proliferated constellations comprising many small satellites instead of a few large ones, like the current structure of the U.S. forces.

I think we can look at some of the observations were seeing in Ukraine, that a distributed architecture where there are more satellites, with proliferated missions, thats harder to attack, he said. Big single satellites are much easier to attack than a distributed proliferated constellation of capabilities and becomes a tougher targeting problem.

Saltzman also agreed that the U.S forces could leverage space technology from commercial markets to ensure space dominance.

In July, Gen. John Raymond, current Space Forces chief of space operations, warned that the Chinese regime is reaching near parity with the United States regarding its space capabilities. Raymond added that the regime is working to develop technologies that could seize the military, civil, or commercial advantage in space.

Saltzman, who would replace Raymond if confirmed by the Senate, said one of his top priorities would be to ensure that were on track to build and field effective capabilities and then train the guardians to operate in a contested domain so that we can counter this activity by our strategic competitors.

Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.
US Should Put Aside Differences With Big Tech to Take on Beijing: Senator

Big Tech must pick between the West and China

The U.S. government needs to bury the hatchet with Big Tech and harvest the innovation of firms such as Google, Apple, and Facebook so that the West can better compete with Beijings rapid technological advancements, according to a visiting Australian senator.

Australian Sen. James Paterson, of the centre-right Liberal Party and now-shadow minister for countering foreign interference, said the great power struggle in the 21st Century would be marked by technological battlegrounds, such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, 5G, quantum computing, and green tech.

Paterson said that while politicians will never go out of business beating up on Big Tech, legislators should look toward the bigger strategic picture.

I am asking my parliamentary colleagues to lift their eyes from much more day-to-day and conventional domestic challenges posed by Big Tech to the horizon to contemplate the systemic risks we all face if they fail, he told the American Enterprise Institute in Washington on Sept. 13.

An indispensable part of the strategy to win the tech race in an age of strategic competition is a new compact with Big Tech. Nothing less than the survival of liberal democracies and the free enterprise system depends on it.

Paterson said governments dont have the resources, scale, and appetite for risk that tech giants such as Amazon or Intel have.

Western companies at the centre of the technological revolutionGoogles parent company Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Intel, and Microsoftaccounted for 70 percent of the U.S.s total commercial R&D expenditure in 2019, spending a combined $140 billion in comparison to the Pentagons $109 billion investment, he said.

Technological Leaps and Bounds

The senator warned that while the Soviet Union ultimately couldnt match the full range of U.S. innovation, the Chinese Communist Party was a different beast.

China has emerged as a full-spectrum competitor, with [Chinese leader] Xi Jinping declaring the battle for global technological superiority will be fierce,' Paterson said. Based on current trends, it is projected that China will overtake America in five to 10 years.

He noted that Chinas spending on research and development was nearly 90 percent of that of the United States and also cited former Air Force Chief Software Officer Nicolas Chaillan, who said Chinas victory in the field of AI was already a done deal.

The dual-use applications of AI are broad and could transform operations in financial, political, and military fields, Paterson said.

Beijing has supplied AI surveillance technology to 63 countries.

The senator also referenced research from Jonathan Dowling, a physics professor at Louisiana State University, who predicted Chinas communications network could go black in a few years, effectively blocking U.S. intelligence from being able to monitor it.

Quantum sensing could nullify stealth craft and radar jamming, and quantum computing could calculate highly complex equations and simulations in seconds, Paterson said.

Read More Quantum Computing as Important as the Atomic Bomb: Expert

Chinas Baidu recently revealed that it was developing its own quantum computer to compete with the United States. Thus far, Arthur Herman, a senior fellow at the conservative think tank Hudson Institute, said the United States was still far ahead in this field but warned of the need for vigilance.

The fact that we have a lead doesnt necessarily mean were going to win, he told China in Focus on NTD, a sister media outlet of The Epoch Times.

Winning Over the Global Order

Paterson also said the response to the Ukraine war demonstrated the willingness of Western tech firms to pick sides and back governments.

For example, Microsoft worked closely with the Ukrainian government to provide 24/7 intelligence sharing and deploy defences against cyberattacks. At the same time, Googles Project Shield has also been involved in similar initiatives.

Amazon Web Services helped migrate Ukrainian government services and data onto the Cloud to preserve information in case physical servers were destroyed, and Ukrainian forces used Elon Musks Starlink satellite to control drones to drop bombs on enemy targets.

Many Western tech companies have fought to keep the internet accessible to the Russian people to counter Russias attempts to raise a digital iron curtain,' Paterson said. But we must have the same expectation of Big Tech when it comes to potential scenarios in the Indo-Pacific. They must pick a side. And it must be ours.

He said swing states that are happy to fence-sit between democracies and Beijing will work with partners with the cheapest and best technology. But he said that if China was better at meeting their needs, it would make the world a much less safer place.

Despite our many legitimate frustrations with our own tech titans, we do have to choose ourselves whether we want them to prevail in their own competition with their counterparts in authoritarian countries, Paterson said. Because it will either be Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon who set the international rules of the road when it comes to technology, or it will be Tencent, ByteDance, Huawei, and HikVision.
Early voting for the Nov. 8 midterm elections begins in Pennsylvania as early as Sept. 19 with millions of Keystone State voters, such as those casting early ballots outside Philadelphias City Hall in October 2020, expected to vote by mail or in-person at designated polling sites before Election Day. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Early Voting for 2022 Midterms Starts in September in Nine States

Delaware, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire residents had not yet voted in their Sept. 13 primary contests before the first ballots cast in the Nov. 8 general election began arriving in North Carolina post offices on Sept. 10.

The day before, local elections officials across the state began mailing absentee or vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots to the 50,000 voters who requested them. Apparently, it didnt take long for some to return completed ballots.

North Carolina is the first state in the 2022 midterms elections to dispatch VBM ballots to voters, but it soon wont be alone. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are among states where officials will do so within days.

The three are among the 21 states where elections officials by state law must get VBM ballots to voters who requested them no less than 45 days before an election. This year, that would be Sept. 24.

Some statessuch as North Carolinahave tiered deadlines with VBM ballots sent to military and overseas voters weeks before they are mailed to in-state and domestic voters.

With VBM ballots in some states already being mailed, designated polling sites for in-person early voting are set to open in nine states in Septemberbeginning Sept. 19 in Pennsylvania and Sept. 23-24 in South Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota, Vermont, and Virginia.

VBM and in-person during early voting periods are non-traditional voting methods that have grown increasingly popular the last two decades. They became mainstream during the pandemic-skewered 2020 election.

More than 69 percent of the record-setting 159.6 million Americans who voted in 2020101.45 millioncast ballots via these non-traditional methods.

More than 65 million Americans voted by mail (42 percent) and 35.8 million voted early in-person (26 percent), according to an April 2021 analysis of the 2020 election by the U.S. Census Bureau.

All 50 states offer VBM, or absentee, ballot options to widely varying degrees. Nine statesCalifornia, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washingtonmail ballots to all registered voters. Local elections officials in these states can mail ballots to voters as soon as they are set for printing.

Early in-person voting, meanwhile, is allowed in 46 states. Alabama, Connecticut, Mississippi, and New Hampshire are the only exceptions, although all four provide VBM options.

As with VBM, there is great variation in when in-person early voting periods begin and how long they last from state to state and, in some states, from county to county.

Nine states require in-person early voting to be available at least 40 days before Election Day. At least four states schedule brief in-person early voting periods in the week before Election Day.

Of the 46 states that allow early in-person voting, 30 and the District of Columbia permit designated polling stations to open on Saturdays and Sundays.

Here is a roundup of states early voting dates with absentee ballot/VBM and voter registration deadlines:

 Sept. 19: PENNSYLVANIA: Early VBM and in-person voting in the Keystone State begins 50 days before Election Daythat would be Sept. 19and continues until 5 p.m. the Monday before Election Day, Nov. 7.

In other words: early voting begins in Pennsylvania as soon as ballots are ready. Voter registration deadline is Oct. 24 and VBM request deadline is Nov. 1.

 Sept. 23: SOUTH DAKOTA, WYOMING, MINNESOTA: All three states are statutorily required to have early in-person voting available within 40 to 46 days of Election Day. All three end their early voting periods on Nov. 7.

The voter registration deadline in South Dakota is Oct. 24. Wyoming and Minnesota are open-registration states where residents can register to vote up to and including on Election Day. Voters can request VBM ballots until the day before the election.

 Sept. 24: VERMONT, VIRGINIA: Early voting ends in Vermont on Nov. 7 and in Virginia on Nov. 5.

Vermont is an open-registration state where voters can register to vote up to and including on Election Day. Virginias voter registration deadline is Oct. 17 and VMB ballot request deadline is Oct. 28.

 Sept. 29: NORTH DAKOTA, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS: Early in-person voting ends in all three states on Nov. 7.

Illinois voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and VBM ballot request deadline is Nov. 3. North Dakota and Michigan are open-registration states where residents can register to vote up to and including on Election Day.

 Oct. 9: MAINE: Early voting begins as soon as ballots are available 30 to 45 days before Election Day and lasts until three business days before Election Day. This year, that equates to Oct. 9 through Nov. 3.

Maine is an open-registration state where voters can register to vote up to and including on Election Day, but it impose a Nov. 3 deadline on VBM ballot requests.

 Oct. 10: CALIFORNIA: One of nine states where all eligible voters are sent a VBM ballot that can be returned by mail, or dropped off at a voter center or similar location anytime before Election Day.

California also offers a 29-day period for in-person early voting. This year that is slated for Oct. 10 to Nov. 7.

 Oct. 11: NEW MEXICO, NEBRASKA, MONTANA, INDIANA: Thirty day in-person early voting periods expire Nov. 7 in three states with a 28-day span ending Nov. 5 in New Mexico.

Montana and New Mexico are open-registration states where voters can register to vote up to and including on Election Day. New Mexico imposes a Nov. 3 deadline on VBM ballot requests.

Nebraskas voter registration and VBM ballot request deadlines are both on Oct. 28. Indianaa voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 27.

 Oct. 12: ARIZONA, OHIO: Arizonas 27-day in-person early voting period ends on Nov. 4 while Ohios concludes 2 p.m. on Nov. 7.

The voter registration deadline in both states is Oct. 11. Arizonas VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 28 and Ohios is Nov. 5.

 Oct. 17: GEORGIA: Early in-person voting by state statute spans the fourth Monday prior to Election Day until the Friday before Election Day which, this year, translates to Oct. 17 through Nov. 5.

Georgias voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and the last Dayton request VBM ballots is Oct. 28.

 Oct. 18: OREGON: One of nine states where all eligible voters are sent a VBM ballot, local elections officials must begin to mail them 18 days before Election Day. This year, that is Oct. 19 according to Oregon and Oct. 21 according to Washington.

Oregons voter registration deadline is Oct. 18. All voters must receive VBM ballots no later than Oct. 27. Returned VBM ballots can be received through Nov, 7.

 Oct. 19: TENNESSEE, RHODE ISLAND, IOWA, KANSAS: In-person early periods end in three states on Nov. 7 and in Tennessee on Nov. 3.

Rhode Islands voter registration deadline is Oct. 9 and VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 18.

Tennessees voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and last day to request a VBM ballot is Nov. 1. State law allows local elections officials to dispatch VBM ballots to voters up to 90 days before an election.

Kansas voter registration deadline is Oct. 18 and VBM ballot request deadline Nov. 1,

In Iowa, the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election and to request a VBM ballot is Oct. 24.

 Oct. 20: NORTH CAROLINA: Early in-person voting period spans the third Thursday before Election Day until 3 p.m. the Saturday before Election Day, which equates to Oct. 20 to Nov. 5.

North Carolinas voter registration deadline is Oct. 14 and the last day to request VBM ballots  more than 50,000 had by Sept. 9  is Nov. 1.

 Oct. 21: WASHINGTON: An open-registration state where voters can register to vote up to and including on Election Day, Washington is one of nine states where all eligible voters are sent a VBM ballot.

Local elections officials must begin to mail VBM ballots 18 days before Election Day with in-person early voting made available on that same day.

This year, 18 days from Election Day is Oct. 21 in Washington and Oct. 19 in neighboring Oregon.

 Oct. 22: NEVADA, MASSACHUSETTS: Both states end their in-person early voting periods on Nov. 4.

An open-registration state where voters can register to vote up to and including on Election Day, Nevada is one of nine states where all eligible voters are sent a VBM ballot.

Massachusetts voter registration deadline is Oct. 19 and last day to request a VBM ballot is Nov. 1.

 Oct. 24: COLORADO, TEXAS, SOUTH CAROLINA, IDAHO, ARKANSAS, ALASKA, FLORIDA: Early in-person voting extends to the day before Election Day in four  Colorado, Arkansas, Alaska, Idaho  of these seven states, until Nov. 4 in Idaho and Texas, and until Nov. 5 in Florida.

Colorado is an open-registration state where voters can register to vote up to and including on Election Day and is also among nine states where all eligible voters are sent a VBM ballot.

In South Carolina, the voter registration deadline is Oct. 7 and VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 28. In Arkansas, the voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and VBM ballot request deadline is Nov. 1.

In Alaska, the voter registration deadline is Oct. 9 and VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 29. In Texas, the voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and the last day to readiest a VBM ballot is Oct. 28.

In Idaho, the voter registration deadline is Oct. 14 and VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 17. County clerks are required to mail VBM ballots by Sept. 23

In Florida, state statute requires in-person early voting for 11 to 15 days before Election Day. Each county elections supervisor can offer up to six more days of early voting beginning no sooner than Oct. 24 and no later than Oct. 29.

 Oct. 25: LOUISIANA, UTAH, HAWAII, WISCONSIN, MISSOURI: These five states are required by state law to open in-person early voting 14 days before Election Day with Louisiana closing its early voting on Nov. 1, Utah Nov. 4, Wisconsin Nov. 5, and Hawaii and Missouri on Nov. 7.

Louisianas voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and its last date to request a VBM ballot is Nov. 4. Wisconsins voter registration deadline is Nov. 4 and its last date to request a VBM ballot is Nov. 6. In Missouri, the voter registration deadline is Oct. 12 and the VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 26.

Utah and Hawaii are both open-registration states where residents can register to vote up to and including on Election Day and are among the nine states where all voters receive VBM ballots.

 Oct. 26: WEST VIRGINIA: The states 13-day in-person early voting period ends Nov. 5. Its voter registration deadline is Oct. 18 and last day to request a VBM ballot is

 Oct. 27: MARYLAND: Marylands in-person early voting span begins the second Thursday before Election Day and ends the Thursday before Election Day. Which equates to Oct. 27 to Nov. 3. The state voter registration deadline is Oct. 18 and VBM ballot request deadline is Nov. 1.

 Oct. 28: DELAWARE: The states in-person early voting period begins at least 10 days before Election Day which, this year, means Oct. 28 to Nov. 5. An open-registration state where residents can register to up to and including on Election Day, the state is required to begin mailing VBM ballots beginning Oct. 10 begin to those who request them.

Oct. 29: NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY: New York is required to have at least 10 days of in-person early voting while New Jersey can offer up to 45 days. As of Sept. 14, elections officials in both states list Oct. 29 as the date in-person early voting begins.

In New York, early voting ends Nov. 6. The states voter registration deadline is Oct. 14 and VBM ballot request deadline is Nov. 7.

In New Jersey, early voting ends Nov. 5. The states voter registration deadline is Oct. 18 and VBM ballot request deadline is Nov. 7.

 Nov. 2: OKLAHOMA: Early voting begins later in the Sooner State than all but one of the 46 states that allow the practice, kicking off the Wednesday before Election says and ending at 2 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day.

Oklahomas voter registration deadline is Oct. 14 and the last day to request VBM ballots is Oct. 24.

 Nov. 3: KENTUCKY: In-person early voting begins the Thursday before Election Day and ends the Saturday before Election Day, which equates to Nov. 3-5. The three-day span is the shortest early voting period in the nation.

Kentuckys voter registration deadline is Oct. 11 and its VBM ballot request deadline is Oct. 25.
A pro-life activist holds a plastic fetus in a protest in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, on June 23, 2022. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

West Virginia Passes Near-Total Abortion Ban With a Few Exceptions, Sends to Governors Desk

The West Virginia legislature passed a near-total abortion ban on Tuesday, sending the measure to the governors desk.

If it becomes law, some Republicans in the state have said they hope it will make it impossible for the states only abortion clinic to continue to offer the procedure.

The proposed legislation bans abortions with exceptions that include medical emergencies. It also creates an exception for cases of rape or incest, if the incident was reported to law enforcement at least 48 hours before the abortion procedure.

For minors who fell victim to rape or incest, the bill stipulates that if they undergo abortion, a guardian must have been informed about the procedure, and the minor must wait 48 hours before the abortion.

Under the bill, H.B. 302, a doctor who carries out an illegal abortion could have his or her medical license taken away, or face discipline from their respective medical board.

Felony Conviction

The text of the bill (pdf) also says that surgical abortions can only be carried out at a state-licensed hospital by a doctor with hospital privileges.

Any other person who performs an abortion or attempts to perform or induces an abortion but is not authorized to do so under state lawincluding nurses and other healthcare professionalswould face a felony conviction and shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than 3 years and not more than 10 years.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, has previously signed several pro-life bills since he took office in 2017.

H.B. 307 stalled in late July when lawmakers failed to come to an agreement. But they resumed debate on the measure on Tuesday, approving the bill in both the Senate and House after debating for several hours while dozens of protesters in pink bans off our bodies shirts holding abortion is healthcare signs held a rally in the Capitol rotunda.

Both the Senate and the House of Delegates speedily approved the bill after several hours of debate.

Kaylen Barker, a spokesperson for the Womens Health Center of West Virginia, said the clinic will not be shutting down even if staff members are no longer able to provide abortions. Like many clinics that perform abortions, it dedicates most days to services such as gender-affirming hormone therapy, HIV prevention and treatment, and routine gynecological carecervical exams, cancer screeningsmostly for low-income patients on Medicaid.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen tours Ford's Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Mich., on Sept. 8, 2022. After her tour Yellen delivered remarks on the economy. (Sarah Rice/Getty Images)

When Will Low-Income Americans Stop Looking to Government?

Commentary

New polling data from Gallup show Americans arent having an easy time during this period of rising prices.

According to Gallup, 56 percent of Americans say now that rising prices are causing severe or moderate hardship.

Drilling down, we see that the hardship isnt shared equally.

Among low-income households, those with income less than $48,000, 74 percent report they are experiencing hardship. Among middle-income households, with income of $48,000 to $89,999, 63 percent report hardship. And among upper incomes, $90,000 and above, 40 percent report experiencing hardship.

But Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen showed up at Fords Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, recently with an upbeat economic message reminiscent of the joke, Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?

Yellen announced that she is more optimistic about the course of our economy than I have been in quite a while.

The Biden administration hopes to blow enough smoke into the eyes of voters so that reality wont set in until the November elections have passed.

Yellen ought to consider reading the latest long-term budget and economic projections from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Per CBOs just-published The 2022 Long-Term Budget Outlook, over the next 30 years, the U.S. budget deficit, as a percent of our gross domestic product (GDP), will be double what it has averaged over the past half-century, and national debt as a percentage of GDP will reach historically high levels, arriving to a mind-boggling 185 percent of GDP in 2052.

The result of this ongoing absorption of the U.S. economy into the hands of government and politicians will be, according to CBO, a slowing and sputtering of the U.S. economy.

From 2022 to 2052, real potential GDP increases an average of 1.7 percent per year, per the report, compared to an average of 2.4 percent over the previous 30 years: 1992 to 2021.

However, from 1950 to 2000, the U.S. economy grew at an average annual rate of 3.5 percent.

So, per the picture CBO paints for us regarding our economic future, we can expect growth to be half what it averaged for the half-century following the end of World War II.

What does this mean to the average American?

Per Hoover Institution economist John Cochrane, it means that over the next 50 years, household income will be half of what it would have been, had the economy grown at the faster historical rate.

This isnt a pretty picture for any American.

But for low-income Americans, its particularly dismal.

The American dream has always been that although you may start with nothing, there is a future for you to build and accumulate wealth.

That dream is being shattered.

And its being shattered by government and politiciansDemocrats who now control our governmentwho pretend to be concerned about these same low-income Americans.

More and more government spending, more and more government sucking the oxygen out of our economy by pulling resources away from the private sector and redirecting it toward political control, supposedly to help have-nots, just destroys opportunity for everyone.

In Gallup polling reported in a survey done by my organization CURE, 70 percent of black Americans feel the country is divided into haves and have-nots, and 57 percent of blacks feel they are among the have-nots.

The challenge of all those who see the whole nation sinking under the weight of misguided government, and certainly I am talking about Republicans, is to reach our black citizens and get them to believe that the path to opportunity, the path to becoming a have, is a free economy.

If our black citizens, and all Americans who feel the country is unfair, realize that freedom, and not government, is the path to wealth creation, we can turn a sinking ship around.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping begins a review of troops from a car during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Will Chinas Moment of Advantage Lead to War With America?

Commentary

In early 1993, at a conference in Virginia, the Secretary of Defenses Office of Net Assessment director, the great Andrew Marshall, presented his staff and consultants with a long-term thought experiment: How could the United States fight and win a war for national survival circa 2020 to 2025?

Marshall didnt name the adversary, but Id heard him ask a version of the question in his office a couple of months earlier.

So, Id thought about potential adversaries three decades on

You mean against China? I blurted out. Silence among the conferees. The future admiral sitting to my right shot me a glance.

Then Marshall nodded. Yes, China.

Andrew Marshall very likely had the finest strategic mind of his era. He wanted everyone in the room to consider the political, technological, economic, military, social, bilateral, regional, and global contexts for such a terrible war.

A subset of politics is leadership.

Its now 2022were within Andy Marshalls long-range time frame for a U.S.-China war of ultimate consequence.

Burn the words in your brain: war for national survival.

Ukraine is fighting one against another imperialist dictatorship, Russia. Vlad Putins Russia, like Xi Jinpings China, justifies expansionary wars on questionable historical claims of lost territory and injustice that incite ethnic passions. Substituting racist for ethnic is quite fair. What Teuton supermen were to Adolf Hitlers Gross-Deutschland 1942, ethnic Han are to Xis Greater China circa 2022.

Chinas bribed media and academia wont tell that story. But its the truth. Ask the Turkic Uyghurs in western China, the victims of a genocide perpetrated by Beijings privileged Han.

Chinese war scenarios proliferate in the Pentagon. Buyer beware: scenarios are projections, not predictions. My last book, Cocktails From Hell (Bombardier Books, 2018) sketched five scenarios. Here are two:

No. 1: A meeting engagement in the South China Sea. The cause: Chinas aggressive territorial claims in the area and outright theft of Filipino territory. As tensions mount, accident, incompetence and/or itchy trigger fingers ignite a deadly sea battle involving U.S. and Chinese forces. Diplomacy prevents escalationmaybe. If the U.S. Navy comes out second best, China gains a diplomatic edge throughout the western Pacific.

No. 2: China Invades Taiwan. The cross-Strait invasion ignites The Big One. It also craters the global economy (including Chinas), so economic factors make a case Beijings threats are bluster. But dont dismiss the possibility. Xi is fanatically committed to seizing Taiwan. In the 1962 Sino-India War, Chinas surprise attack caught India off guard.

Several factors indicate China has a moment of strategic advantage, a window of opportunity from now until 2026 to deal the U.S. a severe defeat. Beijings goal: diplomatic and economic superiority lasting decades. U.S. weakness could lead to Taiwanese capitulation.

Arguably, China has a military edge along the Asian littoral and into the western Pacific. Its modernized military forces are powerful. Chinas navy has more ships than the U.S. Navy and can focus its power on the western Pacific. The United States confronts a hull deficitnot enough ships to maintain a global naval presence (which has a deterrence effect prior to war) and not enough to fight a widely dispersed battle when conflict erupts.

China has a plan to defeat U.S. Navy carrier battle groups approaching Taiwan or force them to remain east of Hawaii. Its called anti-access/area denial using ballistic carrier killer missiles and subs. U.S. Navy carrier groups have immense offensive power but are big targets. U.S. admirals know losing one carrier is a major defeat.

China has a leadership advantage, at least through January 2025. Beijing knows it will never confront an American president as weak as President Joe Biden. His administrations Afghanistan debacle put its incompetence, weakness, and arrogant fecklessness on global display.

However, serious problems threaten to erode Chinas edge. China faces population decline. StrategyPage.com recently pointed out Chinas GDP growth rate continues to slide as bank failures increase. Beijing is now concentrating on preventing a collapse of the financial system.

Can anything be done to counter Chinas moment of advantage? The answer is yes, and Ill address several ideas in my next column.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Karoline Leavitt defeated five opponents in the New Hampshire Republican primary on Sept. 13. If elected in November, she would be one of the youngest members of the U.S. Congress. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Gen-Z Republican Wins New Hampshire Primary

One of the youngest New England candidates seeking office in Washington has won her bid for the Republican nomination for a U.S. House seat representing New Hampshire.

Karoline Leavitt defeated all five of the other candidates, including lead contender Matt Mowers, who was endorsed by then-President Donald Trump in 2020 in his first bid to unseat Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.).

Leavitt will now take on Pappas in November in hopes of taking over his seat in the states 1st Congressional District.

She joins 25-year-old Florida Republican Calvin Wimbish, whos running for a U.S. House seat in Florida, as the two youngest candidates running for U.S. Congress.

On Sept. 14, Trump wrote: Amazing job by Karoline Leavitt in her great New Hampshire victory. Against all odds, she did itand will have an even greater victory on Nov. 8. Wonderful energy and wisdom!!!

On Aug. 23, Wimbish, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, won his bid for the Republican nomination for Floridas 10th Congressional District seat.

In her victory speech, Leavitt wasted no time, taking on her naysayers, many of whom called her too young or too immature to conquer 33-year-old Mowers.

They said I was too young, we could never raise the money to compete, and that we could never beat a former Republican nominee, Leavitt said in alluding to Mowerss win of the Republican ticket against Pappas in 2020.

Mowers, who had other big name endorsements besides Trump for this years primary, including former U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo, lost to ultra-liberal Pappas by a 5 percent margin.

Leavitt had her own bragging rights, earning endorsements from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), founder of the Freedom Caucus and a Trump ally.

Cruz said he endorsed Leavitt because she has the leadership to stand up to the Swamp.

Leavitt, a former White House press writer, was also heavily endorsed by her former boss, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a moderate Republican who serves as chair of the House Republican Conference.

Karoline is a rising star in the Republican Party who will carry the torch of conservative values for generations to come, Stefanik said about Leavitts candidacy.

Leavitt appears to have beaten out Mowers, a former White House adviser, by about 10 percentage points. Gail Huff Brown, the third-leading Republican in the eight-candidate race, trailed Mowers by less than 8 percentage points, according to the election results so far.

Brown, a former Boston TV anchor, is the wife of Scott Brown, the last Republican to win a U.S. Congressional race in Massachusetts.

Although Mowers had more political credentials, Leavitts appeal to New Hampshire may have had something to do with her being a native of the New England state. Mowers is from New Jersey.

In a comment she posted on Twitter following her victory speech, Leavitt said, We were outspent, but we were not outworked. Thank you to the people of my home district for believing in me! I am humbled by the outpouring of support, and honored to be your #NH01 Republican Nominee.

Her campaign also seemed to have resonated more with the states hard-right Republicans.

Leavitts proposals and beliefs include a zero-tolerance policy for illegal immigration and red flag laws that restrict people who are declared incompetent to possess a firearm.

She has also said emphatically that she would vote to impeach President Joe Biden for what she called dereliction of duty at our southern borders.

Correction: a previous version of the article incorrectly described an endorsement by Donald Trump. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Greg and Rita Raucci had long been looking for a coastal house anywhere from Milford to Stonington. Then, one day in March 2018, Greg saw a 1920s cottage in a real estate flier. It had been on the market for a while and the price had dropped. And while they had never heard of the Indian Neck section of Branford, they decided to Google it and go take a look.

We werent searching for a waterfront property, but we knew that we wanted to be near the water, says Rita, whose primary home is in Fairfield County. This cottage met our criteria, and then some, sitting only one house away from the beach. It checked other boxes too  city water, city sewer, and a marina nearby for Gregs boat. I dont particularly care for boating, but I wanted to be able to take a walk by the shore.

After purchasing the cottage in April 2018, they originally thought theyd fix up the two-bedroom, one-bathroom, 900-square-foot house and winterize it. But after spending their first summer there, they tapped Joe Sepot of Branford-based Joseph Sepot Architects to design something bigger and more aesthetically pleasing. They wanted a place where their two children could visit with their families as well as a home in which they could one day reside year-round.

Dennis M. Carbo Photography

I produced several preliminary sketches to show Rita and Greg. I wanted to be sure I captured everything they wanted to have in their second home, says Sepot, who does a lot of commercial work in the Greater New Haven area with Gregs firm, Bismark Construction of Milford. Its a very, very tight site. The footprint of the house is long and narrow due to local zoning restrictions. We knew it was important to maximize daylight and create a sense of expansiveness within the compact footprint. We selected light interior finishes to reflect daylight to further this goal.

After putting pencil to paper, Sepot put together a set of drawings that Greg, who took on the role of contractor, could move forward with. It included an open kitchen, eating and living area; master bedroom; a second bedroom with multiple beds for the couples five grandchildren; two bathrooms; and a laundry area. The plans, which almost doubled the homes square footage, also kept the screened-in porch at the back of the house, which was important to them in maintaining a summery feel.

Dennis M. Carbo Photography

I never thought that on that site that wed be able to get the square footage that Joe was able to get, Greg says. The screened porch doesnt count as living square footage, but when we open up these wide, 16-foot sliders, the house just expands. Even in the winter and the other seasons, the grandkids are always playing on the porch, so its extra space for us.

The exterior of the house radiates charm and includes classic detailing traditionally found in vintage 19th-century cottages, as does the detached two-car garage, which they restored during the propertys six-month construction process, which began in February 2019. To reduce its horizontal massing, the exterior of the home is differentiated by a mixture of building materials including painted board and batten siding and stained cedar shingles.

Dennis M. Carbo Photography

Greg adds that a side pergola is the perfect design element against the white siding and brings the cottage feel into perspective, especially when you see the size and unique flare of the raft tails from our walk back from the beach. We were surprised how the pergola provides shade at times with the angle of the sun within the kitchen.

Sepot says that the pergola visually balances the overall elevation of the home. It adjusts the homes vertical massing, bringing the eye down, and creates an intimate outdoor living area that is perfect for family gatherings and dining al fresco. Plus, its located off the kitchen for ease of entertaining.

Dennis M. Carbo Photography

We didnt build one of those huge mega mansions, Greg says. Rita and I liked the cottage style and we wanted to keep it typical to the area. One of Ritas prerequisites was that wed still have a lawn for the grandkids to run around. And it worked out great.

In fact, Greg thought the house came out so well that he suggested Sepot submit it for an award. As luck would have it, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Connecticut recently recognized the home with an Alice Washburn Excellence Award in the New Construction category. Named for the distinguished Connecticut designer and builder of the 1920s, the program acknowledges excellence in traditional house design through the thoughtful adaptation of tradition to address 21st-century needs.

Dennis M. Carbo Photography

Jurors noted: Well-proportioned, clean, simple lines. Highly efficient use of space and effective daylighting. A delightful retreat, scaled to a laid-back day at the beach. Great things come in small packages!

At the end of the day, I just wanted to have a place where the family could come, says Greg, who enjoys being close to their main residence. It turned out perfect since our kids are within driving distance. I didnt want a place too far where they would have a tough time being with us in the summer. When people move far away for second homes, I dont understand it. You dont have to go far to find it.
Zhejiang High People's Court has upheld the death sentence of a United States citizen found guilty of intentional homicide.

Shadeed Abdulmateen was convicted of the murder of a woman surnamed Chen. Lying that he was divorced and single, Abdulmateen began a relationship with Chen in 2019. After Chen said she wanted to end their relationship, Abdulmateen arranged to meet her. On July 14 last year, he killed her by stabbing her in the neck and face. At his trial, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to death.

That sentence has been upheld by the court of the second instance.

When Abdulmateen committed his crime, he was a teacher at Ningbo University of Technology. It is hard to imagine how someone like him could be employed as a teacher. His case should sound an alarm to all universities, colleges, middle schools and other institutions to check the credentials of foreign job applicants and do interviews with them in a strict manner so as not to recruit such persons again in the future.

Those on Western social networks claiming that the case shows China is "anti-foreigner" are talking nonsense. Soon after Abdulmateen received the verdict of the court, Francis Stonier, an associate professor at Southwest University, received wide applause on Chinese social media networks for his active participation in the fight against forest fires in Chongqing municipality. Being able to use and mend a chain saw, Stonier volunteered to stand together with locals in cutting down trees to make isolation belts. To foreigners who live here law abidingly and in friendship, the Chinese people are willing to show their friendliness in return.
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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)  With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa.

In July, the U.N. health agency designated monkeypox as a global emergency and appealed to the world to support African countries so that the catastrophic vaccine inequity that plagued the outbreak of COVID-19 wouldn't be repeated.

But the global spike of attention has had little impact on the continent. No rich countries have shared vaccines or treatments with Africa, and some experts fear interest may soon evaporate.

Nothing has changed for us here, the focus is all on monkeypox in the West, said Placide Mbala, a virologist who directs the global health research department at Congos Institute of Biomedical Research.

The countries in Africa where monkeypox is endemic are still in the same situation we have always been, with weak resources for surveillance, diagnostics and even the care of patients, he said.

Monkeypox has sickened people in parts of West and Central Africa since the 1970s, but it wasn't until the disease triggered unusual outbreaks in Europe and North America that public health officials even thought to use vaccines. As rich countries rushed to buy nearly all the world's supply of the most advanced shot against monkeypox, the World Health Organization said in June that it would create a vaccine-sharing mechanism to help needy countries get doses.

So far, that hasnt happened.

Africa is still not benefiting from either monkeypox vaccines or the antiviral treatments, said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHOs Africa director, adding that only small amounts have been available for research purposes. Since 2000, Africa has reported about 1,000 to 2,000 suspected monkeypox cases every year. So far this year, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified about 3,000 suspected infections, including more than 100 deaths.

In recent weeks, monkeypox cases globally have fallen by more than a quarter, including by 55% in Europe, according to WHO.

Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, head of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, said the lack of help for Africa was reminiscent of the inequity seen during COVID-19.

Everybody looked after their (own) problem and left everybody else, he said. Adetifa lamented that monkeypox outbreaks in Africa never got the international attention that might have prevented the virus from spreading globally.

Rich countries have stretched their vaccine supplies by using a fifth of the regular dose, but none have expressed interest in helping Africa. WHO's regional office for the Americas recently announced it had struck a deal to obtain 100,000 monkeypox doses that will start being delivered to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean within weeks. But no similar agreements have been reached for Africa.

I would very much like to have vaccines to offer to my patients or anything that could just reduce their stay in the hospital, said Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a professor of medicine at Nigerias Delta University and a member of WHOs monkeypox emergency committee.

Since WHO declared monkeypox a global emergency, Nigeria has seen the disease continue to spread, with few significant interventions.

We still do not have the funds to do all the studies that we need, Ogoina said.

Research into the animals that carry monkeypox and spread it to humans in Africa is piecemeal and lacks coordination, said Mbala, of Congos Institute of Biomedical Research.

Last week, the White House said it was optimistic about a recent drop in monkeypox cases in the U.S., saying authorities had administered more than 460,000 doses of the vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic.

The U.S. has about 35% of the worlds more than 56,000 monkeypox cases, but nearly 80% of the worlds supply of the vaccine, according to a recent analysis by the advocacy group Public Citizen.

The U.S. hasn't announced any monkeypox vaccine donations for Africa, but the White House did make a recent request to Congress for $600 million in global aid.

Even if rich countries start sharing monkeypox tools with Africa soon, they shouldn't be applauded, other experts said.

It should not be the case that countries only decide to share leftover vaccines when the epidemic is declining in their countries, said Piero Olliaro, a professor of infectious diseases of poverty at Oxford University. It is exactly the same scenario as COVID and it is still completely unethical."

Olliaro, who recently returned to the U.K. from a trip to Central African Republic to work on monkeypox, said WHO's emergency declaration appeared to offer no tangible benefits in Africa.

In Nigerias Lagos state, which includes the country's largest city and is hard hit by monkeypox, some people are calling for the government to urgently do more.

You cant tell me that the situation wouldnt have improved without a vaccine, said Temitayo Lawal, 29, an economist.

If there is no need for vaccines, why are we now seeing the U.S. and all these countries using them? he asked. Our government needs to acquire doses as well.

___

Maria Cheng reported from London.
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SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP)  The president of the Dominican Republic has barred Haitis former interim prime minister  who is now an aspiring presidential candidate  from entering the country, a move that further heightens tensions between two nations that share the island of Hispaniola.

The order against Claude Joseph that was signed Wednesday by Dominican President Luis Abinader also bans 12 Haitian gang leaders from entering the country. It comes as Haiti is becoming increasingly unstable following the July 7, 2021, assassination of its president, Jovenel Moise.

Joseph welcomed Abinaders ban on Thursday.

He ranks me as enemy No. 1 of the Dominican racists. It is not a sanction. Its an honor. I receive it in the name of fathers Dessalines, Toussaint and Christophe, he tweeted, referencing Haitian revolutionary heroes.

Abinaders order, which authorizes the president to ban anyone from entering the country if they have a criminal record or pose a threat to national security, is the latest tussle between Joseph and Dominican officials.

Joseph, who was foreign affairs minister when Moise was slain, became interim prime minister for a brief period with the backing of police and the military.

When Ariel Henry was installed as Haiti's prime minister nearly two weeks after Moises killing, Joseph reverted to being minister of foreign affairs. He stepped down following an acrimonious exchange with Dominican officials following a tweet in November 2021 in which Joseph suggested that the Dominican Republic wasnt a safe country.

Dominican officials bristled at the allegation, and ties between the two countries have since soured, especially given a spike in Haitian migrants crossing over to the Dominican Republic as they flee deepening poverty and a spike in gang-related kidnappings and killings since Moises assassination.

The influx of migrants also has led to an increase in racist and xenophobic incidents in the Dominican Republic against Haitians and those born in that country to Haitian parents.

In February 2022, Abinader announced his administration would build a multimillion-dollar, 118-mile (190-kilometer) wall along the Haitian border. The announcement came months after Abinader warned at the United Nations General Assembly that there is not and will never be a Dominican solution to the crisis in Haiti.

Since stepping down as foreign affairs minister last year, Joseph has become increasingly critical of Haitis prime minister on social media and has demanded answers from the ongoing investigation into Moises death.

He recently founded a new political party, Committed to Development, with the aim of running for president when elections are held at a still-unspecified date.

He spoke about the increasingly tense relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic during a political gathering on Saturday.

Haiti will never be transformed into the backyard of the Dominican Republic, Joseph said. I oppose the hegemonic and dominating will of the Dominican racists. I remember asking President Luis Abinader to stop speaking ill of Haiti in his official speeches.

"I must clarify that our battle is not aimed at the entire Dominican Republic. The two nations are condemned to live as brothers. We fight against condescending racists and ultranationalists. I pay tribute to the Dominican elites who recognize the existence of anti-Haitian racism in their country.

___

Associated Press reporter Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico contributed.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexicos governor on Wednesday signed a new executive order that pledges $10 million to build a clinic that would provide abortions and other pregnancy care.

The goal here is build it and they will come, Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham said after signing the order during a virtual announcement that included members of the state's Commission on the Status of Women and several legislators.

The governor noted that New Mexico already has seen an influx of patients following the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade as abortions have ceased in neighboring Texas and elsewhere.

Lujan Grisham, who is running for reelection against Republican Mark Ronchetti, signed her first executive order on the matter in late June. It was aimed at ensuring safe harbor to people seeking abortions or providing abortions at health care facilities within the state.

The latest order reiterates her commitments to protecting access in addition to directing state agencies to leverage their resources to expand access to reproductive health care  including abortion  in underserved areas of the state. The order also calls for the state Department of Health to review the feasibility of providing medication abortions at its public health clinics.

Ronchetti on Wednesday said state funds shouldn't be spent on a clinic where late-term abortions would be available for people who come from out of state. He has proposed limiting abortion to the first 15 weeks, or in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk.

Using taxpayer dollars to enable and fund abortion up until the point of birth is not only out of line with New Mexican values, it is extreme, he said in a statement.

The Democratic-led Legislature will hash out the next state budget, including capital investments, when it meets in January.

As for the one-time proposed infusion of $10 million for a new clinic in the Las Cruces area, Lujan Grisham said she envisions a partnership with medical schools and private providers, such as the Mississippi clinic at the center of the Roe court battle that relocated to southern New Mexico in early August.

One of the largest abortion providers in Texas, Austin-based Whole Womans Health, also still has plans to move some of its operations to New Mexico and states in the southeastern U.S.

The Commission on the Status of Women in a resolution read Wednesday made clear its focus on protecting access to abortions, protecting health care providers and expanding access to what the panel called a full spectrum of pregnancy care  which includes abortions as well as post-birth care.

Commission Chairwoman Lisa Curtis said there needs to be a special emphasis on underserved areas across the rural state and investment in programs that will develop a pipeline of trained health care providers.

New Mexico lawmakers last year repealed a dormant 1969 statute that outlawed most abortion procedures as felonies, thus ensuring access to abortion following the Supreme Court's action. Some Democratic lawmakers said Wednesday that they will push for measures during the next legislative session to further enshrine access and protections in state law.

The governor said the work being done by her allies in the Legislature and advocacy groups is saving women's lives.

The notion that women cannot have control over their bodies, dignity, respect and autonomy is outrageous, Lujan Grisham said. This is a state that is not going to let that be the status quo."
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ATLANTA (AP)  Georgia voters will see at least one fall debate between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

Warnock on Tuesday evening accepted Walkers proposal for an Oct. 14 debate in Savannah, but the senator renewed his call for an additional debate in either Macon or Atlanta. Walker has yet to accept a second matchup and did not directly respond to the senators latest pitch.

The announcement continues weeks of jockeying between the two men, who are deadlocked in one of the nations marquee Senate contests that will help settle control of the chamber that is now divided 50-50 between the two parties.

Warnocks decision is a concession to Walker after the challenger refused to accept any of three traditional Georgia debates that the incumbent senator had committed to attend months ago. Walker instead countered with a fourth option.

That Oct. 14 debate will be hosted by WSAV-TV, owned by Nexstar Media Group. It will be shown on Nexstar and other stations across Georgia. Nexstar has promised a live audience.

Warnock last week had said hed agree to Walkers preferred Savannah debate only if the Republican committed to a second debate and also agreed not to receive questions or topics ahead of time for the Savannah matchup. WSAV-TV had originally said candidates would get topics in advance. Walker, a first-time candidate, accepted that condition, and his aides insisted the debate hosts had proposed such an arrangement.

Quentin Fulks, Warnocks campaign manager, said the senator remains hopeful Herschel Walker will do right by Georgians, get on a debate stage at least one other time.

Walker answered with a statement saying he was glad to see that Raphael Warnock has agreed to face the voters, a framing that overlooks the fact that Walker had been the original holdout on debates generally.

Warnock capitalized on Walkers initial reluctance earlier this summer. The Democrat used paid advertising to suggest Walker, a former college and professional football star, was afraid of the debate stage.

In recent weeks, Walker has taken the offensive. If you see him, tell him to put his big man pants on and agree to a debate, Walker said at a recent campaign stop, to the delight of his supporters.

Walker added that Warnock should be eager to embarrass me, a sarcastic nod to the negative attention hes received after flubbing some policy matters as he campaigns.

Georgias Senate race is one of the most closely watched in the country as Republicans try to wrest back control of Congress. Concurrent 2021 runoff victories by Warnock and Jon Ossoff gave Democrats control of the Senate thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris tiebreaking vote, but Warnock has to run again this November to win a full six-year term.

In the Republican primary, Walker refused to participate in debates with GOP rivals as he cruised to victory. But Walker also repeatedly proclaimed his eagerness to face off with Warnock in the fall.

Any debate could force the two to face questions theyve either avoided or largely deflected during the campaign.

For Warnock, that means being pressed anew on his relationship with President Joe Biden and an administration that remains broadly unpopular in Georgia less than two years after Biden narrowly won the state. Walker has hammered Warnock as a White House lackey and said the contest is about who best represents Georgia.

For Walker, it means facing a range of policy questions and broader inquiries about his fitness for high office. Warnock has hit Walker as unqualified and framed the race as being about whos ready to represent Georgia."
Courtesy of Anderson Hospital

Yuka Saathoff, RN of Anderson Hospital was recently honored with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's programs to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.



OB patient, Amanda Church, nominated Saathoff. Church, a nursing student, was admitted in early labor at 37 weeks. Her nurse, Saathoff, had actually switched shifts that day with a coworker and was assigned to Church.



When I met Yuka, I could tell she was special. She thoroughly explained my epidural and her plan to help me throughout labor and delivery. We loved her personality. She was at all times professional, but put us at ease with her sense of humor.



Churchs son was born at 1:15 a.m. but had a low Apgar score. Apgar is a quick test performed on a baby at one and five minutes after birth. The 1-minute score determines how well the baby tolerated the birthing process. Tests quickly revealed a few other complications and he was transferred to NICU at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis.



As a nursing student, it was scary knowing more of what was happening clinically, and Yuka answered all my questions. She stayed after her shift to see us through. I often wonder how different my experience would have been had Yuka not switched shifts that day and thank my lucky stars she did!

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, California, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, Doctor of Humane Letters (h.c) and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, "When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night," said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, doctor of Humane Letters (h.c.) and DAISY Foundation co-founder. "Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Anderson Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.
"Both of Meghan Markle's parents will have important roles in her wedding to Prince Harry later this month, according to a statement released by Kensington palace on Friday"

"her father, Thomas Markle, will walk Megan down the aisle of Saint George's Chapel"

https://time.com/5265579/meghan-markles-parents-in-royal-wedding-prince-harry/



https://people.com/royals/thomas-markle-meghan-cried-royal-wedding-aisle-walk-good-morning-britain-interview/

statement:

https://www.royal.uk/update-communications-secretary-prince-harry-wedding-prince-harry-and-ms-markle

"Prince Harry and Ms. Markle are very much looking forward to welcoming Ms. Markle's parents to Windsor for the wedding. Mr. Thomas Markle and Ms. Doria Ragland will be arriving in the UK in the week of the wedding, allowing time for Prince Harry's family, including The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to spend time with them before the big day.

Both of the bride's parents will have important roles in the wedding. On the morning of the wedding, Ms. Ragland will travel with Ms. Markle by car to Windsor Castle. Mr. Markle will walk his daughter down the aisle of St George's Chapel. Ms. Markle is delighted to have her parents by her side on this important and happy occasion."
Washington DC, September 14, 2022: The influential US-based Nigerian watchdog, the Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy (NACJD- the Coalition), has in a recent statement signed by her Chairman Professor Eddie Oparaoji and Secretary Mr Chijike Ndukwu, accused the Attorney General of Nigeria Mr Abubakar Malami of deliberately inserting a false statement into the political space with the intention to dampen, diminish and intimidate the Nigerian Diaspora from making contributions in support of their preferred 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, of the Labour Party. Following reports of commitment by the Nigerian Diaspora to crowd-fund Mr Obis campaign to the tune of $150 million, Malami said, Any Nigerian who lives abroad, funding the campaign of Peter Obi shall be arrested. It is against our electoral laws.Mr Malami lied and as the Nations top lawyer he knew he lied, and should be ashamed of himself, said the Coalition.

Addressing this matter during a recent virtual conference of the Coalition, Barr Festus Ogun, Esq., a brilliant young constitutional lawyer disagrees with Malami. Barr Ogun said, That under Nigerian Law, Diaspora funding of Nigerian political candidates is neither illegal nor unconstitutional. The reliance placed on Sec. 225 of the Constitution and Sec. 75 of the Electoral Act are unfounded as these provisions only relate to political parties and not political candidates. Under the Electoral Act, there is a fundamental distinction between a political party and a candidate in Nigeria. There is equally fundamental difference between a political candidate and a Political Support Group. While under our laws, Diaspora funding is prohibited for a political party, it is not for a political candidate. There is no law placing restrictions on a political candidate.

Barr Ogun further elucidated that, INEC however has power under the Electoral Act to place limits on the amount of money that an individual either within or outside the country can contribute to a political candidate or political party by virtue of Sec. 87 of the Electoral Act. He posited that in the recent past INEC has not exercised the power of this regulation. This, he said, calls for caution as INEC has the right and can exercise it, which if done, would be unconstitutional as the right to property is unfettered and a Constitutional right which is not subject to legal scrutiny.

The Coalition said Malami deliberately lied about an unambiguous provision of the Law and should be ashamed of himself. This act, by the top Nations lawyer, who ought to be politically neutral, is tantamount to placing his thumb on the scale for the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It is immoral, condemnable and enough to have him disbarred in saner climes.

The NACJD is a Washington, DC, USA Research and Good Governance advocacy non-profit organization, that lobbies the US Government, the Congress, and the policy-making community to influence US policies on Nigeria.
September 14, 2022, Lagos, Nigeria: Two of the leading insurance companies in Nigeria, Heirs Insurance Limited (HIL) and Heirs Life Assurance (HLA) have commenced a bancassurance partnership with global banking group, the United Bank for Africa (UBA). The partnership will permit the distribution of affordable and dependable insurance products for all, at UBA Nigeria branches, providing a wider range of financial security options for individuals, families, and businesses, whilst driving financial inclusion, a strategic objective for both groups.

The rollout begins September 14, 2022.

The bancassurance partnership offers customers of all three entities an expanded distribution network and the ability to seamlessly transact banking and insurance needs in a single location. Customers will be able to purchase insurance from all UBA Nigeria distribution channels, including the branches.

Heirs Insurance and Heirs Life have demonstrated their unique approach to insurance and customer experience, that emphasises simplicity and accessibility, propelled by their innovative digital insurance processes. The new bancassurance partnership underlines their mission of improving lives and transforming Africa, while democratising access to financial services.

Adaobi Nwakuche, MD/CEO, Heirs Insurance, said: We are pleased to partner with a trusted and innovative bank such as the United Bank for Africa. This partnership will offer millions of people nationwide the financial security that is so needed. We are committed to our transformative path of improving the lives of Nigerians, while ensuring that insurance is made accessible to all.

Niyi Onifade, MD/CEO, Heirs Life Assurance, said: We promised Nigerians accessibility to insurance, and this bancassurance partnership is one of the key ways we are fulfilling that promise. The new bancassurance partnership with UBA reaffirms our shared digital-first approach and innovation culture, which inspire us to provide the utmost value to our customers. We appreciate our regulator, the National Insurance Commission, and of course, the Central Bank of Nigeria for granting us the necessary approval and placing their confidence in us.

Speaking on the rollout, the Group Managing Director, UBA, Oliver Alawuba, said: As a financial institution, with a presence in 20 African countries, and the USA, France, UK and the United Arab Emirates, UBA prides itself on being an innovative, one-stop shop offering financial solutions to its over 35 million customers, from our various touchpoints. This partnership with Heirs Insurance Limited and Heirs Life Assurance helps us once again to significantly expand our branch and digital offering, to the benefit of our customers and advance our commitment to driving financial inclusivity.

He added: Our customers and those of Heirs insurance families will enjoy a bouquet of innovative and affordable products, through the rich distribution channels provided by UBA.

Regulated by CBN and NAICOM, bancassurance allows banks to offer insurance products or benefits to the bank's customers through partnership with insurance companies.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has demanded for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

The governor noted that the resignation was deemed necessary in order to make the people of the South to have a sense of belonging in the party.

Mr Makinde made this call at the South-West PDP stakeholders meeting with the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as The Nigerian Voice had earlier reported.

Recall that Seyi Makinde alongside Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has been threatening the PDP over the National Chairman of the party and the presidential candidate who are are both from the North.

While making his welcome address, Makinde described Atiku as the incoming President of Nigeria in 2023.

He further stated, The truth is that we do not have any issue either with our party or our candidate. If there are challenges they must be tabled.

We are supposed to give hope to our people, we want them to listen to us.

Our party wants to rescue Nigeria and our candidate is a unifier. He wants to restructure Nigeria

Eight years of the All Progressives Congress have left us sharply divided. The issue is we must practice what we preach. If we want to unify Nigeria, we must unify the PDP first.

If we want to restructure Nigeria, we must have the willingness to bring inclusivity to the PDP. Do we have the capacity? The answer is resounding yes.

The message from the South-West PDP is the South-West is asking that the National Working Committee of the PDP should be restructured.

We are asking the National Chairman to step down so that the South will be fully included. That is the message.
The Supreme Court which is the apex court in Nigeria has affirmed the 28th and 29th May, 2022 primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State and confirmed Amb. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii as the PDP governorship candidate for Ebonyi State in the 2023 general elections.

The judgement which was given today in Abuja has put to rest the protracted tussle for the the party's Guber ticket for Ebonyi State which pitched a foremost philanthropist and business mogul, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii and his supporters against the second term senator representing Ebonyi Central in the Nigerian Senate, Senator Obinna Ogba and his supporters since the resumption of pre-election activities in February 2022.

Details of the judgement will be published later.


Education office probes child assault claims against school director

PHUKET: The Phuket Education Area Office has launched its investigation into allegations that the director of a private school in Phuket Town struck a student at the school and repeatedly pushed his head against a wall.

violencecrimepolice

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 14 September 2022, 03:30PM

Phuket Education Area Office Chief Patchalee Chaopolkorn. Photo: PR Phuket

PEAO Chief Patchalee Chaopolkorn said the school director and other representatives from the school came to the PEAO on Monday (Sept 12) to give their version of events, noted a report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket).

The PR Phuket report did not name the school director, the school or the child allegedly assaulted by the director.

The school director, Mr Komkrit (who asked for his family name not to be published), presented himself at Phuket City Police Station last Saturday (Sept 10), when he denied the allegations of hitting the child.

Mr Komkrit presented himself at the police station after the the parents of 9-year-old Itthip Nong Ninja Boonrung,a student at Thepamnuay Wittaya School on Thepkrasattri rd in Phuket Town, filed formal complaints against him for allegedly assault their child.

PEAO Chief Patchalee said yesterday that the school director denied hitting the child or causing the child injury in any way.

Ms Patchalee explained that the school director said that the child (Ittipol) was playing in his office as he often does. Ittipols younger sister came to the office to visit her brother, while Mr Komkrit went to buy some water.

When he returned he saw nothing out of the ordinary. He maintained that Ittipol had no marks or injuries of any kind when he returned.

That was at about 2:40pm. The parents arrived to collect their children at about 3pm.

The report and Mr Komkrits account gave no reason for the physical injuries the child suffered, namely a split lip and bruise on his upper left forehead.

Ms Patchalee noted that the PEAO investigation into the incident was continuing.
One dead, two wounded in shooting at Bangkok military facility

BANGKOK: A gunman killed one person and wounded two others in a shooting at a military facility in Bangkok today (Sept 14), Thai police told AFP.

violencedeathmilitary

By AFP

Wednesday 14 September 2022, 11:13AM

Policemen stand outside the gates after an alleged shooter was detained in the Army Training Command in Bangkok today (Sept 14).

Deputy national police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said a suspect had been detained after the incident at the Army Training Command Department, part of a large complex of military buildings in the north of the capital. Local media reported that the suspect is a soldier, though the motives for the shooting were not immediately clear. The shooting caused one death and two injuries, local police have taken control of the situation, Kissana Phathanacharoen told AFP. We are able to detain a suspect already. In 2020, a soldier gunned down 29 people in a 17-hour rampage and wounded scores more before he was shot dead by commandos in an incident that shocked Thailand. That mass shooting was linked to a debt dispute between gunman Sergeant-Major Jakrapanth Thomma and a senior officer, and the military top brass were at pains to portray the killer as a rogue soldier.
Sea riches prompt new talks

BANGKOK: Thailand will hold talks with Cambodia over a 26,000 sq km overlapping claims area (OCA) estimated to hold up to 500 million barrels of oil and gas deposits under the seafloor.

natural-resources

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 14 September 2022, 11:00AM

Supattanapong: Ready to share. Photo: Bangkok Post

The move comes following efforts by the two countries to work together to develop new energy sources and this involves first ironing out the territorial dispute, reports the Bangkok Post.

Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said yesterday (Sept 13) the joint development was expected to form part of the governments long-term policy.

The government wants to both encourage people to be self-reliant in clean energy as well as seek new sources of energy by calling bids for petroleum concessions and holding energy talks with neighbouring countries such as Cambodia.

In seeking new energy sources, particularly in neighbouring countries with potential energy sources such as Cambodia, if the talks start and finish early, we hope we will soon be able to make use of these resources, and for the next 10 years, as all infrastructure is now available to the benefit of both Thailand and Cambodia, Mr Supattanapong said.

He also said the government has set up a committee to look into ways to jointly develop the overlapping claims area and the Foreign Affairs Ministry will lead negotiations with Cambodia on the matter.

But currently, there are some details that need to be studied. For example, the Foreign Ministry is still concerned about some border demarcations and will have to find solutions and explain the matter to the public. But the sooner the economic cooperation begins, the better, Mr Supattanapong said.

According to a report on Aug 23 in the Phnom Penh Post, Cambodia is ready to meet Thailand for talks as both nations strive to avert potential energy crises further down the line.

Khomgrich Tantravanich, secretary-general of Thailands Energy Regulatory Commission, suggested policymakers of both countries be vocal and establish a clear but positive dialogue over the long-disputed OCA in the Gulf of Thailand.

The OCA overlaps the Cambodian and Thai borders in the gulf and has been a point of contention since the early 1970s.

A memorandum of understanding to jointly explore the OCA was signed in 2001 but was later shelved by the Thai government in 2009. Calls to rekindle negotiations on oil and gas development in the region have re-emerged time and again with varying degrees of success.

However, with spiralling global demand and prices for oil and gas, buoyed by economic reopening and the Ukraine crises, negotiations may take a different turn this time.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, Cambodias mines and energy minister, Meng Saktheara, said that although the leaders of both countries have called for a speedy resolution, talks have made little progress.

Mr Saktheara proposed the countries follow the model set by the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area, while Cambodian ministry director-general for petroleum Cheap Sour told The Post they are ready to negotiate.

Meanwhile, deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said the cabinet yesterday approved the draft agenda for a meeting which will be held via videoconference on Friday.

The two sides will discuss various areas of cooperation such as management of cross-border travel, trade and investment, labour and industrial cooperation, and public health and community development.
COVID-19 cases fell sharply in Nebraska last week, hitting their lowest recorded levels in months.

The state added 2,121 new cases last week, down 28% from 2,936 the previous week, according to state data reported to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By percentage, that drop was the steepest since early April, and it put Nebraska cases at their lowest level since late May. Much of the state now is in the CDCs low community level. The community levels are a measure of how COVID is impacting communities, based on cases and hospitalizations.

The Nebraska trend mirrored whats happening nationally.

U.S. virus cases fell 22% last week, by percentage the biggest drop in six months. U.S. cases have now fallen for seven consecutive weeks and are at their lowest level since early May.

Its still difficult to say where the unpredictable pandemic will go next, because cases surged during the winter months in both 2020 and 2021. But the case trends both here and nationally clearly are the most positive since early last spring.

One caveat: Case tallies are widely considered to be undercounts. Some people are not testing for the virus, and many who do are using at-home tests that arent included in official case counts.

The Nebraska Infectious Disease Society recommended at a meeting Saturday that all Nebraskans, including children, who havent done so already get their primary COVID vaccines. Those eligible for the new, updated boosters should get them as soon as possible. The new shots provide additional protection against omicron strains BA.4 and BA.5.

Dr. James Lawler, a co-executive director of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Global Center for Health Security, said Monday that he thinks the new boosters will provide some advantage because they target those dominant strains. But likely the most important thing, he said, will be for people to have recent boosters as the nation moves into the traditional season for respiratory illnesses.

Wed love to get as many people with a booster as possible, he said.

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid announced Monday that Americans can continue to get the vaccines at no cost, whether they are insured or not, as long as the federal government continues to buy and distribute the shots.

The updated Moderna vaccine is authorized for people 18 years of age and older. The updated Pfizer shot is authorized for people 12 and older.

The fact that the globe hasnt seen the emergence of a major new variant in the last several months is good news, Lawler said.

He noted, however, that case counts, while down, havent fallen precipitously, similar to the pattern the state saw last year. And more children and young people have gotten the virus recently. They tend to drive transmission in the community over time.

While health officials early in the pandemic predicted that the nation would reach herd immunity, with people protected by a combination of infection and vaccination, many officials acknowledged last summer that reaching that point was unlikely.

Lawler said people tend to develop durable, lasting immunity to only a limited number of diseases. Researchers knew from the start that coronaviruses are not among them. People can get re-infected year after year with the common cold, also caused by coronaviruses. With COVID-19, the protection provided by the vaccines wanes over time, just like that from infections.

But the vaccines continue to do a good job of protecting people. Theyre doing the most important job, which is preventing severe disease, Lawler said.

Ideally, he said, everyone would get up to date on vaccines, likely by vaccinating everyone every four months, which would not only prevent severe disease but keep transmission low. Barring that, repeated infections and vaccinations over time may diminish the severity of COVID waves. New vaccines also may produce broader immunity over time, but scientists wont know until they have done the research.

Meanwhile, hospitalizations also continue to trend downward in Nebraska. A daily average of 174 Nebraskans were in hospitals with COVID last week, down from 198 the previous week.

The state recorded 33 more COVID deaths last week, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable deaths to 4,488. However, a state health official said most of the deaths reported last week did not actually occur last week and came through efforts to catch up on data. The state has recorded 533,000 confirmed COVID cases during the pandemic.
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FILE - A BNSF railroad train hauling carloads of coal from the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming is seen east of Hardin, Mont., on July 15, 2020. Business and top officials are bracing for the possibility of a nationwide rail strike on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, while talks continue between the nation's largest freight railroads and their unions.
Rep. Mike Flood of Norfolk has expressed concern about the use of Huawei hardware in cell towers located in Nebraska near U.S. military installations, including Offutt Air Force Base.

"We find it deeply troubling if Huawei has hardware near Offutt or other military bases, missile silos or strategic military installations in the state of Nebraska," the 1st District congressman wrote in a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce calling for an investigation.

"For years, national security experts have raised concerns that Huawei's technology could be used to conduct espionage against the Chinese Communist Party's adversaries and competitors around the world," Flood said.

Huawei has "deep ties" with the Chinese Communist Party and "could pose a substantial national security threat due to the technology's proximity to military installations in Nebraska," he said.

Huawei is a multinational technology corporation headquartered in China.
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BEIRUT (AP)  A woman accompanied by activists and brandishing what she said was a toy pistol broke into a Beirut bank branch on Wednesday, taking $13,000 from her trapped savings.

Sali Hafez told the local Al-Jadeed TV that she needed the money to fund her sisters cancer treatment. She said she had repeatedly visited the bank to ask for her money and was told she could only receive $200 a month in Lebanese pounds. Hafez said the toy pistol belonged to her nephew.

I had begged the branch manager before for my money, and I told him my sister was dying, didnt have much time left, she said in the interview. I reached a point where I had nothing else to lose.

Lebanons cash-strapped banks have imposed strict limits on withdrawals of foreign currency since 2019, tying up the savings of millions of people. About three-quarters of the population has slipped into poverty as the tiny Mediterranean countrys economy continues to spiral.

Hafez and activists from a group called Depositors' Outcry entered the BLOM Bank branch and stormed into the manager's office. They forced bank employees to hand over $12,000 and the equivalent of about $1,000 in Lebanese pounds.

Hafez said she had a total of $20,000 in savings trapped in that bank. She said she had already sold many of her personal belongings and had considered selling her kidney to fund her 23 year-old sister's cancer treatment.

Nadine Nakhal, a bank customer, said the intruders doused gasoline everywhere inside, and took out a lighter and threatened to light it. She said the woman with the pistol threatened to shoot the manager if she did not receive her money.

Hafez said in a live-streamed video she posted on her Facebook account that she did not intend to do harm. I did not break into the bank to kill anyone or set the place on fire, she said. I am here to get my rights.

Hafez was celebrated as a hero across social media in Lebanon, as many in the small crisis-hit country struggle to make ends meet and retrieve their savings. She encouraged others to take similar action to reclaim their savings.

Some of the activists entered the bank with Hafez, while others staged a protest at the entrance. Hafez eventually left with cash in a plastic bag, witnesses said.

Security forces standing outside arrested several of the activists, including a man carrying what looked like a handgun. It was not immediately clear if this was also a toy gun.

Meanwhile, Alaa Khorchid who heads the Depositors' Outcry protest group said that a man communicating and coordinating with the group broke into a bank in the mountainous town of Aley to retrieve his trapped savings. Local media reported that the man entered the BankMed branch alone with a shotgun without any shells loaded, but was unable to retrieve his savings before he was apprehended.

Both incidents occurred weeks after a food delivery driver broke into another bank branch in Beirut and held 10 people hostage for seven hours, demanding tens of thousands of dollars in his trapped savings. Most hailed him as a hero.

There is no government, no economic recovery plan, and little reserves left, Khorchid told the AP, adding that people have no choice but to take matters into their own hands.

These people worked for decades, but not for the rulers to build palaces while they cant afford a bottle of medicine.

On Wednesday night, activists closed a major road in Beirut outside a police barracks holding two activists who stormed the bank earlier in the day with Hafez. The protesters demanded the immediate release of the two men.

Lebanon has scrambled for over two years to implement key reforms in its decimated banking sector and economy. It has so far failed to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a recovery program that would unlock billions of dollars in international loan and aid to make the country viable again. Its government has struggled to function in a caretaker capacity since May, and its recently elected Parliament remains deeply divided.

In the meantime, millions are struggling to cope with rampant power outages and soaring inflation.

We need to put a stop to everything that is happening to us in this country," Nakhal said. "Everyone's money is stuck in the banks, and in this case, it's someone who is sick. We need to find a solution."
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  An abortion ban is set to take effect in Indiana, which was the first state to pass one after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

When the law starts being enforced on Thursday, Indiana will join more than a dozen states with abortion bans, though most were approved before that Supreme Court ruling and took effect once the court threw out the constitutional right to end a pregnancy.

West Virginia legislators approved an abortion ban on Tuesday and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina introduced a bill that would ban abortion nationwide after the 15th week of pregnancy, with rare exceptions, intensifying the ongoing debate inside and outside of the GOP though the proposal has almost no chance of becoming law in the Democratic-held Congress.

Abortion rights supporters have filed two lawsuits trying to block Indiana officials from enforcing the ban but no court rulings have been issued yet and all seven of the state's abortion clinics will lose their licenses to perform the procedure under the new law.

WHATS COVERED IN THE ABORTION BAN?

The Indiana ban includes exceptions allowing abortions in cases of rape and incest before the 10th week of pregnancy and to protect the mother's life and physical health. It also allows them if the fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly. The ban will replace state laws that generally prohibited abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy and tightly restricted it after the 13th week.

Under the new law, abortions can be performed only in hospitals or outpatient centers owned by hospitals, meaning all abortion clinics will lose their licenses. Any doctors found to have performed an illegal abortion would be stripped of their medical license and could face felony charges punishable by up to six years in prison.

HOW IS INDIANAS ACTION UNIQUE?

Indianas Republican-dominated Legislature approved the ban during a two-week special legislative session following a political firestorm over a 10-year-old rape victim who traveled to the state from neighboring Ohio to end her pregnancy. The case gained worldwide attention when an Indianapolis doctor said the girl came to Indiana because of Ohios ban on abortions once fetal cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around the sixth week of pregnancy and is often before the mother knows she's pregnant.

The Republicans who passed Indiana's ban were deeply divided over whether to include exceptions beyond one for protecting the mothers life, such as for cases of rape and incest.

Similar divides among Republicans over such exceptions and whether to allow criminal charges against doctors stalled bills on tighter abortion restrictions in West Virginia and South Carolina this summer. The ban that West Virginia legislators passed Tuesday is similar to Indiana's and it now heads to Republican Gov. Jim Justice, who is expected to sign it into law.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO INDIANA'S ABORTION CLINICS?

Indiana abortion clinic operators have told The Associated Press that they'll stop offering abortions when the ban takes effect but continue to support patients with information about out-of-state clinics. Planned Parenthood plans to keep its four Indiana clinics that offer abortions open and provide sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment, and contraception and cancer screenings, which it says comprise the bulk of its services.

Indiana University Health, the states largest hospital system, has set up advisory teams that include a lawyer for consultations on whether patients meet the legal requirements for abortions. Indiana hospitals performed 133 of the 8,414 abortions reported to the state Department of Health in 2021, with the remaining 98% taking place at clinics.

WHAT IS STATUS OF LAWSUITS?

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed two lawsuits in the past two weeks seeking to stop the ban from taking effect.

One argues that the ban violates the Indiana Constitution by infringing on the right to privacy and the guarantee of equal privileges. The other claims the ban conflicts with the state's religious freedom law that Indiana Republicans passed in 2015 and that sparked a widespread backlash from critics who said it allowed discrimination against gay people.

The question of whether the state constitution protects abortion rights is undecided. A state appeals court ruled in 2004 that privacy is a core value under the state constitution that extends to all residents, including women seeking an abortion. But the Indiana Supreme Court later upheld a law requiring an 18-hour waiting period before a woman could get an abortion, though it didn't decide whether the state constitution included the right to privacy or abortion.

Indiana University law professor Daniel Conkle said bringing the lawsuits so soon before the ban was set to effect made it hard to get an injunction blocking it, but that it taking effect won't end the court fight.

___

Associated Press Writer Arleigh Rodgers in Indianapolis contributed to this report. Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
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ALTON  One man was seriously injured Tuesday evening when he fell a reported 20 feet from a tree in Alton.

At 5:15 p.m. Tuesday Alton firefighters responded to a home near the intersection of 12th and Langdon streets where a man fell while apparently cutting a branch off a tree. Reports indicated the man was on a ladder and fell on the Langdon Street side of the large home at the site.
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EDWARDSVILLE  A passion for pawpaws goes beyond preservation of North America's only wild native tropical fruit tree species, to education and awareness.

"I hope by talking about these pawpaw trees and the fruit, it spurs curiosity to go out in the woods and see what's out there, what you can do with what you find in nature," said Edwardsville resident Gary Vondrasek, known to have the largest grown-from-wild pawpaw grove in the city.

The species also bears the largest fruit of any wild tree type in the country. The fruit is in season only a few weeks in late August and September, though the tree is hardy to 30 degrees below zero.

As the only tropical fruit tree native to the state, the village of Paw Paw, Illinois, got its name from a grove of nearby pawpaw trees on the edge of a forest. The village of Paw Paw, Michigan, was named after the nearby river, which was named after the pawpaw fruit by the indigenous population.

"The fruits are exotically flavored, delicious and very nutritious," said Vondrasek, who could be described as an aficionado of exotic fruits, spending years of winters in the Pacific Islands, particularly Hawaii.

"It took me several years to develop an original recipe that brings out the exotic overtones of the natural flavor," he said. He created his own recipe for pawpaw pudding.

Exotic indeed, in that a pawpaw tastes like a cross between a mango and a banana, with a touch of an unknown, like, anise? But maybe that's just an olfactory association. Other folks have described the taste as an exotic blend of banana, papaya and custard, with a hint of pineapple. Pawpaws have thin skin, shaped like a potato (maybe that's why the fruit is "thin skinned") and grow in clusters, like bananas.

Vondrasek calls his recipe a pawpaw tapioca-butterscotch pudding, which he tops with a rum-butter-mountain cranberry sauce and fresh-grated nutmeg. This season he reinforced the texture a bit with all three nuts (chopped) that Native Americans harvested in the Metro East region: pecans, hickory and black walnuts. He also has made bread and other treats out of the fruit, even harvesting enough pulp for milkshakes at Northside Dairy Haven.

Vondrasek's pawpaw pudding is to fall, what his morel mushroom recipes are to spring. He's well known for cultivating the scarcest edible native items in nature into something scrumptious.

He originally discovered some pawpaw trees about a dozen years ago near Southern Illinois University Edwardsville while hunting for wild mushrooms. He regularly shares his culinary creations with local food pantries, family, friends, neighbors, libraries and more.

Pawpaws are easy to eat. Simply break one in half and spoon out the pulp. But the shelf life is short, about two days once harvested.

And pawpaws are relatively easy to collect. When ripe, pawpaws will fall off their limbs when shaken from their trees. But don't forget to look up, as pawpaws grow on trees, in a grove, not on the ground, in a patch.

The leaves have a distinctive smell when crushed. In fact, the pawpaw tree is sometimes called the "wild banana" tree, yet the fruit is a member of the custard apple family. Its range extends from New York westward to Iowa and southward to Florida and eastern Texas. Pawpaw nearly became extinct after World War II.

Vondrasek, a naturalist, encourages replanting of pawpaw trees in the wild, easily done from the fruit's dark seed found inside the pulp, to repopulate woods. He is a member of the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Citizens Utility Board, a charter member of Mother Jones Foundation for National Progress and a past member of the Ethical Society of St. Louis.

Vondrasek taught as a special education teacher in Chicago Public Schools for years before moving to Edwardsville, when he became a conservator and preservationist of rare fine art, working with nine museums, and restoring antiques and sculptures. In 1992, during the First Unitarian Church of Alton's sanctuary remodeling, Vondrasek was commissioned and originally designed a three-sided kiosk to resonate with the church's 1917 architecture and color schemes.

He, a Bohemian himself, restored a statue of a 300 pound angel and baptismal font at the oldest Czechoslovakian church outside of Prague, located in St. Louis' Lafayette Square and on the National Register of Historic Places.

He said there's still about a week left to get out there and shake some trees.
BETHALTO  WellCreek Pharmacy has been named the RiverBend Growth Association Small Business of the Month for September.

Located at 333 W. Bethalto Dr., Suite B, the pharmacy was opened by Bruce Brueggemann more than six years ago.

I retired from Alton Kmart after 36  years, but I enjoyed what I did and was not ready to stop working," he said. "So, I opened an independent community pharmacy to offer an alternative to big box stores  a pharmacy that is competitively priced and where patients become and remain friends.

Brueggemann eventually moved WellCreek Pharmacy to its current site in the Bethalto Liberty Bank retail complex from its original location at 341 W. Bethalto Dr. The move expanded its space for customer service and merchandise. New fixtures were also installed to further enhance the pharmacys service offerings and customer experience.

WellCreek Pharmacy currently has six employees that keep up with continuing education requirements.

I have added one new employee, he said. That new employee is attending SIUE pharmacy school now.

Community service is an important part of Brueggemanns ongoing vision for WellCreek.

I sponsor and ride on a bicycle team for cystic fibrosis called Riding for Baby Jess,'" he said. "I also sponsor individual places for the boys and girls teams at Civic Memorial (High School).

I am a medical corps volunteer with the Madison County Health Department, helping to administer COVID-19 vaccines early in the pandemic before I was able to secure vaccines through the pharmacy," he said. "After April 2021, I continued vaccinating at Villa Rose, Skyline Towers, and Hillcrest Apartments. I also host vaccination clinics in the store and make house calls too.

Like other businesses, the pharmacy faced serious challenges during the pandemic.

We closed the inside of the pharmacy and had drive-through service only during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Coverage was a challenge, as was staying healthy with limited staff and staying open.

Brueggemann says offering accurate, friendly, fast and quality pharmacy services where they know their patients sets WellCreek Pharmacy apart.

Filling the gap between corporate and mail-order pharmacies, as well as meeting new people and taking care of their pharmacy needs," Brueggemann said. "Those are some of the greatest opportunities we have here at WellCreek."

Services in addition to traditional prescription and retail options include after-hours emergency number availability, in-store or at-home vaccinations, medication planning and review, free prescription delivery, weekly medication blister packs or planners and Ortho Molecular Products, and customer access to a comprehensive pharmacy.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. To learn more, visit wellcreekpharmacy.com or call 618-377-5356.

The RiverBend Growth Association is the Chamber of Commerce and economic development organization for the 11 communities known as the Riverbend. For more information visit www.growthassociation.com or call (618) 467-2280.

RBGAs Small Business of the Month Committee recognizes a different member business each month. Members include Brenda Eardley, Adrianna Lock, Kristen Ryrie, Leslie Schobernd, Martha Schultz, Amy Smith and Kathy Weaver.






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Press Release

September 14, 2022 REVILLA URGES SENATE TO CONDUCT THOROUGH INVESTIGATION ON THE ALLEGED RAMPANT KIDNAPPING IN THE COUNTRY Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. on Tuesday filed a resolution to investigate the reported spate of kidnappings in the country. Proposed Resolution No. 207 directs the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs to lead and conduct the inquiry. Media reports highlight an observed spike in cases of kidnapping, abductions, and disappearances involving members of the Filipino-Chinese communities, women, and Chinese POGO workers, among others. "Kailangang agarang matutukan ang tumataas na kaso ng kidnapping na nagpapalaganap ng takot sa taumbayan. The bad elements that continue to sow fear among the people through their criminal acts must be given a wake-up call that no one is beyond the reach of the law. Kailangan silang panagutin," Revilla said. According to the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCI), abductions surged to 56 victims in a span of only 10 days, mostly in the southern cities of Metro Manila - particularly in Pasay, Paranaque, Makati, and Taguig. Even before the reports of the PCCCI, cases have been observed to be in the rise in the past months. During the months of July and August this year, several Filipino women were found lifeless after missing for days. Princess Dianne Dayor, a 24-year-old woman, went missing last July 2 and with her remains located near a creek after 3 days. On August 9, a 15-year-old female teenager from San Jose Del Monte City went missing and was found dead in another town in Bulacan. Meanwhile, there have been some videos circulating on social media and online messaging platforms showing actual footages of kidnapping and torturing of victims. In one of the videos that went viral, an attempt was perpetrated in broad daylight along the Skyway in Paranaque. However, despite the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed that there were only 27 recorded kidnapping incidents since January 2022, contrary to the claim of PCCCI. Sen. Revilla called the government to act immediately to address the incidents. "We will not allow the continued proliferation of these crimes with brazen impunity. I call on my colleagues in the Senate - let us get to the bottom of things, nip it in the bud and put behind bars these bad elements. Let this serve as a warning to all: we will not allow anyone, whether citizen or alien, to violate our laws. Walang pinipili ang ngipin ng batas," Sen. Revilla exclaimed.
Thank you for your comment

 Why Racket? Why Lisp?

 Beautiful Racket and Practical Typography were made possible by a publishing system called Pollen. I created Pollen with the Racket programming language. Racket is a descendant of Scheme, which in turn is a descendant of Lisp.

 So while Racket is not Lisp (in the specific Common Lisp sense), it is a Lisp (in the familial sense). Its core ideasand core virtuesare shared with Lisp. So talking about Racket means talking about Lisp.

 In practical programming projects, Lisps are rare. Racket especially so. Thus, before I originally embarked on my Lisp adventure, I wanted to understand the costs & benefits of using a Lisp. Why do Lisps have such a great reputation, yet few users? Was I seeing something everyone else missed? Or did they know something I didnt? To find out, I read whatever I could find about Lisps, including Paul Grahams Hackers & Painters and Peter Seibels Practical Common Lisp. (OK, parts. Its a big book.)

 What I found was plenty of Lisp flattery from expert Lisp programmers. (Also plenty of Lisp kvetchery from its detractors.) What I didnt find were simple, persuasive arguments in its favor. So heres why Racket was the right tool for me, and what I see as the practical virtues of Lisps in general.

 I didnt study computer science in college (though I was a math major for two years, before switching to design). Ive never held an official job as a programmer. Rather, programming has been a secondary skill Ive used in my work as a web designer, type designer, and writer.

 But in the last few years, Ive spent an increasing amount of my time programming. This programming generates income. So by the simplest definitiondoes the skill make you money?I suppose I qualify as a professional programmer. And since most of my programming efforts are in Racket, I qualify as a professional Racket programmer.

 Mind you, Im not claiming that Im an expert programmer. Among the Racket community, which is laden with computer-science PhDs & professors, I (have no choice but to) embrace my relative inexperience. Hence the title of my talk at RacketCon 2014: Like a Blind Squirrel in a Ferrari.

 Yet despite my limitations as a programmer, with Racket Ive been able to render bigger ideas into programs more quickly, and with fewer bugs, than any language Ive used before (and there have been manyBASIC, C, C++, Perl, Java, JavaScript, Python, and others). Since I havent gotten a brain transplant recently, there must be something special about Racket as a language.

 Lisp is a language most programmers have heard of, for two reasons. First, its one of the oldest computer languages, in use since 1958. Second, its accrued a reputation as a language for brainiacs. Originally this reputation arose from its association with the field of artificial intelligence. Since then, this reputation has been maintained by periodic endorsements from respected programmers (latterly, Eric Raymond and Paul Graham) and the enduring fame of the textbook used in introductory computer-science courses at MIT, Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (which uses Scheme, and that one I did read start to finish).

 But as mainstream programming tools, Lisp and its descendants have been largely ignored. Popularity of programming languages is tricky to measure, but heres a simple proxylets count the number of projects currently hosted on GitHub. One could quibble about the accuracy of this method, except that the results arent even close:

  Language GitHub projects JavaScript 7,488,087 Java 6,570,575 Python 4,017,958 PHP 2,123,489 Ruby 1,699,590 Clojure 64,239 Lisp 17,989 Scheme 12,412 Racket 11,725

 The last four languages are Lisps, and together account for only 106,365 projects. Racket itself only accounts for a small fraction of this small fraction.

 Popular programming languages arent necessarily goodlook whats at the top of that list. + [JavaScript] has a lot of stupid in it  The good parts of [JavaScript] go back to Scheme and Self.

Brendan Eich, here and here But unpopular languages often have fatal flaws that prevent wider adoption. As I was considering languages, Racket had a lot to recommend it. But was there a fatal flaw I was overlooking? And by committing to a Lisp, would I be painting myself into a corner? I wanted to understand the risks and benefits.

 I said above that Lisp flattery is easy to find. The problem with Lisp flattery is that it makes sense only to experienced Lisp programmers. To othersespecially those who are trying to decide whether to learn and use a Lispit just comes across as unsubstantiated hoodoo.

 For example, in his essay How to Become a Hacker, Eric Raymond says Lisp is worth learning for  the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it. That experience will make you a better programmer for the rest of your days, even if you never actually use Lisp itself a lot. Unfortunately Raymond doesnt follow up this claim by describing the enlightenment experience, nor why its profound, nor how it will improve your programming skills generally.

 To be fair, Raymonds essay is not focused on Lisp. But compare Beating the Averages, by Paul Graham, which is. Graham starts off by citing Raymonds compliment to Lisp and seems ready to make the claim concrete.

 Instead, he breaks it into smaller chunks of flattery. We knew Lisp was a really good language for writing software quickly. Because of what characteristics? He doesnt say, but then describes Lisp as his secret weapon. OK, so whats the secret? He says programming languages vary in power. Fine, but what exactly makes Lisp more powerful?

 Graham offers one concrete example: Lisps macro facility, which he describes as its ability to make programs that write programs. After four years using a Lisp language, Id agree with Graham that macros are great when you need them. But for someone new to Lisp languages, theyre not necessarily a bread-and-butter benefit.

 I was hopeful when I opened Peter Seibels Practical Common Lisp and saw that the introduction was subtitled Why Lisp? Yes, tell me! Seibel echoes Grahams claim: Youll get more done, faster, using [Lisp] than you would using pretty much any other language. OK, but how? Seibel wonders whether I like Lisp because of some quirk in the way my brain is wired. It could even be genetic, since my dad has it too. Thats not encouraging to those of us outside your family. Ultimately, he sums up the appeal of Lisp by describing it as the programmable programming language. But Ive never used a programmable programming language. Why should I start?

 And by the way, when do I get the speed and power you keep promising?

 In shortwhats in it for me, now?

 This is the fundamental question that Lisp advocates have to answer for new users. But more often, its sidestepped. Im not picking on Raymond or Graham or Seibel. Theyre excellent writers. As programmers, theyre way out of my league. As I learn more about Lisps, I return to these articles and they make more sense.

 But these articles are also emblematic of a general weakness of messaging about Lisp. I say that not as a ranking member of the Lisp community, but rather as someone who spent a lot of time seeking an answer to that fundamental question. I never got it.

 Seibel is passing the buck when he says that to understand the benefits of Lisp, youre going to have to learn some Lisp and see for yourself. Sure, this method worksusing Racket for a few months finally made the benefits of Lisp clear to me. But it also required an investment of about 100200 hours. + For more on the perils of taxing reader patience, see why does typography matter in Practical Typography.

 Thats asking too much. If Lisp languages are so great, then it should be possible to summarize their benefits in concise, practical terms. It should be possible to demonstrate the power of Lisp in one hour, not 100. If Lisp advocates refuse to do this, then we shouldnt be surprised when these languages remain stuck near the bottom of the charts.

 In a word, expressiveness: the measure of how easy it is to put your ideas into code. For instance, an expressive language like Racket lets you write the Hello world program like this:

 "Hello world" 1 "Hello world"

 Whereas a less expressive languageI wont name namesrequires this:

 public class HelloWorld {

public static void main(String[] args) {

System.out.println("Hello world");

}

} 1 2 3 4 5 public class HelloWorld { public static void main ( String [] args ) { System . out . println ( "Hello world" ); } }

 Concision is valuable, but expressiveness also embodies other qualities: precision, readability, flexibility, potential for generalization.



 Compared to other languages, Lisps are tremendously expressive. Like the overpowered Japanese motorcycle I once owned, they go where you want, very quickly, with a minimum of input. If youve ridden a motorcycle, then you know what I mean. If you havent, good newsLisps are cheaper and safer.

 Heres my ranking of the language features that offered the most immediate value to me, when I was a programmer new to the Lisp world. For each, Ive noted whether its a feature of Racket specifically, or Lisps generally.

 Everything is an expression. [Lisps] Most programming languages are a combination of two distinct ingredients: expressions (things that are evaluated to produce a value) and statements (things that denote an action). For instance, in Python, x = 42 is a statement, and x + 42 is an expression.  Statements and expressions are distinct because while expressions can be naturally nested with each other, statements and expressions cannot. For instance, in Python, this is a valid expression:  42 + 101 1 42 + 101  And so is this, substituting another expression for the right-hand value:  42 + (100 + 100) 1 42 + ( 100 + 100 )  But this is not valid:  42 + if 1 < 0:

100

else:

200 1 2 3 4 42 + if 1 < 0 : 100 else : 200  Why? Because in Python, a standard if conditional is a statement, and can only be used in certain positions.  By making everything an expression, however, Lisps remove this limitation. Since expressions are nestable, anything in the language can be combined with nearly anything else. For instance, because an if conditional is an expression, you can use it in place of a value:  (+ 42 (if (< 1 0) 100 200)) 1 ( + 42 ( if ( < 1 0 ) 100 200 ))  But wait! Python has a ternary conditional expression! It doesnt change the essential point, but OKyou can indeed write this:  42 + (100 if 1 < 0 else 200) 1 42 + ( 100 if 1 < 0 else 200 )  But now suppose we want to use a conditional in place of the operator, not the right-hand value. In a Lisp, because everything is an expressionincluding the operator itselfthis is easy:  ((if (< 1 0) + *) 42 100) 1 (( if ( < 1 0 ) + * ) 42 100 )  But if you try the same thing in Python, it will raise a syntax error:  42 (+ if 1 < 0 else *) 100 1 42 ( + if 1 < 0 else * ) 100  Why? Because Python operators are not expressions.  This is a synthetic example. The point is not that youd necessarily want to do this, but that Lisps permit it. You dont run into the syntactic guardrails that are lurking in other languages. As a programmer, this simplifies your work, because everything snaps together easily. It also expands your possibilities, because you can combine parts of the language in unusual ways if you feel like it.  Its similar to the basic idea behind Legos. Other building sets offer specialized pieces that can only fit together certain ways. But by sharing uniform measurements, Lego bricks offer maximum possibilities for combinations. This ends up being more flexible & more fun.  So it is with an expression-based language. If you find this idea exciting, congratulationsyou might be a Lisp programmer. (If you find this idea weird and scary, this is a good moment to bail out.)  Every expression is either a single value or a list. [Lisps] Single values are things like numbers and strings and hash tables. (In Lisps, theyre sometimes called atoms.) That part is no big deal.  The list part, however, is a big deal. In a language like Python, the list is one data type within the language. But in Lisps, the list is more like an organizing principle for everything that happens. + The name Lisp is an abbreviation for list processing. So yes, you can use the list as a data type. But a function call is also a list. In fact, the source code for the function is a list. Actually, the rest of the program is too. Lists are everywhere. + The fancy CS term for this property is homoiconicity.  The benefits of lists are similar to that of expressions. By bringing more of the language into a consistent form, more possibilities arise for how pieces can be combined and manipulated.  Seibel describes Lisp as a tool for getting more done, faster. Here, you can start to see why this is so. Lisp languages are immensely flexible and permissive in how their pieces can be connected. This means that the way you think about a programming problem can be quite close to the way you actually program it. (This is also why Lisps have traditionally excelled for prototypes and exploratory work.)  To be fair, getting the most out of a Lisp means learning to think more in the Lisp idiom of lists and expressions. For that reason, I agree with Seibeltrying it yourself is the best way to be convinced of the benefits. As you get a feel for lists and expressions, it does pay increasing dividends throughout the language. You see how tiny lines of code can produce epic amounts of work. You also start to appreciate that even in a well-designed language like Python, youre spending a lot of time shaping your ideas to fit its limitations, like shaving an invisible yak.  Functional programming. [Lisps] Yes, I know that other languages offer functional-programming features, and that Lisps arent considered pure functional languages. But many programmers havent been exposed to this idiom, and thus tend to underrate its benefits. I know I was in that category.  Functional programming doesnt mean programming with functions. Everybody does that. Functional programming refers to a stricter style where functions receive certain data as input, process only that data, and return a result. In functional programming, functions avoid two habits common in other languages: mutation (= changing data in-place rather than returning a value) and relying on state (= extra context thats not provided as input, for instance global variables).  WaitI love state and mutation. Why would you take them away? Because theyre false friends. They contradict the essential concept of a function, which is to encapsulate data and algorithms. When a function relies on state or mutation, its operating outside those boundaries. Therefore, you either take on an increasing housekeeping burden to keep track of how functions affect each other, or watch your program sink into a swamp of mysterious, complicated bugs.  Programming in a functional style takes more effort at the outset. But it encourages you to structure the program in a clean, compartmentalized way. This pays off immediately in programs that are easier to test and debug. Its also more likely to lead to reusable components, since functions are truly independent.  This bite-the-bullet aspect of functional programming is another reason why you can get more done, faster with a Lisp. The difference between prototype and production code often ends up being small, because you dont take as many shortcuts at the start. The program grows and evolves more smoothly because its easy to change one part without causing ripple effects elsewhere.  Macros. [Racket] Some Racketeers quibble with this term, preferring syntax transformers, because a Racket macro can be more sophisticated than the usual Common Lisp macro.  A macro in Common Lisp is a function that runs at compile time, accepting symbols as input and injecting them into a template to produce new code.  Macros in Racket, on the other hand, rely on the concept of hygiene. They can handle Common Lisp-style macros, but also more elaborate syntax rearrangements.  But forget thatwhats in it for you? As a programmer, you end up getting two bites at the apple every time you run a file: Racket runs the macros (which alter the source code), and then the source code itself.  Unlike something like the C preprocessor, which is basically a separate mini-language, Racket macros are themselves Racket functions that give you access to everything in Racket. Like lists and expressions, macros add another layer of expressive possibilities.  Create new programming languages. [Racket] When I first read that Racket could be used to create new languages, I had two thoughtsare they serious? and would I really want to do that? The answers were yes and oh hell yes.  Between expressions, lists, and macros, Racket gives you a huge amount of semantic flexibility. But on top of that, it also adds syntactic flexibility, in that you can define a reader that converts surface syntax into standard Racket S-expressions, and an expander that determines the meaning of these S-expressions. + Paul Grahams programming language Arc, a dialect of Lisp, was built on top of Racket.  You can use this facility to make specialized dialects of Racket. Or implement earlier languages. Or create entirely new languages with their own rules. You can use any of these languages within DrRacket to code new projects. (These special languages are sometimes called domain-specific languages, or DSLs.) Scribble is a DSL based on Racket; Pollen is a set of DSLs based on Scribble.  If youre like most programmers, youve never had a tool for making a new language, so youve not considered it a realistic approach to a problem. And you wont need it all the time. But when you do, it is awesome, in both the new and old senses of that word.  (The sequel to this pieceWhy language-oriented programming? Why Racket?is devoted to this topic.)  Libraries & documentation. [Racket] This might not look like a competitive differentiatordoesnt every programming language have libraries & documentation?  Yes, but probably not like this. As a consequence of being used in research settings for many yearsRackets core development team is made of computer-science professorsRackets libraries & docs are more like a transmission from a highly evolved alien intelligence.  You get the essentials, of course: web server, JSON, XML, drawing, foreign-function interface, and so on. Then you notice packages you maybe didnt expect: GUI application framework, math plotting, package-distribution system, unit tester. Beyond that, your face starts to melt a little bit: semantics engineering? Futures visualizer?  I wont pretend to know what all this shit does. A lot of it is over my head. But I like that. Each week I use Racket, I end up exploring a new part of the library, and learning something new. As opposed to other languages that seem to kill brain cells on contact (= pretty much anything named *Script, I find).  This learning is only possible because of Rackets truly outstanding documentation. Its vast, thorough, precise, and approachable. See for yourself. + If you dont like the typography and layout of the docs, blame me.  DrRacket. [Racket] Yes, I know how to use a command line. But Racket includes a cross-platform graphical IDE called DrRacket thats pretty great. DrRacket lets you edit, run, and debug Racket source files (or any other language based on Racketsee item #9 on this list.)  No, it doesnt have the Ginsu-level search-and-replace facilities of something like Sublime Text. But it does have helpful editing features optimized for Racket code (for instance, you can right-click on a symbol name and rename it throughout the file, or jump from a function to its documentation).  Moreover, the command line within DrRacket doesnt just show plain textit can show stacked fractions, drawings, math plots, and other unexpected guests. If your command line does all that, by all means keep using it.  X-expressions. [Racket] This choice is somewhat biased by my work with Racket, which mostly involves document processing and typesetting. But related topics arise in most web programming. An X-expression is a special native data structure that Lisps use to represent HTML and other XML-ish data.  Well, not special in a Lispy sensekeeping with the usual policy, an X-expression is just another listbut special in the sense that other programming languages dont have it. Usually your choice is to represent HTML either as a string or as a full XML tree. A string is wrong because it doesnt capture the structure of the HTML, as defined by its tags and attributes. An XML tree shows this structure, but conceals the sequential nature of the data elements, and is unwieldy to work with.  An X-expression ends up being an ideal hybrid between a string and a tree. Moreover, because its just another list-based expression in the language, you have a lot of options for processing it. Translating an X-expression to or from a text representation using angle brackets is trivial and fast. (Details.)  Given the close kinship between XML-ish data structures and Lisp languages, I have no explanation why, during the Internet era, theyve not been paired more often. Theyre like peanut butter and jelly.  Scribble. [Racket] Pollen wouldnt have been possible without Scribble, so for me, this has been the stone-cold killer feature of Racket. But that wont be true for everyone, so Im moving it down the list. + Scribble was originally created to serve as Rackets documentation language (a job it does well).  Scribble is a dialect of Racket that inverts the ordinary relationship of plain text and code: rather than embedding text strings within source, a Scribble document consists of code expressions embedded within plain text.  So its like an HTML template language. Yes, in the sense that a template language allows code to be embedded in text. But also no, because a template language is usually a pidgin version of a real programming language. Scribble, by contrast, lets you invoke any Racket code simply by adding a command character to the front. In keeping with the theme already established, this approach is both simpler (because theres almost nothing new to learn) and more powerful (because you can invoke anything in Racket).  In its combination of text and code, Scribble has more kinship with LaTeX. While it doesnt have the typesetting facilities of LaTeX, the programming facilities are much better.  Opportunities to participate. [Racket] In theory, open-source software projects create the opportunity for groups of developers to join together and make better things in collaboration than they could separately.  In practice, Ive found that they sort into a bimodal distribution: over here, the underdocumented solo projects that sputter along fitfully (if at all); over there, the mature, popular projects that can be intimidating for new contributors.  As an open-source project, Racket is positioned at a happy medium. The core development team has been working together for years, and the commits remain fast & furious. But theyre friendly scientists, not Shire-dwelling egotists, and remain receptive to improvements across the whole system. If you have a better idea, theyll listen; if you code it up to their standards and make a pull request, theyll take it.  [2021 update: I no longer contribute to Racket due to abuse & bullying by the project leadership. Everyone in the broader Racket community, however, has always been helpful and kind.]

 The point of this list has been to tell you about the positives. That doesnt mean there arent negatives. The small pool of Racket programmers means that when you hit a pothole, its possible no ones ever seen your problem (= the inverse of Linuss Law). If I wanted to hire a Racket programmer, the options would be few.

 Still, why shouldnt I be enthusiastic? What Ive been able to accomplish so far with Racket has been tremendously useful, educational, and funthe most fun Ive had in 25+ years of programming.

 If you think I sound like a fanboy or cult member, I can live with that. But those are people whose enthusiasm is disproportionate to reality. Here, Ive tried to stay out of the clouds (and the weeds) and explain the concrete, practical features that have made Racket such a pleasure in my own work.

 As always, your mileage may vary. But if I persuade a few people to download Racket and try it, Ill be happy. In fact, if you try it and dont like it, I invite you to contact me, because Im always curious to hear dissenting opinions.

 I will end by taking on the big kahuna

 I wont claim Ive reached the top of the mountain. But I can tell you what the view looks like so far.

 Theres a sense in which Lisp and its descendants are more than programming languages. Theyre tools in the broader intellectual inquiry into the theory of computation. Lisps inventor, John McCarthy, originally considered Lisp a way of describing computable functions much neater than the Turing machines, adapting the notation of lambda calculus to do so. Racket, likewise, has grown out of scientific research and exploration.

 The theory of computation is just one of many great scientific discoveries in the last 100 years. But I dont get to use quantum mechanics or relativity or DNA sequencing in my daily work. When Im programming, however, Im using computation.

 Racket, as a Lisp dialect, has many practical benefits. But it also opens a window onto a vast theoretical world that underlies everything we can do with programs. Im not a brainiac computer scientist. But some days, through that window, I can start to see a bit of what they seesome math, some science, a lot of truth, and more than a little beauty and mystery.

 Paul Graham calls Lisp a secret weapon. I would clarify: Lisp itself isnt the secret weapon. Rather, you arebecause a Lisp language offers you the chance to discover your potential as a programmer and a thinker, and thereby raise your expectations for what you can accomplish.

 If thats not a step toward enlightenment, I dont know what is.
A few weeks ago, I left my mobile phone in the back of a taxi. I was laden with bags and had briefly put it on the seat next to me while I paid. By the time Id realised, the driver had disappeared around the corner.

Oh, the panic. Like so many people, I am lost without my phone. It has all my family and friends numbers, my personal and work emails and, most alarmingly, my many banking apps.

Fortunately, thanks to Apples miraculous app Find My iPhone, I was able to get my mobile back.

Risk: Many people keep their mobiles and bank cards in the same place, such as a handbag, but few would realise how vulnerable this makes them to fraud

This clever tool allows you to track on a map where your phone has gone and make it play a sound so someone (the taxi driver in this case) can find it and call a phone number which will flash up.

But the ordeal hammered home just how reliant we have become on these gadgets. Its why Im militant about backing up my phone so that even if it goes missing, my photos, files and contact details are safe.

I also wrote my husbands number on a piece of paper which I keep in my purse, so I can call him in an emergency.

Then a story posted on Twitter last month really set my alarm bells ringing. Charlotte Morgan described how someone had broken into her gym locker, stolen her smartphone and bank card and gone on an 8,000 spending spree.

When her current account ran dry, the criminal even managed to transfer thousands of pounds from her savings to continue spending.

And the worst part was that her bank, Santander, had refused to refund a penny. It claimed she must have been negligent and kept her Pin with her debit card  which was, of course, nonsense.

As the Mail reported last Thursday, it has since emerged she is not the only victim. Police are hunting a prolific thief suspected of stealing thousands of pounds from women in gyms across London. One claims to have lost close to 20,000 in an hour and a half.

But just how did this happen? Weve always been told crooks cant get into our mobile banking accounts. After all, the phone itself is protected by a passcode.

And the apps are secured by facial recognition or fingerprint technology. Well, an investigation by BBC Radio 4s You And Yours claims to have worked it out.

In order to spend big sums of money using your card, fraudsters need your Pin  which is (somewhat unbelievably) available to view in your mobile banking app.

To access this, you would usually need to enter a passcode or unlock it using your face or thumbprint. But if the crook has your card, they can download your mobile banking app onto their phone.

The bank will want to check its really you doing this, so they will send a text message with a one-time authorisation passcode.

But if the criminal also has your phone, they can see this (even if it is locked), get into your account, change the passwords and, crucially, get their hands on your Pin  all within a few minutes.

Banks need to jump on this glaring security flaw fast. Lots of people keep their mobiles and bank cards in the same place. Few would realise how vulnerable this makes them to fraud.

I also find it hard to believe that the banks  which regularly brag about their sophisticated fraud detection systems  didnt freeze these victims cards sooner.

You might expect one unusual transaction to go unnoticed. Yet Charlotte says her card was used to make multiple purchases totalling thousands of pounds at one Apple store  where she has never shopped in her life.

Eventually, under pressure from the Press, Santander agreed to reimburse her. But it again raises serious concerns about why some banks are still so quick to blame the victim and deny refunds.

One lesson Ive learned is to change your phones security settings so messages dont flash up if the device is locked.

That way crooks wont be able to see any verification texts sent by your bank. And ensure your phones sim card is protected by a password.

In the meantime, perhaps we need to rethink how much personal data we store on phones. As this tale shows, our mobiles have left us worryingly exposed to scammers.

v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk
Twitter shareholders have approved Elon Musk's 38billion buyout  despite the entrepreneur trying to wriggle out of the deal.

Investors in the social media giant backed Musk's offer in a vote yesterday.

This will come as a blow to the Tesla boss, who originally made an offer for Twitter in April but has since tried to drop it, claiming bosses misled him about the number of 'bots' and spam accounts on the site.

Backing out: Investors in the social media giant Twitter backed Tesla Tycoon Elon Musk's 38bn offer in a vote yesterday

Twitter has denied Musk's claims, and has sued him in an attempt to force the deal to go ahead. Musk is counter-suing, and a trial is set for October 17.

Meanwhile, Twitter whistleblower Peiter Zatko, its former head of security, gave evidence to US lawmakers yesterday claiming the company is 'misleading the public' about how secure it is.

In his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Zatko painted Twitter as a company prioritising revenue above all else.
Jacob Rees-Mogg could be set to reverse a controversial Chinese-backed takeover of a British chip firm as he grapples with wider concerns about the hollowing out of industry.

The Government plans to order Dutch firm Nexperia  owned by China's Wingtech  to reduce its stake in Newport Wafer Fab substantially, the Financial Times reported.

A decision from the Business Secretary is due by October 3 and the South Wales firm's former owner is said to be orchestrating a bid, together with private equity group Palladian Investment Partners, to buy it back.

China threat: A decision on the future of chip maker Newport Wafer Fab from Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured) is due by October 3

Former science minister George Freeman backed the intervention, saying: 'The Government is right to take steps to restore Newport Wafer Fab.'

Also likely to be on Rees-Mogg's agenda is whether to call in a takeover of London-listed software firm Aveva for closer scrutiny.

France's Schneider, which already holds a majority stake in the Cambridge-based firm, is closing in on a 9billion agreement to swallow up the rest of its stock.

Under takeover rules, Schneider must make a formal offer by a week today, having disclosed last month that it was exploring the move.

Aveva shares rose 3.1 per cent, or 91p, to 3050p yesterday as the deadline approached.

The deal could be subject to further scrutiny given Schneider's joint venture with Chinese firm Delixi Group.

The decisions crystallise the delicate balance Rees-Mogg must strike between showing the UK is open for business and protecting key industries.

Nexperia, which previously held a 14 per cent stake in Newport Wafer Fab, took over the rest of the company last year in a 63million deal.

The firm makes semiconductor 'wafers' which are then shipped to the Philippines and sliced up for use in products such as cars and smartphones.

Freeman, who opposes the takeover, said Newport Wafer Fab was the 'jewel in the crown' of a cluster of chip firms in South Wales.

'If we are serious about becoming a science and technology superpower we can't sit back and allow our top technology  with huge strategic geopolitical importance  to be bought out by hostile states engaged in economic war like Russia or China,' he said.

The United States, meanwhile, is reportedly looking to broaden curbs on shipments to China of chips used for artificial intelligence, as well as chipmaking tools.

Washington has already sent letters to big US chip companies Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices instructing them to halt shipments of several AI chips to China unless they obtain licences.

Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown's senior investment and markets analyst, said there would 'inevitably be cooperation with the US' on chip technology.

The Government declined to comment on the FT report. Nexperia declined to comment. The Mail has contacted Palladian for comment.
Major banks, telecoms giants, energy suppliers and travel firms are burying their telephone numbers on obscure pages of their websites to deter customers from calling for help.

Many companies are instead urging people to use live chat services or demanding complaints are made via social media sites such as Twitter.

A Money Mail audit this week found that in one of the worst examples, customers have to click through six pages on telecoms giant BTs website to find its phone number.

Fines: Our Pick Up or Pay Up campaign is calling for a new law to force big businesses to pick up their phones within ten minutes

The Telecoms giant says this can be reduced to three clicks  but only if you know exactly the right boxes to tick in the endless options and drop-down menus.

It also took a reporter nearly two minutes to locate contact information for Barclays and Sky. And we could not find a number at all for Amazon.

Many  including British Airways, Santander and Scottish Power  have messages online advising customers not to bother ringing at all due to high wait times.

Some firms even make customers fill out an online form or answer a series of questions before revealing their helpline number.

Our experiment used a desktop computer but experiences may vary between devices.

Money Mail is calling for a new law to force big businesses to pick up their phones within ten minutes  or face big fines.

Our Pick Up Or Pay Up campaign aims to bring an end to customers being left on hold for hours. It is supported by 34 MPs and is set to be discussed in Parliament after Conservative member Robert Halfon applied for a backbench debate on the issue.

But first, customers must be told the numbers they need to call. We audited a range of businesses which are repeatedly named and shamed by readers.

Many people said they struggle to even get to the point of being on hold because firms are deliberately making it difficult to find their phone numbers.

PayPal asks users to log in to access contact details  unless they spot a small continue as guest option.

British Airways buries its telephone information at the very bottom of its help page under a drop-down section headed All other enquiries.

Ironically, companies use an icon of a telephone next to their contact us section on websites  despite not giving a number. Instead, websites direct people to their live chat services, or Frequently Asked Questions page.

For example, Skys website reads: Over 90 per cent of our customers who use our online guides get the help they need before even having to get in touch.

The Scottish Power website states: Call waiting times may be longer than usual. While Virgin Media says: Please only get in touch if you need to. And Barclays advises: Talk to us directly through social channels too.

We found that the quickest way to get a number was often by searching the complaints section of a website.

Its clear from Money Mails postbag that this online-heavy approach does not meet everyones needs. As one reader points out: Most companies assume everyone has the internet and a smartphone, and people feel they are being forced online. This unfairly penalises the elderly, who get treated abysmally in this country now.

Campaigners and politicians have joined our calls for firms to improve customer service.

Consumer expert Martyn James says: Now more than ever customers need one-to-one help. But trying to find a number for a business is like an endurance test. Companies are making it as difficult as possible to find their numbers so that people just give up and dont phone them.

That is especially unforgivable for the telecoms companies.

Blocked: Customers have to click through six different pages on telecoms giant BT's website to find its phone number.

Consumer champion Jane Hawkes adds: Customers not only face lengthy waits on hold, but in many instances cant even find company contact details. This is unacceptable.

Our campaign manifesto is simple: we want the Government to update the Consumer Rights Act 2015 with a statutory instrument  secondary legislation which can make changes to an existing Act of Parliament.

This would give regulators such as Ofgem and Ofcom the power to fine firms who do not answer the phone within ten minutes.

Recently, a similar law was passed in Spain.

Over the summer Money Mail hosted a drop-in event for MPs in Parliament, armed with thousands of letters and coupons of support sent in by readers.

We are also calling for firms to be forced to offer a working phone line service for customers, a callback service if they cannot answer and publish their daily wait times.

A BT spokesman says the company makes it very easy for customers to contact them. Sky says its contact number is clearly listed on its website.

Octopus Energy claims most customers find its number through a Google search and that it comes up straight away, while PayPal says it is easier and quicker if customers log into their account online before ringing.

Virgin Media, Santander, British Airways and Barclays all say that for conveniences sake, they offer a variety of ways for customers to contact them.

British Gas is investing in 500 more call-centre staff to meet increasing demand. Scottish Power says it actively encourages customers to self-serve only so they can get help as quickly as possible.

Amazon operates a chatbox and callback service which customers can access if they enter their number online.

h.kelly@dailymail.co.uk
The Queens death last Thursday marked the end of an era in British history. And as millions reflect on her momentous life, many are keen to secure keepsakes and collectibles.

Google searches for Royal memorabilia rocketed by 100 per cent on Friday morning as newspapers packed with moving obituaries hit the stands.

The Royal Mint website crashed after customers flocked to snap up commemorative coins, with more than 6,390 online shoppers waiting in a queue on Thursday evening.

Favourite: Luxury department store Harrods says sales of Paddington Bears have increased

By 11am on Friday, several were already out of stock, including the 3,575 gold proof Elizabeth II Trafalgar Five Pounds minted in 2005 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

And a 5 coin celebrating the Queens 70-year reign, which was previously priced at 13, was sold out last night.

Searches for Queen Elizabeth mugs also doubled over the weekend, according to Google data. And nearly 150 commemorative cups marking all manner of royal occasions over the years were listed on auction site eBay on Monday alone.

Meanwhile, copies of the Daily Mails historic edition published last Friday are on sale for up to 99.99.

Luxury department store Harrods also says sales of Paddington Bears have increased, after mourners began placing them outside Buckingham Palace following the Queens sketch with the famous bear earlier this summer. The 42cm-tall soft toy is currently out of stock.

Pauline Maclaran, professor of marketing and consumer research at Royal Holloway, University of London, says: Theres all the high-end collectors pieces and then, of course, you have the huge range of keyrings, mugs, plaques and flags. I think that this is part of wanting to be involved in the historic moment and to mark the occasion.

But it does not take long to uncover a huge range of prices being offered by different vendors.

One limited-edition Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Barbie doll was priced at 4,995 on eBay earlier this week. Yet another was bought from the same site on Monday for 461.

In demand: A coin marking the Queens Platinum Jubilee

Laura Suter, head of personal finance at investment firm AJ Bell, says: If someone is currently buying up royal memorabilia purely with profit in mind, they should proceed with caution.

Theres no guarantee all items will rise in value and its very tricky to predict what will see a significant increase in worth and what will maintain value, or even fall.

Sales websites such as eBay and Gumtree are awash with crockery, handkerchiefs and brooches commemorating royal events.

A nd it is thought that as much as 281 million was spent on souvenirs and keepsakes during the Platinum Jubilee this year, according to earlier estimates by the Centre for Retail Research.

Auctioneers Reeman Dansie have sold hundreds of lots relating to the Royals over the years. In 2019 a pair of 9ct gold and enamel cufflinks, which the late Queen had gifted to a senior member of her royal household, were bought for 2,900.

James Grinter, managing director of the Colchester-based firm, says: Personal gifts, cards and letters are worth far more than mass-produced mugs and crockery.

Members of the Royal Family will usually give gifts to retiring staff or members of the public who have assisted them in some way  such as a helpful stationmaster.

Signing autographs is against royal protocol. However, Queen Elizabeth II wrote many letters and cards.

A Christmas card signed by the monarch could be worth up to 2,000, according to Mr Grinter.Letters signed by Lilibet, a nickname used by the monarchs close friends and family, would be particularly valuable.

But any card with her signature posted after 1960 would be worth less as it was likely signed by a machine.

Rising value: An Emma Bridgewater God Save The Queen Jubilee mug sold for 104 on eBay, despite retailing at 22 a few months ago

While few can boast of personal gifts and correspondence, some mugs could still prove valuable.

Around 1,000 limited-edition loving cups were made by ceramic manufacturer Royal Doulton to mark Queen Elizabeths coronation in 1953.

David Broom, of Keys Auctioneers, says: While most mugs bought during the coronation will sell for around 20 maximum, these cups can go for up to 400 because there are fewer of them.

Other crockery made by popular British brands has also seen a surge in value. On Monday, an Emma Bridgewater God Save The Queen Jubilee mug sold for 104 on eBay, despite retailing at 22 a few months ago.

However, Mr Broom warns that even those who have had a brush with royalty may not be able to sell an item for its true value, unless they can prove that it is authentic.

Fridays historic Daily Mail is going for 100 on eBay - but you can get a copy plus two royal magazines for 4.99!

A woman once showed him a china cup and saucer which was given to her father by the late Queen Mother while he was on duty as a police officer one Christmas Eve at Sandringham.

Mr Broom says: It was a lovely story, but it looked like any other cup and saucer and there was no way of proving it was given to him by a member of the Royal Family.

It had great sentimental value for the police officers daughter, but the set would not have made much at auction.

Many royal enthusiasts also enjoy collecting stamps which document a monarchs reign.

Searches for Queen Elizabeth stamps were up by 85 per cent on Friday morning, Google data reveals.

James Coulbault, of stamp dealer Stanley Gibbons, says the firm saw a surge in demand during the Jubilee celebrations.

He adds: We are regularly fielding requests for the original coronation stamps, featuring the portraits by Edmund Dulac and Dorothy Wilding, from 1953 and the first set of stamps to feature the Arnold Machin portrait from 1967, which is now synonymous with British stamps.

Royal memorabilia tends to increase in value once the members of the family they pertain to have died.

However, interest in items relating to King Charles III and the Queen Consort have also risen.

A bone china mug marking the couples wedding in 2005 sold for 46.61 on Friday, while similar items have sold for between 1 and 15 earlier this year.

f.parker@dailymail.co.uk
Freight trains across the United States could come to a halt this week if six of the seven largest railroads in North America  including BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, which both operate in Montana  cannot secure new labor contracts by 12:01 a.m. Friday, following more than two years of contentious negotiations.

At that hour, either the railroads can lock out employees, or unions representing tens of thousands of railroaders can go on strike. On Monday, a shutdown of the network appeared so likely that some railroads began to secure hazardous material shipments should a strike or lockout occur, though the unions dismissed that action as a ploy to get shippers to complain to Congress to force a solution. The Washington Post reported that White House officials are holding emergency meetings this week in hopes of preventing a strike.

A shutdown of a vast majority of the freight rail network could cost the American economy more than $2 billion a day, according to an economic analysis by the Association of American Railroads, as well as impact agricultural and manufacturing shippers in Montana and elsewhere. A shutdown of the rail network, which moves 1.7 billion tons of goods and products annually, would also have a major impact on a national supply chain still reeling from the impacts of the pandemic and labor shortages.

Railroad-labor relations are complex and are generally governed by a nearly century-old law called the Railway Labor Act of 1926. Under that law, railroads and unions have conducted collective bargaining negotiations on a multi-employer and multi-union basis for more than 90 years. Nearly all the major freight railroads in the United States partake in the national talks. Typically, the national bargaining method has been successful at avoiding strikes or lockouts that could cripple the American economy, and there have been only two days of service disruptions resulting from contract talks in the last 30 years. The last national railroad work stoppage was in 1992.

But the latest round of contract talks has been more contentious than most. In addition to standard issues like compensation and benefits, the talks have also focused on various work rules regarding employee attendance policies and crew sizes. Currently, most freight trains run with two employees on board, but some freight railroads have said it can be done with just one. The unions say that is unsafe, and the federal government is currently considering implementing a rule to make two-person crews the national standard. The unions also want new policies guaranteeing railroaders  who navigate hectic and unpredictable work schedules  a better work-life balance.

In June, after more than two years of talks and help from federal mediators, the National Mediation Board announced that talks between the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (which represents the unions) and the National Carriers Conference Committee (which represents the railroads) had failed and that third-party arbitrators should step in. However, either side can reject binding arbitration, which the unions did. That set the stage for the Biden administration to establish a Presidential Emergency Board to review the conflict and make recommendations.

On Aug. 17, that board issued its report and recommended that the railroads give their employees a 22% pay increase  less than the 28% the unions wanted, but more than the 16% the railroads had offered. On the more contentious issues like attendance policies and crew size, the emergency board punted and said the railroads and unions should resolve those questions through local negotiations or arbitration. The railroads called the emergency boards recommendations a useful basis to continue talks. But union officials said those recommendations had fallen short and did not go far enough to provide our members with the quality of life that they have earned, and that both they and their families deserve.

Railroaders were also frustrated with comments made by negotiators stating that they did not believe the railroads record profits were the result of contributions by labor. Rather, the railroads said the profits were the result of capital investment and [financial] risk by the companies.

The release of the Presidential Emergency Board report set off another round of talks and a 30-day cooling off period during which the railroads couldnt lock employees out and the unions couldnt strike. During that time, the railroads have forged agreements with eight smaller unions representing maintenance workers, dispatchers and more. However, agreements with the two largest unions  the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen and SMART Transportation Division, which together represent tens of thousands of locomotive engineers and conductors  have remained elusive.

Late last week, a number of railroads announced that they would begin to secure hazardous material shipments ahead of the 12:01 a.m. Sept. 16 deadline in case of a strike. Some even warned customers that trains carrying non-hazardous materials might come to a halt up to 72 hours ahead of the deadline to ensure an orderly shutdown of the network.

In a message to customers, BNSF Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve Bobb urged rail shippers to contact their congressional representatives to intervene and prevent a strike by unilaterally imposing the Presidential Emergency Board recommendations.

It is critical that Congress hear from freight rail customers as soon as possible, Bobb wrote. If there is a labor strike on September 16, Congress can intervene to prevent or quickly resolve the service disruption.

But the unions have said any move to stop freight before the Sept. 16 deadline is the railroad industry trying to scare customers into action. In a joint statement on Sunday, Jeremy Ferguson, president of SMART Transportation Division, and Dennis Pierce, president of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, called the preemptive freight embargoes an unnecessary attack on rail shippers.

The railroads are using shippers, consumers, and the supply chain of our nation as pawns in an effort to get our unions to cave into their contract demands knowing that our members would never accept them, the union bosses wrote. Our unions will not cave into these scare tactics, and Congress must not cave into what can only be described as corporate terrorism.
No, he didnt bake the drugs into a pie.

A 62-year-old Helena man who once supervised a bakery at the Montana State Prison was sentenced Aug. 31 in Powell County District Court to five years to the Department of Corrections for helping inmates smuggle illegal drugs into the prison.

Charles Blattler pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit transferring illegal articles, a felony.

In 2019 and 2020, Blattler helped prison inmates send and receive drugs to each other, with the drugs including methamphetamine, Suboxone, heroin, marijuana and cocaine.

Three inmates also were sentenced for their roles in conspiring to receive contraband drugs.

A co-conspirator in New Hampshire who communicated with inmates by phone revealed code words used during recorded conversations: Shingles referred to Suboxone; White spackle referenced methamphetamine; and, Porcelain angels was code for cocaine.

Brian Gootkin, director of the Montana Department of Corrections, said that the department has zero tolerance for such activities.

We are thankful for the thorough investigation conducted by the Department of Corrections Investigations Bureau and aggressive prosecution by the Montana Department of Justice, Gootkin said.

Patrick Moody of the Montana Attorney Generals Office prosecuted the case. Attorney General Austin Knudsen observed that the case demonstrated that his offices work to keep Montana safe extends into correctional facilities.

Court documents show that evidence of Blattlers role in the conspiracy began to emerge in April 2020, when a search revealed two Suboxone strips in a drawer in the High Side bakery office.

On May 18, 2020, prison staff searched Blattler as he entered the building. A letter in his possession contained methamphetamine and hashish, court records show.

Blattler admitted he had brought in envelopes for inmate Charles Dustin Rickett over the course of six months. He denied receiving compensation for bringing in the letters, but said he received an art piece from Rickett.

Inmates Rickett, Brett Russell McKeehan and Zachary Tucker Martin received varying sentences for their participation in the drug conspiracy.
Ten inmates at Montana State Prison last month began college courses with Helena College as part of the Second Chance Pell Grant program officials hope can help reduce recidivism.

The federal program is administered through the Montana Department of Corrections and the Montana University System.

Pell Grants are typically available to students in financial need, although they were previously unavailable to students in prison settings. The U.S. Department of Education in April announced an expansion of the Second Chance program, now in its third round of grant disbursements. Among the additional 73 colleges and universities that will provide college courses to students in prison settings were Great Falls College, Montana State University Billings, Dawson Community College and Helena College.

The 10 inmates who received the grants began their work Aug. 29 toward a certificate of applied science in automotive technology through Helena College, the state corrections department said in a press release Monday.

"I believe it will be an essential part of my success, said Ty Jensen, an inmate who recently completed a welding course at the prison and hopes to own a fabrication and auto body shop. Itll help give me the skills and the ability to have a career and to stay out and never come back.

Helena College Dean Sandra Bauman said in the press release the students will be plugged into the classroom experience via smart boards and other technology while getting the hands-on experience through Montana Correctional Enterprises, the prison's work and training program.

This provides the right training to get into the automotive industry, but it also provides an opportunity for anyone who wants to continue their education and earn an associate degree, Bauman said. "From there, the sky is the limit. This is a university system program, so there is (a) lot of transferable coursework. Students can continue to build upon that education as they like."

Corrections and education officials both lauded the program's opportunities in Monday's press release.

This is a great opportunity for people under our supervision to continue their education and improve their skills so they can have more employment opportunities when they leave our facilities, DOC Director Brian Gootkin said. Were excited to help these offenders fill the employment gaps in Montana with the skills they gain through training with Montana Correctional Enterprises and now with additional skills from our collegiate partners.

Higher education is a proven pathway for reducing recidivism, improving employment opportunities after release, and providing the necessary skills and training for successful re-entry, said Montana Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian. Providing high-quality educational opportunities to students from all walks of life is central to everything we do in the Montana University System. Im happy our colleges and universities are joining the Department of Corrections to improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
King Charles was urged to keep up his own and his late mothers efforts towards reconciliation between the divided communities of Northern Ireland when he visited the British-run province on Tuesday to lead mourning for Queen Elizabeth.

Thousands of well-wishers greeted Charles with handshakes, smiles and warm words as he walked along lines of people crowding the streets outside Hillsborough Castle, the monarchs official residence in the province.

But the visit was also laden with political significance given Britains historical record in Ireland and the more recent years of violence in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles.

At a ceremony at Hillsborough Castle, the acting speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Alex Maskey, paid fulsome tribute to the queen and her contribution to reconciliation.

Queen Elizabeth was not a distant observer in the transformation and progress of relationships in, and between, these islands, said Maskey, a member of Sinn Fein, which seeks the reunification of Ireland.

She personally demonstrated how individual acts of positive leadership can help break down barriers and encourage reconciliation, he said.

Maskey, who was himself interned by the authorities as an Irish Republican Army suspect in the 1970s, said Charles had already shown he understood the importance of reconciliation and was committed to it.

The challenge for all of us is to renew the work that you and Queen Elizabeth have already done, he said.

Charles also shook hands warmly with Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle ONeill, the partys leader in Northern Ireland.

Thank you so much for the incredibly kind things you said about my mother, Charles said to ONeill.

She played a great role here in terms of reconciliation Its the end of an era for sure, ONeill said.

SYMBOL OF THE UNION

In 2011, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland since independence from London almost a century earlier, a step Prime Minister Micheal Martin described on Thursday as being crucial in the normalisation of relations.

Although a potent symbol of the union, she made powerful gestures of reconciliation for Britains bloody past in Ireland during the hugely successful state visit, culminating in a speech in which she expressed regret for centuries of conflict.

A year after her visit to Ireland, the queen, whose cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten was killed by the IRA in 1979, shook the hand of former IRA commander and then Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness in Belfast.

It was a milestones in a peace process that largely brought an end to three decades of violence between pro-British, largely Protestant, factions and nationalists, mostly Catholic, seeking to reunited Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Charles, addressing senior politicians at the castle, said he was committed to the welfare of all the people of Northern Ireland. He also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth.

My mother saw Northern Ireland pass through momentous and historic changes. Through all those years, she never ceased to pray for the best of times for this place and for its people, whose stories she knew, whose sorrows our family had felt, and for whom she had a great affection and regard, he said.

LETS WORK TOGETHER

Earlier on the way to Hillsborough, Charles had stepped out of his car to meet and greet thousands of people lining the streets to welcome him amid chants of God Save the King.

Our friends here in Northern Ireland, we all want to live together, we really do. I think people with different religions recognise the wonderful job she (the queen) did. I really hope we all go forward and support our king, said Joey McPolin, 77, from Dramore.

Elizabeth died on Thursday in her holiday home at Balmoral Castle, in the Scottish Highlands, at the age of 96, plunging the nation into mourning for a monarch who had reigned for 70 years and was a principal part of the fabric of British life.

Charles, 73, is travelling to the four parts of his new kingdom before the funeral on Monday.

In Scotland, Queen Elizabeths flag-draped coffin laid at rest in St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, where thousands of people filed past it to pay their final respects.

Tens of thousands of mourners had turned out to observe the procession of the coffin along the historic Royal Mile on Monday. After a silent vigil attended by Charles, his sister Anne and brothers Andrew and Edward at the cathedral, people queued overnight to file past the queens coffin.

The Scottish government said more than 26,000 people had passed through by the time it closed the queue.

The queens coffin will leave Scotland and be flown to London in the early evening and driven to Buckingham Palace. On Wednesday, it will be taken on a gun carriage as part of a grand military procession to Westminster Hall where a period of lying in state will begin until the funeral on Monday.

Members of the public will be allowed to process past the coffin for 24 hours a day until the morning of the funeral.

SUPPORT FOR CHARLES UP

A new poll meanwhile showed Charles has enjoyed a surge in support since he became king. The YouGov survey for the Times newspaper also showed a similar increase in backing for his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort.

Now 63% think he will be a good king, a rise of 24 percentage points since March, while 15% believe he will do a bad job, compared with 31% six months ago, the poll found.

Charles had carved out a role for himself speaking out on issues from climate change to architecture. But critics said he was interfering in political issues that were not matters for the royals, a contrast to his mother who kept her personal opinions hidden throughout her reign.

Since becoming king, he has repeatedly said he would follow his mothers example.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Fresh clashes erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia on Wednesday, a day after nearly 100 soldiers were killed in the deadliest fighting between the ex-Sovietrepublics since 2020.

At least 49 Armenian and 50 Azerbaijani military were killed on Tuesday in the clashes, with both Yerevan and Baku blaming each other for the fighting which prompted an appeal for calm from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The clashes have raised fears of another major armed conflict in the former Soviet Union while Russias military is tied up with the invasion of Ukraine.

A full-fledged conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan would risk dragging in powers such as Russia and Turkey, and destabilise an important corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas just as confrontation over Ukraine disrupts energy supplies.

The Armenian defence ministry on Wednesday accused Azerbaijan, which is backed politically and militarily by Turkey, offiring artillery, mortar and small arms in a fresh attack.

The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remained tense, it added, restating Armenias position that Azerbaijan launched attacks on its sovereign territory.

Azerbaijan accused Armenia, which is in a military alliance with Moscow and home to a Russian military base, of firing mortars and artillery against its military units.

Our positions are periodically being fired against at the moment, Azerbaijans defence ministry said. Our units are taking the necessary response measures.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify battlefield accounts from either side.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Germany said on Tuesday it would step up lending to energy firms at risk of being crushed by soaring gas prices, as the European Union readied proposals to help households and industry cope with an energy crisis sparked by Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The European Commission is due to announce on Wednesday proposals including targets to cut electricity consumption and a revenue cap for non-gas fuelled plants. EU energy ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Sept. 30 to try and agree on them.

Separately, the EUs securities watchdog is also considering measures to help energy firms struggling to meet rocketing collateral demands after they were caught out by the surging prices as Russia cut gas supplies to Europe.

The crisis is already weighing heavily on Europes economy, even before the onset of winter when industrial users could face rationing if gas reserves prove inadequate. Industry sentiment in the blocs economic powerhouse, Germany, has tumbled.

Of course we knew, and we know, that our solidarity with Ukraine will have consequences, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Tuesday, urging Germans to brace for a tough winter and rise to the challenge of a shift in energy supply away from Russian gas.

Let us tackle the task together! Scholz said.

Germanys finance ministry said it wanted to boost state loans for energy firms by using credit authorisations created to offer relief in the COVID-19 pandemic, with a German newspaper putting the value at 67 billion euros ($68 billion).

Last week, VNG (VNG.UL), one of Germanys biggest importers of Russian natural gas, became the latest energy firm to ask the government for aid to stay afloat.

The German cabinet is expected to approve draft legislation for the boosted credit funds on Wednesday.

RAFT OF EU PROPOSALS

At the EU level, a spokesperson for the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) said on Monday the regulator was actively considering whether any regulatory measures were necessary to help support energy firms.

ESMA directly regulates clearing houses in the EU, which in turn set mandatory levels of margin based on potential risks from markets and counterparties. Public intervention in this area is rare, especially after the global financial crisis over a decade ago led to tougher margin requirements.

A draft of the European Commissions proposals, seen by Reuters, would cap at 180 euros per megawatt hour the price at which wind, solar and nuclear plants could sell their power in the 27-nation bloc. It would also force fossil fuel firms to share excess profits.

Governments would be required to use the cash to help consumers and companies facing sky-high energy bills.

EU officials said, however, that plans for emergency liquidity support for power firms facing soaring collateral needs were still being drafted, and would likely be published later than Wednesday.

NO GAS PRICE CAP

Diplomats say there is broad support for a revenue cap for non-gas generators, as well as plans to impose electricity demand cuts. But countries are split over other ideas  including a gas price cap, which was not included in the draft Commission proposals.

The EU has also backed away from an earlier plan to impose a price cap on Russian gas. Countries including Hungary and Austria had opposed that idea in case Moscow retaliated by cutting off the dwindling supplies it still sends to the EU.

Meanwhile, investor sentiment in Germany fell further than expected in September as concerns over the countrys energy supply increasingly weigh on the outlook for Europes largest economy.

The prospect of energy shortages in winter has made expectations even more negative for large parts of the German industry, said Achim Wambach, president of the ZEW economic research institute.

Separately, Swedish utility Vattenfall said it had delayed the restart of the Ringhals 4 nuclear reactor by two months to Jan. 31, in a further setback to power supply in the Nordic and Baltic region.

This worsens an already difficult power situation in southern Sweden, power market analyst Tor Reier Lilleholt at Norways Volue said.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz said on Tuesday he hoped to restore production thanks to the recent military successes.

Naftogaz produces the lions share of Ukraines gas, with output totalling 13.7 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2021.

SOURCE: REUTERS
At least 49 Armenian soldiers and an undisclosed number of Azeris were killed on Tuesday in the deadliest fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia since a 2020 war, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to appeal for calm.

Armenia and Azerbaijan, neighbouring former Soviet states, blamed each other for the renewed fighting which began overnight at several points along their border, raising fears of another major armed conflict in the former Soviet Union while Russias military is tied up in Ukraine.

Russia has peacekeeping troops in the Azeri-Armenian conflict zone as guarantor of an agreement that ended a six-week war over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh two years ago.

Yerevan said Azerbaijan had shelled towns near the border including Jermuk, Goris and Kapan, forcing it to respond. Baku said Armenian sabotage units had sought to mine Azeri positions and began the shooting.

It also accused Armenian troops of firing heavy weapons in violation of a ceasefire reached earlier on Tuesday.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify battlefield accounts from either side.

It is difficult to overestimate the role of the Russian Federation, the role of Putin personally, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The president is naturally is making every effort to help de-escalate tensions at the border.

UKRAINE AND CAUCASUS

Russias war in Ukraine has undermined its status as a regional security guarantor, leaving room for Azerbaijan to make more claims, said Laurence Broers, associate fellow at the Russia and Eurasia Programme of Chatham House think tank.

Azerbaijan, which is politically and culturally linked to Turkey, made significant territorial gains in 2020, reclaiming land lost to ethnic Armenians in an earlier war over Nagorno-Karabakh 30 years before.

Since February, we also have been seeing the collapse of Russias reputation as a security patron and a provider of security in the region, Broers said. That has created a window of opportunity for Azerbaijan, recalling that the outcome of the second war in 2020 left unfinished business.

The CSTO, a Russian-led military alliance of former Soviet states that includes Armenia but not Azerbaijan, met on Tuesday to discuss the situation.

Turkey reiterated its support for its ally Azerbaijan, with Defence Minister Hulusi Akar quoted by his ministry as saying that Turkey will continue to stand by it in its just causes.

Responsibility for the provocation, clashes and losses lies with the military-political leadership of Armenia, Azerbaijans foreign ministry said. Any actions against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be resolutely prevented.

BORDER FIGHTING

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Azerbaijan of attacking Armenian towns because it did not want to negotiate over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave which is inside Azerbaijan but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians.

He said the intensity of hostilities had decreased although attacks from Azerbaijan continued.

Azerbaijan, which accused Armenian troops of carrying out intelligence activity and moving weapons along the border, said its military positions came under attack by Armenia. It said it sustained losses but did not disclose the number of casualties.

Both Russia and the United States called on Baku and Yerevan to observe restraint.

Whether Russia tries in some fashion to stir the pot, to create a distraction from Ukraine, is something were always concerned about, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters, adding Russia could also use its influence to help calm the waters.

Russias foreign ministry said the conflict should be resolved exclusively through political and diplomatic means.

The Azeri and Russian defence ministers spoke on Tuesday and agreed to take steps to stabilise the situation on the border. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held talks with his Azeri counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov and called for Armenia to cease its provocations.

Charles Michel, president of the European Council, also urged the sides to de-escalate. Michel met with Pashinyan and Azerbaijaini President Ilham Aliyev last month in Brussels for talks on the normalisation of ties, humanitarian issues and the prospect of a peace treaty over Nagorno-Karabakh.

EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar was set to travel to both countries to support efforts to curb the violence.

France will raise the clashes at the U.N. Security Council, the office of President Emmanuel Macron said.

SOURCE: REUTERS
When William Ramos went to prison, everyone he knew still used a flip phone.

Ten years later, when he was released in 2018, Ramos reentered a world that looked much different than the one he had left behind. He was forced to navigate an evolved technological landscape not only for the betterment of his social life but also for enduring the job search process.

Individuals attempting to reenter the workforce after incarceration face myriad challenges including adapting to workplace advancements. The Capital Region ReEntry Resource and Empowerment Fair, held Tuesday at the Capital South Campus in Albany, aimed to help people like Ramos overcome such obstacles and find success in future employment.

The times have changed. Interviews are virtual and resumes are virtual and just basic business practices, the way we dress, all these things have changed somewhat so we are here to help clients adjust to new times, Erica Anderson, reentry coordinator for the Albany Re-Entry Task Force, said.

The fair focused on providing professional development resources to individuals connected to the criminal justice system, such as resume assistance, career services, interview preparation, professional headshots and skills training for good-paying careers.

When Ramos was released, he thought he could handle everything on his own. He had no interest in becoming part of the citys reentry program but was required to as a condition of his parole.

Its something he feels grateful for every day, he said, revealing that he would likely be back in prison or still on parole without the program that helped him with everything from putting clothing on his back and getting food stamps and housing to providing him with mental health services and employment opportunities.

Im no longer in the program but it assisted me and five years later Im a law-abiding citizen with a car and a license, things I didnt even have before prison, and Im a free man now making good money, said Williams, who now works as a carpenter.

The Re-Entry Task Force was one of 20 vendors present at the event that also included Glenmont Job Corps, Hudson Valley Community College, City of Albany Department of Youth and Workforce Services and the Seat Center, which was promoting its YouthBuild program  which helps young adults without a high school degree obtain their GED and learn useful labor skills.

Some of the information available was helpful in providing participants with assistance for child care, transportation, legal affairs and identification obtainment.

Identification is one of the biggest barriers our clients face coming from incarceration, Anderson said. They dont always have New York State ID because they dont have a social security card or a birth certificate, so thats something we can actually assist them with.

The event was made possible through a partnership with the Capital Region Workforce Development Board, New York State Department of Labor, the Business Council of New York State, Capital Region Chamber, Albany County District Attorneys Office and Capital Region BOCES.

Paramount in the events planning was Tech Valley Shuttle, which is run by a formerly incarcerated individual and provided shuttle service from Schenectady, Troy and Albany to transport individuals to and from the fair.

For event organizer Brian Williams, executive director of the Capital Region Workforce Development Board, the biggest takeaway he hoped for participants (which he estimated to exceed 100) was an increased sense of empowerment and understanding that there is a community in the Capital Region that stands behind them.

You dont have to get that low-wage job just because you have a criminal record, Williams added. There are great businesses in this area that are champions for hiring individuals connected to the criminal justice system and for the business community, we are doing everything we can to help build that talent pipeline.
State lawmakers and industry trade groups on Tuesday threw their support behind a new proposal to extend Montana's moratorium on new recreational cannabis businesses into 2025.

The move could protect legacy marijuana providers in Montana from an oversaturated market and simultaneously meet conservative legislators' concerns of dispensaries overtaking main streets across the state. The changes are proposed by an interim legislative committee; they would need to pass through the 2023 Legislature and the Governor's Office to become law.

The current 18-month moratorium on new recreational cannabis providers, put in place by the 2021 Legislature, is set to expire in June 2023. That was an extension from the 2020 ballot measure Montana voters passed to usher in recreational marijuana legalization, which contained a one-year ban on new licenses. The intention is to allow Montana's existing marijuana providers time to stake out the market and new regulations before "Big Weed" starts flooding the state.

Sen. Jason Ellsworth, a Hamilton Republican who took a leading role in shaping the state's regulatory framework in 2021, was the one to suggest the extension as the Economic Affairs Interim Committee reviewed its draft bill suggesting changes to Montana's cannabis laws.

"We're a year and a half into this program," Ellsworth told the committee Tuesday. "This allows us more time to see how these changes take effect."

Ellsworth added he doesn't think Montana needs to issue any more cannabis licenses than it already has.

"That's just my opinion," he said.

The state's two most prominent industry groups, the Montana Cannabis Industry Association and the Montana Cannabis Guild, both voiced support for the measure.

Montana Cannabis Guild CEO JD "Pepper" Petersen, who was an architect of the 2020 ballot initiative, told the committee that cities and counties are still navigating the industry's place in their communities with local measures of their own. Additionally, the Department of Revenue's Cannabis Control Division, which oversees the industry, is still making administrative changes, a process that's essentially on hold until the 2023 Legislature concludes.

Sunsetting the moratorium too soon could allow "large, powerful interests with teams of lawyers" to steer the state's regulatory reforms, rather than local stakeholders, Petersen said.

Some lawmakers expressed a hesitant support for the extension, primarily uneasy with Ellsworth's proposal coming so late in the interim that it likely left many providers without a chance to weigh in. Tuesday was the committee's last hearing before the 2023 session.

"I wish we would have had this conversation a couple months ago so we could have got more input on this," said Rep. Derek Harvey, a Butte Democrat, who ultimately voted for the proposals.

Glendive provider's pleas answered

The committee also approved a provision moving the start date of the moratorium from Nov. 3, 2020  the legalization election date  to April 27, 2021, the date the Legislature passed its marijuana regulation bill. A handful of providers have been caught in a limbo since the Legislature changed the initial Dec. 31, 2020 start date to Nov. 3, a move meant to clamp down on the out-of-state weed interests who attempted to slip into Montana's industry before the moratorium began.

But the shift also caught several small-scale Montana providers, such as lifelong Glendive resident Kaari Fulton, off guard. Fulton and her husband invested "everything," including his retirement fund, to get Armadillo Buds off the ground on Nov. 30, 2020, a month before the moratorium began.

Fulton was a driving force for the industry in Dawson County last year, gathering enough signatures to force a special election and ultimately flipping the county "green" so providers could sell recreational cannabis. But the new moratorium date meant she was locked in as a "medical-only" provider until the moratorium ended in 2023. As a result, customers went where they could buy recreational, and Fulton's investment was returning so little in medical sales that she worried Armadillo Buds may not survive the length of the moratorium.

Fulton has lobbied legislators for months to create an exemption in the moratorium for providers like her, having spoken with other providers caught in the same window who couldn't keep the lights on in a medical-only arrangement.

On Tuesday, she grew emotional in thanking the committee for its support of the change.

"My heart is just exploding right now, so thank you," she said.

Additional changes

Beyond the moratorium changes, the committee's bill cleans up many disputes that arose over the last year when the Department of Revenue and legislators had different interpretations of the 2021 bill's language.

The committee's bill would clarify that tribes can obtain manufacturing and dispensary licenses that can be scaled up to larger and larger grow capacities, as is the case with any other license. The Department of Revenue ultimately won out in a dispute over the 2021 bill's language, which appeared to restrict tribal marijuana licenses to a tier 1 capacity, the smallest available under the Department of Revenue. The committee bill advanced Tuesday with language clarifying that tribal licenses will be able to increase capacity along with private license holders.

The committee bill, if passed by the 2023 Legislature, would also clarify that dispensaries could sell cannabidiol, widely known as CBD, products. The Legislature's regulatory bill prohibited marijuana producers from growing hemp, in an effort to protect the hemp industry. By the revenue department's reading, that ban extended to CBD, a derivative of hemp. The department has since permitted dispensaries to sell CBD products, and the committee bill would codify that permission.

The 2021 bill also included a provision that prohibited anyone from possessing cannabis products in a hotel room, despite a separate 2020 ballot measure that enshrined weed possession in the state Constitution. The committee's bill clarifies that smoking in a non-smoking hotel room remains prohibited.

Testing laboratories would also move under the purview of the revenue department if the committee bill passes in 2023. Although the medical marijuana industry moved from the Department of Public Health and Human Services to the revenue department with the new recreational industry, testing labs remained under the state health department's oversight. Lawmakers on Tuesday said the change would put all components of the cannabis industry under one department for a more seamless engagement with the state.

Rep. Josh Kassmeier, a Republican from Fort Benton, agreed to carry the bill in the upcoming legislative session.
KINGSTON  The Kingston Library says it needs $14 million to complete the last phase of its years-long master plan to modernize and sustain its Franklin Street building that's more than a century old. But this final push will depend on voters.

On Sept. 20, Kingston residents will vote on three items related to the library: approval for a $14 million, 25-year bond to fund renovations; election of library board trustees; and support of a $1.03 million tax levy for the 2023 operating budget. Voting will take place from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the library, located at 55 Franklin St. in midtown Kingston. Absentee ballots are available at the library prior to voting day.

About half of the proposed renovations include necessary mechanical upgrades to the library's HVAC, sprinkler, plumbing and electrical systems, said Margie Menard, the library's executive director. The library's board also wants to install a new stairwell and a larger elevator, both accessible from the outside.

Other upgrades in the proposal include items the community has asked for, Menard said, such as a large community room where people could meet, learn together or participate in educational programs even if the library is closed.

If the bond is approved, it would increase property taxes by 45 cents per $1,000 of a home's assessed value. What does that mean? An average Kingston homeowner (based on an average assessed home value of $179,000) would pay an additional $6.71 a month in taxes, according to information on the library's website. The library is also looking for additional funding sources, such as grants and donations.

Over the past several weeks, the library hosted three public information sessions that reviewed renovation plans. Anyone with questions about the renovations or upcoming vote is encouraged to email vote@kingstonlibrary.org or read the library's answers to some frequently asked questions at kingstonlibrary.org.

The library's current building, completed in 1878, formerly housed the Sojourner Truth School. The library moved from its original Broadway location to 55 Franklin St. in 1978 after the Kingston school district relocated the elementary school to a new building down the street.

"No real, meaningful upgrades or renovation have been done since," Menard said.

The library has been working with Butler Rowland Mays Architects on this major renovation for 10 years. Most recently, they redesigned the children's and teen's rooms and improved outdoor areas. Since 2006, the library has repaired its roof, created a self-sustaining drainage system, added landscaping and lighting outside and built an outdoor amphitheater.

Menard said tackling the much-needed infrastructure work with the renovations at the same time is the most cost-effective and efficient way to address the wants and needs of the library and the Kingston community.

"I've been a librarian for my entire professional career and I feel very strongly that good, strong public libraries are integral to a strong and vibrant community," Menard said, adding: "We have people of all ages and all interests using this building and using their library, and we want to make sure that the Kingston community has a library and library services that they deserve."
Chefs in Motion on Monday

ALBANY -- Colonie Senior Service Centers fourth annual Chefs in Motion culinary competition will be 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19 at The Beltrone Living Center, 6 Winners Circle.

Chefs will be provided a shopping cart of locally-sourced products and seasonal produce and will use them to create a signature dish. They will be judged in four categories: creativity, taste, appearance and use of locally-sourced ingredients. Attendees will be able to sample the prepared dishes and vote for the Peoples Choice Award.

Local wineries will provide samples. The Dairy Princess and her court will serve locally made ice cream. There will a silent auction and live music.

Tickets cost $65, $30 for young professionals (younger than 35) and seniors 60 and older. Proceeds will benefit CSSC's transportation services.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 518-459-2857, Ext. 305 or go to https://www.colonieseniors.org.



Lecture about personal liberties

Attend a Constitution Day lecture at 11:15 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 on Zoom to learn about Elizabeth "Membet" Freeman, whose bold actions, drawing on the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, impacted the lives of enslaved African Americans in Massachusetts and beyond.

Jennifer Owens, administrator at the Sheffield Historical Society, will tell the story of this local enslaved woman called Bett, or Mumbet, who had been born a slave in Claverack and went on to understand her rights in the new emerging American government.

The talk is the first Speaker Series program of 2022-23 at the Sheffield Historical Society in Sheffield, Mass., and is sponsored by the Hendrick Hudson DAR Chapter.

Registration is required.

For more information, or to register, go to https://hudson-dar.org.

Tiffany Treasures Tour in Troy

TROY -- Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway's annual Troys Tiffany Treasures tour of stained glass windows and other Tiffany Studios art will take place 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at five locations in the city. Reservations are required.

The city may have more Tiffany windows per square mile than any other location in the nation. Bill Cummings, the now-retired top restoration expert of Tiffany production, calls Troy the Mother Lode of Tiffany Windows.

Founded in 1972, Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway educates, preserves and develops programs of the areas legacy as one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution.

This is a participating event in the Hudson River Valley Ramble.

For more information, or to make reservations, call 518-274-5267 or go to https://hudsonmohawkgateway.org.

Hillsdale Car Show Sunday

HILLSDALE -- The second annual Hillsdale Car Show will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 at Hillsdale Hamlet Park, 9248 State Route 22 and will feature dozens of classic and vintage vehicles.

A fee of $10 per vehicle will be charged for participants; the public is welcome free of charge.

Trophies will be given in 20 categories. Rain date is Sept. 25.

"Gentlemans Agreement" Zoom discussion

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- A Zoom panel discussion of the film "Gentlemans Agreement" will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, as the Saratoga Jewish Community Arts opens its fall season.

The 1947 film made anti-Semitism the focus in postwar America and exposed the way that Jews were excluded from jobs, social clubs and vacation resorts with just a nod and a wink and a gentlemans agreement among conservative-minded WASP gentiles who knew the sort of people they wanted to associate with. The movie is very apolitical and the Holocaust is not mentioned.

The film is available for $3.99 rental from online providers.

Registration is required. Email: sjca.sjcf@gmail.com.

Changing representations of the Holocaust

ALBANY -- Hannah Lessing, director of the National Fund of Austria for Victims of National Socialism, and Phyllis Wang, chairwoman of the Jewish Federation, will speak at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19 at the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York, 184 Washington Avenue Ext.

Lessing will report on the changing representation of the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes in public space in Austria the last few years and talk about the Shoah Wall of Names in Vienna, which opened in 2021 with 160 granite stones and 64,435 engraved names.

The event is sponsored by the JFNNY and Holocaust Survivors & Friends Education Center.

For more information, go to https://www.jewishfedny.org.

Voter registration

Volunteers from the League of Women Voters of Saratoga County will register voters Tuesday, Sept. 20 at the following times and locations:

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., FingerPaint, 395 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saratoga Hospital, 211 Church St., Saratoga Springs

9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saratoga Springs Housing Authority, corner of Vanderbilt Avenue and Worth Street, Saratoga Springs

8 a.m. to 3 p.m., YMCA of Saratoga, 290 West Ave., Saratoga Springs

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Adirondack Community College, Wilton Campus, 696 Route 9, Gansevoort

11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 208 Broad St, Schuylerville

11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 2532 Route 9, Greenfield,

3 to 6 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 165 Northline Road, Ballston Spa

11 to 6 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 15 Round Lake Road, Ballston Lake

11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 3 Saratoga Ave., South Glens Falls

noon to 5 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 214 Guideboard Road, Halfmoon

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 402 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stewart's Shop, 225 Ballard Road, Gansevoort



People can complete the voter registration forms and return them to the LWV volunteers to take to the Board of Elections.

For more information, go to https://lwvsaratoga.org/events.

Out of Darkness walks to raise awareness of suicide



Capital Region residents can join the quarter million Americans walking across the country this fall to raise awareness of suicide, the 12th leading cause of death in the United States.

The annual Northeastern NY Out of the Darkness Walks, hosted by the CRNY  Capital Region NY Chapter, will be held on the following dates: Sept. 25, Orenda Pavilion, Saratoga Spa State Park; Oct. 2, Central Park, Schenectady, and Oct. 15, Henry Hudson Riverfront Park, Hudson.

These walks support the American Foundation for Suicide Preventions education and support programs and its goal to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide 20 percent by the year 2025. Last year, these walks raised over $27 million for suicide prevention.



For more information, or to register, go to www.afsp.org/Capitalregiontogether.





Volunteers needed for After the Fire

HALFMOON -- After the Fire, an organization that helps Saratoga County residents who have suffered loss due to fire, will have its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at Halfmoon Town Hall.

The nonprofit group provides families with gift cards, a night's stay at a participating hotel/motel, Red Cross referral, informational material and emotional support.

To learn more about After the Fire, or to become a member, call 518-435-4571 or go to https://www.afterthefire.org.

Sustainable Saratoga to host 6th annual Saratoga Recycles Day on October 1 and first ever Paint Collection Day on October 2



SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Sustainable Saratoga's sixth annual Saratoga Recycles Day will be held 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 1 in the SPAC overflow parking lot on the west side of Route 50.

There will be a Paint Collection Day noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 2 in the same location.

There are no residency requirements for this event. Cost will be $5 per household vehicle fee for both events. There will be a $30 cost per TV or monitor.

Drop off clothing and textiles, scrap metal, eyeglasses, hearing aids, adult bikes, musical instruments, cell phones with chargers and camping gear.

For more information, go to https://sustainablesaratoga.org/projects/zero-waste/recycles-day.

Gore Mountains Leaf Cruncher 5K Trail Race

NORTH CREEK -- Celebrate the fall season at the Leaf Cruncher 5K trail run taking place at 9 a.m. Oct. 1 at Gore Mountain.

Check-in and bib pickup will be 8 to 8:45 a.m.

Registration is $40, $20 for youth ages seven to 19 and seniors 65 and older and for SKI3 Season Pass holders.

For more information, and to register, go to https://goremountain.com/event/leaf-cruncher-5k.

Also of interest

A drive-through flu shot clinic will be offered 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Roeliff Jansen Community Library, 9091 Route 22, Hillsdale, in conjunction with the Columbia County Health Department. 518-325-4101 or go to http://www.roejanlibrary.org.

The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County will host an ice cream social 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the Adirondack Trust Company, 473 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Attendees can get details about voter registration events, candidate forums and redistricting.



Compiled by Azra Haqqie

To be considered for this column, submit items to TUCityDesk@TimesUnion.com.
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WASHINGTON (AP)  Democrat Mary Peltola was sworn in Tuesday night to finish out the remaining months of the term of the late Rep. Don Young, making her the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress and the first woman to hold the seat.

To have a seat at the table is different, Peltola told The Associated Press in an interview Monday. But I am just always reminding people that Im not here to represent just the 16% of Alaskans who are Alaska Natives. Im here to represent all Alaskans.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a ceremonial swearing-in with Peltola and the two other new members of the House, Democrat Pat Ryan and Republican Joe Sempolinski of New York, on the chamber floor.

Peltola, who is Yup'ik, was donning Alaskan Mukluks, traditional boots, as the other two members of her delegation, GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, sat behind her applauding at her historic victory. Peltola previously served as a state lawmaker for 10 years representing the rural hub community of Bethel, Alaska.

The 49-year-old made history last month when she won the special election to finish out Young's term, besting a field of candidates that included Republican Sarah Palin, who was seeking a political comeback in the state where she was governor.

The day before her swearing-in ceremony, Peltola stood outside what was once Young's office, swarmed by the local and national press, and marveled at the moment.

I really hope that Don is getting a kick out of this," Peltola told the AP. I cant help but think that some things broke my way on account of his great sense of humor.

The kicker is that 50 years ago, right before Peltola was born, her parents worked on Youngs first campaign for the only congressional seat in Alaska. Young won and went on to hold it for 49 years before his death in March.

Peltolas campaign has emphasized her dedication to fish, family and freedom. Fish are a staple in Alaskan life, and salmon holds particular cultural significance to Alaska Natives. A subsistence lifestyle  relying on fish, wildlife and berries  is essential in rural Alaska, including in many Native communities, where goods must be flown or barged in and costs for basic necessities can be exorbitant.

Peltola said she sees her few weeks in office as an homage to Young's service as a more moderate force in an increasingly polarized Congress. Like the often gruff Young, Peltola said she is bringing a sense of humor to the job, along with a history of being a consensus-builder with even the most conservative of colleagues.

After Palin came in second to Peltola in the special election last month, the two women shared a cordial back-and-forth. In a text message, Palin congratulated her and wrote that she was a real Alaskan chick! Beautiful & smart and tough.

Peltola replied, Your text means the world to me ... We really are in this together.

The newly elected congresswomans time in the Alaska Legislature overlapped with Palins time as governor, and the women have remained cordial. Peltola has said that one of the most unsavory parts of American politics is negative campaigning.

But staying above the fray could prove difficult. Peltola is on the ballot in November to serve a full two-year term, again facing off against Palin, Republican Nick Begich and Libertarian Chris Bye, all of whom advanced from last months open primary.

Thats partly why Peltola said she doesnt plan to get too comfortable in her new office, which Young, a Republican, adorned with the heads of bucks and bears and large rifles in a nod to his love of hunting. Now those walls are bare.

It didnt make sense to really become too entrenched, or decorate, or set up shop, Peltola said. I really just feel like Im camping here until the term is over. And then being open and seeing what happens next.

___

Associated Press reporter Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP's coverage of Congress at https://apnews.com/hub/congress.
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NEW YORK (AP)  New York City's medical examiner confirmed Tuesday that the deaths of three children found on the shoreline near Brooklyns famed Coney Island boardwalk were homicides by drowning.

Their mother, identified by family members as 30-year-old Erin Merdy, remained in police custody. No charges had been filed as of late Tuesday.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul's latest emergency order, announced last week as poliovirus was found in the wastewater of yet another county, seeks to boost polio vaccination rates in New York.

The executive action allowed more health professionals, including nurse practitioners, EMTs and pharmacists, to administer the shots that protect against the paralytic disease.

But a Times Union survey of the largest health providers in the Capital Region suggests that few local practitioners have the vaccine readily available for adults.

Polio immunization supply is standard at pediatrician offices, where the vaccine is given to children in four doses: at 2 months old, 4 months old, 6 through 18 months old, and 4 through 6 years old.

But since most adults are presumed to be vaccinated against polio, many health providers don't have the inactivated polio vaccine on hand. And if they do, there are requirements about being an established patient, or there are concerns that insurance won't cover the rarely-given adult vaccine.

Teresa Zocco, a 72-year-old from Gansevoort who was never vaccinated against the disease as a child, said she is having "a heck of a time" trying to find a physician in Saratoga County that can administer an adult polio vaccine.

"I've tried my doctor, they have no clue. I've tried the Department of Health ... I even called the governor's office. They transferred me to four different people and I still don't have an answer," Zucco said.

When asked about the availability of adult polio vaccines in upstate New York, health officials pointed to the establishment of free vaccination clinics in Rockland and Orange counties, where the disease was first detected.

"Unvaccinated New Yorkers or those not up to date with polio vaccinations who live outside these counties can contact a health care provider, health clinic, or their local county health department today to get immunized or catch-up on polio immunizations," DOH spokeswoman Sam Fuld said. "A provider can help New Yorkers get all recommended doses.

Fuld noted that pediatricians and health providers in New York are already familiar with the vaccine as polio immunizations are required for school-aged children. Those whose providers do not have adult polio vaccine should reach out to their local county health department, she said.

The Times Union reached out to county health departments, pharmacists, primary care practices and local hospitals. Few said they were prepared to administer the vaccine.

"Saratoga County Department of Health refers anyone inquiring about a polio vaccine to their health care provider or, if their provider doesnt offer it, to clinics that have the vaccine available, such as Passport Health and Saratoga Hospital's Occupational Medicine clinic," county spokeswoman Christine Rush said.

A spokesperson for Albany Medical Center, which oversees Saratoga Hospital, said Albany Med, Columbia Memorial Health, and Glens Falls Hospital all have adult polio vaccine available at their clinics  but for established patients only.

At Saratoga Hospital, it is available through the Occupational Medicine Travel Clinic with an order from the patients provider, and with cash or credit only, Albany Med spokeswoman Susan Ford said.

Mary Rozak, a spokesperson for Albany County, said the county is providing the adult polio vaccine with a doctors order from the persons provider.

"We dont usually provide such vaccines to adults, but because of the current polio issue, we have begun to do this on a limited basis," she said.

Schenectady County Public Health Services is not currently administering adult polio vaccines and to date has not received any requests from the community to do so, spokeswoman Erin Roberts said.

"We have been informed that we have the ability to obtain adult polio vaccine doses should a need arise and (the county health department) continues to monitor the situation," she said.

While physicians who work under the St. Peter's Health Partners umbrella are able to administer the polio vaccine to eligible adults under the executive order, insurance coverages vary, a spokesman for the hospital system said. For some insurance companies, immunizations are only a covered benefit when administered at a pharmacy location.

"As such, we recommend any patient who is unvaccinated for polio, or those not up to date with immunizations (who live, work, go to school in, or visit Rockland County, Orange County, New York City, Sullivan County, and Nassau County), contact their insurance company to determine their eligibility and benefit where vaccination is concerned," hospital spokesman Robert Webster said.

Rensselaer County will issue adult polio vaccines with a doctors order from the patient's provider, a county spokesman said.

An unvaccinated Rockland County resident was diagnosed with paralytic polio in June, prompting state and federal health agencies to begin studying wastewater in surrounding counties to see if the disease had spread. Since less than 1 percent of polio cases result in severe symptoms or paralysis, hundreds of other New Yorkers are presumed to be infected, state health officials have said.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wastewater analysis flagged genetically similar versions of the virus at sewage treatment plants in New York City and Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Nassau counties.

New York Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett has urged New Yorkers who are unvaccinated or who did not complete the polio series as children to get the shot as soon as possible.

"On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice," Bassett said Friday. "If you or your child are unvaccinated or not up to date with vaccinations, the risk of paralytic disease is real. I urge New Yorkers to not accept any risk at all. Polio immunization is safe and effective  protecting nearly all people against disease who receive the recommended doses. Do not wait to vaccinate."

Adult polio vaccines are also hard to find in New York City, according to one reader who emailed the Times Union. Diane Cohen of Queens wrote that she has been trying to find a polio vaccine for her 83-year-old husband, Jack Grossman  who missed out on the immunization as a child  for weeks.

"It is extremely frustrating! We have called everywhere and no one has it ... perhaps now that the Gov. has declared it a health emergency, it will become more available," she wrote. "In the meantime, there is NOTHING."

There are two kinds of polio vaccine. The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) commonly given in the United States today has no risk of mutating into a deadly strain, health experts said. The poliovirus identified in New York was linked to the live, oral polio vaccine (OPV), which is still common in other parts of the world.

Adults who are unvaccinated are urged to get three doses of the polio vaccine. Adults who only received one or two doses as a child should complete the series.

Vaccinated adults in professions with a higher risk of exposure to polio, like health care workers and waste management employees, may be eligible for one-time booster shots.

Just over 5,000 polio vaccines have been administered by the Rockland County health department since the first case of polio was detected in the county, according to officials.

The state Department of Health is looking to get the state's vaccination rate above 90 percent, but every adult and child must be up to date with vaccinations to prevent disease at the individual level. In the Capital Region, most counties have vaccination rates higher than 80 percent.

Saratoga County has one of the highest polio immunization rates in the state with 91 percent of residents protected. But Columbia, Greene and Montgomery counties have polio vaccination rates below 80 percent.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Fifteen years after being rejected as too controversial, Malcolm X is the first Black honoree to be inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame.

The organizations commission selected the civil rights icon on Monday with a 4-3 vote, edging out the late University of Nebraska educator and author Louise Pound.

Malcolm X used the lessons he learned early in life and his intellectual power, dedication and perseverance in the fight for freedom and equality for all during the civil rights movement in America," said commission chairman Ron Hull. "His work and his legacy continue to impact the citizens of the world.

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1925 as the son of a Baptist preacher. His family left for Milwaukee the following year after threats from the Ku Klux Klan.

At 20, he was convicted of burglary in Boston and sentenced to nearly seven years in prison, where he converted to Islam and later changed his name. He emerged as a fiery Nation of Islam minister with a message that Black people should cast off white oppression by any means necessary, before later splitting from the Nation of Islam and renouncing racial separatism.

He was assassinated in Manhattans Audubon Ballroom by gunmen who opened fire during a speaking engagement.

The firebrand was first nominated for Nebraska's Hall of Fame in 2004, but passed over by a commission made up solely of white men who instead selected a mid-1900s U.S. senator who made a name for himself with his campaign to remove gay men from government posts in the 1940s and 1950s. The pick of Sen. Kenneth Wherry was later nixed because of an open-meetings violation.

Malcolm X was passed over again in 2007 for little-known botanist Charles Bessey.

Each Nebraska Hall of Fame member is immortalized with a bronze bust displayed in the state Capitol.

-

This story has been corrected to show that Malcolm X was convicted of burglary in Boston.
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ALBANY  This was one constituent Sam Fein was not happy to see on his doorstep  let alone in his home.

Fein was up in Lake George during a recent weekend when a tenant in Feins South End brownstone called and said there was a racket in his apartment.

He had a friend come over who discovered that raccoons had gotten into the place and made a serious mess.

The whole place was ransacked, said Fein, an Albany County legislator who represents the 6th district.

As it turned out, Fein in recent weeks has gotten three raccoon visits. One time it was after he, as was his habit, left the back door ajar so his cat could get in and out.

Then as he was getting a cat door installed, the raccoons pushed their way in through the opening.

Then they gnawed through a screen.

The furry visitors arent only hungry, they are brazen and messy too, Fein said.

The critters tore through his food pantry and one even got in his bedroom and pooped on a flag he had on the bed. It was an unpatriotic raccoon, said Fein.

Hes managed to shoo the furry pests out with a broom and has since firmed up his cat door and sealed his windows, but they havent given up. Four nights ago he shooed one off his porch with the trusty broom.

Fein noted that his house abuts another property with lots of weeds, where a building is about to undergo renovation. And there is construction debris nearby from another project.

His cat's food, he added, might be an attractant.

Hes wrong on the first two points but not the last, said John Griffin, the senior director of Wildlife Programs for the Humane Society of the United States.

The group has studied backyard pests like raccoons and works on ways of protecting against them without harming them.

Raccoons arent necessarily drawn to weedy or overgrown areas, said Griffin.

Even in the most pristine well-kept yard a raccoon could transit through the yard easily, said Griffin.

And junk or construction debris is neither here nor there for the nighttime visitors.

But the smell of cat food, especially the wet variety is like, well, its like catnip or raccoon-nip for these creatures. Griffin wasnt surprised at the various ways they entered Feins home.

Raccoons are quite intelligent and some scientists believe that those in urban locations like Albanys South End have actually evolved differently from those in the wild, where more range is required in the search for food.

As well as being opportunistic and omnivorous, they are good climbers and their long claws are useful for tasks such as opening loose garbage can lids or, as in Feins case, opening cabinets.

If they had access before they are going to come back, Griffin said, until they figure out that a given target is well sealed.

They look a lot larger than they actually are due to their fur, and they can squeeze through a 3-inch hole.

Griffin added that raccoons started becoming city dwellers in the 1930s, when they realized there was abundant food in dumpsters, or even on sidewalks or other spots where scraps might be dropped. And the urban varieties often live their lives in small areas, such as a backyard or two.

On a positive note, once they realize that a person lives in a given spot, the raccoons will give up, said Griffin.

Theyd rather not be in human-dominated living spaces.

The one exception, said Griffin, is if a raccoon thinks one of its newborns has been left behind, in which case they will not give up until the babies are found.

People, he said, fight these epic battles with squirrels and raccoons.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
BOSTON (AP)  Homeland Security is diverting nearly $650,000 to a victims compensation fund from the sale of a suburban Boston home that belonged to a couple authorities say illegally did business with a Syrian electronics company, federal prosecutors said Tuesday. The Syrian company was involved in the acquisition of parts that could be used to build improvised explosive devices and used against United States and coalition troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. authorities said.

The $642,702 was recovered through a civil forfeiture action against the former residence of Anni Beurklian, and her husband, Antoine Ajaka, who operated Top Tech U.S. Inc. from the Waltham home, according to a statement from the office of U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins.
The Trail Ridge fire southeast of Sula continued to push north toward private property as fire managers and the Ravalli County Sheriffs Office evaluate trigger points for evacuation warnings east of Sula.

The fire grew to 17,043 acres by Tuesday morning, a significant expansion from 10,874 acres a week prior, with slowed growth to the east near Shultz Saddle Road (Forest Road 725) and increased growth north toward Mink Creek Saddle and, farther north, East Fork Road east of Sula. The lightning-caused fire, burning about 5 miles southeast of Sula and just north of the Idaho-Montana line and along the Ravalli-Beaverhead county line, was 18% contained Tuesday with 217 personnel assigned. The fire was discovered Aug. 26.

Fire managers and the Sheriff's Office are monitoring fire growth to the north as the fire nears an action point for evacuation warnings.

"As the fire nears the indirect lines constructed paralleling the East Fork Road, the fire is still within containment lines and has not reached the Action Point identified for the 'Warning' stage of the Evacuation Plan at this time," fire managers stated Tuesday. "As the fire nears this Action Point, Fire Managers and the Ravalli County Sheriffs Department are prepared for the possibility of moving into this 'Warning' stage."

Ravalli County's evacuation plan is available at ravalli.us/622/Evacuation-Guidelines. Fire managers and local officials scheduled a public meeting for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Sula Clubhouse.

Although the fire is within 2 miles of U.S. Highway 93 on the fire's western side (the fire is east of the road), fire managers on Tuesday morning didn't project much fire growth to the west, south or east over the next two days, instead anticipating growth "primarily to the north."

The fire reached an action point for back-burn operations Monday, according to fire managers, but winds didn't allow the operation to proceed. In a back burn, firefighters thin fuels between a containment line and a wildfire, and then burn from the line back toward the wildfire, depriving the wildfire of fuels and, ideally, stopping the fire front short of the containment line. In some situations, crews on the ground or overhead will ignite larger fires closer to the fire front. The larger fires are intended to draw back-burn flames along a containment line in toward the wildfire with the winds generated by the larger flames.

Smoke lingers

Smoky, unhealthy air persisted through rain and the departure of an air-trapping high-pressure ridge on Tuesday, but some relief could come Wednesday.

Air in Hamilton clocked in at 203 on the 500-point Air Quality Index scale at 11 a.m. Tuesday, just 3 points into the "very unhealthy" category. The measurement was down from a peak of 308  classified as "hazardous," the most severe of five categories  at 9 a.m. Monday. But Tuesday's air was still far smokier than just a few days prior: Daytime air quality in Hamilton mostly hovered between 150 and 185 AQI last week and dropped below 100 three nights, even measuring 38, or "good," at 11 p.m. Friday.

Monday morning's hazardous air in Hamilton was the worst air quality measurement seen there so far this year, and air quality consistently improved, if only slightly, starting around noon Monday.

No relief from peak smoky conditions had come to Missoula by midday Tuesday, when air quality measured 181 at 11 a.m.  a new low point for air quality this year and 1 point worse than Monday's 5 p.m. peak of 180. Air in Missoula had been consistently stuck in the "unhealthy" category since 5 p.m. Sunday. Missoulians had a brief respite from smoke-choked skies Friday through midday Saturday when an uncharacteristic west-moving cold front came into the area from the east, over the Continental Divide, and pushed smoke out of the area and back over Idaho to the west.

Some relief could come Wednesday, when winds from the west and southwest could push a stagnant mass of inversion-trapped smoke out of the area, according to Sarah Coefield, an air quality specialist with Missoula City-County Health Department, and Travis Booth, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Missoula. But overhead air that itself may be filled with smoke could blunt the clearing effects of transport winds from the west. And those transport winds aren't very strong.

"Were out from under the nexus of the high-pressure ridge," Coefield wrote in an emailed update Tuesday, "and this mornings Missoula inversion was considerably weaker than any Ive seen lately, which means were likely to see more atmospheric mixing today than we have since Saturday." But, she cautioned, "atmospheric mixing is best when there is clean air to mix down to the valley floor."

"Unfortunately, we have generally sluggish overhead winds and Ill be honest, I have no idea how much overhead smoke we have or how evenly distributed it is across the county. Cloud cover is all kinds of inconvenient for smoke forecasting."

There are no "valley scouring winds" in the forecast, Coefield wrote. But even if such winds did fully eject the smoke lingering in valley floors, that would revert the Missoula Valley back to its ongoing smoke concern: being at the mercy of active fires upwind from the valley.

That's the case in the Bitterroot Valley, where the Blodgett Lake and Mill Lake fires have been spilling smoke into the valley as they burn in adjacent canyons on the east side of the Bitterroot Mountains (west side of the Bitterroot Valley) just northwest of Hamilton. According to the Bitterroot National Forest, a Type-I incident management team, the most robust configuration of the interagency incident management teams assigned to manage wildfires, has been ordered to manage both fires, which are about 2.5 miles apart.

By Monday, the Mill Lake fire had grown to 1,608 acres, burning primarily in timber and heavy downed fuels on a southeast-facing mountainside in the upper reaches of the Mill Creek drainage, just northeast and downstream from Mill Lake, about 12 miles west of Corvallis. The lightning-caused fire started Aug. 29 but began growing significantly during hot, dry, windy conditions Sept. 3. But the fire has grown minimally in recent days, mostly with isolated hot spots and smoldering. The Blodgett Lake fire was 1,200 acres on Monday after exhibiting "extreme fire behavior" on Sunday, fire managers stated. The fire, reported Aug. 25, is burning through timber, upright dead trees and blown-down trees in the valley floor along Blodgett Creek about 11 miles west of Hamilton and about 1.8 miles down the Blodgett Creek drainage from Blodgett Lake.

Other fires have grown

North of Missoula, the Boulder Lake fire reached 1,800 acres by Tuesday, primarily from growth to the south. The fire, caused by lightning and discovered Sept. 3, ballooned from 300 acres to 1,400 acres amid critical fire weather Sept. 7. By Tuesday, the fire reached the Boulder Lake Trail (No. 333). Structure protection and water drops from helicopters had thus far preserved the Gold Creek Cabin, according to fire managers with the Lolo National Forest and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Cooler weather Tuesday and higher humidity this week were expected to moderate fire behavior. The fire started in the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area but grew beyond the wilderness and onto regular Lolo National Forest lands.

"Fire managers continue to utilize a confine and contain suppression strategy to engage the south and eastern flanks of the fire, outside of the Wilderness boundary," according to an update Tuesday. "Containment opportunities will continue to be assessed and may include existing burn areas, natural barriers, trails, and existing road systems."

Boulder Lake, Fly Lake and Gold Creek Lake are closed, as are trails and roads accessing those areas. Complete closure information is available at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/8395/71402/.

In central Idaho, the massive and long-burning Moose fire reached 127,500 acres by Tuesday, with 37% containment primarily on the west, north and east sides of the fire. The fire, burning northeast and east of Salmon, is largely uncontained on its south and southeast sides, nearest to Salmon and the town's municipal watershed. On Tuesday, 918 personnel were working the fire, including 21 hand crews and 47 engine crews, aided by seven helicopters. The fire was caused by humans on July 17 about 5 miles west of North Fork, Idaho.

The fire made an aggressive run toward Salmon last Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 6-7, prompting evacuation orders for areas on the town's northwest outskirts. Flames were visible in town throughout the night Sept. 7-8 as residents in the area communicated in Facebook groups to share information on evacuation orders issued around 10:30 that night. The fire grew by more than 15,000 acres during the two days leading up to the evening of Sept. 7, driven by 40 mph winds overnight and burning into the northern reaches of Salmon's municipal watershed.

The fire has grown about 4,900 acres in the week since then. Areas around the Beartrack Mine and Leesburg, north of Cobalt and west of Salmon, remain under an evacuation order. Evacuation orders around Salmon were lifted.

Cloudy, rainy conditions Tuesday were expected to temper fire activity, but thunderstorms and their resultant winds could aggravate burning at times.
The new rules setting requirements for the education offered by private schools in New York are appropriate, well-structured and woefully overdue.

The rules, approved unanimously Tuesday by the state Board of Regents, will finally put some teeth in the longstanding requirement that private schools provide an education that is "substantially equivalent" to that being offered in public schools. The quality of the lessons in a subset of private schools, including some institutions run by ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups, has long been questioned by journalists, advocates and state regulators.

Only last weekend, The New York Times published a comprehensive, fair-minded and utterly devastating report that examined the long-term effects of a K-12 curriculum built primarily around study of the Talmud, as is the practice in Hasidic yeshivas that currently serve more than 50,000 New York children. Reporters described students, most of them young men, who can't read or write proficiently in English, can't handle math of any complexity, and whose grasp of science and social studies is crippled by religious leaders' aversion to secular subjects.

The reason why this state of affairs has been allowed to exist is a combination of the natural deference shown by a pluralistic society to religious education, and far less high-minded political concerns: The members of the ultra-Orthodox community, especially Hasidic believers, tend to vote as a bloc due to the influence wielded by religious leaders. Since local elected officials can be craven in the face of that kind of electoral hammer, it's the responsibility of the Board of Regents to establish standards. It is, indeed, precisely why we have the formulation of education policy at the state level at least partially walled off from political concerns.

The Regents were wise to jettison the initial plan to have school districts exclusively handle the analysis of whether private schools are meeting their obligations. A far broader range of private institutions objected to that notion, correctly pointing out that the public schools that are run by those districts are in competition with private educators. Under the plan approved Tuesday, schools will have alternatives to local district review, such as having their students take standardized testing to ensure they're progressing. And while the rules are slated to go into effect by the end of the month, schools will have three school years to achieve compliance or face consequences such as the loss of state funding. Three years is, of course, a long time for a student to miss out on a decent education, and we hope that private schools will meet the new requirements much more expeditiously.

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Hasidic groups are already threatening legal action, and decrying what they see as an effort to stamp out their traditions. But respect for religious practice should not allow for the intentional intellectual impairment of young people, regardless of which religion is setting the lesson plan.

Private schools, whether religious or secular, are supported by a great deal of public funding, which should make them accountable beyond the basic moral imperative of preparing young people to participate in civil society, regardless of whether they choose to center their lives in a faith community.
ALBANY  A second federal lawsuit accusing former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of sexual harassment was filed Wednesday by Charlotte Bennett, a former aide who worked for the Executive Chamber for about 13 months beginning in 2019.

Bennett's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, also named as defendants three former top staff members in Cuomo's administration: Melissa DeRosa, who was secretary to the governor; Jill DeRosiers, who had been his chief of staff; and Judith Mogul, a special counsel. The claim alleges they mishandled Bennett's case after she reported the former governor's alleged sexual harassment to DeRosiers, including reassigning her to an "inferior" position.

The lawsuit was filed as Cuomo has waged a fierce effort to cast doubt on the findings of an investigation by the state attorney general's office that concluded he had been a serial sexual harasser and acted inappropriately with at least 11 women, many of them former aides. His campaign has included filing formal complaints against officials involved in investigations of his behavior, including an ethics complaint filed this week against state Attorney General Letitia James and the investigators who authored the report that led to his resignation.

Cuomo has acknowledged making inappropriate remarks but has denied the most serious allegations  including the claim that he groped the breast of a former aide or that he touched or kissed anyone in a manner that was improper. In Bennett's case, Cuomo has not denied making many of the remarks that prompted Bennett to inform her supervisors about his conduct, but has insisted she misunderstood the context of his words.

Less than two weeks after Bennett made her allegations public in late February 2021, the attorney general's office commenced its investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against Cuomo.

The lawsuit recounts allegations  also reported by the attorney general's office  that Cuomo subjected Bennett to "sexualized comments" about her appearance and also "invasive and unwanted questions about her personal life, romantic and sexual relationships, and history as a survivor of sexual assault."

The complaint alleges the former governor also told her he was lonely, searching for a girlfriend in the Albany area and willing to date someone over the age of 21.

"At the time of that conversation, and as defendant Cuomo knew, Ms. Bennett was 25 years old and living with other Executive Chamber staffers in an Albany hotel," the lawsuit states.

Rita Glavin, Cuomo's attorney, issued a statement in response to the lawsuit recounting their concerns that Bennett, a graduate of Hamilton College, had been highlighted in a federal lawsuit filed by a male former student who alleged she had conspired to falsely accused him of sexual assault and in order to have him expelled.

The ethics complaint filed by Cuomo this week included a section on Bennett that called attention to the allegations in that federal case and raised questions about why the state attorney general's office had not focused on them in their investigation.

"The (attorney general's) report should have considered in the analysis Ms. Bennetts history of making sexual misconduct allegations," the complaint states. "A federal lawsuit filed on Oct. 30, 2017, by a male student, 'John Doe,' against Hamilton College alleged that Ms. Bennett made false sexual misconduct allegations against him, in coordination with three other female students, which resulted in the ban of John Doe from campus and graduation," the ethics complaint filed on Cuomo's behalf states.

Glavin contends Cuomo "has always said he didnt harass anyone and with each day that goes by more and more information is uncovered showing how evidence favorable to the governor was suppressed and crucial facts ignored or omitted that undermined witness credibility. What else will come out during the discovery process? Well see them in court."

Bennett's lawsuit assert that weeks after she went public with her allegations in the New York Times, "she weathered retaliatory public criticism from the then-governor, himself, who used his media platform to portray her as a liar and sought to undermine her credibility as a complainant in the attorney generals investigation."

Rachel E. Green, an attorney for Bennett, criticized the response to the lawsuit from Cuomo's camp as "an ongoing form of retaliation. Investigators have already substantiated Ms. Bennetts allegations and found them to be part of a pattern and practice of behavior by Cuomo. And furthermore ... those around former Gov. Cuomo enabled, placated and covered up his egregious behavior. He and his aides repeatedly violated the law and they must be held accountable."

In various statements over the past 18 months, Cuomo has blamed some of his remarks  which in many instances he did not deny making  and physical behavior as a result of his age and cultural background.

Green said that response is "laughable to the point of being horrifying."

"Former Gov. Cuomo created a sexually hostile work environment," she said. "He violated federal state and city laws and his top aides also violated the law repeatedly. They must all be held accountable. The law does not care whether someone is 'Italian' as former Gov. Cuomo has previously stated."

Green said Bennett, now 27, is seeking to "close this chapter in her life."

Cuomo's "attempts to distract the public by focusing on his false claims against Ms. Bennett is another form of retaliation, of coming after her and attempting to smear her reputation and attempting to undermine her and others credibility," she added.

Bennett issued a statement saying her "career as a public servant was abruptly cut short" as a result of the sexual harassment and subsequent retaliation she said she endured after reporting the allegations.

In February, a female State Police investigator who said Cuomo sexually harassed and inappropriately touched her, including kissing her on the cheek more than once, also filed a federal lawsuit against Cuomo, as well as DeRosa and the State Police.

Cuomo, who announced his resignation a week after the release of the attorney generals report, has increasingly challenged the accounts of his 11 accusers and said that he should have stayed in office and cleared his name.

If kissing someone on the cheek, patting someone on the back or stomach or waving hello at a public event on New Years Eve is actionable then we are all in trouble, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi had said in February in response to the investigator's lawsuit. "Gov. Cuomo will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop  we look forward to justice in a court of law."

Those comments by Azzopardi  implying the lawsuit was a form of extortion  resulted in him being added as a defendant in that case.

Paul Schectman, an attorney for DeRosa, had described the investigator's claims against his client as "not a viable case" and "beyond frivolous."

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.
TROY  The Rensselaer County elections commissioner arrested on federal fraud charges in connection with his handling of absentee ballots in 2021 returned to work on Wednesday as his case is pending in U.S. District Court.

Jason T. Schofield, a Republican commissioner, was arrested a day earlier outside his residence by the FBI on charges detailed in a nine-page indictment charging him with fraudulently obtaining and filing absentee ballots using the personal information of at least eight voters without their permission. Schofield was appointed as commissioner in April 2018  the same month he resigned from the Troy City School District Board of Education, where he had been a board member for 15 years, including serving seven years as president.

Edward G. McDonough, the county's Democratic elections commissioner, said he met with Schofield Wednesday morning to discuss their plan for overseeing the office in the wake of his arrest. Schofield's arrest came at what McDonough said is an "extremely busy time" leading up to the November election, which includes races for Congress and governor.

"He feels that he's got a job to do," McDonough said. "He doesn't believe that he's done anything inappropriately, that he'll have his day in court and that his focus is making sure that Nov. 8 goes off without a hitch."

McDonough weathered similar allegations a decade ago when he was among several people charged with fraud in a case tied to absentee ballots. McDonough's first trial ended in a mistrial and he was subsequently acquitted.

"It brings up a bad time in my life, but when you know that you've done nothing wrong you just have faith that people will ultimately hear the truth," McDonough said. "I can't speak for Jason. I read the indictment and I know the allegations but he's the only person who knows whether he did what they accuse him of doing. Since he's been commissioner he's kept politics out of the internal office. He's been professional and we get along ... in what has been a very difficult job with the constant changes coming down from Albany. I believe that he'll continue to do that."

McDonough said their office is understaffed and that Schofield handles a lot of the workload.

"From somebody who went through this years ago, obviously, he is presumed innocent until proven otherwise," McDonough added. "There is only person who can remove him and thats the governor. I dont see why the governor would."

Schofield returned to his office a day after Democrats in the Rensselaer County Legislature had called for him to resign on Tuesday night during the "legislative privilege" portion of their monthly meeting. Republicans hold a majority in the Legislature. No Republicans in the Legislature spoke in favor of the request.

"The culture of corruption and ongoing daily deception in Rensselaer County needs to end," Cindy Doran, the Legislature's deputy minority leader, said in a statement Wednesday. "At a time when democracy across our nation has become so fragile, now is the time to put politics aside and I call upon our Republican colleagues of the Legislature to support us in demanding the resignation of Jason Schofield."

The FBI's investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected in the coming months, according to a person briefed on the case. The State Police and state attorney general's office are also conducting a parallel investigation examining voter fraud allegations in Rensselaer County. That investigation had been focused on the city of Rensselaer mayor's race but also expanded into Troy.

The indictment handed up last week  and unsealed Tuesday during his arraignment  charges Schofield with 12 felony counts of unlawful possession and use of a means of identification.

Schofield pleaded not guilty and U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart released him on his own recognizance.

Following his arrest Tuesday, workers with the county's information technology department entered Schofield's locked office at the Board of Elections and removed two computers and monitors. It's unclear what prompted the removal, and who authorized it. Schofield was provided with a new computer, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The indictment accuses Schofield of using an online state Board of Elections portal to request absentee ballots on behalf of eight voters who had no interest in voting, did not request absentee ballots and didn't know that Schofield was using their personal information to obtain the ballots. The indictment alleges the official "falsely certified" that he was the person requesting the ballot when he entered the voters' names and dates of birth in the portal.

The ballots that were delivered to the Rensselaer County Board of Elections were subsequently filled out and submitted in last year's primary election, the general election, and sometimes both.

In some instances, documentation was completed falsely claiming the ballots were mailed to the voters at their residences.

The Times Union reported in June that Schofield had become a focus of an FBI investigation that led to the guilty plea earlier this year of Kimberly Ashe-McPherson, a Troy councilwoman. Mary E. Sweeney, the county's Democratic deputy elections commissioner, testified before a federal grand jury in Albany last week as federal authorities zeroed in on Schofield's use of an online portal to obtain absentee ballots.

Schofield's actions surfaced in the federal criminal case involving Ashe-McPherson, who had been on Troy's City Council for seven years. The 61-year-old pleaded guilty June 8 to a felony charge in U.S. District Court after admitting she had fraudulently submitted absentee ballots in last year's primary and general elections. Ashe-McPherson resigned from the council a day after pleading guilty.

In Ashe-McPherson's plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court, Schofield was the unidentified board of elections official listed as "Individual-3." According to the document, Schofield had allegedly facilitated helping Ashe-McPherson obtain an absentee ballot through an online portal using the name and date of birth of a voter without "lawful authority."

In recent months, the federal investigation began to intensify as subpoenas seeking testimony before a federal grand jury were issued to numerous rank-and-file county workers. Their testimony was sought after additional subpoenas requesting documents from the Rensselaer County Board of Elections had been served on the county, according to two people briefed on the matter.

Those subpoenas sought absentee ballot documents and communications involving multiple county officials. They were served on the county days after FBI agents seized the mobile phones of county Operations Director Richard W. Crist and Jim Gordon, the county's director of purchasing. Both men are political allies of county Executive Steve McLaughlin.

Their phones were seized at their respective residences on the morning of Feb. 3, according to two people briefed on the matter. The seizures took place the same day McLaughlin appeared in Rensselaer County Court for a pre-trial conference in an unrelated criminal case involving his alleged theft and misuse of campaign funds.

McLaughlin pleaded not guilty to two felony charges in that case, which is being prosecuted by the state attorney general's office. His trial is scheduled to begin in January.
ALBANY  The annual Hops & Harvest Festival will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Empire State Plaza and will feature New York-made beer, local food purveyors, family fun including lawn games, a pie-eating contest and live music headlined by bluegrass star Sam Bush.

Among the local breweries offering beer for purchase will be Adirondack, Brown's, Druthers, Indian Ladder, Ommegang and Wolf Hollow. Food vendors include Alaturco Mediterranean Grill, Boozy Moo, Mobile Kitchen Navona, Reggae Boy Cafe and Ya Ya's House of Southern Cuisine.
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VOORHEESVILLE  A four-unit apartment house was demolished Wednesday morning, the second of three structures in the village to be torn down to make way for a new restaurant and a cafe, both owned by the Saratoga Springs-based Business for Good foundation.

The white, Victorian-style building, at 40 S. Main St., is next to a former Stewart's Shop that closed in 2019 and was later razed. The Stewart's plot, at 42 S. Main, will be home to a 5,000-square-foot restaurant called Blackbirds Tavern; 40 S. Main will become the tavern's parking lot. Across the street, a dentist's office at 43 S. Main will be knocked down later this fall to make way for Blackbirds Bike Cafe.
The drive from Thessaloniki airport to the Halkidiki peninsula on the northeast coast of Greece is not unlike Tuscany, with rolling hills covered with ancient, twisted olive trees spread out like pieces on a chess set on bright terracotta coloured clay as far as the eye can see.

We were heading to Ouranoupolis, known as the Gate to Heaven, and the entry point to the holiest place in the Orthodox church, Mount Athos, the holy mountain.

The stunning drive to Ouranoupolis, at the border to Mount Athos, takes two hours from the airport.

We stayed at the Xenia Ouranoupolis hotel which is perfectly situated by its own beach but also two minutes walk from the towns strip of restaurants, shops and the harbour where boats came and went from Mount Athos.

Ooronolpos is the last town before Mount Athos which only allows entry by boat. I visited the border wall, a short two kilometre walk outside town, where there is an atmospheric ruined castle called Frangokastro overlooking the border.

This is the castle of the Franks and during the Middle Ages a Frank meant anyone from western Christendom, but particularly a nasty crusader type.

This peninsula is full of ancient history with Aristotle born in nearby Stagira. Aristotle is probably the best known peripatetic, for his habit of strolling up and down whilst teaching and he is quoted as saying the best thoughts come when walking.

So it is fitting there is now a great walk that goes above Stagira with views out to sea to celebrate the great philosopher.

What I love about holidays to Greece is not only the great food, weather and landscape but being able to be immersed in history from ancient times to modern.

Every person and place has a story.

The town beach has an old tower whose history tells the story of the town.

The tower was first built by the Byzantines, then the Ottomans took it over and fortified it and then it became the refuge site for refugees who were displaced after war with Turkey in 1922.

There were murals around the town commemorating the anniversary of the displacement of over one million Greeks from Asia Minor one hundred years ago.

Ooranolpos is a fascinating town to stay in unlike any other in Greece I have visited. The monks are pescatarian and their influence is in the fish restaurant menus.

There is a pilgrim passport office and there are many gift shops with iconic orthodox paintings and gold artefacts with much bling to attract the Russian visitors, who were light on the ground this year.

All pilgrims entered the mountain by sea from the harbour and it was great just watching the monks coming and going from the boats wearing the same black floor length Cossack style robes and all sporting grey tangled beards.

A uniform unchanged since Byzantine times. It is possible to get a tour boat down the peninsula to see all the monasteries on the beautiful cone shaped mountain.

Mount Athos, established in the 9th century, is a self-governing monastic theocracy dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God and is renowned for its pure Orthodox beliefs.

This led to the banning of women from Mount Athos 1,000 years ago. There has been no person born on the mountain since the exclusion of women and the only relaxation of the ban is for female cats whom I was told by a local cant be controlled.

Mount Athos comprises 20 monasteries of various sizes clinging to the mountain and cliffs edge high over the sea along the peninsula with some looking more like medieval forts.

This religious republic under religious rule is recognised by the Greek Government, and, more recently, by the EU.

The mountain has 17 Greek and one Serbian, Bulgarian and Russian monasteries. There are over 2,000 monks living austere lives of prayer and toiling the land and fishing the surrounding sea.

The monks have exclusive rights to the land and the sea with no outside boats allowed within 500m of the shore.

The Holy Mountain can only be accessed by sea and a pilgrim visa is needed which can take over six months to get in Thessaloniki.

But the mountain is a place of pilgrimage for Orthodox christens from all over the world with someone over 50,000 visiting. It is rare for non-Orthodox Christians to be allowed to enter but Prince Charles is a big fan and has visited many times. The largest and I would say most garishly coloured monastery is the Russian monastery and it had cranes around the site when I saw it.

Showing the building work continues from money donated from Russian billionaires.

President Putin has made a number of pilgrimages in recent years to boost his credentials as a traditional Orthodox Russian.

He has even made the wine made at the Russian monastery the official wine of the Kremlin.

Mount Athos has always been seen as a guardian of conservative traditional Orthodoxy.

At the Council of Florence in 1439 it was the monks from Mount Athos who refused to allow the Catholic and Orthodox Churches unite in return for western military help to fight against the Turks, which eventually led to the fall of Constantinople.

That deep adherence to what they would call pure Orthodoxy still holds sway today on the mountain.

There are other great day trips to do from Ouranoupolis including a short 15 minute boat ride to Ammouliani island which has some of the best beaches in Greece and a lovely small town and nearby Pena Island which is great for snorkelling.

Ryanair has direct flights until October from Dublin to Thessaloniki.

To hear all about my trip to the Halkidiki peninsulas including the amazing Sithonia region check out my Halkidiki Special Travel Tales with Fergal podcast on www.traveltaleswithfergal.ie.
A Bismarck man charged with seven felonies after fleeing police in July has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Joshua Gohl, 38, pleaded guilty to four drug felonies and three felonies related to the chase, according to court documents. South Central District Judge Bruce Romanick accepted the guilty pleas at a Wednesday hearing.

Gohl fled from police after failing to halt for a traffic stop in the 1900 block of East Century Avenue on July 24, according to an affidavit.

The vehicle was tracked by the aerial surveillance team of the North Dakota Highway Patrol to West Arbor Avenue, where it backed into a parked pickup truck and nearly hit a squad car while attempting to flee. The vehicle was then tracked to an East Capitol Avenue motel, where authorities said Gohl fled on foot.

Police searched Gohl after he was handcuffed and said they found a baggie of 29 pills believed to contain fentanyl, two baggies containing a total of five grams of methamphetamine, knives and $1,958 in cash. A total of 153 pills were seized, the affidavit states.

Romanick sentenced Gohl to five years on each of the seven felonies, court records show. Hell served the time simultaneously.
"Youre not alone." Thats the message to the family of Const. Andrew Hong from Brenda Orr, the widow of OPP Const. David Mounsey, who was killed in the line of duty in November 2006 near Wingham, Ont.
Western wildfires could once again lead to smoky skies over North Dakota, though rain might wash the smoke away.

Winds high in the atmosphere could carry the smoke from dozens of wildfires hundreds or even thousands of miles east -- potentially all the way across the country, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson.

Smoke over the north central U.S. was expected to be most pronounced on Wednesday, possibly lingering into Thursday. But rain in the forecast could clear out the smoke, according to the National Weather Service.

"Rain totals are expected to be limited to a tenth or two in most locations along and east of Highway 83, with lesser amounts further west," the agency said. "Higher amounts are possible in areas where thunderstorm activity develops. Additional showers and thunderstorms are expected this weekend."

The forecast for Bismarck-Mandan calls for a low chance of thunderstorms in the coming days, with the greatest chance late Wednesday.

Smoky skies can lead to breathing problems for some people.

"Smoke particles sometimes mix down to the surface and lead to unhealthy air quality, especially for those with preexisting health conditions," AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary said.

Information on the regions air quality can be found at airnow.gov and at https://deq.nd.gov/AQ/monitoring/.

Smoky skies also can lead to colorful sunrises and sunsets, with a muted sky and a dark, red-orange sun.

"The smoke particles are able to scatter more of the sun's radiation, bouncing blue-wavelength light back toward space and letting more red-wavelength light through the atmosphere," Sadvary said.
State and local authorities are trying to find a raccoon a woman brought into a bar in Maddock last week, prompting a statewide warning about potential rabies exposure.

Benson County Sheriff Ethan Rode told the Tribune on Wednesday that his office is assisting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in locating the animal.

Officers conducted a warranted search on a house where the raccoon was believed to be, but couldn't find it, he said.

"We have other leads of possibly where it got taken to," Rode said. He declined to disclose the woman's name.

Possible charges would be illegal possession of a live furbearer, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,500 fine and 30 days in jail, according to Game and Fish Enforcement Division Chief/Chief Game Warden Scott Winkelman.

"We do know who the suspect is and are trying to investigate what happened," he said.

Game and Fish "multiple times a year" investigates similar situations in which people find what they believe are abandoned wildlife, such as raccoons, fawns and rabbits, "and then pick them up and try and take care of them, which is both illegal and (we) strongly advise against for disease issues," Winkelman said.

Game and Fish this summer investigated another person in possession of a raccoon, which bit a young child. Winkelman said the investigation is still open, and he didn't provide further details.

The Maddock investigation might take a few weeks, he said.

The woman is believed to have found the critter "almost half-dead" and tried to care for it and bring it back as a pet, according to Rode.

"From what we know, she never set it down, never let anybody else hold it," the sheriff said of potential close contact in the bar with the raccoon.

Bartender Cindy Smith has said the raccoon was never loose and didn't bite anyone. She told the Tribune she "got it out of here as fast as I could."

The state Health and Human Services Department on Tuesday issued a warning about potential rabies exposure in connection with the "captive raccoon" brought into the Maddock Bar on Sept. 6.

Department representatives said they don't know the location of the raccoon, and they declined to release the woman's name, citing a disease control investigation.

"HHS issued the news release to notify the public of the situation and encourage those who may have been exposed to potentially infectious material to speak with their health care provider, as wildlife officials have been unable to locate the raccoon for testing to rule out rabies. Health care providers are not required to report animal bites or other potential rabies exposures to HHS," state Epidemiologist Amanda Bakken said.

She declined to say how the raccoon in the bar came to the department's attention.

HHS, Game and Fish and the state Board of Animal Health have been working to find the raccoon for rabies testing. Rabies has a nearly 100% fatality rate, according to HHS.

Deputy State Veterinarian Beth Carlson said raccoon ownership is banned by state law, but for licensed zoos. She referred the Tribune to Benson County law enforcement.
A parent is raising concerns about what she says are health and safety problems at Malick Se
The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation is accusing North Dakota officials of tampering with the tribes' efforts to collect royalties from oil and gas production underneath a riverbed on the Fort Berthold Reservation. The state says the tribes have no legal claim. The latest grievance is part of an ongoing dispute that has seen the rights for minerals exchange hands four times in the last five years. The last turnover was in February when the Biden administration ruled that the royalties belonged to the Three Affiliated Tribes. The U.S. Department of Interior followed up by demanding that energy companies provide a detailed account of royalties and bonuses from mineral production. The state responded with a letter to oil companies dismissing the ruling and title.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, has called on the German authorities to supply tanks to Ukraine.

Podolyak tweeted that the so-called "ring exchange" system is currently not working, according to Ukrinform.

"For six months, the allies have been arguing over who should sell tanks to Ukraine. For six months, there are no tanks because there is no 'political decision' about it. Russia continues the terror, people die, time flies. Germany, we are waiting for your word," he said.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, expressed regret over the stance pursued by the German government, which is refusing to send offensive weapons to Ukraine, including Leopard tanks and Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

At a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Kyiv on September 10, Kuleba said he saw no obstacles to Germany supplying Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine.
The government of Denmark has agreed to begin training Ukrainian soldiers on the territory of Denmark.

Danish Defence Minister Morten Bodskov stated this following his visit to Kyiv, Ukrinform reports, referring to Express.

At the same time, Bodskov did not provide details about the number of Ukrainian soldiers, or timing or location of the training.

"I cannot get into the details, but there will be training of the Ukrainian defence in Denmark," the minister said.

As Ukrinform reported, in early August, the Defense Ministry of Denmark announced it would send 130 instructors to Great Britain to train the Ukrainian military.

Read also: Ukraine holding military exercises near border with Belarus

In early July, the first group of Ukrainian military personnel arrived in Great Britain to take part in a new major military training program. The course includes programs on weapons handling, battlefield first aid, field survival, patrol tactics, and the legal foundations of armed conflict.

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Three people were wounded in Russian attacks on the recently liberated territories of Kharkiv region over the past day.

Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, said in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports.

No shelling of the city of Kharkiv and populated areas of Kharkiv region was recorded last night. Over the course of the past day, the enemy struck settlements in the Izium, Kupiansk and Chuhuiv districts. Unfortunately, there are wounded people. According to the Center for Emergency Medical Care, one person was hospitalized in the Izium district, one in the Kupiansk district, and one in the Chuhuiv district," Syniehubov informed.

He noted that normal life is gradually returning to the liberated territories of the region.

Works on mine clearance and restoration of critical infrastructure are ongoing, people who have spent almost half a year under occupation are receiving humanitarian aid," the regional governor said.

As reported by Ukrinform, according to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar, in Kharkiv region from September 6 to September 13, 3,800 square kilometers of territories and more than 300 settlements were liberated from the occupiers.

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A number of German legislators spoke up on the need for the country to expand and speed up arms supplies to Ukraine.

The comments came in the wake of the recent decision by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to reject the Ukrainian governments request for Leopard 2A7 main battle tanks to fight off the Russian onslaught and use them in counteroffensive efforts, Guildhall reports, according to Ukrinform.

The head of the Bundestag Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, believes that Western supplies of more heavy weapons are of strategic importance in Ukraine's counteroffensive, and that Germany should immediately play its part by handing over to Ukraine its tanks and other military equipment.

The military offensive by the Ukrainian Army and the first recaptured territories in the east speak of the military might of Ukraine and its boundless will to regain the occupied lands, combined with the supply of heavy weapons and military equipment from its allies. Therefore, the immediate supply by the West of additional military equipment and heavy weapons is of strategic importance, the politician said.

There is no time to waste. And certainly theres no time for delays and hesitation. Germany must immediately play its part in Ukraines success and supply protected vehicles, Marder infantry fighting vehicles and the Leopard 2 main battle tanks. We stand by the side of the Ukrainian people and take a leading role in Europe in the fight for democracy in the conditions of peace and freedom, Strack-Zimmermann emphasized.

In turn, member of the Committee on International Affairs Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU/CSU) also said that in order to support the counteroffensive and help Ukraine successfully hold de-occupied territories, Germany must immediately provide military assistance, stressing that Ukraine is now defending freedom and security of Germany.

Ukrainian soldiers are successfully advancing, liberating towns and villages from Russian occupation. For the counter-offensive to be successful in the short and long term, and for Ukraine to regain and retain all of its territory, it needs all the military support it can get immediately. Germany could immediately supply Marder, Leopard, Fuchs and Dingo tanks and quickly instruct industry to replenish our stocks. Without these armored vehicles, Ukrainian soldiers are often defenseless on the offensive. Thus, the refusal inevitably leads to increased losses on the Ukrainian side, which could have been prevented by German supplies. At this stage of the war, it is important to continue the counter-offensive so that Russia cannot take up new defensive positions. That is why now is time for battle tanks, the politician believes.

Scholz and (defense minister Christine  ed.) Lambrecht must stop hiding behind empty phrases. Such behavior harms our country (). The industry should finally get the export licenses they've been waiting for since March. Germany is also to supply the main battle tanks employed by the Bundeswehr. The minister of defense can no longer hide behind the statement that the Bundeswehr needs everything to defend the Alliance. This is one of the many excuses that NATO Secretary General (Jens - ed.) Stoltenberg has debunked with crystal clarity, said Kiesewetter.

Our partner countries are waiting for Germanys initiative. Our security and freedom are being defended in Ukraine. Now is the time to restore lost trust. The Bundeswehr is not at war, Germany is not a party to the war, but it is a target in Russia's hybrid war, like the whole of Europe. Germany should increase its supplies, including of main battle tanks," the lawmaker summed up.

Read also: Bundestag calls on German government to increase arms supplies to Ukraine

Also, Thomas Hacker with the Free Democrats (part of the coalition) noted that Germany should accelerate and increase arms supplies to Ukraine to support the ongoing counteroffensive, doing this in coordination with NATO partners.

I support paced-up and increased military assistance to Ukraine, as it is extremely important to support a successful counter-offensive by Ukraine. This should be done in agreement with Germany's NATO partners," the politician said.

Supplying more types of tanks is crucial to helping the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom and self-determination, said Thomas Hacker.

Also, MEP Michael Gahler earlier said that the main task of the West and Germany in particular is to prevent the war from dragging on by supplying the required weapons to Ukraine to bring its victory over Russia closer.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi has shared a video showing Russias military equipment and weapons, seized by the Ukrainian military in the Kharkiv region.

The relevant video was posted by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The military art loves those who are brave and true. Now the trophy weapons and equipment are working against our blood enemy, Zaluzhnyi wrote.

The war trophies were captured when assaulting Russian positions near such settlements as Novohusarivka, Shchurivka and Bairak in the Kharkiv region.

Many equipment units have already been sent to the front line to meet the needs of the Ukrainian Army.

A reminder that about 30% of the Kharkiv region had been under Russian occupation. During the full-scale offensive, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated more than 300 settlements, including Balakliia, Izium, Kupiansk, Vovchansk, Velykyi Burluk, Shevchenkove and Dvorichna.

Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

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Seventy-seven ships loaded with agricultural products have already left the unblocked seaports for the countries of Asia and Africa.

"If I'm not mistaken, 57 [ships] left for Asian countries, about 20 left for African countries. The rest  all over the world, in particular for Europe," Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said during a press conference on September 14, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The Ukrainian grain is exported to all countries that need it, the Prime Minister underscored.

"I suggest that we should not succumb to manipulations when the Russians and their leader Putin tell us that only two ships from Ukrainian ports went to the countries that need it," Shmyhal stressed.

The Head of Government noted that, despite the partial restoration of exports from seaports, Ukraine lost 80% of its export potential due to the war.

As reported, 3.1 million tonnes of agricultural products have been exported from Ukraine since the grain transportation agreement signed between Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, and the UN entered into force.

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Michael Gahler, a German member of the European Parliament, has called on Western powers to increase military assistance to Ukraine to ensure that the nation wins its war with Russia as soon as possible.

Answering the question about the strengthening of Western military aid to Ukraine in order to prevent a long war, Gahler said that this is exactly the task that the West is facing, Guildhall reports.

Its exactly the point. Weapons, weapons, weapons. We must upgrade our weapons deliveries, we need to coordinate closely with Ukraine on the needs that there are on the ground. We had this Ramstein conference just last week, and I think what the NATO secretary general said, among other countries to Germany  and rightly so  it is worse if Ukraine loses the war than if we have empty storages of weapons. So support Ukraine to win and for the time being, we can accept empty storages of weapons in our Western armies, Gahler told the reporter.

But we should in parallel start producing and upgrading the weapons production. Where the weapons are needed now is in Ukraine. Everybody needs to understand that. And we, Europeans, who are closest, we need to do more and orient ourselves to the deliveries of the United States and Britain  they have delivered most. And of course our partners in Central and Eastern Europe have done a tremendous job but Germany, France, Italy, Spain  major western countries inside the EU  they need to do definitely more and also not argue about their own defensibility, the MEP added.

If Western powers deliver weapons to Ukraine, and Ukraine uses them to reduce Russian military potential, this automatically reduces the threat Russia poses to Europe, the lawmaker believes.

If Russians have less to threaten us, its good for us, and for that purpose, we should deliver our available weapons to Ukraine to shorten the war, to push the Russians to their own borders, and then to make a rethinking in Moscow possible, Gahler said.

Recall that earlier the chair of the Bundestags Foreign Affairs Committee, an expert on foreign policy with the Social Democratic Party Michael Roth said that Germany, in coordination with the EU and NATO, should supply main battle tanks to Ukraine.
The Czech Republic is expanding cooperation with the Kyiv Regional Military Administration by providing assistance to communities of the region.

The Kyiv Regional Military Administration said this in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports.

An official meeting was held between Deputy Chairman of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Vitaliy Vlasiuk and the delegation of the Czech Republic led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Marek Svoboda, as well as Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Ukraine Radek Matula and representatives of Czech business," the report reads.

It is noted the Czech side is interested in the short term and long-term cooperation and ready to invest the region's economy.

According to the Kyiv regional administration, Czech partners said they would send generators for combined heat and power production, as well as the necessary medical equipment, for healthcare institutions and social infrastructure facilities.

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Tough economic restrictions imposed by the European Union on Russia are the response to the Kremlins aggression toward Ukraine, and now its time to continue and increase sanction pressure, not appease the aggressor.

Thats according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who spoke at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, delivering her State of the Union address, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

It is the Kremlin that has put Russia's economy on the path to oblivion. This is the price for Putin's trail of death and destruction. And I want to make it very clear, the sanctions are here to stay. This is the time for us to show resolve, not appeasement, von der Leyen told MEPs.

Read also: EU making mobile roaming free for Ukraine

The EC President recalled that the EU had responded to Russian aggression with the toughest sanctions the world has ever seen. Russia's financial sector is on life-support. We have cut off three quarters of Russia's banking sector from international markets. Nearly one thousand international companies have left the country. The production of cars fell by three-quarters compared to last year. Aeroflot is grounding planes because there are no more spare parts. The Russian military is taking chips from dishwashers and refrigerators to fix their military hardware, because they ran out of semiconductors. Russia's industry is in tatters, she said.

One lesson from this war is we should have listened to those who know Putin. To Anna Politkovskaya and all the Russian journalists who exposed the crimes, and paid the ultimate price. To our friends in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and to the opposition in Belarus. We should have listened to the voices inside our Union  in Poland, in the Baltics, and all across Central and Eastern Europe. They have been telling us for years that Putin would not stop. And they acted accordingly, noted von der Leyen.

As reported earlier, on September 14, in Strasbourg, the President of the European Commission delivered at the European Parliament an annual State of the Union address.

Ukraines First Lady Olena Zelenska attended the plenary session as an honorary guest.

Ursula von der Leyen, along with a large part of European commissioners and MEPs sported outfits matching Ukrainian flag colors in a sign of solidarity with the people of Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

Photo: EPA
Ireland will support Ukraine in the post-war reconstruction and on its path to full membership in the European Union.

Foreign Minister of Ireland Simon Coveney stated this at a joint press conference with Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Lithuania following talks in Odesa, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

Coveney reminded that Ireland allocated EUR 55 million to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine and accepted 50,000 Ukrainian refugees.

He stressed that Ireland will be a really powerful partner and will help Ukraine until the war ends, adding that the assistance will continue in the future as well, in particular during the post-war reconstruction of the country and on Ukraines path to achieving full membership in the EU.

Coveney also emphasized that Ukraine currently protects the values that unite the European Union.

Photo: Dmytro Kuleba/Twitter

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Tolentino urges DOJ Sec. Remulla to monitor the implementation of the Free Legal Assistance Act of 2010

On Wednesday, 14 September 2022, the Commission on Appointments deliberated on the appointment of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, the Chairman of the Committee on Justice and a member of the Commission on Appointments, urged DOJ Secretary Remulla to get a hold of and monitor the implementation of Republic Act No. 9999, otherwise known as the "Free Legal Assistance Act of 2010."

According to Sen. Tolentino, the said law grants free legal assistance to indigent litigants and grants lawyers or professional partnerships rendering actual free legal services an allowable deduction from their gross income the amount that could have been collected for the actual free legal services rendered or up to 10% of the gross income derived from the actual performance of the legal profession, whichever is lower.

The said law was signed back in 2010 by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. However, as of date, the law still remains unimplemented as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has yet to release the necessary implementing rules and regulations for the application of the law.

Sen. Tolentino later said that the implementation of the law would encourage lawyers to provide free legal services. In turn, this would assist in the promotion of justice in the country.

Sen. Tolentino is the Founder of the Philippine Legal Justice Center, Inc. (PLJC), a non-stock non-profit corporation that renders free adequate and accessible legal assistance to indigent litigants.
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The Business Value Of Google Workspace According to IDC research, daily Google Workspace users realized a 14% productivity gain after adopting the collaboration platform. Tap into this infographic to learn key benefits of Google Workspace.

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A South Sudanese refugee student attends primary school in a refugee settlement in Uganda.  UNHCR/Jjumba Martin

Young people tell me again and again what keeps them from school: a shortage of materials (books and pens), long walks to reach the school; they are hungry.

In the Palabek refugee settlement in Uganda, I have seen first-hand how childrens education has suffered since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. After two years of school closures, only 44 per cent of school children in Palabek returned to school when it opened, according to Lazar Arasu, director of Don Bosco Catholic organization. The majority of children in child-headed families are unable to return to school at all. Although Ugandas Universal Primary Education policy stipulates free compulsory primary education of good quality for all children, hidden costs to accessing education remain. Parents are compelled to cover the costs of scholastic materials, school uniforms, and examination fees. For many families, including those who have been forcibly displaced, covering these costs is impossible.

Since its inception in April 2017, the settlement has had only one secondary school, yet the school is not strategically located. Many students must leave home at 5:00 a.m. and walk more than 10 kilometres to reach it. Due to a lack of funding, food rations given to the most vulnerable refugees have been cut 30 to 60 per cent in Uganda, so many students leave without taking breakfast and stay in the school hungry until they return home at 5:00 p.m. There are often no lights to read books or do homework at night. Some students cannot afford books or even pens. So many perform poorly and many drop out.

As a refugee student who is passionate about community service, I have always volunteered as a community mobilizer, social worker, and youth leader. I also joined several trainings, including basic video advocacy training, which later motivated me to advocate for the rights of my community. My dream was to go to university. I was so excited to receive the DAFI scholarship from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The scholarship, funded by the German and Danish governments, was based on my academic excellence, leadership potential, and my engagement with the community. After I joined university, I wanted to support my fellow young refugees in the settlement. I founded an organization, The Leads, whose goal is to reverse the worsening school dropout rates and empower refugee children and youth to achieve their dreams. Currently, we are supporting about 120 students with pens and books, mathematics and English lessons as well as motivating them and providing information on higher education opportunities. UNHCR has provided some funding to my organization.

Forcibly displaced people too often find themselves at the centre of international debates, while being left out of them. One thing that motivates me is knowing that the voices of the people most impacted by global education policies and programmes have been chronically under-represented at decision-making levels. Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, set out by the UN, states that we must ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. It adds that, by 2030, we must ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. According to Yasmine Sherif, director of Education Cannot Wait, educating girls, especially those left behind in crises, is critical to the COVID-19 recovery plan, to mitigating climate change, and to ensuring equal and prosperous societies. For refugee children, especially girls, school is not just a place where they go to learn, it also provides structure and a refuge from the harshness of life outside. As a refugee, I understand this. In fact, refugees who have experienced the life changing effects of school often have the best ideas for reaching the goal of quality education for everyone.

"Refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than non-refugee children."

UNHCR advocates for education systems that include all, including those who have been forcibly displaced. The Agenda for Protection, and the subsequent Action Plan approved by the Executive Committee in October 2002, especially underline the importance of education as a tool of protection. And yet the problem I see in Palabek Refugee Settlement is unfortunately not an anomaly. Refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than non-refugee children. For those children who can access education, the quality is often very poor. Most of the worlds refugees live in low and middle-income countries whose education systems already struggle.

According to UNHCRs recent education report, enrolment in primary school is only 68 per cent globally and drops dramatically to 37 per cent at secondary levels. Girls are at a particular disadvantage; in Eastern and the Horn of Africa, only five girls are enrolled for every 10 boys. Currently, in Uganda, 53 per cent of the primary-aged and 92 per cent of the secondary-aged children are out of school. Nationwide in Uganda, there are still sub-counties without a secondary school, including where refugees are hosted, and only 18 secondary schools in 12 refugee-hosting districts. I have made it my mission to reverse these trends.

Thousands of vulnerable young people in Palabek and around the world await our collective action  so that they are not left behind and can achieve their dreams of becoming doctors, teachers, engineers, and more. Many, like me, want to become positive change-makers for themselves, their families, their communities, and our world. I will not give up on them  I have been in their shoes.

Opira Bosco Okot is the founder of The Leads, an organization based in Uganda that strives to keep refugee children and young people in school. He was a participant in the UNHCR Journalist Mentorship Programme, a project created to support refugees, internally displaced and stateless people who want to tell the important stories of today.


UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi talks to Budoor, an internally displaced woman and widowed mother-of-four, during his visit to Aleppo, Syria.  UNHCR/Hameed Maarouf

DAMASCUS, Syria  UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, urged much more support to address the staggering humanitarian needs in Syria after a visit to the country that ended today.

Grandis visit focused on drawing the worlds attention to the 14.6 million people in the Syrian Arab Republic in need of humanitarian assistance, including over 6.9 internally displaced people. Some 90 per cent of Syrians live below the poverty line and more than 13 million have been displaced in the past 11 years, with 5.5 million refugees hosted in five neighbouring countries.

Its everybodys right to be safe and to have access to food, basic livelihoods, water, shelter and warmth, he said. This is my appeal from Aleppo, and why I call on donors to continue supporting us to provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, especially as winter approaches.

UNHCR, along with other UN agencies, NGOs and local partners is working hard to help. While the political and security situation in Syria and the region remains complex, humanitarian responses must not be conditioned by political considerations, Grandi added.

UNHCR in Syria provides protection and assistance to internally displaced people, returnees, refugees and stateless people based on identified needs and vulnerabilities.

During his two-day visit to Syria, Grandi travelled to the historic city of Aleppo and surrounding areas where he met Syrian families who spoke of the mounting challenges they face in providing for their children. Some were still displaced, others had returned after displacement within Syria or abroad.

In Aleppo, the High Commissioner met Budoor Kero, a widow and a mother of four who was displaced and has now returned to live with her elderly parents. With no source of income and residing in a house with no electricity and little running water, she told the High Commissioner of her impossible daily task: getting enough food for her children and sending them to school.

UNHCR and its partners support the most vulnerable Syrians, like Budoor. Assistance includes blankets, mattresses as well as solar lamps that allow Budoors children to do their homework in the evening.

During his visit, Grandi met with Syrian Government officials, including Foreign and Expatriates Minister Faisal Al-Mekdad and discussed a range of issues to bring relief and solutions to the people of Syria.

I witnessed the remarkable strength, resilience and energy of ordinary Syrian people trying hard to build a better future for themselves and for their children, but they face extraordinary challenges, Grandi said. As the hardship continues, we must bring them help and hope.

To continue providing assistance to refugees and displaced people in Syria and neighbouring host countries until the end of the year, UNHCR urgently requires USD$271 million, without which it will have to cut back on essential and life-saving aid.

BROLL MEDIA: https://media.unhcr.org/Share/1x87d4uuiq8x86ml5j43tb60g404i2s5

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A new report delivers brutally frank details about the extent of North Koreas systemic human rights abuses. The Wests focus on the DPRKs nuclear program is understandable, but can the Kim dynasty be stopped from getting away with murder?

North Koreas chief notoriety is its nuclear program. Another nuclear test is expected soon. The Rand Corporation and Asan Institute predict that by 2027, the North could have 200 nuclear weapons and several dozen intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and hundreds of theater missiles for delivering the nuclear weapons. With such an arsenal, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) will be an even more fearsome presence in northeast Asia.

Also terrible is the DPRKs human rights record. It falls near the bottom of Freedom Houses rankings. In almost every waypolitical rights, civil liberties, religious freedomPyongyang oppresses its citizens. Today the regime even imprisons high school students who sing K-Pop songs.

A new report details the horrors of the North Korean detention system and its role in the commission of crimes against humanity. According to the International Bar Association and Committee for Human Rights in North Korea:

This Inquiry finds that there are reasonable grounds to conclude that the following ten of the eleven crimes against humanity listed in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted in 1998 (Rome Statute) have been, and continue to be, committed: (1) murder, (2) extermination, (3) enslavement, (4) forcible transfer, (5) imprisonment or severe deprivation of physical liberty, (6) torture, (7) sexual violence, (8) persecution, (9) enforced disappearance, and (10) other inhumane acts.

That is quite a record. Unsurprisingly, Pyongyang declined an invitation to participate in the inquiry.

North Korea has created an unprecedented communist totalitarian state, even far more absolutist than Western Marxist-Leninist states, based on the suryong principle of complete submission to the leader, who is supposed to reign supreme. Kim Jong-uns title of Supreme Leader has practical meaning, as subservience is institutionalized and taught to all. One witness explained: Not only do the Ten Principles of Monolithic Ideology serve as the guidebook for all party members, security services, government leaders, and personnel with regards to violations of loyalty and political ideology, [they are] also used as a standard to which every leader, manager, and department Director is held in the performance of their respective duties.

The security services are particularly important in this regard, since education is increasingly insufficient to ensure blind loyalty to the regime. Kim, who cohosted a K-Pop concert just five years ago, has since launched a crackdown on anyone imbibing foreign, especially South Korean, culture. For this, enhanced coercion is necessary: As such, the DPRK criminal justice system and its facilities do not serve a legitimate purpose; instead, they form an integral part of a State system to maintain the populations absolute obedience to the political system and its leadership, explains the International Bar Association report.

The resulting practice of arbitrary arrest and brutal punishment is intended to create a climate of fear. Toward this end, the DPRK systematically uses torture, sexual violence, forced labor, inhumane detention conditions, and deliberate starvation as means of interrogation, control, and punishment. The reports findings are detailedand appalling.

Investigators found a long list of crimes:

Arbitrary executions, infanticide, and forced abortions are commonplace in detention centers.

Detainees are intentionally deprived of food as a weapon of punishment and control.

Detainees are regularly subjected to beatings and other forms of torture.

Sexual violence against detainees was common.

Many detainees were arrested and detained for the exercise of basic human rights, such as attempting to leave the country or practicing religion.

Christians, in particular, were targeted for detention and particularly grave treatment in detention.

Detainees were subjected to grueling forced labor and abhorrent living conditions in detention facilities.

This system is reinforced by the DPRKs elaborate socio-political classification system, or songbun, [which] permeates every aspect of North Korean life and is a significant motivating force for the countrys detention system. There are three basic classes: loyal, wavering, and hostile, divided into 56 categories. This rating plays a critical role in determining whether an individual is targeted for detention, as well as the type of detention facility they are sent to, the degree and type of punishment they are subject to, their treatment and living conditions while detained, and the length of their detainment.

There are three general levels of detention: pre-trial centers, holding centers, and labor camps. All are essential to the imprisonment process and violate the human rights of those imprisoned. The report provides this horrifying inside look:

Pre-trial detention and interrogation can last for months in these facilities, where detainees are kept in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions with grossly inadequate food rations and are subjected to beatings, systematic torture, and forced abortions. Once interrogation is complete, detainees are often sent to holding facilities for trial and sentencing or directly to labor-training camps without judicial process.

Detention facilities are distinct from camps for political prisoners, though both are integral parts of official State efforts to suppress opposition, highly secretive, and managed by a chain of command that traces its way to the very top of the DPRK leadership. Most such prisons are either along the Chinese border or the coast, for the purpose of isolating prisoners. It should come as no surprise that Pyongyang rejects criticism of its practices: The DPRK regime has repeatedly denied that these detention facilities are anything but labor-reform institutions where individuals are held for reform through labor, and are remunerated for their efforts.

Much of the report provides evidence for the charges made against the DPRK. The terrible examples of brutality and cruelty are unrelenting and leave no doubt that North Korea deserves its dismal human rights rating. What the analysis does not offer is an effective strategy to change Pyongyangs behavior.

The brutally frank document concludes with what can only be deemed a wan wish for addressing North Koreas human rights abuses:

In addition to criminal prosecution for these crimes, the full range of mechanisms for accountability and redress should be considered to achieve a comprehensive set of objectives. Ultimately, justice should be pursued in the most comprehensive and victim-oriented manner as possible, in line with the wide range of human rights and international humanitarian law violations that have been and continue to be committed in the DPRK.

True, but so long as the Kim dynasty remains in power, heavily armed though impoverished, there appear to be no effective mechanisms for accountability and redress. However, the report remains useful, a reminder of the need to confront North Koreas security threats, especially its growing nuclear arsenal. Absent some resolution of the challenge posed by the latter, it is difficult to imagine addressing the regimes terrible human rights record.

Now is the time to plan for a better, though yet unrealized, future. We mustnt allow a focus on nukes to obscure the fact that freeing the oppressed will be critical in promoting a democratic and prosperous North Korea and stable northeast Asia.
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Mourn the Queen, Not Her Empire













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MAYA JASANOFF 2022913

The end of an era will become a refrain as commentators assess the record-setting reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Like all monarchs, she was both an individual and an institution. She had a different birthday for each role  the actual anniversary of her birth in April and an official one in June  and, though she retained her personal name as monarch, held different titles depending on where in her domains she stood. She was as devoid of opinions and emotions in public as her ubiquitous handbags were said to be of everyday items like a wallet, keys and phone. Of her inner life we learned little beyond her love of horses and dogs  which gave Helen Mirren, Olivia Colman and Claire Foy rapt audiences for the insights they enacted.

The queen embodied a profound, sincere commitment to her duties  her final public act was to appoint her 15th prime minister  and for her unflagging performance of them, she will be rightly mourned. She has been a fixture of stability, and her death in already turbulent times will send ripples of sadness around the world. But we should not romanticize her era. For the queen was also an image: the face of a nation that, during the course of her reign, witnessed the dissolution of nearly the entire British Empire into some 50 independent states and significantly reduced global influence. By design as much as by the accident of her long life, her presence as head of state and head of the Commonwealth, an association of Britain and its former colonies, put a stolid traditionalist front over decades of violent upheaval. As such, the queen helped obscure a bloody history of decolonization whose proportions and legacies have yet to be adequately acknowledged.

Elizabeth became queen of a postwar Britain where sugar was still rationed and rubble from bomb damage still being cleared away. Journalists and commentators promptly cast the 25-year-old as a phoenix rising into a new Elizabethan age. An inevitable analogy, perhaps, and a pointed one. The first Elizabethan Age, in the second half of the 16th century, marked Englands emergence from a second-tier European state to an ambitious overseas power. Elizabeth I expanded the navy, encouraged privateering and granted charters to trading companies that laid the foundations for a transcontinental empire.

Elizabeth II grew up in a royal family whose significance in the British Empire had swollen even as its political authority shrank at home. The monarchy ruled an ever-lengthening list of Crown colonies, including Hong Kong (1842), India (1858) and Jamaica (1866). Queen Victoria, proclaimed empress of India in 1876, presided over flamboyant celebrations of imperial patriotism; her birthday was enshrined from 1902 as Empire Day. Members of the royal family made lavish ceremonial tours of the colonies, bestowing upon Indigenous Asian and African rulers an alphabet soup of orders and decorations.

In 1947, Princess Elizabeth celebrated her 21st birthday on a royal tour in South Africa, delivering a much-quoted speech in which she promised that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. She was on another royal tour, in Kenya, when she learned of her fathers death.

On Coronation Day in 1953, The Times of London proudly broke the news of the first successful summiting of Mount Everest by the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and the New Zealander Edmund Hillary, calling it a happy and vigorous augury for another Elizabethan era. The imperialistic tenor of the news notwithstanding, Queen Elizabeth II would never be an empress in name  the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947 stripped away that title  but she inherited and sustained an imperial monarchy by assuming the title of head of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth bears no resemblance to the empires of the past, she insisted in her Christmas Day message of 1953. Its history suggested otherwise. Initially imagined as a consortium of the white settler colonies (championed by the South African prime minister Jan Smuts), the Commonwealth had its origins in a racist and paternalistic conception of British rule as a form of tutelage, educating colonies in the mature responsibilities of self-government. Reconfigured in 1949 to accommodate newly independent Asian republics, the Commonwealth was the empires sequel, and a vehicle for preserving Britains international influence.

In photographs from Commonwealth leaders conferences, the white queen sits front and center among dozens of mostly nonwhite premiers, like a matriarch flanked by her offspring. She took her role very seriously, sometimes even clashing with her ministers to support Commonwealth interests over narrower political imperatives, as when she advocated multifaith Commonwealth Day services in the 1960s and encouraged a tougher line on apartheid South Africa.

What you would never know from the pictures  which is partly their point  is the violence that lies behind them. In 1948, the colonial governor of Malaya declared a state of emergency to fight communist guerrillas, and British troops used counterinsurgency tactics the Americans would emulate in Vietnam. In 1952 the governor of Kenya imposed a state of emergency to suppress an anticolonial movement known as Mau Mau, under which the British rounded up tens of thousands of Kenyans into detention camps and subjected them to brutal, systematized torture. In Cyprus in 1955 and Aden, Yemen, in 1963, British governors again declared states of emergency to contend with anticolonial attacks; again they tortured civilians. Meanwhile, in Ireland, the Troubles brought the dynamics of emergency to the United Kingdom. In a karmic turn, the Irish Republican Army assassinated the queens relative Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India (and the architect of Elizabeths marriage to his nephew, Prince Philip), in 1979.

We may never learn what the queen did or didnt know about the crimes committed in her name. (What transpires in the sovereigns weekly meetings with the prime minister remains a black box at the center of the British state.) Her subjects havent necessarily gotten the full story, either. Colonial officials destroyed many records that, according to a dispatch from the secretary of state for the colonies, might embarrass Her Majestys government and deliberately concealed others in a secret archive whose existence was revealed only in 2011. Though some activists such as the Labour M.P. Barbara Castle publicized and denounced British atrocities, they failed to gain wide public traction.

And there were always more royal tours for the press to cover. Nearly every year until the 2000s, the queen toured Commonwealth nations  a good bet for cheering crowds and flattering footage, her miles clocked and countries visited totted up as if theyd been heroically attained on foot rather than by royal yacht and Rolls-Royce: 44,000 miles and 13 territories to mark her coronation; 56,000 miles and 14 countries for the Silver Jubilee in 1977; an additional 40,000 miles traversing Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand and Canada for the Gold. The British Empire largely decolonized, but the monarchy did not.

During the last decades of her reign, the queen watched Britain  and the royal family  struggle to come to terms with its postimperial position. Tony Blair championed multiculturalism and brought devolution to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but he also revived Victorian imperial rhetoric in joining the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Social and regional inequality widened, and London became a haven for superrich oligarchs. Though the queens personal popularity rebounded from its low point after the death of Princess Diana, the royal family split over Harry and Meghans accusations of racism. In 1997 the queen famously shed a tear when the taxpayer-funded Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned, a few months after escorting the last British governor from Hong Kong. Boris Johnson floated the idea of building a new one.

In recent years, public pressure has been building on the British state and institutions to acknowledge and make amends for the legacies of empire, slavery and colonial violence. In 2013, in response to a lawsuit brought by victims of torture in colonial Kenya, the British government agreed to pay nearly 20 million pounds in damages to survivors; another payout was made in 2019 to survivors in Cyprus. Efforts are underway to reform school curriculums, to remove public monuments that glorify empire and to alter the presentation of historic sites linked to imperialism.

Yet xenophobia and racism have been rising, fueled by the toxic politics of Brexit. Picking up on a longstanding investment in the Commonwealth among Euroskeptics (both left and right) as a British-led alternative to European integration, Mr. Johnsons government (with Liz Truss, now the prime minister, as its foreign secretary) leaned into a vision of Global Britain steeped in half-truths and imperial nostalgia.

The queens very longevity made it easier for outdated fantasies of a second Elizabethan age to persist. She represented a living link to World War II and a patriotic myth that Britain alone saved the world from fascism. She had a personal relationship with Winston Churchill, the first of her 15 prime ministers, whom Mr. Johnson pugnaciously defended against well-founded criticism of his retrograde imperialism. And she was, of course, a white face on all the coins, notes and stamps circulated in a rapidly diversifying nation: From perhaps one person of color in 200 Britons at her accession, the 2011 census counted one in seven.

Now that she is gone, the imperial monarchy must end too. Its well past time, for instance, to act on calls to rename the Order of the British Empire, a distinction that the queen has bestowed on hundreds of Britons every year for community service and contributions to public life. The queen served as head of state in more than a dozen Commonwealth realms, more of which may now follow the example of Barbados, which decided to fully leave our colonial past behind and become a republic in 2021. The queens death could also aid a fresh campaign for Scottish independence, which she was understood to oppose. Though Commonwealth leaders decided in 2018 to fulfill the queens sincere wish and recognize Prince Charles as the next head of the Commonwealth, the organization emphasizes that the role is not hereditary.

Those who heralded a second Elizabethan age hoped Elizabeth II would sustain British greatness; instead, it was the era of the empires implosion. She will be remembered for her tireless dedication to her job, whose future she attempted to secure by stripping the disgraced Prince Andrew of his roles and resolving the question of Queen Camillas title. Yet it was a position so closely linked to the British Empire that even as the world transformed around her, myths of imperial benevolence persisted. The new king now has an opportunity to make a real historical impact by scaling back royal pomp and updating Britains monarchy to be more like those of Scandinavia. That would be an end to celebrate.
By Mike Miller, Vice President & Treasurer-Finance

Heres some financial news that should interest every railroader: Union Pacific just issued a successful $600 million inaugural "green bond."

Whats a green bond? Well, just like any other corporate or government bond, theyre an investment offering used to raise money, but the difference is green bond proceeds are earmarked for climate and environmental projects.

The first green bonds were issued in 2008 by the World Bank. Since then, the World Bank has issued more than $14 billion in green bonds, with funds going toward 111 projects around the world in the areas of renewable energy, clean transportation, and agriculture and land use, including financing the Rampur Hydropower Project in northern India.

Companies use green bonds to raise funds for their own sustainability efforts, and Union Pacific is now among them. By linking our financing activity to our sustainability strategy, we can fund our most promising projects that will help to decarbonize our footprint and meet our sustainability goals.

And those goals are aggressive.

Union Pacific has committed to reduce its absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions, and GHG emissions on a well-to-wheel basis from locomotive operations 26% by 2030 from a 2018 baseline, with a long-term goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050.

Our Green Financing Framework allows us to issue green bonds to raise money in the marketplace. It outlines eligible green projects, how well evaluate and select those projects, and how proceeds are spent. We expect a significant portion of any green bond proceeds to go toward our Clean Transportation category, which includes upgrades to existing rolling stock, contributions to modal shift and expanding network capacity.

These projects could include, but are not limited to:

 New battery-electric locomotives,

 Locomotive modernizations that reduce GHG emissions and increase fuel efficiency,

 Expansion of intermodal facilities, which can promote modal shift of freight to lower-carbon alternatives such as rail,

 New sidings and siding extensions, which increase train length and reduce dwell time, and

 Investment in and/or development of onsite or offsite generation and distribution of renewable energy from solar or wind sources.

We intend to fully allocate green bond proceeds within 36 months of any issuance.

Companies get outside opinions of their green financing frameworks to assure investors that their projects are aligned with the Green Bond Principles defined by the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) and will positively impact the environment. For our outside opinion, we engaged a company called Sustainalytics -- a global leader in sustainability ratings  who gave our framework a favorable opinion.

Theres no question that green bonds popularity is being driven by investors becoming more focused on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives. These bonds provide a new option for investing in decarbonization of the planet; while companies offering them are attracting new investors who are interested in their sustainability story.

Investor interest in our green bond offering was high and represented a strong vote of confidence in support of our sustainability efforts as we continue to recognize our role in reducing climate impacts when and where we can.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) The European Commission intends to recommend reducing funding for Hungary over concerns about widespread corruption in the country, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing EU officials.

The EU executive body plans to formalize its assessment on the matter on Sunday, the news agency said, adding that the final decision is expected within three months.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) The European Union is set to work towards bringing Ukraine to its single market and include the country into the bloc's roaming area, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

"The Commission will work with Ukraine to go a step further and ensure a seamless access to the single market of the EU ... Today I am going to Kiev to discuss all this with (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and to show him what a single market is as a potential for Ukraine's future too," von der Leyen said in her State of the Union address.

The official went on to say that the bloc "will bring Ukraine into our European free roaming area, it is really time to do that now.

"

On February 28, Zelenskyy signed the application for Ukraine's accession to the EU. On April 8, Zelenskyy received a questionnaire to begin Ukraine's accession process and returned it to EU Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas on April 18.

On June 23, the EU approved granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for joining the bloc. Gaining the candidate status is the first step in a long process of accession. Turkey has been a candidate since 1999, North Macedonia since 2005, Montenegro since 2010, and Serbia since 2012. Croatia was the latest country to join the EU in 2013 after a ten-year accession process.
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Brussels, Sept 14 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Google on Wednesday said it was disappointed at an EU court's decision to mostly uphold a record fine for the dominance of the tech giant's Android mobile-phone operating system.

"We are disappointed that the court did not annul the decision in full.

Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world," the company said in a short statement.
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Buenos Aires, Sept 14 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Sep, 2022 ) :A former Argentine police officer went on trial Wednesday for the alleged torture and disappearance of a young activist 46 years ago, during the South American country's last dictatorship.

Mario Sandoval, who was extradited in 2019 after a long exile in France, is suspected of taking part in the kidnapping, torture and disappearance of hundreds of people during the 1976-83 military dictatorship.

This particular case centers on such crimes apparently committed against then-24-year-old architecture student and leftwing activist Hernan Abriata in 1976.

"I am a prisoner of exception judged by a special court in a political trial," said Sandoval, 69, who proclaimed his innocence in an opening statement that lasted nearly two hours.

"All the accusations against me have the sole aim of judging me for what I was: a young Federal state agent in the 1970s." Sandoval is a former Buenos Aires police inspector who was accused of atrocities by survivors from the notorious Navy Mechanics school (ESMA), which served as the country's largest detention and torture facility.

Some 5,000 people were sent there and most disappeared, taken by airplane in "death flights" and dumped into the River Plate. Only around 100 people detained in ESMA survived.

Survivors say Sandoval, apparently given the nickname "grilled steak" for torturing prisoners tied to a metal bed frame with electricity, was particularly active in ESMA.

"It is a very long search for justice, 46 years," lawyer Sol Hourcade told AFP. "The family identified those responsible for the kidnapping. We hope for a conviction." Abriata's family hopes Sandoval is sentenced to the maximum 25 years in jail.

"I was with Hernan when they knocked at the door," Monica Dittmar, Abriata's former partner, told AFP. She said Sandoval was the first state security agent to enter the room.

When they took Abriata away, "he showed me his credentials," Dittmar said, referring to the police officer.

Dittmar said Abriata's mother, who is 95, "is in poor health, she's losing her memory but still asks the questions: where is Hernan? What happened to Hernan? What did they do with him?" - Found by a student - Sandoval arrived at the court handcuffed and with his face partially hidden by a medical mask.

The first part of the proceedings was dedicated to the reading out of the charges against Sandoval, who cut a defiant figure at his trial, bringing up several points of law, insisting his rights were being infringed on and arguing against the legitimacy of the trial.

Although he was present, the judges appeared by video link, while Abriata's family members, ESMA survivors and representatives of human rights organizations followed proceedings from an adjacent room separated by a glass wall.

Carlos Loza, an ESMA survivor who shared a cell with Abriata, will testify in the trial.

Sandoval fled to France in 1985, two years after the military junta fell, and built a new life there as a defense and security consultant.

He taught at several institutions including the Sorbonne and the Institute of Higher Latin American Studies in Paris.

He was found by a student at the Sorbonne after some ex-ESMA prisoners recognized him from photos.

Sandoval was arrested at his home in the Paris suburbs.

Although he gained French nationality in 1997, Argentina successfully obtained his extradition as he was not French at the time of the alleged crimes.

Sandoval had unsuccessfully petitioned France's Council of State in a bid to prevent his extradition.

Since the prosecution of dictatorship figures resumed in 2006 after a decade of controversial amnesties, more than 1,000 people have been convicted of crimes against humanity.

Cases and investigations are ongoing against another 500 people.
London, Sept 14 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Westminster Hall, where Queen Elizabeth II's coffin will lie in state until her funeral on Monday, is the oldest part of parliament, with a central role in British history.

The major institutions of state grew from the hall, which dates back to the 11th century and is now part of the Palace of Westminster in London.

It was the legal and administrative centre of England for centuries, with parliament, the law courts and government offices developing in or around the historic building.

The trials of King Charles I, Gunpowder Plot ringleader Guy Fawkes, Scottish independence leader William Wallace and Reformation martyr Thomas More were held in the hall.

With stone walls two metres thick, construction began in 1097 under King William II, the son of William the Conqueror, and was completed two years later. It was the largest hall in England, and probably Europe too.

The vast building measures 73 by 20 metres (240 by 67 feet). Its stellar feature is the hammer-beam roof, the largest surviving mediaeval timber roof in northern Europe.

Made from oak beams, it was commissioned in 1393 by King Richard II and is considered a masterpiece of design.

The hall survived the Great Fire of 1834, which largely destroyed the Palace of Westminster, and a direct bomb hit during World War II in 1941.

- Lyings-in-state - The hall hosted royal feasts and coronation banquets but is etched in public memory through its use for rare lyings-in-state.

Guarded around the clock, the coffin is placed on a raised platform in the centre of the hall to allow the public to pay their respects.

Four-time prime minister William Gladstone lay in state in 1898. But since then, the honour has been afforded to sovereigns, their consorts and very few major public figures, including wartime prime minister Winston Churchill in 1965.

The last time was for Queen Elizabeth II's mother, also called Queen Elizabeth, after her death in 2002.

An estimated 200,000 people filed past King George VI's widow.

- 'A little extra colour' - Queen Elizabeth II is closely associated with Westminster Hall.

She first addressed both houses of parliament in the hall to mark her silver jubilee -- 25 years on the throne -- in 1977.

"Here, in a meeting of sovereign and parliament, the essence of constitutional monarchy is reflected," she said.

She did so again in 1988, 1995 and for the jubilees in 2002 and 2012.

A new stained-glass window was commissioned to mark her 2012 diamond jubilee.

"Should this beautiful window cause just a little extra colour to shine down upon this ancient place, I should gladly settle for that," she said in her address.

"We are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance which created it." - Rare speeches - The three sovereigns are the only Britons to address both houses of parliament in the oak-timbered hall since 1945.

The rare honour is bestowed on very few foreign dignitaries.

The only ones to do so since World War II have been French president Charles de Gaulle in 1960; South African president Nelson Mandela in 1996; pope Benedict XVI in 2010; US president Barack Obama in 2011 and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2012.

Suu Kyi was the last to address both houses in the hall before King Charles III did so on Monday.

"I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us," he told parliamentarians.

"That your traditions are ancient we see in the construction of this great hall and the reminders of mediaeval predecessors of the office to which I have been called."
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :In response to the devastating floods in Pakistan, Meta is contributing Rs. 125 million to UNICEF, Hands and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) to help communities affected by the floods.

The donation will support emergency aid, food, water, sanitation and help children get back to school in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Prior to the donation when the flooding began, Safety Check was activated on Facebook as it allowed people to let friends and family know they were safe. A Crisis page was also established where people could use the Community Help feature to enable people to ask for and offer help from different communities, said a news release.

"Pakistan is going through one of the worst natural disasters we have seen to date. Millions of people are affected and the entire nation is rallying to support them during this difficult time. We hope that our contributions help the communities impacted by the catastrophe and our thoughts are with these communities and families as they try to recover," said Jordi Fornies, Director for Emerging Markets, APAC at Meta.

Additionally, Meta's 'Data for Good' activated its Disaster Maps program and is providing data to regional response partners. One of those partners, CrisisReady (a collaboration between Direct Relief and Harvard University), has focused on combining data sources into situation reports being used daily by thousands of on-the-ground first responders.

"The torrential monsoon rains over the past weeks have damaged or completely washed away people's houses, critically affecting millions of people, including children. With winter just weeks away in some parts of the country, we need urgent help to continue our relief efforts in Pakistan and support for children and their families. We express our gratitude to Meta for all the support," said Michael J. Nyenhuis, President and CEO of UNICEF USA.

Communities across various Meta-owned platforms have raised more than a million Dollars for non-profits supporting flood relief efforts. Leading NGOs across the globe have also raised substantial amounts via Facebook and Instagram.

Commenting on the development, Baela Raza Jamil, CEO, ITA, said, "We will rehabilitate schools, ensure 2nd Chance Accelerated learning programs with life skills (psychosocial support, climate change and digital literacy), and provide hygiene & health with dignity kits. This is a comprehensive and inclusive approach to #BuildingBackBetter by reaching homes, communities, schools, parents, children, and especially adolescent girls and teachers embedded within government systems for effective emergency response and preparedness."Meta is continuously exploring further avenues to facilitate not just families in the devastated regions but also supporting NGOs and other causes in their efforts.
Check out this wild storycomplete with photos and videoabout an artist, Leslie Charleville, who makes "gyotaku"-style prints from ALLIGATORS. And, yes, she lives in Louisiana. On her website she describes herself and the process of gyotaku:

Leslie Charleville is a Louisiana artist who specializes in the 17th century Japanese art form of gyotaku, or fish rubbing. Originally, gyotaku was a means to document the size and species of a fisherman's catch. Leslie has mastered this sophisticated technique on not only fish and marine life but also Louisiana's most popular mascot, the alligator. From Leslie: "The art is secondary to the message I want to leave with people who I meet. More than anything, I want folks to look at what I do and recognize that's there a Light on L.Chareville Studios that transcends this world..after all, it's not my talent to begin with. I just want to use it for good and make a difference in the lives of the people I encounter!" What is gyotaku? Beginning in the 17th century, Japanese fishermen used a printmaking process called "gyotaku" to document their catches, recording the animal's size and individual characteristics with sumi ink on rice paper.

The artist began making prints with fish, and still does, but now she specializes in alligators. She accompanies alligator hunters on their expeditions and then makes the prints after the alligator is killed. She prepares and poses the alligator, rolls acrylic paint on it, and then presses cotton duck fabric on the animal, to make the print. The Advocate explains:

Alligator hunters call her throughout the hunting season to accompany them on hunts. Afterward, Charleville makes the prints on site. Charleville kicked off the beginning of alligator season, Aug. 31, with a hunt led by Logan Davis. The trip resulted in several prints, which, she says, not only honors the animal but also its creator.

You can see photos here from her most recent expedition and see her making a print from a 10 foot long alligator caught by Logan Davis. You can also purchase printsof fish, alligators, and other marine lifefrom her website.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief)'s second airlift of relief goods on Wednesday arrived in Karachi from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The first airlift was arrived at the same destination on Tuesday night. Each airlift was carrying 90 tons of food, medical supplies and shelters to support the flood victims. Both of the relief airlifts would benefit 19,000 people.

Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki said the purpose of this emergency aid was to address the drastic impacts of flooding on various cities, towns and villages of Pakistan.

He said the following aid was reflection of the strong historical ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Besides Saudi ambassador, Consul General, Karachi, Bandar Al Dayel, and provincial minister for Labour and Information and Human Resources, Saeed Ghani were present at the airport to receive the aid.

The KSrelief, provides comprehensive and impartial aid to vulnerable communities around the world. This airlift is just an example of Saudi Arabia's commitment to providing urgent support to countries facing crises such as Pakistan is being experienced these days.

To date, the KSrelief has implemented 2,086 humanitarian projects in 86 countries, saving and improving the lives of millions of people in need.
Federal Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman on Wednesday stressed coordination among all stakeholders to cope with the repercussions of climate change and save the natural eco-system from hazardous impacts of pollution

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Federal Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman on Wednesday stressed coordination among all stakeholders to cope with the repercussions of climate change and save the natural eco-system from hazardous impacts of pollution.

Addressing a session on "Building resilience to preserve our common future moderated by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed she said, despite contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan was committed to improving air pollution and reducing emissions.

"In the gigantic calamity of climate change the utmost issue is climate justice; there should be reparations given to countries that are suffering from the effects of climate change caused by excessive emissions of the Global North" she added.

Explaining the situation in Pakistan, she said Sindh experienced seven times the average rainfall in August during the current year.

She further elaborated that 2022 has been the year of multiple climate change catastrophes starting off with heat waves resultantly melting a great number of glaciers in Pakistan's North to inflicting desertification in huge regions of River Indus delta.

The minister more than 6000 roads and 200 bridges have been ripped apart and we still are evaluating the actual on-ground damage.

Sherry said, "Pakistan is facing the brunt of overconsumption in the west and we want to raise this argument at not just the UN but also at COP 27. Many parts of Asia Pacific will face the same damages in the coming years especially those not adapting to climate resilience.

We're seeing a situation where all international platforms, including the UN, are perturbed. While reparations are difficult but compensation will be at the center of our climate agenda." Senator Mushahid Hussain lamented that though Pakistan contributes less than 1% to global emissions still it is one of the top affected countries due to climate change.

Ms. Georgina Lloyd, Regional Coordinator (Asia and the Pacific) of Environmental Law and Governance at UNEP, explained that we're in a climate emergency that is affecting Pakistan and the globe.

A resilient society needs to have equitable and sustainable development.

Leave no one behind (LNOB) is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Environmental rule of law, Green approaches to climate change recovery (ending fossil fuel subsidies, enforcing the polluter pays principle, supporting green jobs, and including green conditionalities in fiscal recovery policies), socially inclusive development, Investment in green economy and Renewable sector are the key pillars to a sustainable future. The green economy can generate more than 2.4 million jobs by 2030.

In this regard, parliaments need to take a 3-prong approach; Legislative, Budgetary, and Oversight Actions towards sustainable development.

Ms. Sarah Wade-Apicella, Head of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement Unit, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), gave recommendations for a risk-informed resilience pathway.

She said that investment in governance and institutional coordination, innovative financing mechanisms, resilient infrastructure investments, sustainable consumption and nature-based solutions can help greatly in a sustainable recovery.

Mr Saber H. Chaudhary, Honorary IPU President, MP from Bangladesh, said that we are living in terrible times of Climate Change and Disasters.

He said that Pakistan has just incurred a potential loss of 30 billion Dollars. He also said that the future of humanity is faced with water stress and unprecedented loss of biodiversity.

Ms. Shazia Raffi, participating online from New York, added that Pakistan has seen unprecedented times in the last 2 years. Climate change is inflicting a loss of 9M lives globally every year. Pakistan is facing both hazardous air pollution and heat waves.

Quality monitoring can help parliamentarians see the progress of their actions and share that Pakistan has signed and ratified all the agreements on climate change.
ST (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th September, 2022) Algerian ambassador to Russia Smail Benamara called on the Russian companies on Tuesday to invest in the Algerian energy sector as it offers favorable conditions following the enactment of a new hydrocarbon law.

In 2020, Algeria introduced a new hydrocarbon law designed to reverse declining foreign upstream investment through improved contract terms and taxation.

"I want to take this opportunity to call on the Russian companies to consider investment opportunities in Algeria, which offers many advantages in particular within the framework of an attractive new Algerian carbon law in terms of contracts and taxation," Benamara said at the 11th St.

Petersburg International Gas Forum.

Benamara added that Algeria could become a gateway to the African market for Russia.

The ambassador also recalled the partnership between Algeria's Sonatrach and Russia's Gazprom, announced in 2021. The joint venture will start gas production at the Al Assel field in 2025.
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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, on Wednesday to discuss information-sharing and logistics cooperation, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, on Wednesday to discuss information-sharing and logistics cooperation, Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said.

"In light of the evolving regional security environment, the two defense leaders committed to expanding information-sharing and logistics cooperation as the US and Indian militaries operate and coordinate more closely together," Ryder said in a press release.

Austin expressed his support for additional mid-voyage repairs of US Navy ships in India, he added.

Both leaders agreed to initiate a dialogue later this year to deepen bilateral collaboration in space, cyber, artificial intelligence, and other new defense domains, according to the statement.

"Secretary Austin and Minister Singh highlighted their commitment to strengthening defense technology and industrial cooperation to support India's rise as an industry leader and regional security provider," Ryder said.

They also reaffirmed their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, he noted.
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BISHKEK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) A shootout between border guards is taking place on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz border service of the State Committee for National Security told Sputnik.

"There was an incident with the use of weapons on the Kyrgyz-Tajik section of the state border," a spokesman said.
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The Ethiopian government is "committed" to the AU-led peace process aimed at ending the near two-year conflict in the north, the foreign ministry said Wednesday

Nairobi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :The Ethiopian government is "committed" to the AU-led peace process aimed at ending the near two-year conflict in the north, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.

It was the first official public comment by the government since the Tigrayan authorities said they were ready for a ceasefire and would accept a peace process led by the pan-African body.

"The Ethiopian government is committed to the AU-led peace process and expressed hope that the EU would support efforts to end the conflict peacefully," the ministry quoted Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen as saying at a meeting with a visiting EU envoy.

It said Demeke briefed Rita Laranjinha, Africa director at the European External Action Service, on "the current state of affairs in Ethiopia in relation to the northern conflict and the peace-building efforts that the Ethiopian government has undertaken thus far".

The statement published on Facebook came after the Tigray regional authorities announced on Sunday they were willing to negotiate under the auspices of the AU, removing an obstacle to talks.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) had previously opposed the AU's Horn of Africa envoy Olusegun Obasanjo acting as mediator, saying it wanted Kenya to broker any talks.

The international community has urged both sides to seize the moment to try to end a war that has killed untold numbers of civilians and triggered a major humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia.

Earlier Wednesday, 10 people were killed in a second day of air strikes on Mekele, the capital of the northern Tigray region, hospital officials said.
After a long and patient wait in the sun and the rain, the first members of the public, some in tears, gained access to Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state Wednesday in the cavernous, thousand-year-old Westminster Hall

London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :After a long and patient wait in the sun and the rain, the first members of the public, some in tears, gained access to Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state Wednesday in the cavernous, thousand-year-old Westminster Hall.

The hall was opened for the public -- many of whom had braved downpours to camp out overnight -- to pay their respects after the queen's flag-shrouded coffin was brought from Buckingham Palace.

Prior to the start of the public part, the lying-in-state began with a short Anglican service before black-clad members of parliament including Prime Minister Liz Truss filed past the coffin, bowing their heads.

To the strains of a military band playing funeral marches, King Charles III had earlier led his family in procession behind a horse-drawn gun carriage bearing the coffin, before it was placed on a platform guarded by soldiers inside the most historic part of parliament.

The king, his siblings, and sons, princes William and Harry, walked at 75 steps a minute behind the gun carriage. Big Ben tolled out each minute as the casket -- topped with the Imperial State Crown -- passed in front of hushed crowds lining the route.

"I remember when (the queen's father) King George VI died, it was in winter, I was nine," Ian Gammie, 79, told AFP after watching the procession.

"It's like completing a journey: from watching the coronation of the queen in 1953 to paying tribute to her today," he said.

- Miles-long queue - The grand procession through the flag-lined heart of London represented the latest step in 11 days of intricately choreographed national mourning that will culminate with the funeral on Monday of the UK's longest-reigning monarch.

The sight of the new king's two grief-stricken sons inevitably evoked memories of 1997, when William and Harry, then aged just 15 and 12, walked, heads bowed, behind the coffin of their mother, princess Diana.

But it comes with the once-close brothers now estranged, after Harry's move to the United States.

The public have been warned they will face an endurance test to see the queen's coffin with lines that could tail back five miles (eight kilometres).

Hundreds of people were already queueing at around 8:20 am with those at the front having spent the night equipped with blankets, camping seats, a tents and rain ponchos.

Long queues snaked back for nearly three miles on Wednesday evening as mourners braved hours of waiting for their chance to see the late monarch.

Waiting in line earlier in the day, Brian Flatman, 85, said there was "no way" he would pass up the chance to pay his respects having missed the queen's 1953 coronation.

"I was 16, we got there before midnight, Hyde Park Corner, superb position, but very quickly I became suddenly ill and had to crawl all the way to South London," he recalled.

"This time there is no way I can miss that. I will dedicate a few seconds there (by the coffin) to her life of dedication. What an example." Strict rules and airport-style security measures have been put in place, with "far more" people expected than the 200,000 who filed past the coffin of the queen's mother when she died in 2002, according to the government.

Hotel rooms in the British capital are increasingly hard to find, with even budget rooms going for 300 ($350) per night, while transport bosses and police are under pressure to keep the city moving and safe in exceptional circumstances.

"It's a massive challenge for the Metropolitan Police and for me personally, but we have been preparing for many, many years," the newly appointed head of the London police force, Mark Rowley, told Sky news.

- UK tour - The body of the late 96-year-old queen, who died "peacefully" at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on Thursday, was flown to London aboard an RAF plane on Tuesday evening from the Scottish capital Edinburgh.

It was then driven to Buckingham Palace, past crowds of motorists who stopped their vehicles at the side of the road to catch a glimpse of the coffin, lit up in a specially built hearse.

"Welcome Home Ma'am," The Sun tabloid said on its front page. The Times ran with "Home to Rest", and the Daily Mail "Home to her Family".

The London procession mirrored a similar ceremony in Edinburgh on Monday when her coffin was driven through the hushed streets of the city to lie at rest at St Giles' Cathedral.

There, some 33,000 people filed past the coffin overnight to Tuesday afternoon, the Scottish government said.

"Scotland has now bid our Queen of Scots a sad, but fond farewell. We will not see her like again," said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who wants Scotland to separate from the United Kingdom.

After Scotland and England, Charles continued his tour of the four nations of the UK on Tuesday by visiting Northern Ireland for the first time as king. He visits Wales on Friday.

The 73-year-old new head of state has won wide praise in the British media for his dignified and often heartfelt reaction to his mother's death, which has led to a rare moment of public unity in Britain.

He has seen his popularity recover since the death of his former wife Diana in a 1997 car crash -- and his ratings have surged in recent days, according to a new survey on Tuesday.

The mourning has also obscured -- albeit briefly -- the broader country's sharp political divisions and a severe cost-of-living crisis that is expected to cause a major increase in poverty over the winter.

- No invite for Putin - Not everyone shares the public mood of sadness and remembrance sparked by the queen's death, with royal fatigue increasingly evident on social media in the face of blanket media coverage.

British police have also faced criticism from civil liberties groups over their treatment of anti-monarchy protesters who have publicly challenged Charles's accession to the throne.

Video footage and witnesses have drawn attention to police arresting or intimidating people who shouted slogans against the monarchy or held up placards reading "Not My King".

The queen's funeral will take place in Westminster Abbey, next to parliament, in front of 2,000 VIP guests, with the day declared a public holiday in Britain.

Hundreds of heads of state and government, as well as global royalty, are expected, but Russia, Belarus, Myanmar have not been invited to send representatives.

US President Joe Biden has confirmed he will attend, as will French President Emmanuel Macron and Japan's Emperor Naruhito.
(@FahadShabbir)

Veteran Franco-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski has been ordered to stand trial in France over his alleged defamation of a British actress who accused him of sexual abuse, a source close to the case said Wednesday

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Veteran Franco-Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski has been ordered to stand trial in France over his alleged defamation of a British actress who accused him of sexual abuse, a source close to the case said Wednesday.

The Paris court order did not specify a trial date for Polanski, 89, who was charged in October last year.

He has faced a series of sex assault claims during his career, though never previously has he stood trial in France over them.

The defamation case was filed by Charlotte Lewis, born in 1967, who starred in Polanski's 1986 film "Pirates".

In 2010, she had accused him in Los Angeles of sexual abuse at his Paris apartment in the 1980s, when she was 16.

Polanski dismissed Lewis as a "liar" and a "fabulist" in a long interview with the Paris Match magazine in 2019, pointing to quotes attributed to her in a 1999 interview with the British tabloid news of the World, expressing her desire for him.

Lewis claims the quotes were not accurate.

Polanski's lawyer Herve Temime told AFP last October that the pressing of charges was "automatic" in defamation cases, and welcomed the prospect of trial as the way of bringing out of the truth.

The director remains wanted in the United States for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1977 and has also faced accusations of other sexual assaults that he denies.

In 2019, French photographer Valentine Monnier accused Polanski of raping her in his Swiss chalet in 1975 when she was 18 and working as a model and actress, saying he tried to give her a pill as he beat her "into submission".

His star has also dimmed in the wake of the MeToo movement that rocked Hollywood, and French stars including celebrated actress Adele Haenel walked out of France's annual celebration of cinema, Les Cesars, in 2020 after Polanski was awarded for his film "An Officer and a Spy".
Turkish F-16 jets were spotted flying over the Greek islands of Agathonisi and Anthropofagoi on Wednesday, the Greek media reported

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) Turkish F-16 jets were spotted flying over the Greek islands of Agathonisi and Anthropofagoi on Wednesday, the Greek media reported.

According to the Ekathimerini newspaper, a pair of Turkish F-16 jets were spotted in the Greek airspace over Agathonisi at 11:33 GMT and another pair of F-16 flying over Anthropofagoi at 11:34 GMT. The jets were later identified and intercepted in accordance with international rules, the media added.

Turkey has been at odds with Greece for decades. The countries were on the verge of an armed conflict several times. A new round of tensions flared up on August 23, when Greece allegedly used S-300 air defense systems to escort F-16 fighters of the Turkish air force performing a reconnaissance mission west of Rhodes Island at the altitude of 10,000 feet.

Sources in the Greek Defense Ministry have denied Turkey's claims they used S-300 to target the aircraft.

Tensions between Athens and Ankara further escalated on September 3, when Erdogan warned that Greece would pay a "heavy price" if incidents with Turkish planes continue. Turkish Defense Minister said that Ankara expected objectivity from NATO in connection with the use of S-300 systems by Greece against Turkish aircraft. According to Akar, Athens ignores international law, good neighborly relations and friendship with Ankara.
ALMATY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) Kazakhstan and Vatican have signed an agreement on deepening cooperation to advance the interreligious dialogue at the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"An additional agreement to the document signed between Kazakhstan and the Holy See on September 24, 1998 on the bilateral relations promotes the deepening of cooperation between the countries," the ministry said in a statement.

The sides stressed the importance of advancing interconfessional peace and the interreligious dialogue, the statement read.

On Tuesday, Pope Francis arrived for a three-day apostolic visit in Kazakhstan to take part in the congress. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received the pontiff.
As the Western world increasingly deviates from a purely Eurocentric vision of history in the classroom, millions of people are starting to discover the rich tapestry of events that comprise African history. For the first time in recent memory, more Americans are beginning to regard African history as more than a curious diversion from global affairs but an inextricable cornerstone of world history that should be celebrated. Hopefully, we'll finally be able to distance ourselves from the perception of Africans as savages prior to the corrosive stranglehold of Colonialism.

One of the best resources for anyone interested in the complexities of African history is the YouTube channel Hometeam History. Hometeam History has created a platform that helps people efficiently metabolize African history through its brief and informative videos.

In the video linked above, Hometeam History talks about the surprising history of biological warfare that an African nation engaged in to fortify its security.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) called on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to deescalate and cease fire after Wednesday's shooting at the border, the Polish mission to the organization said

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th September, 2022) The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) called on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to deescalate and cease fire after Wednesday's shooting at the border, the Polish mission to the organization said.

A shootout between Kyrgyz and Tajik border guards started in the early hours of Wednesday.

"Following today's developments at the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, we call both sides to de-escalate, respect the ceasefire and resolve issues through peaceful means. We will continue to monitor the situation. OSCE is ready to assist if requested," the mission tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Foreign Ministry also called on Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to take all measures to end border provocations.

The Kyrgyz border service said earlier on Wednesday that Tajik side took up combat positions on the uncontrolled section of the border. At the same time, the Tajik border service said that Kyrgyz border guards fired four mortar rounds at 02:15 GMT and shelled the Tajik border guards' positions without any reason, provoking retaliatory fire.

As a result of the shootout, two Kyrgyz border guards were injured, while one Tajik border guard was killed and two more were injured.
Pope Francis cautioned against leveraging religion for political power, addressing a religious summit in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan Wednesday, in what appeared to be criticism of pro-Kremlin Russian Orthodox leader Patriarch Kirill

NurSultan, Kazakhstan, Sept 14 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Pope Francis cautioned against leveraging religion for political power, addressing a religious summit in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan Wednesday, in what appeared to be criticism of pro-Kremlin Russian Orthodox leader Patriarch Kirill.

The Russian Orthodox Church meanwhile said it was ready for a new meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis following weeks of diplomatic tensions sparked by the Ukraine war.

Pope Francis warned on Wednesday that faith should not be manipulated to defend conflict or buttress power.

"May we never justify violence. May we never allow the sacred to be exploited by the profane.

"The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred," he said, to applause from the crowd.

Over the summer, the pope went to so far as to warn Kirill not to become "Putin's altar boy", which irritated Moscow's patriarch.

While the pope has previously called for peace in Ukraine, denouncing a "cruel and senseless war", Kirill has defended Putin's operation and arguing that Russia is fighting "evil forces" there.

The meeting the pope addressed on Wednesday was attended by around 100 delegations from 50 countries -- but Patriarch Kirill was a notable absentee.

The pope did however speak with Kirill's "foreign minister," Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, for around 15 minutes.

- 'Manipulations' - Anthony said a meeting between the two pontiffs was "a possibility," provided it was "well prepared." "We need to see when, where (this would happen) and the most important thing is that we want something concrete to come out of the meeting, such as the joint call that we had in Havana," he told journalists, referring to a historic 2016 meeting between Francis and Kirill in Cuba -- the first since the schism in the Christian church in 1054.

Anthony said the pope himself thought a meeting was "needed" and regretted that a meeting planned in June in Jerusalem had been scrapped.

"We were ready for this meeting, but it was cancelled by the Holy See," after an announcement by Pope Francis in an interview to Italian daily Corriere della Sera in May.

Anthony stressed the need for the two religious leaders to "move forward".

A message from Kirill, published on the Orthodox Church's website and sent to participants of the meeting, said that "we have witnessed distortions of historical facts and unprecedented manipulations of mass consciousness.

"More than ever before, people find it difficult to navigate the flow of information, resist ideological indoctrination, and maintain a sober mind and peace of mind" Kirill said.

Russia paints itself as a target of anti-Russian campaigns that it says "the collective West" is conducting to try to shore up waning influence.

But Kirill's pro-war stance caused upheavals in the religious world, prompting the Moscow-backed branch of Ukraine's Orthodox Church to sever ties with Russia.

It also put a damper on Kirill's relationship with the Vatican: in March, the pope had already said that "the Church must not use the language of politics".

- 'A beautiful sign' - The pope gave a mass on Wednesday afternoon in front of a quiet crowd of 3,000 people, who he greeted from his "Popemobile".

"It can be sometimes challenging to be Catholic here, and that visit renews my belief," 27-year-old Sagynysh Mukhametkaliyeva told AFP.

The population of Kazakhstan is 70% Muslim, 25% Orthodox and less than 1% Catholic.

Jeremy Convert, a 25-year-old French citizen said he was "touched" to "see worshippers from many different faiths, muslims, orthodox people, atheists" in the crowd.

"It's a beautiful sign for Kazakhstan because the country has been working hard on finding unity," he added.

The 85-year-old Argentinian pope, who is forced by knee pain to use a wheelchair, arrived on Tuesday in Nur-Sultan for his 38th trip abroad since becoming pontiff in 2013.

He is the second pope to visit Kazakhstan after John Paul II's trip in September 2001.
Russia calls on Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to take all measures to end border provocations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) Russia calls on Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to take all measures to end border provocations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Taking into account the existing agreements between the presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, we call on both sides to take all necessary measures to return the situation to the political and diplomatic field and jointly suppress any kind of provocations," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Russia is ready to help both sides to find "a long term solution" to all border issues.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) A significant part of the Russian delegation has not received US visas to attend the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and there are also logistics problems, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"I cannot say the exact percentages right now, because I don't have the accurate statistics, but a significant part of the Russian delegation has not yet received visas," Zakharova said, commenting on the prospect of Russia participating in the UNGA.

The spokeswoman explained that the delegation consists of two parts: the official delegation, which is approved by the president and headed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the accompanying persons, like experts and interpreters. On Tuesday, Lavrov and several other officials have been granted US visas; however, the participation of the majority of the delegation is still in a state of uncertainty, Zakharova said.

There are also certain logistics problems, according to the spokeswoman.

"There is also, of course, an issue related to logistics, namely with traveling to the United States... We do not have regular direct flights, which there used to be," Zakharova said, adding that the US made the decision to restrict the direct flights operated by the Russian airline Aeroflot and US airline Delta as well as sanction Russian airline Rossiya, which resulted in the ban of official Russian flights.

"Well, we are waiting for the US side to resolve the logistics issues, given that these problems were created by the United States," Zakharova concluded.

The 77th UNGA high-level week, which runs from September 13-27, marks the first in-person gathering of the body since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On September 3, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to emphasize to the US government that Russian delegates and accompanying journalists should be granted visas and access in a timely manner.

This is not the first scandal involving US reluctance to issue visas to Russian officials and diplomats this year. In July, Washington refused to grant a visa to Andrei Krutskikh, the head of the Department of International Information Security of the Russian foreign ministry. Moscow has repeatedly called on the UN Secretariat to resolve the issue, demanding that the US stop hindering Russian diplomats from taking part in international events.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) A resident of Vladivostok was arrested for high treason, as he was collecting and handing collected and handing over data on military facilities in the Primorsky region to Ukraine, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday.

"In the Primorsky region, the activities of a resident of the city of Vladivostok, suspected of committing high treason in the form of espionage in the interests of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, were stopped," the FSB said in a statement.

On the instructions of the Ukrainian military intelligence, the Russian collected and transmitted to its representatives information "about the objects of the critical and military infrastructure of the region, realizing the possibility of their use by the addressee against the security of Russia," the statement added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday promised "victory" on a visit to the strategic city of Izyum that was recently recaptured from Russia by Kyiv's army in a lightning counter-offensive

Kharkiv region , Ukraine, Sept 14 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2022 ) :Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday promised "victory" on a visit to the strategic city of Izyum that was recently recaptured from Russia by Kyiv's army in a lightning counter-offensive.

The visit comes at a decisive moment in Russia's six-month invasion, with Ukraine routing Moscow's forces from swathes of the east and seriously undermining the Kremlin's ambitions to capture the entire Donbas region of Ukraine.

"Our blue-yellow flag is already flying in deoccupied Izyum. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and village," Zelensky said in a statement on social media.

"We are moving in only one direction -- forward and towards victory." Pictures distributed by his office showed the Ukrainian leader wearing dark green and flanked by guards as he took selfies with soldiers and thanked troops at a flag-hoisting ceremony.

Ukraine has claimed sweeping successes in the northeastern Kharkiv region that borders Russia in recent days, and also says it has clawed back territory along a southern front near the Kherson region on the Black Sea.

Zelensky said Wednesday that Russia's occupation of Crimea -- annexed by Russia in 2014 -- was a "tragedy" and promised that his forces would eventually recapture the peninsula.

Kyiv's forces in the Kharkiv region have since September 6 recaptured around 8,500 square kilometres (3,200 square miles) and areas home to some 150,000 people, said deputy foreign affairs minister Ganna Maliar.
This article reads like 41-year-old Blimp owner Patrick Walsh is playing stupid with the Court. The guy bought an island in Mexico and a cabin in Jackson Hole with nearly $8 million fraudulently taken from the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Programs. I can only picture him doing his best Steve Urkle with a cute: "Did I do that?"

Orlando Sentinel:

Executive Patrick P. Walsh, 41, of Williston, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering at the federal courthouse in Gainesville two weeks ago. The judge allowed him to remain free until he is sentenced at the end of January.

Among other expenses, Walsh used some of the money to buy a private two-acre island in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Yankeetown, prosecutors said. He also put a downpayment on a luxury ski lodge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and paid off the 78-acre farm where he lives south of Gainesville, according to court records.



Despite his plea and court records with his signature spelling out the fraud, Walsh said in a phone interview Tuesday night he did not believe he was committing a crime. He said he made risky and aggressive business decisions that he now admits were "idiotic."

He acknowledged he should have relied on experienced consultants to help with his loan applications instead of taking what he called "unnecessary risks" with poor strategy.
Fr Anthony Corcoran, SJ, the Apostolic Administrator of Kyrgyzstan, describes the excitement of the Holy Father's visit to neighbouring Kazakhstan, and recalls the Pope's important words of encouragement to the small Catholic minorities in the Central Asian countries.

By Francesca Merlo

Fr Anthony Corcoran, SJ, the Apostolic Administrator in Kyrgyzstan, is in neighbouring Kazakhstan for Pope Francis' Apostolic Journey to the Central Asian nation.

In an interview with Antonella Palermo, Fr Corcoran noted that the Pope being in Kazakhstan is "such a great moment of joy, of gathering, of praying together, and also of being able to be together with Catholics from other places in Central Asia."

He pointed out that Catholics are a tiny percentage in all the central Asian countries, adding that his country, Kyrgyzstan, has an ever smaller percentage of Catholics than Kazakhstan.

Even the largest tree...

Fr Corcoran went on to recall his ad limina visit to the Vatican three years ago, in which the Holy Father reminded him and his brother bishops of two things.

"One, that we are small, and God loves to work in the very small." And, secondly, he called them a "germoglio", which in Italian means seedling.

"When we later reflected on this as a Conference of Bishops, it was a beautiful reflection that still bears fruit today, because 'even the biggest shadiest tree was once a seedling," explained Fr Corcoran.

So, for the Catholics of Central Asia, he continued, "having the shepherd come to us to provide support, encouragement, and consolation from God through events and people has a great meaning. This is such an important time for a witness of reconciliation of the fact that we live together."

Religions together

Fr Corcoran then recalled Pope Benedict XVI's journey to the United Kingdom in 2010, in which he said that although we have many differences, "as humans, we are all searching for the meaning of life."

This, said Fr Corcoran, "is the key question we have as religions, so being together not just in theory but physically, which the Church is now."

He concluded by noting that, in Kyrgyzstan, the vast majority of the population is Muslim, meaning their neighbors and the people they serve are often Muslims. The fact that even the Holy Father has come to be in harmony with them, said the Jesuit priest, "can encourage us all to and show us what this means, and we can do the same."
Wine revolutionizer Fred Franzia, creator of Trader Joe's "Two Buck Chuck" (aka Charles Shaw wine) and co-founder of Bronco Wine Co, has died. He was 79.

Of his famed inexpensive wine, he once said, "Take that and shove it, Napa."

Bronco Wine Co. was born in 1973 after selling their own family wine brand to Coca-Cola.

From CNN:

"Core to his vision was a belief that wine should be enjoyed and consumed on every American table," Bronco's statement said. "When asked how Bronco Wine Company can sell wine less expensive than a bottle of water, Fred T. Franzia famously countered, 'They're overcharging for the water  don't you get it?'" Bronco Wine is one of Ameria's biggest wine companies, with a portfolio of more than 100 brands spanning from wine, spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails. Wine Spectator estimates that it's the 13th largest wine marketer in the US, moving more than 3.4 million cases last year.

From Wine Spectator:
Our Editorial Director reflects on Pope Francis address to Kazakh authorities on the first day of his Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan, saying it contains an appeal for international leaders to stop reinforcing opposing blocs into which the world has plunged once again.

By Andrea Tornielli - Nur-Sultan

Now is the time to stop intensifying rivalries and reinforcing opposing blocs. We need leaders who, on the international level, can enable peoples to grow in mutual understanding and dialogue, and thus give birth to a new spirit of Helsinki, the determination to strengthen multilateralism, to build a more stable and peaceful world, with an eye to future generations.

With these words, Pope Francis offered his thoughts about the future of the world, not giving in to the tremendous and dead-end logic of military escalation that threatens to destroy humanity.

As always, he continues to point to concrete paths toward peace, paths that avoid the old logics of military alliances, economic colonization, and the overwhelming power of international powers.

From the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan, where in September 2001 John Paul II, amidst the tragic moment in human history, raised his cry to remove any justification for terrorism and violence that abuse the name of God, his successor Pope Francis called for a renewal of the spirit that in 1975 led to concrete steps of dialogue between East and West.

Twenty-one years ago, the appeal of Pope John Paul II - who a few months before the attacks on the Twin Towers had entered barefoot the Umayyad mosque in Damascus - was given first and foremost to religious leaders.

Today, his second successor is concerned about a third World War, now no longer "fought piecemeal," addressed himself primarily to the leaders of nations, particularly the most powerful.

Read also 13/09/2022 Pope to civil authorities in Kazakhstan: 'Harmonise with your past and present' Pope Francis meets with civil authorities and the diplomatic corps in Kazakhstan, and urges them to find harmony, as they do in their history and traditions, to allow peace and ...



The Helsinki Accords, which saw the Holy See fully involved for the first time in such a meeting since the Congress of Vienna, were signed by thirty-five states, including the US, USSR, and virtually all European nations.

Among the principles affirmed were respect for the rights over sovereignty, non-recourse to the use of force, peaceful settlement of disputes, inviolability of borders and territorial integrity of states, respect for human rights and human freedoms, including religious freedoms, and self-determination of peoples.

A glance at recent history, with the gradual fading of the many hopes that were kindled after the implosion of the Soviet communist system, makes one understand the stringent relevance and also the boldness of the viewpoint indicated by the Successor of Peter.

A path that can only pass through understanding, patience and dialogue with everyone.

"I repeat, with everyone," Pope Francis deliberately remarked in his address to the authorities and diplomatic corps in the Kazakh capital.

Words like "dialogue" and "negotiation," more than six months after the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and after thousands of civilian deaths under Russian bombardment, are received with irritation and considered almost blasphemous by those who are paying dearly with their own lives and that of their loved ones for the consequences of the conflict.

But the Pope's call, which spoke of the ever more pressing need to "broaden the diplomatic commitment in favor of dialogue and encounter," are addressed especially to "those in the world who hold more power" and therefore "have more responsibility towards others, especially the countries most put in crisis by conflicting logics."

It is an invitation to the world's great powers not to look only "at the interests that fall to their own advantage."

It is the invitation to get out of the logic of blocs to finally apply what Francis called "schemes of peace" and no longer the "schemes of war," children of the old logics and the madness of the rearmament race.

It is to be hoped, on everyone's part, that these words will be heard.
The Holy See and the Republic of Kazakhstan sign an agreement

The Holy See and the Republic of Kazakhstan sign a bilateral agreement in order to strengthen bonds of collaboration by facilitating the granting of visas for Church personnel coming from abroad to work among the Kazakh faithful.

By Vatican News staff reporter

On Wednesday, 14 September, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the capital Nur-Sultan, an Agreement was signed between the Holy See and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

A statement from the Holy See Press Office said that the agreement was signed on behalf of the Holy See by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States, while Mr. Mukhtar Tileuberdi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed for Kazakhstan.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of Pope Francis' visit to Kazakhstan for the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, taking place in Nur-Sultan from 1315 September.

Visa facilitation for ecclesiastical personnel

The new Agreement aims to implement art. 2 of the 1998 bilateral agreement, facilitating the granting of visas and residence permits to ecclesiastical and religious personnel coming from abroad and engaged in the pastoral care of the Catholic faithful in Kazakhstan.

"Consisting of a preamble and 8 paragraphs, the document further consolidates the bonds of friendship and collaboration that already exist between the two Parties, read the statement.

The Agreement will enter into force after the exchange of the instruments of ratification.
Armenia and Azerbaijan, two long-time adversaries, accused each other Wednesday of instigating new hostilities across their disputed border.

Armenia's Defense Ministry contended that Azerbaijani forces launched combat drones in the direction of the Armenian resort town of Jermuk overnight and renewed shelling with artillery and mortars in the morning, again targeting Jermuk, along with the village of Verin Shorzha.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani military charged that Armenian forces shelled its positions in the Kalbajar and Lachin districts of Azerbaijan, near the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenia said at least 49 of its soldiers have been killed in the fighting that erupted early Tuesday, while Azerbaijan said it has lost 50 troops.

The two countries, former Soviet republics, have fought for decades over Nagorno-Karabakh. The region is part of Azerbaijan, but ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia have controlled it since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

In a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh, with the fighting ending in a Russia-brokered peace deal.

Some material in this report came from The Associated Press.
Belarusian journalist Dzyanis Ivashyn has been sentenced to 13 years and one month in prison on a high treason charge.

The Hrodna regional court in the country's west also ruled on September 14 that Ivashyn must pay a fine and compensation to nine unspecified victims.

Ivashyn's trial started in mid-August behind closed doors.

Ivashyn was arrested in March last year by the Belarusian KGB and charged with high treason, though his colleagues say the arrest was connected with his publications about former Ukrainian Berkut members employed by the Belarusian police.

The arrest came amid a crackdown on independent journalists, opposition politicians, and rights activists following unprecedented mass protests challenging the results of an August 2020 presidential poll that announced authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko as the winner.

Rights activists and opposition politicians say the poll was rigged to extend Lukashenko's rule.

Thousands have been detained during countrywide protests and there have been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment by security forces. Several people have died during the crackdown.

Many of Belarus's opposition leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country, while Lukashenko has refused to negotiate with the opposition.

Belarusian human rights organizations have recognized Ivashyn as a political prisoner.

The United States, the European Union, and several other countries have refused to acknowledge Lukashenko as the winner of the vote and imposed several rounds of sanctions on him and his regime, citing election fraud and the police crackdown.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two of the most populous countries in Central Asia, on a trip that some experts say is aimed at highlighting the success of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. It is Xis first foreign trip since the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as a public health emergency in 2020.



His arrival in Kazakhstan on Wednesday comes one month ahead of the Chinese Communist Party Congress in Beijing that takes place every five years. Xi is expected to cement an unprecedented third term as the countrys leader at this years event.

During a meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev, Xi stressed his support for Kazakhstans territorial integrity.



No matter how the international situation changes, we will continue our strong support to Kazakhstan in protecting its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as firm support to the reforms you are carrying out to ensure stability and development, and strongly oppose to the interference of any forces in the internal affairs of your country, Xi said in a statement released by Kazakhstan.



Xi was expected to sign several bilateral documents with the Kazakh president, according to the Kazakh foreign ministry.



A close ally of both Russia and China, the former Soviet republic reportedly has felt more intimidated by potential threats to its territorial integrity since the war in Ukraine began. Kazakhstan has not yet fully resolved the borders with its northern neighbor, Russia.



According to Saparboy Jubayev, an economist at the Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan, the country already has resolved its border issues with China and will enjoy Xis full support for its sovereignty when the two leaders meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The leaders of India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will also attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit Thursday and Friday in Uzbekistans second largest city  an important way station on the original Silk Road linking China and Europe. Since its inception in 2001, the SCOs priorities have included regional security and development issues.



Kazakhstans significance



Experts say Xis choice of Kazakhstan as the first foreign country to visit since the pandemic points to Kazakhstans significance in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a strategy to invest in and build infrastructure globally to increase connectivity and trade.



It is part of his wider effort to demonstrate his many successes ahead of the party congress, said Raffaello Pantucci, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore and senior associate fellow at the Royal United Service Institute in London.



It is almost nine years to the day that he announced his Belt and Road Initiative in Kazakhstan, and I think this is an opportunity to return there to highlight his great foreign policy idea before he takes on the third term in office, Pantucci told VOA.



Xi announced the BRI at Nazarbayev University in Nursultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, in September 2013.



It is also the doorway for the first strand of BRI and wider connectivity to link Xinjiang up to the world, Pantucci said. The entire notion of BRI was built on the idea of globalizing a model that had been at play in Central Asia for many years beforehand.



Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and current President Tokayev have been firm allies of Xi, said Saparboy Jubayev, economist at the Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan.



China and Kazakhstan share many interests, including the development of the Middle Corridor connecting the East and West, while bypassing Russia and fostering regional security and cooperation in the region, said Nargis Kassenova, senior fellow at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.

Kazakhstan is the indispensable transit link and the most enthusiastic and capable partner for China in Central Asia in Beijings quest to implement the Belt and Road Initiative, Kassenova told VOA. Both see much benefit in deepening the bilateral economic cooperation, and both are ready to invest in a land corridor to Europe.



Kazakhstan supplies minerals, gas, oil and metals to China and transships goods between China and Europe.



Xinjiang issue



On the eve of Xis visit to Kazakhstan, some of the countrys residents have been pushing for Tokayev to raise the issue of relatives being held in Xinjiang detention camps. Local police arrested some of the Kazakhs who were asking for the release of their loved ones, Radio Free Europe reported.

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China shares an extensive border with Kazakhstan. The majority of the population in Xinjiang speaks a similar language and shares a history and culture with the people of Central Asia.



In recent years, Chinas treatment of Uyghurs and Kazakhs in Xinjiang has caused dissatisfaction among their counterparts who live in Kazakhstan, said Jennifer Brick Murtazashvil, head of the Center for Governance and Markets at the University of Pittsburgh.



There are ethnic Uyghurs on both sides of the border. China relies on Kazakhstan to protect that border, as well as ensure that ethnic Uyghurs cannot use Kazakhstan as a haven, Murtazashvili told VOA.



Kazakhstan has often complied with Chinas wishes and has often arrested and deported Uyghurs, and even ethnic Kazakhs are being deported back to China. China relies on Kazakhstans quiescence in this matter, she said.



The United Nations released a report last month saying China has committed "serious human rights violations" and "may have committed crimes against humanity" against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim communities in Xinjiang. Rights groups say more than 1 million Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities have been arbitrarily detained in reeducation camps.



China has repeatedly denied the accusations and dismissed the report, saying it is "based on the disinformation and lies fabricated by anti-China forces." It also denied the existence of reeducation camps, claiming it established vocational education training centers to eradicate the breeding ground for terrorism and extremism from the source, and that all the trainees had graduated by October 2019, reported state news agency Xinhua.



China relies on Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries to help ensure stability, according to Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.



"The issue of security, the fight against terrorism, and not allowing cooperation with the separatists from Xinjiang has always been relevant in relations between China and Central Asian countries for the past three decades, Umarov said.

Malik Mansur and Davron Hotam from VOAs Uzbek Service contributed to this report.
U.N. investigators warn millions of Syrians, who have endured more than a decade of war, are likely to face more death and injury as fighting intensifies along the countrys northern borders. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria will submit the report on its latest findings to the U.N. Human Rights Council next week.

The report finds a significant reduction in the number of government air strikes in northwest Syria during the period under review between January 1 and June 30.

However, the three-member commission notes hostilities escalated significantly in Idlib and Aleppo, the last rebel stronghold, in August. It says civilians bear the brunt of the intensified fighting.

The report details attacks in northern Aleppo that have killed and injured at least 92 civilians, destroyed civilian homes, schools, mosques, medical facilities, and administrative buildings.

Commission chair Paulo Pinheiro says scores of civilians, including children, have been killed and injured in fighting between pro-government forces and armed opposition groups.

In addition, Russia is still actively supporting the Syrian government, particularly concerning air strikes that have killed civilians and targeted food and water sources," Pinheiro said. "Families living in front-line areas have borne the brunt of pro-government forces ground-to-ground shelling in those areas.

Pinheiro says there continues to be military involvement in this protracted conflict by Israel, the United States and Turkey.

I must say that Syria cannot afford a return to large-scale fighting but that is where it may perhaps be heading," Pinheiro said.

The report highlights the worsening conditions in al-Hawl camp, where tens of thousands of former wives and children of Islamic State militants are being held.

Pinheiro says the situation of children in al-Hawl and other camps in the northeast are in a particularly concerning situation.

They lack sufficient health care and education. And many are traumatized by the violence within those camps," Pinheiro said. "Young boys, once they reach puberty, risk being transferred to military detention centers alongside adult alleged Daesh fighters, doomed to detention without legal recourse.

The report notes tens of thousands of Syrians remain forcibly disappeared or missing. It says families searching for their loved ones, often undertaken by women, are in danger of being arrested, extorted, and abused.

The commission has documented multiple cases of Syrian refugees who have been arrested and detained by government forces shortly after they have returned home. It says many are unable to go back to hometowns and villages because their properties have been confiscated.

The commissioners urge neighboring countries to drop plans they may have for the mass return of Syrian refugees because their safety cannot be guaranteed.
On Sunday, Ethiopians marked Enkutatash, the new year holiday. However, renewed fighting in the countrys two-year long civil war meant a curfew was in place in some areas close to the conflict, putting a damper on celebrations.



Enkutatash, which roughly translates to gift of jewels, marks the end of the rainy season and the first month of Ethiopias calendar. It is 2015 in Ethiopia and people celebrated their new year  a time of new beginnings, for many.



Not least in Kombolcha, about 120 kilometers from where fighting in Ethiopias civil war erupted again just three weeks ago, after a five-month cease-fire. Most people VOA spoke to said they hope peace will return to the country soon. Yet they still fear fighting could resume in the town.



Due to the nearby clashes, a curfew has been imposed, which cut short the celebrations. Elyas Abate is a local resident at St. George Church in Dessie.



He says the church services that usually take place at night cant happen like they usually do. People have to follow the law, so the services end early and the worshippers have to go back home early to meet the curfew.



A couple of hours before the curfew comes into effect, the streets are still busy. Afterward, empty. Police stop those who fail to observe the new rules. Kedir Seifu is a butcher at a shop and runs a food outlet attached to a local bar.



Because of the curfew, everyone goes home early, around 7 p.m. By 8 p.m., peoples movements have stopped. Our business has declined as we are not serving dinner, its really not going as well as before, he says.



Kombolcha was overrun by Tigrayan forces last year, before they were driven back by the government and its allies, including Amhara militia and Amhara regional forces.



When fighting erupted nearby in recent weeks, there was a run on the banks, as people tried to flee the town, one local resident, Dessiye Asres, says.



There were long lines of people waiting to pull their money out of the Commercial Bank Asres noted and that most of them were from the occupied and nearby towns further north, adding that they pulled out their money for food, accommodation and for transport, either to stay here or go south to the next town.



In a statement on Ethiopias New Years Day, the Tigray External Affairs Office said on Sunday that it had appointed a team to negotiate peace and said it would agree to mediation by the African Union, which had been a major sticking point between the two sides in the conflict. However, on Tuesday, there were reports of government airstrikes hitting a business campus in the Tigray regions capital, Mekelle.



Before the airstrikes, VOA asked a monk and religious leader, Melake Selam Komos or Aba Samuel, what aspirations the community had for the new year. He responded they still hold out hope for a return to peace.



He says religious leaders hope to fill the people with brighter hope and preach the words of God. He admits there are still problems in Komboulcha, but in the new year, God will make everything better. Only God can help us, he adds.



Ethiopias civil war has been going on for nearly two years. Belgiums Ghent University estimates up to half a million have already died due to fighting, starvation and lack of medical attention.
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Residents continue to share stories during the Russian occupation in recently freed Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian forces continue making advances as Russian forces withdraw. How an American riding across Ukraine is raising awareness globally.
The U.S. Justice Department unsealed a criminal indictment on Wednesday accusing three Iranian nationals of hacking the networks of hundreds of victims in the United States and around the world in what officials described as a "ransomware-style" cyber campaign.

Although the indictment does not allege the hackers acted on behalf of the Iranian government, U.S. law enforcement agencies released a joint advisory warning about "continued malicious cyber activity" by actors affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while the Treasury Department blacklisted bitcoin addresses tied to two of the defendants.

The cybersecurity advisory was issued jointly by U.S., Australian, British and Canadian law enforcement agencies.

In a video statement, FBI Director Christopher Wray said the advisory underscored the "broader threat" posed by Iranian cyber actors.

"To these sorts of actors, nothing is off limits, not even, for example, Boston Children's Hospital, which they set their sights on in the summer of 2021," Wray said in a video statement.

The three Iranian nationals  identified as Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari  are accused of carrying out "computer intrusions and ransomware-style extortion" between October 2020 and August 2022, according to a 30-page indictment unsealed Wednesday.

The men remain at large and are believed to be in Iran, according to U.S. law enforcement officials.

The State Department's Rewards for Justice Program announced a reward of up to $10 million for information about the three.

Although the charging document does not accuse the Iranian government of sponsoring their activity, the Treasury Department said in a statement that all three defendants were affiliated with the IRGC, a branch of the Iranian military that operates a number of cyber threat actors tracked by the FBI.

"These IRGC-affiliated actors are actively targeting a broad range of entities across multiple U.S. critical infrastructure sectors, as well as organizations in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom," a senior FBI official said during a background call with reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

This is not the first time Iranian hackers have been charged in a broad cybercrime conspiracy. But the indictment comes as the Biden administration has mounted a whole-of-government effort over the past year to combat what is widely seen as a growing threat to U.S. national security: cybercriminals targeting critical infrastructure and services in what are known as "ransomware attacks."

In a ransomware attack, cybercriminals encrypt a victim's computer files and then demand payments in cryptocurrency in exchange for decrypting them.

U.S. law enforcement officials described the Iranian campaign of hacking and extortion as a "ransom-related cyberattack."

Among the victims were a New Jersey township, two accounting firms, two power companies, a housing authority in Washington state and a domestic violence shelter in Pennsylvania.

Wray said many of the victims of the hacking campaign "offer critical services we all rely on every day."

"I'm talking about health care facilities, power companies, local governments in communities across the United States and around the globe," he said.

In some cases, the hackers demanded hundreds of thousands of dollars in payment, a Justice Department official said. Some victims made ransom payments. The domestic violence shelter paid $13,000 to restore access to its systems and data, according to the indictment.

Law enforcement officials said the victims were "targets of opportunity," identified because of vulnerabilities in their computer systems.

In addition to targeting victims in the U.S., the hackers targeted companies and organizations in the United Kingdom, Iran, Israel and Russia.

"No form of cyberattack is acceptable, but ransomware attacks that target critical infrastructure services, such as health care facilities and government agencies, are a threat to our national security," said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey.


A lawyer for families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting told a Connecticut jury on Tuesday that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones would never stop profiting from destructive falsehoods unless he pays for his lies about the massacre.

The lawyer, Christopher Mattei, made his assessment during opening statements on Tuesday, nearly a decade after 20 children and six staff members were killed on December 14, 2012, at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

In Jones' second trial related to the massacre, jurors will decide how much in damages he owes 13 family members of victims, as well as one FBI agent, for claiming the massacre was a hoax.

Jones' trial in a Waterbury, Connecticut, state court about 32 kilometers from Newtown, comes one month after a jury in Austin, Texas, awarded two parents $49.3 million in a similar case.

Mattei told jurors it was important to stop Jones and his right-wing Infowars brand from "preying on people who are helpless" and encouraging years of harassment from Jones' followers.

"They knew the harassment was happening, but the lies were too profitable," Mattei said.

He said Infowars, which is based in Austin, drew millions of followers with bogus claims about Sandy Hook, and made as much as $800,000 a day selling supplements, doomsday supplies and other products.

Jones' lawyer, Norman Pattis, countered during his opening statement that the families were "exaggerating their harm for political reasons" and viewing a big damages award as a "weapon" to silence Infowars.

"We're going to ask you to disarm them," Pattis told jurors.

Jones did not attend the start of the trial, which is expected to last five weeks, but Pattis said he will testify.

The plaintiffs sued Jones and Infowars parent Free Speech Systems LLC in 2018.

They said the harassment was conducted by people who believed Jones' false claims that the government staged the Sandy Hook shooting with crisis actors as a pretext for seizing guns, and that the families faked their children's deaths.

Jones has since acknowledged that the shooting took place.

Overwhelmed

Some families in the gallery clasped each other's hands tightly and fought back tears as the first plaintiff to testify, FBI agent Bill Aldenberg, described the shooting scene and death threats that families received as they prepared for burials.

"It overwhelms your senses. It's horrible," he said.

Another plaintiff, Carlee Soto Parisi, tearfully described her sister's death at Sandy Hook and the subsequent deluge of social media posts saying that she was a crisis actor.

"It's hurtful. It's devastating. It's crippling. You can't breathe properly," she said.

Adam Lanza, the gunman, used a Remington Bushmaster rifle as he shot his way into the school, after shooting his mother to death at home. The massacre ended when Lanza killed himself as he heard approaching police sirens.

Jurors are required solely to determine how much Jones and Free Speech Systems must pay for spreading lies about the massacre.

A judge issued a default judgment in the case in November after Jones failed to comply with court orders.

Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy in July. That would typically shield the company from lawsuits, but it agreed to face trial in August.

In a Tuesday hearing in the bankruptcy case, a judge rejected Free Speech Systems' request to reimburse Jones for travel expenses and security detail.

The $49.3 million award in Austin could be reduced substantially because it consists mostly of non-economic damages intended to punish Jones for his conduct.

A lawyer for Jones has said he will seek to reduce the $45.2 million punitive damages component to $1.5 million, citing a Texas law imposing a cap. Lawyers for the parents have said that the cap does not apply, and Jones should pay the full amount.
In a perfect world, Morbius wouldn't even exist. Had Sony allowed their vice grip on Spider-Man's film rights to loosen after the failure of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Marvel studios would be in complete control of the Wall-Crawler's cinematic destiny. Unfortunately, Sony opted for joint custody of Spidey, and now we're forced to endure a deluge of crappy spin-offs dedicated to Spider-Man's villains.

Although Morbius didn't technically flop during its original theatrical run, the film underperformed in relation to the studio's projections. However, shortly after the movie left theaters, the internet turned Morbius into a laughing stock thanks to a host of hilarious memes. Hoping to salvage their dumpster fire of a film, Sony attempted to re-release Morbius to capitalize on the memes- only for the movie to flop again. However, it seems like it might finally be Morbin' time, thanks to Netflix.

Since the film debuted on Netflix, Morbius has been making a killing on Netflix's top ten list.
Newly released information from the unsealed portions of the legal documents the FBI submitted justifying its reasons to secure a search warrant for former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate shows the Justice Department on June 24 subpoenaed the Trump Organization, demanding video from surveillance cameras located near the estates storage room where dozens of boxes filled with classified material were located.



A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday unsealed previously redacted portions of the documents the FBI submitted for the search warrant as part of its investigation of Trumps handling of classified documents after he left the White House in January 2021.



The affidavit says the Trump Organization handed over a hard drive with the surveillance footage on July 6 in response to the subpoena.



The FBI subpoenaed the company for the footage weeks after agents saw about 50 boxes of records in the storage room, according to the affidavit.



The subpoena came weeks before agents executed a search warrant for Trumps property on August 8, seizing more than 11,000 documents and 1,800 other items, including more than 100 classified documents.



A heavily redacted version of the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant was released last month, but the Justice Department said it decided to unseal additional portions of the document after Trump lawyers revealed the existence of the grand jury subpoena for the footage.



The FBI is investigating several possible crimes in connection with Trumps retention of presidential records, including a potential violation of the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice.



The FBI investigation suffered a setback last week after a federal judge ordered the appointment of a special master and temporarily barred agents from using the records, including classified documents.



The Justice Department has said it would appeal the ruling by Judge Aileen Cannon unless she allows agents to regain access to the classified documents and bars the special master from viewing them. The department has given Cannon until Thursday to issue a partial stay of her order.



The Justice Department and the Trump legal team have each proposed two candidates to serve as special master.



In a court filing on Monday, the Justice Department indicated it would accept one of the two candidates proposed by Trump lawyers: Raymond Dearie, a federal judge on senior active status.



Dearie and the departments own candidates  retired federal judges Barbara Jones and Thomas Griffith  have substantial judicial experience, during which they have presided over federal criminal and civil cases, including federal cases involving national security and privilege concerns, the filing said.



The Justice Department opposed the Trump teams other candidate, Paul Huck Jr., former deputy attorney general for the state of Florida, saying he does not appear to have similar experience.



Meanwhile, U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee, has requested the National Archives to conduct a review of all presidential records from the Trump administration to determine whether any records may still be outside the agencys custody and control.



In a letter requesting the review, Maloney said staffers from the Archives recently told the committee the agency is not certain it has all the records from the Trump White House.



Maloney asked the Archives, the agency that collects and preserves all official government documents, for an initial assessment of its findings by September 27.



The investigation of the missing documents is taking place as the Justice Department appears to be widening its probe of efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election.



The New York Times reported Monday that the Justice Department issued about 40 subpoenas over the past week to various people connected to the Trump administration and his re-election campaign, from low-level aides to senior advisers to the former president.



VOA Justice correspondent Masood Farivar contributed to this article. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Russia's war on Ukraine has seen scores of hospitals and clinics bombed and frequent power cuts that can turn off lifesaving machines. Medical aid groups are using a Kenyan-manufactured breathing device for premature babies that works without electricity, helping save vulnerable newborns in countries affected by conflict.

Staff at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu, Kenya, say this device  a bubble continuous positive airway pressure system, or bCPAP  brings some relief to those in respiratory distress.

Daisy Okech, a pediatric nurse at the hospital, said the device "helped us a great lot because before we had the machine there were babies who needed the CPAP, but we were not able to initiate. We were just using normal oxygen, but currently we have seen that there are babies who improve very well when we initiate CPAP."

The device continuously delivers pressurized oxygen, making it easier for babies in respiratory distress to breathe. Workers say water bubbles in a jar signify that the user is breathing right.

Pressured oxygen source

Revital health care, a manufacturer in Kenya's Kilifi County, and the U.S.-based Vayu Global Health Foundation took on mass production of the devices this year. Revitals technical director, Krupali Shah, said the bubble CPAP just needs a pressured source of oxygen, such as a cylinder, to function.

Once you have continuous 100% oxygen flowing in the blender, which is where the magic of the entire device is and is, literally, where the magic happens, it's able to pull ambient air from the outside as well," Shah said. "You can adjust the oxygen concentration between 30-100 before delivery to the baby. The blended air can be filtered, humidified, breathed in by the patient and breathed out. There is also a pressure generator jar which controls the pressure and keeps the baby's lungs open."

In August, the World Health Organization acknowledged that at least 25 facilities across Ukraine, 17 of which are perinatal centers, were using the bubble CPAPs provided by donors.

Officials say the device provides a non-invasive way of supporting newborns who are struggling to breathe. Doctors say oxygen blenders prevent lung and brain damage while giving babies pure oxygen.

Its inventor, American doctor Thomas Burke, told VOA that investing in the health of vulnerable newborns is key to controlling infant mortality.

People actually have to make budget commitments, and it means that health systems have to prioritize babies," Burke said. "I found in my 2 1/2 decades of work on maternal health that there is sometimes a lot of talk around saving mothers' lives, but at the end of the day people aren't willing to put finance behind saving mothers lives.

The bCPAP devices are available for about US $400 in Kenya.

The system is being used in at least 20 countries in Africa, as well as Belgium and the United States.

Nearly 1 million infants die annually from respiratory problems in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. Advocates say more of the lifesaving machines are needed around the world.
For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine.

The latest developments in Russias war on Ukraine. All times EDT.

10:15 p.m.: Poland will formally ask Russia to return seven paintings now in a leading Moscow museum that were looted during World War II by the Soviet Red Army, the Polish culture minister said Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

Piotr Glinski also said that about 20 previous requests to Moscow for the return of thousands of other items stolen during WWII have fallen on deaf ears. The previously requested items included archives of the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz, paintings by Old Masters such as Durer, Holbein or Cranach, and manuscripts by Polish writers.

The new request concerns seven paintings  by Italian artists  that are now at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. They date from the 14th to the 18th century and include "Two Saints" by Spinello Aretino and "Adoration of the Child" by Lorenzo di Credi.

Before the war, they were in the collections of the Czartoryski family in Goluchow, at the Wilanow Palace, and in Poznan, Wroclaw and Lodz.

Glinski said it is hard to estimate how much of Poland's art and culture was destroyed or looted by occupying Nazi German and Soviet troops during the war, but at the time it was believed that Polish museums had lost about 50% of their collections.

9:12 p.m.: The Biden administration has picked a veteran foreign service officer with years of experience in Russian affairs as its nominee to be the next ambassador to Russia, according to The Associated Press.

Administration officials familiar with the matter say the nomination of Lynne Tracy, the current U.S. ambassador to Armenia, will be submitted to the Senate as soon as the Russian government signs off on the choice. Ambassadorial nominations must be approved by the host government under the rules of diplomatic protocol.

Such approval is generally routine, but Russia's acceptance of President Joe Biden's pick for ambassador cannot be taken for granted at a time of particularly fraught U.S.-Russian relations over Ukraine, the detention of Americans in Russia, allegations of Russian meddling in U.S. and other elections, and an escalating spat over the staffing of embassies in Washington and Moscow.

Tracy, who speaks Russian, previously served as a senior adviser for Russian affairs in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, as the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. She also held several posts in Central and South Asia.

The previous U.S. ambassador to Moscow, John Sullivan, left earlier this month, in a departure that had been expected this fall but was accelerated by the failing health of his wife, who died a day after his return.

8:27 p.m.: A French court has rejected an appeal placed by an offshore holding company against the seizure of a superyacht linked to a key ally of President Vladimir Putin, according to a ruling published on Wednesday, Agence France-Presse reported.

The Amore Vero, which the French authorities maintain is owned by a company linked to the chief executive of Russian state oil giant Rosneft Igor Sechin, was seized by France in early March.

The seizure of the vessel was part of EU sanctions imposed against Russian oligarchs over the February 24 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The vessel, some 86 meters long, with a swimming pool that can be transformed into a helipad and an estimated value exceeding $100 million, is held in the port of La Ciotat outside Marseille where it had been undergoing work.

7:40 p.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government are studying proposals drawn up by senior officials and the former head of NATO that envisage Western countries providing future security guarantees to Kyiv.

Russia has condemned the draft document, which also underlines Ukraine's continued "aspiration to join NATO and benefit from its mutual defense arrangements."

Moscow views NATO's eastern expansion as a direct threat to its own security and has cited the prospect of Ukraine building closer ties with the alliance as a major reason for its invasion on February 24.

Zelenskyy praised the report, drawn up by a working group that included his chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former NATO Secretary-General.

The report makes a series of recommendations aimed at bolstering the country's longer term security that fall short of offering full NATO membership, which some member states are wary of doing because of Russia's opposition.

"This requires a multi-decade effort of sustained investment in Ukraines defense industrial base, scalable weapons transfers and intelligence support from allies, intensive training missions and joint exercises under the European Union and NATO flags," the report said.

"(The Kyiv Security Compact) will bring a core group of allied countries together with Ukraine," it said, adding that these could include many leading NATO members including the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Poland.

7 p.m.: Vladimir Putin still believes he was right to launch an invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday after a 90-minute-long telephone call with the Russian president, Agence France-Presse reported.

"Sadly, I cannot tell you that the impression has grown that it was a mistake to begin this war," Scholz told journalists a day after his exchange with Putin.

In the call Tuesday with Putin, Scholz urged the Russian leader to seek a diplomatic solution "based on a cease-fire, a complete withdrawal of Russian forces and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Ukraine."

The exit of Russian troops from Ukraine was the only way for "peace to have a chance in the region," Scholz said Wednesday.

While Putin's positions did not appear to have shifted, the German chancellor said it was necessary to remain in conversation with the Russian leader.

6:10 p.m.: Ukraine's foreign minister confirmed that the United Nations had started talks on reopening an ammonia pipeline from Russia to Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa, Reuters reported.

The pipeline has been shut as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Ukraine did not initiate these talks; this is an initiative from the U.N.," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said at a news conference in Odesa, adding that Ukraine would not approve any deal that contradicted its national security interests.

5:20 p.m.: The southern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih faced rising water levels in the Inhulets River on Wednesday after Russia fired eight cruise missiles at local infrastructure, an official said, according to Reuters.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the interior minister, posted a video of what appeared to be a small bridge being washed away.

"Rockets were directed at hydraulic structures. This caused water level of (the) Inhulets river to increase, threatening the city," he tweeted.

Kirill Timoshenko, the deputy head of the president's office, said earlier that there had been no civilian casualties in the attack and accused Russian of trying to sow panic.

4:45 p.m.: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised he would lead Ukraine to victory in its war against Russia as he visited shrapnel-blasted, recently recaptured towns on Wednesday, while pro-Russian officials claimed to have halted Kyiv's forces for now, Reuters reported.

During a surprise visit Wednesday to Izium, he watched as the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the charred city council building.

"Our blue-yellow flag is already flying in de-occupied Izium. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and village," he wrote in a social media post.

On the main thoroughfare, no buildings were left unscathed: a derelict bath house had a hole blasted in its side; meat shops, pharmacies, a shoe shop and a beauty salon were sprayed with shrapnel.

Earlier Wednesday, an emotional-looking Zelenskyy handed out medals to soldiers who had taken part in the operation to free the area in Balakliya, another town retaken in recent days, where citizens and local police told reporters civilians were killed during months of Russian occupation.

4:06 p.m.: German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said it is too early to tell whether Ukraine's significant territorial advances in recent days mark a turning point in the war prompted by Russia's invasion of its neighbor, Reuters reported.



"This is hard to assess because we don't know how the Russians will react now (to Ukraine's counter-offensive)," Lambrecht told Reuters in an interview at the defense ministry in Berlin.



"But it is definitely a remarkable success that will contribute to Russia's destabilization," she added, speaking of a weakening of the Russian military.



Russian forces suffered a stunning reversal this month after Ukrainian troops made a rapid armored thrust with special forces in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, forcing a sometimes rushed and chaotic Russian withdrawal.



3:15 p.m.: The Biden administration has picked a veteran foreign service officer with years of experience in Russian affairs as its nominee to be the next ambassador to Russia, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.



Administration officials familiar with the matter say the nomination of Lynne Tracy, the current U.S. ambassador to Armenia, will be submitted to the Senate as soon as the Russian government signs off on the choice. Ambassadorial nominations must be approved by the host government under the rules of diplomatic protocol.



Such approval is generally routine, but Russias acceptance of President Joe Bidens pick for ambassador cannot be taken for granted at a time of particularly fraught U.S.-Russian relations over Ukraine, the detention of Americans in Russia, allegations of Russian meddling in U.S. and other elections, and an escalating spat over the staffing of embassies in Washington and Moscow.



The ambassador opening comes as many Russia experts in the United States who might have been candidates for the Moscow post have been banned from Russia. Russia was informed of the administrations decision to choose Tracys several weeks ago but has not yet given its formal approval, known as agrement in diplomatic parlance, the officials said.



2:30 p.m.:

2:10 p.m.: Russian President Vladimir Putin told United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday that he welcomed "constructive" cooperation with the IAEA nuclear watchdog following its visit to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the Kremlin said, according to Reuters.



The Kremlin also said in its readout of the phone call that Putin and Guterres discussed a deal on exports of Ukrainian grain from its Black Sea ports as well as exports of Russian food and fertilizers.



2 p.m.: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday about prospects for peace as well as other topics, VOAs U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer reported.



The last time I spoke to President Putin was this morning, he told a media briefing. " It would be naive to think that we are close to the possibility of a peace deal. My good offices are ready. But I have no illusions that at the present moment the chances of a peace deal are minimal. At the present moment. Obviously, I go on with my contacts with both sides. And hope one day it will be possible to move into a higher level of discussion," he said.



Guterres also said he discussed with Putin the potential for export of Russian fertilizer through in line with the recent Black Sea Grain Initiative, the issue of prisoners of war and a fact-finding mission to Olenvika where a number of Ukrainian POWs lost their lives, and ongoing issues at the Zaporizhizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.



I usually do not say what I say in phone calls, my positions are known," Guterres said.

1:40 p.m.: Over 3 million metric tons of agricultural goods have been exported from Ukraine through Black Sea ports since August, the Kyiv Independent reported Wednesday.



According to the Infrastructure Ministry, a total of 134 ships loaded with agricultural products were bound for Asian, European, and African countries, the media outlet said.



1:25 p.m.:

1:10 p.m.: Ukraines government said Wednesday that its forces are constructing fortifications in areas in the northeast where it recently regained territory from Russias military, according to the Kyiv Independent.



Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine is building new fortifications on recently liberated territories to prevent their recapture by Russian forces, the media outlet reported.



12:50 p.m.: Some 1,500 troops have been sent from a vast Russian military base in Tajikistan to Ukraine, where the Russian Army is said to have suffered enormous casualties in its unprovoked war, multiple sources told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.



About 600 more soldiers are set to be dispatched to the frontlines from Russian military facilities located in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, and the southern city of Bokhtar, the sources said.



It comes as hundreds of contract soldiers were deployed from Russia's Kant Air Base in neighboring Kyrgyzstan to Ukraine in recent months, according to residents, activists, and soldiers' relatives. Both Central Asian countries -- allies of Moscow -- host one Russian base each with multiple facilities in several locations.



The number of Russian personnel in Tajikistan is estimated at up to 7,000 troops, while Kyrgyzstan reportedly hosts about 500 Russian servicemen. The exact figures havent been made public.



Officials at the Russian military bases have not yet responded to RFE/RLs requests for comment on the reported redeployments and RFE/RL cannot independently verify the movement of Russian troops from Central Asia to Ukraine.



12:25 p.m.:

11:50 a.m.: The Kremlin played down the impact of lost gas sales to Europe on Wednesday, saying there were other countries willing to buy Russian energy as Europe seeks to reduce its dependence on Moscow, Reuters reported.



Responding to a question about whether a prolonged halt in gas exports to Europe would prove impossible in the long run, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a briefing that other buyers would be able to offset European demand.



"Europe is not the only consumer of natural gas and not the only continent that needs natural gas," Peskov said. "There are regions developing at a much faster pace ... they can compensate for the (reduced) demand for (Russian) gas in Europe," he said.



Since the start of what Russia calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine, the European Union has pledged to reduce its reliance on Russian energy, introducing restrictions on Russian oil imports and proposing a price cap on Russian gas.



11:30 a.m.:

11:10 a.m.: The Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's Office has denied a statement by Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk that Russian teachers in territories liberated from Russian occupying troops had been detained, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.



Ihor Belousov of the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's Office told Current Time that no Russian teachers were detained by Ukrainian armed forces in "de-occupied territories" of Ukraine.



Sources in prosecutor's offices in Ukraine's Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions also told Current Time that no Russian teachers were arrested in the regions' districts retaken under Kyiv's control in recent days.



On September 12, Vereshchuk said Ukrainian forces arrested an unspecified number of Russian teachers who moved to Ukraine to teach a Russian curriculum at local Ukrainian schools in regions taken under Russian armed forces' control during Russia's ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine launched in late February.

10:35 a.m.: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday started his first foreign trip since the outbreak of the pandemic with a stop in Kazakhstan ahead of a summit with Russias Vladimir Putin and other leaders of a Central Asian security group, The Associated Press reported.



Wearing a blue suit and a face mask, Xi was met on the airport tarmac by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and an honor guard, all of whom wore masks.



Xis trip underlines the importance Beijing places on asserting its role as a regional leader amid tension with Washington, Japan and India.



Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that after his visit to Kazakhstan, Xi flew to Samarkand in neighboring Uzbekistan for a summit of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, led by China and Russia.



Beijing and Moscow see the SCO as a counterweight to U.S. alliances in East Asia. Other SCO governments include India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan. Observers include Iran and Afghanistan.



The Chinese leader is promoting a Global Security Initiative announced in April following the formation of the Quad by Washington, Japan, Australia and India in response to Beijings more assertive foreign policy. Xi has given few details, but U.S. officials complain it echoes Russian arguments in support of Moscows attack on Ukraine.



Xi and Putin plan to hold a one-on-one meeting and discuss Ukraine, according to the Russian presidents foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.



10 a.m.:

9:25 a.m.: The successes of the Ukrainian army, which has liberated a significant territory in the northeast and south of Ukraine, may improve the forecasts of the winter sowing area for the 2023 grain crop, a deputy agriculture minister said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.



Ukrainian farmers have already started winter sowing and the ministry says the sowing area could fall by 35% this year to around 4.7 million hectares due to the Russian invasion. Farms sow winter wheat, winter barley, rape and rye.



Regarding the liberation of Ukrainian territories from occupation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, we have reasonable optimism that this forecast of 4.7 million hectares will improve, Markiyan Dmytrasevych said.



The ministry said on Tuesday farms in almost all regions had started sowing winter wheat for the 2023 harvest, seeding 141,000 hectares, or 3.5% of the expected area.



Ukraine harvested 19 million metric tons of wheat this year compared with around 32.2 million tonnes in 2021. Hostilities in many regions and the occupation of large areas by Russia accounted for the decline.

8:55 a.m.: Many Russians on the street say they are deeply skeptical about their army's sudden retreat in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, where they left tanks, armored vehicles and artillery behind, fleeing advancing defenders over the past week. RFE/RL has this report.

8:40 a.m.: Vladimir Putin's chief envoy on Ukraine told the Russian leader as the war began that he had struck a provisional deal with Kyiv that would satisfy Russia's demand that Ukraine stay out of NATO, but Putin rejected it and pressed ahead with his military campaign, according to three people close to the Russian leadership.



The Ukrainian-born envoy, Dmitry Kozak, told Putin that he believed the deal he had hammered out removed the need for Russia to pursue a large-scale occupation of Ukraine, according to these sources. Kozak's recommendation to Putin to adopt the deal is being reported by Reuters for the first time.



Putin had repeatedly asserted prior to the war that NATO and its military infrastructure were creeping closer to Russia's borders by accepting new members from eastern Europe, and that the alliance was now preparing to bring Ukraine into its orbit too. Putin publicly said that represented an existential threat to Russia, forcing him to react.



But, despite earlier backing the negotiations, Putin made it clear when presented with Kozak's deal that the concessions negotiated by his aide did not go far enough and that he had expanded his objectives to include annexing swathes of Ukrainian territory, the sources said. The upshot: the deal was dropped.



Asked about Reuters findings, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "That has absolutely no relation to reality. No such thing ever happened. It is absolutely incorrect information."



Kozak did not respond to requests for comment sent via the Kremlin.

8:30 a.m.:

8:15 a.m.: The European Union's executive outlined plans on Wednesday for raising more than 140 billion euros ($140 billion) to cope with an energy crisis that has increased the prospect of winter fuel rationing, corporate insolvencies and economic recession, Reuters reported.



European gas prices have rocketed this year as Russia has reduced fuel exports to retaliate for Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, leaving households struggling to pay energy bills and utilities grappling with a liquidity crunch.



European governments have responded with measures ranging from capping prices on consumer electricity and gas bills to offering credit and guarantees to prevent power providers from collapsing under the weight of collateral demands.



"EU Member States have already invested billions of euros to assist vulnerable households. But we know this will not be enough," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen members of the European Parliament.



She unveiled plans to cap revenues from those electricity generators that have gained from surging power prices but do not rely on costly gas. She also outlined plans to force fossil fuel firms to share windfall profits from energy sales.



But her announcement did not include an earlier EU idea to cap Russian gas prices. That idea has divided member states, after Russia warned it could cut of all fuel supplies. Von der Leyen said the Commission was still discussing the idea.



Europe has been racing to refill its storage facilities and has already met target to have them 80% full by November. But Russia's moves to cut supplies, including via the major Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, makes the winter outlook uncertain.



8 a.m.:

7:50 a.m.: Against the backdrop of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis told the Russian Orthodox hierarchy and other faith leaders Wednesday that religion must never be used to justify the evil of war and that God must never be held hostage to the human thirst for power, The Associated Press reported.



Francis opened an interfaith conference in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan by challenging delegations to unite in condemning war and religious justifications for it. He cited a Kazakh poet in warning that he who permits evil and does not oppose it cannot be regarded as a true believer. At best he is a half-hearted believer.



In the audience of the 80 imams, patriarchs, rabbis and muftis was Metropolitan Anthony, in charge of foreign relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has firmly backed Russias invasion. His boss, Patriarch Kirill, was supposed to have participated in the congress but canceled last month.



Kirill has supported Russias invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds, calling it a metaphysical battle with the West. He has blessed Russian soldiers going into war and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.



Francis didnt mention Russia or Ukraine in his remarks to the Kazakh conference. But he insisted that faith leaders themselves must take the lead in promoting a culture of peace, since it would be hypocritical to expect that non-believers would promote peace if religious leaders dont.



7:35 a.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday tweeted a video showing what life is like in the village of Balakliya, in Kharkiv region, now that Russian occupying forces have been driven out of the area in a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive over the past week. The video was produced by United24, an organization founded by Zelenskyy to collect charitable donations in support of Ukraine.

7:20 a.m.: Theres not much left of Hrakove, a devastated Ukrainian village emerging from Russian occupation, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.



Its houses and shops lie in ruins, its school is a bombed-out hull. The church is scarred by rockets and shells, but the golden dome above its blasted belfry still gleams in the fading autumn light.



Only about 30 people remain, living in basements and gutted buildings in this small village southeast of Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, according to resident Anatolii Klyzhen. About 1,000 lived here when Russian troops rolled over the border in February, occupying the village shortly after.



Those forces abandoned Hrakove around September 9 as Ukrainian soldiers advanced in a lightning counteroffensive. That blitz could be a turning point, setting the stage for further gains in the east and elsewhere  but it could also trigger a violent response from Moscow, leading to a new and dangerous escalation in the war.



There were no signs the Russian soldiers were about to leave. Nobody knew anything. They left very quietly, said Viacheslav Myronenko, 71, who has lived in the basement of his bombed-out apartment building with three neighbors for more than four months.



The detritus of a fleeing army still litters the village: packs of empty Russian army food rations, abandoned crates with instructions for using grenades, a gas mask dangling on a tree, an army jacket trampled into the mud. Just outside the village by the bus stop, a Russian tank lies rusting on a road pockmarked with craters from shells, its turret and cannon blown off its body.



7:10 a.m.:

6:15 a.m.: Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy on Wednesday visited the newly recaptured town of Izium, a key supply hub in the northeastern Kharkiv region, a Ukrainian military brigade said, following the departure of Russian troops a few days ago, Reuters reported.

The President of Ukraine thanked the soldiers for liberating Ukrainian lands, and solemnly raised the Ukrainian flag over the city council, the 25th Separate Airborne Sicheslav Brigade said in a statement on its Facebook page.

The post included photographs of the president, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar and senior military personnel at the ceremony.

6 a.m.: Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson, whose work in recent years has focused on the release of detainees, was in Moscow this week, according to a person familiar with the matter.

It is not clear who Richardson met with, and The Richardson Center for Global Engagement declined to give details to news organizations.

Among his efforts has been advocating for Russia to release American basketball star Brittney Griner and American Paul Whelan.

Griner was sentenced last month to nine years in prison for drug possession, while Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence for espionage-related charges.

The United States has offered Russia what Secretary of State Antony Blinken said was a substantial offer that is believed to have included the U.S. swapping jailed Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner and Whelan.

5 a.m.: Volkswagen truck subsidiary Traton said Tuesday that two of its divisions are selling their business activities in Russia to local partners, transactions expected to lead to a loss of up to $550 million, The Associated Press reported.

Traton said both MAN Truck & Bus and Scania are disposing their sales companies in the Russian Federation to local sales partners, which were not identified. It said Scania also is disposing of its Russian financing business.

The transactions still need approval from the Traton and Volkswagen supervisory boards, as well as various Russian regulatory authorities. They are expected to be completed by next years first quarter, Traton said in a statement.

4:30 a.m.: Denmark has agreed to train Ukrainian soldiers on Danish soil, Ritzau news agency quoted Defense Minister Morten Bodskov as saying after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Bodskov could not provide details about the number of Ukrainian soldiers, or timing or location of the training, Ritzau reported. The defense ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The ministry said in August that Denmark would support a British-led training project with 130 soldiers.

Denmark has contributed to both British and Canadian training missions in Ukraine since 2015 and provided weapons and cybersecurity support to Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbor in February.

4 a.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russia for targeting energy infrastructure in its attacks over the past days, The Associated Press reported.

Hundreds and thousands of Ukrainians found themselves in the dark  without electricity. Houses, hospitals, schools, communal infrastructure ... sites that have absolutely nothing to do with the infrastructure of the armed forces of our country.

Among Kharkivs battle-scarred apartment buildings, one man who returned to feed the birds struck a defiant tone, saying that the success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive would likely prompt harsh Russian retaliation against civilian targets. But he said it would not succeed in intimidating ordinary Ukrainians.

Putin does not know what to do, and he will strike here even more. Just on infrastructure, said Serhii who only gave his first name.

He will strike so we dont have water, electricity, to create more chaos and intimidate us. But he will not succeed because we will survive, and Putin will soon croak!

3:20 a.m.: Western sanctions on Russia are having a real impact and are there to stay, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, stressing that the European Unions solidarity with Ukraine would be unshakeable.

With Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska the guest of honor as she delivered her annual state of the union speech, von der Leyen was set to unveil proposals to curb the energy price spike that has hit Europe in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported.

Never before has this Parliament debated the State of our Union with war raging on European soil, von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where many lawmakers and EU commissioners wore Ukraines blue and yellow colors.

And I stand here with the conviction that with courage and solidarity, Putin will fail and Europe will prevail, von der Leyen said, adding: Europes solidarity with Ukraine will remain unshakeable.

Von der Leyen, whose proposals to help European households and companies will include skimming off windfall profits from energy companies and imposing cuts in electricity usage across the bloc, said the bloc would also help rebuild Ukraine.

3 a.m.: Russias Gazprom said on Wednesday that it will ship 42.4 million cubic meters of natural gas to Europe via Ukraine, a volume unchanged from yesterday, Reuters reported, citing state-owned TASS news agency.

1 a.m.: Russia has likely used Iranian-made uncrewed aerial vehicles in Ukraine for the first time, Britians defense intelligence said on Wednesday, after Kyiv reported downing one of the UAVs on Tuesday.

Russia is almost certainly increasingly sourcing weaponry from other heavily sanctioned states like Iran and North Korea as its own stocks dwindle, it said in a regular update.

The General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces said on Wednesday that Russian forces had launched three missile strikes, 33 air strikes and fired 58 rocket artillery strikes at military and civilian targets over the past 24 hours, Reuters reported.

12:30 a.m.: In Verbivka, a village northwest of Balakliya, Nadia Khvostok, 76, described the traumatic occupation and the arrival of Ukrainian troops, saying residents greeted them with tears in our eyes.

We could not have been happier. My grandchildren spent two and a half months in the cellar. When the corner of the house was torn off, the children began to shudder and stutter, she said.

The village school, where the Russians were based, was destroyed and trees on the road to the village and a cement factory showed battle scars. Elsewhere were abandoned Russian vehicles, including a military truck with a smashed windscreen. Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syehubov, who came to Verbivka, said the authorities were trying to record crimes committed by Russians during their occupation of the area, and recover the bodies of victims.

Were asking everyone around about all the places of burial which can be found, he said. We have found some places of the burial of civilians. We are continuing with the process of exhumation. So far, we know of at least five people, but unfortunately this is not the end, believe me.

Moscow denies its forces have committed atrocities in areas they have controlled.

12:05 a.m.: Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesman for the Ukrainian militarys general staff, accused Russian forces of committing hundreds of war crimes in territory they once held, The Associated Press reported.

He said the danger of minefields in liberated towns and villages remained high, and ammunition and high explosives have been strewn across 70,000 square kilometers (27,000 square miles).

The defense forces are taking measures to return peaceful life to the liberated communities as soon as possible, he said.

While dozens of towns and villages were liberated, authorities moved into several areas to investigate alleged atrocities against civilians by Russian troops.

The Kharkiv regional prosecutors office said four bodies bearing signs of torture were found in the village of Zaliznychne. Its not clear how many other places investigators have entered.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Mozambiques President Filipe Nyusi has called on Western energy companies to resume work in Cabo Delgado Province, saying security has improved around the town of Palma. But clashes are continuing between federal forces and other African allies against Islamist militants.

Addressing the Mozambique Gas & Energy Summit in Maputo Wednesday, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi assured foreign investors the security situation in troubled northern Cabo Delgado Province had improved.

He said locals were returning to the town of Palma and other areas they had abandoned because of terrorist attacks.

Nyusi urged Western energy companies to do the same. He said the success in combating the terrorists in the districts of Mocimboa da Praia and Palma improved stability since the attacks on the town of Palma.

But insurgent attacks last week spread to Mozambiques northern Nampula Province.

Authorities said the militants attacked several villages, beheaded six Mozambicans, killed an Italian nun, abducted three people and torched scores of homes.

The Islamist militants are linked to Islamic State and call themselves al-Shabab, though they have no direct connection to the Somali militant group by the same name.

In March 2021, Frances Total Energies halted exploration of a major gas field and a $20 billion plant in northern Mozambique after Islamist militants attacks.

There was no immediate response from the energy companies to Nyusis call to return.

Total Energies CEO said in April the company did not expect to resume work in Mozambique, which has Africas third largest-known gas reserves, until 2023.

Cabo Delgado Province has suffered increasingly violent attacks by the insurgents since 2017, many targeting towns and communities near the gas project.

Critics blame the project for stoking the insurgency by not investing enough to develop the impoverished region.

The conflict has left thousands of Mozambicans dead and more than 800,000 displaced.

Troops from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community have helped retake towns from the insurgents but have not been able to contain or end the fighting.
Under a new deal between the governments of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian-produced media content will now be broadcast across Nicaragua.

The contract between the Communication and Citizenry Council of Nicaragua, the country's state media conglomerate, and the Sputnik radio network will make Russian content available to more than 20 Nicaraguan state channels, broadcasting to 6.6 million people.

During an event in Russia to mark the signing on September 5, Daniel Edmundo Ortega Murillo, the council's media coordinator, said the exchange of content will "bring the people of the two countries closer together for mutual understanding."

Ortega Murillo is one of Ortega's sons.

Vasily Pushkov, head of Sputnik's international cooperation directorate, said during the signing that it will help get rid of "unnecessary informational garbage."

Strengthening ties is important "in the face of media manipulation and hate campaigns promoted by the United States and European countries," Pushkov said.

The contract with a Russian entity that analysts view as a tool to spread disinformation concerns media experts, who warn that Nicaraguans already lack access to credible news.

"Both Vladimir Putin and Daniel Ortega persecute journalists and media outlets that dare to defy censorship," Carlos Jornet, president of the nonprofit Commission on Freedom of the Press and Information, told VOA.

The contract, he said, will ensure "Moscow advances in its ties with the autocrats of the region."

The deal comes as more of Nicaragua's independent media are forced to shutter.

Last month, Nicaragua's media regulator revoked the licenses of more than 25 media outlets, including local TV and radio stations. The closures come amid wider pressures on the country's independent media, with many journalists going into exile, citing risk of legal action and raids.

In July, the historic newspaper La Prensa announced it was relocating its entire newsroom due to raids and arrests of staff.

Weeks later, Ortega ceded the newspaper's premises to a public entity. Similar action was taken in the cases of other independent media, including the TV station 100% Noticias and the investigative news website Confidencial. Authorities took over their premises after the directors left Nicaragua.

In response to VOA's request for comment, the Nicaraguan embassy in Washington sent a message signed by Vice President Rosario Murillo. The message did not respond to VOA's questions. Instead, it said, "Thank you for your interest."

Ortega's administration has previously refuted claims of targeting opposition parties and media, instead saying it is protecting the country from media backed by foreign interests, mainly the United States.

VOA also contacted Russia's embassy in Nicaragua for comment. In an emailed response, the embassy said the contract "was agreed directly between the media without any participation of the Russian embassy."

The email, signed only as "Embassy of Russia," said Russian media are independent and "provide true, objective and balanced information."

International groups, including media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), have denounced the pressure on Russian media.

Since the war in Ukraine, "almost all independent media have been banned, blocked and/or declared 'foreign agents.' All others are subject to military censorship," RSF said. The watchdog ranks Russia 155 out of 180 countries, where 1 has the best environment for media, on its World Press Freedom Index.

Foreign alliance

For Jornet, the Sputnik deal wasn't a surprise.

"These are alliances in which both parties consolidate their contempt for professional journalism and their search to consolidate a story that is far from reality," he said.

For instance, Nicaragua's state-run media "denies poverty and repression," while Sputnik "misinforms with a sweetened version of the Russian invasion of Ukraine," Jornet said.

Sputnik's coverage follows the Kremlin line that the conflict is a "special military operation" to liberate the Donbas region.

The same narrative was replicated in Nicaragua's TN8 station  owned by another of Ortega's sons  when Russia first invaded in February.

Nicaraguan stations regularly incorporate or mirror Russian state TV content from operations including RT Spanish in their broadcasts.

A February 24 broadcast on TN8, for instance, reported on what it described as a pacifist operation from Russian forces in Ukraine.

Another segment featured the chair of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, giving details of the military operation just launched in Ukraine.

After the invasion, distributors largely dropped Sputnik and RT English-language content in the U.S. and in Britain, the European Union and Canada. The European Commission cited concerns over state media "supporting the aggression in Ukraine."

Christopher Mendoza, director of Independent Journalists and Communicators of Nicaragua (PCIN), described the Sputnik agreement as an effort "to silence critical news so they can say what they want through their own media based on propaganda by the regime."

Since coming to power in 2007, Ortega's government has tried to gag critical voices, silence radio stations and shutter newspapers, Mendoza said.

The journalist noted that Nicaragua has signed similar deals with Chinese state media.

"These kinds of deals that he makes  on this occasion, with this Russian international agency, Sputnik  he had also done it with the Chinese media. It responds to a strategy where I see that the only thing that the regime wants is [for] the media to continue lying to the Nicaraguan people and the world," Mendoza said.

In February 2022, Nicaragua signed agreements with media agencies from China. At the event, Ortega Murillo expressed gratitude to Beijing for the cooperation with state media.

The agreement includes "a memorandum of understanding for the granting of a license on news material between Canal 6 and CCTV Plus and a cooperation agreement between 19 Digital and the Xinhua News Agency."

Nicaragua scores poorly on the World Press Freedom Index, ranking 160 out of 180 countries, where 1 has the best media environment.

RSF, which compiles the index, says the country's independent journalists "endure a nightmare of censorship, intimidation and threats."

This article originated in VOA's Spanish-language division.


The U.N. Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD, warns in a new report that the Palestinian Territories are facing the worst fiscal crisis in their history, much of it due to lagging international support.

UNCTAD reports the Palestinian economy is still reeling under the impact of COVID-19, which it says has sent unemployment levels soaring, deepening poverty and misery in the occupied territories.

It says Palestinian GDP in 2021 remained 5.1 percent below its pre-pandemic level, and unemployment remained high at 26 percent. Data indicate 36 percent of the Palestinian people live below the poverty line, while food insecurity increased to 23 percent in the West Bank and 53 percent in Gaza.

UNCTAD economist on assistance to the Palestinian people Mutasim Elagraa says the Palestinian economy is too weak to produce jobs. So, many Palestinians are forced to seek work in Israel and the settlements. He notes the deep dependence of Palestinians on that source of employment and revenue is dangerous.

This employment is unpredictable and precarious and extremely sensitive to political and security crises.  So it cannot be a substitute for rejuvenating the Palestinian economy and unshackling the stability to produce jobs for the Palestinian people, Elagraa said.

The report says the Palestinian government has been unable to effectively respond to the COVID-19 shock because of constraints imposed by occupation. This, it says, has deprived it of the policy tools and fiscal and monetary space available to other governments.

Consequently, Elagraa says, in the last couple of years, the Palestinian government has been in the grips of a serious fiscal crisis.

It can be seen in a large financing gap, precipitous decline in foreign aid, and the buildup of debt and the exhaustion of safe domestic borrowing sources," Elagraa said. "So as a result of the fiscal crisis since November 2021, the Palestinian government has been paying partial salaries to its employees.

UNCTAD calls on the international community to live up to its responsibility to provide predictable and meaningful financial support to the Palestinian people. It says the trend of declining donor support should be reversed immediately as a matter of extreme economic, political and humanitarian urgency.

The report notes international aid to the Palestinian people has declined from $2 billion in 2008 to $317 million in 2021.
The National Archives is still not certain that it has custody of all former President Donald Trump's presidential records even after the FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago club, a congressional committee said in a letter Tuesday.

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform revealed that staff at the National Archives on an August 24 call could not provide assurances that they have all of Trump's presidential records. The committees letter asked the agency to conduct an assessment of whether any Trump records remain unaccounted for and potentially in his possession.

"In light of revelations that Mr. Trump's representatives misled investigators about his continued possession of government property and that material found at his club included dozens of 'empty folders' for classified material, I am deeply concerned that sensitive presidential records may remain out of the control and custody of the U.S. Government," Representative Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chairwoman of the Oversight Committee, wrote in the letter.

The House committee has jurisdiction over the Presidential Records Act, a 1978 law that requires the preservation of White House documents as property of the U.S. government. The request is the latest development in a monthslong back-and-forth between the agency and the committee, which has been investigating Trump's handling of records.

The request also comes weeks after the FBI recovered more than 100 documents with classified markings and more than 10,000 other government documents from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The search came after lawyers for Trump provided a sworn certification that all government records had been returned.

Maloney and other Democratic lawmakers on the panel have been seeking a briefing from the National Archives but haven't received one due to the Justice Department's ongoing criminal investigation into the matter.

But the letter notes a call between National Archives staff and the committee on August 24, in which lawmakers were informed that documents could still be missing.

As a result, Maloney wrote, the committee is asking the agency to conduct an "urgent review" of all of the government records that have been recorded from the Trump White House to determine whether any additional records remain unaccounted for and potentially in the possession of the former president.

In addition, the committee also asked for the National Archives to get a personal certification from Trump "that he has surrendered all presidential records that he illegally removed from the White House after leaving office."

The committee is asking the agency to provide an initial assessment of this review by September 27.
Russia has spent at least $300 million to sway both politics and policy in more than two dozen countries since 2014, according to a newly declassified review by U.S. intelligence agencies that warns the Kremlin is not done with plans to pay for influence.

The money, funneled to political parties and candidates across at least four continents through various front companies, is likely "just the tip of the iceberg" with the U.S. and its allies scrambling to track down additional, illicit contributions.

"These are minimum figures," said a senior U.S. administration official who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the intelligence.

VOA has emailed the Russian Embassy in Washington seeking comment.

"Russia likely has transferred additional funds covertly in cases that have gone undetected," the official added, cautioning that the war in Ukraine could well spur Moscow to increase its efforts to finance political parties and candidates to "undermine international sanctions and maintain its influence around the world."

The U.S. intelligence review, completed over the past several months, concluded Russian efforts increased dramatically starting in 2014, spreading from Europe to Africa and the Americas.

A U.S. official familiar with the intelligence but not authorized to speak on the record said countries swept up in the Russian covert funding efforts include Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, Belgium and Madagascar.

In at least one case, Russia used cutouts, or intermediaries, to transfer money to far-right nationalist parties.

As a first step, the U.S. officials said, the State Department has issued a cable to 110 countries sharing the findings and will review steps countries can take to counter Russia's efforts.

Additionally, U.S. intelligence officials are privately briefing select countries whose elections and political processes have been specifically targeted by the Russian campaign.

The U.S. intelligence review did not specifically look at Russian activity in the United States, but with the country's midterm elections set to take place in less than two months, officials cautioned that not even Washington is immune.

"There's no question that we have this vulnerability as well, and that Russian covert political influence poses a major challenge," the first official said.

While the warning  and the data  from U.S. officials about Russia's attempt to meddle with the internal politics of other countries is new, the concerns are not.

Some U.S. officials began saying as far back as late 2014 that Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, was playing a dangerous game by engaging with and encouraging nationalist groups across Europe.

By 2018, Estonia's Foreign Intelligence Service and other Western intelligence agencies were also sounding the alarm.

"We have detected a network of politicians, journalists, diplomats, businesspeople who are actually Russian influence agents and who are doing what they are told to do," Mikk Marran, Estonia's spy chief, told an audience at Aspen Security Forum at the time.

Specifically, Estonia's intelligence agency warned that the Kremlin was perfecting its playbook across Europe, seeking out fringe political groups, both on the far-right and the far-left, and offering money, advice or business opportunities designed to help the groups and their candidates get a foothold.

"Politicians that have been in the margins of local politics some years ago are actually right now in national parliaments or national governments," Marran said at the time. "They have made some bad investments, but they have also made some very good investments."

Researchers say that Russia has expanded its outreach from Eastern Europe and the Baltics into Western Europe, Africa and beyond.

At the same time, Russia's options for funneling money and other aid to political groups and candidates also grew to include Russian expatriates and oligarchs, shell companies, foundations, think tanks, adoption agencies and charities.

"They're opportunistic," Josh Rudolph, a senior fellow for malign finance at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, an election security advocacy group, told VOA, arguing that covert political funding appears to be one of three legs  along with cyberattacks and social media influence campaigns  of Russia's election meddling strategy.

"They seem to do it when they think they have a shot, when it's a close election," he said.

And whether an individual effort on behalf of a particular party or candidate succeeds or fails may not matter.

"It is essentially impossible to measure precisely the impact," Rudolph said, echoing the sentiment of some U.S. officials. "The point is that they are trying and putting significant resources into it in closely contested elections."

That effort includes targeting the U.S.

A 2020 bipartisan report by the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee concluded Moscow used a complex web of operatives and active measures to ensnare members of former President Donald Trump's campaign, in some cases, leaving the incoming administration open to manipulation.

A report issued that same month by Rudolph and the Alliance for Securing Democracy concluded that, even then, the U.S. had become the most frequent target.

That report also found Russia was not alone, and that China and a handful of other countries had also begun copying the Russian tactics.

"You certainly see them in Taiwan and Hong Kong but then also in the developed democracies of Australia and New Zealand," Rudolph told VOA. "Increasingly, they've kind of dabbled with going further afield, whether it's the Czech Republic or Chad or Kenya, or in some limited cases, funding ads or media operations that influence the United States."

VOA has emailed the Chinese Embassy in Washington seeking comment.

And while the recipients of the covert funding may plead ignorance, researchers and U.S. officials believe most have at least some level of awareness.

"It is clear that the parties in question are interested in having that funding," the senior U.S. administration official said of those benefiting from Russian money. "Clearly, those parties believe their effectiveness will be enhanced the more funds they have."

Nike Ching contributed to this report.
Here's a look at what U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top diplomats have been doing this week:

US-Russia

The United States disclosed some findings by its intelligence community regarding Russias covert financing of foreign political parties and candidates. A senior administration official said Russia has covertly provided more than $300 million to political parties and candidates in dozens of countries since 2014. The State Department has issued a cable to 110 countries sharing the findings and will review steps countries can take to counter Russia's efforts.

Report: Democracies at Risk from Russian Money, Meddling

US-Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv on September 8 and announced $2.8 billion in additional U.S. military assistance for Ukraine and its 18 neighbors that are threatened by Russian aggression. Blinken conferred with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the war against Russia, now in its seventh month.

US Sending New Security Assistance to Ukraine, 18 Other European Countries

This week, Blinken said the continuing U.S. support for Ukraine has helped its counteroffensive against Russia.

Weve seen significant progress by the Ukrainians, said Blinken during a press conference in Mexico City on Monday.

The top U.S. diplomat also said Ukraines counteroffensive actions recently initiated in southern Ukraine and in the northeast around Kharkiv have been very methodically planned out.

US-Armenia=Azerbaijan

The United States conveyed deep concerns over the military actions along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border this week. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to cease hostilities, saying the U.S. would push for an immediate halt to fighting and a peace settlement between the two countries.

Philip Reeker, the State Departments senior adviser for Caucasus negotiations, has been in the region to facilitate a comprehensive peaceful settlement between the two long-time adversaries.

Armenia, Azerbaijan Trade Blame Over Fresh Fighting

US-Mexico

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday to repair relations between the two neighboring countries that have frayed over immigration and other issues. The State Department said Blinken and Lopez Obrador also discussed strengthening energy security and joint efforts to tackle the climate crisis through investments in electric vehicles, solar technologies and semiconductors.

US Secretary of State Discusses Migration, Economics in Meeting with Mexican President

US-Afghanistan

The United States said Wednesday that it was setting up a fund in Switzerland to manage $3.5 billion of Afghan reserves to be used to help stabilize Afghanistans economy. A board of trustees will manage the Afghan Fund. The State Department said the Taliban are not a part of the Afghan Fund. When asked when the funds would be dispersed to Afghan people, spokesperson Ned Price said "as soon as possible."

US Sets Up Swiss Fund for Afghan Reserves
Taiwans de facto ambassador in Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, on Tuesday hosted dozens of international lawmakers who back sanctions on China for aggression toward the island, a show of support for Taipei amid military pressure from Beijing.

The unannounced gathering of about 60 parliamentarians from Europe, Asia and Africa at Taiwans sweeping hilltop diplomatic mansion in Washington  called Twin Oaks  is the latest move in Taipeis efforts to persuade fellow democracies to stand against China since Russias invasion of Ukraine heightened concerns that Beijing could attempt to take the island by force.

The group, consisting of members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) gathering in Washington this week, is expected to sign a pledge to push their governments to adopt greater deterrence against military or other coercive actions by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) against Taiwan, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

We will campaign to ensure our governments signal to the PRC that military aggression towards Taiwan will cost Beijing dearly. Economic and political measures, including meaningful sanctions, should be considered to deter military escalation, and to ensure trade and other exchanges with Taiwan can continue unimpeded, the draft said.

It added that their countries ties to Taiwan were not Beijings to determine, and that they would push to increase mutual visits by lawmakers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to bring democratically governed Taiwan under Beijings control and has not ruled out the use of force. He is set to secure a third, five-year leadership term at a Communist Party congress next month. Taiwan's government strongly rejects Chinas sovereignty claims.

Sources familiar with the issue have told Reuters that Washington is considering sanctions against China to deter it from invading Taiwan, with the European Union coming under diplomatic pressure from Taipei to do the same.

Hsiao, speaking to the lawmakers  who according to a guest list seen by Reuters hailed from countries including the U.K., Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Lithuania, Ukraine, New Zealand and the Netherlands  told the gathering: It is important to demonstrate to the bully that we have friends too.

We are not seeking to provoke the bully, but neither will we bow to their pressure.

She welcomed two Ukrainian representatives at the event.

We certainly hope that as the international community stands with Ukraine, that the international community will also stand with Taiwan... that together we can deter the further aggression coming from China.

The IPAC pledge, expected to be signed on Wednesday, also calls for countries to secure supply chains from forced labor in Chinas Xinjiang region, and to pursue sanctions on Chinese officials for abuses in Hong Kong, and on Chinese companies that support Russias military industry.

Chinas embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Years past due

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Menendez, who acts as the United States IPAC co-chair with Republican Marco Rubio, told an IPAC briefing at the Capitol on Tuesday that a U.S. bill to support Taiwan would face some changes during a scheduled review this week, but that the thrust would remain the same.

An initial version of that bill threatens severe sanctions against China for any aggression against Taiwan, and would provide Taiwan with billions of dollars in foreign military financing in coming years.

Rubio said he believed the Biden administration was divided over how to approach prospective sanctions on China, and that although Beijing appeared to be taking steps to insulate itself from such actions, Washington needed be clear about the costs of hostility across the Taiwan Strait.

Its important for us to be prepared to proactively outline  whether its through legislation or through an executive announcement, exactly what the economic consequences will be if such an act of aggression goes forward, Rubio told the briefing.

China conducted blockade-style military drills around Taiwan after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island last month, a reaction Taiwanese officials have credited for spurring an uptick in foreign engagement that Beijing views as a violation of its sovereignty claims over the island.

Taiwan also has been urging Washington, its largest arms supplier, to expedite already approved weapons deliveries that have faced delays because of supply chain issues and heightened demand from the war in Ukraine.

Republican U.S. Representative Young Kim, who has written a bill to track U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, told Reuters in an interview that Hsiao had delivered a forceful message to Congress about ensuring those weapons systems reach Taiwan quickly.

Shes said it in a hundred different ways that we appreciate the United States trying to get us the arms but dont forget, its many years past due, Kim said of Hsiao. Shes very firm.
A group of 7th-grade boys tired of a creepy teacher overstepping the line and making gross suggestions and comments to the girls in their class. Receiving no help or feedback from the school administration that indicated anything would change, the young men started logging the teacher's creepy events on a discord channel.

That database of bad behavior has been turned over to the US attorney's Office, the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the state Department of Education, and the attorney for their local school district, who is now leading an internal investigation.

Boston Globe:

It made the boys uncomfortable to see the girls in their class struggling to deal with their teacher flirting with them. "Sometimes they'd laugh. Sometimes they just kind of just sit there awkwardly," the boy recalled. "Even the ones that said he was 'creepy' laughed, because they were obviously not trying to tick him off or anything. So they're just fake laughing, awkwardly laughing." "Other students noticed it too," the boy added. And so, on Jan. 5, 2021, a small group ofseventh-grade boys decidedto stick up for the girls. They set up a subchannel on Discord, named it after the teacher, and called it the "Pedo Database." "Post the [teacher's] pedo moments and quotes here so we can get evidence," one boy wrote.

Via Techdirt
Taliban security forces in Afghanistan have launched a large-scale clearance operation against insurgent forces in parts of the turbulent northern Panjshir province, killing dozens of them and capturing many more.

Chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told VOA Wednesday that the security action was carried out in three districts of the mountainous province to prevent rebels from threatening public security there.

The clearance operation in Rekha, Dara and Afshar of Panjshir killed 40 rebels, including four commanders, and captured more than 100 others, Mujahid said.

He said the operation was launched in response to subversive acts by insurgents earlier in the week. Mujahedeen (security forces) chased them into their mountain hideouts. The operation was concluded late last night and fighting has died down there.

Growing insurgency

Critics say the anti-rebel offensive indicates the Taliban are struggling to contain the National Resistance Front, or NRF, a growing insurgency in Panjshir and parts of neighboring Baghlan province since taking over the war-torn country a year ago.

The NRF, which is led by Ahmad Massoud  an ethnic Tajik leader  has in recent months regularly claimed guerrilla attacks against Taliban forces in Panjshir, one of the smallest Afghan provinces. It is located just north of the capital, Kabul.

Until this week, the Taliban have consistently denied reports of widespread fighting in the area and dismissed the NRF as an opposition force existing merely in social media, saying they are in control of all of Afghanistan.

Sibghatullah Ahmadi, an NRF spokesman, accused via Twitter the Taliban of executing eight insurgent fighters after capturing them. He went on to claim that the action was in retaliation for repeated fatal NRF guerrilla attacks against Taliban forces over the past few days.

VOA was unable to immediately verify the Taliban or NRF claims from independent sources.

The United Nations Assistance mission in Afghanistan urged the warring parties to respect detainees rights, saying it was monitoring the situation and called for perpetrators of any crimes to be brought to justice.



Gravely concerned by latest allegations of serious human rights violations in #Panjshir & elsewhere. Parties have clear international obligations, the U.N. Assistance Mission said on Twitter.

Last month, the Taliban appointed one of their senior military commanders, Abdul Qayum Zakir, to counter NRF activities, reportedly leading to the deployment of large number of security forces in and around Panjshir, with air assets supporting ground operations.

The Taliban regained power in August 2021 when the internationally recognized Afghan government security forces collapsed in the face of stunning nationwide attacks by the then-insurgent group and all international troops withdrew from the country.

Panjshir was at the center of resistance against the Taliban when they were previously ruling the country (from 1996 to 2001) before being ousted by a United States-led foreign military intervention in Afghanistan days after the September 11, 2001 al-Qaida-plotted terror strikes against America. The province also played a crucial role in the U.S.-backed and -funded Afghan armed resistance against Soviet occupation of the country in the 1980s.

Massoud is the son of anti-Taliban mujahedeen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, whom al-Qaida suicide bombers, posing as journalists, assassinated two days before the 9/11 attacks.

Critics are skeptical whether the NRF could pose a serious threat to the new Taliban rule. They say that unlike their previous stint in power, Taliban fighters are now better armed, possessing U.S. armored vehicles and other sophisticated military weapons left behind by the United States and NATO militaries.
Thailands Constitutional Court has set the date when it will rule on the status of suspended Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

The nations highest court announced Wednesday that it will deliver its ruling on September 30 on whether or not Prayuth can remain in office.

The former military chief seized power in a 2014 coup that overthrew the democratically elected government of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The opposition party has filed a legal challenge that Prayuth has exceeded the constitutionally-limited eight years in office.

But his supporters have argued that his tenure actually began in 2017 when Thailands new constitution took effect, or even as late as 2019 when parliament chose him to head a coalition government after parliamentary elections.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse.
As the civil war in Ethiopia rages on, the head of the main hospital in the Tigray regions capital says two airstrikes Wednesday morning have killed at least ten people.

The first airstrike hit Mekelle, the regional capital of Ethiopias Tigray region at around 7.30 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to Dr. Kibrom Gebreselassie, the director of the flagship Ayder hospital in the capital.

The Tigray regions leadership and doctors at the hospital say the Ethiopian government is using drones for the latest attacks. VOA could not independently verify these allegations.

The second occurred shortly afterward. According to Dr. Kibrom, the attacks hit a residential part of the city, attacking civilians.

In total, he said, ten deaths have been confirmed so far. Hospital officials said that other cases were being rushed to surgery both at Ayder and the nearby Mekelle General Hospital.

A surgeon at Ayder Hospital told the Reuters news agency that the second strike hit rescuers who were trying to help people injured by the first attack.

Wednesdays airstrikes are the latest of several to hit Mekelle since fighting resumed in Tigray in late August. The hostilities ended a truce declared by the federal government in March, which had allowed much-needed aid supplies to reach the northern region.

On Sunday, the Tigray regional leadership called for a cessation of hostilities and said they had set up a team of mediators ready to enter peace talks with the federal government, which has yet to respond to the statement.

Since then, heavy fighting has been reported along Tigrays northern, southern and western borders.
The United States is considering options for a sanctions package against China to deter it from invading Taiwan, with the European Union coming under diplomatic pressure from Taipei to do the same, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

The sources said the deliberations in Washington and Taipeis separate lobbying of EU envoys were both at an early stage  a response to fears of a Chinese invasion which have grown as military tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait.

In both cases, the idea is to take sanctions beyond measures already taken in the West to restrict some trade and investment with China in sensitive technologies like computer chips and telecoms equipment.

The sources did not provide any details of what is being considered but the notion of sanctions on the worlds second-largest economy and one of the global supply chains biggest links raises questions of feasibility.

The potential imposition of sanctions on China is a far more complex exercise than sanctions on Russia, given U.S. and allies extensive entanglement with the Chinese economy, said Nazak Nikakhtar, a former senior U.S. Commerce Department official.

China considers Taiwan its own

China claims Taiwan as its own territory and last month fired missiles over the island and sailed warships across their unofficial sea frontier after U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in what Beijing saw as a provocation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to bring democratically governed Taiwan under Beijings control and has not ruled out the use of force. He is set to secure a third, five-year leadership term at a Communist Party congress next month. Taiwans government strongly rejects Chinas sovereignty claims.

In Washington, officials are considering options for a possible package of sanctions against China to deter Xi from attempting to invade Taiwan, said a U.S. official and an official from a country in close coordination with Washington.

U.S. talks over sanctions began after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, but took on fresh urgency after the Chinese reaction to Pelosis visit, the two sources said.

The United States, backed by NATO allies, took a similar approach to Russia in January with a threat of unspecified sanctions but this failed to dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching his invasion of Ukraine.

The White House is focused on getting countries on the same page, including coordinating between Europe and Asia, and avoiding provoking Beijing, the non-U.S. official said.

Reuters was unable to learn details on what specific sanctions were under consideration, but some analysts suggested Chinas military could be the focus.

Big picture, initial sanctions conversations will likely revolve around curtailing Chinas access to certain technologies required to sustain a military operation against Taiwan, said Craig Singleton at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The White House declined to comment.

Taiwans Foreign Ministry said it had discussed Chinas recent war games and the great challenges China poses to Taiwan and the region with the United States, Europe and other like-minded partners, but could not disclose details.

Chinas Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Taiwans pitch to Europe

Taiwan had already broached sanctions with European officials after Russias invasion of Ukraine, but Chinas recent military exercises have seen Taiwans position harden, six sources briefed on the Taiwan-Europe discussions told Reuters.

Top Taiwanese officials calls for sanctions preparations have intensified in recent weeks. A recent Chinese white paper, which withdrew a promise not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if Beijing takes control of the island, has prompted a redoubling of their efforts with Europe.

Taiwan has not asked for anything specific, only for Europe to plan what actions it may take if China attacked, one source briefed on discussions said, and has asked Europe to warn China privately that it would face consequences.

EU officials have so far shied away from imposing tough sanctions on China over human rights issues, as the country plays a far bigger role for the blocs economy than Russia, said another person familiar with the matter.

European sanctions would require all 27 member countries to agree, which is often elusive; consensus was tough even in isolating Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, in part because its gas was critical for Germany.

All of Europe, excluding the Vatican, has formal diplomatic relations with Beijing but not Taipei, though Taiwanese and European officials have had extensive, private contacts since Chinas military exercises began, the sources say.

Germany, the blocs economic engine, is wary, according to another official familiar with the discussion. I dont think the Russia-Ukraine has fundamentally changed the way they view their relationship with China.

But there is growing concern in the German government over its economic dependence on China, with the economy minister pledging a new trade policy and no more naivety on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined to comment.
U.S. law enforcement officials announced on Tuesday that a crackdown on human trafficking groups near the U.S.-Mexico border has resulted in the disruption of a major smuggling network and the arrest of eight alleged human smugglers.

The takedown comes as the administration of President Joe Biden faces criticism from Republicans over an influx of undocumented migrants from Mexico and Central America pouring into the United States. Administration officials say combating human smuggling is part of their strategy to address irregular migration across the southern border.

Speaking at a press conference at the Justice Department, law enforcement officials said the network ran a prolific smuggling operation, trafficking hundreds, if not thousands, of undocumented migrants from Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia into the United States in recent years.

Sadly, this case is an example of what we see in our district too many times, especially in our border communities, said U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery of the Southern District of Texas.

The operation was part of Joint Task Force Alpha, a law enforcement initiative announced last year by Attorney General Merrick Garland to combat dangerous human smuggling groups operating in Mexico and Central America.

In a statement, Garland touted the successful takedown.

The charges announced today are just the latest example of these efforts success, he said. The Justice Department will continue to bring our full resources to bear to combat the human smuggling and trafficking groups that endanger our communities, abuse and exploit migrants, and threaten our national security.

The eight members of the network, which had been operating since 2018, were arrested in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Their leader was identified as 31-year-old Erminia Serrano Piedra, aka Boss Lady.

To date, Join Task Force Alpha has been responsible for the arrest of about 120 defendants, many of them leaders of human smuggling networks, and has obtained convictions against about 50, according to said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Departments Criminal Division.

Referring to the migrants as boxes or packages, the smugglers used a variety of methods to transport their customers, from hiding them in suitcases placed in pickup trucks to concealing them in empty water tankers, according to the indictment.

The methods used by the [smuggling network] to transport and move aliens placed the aliens in danger as they were frequently held in contained spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle safety methods, the indictment says.

The smugglers often kept the migrants at stash houses near the Mexican border before transporting them to other locations further into the interior of the United States, according to the indictment. Their price: up to $2,500 per migrant.

This human smuggling organization operated on an enormous scale, placing a high value on financial profit, while putting migrants lives at great risk, Polite said.
U.S. special envoy on climate John Kerry has pledged U.S. support to help Nigeria mitigate the effects of climate change, saying Africa's most populous nation would benefit from a $12 billion fund for climate action.

Kerry began a two-nation West Africa visit Monday in the Nigerian capital, where he met with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. In Abuja on Tuesday, Kerry met with top government officials including ministers of environment, petroleum resources and agriculture, and signed the Clean Energy Demand Initiative.

He said the agreement allows the U.S government to assist Nigeria in developing technologies for cleaner fuel sources, including gas, wind and solar energy.

"Nigeria is a very important, if not one of the most important, countries in terms of the direction of dealing with climate for all of Africa, because Nigeria is a major producer of gas and oil and how Nigeria approaches the climate crisis will send a message to the rest of the continent, will help set the direction of our dealing with the climate crisis," Kerry said.

But Abba Ali Yarima, co-founder of the Green Panthers Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for those affected by climate change, said the gesture was long overdue.

Africa is a continent of 55 countries, but its carbon emissions account for no more than 3.8 percent compared to the global north, Yarima said. "We believe there should be reparations by all these developed countries who have emitted more carbon gases than we did here in Africa. Even the $12 billion is quite small."

Nigerian authorities have been making efforts to address climate change issues.

In November of last year, authorities passed a climate change bill targeting net zero emissions by 2060. Last month, authorities launched an energy transition plan focused on greater use of solar power and doubling natural gas generation.

However, Yarima worries any funds given by the U.S. will be mismanaged or stolen.

"I'm also looking at other aspects of accountability when it comes to Nigeria," Yarima said. "We're still battling with corruption and how we're very good with policy papers but not very good when it comes to implementation. So I'm just scared with this huge amount of money, I suggest there should be a mechanism in place that will help checkmate how this money is going to be spent."

Kerry, a former U.S. secretary of state, said the world needs to cut carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030.

He will complete his visit in Senegal, where he'll be attending the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).


The United States has voiced alarm over restrictions on the media in Pakistan, citing the silencing of a television network supportive of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"We continue to be concerned by significant restrictions on media outlets and civil society in Pakistan," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Tuesday.

"We're concerned that media and content restrictions, as well as lack of accountability for attacks against journalists, undermine the exercise of freedom of expression ... and an informed citizenry," he said.

Price pointed to the example of ARY News, which was recently taken off the air, in response to a question from a journalist of the network.

The network is sympathetic to Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in April and replaced with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Authorities have also blocked online access to speeches by Khan, who is seeking to make a political comeback.

The United States is a historic ally of Pakistan, but the two nations have had a rocky relationship, especially over relations with Afghanistan's Taliban, with Khan in particular critical of U.S. military operations.

The United States in recent weeks has promised more than $50 million to Pakistan as it grapples with its worst-ever floods that have left one-third of the nation under water.

President Joe Biden's administration has also greenlighted a $450-million sale for Pakistan to refurbish its F-16s, a mainstay of its air force, despite the growing U.S. relationship with Pakistan's rival, India.
A sister of a teacher killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre and an FBI agent who responded to the shooting have both emotionally described what it has been like to be accused of being crisis actors by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and others
(The Center Square)  In anticipation of increased border encounters after the Title 42 health authority is lifted, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz instructed agents to release noncitizens into the U.S. because there would not be enough space to detain them, a memo obtained as part of Floridas lawsuit against the Biden administration uncovered.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said the memo is more devastating evidence that continues to be obtained about President Joe Bidens failed immigration policies.

In a recent deposition, Ortiz admitted the southern border is currently in a crisis. Despite that, in a May 19 memo he instructed CBP agents to release processed noncitizens in the vicinity of nongovernmental organizations and coordinate with NGOs in advance as to the specific locations where theyd be released, paying particular attention to the availability of services and transportation options.

Moody denounced the message contained in the memo.

The Biden administrations failed immigration policies are disastrous, Moody said. Expecting to be overrun, Bidens Border Patrol drafted a plan to hunker down and allow inadmissible immigrants to flood into the country. But for the efforts of our office and other responsibly-minded, public-safety oriented attorneys general, Title 42 would have been repealed and Biden would have released untold thousands of additional immigrants into the interior of our country  outrageous!

The memo continued:

If safe locations are not available to release illegal foreign nationals, instead of processing them for removal, Ortiz said CBP would engage with nearby cities and local governments to identify alternate safe locations for release.

They were also instructed to be released into the U.S. in a safe, humane and orderly manner, not late at night in an unpopulated area or in circumstances in which the individual would face a known safety risk.

The only thing stopping CBP from enacting the policy was an injunction put in place by a federal court halting the administration from ending Title 42 one day after the memo was issued. Title 42 is a Trump-era directive to return illegal immigrants to Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 20, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana enjoined the repeal of Title 42 in a case filed by 24 states, including Florida, issuing a nationwide injunction.

Floridas lawsuit was filed Feb. 1 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida Pensacola Division. It names the United States of America, Department of Homeland Security and its Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its commissioner, Chris Magnus, U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement, and its acting director, Tae Johnson, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and its director, Ur Jaddou, as defendants.

While some entering the U.S. illegally have legitimate asylum claims, the lawsuit alleges many do not. Some are gang members and drug traffickers exploiting the immigration crisis, as evidenced by the skyrocketing amount of fentanyl being seized at the border. All foreign nationals claiming asylum are required by law to be detained, Moody notes, pending a decision to determine if their claim is valid or not.

Congress has commanded the Executive Branch to detain arriving aliens until a final decision is made regarding removal regardless of how the individual enters the U.S. through a port of entry or in-between ports of entry, the lawsuit states. Even though Congress has spoken unambiguously, the Biden administration is willfully ignoring these requirements. It has released at least 366,000 illegal border crossers since taking office, as of February 2022.

Among those released into the U.S., DHS disclosed that the more than 48,000 who indicated that Florida was their primary destination failed to check in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to discovery documents in the case.

The federal government now has no idea of these individuals location or activity  even though most are legally inadmissible, Moody said.

The federal government was not only unlawfully releasing aliens but also frequently refusing to initiate immigration court proceedings as required by law, according to the brief. Taking the challenge policies together, the government is violating clear congressional commands tens of thousands of times per month, as of February 2022, it states.

Moody and 14 attorneys general have called on Mayorkas to resign, arguing he's failed to uphold his oath of office and secure the homeland from threats both foreign and domestic.

At an Aspen Security event in July, Mayorkas said the border is secure. We are working to make the border more secure. That has been a historic challenge."

In April, when testifying before the House Appropriations Committee, he said, "We inherited a broken and dismantled system that is already under strain  only Congress can fix this. Yet, we have effectively managed an unprecedented number of non-citizens seeking to enter the United States."

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who questioned Mayorkas, said, 1.2 million people are undetained, free, roaming about the country. Theyve gone before a judge. A judge has issued a final order of removal.

How many ICE agents do you need to deport them? he asked Mayorkas.

Congressman, I think what we need is legislation to fix the broken immigration system, he replied.

Prior to the hearing, Gaetz asked Mayorkas to provide data about removal proceedings, noting that, It would take 14.5 years to deport just the aliens DHS has released under the Biden Administration, when we have near 1.9 million aliens eligible for deportation currently.
Colleen Medvin feels like cancer screening saved her life.

Last year, after finding out a lung nodule had grown, her primary doctor referred her to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she had a low-dose CT scan that found she had lung cancer. A pre-surgery scan also delivered unfortunate news: She had breast cancer, too.

But there was good news: Both cancers were diagnosed early and could be handled through surgery.

"I cant believe how lucky I got," said Medvin, a wife, mother of three and secretary at Ken-Ton School District. "At first, I was like, 'Wow, why am I getting diagnosed with two cancers? Something's up, something's wrong. What did I do wrong?' But to be honest with you, I really got lucky."

Medvin joined Roswell Park officials in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, where the Buffalo institution and Florida-based Moffitt Cancer Center spoke to congressional staffers to highlight the importance of detecting lung cancer, in particular, as early as possible.

One of the goals: ensuring lung cancer screening is a major component in the Cancer Moonshot initiative, which the Biden administration reignited in February with an emphasis on diagnosing cancer sooner, preventing cancer and addressing the inequities that result in many communities not having the same access to screenings, diagnostics and treatment.

Buffalo Next/Health Care: How Cancer Moonshot 2.0 could benefit Roswell Park Call it Cancer Moonshot 2.0  at least that's how U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins referred to it. And it doesn't sound half bad to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Mary Reid, chief of cancer screening, survivorship and mentorship at Roswell Park, noted only 5.7% of those eligible for lung cancer screening actually get screened in the United States. Compare that with about half of eligible people who get screened for colorectal cancer. In addition, with breast cancer screening, Reid said about 80% of women across Roswell's coverage territory get a mammogram.

And the cost of those low lung cancer screening numbers are clear.

If every one of the 14.5 million people in this country eligible for lung cancer screening actually got scanned, 60,000 lives could be saved every year, Reid said.

"Increasing lung cancer screening means early detection, and it means less deaths," she said.

And it also comes with a big cost savings: If New York could get 70% of lung cancers diagnosed early, that would save $195 million annually in the state, with $100 million of that coming from Medicaid, Reid said.

'Cancer didn't stop during Covid': Roswell Park sees more patients; missed screenings lead to more advanced disease Roswell Park's patient volume in its last fiscal year exceeded its pre-pandemic totals two years ago. That, coupled with a full restoration of operating support from New York, led to a surplus.

Dr. Jhanelle Gray, chair of Moffitt's Department of Thoracic Oncology, broke that down on a monthly basis: Stage IV (the most severe) lung cancer costs $21,441 a month, while Stage I (the least severe) costs $7,239 a month.

Getting more people screened for lung cancer, Reid said, also boils to expanding access to residents living in underserved urban and rural settings. She outlined recommended changes in public policy, such as implementing a national education campaign, expanding Medicaid coverage with no copay, removing preauthorization requirements and developing quality measures.

Closer to home, Roswell Park also will soon launch its lung cancer mobile screening unit called EDDY, or Early Detection Driven to You, to bring screening into neighborhoods. That mobile unit, which resembles a tractor-trailer and received $4 million in state funding, will travel to Buffalo's East and West sides as well as Orleans County and the Southern Tier, Reid noted.

For Medvin, a former smoker, she hopes more people decide to get screened for lung cancer, which experts said Wednesday takes less than 1 minute with no preparation required.

After her surgery, Medvin said she went home the next day and was walking three days later. She now returns to Roswell every six months to have scans done and meet with her doctor.

"I think if I didn't have the CT scan and I would have been dealing with Stage IV lung cancer, I don't even know if I would be here right now," she said.
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FAIRBANKS alaska (94.8 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s : Felt like my house was having the top ripped off . U could almost see the ground outside running rup hill towards the house and then it felt like sumone hit the house with a car and then it feels like its been swinging bath and fforthsince then

North Pole / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Shaking fast Scared | 2 users found this interesting.

Fairbanks (80.6 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Sitting on sofa and felt tremor with rattling of window for approximately 10 seconds. | One user found this interesting.

Fairbanks (81.1 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s Monitor on desk was shaking, and could feel through feet and seat. | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Eielson Air Force Base, Fairbanks North Star, Alaska (88.5 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Inside hotel room shaking | One user found this interesting.

Fairbanks / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s At first I thought it was a strong gust of wind. But didn't see the trees bending. | One user found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Fairbanks, Alaska (83.6 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s

Fairbanks (86.8 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 15-20 s

At home in Aurora Subdivision in Fairbanks (90.3 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Weak to light shaking.

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1532 Goldridge Dr. Fairbanks, AK 99700 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : I was laying on my couch and I felt the couch shake and heard my desk rattle around.

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Ester alaska / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Weak shaking. Very short. Kinda light a big truck passing your house

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According to the information of the government administration, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, talked to the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan. According to the statement, Pashinyan informed Gharibashvili about another military escalation and the situation created between Azerbaijan and Armenia."The conversation was held at the initiative of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. Nikol Pashinyan informed Irakli Gharibashvili about the situation created as a result of another military escalation and confrontation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia.Irakli Gharibashvili expressed hope that the parties will return to the negotiation table and the situation will be resolved peacefully. The Prime Minister of Georgia once again confirmed the readiness of Georgia to carry out active mediation for de-escalation and peace in the region", the statement reads.After the clashes on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenia appealed to Moscow, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the United Nations for help.Intense fighting on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border started on September 13, around 00:05. Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of organizing large-scale sabotage and provocations and says that they started acting in response to all this.The general secretary of "Georgian Dream" and the Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, talked to journalists regarding the role of NGOs in politics:"Non-governmental organizations are involved in politics, we listen to political statements, and they are directly represented as a party. They are political parties," Kaladze said.According to him, the content of a non-governmental organization is absolutely different in relation to non-governmental organizations operating in Georgia."Not only should funding be transparent, but all their actions should be transparent. They should be apolitical and unfortunately for us, everything is going upside down. The attitude towards non-governmental organizations in society is their merit. You have seen all these years, in all the past periods, during the election process, after the election, what kind of agenda they have. Unfortunately, they are ordinary political parties. When your name is a non-governmental organization and you are involved in the falsification of PVT. It is very heavy in terms of being directly involved in a revolutionary scenario. This was one of the main and most important components that "Georgian Dream" exposed, and after the disclosure of the leaders of "Georgian Dream", this topic, which was very serious, was raised," said Kakha Kaladze.
Trina Burruss will be the next president and CEO of the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, after Michael Weiner retires at year's end.

Burruss joined the United Way as its chief operating officer last year. Weiner in June announced his retirement plans, after leading the nonprofit organization since 2009.

Having worked alongside Trina as part of the United Way board and seeing the influence she has had within the United Way organization in her time as COO, it is clear that Trina brings the experience, connections and perspective needed to drive United Ways work to build an equitable and resilient Erie County," said Rev. Rachelle Satchell Robinson, the United Way's board chair.

Prior to joining the United Way, Burruss had a lengthy career in banking, most recently with Northwest Bank. She also had roles with KeyBank, First Niagara Bank and HSBC. A Key official once referred to her as the "unofficial mayor" of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, because of her well-established presence as a branch manager there.

With Northwest, Burruss was instrumental in the bank's new branch on Jefferson Avenue, and its support for a financial education center down the street. As Northwest's community relationship officer, she built relationships with community organizations, small businesses and cultural groups.

Burruss also serves as board chair for the Foundry, vice president for First Shiloh Housing Corp., and treasurer and budget committee chair for First Shiloh Baptist Church. She also serves on the boards of Say Yes Buffalo, Buffalo Urban Development Corp. and Leadership Buffalo.

Weiner was appointed to the post in July 2009 and has had a 48-year career in health and human services in Western New York. Prior to the United Way, he was commissioner of the Erie County Department of Social Services from 2004 to 2009.

United Way said it had struggled with declining revenue for many years before Weiner came aboard in 2009. Under his leadership, the organization diversified its revenue mix and grew its endowment from $900,000 to $18 million. The organization also created community impact initiatives such as Work/Life Solutions, GO Buffalo Mom, American Apprenticeship Initiative, Community Baby Shower and the significant expansion of WNY Girls in Sports.
A 16-year-old girl arrested Tuesday inside Buffalo School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management was involved in a fight involving a group of girls before stabbing someone she knew three times, authorities said Wednesday.

The victim, a 17-year-old student, remained in Oishei Children's Hospital in serious condition with a partially collapsed lung and lacerations on her stomach and back.

The 16-year-old, whose name was not released by the District Attorney's Office due to her age, was charged with first-degree assault, a felony; and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor in her arraignment in front of Youth Part Judge Brenda M. Freedman.

The stabbing is the first reported violent incident at a Buffalo public school under the leadership of new superintendent Tonja M. Williams, who made increasing security measures and personnel a key part of her State of the Schools address in August after a stabbing and shooting incident at McKinley High School in February.

In Youth Part, assigned counsel Michael Cimasi pleaded not guilty for the 16-year-old, and the defendant was remanded until a felony hearing Sept. 19. Her only words in court were "yes, ma'am" when addressing the judge after hearing the charges. Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said late Wednesday that the suspect would be prosecuted in the Youth Part of Erie County Court rather than in Family Court, which gives the option for harsher sentences.

5 takeaways from Superintendent Tonja Williams' first State of the Schools address Superintendent Tonja Williams unveiled the tenets of her Strategic Plan for 2022-25, accompanied by the slogan "Equity For All In All That We Do."

Assistant District Attorney Denise A. Herman, citing official reports from the incident, told the judge that the defendant admitted to stabbing the victim with a steak knife she brought to the culinary arts school on West Huron Street. Referring to an official report, Herman said this was the defendant's account: "She punched me so I stabbed her in the back." A social worker intervened in the fight, Herman continued, and saw blood coming from the victim. A second steak knife was found in the defendant's possession, Herman said.

The fight occurred at 12:14 p.m. Tuesday in a restroom at the culinary arts school, Flynn said. He said the group of girls "mutually engaged in a fight" and that so far there was no evidence that the suspect intended to murder the victim. The case is expected to be presented to a grand jury, the DA's Office confirmed.

Cimasi said he had spoken with the 16-year-old about the case. In urging for either bail or release, the defense argued that the defendant had no criminal or juvenile delinquent histories.

Freedman called the incident a "travesty" and a "grave action" and sided with the prosecution to remand the defendant despite the defense urging bail or release. At the prosecution's request, the judge ordered the defendant to have no contact with the victim.

Flynn said that he did not yet know what the security measures were in place at the 9-12 school on the day of the stabbing nor what caused the fight. Two requests for more information from the district were not returned by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

"It's kind of sad that we have to have metal detectors or wand kids that come to school, but at the end of the day, if we got do it, we got to do it," Flynn said.

A fatal shooting. A 14-year-old suspect. $50,000 bail. And more questions about bail reform A Buffalo shooting case that saw a teen suspect released on bail this week has family and law enforcement officials wondering if changes in bail rules have gone too far.

Flynn on Wednesday applauded Freedman's decision to remand the suspect after he was critical of her choice to offer bail to one suspect in a fatal shooting of a 16-year-old from Niagara Falls last month in Buffalo. The DA referenced the February stabbing and shooting at McKinley High School, for which two suspects are being tried in Youth Part and not in Family Court.

"I am upset that a new school year has started with this violent incident," District Attorney John J. Flynn said in a statement. "I want the youth in our community to understand that there are serious consequences to engaging in any criminal behavior  especially inside of a school. This violent behavior will not be tolerated and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases in Youth Part. My thoughts and prayers are with the victim of this attack. I hope that she makes a full and swift recovery."

Correction: A previous version of this story wrongly attributed a quote to Mike Cimasi that assistant district attorney Denise Herman referenced from an official document. Here is Herman's quote, referring to the defendant's admission: "She punched me so I stabbed her in the back."
The American University of Rome (AUR) just welcomed the largest and most diverse incoming class in AURs history, according to President Scott Sprenger.

The university also reports a 20% year-on-year increase, boosting overall enrollments to a historical high.

When asked about the attraction of AUR within the higher education marketplace, Sprenger described the unique opportunities that the university provides using Rome and environs as its classroom, the excellent and growing reputation of the AUR faculty, and its beautiful campus situated in a peaceful locale on the Gianicolo overlooking Rome.

Sprenger also pointed to another frequently reported feature of the AUR experience: That of intense discovery and self-discovery that comes with living abroad in a context of a globally diverse student body.

Students report that they seek to be pushed out of their comfort zones, broaden their horizons, and explore socially-engaging academic and career interests that provide a sense of purpose.

Alongside students from across the world, AUR welcomes Italian students, who now comprise almost 20% of the full-time student body.

While Italian students have obviously not left their home country to study at AUR, the university campus is like stepping into another world because of its American-accredited curriculum, the native-level English spoken, and the close attention and mentorship that students receive from faculty and staff.

With over fifty nationalities represented, Italian students equally experience the excitement of discovery by living, learning, and interacting within AURs diverse, multicultural community.

For those interested in discovering more about the benefits of an American education, both here in Rome and in the States, AUR is hosting an American Education Open Day on the 6th of October from its campus in Monteverde.

Joining AUR onsite will be representatives from Education USA, Fulbright Italy, John Cabot University, Temple University, and St. Johns University. Further information and registration can be found at https://aur.edu/openday
A Chautauqua County judge wants to hear more from prosecutors about why they believe they should be allowed to shield the identities of witnesses from the New Jersey man accused of trying to kill author Salman Rushdie until shortly before his trial.

The judge also wants more information about why he should grant prosecutors more time to turn over evidence to Hadi Matar's defense team.

District Attorney Jason Schmidt told Judge David W. Foley on Wednesday his office has "specific information" that Matar poses a potential threat to all witnesses in the case, and, once the identifying and contact information of witnesses is shared with his attorneys, they should be barred from allowing Matar to see it until a week before the start of a trial.

Schmidt did not say what the evidence is.

Matar, 24, of Fairview, N.J., is accused of attacking Rushdie with a knife Aug. 12 near the start of an event at Chautauqua Institution. Rushdie suffered multiple stab wounds to the stomach and chest, as well as wounds to his eye, hand and thigh, authorities have said.

Iranian leaders put a $3 million bounty on Rushdie's head after the publication of his 1988 book, "The Satanic Verses," which depicted the prophet Muhammad in ways the hardline leaders found offensive.

In an interview with the New York Post after his arrest, Matar praised Iran's ayatollah and said he was surprised Rushdie survived the attack.

During arguments in court Wednesday, Schmidt referenced the "fatwa in effect on Mr. Rushdie's life" when asked about what potential threat witnesses face.

He was referencing the religious decree issued by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for Rushdie's death.

Foley scheduled a hearing for Friday morning on the District Attorney's Office's request for a protective order, which would require defense attorneys to keep information about witnesses from their client until the judge says it can be shared.

Chautauqua County Public Defender Nathaniel L. Barone II said he has received no information from prosecutors about how Matar poses any threat to witnesses.

"For the government to make the jump that there's this fatwa that's going to put witnesses in danger, I think that's complete speculation," Barone said.

Friday's hearing should happen in a courtroom closed to the public and without defense attorneys present, because of the nature of the information to be discussed, the district attorney said. Whether or not that happens won't be decided until Friday morning, Foley told attorneys.

Prosecutors have also asked Foley to give them until mid-November to turn over to the defense all evidence in the case.

State law regarding discovery, which was changed two years ago to speed up how soon defense attorneys receive evidence, requires prosecution to turn over everything within 20 days of a defendant's arraignment. Matar, who remains held without bail, was arraigned Aug. 18.

In some situations, prosecutors are allowed to take another 30 days without the need for approval from a judge, Schmidt said. That 30-day stay is in effect, Schmidt said, and he wants another 40 days beyond that.

Schmidt has called the amount of investigative material turned over by state police, the lead investigatory agency, "exceptionally voluminous," pegging it at some 30,000 digital files taking up 112 megabytes of digital memory.

His office needs more time to go through the material and to determine how much of it is required to be turned over, Schmidt told the judge.

Among the digital files prosecutors have are photos, videos, information extracted from a cellphone, Microsoft Word and Excel files and "Google search materials," Schmidt said.

Chautauqua County DA requests more time to review files in Rushdie stabbing case The Chautauqua County District Attorney said Wednesday that the prosecution needs more time to review more than 30,000 files produced by state police in its ongoing investigation of the Aug. 12 attack on novelist Salman Rushdie.

There are about 5,500 video clips provided by Chautauqua Institution, he said.

So far, the district attorney said, the defense has received two pieces of video  video from the immediate aftermath of the incident and brief statements made by Matar to police captured on their body-worn cameras.

"We're in an exceptional situation," Schmidt told the judge.

Foley asked Schmidt about the other evidence that doesn't involve witness identities. Schmidt said his office wants to go through all the material to make sure nothing they turn over may identify witnesses.

Prosecutors plan to declare themselves ready for trial, as required, within 90 days of Matar's arraignment, Schmidt said.

Barone argued that prosecutors' request for a protective order doesn't preclude them from providing materials now that wouldn't be covered by that order.

"It's hard for me to believe that they don't have information available to them or in their possession that they could easily turn over to us right now," Barone said.
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The long march of religious liberty exemptions is gaining speed. The people who brought you contraceptive care exemptions and Covid rule and vaccine exemptions have now moved on to insurance for anti-HIV drugs. Last week, a federal district court held that a Christian employer is entitled to an exemption from the requirement that all insurance plans must cover pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) drugs that prevent the spread of HIV.

Superficially, the courts decision, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), seems to resemble the exemption from the Affordable Care Acts mandatory contraceptive coverage that the Supreme Court granted in the 2014 Hobby Lobby case. But on a deeper level, the new decision goes much further than the Hobby Lobby decision.

If upheld by the appellate court and the Supreme Court, the Texas ruling would exempt an employer who refused to provide any health-care coverage of any kind on the ground that medical insurance encourages people to rely on medical science, not religious faith, in planning their lives.

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To see how important this case is, you have to go back to 2014. In the Hobby Lobby case, the Christian employer claimed its religious liberty was burdened by providing insurance for contraception. And Hobby Lobby explained that it considered contraception religiously wrong.

In contrast, in the new case, Braidwood Management Inc. made a much less direct argument. It claimed its religious exercise was substantially burdened because providing PreP drugs encourage homosexual behavior, prostitution, sexual promiscuity and intravenous drug use.

In other words, Braidwood did not say that it was inherently religiously wrong to use the medicine, the way Hobby Lobby said it was wrong to use contraception. It said, rather, that providing insurance for it would encourage behavior they believe violates the Bible. The district court accepted that extraordinarily broad assertion.

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The upshot is that, under the new ruling, anyone who wants to avoid almost any provision of federal law would be able to say that obeying the law would enable behavior that his religion disfavors.

The Department of Health and Human Services seems to have understood the enormous implications of Braidwoods broad assertion of a right to exemption. In response, HHS argued that Braidwoods claim was based on an empirical assertion, namely that these medicines facilitate gay and extramarital sex. Consequently, HHS reasoned, Braidwood should have to prove its fact-based claim about the world, not simply assert it without providing any evidence.

The court sharply rejected HHSs position. Defendants [HHS] inappropriately contest the correctness of Braidwoods beliefs, the court wrote, when courts may test only the sincerity of those beliefs. [Emphasis original.] In other words, it doesnt matter if the assertion is true; all that matters is that Braidwood believes it. Under this logic, once Braidwood, or anyone else seeking an exemption on religious grounds, asserts its sincere belief that something (anything!) burdens its religious belief, thats the end of the story. The courts must accept whatever the party says.

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In support, the court cited a concurring opinion by Justice Samuel Alito in the 2020 case involving the Little Sisters of the Poor. In that case, the nuns objected on religious liberty grounds to the exemption from providing contraceptive insurance that HHS had already provided. Alito wrote that if an employer has a sincere religious belief that compliance with the [law] makes it complicit in conduct it rejects, then RFRA requires that the belief be honored. The courts majority opinion in the Little Sisters case, by Justice Clarence Thomas, did not address the issue of whether the nuns claim was too indirect.

Its understandable that courts dont want to question the logic of peoples asserted religious beliefs. After all, for many people, religion is a matter of faith; and many forms of faith are and are meant to be outside of rational logic. As Ive said before, interrogating people under oath about their religious beliefs feels too much like the Inquisition.

Seen from this perspective, courts should always defer to every sincere assertion of religious belief, no matter how much it may depend on factual claims about the real world that are unsubstantiated or even false. And although the law technically requires considering the sincerity of the objectors belief, in practice, courts almost invariably defer to their sincerity as well.

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The long-run consequences of accepting all asserted religious liberty claims, however attenuated their logic, is that there is no logical stopping place for what valid religious liberty claims can be made for religious exemptions from federal law. If you can state your objection in a sentence  maybe even if you cant because its too mystical  then the law does not apply to you.

Indeed, its easy to imagine an employer saying that it should be exempt from providing any medical coverage of any kind under the Affordable Care Act because it believes having medical insurance facilitates people relying on science rather than divine faith when it comes to their health. This would be an easy claim for any denomination that denies the validity of Western medicine, as Christian Science once clearly did.

But recall that, under RFRA, anyone can make any religious claim. If you want an exemption, you dont need to say that medical coverage is useless. Under the new decision, all you have to say is that providing health care coverage for your employees will make them less likely to rely on God. Boom: Youve saved thousands or maybe millions of dollars in health care costs.

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This result cannot be what Congress intended when it enacted RFRA. Exemptions so no one will have to personally violate their own religious beliefs are one thing. Exemptions dreamt up to drive a broader set of social-religious objectives are another. The appellate courts and, ultimately, the Supreme Court are going to have to set some limits to RFRA exemptions eventually. The Braidwood case would be a good place to start.

More From Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 Right-Wing Parties Are Selling Out Across Europe, Too: Pankaj Mishra

 The Midterms Are Now Even Harder to Predict: Jonathan Bernstein

 Hints of Russias Future in South Africas Sanctions Past: Clara Ferreira Marques

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Noah Feldman is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A professor of law at Harvard University, he is author, most recently, of The Broken Constitution: Lincoln, Slavery and the Refounding of America.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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Poland will demand reparations for World War II from Germany, the ruling party in Warsaw announced the other day. A parliamentary commission has pegged the amount at 1.3 trillion euros, which is about the same in dollars and equivalent to between two and three annual budgets of the German federal government. Oh dear.

As eager as postwar Germany has been to atone for its Nazi past, theres no chance that Berlin will pay any of this sum, as the Poles are well aware. But thats not what this is about. Instead, the gesture by Polands hard-right Law and Justice party (PiS) speaks volumes about other afflictions ailing the European Union.

To wit: Theres the rise of populism and nationalism in several member states, which will be on particularly vivid display in PiSs campaign for next years election. Then theres the contentious and ambiguous role of Germany within the EU, a bloc it probably should, but either cant or wont lead. And theres the way all the resulting tensions keep frustrating the EUs raison detre  the internal reconciliation that would allow its nations to jointly confront external threats such as an autocratic Russia.

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***

Theres no point in arguing about the number, 1.3 trillion. A true amount  tallied in human suffering as well as material damage  would be uncountable multiples higher.

And thats where the problems start, as viewed from Berlin  or indeed from any other world capital that once ordered or oversaw atrocities committed in its name somewhere. Once you start compensating the descendants of some victims, where and when do you stop?

Berlins official reply to all reparations demands  Greece is another country that keeps asking  is frustratingly legalistic. After World War II, West Germany paid nominal indemnities to Israel, Yugoslavia and other nations. East Germany indemnified its communist big brother, the Soviet Union, which was in turn supposed to allot part of the sums to its communist little brother, Poland.

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During the Cold War, the Germans therefore deemed other peoples war claims either settled or still pending a final arrangement with the Allied Powers. That closure came in 1990, with the Two Plus Four Treaty among the two Germanies and the Soviet Union, US, UK and France.

Since then, the Germans have maintained  as Chancellor Olaf Scholz again told the Poles last week  that the books are closed. As the Greeks joke: Before reunification, the Germans said it was too early to negotiate; afterwards, they said it was too late.

***

But to get bogged down in such hairsplitting, the Germans like to point out, is to miss the whole spirit of European integration. Its supposed to be a peace project, an idealistic leap of reconciliation, as embodied in the mutual embrace of Germany and France  enemies-turned-friends, with aspirations to become family.

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Poland, like the other member states formerly behind the Iron Curtain, entered the EU late and had different motivations for joining. It was in a hurry to escape Russias orbit and enter the Wests. But rather than submerge its identity into a new European one, it also wanted to catch up on its own nation-building, after centuries during which it was partitioned, moved, invaded and tormented by people speaking either German or Russian  and sometimes, as in 1939, by both.

Simultaneously, the whole EU has for years been debating the latest iteration of the old German question. This is the recurring problem that Germany, smack in the middle of Europe, is either too weak (as in the 17th or early 19th centuries) or too strong (in the late 19th and early 20th) to allow balance in the continental states system. Todays version might be that Germany is too small to lead but too big to follow.

The EU, whose founding institutions were designed in the ashes of a German war of aggression, was built to prevent any member nation, and specifically Germany, from ever again dominating the others. At the same time, the club  with 27 members and more in the queue  is fragmented and dysfunctional enough to need leadership, a role for which its largest country is the obvious candidate.

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***

In Germany, this conundrum led to a long hegemony debate. Most Germans, still traumatized by the Nazi past, reject the role of leader  it doesnt help that the word translates to Fuehrer. They often quote the writer Thomas Mann, who feared a German Europe while yearning for a European Germany. During the euro, refugee and other crises, however, Germans also realized that the EU only functions when Germany takes the initiative.

Other Europeans have been just as torn. They loathe being lectured by Germans  on how to save money, in Athens or Madrid; on how to uphold the rule of law, in Warsaw or Budapest; on anything, in Paris or Rome. In Brussels, Germans often come across as humorless and hypocritical, the worst combination. One of the first countries, along with France, to break the EUs vaunted fiscal rules  originally drafted by the Germans  was Germany itself, in 2005.

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But most Europeans also understand the need to reconcile with Germany and to implicitly accede to its leadership. I will probably be the first Polish foreign minister in history to say so, quipped Radoslaw Sikorski in 2011, when he was Warsaws chief diplomat, but here it is: I fear German power less than I am beginning to fear German inactivity. Yet he added: Provided you include us in decision-making, Poland will support you.

***

Since Sikorskis remark, things have mostly deteriorated. In 2015, Poland followed the example of Hungary and elected populist nationalists whove been in power since. Step by step, PiS has compromised judicial independence, press freedoms and the rights of LGBTQ citizens, while ranting against Brussels and Polands historical enemies, the Germans over here and the Russians over there.

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Previous PiS campaigns have featured bogeys such as Muslim migrants, queer and trans folk, Brussels technocrats and others allegedly bent on corrupting authentic Polish-Catholic mores. To win next years election, PiS has decided to roll out the ugly German again.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the partys leader, talks of German-Russian plans to rule over Europe and of the EU becoming a Fourth German Reich. He slanders his opposition as wanting to make Poland an appendage of Germany. As though directly rebutting Sikorski in 2011, the current Polish foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau, recently said that the EU needs not German leadership, but German self-restraint.

The Germans, for their part, have  largely out of parochial absent-mindedness  lived down to stereotype. Ignoring Sikorskis plea, they have not included the Poles  or Balts or others  in their decision-making.

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The worst instance of their neglect was Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline built  after Russias first attacks on Ukraine in 2014, no less  under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany. Running right next to Nord Stream 1, this link was supposed to supply cheap Russian hydrocarbons to help Germanys energy transition. The Germans were also convinced that doing more business with Russian President Vladimir Putin would keep him meek.

By contrast, the Poles and other eastern Europeans (including the Ukrainians), recognized both Nord Stream pipelines as geopolitical schemes by Putin to make the connectors running through their own countries irrelevant, so he could blackmail or starve them at will. Worse, the whole project looked like yet another separate Russo-German deal over their heads, the sort history has taught them to fear.

This year, as Putin weaponized Russias energy exports, the world found out who was right (the Poles) and wrong (the Germans) in that argument. Im not aware of any German politician whos explicitly apologized to Warsaw, Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius or Kyiv for the pipelines  or for all the Kremlin coddling that went with them.

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These eastern capitals  whose countries once made up what the historian Timothy Snyder calls the bloodlands between Hitler and Stalin  are now on the front line against Putins assault on Ukraine and decency. The four within the EU and NATO are leading the Western alliance in calling out Putins lies and modeling the courage to resist.

Berlin, for its part, has merely fallen in line behind its eastern EU partners. Its resolve came late and often appears wobbly. Leadership  by Germany as a country or Scholz as a chancellor  looks different.

***

There are two tragedies in this story. The first is that Kaczynski, PiS, and their populist ilk in other countries are playing with fire. Theyre besmirching European ideals of reconciliation and wrecking dreams of strength in unity. Instead of asking for reparations for what Hitler did in World War II  that is, instead of stoking resentment  they should be linking arms with all their European friends to defeat Putin.

The second tragedy is that the Germans are no wiser. Thomas Mann is probably turning in his grave. Europe is not German, and nobody wants that. Nor, however, is Germany any closer to being genuinely European.

Germany will never again be the threat to Europe it once was  these days, Russia plays that part. But thats hardly a high standard. Not only the Poles, but all Europeans would be forgiven for feeling that they cant live with the Germans, but cant live without them either.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andreas Kluth is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering European politics. A former editor in chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist, he is author of Hannibal and Me.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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Just in time for the start of the new school year, Americas public-education system has received a damning report card. The latest results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveal historically large drops in math and reading scores for US public-school students. The findings are an indictment of school closures that went on for far too long, pushed by teachers unions and some of their political allies. They also show why recovering the ground students have lost is a national emergency.

The NAEP compared the performance of 9-year-olds who took the assessment in 2022 with data from early 2020, before the start of pandemic school closures. In two years, the average reading score fell by five points, the largest drop since 1990. In math, scores dropped seven points, the first decline of any kind in the 50-year history of the test. Based on these results, the pandemic wiped out 20 years of student gains in both subjects.

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A closer look at the data reveals even greater reasons for alarm. Although White students performed five points worse in math than in 2020, scores fell by eight points among Latinos and by 13 for Black students. The gap between the best and worst scores also widened. The decline in math scores among the bottom 10% of students was quadruple that of those in the top 10%; in reading, the losses for low performers were five times as large. Put simply, the pandemic did the most harm to the children who could least afford it.

None of this should be surprising. A study published in May found that poor students in districts that remained remote in 20202021 suffered twice as much academic erosion as their peers in richer schools. Among those evaluated in the 2022 NAEP, 70% said they learned remotely during at least part of the previous year; students who performed poorly reported having far less access to computers and broadband internet. Worse, barely one-quarter of academically struggling students had a teacher available to help with schoolwork every day or almost every day.

Blame for these dismal results lies mostly with poorly designed and implemented remote instruction programs that stretched on far too long  and long after vaccines became available  largely because leaders of public-school teachers unions wrongly insisted that requiring teachers to return to work endangered their safety. It didnt help that many progressive politicians sided with unions over the well-being of students. Public-health officials, meanwhile, provided confusing and conflicted guidance about keeping schools open  despite low rates of severe illness among children and evidence that the risks of in-school transmission were minimal.

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So what to do now?

While most  though not all  public-school students have returned to the classroom, the scale of learning loss revealed by the NAEP calls for deeper and more aggressive interventions. President Joe Biden can be doing far more to call public attention to the crisis and mobilize all levels of government to address it, including accelerating efforts to recruit and train tutors focused on highly vulnerable students. Its also imperative that all students spend more time in class to help make up the lost ground, which is why earlier this year, I launched an initiative to support summer learning for thousands of public charter school students in New York City. School districts should use federal relief funds to increase instructional time, lengthen the academic year, expand summer-school slots, and launch more Saturday academies  preferably all of the above.

Schools should provide bonuses for teachers willing to work during the summer and on weekends. Establishing policies that evaluate and reward principals and teachers based on how much they improve student achievement  as districts such as Dallas and Washington, D.C., have done  is also essential. The Biden administration also needs to encourage more innovation in the public-school system by funding high-quality public charter schools, which would especially benefit Black, Latino and low-income students and their families.

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Needless to say, all this wont come cheap. Yet much of the more than $100 billion in Covid aid provided to school districts remains unspent. The US has the resources to help students recover from the pandemic. What it needs is the will.

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, and chair of the Defense Innovation Board.

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BALTIMORE  Gil Brenner pushed open the door of a vacant East Baltimore home and stepped into the darkness, past the feathery remains of a dead bird inside a dank living room with mud-strewn carpet and rotted wall paneling. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The company where Brenner works, GNR Group, paid $43,000 for this home in Elwood Park, he said.

This is actually pretty good. Its even better than pretty good. Its great, Brenner said before stepping on a soft spot and feeling the floor bend under his weight. Whoa.

GNR Group, a Philadelphia-based firm, appears to be the most aggressive home buyer in Baltimore since 2019, according to an analysis of state data by the Baltimore Sun.

Brenner, CEO of the firms property management wing, is proud of that. The company has been buying and renovating hundreds of vacant homes in the citys poorer neighborhoods. The plan is to lease them to low-income Baltimoreans who get vouchers from the government to cover most of the rent.

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To Brenner and GNR Group, the math is simple. There is a surplus of residents with housing choice vouchers who need good homes, there are investors who want consistent returns on their money, and there are thousands of empty rowhouses in Baltimore.

Housing advocates, however, say this approach runs counter to the intent of the voucher program by pushing the poorest residents into unstable neighborhoods with few social services or amenities.

Brenner frames it as an opportunity to transform neighborhoods and address the crisis of vacant buildings in Baltimore, where the official count of vacant houses hovers around 15,000  though many developers say the actual number is higher.

The rotting homes are magnets for crime, and Baltimores vacant homes catch fire at twice the national rate. Three firefighters were killed in January when a burning, vacant home collapsed.

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Democratic Mayor Brandon Scott created a task force after the fire to recommend possible solutions.

Meanwhile, investors like GNR Group kept buying.

Asked about GNR Group and other investors buying and renovating vacants in Baltimore, Scott responded with a statement.

We want vacant properties brought back into productive use and put back onto the tax rolls, rather than just held by absent owners and becoming eyesores, he said.

Del. Marlon Amprey, a West Baltimore Democrat, represents several neighborhoods where GNR Group invests. He introduced a bill earlier this year to mandate a 90-day pause on any home purchase by large investors in Maryland to give individual home buyers and small firms a chance to make competing offers. The legislation died in committee.

The idea was to create more balance in a housing market where investors can easily out-price the average home buyer, said Amprey, who plans to introduce a similar bill in 2023.

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I am not against investors. I want people to invest in Maryland. I want people to invest in Baltimore. We need more people investing and companies coming to our city, Amprey said. But at the same time, weve got to make sure that the pathway to homeownership is available for every Marylander.

As city and state officials discuss the best path forward, GNR Group isnt slowing down.

Since 2019, Brenner said GNR Group has bought 350 vacant homes in Baltimore and has renovated about 140 of them. The plan is to eventually manage 1,000 rental homes in the city, he said.

Youll see where weve already renovated. We have tenants; the street looks better, Brenner said. Were helping here.

Brenner said one of the few speed bumps hes encountered came from the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, which administers the federal housing choice vouchers of city residents. Brenner said the housing authority has occasionally blocked some renovated homes from being rented to people using vouchers because one or more homes on that block were vacant.

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A spokesperson for the housing authority acknowledged that the agency has excluded some of the homes owned by GNR Group from the housing choice voucher program.

How do you want to remove those vacancies or occupy this block if you dont allow me to put a tenant [there]? Brenner said. If you look from a higher level at this, you would say, We as a city, were not allowing these companies  these private equity owners  to bring in their funds, their money from outside the city into the city and help improve the city, to help improve the streets and improve the blocks.

There are tens of thousands of low-income people who probably meet the eligibility requirements for housing vouchers in Baltimore, where one-fifth of residents live below the poverty line. But the number of available vouchers depends almost entirely on limited funding from the federal government.

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The housing authority stopped taking applications for the program more than five years ago because it hasnt had enough money to help everyone who is eligible. Spokesperson Ingrid Antonio said there are 17,690 Baltimore households participating, with an additional 1,710 approved voucher holders actively searching for homes.

Antonio said GNR Group has 113 properties in the housing choice voucher program.

She said the housing authority is looking for new landlords in neighborhoods with more amenities to participate in the program.

The Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership, a nonprofit organization, has worked with GNR Group to place some voucher holders in homes owned by the firm.

We absolutely support the investment in some of Baltimores historically neglected areas, said Adria Crutchfield, the partnerships CEO.

But Crutchfield said the nonprofit generally tries to avoid placing residents in the low-income neighborhoods that GNR Group is targeting.

Those communities need much more than just the housing to come back online to be vibrant communities, Crutchfield said. Sure, fix up the housing. Then fix up everything else that needs to be fixed up.

 Baltimore Sun

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NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan  Pope Francis told the Russian Orthodox hierarchy and other faith leaders Wednesday that religion must never be used to justify the evil of war, and asked at an outdoor Mass in Kazakhstan, How many deaths will it take? for peace to prevail in Ukraine. We're following changes at the palace after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Get the Post Elizabeth newsletter for updates. ArrowRight An increasingly frail Francis made the appeal during his first full day in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, where he opened a global interfaith conference and ministered to the tiny Catholic community in the majority Muslim country.

In the conference audience of imams, patriarchs, rabbis and muftis was Metropolitan Anthony, in charge of foreign relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has firmly backed Russias invasion of Ukraine. His boss, Patriarch Kirill, was supposed to have participated in the congress but canceled last month.

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Kirill has supported Russias invasion on spiritual and ideological grounds, calling it a metaphysical battle with the West. He has blessed Russian soldiers going into war and invoked the idea that Russians and Ukrainians are one people.

Francis didnt mention Russia or Ukraine in his remarks to the Kazakh conference. But he insisted that faith leaders themselves must take the lead in promoting a culture of peace, since it would be hypocritical to expect that non-believers would promote peace if religious leaders dont.

If the creator, to whom we have devoted our lives, is the author of human life, how can we who call ourselves believers consent to the destruction of that life? he asked. Mindful of the wrongs and errors of the past, let us unite our efforts to ensure that the Almighty will never again be held hostage to the human thirst for power.

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Francis then laid down a challenge to all those in the room to commit themselves to resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation, not with arms.

May we never justify violence. May we never allow the sacred to be exploited by the profane. The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred!

He made the appeal more explicit in an afternoon outdoor Mass for Kazakhstans tiny Catholic community, in which he asked for prayers for beloved Ukraine.

How many deaths will it still take before conflict yields to dialogue for the good of people, nations and all humanity? he asked. The one solution is peace and the only way to arrive at peace is through dialogue.

Kirill sent a message to the congress read aloud by Anthony. In it, the Russian patriarch didnt refer to the war but in general to problems over the past two decades caused by attempts to build a world without relying on moral values.

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The Russian patriarch has blasted the Wests secular mentality and claimed the seeds of the Ukraine conflict were sown by foreign threats to Russias borders. He has depicted the conflict as a struggle against a foreign liberal establishment purportedly demanding countries hold gay parades as the price of admission to a world of excess consumption and freedom.

These attempts have led not only to the loss of the concept of justice in international relations, but also to brutal confrontation, military conflicts, the spread of terrorism and extremism in different parts of the world, Kirill said in his message.

Suggesting he felt Russia was the victim of a smear campaign, he denounced the spread of misinformation and the distortion of historical facts and manipulation of mass consciousness to spread messages of hatred towards entire peoples, cultures and religions.

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In addition to the Russian Orthodox delegation, the religious leaders included Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning in Cairo, who warmly greeted Francis with a kiss on the cheek when the pope arrived in a wheelchair.

Al-Tayeb used his speech to the conference to complain that traditional religions had been replaced by a culture of lust and gay marriage. This is not acceptable, not even for animals and beasts, let alone for people with pure hearts and sound minds, he said.

The Right Rev. Jo Bailey Wells, the Anglican bishop of Dorking and one of only a half dozen women heading delegations, lamented that women represent half the worlds population but are hardly represented in religious leadership.

My expectation is it will be a challenge to those present to empower women in the family context and in public society, she told reporters.

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Before Kirill bowed out, there had been speculation that Francis could meet with Kirill on the sidelines of the congress. The two met for the first time in 2016 in Cuba  the first-ever meeting of a pope and Russian patriarch  and spoke by videoconference in the early weeks of the war.

Francis afterward publicly criticized Kirills justification of Russias invasion and warned that he mustnt become Putins altar boy.

Speaking to reporters after he met with Francis, Anthony said Francis altar boy comment didnt go over well in Moscow. It wasnt expected and clearly its not useful for the unity of Christians, he said. It was a surprise. But we know we have to move on.

He said a Kirill-Francis meeting is still possible, but insisted it had to be well-prepared ahead of time and must produce a concrete joint statement, as was issued after the Havana meeting.

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In addition to the meeting with Anthony, Francis also was meeting with al-Tayeb, the head of Russias religious council of Muslims and other Orthodox, Jewish, Lutheran and Muslim leaders.

Another visitor in Kazakhstan on Wednesday was apparently not on Francis agenda. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Nur-Sultan on his first state visit outside China since early in the coronavirus pandemic. Vatican and Kazakh officials said they didnt expect Xi would meet with the pope during his brief visit to a key economic and political ally in the region.

___

Paolo Santalucia contributed reporting to this story.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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JERUSALEM  Palestinian gunmen opened fire on Israeli troops near a military checkpoint in the occupied West Bank Wednesday, killing an Israeli army officer, Israels military said. Palestinian officials said that troops killed the two gunmen. We're following changes at the palace after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Get the Post Elizabeth newsletter for updates. ArrowRight The overnight incident was the latest in a string of deadly clashes in recent months in the northern West Bank, where Israeli troops conduct nightly raids. Most of that fighting, including Wednesdays, has taken place near the city of Jenin, which is known as a bastion of Palestinian militants.

The military said soldiers spotted the two militants approaching Israels separation barrier in the northern West Bank and that it dispatched forces to the area. It said the two suspects began shooting automatic weapons at troops, who returned fire.

The Israeli army said that Maj. Bar Falah, 30, was killed in the shootout.

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The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the Israeli army was holding the bodies of the two men. It identified them as Ahmad Abed, 23, and Abd al-Rahman Abed, 22, both from a village near Jenin.

The Israeli military confirmed that Ahmad Abed was a member of the Palestinian Authority security services, which coordinate with Israel in an uneasy alliance against their common foe, the Hamas militant group.

Late Wednesday, Israeli authorities said they were temporarily closing a pair of crossings into Israel, including the checkpoint where the shooting took place. They said they were also suspending Israeli entry and work permits for all residents of the attackers hometown.

Hamas praised the attack, hailing the two gunmen as heroic martyrs.

In a phone briefing with reporters, Barbara Leaf, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, said the security conditions in the West Bank concern us greatly.

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She said the U.S. was working to maintain and strengthen security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. She said that during a recent swing through the region, she also discussed ways to improve the Palestinian economy, saying this would also improve the security situation.

Israel has been carrying out nightly arrest raids in West Bank cities, towns and villages since a spate of attacks against Israelis in the spring killed 19 people.

Israeli fire has killed scores of Palestinians during that time, making it the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2016.

The Israeli military says the vast majority of those killed were militants or stone-throwers who endangered the soldiers. But several civilians have also been killed during Israels monthslong operation, including a veteran journalist and a lawyer who apparently drove unwittingly into a battle zone. Local youths who took to the streets in response to the invasion of their neighborhoods have also been killed.

Israel says the arrest raids are meant to dismantle militant networks. The Palestinians say the operations are aimed at maintaining Israels 55-year military occupation of territories they want for an independent state.

Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war and the Palestinians seek those territories for a future state.

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IZIUM, Ukraine  Hand on heart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched his countrys flag rise Wednesday above the recaptured city of Izium, making a rare foray outside the capital that highlights Moscows embarrassing retreat from a Ukrainian counteroffensive. We're following changes at the palace after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Get the Post Elizabeth newsletter for updates. ArrowRight Russian forces left the war-scarred city last week as Kyivs soldiers pressed a stunning advance that has reclaimed large swaths of territory in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region.

As Zelenskyy looked on and sang the national anthem, the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the burned-out city hall. After almost six months under Russian occupation, Izium was left largely devastated, with apartment buildings blackened by fire and pockmarked by artillery strikes.

A gaping hole and piles of rubble stood where one building had collapsed.

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The view is very shocking, but it is not shocking for me, Zelenskyy told journalists, because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories  the same destroyed buildings, killed people.

Bucha is a small city on Kyivs outskirts from which Russian troops withdrew in March. In the aftermath, Ukrainian authorities discovered the bodies of hundreds of civilians dumped in streets, yards and mass graves. Many bore signs of torture.

Prosecutors said they so far have found six bodies with traces of torture in recently retaken Kharkiv region villages. The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said bodies were found in Hrakove and Zaliznyche, villages around 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Kharkiv city.

We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did. ... Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, listing places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities.

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Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas Russia previously held, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted international demands to press war crimes charges against Russian officials.

As he was returning from the front early Thursday, a passenger car collided with Zelenskyys vehicle in a motorcade in Kyiv, but he wasnt seriously hurt, his spokesman said on Facebook. Spokesman Sergii Nikiforov said the driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskyys medical team and was taken by ambulance. Medics examined the president, who suffered no serious injuries in the accident, Nikiforov wrote. He did not specify what injuries Zelenskyy, 44, might have suffered.

Moscows recent rout in northeastern Ukraine was its largest military defeat since Russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv area months ago. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along a road.

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As Zelenskyy visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, de-mined retaken ground and investigated possible war crimes. He said that life comes back as Ukrainian soldiers return to previously occupied villages.

The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian soldiers were preparing to retake the area, which borders the Kharkiv region and was has been mostly under Russian control since July. Intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued, he said.

Haidai told The Associated Press that Ukrainian troops were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk.

But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the (Ukrainian) flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

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A Russia-allied separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult.

In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago.

The counteroffensive has left more weapons in Ukrainian hands.

Russian forces likely left behind dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east, a Ukrainian think tank said Wednesday. The Center for Defense Strategies said one Russian unit fleeing the Izium area left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles. Another unit left 47 tanks and 27 armored vehicles, it said.

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The center said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces ruin equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it. However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently forced them to abandon untouched ammunition and weapons.

With the recent Ukrainian gains, a new front line has emerged along the Oskil River, which largely traces the Kharkiv regions eastern edge, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday.

Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose, the institute said.

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In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing more casualties in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said.

The Nikopol area, across a river from the shutdown Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, with no injuries immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Fighting also raged in the eastern Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, an industrial area that Moscow set out to capture following an unsuccessful attempt to invade Kyiv.

Russian troops are targeting critical infrastructure. Eight cruise missiles aimed at water equipment hit Zelenskyys hometown of Kryvyi Rih, a city on the Inhulets River 150 kms (93 miles) southwest of Dnipro, the deputy head of the presidents office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, reported on his Telegram channel. Zelenskyy said the strikes appeared to be an attempt to flood the city and that a dam on a reservoir was hit. Video posted online showed elevated water levels on the Inhulets and flooded city streets, and evacuations of residents were suggested.

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U.S. President Joe Biden observed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have made significant progress in recent days but added, I think its going to be a long haul.

While criticism of the invasion seems to be increasing in Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that the realization has grown over there by now that this was a mistake to start this war.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he had spoken with Putin about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraines Black Sea ports to address a famine threat. The U.N. chief said at a news conference in New York that high prices for fertilizer have reduced the planting of crops, making it critical to increase Russian exports of ammonia  a key fertilizer ingredient  by shipping it through Black Sea ports now used to transport grain from Ukraine.

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Western military and economic support has allowed Ukraine to keep fighting since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and the Ukrainian government received more assistance Wednesday.

An international group of creditors, including the U.S., finalized a deal to suspend Ukraines debt service through the end of 2023, helping the country ease liquidity pressures and increase social, health and economic spending.

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Arhirova reported from Kyiv. Associated Press journalist Jon Gambrell in Kyiv contributed.

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Follow AP war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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A 16-year-old girl is in custody and a 17-year-old girl is in serious condition in Oishei Children's Hospital following a stabbing Tuesday inside School 355 Buffalo School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Buffalo police said.

Police said the 16-year-old girl is alleged to have stabbed the 17-year-old multiple times during an altercation about noon in the school at 75 W. Huron St.

Police were investigating where the knife came from, but said they expected dismissal from school would take place as scheduled.

Buffalo Public Schools spokesman Ka'Ron Barnes said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that the district was aware of the incident, which he termed "unfortunate and isolated," and that Buffalo Police Department school resource officers were contacted immediately as the school was put into "shelter-in-place" mode. He said Buffalo Public Schools staff implemented "all appropriate protocols."

"The Buffalo Public School District takes any violent offenses occurring on school grounds very seriously, and will follow the Code of Conduct with disciplinary measures," Barnes said.

New BPS Superintendent Tonja M. Williams emphasized school safety as one of the central points of her three-year Strategic Plan in her State of the Schools event Aug. 26. She said in the address that she knew the security guard who was shot in an incident in McKinley High School in February, which gave it an even more personal effect.

Lawsuit alleges negligence by Buffalo Public Schools, former superintendent in McKinley attack A lawsuit alleges Buffalo Public Schools and former Superintendent Kriner Cash either knew or should have known that there was potential for violence before a McKinley High student was stabbed and beaten and a security guard was shot Feb. 9.

Along with the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the shooting and stabbing at McKinley prompted a greater range of security measures for this school year, including wanding every BPS high school student upon entry, adding 15 people to the school security team and creating a new School Safety Department.

In the McKinley incident, Buffalo Public Schools and former BPS superintendent Kriner Cash have been sued by a victim's mother for failing to prevent the violence. Attorney John Elmore's suit argues that the violent act occurred even though the district and Cash knew or should have known it could happen due to threats made earlier in the day and reports from the Buffalo Teachers Federation about more than 40 violent incidents at McKinley leading up to February.

Buffalo's latest downtown tenant: new culinary school Buffalos long-time culinary high school has been so popular with students that the school district decided a few years ago to open a second one. That dream came to full realization Thursday when the new home for the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management was unveiled downtown. The new school  which first opened in temporary space inside

The Buffalo School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management includes grades 9 to 12 and opened March 5, 2020, in the former C. W. Miller Livery Stable. It's located around the corner from Emerson School of Hospitality, its sister school on West Chippewa Street. About 900 students attend the two schools, The News reported previously.
Singapore: Australian economist Sean Turnell is expected to be told the outcome of his secret trial in Myanmar within the next month, with friends admitting the best result now is for him to be taken to the airport afterwards and deported.

The Sydney academic, an adviser to overthrown civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and expert on Myanmars economy, has been locked up in Yangon and the capital Naypyidaw since being detained five days after Myanmars military seized power in a coup in February 2021.

Sean Turnell with Aung San Suu Kyi before the military coup.

He was eventually put on trial last month over alleged violations of the countrys colonial-era official secrets act, pleading not guilty with co-defendants Suu Kyi and three ministers from her ousted government.

The quintets lawyers have been barred from speaking to the media, which has been unable to access the closed-door trial, but reports out of Myanmar indicate final arguments will be made next week and verdicts will be reached in early October.
New Zealand is seeking the extradition of a woman from South Korea over the murder of two children whose bodies were found in abandoned suitcases last month.

New Zealand police announced on Thursday that a 42-year-old woman had been arrested on a Korean warrant issued on request from Auckland.

NZ Police have applied to have her extradited back to New Zealand to face the charges and have requested she remain in custody whilst awaiting the completion of the extradition process, Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said.

To have someone in custody overseas within such a short period of time has all been down to the assistance of the Korean authorities and the co-ordination by our NZ Police Interpol staff.
Washington: Russia has covertly spent more than $US300 million ($445 million) since 2014 to try to influence politicians and other officials in more than two dozen countries, the State Department alleges in a newly released cable.

The cable, signed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and released on Tuesday, cites a new intelligence assessment of Russias global covert efforts to support policies and parties sympathetic to Moscow. The cable does not name specific Russian targets but says the US is providing classified information to select individual countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Credit:AP

Its the latest effort by the Biden administration to declassify intelligence about Moscows military and political aims, dating back to ultimately correct assessments that Russia would launch a new war against Ukraine. Many of President Joe Bidens top national security officials have extensive experience countering Moscow and served in government when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched wide-ranging campaigns to influence the 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections.

A senior administration official declined to say how much money Russia is believed to have spent in Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelensky and his top deputies have long accused Putin of meddling in domestic politics. The official noted allegations of Russian influence in recent elections in Albania, Bosnia and Montenegro, all once part of the former Soviet Union.
Demolition of the Great Northern grain elevator will likely begin Thursday, unless state Supreme Court Justice Emilio Colaiacovo allows a preservation organization to appeal his July 5 decision allowing the demolition.

"We expect tomorrow to be the start" of demolition in a process expected to take up to eight months, said Catherine Amdur, the Buffalo commissioner of permit and inspection services. "This is a challenging dismantlement. We anticipate there will be changes along the way, but this is their initial plan reviewed by an engineer."

Meanwhile, attorneys Richard Lippes and Richard Berger, representing the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture, which has waged a 10-month fight in the courts, are racing against the clock in another bid to halt the demolition.

"We are certainly hopeful we can stop the demolition or get to the appellate court, one or the other," Lippes said.

Preservationists and others steeped in Buffalo's heritage are passionate about saving the Great Northern, a rare 1897 brick-box-style grain elevator with steel bins.

When the hulking structure opened as the world's largest grain elevator, President William McKinley occupied the White House and airplane pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright were still six years from taking flight. Supporters say demolishing the Great Northern will be one of Buffalo's most significant architectural losses in decades.

Amdur said Archer Daniels Midland, the property owner, will use a 165-foot excavator with a lobster claw to take down more of the brick-clad north wall where a Dec. 11 windstorm tore a large hole in the structure. That damage prompted James Comerford, then-commissioner of permit and inspection services, to allow an emergency demolition six days later.

Comerford said he concluded after an evaluation that the damaged building posed a danger to the public and needed to come down. His decision allowed ADM to move forward with demolition that it had sought on three previous occasions since taking ownership of the vacant structure in 1993.

Amdur, who has since replaced Comerford, supported her predecessor's decision to issue an emergency demolition. She said she has no misgivings with the decision despite the property still being intact 10 months later.

"It's not the popular thing to do, but it's the right thing to do, and I still stand behind his decision," Amdur said. "Above all else, we have to keep the public safe."

The Campaign for Greater Buffalo has contended the brick cladding that covers the steel bins is no more than a brick curtain wall and should be repaired. Everything else in the structure, the preservations group says, is supported by the steel frame.

Colaiacovo rejected the Campaign for Greater Buffalo's request for a temporary restraining order on Jan. 5, but he had to hear the case again after the appellate court ruled the preservation organization was denied the opportunity to present an expert witness.

Colaiacovo reached the same conclusion on July 5, but in the two months since, he has not dismissed the case, preventing an appeal to the appellate division.

ADM in recent weeks has removed a guard shack, parking structure and metal canopy on Ganson Street, but the company has been waiting on specialty demolition equipment to arrive from Florida. That equipment began arriving this past weekend.

"Their current plan is to start at the north end and remove the remaining bricks and tanks, and then work continuously toward the south side of the building," Amdur said.

Amdur said city personnel will be on site daily to monitor the demolition.

She cautioned against people coming to Ganson Street out of curiosity to watch the demolition due to safety concerns, preferring they stay away.

Amdur defended Mayor Byron Brown from criticism that he could intervene to stop the demolition but hasn't. She said the City Charter prevents him from retracting a condemnation of a building or demolition order, saying that power only resides with the commissioner of permit and inspection services.

Tim Tielman, the Campaign for Greater Buffalo's executive director, disagrees, saying nothing in the City Charter prevents the mayor from intervening.

Tyler Miller, a manager of the Wonder Coffeehouse across the street, was surprised and saddened to learn the wrecking ball could in a matter of hours take aim at the Great Northern.

"I think it's a beautiful building, and it will be sad to see it go," Miller said on Wednesday by a window that looks out on the brick structure. "People in Buffalo seem to love that old grungy, industrial setting, and its loss will definitely take away from that."
When cash is seized from airport passengers, federal prosecutors will offer reasons why it was probably drug money and should be forfeited forever.

Among the most common: A drug-sniffing dog found traces of narcotics on the currency. Most of the money was in the small bills commonly used in street dealing. People who carry large sums of cash might be drug dealers.

A federal judge in Buffalo recently rejected all of the above in one such case and dismissed the federal governments claim to $16,037.

Unless the U.S. Attorneys Office appeals the ruling, the money will be returned to the estate of a Rochester man forced to surrender his cash at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport in 2019.

U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo said prosecutors failed to tie the passenger to any criminal activity, let alone narcotics trafficking. He then accused the authorities of relying on racial stereotypes when they seized the bills from the late Nazier L. McFadden, who was 19 at the time and had no criminal record.

Think twice before heading to the airport with that huge wad of cash In Buffalo, according to internal reports obtained by The Buffalo News, airport police and federal agents seized more than $860,000 over four years. Police say the money seized from travelers  often with the aid of drug-sniffing dogs  has been used to buy weapons, vehicles, Narcan and to finance many other law enforcement purposes.

Why did law enforcement jump to the conclusion that the money came from drugs? the judge wrote as he summed up his order. Would the outcome have been different if a 19-year-old white man had attempted to travel with $16,037 in his billfold? Would that man even have been questioned?

Police and prosecutors have called the civil seizures of suspected drug money  without proving the owner committed a crime  valuable to their work to disrupt drug trafficking. Some Buffalo air passengers whose money has been seized over the years turned up later in drug investigations or were already being probed.

Still, Vilardos ruling was welcomed in some quarters as a rare rebuke in a forfeiture case.

Paul Avelar is with the libertarian-leaning Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm headquartered in Virginia that has taken aim at profit-based policing and keeps an eye on forfeiture cases.

Avelar called Vilardos ruling unusual because the judge deemed the usual justifications for keeping seized money insufficient.

The institute in 2020 initiated a class-action lawsuit on behalf of a railroad retiree who distrusted banks and kept his retirement nest egg of about $82,000 in cash. Federal agents seized the money when his daughter tried to fly with it from Pittsburgh home to Boston, where she intended to set up a bank account for paying her father's bills. The lawsuit is ongoing.

It is just nice to see courts hold the government to what its burden is supposed to be, Avelar said.

Local lawyer Steven M. Cohen says he has seen forfeiture cases in which, to him, the government abused its authority.

This decision breathes life back into a constitution that has been all but forgotten by much of the federal bench, Cohen said after The Buffalo News asked him to read the McFadden ruling. Judge Vilardo reminds the government that it has the burden of proof in establishing that property is linked to a crime before it is subject to forfeiture.

"For this judge, the governments burden of showing a likelihood of criminality is not met simply because a man with no criminal record, who has a large amount of cash, is Black.

Rosalyn McFadden, Nazier McFaddens mother, said she intends to donate some of the money to people in need through the foundation she set up in her sons name after he and a friend were killed by gunfire in Rochester in August 2020. The murders have not been solved.

Legal to fly with cash

Its legal to travel within the country with any amount of money. But large sums of cash are seized at airports nationwide on the suspicion that it somehow stems from drug trafficking.

In Buffalo, the Niagara Frontier Transit Police and federal agents seized more than $860,000 over four years, The Buffalo News revealed in July 2020 after analyzing police reports and court cases. The money, usually involving $10,000 or more, was spotted during the mandatory inspection of luggage, purses and bags done to make air travel safer, not because authorities have probable cause to believe a crime is underway.

Through a process called civil forfeiture, federal prosecutors need not prove the passenger committed a crime in order to keep the money. In nearly all cases reviewed by The News, Buffalo passengers were sent on their way, without their cash. It is then up to the passenger to claim the money, often in a civil proceeding in which the government must link the cash to narcotics trafficking by a preponderance of the evidence, the lowest standard of proof.

If the passenger loses outright, the government keeps the money, with the police agency that seized it collecting 80%. Sometimes, prosecutors and passengers negotiate the return of at least some of the cash.

A now-retired prosecutor who handled those cases for years in Western New York, Richard D. Kaufman, told The News in 2020 that civil forfeiture has helped the government interrupt shipments of drug proceeds and the movement of money to buy drugs.

He also acknowledged the expense of fighting the government. Lawyers, Kaufman said, sometimes advise passengers to settle rather than spend thousands in legal fees to get all their cash back.

In the McFadden case, Syracuse lawyer George F. Hildebrandt took the matter on contingency, meaning he will keep roughly a third of whats recovered as his fee.

Im not someone who typically takes forfeiture cases, Hildebrandt said, but this one really bothered me.

If the U.S. Attorneys Office in Western New York does not appeal the ruling  its spokeswoman refused to comment  Hildebrandt said he might seek to have the government cover his fee.

Cash in carry-on bag

The $16,037 was spotted in McFaddens carry-on bag in March 2019, and he was soon questioned by NFTA police.

Vilardo acknowledged the officers had reason to be suspicious.

McFadden explained he was carrying the money to California, where he intended to relocate. But he had arrived at the airport with only one bag and bought his ticket minutes before he was to board. He smelled of marijuana and admitted to smoking it on occasion.

McFadden told officers that most of the money was the life savings he had earned working at Wegmans and working construction jobs off the books for a relative's company. He later said about $5,000 of the $16,037 was given to him by a friend to carry to another friend out in California.

To seize the money, the police and the FBI, which was called in, relied on McFadden's shifting answers, the fact a police dog confirmed the scent of drugs on his cash, and that it was mostly in $20 bills  a denomination more commonly used in street-level drug sales, their papers said.

None of that, however, proved a connection to drug trafficking, Hildebrandt responded in his papers. The case was delayed after McFaddens death and resumed when his mother was named administrator of the estate.

The decision

In a 20-page opinion signed in late August, Vilardo dismissed the federal prosecutors contentions:

 On the preponderance of $20 bills: An individual might have many 20-dollar bills for a variety of reasons," Vilardo wrote, "including, for instance, that he was paid in cash for a low-wage, off-the-books job, as McFadden claimed he was.

 On the dog smelling illegal narcotics: Detectable amounts of cocaine contaminate as much as 90% of U.S. paper currency, Vilardo said, citing appeals decisions. McFaddens cash might have smelled of marijuana, the judge noted, because he had recently smoked it.

He wrote: The governments argument leads to the implausible  and troubling  conclusion that anyone who recently has used marijuana could have ones cash seized as the suspected profits of narcotics trafficking.

 On the fact McFadden didnt use a bank: The assumption underlying the inference of criminality is that the only  or at least the most likely  reason an individual would not use a bank to store money is that the money is derived from criminal activity. That assumption wholly ignores the fact that a significant number of Americans are unbanked, meaning that no one in their household has a checking or savings account.

Vilardo chided the authorities for suspecting McFadden could not have amassed the money by working for it. How else, the government implicitly asks, could a young Black man come by so much cash if not through selling drugs? Certainly, the government implies, not through hard  albeit off the books  labor.

"Stated plainly, the court will not license the governments weaponization of racialized tropes.
The last time Vice President Kamala Harris was in Buffalo, she was here to mourn the loss of Ruth Whitfield, one of the 10 people killed in the May 14 massacre at Tops.

Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff, attended the funeral on May 28 at Mount Olive Baptist Church.

Ruth Whitfield was the mother of former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield who has since become an outspoken advocate for the victims of the attack in national forums.

Harris was not slated to speak at the funeral but addressed the mourners at the urging of the Rev. Al Sharpton, who was delivering the eulogy.

"This is a moment that requires all good people are loving people just say we will not stand for this. Enough is enough," Harris said. "We will come together based on what we all know we have in common and we will not let those people who are motivated by hate separate us or make us feel fear. So I'm here to say that we are all in this together. No one should ever be made to fight alone. We are stronger than those who try to hurt us."

During that visit, Harris and Emhoff visited the Tops site, leaving a bouquet of white flowers at a memorial on Jefferson Avenue and paused to pray. They also met privately with the Whitfield family before the services.
If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here.

PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS

- The Cadillac Pub opens where Klingers used to be at 24 E. Main Street in Fleetwood

- II-VI Inc. (pronounced "two-six") will become Coherent Corp., taking on the name of a company it recently acquired.

- ABEC, a company that provides services and products to the pharmaceutical industry, with headquarters in Northampton County, will invest in a new disposable-container facility in North Carolina.

- A new Lehigh Valley Martial Arts center will hold a grand opening starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, with a ribbon-cutting shortly afterward.

- Bethlehem Township's planning commission has approved an Amazon parking lot with 248 spaces at Brodhead and Mowrer roads.

- The Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board rejected variance requests that would have allowed multifamily homes to go up on the Southside properties at 508-512 Selfridge St.

- Northampton County Council voted 1-8 against a tax break for development of a proposed warehouse at the Dixie Cup building on South 25 Street in Wilson Borough.

- The former Valley Farm Market, now known as Gerrity's Valley Farm Market, will take on a new name as of Oct. 14: Gerrity's The Fresh Grocer.

- Hamsa Exoticz is already open at the Lehigh Valley Mall, but it will hold a grand opening at 5 p.m. Sept. 16 with the Whitehall Chamber of Commerce.

- A new Home Depot will open a 136,048-square-foot building on about 21 acres of vacant land just off Hamilton Boulevard in Lower Macungie Township.

- Rocco Ayvazov's Monocacy General Contracting received approval from the Bethlehem Planning Commission to put up a six-story building with 55 apartments and retail space on the first floor at 128 E. Third St.

- The old Allen Organ showroom building on Route 100 in Lower Macungie Township will come down and about 100 total apartment units will go up.

- Reading Hospitality's Catering by DoubleTree will handle food at events at Reading Country Club, after Exeter Township supervisors approved a new agreement.

- Natural healing is the goal at Reike Balance, which will open Sept. 9. on Reading Avenue in West Reading.

- The Pocono Chamber of Commerce held a grand opening at the Bartonsville branch of Farmhouse Cafe.

- The reopening date for the historic Frenchtown Inn building overlooking the Delaware River in New Jersey remains unclear.

- River Paws, a pet-supply store, is across Race Street from the Frenchtown Pharmacy.

- The planned reopening date of Aug. 13 for Toby's Cup was pushed back after ownership said a dispute about the occupancy of a home on the hot dog stand's property delayed the reopening.
Today

Hazy sunshine with some areas of high-altitude smoke from those western wildfires hanging around for one more day. Warmer and still comfortable.

Tonight

Mostly clear.

Tomorrow

Mostly sunny and even warmer.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)  Police in Tennessee have revised the number of people killed in a man's shooting rampage from four to three after a different suspect was identified in the slaying of a teenager during the tense ordeal in Memphis.

In a Facebook post, Memphis police said the killing of a 17-year-old girl, Corteria McKinnie, was not part of the series of shootings last Wednesday that terrorized the city and led to a shelter-in-place order.

The teen was shot as police frantically hunted the man who posted some of his actions on social media. Police said Ezekiel Kelly, 19, carjacked two motorists and drove around Memphis and north Mississippi, opening fire on people.

Kelly has been charged with first-degree murder in one of the shootings. More charges are pending, authorities said. Kelly's next court appearance in scheduled for Friday. The court-appointed public defender has not returned calls seeking comment in his case.

At a news conference early Thursday  just after Kelly was arrested  Memphis Police Director Cerelyn "CJ" Davis provided a timeline that included four people killed and three others wounded.

In a Facebook post made after-hours Friday, police said the shooting of McKinnie in south Memphis was not carried out by Kelly but by a different suspect. Police said McKinnie reported the shooting at a fire station, but she was shot in her car at a separate location by a man wearing all black.

McKinnie died at a hospital.

During the initial investigation, it was believed she was a victim of the mass shooter, police said in the Facebook post. Further investigation revealed that another individual was responsible for the shooting.

It was not immediately known if police had made an arrest in McKinnie's killing. Memphis police spokeswoman Karen Rudolph confirmed Tuesday that the number of shooting deaths from the rampage now stands at three.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A year after the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration said Wednesday it will transfer $3.5 billion in frozen Afghan central bank funds to benefit the Afghan people, as hunger grips every province there.

Funds will be dispersed after trustees of the new Afghan Fund meet to determine a timetable. The trustees are two Afghan economists, a U.S. government representative and a Swiss government representative.

Notably, the Taliban government will not have access to the fund, which will be held at the Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland. The bank in a news release said its role is limited to providing banking services to and executing the instructions of the Board of Trustees of the Fund without involvement in the Funds governance or decision making.

In the interim, Afghanistan's central bank, which in February had $7 billion in frozen funds, must demonstrate that it has the expertise, capacity, and independence to responsibly perform the duties of a central bank, the U.S. Treasury and State departments said in a joint statement. Robust safeguards have been put in place to prevent the funds from being used for illicit activity."

International funding to Afghanistan was suspended and billions of dollars of the countrys assets abroad, mostly in the United States, were frozen after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021 following the U.S. military's withdrawal.

The World Bank says income and economic output in Afghanistan have dropped between 20% and 30%, imports have declined by roughly 40%, and 70% of Afghan households report they are unable to fully meet basic food or non-food needs.

In February, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that called for banks to provide $3.5 billion of the frozen money to a trust fund for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs.

The other $3.5 billion will stay in the U.S. to finance payments from lawsuits by U.S. victims of terrorism that are still working their way through the courts, prompted by claims brought by family members of people killed on Sept 11, 2001.

The Afghan Fund will help mitigate the economic challenges facing Afghanistan while protecting and preserving $3.5 billion in reserves from Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), Afghanistans central bank, for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan, Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.

He said the Talibans repression and economic mismanagement had exacerbated longstanding economic challenges for Afghanistan that had made the return of the funds untenable.

In a Tuesday letter to Afghanistans central bank, Adeyemo said until conditions for the central bank are met, their control of assets would place them at unacceptable risk and jeopardize them as a source of support for the Afghan people.

Shah Mehrabi, a Montgomery College economics professor, is one of the trustees of the new fund. He told The Associated Press that the money should be used primarily to maintain price stability in the country, rather than for humanitarian purposes.

I think the purpose of board, as a member, is to address the liquidity and price stability issues in the country expeditiously, prior to a harsh winter, he said. There are ways we can provide relief so that Afghans are able to have food and energy and to perform their basic daily duties.

Human Rights Watch said in August that Afghanistans humanitarian crisis cannot be effectively addressed unless the U.S. and other governments ease restrictions on the countrys banking sector to allow economic activity and humanitarian aid.

Nearly half the Afghan population  18.9 million people  is estimated to be acutely food insecure between June and November 2022, the World Food Programme said. All 34 provinces in the country are facing some level of crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the people of Afghanistan are facing humanitarian and economic crises born of decades of conflict, severe drought, COVID-19, and endemic corruption.

Today, the United States and its partners take an important, concrete step forward in ensuring that additional resources can be brought to bear to reduce suffering and improve economic stability for the people of Afghanistan while continuing to hold the Taliban accountable, Sherman said.
HALIFAX TWP., Pa.  A handful of fire companies in Berks County are among more than 100 across Pennsylvania being awarded state funding to fight wildfires.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced Tuesday that 122 volunteer fire companies in the state's rural areas will share in $762,414 in grants to pay for training and equipment directly related to fighting brush and forest fires.

Officials made the announcement at the Halifax Fire Department in Dauphin County, north of Harrisburg.

Those in Berks receiving grants are the Community Fire Company of Virginville ($5,739), the Fleetwood Volunteer Fire Company ($4,290), the Topton Volunteer Fire Company ($12,313), the Union Fire Company No. 1 of Hamburg ($12,500), and the Greenfields Fire Company in Bern Township ($7,750).

"It goes without saying that rain has been scarce this year for many parts of the state, as well as wider regions throughout the country," said Charles McGarvey, the state's acting fire commissioner. "It's easy to forget that the men and women that respond to these incidents are our neighbors, family members, and friends, and they come to the fire service with a variety of skill levels and backgrounds. Grant programs like these are essential financial pipelines that back their professional development and provide needed equipment and supplies so that firefighters can safely and successfully complete their missions."

The grants are awarded on a cost-share basis, and they cannot exceed 50% of the actual expenditures of local, public, and private nonprofit organizations, officials said. The maximum award is $12,500.
WASHINGTON  From Berks County to Capitol Hill, the CEO of the Rodale Institute testified before a congressional committee Wednesday about the current state of agriculture in the United States.

During a hearing streamed live on WFMZ.com, Jeff Moyer, who leads the Maxatawny Township-based nonprofit, told members of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture that "America's food system is broken" and "too reliant on unstable foreign supply chains, chemical pesticides, and government subsidies for foods that aren't healthy for our constituents or profitable for America's farming families."

Moyer said Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine has exposed dangerous cracks and frailties in the global food systems and supply chains, but he said it's not too late to reverse course.

"This is not a doomsday scenario," he said. "We have the tools and the time to fix this, and set our farms on a positive track, and regenerative organic agriculture is our path forward."

Moyer also said that action must be taken to improve soil health, which is the foundation for successful farming.

He said while agriculture has advanced since the 1950s, more work needs to be done. Moyer said research shows the current rate of soil erosion could reduce up to 10% of crop yields by 2050, leading to a potential food shortage.

He said organic farming, like that encouraged by Rodale, may be able to slow soil erosion.

"The concept that we simply want to sustain a current system or current set of practices and maintain what we have is not adequate," Moyer told the committee. We really need to move forward rapidly with the concept of regenerating the health of our soil."

Moyer told the committee that building up the earthworm population can also help regenerate soil. He said the time and tools to do that exist, but lawmakers need to support it.

He said soil can also be changed to better deal with the effects of climate change.

"We can change the soil's ability to hold and retain water," Moyer said. "So while we heard western states, they say it's too dry to grow cover crops, we have many farmers in western states who say it's too dry not to grow cover crops."

Cover crops are plants grown to cover soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said those crops can help reduce soil erosion and help store nutrients.

Joining Moyer in testifying before the committee were Steve Nygren, the founder and CEO of Serenbe; 4th-generation dairy farmer Ken McCarty; 5th-generation farmer Rick Clark; and Rebecca Larson of the Western Sugar Cooperative.

Also Wednesday, the USDA announced up to $25 million in funding for Rodale to partner with several universities in an effort to grow and market climate-smart commodities in the southern Piedmont region of the United States.

"It will help our farm producers expand their markets, their produce, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, educating consumers, and developing technology that will improve salability of their model," said U.S. Rep. David Scott, a Georgia Democrat who chairs the House Agriculture Committee. "This is so important."

The funding is part of an initial $2.8-billion investment in 70 projects across the country as part of the USDA's Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.
BERN TWP., Pa.  St. Joseph Medical Center is stepping up care for sexual assault victims in Berks County.

The hospital's nurses underwent training to help survivors recover, and they're partnering with specialists in the field. The service is available to patients 24/7.

St. Joe's said it now has 10 specially trained nurses who completed extra coursework and hands-on training to provide the highest level of care for survivors of sexual assault. It's called "Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners" training, or SANE.

"This program is really important, because I think what the public doesn't understand is if you go to one hospital, you may receive care from someone who has no training in sexual assault care," said Sheridan Miyamoto, associate professor of nursing at Penn State.

The exams that need to be done on victims of sexual assault are highly technical exams and require a lot of knowledge about the process and what someone has been through.

"This is a really challenging, difficult trauma that somebody has experienced," Miyamoto said. "You need somebody who is skilled in both how to provide trauma-informed patient-centered care, as well as do really important evidence collection that's essential if we want to seek justice outcomes."

"This will enhance our ability to obtain forensic evidence, which goes a long way to being able to prove the elements of a sexual assault," said Berks County District Attorney John Adams, who was present at the introduction.

The program pairs the nurses at St. Joe's with an expert SANE nurse present virtually, who will provide a second set of eyes and advice.

"They'll be able to say to the SANE-trained nurse that's in the room, 'Do you see that there? Maybe we should take a picture of that,' or 'Have you noticed this over here? I think we should focus on that,'" said Jenna Mastromarino Riley, a nurse manager in the emergency department. "[Something] that might not be visible to someone who has only one this for a few months, so it connects them with someone who has been doing this for years."

The program is currently available, and additional nurses are already training for the SANE program.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Quick-thinking hotel staff helped Allentown Police nab a robbery suspect and make an arrest Monday night, even after the man went to great lengths to get away.

A dramatic scene was happening on Allentown's Linden Street where police lights were flashing as a man, shirtless and soaking wet, was led to a waiting ambulance.

On the ground was money that was apparently snatched during a brazen robbery minutes before.

There was no physical harm, they were a little flustered after the incident but everybody was safe, it could have been a lot worse, said Americus General Manager Anthony Castelluccio.

Castelluccio says his staff is lucky to be alive after that robbery at the Americus Hotel on Hamilton Street. Police say 41-year-old Samuel Santiago-Delgado entered the hotel and proceeded to rob the establishment as well as a guest who was in the lobby.

Police described his weapon as a knife, but hotel staff believe it was a screwdriver.

Our associates were very quick responding, they called 911 right away and police told us they gave an amazing description, said Castelluccio.

That's how police were able to spot Santiago-Delgado a short time later. They say he ran away and jumped off a bridge on Linden Street, landing in the Jordan Creek below.

Officers arrested Santiago-Delgado shortly after. Castelluccio says staff members are happy things ended quickly.

In a center city environment, we do have a lot of safety protocols. We do lock the doors at a certain time, and keep things locked down pretty well so these things are going to happen once in a while, said Castelluccio.

The money was returned to the hotel. Santiago-Delgado was transported to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released to police.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - It was the Monday night announcement that propelled Amanda Seyfried into the acting spotlight.

"The winner of the Emmy for lead actress in a limited anthology series or movie goes to Amanda Seyfried," The presenters said during the Emmy awards show.

The Allentown native's genuine reaction can't be faked, even on stage at the Emmy Awards.

"This is a really nice feeling," she said through deep and quick breaths while onstage.

The 36-year-old won for playing biotech entrepreneur, now convicted fraudster, Elizabeth Holmes in the Hulu series "The Dropout."

In 2021 Seyfried got her first Oscar nomination for her role as Marion Davis in the Netflix film "Mank." While her acting is conquering Hollywood, Seyfried says her hometown plays a starring role in her life, as she told 69 News last year.

"I hope you can feel my Allentown roots because they live in me forever," she said via a Zoom interview.

Artistic Director of Allentown's Civic Theatre William Sanders remembers Seyfried as a kid, when she was enrolled in Civic's theatre school.

"I remember her big eyes and her presence. I know the guy who directed it was really impressed with her," he said.

Theatre School head JoAnn Wilchek Basist is impressed with Seyfried's impression of the Civic as the actress has returned to show off the stage to an out-of-town friend.

"She wanted him to see where her roots were. I think that speaks really well of her and I believe of our program, that there is the touchstone there," she said.
L. NAZARETH TWP., Pa. - The Lehigh Valley's newest Wawa will open in Lower Nazareth on Friday.

The store will open at 8 a.m., and the first 100 customers inside the door will get a Wawa "Goose Vibes Only" T-shirt. The Canada Goose is a symbol of the chain.

A ribbon-cutting is planned for 9 a.m. The store's opening was originally set for Thursday, but Wawa later said the celebration is Friday.

The Wawa is on the east side of Nazareth Pike, just south of the township's border with Nazareth.

The store is also holding a Hoagies for Heroes competition, the with Colonial Regional Police Department and Hecktown Volunteer Fire Department trying to build the most hoagies in three minutes. Wawa will contribute $1,000 to each organization's charity of choice.

Jacquelyn Geitz is the general manager of the new store, which will employ about 50 people. Workers receive an hourly starting rate of $15 and health benefits, and in time become eligible for Wawa's employee stock ownership plan. That ESOP is the only way to buy a stake in Wawa. The company is privately held and its shares do not trade on public markets.

The Lower Nazareth Wawa will have gas pumps and serve hoagies, coffee, beverages, baked goods and more.

Wawa is based in the Wawa area of Chester Heights in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1803 as an iron foundry, then opened a dairy almost a century later. The first Wawa Food Market opened in 1964.
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania's top elections official is urging all residents who are eligible to vote to cast their ballots for the upcoming midterm election.

Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman and the directors of the Governor's Advisory Commission held a news conference in Harrisburg Tuesday.

Chapman said Gov. Tom Wolf's administration has already made efforts to expand voter access, like adding Spanish and Chinese-language materials to the online voter registration portal and creating a year-round voter hotline.

Commission officials called on minority communities to make their voting choices known this November.

"When we speak of gun violence, leadership matters. When we speak of obtaining quality education for our youth, leadership matters. When we speak of bettering our communities, leadership matters," said LaDeshia Maxwell, Executive Director of the Commission on African-American Affairs.

There are some election deadlines starting next month.

All paper voter registration forms must be turned in to your county's board of elections by October 24. Applications for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be turned in by November 1.

The general election will be on November 8.
STROUDSBURG, Pa. - A trial continues Wednesday in Stroudsburg for a man who shot two intruders in his home last year, killing one of them.

The other, who was injured, took the stand.

Chasity Frailey testified Wednesday about when she and her boyfriend, Adam Schultz, entered Randy Halterman's home in January 2021.

Halterman shot them both, killing 20-year-old Schultz. He was charged with homicide and aggravated assault, but he says the shooting was justified under Pennsylvania's Castle Doctrine.

The Castle Doctrine basically says you have the right to defend yourself in your own home with deadly force. But, there are some requirements. The person you're using deadly force against has to be breaking in, and you have to be in fear for your life or personal safety.

The defense questioned Frailey about how they got onto the property.

Frailey says the property appeared abandoned because it was covered in junk.

But, the defense said there was a "no trespassing" sign posted, and there was a chain or rope over the driveway.

Frailey says she didn't remember either of those things, but in her interview with police shortly after the shooting, she mentioned the rope.

The defense also brought out an exhibit of a piece of wood they say was keeping the front door shut.

Frailey said on the stand that Schultz removed the door stopper in order to get into the house.

Those little details could help the defense argue Frailey and Schultz were breaking in, but the defense would still have to show Halterman was afraid for his life.

Both Frailey and Schultz were unarmed.

69 News reporter Rob Manch will be in the courtroom and will have more on the evening editions of 69 News.
Poor Daniel Warmus. The Alden man responded to Donald Trumps lies about a stolen election, traveled to where a mob mentality was sure to rule and  can you believe it?  got caught up in a rioting mob that put police, members of Congress and American democracy at risk.

So says Warmus lawyer as his client awaits sentencing for his part in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at U.S. Capitol riot.

Warmus followed the mob and will now live with that decision everyday for the rest of his life, attorney Daniel J. DuBois wrote in a court filing. Warmus pleaded guilty in May to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor charge. He was to have been sentenced on Monday, but the judge postponed the proceeding to Sept. 22.

It can be argued, DuBois wrote  possibly with a straight face  that the mob mentality took hold of him and prevented him from staying out of the Capitol building.

This is called putting lipstick on a pig.

DuBois is merely doing his job, of course. No one need begrudge Warmus or any defendant the benefits of a zealous defense. In many cases, that means casting indefensible actions in their most glowing light. Thus, the lawyer says, its important to understand that Warmus, while allegedly ready to accept the consequences of his actions, couldnt possibly have controlled himself. He had to respond to Trumps lies and, once at the Capitol, had no way  no way at all  to control his own actions. It was the mobs fault, your honor.

Prosecutors are asking for 30-day jail sentence, followed by three years of probation, 60 hours of community service and $500 in restitution. They point out that Warmus hasnt apologized for his actions and note that while on pretrial release, Warmus publicly posted videos of himself harassing local police officers to the point of trying to break into police cruisers. They say he showed an overly casual demeanor amidst the extreme circumstances and called his indifference to violence and property destruction an aggravating factor.

DuBois, meanwhile, has asked the judge for a sentence that includes no jail time. He argues that Warmus remained peaceful, abstaining from the violence around him.

His client was in the Capitol about 16 minutes, DuBois wrote. He damaged nothing and physically assaulted no one. He also disputes the prosecutions doubts about Warmus level of remorse by claiming that his client continues to prove to those around him that he will do anything and everything it takes to overcome the worst decision he has ever made.

Still, even giving Warmus the benefit of the doubt, the fact is that he enthusiastically joined those who invaded the Capitol, hoping to force Congress to help Trump steal an election that all evidence shows he lost.

Thats a serious offense and, for it, he should view 30 days in jail as a gift from a forgiving nation.

  

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.
STROUD TWP., Pa. - A trial is underway in Monroe County for a man who shot two intruders in his home.

One of them died, but the homeowner, Randy Halterman, claims he was in the right under the Pennsylvania Castle Doctrine. Ultimately, that decision will be made by the judge.

Halterman entered court Tuesday wearing a suit and walking with a cane, heading to the courtroom where his own 911 call from January 19, 2021 would be played. In it, we heard a frightened Halterman telling the dispatcher he shot and killed an intruder in his home, and injured another.

20-year-old Adam Schultz was killed that night, and his girlfriend Chasity Frailey was injured. She was interviewed by detectives only hours after the shooting, and she told them she and Schultz thought the house on Paradise Trail in Stroud Township was abandoned.

"The door was open, we went in, and as we opened the door, all this trash just fell, and I was like there's no way somebody lives here," said Frailey in a recorded interview with detectives released by the Monroe County District Attorney's Office.

In the interview, Frailey said she and Schultz called out asking if anyone was home. Frailey said they never heard or saw Halterman until it was too late.

"There was no person, nothing. It was just a curtain and a gun, and he just started shooting," said Frailey.

Frailey said she and Schultz tried to run away, but they tripped and had to face Halterman.

"Adam said, he put his hands up and he said please stop. He said we didn't know anybody was here, we said hello, we knocked. And he was literally on his knees and the guy shot him," said Frailey.

According to the Monroe County District Attorney, the main thing the defense has to prove to justify the Castle Doctrine is that Halterman was afraid for his life. In the 911 call, he told the dispatcher he didn't want to walk past the couple because he was afraid, and he didn't put the 22-caliber pistol down until officers arrived. Both Frailey and Schultz were unarmed. After reviewing the evidence, the judge will tell the jury if the Castle Doctrine applies to this case.

At this time Halterman is facing charges of homicide for Schultz's death and aggravated assault for shooting Frailey. The trial continues at the Monroe County Courthouse on Wednesday.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  Attorneys for Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz suddenly and surprisingly rested their case Wednesday after calling only a fraction of their expected witnesses, leading to a shouting match after the judge accused them of a lack of professionalism.

Cruz's attorneys had told the judge and prosecutors they would be calling 80 witnesses but rested at the beginning of Wednesday's court session after calling only about 25. There were 11 days of defense testimony overall, the last two spotlighting experts about how his birth mother's heavy use of alcohol during pregnancy might have affected his brain's development and led to his murder of 17 people at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School four years ago.

The sudden announcement by lead attorney Melisa McNeill led to a heated exchange between her and Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, who called the decision without warning to her or the prosecution the most uncalled for, unprofessional way to try a case.

The 12-member jury and 10 alternates were not present but were lining up outside the courtroom to enter. The sudden announcement also meant prosecutors weren't ready to start their rebuttal case.

Lead prosecutor Mike Satz threw his hands up when Scherer asked if he could begin and, with a nervous laugh, said no."

Were waiting for 40 more (defense) witnesses, Satz said.

Scherer then accused Cruz's attorneys of being inconsiderate to all involved, but especially the jurors for wasting their trip to court.

To have 22 people march into court and be waiting as if it is some kind of game. I have never experienced such a level of unprofessionalism in my career," Scherer said, raising her voice.

McNeill countered angrily, You are insulting me on the record in front of my client," before Scherer told her to stop. Scherer then laid into McNeill, with whom she has had a testy relationship since pretrial hearings began more than three years ago.

Youve been insulting me the entire trial, Scherer barked at McNeill. Arguing with me, storming out, coming late intentionally if you dont like my rulings. So, quite frankly, this has been long overdue. So please be seated.

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty last October to murdering 14 Stoneman Douglas students and three staff members on Feb. 14, 2018. His trial, now ending its second month, is only to determine whether he is sentenced to death or life without parole. For a death sentence, the jury must be unanimous.

After his attorneys rested, Cruz told Scherer he agreed with the decision.

I think we are good, he said.

When jurors were told of the decision, several stared at the defense table, appearing stunned.

Cruz's attorneys have tried to show how his late birth mother's alcohol abuse during pregnancy put Cruz onto a lifelong path of erratic, bizarre and often violent behavior that culminated in the shootings. They also tried to show that his adoptive mother, Lynda Cruz, became overwhelmed after her husband died when Cruz was 5.

They called witnesses who knew his birth mother, Brenda Woodard, a Fort Lauderdale prostitute. They testified she drank fortified wine and malt liquor and abused cocaine during her pregnancy.

They called Cruz's psychiatrists and psychologists and teachers from his preschool, elementary and middle school years  they all testified he was a slow developing child who hurt others, had frequent outbursts, made threats and had few friends.

The defense concluded their case by calling Dr. Kenneth Jones, one of the nation's leading fetal alcohol experts, who said in his five decades of research he had never seen a birth mother who had more documented drinking than Woodard. He believes Cruz's doctors didn't properly diagnose him with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, meaning he never got the right treatment.

But Cruz's attorneys had been expected to call his younger half-brother, Zachary, who was a central figure in their case with witnesses accusing him of bullying his smaller, weaker brother. They also presented no witnesses from the school for students with behavioral problems that Cruz attended and no witnesses to discuss his troubled days attending Stoneman Douglas, where he was frequently searched for weapons.

Two attorneys who have followed the trial are stunned by the defense's decision.

Wow. That is a shocker, said David Weinstein, a Miami defense attorney and former prosecutor. He said perhaps the defense was worried the prosecution's cross-examination of their witnesses was hurting their case, but I am surprised that there was no testimony about his high school years or more about" Cruz.

Robert Jarvis, a professor at Nova Southeastern University's law school near Fort Lauderdale, said the decision is hard to fathom.

Perhaps the defense felt it had made its case. Perhaps the defense felt it was losing the jury and further witnesses would only alienate the jury. Perhaps the defense felt that the witnesses to be called would give the prosecution too much leeway to explore matters during cross-examination that the defense did not want explored, Jarvis said.

Still, he said Scherer's dressing down of McNeill was uncalled for. He has been an outspoken critic of Scherer's selection to oversee such a complicated case  she had never tried a first-degree murder trial before being assigned Cruz's.

It was the defenses right to rest when it thought the right moment was reached. Indeed, I have never heard of a judge effectively demanding that a party call all its proposed witnesses, Jarvis said. This is just another example of Judge Scherer not being the right judge.

The defense is trying to overcome the prosecutions case, which focused on Cruzs massacre as he stalked a three-story classroom building for seven minutes with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. Satz played security videos of the shooting and showed the rifle Cruz used. Teachers and students testified about watching others die.

Satz showed graphic autopsy and crime scene photos and took jurors to the fenced-off building, which remains blood-stained and bullet-pocked. Parents and spouses gave tearful and angry statements about their loss.

Prosecutors said they will need more than a week to prepare their rebuttal case. The trial is now tentatively scheduled to resume Sept. 27 and conclude the week of Oct. 10.

AP writer Freida Frisaro in Miami contributed to this report.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said Wednesday that he has agreed to an Oct. 25 televised debate against his Republican rival, Dr. Mehmet Oz, although the men feuded about its terms in what has become a flashpoint in the high-stakes campaign.

The debate, coming two weeks before the general election, follows weeks of cajoling by Oz, who has raised questions about the severity of Fettermans lingering effects from a May stroke and pushed for as many as seven debates.

It will be held in the studio of a Harrisburg TV station.

Oz's campaign said in a statement that Fetterman had agreed to the debate only after being hit with massive criticism from state and national editorials and commentators for ducking.

Nevertheless, Oz will be at the debate "to share his vision for a better Pennsylvania and America, and he is ready (to) expose Fetterman's record as the most far-left Senate candidate in America," Oz campaign manager Casey Contres wrote in a statement.

Fetterman, the states lieutenant governor, and Oz, a celebrity heart surgeon endorsed by former President Donald Trump, are vying to replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey in a race Democrats see as one of their best chances nationally to flip a Republican-held seat. The winner could help decide the chambers partisan control next year.

Fettermans campaign has said Oz was operating in bad faith by insisting on so many debates and said Ozs motivation is to mock Fetterman for having a stroke. Fetterman still speaks haltingly and struggles to quickly respond to words he hears.

To accommodate that, Fetterman asked the station for closed-captioning during the debate and two practice sessions in the studio ahead of time.

In response, Oz's campaign issued three requests.

It wants a moderator to tell the audience that Fetterman is using closed captioning to explain delays in his responses; practice sessions to not use actual debate questions; and the debate to be 90 minutes, instead of 60, because of closed-captioning delays.

Fetterman's campaign said it had no problem with telling the audience about the closed captioning and said the practice sessions are simply walkthroughs that are routine before any debate. But Fetterman's campaign insisted that the debate be 60 minutes and said Oz's campaign had already agreed.

For weeks Oz and his team have wet the bed about debates, Fetterman's campaign said. Enough already, we are debating on the 25th, either show up or dont, but now let's get back to talking about the issues that matter, like how Oz would vote on the Senate abortion ban.

In Pennsylvanias last four U.S. Senate contests, debates have not been a major feature. All the debates took place in mid- to late October, with two debates in each race  except for the 2012 contest, which had one debate.

Fetterman has been recovering and was off the campaign trail for most of the summer following his May 13 stroke, which required surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator and prompted a revelation that he had a serious heart condition. Fetterman has provided no access to his doctors or health records and has said he almost died.

He has done just a handful of media interviews and no press conferences since the stroke and has used closed-captioning in video interviews with reporters.

Fettermans campaign maintains that his doctors have said he is expected to make a full recovery.

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/timelywriter.

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
LONDON (AP)  The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II left Buckingham Palace for the last time Wednesday, borne on a horse-drawn carriage and saluted by cannons and the tolling of Big Ben, in a solemn procession through the flag-draped, crowd-lined streets of London to Westminster Hall. There, a steady stream of mourners paid their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

As the cortege left the palace, her son, King Charles III, and his siblings and sons marched behind the coffin, which was topped by a wreath of white roses and her crown resting on a purple velvet pillow.

The military procession underscored Elizabeths seven decades as head of state as the national mourning process shifted to the grand boulevards and historic landmarks of the U.K. capital.

At 900-year-old Westminster Hall, where the queen will lie in state until her funeral Monday, crowds shuffled past her coffin well into the night. They moved silently down the steps of the hall under a great stained glass window, then past the coffin that was covered with the Royal Standard and had been placed on a raised platform known as a catafalque by eight pallbearers.

There were couples and parents with children, veterans with medals clinking on navy blue blazers, lawmakers and members of the House of Lords. Some wore black or suits and ties, others jeans and sneakers, and all had waited hours to stand in front of the coffin for a few moments

Many bowed or curtseyed and some were in tears.

Thousands who had waited for the procession for hours along The Mall outside the palace and other locations along the route held up phones and cameras, and some wiped away tears, as the casket rolled by. Applause broke out as it passed through Horse Guards Parade. Thousands more in nearby Hyde Park watched on large screens.

The coffin was topped with the Imperial State Crown  encrusted with almost 3,000 diamonds  and a bouquet of flowers and plants, including pine from the Balmoral Estate, where Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96.

Two officers and 32 troops from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in red uniforms and bearskin hats walked on either side of the gun carriage. The 38-minute procession ended at Westminster Hall, where Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby led a service attended by Charles and other royals.

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you," Welby read from the Book of John.

After a short service, the captain of The Queens Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, assisted by a senior sergeant, laid the royal standard of the regiment on the steps of the catafalque.

Four officers from the Household Cavalry - two from the Life Guards and two from the Blues Royals - began the vigil, taking their places at each corner and bowing their heads.

Thousands had queued up along the banks of the River Thames, waiting to enter the hall and pay their respects to the only monarch most Britons have ever known after her 70 years on the throne.

Esther Ravenor, a Kenyan who lives in the U.K. said she was humbled as she watched the procession.

I love the queen, I love the royal family, and you know, I had to be here, she said. "She is a true role model. She loved us all, all of us. Especially someone like me, a migrant woman coming to the U.K. 30 years ago, I was allowed to be here and to be free and safe, so I really honor her. She was a big part of my life.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, of the Household division, who organized the ceremonial aspects of the queens funeral, said it was our last opportunity to do our duty for the queen, and its our first opportunity to do it for the king, and that makes us all very proud.

Troops involved in the procession had been preparing since the queen died. So had the horses of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

Sgt. Tom Jenks said the horses were specially trained, including how to handle weeping mourners, as well as flowers and flags being tossed in front of the procession.

Heathrow Airport temporarily halted flights, saying it would ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with Charles to offer his condolences, the White House said.

Biden recalled the Queens kindness and hospitality" she hosted them and the first lady at Windsor Castle in June, the statement said. He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Crowds have lined the route of the queens coffin whenever it has been moved in its long journey from Scotland to London.

On Tuesday night, thousands braved a typical London drizzle as the hearse, with interior lights illuminating the casket, drove slowly from an air base to Buckingham Palace.

Earlier, in Edinburgh, about 33,000 people filed silently past her coffin in 24 hours at St. Giles Cathedral.

The line of people snaking along the banks of the River Thames to enter Westminster Hall, the oldest building in Parliament, was nearly 3 miles long in the afternoon, according to a government tracker.

The hall is where Guy Fawkes and Charles I were tried, where kings and queens hosted magnificent medieval banquets, and where ceremonial addresses were presented to Queen Elizabeth II during her silver, golden and diamond jubilees.

Chris Bond, from Truro in southwest England, was among those waiting to see the queen's coffin. He also attended the lying in state of the queens mother in 2002.

Obviously, its quite difficult queuing all day long, but when you walk through those doors into Westminster Hall, that marvelous, historic building, there was a great sense of hush and one was told you take as much time as you like, and its just amazing, he said.

We know the queen was a good age and she served the country a long time, but we hoped this day would never come, he added.

Chris Imafidon, secured the sixth place in the queue.

I have 1,001 emotions when I see her, he said. I want to say, God, she was an angel, because she touched many good people and did so many good things.

-

Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui contributed.

Follow AP coverage of Queen at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
(The Center Square)  As Pennsylvania gears up for a November election less than eight weeks away, county boards of elections are getting more funds and the Department of State will require more audits to ensure public confidence in results.

Changes that could speed up the voting process and counting of ballots, however, do not appear to be on the table for this year.

The department is prepared for the November election and we are confident that our 67 counties are prepared as well, acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Leigh Chapman said during a House State Government Committee hearing on Wednesday.

Chapman highlighted changes since the passage of Act 88, which banned boards of elections from accepting nongovernment funds and expanded state funding. As The Center Square previously reported, $22 million from a nonprofit linked to Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg went to Pennsylvania counties during the 2020 elections.

To ensure counties could cover election-related costs without outside funding, Act 88 created Election Integrity Grant Funding that awarded $44.3 million to 63 of 67 counties earlier this month.

The Election Integrity Grant Program Funding is a historic investment of state dollars and election administration and it should enable counties to obtain the staff and equipment they need to efficiently process and tabulate ballots, Chapman said.

She also noted the state will receive $2.2 million from the federal government for election funding.

Bradford, Crawford, Montour and Susquehanna counties did not receive funding because they didnt apply for funds. Officials were worried that they could not meet the standards of the program, Chapman noted.

For election results, however, the public may have to wait. Some time-saving strategies are not uniformly rolled out across the commonwealth, and others, such as pre-canvassing ballots, are not authorized by state law.

Vote history from those poll books is recorded manually. Counties scan a barcode, Deputy Secretary for Elections and Commissions Jonathan Marks said. Until we have electronic poll books in all of the counties or a majority of the counties, vote history is still going to be something thats going to take some time after Election Day.

Pre-canvassing ballots, which is when absentee or mail-in ballots are removed from their envelopes and counting the votes on the ballot, could have significant time savings.

Were right now sitting on about 20% of mail ballots for expected turnout for this election already in Dauphin County, said Gerald Feaser Jr., director of the county's Bureau of Registration & Elections.

The growth of mail-in ballots means state law can slow or speed up the counting process.

The need for earlier pre-canvassing  and even if we define pre-canvassing as just allowing us to open the outer envelope, you will literally cut in half the amount of time counties need on election morning beginning at 7 a.m. to begin the process of getting the ballots out of the inner envelopes, Feaser said.

State laws vary, but 10 states allow the counting of votes before Election Day, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Once those votes are counted, the commonwealth will carry out risk-limiting audits, a type of post-election audit to ensure voter equipment and vote procedures worked properly before election results are certified.

The November election will be the first time the department will be directing all counties to complete a precertification risk-limiting audit, Chapman said. Implementing best practice changes, such as RLAs, to our election process and procedures, is one way the department works to combat the misinformation and disinformation Pennsylvania voters can encounter about election administration in the commonwealth.

The hearing had a less-combative tone than some previous discussions about Pennsylvania's voting laws.

When good work is done, I like to applaud, said Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, chairman of the State Government Committee, complimenting the Department on its redistricting work and campaign finance online system.
IZIUM, Ukraine (AP)  Hand on heart, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy watched his countrys flag rise Wednesday above the recaptured city of Izium, making a rare foray outside the capital that highlights Moscows embarrassing retreat from a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian forces left the war-scarred city last week as Kyiv's soldiers pressed a stunning advance that has reclaimed large swaths of territory in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region.

As Zelenskyy looked on and sang the national anthem, the Ukrainian flag was raised in front of the burned-out city hall. After almost six months under Russian occupation, Izium was left largely devastated, with apartment buildings blackened by fire and pockmarked by artillery strikes.

A gaping hole and piles of rubble stood where one building had collapsed.

The view is very shocking, but it is not shocking for me," Zelenskyy told journalists, "because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha, from the first de-occupied territories  the same destroyed buildings, killed people.

Bucha is a small city on Kyiv's outskirts from which Russian troops withdrew in March. In the aftermath, Ukrainian authorities discovered the bodies of hundreds of civilians dumped in streets, yards and mass graves. Many bore signs of torture.

Prosecutors said they so far have found six bodies with traces of torture in recently retaken Kharkiv region villages. The head of the Kharkiv prosecutors office, Oleksandr Filchakov, said bodies were found in Hrakove and Zaliznyche, villages around 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Kharkiv city.

We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did. ... Such cities as Balakliia, Izium, are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, listing places where the Ukrainians have alleged Russian forces committed atrocities.

Local authorities have made similar claims in other areas Russia previously held, but it was not immediately possible to verify their information. They have not yet provided evidence of potential atrocities on the scale described in Bucha, where the number and conditions of civilian casualties prompted international demands to press war crimes charges against Russian officials.

As he was returning from the front early Thursday, a passenger car collided with Zelenskyy's vehicle in a motorcade in Kyiv, but he wasn't seriously hurt, his spokesman said on Facebook. Spokesman Sergii Nikiforov said the driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskyys medical team and was taken by ambulance. Medics examined the president, who suffered no serious injuries in the accident, Nikiforov wrote. He did not specify what injuries Zelenskyy, 44, might have suffered.

Moscows recent rout in northeastern Ukraine was its largest military defeat since Russian troops withdrew from the Kyiv area months ago. On the northern outskirts of Izium, the remains of Russian tanks and vehicles lay shattered along a road.

As Zelenskyy visited, his forces pressed their counteroffensive, de-mined retaken ground and investigated possible war crimes. He said that life comes back as Ukrainian soldiers return to previously occupied villages.

The Ukrainian governor of the eastern Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, said Ukrainian soldiers were preparing to retake the area, which borders the Kharkiv region and was has been mostly under Russian control since July. Intense shelling of Ukrainian forces continued, he said.

Haidai told The Associated Press that Ukrainian troops were flying Ukrainian flags in the cities of Svatove and Starobilsk.

But in Kreminna, another city where Ukrainians raised their flag, Russians returned Wednesday and tore down the (Ukrainian) flags and are demonstrably showing that theyre there, Haidai said.

A Russia-allied separatist military leader confirmed the Ukrainian advance on the Luhansk region. Andrei Marochko, a local militia officer, said on Russian TV that the situation was really difficult.

In some places, the contact line has come very close to the borders of the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Marochko said, referring to the independent state the separatists declared eight years ago.

The counteroffensive has left more weapons in Ukrainian hands.

Russian forces likely left behind dozens of tanks, armored personnel carriers and other heavy weaponry as they fled Ukraines advance in the east, a Ukrainian think tank said Wednesday. The Center for Defense Strategies said one Russian unit fleeing the Izium area left behind more than three dozen T-80 tanks and about as many infantry fighting vehicles. Another unit left 47 tanks and 27 armored vehicles, it said.

The center said Russian forces tried to destroy some of the abandoned vehicles through artillery strikes as they fell back. Typically, armed forces ruin equipment left behind so their opponent cant use it. However, the chaos of the Russian withdrawal apparently forced them to abandon untouched ammunition and weapons.

With the recent Ukrainian gains, a new front line has emerged along the Oskil River, which largely traces the Kharkiv region's eastern edge, a Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, said Wednesday.

Russian troops are unlikely to be strong enough to prevent further Ukrainian advances along the entire Oskil River because they do not appear to be receiving reinforcements, and Ukrainian troops will likely be able to exploit this weakness to resume the counteroffensive across the Oskil if they choose, the institute said.

In other areas, Russia continued its attacks, causing more casualties in a war that has dragged on for nearly seven months.

Two people were killed and three wounded after Russia attacked Mykolaiv with S-300 missiles overnight, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said.

The Nikopol area, across a river from the shutdown Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, was shelled three times during the night, with no injuries immediately reported, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Fighting also raged in the eastern Donetsk region, where shelling killed five civilians and wounded 16. Together, Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, an industrial area that Moscow set out to capture following an unsuccessful attempt to invade Kyiv.

Russian troops are targeting critical infrastructure. Eight cruise missiles aimed at water equipment hit Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih, a city on the Inhulets River 150 kms (93 miles) southwest of Dnipro, the deputy head of the presidents office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, reported on his Telegram channel. Zelenskyy said the strikes appeared to be an attempt to flood the city and that a dam on a reservoir was hit. Video posted online showed elevated water levels on the Inhulets and flooded city streets, and evacuations of residents were suggested.

U.S. President Joe Biden observed Wednesday that Ukrainian forces have made significant progress in recent days but added, I think its going to be a long haul.

While criticism of the invasion seems to be increasing in Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that the realization has grown over there by now that this was a mistake to start this war.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he had spoken with Putin about exporting Russian fertilizer through Ukraines Black Sea ports to address a famine threat. The U.N. chief said at a news conference in New York that high prices for fertilizer have reduced the planting of crops, making it critical to increase Russian exports of ammonia  a key fertilizer ingredient  by shipping it through Black Sea ports now used to transport grain from Ukraine.

Western military and economic support has allowed Ukraine to keep fighting since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and the Ukrainian government received more assistance Wednesday.

An international group of creditors, including the U.S., finalized a deal to suspend Ukraines debt service through the end of 2023, helping the country ease liquidity pressures and increase social, health and economic spending.

Arhirova reported from Kyiv. Associated Press journalist Jon Gambrell in Kyiv contributed.

Follow AP war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The Buffalo News tells us of a potential program, ShotSpotter, to gather evidence after a firearms incident. I wondered why we (our police, our city, our public, our parents, our neighbors) would want to wait until there was an incident. Instead, why not do what Most Valuable Parents spokesman, Keith Matthews suggests  We need every available tool at our disposal and use those tools.

Good tools are indifferent to sex, race, gender identity, height, weight, age, neighborhood, what school you went to, grade point average, whether you played sports, etc. Yet the American Civil Liberties Union says that the proven good tool of stop and frisk is not a good tool because the Chicago Inspector Generals Office says so.

Chicago is regularly a contender for murder capital of America, so I feel that the ACLU would be better off listening to Matthews rather than anyone in Chicago. After-the-fact, ShotSpotter is certainly not as good as before-the-fact no shooter, which is what Buffalo could have with stop and frisk.

If the goal is to get the illegal guns off the streets before they get fired and make the neighborhoods safer, then ShotSpotter is a too-late tool. Would it not be better to have no shooting rather than go to where shots were fired and wonder what they will find when they get there?

ShotSpotter sounds interesting, but it is not a preventative tool, merely a new blame dispenser.

Mark Hoffman

Buffalo
The hard landing that injured Red Lions parachutist 3WO Jeffrey Heng during NDP 2022. (SCREENSHOTS: Mediacorp)

SINGAPORE  The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is examining possible measures to enhance safety in military demonstrations at the National Day Parade (NDP), following the injury suffered by a Red Lion parachutist at this year's parade at The Float@Marina Bay.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen added on Tuesday (13 September) in a written response to a Parliamentary question by Chua Chu Kang GRC Member of Parliament Don Wee that the hard landing that injured Third Warrant Officer (3WO) Jeffrey Heng was caused by a sudden change in wind direction during his final approach.

The measured surface wind speeds during the parade were within the acceptable range stipulated in the SAF's safety regulations.

"3WO Heng had assessed that his parachute canopy was unstable, and executed the 'parachute landing fall' technique in accordance with existing protocol. His actions mitigated the impact of the hard landing, and consequently he did not suffer severe injuries," Dr Ng wrote in his reply.

A review committee led by the SAF Inspector-General Office (IGO) has been convened to assess the causes of the incident, as well as review near-misses and incidents in the past. It has also been tasked to determine if there have been systemic changes such as stronger wind, other weather conditions or local environment which have increased the risks.

The committee is also examining possible measures to enhance safety. One change being considered is increasing the distance between parachutists, to give them more reaction time as they approach the landing zone.

"I have asked the committee why specific incidents like this has not occurred before, since changes in wind conditions cannot only have occurred for NDP 2022. They are consulting the external experts on this specific question, as well as reviewing in detail the approach route taken by 3WO Heng," Dr Ng wrote.

"Other issues to be examined include the impact of eddy currents caused by the design of the Floating Platform, the stage and the spectator stands. These findings will be relevant to the design and construction of the NS Square, which will be a permanent site for subsequent NDPs."

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4 recorded injuries out of 3,400-odd jumps

Dr Ng said that the Red Lions parachuting displays have been a regular feature of the NDP since 1989 - 31 times over 34 years. Of a total of about 3,400 individual parachute jumps for the performances, there have been four recorded injuries  a rate of 0.12 per cent.

He added that the safety record by the Red Lions during NDP is equivalent to that in regular military free-fall training jumps, where the incident rate has also been about 0.1 per cent over the past five years.

Nonetheless, conditions during NDP pose tighter constraints due to factors such as challenging wind conditions and limited landing area. As such, only experienced parachutists are selected - Red Lions selected for recent NDPs have clocked an average of 400 to 500 jumps, and have around 20 years of jump experience each.

Dr Ng wrote that landing sites for jumps at the Floating Platform or HDB Heartlands are carefully selected. They must be flat, provide sufficient space and be free from obstructions, and have wind conditions within safe thresholds.

A safety management plan is also developed to identity potential risks and design mitigating measures. There are also clearly-prescribed "no-go criteria" for jumps, such as the prevailing visibility of the landing site by the parachutists, communications with the pilot and ground personnel, as well as acceptable weather and wind speed.

Dr Ng said that each factor is closely monitored leading up to the actual jump, and if any factor exceeds the stipulated thresholds, the jump will be cancelled without hesitation. This was what happened during the 2015 NDP, where the Red Lions segment was cancelled due to low clouds obstructing the visibility of the landing sites.

"The SAF's priority is safety, and the Red Lions will continue to be a part of our NDP celebrations only if safety can be ensured, with appropriate new measures, including those recommended by the review committee," he said.

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Vancouver, British Columbia --News Direct-- Altaley Mining Corp

Altaley Mining Corporation (TSXV: ATLY) (OTCQX: ATLYF) (FSE: TSGA) (the "Company" or "Altaley") is pleased to announce that Mr. Mike Struthers has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a Director of the Company.

Mr. Struthers is a seasoned professional and Chartered Engineer with over 40 years of international mining experience which includes:

A 40+ year mining career starting in operations in Africa and Australia, then a technical consulting career in Australia and internationally, with extensive experience in feasibility studies, capital projects and executive roles.

Former CEO (3 years) and Director of Empire Metals Ltd., an AIM-listed exploration and resource development company, and current CEO of Candelaria Mining Corp. a TSX.V listed Mexican exploration and development company.

Seven years as Project Manager and Projects Director with Lundin Mining Corporation, responsible for developing and executing a range of strategic medium and long-term brownfield growth initiatives at Lundin Minings operations in Portugal and Chile.

Former COO and Technical Director for a Russian minerals development company with large base and precious metals assets in Siberia.

Former Director and Principal Geotechnical Engineer for 13 years with an international mining consulting organization, consulting to and leading teams on a range of projects for a wide variety of clients including major miners such as Rio Tinto Group and BHP Billiton, and large number of other mid-tier and junior development and producing companies.

Mikes experience includes project management in feasibility and engineering studies, project development, technical reviews, financial evaluations, strategic planning, mine expansions, construction management, and project due diligence over a wide range of commodities and jurisdictions including base-metals, gold, and diamonds, in jurisdictions including Africa, Australia, North America, South America, Europe and Russia. Prior to his consulting career he held operational and management positions in mining operations in Africa and Australia.

Story continues

David Rhodes, Chairman, states We are excited to welcome Mike as Altaleys new CEO where his experience will augment and strengthen the Companys management team, especially in operations, project engineering and construction management. The Company has experienced a number of delays with bringing our flagship Tahuehueto project on stream, so in his new role Mike will bring his extensive experience to bear to ensure Tahuehueto is successfully delivered to add significant value to shareholders through sustained and consistent production. Together with more consistent production from our Campo Morado operation, this will provide the foundation for the Company to grow to meet its aspiration of becoming Mexicos next mid-tier metals producer.

Mr. Shearing will continue as President and Director of the Company, where his long tenure and experience in senior management will continue to provide invaluable knowledge and insight to the Company.

On his appointment, Mike Struthers commented: I am delighted to join the Altaley team to help build the Company into a significant player in the Mexican mining scene. Im confident we can overcome recent challenges to successfully deliver the Tahuehueto project efficiently for shareholders, and thereafter to ensure both operations in Mexico produce consistently to create that foundation for growth. The Altaley organization will also continue to evolve and strengthen as it completes its transition from an explorer to dependable producer. Im looking forwards to achieving key strategic milestones in the Companys development over the next 12 months and beyond.

About Altaley Mining Corporation

Altaley Mining Corporation is a Canadian based mining company with two 100% owned Mexican gold, silver, and base metal mining projects.

Altaley's Tahuehueto mining project is in north-western Durango State, Mexico, where construction of an initial 500 tpd operation is well advanced. The second stage, the 1000 tpd project, will follow immediately after commissioning the initial stage. The operation will generate gold, silver, lead, and zinc in concentrates.

Campo Morado is an operating polymetallic base metal mine in Guerrero, Mexico, currently producing at an average of approximately 2,200 tonnes per day and is currently estimated to be Mexicos 6th largest zinc producer.

Visit: www.altaleymining.com

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

(signed) David Rhodes

David Rhodes

Chairman of the Board and Director

Cautionary Note Regarding Production Decisions and Forward-Looking Statements

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.

It should be noted that Altaley declared commercial production at Campo Morado prior to completing a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Accordingly, readers should be cautioned that Altaleys production decision has been made without a comprehensive feasibility study of established reserves such that there is greater risk and uncertainty as to future economic results from the Campo Morado mine and a higher technical risk of failure than would be the case if a feasibility study were completed and relied upon to make a production decision. Altaley has completed a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) mining study on the Campo Morado mine that provides a conceptual life of mine plan and a preliminary economic analysis based on the previously identified mineral resources (see News Release dated November 8, 2017, and April 4, 2018). ). Furthermore, It should be noted that Altaley intends to commence pre-production and ramp up to full commercial production at Tahuehueto prior to completing a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Accordingly, readers should be cautioned that Altaleys pre-production and production decisions will be made without a comprehensive feasibility study of established reserves such that there is greater risk and uncertainty as to future economic results from the Tahuehueto mine and a higher technical risk of failure than would be the case if a feasibility study were completed and relied upon to make such production decisions. Altaley has completed a positive pre-feasibility study (the Pre-Feasibility Study) and updated mineral reserves/resources estimates at its flagship Tahuehueto Mine that provides a conceptual life of mine plan and a preliminary economic analysis based on a 1,000 tonne per day operation (see News Release dated March 7, 2022)

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking Information includes but is not limited to conditions or financial performance that are based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; the timing and costs of future activities on the Company's properties, such as production rates and increases; success of exploration, development and bulk sample processing activities, and timing for processing at its own mineral processing facility on the Tahuehueto project site. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified using words and phrases such as "plans," "expects," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Campo Morado Mine and the Tahuehueto Project can be achieved; that commencement of pre-production mining and milling operations at Tahuehueto will proceed as planned; the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, economic and political conditions, and operations. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Details

Glen Sandwell

+1 604-684-8071

ir@altaleymining.com

Company Website

https://www.altaleymining.com/

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/altaley-mining-announces-appointment-of-new-ceo-569689516
Big Brothers Big Sisters of 7 Rivers Region board of directors has named Jeanne M. Meyer as the new executive director for the agency.

On Wednesday, Sept. 21, the agency is inviting the community to an open house to welcome her on board. It will begin at 3 p.m. and continue until 6 p.m. at the BBBS7RR office at 313 S. Fourth St.., La Crosse. There will be light hors doeuvres, refreshments, and artwork on display from our Littles.

BBBS7RR asked its matches to share their artistic abilities to help create their annual greeting card. The theme is How does having a Mentor Ignites your Potential? 

All entries for the contest must be submitted by Monday, Sept. 19.

BBBS7RR winners will be announced at the event, and all other entries will be incorporated into the new office look!

In serving the 7 Rivers Region, BBBS7RR takes pride in helping youth in counties, including La Crosse, Buffalo, Crawford, Monroe, Grant, Jackson, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon in Wisconsin and Winona, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Wabasha in Minnesota.

BBBS7RR strives to provide its matches with resources and a space to gather that will ensure a long-lasting relationship.

With the communitys help, they have brought back events and activities that were postponed due to COVID-19 and its challenges.
For the first time, Winona State University is listed among the Top 40 in the Midwest, according to the U.S. News and World Reports 2023 ranking.

It marks the first time a Minnesota State school has made the list.

The Midwest regional ranking includes all public and private universities in the Midwest region.

When comparing only public universities in the Midwest, WSU is ranked ninth overall. In the Minnesota State system, Winona State ranks as the No. 1 university. In the State of Minnesota, Winona State is ranked second among regional public universities and fifth overall on the comprehensive list of public and private universities.

WSU continues to be recognized as one of the Best Colleges for Veterans, ranking as the second public school for veterans in Minnesota and the 17th overall in the Midwest.

The university is also ranked third in Social Mobility for public universities in Minnesota. This ranking recognizes WSUs success in enrolling and graduating large proportions of economically disadvantaged students.

WSU offers more than 80 undergraduate, pre-professional, licensure, graduate and doctorate programs in five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Science & Engineering. The universitys Nursing program was established more than 50 years ago and is well-recognized across the region. In addition, WSU is the only accredited undergraduate program in the U.S. that offers a Bachelor of Science in composite materials engineering.

To calculate the rankings, U.S. News focuses on academic quality and places emphasis on outcome measures  including graduation rates, retention rates, graduate indebtedness and social mobility. Outcomes are the mostly highly weighted ranking factor, contributing 40% to each schools overall score. Complete listings are available at usnews.com/colleges.


Become a State Bar of Wisconsin Law Student Associate today and take steps now to boost your future legal career. The State Bar of Wisconsin offers a variety of resources to help you connect with the legal profession while youre a student. You can network with your future colleagues at events, stay up-to-date on whats happening in the law, be added to the monthly Law Student Associate Newsletter, and access research and career resources.

Join today for free and start making connections! If you have questions, please contact staff liaison Jacque Evans, jevans@wisbar.org, (608) 250-6083.





Law Student Associate Newsletter



Supreme Court Rule Ch. 50: Practical Training of Law Students



For more information regarding Practical Training of Law Students, please visit the following resources:

Clerk's Office: Clerk of Supreme Court

University of Wisconsin Law School: UW Law

Marquette University Law School: MU Law




The Wisconsin Law Foundation is the charitable arm of the State Bar of Wisconsin, and through its mission has a rich history of promoting:

public understanding of the law,

improvement of the administration of justice, and

law-related public service through funding of innovative and creative programs that improve the vision of the American justice system.

WLF is a nonprofit, non-stock organization and is open to all State Bar of Wisconsin members. Founded by five visionary attorneys, it was incorporated in 1951 as the Wisconsin Bar Foundation, and through the charitable contributions of our members, has grown into the vital philanthropic law-related foundation it is today.
Podcast Remix

Tips for Engaging a Remote Workforce

As flexible work policies become the norm, institutions must rethink their approach to employee engagement and workforce culture. Here's how Southern New Hampshire University is building a remote-first workplace centered on the employee experience.

Southern New Hampshire University is well known for innovation in online learning, so it may surprise you to learn that prior to the pandemic, its workforce was rather traditional: The majority of staff members worked on site, and employee culture was largely reliant on a face-to-face environment. But in March 2020, the abrupt shift to fully remote work required a new approach to employee engagement.

We spoke with Jennifer LaFountain, director of people experience at SNHU, about how the institution is developing a culture that allows employees to feel connected no matter where they are located. The following conversation features highlights from the Campus Technology Insider podcast, and has been edited for length and clarity.

Campus Technology: Thinking back to the start of the pandemic, how did the sudden shift to remote learning impact staff at SNHU?

Jennifer LaFountain: Believe it or not, prior to COVID, SNHU had less than 100 employees working remotely. We had just begun discovery work on building out our remote work policies. So even though we obviously have a very rich remote learning learner base, it was new for most of our employees. We are a company that is well known for its culture, but that culture was really fixated with being on site, particularly in New Hampshire, from an employee perspective. And so the big challenge for us in going remote was, how do we recreate that culture in a virtual way?

CT: Were there other challenges that the pivot to remote introduced or just exacerbated?

Listen Hear the full interview with Jennifer LaFountain in season 3, episode 8 of the Campus Technology Insider podcast: "What Southern New Hampshire University Does to Engage a Remote Workforce."

LaFountain: With any quick change there are challenges, and like other organizations, we've continued to face challenges with recruitment and retention and managing the volume of communications. But ultimately, our North Star is meeting the needs of our learners, who are experiencing all of the same obstacles that we are experiencing. So from an empathy perspective, we're in a great position. And the good news for us is, we're used to moving quickly. We innovate in higher education, and so we were able to very quickly innovate from an employee experience perspective, to create and implement a full, robust distributed workforce program, which we call Synergy. This has opened us up to recruiting from over 15 states that we previously were not recruiting from, which has ultimately allowed us to more deeply connect with our learners. We have learners everywhere. Our goal is to have employees everywhere, so that our learners see themselves in our staff. And now, all of our employees are basically remote learners. Many folks have kids, pets, parents in the background that they're caring for as well as trying to work, potentially in a very small room in their house that they've never had to work in before. Guess what? That's what our learners have experienced, even prior to the pandemic. So it's a real level playing field now.

The big challenges that I think were exacerbated by going remote so quickly were really about change fatigue and change management. I don't think that's a surprise to anybody  folks were experiencing all kinds of changes in their personal lives, and then changes in their work lives. So we have focused on creating places and spaces virtually for folks to connect, just to have that human-centered connection to hopefully ease some of that change fatigue.
Page Content

Paralegal Certification from the State Bar of Wisconsin

When the Paralegal Association of Wisconsin asked us to create a certification program for paralegals, we jumped at the opportunity. The State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegal program acknowledges paralegals for their experience, commitment to continuing education, and vital role in the legal profession.

Endorsed by the Paralegal Association of Wisconsin, the SBWCP credential publicly recognizes Wisconsins most highly qualified paralegals, able to perform substantive legal work under the direction of a Wisconsin-licensed lawyer.

This voluntary certification demonstrates a paralegals dedication to professional development and excellence. State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegals must meet the programs exacting education and experience requirements. In addition, they attend ongoing legal education to polish their skills and ensure theyre up-to-date on the latest changes and trends.

To view complete rules governing paralegal certification, see Rules Governing Certification.


Opioid abuse remains a significant issue in Juneau County, and funds from a pharmaceutical settlement could be beneficial in alleviating the problem.

On Sept. 8, the Wisconsin State Legislatures Joint Finance Committee approved a spending plan of settlement funds from opioid litigation against four companies. According to a release from 17th District Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), the state is receiving $400 million over the next 18 years.

The settlement is with three pharmaceutical distributors (Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen), as well as Johnson & Johnson. The approved spending plan is for $31 million which will come from the settlement in 2022.

Nearly every element of our plan has the potential to affect the people of Juneau County in a meaningful way, said Marklein in an email. We deliberately set aside funding for rural communities to level the playing field because opioid addiction and abuse affects all of us.

Marklein listed a litany of areas in which the 2022 funds will be distributed. The largest is a $10 million pledge for projects that prioritize treatments for pregnant and post-partum women who suffer from opioid addiction.

Timothy Cottingham, the 18th District Sup. who is also the Juneau County Board Chair, said that the county is waiting for more specifics on how the funds can be spent. He is hoping to put the funding toward existing addiction programs, including the countys Adult Drug Court.

We plan on expanding the programs we have with health and human services, said Cottingham. If we can put some towards the Drug Court, were going to do that, because thats part of the programs that can help get people off of drugs.

Cottingham also is hoping to spend funds on housing for people in recovery.

The plan includes $3 million to expand the Narcan Direct program, which provides Narcan, the nasal form of naloxone, to community agencies at no cost, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website, and prioritize those distributions to law enforcement and other first responders. Marklein said this is already in action in the county.

A new statewide initiative from the JFCs plan includes $2 million to distribute fentanyl test strips in a similar fashion to the Narcan Direct program.

Native American tribal nations across Wisconsin were also a major focus of the plan, with $6 million pledged to identify strategies for prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.

Law enforcement grants totaling $3 million are also being distributed as part of the spending plan. Marklein said that municipal law enforcement agencies and the Juneau County Sheriffs Office will be eligible to apply for these grants and that the plan guarantees at least $1 million to small, rural communities.

In his release, Marklein was somewhat critical of the states Department of Health Services, stating that the department unilaterally wrote a plan to spend the funds without consulting important stakeholders or the legislature.

He also said that the department did not work with law enforcement agencies nor accepted the legislatures invitation to collaborate on a solution for solving the narcotics epidemic throughout the state.
Trudy Le Beau has voted in every major election since she turned 18  a half-century of civic participation that has gotten increasingly difficult as her multiple sclerosis progressed. Now, with no use of her arms or legs, the Wisconsin woman relies on her husband to help her fill out and return a ballot.

This year, it seemed for the first time that the 68-year-old would have to choose between her physical health and voting.

After the Wisconsin Supreme Court outlawed ballot drop boxes in July, the states top election official cited a state law that said voters had to place their own absentee ballots in the mail or return them to clerks in person.

I certainly dont want to send my husband to jail because he put my ballot in the mailbox, Le Beau said. I would have to find some way of putting my ballot in my teeth and carrying it to the clerks office.

Fortunately for Le Beau, she and other Wisconsin voters with disabilities can get the help they need to return their ballots this November after a federal judge last month ruled that the Voting Rights Act, which allows for voter assistance, trumps state law.

In other states, however, battles continue over ballot assistance and other voting laws that harm voters with disabilities. As voters push back, challenges have arisen in the past two years to laws and practices in at least eight states that make it difficult or impossible for people with certain disabilities to vote.

A federal judge in June struck down voter assistance restrictions in sweeping changes to election laws passed by Texas Republicans last year that in part limited the help that voters with disabilities or limited English proficiency could get. Under the law, a voter could only receive assistance reading or marking a ballot, not returning one.

In July in North Carolina, a federal judge blocked state laws that limited people with disabilities to receiving ballot assistance only from a close relative or legal guardian.

Restrictions on ballot assistance still stand in several other states, including Kansas, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri. In Missouri, an ongoing lawsuit challenges a 1977 state law that says no one can assist more than one voter per election.

A Kansas judge in April dismissed parts of a lawsuit challenging voter assistance restrictions, saying the states interest in preventing voter fraud outweighed concerns about voters who may not get the assistance they need.

But such anti-fraud measures  a major push by Republicans since former President Donald Trumps false claims of a stolen election in 2020  dont affect everyone equally.

Voting restrictions aimed at the general public can have a disparate impact on people with disabilities, said Jess Davidson, communications director for the American Association of People with Disabilities.

Voters and state agencies in Alaska, New York and Alabama have also raised challenges to absentee voting programs that dont provide accessible ballots for people with visual impairments or disabilities that make it difficult to fill out a print ballot privately. Advocacy groups in New York reached a settlement in April that requires the state elections board to create a program for disabled voters to fill out and print accessible online ballots.

In Wisconsin

Wisconsin voters with disabilities expressed frustration at having to fight for equal voting rights when federal law already lays out specific provisions for accessibility.

This whole issue was absolutely ridiculous to start out with. It shouldnt matter if you need assistance returning your ballot, said Stacy Ellingen.

Ellingen, 37, has athetoid spastic cerebral palsy because of complications at birth. She lives in Oshkosh and with no accessible transportation options, absentee voting is the only way she can cast a ballot. She said if it werent for the ruling handed down two weeks ago, she wouldnt have been able to vote this fall.

Im not going to risk having caregivers get in trouble for putting my ballot in the mailbox. Especially when we have such a caregiver shortage, she said.

Republican lawmakers have yet to offer any resistance to the Wisconsin ruling. But Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a law firm that frequently litigates for conservative causes, raised concern that the ruling could perpetuate fraud. They unsuccessfully pressed the Wisconsin Elections Commission to require anyone returning a ballot on someone elses behalf to sign a statement saying the voter has a disability and requires assistance.

Davidson, of the American Association of People with Disabilities, called the argument that voter assistance will lead to fraud simply inaccurate, and motivated by anti-democratic interests.

Martha Chambers was paralyzed in a horseback riding accident 27 years ago. She uses her mouth to hold pens, paintbrushes and mouth sticks, which allow her to use a computer. Chambers also relies on a power wheelchair to get around.

Because she cant use her arms, shes unable to return her own ballot to a mailbox or polling location. A caregiver returned her ballot in Wisconsins August primary, and Chambers said she joined the lawsuit so it wouldnt be illegal in future elections for caregivers to give such help.

Why did we even have to go through all of this to begin with? Our lives are difficult enough with the challenges that we have on a daily basis, she said.

AP reporters Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Heather Hollingsworth, in Kansas City, Kansas, contributed to this report.

Harm Venhuizen is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Mandela's Children 32 years later

The stories, people and science behind Africa's largest longitudinal study have been captured in a book by Wits Distinguished Professor Linda Richter.

Almost 36 years ago, at the end of 1986, a dream germinated to track the health and development of South Africas children born just as apartheid was being dismantled.

At that time, Professor Noel Cameron and Dr Derek Yach sought to study those born in Soweto specifically  a township reflecting much of apartheids disastrous legacy, but also a rapidly transforming society.

By 1990, the study would have more than 3000 participants, the first of whom was born just after Nelson Mandela's release from Victor Verster Prison on 11 February 1990.

The participants, affectionately known as Mandela's Children, have, through their participation over three decades, contributed significantly to evidence-led policy in Africa's largest and longest birth cohort study.

Documenting a 32-year study

What started as the Birth-to-Ten cohort study, now in 2022 celebrates its 32nd anniversary, marked by the launch of the book by Wits Distinguished Professor Linda Richter, titled Birth to Thirty: A study as ambitious as the country we wanted to create, at the Origins Centre, Wits University, on 19 August.

Richter is the only remaining part of the original study team.

A second launch was held for participants in the study at the Jabulani Community Centre in Soweto on 20 August. Each participant received a copy of the book.

More than 20 million data points

Using the rich data gleaned from the study  more than 20 million data points  270 papers have been published. Sixty-two postgraduate students have based their work on Birth-to-Thirty, and a building at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Teaching Hospital has been co-opted, renovated and outfitted with an internationally-accredited laboratory.

In addition to the study's global significance, it is part of a unique collaboration of five other cohort studies in low-to-middle income countries.

At the book launch, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, Professor Lynn Morris said that the book coincides with Richters National Research Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award and the celebration of Wits centenary.

The study is an incredible source of scientific data. It is the only longitudinal study in a developing country with several closely-spaced measures for cognition, growth, and personality, from early childhood through adulthood, said Morris.

Early childhood impacts health and human capital

Morris added that the studys major contribution is to show how experiences and exposures during early childhood create avenues to adult health and human capital. But it also shows how these effects are not fixed and that there is substantial room for a person's trajectory to change. We should therefore do everything we can for children  health interventions make a huge difference, she said.

Richter spoke about the studys origins: I have to say that nothing went to plan. We muddled through with short-term funding and grants. But with the ingenuity of my colleagues, we collected five years worth of good data.

Crisscrossing stories from birth to 10, 20, 30

When Cameron and Yach left South Africa in 1996, the study began to flounder. However, Professor Shane Norris, then a research assistant, with Professor John Pettifor and Richter, rekindled the study through Wellcome Trust grants and updated the studys name to Birth-to-Twenty. At the book launch, Richter applauded Norriss continued and dedicated leadership on the project.

The book is filled with crisscrossing stories, said Richter. Stories about the political struggle at the time; stories about linguistic and language diversity in Soweto; stories about the immense technological changesImportantly, the book is about people and their relationships.

The study highlights the many challenges young people face in post-apartheid South Africa. Violence, in particular, begins early for children in South Africa. By 18, only one percent of children have not witnessed or experienced violence. It is truly an epidemic in this country and is pervasive and structural, said Richter.

Intergenerational pros and cons

Among the most salient findings of the study include the intergenerational nature of health and disease. Physical growth, cognition and mental health show intergenerational links, said Richter. But this can also be improved upon through access to quality services, education, better socio-economic circumstances and the dedication of families.

Examples of change include that the women in the Birth-to-Thirty cohort are on average 1cm taller than their mothers, more than half have passed matric, and more than half live in households with several consumer goods.

On the downside, more Birth-to-Thirty women had their first pregnancy before the age of 18 and are overwhelmed by debt. Many of them report experiences of interpersonal violence and depression. These experiences all affect later health.

While South Africa has changed, it has not changed enough or enough in the right direction to ensure that all children reach their full potential, said Richter.

She concluded that Birth-to-Thirty was always more than a study; it was where true and lifelong connections were forged. She thanked the research participants, some of whom were present at the launch.

As a treat, mountaineer Sibusiso Vilane spoke at the book launch. The first black African to summit Mount Everest in 2003, Vilane also raised funds for Birth-to-Thirty, noting his affinity and admiration for the research work.
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Brian Linden and his wife Jeanee pose for a group photo with team members of Linden Center in Xizhou old town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

KUNMING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua)  Over a decade after opening his first hotel and cultural center in Xizhou town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Brian Linden and his team opened their third project in 2021 in the province's Shaxi Township, with the new site overlooking an ancient Bai ethnic village and a tranquil lake.

In 2008, Linden, an American entrepreneur, and his team restored and repurposed heritage buildings and turned them into popular destinations for experiencing the rich cultural traditions of the respective surroundings, naming the boutique hotel brand the Linden Center, a center for cultural and interpersonal exchange.

Without the involvement of private investors, Linden and his partners aspire to restore local buildings and work for heritage conservation.

"In the past, many foreigners came to China for economic opportunities, but very few spent extended time to learn from the country's rich history," said Linden. "We want to encourage foreigners to view China differently, not solely for the financial purpose."

Promote Understanding

Before first coming to China in 1984 as an international student, Linden worked as a carpet cleaner in Chicago.

"I was cleaning the carpet at the house of a professor of the University of Chicago, who had just returned from a trip to China, and he asked me to put a red flag onto China on the world map," recalled Linden. "But with minimal education, I didn't know where China was."

Out of curiosity about the country, Linden applied for a Chinese government scholarship. To his surprise, his application was accepted and he received an opportunity to study in Beijing.

His first encounter with China was full of surprises and unexpected opportunities.

"When I was working out on the street on the third day after my arrival in Beijing, I was approached by a director who asked me to act in the first Chinese film starring a foreigner as the lead role," he said.

Four years later, Linden left China with his wife, whom he met in east China's Nanjing city, to pursue doctoral studies at Stanford University.

He later began to work on educational projects all over the world. During his extensive international travels, what disappointed him most was the outside world's lack of understanding of China.

"I've been to over 100 countries, but most of them don't understand China, and I want to provide them with a more balanced view of this country," Linden said.

"To achieve this goal, my team and I want to create social enterprises in each site, which can ensure that local villagers receive financial benefits, and visitors can enjoy an interactive experience, instead of solely experiencing the comforts and luxury of travel," Linden added.

With this goal in mind and his passion for China at heart, Linden shared his idea with his wife, a third-generation Chinese-American, and their two sons, who were 6 and 9 then. His family was very supportive of his decision and they decided to move back to China in 2003.

Culture Center

The Lindens then traveled to multiple provinces in China in search of a suitable location for his culture center, and in 2007, they found a historic building in the Xizhou old town, situated between Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain in Dali.

The architecture boasts the rectangular layout of traditional Bai-style courtyards, with the screen wall facing the entrance decorated with conventional paintings and the other three sides used to serve as living quarters.

"I got a strong sense of belonging the first time I came to Xizhou," Linden said, adding that the local villagers are inclusive and welcoming, and they all call him 'village head Linden.'

With the support from the local government, Linden and his team renovated the historic courtyard, and began to recruit locals as hotel servers.

"I want to make sure that local people are included in our business model and the hotel can provide them economic opportunities as well as a place where they can share our passion and be proud of the efforts," Linden said.

Owing to its uniqueness and amiable services, the Linden Center in Xizhou became one of the top-rated boutique hotels in China on TripAdvisor, a leading travel platform.

Linden, a former educator, wishes to provide an opportunity for young people from around the world to comprehend the richness of this country beyond the modern high rises of Shanghai and Beijing.

In 2012, Linden and his team established the Linden Center Yangzhuoran International Education Base and partnered with schools and universities to launch micro-campus programs.

"As I envisage it in the future, Linden Center is not just my accomplishment alone, but also a treasure of the Bai people in Xizhou, China, and the entire world," Linden said.

To blend into the contour of the surrounding mountains, the Lindens' new hotel in Shaxi is built with rammed earth, a traditional building material used in local Bai-style houses in the nearby Shilong Village.

Designed by returning UC Berkeley graduate student, Mou Yujiang, who is also the CEO of Linden Center, the project received the American Architecture Award in 2018.

"The Shaxi hotel serves as a cultural exchange platform through which we can promote culture and tradition," said Yang Lyu, a local resident from the Bai ethnic group who works at the new hotel. He always brings guests to Shilong Village to experience folk songs and dances, as well as the local wood carving.

Reflecting on the past decade, Linden said he sees optimism and hope whenever he talks with his neighbors because everyone is seeing more opportunities.

"When you see small villages are now connected to the rest of China by high-speed railways and new highways, how can you not be optimistic?" Linden said.

Brian Linden makes a point to a work of local artists in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 30, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Undated file photo shows Brian Linden's family in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province. [Xinhua]

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 27, 2022 shows a view of Xizhou old town in southwest China's Yunnan Province. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Brian Linden greets a child in Xizhou old town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

In this combo photo, Brian Linden watches a birthday blessing video shot by his team members (top), and Brian Linden's wife Jeanee and his team prepare to celebrate his birthday, in the Linden Center in Xizhou old town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Brian Linden introduces local culture to tourists in the Linden Center in Xizhou old town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 27, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Brian Linden poses for a photo with a tourist in Xizhou old town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Brian Linden and his wife Jeanee talk in the Linden Center in Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Combo photo shows aerial view of the Linden Center in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town (top), and bird's view of Shilong Village, in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Aug. 31, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Brian Linden looks on as his wife Jeanee indicates on the design of a rural library in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

Jeanee (R), wife of Brian Linden, learns Bai ethnic language from a local dancer in the Linden Center in Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022. [Xinhua/Cao Mengyao]

(Source: Xinhua)
BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming attendance to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan show the high importance China attaches to the SCO and relations with the two countries, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

According to the foreign ministry, Xi will attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in the city of Samarkand, and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from Sept. 14 to 16, at the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

"This will be China's most important event of head-of-state diplomacy on the eve of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which shows the high importance China attaches to the SCO and our relations with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan," spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing.

Mao said the profound changes in the international landscape and the protracted COVID-19 pandemic have further underscored the role the SCO plays in upholding regional security and stability and promoting countries' development and prosperity.

Mao said that at the upcoming SCO summit, Xi will have in-depth exchanges of views with other participating leaders with a focus on all-dimensional SCO cooperation and major international and regional issues to build new common understandings and open a new chapter for cooperation.

"We are convinced that the SCO will continue to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, stay true to its founding mission and work hard to achieve even more on the new journey ahead and make greater contributions to the cause of global and regional peace and development as the organization enters its third decade," said the spokesperson.

Noting both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are China's friendly neighbors and comprehensive strategic partners, and important countries along the Belt and Road, Mao said since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the two countries three decades ago, China and the two countries have always followed the principles of mutual respect, good-neighborliness, friendship, mutual assistance and win-win cooperation, and advanced bilateral ties toward new heights.

"President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visits will mark a new stage in China's relations with the two countries," said Mao.

According to the spokesperson, during the visits, Xi will hold talks with Kazakh President Tokayev and Uzbek President Mirziyoyev. They will have in-depth exchanges on bilateral ties, cooperation in various fields and international and regional issues of mutual interest.

"We're confident the visits will provide a new blueprint, new goals and new impetus for China's ties with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan," Mao added.

(Source: Xinhua)
Jack Epperson, 19, of Murray, KY, has been charged with two counts of attempted assault in the first degree and one count of possession of a destructive device.
Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Assembly Members to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home  you can find them all here.

In her column for September, Wrexhams MS writes:

Throughout our lives, Her Majesty The Queen was an ever-present source of strength, stability and inspiration.

Her peerless devotion to duty and unwavering selflessness during her historic 70 years of service is beyond compare and will never be replicated.

The Senedd is observing a period of national mourning, with business suspended until after Mondays State Funeral.

An extraordinary session of the Senedd took place on Sunday allowing members to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

Prior to attending the session, it was an honour to represent the people of Wrexham the Reading of the Proclamation at Cardiff Castle, which formally announced Charles III as the new monarch in Wales.

I also signed the Senedds Book of Condolence on behalf of the people of Wrexham recognising Her Majestys decades of commitment and service.

On Friday (16 September), The King and Queen Consort will visit the Senedd where they will receive a motion of condolence and meet with Senedd Members, as well as Members of the Welsh Youth Parliament.

As children return to school after the summer break, reception pupils have become the first in Wrexham and Wales to enjoy free school meals together.

Extending free school meals to all primary school children is a key part of the Co-operation Agreement between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru. The scheme will be rolled out in phases, with all primary school children benefiting by 2024.

No child should go hungry and this significant Welsh Government investment is particularly welcome as the cost-of-living crisis escalates.

No child should go hungry. For the first time, whole classes of primary school pupils are enjoying #FreeSchoolMeals together  Over the next three years we'll roll-out free school meals to all our primary school children.https://t.co/cJxhOLJS3h pic.twitter.com/duHhr7DxwA  Welsh Government (@WelshGovernment) September 7, 2022

In addition to free school meals, families on lower incomes in Wrexham could access support from the Welsh Governments Pupil Development Grant (PDG).

The PDG was expanded in March and helps cover the cost of school uniform and other kit.

Household budgets are under significant pressure and many parents will be worried about how they can afford the essential items their children need for school.

I am pleased the Welsh Labour Government has taken decisive action and is doing all it can to support parents and children in Wrexham

Check if youre eligible for support with Free School Meals and School Essentials (PDG Access). Claim whats yours: https://t.co/WIUFardcP3 #FeedTheirFuture  Wrexham Council (@wrexhamcbc) September 8, 2022

Nominations are open for next years St David Awards and Im encouraging residents to put forward the name of their colleague, friend or family member who they believe is deserving of national recognition.

The St David Awards are the highest accolades the Welsh Government can bestow. Now entering its tenth year, the Awards reflect and celebrate the aspirations of Wales and its citizens. They also offer the opportunity to raise the profile of people in the community, praising those unsung heroes who do exceptional things day in day out.

There are nine categories and nominations close at midnight on 20 October.

All the information can be found online but if anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

#Wrexham residents can now nominate their unsung heroes for a @stdavidawards If you know of a worthy individual or group who deserves national recognition, please nominate before 20th October deadline.  https://t.co/Pjqi2XFkW2 https://t.co/vu7uvUTqYr  Lesley Griffiths (@lesley4wrexham) September 8, 2022

The rollout of the autumn COVID-19 booster started on September 1st, with care home residents and staff across Wales the first to receive the vaccine.

Everyone in Wrexham eligible for the autumn booster will be invited for a vaccination by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Invitations will be issued in order of vulnerability, with everyone eligible being offered a booster vaccine by the end of November. I know certain GP practices in Wrexham are already administering booster jabs to its patients.

Vaccines have had an enormous impact over the course of the pandemic and I wish to thank the NHS workers and other organisations who will once again step up and administer the jabs in the coming days, weeks and months.

In addition to the COVID booster, an expanded flu programme will once again be offered, with 1.5 million people being eligible for a free vaccine. I would urge all those who are eligible to take up their invitations when they arrive.

Coronavirus has not gone away and we do not want to lose any of the gains we have made.

Our winter respiratory vaccination programme will help protect the most vulnerable in our communities. Weve already started rolling out the autumn COVID booster vaccination and will be extending our flu programme to provide 1.5 million eligible people with a free vaccine.  Welsh Government (@WelshGovernment) September 1, 2022

If youre a constituent in Wrexham and there is anything I could help you with, please email me: lesley.griffiths@senedd.wales or call 01978 355743. You can sign up to my regular e-newsletter by clicking here.
Inspection finds Welsh-medium provision for adult learners is underdeveloped

A report has been published monitoring the provision of part Welsh Government funded adult learning in the community across Wrexham and Flintshire.

Earlier this year, the North East Wales Adult Community Learning Partnership was assessed by Estyn, the education and training inspectorate.

More than 2,000 people in Wrexham and Flintshire enrolled on its community adult learning courses in 2021-22.

Estyn found that learners are offered good opportunities to re-engage with education, develop skills and job prospects  but more could be done to improve Welsh language opportunities according to its report.

The partnership was established in April 2021 as a collaboration between Flintshire Council and Wrexham Council, and employs five lead providers to deliver most of its Welsh Government-funded provision;

Aura Leisure and Libraries (employability courses in Flintshire)

Caia Park Partnership (employability courses in Wrexham)

Coleg Cambria (essential skills in Wrexham)

Deeside Community Trust (engagement courses in Flintshire)

Groundwork North Wales (essential skills in Flintshire)

In addition there are other partners including Adult Learning Wales, Coleg Cambria adult skills core provision, the Department for Work and Pensions, Communities for Work, voluntary sector organisations and other providers for health and wellbeing support.

The report states that the partnerships courses help with basic skills and wellbeing.

It said: The newly established North East Wales Adult Community Learning Partnership is well led and has strong support from both local authorities in delivering provision for adults in the community across Flintshire and Wrexham.

Leaders set very high aspirations for the partnership, the providers and for learners. The vision for the partnership is ambitious and reflects Welsh Government policies for community learning.

There is a good balance and useful range of courses for adults who want to become re-engaged with education, to improve their job prospects, upgrade their English language skills (English for speakers of other languages), develop their literacy, numeracy or digital skills or improve their health and well-being.

There is also a small but growing family learning provision, where parents and their children play and learn together, for example through learning the heritage skills of wool felting, at the childrens schools.

But the report adds: The partnerships bilingual and Welsh-medium provision for learners is underdeveloped.

The partnership currently has no provision offered bilingually or through the medium of Welsh.

As a result, no learners study or take part in programmes bilingually or through the medium of Welsh and most learners do not develop their Welsh language skills significantly.

But the partnerships impact on the wellbeing of learners emerging from the pandemic has been highlighted as a strong positive by the report.

It states: As a result of the impact of the pandemic, the partnership reports higher numbers of learners with anxiety, low confidence, and wellbeing concerns.

Many learners across the partnership report that their mental health has improved significantly through their learning and that they have overcome initial anxieties such as attending face-to-face sessions and meeting new people.

Most learners enjoy the social interaction of their learning experiences such as meeting people and making friends after prolonged periods of isolation.

Learners from a few courses have arranged their own clubs and groups where they meet outside of their classes to support each other through difficult times in their lives. Learners with additional learning needs (ALN) have used their learning experiences to become more independent and socially confident.

The report adds: The partnership uses non-accredited short courses well to attract hard-to-reach learners who are less confident about entering or re-entering education.

These courses often focus appropriately, for example, on health and well-being while embedding literacy, numeracy and digital skills within the content.

The report can be read in full on Estyns website. Its recommendations to the partnership for the future are to;

Increase opportunities for adult learning in the community bilingually and through the medium of Welsh.

Track, monitor and evaluate learners long-term progress through the partnerships provision.

Develop a partnership approach to self-evaluation and improvement of learning and teaching across all the partnerships provision.

Improve opportunities for learners to receive advice and guidance about joining the partnerships provision.

The partnership will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations from the inspection.

Estyn will invite the partnership to prepare two case studies on its work in relation to family learning and establishing a new ALC partnership, to be published on Estyns website.

By Rory Sheehan  BBC Local Democracy Reporter
Dale Kortesmaki is a 54-years-old Chippewa Falls resident who lives in a tiny house behind Landmark Christian Church. The church hosts a couple of tiny houses for the housing insecure.

Hope Village is a non-profit 501C3 providing temporary tiny housing for the homeless in Chippewa County. Its mission is to provide short-term and longer-term housing alternatives, and service to people experiencing homelessness.
When Lisa Carter lost her job things went downhill quickly.

I used up my savings and then needed a place to live. I stayed with a friend for a while and she was having her own mental health crisis at the time. So I needed somewhere to go, she said.

Carter knew Mike Cohoon, Hope Village board member and director. She called him for help. Cohoon is a member of a group of Chippewa Falls residents thats been working to combat homelessness through a tiny houses initiative.

I called him and he got me into the tiny house out at Chippewa Valley Bible Church. I was there for a year. Now I found a wonderful job. Now I have a wonderful place to live. Yeah, its pretty amazing, she said.

She started her job as office manager at Our Savior Lutheran Church in December 2021 and moved into her own apartment in May after being housed in a tiny house for months.

Because you know, theres no affordable housing in general. So it took awhile to find a place.

Hope Village started on January 1, 2016, because the homeless shelter in Chippewa Falls had closed its doors in 2014. That meant that before the tiny houses initiative, people like Lisa had no place to go when they lost their homes.

Hope Village is a non-profit 501C3 providing temporary tiny housing for the homeless in Chippewa County. Its mission is to provide short-term and longer-term housing alternatives, and service to people experiencing homelessness.

There was a group called the Chippewa Falls Mission Coalition that was trying to figure out what to do since we no longer had a homeless shelter in Chippewa Falls. We wanted to see how we might be able to resolve that and help people that were unsheltered, said Cohoon.

Cohoon had read some things about Tiny House villages, he said.

I brought that up as an option and over the next couple of years, through the Chippewa Falls Mission Coalition, which is a group of 17 churches and almost as many social agents, we talked about and discussed different options, he said.

He did the same with a group called the Chippewa County Hunger and Homeless group. But it got to be January 1 of 2016 and they werent making a ton of progress, Cohoon said.

I thought, maybe, as one of my personal goals, I could get some friends together and build a tiny house and take it around to the churches and social agencies and show it to them, to see whether they thought that idea would fly. So we did that in the spring, summer and fall of 2016, he said.

By August they were able to house the first guest in that house, right on site at Landmark Christian Church where Cohoon has served as a pastor.

Since then, theyve built 10 tiny houses which are hosted by five different churches in the area. The 11th one is under construction right now.

Besides the tiny houses, the organization offers help and support to their guests. Case management and mentoring is provided to all guests of the Tiny Homes.

We match them up with a navigator and two mentors that they stay in contact with daily, to help the residents move through whats called a secured living plan, Cohoon said.

The secured living plan focuses on three areas: helping our guests find an income that would help them sustain permanent housing, helping them get reconnected to their health resources, and helping them find that permanent housing, Cohoon said. Kind of the bottleneck to our program is that theres not a very large supply of affordable housing in the Chippewa Valley.

The next phase of the tiny housing initiative is to bring the tiny houses together on a piece of property called Hope Village where they can provide better services. The tiny houses dont have running water so the new village will have a community building with showers and laundry facilities, a shared kitchen, some office space and community space for people to gather.

Cohoon said the group is in the middle of a fundraising campaign, trying to raise money for the next phase when theyll be adding 28 units of affordable housing, five duplexes and three six plexes on that same property at Hope Village.

Carter is a success story. But shed lived in a tiny house once previously. When she needed housing last year she had a thorough conversation with Cohoon about her options.

With Lisa we talked a little bit about whether or not she thought that she could live in a tiny house again (last year). We knew we were going to have to match her up with some pretty strong mentors to help her get through her secure living program, Cohoon said. At the time I just wanted to make sure that she was OK with that because she had left the first time and had a pretty successful job and found a place to live. I think this second time she was dealing with more depression than the first time. I knew that that was gonna be a challenge for her.

Cohoon said he just wanted to make sure that she thought that she could make progress.

One thing that Hope Village does thats a bit different than a shelter is that it focuses on long-term, intensive support for residents.

What were doing is building a safety network around them. And that safety network doesnt go away once they move, Cohoon said. That safety net is there so that if something comes up five months after you move out of a tiny house they can contact us again and we can kind of step in and provide some extra support.

Carter said shes never been happier or felt more stable.

Not just for me, but so many people this has been a total Godsend, or thered be way more people living on the streets and in the woods and under the bridge and whatever. Or not being alive, she said. Its amazing.
The World Socialist Web Site has endorsed the campaign of Will Lehman for UAW president. For more information on the campaign, visit WillforUAWPresident.org.

On Tuesday, September 13, rank-and-file socialist candidate for UAW president Will Lehman issued a statement challenging incumbent UAW President Ray Curry to commit to attending the debate scheduled for September 22 at 6 p.m. (Eastern). As of last week, none of the other candidates had informed the Monitor overseeing the election to confirm they will attend.
In a 9 September special edition of Stahlnachrichten (Steel News), the IG Metall union is jubilant over a so-called key points agreement it has signed with Vallourec management. It praises the severance payments, the establishment of a so-called transfer company and the extra bonuses it has agreed to for IG Metall members if they go along with the closures.

The key points agreement reproduced in the IG Metalls Stahlnachrichten of 9 September

In reality, the agreement has only one aim: to prevent a struggle to defend jobs at the French-owned specialty steel tube manufacturer, which could quickly spread into a conflagration in view of the mass redundancies and plant closures at many companies. If the union gets its way, the destruction of 2,400 Vallourec jobs and many thousands more in the supplier industry will proceed as smoothly as possible.

Although the anger of many workers at the companys plants in Dusseldorf and Mulheim has increased since the decision to shut down was announced in May, the IG Metall and the works council want to use the agreement to ensure that production is maintained until the very last day, so that profits continue to flow to shareholders and investors.

Instead of defending jobs through a joint struggle, the IG Metall, like an industrial police organisation, is praising the sellout of jobs in return for a severance payment, knowing full well that this will destroy the future for the coming generation.

On closer inspection, even the thirty pieces of silver being touted by IG Metall as the reward for agreeing to the destruction of jobs proves to be a fraud. In view of the dismissals at many other companies, the transfer company into which younger workers (born in or before 1967) are to be placed is a transfer to unemployment.

At the same time, the transfer is accompanied by a massive loss of wages because the short-time working allowance of those transferred is, as a rule, only topped up to 85 percent of their monthly net wage, without including previously received supplements. This means a massive drop in income, under conditions where food and energy costs are exploding. Moreover, this mini-income will then be used as the basis for calculating unemployment benefits.

As far as the basic severance payment is concerned, the IG Metall boasts that it has negotiated a factor of 1.25. The gross monthly wage is to be multiplied by this factor and the years of service in order to calculate the severance pay. A factor of 1.25 is comparatively high, the union claims.

Assuming a gross monthly income of 4,000, an employee with 20 years of service will receive a severance payment of 100,000. A worker with 40 years service will receive 200,000. Taxes and social security contributions are to be deducted from the severance packages.

Workers with fewer years of service and/or lower wages will receive a correspondingly lower severance payment.

Those who cannot retire yet will realise when they apply for unemployment benefits, at the latest, how quickly a severance payment can be used up. In future, the citizens allowance, which replaces the previous Hartz IV welfare payment, will be means-tested.

Temporary workers and apprentices are being treated particularly badly when it comes to severance pay. Temporary workers are to be fobbed off with a lump sum of 10,000, apprentices with a lump sum of 5,000.

The extent to which the IG Metall now acts as an agency of management is shown by the fact that it is desperately trying to keep its members in the union by offering special privileges and additional bonuses if they accept the closures.

For example, it has agreed that union members who were members of the IG Metall on the cut-off date of 18 May 2022 and remain members will receive a bonus of 10,000 gross. Those who were members of IG Metall on the cut-off date of 1 September 2022 and are still members will receive a bonus of 2,500.

The days when the trade unions stood for solidarity, joint industrial action and demands like Equal pay for equal work are long gone. Now they suppress any serious industrial action and divide workers between young and old, between temporary and contract workers versus senior workers, and between union members and unorganised workers, in order to impose social cuts, wage reductions, layoffs and plant closures.

So corrupt are many union officials that they are seeking to involve their members in real estate speculation. They--that is, only the IG Metall membersare to receive an extra bonus if the company makes more than a fixed (but secret) amount from the sale of the land on which the plants currently stand. Half of the additional amount is to go to the company and half is to be divided among IG Metall members.

The IG Metall and the works council calculate that with an additional amount of 38 million, 11,176 will go to each union member if on the cut-off date the members numbered 1,700. If Vallourec sells the property for more than the projected 120 million, non-members will supposedly receive a generous share. Of the 60 million available to the IG Metall for distribution, 50 million will then go to members and 10 million to non-members. Assuming there are 1,995 employees, each would then receive a bonus of 5,012.

The World Socialist Web Site calls on workers at Vallourec to reject the key points agreement with contempt, demand it be put to a vote, and vote against it.

In a May 21 article on the closure of the Vallourec plants we warned, Industrial actiona strike or occupation of the plantsis indeed the only way to defend jobs. But that requires a complete break with IG Metall and its works council representatives.

Workers must organise themselves into rank-and-file action committees independent of IG Metall and the works council. Their first task is to contact their fellow Vallourec workers in France, Scotland and other countries to organise joint industrial action to defend all jobs unconditionally.

It is also important to contact workers in other sectors, especially those at Ford in Saarlouis, where the workers are fighting against the closure of their plant and the destruction of their jobs. The workers at Ford have already started to build an action committee.

The closure and job cut plans of Vallourec and the trade unions must not be accepted. All jobs must be unconditionally defended. The interests and needs of the workers stand higher than the profit interests of the corporation.

To wage this struggle, it is necessary to build the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP--Socialist Equality Party) and organise the struggle on the basis of an international socialist programme.

Get in touch with the SGP! It supports the building of independent action committees and helps to forge international contact with workers in other countries and other factories also affected by closures. Send a Whatsapp message to the following number: +491633378340.
The far-right Sweden Democrats, a party which emerged from Swedens neo-Nazi movement, was the clear winner in Sundays general election in the Scandinavian country. Although the vote totals for the two major blocs of parties remain so close that a final result will only be known after postal votes and overseas ballots are tallied on Wednesday or Thursday, the Sweden Democrats increased their support more than any other party and are now the second-largest political party in Sweden.

As of Monday afternoon, preliminary results gave the right-wing bloc of parties led by the conservative Moderates 175 seats and the left bloc led by the Social Democrats 174. However, the Moderates were replaced by the Sweden Democrats as the largest party in the right-wing four-party bloc, which also includes the much smaller Christian Democrats and Liberals. The Sweden Democrats saw its share of the vote increase from 17.5 percent in 2018 to 20.6 percent, while the Moderates dropped from 19.8 percent to 19.1 percent.

The Social Democrats remained the largest single party, making slight gains from their 2018 result to finish with 30.5 percent of the vote. Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who depended in the outgoing parliament on the toleration of the Centre Party, Greens, and Left Party to stay in power, has refused to officially concede defeat. There is still a slim chance that the remaining votes could secure the Social Democrat-led bloc the 175 seats required for a majority in the 349-seat parliament (Riksdag).

The election result is a damning indictment of what has passed for left politics in Sweden. Long held up by left-leaning media outlets and political parties internationally as a progressive paradise, Sweden has witnessed wave after wave of privatisations and public spending cuts, tax cuts for the wealthy, an explosion of military spending and the scapegoating of immigrants under successive governments of the left and right.

This culminated in the policies pursued by the Social Democrats under Andersson and former Prime Minister Stefan Lofven over the past eight years, including bringing Sweden into the NATO military alliance, lining up full square behind the US-NATO war with Russia, and championing a homicidal profits before lives pandemic policy that left Sweden with one of the highest death rates from COVID-19. Supported by the Greens and Left Party, the Social Democrats also enforced budgets dictated by the right-wing parties and adopted punitive measures against asylum seekers and immigrants.

Whatever the final outcome of the vote, the Sweden Democrats have emerged politically strengthened as the entire political establishment lurches sharply to the right. Even in the unlikely event that the Social Democrats manage to cling to power, the far-right Sweden Democrats would be the official opposition in parliament.

Prior to the election, Moderate leader Ulf Kristersson raised the possibility of forming a government consisting of the three traditional right-wing parties with himself as prime minister with the far-right Sweden Democrats providing parliamentary support from the outside. This proposal was a tacit recognition of the deep hostility felt by broad sections of the Swedish population to the far-right party, which has never before held government office.

But on election night, Sweden Democrat leader Jimmy Akesson made clear that the Sweden Democrats would not be satisfied with a supporting role, declaring, Right now it looks like there will be a change of power. Our ambition is to sit in the government.

On Monday afternoon, leading tabloid Aftonbladet reported that Akesson visited the Moderates headquarters for talks in central Stockholm. Talks were also held by the Moderates with Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch and Liberal leader Johan Pehrson. Kristersson reportedly hopes to negotiate an arrangement whereby the Sweden Democrats and Liberals support a minority government consisting of the Moderates and Christian Democrats.

Akesson and the Sweden Democrats ability to play the decisive role in determining the incoming governments policies and composition is the outcome of the far-rights systematic integration into official political life by all the established parties. When the fascistic Sweden Democrats first entered parliament at the 2010 election, all other parties claimed that they would refuse to cooperate with them. In 2014, Social Democrat Prime Minister Lofven justified his acceptance of an agreement with the traditional right-wing parties as necessary to stop the rise of the far right. The deal involved Lofven committing the Social Democrats to enforce budgets based on the right-wing parties spending plan, which involved continued austerity for public services after decades of cuts and privatizations. In return, the right-wing parties promised not to topple Lofvens minority government with the votes of the Sweden Democrats.

After Kristersson took over as Moderate leader in 2017, the Moderates switched course and began openly collaborating with the Sweden Democrats. This cooperation resulted in parliament voting last year in favour of a budget drafted by the Moderates and Sweden Democrats, which the minority Social Democrat government headed by Andersson agreed to implement. The Centre and Liberal parties, which constantly claim to oppose in principle joining or supporting a government that includes the Sweden Democrats, also voted for the budget.

Behind the parliamentary maneuvering, powerful objective forces have driven the Swedish ruling elite to embrace the far-right Sweden Democrats. Sweden has one of the fastest growing levels of social inequality among the OECD countries. This trend has been produced by the comprehensive dismantling since the 1990s of the social welfare system and public services, which were among the most generous in Europe during the postwar period. One of the most glaring expressions of this process is the increasingly segregated character of Swedens major cities, which have impoverished suburbs dominated by immigrant populations where unemployment is sometimes more than double the national average.

The Swedish ruling class is also playing a leading role in transforming Scandinavia into a second front in the US-NATO war with Russia, including by applying to join NATO with its neighbour Finland and sending weaponry to Ukraine. And last but not least, Stockholm spearheaded the homicidal herd immunity policy in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, a policy that found favour with the most reactionary political forces around the world, including the fascist-minded former US President Donald Trump.

The intensification of these policies under conditions of a global crisis of the capitalist system necessitates the mobilisation of openly fascist forces to intimidate working class opposition, as is underscored by developments in all the major capitalist countries. The rise of the Sweden Democrats to the position of the countrys dominant right-wing party resembles the transformation of the Republicans in the United States into an ever-more explicitly fascist party following the attempted coup on January 6, 2021, and the British Conservatives emergence as a vicious far-right party under the leadership of Boris Johnson and now Liz Truss. In a general election due later this month, Giorgia Meloni, leader of the neo-fascist Fratelli dItalia that honours the fascist dictator Mussolini, has strong prospects to become Italian prime minister.

None of these far-right forces enjoys mass popular support. Rather, these forces political strength comes from two key factors: first, the support they enjoy from key sections of the ruling elite and its state apparatus; and second, the role played by the official left parties and their trade union allies in blocking the working class from intervening independently into political life. The latter factor has proven especially critical in Sweden, where the ex-Stalinist Left Party and the trade unions have kept working people subordinated politically to the Social Democrats as they have marched steadily to the right and adopted many of the Sweden Democrats key policies.
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout, New York, Random House, 2021, 240 pp.

In Oh William! Lucy Barton, a successful writer living in Manhattan, ventures into the family past of her ex-husband William, a scientist at New York University. The two are in their sixties and early seventies and the novel takes place in recent times. Neither has resolved the issues bound up with his or her past, although they have both tried. Unexpected and powerful feelings surface in what they discover about it in this book.

Elizabeth Strout, 2015 (Photo creditLarry D. Moore)

History, poverty and the difficulty of human relationships are baked into the lives of the characters. Lucy Barton is a figure who reckons with all of this and in a compassionate and thoughtful way that makes her an important additionand an exceptionin contemporary American fiction.

Strout (born 1956 in Portland, Maine) has published seven novels. Her first, Amy and Isabelle (1998), is about the difficult relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter in a small mill town in Maine. The novel became a best-seller and was made into a television film starring Elizabeth Shue (2001), directed by Lloyd Kramer.

Strout won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2009 for her novel about a grade-school teacher, her family and her community, Olive Kitteridge (2008), also a commercial success with over a million copies sold. The book was made into an HBO miniseries in 2014 directed by Lisa Cholodenko and starring Frances McDormand in the title role. The series won several Emmy awards.

While the Olive Kitteridge miniseries departs from the novel in several important ways, one issue raised in the World Socialist Web Site review could also apply to Strouts book: Difficulties arise, however, as in so many contemporary works, from the filmmakers problematic and limited attitude toward the characters and their predicaments, and beyond that, to the larger social world.

Olive Kitteridge is about small-town life in contemporary USa subject that Strout has returned to in other novelsand tends to take on the limited scope of that life in some of its own judgments. Strout is always generous and compassionate to her characters, but her work has lacked a broadly socially critical viewpoint. It is somewhat passive in relation to contemporary life, a widespread problem.

Oh, William! follows My Name is Lucy Barton (2016), which Lucy narrates, about the time her mother sat by her bedside in a New York hospital in the 1980s, and Anything is Possible (2017), a novel made up of interrelated stories (like Olive Kitteridge and its 2019 sequel Olive, Again). These books deal, in one way or another, with the fictional town of Agawam, Illinois, and the family and neighbors of Lucy Barton, as well as Lucys later life in New York City. A fourth novel in the series, Lucy by the Sea, is slated to be published this month.

Readers of the Agawam series will already know that Lucy comes from extreme poverty, with episodes of parental abuse, accumulating resentment and a longing for change. The themes of war and war crimes appear in these two books as well.

Oh William!

Oh William! begins when Williams third wife leaves him. Lucys second husband, a cellist, has died recently, and so the two come together for mutual support. Lucy and William have a pair of daughters together, who have finished college and are beginning lives of their own. Both William, who has inherited money, and Lucy, a successful writer, live in Lower Manhattan comfortably.

Although they do not strike the reader as especially callous, no one pays any attention to the worsening economic conditions in New York City. Instead, there are the usual markers of this social layers life: comfortable apartments, striking furniture, generally cultured friends. Manhattan feels as circumscribed, in its way, as Olive Kitteridges Crosby, Maine.

Nevertheless, the themes of poverty and war appear in Oh William! as they do in the previous novels in the series, and in a new, perhaps even more powerful, manner.

Early in the novel, William tells Lucy that he has awful terrors in the middle of the night. Some of these concern his mother, Catherine, who had died many years earlier. But, as Lucy relates, Williams worst terror, because his father [a German soldier] had been fighting on the side of the Nazis  he would see very clearly the concentration camp  and he would see the rooms where people were gassed, and then he would have to get up and move into the living room and put the light on and sit on the couch and look out the window at the river.

As Lucy helps her former husband cope with the loss of his marriage, his mothers past comes to the fore. Catherine, whom Lucy knew as a comfortable and proper realtor in a wealthy Massachusetts suburb, had run away with a German POW, Williams father, who worked on her husbands farm once the war was over.

After Lucy gives William a subscription to an on-line genealogy tool as a birthday present, he discovers that he has a half-sister from his mothers first marriage. Lucy and William then set off to Maine to find her. Notably, the Maine that they see is not Olive Kitteridges middle class Crosby but a town called Houlton, where there were lots of almost-falling-down houses, and lots of stars on the sides of these houses for veterans, gold stars for the ones who were dead. We passed by signs that said Pray for America.

The poverty of Houlton has a powerful effect on Lucy:

As I rode now next to William I almost wanted to say, with a sweep of my hand: These are my people. But they were not. I have never had a feeling of belonging to any group of people. Yet here I was in rural Maine and what had just come to me was an understanding  for a few moments I felt this: that I understood where I was. And even, also, that I loved the people we did not see who inhabited the few houses and who had their trucks in the front of these houses.

The central scene of the novel occurs when Lucy goes to meet Williams half-sister, Lois, because William is unable to get out of the car. Lois, as one might imagine, is cold at first. But she is also level-headed and becomes unabashed about her feelings as the conversation progresses. Lucy is astonished to find that the woman has all the books she (Lucy) has written on her shelf and knows about Catherine, her biological mother, from Lucys memoir.

Lois paints Catherine as an opportunist who married Loiss father to escape poverty and abuse, just the sort of escape that Lucy has made. Lois tells her, She came from less than nothing. She came from trash.

Then Lois tells Lucy, much to her surprise, that many years ago Catherine came to find her. In a life without many regrets, she says that she regretted being unkind to her biological mother.

Loiss description of her meeting with Catherine is characteristic of concerns that have come up in Strouts fiction before, especially the distance between people and their selfishness: Do you know what bothered me the most about her visit? Lois asks. It was the fact that she only talked about herself. Oh, she asked a few questions about me  but she went on and on aboutHere Lois shook her head slightly. Herself. Herself is what she talked about and how hard this had been on her.

The familiarity and connection that Lucy feels with this working class community she hardly knows, as well as the guarded generosity of Lois is contrasted to the selfishness of Catherine, a refugee (or defector?) into the upper middle class who was accustomed to introduce Lucy with the phrase, she comes from nothing.

William, back in the car, is unable to process any of this. As they leave, they drive past, on Loiss suggestion, the house where Catherine had grown up, the most ramshackle of all the houses in the area. Lucy remarks, I had grown up in a very small house, and this one was much smaller. It was one story and looked as though it had two rooms.

Much of Oh William! is arguably about love, and Lucy certainly projects empathy and giving. But it is all conditioned by a terrible history and by poverty. The magnitude of the Second World War is never entirely absent: The Holocaust and other war crimes side appear in the Agawam series as well as the depredations of poverty. In Oh, William! these elements appear again, suddenly and irrevocably, both to the characters and the readers.

The author does not fully flesh them out, but perhaps they feel more inevitable, even persistent, because of that. History here manifests itself through family relationships, much as in the work of Canadian writer Alice Munro, whose efforts Strouts resemble.

The fact that war and poverty do appear marks a certain advance over Olive Kitteridgethe recent books are deeper and feel more attuned to what makes people what they are. The final novel in the Agawam series, Lucy by the Sea, will appear later this month. The book deals with an enormously compelling topic, since most of it takes place during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. How will Strout handle that and these two characters (who move back in together)? It will be interesting to find out.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Sri Lanka will hold an online public meeting entitled Stop the repression of anti-government protesters! Release all political prisoners! at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 25. The event will be broadcast via Zoom and live-streamed on the partys Facebook page. Register here.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has intensified the police crackdown against anti-government protesters, arresting prominent activists, and more than 1,000 are still being held in remand or detention camps. The draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) is being used to incarcerate some activists at detention camps for months.

Wickremesinghe has declared: If the protesters do not work in accordance with the constitution, action should be taken against them. This is nothing but criminalising any action taken by workers and the poor to defend their social and democratic rights, or to oppose the countrys thoroughly anti-democratic constitution, the state and the capitalist system.

The recent popular uprising, which involved the active support of millions of workers and the poor, shook the ruling class to the core. Wickremesinghe knows that this mass opposition will erupt on an ever-greater scale as he imposes the austerity dictates of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He is ruthlessly preparing to take on the working class.

This assault on democratic rights is not limited to Sri Lanka. The ruling classes in every country are turning towards fascist and dictatorial forms of rule to impose the burden of the deepening global economic crisis.

The trade unions, the pseudo-left Frontline Socialist Party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and middle-class protest groups are responsible for facilitating the repression. They betrayed the mass struggles that erupted in April against President Gotabhaya Rajapakses government, paving the way for Wickremesinghe to assume power.

Now these forces are forging an alliance with opposition capitalist parties, such as the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, aimed at diverting the struggle against Wickremesinghes repression into appeals to the imperialist powers and the state. Their aim is to block an independent movement of the working class.

In opposition to this reactionary program, the SEP insists that the repression can be defeated only by an independent mobilisation of the working class, rallying the rural masses against capitalism on the basis of an international socialist program.

The SEP has brought forward this perspective in its campaign for a Democratic and Socialist Congress of Workers and Rural Masses, based on delegates from action committees of workers and the poor, to advance the fight for a workers and peasants government. We urge workers, youth and all rural oppressed people to participate in this important meeting to discuss this program.

Register link here.
Last week a Federal Judge in Texas ruled unconstitutional an Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirement that US healthcare plans cover a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug which prevents the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The judge made this reactionary attack on public health on the basis that covering HIV prevention drugs violates the religious freedom of the plaintiffs. The WHO says that HIV, which, left untreated, leads to the life-threatening AIDS syndrome, is still a major global health emergency with more than 40 million deaths worldwide to date.

The anti-retroviral drug Truvada, which is a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine. [Photo by Jeffrey Beall / CC BY 4.0

The case was brought to court in 2020 by a group of Republican Party connected Texas Christian fundamentalists on the behalf of Braidwood Management and Kelley Orthodontics, arguing that the lifesaving drugs such as Tuvada and Descovy can facilitate or encourage homosexual behaviour, with the plaintiffs challenging the legality under the Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.

The Biden administration has announced it is reviewing the decision.

US District Judge Reed OConnor went further than just HIV prevention, however, using it as a launching board for a broad attack on the entire framework of coverage for preventative services recommended by the US Preventative Task Force which are covered by private health insurance at no cost to the patient under ACA rules. The American Medical Association and a coalition of 60 medical organizations have warned that the ruling could mean that patients would lose access to vital preventive healthcare services, such as screening for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, preeclampsia, and hearing.'

In fact, this is one of the primary aims of the lawsuit. No doubt businesses would be thrilled at the cost savings of not covering preventative care for their employees, and as will be shown, the real plaintiff to the case is the Republican Party, one of the twin parties of big business in the US. As much as the American financial oligarchy has moved to dismantle public health, letting diseases like COVID-19 and Monkeypox run rampant, so too does it move to remove access to life saving drugs. As Lenin wrote, Political reaction all along the line is a characteristic feature of imperialism. Its attitude to public health is no different.

Since their approval in the last decade, HIV PrEP treatments have become one of the necessary measures required to prevent further transmission of the virus, with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) crediting its use with the decline in HIV diagnoses. Nearly 2.8 million people around the world rely on the drug according to the Global PrEP tracker database.

According to the Centers of Disease Control new HIV diagnoses decreased by 8 percent in the US from 2016 to 2019.

Male-to-male sexual contact still constitutes the vast majority of HIV infections in the US. That said, 1 in 5 new HIV infections are among women, according to the CDC, with the vast majority being through heterosexual contact. HIV operates on objective biological laws; it does not ask if someone is a gay male before infecting them, contrary to the idiotic insinuations of the Republican Party Christian fundamentalists. In short, anyone can acquire HIV.

In many ways, the policy advanced by the ruling to let the virus which causes AIDS spread regardless of treatments available bears similarity to the same policy of the ruling elite of South Africa, which accounted for 20 percent of all AIDS cases in 2019.

In South Africa, where the government for years denied that HIV caused AIDS and told AIDS sufferers to merely eat garlic, HIV prevalence exceeds 15 percent among adults, according to a 2019 commentary by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

As for the fraudulent claims advanced by the plaintiffs that AIDS is a gay disease, according to a 2021 IPSOS survey South Africas total non-heterosexual population (i.e. gay, bisexual, etc) is 8 percent, far less than the 15 percent who have the disease. In some South African communities, a staggering 60 percent of women have HIV. At the time of the commentary, of the 4,500 South Africans newly infected with HIV each week, nearly one-third were females ages 15-24.

Judge OConnors ruling is not only outrageous, it is in fact unconstitutional, as it requires the state to enforce the religious views of Christian fundamentalists, blatantly violating the Establishment Clause of the US constitution, which stipulates a separation between church and state, not to mention spitting on the heritage of the American Revolution, which explicitly repudiated such concepts as a state religion. Thomas Jefferson famously declared that when the American people adopted the establishment clause they built a wall of separation between the church and state.

As we have pointed out, what remains of this wall is in the process of being demolished, with the US Supreme Court ordering state funding of religious education in Maine and striking down the right to abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade on the basis of explicitly Christian fundamentalist grounds.

The Texas case itself has the characteristics of a far-right conspiracy directed from the Republican Party.

Judge OConnor is an arch-conservative appointed by George W. Bush in 2007.

Another plaintiff in the case, Dr Steven Hotze, who claimed covering PrEP for his employees would be contrary to his sincere religious beliefs, is a megadonor to the Republican Party. He has also claimed that drugs like Truvada and Descovy, common over-the-counter PrEPs, can facilitate or encourage homosexual behaviour.

The initial filing was made by Austin-based attorney Jonathan Mitchell. Mitchell is a far-right political operative, having served as a court clerk for arch-reactionary former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. He also has connections to former president Donald Trump, who nominated Mitchell to lead the Administrative Conference of the United States. He ultimately did not pass confirmation after questions about his far-right political donors. Mitchell is also responsible for the fetal heartbeat abortion ban in Texas, and the earlier 2016 abortion ban.

The Southern US, in which Texas is situated, accounts for the majority of new HIV diagnoses, according to the CDC, at 51 percent for 2020. The CDC notes that The heavy burden of HIV in the South, especially in those states considered the Deep South, is driven in part by socioeconomic factors like poverty and unemployment. The South has the highest poverty rate and lowest median household income compared to other regions of the U.S. Both factors are associated with poorer health outcomes and may contribute to a higher concentration of HIV and other chronic diseases like diabetes in the region.

The CDC also cites the lack of health insurance, stating that half of all Americans without health insurance live in the South, as well as lack of hospitals and public transportation (especially in rural areas), and of medical personnel trained in treating HIV. The Texas ruling against PrEP insurance coverage will make it even more difficult to access preventative drugs as existing insurance plans will no longer cover them.
Over the past week, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued dozens of subpoenas to Donald Trumps top aides, lawyers and campaign staff. In addition, according to the New York Times, federal agents have seized the phones of two Trump aides, attorney Boris Epshteyn and campaign strategist Mike Roman.



Both men were, and continue to be, involved in Trumps effort to establish a dictatorship. Epshteyn is a near-daily guest on fascist Steve Bannons War Room podcast and was heavily involved, along with coup lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, in Trumps campaign to appoint fraudulent pro-Trump electors.



Earlier this year, federal agents seized the phones of coup lawyer John Eastman and former DOJ environmental lawyer Jeffrey Clark. Eastman advanced the unconstitutional theory that Vice President Mike Pence could unilaterally reject electors from states Trump lost. Clark was a low-level, right-wing lawyer in the Justice Department whom Trump considered elevating to the departments top post because he had agreed to announce that the DOJ was investigating voter fraud in battleground states that Trump lost to Joe Biden. Trump pulled back when the top officials in the department, who had found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, threatened to resign en masse.

While the subpoenas have not been made public as of this writing, one subpoena reviewed by CNN was described as broad in scope. CNN reported that the subpoena sought information concerning the bogus elector scheme, the Stop the Steal organization and the Save America political action committee. The Save America PAC is Trumps primary fund-raising arm and the organization behind the January 6, 2021 rally at the Ellipse outside the White House that preceded the fascist storming of the US Capitol.



Since its founding shortly after the 2020 election, the Save America PAC has raised over $135 million. The committee paid about $8.7 million to Event Strategies Inc., a company that helped organize the seating and the audio and visual equipment for the Ellipse rally.



During that rally Trump, who was told there were armed supporters in the crowd, ordered the mob to march on the Capitol or else you are not going to have a country anymore.



While a complete list of those subpoenaed by the Justice Department has yet to be revealed, CNN, CBS and the New York Times have reported that over 30, and as many as 40, Trump accomplices have been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Washington D.C., some as early as September 23.



Those subpoenaed include:

* Rudolph Giuliani, Trumps personal lawyer and top coup lawyer. Giuliani is a frequent guest on Steve Bannons War Room podcasts.

* Bernard Kerik, former commissioner of the New York Police Department and longtime ally of Giuliani. Kerik was one of dozens of Republican operatives who helped plot Trumps coup while staying at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington D.C.

* Stephen Miller, an outright fascist and Trumps top speech writer. While in the White House, Miller was Trumps senior adviser on immigration policy. He spearheaded Trumps adoption of the inhumane child separation policy at the US-Mexico border. Miller first suggested that the White House use the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext to invoke Title 42 and deny immigrants the right to asylum in the US.

* Bill Stepien, a former Trump campaign manager. Stepien was slated to testify live before the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack earlier this year but failed to appear due to the birth of his child. In pre-recorded testimony, Stepien confirmed that Trumps inner circle knew that Trump had lost the 2020 election within hours of the polls closing.



* Sean Dollman, deputy operations manager in Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and chief financial officer in the 2020 campaign.

Amy Kremer, founder and chair of Women for America First, speaks at the Save America rally which took place on the White House Ellipse immediately preceding the attack on the Capitol by far-right Trump supporters on January 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

* Amy Kremer and her daughter Kylie Kremer, both of whom are Republican operatives. Both were previously subpoenaed by the House Select Committee for their role in Trumps coup. Amy Kremer is a founding member of the Tea Party Patriots and chair of Women for America First (WFAF). Kylie is the executive director of WFAF. Both women worked with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in planning the Save America rally outside the White House on January 6.



* Daniel Scavino, Trumps former deputy chief of staff and communications. Earlier this year, the Justice Department announced it would not be seeking charges against Scavino or Meadows for defying subpoenas from the House Select Committee.



* William Russell, a close adviser to Trump. Russell served in Trumps White House and was with Trump during the attack on the Capitol. He has continued to work for Trump in Florida.



* Brian Jack, the last White House political director under Trump. The New York Times reports that Jack continues to advise both Trump and Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

In an interview with CBS, Virginia-based attorney David A. Warrington, who claims to represent roughly a dozen of those subpoenaed by the Justice Department, said the subpoenas he received were nearly identical. Warrington said they requested information pertaining to the fraudulent elector plot, which was backed by Republican officials in seven states, as well as fundraising for the Save America PAC and the Stop the Steal rallies.



The issuing of the subpoenas comes as the final primary elections wrap up this week, less than two months from the mid-term elections. Normally, DOJ prosecutors adhere to a 60-day policy that prevents them from issuing subpoenas or charges against politicians two months before an election. That this is apparently being ignored reflects the intensity of the escalating political crisis within the capitalist state more than 20 months after Trumps failed coup.
The Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee is hosting a public meeting Wednesday, September 14, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Organize to prepare for a national strike! All railroaders and their supporters are urged to attend and register for the meeting here. To join or contact the committee, send an email to railwrfc@gmail.com or fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

A Norfolk Southern freight train makes it way through Homestead, Pa. on April 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

With less than three days to go before the deadline for a national railroad strike, the rail unions are working desperately to work out a deal with the seven Class I freight railroads. The unions, however, are faced with overwhelming opposition from workers, which is seriously disrupting their attempts to bureaucratically enforce a sellout deal.

Rail workers are fighting against a concessions contract proposal issued last month by a Biden-appointed Presidential Emergency Board that includes cuts to real wages and increases to health care costs. It also leaves intact the hated attendance policies that have driven tens of thousands out of the industry.

Despite the civil war atmosphere reigning inside Washington, both parties have indicated that they are prepared to come together to pass legislation to block a strike. Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat in the House, told Bloomberg News that Congress would intervene. On Monday night, Republican Senators Richard Burr and Roger Wicker proposed legislation to impose the PEB right at Fridays deadline.

In a groveling letter to congressional leaders for both parties Tuesday, the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, declared, We humbly ask you to please let the two sides work this out.

In other words, the unions are not demanding Congress stay out of a strike that will take place on Friday. Instead, they are begging Congress to give the unions the space and time needed to enforce a deal and avoid a strike. The letter adds, Now is not the time for short-sightedness, as the fragility of the economy is very real.

The companies, however, refuse to make even the slightest concessions on the brutal work regime on the railroads, where workers are constantly on call and are unable to schedule time with their families or even doctors appointments. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which together with SMART-TD include the majority of railroaders as members, said that they would even soften their bargaining position by asking for unpaid sick leave, to no avail.

But SMART-TDs proposed solution is not a national strike, but a voluntary agreementthat is, one reached without Congressional interventionwhich it calls the best option for our members and the nation. It states, The only tool left in our shed is an agreement worthy of ratification[!] by our members. This itself directly contradicts SMART-TDs and BLETs own promotion of the PEBs report as historic a few weeks ago, statements which only enraged workers further.

SMART-TD attached to its letter internal polling showing that a contract patterned after the PEB would be rejected by 78 percent. This is likely a significant understatement of the real depth of opposition. Before the PEB, workers in the BLET voted by 99.5 percent to authorize strike action. But in the SMART-TD poll, when it asks members what the best option is, striking is not even cited. Instead, they ask workers to choose between ratifying the PEB and ultimately [letting] Congress decide the contract.

SMART-TD adds that even if intervention does become inevitable, then please hear our request and consider our proposal for the sake of our members families. In other words, the unions passively accept as legitimate and inevitable that Congress, which is comprised mostly of millionaires whose own stock portfolios would tank in the event of a strike, can intervene to rip up workers democratic right to strike.

For decades, the rail unions have presented the government and even the anti-worker Railway Labor Act, which is aimed at eliminating strikes in the industry, as neutral arbiters. But the whole history of government interventions in the railroads, invariably on behalf of the corporations, testifies to the opposite.

This includes the Great Railway Strike of 1877, which was crushed by federal troops; the arrest of strike leaders of the Pullman Strike in 1894 on trumped-up charges of tampering with the mail; and the intervention by the Truman administration against strikes in 1946 and 1950. In 1991, the last national rail strike was shut down by a Congressional injunction after only a few hours. The House passed the bill by a vote of 400 to 5, including a freshman member from Vermont named Bernie Sanders.

Among railroaders, a mood of defiance has long taken hold. We just worked through a pandemic with zero paid sick days, yes zero! one worker told the WSWS. If Congress forces a contract on us without sick days, he added, this will get ugly.

Another observed, I believe there have been too many deals agreed to without the voice of the rank and file. Some locals have included in their bylaws that the Chairman has autonomy. That practice should be done away with and everything should be discussed with the rank and file before any agreements are made.

The anger and opposition of workers to the unions betrayals is taking the form of intense interest in the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee, whose statements have been read thousands of times. A public meeting sponsored by the Committee this evening has received over 100 registrations.

The opposition from workers is overwhelming the attempts by the unions to enforce bureaucratic obstacles, including by hiving off the smaller craft unions into separate agreements. The Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen has canceled plans to bring a PEB-patterned contract to a vote, which clearly would have had no chance of passing. Voting concluded last night on a contract for the International Association of Machinists, but although a final tally was not available as of this writing, the union itself seems to harbor little illusion that contract will be ratified. On Monday, the union distributed circulars to machinists instructing them on strike protocol.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees issued a statement declaring that, while their members could not officially participate in a strike due to their decision to extend the cooling-off period, workers should also not cross the picket line of other railroaders in the event of a strike, and that the BMWE members would still receive strike pay. This is simply rubber-stamping what the maintenance workers would have done anyway without the unions approval.

A congressional intervention would be fraught with political dangers for the ruling class. It would intersect explosively with the political crisis in the US in the weeks leading up to critical midterm elections. Moreover, there is also no guarantee that a Congressional injunction would not be simply ignored by workers. Such moves have taken place many times in the past under conditions of rank-and-file rebellions, including the 2018 teachers strikes (which defied state anti-strike laws) and the 1977-78 miners strike, which defied a Taft-Hartley injunction by President Jimmy Carter.

Both Congress and the White House would vastly prefer a deal to be worked out before the deadline. In comments to CNN, Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate, claimed Congress might not intervene, adding that avoiding a strike depends on the parties in negotiations stepping up to the plate.

White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre declared Tuesday, A shutdown is unacceptable and will hurt American workers, families and businesses, and they [meaning the railroads and the unions] must take action to avert it. Late Tuesday night, the Biden administration announced that Labor Secretary Marty Walsh would host talks with both sides at the White House Wednesday morning.

Biden, meanwhile, is making contingency plans in the event of a strike to move freight without the need of the railroads. Jean-Pierre said the White House is reportedly engaged in daily interagency meetings to discuss the impact of a strike on supply chains.

The railroads, meanwhile, are continuing to wind down operations in advance of the deadline. Norfolk Southerns contingency plans to refuse taking on new freight takes effect today, and Amtrak, which runs almost entirely on lines owned by the freight railroads, has begun to cancel passenger trips. The unions have denounced this as self help prohibited before the deadline by the Railway Labor Act, contrasting it to their own loyal observance of the law by keeping workers on the job working under normal conditions.

The Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee is hosting a public meeting Wednesday, September 14, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Organize to prepare for a national strike! All railroaders and their supporters are urged to attend and register for the meeting here. To join or contact the committee, send an email to railwrfc@gmail.com or fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Just 96 U.S. soldiers died during Operation Desert Storm in the spring of 1991, according to the U.S. Army Center of Military History.

Unfortunately, Jonathan R. Edwards was among them. Edwards, a Marine Corp. helicopter pilot, died on Feb. 2, 1991. His daughter, Adriane Hodges, was 8 years old at the time of his death.

This has been a huge part of my life, and made me who I am, she said.

Hodges, now 40, opened Bold Republic Brewing with her husband in Temple, Texas, in 2018. When Hodges learned about plans to construct a National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial in Washington D.C., she came up with the idea of creating a beer to honor her father, with proceeds from sales going toward the memorial project.

Thus, Capt. Jack beer was born. She described it as a helles bock style brew, in a traditional German style.

We created this recipe and gave it to the world, Hodges said Tuesday. Weve had 20 breweries make it. Our goal is to have one brewery in every state.

Now, Capt. Jack has a new manufacturer, as Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company has started making the beer.

A ceremony was held at the Leinie Lodge in Chippewa Falls on Tuesday to celebrate the release of Capt. Jack beer. Leinies brewmaster John Hensley said they are making a seven-barrel batch inside the Lodge. Each barrel is about 31 gallons of beer.

We plan to keep brewing it through Veterans Day, Hensley said. Were happy to do this.

Dick Leinenkugel, president of the brewery, said he hadnt heard of Capt. Jack, or the efforts to build the Operation Desert Storm memorial, until he received an email about it. Leinenkugel noted that his father, his brother Jake and two of Jakes sons all served in the Marines.

This was near and dear to my heart, Leinenkugel said.

Kent Shively, deputy director of planning and design for the National Desert Storm War Memorial, said the memorial will be constructed immediately north of the Lincoln Memorial and west of the Vietnam War memorial in Washington D.C. Shively said the memorial is estimated to cost $40 million.

Taxpayer dollars cannot be used to fund the project, but they have raised the money through private donations. Shively said they continue to raise money because of expected cost overruns.

Some people said it was such a short war, why do we need a memorial? Shively said. Operation Desert Storm was the last winning war this nation had, because we had an exit strategy.

Shively, who served as a U.S. Marines infantry squad leader in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm, is proud of his service there; he arrived on New Years Eve at the end of 1990 and left in April 1991.

We want to celebrate how the world came together, and we did what was right, Shively said. Leinenkugels putting their names behind this puts a whole other level of legitimacy to this project.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held July 14. The actual construction should start in early 2023, with the goal of completion by Veterans Day in November 2024, Shively said.

Hodges beamed as she talked about how her beer is helping make this memorial come to fruition.

This war charged the course of history, and its often overlooked, she said. This project is about honor and gratitude for those who served. I hope we can all raise his glass today.

To learn more, visit ndswm.org.
The man accused of firing a shot into the air and starting fires during the 2020 turmoil in Downtown Kenosha is facing new criminal charges for alleged crimes committed last month while out on bond.

Joshua Ziminski, 37, and his wife Kelly Ziminski, 32,, of Racine, were both charged Wednesday in Kenosha County Circuit Court with numerous felonies for allegedly attempting to rob a Kenosha man at knifepoint late last month.

Both are charged as parties to a crime with armed burglary, robbery with threat of force, intimidation, false imprisonment, unauthorized use of an individual's personal identifying information or documents and misdemeanor battery. Joshua Ziminski was also charged with felony bail jumping.

Both are being held on $100,000 cash bonds. They are expected to appear in court Sept. 23 for preliminary hearings.

According to the criminal complaint, a Kenosha Police officer spoke with a man at 2 a.m. on Aug. 26, who was walking westbound on 52nd Street and who said a woman and two men had come to his apartment that night, in the 5300 block of 17th Avenue, and attempted to rob him.

The man recognized the female as someone he knew as "Bonnie," a woman he had met about a week before. He said that he thought she was homeless with children and wanted to help her. The man told officers that on a prior occasion, he paid her $30 to $35 to clean the carpets at his apartment. Bonnie was later identified as Kelly Ziminski.

The man said that around 1:20 a.m., he was at his apartment when Kelly Ziminski knocked on his door and asked to come in and use the bathroom. He said he allowed her in but she was followed by two men who came in and grabbed him. The man identified one of the men as Joshua Ziminski, according to the complaint.

The man told officers that Joshua Ziminski told him to Give me the money from the house and that he replied that he had no money at home but some in the bank. He said Joshua Ziminski then grabbed him by the arms and was holding a knife in his hand with the blade closed, according to the complaint. The man said the second man punched him in the face twice and then they pushed him into a truck.

The man said they demanded the PIN to his debit card and drove him to a gas station. They reportedly attempted to use his ATM card to withdraw money but it failed. They then drove him to three other gas stations along Washington Road but were not able to withdraw any money from his account, according to the complaint. When all of that failed, they brought him back to the first gas station, where he was able to flee his alleged captors into the store.

The complaint states Joshua Ziminski and Kelly Ziminski then drove off and the man told the employees to call 911.

Joshua Ziminski was arrested on Monday and reportedly said that Kelly Ziminski had met a man and agreed to clean his apartment three days a week for $200. He said one night he and Kelly went to the man's apartment at 1:30 a.m. so that Kelly Ziminski could clean it.

Joshua Ziminski stated that he waited in the car while Kelly Ziminski went inside. Shortly thereafter, he said Kelly Ziminski came out and told him that the man had hit and raped her, according to the complaint.

Joshua Ziminski also reportedly stated that he went inside and confronted the man and hit him a few times and demanded the full $200 for Kelly Ziminski's cleaning services. Joshua Ziminski also said that the man denied having the money but offered to go to an ATM with them to withdraw it. He also said the man at one point handed the debit card to him and told him to try to use it.

2020 charges

Joshua Ziminski was already out on bond and scheduled to appear in court Oct. 14 for crimes allegedly committed in August 2020 during the Downtown turmoil following the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer.

He is facing charges of felony arson and misdemeanors of obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct with a deadly weapon. He posted bond in the spring. That bond was increased from $1,000 earlier this year to $13,000 by a judge after Joshua Ziminiski allegedly threatened and intimidated a witness at court as jury selection was first set to begin in January for the alleged crimes committed in 2020.

Joshua Ziminski was charged with disorderly conduct after authorities used a previous booking photograph to identify him as the man who fired off a what he allegedly called a warning shot into the air on Aug. 25, 2020, just before Illinois teenager Kyle Rittenhouse, who was in the same area, shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum.

Rittenhouse was found not guilty in November 2021 in that shooting death, along with the shooting death of Anthony Huber and for injuring Gaige Grosskreutz during riots that night in Downtown Kenosha. Rittenhouse said he acted in self-defense.

Police investigating the shootings identified Joshua Ziminski and observed that he was holding a black stolen handgun, according to reports. At one point, in a video Joshua Ziminski was seen pointing the gun to the sky, and the police observed a muzzle flash and heard a gunshot at the same time. The Ziminskis were then seen leaving the area.

The felony arson charge was filed after a video on Kelly Ziminskis phone showed Joshua Ziminski tossing a match into a dumpster and then asking the crowd for lighter fluid to help the fire spread, according to the criminal complaint. Joshua Ziminski then pushed the dumpster onto Sheridan Road as police vehicles were moving toward him. His wife was seen on video adding flammable material to the fire, the complaint states. In another video, according to the complaint, Joshua Ziminski is seen near a trailer that is overturned and on fire in the 5800 block of Sheridan Road manipulating the fire with his right foot. Kelly Ziminski pleaded guilty last April to a misdemeanor count of obstructing and a civil forfeiture charge of failing to comply with an emergency order.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson wouldnt indicate Tuesday whether hed support a proposed national ban on abortions after 15 weeks gestation, telling a reporter he felt the issue was best left to the states.

The Oshkosh Republican, who has supported multiple federal abortion bans in the past, said that abortion should be decided by we the people in the 50 states, according to a CNN report.

Asked whether his comments to CNN meant Johnson would oppose a national ban, Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning said, As the senator has said many times, he believes this is a profound moral issue and agrees with the Dobbs decision to allow the democratic process to unfold in each state to determine at what point does society have the responsibility to protect life.

The proposed legislation, which almost certainly wont receive a vote in the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate, includes exceptions for incest, rape and risks to the mothers life and health. The measure would leave intact state prohibitions that are stricter than the proposed ban, while requiring states with more permissive abortion laws to adhere to the 15-week requirement.

In Wisconsin, an ongoing lawsuit is likely to determine whether the states 1849 near-complete abortion ban became active after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In the meantime, abortion clinics have stopped providing services in the state.

Johnson has supported national abortion bans before, co-sponsoring six, 20-week abortion bans between 2013 and 2021. In late August, Johnson said states should decide the issue but added that Congress could eventually set the limit, according to the Washington County Daily News.

The measures Johnson supported all preceded the U.S. Supreme Court decision that returned the issue to the states, Henning said.

Still, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes campaign was doubtful that Johnson would actually vote against a federal abortion ban.

Ron Johnsons record has made it clear: A vote for Ron Johnson is a vote for a federal abortion ban, Barnes spokesperson Maddy McDaniel said in a statement.

The legislation introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tuesday appeared to have divided congressional Republicans, who have varying opinions on the proper limit for federal abortion bans or whether Congress should decide the issue at all, according to multiple reports.
With a deadline looming, industry groups are asking lawmakers to head off a potential rail shutdown that could affect virtually every corner of the economy, from retail goods to fuel and even drinking water.

Amtrak, which runs trains over private rail lines, has canceled all long-distance passenger service starting Thursday, including the Empire Builder, which runs between Chicago and the Pacific coast.

Unions and major rail carriers, including lines that serve Wisconsin, have been working for years to resolve ongoing disputes over sick leave and penalties for missing work. A federal cooling off period ends Friday, opening the possibility of a strike or lockout.

The Associated Press reported that members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 19 voted Wednesday to reject a tentative agreement negotiated by union leadership and the railroads. But the IAM agreed to delay any strike by its members until Sept. 29 to allow more time for negotiations and to allow other unions to vote.

A rail shutdown could deal a major blow to the economy, throttling up to a third of the nations freight  including shipping containers, vehicles, fertilizers and grains  and costing $2 billion a day, according to the rail industry.

Wisconsin utilities also depend on railroads to deliver coal to the six plants that generate the bulk of the states electricity, as well as chemicals used to disinfect water.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warned water and sewer utilities Wednesday that a rail shutdown could disrupt deliveries of chlorine and other bulk chemicals, such as fluoride and phosphates, and urged utilities to come up with contingency plans.

McCrea Baker, the DNRs water system security and emergency response coordinator, said while most utilities do not receive rail shipments directly, they could be affected if bulk shipments to their suppliers are disrupted.

Baker said railroads have already curtailed shipments of concentrated chemicals to avoid stranding hazardous materials in the event of a strike.

The American Water Works Association has warned members to calculate the number of days until they run out of disinfectant and need to issue boil orders.

Marcus Pearson, a spokesperson for the Madison Water Utility, said utility managers are learning more as each hour passes but are confident that this will not impact the utilitys operations nor the quality of our drinking water.

Pearson did not say how long the utilitys chlorine supply would last.

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District spokesperson Amanda Wegner said the utility has adequate supplies of chemicals at this time, but added the strike is an unpredictable situation and managers are relying on suppliers for updates on the potential impact.

Fuel at risk

Wisconsin utilities rely almost exclusively on railroads to deliver coal for electricity generation, though they typically keep stockpiles to last a month or more.

The states power plants received 5.7 million tons of coal in the first half of 2022, a 19% decline from the previous year, and had just under 2 million tons of coal on hand as of June, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

A spokesperson for WEC Energy Group, which operates three of the states largest coal-fired power plants, said the utility has enough coal on hand for the foreseeable future though an extended rail stoppage could impact plant operations.

We have long invested in reliability and fuel diversity  including renewable energy and natural gas generation, said Brendan Conway. We are confident we will be able to continue to provide customers the energy they depend on.

Dairyland Power Cooperative spokesperson Katie Thomson said the utilitys coal supply at the 390-megawatt John P. Madgett station in Alma is slightly below the 30- to 50-day normal.

Thomson said rail deliveries have been generally performing well, but the cooperative, which provides power to cooperative and municipal utilities serving about 250,000 customers, is concerned about the potential for a strike, which could impact our ability to meet winter demand for power.

In the event of a strike, Thomson said Dairyland would consider burning more natural gas to conserve coal.

Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesperson Andrew Beckett said the agency is monitoring the situation and communicating with utility companies.

Food and gas

A rail strike could also drive up motor fuel prices and even affect food production, according to industry trade groups who have urged lawmakers to step in to avert a strike or lockout.

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers told congressional leaders a strike could force production cuts at refineries and petrochemical factories, depleting gasoline and diesel supplies.

Railroads told oil and gas industry representatives last week that they were curtailing shipments of hazardous materials and other chemicals to prevent carloads from being stranded, according to a letter from the American Petroleum Institute, which said that alone could have profound impacts on the industrys ability to deliver energy supplies.

The fertilizer industrys trade group joined the call for Congress to intervene, saying a strike could impact delivery of fertilizer for fall applications, reducing domestic crop production.

For every day this uncertainty continues, we essentially lose five shipping days because of the ramp down and ramp up, said Corey Rosenbusch, president of The Fertilizer Institute.

There has not been a national rail strike since 1991, when Congress voted to end it less than 24 hours after workers walked off, according to Bloomberg.
" " Twitter Blue subscribers are testing the edit button. If all goes well, it will roll out across the platform for all users. Twitter

In July 2006, Twitter went live with a 140-character limit and a dream. A mere four months later, a user noted that there was no edit button. And users have been screaming for one ever since. Or, in the language of Twitter, s c r e a m i n g. Or maybe screaminnnggggggg, depending on the day.

Oops, was that one too many g's to make the point? Too bad! Once your tweet is published, it's been a no-take-backs situation for a decade and a half. People born on the same day as Twitter can legally drive a car in the United States, but they still can't edit a tweet. Founder Jack Dorsey said as recently as 2020 that there would never be an edit button on Twitter.

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But it's 2022 and Jack Dorsey stepped down from Twitter's board of directors in May. Then Sept. 1, Twitter announced that it's slowly rolling out an edit button ... in some places. (Coincidence? Who knows or cares!) But the edit button is just for some people. For now.

Why Twitter Is Getting a Diet Edit Button

The company says an edit button is its most requested feature, which is a surprise to absolutely no one who has ever written or even just read a tweet or, especially, a tweet thread. Users will be allowed to edit a tweet "a few times," according to Twitter's blog, within 30 minutes of hitting "send." The edited tweet will say "last edited" with a date and time stamp, and users will be able to see past versions of the tweet.

So while the latest iteration of your 280-word masterpiece/hot take (the character limit was raised in 2017) will be the one that shows up in timelines, your errors will still be discoverable.

Twitter says the idea is to fix typos and add hashtags that you forgot. But users of the site are worried that people will bury their bad takes (racism, homophobia, harassment  if you're on Twitter you know the drill) under five layers of fixes. This could be especially bad if public figures start gaming the system, but the visibility of edits seems like a way to hold tweeters accountable.

Other social media, including Facebook and Instagram, let users edit their posts without any kind of retroactive visibility letting viewers see the error of one's ways. In its blog post, Twitter said its testing "includes how people might misuse the feature. You can never be too careful." So they seem to have read some of the comments about the casting of Amazon's "Lord of the Rings" series.

The first test group is limited to Twitter Blue subscribers in New Zealand, who pay US$5 per month for extra features. If the Kiwis can behave themselves, the edit button will come to users in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Now That's Interesting Donald Trump misspelled "honored" in a tweet the day after he was inaugurated in 2017. He deleted it shortly after and replaced it with a correct tweet, but legal experts say he violated federal law  specifically, the Presidential Records Act of 1978.
Audiences are often led to believe that important exhibitions can only be found in metropolitan cities or major museums. Yet, in reality, one can find ambitious and prestigious exhibits closer to home, especially in many of the local college art galleries.

Dickinson Colleges Trout Gallery is playing host to one such exhibition: Robert Rauschenberg: Surface Series, a wonderful example of how a show of significant merit can be found right here in Carlisle.

American artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008) is considered one of the most important American artists of the late 20th century. Along with Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, he was instrumental in creating a shift from the dominance of Abstract Expressionism into what became Pop Art. A painter and graphic artist, Rauschenberg is well known for his Combines, which is artwork that incorporates everyday objects as art materials, blurring the distinction between painting and sculpture.

Surface Series is comprised of 18 silkscreen prints created over the first two months of 1970. The series coincided with a larger shift in Rauschenbergs work toward more political and socially engaged art projects. He made the prints at the threshold of a new decade, to shake people awake, to open their conscience to the world that was burning around them.

For each of the prints in the series, Rauschenberg overlaid images and headlines drawn from contemporary newspapers  some as negatives, others as positives, all of them in black and white. Many of them display large dot patterns, which are usually unwanted byproducts of commercial printing processes. Yet, in this context, they take on artistic quality, much like the dots used in the cartoon-like Pop-inspired works of Roy Lichtenstein.

Each 40-inch x 40-inch screen print in Surface Series began as two separate collages. Rauschenberg cut and pasted news headlines, photographs, drawings and magazine excerpts into a single collage and took a photograph of the result. He then did the same with a second collage and superimposed the resulting two films. Rauschenberg was able to adjust the overlapping areas to achieve his desired composition. A final photograph, this one of the combined films, allowed him to craft the image that would be used to make the silkscreen print.

In describing the Surface Series, Rauschenberg explained that the world condition permitted me no choice of subject or color and method of composition. The stark black and white headlines featured in Surface Series mark the artists growing distress over social inequities, global violence, racism, the Vietnam War and environmental pollution. Chaotic combinations of torn and folded text and images stacked one upon the other are used both in and out of focus. This cacophony of words and pictures evokes the overwhelming nature of media bombardment in the age of communication. Despite the fact this series was created over 50 years ago, its sentiment still rings true and relevant today.

While Rauschenbergs political beliefs are not completely obvious in Surface Series, his choice of the source material is a hint. He incorporated major newspapers and tabloids, but also alternative publications. For example, alongside The New York Times and the New York Daily News, he included the Daily World, a Marxist newspaper, and the Berkeley Barb, a countercultural newspaper supporting civil rights and the anti-war movement. In addition to 15 different newspapers, Rauschenberg used magazines, broadsheets and drawings as source material for the collages.

Technically, the Surface Series demonstrates Rauschenbergs mastery over the medium of printmaking. He began experimentation with prints in 1962, much in the same way as Warhol. In Surface Series, Rauschenberg manipulates the scale of objects, employs mirroring strategies, creates twin images and superimposes text and images from various sources. With the visuals of the text and printed images, he uses the same techniques used by print media, such as newspapers, to shape how readers engage with content. In this way, Rauschenberg is making commentary on the press and the ability to frame the messages that they tell.

Rauschenberg explains what he intended to do in creating the Surface Series by stating, I want to shake people awake. I want people to look at the material and react to it. I want to make them aware of individual responsibility, both for themselves and for the rest of the human race. It has become easy to be complacent about the world. The fact that you paid a quarter for your newspaper almost satisfies your conscience: Because you have read your newspaper, you have done your bit. And so you wrap your conscience in your newspaper just like you wrap your garbage ... I made it as realistically as I could, as austerely as possible, in the most direct way I knew how, because, knowing that it was art, people had to take a second look, at least, at the facts they were wrapping their garbage in.

Rauschenbergs headlines may have been ripped from the social unrest of the period, but they remain starkly relevant to todays political, social and cultural issues. While some of the names and places have changed, the subject matter of Rauschenbergs Surface Series reflects many of the same concerns that face our society today. Rauschenberg combines brilliant artistic techniques that draw one in to closely examine the imagery, and in doing so, confronts the viewer with the world outside the hermetic art world.

Through art making, Rauschenberg hoped to improve the world; he wrote, By working together, sharing information, technology and art could be a way to awaken the conscience of people to avoid a crucial disaster. The Surface Series brought both socially relevant topics and innovative art to a time in which both were needed, and its relevance continues even today, proving that social engagement and artistic practice can co-exist and flourish.

Robert Rauschenberg: Surface Series is on display until Oct. 15 at the Trout Gallery located in the Emil R. Weiss Center for the Arts on the Dickinson College campus, 240 W. High St., Carlisle. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. The gallery is free and open to the public. For more information on the exhibition visit www.troutgallery.org.
With the weekly occurrence of Farmers on the Square, Wednesday afternoons in Carlisle involve a flurry of activity downtown, featuring community members, vendors and, consequently, tables.

At the end of July, a new table joined the mix, staffed by members of Cumberland Valley Rising.

CVR publicly stands for a vision of a just, healthy, peaceful, democratic society, the groups co-chair Gerry Schultz said.

Schultz said the nonprofit organization advocates for a variety of causes, including ending hunger and homelessness, racial justice, health care for all, reproductive rights, environmental protection, free public education, civics education and voting rights for everyone. Its website says it seeks to provide information and resources for members to engage in local politics.

Schultz said the group was formed around the end of 2016 or beginning of 2017 and covers Cumberland County from Camp Hill to Shippensburg. Members meet on Zoom and there are several committees including those for elections, events, immigration and racial justice.

The group has set up shop on Veterans Square every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. since the end of July and offers voter registration forms for people to pick up and fill out on their own.

We thought this will give us a chance to reach out to people who maybe dont know about Cumberland Valley Rising, and also weve been trying to register people to vote [and] encourage them to vote, Schultz said.

Alongside voter registration, the table also typically focuses on a specific issue each week. Last weeks theme focused on information about raising Pennsylvanias minimum wage, a topic Schultz said was relevant due to the proximity of Labor Day.

Schultz said Cumberland Valley Rising tends to examine progressive issues, though the goal is to reach out to everyone.

I think the more public outreach that we have, the better it is for us and the public because that way we let people know there is a group in our area which is working on these issues, and if theyd like to get involved, of course were happy to have them get involved, he said.

He said that in the past Cumberland Valley Rising has had tables at different events, but that this is the longest sustained tabling the organization has had, and its seen more engagement with every passing week.

For now, Schultz said the group plan is to continue to set up shop in the Square through the November election, and he hopes to see the table come back next year.
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Cumberland County COVID-19 case rates showed increases and its hospitalization rates dropped for the week in the latest data updates Wednesday.

The county's 14-day rate for hospitalizations sat at 13.5 Wednesday according to the state Department of Health, down from 15.4 on Sept. 7 and 16.5 on Aug. 31. The county saw six straight days with at least one COVID patient in the ICU this week. It also had one COVID-related death, giving it three for September.

The county had seven-day case rate averages in the 50s at the end of July through the beginning of August, when it started to decline. The seven-day case rate sat at 44 Wednesday, the second straight week for an increase after 42 on Sept. 5 and 39 on Aug. 29.

Cumberland County moved into the medium level of community spread according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data as of Sept. 8, the first time the county has been out of the low level since the end of July.

The CDC updates its community levels data every Thursday afternoon. It uses new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population (7-day total), new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population and percent of inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients (7-day average) to determine its community spread levels of high, medium and low.

Last Thursday's update shows 8 counties in the state in the high level for COVID community levels as of Sept. 8, down three from the previous week. Huntingdon and Mifflin counties are in the high category for the southcentral region, with Cumberland, Juniata, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford and Blair counties in the medium level (four more counties than the previous week). The state has 38 counties in the medium level, two more than the previous week.

County data

The Health Department reported 308 cases and one death for Cumberland County in the past seven days, 24 more cases than the previous week. The county's seven-day average for case counts increased to 44, up from 42 on Sept. 7.

The southcentral region totaled 20 deaths in the past week (seven in Franklin County).

There were 16 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Cumberland County in Wednesday's update, the same total as last week.

There was one adult in intensive care and no one a ventilator Wednesday. Sixteen adult ICU beds remain open of the 68 currently staffed across the county, and 17 of 72 ventilators in the county are in use.

Franklin County's hospitalizations increased by seven to 16 patients Wednesday, with 18 of its 34 currently staffed ICU beds available. There are two adults in the ICU and no one on a ventilator.

Dauphin County's hospitalizations decreased by three this week to 37 patients Wednesday, with 22 of its 166 currently staffed ICU beds available. There are six adults in the ICU and four on ventilators.

Vaccine update (Sept. 14)

In data updated Tuesday evening, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 72.6% of Cumberland County's population is fully vaccinated. The CDC also reported that 76.5% of the population 5 and older is vaccinated, and 79.9% of the population 12 and older is fully vaccinated.

The CDC also reported that 45.5% of the county's fully vaccinated population has received a booster vaccine.

Early Warning Dashboard update (Sept. 14)

Cumberland County showed increases in its COVID-19 percent positivity and its incidence rate per 100,000 people in the Health Department's weekly update to its Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard.

The county's percent positivity increased to 23% for the week of Sept. 7-13, up from 22.3% the previous week. The incidence rate per 100,000 people increased to 88.8, up from 78.1 the previous week, 74.6 two weeks ago, 75.8 three weeks ago.

Mifflin County has the highest incidence rate in the Midstate at 192.2, with Bradford topping the state at 240.4. Cumberland County has the highest percent positivity rate in the Midstate at 23%, with Warren County topping the state at 35.8%.

County numbers in the southcentral region (updated Sept. 14 - weekly totals):

Adams County (pop. 103,009): 185 new cases; 28,510 total cases (23,937 confirmed, 4,573 probable); 392 deaths (+2); 57.1% of county population vaccinated

185 new cases; 28,510 total cases (23,937 confirmed, 4,573 probable); 392 deaths (+2); 57.1% of county population vaccinated Bedford County (pop. 47,888): 62 new cases; 12,071 total cases (8,075 confirmed, 3,996 probable); 282 deaths; 39.7% of county population vaccinated

62 new cases; 12,071 total cases (8,075 confirmed, 3,996 probable); 282 deaths; 39.7% of county population vaccinated Blair County (pop. 121,829): 214 new cases; 32,874 total cases (26,262 confirmed, 6,612 probable); 644 deaths; 54.3% of county population vaccinated

214 new cases; 32,874 total cases (26,262 confirmed, 6,612 probable); 644 deaths; 54.3% of county population vaccinated Cumberland County (pop. 253,370): 310 new cases; 57,979 total cases (43,862 confirmed, 14,117 probable); 925 deaths (+2); 72.6% of county population vaccinated

310 new cases; 57,979 total cases (43,862 confirmed, 14,117 probable); 925 deaths (+2); 72.6% of county population vaccinated Dauphin County (pop. 278,299): 297 new cases; 66,788 total cases (55,216 confirmed, 11,572 probable); 1,009 deaths (+2); 65.6% of county population vaccinated

297 new cases; 66,788 total cases (55,216 confirmed, 11,572 probable); 1,009 deaths (+2); 65.6% of county population vaccinated Franklin County (pop. 155,027): 293 new cases; 46,145 total cases (38,630 confirmed, 7,515 probable); 738 deaths (+7); 51% of county population vaccinated

293 new cases; 46,145 total cases (38,630 confirmed, 7,515 probable); 738 deaths (+7); 51% of county population vaccinated Fulton County (pop. 14,530): 37 new cases; 4,643 total cases (2,471 confirmed, 2,172 probable); 68 deaths (+2); 36.9% of county population vaccinated

37 new cases; 4,643 total cases (2,471 confirmed, 2,172 probable); 68 deaths (+2); 36.9% of county population vaccinated Huntingdon County (pop. 45,144): 77 new cases; 12,787 total cases (10,662 confirmed, 2,125 probable); 260 deaths; 52.4% of county population vaccinated

77 new cases; 12,787 total cases (10,662 confirmed, 2,125 probable); 260 deaths; 52.4% of county population vaccinated Juniata County (pop. 24,763): 41 new cases; 5,313 total cases (4,878 confirmed, 435 probable); 185 deaths (+2); 41.7% of county population vaccinated

41 new cases; 5,313 total cases (4,878 confirmed, 435 probable); 185 deaths (+2); 41.7% of county population vaccinated Lebanon County (pop. 141,793): 209 new cases; 41,256 total cases (35,567 confirmed, 5,689 probable); 535 deaths (+1); 57.9% of county population vaccinated

209 new cases; 41,256 total cases (35,567 confirmed, 5,689 probable); 535 deaths (+1); 57.9% of county population vaccinated Mifflin County (pop. 46,138): 104 new cases; 13,732 total cases (13,040 confirmed, 692 probable); 286 deaths; 51.1% of county population vaccinated

104 new cases; 13,732 total cases (13,040 confirmed, 692 probable); 286 deaths; 51.1% of county population vaccinated Perry County (pop. 46,272): 40 new cases; 9,684 total cases (7,493 confirmed, 2,191 probable); 191 deaths; 50.4% of county population vaccinated

40 new cases; 9,684 total cases (7,493 confirmed, 2,191 probable); 191 deaths; 50.4% of county population vaccinated York County (pop. 449,058): 798 new cases; 134,827 total cases (112,369 confirmed; 22,458 probable); 1,565 deaths (+2); 60.8% of county population vaccinated

(Counties with a percent positivity above 5% in a week go on the Department of Health's watch list)

Pennsylvania: Percent Positivity - 15.7% last 7 days (16.2% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 97.4 (101.9 previous 7 days)

Adams County: Percent Positivity - 15.8% last 7 days (17.5% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 141.7 (139.8 previous 7 days)

Cumberland County : Percent Positivity - 23% last 7 days (22.3% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 88.8 (78.1 previous 7 days)

Dauphin County : Percent Positivity - 17.5% last 7 days (18% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 85.5 (71.5 previous 7 days)

Franklin County: Percent Positivity - 15.4% last 7 days (20.8% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 152.9 (204.5 previous 7 days)

Lebanon County: Percent Positivity - 14.8% last 7 days (13.4% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 112.1 (92.4 previous 7 days)

Perry County: Percent Positivity - 14.7% last 7 days (17.2% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 47.5 (49.7 previous 7 days)

York County:

Percent Positivity - 16% last 7 days (18.5% previous 7 days)

last 7 days (18.5% previous 7 days)

Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 140.1 (152.1 previous 7 days)
This photograph taken on September 11, 2022 shows a destroyed building in the city of Izium, Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. - Ukraine said on Sptember 11, 2022, that its forces were pushing back Russia's military from strategic holdouts in the east of the country after Moscow announced a retreat from Kyiv's sweeping counter-offensive. (Photo by Juan BARRETO / AFP) (Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)

JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Izium, Ukraine

President Joe Biden isn't ready to speculate on the state of the war in Ukraine.

Asked Tuesday evening if the recent liberation of key Ukrainian cities marks a turning point in Russia's invasion, Biden said the question is "unanswerable right now."

"It's clear the Ukrainians have made significant progress," he said, "but I think it's going to be a long haul."

RELATED: Newly Liberated City of Izium Shows a Slow but Hopeful Restart for Ukraine in the War

For months, reports have claimed that Russian soldiers are suffering from exhaustion and a lack of resources. But U.S. officials are cautious about applying anecdotes to the larger picture, noting that war is unpredictable and only Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy can speak to the positions their nations are in.

"Certainly in the north [of Ukraine], we have seen Russians evacuate, withdraw, or retreat from their defensive positions, particularly there in and around the Kharkiv Oblast," John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, told reporters Tuesday.

"They have left fighting positions. They have left supplies. They're calling it a repositioning, but it's certainly  they have withdrawn in the face of Ukrainian Armed Forces that are clearly on the offense."

Acknowledging the shift in momentum on Ukrainians' part, Kirby said it's up to Zelenskyy to "determine and decide whether he feels, militarily, they've reached a turning point."

RELATED: Russia in Talks to Buy Artillery and Ammunition from North Korea, Suggesting That Putin May Be Struggling

But despite the self-made challenges Russian soldiers have faced in terms of command and control, logistics and sustainment, and unit cohesion, Kirby reminded Americans that Russia is still viewed as an "acute threat" by the Department of Defense  and that their shortcomings on the battlefield do not alter their status as a world superpower.

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.

"They clearly still have a military capable of inflicting great damage and casualties. And we've seen that, sadly, to some effect in Ukraine," he said. "It's still a very large and very powerful military, and Mr. Putin still has an awful lot of military capacity left at his disposal  not just to be used in Ukraine, but potentially elsewhere."

For now, the U.S. government is standing at a distance and supporting Ukraine where appropriate. "We're in lockstep with the Ukrainians, talking to them every day," Kirby said. "What we're going to do is continue to support them as best we can."

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.
The 'Golar Igloo' natural gas tanker arrived in the Netherlands on September 4. Siese Veenstra/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Europe is hoping that a troop of floating gas terminals will help to solve its energy crisis.

The specialist vessels reheat superchilled liquid fuel, converting it into gas that can be pumped onshore.

At least 25 are headed to Europe as countries try to replace the pipeline gas choked off by Russia.

Several European countries are turning to high-tech floating vessels in a bid to reduce their reliance on Russian energy.

Moscow has fueled an energy crisis in Europe by cutting off key pipeline gas supplies, but the specialist ships will enable countries like Germany to import seaborne natural gas for the first time.

At least 25 floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) are headed to Europe, according to S&P Global.

Moored offshore, the FSRUs store and then reheat liquefied natural gas before pumping it onshore. That allows countries on the continent to import energy by sea from major exporters like the US, Qatar, and Australia.

Here are some photos showing the FSRUs and floating terminals Europe hopes will help meet its winter energy needs and replace the missing Russian gas:

Germany has chartered five FSRUs from three shipping companies Dynagas, Hoegh, and Texas-based Excelerate Energy.

Two FSRUs from Hoegh LNG's fleet will operate in Germany for the next 10 years. Hoegh LNG

Highly reliant on Russian gas imports, Germany has led the charge in Europe for FSRUs by chartering five vessels. The country found itself particularly exposed to Moscow slashing supply via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany before completely halting all flows indefinitely.

Energy giant Uniper has invested around 65 million euros ($65 million) to build Germany's first liquefied natural gas terminal at Wilhelmshaven.

Workers building Germany's new LNG import terminal on the North Sea coast. Sina Schuldt/picture alliance via Getty Images

As well as chartering ships, European countries are spending to build the necessary infrastructure for FSRUs to dock in ports.

The units store super-chilled liquefied natural gas, which is typically transported at a temperature of around -250 F, before using seawater to reheat it so that it can be pumped onshore in its original gaseous form.

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This new infrastructure will enable FSRUs to dock on Germany's northwestern coast from October 2023.

FSRUs will be able to reheat and then pump natural gas onshore from the Wilhelmshaven terminal. Sina Schuldt/picture alliance via Getty Images

"All the steps we take to free ourselves as quickly as possible from the clutches of Russian imports are more necessary than ever," economy minister Robert Habeck said about the deployment of the five vessels.

The Netherlands just took its first liquefied natural gas delivery at a new terminal.

The Netherlands opened the natural gas terminal last week. Siese Veenstra/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

On Friday, the Netherlands took its first delivery of liquefied natural gas at a new terminal located in Eemshaven on the country's northern coast.

Two FSRUs, Exmar S-188 and Golar Igloo, will pump natural gas onshore from mid-September.

The Golar Igloo natural gas tanker arrived in the Netherlands on September 4. Siese Veenstra/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

The Netherlands hopes that the two FSRUs that are docked at Eemshaven will help it completely phase out its dependence on energy from Russia as quickly as possible.

Greece has chartered five vessels in an effort to redefine itself as an energy supplier for south-east Europe.

Gastrade launched its Alexandroupolis FSRU project in May. Gastrade

Like Germany, Greece has chartered five vessels. It aims to set itself up as a supplier of energy for the southeast of Europe.



Greek company Gastrade plans to open an FSRU at Alexandroupolis, which will supply gas from the northeast of the country.

The FSRU will be able to supply gas to much of southern Europe.

Greece wants to supply southeastern Europe with gas delivered by sea via its Alexandroupolis FSRU. Gastrade

The FSRU will store and reheat liquefied natural gas, then supply the fuel to Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania, and eventually Ukraine via these pipelines.

Going into next year, the units should ease bottlenecks and help iron out the dislocations between hubs in Europe, according to Platts Analytics.

Some countries started building FSRU projects before the Ukraine war broke out in February.

Turkey has had an FSRU in operation since July 2021. Ozan Efeoglu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Turkey's publicly owned Ertugrul Gazi FSRU has been working at full capacity since July 2021.

Another FSRU project is scheduled to open later this year in Turkey.

Turkey's Ertugrul Gazi unit. Burak Milli/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The Ertugrul Gazi FSRU pumped around 2.1 billion cubic meters of gas onshore to the country in its first year, according to Turkey's energy ministry.

The country has another FSRU project underway that it plans to launch later in 2022.

Read the original article on Business Insider
David Harbour is set to star in Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions film adaptation of Gran Turismo. Neill Blomkamp is directing from a screenplay written by Jason Hall and Zach Baylan.

Based on a true story, the film is the ultimate wish-fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional race car driver.

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PlayStation Productions Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan, Doug Belgrad and Dana Brunetti are producing. Game creator Kazunori Yamauchi and Hall are executive producing.

Sony Pictures will release the film in theaters on August 11.

Gran Turismo was first launched in Japan in 1997 by Polyphony and acclaimed creator Yamauchi, who revolutionized the racing-game genre by creating what is regarded as the most authentic driving simulator with its to true-to-life graphics, physics technology and precise attention to detail. Released on March 4, 2022, Polyphonys latest game, Gran Turismo 7, is the complete GT experience that brings together the best of Gran Turismo over the years. Since its launch in 1997, the franchise has sold more than 80 million copies worldwide (*as of April 2018).

Harbour most recently appeared as Jim Hopper in Netflixs Stranger Things season 4 and will reprise his role for Season 5. Harbour can be seen in the upcoming Universal film Violent Night, Marvels recently announced Thunderbolts and HBOs My Dentists Murder Trial, which he will also executive produce.

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Harbour is repped by WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

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Caleb Hopkins

GoFundMe

A Kansas community is raising funds for two children after their father died in an off-roading accident during a family outing while his son and another child were in the vehicle.

Caleb Hopkins, 40, died on Saturday afternoon after he lost control of his Jeep Wrangler while going down a drop-off and became pinned underneath the vehicle, per a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The accident occurred at Kansas Rocks Recreation Park, an area for off-roading, mountain biking, and hiking activities, NBC affiliate KSHB reports.

Caleb's 9-year-old son, and another 12-year-old child, were in the vehicle but were uninjured. The highway patrol noted that all three were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident.

On Monday, Erin Hopkins, Caleb's wife, announced his death in a social media post that also expressed her gratitude that no one else was injured.

RELATED: Pennsylvania Man Drowns in New Jersey Beach Ocean While Swimming with Son

"I am broken to have to share that Caleb passed away on Saturday afternoon in a tragic accident in our Jeep," Erin wrote on Facebook. "Micah was with him along with my brother-in-law, Britt, and his son, Jude. We are praising God that Micah, Britt and Jude were all physically unharmed.

"They were enjoying an amazing day together doing one of the things Caleb absolutely loved at Kansas Rocks Recreational Park, a private property off-road park near Fort Scott, KS," she continued.

Erin called her husband "an experienced, calculated and meticulous Jeep driver who has always put safety first to protect and care for his family and passengers." She said Caleb and the two children were in the vehicle as her brother-in-law served as a spotter "as they methodically crawled down the rock steps of the trail."

She also confirmed the highway patrol's report that everyone inside the jeep was wearing seatbelts, which is why the accident was so "sudden and tragic," Erin wrote.

"This was a sudden and tragic accident. We are all in shock," she said in the post.

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RELATED: Circus Performer Rescued While Dangling from Bridge During a Photo Shoot

A GoFundMe campaign is collecting funds for the family and has raised over $18,000 as of Tuesday afternoon. The page's organizers said Caleb was a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant whose "knowledge and skill as a provider were unmatched."

"Outside of work, Caleb loved to be hands-on with new hobbies regularly," they said. "You could often find him brewing beer, smoking meats, or boating on the lake with his family."

PEOPLE reached out to the organizers for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

RELATED VIDEO: Police Rescue 'Struggling' Father and Son Who Were Found Clinging to Cooler After Their Boat Sank

In her post, Erin thanked friends and loved ones for their support since the tragedy and asked others to keep her family in their prayers.

"We thank God for the time we had with Caleb," she said. "Our hearts are crushed and we know he has left a void that cannot be filled. Please keep Madeline, Micah, and I in your prayers now, and for years to come."
As people around the country were marking the grim anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, a group of volunteers in Niceville were making sure that service men and women from Florida who lost their lives in the resulting conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq were not forgotten.

The ninth annual Field of Valor opened with a dedication ceremony Saturday morning at the old Mullet Festival Fairgrounds in Niceville. The event, which is organized by the Niceville Exchange Club and the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast, is part memorial and part fundraiser for Fisher House, which provides lodging and support to the families of service members being treated at the Eglin Air Force Base Hospital or the nearby VA Clinic.

Don Pardue, project manager of the ninth annual Field of Valor, reads one of the nearly 400 names attached to flags that represent the Florida service men and women who died while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001. The flags will be on display at the Mullet Festival Fairgrounds through Saturday.

'Never forget': 7th Special Forces Group runs 9.11km to honor victims of Sept. 11 attacks

"We have 392 flags displayed," said Don Pardue, project coordinator for the event. "It is our intent to remember them and never forget the sacrifices; these were good, decent people who cared enough to serve."

Majestic live oak trees surround the field of grass where the flags are planted in a large grid pattern, each one representing a fallen service member. Attached to each flag is a photograph with the name, biographical information and the circumstances of how that service member died.

Linda Vickery and her grandson, Gideon Moore, read some of the names attached to American flags during the ninth annual Field of Valor.

Linda Vickery was visiting the Field of Valor on Monday afternoon with her husband, daughter and grandchildren. As she moved from flag to flag reading the tags aloud, she found herself having to explain to her young grandson, Gideon Moore, what exactly an improvised explosive device was. Vickery, who has many family members who have served in the military, said she felt it was important to instill in the younger generation an appreciation for the sacrifices made by the nation's military.

"We just need to remember and say thank you," said Vickery, "and constantly support the military."

One of the ways visitors can show their support is by sponsoring a flag for a donation of $25. Local businesses have already sponsored some of the flags, but Pardue said there are still plenty available.

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"We give them the opportunity as a sponsor that if they would like the flag delivered to them, we will do that," Pardue said. The information and sponsorship tent at the Field of Valor will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Pardue adds that people are always welcome just to come by and walk through the field, which is lit at night.

Northwest Florida: Regional Defense Support Initiatives Committee launches MilitaryFriendlyNWF.com

Pardue, who served 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, said he was inspired by all of the volunteers who helped to make this year's Field of Valor.

Nearly 400 American flags fill a field at the old Mullet Festival fairgrounds Monday as part of the ninth annual Field of Valor.

"So many volunteers came out," Pardue said. "We had volunteers from the Exchange Club, volunteers from the community, we had soldiers from the 7th Special Forces Group, we had soldiers from the Army recruiting station in Fort Walton, we had cadets from the Niceville High School Junior ROTC."

It was a big effort, but one worth making, Pardue said.

"These were sons, brothers, husbands, uncles, aunts, daughters, wives," Pardue said. "Each one of these flags was somebody that was important to somebody else in their life, and we want to honor them and not forget them."

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Niceville Field of Valor honors military killed in Iraq, Afghanistan
An international blimp magnate in north-central Florida will be sentenced in January in federal court after he pleaded guilty to defrauding the federal government of nearly $8 million in relief aid meant to help average Americans during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to court records.

Executive Patrick P. Walsh, 41, of Williston, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering at the federal courthouse in Gainesville two weeks ago. The judge allowed him to remain free until he is sentenced at the end of January.

Among other expenses, Walsh used some of the money to buy a private two-acre island in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Yankeetown, Florida, prosecutors said. He also put a downpayment on a luxury ski lodge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and paid off the 78-acre farm where he lives south of Gainesville, according to court records.

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The Justice Department said it will demand that Walsh turn over to the U.S. government all the property he purchased, including the island, known as Sweetheart Island.

Walsh owns several companies, including AirSign AirShip Group LLC, which he described as the worlds largest airship company. AirSign bought the American Blimp Corp., the nations largest blimp manufacturer, in 2017. AirSigns blimps can be seen in the skies at the Super Bowl and the Indianapolis 500, Walsh said.

Despite his plea and court records with his signature spelling out the fraud, Walsh said in a phone interview Tuesday night he did not believe he was committing a crime. He said he made risky and aggressive business decisions that he now admits were idiotic. He acknowledged he should have relied on experienced consultants to help with his loan applications instead of taking what he called unnecessary risks with poor strategy.

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Walsh admitted defrauding the government of $7.8 million through the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, two federal loan initiatives. They were intended to help business owners continue to pay their employees during the economic crisis caused by the pandemic instead of laying them off.

Prosecutors said Walsh filed false loan applications with the Small Business Administration and various banks in 2020 in which he overstated the number of his employees, average payroll expenses and gross revenue at 20 business entities by duplicating employee information so he could secure larger loans, according to court records.

Some parts of his fraudulent loan applications were easy to detect eventually: Prosecutors said he submitted falsified IRS forms that he had never actually submitted to the IRS and listed inflated salaries for employees that state revenue records could not confirm. After he learned he was under investigation, Walsh submitted some overdue tax forms to the IRS but the details on them were falsified, prosecutors said.

Walshs first attempt at defrauding the government was unsuccessful. Walsh filed a Paycheck Protection Program loan application with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank for three of his companies on April 7, 2020, overstating their employee and salary numbers. Chase Bank ultimately rejected the application.

Walsh requested loans totaling $11.9 million and ultimately obtained $4.9 million in loans for his companies based on his falsified applications, including IRS forms that Walsh personally signed, court records said.

Walsh obtained $2.8 million more in Economic Injury Disaster Loans by overstating company employee numbers and gross revenue totals, prosecutors said. Walsh received total loans of just over $7.8 million out of a requested total of $14.7 million, according to federal court records. Walsh said he spent the money on employees and operations to keep his businesses open, but the court records dispute that.

Walsh said all the companies he used to apply for PPP loans were legitimate, but he would not offer the same assurances for the companies used for the disaster loans. Walsh said the entities werent shell companies but acknowledged they had limited business activities and carried few assets.

Walsh said his companies are largely organized under the Airsight Airship Group, with other companies such as Airsign Airship Asia Pacific serving as divisions with different functions.

Prosecutors said Walsh fraudulently applied for some of the loans in the name of his wife, Hannah, even though she was unaware of this. Walsh said in the interview the situation is upsetting and challenging for his wife and children. Walsh is a father of 11.

Walsh initially pleaded not guilty to all charges but changed his plea as part of an agreement with prosecutors. Walsh said the agreement from the Justice Department offering a lesser sentence was fair and reasonable.

This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at silas.morgan@ufl.edu.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: COVID funds: Florida blimp exec pleads guilty to wire fraud, laundering
The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey is in awe over the reaction to the live-action films first trailer, which debuted Sept. 9 at D23. The brief clip includes a first look at Bailey singing Part of Your World as the mermaid Ariel. Parents on TikTok have been uploading clips of their young children watching the 90-second teaser trailer, a supercut of which found its way to Bailey herself.

People have been sending these reactions to me all weekend and Im truly in awe, Bailey wrote on Twitter while sharing a surpercut of young Black girls becoming emotional while watching the trailer. This means the world to me.

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Kerry Washington also shared a supercut of Black girls reacting to The Little Mermaid teaser. One of the girls in the video shouts at the screen, Shes like me! Shes like me! when Baileys Ariel makes her debut.

I cant stop watching these, Washington wrote. Halle Bailey, see what youre doing to us?

Rob Marshall directed the live-action Little Mermaid, which stars Bailey opposite Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy. While many have championed Baileys casting, she has been subjected to racist backlash on social media from some fans who are upset that a Black actor is playing Ariel. The hashtag #NotMyAriel sprung up on Twitter after Baileys casting, but she told Variety that her family helped her drown out the backlash. Baileys grandparents shared their own memories with her of the racism and discrimination that they had endured in their lifetimes.

It was an inspiring and beautiful thing to hear their words of encouragement, telling me, You dont understand what this is doing for us, for our community, for all the little Black and brown girls who are going to see themselves in you, Bailey said.

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Bailey also overcame the backlash by thinking about how such a casting wouldve impacted her as a young girl. What that would have done for me, how that would have changed my confidence, my belief in myself, everything, she said. Things that seem so small to everyone else, its so big to us.

As reported by Variety, The Little Mermaid teaser earned 104 million views globally during its first weekend online. That number is higher than all of Disneys recent live-action trailer debuts, including Cruella (68 million views), Beauty and the Beast (94 million views), Aladdin (74 million views) and Maleficent 2 (62 million views). Due to Queen Elizabeth IIs death on Thursday, The Little Mermaid metrics did not include views from the U.K., Ireland and Australia.

Disney is set to open The Little Mermaid in theaters on May 26, 2023.

people have been sending these reactions to me all weekend and im in truly in awe this means the world to me  https://t.co/cuKjKN8nxH  Halle (@HalleBailey) September 12, 2022

I cannot stop watching these . @HalleBailey see what youre doing to us!?!  https://t.co/3LLqyGr9F4  kerry washington (@kerrywashington) September 14, 2022

WATCHED TOO MANY BLACK KIDS REACTING GLEEFULLY TO THE LITTLE MERMAID TRAILER AND NOW IM MAD THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD LIKE DANG A BLACK MERMAID HAS ME CRYING



ITS BAD HERE, GUYS  amber ruffin (@ambermruffin) September 13, 2022

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Sean Stricklands return has been booked.

The UFC middleweight contender is set to fight against Jared Cannonier in the main event of the last UFC event of 2022, which goes down on Dec. 17 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the news following an initial report by Helen Yee. MMA Junkie also confirmed the booking with sources after the first report.

The two middleweights were originally scheduled to fight in the main event of a UFC Fight Night on Oct. 15, but an infection on one of Stricklands fingers forced the fight to get canceled. The promotion has kept the matchup and the headlining status intact, as the fight now lands at the top of the last card in December.

Related

Yoel Romero plans to beat Melvin Manhoef at Bellator 285, then drop to middleweight Robert Whittaker open to training with Khamzat Chimaev, expects him to do 'quite well' against top middleweights

Strickland (25-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) is coming off a knockout loss at UFC 276 to Alex Pereira, whos set to challenge champion Israel Adesanya on Nov. 12. Prior to the defeat, he was on a six-fight winning streak.

Meanwhile, Cannonier (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) will try to rebound from his title-fight loss to Israel Adesanya also at UFC 276 in July. The Killa Gorilla was 5-1 prior to the title fight with his lone loss being against former UFC champion Robert Whittaker.

Cannonier-Strickland: Method of victory? - Powered By PickUp

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie
Home is where the heart is, especially for newlyweds Josh Duhamel and Audra Mari.

The Thing About Pam actor and the former Miss World America confirmed their recent nuptials on Instagram Wednesday, with each of them posting a dreamy photo of the bride and groom.

What an amazing day, Duhamel wrote. I feel so lucky to have so many great friends, a supporting family, and now a wife that makes it all that much better. I love you babe.

For Mari, the ceremony was nothing short of perfection.

Everything I dreamed of as a little girl, Mari captioned her post. IM MARRIED!!

Duhamel and Mari, who both hail from North Dakota, wed in Maris hometown of Fargo, getting hitched in the same church where Mari was baptized and confirmed, according to Vogue Australia.

We knew we wanted to get married in Fargo. It was the most important thing for us, Mari told the outlet in an interview published Wednesday. I guess the romantic in me always feels like were just two small-town kids from North Dakota who found each other in Los Angeles. But we will always, always be home, no matter where we are in the world.

The couples wedding day didnt get off to the smoothest start, however. Mari revealed Duhamel found himself in the emergency room the morning of the ceremony after injuring his back the night before by pulling some wild dance moves on (a) party bus.

Cue the cortisone shot, and lets get married, Mari said jokingly of her husbands medical episode.

Wedding bells: Josh Duhamel reveals he's engaged to Audra Mari; see his ex Fergie's sweet congratulations

Josh Duhamel, left, and Audra Mari are officially husband and wife. The newlywed couple confirmed their nuptials on Instagram Wednesday, with each of them posting a dreamy photo of the bride and groom.

Josh Duhamel reveals 'near-death experience' he had while filming 'Shotgun Wedding'

Duhamel and Mari met in March 2019 after being introduced by a mutual friend in Los Angeles. The couple became engaged in January after Duhamel popped the question to Mari during a beach proposal on her 28th birthday.

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Its on!! She found a message in a bottle that washed ashore and said YES!! Duhamel wrote of the proposal on Instagram.

Duhamel, 49, was previously married to pop singer Fergie, from whom he split in 2017 after eight years of marriage. The former couple divorced in 2019. They share a 9-year-old son, Axl Jack.

During an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast in December 2018, the Emmy-winning actor told host Dax Shepard he was looking to settle down with someone he can expand his family with.

Im not 30 years old anymore. Im 45. I want to have more kids in the next few years, Duhamel said. Im trying to find a girl that I can be with and have a family with.

From 2018: Josh Duhamel wants someone 'young enough to have kids' after Fergie split

From 2021: Josh Duhamel to star in 'Shotgun Wedding' with Jennifer Lopez after Armie Hammer exits film

Contributing: Kim Willis and Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Josh Duhamel landed in emergency room morning of wedding to Audra Mari
Temperatures are rising nearly twice as fast as the global average in the east Mediterranean and Middle East, an international team of scientists has warned.

Climate change could have a devastating effect on the lives of millions in the region in the face of an overall warming of up to five degrees Celsius or more by the end of the century, a report prepared by the Cyprus Institute said.

That temperature spike was almost twice that anticipated in other areas of the planet, and faster than any other inhabited parts of the world, it said.

The report, prepared by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center of The Cyprus Institute, claims a combination of reduced rainfall and weather warming will contribute to severe droughts, compromising water and food security, and rising sea levels.

"This (scenario) would imply severe challenges for coastal infrastructure and agriculture, and can lead to the salinisation of coastal aquifers, including the densely populated and cultivated Nile Delta," said Dr George Zittis of the Cyprus Institute, an author of the report.

More evidence of Climate Crisis # 17: Middle East predicted to see temperature increase of 5 degrees C https://t.co/vlrCuHT3ak  Kim M. (@violin4all) September 10, 2022

Meeting the main targets of the Paris Agreement, a global pact of countries to cut emissions, could stabilise the annual temperature increase to about two degrees Celsius.

Scientists recommend rapid implementation of decarbonisation actions with a particular emphasis on the energy and transportation sectors.

"Since many of the regional outcomes of climate change are transboundary, stronger collaboration among the countries is indispensable to cope with the expected adverse impacts," said Jos Lelieveld, director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, institute professor at the Cyprus Institute, and coordinator of the assessment.

The report will be submitted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt in November.
When the law caught up with Charles Railing, he offered no resistance.

The Southampton Township man surrendered to the sheriff of Dickinson County, Kansas.

I expected it, Railing said, when advised of the arrest warrant. He climbed down from the wagon where he was stacking grain on a farm about 18 miles outside Abilene.

Looking on, Jeremiah Zeamer, editor of the American Volunteer of Carlisle, concluded that, deep down, Railing was grief-stricken by the death of Annie Faust of Milltown, Cumberland County.

Almost six months had past since the woman died from what authorities believed was malpractice brought on by a miscarriage. It was thought at the time that Railing had instigated the abortion.

On July 22, 1884, The Sentinel published a story praising Zeamer for the role he played in the apprehension of the fugitive who left the area and traveled west.

There was speculation by the newspaper that Railing had reached a breaking point.

He worked ... among the farmers and the fact of his coming around among people formerly from this county shows that he was tired evading justice and cared little whether he was arrested or not, The Sentinel reported.

Zeamer had a tip on the whereabouts of the fugitive from a postmark on a letter Railings parents received from the Hosfeldt family who lived in McPherson, Kansas. The Hosfeldts used to live in Cumberland County and knew the Railing family before Charles was born. That clue generated other leads that eventually guided Zeamer and the sheriff to the farm where the fugitive worked.

Zeamer and Railing arrived by train in Carlisle early on the morning of July 22. The editor became an instant celebrity.

The capture was soon noised abroad, The Sentinel reported. After Mr. Zeamer procured some needed rest, and appeared on the street, he was heartily congratulated for the neat piece of detective work he had accomplished.

On Feb. 3, 1885, The Sentinel reported on the county budget for 1884, in which Zeamer received $137.35 for detectives expenses and $100 as the reward for bringing Railing to justice.

Case particulars

In its July 1884 coverage, The Sentinel reminded readers of the details of the case. On Jan. 22, 1884, Railing went to the Faust family home in Milltown. There, he convinced Annie Faust to go with him on the pretext that they were going to visit his father in Southampton Township. Instead, Railing took the woman to Carlisle where they stopped at the Franklin House Hotel on South Hanover Street and registered as a couple under a false name.

Later that evening, Railing took Faust to a doctors office somewhere in Carlisle where authorities believed she underwent an abortion procedure. Around 9 p.m. Jan. 22, the couple returned to Franklin House where they departed almost immediately for the home of her sister, Mrs. David Halter, near Lees Cross Roads. There, Faust lingered until her death around 4 p.m. Jan. 26.

Before dying, Faust declared to her sister and brother-in-law that Railing was her seducer and that an abortion was performed somewhere in Carlisle by a middle-aged man. She could not locate the place nor give the name of the person who committed the act, The Sentinel reported on Feb. 2, 1884. She had only been in Carlisle a few times and was not familiar with the names of the streets.

With Railing in custody, the case against him could proceed in Cumberland County Court. On Aug. 29, 1884, defense attorneys went before Judge Herman to argue for a change of venue. By reason of the articles published in various newspapers of the county, the mind of the public had become so inflamed and incensed against Railing and had already so decided as to his guilt, The Sentinel reported, summarizing the defenses position.

The attorneys for the commonwealth argued that public feeling was against the crime itself rather than against the defendant, the newspaper story reads. It [the public] was not excited to a greater extent in this case than it had in others, and that it would be an easy matter to get an impartial jury to try him.

The judge then decided that Railing could have a fair trial in Cumberland County.

The system wasted no time. The trial began the very next day, Aug. 30, with testimony from David Halter. He told the jury that Railing and Faust had arrived at the home in Lees Cross Roads on Jan. 23, and, while there, she became sick.

Beyond that, the defense and prosecution argued the merits of whether the deathbed declaration by Annie Faust should be admissible as part of the record.

Herman ruled that a dying declaration was admissible where the death of the person was the subject of the charge or a necessary ingredient of the crime.

Was there black powder?

Early in the trial, Dr. Marshall of Shippensburg testified that he was called in on Jan. 25, to attend to Faust during the final stages of her illness. He told the jury the patient suffered from pain due to inflammation of the peritoneum, a membrane that lines the inner abdominal wall. Marshall believed the condition was caused by a miscarriage.

Though the autopsy confirmed that the inflammation had extended into her womb, there were no signs of any lacerations or other injuries from medical instruments used in abortions. When asked whether the death could have been caused by drugs that induce a miscarriage, Marshall testified that an examination of the intestines and other organs showed no signs of such drugs.

The trial continued on Sept. 1 when the prosecution recalled Marshall who confirmed that Railing had approached him to conduct an abortion on Faust. Railing had told him that he had got into trouble and would have to get out of it in some way, The Sentinel reported. The doctor was then requested by the defense to state whether any black powders were known that could be injected into the womb without at once producing instantaneous and violent pain and leave visible traces of the drug.

Marshall was just the first in a series of doctors defense attorneys called to testify to the nonexistence of a black powder that could induce abortions. The defense based this line of questions on a statement Faust made on her deathbed that, at the time of the procedure, the unidentified abortionist had injected two black powders into her body.

Marshall testified that a sufficient quantity of ergot could produce an abortion, but it would leave behind traces of violence.

Dr. Kieffer of Carlisle testified that he had no knowledge of a black powder, but told jurors there were substances such as water that can be injected without leaving a visible trace.

Defense attorneys advanced the theory that the miscarriage that resulted in Fausts death was caused by the long drive to her sisters house in a horse-drawn sleigh on a chilly night. Her condition was compounded further by her sleeping in a cold room. Kieffer testified that not only was such a scenario possible, it could be the probable cause of the womans death.

During that second day of testimony, Mrs. Faust confirmed that Railing had taken her daughter away on Jan. 22. Hotel staff testified that a young man matching the description of Railing was seen that day at the Franklin House in Carlisle. The prosecution also admitted into evidence Railings signature along with the hotel register that included a matching reference to Charles Hope and lady.

Conviction and reversal

On day three, attorneys on both sides used much of the morning to deliver their closing statements. Herman then charged the jury that deliberated from 12:30 to 2:10 p.m., when they adjourned to the Franklin House for dinner. The jury then returned to the courthouse to continue their work.

At 3:20 p.m. on Sept. 2, the jury delivered a guilty verdict drawing no visible reaction from Railing. The accused may be known from the fact that he occupied a seat by his counsel, otherwise one would suppose him a disinterested spectator, The Sentinel reported. His features, which indicate great firmness, remained unchanged, and only during the address of his counsel did that firmness waver, and he manifested his feelings in tears.

Railing was eventually sentenced to five years at the Eastern State Penitentiary. However, the State Supreme Court, in October 1885, reversed the lower court ruling on the grounds that Herman should not have admitted the dying declaration of the victim. The ruling by Herman did not fit the interpretation of the abortion laws in effect at the time.

The high court referenced case law where dying declarations are only admissible in homicide cases. As a rule, the death of the deceased must be the subject of the charge, and the circumstances of the death the subject of the declaration. In this case, Railing was indicted for committing an abortion that may have resulted in the death of Faust. Though the high court opened the path for a trial on homicide charges, the prosecution opted not to follow through and Railing went free.
Visitors walk along the Navajo Loop Trail at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah in a file photo from 2016. Navajo, Southern Paiute, Hopi, Zuni and Ute peoples are all tied to park lands.

The National Park Service is operationalizing its commitment to co-stewarding lands with Indigenous tribes and communities through a new policy that sets collaboration as the expectation across parks.

"All national parks are located on Indigenous ancestral lands and this policy will help ensure tribal governments have an equal voice in the planning and management of them," NPS Director Chuck Sams said in a statement Tuesday, before sitting down with USA TODAY and The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Among other things, the nine-page policy memorandum calls for working directly with Native tribes, Alaska Native entities and Native Hawaiian groups on plans and activities that impact their interests, practices or traditional use areas, and seeking "regular, meaningful and timely" Native input.

"I know this will empower our staff to be able to go out and have stronger, less transactional and more transformational relationships with tribes and tribal governments and tribal communities on how they can use traditional ecological knowledge, Indigenous knowledge, and to better manage these resources not just for ourselves, but for our children's children," Sams told USA TODAY.

Their pleas for water were long ignored: Now tribes are gaining a voice on the Colorado River

'We're very much alive and ... want to share out stories': How to see America through Native travel

NPS defines co-stewardship as an umbrella encompassing co-management with decision-making legal authority, self-governance agreements and other types of collaborative and cooperative management.

There are already more than 80 existing co-stewardship agreements between NPS and various Indigenous Tribes and communities in places like Acadia National Park and Grand Portage National Monument. Sams said another 40 to 50 more are getting ready to hit the ground. Beyond building upon those, the policy urges park leaders everywhere to create new partnerships.

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"Go out and meet the tribes where they're at," Sams said. "Do not expect them to come to you go out and be proactive in this consultation. Talk to them ... so that we ensure that the tribes understand that they are not only welcomed into their homelands, into the parks, but they actually have a seat at the table in the management practices."

What's in a name: US changes names of nearly 650 places with racist connotations toward Native Americans

The policy specifically includes "nonfederally recognized tribes, relocated Indigenous people with a historic link to an area, and other traditionally associated peoples."

"We know that they have a longstanding history within the homelands that are now the United States," Sams said. "They've stewarded these places since time immemorial, and they have major contributions that they can provide so that we better steward these lands."

He said park superintendents and staff in the field are "very hungry" to have stronger relationships with tribal communities and to welcome them back to their homelands.

However Sams understands that some Native community members may have doubts, having heard similar promises before.

Sacred spaces: How legal and cultural barriers keep Indigenous people from protecting sacred spaces off tribal land

This time, he said, they have an Interior secretary and National Park Service director who've worked on their side.

Sams is Cayuse and Walla Walla and an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon. He began advocating for co-stewardship decades before he became the first Native American to head the National Park Service. Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary and first Native American woman to serve in Congress, is an enrolled citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna Native American tribe in New Mexico.

"We know, coming from that side, what this really does mean and how it can be applied in a way that better represents our trust responsibility and how we have to fulfill that trust responsibility as a federal agency," he said.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management also released co-stewardship policies.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why National Park Service wants more Native co-stewardship of lands
EXCLUSIVE: Tippett Studio and Ultra 8 Pictures today announced that Phil Tippetts directing feature debut Mad God has sold to a host of key international territories following a theatrical run in the US.

The film has sold to King Records for Japan, Carlotta Films for France, Plaion Pictures for Germany and Italy, and Njuta Films & Night Visions Distribution for Scandinavia. All international sales were brokered by Colin Geddes of Ultra 8 Pictures on behalf of the filmmakers.

More from Deadline

Tippetts Mad God premiered last year at the Locarno Film Festival and has played at more than 20 festivals, including the Edinburgh Film Festival and Fantasia Film Festival. The film was released theatrically and streaming via Shudder. The films limited theatrical release grew to include 130 bookings across North America, and producers say it became one of this years most-watched premieres on Shudder.

In Mad God, a corroded diving bell descends amidst a ruined city, with an Assassin emerging from it to explore a labyrinth of bizarre landscapes inhabited by freakish denizens. The inspiration for the film came to Tippett, whose VFX work can be seen in such legendary films as Star Wars, RoboCop, and Starship Troopers, during a lull in his schedule following RoboCop 2.

Tippett Studio and Ultra 8 Pictures also recently announced they have launched Tippett Productions, a new Canadian-based venture to produce original content. Tippett Canada president Gary Mundell (who also serves as California-based Tippett Studios COO) is spearheading this new production venture with Toronto-based Geddes of Ultra 8 Pictures.

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Recent Tippett Studio projects include The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian season 2, Locke and Key season 2, and Marvels Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

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Click here to read the full article.
Pat Toomey hasn't decided if he'll back legislation protecting same-sex marriage. He is sure, however, that Monday is too soon for a vote.

There's a lot of complex issues that have not been resolved. And we haven't even seen text ... it does seem that the scheduling has been driven by Sen. Schumers political ambitions, rather than an attempt to get an outcome, the retiring Pennsylvania Republican said Wednesday. I dont think its constructive to have a vote on Monday.

Toomeys hopes for delay highlight the uncertain whip count for the same-sex marriage bill, which cruised surprisingly through the House with 47 GOP votes in July but is now on shaky ground as backers to try to push past a Republican filibuster. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) are racing to finish a proposed amendment that would clarify religious liberty safeguards.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could move as early as Thursday to set up a vote Monday, but Portman said he's unsure if that timeline will hold.

I dont think we have the votes yet, Portman said. I dont want to move ahead unless the votes are there. Im still talking to people. Others have been more optimistic, but people need some time.

There isnt much more time left before the election, though, with no guarantee a post-midterms vote would succeed. And the urgency was apparent on Wednesday afternoon.

Portman, Tillis, Collins and Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) met for roughly an hour to finish hashing out their updated version of the legislation. After that sitdown, Baldwin said it was highly likely the legislation will be made public on Thursday: I still think we can do this next week.

Still, most Senate Republicans don't sound like they're feeling political pressure to support legislation whose goals are broadly popular with the public. Republican leaders are not whipping against the bill, even as they remain somewhat dour on its prospects.

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Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said Wednesday that Im not seeing it when it comes to finding 10 Republicans to support moving forward. At the moment, just three Republicans are committed to the bill, though Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has sounded supportive, and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) retracted his previous openness to the latest version. Senate Republicans discussed the matter during their Wednesday party lunch, including an alternative proposal from Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).

The Senate is scheduled to be in session two more weeks in September, as well as two more next month, although leaders could cancel the October weeks if both parties want to go into full-time campaign mode. Some senators say the midterms could be a factor in where the final votes fall; Johnson, for example, is up for reelection.

It might have a better chance after the election, to be honest, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who is undecided, said of the bill that Democrats initially crafted in response to the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade. Lummis added that she personally does not care about the timing, but its possible some of her colleagues do.

Schumer declined to put the House-passed bill on the Senate floor in August, giving Baldwin, Sinema and their Republican partners more time to finesse the language and build GOP support. The Democratic leader struck a hopeful tone on the Senate floor on Wednesday, imploring 10 Republicans to help break a filibuster and move forward: Democrats are ready to make it happen.

Democratic aides say hes been focused all along on getting a result, not just putting a tough vote to the GOP before the election, highlighting his patience with the effort and subdued rhetoric.

The House passed a bill enshrining marriage protections in July, a reaction to a concurring opinion by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested, following the overturning of Roe, other issues like marriage could be reconsidered by the high court. The high number of House GOP supporters made Senate passage suddenly seem possible.

With the bills fate hanging in the balance, Baldwin did not endorse a delay and said instead that her focus is on winning the first procedural vote needed to get the bill across the finish line. If that happens Monday and the measure overcomes a filibuster to reach the floor, debate would likely dominate Senate action all week.

"We were ready to push for a vote for this right after the House voted overwhelmingly in a bipartisan manner to advance this. But now we're getting ever closer to a certain date in November. And I think that's a new factor, Baldwin said.

A spokesperson for Sinema said shes not looking to delay the bill either, and her attention is on getting the language right. A failed vote could help Democrats in their efforts to portray the GOP as extreme on social issues, but Republican supporters say that would be a disastrous result for a bill that should remain bipartisan. Baldwin said shes going to work as hard as I can to make sure that we can get onto the bill next week, and pass it."

Collins described a laborious behind-the-scenes effort to finish the job, including studying state laws as examples and fielding multiple requests from interested senators.

You would be surprised at the number of senators who have given us input. And so we're trying to take each of those suggestions very seriously, Collins said. All of that takes more time and as we try to build the number of senators we need.

Sens. Toomey, Lummis, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Joni Ernst of Iowa and Mitt Romney of Utah are among the Republicans still undecided. In fact, a surprising number of GOP senators are currently publicly on the fence, though theres a prevailing view that some new supporters will be revealed if the bill ever actually goes on the Senate floor. Some Republicans may also back the bill if and when proposed religious liberty-related changes are finished.

With the right religious freedom amendments, I can support it, Romney said. Without it, Id have a very difficult decision to make.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said that while hes ready to bring the legislation to the floor, hes deferring to Baldwin. Schumer committed earlier this month to bringing up the legislation in the coming weeks.

Were going to have the vote when we have the votes. Its that simple, Tillis said, standing next to Baldwin in a Senate elevator. Were working through, with my colleague here, pieces that will be well received.

Marianne LeVine contributed to this report.
Photo credit: Netflix - Netflix



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Netflixs new three-part, true crime docuseries, Sins of Our Mother, details the disturbing story of how devout Mormon Lori Vallow Daybell allegedly killed two of her children after deciding that they were zombies.

The two Vallow kids, aged seven and 17, went missing in September of 2019, and Lori and her new husband, Chad Daybell, were later arrested and sent to prison after the children's bodies were found in the yard of Chad's Idaho home, per local news station KHON2 in Hawaii. The couple has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Loris only living son, Colby Ryan, is featured in the documentary, which includes audio footage of Colby talking to his mom in prison about her alleged crimes.

But who is Colby Ryan and where is he now? Heres what you need to know.

Who is Colby Ryan?

Colby is Lori Vallows only living soon. Colby's two younger siblingsTylee and JJwere allegedly killed by their mother, and Colby appears in Sins of Our Mother to talk about his upbringing and experience with Lori.

How old is Colby now?

Colby is 26, according to KKTV.

Does he have any kids?

According to his YouTube channel, Colby has two daughtersRyley and Ava. It's unclear how old they are right now.

Colby has written a book about his experience.

Colby's book, titled, The God Over Odds, was published in April of 2022, just a few months before the docuseries was set to air.

Redeemed, healed, and delivered, this is Colby Ryans testimony of how God got him through a life of trauma, abuse, murder, and loss, the description on Amazon reads. A journey from, son of cult mom Lori Vallow-Daybell, to Man of God. Colbys biggest prayer in life is that God will use this story for his good, Gods glory, and to bring others to him. He wants to challenge you to take a look at your life and see what God has pulled you through.

He's also done lots of media interviews to help with the case.

Colby has been pretty open about the tragedy, including participating in the docuseries.

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It hurts so much. And on top of that, we have a million questions," Colby said on an episode of Dateline, per Deseret News. "So you cant call your own mom. You cant go to your houseor her houseand see your siblings. Youre just out in the cold.

Colbys family also has a YouTube show.

Colby's YouTube show, which is called Life with the Ryans, has nearly 7,000 subscribers. The family has posted several dozens of videos.

We love Jesus and we know he is using our lives and testimonies to help others, we will never be shy about it! the channel's "About" section reads.

We love that youre here and we pray you decide to stick around, we love this community. We know a lot of people are here because of the case involving Colbys family, but that is not what this channel is about," the bio continues. "We love God and will use this channel to glorify him, and we also love transparently sharing our lives and how we are getting through things and having fun as a family.

Colby also appears to be an ambassador for an energy drink and muscle recovery spray called Bucked Up.

Where is he now?

Colby was arrested in early September in Mesa, Arizona, right before the show dropped on Netflix, for "two counts of sex crimes," according to KTVB news station. The charges were later dropped.

According to police documents obtained by AZ Family 3TV, Colby went to a womans house (the woman is not named but is later identified as his estranged wife), the two watched TV, and started kissing.

She reportedly said, stop, this isnt a good idea, and I dont want to do this, according to court documents, and she claims he sexually assaulted her as she continued to plead for him to stop. Afterward, the documents say, the woman locked herself in her room and Colby started crying and then left.

The next morning, the woman recorded a conversation between herself and Colby where he reportedly admitted to raping her. She shared that recording with police, who arrested Colby. He was booked on two counts of sexual assault and his bond was set at $10,000, AZ Family says.

As part of the conditions of his release, Colby will not be allowed to initiate contact with the alleged victim or the arresting officers, NBC reported.

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Scotland manager Steve Clarke wants to see a return to form (PA)

Steve Clarke wants Scotland to start going through the gears again after stalling in the summer.

The Scots were knocked out of their World Cup play-off semi-final by Ukraine at Hampden Park on June 1 and then suffered a dispiriting 3-0 Nations League defeat by Republic of Ireland, either side of expected wins over Armenia.

Clarke was speaking at the national stadium as he announced his squad for the Nations League matches against Ukraine and Republic of Ireland, where the biggest news was the return of Newcastle winger Ryan Fraser and the omission of skipper Andy Robertson through injury.

Scotland play Ukraine home and away, either side of facing the Irish at Hampden Park on September 24 and  with six points, one behind leaders Ukraine  the former Kilmarnock boss wants to see form return in the final three Nations League fixtures.

Assessing his squad, Clarke said: We are as equipped as well as we have always been. I have always said it is a squad that has progressed well over my tenure.

If I am being honest about it, I felt that June was the first time we stopped. And now we have to pick up the mantle and start progressing through these three difficult matches. We are in a position where we have our destiny in our own hands and thats all you can hope for.

I am looking forward to difficult matches, good opponents and hopefully, like I said, I felt we stalled a little bit in the summer and it would be nice to pick up the progress again.

We have to do better than we did in the summer and we have to pick up the points to top the group. We want to come out these matches first in the group and we have everything in front of us.

Fraser, capped 22 times, controversially withdrew from the squad for the vital World Cup Group F qualifying double-header against Moldova and Denmark last November but was subsequently pictured on his clubs training ground.

Clarke revealed in March that Fraser had apologised for his actions and the former Aberdeen and Bournemouth wide man is back in favour.

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Robertson misses out after the Liverpool defender was injured in the closing stages of last weeks Champions League defeat at Napoli.

On Frasers return, Clarke said: I said in March, after he missed (out on) the two friendly matches (against Poland and Austria) that we had a chat.

Ryan wasnt playing for Newcastle at the time and I said that if he is fit and well and playing for Newcastle he is definitely one that we have to consider for selection.

That is why he is in the squad at this time. He is fit and well and playing well for Newcastle.

While Robertson drops out, Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney returns from the knee injury which kept him out of the four summer fixtures.

Clarke said: It is always disappointing to lose key players. Andy is obviously a key player, captain, a big character for us within the squad but as you lose one top quality left-back you get one back with Kieran being available this time.

I suppose that softens the blow, but you want all your good players fit and available.

But one of the poorer sides of international football is that you know you will lose players through injury  you just have to deal with it.
Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre keeps inching toward potential Paul Crewe status.

Anna Wolfe of Mississippi Today reports that newly-revealed text messages show that former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant helped funnel federal welfare funds toward the building of a new volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, at Favres behest. Per the report, the texts show that Bryant guided Favre on how to write a funding proposal so that it would be granted.

Favres lawyer, Bud Holmes, said that Favre didnt know the money came from welfare funds.

Brett Favre has been honorable throughout this whole thing, Holmes said Monday.

Favre previously denied that he discussed the volleyball project with Bryant. The text messages quoted in the article indicate otherwise, suggesting that $5 million was given to the school.

The former quarterbacks involvement in the welfare scandal first emerged when it was reported that he received $1.1 million for work he allegedly didnt perform. He eventually repaid the money. He has been sued for the interest on the money he received and returned.

In July, Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson sent a letter this month to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting that the Department of Justice investigate the situation, and that they focus on Favre and Bryant. Favre reportedly has been questioned by the FBI.

That same month, Mississippi fired a lawyer who had been hired to get to the bottom of the welfare scandal. The lawyer, Brad Pigott, claimed that the termination resulted from his effort to explore whether the $5 million had indeed been paid from federal welfare funds to the USM volleyball stadium.

New texts show former Mississippi governor helped funnel welfare funds to Brett Favre for USM volleyball stadium originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
The death of Queen Elizabeth II after a 70-year reign and the ascension of King Charles III to the throne marks the end of an era.

With the passing of Britain's longest-reigning sovereign during a period that saw tectonic shifts in geopolitics and social norms, as well as a royal family rocked by scandal, many are now left wondering: what's next for the British monarchy?

Criticism, in particular, about the monarchy's link to colonialism and the lasting injustices it perpetuated -- and waning support among younger Britons, according to a YouGov poll -- have reignited difficult questions about the future of the monarchy and its purpose in modern times.

"You cannot think of British nationalism, you have to think of British imperial nationalism. And in the center of that is the monarchy," said Caroline Elkins, a professor at Harvard University and author of "Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire."

PHOTO: Britain's King Charles III makes a televised address to the Nation and the Commonwealth from the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in London on Sept. 9, 2022, a day after Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. (Yui Mok/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

At the empire's peak around 1921, the British colonized around a quarter of the land on Earth, leading to a description of the empire as one on which the sun never sets.

When Queen Elizabeth II became queen in 1952, Britain ruled over more than 70 territories  many of which Britain would lose or relinquish in struggles for independence, including in deadly conflicts.

One of the atrocities that scholars have detailed -- and that critics have again highlighted in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's passing -- was Kenya's Mau Mau uprising for independence from British rule in the late 1950s.

Some historians estimate that there could have been up to 100,000 people killed in detention camps during the clashes between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army, known as the Mau Mau, and the British authorities, according to Elkin's book, "Britain's Gulag: The Brutal End of Empire in Kenya."

MORE: https://abcnews.go.com/International/News/queen-elizabeth-dies-96-british-royal-line-succession/story?id=6542781

According to a class action lawsuit against the U.K. government settled in 2013, thousands of Kenyans raised claims of torture, imprisonment and rape by British colonial forces in concentration camps during the uprising.

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"The successive prime ministers  from Churchill on down  lied to Parliament, lied to the public, covered all this stuff up," said Elkins, noting the monarchy likely had glimpses into the systematic torture under its imperialism.

"That said, what's been the monarch's role in perpetuating an image of imperial benevolence?" Elkins said. "Pretty huge."

Many former colonies gained their independence from the British empire not in the distant past, but in the 20th century.

India gained its independence in 1947, Kenya in 1963 and Nigeria in 1960. Several countries experienced civil conflicts following their fight for independence due to British interference that reportedly led to thousands of deaths, according to historians.

Europe came and divided Africa without taking into consideration the identity, the values, the differences and commonalities of different communities, ethnic entities, and so on, said Mohamed S. Camara, professor of African Studies at Howard University. He also pointed to examples of this in India. And we have repercussions of that today.

For some people in those former colonies, Queen Elizabeth II's rule is associated with oppression.

Whether it's in Africa, or in Southeast Asia  the people whose countries went through that will not forget and would like to see serious change happen, Camara said.

"I don't think there is any other form of violation of human rights in history that can equal to enslavement," he added, "the transformation of a human being to the property of another man, let alone the transformation of an entire people into the property of another people or another state."

Ahead of a trip by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Caribbean and Central America in March of this year to celebrate the queen, some Jamaican leaders demanded slavery reparations and local opposition in Belize forced them to cancel a trip.

Some of the countries that make up the Commonwealth have also signaled that they want to drop the monarchy as the head of state to achieve true independence from British rule, which Jamaica is moving toward.

They can still be a part of the Commonwealth without the British monarchy as the head.

I want to say clearly, as I have said before, that each members constitutional arrangement, as republic or monarchy, is purely a matter for each member country to decide," said then-Prince Charles during the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. "The benefit of long life brings me the experience that arrangements such as these can change, calmly and without rancour.

Though there have been few apologies given from the royal family, the queen did often "extend a hand" to opponents of the monarchy, such as in Ireland, when the queen shook the hand of a former Irish Republican Army commander, Elkins said.

The IRA fought against British rule and was responsible for the death of the queen's cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten.

PHOTO: British policemen hold men from the village of Kariobangi at gunpoint while their huts are searched for evidence that they participated in the Mau Mau Rebellion of 1952. (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

MORE: With Queen Elizabeth II's death, Camilla becomes Queen Consort: What to know

With King Charles III now on the throne, historians say there's potential for the monarchy to make a fresh start in seeking atonement for past injustices and signal a new era for the royal family.

PHOTO: Queen Elizabeth arrives for the state banquet in her honor at Schloss Bellevue palace on the second of the royal couple's four-day visit to Germany, June 24, 2015, in Berlin. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

"There's no question that [the monarchy has] benefited financially from the trade of enslaved people. And there's no question that they as an institution benefited enormously from the prestige of the empire," Elkins said.

"You are the monarch of a multicultural nation that must come to terms with the past," she noted of the task facing King Charles III. "And if you really have a hope for the future of the monarchy, you must solve this."

Myko Clelland, a royal expert and genealogist who worked closely with the Royal Household on the publication of their digitized records, says that even though King Charles III is entering at a vastly different time than his mother, the role of the monarchy remains an outwardly apolitical one.

"The constitutional role of the monarchy is separate from politics," Clelland said.

King Charles III pointed to the changing times in his first speech as king: "When The Queen came to the throne, Britain and the world were still coping with the privations and aftermath of the Second World War, and still living by the conventions of earlier times."

He continued, "In the course of the last 70 years we have seen our society become one of many cultures and many faiths. The institutions of the State have changed in turn."

King Charles III has been outspoken about politics in a way that past leaders of the monarchy have not. He's made comments through the years taking stances against climate injustice, strict immigration policy, enslavement and more.

However, Clelland predicts King Charles III may not necessarily change the monarch's role as a figurehead intended to be "the heart and the soul of Britain, not the apparatus, not the machinery or the levers of power."

"People worry that he might try to meddle in government, but that royal prerogative says that those powers have slipped into history, and that keeping the monarchy above politics is a way that keeps their survival," Clelland said.

Death of Queen Elizabeth II prompts debate about the monarchys legacy, future originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
These are the tips the pros remember.

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Even professional chefs need cooking advice. With pointers on everything from how to make an excellent quiche to how to grill the perfect steak, it can get a little tricky to know which pointers to follow and which ones to skip. That's why we tapped several chefs and other food pros and asked them to share the best cooking advice they've ever received. From cooking with love to cleaning as you cook, keep reading for some tips that the pros swear by!

"If you ruin anything, just cover it with a salsa and eat it in a taco." -Pati Jinich, chef, host of PBS' La Frontera and Pati's Mexican Table, and author of three cookbooks. Her latest is Treasures of the Mexican Table

"The best cooking advice I have received came from my Master Chef mentor, Saverio Stassi. First, that in the kitchen, nothing is personal. As cooks we are under a lot of pressure and tend to raise our voices, but once service is over, that should all be left behind. He also reminded me that we are blessed with a diversity of ingredients produced on our island, and the traces of our heritage contained in our national dishes must remain alive." -Chef Noemi Guzman of Jalao, a traditional Dominican restaurant in New York City

:How to Cook Ramen, According to Professional Chefs

"My father would say, 'Time is the most precious asset that we have.' It's always a reminder for me to enjoy every moment of my life. I find it also applies to cooking, because when you enjoy your time cooking, your food comes out better. It's made with joy. Operating a restaurant, I'm not able to cook for my family every night, but come Sunday afternoon we crank up the music, enjoy some wine, and make dishes to eat throughout the week while the kids play." -Fernando Navas, chef and owner of BALVANERA

"Clean as you go, clean as you cook. You want to have a clear mind when you cook. If you cook messy and you have things all over the place, you more easily get overwhelmed and you don't cook with enough love and intention for the dish. I learned this early in my career, and I still follow this advice even to this day, and my cooks do this as well. I learned this from Jeremy Culver, executive chef of Joseph's Citarella in New York City where I began my culinary career. Once my grandma and mom knew I liked to be in the kitchen, they also gave me the same advice. I wish I would have asked more questions growing up. In reflecting back on it now, I should have asked my family before a chef had to tell me. -Chef Nelson German

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"For me, my crew, and the chef, it's all about cooking with love. You have to put love into the food. If you don't put love into the food, nothing will taste right. That's the first ingredient, the first technique, the first everything. You have to have that feeling behind it, you have to really care about who you're cooking for." -Gerry Torres, founder of City Tacos in San Diego

:These Are the Best Dry Wines for Cooking, According to Chefs and a Sommelier

"Cook for yourself, but with other people in mind." -Illyanna Maisonet, food columnist and author of the upcoming cookbook, Diasporican

"My father always told me: Do it right or don't do nothing. He was the kind of cook that, regardless of the cost of the materials, he would put lots of the best ingredients [in his food] even though he might not earn anything from that. That's what I believe is real love for cooking and the factor that differentiates his food from others." -Chef Tomas Matsufuji, of Al Toke Pez in Lima, Peru. "The best piece of cooking advice I ever received came from my mom. She is the person I turned to when I was first learning my way through recipes I missed the most after moving away for college. I'd call her often asking for recipes for this and that, and during one of our calls, she said 'ponle tu propio estilo' or give it your own spin. I've carried those simple words with me ever since, and I feel like they've allowed me to be creative with the recipes I develop and the work I've done as Chicano Eats and it's totally paid off." -Esteban Castillo, food blogger and author of the upcoming cookbook, Chicano Bakes
An American has sparked a debate after claiming that customer service representatives in France are cold while describing a recent experience she had trying to board a train.

On TikTok, Amanda Rollins frequently posts videos about her experiences as an American living in Paris. In a recent clip, Rollins said she really didnt understand the customer service in France, before claiming that the workers in the country purposely choose to be the opposite of helpful and kind.

Whenever theres an opportunity to be kind, helpful, understanding, they choose the opposite. she said, adding how one of the things she misses most about living in the US is the friendly customer service.

After noting the differences between French and American culture, and revealing that someone told her arguing was a part of the French way, Rollins went on to describe how a ticket collector on her train to Bordeaux was recently unkind to her.

According to Rollins, as she headed to her train, she paused for a couple minutes before getting her ticket scanned when the doors were still open. However, she said that, as she stepped onto the train, a man working there stopped her and told her she was too late.

When questioning the employee about why she couldnt get on the train, the TikToker said that the train conductor popped his head out the window to tell her that she could get on the train.

However, she said that the ticket collector continued to tell her she was too late and that, after several minutes, she still wasnt allowed to get on the train.

Rollins went on to note that this was the first time in her life that she even missed a train, prompting her to immediately start crying.

I was so on time, today, she explained. It was a really good price, and I just could not believe this. This man sitting here looking at me, Im literally crying, and hes like: Yeah, too bad. Im not begging for sympathy or anything.

The American went on to criticise the French ticket collector, adding: He had every capability to let me on, there was plenty of time. And I think he just enjoyed saying no. In the US, they wouldve done everything possible to let me get on.

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As of 14 September, Rollins clip has more than 147,000 views, with TikTok users weighing in on the TikTokers claim.

As a French person, I am also tired of it. Cant stand it, one person wrote.

Customer service might not matter to some people but it is the saving grace for so many lonely people. It matters, another wrote.

A third person claimed: When a French person says hes kind man (cest un gentil) he means hes simpleminded. That tells how kindness is perceived there: as a weakness.

On the other hand, some TikTok users noted that individuals who work in customer service arent required to be nice and that Rollins shouldnt have expected employees working in France to be similar to Americans.

They choose reality. American customer service has gone SO FAR overboard that we now all suffer because thats what everyone expects, one viewer claimed.

Cultural difference - you cant expect everywhere to be the same as where you came from, another person wrote.

A third person added: But on the flip side I hate American service, like leave me aloneIm not there to make small talk, Im there to find a dress that only I know I like.

Speaking to The Independent, Rollins addressed how she has had multiple experiences in Paris when a customer service representative was being rude and unhelpful, compared to the US.

In a store if you are trying to check out or placing an order at a coffee shop, the worker will continue an entire conversation with a coworker before addressing you, she said. You can be standing there waiting to order and the person will keep talking and laughing with a colleague for like five minutes while you literally just stand there.

Its also very common for service workers to yell at you, she continued. I got horrible highlights once and when I came back to ask for them to be fixed, she told me it is my fault and she is not going to redo it, she said. This is common for any service.
PITTSBURGH  A death penalty trial has begun for a man accused of having set a house fire that killed a child and two women in Pittsburgh 4 1/2 years ago.

Martell Smith, 45, faces three counts of homicide, aggravated arson and other charges in the early morning December 2017 blaze in the Homewood neighborhood, which Allegheny County prosecutors say he set after getting into a bar fight with another man.

Police say surveillance images show him buying a gas can and filling it at a gas station, and they say he then drove to the home, doused the three-story brick structure with the gasoline, lit it and drove away. Killed were 21-year-old Shamira Staten, her 4-year-old daughter, Chyenne Manning, and 58-year-old Sandra Carter Douglas.

Defense attorney Randall McKinney told jurors Monday the fight was brief and his client had no motive, but police did not look for another suspect, the Tribune-Review reported. He said gasoline was found on his clients clothing because he filled a gas can at a gas station to take back to his own car, which was low on fuel.

Deputy District Attorney Brian Catanzarite, however, said the fight left Smith with a bloodied face, torn shirt and broken necklace. After the fire, he said, witnesses reported seeing the defendant pacing up and down the street, bragging about what he had done.

Prosecutors said capital punishment would be warranted if Smith is convicted of first-degree murder, citing the fact that the slayings occurred during commission of another felony, that the victims included a child and because of the defendants criminal record.

Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf imposed a moratorium against carrying out any death sentences shortly after taking office in 2015. Three people have been executed since the state reinstituted capital punishment four decades ago, the most recent in 1999, but all three had voluntarily given up on appealing their sentences.
Pieper Lewis, left, speaks with Polk County District Judge David M. Porter during her sentencing hearing, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. Lewis, who was initially charged with first-degree murder after she stabbed her accused rapist to death in June 2020, was sentenced to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the mans family.

Updated as of 9/16/2022 at 11:25 a.m. ET

Pieper Lewis, 17, was charged with the killing of her rapist and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to the mans family, according to The Associated Press. A GoFundMe created in support of Lewis has raised nearly triple that amount, per the Des Moines Register.

Read more

Leland Schipper, Lewis freshman math teacher at Des Moines Lincoln High School organized the fundraiser. In under 48 hours, the fundraiser tallied $405,000 from 10,500 donations. Lewis attorney said it must be determined whether Iowa law will allow them to use the donations for the restitution.

Pieper Lewis was 15 when she stabbed Zachary Brooks, 37, to death in Des Moines, Iowa. Reports say she was running away to try and escape her abusive adopted mother when she took shelter in the apartment building where Brooks lived. There, he kidnapped her and sex-trafficked her to other men. Lewis also said Brooks raped her multiple times leading up to his death. Sound familiar? Ill give you a hint: Chrystul Kizer.

Both Lewis and Kizers cases are similar when you look at the prosecutions argument: the men who trafficked them were killed while they were asleep and not posing an immediate danger. As expected, the court focused on Lewis rather than the circumstance that led to her actions.

Read more about the case from AP News:

Prosecutors took issue with Lewis calling herself a victim in the case and said she failed to take responsibility for stabbing Brooks and leaving his kids without a father. The judge peppered Lewis with repeated requests to explain what poor choices she made that led up to Brooks stabbing and expressed concern that she sometimes did not want to follow rules set for her in juvenile lockup. The next five years of your life will be full of rules you disagree with, Im sure of it, Porter said. He later added, This is the second chance that youve asked for. You dont get a third.

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Iowa was headed toward passing a safe harbor bill to protect trafficking victims. However, the bill passed the House but not the Senate, according to AP News. The state does have a law, though, signed in 1997 ordering people convicted of homicide to pay a fine in compensation.

Over in Wisconsin, Chrystul Kizer was allowed by the Supreme Court to use affirmative defense for any offense committed as a direct result of being trafficked, per Kenosha News. In other words, she can argue that killing her sex trafficker was an act of self-defense.

However, in Lewis case, prosecutors say she waived her ability to argue affirmative defense after pleading guilty to manslaughter and willful injury. She was sentenced Tuesday to five years of closely supervised probation with a warning that violation in any form could result in 20 years of prison time.

Lewis maintains her stance as a survivor, as she echoed in her statement to the court. My spirit has been burned, but still glows through the flames. Hear me roar, see me glow, and watch me grow. I am a survivor, she said.
The sale applies to travel from Sept. 20 and Nov. 16.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

JetBlue is falling for cooler temperatures with a seasonal sale offering travelers fares for less than the cost of a full tank of gas.

JetBlues Fall in Love Sale has fares starting as low as $39 one-way, making an autumnal getaway almost a no-brainer. The sale, which must be booked by Sept. 15, is valid on travel between Sept. 20 and Nov. 16, according to the airline.

Get a sweetheart of a deal on fall flights and vacation packages, JetBlue tweeted about the sale.

The deal excludes travel on Fridays and Sundays, and blackout dates may apply and vary by route. Fares include government taxes and fees.

On the low end, travelers can fly between Worcester County, MA, and New York City; between New York City and Savannah; between Las Vegas and Los Angeles; and between Los Angeles and San Francisco starting at just $39 each way. Travelers can also island hop between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the same low price of $39 each way.

Passengers in Boston can spend just $59 to fly down to Charleston (voted the No. 1 city in the country by Travel + Leisure readers for 10 years in a row), or spend $69 to fly to Chicago. New Yorkers can escape the cooling temperatures with a jaunt to Aguadilla Pueblo, Puerto Rico, starting at only $114 one-way, or head to either Antigua or Cancun with flights starting at only $134 one-way for both.

Those in the Miami area can fly up to New York for only $59, or escape to the Caribbean with flights to Nassau in the Bahamas starting at $124 one-way, flights to Kingston, Jamaica, starting at $134 one-way, and flights to San Juan starting at $109 one-way.

On the West Coast, Los Angeles travelers can fly down to Mexicos San Jose del Cabo starting at only $84, or head to Salt Lake City for some fresh mountain air with flights starting at only $49 each way.

The sale comes on the heels of JetBlues agreement to buy Spirit Airlines in a merger that will make the new carrier the fifth largest in the United States. The deal is subject to regulatory approval, but is expected to close by the first half of 2024. Until then, both airlines will continue to operate independently.
At some point of our lives, we all feel like we dont fit in the circle, even if we want to belong somewhere and be appreciated (Getty for IMDb)

Maria Bakalova will go down in history as the only actor to receive an Oscar nomination for playing a feral, monkey-eating Kazakh who discovers feminism via a rendezvous with Rudy Giuliani. Unless, of course, Meryl Streep decides to get really ballsy in her twilight years. Until then, though, Bakalova stands alone. It was that encounter with Giuliani  a skin-crawling display in which he touches her waist and her arms and rummages around his lap  in Sacha Baron Cohens 2020 sequel Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm that anointed Bakalova as one of the bravest actors in Hollywood.

Playing Borats industrious 15-year-old daughter Tutar, the Bulgarian actor is alone with Giuliani  the former mayor of New York and one of Donald Trumps top aides  in his hotel room, made up in Republican anchorwoman cosplay and interviewing him for a right-wing TV network. Tutar flatters him. Giuliani grins. Tutar gives him a Kazakh picture book of a girl being swallowed whole by her vagina. They retire to the bedroom  rigged with hidden cameras  where Giuliani asks for her phone number and lies back on his bed, ambiguously tucking his shirt into his trousers. Cohens Borat bursts in to save the day. Shes 15, he shouts. She is too old for you! To this day, Giuliani swears he did nothing untoward.

I dont know anything about that person except that meeting we had in that room, Bakalova tells me over Zoom from New York, wincing a little at the memory. And everybody can see it! The scene stole the movie, understandably. But the entirety of Bakalovas performance earned her that Oscar nod. Transforming Tutar from a clueless, cage-dwelling teenager into a crusading journalist, she imbues her with an unwavering vulnerability that slowly morphs into steely strength. Look beyond all the Trump-baiting and what you get is a heartwarming feminist parable. With Holocaust jokes.

Were here to talk about the 26-year-olds most high-profile follow-up to Borat, a withering slasher satire called Bodies Bodies Bodies. Its what would happen if the worst twentysomethings you encounter on Twitter had a party and started being murdered left, right and centre. TikToks are filmed. Podcasts are threatened. Pete Davidson boasts of his sexual superpowers. What on earth would Giuliani think of it?

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I dont know if hed even see the movie, Bakalova laughs. As much as its a timeless story about human behaviour, its pretty much capturing generations like mine and a little bit older than mine. Not that much of my moms generation or her moms generation. I think, in the politest way possible, shes calling Giuliani old as dirt.

Bakalova is sunny, expressive, buoyant. A Zoom window seems too small for her. I am sending you all the brightest energy! she beams. New York is rainy and beautiful, but it gives me this nostalgic feeling that I havent been in England for a while! Later, while recalling a scene in Bodies Bodies Bodies in which her character is pelted with rain and hail, she practically acts it out for me. You should have heard the noise! It was like whoooosh, shoooosh  it was like a war!

I might be fearless today and tomorrow I might be crying

Bakalova is the closest thing Bodies Bodies Bodies has to a hero. She plays Bee, a timid foreigner accompanying her new girlfriend (Amandla Stenbergs shifty Sophie) to a party of her rich pals. Bees gift of zucchini bread goes down like a cup of cold sick, and shes frequently out of her depth when it comes to conversation and the gangs mutual self-loathing. She is an earnest compliment to their bitter disdain. Joy to their nihilism. Facebook to their BeReal.

It comes as a relief when the group begins dropping like flies  if only to break up the pass-agg tension bouncing off the walls. In a crowded, brilliant ensemble  which includes Davidson, Shiva Babys Rachel Sennott, Industrys Myhala Herrold and professional tall person Lee Pace  Bakalova shines. You feel personally affronted when shes thrown out of the house after being suspected of being the killer.

I had deep empathy for her, she says. At some point of our lives, we all feel like we dont fit in the circle, even if we want to belong somewhere and be appreciated. I can relate to that. I think her problem, though, is that she tries to be somebody shes not. Shes keeping all the secrets, which she shouldnt, because secrets get you nowhere.

Lambs to the slaughter: Bakalova and Amandla Stenberg in Bodies Bodies Bodies (Gwen Capistran/A24)

Since starting work in English language film, Bakalova has played this kind of role a lot: the outsider looking in slightly overwhelmed. Its like my movie posters have come to life, her character said in Judd Apatows Covid comedy The Bubble, where she played a concierge at a hotel hosting a parade of A-listers. Even in next years Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, she sticks out amid a crew of racoons and trees: she voices a Soviet dog sent into space. Sometimes I feel able to speak out loud and be talking and talking and talking, she says. But then there are times where Im like, Oh gosh, there are so many more experienced people around me. So I sit down and shut myself up.

There must be a degree of fearlessness to her, I say. Anyone happy to flash their blood-stained underwear to onlookers at a society ball  in Borat, obviously  must surely be brave? Im scared of a lot of things, she says. But when it comes to a character, thats my way of escaping reality. Thats a reason why I became an actress. If I put a mask of this character on, maybe Im not going to be as scared. Maybe Im not going to be as shy. She says shes a mix of different characteristics. I might be fearless today and tomorrow I might be crying. The next I might be laughing at something that is so freaking stupid.

Bakalova and Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (Prime Video)

Despite the star is born narrative that surrounded her Borat buzz, Bakalova was no deer-caught-in-the-headlights ingenue when she was cast in the film. She had a few Bulgarian film credits to her name and was just about to graduate from the countrys National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. Spurred on by her love of Danish filmmakers such as Thomas Vinterberg (The Hunt, Another Round) and Lars von Trier, she also had a firm plan to make it as an actor. In my head I was like, Once I graduate, Im going straight to Denmark  I dont know what Im going to do or how Im going to learn this language, but Im going to do it. She sensed that shed have to work in European co-productions to make a name for herself, and hoped that diving into the Danish film industry would lead her to other European filmmakers, followed by America. She calls out a number of her heroes: Susanna Bier. Pedro Almodovar. Oh my goodness, Paolo Sorrentino. Andrea Arnold  American Honey was one of my favourite movies back in the day.

That was the idea, anyway. Instead of heavy European dramas, though, shes found an unexpected home in American comedy. I was never able to dream of things like working on Borat, she says, That is Hollywood, its too far away, its impossible. It was while on the set of The Bubble that she found out shed been nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar. When youre on the [awards] circuit, people keep talking and talking about today, theyre announcing the nominees, so subconsciously you have this thought in your head, she remembers. But it was honestly one of the most precious moments in my life. And its documented!

The clip of Judd Apatow breaking the news to her of that Oscar nod is online, where its been viewed nearly 100,000 times. Bakalova certainly has a knack for going viral. Thankfully, this time was a lot less gropey.

Bodies Bodies Bodies is in cinemas now
By Steve Scherer

OTTAWA (Reuters) -A growing number of Canadians do not want a foreign monarch to represent them despite deep historical ties to Britain and affection for the queen, but risks that come with constitutional reform mean there is little political will for change.

Britain colonized Canada beginning in the late 1500s, and the country formally remained part of the British empire until 1982. Now it is a member of the Commonwealth of former empire countries that have the British monarch as head of state.

Dozens of Canadian city names, like London and Windsor, reflect the enduring ties. But according to an Angus Reid Institute poll from April, 51% of Canadians do not want the monarchy to continue as its ceremonial figurehead, up from 45% in January 2020. Only 26% of respondents said it should and 24% were unsure.

Further, according to a Leger poll published on Tuesday, some 77% of Canadians said they feel no attachment to the British monarchy.

"Canada is the only G7 country whose head of state is another country's citizen," said Flavio Volpe, president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association.

"I prefer someone from Windsor than from the House of Windsor" to be head of state, said Volpe, referring to the Canadian city across the river from Detroit.

"We should have serious conversations as a country about whether we can find a Canadian to fill a ceremonial post."

The death of Queen Elizabeth last week triggered a huge outpouring of affection in Canada, but most find their relationship with a foreign sovereign awkward. A ceremony was held in Ottawa on Saturday to proclaim the accession of Britain's King Charles.

"The monarchy is outdated and has no relevance in our government. I think it's time we just stood on our own," said John Nielsen, 61, a contractor in Ottawa.

Those from Quebec, the mostly French-speaking province, feel even less kinship with Britain, with 71% in the Angus Reid poll saying they no longer see a need for monarchy, and 87% saying they feel no attachment to the royal family in the Leger poll.

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A fifth of Canada's population are newcomers with little connection to Britain, and indigenous peoples tend to harbor little fondness for the colonial power. In one example of their feelings, indigenous activists pulled down a statue of the queen on the grounds of the Manitoba legislature in 2021.

"Besides a whole lot of photo opportunities alongside chiefs in headdresses, the reign of Queen Elizabeth will forever be marked by inaction," Niigaan Sinclair, a professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba, said in a column for the Winnipeg Free Press published after her death.

QUEBEC AND TREATIES

Pro-monarchy Canadians and analysts say the constitutional monarchy is a well-functioning democratic system, and more importantly, changing it would be both complex and politically risky.

Quebec, which has sought independence twice in referendums, has never formally approved the constitution, and most of the treaties with indigenous peoples were signed with the Crown, not the Canadian government. These treaties set up reserves, guaranteed hunting and fishing rights, and sometimes included annual payments.

Both issues would be politically thorny if Canada overhauled its constitution.

Constitutional wrangling with Quebec in the past has been political poison, with two attempts to introduce constitutional amendments in the both late 1980s and early 1990s failing, while at the same time energizing the Quebec sovereignty debate.

"The massive constitutional effort of removing the Crown would inevitably invite many other suggestions for constitutional change. Canada went down this road in the 1980s and 1990s and the country nearly collapsed from all the competing demands," said Jonathan Malloy, professor of political science at Ottawa's Carleton University.

At least seven provincial legislatures representing more than 50% of the population, plus parliament, must approve constitutional amendments.

Al Carl, 73, is an Ottawa pensioner who says the monarchy provides stability in a divided political landscape and "differentiates us from the United States". Changing the constitution would be untenable, Carl said.

"How do you do that with the divisiveness of our politics? How would you ever get Quebec to agree to anything?" he said.

'AS LONG AS THE RIVERS FLOW'

Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, when asked about his position regarding the monarchy on Tuesday, said Canada's democracy is healthy and while he is always open to "strengthening" it, "Canadians are almost entirely preoccupied with the big issues we're facing" like climate change and the economy.

Without endorsing the monarchy or closing the door to a debate, Trudeau said his government would focus on the issues important to Canadians.

Malloy said he is personally "uncomfortable" with the constitutional monarchy and "its feudal, colonial, and wildly elitist underpinnings," adding, however, that "it does basically work" and so changing it is "a low political priority".

First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald brushed off concerns about the effect of a constitutional change on treaties, though she did not endorse a constitutional overhaul.

"First Nations will always have a relationship with the Crown no matter what Canada does as a corporation," Archibald told Reuters. "As long as the sun shines, the rivers flow and the grass grows, these covenants remain in effect."

(Reporting by Steve Scherer in Ottawa, additional reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto and Allison Lampert in Montreal, editing by Deepa Babington)
Anadolu Agency via Getty

Russia is said to be canceling plans to send new troops to Ukraine as more of its service members are reportedly refusing to fight following humiliating losses on the battlefield.

Ukrainian intelligence reported Wednesday that members of the 5th Separate Tank Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces are surrendering their military benefits in order to resign for their refusal to fight.

At the same time, a catastrophic shortage of personnel is seen in the units taking part in the war against Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraines Defense Ministry said.

The agency did not specify how many service members have reportedly opted out. Ukrainian intelligence says Russian troops have routinely been caught venting about the dysfunction of Vladimir Putins special military operation, seemingly with increasing frequency after Ukraine launched several surprise counteroffensives in recent weeks and reclaimed large swaths of land.

In the latest audio released by Ukraines defense ministry, a man identified as a Russian soldier in the Kharkiv region can be heard angrily complaining about the military being in shambles, in what is described as an intercepted phone call.

I imagined all of this differently, because theres no kind of organization. I thought there was an army here, but its not an army here, he tells a relative.

Everyone is out for themselves, he says.

U.S. officials have said Ukraines gains on the battlefield have forced Russian troops to literally flee, abandoning equipment as they retreat. According to a report by The Moscow Times, Russian forces near Izyum in the Kharkiv region lost half of their equipment in just four days this month.

Amid rising outrage among Russians over the losses, the Kremlin is said to be maneuvering to deflect blame from Putin by pinning it on military advisers instead.

But the losses in the Kherson and Kharkiv regions appear to have hit ordinary Russians harder than earlier defeats in the Kyiv region and on Snake Island, so much so that they sparked speculation on many pro-Kremlin social media channels about Ukraine taking the war well into Russian territory.

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Since no one is hearing our message and no one is preparing defense for large [Russian] cities, and the enemy at the same time is concentrating huge forces on the border with the Belgorod region, there is a great probability that they may significantly take one of the large cities under their control, one pro-Kremlin Telegram channel warned, predicting that the enemy will act more skillfully and stifle communications in a late-night takeover.

The tone among Russian officials also took a swift change, with the mayor of a town in the Kaliningrad region announcing this week that celebrations for the citys annual holiday had been canceled in light of the tense situation on the battlefield.

After the funeral of one of the participants in the special military operation, which will take place this Thursday, we consider it extremely unethical and unforgivable to sing and dance joyfully in memory of the fallen and their relatives, Grigory Sokolovsky, the mayor of Sovetsk, announced on social media.

Authorities in Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh have also canceled upcoming celebrations.

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Copies of the interim report issued by Californias first-in-the-nation task force on reparations for African Americans are displayed at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on June 16, 2022. The Coalition for a Just and Equitable California, that pushed to create the reparations task force, is urging Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto legislation extending the deadline for the committee to complete its work. The Coalition and other organizations sent a letter to Newsom last week saying that the legislation to extend the deadline a year by task force member, Democratic Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, will demoralize descendants of enslaved people who fear theyll never be compensated

A couple of months ago, The Root wrote about Californias progress in potentially becoming the first state to offer reparations to those who are descendants of the slave trade in the United States. First, there was a 500-page report released in June documenting how the U.S. could address the wrongs done to African Americans. Then, there was the task of the state looking into who would gain any monetary benefits from a potential payout. Now, reparations advocates are pushing back on a bill that would extend the deadline for the committee to complete its work.



As the Associated Press notes, The Coalition for a Just and Equitable California and other organizations are calling for California Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto the extension put forth by task force member and Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer. The task forces final report assessing how much compensation should go out will be provided by July 1, 2023. However, Jones-Sawyer argues the committee needs to stay together to lobby on what we believe reparations should be or to have additional meetings.

Read more

The new piece of legislation would change the committees original end date from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024. It would also allow any of the nine committee members to be removed at any time.

An argument is that an extension would send a bad message to African Americans already questioning whether they will receive reparations in the first place. Chris Lodgson, an organizer with the Just and Equitable California group, says the committee did not ask for and doesnt need any more time.

From Associated Press:

Were hearing concerns that its not going to happen, that this is not going to result in anything, he said. This is why we do not need a delay of this work.



The task force is due to meet on September 23rd and 24th and said they might need to double down their efforts to complete the report.
Honor Allen Oyster Shucker Documentary

Honors Best: Journey of an Oyster Shucking Champion

If you've ever eaten an oyster, you're going to want to watch this new documentary.

Honor's Best: Journey of an Oyster Shucking Champion is a feature-length documentary chronicling the journey of four-time U.S. Oyster Shucking Champion Honor Allen as he endeavors to become the youngest world champion shucker.

Allen, 23, grew up in Panama City, Florida, where he began shucking oysters at Hunt's Oyster Bar. After competing in his first shucking competition at the Florida Seafood Festival, he became captivated by the quirky community of competitive shuckers, including Eamon Clark, nine-time Canadian oyster shucking champion, and Charleston native Isabella MacBeth.

The documentary follows Allen as he returns home from three years of competing around the world. Determined to turn his passion for oysters into a full-time career, the young shucking prodigy finds his future in the Gulf Coast oyster farms that are not only harvesting oysters but benefiting the entire ecosystem.

"Through this international journey, we see Honor come out of his shell," executive producer Robin Malpass said in a news release. "A small-town kid, Honor made waves in the oyster shucking community and really came into his own. We are excited to tell his story of self-discovery and success in an industry that has embraced him as one of their own."Honor's Best: Journey of an Oyster Shucking Champion will be available for streaming on September 23, 2022 on Prime Video, Google Play, and Apple TV. For more information visit honorsbest.com.
Zac Efron appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 13 at Roy Thomson Hall. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

Zac Efron is making a chiseled return to the red carpet at TIFF.

The 34-year-old actor stepped onto the Toronto International Film Festival red carpet on Tuesday wearing a dark grey checked suit with a black polo shirt. The "High School Musical" actor paired his look with shiny black Oxford shoes, a dark metal ring, a silver watch and naturally coiffed hair.

Efron made an appearance at TIFF for his upcoming biographical action comedy film, "The Greatest Beer Run Ever," where he stars as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who, in November 1967, snuck into Vietnam during the height of the war.

Efron attended TIFF for the premiere of his upcoming film, "The Greatest Beer Run Ever." (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)

It's the "Neighbours" and "The Greatest Showman" star's first public appearance since he addressed rumours last week that he had gotten plastic surgery. In a Men's Health interview, Efron shared some of the post-"Baywatch" hardships he endured, along with why his facial structure may look different.

The California native revealed that around four years ago, in the span of a year-and-a-half, he had torn his ACL, dislocated his shoulder, broke his wrist and threw out his back. He had also shattered his jaw while running through his house wearing socks, causing him to slip and fall into a granite fountain that knocked him out and left his chin bone "hanging off his face."

Following that injury, he explained that his masseter muscles  which help with chewing  had to compensate while he healed. While he worked with a specialist and practiced physical therapy, Efron said he took a break while he was in Australia.

"The masseters just grew," he said. "They just got really, really big."

Efron (left), posed on the red carpet with John "Chickie" Donohue, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran whom Efrom portrays in "The Greatest Beer Run Ever." (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Plastic surgery speculation first sparked in April 2021, after Efron appeared in a video promoting an Earth Day special with Bill Nye. At the time, many people  including Efron's mother  questioned whether he had cosmetic surgery, with some dubbing the viral conversation "jaw-gate."

Despite the online chatter, social media is something Efron said he avoids, something he's been practicing since he became a rising star at 17.

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In an interview published earlier in September, Efron spoke on rumours that he had plastic surgery, and shared his struggles with agoraphobia. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Efron also revealed that he struggles with agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder that involves the fear of going into crowded spaces, or sometimes leaving one's home.

"I just don't go out," the "17 Again" and "Hairspray" star remarked. "People in large groups, it triggers my agoraphobia."

Still, the actor shared one secret that has kept him powering through Hollywood as one of its top stars.

"If I valued what other people thought of me to the extent that they may think I do," he said, "I definitely wouldnt be able to do this work."

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty

Michigan voters were already facing a number of consequential choices this midterm cycle: a gubernatorial election, competitive congressional contests, and control of their Republican-led state legislatures.

But when abortion-rights advocates hit enough signatures last month to put a referendum on legalizing abortion on the November ballot, the stakes for Michigans 2022 election spiked.

It has changed everything, said Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D), who has become a rising star on the left after a speech she gave defending herself from a Republican colleagues attack went viral.

At the core of the ballot referendum is a 1931 law thats been batted around the states judiciary since the downfall of Roe v. Wade, but has the potential to ban abortions in Michigan with few exclusions if its ultimately ruled into law. If abortion-rights organizers can finesse enough yes votes on their ballot measure, however, the law will become obsolete.

With just weeks left until voting begins, organizers on both sides of the issue are all-in, while Michigan candidates brace themselves for the electoral volatility the referendum could create in what was already a tense midterms cycle.

The fact that we had the ballot petition circulating even before the Dobbs decisionpeople were aware of it. But I just remember going to rallies on the day Dobbs fell and telling people, You know, look of all of the states around the country, there is one state right now where you can take direct action, and it's Michigan, McMorrow said.

Leading the effort on the vote yes, or pro-abortion-rights side is the Reproductive Freedom for All campaign in Michigan, which is comprised of groups including Planned Parenthood Michigan, Michigan Voices and the ACLU of Michigan. Spokesperson Darci McConnell told The Daily Beast by knocking doors, phone banking and launching offices throughout the state.

Starting with our base and of course we want to build on that support, McConnell said, adding that the group is also mounting digital advertising, which is set to include television and radio advertising.

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Democrats Waste No Time Using Graham's 15-Week Abortion Ban to Slam GOP

The pro-abortion-rights groups already have a list of supporters to work with. It takes 425,000 valid petition signatures to get a referendum on the ballot, and McConnell says those signees information has provided a database of voters who are receptive to their side of the issue.

Michigan political whizzes like Oakland University professor David Dulio say polling supports the idea that a majority of Michiganders support access to abortion.

But, Dulio cautioned, he expects some moderateness on the issue, with looming concerns over more rare elements of abortion like late-term procedures still percolating throughout the state.

A lot of folks in Michigan maybe dont want it to go as far as it could, he said.

That alleged moderateness is what the vote no side of the issue hopes to latch on to.

Christen Pollo with the Citizens to Support Michigan Women and Children told The Daily Beast Monday she believes the winning argument for the anti-abortion-rights side of the referendum is that the amendment is too broad, arguing the proposed language would enable abortion without reasonable limits in the state.

Theres a lot of conversations happening right now about abortion, very important conversations, Pollo said. But she said this measure is too extreme for what she believes most Michigan voters would actually be looking for.

Much like the vote yes side, Pollo says the Citizens to Support Michigan Women and Children has launched a full campaign to connect with voters, including in-person and through advertising.

An ad by the Citizens to Support Michigan Women and Children included quips that the proposal opens a whole can of worms and goes too far. In another, organizers simply call the proposal too confusing, too extreme.

Looming over the organizing efforts is the outcome of a ballot referendum in Kansas last month, wherein pro-abortion-access organizers managed to successfully protect abortion access in a state that often elects anti-abortion politicians. The win for abortion rights prompted a wave of hype among Democrats at the national level, who say it was a sign that voters of all political spades are upset about the overturning of Roe v. Wade this summer.

Though Michigan isnt the only state with a ballot amendment regarding abortion this cycle, the Michigan referendum is one of the most broad-sweeping proposals on abortion access coming to voters this fall.

But even as pro-abortion groups and Democrats have pointed to the success in Kansas as a beacon of hope, anti-abortion organizers like Pollo insist its a different playing field, adding that organizers wont be deterred.

With abortion now pushed to the front of the political landscape in Michigan, lawmakers are aso forecasting that it will become a leading issue in Michigan campaigns this cycle, from the top of the ticket down.

Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer Loses to Trump-Backed Challenger in GOP Primary

Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, a Flint Democrat, conceded the Dobbs decision and now the ballot referendum have Republicans on the defensive.

They're definitely having trouble talking about abortion, Ananich said of Woverine State Republicans. They don't know how to discuss it. They dont. They didn't expect the Dobbs decision to happen they can't change years of public statements and votes they've taken.

Being able to canvass and make phone calls not just for local candidates, but also for the amendment, is leading to a morale boost, the minority leader added.

Were seeing a huge increase in enthusiasm, Ananich told The Daily Beast. People, you know, sometimes they get frustrated, they get angry, they don't know what to do. And this is a way to take all that energy and turn it into effort. And I think we think we gotta capitalize because every one of our candidates, especially in targeted seats, is pro-choice and has been talking about this issue no matter what.

Still, both McMorrow and Anancich said theyre not taking anything for granted, even with a new state Senate map where an internal analysis showed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer would have won 28 of the 33 districts were they in place back in 2018.

Theres also nothing preventing Republican voters from voting in favor of the amendmentwhile still voting for anti-abortion candidates. But Democrats still cant help but to hope.

"Were operating as if theyre gonna run the best operation, all the money in the world, Ananich said. And were gonna be ready to fight them across the entire field."

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Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty

Ukraine recaptured the city of Izium on Saturday, giving hope that the tide might finally be turning decisively against the Russian invaders. Not only are Russian forces in retreat, Vladimir Putin is facing increased criticism at home. There is even evidence of the Kremlin engaging in damage control to manage the domestic narrative.

Still, we should not allow ourselves to be carried away by Ukraines recent success. Russia still has cards to play.

In the build-up to the escalation in the south around the Ukrainian city of Kherson, Russia redeployed much of its forces to that region. In the process of doing so, it now appears likely that they left their defensive lines around Kharkiv in the northeast thinly defended. By doing so, a window of opportunity for the Ukrainians opened, which they were able to take advantage of last week.

The amount of success the Ukrainians have accomplished is staggering. All those who despise Putins aggressive war of choice can take comfort in their recent victories. But it may not be as decisive as some are claiming.

Just as Russia redeployed its troops to the south, it is almost certainly in the process of reorganizing and redeploying its assets to the Donbas. If Russias presence in Kharkiv is to collapse completely, then every Russian unit that successfully withdraws from Kharkiv to the east is an additional fighting force that will lend its aid to the defense of Russias gains elsewhere.

Kremlin TV Airs Call for Russia to Admit Serious Defeat

Frederick the Great once remarked that to defend everything is to defend nothing. Kharkiv, for all its proximity to Kyiv, appears to be the least valuable of Russias conquests in Ukraine. While its unlikely that Kremlin leaders desire to lose the territory, it would be the territory they would hate to lose the least. Its also unclear that the Kremlin has given up on maintaining at least part of the region.

As for Ukraine, just how much territory they will be able to reclaim in the weeks and months ahead is still in question. In attrition-heavy, defense-heavy conflicts, it can actually be detrimental to advance too far. Artillery, logistics, and other forms of support will move slower than an advancing army. Unless Ukraine is particularly well prepared for the gains theyve seen, Ukraines advance may well slow at the exact moment when they should be most inclined to press their advantage. Every day Ukraine delays to regroup is also a day Russia has to reorganize.

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If Russia can reorganize their defensive lines faster than Ukraine can advance, then the war may once again return to attritive combat.

At the moment, there are still too many unknowns. Perhaps Russia has finally reached the limits of its manpower and munitions. Perhaps there are other avenues for military advance elsewhere along the front lines. Perhaps, finally, Russia is losing its ability to continue the war.

Those are seductive lines of thought, especially because that is what weas a community who holds unprovoked and unjust wars with contempt and disgustwish to be true.

Though Russian forces are in retreat and Ukrainians are on the ascendant, we do not have a sufficiently granular understanding of the situation on the ground to make a call one way or the other on the future direction of the war. In June, this author argued that focusing too much on how the conflict will end is only going to cloud our understanding of the war as it is.

Putin Is Dreaming of This Nightmare End to the War

Lawrence Freedman, perhaps one of the greatest living authorities on strategy and conflict, was far more optimistic in his coverage of Ukraines recent advance, but he too warned there is always a risk of analyses getting too far ahead, jumping from the current state of affairs to the next and beyond and then asking what happens in purely hypothetical situations.

Concern regarding nuclear escalation often falls into that tendency. Earlier in March, The Daily Beast covered the possibility that Russia will engage in increasingly dirty wartime measures in order to stave off defeat. This included the possibility of using nuclear material from captured reactors for wartime purposes. While we must be on guard against the prospect and others like it, especially with Ukraines senior military leadership making note of the possibility of limited nuclear war as recently as last week, this all seems premature. Russia will need to be truly desperate for them to pursue such an action.

The fear-contagion hypothesis, likewise, falls into a similar category. This is the idea that defeat is contagious. As Russian troops flee from the front lines, they will spread their demoralization to other fronts. As defeat happens on one front of the war, confidence in other units ability to defend their positions will also decline.

To an extent, weve seen this story before. After all, early reports of this war were filled with stories of Russian soldiers fleeing, defecting, sabotaging their vehicles, and even killing their superior officers. Some of that was no doubt true, but initial analysis seemed to have exaggerated facts on the ground. Might similar reports were seeing now likewise prove to be overblown?

No one knows how this war will end. Until we learn more about the state of Russias defenses and of its ability to reorganize its military forces, no one should be convinced that Ukraines ultimate victory is in sight.

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PHILADELPHIA  A white Philadelphia police officer became distraught when he learned that a Black motorist he fatally shot after a high-speed chase was unarmed, his lawyer said as the ex-officers third-degree murder trial began Tuesday.

Prosecutors said that former Officer Eric Ruch Jr. shot and killed Dennis Plowden Jr. less than six seconds after arriving on the scene  even as other officers held their fire. A grand jury investigation found that Plowden, 25, was dazed after crashing the car and had his left hand raised as he tried to follow commands on a city sidewalk.

However, defense lawyer David Mischak told jurors that Plowdens right hand remained hidden near a pocket. Only later, he said, did Ruch learn what was inside.

As soon as my client discovered it was heroin and not a gun, he was upset. He was distraught, Mischak said.

He urged jurors to consider not just what happened in the six seconds at the scene, but the two-minute chase beforehand. Police thought the car was linked to a recent homicide. Plowden, who had borrowed the car and was not involved in that case, drove at high speed for several blocks through a city neighborhood before crashing.

It was a tragedy, Mischak said of Plowdens death. To call my client a criminal really compounds that tragedy.

Ruch is one of three city police officers facing murder charges filed by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner over their on-duty actions. In his case, the jury will also weigh voluntary manslaughter and a weapons charge.

The bullet from Ruchs gun went through Plowdens raised left hand before hitting him in the head. He died at a hospital the following day, according to testimony from his widow, Tania Bond, who briefly took the stand.

She won a $1.2 million wrongful death settlement from the city.

Krasner brought dozens of lawsuits against police as a civil rights lawyer and has battled with city police since taking office in 2018.

Ruch was fired about 10 months after the Plowden shooting.

In a pretrial ruling, Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Barbara McDermott barred prosecutors from telling jurors about a series of complaints filed against him during his 10-year police career because he was mostly cleared of wrongdoing by internal affairs, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

And she limited Bonds testimony to a few basic facts on Tuesday. However, in an interview with the Associated Press after the charges were filed in 2020, the widow wondered whether Ruch felt any remorse.

I just want to know, has Ruch ever thought about my family? she asked.
Ohio won! The day has come when we have broken ground on the new Intel facility, and now its time to deliver on the promise of building a massive semiconductor production facility and industry supply chain right here in Ohio.

Intel will invest $20 million in Phase 1 of what we believe will be the largest semiconductor production site on the planet. Phase 1 alone is expected to create 3,000 high-paying Intel jobs, 7,000 construction jobs and 10,000 downstream jobs in Ohio. The project will add $2.8 billion to Ohios annual gross state product.

This is the economic development equivalent of winning both the Mega Millions and Powerball lotteries simultaneously. But this was not secured through luck, it was won through great collaboration with the private sector and leadership in government at the local, state, and federal levels.

Lieutenant Governor of Ohio Jon Husted speaks to a crowded room during the County Auditors Association of Ohio Summer Conference at the Cherry Valley Hotel in Newark, Ohio on June 9, 2022.

And todays groundbreaking is not the end of the collaboration, its only the beginning.

Ohios state and local governments still must build highways, roads, water systems and sewer treatment facilities to accommodate the enormous scope of this project. Ohios construction industry leaders and workforce must build the project on time and within budget.

Ohios educational institutions must adapt to shape a workforce that will need more engineers, technicians, machinists, electricians, pipefitters, and sheet metal and construction workers. The good news is the skills that most of the workforce will need to qualify for these jobs can be earned at local high schools, career centers, community colleges or even through an apprenticeship.

There is still much work to be done by state and local economic development specialists to secure a supply chain for the semiconductor industry in Ohio. This will involve talking with businesses, identifying sites, training the workforce, and building out the infrastructure to accommodate the businesses that will be moving here or expanding here in our state.

Local governments will need to plan for growth in a way that provides for a mix of residential housing, green space, amenities and industrial and commercial business that is consistent with community aspirations.

Story continues

There is great optimism for future growth in the computer chip industry. Every smartphone, electric vehicle, appliance, data center and beyond will need more processing power, which will demand smaller and faster chips. Annual chip-industry revenues are expected to hit $1.35 trillion by 2030, more than doubling from $553 billion in 2021, according to International Business Strategies Inc., a chip consulting firm.

The Intel team is in great competition to prove they can deliver and outperform their global competitors. They must be successful to gain the market share to support the construction of the future fabrication facilities planned for central Ohio.

Ohio stands ready to realize the promise of what the Intel project offers  creating a new industry and supply chain in our state. It is truly a team effort, and the stakes could not be higher as Americas economic and national security efforts are tied to producing a steady supply of semiconductor chips.

Delivering on Ohios promise is critical. It will determine whether Americas economic and national security will be strengthened by creating a stable supply of computer chips. It will determine how Ohio fulfills the promise of becoming the center of high-tech manufacturing in America so our children and grandchildren will never have to look beyond Ohio for great career opportunities.

Its time to get to work and win!

Jon Husted is Ohio's Lieutenant Governor.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Husted: After Intel groundbreaking, it's time to get to work
A 33-year-old South Carolina man out on bond told officers he was "black-out drunk" when he broke into his ex-girlfriend's home and dumped the ashes of her deceased child into the trash, according to a police report.

Joseph Oberlies was charged with first-degree burglary and destruction of human remains upon being booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston, South Carolina, last Thursday morning, according to local ABC News 4. He was released on $60,000 bond later that evening.

Officers had responded Monday to a report of a home break-in that allegedly took place two days prior.

Oberlies was reportedly recorded at 3 a.m. Saturday by a security camera as he approached the door of his ex-girlfriend's house, entered the security code and went into the home, according to the report. He was taped leaving the residence minutes later and returned shortly after 4 a.m., not leaving again until 7:52 a.m.

POLICE FATALLY SHOOT MAN AFTER HE KILLS WIFE, DOG AND INJURES DAUGHTER: REPORT

The female victim dated Oberlies for several months earlier in 2022, the report said, and trespassed him from her property on Aug. 23. She claimed to police that she was not at home when Oberlies broke into it, but that in addition to taking a hammer to her flat-screen TV, he also dumped the ashes of the child she had with her ex-husband into the garbage.

The report added that the victim noted Oberlies could not have known she and her children would not be at home when he broke in, which made her frightened to think of what he would have done if they had been.

Stock image of a police vehicle. Douglas Sacha via Getty Images

Oberlies had been out on bond for an earlier arrest on Aug. 5, when he was charged with first-degree assault and battery, according to jail records. For that offense, he allegedly broke into the house of one of his exes and stabbed her.

Oberlies initially claimed he was not in the area when the latest break-in occurred, but later told police he was "black-out drunk" and was unable to remember the incident.
Editor's note: This page recaps the news from Ukraine on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Follow here for the latest updates and news from Wednesday, Sept. 14, as Russia's invasion continues.

The Ukraine military claimed Tuesday that it had downed one of Russia's Iran-built drones as Kyiv's counteroffensive continued to drive back the invaders from northeastern towns occupied since the early weeks of the war.

The Ukrainian military published images of wreckage from the drone, encountered near Kupiansk in Kharkiv province, where Ukraine troops have made a push in recent days into the strategically important city of Izyum.

In Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry tried to tamp down emerging unrest at the progress of the war, saying teams of attack helicopters are making more than five combat sorties every day to disrupt the counteroffensive near Izyum. Russian forces also shelled the center of Kharkiv, knocking out power and water in some areas of the city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Electricity had been fully restored in the region of Kharkiv by Tuesday evening, according to a Telegram post from Ukrainian presidential aide Kyrylo Tymoshenko.

Russia has withdrawn many troops from the province, but claims this was a planned regrouping to increase efforts on the southern Donetsk front.

The enemy is demoralized and is looking for ways to leave the occupied territories," Ukraine's Operational Command South said. "But the occupiers still have a lot of strength and power."

A major surge: Ukraine retakes more territory in a week than Russia captured in months

'SITUATION MORE DIFFICULT BY THE HOUR': Ukrainian forces break through to Russian border. Updates

Latest developments:

In addition to leaving the Kharkiv region, Russian troops were also abandoning Melitopol in the south and heading toward Moscow-annexed Crimea, said Ivan Fedorov, the citys mayor before the occupation.

Dmitry Palyuga, one of the district council members in St. Petersburg who last week called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be removed and charged with treason over the war in Ukraine, said he has been fined 47,000 rubles ($780) for "discrediting" the authorities, Reuters reported. On Monday, 18 municipal deputies signed a petition calling for Putin to resign, and that list has more than doubled, the news agency says.

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The U.N. said 129 loaded ships carrying more than 2.8 million tons of Ukrainian grain have left the Black Sea since an agreement was reached to lift a Russian blockade July 22, but fertilizer exports from Russia are still down despite being covered by the deal.

Russia has spent more than $300 million since 2014 to try to covertly influence politicians and other officials in more than two dozen countries, the State Department said in a cable released Tuesday.

Ukraine tells Russian soldiers: 'You dont need this war. Surrender'

As newly liberated residents in some parts of Ukraine celebrate the Russian retreat and inspect the charred tanks left behind, Ukrainian authorities are working to persuade more of the invading troops to give up the fight.

Amid unconfirmed reports that large numbers of Russian soldiers have surrendered, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar said the government is launching shells filled with flyers encouraging more of them to lay down their arms.

Russians use you as cannon fodder,'' the flyers read. "Your life doesnt mean anything for them. You dont need this war. Surrender to Armed Forces of Ukraine.

US refrains from 'spiking the ball' over Ukraine's gains

Admiration for what Ukraine has accomplished on the battlefield lately is warranted. Declaring victory? That would be premature, observers and U.S. officials say.

The Biden administration has refrained from publicly celebrating the Ukrainians' stunning gains of the last few days  particularly in the northeast  which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said has led to up to 2,300 square miles of reclaimed territory.

The sight of Russian troops in hasty retreat has brought jubilation to Ukrainians, but National Security Council spokesman John Kirby declined to call it a turning point in a conflict that started more than 200 days ago, pointing out the unpredictability of war.

Kirby said Russia has problems with command, logistics and unit cohesion but still has a large and potent military with plenty of power  including nuclear weapons.

They clearly still have a military capable of inflicting great damage, he said.

Russian forces also maintain control of large swaths of the east and south, including the industrial Donbas region, where they remain in charge in one of the two provinces and part of the other.

I agree there should be no spiking of the ball because Russia still has cards it can play, said Philip Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general who was NATOs top commander from 2013 to 2016. Ukraine is now clearly making durable changes in its east and north and I believe that if the West properly equips Ukraine, theyll be able to hold on to their gains.

Putin aide: Criticism of war allowed, 'but the line is very, very thin'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about simmering criticism at home of the war effort, said it was permissible by law, but with limits. Peskov cited the adverse reactions as an example of "pluralism," adding that Russians overall remain firmly in support of President Vladimir Putin. The Defense Ministry has taken a beating on Russian social media  and even among some Russian TV commentators  for what in some cases have been viewed as hasty, sloppy retreats.

"As for other points of view, critical points of view, as long as they remain within the law, this is pluralism, but the line is very, very thin," Peskov said. "One must be very careful here."

He said plans still call for continuing the war until goals are achieved. No plans to greatly increase troop strength through a draft have been made, he said.

Contributing: Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine towns liberated from Russia, troops surrendering
(Bloomberg) -- The Justice Department filed charges against Iranian nationals accused of conducting hacking attacks against hundreds of companies and organizations internationally, accusing them of encrypting computers associated with critical infrastructure, including electric utilities.

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The indictment charges Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari with carrying out attacks since October 2020 that included a municipality in Union County, New Jersey, power companies in Mississippi and Indiana, an accounting firm based in Illinois and a domestic violence shelter in Pennsylvania. Ransomware attacks also allegedly occurred in other countries, including the UK, Israel, Russia and Iran.

The hackers exploited known flaws in commonly used computer network devices and software applications to access and exfiltrate data and information, according to a 20-page indictment unsealed on Wednesday.

The department said the three defendants are likely still in Iran and havent been arrested.

FBI special agent James Dennehy said in a briefing on Wednesday that the US government would be offering a reward of $10 million for information leading to the arrest of the men, who he said were affiliated with companies operating in Iran that were engaging in cybercrimes on a global scale. A statement from the US Treasury identified those companies as Najee Technology Hooshmand Fater LLC and Afkar System Yazd Company.

According to prosecutors, the defendants hacked data in local networks and demanded payment in Bitcoin of as much as $500,000. Several attacks cited in the indictment demanded ransoms for tens of thousands of dollars. In one message to an accounting firm in March 2022, according to the indictment, the hackers said, Are you ready to pay?

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The hackers were separately named by the Treasury as having links to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, there was no evidence that the alleged hacking operations featured in the indictment were sponsored by the Iranian government, according to a senior Justice Department official. Rather, the official said, the hacks had been carried out on the side for personal gain. The official added that hackers were able to operate with impunity in Iran due to neutral law enforcement that turned a blind eye.

John Hultquist, vice president of intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said his firm has been tracking the hackers for some time. We believe these organizations may have been moonlighting as criminals in addition to their status as contractors in the service of the IRGC, he said in a statement. The IRGC leans heavily on contractors to carry out their cyber operations.

At least two of the men featured in the indictment -- Aghda and Ahmadi  were in July publicly identified by an anonymous online group named Lab Dookhtegan, which is known for exposing alleged Iranian government hackers. The group alleged that the men were involved with a cyber unit of the IRGC and have used hacking tools in cyberattacks in the US and Europe with the aim of extorting money.

The indictment doesnt specify how much money the hackers earned. In one case, it states, they received a payment of 13,000 from the domestic violence shelter in Pennsylvania after hacking its computers and encrypting its files.

Philip Sellinger, US attorney for the district of New Jersey, said the men had carried out a massive global computer hacking and ransomware scheme.

Hackers like these three Iranian nationals go to great lengths to keep their identities secret, but they always leave a digital trail, and we will find it, he said.

(Updates with additional information throughout.)

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Alaska Airlines dress code likely violates state law, the Human Rights Commission of Washington state said Monday in a reasonable cause finding.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and its Washington state affiliate last year sent a letter to the airline on behalf of a nonbinary flight attendant asking Alaska Airlines to stop enforcing its stringent uniform policy.

Under new uniform guidelines announced in March, certain restrictions have been lifted, but there are some exceptions.

An Alaska Airlines policy that requires flight attendants to wear either masculine or feminine uniforms is likely discriminatory, the Human Rights Commission of Washington state, where the airline is headquartered, said Monday.

According to the commission, Alaska Airlines had forced employees, including Justin Wetherell, a nonbinary flight attendant, that identify as neither male nor female to fit into a binary uniform system, likely violating a Washington state law that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, appearance, behavior or expression.

A preponderance of evidence supports a claim made by Wetherell in 2021 that the airline had discriminated against them, the commission wrote Monday in a reasonable cause finding. The finding notes that the stringent uniform policy violates a state law barring employers from requiring an individual to dress or groom in a manner that is not consistent with that individuals gender expression or gender identity.

Alaska Airlines in March announced updates to its uniform policy, which had previously required flight attendants to adhere to a rigid set of male and female dress and grooming standards.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

Under the airlines new uniform guidelines, restrictions on fingernail polish, tattoos and piercings have been relaxed, and male and female uniform kits have been renamed to masculine and feminine kits to be inclusive of all gender identities.

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There are some exceptions to the new policy, and flight attendants with facial hair, for instance, may not wear pieces from the feminine kit, no matter their gender identity. Details related to dress or grooming standards for a promised gender-neutral uniform kit have not been released.

Wetherell argued  and the state Human Rights Commission agreed  that the airlines updated dress code is still discriminatory because employees like Wetherell are only able to wear the masculine look because they have facial hair.

The illegal and discriminatory uniform policy maintained by Alaska Airlines forces employees like me to dress and groom in a manner inconsistent with our gender identities and gender expressions, Wetherell said Monday in a statement released by their attorneys at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

There is no reason for the airline to continue to enforce this illegal policy  other than to maintain an outdated and discriminatory ideal of gender, they said.

The ACLU and its Washington state affiliate in a letter sent to Alaska Airlines last year on Wetherells behalf urged the airline to abandon its previous dress code, which the groups said was inconsistent with state and federal law.

These rigid, binary uniform requirements are more than a mere inconvenience, they wrote in the letter. By forcing our client and countless other employees to adhere to Alaska Airlines preferred vision of how men and women should appear, the uniform policy demeans employees who do not conform to gender stereotypes and materially interferes with their ability to do their jobs under equal terms and conditions as other employees.

In a responss posted posted to the airlines website soon after the letter was published, Alaska Airlines said it has been a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and a leader in the industry when it comes to uniform and grooming standards.

We are committed to making Alaska a place where everyone feels respected and belongs and proudly celebrate the diversity of our employees this Pride month and all year long, the airline wrote, referring to LGBTQ+ Pride Month, celebrated in June.



The ACLU on Monday pushed back on that claim, arguing that the airlines uniform policy reinforces archaic and harmful gender stereotypes that affect anyone, regardless of gender identity, that does not fit Alaska Airlines preferred image of either male or female.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Designer Hanako Maedas Adeam is marking 10 years in business; so whats the perfect way to celebrate? Returning to New York City where she launched her brand, of course.

Due the pandemic she hadnt been able to make the trip Stateside in a few years, but the relationship between the Japanese brand and the Big Apple is as strong as ever, and continuing to inspire her work. She looked at Matsuri, a Japanese summer festival where streets are decorated with colorful paper lanterns, and fireworks sparkle in the night sky, for inspiration.

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Quote of note: I wanted the casting to feel eclectic and diverse, she said, adding that she aimed to highlight that her pieces are meant for all types of people.

Key pieces: A mix of voluminous silhouettes with cascading ruffles in bright colors, standout knits  a category that resonates with her customer  that came with convertible, mixing fabrics, or plays on tweed suiting. A subtle take on a harness over an A-line skirt in floral fabrics underscored the built-in convertibility of her work. A focus on skin with cutouts and bra tops felt feminine and a tad sensual. Crystal rings and earrings played with the firework theme of the festival.

Takeaway: Maeda continues to evolve her Japan-meets-New York story, playing with shape, texture and convertibility, making pieces that feel seasonless and special.

Launch Gallery: Adeam RTW Spring 2023

Click here to read the full article.
Sep. 14The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is surveying its membership to identify crime issues affecting businesses to determine ways to improve public safety across the state.

"The safety of our communities remains fundamental to our state's ability to attract and retain businesses and that makes it a priority for the Ohio Chamber," said Ohio Chamber CEO Steve Stivers in a release issued Tuesday.

The public safety survey is a direct result of a CBS News report earlier this year that identified five Ohio cities among the nation's deadliest. Dayton was ranked 5 and Cincinnati 19 on the list that also included Cleveland (10); Akron (49); and Toledo (57).

Dayton experienced a 30% increase in the number of homicides from 2018 to 2019, the year of the Aug. 4 Oregon District mass shooting when a Bellbrook man shot and killed nine people and wounded 27 others before he was gunned down by police.

A table below shows the five ranked Ohio cities and the number of homicides for 2018 and 2019:

Rank City 2019 2018

5 Dayton 48 37

10 Cleveland 92 129

19 Cincinnati 64 57

49 Akron 27 38

57 Toledo 34 37

Murder rates were compared in 65 major U.S. cities  those with more than 100,000 residents  using the FBI's 2019 Crime in the United States data, which is the latest available, along with data culled from city police and the U.S. Census Bureau, the February report stated.

"The state of Ohio has made it clear that the issue of public safety is a priority, making over $100 million in grants available to local law enforcement; however, there is still more to be done.

"This survey will help to identify day-to-day issues Ohio's businesses face when it comes to public safety and continue the conversation on how best to improve safety across the state," Stivers said.

The Ohio Chamber represents thousands of companies that do business in Ohio.
Charlotte Airport Wedding

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Adam and Liz met on an American Airlines flight on Mother's Day in 2021. Both were traveling from their hometown, Cleveland, to Charlotte, North Carolina, when their love took off.

"When we first talked about where to have our wedding we knew we didn't want to do the typical thing or spend a small fortune on a single day," Adam told Southern Living. "We joked about getting married at the airport since we met on a flight but didn't really think it would come to fruition since it's not a typical venue and there are logistic and security hurdles."

The couple was shocked when officials at Charlotte Douglas International Airport said they wouldn't just allow it, they loved the idea!

The airport's ministry staff officiated Adam and Liz's September 9 ceremony in the atrium overlook. They were even granted two security passes for their best man and maid of honor. (Yes, they all still had to go through security).

Love is in the air. 



Liz and Adam met on Mothers Day 2021 in a flight to #CLTairport. Today they said I do, in our Atrium then hopped on a Florida bound plane to fly off into the sunset together.



Wishing the newlyweds a lifetime of adventures. pic.twitter.com/cLM0rAVc2C  CLT Airport (@CLTAirport) September 9, 2022

"Even though there were hundreds of people below us unknowingly walking right past a wedding and quite a few airport staff in attendance on the overlook it felt like it was just the two of us and the chaplain," Adam recalled. "Neither of us could have imagined how perfect and beautiful the day was. CLT and American Airlines did an amazing job as wedding planners!"

After the ceremony, Adam and Liz hopped on a plane for their first part of their honeymoon in Marco Island, Florida. They plan to spend the second part celebrating with family and friends in Cleveland.

Congrats, y'all!
Aconite, or aconitum napellus, is a perennial herb that is native to western and central Europe. (Photo via Getty Images)

A Toronto doctor says the substance behind a mass poisoning in Ontario is highly toxic.

Twelve people became sick and were hospitalized, four of whom required intensive care, after dining at Delight Restaurant & BBQ in Markham on Aug. 28.

York Region Public Health confirms the cause behind the aconite poisoning, which is a type of food poisoning, was a contaminated batch of Mr. Right brand Keampferia Galanga Powder (sand ginger powder). Health Canada has recalled the product and recommends individuals and businesses dispose of the product out of an abundance of caution. The health authority says the powder was sold in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia, and may have been distributed in other parts of the country as well.

Mr. Right brand Keampferia Galanga Powder (sand ginger powder) has been recalled after a mass poisoning at an Ontario restaurant. (Photo via Health Canada)

Although aconite poisoning is rare, Dr. Prateek Lala, an assistant professor and associate director of the University of Torontos applied clinical pharmacology program, says knowing the signs and symptoms of it can help when seeking treatment.

What is aconite poisoning?

Aconite, or aconitum napellus, is a perennial herb that is native to western and central Europe. The blue/dark purple flower is also known as monkshood or wolfsbane.

Every part of the plant, especially the root, contains toxins. The deadliest of those toxins is aconite. In raw form, aconite plants are extremely poisonous. It can be neutralized by boiling or steaming the plant.

Lala says the plant can cause problems if its not processed properly.

These compounds, aconitine, the toxic compound found in these plants, is very poisonous and if you have a pure amount of aconitine, as little as two milligrams is thought to be enough to kill an average adult, so it takes very little, he says.

Aconite poisonings dont happen often in Canada.

The most recent one happened in B.C. earlier this year when a group of people ended up in hospital with aconite poisoning after eating a meal made with sand ginger powder.

Aconite is often used in traditional Chinese medicine

Along with Asian cuisine, aconite is also used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic Indian medicine. Its alleged therapeutic purposes include joint and muscle pain.

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Lala says in these practices its processed in a way that theoretically should neutralize the toxic compounds, but in some cases, it doesnt always work.

Part of the issue in those circumstances is that there's very little quality control and regulatory oversight when it comes to the production of those kinds of medicinal products, so you never really know what you're getting, he explains. There may be residual poisonous compounds left in those substances.

Lala acknowledges theres an increasing interest in alternative forms of medicine and says he wouldnt be surprised to see more cases of aconite poisoning in the future.

People should use the larger and more well-known companies that produce these products rather than individual people who might be producing and selling them on their own, he advises.

The aconite plant is used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic Indian medicine. (Photo via Getty Images)

Signs and symptoms of aconite poisoning

People can experience symptoms anywhere from a few minutes up to one hour after ingesting aconite.

Symptoms of aconite poisoning can include numbness and tingle on the lips, tongue, face and extremities, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, arrhythmia and heart-related complications.

You can get very fast rhythms that can cause significant problems in terms of circulation because the toxin itself, the aconitine, is both a neurotoxin as well as a cardiac toxin so you sometimes get seizures, people falling into comas if theres enough of a dose, Lala tells Yahoo Canada.

The pharmacology professor says if someone dies from the poisoning, it typically happens from highly irregular heart rhythm or respiratory paralysis.

A person with a pre-existing heart condition may also be predisposed to more severe health effects. However, even healthy people who have no outstanding health problems can die from a large enough dose, Lala says.

What does treatment for aconite poisoning look like?

There is no antidote for aconite poisoning.

Lala says treatment is most often supportive. For example, if a person has an unusual heart rhythm or low blood pressure, then a doctor can give them medicine to help correct those issues.

The professor also notes that the sooner someone gets medical help after experiencing symptoms of aconite poisoning, the better they can be treated.

If people go to the hospital early enough, within an hour of ingesting the poison, you can sometimes treat the patient with oral activated charcoal to try and inactivate the poison before it gets absorbed into the system, he says. After that period of time, there's not much you can do once it's already been absorbed.
With a significantly low voter turnout, Delawares primary election on Tuesday saw the defeat of controversial incumbent state Auditor Kathleen McGuiness to newcomer Democrat Lydia York, as well narrow races involving incumbent lawmakers, some of whom served in the legislature for decades.

The primary also included the return of President Joe Biden, who flew to his home to cast his vote.

Though voter turnout is usually lower in non-presidential years, only an estimated 16.20% of registered voterscast ballots in the primary as of 1:20 a.m. on Sept. 14. This is not only a significant dip from 2020, in which 32.6% of registered voters turned out, but it is likely one of the lowest voter turnouts in the state since 2006.

The auditors race, which was the only statewide primary in Delaware, saw a major defeat of McGuiness, who was convicted of official misconduct this summer. York, an accountant and lawyer, won more than 70% of the vote.

Democratic candidate for state auditor Lydia York speaks with supporters at a post-primary election gathering at Timothy's on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Tuesday. Sept. 13, 2022.

Auditor Race:Lydia York defeats embattled McGuiness in Democratic auditor primary

Tuesdays primary included more than a dozen races of General Assembly lawmakers, a majority of which included challenges against long-time incumbents. Every lawmaker is up for reelection this year, though not everyone had a primary challenger.

As of 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, some races were still too close to call. Below is a breakdown of the most notable primary wins. Heres a list of all of Tuesdays races:

House leader trails progressive newcomer for Elsmere seat

For many of these incumbents, this is the first time theyve been challenged in years  if ever. The election on Tuesday was the first time House Majority Whip Larry Mitchell faced a primary challenger since winning office in 2006.

As of 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, progressive newcomer DeShanna Neal was leading Mitchell by 24 votes, though votes from one the races districts had yet to be counted. If Neal wins, it would be one of the most significant upsets of the primary.

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In 2020, four of seven incumbent Democratic lawmakers lost their primary races to underdog challengers, which shocked many in Legislative Hall. It was clear at the time that voters were looking for younger, more diverse and more progressive candidates.

Then-Senate President Pro Tempore David McBride lost to current Sen. Marie Pinkney by 282 votes.

Bonini loses to Levy Court commissioner after 28 years in Senate

Seven-term incumbent Sen. Colin Bonini was defeated by Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Eric Buckson in a three-way race with Air Force veteran Kim Petters on the Republican side. Buckson is the son of former Gov. David P. Buckson.

The district in eastern central Kent County includes parts of Dover and Camden mostly east of Route 13, along with Magnolia, Frederica and Bowers Beach.

Buckson won with 1,915 votes, 51.11%. Petters was second with 1,071 votes, 27.14%, while Bonini received 815 votes, 21.75%.

Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover South, shown in 2018, lost a three-way race Tuesday.

Im proud of the campaign I ran and the work our team put in, and Im excited to serve, Buckson said. Id like to commend Sen. Bonini on his years of service.

Buckson said many residents told him they feel like theyre losing their rights.

They wanted a new voice and a fresh approach to fighting for our rights and serving the community on a daily basis outside of Legislative Hall, he said.

Buckson, who retired last year after 30 years as an educator in the Polytech School District, said his experience with educational issues should serve residents well.

Bonini was first elected to the Senate in November 1994. Hes also previously run for governor and state treasurer.

I am incredibly grateful for the honor of serving as the 16th District state senator for 28 years, Bonini said in an emailed statement.

Chukwuocha narrowly leads Wilmington primary, thanks to absentee ballots

Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha was narrowly leading Wilmington councilwoman Shane Darby by 90 votes as of 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The Wilmington lawmaker received slightly more absentee and early voting ballots, despite Darby receiving more machine votes.

Darby just entered the race just this summer. This last-minute challenge was seen as a response to Chukwuocha's record on renters rights, including legislation he supported this past session relating to eminent domain.

Voters' Voices:With the Delaware primary days away, ACLU poll offers glimpse into voters' priorities

Outcomes of other primary races, by county

New Castle Countys Bolden, Morrison, Wilson-Anton hold ground

Stephanie Bolden will continue as state representative for Delawares 2nd district. The incumbent received 711 votes and defeated her opponent, community activist James J. Taylor, who received 434 votes.

Sophie Phillips won District 18s state representative race with 70.5% of votes against her opponent Martin C. Willis.

Cyndie Romer has won district 25s state representative seat in a landslide victory, securing an estimated 902 votes against her opponent Edward J. Klimas 176.

Madinah Wilson-Anton has secured her spot as District 26s state representative, with an estimated 68.2% of votes against her opponent Kelly Maresca.

Incumbent Eric Morrison has won District 27s state representative seat. Morrison is estimated to have received over 63% of votes over his opponent Michael Hertzfeld.

Hoffner and Harris win big in Kent County

The Democratic race to fill Sen. Bruce Ennis seat was the most crowded primary this year. The Dover Democrat is retiring after 40 years. Kyra Hoffner, a lobbyist with the League of Women Voters, defeated four other challengers, winning 34.4% of the vote in Kents district 14.

Kerri Evelyn Harris, a veteran and advocate, defeated three other primary challengers with about 64.6% of the vote for District 32s state representative seat, which includes parts of Dover. She will now face Republican Cheryl Precourt in November.

Rieley, Fuller, Smyk among winners in Sussexs Republican Races

Incumbent councilman John Rieley beat challenger Keller Hopkins in Sussex Countys 5th District Republican primary with about 62% of the votes, receiving 2,390 votes to Hopkins 1,425. Rieley called the election results a resounding repudiation of Hopkins smear campaign tactics. Rieley will face Democrat Billy Edwards in November.

In other Sussex races, Alexandra Reed Baker narrowly beat incumbent Scott Dailey in the Republican primary for Recorder of Deeds. Dailey has held the position since 2010. Reed Baker garnered 7,588 votes to Daileys 7,401.

In the Republican primary for Sussex County Register of Wills, Greg Fuller beat both incumbent Ellen Magee and Candice Green Wilkinson. Magee was appointed to the position last year after its previous holder, Cynthia Green, was elected to the Sussex County Council (District 2).

Neither Reed Baker nor Fuller face challengers in November, save for write-ins.

More on Sussex:Political fights erupt on Sussex County Council

In the Representative District 36 Republican primary, covering the Milford area, the incumbent Rep. Bryan Shupe won out over Patrick Smith in a contest of 1,323 votes to Smiths 616. No one has registered to run against him in November, according to the Department of Elections website.

Representative District 4 was created in last years state redistricting process to include west Millsboro, Oak Orchard, Long Neck and Angola. In the District 4 Republican primary, Jeff Hilovskys 1,266 votes beat Bradley Layfields 817. Hilovsky will face both a Democratic and an independent challenger in November.

Ernie Lopez (R-Lewes) is retiring from State Senate District 6 this year, with current District 20 Rep. Steve Smyk (R-Milton) running to take over his position. After Tuesdays Democratic primary, his challenger will be Russ Huxtable, whose 2,940 votes beat Jack Bucchionis 1,273.

Delaware Online staffers Ben Mace and Shannon Marvel McNaught contributed reporting to this article.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Upsets and races too close to call in Delaware's primary
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department announced charges Wednesday against three Iranian men accused of hacking into hundreds of U.S. computer systems, encrypting data and extorting people for ransom.

Victims of the scheme included a township in Union County, New Jersey, and a county government in Wyoming; accounting firms in New Jersey and Illinois; power companies in Indiana and Mississippi; a Washington state housing authority; and a Pennsylvania domestic violence shelter, according to the indictment.

The three men are in Iran and are not in custody. But officials familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity said the charges are intended to limit their employment, training and travel outside Iran, and they could be tried if ever taken into custody. The indictment doesnt implicate the Iranian government.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said hackers might feel safe in anonymity behind their keyboards, but they are wrong and can be identified.

The FBI is coming after them, and were doing it with the full force of our law enforcement and intelligence partners in the U.S. and overseas, Wray said. These three individuals are among a group of cybercriminals whose attacks represent a direct assault on critical infrastructure and public services we all depend on.

Crypto crime: A crypto crime crackdown? DOJ hires first director of National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team.

The charges come as the Justice Department bolsters its investigations involving cybersecurity and ransomware against what officials warned business executives in June 2021 could be an exponential increase in hacking attacks.

Then, the department announced it had recovered the majority of $4.4 million extorted from Colonial Pipeline in a ransomware attack, which hindered fuel deliveries. In November 2021, the department announced charges against two Russians who are accused of writing and unleashing ransomware.

The Iranian suspects named in the indictment are Mansour Admadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari. The four counts charged in the indictment are conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with computers, two counts of intentionally damaging a protected computer and transmitting a demand in relation to damaging a computer.

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The scheme ran from October 2020 to August 2022. In some cases, the victims paid ransoms in bitcoin. Federal authorities havent recovered the bitcoin or frozen any bitcoin accounts, as they have in other cases in recent years. Officials couldnt estimate how much total was extorted.

According to the indictment, examples of the hacking attacks include:

A domestic violence shelter losing access to its computer system in December 2021 after hackers encrypted its data and activated a program called BitLocker. Your files may be corrupted and not recoverable. Just contact us, said a message sent to the shelters printer. The shelter recovered its data after paying $13,000 in bitcoin ransom.

A housing authority lost access to its data and had data stolen after a similar attack in January 2022. An email from hackers to the housing authority and threatened to sell the data, as they had in another case for $500,000. I want this to end, and if you do not want to pay, let me know so that I can make money by selling data, the email said.

An accounting firm had data stolen in February 2022. The hackers emailed the firm and said they had locked more than 20 computer systems and asked for $50,000. Are you ready to pay? the message asked.

Wray thanked victims of the crimes for helping the FBI understand the vulnerabilities the hackers exploited.

Todays announcement is just the tip of the iceberg, Wray said. Weve prepared a host of other actions I cant talk about quite yet, but that were designed and sequenced in conjunction with this indictment to make a big dent in the threat.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ charges 3 Iranians with hacking U.S. computers for ransom
New Hampshire Republican primary winner Dan Bolduc has falsely claimed that Donald Trump won the 2020 election

A retired general and outspoken Donald Trump supporter has won the Republican Senate nomination in New Hampshire.

Don Bolduc will face Democrat Maggie Hassan in November, who analysts suggest is at risk of losing her seat.

Defeating the incumbent could give Republicans the seat they need to regain a majority in the Senate.

But some party members have questioned whether Mr Bolduc can appeal to more moderate voters and rallied unsuccessfully around other candidates.

The states' two primaries for the House of Representatives - the lower chamber of Congress - were also won by Trump-supporting candidates.

A veteran of 10 tours of Afghanistan, Mr Bolduc has falsely claimed coronavirus vaccines contain microchips and that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election.

The 61-year-old has also raised less than $600,000 (514,000) from grassroots donors in the same amount of time that Ms Hassan has amassed more than $31m.

In his victory speech on Wednesday, Mr Bolduc - clad in an American flag themed shirt - held aloft a round shield with arrows implanted in it.

"We have taken their arrows. We have successfully protected ourselves," he said of the race. "We are now going to rally around the circle - unity, freedom [and] liberty."

His opponent, the more moderate candidate Chuck Morse, conceded defeat on Twitter. "It's been a long night [and] we've come up short," he wrote.

The race is one of a number of primary races that have been seen as a test of the future direction of the Republican Party.

Former President Donald Trump has endorsed dozens of candidates around the country, and while he did not directly endorse Mr Bolduc, he did describe him during a radio interview as a "strong guy" who had "said some great things".

Karoline Leavitt could become one of the first Generation Z candidates to serve in Congress

Republican voters in New Hampshire also selected a young Trump supporter to contest a seat in the House of Representatives. Karoline Leavitt, a 25-year-old former press aide in the Trump administration, will now face Democrat Chris Pappas in November.

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If she is elected, Ms Leavitt would become one of the first Generation Z candidates to serve in Congress.

Another Trump-aligned candidate, Robert Burns, beat six other more moderate Republicans in the state's second congressional district, which includes the cities of Nashua and Concord. Mr Burns - who was backed by a Democrat-affiliated group - will now face Democratic incumbent Anne McLane Kuster.

Primaries were also held in Delaware and Rhode Island, signalling the end of primary season and setting the stage for the midterm elections on 8 November.

The midterms will determine control of Congress for the final two years of Democratic President Joe Biden's term. If the Republican Party gains control of either or both chambers, it will have the power to thwart the Biden administration's agenda.

In Rhode Island, Governor Dan McKee narrowly defeated his Democratic primary opponents and will now face Republican Ashley Kalus in November. The state also saw primaries for Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and general treasurer.

Votes in some races in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware were still being counted as of Wednesday afternoon.
New teachers in Gaston County Schools listen as Superintendent of Gaston County Schools Jeff Booker talks to them before their first day of classes. Gaston County Schools is now going through a months-long problem of getting the proper pay to teachers.

Gaston County Schools went live with its troublesome payroll system against state recommendations, according to state officials.

Rep. Kelly Hastings, R-Gaston, said in a statement that he was contacted hundreds of times about the payroll issues in Gaston County, which have plagued the district since the new system was implemented in January.

Gaston County was the first district to implement the system, which was provided by Oracle, but it will eventually be used throughout the state.

Hastings shared emails with the Gazette from Fiscal Research Division staff of the North Carolina General Assembly, who said that Gaston County was advised not to proceed with the new payroll system.

Superintendent of Gaston County Schools Jeff Booker talks to new school employees during the GBA New Teacher Appreciation Breakfast held before the start of the school year. Gaston County Schools has been having a months-long problem with paying teachers propertly due to a new payroll system. The Department of Public Instruction reportedly warned Gaston County Schools not to start the payroll system that has caused the problems.

Fiscal Analyst Eric Moore wrote that the new system was created as part of the School Business System Modernization project that the General Assembly enacted into law and began funding in the 2017 budget.

The state developed the specs for what a school business IT platform should look like and is paying the costs of the transition for the school districts that implement the new system.

The program is not mandatory, however, and Gaston County chose to go live with the new system "against the recommendations" of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

In a follow-up email, Fiscal Analyst Stephen Bailey told Hastings that the Fiscal Research Division received an email from Dr. Vanessa Wrenn, chief information officer of the Department of Public Instruction, that stated, "Gaston was advised by DPI not to go live."

Gaston County Schools Superintendent Jeff Booker and district spokesman Todd Hagans did not return emails requesting comment.

However, Booker defended the school district in comments to staff on Monday evening and said that district staff are working with the state to fix the payroll problems.

At a meeting on Tuesday night, Gaston County Schools Superintendent Jeff Booker said that Gaston County Schools' previous payroll system was around 30 years old, and school district leaders didn't want to be "having a conversation about how we didn't do anything."

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"And so what we've encountered is like any business system conversion. There are likely to be issues," Booker said.

The problems with the Oracle payroll system started in January, and since then, at least one teacher has quit because her paycheck did not come on time. Other teachers have expressed that there have been problems with their paychecks. Gaston County was the first district to implement the system, which was provided by Oracle, but it will eventually be used throughout the state.

A teacher, Diane Gibson, asked Booker if the issue was a Gaston County problem, or whether it had to do with the support from CherryRoad Technologies, an online support vendor who is aiding in the transition.

Booker dodged the question, instead saying that he is focusing on solving the problem, not pointing at who is responsible.

"What I know is that at 2:30 in the morning, 4:30 in the morning, on those calls. I see CherryRoad representatives, I see county representatives, I may see state representatives, all trying to work to try and get the files corrected," he said. "So, for me, this is about solving problems, not about trying to say who hasn't done what, because if we don't work together, it's not going to cause anything positive for anyone."

Gibson asked if outstanding issues have been corrected since the last payroll cycle.

"We are continuing to work on outstanding issues," Booker said.

"OK, so that would be no?" Gibson said.

Gibson asked if there is a timeline for when the problems with payroll might be resolved.

"Yeah, our timeline would be immediate," Booker said, adding that each problem is different and updates to the software can cause additional problems.

"And I understand that if I'm the person that's owed $1, I don't understand that answer, but I can say that the resources are being put to try and do it the best that they can," Booker said.

Booker also said that the district is working to transfer staff money to the state retirement system. Although money had been withheld from employee paychecks, starting in April, the money had not gone into the state system, causing some teachers to worry about their retirement.

The file for April the district tried to upload to the state system had errors and the file was rejected numerous times, the district has said.

However, the April file has finally been accepted, and May has been submitted, Booker said. Once that file is accepted, the district will submit payments for June, July and August, which will make it current.

"It's our understanding in talking with the administrators of the fund that you're not losing interest during that time because the state doesn't post that interest but on an annual basis," Booker said.

Pam Miller, president of the Gaston County branch of the N.C. Association of Educators, said that the Gaston County NCAE was not satisfied by some of Booker's responses.

Pam Miller

She said that knowing that Gaston County was advised by state officials not to go live with the new system has made them wonder why the system was implemented at all.

"If they told you that you're not ready, then why did we go through with this?" She said.

They also want to know why the issues with the new system have persisted.

"We just want to know why we're having all of these issues and it's taken this many months, and we're still not fixed," she said. "We still don't like not having, you know, an approximate end date for all of this. I know that they can't give us an exact date,  I understand that, but like, you're bound to have an estimate as to how long it's going to take to fix. We weren't really satisfied with that answer either."

She said that the fact that Gaston County was able to upload the file from April into the state retirement system is a good sign, but she feels Gaston County Schools has not been transparent enough.

"The miscommunication and no communication has gone on throughout this whole fiasco. So I just feel like, the more information, factual information people have, the easier it is to feel like we're getting the truth from our employers," she said.

"Yeah, we feel like that there is an issue with transparency. I don't know that any other system has been in this situation. Hiding things from your employees doesn't really help the relationship there, no matter what business you're in."

Still, she said she was grateful Booker attended the meeting.

"I do appreciate our superintendent's willingness to be on that call. He knew what the questions were that we were going to ask him, but he wasn't sure what kind of situation he was stepping into," she said. "I really appreciate his willingness to even meet with us."

Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 704-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing here.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Payroll system for teachers was introduced, despite state guidance
Glenn Close no longer will preside over the San Sebastian jury and has canceled her trip to the festival due to a family emergency.

I deeply regret that I will not be able to take part in the Festival as there has been a family emergency for which I must stay home, Close said in a statement. I apologize to the Festival, the Jury, the filmmakers, the Donostia honorees, and the festival audience, that I will not be there to celebrate with you all.

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Argentinian producer Matias Mosteirin, who already was announced as part of the jury, will serve as the president. Mosteirins feature film as a producer, Bolivia, received the Young Critics Award at the Semaine de la Critique in Cannes. He recently executive produced Marcelo Pineyros series El Reino (The Realm) for Netflix.

The jury will be filled out by French casting director and filmmaker Antoinette Boulat, Danish filmmaker Tea Lindeburg, Spanish writer Rosa Montero, Lesotho filmmaker Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese and Icelandic director Hlynur Palmason.

Festival In Focus: San Sebastian Ramps Up Industry Components For 70th Edition

Close most recently was at the Spanish festival with The Wife, which closed out the Official Section in 2017. The film went on to earn Close her eighth Academy Award nomination. As previously announced, Spanish filmmaker Alberto Rodriguez will open the festival with his latest film Prison 77 (Modelo 77), which screens Out of Competition.

Other titles set to screen at the festival include Sebastian Lelios latest feature The Wonder, based on Emma Donoghues novel, starring Florence Pugh alongside an ensemble cast including Ciaran Hinds, Tom Burke, Toby Jones, Elaine Cassidy and Niamh Algar. South Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo will debut his latest offering Top /Walk Up in competition. The film follows the interactions of a middle-aged moviemaker. This will be the South Korean filmmakers second participation in the Official Selection.

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The 12 Bakers: (L to R (back) James, Sandro, Maxy, Kevin, Abdul (front) Carole, Maisam, Syabira, Rebs, Dawn, William, Janusz (Channel 4)

Its back then, and its probably just as well. Such is the comforting power of The Great British Bake Off (Channel 4); it seems unthinkable it would have been cancelled or postponed merely because the Queen had passed on. Indeed, that very fact, and the emotional trauma it has inflicted on a nation and a Commonwealth of about 2.5 billion people, makes it imperative that judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood and their sweetly charming contestants get the mixing bowl out to salve the collective hurt.

This they cheerfully attended to with lavish application of buttercream and lame jokes. In the GBBO tent, nestled in its warm, exquisitely verdant setting, the real world, and its horrors feel far, far away. No one ever asks aloud how much the gas bill will be for making 168 cakes, or remarks on how much the price of flour and raisins has gone up lately. There is no cost of living crisis in Bakeoffland, and that is how we like it. Even if we cant afford to make an apple strudel or a Belgian bun, its nice to watch people who can indulge themselves. If you think about it, its also the basic attraction of most things the royal family gets up to.

Anyway, cakes and contestants. Once again it features a multicultural and socially mixed cast so diverse it almost invites Nigel Farage to come down and picket the tent. Myself, I cant see the problem with the ever more diverse background of the contestants and their correspondingly adventurous creations. In the showstopper round, the 12 bakers are asked to make cakes based on their own homes or somewhere they have lived.

Maisam made one inspired by the lemon trees around her childhood home in Libya, Abduls had some mango jam recalling his origins in Pakistan, and Syabiras Malaysian ingredients were unknown to me. Janusz  hes the star baker in this first episode and my tip for this years winner  crafted such a superbly detailed reproduction of his mums place in Poland it looked like an architectural model and rightly helped him to victory as star baker in the first round.

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So that was all very refreshing and mouth-watering, but the presenters and judges were, well, a bit claggy  a word that cropped up a lot in this edition. Matt Lucas seems to have lost his sense of humour, and think I prefer Noel Fielding when he moped around the worktops like a lurcher looking for scraps.

Hes chirpier these days, and it just doesnt suit him. His new persona is about as appealing as Marmite in a baklava  and dont tell me thats a way of achieving umami, though Ill take the credit if it is.

Prue is as kindly, fair-minded and expert as ever, but Paul just looks bored now  a man whos tasted all the amateur red velvet cake he ever needs to. Sadly, he seems to have mislaid the recipe for his own signature dish of lightly spun spicy scorn, and how we miss it.

Rather like her late Majesty, the GBBO has had a very long run, and its much loved  how could we cope without it? But Im thinking Bake Off, like the monarchy, needs to adapt to retain its appeal. There are too many contestants making too many cakes, strange to say, which makes viewing harder work than it needs to be, and, if I were king, Id bring back Mel and Sue and their merciless innuendo. For now, its all getting a bit claggy in the big marquee.
The surprise strike on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 propelled the US into the Second World War

The family of a US sailor killed at Pearl Harbor have finally been able to see him laid to rest, 80 years after the World War Two attack.

Herbert Jacobson was buried in Arlington National Cemetery after modern forensic testing allowed his remains to be identified.

To finally know what happened to the sailor gives the family "closure", a nephew told news agency AP.

He was among the thousands killed or injured in the Japanese assault.

The surprise Japanese strike on the the naval base in Hawaii on 7 December 1941 propelled the US into the war.

"Bert" Jacobson, who was 21, was among 400 sailors who lost their lives on board the USS Oklahoma - one of four battleships sunk by Japanese torpedoes.

It was two years before their bodies were recovered, but many could not be identified.

Repeated attempts were made to put a name to all the victims, but it was not until the deployment of the latest DNA analysis that Jacobson's remains were identified in 2019.

He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, across the river from Washington DC, on Tuesday. The ceremony had been delayed by the pandemic and was attended by descendants who had never had a chance to know him.

"This has kind of been an unsolved mystery and it gives us closure to finally know what happened to Bert, where he is and that he's being finally laid to rest after being listed as an unknown for so long," nephew Brad McDonald told AP.

After failed attempts to identify the Pearl Harbor victims - including via dental records - a new campaign was launched in 2003, and then another in 2015, to use more advanced identification techniques, including via DNA.

Those attempts had given new hope to Jacobson's family - who told AP that Bert's mother cried every 7 December, at least partly because she never knew where he was.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was the deadliest on American soil until the September 11 terror attacks in New York in 2001.

Within two hours of the 1941 assault, more than 2,400 Americans had been killed and most of the US fleet stationed at the Pacific base was damaged or destroyed.

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The next day, US President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on Japan and America entered World War Two.

Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, is still an active naval base, a museum and a national monument to those who were killed in the attack.

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The Indiana Attorney Generals Office is declining to share information on the people who complained about a local doctor at the heart of the national debate on abortion rights.

Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard became a public figure after the fall of Roe v. Wade for her comments to IndyStar about an abortion she provided a 10-year-old rape victim who traveled to Indiana from Ohio for the procedure.

More:Ohio man charged in rape of 10-year-old that led to Indiana abortion

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita went on Fox News after the IndyStar article went viral and said his office was looking into whether Bernard had broken any laws or professional standards.

We're gathering the evidence as we speak, and we're going to fight this to the end, including looking at her licensure, Rokita said during the July 13 appearance on "Jesse Watters Primetime."

Rokita told Watters she could face penalties if she didnt report the abortion to the state. The next day, the Indiana Department of Health provided IndyStar a termination of pregnancy report filled out by Bernard that confirmed she did report the abortion. She also alerted the state that the 10-year-old had suffered abuse.

Two weeks later, Bernards attorney Kathleen DeLaney released a statement saying Rokitas office put Bernard on notice that an investigation had been launched into six consumer complaints against the doctor.

Lawyer says complaints 'riddled with inaccuracies'

DeLaney implied that the complaints were baseless.

"Each complaint form confirms that the person had no interaction with Dr. Bernard," DeLaney said in the statement. "The six complaints came from individuals who are residents of California, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and one from Indiana. None of the complaints came from a consumer who purchased any goods or services from Dr. Bernard or even from a person who has had direct communication with Dr. Bernard."

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More:Inside all of IndyStar's coverage of abortion in Indiana since Roe v Wade decision

The complaints were "riddled with inaccuracies and rely on no first-hand knowledge," she alleged. "We urge Mr. Rokita to stop wasting taxpayer money and our time," DeLaney continued.

On Aug. 1, IndyStar requested information from the attorney general's office about the people who submitted those complaints. In the past, the attorney generals office provided IndyStar consumer complaint details, like names and phone numbers, for people who contacted his office about technology companies and agreed to have their information disclosed.

But this time was different, his office indicated in a denial letter sent to IndyStar on Wednesday.

All complaints against a licensed professional are held in strict confidence, the letter states, until Rokita formally lets the appropriate licensing board know that his office is going to prosecute.

More:Indiana's attorney general could get jurisdiction over abortion-related cases. Here's how.

The office said it found six records related to IndyStars request. But it would not be providing those six records because "any licensing complaints or information pertaining to such complaints that may be filed against Dr. Caitlin Bernard are exempt from disclosure as they are considered confidential by law, the letter states.

What authority does Rokita have over Bernard?

When IndyStar asked about Rokita's ability to take action against a physician like Bernard, a spokesperson said the attorney general's authority is intentionally broad and found throughout state and federal law.

It includes but isnt limited to authority to investigate both state and federal privacy violations, consumer complaint issues, and it includes jurisdiction over licensed professionals including physicians.

Rokita can ask the state's medical licensing board to discipline a doctor if a consumer has made a substantiated complaint against them. Bernard doesn't have any record of disciplinary actions, according to state records. Nor have any legal actions been taken against her in state or federal court.

When asked about the status of the investigation into Bernard during a Sept. 1 news conference, Rokita said it was ongoing.

Briggs: MAGA troll Todd Rokita just helped a lot of people

In reaction to public concern, were looking into the standards of practice () if they were met, if any state or federal laws, including privacy laws, were violated.

My comments are supported by facts, he added.

IU Health clears Bernard

Bernards employer, Indiana University Health, shortly after Rokitas appearance on Fox News, said its own investigation found Bernard did not violate privacy laws when she shared the anecdote of the abortion patient with IndyStar.

In 2018 the anti-abortion organization Indiana Right to Life released a newsletter claiming Bernard was among nine abortion doctors in the state who had been accused of failing to report child abortions and sexual abuse.

When asked for copies of those allegations, a spokesperson for Indiana Right to Life told IndyStar to ask the attorney general's office. When IndyStar asked the attorney general's office, a spokesperson for the office said, "the outcome of the 2018 complaints is privileged."

Failure to report is a misdemeanor crime in Indiana. Bernard does not have a criminal record, according to state court data.

Rokita takes heat for comments on Bernard

The attorney general was broadly condemned by others in the legal field for his comments.

Lauren Robel, the former dean of IU Maurer School of Law, asked the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission to investigate Rokita after his Fox News appearance.

More:Caitlin Bernard briefly considered giving up abortions after daughter kidnapping threat

"The deputy for Stalin was reported to have said, 'Show me the man and I'll find the crime,'" Robel told IndyStar. "That's just not the way we do things in the United States." Rokita's office said Robel's complaint to the disciplinary commission was "without basis."

Twenty-nine law school professors in the state signed two letters sent to Rokita's office that criticized him for making false and misleading" statements and "false insinuations," according to the Indiana Lawyer.

In August former Indiana congresswoman Susan Brooks, a Republican, and retired federal judge John Tinder published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal comparing Rokitas investigation to McCarthyism.

A prosecutor should never wield the governments extraordinary authority for political or ideological aims, the two wrote.

In July DeLaney sent Rokita a cease-and-desist letter, and filed a tort claim notice laying the foundation for a possible defamation lawsuit against the state's top lawyer.

Call IndyStar courts reporter Johnny Magdaleno at 317-273-3188 or email him at jmagdaleno@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @IndyStarJohnny

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana AG office declines to share info on Dr. Bernard complaints
(Reuters) -Kyrgyzstan's border force reported fresh clashes on its border with Tajikistan throughout Wednesday following an overnight firefight which left at least one dead, Russian news agencies reported citing officials.

The two landlocked Central Asian nations - both formerly part of the Soviet Union and which remain allies of Russia - have had strained relations for years and border skirmishes are not uncommon.

Tajikistan said one of its border guards had died in the overnight clashes, with others injured.

Throughout Wednesday, Kyrgyzstan's border service continued to report new firefights at points along its border with Tajikistan in the country's western Batken region. Russian news agencies, citing the border service, reported clashes at around 1400 (0800 GMT) and 1510 (0910 GMT) local time.

"The situation on the Kyrgyz-Tajik section of the state border is tense. Border delegations of the two countries continue negotiations," Russian news agencies quoted the Kyrgyz state border service as saying in a statement.

The exchange of fire comes just a day after renewed fighting broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan - in which at least 99 service personnel from both sides were killed - in the latest flare-up of one of the many regional dispute between former Soviet states across the Caucasus and Central Asia.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Heavens, William Maclean)
Lowry Mays, the founder of Clear Channel Communications, which is now known as iHeartMedia, has died. He was 87. It was Mays alma mater, Texas A&M University, that announced the businessman had died on Monday but did not reveal the cause of death.

We are saddened to hear of Lowry Mays passing today. He truly exemplified the Aggie core values, Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks said in a statement shared on the schools website. The Mays family has had a remarkable impact on the business school, providing countless opportunities for students and faculty, as well as on the university system through his service on the Board of Regents. Aggies are proud to carry on his legacy of leadership and service.

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Mays was born on July 24, 1935, in Harris County, Texas. He attended Texas A&M University where he earned a degree in petroleum engineering. It was in 1972 when he founded the San Antonio Broadcasting Company, which later became known as Clear Channel Communications. In 1975, Mays teamed up with business partner Red McCombs and continued to buy stations growing their network and dominance in the communications industry.

When Clear Channel Communications was taken private in 2008, Mays sold their interest in the company. Mays served two non-consecutive terms on the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, including as chairman from 2003-2005.

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Xinhua News Agency: The 10,000th trip of the China-Europe Railway Express since the beginning of 2022 was made to Europe the other day, reaching the mark 10 days earlier than last year. What is Chinas comment?



Mao Ning: The China-Europe Railway Express made its 10,000th trip this year sooner than last year despite the stress on the global supply chain and the global economic slowdown. This is indeed inspiring. The China-Europe Railway Express currently runs on 82 routes and reaches 200 cities in 24 European countries. The service is an accelerator for China-Europe trade and a boon for the socioeconomic development of countries and regions along the routes. It has also played an important role in stabilizing the global industrial and supply chains and promoting post-COVID world economic recovery.

China and Europe are each others important trade and economic cooperation partners and key forces for shaping an open world economy. Despite COVID-19 and other complex factors, China-Europe trade and economic cooperation has shown strong resilience and dynamism. Bilateral trade hit a record high of $820 billion in 2021. The latest data from Eurostat shows that in the first half of 2022, trade between the 27 EU countries with China reached 413.9 billion euros, up by 28.3% year-on-year. These figures are evidence of the close economic ties and vast cooperation potential between China and Europe.

In the face of increasingly complex international landscape, the world needs more bridges and roads rather than walls. China and Europe need to work together for development and prosperity and jointly advance international cooperation and human progress. That is where China-Europe relations should be headed.

AFP: My question is still about President Xi Jinpings state visits. Yesterday you didnt disclose his agenda. Could you share some information today, especially on whether the flight taking the delegation to Central Asia has already taken off? When will they arrive in Kazakhstan? A Russian official said yesterday that President Xi will meet President Putin on Thursday. Can the foreign ministry confirm this?



Mao Ning: Thank you for your interest in President Xis visits. We will release relevant information in due course. Please stay tuned.

Phoenix TV: Canadas Fraser Institute continued to rank Hong Kong at the top of 165 economies in the Economic Freedom of the World 2022 Annual Report it lately released. Do you have any comment?



Mao Ning: I have also taken note of the report you mentioned. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomed the report in a statement. Since Hong Kongs return to the motherland 25 years ago, with the full support of the Central Government, its economy has flourished, its status as an international financial, shipping and trading center has continued to be consolidated and its free, open and law-based business environment has been maintained. Hong Kong has been ranked among the freest and most competitive regions by multiple international institutions. This is a vote of confidence from the international community for the citys unique advantages and bright prospects for development. Businesses from across the world are welcome to capitalize on this and come to Hong Kong to find the many business opportunities it has to offer and achieve greater success.

Dragon TV: We noted that the 22nd China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) was successfully held in recent days and achieved many important outcomes, which received high attention from the international community and unanimous praise from foreign participants. What is Chinas expectation and outlook for further opening-up and cooperation in the future?



Mao Ning: The 22nd China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) concluded successfully recently. Under the theme of Global Development: Sharing Digital Opportunities, Investing in Green Future, the fair was participated online and offline by more than 800 business and trade groups, more than 4,000 companies and about 60,000 business people from over 90 countries and regions. Participants reached cooperation agreements on more than 480 projects with a total investment value of 342 billion yuan. The success of CIFIT once again demonstrates Chinas positive attitude toward expanding opening-up and cooperation and integrating into the world.

I wish to draw your attention to a highlight of this years fair  economic and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). More than 60 events were held on Belt and Road international cooperation. Participants agreed that since the BRI was launched nine years ago, trade between China and participating countries has reached a new level and investment cooperation has made new progress. According to the General Administration of Customs of China, Chinas imports and exports with BRI partner countries totaled 8.77 trillion yuan in the first eight months of this year, up by 20.2% year-on-year. This shows that high-quality Belt and Road cooperation not only improves infrastructure connectivity among countries, but also fosters a new platform for deepening global trade and investment.

Going forward, China will continue to advance international economic and trade cooperation and promote global development and prosperity. China will open its door wider to the world.

Bloomberg: A Taiwan-based outlet reported that Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang told US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman last month that China-US ties would face disintegration if the Taiwan Policy Act is passed. My question is, does that accurately characterize Ambassador Qins remarks?



Mao Ning: I have no knowledge of what Ambassador Qin specifically said, but I believe he was stressing the importance of upholding the one-China principle to China-US relations. The Chinese side has repeatedly expressed its firm opposition to the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022. The one-China principle constitutes the political foundation of China-US relations. This principle is at the heart of the three China-US joint communiques. The US side needs to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques and stop advancing the relevant Taiwan-related Act. Only by handling Taiwan-related issues prudently and properly can further damage be prevented to China-US relations.

Global Times: It is reported that Russian President Putin appointed Morgulov Igor Vladimirovich, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, as the new Ambassador to China on September 13. What is Chinas comment?



Mao Ning: China welcomes Russias appointment of a new Ambassador to China. We believe that Mr. Morgulov will play a key part in promoting friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples, and advancing cooperation between the two countries in various fields. We thank the outgoing Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov for his contribution to the development of bilateral relations. We wish him all the best in all endeavors.

China is ready to continue to work with Russia to follow through on the important common understandings between the two heads of state and keep bringing our comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era to new heights.

Yonhap News Agency: Chairman Li Zhanshu will pay a friendly visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) this week. I wonder if you could share the purpose and schedule of the visit.



Mao Ning: At the invitation of the ROKs National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress Li Zhanshu will visit the ROK from September 15 to 17. This upcoming visit will be an important high-level exchange between China and the ROK amid COVID-19 and the first visit to the ROK by Chinas Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress after seven years. During his visit, Chairman Li Zhanshu will meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol, have talks with Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, and have friendly exchanges with people from various sectors in the ROK. China looks forward to having in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest during the visit so as to further deepen the China-ROK strategic cooperative partnership.

Reuters: Id like to ask a question about a Reuters report that came out yesterday. So the United States is considering options for a sanctions package against China in order to deter it. And the European Union has come under diplomatic pressure from Taipei to do the same. This is according to sources familiar with these discussions. These are a response to fears which have grown as military tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait. Does the foreign ministry have any comment?



Mao Ning: The root cause of the current tensions across the Taiwan Strait is that the one-China principle has been challenged and the DPP authorities keep pursuing the Taiwan-independence separatist agenda. The Taiwan question is purely Chinas internal affair. No foreign country has the right to interfere in it. Let me stress that no country or individual should underestimate the Chinese government and peoples strong resolve and firm will to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity and to realize national reunification.

AFP: Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church said yesterday when he arrived in Kazakhstan that he was willing to go to China at any time. Does China consider having talks with the Pope?



Mao Ning: I have also noted relevant reports and appreciate the friendship and goodwill conveyed by Pope Francis. China and the Vatican maintain good communication. We are also ready to keep our dialogue and cooperation with the Vatican going and actively advance the process of improving relations.

Reuters: This is another question regarding a Reuters report that also came out yesterday. Taiwans representative in Washington on Tuesday hosted international lawmakers in Washington who back sanctions on China if it continues to proceed with military drills around Taiwan. Does the foreign ministry have any comment?



Mao Ning: The one-China principle is the political foundation for the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between China and other countries. China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China. Recently more than 170 countries and many international organizations have made their voice of justice heard. They reiterated their commitment to the one-China principle and expressed support for Chinas efforts to firmly uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. This once again shows that the one-China principle is a shared consensus of the international community.

China opposes all foreign interference and never accepts any threat. The DPP authorities attempt to collude with external forces in pursuit of the Taiwan-independence separatist agenda will only lead to a dead end. Only by returning to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus can peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait be effectively ensured.

Reuters: Does the foreign ministry plan on announcing whom it will send to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II?



Mao Ning: China is actively considering sending a high-level delegation to the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We will release the information in due course. Please check back for updates.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden is making an impromptu trip to his home state of Delaware to vote in the states primary on Wednesday.

He told reporters before boarding Air Force One that he was going to Wilmington to vote.

There is only one statewide race in Tuesdays election, which is for state auditor.

Incumbent auditor Kathy McGuiness is going up against lawyer and accountant Lydia York in the Democratic primary.

Delaware primary: What to watch for ahead of Delaware's primary Tuesday

More: Is Biden responsible for dip in inflation? President's victory lap is premature, experts say

McGuiness is the first statewide elected official to be charged with crimes and found guilty. But she has denied any wrongdoing and has told voters shes the victim of an unfair, political prosecution.

The Delaware Democratic Party has backed York in the race.

Contributing: Meredith Newman, Delaware News Journal

Reach Rebecca Morin at Twitter @RebeccaMorin_

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden heads to Wilmington to vote in Delaware primary
NANNING, China, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from CRI Online:

The 19th China-ASEAN Expo will be held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

The China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) will fall on September 16 to 19 in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southwest China. Malaysia will be the Country of Honor this year, which coincides with the 10th Anniversary of the Construction of the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" between China and Malaysia, and a series of commemorative activities will be held.

At this year's CAEXPO, Malaysia will have a stand-alone pavilion to showcase its own featured products, services of investment and tourism. A series of activities highlighting the Country of Honor will be held during the CAEXPO, including the Malaysia National Promotion Conference, China-Malaysia B2B business matching sessions and the Commemorative Event Marking the 10th Anniversary of the Development and Construction of China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park.

During the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, the Roundtable Dialogue between the State Leader of Malaysia and CEOs of Chinese Enterprises will be held to invite the State Leader of Malaysia to interact with CEOs of Chinese enterprises to promote communication and exchanges between the two countries on topics such as energy, infrastructure, industrial parks, and electronic information, to promote cooperation projects of China-Malaysia "Two Countries, Twin Parks" and ECRL to achieve more practical results, and to further deepen economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

SOURCE CRI Online
Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge

Jeff J Mitchell / Staff via Getty Images

Over the past few months, much has changed for Prince William and Kate Middleton. In addition to being named the new Prince and Princess of Wales in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death, the couple also recently moved out of Kensington Palace in London and into Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. But it seems as though another major change is on the horizon for the royal duothey're moving (again!).

The pair's initial move was made largely in part to be closer to the late monarch, who previously changed addresses from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle due to reported mobility issues. However, another major reason for the Prince and Princess of Wales' relocation was their three children; they wanted George, Charlotte, and Louis to attend the best schools the United Kingdom has to offer.

Related: Prince William and Kate Middleton Have Officially Been Named the New Prince and Princess of Wales

Despite just recently making the transition into their new estate, the newly-appointed King Charles III, who assumed the throne just under a week ago, wants the family to move into Windsor CastleQueen Elizabeth's final residencethe Daily Mail reports. This reportedly has to do with the duo's upgraded titles; William and Kate were elevated from Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall to the Prince and Princess of Wales this week.

Although the move into Windsor Castle appears to be inevitable, both the Prince and Princess of Wales want to delay the relocation for the time being. According to The Telegraph, putting a pause on moving will give their children time to settle into their heir new school, Lambrook, which they began attending just one day before Queen Elizabeth's passing.

"They won't be starting from scratch when it comes to decisions on what happens to all of the royal properties, because there have been lots of conversations about that over the years, but things can change when family dynamics are taken into account and they will want as little disruption to their children's lives as possible right now," a source told the outlet.
Pleased to meet you: Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2018 (AP)

A major security and economic bloc will move closer to embracing Iran as a full-fledged member this week, an alignment that could ease the impact of any sanctions on Tehran, bolster its strategic position and strengthen the alliance led by Moscow and Beijing.

Iran has for years sought to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a trading and security alliance of mostly authoritarian states that aspires to be a Eurasian alternative to the G7.

The summit will take place in the historic Silk Road crossroads city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

There is only one way out of the dangerous spiral of problems in an interconnected world where we all live today  through constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation based on consideration and respect for everyones interests, Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev wrote in an article ahead of the summit.

Chinese president Xi Jinping, on his first foreign trip since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, was in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, ahead of a face-to-face meeting with Russian president Vladmir Putin at the summit on Thursday, their first since before the Ukraine war.

Mr Putins scheduled appearance comes after his forces suffered devastating military losses in northeastern Ukraine and an increase in public criticism at home about the cost of his seven-month war.

The SCO, meeting this week for its 22nd leadership summit, has struggled for relevance since its formation more than two decades ago. It lacks enforcement mechanisms, and commerce within the bloc is negligible, with most member states still dependent on the West for trade and technological know-how.

But it could gain new importance as hostilities mount between the West and Eurasian powers Russia and China over the Ukraine war, Taiwan and a widening range of other geopolitical and commercial matters.

Other full members of the SCO are India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Together the bloc comprises 40 per cent of the worlds population and nearly a third of its economy.

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SCO observer states include Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey are partners and will send heads of state or high-level envoys. None of the countries are known as paragons of democracy and rule of law, and most are drifting further deeper into authoritarianism.

Its an organisation consisting of non-democratic regimes, said Anna Jordanova, a scholar focusing on Central Asian politics at the Association for International Affairs, a think tank in Prague. The SCO helps to represent regimes the way they look now. It helps to solidify the status quo.

Mr Putins appearance alongside other world leaders could improve his standing among Russians worried that Moscows war against Ukraine is damaging its international standing. On the other hand, other leaders may treat Mr Putin coolly at the summit, further diminishing him.

While its economic relevance flounders, Ms Jordanova said the SCO could come together over the stability of Afghanistan. The country was taken over by the Taliban last year and was the main subject of the 2021 summit.

A police officer stands guard in Registan Square in downtown Samarkand (AFP via Getty)

Irans integration into the SCO not only gives the organisation a foothold in the Middle East and along the Persian Gulf but could assist in Afghanistans stabilisation efforts, said Ms Jordanova.

Iran is currently at a diplomatic crossroads over the restoration of an imperilled nuclear deal that could improve its economic and political ties to the West, or further sour relations if talks collapse.

From the perspective of Tehran, SCO membership can help legitimise the current regime and strengthen the position of the government, said Ms Jordanova.

It can be a message to the West that Iran has alternatives, she said. Iran cant cut all ties to the West and turn completely to the East. But SCO membership can give Iran benefits in the longer term.
Robert Page has suggested sending the Prince of Wales a bucket hat to win his World Cup support when they play England.

William has been president of the Football Association since May 2006 and regularly attends England matches.

But the newly-created Prince of Wales now has divided loyalties, with the two home nations drawn in the same World Cup group in Qatar.

The Prince of Wales is president of the Football Association and regularly attends England matches (Paul Ellis/PA)

Wales and England meet in Group Bs final fixture at Dohas Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on November 29.

Asked if he could convert William in to a Wales supporter in time for the World Cup, manager Page replied: Absolutely. Whos he going to support?

Well have to send him a bucket hat, eh?

Wales football fans wear their bucket hats with pride (Simon Galloway/PA)

The bucket hat has become the must-have accessory for Wales fans over the past decade.

The yellow, green and red hats are worn in their thousands by the so-called Red Wall.

Players-turned-pundits Ashley Williams and Danny Gabbidon both wore bucket hats on television to celebrate Wales World Cup play-off final victory over Ukraine in June.
The Crown has found a new audience as the first season enters Netflix's Top 10 after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Between Sept. 5 and 11, Netflix subscribers streamed 17.6 million hours of The Crown, bringing the historical drama's first season to No. 7 on Netflix's Top 10 English-language series chart, according to Variety.

"HRH Queen Elizabeth II was in the hearts and minds of viewers," Netflix said in a statement, obtained by the outlet.

Other than The Crown, the Top 10 list featured Cobra Kai season 5 (sitting at No. 1 with 106 million hours), Devil in Ohio (No. 2 with 70.8 million), The Imperfects (No. 3 with 24.1 million), Dated and Related season 1 (No.4 with 19.8 million), The Sandman season 1 (No. 5 with 19.6 million), Partner Track (No. 6 with 18.2 million), Stranger Things season 4 (No. 8 with 16.6 million), Echoes: Limited Series (No. 9 with 14.3 million) and Manifest season 1 (No. 10 with 12.4 million), per Variety.

The Crown debuted on Netflix in 2016. Based on historical events, the series dramatizes the life story of Queen Elizabeth II, and the political and personal events that have shaped her reign, per Netflix's synopsis.

The first season depicts the early life events of the British monarch up until 1955, including her marriage to Prince Philip and becoming the Queen upon her father's death.

RELATED: The Crown to 'Stop Filming' After Queen Elizabeth's Death as Creator Calls Drama 'a Love Letter' to Monarch

the-crown

Robert Viglasky/Netflix Claire Foy in The Crown

Claire Foy played the role of the Queen in the first two seasons of the series, earning an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series after season 2 in 2018. She also won the Emmy for outstanding guest actress in a drama series in 2021 when she returned to the show for a cameo in the fourth season.

Olivia Colman later assumed the role for season 3 and 4, portraying a middle-aged Queen Elizabeth. Like Foy, she was awarded an Emmy in the outstanding lead actress in a drama series category in 2021 for season 4 of the show.

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Verity Russell has also portrayed a younger version of the monarch, playing the role of Princess Elizabeth in childhood flashbacks for season 1 and 3. Imelda Staunton is the latest to portray Her Majesty in the show's fifth and sixth season.

RELATED: Imelda Staunton Recreates Queen Elizabeth's 1994 Visit to Russia While Filming The Crown

Though Netflix previously announced the series would end after season 5, the streaming service later confirmed in July 2020 that the series would end after season 6 due to creator Peter Morgan changing his mind.

While the cast and crew were filming season 6, Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth died "peacefully" in her Scottish home of Balmoral Castle at age 96 on Thursday.

As a result, Morgan told Deadline they would "stop filming out of respect" for the late monarch, even though the final season of the show was not expected to dramatize present-day events.

"The Crown is a love letter to [the Queen] and I've nothing to add for now, just silence and respect," Morgan wrote in a statement that day. "I expect we will stop filming out of respect too." (Variety later confirmed on Friday that season 6 production had halted.)

Olivia Colman The Crown

Netflix Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II

Director Stephen Daldry previously told Deadline the series has long had plans in place in the event of the historic monarch's death.

"None of us know when that time will come but it would be right and proper to show respect to the Queen. It would be a simple tribute and a mark of respect. She's a global figure and it's what we should do," he said after the Emmy-winning Netflix drama made its debut in 2016.

Netflix did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment at the time about the immediate future of the series, including whether it will move forward with an anticipated fall premiere for season 5.

RELATED: Everything to Know About The Crown Season 5

The Crown's Imelda Staunton Braves The Scottish Sea As She Films The Crown On A Boat In The Open Water

SplashNews.com Imelda Staunton in The Crown

Queen Elizabeth was the longest-reigning monarch in Britain's history after she assumed the title of Queen in 1952.

The late monarch's coffin arrived at Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday evening. The casket, which will rest overnight in the Bow Room, was flown in from Scotland accompanied by Princess Anne. Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived at the Palace to join King Charles III and Queen Camilla and receive her coffin.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The Queen's coffin will process through London on Wednesday to the Palace of Westminster, where it will lie in state at Westminster Hall as visitors pay their respects until the funeral, which will be held at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
Digicel will leverage SESs Medium Earth Orbit O3b satellites to provide reliable connectivity to Tonga for disaster relief

LUXEMBOURG, September 14, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SES and international mobile network operator Digicel announced today they will extend their partnership to provide the Kingdom of Tonga with long-term disaster resiliency to minimise bandwidth disruptions. Under the agreement, Digicel will benefit from SESs expertise in offering disaster resiliency via SESs O3b satellite constellation to deliver low-latency and high-throughput connectivity and protect the Tonga population from future communication interruptions in the event of a natural disaster.

Launched in 2013, SESs O3b satellites are orbiting 8,000 km above the Earth's surface in medium earth orbit (MEO) and delivers low-latency connectivity services to any area within 50 north or south of the equator. For the past decade, governments and businesses around the Pacific have been benefitting from the fibre-equivalent performance of the O3b satellite constellation.

The Kingdom of Tonga has suffered two major connectivity disruptions in the last four years, the latest being the result of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami in January 2022 which severely damaged undersea communication links. In the immediate wake of the disaster, Digicel had leveraged SESs Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite capacity to restore temporary connectivity on the islands, allowing Tongan residents to connect with their families and loved ones. As the damaged cable connecting the islands of Vavau and Tongatapu in Tonga undergo repair, SESs MEO satellite service provides Vavau residents of with connectivity. Once the cable is fully repaired, it will become a resiliency service to the main cable that connects the island to Tongatapu.

The new agreement will see Digicel use SESs O3b satellite system, which will deliver multiple Gbps of capacity for a quick-deploy connectivity to shield the islands in Tonga from potential communication disruptions in the future. The high throughput provided by SESs O3b satellites will ensure reliable connectivity for first responders and the entire population of Tonga.

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"The islands in the Pacific are highly vulnerable to natural disasters, and it is vital during such crises to have resilient network connectivity. This is crucial in ensuring relief efforts can go smoothly and the affected populations can connect with their families and loved ones living in other parts of the world," said John Turnbull, Director of Pacific Region at SES. "With our continued partnership with Digicel, SES is glad to deliver high-performance, reliable connectivity to the residents in Tonga using our O3b satellites. SESs second-generation MEO satellite communication system O3b mPOWER promises unprecedented flexibility, unparalleled throughput and scalability, all of which are key to providing resiliency for vulnerable communities across Asia Pacific."

"SESs multi-orbit satellite fleet has enabled us to quickly deploy domestic connectivity to the island of Vavau at a time when it is crucial to keep people connected. We are glad to extend our partnership with SES and continue leveraging their O3b satellite services to protect the residents of Tonga from future disasters," said Mudassar Latif, Chief Technology Officer at Digicel Group. "We look forward to future collaborations with SES to bring multi-orbit satellite communications to other markets in the Pacific, especially those that are vulnerable to natural disasters."

To learn more about SESs MEO satellites, please visit https://www.ses.com/newsroom/o3b-mpower.

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About SES

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the worlds only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the worlds leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SESs video network carries ~8,000 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 366 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com

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Photo Illustration by Erin OFlynn/The Daily Beast/Getty, TODAY/NBC and CBS

When Queen Elizabeth II passed away last Thursday, the United Kingdom immediately launched into an official mourning period that will last until one week following the monarchs funeral on Monday, Sept. 19.

This is one of many traditions particular to the British nation which may seem excessive or odd to cavalier Americans, but which are deeply rooted in long-revered history. Another handful of these traditions concern appropriate mourning clothing worn by the rest of the royal family; these stringent protocols must be upheld, lest the queens offspring be accused of disrespecting the dead.

Queen Elizabeth II Dies Peacefully at 96. King Charles III Succeeds Her.

Like with many opaque royal edicts, rules concerning funerary dress arent necessarily written down anywhere; theres no Intro to Royal Family Conduct handbook. Rather, these traditions have been established, reinforced and passed down over hundreds of years of hereditary succession, with notable episodes of breaking with the status quo: in 1938, the Queen Mother wore a resplendent white dress to her mothers funeral to counter the ambient mood of impending war.

During the duration of the mourning period for Elizabeth II, during which multiple public events will be held in her honor, all working royals are required to wear military uniforms to these occasions, with a few exceptions. Princess Anne, who was with the queen as she died, has been looking notably resplendent in her military garbin this case, a Royal Navy ceremonial uniform (she is an Admiral in the Navy)and multiple medals.

Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal, arrives to attend a Vigil at St Giles' Cathedral, in Edinburgh, on September 12, 2022, where the coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II lies at rest. PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Prince Andrew, the queens disgraced second son, will not wear a military uniform to all pre-funeral events except for one: the vigil at Westminster Hall. Andrew gets to do this, reportedly, to show special respect for his mother.

Andrew was stripped of all military titles in the wake of Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffres allegations that the prince had sexually abused her when she was 17. The suit he will wear on Monday is also a symbol of shame.

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Another royal family member who was stripped of all his military titles is Prince Harry, who was forced to part ways with them when he elected to step down from his role as a working member of the royal family in 2020.

Unlike Andrew, Harry has not been permitted to wear a military uniform to any ceremonial mourning events for Elizabeth II, Harpers Bazaar reports. Prominent U.K. royal commentators have already jumped in to criticize the palaces decision.

Its deplorable double standards here, Shola Mos-Shogbamimu told Newsweek on Monday. This is my point about the royal family being totally tone deaf and not reading the room as well as sending the wrong message. Im thinking about Charles. Hasnt he learned a thing or two about the backlash that the queen got about the way she protected Prince Andrew?

Prince Harry, for his part, appears to be attempting to dispel the drama. Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will wear a morning suit throughout events honoring his grandmother, his spokesperson said Tuesday. His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

New reports indicate that royal women will be wearing black hats with lace, net or tulle veils obscuring their faces, also in keeping with long-reinforced traditions, to the funeral on Monday. In terms of which designers Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, will call upon for dresses for the funeral, little is known.

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla arrive at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast on Sept. 13, 2022, during the new kings visit to Northern Ireland. Niall Carson/Pool/AFP via Getty

As for the TV journalists tackling the queens death, mirroring anchors on the BBC and other British news outlets, American TV anchors like Norah ODonnell of CBS and Savannah Guthrie of NBC have been wearing all black as well. The Daily Beast reached out to NBC and CBS for comment.

On Sunday, William, Catherine, Harry, and Meghan greeted mourning members of the public outside Windsor castle. The couples wore coordinating outfits: William and Harry both opted for dark navy blue suits, while Meghan and Catherine both wore black, fitted below-the-knee shift dresses with black stockings and black high heels. For the women, these outfits are in keeping with tenets of royal protocol: no revealing ensembles are allowed, and bare knees are strictly forbidden.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were also spotted outside Balmoral in knee-length black ensembles.

Another rule, one that seems to have been cast aside, is that royal women were instructed never to wear black outside of funerals and mourning periods. Since Meghan, Catherine and indeed, Princess Diana have been photographed countless times wearing black evening dresses to non-funerary events, its likely this rule has informally expired.

Princess Beatrice, Lady Louise, Countess Sophie, Peter Phillips, Princess Eugenie, Prince Andrew, Zara Phillips, and Prince Edward greet members of the public gathered outside of Balmoral Castle in Ballater, on Sept. 10. Owen Humphreys/Pool/AFP via Getty

The royal familys strict adherence to appropriate funerary wear can also be prominently linked back to Queen Victoria, who wore black for the rest of her life, totaling 40 years, after husband Prince Albert died in 1861. Thats commitment to the bit.

As globally visible arbiters of appropriate conduct and decorum, its also long been mandated that members of the royal family must bring a black ensemble with them wherever they travel in the event of someones unexpected passing.

Lady Pamela Hicks, a lady-in-waiting to the late queen, recently revealed on a podcast that when Elizabeths father died suddenly while she was on a 1952 trip to Kenya, the future monarch had neglected to bring black clothing with her. As a result, Hicks said, Elizabeth II had to wait in her plane after it touched back down in the U.K. for a black outfit to be brought to her, so she wouldnt be seen arriving in an inappropriate ensemble. A black dress was quickly smuggled on board, because we didnt have a black dress, Hicks explained. So she quickly had to change.

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Rhode Island Latino Arts hosts a night filled with food, music, art, dancing and more at the SouthLight Pavilion of the Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island, 393 Broad St., Providence, on Sunday, Sept. 18 from 4-6:30 p.m.

Aguas Frescas, natural food drinks, will be served by Casa Azul Taqueria at Sabor Latino (A Taste of Latino) on Saturday, Sept. 18 in Providence.

Sabor Latino (A Taste of Latino) will include food trucks offering selected samplings: Casa Azul Taqueria will serve Mexican aguas frescas (natural fruit drinks). There will be food from MatildaRI Handmade Empanadas, TrapBox PVD, One2Taco & More, La Artesa Bakery and Nolees Custom Cakes.

Advance tickets cost $25 at rilatinoarts.org/SaborLatino.html or $35 at the door. There are also family rates.

"Sabor Latino has become RILAs signature fundraiser, which kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month each year," said executive director Marta Martinez. "As we enter our 35th year, we will kick off a year-long celebration with events happening statewide, leading up to our Ruby Celebration in September of 2023."

Music will include live salsa by Robertico y Su Alabreke and a bachata session by Bachata Como Eh with Brandon & Jacky.

There will also be local artists including Retablos Palomino y Jimenez (Peruvian art), Worth Your Penny (Stone Candleware and Home Decorations), Jesss Mayan Jewelry, and RILAs original screen-printed design I Love Central Falls T-shirts.

Sign up here to receive my weekly newsletter, Gail's Food Feed

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: A Taste of Latino celebrates arts and food Sunday in Providence
Tucker Carlson took the lowest of roads on Tuesday, mocking Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman for a lump on the back of his neck. (Watch the video below.)

The Fox News host previously poked fun at the lieutenant governors recovery from a stroke  and now hes going after Fettermans physical appearance.

Carlson sarcastically noted that he didnt know Fetterman had a running mate until he removed his hoodie to reveal a protrusion.

Its a lump, but what sort of lump? Carlson asked. Does this lump have its own Instagram? Does it plan to run for statewide office in Pennsylvania? Dont laugh. A party that put Joe Biden in the White House is perfectly capable of building a whole campaign around any ... lump of flesh. In fact, theyre running John Fetterman, who cant even talk. So keep your eyes on this lump. It could very well run with Kamala Harris in 2024.

Fast-forward to 25:30 for Carlsons segment on Fetterman:

This from a prime-time personality who earlier this month joked about Fettermans recovery from his medical emergency.

Run a wax dummy for office! Carlson declared. People who cant form complete sentences apparently seem less threatening to voters.

Fetterman has been leading in polls against the Donald Trump-endorsed Republican nominee Mehmet Oz, who also has mocked Fetterman for suffering a stroke.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
The Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, Dec. 22, 2021. (Stefani Reynolds/The New York Times)

WASHINGTON  From outside the walls of the Justice Department, the sprawling investigation into efforts to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election seems only to be accelerating, with prosecutors last week subpoenaing about 40 associates of former President Donald Trump and seizing phones from at least two of his aides.

But that flurry of activity should not be mistaken for a signal that Trump will imminently be prosecuted for his attempts to remain in office or the impact that those actions had on the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to two people familiar with the investigation. They noted that prosecutors are still going through evidence and are far from determining whether any charges could be brought against the former president.

The notes of caution appear to reflect the complexity of the investigation, the methodical pace at which the Justice Department conducts its work and the politically explosive nature of an inquiry involving a former president and likely presidential candidate.

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They also stand in contrast to signals emanating from the narrower investigation into Trumps handling of government records and sensitive intelligence information, including possible obstruction charges.

In a search warrant application and in court filings in the documents case, a team of prosecutors in the Justice Departments National Security Division has laid out evidence that Trump not only left the White House with thousands of pages of sensitive materials, but that he tried to prevent the government from retrieving them from Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home and private club.

The evidence laid out by the department in the documents matter has been sufficiently extensive that even some prominent figures from Republican administrations like Bill Barr, who served as attorney general under Trump, and John Yoo, a top Justice Department official under President George W. Bush, have publicly said that Trump likely obstructed justice.

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The documents case is now caught up in a legal fight between Trump and the Justice Department over whether and how an independent arbiter, known as a special master, will review documents seized by FBI agents during the court-authorized search of Mar-a-Lago on Aug. 8.

Despite that legal hurdle, and the weeks of investigative work still to be done, the department could consider potential charges against Trump much sooner in the documents case than in the Jan. 6 investigation, the people familiar with the inquiries said.

Even if the recent spate of subpoenas yields compelling information that advances the Jan. 6 investigation, it is unlikely that Attorney General Merrick Garland would be in a position to weigh criminal charges against Trump in either the Jan. 6-related inquiry or in the documents investigation before the midterm elections. With one case tied up in the courts and investigators still gathering and evaluating large amounts of information in the other, such a decision might not even happen this year.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

In the documents case, prosecutors have articulated in their court filings a clear theory of which laws the former president may have broken.

The government has raised the possibility that Trump violated the Espionage Act by bringing sensitive national security information to his private club after he left the White House. It said he may have violated a law that prohibits the mishandling of sensitive national security records, some of which were discovered in an unsecured storage room. And it asserted that he may have obstructed the federal investigation, with one of his own lawyers having certified in June that all the documents the government was seeking had been returned when they had not been.

The documents investigation seemed to be moving apace in early August, when the Justice Department seized thousands of pages of presidential records from Trumps home, including additional batches of materials that were marked as highly classified. A redacted version of the governments affidavit said it had probable cause to believe that it would find evidence of obstruction at Mar-a-Lago.

But Judge Aileen M. Cannon, a federal judge in Florida, put the investigation into a holding pattern this month when she granted Trumps request for a special master to review the recently seized materials. The court must now settle key issues, including who will serve as the special master and whether the FBI and other intelligence agencies can review 103 key documents for potential harm to national security while that arbiter completes his or her work.

While the Justice Department indicated its openness to one of Trumps picks to serve as the special master, it appears ready to proceed with an appeal of Cannons ruling, a step that could lead to continued delays and potentially slow the investigation even more.

On Tuesday, the Justice Department pushed back against a Trump legal team filing that reiterated the former presidents view that the special masters review should include about 100 documents marked as classified, meaning FBI agents and prosecutors could not use them for any criminal investigative purpose until the masters work is complete.

The Justice Department has asked Cannon to keep the documents with classification markings from the special master so investigation into them can continue, in part because it argued that a separate review of any risk to national security was inextricably entangled in the FBIs inquiry.

Even without the special master dispute, the department has further investigative steps to complete in the documents case. It may need to determine whether Trump still has government records, which the National Archives told Congress this week is a possibility.

The department has said it wishes to interview more witnesses. And it will need to decide how to handle Trump lawyers who may have misled or lied to prosecutors. The intelligence community has yet to complete its review of the national security risks of Trump keeping highly classified documents in a setting without proper security. And it is not clear why Trump kept the documents.

If prosecutors eventually decide to recommend prosecuting Trump in the documents case, Garland would then need to decide whether to follow that recommendation.

But if the documents case appears on track to reach a decision point about prosecution, the Jan. 6 inquiry does not yet have that end point in sight.

The recent wave of subpoenas seems intended to gather more information about multiple investigative strands related to Trumps efforts to remain in power. They include the formation of slates of pro-Trump electors from states won by Joe Biden; plans to use the rally that preceded the assault on the Capitol to keep Congress from certifying Bidens Electoral College victory; and the activities of the fundraising vehicle that Trump has relied on to pay his legal bills since leaving office.

The new information could help investigators in the U.S. attorneys office in Washington determine where these strands might overlap and, significantly, whether Trump or others are the connective tissue that joins these groups, said Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor and law professor at the University of Michigan.

That is not to say that prosecutors are not nearing Trumps inner circle. They have charged several people with seditious conspiracy, including members of a far-right extremist group that provided security for Trump associates on the day of the Jan. 6 rally. They are scrutinizing Jeffrey Clark, a Justice Department official, for his efforts to help Trump promote the lie that the election had been riddled with fraud, and John Eastman, a lawyer who was one of the biggest proponents of the plan to put forth slates of Trump electors from swing states won by Biden.

But as of now, the subpoenas issued in the Jan. 6 investigation appear not to cite crimes that might have arisen from the push to change the elections outcome or to identify Trump  who has repeatedly cast the inquiry as politically motivated and without merit  as a possible defendant.

 2022 The New York Times Company
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived in Central Asia in his first foreign trip in almost 1,000 days, returning to the world stage in an attempt to reassert Beijings global influence during a time of increased friction with the West.

The trip will see Xi make a state visit to Kazakhstan Wednesday, before traveling to neighboring Uzbekistan for a regional summit, where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin  their first in-person meeting since the invasion of Ukraine.

Weeks before Russias tanks rolled into Ukraine, the two strongmen leaders declared a non-limits friendship, and Beijing has pledged to continue strengthening ties with Moscow throughout the war.

Their meeting will provide a much-needed show of diplomatic support for Putin, who is facing significant setbacks in Ukraine and counts Xi as his most powerful ally. And for Xi, Putin remains a close strategic partner, who shares his suspicion and grievances toward the West  and his vision for an alternative world order.

The meeting will take place on the sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a China-led security and economic grouping that brings together nations from India to Iran.

The trip also comes at a crucial time for Xi, just weeks before he is expected to secure a norm-breaking third term in power at a major political meeting in Beijing  a move that will cement his role as Chinas most powerful leader in decades.

That Xi feels comfortable enough to travel outside China during this period shows he is confident about his grip on power, said Steven Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London. The choice of destination is also in line with Xis obsession with control, according to Tsang.

This is somebody who wants to be in control of everything. At the G20 summit, he is one out of 20 and not quite so much in control, he said.

But at the SCO, China is able to set the agenda, Tsang said. [Xi] wants to send the signal that he is in charge and working with friends and partners. The SCO summit in Central Asia, with Putin joining, ticks all the boxes.

Story continues

Strategic pivot

That Xi would choose Central Asia is intended to send a clear message about Beijings foreign policy priorities, say analysts, as tensions with the West build over the self-governing island of Taiwan.

Central Asia has always been the strategic pivot for China whenever conflicts loom in the East Asia side, said Niva Yau, senior researcher at the OSCE Academy, a foreign policy think tank in Kyrgyzstan.

The thinking behind this, she explained, is that the Chinese economy will be very fragile in the event of a real conflict to its east, given how much our international political economy today is based on the sea.

Every time China gets into tension with Taiwan, Central Asia all of a sudden opens up to be the place that they make grand gestures, Yau said.

Over the past decade, China has expanded its land-based trade route to the west, particularly through Xis flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive infrastructure project that stretches from East Asia to Europe.

Xis first stop in Kazakhstan is a nod to that legacy  the country is where Xi announced the BRI in 2013, less than a year after he came to power.

Central Asia is important to China for another reason: Xinjiang, Yau said.

Since the United Nations Human Rights Office released a damning report on Chinas repression against Uyghur Muslims in its western region of Xinjiang, overseas Uyghurs, human rights activists and scholars have pushed for new momentum to call for international intervention.

According to Yau, the region where actions are most likely to be taken is Central Asia, which borders Xinjiang and is home to about half million ethnic Uyghurs.

So China knows that Central Asia is about to be hit by this international pressure and they need to go there and get reassurance that they are ready for this, or that they are on Chinas side, she said.

Especially because at these UN votes, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan havent been voting along with China the way Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have. I think its fairly obvious whats on the agenda.

And the SCO could be the right platform for that. Established in 2001 by Beijing along with Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, a central calling of the organization is to combat the perceived threats of terrorism, separatism and extremism  all terms used to justify Chinas crackdown in Xinjiang.

SCO summit

Under Xi, the SCO has expanded in ambition, adding India and Pakistan among its members in 2017. Afghanistan is an observer, and Iran is slated to become a full member at this summit, according to Chinese state media reports.

Since its founding, the SCO has long been seen by some as a potential anti-US block, led by China and Russia, to challenge the Western-dominated global order.

Beijing and Moscow certainly harbor ambitions for a new multipolar world. Xi and Putin discussed it when they last met in Beijing, and on Monday, Beijings top diplomat Yang Jiechi told outgoing Russian Ambassador Andrey Denisov that China is ready to work with Russia to take the global order in a more just and rational direction.

But experts say in its current state, the SCO is not really the perfect platform for pushing that agenda.

As a multilateral organization, SCO is a much weaker regional block compared with the European Union or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

There has actually been some tension at times within the SCO. Russia has tried to advance some of its interests which arent always aligned with Chinas in the region. I dont think its perfectly set up to be this kind of platform for shaping a new world order, said Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But I do think it is an important organization, one that Beijing hopes to continue to support and lead  and one that it does appreciate Russian buy-in on.

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Joint statement signed between Kazakhstan and China

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (R) and President of China Xi Jinping (L) attend joint declaration signing ceremony on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and China in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan on Sept. 14, 2022. Credit - Presidency of Kazakhstan / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

After almost three years of attending international meetings virtually, Chinese President Xi Jinping made his in-person return to the world stage on Wednesday when he traveled to Kazakhstan.

Aside from a trip to the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Hong Kong in July, Xi hasnt left mainland China since January 2020, when Beijings zero-COVID policy saw the country slam its borders shut. That makes Xis travels this week particularly significant.

During his trip, Xi will also visit Uzbekistan to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional security and trading bloc whose other members are India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It will be the SCOs first in-person gathering since 2019 and Xi is expected to take the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putinhis first since the Russian leader launched a war against Ukraine in February.



Read More: Putins Meeting With Xi Comes at a Crucial Time for Russia

But Xis first stop is Kazakhstan, where hell hold talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Heres why Kazakhstan matters a great deal to China, and why Xi has decided to make Central Asia the focus of his first foreign sojourn in almost 1,000 days.

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomes President of China Xi Jinping with an official ceremony at Akorda Presidential Palace in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan on Sept. 14, 2022. Presidency of Kazakhstan / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Kazakhstans strategic importance

Kazakhstan is Chinas neighbor to the northwest. The two countries share more than 1,000 miles of border and this will be Xis fourth visit. China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors, good friends and good partners, Xi said in a letter published Tuesday in the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper.

But behind the friendly overtures are hard geopolitical calculations.

Story continues

As of 2019, China had around $14 billion invested in Kazakhstans oil and gas sectors. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine throwing global energy markets into chaos, Kazakhstan is more important than ever.

The Central Asian country of almost 19 million people is a significant supplier of energy to China, thereby crucial for Beijings energy security strategy, says Baohui Zhang, a professor of political science at Hong Kongs Lingnan University.

Kazakhstan also shares a border with Russia and has a significant Russian minority, making up about 18% of the population. Some experts believe that Xi could be sending a signal to Moscow that Beijing regards Central Asia as its sphere of influence.

Read More: Russias War in Ukraine Spells Disaster for Central Asia

George Mason University politics professor Mark N. Katz told Hong Kongs South China Morning Post newspaper that Kazakhstan is understandably nervous that Russia might one day turn its attention to liberating the sizeable Russian population still living in northern Kazakhstan.

Katz explained: So Xis visit to Kazakhstan can be seen as a sign that Beijing sees Kazakhstan as a friend and Russia should not do anything to hurt Beijings friend.

Meanwhile, Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)a development strategy that links nearly 150 countries in a sprawling program of infrastructure buildingwas launched by Xi in 2013 during a visit to Kazakhstans capital Astana. Besides its economic benefits, the BRI is seen by Beijing as a way of increasing its global clout and in particular of practicing periphery diplomacy with the many countries along its borders.

By Chinas own admission, the BRI has run into a slew of challenges, from unfavorable shifts in the geopolitical climate to the COVID-19 pandemic. Xis trip to Kazakhstan can be seen as a way of revitalizing the initiative, according to analysts.

This is all about the renewal of vows' on the Belt and Road Initiative, says Yun Sun, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Stimson Centre. The country is where it all started. Thats why he is going.

A Kazakh family watch a documentary on China-Kazakhstan economic cooperation at their home in Astana, then called Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, on Oct. 9, 2020. Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua via Getty

Chinas future direction



Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University, who is currently a U.S. Fulbright Scholar at Australias Griffith University, says that in stepping beyond Chinas borders Xi may also be sending a message that his country will gradually reopen. International travel could resume as COVID-19 abates.

There are periodic signs that discontent over Chinas zero-COVID policieswhich have caused severe economic problemsis growing. But Xi may be trying to demonstrate that he is in firm control in China, despite such mounting challenges. He could also be suggesting that he is assured in his bid for a precedent-breaking third term as Chinas president, at a key Communist Party meeting next month.

He can confidently travel abroad now, says Zhu.

Read More: What to Know About the Kazakhstan Protests of January 2022

The SCO conference, following Xis Kazakhstan trip, will be of crucial importance to Xis geopolitical clout. In the context of the Ukraine war, says Zhang at Lingnan University, the SCO summit meeting will allow the leaders of major non-Western powers to talk about recent developments in world politics and coordinate their policies.

Amid a tense geopolitical atmosphere, experts say that Beijing may be trying consolidate support to counter the West.

The message to Western powers is that they do not represent the whole international community, and China has many friends in developing countries and the non-Western world, says Zhu.

Prominent among them is Kazakhstan. We are friends to trust and partners to count on for each other, wrote Xi in his letter in Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, and our peoples always stand shoulder to shoulder with each other.
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Many things about this advance are unexpected, especially the location: For many weeks, the Ukrainians loudly telegraphed their intention to launch a major offensive farther south. The biggest shock is not Ukraines tactics but Russias response. "What really surprises us," Lieutenant General Yevhen Moisiuk, the deputy commander in chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, told me in Kyiv yesterday morning, "is that the Russian troops are not fighting back."

Russian troops are not fighting back. More than that: Offered the choice of fighting or fleeing, many of them appear to be escaping as fast as they can. For several days, soldiers and others have posted photographs of hastily abandoned military vehicles and equipment, as well as videos showing lines of cars, presumably belonging to collaborators, fleeing the occupied territories. A Ukrainian General Staff report said that Russian soldiers were ditching their uniforms, donning civilian clothes, and trying to slip back into Russian territory. The Ukrainian security service has set up a hotline that Russian soldiers can call if they want to surrender, and it has also posted recordings of some of the calls. The fundamental difference between Ukrainian soldiers, who are fighting for their countrys existence, and Russian soldiers, who are fighting for their salary, has finally begun to matter.

That difference might not suffice, of course. Ukrainian soldiers may be better motivated, but the Russians still have far larger stores of weapons and ammunition. They can still inflict misery on civilians, as they did in todays apparent attack on the electrical grid in Kharkiv and elsewhere in eastern Ukraine. Many other cruel optionshorrific optionsare still open even to a Russia whose soldiers will not fight. The nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia remains inside the battle zone. Russias propagandists have been talking about nuclear weapons since the beginning of the war. Although Russian troops are not fighting in the north, they are still resisting the Ukrainian offensive in the south.

But even though the fighting may still take many turns, the events of the past few days should force Ukraines allies to stop and think. A new reality has been created: The Ukrainians could win this war. Are we in the West really prepared for a Ukrainian victory? Do we know what other changes it could bring?

REKLAMA

Back in March, I wrote that it was time to imagine the possibility of victory, and I defined victory quite narrowly: "It means that Ukraine remains a sovereign democracy, with the right to choose its own leaders and make its own treaties." Six months later, some adjustments to that basic definition are required. In Kyiv yesterday, I watched Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov tell an audience that victory should now include not only a return to the borders of Ukraine as they were in 1991including Crimea, as well as Donbas in eastern Ukrainebut also reparations to pay for the damage and war-crimes tribunals to give victims some sense of justice.

These demands are not in any sense outrageous or extreme. This was never just a war for territory, after all, but rather a campaign fought with genocidal intent. Russian forces in occupied territories have tortured and murdered civilians, arrested and deported hundreds of thousands of people, destroyed theaters, museums, schools, hospitals. Bombing raids on Ukrainian cities far from the front line have slaughtered civilians and cost Ukraine billions in property damage. Returning the land will not, by itself, compensate Ukrainians for this catastrophic invasion.

But even if it is justified, the Ukrainian definition of victory remains extraordinarily ambitious. To put it bluntly: It is hard to imagine how Russia can meet any of these demandsterritorial, financial, legalso long as its current president remains in power. Remember, Vladimir Putin has put the destruction of Ukraine at the very center of his foreign and domestic policies, and at the heart of what he wants his legacy to be. Two days after the launch of the failed invasion of Kyiv, the Russian state-news agency accidentally published, and then retracted, an article prematurely declaring success. "Russia," it declared, "is restoring its unity." The dissolution of the U.S.S.R.the "tragedy of 1991, this terrible catastrophe in our history"had been overcome. A "new era" had begun.

REKLAMA

That original mission has already failed. There will be no such "new era". The Soviet Union will not be revived. And when Russian elites finally realize that Putins imperial project was not just a failure for Putin personally but also a moral, political, and economic disaster for the entire country, themselves included, then his claim to be the legitimate ruler of Russia melts away. When I write that Americans and Europeans need to prepare for a Ukrainian victory, this is what I mean: We must expect that a Ukrainian victory, and certainly a victory in Ukraines understanding of the term, also brings about the end of Putins regime.

To be clear: This is not a prediction; its a warning. Many things about the current Russian political system are strange, and one of the strangest is the total absence of a mechanism for succession. Not only do we have no idea who would or could replace Putin; we have no idea who would or could choose that person. In the Soviet Union there was a Politburo, a group of people that could theoretically make such a decision, and very occasionally did. By contrast, there is no transition mechanism in Russia. There is no dauphin. Putin has refused even to allow Russians to contemplate an alternative to his seedy and corrupt brand of kleptocratic power. Nevertheless, I repeat: It is inconceivable that he can continue to rule if the centerpiece of his claim to legitimacyhis promise to put the Soviet Union back together againproves not just impossible but laughable.

To prepare for Putins exit does not mean that Americans, Europeans, or any outsiders intervene directly in the politics of Moscow. We have no tools that can affect the course of events in the Kremlin, and any effort to meddle would certainly backfire. But that doesnt mean we should help him stay in power either. As Western heads of state, foreign ministers, and generals think about how to end this war, they should not try to preserve Putins view of himself or of the world, his backward-looking definition of Russian greatness. They should not be planning to negotiate on his terms at all, because they might be dealing with someone else altogether.

REKLAMA

Even if they prove ephemeral, the events of the past few days do change the nature of this war. From the very beginning, everybodyEuropeans, Americans, the global business community in particularhas wanted a return to stability. But the path to stability in Ukraine, long-lasting stability, has been hard to see. After all, any cease-fire imposed too early could be treated, by Moscow, as an opportunity to rearm. Any offer to negotiate could be understood, in Moscow, as a sign of weakness. But now is the time to ask about the stability of Russia itself and to factor that question into our plans. Russian soldiers are running away, ditching their equipment, asking to surrender. How long do we have to wait until the men in Putins inner circle do the same?

The possibility of instability in Russia, a nuclear power, terrifies many. But it may now be unavoidable. And if thats what is coming, we should anticipate it, plan for it, think about the possibilities as well as the dangers. "We have learned not to be scared," Reznikov told his Kyiv audience on Saturday. "Now we ask the rest of you not to be scared too".

***

This interview has originally appeared on the Atlantic Magazine's website on September 11, 2022.

 2021/2022 The Atlantic Media Co., as first published in The Atlantic.

All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.

***

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YORK  York Police Chief Ed Tjaden says his department arrested a man for attempted second degree murder in York on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

Chief Tjaden said, Shortly before 6 a.m., the York Police Department was notified regarding an assault with a knife. It was reported that a man was believed to be under the influence of an unknown drug or substance and had assaulted someone.

Officers arrived on the scene and had contact with the suspect, who was identified as Sergio Antonio Mier Torres, the chief said. He was taken into custody after an investigation and talking to witnesses. He was living and working in York but also is reportedly of Omaha.

He was arrested on the attempted murder charge and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, Chief Tjaden said. Torres was transported to York General Hospital to be evaluated and medically cleared for confinement. He was later booked at the York County Jail.

Thankfully, the victim of this assault is stable and expected to recover, Chief Tjaden said. He was transported to and treated at York General Hospital for stab wounds to his neck, bicep and back.

The York Police Department wishes to thank the York County Sheriffs Department and the Nebraska State Patrol for their assistance in this case, the chief said.

He added, This incident appears isolated and there is no threat to the general public.
A Lincoln police investigator in court Tuesday detailed the evidence that led prosecutors to add a first-degree murder charge and two weapons counts in the case against a 19-year-old for a fatal stabbing in the Clinton neighborhood more than two years ago.

Felipe Gonzalez Vazquez, of Lincoln, already is serving a life sentence for fatally shooting Lincoln Investigator Mario Herrera while trying to escape arrest in connection to Edward Varejcka's killing March 8, 2020.

At the time, Vazquez was wanted for second-degree assault for allegedly hitting Varejcka over the head with a TV, but not for his murder.

An autopsy determined Varejcka died of three stab wounds, any one of which alone was enough to kill him.

At Tuesday's hearing, the defense argued there wasn't sufficient evidence for the case to move forward on the charges.

Attorney Nancy Peterson said: "There's, I would say, almost nothing to corroborate that he (Vazquez) had this knife."

While Vazquez's fingerprints allegedly were found on the TV, they weren't on the knife, which had been tossed into the yard after the killing. And witnesses have given different information about who had thrown it, she argued.

"We have all kinds of conflicting stuff going on here," Peterson said.

Lincoln Police Investigator Matt Franken testified that at about 3:30 a.m. March 8, 2020, a 911 call sent officers to an apartment at 2222 Orchard St., where medics found Varejcka dead.

He said one witness told police four people had come into the apartment and said "run your pockets," street slang that they were being robbed. During the fight that followed, one said "kill him," and another (allegedly Vazquez) hit Varejcka over the head with a TV and got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Varejcka.

But Franken admitted the witnesses had given conflicting information in interviews and that one, Makayla Fell, had "straight-up lied," claiming at first that strangers had gone into her apartment and eventually admitting she'd texted someone asking to go in to get her phone and keys.

Fell now is charged with being an accessory to the murder.

Franken said crime scene investigators found a kitchen knife from the apartment, with Varejcka's blood on the tip, which had been thrown outside the apartment building as the group left.

He said he originally believed, based on witness accounts, that another of the four, Marsalis Phillips, had thrown the knife, but he now believes it was Vazquez.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Eric Miller asked if it was a "work-in-progress" for investigators to determine who did what that day.

"We always knew that there was at least a robbery," Franken said.

One of the witnesses' phones had been taken.

He said he was of the opinion all four could have been charged under a felony murder theory because they all had been part of a robbery where someone was killed.

Franken said they had been part of a street gang, the No Name Demons, that since has been swept up under a series of federal indictments.

In the end, Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson found probable cause for the charges to move forward.

A trial date hasn't been set in the case.

In May, Vazquez was sentenced to life in prison plus 129 years for Herrera's murder.

On Aug. 26, 2020, police had cornered Vazquez at his father's house at 33rd and Vine streets to arrest him on a warrant for felony assault in the Varejcka case when the then-17-year-old broke out a bedroom window and fired three shots from a stolen gun, fatally wounding Herrera and injuring a second officer from shrapnel.
Lancaster County Sheriff's deputies patrolling Interstate 80 on Sept. 1 pulled over a GMC Acadia that was linked to a Grand Island fraud case earlier in the day  occupied by four Los Angeles residents who had allegedly used a stolen credit card and ran up a five-figure bill at a Best Buy in the central Nebraska city.

When the four people left the store, they headed east on Interstate 80, passing through Hamilton, York and Seward counties before they reached Lancaster County, where deputies  who had their eyes peeled for the SUV after a heads-up from Grand Island police  stopped the GMC for an alleged traffic violation, Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said.

The four suspects were taken to the county jail. Investigators recovered thousands in cash and fraudulently purchased merchandise. And Houchin touted the arrests at a media briefing the next morning.

"It was a very good catch," he said then. "I know Grand Islands very happy because it would've been very difficult, if we hadnt got them at that time, for them to identify everybody and figure out who it was.

What Houchin did not say is that deputies used automatic license plate readers to track the GMC, which passed a Seward County cruiser equipped with a plate reader not long before it neared mile marker 395, where Lancaster County deputies stopped the vehicle.

A Best Buy employee had noted the GMC's plate number before the four suspects left the Grand Island store and passed it along to local police, who entered it into a lookout system for the interstate, said Nick Swicord, the Federal Homeland Security Task Force Commander who oversees I-80 interdictions in Seward County.

A plate reader attached to a Seward County cruiser pinged the GMC as it drove along the interstate, Swicord said. The deputy in the cruiser called the sheriff's office in Lancaster County, where authorities found and stopped the SUV.

"That absolutely would not have happened if the tag readers were not in operational use," Swicord said.

Houchin did not mention the use of automatic plate readers in that case because he believes he cannot mention the use of plate readers in any case, according to the sheriff's office's interpretation of the Automatic License Plate Reader Privacy Act, the law that governs law enforcement's use of the controversial devices.

Championed by Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln and the ACLU of Nebraska, and signed into law by Gov. Pete Ricketts in February 2018, the privacy act limits how long law enforcement can retain images captured by the plate readers, which take photos of passing license plates, store the data for up to six months and have been touted by law enforcement and tech developers as a game-changing crime-solving tool.

The readers only capture still images of license plates, which are then stored by a third-party contractor  Motorola, in Lancaster County  for six months under Nebraska law. Police can flag images of specific plates as investigatory to prevent them from being erased after the 180-day time frame.

But the law  and the license plate readers themselves  are subjects of controversy and confusion in Nebraska, where an attempt to install automatic plate readers in Omaha last month was rebuffed over privacy concerns. Six law enforcement agencies in the state already use the technology.

"It's the second-worst (plate reader) bill for public safety in the United States," said Jason Mayo, a criminal interdiction task force sergeant at the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, which first deployed readers in 2018 after the bill became law.

"That's because the ACLU drafted that bill. One hundred percent, it was drafted by them, through Sen. Matt Hansen," he added. "I've read through it and I've ran this (plate reader system) for five years, and I still don't know what it means. I've had attorneys from the state, from federal entities, from our office  everyone look at it and go, 'This is nonsensical. We don't know what it means.'"

Among the sheriff office's qualms with the bill, introduced as LB93, is language it says prohibits officers from disclosing the use of the plate readers in criminal investigations or in court settings, both Mayo and Houchin said.

That interpretation  contested by the ACLU  has kept deputies from mentioning the use of plate readers in arrest affidavits to be used in prosecutions, leaving no public record linking the use of plate readers to specific arrests.

"The idea that Mayo says, 'Well, we're not gonna put it in a probable cause affidavit because we can't' is nonsense," said Spike Eickholt, the ACLU of Nebraska's lobbyist who also disputed Mayo's claim that ACLU of Nebraska drafted the privacy act.

"If they're using this as a part of a criminal investigation, the law allows it," he said. "This was a thoughtful bill that did strike that balance. And, thankfully, we have it. Because, otherwise, it'd be anything goes. I mean, the cities could do whatever they wanted to do and there wouldn't be (a limit) at all."

The law's language surrounding disclosure is muddled.

The act dictates that no captured plate data or evidence derived from the data can be disclosed as evidence in a court setting, "if the disclosure of that information would be in violation of the Automatic License Plate Reader Privacy Act." But it's unclear when such a disclosure would violate the law, or if the act actually prohibits law enforcement from noting the use of license plate readers in public records.

The secrecy surrounding law enforcement's use of plate readers only adds to the inherent angst that opponents of the devices have expressed since their introduction in Nebraska.

When the initial draft of the privacy act was first heard before a legislative committee in January 2016, Hansen warned that the readers could be used to "compile an extensive list of where citizens go, and that could be used to re-create their day-to-day habits," pointing to cases in Boston and Canada where police had either abused the technology or mishandled the data collected.

Both Houchin and Mayo dismissed such concerns, pointing to the "checks and balances" instituted by both internal policies and the 2018 law while touting the crime-solving benefits the technology provides.

"I know a lot of people believe that you get all this information when they (drive) by, that, 'Oh, you'll know who I am, where I live and what I'm doing and all this stuff,' but it's just not true," Houchin said.

The privacy act placed broad restrictions on when law enforcement can search for a specific license plate, allowing police to seek plates connected to outstanding traffic or parking violations, vehicle registration violations, stolen vehicles, missing or endangered people, people with outstanding warrants or "a vehicle that is relevant ... to an ongoing criminal investigation."

Despite those wide statutory limitations, Houchin and Mayo  and Swicord in Seward County  all insisted their agencies used the systems sparingly and responsibly, pointing to the arrests of suspects in sex-trafficking cases, homicides and other felonies.

None of the four people arrested in the Grand Island fraud case were charged with felonies in Lancaster County, though Houchin said he expected they would be when he announced their arrest.

"You need a doggone good reason why you need to be on it," Houchin said of the plate reader system, which can be accessed by about a dozen of the sheriff office's 84 sworn deputies.

Though he acknowledged the public safety value of plate readers and said the state's law enforcement officials were largely well-intended, Eickholt is not convinced of the technology's worth, nor of law enforcement's ardent defense of its use.

"The idea that the public should just trust law enforcement to do what's right is somewhat troubling, right?" Eickholt said.

"We should be concerned because this information can allow law enforcement officials to find out a lot of stuff about certain people," he added. "All they need is a plate number."

Already, at least two of the six Nebraska law enforcement agencies deploying plate readers have strayed from the reporting requirements outlined in the privacy act, which requires they submit an annual report to the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Justice summarizing their practices and use of the plate readers.

In Lancaster County, the sheriff's office has not submitted a report since June 2019. The Seward County Sheriff's Office  which began using plate readers in early 2019  has never submitted an annual report to the crime commission.

"(The privacy act) gives agencies the responsibility to send them in, but there is no stated penalty for not submitting the reports," said Don Arp, the executive director of the crime commission, which did not have a webpage dedicated to publishing the existing reports until after the Journal Star inquired about the requirement in late August.

"There are penalties for violating other portions of the act, but not reporting," Arp said in an email.

York County's sheriff's office and the Omaha Airport Authority police have each so far been compliant with the reporting requirement. The police departments in Bellevue and Kearney each began a plate reader pilot program in July. Their annual reports won't be due until next summer.

From 2018 to 2019, the year that encompasses the agency's only submitted report, deputies in Lancaster County scanned zero plates that matched cars flagged in the National Crime Information Center database, a system that allows law enforcement agencies nationwide to share information.

In the same year, the agency manually searched 45 plate numbers, according to the report. It came up with zero matches.

There are also discrepancies between the agencies  and their third-party contractors  in how the data is stored and can be accessed.

In Seward County, Swicord said that if his office searched for a specific license plate number, authorities would only be alerted for future matches on that specific plate and would not be able to review any prior images of the plate in their database or any database without a court order.

But in Lancaster County, Mayo said, every manual search of a plate number would also reveal six months' worth of local match data for that plate, if such data existed.

And the deputies have access to data from "several hundred" agencies across the country that either openly share their data or have signed mutual operating agreements with the sheriff's office, Houchin said. Nebraska deputies can access data from some out-of-state agencies  or private data collectors  longer than the six-month limit placed on Nebraska law enforcement, since out-of-state data isn't subject to the state's privacy act.

Agencies with a signed agreement with the sheriff's office also have access to the data collected here, though the images are still purged 180 days after they are collected.

Houchin said the sheriff's office can only share data with agencies or private collectors, such as car repo companies, that use Vigilant Solutions, the software developer owned by Motorola that provides the plate readers to the sheriff's offices in Lancaster and Seward counties and owns the data once law enforcement collects it, according to Lancaster County's contract with the company.

"I'm not trying to be paranoid, but this is Big Tech," Eickholt said. "These companies have nationwide service, sometimes worldwide service. ... That's got to have some sort of utility for various commercial purposes, and that's separate from the law enforcement and government interests that people might think is there when they agree to install these cameras."

Lancaster County's contract with Vigilant expressly mentions the privacy act, and as a part of the contract, Vigilant agrees to delete collected data in accordance with the law or even earlier at the written request of the sheriff's office.

The law does not place any constraints on the private collection or use of license plate data  which can be accessed by law enforcement indefinitely if private collectors utilize the same data host, such as Vigilant or Flock Safety, the contractor that operates cameras in Bellevue and Kearney.

Houchin said Lancaster County authorities had used private data collected in other states to make multiple arrests in homicide cases in recent years.

Mayo estimated that repo companies collect images of "billions" of plates across the country. Oversight laws nationwide, like in Nebraska, often don't constrain law enforcement's access to privately collected data.

That loophole has prompted somewhat of a reversal in tenor from Nebraska's ACLU, which twice testified at the Legislature's Judiciary Committee hearings in support of the bill that now governs the use of plate readers in Nebraska  saying the law's measures were "appropriate safeguards"  but last month publicly rebuked the readers as Omaha leaders weighed introducing them.

"I mean, we supported that because it was, at least, something, and before that we had nothing," Eickholt said. "Ideally, we probably wanted LB93 to be tighter, to have maybe a lower number of days that law enforcement could retain the data, for instance.

"Looking back, although it might be difficult to legislate, (we'd like) to have some kind of control over what these companies do with the data they collect, to at least maybe have people whose vehicles are captured regularly to have some sort of say. Because right now, those people are left out of the equation completely."

Houchin and Mayo said they would like to see the data retention period extended and the restrictions loosened. They also hope the public would view the technology in the same light they do: a tool that helps law enforcement keep the public safe.

"The average citizen has no concern about passing a license plate reader, because we're not even going to pay one little bit of attention to it," Houchin said. "And I think the average citizen would want us to catch a young gal who's being sex trafficked ... this is a good tool to do it."
An area woman and her mother were arrested in Iowa after allegedly fleeing authorities in Iron County on Monday. The pair reportedly took off with the woman's 2-year-old child after juvenile services attempted to take custody of the toddler due to reported abuse and neglect.

Shanomi Cheyona Harmon, 31, and Barbara Sue Harmon, 64, both of Ironton, have each been charged in Iron County with first-degree kidnapping.

According to a probable cause statement and press release from the Iron County Sheriff's Office, on Monday, Child Services and Iron County Juvenile Office workers were investigating and removing Shanomi Harmon's child from her Ironton home following allegations of child abuse and prior allegations.

Other children have been removed from Harmon's custody, according to the press release. The sheriff's office noted that the court determined the woman could not provide a safe environment for her children due to the claims.

Mentioned in the report are allegations that Harmon would put electric dog collars on the children and shock them if they did not listen to her or come to her.

The report states the juvenile officers were attempting to place the 2-year-old into alternative care when Harmon grabbed the child, got into her 2012 Chevy Cruze, and fled. Deputies searched the area for the vehicle but reportedly were unable to locate it.

Due to the nature of the incident, the report states police issued an alert to be on the lookout for the car, and a phone ping was started on the woman's cell phone. The woman's mother, Barbara Harmon, was in the vehicle as well. The report states the only cell tower ping from the phone as of 8:40 p.m. was in Washington Park, Illinois. The child's mother and grandmother had reportedly shut their cell phones off after that time.

Iron County Sheriff Jeff Burkett and Major Chase Bresnahan were reportedly notified of the situation. The sheriff gained information that Harmon had ties in Wyoming, and Bresnahan contacted the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) to send out an Amber Alert, according to the press release. The MSHP reportedly told Bresnahan that the situation did not meet their criteria and was denied an Amber Alert.

Sheriff Burkett then contacted the U.S. Marshal Service and provided information, the release said. The sheriff's office also requested the Iron County Prosecutor's Office to issue a warrant for Harmon's arrest.

The sheriff's office said the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Illinois State Police were notified and began broadcasting the information.

"License plate readers picked up Harmon crossing into Iowa," the press release explains. "Iowa State Police and Iowa County Sheriff's Department took Harmon and her mother into custody at approximately 11:30 p.m. (Monday)."

The child was located and is safe, according to officials. Shanomi and Barbara Harmon were still in custody in Iowa as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Iron County Sheriff's Office.

"Iron County Sheriff's Office would like to give a special thank you to Washington County Communication, US Marshal Service, Illinois State Police, Iowa State Police, Iowa County Sheriff's Office, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children," the sheriff's office said in the release.
A team of experts belonging to Mercedes-Benz reached Thane from Hong Kong for further investigation and inspection of the car in which Cyrus Mistry was killed. Mistry (54) and his friend Jahangir Pandole were killed on September 4 afternoon when their Mercedes GLC 220d 4MATIC car hit a road divider in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. Two other car occupants -- Anahita Pandole (55), who was at the wheel, and her husband Darius Pandole (60) -- suffered injuries and are admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai. Last week, German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz issued a statement and said it is cooperating with the authorities investigating the car crash that led to the death of Cyrus Mistry.

"As a responsible brand respecting customer privacy, our team is cooperating with the authorities where possible, and we will provide any clarifications to them directly as required," the automaker said in a statement. The German auto major noted that it would continue ongoing efforts to increase road safety awareness as a responsible manufacturer while equipping its vehicles with the latest safety features and technologies.

Thane, Maharashtra | Mercedes team of experts from Hong Kong reach Mercedes showroom in Thane for investigation & inspection of the car after Cyrus Mistry's death case pic.twitter.com/MruvK8cfZB  ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2022

"We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Cyrus Mistry and Jehangir Pandole in the unfortunate road accident. At the same time we are glad to learn that Anahita Pandole and Darius Pandole are recovering. We wish them a speedy recovery," it noted. Earlier in the day, a team from the company collected the vehicle's data which will be decrypted for further analysis.

Car crash investigation by authorities

There will also be an investigation into other details like the car's tyre pressure and brake fluid level to ascertain the cause of the accident, Inspector General of Police, Konkan range, Sanjay Mohite said. The ill-fated vehicle was 2017 GLC 220d 4MATIC, which is equipped with seven airbags overall. The latest version of the all-wheel drive model comes with a price tag upwards of Rs 68 lakh.

It has a 'pre-safe system' where the front seat belts can be electrically pretensioned in hazardous situations. As per Mercedes-Benz India website, the GLC's pre-safe system reduces the forward displacement of the occupants during braking or skidding in an impending accident

The fatal accident took place on the Surya river bridge when the four persons were on their way to Mumbai from Gujarat. The deceased were not wearing seat belts as per a preliminary probe, a police official earlier said, adding that over-speeding and an "error of judgement" by the driver caused the accident. Prima facie, the luxury car was speeding when the accident took place, the official had said.

(With inputs from PTI)
Cochin-bound Air India Express flight was noticed billowing smoke at Muscat International airport in Oman; reports of the Times of Oman suggest that 14 people were injured in the incident. Based on the reports, the officials said that the passengers on the Air India Express plane were evacuated using the slides after the smoke coming out of the plane was noticed. The plane was supposed to leave the Muscat airport for Kochi in India. It is to be noted that the incident occurred with the Boeing 737-800 aircraft while it was taxing.

Passengers evacuated via slides after smoke on Air India Express Muscat-Cochin flight IX-442, VT-AXZ.- There were 141 passengers plus 6 crew onboard and all are safe. pic.twitter.com/VUBdymIORk  Aji Rasheed Ali    (@ajirasheed) September 14, 2022

Based on the reports, the Indian aviation watchdog authority DGCA will probe the incident while alternate arrangements are being made for the passengers to bring them from Muscat to Cochin.

"A DGCA official said that during taxiing for takeoff, the engine number two experienced smoke and fire. Appropriate Checklist was completed after the incident. Slides were deployed, and all passengers and Crew were evacuated on taxiway and all of them were safe, and no injuries reported," said the official, adding that passengers have been transported to the terminal building.

With inputs from agencies
Air travel has increased at a rapid pace since India opened its international borders after the Covid-19 pandemic. The Government of India has been updating rules, and guidelines and implementing precautionary measures as per needs and requirements. Recently, the Indian government updated the travel guidelines for international arrivals in India keeping into consideration all the necessary precautions that should be followed as soon as passengers land in India. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare revised the guidelines a few days back, and if you are flying to India from abroad, then you should follow the below-mentioned guidelines to avoid any trouble at the airport.

Points to keep in mind before travelling

1) All travellers should have the below-mentioned documents and tests:

a. Submit complete and factual information in self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal (https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration) before the scheduled travel, including the last 14 days' travel details.

b. Submit details of negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report (The test should have been conducted within 72 hrs before undertaking the journey) or Submit details of the full primary vaccination schedule of Covid-19 vaccination.

c. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise.

2) Passengers should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority any post arrival requirement to undergo home/institutional quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted.

Also read: Smoke emerges out of Cochin-bound Air India Express flight at Muscat International Airport, 14 passengers injured

Steps to be followed before boarding

1) Dos and Don'ts shall be provided along with tickets to the travellers by the airlines/agencies concerned.

2) Airlines allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in all the information in the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and submitted details of the negative RT-PCR test report or completed Covid -19 vaccination.

3) At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after the thermal screening.

4) All passengers shall be advised to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

Also read: Durga Puja 2022: Indian Railways to run special trains between Kolkata-Ajmer from THIS day

Steps to follow on arrival

1) De-boarding should be done to ensure physical distancing.

2) Thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the airport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff.

3) The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol.

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4) The following protocol post arrival shall also be followed:

a. A subsection (2 percent of the total passengers in the flight) shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival.

b. Such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport.

c. If such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at the INSACOG laboratory network.

d. They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol. All travellers will self-monitor their health for the next 14 days of arrival.

5) If travellers under self-health monitoring develop signs and symptoms suggestive of Covid 19, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call the National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.
Goa Airport has received a request for slots for the arrival of international charter flights from eight destinations, including Russia, which will be approved by the end of September. Multiple international is seeking approval from the airport, including Kuala Lumpur, Tel Aviv, Gatwick, Bahrain, Russia, Almaty, Manchester, and Muscat. Speaking to IANS, Goa Airport Director S.V.T. Dhanamjaya Rao said that eight countries had requested slots. "Some of them have been granted approval, while some are in process," he said. "They are giving proposals. Things are in process. Certain things are approved, certain things are in process," Rao said.

"Some are approved, those coming now are being entertained, and our officials are approving. All the things will be finalised by September because it (arrival) starts only in the month of October," Rao said.

Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had recently said that the coastal state`s tourism is predominantly dependent on the United Kingdom and Russia, and some parts of Europe. "Government is taking all steps to get a good footfall with good spending," he had said.

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"Today predominately we are dependent on two markets, UK and Russia, and some parts of Europe. Are we on the right track? Are we looking at the same tourist coming in? For this, we need to see how we go ahead," Khaunte had said.

Khaunte had said that in 2019, about 71,27,000 were domestic tourists who arrived in Goa, while 9,31,000 were foreign tourists. But this number dropped in 2020 and 2021 as the Covid pandemic struck the coastal state. "The number came down to mere 3 lakh domestic tourists and 32,000 foreign tourists," Khaunte had said.

With inputs from IANS
To reduce travel time and to give passengers the utmost convenience of travelling, Qantas Airways has launched a new air route connecting Bengaluru (BLR) to Sydney (SYD). This is the first direct connection between southern India and Australia by any airline. QF68 will cut nearly three hours off the current fastest travel time between the two cities and significantly boost connectivity between India and New South Wales. Qantas will fly an A330 aircraft from Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport to Sydney four times per week on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Since the announcement of the new service earlier this year, the route has seen strong demand, with both the outbound and inbound inaugural flights sold out in all cabins, it said in a statement. For people living in Bengaluru and southern India, it's a convenient non-stop flight to Sydney for a dream holiday or to visit friends and family, the airline said.

Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David said the flights will boost tourism and economic relations and opportunities between Australia and India. The addition of Bengaluru to our route map deepens our ties with India and follows the launch of direct services from Australia to Delhi last year which has also proven popular. Qantas is now the only airline offering direct flights between Australia's two largest cities and the north and south of India," he said.

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Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Satyaki Raghunath said the start of the new Qantas Bengaluru Sydney route was a 'historic' moment for BLR Airport. This is a historic occasion considering that it is the first ever non-stop service connecting South and Central India to Australia, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: A US marketing company called Gorilla 76 is receiving attention for an innovative policy that they have outlined for their staff. The company offers a 10% raise to workers who are on their notice period. The company's founder, Jon Franko, recently shared a post on LinkedIn in which he described how and why they encourage an employee to resign. Jon claims that the company will increase an employee's pay by 10% as soon as they give their six weeks' notice. Jon posted the peculiar company policy online and added, "And we promise, no hard feelings."

From the moment an employee tells us of their decision to leave Gorilla and that they are in the search for a new job, any full-time employee who gives us at least six weeks notice will be given a 10% salary increase for the remainder of their time at Gorilla. We ask that they leave within three months, Jon stated in the post.

This policy, according to Jon, encourages people to "do something different if they are feeling stuck or in the wrong place" Jon calls this approach "way better than the normal two-week sprint" because it allows the company to make the switch as seamless as possible while also encouraging the employee to seek out better options.

Another example given by Jon is of an "extremely talented" worker who was "ready for something different" and who informed the company of his intentions to leave. In response, the company increased his pay by 10% while looking for a replacement.

Of course, we don't want people to leave. That's why the company's incentive is to make the transition "as seamless as possible," Jon adds. But assuming they will all retire with us is foolish. As Jon concludes the post, "Our strategy is to make transitions as seamless as possible.
London: A top court largely rejected Google's appeal of a record European Union antitrust fine imposed for throttling competition and reducing consumer choice through the dominance of its mobile Android operating system. It marks another win for EU regulators taking a global lead in controlling the power of big tech companies.

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The European Court of Justice's General Court mostly confirmed a 2018 decision by the EU's executive Commission to slap Google with a fine of more than 4 billion euros (USD 3.99 billion).

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"In order better to reflect the gravity and duration of the infringement," it's appropriate to give Google a fine of 4.125 billion euros, the court said. That's slightly lower than the original 4.34 billion euro penalty, with the court saying its reasoning differed ?in certain respects? from the commission's.

We are disappointed that the Court did not annul the decision in full," Google said in a statement. "Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world.

The company has previously argued that free and open-source Android has resulted in low-cost phones and driven competition with its chief rival, Apple. Android is the most popular mobile operating system, beating even Apple's iOS.

The fine is one of three antitrust penalties totaling more than USD 8 billion that the European Commission slapped on Google between 2017 and 2019, putting the 27-nation bloc at the forefront of the global push to rein in tech giants.

Since then, the commission has widened its crackdown on digital giants with more antitrust investigations targeting Amazon, Apple and Facebook and sweeping new rules aimed at clamping down on the biggest digital companies. Tech companies are now facing tighter scrutiny around the world: Google also got hit with a $50 million fine Wednesday by South Korean privacy watchdogs that also fined Facebook parent Meta $22 million.

In its original decision, the European Commission said Google's practices restrict competition and reduce choices for consumers.

It determined that Google broke EU rules by requiring smartphone makers to take a bundle of Google apps if they wanted any at all and prevented them from selling devices with altered versions of Android.

The bundle contained 11 apps, including YouTube, Maps and Gmail, but regulators focused on the three that had the biggest market share: Google Search, Chrome and the company's Play Store for apps.

Google had made some changes after the original ruling to address the issues, such as giving European Android users a choice of browser and search app and charging device-makers to pre-install its apps.

EU consumer group BEUC, which argued for the commission's case in court hearings, said the decision confirms that Europe's consumers must enjoy meaningful choice between search engines and browsers on their phones and tablets."

Google still has one more chance to appeal the decision but only on points of law to the EU Court of Justice, the bloc's highest court. It didn't say whether it would do so.

The company has already lost an appeal of its first EU antitrust penalty, which it's now appealing to the Court of Justice. The General Court last year also sided with the commission, upholding a 2.4 billion-euro fine issued in 2017 by regulators who decided that Google unfairly directed visitors to its comparison shopping service, Google Shopping, to the detriment of rivals.
San Francisco: Elon Musk is trying run away from his Twitter takeover deal at any cost, however, the shareholders are not in mood to leave him at peace. Another twist emerges out from the Twitter takeover saga. The majority of the companys shareholders has overwhelmingly approved Elon Musks $ 44 billion takeover deal at a value of $54.20 per share. Besides, they ask Elon Musk to complete the deal not later than September 15, 2022.

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Twitter Inc in a statement said that its stockholders have approved the previously announced merger agreement for Twitter to be acquired by affiliates of Elon Musk for $54.20 per share in cash. Based on a preliminary tabulation of the stockholder vote, approximately 98.6% of the votes cast at the Special Meeting approved the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement.

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The statement further added that Twitter stood ready and willing to complete the merger with affiliates of Mr. Musk immediately, and in any ever, no later than on September 15, 2022.

It is to be noted that Twitter rejected the notices regarding termination of the merger agreement from Mr. Musk and called it invalid and without merit. Moreover, Musk is bound to continue the merger agreement and obligate to complete the merger on the agreed terms and conditions.
Durga Puja, Navratri 2022: Come September 26 and the 10-day festival of Navratri and Dusshera begins all over India. In the eastern states of India, the festival is more popularly celebrated as Durga Puja. West Bengal and especially its capital Kolkata are famous for the large-scale, opulent pujas that attract people from all over the country. And not just in the country, but even globally, Kolkata's Durga puja pandals and the celebrations are famous. In recognition of this, in 2021, UNESCO recognised 'Durga Puja in Kolkata' and it was inscribed in its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This is surely an experience to be savoured and planning a trip to Kolkata during the pujas can lead to a memorable experience. Gorging on yummy food, praying to Goddess Durga, pandal hopping, and loving every bit of the festivities - this is the essence of Durga puja!

Here are 5 things to do when you visit Kolkata during Durga puja:

1) Go for pandal hopping

This is but obvious and the most important part of your puja experience! Yes, there will be crowds and it will most likely be hot and humid, but pandal hopping is a must when you visit Kolkata during Puja. Wear comfortable shoes because you might have to walk long distances and stand in a queue to get a darshan of the idols and the magnificent pandals.

Tip: If you want to avoid the crowd, try early morning visits. You can even start at 4 am. Yes, the city doesn't sleep for these 5-6 days!

2) Taste of 'Bonedi bari' puja (Old family pujas)

This is how the old families of aristocratic households celebrate the puja and it's a thing not to be missed. Unlike the commercialisations and innovations of the glamorous and glitzy pujas of the famous pandals, these aristocratic families continue with their century-old traditions and celebrate Goddess Durga. There are some 200 odd such families in Kolkata and many follow unique customs.

Tip: If you want to visit the oldest household Pujo, head to South Kolkata's Barisha. The puja of Sabarna Roy Choudhury family reportedly dates back to 1610. Some other famous bonedi bari puja include those at Sovabazar Rajbari, Jorasanko Daw Bari, Laha Bari, Rani Rashmoni Bari among others.

3) Eat, eat and eat some more!

Durga Puja is more than a puja, it's a celebration of a way of life, a coming together of people cutting all barriers of class, caste and even religion. For the bhojan-rasik (food-loving) Bengalis, no celebration is complete without great food. From street foods, and sweets to eating out at the city's famous restros, the days of puja are a gastronomic delight for the people of the City of Joy. So if you are visiting the place during puja, join in and savour the beautiful flavours the city has to offer. Unlike popular perceptions, there are tonnes of options for vegetarians too!

Tip: Don't miss out on puchka (their take on the gol gappa or pani puri), jhal muri (puffed rice with special spices) and the famous Kolkata roll! But the list is endless and you can choose from a wide range of options.

4) The wonderous lights

The whole city lights up and there are unique light installations across the city. Not just the pandals and pujas, watching this light-play in itself is a beautiful experience.

5) Take part in Dashami festivities

Bollywood might have over-glamourised the red and white sari look on Vijay Dashami (Dusshera), nevertheless, the day when Bengalis bid goodbye to Ma Durga, is an experience to be lived.

When is Durga Puja 2022

Mahalaya 2022 is on September 25 (Sunday). The day after Mahalaya kick-starts the Navratri celebrations. Durga Puja is mainly celebrated from the sixth day, known as Shashthi and culminates with Dashami (Dusshera). This year, Shashthi is on October 1 while Dashami is on October 5. On Vijay Dashami, devotees bid goodbye to Ma Durga and her idols are immersed.

Durga Puja 2022: 20 famous pandals to visit in Kolkata

Here are some famous pandals to visit in Kolkata. Do a Google search, get the address and be ready to join in the fun!

- Santosh Mitra Square

- College Square

- Ballygunge Cultural Association Puja Pandal

- Kumartuli Park

- Ahiritola Sarbojanin Durgotsav

- Telengabagan Sarbojanin Durgotsab

- Dum Dum Park, Tarun Sangha

- Lake Town Adhibasi Brinda

- Babubagan Club Sarbojanin Durga Puja

- Badamtala Ashar Sangha

- Suruchi Sangha

- Jodhpur Park Puja Pandal

- Sreebhumi, Lake Town

- Bosepukur Sitala Mandir

- Ekdalia Evergreen Club

- Singhi Park Sarbojanin Durgotsab

- Mudiali Club

- Mohammad Ali Park Durga Puja

- Naktala Udayan Sangha Puja

- Maddox Square

Durga Puja 2022: Things to remember in Kolkata

If you are visiting Kolkata during the puja, remember that the city will be crowded. But that need not be an impediment, that's the whole purpose of a festival. Being in a hurry won't work during these 5 days - from full restaurants to traffic on street, you need to remember that covering 10 different places in a short span may not be possible during this time.
New Delhi: OTT giant Amazon Prime Video recently dropped the promo of yet another thrilling show 'Hush Hush'. It features Juhi Chawla, Soha Ali Khan, Kritika Kamra, Shahna Goswami, and Ayesha Jhulkha and Karishma Tanna among others. The leggy lass of television, Karishma Tanna will be seen playing inspector Geeta Tehlan, who is smart, intelligent, and committed to finding the truth and solving the murder mystery.

Hush Hush also features Manoj Bajpayee (Srikant Tiwari- The Family Man), and Jaideep Ahlawat (Hathiram Chaudhary - Pataal Lok). Karishma expressed her joy at her role as a police officer for the first time and her joining Prime Video OTT bandwagon, saying, "It was amazing to be in the same league as Manoj Bajpayee and Jaideep Ahlawat. I feel inspired seeing them on screen and I have learnt a lot from them by watching them. I notice their body language and the way they speak. This is the first time I am playing a cop so I am really excited about it. When I met Tanuja ma'am for the first time she asked to go completely de-glam for this role. Whether it is my posture, my walk, my body language, she had asked me to change it entirely to suit the role. Playing the role of an intimidating copy was so good and refreshing for me.

Hush Hush is a crime drama directed and co-produced by Tanuja Chandra. It will release exclusively on Prime Video on September 22 in India and 240 other countries.
An area man has been charged this week following reported allegations of sexual contact with a young child.

Andrew Steven Shular, 37, of Park Hills, was charged in St. Francois County Tuesday with first-degree child molestation.

According to a probable cause statement from the Park Hills Police Department, on Sept. 4, an officer was dispatched to speak with a worker from the Division of Family Services.

The family services worker reportedly informed the officer of allegations made by a girl (who was less than 10 years old), stating that a male relative would make her rub his back, touch his private area, and he would touch her private area.

The report states the officer attended a forensic interview at the Farmington Children's Advocacy Center on Friday.

During the interview, the female reportedly disclosed that the man, identified as Shular, would engage in touching of a sexual nature. The child allegedly recalled how Shular would have her rub his legs and back. She said the man would touch her on the chest and have her rub his "private area," according to the report.

The child further explained to police that she was 7 years old when these illicit acts started. She said the encounters occurred in Park Hills. The criminal complaint filed in the case indicates that the alleged incidents are believed to have happened between Aug. 3, 2020, and Aug. 2, 2021.

Shular was booked Tuesday at the St. Francois County Detention Center, where he remains held without bond. An initial court appearance in the case is scheduled for Thursday in St. Francois County. If a bond is set and Shular is released, the court ordered him to comply with GPS and pre-trial monitoring. The man is also prohibited from having contact with the alleged victim in this case, as well as any person under the age of 18.

Charging documents filed in the case note that additional alleged victims have begun to come forward to authorities with other allegations involving Shular.
New Delhi: After the defection of eight Congress MLAs in Goa, the AAP on Wednesday called the BJP a "serial killer of democracy" and slammed the CBI for not taking any action against it. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party also claimed the BJP is trying to topple the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab and has offered Rs 25 crore each to 10 AAP MLAs to switch sides. In a body blow to the Congress, eight of its MLAs in Goa, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, joined the ruling BJP earlier on Wednesday. The opposition party is now left with just three MLAs in the 40-member Assembly.

On August 31, an AAP delegation staged a dharna outside the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters here and lodged a complaint with the agency urging it to conduct a probe into the BJP's alleged 'Operation Lotus' to topple Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi.

"The BJP's Operation Lotus has succeeded in Goa today. I want to ask the BJP how much money was offered to the Congress MLAs in Goa for switching sides," AAP spokesperson Atishi said at a press conference at the party headquarters here.

"Why is the CBI not carrying out raids and searches at the residences and offices of the leaders of the Congress and the BJP in Goa? Crores of rupees will be recovered if the probe agency conducts raids," she charged.

Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal accuses BJP of breaking governments, claims party approached 10 AAP MLAs from Punjab

Atishi claimed the BJP is trying to topple the AAP government in Punjab after it was unsuccessful in poaching party MLAs in Delhi. "The BJP is a serial killer of democracy. Its Operation Lotus has reached Punjab after it failed in Delhi," she said.

Last month, the AAP alleged that 40 of its Delhi MLAs were offered Rs 20 crore each by the BJP to switch parties but none of them yielded under the pressure. Now, the BJP has set a target of poaching 55 AAP MLAs in Punjab and approached 10 of them so far. It has offered Rs 25 crore to each MLA to join the BJP, Atishi alleged.

"They (BJP) have also offered Rs 50-60 crore and ministerial berths to each of those MLAs who will bring other AAP legislators with them into the BJP fold. Under Operation Lotus, they have kept Rs 1,375 crore in cash to breakaway AAP MLAs and topple the party's government in Punjab," she said.

Let alone poaching MLAs, the BJP will not be able to bring into its fold even a single AAP worker by any means, she asserted. AAP MP Sanjay Singh dubbed the BJP a "kidnapping gang" and said its "total focus" is on its 'Operations Lotus' to dislodge governments of other parties in different states.

"If the CBI and the ED do not take any action, it would be clear that they are also hand in glove with the BJP and are contributing as members of the BJP's kidnapping gang," Singh charged. He demanded that the CBI take action against the BJP over its alleged 'Operation Lotus' and the Supreme Court take cognisance of the matter.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said its MLAs switched sides despite having taken a vow against defection and visiting temples, mosques and churches before the state polls earlier this year.
Dispur: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) General Secretary Kamrul Islam Choudhury on Monday resigned from the primary membership of the party citing the "directionless and confused leadership of the APCC" to be the reason for quitting. While talking to ANI, Choudhury said, "It`s sad that no Congress leader from Delhi is coming to do a ground study. It`s difficult to work for people being in Congress.

I request them to unite State Congress first, then do Bharat Jodo."In a letter addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he had said that this had made the Congress party in Assam "unstable".

He added that "thousands of grass-root workers like me" have given "blood and sweat for the party for years".Choudhury censured the party`s inaction against the Congress MLAs who have cross-voted in the recently held presidential elections.

He pointed out that senior leaders like Assam Congress President Bhupen Bora were aware of the issue of cross-voting MLAs. He mentioned that Bora called out those MLAs and termed them as `Gaddar`.

Choudhury was earlier the National Secretary of the National Student Union of India (NSUI), Congress` student wing and president of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reached out to 10 MLAs of his party from Punjab. Our 10 MLAs approached in Punjab by BJP; they are buying MLAs & breaking governments, news agency PTI reported CM Arvind Kejriwal as saying.

Our 10 MLAs approached in Punjab by BJP; they are buying MLAs & breaking governments, claims CM Arvind Kejriwal  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 14, 2022

Earlier, on Tuesday, AAP leader and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the BJP of offering Rs 20-25 crore each to its 10 MLAs in an attempt to topple the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government. Cheema claimed that seven to 10 AAP MLAs have been approached with offers of money and ministerial positions.

Our MLAs in Punjab are being contacted by 'serial killer' BJP. They are being contacted telephonically by some people of the BJP who were sent by the BJP's central leadership to break our legislators away from the party, said Cheema.

"They approached our MLAs and told them that their meeting will be arranged with big leaders in Delhi, and also offered them Rs 25 crore each, he said.

However, BJP has not reacted to these allegations made by AAP yet.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (September 14, 2022) morning visited Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram to pay obeisance at the Samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru. The Congress leader resumed the eighth day of the party`s Bharat Jodo Yatra from Navayikkulam in Kerala`s Thiruvananthapuram today morning.

Kerala | Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visited Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, to pay obeisance at the Samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru pic.twitter.com/z8Cb2AgY1Q  ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022

The Yatra is in its Kerala leg and would traverse through the state for the next 17 days.

Earlier on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and asked how a party which calls itself a representative of Hindus is allegedly spreading ashanti in the country when the first words taught in Hinduism is om shanti.

Then please explain to me how a party that calls itself a representative of the Hindus was creating ashanti in the whole country? Wherever they are going they are destroying harmony, they are attacking people, they are dividing people, abusing them, Gandhi, also the MP from Wayanad, said.

But the essence of all religions is peace, harmony and compassion. All religions teach us to respect each other and that is the spirit of the yatra, to unite all Indians irrespective of their religion, community, language, etc., Gandhi added.

About Bharat Jodo Yatra

The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day.

Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday had said that the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is to bring Indians together irrespective of religion, community and remind them that this is one country and it will be successful if we stand together and are respectful towards each other.

According to Congress, the `Bharat Jodo Yatra` is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.

The Yatra includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Notably, all the party MPs, leaders, and workers along with Rahul Gandhi are staying together. Sleeping beds, toilets, and ACs are also installed in some of the containers. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of place.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: The apex child rights body NCPCR has asked the Election Commission to initiate necessary action and inquiry into a complaint against the Congress and Rahul Gandhi for allegedly "misusing children as political tools" in the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights said it is in receipt of a complaint wherein it has been alleged that Gandhi and the Jawahar Bal Manch are targeting children with political intentions and making them to get involved in political activities.

According to the complainant, it has been alleged that "many disturbing images and videos have been circulating on social media wherein it can be seen that children are being targeted and are made to participate in their campaign with a political agenda under the slogan 'Bharat Jodo, Bacche Jodo'," the NCPCR said.

The NCPCR charged that this is a violation of Election Commission rules which say that only adults can be part of a political party.

"Since there is a prima-facie violation of child rights. Further, use of children as props to fulfil political agenda is child abuse which can have a severe long term impact on their mental health and is against is Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The commission thereby requests your good offices to look into the matter and have a thorough inquiry of the events and take necessary action against the political party and its members who have been mentioned in the complaint," it said in its letter to the Election Commission.

The Congress has launched the Bharat Jodo Yatra with an aim to strengthen the party's grassroots level connection. The yatra, which began on September 7, will cover 3,570 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir over a period of five months.
Geneva: India slammed Pakistan "for once again abusing" the United Nations Human Rights Council platform for peddling its "malicious propaganda" and urged the Council to ask Islamabad to take credible steps to end its state-sponsored terrorism and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in the territories under its control. Rejecting Pakistan`s statements, Pawan Kumar Badhe, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, said "they don`t deserve our response".

India also rejected "the factually incorrect and unwarranted references" to India in the statement by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Exercising its Right of Reply in response to the statement delivered by Pakistan, India said Islamabad has an abysmal record on the promotion and protection of the human rights of its people.

"Its shameful history of committing genocide in what was then East Pakistan and what is now Bangladesh, over 50 years back, is well known and needs no reiteration." In its hard-hitting response, Badhe said Pakistan`s audacity, as a self-styled torchbearer for the human rights of the people of India, is appalling. He said the largest number of internationally proscribed terrorists have been operating with impunity on Pakistani soil."

Considering its own top leadership has in the past openly acknowledged creating terrorist groups and training them to fight in Afghanistan and the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan`s audacity, as a self-styled torchbearer for human rights of the people of India, is appalling. It is well-documented that the largest number of internationally proscribed terrorists have been operating with impunity on Pakistani soil.

"Pakistan has thus been responsible for violating the most fundamental of human rights, the right to life, of their innocent victims and threatening peace and security not only in my country but the entire region. We urge the Council and its mechanisms to call upon Pakistan to take credible steps to end its state-sponsored terrorism and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in the territories under its control," Badhe said.

He said Pakistan has one of the worst records in ensuring the right to freedom of religion or belief for its minorities.

"Murder by vigilantes on flimsy allegations of blasphemy, extrajudicial killings, rape, abduction, forced conversion to Islam, forced marriage of minor girls and attacks on places of worship are a sad reality for Pakistan`s Hazaras, Shias, Ahmadiyas, Hindus, Sikhs and Chris-tians minorities. Discriminatory laws, coupled with deliberate apathy of law enforcement agencies, have ensured a climate of religious bigotry in which victimisation of minorities continues unabated," he said.

Badhe said it is high time that the Council and its mechanisms held Pakistan to account for the systemic persecution of and institutional discrimination perpetrated against its religious and ethnic minorities.

"Extrajudicial abductions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and tortures have been used by Pakistan as tools of State Policy to target human rights defenders, political activists, students, and journalists and to crush dissent. People in regions such as Balochistan have suffered political and other repression and persecution for decades," he said.

"Pakistan is thus well-advised to put its own house in order before pointing fingers at others. The Council would have benefitted had Pakistan addressed the deteriorating human rights situation within Pakistan in its statement," he added.

Badhe said OIC has failed to prevent Pakistan from misusing its platforms."We reject the factually incorrect and unwarranted references to India in the statement by OIC. We regret that the OIC countries, with whom we share close ties, have failed in preventing Pakistan from misusing OIC platforms to push anti-India propaganda," he said.

Pakistan has made references to Jammu and Kashmir in its statement at United Nations Human Rights Council`s general debate. Its envoy also delivered a statement to the Council on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has been given 6 weeks by the Delhi High Court to vacate his government residence in Delhi. Swamy was given this accommodation in 2016 on the basis of input of security threats. Now the government says that it is not liable to provide accommodation to those people whose security cover has been extended for some more time. After hearing the counsel for the Central Government, Justice Yashwant Verma said that Swamy had not given any such information to show why he needed government accommodation. Subramanian Swamy has been given 'Z' security cover.

Subramanian Swamy was allotted a government residence on January 15, 2016. Because of this, the period of 5 years had ended, and, after that, Swami had demanded an extension of its time. On this, the reply was given by the Central Government that it will no longer provide housing. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Home Ministry, told the court that the government does not want to extend the time. Security will now be given at his residence in Nizamuddin East.

Subramanian Swamy's Rajya Sabha term also ended on April 24, 2022. He was a member of the upper house, so he was living in the government house even after the allotment limit was over, but now the government is not in a mood to extend the time. Jain said that under the Public Premises Act, the residence of the owner of the house has been declared authorized. Even after that, no action was taken against him as his petition was pending in the High Court. He said that Union ministers and judges of Delhi High Court need accommodation. On this, the court ordered that Subramanian Swamy would have to vacate the house within the next 6 weeks.
Bihar: The Bihar Civil Court has invited online applications for recruitment for the Class III/Group-C posts in the sub-ordinate courts of Bihar. Interested candidates can apply for the vacancies at the official website of Civil Courts, Patna districts.ecourts.gov.in when the application window opens. The recruitment drive aims to fill 7692 vacancies. Any candidate applying for more than one post should register separately for each post, reads the notification. The application received through any other mode will not be accepted by the Bihar Civil Court. T

The application process for appointment to Class III or Group C posts will open on 20 September 2022. The last date to apply for the same is 20 October 2022 till 11:59 pm.

Bihar Civil Court Recruitment 2022: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates should be within the age requirement from 18 to 37 years as on 1 January 2022. The selection process includes a written exam (which is on 90 marks), an interview round (10 marks), document verification, and a medical examination.

Bihar Civil Court Recruitment 2022: Here's how to apply

Step 1: Visit districts.ecourts.gov.in/india/bihar/patna/recruit

Step 2: Look for the application form and fill it out as mentioned.

Step 3: To complete the process, upload all compulsory documents and pay the fee.

Step 4: Preview and then submit the form.

Step 5: Download and print the Bihar Civil Court Recruitment 2022 form for future use.

The recruitment drive is being conducted to fill up a total of 7692 vacancies for the posts of Clerk, Stenographer, Peon/Orderly, and Court Reader-cum-Deposition Writer. Out of 7692, 3325 vacancies are for the post of Clerk, 1562 vacancies are for the post of Stenographer, 1132 for the post of Court Reader-cum-Deposition Writer and 1673 for the post of Peon/Orderly.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said that a probe should examine all angles in the firing incidents that took place in Begusarai yesterday claiming the life of one person while leaving nine injured. "We have called a meeting and held a detailed discussion on this incident. A probe should be done from every angle into this incident. A few days ago, I conducted a meeting to review law and order in the state," he said.

Earlier in the day, Kumar said that he had instructed the officers to remain vigilant. One person died while nine others sustained injuries in separate firing incidents at different locations on Tuesday in Bihar's Begusarai.

Following the incidents, Bihar Police on Wednesday suspended seven police officials. Addressing media persons, Additional Director General of Police (HQ) Jitendra Singh Gangwar said, "Prima facie, our patrolling party was on the streets. Still, they either could not stop the criminals or could not do the checking. In this connection, seven police officials have been suspended with immediate effect."

Also Read: Tejashwi Yadavs BIG claim: Lalu Yadav, Nitish Kumar to meet Sonia Gandhi to UNITE opposition

Asked about the attackers, ADG Gangwar said CCTV footage captured the assailants and police are verifying their identities. He said some people have been detained and police are questioning them.

Meanwhile, hitting out at the state government, former Union minister and BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, "I was trying to set up industries in Begusarai but now bullets are being fired like terrorists in Punjab and Kashmir. So many people have been shot and injured. This is a big incident in Bihar. The morale of criminals is increasing in Bihar and people will not forgive those who boost the morale of criminals."The BJP leader said these kinds of incidents will defame the image of the state and asked the Bihar government which direction the state has been going."What will be the image of Bihar in the country? Nitish Kumar needs to check this situation," Hussain said.
For the past few days, there have been talks about Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and BJP coming together in the upcoming municipal elections. Since the BJP leadership is meeting Raj Thackeray, there was a possibility that an official announcement would be made soon in view of this growing closeness. In the meantime, MNS General Secretary Sandeep Deshpande has made an indicative statement. While talking to the media in Mumbai, he gave the information that Raj Thackeray has asked the party members to start preparations for contesting the elections in all the municipalities.

MNS Meeting

Sandeep Deshpande was asked about the MNS meeting. After the discussion in the meeting, will Eknath Shinde make an alliance with the group? When asked about this, he said, It was an internal meeting of the MNS. Can't divulge to the media what was discussed there. We are also seeing news about an alliance with the Shinde group, but as per Raj Thackeray, all office bearers are preparing to contest all the seats in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Sambhajinagar and other municipalities".

Preparations for Election

When asked about an alliance with the Shinde group or BJP, Sandeep Deshpande reiterated that, currently, Raj Thackeray has ordered to make preparations to contest all the seats. "Our party's decisions are taken by Raj Thackeray, not BJP. According to the order given by Raj Thackeray, all office bearers and branch presidents are preparing to contest all the seats," he said. He further added, "Earlier too, between 200 and 227 seats were contested. In 2006, 2012, 2017, we contested all the seats with all our strength. Similarly, this time we are also preparing to contest 227 seats. Preparations are underway and orders are coming from Raj Thackeray from time to time".

Alliance with BJP

It is reported that the BJP has decided to secretly cooperate with MNS for the upcoming Mumbai municipal elections. Accordingly, the BJP is proposing to leave 80-90 seats for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's group, and the BJP is of the view that they should form an alliance with the MNS and give them their share of seats. It is understood that the final decision will be taken in due course after the picture becomes clear in the court battle. However, the BJP is not ready to form a direct alliance with MNS. BJP's strategy is that Shiv Sena and MNS should not come together and MNS should be used to break Shiv Sena's Marathi vote base.

Shiv Sena's Marathi Votes

The BJP has announced that they want to contest elections in alliance with the Shinde group. Whether the Shinde group gets the bow and arrow symbol and how many corporators from the Shiv Sena will come to the Shinde group will decide how many seats to leave. Since it is not possible for the BJP to make a separate alliance with the MNS and leave them a seat, a strategy of hidden cooperation has been planned. Therefore, it has been decided that they should leave 80-90 seats as an alliance with the Shinde group and, according to the strength in the wards, the Shinde group should leave the seats for MNS candidates. Although the MNS does not have good candidates in many seats, there are indications that the BJP is using them to divide Shiv Sena's Marathi votes. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is understood to have assured the concerned that BJP will not field candidates in those seats where MNS can get elected.
On Saturday, starting at 9 a.m., the Washington County Cruisers and the Irondale Fire Citizens Group are hosting a day of activities, food, and music to help raise money for the Irondale Fire Protection District.

The event will be held at the Irondale Old School Grounds, located at SGM Patrick R Hurley Drive off Route M.

The event is to help the Irondale Fire Protection District raise money to help purchase equipment and apparatus upgrades, and help fund training. Irondale Captain Tyler Barton said, with how expensive equipment is getting to be, it is harder to manage a budget and buy what is needed to run the department.

Being a small community, its really hard to pay for everything you need, explained Barton, Equipment only lasts so long, does its job for so long. If we dont have it, its really hard to do our job.

Barton said guests can expect to see the Irondale fire trucks and kids will have the chance to spray a fire hose during the event. Other activities include a bounce house, a bake sale, and a dunking booth with the chance to dunk a member of the department for either $1 per throw, or $10 to walk up and push the button. Some of the firefighters getting into the dunk tank include Barton and Lt. Mark Nichols.

The department will also be selling tickets for the gun raffle. The raffle prize is a $600 gift certificate to Cedar Falls Tactical. Ticket prices are one ticket for $5, or five tickets for $20 with the drawing on Nov. 1. Outside of the event, tickets can be purchased either from the Irondale Fire House on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., or from any member of the fire department.

A car and bike show with cash prizes for the top three in both classes is also planned. Registration for the car and bike show starts at 9 a.m. Saturday and lasts until noon. Registration is free.

Two lives bands are also set to perform through the day. Mountain Mischief takes the stage at 10 a.m. and goes until 1 p.m., while Jackie Tyler & The Locals Band take the stage at 2 p.m. and will go until 6 p.m.

Visitors can get two different kinds of barbecue during the day. There will be a $5 hot dog plate, or a $10 pork steak plate, and both plates come with a drink.

For more information, contact either Barton by phone at 573-210-2802 or call the department's house at 573-749-3376. More information can also be found at www.ifpd6800.com.
New Delhi: Maharashtra on Tuesday (September 13, 2022) lost a mega Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project to Gujarat, with the opposition slamming the Eknath Shinde-led government for the state "losing" out on the Rs 1,54,000-crore venture. Indian conglomerate Vedanta and Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn have jointly inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gujarat government to set up a semiconductor and display manufacturing unit in the state.

Vedanta, an oil-to-metals conglomerate, and Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn will make one of the largest-ever investments of Rs 1.54 lakh crore in setting up India's first semiconductor plant in Gujarat. The 60:40 joint venture of Vedanta-Foxconn will set up a semiconductor fabrication plant, a display unit and a semiconductor assembling and testing facility on 1,000 acres of land in the Ahmedabad district.

Maharashtra lost investment potential of more than Rs 1 lakh crore: NCP

Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is the main opposition outfit in Maharashtra, accused Gujarat of "snatching morsel from Maharashtra's mouth".

Maharashtra NCP president and former minister Jayant Patil said with the big-ticket project "slipping" away from the hands of Maharashtra, the state has lost an investment potential of more than Rs one lakh crore.

"As Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (Devendra Fadnavis) do not get time from holding political meetings, Gujarat has once again taken away the morsel from Maharashtra's mouth. With the Gujarat elections coming up, the BJP in Maharashtra seems busy in safeguarding the interests of Gujarat," Patil said.

"Will Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) apologise to the educated unemployed youth of the state for losing out on the project?" he asked.

Patil, who was a senior minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, said that the MVA, when in power, had pursued the investment.

Eknath Shinde-led government has 'lost confidence' of potential investors: Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), when it was in power, had "very strongly" pursued this project.

"It was almost decided that the plant will come up in Maharashtra," Aaditya said, who served as a cabinet minister in the erstwhile MVA government headed by the Shiv Sena.

"Our MVA government had brought this to final stage. The current dispensation has lost the confidence of potential investors, hence such mega projects are not coming here," he said.

Although Im glad to see this in India, I am a bit shocked to see this.

New dispensation had tweeted photos, claiming to have brought this to Maharashtra, but it seems intent/ commitment was to send this away from Maharashtra.

Our MVA Govt had brought this to final stage. (1/n) pic.twitter.com/ePbevT6tLi  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) September 13, 2022

Aaditya Thackeray also said that the mega project would have supported 160 ancillary industries and generated 70,000 to 1 lakh employment opportunities.

He said the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government was in touch with the company and a meeting had also taken place with its representatives in January this year.

"The new dispensation tweeted photos, claiming to have brought this (project) to Maharashtra but it seems intent or commitment was to send this away from Maharashtra," Aaditya said.

Company officials also visited Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra and finally Talegaon (in Pune district) was identified as the possible site for the factory, he added.

However I wish the industry and the company well. Its success will lead to a new horizon opening up for India.

Under the MVA, our effort was to make Maharashtra, the lead state contributor to Indias progress, just like other states in a healthy competition.  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) September 13, 2022

Slamming the Shinde-led dispensation, which took office on June 30, the junior Thackeray said, "What was the government doing? What was the industries minister doing? On July 26, the CMO tweeted that the plant will come up in Maharashtra."

Something 'sinister' took place which made company shift its plant from Maharashtra to Gujarat: Congress

Congress leader and former Maharashtra minister Balasaheb Thorat alleged that discussions about setting up Foxconn's semiconductor plant in Maharashtra were "almost complete" but something "sinister" took place which made the company shift the location to Gujarat.

"The Foxconn plant was expected to bring investment of nearly Rs 1.58 lakh crore to Maharashtra. Ninety per cent of our discussions regarding the plant had been completed," he said.

How did the Rs 1.58 lakh crore Foxconn project go to Gujarat? Employment generating projects going to Gujarat, are youth of Maharashtra to just sit here and break dahihandis? Why did Shinde-Fadanavis govt not object to this? Does govt change have to mean neglect of Maharashtra? September 13, 2022

"Something sinister took place which made the company shift its plant from Maharashtra to Gujarat. Nearly one lakh new employment opportunities would have been created with this plant," Thorat, who was the revenue minister in the MVA government, added.

Had the @CMOMaharashtra @mieknathshinde & Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis not been busy with felicitation ceremonies & had they given some attention to the affairs of the state, such a big project would not have slipped through the hands of Maharashtra.  Balasaheb Thorat (@bb_thorat) September 13, 2022

It needs to be probed how Maharashtra state lost out on project: Raj Thackeray

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray also said it needs to be probed how the state lost out on the project.

"This plant was to come up at Talegaon near Pune. How did a project with the potential to generate large-scale employment slipped from Maharashtra's hands? This is a serious issue and this needs to be probed thoroughly. Maharashtra was the priority state for investors and investment going away from the state like this is not a good sign. This has to be considered by going beyond politics," he tweeted.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that Hindi has brought India special honour globally and that its simplicity and sensitivity always attract people. In his tweet on Hindi Diwas, Modi expressed heartfelt thanks to all who have made tireless efforts to enrich and strengthen the country's largest spoken language. Hindi Diwas is observed every year on September 14.

Also, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah will participate in the All India Official Language Conference in Gujarat's Surat city. During his day-long visit to Surat, Shah will also visit Kribhco Township at Hazira near Surat where he will lay the foundation stone of a bio-ethanol plant.

The Union minister reached Surat on Tuesday night. The 2022 edition of the conference is being organised at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Indoor Stadium here on the occasion of Hindi Day.

"Rajbhasha Hindi unites the nation in the thread of unity. Hindi is a friend of all Indian languages. The Modi government is committed towards parallel development of all local languages including Hindi," Shah tweeted in Hindi on Wednesday. "I salute the great personalities who have contributed to the preservation and promotion of Hindi. Happy 'Hindi Divas' to all," he added.
New Delhi: A massive political row has erupted after Congress posted a picture of a burning pair of RSS shorts on Twitter. Congress's controversial post featuring a pair of burning khaki shorts evoked sharp criticism from the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including spokesperson Sambit Patra and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma among others.

On Tuesday, Himanta Biswa Sarma posted a photo of Jawaharlal Nehru in shorts amid the row and questioned Congress "Will you fire his also..."

However, according to fact-checkers, in the picture, Nehru is not seen in the RSS khaki, but in the uniform of the Congress's Seva Dal. Soon after Assam CM posted the pic, it went viral online with the false claim that Nehru donned the saffron khaki and had attended an RSS meeting.

Earlier this week, Congress tweeted a picture of fire-lit `Khakhi` shorts and with the caption, "To free the country from shackles of hate and undo the damage done by BJP-RSS. Step by step, we will reach our goal".

The tweet came in light of the current Bharat Jodo Yatra which marks day 6 today.

BJP Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya said the picture depicted that the fires that the Congress has stoked in the past has burned its political fortunes in the country.

In a series of tweets, Surya recalled various incidents of violence in the past including the Delhi anti-Sikh riots in 1984 and Godhra incident in 2002 where Karsevaks were burnt alive. The BJP leader hit out at Rahul Gandhi who is leading the Yatra and is currently in Kerala, and said that he is "fighting against the Indian state".

About Bharat Jodo Yatra

The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day.

According to Congress, the `Bharat Jodo Yatra` is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation, and political centralization.

The Yatra includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Notably, all the party MPs, leaders, and workers along with Rahul Gandhi are staying together. Sleeping beds, toilets, and ACs are also installed in some of the containers. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of place.

(With agency inputs)
Gujarat: Hindi language is not a competitor but a "friend" of all the other regional languages in the country and they are mutually dependent on each other for their growth, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said here on Wednesday. He denounced the "disinformation" campaign to pit Hindi against native languages and underlined the need to strengthen local languages with Hindi.

Addressing the All India Official Language Conference in Surat city on Hindi Day, Shah said that accepting the co-existence of languages was needed and stressed the need to make Hindi flexible by taking words from other languages to expand its dictionary.

Shah observed that unless the Hindi language becomes flexible, it cannot grow. "I want to make one thing very clear. Some people are spreading disinformation that Hindi and Gujarati, Hindi and Tamil, Hindi and Marathi are competitors. Hindi cannot be a competitor to any other language in the country. You must understand that Hindi is the friend of all the languages of the country," Shah said.

He said native languages in the country will prosper only when Hindi prospers, and vice versa. "Everybody should accept and understand this. So long as we do not accept the co-existence of languages, we cannot realise the dream of running the country in our own language. And I want to say with sincerity that it should be our aim to keep all the languages and mother tongues alive and prosperous. Only with the prosperity of all these languages will Hindi prosper," Shah added.

Also Read: Hindi Diwas 2022: 8 Hindi words that are now part of Oxford Dictionary

Hindi an inclusive language

He said Hindi is an inclusive language and called for strengthening native languages along with Hindi.

Shah said the British banned literary works in various Indian languages, including 264 poetry works in Hindi, 58 in Urdu, 19 in Tamil, 10 in Telugu, 22 each in Punjabi and Gujarati, 123 in Marathi, nine in Sindhi, 11 in Odiya, 24 in Bangla, and one in Kannada.

"This shows how Rajbhasha and native languages strengthened the freedom struggle which forced the British to ban them," he said. "We will have to frame policies from indigenous thinking emerging from the native languages rather than from thoughts arising out of foreign languages," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

Also Read: Heres what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah said on Hindi Diwas 2022

The Union minister said the dictionary of Hindi needs to become "very large and detailed" to increase its acceptability in the country and abroad. "A language does not become inferior by adopting words from other languages, rather its scope widens. We will have to make Hindi flexible. Unless we do so, we can't make Hindi grow," he said after inaugurating the first edition of "Hindi Shabd Sindhu," a dictionary.

Shah said native languages and Hindi are the "lifeblood of our cultural fluency". "If we have to understand our history and the heart of literary creations of the last many generations, then we will have to learn 'Rajbhasha' and make our native languages strong," he said.

Every language is prosperous in its right: Amit Shah

"It is India's strength that the country enriched itself with different languages. These languages have taken care of the Indian culture, traditions, and literature, and also helped connect people with the root of the country," the Union minister said.

Citing personal experience, Shah said children who study in their mother language can learn Hindi easily. He said the new National Education Policy talks about providing school education in regional languages till class 5, and to be continued at least till class 8.

"High-quality education and published literature should be provided in native languages. Works are underway to translate the syllabus of 20 engineering colleges in ten states into native languages.

He said the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has translated the first semester of medical education into Hindi which will be taught from the next year. Shah said he wanted to move forward to make the judiciary also work in native languages.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (September 13, 2022) again attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and asked how a party which calls itself a representative of Hindus is allegedly spreading ashanti in the country when the first words taught in Hinduism is om shanti.

The Congress leader made the remark on the third day of the Kerala leg of Congress partys Bharat Jodo Yatra, while addressing a huge crowd at Kallambalam in Thiruvananthapuram,

Then please explain to me how a party that calls itself a representative of the Hindus was creating ashanti in the whole country? Wherever they are going they are destroying harmony, they are attacking people, they are dividing people, abusing them, Gandhi, also the MP from Wayanad, said.

But the essence of all religions is peace, harmony and compassion. All religions teach us to respect each other and that is the spirit of the yatra, to unite all Indians irrespective of their religion, community, language, etc., Gandhi added.

Further, Gandhi also gave out details of his itinerary for the next day and said that he would be paying his respects to renowned social reformer Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri.

Earlier, the Congress leader had attacked the BJP by alleging that the saffron party has proved that hatred can be used politically and to win polls, but cannot generate employment.

The third day of the Kerala leg of the yatra went ahead amid intermittent rains and swelling public turnout, with the Congress leader saying that even blisters will not stop their journey as he and scores of yatris marched along the streets without an umbrella when it rained.

Gandhi, who has embarked on the 3,500 km Kanyakumari-Kashmir footmarch, said though the participants suffered from blisters on their feet, the campaign would go on.

In a Facebook post, Gandhi said, even though the feet have blisters, We are out to unite the country, We are not going to stop. #BharatJodoYatra, and uploaded a related video clip.

The 150-day foot march was launched from Kanyakumari in neighbouring Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will cover 12 states and two Union territories.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, will traverse through the state covering 450 kilometres, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.

(With agency inputs)
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday praised the patience shown by the police in handling the situation during BJP`s march to state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday. He said that had he been in the place of the police, he would have shot the `miscreants` who resorted to vandalism in the head. Banerjee, who represents the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, went to the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday to meet Debojit Chattopadhyay, an assistant commissioner of police undergoing treatment at the hospital after he was severely injured during the clashes on Tuesday.

"I salute Debojit Chattopadhyay for showing such patience. Had I been at his place, after a police vehicle was torched, I would have shot the miscreants in the head. The police could have easily resorted to firing. But under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the police are restrained," Abhishek Banerjee said after coming out of the hospital.

Reacting to Banerjee`s statement, state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar said the Trinamool leader is speaking the language of a typical hooligan. "First the Chief Minister and now her nephew is encouraging people to be trigger-happy," Majumdar said.

Also Read: 'What if Bengal followed UP's bulldozer model against BJP workers': TMC's Mohua Moitra on Nabanna march

Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee also ridiculed the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, for his resistance on Tuesday for being handled by women police personnel. "Probably Adhikari has a fascination towards men. Probably BJP leaders do not accept bribes from women," Abhishek Banerjee said.

On Tuesday, Adhikari had alleged that women police personnel were deliberately deputed to handle him. He was also seen shouting at the women police personnel trying to put him in a prison van. "You are a lady. Do not touch my body," Adhikari was heard shouting.

Reacting to Abhishek Banerjee`s comments, Majumdar said that such remarks reveal his shoddy culture and mindset. "How can he make such slating comments about the leader of the opposition? He is out of his mind because of the imminent fear and hence he is losing all control over his language," Majumdar said.
New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that there is a well-marked Low-Pressure Area over central parts of Madhya Pradesh and neighbourhood. IMD has predicted heavy rainfall in several parts along the west and eastern parts of India for the next few days. Eastern parts of India, including Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar are expected to witness isolated heavy falls and thunderstorms today.

The weather department also said that isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over the plains of northwest India, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh till September 17. Similar weather conditions are likely to prevail over Sub- Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim till September 16.

Heavy rainfall is also forecasted over northwestern parts of India. IMD in its latest weather forecast said that isolated very heavy rainfall is likely over west Madhya Pradesh, ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra and Gujarat region till September 15 and over Konkan and Goa till September 16.

Isolated very heavy rainfall also likely over East Madhya Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal & Saurashtra & Kutch on 13th; West Madhya Pradesh, ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra & Gujarat Region during 13 th -15th and over Konkan & Goa during 13 th -16 th September, 2022. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall also likely over ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra on 15th September, 2022, said IMD.

On Thursday, extremely heavy rainfall is also likely over ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra. Western parts of the country, including Saurashtra and Kutch, Gujarat region and West Madhya Pradesh, are also expected to receive heavy showers till Friday, informed the Met Office.

According to IMD, several southern states of India are also expected to receive heavy falls with thunderstorms on September 14. Isolated very heavy rainfall is also likely over east Rajasthan on September 14 and 15, over Uttar Pradesh till September 17.

Isolated very heavy rainfall also likely over East Rajasthan on 14th & 15 th; Uttar Pradesh during 15th-17th and over Uttarakhand during 14th -17 th September, 2022. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall also likely over Uttarakhand on 17 th September, 2022, said the weather department.
Srinagar: With the improvement in Security Situation in the Kashmir Valley, the Indian Navy has revived the Naval training for NCC cadets after a gap of 33 years. On the Manasbal Lake in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, over 100 cadets of the National Cadet Corps attended Naval training. The first training activity for 100 senior NCC cadets, boys and girls, from all districts of UT has been organised. The camp will be running till 26 September and prepare the cadets for the forthcoming National level NCC camp at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh commencing on 02 Oct.

''I think it's a great momentous occasion that after a gap of 33 years, the NCC cadets of Kashmir region are fortunate to be part of this camp today which has started, which will help them train in the naval training activities very close to their homes. Before this, they had to go to Jammu. In the late 1980s security situation dropped and we had to shift our training areas. And now with restarting this manasbal naval training, I am sure the NCC training in the valley will get a great flip.'' Brigadier K S Kalsi, Group commander NCC Cadets.

He further added, 'The Naval training camps have a number of activities, but this one is specially preparing for cadets of JK and Ladakh for the upcoming National level NCC camp at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh commencing on 02 Oct. These cadets are being trained on boat pulling, sailing, ship modelling and signalling. All of them are very important Naval training activities. I have no doubt that all the youth who are going to see these events upfront, or through the media in Kashmir will get motivated.''

Kashmir is gifted with numerous water bodies and with the Manasbal training facility, the NCC Cadets of Kashmir will not require to travel out to Jammu for Naval Training and this will be a big motivation for students of Kashmir to volunteer for NCC. The cadets of the valley were extremely happy that the camp is being organised in the valley after decades.

Also Read: Kashmir to get its first electric train on Banihal-Baramulla corridor rail link on THIS day

''This training camp has been organised in the Kashmir Valley for a long time, a lot of children from various colleges have come from various parts of the Union Territory. I would want other children to come and be a part of these camps. We are being trained in boat pulling, swimming, sailing, and also drills. Signalling is also being trained as well. The Navy officers motivate us to join the Indian Navy. '' said Ovais Rashid, NCC Cadet.

The main reason for these cadets to volunteer for the training camps is to join the Indian armed forces like Army, Navy and Airforce. ''It's a great opportunity for us to be a part of this camp. Due to security reasons, these camps were not held in the Kashmir valley but now have been restarted and we get to learn a lot. I want to join the Indian Navy and that's why I have joined the cadets. '' said Kiran Chaudhary, NCC Cadet.

In the last three decades, the training was mostly provided to these cadets at Nagrota and Mansar lake of Jammu region due to the terrorist activities. This had caused huge inconvenience to the cadets from Kashmir Valley.
New Delhi: In a big attack on the BJP, Congress on Wednesday said that the crossing over of eight of its Goa MLAs to the saffron party is part of the latters 'Operation Kichad'. The main opposition party also claimed that the deflection of its MLAs was fast-tracked because of the visible success of its Bharat Jodo Yatra. "Operation Kichad of BJP in Goa has been fast-tracked because of the visible success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. BJP is nervous," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.

Operation Kichad of BJP in Goa has been fast tracked because of the visible success of the #BharatJodoYatra. BJP is nervous. A daily dose of diversion & disinformation is handed out to undermine the Yatra. We remain undeterred. We will overcome these dirty tricks of the BJP.  Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 14, 2022

"A daily dose of diversion & disinformation is handed out to undermine the Yatra. We remain undeterred. We will overcome these dirty tricks of the BJP," he said.

His party colleague Pawan Khera echoed him and said the BJP, rattled by the Bharat Jodo Yatra, had organised 'Operation Kichad (mud)' in the coastal state. "Once again it has been proven that the BJP can only break," the Congress' communication department head said in a tweet in Hindi.

"Those who are not able to support this difficult journey of uniting India, fearing the threats of BJP, cross over to those who break... (they) should understand that India is watching," he added.

In a body blow to the party in Goa, eight of the Congress' 11 MLAs, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, joined the ruling BJP. Congress is now left with just three MLAs in the 40-member Assembly.

The eight MLAs joined the BJP in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade. conditions: Pramod Sawant said that eight MLAs of Congress joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unconditionally.

Addressing a press conference with state BJP chief Sadanant Shet Tanavade, Sawant said that BJP's strength in the 40-member Assembly has gone up to 28 with the eight new entrants. The chief minister said eight of the 11 MLAs of Congress, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, have joined the BJP.

"With today's development, the BJP now enjoys the support of 33 MLAs (including two of the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and three Independents). These Congress MLAs have joined the BJP unconditionally," Sawant said.

Taking a dig, Sawant said 'the Congress Chhodo Yatra' has begun from Goa and exuded confidence that the BJP will win another Lok Sabha seat in Goa in the next elections.

In a similar move in July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs switched over to the BJP in Goa. The BJP retained power in the coastal state after assembly elections in March this year. It has 20 MLAs in the Assembly, while the Congress' strength will be depleted from 11 to three.
Srinagar: Two terrorists affiliated with Ansar-ul-Gazwatul Hind (AUGH) were killed in a joint operation by Police and Armys 50 RR in the Nowgam area of Srinagar outskirts. Police officials told Zee News that two local terrorists were killed in a fierce gunfight with forces in the Nowgam area of Srinagar. The killed terrorists were identified as Aijaz Rasool Nazar of Pulwama & Shahid Ahmad of Budgam. ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said "they were involved in a recent terror attack on an outside labourer namely Muneer ul Islam from West Bengal on 2/9/22 in Pulwama.

On a specific input generated by Police, an #encounter has started in Nowgam area of #Srinagar District. Srinagar Police and 50RR are on the job. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice September 14, 2022

Police officials said the anti-terrorist operation was launched after generating specific inputs about the terrorist hideout, arms and ammunition has been also recovered from the encounter spot.

Also Read: Big BLOW to Pakistan, India REJECTS 'unwarranted references' to J&K by Islamic Nations

It's pertinent to mention here it is 96th terror incident / encounter of this year security force has managed to kill 151 terrorists till now out those killed terrorists 38 were Pakistani, however 20 security personals and 21 civilians too have lost their lives.

Jammu Kashmir police, along with other security forces have managed to arrest 67 active terrorists, mostly hybrid, since January this year and have also arrested 208 terrorist supporters in Kashmir.
An infant has suffered what appears to be an accidental gunshot wound.

According to Sergeant Brent Coffey with the Virginia State Police, at approximately 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 12, the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Culpeper Field Office responded to a report of a shooting inside a residence in the 25000 block of Constitution Highway in the Rhoadesville area of Orange County.

Coffey said when officers arrived at the residence, they located a 7-month-old boy with a single gunshot wound. The child was transported to UVa Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

At this stage of the investigation, Coffey said the shooting appears accidental. No charges have been filed as of Wednesday afternoon, but the investigation is ongoing with consultation from the Orange County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
Hyderabad: The Bhartiya Janta Party has come under flak for its members staying away from Telangana Legislative Assembly when it passed a resolution requesting the Centre to name the new Parliament building after Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Some Dalit activists on Wednesday staged a protest in Hyderabad against the BJP for not expressing its stand in the Telangana Assembly over the resolution. The BJP has been criticized by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) as its member was present in the Assembly when the resolution was moved and passed.

Raghunandan Rao was not present in the Assembly while his party colleague Eatala Rajender was suspended from the House for inappropriate remarks against the Speaker. BJP`s third MLA Raja Singh is currently in jail.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Wednesday that he has forwarded to the Union government the request for naming the new Parliament building after Ambedkar. Sanjay said that based on representation given by balladeer Gaddar for naming the Central Vista after Ambedkar, he has forwarded the request.

The BJP leader`s tweet came a day after Telangana Legislature unanimously passed a resolution, requesting the Centre to name the new Parliament building after Ambedkar.

Meanwhile, TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao hoped that the BJP-led NDA government would respond positively to the request. "Telangana State Legislature has unanimously resolved that the new Parliament should be named after Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar Ji. It is befitting to name the highest abode of democracy after the Chief Architect of the Indian constitution. Hope that the NDA Govt will respond positively," tweeted Rama Rao.

Telangana State Legislature has unanimously resolved that the new Parliament should be named after Bharat Ratna Dr. BR Ambedkar Ji



It is befitting to name the highest abode of democracy after the Chief Architect of Indian constitution



Hope that NDA Govt will respond positively  KTR (@KTRTRS) September 14, 2022

Also Read: Telangana CM, TRS taking instructions from: BJP attacks KCR over 'National Integration Day'

The TRS government had moved the resolution after Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had requested Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. The chief minister asserted that there was no better person than Ambedkar for the new Parliament building to be named after.

Gaddar on Tuesday met the CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka and MLAs D. Sreedhar Babu and Seethakka and thanked Congress for ensuring that the Assembly passed a resolution.
Kolkata: In more trouble for Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of former West Bengal Education Minister and Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has tracked an additional Rs 5.32 crore in three bank accounts held by her. This amount is apart from the Rs 50 crore cash recovered from her residence in July end, the central probe agency sources said.

Both, who are currently in judicial custody over their alleged involvement in the West Bengal School Service Commission (BSSC) recruitment scam, appeared for a hearing in virtual mode at a special ED court on Wednesday afternoon, where the central agency`s counsel informed the court about the new revelations.

The ED counsel told the court that this additional amount was traced in five bank accounts - three of which are individually held by Arpita Mukherjee, while the other two accounts are in the name of two companies where she is the Director. On Wednesday, after Chatterjee`s counsel moved bail prayer on behalf of his client, the former minister broke into tears.

"I am a victim of a conspiracy. ED officials were at my residence for long hours. But nothing was recovered from my residence. I was a student of economics. I have also done my doctorate. I was a minister for a long time and before that, I was the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly. I had an untainted career," a sobbing Chatterjee told the court.

As the court asked, "Are you seeking a release on bail?", the once heavyweight Trinamool leader broke down further. "Sir, please have mercy on me. Let me leave in peace. Please understand that I am a victim of a conspiracy," he said sobbing profusely.

Mukherjee, on her part, denied all charges of her involvement in the WBSSC recruitment scam. "I come from an ordinary family. I do not know how so much money was recovered from my residence," he said. However, the judge reminded her that since she was the owner of the two residences, the onus of the existence of huge cash comes on her. The court then reserved its order.
Kolkata: A special court here on Wednesday rejected the bail prayer of arrested former West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee and sent him to judicial remand for a further two weeks till September 28 on a prayer by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the alleged money trail in the SSC appointments scam.

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) special court also extended the judicial remand of Chatterjee's alleged close associate Arpita Mukherjee for 14 days. Judge Bidyut Baran Roy granted permission to the ED to question the two accused in the correctional homes they are lodged in and to record their statements.

Opposing the bail prayer, ED counsel Phiroze Edulji claimed before the court that around Rs 100 crore have so far been recovered in cash and assets of Mukherjee. Chatterjee was produced before the court through the virtual mode from Presidency correctional home, while his lawyers were present before the judge physically.

Chatterjee's bail petitions had been rejected by the court on earlier occasions too but Mukherjee has not made any prayers for bail so far. The court directed that the two accused be produced before on September 28 through virtual mode.

They were arrested by the ED on July 23 in connection with its probe into the money trail in alleged illegal appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools.

The ED has claimed to have recovered Rs 49.80 crore in cash, jewellery, gold bars from flats owned by Mukherjee, besides documents of properties and a company in joint holding.

Chatterjee has been relieved of his ministerial duties by the Mamata Banerjee government, while the Trinamool Congress has also removed him from all posts he held in the party, including that of its secretary general.
Panaji: A top Congress leader, who is among 8 others who joined the ruling BJP in Goa, on Wednesday said that Rahul Gandhis much-publicised Bharat Jodo Yatra will fail due to infighting among various factions within the party. People of Goa have told us that 'Bharat Jodo yatra' is not going to be a success because of big infighting amongst the topmost leaders of the Congress party, Michael Lobo said after joining the BJP.

Goa | People of Goa have told us that 'Bharat Jodo yatra' is not going to be a success because of big infighting amongst the topmost leaders of the Congress party: Michael Lobo after joining BJP  ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022

Lob further claimed that all top Congress leaders who strengthened the party will leave it in the coming days because of too much of differences among themselves. We're representing the people, will have to hear their voices; They told us to leave and we are leaving, Lobo added.

Goa | All top Congress leaders who strengthened the party will leave it in the coming days because of too much of differences among themselves. We're representing the people, will have to hear their voices; told us to leave & we are leaving: Michael Lobo after joining BJP pic.twitter.com/uCj6wn0rVZ  ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022

It may be noted that eight Congress MLAs in Goa, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, on Wednesday joined the ruling BJP, in a body blow to the opposition party which is now left with just three MLAs in the 40-member state Assembly. The eight MLAs joined the BJP in presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade.

In a similar move in July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs switched over to the BJP in Goa. The BJP retained power in the coastal state after the state Assembly elections in March this year. It has 20 MLAs in the Assembly, while the Congress' strength will be depleted from 11 to three.

The eight Congress MLAs - Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes - were seen interacting with Sawant in viral photo hours ahead of formally joining the BJP.

Earlier on Wednesday, a resolution was passed in the Congress Legislature Party meeting here to merge with the BJP, Lobo said. The three other Congress MLAs - Yuri Alemao, Altone D'Costa and Carlos Alvares Ferreira - were not present when the resolution was passed, he added.

Sawant told reporters that no decision has been taken yet on a cabinet reshuffle in the backdrop of the BJP strength rising to 28 in the House. Addressing a press conference with state BJP chief Sadanant Shet Tanavade, Sawant said that BJP's strength in the 40-member Assembly has gone up to 28 with the eight new entrants. The chief minister said eight of the 11 MLAs of Congress, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, have joined the BJP.

"With today's development, the BJP now enjoys the support of 33 MLAs (including two of the Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party and three Independents). These Congress MLAs have joined the BJP unconditionally," Sawant said.

Taking a dig, Sawant said 'the Congress Chhodo Yatra' has begun from Goa and exuded confidence that the BJP will win another Lok Sabha seat in Goa in the next elections.
Mumbai: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Tuesday said dynastic rule would seem preferable to the present "autocracy" in the country, as it praised Rahul Gandhi's `Bharat Jodo Yatra'. The BJP should respond to the questions raised by Gandhi instead of targeting him over his clothes, said the editorial in the Sena mouthpiece `Saamana'. The questions being raised by Gandhi during his ongoing campaign carry substance and they have shut the BJP's mouth, it said.

The Congress leader's Yatra is getting good response from people and he is raising issues related to unemployment, farmers, labourers and small and medium sized businesses, the Marathi newspaper said.

"Instead of providing answers to the questions posed by him, the BJP is resorting to frivolous attacks by raising issues like what clothes he wears and what he eats," the editorial added, referring to the BJP's swipes at the price of a T-shirt worn by Rahul Gandhi. The Yatra is creating awareness among people and this is giving "stomach ache" to the BJP, it said.

"Autocracy and dictatorship are wreaking such a havoc in the country that a dynastic rule would seem preferable," said the Sena mouthpiece, once a trenchant critic of the Congress and its top leadership.

Rahul Gandhi's Yatra will "repair the atmosphere of hatred" prevailing in the country, it added.

Notably, like the Congress and the Gandhi family, the Thackerays too have faced criticism for promoting family rule in the Sena.

The Sena and Congress were partners, along with the NCP, in the previous Maharashtra government headed by Uddhav Thackeray.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Uzbekistan on September 15 and 16 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit where he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia`s Vladimir Putin. As per sources, PM Modi is likely to have bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand.

"PM Modi`s bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev are almost fixed and the meetings will take place on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand," a source told ANI.

The Prime Minister would also have other bilateral meetings during the summit which begins on September 14 at Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

The Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Manish Prabhat had said earlier that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the summit and hold bilateral meetings with several leaders.

"Leaders of SCO member countries are meeting after two years due to the COVID pandemic. Some bilateral meetings will take place on the sidelines of the SCO but the programme of the meetings will be finalised in due course," Ambassador Prabhat had told ANI in an exclusive interview.

"Economic cooperation in the SCO is an important question, which will be discussed in the SCO meetings. When we are meeting with central Asian countries, we discuss connectivity which will promote trade, investment and other exchanges between Indian and central Asian countries," he told ANI.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are also expected to attend the summit. Uzbekistan is the chair of SCO 2022 and India will be the next chair of the SCO.
Telangana: Telangana School Holidays 2022 have been announced for the upcoming festival season as well. As per local media reports, the government has declared Dusshera Holidays in all schools of Telangana starting September 26, 2022. The Bathukamma festival would be celebrated from September 25 to October 3 and the Dasara festival is on October 5. The government of Telangana organise different events during the festival of Dasara. According to local media reports Telangana Schools will remain closed from September 26 to October 9, 2022. With Dusshera Holidays being for almost 14 days, schools would reopen for all students from October 10, 2022, as per local media reports.

Dusshera holidays are expected to be announced for different schools in places across the country. While some places may have a holiday just for the day of the festival, others like Telangana may give some more holidays. However, this can be only be confirmed by the respective government or schools themselves. Hence, everyone is advised to stay in touch with their educational institutions for updates on school holidays declared or not for Dusshera.

Telangana schools are also expected to have a holiday or more for Diwali in the month of October. However, the detailed schedule and latest updates on the same will only be announced later.
UNOM Results 2022: University of Madras, UNOM Results 2022 would be released soon. Madras University UG/PG June Exam results are expected to be released on the official website unom.ac.in. PG results as well as UG results for the second, fourth, and sixth semesters at Madras University are awaited. According to the local media reports, the results for the sixth semester at Madras University will probably be announced on September 15, 2022, students may please note that the June Results have not been released as yet and will be announced soon.

The June Results 2022 page on unom.ac.in will allow students who took the test to view their results. Students should be aware that the June Results have not yet been released publicly. Students are advised to regularly check the website for updates. The official results website, result.unom.ac.in, currently has the November 2021 exam results available.

UNOM Madras University Result 2022: Heres how to check

Go to unom.ac.in and under Examination Tab select the type of exam

Scroll to Results window or go directly to result.unom.ac.in link provided above

On the new window that opens, enter your register number and click on Get Result

Your Madras University Result would be provided on the page

Earlier, Madras University Result 2022 are released for the April examinations. Candidates can check their University of Madras, UNOM Results 2022 on the official website-- unom.ac.in. University of Madras website has issued three servers to check the results and in case candidates find any issue in check their results, they can try multiple servers.
New Delhi: A massive Ukrainian blitzkrieg over the last few days saw it recapture around 6,000 sq km of land, forcing the Russians to make a hasty retreat along its eastern and southern frontiers. The lightning advance in the Kharkiv region also saw several Russian soldiers and high-ranking officers being captured, so much so that Ukraine is running out of space to accommodate POWs. The latest setback for Russia came after a botched attempt to capture the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in the early weeks of the invasion. So what seems to have turned the tide in what was presumed to be an easy victory for Russia?

Also Read: Ukrainian forces reclaim about 6,000 sq km of Russian-held territory in south and east Ukraine

Western artillery and sanctions

Given Moscows superior firepower, most defence analysts predicted that Ukraine would fall in weeks. On the contrary, the war is dragging out and no clear winner has emerged in the seven months since the fighting erupted.

So did Russia, like most of the world, underestimate Ukraines resilience? Did it lack a proper analysis of Kievs defence capabilities before pushing for an invasion? The turn of events would suggest that Vladimir Putin also underestimated the Wests support for Kiev, both in terms of sanctions imposed on Russia and the financial and military aid provided to Ukraine.

The United States has pledged $25bn in military aid to Ukraine, the highest, while the United Kingdom has pledged $4bn. Almost every European country has sent advanced weaponry to Ukraine, including its smaller neighbours Poland and Estonia. The artillery includes armoured personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles, anti-tank weaponry, reconnaissance UAVs, radars, anti-aircraft guns, rocket launchers, missiles and choppers of all shades, to name a few.

On the other hand, Western sanctions have so crippled Russia that it now seems to lack the ability to manufacture weapons and components, forcing it to turn to China, and even North Korea, for a steady supply of munition.

Contractors vs nationalists

Since the beginning of the war, Russia seems to have relied mainly on volunteers and young conscripts rather than battle-hardened soldiers. It has avoided going all out, and sent in barely 1.5 lakh soldiers unfamiliar with Ukrainian terrain to invade the entire country. Not just that, it largely outsourced the war to separatists from Donetsk and Luhansk regions, local Chechen militias, Wagner Group mercenaries and contractors, and even anti-ISIS fighters from the Gulf.

These fighters were in the action for money, and were faced by Ukrainian nationalists out to defend their land at any cost. Pro-Russia militias lacked spirit and conviction when faced with the fight-to-the-death attitude of Ukrainians, who do not wish to part with more land after the 2014 Crimean annexation by Russia.

Russian war strategy found wanting

The purpose of the Russian invasion lacked clarity from the very beginning. Did Moscow want to take over the entire country? Or did it want to exert enough pressure so that Volodymyr Zelenskyy reverses his decision to join NATO? Or was the purpose to install a pro-Russia government in Ukraine? Or was it merely a show of strength before the West to shore up Putins domestic popularity?

In the early days of the campaign, Russian forces encircled Kiev for days but avoided an all-out assault on the Ukrainian capital. Days later, the thousands of men and tanks retreated without any achievement to show for it. This prompted defence experts to opine that the siege was merely an optics, and Kremlin had no intention of being stuck in a long urban war in the heavily fortified zone.

However, this provided an opportunity for Kiev to trumpet that Russian forces withdrew in the face of Ukrainian resistance. This, coupled with the incessant Russian bombing of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, stirred many Ukrainians into joining the conflict. On the other hand, opposition against the war grew in Russia, and Putin started losing public support.

As Moscow went slow, Ukraine took the opportunity to regroup and strategise, as military aid poured in from across the globe. It seemed that Russia was waiting for Ukraine to tire out, a strategy that backfired. Ukraine kept rotating its frontline forces, and it was Russian fighters who started facing fatigue.
Kolkata: A day after public properties were damaged in Kolkata and Howrah during the BJP's mega protest march, TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday asked whether the West Bengal government should follow its Uttar Pradesh counterpart and bulldoze houses of saffron camp leaders. Attacking the BJP in Twitter posts, Moitra also asked if the first chapter of the central government's National Education Policy is on how to set police vehicles on fire. She tweeted: "What if Bengal used Bhogiji Ajay Bisht's model & sent bulldozers to homes of BJP workers who destroyed public property yesterday? Will BJP stand by own policy or get their chadds in a twist?"

What if Bengal used Bhogiji Ajay Bishts model & sent bulldozers to homes of BJP workers who destroyed public property yesterday?



Will BJP stand by own policy or get their chadds in a twist?  Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) September 14, 2022

Ajay Bisht is the birth name of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The administration of that state has razed alleged illegal properties of people accused of committing crimes with bulldozers.

"Chapter 1 in BJP's New Education Policy: how to methodically torch police vehicle", Moitra said in another tweet.

Chapter 1 in BJPs New Education Policy : how to methodically torch police vehicle.



BJP simians in Kolkata yesterday. pic.twitter.com/VrRSIsPBku  Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) September 14, 2022

The Krishnagar MP shared a photograph of a group of people torching a car belonging to the police during the rally on Tuesday to protest against the alleged corrupt practices of the Trinamool Congress government.

Also Read: Police could have SHOT violent BJP protesters BUT: Mamata Banerjee on Nabanana Cholo march showdown

Reacting to Moitra's statement, senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said she should first explain if the same yardstick can be applied in the case of vandalising of properties of the West Bengal Assembly by TMC members. He was referring to the incident of November 30, 2006, when TMC MLAs, who were in the opposition then, went on the rampage after Mamata Banerjee came to the Assembly after she was stopped from proceeding to Singur by the police."Moitra should explain if the same rules can be applied for those who took part in the rampage of Assembly properties against her party colleagues," Sinha said.

Some stray retaliations could have taken place as the peaceful protesters were facing brutal police action, he said. However, it is also to be found out whether the arson was carried out by supporters of the BJP or the TMC, Sinha said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  U.S. inflation is showing signs of entering a more stubborn phase that will likely require drastic action by the Federal Reserve, a shift that has panicked financial markets and heightens the risks of a recession.

Some of the longtime drivers of higher inflation  spiking gas prices, supply chain snarls, soaring used-car prices  are fading. Yet underlying measures of inflation are actually worsening.

The ongoing evolution of the forces behind an inflation rate that's near a four-decade high has made it harder for the Fed to wrestle it under control. Prices are no longer rising because a few categories have skyrocketed in cost. Instead, inflation has now spread more widely through the economy, fueled by a strong job market that is boosting paychecks, forcing companies to raise prices to cover higher labor costs and giving more consumers the wherewithal to spend.

On Tuesday, the government said inflation ticked up 0.1% from July to August and 8.3% from a year ago, which was down from June's four-decade high of 9.1%

But excluding the volatile categories of food and energy, so-called core prices jumped by an unexpectedly sharp 0.6% from July to August, after a milder 0.3% rise the previous month. The Fed monitors core prices closely, and the latest figures heightened fears of an even more aggressive Fed and sent stocks plunging, with the Dow Jones collapsing more than 1,200 points.

The core price figures solidified worries that inflation has now spread into all corners of the economy.

One of the most remarkable things is how broad-based the price gains are, said Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank. "The underlying trend in inflation certainly has not shown any progress toward moderating so far. And that should be a worry to the Fed because the price gains have become increasingly demand-driven, and therefore likely to be more persistent.

Demand-driven inflation is one way to say that consumers, who account for nearly 70% of economic growth, keep spending, even if they resent having to pay more. In part, that is because of widespread income gains and in part because many Americans still have more savings than they did before the pandemic, after having postponed spending on vacations, entertainment, and restaurants.

When inflation is driven mainly by demand, it can require more drastic action from the Fed than when it's driven mainly by supply shocks, such as an oil supply disruption, which can often resolve on their own.

Economists fear that the only way for the Fed to slow robust consumer demand is to raise interest rates so high as to sharply increase unemployment and potentially cause a recession. Typically, as fear of layoffs rises, not only do the jobless reduce spending. So, too, do the many people who fear losing their jobs.

Some economists now think the Fed will have to raise its benchmark short-term rate much higher, to 4.5% or above, by early next year, more than previous estimates of 4%. (The Feds key rate is now in a range of 2.25% to 2.5%.) Higher rates from the Fed would, in turn, lead to higher costs for mortgages, auto loans and business loans.

The Fed is widely expected to raise its benchmark short-term rate by a substantial three-quarters of a point next week for a third consecutive time. Tuesday's inflation report even led some analysts to speculate that the central bank could announce a full percentage point hike. If it did, that would amount to the largest increase since the Fed began using short-term rates in the early 1990s to guide consumer and business borrowing.

Even though headline inflation barely rose last month, underlying inflation, which reflects broader economic trends, worsened. A measure that the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland uses to track median inflation, which essentially ignores categories with the biggest price swings, rose 0.7% in August. That was the biggest monthly increase since records began in 1983.

Higher prices have yet to cause much of what economists call demand destruction  a pullback in spending that could quell inflation. Though higher gas prices have caused Americans to drive less, there isn't much evidence of significant cutbacks elsewhere.

Restaurant prices, for example, jumped 0.9% in August and have risen 8% in the past year. But that hasn't noticeably discouraged people from going out. Restaurant traffic has surpassed pre-pandemic levels on Open Table, an app that tracks reservations, and was still increasing into September.

Overall, consumers have largely kept up their spending, even with rampant inflation, though perhaps through gritted teeth. In July, spending rose 0.2% after adjusting for higher prices.

The spread of inflation into services, such as rental costs and health care, largely reflects the impact of higher wages. Hospitals and doctors' offices have to pay more for nurses and other staff. And as more Americans find jobs or get raises, they're able to move out from family homes or split from roommates. Rental costs have increased 6.7% in the past year, the most since 1986.

Wages and salaries jumped 6.7% in August from a year earlier, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's wage tracker, the biggest increase in nearly 40 years. And Luzzetti noted that the same data shows a record wage premium for people who switch jobs, compared with those who stay put. That means employers are still offering big raises to try to fill jobs.

Economists had hoped that rising services prices would be offset by falling costs for goods such as new and used cars, furniture, and clothing, after those items spiked in the pandemic. As supply chain backups improved, a better flow of such goods were expected to bring prices down.

Yet so far, that hasn't happened.

Weve seen shipping costs come down, weve seen supply chain congestion ease a little bit, production has improved and inventories have risen, said Laura Rosner-Warburton, senior economist at MacroPolicy Perspectives. So all of that suggests some supply side improvement. And yet companies are still putting through large price increases for those goods, and thats problematic.

Such trends could renew the debate over how much corporations' ability to raise prices has been fueled by a lack of competition, a phenomenon referred to as greedflation. But most economists attribute the ability of companies to still charge more to consumers' willingness to pay.

It appears that retailers are now raising prices because they can, not because they have to. Consumer demand is still too strong, said Aneta Markowska, chief economist at Jefferies, an investment bank, in a research note.
New Delhi: Pakistan has formally written a letter to Afghanistan regarding the presence of Maulana Masood Azhar, the founding head of the banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in Afghanistan, clarifying that Azhar is likely to be in the Nangarhar and Kunhar areas of Afghan province. It also urged the Afghan authorities that the defunct JeM chief be found and reported to the Pakistani authorities and arrested, said an IANS report.

The development comes after Paris-based international watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has forced Islamabad to take action against some of the UN-designated terrorists, offering the possibility of getting it out from the grey list. The letter, written by Pakistan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, did not reveal more in this matter.

On May 1, 2019, the UN added Masood Azhar's name to the list of globally designated terrorists. Notably, the US had added JeM to the list of Foreign Terrorist Organisation in the wake of the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2008. India has repeatedly asked the UN Security Council to declare JeM and Masood Azhar as global terrorist organisations, but China has been vetoing it.

Also read: 'Never seen climate carnage on such scale': UN chief after visit to flood-hit Pakistan

Notably, Pakistan`s recent action on Lashkar e Taiba (LeT) operational commander Sajid Mir, which it kept on declaring dead until now, is due to the FATF`s persistent pressure on Pakistan, which has so far maintained that Azhar is not present in Pakistan and likely to be in Afghanistan.

Also read: Pakistan's economy continues to sink despite international support

Although Pakistan always claimed that he is not traceable, Azhar continues to publish articles on Pakistani social media networks exhorting JeM cadres to indulge in Jihad. The JeM chief also eulogized the Taliban takeover of Kabul, stating that this would open avenues for Muslim victories elsewhere, according to reports in the media.

(With ANI/IANS reports)
New Delhi: Ever since the teaser of Jjust Musics upcoming release 'Ishq Da Dariyaa' sung by Stebin Ben has been released, the audience were waiting for the release of this soulful romantic number. Now, Jjust music has finally launched the song and it is an absolute bliss to our ears that has just made a special place in our hearts.

As Jjust Musics highly anticipated song 'Ishq Da Dariyaa' has finally been released, it has brought all the romantic vibes that it promised in the teaser. While it showcased the story between actors Zaheer Iqbal & Sarah Anjuli as departing couple, this song encapsulates all the feeling that brings them back together. The song gives you major relationship goals with the love of your life. It is from Jackky Bhagnanis label and has been composed by Prem & Hardeep, and is directed & choreographed by Mudassar Khan.

While posting the same on their social media, Jjust Music releases the soulful song for the audience. They wrote - "Take a walk of love with #IshqDaDariyaa Full song out now. Link in bio!"

Moreover, speaking about her experience and feelings about the song, the lead actress Sarah shares, It was a really great experience shooting this music video and I loved working with the whole team. It is my second song with Jjust Music. Had done Aa Jaana with Jackky Bhagnani and even that was an fun experience. Ishq Da Dariyaa song is beautiful and Stebin Ben has an amazing voice so Im so happy to be a part of this song.

Meanwhile, Jjust Music made it to the headlines for the music video Mashooka starring Rakul Preet Singh in a bold avatar. The song turned out to be a huge success and was received well by the audience.
New Delhi: Actor Kartik Aaryan is riding high on the success of his last release Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 which is still making headlines. From its superhit title song setting records to Kartik announcing a comic book version of Rooh Baba - he has seen it all in a short span of time.

Recently at a media conclave, Kartik Aaryan revealed how Rooh Baba got into the world of comic books as he said, "If I talk about the recent success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, especially about the kids factor, I was the happiest when the team got a call from Diamond Comics that they wanted to create a comic character out of Rooh Baba and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 itself, taking all characters which is a big thing. So I mean, its all avenues, where this film and these characters are and people have liked them and viewed them multiple times, besides just me also (chuckles), so I am so happy about it."

While the host revealed that the only other superstar of our times to be immortalised in a comic book was Amitabh Bachchan, Kartik added talking about the same, Thats actually amazing, Thats quite cool! I mean he has had an adventurous journey and which is quite inspiring for all of us. I think comically, I would like to buy that comic (laughs)."

Meanwhile, Kartik Aaryan took the nation by storm with the recent announcement of his upcoming film Aashiqui 3. Apart from that the actor will also be seen in Freddy, Satyaprem Ki Katha, Shehzada, Captain India and Kabir Khan's untitled next.
New Delhi: French-Swiss film director Jean-Luc Godard, the godfather of France`s New Wave cinema, passed away at the age of 91, on Tuesday.

Bollywood celebs including Farhan Akhtar and Ranveer Singh extended their condolences on social media. Filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar took to his Instagram stories and dropped a black and white picture of Jean-Luc Godard along with a caption. He wrote, "A giant of world cinema left us today, RIP Jean-Luc Godard."

Here is the picture shared by Farhan Akhtar:

In the picture, the director was seen dressed in a suit. He was seen wearing pair of shades and a cigar in his mouth. Actor Ranveer Singh also shared a picture. News of his death was confirmed by French media on Tuesday morning. According to Fox News, Godard is regarded as a pivotal figure in the French New Wave movement. The movement, which differed from previous film styles, emphasised realism in storytelling while incorporating experimentation with editing techniques. Godard`s debut film, `A bout de souffle (Breathless)` established him as one of the world`s most vital and provocative directors, both in Europe and beyond.

Jean-Paul Belmondo rose to fame thanks to his films. When Pope John Paul II condemned Godard`s controversial modern nativity play "Hail Mary" in 1985, it made headlines. In 1963, Godard collaborated with iconic French actress Brigitte Bardot on the film Le Mepris (Contempt). According to Variety, Godard`s most ambitious project was his multipart video project "Histoire(s) du Cinema" (1988-1998), an iconoclastic and highly personal examination of the concept of cinema and its relationship to the twentieth century. His most recent films, "In Praise of Love" (2001) and "Notre musique" (2004), were critically acclaimed at the Cannes Film Festival. When his "Film Socialisme" screened in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2010, it elicited a more amused reaction; the highly experimental work ended with a title card reading "No Comment," a statement reflected in Godard`s conspicuous absence from the festival.

Godard, however, experienced a significant career resurgence at Cannes in 2014 with "Goodbye to Language," in which he experimented with the 3D format while providing "a characteristically vigorous, playful, mordant commentary on everything from the state of movies to the state of the world," as described by Variety`s Scott Foundas. It won the festival`s jury prize (shared with Xavier Dolan`s "Mommy") and later won the award for best film of the Godard and his partner, Swiss director Anne-Marie Mieville, collaborated closely for at least the last 30 years of his life.

Godard married Anna Karina, an actor who appeared in several of his films, in 1961. He married Anne Wiazemensky in 1965, following the divorce of the couple. Numerous filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, and Quentin Tarantino, were influenced by the legendary director.
New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is not only one of the biggest stars in the country and a loving father to his kids, but he is also a doting husband who, through his small gestures, tries to support his wife, either at work or in daily life.

Gauri Khan who is herself a big public figure now and also does projects related to interior designing took to her social media account to announce her new venture. she captioned it, "A project close to my heart. Hours of designing and giving a dream makeover. It's been quite a journey! Catch all the fun - #Kurlon Presents #DreamHomes a first of a kind show on interiors with @mirchiplus @bottomlinemedia & @ManishMalhotra05, @KabirKhankk, @MalaikaAroraofficial, @Jacquelinef143, @Farahkhankunder& @KatrinaKaif.. Coming soon only on @MirchiPlus App & Youtube Channel from 16th September 2022".

Here is the post shared by Gauri Khan:

Later Shah Rukh Khan shared the same video on his instagram handle to promote his wife venture and wrote, "@gaurikhan looking forward to seeing you host #DreamHomesWithGauriKhan !coming soon on @mirchiplus App & Youtube Channel from 16th September 2022".

Here is the post shared by the actor:

On the work front, the actor, who has been away from the big screen for close to 4 years now, will return to the big screen with the release of his much anticipated movie 'Pathaan'. The film, which also stars John Abrahim and Deepika Padukone, will be released on January 25th, 2023. Apart from this, the star will also be seen in Atlee's 'Jawaan' and Rajkumar Hirani's 'Dunki'.
New Delhi: Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez is likely to join the investigation on Wednesday in connection with the 200 crore extortion cum cheating case involving multimillionaire conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is under the investigation of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police.

The EOW had earlier postponed her questioning on her request and had fixed the matter for today. Pinky Irani, an associate of Fernandez has also been summoned to join the investigation and both are likely to be grilled together.

Sources in the unit said that they have prepared a long list of questionnaires which will be asked to the actress.

Jacqueline Fernandez arrives at EOW office in Delhi in connection with the conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar money Laundering case https://t.co/XFDrF8xDaB pic.twitter.com/qzkIfe9Tzh  ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2022

"We will ask her about her relationship with Chandrashekar and the gifts, money which she received from the conman. We might confront Irani and Fernandez," the source said.

There are possibilities that the questioning can go for two or three days. The questions that will be asked to Irani and Fernandez have been prepared by the top brass officials to nail the lies of Chandrashekhar.

Earlier in the first week of September, the EOW officials had recorded the testimony of another Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi in the matter.

Chandrashekhar was arrested for allegedly cheating and extorting money from some high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh`s wife Aditi Singh. Many Bollywood actors and models have been questioned by the Enforcement

Directorate for their alleged links to Chandrashekhar.

In April last year he was arrested in another money laundering case linked to the 2017 Election Commission bribery case, which allegedly involved a former AIADMK leader, among others.
New Delhi: The young star of the Hindi film industry, Kriti Sanon, started out as an outsider trying to make a name in the industry eight years ago, and today is among B-town's leading ladies, shining bright in her achievements. After a stupendous win at the awards, she finally took a vacation after years to celebrate the mega achievement.

A source close to the actress shared, "Kriti has been dreaming of this moment ever since she even thought of being an actor, so when she finally won Best Actress, she was ecstatic and literally planned a last minute vacation to celebrate the dream come true with her family and close ones."

The source adds, "Kriti has taken a vacation after a really long. She has been shooting non-stop for atleast four years without any holidays but after she won the award, she decided to just go for it."

The idea of a vacation might have come from the actress's mother, who had also recently penned an emotional note for her daughter, who had just won the Filmfare award in the Best Actress category. She wrote, "Distance could not stop us from sharing the happy moment of having another black lady in your hand, this time for the Filmfare best actress . Im so so happy and proud my girl. Surely many more of such glorious moments will come your way . lets celebrate this with the much needed vacation and family time in France kritisanon @nupursanon @rahulsanon".

Here is the post shared by actresses Mom:

Kriti's next film lineup holds great promise for maintaining her lucky streak after she demonstrated her acting prowess with a pivotal role in Mimi. Bhediya, Shehzada, Ganapath, and Adipurush are some of the most eagerly awaited movies in recent memory. Kriti will play a completely different character in a movie with Anurag Kashyap, which is also in the works for the star.
New Delhi: Ranveer Singh is one such actor who always manages to grab the limelight, no matter what! The actor recently went for the 10th edition of (South Indian International Movie Awards) SIIMA Awards which were held in Bengaluru. He also won the awards for Most Loved Hindi Actor at the award show. However, a video of him is currently going viral on social media where it seems that he got slapped by his own bodyguard.

When Ranveer Singh arrived at the SIIMA Awards, he got mobbed by his die-hard fans who just wanted to meet their favourite actor. As the crowd came near him, his bodyguards intervened to protect him. So, while managing the crowd, one of the bodyguards accidentally slapped Ranveer Singh. In the video that went viral, Ranveer Singh was seen holding his cheek in shock after he got slapped. However, the actor did not say anything to the bodyguard and kept calm.

Check out the video-

Ranveer Singh had gone to Bengaluru for SIIMA Awards and was seen recreating Allu Arjuns popular dialogue from Pushpa main jhukega nahi. The event was attended by several film personalities from South India including Kamal Haasan, Rana Daggubati, Pooja Hegde, Vijay Deverakonda, Yash, and Allu Arjun. The actor also thanked the film fraternity in the South for bestowing him with Most Loved Hindi Actor Award. Grateful to the South Indian Film Fraternity for this honour! Thank you for bestowing me with such high esteem! he captioned the post.

On the work front, Ranveer Singh was last seen in Yash Raj Films Jayeshbhai Jordaar. He will next be seen in Karan Johar directorial Rocky aur Rani ki Prem Kahani opposite Alia Bhatt. Apart from this, he is also working on Rohit Shettys Cirkus.
New Delhi: Actress Rashmika Mandannas performance in Pushpa made her an overnight sensation and since then her popularity has skyrocketed unlike anyone. Her songs Srivalli and Saami Saami have been at hype since the beginning and it seems that there is no end to it. Recently, the actress shared a video of her cute young fan dancing to her famous song Saami Saami from Pushpa: The Rise. Bowled over by the girls moves, Rashmika said the cutie had made her day, and added that she wanted to meet her.

In Pushpa: The Rise, directed by Sukumar, Rashmika played Srivalli, daughter of a milkman. Her character falls in love with Allu Arjuns Pushpa Raja character. Taking to social media, she writes Maaaaadddddeeeeee myyyyy daaaaaay. I want to meet this cutie. How can I?

Maaaaadddddeeeeee myyyyy daaaaaay.. I want to meet this cutie..

how can I? https://t.co/RxJXWzPlsK September 14, 2022

Meanwhile, Rashmika has been making headlines for her upcoming release Goodbye next to Amitabh Bachchan. Recently, the trailer of the film was released and the entire country came together to show appreciation for the star! Apart from that, Rashmika will soon commence work on the second part in the Pushpa franchise.

The film will see her reunite with Allu Arjun. The project will hit cinemas next year.
New Delhi: Garena Free Fire releases redeem codes on everyday basis. The 12-digit redeem code consists of alphabets and numbers. Players can get rewards such as skins for in-game weapons and characters to improve their gaming experience.

Garena Free fire is banned in India. However, if you are located outside India, you can access the reward codes and redeem them. For that you will be required to visit official Garena Free Fire reward site and log in to your Facebook, Google, Twitter IDs to access the Free Fire redemption page. (Also read: iPhone 12 gets massive price cut on Flipkart Big Saving Days Sale, offer details here)

Check out the Garena Free Fire Redeem Codes for September 14, 2022

BH56NJIU87YG

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FTDVBE4U27Y8

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UEQYTW6FR56W

631YTUIJUH7Y

GVHBISJU8D7Y

6GT75EFRG3HB

4JKLOIU89Y7F

TW3GVHR4JBEJ

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(Also read: Shocking! Ex-Amazon Web Services engineer hacked data of 10 crore customers)

How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, September 14, 2022

Step 1: Go to the official Garena Free Fire redemption portal



Step 2: Log in on the portal with either your Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Google, VK, or Huawei ID.



Step 3: Enter a redeem code in the designated text box.



Step 4: Click on the Ok button to get free rewards in your game account.

(Disclaimer: Garena Free fire is banned in India. Hence we advise people to adhere to government rules)
Released: September 13, 2022

Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor and District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer joined Attorney General Josh Shapiro on September 13 in Media to announce an historic $62.5M opioid settlement with pharmaceutical distributors.

The County will receive annual payments for 18 years in an average amount of $3.5M. The funds are the result of the combined legal actions taken by the County, State, and the District Attorney. The first two payments, totaling $7.36M, will be received in two portions, the first of which was received on August 31, 2022. The funding will be used to tackle the devastating opioid epidemic affecting Delaware County residents, their loved ones, and the community.

There is no amount of money that could ever account for the lives that opioids have taken and ruined, but we can use these settlement funds to educate residents with a focus on prevention and recovery and work to tackle the scourge of opioid abuse that has caused devastation in our community, said Dr. Taylor.

The settlement funds will support programs directly related to the impacts of opioid overuse and addiction. To ensure that the funds are used to combat the opioid crisis to the best of their ability, Delaware County has formed an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary Task Force to provide recommendations to County Council for short-term and immediate uses, as well as long-term programming that can be supported by the new funding.

The Task Force will coordinate with medical professionals on the Countys Board of Health and experts in the field of recovery to assess community needs and will work closely with the Countys Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer to address racial disparities surrounding opioid use. The Task Force will ensure that the funding is used to create and expand programs that will save lives and impact families across the county.

The County will also seek public input, review what neighboring counties are doing, and identify gaps in its approaches. Data collection and review will include adult death reviews, overlap with mental health, and non-fatal overdose reviews.

My office looks forward to working with County officials, treatment providers, and community stakeholders as we devise the best strategy for getting this funding to the places that will do the most good for the most people, said District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. Nothing can undo the harm the opioid industry has inflicted on families across our county. Countless lives have been lost, and families irreparably broken as a consequence of this relentless epidemic. The funding announced today will provide critical support for overdose prevention and for services for those suffering from opioid addiction.

The Task Force had its first meeting a week after the first portion of the settlement was received and will reassemble later in September before presenting its recommendations to County Council in October.

The funds come from the $26 billion global settlement with Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen, three major pharmaceutical distributors of opioids. Delaware County was the first county in the state to sue for damages against 11 major drug suppliers of opioids and their consulting physicians.

Today marks the day when the companies who fueled this crisis and peddled these narcotics for profit, pay up to the communities they targeted with resources to change the tide in battling this epidemic, said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. It is going to take the help of local leaders, who know best what this community needs, to invest these resources to yield the greatest impact and save lives. Our office will hold any company that targets our communities with poisons and puts profits above people accountable for the harm caused.

The funding from the settlement must be used to combat the opioid crisis and is restricted to certain remediation purposes such as Naloxone training and distribution for first responders, schools, community support groups and families, medication-assisted treatment, expansion of warm hand-off programs and recovery services, prevention programs and treatment for incarcerated populations.
New Delhi: WhatsApp has announced to begin working on a feature known as Search messages by date to allow users to jump messages archive on a specific date by tapping on a new calendar icon in the app. WhatsApp will soon roll out the new feature for people following by a beta test.

(ALSO READ: ICICI Bank launches exclusive luxury credit card 'Rubyx'; Check details here)

Announcing the new feature on its beta update blog WaBetaInfo, it said that WhatsApp has finally begun working on search for messages by date feature, which was abandoned two years ago. The company plans to launch the feature soon.

(ALSO READ: Twitter shareholders give THUMBS UP over Musk's $44 billion deal; Read here)

WhatsApp rolls out hide online status

WhatsApp has recently announced to launch new feature that allows hiding online status to some lucky beta testers. Once the feature is available for public, they can choose among various options to toggle their privacy setting.

Users just need to open WhatsApp settings> Account> Privacy and if you see Last seen and online, it means the feature is already available for your account. And if its availale, then you can choose the people that will see your last seen and online in your contact list.

However, WhatsApp hasnt mentioned when it will release the new feature for public. They have to wait longer and keep a tab on updates for it.
London: The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrived at Buckingham Palace from Edinburgh and will rest overnight in the Bow Room of the palace, the Royal Family said. "Her Majesty The Queen`s coffin has arrived at Buckingham Palace, where it will rest overnight in the Bow Room. Tomorrow the coffin will be borne in Procession on a Gun Carriage of The King`s Troop Royal Horse Artillery to the Palace of Westminster," The Royal Family wrote on Twitter.

The British queen breathed her last in Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8. Following a six-hour journey from Balmoral Castle to the Scottish capital on Sunday, her coffin arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. After it was taken from the palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral in a procession on Monday, the queen`s coffin was at rest in a Church in Edinburgh for people to pay their last respects to the queen.

It was flanked by the Bearer Party from the Royal Regiment of Scotland and escorted by the King`s Body Guard for Scotland and the Queen`s children at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The Queen`s children on Tuesday held a Vigil beside her coffin in St Giles` Cathedral church.

"The people of Scotland bid their final farewells to Her Majesty The Queen as her coffin travels from Edinburgh to Buckingham Palace," the Royal Family said.

The death of the 96-year-old Queen ended a generation-spanning, seven-decade reign that made her a beacon of stability in a tumultuous world. The UK has entered a period of official mourning, with tributes pouring in worldwide.

King Charles-III was proclaimed as the new monarch of England on Saturday after his mother Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8. Moreover, the national anthem of Britain will now again shift back to "God Save the King" as the British Queen is now no more.

The UK authorities had devised Operation London Bridge to manage events during the first 10 days between the Queen`s death and the funeral and had thought of Operation Unicorn in case the queen died in Scotland. As per the documents seen by The Politico, Thursday was declared as "D-Day" and each following day leading up to the funeral will now be referred to as "D+1," "D+2" till the tenth of the Queen`s death.

Ten days after Queen`s death, the newly appointed UK Prime Minister Liz Truss will be the first member of the government to make a statement.

Aside from the statement from the PM and other members of the government, gun salutes will be arranged at all saluting stations. Subsequently, Truss will hold an audience with the new king, and King Charles will deliver a broadcast to the nation.

The state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey on September 19 and there will be a committal service in St. George`s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Thereafter, Queen Elizabeth II will be buried in the castle`s King George VI Memorial Chapel.

The Queen was born on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York - who later became King George VI - and Queen Elizabeth.
Washington: Russia has covertly spent more than $300 million since 2014 to try to influence politicians and other officials in more than two dozen countries, the State Department alleges in a newly released cable. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who signed the cable released Tuesday, cites a new intelligence assessment of Russia's global covert efforts to support policies and parties sympathetic to Moscow. The cable does not name specific Russian targets but says the US is providing classified information to select individual countries.

It's the latest effort by the Biden administration to declassify intelligence about Moscow's military and political aims, dating back to ultimately correct assessments that Russia would launch a new war against Ukraine. Many of President Joe Biden's top national security officials have extensive experience countering Moscow and served in government when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a wide-ranging campaign to influence the 2016 and 2020 US Presidential elections.

A senior administration official declined to say how much money Russia is believed to have spent in Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his top deputies have long accused Putin of meddling in domestic politics.

Also read: Russian troops retreating? Ukraine Army piles unrelenting pressure after territorial gains

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under rules set by the administration, rejected comparisons between Russia's activities and US Financing of media and political initiatives around the world. Putin was spending huge sums to "manipulate democracies from the inside," the official said.

Also read: Ukrainian forces reclaim about 6,000 sq km of Russian-held territory in south and east Ukraine

The State Department took the unusual step of releasing a diplomatic cable that was sent on Monday to many US Embassies and consulates abroad, many of them in Europe, Africa and South Asia, laying out the concerns. The cable, which was marked "sensitive" and not intended for foreign audiences but was not classified, contained a series of talking points that US Diplomats were instructed to raise with their host governments regarding alleged Russian interference.
Samarkand: The Shanghai cooperation organization or SCO summit in Uzbekistan's cultural capital Samarkand will be the first time both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be under the same roof since the Galwan incident, but suspense remains if they will meet. While as of now, there is no confirmation over any meeting between Indian and the Chinese leadership at the Samarkand SCO summit, any meeting will be significant given how ties have been faring, but a breakthrough looks less likely.

The Galwan incident of 2020 saw Chinese aggressive action at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh that led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers.

China, after much delay, accepted that it lost 4 of its soldiers, a claim that remains doubtful given Beijing's track record on transparency. While disengagement has taken place in areas like hot springs, and Gogra, China continues to violate the 1993 and 1996 pacts as it amasses troops at the border areas.

From Delhi, the message has been clear as External affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar has several times said that ties have been going through a "difficult phase". Last month, EAM said, "much of the future of Asia depends on how relations between India and China develop in the foreseeable future.

For ties to return to a positive trajectory and remain sustainable, they must be based on the three mutuals: mutual sensitivity, mutual respect, and mutual interest", adding, "their current status is, of course, well known to all of you. I can only reiterate that the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship".

Also Read: Samarkand, Uzbekistans cultural capital, all set to host its fourth SCO summit

Since the Galwan incident, India has banned several Chinese apps in the country, increased scrutiny on Chinese investment and increased infrastructure development at the border. But a week before the Samarkand SCO summit, India and China announced disengagement at Gogra-Hotsprings PP15 at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

In a brief joint statement, the 2 sides confirmed the process started and was an outcome of the 16th round of the India China Corps Commander Level Meeting that took place in July.

Remember, something similar happened in 2017, when ahead of the China BRICS summit, disengagement on Doklam was agreed upon. Before the covid pandemic, both leaders met several times. In 2019, both leaders met 4 times.

Both met on the sidelines of the SCO Leaders Summit in Bishkek, which was their first meeting after the re-election of Prime Minister Modi, on the sidelines of the 14th G-20 Summit in Osaka and at the 11th BRICS Summit in Brasilia on 13 November 2019.

Additionally, they also met for the famous Second Informal Summit in Tamil Nadu's Mamallapuram with China's Xi visiting India. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi visited China in September 2016 to participate in the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, in September 2017 to participate in the BRICS Summit in Xiamen, and in June 2018 to attend the SCO Summit in Qingdao.

President Xi visited India in October 2016 to participate in the BRICS Summit in Goa and his famous visit to PM Modi's home state of Gujarat in 2014.

The Russian President has confirmed that he will be meeting China's Xi in Uzbekistan. What is interesting to be noted is that this is the first foreign visit of the Chinese President since the COVID pandemic's outbreak. His last visit abroad was to Myanmar in January of 2020 and the world since then has changed dramatically.
Moscow: The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will discuss the Ukraine war and other "current international problems" at this week`s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. In a statement on Tuesday, Kremlin foreign policy spokesman Yury Ushakov said: "Bearing in mind the specifics of the current international situation, this meeting, naturally, has special importance... The leaders are planned to discuss both the bilateral agenda and key regional and international topics."

According to Ushakov, the meeting between Xi and Putin is a "long-awaited personal contact", the second one throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, reports TASS News Agency.

The first personal meeting between the two leaders took place in Beijing when Putin attended the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games in February this year.

The spokesman anticipated that Putin and Xi "will give a positive assessment to the unprecedented high level of the trust-based bilateral strategic partnership" between Russia and China.

Also on the agenda are SCO`s activities and its role in international affairs and among bilateral topics, Ushakov cited the development of trade and economic cooperation.

"In the current difficult situation, amid the Western sanctions, this cooperation is demonstrating sustainability and continues to develop and gain momentum," TASS News Agency quoted Ushakov as saying.

On the sidelines of the summit, which will run from Thursday to Friday, Putin is also scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

According to Ushakov, Putin and Modi will discuss Russian-Indian cooperation within the UN and G20. "A conversation on the international agenda with Modi will also take place, the sides will discuss issues of strategic stability, the situation in the Asia Pacific Region, and, of course, cooperation within major multilateral formats, such as the UN, the G20 and the SCO," the spokesman said. "This is particularly important, because India will preside in the UN Security Council in December, and, in 2023, India will lead the SCO and will also chair the G20."

The SCO Summit will be Xi`s first foreign visit after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. The last time he left China was in January 2020 when he visited Myanmar, just days before the first lockdown came into effect in Wuhan, the BBC reported. He has remained in China since then, leaving the mainland only once in July this year to visit Hong Kong.
What do you get when you cross a heavy metal concert with Shakespeare?

A whole lot of studs, leather and battle scenes scored with power metal, according to the director of "Wars of the Roses," Rachel Kohler. The play, scheduled for the Majestic Theatre stage this weekend and next, is an alternative take on the classic "Henry VI" Shakespeare plays.

If Shakespeare were a spoken-word rock opera, this would be it, Kohler said.

Shakespeare rocks on

Flashing lights, sequins and electric guitar. Its meant to feel like a rock concert.

Sword fights are five times as awesome when theres heavy metal playing, Kohler said while lacing a corset for the production.

Theres even a local guitarist shredding on stage for the fight scenes and transitions. But it isnt a musical. The production is a scored play. Iron Maiden and power metal bands such as Dragonforce and Gamma Ray were some of the inspirations behind the sound.

The story takes place in 15th-century England as noble families vie for Henry V of House Lancasters throne. Amid a crumbling empire, Henry V struggles to keep hold of his crown as a civil war breaks out, and his queen, Margaret of Anjou, schemes against him.

Everyone must take a side, Lancaster or York, the red or the white rose.

The result looks like something in between "Game of Thrones" and "Final Fantasy"  but more family-friendly, like a Marvel movie, Kohler said.

Even though there are some modern aesthetic elements, the play stays true to Shakespearean text. Adapting 7 hours of source material to a 2-hour show was no small feat. It was a nine-month process.

The play comes from an adaptation of three Shakespeare plays: parts 1, 2 and 3 of "Henry VI." The stories span over 30 years, and Kohler had to do quite a bit of trimming. The result is fast-paced, full of fighting and political intrigue, she said.

With two master's degrees in Shakespearean studies, Kohler has a special interest in historical plays by Shakespeare. Also a metal head, she relished the opportunity to put a new look on an old story, one she says wouldnt be possible without the storytelling power of costumes.

Leather and lace

For the past two months, Annie Tuttle has been surrounded by a room full of leather, punked-out spikes and bolts of taffeta and metallic fabrics as she crafts costumes for the "Wars of the Roses" production.

The costume shop is pure chaos, Tuttle said, remarking at the plastic totes stacked head-high, full of petticoats, gloves, stockings and mens shirts.

The ceiling is low and unpainted, and the room has marginal light. Racks full of costumes line the wall with shelves of 100-plus pairs of shoes in every style. A mannequin bust with a vest sits in the middle of the room with boxes full of thread and measuring tape, and Tuttle feels the clock ticking toward opening night.

She is an experienced seamstress but has never worked on a production of this size. She had worked only on a middle-school production of "The Lion King" before this.

Entering the costume shop for the first time is overwhelming, she said. They didnt have a sewing machine at first, or even a good pair of fabric scissors, she added.

Some days, she felt a little over her head. But looking at the 50 costumes shes put together, she is proud of the end result.

I have complete freedom with my designs, she said.

Tuttle took inspiration from "Final Fantasy," historical portraits and even David Bowie. But, she said, the most influential inspiration for the designs was collaborating with the actors themselves.

What you wear is an extension of your personality, she said. And an actor knows their character better than anyone else.

Tuttle enjoyed listening to the actors' visions and making them a reality. The result is a unique style for a range of characters. The French court wears very bright, sophisticated fabrics gobs of taffeta, she said, while some of the darker, more complicated characters are adorned in spikes and fishnets.

Costume is another tool for storytelling, she said. Just like makeup and hair, it helps shape a character. Costumes move and interact with the light, and set and help tell a story.

It feels like a little bit of magic when it comes together, Tuttle said.

From Sept. 16 through 25, the stage of the Majestic Theater will be home to unfit rulers, scheming queens and bloody battles for the throne. Tickets range from $11 to $21 and are available at the Majestic's website.

Editor's note: This article has been edited to correct a name in the caption
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Greek Environment and Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas will visit Baku in the coming days as part of strengthening contacts and ensuring the country's energy security, Azernews reports.

During the visit, the Greek minister will hold meetings with Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov. They already met in July in Alexandroupolis during the opening of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector (IGB), the guest will also have a meeting at SOCAR.

To recall, the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline, which is on track for commercial launch on October 1, is in the final stage of completion, and administrative procedures for granting an operational licence, and Right of Use acts are ongoing in both countries.

The IGB gas pipeline is designed to connect with the Greek national gas transmission system (DESFA S.A.) and the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP AG) in the area of Komotini (Greece), and with the Bulgarian gas transmission system (Bulgartransgaz EAD) in the area of Stara Zagora. The total length of the gas pipeline is 182 km, and the diameter of the pipe is 32'' with a design capacity of up to 3 billion m3/year in the direction of Greece and Bulgaria.

The pipeline is designed to increase its capacity up to 5 bcm/y depending on market interest and the capacities of neighboring gas transmission systems.

The opening ceremony of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria was held in Komotini on July 8.

To recall, with the completion of the TAP (Trans-Adriatic Pipeline) construction on December 31, 2020, Azerbaijan began commercial gas supplies to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor. Last year, TAP transported 8.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe. Of the total amount of transported gas, over 6.8 billion cubic meters reached Italy and approximately 1.2 billion cubic meters were delivered to Greece and Bulgaria.

Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Greece were established in 1992. The embassy of Azerbaijan in the Hellenic Republic has been operating since April 2004, while the embassy of the Hellenic Republic in Azerbaijan was established in May 1993. In total, around twenty-four documents were signed between the two countries. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $435.7 million in 2021.
A Philomath council member hoping to update the community about ongoing issues with a housing development didnt get her chance Monday night.

Construction stalled in the partially-built Millpond Crossing development after methane gas was discovered on the property, prompting the state to warn residents to forgo power tools, fire pits and barbecues  anything that could spark an explosion.

Councilor Catherine Biscoe was slated to talk about Millpond Crossing at the Sept. 12 Philomath City Council meeting. Although her report was included in the meetings materials, she wasnt given time to speak. The development was also the focus of numerous comments from the public at the meeting.

Biscoe asked for a small amount of time on the agenda to provide a summary of concerns, she said in an email. She was added to the agenda under council reports, which she said dont often get enough time during meetings, despite being a crucial time for community information sharing.

My report was to summarize a growing list of concerns with the Millpond Crossing development, so the full council could be made aware to best respond with urgency to the homeowners to address health, safety and procedural concerns, Biscoe said in the email.

Her report only scratches the surface of mounting problems at Millpond Crossing, she said, noting that would appear to include suppressing critical safety and health information as well as procedural irregularities that potentially leave the city at risk.

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Recent reports of possible groundwater contamination and hydrogen sulfide readings surpassing site-specific action levels are clearly documented in a June report from PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc., Biscoe said, adding there are potential implications for the county as well.

Its been an ongoing struggle getting updates on Millpond Crossing, according to Biscoe, who said being informed earlier could have prevented some harm to property owners.

It is disappointing that even a most basic summary of my report contents was not given priority last night by the mayor, city manager and perhaps others, she said via email. This means that the most basic of facts and depth of concerns at this site remain silenced in the public space.

Mayor Chas Jones did not respond to a request for comment.

Lawyer: Take it behind closed doors

At the start of the meeting, City Attorney Jim Brewer called attention to Biscoes report and suggested an executive session on the matter for the Sept. 26 meeting.

Brewer said litigation is likely to be filed and the citys role in that is not yet clear. He added that more than one closed session on the topic may be necessary.

My professional opinion is that we need to have a frank and forthright conversation, Brewer said.

Biscoe said via email there wasnt any privileged information in her report to prevent a brief conversation. Not having the discussion sent a clear message to Millpond residents and others who have been calling for local government accountability, she said.

While Biscoe supports the need for an executive session to more fully explore the issues at Millpond Crossing, she is cautious of closed-door discussions that would keep the community from hearing publicly-relevant information.

Biscoes report includes concerns about procedural irregularities as well as issues of safety, health and financial protections for the homeowners in Millpond Crossing. She said the concerns are high priorities for Millpond homeowners.

In general, the Millpond Crossing development appears to have progressed in numerous areas without following DEQ guidance and building best practices resulting in both environmental and procedural concerns for the homeowners and the public, she wrote.

Contamination source

The Millpond name is a nod to its past as a sawmill with two large log ponds and a refueling station. The development sits at the corner of Chapel Drive and South 15th Street. Sixty modestly-priced, single-family homes were built before the city halted construction.

Meanwhile, the developer has requested and received permission to alter the project, increasing the total units to as many as 212, moving some homes and allowing some townhomes. Hes also sued his consultant who was originally hired to assess the environmental challenges the site posed.

Developer Levi Miller of Pierce County, Washington and his company MPC Builders LLC bought the property in February 2018 and finalized the sale in September that year.

Because Millers environmental consultant had identified some contamination  methane gas not being one of them  Miller volunteered in October 2018 to clean up the site under a program the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality offers to elicit cooperation with property owners.

Everything changed when the DEQ, in overseeing those efforts, required Miller to look for methane gas specifically. June 2020 and April 2021 sampling at the property found methane in shallow soil in several places, according to the DEQ.

The former mill site operated under various names between 1955 and 1998, according to DEQ documents which state the log ponds were filled with wood waste, construction debris and other hazardous substances in the 80s. A court document adds old oil filters, batteries, waste oils and plastics to the ponds contents.

Decaying wood debris can generate methane gas. Methane is flammable and in confined spaces can cause explosions or displace oxygen. No methane has been found in or under any homes, according to the developer.

But methane is not the only hazard on site. Hired by Miller, Washington-based Aerotech Environmental Consulting Inc. found contaminants in the area of the filled log ponds, including diesel and oil, in May 2018. It also found such metals as arsenic, barium, chromium, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium and silver.

Philomath City Manager Chris Workman previously said the city needs to see the developer meet a number of conditions before advancing to the next phase of work. The developer also continues to work with DEQ on investigating and mitigating contaminants.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and her three West Coast colleagues reflected during a conference this week on how they are coping with the reality of climate change and what they are doing to reduce the greenhouse gas pollutants that are intensifying heat waves, rain and ice storms, wildfires and floods.

Oregon, Washington, California and the Canadian province of British Columbia share similar goals of reducing those emissions to net zero by 2050.

"Climate change is something we no longer are trying to avert. It is actually here," Brown said during a closing discussion Tuesday at the Cascadia Innovation Corridor conference in Blaine, Washington. "Our strategies are going to have to evolve into adaptation and mitigation."

Conference attendees heard about specific ways those strategies are being carried out.

Brown was joined by John Horgan, the premier of British Columbia  both are leaving office soon  Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governors are Democrats, Horgan leads the province's New Democratic Party, and all have backed measures to deal with climate change.

The session was virtual. Inslee spoke from Finland, the others from their home states or province.

Though Canada's national climate change policies are ahead of the United States  there is still no federal standard for renewable sources of energy  all three governors praised recent congressional passage of legislation that provides billions in incentives over a decade for carbon-free energy and other climate-change measures.

"Getting the federal government to come up with $360 billion to help us, finally, is an incredible achievement given where we were," Inslee said. "We're always going to be ahead of Washington, D.C., and that's a good thing. But now we're going to have some capital to help our states accelerate our efforts."

Brown comments

Brown said one constant in all her efforts during eight years as governor has been "environmental justice," to make sure that the burdens do not fall disproportionately on people of color, low-income households or rural residents. While Gov. Barbara Roberts set up the first such state advisory panel 30 years ago, Brown got the Legislature to create a permanent Environmental Justice Council this year.

"It is so essential that we center these voices  so that this work can continue after my term ends," Brown said.

Oregon also provides for a $5,000 rebate for low- and moderate-income households, on top of the $2,500 rebate available for all buyers, for a new or used electric vehicle.

Brown also spoke about the short- and long-term measures recommended by the Governor's Wildfire Council in 2019  and finally passed by the Legislature in 2021  to mitigate the risk of wildfires, such as the 2020 Labor Day blazes that burned 1 million acres, destroyed 4,000 homes and resulted in nine deaths.

"We've already seen how we can pre-position assets and make sure our communities are better prepared," she said, by updating firefighting techniques, providing for clean-air shelters and making sure there is defensible space around homes and other buildings.

"I hope we have laid the foundation for healthier landscapes" through forest thinning and prescribed burning to reduce potential fuel buildups in forests, Brown said.

Brown's staff also mediated an accord between the timber industry and environmental advocates, signed in 2021 and written into law this year, that resolves a four-decade-old dispute over Oregon's 10 million acres of privately owned forest lands. The law sets up a process for a new habitat conservation plan.

Though Brown did not mention them, an executive order she issued in March 2020  after Republican walkouts in 2019 and 2020 thwarted legislative action on climate change  led to a state plan to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions 90% from 2017-19 levels by 2050. She also signed 2021 legislation that requires Oregon's two largest private utilities to generate 100% carbon-free power by 2040.

California leads

Oregon also is considering following Washington, California and British Columbia in barring sales of new gasoline-powered cars after 2035.

California has led the way toward lower-emission vehicles since 1967, when it created a state Air Resources Board and a federal law allowed it to set stricter pollution standards than for the rest of the nation. Oregon and 15 other states also follow those standards, which President Donald Trump tried to abandon, but the current Environmental Protection Agency chose to continue late last year.

"There is nothing more profound or significant than what California is doing," said Newsom, who fought Trump's repeal efforts.

Transportation is still the largest sector generating greenhouse gases, especially in California. Newsom said that accounts for his push for electric cars.

"If we are going to get serious about reducing greenhouse gases, we have to get serious about decarbonizing the transportation sector," he said. "We can dominate the next big global industry. This is not about electric power. It's about economic power."

Newsom is favored to win a second term Nov. 8 after his strong showing in turning back a Republican-led recall effort last year.

California is not usually considered part of the Cascadia Innovation Corridor, a Pacific Northwest public-private effort to better integrate economies, transportation and communities from British Columbia to Oregon. But its output of goods and services makes it the world's fifth largest economy, and its 39 million people  combined with the 17 million in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia  gives the mega-region the potential to become the first self-sustaining of its kind.

Newsom and Premier Horgan said opposing political parties have given their support to such efforts  a Republican governor, Ronald Reagan, signed the state air pollution law in 1967  and Horgan said climate change is less contentious in British Columbia than it was 10 or 15 years ago.

"The public and the planet will not thank us for trying to score political points. They will thank us for leadership," Horgan said.

"The only way forward is to put aside the national and subnational boundaries that separate us and go to the values that unite us. We are fortunate that the deniers are diminishing by the day because of the evidence that is in front of us."

Inslee's views

Inslee said Washington has made progress on climate change largely without Republican support.

"We need two parties, but we don't have that right now," he said. "We need two parties pulling this wagon, not one."

Inslee, who has been governor 10 years, said what could change that view is the sheer number of jobs being created in clean energy. A presenter at an earlier session of the conference said the United States now has 3.2 million related jobs  505,000 in California, 77,000 in Washington and 54,000 in Oregon  and the total grew by 5% in 2021.

"The No. 1 economies today are on the West Coast of the United States and in British Columbia," Inslee said. "One of the reasons is that we are growing jobs like crazy in the clean-energy, high-tech innovative economy. We have shown this is not hypothetical. People want jobs, and we are delivering jobs."

Inslee said he is still an optimist despite pushback from climate-change deniers.

"We know we are going to have suffering for decades because we've had climate-change deniers who have retarded this effort for decades," he said. "But ultimately, I cannot believe that evolution can produce a human mind that would consciously be responsible for its own destruction. I do not believe we are bound for that destiny."
Eight children from Lourdes Public Charter School in Scio and their parents shared concerns regarding a potential mega chicken farm in their area with the Linn County Board of Commissioners during Tuesdays meeting.

The 38-acre factory chicken farm will raise 4.5 million chickens per year. If approved, it will be located a half-mile from the elementary school and Lourdes Catholic Church.

Foster Farms, one of the nation's largest chicken processors, plans to build three big chicken farms around the mid-Willamette Valley: one on Jefferson-Scio Drive in Scio, one on Thomas Drive in Scio and one in Aumsville.

The community wants the commissioners to put a stop to it.

I would not want to live where I live anymore if there was a mega farm, said one parent, Jill Poverud. I would move. We just implore you to stop this from happening in our community.

Other speakers referred to the mega farm as a huge injustice to the area, voicing concerns about the potential long-term health impacts of living within such close proximity to millions of dying animals and their manure.

Prior to the meeting, the children had prepared letters to the commissioners, expressing their fears; they distributed them Tuesday morning.

While the commissioners said they agreed with the speakers message, they said there is not much they can do at the county level.

It wouldn't even get to a lawsuit before the Land Use Board of Appeals came back to us and said, You can't do that, Commissioner Sherrie Sprenger said. So you would be in the same place. That's not the hill that I'm going to climb to win this battle for you. It doesnt make sense.

Instead, Sprenger said she is attending local meetings and advising people on what to advocate and who to advocate with on these issues. The best avenue, she told them, is to wait until the Legislature is back in session and present them with facts about what is occurring and why its a problem.

Commissioner Roger Nyquist, who was not present at Tuesdays meeting, sits on the statewide group that looks at confined animal feeding rules and other issues related to the topic.

Commissioner Will Tucker explained Oregons Right-to-Farm Law, which protects growers from court decisions based on noises, smells, dust and other nuisances. It also limits local governments from declaring farms to be nuisances or trespasses.

So, what does that all mean? The countys hands are seemingly tied.

I cant not follow the law, Tucker said. We get spanked when we try to bend it slightly.

One community member, however, didnt want to hear it. Art Papathanasopoulos attended the meeting with his wife and son, and he challenged the commissioners stance of not being able to do anything.

It is a huge expectation that you will do whatever it takes to make sure that this school, which has seen thousands of young people go to college, survives, he said. If you're going to get a spanking, get the spanking and make sure this operation does not happen.

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Tucker said he would be happy to write to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Agriculture and Oregon Health Authority asking them to review medical research on airborne pollutants. He said the county can make sure the farm building is structurally sound, but other than that, they dont have a say in land use approval.

Im not willing to spend county money to fight a losing battle, Tucker said. We are trying to play a role in this future, but today, I cant stop it.
Denver Enterprise Reporter

A 40-year Colorado news veteran, Carol McKinley started in radio, and traveled the world as a network TV correspondent/producer. In 2021, she decided to return to local news. A Baghdad alum, she has 4 grown children and lives with her husband and her mom.
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By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have discussed prospects for expanding cooperation, Azernews reports.

The discussion took place during a meeting between CBA Chairman Taleh Kazimov and EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso.

"Today we shared opinions with the delegation headed by Ms. Odile Renaud-Basso (@OdileRenaud), EBRD (@EBRD) President on prospects for expansion of cooperation between the Central Bank and the EBRD," Taleh Kazimov wrote on his official Twitter page.

Established in 1991, the EBRD invests in projects that contribute to transitioning to the open market economy, as well as the development of private and business activities.

The bank is a leading investor in Azerbaijan. To date, the EBRD has invested over 3 billion ($3.5bn) in 181 projects in Azerbaijans economy.

The country has been cooperating with EBRD since 1992 to achieve further economic development. One of the main priorities of the EBRD in Azerbaijan is to support the local corporate sector with direct financing. The EBRD continues to pursue investments in energy projects, especially where there is a gap to improve efficiency and energy security.

Azerbaijan is the largest recipient of the EBRD funds in the Caucasus, as well as one of the largest recipients of this organizations funds in the CIS and Eastern Europe.
Vedanta Limited, an Indian multinational mining company headquartered in Mumbai, and Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn have announced a $19.5 billion agreement to build what will be one of the first chipmaking factories in India.

In fact Vedanta is the third company to announce plans to build a chip plant in India, partly as a result of an Indian government drive to boost chip manufacturing in the country; this includes last years $10 billion package to attract investors.

Reuters says Foxconn is acting as the technical partner, while Vedanta is financing the project as it looks to diversify into chip manufacturing. The facility, which will be built in Prime Minister Modi's home state of Gujarat, has also been promised incentives. Reuters has suggested it has obtained subsidies on capital expenditure and electricity from Gujarat.

The site has yet to be chosen; some 400 acres of land will be required. The factory is expected to be built close to Gujarat's capital, Ahmedabad.

The state is holding elections in December and the promise of 100,000 jobs created by the project may boost the ruling partys chances. However, real jobs may still be some way off; according to the memorandum of understanding, the facility is expected to start manufacturing chips within two years.

As the BBC points out, India has vowed to spend $30 billion to overhaul its tech industry. There will most likely be more incentives as India tries to become less reliant on chip producers in places like Taiwan, the US and China.

Its been a busy week for Vedanta in terms of announcements. Along with the Foxconn deal Vedanta has said it is looking at creating a hub to manufacture iPhones and TV equipment. It may also move into the electric vehicle sector. The hub is likely to be built in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.
State-owned operator DataCo suffered massive service disruption as eastern Papua New Guinea was hit by a powerful earthquake.

DataCo reported multiple breakages in subsea cables ranging between 17km to 170km outside the town of Madang, the capital of Madang province with a population of over 27,000.

The damaged cables were international cable PPC 1, KSCN System 1 which connects to Momase and New Guinea Islands region, and KSCN System 2 a connection between Madang and the capital Port Moresby.

The company said customers in those regions and locations that connect through Madang saw disruption to normal services.

No timeline was provided to get services back online, engineers have been sent to restore the damaged cables.

The company stated: DataCo would like to thank our customers for your patience and understanding during this natural disaster and difficult times.

Reuters reported, that Papua New Guinea was hit by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake which killed four people. Earthquakes are common in Papa New Guinea as the country is located on the Pacific Oceans Ring of Fire, where two tectonic plates collide.
Hoa, wife of the ill-fated An Phu karaoke parlor owner, says an adequate fire prevention system was in place. People refusing to leave, and "bad luck" resulted in the tragedy.

Three days after tragedy struck on September 6, killing 32 people at the parlor in the southern Binh Duong Province, Hoa talked to VnExpress right next to the scene of the fire, but refused to be photographed.

This is an excerpt of the interview.

Q: As a party involved in the fire, what were the thoughts running through your mind over the last few days?

A: My colleagues working here already called customers to get out, but they did not and this led to deaths. I think that the dead stay dead and so we will not blame them, but the consequences are too severe.

I run the karaoke business in a sustainable way. Those who run the business unsustainably would not have built such a big parlor. If you build it small, you will gain back the initial investment in 6-7 years. If you build it big, you never know when you can gain back that initial investment.

I opened the parlor so that there would be a place for people to receive guests. For example, men, real estate agents, don't they have sessions when they have to meet customers? Will they go sign contracts without inviting people to go out and sing? Our criteria for opening the parlor were elegance, cleanliness, safety, where everyone wants to come.

It is normal for people doing business to call for a woman to pour their beers. They want to prove that they are elegant, wealthy and capable of hiring someone else to pour beers for them. If you can not, you pour your beers yourself. There is a difference between a man who can hire someone to pour their beers and a man who can not. People often say things about karaoke parlors, but each person has their own opinions, and I can not blame them.

Initial investigations by the police suggest that the fire was caused by a short circuit. Why didnt the circuit breaker interrupt the circuit when there was a fire on the second floor, instead allowing customers on the third floor continue to sing?

A: I don't know. The police have not done a full investigation. I hope there would be (clear) results. But what makes you so sure that the customers who stayed sang? Moreover, the parlor's circuit breaker system is installed for each floor, so if the fire was on the second floor, electricity would still be on in the third floor.

In the past, whenever there was a problem, the circuit breaker of the parlor would interrupt the circuit automatically. In this case, when the circuit breaker on the third floor was not interrupted, it meant the fire had not spread to the third floor yet. However, I do not know where the fire was at. But according to witnesses, when they called everyone to get out, there was still electricity on the third floor.

I heard the manager and staff say that they had already told customers to get out, but they did not and kept sitting in place. There was an employee who went into room 305 and asked a customer to get out, but they did not listen. They even said "There's air in here and it's too suffocating out there. Not going."

The employee ran downstairs and survived. Those who ran downstairs lived, those who ran up the roof terrace lived; only those who stayed inside the rooms died.

There are still too many issues that have not been clarified, including questions about the parlors fire prevention system. What would you say to this?

That day, a brother of mine said the parlor was on fire. At that time, I thought that it was just a small fire. We do all our fire prevention work properly, what's there to be afraid of?

The parlor has been in business since 2015-2016, and we are organized when it comes to fire prevention. At that time, there was a fire in Hanoi (another karaoke parlor fire which claimed 13 lives), so I was scared and did things with the stairs and the fire prevention systems. I did these of my own volition; if something happens it will affect me, so I always think of ways to do things that benefit all parties.

I equipped each floor with a long water hose, with a diameter of four cm, that can be dragged inside each room for daily cleaning. Customers often urinate in the restrooms inside and the rooms stink.

The hoses are installed with the water distribution system, so if there's a fire on a floor, all one has to do is to turn on the water and point the hose. But that night, our employees were not able to go up and pull the hoses out. The smoke kept getting in, and when someone ran upstairs it was already full of fumes. It must have been due to the decorations and soundproof materials burning. If you want the parlor to be soundproof, without noise leaking out, the walls must be thick.

So youre confident about the parlors fire prevention system?

Yes. Ive done everything, but when a mishap happens, that's bad luck and against our will. If the fire already got too big before someone noticed it, how can people run? How can employees get to the water hoses?

People have asked me why I did not make emergency staircases outside. But when I built this parlor, I already made two stairs and two emergency exits on the ground floor. It is very roomy. If I built more outside, I would have had three stairs and no land left. How would I build it then?

The parlor has many windows that were blocked with bricks, making escape, rescue and ventilation difficult. Why?

We had made the windows so it would allow more ventilation, but later, we were afraid that customers would get drunk and jump outside or do something bad, so we covered them up.

A karaoke parlor must look beautiful. It would be weird to install metal bars and windows can also be ugly. Nobody does that. We only make windows where there's a restroom because it can get smelly.

Blocked windows at An Phu karaoke parlor, September 7, 2022. Photo by VnExpress

Since the day of the accident, have you and your husband met with victims relatives and learned more about them?

We are cooperating with the investigation now, so we could only send relatives to offer condolences. For now, we have supported each deceased victim with VND30 million ($1,273) and each injured victim with VND5 million. Hospital fees for our employees will be covered by me. Once the investigation is completed, my husband, the management of the parlor and I will go to each family to offer our condolences and provide more financial support for relatives like their children, parents and other loved ones.

The people (staff) who died have worked with me for 5-6 years, of course it's painful. I was sad to learn that there were people who had already gone down, but then ran back up to get a dog and died. There was also a girl who went upstairs with her friend and also died.

What do you think is your responsibility in all this?

To speak of responsibilities, I truly do not dare to take it all on myself. But now that I have calmed down, I have realized that if people had listened and got out of the rooms, they would not have died, and only I would have suffered property damage. The fire did not spread to anyone else's house.

My employees, despite not knowing whether they would live or die, still called on people to get out. That was (showing) enough responsibility. But they did not listen, so would we just drag them out? In a fire, we do not have time to drag people out on our own. The fact that an employee could do that much is already enough for the employer.

I want people to see things this way. A parlor that did its fire prevention work well and still got burned, that's bad luck that nobody wants.

Now that lives had been lost, my loved ones may face legal repercussions. My husband is the owner, who let Khai, a family member, manage things. So who has the most to lose here?
Foster care fundraiser at NNRH

ELKO  Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospitals Auxiliary announces a fundraiser for the Northern Nevada Moses Project, founded to help children in foster care, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 15 and 16.

Cash-only donations can be dropped off at the Sugar Bush Gift Shop located inside NNRH. All who donate will be entered into a drawing for a gift basket. Donations will be used to purchase much-needed items, such as shoes. Any amount given will be greatly appreciated.

For more information or questions, call the Sugar Bush Gift Shop at 775-748-2015.

Community Concert schedule announced

ELKO  Five performances are slated for the upcoming Elko Community Concert Association series beginning in September.

All performances begin at 7 p.m. in the Elko High School Performance Arts theater, 1297 College Ave.

World-class soloists Ilya Yakushev and Thomas Mesa will bring an international flair to the theater on Sept. 15. Sultans of String will perform on Oct. 25, Vinyl Radio on Jan. 21, Unchained Melodies: Jason Floyd Coleman on March 18, and Hi Tide on April 1.

Admission to all five concerts is by season subscription, $55 for adults and $10 for students through high school.

For information call 775-738-9258 or visit elkocommunityconcerts.com.

Ready to go hiking?

ELKO  A special hike is being offered for beginning hikers, or those who have taken a few hikes. On Saturday, Sept. 17, at 8 a.m., hikers will gather at the Powerhouse Picnic Area in Lamoille Canyon (follow the signs.)

Hikers will walk one mile up the Talbot Creek Trail (two miles roundtrip). They will have an option to go one-half mile farther (three-mile round trip). During the hike, they will learn which trailheads to use, what to take on a hike, and Leave No Trace Principles. After the hike, they will enjoy a campfire and Smores.

Hikers of any age or ability are welcome, (one adult for every 2 children.) Wear comfortable shoes, wear a hat, use sunscreen, and bring water or use the provided water.

This special opportunity is sponsored by the Friends of the Ruby Mountains and Nevada Outdoor School. RSVP to Nevada Outdoor School: 775-777-0814.

Financial course at Living Stones

ELKO  Living Stones Church is inviting the community to a financial learning experience with author/speaker Joe Sangl, CEO of Injoy Financial. This is a free interest meeting for his six-week financial freedom course I once was broke, now Im not!

The event is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 at Living Stones Church. To join, text the word FREEDOM to 775-312-8887.

Wreaths Across America

ELKO  The Ruby Mountain Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, will host the Wreaths across America Mobile Education Exhibit on Sept. 24. The MEE started its tour at the WAA headquarters in Maine and will be at Chris Sheerin Way in Elko City Park from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The goal of the exhibit is to bring the local community, veterans, active-duty military and their families together through interactive exhibits, short films, and shared stories. The exhibit serves as a mobile museum, educating visitors about the service and sacrifice of our nations heroes and sheroes as well as an official welcome home station for Vietnam veterans

Tours are free and open to the public with social distancing, sanitation and safety procedures in place. Members of the media, dignitaries, veterans and other interested groups are urged to come, ask questions, share stories and experience this one-of-a-kind exhibit.

The event will also kick of the local wreath donation drive. See our Facebook page for more information. Donations are also being accepted at Nevada Bank and Trust, 852 Idaho St.

Car audio competition downtown

ELKO  DC Auto will host the first annual Elko Bass Waves Car Audio Competition Sept. 24 in the Stockmens dirt parking lot between Fourth and Fifth streets.

A lot of big bass heads from out of town will be joining us, said organizers. Everyone in the community is invited to experience some of the loudest vehicles around the United States.

Competitive classes range from entry level to extreme. For information on how to enter, stop by DC Auto at 460 W. Silver St., Suite 107, by Sept. 23. The business stocks amplifiers, cable, fuses and more accessories for the car audio enthusiast.

Horizon Hospice peer support

ELKO  If you or a family member is grieving a loved ones loss, please join the monthly peer support group at Horizon Hospice, 1250 Lamoille Hwy suite 413.

The group will meet at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays, starting Sept. 20.

This is no-cost community service. For more information call 775-778-0612.
ELKO  Law enforcement officers are searching for a suspect who was burglarizing residences Tuesday in the Ryndon/Elburz area.

According to the Elko County Sheriffs Office, troopers from the Nevada State Police began a pursuit of a suspect driving a white van with unmatched Utah plates, both of which were determined to have been stolen.

The suspect abandoned the van near River Ranch and stole a gray ATV (4 wheeler) in that area and burglarized a couple of residences in that area, stated the sheriffs office.

The suspect fled the area westbound on the ATV. It is believed that the suspect discharged a firearm into a parked, abandoned vehicle near the 317 mile marker on Interstate 80, where it was last seen headed south.

Deputies are actively looking for the suspect in that area, stated the sheriffs office. The suspect is described as a white male with a beard, last seen wearing a white shirt and dressed in camo. The suspect is considered armed and very dangerous. If you see this suspect please call 911 immediately.
ELKO  Law enforcement officers are seeking the publics help in locating a pickup that was stolen Wednesday morning in Ryndon, a day after a burglary suspect fled from state troopers.

The orange 2001 Dodge pickup with extended cab and a small trailer was reported stolen at 8:18 a.m. on Durango Drive, according to the Elko County Sheriffs Office. It has a Nevada plate, number 436NTR.

The suspect, who had stolen an ATV in the area on Tuesday, fled before deputies could arrive. Information was obtained that indicated he possibly fled westbound on Interstate 80.

We believe its the same guy based off the proximity of where the vehicle was stolen, said Undersheriff Justin Ames.

Anyone who spots the vehicle is asked to call 911 and report its location. The driver should be considered armed and dangerous.

A manhunt began Tuesday after troopers from the Nevada State Police began a pursuit of a suspect driving a white van with unmatched Utah plates, both of which were determined to have been stolen.

The suspect abandoned the van near River Ranch and stole a gray ATV (4 wheeler) in that area and burglarized a couple of residences in that area, stated the sheriffs office.

The suspect fled the area westbound on the ATV. It is believed that the suspect discharged a firearm into a parked, abandoned vehicle near the 317 mile marker on Interstate 80.

The suspect is described as a white male with a beard, last seen wearing a white shirt and dressed in camo.
ELKO -- Eastern Nevada remains under a flood watch and western Nevada remains under an air quality alert.

Washoe County School District canceled all classes Wednesday due to poor air quality.

Smoke from the Mosquito wildfire continues to produce unhealthy to hazardous air quality across the region, stated the National Weather Service. The latest observations indicate the worst conditions to be concentrated near Truckee and extending into Reno, Sparks, and the North Valleys. Visibility of 2-3 miles due to thick smoke is in place, mainly along and north of I-80.

At one point Tuesday afternoon, a fire near Dutch Flat caused I-80 to be closed in both directions.

Eastern Nevada has the opposite problem as heavy rains could produce excessive runoff resulting in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying areas.

A flood watch continues until early Thursday morning in Elko, Lander, Eureka, White Pine and northern Nye counties. The heaviest showers and thunderstorms are expected to reach the Elko area after 5 p.m.

Elko received .16 of an inch Monday and Tuesday.

Record rainfalls were set Tuesday at Eureka (.45 inch), Ely (.40 inch) and Tonopah (.10 inch).
The Bureau of Land Management on Friday moved to prevent new mining activity for the next 20 years on more than 2,600 acres of land at the Zortman-Landusky Mine site in eastern Montana, effectively reinstating a previous 20-year withdrawal for the land that had been in effect from 2000 though October 2020.

The public land order, issued Friday by the federal agency, "withdraws 2,688.13 acres of public lands in Phillips County, Montana, from location or entry under the United States mining laws, but not from the mineral leasing or mineral materials disposal laws, for a 20-year period, subject to valid existing rights, to protect the Zortman-Landusky Mine reclamation site." The order took effect Friday. In June, an additional 912.33 acres were proposed for a 20-year withdrawal. The bureau took comment on that smaller proposal through Sept. 6, but it has yet to be implemented.

The implemented and proposed withdrawals are intended "to protect the Zortman-Landusky Mine area and to facilitate reclamation and stabilization for a 20-year term," according to the order and proposal. In a news release Friday, the BLM's Malta Field Office stated that "The 20-year mineral withdrawal of this reclamation area prevents new mining activities and disturbance of the public lands, and provides time to assess and monitor the effectiveness of ongoing reclamation activities."

The site is a cluster of abandoned open-pit and underground gold mines located in the Little Rocky Mountains near the small settlements of Zortman and Landusky, about 66 miles southeast of Havre. The site is just south  and, crucially, upstream of  the Fort Belknap Reservation.

The site is also a federally designated Superfund cleanup site where the BLM and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality have since 1999 spent more than $83.7 million to perform reclamation and implement water treatment, primarily to stem the flow of acid mine drainage into water on the reservation. The mines were permitted by the agencies in 1979 and '81. In 1993, Montana, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Fort Belknap Reservation sued mine operator Pegasus Gold for Clean Water Act violations related to acid mine drainage, which had contaminated surface and ground water on the reservation.

When the company declared bankruptcy in 1998, reclamation and remediation work fell to the state and federal agencies, which have spent the mines' posted reclamation bond and taxpayer funds to sequester and revegetate multiple cyanide heap leaching sites, waste rock dumps and mine pits. The agencies also established and operate multiple water treatment facilities at the site. Water treatment will need to operate forever.

Earlier this summer, the DEQ levied a penalty of $516,567 against two men, Luke Ployhar and Owen Voigt, and their mining company, Blue Arc LLC, for what the agency said was illegal exploration mining in the reclamation area. In correspondence with the agency, Ployhar denied exploration mining and said that activities on his mining claims were instead related to a tourism facility he planned to construct. The DEQ called the pair's activities a "violation of major gravity that has compromised reclamation work at the site and represents a risk of acid rock drainage."

Blue Arc's claims are on private land in the area, and as such are not subject to the withdrawals, but the DEQ has not issued a permit for mining the claims. Gina Baltrusch, a spokesperson for the BLM's North Central Montana District, said that the company's 10 claims were filed during a three-day window from Oct. 47, 2020, after the previous withdrawal had expired but before the new withdrawal was entered as a proposal in the Federal Register on Oct. 7. Once entered, a two-year withdrawal was issued for the lands to allow time to study the 20-year proposal that was ultimately approved and went into effect Friday.

Acid mine drainage occurs when sulfide-laden rock underground is dug up and exposed to air and water, such as mine tailings and open mine pits created through exploration mining or commercial mining. Once exposed, sulfides react with air and water to form sulfuric acid, which can react with metals in surrounding rock and gets washed into waterways.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

A meeting with a delegation of Russia's Krasnodar region business circles was held in the Russian Export Center in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

Russian Trade Representative in Azerbaijan Ruslan Mirsayapov, Russian Export Center representative in Azerbaijan Nikolay Bondov, and Azerbaijan's Economy Ministry Department of Interstate Economic Cooperation Deputy Director Masim Mammadov attended the meeting.

During the meeting, representatives of Krasnodar companies made presentations of their products and received recommendations for working in the Azerbaijani market.

"The list of products offered for delivery to Azerbaijan by Krasnodar companies is quite wide and includes equipment for the production of packaging, heating equipment, vegetable oil, sugar, cereals, and IT solutions in the development of urban infrastructure," Russian Export Center in Azerbaijan reported.

In the next few days, the participants of the business mission of Krasnodar companies in Azerbaijan are expected to hold a lot of negotiations, B2B and B2G meetings, as well as visit the Azerbaijani enterprises.

To note, heads of seven Krasnodar companies take part in a business visit organized by the Krasnodar Region Export Support Center: Apostolie, Technoindustriya, Yug-Polymer, Inform-systems, Eksta, Rezonect, Khalaburdin.

Azerbaijan and Russia cooperate in different sectors, such as economy, agriculture, customs, communications, high technology, and others. Over 230 intergovernmental and intercompany documents have been signed between the two countries and six "road maps" are being implemented.

Azerbaijan's investments in the Russian economy have exceeded $1.2 billion, with the majority of the investments being in the non-oil sector. In addition, Russian investments in Azerbaijan's economy totaled $6.3 billion with $5 billion in the oil sector and $1.3 billion in non-oil sectors.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia amounted to $2.9 billion in 2021, making Russia Azerbaijans third-largest partner.
The Nevada Supreme Court has affirmed a lower-court ruling that a statutory ballot initiative that aimed to create a voucher-style education program cannot move forward.

The order, signed by all justices and filed on Monday, appears to be the final chapter in this legal battle that started in late January. Thats when a political action committee called Education Freedom for Nevada filed both a statutory and a constitutional initiative with the secretary of states office.

The pair of initiatives sought to create education freedom accounts that would allow parents to access state funds to pay for educational environments or services outside the public school system.

The effort quickly ran into pushback from opponents who viewed it as another scheme to draw taxpayer money away from public schools. Beverly Rogers and Rory Reid of the arts and education-oriented Rogers Foundation filed lawsuits within a matter of weeks in a bid to halt the initiatives.

By April, a senior judge in Carson City had ruled against the initiatives, saying they could create massive unfunded mandates. But Education Freedom for Nevada appealed the lower courts decision.

The Nevada Supreme Court previously ruled on the constitutional initiative and agreed with the lower courts decision. This order addressing the statutory initiative comes to the same conclusion.

The petition creates a program for education freedom accounts that will require appropriations and expenditures for the program to exist, the order of affirmance states. Yet, the petition does not include any funding provisions. The initiative process does not permit petition proponents to propose statutes that may never take effect because they rely on the Legislature to enact legislation effectuating them.

Education advocates hailed the Nevada Supreme Courts ruling as another defeat to so-called education savings accounts. In 2015, the Legislature passed and then-Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law an education savings account program, which never received funding after a legal challenge. In that case, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled the premise was constitutional but not the funding mechanism.

This is the nail in the coffin for these ballot initiative efforts, Rogers said in a statement Monday. We know this and other out-of-state funded right-wing groups wont stop trying to siphon tax dollars away from neighborhood public schools for private schools. Public schools are worth protecting because they serve ALL students and are accountable to the people.

Erin Phillips, co-founder and president of the advocacy organization Power2Parent, serves as chairwoman of the Education Freedom for Nevada PAC. In a statement released Monday evening, Phillips said the courts only seem interested in protecting the status quo policy for education.

We are disappointed in the courts ruling today and that the incoherent decisions written by Judge McGeege were upheld by these justices. Phillips wrote. Turning away parents once again strikes as being another muddled decision that disenfranchises families from having the power to direct their childs education.
If we take back the House and the Senate, I can assure you well have a vote on our bill, Sen. Lindsey Graham said. (Graham Senate office photo)

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

Two Nevada candidates for Congress Tuesday said they opposed a federal abortion ban bill proposed by South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. A third Republican in a competitive House seat did not respond to requests for comment, and nor did Republican Senate candidate Adam Laxalt.

If we take back the House and the Senate, I can assure you well have a vote on our bill, Graham said after announcing the measure. If the Democrats are in charge, I dont know if well ever have a vote on our bill.

Grahams bill, which came as a surprise when he announced it during a press conference Tuesday, would ban abortion in the U.S. after 15 weeks. The ban would nullify Nevada law, which permits abortion until 24 weeks of pregnancy, and later if the mothers health is threatened.

A staffer who fielded a call to Laxalts campaign said she was unaware of the candidates position on the Senate proposal. The campaigns communications director did not respond to calls.

In an August op-ed in the Reno Gazette Journal, Laxalt wrote that he would support a state referendum in Nevada limiting abortion to the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. In that same column, Laxalt declared he does not support a federal ban on abortion, saying that would contradict what I have argued for my entire adult life and what the Supreme Court just ordered  to return the issue to the people.

Opposing Grahams bill would put Laxalt in the same position as that expressed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republican senators Tuesday.

I think most of the members of my conference prefer that this be dealt with at the state level, McConnell said during a press conference.

I will block any efforts in the Senate to advance a nationwide abortion ban  full stop, Laxalts opponent, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, tweeted Tuesday after the announcement. We dont need any more male politicians telling women what we can and cant do with our own bodies.

Two of Nevadas three Republicans challenging incumbent Democrats in competitive races said they opposed Grahams measure.

Given the recent Supreme Court decision returning the issue of abortion regulation to the states, I do not believe it is constitutional for abortion policy to be determined at the national level; therefore, I would oppose Senator Grahams legislation, April Becker, the Republican challenging Susie Lee in congressional district 3, said in a statement

The people of Nevada have spoken, said Mark Robertson, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Dina Titus in CD 1. I will oppose any bill in Congress that takes power from the People and gives it to the Federal government.

Sam Peters, the Republican candidate in CD 4 who is challenging Rep. Steven Horsford, did not respond to a request for comment.

Hot potato

The move by Graham is likely to catapult the issue to the top of voter concerns in states such as Nevada, where abortion rights were already codified.

I think the Republicans are probably putting that forward in order to motivate their base, perhaps in some of the states like Nevada where theres no opportunity for abortion to be limited in any way, said longtime Nevada pro-life advocate Janine Hansen, who called the ban a very reasonable compromise. Im sure it will motivate the other side, as well.

A statewide opinion poll in 2021 found Nevadans support choice by a margin of two to one.

The numbers are the same nationally.

This is a hot potato and Lindsey just chucked it right at his GOP colleagues, said Rebecca Gill, Director of the Womens Research Institute of Nevada and associate professor of Political Science at UNLV. The timing of this seems very, very strange and it seems like not a particularly good strategy for any of the Republicans who are challenging vulnerable Democrats.

The Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act has no chance of coming to the floor under Democrats, and is unlikely to become law even if Republicans take control of Congress, said Gill.

People who are going to be up again in two years, they dont want to have to deal with this because we can already see just from the states that have these severe restrictions, how devastating it is for people who need abortions, but also those who need miscarriage health care, she said. And its just going to get worse.

If a national abortion ban passes, I will immediately direct my administration to not comply and pursue every legal option available to protect Nevadans statutory right to an abortion  including by codifying my executive order in a second term to protect providers and out-of-state patients who travel to the Silver State for reproductive care, said Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat.

Sisolaks Republican opponent, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, did not respond to requests for comment on Grahams bill.

Since the Dobbs ruling in June, even vociferous opponents of abortion have backed away as the realities of severe restrictions affect constituents.

When asked during a televised debate whether hed support restrictions on morning after pills, waiting periods before ending a pregnancy and parental notification laws, Lombardo responded Yes, absolutely.

He has since backed off.

Should there be a National law prohibiting abortion beyond 15 weeks, this law would be declared unconstitutional under Dobbs, said Republican candidate for attorney general, Sigal Chattah. Therefore, as a lawyer, I would follow Dobbs decision on this matter until Dobbs is overturned.

Put simply, if Congress passes a national ban, we will see them in court, said Chattahs Democratic opponent, Attorney General Aaron Ford.

States Newsroom D.C. bureau reporter Jeniffer Shutt contributed to this report.
In Pakistan, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is well underway, and the electricity projects under the framework have lighted up numerous local families.

In Uzbekistan, the Kamchiq Tunnel along the AngrenPap railway built with Chinese technologies, has put an end to the history when Uzbeks had to make a detour via another country for domestic transportation.

In the Horn of Africa, the China-built Addis AbabaDjibouti Railway has given landlocked Ethiopia a faster access to the sea, bringing more businesses to and creating more jobs for the African country.

The past nine years proves that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a great undertaking that benefits the people of all participating countries.

On Sept. 7, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed building a Silk Road Economic Belt when visiting Kazakhstan, and on Oct. 3 the same year, he called for building a 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road in Indonesia.

Over the past nine years, the BRI has achieved tangible and fruitful progress, becoming the world's broadest-based and largest platform for international cooperation. It has been joined by 149 countries and 32 international organizations, showing strong vitality.

The ultimate goal of the China-proposed initiative is to bring a better life to people of all countries.

Xi noted at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that "We need to take a people-centered approach, give priority to poverty alleviation and job creation to see that the joint pursuit of Belt and Road cooperation will deliver true benefits to the people of participating countries and contribute to their social and economic development. We also need to ensure the commercial and fiscal sustainability of all projects so that they will achieve the intended goals as planned."

The BRI raises living standards for people of participating countries. The Tana Beles sugar factory in Ethiopia has created tens of thousands of local jobs; farmers growing Chinese hybrid rice in Mozambique have embraced big harvests; and a series to training facilities have been built by China in Cambodia, Algeria and Djibouti for better careers of local workers.

Over the past nine years, livelihood projects under the BRI have brought clean drinking water, safe electricity, stable jobs and a happy life to more and more people in participating countries. As long as Belt and Road countries continue their efforts, the BRI will be able to lift more people out of poverty and make global development more balanced.

The BRI energizes the development of participating countries. When the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge opened to traffic, the local people said the bridge has brought them an opportunity to create a better future; when the China-constructed Peljesac Bridge was put into use in Croatia, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said it was a day of historic significance for his country and the bridge is a centuries-old dream coming true for his country; the China-Europe freight trains have planned 82 routes that connect 200 cities in 24 European countries.

Over the past nine years, trade cost for commodities, capital, information and technologies has been significantly reduced for Belt and Road countries, which has effectively promoted the orderly flow of inter-regional resources and optimized resource allocation. The improved connectivity, helping "forgotten corners" around the world better integrate into the global industrial, supply and value chains, has made win-win results possible.

The BRI vitalizes global development. According to a World Bank report, trade will grow from between 2.8 and 9.7 percent for economies along the Belt and Road and between 1.7 and 6.2 percent for the world. Increased trade is expected to expand global real income by 0.7 percent to 2.9 percent, the report said.

According to World Bank forecast, if all BRI transport infrastructure projects are carried out, by 2030, the BRI will generate $1.6 trillion of revenues for the world, or 1.3 percent of global GDP. Up to 90 percent of the revenues will go to partner countries.

Facts have proved that the Belt and Road is a road to common prosperity.

The splendid picture of the win-win Belt and Road cooperation includes not only railways and factories, but also the smiles on the faces of the people from participating countries.

Keeping moving along the road of opportunities and development, the world will be able to reach a bright and harmonious future.
The main prerequisite and the only opportunity to implement the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommendations, in particular, to create a security zone around the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), is the complete de-occupation of the plant and Enerhodar, President of Energoatom Petro Kotin has said.

According to him, quoted by the company's press service, all Russian military, equipment, weapons and representatives of Rosatom should be withdrawn from the plant site.

Kotin noted that the plant personnel, who have been working in extremely difficult conditions for more than six months, have been heroically fulfilling their duties, but are severely exhausted, and according to one of the IAEA recommendations, acceptable conditions should be created for all NPP workers.

"The de-occupation of not only the ZNPP site, but also the city of Enerhodar is also important because the plant personnel living in the satellite city must work under normal conditions, rest calmly after shifts and come to their workplaces in a normal physical and psychological state," Kotin emphasized.

"In fact, the staff is on the verge of collapse. People need normal working conditions so that they can fulfill their duties at the security protection level at which they worked for 40 years before the Russian invaders entered the ZNPP. It is necessary to immediately address the issue of creating a demilitarized zone with the withdrawal of the invaders from the territory of the nuclear power plant," Kotin added.

As reported, Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi said that the IAEA seeks to stop the shelling of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, other issues do not depend on the agency. He also indicated that he began to conduct consultations with the parties on the creation of a security zone in the ZNPP area  both with the Ukrainian and Russian sides.
After synchronization with the European energy system in March this year, Ukraine received the most important function of a guarantor of Europe's energy security thanks to the export of resources, said Volodymyr Kudrytsky, the chairman of the board of Ukrenergo.

"Ukraine has opened the door to the European energy market, and now the Ukrainian energy system is getting used to the role of a guarantor of European energy security. The role naturally played by Ukraine in the European energy market is not the role of a country-recipient of aid, but the role of a country that stabilizes energy supply throughout the region thanks to quite significant power generation capacity," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to Kudrytsky, even despite the non-operational Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, Ukraine continues to export more than 600 MW of electricity to Europe. At the same time, the country is doing its best to remain an exporter of electricity in the future, including during the autumn-winter period.

"We are preparing for any scenarios for the passage of the heating season. We are preparing backup power schemes, an emergency supply not only to cover the country's internal needs, but also in order to be an exporter of electricity in the winter too," the head of Ukrenergo stressed.

According to Kudrytsky, the export of electricity from Ukraine helps European neighbors close the deficit in their energy balance, which will obviously increase during the passage of winter.
On 13 September, President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a phone call to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

During the telephone conversation, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his deep condolences to President Ilham Aliyev, relatives of the killed military servicemen, and the entire Azerbaijani nation in the aftermath of a large-scale provocation committed by the Armenian armed forces on the state border.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that brotherly Turkiye was always with Azerbaijan and emphasized the solidarity between the two countries.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that brotherly Turkiye, as always, stood by Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan always stood by brotherly Turkiye in all matters.

President Ilham Aliyev stated that Armenias large-scale military provocation had been courageously and professionally prevented by the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, noting that the death of martyrs did not remain unavenged. The president added that responsibility for such large-scale military provocations rested squarely with Armenia.

During the conversation, the sides emphasized again that the relations of brotherhood and strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Turkiye were successfully developing in all fields.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky held a regular meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, reports were heard from the commanders of the troops of the operational areas on the active actions of the defense forces to liberate Ukraine from the Russian occupiers, the President's Office reports.

The meeting was attended by: Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and his deputy Rostyslav Zamlinsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Shaptala, Commander of the National Guard Yuriy Lebid, acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk, Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Khorenko, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov, and Deputy Head of the President's Office Roman Mashovets.

"In the video link format, the meeting of was joined by: Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander of the Zakhid Task Force Serhiy Litvinov and Commander of the Pivden Task Force Andriy Kovalchuk," the message says.

Reports were heard from the commanders of the troops of the operational areas on the active actions of the defense forces to liberate Ukraine from the Russian occupiers.

"It was noted that as a result of the offensive operation, more than 4,000 square kilometers of territory, more than 300 settlements were de-occupied, in which stabilization measures have already been taken. The operation continues," the website says.

Zelensky instructed the State Border Guard Service to ensure the protection of the state border in the liberated territories.

In addition, the participants reviewed the draft security and defense sector budget for 2023. As Zelensky noted, the total amount of the defense budget of Ukraine for the next year is more than UAH 1 trillion.
Stabilization measures have been completed in unoccupied areas with a total area of more than 4,000 square kilometers, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message on Tuesday.

According to him, during the meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief the situation in the liberated territory of our state was analyzed in detail.

As of now, stabilization measures have been completed in the districts with a total area of more than 4,000 square kilometers. Stabilization continues in the liberated territory of approximately the same size, the president said.

He noted that remnants of occupiers and sabotage groups are being detected, collaborators are being detained and full security is being restored. Border guards are tasked with protecting the state border in the liberated territory.

The President thanked all our fighters who ensured such a large-scale and quick defeat of the invaders in the territory of Kharkiv region!

It is very important, he said, that together with our troops, with our flag, ordinary normal life comes to the de-occupied territory.

As an example, in Balakliya, in Hrakove, the payment of pensions for five months at once, for the time when we simply could not make payments due to the occupation, has already been started. And all Ukrainian pensioners in the liberated territory will receive payments. Ukraine always fulfils its social obligations to people, Zelensky said.
On Tuesday, September 13, Ukrainian engineers resumed operation of the third backup power line to the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports.

"The backup 150 kV line became available to the Zaporizhia NPP again after repairing switchgear at a nearby thermal power plant, a few days after it was damaged by shelling," the report said.

Thus, all three backup power lines have been restored at the plant. One of them, the 750/330 kV line, now provides the Zaporizhia NPP with external power required for cooling and other important safety functions. The 330 kV and 150 kV lines are in reserve.

It is noted that all six ZNPP reactors are in a state of cold shutdown, but they still require electricity to maintain the necessary safety functions.

At the same time, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated that the nuclear safety and security situation at the plant remains fragile. According to him, although there have been no shelling at or near the ZNPP in recent days, they still occur over a wider area.

According to him, ZNPP's four main external transmission lines are not working, and now it does not provide electricity to households and factories.

As reported, on Monday, Ukraine restored the second backup power transmission line to the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
The Russian leadership has admitted its defeat in Kharkiv region, which was the first defeat of the Russian Federation since the beginning of large-scale aggression against Ukraine in 2022, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on its website.

The Kremlins acknowledgment of the defeat is part of an effort to mitigate and deflect criticism for such a devastating failure away from Russian President Vladimir Putin and onto the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the uniformed military command. The Kremlins admission of defeat in Kharkiv shows that Putin is willing and able to recognize and even accept a Russian defeat at least in some circumstances and focus on deflecting blame from himself, a report for September 13 says.

Kremlin officials and state media propagandists are extensively discussing the reasons for the Russian defeat in Kharkiv Oblast, a marked change from their previous pattern of reporting on exaggerated or fabricated Russian successes with limited detail, the ISW said. The Kremlin never admitted that Russia was defeated around Kyiv or, later, at Snake Island, and the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) originally offered a similar explanation for the Russian failure in Kharkiv, claiming that Russian forces were withdrawing troops from Kharkiv region to regroup, but this false narrative faced quick and loud criticism online.

The Kremlin is likely seeking to use the defeat in Kharkiv to facilitate crypto mobilization efforts, strengthening patriotic rhetoric and discussion about more complete mobilization, while revising the bill allowing the military to send appeals for regular semi-annual conscription by mail.

Nothing in the Duma bill suggests that Putin is preparing to order general mobilization, and it is far from clear that he could do so quickly  Large-scale conscription would very likely overwhelm the Russian MoDs ability to induct, train, and equip new soldiers, particularly since the Russian training base appears to be strained in preparing the limited numbers of volunteer battalions currently being fielded. Russia would likely first have to expand its training base significantly, a time-consuming process, and then find and prepare for combat sufficient equipment to kit out large numbers of new units before it could even begin to handle a large influx of new conscripts. Widely-reported Russian materiel shortages suggest deep failures in the Russian military industry that would make generating the necessary equipment, ammunition, and supplies for a large conscript army very difficult. ISW has not identified any indicators that preparations for such activities have been ordered or are underway, the Institute for the Study of War said.

At the same time, the report says that Ukrainian troops likely continued ground attacks along the Lyman-Yampil-Bilohorivka line in northern Donetsk region and may be conducting limited ground attacks across the Oskil River in Kharkiv region, and also are continuing ground maneuvers in three areas of Kherson region as part of the ongoing southern counter-offensive. In their turn, Russian troops made incremental gains south of Bakhmut and continued ground attacks throughout Donetsk region.

It is also noted that the media controlled by the Kremlin and under its influence have begun openly calling for intensive rocket attacks on critical civilian infrastructure of Ukraine and transit routes. These new calls are a stark departure from the Kremlins previous line claiming that Russian forces did not target civilian infrastructure, and this new narrative is earning the Kremlin public support, the report says.

The ISW also notes that Russias military failures in Ukraine are likely continuing to weaken Russias leverage in the former Soviet Union, as evidenced by the reports of an attack on Armenian forces along the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not comment on whether the Kremlin would fulfil its CSTO obligations to Armenia if Azerbaijan continued to press its attack. Russias hedging approach may damage Russias relationship with Armenia and with other CSTO member states, particularly If Russia cannot provide military or peacekeeping support, the report reads.
The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, is present as an honorary guest at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg at the report of President of the European Commission, Ulsula von der Leyen, on the state of the European Union.

Zelenska entered the meeting room accompanied by Presidents of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola and the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The President of the European Commission is dressed in a yellow jacket and a blue blouse, with a ribbon in the colors of the Ukrainian flag on the lapel of the jacket. A lot of European commissioners and deputies attached the same ribbon. Both, Vice-President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager and European Commissioner Ylva Johansson, came in a yellow dress and a blue jacket, and Commissioner Kadri Simson in a blue dress and a yellow jacket.

Before the meeting, Zelenska, von der Leyen and Metsola were photographed against the background of the plenary hall, after which the First Lady of Ukraine, together with the President of the European Commission, took seats in the presidium.

Metsola said that she is pleased to welcome President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to the European Parliament with a speech on the state of the European Union, and also expressed very special honor to welcome Olena Zelenska on the symbolic day.

The audience greeted these words with prolonged applause and standing up.

"Dear Olena, we are with you and your people," the President of the European Parliament assured.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would arrive in Kyiv on Wednesday and intended to meet with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

"We will empower Ukraine to make the most of its potential. Building on the success of the solidarity lanes to ensuring seamless access to the Single Market. Bringing Ukraine into our European free roaming area. I am going to Kyiv today to discuss all this with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky," von der Leyen said on Twitter.

She later added: "I want the people of the Western Balkans, of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to know: You are part of our family, your future is in our Union, and our Union is not complete without you!"
Lithuania's total military assistance to Ukraine amounts to about EUR 200 million, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said on Wednesday.

According to him, M113 armored personnel carriers were sent to Ukraine earlier, Ukrainians are already using 50 Lithuanian armored vehicles. According to Anusauskas, in total Kyiv received more than 300 units of such military equipment from Western countries.

He also pointed out that urgent repairs of Ukrainian armored vehicles have been agreed, and Lithuania, along with other countries, organizes and supports the training of Ukrainian military. "We will train at least 500 military specialists by the end of the year," the minister said.

The minister also noted that Lithuanian enterprises have received an order for sewing winter clothes for Ukrainian soldiers.

"In Lithuanian companies that will be able to sew winter clothes requested by Ukrainians faster than anyone else, it was decided to order it for EUR 2.15 million," Anusauskas wrote on social networks.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has called on the UN Ukraine system to join social support programs and infrastructure reconstruction.

"Met with the newly appointed Coordinator of the UN Ukraine system Denise Brown. Discussed Ukrainian grain export, joint UN and EU mission to ZNPP, demining and recovery. Called to join social support programs and infrastructure reconstruction," he said on Twitter on Wednesday.

The PM also thanked the UN for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Three cruise missiles hit the western district of Kryvyi Rih on Wednesday, according to the Kakhovka Operational Command.

"17:01-17:06, September 14, 2019, a missile attack on Kryvyi Rih. Three cruise missiles launched likely from Tu-95MS (Kh-101)," it said on Facebook.

Information about damages and losses is being specified.

Earlier, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Vilkul reported a missile attack on the city.
The sole monkeypox case detected in Egypt last week arrived from Spain and the people who came in contact with the carrier have been put under observation for 21 days, but none have shown symptoms so far, Minister of Health Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said on Wednesday.
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

The EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar will travel to Azerbaijan and Armenia immediately to support the necessary de-escalation, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell said in a statement.

He noted that Klaar will also discuss the next steps in the Brussels dialogue process between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders.

Further, Borell noted that the EU is committed to continuing to act as an honest broker between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Serious fighting has taken place along the Armenian and Azerbaijani border during the last hours with a reported loss of lives. It is imperative that the hostilities stop and that there is a return to the negotiating table. The EU is committed to continuing to act as an honest broker between Armenia and Azerbaijan to help achieve the common goal of a South Caucasus that is secure, prosperous, and at peace, for the benefit of all its people, Borel said.

To recap, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has reported that during the night of September 13, units of the Armenian armed forces committed large-scale provocations in the Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border. As a result, there were losses among the military personnel, the military infrastructure was damaged.

Units of the Azerbaijan Army deployed in these directions are taking decisive retaliatory measures in order to suppress provocations committed by the Armenian armed forces and military threats to the territory and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, to ensure the safety of the military personnel, including civilian workers involved in infrastructure work in the territory of Kalbajar and Lachin districts.




President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisis visit to Doha this week signals a new phase in Cairos relations with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The two-day visit, which started on Tuesday afternoon with a red-carpet reception, follows the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thanis trip to Cairo in the last week of June.

The emirs visit marked an end to political hostilities between the two countries which began following the removal of Mohamed Morsi as Egypts president in 2013 and reached an apogee in June 2017 when Cairo joined the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain in imposing an embargo on Qatar. The blockade ended in January 2021.

Al-Sisi and Tamim met briefly on the sidelines of a limited Arab summit in Iraq in August last year and repeated the encounter in Glasgow in November on the sidelines of COP26. Egyptian officials say these encounters were followed by low-key diplomatic consultations intended to pave the way for a gradual resumption of relations.

While the officials argue it would be wrong to assume that Egypt and Qatar have resolved all their differences or suggest the exchange of visits marks a U-turn in bilateral relations by either country, they do underline that things have changed for both Egypt and Qatar.

Foreign diplomats in Egypt say Cairo and Doha both recognise that it is in the interests of neither to continue with their diplomatic warfare.

It has become clear that no matter what anyone may think, the changes Egypt saw in 2013 are no longer subject to debate, said one European diplomat. And Cairo, the same diplomat continued, is well aware of the significant role Qatar is playing in zones of direct national strategic interest to Egypt, including in Gaza and Libya.

Egyptian officials confirm that Egypt and Qatar have been coordinating on almost daily basis over developments in Gaza since Cairo managed to secure a ceasefire to Israels attack on the Strip in May last year. The reconstruction work that Egypt is coordinating in Gaza is partly supported by Qatari funds, and Cairo and Doha have been working closely with Israel to facilitate financial transactions with the Hamas-led government in Gaza. Egypt and Qatar are also working with Israel to suspend attacks on the West Bank, and with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to manage coordination policies with Israel to avoid any escalation of the situation.

On Libya too, say officials, there are signs of a shared political realism. Cairo has abandoned its east-versus-west approach to its neighbour, a process lent at least some impetus by incremental thaws in Cairos relations with Ankara  Egypt had until recently thrown all its weight behind political leaders in the east of Libya, Turkey behind authorities in the west of the country  while Qatar, in recent weeks, has hosted players from both sides of Libyas geographic divide and seems open to coordinating a diplomatic intervention that includes international and regional players.

Developments in Libya, Gaza, Yemen, and Lebanon were all scheduled to be on the agenda of Al-Sisis talks in Doha, say officials. According to one, it is safe to assume Cairo and Doha are both interested in plausible political deals in all four countries that include some elements of political Islam to which Egypt was formerly firmly opposed. In the case of Yemen, one official stressed, Cairo has no quarrel with Islamists playing a role in ending the eight-year-long conflict that has compromised the security of Bab Al-Mandab and the Red Sea.

Economic issues are also high on the agenda of President Al-Sisis talks in Doha, just as they were during his talks with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia when he visited Egypt in July and with the leader of the UAE when he visited Egypt in August, ahead of a five-way meeting that was attended by the leaders of Bahrain and Jordan and the prime minister of Iraq. Possible Qatari investments in Egypt, including the acquisition of Egyptian government stakes in several leading companies, have already been discussed by officials on both sides, say Egyptian officials.

Cairos alliance with one camp within the GCC is a thing of the past, they add, and Egypt is as welcoming of Qatari investments as it is of Emirati, Saudi, or Kuwaiti investments. Not, they stress, that Egypt is turning its back on its allies of the past seven years. In press statements made over last week, President Al-Sisi paid tribute to the generous financial and economic support that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait provided following the political changes Egypt underwent in the summer of 2013.

Meanwhile, Cairo is planning to organise a conference towards the end of this month that will bring together the government, private sector, and economic experts to decide on how best to manage the economic crisis that has hit the country in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The economy will also be central to the talks Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri is scheduled to have with counterparts and other officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings later this month.

Cairo has yet to finalise an agreement with the IMF for a loan to help support the domestic economy. Earlier expectations, propagated, in part at least, by Egyptian officials, that the loan would be around $10 billion, have proved wide of the mark. This week, three Western sources said Cairo could expect a figure of between $3-$5 billion. The rest of Egypts foreign currency needs, they insist, will have to come from bilateral agreements, or agreements with commercial banks. Egypt is already in negotiations with banks in Gulf countries to secure two loans, one of $3 billion, the second of $4 billion.

Shoukris UNGA agenda will also include promoting partnership with other countries focusing on green energy projects. According Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tarek Al-Molla, Egypt is hoping to become a hub for green energy, a subject that will be discussed in depth in November when Egypt hosts COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will also be on Shoukris mind during his talks in New York. He is expected to tell interlocutors from across the world what he told Hanna Serwaa Thetteh, the UN secretary-generals special envoy to the Horn of Africa, when they met in Cairo this week: Egypt, like Sudan, wants an end to Ethiopias unilateral acts over the past three years, during which it has executed three fillings of the GERD reservoir in the absence of an agreement with downstream countries as required by the Declaration of Principles signed by Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan in 2015.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 15 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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The second edition of the Egypt International Cooperation Forum took place in the New Administrative Capital last week on the theme of From pledges to implementation on climate change, writes Doaa A. Moneim

Organised by the Ministry of International Cooperation, the Egypt International Cooperation Forum (Egypt-ICF2022) brought together hundreds of dignitaries and representatives of international financial institutions.

Twenty-three African countries participated in the event and contributed to drafting recommendations that will provide guidelines for work at the UN 27th Conference of the Partners on Climate Change (COP27) that Egypt is set to host in Sharm El-Sheikh in November.

The forum came up with two nationally innovative projects to accelerate mitigation and adaptation efforts to climate change in Africa: the Egypt Country Platform for the Nexus on Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) and the Sharm El-Sheikh Guidebook for Just Financing.

THE NWFE GOES LIVE: The Ministry of International Cooperation launched the NWFE, a national platform for green projects, at the Egypt-ICF2022, with the objective of producing a list of national projects in energy, food, and water that are all aligned with Egypts National Strategy for Climate Change 2050.

The NWFE is a unique and home-made model for an accelerator of climate action amid the severe impacts that climate change is causing, particularly in Africa. It presents main messages from Egypt ahead of the COP27 Conference and aims to stimulate the participation of the private sector in achieving the countrys 2030 National Agenda, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It is a national scheme meant to implement Egypts nationally determined contributions (NDCs), a document which has been recently submitted and details Egypts commitments to lower emission targets by 2030.

It is part of the International Cooperation Ministrys efforts to benefit from development funding and increase private-sector participation through blended finance de-risking tools in development projects, seeking to mobilise concessional development finance for a package of priority green development projects in the food, water, and energy sectors.

The programme falls within Egypts national agenda for supporting climate action, climate resilience and green projects (such as renewable energy), food security, and agricultural productivity, alongside sustainable infrastructure and transport aiming to achieve sustainable, low-emission development and enhance scientific research and technology transfers in the climate change field.

Part of the support for the NWFE programme will be provided in the form of a grant, while the other part will be soft financing and investment by the private sector at a total cost of nearly $10 billion.

The NWFEs three sectors of focus are being supported and catalysed by a key international institution for each. The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is the catalytic leader for the Energy Pillar. The UNs International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is the catalytic leader for the Food Security Pillar, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) is the catalytic leader for the Water Pillar.

This is along with the support of other international financial and development institutions.

The NWFE sets an example for a country-climate programme that integrates climate action into development efforts, Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat told Al-Ahram Weekly, adding that Egypt targets leveraging partnerships and catalysing investments for climate action in line with its National Strategy for Climate Change 2050.

The aim is a people-powered economy not just for Egypt but for the whole African continent as well, she said.

Al-Mashat indicated that a key message of the NWFE is technical support, which is much needed for the African countries. At the same time, the SDGs will be intertwined with projects in the water, food and energy sectors.

President of the EBRD Odile Renaud Basso underlined the banks support for the Egyptian government in implementing the Energy Pillar of the national platform. She highlighted key features, including the closure of old gas-fired power-generating capacity and the delivery and rapid development of renewable generating capacity that would exploit Egypts solar and wind resources. There would be the targeted deployment of public money to unlock massive private investment, she added.

AfDB vice president for power, energy, climate change and green growth, Kevin Kariuki, said that consultations with various international financing institutions (IFIs) that are keen on supporting Egypts NWFE platform had leveraged pledges amounting to $2.37 billion, including $1.325 billion for water desalinisation using renewable energy, $102 million for scaling up solar pumps for irrigation, and $945 million for improving agricultural climate resilience by modernising on-farm practices.

Speaking to the Weekly, Kariuki stressed that the NWFE programme is well-aligned with the banks strategies and is line with its five priorities: to feed Africa, to light up and power Africa, to industrialise Africa, and to improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

The NWFE is also in line with the banks water strategy, he said. The banks vision is of a water-secure Africa, where there is equitable and sustainable use and management of water resources for quality socio-economic transformation, Kariuki said.

The bank intends to play a leading role in actively promoting the development of Africas water, agricultural and energy sectors through sustainable financial assistance and advisory services, he added.

THE GUIDEBOOK FOR JUST FINANCING: The Ministry of International Cooperation also revealed an early draft of the Sharm El-Sheikh Guidebook for Just Financing, an operational tool meant to guide all stakeholders pumping finance into climate-action projects in Africa and to be a model to follow in other areas across the world.

The final version of the Guidebook will be officially launched during Finance Day, one of the days organised during the COP27 Climate Conference.

According to the draft, the Guidebook aims to help translate climate commitments into implementable projects. For the first time in the climate action sphere, it sees all capital providers as key players in climate financing and aims to ensure just financing outcomes.

These providers include policy-makers, public and private capital, export credit agencies, bilateral and multilateral funds, venture capital, philanthropy, private debt providers and banks, and national development banks, all key in providing the required finance to the shift from climate pledges to implementation.

During his participation at Egypt-ICF2022, Chair of the Institute for Global Change Tony Blair said the Guidebook was a practical tool that identified the challenges caused by climate change affecting the African continent and how to leverage public and private-sector finance to mitigate and adapt to them.

It is now about implementation, Blair said, in terms of accelerating climate-action efforts and fulfilling the developed countries financial commitments to the developing economies for adaptation and mitigation.

We have to increase our commitments to the developing countries. It is more important now, besides fighting climate change itself, Blair added.

The infrastructure gap in Africa is estimated at between $60 and $210 billion, according to the AfDB vice president for the private sector, infrastructure and industrialisation, Solomon Quaynor.

The biggest challenge is finding bankable projects to bridge this gap, he said, adding that he hoped the Guidebook would play a key role in mobilising climate finance for the continent. The AfDB has established the Africa50 bank to handle the infrastructure project-development challenge, he added.

Africa50 is an investment bank for infrastructure in Africa that focuses on high-impact national and regional projects in the energy, transport, ICT and water sectors. Were looking to raise about $500 billion of project-development funds, which would catalyse about $10 billion worth of green infrastructure funding in Africa in three to five years, Quaynor said.

The AfDB estimates that the African countries need around $3 trillion to adapt to climate change. The agriculture and infrastructure sectors require the lions share of this financing (75 per cent), followed by water and natural-disaster management.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 15 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray was hit by an air strike on Wednesday, local officials said, its second bombing in as many days which came shortly after authorities in the rebel-held region said they were ready for a ceasefire.

The attack struck a residential neighbourhood in the regional capital Mekele, "killing and wounding innocent civilians", tweeted Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been fighting Ethiopia's government for nearly two years.

He did not provide details of the casualties, but the bombing injured at least two women, said Fasika Amdeslasie, a surgeon at Ayder Referral Hospital, the biggest in Tigray.

"One was inside her compound and the other just at the gate of her compound going out," he said on Twitter.

AFP was not able to independently verify the claims. Access to northern Ethiopia is severely restricted and Tigray has been under a communications blackout for over a year.

The reported attack followed a drone strike on Tuesday on Mekele University, which the TPLF said caused injuries and property damage.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has not commented on this week's reported bombings.

Tigray has been hit by several air strikes since fighting resumed in late August between government forces and their allies and TPLF rebels in northern Ethiopia.

The return to combat shattered a March truce and dashed hopes of peacefully resolving the war, which has killed untold numbers of civilians and triggered a humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia.

Both sides have accused the other of firing first, and fighting has spread from around southern Tigray to other fronts farther north and west, while also drawing in Eritrean troops who backed Ethiopian forces in the early phase of the war.

On Sunday, the TPLF said it was ready for a ceasefire and would accept a peace process led by the African Union, removing an obstacle to negotiations with Abiy's government.

The international community has urged the warring sides to seize the moment for peace.

Addis Ababa is still yet to officially comment on the overture by Tigrayan authorities, which dominated national politics for nearly three decades until Abiy came to power in 2018.

Abiy's government has declared the TPLF a terrorist group, and considers its claim to authority in Tigray illegitimate.

Untold numbers of civilians have been killed since the war erupted in Africa's second most populous country, and grave rights violations by all sides against civilians have been documented.

Abiy, a Nobel Peace laureate, sent troops into Tigray in November 2020 to topple the TPLF in response to what he said were attacks on federal army camps.

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Egypts economy has tripled in size over the past six years despite the economic challenges, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait told the Korean Ambassador in Egypt Hong Jin-wook on Wednesday during a meeting at the finance ministry headquarters in the presence of a delegation of Korean investors.

According to Maait, Egypt attained the highest GDP growth rate of 6.6 percent in 2008, compared to an average of 3.2 percent in emerging markets.

He noted that Egypt achieved an initial surplus, for the fifth consecutive fiscal year, worth EGP 100 billion in FY 2021/2022 (1.3 percent of GDP). In addition, the budget deficit contracted in FY 2021/2022 to reach 6.1 percent of GDP, down from 13 percent in FY 2012/2013.

Egypts GDP growth is expected to moderate to 5.5 percent in the current FY 2022/2023 and to five percent in FY 2023/2024 owing to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

The rate is expected to jump to seven percent in FY 2025/2026 and FY 2026/2027.

Egypt is eager to reduce all barriers for the sake of stimulating both local and foreign investments, including the Egyptian-Korean partnership in order to maximise Egypt's export and production capacities and provide more job opportunities, the minister told Hong.

Maait highlighted the distinguished relations between the two countries, stressing that the ministry is willing to support the Korean companies operating in the Egyptian market to expand their investment activities.

During the meeting, Maait invited the Korean ambassador to attend the meetings of the Finance Day, scheduled for November on the sidelines of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Hong underpinned the efforts of the Egyptian government to encourage and facilitate Korean investments, noting that 170 Korean companies operate in the Egyptian market with a total investments of $800 million.

We are looking forward to further economic cooperation with Egypt going forward, said Hong.

He noted that the trade balance between the two countries is tipping towards balancing due to the increasing Egyptian exports to South Korea.

Trade exchange between Egypt and South Korea rose by 23.6 percent during the first 10 months of 2021, recording $1.9 billion, up from $1.6 billion during the corresponding period in 2020, according to the latest figures published by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

During the same course, the Egyptian imports from South Korea increased to $1.4 billion, up from $938.4 million, growing by 44.8 percent.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held an official session of talks with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Wednesday at the royal palace in Doha, then the two leaders witnessed the signing a number of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries.

The Egyptian president was accorded an official reception ceremony by the country's emir upon his arrival at the Amiri Diwan in Doha for the talks on Wednesday morning.

President El-Sisi was received on Tuesday evening by Emir Tamim at Hamad International Airport as he embarked on a two day official visit to Qatar - his first such visit since asuming the presidency in 2014 - upon the invitation of the Qatari leader.

During Wednesday's talks, Emir Tamim expressed to El-Sisi his aspirations for the further growth and development of the fraternal relations between the two countries, according to the official Qatari News Agency QNA.

The Qatari emir also expressed his hopes that El-Sisis visit would contribute to the consolidation of cooperation relations between the two countries to achieve the aspirations and interests of the two brotherly peoples, QNA added.

For his part, El-Sisi affirmed to Emir Tamim Egypt's openness on deepening ties with Qatar in the political, security, economic and trade fields, according to the official Egyptian news agency MENA.

The Qatari emir hailed Egyptian efforts in supporting Arab and Gulf causes, lauding the country's prominent role in promoting joint Arab action mechanisms in the face of crises and challenges, MENA added.

Emir Tamim said that Egypt is a role model in efforts to maintain stability as well as bolster social and economic development in the Arab world.

According to QNA, the MoUs signed on Wednesday included an MoU between Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) for investment and development; an MoU on cooperation in the field of ports development; and an MoU signed by Egypt's Ministry of Social Solidarity and Qatar's Ministry of Social Development and the Family to promote cooperation onsocial issues.

The Qatari emir affirmed to President El-Sisi that Qatar is keen to boost bilateral cooperation between the two countries through increasing Qatari investment in Egypt, the Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson Bassam Rady told MENA.

A significant visit

Rady said on Tuesday that El-Sisis visit is a culmination of the intensive discussions held recently between the two countries with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation on all levels.

Qatari Ambassador to Egypt Salem Mubarak Al-Shafi expressed his confidence that El-Sisis visit would establish "an unprecedented breakthrough" in cooperation between them, QNA reported.

The Qatari ambassador said on Monday that El-Sisis visit to Doha is a reflection of the level of excellence in relations reached between the two countries, which culminated in Sheikh Tamims visit to Cairo in June.

Tamims visit to Cairo was his first since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties following the Al-Ula Declaration, which ended a three-and-half-year diplomatic and economic boycott that Egypt and three of the GCC members  Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE  had placed on Qatar.

In the wake of Al-Ula declaration, Cairo and Doha have agreed to move beyond their disputes and work towards settling all their outstanding issues, forming an Egyptian-Qatari follow-up committee that has held seven rounds of negotiations over the past year, the last of which was in Doha last September.

The course of the follow-up committee has seen the signing of a number of bilateral deals to bolster ties between the two countries, which eventually formed the Egyptian-Qatari High Joint Committee  headed by the two foreign ministers  in March.

On Wednesday, Deputy Director General of the Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies (ECSS) Mohamed Ibrahim El-Deweri told MENA that El-Sisis visist represents a strong support to the Arab stance.

The importance of the visit comes from being the first visit of El-Sisi to Qatar since taking office in 2014, said El-Deweri adding that it comes in light of escalating crises at the regional and international levels.

He said the visit comes as part of the steps taken by both countries to turn over a new leaf in their relations, adding that it is an example on overcoming tactical disputes in order to achieve the strategic goals among the sisterly countries.

In March, Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said during a presser with his Qatari counterpart in Cairo that the impurities that plagued the relations were removed through consensus on the statement of Al-Ula, the subsequent honest and sincere activation of the follow-up committee, and the positive results it reached.

Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said at the time that bilateral relations are in constant development, affirming his government's keenness to upgrade these relations.

We see that the horizon of the relations between Qatar and Egypt is wide in boosting economic partnership and communication between the two countries on all levels, the Qatari FM said, adding that the past period that was marred by tensions is over.

El-Sisis meeting with Qatari Businessmen Association

Earlier on Wednesday, during the inauguration of the Qatari-Egyptian Businessmen Forum, El-Sisi affirmed Egypts keenness to develop economic and commercial cooperation with the Qatari business community and boost joint investment, in a meeting on Wednesday with representatives of the Qatari Businessmen Association, according to a statement by Rady.

The Egyptian president expressed willingness to provide real investment opportunities for the Qatari private sector, reviewing Egypt's measures to modernise infrastructure, including the establishment of road networks, power stations and modern public transportation, in addition to establishing a legal system and legislation that meet the aspirations and demands of investors and achieve growth prospects, according to QNA.

The Qatari FM was quoted by QNA as saying that the Qatari-Egyptian Businessmen Forum represents the culmination of an exceptional and distinguished phase in the historical relations between both countries.

From their side, Qatari businessmen said that this meeting represents a great opportunity to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and cooperation between the two countries

Moreover, they asserted their aspiration to discuss the possibilities of maximising cooperation between the two countries, especially with the availability of many promising investment opportunities in Egypt, especially in the energy and renewables sectors, tourism, construction, real estate development, agriculture, industry and healthcare.

The Qatari top diplomat called on the Qatari and Egyptian business sectors to take advantage of the important economic capabilities in both countries as well as the investment opportunities and incentives available to establish successful investment projects and partnerships, noting that bilateral trade cooperation has witnessed a notable and growing development in light of the recovery of the global economy from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Qatari investments in Egypt climbed from $109.8 billion in the second quarter of FY 2021/2022 to $140.1 billion in the third quarter of 2021/2022, according to data from Egypts Central Bank.

In June, Egyptian Minister of Industry and Trade Nevine Gamea cited industrial partnerships between 4,500 Egyptian and Qatari companies as models for further cooperation, declaring a month later that she held a meeting with the Qatari Businessmen Association to explore the potential for boosting Qatari investments in the Egyptian market.

Also in June, a week before Sheikh Tamims visit to Cairo, Egypt and Qatar signed an MoU in Doha on financial policy coordination to foster cooperation and coordinate financial visions, positions and policies at the bilateral and international levels.

According to Egypts Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait, the MoU, which aims to exchange expertise in taxation, customs, and financial policies, paves the way for reaching an agreement on preventing double taxation between the two sides with a view to stimulating joint investments.

In July, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly instructed the government to explore opportunities to boost investments and partnerships with Qatar.

This comes few months after an extended meeting in March between Madbouly and Qatar's FM in Cairo where a Qatari package of $5 billion in investments and partnerships in Egypt was announced within "the framework of boosting economic cooperation between the two brotherly countries."

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The Russian Association Pobeda for Voluntary Work, presided over by Daria Matsuk, in cooperation with the Russian House in Cairo, organised on Monday the Dictation of Victory contest on the anniversary of the end of the World War II, with the participation of 100 young men and women from Egypt.

The same celebration was held in 18 countries simultaneously, including Egypt, where 25 questions were directed to the participants about the anniversary of the end of World War II and the victory of the peoples of the Soviet Union, the lessons learned from the war, the importance of peace among peoples and the renunciation of wars.

##

Marat Gatin, Director of the Russian Cultural Centers in Egypt, stressed his appreciation for Egyptian youth's interest in participating in the Dictation of Victory competition and learning more about the history of this tragedy in which the world lost 50 million people, 27 million of whom were from the peoples of the Soviet Union.

I was pleased with the attendance of Egyptian youth from the governorates of Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh to participate in this celebration, which reflects the youth's awareness of the importance of history and the search for facts, Gatin said.

Matsuk, president of the Russian Association Pobeda for Voluntary Work, explained that she was thrilled to organise this celebration at the Russian House in Cairo for the fourth year in a row, and thanked the Russian centres management for organising and sponsoring the celebration, and thanked the Egyptian youth for their interest in participating.

It is not necessary to be familiar with the details of history, but the desire of young people to know and participate is the most important thing, Matsuk.

She also indicated that this celebration took place in 18 countries in addition to Russia, where 17,000 halls were provided to organise the Dictation of Victory celebration through attendance or online participation.

In the end, certificates of recognition of the Dictation of Victory contest were granted to all participants.

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Egypt extended condolences to the Jordanian government and people on Wednesday over the victims of the collapse of a residential building in Ammans Al-Luweibdeh area.

The Egyptian government and people stress their solidarity with the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the families of the victims in this tragic accident, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry wished a speedy recovery for the injured and success for the ongoing rescue operations.

Jordanian rescue teams have been struggling to rescue people from under the rubble of a multi-storey building that collapsed on Tuesday in the Jordanian capital.

Rescuers have recovered nine bodies from under the rubble, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported at around 9 PM.

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The Egyptian State Security Prosecution ordered on Wednesday the release of Ahmed El-Nagdy, a journalist at the Qatari-based Al-Jazeera TV channel, who was detained in 2020 on charges including spreading false news.

The authorities arrested the Egyptian journalist, who is in his seventies, in August 2020 when he visiting Egypt, according to Al-Jazeera.

El-Nagdy faced charges of joining an outlawed group that seeks to obstruct the constitution and laws and prevent state authorities from fulfilling their duties.

He also faced charges of disseminating false news with the aim of disrupting public peace in accordance with the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood group, which has been designated by the Egyptian authorities as a terrorist organisation since 2013.

The release of El-Nagdy comes against the backdrop of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis two-day visit to Doha  his first to the Gulf country since assuming the presidency in 2014  upon the invitation of the Qatari leader.

El-Sisis visit saw talks between El-Sisi and Qatars Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during which they discussed enhancing bilateral relations.

The visit comes a few months after the emir visited Egypt for the first time since Cairo and Doha agreed in January 2021 to resume diplomatic relations as part of the Al-Ula Declaration, which was made after an over three-year-long diplomatic rift.

Three Al-Jazeera journalists  Hisham Abdel-Aziz, Bahaa El-Din Ebrahim, and Rabie El-Sheikh  are still detained in Egypt, the Qatari channel said last month. Also, Al-Jazeera presenter Ahmed Taha received a final 15-year prison sentence by the Emergency Supreme State Security Criminal Court in May for disseminating false news.

The release of El-Nagdy comes more than a year after authorities released Egyptian journalist Mahmoud Hussein, a correspondent at Al-Jazeera, in February 2021 after being detained pending trial since 2016 on charges of spreading false news.

The authorities have recently released dozens of pretrial detainees as the government and various political forces prepare for an extensive National Political Dialogue that will discuss pressing political, economic and social issues.

Since the launch of preparations for the national political dialogue in May and the re-activation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April, President El-Sisi has pardoned a number of high-profile political activists who had received final prison sentences, including journalist Hisham Fouad as well as Hossam Mones, and Yahia Abdel-Hady.

In July, Dialogue Coordinator Diaa Rashwan said more than 700 prisoners had been released by the prosecution or given a presidential pardon since El-Sisi called for the National Dialogue in April.

Seven members of the Journalists Syndicate remain behind bars, with the same number of imprisoned journalists who are not syndicate members, said Rashwan, who is also the head of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate.

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By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has discussed the fresh Armenian border provocation with his Russian and French counterparts, as well as the EU high representative for foreign affairs, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

In a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on September 13, the ministers discussed the recent clashes and tension in the region.

Bayramov briefed his counterpart on the current regional situation as a result of large-scale provocations by Armenian armed forces, as well as Azerbaijan's efforts to deter aggression.

He emphasized that contrary to trilateral declarations, Armenia continued to shell at Azerbaijans positions, kept mining its land throughout the previous month, and has not totally withdrawn its armed units from Azerbaijan's territory.

Lavrov, for his part, emphasized the need of avoiding war in the region, as well as the importance of fully implementing the trilateral declarations, signed by the Azerbaijani, Armenian, and Russian leaders.

The parties exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

In the same vein, Bayramov discussed the latest Armenian provocation with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna during a telephone conversation on September 13.

Bayramov told his colleague that Armenia failed to meet its post-conflict commitments, resorting to military and political provocations in violation of the leaders' trilateral statements and agreements.

He emphasized that a considerable number of Azerbaijani military personnel were killed as a result of large-scale military aggression committed by Armenia on September 12-13.

At the same time, Bayramov emphasized that the Armenian military units have not been completely pulled out from Azerbaijani land, warning that Armenia must abandon its confrontational stance.

Catherine Colonna, French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, stated that France is genuinely worried about the regional tensions, and it is critical to continue the process of normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as to solve the problems at the political-diplomatic level.

Other subjects of mutual interest were discussed during the phone call.

Likewise, in a telephone conversation on September 13, Bayramov and Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Relations and Security Policy/Vice President of the EU Commission, discussed the current regional situation, as well as the tensions triggered by Armenia's recent provocation against Azerbaijan along the state border.

Bayramov emphasized that Armenia grossly violated its obligations by committing large-scale provocations, resulting in the deaths of 50 military personnel as a consequence of intensive shelling of Azerbaijani positions. He added that these provocations were part of Armenia's recurring anti-Azerbaijan provocations in recent months.

The minister underlined that the Azerbaijani armed forces responded appropriately to military provocations in order to safeguard the country's territorial integrity.

Borrell conveyed his concern about the tension, emphasizing the need for continuing conversations between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders via the mediation of European Union Council President Charles Michel.

Borrell drew attention to the EU special envoy for the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaars planned visit to the region on September 14.

Opinions were also expressed at the meeting on other topics of mutual interest.

To recap, units of the Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions on the night of September 13. At night, Armenian sabotage groups mined land and supply roads linking the positions of the Azerbaijani army units in different directions, taking advantage of the area's steep topography and existing ravine gaps.

Clashes between the sides ensued as a result of the urgent efforts made by the Azerbaijani armed forces to quell these activities.

As a result, there were 50 losses among the military personnel, and the military infrastructure was damaged, the ministry detailed.
Leading US tech company IBM announced on Wednesday that it has been named technology partner for the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), set to take place in November in Egypt.

At the conference, IBM will showcase how technology and consulting can help business and government leaders align sustainability goals to organisational objectives, responding to regulatory demands and without compromising profitability, the company said in a statement.

IBMs chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna said she believes in the role of technology in turning the ambitions of sustainability into action.

At IBM, we combine technology and expertise to help some of the worlds largest public and private organisations achieve their sustainability goals, in addition to setting our own strong environmental commitment, Krishna stated.

In August, Egypt, the president of COP27, signed an MoU with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), naming the American global management consulting firm the exclusive partner for the conference.

Also, Egypt and Vodafone signed an MoU last month, under which the British multinational telecommunications company will be the principle partner for communications for the conference.

Egypt is preparing to host COP27 in the Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh from 6 to 18 November with ambitions to turn climate pledges into actions as per the Paris Agreement in coordination with international partners.

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With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa.

In July, the UN health agency designated monkeypox as a global emergency and appealed to the world to support African countries so that the catastrophic vaccine inequity that plagued the outbreak of COVID-19 wouldn't be repeated.

But the global spike of attention has had little impact on the continent. No rich countries have shared vaccines or treatments with Africa, and some experts fear interest may soon evaporate.

``Nothing has changed for us here, the focus is all on monkeypox in the West,'' said Placide Mbala, a virologist who directs the global health research department at Congo's Institute of Biomedical Research.

``The countries in Africa where monkeypox is endemic are still in the same situation we have always been, with weak resources for surveillance, diagnostics and even the care of patients,'' he said.

Monkeypox has sickened people in parts of West and Central Africa since the 1970s, but it wasn't until the disease triggered unusual outbreaks in Europe and North America that public health officials even thought to use vaccines.

As rich countries rushed to buy nearly all the world's supply of the most advanced shot against monkeypox, the World Health Organization said in June that it would create a vaccine-sharing mechanism to help needy countries get doses.

So far, that hasn't happened.

``Africa is still not benefiting from either monkeypox vaccines or the antiviral treatments,'' said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's Africa director, adding that only small amounts have been available for research purposes.

Since 2000, Africa has reported about 1,000 to 2,000 suspected monkeypox cases every year. So far this year, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified about 3,000 suspected infections, including more than 100 deaths.

In recent weeks, monkeypox cases globally have fallen by more than a quarter, including by 55% in Europe, according to WHO.

Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, head of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, said the lack of help for Africa was reminiscent of the inequity seen during COVID-19.

``Everybody looked after their (own) problem and left everybody else,'' he said. Adetifa lamented that monkeypox outbreaks in Africa never got the international attention that might have prevented the virus from spreading globally.

Rich countries have stretched their vaccine supplies by using a fifth of the regular dose, but none have expressed interest in helping Africa.

WHO's regional office for the Americas recently announced it had struck a deal to obtain 100,000 monkeypox doses that will start being delivered to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean within weeks. But no similar agreements have been reached for Africa.

``I would very much like to have vaccines to offer to my patients or anything that could just reduce their stay in the hospital,'' said Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a professor of medicine at Nigeria's Delta University and a member of WHO's monkeypox emergency committee.

Since WHO declared monkeypox a global emergency, Nigeria has seen the disease continue to spread, with few significant interventions.

``We still do not have the funds to do all the studies that we need,'' Ogoina said.

Research into the animals that carry monkeypox and spread it to humans in Africa is piecemeal and lacks coordination, said Mbala, of Congo's Institute of Biomedical Research.

Last week, the White House said it was optimistic about a recent drop in monkeypox cases in the US, saying authorities had administered more than 460,000 doses of the vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic.

The US has about 35% of the world's more than 56,000 monkeypox cases, but nearly 80% of the world's supply of the vaccine, according to a recent analysis by the advocacy group Public Citizen.

The US hasn't announced any monkeypox vaccine donations for Africa, but the White House did make a recent request to Congress for $600 million in global aid.

Even if rich countries start sharing monkeypox tools with Africa soon, they shouldn't be applauded, other experts said.

``It should not be the case that countries only decide to share leftover vaccines when the epidemic is declining in their countries,'' said Piero Olliaro, a professor of infectious diseases of poverty at Oxford University. ``It is exactly the same scenario as COVID and it is still completely unethical.``

Olliaro, who recently returned to the UK from a trip to Central African Republic to work on monkeypox, said WHO's emergency declaration appeared to offer ``no tangible benefits in Africa.''

In Nigeria's Lagos state, which includes the country's largest city and is hard hit by monkeypox, some people are calling for the government to urgently do more.

``You can't tell me that the situation wouldn't have improved without a vaccine,'' said Temitayo Lawal, 29, an economist.

``If there is no need for vaccines, why are we now seeing the US and all these countries using them?'' he asked. ``Our government needs to acquire doses as well.''

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Kenya's new President William Ruto said on Wednesday the East African country was breaking diplomatic ties with the contested Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in Western Sahara after talks with Morocco.

The break came barely a day after the leader of the Polisario independence movement, Brahim Ghali, attended the swearing-in ceremony of Ruto as president in Nairobi.

The Algerian-backed Polisario Front wants an independent state in the Western Sahara, a vast stretch of mineral-rich desert which Morocco considers part of its own territory.

"Kenya rescinds its recognition of the SADR and initiates steps to wind down the entity's presence in the country," Ruto said on Twitter after meeting Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

Bourita had delivered a congratulatory message from Morocco's King Mohammed VI, Ruto said, adding that the two nations had agreed on improved ties "in areas of trade, agriculture, health, tourism, energy, among others".

"Kenya supports the United Nations framework as the exclusive mechanism to find a lasting solution of the dispute," Ruto said.

A former Spanish colony, Western Sahara sits on the western edge of the vast eponymous desert, stretching along the Atlantic coast.

When Spain withdrew in 1975, Morocco sent thousands of people across the border and claimed it was an integral part of its territory.

The following year the Polisario Front declared a Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), with support from Algeria and Libya, and demanded a referendum on self-determination.

Since then, 84 UN member states have recognised the SADR.

But a stalemate ensued, and Morocco built razor-wire-topped concentric sand walls in the desert that still ring 80 percent of the territory that it controls.

Under a 1991 ceasefire, the UN, which considers the Western Sahara "a non-self-governing territory", deployed a peacekeeping mission.

The international community has long backed a referendum to be held to decide the territory's status.

But Morocco rejects any vote in which independence is an option, arguing that only granting autonomy is on the table for the sake of regional security.

The African Union recognises the Sahrawi Arab Republic as a member.

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Iran's top diplomat said Wednesday his country wants to boost relations with the United Arab Emirates, welcoming an Emirati ambassador back to Tehran after a six-year absence.

The UAE and other Gulf states had scaled back their ties with the Islamic republic in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi Arabia's diplomatic missions in Iran.

"We would like to broaden our relations with our neighbours, including the United Arab Emirates," Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told the new Emirati ambassador, Saif Mohammed al-Zaabi, when they met Tuesday, according to an official statement released early Wednesday.

Despite the diplomatic downgrade, the oil-rich UAE has maintained strong economic ties with the Islamic republic.

In 2020, the UAE established diplomatic relations with Israel, a move which Tehran condemned.

But Abu Dhabi has been pursuing a policy of rapprochement with former regional rivals including Qatar, Turkey and Iran.

Amir-Abdollahian "also stressed the need for the region's countries to cooperate for the sake of regional stability," according to the ministry's statement.

In July, the UAE said it was considering sending an ambassador back to Tehran with the aim of "boosting bilateral ties," state media reported at the time.

Iran said last month that Kuwait had sent its first ambassador to Tehran since 2016.

Two Middle Eastern powerhouses, Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia have both expressed willingness to overcome their disputes and were engaged in bilateral talks, which were first made public in April 2021.

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The United Arab Emirates' top diplomat arrived in Tel Aviv Wednesday on a visit marking two years since ties were established between the two countries, state media said.

Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed was due to meet top Israeli officials during the trip that would last for "several days", the UAE's state news agency WAM reported.

"Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, today arrived in Tel Aviv on an official visit to the State of Israel," WAM said.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid is scheduled to hold meetings with Sheikh Abdullah, according to his office.

The UAE normalised ties with Israel in September 2020 as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords that also saw Bahrain and Morocco follow suit.

The Emirati minister "will meet with high-ranking Israeli officials to discuss a number of issues of mutual concern and matters related to UAE-Israel relations and the prospects for their cooperation and partnership", WAM said.

Bin Zayed had visited Israel in March as part of a high-level meeting in the southern Negev desert alongside his Israeli, US, Moroccan and Bahraini counterparts.

In late May, Israel and the UAE signed a trade deal that removes customs duties on 96 percent of goods shipped between the two countries.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping's first trip overseas since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic will overlap with a visit by Pope Francis to Kazakhstan, although the Vatican says there are no plans for them to meet.

Xi's state visit Wednesday comes just weeks ahead of an all-important political meeting in China where he is expected to take a third term as he cements his grip on power. The pope is in Kazakhstan until Thursday for a state visit and an interfaith congress of world religious leaders.

Asked during his flight to Kazakhstan about a possible meeting with Xi, the pope said, ``I don't have any news about this. But I am always ready to go to China.''

The two have been in the same vicinity before and not met, including New York for the United nations General Assembly in 2015 and Xi's visit to Italy in 2019.

The Vatican and China are due to renew their 2018 deal on bishop nominations at the end of this month. A Vatican delegation recently returned from Beijing, and Holy See officials expect the deal to be continued.

Here's a look at Beijing's complicated relationship with the Vatican and the conditions that worshippers face in China.

WHAT IS CHINA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VATICAN?

China does not have diplomatic relations with Vatican, ever since the ruling Communist Party required Roman Catholics in China to sever ties with the Vatican in the 1950s. For decades, people could worship only in churches affiliated with the party-controlled Patriotic Catholic Association.

The Association follows Vatican doctrine and sends theologians to Rome for study sessions, but the ruling party rejects any role for the pope in picking bishops in China or managing churches.

The two sides reached an agreement in 2018 that gave the Holy See the final say over bishops proposed by Beijing, but details have never been released. Francis has said the process involves a dialogue, but that he has the final say.

Beijing had long insisted that it must approve appointments as a matter of its national sovereignty. The Vatican has insisted on the pope's divine authority to choose the successors of Christ's apostles.

Vatican officials have said if the Vatican didn't hammer out something new, there was a risk of the Catholic Church in China becoming irrevocably split.

Vatican City, of which the pope is head of state, is the last European government to maintain ties with Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy the Communist Party claims as part of its territory. Any agreement to establish formal ties with Beijing would likely require the Vatican to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan and endorse the party's claim to the island.

HOW HAS THE BEIJING-VATICAN RELATIONSHIP CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS?

Vatican officials have said they hope the 2018 deal will lead to improvements in the conditions for the Chinese Catholic community and not just focus on bishop nominations.

The deal has brought China and the Vatican closer together in the past four years, said Chang Chia-lin, a professor of religious studies at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

``In the future, if China agrees to let the pope make a visit, I think the possibility for Vatican-China to establish diplomatic relations will deepen,'' Chang said.

Despite the closer ties, Catholics practicing outside state churches face great pressure and harassment. Rights groups have criticized the deal, saying the costs outweighed whatever benefits have been brought.

Joseph Zen, a prominent Catholic cardinal in Hong Kong who had been a staunch critic of China's Communist Party, was arrested in May as part of a crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

The Vatican issued a statement of concern _ a rarity given its delicate relationship with Beijing.

``It seems likely that in order to maintain the positive diplomacy required to continue with the Sino-Vatican agreement, the Vatican has been unwilling to condemn the Chinese government's ongoing crimes against humanity targeting Uyghurs and the human rights crackdown in Hong Kong - even when it has affected prominent Catholics like Cardinal Zen,'' said William Nee, the Research and Advocacy Coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders.

An estimated one million or more Uyghurs and others from predominantly Muslim ethnic groups were held in internment camps in the western Xinjiang region in what the U.N.'s human rights body said may amount to ``crimes against humanity.''

WHAT IS THE SITUATION FOR CHRISTIANS IN CHINA?

Under Xi, China has launched a crackdown on Christianity in recent years, part of an overall tightening on religious freedoms that has also affected worshippers of Islam and, to a lesser extent, Buddhism and Daoism.

Tens of millions of Chinese Roman Catholics as well as Christians had worshipped for decades in informal ``house churches`` and their presence was tolerated.

But China's drive to ``Sinicize'' religion and give ultimate control to the Communist Party rather than a religious leader has led to informal churches coming under intense pressure to shut down. Christian worshippers have seen their churches raided, while facing interrogations and surveillance. Police have arrested pastors and priests associated with these churches.

Some, like the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, have fled overseas in order to practice their version of their religion.

Despite the crackdown, the number of Catholics and believers of other Christian denominations have grown over the past few decades, experts say.

``In China, an ordinary Christian, or Catholic, they have limited religious freedom. They can go to the church for Mass and prayer, and this so-called limited religious freedom, and it's under the church which is controlled by the Communist Party,'' said Chang.

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China's President Xi Jinping landed in Uzbekistan on Wednesday, state media said, ahead of a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

"Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here (in Samarkand) Wednesday evening to pay a state visit to Uzbekistan and attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)," the official Xinhua news agency said.

The SCO, established in 2001 as a political, economic and security organisation to rival Western institutions -- will bring together Xi and Putin, as well as leaders from India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and other ex-Soviet Central Asian countries.

Xi flew to Samarkand from Nur-Sultan in Kazakhstan, where he met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his first trip overseas since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

There, the Chinese president vowed full support for the Central Asian country, which has been spooked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Kazakhstan is part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a trillion-dollar push to improve trade links across the globe by building landmark

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Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of instigating new rounds of shelling across their borders Wednesday and reported that 155 troops from the two countries have died since hostilities reignited between the two longtime adversaries this week.

Armenia's Defense Ministry accused Azerbaijani forces of launching combat drones in the direction of the Armenian resort town of Jermuk overnight and renewing shelling with artillery and mortars in the morning in the direction of Jermuk and the village of Verin Shorzha.

The Azerbaijani military, in turn, charged that Armenian forces shelled its positions in the Kalbajar and Lachin districts of Azerbaijan, near the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said 105 of his country's have been killed since fighting erupted early Tuesday, while Azerbaijan said it lost 50 troops.

Azerbaijani authorities said they were ready to unilaterally hand over the bodies of up to 100 Armenian soldiers.

The two ex-Soviet countries have been locked in a decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994.

During a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed broad swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories held by Armenian forces. More than 6,700 people died in the fighting, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal. Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers under the deal.

Russia moved quickly on Tuesday to negotiate an end to the latest hostilities, but a cease-fire it sought to broker has failed to hold. The two sides traded blame for violations of the cease-fire, while the international community urged calm.

"Despite the appeals of the international community and the reached cease-fire agreement, Armenian armed forces continue attacks and provocations in the state border using artillery and other heavy weapons," Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

It said two Azerbaijani civilians were injured by the Armenian shelling of the Kalbajar and Lachin districts.

The ministry rejected as an "absolute lie" Armenia's claim that Azerbaijani troops had fired on a Russian military outpost in Armenia. It alleged Armenia was making such assertions in an attempt to turn a Moscow-dominated security alliance "into a tool for its dirty deeds."

Pashinyan said Wednesday that his government has asked Russia for military support under a friendship treaty between the countries, and also requested assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

"Our allies are Russia and the CSTO," Pashinyan said, adding that the collective security pact states that an aggression against one member is an aggression against all.

"We don't see a military interference as the only possibility, because there are also political and diplomatic options," Pashinyan said, speaking in his nation's parliament.

Moscow has engaged in a delicate balancing act in seeking to maintain friendly ties with both nations. It has strong economic and security ties with Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, while also has been developing close cooperation with oil-rich Azerbaijan.

Some observers saw the outbreak of fighting as an attempt by Azerbaijan to force Armenian authorities into faster implementation of some of the provisions of the 2020 peace deal, such as the opening of transport corridors via its territory.

"Azerbaijan has bigger military potential, and so it tries to dictate its conditions to Armenia and use force to push for diplomatic decisions it wants," Sergei Markedonov, a Russian expert on the South Caucasus region, wrote in a commentary.

Markedonov noted that the current flare-up of hostilities comes just as Russia has been forced to pull back from areas in northeastern Ukraine after a Ukrainian counteroffensive, adding that Armenia's request for assistance has put Russia in a precarious position.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of other CSTO members discussed the situation in a call late Tuesday, urging a quick cessation of hostilities. They agreed to send a mission of top officials from the security alliance to the area.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the mission will deliver a report assessing the developments to the leaders of CSTO member states. "The situation has remained tense," Peskov said in Wednesday's conference call with reporters.

On Friday, Putin is set to hold a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they both plan to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security grouping dominated by Russia and China.

The Armenian government said Pashinyan, who also was due to attend the summit, would not show up because of the fighting.

In Washington, a group of lawmakers supporting Armenia lobbied the Biden administration. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, the influential Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and four other members of Congress called on the White House and State Department to "unequivocally condemn Azerbaijan's actions and cease all assistance" to Azerbaijan.

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A year after the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration said Wednesday it will transfer $3.5 billion in frozen Afghan central bank funds for humanitarian aid as hunger grips every province in that country.

Funds will be dispersed after trustees of the new Afghan Fund meet to determine a timetable. The trustees are two Afghan economists, a U.S. government representative and a Swiss government representative.

Notably, the Taliban government will not have access to the fund, which will be held at the Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland. The bank in a news release said its role is "limited to providing banking services to and executing the instructions of the Board of Trustees of the Fund without involvement in the Fund's governance or decision making."

In the interim, Afghanistan's central bank, which in February had $7 billion in frozen funds, "must demonstrate that it has the expertise, capacity, and independence to responsibly perform the duties of a central bank," the U.S. Treasury and State departments said in a joint statement. "Robust safeguards have been put in place to prevent the funds from being used for illicit activity."

International funding to Afghanistan was suspended and billions of dollars of the country's assets abroad, mostly in the United States, were frozen after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021 following the U.S. military's withdrawal.

According to the World Bank, income and economic output in Afghanistan have fallen between 20% and 30%, imports have declined by approximately 40%, and about 70% of Afghan households report they are unable to fully meet basic food or non-food needs.

In February, President Joe Biden issued an executive order that called for banks to provide $3.5 billion of the frozen money to a trust fund for distribution through humanitarian groups for Afghan relief and basic needs.

The other $3.5 billion will stay in the U.S. to finance payments from lawsuits by U.S. victims of terrorism that are still working their way through the courts, prompted by claims brought by family members of people killed on Sept 11, 2001.

"The Afghan Fund will help mitigate the economic challenges facing Afghanistan while protecting and preserving $3.5 billion in reserves from Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), Afghanistan's central bank, for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan," Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.

He said the Taliban's "repression and economic mismanagement" had exacerbated longstanding economic challenges for Afghanistan that had made the return of the funds untenable.

In a Tuesday letter to Afghanistan's central bank, Adeyemo said until conditions for the central bank are met, their control of assets "would place them at unacceptable risk and jeopardize them as a source of support for the Afghan people."

Human Rights Watch said in August that Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis cannot be effectively addressed unless the U.S. and other governments ease restrictions on the country's banking sector to allow economic activity and humanitarian aid.

Nearly half the Afghan population, 18.9 million people, is estimated to be acutely food insecure between June and November 2022, the World Food Programme said. All 34 provinces in the country are facing some level of crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the people of Afghanistan are facing humanitarian and economic crises born of "decades of conflict, severe drought, COVID-19, and endemic corruption."

"Today, the United States and its partners take an important, concrete step forward in ensuring that additional resources can be brought to bear to reduce suffering and improve economic stability for the people of Afghanistan while continuing to hold the Taliban accountable," Sherman said.

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Greece on Wednesday rejected claims by neighboring Turkey that six migrants including two children drowned at sea after being pushed back by Greek officers this week.

"Greece denies any involvement in the alleged fatal incident," Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi tweeted on Wednesday.

The Turkish coastguard said Tuesday it had rescued 73 other people trying to reach Europe off the southwestern province of Mugla.

Ankara said the migrants were on four boats.

The migrants' nationalities were not stated, but they boarded from the Lebanese port of Tripoli on Saturday to try to reach Italy, according to witnesses quoted by the Turkish coastguard.

They finally called on Greek authorities for help after running out of fuel off the Greek island of Rhodes on Monday, the statement said.

"We were told that after being taken from a Greek coastguard boat and robbed of their valuables, (the migrants) were put on board four boats and abandoned adrift near Turkish territorial waters," a Turkish coastguard statement said.

But Athens has fired back.

"Turkey needs to provide protection to refugees in accordance with international law and not push them forward," Mitarachi said.

Athens and Ankara are locked in a period of strained relations and have accused each other of violating migrants' rights.

Greece said Sunday it has blocked more than 150,000 undocumented migrants from crossing its land and sea borders since the start of the year, including 25,000 in August alone.

It is one of the countries of entry into the European Union used by people fleeing Africa and the Middle East in search of safety and better lives.

Thousands of migrants pass through Turkey and then cross the Evros river, or attempt the perilous crossing of the Aegean Sea to reach Greece.

Athens has been repeatedly criticised by witnesses and NGOs for alleged illegal deportations of migrants to Turkey, on land and at sea, but Athens has always denied the charges.

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By Trend

A regular meeting of the Joint Working Group on the delimitation of the bottom of the Caspian Sea between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan has been held in Baku, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend.

The Azerbaijani delegation was headed by the Deputy Foreign Minister, Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Borders and the Caspian Sea Khalaf Khalafov, and the Turkmen delegation - Director of the Caspian Sea Institute, Special Representative of Turkmenistan for the Caspian Sea Murad Atajanov.

The meeting was attended by representatives of relevant ministries and departments of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

During the meeting, the provisions of the draft agreement on the delimitation of the bottom of the Caspian Sea between the two countries were discussed.

The parties agreed to continue the negotiation process on the above issue.
In a sign of growing concern in Washington about the Civil War in Ethiopia, the US special envoy to the Horn of Africa region arrived last week in Addis Ababa, reports Haitham Nouri

The US dispatched its special envoy for the Horn of Africa region, Mike Hammer, to Ethiopia in response to the renewed fighting between the central government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) and condemned Eritreas re-entry into the conflict.

This relatively rapid reaction is a sign of the grave concern that Washington, other Western countries, and countries in the region share with regard to the Civil War in Ethiopia, the second-most populous country in Africa after Nigeria.

Eritrea withdrew its forces from the Tigray region in April 2021 under international pressure after triggering an outcry over human rights abuses against Tigrayan civilians. It began to intervene on the side of the central government in Ethiopia and against its historic foe, the TPLF, as soon as the war erupted 22 months ago.

Both Addis Ababa and Asmara have repeatedly denied the involvement of Eritrean forces in the period before they withdrew.

Eritrea and Ethiopia fought a bitter war from 1998 to 2000 and have remained wary of each other ever since. However, after assuming power in 2018, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed concluded a peace settlement with Asmara for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

But trade relations between the two countries have not improved, and Ethiopia has not yet returned the border territories it seized control of during the war, according to the Eritrean Ministry of Information website.

The resumption of the Civil War in Ethiopia on 24 August spoiled the cautious hopes for peace that had been inspired by the truce the two sides signed in March this year and subsequent preparations for negotiations between Addis Ababa and the TPLF.

Throughout the war, the Ethiopian central government has imposed a blockade on the Tigray region, cutting it off from the outside world and preventing the arrival of essential foodstuffs and commodities in a way that threatens to bring famine to most of that mountainous regions inhabitants.

UN humanitarian and relief agencies have warned that millions could die of hunger in Tigray, along with tens of millions elsewhere in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa region, where large areas are afflicted by drought, poverty, and famine.

The conflict between Addis Ababa and the Tigray is not the only cause of hostilities and tensions in this multi-ethnic country that is home to more than 80 ethnic groups, most of which have their own liberation front and are demanding more autonomy, if not independence.

According to the Ahmed government, a number of Amhara farmers have suffered repeated attacks by the Oromo Liberation Front, for example. The Oromo is the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, accounting for 34 per cent of the population. The Amhara are the second largest at 27 per cent, followed by the Tigray and the Somali people at six to seven per cent of Ethiopias population of 110 million.

Addis Ababa itself is located in the Oromo region, which has seen recurrent clashes between the Oromo and Amhara communities. Ahmed is the son of an Oromo father and an Amhara mother. Politically and culturally, he is inclined to the Amhara, triggering rancour and tensions among the Oromo.

Despite their relatively smaller number, the Tigray people have long played a central role in Ethiopian history. Two centuries of cultural, religious, and social unity between the Amhara and Tigray peoples since the end of the 18th century forged the modern state of Ethiopia.

Early manifestations of the alliance can be found in the modernisation process launched by Tewodros II in 1855 and crowned by emperor Menelik II with the establishment of the multi-national Ethiopian Empire in 1933.

The Tigray reached a peak of glory with their defeat of Italian forces in 1898 at the Battle of Adowa, which is situated in the Tigray region. They then played a key role in freeing the country from Italian colonial control in the 1930s when the dictator Mussolini and his fascist party ruled Italy.

Perhaps because of their central historical role, the Tigray have long felt unjustly treated in the modern state of Ethiopia, in which the Amhara have controlled the state, and Amharic is the official language.

Because of their greater numbers, the Amhara have controlled the Ethiopian Church, the army, the government bureaucracy, and the treasury. Tigrayan discontent has erupted in several large-scale uprisings, once against the countrys last emperor, Haile Selassie, then against the socialist military rule of Mengistu Hailemariam, and today against Addis Ababa in order to throw off the control of the Amhara.

The Ahmed government and the Amhara militias allied with it have been unable to defeat the TPLF in more than 18 months of fighting. In late 2021, the Tigrayan forces shifted to the offensive and began to march towards the capital, coming to within 100 miles of it and triggering panic among residents.

Since the war began, the Tigray have allied with other militant regional fronts, such as the Oromo Front (based in central Ethiopia), the Gambela Forces (from the Gambela region near the border with South Sudan), and the Benishangul forces (based near the border with Sudan in the Benishangul-Gamuz region).

Nevertheless, many doubt the Tigray can overthrow the Ahmed government. The situation in Addis Ababa today cannot be compared to the late Mengistu Hailemariam period as Ahmed is still popular among the Amhara as well as among some Oromo, while Mengistu had lost his legitimacy and become highly unpopular towards the end of his rule.

Moreover, while the Tigray have struck up alliances with other national groups, each has its own agenda. They are not fighting in the framework of a unified state, but rather to break away and establish their own independent states, making these fragile alliances.

The conflict is also a source of anxiety for the international community. Ethiopia is surrounded by six other countries, two of which are embroiled in civil wars. In Somalia, the central state collapsed three decades ago, and South Sudan, the youngest state in the world, has only experienced a brief interlude of relative stability and calm (in 2011 to 2013) since its independence.

According to UN agencies, these six countries could be headed for a major famine by the end of this year in which untold millions would suffer.

Eritrea has also largely cut itself off from the rest of the world, and it has been called the African North Korea in the Western press. It opened up a little when Ahmed initiated a rapprochement upon coming to power in 2018.

Sudan is gripped by a host of difficulties, among them the political power struggle since the coup of 25 October last year, ongoing civil wars in the Blue Nile region to the south and Darfur to the west, and massive floods that have affected thousands of people in central, eastern, and northern parts of the country.

In Kenya, Ethiopias southern neighbour, nerves are fraught against the backdrop of discord over the results of the recent presidential elections. Some fear the tensions could erupt into inter-communal violence and spiral out of control.

Ethiopias neighbours are worried that the unrest in the country could drive refugees to their borders, adding further troubles to these states. Sudan has already received tens of thousands of refugees from Tigray and Benishangul due to the Civil War, straining already overburdened Sudanese government agencies and their resources.

But the most alarming scenario is if Ethiopia itself implodes, since the repercussions of this would inevitably spill over the countrys borders, possibly threatening the unity of some of its neighbours.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 15 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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It appears that pressure by Israel as well as other factors have managed to halt or delay progress in Washington towards returning to the nuclear deal with Iran. This is clear in statements by senior Israeli officials and analyses by Israeli research centres and media.

In August, talks on Irans nuclear deal were close to fruition after the EU delivered a final draft of the agreement that was non-negotiable. However, Iran responded with a few more demands that the US rejected, while the UK, France and Germany saw this as a step back on the part of Tehran.

As negotiations approached a decisive milestone, Israel began intensive moves to counter that, including visits to Washington by Mossad Director David Barnea, Israels National Security Adviser Eyal Hulta, and Defence Minister Benny Gantz. Israel said this diplomatic onslaught aimed to prevent the revival of the nuclear agreement, which Tel Aviv sees as a threat to its security.

Israeli officials argue that lifting sanctions on Iran will inject Tehrans budget with billions, which means more funding to its armed groups in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Yemen.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said he would visit the US this month to meet with US President Joe Biden on the fringe of UN General Assembly meetings to discuss the Iran matter. Israel is running a successful campaign to stop the nuclear agreement with Iran, in order to block the lifting of economic sanctions there, said Lapid.

Lapid, who visited Germany to discuss his countrys concerns about the agreement, pointed out that its not over yet, but there are encouraging signs. He was referring to Israels success in dissuading the US administration from returning to the agreement.

The Times of Israel quoted an unnamed senior Israeli official as saying that a message was conveyed to Lapid in recent talks with Biden that the nuclear deal is not on the table, and will not be signed any time soon.

According to the website, lately Lapid is more and more convinced that Washingtons return to the nuclear deal is unlikely, and reordered the priority of national security threats to focus on escalating violence in the West Bank and tensions on the northern border with Lebanon due to exploration at the Karish gas field.

We cannot predict when the deal will be signed by major world powers and Iran, Aleef Sabbagh, a political analyst, told Al-Ahram Weekly. Right now, its not even close. Sabbagh said it appears that pressure by Israel managed to postpone the signing of the agreement, and Israels diplomatic war against the deal has achieved some of its goals so far.

Several Israeli analyses, however, indicate that the delay in completing the agreement is due to some of its details, not Israels opposition to it  especially the investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into traces of uranium at three sites that Tehran had not previously disclosed. Tehran is demanding an end to this investigation as a precondition for sealing the deal.

Sabbagh believes Israel will keep up pressure to the last minute to prevent the signing of the agreement, stating that Tel Aviv wants to galvanise a more hardline international position in support of the IAEA investigations. It will demand a mechanism to monitor the funds that Iran will access to ensure they do not reach Tehrans proxies in the region.

The Israeli opposition led by former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts the US administration has made up its mind about returning to the agreement but is holding out for better terms. Netanyahu also accuses Lapids incumbent government of failing to convince Washington of Tel Avivs security requisites that will be harmed by the agreement. However, Lapid counters that his cabinet is working quietly and diligently, and has so far succeeded in blocking the agreement.

Israel often reiterates that it would not be bound by the agreement if it is signed, and reserves the right to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state or a nuclear threshold. It also often threatens to resort to the military option to achieve this if Israels security needs require it.

In a veiled threat to Iran, the Israeli army recently revealed a secret document about its destruction of a nuclear reactor in Syria some 15 years ago. According to the document published by the Israeli army, the Atomic Energy Commission of Syria was involved in secret and suspicious projects in the nuclear realm. The army published a video which it claimed was the destruction of a possible nuclear site in Deir El-Zor in Syria.

It would be impossible for the US and major powers to sign a nuclear deal with Iran without first allaying Israels concerns about the possibility of Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb, stated Sabbagh. Israel will never accept any deal with Iran without an alternative military plan in place to prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons, and blocking its currently frozen assets from being used on military spending.

Sabbagh expects operations by Israels security agencies against Iran to continue, and perhaps even intensify depending on Israels security needs. For Lapid, it seems that his desire to block an agreement with Iran is greater than Israels security demands. He wants to portray Washingtons aversion to the nuclear deal as a victory for him ahead of Israels general elections in early November.

However, even if political circles in Israel view the delay in reaching a nuclear deal as a diplomatic victory, there are security concerns about possible Iranian retaliatory steps through its proxies surrounding Israel, such as Lebanons Hizbullah, which is quickly escalating tensions on Israels northern front and making threats because of Israels gas exploration in disputed offshore waters in the Mediterranean.

This is also true of Palestinian factions, especially the Islamic Jihad, which is closest to Iran and has a strong urge for revenge after recent military confrontations with Israel in the Gaza Strip when Israel assassinated two prominent Jihad figures.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 15 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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This came during the opening session of the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions being held in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan on 14-15 September, according to a statement by Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning.

El-Tayyeb is "the most inspiring and influential Islamic figure in humanitarian causes, and his presence in Kazakhstan is important and appreciated, Al-Azhar institution quoted the Kazakhstani president as saying.

Tokayev said the Kazakh people appreciate El-Tayyeb's great efforts in the field of peace and interfaith dialogue.

"We," the Kazakhstani president said, "are all concerned with achieving peace and reconciliation in the post-pandemic period, and there is no way to do that except through dialogue and acceptance of the other."

El-Tayyebs visit started on Monday evening to participate in the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held under the title 'The Role of Religious Leaders in the Spiritual and Social Development of Humanity in the Post-Covid-19 Pandemic Period."

The religious congress  which is held once every three years in the capital of Kazakhstan  was first held in 2003 with the aim of achieving mutual respect and tolerance between religions, nations, and ethnic groups, as well as establishing peace, harmony, and tolerance as the unshakable principles of human existence.

The grand imam, who is leading a high-level Egyptian delegation of Al-Azhar scholars, had received an official invitation from President Tokayev and both held a meeting on Tuesday, when the president expressed appreciation to the efforts of the grand imam in spreading the sound image of Islam, confronting extremism, and promoting the principles of human fraternity regionally and globally.

Tokayev also indicated that the whole world, not only Muslim countries, is aware of the value of Al-Azhar, noting that Egypt, through Al-Azhar, has provided great support for Kazakhstan in adopting moderate Islam, a separate statement by Al-Azhar said on Tuesday.

This support has been provided to Kazakh students enrolled at Al-Azhar and who returned home to promote the values they had learned in their community, he said.

This moderate Islam is based on respect for the other, promoting the values of coexistence among all, and renouncing violence, hatred, and intolerance, Tokayev added.

El-Tayyeb meets with secretary-general of Religions for Peace

El-Tayyeb met on Tuesday with Azza Karam, the secretary-general of Religions for Peace  the largest multi-religious leadership platform with 92 national and six regional interreligious councils, Al-Azhar reported.

Karam noted that partnership with Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE), which is headed by El-Tayyeb, is significant for the support of the platform's efforts.

The MCE, the grand imam said, promotes peace and fraternity and enforces the role of youth in building interfaith bridges of communication and respect, according to Al-Azhar.

This partnership, Karam said, helps the platform move forward in launching initiatives and adopting humanitarian projects, adding that the platform is about to announce the launch of a number of projects in cooperation with the MCE that aim at influencing young religious leaders of different faiths.

She added the world is now in dire need for the grand imams vision on promoting world peace as a substitute for intolerance and hatred. She noted that his co-signing of the Human Fraternity Document with His Holiness Pope Francis represented a key historical moment at a critical juncture.

Pope Francis and El-Tayyeb signed the Document of Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together in Abu Dhabi in February 2019.

The document invites all persons who have faith in God and faith in human fraternity to unite and work together so that it may serve as a guide for future generations to advance a culture of mutual respect in the awareness of the great divine grace that makes all human beings brothers and sisters.

More than 100 delegations from 50 countries are attending the two-day event in Nur-Sultan, including Pope Francis.

Grand Imam receives High Representative for UN Alliance of Civilisations

On Tuesday, El-Tayyeb also met with Miguel Angel Moratinos, the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations. Moratinos hailed the Human Fraternity Document that became a joint global declaration promoting a culture of dialogue and coexistence. He also praised the role of the Muslim Council of Elders in promoting peace.

The Document of Human Fraternity, with its religious symbolism -- represented by the Grand Imam and Pope Francis -- came during a critical time, especially in light of the wars, fighting, and conflicts the world is seeing, and the spread of the diseases of intolerance and hatred, and the primacy of individual interest and materialism, said Moratinos.

The global interest in the document proves the urgent need for the world to unite at the present time, the UN representative said.

El-Tayyeb stressed the importance of strengthening the identity of each society. Attempts by some countries to impose a specific culture or lifestyle on the whole world, targeting religious and moral values, will ruin family and society, he said.

Those who make these schemes -- despite their small numbers -- have the influence and the ability to promote their plans, which put on us [religious scholars] the responsibility to unite to face these social risks, the grand imam said.
Egypt is putting in place a broad and comprehensive health safety plan for the thousands who will be attending the COP27, slated to take place in the Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh in South Sinai 6-18 Novemebr.

The plan includes operating fixed and mobile clinics at quarantine facilities at airports, at hotels that will host guest delegations, and at conference halls, Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar told the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Egypt has been making round-the clock preparations to host the 27th UN Climate Change Conference that will see the participation of deleagtions from countries around the world, in addition to hundreds of environmental and other NGOs, as well as thousands of individuals.

About 35,000 worldwide have registered on the UN website for COP27, putting the upcoming UN climate change conference in Sharm El-Sheikh on track to possibly become one of the most attended COPs, according to a recent report by the Egyptian Earth's Climate for Sustainable Development Foundation (EC4SDF).

The health safety plan for COP27 includes mobilising ambulances that are equipped with intensive care units to provide emergency medical services, the minister added.

Meanwhile, Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital (SSIH) will be ready to deal with any cases that require medical attention immediately, will also to receive any patients, he stressed to the Cabinet.

The hospital has been equipped with a cardiac catherisation unit to treat any cases, he added.

In mid-August, the Chairman of the General Authority for Healthcare (GAH) Ahmed El-Sobky had announced that work is underway to upgrade SSIH in order to become the first green medical facility in Egypt and Africa ahead of the COP27. The hospital has been registered as the first Egyptian entity at the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH), an international network of medical facilities using eco-friendly tools, according to El-Sobky.

Abdel-Ghaffar stressed during the Cabinet meeting that all hospitals in the South Sinai Governorate will be ready to receive any medical cases.

He also noted that the ministry has set aside 1.5 million rapid coronavirus test packages to administer to those who request them.

Egypt has continued to see dwindling numbers of coronavirus infections and pandemic-linked deaths, according to recent figures released by the health ministry.

The sharp decline in coronavirus cases in the country has contributed to the decrease in occupancy rates at isolation and triage hospitals affiliated with the health ministry in recent months.

The ministry has recently announced that100 percent of the target population received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, 78.4 percent received a second dose, and 32.3 percent received a booster shot.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday blamed Armenia for the deadliest clashes with Azerbaijan since their 2020 war over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia on Wednesday said Azerbaijan's forces were occupying 10 square kilometres (almost four square miles) of its territory as result of border clashes that have killed dozens of soldiers on both sides.

Turkey is a key regional broker with close ties to Azerbaijan and historically poor relations with Armenia.

Erdogan blamed the latest escalation on unspecified violations by Armenia of a Russian-brokered agreement that brought an end to the 2020 war.

The deal allowed Azerbaijan to take control of large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh it had lost in a 1990s war.

"We find the situation we are in, which is the result of violations of the deal reached after the war ended with Azerbaijan's victory, as unacceptable," Erdogan told a public rally.

"It will, of course, have consequences for Armenia, which did not fulfil the agreement's conditions and constantly displayed an aggressive attitude."

Armenia has confirmed the death of more than 100 soldiers and Azerbaijan has reported 50 fatalities.

The toll could still mount due to reports of continuing exchanges of fire.

Turkey is Azerbaijan's main weapons supplier and a backer of Baku's cause on the diplomatic stage.

The violence threatens to derail a nascent effort by Turkey and Armenia to strike a reconciliation agreement that could bolster trade and travel between the neighbouring states.

Turkey's relations with Armenia, which relies on diplomatic and military backing from Russia, have been effectively frozen because of Ankara's refusal to recognise the genocide of Armenians by the Ottomans during World War I.

Erdogan is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a regional summit in Uzbekistan on Friday.

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Fresh clashes broke out Tuesday between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with each side reporting casualties and blaming the other for the violence.

Armenia said Azerbaijani forces attacked several points near the border, killing 49 Armenian soldiers. Azerbaijan said Armenian forces fired on its positions, leaving an unspecified number of casualties.

The two countries have had a decades-long conflict involving the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is inside Azerbaijan but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said his country will "never give up nuclear weapons and there is absolutely no denuclearization, no negotiation, and no bargaining chip to trade in the process." According to a new law passed last week, North Korea will retaliate with an immediate nuclear strike if the country is attacked by "hostile forces." It hardly comes as a surprise that after spending the last three decades developing nuclear weapons, the North has now given itself the authority to launch a preemptive nuclear strike. The Kim regime has developed nuclear weapons in order to protect its rule over the North, and it takes no rocket scientist to see why it will not relinquish them.

Many previous South Korean administrations have deceived the public into thinking that the North would give up its nuclear weapons if offered the right incentives. The Roh Tae-woo administration signed a denuclearization agreement with then North Korean leader Kim Il-sung in 1992, and Roh claimed "significant progress" had been made in realizing the dream of a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear fears. President Kim Dae-jung held a landmark summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and said, "The North has not developed nuclear weapons and does not have the ability to do that. I can guarantee that." Key security officials at the time even claimed North Korea does not have the will to develop nuclear weapons. It remains unclear whether they were duped by the North or if the South Korean public was duped by its leaders.

President Roh Moo-hyun said in 2004, "North Korea will surely give up its nuclear weapons" and, "There are no signs of a nuclear test." The unification minister at the time said, "Kim Jong-il is not a person who would make such a futile choice as a nuclear weapon." Soon afterwards, North Korea duly conducted its first nuclear test. Any reasonable person would reflect on themselves and change their mind under such circumstances, but the Minjoo Party under its various names is an exception. It started blaming the U.S. when North Korea began stepping up its nuclear weapons development drive, and the Moon Jae-in administration blatantly sided with the North even though it had conducted four nuclear tests and fired an intercontinental ballistic missile. Moon said, "Kim Jong-un's will to achieve denuclearization is clear" and former U.S. President Donald Trump agreed. Last year, Kim Jong-un vowed to develop tactical nukes, and Moon still insisted that the North is willing to scrap its nuclear weapons even though his portly friend was no longer speaking to him.

The Minjoo Party must know by now that the North has no intention to relinquish his nukes. But in order to use rapprochement as a political tool, the party creates the permanent illusion of North Korean denuclearization and attacks anyone who criticizes the fantasy. Now the North has enshrined in law its right to launch a preemptive nuclear strike, there is eerie silence on the opposition benches.


"We will campaign to ensure our governments signal to the PRC that military aggression towards Taiwan will cost Beijing dearly. Economic and political measures, including meaningful sanctions, should be considered to deter military escalation, and to ensure trade and other exchanges with Taiwan can continue unimpeded," the draft said. It added that their countries' ties to Taiwan were not Beijing's to determine, and that they would push to increase mutual visits by lawmakers.

The group, consisting of members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) gathering in Washington this week, is expected to sign a pledge to push their governments to adopt "greater deterrence against military or other coercive" actions by the People's Republic of China (PRC) against Taiwan, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

The unannounced gathering of about 60 parliamentarians from Europe, Asia and Africa at Taiwan's sweeping hilltop diplomatic mansion in Washington -- called Twin Oaks -- is the latest move in Taipei's efforts to persuade fellow democracies to stand against China since Russia's invasion of Ukraine heightened concerns that Beijing could attempt to take the island by force.

Taiwan's de facto ambassador in Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, on Tuesday hosted dozens of international lawmakers who back sanctions on China for aggression toward the island, a show of support for Taipei amid military pressure from Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to bring democratically governed Taiwan under Beijing's control and has not ruled out the use of force. He is set to secure a third, five-year leadership term at a Communist Party congress next month. Taiwan's government strongly rejects China's sovereignty claims.

Sources familiar with the issue have told Reuters that Washington is considering sanctions against China to deter it from invading Taiwan, with the European Union coming under diplomatic pressure from Taipei to do the same.

Hsiao, speaking to the lawmakers -- who according to a guest list seen by Reuters hailed from countries including the U.K., Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Lithuania, Ukraine, New Zealand and the Netherlands -- told the gathering: "It is important to demonstrate to the bully that we have friends too. "We are not seeking to provoke the bully, but neither will we bow to their pressure."

She welcomed two Ukrainian representatives at the event. "We certainly hope that as the international community stands with Ukraine, that the international community will also stand with Taiwan that together we can deter the further aggression coming from China."

The IPAC pledge, expected to be signed on Wednesday, also calls for countries to secure supply chains from forced labor in China's Xinjiang region, and to pursue sanctions on Chinese officials for abuses in Hong Kong, and on Chinese companies that support Russia's military industry. China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 'Years past Due'

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Menendez, who acts as the United States' IPAC co-chair with Republican Marco Rubio, told an IPAC briefing at the Capitol on Tuesday that a U.S. bill to support Taiwan would face some changes during a scheduled review this week, but that the "thrust" would remain the same.

An initial version of that bill threatens severe sanctions against China for any aggression against Taiwan, and would provide Taiwan with billions of dollars in foreign military financing in coming years.

Rubio said he believed the Biden administration was divided over how to approach prospective sanctions on China, and that although Beijing appeared to be taking steps to insulate itself from such actions, Washington needed be clear about the costs of hostility across the Taiwan Strait. "It's important for us to be prepared to proactively outline -- whether it's through legislation or through an executive announcement, exactly what the economic consequences will be if such an act of aggression goes forward," Rubio told the briefing.

China conducted blockade-style military drills around Taiwan after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island last month, a reaction Taiwanese officials have credited for spurring an uptick in foreign engagement that Beijing views as a violation of its sovereignty claims over the island.

Taiwan also has been urging Washington, its largest arms supplier, to expedite already approved weapons deliveries that have faced delays because of supply chain issues and heightened demand from the war in Ukraine.

Republican U.S. Representative Young Kim, who has written a bill to track U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, told Reuters in an interview that Hsiao had delivered a forceful message to Congress about ensuring those weapons systems reach Taiwan quickly. "She's said it in a hundred different ways that we appreciate the United States trying to get us the arms but don't forget, it's many years past due," Kim said of Hsiao. "She's very firm."
KYODO NEWS - Sep 14, 2022 - 16:11 | Japan, Coronavirus, All

Japan will roll out vaccines against the Omicron coronavirus variant from next week and provide them free of charge, after a health ministry panel approved their classification as special temporary inoculations on Wednesday.

People aged 60 and older and medical workers will be eligible for the shots tailored to the coronavirus BA.1 subvariant from Tuesday, the ministry said, as Japan ramps up efforts on additional inoculation against the BA.5 subvariant that has fueled its seventh wave of COVID-19 infections.

From mid-October, the vaccines are expected to be made available to all residents aged 12 and over who have been vaccinated two or more times previously.

By that time, a total of 33 million vaccine doses will have been delivered to municipal governments, with around 68.5 million people expected to be eligible for the additional vaccination between this month and October, the government said.

The government plans to provide shots to all who want them by the end of 2022, ahead of the highly-infectious year-end and New Year period, and it is working to create a system that can administer over 1 million vaccinations a day between October and November.

The boosters, which are made by U.S. pharmaceutical firms Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. and tailored to the BA.1 subvariant, were approved for production and sale in Japan by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on Monday.

According to the ministry, the boosters are expected to be more effective at suppressing serious COVID-19 symptoms than previous vaccines adapted to the original coronavirus strain, and they are likely to be potent against future strains that may emerge.

The use of vaccines adapted to the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants is also being considered, the ministry said.

Pfizer on Tuesday submitted an application for its bivalent vaccines that work against the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, as well as the original strain of the coronavirus, while a Moderna application is also being processed.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 14, 2022 - 19:27 | All, World

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations are planning to hold talks later this month in New York on the fringes of the U.N. General Assembly to reaffirm their unity amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.

The first foreign ministerial meeting of "Partners in the Blue Pacific," a U.S.-led initiative aimed at stepping up engagement with Pacific island countries, is also under arrangement there, the sources said.

The top diplomats of the Quad group consisting of Japan, the United States, Australia and India are expected to gather as well during the period of the U.N. main policymaking organ's annual session that began Tuesday and scheduled to last about two weeks, they added.

The series of meetings would come as Russia's prolonged war on Ukraine is testing the solidarity of the G-7 states implementing severe economic sanctions on Moscow since late February, while China has intensified its military activities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Along with a freeze on assets held by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the punitive steps include a U.S. embargo on petroleum imports from Russia and a phase-out by the European Union and Japan, triggering global oil price hikes. Russia is a major oil producer.

Foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union, would get together in person for the first time since May, if the meeting is realized.

The Partners in the Blue Pacific framework, composed of five nations, was launched in June in an apparent counter to China, with the Asian power trying to boost economic and military cooperation with Pacific island countries.

The United States, Australia, Britain, Japan and New Zealand have all pledged to pursue "more effective and efficient" ways to deal with challenges such as "growing pressure on the rules-based free and open international order."

In addition, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is likely to meet with his U.S. and South Korean counterparts Antony Blinken and Park Jin to discuss North Korea's missile and nuclear threats, according to the sources.

Hayashi is also expected to join gatherings on the novel coronavirus pandemic and global food supply, while meeting with his counterparts from Brazil, Germany and India to talk about the issue of U.N. Security Council reform, the sources said.

The four countries, including Japan, have been keen to become permanent members of the world body's 15-member decision-making organ, seen as dysfunctional in the wake of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Russia is one of its five permanent members.

Hayashi has also expressed willingness to meet bilaterally with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the U.N. event. The last in-person foreign ministerial talks between the two neighbors were held in November 2020.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, meanwhile, said Wednesday that he is slated to leave Japan on Monday to participate in the U.N. assembly session.
By Trend

The whole world should know once again that the Turkish people and state are next to Azerbaijan, Turkish Presidents Chief Adviser Yalcin Topcu told TurkicWorld, Trend reports.

According to Topcu, the Armenian authorities should refrain from steps which undermine the peace talks with Azerbaijan.

He noted that Armenia, making statements about its desire to normalize relations with Turkiye, first of all, must immediately stop the targeted aggression against the Azerbaijani state and people being fraternal for the country.

During the night of September 12, the Armenian armed forces units committed large-scale provocations in the Dashkasan, Kalbajar and Lachin directions of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border.

At night, the sabotage groups of the Armenian armed forces using the mountainous terrain of the area and the existing ravine gaps mined the territories and supply roads between the positions of the Azerbaijan Army Units in different directions.

Confrontation occurred as a result of urgent measures taken by the Azerbaijan Army Units in order to immediately suppress these actions.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 14, 2022 - 23:57 | Feature

Around 40 percent of the 169 people who fled to Japan from Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power in August last year have left their new home due to what they say was pressure and a lack of support from the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Although Japan has granted refugee status to 98 people, 58 returned to Afghanistan despite the risk of persecution by the Taliban, while seven left for the United States and Britain, according to the evacuees.

The 98 were newly recognized as refugees in August by the Japanese government, in a rare move for a country known for its strict refugee screening policy and poor record of accepting asylum seekers.

They comprised staff members who were working at the Japanese Embassy in Kabul and their family members.

The Taliban returned to power last year after toppling President Ashraf Ghani's government, following the U.S. decision to withdraw troops from the country after 20 years of war.

With the Taliban targeting those cooperating with the foreign nations that had ties with the former government, the Japanese government stepped in to help Japanese Embassy staff members and workers of the Japan International Cooperation Agency as well as their families.

Between October and December of last year, the ministry provided the embassy staff and their families with lodgings in Tokyo, meals and salaries.

But several of the staff told Kyodo News that they were pressured to leave Japan, having been told that their work contracts would end in late August.

They said ministry staff visited their homes and told them that living in Japan would be difficult and that a decision on whether to stay or leave the country would have to be discussed with their families.

They also said the ministry told them that should they return to Afghanistan, their travel expenses would be shouldered and they would receive a 20 percent salary raise.

Most of the local embassy staff who fled Afghanistan speak English rather than Japanese, making it extremely difficult for them to find work. The public job placement office "Hello Work" said they had only a 1 percent chance of securing work in Japan, according to an evacuee.

Other factors compounded their struggles. Their children were unable to attend school until spring, when Japan's school year starts, and only spouses and children could be brought to Japan, not other immediate family members such as parents and siblings.

The ministry's Second Middle East Division has denied encouraging their return to Afghanistan.

"We have supported them for a year, but we cannot continue forever to pay people who are not involved in embassy work," a division official said.

The ministry also said the return of the Afghans was due to personal reasons.

But one of the evacuees countered that they continued to be pressured by the ministry and that they really did not want to go home.

Six others have remained in Japan but have not applied for refugee status, while the 98 Afghan refugees who remained in Japan have moved outside of Tokyo and were slated to take Japanese classes for six months starting in October, with the support of the Foundation for the Welfare and Education of the Asian People.

The latest revelation comes at a time when Japan has drawn attention for its acceptance of more than 1,800 evacuees from Ukraine, one of the conflict areas.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 14, 2022 - 08:14 | All, Japan

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will not attend Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral in Britain, given that the Japanese emperor and empress plan to do so, filling in the invitation slots from Britain, government sources said Tuesday.

The invitation extended to Japan by Britain was only for two people and plans are now under way for Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to attend the Sept. 19 funeral, the sources said.

The queen, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, died at age 96 on Thursday. The royal and imperial families have long shared a deep bond.

With dignitaries including U.S. President Joe Biden scheduled to attend the funeral, an aide to Kishida had called for the prime minister to visit Britain and engage in "funeral diplomacy."

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KYODO NEWS - Sep 14, 2022 - 14:45 | All, Japan

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are scheduled to attend Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral in Britain next week, the Japanese government said Wednesday, in what will be the couple's first overseas trip since his ascension to the throne in 2019.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other government officials are not planning to attend the funeral slated for Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference.

Kishida is instead planning to leave for New York on Monday to attend the U.N. General Assembly, he told a meeting at the prime minister's office.

An emperor traditionally does not make appearances at funerals at home or abroad and the decision to attend reflects the deep bond between the royal and imperial families.

"During Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign, the British royal family and the Japanese imperial family have maintained friendly relations for three generations," including the current emperor's grandfather and father, Matsuno, the top government spokesman, said.

Following the death of Britain's longest-reigning monarch at the age of 96 on Sept. 8, the imperial couple, as well as former Emperor Akihito and former Empress Michiko, observed three days of mourning from the next day.

The attendance of the imperial couple was decided after the Japanese government confirmed the intention of the emperor following an invitation for two people extended by the British government, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

As crown prince, former Emperor Akihito attended Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation in London on behalf of Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa, who visited Britain in 1971.

After the queen visited Japan in 1975, then Emperor Akihito made his first visit as a monarch to Britain in 1998. He also attended the queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 to commemorate her 60th year on the throne.

The British royal family invited Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to visit Britain after he ascended to the throne in May 2019 upon his father's abdication, but the plan was canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The imperial couple are scheduled to leave Japan on Saturday and return home on Tuesday, Matsuno said.

On Friday, Emperor Naruhito praised the queen for her life of service, saying in a statement conveyed by the Imperial Household Agency, "I express my heartfelt sorrow and deep sadness."

"From my heart, I declare my gratitude and esteem for her many achievements and contributions," the emperor said in the message, in which he also recalled his warm meetings with the queen while studying at Oxford.

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Japan PM Kishida not to attend Queen Elizabeth's state funeral

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By Miya Tanaka, KYODO NEWS - Sep 15, 2022 - 10:00 | All, World, Japan

The Japanese and U.S. defense chiefs on Wednesday agreed their nations will undertake joint technological research to counter hypersonic weapons, as they work to closely align their national security strategies amid China's growing assertiveness in the region.

The talks between Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon -- their first in-person meeting since Hamada's appointment last month -- came amid heightened tensions over Taiwan following U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent trip to the self-ruled island.

"China's coercive actions in the Taiwan Strait and in the waters surrounding Japan are provocative, destabilizing and unprecedented," Austin said at the outset of the meeting, apparently alluding to China's increased military activities in response to the high-profile U.S. visit to Taiwan in early August.

Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada (L) and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (2nd from R) hold talks at the Pentagon on Sept. 14, 2022. (Kyodo)

Hamada and Austin also strongly criticized China's launch of ballistic missiles as part of large-scale exercises near Taiwan last month, some of which fell into Japan's exclusive economic zone, as a "serious" incident that affects Japan's security and the safety of the public, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry.

"The two ministers affirmed that a unilateral change in the status quo by force is unacceptable in the Indo-Pacific region" confirming their countries will "cooperate closely and seamlessly" toward preventing any such attempts, the ministry said.

While making clear their security strategies are on the same page, Hamada and Austin agreed to engage in "concrete" efforts to bolster the bilateral security alliance in areas where they can.

The areas include technologies to defend against hypersonic missiles amid an intensifying arms race with China and Russia.

Hypersonic weapons are designed to travel at more than five times the speed of sound. Detection and defense against them is challenging because they can maneuver en route to the target and fly at lower altitudes than conventional ballistic missiles, according to experts.

A Japanese government official said the focus of the envisaged joint research will be on technologies and components that would be necessary for the development of missiles that can intercept hypersonic weapons.

The two countries also decided to jointly analyze information to be collected by the U.S. military's MQ-9 reconnaissance drones that will be temporarily deployed to a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force air base in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima.

During the talks, Hamada explained Japan's resolve to fundamentally bolster its defense capabilities through a planned update of its national security documents and with a substantial increase in its defense budget.

Austin showed "strong" support for Japan's plan, Hamada told reporters.

The defense capabilities that Japan is currently examining include an ability to attack missile-launching sites in enemy territory, which the Asian country has so far opted against acquiring under the post-World War II pacifist Constitution.

Japan plans to update its National Security Strategy by the end of this year, reflecting the region's increasingly challenging security environment. It would be the first revision of the long-term security and diplomacy policy guideline since it was adopted in 2013.

In March, the U.S. Defense Department unveiled an outline of its own National Defense Strategy, calling China its "most consequential strategic competitor" and vowing to prioritize the challenges posed by China over those by Russia.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. The island is viewed as a potential military flashpoint that could draw the United States into conflict with China.

A Taiwan contingency is also of particular concern for Japan given the proximity of its islands in the southwest -- including the Senkakus, a group of East China Sea islets controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing.

Austin reaffirmed the "unwavering" commitment of the United States to the defense of Japan, including extended deterrence backed by the "full range" of U.S. nuclear and conventional defense capabilities.

He also reiterated the U.S. stance that the Senkaku Islands, called Diaoyu by China, fall within the scope of the Japan-U.S. security treaty, meaning Washington would come to Tokyo's aid in the event of an armed attack against the uninhabited islets, according to the Japanese official.
COPENHAGEN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The International Water Association (IWA) on Tuesday convened a high-level summit that brought together prominent figures from the water industry with government and municipal politicians to discuss water's role in advancing climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN).

"Policymakers must put water at the heart of action plans, and everyone has a role to play. Business as usual is not an option if we are to achieve the SDGs and climate targets," Joakim Harlin, director of the Freshwater Ecosystems Unit of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said in his opening address at the summit held during the ongoing World Water Congress & Exhibition.

The summit, which featured ministerial contributions from India, South Africa and other countries, had the theme "water as a key to action on climate and the Sustainable Development Goals" and addressed the three major topics of "finance, governance, and partnerships."

"The IWA Summit has provided an ideal opportunity to focus on water in advance of COP27 (the UN Climate Change Conference scheduled for Nov. 6-18) and of the March 2023 UN review of the Water Action Decade," Tom Mollenkopf, IWA president, was quoted in the press release as saying.

The summit concluded with three major calls to action: the urgent need for resilient water solutions; the critical need for freshwater ecosystems to be "factored in as part of the solution;" and the pursuit of joint efforts and partnerships "to accelerate action and make a difference."

The IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, an international gathering of over 10,000 top water professionals and businesses, is hosted by the capital of Denmark between Sept. 11 and Sept. 15. 
Yin Chuanbo is seen on his way to a patient's residence in Guzhen Village, Wangying Township, central China's Hubei Province, on Aug. 17, 2022. On a hot afternoon, Yin Chuanbo paid a home visit to his patient, a granny who lives halfway up a hill. After taking her blood pressure and prescribing medicine, he walked down more than 50 steps from her home to the roadside with the aid of a crutch, an effort that left his white coat wet with sweat.(Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

WUHAN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- On a hot afternoon, Yin Chuanbo paid a home visit to his patient, a granny who lives halfway up a hill. After taking her blood pressure and prescribing medicine, he walked down more than 50 steps from her home to the roadside with the aid of a crutch, an effort that left his white coat wet with sweat.

The 37-year-old village doctor has over the past 16 years provided medical services for rural residents in Guzhen Village of Wangying Township in central China's Hubei Province, despite his physical disability.

"The villagers here saw me grow up. It's worth doing more things for them," said Yin.

When Yin was 10 months old, he was diagnosed with polio but was left disabled for want of timely medical treatment. In his life, he also saw villagers suffer from illnesses because of a shortage of medical services. All these experiences made him determined to be a doctor.

After graduating from medical school in 2006, Yin returned to his hometown and opened a clinic. At first, only a few people came to the clinic as locals were skeptical about the young doctor's medical skills. Some villagers also paid on credit after seeing the doctor, which added further difficulty to his challenge of effectively running the clinic.

For a time, Yin worked as a doctor during the day and fished at night to make ends meet. "At one point, I even wanted to give up the job as a village doctor and go out to earn money," he said.

But the needs of the villagers convinced Yin to stay. In November 2007, villager Cai Qiuxia had repeated fever after giving birth at an advanced age. It was Yin's careful treatment for nearly 10 days that finally brought Cai's disease under control.

"A doctor's pursuit is to protect patients' health and earn their trust," said Yin, adding that if he left the village, he would be betraying his original aspiration of helping villagers and would be letting them down.

Over 16 years, Yin has worn out 22 crutches. Whenever villagers need him, he takes a medical kit and visits them at home regardless of the distance or weather.

Since 2014, the village doctor has set up over 700 health records for local villagers and carried out more than 2,000 follow-up visits for children, pregnant women and people with high blood pressure and diabetes. Yin has an annual income of around 40,000 yuan (about 5,800 U.S. dollars).

"Those who have been caught in the rain always want to hold an umbrella for others," said Luo Renxiao, head of the health center of Wangying Township, who speaks highly of Yin.

For Yin, the task of disease prevention and health care for the elderly in rural areas is arduous. "I will continue to work hard to be a protector of villagers' health," he said. 

Yin Chuanbo rows a boat on his way to a patient's residence in Guzhen Village, Wangying Township, central China's Hubei Province, on Aug. 17, 2022. On a hot afternoon, Yin Chuanbo paid a home visit to his patient, a granny who lives halfway up a hill. After taking her blood pressure and prescribing medicine, he walked down more than 50 steps from her home to the roadside with the aid of a crutch, an effort that left his white coat wet with sweat.(Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

Yin Chuanbo (L) conducts a medical check-up for a patient at her residence in Guzhen Village, Wangying Township, central China's Hubei Province, on Aug. 17, 2022. On a hot afternoon, Yin Chuanbo paid a home visit to his patient, a granny who lives halfway up a hill. After taking her blood pressure and prescribing medicine, he walked down more than 50 steps from her home to the roadside with the aid of a crutch, an effort that left his white coat wet with sweat.(Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
Csaba Korosi (at the podium and on the screens), president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, speaks at the first plenary of the 77th session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 13, 2022. The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The 77th session of the UN General Assembly was declared open on Tuesday by new General Assembly President Csaba Korosi.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his opening remarks, called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges.

The many challenges that defined the 76th session of the General Assembly are still very much around as the new session starts, he said. "We face a world in peril across our work to advance peace, human rights and sustainable development, from conflicts and climate change to a broken global financial system that is failing developing countries, to poverty, inequality and hunger, to divisions and mistrust."

"Addressing common challenges will require continued solidarity as we demonstrate the great promise and potential of this organization," he added.

The United Nations is the home of cooperation. And the General Assembly is the life within that home. The months ahead will continue testing the strength and durability of the multilateral system this organization represents, he told delegates. "And the world is looking to the members of the assembly to use all of the tools at your disposal to negotiate and forge consensus and solutions: debate, deliberation, diplomacy. These eternal tools represent the best pathway to a better, more peaceful world."

In his opening remarks, Korosi called for solutions through solidarity, sustainability, and science.

The only way to achieve better outcomes is to transform, he said. "The contours of the transformation we need are already known. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework (for disaster risk reduction), the Paris Agreement (on climate change), and Our Common Agenda (proposed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ), all point us in the right direction. What remains to be seen is whether we will deliver."

The world is looking to the United Nations for answers. As the world body's chief deliberative body, the General Assembly bears a special responsibility, he said.

"Having begun my tenure as president, I aim to harness the great talents of this community of member states in forging the systemic solutions needed to transform our world. In accepting this privilege, I vowed to serve as an agent of multilateralism, multiculturalism, and multilingualism," said the president. "I pledge that impartiality would be the hallmark of our operation. My team and I will do our best to push for 'Solutions Through Solidarity, Sustainability and Science,' the motto I've chosen for this presidency."

He vowed to stand firm on the principles of the UN Charter, which brought member states together 77 years ago and hold them together today.

"Encoded in international law, they (the principles of the UN Charter) provide us with a solid foundation from which to build. From here, I wish to pursue integrated approaches and enhance the role of science in our decision-shaping. I will work to foster measurable progress in the sustainability transformation and cultivate solidarity we need to achieve breakthroughs or to avert further crises and disasters," he said.

He promised to engage closely with the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and other relevant UN bodies to further the critical revitalization process, and pursue the ongoing key reforms led by Guterres to make the General Assembly and the United Nations as a whole fit-for-purpose.

The United Nations was created out of the ashes of war and destruction, with the intention of being a well of solutions, said Korosi. "Responding to humanity's most pressing challenges demands that we work together and that we reinvigorate inclusive, networked and effective multilateralism, and focus on what unites us. It is our mission to come together when there are disagreements, and to build bridges when there are deep divides," he said.

"This (General Assembly) hall was created as a place to build trust, to bring about peace and security, development, and human rights. We owe it to our 8 billion constituents -- the people we are here to serve -- to succeed in our aims," he said.

Korosi was sworn in on Monday at the closing of the 76th session of the General Assembly.

Apart from the General Debate, the high-level week will also see a high-level meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities on Sept. 21, and a high-level meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on Sept. 26.

On Monday, Sept. 19, two high-level events convened by UN Secretary-General Guterres -- the Transforming Education Summit and the Sustainable Development Goals Moment -- will be held.

The start of the high-level week coincides with the planned funeral of British Queen Elizabeth II, which is scheduled for Monday.

A UN spokesman said he does not anticipate any changes in the schedule of the UN meetings even though many world leaders will be in London on Monday for the funeral.

"There may be impact on the speakers' list of who speaks when. But the meetings are going on as scheduled," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief UN spokesman, on Tuesday. 

Csaba Korosi (C), president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, declares open the 77th session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 13, 2022. The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the first plenary of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 13, 2022. The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Csaba Korosi, president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, speaks at the first plenary of the 77th session of the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 13, 2022. The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Photo taken on Sept. 13, 2022 shows the first plenary of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (at the podium and on the screens) speaks at the first plenary of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 13, 2022. The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
Guests pose at a seminar titled "Exploring Business and Investment Opportunities for Bangladesh via Hong Kong" in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sept. 12, 2022. (Xinhua)

Any investment in Bangladesh is a golden opportunity for foreign investors as they can easily export their products to all over the world from here, Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said.

DHAKA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A seminar has been held in Bangladesh to call on investors from China's Hong Kong to invest in Bangladesh with its pro-investment environment.

Dozens of leading Bangladeshi businessmen attended the seminar on Monday, which was jointly held by the Dhaka Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

Speaking as the special guest, Secretary of Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division Sharifa Khan said Bangladeshi businesses should seek fresh opportunities in China's Hong Kong.

She called for support from the Hong Kong authorities to train Bangladeshi people, saying Hong Kong has an opportunity to invest more in Bangladesh's export-oriented economic zones.

In his speech as the chief guest, Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said any investment in Bangladesh is a golden opportunity for foreign investors as they can easily export their products to all over the world from here.

Rajesh Bhagat, HKTDC's consultant for South Asia, said Bangladesh offers excellent investment opportunities for foreign investors.

He said the country's ready-made garments, textiles, light engineering, leather and jute goods were promising sectors for investors. 
BAGHDAD, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Three Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Tuesday during a government operation in Iraq's northern province of Nineveh, the government-backed Hashd Shaabi paramilitary forces said.

A joint force of the government army and Hashd Shaabi fighters killed the three IS militants after chasing them in a desert area west of the provincial capital Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad, according to a statement by the media office of Hashd Shaabi.

Four Hashd Shaabi fighters were wounded in the operation, the statement said.

The force also seized a vehicle used by the extremist militants that contains explosive belts, weapons and ammunition, it added.

Over the past months, Iraqi security forces have conducted operations against extremist militants to crack down on their intensified activities.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, its remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. 
Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2021 shows a view of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

ASEAN's economic cooperation has seen steady progress, which can be considered a successful example of economic integration by developing countries, an expert said.

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers' meeting (AEM) and related meetings will bring about economic benefits and closer cooperation among all countries involved, a senior Cambodian official has said.

The 54th AEM and related meetings, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ministers' meeting, the East Asia Summit (EAS) economic ministers' meeting and the AEM-Dialogue Partners Consultations, will be held both in person and virtually from Sept. 14 to 18 in the cultural province of Siem Reap in northwest Cambodia.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, the Ministry of Commerce's Undersecretary of State and spokesman Penn Sovicheat said it will be another historic milestone for Cambodia to host the AEM for the third time since the kingdom joined the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) family in 1999.

Photo taken on March 3, 2022 shows high-rise buildings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

He said the participants will discuss the progress of achieving the ASEAN Economic Community integration, the progress of Priority Economic Deliverables, post-COVID-19 economic recovery, and ASEAN external economic relations.

Four strategic issues will be focused on during the upcoming meetings, Sovicheat said, adding that they include enhancing digital connectivity, science and technology; narrowing the development gap for ASEAN's competitiveness; promoting a more integrated, inclusive, resilient and competitive ASEAN; and strengthening global ASEAN for growth and development.

"Among these four key strategic thrusts, we've proposed 19 economic deliverables, so that's quite ambitious for the discussions," he said. "We're confident that the 54th AEM and related meetings will raise Cambodia's reputation higher and bring about economic benefits and closer cooperation among all countries involved."

Sovicheat said as ASEAN has become a community, the concepts of free flows of trade, movement, capital, and services have been in place that signified very close economic cooperation among all member states.

"Looking toward the future, I can say that it's going to be a strong ASEAN because ASEAN has many external partners and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has provided the bloc larger market access to its five dialogue partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand," he said.

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 28, 2022 shows a view of Qinzhou Port in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Launched in 2017, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a trade and logistics passage jointly built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin)

Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said ASEAN's economic cooperation has seen steady progress, which can be considered a successful example of economic integration by developing countries.

"The latest great achievement in the ASEAN economic cooperation is the creation and the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade deal earlier this year," he told Xinhua. "This mega-regional trade pact will be a booster for the region's economic recovery in the post-pandemic era."

Matthews said closer ASEAN economic cooperation has played an important role in ensuring long-term peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region.

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said ASEAN has launched many initiatives and blueprints to promote regional economic integration, including the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025, and the conclusion of negotiations for RCEP.

"The future of ASEAN is brighter and clearer than before thanks to the steady growth of member state's economy and interconnectivity between them," he told Xinhua.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar on September 14, Azernews reports

Toivo Klaar expressed his concern about the tension that arose on the state border on the night of September 12-13, and provided an insight into the fact that the European Union leadership spoke over phone with the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan.

The head of state noted that this large-scale provocation was committed by Armenia, and stated that all responsibility for this lies directly with the political-military leadership of Armenia.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan supports the peace agenda as a continuation of the discussions held in Brussels.

The head of state stated that despite the necessary steps taken by Azerbaijan to stabilize the situation and eliminate tension, Armenia continues to violate the reached ceasefire.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (L) lays a wreath at a ceremony commemorating the 61st anniversary of the death of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 13, 2022. The wreath-laying ceremony was held here to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the death of Dag Hammarskjold on Tuesday. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A wreath-laying ceremony was held on Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the death of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold.

"We come together to honor the life of Dag Hammarskjold, 61 years after his tragic death. We remember a man of extraordinary wisdom and modesty; enormous courage and curiosity; unshakable integrity and selfless devotion to duty," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the ceremony.

"Dag Hammarskjold's legacy shapes our United Nations to this day -- as a force for peace, an impartial broker, a guardian of human rights, and a beacon of hope. His insights have stood the test of time, and his legacy is timeless," he said.

Guterres called for solidarity among UN member states in the context of the upcoming high-level week of the new session of the UN General Assembly by quoting Hammarskjold: "Our world of today is more than ever before, one world. The weakness of one is the weakness of all, and the strength of one is the strength of all."

The 77th session of the General Assembly will start later on Tuesday and the high-level week will start a week later.

"As we look ahead to a new session of the General Assembly, let us draw inspiration from Dag Hammarskjold's life and work. Let us find strength in our common humanity and together confront the challenges of our troubled world," said Guterres.

Hammarskjold, the second UN secretary-general, died on Sept. 18, 1961, in a plane crash en route to cease-fire negotiations in Africa. The circumstances of the plane crash are subject to UN investigation.

Hammarskjold was the youngest person to have held the post of UN secretary-general. He was only 47 when he was appointed and he died tragically at the age of 56. 
TEHRAN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The "information gap" claimed by the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog with regard to Tehran's nuclear program fails to have any legal basis, a spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said on Tuesday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi's claim on Monday that the information gap with regard to Iran's nuclear program is getting "bigger and bigger" does not have any legal basis, Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying.

What the IAEA is not allowed to conduct today in terms of inspecting Iran's nuclear sites pertains to a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council: China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States, plus Germany), and was defined within the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the AEOI spokesman said, adding the reactivation of the mechanism hinges primarily on the removal of the sanctions and the signatories' fulfillment of their commitments.

He added Iran has fully cooperated with the IAEA with respect to the three allegedly "undeclared sites" where the agency claims to have detected nuclear particles.

Iran has provided the agency with the information it needed with regard to the three "alleged sites" and answered all its questions, Kamalvandi said, adding Tehran has even held meetings to further resolve ambiguity.

The AEOI spokesman called on the IAEA to refrain from judging and commenting about Iran's nuclear program based on the "politically motivated" documents with which Israel has provided.

At a press conference in Vienna on Monday, also the first day of an IAEA Board of Governors' quarterly meeting, Grossi said the agency found in its inspections traces of uranium in places that were never declared by Iran.

The IAEA chief pointed out that reviving the JCPOA, by boosting agency access, "could facilitate us getting to broader conclusions" over Iran's nuclear program.

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for removing sanctions on the country. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact.

The talks on the JCPOA's revival began in April 2021 in Vienna. The issue of the unexplained uranium particles appears to be a sticking point between Iran and Western powers in the nuclear talks. 
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The 77th session of the UN General Assembly opened on Tuesday, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for solidarity among member states to address common challenges.

The many challenges that defined the 76th session of the General Assembly are still very much around as the new session starts, Guterres told the opening of the 77th session.

"We face a world in peril across our work to advance peace, human rights and sustainable development, from conflicts and climate change to a broken global financial system that is failing developing countries, to poverty, inequality and hunger, to divisions and mistrust," he said.

"Addressing common challenges will require continued solidarity as we demonstrate the great promise and potential of this organization," said the UN chief.

"The United Nations is the home of cooperation. And the General Assembly is the life within that home. You represent the beating heart of global cooperation. The months ahead will continue testing the strength and durability of the multilateral system this organization represents," Guterres told delegates.

The world is looking to the members of the General Assembly to use all the tools at their disposal to negotiate and forge consensus and solutions: debate, deliberation, diplomacy, said Guterres. "These eternal tools represent the best pathway to a better, more peaceful world."

The 77th session must be a moment of transformation -- for people and planet alike, he said.

New General Assembly President Csaba Korosi declared open the 77th session of the General Assembly and presided over its first plenary. 
A Chang'an China-Europe freight train leaves for Kazakhstan from Xi'an International Port in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

The Belt and Road cooperation, following the guiding principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, has grown into a global platform where countries along the routes work together to promote people's wellbeing and give a further boost to global development amid daunting challenges.

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Nine years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road successively in Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

This is how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at building a trade, investment, and infrastructure network that connects different regions along the ancient trade routes, took shape.

Nine years on, the BRI has achieved more than connectivity. The Belt and Road cooperation, following the guiding principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, has grown into a global platform where countries along the routes work together to promote people's wellbeing and give a further boost to global development amid daunting challenges.

Aerial photo taken on June 22, 2022 shows a view of Karot Hydropower Plant, the first hydropower investment project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.(CTG/Handout via Xinhua)

GREATER CONNECTIVITY

After years of Belt and Road cooperation, a general connectivity framework consisting of six corridors, six connectivity routes and multiple countries and ports has been put in place. Landmark accomplishments include the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Africa, China-Laos Railway in Asia, the new Haifa port in Israel, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, among others.

Besides infrastructure projects, a new logistics channel between Asia and Europe has been established through China-Europe freight train services. With 82 routes, the trains now reach 200 cities in 24 European countries, forming a transport network covering the whole of Europe.

Connectivity means fewer barriers, whether in terms of policy coordination, road travels, trade, financial flows or people-to-people exchanges. It also entails more resilience to uncertainties. The China-Europe freight train service has acted as "a passage of life" when sea and air transportation was hit hard during the pandemic.

With such connectivity, the Belt and Road cooperation has scored growth despite global economic recessions. From 2013 to 2021, the total volume of trade of goods between China and countries along the BRI routes amounted to nearly 11 trillion U.S. dollars, while two-way investment exceeded 230 billion dollars, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

In Central Asia, with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway and the China-Tajikistan expressway, road transport has been largely improved. And the Central Asian countries are expected to unlock greater transit potential through the upcoming China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.

The BRI gives the Central Asian region an opportunity to fulfill the strategic task of direct access to seaports and turn the region into a transportation hub of transcontinental highways from east to west, and from north to south, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov has commented.

A Chinese expert helps locals in mechanized harvesting of rice in the demonstration area of Nariou village in Burkina Faso, Oct. 8, 2021. (Xinhua)

POVERTY REDUCTION

In the eyes of Lewis M. Ndichu, a researcher at Nairobi-based think tank Africa Policy Institute, one of the BRI's contributions to the African continent is on poverty alleviation and agricultural development.

China has set up poverty reduction projects, sent agricultural experts to Africa and facilitated modern agro-technology exchanges between the two sides, which is significant to regional development, he pointed out.

Burkina Faso is among the countries that have witnessed the changes brought by the BRI. Chinese experts have helped increase its rice production, which in the past could barely meet the population's needs.

With their assistance, rice production in the demonstration area, Nariou village, has doubled or even tripled the output in previous years, and the rice quality has also been significantly improved.

This is just a miniature of how the Belt and Road cooperation improves people's wellbeing around the globe. By the end of 2021, China has built 79 zones for economic and trade cooperation in 24 countries along the BRI routes, investing 43 billion dollars and creating 346,000 local jobs, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

More projects focus on basic needs of people in developing countries are prioritized under the BRI framework. In Senegal, a rural well-drilling project, consisting of 251 wells and 1,800 km water pipelines that China had pledged to fund, has brought clean water to one-seventh of Senegal's population. While in Argentina, the photovoltaic plant in the country's northern province of Jujuy powers some 160,000 homes.

A World Bank report has predicted that BRI transport projects could, by 2030, help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million people out of moderate poverty globally.

Children play beside a China-aided well in a village of Senegal, Sept. 11, 2018. (Xinhua)

CLOSING DEVELOPMENT DIVIDE

The world today is undergoing a sea change amid a lingering COVID-19 pandemic, sluggish global growth, a changing climate and escalating tensions. Great strides have been made towards global prosperity, but the gap between the richest and the poorest countries continues to widen. Reducing destitution is not enough.

To improve equity and social justice, countries need to be equally entitled to development opportunities.

Upholding that spirit, the BRI offers an open platform and a win-win mechanism. By the end of July 2022, China had signed more than 200 BRI cooperation agreements with 149 countries and 32 international organizations, according to China's National Development and Reform Commission.

"Through the Belt and Road Initiative, it has therefore brought new thinking about development -- from being mere loan recipients to actual projects on the ground that bring development through trade and enterprises," said James M. Njihia, dean of Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, University of Nairobi.

"This will have great multiplier effects in future by increasing local, regional and international integration," he said.

Echoing that view, Khairy Tourk, professor of economics with the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, has said the China-proposed BRI puts developing nations on the right track to achieving their long-term development goals.

Infrastructure has not been the main focus of post-1945 multilateral institutions. "The BRI has drawn world attention to the importance of infrastructure as an essential pillar of economic development," Tourk said.

For decades, these countries couldn't modernize their antiquated infrastructure, he said. "Now China is providing them funds, the construction expertise to build modern infrastructure, and this is the basis for sustained development, and bodes well for the economic future of developing nations." 
DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting 26,000 vulnerable farmers to access irrigation water for agricultural and horticultural activities and livestock farming in central Tanzania, the UN agency said in a statement late Tuesday.

The statement said the farmers will be supported under a WFP climate change adaptation program being implemented in Tanzania's central region of Dodoma.

The statement said the objective of the program is to build resilience of communities impacted by climate change.

Under the program, said the statement, 1,500 participants will build and rehabilitate 38 kilometers of irrigation schemes, supplying 2,610 acres of land.

"Water distribution points will be established across the irrigation canals to facilitate safe access to water," said the statement.

The statement said to ensure sustainability, WFP will equip participants and targeted communities with the skills required for water and crop management and mitigating climate shocks, including land and soil degradation.

According to the statement, the participants in the program will receive cash transfers to meet their food needs during the implementation period. 
LUSAKA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Police in Zambia have launched investigations to establish the killing of seven people suspected to be foreigners in the northern district of Nakonde, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Rae Hamoonga, the Zambia Police Spokesperson, said more police officers have been deployed in two remote villages of the district where the gruesome killings happened to help with investigations and conduct more searches.

He said in a statement that the nationality of the victims was yet to be established and that Zambia police were working with their counterparts in Tanzania to conduct investigations into the heinous acts.

The police spokesperson further said preliminary investigations have shown that the victims may have been murdered elsewhere and dumped in the two villages which are close to the border with Tanzania.

According to him, inspections were conducted on the bodies and revealed deep cuts and bruises on various parts and that sharp instruments may have been used in the act.

The victims are believed to be between the ages of 28 and 45, he added.

On Tuesday, a local radio station in the area reported the discovery of the gruesome murders of the victims near two villages.

The decomposed bodies were discovered in the nearby bushes of the two villages. 
Screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Sept. 2, 2022 shows China's Shenzhou-14 taikonaut Liu Yang (L) returning to the space station lab module Wentian after completing extravehicular activities.(Photo by Li Jie/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The three Shenzhou-14 taikonauts have completed their first 100 days in orbit as they prepare for their second spacewalk outside China's planned space station.

To mark the first 100 days of what will be a six-month mission, the China Manned Space Agency shared several photos on social media platforms this week. It showed the trio testing spacesuits, playing with food, and doing physical exercises in the challenging microgravity conditions on board the core module Tianhe and lab module Wentian.

Two taikonauts, Chen Dong and Liu Yang, emerged from the space station on Sept. 2 to perform tasks. The third taikonaut, Cai Xuzhe, provided support inside the cabin. They completed tasks such as installing additional pumps and lifting a panoramic camera on the lab module.

They also became the first Chinese people to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in space, a traditional event symbolizing family reunions.

All is going well for the crew, who have been preparing for their next spacewalk, said the Chinese space agency on the microblogging site Sina Weibo.

The Shenzhou-14 crew has been in space since June 5. During the second half of their six-month stay in orbit, they will oversee the arrival of the other lab module Mengtian and be involved in the first Chinese space station crew handover when the Shenzhou-15 crew arrives. 
LUSAKA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government said on Wednesday that it has heightened efforts to mobilize financial resources aimed at supporting climate change activities.

John Msimuko, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, said the government was creating a conducive environment aimed at attracting financing from multilateral and bilateral partners as well as the private sector.

He said the government has been working to mobilize climate financing from organizations.

"We have also been closely working with financial institutions to green the sector in order to make more climate financing available to the private sector," he said in a release.

The government, he added, was also working towards putting in place an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in green financing, green growth and climate-related activities.

According to him, innovative financing mechanisms incorporating multilateral, bilateral and private sector partners were key to the success of a green economy.

He further said in view of stiff competition for scarce resources for combating climate change, the government was designing innovative projects and programs with the involvement of local communities and private sector with support from partners.

He noted that the mismatch between the needs and available financing calls for developed countries to enhance the level of financing and for developing countries to strengthen the ability to attract diverse sources of finance to climate investments. 
TAIYUAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- After more than ten years of working and living in China, Lorenzo Riccardi, a business owner from Italy, believes that China has become a more attractive destination for global investors with an open and inclusive business environment.

Riccardi first came to China as a tourist in 2004. After taking a closer look at the Asian country with its vast population and market potential, an idea gradually grew inside him: why not give it a try here?

Three years later, he settled in Beijing and started a consulting company. Thanks to his vision and the continuous growth of the Chinese economy, his business has kept expanding, with the number of employees increasing from four to over 50, and branch offices opened in cities like Shanghai, Suzhou and Haikou.

As the chief financial officer of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, Riccardi noted that his success "also owes to the tremendous changes in the business environment in China over the past decade."

China's global business environment ranking has jumped from 96th in 2013 to 31st, the National Development and Reform Commission said at a press conference in June.

Riccardi bears witness to such changes. Just a while ago, an Italian auto parts manufacturer obtained a business license in Jiaxing City in east China's Zhejiang Province within a week, and almost everything could be completed online. However, he recalled, the same procedures took about four to five months ten years ago.

With continuous efforts to deepen reform and opening up, China's total trade in goods and services reached 6.9 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021. It has been leading the world for two consecutive years, and its actual utilized foreign capital reached 1.15 trillion yuan (about 166.4 billion U.S. dollars), up 62.9 percent from 2012.

China is now the world's second-largest consumer market, boasting a middle-income group of over 400 million people, making it a magnet for global companies.

A rising number of European companies are showing strong interest in investing in China because of the massive market and improved government efficiency, said Riccardi, whose consulting company has seen its clients increase more than ten times since 2012, with most of them from Italy.

As a culture and tourism enthusiast, Riccardi has traveled across China and found in recent years that many previously underdeveloped regions have seen accelerated development and shown investment potential.

In May 2021, he participated in the 12th Central China Investment and Trade Expo held in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, which attracted representatives from over 200 multinational companies.

Riccardi said that compared with eastern China, which is more familiar to foreign companies, Shanxi and some other inland regions have more new opportunities with competitive advantages such as lower labor costs and larger untapped markets.

With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest free trade deal, coming into force on the first day of 2022, Riccardi believes that China's market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment will be further optimized.

"The Asia-Pacific region enjoys the most active economic growth in the world, and the implementation of the RCEP allows China to provide better development opportunities for foreign capital," he said.

The Italian businessman said China's rapid development in infrastructure has provided strong support for future growth.

"Only when you have been to these places can you realize how big China is and how convenient the transportation is. The railway and road networks make it so convenient to travel to various regions far apart," he added. 
Palestinians hold flags during a demonstration at the Gaza seaport in Gaza City on Sept. 13, 2022. Dozens of Palestinians rallied in western Gaza on Tuesday against an Israeli blockade imposed on the Palestinian enclave for more than 15 years. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinians rallied in western Gaza on Tuesday against an Israeli blockade imposed on the Palestinian enclave for more than 15 years.

During the rally, which was organized by several Palestinian factions including Gaza's ruling faction Hamas, demonstrators demanded the Palestinians' right to natural resources, mainly the gas fields discovered in 2000 off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

They waved Palestinian flags and carried banners in both Arabic and English that read, "It is our right to travel freely and with dignity" and "Our gas is our right."

"The ongoing Israeli siege on Gaza has deprived thousands of students of freedom of movement and thousands of patients of their right to medical treatment," Suhail al-Hindi, a senior Hamas member, told the rally.

He called for efforts to put pressure on Israel to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip and uphold the Palestinians' right to exploit their natural resources.

"Israel continues to deprive Gazans' rights to natural resources, communicating with the world through a sea corridor, and building a port and an airport," Al-Hindi said.

Later, dozens of boats carrying flag-waving Palestinians held a sea march, with drones belonging to armed Palestinian factions flying around to protect them.

A gas field 36 km west of Gaza City was discovered in 2000, but no major progress has been made in its development and exploitation so far.

Israel has maintained a land, air and sea blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas violently took over the territory from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. 

A Palestinian holds a banner during a demonstration at the Gaza seaport in Gaza City on Sept. 13, 2022. Dozens of Palestinians rallied in western Gaza on Tuesday against an Israeli blockade imposed on the Palestinian enclave for more than 15 years. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Armenian armed forces are shelling military positions of the Azerbaijani army in the Kalbajar direction, Azernews reports, per the Defense Ministry.

Starting at 1144 hours on September 14, units of the Armenian armed forces launched mortars and artillery attacks on Azerbaijani army positions in Kalbajar District, the military said.

Units of the Azerbaijani army are taking the necessary steps to suppress the enemy, it added.

To recap, units of the Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in the Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions during the night of September 13. At night, Armenian sabotage groups mined land and supply roads linking the positions of the Azerbaijani army units in different directions, taking advantage of the area's steep topography and existing ravine gaps.

Clashes between the sides ensued as a result of the urgent efforts made by the Azerbaijani armed forces to quell these activities. As a result, 50 armed forces personnel, including 42 Azerbaijan Army servicemen and 8 State Border Service personnel were killed, the ministry detailed.

The Azerbaijan military units stationed in these areas took decisive retaliatory measures to suppress the provocations of the Armenian armed forces and military threats to Azerbaijan's territory and sovereignty, as well as to ensure the safety of military personnel, including civilian workers involved in infrastructure construction in Kalbajar and Lachin districts, the ministry emphasized.
Chinese enterprises carrying out projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have taken action to provide relief to people suffering from floods in Pakistan. #GLOBALink





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
The file photo, taken on Oct. 21, 2021, shows coffee beans in a processing machine at Kerchanshe Trading Private Limited Company in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

Chinese coffee market has offered "big opportunities" for export-driven coffee producers in Ethiopia and elsewhere around the globe, said the CEO of an Ethiopian company.



ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The emerging Chinese coffee market has offered "big opportunities" for export-driven coffee producers in Ethiopia and elsewhere around the globe, Israel Degfa, the CEO of Kerchanshe Trading Private Limited Company (PLC), told Xinhua in an interview.

Figures from the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) showed that China imported 5,879.34 metric tons of Ethiopian coffee valued at 30.4 million U.S. dollars during the 2021/2022 fiscal year that ended on July 7, up by 31 percent from the same period of the previous year.

"Honestly, it (the Chinese coffee market) is a new opportunity for world coffee consumption," Israel said.

Israel Degfa, the CEO of Kerchanshe Trading Private Limited Company, speaks during an event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sept. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

"We are looking at the Chinese market focused. The potential is there," he said.

"In China, every year, our exports are making double and double, a 100 percent growth," Israel said, adding that his company, Ethiopia's largest coffee producer and exporter, plans to expand its exports to China.

China has become the eighth largest importer of Ethiopian coffee during the first ten months of the 2021/2022 fiscal year, according to ECTA.

Israel, who is from a coffee farmer's family, said that coffee quality and flavors are the results of dedicated scientific endeavors and processes, saying his company operates vigorously to ensure quality and comes up with ever-improved coffee varieties to meet the expectation of international buyers.

Kerchanshe is producing and exporting different varieties of coffee by operating more than 63 washing stations, 56,000 out-growers, and also 1,500 hectares of land dedicated to research and development of improved varieties of coffee.

"Our company is focused and working, in the last eight years, in agri-business, mainly coffee and other fruits as well," Israel said.

The file photo shows a customer stirring coffee at a street coffee shop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on May 14, 2021. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

According to Israel, his company will significantly increase its coffee export value in the 2022/2023 fiscal year that started on July 8.

Ethiopia, Africa's biggest coffee producer, exported 300,000 metric tons of coffee during the last 12 months, eventually generating 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in revenue, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Compared with an average coffee export yearly earnings, the country generated additional revenue of 500 million U.S. dollars during the just concluded fiscal year with a growing export volume to the global coffee market.
Volker Perthes (Front), the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan, speaks at a Security Council meeting on Sudan at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 13, 2022. The top UN envoy for Sudan on Tuesday saw an opportunity to help end the political crisis in Sudan. (Cia Pak/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The top UN envoy for Sudan on Tuesday saw an opportunity to help end the political crisis in Sudan.

With regard to the political process, some important decisions have been taken by the military, and some promising developments have happened among civilians, said Volker Perthes, the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).

On July 4, the chairman of Sudan's ruling Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, announced the military's intention to withdraw from politics. While large parts of the public doubted that the military leadership meant what it said, the announcement did generate momentum among civilian forces. Several initiatives aimed at reaching a common civilian vision have emerged in response, he told the UN Security Council in a briefing.

The Trilateral Mechanism, consisting of UNITAMS, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, has engaged with all initiatives. Almost all initiatives have expressed that they want the Trilateral Mechanism to play a role, either in bringing the different initiatives together, coming up with bridging proposals, or eventually facilitating or mediating an agreement with the military, he said.

"I am actually encouraged by the degree of commonality in the current debate in Sudan. There are important differences, no doubt, about the institutional division of powers, particularly, the role of the military. But the gaps have narrowed. And there is wide-ranging consensus now, among other things, on the need for a civilian head of state, an independent prime minister, a cabinet of experts and technocrats, not of party leaders. There is also consensus that the issue of transitional justice needs to be high on the list of priorities," said Perthes. "So there is an opportunity to end the crisis, which military and civilian forces need to grasp."

While any political agreement needs to be Sudanese-owned, the Trilateral Mechanism stands ready to convene the parties around one text so as to bridge remaining differences, he said.

Nearly a year after the military takeover of Oct. 25, 2021, Sudan still lacks a fully functional and legitimate government. The decision of the military to withdraw from politics and the recent initiatives by civilian forces offer a window of opportunity for both the military and political forces to reach an agreement on the way forward, he said.

"Time is of the essence, however," he cautioned. "The longer the political paralysis exists, the more difficult it will become to return to the transition, which UNITAMS is mandated to assist. I urge all actors to seize this opportunity and reach an agreement on a solution that enjoys legitimacy in the eyes of Sudanese women and men."

Since his last briefing to the Security Council in May, Sudan has seen continued deterioration of the socio-economic situation. Security incidents affecting civilians have increased across the country. Humanitarian needs are growing exponentially, according to Perthes.

The overall situation will continue to worsen unless a political solution is found to restore a credible, fully functioning civilian-led government -- a government that can re-establish the authority of the state across the country and create the conditions for a resumption of international cooperation, including debt relief, he said.

The human rights situation has not improved either during the reporting cycle. The political crisis in Khartoum also contributes to instability in the rest of the country. Particularly worrisome is the surge of violence in Darfur and the Blue Nile, said Perthes.

National and local authorities and civil society leaders have made attempts at brokering reconciliation agreements in Darfur and the Blue Nile. But the sustainability of these agreements remains uncertain in the absence of effective state authority, he said.

The lack of implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement continues to contribute to instability. Protocols to address the drivers of the conflict in Darfur, including wealth sharing, justice, land issues, and the return of internally displaced persons remain unfulfilled. In the absence of a political agreement, it will be difficult to advance these issues, he added.

Humanitarian needs are now at record levels due to a combined impact of ongoing political instability, economic crisis, rise in intercommunal violence, poor harvests and now flooding. Some 11.7 million people are facing acute hunger and the number is growing. While the United Nations and partner organizations managed to reach 7.1 million people in need since January, the 2022 humanitarian response plan for Sudan is only funded at 32 percent, Perthes noted. 
BEIRUT, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon, Cyprus and Greece signed on Tuesday a tripartite agreement to strengthen their cooperation on diaspora affairs, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Lebanon's caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister of Diaspora Greeks Andreas Katsaniotis, and Cyprus' Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Issues and Overseas Cypriots Fotis Fotiou signed the agreement at Lebanon's foreign ministry, according to NNA.

The agreement is "essential for exchanging expertise in diaspora affairs, participating in expatriates' activities organized by the three countries, and benefiting from the experience of expatriate delegations," said NNA.

Meanwhile, a statement released by Fotiou's office said the agreement "aims to bring the diaspora of the three countries closer together. Groups from all three countries will be able to organize joint events and exchange know-how and best practices on diaspora topics through their cooperation on issues of common interests," according to a report on the website of the daily Cyprus Mail. 
TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Uzbekistan on Wednesday signed 17 cooperation documents in a wide range of areas, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The documents, which encompass transportation development, cultural exchanges, customs, trade and economic cooperation, health, and other fields, were signed in Samarkand of Uzbekistan in the presence of presidents of both countries.

At a joint commission meeting, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Tehran-Tashkent ties are beyond merely neighborly and regional links and are rooted in deep civilized and cultural relations.

"Considering the capacities that exist in the Islamic Republic of Iran, we are ready to have good cooperation in the field of energy," said Raisi.

He also underlined Iran's progress despite U.S. sanctions, saying that Iran has turned threats into opportunities.

For his part, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the economic exchanges between the two countries have witnessed progress. 
A European business leader says that China's economy remains strong, and it's still important for businesses to stay in China.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service




Aerial photo shows the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project in Guiping City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Over the past decade, China has engaged in all-round water management to ensure the water supply, optimize water allocation, improve flood and drought prevention, and improve the health of aquatic ecosystems.

The country has managed to raise nearly 20 percent of the world's population with only 6 percent of the world's fresh water, overcoming the difficulties brought by the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water resources.

WATER MANAGEMENT

At a press conference on Tuesday, Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying said that China has controlled major floods in the past decade by continuously improving basin-based prevention systems, strengthening early-warning measures, drills and pre-planning, and using water conservancy infrastructure in a scientific and accurate manner.

The country's annual average losses caused by floods accounted for 0.31 percent of its GDP in the past decade, falling from 0.57 percent in the previous 10 years, Li said.

In tackling the unusually severe floods on several major rivers since last year, China has used thousands of large and medium-sized reservoirs with a flood retention capacity of 225.2 billion cubic meters, while 3,055 cities and towns and over 2.63 million hectares of farmland have been saved through the use of 12 flood retention areas.

This year, in the face of the worst drought in the Yangtze River basin since 1961, China has also ensured the water security of 13.85 million people and the irrigation of more than 1.9 million hectares of autumn grain by allocating water from reservoirs in the basin, Li said.

Aerial photo taken on May 25, 2021 shows the Xiheishan hub on the middle route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

To achieve the balanced spatial allocation of water resources, China has sped up the construction of a batch of major water diversion projects in the past decade, Li said, giving the example of parts of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, which transferred 56.5 billion cubic meters of water from the south to the arid north, benefitting 150 million people.

China is advancing the construction of a safe, efficient, green and orderly water system, Li added, noting that the total water supply capacity of the water conservancy projects increased to 890 billion cubic meters in 2021 from 700 billion cubic meters in 2012.

The country has also seen the rapid expansion of investment in water conservancy projects, with completed investment amounting to 6.66 trillion yuan (about 966 billion U.S. dollars) in the past decade, five times as much as that of the previous 10 years, according to Zhang Xiangwei, an official with the ministry.

This investment supported a batch of key flood prevention projects in major river basins and the water management work in small and medium-sized rivers, facilitated risk elimination and reinforcement at reservoirs, and funded dozens of cross-basin and cross-region water diversion projects.

WATER SAFETY, PROTECTION

China has made notable progress on ensuring water security for rural residents and the supply of agricultural water resources over the past decade.

The country has guaranteed the safety of drinking water for 280 million rural residents and raised the penetration rate of rural tap water to 84 percent, said Chen Mingzhong, an official with the ministry.

By the end of 2021, 8.27 million rural water supply projects had been completed nationwide, able to serve 900 million people, Chen said.

Dawa gets tap water in her own yard in Kesum Community of Shannan City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

In the past decade, over 7,000 large and medium-sized irrigation areas were built in China, with an effective irrigated farmland area of 69.13 million hectares, which accounted for 54 percent of the country's arable land and produced 75 percent of the country's grain, according to Li.

With limited water resources, water conservation has been high on China's agenda. Chen said that since the country released an action plan on water conservancy in 2019, efforts have been made on several fronts, including water conservation in agriculture, industry, urban areas and other key areas, as well as through sci-tech innovation.

In 2021, China's total water use was kept below 610 billion cubic meters, while water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP and water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value dropped by 45 percent and 55 percent from 2012, respectively, Chen added.

In addition to the promotion of more reasonable water consumption and the reduction of waste, the past decade has also witnessed China's efforts to improve the quality of the water through ecological protection.

With over 1.2 million people appointed as river and lake chiefs in recent years, such bodies of water in China have benefitted from environmental protection. Precise measures can be taken to address water pollution and improve water ecology according to local conditions, Li said.

The country has also racked up achievements in resolving problems such as soil erosion and the over-exploitation of ground water in some areas, reviving the vitality of more and more aquatic systems. 
Huawei Zimbabwe has launched the 2022 edition of the Seeds for the Future program under which 30 undergraduates will undergo a week-long virtual training course to upgrade their information and ICT knowledge and skills.

HARARE, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Telecommunications firm Huawei Zimbabwe on Monday launched the 2022 edition of the Seeds for the Future program under which 30 undergraduate university students will undergo a week-long, virtual training course to upgrade their information and communications technology (ICT) knowledge and skills.

Running for the eighth year in Zimbabwe, the program has evolved over the years as it continues to nurture and bolster ICT skills for tertiary students and ICT professionals.

In addition to helping beneficiaries to close the gap between theory and practice and master required skills, the program also encourages countries across different regions to participate in the construction of digital communities.

"Today's event is all about nurturing youth leadership in the ICT sector. In our 25 years of operation in Zimbabwe, this has always been our number one priority to promote local empowerment and capacity building, whilst we bring the best technology and solutions to assist Zimbabwe's glorious and ambitious national development master plan," Huawei's Technologies Zimbabwe Managing Director Wei Qingtao said at the launch.

The Seeds for the Future program is Huawei's biggest global flagship corporate social responsibility program which seeks to develop local ICT talent, enhance knowledge transfer and promote a greater understanding of the telecommunications sector among the youth in the countries where it operates.

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the program has been conducted virtually with 12,413 students from 137 countries and regions around the globe having benefited, Wei said.

He commended the strong partnership between his company and the Zimbabwean government under the program.

University students attend an ICT job fair during the launch of the 2022 Huawei Seeds for the Future program in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)

"Since the Seeds for the Future program was launched in 2015 in Zimbabwe, Huawei, the Ministries and local universities have worked together to provide the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge ICT technologies and Chinese culture for over 80 Zimbabwean undergraduate students. This is an invaluable addition to any CV when looking for a job after graduation," Wei said.

He said this year's program will run from Sept. 13-20 and will offer the students a rich experience involving technology classes, leadership classes, Chinese cultural experiences, an international corporate tour and communication with peers around the world.

The participants will also get training and exposure to leadership, industry trends and the latest ICT technologies, such as 5G, LTE and cloud computing through comprehensive online and live lectures from Huawei experts and external guest lecturers.

In addition to the Seeds for the Future program, Huawei also supports Zimbabwe's digital transformation through talent search programs like the Huawei ICT Academy and the Huawei ICT Competition.

The 2021-2022 ICT competition awards and closing ceremonies were held in Shenzhen, China, on June 25, 2022, and attracted 150,000 students from over 2,000 universities and colleges in 85 countries worldwide.

The University of Zimbabwe Huawei ICT Academy team, composed of Oscar Bosha, Evelyn Chipangura and Ryan Fadzai Mboma, won the third prize in the Competition.

In recognition of the impressive work that some of the partner universities are doing, Huawei Zimbabwe on Monday donated ICT training equipment to the University of Zimbabwe and TelOne Centre for Learning.

Participants of the Huawei Seeds for the Future program attend the launch of the program in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 12, 2022. (Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)

This year's launch also included an ICT job fair designed to promote local Huawei-certified ICT Talent to Huawei partners and offer them the opportunity to advance their careers and further enrich Huawei's talent ecosystem by cultivating and harnessing the value of ICT talent.



At the job fair, students were given the opportunity to do onsite interviews with Huawei partners, giving them valuable experience as they enter the job market.

Several representatives from Huawei partner organizations participated in the fair.

Speaking at the same event, Wang Wei, the counselor at the Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe and wife of the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun, said it was pleasing to see growing ties between Zimbabwe and China in the ICT sector.

"Last year, I was here to witness 30 ICT students from Zimbabwe's top universities getting opportunities to study in China," said Wang. "I am pleased to see a growing number of Zimbabwean engineers being availed the opportunity to approach the state-of-the-art technology and experience a different culture in China, and wish the Seeds for the Future program could further advance the high-tech sector of Zimbabwe."

Wang handed over a donation by Huawei Zimbabwe and the Chinese Embassy to Zimbabwean First Lady and Patron of the Seeds for the Future program Auxillia Mnangagwa for her charity organization, Angel of Hope Foundation.

The First Lady commended Huawei for its support in further training ICT students, and the support to her charity organization.

Other high-profile speakers at the event included Zimbabwe's ICT Minister Jenfan Muswere and Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Amon Murwira, who both commended the Huawei program and urged the students to maximize the opportunity so as to help Zimbabwe build a digital economy and help it achieve its vision to become a middle-income economy by 2030.
HOHHOT, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The total import and export volume of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region reached 94.6 billion yuan (about 13.7 billion U.S. dollars) from January to August, up 20.4 percent year on year.

During this period, its exports totaled nearly 40 billion yuan, an increase of 33.1 percent year on year, while its imports increased 12.5 percent year on year to 54.7 billion yuan, according to customs of Hohhot, the regional capital.

In the first eight months, Inner Mongolia's main imports included coal and crude oil. The region's coal imports soared 153 percent to 13.8 billion yuan, and crude oil imports reached 930 million yuan, up 13.7 times.

Among the exported goods, Inner Mongolia exported 4.3 billion yuan of agricultural products, an increase of 19.5 percent, and 7.3 billion yuan of mechanical and electrical products, up 67.1 percent.

In the first eight months of 2022, trade between Inner Mongolia and Mongolia, Russia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union (EU) and the United States reached 26.2 billion yuan, 12.6 billion yuan, 9.4 billion yuan, 6.2 billion yuan and 4.5 billion yuan, increasing 27.3 percent, 7 percent, 44.9 percent, 47.8 percent and 25.1 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the region's trade with countries along the Belt and Road, as well as other member states of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) grew 24.9 percent and 9.2 percent to 57.1 billion yuan and 23.8 billion yuan, respectively. 
Dai Bing (L, front), China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a UN Security Council briefing on Libya at the UN headquarters in New York, Aug. 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Xie E)

The sanctions have severely restricted the Sudanese government's ability to maintain stability and protect civilians in Darfur. The restrictive measures should be adjusted in light of the evolving situation until they are lifted, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for the adjustment, and ultimate lifting, of Security Council sanctions against Sudan in relation to the Darfur region.

The sanctions have severely restricted the Sudanese government's ability to maintain stability and protect civilians in Darfur. The restrictive measures should be adjusted in light of the evolving situation until they are lifted, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

China regrets that the council was not able to set benchmarks for adjusting Sudan sanctions by Aug. 31, as required by a Security Council resolution, and urges the penholder to earnestly fulfill responsibilities, resume consultations as soon as possible, and make the utmost efforts for consensus, he told the Security Council.

"It must be stressed that the benchmarks should be clear, well-defined and realistic. They should not go beyond the Darfur issue and existing sanctions measures, nor should they become a political tool to delay the lifting of sanctions against Sudan," said Dai.

The Sudanese government has stated its position on the benchmarks in its letter to the Security Council dated Aug. 31, which deserves positive responses from the penholder and other members of the council, he said.

At present, Sudan's economy and livelihoods continue to deteriorate and the humanitarian situation faces grave challenges. When the Sudanese people are most in need, politically motivated suspension of economic aid and debt relief will aggravate the economic and humanitarian stress of Sudan and will not help it get out of the current predicament, he said. "China calls on relevant countries and international organizations to adopt responsible policies and resume international assistance to Sudan as soon as possible, so as to help the country alleviate its economic and humanitarian difficulties."

Rebecca Machar Majok (R) and other orphans pose at Stone Orphanage Home in Juba, capital of South Sudan, June 5, 2022. (Photo by Denis Elamu/Xinhua)

China sincerely supports Sudan's peace and development, and attaches no political conditions in doing so. China will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields between the two countries, and provide support and assistance to Sudan to the best of its abilities, he said.

Sudan is now at a critical stage of political transition. While challenges and uncertainties remain, the relevant parties have stayed to the cause of dialogue and consultation in search of a way to restore the transitional government and continue the political transition, said Dai.

Facts have repeatedly proved that the Sudanese issue can only be resolved by finding a path that accords with its national conditions and interests of the country and people, while the imposition of external solutions and single-minded pursuit of quick results will not be conducive to lasting political stability. The international community should adhere to the Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led principle, remain patient with its internal consultation and dialogue, and offer support and encouragement to the efforts of the political forces in Sudan, he said. 
NEWS PROVIDED BY

Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights

Sept. 14, 2022



NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on Indiana University's endorsement of a pervert:

What's wrong with child molestation? The question needs to be asked because the tolerant ones in higher education seem to like it, otherwise they wouldn't be defending the architect of the sexual revolutionand known pervertAlfred Kinsey.

Last week Indiana University, home to The Kinsey Institute, honored the zoologist turned sexpert by erecting a large bronze sculpture of him on the Bloomington campus, marking the 75th anniversary of the institute. As will be made clear, the man was a sado-masochistic, child-abusing, voyeuristic pervert who had sex with men and beasts.

Kinsey became quite a star after World War II when he published two tomes on the sexual practices of men and women. According to Dr. Judith Reisman, who wrote prolifically about Kinsey, in the course of his research he sexually abused over 300 children. Kinsey biographer James H. Jones, who received high marks from Kinsey's followers, admitted that children were masturbated and penetrated by at least one pedophile.

One of Kinsey's informants, "Mr. X," kept a record of his sexual achievements. When he wasn't busy sexually abusing children (600 boys and 200 girls), he managed to find the time to have intercourse with seventeen blood relatives, including his own grandmother.

In a review of the 2004 movie, "Kinsey," New York Times critic Caleb Crain wrote that Kinsey gathered data on "attempts to bring to orgasm boys between the ages of 2 months and 15 years, in some cases over a period as long as 24 hours."

When asked about this, Reisman condemned Kinsey for his criminal behavior. "When you rape children, it's still a crime. And if you solicit it, and if you support it, it's still a crime." The real story is: Why didn't everyone else condemn him?

Kinsey hated Christianity, spending his entire life trying to get back at his Methodist family, especially his father. According to Joseph Epstein, Kinsey was so enamored of his hedonistic beliefs that he blamed Christianity, not libertinism, for the breakdown of the modern family. Furthermore, he labeled celibacy, delayed marriage and asceticism as "cultural perversions," but not pederasty.

In describing Jones' biography on his subject, Crain notes that "Kinsey had had affairs with men, encouraged open marriages among his staff, stimulated himself with urethral insertion and ropes, and filmed sex in his attic."

Speaking of the film, Crain says "the most controversial scene in the movie is Kinsey's infamous meeting with a sexual omnivore, whose history of sexual encounters with men, women, boys, girls, animals and family members took 17 hours to record."

No wonder anthropologist Margaret Mead, who had an affair with her equally famous colleague, Ruth Benedict, and an adulterous relationship with anthropologist Edward Sapir, said that in Kinsey's view there was no moral difference between a man having sex with a woman, or a sheep.

True to form, a year or so before he died in 1956, Kinsey circumcised himself with a pocketknife.

To this day, many pedophiles and intellectuals adore Kinsey. Here is how the nation's most prominent homosexual child molesting organization, NAMBLA, remembers him on its website (note: there are no organized heterosexual groups dedicated to child rape). The following is a quote from Kinsey's Sexual Behavior in the Human Female.

"When children are constantly warned by parents and teachers against contacts with adults, and when they receive no explanation of the exact nature of the contacts, they are ready to become hysterical as soon as any older person approaches, or stops and speaks to them in the street, or fondles them, or proposes to do something for them, even though the adult may have had no sexual objective in mind (my emphasis)."

In other words, men who fondle children are not a problemthose who object are. Which explains why Kinsey wrote, "The current hysteria over sex offenders may very well have serious effects on the ability of many of these children to work out sexual adjustments some years later...."

Those who defend Kinsey without knowing about his perverted history are an embarrassmentthere is no excuse for their ignorance. Those who know about it and still defend him are moral monsters.
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Armenias military provocations are impeding the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the maintaining the regional peace and stability, Azernews reports, citing the Foreign Ministry.

This opinion was mentioned in a letter Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on August 23 on Armenias ongoing illegal military activities, including mine planting in Azerbaijani territory. The letter was circulated as a document to the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

At a time when large-scale rehabilitation and reconstruction works, including intensive demining activities, are being carried out by Azerbaijan in order to ensure peaceful life in the territories liberated from the military occupation of Armenia, the illegal military activities of Armenia are presenting a serious blow to the efforts for the return of internally displaced persons to their places of origin and to ensure peace and stability in the region, the letter reads.

The letter has drawn attention to the discovery of a large number of anti-personnel mines manufactured in Armenia in 2021 in Azerbaijan's Lachin District, demonstrating Armenia's gross violation of the Trilateral Statement of November 10, 2020.

It underlines that contrary to paragraph 4 of the aforementioned Trilateral Statement, Armenia has neither withdrawn its armed forces from Azerbaijani territory nor has it ended military operations against Azerbaijan.

The letter provides proof about the 232 mine victims since the signing of the Trilateral Statement of 10 November 2020.

Meanwhile, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister said that sending Kazakh peacekeepers to Armenia is out of the question due to the deterioration of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

"Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the extraordinary meeting of the CSTO Collective Security Council informed heads of states, members of CSTO about the situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. In general, information was accepted. Naturally, members of CSTO wanted to receive objective information, because different information comes from both sides. Thus, heads of states decided that the CSTO Secretary-General should go to the region, get proper information, and then inform them," he said.

On the other hand, Russian Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the mission of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) led by Secretary General Stanislav Zas hasn't yet arrived in Armenia, Azernews reports, citing the Russian media.

"No, [the CSTO mission] hasn't arrived yet, as far as I know. After all, the decision was made only late yesterday evening. The mission has yet to be formed and fly there," he added.

Special Representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Igor Khovayev will visit Azerbaijan and Armenia to work on a peace treaty, Denis Gonchar, director of the ministry's fourth department for CIS nations said.

"The issue of preparing a peace treaty has an important place in our efforts to promote the normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations," Gonchar noted.
BRUSSELS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission proposed a set of new measures on Wednesday to mitigate the effect of the roaring prices of energy and electricity.

The measures were outlined by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her annual State of the European Union (EU) address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

According to the plan, which still must be approved by the member states, the EU should tax the profits of non-gas power producers and should oblige these companies to pay a "solidarity contribution" from their 2022 earnings.

"In these times, profits must be shared," she said, "and channeled to those who need it the most. Our proposal will raise more than 140 billion euros (140 billion U.S. dollars) for member states to cushion the blow directly."

Energy companies across the EU are also facing severe problems with liquidity in electricity futures markets, risking the functioning of the energy system.

"We will work with market regulators to ease these problems by amending the rules on collateral -- and by taking measures to limit intra-day price volatility. And we will amend the temporary state aid framework in October to allow for the provision of state guarantees, while preserving a level playing field," she said.

Gas prices have risen by more than 10 times compared to before the pandemic, according to von der Leyen.

Looking ahead, von der Leyen said that the EU is planning to reform its electricity market by decoupling "the dominant influence of gas on the price of electricity."

The Commission is also proposing the creation of a new European Hydrogen Bank with a 3-billion-euro budget from the European Innovation Fund. 
CARACAS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's oil production rose in August by between 6,000 and 94,000 barrels per day (bpd), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said in a monthly report released Tuesday.

Venezuela produced 723,000 bpd during the month, 94,000 bpd more than what the country reported in July, according to direct OPEC sources.

Secondary sources placed Venezuela's output in August at 678,000 barrels of crude oil per day, or 6,000 more than July's output of 672,000 bpd.

In either case, OPEC pointed out that this year the South American country's oil production is well above the average registered in 2021.

Last year, again according to secondary sources, Venezuela saw average production of 555,000 bpd, while OPEC placed its production at 636,000 bpd.

Venezuela's oil output, however, remained below the levels seen in the first quarter of the year.

Oil has traditionally been Venezuela's main source of foreign revenue, but in recent years exports have dropped significantly, a fact that the government blames on U.S.-imposed sanctions. 
Photo taken on Sept. 3, 2022 shows the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua)

People visit the Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua)

People visit the Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua)

Vehicles run on a street in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua)

People ride bicycles in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua)

People visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua)

People visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua)
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Korosi, on Tuesday called for solutions through solidarity, sustainability, and science.

Korosi declared open the 77th session and presided over its first plenary.

In his opening remarks, Korosi said the only way to achieve better outcomes is to transform.

"The contours of the transformation we need are already known. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework (for disaster risk reduction), the Paris Agreement (on climate change), and Our Common Agenda (proposed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ), all point us in the right direction. What remains to be seen is whether we will deliver," he said.

The world is looking to the United Nations for answers. As the world body's chief deliberative body, the General Assembly bears a special responsibility, he said.

"Having begun my tenure as president, I aim to harness the great talents of this community of member states in forging the systemic solutions needed to transform our world. In accepting this privilege, I vowed to serve as an agent of multilateralism, multiculturalism, and multilingualism," said the president. "I pledge that impartiality would be the hallmark of our operation. My team and I will do our best to push for 'Solutions Through Solidarity, Sustainability and Science,' the motto I've chosen for this presidency."

He vowed to stand firm on the principles of the UN Charter, which brought member states together 77 years ago and hold them together today.

"Encoded in international law, they (the principles of the UN Charter) provide us with a solid foundation from which to build. From here, I wish to pursue integrated approaches and enhance the role of science in our decision-shaping. I will work to foster measurable progress in the sustainability transformation and cultivate solidarity we need to achieve breakthroughs or to avert further crises and disasters," he said. 
TAIYUAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- For about two decades, a thin and tanned postman was often seen carrying packages, walking along a narrow mountain trail in the Taihang Mountains.

The 10-km-long mountain route, with a width of 20 cm to 1 meter, was called the "cat road" by locals, meaning it was so narrow that only cats could walk on it. However, Zhao Yuefang, a postman in Ewu Township, Huguan County, north China's Shanxi Province, had to walk along this route on a daily basis to deliver mail.

In 1996, 23-year-old Zhao got the job as a postman, responsible for delivering letters, packages, and newspapers to people in the 18 villages of the mountainous Ewu Township.

Every day at the crack of dawn, he would start his journey on the "cat road" which took him down the mountain to the post office in Qiaoshang Township to pick up the latest newspapers and letters. He then went back along the same route to the Ewu post office to sort the mails before delivering them to local villagers.

It would take Zhao four days to reach all the villages. In rainy and snowy seasons, he always got home late at night when the mountain road, part of which hugs a cliff on one side, became slippery and dangerous.

One day in the winter of 2003, the "cat road" was covered with thick snow and Zhao found himself sliding dangerously on a narrow section of the road. Fortunately, he was able to stop his slide by grabbing a branch on a big tree and then slowly managed to climb to safety.

Born and raised in the deep mountains, Zhao understands the significance of the mail delivery for villagers. "They depend on the mail to keep in touch with the outside world," he said.

"They were excited receiving letters, parcels and newspapers and some of the villagers would offer me noodles and water to express their gratitude. I was so happy at those moments," he added.

In the past 26 years, Zhao has walked more than 300,000 km and delivered over 800,000 pieces of mail.

In the summer of 2012, a section of a 67-km-long tourist highway was built and put into operation, connecting Qiaoshang Township and Ewu Township.

This development meant Zhao no longer needed to go down the hill along the narrow "cat road" since the mail car from the county seat could now arrive at the Ewu post office via the highway. The local postal department also equipped Zhao with a new delivery vehicle -- a motorcycle.

In 2021, Ewu and Qiaoshang were officially merged into one township. The spectacular mountain scenery in the area attracted a lot of tourists, and many local villagers took the opportunity to earn their fortunes from tourism. The "cat road" has become a tourist attraction for some hikers.

Zhao is even busier than before.

"The number of packages I handle daily now exceeds the number I dealt with in a whole month in the past," said Zhao, adding that the villagers are turning to online shopping and the mailed products are becoming more and more diversified.

In 2015, Zhao was honored a National Model Worker for his persistence in delivering mail under difficult conditions.

Loading up his motorcycle with piles of packages, Zhao is about to hit the road again. "The villagers are counting on me. I will deliver the mail promptly," he said. 




KUNMING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Over a decade after opening his first hotel and cultural center in Xizhou town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Brian Linden and his team opened their third project in 2021 in the province's Shaxi township, with the new site overlooking an ancient Bai ethnic village and a tranquil lake.



In 2008, Linden, an American entrepreneur, and his team restored and repurposed heritage buildings and turned them into popular destinations for experiencing the rich cultural traditions of the respective surroundings, naming the boutique hotel brand the Linden Center, a center for cultural and interpersonal exchange.

Combo photo shows aerial view of the Linden Center in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town (top), and bird's view of Shilong Village, in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Without the involvement of private investors, Linden and his partners aspire to restore local buildings and work for heritage conservation.

"In the past, many foreigners came to China for economic opportunities, but very few spent extended time to learn from the country's rich history," said Linden. "We want to encourage foreigners to view China differently, not solely for the financial purpose."

PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING

Before first coming to China in 1984 as an international student, Linden worked as a carpet cleaner in Chicago.

"I was cleaning the carpet at the house of a professor of the University of Chicago, who had just returned from a trip to China, and he asked me to put a red flag onto China on the world map," recalled Linden. "But with minimal education, I didn't know where China was."

Out of curiosity about the country, Linden applied for a Chinese government scholarship. To his surprise, his application was accepted and he received an opportunity to study in Beijing.

His first encounter with China was full of surprises and unexpected opportunities.

"When I was working out on the street on the third day after my arrival in Beijing, I was approached by a director who asked me to act in the first Chinese film starring a foreigner as the lead role," he said.

Four years later, Linden left China with his wife, whom he met in east China's Nanjing city, to pursue doctoral studies at Stanford University.

Brian Linden looks on as his wife Jeanee indicates on the design of a rural library in Shilong Village of Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

He later began to work on educational projects all over the world. During his extensive international travels, what disappointed him most was the outside world's lack of understanding of China.

"I've been to over 100 countries, but most of them don't understand China, and I want to provide them with a more balanced view of this country," Linden said.

"To achieve this goal, my team and I want to create social enterprises in each site, which can ensure that local villagers receive financial benefits, and visitors can enjoy an interactive experience, instead of solely experiencing the comforts and luxury of travel," Linden added.

With this goal in mind and his passion for China at heart, Linden shared his idea with his wife, a third-generation Chinese-American, and their two sons, who were 6 and 9 then. His family was very supportive of his decision and they decided to move back to China in 2003.

CULTURE CENTER

The Lindens then traveled to multiple provinces in China in search of a suitable location for his culture center, and in 2007, they found a historic building in the Xizhou old town, situated between Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain in Dali.

Jeanee (R), wife of Brian Linden, learns Bai ethnic language from a local dancer in the Linden Center in Shaxi Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

The architecture boasts the rectangular layout of traditional Bai-style courtyards, with the screen wall facing the entrance decorated with conventional paintings and the other three sides used to serve as living quarters.

"I got a strong sense of belonging the first time I came to Xizhou," Linden said, adding that the local villagers are inclusive and welcoming, and they all call him 'village head Linden.'

With the support from the local government, Linden and his team renovated the historic courtyard, and began to recruit locals as hotel servers.

"I want to make sure that local people are included in our business model and the hotel can provide them economic opportunities as well as a place where they can share our passion and be proud of the efforts," Linden said.

Brian Linden greets a child in Xizhou old town of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

Owing to its uniqueness and amiable services, the Linden Center in Xizhou became one of the top-rated boutique hotels in China on TripAdvisor, a leading travel platform.

Linden, a former educator, wishes to provide an opportunity for young people from around the world to comprehend the richness of this country beyond the modern high rises of Shanghai and Beijing.

In 2012, Linden and his team established the Linden Center Yangzhuoran International Education Base and partnered with schools and universities to launch micro-campus programs.

"As I envisage it in the future, Linden Center is not just my accomplishment alone, but also a treasure of the Bai people in Xizhou, China, and the entire world," Linden said.

To blend into the contour of the surrounding mountains, the Lindens' new hotel in Shaxi is built with rammed earth, a traditional building material used in local Bai-style houses in the nearby Shilong village.

Designed by returning UC Berkeley graduate student, Mou Yujiang, who is also the CEO of Linden Center, the project received the American Architecture Award in 2018.

Brian Linden and his wife Jeanee pose for a group photo with team members of Linden Center in Xizhou old town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Mengyao)

"The Shaxi hotel serves as a cultural exchange platform through which we can promote culture and tradition," said Yang Lyu, a local resident from the Bai ethnic group who works at the new hotel. He always brings guests to Shilong Village to experience folk songs and dances, as well as the local wood carving.

Reflecting on the past decade, Linden said he sees optimism and hope whenever he talks with his neighbors because everyone is seeing more opportunities.

"When you see small villages are now connected to the rest of China by high-speed railways and new highways, how can you not be optimistic?" Linden said. 
BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has announced its decision to arrest Huang Yi, a former senior political advisor in southwest China's Yunnan Province, for suspected bribe-taking.

The National Commission of Supervision completed an investigation into Huang's case and has transferred it to procuratorial authorities for prosecution, the SPP said in a statement on Wednesday.

Huang, former vice chairman of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was earlier found to have accepted others' money, gifts and banquets, and have visited private clubs.

Handling of the case is underway. 
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, July 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

According to the plan, which still must be approved by the member states, the EU should tax the profits of non-gas power producers and should oblige these companies to pay a "solidarity contribution" from their 2022 earnings.

BRUSSELS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission proposed a set of new measures on Wednesday to mitigate the effect of the roaring prices of energy and electricity.

The measures were outlined by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her annual State of the European Union (EU) address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

According to the plan, which still must be approved by the member states, the EU should tax the profits of non-gas power producers and should oblige these companies to pay a "solidarity contribution" from their 2022 earnings.

"In these times, profits must be shared," she said, "and channeled to those who need it the most. Our proposal will raise more than 140 billion euros (140 billion U.S. dollars) for member states to cushion the blow directly."

Solar panels are placed on the roofs of buildings in Haarlem, the Netherlands, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua)

Energy companies across the EU are also facing severe problems with liquidity in electricity futures markets, risking the functioning of the energy system.

"We will work with market regulators to ease these problems by amending the rules on collateral -- and by taking measures to limit intra-day price volatility. And we will amend the temporary state aid framework in October to allow for the provision of state guarantees, while preserving a level playing field," she said.

Gas prices have risen by more than 10 times compared to before the pandemic, according to von der Leyen.

Looking ahead, von der Leyen said that the EU is planning to reform its electricity market by decoupling "the dominant influence of gas on the price of electricity."

The Commission is also proposing the creation of a new European Hydrogen Bank with a 3-billion-euro budget from the European Innovation Fund.

A man fuels a vehicle up at a gas station in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
AMMAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in a residential building collapse in Jordan's capital Amman on Tuesday rose to eight, the Public Security Department (PSD) said in a statement Wednesday.

Rescue work is still going on, the PSD added, noting that an infant and an injured person in his 50s were pulled out from the rubble of the collapsed building and transferred to the hospital.

So far, 16 people have been injured due to the collapse, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

The Director of Civil Defense Brigadier General Hatem Jaber told Xinhua Wednesday that rescue teams are still operating at full capacity to reach all people under the rubble.

Also Wednesday, the Amman Prosecutor General ordered the detention of three people pending investigation in the building collapse case.

The three include the person responsible for supervising the property, a maintenance supervisor and a maintenance technician, Petra reported.

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday directed PSD Director Major General Obaidallah Maaytah to ensure the utmost efforts to continue rescuing those trapped under the rubble. 
Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a UN Security Council briefing on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant at the UN headquarters in New York, Aug. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Xie E)

"The BRI meets the needs of our times, the expectations of peoples, and the shared interests of all countries," said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, on Wednesday called for efforts to advance the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"Our world today faces many challenges. To address both the symptoms and root causes, we must further advance Belt and Road cooperation," he said at the release of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs' progress report on BRI in support of the 2030 Agenda. "The BRI meets the needs of our times, the expectations of peoples, and the shared interests of all countries."

Belt and Road cooperation is by no means a solo of China, but a symphony performed by all partners. Active participation, support and contributions by partners are indispensable for the BRI's continued progress. China looks forward to working with all partners to discuss together, build together, and share the benefits together, and strive for high-quality development of the BRI, so as to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and make greater contributions to the common development of all countries, said Zhang.

The world is now close to the halfway mark on the timetable for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. But countries, especially developing ones, are still facing multiple crises and challenges. The progress has apparently fallen short of expectations, he said.

Kenyans sing and dance beside one of the first batch of locomotives that were made by Chinese companies for the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, in Mombasa, Kenya, on Jan. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

The BRI offers China's wisdom and solutions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The BRI is committed to enhancing policy, infrastructure, trade, finance, and people-to-people connectivity among countries. The initiative is highly compatible with the 2030 Agenda in terms of visions, goals and measures, and provides strong support and impetus for its implementation, he said.

The BRI offers a path of solidarity for global partnerships. The initiative is a global public good that practices true multilateralism. Over the past nine years, China has signed over 200 Belt and Road cooperation documents with more than 140 countries, and more than 30 international organizations.

The BRI offers a path of win-win cooperation on connectivity, said Zhang.

Leveraging the pace-setting role of major projects, the BRI continues to make new progress in infrastructure construction. According to World Bank data, BRI infrastructure projects, if fully implemented, could increase trade between countries along the routes by 2.8 percent and boost gross domestic product (GDP) by 3.4 percent. It will lead to a 1.7 percent increase in global trade and a 2.9 percent increase in global GDP, he said.

The BRI offers a path of hope for global sustainable development, said Zhang.

A visitor learns about specialities exhibited at the Uzbekistan booth during the sixth Silk Road International Exposition in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

The initiative has always been development-oriented, and consistent efforts have been made to ensure that it is high-standard, sustainable and people-centered. The World Bank estimates that the infrastructure investment in the BRI could lift 7.6 million people worldwide out of extreme poverty and 32 million people out of moderate poverty, he said.

Thanks to the concerted efforts from all parties, the BRI has become the biggest and widest-ranging platform for international cooperation. The 200-plus documents signed on Belt and Road cooperation are the vote of confidence cast by the international community, he said.

"However, some individual countries refused to increase their input for development cooperation, but are obsessed with fabricating and spreading lies in an attempt to undermine Belt and Road cooperation. Facts have fully proved that their behaviors are purely politically motivated. They have seriously poisoned the atmosphere of international cooperation, which serves no one's interests," said Zhang. 
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Turkiye always stands by Azerbaijan and the two countries are in solidarity with each other, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a telephone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

During the conversation, the Turkish leader expressed his deep condolences to the Azerbaijani colleague, relatives of the killed military servicemen, and the entire Azerbaijani nation in the aftermath of a large-scale provocation, committed by the Armenian armed forces on the state border.

The Turkish Defense Ministry has also expressed condolences to Azerbaijan.

"We wish the souls of the heroic soldiers of the Azerbaijani army, who became martyrs in the battles on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border to rest in peace, as well as a speedy recovery to the wounded. We condole and wish patience to the fraternal people of Azerbaijan," the ministry wrote on Twitter.

Furthermore, Pakistani Ambassador to Azerbaijan Bilal Hayee expressed his condolences to the Azerbaijani people.

"Our deepest condolences to the brotherly people of Azerbaijan on the martyrdom of their brave soldiers today. As our hearts go out to the families of 50 martyrs, we pray to the Almighty for showering eternal blessings on these sons of the soil", he wrote on Twitter.

Additionally, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed condolences over the death of Azerbaijani servicemen as a result of Armenia's military provocation.

"We wish the repose of the souls of our servicemen who died heroically while repelling the large-scale provocations of the Armenian armed forces, we express deep condolences to their families and loved ones," the minister wrote.

To recap, units of the Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in the Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions during the night of September 13. At night, Armenian sabotage groups mined land and supply roads, linking the positions of the Azerbaijani army units in different directions, taking advantage of the area's steep topography and existing ravine gaps.

Clashes between the sides ensued as a result of the urgent efforts made by the Azerbaijani armed forces to quell these activities.

As a result, Azerbaijan sustained 50 military losses, and the military infrastructure was damaged, the ministry detailed.

The Azerbaijan military units stationed in these areas took decisive retaliatory measures to suppress the provocations of the Armenian armed forces and military threats to Azerbaijan's territory and sovereignty, as well as to ensure the safety of military personnel, including civilian workers involved in infrastructure construction in Kalbajar and Lachin districts, the ministry emphasized.
TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Wednesday that Iran's position in the negotiations aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal has not been changed.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in an Instagram report about his telephone conversation with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Hamad al-Busaidi.

Noting that Iran and other negotiating parties have made a lot of efforts to reach an agreement over the past few months, Amir-Abdollahian told al-Busaidi that "Iran has always adhered to the process of dialogue and exchange of messages to lift sanctions, and the only obstacle to an agreement is the lack of realism and necessary determination on the part of America."

Iran has repeatedly shown "sufficient determination and goodwill" necessary to achieve a good, strong and stable agreement, and "there has been no change in Iran's positions," he said.

For his part, al-Busaidi emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement and returning all parties to their commitments.

Iran and the United States have been indirectly exchanging views about a recent EU proposal aimed at resolving the outstanding issues on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran signed the deal with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact.

The talks on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington.

The latest round of the nuclear talks was held in the Austrian capital in early August after a five-month hiatus. On Aug. 8, the EU put forward a "final text" of the draft decision on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. 
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for improvement in the cross-line delivery of humanitarian aid in Syria.

Since Security Council Resolution 2642 was adopted more than two months ago, only one cross-line delivery has been completed in Northwest Syria, with no improvement in terms of efficiency and scale, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"I would like to reiterate that the cross-border relief modality is only a temporary arrangement made under exceptional circumstances. The transition to cross-line relief operations needs to be accelerated. A clear timetable should be set for the eventual termination of cross-border delivery," he told a Security Council meeting on Syria.

Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations wrote twice to the president of the Security Council in September, condemning the attacks on the airports in Damascus and Aleppo. These airports are important cross-line transfer hubs of humanitarian supplies. Attacks on humanitarian infrastructure must cease immediately, he said.

At present, Syria is still facing a complex security situation. The international community should adopt a unified standard on the basis of international law and Security Council resolutions to combat all terrorist forces in Syria with zero tolerance. Actions that condone, harbor or exploit terrorist forces for political interests must stop, said Geng.

The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria must be respected. In the absence of the consent of the Syrian government, illegally stationing troops in Syria or even setting up military bases in the country constitute a serious violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Such acts are in no way defending and acting strictly in accordance with the UN Charter, he said.

The Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process is the only way to resolve the Syrian issue. China welcomes the sustained efforts of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and his team to promote the political process in Syria. China hopes that the parties concerned will engage constructively with the United Nations to properly resolve the differences relating to the small body of the Constitutional Committee, with a view to reconvening at an early date and making substantial progress, he said.

Pedersen has put forth a step-for-step approach, which is conducive to creating favorable conditions for the political process. China supports his continued communication with the parties in this regard, Geng said. 
CARACAS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The secretary general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Haitham Al-Ghais, on Wednesday said the bloc and its allies remain "alert" to any possible changes in the global oil and gas market during his visit to Venezuela.

The OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting is "ready to convene as soon as needed to agree on any changes in market conditions, if necessary," Al-Ghais said.

Al-Ghais on Wednesday participated in an official ceremony marking OPEC's 62nd anniversary, along with Venezuelan Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami and other Venezuelan government figures.

There are signs that invite "optimism" in the market, he said, such as OPEC projections that the global economy will grow by 3.1 percent in 2022.

Recent geopolitical events in Europe and other parts of the world, however, have led to "restrictions" that are "extremely harmful to both producers and consumers," the OPEC chief said.

According to the organization's forecast, global oil demand will see "an increase of 13 million barrels per day to reach 110 million barrels per day in 2045," said Al-Ghais.

With that in mind, he said, Venezuela stands to play a "key role" in the future of global energy, given that it has the largest crude oil reserves in the world, estimated at about 300 billion barrels.

Venezuela's El Aissami thanked Al-Ghais for his visit and reaffirmed "all the necessary commitment and effort" on the part of Venezuela to continue supporting OPEC's strategic goals.

Even under the tough conditions sparked by the novel coronavirus pandemic, OPEC and its partners have been guarantors of "economic stability" and the stability of the crude oil market, said El Aissami. 
KAMPALA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Uganda will conduct a national housing and population census in August 2023, a government statement said Tuesday.

The census night is fixed on Aug. 24/25 next year, said the statement issued by the ministry of information, communication, technology and national guidance.

According to the country's last population census carried out in 2014, the state-run Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) said there were 34.6 million people in the country.

The UBOS estimated that by the middle of this year, the country's population would reach 43.7 million. 
MOGADISHU, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations migration agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said Tuesday it requires more than 50 million U.S. dollars to reach 2.5 million people affected by the drought by the end of 2023.

IOM's deputy director general Amy Pope, who ended a four-day visit to Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, and Baidoa said the crisis in Somalia is deepening, noting that with the fifth failed rainy season imminent, humanitarian actors require greater resources to help communities in need survive, rebuild and foster resilience.

Pope said in a statement issued in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, that the situation in Somalia which is facing severe drought demands the world's urgent attention, solidarity, and support.

"The communities I met are being devastated by climatic change, despite Somalia being one of the least contributors to global emissions. Millions do not have sufficient water or food. Hundreds of thousands of people could die," she said.

According to Pope, time is running out for Somalia where rural communities are facing the dire consequences of a climate emergency as they grapple with decades of instability, disease, and economic crises.

Without a rapid increase in assistance, the Somalia Food Security and Nutrition analysis which was launched last week projects that famine will be a reality in parts of the country by October.

The drought has forced more than 1 million people to leave their homes in search of water, food, and humanitarian services, according to the UN.

According to IOM, over 80 percent of the displaced are women, children and the elderly who are bearing the brunt of the crisis, and most people have settled in towns and cities where support services are already greatly overstretched, and sanitation is poor.

The last famine in Somalia was declared just over ten years ago in 2011, which led to the death of an estimated 250,000 people.

The current drought has already claimed the lives of at least 730 children, but the true figure could be much higher, as 7.8 million people are facing extreme food shortages, the IOM said.

"Without sufficient funding, millions of people in Somalia will be left to suffer the fallout of devastating hunger, disease and displacement. The impact of this crisis will be felt by generations to come," Pope said. 
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Three Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack by terrorists in Kurram district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Pakistani military said on Tuesday.

The terrorists from the Afghan side of the border opened fire on troops in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations, the army's media wing.

The statement said that the Pakistani troops responded in a befitting manner and three soldiers were killed during an exchange of fire.

Terrorists also suffered heavy casualties in retaliatory fire, it said.

Pakistan strongly condemned the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities, the statement said.

The Pakistani army is determined to defend Pakistan's borders against the menace of terrorism, the military added. 
SYDNEY, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Western Australian (WA) government has launched several schemes worth a combined total of 16.8 million Australian dollars (11.3 million U.S. dollars) aimed at reinvigorating the state's international education sector.

Making the announcement on Wednesday, WA International Education Minister David Templeman said 10 million Australian dollars (6.7 million U.S. dollars) would go towards an agent incentive scheme to "promote WA as a study destination of choice to prospective international students."

Templeman said it was vital that the WA government "incentivizes international student agents, as well as students, to encourage them to consider and ultimately make the right choice to study in our state."

The scheme will pay the agents a bonus of between 500 to 1,000 Australian dollars (337 to 674 U.S. dollars), depending on whether a student enrolls at a vocational training institute or at a university.

The remaining 6.8 million Australian dollars (4.6 million U.S. dollars) will go towards two separate subsidies: one for accommodation and the other for education fees for eligible full-time international students.

Those one-off subsidies will each be worth 1,500 Australian dollars (1,010 U.S. dollars).

Templeman said the programs supported the WA government's commitment to international education and formed part of the additional 41.2 million Australian dollars (27.8 million U.S. dollars) in initiatives for that sector announced in the 2022-23 state budget. 
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian official and conservationists on Wednesday called on tourism operators to use renewable energy sources like the rooftop solar in their business operations.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of a Swiss-funded project entitled "Building Back a Climate Friendly and Inclusive Tourism Sector in Cambodia", Cambodian Tourism Ministry's Undersecretary of State Kuch Panhasa said the ministry recognized the importance of renewable energy development and its contribution to building a sustainable tourism and positioning Cambodia as a green tourism destination.

"I encourage tourism operators, community-based ecotourism groups, and other relevant institutions, to support the implementation of this project, contributing to effort by the royal government of Cambodia in recovering tourism in the post COVID-19 era, as well as developing sustainable and green tourism in Cambodia," he said.

Seng Teak, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Cambodia country director, said the project was designed to facilitate the sustainable energy transition of the Cambodian tourism sector through the adoption of solar and efficient cooling solutions in hotels, eco-resorts and community-based ecotourism.

He said the project outcome would contribute to Cambodia's transition toward low carbon, low cost and low impact power.

"This is a game changer for the tourism sector in Cambodia," Teak said.

Solar and efficient cooling solutions can help tourism operators reduce their operation costs, while increasing the attractiveness of the sector to tourists.

"This project will introduce the sustainable energy practice among tourism operators and help our members in reducing their energy bills, through the introduction of solar and energy management, helping them 'build back better' after the challenging years of COVID-19," said Luu Meng, president of the Cambodia Tourism Federation. 
JAKARTA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of G20 countries agreed on Tuesday to introduce an assessment instrument to measure how far each country's policies have accommodated the needs of people with disabilities.

The agreement was concluded at the Sixth G20 Employment Working Group (EWG) meeting in Bali, which mainly discussed inclusive job opportunities.

"We aim to ensure that workers with disabilities could have the same opportunities as other workers. Thus, we agree to formulate an instrument that can evaluate whether the policies in every country have been friendly with the disabled people and how far their realizations of affirmative actions for the people with disabilities," Secretary General of Indonesia's Manpower Ministry Anwar Sanusi said in a written statement released after the G20 EWG meeting.

The G20 EWG, he said, also raised other development issues, including the development of capacity of human resources and social protection in the working environment.

"Inclusive job creation is one of the issues raised by Indonesia's G20 Presidency at the EWG meeting that will later be discussed further at the Labor and Employment Ministers Meeting held tomorrow (Wednesday)," Sanusi said. 
PARIS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Wildfires have burned over 3,200 hectares of land since Monday in France's southwestern department of Gironde, forcing 840 people to be evacuated, the Prefecture of Gironde announced Tuesday in a press release.

"More than 900 firefighters from Gironde and other departments will be mobilized, thanks to the arrival of reinforcements from other departments in the coming hours. Two Canadairs, one Dash (plane) and three water bomber helicopters have been deployed since this morning," the Prefecture said.

The Prefecture said emergency accommodations are being offered to evacuees in Le Porge and other municipalities.

No further evacuations are planned at this time, it added.

More than 30,000 hectares of land had been burned in the department of Gironde this summer due to dry weather and heatwaves, local media reported. 
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian have discussed the recent Armenian border provocation against Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

During a phone conversation held on Amir-Abdollahians initiative on September 14, Bayramov informed his colleague about the large-scale provocations, committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan, grossly violating the principles of international law, as well as its obligations.

He emphasized that the Azerbaijani armed forces have taken retaliatory measures in response to the provocation, which threatened the countrys territorial integrity as well as the security of military personnel and civilians. He added that 50 Azerbaijani servicemen were killed during the prevention of the provocation.

Bayramov stressed that Armenia's provocation significantly jeopardizes the peace process, as well as efforts to normalize ties between the two governments at a time when major restoration and construction projects are underway in Azerbaijans liberated lands.

Amir-Abdollahian, for his part, said that the tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia is a cause for concern, stating that the region is not ready for a new conflict.

He noted that the territorial integrity of the regional countries and the inviolability of their international borders are important for Iran.

The top diplomat added that Iran is in favor of resolving the issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia through peaceful negotiations and that the country is ready to help in this regard.

The ministers also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.
BUCHAREST, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Romania is "making every effort" to find supply, transit and storage solutions for the natural gas needed by Moldova, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca assured his visiting Moldovan counterpart Natalia Gavrilita on Tuesday.

The two heads of government analyzed in their meeting the current stage of implementation of the support projects for Moldova in terms of energy and natural gas supply as well as the direct budget support offered by Romania to Moldova, according to a statement released by the Romanian government.

The electricity will be provided within the existing transmission infrastructure, while new interconnection lines will be provided in the medium and long term, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the two sides announced that a new border point will open to streamline traffic in congested areas at the existing points, as increased transit of lorries on the borders. 
MOSCOW, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed issues of grain exports over a telephone conversation on Wednesday, the Kremlin said in a statement.

"The main attention is given to the implementation of the Istanbul package agreements on the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports, as well as the export of Russian food and fertilizers," the statement said, confirming both sides' mutual position on ensuring the needs of countries in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America as a priority.

During the phone call, the UN chief informed in detail about the measures taken by the Secretariat and the specialized UN agencies on removing all obstacles for pushing the supplies of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to world markets, expressing his full commitment to solving this issue.

According to the statement, both sides also discussed the situation around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the context of the visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Sept 1. 
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday called on regional countries to strengthen cooperation to identify undocumented migrants who died on their journey to the north.

"Every year thousands of people lose their lives on migratory routes as a result of accidents, violence or hostile terrain," the ICRC delegation for Mexico and Central America tweeted.

The organization said collaboration among origin, transit and destination countries is essential to recovering the remains of migrants, restore their identity and return them to families. "This includes the exchange, management and analysis of information for identification," it added.

There are efforts to uncover the magnitude of the tragedy, and the already-known figures represent only a minimum number, the ICRC said.

Mexico and the United States are transit and destination countries for a large number of migrants, many of whom disappear each year and die without being identified. 
According to India's consul general Melinda Pavek, trade between the United States and its top 15 trading partners grew over the past year, with India seeing the single-largest increase.

Pavek said that India-U.S. trade reached $67 billion in the first half of 2022 while speaking at a session of the East India Summit 2022 hosted here by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). "Exports to India were $23 billion, while Indian exports to the U.S. stood at $44 billion during January-June.

"Over the past year, commerce between the United States and its top 15 trading partners has increased, but I'm delighted to say that India saw the single-largest growth. Indian companies routinely receive the most foreign direct investment (FDI) from the US, "She said.

According to official data, bilateral commerce in products and services between the United States and India totaled $157 billion in 2021. China, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France are a few of the U.S.'s largest trading partners.

Several American organisations are working on development initiatives in eastern India, according to Ms. Pavek.

"Being based in Kolkata, a major hub of India's Act East Policy, has made it easier for us to comprehend the significant potential for improving regional connectivity, particularly among the BBIN countries, in this area of India through the development of ports, inland waterways, and multi-modal logistics infrastructure (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal).

She said, "We hold meetings with the Kolkata port authorities to identify prospective areas of commercial engagement in their projects. We closely monitor the development of port facilities at Kolkata and Haldia.

Ms. Pavek noted that the United States collaborates with the West Bengal Transport Department to figure out how to help inland water transport projects in this state that are financed by the World Bank.

China and Nepal's rail line must traverse mountains, geopolitical tensions, and enormous costs

US institutions coming to enhance academic ties with India

Foreign businesses in China fighting for survival prepare for whatever comes next
The founder of LaMa Walks makes fire as a part of training for trekking enthusiasts. Photo: LaMa Walks

Similar to thousands of youth in the country, Lama (not disclosing his first name citing his personal choice), the founder of LaMa Walks, also had a dream to become a British Army soldier. But, he was rejected in the selection process.

To compensate for the loss of rejection, he began searching for a job. Lama first worked at a call centre but he could not enjoy it and left the job.

Then in 2009, he found some work at a trekking company, which he claims changed his life eventually. Having learned about trekking expeditions, he started touring and trekking on his own. This job offered him happiness and excitement besides money. With time, trekking became his obsession, which led to the establishment of LaMa Walks, a company that aspires to take the countrys trekking industry to a new height by educating people about this.

Walking through LaMa Walks

A training session of LaMa Walks. Photo: LaMa Walks

LaMa Walks is unlike many other hundreds of trekking companies working in Nepal. It stands out because it not only provides the service of trekking and expedition but also renders the service of outdoor education, specifically known as the Outdoor Learning Programme (OLP), for school and college students, informs Lama.

There are only a handful of trekking companies that actively run this education programme, but it has been a flagship programme of LaMa Walks since its establishment in 2014.

The OLP includes a collection of courses that includes theoretical and practical lessons focused on trekking and expedition. The course includes lessons ranging from walking style to waste management, respecting wildlife and first aid treatment.

To date, LaMa Walks has provided customised courses to a number of academic institutions including Little Angels, Gyanodaya School, GEMS School and more. The course has various packages, lasting from one night-two days to 14 days.

Besides, in the last eight years since its establishment, LaMa Walks has served over 100 clients. Lama says most of them are foreigners.

Changing attitudes regarding trekking

The founder of LaMa Walks during a trek to Dolpo. Photo: LaMa Walks

Lama says the education programme has remarkably changed the students attitudes regarding trekking. When they first join the course, they take the trekking course lightly, just as a source of fun. But once they complete it, they realise its hardships and challenges, he says.

In the practical session, the students need to do everything on their own, from pitching a tent to cooking food. The people who would otherwise rely on family for everything also realise the struggle of being self-reliant.

While this educational programme is progressive and effective, it also has challenges. As a result, there are very few institutions to host this programme. Since the programme includes children, its not everyones cup of tea to understand their psychology, Lama says.

Sometimes they might cry during the journey, and it could be difficult to control them, Lama says he has a team of experts who could work in any difficult situation.

But, as he is determined to make an impact on the new generation, Lama has now resorted to popular social media platforms. The TikTok account of LaMa Walks has over 10,000 followers. There, the company provides helpful information to trekking enthusiasts.

Determination to make an impact

Trekking is a difficult job and LaMa Walks says it needs special education for preparedness. Photo: LaMa Walks

On TikTok and elsewhere, Lama is happy to see the number of Nepalis getting interested in trekking growing. He says in the last few years, the number of domestic trekkers has been increasing exceptionally. With the growing number of local trekkers, the number of trekking companies is also increasing, but that is not something we should feel happy about, he says, adding the companies first should make themselves educated about trekking.

Otherwise, the industry becomes unprofessional, making the clients suffer, he warns.

He hopes the concerned authority will work on making proper policies to encourage authentic trekking companies.

Lama, also a mountaineer who has climbed Mt Manaslu and Island peak, is determined to promote trekking culture all around the country.

To quench this thirst, he has taken some other initiatives too. Lama owns another company closely connected to trekking. Himalayan Medics provides first aid training for trekkers, and the idea is known as wilderness first aid.

The training is conducted four times a year and in one session, around 25 people are enrolled.

For the last four years, LaMa Walks has been providing climbing sponsorship at Kathmandu Sport Climbing Centre and Astrek Climbing Wall for anyone aged between 14 to 25 years. Likewise, it has also been sponsoring athlete Swastika Chaudhary.

Lama says he has got a surfeit of other ideas. One among them is to host a travel award, that is to say, sponsoring some best trekking plans.
Patricia Voaden

Many young Nepalis choose The British College in Kathmandu for the British degree that it offers. These degrees range from computer science and digital forensics to hotel management and business administration.

One of the universities that the college is patterned with is the University of West of England. The universitys head of international partnership for the College of Business and Law, Patricia Voaden, was in Nepal recently to attend the colleges graduation ceremony.

Voaden has worked in tandem with The British College since 2014. At the UWE, she has also been the head of the Department for Business and Management and the head of the Department for Accounting, Economics and Finance.

Onlinekhabar recently spoke to Voaden about the standards at The British College, why the college stands out and the importance of earning a British degree in todays day and age.

Excerpts:

How was the graduation ceremony?

It was wonderful. Id been here in 2017 too, but this time around, there were so many students. It was great to see a sense of pride and accomplishment on the faces of both the students and their families. These ceremonies are great as theyre a result of their hard work and its very rewarding to see this.

How long have you been working in tandem with The British College? How have you found the institution?

Ive been working for the University of West of England for around 18 years. During my time there, Ive had various responsibilities. More recently, Ive been the head of the Department for Business and Management and the head of the Department for Accounting, Economics and Finance. Ive always worked with the business schools of the university and understand the programmes offered by the business school.

During that time, I started to work with international partnerships. One of those partnerships was The British College, with whom Ive been working since 2014. I work closely with them because the programmes that are run by The British College are closely linked with UWE Business School programmes, particularly the BBA programmes. These programmes are the same as those we run at UWE in Bristol working with our academics.

In 2017, I came to Nepal and visited the college and was a part of its graduation and help graduate the students. After that, I was quite interested in the work being done by The British College and started work on how the franchise could be expanded. Its been very interesting to see how the franchise has grown as we have a large number of students studying at the undergraduate level here doing the whole of the degree at The British College and graduating with a UWE degree, which is a good thing to do and an important qualification to get.

Weve also now franchised a masters programme to The British College, a masters in international business, and it is a very desirable qualification to get as students can study in Nepal and get a British masters degree.

Ive overseen the franchising of two degrees, one at the undergraduate level and one at the moment at postgraduate level and thats the relationship I and UWE are growing with the college.

What similarities have you found in the ways the programmes are run here at The British College and the UWEs Business School in Bristol?

I think the quality is the same. The British College are keen on quality and making sure the standards of the programmes are good. The academic staff here in Nepal work extremely hard to make sure they are implementing the standards that are required at the University of West of England in the UK.

One of my jobs is to oversee that the staff here at The British College are teaching with the same standards followed by the UWE. So, I can honestly say they are equivalent because we wouldnt allow it otherwise as we wouldnt be able to franchise a programme if we werent assured of the quality being delivered.

From a quality perspective, we work very closely with the staff. For example, when a student studies a curriculum, they study the same curriculum. The material and assessments are the same. When students here take their exams or write their assignments, they are marked and moderated in Nepal. They are then marked and moderated at UWE and then we also have external examiners looking at the quality of work as well. So, this keeps the quality very high and of a similar standard.

Sometimes, I do get asked by the students if this is the same degree as the UK. And I tell them it is the same degree. The curriculum studied and the learning outcome of the programme, the modules and the assessment standards are all the same.

Patricia Voaden has been working with The British College since 2014. Photo: Aryan Dhimal

Do you also do student exchange programmes? Is it mostly regional or international too?

Yes, we do that quite a lot. We did it regularly before the pandemic when we took students from The British College to the University of West of England, but obviously, during the pandemic, the student exchange programmes were stopped, but we hope to get it back running soon as were always very keen to host students from Nepal whether it be on a summer school or a student exchange programme.

For now, we are only conducting the exchange programmes with the UWE but we do have a number of different partnerships in universities in Vietnam, the Maldives and a few franchise partners in China where we might do exchange programmes in the near future. It is a bit complex to do it there, but there are plans to do inter-partnership exchanges.

What about students from UWE coming to Nepal and studying at The British College?

We would like to encourage that because it would be of huge benefit to the students studying here. But, we need to make sure everything is in order and in place for them to do that. Sometimes, the students are shy and cautious to do that but its something we would definitely like to encourage. I feel it would be a fabulous learning experience and cultural experience for students in the UK to do that.

Its enrollment season in Nepal as hundreds of students are looking to enrol themselves in undergraduate degrees. What difference can students expect from a UWE degree at The British College compared to degrees offered by other foreign university-affiliated colleges?

The UWE degrees offered by The British College are very practice-led. So the programmes are linked to the industry and very practically applied. When UWE talks about its graduates, we talk about work-ready and able graduates. We are graduating students, particularly in the field of business who through the degree work on realistic situations as we spent time simulating enterprise and spend time-solving real business problems so that when they graduate, they are ready for the workplace.

Although that said, there is a very strong theoretical underpinning to the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, it is applied as well. So we talk about real-world situations, we talk about work-ready and able graduates.

Do you also provide scholarships for students of The British College to study at UWE?

Yes. There is a scholarship programme that is run out of the Asia pacific office that UWE has. There are various different types of scholarships that students can apply for.

Is there also a way for The British College students to network with current UWE students or alumni?

Yes. UWE has a very strong alumni network and were looking to build that as time goes by. Weve also built a large alumni network here at The British College too. Anyone who is an alumnus of the British College of the UWE programmes will be entitled to join the UWEs alumni network. Since networking can be done online, its very easy for that to happen now.

What about job prospects? Should there be an opportunity, can graduates of The British College work in the UK?

Yes, of course. Having a British degree helps. It is a recognised standard education programme in the world. An employer would understand the level of what the student has been through to get the degree.
Hallsville Intermediate School in Hallsville, Mo., on Aug. 12, 2022. The superintendent of the school district says the pool of qualified teaching applicants has all but dried up in recent years. (Whitney Curtis/The New York Times)

The new fall semester has just begun in Mesa, Arizona, and Westwood High School is short on math teachers.

A public school that serves more than 3,000 students in the populous desert city east of Phoenix, Westwood still has three unfilled positions in that subject. The principal, Christopher Gilmore, has never started the year there with so many math positions open.

Its a little bit unnerving, he said, going into a school year knowing that we dont have a full staff.

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Westwood, where most students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, is one of many public schools across the United States that are opening their doors with fewer teachers than they had hoped for. According to one national survey by Education Week, nearly three-fourths of principals and district officials said this summer that the number of teaching applicants was not enough to fill their open positions. Other surveys released this year have suggested that parents are deeply concerned about staffing and that many more teachers are eyeing the exits.

But while the pandemic has created an urgent search for teachers in some areas, not every district is suffering from shortages. The need for teachers is driven by a complicated interplay of demand and supply in a tight job market. Salary matters, and so does location: Well-paying suburban schools can usually attract more candidates.

If anything, experts say, the recent pandemic turmoil can be expected to worsen old inequities.

Its complex, and it does go back before the pandemic, said Desiree Carver-Thomas, an analyst with the Learning Policy Institute. Schools serving more students of color and students from low-income families bear the brunt of teacher shortages, oftentimes.

For many years, it has also been particularly hard to find teachers for subjects like math and special education, or to fill spots at rural schools. And there has always been a dire need for more teachers of color in the United States. According to federal data collected during the school year ending in 2018, nearly 80% of public schoolteachers were white. Most of their students were not.

Story continues

In Arizona, where starting salaries for teachers are lower than the national average, the shortages are severe across the board, said Justin Wing, an assistant superintendent of human resources for Mesa Public Schools, the district where Gilmore works.

I feel like its been that way for probably at least 10 years, said Wing, who is also an analyst for the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association. But this year, he added, seems even worse.

He attributes the problem in part to low pay, and he has watched districts in neighboring states, like Texas and Nevada, rub salt in the wound by advertising their teaching salaries on social media and on billboards along Arizona highways.

According to Wings data from the last school year, nearly four-fifths of teaching positions (measured in terms of full-time equivalencies) in Arizona schools had to be covered in less-than-ideal ways  by support staff, for example, or teachers in training.

And nearly one-third of positions remained vacant altogether, which often meant that existing teachers had to take on more classes.

The challenge for struggling districts is to cover positions in a way that not only fills seats but also serves students, said Tequilla Brownie, the CEO of TNTP, a nonprofit that provides consulting services for districts on staffing and student achievement.

Everybody right now is just talking about, frankly, warm bodies, she said. The quality of teachers still matters. You never will get to quality if you dont get to quantity first.

Over the past two years, several states including New Mexico, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi have tried to address or preempt shortages by raising teacher salaries.

Others have loosened certification requirements. In Arizona, a new law makes it easier for aspiring teachers without bachelors degrees to gain work experience in the classroom. In Florida, where state officials last year reported more than 4,000 teacher vacancies, some military veterans can be granted temporary teaching certificates.

And in some rural districts, where raises may be out of reach, school officials are putting entire school days on the chopping block.

In Missouri, where teachers receive among the lowest salaries on average in the country, John Downs, the superintendent of the rural Hallsville School District, said that the pool of qualified applicants has all but dried up in recent years. A few days before the start of the school year, positions in speech language pathology and math were still unfilled.

This year, Hallsville schools are trying to entice educators with a four-day workweek. Were competing against more affluent districts who can offer more lucrative salary benefit packages, Downs said. So we decided we needed to think outside of the box.

Hallsville is not alone. In Missouri, 25% of all districts will be on a four-day schedule this fall. The condensed week is common in New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho and South Dakota, and is beginning to emerge in other states like Texas.

Even before the pandemic, the number of schools on the four-day model grew to more than 1,600 in 2019 from 257 schools in 1999, according to national data compiled by Paul Thompson, an associate professor of economics at Oregon State University.

As a smaller district, we just could not compete monetarily with larger districts, said Kate Wright, a parent of two children in elementary and middle school, who hoped Hallsvilles new schedule would draw strong applicants. Its kind of hard to expect a teacher to want to drive out to Hallsville for less pay.

It remains unclear how the four-day model  which has longer school days but shorter weeks  affects learning. While children and families may benefit from the flexibility of a three-day weekend, some research suggests that student achievement can suffer if the total number of instructional hours significantly drops.

Shauna Woods, a third-grade teacher in Hallsville, said educators were looking forward to Mondays off  especially on the heels of two challenging years helping students navigate the pandemic. In anticipation of the change, she said, the one thing that teachers kept talking about in my district was, It wont be like this next year. It will be better next year.

While the shortages in many districts are alarming, said Kim A. Anderson, the executive director of the National Education Association, the news has not been all bad.

We are, in fact, making progress with respect to the educator shortage, she said, adding that increased funding from districts, as well as the American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress in March 2021, were helping to turn the tide.

In Virginia, where starting salaries for teachers tend to be higher than the national average, Prince William County Public Schools, one of the states largest districts, offers more than $53,000 to new teachers with bachelors degrees. Teachers with experience or graduate degrees can make tens of thousands more.

Lisa Harris, an algebra teacher in the districts Patriot High School in Nokesville, said she has taught for 22 years and has never wanted to leave the profession. As far as teacher shortages, of course I see the news, she said. You hear it nationally. I know of it. But honestly, at Prince William County Schools, I dont see a lot of that.

In fact, many schools in Prince William County saw just the opposite. For the current school year, which began Aug. 22, the district created hundreds of new positions for teachers and teaching assistants compared with last year.

All year round, administrators keep an eye out for potential applicants  especially those with certifications in math, science, special education and multilingual education.

This is a joke among those of us that work in HR, said Michelle Colbert, who works in human resources at the district. When you go to a college fair, and you see one math candidate, then its like every person in the room is making their way to that candidate.

In fact, in some districts, teacher vacancies can be attributed not only to turnover but also to the creation of new positions, said Richard Ingersoll, an expert on education staffing with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.

That can skew perceptions of shortages, especially in the context of long-term trends. The total number of people working in public education has mostly grown for about a decade, federal data show, partly in recovery from widespread losses after the 2008 recession. And the number of teachers has grown faster than the number of students, Ingersolls research has found. (That may continue. Student enrollment slumped during the pandemic, and it may continue to shrink in coming years because of demographic changes.)

But in places with chronically low pay, the pandemic has only worsened teachers feelings of being undervalued, said Brent Maddin, who leads the Next Education Workforce initiative for teachers at Arizona State University. If were serious about recruiting people into the profession, and retaining people in the profession, in addition to things like compensation we need to be focused on the working conditions, he said.

As the fall semester begins, principals like Gilmore in Mesa are focused not only on filling open positions, but also on keeping the educators they have. Westwood could use three more math teachers, but 23 of them are already there, introducing students to the basics of algebra, geometry and trigonometry.

Gilmore has also been working with Maddin at Arizona State to implement a teaching model where educators with different skills work together to teach larger groups of students. The program, Gilmore said, allows student teachers  potential future applicants  to gain experience at the school, and it may also help experienced educators feel less isolated in the classroom.

I think the pandemic just brought exhaustion to an already stressed field, Gilmore said. And when we bring that joy of teaching back, the students will have the joy of learning.

 2022 The New York Times Company
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 14, 2022 /CNW/ -- The Global AI Summit officially opened on Tuesday, gathering private sector leaders, government officials, and renowned academic professionals from around the world for a series of discussions on the future of AI. The three-day Summit, hosted by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), is set to convene more than 200 speakers from 90 countries and 10,000 participants.

The 2022 Global AI Summit Begins with Launch of Several New International Initiatives

"During the G20 in 2020, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia drove global consensus towards the OECD principles of trustworthy AI. How AI must be inclusive, human-centered, transparent, robust, and with accountability," said H.E. Dr. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in Saudi Arabia. "We cannot afford for algorithms to be biased or sexist. We cannot afford to not have the right data sets and the right context."

"Beyond the ethical application of AI, it is critical that we advance AI truly together as humankind, sharing our best practices, our expertise, our resources, and our challenges to ensure no one is left behind in unlocking the potential of AI," added H.E. Dr. Abdullah Alghamdi, President of SDAIA.

A series of announcements will be made at the Summit, all aimed at advancing the use of data to solve some of world's biggest challenges in areas such as healthcare, energy, and sustainability. On the opening day, ministers signed the Riyadh AI Call to Action Declaration, an agreement outlining the Digital Cooperation Organization's (DCO) long-term vision to use AI technology to benefit people, communities, nations, and the world as a whole.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also unveiled its AI Ethics Principles on the Summit's opening day. Designed by SDAIA and based on global and domestic standards, the framework will serve as a practical guide for incorporating AI ethics throughout the AI system development life cycle.

Speakers at the Summit include Amin Nasser, CEO of Aramco, Sebastian Thrun, CEO of Kitty Hawk, and Dr. Jurgen Schmidhuber, Director of AI Initiative at KAUST. Saudi Ministers also participated in discussions on the first day of programming, including: H.E. Fajad Al-Jalajel, Minister of Health, H.E. Dr. Majid Bin Abdullah Al Kassabi, Minister of Commerce, and H.E. Bandar Ibrahim Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources. Journalists from regional and international outlets also attended the Summit in person and through the livestreaming made available to remote attendees.

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Facts & Factors

According to Facts and Factors, the demand analysis of Global ECG Cables and Lead Wires Market size was valued at around USD 2 billion in 2021 and is estimated to grow about USD 3.2 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of approximately 7.45% between 2022 and 2028. The key market players are listed in the report with their sales, revenues and strategies are Cardinal Health Inc., 3M Company, Conmed Corporation, Dragerwerk Ag & Co. KgaA, Curbell Medical Products, Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, General Electric Company, SPACELABS HEALTHCARE, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Schiller Americas Inc., and others.

NEW YORK, USA, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Facts and Factors has published a new research report titled ECG Cables And Lead Wires Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis Report By Patient Care Setting (Ambulatory, Hospitals, Clinics, and Home Care), By Material (Thermoplastic Elastomer, and Thermoplastic Polyurethane), By Type (3-Lead, 5-lead, 6-Lead, and 12-Lead), and By Region - Global and Regional Industry Insights, Overview, Comprehensive Analysis, Trends, Statistical Research, Market Intelligence, Historical Data and Forecast 2022  2028 in its research database.

According to the latest research study, the demand of global ECG Cables And Lead Wires Market size & share was valued at approximately USD 2 billion in 2021. The market is expected to grow above a CAGR of 7.45% and is anticipated to reach over USD 3.2 billion by 2028.

The report analyses the ECG Cables and Lead Wires markets drivers and restraints, as well as the impact they have on-demand throughout the projection period. In addition, the report examines global opportunities in the global ECG Cables and Lead Wires market.

Market Overview:

ECG cables and lead wires are essential tools for electrocardiography which is the process of conducting an electrocardiogram (ECG), the recording and monitoring of the heart's electrical activity. ECG is a graphical representation of voltage versus the hearts electrical activity time. The reports thus obtained are used to detect heart conditions and the underlying reasons in case of deviance from normal heart functions. The machines are standard equipment located in all operating rooms as well as ambulatory services thus making them a critical part of primary to higher grade medical care and an absolute necessity.

Story continues

An electrocardiogram in case of heart-related problems may help diagnose or detect blocked or narrowed arteries in the heart, irregular heart rhythms, the working condition of heart-related devices like pacemakers, or the treatment results of heart diseases along with other reasons. Some of the signs that may persuade medical personnel to recommend an ECG include chest pain, rapid pulse, heart palpitations, and weakness.

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Our Free Sample Report Consists of the Following:

Introduction, Overview, and in-depth industry analysis are all included in the 2022 updated report.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak Impact Analysis is included in the package

About 203+ Pages Research Report (Including Recent Research)

Provide detailed chapter-by-chapter guidance on Request

Updated Regional Analysis with Graphical Representation of Size, Share, and Trends for the Year 2022

Includes Tables and figures have been updated

The most recent version of the report includes the Top Market Players, their Business Strategies, Sales Volume, Revenue Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Historical and ForecastGrowth, Porter's 5 Forces Analysis

Facts and Factors research methodology

Key Insights from Primary Research

As per the analysis, the ECG Cables and Lead Wires market is likely to grow above a CAGR of around 7.45% between 2022 and 2028.

The ECG Cables and Lead Wires market size was worth around US$ 2 billion in 2021 and is estimated to hit approximately US$ 3.2 billion by 2028. Due to a variety of driving factors, the market is predicted to rise at a significant rate.

Based on patient care setting segmentation, the hospitals were predicted to show maximum market share in the year 2021

Based on type segmentation, 12-lead was the leading revenue-generating type in 2021.

Based on material, the global market, with a CAGR of 6.1%, is dominated by the thermoplastic elastomer segment.

On the basis of region, North America was the leading revenue generator in 2021.

Competitive Players

The report contains qualitative and quantitative research on the global ECG Cables and Lead Wires Market, as well as detailed insights and development strategies employed by the leading competitors. The report also provides an in-depth analysis of the market's main competitors, as well as information on their competitiveness. The research also identifies and analyses important business strategies used by these main market players, such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), affiliations, collaborations, and contracts. The study examines, among other things, each company's global presence, competitors, service offers, and standards.

Some of the main players in the global ECG Cables and Lead Wires market include:

Cardinal Health Inc.

3M Company

Conmed Corporation

Dragerwerk Ag & Co. KgaA

Curbell Medical Products Inc.

B. Braun Melsungen AG

General Electric Company

SPACELABS HEALTHCARE

Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Schiller Americas Inc.

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Market Dynamics:

Growing number of heart patients to propel market growth

The global market cap generated significant revenue because of Covid-19 owing to the rampant and increased rate of hospital admissions as well as the high rise in the number of ambulatory services. For patients who were severely infected and could not be treated with normal medications, ECG was conducted regularly to cross-examine the hearts conditions along with other tests.

The global ECG cables and lead wires market is projected to witness a growing trend owing to the increasing presence of players providing ECG devices that can be used in the homecare setting. Patients who suffer from chronic diseases, or conditions like diabetes, and respiratory conditions require regular ECG coupled with other tests. The emergence of ECG devices for personal use can help such patients better care for themselves and reduce the overall cost associated with medical treatment. The global market is also projected to grow because of increasing US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) approval, and strategic actions undertaken by players to increase their universal footprint. Some of the actions include collaboration with domestic or international firms alongside mergers and acquisitions. The healthcare sector is witnessing a surge in technological advancements in ECG devices and related services which in turn is helping the global market expansion

The high cost and environmental impact of disposable accessories may restrict the global market growth while the rising number of high-quality manufacturers of ECG cables and lead wires may provide expansion opportunities. The global market is projected to face some challenges owing to the increasing number of unauthorized players.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The total value of the global market was able to sustain its upward trend because of Covid-19. The unexpectedly high number of new patients entering the healthcare system was the primary force behind the expansion pattern that was seen throughout the years 2020 and 2021. When compared to the first wave of the virus, which was often moderate and, in the majority of instances, only required the administration of basic treatment, the second wave of the virus was more lethal and led to a higher number of critical hospital admissions.

Browse the full ECG Cables And Lead Wires Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis Report By Patient Care Setting (Ambulatory, Hospitals, Clinics, and Home Care), By Material (Thermoplastic Elastomer, and Thermoplastic Polyurethane), By Type (3-Lead, 5-lead, 6-Lead, and 12-Lead), and By Region - Global and Regional Industry Insights, Overview, Comprehensive Analysis, Trends, Statistical Research, Market Intelligence, Historical Data and Forecast 2022  2028" report at https://www.fnfresearch.com/ecg-cables-and-lead-wires-market



Segmentation Analysis

The global ECG cables and lead wires market is segmented based on the patient care setting, type, material, and region.

Based on the patient care setting, the global market segments are ambulatory, hospitals, clinics, and home care. The global market is dominated by the hospital segment owing to the high-standard services provided by these facilities. The chances of hospitals using substandard products are extremely low since both public and private hospitals have the necessary funds. These machines cost between USD 120 to USD 7845, depending on the quality and the load-carrying capacity.

Based on type, the global market is divided into 3-lead, 5-lead, 6-lead, and 12-lead. The highest revenue was observed in the 12-lead segment since it can provide relatively better results than its counterparts. There is a presence of manufacturers of 15-lead, and 18-lead products as well but the most commonly used item is the 12-lead-segment.

Based on material, the global market is divided into thermoplastic elastomer and thermoplastic polyurethane. The global market, with a CAGR of 6.1%, is dominated by the thermoplastic elastomer segment owing to its capability of stretching up to limited measures and returning to its original form resulting in a better and longer life as compared to other materials.

Regional Analysis:

The global ECG cables and lead wires market may generate the highest revenue in North America because of the well-established and extremely advanced ambulatory services along with the developed healthcare architecture. The ambulatory services in countries like the USA and Canada are equipped to handle extremely preliminary care and ECG machines are a mandate in all ambulances. As per the official US government website, the national healthcare expense grew by 9.5% in 2020 reaching a total value of USD 4.1 trillion.

Asia-Pacific is projected to grow significantly owing to the increasing healthcare investment in China, India, Japan, and South Korea amongst others. The regions are witnessing a surge in the population which has resulted in a higher and stronger demand for enhanced medical facilities. Asia-Pacific is also expected to benefit from being the hub for manufacturing units of businesses across the globe along with its own companies. These regions have high-space availability and the presence of skilled labor at cost-effective prices. The European market is growing alongside Germany, a region known for its healthcare insurance rate which is as high as 86%.

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Recent Industry Developments:

In September 2020 , B-Secure launched a developed kit used for creating ECG software and hardware. The kit is promised to help companies manufacture ECGs quickly. It will provide producers with access to the Heartkey Technology owned by B-secure which has also received US FDA approval

In March 2021, scholars at the Yale Cardiovascular Data Science (CarDS) Lab developed an Artificial Intelligence model that can be used in clinical diagnosis. The program will use ECG images, with no required criteria on the quality, format, or other aspects of the image, and help diagnose conduction disorders or multiple heart rhythms.

Report Scope:

Report Attribute Details Market Size in 2021 USD 2 billion Projected Market Size in 2028 USD 3.2 billion CAGR Growth Rate 7.45% CAGR Base Year 2021 Forecast Years 2022-2028 Key Market Players Cardinal Health Inc., 3M Company, Conmed Corporation, Dragerwerk Ag & Co. KgaA, Curbell Medical Products Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, General Electric Company, SPACELABS HEALTHCARE, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Schiller Americas Inc., and Others Key Segment By Patient Care Setting, Material, Type, and Region Major Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East &, Africa Purchase Options Request customized purchase options to meet your research needs.

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The global ECG Cables And Lead Wires market is segmented as follows:

By Patient Care Setting

Ambulatory

Hospitals

Clinics

Home Care

By Material

Thermoplastic Elastomer

Thermoplastic Polyurethane

By Type

3-Lead

5-lead

6-Lead

By Region

North America The U.S. Canada

Europe France The UK Spain Germany Italy Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India Southeast Asia Rest of Southeast Asia

The Middle East & Africa GCC South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Latin America Brazil Argentina Rest of Latin America



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Key Offerings:

Market Size, Trends, & Forecast by Revenue | 20222028

Market Dynamics  Leading Trends, Growth Drivers, Restraints, and Investment Opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by Patient Care Setting, Material, Type, and Region

Competitive Landscape  Top Key Vendors and Other Prominent Vendors

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Arras Minerals Corp.

Table 1.

Summary table for holes Bg21005 and Bg21006.

Figure 1.

Location of the holes completed to date as part of Arras planned 30,000-metre drill program on the Beskauga Main deposit and wider area.

Figure 2.

Cross-section showing hole Bg21006 in relation to several historical holes drilled by Copperbelt. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for copper (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). CuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg21006 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep, southwest dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (43 m in depth), to average between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 metres.

Figure 3.

Cross-section showing hole Bg21006 in relation to several historical holes drilled by Copperbelt. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for gold (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). AuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg21006 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep, southwest dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (43 m in depth), to average between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 metres.

Figure 4.

Photos of the diamond drill core from Bg21006 showing the typical styles of veining, mineralization and alteration observed throughout the hole.

Figure 5.

Diamond rig drilling hole Bg21006 at Beskauga. The project benefits from flat topography and ease of accessibility. Note the 1100 KVA power line in the distance that passes through the project area.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arras Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: ARK) (Arras or the Company) is pleased to announce assay results from holes Bg21005 and Bg21006 from the ongoing exploration drill program at the Beskauga copper-gold deposit and surrounding area (Beskauga or the Project).

Highlights:

Hole Bg21006 returned a significant intersection of 689.2 metres (m) of mineralization grading 0.76 % copper-equivalent (CuEq) or 0.92 gram per tonne (g/t) gold-equivalent (AuEq) (0.60 g/t gold (Au), 0.24 % copper (Cu), 1.4 g/t silver (Ag) and 12.8 ppm molybdenum (Mo)) starting at 43.0 m from surface to end of hole. Including 120.9 m grading 2.35 % CuEq or 2.84 g/t AuEq (1.95 g/t Au, 0.69 % Cu, 3.8 g/t Ag and 15.7 ppm Mo) from 348.9 m depth down-hole. Including an exceptionally high-grade interception of 17 m grading 7.48 % CuEq or 9.05 g/t AuEq (6.77 g/t Au, 1.78 % Cu, 8.8 g/t Ag and 24.5 ppm Mo) from 446.0 m depth down-hole. And including 99.9 m grading 1.11 % CuEq or 1.34 g/t AuEq (0.85 g/t Au, 0.38 % Cu, 1.9 g/t Ag and 25.8 ppm Mo) from 493.1 m depth down-hole.



Hole Bg21005 tested, for the first time, an approximately 400 x 500 meter circular magnetic high immediately west of the Beskauga deposit. The hole returned 903.6 m of mineralization grading 0.16% CuEq or 0.20 g/t AuEq (0.16 g/t Au, 0.09 % Cu, 1.2 g/t Ag, and 43.5 ppm Mo) starting at 49 m from surface and hosted within a strongly potassic-altered monzodiorite.





Diamond drilling is ongoing at Beskauga with further assay results expected in the coming months. The Company has recently changed drilling contractors to have the option to drill deeper, as required.

Tim Barry, CEO of Arras, commenting on these latest results, stated, The Company is pleased to deliver more exceptional drill results with hole Bg21006 confirming historical drilling and further increasing the continuity and dimensions of the highest-grade ore shoot to the south and to depth at Beskauga. With each new drill hole, we are improving our understanding of the deposit geology and controls on mineralization. Bg21005 is an exploration hole aimed at identifying the cause of a prominent bulls-eye magnetic high, identified in our airborne magnetics survey, west of the main deposit. We have now identified the anomaly as a strongly potassic-altered monzodiorite intrusion. Despite being weakly mineralized, there are several lines of geochemical and structural evidence that support our favoured hypothesis that the monzodiorite is not the causative intrusion for the copper-gold mineralization at Beskauga Main. We believe that the potassic core of the porphyry responsible for the mineralization at Beskauga Main has yet to be found and is the focus of our continued drill program. Nevertheless, the recognition of a potentially separate mineralized intrusion revealed in Bg21005 may support the clustering of two or more porphyry centers and is a reminder of how much more there is yet to discover at Beskauga.

Story continues

A summary of the results announced in this news release is outlined in the table below.

Summary table for holes Bg21005 and Bg21006.

Table 1. Summary table for holes Bg21005 and Bg21006.

Notes: Copper Equivalent (CuEq) grades reported for the drill holes at Beskauga were calculated using the following formula: CuEq % = Copper (%) + (Gold (g/t) x 0.8264) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0107) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 3.3333). Gold Equivalent (AuEq) grades reported for the drill holes at Beskauga were calculated using the following formula: AuEq g/t = Gold (g/t) + (Copper (%) x 1.2100) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.0129) + (Molybdenum (ppm) x 4.0334). Assumptions used for the copper and gold equivalent calculations were metal prices of US$3.00/lb. Copper, US$1,700/oz Gold, US$22/oz Silver, US$10/lb. Molybdenum, and metallurgical recoveries were assumed to be 100%.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b49793e-bdd8-4d61-8d14-62a01f1d34d3

Drill Program

In October 2021, Arras announced the start of the initial phase of a permitted 30,000-meter diamond drill program targeting the extensions of the Beskauga deposit both laterally and at depth (Figure 1). The drill program is being conducted under the Option to Purchase Agreement (Option Agreement) executed on January 26, 2021, with Copperbelt AG (Copperbelt), a private mineral exploration company registered in Zug, Switzerland.

In addition to testing the extents of the Beskauga deposit, the drill program is also targeting a series of previously undrilled targets in the wider area. These wider targets are supported by both ground and recently flown airborne geophysics, as well as in-situ geochemistry, derived using KGK drilling (a drilling method akin to 'wet' reverse circulation drilling, that recovers a 1 to 3 m core sample from the top of the underlying bedrock which is used by Arras to efficiently map lithology, alteration, and geochemistry across the property beneath overburden).

For both the diamond and KGK drilling, Arras has been using the local company Tsentrgeolsemka LLP. Arras has recently changed drilling contractors to GRK Iskander Ltd and mobilized a diamond drill rig with the capacity to drill deeper holes, if required, as well as improved core orientation through triple tube core barrel drilling. GRK Iskander Ltd is one of the leading drilling companies in Kazakhstan, with clients including Rio Tinto, Kazzinc (Glencore), ESAN, and Kazakhmys. Both Tsentrgeolsemka LLP and GRK Iskander Ltd are both independent of Arras.

Results of Bg21005 and Bg21006

Bg21005: (see Figure 1) was designed to test, for the first time, an approximately 400 x 500 metre bulls-eye circular magnetic high immediately west of the Beskauga deposit and surrounded by a >500-meter zone of demagnetization. The hole was collared outside Arras current Mineral Resource Estimate (see Figure 1) and drilled at an angle of -70 o towards the south to a final depth of 952.6 metres. The hole intersected a highly magnetic, potassic altered intrusive body of monzodiorite that is inferred to dip steeply towards the south. Alteration comprises k-feldspar, secondary (shreddy) biotite, magnetite, Mg-rich chlorite, and epidote, with minor argillic overprint comprising phengitic illite and smectite localized around faults and fractures (confirmed by Arras using TerraSpec SWIR/NIR spectroscopy). Mineralization occurs as vein and fracture-controlled zones of magnetite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, bornite, and molybdenite. Generally, the intrusion is weakly mineralized but high tenor veins up to 1.27 g/t Au, 1.62 % Cu and 27 g/t Ag do occur. Compared to the diorite that hosts the bulk of the known mineralization at Beskauga, the monzonite hosts significantly higher Mo grades, up to 2290 ppm Mo. Two minor dykes comprising weakly mineralized potassic-altered xenolithic porphyritic diorite and fresh post-mineral andesite were intersected at depths of 793.2 to 809.4 and 886.3 to 891.1 metres, respectively.

Whilst the monzodiorite discovered in Bg21005 is strongly potassic-altered and hosts mineralization, there is lithogeochemical and structural evidence supporting the monzodiorite may not be the causative intrusion for the copper-gold mineralization at Beskauga Main. Arras considers the potassic core of the causative porphyry to be located at depth and has yet to be intersected in drilling. Arras plans to test this hypothesis through deep drilling in the coming months. Recognition of the monzodiorite as a potentially separate mineralized intrusion supports the clustering of two or more porphyry centers. In addition to ongoing petrological and lithogeochemical studies, Arras has submitted samples for Re-Os (molybdenite) and U-Pb (zircon) geochronology at Durham University, UK, and the Mineral Deposit Research Unit, University of British Columbia, Canada to discriminate whether there is a distinguishable age difference between the two mineralizing systems.

Bg21006: (see Figures 1 to 3) was collared 250 metres west of Bg21002 (for results of Bg21002, refer to Arras press release dated February 23, 2022), and drilled at an angle of -70 o towards the NNW to a final depth of 732.2 metres. The hole confirmed the continuity of the exceptionally high-grade mineralization observed in historical hole Bg-63 which was re-assayed by Arras in 2021 (for further details, see Figures 2 and 3, as well as Arras press release dated October 7, 2021), extending the ore shoot to the south and to depth. The mineralization observed in hole Bg21006 is hosted within a diorite with moderate, to very strong, argillic alteration comprising illite and smectite (confirmed by Arras using TerraSpec SWIR/NIR spectroscopy) inferred to have overprinted an earlier sodic alteration, as reported by Arras in earlier holes. Mineralization occurs as a mixture of disseminated, vein, and fracture-controlled zones of chalcopyrite, tennantite, and pyrite with minor bornite and covellite (see Figure 3). Zones of sheeted and/or intense stockwork quartz-Cu sulfide veins correlate with the highest-grade gold and copper assays up to 12.4 g/t Au and 3.39 % Cu, respectively.

Two unmineralized post-mineral dykes comprising argillic-altered xenolithic porphyritic diorite and fresh basalt were intersected at depths of 334 to 348.9 and 469.8 to 493.1 metres, respectively. The dykes are enveloped by the highest-grade intercepts, with assays up to 13.8 % CuEq or 16.70 g/t Au adjacent to the dykes. These dykes are therefore interpreted to have filled pre-existing E-W and NW-SE trending fault zones that earlier controlled the copper-gold mineralization. When removing the grade dilution resulting from the unmineralized dykes, it leaves a residual intercept of 651.1 metres of mineralization grading 0.80 % CuEq or 0.97 g/t AuEq within the mineralized diorite.





Location of the holes completed to date as part of Arras planned 30,000-metre drill program on the Beskauga Main deposit and wider area.





Figure 1. Location of the holes completed to date as part of Arras planned 30,000-metre drill program on the Beskauga Main deposit and wider area.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/877559c4-38bf-46fa-ab3c-91c3935e8037





Cross-section showing hole Bg21006 in relation to several historical holes drilled by Copperbelt. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for copper (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). CuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg21006 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep, southwest dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (43 m in depth), to average between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 metres.





Figure 2. Cross-section showing hole Bg21006 in relation to several historical holes drilled by Copperbelt. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for copper (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). CuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg21006 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep, southwest dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (43 m in depth), to average between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 metres.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8c9e3fb5-353a-4a2e-b85b-5a7169301778

Cross-section showing hole Bg21006 in relation to several historical holes drilled by Copperbelt. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for gold (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). AuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg21006 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep, southwest dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (43 m in depth), to average between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 metres.





Figure 3. Cross-section showing hole Bg21006 in relation to several historical holes drilled by Copperbelt. Also shown are grade contours based on the Beskauga block model for gold (only) developed for the purposes of the current Mineral Resource Estimate for Beskauga (for further details, please see Arras press release on June 20, 2022). AuEq grades of key intercepts in Bg21006 and historical holes are shown. The cross-section demonstrates the steep, southwest dipping high-grade copper-gold-silver trend observed through Arras exploration to date. This trend is observed beginning at the paleo-bedrock surface (43 m in depth), to average between 200-300 m wide and to be consistently mineralized down to at least 1000 metres.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/02698d93-929d-4823-85df-818a342190f3

Photos of the diamond drill core from Bg21006 showing the typical styles of veining, mineralization and alteration observed throughout the hole.





Figure 4. Photos of the diamond drill core from Bg21006 showing the typical styles of veining, mineralization and alteration observed throughout the hole.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0a0a335-a7b6-43e0-9f40-ade431af0851

Diamond rig drilling hole Bg21006 at Beskauga. The project benefits from flat topography and ease of accessibility. Note the 1100 KVA power line in the distance that passes through the project area.





Figure 5. Diamond rig drilling hole Bg21006 at Beskauga. The project benefits from flat topography and ease of accessibility. Note the 1100 KVA power line in the distance that passes through the project area.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0510ab63-f415-49c2-b7de-5d8582143183

About the Beskauga Deposit: The Beskauga deposit is a gold-copper-silver deposit with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 111.2 million tonnes grading 0.49 g/t gold, 0.30% copper, and 1.3 g/t silver for 1.75 million ounces of contained gold, 333.6 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 4.79 million ounces of contained silver and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 92.6 million tonnes grading 0.50 g/t gold, 0.24% copper and 1.1 g/t silver for 1.49 million ounces of contained gold, 222.2 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 3.39 million ounces of contained silver. The constraining open pit was optimized and calculated using a Gross Metal Value (GMV) cut-off of $20/tonne based on a price of $1,750/oz for gold, $3.50/lb for copper, $22/oz for silver, and with an average recovery of 85% for copper and 74.5% for gold and 50.0% for silver.

Based on exploration undertaken to date, the Beskauga deposit is interpreted by Arras to represent a gold-rich porphyry copper-gold deposit that has been overprinted by high-sulfidation epithermal mineralization, either through telescoping or due to clustering of multiple porphyry centers within the Beskauga license that have superimposed alteration and mineralization upon earlier phases. Beskauga is located within the highly under-explored Bozshakol-Chingiz Volcanic Arc, which hosts KAZ Minerals Bozshakol porphyry Cu-Au mine only 130 km west of Beskauga. Bozshakol is one of the largest copper resources in Kazakhstan with 1.123 billion tonnes at 0.35% Cu, 0.14 g/t Au and 1.0 g/t Ag in Measured and Indicated Resources. The mine has 30 Mtpa ore processing capacity and a remaining mine life of >40 years.

Contrary to many porphyry copper deposits being developed in other jurisdictions globally, the Beskauga project, located only 350 metres above sea-level, benefits from excellent modern infrastructure and accessibility. The region is mining-friendly and hosts several large-scale mining operations. Arras operations are based out of the nearby mining town of Ekibastuz, which services the largest coal mine in Kazakhstan and provides a highly trained workforce for the Company to draw upon. Paved road access, 1100 KVA power lines (see Figure 5), heavy rail, and the IrtyshKaraganda irrigation canal all lie within a 25-kilometer radius of the project. The capital city of Nur-Sultan, located approximately 300 kilometres along a double lane highway to the west of the project, has a major international airport allowing for easy access and administration of the Beskauga project.

Assay and QAQC Procedures: Diamond drill core was sampled in 1-metre intervals (except were shortened by geological contacts) using a rock saw. Core diameter is a mix of HQ and NQ depending on the depth of the drill hole. Samples were cut and sampled at Arras operational base in the town of Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan by Company personnel. All sample preparation and geochemical analysis of the diamond drill core were undertaken by ALS Global at its laboratories in Karaganda (Kazakhstan) and Loughrea (Republic of Ireland), respectively. ALS Global is an accredited laboratory that is entirely independent of the Company.

After drying and fine crushing, a 250 g split was pulverized to 85 % passing a -75-micron screen. A 30 g split of the pulp was analyzed for gold using fire assay and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) finish (ALS method: Au-AA25) at ALS Karaganda. A second pulp split was then air freighted to ALS Loughrea and analyzed for 48 elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after 4-acid digestion on a 0.25 g aliquot (ALS method: ME-MS61). Samples exceeding 1% copper were re-analyzed using a 4-acid digest ICP-MS ore grade method (ALS method: Cu-OG62).

Arras Minerals operates according to its rigorous internal Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) protocols, which are consistent with industry best practices. This includes the insertion of certified standards, blanks, and field duplicates comprising of quarter drill core at an insertion rate of 2.5%, 2.5%, and 5% respectively, which is deemed appropriate for this stage of exploration. The blanks and standards are Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) supplied by Ore Research and Exploration, Australia. Internal QA/QC samples were also inserted by the analytical laboratories and reviewed by the Company prior to release. No material QA/QC issues have been identified with respect to sample collection, security, and assaying.

Qualified Person: The scientific and technical disclosure for the Beskauga Project included in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Joshua Hughes, Vice President Exploration, and a full-time employee of Arras Minerals Corp., who is also a Member and Chartered Professional Geologist (MAusIMM CP(Geo)) of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists (FSEG) and a Fellow of the Geological Society of London (FGS). Mr. Hughes has sufficient experience, relevant to the styles of mineralization and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity that he is undertaking, to qualify as a Qualified Person (QP) for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure of Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim Barry"

Tim Barry, MAusIMM (CP(Geo))

Chief Executive Officer and Director

INVESTOR RELATIONS:

+1 604 687 5800

info@arrasminerals.com

Further information can be found on the Companys website https://www.arrasminerals.com or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arrasminerals

About Arras Minerals Corp.

Arras is a Canadian exploration and development company advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in northeastern Kazakhstan, including the Option Agreement on the Beskauga copper and gold project. The companys shares are listed on the TSX-V under the trading symbol ARK.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors concerning estimates of Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources: This press release uses the terms measured resources, indicated resources, and inferred resources which are defined in, and required to be disclosed by, NI 43-101. The Company advises U.S. investors that these terms are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of measured, indicated and inferred resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that measured and indicated mineral resources will be converted into reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically minable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies.

Disclosure of contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations, however the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute reserves by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, the information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies that are not subject NI 43-101.

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and Arras future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the use of net proceeds from the recent private placement, plans and expectations of the drill program Arras is in the process of undertaking, including the expansion of the Mineral Resource, and other aspects of the Mineral Resource estimates for the Beskauga project. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about Arras exploration projects, the industry in which Arras operates and the beliefs and assumptions of Arras management. Words such as expects, anticipates, targets, goals, projects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, continues, may, variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond managements control, including undertaking further exploration activities, the results of such exploration activities and that such results support continued exploration activities, unexpected variations in ore grade, types and metallurgy, volatility and level of commodity prices, the availability of sufficient future financing, and other matters discussed under the caption Risk Factors in the Non-Offering Prospectus filed on the Companys profile on SEDAR on May 31, 2022 and in the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed on February 17, 2022 available on www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.




By Trend

Information about the Azerbaijani armys shelling of a military facility and vehicles of the Russian Armed Forces in Armenias Gegharkunik province, being spread by the Armenian side, is an absolute lie, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

"By spreading such information, the Armenian side aims to give an international implication to the situation related to the large-scale provocation committed on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, and to turn the Collective Security Treaty Organization into a tool for its dirty deeds, the ministry said.

We declare once again that the Azerbaijani army is taking retaliatory measures only against legitimate military targets of the Armenian armed forces in order to prevent large-scale provocations," added the ministry.
Continuing until October 10, the exhibition has already welcomed over 325,000 visitors

Romain Guilbault (CNW Group/Pointe-a-Calliere, Montreal Museum of Archaelogy and History)

MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - At Pointe-a-Calliere, Montreal's Archaeology and History Complex, the VIKINGS  Dragons of the Northern Seas exhibition has been seen by over 325,000 people since this past April 14, beating the record set by Queens of Egypt (316,000 visitors) in 2018. Unparalleled performance for this summertime exhibition that offers a unique look at the fascinating world of the Vikings! There's very little time left to join family or friends in exploring this exhibition, which comes to an end on October 10.

Exclusively, and for the first time in Quebec, Pointe-a-Calliere is presenting 650 authentic objects from the remarkable collection of the National Museum of Denmarkone of the world's finest. Jewelry and finery of exceptional quality, weapons, everyday items material traces left behind by the Vikings that provide several clues about this legendary people, the mere mention of whose name still fires the imagination in a powerful way. The exhibition's success, just like the Vikings' pervasiveness in pop culture, clearly reflects this.

Based on the latest scientific knowledge on the subject matter, the exhibition paints a most complete portrait of this ancient Scandinavian society made up of peasants and artisans, formidable warriors, skillful merchants, and peerless navigators. Through a renewed collaboration with Ubisoft Montreal, initiated in 2018 for Queens of Egypt, the exhibition takes visitors into the real and imagined world of the Vikings using an immersive design that tells their story through four great tales: the tale of origins, the tale of life, the tale of travel, and the tale of end of days. With VIKINGS  Dragons of the Northern Seas, Pointe-a-Calliere has produced a major exhibition on the Vikings, both exhaustive and spectacular.

The VIKINGS  Dragons of the Northern Seas exhibition was produced by Pointe-a-Calliere, Montreal's Archaeology and History Complex, through a partnership with the National Museum of Denmark and MuseumsPartner in Austria. It is presented by Desjardins, in collaboration with Ubisoft Montreal and through a partnership with Tourisme Montreal, Hotel Uville, and La Presse. The Museum sincerely thanks its lenders, sponsors, and partners.

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Our 30th year a year of recovery

While Montreal celebrated its 380th anniversary in 2022, Pointe-a-Callierelocated on the city's very birthplacecelebrated its own 30 years of history in a big way. It has been a year in which the Museum progressively, and joyfully, saw attendance return to what it had been before the pandemic. In the summer of 2022, Montrealers were able to reconnect with their Museum and take part in several of its cultural activities. After two years "on pause," over 10,000 families participated in free workshops on Sundays, furthering their immersion into the fascinating world of the Vikings. The return to normal was especially noticeable during the summer season with a massive influx of tourists. Visiting from Europe, Asia, the United States, and other Canadian provinces, thousands came to explore the history of Montreal at Pointe-a-Calliere and fall under the spell of the popular VIKINGS  Dragons of the Northern Seas exhibition!

Unlimited access to Pointe-a-Calliere for just $5 more!

For Pointe-a-Calliere's 30th anniversary, a special rate for individual membershipsavailable at the single price of $30provides unlimited access to the Museum, as well as several other benefits over a one-year period. That's just $5 more than the price of an admission ticket! It's the perfect opportunity to see VIKINGS  Dragons of the Northern Seas and then return to explore the archaeological remains or see other temporary exhibitions, like Favourites! Our Collections on Display, until January 8, and Headdresses from Around the World, the Antoine de Galbert Collection, opening on November 17.

More info

About Pointe-a-Calliere, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex

Inaugurated in 1992 on the city's 350th anniversary, Pointe-a-Calliere is today the largest archaeology museum in Canada and the busiest history museum in Montreal. Rising above a concentrated number of historic and archaeological sites of national significanceincluding the birthplace of Montreal, the Museum has a mission to preserve its collections and to further knowledge, while showcasing and fostering an appreciation for Montreal's archaeological and historical heritage. This mission is carried out through various activities focused on conservation, research, presentation, education, and inclusion, along with community initiatives benefiting both Montrealers and visitors to the city.

Pointe-a-Calliere, proud partner of the City of Montreal.

Tickets and information: pacmusee.qc.ca

Available material:

SOURCE Pointe-a-Calliere, Montreal Museum of Archaelogy and History

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/14/c7104.html
ReportLinker

Major players in the automotive brakes and clutches market are F. C. C. Co. Ltd, BorgWarner, NSK. Com, Valeo Service, Bosch Limited, Brembo SpA, Continental AG, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Marelli (Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co.

New York, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Automotive Brakes And Clutches Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319514/?utm_source=GNW

Ltd.), Exedy Corporation, Eaton Corporation, and Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd.



The global automotive brakes and clutches market is expected to grow from $22.30 billion in 2021 to $24.09 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8%. The automotive brakes and clutches market is expected to grow to $28.80 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 4.6%.



The automotive brakes and clutches market consists of sales of automotive brakes and clutches by entities (organizations, sole traders, partnerships) that are used to change the rotational speed of rotating tires of vehicles.A clutch refers to a transmission and control device that helps with energy transfer from the driver to the driven shaft.



A brake refers to a transmission and control device that stops a moving load and regulates movement. Automotive brakes and clutches help in the effective control of vehicles.



The main types of products in the automotive brakes and clutch markets are original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket.The original equipment manufacturer refers to the manufacture of systems or components that are used in another companys end product.



These automotive components are the official, genuine parts produced directly by your vehicles maker.The various clutch types include friction clutch, dog clutch, hydraulic clutch, and others, and involve several transmission types such as manual transmission, automatic transmission, and automated manual transmission (AMT), among others.



The several applications include passenger cars and commercial vehicles.



North America was the largest region in the automotive brakes and clutches market in 2021. The regions covered in the automotive brakes and clutches market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The automotive brakes and clutches market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides automotive brakes and clutches market statistics, including automotive brakes and clutches industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an automotive brakes and clutches market share, detailed automotive brakes and clutches market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the automotive brakes and clutches industry. This automotive brakes and clutches market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.



The thriving automotive industry is expected to propel the growth of the automotive brakes and clutches market going forward.The automotive industry refers to all business activities involved in the production of automobiles, including most components such as engines, bodywork, tires, and batteries.



Raising the automotive industry will increase the demand for automotive brakes and clutches as these are the essential parts of vehicles.For instance, according to the Economic Times of India, an India-based daily news provider, in 2020, automobile sales in India register double-digit growth.



Vehicle registrations with regional transport offices (RTO) rose 37% to 1,627,975 units.Retail sales of passenger vehicles grew by 12% to 264,342 units for the year 2020.



Therefore, the thriving automotive industry is driving the growth of the automotive brakes and clutches market.



Technological innovations have emerged as the key trend gaining popularity in the automotive brakes and clutches market.Major companies operating in the automotive brakes and clutches sector are focused on introducing new technological innovations to sustain their position in the market.



For instance, in 2021, Maruthi Suzuki, an India-based vehicle manufacturer, developed ""S-Assist,"" an AI (Artificial Intelligence)-based 24-hour virtual car assistant app for Nexa model cars. This AI technology is utilized in automobiles to assist drivers in maintaining safe driving by automatically applying brakes when an object ahead is detected.



In November 2021, BREMBO S.P., an Italy-based automotive brake system manufacturing company, acquired J. Juan for a deal amount of $73 million. This acquisition would help Brembo to extend its business in new markets and to become a trusted solution provider. J. Juan is a Spain-based company specializing in designing the braking performance in top-tier bikes all over the world.



The countries covered in the automotive brakes and clutches market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06319514/?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.



__________________________

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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




BrainsWay

Cigna Issues Favorable Policy for Deep TMS to Address Medication-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

BURLINGTON, Mass. and JERUSALEM, Israel, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrainsWay Ltd. (NASDAQ & TASE: BWAY) (BrainsWay or the Company), a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders, today announced that Cigna Corporation has announced positive coverage applicable to Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Cigna, one of the largest major medical insurance company in the United States, provides commercial health coverage to about 17 million members in 13 states, has Medicare Advantage plans in 16 states, and participates in the Health Insurance Marketplace online exchange. With this new policy, Cigna joins the ranks of Centene, Highmark, Health Care Services Corporation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Tricare, and Palmetto GBA Medicare, resulting in over 86 million adults now having access to BrainsWays pioneering Deep TMS OCD treatment.



The establishment of this positive coverage for OCD further facilitates BrainsWays ability to capitalize on its leadership role in advancing treatment of this debilitating condition, said Christopher von Jako, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of BrainsWay. More importantly, the continued reimbursement momentum for Deep TMS is resulting in increased access of our unique therapy that is critical to our mission of improving the health and transforming the lives of those suffering from disorders with limited treatment options.

Cigna will be issuing an updated revision to its TMS medical coverage policy effective September 15, 2022 extending coverage to patients aged 18 and older diagnosed with OCD. Under the revised policy, an initial 30-36 TMS treatment session regimen will be classified as medically necessary after a failure of two or more medication trials and a trial of evidence-based psychotherapy without significant improvement in symptoms. Patients with 30% or greater improvement in their Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) maintained for at least two months would also be candidates for an additional regimen of 30-36 sessions.

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This achievement is a further acknowledgement of the substantial efforts contributed by the principal investigators in the pilot and pivotal trials of Deep TMS, the clinicians in the field today treating OCD patients, and BrainsWays partners dedicated to expanding access and awareness to this life-changing treatment, said Aron Tendler, MD, Chief Medical Officer of BrainsWay. OCD is a difficult to treat disease, and almost half of the patients with OCD are treatment-resistant. BrainsWay continues to be a trailblazer in the field, and remains the only TMS company to have demonstrated clinical efficacy in treating OCD through randomized, placebo-controlled data.

BrainsWays patented H7 Coil is designed to penetrate deeper and broader structures of the brain associated with OCD. The Companys Deep TMS system received De Novo clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of OCD in late 2018 and was launched for full market release in 2019. As of June 30, 2022, 368 OCD coils had been shipped as add-on helmets to accompany BrainsWay platform systems. Approximately 45% of all BrainsWay systems in the field have an H7 Coil.

The economic burden on the U.S. healthcare system for OCD treatments is over $10.6 billion per year, and we are excited that Cignas medical and behavioral health leadership has recognized the value we can offer these patients, said Scott Blackman, Director of Market Access at BrainsWay. This positive coverage decision supplements the growing body of compelling clinical evidence supporting the treatment of OCD with our Deep TMS H7 Coil.

About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and debilitating condition with a lifetime prevalence in the United States of 2.3%. Characterized by uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that the sufferer feels compelled to repeat over and over, OCD is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be one of the top 10 debilitating medical conditions associated with a decreased quality of life and loss of income. Due to the complexity and heterogeneity of the condition, coupled with the high percentage of patients that are drug-resistant, many patients suffering from OCD do not respond well to first line treatment options. The economic burden on the U.S. healthcare system for OCD treatments is estimated to be over $10.6 billion per year.

About BrainsWay

BrainsWay is a global leader in advanced noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders. The Company is boldly advancing neuroscience with its proprietary Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMS) platform technology to improve health and transform lives. BrainsWay is the first and only TMS company to obtain three FDA-cleared indications backed by pivotal clinical studies demonstrating clinically proven efficacy. Current indications include major depressive disorder (including reduction of anxiety symptoms, commonly referred to as anxious depression), obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking addiction. The Company is dedicated to leading through superior science and building on its unparalleled body of clinical evidence. Additional clinical trials of Deep TMS in various psychiatric, neurological, and addiction disorders are underway. Founded in 2003, with offices in Burlington, MA and Jerusalem, Israel, BrainsWay is committed to increasing global awareness of and broad access to Deep TMS. For the latest news and information about BrainsWay, please visit www.brainsway.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the words intends, may, will, plans, expects, anticipates, projects, predicts, estimates, aims, believes, hopes, potential or similar words. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company only and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. In addition, historical results or conclusions from scientific research and clinical studies do not guarantee that future results would suggest similar conclusions or that historical results referred to herein would be interpreted similarly in light of additional research or otherwise. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: inadequacy of financial resources to meet future capital requirements; changes in technology and market requirements; delays or obstacles in launching and/or successfully completing planned studies and clinical trials; failure to obtain approvals by regulatory agencies on the Companys anticipated timeframe, or at all; inability to retain or attract key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of Deep TMS products; unforeseen difficulties with Deep TMS products and processes, and/or inability to develop necessary enhancements; unexpected costs related to Deep TMS products; failure to obtain and maintain adequate protection of the Companys intellectual property, including intellectual property licensed to the Company; the potential for product liability; changes in legislation and applicable rules and regulations; unfavorable market perception and acceptance of Deep TMS technology; inadequate or delays in reimbursement from third-party payers, including insurance companies and Medicare; inability to commercialize Deep TMS, including internationally, by the Company or through third-party distributors; product development by competitors; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications, which could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements.

Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:

BrainsWay:

Scott Areglado

SVP and Chief Financial Officer

Scott.Areglado@BrainsWay.com

Investors:

Bob Yedid

LifeSci Advisors

646-597-6989

Bob@LifeSciAdvisors.com

Media Contact:

Meghan Laska

(610) 212-0125

Meghan.Laska@BrainsWay.com




Associated Press

When a government document mysteriously appeared earlier this week in the highest profile case in the federal court system, it had the hallmarks of another explosive storyline in the Justice Departments investigation into classified records stored at former President Donald Trumps Florida estate. The document purported to be from the U.S. Treasury Department, claimed that the agency had seized sensitive documents related to last months search at Mar-a-Lago and included a warrant ordering CNN to preserve leaked tax records. The document remained late Thursday on the court docket, but it is a clear fabrication.
Amazon still can't avoid lawsuits over third-party prices. The New York Times reports California has filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Amazon of violating both the Cartwright Act and state competition law through its pricing rules. The internet giant is stifling competition by preventing sellers from offering lower prices on other sites, according to Attorney General Rob Bonta. If they defy Amazon, they risk losing buy buttons, prominent listings or even basic access to Amazon's marketplace.

If successful, the lawsuit would bar any contracts deemed anti-competitive and notify sellers that they're free to reduce prices elsewhere. Amazon would also have to pay damages, return "ill-gotten gains" and appoint a court-approved overseer.

In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson said California had the situation "exactly backwards." Third-parties still have control over prices, Amazon claimed, and inclusion in the "Buy Box" space supposedly shows that a deal is truly competitive. It further contended that the suit would raise prices. You can read the full statement below.

The case is similar to a District of Columbia lawsuit. The region's Superior Court dismissed that case in March citing a lack of evidence, but Attorney General Karl Racine is appealing the decision.

Amazon is facing increasing government scrutiny of its practices. The Federal Trade Commission has been investigating issues ranging from major acquisitions through to withheld driver tips, while EU pressure prompted Amazon to revise its seller program and improve third parties' chances of competing with direct sales. The tech firm has balked at these moves, and went so far as to both demand the FTC chair's recusal as well as fight agency requests to interview executives. Don't expect either side to back down any time soon, in other words.

"Similar to the D.C. Attorney Generalwhose complaint was dismissed by the courtsthe California Attorney General has it exactly backwards. Sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store. Amazon takes pride in the fact that we offer low prices across the broadest selection, and like any store we reserve the right not to highlight offers to customers that are not priced competitively. The relief the AG seeks would force Amazon to feature higher prices to customers, oddly going against core objectives of antitrust law. We hope that the California court will reach the same conclusion as the D.C. court and dismiss this lawsuit promptly."
SAN FRANCISCO  California is challenging Amazon in a case that could reshape the e-commerce giants business model by forcing it to lift restrictions on third-party vendors.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Wednesday that his office was suing Amazon for requiring merchants to enter agreements that penalize them if they offer their products elsewhere for lower prices. Bonta, a Democrat, argued that Amazon has violated California laws barring anti-competitive practices by shutting out competitors and effectively cementing higher prices  and he is seeking a court order barring Amazon from requiring third-party contracts that limit price competition, along with restitution for merchants and other financial penalties.

"Amazon makes consumers think they are getting the lowest prices possible, when in fact, they cannot get the low prices that would prevail in a freely competitive market because Amazon has coerced and induced its third-party sellers and wholesale suppliers to enter into anticompetitive agreements on price," the complaint alleges. "The intent and effect of these agreements is to insulate Amazon from price competition, entrenching Amazons dominance, preventing effective competition, and harming consumers and the California economy."

Bonta cast the lawsuit as a means to ensure Californians are not paying inflated prices during a time of rising costs.

Through its illegal actions, the quote everything store has effectively set a price floor costing Californians more for just about everything, Bonta said at a news conference in San Francisco.

An Amazon spokesperson said in a statement that Bonta had it exactly backwards, arguing a victory by California would result in higher prices.

Sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store, the statement said. Amazon takes pride in the fact that we offer low prices across the broadest selection, and like any store we reserve the right not to highlight offers to customers that are not priced competitively.

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The case adds to the legal clouds encircling Amazons use of third-party sellers. The company agreed to shut down its Sold by Amazon program earlier this year and paid a fine after Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson launched a price-fixing investigation.

More recently, a superior court judge rejected a lawsuit from Washington, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine accusing Amazon of violating the districts anti-competitive behavior laws by arguing, like Bonta, that third-party contracts artificially inflate prices. The new California lawsuit is nearly identical to that case, which Racine's office said it planned to appeal. The Washington, D.C. Superior Court judge who dismissed the suit wrote that merchants are free to sell wherever they choose, and that they can simply not sell their wares on Amazon if they dont like the terms.

In 2019 Amazon said it would stop enforcing certain contract terms that blocked merchants from offering lower prices elsewhere. But according to Bonta's office, it continued the practice.

Bonta said he had confidence his suit would succeed under California laws barring anti-competitive behavior. He also said he hoped the Legislature  in which he previously served  would introduce legislation cracking down on business tactics that discourage competition.

Amazon will need to contend with Californias lawsuit as it faces mounting political pressure on Capitol Hill. The company has fortified its lobbying corps, and its CEO has personally urged senators to oppose antitrust legislation that would penalize Amazon and other tech giants for elevating their products over rivals offerings. The company has tried to enlist third-party sellers in that effort, arguing federal restrictions would hurt everyone who sells through the website.

Documents provided to POLITICO this summer appear to show Amazon seeking to undercut competitors selling on its platform. The California lawsuit says that Amazon has misled enforcement agencies and investigators from around the world.

Federal regulators are also scrutinizing the companys business practices. The Federal Trade Commission is conducting a wide-ranging investigation of its retail, device and cloud computing operations, and scrutinizing the company over possible privacy violations and other consumer harms involving its Prime subscription business. It also recently began vetting Amazons $1.7 billion acquisition of robot vacuum manufacturer iRobot, and $3.9 billion takeover of One Medical, seeking to determine if the deals violate antitrust laws.

This is not the first time the California attorney generals office has taken aim at Amazon. Bonta secured a court order last year compelling Amazon to disclose more information about Covid-19 case numbers among its workforce, and he has urged more oversight of a fulfillment warehouses environmental impact.

California lawmakers have also increasingly sought to rein in the tech industry in recent years. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is weighing a bill that would set children's privacy and safety standards for websites, apps and platforms often visited by children under 18. A related proposal to create legal liability for platforms that addict kids stalled this year.

Josh Sisco contributed to this report.
TTL is now ready to process high-grade mineralized material and tailings from nearby mines into silver dore bars.

Coquitlam, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2022) - Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. (TSXV: CCW) (OTCQB: CCWOF) (FSE: 4T9B) (the "Company" or "Canada Silver Cobalt") is pleased to announce that its 100%-owned Temiskaming Testing Labs (TTL) high-grade processing plant, that has zero discharge, is fully operational and ready for processing the high-grade mineralized material from the Cobalt Camp into silver dore bars as it was originally designed to do.

"We have rebuilt the TTL facility, including upgrades to the secondary crushing circuit and installation of a new gravity plant. TTL is now ready to begin the processing of high-grade mineralized material and tailings from mining properties in the area, including tailings from the Company's past-producing Beaver Mine and Castle Mine. This is another important step in building our capability as a fully integrated mining operation right through to the production of silver dore bars," stated CEO Frank J. Basa, P.Eng.

The 20,000-square-foot TTL facility is located in the Town of Cobalt, Ontario, in the centre of the historic Cobalt Mining Camp where 600 million ounces of silver and 30 million pounds of cobalt were produced during the 1900s. The facility was originally established in its current location by the Ontario government in 1941 as a public service facility offering laboratory services, high-grade ore processing and a bullion furnace to nearby mining operations. It was used by companies such as Agnico Eagle and Teck in their early days of silver mining operations in the area to pour in excess of two million ounces silver annually in silver dore bars. Using TTL's bullion furnace, Canada Silver Cobalt poured three silver dore bars from Castle Mine waste material as a proof-of-concept test in 2019.

Canada Silver Cobalt completed the purchase of the TTL facility from a private operator in 2020. Since then, it has conducted a number of test runs and completed the commissioning of the secondary crushing circuit. As a result, TTL has a complete crushing and screening high-grade processing plant with a 20-tonne-per-hour capacity for high-grade mineralized feed from mining operations in the area (see news release September 8, 2021).

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In addition, the Company recently installed a new gravity plant at TTL that is closed loop with a water recycle step (see news release January 18, 2022). The two-stage gravity plant, which is designed to operate at 24 tonnes per day, is now fully commissioned and includes a spiral concentrator feeding the concentrate to a conventional gravity table. A supplementary Falcon high-grade gravity concentrator is currently being installed.

The Company intends to use TTL for processing high-grade mineralized material from its Castle and Beaver mines as well as from the Castle East high-grade silver deposit when it has access to the high-grade veins there through the building of a ramp which is currently in the planning stage.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Frank J. Basa, P.Eng., a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101.

About Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc.

Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. recently discovered a major high-grade silver vein system at Castle East located 1.5 km from its 100%-owned, past-producing Castle Mine near Gowganda in the prolific and world-class silver-cobalt mining district of Northern Ontario. The Company has completed a 60,000m drill program aimed at expanding the size of the deposit with an update to the resource estimate underway.

In May 2020, based on a small initial drill program, the Company published the region's first 43-101 resource estimate that contained a total of 7.56 million ounces of silver in Inferred resources, comprising very high-grade silver (8,582 grams per tonne un-cut or 250.2 oz/ton) in 27,400 tonnes of material from two sections (1A and 1B) of the Castle East Robinson Zone, beginning at a vertical depth of approximately 400 meters. Note that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Please refer to Canada Silver Cobalt Works Press Release May 28, 2020, for the resource estimate. Report reference: Rachidi, M. 2020, NI 43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate for Castle East, Robinson Zone, Ontario, Canada, with an effective date of May 28, 2020, and a signature date of July 13, 2020.

The Company also has: (1) 14 battery metals properties in Northern Quebec where it has recently completed an almost 15,000-metre drill program on the Graal property and an airborne VTEM geophysical survey is being conducted at its Lowney-Lac Edouard property; and (2) the prospective 1,000-hectare Eby-Otto gold property close to Agnico Eagle's high-grade Macassa Mine near Kirkland Lake, Ontario where it is is exploring in 2022.

Canada Silver Cobalt's flagship silver-cobalt Castle mine and 78 sq. km Castle Property feature strong exploration upside for silver, cobalt, nickel, gold, and copper. With underground access at the fully owned Castle Mine, an exceptional high-grade silver discovery at Castle East, a pilot plant to produce cobalt-rich gravity concentrates, a processing facility (TTL Laboratories) in the town of Cobalt, and a proprietary hydrometallurgical process known as Re-2Ox (for the creation of technical-grade cobalt sulphate as well as nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) formulations), Canada Silver Cobalt is strategically positioned to become a Canadian leader in the silver-cobalt space. More information at www.canadasilvercobaltworks.com.

"Frank J. Basa"

Frank J. Basa, P. Eng.

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, contact:

Frank J. Basa, P.Eng.

Chief Executive Officer

416-625-2342

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.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements. A detailed discussion of the risk factors encountered by Canada Silver Cobalt is available in the Company's Annual Information Form dated July 19, 2021 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/137068
Chooch

Chooch offers a complete AI vision platform and API for transit systems and critical infrastructure in transportation industry

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ITSWC2022 -- Leading AI Computer Vision Platform, Chooch , will showcase Computer Vision for Smart Cities at ITS World Congress in Los Angeles, September 18-22, 2022. Featuring a complete Vision AI platform, with end-to-end solutions from autonomous labeling to model training to an API specifically geared towards transit systems, Chooch AI will demo Computer Vision for the transportation industry at booth #2134 in the Innovation Zone.



Co-Founder and CEO of Chooch Emrah Gultekin will speak about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled computer vision is now ready to transform the entire transportation industry. Transportation environments are constantly in flux; AI technologies now enhance situational awareness for the safety and security of people, goods, and equipment. AI powered Computer Vision can automatically detect problems, accelerate response times, and provide the real-time alerts necessary to proactively manage transit systems and critical infrastructure.

The rollout of 5G is going to be the catalyst for a true digital transformation in urban planning and resource allocation. Edge AI opens the door to solve infrastructure headaches, help deliver public services, and provide more efficient health, safety, security and traffic management.

Before Chooch, developers needed to bundle and code different deep learning and inference components in order to train, test and deploy a single model. Now, Chooch offers a complete no-code/low-code platform by combining multiple steps into a scalable solution, sending visual information to a prediction engine and using the output for easy-to-use applications in real time. Chooch clients include Fortune 500 companies and the US Government, and a wide range of partners including NVIDIA, Deloitte, HPE, Red Hat , Intel, Convergint, among others.

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To request a demo, please contact hello@chooch.com

About Chooch.AI

Chooch is the only AI computer vision (CV) platform that instantly detects specific visuals, objects and actions in video images, including critical anomalies, immediately comprehending their significance and instantly putting in motion pre-programmed responses to them  all in a fraction of the time a human being could even notice there might be an issue. To test Chooch please go to https://chooch.ai/demo/#ai-app

MEDIA CONTACT:

For more information or a technology demonstration, please visit www.chooch.com or email press@chooch.com




We know that long-term leases arent the move anymore, but San Franciscobased Codi has a hotter take: neither is co-working. The company, co-founded by Christelle Rohaut and Dave Schuman, began in 2018 to create more flexible office space for companies whose employees want private, flexible workspaces.

These days, the startups most disruptive belief is one that disagrees with the co-working model popularized by WeWork. Unlike WeWork, which sold desk space in a shared floor to workers, Codi thinks that people want a private space to go to, just a couple days a week. The startup is a marketplace that matches companies to properties that fit their flexibility requirements. Then it helps make the move-in process go as smoothly as possible, from design to IT, to even the office snacks and cleaning services.

And, like most startups, it wants to have the best of both worlds: privacy and community, flexibility and dedicated space, scale and specialization.

Codi announced today that it has raised a $16 million Series A, led by Andreessen Horowitz. The investment occurred weeks before the firm announced that it invested in Flow, WeWork founder Adam Neumanns next bet  both investments show the firms interest in a more flexible, yet turnkey future of real estate.

Rohaut is not too worried about sharing a venture backer with WeWorks founder. A16z investment partner Jeff Jordan took a seat on Codis board as part of the round, while Marc Andreessen is joining Flows board, according to the New York Times. The firm recently announced its plans to go be a "remote-first" organization.

A lot of our companies come from WeWork because they want to graduate from it, Rohaut said in an interview with TechCrunch. She says that the top two priorities for companies today are first, having their own space so they can build and grow the companys culture and customize it to fit their needs, and second, find a space for employees to go to that isnt concentrated downtown and doesnt require long commute times. Codi, the co-founder says, offers the best of both worlds where theres the flexibility of working from somewhere, sometimes, and the uniqueness of private office space.

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It may be true that tech workers largely do not want to go into the office five days a week anymore, but as employers try to figure out what the new in-person cadence should be, a flexible office space could also introduce its own frustration. Codi needs to convince employers that it makes more sense to go to a flexible workspace managed through Codi than to open up a smaller, independent office.

Codi claims that it has reduced the time it takes to open an office from upward of six months to four weeks. Codi is able to reduce lease lengths from 36 months to six months, with options to extend the contract if necessary. It also offers a concierge team to carry out all of its different services, which the startup claims could save tens of thousands of dollars per year.

On the real estate side, Codi doesnt own any buildings. Instead it partners with building owners to create recurring revenue streams for properties that traditionally only would have made money from long-term tenants or an entire building scale. The co-founder declined to share specifics around the amount of customers it currently has but said that the startup has more than 100 office buildings across two regions: New York and the Bay Area.

Its a smart pitch, with common scaling headaches to consider. For example, Codi will need to solve for shorter commute times with more and more hotspot offices for employees regardless of where they are home based. If thats the case, the office may get more fragmented over time if trying to meet the needs of concentrations of employees. Kind of the opposite of the goals for in-person work.

Theres a common misconception between what people say they want and what people actually do. If there is one thing that hybrid work has taught us, its that the world changes its mind constantly. Even with a flexible lease, what happens if a startup wants to go from two days a week to five days a week for a stretch of time? Its not necessarily Codis challenge to address, but it could certainly complicate the broader vision of developing flexible, private workspaces.
By Ernest Scheyder

(Reuters) - Compass Minerals International Inc said on Wednesday it will use a lithium extraction technology developed by EnergySource Minerals LLC to produce the electric vehicle battery metal for Ford Motor Co and others.

Washington has been pressing for U.S. companies to find greener ways https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/new-lithium-technology-can-help-world-go-green-if-it-works-2022-04-07 to boost domestic production of battery metals and lessen the country's reliance on China.

Compass chose EnergySource's direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology over four rivals and plans to use it alongside existing evaporation ponds to remove the battery metal from Utah's Great Salt Lake https://www.reuters.com/article/compass-min-intl-stocks-idCNL4N2OQ313.

Compass said it spent more than two years studying EnergySource's technology and is confident it can begin producing 10,000 tonnes of lithium annually by 2025.

"This is the right technology for this resource," Compass executive Ryan Bartlett told Reuters.

Compass also on Wednesday said it would sell shares worth $252 million to Koch Industries Inc and use proceeds to fund its lithium project. Compass has lithium supply deals with Ford https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/ford-buy-cheaper-catl-ev-batteries-catch-tesla-2022-07-21 and LG Energy https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lg-energy-signs-battery-grade-lithium-supply-deal-with-compass-minerals-2022-06-29 Solution Ltd.

The partnership is the first technology license by privately held EnergySource, which counts oilfield giant Schlumberger NV and mining investment firm TechMet as investors. EnergySource technology relies on an adsorbent that separates lithium from impurities in brine.

EnergySource is developing its own DLE project in California's Salton Sea, but warned in June that a recently enacted state lithium tax https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/exclusive-california-lithium-tax-would-delay-shipments-automakers-executives-2022-06-29 could force it to invest elsewhere.

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Eric Spomer, EnergySource's chief executive, said the Compass partnership was not linked to the California tax, but added: "There are a lot of brine resources in North America."

Elsewhere, several DLE partnerships have recently soured. Lake Resources NL plans to seek arbitration https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/lake-resources-dispute-with-lilac-solutions-over-stake-argentina-lithium-project-2022-09-14 to settle a dispute with Bill Gates-backed Lilac Solutions Inc.

And officials in Bolivia, which holds the world's largest lithium resource, parted ways https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/lithium-startup-energyx-gets-450-mln-investment-tied-ipo-plans-2022-07-22 with EnergyX.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by David Gregorio)
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Col-Gen Zakir Hasanov has discussed Armenias recent anti-Azerbaijani provocations with a delegation led by Turkiyes National Defense University Rector Erhan Afyoncu, Azernews reports via the ministry.

After greeting the visitors, Hasanov briefed them about large-scale provocations carried out by the Armenian armed forces along the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border in the directions of Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin districts.

The importance of further developing military education and other types of cooperation within the framework of the military alliance with Turkiye, as well as sharing experience with the National Defense University of Turkiye in this regard was stressed.

Afyoncu, for his part, expressed condolences to those, who died as a result of the large-scale sabotage, and emphasized the positive effect of mutual experience exchange in the field of military education on increasing military personnel's knowledge and skills, stating that work in this field will continue in the future.

During the meeting, views were exchanged on military education and other issues of mutual interest.

Afyoncu gave Hasanov his book, entitled "History of Turks," and the two exchanged presents.

Similarly, First Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army Col-Gen Karim Valiyev received the delegation led by Professor Erhan Afyoncu.

Views were shared at the meeting on the future prospects of cooperation in the sphere of military education, as well as other subjects of mutual concern.
Future Market Insights Global and Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

As per FMI, the North American market is slated to account for 38.6% of the total market share. By 2022, Europe is likely to capture a share of 33.5% in the dialysis devices and concentrates market. The Asia Pacific is anticipated to exhibit a significant growth rate in the dialysis devices and concentrates market over the forecast period

NEWARK, Del, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global dialysis device and concentrates market are anticipated to create an absolute dollar opportunity by anticipating a CAGR of 4.9% with a valuation of about US$ 20,858.0 Million in 2022 surpassing an estimation of US$ 33,583.3 Million by 2032. According to the historical forecast from 2016 to 2021, the market was anticipated to register a CAGR of 8.4% for the global dialysis device and concentrates market.



Dialysis is an alternative treatment to compensate for poor or lost kidney function. The damage to kidney function can be due to acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease. Some of the most common reasons for kidney diseases are urinary infections, diabetes, and genetic kidney diseases. Due to the growing prevalence of renal disorders, significant growth is seen in the dialysis device and concentrates market.

There are two different forms of dialysis treatment namely peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD). It is a commonly used dialysis technology that treats circulating blood in the dialysis machine. As the blood undergoes a dialyzer, it automatically gets cleaned and the waste products are diffused in dialysis concentrate.

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Key Takeaways

Dialysis equipment and accessories are commonly used for artificial blood purification during the end stage of renal disease also in acute kidney injury. Dialysis can be done in both dialysis centers and in-home care settings. Dialysis treatment is best known for offering a solution to kidney impairment by artificially filtering blood. Over the past few years, patients with kidney failures have surged which has resulted in the growth of dialysis devices and concentrates in order to live a sustainable life.

Factors driving the growth of the global dialysis device and concentrate market is the surge in patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes. In addition to that, the growing number of end-stage renal disease patients is responsible for this growth in the market.

Due to technological advancements in the healthcare sector and several other factors such as the negligible preference of patients for kidney transplantation, increase in investment for the development of new products, and reimbursement from governments for the treatment of kidney diseases along with the prevalence of end-stage renal disease are expected to bolster the growth of dialysis device and concentrates market.

Owing to the increasing patient population, the global dialysis device and concentrates market is predicted to witness phenomenal growth. The patient population of home hemodialysis (HHD), peritoneal dialysis, and traditional in-center hemodialysis are anticipated to drive growth in the market over the assessment years.

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Competitive Landscape

Due to the presence of excessive participants, the market is highly competitive. The global players are focusing on research and development of new trends in dialysis devices. Leading players are focusing on continuous collaborations and highly investing in research, in order to provide more convenient solutions to the healthcare industry verticals

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More Insights into the Dialysis Device and Concentrates Market

According to the FMI analysis, North America is predicted to dominate the global dialysis device and concentrates market by accounting for about 38.6% of the total market share. The surging incidents of diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, and other lifestyle-related disorders in the U.S. are expected to surge the prevalence of kidney diseases.

The surging geriatric population in the country is yet another factor responsible for driving the prevalence of dialysis devices and concentrates. Owing to the rising prevalence of CKD, several governmental and non-governmental authorities are educating and supporting the population dealing with kidney diseases.

Europe is yet another region to exhibit lucrative growth opportunities by capturing a share of 33.5% in the dialysis devices and concentrates market. Rising government expenditure in the healthcare sector is anticipated to boost sales in the market.

The Asia Pacific region is predicted to exhibit a significant growth rate in the dialysis devices and concentrates market over the forecast period, attributing to the surging health awareness, governments are actively launching initiatives to spread awareness about kidney-related issues.

Key Segments Profiled in the Dialysis Device and Concentrates Industry Survey

By Product Type:

Hemodialysis Machine

A.V. Fistula Needle

A.V. Access Graft

Dialysis Catheter

Dialysis Concentrates

Dialyzer

Dialyzer Reprocessing Machine

Hemodialysis Bloodline and Tubing Set

Declotting Device

Water Treatment System

introducer Sheath and Guidewire





By end-user:

In-center Dialysis

Hospitals

Independent Dialysis Centres

Home Dialysis

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Middle East and Africa





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Table of Content

1. Executive Summary

1.1. Global Market Outlook

1.2. Demand-side Trends

1.3. Supply-side Trends

1.4. Technology Roadmap Analysis

1.5. Analysis and Recommendations

2. Market Overview

2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy

2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations

3. Market Background

3.1. Market Dynamics

3.1.1. Drivers

3.1.2. Restraints

3.1.3. Opportunity

3.1.4. Trends

TOC continued!

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NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Energywell, LLC ("Energywell"), an energy technology company powering the sustainable energy transition, announces the signing of a Purchase & Sale Agreement to acquire Engie Retail, LLC d/b/a Think Energy ("Think Energy"), Engie's residential/mass market retail electricity affiliate. The pending acquisition is subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and is expected to close in early Q4 2022.

Think Energy is a mid-sized mass market focused energy retailer with licenses to operate in 13 states and the District of Columbia covering sixty-four (64) electric and natural gas utilities.

"We are thrilled to acquire the Think Energy business as we see tremendous value in its strong brand name and broad operating footprint," said Michael Fallquist, Director & Co-Chief Executive Officer of Energywell. "We intend to rapidly deploy our proprietary technology platform and sales channels upon closing the acquisition as we see an opportunity to provide great customer value given the return of commodity market volatility and expected high utility prices this winter and beyond."

Energywell will deploy its proprietary technology platform, named Proton, across the Think Energy operating footprint by mid-2023. Proton enables Energywell and its technology licensing partners to offer innovative products and services to differentiate themselves in a crowded retail energy marketplace.

"Deploying the Proton platform across the Think Energy footprint will be an immediate priority given it creates a competitive advantage for us and our licensing partners," said Christian McArthur, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Energywell. "We expect to have significant interest from new technology licensing partners as we are the only solution currently available in the North American market to deliver a fully digital, app-based customer experience that is integrated with customer smart meters."

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About Energywell

Energywell is an energy technology company powering the sustainable energy transition. Energywell combines the financial strength of funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. and capital and commodities expertise from Hartree Partners L.P. with proprietary technology and a seasoned team of energy industry veterans. For additional information, please visit Energywell's website at http://www.energywell.com.

Contact

Michael Fallquist

Director & Co-Chief Executive Officer

917-975-3638

mike@energywell.com





Cision

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SOURCE Energywell, LLC
Photo credit: CHIP SOMODEVILLA - Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth IIs death last week brought a wave of condolences from around the world. It also swiftly set into motion a carefully choreographed series of funeral procedures, steeped in royal protocol and centuries of British history. Over the next six days, the Queens flower-draped casket will embark on one final tour of the United Kingdoma journey that began at Balmoral, her private residence in Aberdeenshire, Scotlandpausing in London on Monday morning for the Queens State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, where some of the most famous names in British royal history have been interred. But Westminster will not be the Queens final resting place; she will be buried amid generations of royals at St. Georges Chapel, on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Gothic chapel is a place defined by nearly 1,000 years of history and has been a venue for many occasions, both in times of celebration and times of mourning. Read on for more information about where Queen Elizabeth will be buried.

Photo credit: Tim Graham - Getty Images

Where Is St. Georges Chapel?

St. Georges Chapel is on the grounds of Windsor Castle, one of the Queens official royal residences , in the town of Windsor just 10 miles west of London on the River Thames. The Queen used Windsor castle as a weekend retreat and would often attend official services at St. Georges Chapel (though her primary place of worship was the Royal Chapel of All Saints, a smaller church on the grounds of Windsor Great Park, for privacy). According to a Palace press release , the Queens hearse will travel to the chapel along the Long Walk, a historic, tree-lined avenue leading to the castle, before a final burial service.

Photo credit: Anwar Hussein Collection - Getty Images

What Is the History of St. Georges Chapel?

Windsor Castle itself boasts nearly 1,000 years of royal heritage, but St. Georges Chapel wasnt established until later, in the 14th century , by Edward III as a college (a religious community responsible for the churchs activities) and the official church of the Order of the Garter , the U.K.s most senior chivalric order, of which kings and queens are members. The chapel was significantly overhauled in the 15th century during the reign of Edward IV and was completed by Henry VIII in 1528. With its soaring ceiling, elegant fan vaults, ornate carved stalls, and spectacular 15th-century stained-glass windows, St. Georges Chapel is considered one of the U.K.s finest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture. The chapels namesake, St. George, is the patron saint of England.

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Photo credit: ANDREW MATTHEWS - Getty Images

What Other Famous Events Have Been Held There?

Over the centuries, St. Georges Chapel has been the site of many royal services, including confirmations, weddings, and funerals.The chapel was the venue for Prince Williams 1997 confirmation into the Church of England as well as for the wedding for Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, just to name two special events. In recent years, the church reentered the spotlight on the occasion of Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys wedding there in May 2018; the following year, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank were also married there. Most recently, Prince Philips funeral was held at the chapel last year, when the Queen famously sat alone in the carved stalls due to COVID-19 precautions.

Who Else Is Buried There?

Queen Elizabeth will be joining 10 kings and queens in the various vaults of St. Georges Chapel, including Henry VIII, Charles I, and her own father, King George VI. The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and Prince Philip are also interred at the chapel.

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Tools Further Shared Decision Making and Healthcare Engagement for Older Patients

Initiative Supported by Grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of an initiative funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation, FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit, today launched five new shared decision-making tools, three new FH Total Treatment Cost tools, educational content and resources related to the care of older adults. This initiative aims to advance shared decision making among older patients, especially those with serious illnesses, as well as their caregivers and care partners, by providing them with the information and resources needed to make informed healthcare decisions and better navigate the healthcare system. Access the tools here.

New Older Adults Section on FAIR Health Consumer https://www.fairhealthconsumer.org/for-older-adults

The tools, content and resources were launched on a dedicated section for older adults and caregivers on FAIR Health's free, award-winning consumer website, fairhealthconsumer.org, which also houses tools and resources relevant to palliative care for seriously ill patients. The new tools combine clinical and cost information associated with different treatment options for early-stage breast cancer, hip osteoarthritis, hip replacement, spinal stenosis and fast-growing prostate cancer. FAIR Health also launched "total treatment cost" scenarios highlighting the range of costs associated with three conditions particularly relevant to an older population: Alzheimer's disease/dementia, heart failure and major depression. In addition to these tools, the newly created Older Adult section features explanatory content about the conditions, a section on financial health literacy, patient- and caregiver-oriented checklists with suggested questions to ask providers, and links to external resources relevant to the conditions.

Shared decision making (the discussion between clinicians and patients and/or their patient caregivers to decide on treatment options that incorporate patient values and preferences) has been shown to increase patient engagement and satisfaction, reduce healthcare costs and improve treatment outcomes. This is especially important considering the growing issue of "financial toxicity"the financial, emotional and mental burden patients experience from medical costs, which can lead to diminished access to care and reduced quality of life. By providing tools that combine clinical and cost information, FAIR Health seeks to improve financial health literacy among older patients, their caregivers and their care partners.

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FAIR Health will disseminate the tools to older patients, family caregivers, care partners and providers in four major urban centersNew York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicagoand their environs. Providers can access the tools here on FAIR Health's provider-centered website, fairhealthprovider.org. An evaluation of the utility and value of the tools will follow in the wake of this launch.

FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd said, "We thank The John A. Hartford Foundation for its generous support of our efforts to empower older patients and family caregivers in navigating the healthcare system with actionable tools and information. This initiative will engage older adults and caregivers and care partners in healthcare decision making, and help them better manage their healthcare costs."

The John A. Hartford Foundation Vice President of Program Rani E. Snyder said, "In keeping with our commitment to advancing age-friendly care, The John A. Hartford Foundation is proud to support FAIR Health's efforts to promote its new healthcare engagement tools and resources. A wide range of stakeholdersin particular, older adults, family caregivers and care partnerswill benefit from the tools and resources provided as part of this initiative."

Cleveland Clinic's Endowed Chair of Geriatric Innovation and Section Chief of the Center for Geriatric Medicine Ardeshir Hashmi, MD, said, "FAIR Health's shared decision-making tools, total treatment cost scenarios and resources empower patient-centric care. They aim to help older patients thrive in the 4 Ms of mentation, mobility, medication and what matters most to themthe mainstays of age-friendly health systems."

To access the Older Adult section tools, click here.

Follow us on Twitter @FAIRHealth

About FAIR Health

FAIR Health is a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. It is dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation's largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 38 billion claim records and is growing at a rate of over 2 billion claim records a year. FAIR Health licenses its privately billed data and data productsincluding benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics and market indicesto commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D; FAIR Health includes among the private claims data in its database, data on Medicare Advantage enrollees. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health's systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers' compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish, which enables consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offers a rich educational platform on health insurance. An English/Spanish mobile app offers the same educational platform in a concise format and links to the cost estimation tools. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. FAIR Health also is named a top resource for patients in Dr. Marty Makary's book The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Careand How to Fix It and Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal's book An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org.

Contact:

Rachel Kent

Senior Director of Marketing

FAIR Health

646-396-0795

rkent@fairhealth.org

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PS752 Justice

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims (the Association) submitted an Article 15 Communication to Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which provided information and evidence to the OTP about crimes that occurred on board Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 (flight PS752) that were committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The Association requested that the OTP include these crimes in its investigation of the situation in Ukraine.



The request was submitted in accordance with Article 15 of the Rome Statute, alleging that perpetrators from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps have committed certain war crimes and crimes against humanity against the passengers and crew of flight PS752 and their surviving family members. The crimes include the war crimes of wilful killing, intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population or civilian objects, outrages upon personal dignity and pillage, as well as the crimes against humanity of murder and other inhumane acts. The request includes the evidence of victims directly impacted by the shootdown of flight PS752 and the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps preceding and following the shootdown.

Although Iran is not a State Party to the ICCs Rome Statute, jurisdiction for the OTP to consider the request and examine the alleged crimes is applicable because flight PS752 is an aircraft registered to Ukraine, which has accepted the Courts jurisdiction over crimes committed on its territory since 21 November 2013. The Court has jurisdiction over crimes committed on board an aircraft registered to a State that has accepted its jurisdiction, and the OTP has clarified that this includes situations in which an attack is launched from a non-State party onto the territory of a State with jurisdiction before the ICC.

The Associations request is the first Article 15 communication sent to the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court alleging responsibility of perpetrators from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps for conduct surrounding the shootdown of flight PS752.

Hamed Esmaeilion, Association President and Spokesperson, stated that: We have waited nearly 1,000 days for progress to be made in our pursuit of justice for our loved ones whose lives were horrifically ended. In the absence of concrete action from affected countries and a complete lack of accountability from the Iranian Regime, it falls on our shoulders to take this to an international forum where they can be held accountable. The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims has worked tirelessly, some of us putting our careers on hold, to dedicate our time to pursuing justice through any avenue available to us. We feel this is our responsibility and remain committed to it for the memory and honour of those whose lives were lost.

Javad Soleimani, Chair of the Associations Fact-Finding Committee, stated that: The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims believes that justice is not negotiable. The Fact-Finding Report that we released in November of 2021 reinforced why we need help from governments to bring clarification and understanding to the events that led to the downing of Flight PS752. This crime is not just a combination of coincidences and thats why we need a day in court, not negotiation with Iran who has deceptively and systematically attempted to cover up what happened.

Amirali Alavi, Director and Chair of the Associations Legal Committee, stated that: There was never an impartial criminal and safety investigation into the downing of Flight PS752. This has added countless obstacles and delays to this case and ultimately, has been detrimental to advancing the necessary legal and political processes. It is unacceptable that Iran has not been held fully accountable to date for what happened, and we are hopeful that our next steps can change that.

Background on Flight PS752: On January 8, 2020, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps shot at least two missiles at flight PS752, killing all 176 people on board and an unborn child. The victims were citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Canada, Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom.

Only four hours earlier on the same day, the Islamic Republic of Iran had attacked bases in Iraq housing United States troops in retaliation for the killing of General Ghassem Soleimani on January 3, 2020. The government kept Iranian airspace open despite the grave risk to civilian flights operating that day, especially those near military targets in close proximity to the airport in Tehran. It was in this context that flight PS752 was shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a fact which the Islamic Republic of Iran initially denied. The governments subsequent investigations have been characterized by obfuscation, refusals to cooperate with the international community and a lack of transparency. Evidence was mishandled and destroyed at the crash site, belongings of the victims were tampered with after collection and the bodies of some of the victims of the shootdown were mistreated and not properly identified, with some families receiving body parts that did not match their loved ones.

The families of the victims killed in the shootdown have been intimidated and harassed by Iranian authorities in the aftermath of the shootdown. The Islamic Republic of Iran has also cracked down on protesters and mourners in Iran, even detaining many and imposing harsh prison sentences. In the face of such obstacles, the Association is committed to finding out the truth and seeking justice through all available legal means.

Gissou Nia, a lawyer on the legal team making the request and Director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council, stated that: The safety of international civil aviation depends in large part on the understanding that civilians are off-limits and not to be weaponized for political or military gains. Given the regularity of civilian air travel and the necessity to take routes through many different countries on any flight path, there is an implicit understanding by States that this mode and means of transportation should be protected, for the benefit of all. When the officials of a State breach those obligations, it is critical that an impartial, independent investigation take placean investigation the ICC is well placed to do given that the victims of this crime were nationals from different countries with links all around the world.

Haydee Dijkstal, a UK Barrister at 33 Bedford Row Chambers in London, and a lawyer on the legal team making the request, stated that: The International Criminal Court was created to end impunity for crimes which have evaded justice. The goal of raising this case before the ICC, is to find the truth and seek justice for the victims of flight PS752 and their families, and the fact that the crimes were committed on a Ukrainian aircraft opens the door to examining the crimes under the ICCs jurisdiction over Rome Statute crimes committed on Ukrainian territory. The ICCs jurisdiction over these crimes provides hope that after more than two and half years, the families of the victims of flight PS752 might see those most responsible held to account.

For further inquiries in either English or Persian, or to arrange an interview, please contact the following at:

Hamed Esmaeilion

President & Spokesperson, The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims

speaker@ps752justice.com

Oliveah Numan

Sussex Strategy Group

onuman@sussex-strategy.com

Gissou Nia

Director, Strategic Litigation Project, Atlantic Council

gnia@atlanticcouncil.org

Haydee Dijkstal

Barrister, 33 Bedford Row Chambers

hd@33br.co.uk

This announcement is available in Farsi: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5ce0e6b1-a9c3-4f25-8bc8-7318c1122472




(Bloomberg) -- Frances power-grid operator expects to ask households, businesses and local governments to reduce energy consumption several times over the next six months, to avoid rotating power cuts as it grapples with a historic energy crisis.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Amid unprecedented uncertainties in the market, Reseau de Transport dElectricite may have to issue its red EcoWatt alerts to curb demand occasionally from October through March, it said in a report.

France -- typically a net-exporter of electricity -- is pivotal to helping Europe resolve the broader crisis as Russia cuts natural gas shipments to the region. However, Frances nuclear fleet has been hobbled by technical issues, turning the country into a net importer of power and adding strain on supplies elsewhere.

Were facing in France and Europe an exceptional situation: a European gas crisis, a French nuclear crisis, and a historical drought which is reducing hydro output, RTE Chairman Xavier Piechaczyk said during a briefing. November and December will be as risky as January, which is unprecedented.

The risk of a power cut could be avoided by curbing national consumption by 1% to 5% in most cases, and as much as 15% in the worst weather situations, according to the report.

Energy Update: Uniper Confirms Germany Mulling Nationalization

While Electricite de France SA is racing to have many of its 56 nuclear reactors ready by the start of winter, concerns about gas and power shortages have sent prices to record levels across the continent, forcing governments to prepare savings measures and contingency plans for energy rationing.

Our target is to have about the same available nuclear output this winter than in the previous winter, when things went well, EDF Chief Executive Officer Jean-Bernard Levy said at a parliamentary hearing in Paris Wednesday. Repairs of 10 reactors affected by so-called stress corrosion cracks are progressing at a good pace, he added.

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Outage schedules point to the availability of about 50 gigawatts of nuclear power in France by January, compared with about 25 gigawatts as of Wednesday. RTEs central scenario is banking on 45 gigawatts of atomic capacity at the start of next year to account for potential delays and unplanned halts.

Extended Vigilance

The vigilance period when power supply may be tight will span from October through March, with higher risks from November to January, RTE said. In the past, risks were mostly centered around the heart of the winter months.

To avoid full blackouts, RTE would be able to activate contracts that allow it to shut power to large users, reduce voltage on the grid for a few hours, and implement rotating power cuts of two hours at most. Under no circumstances does France run the risk of a total loss of control of its electricity system, it said.

The most extreme situations would require an unlikely combination of factors including very cold weather, a fuel shortage that would limit the use of gas-fired power plants and electricity imports, or very deteriorated nuclear output, according to the grid operator. In the worst-case scenario, the EcoWatt alert could be used 20 to 30 days over the next six months, it said.

If winter is mild, you probably wont hear from us, Piechaczyk said. If the winter is very cold, the likelihood is for about 10 red EcoWatt alerts.

Most high-risk periods are during the mornings and evenings, and not on weekends, according to RTE. That means shifting consumption to off-peak hours is possible.

Regarding French power prices in wholesale markets, which are higher than those of most of its neighbors, RTE said investors seem to be taking into account only the worst-case scenario.

Forward markets dont reflect at all the reality of imbalance probability that we foresee, the RTE chief said. Imbalance forecasts are substantially lower than what market players imagine.

(Updates with EDF comments in seventh paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Freddie Mac

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) Multifamily today announced the creation of a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Syndicator Fund with Berkadia, aiding the agencys effort to invest up to $850 million in equity annually to create and preserve affordable housing across the country. The Freddie Mac-Berkadia fund will make investments in underserved communities, including those in rural areas, and will prioritize housing that provides intensive supportive services for residents. Berkadia is the first new LIHTC Syndicator named by Freddie Mac since the company restarted making LIHTC equity investments in 2018.



We are thrilled to announce Berkadia as a LIHTC Syndicator and look forward to working together to create and preserve affordable housing in underserved communities, said Steve Johnson, interim vice president of production & sales for Freddie Mac Multifamily. These investments benefit those who are hit hardest by the affordable housing crisis and reflect our commitment to helping Americans access safe and affordable housing.

"Freddie Mac has been a valued partner to Berkadia for years and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of their growing LIHTC equity investment platform," said David Leopold, SVP and Head of Berkadia Affordable Housing. "Given our strong relationship and ongoing collaboration, we are confident in our ability to successfully deploy capital that will help residents across the country access quality affordable housing."

With more than $10.5 billion in loan volume with Freddie Mac in 2021, Berkadia was ranked Freddie Mac's No. 1 Targeted Affordable Housing lender and No. 1 Conventional lender.



Freddie Mac set a record pace for LIHTC equity in 2021 with $675 million in investments that supported over 4,800 affordable rental units. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) raised the annual LIHTC equity investment cap from $500 million to $850 million in September 2021, prompting Freddie Mac to further scale its program. The unused balance of $175 million from 2021 rolled over into 2022, allowing Freddie Mac to further grow its LIHTC equity investments this year.

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Freddie Mac Multifamily is the nation's multifamily housing finance leader. Historically, more than 90% of the eligible rental units we fund are affordable to families with low-to-moderate incomes earning up to 120% of area median income. Freddie Mac securitizes about 90% of the multifamily loans it purchases, thus transferring the majority of the expected credit risk from taxpayers to private investors.

Freddie Mac makes homes possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, we've made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Mac's blog FreddieMac.com/blog.

Berkadia, a joint venture of Berkshire Hathaway and Jefferies Financial Group, is a leader in the commercial real estate industry, offering a robust suite of services to our multifamily and commercial property clients. Through our integrated mortgage banking, investment sales and servicing platform, Berkadia delivers comprehensive real estate solutions for the entire life cycle of our clients assets. With over $1 billion of LIHTC equity investments currently in our portfolio, Berkadias LIHTC syndication team has helped finance the development of more than 9,470 units of affordable housing across 97 properties. In 2021, Berkadia had over $5.1 billion in affordable housing transaction volume across its three business lines comprised of mortgage banking, investment sales, and tax credit syndication.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mike Morosi

(703) 918-5851

Michael_Morosi@FreddieMac.com




DUBLIN, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Product, By Application, By End User, Estimation & Forecast, 2017 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Research and Markets Logo

The global moist wound dressing market held a market value of USD 4,353.8 million in 2021 and is estimated to reach USD 7,191.0 million by the year 2030. The market is projected to list a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period.

The moist wound dressing industry is projected to grow at a substantial rate owing to the increasing incidences of chronic and acute wounds, and the rising innovations in wound dressings area.

For instance, in October 2019, 3M acquired Acelity Inc, a med-tech company focused on advanced wound care products marketed under its KCI brand. Such moves aid the market growth considerably.



The increasing launches of novel therapies and its cost effectiveness is also boosting the market growth. The rising product launches is a lucrative opportunity for the market growth, and is anticipated to contribute significantly for the growth of the moist wound dressing marketspace during the forecast period. Moreover, the surging geriatric population in the developing and developed regions is contributing towards the market growth.



However, the market is expected to be negatively influenced by the high availability of alternative moist wound dressings. Furthermore, the high risk and damage is also expected to hinder the market growth to a limited extent.



Growth Influencers:

Increasing Cases of Acute and Chronic Wounds



The rising cases of chronic wounds in the developing regions is one of the contributing factors for the growth of the moist wound dressing market. For instance, according to the American Burn Association, an approximate of 450,000 patients are hospitalized owing to burns every year and the risk of infection is higher in these patients. Similarly, according to a survey conducted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020, surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the highest expensive healthcare-associated infection (HAI) type in the US. Therefore, such rising incidences boost the growth rate of the moist wound dressing market.



Increasing Geriatric Population



The rising elderly population around the world contributes towards the rise in the growth rate of the moist wound dressing market. For instance, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, the geriatric population worldwide (aged 60 years and above) is projected to reach around 2 billion by 2050. Thus, such measures contribute towards the growth rate.



Segments Overview:

The global moist wound dressing market is segmented into product, application, and end user.



By Product,

Foam Dressings

Gauze Dressings

Non- reabsorbable Gauze Dressings

Occlusive wound dressing

Hydrophilic wound dressing

Transparent Membrane Dressings

Alginates Dressings

Composites Dressings

Hydrocolloids Dressings

Hydrogel Dressings

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By Application,

Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Pressure Ulcers

Burns and Scalds

Chronic Leg Ulcers

Surgical Wounds

By End User,

Hospitals

Homecare

Clinics

Dispensaries

The global moist wound dressing market report provides insights on the below pointers:

Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the prominent players

Market Development: The report offers detailed information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes penetration across mature segments of the markets

Market Diversification: Provides in-depth information about untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

Competitive Landscape Assessment: Mergers & acquisitions, certifications, product launches in the global moist wound dressing market have been provided in this research report. In addition, the report also emphasizes the SWOT analysis of the leading players.

Product Development & Innovation: The report provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments

Pricing Analysis: Pricing analysis of various metals and other components used in the manufacturing of moist wound dressing products

Manufacturing Cost Analysis: Cost-share of various components in moist wound dressing tools, cost analysis of solar street lights, Unit Cost Analysis of moist wound dressing products

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Research Framework



Chapter 2. Research Methodology



Chapter 3. Executive Summary: Global Moist Wound Dressing Market



Chapter 4. Global Moist Wound Dressing Market Overview



Chapter 5. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Product



Chapter 6. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Application



Chapter 7. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By End User



Chapter 8. Moist Wound Dressing Market, By Region



Chapter 9. North America Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 10. Europe Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 11. Asia Pacific Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 12. MEA Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 13. South America Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 14. Western Europe Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 15. U.S. Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 16. South-East Asia Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 17. India Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 18. Japan Moist Wound Dressing Market Analysis



Chapter 19. Company Profile

Companies Mentioned

3M Co.

Advanced Medical Solutions

B. Braun

BSN Medical

Cardinal Health Inc.

Hollister Incorporated

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp.

Laboratories Urgo

Lohmannand Rauscher

Medline Industries

Molnlycke Health Care

ConvaTec Group

Coloplast A/S

Hartmann Group

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1nw15v

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

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SOURCE Research and Markets
Google's appeal against a 4.34 billion antitrust fine handed down by the European Union four years ago, after the bloc's competition regulator found major violations in how it operated its Android mobile OS, has not succeeded in overturning the decision: The EU's General Court largely confirmed the Commission's decision in a ruling issued today.

It's a much needed win for the EU which has had a number of its antitrust decision unpicked by the courts in recent years.

Reached for comment, a Google spokesperson sent us this brief line:

We are disappointed that the Court did not annul the decision in full. Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world.

The size of the fine issued by the EU to Google over the Android violations in July 2018 equated to a record-breaking $5 billion at the time -- and it remains unsurpassed for an EU antitrust sanction.

However the General Court has revised the size of the fine downward slightly -- setting the final amount imposed on Google at (a still record-breaking) 4.125 billion (~$4.3 billion at current currency conversion rates which have seen the dollar and euro hit near parity).

#EUGeneralCourt largely confirms the @EU_Commission s decision that @Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of @Android mobile devices and mobile network operators to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine #Competition  https://t.co/ATb3CgbPxg  EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) September 14, 2022

A spokesperson for the Court said: "The General Court largely confirms the Commissions decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators in order to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine.

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"In order better to reflect the gravity and duration of the infringement, the General Court considers it appropriate however to impose a fine of 4.125BN on Google, its reasoning differing in certain respects from that of the Commission."

Google had sought to argue that the Commission had made an error in its definition of the relevant markets and that its assessment of the restrictions Google imposed on device makers and carriers as abusive was incorrect, among a number of pleas its lawyers put to the Court.

The Court largely rejected its arguments -- but in the case of a pre-installation condition included in portfolio-based revenue share agreements (with mobile makers and carriers) the justices did find fault with the Commission's reasoning (and some procedural errors), thereby annulling that part of the Commission decision.

A Court press release summarizing the ruling notes "that partial annulment does not affect the overall validity of the [infringement] finding  in the light of the exclusionary effects arising from the other abusive practices implemented by Google during the infringement period" -- but this element of the ruling explains the slight downward revision of the final fine.

In setting the final amount, the Court said it took account of "the intentional nature of the implementation of the unlawful practices and of the value of relevant sales made by Google in the last year of its full participation in the infringement," per the press release.

Should Google wish to appeal the General Court decision to the bloc's top court, the European Court of Justice (CJEU), it may only do so on a point of law -- with a timeframe of two months and 10 days to file such a petition.

It's not clear whether the company will seek to bring a point of law appeal to the CJEU. The company told us it is reviewing the judgment before deciding on any next steps.

The Commission has also been contacted for comment.

Update: A Commission spokesperson sent this statement:

The European Commission takes note of today's judgment by the General Court largely confirming the Commissions July 2018 decision which found that Google and its parent company Alphabet had abused its dominant position. The General Court also largely confirmed the fine that the European Commission imposed on Google and Alphabet and set it at 4.125 billion. The Commission will carefully study the judgment and decide on possible next steps.

At the time of writing competition chief Margrethe Vestager had not posted publicly on the win but her Twitter account retweeted the Court's press announcement:

Image Credits: Natasha Lomas/TechCrunch

Consumer groups and Google rivals were quick to welcome the Court's decision.

In a statement, Monique Goyens, the director general of BEUC, the European consumer organization, dubbed the ruling a "crucial" win for consumers:

Todays General Court ruling on Googles practices concerning Android is crucial because it confirms that Europes consumers must enjoy meaningful choice between search engines and browsers on their phones and tablets. The Court ruling makes clear that Google cannot abuse its strong market position to unfairly exclude competitors through a complex and illegal web of restrictions and requirements for phone manufacturers. The ruling will help to ensure that consumers can benefit from a more open and innovative digital environment," she said, adding: Googles restrictions harmed many millions of European consumers by depriving them of genuine choice and innovation for a decade. In practice, many European consumers had no alternative to using Googles search engine and Googles browser Chrome on their mobile devices. If they preferred, for example, to use more innovative and privacy-friendly services, Googles restrictions prevented them from doing so.

While Ecosia, the environmentally focused not-for-profit search engine that competes with Google search -- and has been a vocal critic of how the tech giant responded with skewed 'remedies' following the antitrust decision -- also welcomed the ruling, emphasizing how much marketshare Google still retains in the region.

Todays decision is a significant victory for the European Commission (EC) and is a continuation of a positive trend in Europe towards fairer competition in the online search market," said Sophie Dembinski, its head of public policy, in a statement. "Much remains to be done to bring about true fairness in the space -- Google still maintains a 96.6% market share on mobile devices in Europe, down only 0.3% since 2018 when this ruling was initially made -- thanks to the EC and European Parliaments heroic efforts with the Digital Markets Act, this ruling strengthens the EUs overall position as a leading regulatory force, capable of keeping up with fast-moving developments in the tech sector and taking the action necessary to hold tech giants accountable -- something which European consumers and businesses alike will benefit from.

The 2018 EU Android decision

The 2018 EU competition Commission decision against Android found Google had abused its dominant position by imposing anticompetitive contractual restrictions on manufacturers of mobile devices using its Android OS and on mobile network operators, in some cases since the start of 2011.

The three types of restrictions the Commission identified and sanctioned were found in contract clauses in distribution agreements: Those which required mobile device makers to pre-install Google Search and its Chrome browser apps in order to be able to obtain a licence from Google to use its app store -- the popular Play Store; certain 'anti-fragmentation' agreements Google imposed on device makers that wanted to pre-install Google Search and Play Store which required them to undertake not to sell devices running versions of the Android operating system not approved by Google; and those contained in revenue share agreements, under which a cut of Googles advertising revenue provided to device makers and mobile network operators was subject to their undertaking not to pre-install a competing general search service on a predefined portfolio of devices.

The Court did not agree with the Commission's assessment of the latter restriction being abusive, as noted above.

As well as being sanctioned with a massive fine for the breaches, Google was ordered four years ago to cease the infringements. However the bloc's competition regulator allowed the company to configure its own remedy. That resulted in several frustrating years for search competitors after Google started offering a choice screen to Android users in the EU but quickly moved to a paid auction model for assigning slots -- thereby, they argued, creating an unfairly skewed playing field which penalized smaller, less well-resourced competitors and not-for-profit players.

It was only after further pressure from the EU that Google agreed to drop the paid auction -- last year switching to a choice screen that's free for eligible participants.

At the same time it expanded the number of participants displayed, showing a 'top five' (determined by per market popularity but displayed in a randomized order -- so, of course, Google is always one of these top options given its regional marketshare.) -- after which, if the user chooses to keep scrolling, they can see up to seven further options (displayed in random order). If there are more than seven additional eligible options for the market Google says the choice of which it displays is also picked randomly.

The Court ruling largely upholding the EU's Android decision suggests these choice screens are here to stay. Plus, more such regulation-driven interventions look to be on the way in the EU as the bloc starts to enforce updated competition rules which will apply to the most powerful so-called "gatekeeper" platforms -- under the incoming Digital Markets Act (DMA). And it's certainly fair to say that EU lawmakers have taken their years of learnings from antitrust wrangles with Google -- baking them into the DMA's proactive operational rules which will be imposed on core platform services that fall in scope. So the legacy of Google's multiple antitrust enforcements will be a lasting one.

Antitrust activity dialing up across Europe

The EU's antitrust division has been very active in investigating Google over the past five+ years, landing a string of enforcements -- including a $2.7 billion fine related to shopping searches back in 2017 (which Google largely failed to overturn on appeal).

Google was also fined $1.7 billion in a case related to AdSense, its search ad brokering business, in 2019. (Its appeal there is ongoing.)

The competition Commission also has an ongoing probe into Google's adtech -- opened in June 2021. And, on Friday, Reuters reported that the EU had widened this investigation.

The bloc is also looking into an ad deal between Google and Facebook -- known as 'Jedi Blue.'

The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority has similar probes of Google's adtech ongoing too. As well as expressed concerns about the mobile duopoly -- one half of which is Google Android.

While Germany's antitrust scrutiny of the company -- which touches on a number of business fronts -- stepped up a gear at the start of this year when its regulator determined the tech giant falls under a special abuse controls regime brought in under a major reform of digital competition rules also aimed at proactively responding to tech giants' market muscle.

France has also been aggressive in probing a variety of competition concerns around Google. And this summer the company dropped an appeal against a major antitrust fine -- of well over half a billion dollars -- that France's competition watchdog hit it with in July 2021, related to breaches in how it negotiated terms with news publishers over copyright licensing.

All this regulatory activity is also leading to an uptick in regional antitrust litigation aimed at tech giants.
Google chief executive Sundar Pichai. Brandon Wade/Reuters

Google has lost its appeal against a landmark $4 billion antitrust fine in Europe.

The European Commission issued the fine in 2018 over the dominance of Android.

Google has been accused of forcing smartphone makers to preinstall its services.

Google will be forced to pay more than $4 billion to the European Union, after judges rejected the firm's appeal against a landmark 2018 antitrust fine.

The tech giant was fined by Europe's competition watchdog for abusing its dominant Android mobile operating system to cement the popularity of Google apps and services.

The EU has fined the tech giant over claims of anticompetitive behavior  involving search, shopping, and Android  three times in three years: first for $2.8 billion in 2017, again for $5 billion in 2018, and once more for $1.7 billion in 2019.

Today's decision from the European Court of Justice comes almost a year after the company lost another appeal against the $2.8 billion EU fine, under which Google was found to have promoted its own shopping service in its search results over competitors.

"The General Court largely confirms the Commission's decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators in order to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine," the court said.

The company did win a 5% reduction in the fine as a result of its appeal, but it remains the biggest antitrust fine given by Europe's competition regulator against a single firm  cementing the reputation of the European Union's competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, as Silicon Valley's policewoman.

Are you a current or former Google employee? Got a tip?

Contact Martin Coulter via email at mcoulter@insider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at +447801985586. Reach out using a non-work device.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and US State Department's Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Philip Reeker discussed the precarious situation and potential measures toward normalcy, Azernews reports via the ministry.

The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan is carrying out reconstruction works in the region in the post-conflict period and has come up with peace initiatives, thus it is uninterested in aggravating the situation.

He brought to the attention of the other side that it is important for Armenia to fulfill its obligations within the framework of the agreements reached, to completely withdraw the Armenian armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan, and to stop provocations.

Expressing concern over the tension on the border between the two countries, Reeker stressed the importance of stabilizing the situation.

He said that the US is in favor of resolving all disagreements through political and diplomatic channels and it is ready to support the normalization process by all means.

During the meeting, various aspects of the normalization process, necessary steps in this direction, and other issues of mutual interest were exchanged.

To recap, units of the Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in the Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions during the night of September 13. At night, Armenian sabotage groups mined land and supply roads linking the positions of the Azerbaijani army units in different directions, taking advantage of the area's steep topography and existing ravine gaps.

Clashes between the sides ensued as a result of the urgent efforts made by the Azerbaijani armed forces to quell these activities. As a result, 50 armed forces personnel, including 42 Azerbaijan Army servicemen and 8 State Border Service personnel were killed, the ministry detailed.

The Azerbaijan military units stationed in these areas took decisive retaliatory measures to suppress the provocations of the Armenian armed forces and military threats to Azerbaijan's territory and sovereignty, as well as to ensure the safety of military personnel, including civilian workers involved in infrastructure construction in Kalbajar and Lachin districts, the ministry emphasized.
London, England--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2022) - Irish conceptual artist Kevin Abosch has recently released an exclusive collaboration celebrating a crossroads of both tradition and technology. Partnering with UK-based CreativeWorkStudios and Dassai, a premium Japanese sake brand, in a unique collaboration that sees the creation of a series of unique digital artworks that also grant holders the ability to claim bottles of a very limited, exclusive, and premium Dassai run being specially produced for the initiative.





Kevin Abosch/Dassai/Creative Work Studios Image 1



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Kevin Abosch, born in 1969 in Los Angeles, is an Irish conceptual artist known for his works in photography, sculpture, installation, AI, blockchain and film. Abosch's work addresses the nature of identity and value by posing ontological questions and responding to sociologic dilemmas. He relates the theme of this work to the idea that people "are shaped by allegories. The stories that provide the essential scaffolding for moral and ethical culture are the blueprint for how we interact with one another".





Kevin Abosch/Dassai/Creative Work Studios Image 2



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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His work has been exhibited throughout the world, often in civic spaces, including The Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, The National Museum of China, The National Gallery of Ireland, Jeu de Paume (Paris), The Irish Museum of Modern Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina, The Bogota Museum of Modern Art, ZKM (Zentrum fur Kunst und Medien) and Dublin Airport.

"As an artist whose practice frequently involves collecting data of all varieties in the hope of distilling emotional value from it, I seek out allegories hidden in the midst of tremendous noise, not however with the goal of spinning up an intellectual interpretation, but rather in the hopes of stirring something within others within myself."

Story continues





Kevin Abosch/Dassai/Creative Work Studios Image 3



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Kevin Abosch/Dassai/Creative Work Studios Image 4



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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//CreativeWorkStudios., founded by London-based J.Harry Edmiston is a digital art studio and consultancy, connecting leading artists with global brands. It has organized major digital artwork initiatives, and its team has designed and developed digital campaigns for organizations such as CNN and CNBC.

Dassai is a series of sake produced by Asahi Shuzo, a brewery based in Yamaguchi Prefecture in the south of Honshu, Japan's main island. The name 'Dassai' reflects the ancient name for this region of Japan. The brewery's philosophy is founded on avoiding complacency to ensure that existing techniques are constantly reformed and revolutionized Asahi Shuzo pride themselves on brewing sake year-round - something often unheard of in the sake industry - using only the finest quality Yamada Nishiki rice across their sake range. Dassai is made using a careful combination of tradition and cutting-edge technology. At Asahi Shuzo, they have come to use what works and have left behind what does not, choosing what their experience dictates is best from both the old world and the new.





Kevin Abosch/Dassai/Creative Work Studios Image 5



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Kevin Abosch/Dassai/Creative Work Studios Image 6



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Published in partnership with Kevin Abosch, CreativeWorkStudios, and Dassai

SOURCE Kevin Abosch.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/137146
Straits Research - Market Research Strategy | Strategy Consulting | Business Research | Business Consulting | Market Research

The global LIDAR market size was valued at USD 1.42 billion in 2021. It is estimated to reach an expected value of USD 6.93 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 19.27% during the forecast period (20222030). North America's market is expected to govern a substantial market share in the global market.

New York, United States, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global market of LiDAR is projected to progress at a decent pace of growth, with significant growth is expected in the latter half of the forecast period. The benefits of LiDAR technology over conventional competitive technologies is the main reason behind the market development. Increased degree of fragmentation in the market and the emergence of technologies such as 4D radars with continuous signal transmission bolster its growth.

Efficiency in the operations, more accurate and precise calculations, time-saving and productive output generation are the advantages over other conventional surveying and assessment solutions, promoting the market's growth in the forecast years.





Get a Free Sample Copy of This Report @ https://straitsresearch.com/report/lidar-market/request-sample





Impact of Covid-19

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the companies' financial instability is expected to restrain these consumers from opting for the LiDAR products due to the high initial price of the LiDAR systems. The decrement in automobile manufacturing and decreasing demand for these vehicles to create a steep downfall for automobile vehicle sales till the time of resurgence by the end of 2021. These conditions will reduce the effect of growth perspectives that are expected to be generated by the adoption of LiDAR systems in ADAS and driverless cars .

Market Segmentation



The environment segment is expected to emerge as a leader in terms of market share hold by these segments. The ability to provide a more thorough and productive analysis regarding the forest coverage, vegetation characterization, density of the tree cover, and average height of the tree cover above ground offers growth for the market. The manual techniques for these applications are time-consuming, laborious, and based on approximations. The accurate, exact analysis covering a large amount of assessment area is the prime benefit of using the LiDAR system .

Story continues

Development of new advanced products with the consideration of cost-effectiveness and outcomes addressing the requirements of different applications to develop the market for LiDAR.





Report Scope

Report Metric Details Market Size USD 6.93 Billion by 2030 CAGR 19.27% (2022-2030) 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 Technology, Service, Component, Application, Regions Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, LAME and Rest of the World Key Companies Profiled/Vendors Trimble, Inc. (US), VelodyneLidar, Inc. (US), Sick AG (Germany), Valeo (France), Waymo(U.S.),TopCon(U.S.), Hexagon (Sweden), Teledyne Optech (Canada), RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH (Austria), Leosphere (Austria), Beijing SureStar Technology Co. Ltd. (China), Firmatek, LLC, Aerometric Surveys, among others Key Market Opportunities Requirement in Automotive OEMs Key Market Drivers The adoption of LIDAR systems amongst prominent sectors

Buy Now Full Report @ https://straitsresearch.com/buy-now/lidar-market





Regional Analysis

North America's market is expected to govern a substantial market share in the global market by adopting LiDAR systems in various applications and market entry of major technology development global companies. The increased competition in terms of the development of cost-effective solutions is also expected to develop the market.

The Asia-Pacific market is expected to develop as the most lucrative market on the back of established automotive manufacturing clusters of automobile manufacturers in the region. The increasing production in countries like China, India, and Japan developed markets in the ADAS segment in the latter half of the forecast period.





Key Highlights

The global LIDAR market size was valued at USD 1.42 billion in 2021. It is estimated to reach an expected value of USD 6.93 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 19.27% during the forecast period (20222030).

The environment segment is expected to emerge as a leader in terms of market share hold by these segments.

North America's market is expected to govern a substantial market share in the global market.





Key players in the global LiDAR market are

Trimble, Inc. (U.S.)

Velodyne Lidar Inc. (U.S.)

Sick AG (Germany)

Valeo (France)

Waymo (U.S.)

TopCon (U.S.)

Hexagon (Sweden)

Teledyne Optech (Canada)

RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH (Austria)

Leosphere (Austria)

Beijing SureStar Technology Co. Ltd. (China)

Firmatek LLC

Aerometric Surveys





LiDAR Market: Segmentation

By Technology

2D LiDAR

3D LiDAR

4D LiDAR

By service

Aerial surveying

Asset management

GIS services

Ground-based surveying

Other services

By component

Laser scanners

Navigation and positioning systems

Others

By application

Corridor mapping

Engineering

Environment

ADAS and driverless cars

Exploration

Urban planning

Cartography

Meteorology

Other applications

By Region

North America

Europe

The Middle East and Africa (MEA)

Asia-Pacific

Central and South America and the Caribbean





TABLE OF CONTENT

1 Introduction

1.1 Market Definition

1.2 Market Scope

2 Research Methodology

2.1 Primary Research

2.2 Research Methodology

2.3 Assumptions & Exclusions

2.4 Secondary Data Sources

3 Market Overview

3.1 Report Segmentation & Scope

3.2 Value Chain Analysis: LiDAR Market

3.3 Key Market Trends

3.3.1 Drivers

3.3.2 Restraints

3.3.3 Opportunities

3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis

3.4.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

3.4.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

3.4.3 Threat of Substitution

3.4.4 Threat of New Entrants

3.4.5 Competitive Rivalry

3.5 Impact of Corona on Market

3.6 Market Share Analysis

4 TechnologyOverview

4.1 Introduction

4.1.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

4.2 2D LiDAR

4.2.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

4.3 3D LiDAR

4.3.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

4.4 4D LiDAR

4.4.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

5 ServiceOverview

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

5.2 Aerial surveying

5.2.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

5.3 Asset management

5.3.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

5.4 GIS services

5.4.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

5.5 Ground-based surveying

5.5.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

5.6 Other services

5.6.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

6 Component Overview

6.1 Introduction

6.1.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

6.2 Laser scanners

6.2.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

6.3 Navigation and positioning systems

6.3.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

6.4 Others

6.4.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7 Application Overview

7.1 Introduction

7.1.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.2 Corridor mapping

7.2.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.3 Engineering

7.3.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.4 Environment

7.4.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.5 ADAS & driverless cars

7.5.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.6 Exploration

7.6.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.7 Urban planning

7.7.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.8 Cartography

7.8.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.9 Meteorology

7.9.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

7.10 Other applications

7.10.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

8 Regional Analysis

8.1 Introduction

6.1.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

8.2 North America

8.2.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

8.2.2 U.S.

8.2.2.1 By Technology

8.2.2.2 By Service

8.2.2.3 By Component

8.2.2.4 By Application

8.2.3 Canada

8.2.3.1 By Technology

8.2.3.2 By Service

8.2.3.3 By Component

8.2.3.4 By Application

8.2.4 Mexico

8.2.4.1 By Technology

8.2.4.2 By Service

8.2.4.3 By Component

8.2.4.4 By Application

8.3 Europe

8.3.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

8.3.2 Germany

8.3.2.1 By Technology

8.3.2.2 By Service

8.3.2.3 By Component

8.3.2.4 By Application

8.3.3 France

8.3.3.1 By Technology

8.3.3.2 By Service

8.3.3.3 By Component

8.3.3.4 By Application

8.3.4 U.K.

8.3.3.1 By Technology

8.3.3.2 By Service

8.3.3.3 By Component

8.3.3.4 By Application

8.3.5 Italy

8.3.5.1 By Technology

8.3.5.2 By Service

8.3.5.3 By Component

8.3.5.4 By Application

8.3.6 Spain

8.3.6.1 By Technology

8.3.6.2 By Service

8.3.6.3 By Component

8.3.6.4 By Application

8.3.7 Benelux

8.3.7.1 By Technology

8.3.7.2 By Service

8.3.7.3 By Component

8.3.7.4 By Application

8.3.8 Russia

8.3.8.1 By Technology

8.3.8.2 By Service

8.3.8.3 By Component

8.3.8.4 By Application

8.3.9 Rest of Europe

8.3.9.1 By Technology

8.3.9.2 By Service

8.3.9.3 By Component

8.3.9.4 By Application

8.4 Asia Pacific

8.4.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

8.4.2 Japan

8.4.2.1 By Technology

8.4.2.2 By Service

8.4.2.3 By Component

8.4.2.4 By Application

8.4.3 China

8.4.3.1 By Technology

8.4.3.2 By Service

8.4.3.3 By Component

8.4.3.4 By Application

8.4.4 Australia

8.4.4.1 By Technology

8.4.4.2 By Service

8.4.4.3 By Component

8.4.4.4 By Application

8.4.5 India

8.4.5.1 By Technology

8.4.5.2 By Service

8.4.5.3 By Component

8.4.5.4 By Application

8.4.6 South Korea

8.4.6.1 By Technology

8.4.6.2 By Service

8.4.6.3 By Component

8.4.6.4 By Application

8.4.7 Southeast Asia

8.4.7.1 By Technology

8.4.7.2 By Service

8.4.7.3 By Component

8.4.7.4 By Application

8.4.8 Taiwan

8.4.8.1 By Technology

8.4.8.2 By Service

8.4.8.3 By Component

8.4.8.4 By Application

8.4.9 Rest of Asia-Pacific

8.4.9.1 By Technology

8.4.9.2 By Service

8.4.9.3 By Component

8.4.9.4 By Application

8.5 MEA

8.5.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

8.5.2 Saudi Arabia

8.5.2.1 By Technology

8.5.2.2 By Service

8.5.2.3 By Component

8.5.2.4 By Application

8.5.3 South Africa

8.5.3.1 By Technology

8.5.3.2 By Service

8.5.3.3 By Component

8.5.3.4 By Application

8.5.4 UAE

8.5.4.1 By Technology

8.5.4.2 By Service

8.5.4.3 By Component

8.5.4.4 By Application

8.5.5 Egypt

8.5.5.1 By Technology

8.5.5.2 By Service

8.5.5.3 By Component

8.5.5.4 By Application

8.5.6 Rest of MEA

8.5.6.1 By Technology

8.5.6.2 By Service

8.5.6.3 By Component

8.5.6.4 By Application

8.6 South America

8.6.1 Market Size & Forecast, 2020-2030, (USD Million)

8.6.2 Brazil

6.6.2.1 By Technology

6.6.2.2 By Service

6.6.2.3 By Component

6.6.2.4 By Application

8.6.3 Argentina

6.6.3.1 By Technology

6.6.3.2 By Service

6.6.3.3 By Component

6.6.3.4 By Application

8.6.4 Chile

6.6.4.1 By Technology

6.6.4.2 By Service

6.6.4.3 By Component

6.6.4.4 By Application

8.6.5 Peru

8.6.5.1 By Technology

8.6.5.2 By Service

8.6.5.3 By Component

8.6.5.4 By Application

8.6.6 Rest of South America

8.6.6.1 By Technology

8.6.6.2 By Service

8.6.6.3 By Component

8.6.6.4 By Application

9 Company Profile

9.1 Trimble, Inc.

9.1.1 Company Overview

9.1.2 Financial Performance

9.1.3 Recent Developments

9.1.4 Product Portfolio

9.2 Velodyne Lidar, Inc.

9.2.1 Company Overview

9.2.2 Financial Performance

9.2.3 Recent Developments

9.2.4 Product Portfolio

9.3 Sick AG

9.3.1 Company Overview

9.3.2 Financial Performance

9.3.3 Recent Developments

9.3.4 Product Portfolio

9.4 Valeo

9.4.1 Company Overview

9.4.2 Financial Performance

9.4.3 Recent Developments

9.4.4 Product Portfolio

9.5 Waymo

9.5.1 Company Overview

9.5.2 Financial Performance

9.5.3 Recent Developments

9.5.4 Product Portfolio

9.6 TopCon

9.6.1 Company Overview

9.6.2 Financial Performance

9.6.3 Recent Developments

9.6.4 Product Portfolio

9.7 Hexagon

9.7.1 Company Overview

9.7.2 Financial Performance

9.7.3 Recent Developments

9.7.4 Product Portfolio

9.8 Teledyne Optech

9.8.1 Company Overview

9.8.2 Financial Performance

9.8.3 Recent Developments

9.8.4 Product Portfolio

9.9 RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems GmbH

9.9.1 Company Overview

9.9.2 Financial Performance

9.9.3 Recent Developments

9.9.4 Product Portfolio

9.10 Leosphere

9.10.1 Company Overview

9.10.2 Financial Performance

9.10.3 Recent Developments

9.10.4 Product Portfolio

9.11 Beijing SureStar Technology Co. Ltd.

9.11.1 Company Overview

9.11.2 Financial Performance

9.11.3 Recent Developments

9.11.4 Product Portfolio

9.12 Firmatek LLC

9.12.1 Company Overview

9.12.2 Financial Performance

9.12.3 Recent Developments

9.12.4 Product Portfolio





Table of Content and Figure @ https://straitsresearch.com/report/lidar-market/toc





News Media

Waymo To Sell LIDAR Sensors To Cut Down Cost Of Self Driving Cars

Solid-State LiDAR Technology Are Gaining Traction to Complement Autonomous Vehicles & Sensor Fusion





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Vehicle Camera Market : Information by Vehicle Type (Passenger Vehicles), Camera Type (Infrared), Application (Blind Spot Detection, Other ADAS Systems), and RegionForecasted till 2030

Smart Fleet Management Market : Information by Modes of Transportation (Roadways, Marine), Operation (Private, Commercial), Application (Tracking, ADAS), and Regions-Forecast till 2030

Industrial Laser Systems Market : Information by Laser (Fiber, Solid-state, CO2), Application (Cutting, Welding, Marking, Drilling), End-User (Automotive), and Region  Forecast till 2030





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Quince Market Insights

Medical Image Analysis Software Market by Type (Standalone), Images (2D, 3D, 4D), Modality (CT, MRI, PET, Ultrasound), Application (Orthopedic, Dental, Oncology, Nephrology), End User (Hospital, Diagnostic Centre, Research), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America), Industry Trends, Market Size and Forecasting to 2032

Pune, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Medical Image Analysis Software Market includes a global opportunity analysis and industry forecasts for the period 2023-2032. The global market was valued at USD 3.19 Billion in 2022, registering a CAGR of 8.35% from 2023 to 2032. The base year considered for the study is 2021, and the forecast has been provided for the period, 2023 to 2032.

Creating a visual representation of a body for use in clinical analysis and medical intervention is referred to as medical imaging. The scanning programme creates photos that are then evaluated after being stored in the computer's memory. The analysis is a procedure to improve the quantitative and image quality. Computer-aided diagnosis, as well as data-driven, optimal image registration and segmentation, are used to carry out the analysis.

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Deep learning techniques are used by medical image analysis software to read and assess images. Because it can sort through hundreds of photos at once, it can manage heavy workloads.

The two main components of medical image analysis software are PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems), which are used to examine, store, and distribute images; and RIS (Radiology Information System), which manages patient information. This programme is employed in the fields of dentistry, orthopaedics, neurology, gynaecology, and respiratory medicine. Intersecting computers, information engineering, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, and medicine, medical image computing (MIC) is an interdisciplinary field. In this area, computational and mathematical tools are developed to address issues with medical pictures and their application to clinical treatment and biological research. Extraction of therapeutically pertinent knowledge or information from medical images is the major objective of MIC. Although closely related to the field of medical imaging, MIC's primary objective is the computer analysis of the images rather than their capture.

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Impact Of Covid-19 On The Medical Image Analysis Software Back Market:

The market for medical image analysis software has been badly impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Government agencies from all around the world are concentrating on containing COVID-19 with strict measures, such as social exclusion, statewide lockdowns, and extensive quarantine to stop the coronavirus's spread. The clinic appointments were either cancelled or delayed as a result of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 outbreak, which in turn hindered the market's expansion.

Through cloud-based PACS, radiologists and doctors can access diagnoses, reports, and images from anywhere thanks to cloud-based workstations and mobile applications. As a result, it allows radiologists and doctors to treat patients effectively while reducing the likelihood that they will spread or catch COVID-19.

The widespread usage of radiology in hospitals has expanded as a result of COVID-19's ability to image infectious diseases and the lungs all over the world.

The global supply chain disruption has an impact on how medical image analysis software is distributed. As a result, the market for medical image analysis software is directly impacted by this disruption in corporate operations.

Medical Image Analysis Software Market, By Type:

It is projected that standalone platforms will continue to expand steadily. These platforms are more affordable and user-friendly than integrated solutions. Researchers employ these tools, which provide additional information and features, to exchange and access research data and analysis, improving their capacity to identify, study, monitor, and treat illnesses. For instance, View Point 6 (for MFM) by GE Healthcare is a standalone programme made specifically for managing and reporting on ultrasound images.

Medical Image Analysis Software Market, By Images:

The 4D imaging market share was greater than 45 percent in 2021, representing the largest market share. As a result of technological improvements in 4D imaging technology, which allow for efficient and accurate real-time visualisation of the human body and eliminate distortion in operations, this market segment is anticipated to continue its leadership position throughout the forecast period. Using real-time movement, 4D imaging is a 3-dimensional image analysis.

Due to the rising usage of these technologies, the markets for 3D and 4D imaging software solutions are predicted to rise at profitable rates during the projected period. Additionally, the adoption of various computer-aided diagnosis methods has resulted from a shift in focus to provide superior treatment, which is further fueling market expansion.

Medical Image Analysis Software Market, By Modality:

The global market has been further segmented based on modalities into tomography, ultrasound imaging, radiographic imaging, and mixed modalities. Due to its cost-effectiveness, the tomography category accounted for the largest percentage of global sales (33.1%) in 2021.

CT scanners with a dual source and AI capabilities are anticipated to be significant market turning points. In the upcoming years, it is projected that the release of cutting-edge devices would increase demand for CT imaging software. For instance, in June 2019, ClariPiInc got FDA approval for their "ClariCT.AI" AI-enabled CT scanner. Revenues for radiographic systems came next.

Medical Image Analysis Software Market, By Application:

In 2021, the cardiology market accounted for the largest share of global revenue, accounting for more than 20% of total revenue. The increasing frequency of cardiovascular and congenital heart conditions and government support to increase treatment accessibility are credited with the surge.

The U.S. FDA approved the marketing of software in February 2020 to aid medical practitioners in acquiring cardiac ultrasound or echocardiogram pictures. The programme, dubbed Caption Guidance, is a supplement to compatible diagnostic ultrasound devices and makes use of artificial intelligence to assist the user in obtaining cardiac images of a patient that are of normal diagnostic quality.

Medical Image Analysis Software Market, By End User:

The global market has been divided into hospitals, diagnostic facilities, ambulatory surgical centres (ASCs), and others based on end users. In 2021, the hospital sector had the biggest revenue share of more than 36,000%, and it will continue to have a commanding position throughout the projection period. Supportive infrastructure, which is essential for carrying out surgical operations using medical imaging software, is one of the main elements promoting the segment's growth. Hospitals have a larger installed base of diagnostic imaging equipment and solutions than research and diagnostic facilities. Patients are also coming in at a relatively higher rate. The end-use segment remains in the lead as a result.

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Global Medical Image Analysis Software Market, Based On Regional Analysis:

North America dominated the market in 2021, accounting for more than 37% of global revenue. The existence of well-established healthcare facilities with cutting-edge diagnostic technology and supportive government actions to encourage the adoption of healthcare IT in this region are credited with this increase. Additionally, rising R&D expenditures and the existence of significant market participants are fostering regional market expansion.

To increase patient access on a global scale, MIM Software Inc. published a collaboration with Genesis Care, a supplier of integrated cancer care globally. Over 400,000 patients are treated for cancer by Genesis Care's clinical staff at more than 440 facilities in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Spain. Thus, such measures are anticipated to help the expansion of the regional market.

Recent Developments In The Global Medical Image Analysis Software Market:

In 2022 - In order to grow its international X-ray business, Canon Medical Systems signed a contract to buy the Danish company Nordisk Rontgen Teknik.

In 2022 - The DRX compass, a precise, practical, and customizable digital radiology solution created to give radiologists a new level of efficiency, was introduced by Carestream Health. The DRX compass's picture view software allows improved cybersecurity.

Some Key Points Of The Medical Image Analysis Software Market Report Are:

An in-depth global Medical Image Analysis Software market analysis by the segments, along with an analysis of trend-based insights and factors.

Major companies operating in the global Medical Image Analysis Software market, which include AGFA Healthcare (Belgium), AQUILAB (France), Carestream Health, Inc. (US), Esaote S.p.A (Italy), GE Healthcare (US), Image Analysis (UK), INFINITT Healthcare Co, Ltd. (South Korea), Merge Healthcare, Inc. (US), MIM Software Inc. (US), Mirada Medical Limited (UK), Philips Healthcare (Netherlands), ScienceSoft USA Corporation (US), Siemens Healthineers (Germany), Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Japan), and Xinapse Systems Ltd. (UK).

Key impact factor analysis across regions that includes analysis, along with the drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges that are prevailing in the global Medical Image Analysis Software market.

Impact of COVID-19 on the global Medical Image Analysis Software market.

Find more insights on this topic from this report, Medical Image Analysis Software Market, by Type (Standalone), by Images (2D, 3D, 4D), Modality (CT, MRI, PET, Ultrasound), by Application (Orthopedic, Dental, Oncology, Nephrology), by End User (Hospital, Diagnostic Centre, Research), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America)-, Industry Trends, Market Size and Forecasting to 2032

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Netflix

Little Women adaptations have long graced the stage and screen, each version playing with various elements of Louisa May Alcotts famous novel. Some, like the beloved 1994 movie and the BBCs 2017 Maya Hawke-led serial, have been more faithful to the source text. Others, like Greta Gerwigs 2019 film, interweave moments from the novels two volumes to tell a more profound story. Clare Niederpruems 2018 movie modernizes the work; Kate Hamills 2018 play revolutionizes it; the 1933 film simplifies it.

With so many versions, we could learn a lot about one another by asking, Which Little Women is your Little Women?

What the Little Women Outrage Is Conveniently Missing

But no adaptation has pushed past the original text quite like director Kim Hee-wons TV series, which premiered earlier this month. It will cover the novel across 12 episodes, a new one dropping each Saturday and Sunday on Netflix until Oct. 9. The show thrusts Alcotts novel into modern South Korea, placing its version of the March sisters into a melange of embezzlement, murder, and high-society drama. The result is an entertaining mystery thats surely worth a watchif you leave your preconceived notions about Little Women at the door.

The series follows the impoverished Oh sisters, namely the older duo In-joo (Kim Go-eun) and In-kyung (Nam Ji-hyun), as they struggle to provide a better life for their younger sister In-hye (Park Ji-hu). Their father lives in the Philippines, leaving behind a horde of debts for the sisters to pay off. Mother Ahn Hee-yeon (Park Ji-young) helps, but shes notably bitter about giving up her life to raise kids. Instead, she longs to leave South Korea and travel abroad. When In-joo and In-kyung surprise In-hye with money to go on her prestigious art schools Europe trip, Hee-yeon gets her chance. She steals the familys money, ditches her daughters, and flees to meet her husband in the Philippines.

In the aftermath, In-joo vows to fund In-hyes Europe trip, getting a personal loan from her coworker, Jin Hwa-young (Choo Ja-hyun). Like In-joo, Hwa-young is treated like an outcast at work for being poor, but In-joo begins to suspect that Hwa-young may be more familiar with a sophisticated lifestyle than shes letting on. When In-joo later finds her friend dead, supposedly from suicide, she questions just who exactly Hwa-young wasand who she was associated with. Even more shocking is a missing 70 billion won, which the company suspects Hwa-young stole. But the company doesnt know that Hwa-young secretly left 2 billion of it to In-joo.

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Netflix

Just from that recap, this K-drama might already raise some eyebrows for Alcott fans. (Side note: Im not quite sure what to call Little Women fans. The Little Women or Little Women Army come to mind.) This is a wildly different show than what the Little Women Army may have been anticipating. Marmee isnt the Marmee we know, the story is more whodunit than coming-of-age, and a living a double life trope gets shoehorned into the final moments of episode one.

But its to the shows benefit that Kim, best-known for her 2021 series Vincenzo, has upended expectations. By playing with beloved characters and tossing much of the novels plot out, shes created a Little Women take thats fresh and innovative.

One of Kims other immediately noticeable changes is the presence of only three March sisters rather than the traditional four, and theyre several years older than their novel counterparts. In-joos the eldest, a divorcee and bookkeeper at a powerful corporation. Kim brings a sort of whimsy and giddiness in her portrayal, exuding a combination of both of Megs sensibility and Amys materialism. In-hye, meanwhile, is strongly reminiscent of Jo. The tomboyish journalist has a strong moral compass, which conflicts with her job requirements to maintain composure while reporting on the latest tragedies. Park does sharp work here, hiding her emotions, and the characters alcoholism, behind stoicismbefore showing a few cracks in her demeanor. And Little Women shapes In-hye after Beth and Amy, creating a volatile and moody youngest sibling.

In-hye plays a special role in the series, connecting all of the sisters distinct plots. While In-joo investigates Shin Hyun-min (Oh Jung-se), the company director who was supposedly having an affair with Hwa-young, and In-kyung follows a lead involving Park Jae-sang (Um Ki-joon), a wealthy attorney and candidate for mayor of Seoul, In-hye is sort of caught in the middle. She befriends Parks daughter, creating tension and forcing her sisters to reconsider how they go about their investigations. When theyre all in the same room, its unclear who knows what and who did what to whom.

Netflix

Each hour-long episode fits squarely within the suspense genre, hitting beats and tropes that may feel familiar to anyone whos read a classic detective novel or watched a recent procedural show. Its often easy to see where the screenplays taking us and when shocking reveals will come. But thats not to say that everything in Little Women is predictable. In episode three, we discover that the Ohs did have a fourth sister, who died as an infant from a terminal heart condition. Its shocking when In-hye develops that same illness, putting her in the hospital for a bit and nearly killing her.

Predictability isnt necessarily a bad thing, either. Early into Director Shins inquiry into the missing 70 million won, we meet Choi Do-il (Wi Ha-joon), an executive who seems to be aligned with Shin and Park. It quickly becomes obvious that hes helping In-joo while also developing some sort of a romance with her. The will they or wont they arc goes on as expected, but the potential for a steamy romance is happily welcomed. Wi, who gained international stardom from his recent role in Squid Game, is somehow more handsome in Little Women. His swooping hair and brooding demeanor make him the perfect love interest.

Netflixs Money Heist: Korea Is Squid Game Meets a Cheesy Heist Movie

Regardless of how faithful this series is to the trappings of suspenseful TV, its clearly divergent from its source material. Kim does, though, explore one particular core issue from Alcotts work: poverty. In this series, money rules lives and determines fates. Stacks of cash fill frames, practically overwhelming anything else in the shot. Characters are defined by what they wear, and where they dine, shop, and lounge. Everyone talks about wanting a nose joba funny reference to Amys desire for a more aristocratic nose. Even the clinking sounds of coins fill the score.

The series pointed commentary on class calls back to the economic struggles of the March family and their relationships to richer households. But it takes the March familys poverty to another level, pushing the sisters into desperation. In-joo dreams of using the 2 billion won to buy an apartment and keep her family safe from everything. In-hye tells her sisters she would sell her body and soul to the Parks for their lavish lifestyle. The sisters great aunt Oh Hae-seok (Kim Mi-sook)whos by far the most similar to the character shes based on, the perfectly unfeeling Aunt Marchbelieves that capitalism is purely a psychological game of risk and reward.

The modernization of these issues is the strongest thread between Kims series and Alcotts novel. But even the class conflicts are more sensational and depraved than anything Alcott could have dreamed of. While all these changes might make the show Little Women-inspired than an actual adaptation, it nevertheless breathes new life into the classic coming-of-age antics. What we have here is a sort of Alcott-Agatha Christie-K-drama amalgamation thats worth the watch so far, evenmaybe especially!for die-hard Little Women fans.

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LIMA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - A group of Peruvian indigenous communities blocked a key copper transport road on Wednesday, a mining source and a community leader separately told Reuters, in protest over the planned expansion of a mine owned by Glencore in the country's Andean region.

Peru is the world's No. 2 copper producer. The highway, known as the mining corridor, is used by Glencore's Antapaccay as well as other key mines, including MMG Ltd's Las Bambas and Hudbay's Constancia.

The road, most of which is not paved, is a hotspot of social conflicts. Impoverished communities along the way have long said that mining has not improved their quality of life.

Flavio Huanque, the community leader in Espinar province who confirmed the blockade, said residents were demanding that Energy and Mines Minister Alessandra Herra and the state carry out a consultation with the communities, in accordance with Peruvian regulations. The Antapaccay mine is located in Espinar province. (Reporting by Marco Aquino and Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Leslie Adler)
/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

SASKATOON, SK, Sept. 14, 2022 /CNW/ - Royal Helium Ltd. (TSXV: RHC) ("Royal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of the Company's annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") which was held today. All matters presented to shareholders for approval as set out in the Company's notice of meeting and management information circular dated September 14, 2022 (the "Circular") were approved by an overwhelming majority of the votes cast for the Meeting. Resolutions approved were to fix the number of directors of the Company at seven, the appointment of KPMG LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants as auditors of Royal, the approval of the Company's stock option plan in accordance with TSX Venture Exchange Policy 4.4  Security Based Compensation and the approval of amendments to the articles of Royal. The voting results for the election of the directors of the Company were as follows:

Royal Helium Ltd. Logo (CNW Group/Royal Helium Ltd.)

Director Votes For # Votes For % Withheld Votes Withheld % Andrew Davidson 25,026,020 97.59 618,412 2.45 John Pringle 25,465,081 99.30 179,351 0.71 Jeffrey Sheppard 25,392,491 99.02 251,941 1.00 Martin Wood 25,459,677 99.28 184,755 0.73 Sylvain Laberge 25,398,802 99.04 245,630 0.97 R. Campbell Becher 25,460,444 99.28 183,988 0.73 Samuel Kyler Hardy 25,148,029 98.06 496,403 1.96

Voting results for the other items of business at the Meeting, all as more particular described in the Circular, were as follows:



Votes For # Votes For % Against Votes Against % Fixing Number of Directors at Seven 25,544,129 99.61 100,303 0.40 Approval of Stock Option Plan 24,051,951 93.79 1,592,481 6.30 Amendment to the Company's Articles 24,506,938 99.44 137,494 0.54

Votes For # Votes For % Withheld Votes Withheld % Appointment of Auditors 27,697,622 99.75 70,497 0.26

Andrew Davidson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Royal comments, "We would like to thank the shareholders for their overwhelming support at today's Meeting. We look forward to an exciting year ahead as we transition from a helium exploration company to a truly integrated helium exploration, production and sales company."

Filing of Shelf Prospectus

Royal announces that it has filed a preliminary short form base shelf prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada, except the Province of Quebec.

The shelf prospectus will, subject to regulatory requirements and approval, provide for the potential offering in Canada of up to an aggregate of CAD$200 million of Royal's common shares, debt securities, subscription receipts and units from time to time over a 25-month period after applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities have issued a receipt for the final short form base shelf prospectus.

The shelf prospectus is being filed to provide Royal the flexibility to take advantage of financing opportunities from time to time and as market conditions dictate. The terms of such future offerings, if any, will be established at the time of such offerings. At the time any of the securities covered by the shelf prospectus are offered for sale, a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of any such offering will be filed with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities and is also subject to TSX Venture Exchange review and acceptance.

About Royal Helium Ltd.

Royal controls over 1,000,000 acres of prospective helium land across southern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta. All of Royal's lands are in close vicinity to highways, roads, cities and importantly, close to existing oil and gas infrastructure, with a significant portion of its land in close proximity to existing helium producing locations. With stable, rising prices and limited, non-renewable sources for helium worldwide, Royal intends to become a leading North American producer of this high value commodity. Royal's helium reservoirs are carried primarily with nitrogen. Nitrogen is not considered a greenhouse gas ("GHG") and therefore has a low GHG footprint when compared to other jurisdictions that rely on large scale natural gas production for helium extraction. Helium extracted from wells in Saskatchewan and Alberta can be up to 99% less carbon intensive than helium extraction processes in other jurisdictions.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

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.

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.

SOURCE Royal Helium Ltd.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/14/c6515.html
Former Assistant to CEO Angela Brown, Rita Kumaravel Climbs the Savvy Cleaner Ladder

Savvy Cleaner's Rita Kumaravel Advances to Director of Operations

Savvy Cleaner's Rita Kumaravel Advances to Director of Operations

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Savvy Cleaner and CEO Angela Brown would like to introduce Rita Kumaravel as Director of Operations. Having been with the company producing the Ask a House Cleaner show and podcast since 2021, Kumaravel was previously Assistant to Brown.

Graduating During a Global Pandemic

According to Shawn VanDerziel, executive director of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, "The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant effect on the job market for the Class of 2020, and our report illustrates that. In terms of employment within six months of graduation, 2020 graduates had the worst outcomes since we began tracking with the class of 2014."

Graduating from USC Columbia with a degree in Public Health in 2020, Rita Kumaravel saw firsthand the toll COVID was taking on the workforce. "After graduation, I was in for a shock. I was applying for positions while managing a local coffee shop," Kumaravel stated. "Once I joined the Savvy Cleaner team, there was no stopping me."

Growing Up Rita Kumaravel

Born in California after her parents migrated from Malaysia, Rita Kumaravel moved all over the country, finally laying roots in North Carolina when she was 5. Kumaravel described her family as close-knit, having her parents, one younger sister, and her cats Mochi and Midnight.

While at USC, Kumaravel filled the position of Managing Editor of The Daily Gamecock from 2016-2020 where she covered BLM protests and other hot topics. She was instrumental in promoting a more extensive conversation at the University of South Carolina about mental health on campus. "When I believe in something, I put my heart and soul into my work, and I believe in Angela Brown and the Savvy Cleaner team. I am excited to start my new position," beamed Kumaravel.

About Savvy Cleaner

Savvy Cleaner (https://savvycleaner.com) is a training and certification program for house cleaners and maids. Savvy Cleaner started the Ask a House Cleaner show on YouTube in 2017 to raise the standards of house cleaning through proper training, tools, and techniques.

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Contact:

Heather Shelton

Publicist

Savvy Cleaner

980-254-0900

media@savvycleaner.com

https://savvycleaner.com

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Image 1: Savvy Cleaner's Rita Kumaravel Advances to Director of Operations





Savvy Cleaner's Rita Kumaravel Advances to Director of Operations









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Attachment




SHANGRAO, China, September 14, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Under the guidance of China Tourist Attractions Association, with the sponsorship of Wuyuan County Peoples Government (Wuyuan National Rural Tourism Resort Experimental Zone Management Committee) and Shangrao City Cultural, Radio and Tourism Bureau, and organized by Wuyuan County Cultural, Radio and Tourism Bureau and Wuyuan Huangling Cultural Tourism Co. LTD, the Second International Village Chiefs Summit, kicked off in Huangling on Sept 7th.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005909/en/

The Second International Village Chiefs Summit successfully held in Huangling, Wuyuan (Photo: Business Wire)

On the theme of "Tourism Recover  Famous Villages First", both online and on-site participants engaged in discussions about the development of rural tourism with special features, and the measures to re-boost tourism in the context of the pandemic.

At the summit, a friendly village relationship is forged between Huangling village, Yuanjia village, Xiaogan village, Lujia village, Chongdugou village, Mazhuang village, Daji village, Pinglin village, Yashan village and Jianyantou village (Zhou Family Courtyard). Meanwhile, Chinas Huangling Village signed friendship village agreements with Barbizon and Auvers-sur-Oise in France, and awarded MR. Edo Anceaux a certificate of honor who is the representative of the UNESCO Werelderfgoed Kinderdijk in the Netherlands.

Special guest of the summit, Hans Doets, former director of tourism in the Hague, Netherlands, said in the meeting through Zoom meeting: "Following the trend of enhancing exchanges between China and the west, I hope more renowned European villages can join in our solid collaboration and work more closely through this summit. I also look forward to visiting China again!"

Edo Anceaux from Kinderdijk introduced how this windmill village in Netherlands navigates through the Covid outbreak. As more tourists now select villages as their destinations instead of cities, a new opportunity has emerged. It is high time to set up basic principles to guide the recovery of village tourism, develop action guides to cope with the influence of the pandemic, and explore international cooperation and favorable policies. This will promote the innovation in products, services and business modes in the tourism industry.

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Through this successful summit, renowned tourist villages shared individual experiences that are valuable to villages around the world. It was a platform that enhanced cooperation and exchange. Insights from these village chiefs are incomparable assets contributing to the development of rural economy in the post-pandemic era, as well as the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw6aRS8rPZU

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220914005909/en/

Contacts

Media

Jinzhong Cao

Wuyuan Huangling Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd

http://www.wyhl.cc/site/wyhl_sj/index.shtml

caojz888666@163.com
Sunwing Vacations Inc.

Plus, the tour operator returns to the popular vacation destinations of Orlando and Miami

Sunwing announces Melbourne as a brand-new destination

Customers can return to Floridas Sunshine State this winter

TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For years, Sunwing has brought Canadians to Floridas Sunshine State to experience its tropical-like climate and attractive offerings. This winter, the tour operator is thrilled to announce the addition of Melbourne, a brand-new destination along the south of Floridas Space Coast offering more sun, beach and out-of-this-world exploration.



The tour operator will also be returning to two beloved destinations in the United States this winter with multiple direct flights from Toronto and Montreal, including Orlando, one of Floridas greatest attractions, and Miami, a popular vacation destination for city exploration and cruise departures.

This winter, were thrilled to be returning to Florida with Melbourne as our newest destination offering for Sunwing customers, said Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing. In addition to the desirable destinations of Orlando and Miami, theres much to explore along Floridas Space Coast with beautiful beaches, a historic downtown core and nearby attractions, plus easy access to Port Canaveral for winter cruise sailings. Given the incredible customer demand for sun vacations this winter, we look forward to bringing more customers to Melbourne to experience its family-friendly charm.

We are incredibly excited about the new service being offered by Sunwing as it opens up an important market for us, said Peter Cranis, Executive Director, Space Coast Office of Tourism. No other country brings more visitors to our region than Canada, and now we have a great opportunity to serve them well as they choose the Space Coast for their winter vacations. We look forward to a long-lasting partnership with Sunwing and introducing Canadians to all that Melbourne has to offer.

In Melbourne, or The Harbour City, travellers can enjoy the sun and sand at Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and Melbourne Beach, home to one of the worlds most significant Sea Turtle nesting habitats, or tour the local culture in Melbournes historic downtown centre with authentic cuisine, famed mural art, shopping and street festivals.

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Travellers can also sample fresh seafood in Port Canaveral, tour the Grapefruit Trails in Palm Bay or interact with over 900 animals at Brevard Zoo. Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex, one of Floridas most popular attractions an hour outside of Melbourne, offers up-close views of Space Shuttle Atlantis, life-sized Mars rover replicas and NASA rockets. Vacationers can also drive to Orlando for a day of fun at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

The exciting announcement of our partnership with Melbourne Orlando International Airport and Floridas Space Coast Office of Tourism comes at a crucial time when demand for holiday and winter travel is at an all-time high, added Eric Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Partner Development for Sunwing. Following the recent expansion to the passenger terminal in Melbourne, our customers can enjoy a seamless vacation experience from beginning to end and enjoy their travels in Melbourne with ease. With even more opportunities to discover Florida this winter, were confident Melbourne will become a new favourite for Canadians.

We are delighted to welcome Sunwing Airlines to Melbourne Orlando International Airport, said MLB Executive Director Greg Donovan. A.A.E. The addition of Sunwing to our expanding list of air service partners is an incredible win for MLB and the greater Central Florida community. Through this new partnership, we are providing new international air service options, linking our convenient hometown airport with three major Canadian cities and welcoming thousands of travellers directly to our coastal gateway to Central Florida. Its the perfect opportunity to connect visitors, relatives and family.

Whether extending their getaway or stopping in to set sail, Sunwing vacationers can embark on their winter cruise sailings from Port Canaveral and soon book Norwegian Cruise Line Escape for January 2023 departures, visiting exciting ports of call from the Bahamas to the British Virgin Islands, with a range of fun-filled amenities on board.

With a number of hotels coming soon to destination, Sunwing customers can book the Sunshine State for winter travel starting November 1, 2022 with weekly direct flights on board Sunwing Airlines, including:

Between Toronto and Orlando, daily starting November 1, 2022

Between Toronto and Melbourne, Saturdays and Wednesdays starting December 10, 2022

Between Toronto and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022

Between Winnipeg and Melbourne, Saturdays starting December 10, 2022

Between Montreal and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022

Between Halifax and Melbourne, Fridays starting February 10, 2023

About Sunwing

The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing has more flights to the south than any other leisure carrier with convenient direct service from airports across Canada to popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations as well as cruise packages and seasonal domestic flight service. Sunwing customers benefit from the assistance of the companys own knowledgeable destination representatives, who greet them upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. The company supports the communities where it operates through the Sunwing Foundation, a charitable initiative focused on the support and development of youth and humanitarian aid.

For more information:

Melanie Anne Filipp

Director, Corporate Communications & Media Relations

Sunwing Travel Group

1-800-387-5602 | media@sunwing.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b94f0256-23e0-46d1-95bf-2630af3a2a9e




By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Baku has called on Yerevan to halt its destructive activities and adhere to the humanitarian truce, Azernews reports, citing the Foreign Ministry.

We call on Armenia to refrain from its destructive activities and observe the humanitarian ceasefire. Peace in the region is only possible on the basis of strict adherence to international law, the ministry said in a statement.

The military provocations launched by the Armenian armed forces against Azerbaijan are underway from September 12, despite international pleas and the parties' ceasefire agreement, the ministry underlined.

The Azerbaijani defense ministry reports of the Azerbaijani Army's retaliatory measures against legitimate military targets, it added.

Committed to international humanitarian law and humanism, Azerbaijani has declared its willingness to hand over bodies of Armenian soldiers, who committed sabotage against the country's territorial integrity, and has duly informed the International Committee of the Red Cross of its intention.

Armenia's refusal to stop provocative acts and artillery strikes on Azerbaijani troops reveals its intent to aggravate the situation in the region, the ministry stressed.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva commented on the Indian Foreign Ministry's statement over recent regional tension, Azernews reports.

"The statement of the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the current tension in the South Caucasus doesn't make clear who is exactly called the aggressor. We can comment on the matter if it becomes clear who is specifically called the aggressor in the statement," Abdullayeva said.

India has seen reports of attacks along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and calls upon the aggressor side to immediately cease hostilities, Indian Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in response to media queries.

"We have seen reports of attacks along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including targeting of civilian settlements and infrastructure on 12/13 September 2022. We call upon the aggressor side to immediately cease hostilities. We believe that bilateral disputes should be settled through diplomacy and dialogue. There can be no military solution to any conflict. We encourage both sides to pursue talks to arrive at a lasting and peaceful solution, he said.
(Adds Umm Slal, removes Maran Gas Delphi and Arctic Princess) Sept 14 (Reuters) - The following liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are expected to arrive in Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands in the coming weeks. Estimated arrival dates, often revised by port authorities and AIS Live ship-tracking data on Refinitiv Eikon, are updated below. Some tankers heading for Belgium and Britain may be loading at the terminal. Those expected to load are indicated with an (L). Those likely to perform ship-to-ship transfers are indicated with (STS). Tankers that have docked are indicated with (A). For the Reuters LNG guide, click here: LNG TANKER CAPACITY in EXPECTED ARRIVAL FROM PORT cubic metres BRITAIN Cool Runner 158,000 Sept. 17 United States South Hook Umm Slal 261,000 Sept. 21 Qatar Milford Haven Gaslog HongKong 174,000 Sept. 22 United States Isle of Grain Golar Penguin 155,000 Sept. 22 United States Dragon Al Mafyar 261,000 Sept. 23^ Qatar South Hook BW Pavilion Leeara 162,000 Sept. 25 United States Isle of Grain BW Pavilionaranthera 171,000 Sept. 30 United States Isle of Grain Golar Glacier 162,000 Oct. 10 United States South Hook BELGIUM Al Mafyar 261,000 Sept. 20^ Qatar Zeebrugge Simaisma 143,000 Sept. 25 Qatar Zeebrugge Al Sheehaniya 206,000 Sept. 30 Qatar Zeebrugge NETHERLANDS Gaslog Wellington 174,000 Sept. 13 (A) United States Gate Flex Ranger 174,000 Sept. 14 Egypt Gate Elisa Larus 174,000 Sept. 16 United States Gate SK Resolute 180,000 Sept. 21 United States Gate British Listener 174,000 Sept. 23 United States Gate Maria Energy 174,000 Sept. 23 United States Gate Sources: Ports, AIS Live ship tracking, Refinitiv Eikon data. (^) Partial unload (*) Arrival date estimated based on flows data (Reporting By Susanna Twidale)
Company Logo

Thai Automobile Market

Thai Automobile Market

Dublin, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Research Report on Thailand's Automobile Industry, 2022-2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Automobile production will continue to grow in Thailand from 2022 to 2031.

Thailand's automobile industry originated in the early 1970s. With its superior geographic location and government support, Thailand has become the largest automobile producer in Southeast Asia, and is called the Detroit of Asia. Automobile manufacturing has long been the pillar industry of the Thai economy. In 2021, the output value of automobile manufacturing accounted for more than 10% of Thailand's GDP.

From 2011 to 2012, the Thai government implemented the First-Time Buyer Program to encourage automobile consumption, which led to rapid growth in automobile production and sales. However, the automobile production volume dropped by 25.77% in 2014 after the program expired. Despite steady growth, it failed to recover to 2.53 million units in 2013.

The sales declined from 2013 to 2016, and rebounded to 873,000 units till 2017. In 2020, due to the impact of COVID-19, annual sales fell 21.4% to 792,146 units, and continued to fall to 762,217 units in 2021. Thailand's automotive industry is export-oriented. In the past five years, over 1 million automobiles were exported to ASEAN countries, Australia, the Middle East and Europe every year. The import volume is less. However, the import tariff on automobiles is expected to be lowered as Thailand signs more free trade agreements in recent years.



Over the years, the Thai government has introduced a series of policies to attract foreign investment. The automobile manufacturers in Thailand are mainly Japanese and US companies. The massive competitors and fierce competition make the market perfectly competitive. Compared with other Southeast Asian countries, Thailand has a developed auto parts industry and a large number of auto parts suppliers. However, it still needs to import key auto parts.

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There are many automobile brands in Thailand, including Toyota, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Ford, BMW, Chevrolet, etc. which have produced a strong scale effect after years of development and production expansion. With the popularization of new energy vehicles, the Thai government also drew up a roadmap to give tax breaks and other preferential policies to new energy vehicle enterprises.



Thailand's automotive industry has a good prospect. Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor initiative proposes to develop 10 target industries including the automotive industry in the eastern region. And the free trade agreements with Australia, China, India, New Zealand and other ASEAN countries will facilitate the development of overseas markets for Thailand's automotive industry.

The reduction of import tariffs will also provide a price advantage for automobiles. New energy vehicles will grow rapidly in Thailand with the expiration of the lock-up period of the First-Time Buyer Program, more automobiles beyond the warranty period, and the government's efforts to develop new energy vehicles.

It is expected that in the next few years, the increase in residents' income will promote automobile consumption in Thailand. And the exemption of import tariffs on automobiles in ASEAN countries will boost Thailand's automobile exports.

Topics Covered:

Development environment of Thailand's automobile industry

Analysis on supply of and demand for automobiles in Thailand

Competition in Thailand's automobile industry

Major automobile manufacturers in Thailand

Analysis on production costs and prices of automobiles in Thailand

Driving forces and market opportunities for Thailand's automobile industry from 2022 to 2022

Prospect of Thailand's automobile industry from 2022 to 2031

Key Topics Covered:



1 Basic Concept of Thailand's Automobile industry

1.1 Thailand's Automobile industry

1.2 Classification of Automobiles in Thailand



2 Analysis on Thailand's Automobile industry

2.1 Economic Environment

2.2 Policy Environment

2.3 Social Environment

2.4 Supply

2.5 Demand

2.6 Import and Export



3 Market Competition in Thailand's Automobile industry

3.1 Barriers to Entry

3.1.1 Technical Barriers

3.1.2 Capital Barriers

3.2 Competition Pattern

3.2.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

3.2.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers

3.2.3 Internal Competition

3.2.4 Potential Entrants

3.2.5 Substitutes for Automobiles



4 Major Automobile Manufacturers in Thailand, 2017-2021

4.1 Toyota Motor Corporation

4.2 Isuzu Motors Limited

4.3 Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

4.4 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

4.5 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

4.6 Ford Motor Company

4.7 Mazda Motor Corporation

4.8 Suzuki Motor Corporation

4.9 General Motors

4.10 Mercedes-Benz



5 Analysis on Production Costs and Prices of Automobiles in Thailand, 2015-2021

5.1 Production Costs

5.2 Prices



6 Forecast on Development of Thailand's Automobile industry, 2022-2031

6.1 Factors Influencing Development of Thailand's Automobile industry

6.1.1 Major Driving Factors and Market Opportunities

6.1.2 Threats and Challenges

6.2 Forecast on Supply of Automobiles in Thailand, 2022-2031

6.3 Forecast on Market Demand for Automobiles in Thailand

6.4 Forecast on Automobile Import and Export in Thailand



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yftbyx

Attachment

CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900




By Foo Yun Chee

LUXEMBOURG, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Google suffered one of its biggest setbacks on Wednesday after Europe's second-top court upheld an EU antitrust decision against the Alphabet company for using its Android mobile operating system to thwart rivals.

The company however had its fine reduced to 4.125 billion euros ($4.13 billion) from 4.34 billion after judges used a different reasoning from the European Commission. The amount is still a record for an antitrust violation.

The EU antitrust enforcer has imposed a total of 8.25 billion euros in antitrust fines on the world's most popular internet search engine in three investigations stretching back more than a decade.

Here is a timeline of Google's fight with the EU competition watchdog over its business practices, which have triggered numerous complaints by rivals on both sides of the Atlantic as well as consumer groups.

* 5 August 2022 - EU antitrust regulators have asked app developers whether Google's threat to remove apps from its Play Store if they use other payment options instead of its own billing system has hurt their business, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

* 7 July 2022 - EU antitrust regulators say they are investigating the video licensing policy of the Alliance for Open Media (AOM), whose members include Google, Amazon, Apple and Meta.

* 27 June 2022 - Google is the target of an antitrust complaint by Danish online job-search rival Jobindex which alleges that Google unfairly favoured its own job search service.

* 11 March 2022 - EU antitrust regulators opened an investigation into a 2018 online display advertising deal between Google and Meta known as Jedi Blue.

* Sept 27 2021 - Google challenges 4.34 billion euro EU Android fine at five-day hearing at the General Court.

* June 22 2021 - EU antitrust regulators open an investigation into Google's digital advertising business to see if it favours its own services.

* June 9 2021 - Google bows to pressure from rivals and will let them compete for free to be the default search engines on Android devices in Europe, widening a pledge to EU antitrust regulators two years previously.

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* March 20 2019 - EU antitrust enforcers hit Google with a 1.49 billion euro fine for hindering rivals in online search advertising for a decade.

* July 18 2018 - EU antitrust regulators hand down a record 4.34 billion euro fine to Google over its Android mobile operating system after a three-year investigation.

* June 27 2017 - EU fines Google 2.42 billion euros for thwarting rival shopping comparison websites.

* July 14 2016 - EU sets out another charge against Google's shopping service. It also accuses the company of preventing third parties using its AdSense product from displaying search advertisements from Google's competitors - a third case against the company.

* April 20 2016 - EU sends a charge sheet to Google outlining the company's anti-competitive practices with regard to Android smartphone makers and apps makers.

* April 15 2015 - EU opens investigation into Google's Android smartphone operating system.

* April 15 2015 - EU charges Google with blocking competitors of its price comparison shopping service.

* Sept 2014 - Joaquin Almunia, European Competition Commissioner at the time, says he will not be able to wrap up the Google case before his mandate ends in October.

* May 2014 - Almunia says feedback from complainants will be crucial to determining whether he accepts Google's concessions.

* Feb 5 2014 - Google improves its concessions related to online search.

* 2013 - Lobbying group FairSearch files a complaint about Google's Android business practices to the European Commission.

* April 25 2013 - EU seeks feedback from rivals and users over Google's concessions.

* April 3 2013 - Google offers concessions related to online search and its AdSense advertising network to address EU competition concerns, without admitting wrongdoing.

* Nov 30 2010 - European Commission opens investigation into allegations that Google has abused its dominant position in online searches following 18 complaints.

* 2010 - Microsoft complains about Google's practices related to its AdSense advertising service.

* Nov 3 2009 - British price comparison site Foundem complains about Google's online search to the European Commission. ($1 = 0.9999 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by David Evans)
Guests are invited to join in celebrating Iceland's iconic food, cocktails, music, film, literature, and more.

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2022 /CNW/ -- Inspired by Iceland, today announced the continuation of Taste of Iceland 2022 , an annual celebration of Icelandic culture in North America. Continuing the series of fall festivals, Toronto is hosting Taste of Iceland from Sept 22-25. Throughout the weekend, locals can transport themselves to Iceland with a series of events inspired by, and in celebration of, the best of Icelandic culture through food and beverage, music, literature, films, art and more.

TORONTO WELCOMES THE TASTE OF ICELAND FESTIVAL FROM SEPT 22-25

Over the course of the four-day festival, and in partnership with local businesses in Toronto, and Taste of Iceland's official partners, events will be hosted by The Drake Hotel, Horseshoe Tavern Union Yoga , Stackt Market , Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema , and in collaboration with TIFA . The schedule of events includes:

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Most events are free to attend, with the exception of the Icelandic Culinary Experience at the Drake Hotel and select events in participation with TIFA . To obtain tickets to free, Taste of Iceland, events:

Register for tickets at the event-specific pages within the link HERE (you must be registered to receive early-bird access) Seven days prior to the date of each event, registered guests will receive an email to offer them early bird access to the ticket system to claim ticket(s) for guaranteed entry. The following day tickets will be available to the general public To claim a ticket, you must follow the steps/directions on the site, until you receive the e-ticket and barcode for entry. Note: if you do not receive a barcode, you have not completed the process.

Note: Those who register after capacity has been reached can sign-up for the wait list. 30 minutes prior to each event, waitlisted attendees will be granted access on a first-come, first-serve basis on location.

Additional information found below.

Icelandic Culinary Experience:

Hosted daily starting at 5 p.m., from September 22-25 at The Drake Hotel, Icelandic Chefs Viktor Orn Andresson and Hinrik Orn Larusson, in partnership with Executive Chef Laura Maxwell, will prepare a four-course tasting menu of Nordic cuisine. Viktor Orn Andresson and Hinrik Orn are some of Iceland's most talented chefs, both receiving many prestigious awards, honoring their expertise in the field. Laura Maxwell, a graduate of George Brown's Culinary Arts Management program focuses on bringing locally sourced, naturally cultivated, and sustainable ingredients to The Drake Hotel.

The Culinary Experience is offered at $75 (CAD). Reservations can be made on SevenRooms or by calling 416.531.5042. More information can be found HERE .

The tasting menu includes:

Icelandic lobster soup with scallops, wasabi & grilled onion

Steamed cod with brown butter, champagne sauce & roasted sunchokes

Grilled lamb fillet with baked celeriac, grilled kale & lamb jus

Skyr mousse with roasted oats, Skyr ice cream & wasabi touille

Reykjavik Calling Concert curated by Iceland Airwaves :

The Reykjavik Calling Concert celebrates Icelandic music, with performances by BSI , Cell7 and DJ Hermigervill .

BSI is composed of Silla Thorarensen (drums & vocals) and Pollux Rothlaender (bass guitar & toe-synths), who started their band under the premise of trying instruments they did not know how to play. BSI now acts as a playground for simply being who they are. Cell7 is a pioneer of Icelandic hip-hop, creating space for more women to enter the genre and express themselves through hip-hop. Guests can register for free tickets HERE .

The Reykjavik Calling Concert curated by the Iceland Airwaves festival, which will take place November 3-5 in Reykjavik. For more information on the festival and lineup, visit Iceland Airwaves .

66North 5K Scavenger Hunt:

66North, Iceland's premier outdoor brand, is inviting runners to join us for a 5K Scavenger Hunt, in partnership with Night Terrors Run Toronto . Runners will receive a 66 North hat prior to the 5K and will be welcomed back to Stackt for a post-run party with cold beer and DJ Hermigervill playing Icelandic music. The 5K Scavenger Hunt is free to attend, and guests can register for tickets HERE .

Elemental Sound Bath with Energy Healer Josa Goodlife and Blue Lagoon Iceland :

In partnership with Blue Lagoon Iceland, Icelandic Energy Healer Josa Goodlife, will take attendees on an elemental journey beyond time and space, with a deeply relaxing and uplifting program with healing sounds from Icelandic nature that will leave guests feeling rejuvenated. Attendees will receive a yoga mat, a facial towel, Silica Mud Mask and Body Oil from Blue Lagoon Iceland ; a blanket and eye mask, compliments of Icelandair ; and water from Icelandic Glacial . The Elemental Sound Bath is free to attend, and guests can register for tickets HERE .

Icelandic Literature in Collaboration with the Toronto International Festival of Authors :

The Re-Read: Auur Jonsdottir on Halldor Laxness (September 24, 2pm): Auur Jonsdottir will explore the work of her grandfather: Nobel Prize Laureate Halldor Laxness. Laxness was a prolific writer and an outspoken socialist and defender of Iceland's independence, which was achieved in 1944. The event is $17 CAD to attend and more information can be found HERE .

'We Come Back Together': Auur Jonsdottir (September 24, 4pm) : Acclaimed Icelandic author Auur Jonsdottir will read a new work, inspired by the phrase, "We come back together, only to fall apart," an eleven-piece collection where international authors interpret the phrase from their own point of view. The event is free to attend and more information can be found HERE .

Fragmentary Perceptions: Celine Huyghebaert & Auur Jonsdottir (September 24, 6:30pm) : Icelandic author Auur Jonsdottir will be in conversation with Canadian author Celine Huyghebaert to explore exactly how fallible memories can utterly change our perceptions of the world. Both authors explore this theme in their critically acclaimed and award winning novels: Jonsdottir's Quake and Huyghebaert's Remnants . This event is $17 CAD to attend, and more information and ticketing can be found HERE .

Ask the Expert: Taste of Iceland with Eliza Reid (September 25 at 5pm): Eliza Reid, First Lady of Iceland, acclaimed author and founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat, breaks down the "who, what, where, when and how" of literature as she takes attendees on a literary tour of Iceland. This event is free to attend, and more information and ticketing can be found HERE .

Secrets of the Sprakkar: Eliza Reid (September 25 at 7pm): In her new book, Eliza Reid, First Lady of Iceland, explores Iceland's historic attitude towards gender equality and the work that still needs to be done through the lens of the country's Sprakkar, an ancient word that translates to mean 'extraordinary women'. This event is $17 CAD to attend and more information can be found HERE .

Lamb Movie Screening:

Guests can enjoy the directorial debut from Valdimar Johannsson, in this dark and atmospheric folktale. A childless couple in rural Iceland make an alarming discovery one day in their sheep barn and soon face the consequences of defying the will of nature. Lamb was considered for the 94th Academy Awards as the official submission of Iceland for the Best Foreign Film category. Lamb Movie Screening is free to attend, and guests can register for tickets HERE .

Taste of Iceland's Wheel of Prizes :

Presented by Icelandair, the Wheel of Prizes gives participants the chance to win a range of prizes, including Blue Lagoon Skincare , an Icelandic Wool Blanket from Icelandic Lamb, Wool Scarf from ISAVIA, a year's supply of Icelandic Provisions' Skyr, cases of sparkling and still water from Icelandic Glacial , a Reyka Vodka package, a Olafsson Gin package, a Tindur Shearling jacket and Surtsey Knit Cap from 66North , a collection of Icelandic records from the city of Reykjavik, Landsvirkjun's Nordic Wasabi Gift Box, or the grand prize, a trip for two to Iceland from Icelandair, including a stay at the Silica Hotel at the famed Blue Lagoon and a 72-Hour City-card from Visit Reykjavik !

People can sign up for a chance to win 50 minutes before the spins take place at the times listed below:

September 22 at 6:50 P.M., prior to the Reykjavik Calling Concert

September 23 at 7:00 P.M., prior to the 66 North Run

September 24 at 7:50 P.M., prior to the Lamb film screening

Taste of Iceland's 2022 events have previously been held in Washington D.C., Boston, MA, Denver, CO and Chicago, IL. Following Toronto, the 2022 tour will conclude with a final stop in Reykjavik's sister city, Seattle, WA. For more information on Taste of Iceland, Toronto, please visit InspiredbyIceland.com

For media inquiries or to attend any Taste of Iceland events, please contact tasteoficeland@finnpartners.com .

About Taste of Iceland

Taste of Iceland is an annual festival that celebrates Iceland's vibrant culture. The festival is organized by Inspired by Iceland , a public-private communications platform owned and operated by Business Iceland that promotes Iceland, Icelandic products and services. It is presented in partnership with its members: Icelandair , Visit Reykjavik , Icelandic Trademark Holding , Reyka Vodka , Olafsson Gin , Blue Lagoon , 66North , Icelandic Provisions , Icelandic Lamb , Icelandic Glacial, Landsvirkjun , Kerecis , and Isavia Keflavik International Airport . To learn more about Business Iceland, please visit www.businessiceland.is .

SOURCE Taste of Iceland

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/09/c1059.html
SWORDS, Ireland --News Direct-- Trane Technologies

Trane Technologies employee

SWORDS, Ireland, September 14, 2022 /3BL Media/ - Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT), a global climate innovator, is proud share it has been Certified by Great Place to Work in both Belgium and Ireland. The certification is in addition to the companys recertification earlier this year. The accolade recognizes employers who create an outstanding employee experience and is based entirely on feedback from current Trane Technologies employees.

At Trane Technologies, we work together to create a work environment where our employees are energized by their work and feel a strong sense of inclusion, said Sonja Cornakov, vice president, human resources, Thermo King EMEA, Trane Technologies. Being Great Place to Work-Certified is an honour. We owe this recognition to our diverse, dedicated and collaborative employees, who every day boldly challenge whats possible for a sustainable world.

Great Place to Work Certification is an ongoing dedication to optimize employee experience, said Prof. dr. Dirk Buyens, CEO at Great Place to Work Belgium and Professor of Human Resources at Vlerick Business School. Its the only official recognition determined by employees real-time reports of their workplace experience. Earning this designation means that Trane Technologies is one of the greatest companies to work for in the country.

According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 4.5 times more likely to find a great boss at a Certified great workplace. Additionally, employees at Certified workplaces are 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work. Trane Technologies is looking for passionate, pioneering people connected by a bold purpose. Visit our careers page to learn more.

# # #

About Trane TechnologiesTrane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane and Thermo King, and our portfolio of environmentally responsible products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation. For more on Trane Technologies, visit tranetechnologies.com.

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About Great Place to Work CertificationGreat Place to Work Certification is the most definitive employer-of-choice recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience  specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.

About Great Place to WorkGreat Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All. Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Trane Technologies on 3blmedia.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/trane-technologies-in-belgium-and-ireland-certified-by-great-place-to-work-r-488645756
Announced today, Vytelles opening a bovine in vitro fertilisation laboratory in Hamilton, New Zealand.

New Zealand livestock producers can take advantage of the hormone-free IVF process today by scheduling an on-farm ovum pick-up.

HAMILTON, New Zealand, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vytelle is progressing on a five-year plan, initiated at the conclusion of their Series A funding to provide accessible hormone-free bovine in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to producers across the globe. Part of the five-year plan, included doubling the laboratory capacity to produce bovine embryos through in vitro fertilisation. Announced today, Vytelles opening a laboratory in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Vytelle's integrated technology platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough in vitro fertilisation technology, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an artificial intelligence-based genetic analytics engine. The platform provides progressive cattle producers the technology to make reliable data-driven mating decisions that improve the predictability of genetic progress replicating the right genetics faster.

The New Zealand-based laboratory will utilise Vytelles modern hormone-free in vitro fertilisation process including their proprietary media  developed in-house  that results in high-quality embryos for producers to implant fresh or frozen into recipient cows.

New Zealand livestock producers can rely on hormone-free IVF technology to replicate the genetics from their elite donors faster than traditional methods weve been accustomed to using, explained Andrew Donoghue, Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand for Vytelle. He continued, Since Vytelle produces the media used to culture the oocytes into embryos, producers can be assured embryos are produced consistently with rigid quality standards.

New Zealand livestock producers can take advantage of the hormone-free IVF process today by scheduling an on-farm ovum pick-up. Qualified donors can be open, 15 days post-calving, or up to approximately 100 days pregnant. Heifers as young as 6 months of age are also eligible.

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The Vytelle process is the most accessible, reliable, and predictable IVF process available. Livestock producers can follow the steps below to begin hormone-free IVF.

Livestock producers are encouraged to contact Vytelle to discuss their reproduction program and schedule an on-farm ovum pick-up. Next, select elite donors for collection. A specialized Vytelle technician will come to the farm to collect oocytes Then, determine an implantation method. Vytelle can deliver fresh or frozen embryos. Finally, the producer will receive a simple invoice only for the Grade 1 embryos produced. As an added benefit, donors used for IVF remain in the conventional breeding cycle for a natural calf.

The New Zealand-based team is serving beef and dairy producers with on-farm ovum pick-ups immediately. Visit www.vytelle.com or contact the local New Zealand representative, Andrew Donoghue at andrew.donoghue@vytelle.com or +61 428 442 155 to accelerate your herd's genetic progress today.

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More than half a century after a Texas toddler was kidnapped by her babysitter, there has been a possible sighting of the now-52-year-old woman in South Carolina.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children announced Thursday that an anonymous tipster reported seeing Melissa Highsmith in the Charleston, South Carolina area, 51 years after she disappeared as a toddler.

Highsmith was 21 months old when officials say she was kidnapped by a woman posing as a babysitter on Aug. 23, 1971.

Her then-22-year-old mother was working as a waitress and going through a separation when she placed an ad in a Fort Worth newspaper advertising for a babysitter.

This lady responded to the ad and said that she was really interested, and had a big house, and watched other kids as well, and had a couple kids of her own, Melissas younger brother, Jeff Highsmith, told People.

According to Jeff  who never met his sister  his mom was supposed to meet the woman for an interview at the restaurant where she worked, but the woman never showed up there.

The next day, the person that took Melissa called my mom at the restaurant and said, Im sorry, I got into a car accident, and I couldnt make it, but I really do want to watch your daughter, he said.

Melissas mother hired the woman, who agreed to pick the child up while her mother was at work, at an apartment the two shared with a roommate. The roommate later described the woman as being dressed to impressed because she was wearing white gloves, and said she seemed nice, according to the NCMEC.

"It was really odd, because it was the middle of summer, and the babysitter had long white gloves on, they had a scarf around their neck, and a scarf around their head, and was dressed in all white  like a nurse's uniform," Jeff told People.

The woman walked away with Melissa and never returned.

Despite the more the five decades since Melissa disappeared, Jeff is still hopeful hell be able to find her and put to rest the mystery that has continued to plague his family.

I feel like Im stuck with this, he said. I have to find her.

NCMEC has released an age-progressed photo of what Melissa might look like today and are asking that anyone who might have information about the case to contact, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
By CULPEPER STAREXPONENT

A Fauquier County Public Schools teacher and his wife were found dead of gunshot wounds at their home last week in the town of Culpeper.

About 2:25 p.m. Sept. 9, Culpeper County E-911 received a call about an incident near the 15000 block of Burgandine Avenue, in the housing development behind Lowes home improvement shopping center, the Culpeper Police Department said Monday.

Based on information from the caller, officers responded and found two deceased people inside a residence. Culpeper police detectives collected evidence and interviewed witnesses.

The deceased were identified as a married couple, Daniel Garrison, 41, and Stacey Garrison, 40, of Culpeper, the department said in a statement.

Based on the initial investigation, there was no evidence of any threat to the safety of the community related to the double fatality, the department said.

At this time, the Culpeper Police Department is not looking for any persons of interests, it said Tuesday.

Daniel Garrison had been a science teacher at Auburn Middle School in Warrenton since 2016, according to the school district. School officials offered support for students and staff when classes resumed Monday.

The well-being of our students and staff is our top priority, Auburn Middle Principal Matt Yonkey said in a statement. We will do everything we can to help them through this experience.

Yonkey and Auburn Assistant Principal Kim Holcomb invited staff to assemble at the school Saturday evening to lean on one another and learn plans to support students and staff. About 40 staff members attended in person and virtually.

The Culpeper Police Department sends its heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and coworkers of the couple.

The departments investigation continues.

As is standard policy in any fatal incident involving gunshot wounds, the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will also conduct an investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call Lt. Andrew Terrill, a detective, at 540/829-5521 tips@culpeperva.gov. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can submit tips by calling Culpeper Crime Solvers at 540/727-0300.
A Fredericksburg woman is accused of causing life-threatening injuries by striking her roommate in the head, police said.

Kayla Nicole Haley, 29, is charged with aggravated malicious wounding, a Class 2 felony that carries a possible life sentence. The victim was still in the hospital Tuesday with serious injuries.

City police spokeswoman Sarah Morris said police went to the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Hospital on Sunday after receiving a call that a woman had been assaulted in the city. The victim could not speak because of her injuries, so officers interviewed family members and friends. The investigation resulted in Haleys arrest.

Court records show that one friend told police he went to the home in the 1400 block of Dandridge Street at the request of the victim, who wanted his help in installing new locks on the door. The witness said the victim told him that the suspect had pulled her hair and bit her on the back a couple of days earlier after the suspect was asked to leave the home.

The witness told police, according to an affidavit for a search warrant, that he was at his box truck getting the locks when he heard arguing inside the house. He saw the victim come out of the house, followed by the suspect right before hearing a loud noise.

He found the injured victim leaning against a neighbors fence and drove her to the hospital. A nurse reported that the victims injuries were consistent with an object striking her head.

Master Detective A.P. Tittle interviewed Haley and was told about the Friday altercation. Haley said she returned to the home the next day to retrieve some of her belongings, but denied being at the home on Sunday. She said she was at a local motel most of the day and left only to have her speakers worked on in southern Stafford County.

The search warrant gave police the authority to search Haleys motel room in Spotsylvania County and seize the clothes they believe she was wearing Sunday. A preliminary hearing for Haley is scheduled for Oct. 18 in Fredericksburg General District Court.
A man who was finally taken into custody following a seven-hour standoff earlier this year in Stafford County was ordered Tuesday to serve two years and three months in prison.

Steven O. Obajolu, 30, of Burke, was previously convicted in Stafford Circuit Court of three counts of felony destruction of property, domestic assault and animal cruelty. Judge Michael Levys sentence was at the upper end of the recommended state sentencing guidelines.

According to evidence presented by prosecutor Jay Chichester, deputies went to Garrison Woods Apartments in North Stafford late Feb. 13 for a disturbance. A woman, her 11-year-old son and her dog had all been assaulted by Obajolu before getting out of the home.

Chichester said the woman had her hair pulled before Obajolu threatened to kill her dog. He then strangled the dog and lifted the child by the collar.

Obajolu had barricaded himself in the residence by the time deputies arrived, telling them they would have to kill him before he would surrender. Obajolu was already wanted in Fairfax County at the time for failing to register as a sex offender.

During the long standoff, police sent a robot and drone into the home. Obajolu damaged both pieces of equipment by throwing them from a second-story window.

Obajolu finally surrendered after the SWAT team entered the home in an armored vehicle and deployed tear gas in the apartment.

Obajolus criminal history includes convictions for robbery, aggravated sexual battery on a minor, distributing PCP and numerous probation violations.
The Armenian armed forces units are shelling the Azerbaijani Army positions in the Lachin direction, using artillery pieces, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, Azernews reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The Azerbaijan Army Units are taking retaliatory measures.
A new Clarmar Elementary School will be built southeast of the intersection of Luther Road and East 23rd Street in Fremont.

Members of the Fremont Public Schools board of education approved the purchase Monday night of 11.40 acres of land for $950,000 from Charles H. Diers LLC. The purchase is of two lots.

As part of the agreement, the parties will split the cost of public improvements estimated to cost a little more than $1 million, said attorney Thomas Thomsen, representing FPS.

He also talked about soft costs, which will be divided equally with the Diers. The school districts share of these is an estimated $51,220, above its $550,000 cost for public improvements.

Thomsen discussed use restrictions noting that the Diers have many other acres to develop, but agreed not to allow the ground around the school to be used for places such as adult bookstores, abortion clinics, gas stations, car lots or off-track betting.

The Diers have been very good to work with. They want this to happen as much as we want it to happen, Thomsen told the board.

FPS Superintendent Mark Shepard talked about the work that went into choosing a site for the new school building.

This was not a short process at all and weve gone through what I would consider a lot of due diligence on this process, Shepard said.

A professional team evaluated potential sites, Shepard said, adding that the first round of recommendations included moving Clarmar Elementary to 16th Street and Clarmar Avenue.

However, a citizens committee disagreed with that location.

Committee members were concerned about traffic issues around the entire high school campus.

With 16th Street and Lincoln Avenue already being a busy intersection, moving Clarmar Elementary to 16th and Clarmar would have created further traffic issues.

The citizens committee recommended relocating the building.

Other intersections of concern included Johnson Road and Military Avenue. Besides the nearby schools, the area includes two daycares and preschools and two adjacent churches and Shepard described that intersection as having a lot of pressure on it.

He said Trinity Lutheran and St. Patricks Elementary are in the vicinity of 16th Street and Luther Road and 16th and Johnson Road.

A professional team evaluating sites began looking at the Deer Pointe subdivision for Clarmar.

Shepard said the intention would be to not build on a district-owned lot between where the school property would be and MD West One, an orthopedic, neurosurgery and spine clinic, is located.

During the public comments earlier in the evening, Dr. Brett Fischer, an orthopedic surgeon at MD West One, expressed concerns about traffic in that area, considering the schools start and stop times would be the same as his business.

Fischer said hes fully supportive of relocating the school, which his children formerly attended.

I know that school is in desperate need of relocating, he said.

Fischer learned just last week that the board would vote on purchasing land to the direct west of the clinic at 3301 E. Elkhorn Drive.

As a business owner and knowing when school starts and when my business starts, I have concerns about traffic patterns and access in and out of there. It maybe wasnt designed with the best traffic flow, he said.

Fischer said the only lighted entry and exit point is on 23rd Street and Diers Parkway.

Its not a very good light to begin with, Fischer said. If youre driving north or south on that light, its a very short light. Theres only an arrowed light if you are traveling south. There is no arrowed light if youre traveling north.

Thus, if someone is exiting the business district, theres no lighted arrow to make a left onto 23rd Street, he said.

Fischer believes that could create traffic issues.

He said the traffic light on 23rd Street and Luther Road doesnt allow access into the business.

Fischer also said theres no traffic light at 23rd Street and Deer Crossing and wondered if a light would be placed there.

Thats very close to Luther so then that is an awkward traffic pattern there, he said.

Fischer said if the goal is to have people enter and exit from the north of the site for the elementary school that 23rd Street and Deer Crossing would be the primary access point.

My concern as a business is are people going to utilize Deerway and Elkhorn Drive, which is my access point, Fischer said. We only have one access point in and out of our business. The city would not allow us to have a second access point onto Deerway.

Shepard said the district has had multiple conversations with the City of Fremont and a traffic study is required to be submitted.

Part of the traffic study will involve looking at Deer Crossing intersection and the intersection of 23rd and Diers Parkway.

One of the reasons the site was chosen is to keep traffic off the arterials, move if off the arterials, so we dont end up with a 16th and Johnson scenario like we have now and also keep it away from the intersection of both 16th and Johnson, 16th and Luther and Military and Johnson, because we know those are very congested and we dont want to add additional pressure onto those intersections, Shepard said.

In other business, the board talked about the 2022-2023 proposed budget.

Brad Dahl, associate superintendent, said salaries and benefits make up 87% of the FPS general budget when looking at all staff.

He said the district communicated with the Dodge County Clerk that it will participate in the joint public hearing for LB644, which requires it to take part when it exceeds 2% plus the allowable growth which is 3.98%. That hearing is set for 6:01 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Educational Service Unit building, 2320 N. Colorado Ave.

FPS will have a special hearing at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 28 in the board room of the Main Street building, 130 E. Ninth St. The budget and tax request will be approved at this hearing.

Dahl said Sept. 30 is the deadline for submitting the budget to the State Auditor to the Nebraska Department of Education and the county.

In a prepared statement, FPS said the General Fund will increase by 1.64% from $68,473,032 to $69,595,949.

The proposed budget also includes a property tax similar to last year, remaining at $1.223.

A majority of the budget, 44%, is funded by property taxes. The second-largest revenue source is state aid, which funds 28.5% of the budget.

Dahl said each year theres new legislation to change the state aid funding formula as well as property taxes.

He addressed current staffing and enrollment.

Dahl talked about the difficulty of finding transportation staff.

Were finding it harder to attract and retain staff. Its the reason we have to make sure were staying competitive with those salaries, he said.

Dahl said FPS grew by 72 students from last year to this year.

During the 2021-22 school year, FPS had 5,049 students.

In the 2022-23 year, FPS has 5,121 students.

Over the course of the last 10 years, weve grown by 642 students so we continue to see steady, strong growth, which is good for a vibrant school district, Dahl said.

Looking at kindergarten classes, Dahl said FPS is seeing large class sizes at several elementary schools. The budget will include funds for hiring additional staff.

He said subgroups are having an impact on the district whether special education students or multilingual learners.

The multilingual learners group continues to grow. Students who havent been in formal education for at least two years are put in language acquisition rooms so they can be successful in the school environment.

We have a program that meets the needs of those kids, Dahl said.

Dahl also talked about fluctuations in state aid history. This year, FPS saw a $3.7 million increase in state aid, which was expected as there was a 2.36% decrease in the districts assessed value last year. At the same time, the student population grew.

But next year because the district saw a large assessed value increase and the needs didnt grow at the same rate, a reduction in overall state aid is expected.

Besides federal and state revenue uncertainty, building maintenance, staffing needs and other issues affect FPS finances.

All aspects of our operation are being impacted by the economy and the proposed budget reflects the ability to meet our needs, Shepard said in the statement. The district has lowered the property tax levy each of the last two years and utilized cash reserves last year to create a balanced budget  with only two major sources of revenue our options are limited.
No one was injured in a Tuesday morning fire at 505 W. Fifth St., in Fremont.

Capt. Nick Morris said the Fremont Fire Department was called at 10:33 a.m. about smoke pouring out of the buildings roof.

Morris said when firefighters arrived they saw smoke coming out of the eaves of the house and second story windows. The house had been turned into two apartments and the main floor unit was vacant, while the other had an occupant.

We quickly found out that the tenant that was staying at the apartment was out, Norris said.

Fire crews went upstairs and discovered a hole between the houses first and second floors. Crews sent to the main floor quickly extinguished flames there.

Norris said firefighters were able to get the blaze under control within the first 10 minutes after their arrival. After that, they opened void spaces in walls to find where the fire might have spread.

Thats where the real labor starts, Morris said. You have to start tearing walls down and checking for hot spots and making sure we got all the fire out.

Morris said the Nebraska State Fire Marshals office determined the cause of the fire was electrical in nature.

We got there timely enough to get it before it (the fire) had gotten into the attic, Morris said. Typically, once a fire finds its way to the attic in these older homes we have a really hard time getting it fully extinguished as it has free access to pretty much the entire structure of these older houses.

Morris said two shifts of firefighters were called back.

The Arlington Volunteer Fire Department was called into the Fremont station to cover any medical calls, while local firefighters were at the house fire.
An Omaha police detective said in court Monday that tracking apps and surveillance video led police to conclude that an Omaha teen was part of a plan to shoot someone in  or living near  a rival gang.

Gatluak Jiel, 16, appeared Monday during a preliminary hearing in connection with the fatal shooting of Larry D. Thompson, 59, in March 2021 near 30th and Spencer Streets. Jiel has been charged with first-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony and criminal conspiracy in Thompsons death.

Two other teens also have been charged in connection with the killing  Christopher A. Trejo, 17, and Dech Gach, 16.

Omaha Police Detective Brandon Hahn said officers found Thompson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the front porch of his North Omaha home. Thompson later died at a local hospital.

Detectives found seven 9 mm shell casings near the home. The casings all came from the same firearm, Hahn said.

Officials also obtained video from a handful of locations in the area. In video footage, a black Chevy Cruze with a damaged bumper and stickers in the windows drove through the area about 5:30 p.m.

The car returned to the area shortly before 8 p.m. It parked near Thompsons home. Three people got out and ran toward Thompsons porch. The video then showed muzzle flash.

From the license plate number, police determined that the car was registered to Trejos stepfather. After contacting Trejo, who was 15 at the time, police obtained earlier text message exchanges and exchanges via Facebook messenger between Trejo and Gach.

During those conversations, Gach asked Trejo to drive to Sioux City, Iowa, to pick him up. They discussed what kinds of guns they would bring to Omaha and said they were looking for someone to shoot, Hahn said.

Hahn said that in one of the messages, Gach said he was bringing a Glock and that Glizzy was going to get a firearm in Omaha.

Hahn said detectives determined that Glizzy was Gatluak Jiel, who was 14 at the time.

Surveillance video shows Gach and Jiel together at a Family Dollar in Sioux City before being picked up by Trejo. Snapchat video from shortly after 4 p.m. showed the three in a vehicle throwing gang signs.

From On Star data in the car Trejo was driving, as well as cellphone tower records and surveillance video, police found that the car came back to Omaha around 5:30 p.m., when it drove directly to the 30th and Spencer area.

Video also shows the car stopping near 48th and Burt Streets, where Jiel is thought to have picked up a .22-caliber firearm. Police officials think a fourth person joined the group there.

Trejos vehicle showed that it had been connected to both his and Gachs cellphones. Jiel later told officials he did not have a cellphone.

The car data and cellphones showed no information from shortly before 8 p.m. until after the homicide occurred, Hahn said.

Officials found a live .22-caliber round in the back of the Chevy, a latex glove that had gunpowder residue on it and DNA from Trejo, Gach and Jiel, the detective said.

Trejo previously testified that he had seen Gach fire gunshots and that Jiels weapon had jammed, leaving him unable to shoot.

Douglas County Judge Stephanie Shearer determined that there was probable cause for the case against Jiel to continue.
A jury began deliberations Tuesday evening in a medical negligence case in Council Bluffs seeking upwards of $15 million to $30 million in damages. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA  Kevin Pittillo was delirious, not wearing a shirt or jeans and claiming that he was a former KGB agent from Russia or a current member of the U.S. military, when he was hauled to the Pottawattamie County Jail in July 2018.

His offense: disturbing the peace.

Eleven days later, as he lay on the floor of his jail cell, nude and largely unresponsive, jailers called for an ambulance, saying his condition had worsened.

At an Omaha hospital, both of Pittillos legs were amputated after doctors diagnosed a profound ischemia, clotting that had blocked the flow of blood to his legs. A surgeon testified that one leg appeared dead.

After a Nebraska public guardian  assigned to take care of the mentally troubled 66-year-old  heard of the horrific case, she filed a negligence lawsuit over the lack of proper medical attention in jail.

The lawsuit led Pottawattamie County to reach a settlement of $4.5 million in November on behalf of the county jail staff, the Examiner learned, and also caused the jails supervising physician, Dr. Jon Thomas, to agree to an out-of-court settlement for an amount that was not disclosed.

On Tuesday, a jury in this Iowa city on Nebraskas border began deliberating whether another defendant in the case, the psychiatrist who oversaw mental health care at the Pottawattamie County Jail, was also negligent.

Damages could add up to $15 million-$30 million

The plaintiffs attorney calculated that damages in the case could extend to $15 million to $30 million, due to Pittillos loss of his legs, his physical and mental pain and suffering, as well as 24-hour care for the rest of his life.

Lawyers for the psychiatrist, Dr. Ivan Delgado, meanwhile, said their client should not be held liable for the medical outcome when he was focused on his patents mental well-being. They scoffed at the estimate of damages, saying that it was inflated and that the goal of the lawsuit was dollars.

Michelle Chaffee, the director of the Nebraska Office of Public Guardian who was assigned to oversee Pittillos well being, said the case was another example of how people with mental illnesses dont get the consideration and treatment they deserve.

Its heartbreaking, Chaffee said. All of these [mental health care] systems are so broken.

Pittillo, who cannot get himself out of bed, now lives in an independent living facility in Omaha that has staff able to assist the amputee. He testified earlier in the six-day-long trial but did not attend closing arguments Tuesday afternoon.

It was the first time the guardians office had to file a lawsuit over medical care for a client, Chaffee said. More often, she said, the office is seeking justice in cases of financial exploitation or addressing medical mishandling through state licensure complaints.

But she said when she learned of the horrible outcome of the case, it was time to pursue legal action.

During closing arguments Tuesday in Pottawattamie County District Court, lawyers agreed it was a tragic case, but they disagreed about whether a jail psychiatrist should be held liable for diagnosing a medical problem.

Failed to follow safety rule

Pittillos lead attorney, Gary Dickey of Des Moines, said Delgado, the jail psychiatrist, had failed to follow a standard safety rule of all psychiatrists, which is to transfer someone out of jail if the person is too sick to be there.

Established in 2014 The Nebraska Office of Public Guardian was established in 2014 after a series of abuses were uncovered involving appointed guardians. The office, which handles about 300 cases, takes over when there are no relatives, or anyone else, available to manage the affairs of an individual suffering from a handicap or old age. In this case, the Nebraska office got the Pittillo case because his surgery was done in Omaha.

When Pittillo first arrived at the jail in July 2018, he was described as acting strangely, and refused to enter a holding cell, saying Ill be dead before morning. My bloodlines are known. 

He was placed in a protective custody cell by concerned jailers due to psychotic concerns and was described as delusional and suffering from hallucinations.

By July 30, six days after he was jailed, Pittillo had not showered for days, smelled very bad and was confused and could not stand up on his own. Jailers had to shower him and assist him back to his cell.

Naked, nonverbal

By Aug. 2, jailers observed that Pittillo seemed ill and said he was getting worse as he lay on the floor of his cell, naked and almost nonverbal. He had a painful groin rash and needed a wheelchair to get to the jail shower. Thats when an ambulance was called, with Pittillo eventually landing at an Omaha hospital.

Dickey, Pittillos lead attorney, blamed Delgado, the jail psychiatrist, for not checking nurses logs that indicated Pittillo was regularly refusing to take his medication and for failing to monitor his care after prescribing Seroquel, which is used to treat schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

In his own words, the plaintiffs attorney said, Delgado admitted that Pittillo needed to be admitted to a mental hospital, saying, Houston, theres something wrong here, after examining Pittillo on July 31, 2018.

A reasonable psychiatrist would have consulted with a sheriff or warden and got him to a hospital, Dickey said.

Psychiatrist exercised care

But Andrew Efaw, a Denver lawyer who handled closing arguments for Delgado, said there was no such thing as a safety rule but an obligation for the psychiatrist to follow a reasonable standard of care, which he said Delgado did.

Efaw pointed to testimony during the trial by one expert witness  one plaintiffs lawyers described as not credible  who said Pittillo suffered from lifelong medical issues, such as heavy smoking and a family history of blood clots, that contributed to the rapid onset of the blood clotting. days after Pittillo was jailed.

Efaw also said jail nurses did not inform the psychiatrists for a week that Pittillo was refusing to take his medication. Ensuring that an inmate is taking meds is the job of the nurses, not the doctor, he said.

Brutal honestly requires justice for this man, Efaw said as he stood behind Delgado at the defense table, and requires a finding of no liability. I dont believe this is even a close case.

Sometimes bad things happen, and its not anyones fault, he added.

The jury of six men and two women left the courthouse Tuesday evening shortly after closing arguments concluded about 6:30 p.m.

The jury, which would have to find the psychiatrist liable by a preponderance of the evidence, is scheduled to resume deliberations Wednesday morning.
The U.S. Treasury says it will transfer $3.5 billion worth of assets belonging to Afghanistan's central bank to a new fund in Switzerland that is aimed at putting money into the war-torn country without going through Taliban militants who are in power.

The Treasury said in a statement on September 14 that the newly established Afghan Fund will be managed by a board of trustees who will look to help stabilize the economic situation in the country as it teeters on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe with the United Nations saying nearly half of the population of 40 million people face "acute hunger."

The fund could be used to pay for critical imports such as electricity as well as for covering debt payments to international financial institutions, protecting Afghanistan's eligibility for development aid, and funding the printing of a new currency.

The Afghan Fund will help mitigate the economic challenges facing Afghanistan while protecting and preserving $3.5 billion in reserves from Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), Afghanistans central bank, for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan, Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury, said in the statement.

The Talibans repression and economic mismanagement have exacerbated longstanding economic challenges for Afghanistan, including through actions that have diminished the capacity of key Afghan economic institutions and made the return of these funds to Afghanistan untenable," he added.

CNN quoted two senior U.S. officials as saying the funds won't be released immediately because there is no trusted institution in Afghanistan to guarantee the funds will benefit the Afghan people.

They added that transferring the funds to the Afghan central bank will depend on ensuring responsible management of the bank and assurances that the funds will not be diverted to terrorists or criminals.

The new fund will be located at the Basel-based Bank for International Settlements (BIS), which provides financial services to central banks.

Taliban militants took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 as international troops left the country.

Since then, international aid has been halted and the Taliban has failed to live up to its pledges to allow more freedoms to citizens than during its previous rule.

With reporting by CNN and Reuters
A roadside bomb has killed the former head of a pro-government militia and seven others in northwestern Pakistan, officials said September 14, in an attack claimed by the outlawed Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan militant group (TTP), otherwise known as the Pakistani Taliban.

Zahid Nawaz Marwat, police chief of the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province where the attack occurred late on September 13, told RFE/RL that a vehicle was targeted in the blast that killed five people.

For years Pakistan encouraged tribal vigilante forces known as peace committees to defend their villages against militants. Most have been subsequently disbanded as security improved across the country.

Marwat said former peace committee head Idrees Khan was killed when his pickup truck was hit by a roadside bomb.

Residents later told RFE/RL three more bodies were found in the area and the victims were believed to be passersby.

Another local police official confirmed the death toll, which included two local policemen, two private guards, and three laborers.

The attack was claimed by the TTP, who said Khan was involved in the killing their members.



The TTP also claimed responsibility for a clash with the Pakistani military in which three soldiers were killed on September 13 in the Kurram district bordering Afghanistan.

The TTP declared an open-ended cease-fire in June to facilitate peace talks with the Pakistan government being brokered by Afghanistan, but there have been regular clashes since then despite both sides saying the truce was still on.



Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan last year Islamabad has regularly complained of attacks by the TTP, especially along their porous frontier.

The Pakistani and Afghan Taliban are separate groups but share a common ideology.

With reporting by AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, greets to US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, in hat, as he arrives to Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022.
It's never too early to plan a quick getaway, and now is the time to start thinking about those September and October trips into the mountains for Colorado's aspens that will be changing colors.

Here's a look at some ideal locations for fall colors within a few hours drive of the Front Range.

Highway of Legends Scenic Byway

 Few will forget an autumn tour of the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway in southern Colorado, though getting there will be a time investment. Head south on Interstate 25 to Walsenburg, then head west on U.S. 160 and branch off on Colorado 12 at La Veta. The 82-mile route will return you to I-25.

Boreas Pass

 Enjoy the lovely route between Breckenridge and South Park via Boreas Pass at 11,492 feet. Take Forest Service Road 33 from U.S. 285 at Como in Park County or Boreas Pass Road in Breckenridge.

Kebler Pass

 For another classic, head to Kebler Pass near Crested Butte. Head west out of Crested Butte over County Road 12, an improved dirt road, and be surrounded by aspens and breathtaking vistas. At Colorado 133, you can head north toward McClure Pass for more or return the way you came. For a shorter day, stick to Colorado 135 between Crested Butte and Gunnison.

Independence Pass

 One of Colorados higher paved roads, Independence Pass provides sweeping views of aspens. Colorado 82 is normally open until Nov. 1 but could be closed early because of weather.

Trail Ridge Road

 Head to Estes Park and pick up Trail Ridge Road for an unforgettable trip through Rocky Mountain National Park.

Editor's note: This article originally published in September 2021.
According to Rocky Mountain National Park officials, former astronaut Vance Brand has donated a 40-acre parcel of land to Rocky Mountain National Park, adding to the 265,000 acres already found at the destination.

The donation process started in 2019, when the Brand family donated the land to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, a nonprofit that's partnered with Rocky Mountain National Park. The inclusion of this land into the boundary of RMNP was officially approved with Congress authorization in 2021, with the park and the Brand family formally meeting to celebrate the donation on Monday.

While 40 acres might seem like a small contribution in relation to the size of the greater park, this contribution is especially important because of where the land is located. Adjacent to the eastern boundary of the park, the land provides protection for the park's fragile high-elevation ecosystem, acting as a natural buffer between private lands and three popular trails: Estes Cone, Storm Pass and Eugenia Mine trails.

Former astronaut Vance Brand's ties to Colorado run deep, with Brand being born and raised in Longmont before attending college at the University of Colorado (and then UCLA). After being selected as a pilot astronaut in 1966, he served as the commander in three space shuttle missions and was the last member of his astronaut class to remain active with NASA.

In a statement by brand released by Rocky Mountain National Park, he said the following:

To me the park is a wonderful place that must be preserved  and where possible expanded. The numerous hiking, camping, and (non-technical) mountain climbing experiences that I had there in my youth led me to purchase land along Rocky Mountain National Parks eastern boundary in 1967. Over time my family has developed an appreciation of the natural beauty of the land and have encouraged keeping it as it is. Im thankful that there were early national park enthusiasts like Enos Mills and Teddy Roosevelt who had the foresight to encourage establishment of Rocky Mountain National Park and our entire national park system. The National Park Service does a terrific job of maintaining our national parks. In short, my family and I sincerely hope that this donation to the national park will keep the land in its natural state for the benefit and enjoyment of current and future generations of Americans.
By Trend

The funeral of Azerbaijani servicemen who became martyrs as a result of Armenia's provocation is being held in the second Alley of Honor in Baku, Trend reports.

Footage from the funeral was shared on social media.

According to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, on the night of September 12 and in the morning hours of September 13, units of the Armenian armed forces carried out a large-scale provocation in the Dashkesan, Kalbajar and Lachin directions of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. As a result of the provocation committed by Armenia, 50 Azerbaijani servicemen were killed.
The suspect accused of killing an Arvada police officer early Sunday morning was a no-show in court Tuesday afternoon, prompting court observers to speculate that he is probably still in the hospital and unable to appear.

He was expected to hear his recommended charges via video chat, but there was no official explanation during the hearing in Jefferson County as to why Sonny Thomas Almanza, 31, did not appear.

"The defendant has not been made available to the court at this time," was the only comment Jefferson County District Judge Thomas Vance made on the matter of Almanza's non-appearance. "The defendant is simply not present."

Almanza's attorney, James O'Connor, said he hadn't met his client.

"I'm in a position that I don't have any information," O'Connor said over the video feed.

Vance put Almanza's status on a no-bond hold and set the matter to come up for a daily review, with Wednesday being the first time for that to occur.

First Judicial District spokesperson Amanda Gall told The Gazette there would be "no further update at this time."

Arvada police recommended eight charges for Almanza, including first-degree murder of a peace officer, with extreme indifference; murder after deliberation; illegal possession of a weapon by a previous offender; child abuse; and other counts.

Officer Dillon Vakoff, 27, was fatally shot around 1:40 a.m. Sunday while responding to a disturbance in the 6700 block of W. 51st Ave. Almanza and a third person were shot and wounded during the incident.

Almanza's mother, Marie Alvarado of Arvada, told The Gazette that Almanza was shot several times and he was treated at Denver Health Medical Center. She said her son "didn't know he shot a police officer."

The probable cause arrest affidavit has been sealed in the case "to protect the ongoing investigation and witness interviews that have yet to take place," Gall told The Gazette.

It is unknown whether Almanza is still being treated for his injuries.

Arvada police are reeling from Vakoff's death as he is the second Arvada officer to die in 15 months while in the line of duty. He will be laid to rest Friday morning at a public service at the Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette, according to the Colorado Fallen Hero Foundation.

Community members have turned out in force to pay their respects at the Arvada police headquarters, where Vakoff's patrol car is parked on the sidewalk decorated with hundreds of bouquets, personal notes of thanks and even a toy police car. Vakoff was a three-year veteran of the force who was training to become a SWAT officer.
FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang arrive for the closing session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/
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By Trend

Azerbaijani Finance Ministry has appealed to the State Security Service in connection with the embassy in Germany, Trend reports via the ministry.

According to the ministry, during the inspection of the financial and economic activities of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany from December 30, 2014 to October 1, 2021, cases of falsification of information in bank statements, embezzlement of funds in bank accounts, including the facts of embezzlement through the transfer of state fees for consular operations to other accounts for other purposes, were revealed.

"Given the seriousness of the revealed financial violations, in order to take appropriate measures against the guilty officials, the inspection materials were submitted to the State Security Service," added the ministry.

The State Financial Supervision Service of the Ministry of Finance of Azerbaijan revealed embezzlement of budget funds totaling 99.91 million manat ($58.77 million) from January through June 2022.
FILE PHOTO - Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz is escorted from the courtroom during the penalty phase of Cruz's trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S., August 25, 2022. Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Pool via REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: The building of the European Court of Human Rights is seen in Strasbourg, France March 26, 2019. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler
Party and Government leaders host Cambodian NA President

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted separate receptions for President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin in Hanoi on September 13.





Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (R) receives President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin





During the meeting with the Cambodian NA President, the Vietnamese Party leader affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always support the cause of national construction and development of Cambodia.

He thanked Cambodia for the valuable support that the country has given to Vietnam, and highlighted the traditional relations of Vietnam and Cambodia as two close neighbours and brothers who have stood side by side in the cause of national liberation and reunification in the past as well as in national construction and development today.



Trong also underlined the importance of the relationship between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He wished that the three countries work together to preserve and foster the development of their relationship for the prosperity of each country, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.



In response, Heng Samrin, stated that Cambodia will work with Vietnam to preserve and develop the relationship between the two countries to new heights and pass it down to future generations.



He informed the host about the recent situation in Cambodia, especially the successful organization of the local election for fifth tenure, and the CPP's great victory in the election.



The Cambodian NA President also briefed General Secretary Trong on the results of the talks between him and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue within the framework of the visit.



Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President of the Cambodian National Assembly (NA) Samdech Heng Samrin expressed their satisfaction of the stable development of the two countries ties during their meeting held the same day.













PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and President of the Cambodian NA Samdech Heng Samrin.



They noted that leaders of Vietnam and Cambodia have maintained frequent meetings and discussions while bilateral cooperation mechanisms have continued to prove effective, helping sustain cooperation momentum in various fields.



Notably, despite the COVID-19 pandemics impacts over the last two years, economic partnership has generated encouraging outcomes. Bilateral trade approximated US$10 billion in 2021 and surpassed US$7 billion during the past 7 months of 2022, up 17.8% on-year. Vietnam currently has 188 valid investment projects worth US$2.8 billion in Cambodia, ranking first among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and fifth among all foreign direct investors in there.



Both host and guest highly valued the coordination to successfully organise many meaningful activities in the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Year 2022, especially the June 20 ceremony chaired by the two PMs marking 45 years since the start of Samdech Techo Hun Sens journey to topple the Pol Pot genocidal regime and the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the countries diplomatic ties on June 24.



They consented to maintain frequent high-level meetings via all channels to unceasingly promote the trustworthy political relationship.



Meanwhile, legislative and executive bodies of Vietnam and Cambodia will continue bringing into play their role in fostering bilateral relations, particularly in creating favourable legal corridors for all-faceted cooperation, and monitoring and promoting ministries, sectors, localities, and businesses implementation of signed agreements.



They also agreed to work together to effectively carry out the deals and plans on defence - security cooperation, prevent cross-border crimes, and conduct border demarcation and marker planting on the remaining 16% of their borderline so as to build a land border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.



They underscored the importance of enhancing economic connectivity, especially in transport, telecommunications, and finance - banking, to create a new impulse for partnerships in other spheres like trade, investment, energy, tourism, education - training, and locality-to-locality ties.



At the meeting, PM Chinh thanked and called on the Cambodian parliament and Government to continue creating conditions for Vietnamese-origin people to settle down, integrate into the local society, and act as a bridge linking the two countries. He also called for optimal conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to operate stably in Cambodia in the long term.



He used this occasion to appreciate Cambodian authorities effective coordination with Vietnam to rescue many Vietnamese citizens lured to forced labour in some business establishments of foreigners in Cambodia. He asked the two sides to keep close cooperation to rescue and assist victims, and thoroughly deal with this issue.



Regarding multilateral cooperation, the two leaders concurred that their countries will keep coordination and mutual support at international and regional forums.



PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam supports and believes Cambodia will successfully perform the chairmanship of ASEAN and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2022.



He also asked the two countries to join other ASEAN members to step up efforts to maintain the blocs solidarity, unanimity, and centrality in strategic issues of the region, including the East Sea issue.
Reinforcing Dubais status as a regional hub for creativity and talent development through shaping the future of fashion, Italian fashion and design school Istituto Marangoni has made its Middle East debut in Dubai.

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council, attended a unique talent show at the landmark Museum of the Future (MOTF), held to mark the launch, said a Wam news agency report.

The innovative concept blended the physical fashion show at the MOTF with digital catwalks in the metaverse, showcasing the creations of five top students of Istituto Marangoni Fashion Design Courses. Located in Gate 8 at the Dubai International Financial Centre, Istituto Marangoni Dubai offers undergraduate and professional courses in Fashion, Interior Design, Product Design and Visual Design.

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed said: "Istituto Marangonis Dubai branch is a valuable addition to the citys rapidly developing creative and cultural landscape. Its diverse offering will provide creatives in Dubai and the region with the right tools to launch their design careers.

She added that, since then, Dubai had consolidated its status as a global hub for design, one of the primary goals of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy launched last year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In line with the strategy, Dubai Culture works to strengthen the education in the creative fields and , in turn, support the emergence of creative talents within the industry while establishing an ecosystem of creators in the emirate.

"Bringing global institutions with decades of experience in the field of design to the region reinforces our commitment to the sector and to being a cultural and creative hub. We look forward to the incredible talent that will graduate from the Dubai-based institute in the forthcoming years," said Sheikha Latifa.

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, said: "It gives me great joy to welcome a globally renowned fashion and design school to Dubai. I see a great partnership in the making where the UAE and other MENA countries will have the advantage of a world-class design school while Istituto Marangoni will benefit from the untapped talent waiting to be harnessed."

Al Kaabi added: "The UAE is making waves in the creative space and building an ecosystem for future generations to contribute effectively to the creative economy. We are focusing on developing our cultural and creative industries to make them a more significant part of the UAEs economy. We believe nurturing talent is critical to developing the creative sector, and Istituto Marangoni will play an important role in achieving that. Imparting world-class education and specialised skills to our youth will boost their creative energy and support emerging talent."

Stefania Valenti, Managing Director of Istituto Marangoni, said: "Its an honour to celebrate the opening of Istituto Marangoni Dubai at the Museum of the Future with the warm endorsement of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, and in this museum where our immersive experience found its perfect space."

With this launch, Dubai joins the ranks of other world fashion capitals, including Milano, Firenze, Paris, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Miami, that host an Istituto Marangoni school. Valenti said that with qualified professional staff from Italy and an innovative "learning by doing" approach, students at Istituto Marangoni Dubai will gain the skills to translate their passion and talent into successful careers.

"Todays event showcases what Istituto Marangoni students can achieve. With the opening of our school in Dubai, we are offering local aspiring fashion and interior designers the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge required to kickstart their careers. Istituto Marangoni is committed to playing an active role in the Middle East to encourage a new ecosystem of talent, institutions, stakeholders and industries. We hope to contribute to fostering a new generation of fashion designers in the region, with special attention to empowering women in their aspirational field of interest, be it fashion, design or arts," said Valenti.

The talent show took place simultaneously at The Museum of the Future and in the metaverse. Real-life models were joined on the catwalk by their avatars, resulting in a unique event that combined tradition with innovation and where reality and virtual reality coexisted.

The catwalk featured the works of the five top graduates of Istituto Marangonis Milan, Florence, Paris, London and Shanghai fashion design courses. The shows grand finale saw luxury fashion designer and Istituto Marangonis famous alum Rahul Mishra display his work.

The first Indian designer to showcase at the Paris Haute Couture Week, Mishra paid homage to his alma mater by bringing on the catwalk some of his creations that blend traditional Indian designs with modern luxury fashion trends in a sustainable, ethical, slow fashion approach.
FILE PHOTO: Semiconductor chips are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Wheat grain is seen on the MV Brave Commander vessel from Yuzhny Port in Ukraine to the drought-stricken Horn of Africa as it docks at port of Djibouti in Djibouti August 30, 2022. Hugh Rutherford/World Food Programme/Handout via REUTERS
Family members' assertions that a child has American Indian heritage are insufficient to trigger the longstanding federal protections for tribal children in welfare proceedings, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday.

The justices resolved an issue that has split the state's Court of Appeals and focused attention on a key section of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. When a juvenile court judge knows or has "reason to know" a child in a custody case meets the legal definition of an "Indian child," the government must notify the relevant tribal nations of their ability to intervene.

But a judge does not have reason to know, explained Justice Carlos A. Samour Jr. in the court's opinion, if family members claim the child has tribal lineage without further evidence.

"And, correspondingly," Samour added, "to the extent that other (rulings) of the court of appeals have expressly or impliedly reached a contrary conclusion, we overrule those decisions."

Joel M. Pratt, an attorney representing the mother who appealed her child's welfare case to the Supreme Court, criticized the decision and its implications for American Indian families.

"The court undermined the Indian Child Welfare Act and tribal sovereignty," he said. "This ruling represents an unfortunate rollback of ICWAs protections, which is especially concerning because we know that child welfare departments separate Native families at disproportionately high rates."

Congress originally enacted ICWA after learning of the large number of American Indian children being removed from their households into non-tribal families and institutions  accounting for up to 35% of tribal children. Now, ICWA applies to state custody proceedings involving an "Indian child," meaning those who are members of a tribe or who are the children of tribal members and are themselves eligible for membership.

Once judges know or have reason to know they are dealing with an Indian child, protections aimed at keeping the American Indian family together kick in. One of the most important provisions is the requirement for the government to notify tribal nations and give them the opportunity to become involved in cases implicating their members.

But for several months, appellate judges in Colorado have been grappling with the question: When do juvenile judges have reason to know?

Between December and June, four separate panels of the Court of Appeals published opinions on the subject, and they divided equally. Two panels believed a family member's suggestion of tribal lineage should merely lead to more investigation, or "due diligence," and not trigger ICWA.

Two other panels, however, decided the opposite. One such case, arising from Denver, was the first to reach the Supreme Court.

In 2019, Denver Human Services initiated dependency and neglect  or welfare  proceedings for an infant who was abandoned at the hospital. His mother suspected she had Apache and Sioux heritage. The juvenile judge determined such information did not give a reason to know the baby, E.A.M., was an Indian child. Instead she directed the county to investigate further.

Denver ultimately reported the mother was not enrolled in any tribe, but the grandmother asserted a connection with the Cherokee or Sioux nations, and the grandfather claimed Sioux heritage. A great-grandmother also mentioned there was "Cherokee and something else" in the family. Other relatives disclaimed any possibility of tribal lineage.

The county never sent notice of the proceedings to any tribe and Judge Pax Moultrie maintained she did not have reason to know E.A.M. was an Indian child. Eventually, she terminated the mother's legal relationship with the child, prompting an appeal.

In December, a three-judge panel for the appellate court decided the information pointed to E.A.M.'s family having connections to specific tribal groups. Even if such assertions from relatives meant E.A.M. does not "fully satisf(y) the definition of an Indian child," Moultrie had reason to know, the panel concluded.

Since then, another panel adopted the same reasoning in a different case, while two other panels decided there is no reason to know in such scenarios. Denver appealed the ruling in E.A.M.'s case to the Supreme Court.

"I think the regulations are very clear that ancestry alone is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about political affiliation with the tribe  citizenship with the tribe," Assistant City Attorney Laura Grzetic Eibsen argued to the justices.

The Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes, as the two federally-recognized American Indian tribes in Colorado, wrote to the Supreme Court advocating for the broader interpretation of the reason-to-know standard. Tribal nations alone determine who qualifies as a member, they reminded the justices, and timely notice to tribes will enable them to decide for themselves whether to get involved.

But ICWA's regulations do not automatically trigger tribal notice when a party merely utters a tribe's name, the Supreme Court decided. Federal rules advise that judges have reason to know when someone tells the judge a child is an Indian child, or else when a party "informs the court that it has discovered information indicating that the child is an Indian child."

Samour, in the court's Sept. 12 opinion, honed in on the subtle distinction between information indicating the child may be an Indian child, versus information indicating the child is one.

"What the court was told is simply that E.A.M. has Indian heritage because some of his relatives, including his mother, believe they have Indian ancestors. This information in no way indicated to the court that E.A.M. is a member of an Indian tribe," he wrote.

In the Supreme Court's view, judges have reason to know when someone divulges information pointing to a child being an enrolled tribal member or the offspring of a tribal member  and not when there is simply an admission of potential tribal lineage. Such statements, instead, prompt the government to perform its due diligence in investigating the claims.

The Office of Respondent Parents' Counsel, which represents indigent parents in court proceedings, said it is disappointed the Supreme Court adopted the narrower view of the reason-to-know standard, predicting tribal nations will be "effectively excluded from involvement in many child welfare proceedings."

Last month, the justices agreed to hear one of the other ICWA appeals that took the opposite view of the appellate judges in E.A.M.'s case. They selected People in the Interest of Jay.J.L. and Jac.J.L., decided in April. But the court's new ruling has cut off any controversy about the reason-to-know standard, as Samour indicated the justices endorsed the Jay.J.L. panel's reasoning.

The only contested issue now in the Jay.J.L. appeal is a follow-up question the Supreme Court left unanswered in E.A.M.'s case: Once a juvenile judge directs the government to conduct due diligence about a child's potential tribal lineage, what steps does the county need to take?

Given the justices' decision this week, the Jay.J.L. case "will have big repercussions as the court determines what an agency's due diligence requirements are in determining who is an Indian child for ICWA purposes," said Kathryn Fort, who represented the Colorado-based tribes in their advocacy to the Supreme Court.

According to the 2020 Census, 3.6% of Colorado's population is American Indian or Alaska Native, at least in part, with the descendants of at least 200 tribal nations living in the Denver metro area.
Home care workers in Colorado are fighting for a bill of rights to assure better pay and working conditions for those who provide aging adult and disability care.

State lawmakers and activists from Colorado Care Workers Unite and SEIU Local 105 gathered at the state Capitol Tuesday to demand the creation of a Home Care Worker Bill of Rights during next year's legislative session. They want the legislation to cover personal care aides, home health aides and nursing assistants.

"This care industry is broken and it almost broke me," said Melissa Benjamin, a home care worker of 20 years and founding member of Colorado Care Workers Unite. "This year, 60% of home care workers will leave this industry. It's long past time to pay attention."

While the specifics have not been decided, advocates said the bill of rights would include a higher minimum wage, protections from bad bosses, a right to safe workplaces, minimum benefits such as paid time off, and decision-making power for workers to improve the home care industry.

Benjamin said low pay and unsafe working conditions are driving home care workers away in record-high numbers, creating a serious worker shortage. By 2028, Colorado will need to fill 116,100 job openings in direct care due to workers leaving the industry and the state's elderly population increasing, according to the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute.

Cassandra Matthews, a leader at Colorado Care Workers Unite, said she worked in home care for 23 years before recently leaving the industry because she could not afford to support her family.

"We are at the front lines taking care of disabled people, elderly people, people who have no one at home to help them. We are needed, but we are not getting paid," Matthews said. "I worked 16 hours a day taking care of other people's families and not having time to take care of my own, because that's the only way that I could afford to pay my bills. It's not right."

Another health care worker of 40 years, Angie Fulmer, said she's had employers refuse to pay her for staying at a patient's house too long even when they were suffering life-threatening medical conditions, and had employers threaten to revoke her care license for refusing to visit patients after she was exposed to COVID-19.

A formal bill title has not yet been filed in the legislature, but advocates said 39 Democratic lawmakers already signed on in support of the "Home Care Worker Bill of Rights," including Sen. Faith Winter, Rep. Lisa Cutter, Rep. Emily Sirota, Rep. Kyle Mullica and Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez  in addition to over a dozen candidates currently running for office.

"We have heard over and over again the challenges that our home health care workers are facing," Winter said. "Low wages, bad conditions, wage theft, companies that don't treat them fair. They provide health care, but don't have their own insurance. They don't have paid sick days. They don't have paid time off. ... That is unfair."

Colorado Care Workers Unite has been seeking changes in the state's home care industry for seven years, previously bringing forward Senate Bill 19-238 in 2019 to increase the minimum wage for qualifying home care workers to $12.41 and raise reimbursement rates.

Advocates said the 2019 bill was a good step forward, but there is still much work to be done to make the home care industry sustainable for workers. The 2019 bill passed with some bipartisan approval.
Arab Health has underscored its position as the epicentre of healthcare trade and reaffirmed its support for global businesses and governments by securing AED2.8 billion ($760 million) worth of healthcare industry-related contracts.

According to a GRS Explori Exhibitor Survey during the 2022 edition, which was held in Dubai in January, the exhibition played an integral role in supporting UAE Government initiatives such as Make it in the Emirates, a platform for developing the UAEs industrial sector and enhancing its role in the national economy by focusing on 11 priority sectors, including pharmaceuticals and medical technology.

Ross Williams, Exhibition Director for Informa Markets, said: Arab Health has an instrumental role in bringing together regional and international policy drivers, thought leaders, and healthcare professionals through trade and innovation. This helps to address healthcare challenges but also showcases the initiatives undertaken by the Government in the UAE to support the entire healthcare ecosystem, be that through ease of access to set-up in the region or by providing a platform for the adoption of innovative new technologies and creating partnerships with leading hospitals and medical technology companies.

53,000 attendees from 184 countries

Arab Health 2022 welcomed over 53,000 attendees from 184 countries and. This not only cements the UAEs position as an integral place for the healthcare industry to do business, but it also underscores the importance of the event for a global healthcare audience.

The 2023 edition of Arab Health will return to the Dubai World Trade Centre from January 30 to February 2 under the show theme of Innovation and Sustainability in Healthcare. Exhibitor companies are also anticipated to rise, increasing from 2,828 to over 3,000 from 70 countries.

Arab Health will feature nine product sectors, showcasing the latest technology and innovations in disposables, orthopaedics, healthcare and general services, imaging, medical devices, IT, wellness and prevention, and infrastructure and assets.

Transformation Zone

Rounding out the product sectors is the Transformation Zone, which will include start-up companies and innovators showcasing their latest products and talking about the future at the Transformation Talks, as well as Product Showcase and the popular Innov8 Talks, which will provide start-ups and entrepreneurs from around the world with the opportunity to present their healthcare innovations to a panel of industry experts and potential investors.

A total of 10 Continuing Medical Education (CME) conferences will take place during the four days of Arab Health 2023, welcoming an anticipated 3,200 delegates and 550 international speakers. Internal Medicine, Paediatrics and Anaesthesia and Pain Management are new additions to the conferences this year. Popular returning tracks include Obs & Gyne, Orthopaedics, Total Radiology, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, and Quality Management.

Under sustainability themes, Informa Markets has introduced the Better Stands initiative, which will encourage exhibitors to move away from disposable exhibition stands and ensure all core elements, such as walls, archways, and counters, are constructed in a way where they can be reused. Arab Health will also be powered by renewable energy.

The event will be supported by a host of government entities, including the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Government of Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority, the Department of Health, and the Dubai Healthcare City Authority.-- TradeArabia News Service
Acknowledging the mental health challenges faced by everyone during the covid years and recognising the need for post pandemic support, BITS (Birla Institute of Technology and Science) Pilani Dubai, an institution offering engineering programmes, has launched a mental wellness programme for students, faculty and staff at their campus.

The therapy-based program will provide one-on-one counseling and quality clinical intervention to those facing depression, social anxiety, relationship issues or any other mental health concerns. This extensive wellness intervention program is designed for students to improve their life-skills especially in terms of self-management, stress management, emotional intelligence and time management.

The academic disruption caused by the pandemic has severely affected the student community at large. Hence as an extension to the wellness programme the leading engineering university, BITS Pilani, Dubai campus has also announced for the first time a weeklong orientation program for the new post Covid batch of undergraduate students to help them ease into university life and work.

The global reputation of BITS Pilani draws bright, accomplished international students from around the world. Currently over 45 per cent of the students are international students who have enrolled from outside the UAE. As such this orientation is designed for new students to understand the academic system, transition into University life, build healthy relationships with peers and faculty, know more about the UAE culture and adapt to the new environment with ease.

For the new batch this year, the University has admitted students from UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, India, Singapore, and for the first time from Indonesia, Thailand and Zambia. The institute also saw a sharp increase in female students this year with 35 per cent of current students enrolled being females.

BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus (BPDC) has collaborated with major brands during the Orientation Week such as CCC Shoes and Handbags, Sharaf DG, Desco Copy and Print Center, Noon.com, Quanta Ice Creams, Fishermans Hub, Royal Hyderabad Restaurant etc.

Srinivasan Madapusi, Director said: "As we transition to a post-Covid existence with vaccines, good hygiene, etc. becoming part of our lives, it is imperative that we focus on healing on the psychological front as well. The young adults have been through traumatic experiences and challenges over the past 2 years that included bereavement, social isolation, new education modes, and so on.

 Our proactive initiatives in offering counseling services, mental wellbeing workshops, etc. to students and staff alike through an expert professional is to help everybody come to terms with the past, the new world, and build resilience to deal with future challenges. It is part of the holistic growth of the individual that we advocate and promote in our educational system" stated Madapusi.

Eunice Fernandes Prakash, Counselor at BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, said, BPDC plans to bring about a constructive change in the mindset of students regarding wellness. Apart from teaching how to deal with social stigma related to mental health, the programme also encourages and empowers the students to combat stress and learn techniques like mindfulness.

We have organised various group discussions varied topics such as 'challenging unhelpful thinking styles', 'perfectionism', 'procrastination', 'relaxation techniques', 'dealing with exam stress' etc. To help students to come forward and talk about their concerns and seek professional support to help themselves. We have taken a collaborative and holistic approach to create a nurturing and fostering environment for the students she added. -TradeArabia News Service
MARTINSVILLE, Va.  If you enjoyed the Williamsburg Cafeteria on Memorial Boulevard and eating meals prepared by Pauline Polly Turner at the family business, you can now have those recipes, through Pollys Cookbook.

Turner was born in Floyd County in 1927. She and her 10 siblings were raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains on a 180-acre cabbage farm. Her son, David Turner, said that his mother would often finish cooking family meals for her family.

The family never had a tractor and instead used horses and oxen on the farm.

The closest high school was in Hillsville, which would have required a 5-mile walk through the woods to catch the school bus. Instead of doing that, his mother stayed with a family friend who lived closer to the school, in exchange for doing household chores.

While attending that school, Turner said, she would fill in for absent cafeteria workers.

She left during her junior year of high school, during World War II, to work at the Pentagon.

Turner said that his mother was the only one of her siblings who finished a high school education, returning to school after her time in Washington. Around 1947, she moved to Fieldale and worked at Suts Cafe.

She worked in the cafeterias of Fieldale and Clearview elementary schools and Martinsville High School. She was the first president of the Martinsville-Henry County Food Service Association.

When the position of managing all the school cafeterias in Martinsville opened, she was offered the job until it was found out that it required a degree in home economics and she only had a high school diploma. Instead of taking the head position herself, she trained the person who took that position.

This wound up being a good thing, Turner said. That was kind of the spark that led her to open her own businesses.

She started a catering business out of her basement, then moved it to the Williamsburg House on Broad Street and expanded to provide private dining, a luncheonette and meal delivery for senior citizens.

With the help of Ralph Lester in 1986, the business moved to the old McKee Funeral Home on Memorial Boulevard. Turner said that although much of the financial responsibility was his, his mother was the one in charge.

One day, after they had both worked a 12-hour shift at the cafeteria, Turner called his mother to see if she got home alright. She answered with, You know, yesterday I found a recipe that I wanted to try.

She was cooking ... She was one of these people where a hungry person is a beautiful thing, he said.

Mount Bethel United Methodist Church asked Polly Turner to put together a cookbook. She provided a few of the recipes, but died in 2014. Her son provided the rest. Faye Moore and Stacey Clifton helped put Pollys Cookbook together.

Our two most popular recipes  had been blown up to use in a cafeteria: her lasagna recipe and her chicken broccoli casserole recipe, he said. Both are in the cookbook.

Its been that long ago and I still have people that call me and want Mamas recipes, he said. I had somebody stop when they found out who I was and say Do you have that Japanese Fruit Pie recipe?

The cookbook can be purchased from any member of the churchs Esther Circle or by calling Moore at 276-673-6378. Proceeds support monthly mission projects.

Lasagna

1 pound ground beef

1 1/2 cup tomato puree

4 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. oregano powder

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2/3 cup water

3/4 tsp. salt

As needed: cheese topping of 50/50 shredded Colby and sharp cheddar

As needed: lasagna noodles, raw

Lightly brown ground beef and pour off grease. Break up beef into small pieces. Add all ingredients except the cheese and noodles. Stir to have a smooth sauce. Lightly cover bottom of casserole pan with sauce. Alternate putting down a layer of raw noodles followed by a layer of sauce three times, covering the last layer of noodles with the sauce.

Cover with at least 1/8 inch cheese. Cover with aluminum foil, being careful to not let the top rest on the cheese topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the noodles are tender. Take out of the oven and allow it to stand covered for about 15 minutes before serving.

Hummingbird cake

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

8 ounces crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup bananas, chopped

Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 16 ounce package powdered sugar, sifted

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add vegetable oil and eggs; do not beat. Stir in vanilla extract, pineapple, pecans and bananas. Pour batter in 3 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Icing: Combine cream cheese and butter, beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until light and fluffy. Apply icing to cooled cake.
Chinas economy is in trouble. The juggernaut that once looked bound for global domination is slowing down  and not only in the short run.

The Chinese economys projected growth this year has slowed to about 3%, missing the governments target of 5.5% by an embarrassingly wide margin.

After decades of galloping expansion, that would be the second-worst performance in more than 40 years. Only 2020, with its COVID-induced recession, was worse.

Unemployment among young workers has ballooned to 20%. Fuel prices are rising thanks to Russias war in Ukraine. The overbuilt housing industry is teetering. And President Xi Jinpings draconian COVID Zero lockdowns have created havoc, most recently in technology-heavy Chengdu (population 21 million).

Remember when Americans fretted about China overtaking the United States to claim the title of worlds largest economy? That date has been postponed to 2033 or later, and a few economists suggest it might not happen at all.

Some of those problems may be short term, driven by a slowing global economy and Xis refusal to import foreign COVID-19 vaccines.

But China also faces long-term challenges that wont go away, beginning with an onrushing demographic decline.

The United Nations projects that Chinas population will shrink roughly 40% by the end of the century, from 1.4 billion to a mere 800 million or so. Some demographers say the decline will be steeper; either way, India will soon take over as No. 1.

The population decline stems from a low birthrate, which also means Chinas population is aging and its workforce shrinking. By 2050, more than a quarter of the population will be older than 65, Australias Lowy Institute projects. Lowy expects Chinas growth rate to slow to an average of less than 3% over the next three decades as a result.

China-watchers agree on those doleful forecasts. They disagree, though, on what that means for the countrys future and for U.S. policy. How does a rising superpower react when the foundations of its strength appear to be eroding?

Two foreign policy scholars, Hal Brands of Johns Hopkins and Michael Beckley of Tufts, have offered a frightening thesis: Chinas leaders know their power is about to diminish, and that will make them more likely to take risks in the short run  to invade Taiwan, for example.

China is losing confidence that time is on its side, they write in a recent book, Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China.

China will have strong incentives to use force against its neighbors  even at risk of war with the United States, they warn. The moment of maximum danger, they suggest, is this decade: the 2020s.

A chorus of other China scholars have disagreed.

First, they note, theres no evidence that Xi or other leaders believe their power is declining; they continue to predict the rise of China and the decline of the West.

Even if Chinas economy slows down, it will be growing  still the second-largest in the world.

Countries can muddle along with a great deal of poor economic performance and still be a major force in international politics, noted Aaron L. Friedberg of Princeton, author of Getting China Wrong.

Besides, Xi and other Chinese leaders have a strategy for solving their economic challenge, he argued. They see advances in technology as the key to solving all their problems, he told me. Thats how they plan to achieve higher productivity and reasonably high economic growth.

We have to do more  to slow down Chinas technological development, he said, beginning with tighter controls on the export to Beijing of U.S. and other Western technology.

A rosier scenario, Friedberg and others noted, is that a slowing economy could induce Chinas leaders to devote less spending to military strength and more to improving the lives of the Chinese people.

We should not assume that a weaker China would be aggressive, Bonnie S. Glaser of the German Marshall Fund argued. China could turn inward. Maybe China isnt as intent on unification with Taiwan as it is on internal stability.

So the 21st century may not be Chinese after all. Chinas rise to global power is neither inevitable nor foreordained.

But even an aging China with a slow-growing economy will be a powerful commercial, technological and military competitor. At least until the end of Xis third term in 2027, its leaders will still be ambitious, still bent on absorbing Taiwan, still intent on supplanting the United States as the dominant power in Asia.

Chinas challenge is changing its shape, but it isnt going away.
RALEIGH

When pollsters ask voters to list the issues they care about most, economic concerns usually rank high on the list  even when unemployment rates are relatively low.

Theres a stolen base here, however. With very few exceptions, most people think a rapidly growing economy is critically important. They recognize that other social problems usually get better if jobs are plentiful and incomes are rising. Where voters differ is on how policymakers can most effectively boost growth. So including economic concerns in a list that also includes, say, education or tax relief can obscure what voters really value. Some will rank the economy as a top issue, even as theyre thinking about specific policies that, in their minds, will improve the economy.

Here in North Carolina, we have for many years witnessed a robust debate about how best to enhance our states economic competitiveness and growth rates. Republicans argue that the tax reductions and regulatory relief theyve enacted were wise investments in future economic growth, in part by making it more likely that new or expanded enterprises will be in North Carolina.

Democrats argue it would have been more growth-enhancing to forego the tax cuts, in favor of spending more on education and other services, as well as to forego the regulatory relief, on the grounds that employers, entrepreneurs, professionals, and workers would place a higher value on the anticipated environmental or safety benefits of the regulations than on the lower costs that come from reforming or eliminating them.

The two alternatives represent core philosophical differences, obviously. But that doesnt mean they arent testable propositions. Ill grade those tests in just a moment.

First, though, I want to point out that while there is a gap between these two positions, its not the ideological equivalent of the Grand Canyon. North Carolina Republicans have enacted a series of state budgets that spent tens of billions of dollars a year on education, infrastructure, and other government services. Theyve also implemented policy changes, such as performance pay for teachers and school choice for parents, that they believe will boost academic achievement among North Carolina students.

I also assume, although Im open to evidence to the contrary, that North Carolina Democrats dont want to raise our tax and regulatory burdens to the level of, say, New York  which ranks dead last in economic freedom according to indices published by the Frasier Institute and the Cato Institute.

Moreover, its striking how many Democrats attack Republicans for cutting business taxes across the board while simultaneously criticizing them for failing to give large-enough tax breaks to favored corporations such as automakers or to favored industries such as movie production. I guess taxes really do matter, sometimes.

Now, my report card. I keep a running tally of peer-reviewed studies examining relationships between state policy factors and growth measures such as gross state product (GSP), job creation, income gains, and business starts. My database currently contains more than 1,000 such studies published since 1990.

Based on the empirical evidence, North Carolina Republicans get an A. Most studies show that, after adjusting for a range of control variables, states and localities with higher degrees of economic freedom  lower taxes, fewer regulations  have stronger economic performance than less-free jurisdictions do. For example, a 2022 paper in the journal Small Business Economics found that in communities that straddle state lines, entrepreneurs are more likely to start their new businesses in the lower-taxed state.

How about the Democratic thesis? Ill give it a D. Most studies do show a correlation between conditions such as educational attainment or infrastructure quality and state economic growth. But they dont find a link to expenditures. Only a third of studies find that states with larger education budgets have stronger economic performance, for example.

These findings suggest that state policymakers should find ways to boost economic freedom while making their education and infrastructure systems more productive. North Carolinas legislative leaders would say thats precisely what theyve been doing.
GREENSBORO  The legal system has lost track of the woman who kidnapped a 3-year-old girl from a neighborhood playground at Claremont Court Apartments on Phillips Avenue in 2019.

The state victim notification system issued a warning on Monday after Ndenezsia Monique Lancaster, 25, stopped reporting to her probation officer in Alamance County and is thought to be actively avoiding supervision, according to the North Carolina Statewide Automated Victim Assistance and Notification.

Lancaster, held on a $1 million bond in 2019 after her arrest, was convicted in August 2020 of abduction of a child and sentenced to a minimum of one year and four months in prison, which would also include time spent in custody awaiting the outcome of the case.

She was released from prison in February 2021 after serving her sentence in the disappearance of Ahlora Lindiment, who became the focus of a national manhunt and was later found alive. Lancaster was seen walking away from the playground with the young girl in broad daylight.

It wasnt until Ahloras abduction on Oct. 9, 2019, that police found that another child had been abducted at the same playground earlier in the day but was returned.

Records show Lancaster is on post release supervision until February 2026. Ahloras family could not be reached for comment but state victims services says anyone with concerns about their safety should call local law enforcement.

It was unclear Wednesday if a warrant has been issued for Lancasters arrest. The Alamance County probation office referred questions to the state Department of Public Safety. According to state policy, anyone who violates probation could have their sentence extended or serve jail time.

In 2019, Ahloras siblings saw a woman guiding her away from the playground by her arm and ran to get help. But the two were gone when they returned. An Amber Alert was issued and she was found 26 hours later in front of a church 6 miles from where she was abducted. While Ahlora was seemingly unharmed, Lancaster had a pending assault charge from an unrelated incident involving a box cutter.

After police asked the public for help, someone recognized Lancaster from a surveillance photo and called a tip line. Before police could pick her up, she showed up at the police department.

I think this was a cry for help in a lot of ways, Daniel Harris, Lancasters attorney, said during a first appearance before a judge. She didnt understand her actions and the trauma it would cause.

Harris, whose office says he is no longer representing her, also told the judge at the time that Lancaster suffered from bipolar disorder.
A teenage human trafficking victim who was initially charged with first-degree murder after she stabbed her accused rapist to death was sentenced Tuesday in an Iowa court to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the man's family.

Pieper Lewis, 17, was sentenced Tuesday after she pleaded last year to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury in the June 2020 killing of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks of Des Moines. Both charges were punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Polk County District judge David M. Porter on Tuesday deferred those prison sentences, meaning that if Lewis violates any portion of her probation, she could be sent to prison to serve that 20-year term.

As for being required to pay the estate of her rapist, "this court is presented with no other option," Porter said, noting the restitution is mandatory under Iowa law that has been upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court.

Lewis was 15 when she stabbed Brooks more than 30 times in a Des Moines apartment. Officials have said Lewis was a runaway who was seeking to escape an abusive life with her adopted mother and was sleeping in the hallways of a Des Moines apartment building when a 28-year-old man took her in before forcibly trafficking her to other men for sex.

Lewis said one of those men was Brooks and that he had raped her multiple times in the weeks before his death. She recounted being forced at knifepoint by the 28-year-old man to go with Brooks to his apartment for sex. She told officials that after Brooks had raped her yet again, she grabbed a knife from a bedside table and stabbed Brooks in a fit of rage.

Police and prosecutors have not disputed that Lewis was sexually assaulted and trafficked. But prosecutors have argued that Brooks was asleep at the time he was stabbed and not an immediate danger to Lewis.

Iowa is not among the dozens of states that have a so-called safe harbor law that gives trafficking victims at least some level of criminal immunity.

Lewis, who earned her GED while being held in juvenile detention, acknowledged in a statement prior to her sentencing that she struggled with the structure of her detention, including "why I was treated like fragile glass" or wasn't allowed to communicate with her friends or family.

"My spirit has been burned, but still glows through the flames," she read from a statement she had prepared. "Hear me roar, see me glow, and watch me grow."

"I am a survivor," she added.

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual assault, but Lewis agreed to have her name used previously in stories about her case.

Prosecutors took issue with Lewis calling herself a victim in the case and said she failed to take responsibility for stabbing Brooks and "leaving his kids without a father."

The judge peppered Lewis with repeated requests to explain what poor choices she made that led up to Brooks' stabbing and expressed concern that she sometimes did not want to follow rules set for her in juvenile lockup.

"The next five years of your life will be full of rules you disagree with, I'm sure of it," Porter said. He later added, "This is the second chance that you've asked for. You don't get a third."

Karl Schilling with the Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance said a bill to create a safe harbor law for trafficking victims passed the Iowa House earlier this year, but stalled in the Senate under concerns from law enforcement groups that it was too broad.

"There was a working group established to iron out the issues," Shilling said. "Hopefully it will be taken up again next year."

Iowa does have an affirmative defense law that gives some leeway to victims of crime if the victim committed the violation "under compulsion by another's threat of serious injury, provided that the defendant reasonably believed that such injury was imminent."

Prosecutors argued Tuesday that Lewis waived that affirmative defense when she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and willful injury.
" " Gaslighters often use expressions like these as ways to get their victims to feel they have overreacted. Ariya J/Shutterstock

New York-based political commentator Irina Tsukerman often debates other people in a public setting and sometimes has been accused of gaslighting when the argument gets heated.

"During these debates they have generally claimed that I was gaslighting them or the audience (despite the fact that I was arguing on the substance) as a way to undermine my credibility," she explains in an email interview.

She's also been accused of gaslighting in online forums as well. "People would literally report me as commenting on a particular topic even though I've said no such thing or said something entirely different, as a way to present me a certain way, and would even occasionally go back and delete their own comments so it would seem like I am talking to myself or attacking them for no reason."

But Tsukerman knows that gaslighting is the wrong word to use in these situations. "In reality, gaslighting is a practice that takes time to build up; you generally can't make people think they are crazy during one debate or discussion."

Indeed, "gaslighting" can be added to the list of words that have spilled over from clinical psychology into popular nomenclature. While increased understanding of mental health issues is generally a good thing, it falls decidedly flat when terms like gaslighting, ADHD, OCD and such are grossly misused. All three have become popular slang terms for feelings and experiences that are nowhere near what the terms mean.

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The Origin of "Gaslighting"

The word "gaslight" (as a psychological term) comes from a 1936 play titled "Gas Light." Later made into the 1944 film "Gaslight" starring Ingrid Bergman, the storyline depicts the heroine being emotionally abused to the point where she is led to believe that she's a kleptomaniac. In the plot, her husband (played by Charles Boyer) messes with her mind by making sounds in the attic and dimming the gas lights in the house, then denying that either of those things are actually happening when she mentions them. The point of this subterfuge is to have her question her sanity so that she will agree to be institutionalized, thus allowing the husband to get his hands on her valuable jewels.

" " Charles Boyer scrutinizes Ingrid Bergman at the theater in a scene from the 1944 film "Gaslight." Bettmann/Getty Images

"Gaslighting" was one of Oxford Dictionary's words of the year for 2018. Some attribute the increase in usage as a reaction to President Donald Trump's habit of denying he said something after it was clear that he had, and doubling down on his denial when caught in a lie.

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What Gaslight Really Means Vs. How People Use It

"The biggest place I see it misused is when people refer to others who have a strong opinion or idea or perception that is different from their own," says psychologist Dr. Mark Sharp with the Aiki Relationship Institute via email. "When those people argue for something that doesn't fit their own experience, they call that gaslighting. I run into it in my relationship counseling business quite a bit."

Gaslighting is actually a far more complex form of psychological manipulation than just lying or disagreeing. It's also known as the more technically accurate "coercive control," emails Dr. Monica Vermani, a clinical psychologist in Toronto and author of "A Deeper Wellness: Conquering Stress, Mood, Anxiety and Traumas." "Referring to disagreements and attempts to convince, influence or sway someone's opinion as gaslighting contributes to serious misunderstanding and trivializing of this dangerous and destructive form of manipulation and control," she adds.

An argumentative person trying to get you to change your mind in the here and now or lying to you is not necessarily gaslighting you. "Gaslighting is a deliberate and complex means of intentionally controlling an individual, carried out over an extended time," she explains, noting that the gaslighter's goal is to get the target to "doubt their perceptions and thoughts to the point where they lose faith in and distrust their sense of reality, reason, and understanding of facts and situations."

Sadly, gaslighting is commonly done by someone close to the victim, such as a romantic partner, family member or a close work associate or friend. Often, the gaslighter was victimized in this manner as a child, Vermani notes. "These manipulative behaviors, modelled by parents and other family members, become their blueprints... and their own childhood abuse is later repeated in their adult relationships," she explains. "Thus, while their behaviors are intentional, they may be unaware of the abusive nature of their actions."

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How to Spot Gaslighting

Often, gaslighting is a very nuanced, gradual process that can be difficult to detect. The "long game" is being played here, in form of manipulation in the following ways:

Witholding: The gaslighter won't listen to the victim or acts like they don't understand.

Countering: The abuser questions the victim's memory and recollection of events.

Trivializing: The abuser makes the victim feel as though they are being irrational about their concerns or making too big a deal of them.

Forgetting: The abuser denies outright that a particular thing happened or pretends to have forgotten about it. One large-scale example of gaslighting is when people deny documented events, like the Holocaust.

Diverting: The gaslighter changes the subject or focuses on the credibility of the person speaking versus the content.

The gaslighter might repeat sentences like, "You never remember things correctly," "You're imagining things," "You're too sensitive" and "I don't know what you're talking about," among others. All these are designed to make the victim second-guess themself.

" " Just because you're having an argument with your partner doesn't mean they are trying to gaslight you. The key is whether this behavior is ongoing and geared to getting you to doubt yourself and your motives. jeffbergen/Getty Images

People who are being gaslighted typically start to experience the following:

increasing, overwhelming self-doubt (because their reality is always being challenged)

loss of confidence and trust in their judgment and personal sense of reality

low self-esteem because the abuser constantly undermines and questions their perceptions and sense of reality

confusion, instability and a sense of not being safe

isolation from loved ones who can validate their feelings and recollections

attention, praise and affection from the gaslighter when they try to break away

Long-term, they may experience anxiety, depression and lasting trauma

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What to Do If You're Being Gaslighted

If you feel you're being gaslighted, first collect evidence. Keep a record or journal of what the gaslighter said to you versus what you observed, advises Dr. Harold Hong, a board-certified psychiatrist at New Waters Recovery, located in North Carolina. "This can also help you communicate what's been happening to friends, family or mental health professionals," he says. You can also take photos or create voice memos if necessary to keep memories straight.

When the gaslighter is trying to manipulate you, call them out on it. "For example, you could say something like, "I know what you said; I was there when you said it," says Hong.

If you feel the need to leave the gaslighter, solicit support from other loved ones or community support systems. And take steps to eliminate all communication with and ties to the gaslighter. Block calls or change phone numbers if you have to.

"It is critical not to engage the gaslighter in discussions about your decision to sever ties," Vermani says, as the gaslighter might well manipulate you into changing your mind. Lastly, she advises to get help from a mental health expert "to help you reestablish your sense of self and set healthy boundaries."

Now That's Important If someone has accused you (incorrectly) of gaslighting them, what can you do? First many experts note this is a classic tactic of gaslighters, to accuse others of behavior they are actually engaging in. Many of the same strategies used on gaslighters may work here too: collecting evidence, seeing a therapist and if necessary, cutting off contact with the accuser.
Bad idea, said one man.

He was referring to a proposal to someday require a daily float permit for recreational users of the Madison River.

The Madison River Work Group recommended such a permit as one way to quantify escalating use of the much-beloved river by non-commercial anglers.

The initial purpose of the permit would be data gathering. But it could evolve into a way to restrict use of the river by average folks who havent hired an outfitter/guide.

The man who thought the recreational permit was a bad idea shared his opinion Tuesday night during a scoping meeting in Butte sponsored by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The meeting focused on recommendations to the Fish and Wildlife Commission from the Madison River Work Group. Sixteen people not associated with FWP attended the meeting to hear a presentation and ask questions about the recommendations.

The stated format was clear: FWP said it was there to share information and answer questions, not field comments. Not everyone followed the format, hence the bad idea comment and several other observations unencumbered by any hint of a question.

Three members of the Madison River Work Group were on hand. Mike Bias and Brian McGeehan, both outfitters, participated. So did Richard Gockel, a retired mechanical engineer who has been active in Trout Unlimited and is a board member for the Madison River Foundation.

Some members of Trout Unlimited chapters in southwest Montana have complained that the makeup of the Madison River Work Group tilted toward being unduly outfitter-friendly  with three of 12 members having direct links to outfitting and three more having indirect links to commercial use of the Madison River.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission appointed the Work Group and tasked it with making recommendations about managing commercial and non-commercial use of the river as fishing pressure increases and population growth continues in Bozeman and Gallatin County.

The group started work in September 2021 and shared recommendations with the Fish and Wildlife Commission in June. The commission directed FWP staff to conduct public scoping meetings and collect public comment. The Butte meeting was the last of four in-person meetings.

People can submit comments about the recommendations online, by email or mail.

The Work Groups recommendations for commercial use advise keeping the Special River Permit system, which is a cooperative agreement between FWP and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. There would be no limit on the granting of such permits to new river service providers.

A separate Madison River Use Permit would cap the total annual commercial trips by a Special River Permit holder based on the number of trips reported in 2019 or 2020, whichever is highest.

Anglers who are clients of a permitted outfitter would not need a separate float permit.

Steve Luebeck and Dave McKernan were in the crowd Tuesday. Both are with the George Grant Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Luebeck asked Gockel to weigh in about the proposed permit for recreational use. He noted that Gockel has ties to Trout Unlimited.

Gockel replied that the permits initial purpose would be to get a sense of the extent of non-commercial use on the Madison. But he readily acknowledged that the permit might someday be used to restrict recreational use, especially on peak days like July 4.

You cant continue to increase the number of boats on the river indefinitely, Gockel said.

Current recommendations would not limit outfitter trips on peak days. Instead, outfitter trips would be limited by the cap tied to historic use.

Luebeck asked the three representatives from the Madison River Work Group how confident they are that the Fish and Wildlife Commission will move forward with their recommendations.

Bias provided a chronology of past efforts to draft a recreation plan for the Madison River that have foundered.

McGeehans response was measured. He said he believed the current effort seems to have more support than ever to move forward.

FWP is scheduled to report back to the Fish and Wildlife Commission on Dec. 16.

The Madison River Work Groups recommendations, and a link for public comment, can be found at: https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/madison-river-workgroup.
The 3rd edition of Saudi Maritime Congress, the Kingdoms most influential maritime and logistics event has received support from industry stakeholders that have significantly contributed to the growth of the maritime sector in the Mena region.

Supported by major maritime authorities in the Kingdom such as Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and the Transport General Authority, the event will connect the industry across the region by bringing together ship owners, suppliers, and key decision-makers.

Scheduled to take place in Dammam between September 28 and 29, the much-awaited exhibition and conference will witness the participation of some of the leading maritime policy influencers across the Kingdom and the globe such as Mawani, Transport General Authority, International Chamber of Shipping and Intermanager.

In addition, key port operators and trade enablers such as Saudi Global Ports Co., DP World, and Red Sea Gateway Terminal will show their support through attendance and contribution. Nonetheless, members of the classification societies such as DNV; maritime insurance providers such as TT Club; ship builders and managers such as Med Marine and Columbia Ship management; and technology enablers such as Inmarsat.

Ian Edwards, Area Manager, Middle East and Africa, DNV Maritime, said: We are very pleased to be associated with one of the most influential maritime events of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We look forward to the opportunity to meet with our customers as well as thought-leaders and experts to discuss upcoming transformations in the maritime industry  both locally and internationally. The Congresss programme is a great opportunity to connect with the industrys best and share experiences and know-how. Through our participation in the Saudi Maritime Congress 2022, we aim to build effective collaborations with all the maritime industrys stakeholders - governmental officials, partners, and potential customers - to ensure sustainable growth for both our organisation and the local shipping market.

As one of the leading events in the maritime sector, Saudi Maritime Congress 2022 aims to focus discussions around the transformation within the industry, not only in the region, but globally. In recent years, the sector witnessed several scenarios that led decision makers and legal firms to propose amendments to existing laws and regulations.

Khurram Ali, Partner, Middle East, Ince said, For legal firms such as ourselves, our involvement was more towards shaping policies and regulations that could support these efforts and catalyse recovery and growth. Our participation in the Saudi Maritime Congress will help us understand more about the challenges the industry stakeholders are facing, and will help us evaluate our existing regulations and draft new policies, keeping in mind the best practices in terms of maritime safety and operations. Therefore, we support the hosting of such events that allow us to connect with the industry and solve the root cause of the issues facing the sector. The panel discussions that will be held during the event will be an ideal platform for us to discuss these issues and hear from organisations working in the sector regarding the factors that are hindering their progress.

Saudi Arabia is currently on a drive to becoming one of the most technologically advanced, and sustainable nations across the globe. Similar to its focus since the past two editions, the 2022 edition of the Saudi Maritime Congress will also aim at facilitating the industrys contribution towards helping the Kingdom achieve its national goals.

Chris Morley, Group Director  Maritime Events, Informa Markets, said: The maritime sector across the globe has witnessed several unprecedented challenges, many catalysed or exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, the industry showed a lot of resilience and, in some sectors, continued to show growth. Were excited to be bringing together leading authorities, policy influencers, private & public fleet owners and operators to play our part in stimulating and supporting innovative discussion and progress. Through thought leadership and unparalleled networking opportunities, SMC 2022 will enable various maritime organisations to collaborate on major projects and drive the progress of the sector. We are truly honored to receive the support of some of the most well-known organisations in the sector, and are looking forward to witnessing the change effected by this important group of stakeholders.--TradeArabia News Service
The Salvation Army in Helena is having a Feed the Need fundraising event Thursday to support its gym programs, social service programs, newly enlarged food pantry, Transitional Living Housing and Ground Zero Mens and Womens Sober Living Homes.

The public may attend the 5:30-7 p.m. event in The Salvation Army Gymnasium, 1330 Hudson St.

The event will feature a silent auction, hors doeuvres catered by Chili OBriens and music provided by The Hopeful Troubadours. It will highlight the work of The Salvation Army in the Helena community and how the communitys support helps The Salvation Army meet needs of local families through its many avenues.

Last year, The Salvation Army served more than 5,000 individuals in Helena.

The event is hosted by Salvation Army leaders in Helena, Majs. Brian and Iva West. They direct The Salvation Armys office in Helena, which provides essential services to local families and others in need throughout the region. St. Peters Health is a sponsor of the event.

The Salvation Army in Helena has provided social services to families and individuals in Lewis and Clark as well as neighboring counties for 135 years. Among the programs offered are emergency food, utility assistance, rent assistance, transitional housing, life skills courses and individual case management.

For more information contact: Maj. Brian West at 818-408-1023, or brian.west@usw.salvationarmy.org.

To make a donation, go to: https://give-nw.salvationarmy.org/campaign/helena-salvation-army-gymnasium-fundraiser/c403170.
There was no bat signal in the sky, but people still knew where to go.

In late August, Montana WILD hosted its final bat walk of the summer in its back lawn at Spring Meadow Lake State Park. The event was free to the public and about 30 people attended.

I saw a ton (of bats), said Jeffrey King, a boy in attendance. Also bats are my favorite animal, and black is my favorite color. Im not scared of bats because I know a lot of things about bats.

King noted how Batman is his favorite superhero.

Local bat expert Matt Bell, who works for Montana Land Reliance as the GIS coordinator/land steward, presented on bats before he led the bat walk.

The bat activity wasn't as prominent as on earlier bat walks because near September, bat activity starts to drop as 12 species of bats hibernate and three species of bats leave Montana for the winter, according to Bell.

Each group of attendees was given a bat detector to point at bats and pick up their echolocation. The smaller bats flew close to the water for their insects, and the bat detector was turned to 20-25 frequency to pick up their calls. The larger bats were higher up in the sky, at 40 frequency for them.

Bell stated how there are three stages of echolocation for bats: The search phase, the approach phase and the terminal buzzphase.

During the search phase, the echolocation is more spread out and slower, about 10 clicks per second. However, once an insect is located, bats start the approach phase, and the echolocation happens more frequently as they approach their meal. The terminal buzzphase is when the echolocation is fastest as they close in on their prey at around 200 or more clicks per second.

All 15 species of bats in Montana are insectivores, eating their body weight in insects each night and up to 1,000 insects per hour. Bats save U.S. farmers an average of $3.7 billion dollars in pesticides by eating so many insects, said Bell.

I like bats but horses are my favorite animal, said Adelynn Hinck, a girl in attendance. I learned about White Nose Syndrome today. Its when a bat is hibernating. Fungus grows on the bat, and they get cold.

White Nose Syndrome (WNS), or pseudogymnoascus destructans, is a fungus that lives in caves and abandoned mine systems where some bats hibernate. This fungus grows on the bats hibernating, and irritates and interrupts the bats hibernating schedule, causing them to lose energy faster.

Bell mentioned how when the bat walks first started in 2012, no WNS was found in Montana. It was mainly found on the East Coast. In 2019, WNS was first detected in Montana.

The Azure Cave near Lewistown is an example of the harm WNS can cause. This cave usually hosts around 1,700 to 1,900 bats hibernating, according to prior surveys. The 2022 survey of these bats in Azure Cave noted only 41 bats, half with WNS, a 98% decline, stated Bell.

One positive is that Montana bats dont often hibernate in large numbers, which slows the spread of WNS. The highest number of communal bats hibernating in Montana was 1,900, but back east, there can be hibernating groups of 10,000.

Rabies is also a disease bats carry, so officials warned that even though about 1% of the wild population of bats carry rabies, try not to touch them if avoidable.
PABLO  Republican proposals for new legislative districts in Montana would reduce the number of districts with Native American majorities, an approach that has been criticized by tribal members, indigenous activists and Democrats since they were unveiled last month.

During one of two public hearings taking place on Indian reservations in the state, Mondays meeting at the Salish Kootenai College in Pablo saw tribal members, local leaders and indigenous lawmakers asking the Districting and Apportionment Commission to preserve the current districts in which Native Americans make up a majority of voters. Democrats argued that keeping those districts intact is critical to complying with the federal Voting Rights Act.

That helps to provide that knowledge, that long-standing reflection on the Native people in this area, in our legislative system, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Tom McDonald told the commission during the hearing.

The meeting was sparsely attended compared with other recent hearings around the state, including in Bozeman and Missoula, where comments were more evenly divided between those supporting maps advanced by Republicans versus Democrats.

Under the current legislative map, six House districts have a majority of voters who are Native American. Montanas 50 Senate districts are each made up of two adjacent House districts. The six majority-minority House districts currently pair up to form three majority-minority Senate districts: One spanning the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations, another covering the Blackfeet Reservation and portions of the Flathead Indian Reservation and a third stretching through portions of the reservations on the Hi-Line.

McDonald argued for the importance of maintaining some form of House District 15, which stretches across much of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex to link the eastern portion of the Flathead Reservation with the Blackfeet Reservation.

Commission members disagree on the need for the sprawling district, and Republicans have suggested the lengthy driving distance between its corners may run afoul of the requirement that districts be compact and contiguous with respect to transportation, geography and other factors. That requirement is spelled out in the Montana Constitution, as well as the commissions adopted criteria.

Montanas redistricting process is overseen by a commission split between the two parties, with two members appointed by Republicans and two appointed by Democrats. Chairperson Maylinn Smith serves as the fifth, nonpartisan commissioner appointed by the state Supreme Court, and often serves as the tie-breaking vote.

In August, each of the four partisan commissioners offered up their map proposal, kicking off a series of public hearings held around the state and via remote meetings to gather public input. Smith has said she expects the maps to change once the commission meets after the November election for a lengthy work session to refine the borders of the 100 House districts.

GOP-appointed commissioner Dan Stuseks plan is the only one of the four that wouldnt adopt some form of HD 15, instead creating a Flathead Reservation district with 48% Native voters that doesnt connect to the Blackfeet Reservation. And because Senate districts are formed by combining two adjacent House districts, it would automatically eliminate one of the current majority-minority Senate districts, as well.

I made that split partially because of practical contiguity, Stusek said in August, after unveiling his map proposal. He added, I believe  the contiguity issues there create a district that would not be deemed that it would violate the Voting Rights Act.

His GOP colleague, Jeff Essman, has proposed a map that retains six minority-majority House districts, but would also only allow for the creation of only two such Senate districts.

Stusek noted that part of the courts analysis rests on whether a minority group in a district is able to elect its candidate of choice. This amounts to determining whether the minority group has a clear preference in candidate, and whether a district is drawn in a way that allows members of the racial majority to vote as a bloc to defeat the minority groups choice. He also noted that the maps are likely to change significantly as the process continues.

"We're not drawing any lines in the sand," he said in an interview last month. "We're open to change if that's what the people comment on."

Democratic Commissioner Kendra Miller, in an analysis she submitted recently to the commission, pointed to a higher likelihood of those candidate of choice wins in the districts with high Native populations on the Democrats maps, versus those from Republicans. In an August meeting, she also accused the GOP commissioners of ignoring the Voting Rights Act in their map proposals.

Many of the commenters in Pablo stressed the shared history and culture between the two tribes, a nod to one of the commission's adopted goals to keep "communities of interest" intact.

Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning, represents Senate District 8, which currently unites the two majority-minority districts covering the Flathead and Blackfeet reservations. A Blackfeet tribal member, she highlighted the shared family trees of tribal members on the two reservations.

Historically, weve fought on another, but when we got into the modern era, we have been allies politically and socially, Webber said in an interview at the meeting.

The CSKT have a relatively diffuse Native population compared with other Montana tribes, with a reservation population that is nearly two-thirds white. Only one House seat that currently represents part of the reservation is held by a Native lawmaker, Webber said, and she worried that without a minority-majority district, the CSKT would lose their voice in the Legislature.

To just eliminate House District 15 entirely, these people wont have any representation, she said. I take that very seriously as a representative. Whatever they want, I take that seriously.

Webber also pointed to successes by the Legislature's Native American Caucus advancing common legislative priorities like combating invasive species and the crisis of missing Indigenous people.

Montana's Native American population, at 9.3% of the total according to the 2020 census, has historically been disproportionately represented in the Legislature, although that gap has closed in recent decades. Indigenous lawmakers currently make up 8% of both chambers, up from just over 5% a decade earlier.
Wildlife officials shot and killed a grizzly bear north of Choteau last week after it preyed on sheep and cattle.

The 4-year-old male bear had first been captured and collared in 2021 in a trap set due to cattle depredation. It was unknown at the time if the trapped bear had killed the calf or was scavenging the carcass, so it was collared and released on-site, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks said in a news release. Later in 2021, the bear was documented visiting sites where a sheep and a calf were killed. Officials say the bear was confirmed by trail camera and collar data, but it evaded attempts to capture it at that time.

On Sept. 5, landowners reported another sheep had been killed, and FWP and USDA Wildlife Services technicians responded and confirmed the sheep was killed by a bear. Collar data from the bear showed it was present at the kill site and it was shot and killed on Friday afternoon after approval for the removal came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Grizzlies are listed as threatened under Endangered Species Act.

The hide and head from the bear were salvaged and will be used for educational purposes, FWP said.
DECATUR  Bill Clevenger has been named to the vacant seat on the Decatur Public Schools board of education.

"I come from a family of teachers," he said. "I taught at James Madison University. My kids are all products of District 61. Upon retirement from the park district, I now have time to devote to other causes I'm interested in and this is one of those causes. Nothing is more important than education and educating our future generations."

The vote to seat Clevenger was 4-2, with Kevin Collins-Brown and Al Scheider voting against it.

Collins-Brown said he was not voting against Clevenger, but against the process.

"The process of only interviewing candidates who waited until the second deadline for applications, Aug. 31, is not forthright," said Collins-Brown, who added that he ran for his seat on the board on the platform of greater transparency. "I don't think this is very transparent. Out of respect, the board should have interviewed some of the other applicants."

Board President Andrew Taylor said there were nine applicants for the vacant seat and, with no clear-cut legal requirements for the process, the board secretary Melissa Bradford sent the applications to the members of the board to review. Board members then indicated which applicants they were interested in interviewing and, if at least three board members were interested in a candidate, that person was scheduled for an interview. Three applicants were interviewed as a result.

There's no prescribed process, Taylor said. We thought it was fair that anybody with the interest of three board members could get a fourth vote. It seemed like a fair process. Some board members wanted to interview everybody, but I didn't see the point if no board members felt (the candidate) merited an interview.

To comply with the Open Meetings Act, the act of seating a new board member was placed on the board agenda, he said, but if there had not been consensus on a candidate, the board would have removed that item during open session, which is allowed. A simple majority vote is all it takes to seat a board member in this situation and Clevenger received four votes at the open portion of the board meeting.

Taylor said what he personally looked for in a candidate for the position was leadership, strong ties to the community, experience with public finances, and an understanding of the administration-board relationship, and that Clevenger had all those qualities.

Clevenger served as Decatur Park District executive director for 34 years. He holds bachelors and masters degrees in parks and recreation administration, plus an education specialist degree in community education/public administration. In January 2021, the Illinois Park and Recreation Association named Clevenger its Professional of the Year for his commitment and excellent service, saying his desire to serve and his visionary leadership have profoundly impacted his community.
The Democrats are throwing an apoplectic fit over the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Why such extreme outrage?

Ill tell you why. The leftists were smacked in the face with the Constitution itself.

Dobbs, along with two other recent decisions, represent a victory for the limited government view of our republican system. They were legal interpretations of constitutional rights as written in the Constitution (original intent).

The ruling finds that the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction over the abortion issue. Under the 10th Amendment, abortion is a state issue as part of state sovereignty. Thats the way it was for almost 200 years. Then in 1973, the legal fiction known as Roe v. Wade was inflicted upon the nation. Sadly, most brutally upon the precious unborn.

Dobbs restores essential elements of the balance of power established by the Founding Fathers that they enshrined in the Constitution. This ruling limits federal power rather than dishing that power.

The abortion controversy is simply returned to the will of the people in the individual states where its always belonged. The federal government has unconstitutionally usurped the rightful authority of the individual states; it has no delegated authority with regard to establishing a right to abortion, as is true with many other issues.

For 50 years, the Blackmun decision in Roe unfairly handed abortion advocates a gigantic advantage over advocates for the unborn.

Now, Dobbs has renewed the spirit and resolve of pro-lifers everywhere. We must change hearts and minds, and hopefully, save souls by convincing more people that all babies begin life at conception. That they are made in the image of God and deserve a chance at life beyond the womb.

Monica Seigfreid, Assumption
California-based Plenty Unlimited Inc. will build a vertical farming operation at Chesterfield Countys Meadowville Technology Park that it expects will create 300 jobs.

The company said it expects the facility will be the worlds largest indoor vertical farm campus. A vertical farm grows produce indoors on towers.

It represents an investment of $300 million.

The company will complete the Chesterfield facility in several phases over the next six years, with the first farm to be completed in the winter of 2023-2024.

It will grow Driscolls brand strawberries, producing 4 million pounds a year, on 30-foot high towers of stiff, squared off plastic cylinders. The towers are pierced with 1 inch by 1 inch slanted slots for strawberry plants, with inner tubing delivering water and nutrients.

Eventually, the company expects to raise 20 million pounds a year of various produce in Chesterfield, including the leafy greens, such as spinach and arugula it grows now at its smaller California facilities, said chief executive officer Arama Kukutai. He said the company is eyeing tomatoes as well.

Our people in California are jealous that were going to start strawberries in Virginia, Kukutai said.

Kukutai, who grew up on a New Zealand dairy farm, said raising produce on the towers allows a continuous harvest, instead of the traditional seasonal one. He expects to ship the first berries from Chesterfield in the winter of 2023 to 2024, soon after the first building on the farm is completed.

Because they are grown inside and on a medium of old coconut shells, neither pests nor soil bacteria are a problem.

And the company's workers can pick the berries they are ripe - none of those sour, white-tipped ones people when when farmers need to pick an entire field in one go, he said.

What Plenty represents is .. the combination of Virginias agricultural heritage, its our largest industry, with Virginias leading position in technology and oh by the way the spirit of entrepreneurship were so proud of, said Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The state is backing the project with a $2.4 million grant from the Commonwealth Opportunity Fund and a $500,000 grant from the Governors Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund. In addition, the company can see benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program and the Major Facility Job Tax Credit program, tied to new jobs created.

Youngkin said state officials customized a package of incentives that ties public support to the actual investment and hiring the company does.

Kukutai said the Richmond area has the skilled workforce and nearby colleges that the company will need to find the technicians and plant scientists who will keep robotic planting gear and well as lighting, ventilation and nutrient feeds operating, as well as making sure produce is picked when it is ripe and ready to be shipped.

"When can pick when they are ripe and they'll be on the shelf the next day," Kukutai said.

The site is within a days drive of 100 million customers, including some of the nations biggest berry eaters, he said.

One, in fact, is Youngkin, who told Kukutai that his family is probably the biggest per-capita collection of strawberry-eaters around.
A home and two vehicles were heavily damaged in a fire in Long View on Wednesday morning.

Shortly before 9:30 a.m., Hickory firefighters responded to a fire at a home located at 950 20th St. NW near the Hickory Regional Airport.

Firefighters searched the building to ensure no occupants were inside and worked to extinguish the fire, Hickory Fire Department Education Coordinator Terri Byers said in a news release.

Firefighters battling the blaze noticed the roof of the structure was unstable. Byers said firefighters moved to the exterior of the house to fight the fire amid safety concerns.

Want to help? The GoFundMe page set up for Caldwell County Paramedic Ethan Miller: https://www.gofundme.com/f/caldwell-county-nc-paramedic-ethan-miller?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR3m-rMddVxbBmLzO-M-KLM3_dJn_OItfOzo0OVSMq_lsqI3HV4h3erl2hw

The Catawba County Fire Marshals Office determined the fire started in a vehicle beside the house. The fire was deemed accidental.

No one was in the home at the time of the fire and no pets were injured, Byers said.

Ethan Miller, a Caldwell County paramedic and his family, lived in the home. Miller was on duty when the fire broke out, Caldwell County Emergency Services Public Information Officer Lt. Jason Powell said.

The Caldwell County Emergency Services started a GoFundMe page to help Miller and his family. Powell said the department wanted to help one of their own. The American Red Cross is also assisting the displaced family.
The three school district superintendents in Catawba County say COVID-19 was a significant contributor to lower performances grades and proficiency rates for the 2021-22 school year.

Catawba County Schools Superintendent Matt Stover and Hickory Public Schools Superintendent Bryan Taylor said absences were high for both staff members and students throughout the pandemic.

Stover said several Catawba County Schools students missed up to 30 days. COVID-19 guidelines had students and staff in quarantine for 10 days at a time if they or a family member tested positive for the virus. Stover said district administrators stepped in as substitute teachers in some cases.

When you have me as a substitute teacher in an elementary school, thats a problem, Stover said. Because I have no elementary training to teach kids. We had adults that were coming into classrooms who are great people, great substitutes, but they dont have the effectiveness of a teacher whos got that certification.

Stover said he is hopeful for the next school year and that as absences lessen, especially in certified teaching staff, the performance grades for each school will improve. He said the lower scores made some staff disheartened because the scores did not reflect the effort put into teaching students and trying to rebound from learning loss due to the pandemic shut down.

Discovery and Challenger high schools were the only schools in Catawba County to receive an A for performance. Six schools received a B and 12 schools received a D. None of the schools in the county received an F. Alternative schools Catawba Rosenwald Education Center and Conover School were not graded, according to data released by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

The state calculates school performance scores primarily on end-of-grade and end-of-course exam results. To receive an A, a school scored between 85 and 100. A school with a D scored between 40 and 54, according to the performance report.

In my opinion, the current accountability model being used in North Carolina does not represent an accurate picture of what is actually taking place in our classrooms and how our students are performing, Taylor said via email. The current accountability model weighs test scores at 80% while student growth only accounts for 20%. When you consider all the issues related to COVID, no one should be surprised school grades have dropped.

Each of the three superintendents said they felt the formula for grading schools does not accurately represent student work or classroom performance. Stover likened the formula to judging students and schools based on a snapshot from one day, rather than painting a portrait of the entire year.

I have walked the hallways of schools with letter grades of A to D and I can vouch for the fact that staff are working extremely hard to close the learning gaps of their students, Newton-Conover City Schools Superintendent Aron Gabriel said via email. And our students are embracing difficult state learning standards that may not always be developmentally appropriate for them individually.

Despite the lower school performance grades, Catawba County Schools and Newton-Conover City Schools outperformed the state average on proficiency rates. The proficiency rates are based on the percentage of students in each district who scored at or above grade level on end-of-grade and end-of-course tests.

The state proficiency rate for the 2021-22 school year was 51.4%. In Catawba County Schools, 56.1% of students reached at least grade level proficiency. Newton-Conover City Schools had 52.2% of students achieve grade level proficiency.

Hickory Public Schools had 50.2% of students reach proficiency, which was below the state average. Hickory Public Schools was the only district where all schools met or exceeded anticipated academic growth for students. The systems schools hit those marks for the first time in eight years, Taylor said.

Gabriel said parents who are concerned about their childs academic progress should keep track by reaching out to teachers, asking how they can be involved in their childs education and asking how they can assist their childs school.

Before the school performance grades were released, the districts were implementing strategies to help improve their students education and make up for learning loss due to the pandemic.

Catawba County Schools had a jumpstart program to help students in kindergarten, seventh and ninth grades transition into new school settings. Stover said the district is learning new strategies for how to fill gaps, while continuing forward with grade-level curriculum.

Time hasnt changed. We dont have any more time, Stover said. If you oversaturate students and oversaturate staff, then their output is less. It might be fine for the first couple of months, but people are worn out.

Newton-Conover City Schools has been using a multi-tiered system of support to help identify and intervene with students who have academic, social and emotional issues, Gabriel said. This approach allows the district to meet the needs of each student. The multi-tiered system is geared towards individual student improvement, which in turn, contributes to school improvement, Gabriel said.

Taylor said Hickory Public Schools has been taking multiple steps to improve student performance, starting with a comprehensive needs assessment conducted by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. The district is currently reviewing the results of the assessment.

Each school in the Hickory system took part in a two-day assessment where a team visited classrooms, met with administrators, teachers, families, students and other staff members. The team also met with administrators, school board members and a focus group of principals during a two-day assessment of the district. The data collected from these visits will help determine what issues are district-wide and what issues are isolated to a particular school.

Other strategies Taylor mentioned are utilizing math specialists in grades six through 12, implementing a district-wide reading program for kindergarten through fifth-graders and a new classroom walk-through process to monitor instruction and provide support to teachers.
HICKORY  Catawba Valley Community College has been awarded a grant through the member-funded State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation to provide scholarships for up to 30 local students.

SECU Foundation introduced the SECU Bridge to Career Program in 2018 to help students seeking to obtain careers with sustainable wages in their local communities. Administered by each college, the initiative focuses on assisting individuals with finding vocational and job placement opportunities through eligible training programs that lead to state-regulated or industry-recognized credentials.

Wed like to thank the State Employees Credit Union for sponsoring scholarships for North Carolinas community colleges, especially for CVCC, in helping to expand the workforce in North Carolina, said Robin Cornett, CVCCs Dean of Health Education. These scholarship monies are very important to students who may be unemployed or underemployed to help them earn credentials in leading to good paying jobs.

Scholarship funding will be applied to educational expenses and other expenditures associated with their program of study through CVCCs workforce development program.

This scholarship program is an essential piece of SECU Foundations scholarship offerings, filling the gap with support for individuals seeking a job in a high-demand trade industry or enhancing their education with new skills to advance their career, said Jama Campbell, SECU Foundation Executive Director. North Carolina has an excellent community college system, and we are proud to work together with state educators to help North Carolinians work toward a better future. On behalf of SECU Foundation, we offer our congratulations to these recipients.

To be considered for this scholarship, an individual must meet the following qualifications: be a U.S. citizen and a North Carolina resident; be in one of the following target groups: unemployment insurance claimants, unemployed or underemployed adults, military veterans and spouses, or a member of the NC National Guard. (NOTE: Underemployed will be defined as individuals earning 200% below the federal poverty level at $25,520/year. Preference will be given to students with limited or no access to financial aid from other programs); be enrolled in a short-term training program 96-hours or more that leads to a state-regulated or industry-recognized credential that is offered through Continuing Education; and not be a director, employee or family member of an employee.

With the combined commitments for the SECU Bridge to Career and People Helping People Community College Scholarship programs, SECU Foundation funding for the NC Community College System totals over $1.6 million annually.

For more information on the SECU Bridge to Careers Program, contact Kristin Wright, CVCCs Coordinator for Customized Training, via email at kswright@cvcc.edu or call 828-327-7000 ext. 4297.
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has announced a doubling of Chinese companies in its Free Zone, and adding on average more than two Chinese companies a week.

Today, DMCC is home to 703 Chinese businesses, representing nearly 12% of the Chinese companies in the UAE. This growth is underpinned by a long-standing diplomatic and economic relationship between the UAE and China.

DMCC has played a vital role in strengthening the UAEChina trade relations and in enhancing the presence of Chinese companies in Dubai. Since its establishment, DMCC has signed a wide range of agreements with public and private entities in China to boost the bilateral trade relationship, and hosted roadshows and webinars to facilitate the international expansion of Chinese companies.

Integrated infrastructure

DMCC has created an integrated infrastructure that caters to the Chinese business community, including the establishment of the Yingtian Chinese Business Centre DMCC in 2017 to aid Chinese companies wanting to set up a company in Dubai. In addition, DMCCs website was also launched in Mandarin to further increase the ease of doing business in Dubai. In 2020, a China Service Centre opened its doors in Almas Tower, DMCCs headquarter, with Mandarin onboarding support across all client touchpoints, while a representative office in Shenzhen was inaugurated to bring DMCC to the doorstep of Chinese businesses.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said: China has always been a significant market for DMCC. It is the largest economy in Asia and the second largest in the world, and the biggest trading partner for the UAE. There are more than 6,000 Chinese companies in the UAE and DMCC is proud to be home to 12% of them. Combined with the leading business ecosystem, infrastructure and facilities on offer at DMCC, Dubais strategic location provides us with a significant competitive advantage when it comes to supporting the international expansion of Chinese businesses.

Li Jian, General Manager of Dongfang Electric International Corporation, a Chinese DMCC member company, said: Advantageous geographical location, developed social and economic infrastructure, and business-friendly environment has created DMCC's strong competitiveness. During the process of establishing a branch office in DMCC, we felt that the fully digital registration process was simple and effective. The DMCC team promptly assisted us and provided professional and efficient support. The successful registration and operation of Dongfang Electric International Corporation DMCC branch will continue to help our business thrive in the Middle East and the surrounding regions.

Growth and development

Tang Yuhua, President of POWERCHINA MENA, said: POWERCHINA MENA was registered with DMCC in 2013. In the past nearly ten years, we have witnessed the growth and development of DMCC. The team have proven thorough understand of the needs of the enterprises, actively supporting us to achieve our global vision. The digital platform provides a one-stop service centre from business licensing to personnel management which has been valuable for our business operations.

Jason Ou, President of Hisense Middle East & Africa, said: Being located in DMCC presents a myriad opportunities and expansion prospects. DMCC has supported Hisense, a global business with its regional head office situated in DMCC, with its business growth plans and regional development. DMCCs smart platforms and integrated infrastructure provides an outstanding business ecosystem. In addition, its proximity to prime locations, at the heart of Dubai, makes it an ideal choice for todays demanding businesses. We are pleased with the services and support of DMCC.

Hikvision, a DMCC member company, said: We have established our brand in DMCC in 2016 and have since benefited from the business-friendly atmosphere and high-standard services that DMCC provides. Business operations are made more efficient and convenient by DMCC's dedicated online platform; inquiries about the firm and employee service may always be swiftly managed. Additionally, the DMCC team have demonstrated utmost levels of professionalism with a friendly manner and keenness to address concerns for member companies.

Biggest trading partner

The UAE and China have historically shared great diplomatic and economic relations, working closely towards mutual goals and principles. The UAE is Chinas biggest trading partner in the Arab World. In 2021, China also ranked first as the UAEs biggest trading partner, accounting for 11.7% of the UAEs total foreign trade, and the value of non-oil trade exchange between the two countries amounted to AED212 billion ($57.72 billion), a growth of 27% from 2020 and 19.8% from 2019. China remained the UAE's top trading partner during the first quarter of 2022, with bilateral trade between the two countries at AED57 billion. The trade value is on track to expand to $200 billion by 2030.

This accelerated growth is in part due to the UAE being among the first countries to join the Belt and Road Initiative and the comprehensive strategic partnership. As a result, the UAE is now the largest logistics hub for China in the Middle East and more than 60% of China's trade in the region now transits through the UAE.-- TradeArabia News Service
Does Alaska have a political message for North Carolina?

Not a chance, you say. Its too far away to have any connection to us.

But wait a minute. There are some connections.

Steve Cowper, who grew up in Kinston and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, served two terms in the Alaska House of Representatives. He was also governor of the state from 1986 to 1990.

Then there is my connection to Mary Peltola, who was elected to the U.S. Congress last week, beating former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

My connection to Peltola is remote but important to me. She lives in Bethel, in the far west of Alaska on the Kuskokwim River. It is where I spent the better part of a month on an Army mission to train soldiers in the Alaska National Guard. These troops were, like Ms. Peltola, native Alaskans.

Most of the troops had Russian names. I remember Sgt. Nicolai Nicolai even now, more than 50 years after I first knew him.

Russians were the original European colonists in Alaska. Although they withdrew after selling Alaska to the U.S. in 1867 for $7.2 million, there were still reminders in addition to the Russian names. When we arrived in early January, the celebration of the Russian Orthodox Christmas season was just ending.

North Carolina and the Bethel area of Alaska also share a connection to the Moravian church. I remember a cold dogsled ride from Bethel to the nearby Moravian mission, which was serving Alaskan natives, but where I felt very much at home.

Enough of your personal memories, you are thinking, what does all this have to do with Alaskas message for todays North Carolina?

The answer comes from understanding how Peltola, a Native Alaskan member of the Yupik group, and a Democrat, beat former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin in the recent special congressional election.

It helps to understand Alaskas new voting system, a form of what is called ranked-choice voting.

Here is how it worked in Alaska.

First, in a nonpartisan primary, each voter picked one candidate from a list of everyone who had signed up to run. In the recent congressional election, 48 candidates ran in that first round primary.

The top four vote-getters in this primary were each given a spot on the ballot for the general election. The top four were Palin, Peltola, Nick Begich, and another candidate who later dropped out.

Voters were able to rank up to three of the remaining candidates in order of preference: first, second, and third.

Republicans Palin and Begich gathered a total of nearly 60% of first-place votes. Democrat Peltola got only about 40% of the first-place votes.

But because Begich came in third, he was eliminated, and his second-choice votes were reallocated. Most of his second-choice votes went, not to fellow Republican Palin, but to Peltola. That gave her a majority and the victory.

Would this method of choosing office holders work in North Carolina?

On the positive side, it would eliminate candidates winning elections with as few as 30% of the vote. It would also open the door to worthy candidates who do not have connections to the major political parties or access to great wealth.

On the other hand, the complexity of the ranked-choice-voting could have citizens complaining that they prefer traditional voting systems that they can understand.

Democracy works best when citizens understand the system and have confidence in it.

I admire and respect Alaskans, especially the newly elected Peltola, but for now I would like to keep our election system just like it is. As time passes though, we should, like the Alaskans, be open to adopting new election procedures that preserve and enhance our treasured democratic traditions.
Midway celebrating homecoming

Midway United Methodist is celebrating Homecoming on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 10:30 a.m.

Join Midway as the church gives thanks for 103 years of faith and fellowship. The speaker will be the Rev. Craig Allen.

A covered dish luncheon will follow the service. The church is at 702 S. Main St., Kannapolis.

North Kannapolis homecoming service

North Kannapolis Baptist Churchs annual Homecoming service will be held Sunday, Sept. 25, beginning at 10:45 a.m.

The guest speaker will be the Rev. Jim Edminson from Baptist Childrens Homes of North Carolina, where he serves as assistant to the president, editor of Charity and Children, and director of marketing and PR for the NC Baptist Aging Ministry.

The church is at 312 Locust St. Dr. Keith Pisani is pastor. Call 704-933-2125 for more information.

Royal Oaks free spaghetti dinner

Royal Oaks United Methodist Church is having a free spaghetti dinner at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18.

At 6 p.m., the St. James Mens Choir will sing. The church is at 1020 Kansas St., Kannapolis.
Wednesday, September 14

The Farmers Market @ Rocky River Presbyterian Church is from 3 to 6 p.m. on the front lawn of the church located at 7940 Rocky River Road, Concord. Enjoy the freshest produce, sweets, breads, and honey along with craft and food vendors. Details here: https://rockyriver.org/ministries/the-farmers-market

Thursday, September 15

Kannapolis Farmers Market is open from 4-7 p.m. at the corner of Vance Street and Dale Earnhardt Boulevard. Vendors offer a wide variety of fresh, local produce, as well as meat, eggs, spices, crafts, and prepared foods and sauces.

Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. -2 p.m. 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery call 704-786-5500.

Friday, September 16

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, September 17

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 704-782-1785.

Sunday, Sept. 18

Royal Oaks United Methodist Church is having a free spaghetti dinner at 4:30 p.m. At 6 p.m. the St. James Mens Choir will sing. The church is located at 1020 Kansas St., Kannapolis.

Monday, September 19

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Tuesday, September 20

TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St. Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome.

Historic Cabarrus Association's 2022 Annual Meeting is a free public event from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Davis Theater in Concord's historic 1876 Courthouse at 65 Union Street South. Dr. Gary Freeze will speak on the origins of the textile industry in Cabarrus County. Refreshments included. Parking is available at the parking deck on Corbin Ave. SE. To register, call 704-920-2465 or e-mail historiccabarrus@gmail.com.

Wednesday, September 21

The Farmers Market @ Rocky River Presbyterian Church is from 3 to 6 p.m. on the front lawn of the church located at 7940 Rocky River Road, Concord. Enjoy the freshest produce, sweets, breads, and honey along with craft and food vendors. Details here: https://rockyriver.org/ministries/the-farmers-market

The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join the members on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave. SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome.

Thursday, September 22

Kannapolis Farmers Market is open from 4-7 p.m. at the corner of Vance Street and Dale Earnhardt Boulevard. Vendors offer a wide variety of fresh, local produce, as well as meat, eggs, spices, crafts, and prepared foods and sauces.

Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. -2 p.m. 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery call 704-786-5500.

Friday, September 23

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, September 24

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 704-782-1785.

Concord Wildlife Alliance, the local chapter of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, is hosting a Kids in Nature Day from 9 a.m. until noon at Woodlands Discovery, 8755 Poplar Tent Road. The event is free and open to all area families.

Monday, September 26

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Tuesday, September 27

TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St. Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome.

The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary will hold its first General Meeting of the business calendar year at The Salvation Army of Cabarrus County headquarters at 216 Patterson Ave SE, Concord, NC 28025. Socializing and refreshments begin at 9:30 a.m. prior to the meeting at 10. Existing members, prospective members, or if you're simply interested in what the Women's Auxiliary is all about, you are welcome! There will be pre-owned books available for sale, with proceeds to be used to buy new books for the Christmas Angel Tree project. The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary functions as a fund raising and volunteer service group in support of The Salvation Army's programs and activities in the community. Please plan to wear a mask.

Wednesday, September 28

The Farmers Market @ Rocky River Presbyterian Church is from 3 to 6 p.m. on the front lawn of the church located at 7940 Rocky River Road, Concord. Enjoy the freshest produce, sweets, breads, and honey along with craft and food vendors. Details here: https://rockyriver.org/ministries/the-farmers-market.

Thursday, September 29

Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. -2 p.m. 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery call 704-786-5500.

Friday, September 30

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 1

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 704-782-1785.

Monday, October 3

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Tuesday, October 4

TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St. Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome.

Wednesday, October 5

The Cabarrus Senior Center Photo Club is alive and clicking away. If you like taking photos, come join the members on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Cabarrus Senior Center, 331 Corban Ave. SE, Concord, and share your photographic creativity. Whether you are a seasoned photographer or strictly amateur, all are welcome.

Thursday, October 6

Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. -2 p.m. 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery call 704-786-5500.

Friday, October 7

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 8

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 704-782-1785.

Concord Wildlife Alliance, the local chapter of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, is hosting a Kids in Nature Day from 9 a.m. until noon at Woodlands Discovery, 8755 Poplar Tent Road. The event is free and open to all area families.

2022 Community Connections presented by Cabarrus Recovery Alliance will be held from 3-7 p.m. Find you path to recovery at the resource and education event at Atrium Ballpark, 210 Oak Ave., Kannapolis. For more information and support, visit cabarrusreccoveryalliane.org.

Monday, October 10

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Tuesday, October 11

TOPS #437 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. (weigh-in begins at 9:30 a.m.) at Lakeview Baptist Church, 2532 Lane St. Kannapolis. Visitors are welcome.

Thursday, October 13

Epworth UMCs famous hot dogs and taco soup, 9:30 a.m. -2 p.m. 1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. For free delivery call 704-786-5500.

Friday, October 14

The Concord Duplicate Bridge face-to-face games through Concord Parks and Recreation at Hartsell Recreation Center, 60 Hartsell School Road, at noon. Cost is $5 per player. You must have a partner and provide proof of vaccination.

Heavenly Hot Dogs at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, 301 Mount Olivet Road, will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free delivery for orders of more than $15, and takeout is available. Homemade desserts and chicken noodle soup are available. For more information, visit www.mtochurch.com or call 704-782-8846.

Hot dogs at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, will be sold along with fried bologna and barbecue sandwiches and desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 15

The Piedmont Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon at 518 Winecoff School Road. It features lots of local produce, meat, flowers and other products.

Hot Dogs at Center United Methodist Church at 1119 Union Street S, are offered on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dine in and take out. Call in orders are welcomed. 704-782-1785.

Got news or events?

Does your community group or nonprofit agency have an upcoming event that would be of interest to the public? Email it to mplemmons@independenttribune.com.
CONCORD  N.C. Chief Justice Paul Newby continued his 100-county courthouse tour with stops on Tuesday in three North Carolina counties: Rowan, Union and Cabarrus.

In Union, Newby joined the Chief Justices Commission on Professionalism for a continuing legal education session designed to enhance professionalism among North Carolinas lawyers and judges.

At each county courthouse, Newby greets judges and courthouse personnel to thank them for their hard work and dedication to keeping courts open and accessible to North Carolinians. In 202021, judges and courthouse personnel have been essential in fulfilling the Judicial Branchs constitutional open courts mandate to provide equal justice to all in a timely manner.

Our local courthouses are the backbone of North Carolinas court system, Newby said. Each courthouse faces unique challenges, and this tour has been essential in supporting local leadership to meet our constitutional mandate that courts remain open and that justice is delivered without favor, denial, or delay.

The tour began in May 2021 and, after these visits, Newby will have visited 95 courthouses across North Carolina. When completed, Newby will be the first chief justice to visit all of North Carolinas courthouses from Murphy to Manteo.
Google has gained very little from a bid to try and get a 4.34 billion (US$4.33 billion, A$6.42 billion) fine imposed by the EU withdrawn, with judges at a tribunal largely confirming the bloc's decision to impose the fine.

The fine was imposed in July 2018, with the EU accusing Google of breaching anti-trust rules relevant to Android. The company appealed the imposition of the penalty to the EU General Court.

The Luxembourg-based tribunal said on Wednesday: "The General Court largely confirms the commissions decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators in order to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine.

It cut the penalty to 4.1 billion on the grounds that there were some faults in the EU regulator's analysis and because it agreed that Google's right to fair trial had been infringed to some extent. Details of the court's arguments are here.

EU anti-trust chief Margrethe Vestager was quoted by Reuters as saying: "This, of course, is really good. Now, we have the second Google judgment and for us, it is really important as it backs our enforcement efforts."

If Google wishes, it can now appeal this decision to the EUs Court of Justice.

In a detailed statement at the time the fine was imposed, the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, said Google:

had required manufacturers to pre-install the Google Search app and browser app (Chrome), as a condition for licensing Google's app store (the Play Store);

made payments to certain large manufacturers and mobile network operators on condition that they exclusively pre-installed the Google Search app on their devices; and

had prevented manufacturers wishing to pre-install Google apps from selling even a single smart mobile device running on alternative versions of Android that were not approved by Google (so-called "Android forks").

A graphic issued by the EU at the time the fine was imposed to explain why it was done.

Contacted for its take on the tribunal's decision, a Google spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that the Court did not annul the decision in full. Android has created more choice for everyone, not less, and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world.

Apart from this fine, Google faces a 2.4 billion penalty levied by the EU in 2017 for allegedly abusing its search engine dominance to give illegal advantage to its own comparison shopping service. The company has appealed the decision.

It also faces a third fine of 1.49 billion for alleged abusive practices in online advertising.
include_once "/home/jwreview/public_html/$theme/includes/sidebar.php"; ?> President Biden told the White House press corps Friday he will fly to London next week to attend the Queen's funeral. On Monday a reporter asked Biden how he remembers Queen Elizabeth. Joe said that his staff wrote her name down on a piece of paper and he keeps it right here in his shirt pocket.

 The Times of London reported that the Royal Mail has decided to keep Queen Elizabeth's portrait on stamps issued in the United Kingdom. The currency however is a different issue. The Bank of England announced it will widen the five-pound note in order to get King Charles's ears to fit on the bill.

 National Geographic geologists reported making a landmark discovery in the English countryside of Wiltshire which they say sheds new light on the life of Neolithic Man. They uncovered what many believe are the oldest stones known to man. The stones, Keith and Mick, were found passed out in a field.

 Men's Health ran an article telling single Baby Boomer men to have a plan in place that will have close friends notified in case of a health emergency. Being a little older and single I'm fortunate to have someone call and check on me daily. He's from India and is very concerned about my car warranty.

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BLM leader Shalomyah Bowers is accused of stealing $10 million in donations in a lawsuit filed in L.A. The group is on its heels. BLM can't be happy the IRS just ruled you must declare all stolen goods as income, unless you've returned the goods to the rightful owner in the same year you stole them.

 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declared we must convert to EVs because we are in a race against climate change. All the Democrats ever want to talk about is climate change. When President Biden heard that Queen Elizabeth's reign was the longest in history, he asked how bad the flooding was.

 Homeland Security's Alejandro Mayorkas likened 9-11 attackers to Trump voters who stormed the Capitol. The DOJ is trying to silence MAGAs who refuse to believe Biden won, calling them election deniers who are threats to democracy. O.J. Simpson acted less guilty when he took off for Orange County.

(COMMENT, BELOW)
include_once "/home/jwreview/public_html/$theme/includes/sidebar.php"; ?> For nearly 50 years, those of us who favor legal protection for children in the womb have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow abortion policy to be set through democratic debate. Now we're having that debate, and strategists in both parties say we're losing it.

We should be clear-eyed about the accumulating political evidence of public discontent with anti-abortion policies. Polling has shown an uptick in support for legal abortion since the court overturned Roe v. Wade. Democrats tell pollsters the issue is motivating their votes more than Republicans do. Republicans' poll numbers have fallen overall. And voters in Kansas overwhelmingly defeated a referendum to let the state legislature increase restrictions on abortion.

Midterm elections typically go poorly for the party that holds the White House, likely in part because its supporters are complacent and its opponents aggrieved. The abortion decision, and the flurry of restrictions and proposed restrictions that followed it, have at least blunted the Republican advantage this year. On abortion, it's the party out of power that is making controversial changes.

The debate has also focused on the issues where the public most favors legal abortion: on abortions early in pregnancy, on cases of threats to the mother's life, on rape and incest. It's not dwelling on the aspects of abortion that incline most people toward restrictions: whether it should be government funded, used for sex selection or allowed late in pregnancy.

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Pro-lifers and Republicans should do what they can to change this focus, even before the elections are over. But that will require adjustments from two different groups. Passionate pro-lifers, in their impatience at what they recognize to be a grave injustice, are forgetting the need for patient persuasion of the public. Republicans who consider themselves pragmatists, on the other hand, are making a practical mistake in assuming that by not talking about their view of abortion, they can make the issue go away.

Both groups should converge on an approach that has served them well in the past: pro-life incrementalism.

Republicans should acknowledge that sustaining legal protections for unborn children requires a public consensus. They should declare that they will act to extend that protection where a consensus exists and try to build one where it doesn't. In all but the bluest and reddest states, that should mean working in the near term to prohibit abortions late in pregnancy.

That's not an abandonment of the goal of broader protections. It's a step toward it  one that acknowledges the public isn't there yet. The successful campaign for the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, a federal law, should be a model. Pro-lifers convinced many Americans who do not agree with us about abortion in general to prohibit one method of abortion that seemed particularly inhumane. But we did not stop thinking and saying that other methods of abortion should be restricted as well.

There's more that pro-life Republicans can and should do to reassure ambivalent voters. One is worth doing in its own right, apart from any electoral considerations: State governments that have enacted bans on abortion at various stages of pregnancy ought to be much more active in offering legal guidance to doctors and hospitals, clarifying that they can exercise their best judgment in protecting pregnant women from harms to their physical health.

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Pro-lifers should also refrain from self-defeating rhetoric. Some pro-lifers have made a point of claiming that abortion is never medically necessary. That's because they don't consider ending an ectopic pregnancy, for example, as a "direct abortion"  an intentional taking of human life. That's needlessly confusing, and pro-lifers should simply say they're for an exception in such cases.

They should also broaden their agenda to include measures to aid parents of small children  such as the proposals of various Republican senators to expand the child tax credit and to finance paid leave. Promoting a culture of life includes fostering the economic conditions that help it thrive.

As they correct course, though, Republicans need to maintain some perspective about the political challenge they face. The end of Roe was worth losing some congressional races. It is enabling an expansion of legal protection for unborn children this year, and will enable more in the future  especially if Republicans take the House, even narrowly, and so prevent Democrats from enacting a statutory version of Roe in the next Congress. Republican governors who have signed laws against abortion in battleground states such as Florida, Georgia, and Ohio are on track to win re-election.

For pro-lifers, the post-Roe debate is not going as well as it could. But it's also just beginning.

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Ramesh Ponnuru has covered national politics and public policy for 18 years. He is an author and Bloomberg View columnist.
STRASBURG  The Lading farm near Strasburg was recently honored as an Illinois Sesquicentennial Farm during a special observance program offered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

A ceremony to recognize Illinois Centennial, Sesquicentennial and Bicentennial Farms was conducted during the Illinois State Fair Agriculture Day on Aug. 16 in Springfield.

Current farm owners are Dwight and Melvina Lading. Melvina is the fourth-generation family member to own the land. Attending the award ceremony with Dwight and Melvina were their children, Dennis Lading, Debra Wittenberg and husband Darrell, Karen Kull and husband Gary, and Kendall Lading.

The Lading Sesquicentennial Farm award proclamation was made by Jerry Costello, Illinois director of agriculture.

The Centennial Farms program honors generations of farmers who have worked to maintain family farms in Illinois.
MATTOON  No injuries were reported from a fire Wednesday morning that damaged a house on Moultrie Avenue.

The Mattoon Fire Department reported in a press release that its crews were dispatched at 7:51 a.m. to this structure fire at 805 Moultrie Ave. and subsequently found a working fire inside a single-family residence there.

Crews deployed a 1 3/4-inch handline to the rear door of the home, and then began an interior attack and search for occupants. It appeared the occupant would not be home because the car was not in the driveway, but crews were notified that there might be a dog inside the structure. They extinguished the fire and searched the interior. No occupants or pets were located inside.

The fire was declared under control at 8 a.m. Crews then conducted overhaul work to ensure that the fire was completely extinguished and had not spread to the attic. The fire damage was contained to the room of origin, but there was heat and smoke damage throughout the structure.

Mattoon Fire Department is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire with assistance from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Mattoon Police Department.

Fire crews cleared the scene at 1:39 p.m. The Mattoon Fire Department also was assisted by Coles-Moultrie 911 and Ameren Illinois.
MATTOON  Student enrollment for the new fall semester at Lake Land College has increased in comparison to fall 2021 figures.

Lake Land reported that with more than 3,700 students enrolled this fall, the college is experiencing a 4.6% increase in full-time equivalent credit hour enrollment and a 2.7% increase in headcount.

The 10th day enrollment report that Lake Land's Board of Trustees heard Monday night also showed that the number of students that enrolled in college for the first time after high school increased by 17% at Lake Land, the number that returned to finish a degree increased by 14%, and the number of transfer students from other institutions increased by 43%.

Our summer and fall enrollments indicate students are choosing Lake Land College to start a bachelors degree or train for a life-sustaining career," said college President Josh Bullock in a press release. "As a community college, we offer students a personalized path to reach their goals, giving them a sense of accomplishment and greater control over their future."

Summer 2022 full-time equivalent credit hour enrollment was up 8.2% from the previous summer, while headcount was up 8.9%.

The enrollment increase following the board of trustees voting in the spring to lower tuition for the first time in Lake Lands history, setting tuition at $100 per credit hour for district residents.

We are pleased to see that students took advantage of the historic $100 tuition guarantee to pursue their goals, finish what they started or return to school after a gap year, Bullock said. Lake Lands commitment to providing an affordable, accessible educational option to our communities allows many students to graduate from college with little to no debt.

The 10th day report indicates 31% of the 2022 high school graduating class in the area community college district enrolled at Lake Land this fall.

Of the students enrolled for fall, 58% are enrolled in workforce ready programs and 38% are enrolled in transfer ready programs. The fall figures also show that 25% of students are taking all of their classes online.

This year we have seen an increase in students seeking short-term training to advance in their careers or earn a credential leading to employment, Bullock said.

Because of this flexibility, Bullock said more students have been able to pursue degree and non-degree programs in ways that are most beneficial to their lifestyle.

Lake Land College continues to be one of the best values to those pursuing higher education," Bullock said. "The colleges tuition and fees are about one-quarter of the cost of attending a four-year university and are significantly less than a technical or private college. Our national ranking as one of the best community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute is a testament to the quality education a student will receive when enrolling in Lake Land College."
Fugro,, the world's leading Geo-data specialist, is transforming the maritime industry in the Middle East with the introduction of its first uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the region.

The Fugro Pegasus, the latest addition to the Blue Essence family of uncrewed vessels has arrived in Abu Dhabi and is ready for its first sail in the Gulf.

The 12 m class built USV will be the Middle East region's first fully uncrewed vessel that can go beyond the horizon, with the capability of launching an e-ROV. With its cutting-edge hybrid power system, compact size and advanced satellite technology, The Fugro Pegasus will set a new standard for asset inspection by eliminating human exposure to the offshore environment and reducing emissions by 97% versus conventional vessel operations. Furthermore, the Fugro Pegasus can be stationed offshore for longer, without the need to demobilise for crewing or re-fuelling activities at the port.

Enhancing capacity

The introduction of Pegasus marks an exciting time for the maritime industry in the region and allows Fugro to further enhance its capacity to deliver world-leading geo data services to clients.

Managed from one of our Remote Operating Centres (ROC) in the region, Fugro will be able to deliver world-lead geo-data solutions faster, safer and more efficiently than ever before.

By embracing remote-operated asset inspections, surveys, and positioning solutions to the maritime industry. Fugro's partners and clients can now explore the world of Autonomous Asset Management where artificial intelligence can be used to eliminate production downtime through a deep understanding offshore infrastructure.

Tim Lyle, Group Director Middle East and India, said: "With the arrival of Fugro Pegasus we take an important step forward towards the future for maritime operations in the Middle East region. Tomorrow's future is becoming a reality today with significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, improved safety and reduced carbon footprint now available to our customers.-- TradeArabia News Service
MATTOON  A request for a cannabis dispensary to be able to open in the former Long John Silver's building is now set to be considered by the Mattoon City Council.

This follows the Mattoon Planning Commission voting 6-1 Tuesday evening to recommend that the council approve the special use permit petition for the dispensary. The petition is set to be on the agenda for the council's meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, in City Hall.

The petition was presented at the commission's public hearing by Mitch Zaveduk, vice president for real estate at Justice Cannabis Co. Justice Cannabis would partner to operate the Mattoon dispensary with TC AppliCo, which would be the license holder. He said Justice Cannabis was founded in Chicago in 2014, operates dispensaries under the Bloc Dispensary name in five other states, and has an Illinois cultivation facility in Edgewood.

"We are able to supply our own stores and sell our own products," Zaveduk said of Justice Cannabis.

Zaveduk said the former Long John Silver's, 1208 Charleston Ave., has more than enough parking and traffic flow capacity for a Bloc Dispensary. He said 85% of their customers pre-order products online and then visit a dispensary to complete the purchase. He said the average time for a customer's visit is 4 1/2 minutes. He added that there is no "rush hour" and their customers are typically spread out throughout the day.

Justice Cannabis' plans for the building include resurfacing the parking lot, installing a new roof and facade, and renovating the interior. Zaveduk said customers in the front entryway's double doors will need to present identification showing they're 21 before being admitted to the sales floor. He said there will be no cannabis on the sales floor, following state law, and empty boxes will be displayed in glass cabinets. He said products will be handed to the cashier from a secured area in back when purchases are made.

Zaveduk said the Bloc Dispensary will have 18 full-time and four part-time employees. He said two armed security guards with military or police backgrounds will be on site during business hours. He said one guard will be on the sales floor and the other will monitor the property's 30-50 high-definition cameras. He said the guards will ensure that employees and customers have a safe experience at the dispensary and ensure that products are not consumed on site, which is prohibited by state law.

The Justice Cannabis-TC AppliCo proposal is the first such business to seek to open in Mattoon since the city adopted its cannabis ordinance in 2020 after the state legalized cannabis sales. The RISE Dispensaries location in Charleston is currently the only cannabis business operating in Coles County.

Commission member Dave Skocky, who cast the lone "no" vote, did not discuss his vote during the meeting, but he and other commissioners took part in the discussions at the hearing or asked questions. City Administrator Kyle Gill said the petitioners have met the check list of requirements in the city's cannabis ordinance.

"We didn't see anything that would violate section 120 of our code," Gill said of the cannabis ordinance.

The city requirements include that no dispensary be located within 1,000 feet of a public or private preschool or elementary or secondary school. In response to a commission member question, Gill said the city attorney's opinion is that after-school programs offered by the Mattoon Public Library or Mattoon Area Family YMCA are not considered to be part of schools.

Audience member Tony Nicholson suggested that churches be added to the city setback requirements for cannabis businesses and that the dispensary not be allowed to be open during hours when liquor sales are prohibited in Mattoon.
Oprah Winfrey was discussing her profound affection for trailblazing actor Sidney Poitier  a longtime friend and mentor to her  when she was overcome by emotion during an interview on the upcoming documentary  Sidney, a life-spanning portrait. She plunged her head into her hands and cried, I just love him so much.

Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Morgan Freeman, George Nelson, Robert Redford and Halle Berry were all interviewed in Sidney, and their reflections on the iconic performer and civil-rights activist are often illuminating. But Sidney means something intensely personal for Winfrey, a producer on the film.

I was trying not to lose it, actually, because my love for him is as deep and as strong as for any human being I know, Winfrey said in an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Sidney premiered Saturday. He was my adviser, my counselor, my friend, my comfort, my balm, my joy.

Sidney, which Apple TV+ will premiere Sept. 23, arrives eight months after the death of Poitier, the groundbreaking actor who paved the way for countless Black actors in Hollywood and single-handedly revolutionized how they were portrayed on screen. Directed by Reginald Hudlin, Sidney was made with the cooperation of Poitiers family. Much of it had been completed before he died in January at the age of 94, including his interview with Winfrey.

But the loss of Poitier  whom Winfrey at the time of his death called the greatest of the Great Trees  has made Sidney only more poignant.

The film is an act of love for me for him, Winfrey said as tears again welled up. I dont know why Im breaking down. My opportunity to do this was my offering to him.

Winfrey has said her life was irrevocably altered when she saw Poitier become the first Black performer to win best actor at the Academy Awards (for 1963s Lilies in the Field). A life in show business suddenly became attainable to her. They later met for the first time when Winfreys talk show was taking off. Poitier was one of the few who could understand what she was going through as a Black entertainer.

During the early days of navigating fame and all that comes with fame, being assaulted on all sides by Black people, white people, people saying youre not this or you should be doing that, he was the person I turned to, said Winfrey. He said, Its always a struggle and a challenge when youre carrying other peoples dreams.

It was the first of many conversations over the years.

Remember Tuesdays with Morrie? I could have done Sundays with Sidney, says Winfrey. He was my person. He was my guy. He was my friend and my brother.

Hudlin, the director of House Party and the Thurgood Marshall drama Marshall, estimates he had completed about 90% of the interviews on the film when Poitier died.

Whatever pressure I was putting on myself basically doubled, Hudlin said. There was a disappointment to know that he would never see it, but I was glad at a time when everyone wanted to touch him and connect with him, we would have this movie.

Interviews with Poitier were conducted earlier, separate of the film, before the stars health deteriorated. But the footage of Poitier speaking directly to camera, and hearing that voice narrate his life story, makes for one last chance to be in his regal presence. Poitier, born in the Bahamas, talks about how his young identity was forged without racisms influence. It wasnt until he left for Miami at 15 that he encountered it.

I left the Bahamas with this sense of myself, Poitier says in the film. And from the time I got off the boat, America began to say to me, Youre not who you think you are.

Sidney, which draws on Poitiers memoir, The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography, touches on some of his seminal films, including The Defiant Ones (1958), A Raisin in the Sun (1961), In the Heat of the Night (1967) and Guess Whos Coming to Dinner. It also delves into how he connected to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement with Hollywood; his friendship with Harry Belafonte; and his move into directing with Buck and Preacher (1972). Above all, it captures how racism, or anything else, was never a match for Poitiers unshakable integrity.

For me, personally, I look and go: How did he do it, with no role model? marveled Hudlin. Hes looking at a wooded forest and he just carves a path, always making the right choice. How did he always know the right thing to do without a road map? To single-handedly take on decades of racist imagery in cinema, right from its inception, and shatter all of that misbegotten imagery with the truth of who he was.
Q: I heard that there will be a food truck festival Sunday on East Ninth Street in Winston-Salem. Is there anywhere to park down there?

F.L.

Answer: The Winston-Salem Food Truck Festival will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday on Ninth Street, between Trade Street and Patterson Avenue.

A spokesperson for the festival said that parking will be available.

The parking lots at Radar Brewing Company and Wise Man Brewing will be open. The parking lot behind the Winston Cup Museum will be open. There is also a parking lot next to Earls Whisky Bar, the spokesperson said.

On-street parking is available, as well.

There will be live music from 1 to 6 p.m. The scheduled performers are:

*Hot Wax and the Splinters will perform near Wise Man from 1 to 4 p.m.

*Hunter McBride will perform near Wise Man from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

*Anne and the Moonlighters will perform at Radar Brewing from 3 to 6 p.m.

For a complete list of the participating food trucks, go to winstonsalemfoodtruckfestival.com.

Q: Can you find out why we havent received our federal refund check in the mail yet? We filed in March. When I go to the IRS form and give the information, it says theres no information about it.

D.T.

Answer: The Internal Revenue Service will not discuss a specific taxpayers situation with an outside party.

Here is some general information about checking on tax returns from an IRS spokesperson.

The IRS has processed all error-free returns that were received for the 2020 tax year.

The agency is still processing 2021 tax returns.

For processing centers that are behind, the agency is sending tax returns and correspondence to other centers that have more staff to speed up processing. It is also doing other steps to cut down on delays.

As the return is processed, whether it was filed electronically or on paper, it may be delayed because it has a mistake including errors concerning the Recovery Rebate Credit and the Child Tax Credit, is missing information, or there is suspected identity theft or fraud, the spokesperson said.

To check on your return, go to IRS.gov. From the homepage click on the Refunds drop-down menu. From the Wheres my Refunds page, click on Check My Refund Status.

The best bet for taxpayers wishing to track their refunds remains our Wheres my Refund? tool and viewing their account online. Calling the IRS 800 number would not provide any different information; our assistors have the same data taxpayers have when using these tools, said the spokesperson.

The IRS said that it can take up to six months for taxpayers who submitted their return by mail to have their return processed and a refund issued.

The IRS office in Winston-Salem is the office that serves Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and the surrounding area.

It is located at 1677 Westbrook Plaza Drive. The phone number is 336-659-2740.

If you want to make an appointment for an in-person visit, call 844-545-5640. You must present a government issued ID and go through a security check before being admitted to the office.

The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is closed on all federal holidays.
A former employee at a Winston-Salem in-patient addiction treatment facility was convicted Tuesday on a charge that he illegally had sexual contact with a female resident. At the time, the man was a registered sex offender due to a rape conviction in Kentucky.

Vincent Leonard Roebuck, 63, had initially been indicted on two counts of engaging in a sex act as either a governmental or private institution employee with a woman who was in the custody of Addiction Recovery Care Association, or ARCA. The indictment said the incidents happened on June 10, 2019.

A Forsyth County jury reached a verdict Tuesday morning after a trial that started Monday. The jury found Roebuck guilty of one of the two counts, the one that alleged Roebuck performed oral sex on the woman. The jury acquitted Roebuck on the second count, which alleged that Roebuck had sexual intercourse with the woman.

Judge Steve Warren of Forsyth Superior Court sentenced Roebuck to a minimum of two years, 8 months and a maximum of 8 years in prison. When he is released, he will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

At the time of the incident, Roebuck, who worked as a peer support specialist at ARCA, was not only a registered sex offender but was on parole, having served 20 years out of a 50-year prison sentence. He was convicted of raping a woman in 1993 in Jefferson County, Ky. He was released on parole in 2013.

In closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Belinda Foster said it didnt matter whether the sex in the ARCA case was consensual. Under state law, Roebuck was legally prohibited from having sex with someone of any age who is under the custody of an organization such as ARCA.

She said Tuesday that Roebuck admitted to Winston-Salem police detectives during an interview that he had tried to have sex with the woman and had performed oral sex with her.

Jerry Jordan, Roebucks attorney, pointed to the womans testimony, which indicated that Roebuck had sexually assaulted her, and questioned why Roebuck had not been charged with sexual assault. He also raised questions about her reliability, saying that the woman did not report the alleged assault, even after she left ARCA. He said it was questionable whether she was really in the custody of ARCA because she could always leave the program without any repercussions. ARCA, he said, was not a locked facility. He also noted that the woman later moved in with Roebuck for a temporary period of time.

In a taped interview that was played for the jury, Roebuck admitted that he had sexual contact with the woman but insisted that it was consensual and that he and the woman had developed a close relationship during the short time they knew each other at ARCA.

But the woman painted a very different picture in a lawsuit she and another woman filed on March 3, 2020 in Forsyth Superior Court against Roebuck, ARCA and Thom Elmore, who was executive director of ARCA at the time of the incident. The lawsuit alleged that Roebuck sexually assaulted both women, shared sexually-explicit pictures of himself with the women and supplied the second woman with illegal drugs. The lawsuit also alleges that Roebuck pulled a knife and tried to hit the woman in the criminal complaint with a jar during an incident at Roebucks house.

According to the lawsuit, Roebuck came into the alleged victims room on June 10, 2019, after the woman had just gotten out of the shower and told the woman to lie on the bed. He then performed oral sex on her while she said no, the lawsuit alleged. Roebuck also took a nude photo of the woman and made her smile, saying he liked to keep evidence due to an old situation.

The lawsuit also said Roebuck showed the woman a video of his penis that was on his phone and left. The lawsuit said the woman was afraid to report anything or to go behind Roebuck.

On June 13, 2019, the lawsuit said Roebuck went back into the womans room and forced his tongue down the womans throat, saying that he loved her. The lawsuit said that Roebuck sexually assaulted the woman several times during her stay at ARCA and told her repeatedly not to say anything. He also told her that no one believes female addicts, the lawsuit said.

After she left ARCA, Roebuck continued to harass her and manipulated her into moving into his house, telling her that he wanted to pay him with sexual favors in exchange for staying at his house. The woman refused. The lawsuit said that Roebuck sexually assaulted the second woman, who was also a resident at ARCA, choking her and biting her and bringing the woman cocaine and marijuana.

Roebuck was never criminally charged based on allegations that he sexually assaulted the second woman and he was also never charged with physically assaulting the alleged victim in the criminal case.

The civil complaint involving the alleged victim in the criminal case has been voluntarily dismissed. The claims involving the second woman are still pending in Forsyth Superior Court.

Attorneys for ARCA have denied the allegations against the agency in court papers. Roebuck also denied the allegations. ARCAs attorneys maintained that nothing sexual happened at the facility and that any sexual contacts with Roebuck and the women were consensual.

The lawsuit alleged that Elmore knew that Roebuck was a registered sex offender when he hired Roebuck.
Novant Health announced Tuesday it is accelerating efforts to shrink its carbon footprint.

The system, based in Winston-Salem, is looking to slash more than one-third of its greenhouse gas emissions from its more than 800 facilities by 2030 compared to 2021 levels, and achieve net-zero status by the middle of this century.

The new targets match those set in June by Novants biggest competitor, Charlotte-based Atrium Health, the parent of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Novant also is setting a goal of identifying and quantifying at least two-thirds of emissions tied to its supply chain by 2030, and requiring those suppliers to set greenhouse gas targets of their own.

Those indirect, or Scope3, emissions dont figure into Novants reduction goals, however.

Its a crucial distinction because Scope 3 sources  such as the production and transport of drugs and medical devices used at hospitals and doctors offices  account for 80% of emissions linked to the healthcare sector, according to a 2020 study in the journal Health Affairs.

That means medical systems have limited control over most of the pollution tied to them in one way or another.

Net-zero for our entire health system is an ambitious goal which would require cooperation from multiple parties including suppliers and vendors, energy producers, transportation, etc., Matt Stiene, Novants senior vice president for construction and facility services, explained in an email. A more likely possibility is developing a net-zero building, which would still require a significant amount of renewable energy production. 

Novants targets for suppliers will at least give the system some influence over two-thirds of its indirect emissions, however.

While the climate goals are based on 2021 levels, Stiene declined to reveal them.

As a first step in the process, we are validating these values to ensure we are tracking correctly for all Novant Heath facilities, he said.

Initiatives aimed at meeting the systems goals include establishing robust reporting dashboards to track progress, retrofitting building to be more energy-efficient and adding solar systems at several facilities, Stiene added.

No vaccine for this threat

Just 7% of health sector greenhouse gases are produced by facilities themselves, and another 11% come from the generation of electricity used to operate them, the Health Affairs study found. More than two-thirds of the facility emissions are from hospitals.

When factoring in Scope 3 sources, however, the healthcare industry overall accounts for 8.5% of all emissions contributing to climate change in the U.S., researchers reported in a December 2021 paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

That makes sustainability efforts of healthcare systems like Novant  which employs more than 35,000 people, including more than 1,800 doctors  all the more important, advocates say.

Climate change, possibly the gravest threat facing humanity, is already taking a toll on peoples physical and mental health, the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based organization that promotes patient equity, noted in a recent report. While healthcare systems shoulder the burden of caring for individuals affected by climate change, they also contribute to the problem.

Experts suggest the healthcare sector, still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, must adapt to protect its own health.

There is a larger, even more ominous threat facing the medical community: our changing climate, authors Stan Meiburg and Suzanne Lazorick wrote in the North Carolina Medical Journal. There is no vaccine for this threat, and responding to it will require coordinated local and global action to a degree thus far unseen in human history.

Meiburg, former deputy administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, now directs Wake Forest Universitys graduate program in sustainability. Lazorick is a professor of pediatrics and public health at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.

Medical systems must be prepared for the health impacts of catastrophic events such as floods, wildfires and severe storms, while also doing all they can to avoid contributing to the conditions that make severe weather more likely, Meiburg and Lazorick wrote.

Health care practitioners have to become advocates for climate mitigation so that things do not get even worse, especially for our most disadvantaged fellow citizens, they wrote. COVID-19 has shown us that some parts of our society can change quickly when we feel the urgency to do so, but others struggle and produce needless suffering. Lessons from the weaknesses exposed in our response to the pandemic should inform our preparations for the daunting health threats of our changing climate.
King Charles III is beginning his reign, which means former Winston-Salem resident Peaches Golding has been busy.

Golding is His Majestys Lord-Lieutenant of Bristol, a city in South West England.

As lord-lieutenant, shes the kings representative in Bristol. Her job is to work with King Charles and other working members of the royal family. She might arrange a visit from a royal or present medals on behalf of the king.

The role is quite diverse, Golding said.

On Sunday, she was helping to announce that Britain had a new sovereign after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Right now, the proclamation is the most important thing happening in Britain as it results in the new king being announced to the country. It is very important and very historic, Golding said. I am the first Lord-Lieutenant of Bristol to open the proclamation. As Lord-Lieutenant, I am responsible for organizing the county to come together to hold that particular service, liaising with the Royal palaces and senior civil servants in the country for this complex and coordinated process.

The pageantry included bagpipe players, drummers, mace bearers of the Avon & Somerset Police.

She added that the makeup of the people involved in the ceremony is very important.

Youve got me as a Black Lord-Lieutenant, she said. Youve got a Persian-British High Sheriff, reader of the Declaration. And our Lord Mayor is also a woman.

On Thursday, Golding will attend the lying-in-state of the late queen in the Parliament.

This coming Sunday, she will lead the City of Bristol is a minutes silence in reflection on the life of the late queen alongside the Lord Mayor of Bristol at City Hall. The High Sheriff and Dean of Bristol will be in attendance.

And on Monday, she will attend the State funeral of the late queen, along with most members of the royal family, crown families from Europe and further away, and the heads of state from the United States and dozens of other countries.

Roots in Winston-Salem

Born in Spartanburg, S.C., as Lois Patricia Hauser, Golding moved to Winston-Salem when she was 3.

Her father, Charlie Brady C.B. Hauser, was a longtime professor at Winston-Salem State University who served two terms in the state legislature.

Golding, 68, is a graduate of Reynolds High School and received a biology degree from UNC Chapel Hill.

After graduating from college, she worked as a laboratory assistant in the Department of Zoology at the University of Ibadan and a teacher at Loyola College, Ibadan, in Ibadan, Nigeria, West Africa. While in Nigeria, she met her husband, Bob Golding, who died in January. The Goldings moved to the United Kingdom more than 35 years ago and Peaches Golding became involved in business and civic life.

In April 2017, Peaches Golding was appointed Her Majestys Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol. Prior to that, she was the High Sheriff of Bristol. Golding is the first Black female to hold both of those positions.

She was awarded the OBE, which stands for Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, in 2009. She was also awarded the CStJ, which means Commander of the Order of St. John.

Golding said the first time she was in the queens presence was probably when she was awarded the OBE. She spoke of the queens piercing blue eyes.

The amazing thing about her was that when you were in her presence and she spoke to you, you were the only thing in the room, Golding said. You were the only person that she was listening to. She had this great ability to drown everything else out.

And because of her role, because she had been the queen a long time, she had traveled. She knew what was going on about so many things. Not just political things  because the queen does have a constitutional role as far as politics is concerned  but she never voices a political view.

Based on the way the constitutional monarchy works, the queen knew all of the things that were happening, Golding said.

She also said that the queen was the most traveled person in history, was extremely knowledgeable and had a quick sense of humor.

The new king

Golding has known King Charles III since the early 1990s when she started a small business and has worked with him since 1995. At the time, she said, he was trying to understand some things about minority ethnicities  how we mainstream things, how it is that you employ people and get them up the employment ladder and all of those things.

She said the two of them have a lot of respect between each other.

Whats next for the monarchy now that he has become king?

As the Prince of Wales, he, of course, invented the role, Golding said. Thats the way these things work. As the Prince of Wales, he could focus on those things that interested him. Some of those things were diversity  in the context of diverse religions in terms of diverse people.

Diversity was one of the issues that he was quite interested in  the environment and sustainability. I worked with the Prince of Wales since 2000, talking to businesses about climate change and what their responsibilities are. He was very concerned about farming and sustainable farming methods and all sorts of organic farming.

As king, Golding said, he might be able to continue those interests but will also have other things he must do.

He will have a weekly audience with the prime minister, a monthly audience with the Privy Council, all sorts of things of state that he will have to do.

She said he will probably travel a lot more across the Commonwealth establishing and renewing relationships and determine ways of working better together.

There will be a few changes, but he will be more and more like his mother, because that is the constitutional role of the king, Golding said.
Sometimes it takes an unspeakable tragedy to budge an immovable obstacle.

That certainly was the case with a puppy that was found 13 years ago in a field in Greensboro, tortured, beaten and clinging to life.

It was a heartbreaking sight. The abandoned pit bull-shepherd mix was covered with maggots. Her jaw was broken and she was missing teeth. Even worse, she had been set afire. Her ears were singed away and third-degree burns covered 60% of her body. And yet she survived.

But nursed back from the brink of a death with intensive care at the Guilford County Animal Shelter and an outpouring of donations from the community, the pup, which came to be known as Susie, went on to live a long, happy  and meaningful  life with a caring new owner.

Simply by being herself  frankly, by being at all  Susie also did what many believed could not be done: She moved state lawmakers, who had been notoriously resistant to animal cruelty laws, to toughen penalties in North Carolina for animal abuse.

In December of 2010, the General Assembly passed Susies Law, which made animal cruelty a Level H felony, punishable by up to eight months in jail. Then-state Sen. Don Vaughan of Greensboro, as well as Susies adoptive owner, pressed hard for the stricter penalties.

But the best advocate for the law clearly was Susie. Who could say no to her big brown eyes and gentle nature? And who could not be moved by the story of her remarkable journey?

She often accompanied advocates for the law to Raleigh, full of joy and life. During one Senate committee meeting on the bill, 1-year-old Susie napped blissfully on the floor as a living reminder of what the law meant. Susie, in her little life, has created an awareness that those who torture animals ought to receive jail time and thats exactly what this bill does, Vaughan said after the bills passage.

Sadly, that little life has ended.

Her adoptive owner, Donna Smith Lawrence, announced Susies death on Susies Hope Facebook page, which advocates for abused animals. This is Susie, the post said in Susies voice. Today, I crossed over to The Rainbow Bridge. I passed peacefully from my moms loving embrace into Gods. I am no longer in pain.

Lawrence and Susie both had overcome traumas in their lives. Lawrence had survived a pit bull attack at her home in High Point in 2008. Treatments bought Susie some time but not another miracle. Susie succumbed to a cancerous tumor on her spine, which doctors found in January.

But what a wonderful life she led.

As the News & Records Nancy McLaughlin reported Tuesday, Susie visited hospitals. A nonprofit that battles animal cruelty, Susies Hope, honors her name and her memory.

There were three books, a stuffed-toy likeness of Susie and a movie.

Susies Hope premiered at the 2013 RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem and starred Susie as herself.

In 2014, Susie won the Hero Dog Award from the American Humane Association and she and Lawrence strolled the red carpet at the Lois Pope LIFE Foundations 21st annual Lady In Red Gala benefit in Palm Beach, Fla. Oh, and Susie appeared on the Today show.

She became a living symbol who reminded us that our treatment of animals is one measure of our humanity.

As for the man who did those awful things to Susie as a puppy, he had erupted in anger after Susie licked the face of his newborn baby.

Incidentally, that man received six to eight months in prison on a charge of burning his girlfriends personal property (i.e., Susie), the same sentence he might have gotten for setting fire to a piece of her furniture. But he received only probation for the animal cruelty charge. To many, this was not justice fully served.

Thus the push for Susies Law.

To be honest, it should have not taken so long for the state to toe a harder line on animal cruelty penalties. It made no logical sense.

But sometimes the best path to progress is through hearts and not minds. The first advice I was ever given as a freshman senator ... was, never sponsor an animal bill, particularly a dog bill, said Vaughan, a Democrat, after Susies Law passed 47-0 in the state Senate.

But then entered Susie.
The Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) has signed a deal with Lean, a leading provider of healthcare management solutions, to explore the development of AI-powered solutions for the Saudi healthcare sector.

The agreement was signed by Eng Ayman AlRashed, CEO of SCAI, a fully owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, and Eng Mohanned AlRasheed, CEO of Lean. Under the terms of the agreement, the two parties will collaborate on taking AI-driven technologies to the next level to deliver innovative healthcare solutions.

We are pleased to partner with Lean to elevate public health indicators in Saudi Arabia, said Eng AlRashed. As a leading developer of resilient AI solutions, SCAI seeks to strengthen the role of Big Data in creating smarter, technology-based economic sectors that enhance the quality of living across the kingdom and directly support the objectives of Vision 2030.

Sustainable projects

Eng AlRasheed said that the collaboration with SCAI reflects the two companies shared commitments to serve the healthcare sector nationwide through sustainable projects and services driven by public-private partnerships.

Lean actively supports and empowers transformation across the healthcare sector through innovative e-services, data-driven solutions, and improved processes, harnessing the power of AI for improved access to high-quality healthcare, he commented. These endeavours are fully aligned with the transformation targets of the kingdoms Vision 2030.

Lean works with various agencies across the healthcare sector to build sustainable business models that guarantee higher-quality services. The kingdoms leadership is committed to building a smarter healthcare system that promotes a better quality of living with innovative, reliable data-driven solutions that support the advancement of the healthcare sector and deliver tomorrows solutions for todays health.

Next generation of AI applications

SCAI is committed to actively shaping the next generation of AI applications and offering innovative solutions to meet global challenges for a more sustainable future. With far-reaching partnerships and diverse investments, the company serves as a catalyst for Saudi Arabias AI ecosystem with the goal of securing the kingdoms position as a globally competitive hub for cutting-edge technology.-- TradeArabia News Service
Though Lancaster County's COVID-19 situation remains stable, officials say now is not the time to get complacent.

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reported 456 cases for the week ending Saturday, down from 475 the week before. It was the second-lowest weekly total since the beginning of June.

Other indicators showed positive signs as well. The seven-day average number of COVID-19 hospitalizations fell from 39 to 33, the test positivity rate declined slightly and the number of virus particles detected in wastewater particles remained steady.

"Currently, our local situation is holding steady," Health Director Pat Lopez said.

She announced that the Health Department's COVID-19 risk dial will remain in elevated-yellow for the fourth week in a row.

Despite the positive signs, Lopez encouraged people to stay up to date on their vaccinations.

She said 74% of COVID-19 cases over the past month have been in people who either weren't vaccinated or were not up to date on their booster shots.

Lopez also noted that the potential for an increase in cases will go up as we enter fall and winter, "due to people spending more time indoors where respiratory illnesses like COVID can spread more easily."

She said the latest booster shot, which targets both the original strain of COVID-19, as well as the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants causing most of the current cases, are now available at the Health Department.

Anyone who has completed a primary COVID-19 vaccine series can get the new booster shot, even if they haven't yet gotten a booster. In addition, anyone who's already had two or three booster shots can get it as long as it's been at least two months since their last shot.

Dr. Kevin Reichmuth, a Lincoln pulmonologist, said that while the vaccine may not prevent people from getting sick, it's very effective at keeping them out of the hospital.

"I don't think I've had anybody (in the hospital) that truly was up to date with their vaccinations," Reichmuth said.

He also noted that people who are vaccinated who get COVID-19 are less likely to experience long COVID symptoms.

Lopez said the Health Department will be holding two appointment-only vaccine clinics at Lincoln Northeast High School: Friday from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30-11 a.m. The clinics are for anyone 65 and older and for those 12 and older who are immunocompromised.

The new booster shot also is available at many pharmacies in Lincoln to anyone who is eligible, which is basically anyone 12 and older who has had at least two shots of the Pfizer vaccine or anyone 18 and older who has had two shots of the Moderna vaccine.

The Nebraska Infectious Diseases Society recommended at a meeting Saturday that all Nebraskans, including children, who havent done so already get their primary COVID-19 vaccines. Those eligible for the new, updated boosters should get them as soon as possible. The new shots provide additional protection against omicron strains BA.4 and BA.5.

According to data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the BA.5 variant accounted for 86% of all cases in the state as of Sept. 3, while the BA4.6 variant accounted for 8%.

Statewide, COVID-19 cases declined sharply last week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that Nebraska added 2,121 new cases, down 28% from 2,936 the previous week.

By percentage, that drop was the steepest since early April, and it put Nebraska cases at their lowest level since late May. Much of the state now is in the CDCs low community level. The community levels are a measure of how COVID-19 is impacting communities, based on cases and hospitalizations.

The Nebraska trend mirrored whats happening nationally.

U.S. virus cases fell 22% last week, by percentage the biggest drop in six months. U.S. cases have now fallen for seven consecutive weeks and are at their lowest level since early May.

Hospitalizations also continued to decline. A daily average of 174 Nebraskans were in hospitals with COVID-19 last week, down from 198 the previous week.
An Omaha woman who abandoned her baby after giving birth on a sidewalk in February was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday morning in Douglas County District Court.

Trinity Shakespeare, 28, had pleaded no contest to intentional child abuse in July.

Douglas County District Judge LeAnne Srb also sentenced Shakespeare to 18 months of probation after her release and gave her an order to complete inpatient treatment. She faced a maximum of three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Shakespeare was arrested in February after officers found her newborn baby boy alone on a sidewalk. According to an affidavit, she delivered the child there in 15-degree weather before running away from the scene and hiding in a nearby backyard.

Bystanders called 911 and covered the baby with blankets, but the affidavit says he was exposed to the cold for about five minutes. The baby survived and was treated at the Nebraska Medical Center.

Shakespeares sister said she had been homeless for about four years at the time she gave birth. Prosecutors say Shakespeare told a friend that she had used methamphetamine during her pregnancy. She also told police that she drank alcohol to cope with painful cramps, according to the affidavit.

The state of Nebraska initially was granted custody of the child, but the case has since been transferred to the Wind River Tribal Court in Fort Washakie, Wyoming.
Superintendent Paul Gausman said social media claims about content shared at a Lincoln Public Schools staff workshop on how to support LGBTQ students "are simply untrue."

Gausman said he met with Ryan Sallans  the transgender speaker who led the workshop at Scott Middle School on Aug. 10  and staff in attendance in his inquiry and concluded the allegations about the presentation were unfounded.

The claims  made by a former speech pathologist on social media who said she spoke to those in attendance  alleged Sallans promoted the use of puberty blockers and increased sexual activity among students.

"After my extensive conversation with Mr. Sallans and multiple LPS staff members, I determined that the claims that I have seen being circulated are simply untrue," Gausman said Tuesday. "I do believe, however, certain individuals heard and took away from the session what they wanted to take away ... as it is common for individuals to interpret conversations through the prism of their own experiences, knowledge and biases."

Sallans' presentation  entitled "Supporting All Students"  was intended to help staff who are approached by LGBTQ students, including those who indicate they are transitioning.

The session was required for LPS school counselors, nurses, therapists and others, but teachers were not involved and information was not shared with students.

Gausman rejected the notion that the training forced staff members to adopt something contrary to their beliefs.

"Rather, it helps them recognize the daily challenges a child may face, that create barriers to their learning, because it's about student achievement," he said.

Three weeks ago, Gausman said he would look into the allegations, including a quote attributed to Sallans that appeared to advocate for sex among adolescents.

"That statement was not said in that session," Gausman said Tuesday.

Most speakers at the Aug. 23 Lincoln Board of Education meeting were generally supportive of the workshop, saying equipping staff members with information on how to support LGBTQ students was integral to the district's mission of serving all students.

One speaker at Tuesday's meeting, however, said to claim people misheard Sallans' statements was "insulting to staff members."

Gausman said Sallans is a nationally renowned speaker who has been invited by health care facilities, military bases and other groups to conduct professional learning sessions.

Last June, Sallans spoke at the Nebraska Schools Mental Health Conference in Omaha.

He was then subsequently tabbed for the August seminar by LPS staff who "are highly qualified professionals with the best interests of all students (at heart)," Gausman said.

"This learning session was thoughtfully curated to help our staff support the mission, 'All means All,' and all students who walk through our doors," he said.

Gausman's statement Tuesday during his update to the ed board appeared to close the book on one of the first controversies the new superintendent has had to wade through while at the helm of LPS.

Board President Don Mayhew backed up Gausman's statement, saying he and staff had met with Sallans and saw the presentation at a luncheon before the Scott Middle School workshop.

"I can verify that when Mr. Sallans went through his presentation, none of the things that we've heard on social media were reflected in the presentation that I saw," Mayhew said Tuesday.

LPS offers more than 3,500 hours of professional development for staff on a variety of topics, and often administrators find outside speakers to give presentations. The board does not approve speakers at those workshops, Mayhew said.
Lincoln Sen. Suzanne Geist announced her bid for mayor on Wednesday, becoming the first candidate to officially enter the field for the 2023 race.

A Republican state lawmaker who has represented District 25 in the Legislature since 2016, Geist made the announcement in a packed room full of family, friends and supporters at MoMo Pizzeria and Ristorante Wednesday afternoon.

I imagine leading an administration that serves the city of Lincoln, Geist said during a short speech kicking off her campaign, an administration that works for the people; not an administration that the people work for.

Geist said shell also work to bring all voices to the table, and would place value on diversity of thought, listening to everyone from large business executives to small business owners, factory workers to land developers.

Though she did not name Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird  the incumbent mayor is expected to announce a bid later this fall to seek a second term  Geist identified several positions where she said her experience would be a better fit for the city than the Democratic leader.

That could be a tall task in Lincoln, however, which has become a reliable blue dot in a conservative-majority state in recent years.

Even though voters chose to implement term limits keeping Democrat Chris Beutler from seeking a fourth term as Lincolns mayor, they chose Gaylor Baird as his replacement on a 54.5%-45.3% margin in the 2019 city election.

The last time a Republican was in the mayors office was Mike Johanns, who served from 1991 to 1998.

Democrats have also expanded their majority on the Lincoln City Council, and now occupy six of the seven seats.

But Geist has also seen electoral success in Lincoln. In her 2020 reelection bid, Geist won 66.7% of the general election vote. In 2016, she won her initial term over Jim Gordon by a margin of 12,899-10,258 votes.

Geist said she believes voters in the city want new leadership that would operate in a less divisive way  she did not say what the source of division was  and said she believes she can bring unity to the city.

Governmentwise, were going a direction Id like to see be different, otherwise I wouldnt be running, she said.

A wife, mother, and grandmother, as well as a business owner and volunteer, Geist said Lincoln has a reputation as a city thats hard to do business with, and said she would work to make Lincoln a city that says yes to companies looking to locate and expand here.

Geist also said she would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement, firefighters and EMTs, and touted her support for those groups in her work as a state senator.

I will not waver or cower in my support for them, she said.

A member of the Legislatures Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, Geist also said she would work on ensuring Lincoln has safe and smooth streets and thriving infrastructure.

Lincoln voters approved a quarter-cent sales tax in 2019 to collect more revenue for street repair and construction; Geist said she would study how that money was being spent and other budget priorities to see if money could be reallocated to speed up that work.

While she did not have specific proposals on Wednesday, Geist said she would study the citys budget in the coming months as the campaign heats up: Citizens deserve an administration who prioritizes their quality of life in these specific ways.

Even before her announcement on Wednesday, Geist was already facing attacks, albeit from an unexpected direction.

The Nebraska Freedom Coalition, which ousted several members of the Nebraska GOP at the partys state convention in July, criticized Geist for not being conservative enough in a news release on Tuesday.

Specifically, the coalition criticized Geist for not supporting a bill (LB773) that would have allowed Nebraskans to carry a concealed weapon without a permit, calling it an absolute slap in the face to essentially every true conservative.

The so-called constitutional carry bill fell two votes short of breaking a legislative filibuster in April; Geist was among six senators who did not cast a vote.

On Wednesday, Geist said she told the bills sponsor, Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, that she would not support the bill unless an amendment backed by both the Lincoln Police Department and the Omaha Police Officers Association was included.

The amendment, which would have maintained a limited handgun registry, failed to be attached to LB773.

Since I worked so closely with (law enforcement), I couldnt in good conscience vote for something that makes them less safe, Geist said. So that was my hesitation, and I was clear that if that was not added, I would not vote for the bill.

Geist, who has sponsored or co-sponsored several pieces of anti-abortion legislation as a state senator, said she has been and remains a solid Republican.

I have a record that Im proud of, she said. In my perspective, we dont have to agree on everything, and yet I think we should still support each other.

State Sen. Julie Slama was present at Wednesday's event with her husband, former state Sen. Andrew La Grone. Other prominent Republicans, including Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Attorney General Doug Peterson, Speaker Mike Hilgers, Nebraska GOP Chairman Eric Underwood and Lancaster County GOP Chair Samuel Lyon, were also at the announcement.

Geist, who has two years left as a state senator, will be running for mayor while continuing to serve the residents of southeast Lincoln and Lancaster County at the Capitol.

The citys primary election is scheduled for April, while the general election will take place in May. The Legislature will meet for a 90-day session beginning in January that could continue into June.

While legislative sessions require an immense amount of work, Geist said shes ready to tackle both challenges, and looks forward to meeting with voters in Lincoln.

I believe if we can imagine it, we can accomplish it, she said. We can accomplish all these things better if we accomplish them together.
The pink postcards notifying property owners of a potential increase in taxes owed to political subdivisions began landing in mailboxes this week.

For tens of thousands of taxpayers in the Capital City, however, the Notice of Proposed Tax Increase printed in big bold letters at the top of the postcard was not reflected in the estimated change in tax payments displayed in smaller print underneath.

About 94,000 of the 114,000 property owners in Lancaster County who received a postcard under Nebraskas new Truth in Taxation law wont see any change in the amount of taxes paid to Southeast Community College, the political subdivision that prompted the postcards to go out.

That's because the assessed valuation for most property taxpayers in Lincoln held steady this year, even as property values across SCCs 15-county service area rose by 4.43%.

So while SCCs property tax levy of 9.37 cents per $100 of valuation is projected to hold steady  its remained flat for four years  taxes will go up for property owners whose valuations have climbed, just not many in Lancaster County.

Still, under the Truth in Taxation law, introduced as LB644 by Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair in 2021, the county where a city, county, school district or community college is headquartered is required to send out the postcards if a subdivision's total tax requested increases by 2% or more in a single year.

The fact that the valuation in the aggregate area pushed the allowable amount that SCC is requesting above the threshold requires us to have a public hearing, said Stu Osterthun, SCCs administrative director for marketing and public affairs. The postcard provides information on the public hearing.

In adhering to the law, however, SCC and Lancaster County officials said the postcards created confusion for many property taxpayers.

The subtitle on the card makes it look like it addresses Lancaster County, said Dennis Meyer, the countys budget and fiscal director, even though the county board actually reduced its property tax levy this year.

The total tax request for the city of Lincoln and Lincoln Public Schools, likewise, did not exceed the 2% threshold.

Its a notice of proposed tax increase, but because it says Lancaster County, people think Lancaster County is raising taxes, Meyer said.

The Truth in Taxation law was supposed to provide taxpayers with more information about how local governments are funded and grow engagement with the boards making those decisions, but Meyer said the local flap is an example of accomplishing the opposite.

Maybe the Legislature will think this is exactly what they wanted, but it doesnt feel to me that its helping the process, he said.

Osterthun said SCC fielded 60 phone calls beginning Monday  I could tell when people went to their mailbox, he said  from taxpayers puzzled over what the postcards meant for them personally.

People really didnt understand what the card is, or if they read closely, they were really confused, he said, specifically addressing those whose property valuations are unchanged. It said it was a notice of a proposed tax increase, but if you go down and read the table, its zero.

Officials took time to explain to callers that SCC relies, in part, on local property taxes to fund its academic transfer and career and technical education programs at its campuses in Lincoln, Beatrice and Milford, as well as six learning centers scattered throughout its district.

Those interactions helped some understand a little better what their tax dollars help pay for, Osterthun said, while others thought receiving a notification informing them of no change to their property taxes was a waste.

Jon Cannon, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials, said the group that lobbies on behalf of counties voiced concern that the law requiring postcards be sent would confuse taxpayers and create another unfunded mandate.

But once it became clear the bill was likely to pass, Cannon said the group worked with Hansen and others to improve the bill, as well as to lower the cost of the postcards from about 75 cents to 51.5 cents apiece.

Counties pay the production costs, which are split among the political subdivisions that are required to send one to taxpayers.

But Cannon has heard of oddities playing out across the state as the new law rolled out this year.

Aside from the situation in Lancaster County, other tax-collecting entities have seen their total tax requests go up more than the 2% allowed under the notification law, but in cases where valuations have dropped, those residents have received postcards showing their taxes going down.

Taxpayers in school districts that have retired bond issues or are taking on new bonds might not see those values accurately reflected on their postcards because of the timing that certification of those figures takes place, Cannon said.

And in many cases, the joint hearing required under the Truth in Taxation law takes place long after the decisions about valuations and tax levy rates have already been decided.

By the time you get to these hearings, a lot of property taxes have already been baked in to their budgets for the next year, Cannon said.

In Lancaster County, increases in the tax revenue request surpassed the 2% threshold in SCC, the Raymond Central and Waverly school districts and the city of Hickman.

A representative  not the full board, which ultimately sets the tax levy for those political subdivisions  must take part in a joint public hearing Sept. 22 at the County-City Building.

SCC's Board of Governors will meet several days later, on Sept. 27, to set the property tax rate for the budget year.

While the kinks in the new law are being worked out, Cannon said he believes that some political subdivisions held down their tax revenue increases to avoid having to send the postcards, which was the underlying intent of the Truth in Taxation bill.

Still, he said county officials, the League of Nebraska Municipalities, Nebraska Association of School Boards and Nebraska Community College Association plan to meet with groups that backed the law next month to see how it can be improved upon for 2023.
RACINE  A 65-year-old man has been charged with his 4th OWI after allegedly striking a light pole and then telling the arresting officer Im drunk, man.

Larry D. Williams, of the 3200 block of Indiana Street, was charged with a felony count of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence (as a fourth offense) and a misdemeanor count of operating a motor vehicle while revoked.

According to a criminal complaint:

On Friday, an officer was sent to the 1900 block of Ohio Street for a vehicle striking a light pole.

Upon arrival, the officer noticed the damaged vehicle and a downed light pole. The officer spoke to the driver, Williams, who had very slurred speech and was hard to understand. He said I (expletive) up, and then said Yes, I have been drinking.

When asked to perform the sobriety tests, Williams refused and said Im drunk, man ... I cant even stand up.

He admitted to drinking alcohol and said he stopped when he wrecked his car.

Williams was given a $5,000 signature bond and a $500 cash bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Monday. A preliminary hearing is on Sept. 21 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, online court records show.
Grants

The Center for Tech and Civic Life said it didn't turn down requests from any Wisconsin community that asked for money to support election efforts amid COVID-19 in the leadup to the 2020 presidential election. However, the state's five most-populous cities  all of which consistently vote largely for Democrats  generally received disproportionally large amounts from CTCL.

According to reporting from the Wisconsin State Journal last year: "Marathon County, for example, went solidly for Trump in November but also had the most communities  56  receiving CTCL grants. Marinette, which had the second most, at 20, also went for Trump by 35 percentage points. Neither county, however, has anywhere near the number of voters as the cities of Madison or Milwaukee."

The state's five largest cities  Racine, Kenosha, Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee  received $11.26 per voter from CTCL. Of the five, Racine received the most per capita: $21.83.

The tiny towns of Marshall (population 540), Mount Hope (282) and Harrison (312), in Marathon County, collected $18.52, $17.73 and $16.03 per capita, respectively.

For all Wisconsin cities, the average grant was $2.33 per capita, while for villages it was $5.01, and for towns it was $4.97. The statewide average among all 177 counties and municipalities was $4.21 per person.
RACINE  There is an ongoing three-way lawsuit involving the City of Racines insurer, the Racine Zoo and the company that formerly was responsible for the 2019-2020 Chinese Lantern Festival at the zoo regarding the September 2019 fire that destroyed the former Lakeview Community Center.

It started in May 2021 when the citys insurer  Firemans Fund Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Allianz  filed a federal lawsuit against the Racine Zoological Society (i.e. the Racine Zoo), after the city received an insurance settlement for $967,322.27 from Firemans Fund regarding the community center fire.

The devastating fire allegedly started when one of the artisans hired to set up the lantern festival was cooking something in the community center, but left the food unattended, leading to a blaze that has left behind a scorched and boarded-up safety hazard.

In responding to the Firemans Funds lawsuit against the zoo, the zoo filed its own complaint alleging negligence against the company that was hired to put together the festival. As such, a rare legal situation was created: The Racine Zoological Society is listed as both a defendant and a plaintiff  as it is being sued by Firemans Fund while it is also suing the lantern company, all within the same lawsuit.

The city and the zoo While the City of Racine provides more than $500,000 per year to the Racine Zoo, the zoo is not a public entity. Rather, it is operated by the nonprofit Racine Zoological Society.

The company hired by the zoo to put together the festival is known as China Lantern International LLC/Zigong Lantern Group, which is registered in Florida but employs Chinese artisans.

The lawsuit has also been filled with stutter steps. On Nov. 30, Zigong filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit; that motion is not publicly available, but the complicated lawsuit remains ongoing. There have been multiple motions for extensions filed by Zigong, and there was a summons to Zigong that went unexecuted in December 2021.

The most recent filing in the case was Aug. 2, when a court ruled the insurance company won an argument, shutting down a defense raised by the zoo in which the zoo claimed it should not have been liable for the damages since it was an employee of Zigong  and not an employee of the zoo  who caused the damage. The court ruled in the insurance companys favor, since Zigong was working for the zoo at the time.

If the Firemans Fund wins the lawsuit, it is unlikely the city would see any direct benefit. The original lawsuit seeks the zoo to pay the insurance company the same amount it paid to the city. According to the city, the $967,322.27 remains unspent. The payout was not enough to tear down the community center and mitigate the damage from the fire, the city said.

"The city is not involved, or named, in the lawsuit between the Firemans Fund and the zoo. No city funds will be effected, regardless of the outcome," City Clerk Tara McMenamin said in an email.

Last week, the city said that a yearlong study of the property conducted by two Milwaukee firms was fruitless due to increasing construction costs, and "there are no current plans to demolish the former Lakeview Community Center," McMenamin said.

The lantern festival has not returned since its 2019-2020 run.

Comments

Attorneys for the Racine Zoo said they "are unable to comment on this matter at this time due to the ongoing litigation."

According to Zigong, the zoo is suing the wrong entity.

Jonathan M. Woods, Esq., a Georgia attorney defending Zigong, said that Zigong is only a broker that connects with entities like zoos and museums that want to put on Chinese lantern festivals; he company that actually put up the lights and whose employee caused the fire was the similarly named Zigong Lantern Culture Industry Group  both entities are named after the Zigong region of China.

In an email, Woods said: The Racine Zoo has held our client, an American company, hostage in this frivolous third-party lawsuit for over a year despite knowing that our clients had no involvement in the fire that occurred on the Zoos watch and was caused by contractors from a Chinese company, Zigong Lantern Culture Industry Group, which the zoo contracted with. The Culture Industry Group has a history of questionable business dealings and ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

The zoo has been unwilling to sue the Culture Industry Group because it doesnt want to bear the considerable cost and expense of serving it in China under the Hague Convention. It has repeatedly amended its complaint to avoid our motions to dismiss. The zoos latest amendment again demonstrates that it has no legal claim against our clients, and we will be seeking sanctions against the zoo for its frivolous and abusive litigation tactics.

The attorney representing Fireman's Fund did not reply to emails seeking comment on this story.
TOWN OF WATERFORD  Three years after changing ambulance providers in a political squabble, town officials are considering re-contracting with the Village of Waterford Fire Department.

The action approved Monday night at a Town Board meeting comes over the objections of Town Chairman Tom Hincz, who tried unsuccessfully to block consideration of a new ambulance service.

Hincz led the push three years ago to drop the villages fire department in favor of the Tichigan Volunteer Fire Co., at a time when Hincz was feuding with village leaders over other issues.

Tichigan Fire Chief Bill Miller jumped into the fray Monday night by lashing out at Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave for suggesting that ambulance service in the town has suffered the past three years.

Speaking during the Town Board discussion, Miller questioned the county executives qualifications to judge the quality of ambulance service.

I dont see Ph.D. behind Jonathan Delagraves name, the chief said.

Delagrave was not in attendance.

Quote "We need to get back to being neighborly and working together ... We need to talk to our neighbors  it's not rocket science." Dale Gauerke, Town of Waterford supervisor

Town Board members, however, said they agree with the county executive that emergency medical service has been unsatisfactory since a contract with the village fire department was canceled in 2019.

Board member Dale Gauerke said it was a mistake to change providers and to leave some in the community without adequate emergency service.

This issue has been festering for the past three years, he said.

Gauerke joined others in voting to meet with village officials to discuss signing a new deal that would engage village fire department ambulances and paramedics to answer emergency calls in the town.

The not-yet-scheduled meeting is expected to take place within 30 days and to be held in public.

Hincz, who did not attend Mondays meeting in person but participated via cellphone, could be heard voicing objections through the cellphone while other board members talked over him and appeared to ignore him.

The four remaining town supervisors, gathered together in the Town Hall, all supported going forward with new talks with the village. In addition to Gauerke, the vote included Supervisors Tim Szeklinski, Teri Nicolai and Doug Schwartz.

Village President Don Houston addressed the Town Board and said village officials would welcome the chance to again extend ambulance service into the town. Houston said the arrangement would not cost the town anything, and that the village fire department would only assess fees to users who call for service.

The Tichigan fire departments contract with the town was estimated as costing the town $179,000 a year when it began in 2019.

Referring to celebratory parades in the community, Houston recalled seeing multiple fire departments represented with firetrucks and other equipment. He called it unnecessary to have so many fire departments spending the publics money.

Thats some big money and duplication, he said. Thats ridiculous.

For years, the Town of Waterford received ambulance service from two providers  Tichigan Volunteer Fire Co. served the northern half, and the Village of Waterford Fire Department handled the southern half. Hincz and other town leaders, however, dropped the village contract in 2019 and enlisted the Tichigan fire department to cover the entire 33-square-mile town.

At the time, Hincz and others were battling with their village counterparts over unrelated border disputes, annexation fears and an ill-fated effort to convert the town into a new village.

The ambulance provider change took place despite concerns that the Tichigan departments north-side location at 8205 Big Bend Road would make it impossible to match the village fire departments response times on the south side.

Some residents have since complained about poor service from Tichigan firefighters on emergency medical calls.

Schwartz said while the service seems relatively stable for most people in the town, others have complained since the village fire department was replaced. Pointing to the importance of quality service whenever someone is having a medical emergency, Schwartz asked his colleagues, If that is one of your loved ones, what are you going to say?

Schwartz and Gauerke had requested that emergency medical service be added to the agenda for Monday nights board meeting.

Hincz tried to remove the topic from the agenda earlier Monday. Then he urged his fellow board members to put the matter on hold.

There are many issues about that whole situation, he said via cellphone. There should be no decision on that tonight.

But when Hincz moved to postpone the discussion, the motion died without anyone offering a second.

Szeklinski, serving as chairman in place of Hincz, called for a vote on holding a joint meeting with the village to discuss a new ambulance deal. No one could be heard voting in opposition.

Noting that Hincz in the past has attempted to conduct such meetings behind closed doors, officials made a point of mandating that the upcoming session should be held in public.

Gauerke described the meeting as a move to both restore ambulance service and repair relations with the village.

We need to get back to being neighborly and working together, he said. We need to talk to our neighbors  its not rocket science.
DES MOINES  Donations are pouring in to help a 17-year-old sex trafficking victim who was ordered by a court to pay $150,000 to the family of a man she stabbed to death after he raped her.

A GoFundMe campaign set up for Pieper Lewis has already raised more than $200,000 just one day after the restitution order was handed down by an Iowa judge.

Lewis also received a deferred 20-year prison sentence on Tuesday that will be expunged if she successfully completes five years of closely supervised probation. Prosecutors described the sentence as merciful for a teen who had been horribly abused -- and the judge said the law compelled him to order the $150,000 payment -- but it struck many observers as unnecessarily harsh.

Lewis pleaded guilty last year to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury in the June 2020 killing of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks, a married father of two. Lewis was 15 when she stabbed Brooks more than 30 times in a Des Moines apartment.

Lewis has maintained that she was trafficked against her will to Brooks for sex multiple times and stabbed him in a fit of rage. Police and prosecutors have not disputed that Lewis was sexually assaulted and trafficked.

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sexual assault, but Lewis agreed to have her name used previously in stories about her case.

Heres a look at how Lewis ended up facing criminal charges in an Iowa court and what's next for her:

WHAT'S THE BACKSTORY OF THE GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN FOR LEWIS?

The account was set up late last year for Lewis by one of her former high school teachers. Initially the goal was set at $150,000 to cover the restitution payment. All additional money raised will help Lewis pay for college or start her own business, and help other young victims of sex crimes.

Pieper has five years of probation ahead of her; five years that she will be required to be nearly perfect to avoid facing 20 years in prison, Leland Schipper, a math teacher at Des Moines Lincoln High School, said on the GoFundMe page. Piepers path to true freedom will not be easy, and she is still a teenager that has experienced a lot of trauma.

The vast majority of donations came in increments of less than $50. Almost every donor offered words of encouragement or outrage over the teen's prosecution  and sometimes both.

Pieper, from one survivor to another, life gets better," one $20 donor wrote. I am disgusted you spent a second in jail, but dont look back. Use whatever funds are left to move on and move up.

WHY WAS LEWIS ORDERED TO PAY $150,000 TO THE ESTATE OF HER ATTACKER?

Iowa law mandates that anyone convicted of a felony that leads to the death of another person must pay at least this much to the victim's estate.

The payment cannot be discharged through bankruptcy, and it does not preclude a victim's family from suing for more damages. But there is nothing in the law that would appear to bar someone from using donations to pay the restitution, said Grant Gangestad, a criminal defense attorney who helps lead the Iowa Association for Justice, a trade group for trial lawyers.

Lewis lawyers argued that as a victim of human trafficking and sexual abuse, she should be spared from making any payment at all. They argued that Brooks was partially responsible for what happened and that such restitution would be cruel and unusual under the circumstances.

The judge rejected those arguments at Tuesday's sentencing hearing, noting that the Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the state's restitution law even in the face of some of those same arguments.

It is not clear whether Lewis lawyers will appeal; they said Wednesday they are still weighing their options.

WHY DID PROSECUTORS CHARGE LEWIS FOR KILLING A MAN WHO RAPED HER?

Dozens of states have so-called safe harbor laws that give trafficking victims at least some level of criminal immunity. Iowa is not one of them.

Iowans can avoid being convicted of violent crimes, however, if they can prove that they faced imminent'' serious injury.

While nobody disputed that Lewis was sexually assaulted and trafficked, prosecutors successfully argued that Brooks was not an immediate danger to Lewis because he was asleep at the time he was stabbed.

Prosecutors said that their goal in seeking charges against Lewis was twofold: To ensure the protection of the public from someone capable of stabbing another person to death, and to ensure that Lewis receives the rehabilitative help she needs.

HAS THE MAN LEWIS ACCUSED OF TRAFFICKING HER BEEN CHARGED?

No. Lewis has said she lived with a man for more than two months in 2020 after she had run away from an abusive home. The then-28-year-old man told her she was his girlfriend, but told others she was his niece, Lewis said.

The man told her she couldnt live with him for free, she said, and created a dating profile for her on websites and arranged for her to have sex with other men for money, which occurred seven or eight times when she lived with him.

It was this man who took her to Brooks beginning in May 2020 to have sex, she said. When she resisted going back to Brooks apartment another time, the man held a knife to her neck and cut her with it.

Lewis names the man in court documents, but The Associated Press is not releasing his name because he has not been charged with a crime.

Polk County Attorney John Sarcone on Wednesday gave few details on why.

No charges have been filed," Sarcone said. "The matter is under investigation, and our office will not comment further.

WHATS NEXT FOR LEWIS?

Lewis' five years of supervised probation will be spent at the state's Fresh Start Women's Center in Des Moines, a low-level prison facility that allows convicts some level of freedom to work and make some trips outside the facility. Lewis' whereabouts will be monitored through a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet.

She was also ordered to conduct 600 hours of community service, to be carried out by speaking to other young people about the dangers they face and the importance of making responsible choices.

You have a story to tell, Polk County District judge David M. Porter said at her sentencing. You should be willing to tell it to other young women.

Lewis, who earned her GED diploma while being held in juvenile detention, has said she would like to go to college and dreams of being a fashion designer.

At Tuesday's sentencing hearing, she expressed both hope and fear for her future.

I know that I am being watched by a million eyes. The reality is, I will make mistakes, even with the courts pressure," she said, reading from a prepared statement.

I refuse to fail," she said. "I refuse to let the system fail me.
Google Cloud has announced a collaboration with the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) and Climate Engine to launch the Earth Observation and Science Program.

The program will help address environmental, water and agricultural challenges resulting from climate change, and paves the way for SDAIA and MEWA to lead climate action using artificial intelligence, said a statement.

The Saudi government has placed environmental protection as one of the strategic components under its Vision 2030. Agriculture is also one of the key drivers shaping the Kingdoms economic landscape. In addition to the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives that aim to improve quality of life and protect future generations, it said.

Accordingly, SDAIA, MEWA and Google Cloud established the Earth Observation & Science Program, which relies on earth observation technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide sustainability solutions that will address climate change risks, and enhance the protection of the environment in the Kingdom and the region.

The program focuses on five key areas to create a more sustainable environment, and will address these areas in phases: environment preservation, pollution monitoring, sustainable agriculture, climate and nature protection, water & food security. In the first phase of the program, scientists from SDAIA and MEWA are relying on the earth observation data and climate insights provided through Google Earth Engine to help measure the impact of water on vegetation and agriculture at field, country and regional levels.

Google Cloud to train Earth and data scientists

SDAIA and MEWA, in collaboration with Google Cloud and Climate Engine, will launch the first sustainability research centre in the Kingdom and the Middle East.

The centre will use AI technologies to develop impactful use cases and knowledge transfer through a series of trainings and workshops. Google Cloud and Climate Engine are developing a platform for the centre with user interfaces that will showcase former environmental case studies in water and agriculture, and will enable scientists from SDAIA and MEWA to develop more use cases utilising data sets and AI tools via the platform.

The centre will also use AI technologies and solutions such as Google Climate Insights for Natural Resources, which leverages the scale and power of Google Earth Engine and Climate Engine, to study the long term impact of current agricultural practices on natural resources and water and food security.

Google Cloud will lead efforts at the centre to train scientists to apply technology from AI, Climate Engine and Google Earth Engine to drive sustainable initiatives.

Vice Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Eng Mansour Almushaiti expressed his pleasure to partner with SDAIA & Google Cloud to deliver high-performance services. This will support the implementation of the digital transformation strategy, environmental initiatives and the ministrys strategy to leverage artificial intelligence in all sectors, including services and initiatives to achieve sustainable development goals in Saudi Arabia.

Dr Abdullah Bin Sharaf Al Ghamdi, President of SDAIA, said: We are launching the Earth observation program as part of the AI Center for Environment, Water & Agriculture that will be led by the National Center for AI (NCAI) and MEWA. The program will propel climate change action in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond, with insights based on latest advancements in data and machine learning. Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is becoming the place where the best of data-driven innovation and AI is made possible. We partnered with Google Cloud as the trusted technology partner for the program, due to its most innovative and cutting edge technologies that leverage AI.

We are at a time where sustainability and climate action are at the top of many governments agendas, said Elie Tabchouri, Head of Public Sector, Middle East, Turkey and Africa at Google Cloud. The scientific research around climate change is highly data-intensive and increasingly cloud-based. Google Clouds sustainability solutions can help governments better understand climate risk, reporting and help communicate environmental impact authentically. We are optimistic that our collaboration with SDAIA will encourage more organizations to leverage technology in their climate action roadmap.

Sustainability decisions powered by data & AI

The Earth Observation & Science Program leverages Google Earth Engine, a planetary scale platform for earth science data and analysis, and will support NCAI and MEWA in assessing climate-related risks and increasing climate resilience by applying technology to key climate challenges in the Kingdom.

Access to this type of data will help facilitate identifying the current impact of water on agriculture productivity, drought monitoring, water usage, soil moisture, evaporation and precipitation in the Kingdom.

NCAI and MEWA will leverage these insights to showcase to planners and policy makers the current environmental status in the Kingdom, highlighting historical trends and potential risks on the climate and the economy. - TradeArabia News Service
1. Yes. COVID isnt over. Killeen and Cove ISD had 851 cases combined in August alone.

2. Yes. Parents should always be able to track cases in the schools on a daily basis.

3. No. The state isnt requiring school districts to post the numbers; it isnt necessary.

4. No. COVID isnt surging, but if it does, the website dashboards could be reinstated.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether the information is needed with the low threat level.

Vote

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When Pennsylvania State University junior Nick Ribaudo got an email last month saying that a fellow student had tested positive for monkeypox, his first thought was, Oh boy, here we go again.

Several U.S. colleges have confirmed cases of the virus, raising concerns as students return to campus for the fall semester. Thats especially so as many students, like 22-year-old Ribaudo, saw earlier school years cut short or moved online due to COVID-19.

With about 20,000 cases, the U.S. outbreak of monkeypox is the worlds biggest, spreading through intimate contact mainly among men who have sex with men. While global rates have shown signs of cooling, dropping 21% in the week ended Aug. 21, concerns about the U.S. outbreak are cresting as students return to school, ready to meet and form new relationships.

Two other Pennsylvania schools  the University of Pittsburgh and West Chester University  reported cases in students, while Bucknell University in Lewisburg reported an infection without specifying whether it was a student, faculty or staff. The West Chester student was identified during the summer term and finished those courses online, a university spokesperson said in an email.

Monkeypox doesnt spread like infections that are harbored in sexual fluids, yet its often transmitted though close, intimate contact with lesions. Sexual activity is relatively common on college campuses, as are close gatherings in communal spaces like bars and parties. Bavarian Nordic A/S makes the only monkeypox vaccine. The shots still arent widely available at schools, said Rebecca Wurtz, an associate professor of health policy and management at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Monkeypox is here to stay, Wurtz said. I think this is one more sexually transmitted infection to be added to the list that people need to be educated about.

While the disease isnt usually life-threatening, there have been deaths reported in other countries. In the U.S., Texas late last month reported a possible monkeypox-related death in a person who was severely immunocompromised with other chronic health issues. Los Angeles County health officials said Friday they were conducting an autopsy to see if monkeypox infection contributed to the death of a resident.

Mounting, widespread cases are creating anxiety. Washington-based Georgetown University, American University and George Washington University all reported cases of monkeypox within their communities over the summer. Nearby, the University of Maryland reported a suspected infection. The University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University, some of the states largest institutions, also confirmed infections. The University of Delaware reported a case in an employee last month and said its health center has testing and is working to acquire vaccine supply.

Earlier this month, the Biden administration requested $4.5 billion in funding to quell the outbreak, with $1.6 billion of that to pay for vaccines and therapies. White House health officials met with college administrators across the country to discuss measures to control the spread of monkeypox on campuses.

For now, colleges say education is paramount to keeping monkeypox at bay. Theyre advising students to protect themselves by frequently washing their hands, avoiding contact with others who might have the disease, and to self isolate at home if theyre showing symptoms.

Educating the campus community on prevention of monkeypox infection will continue to be the focus of our efforts, said Emilio Carranco, director of the Student Health Center at Texas State University in San Marcos. Information on prevention, testing and isolation has been provided to all students living on campus.

But theres still uncertainty about how the semester will unfold, and easing the worries of college students will be difficult for colleges and universities, Wurtz said, in part because of the limited supplies of vaccines available to them.

Are they doing enough? Well, no, she said. But theyre doing as much as they can.
ALEXANDRIA, La.  A woman outfitted with a tiny microphone and hidden camera walked up to a dilapidated drug house on a chilly afternoon last year looking to buy meth from a dealer known on the streets as "Mississippi."

But as the informant disappeared inside with a career criminal with a rap sheet spanning three decades, her law enforcement handlers left her undercover on her own  unprotected and unmonitored in real time. And the devices she carried passively recorded a crime more horrific than any drug buy.

Under threat of violence, the dealer forced the woman to perform oral sex on him  twice  in an attack so brazen he paused at one point to conduct a separate drug deal, according to interviews and confidential law enforcement records obtained by The Associated Press.

"It was one of the worst depictions of sexual abuse I have ever seen," said a local official who viewed the footage and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the ongoing case.

"Just the audio from it is enough to turn your stomach," the official said. "It's a female being sexually brutalized while she's crying and whimpering."

Even as her assailant threatened to put her "in the hospital," narcotics deputies remained down the block in the blighted neighborhood, unaware. That's because, authorities told the AP, they never considered such an attack might happen and the devices the woman carried couldn't transmit the operation to law enforcement in real time.

"It was recording but not to where my guys were monitoring it," said Rapides Parish Sheriff Mark Wood, blaming the January 2021 incident on his inexperience from only being in the top job six months at that time. "There are always things you learn that you can do better."

The case underscores the perils confidential informants face seeking to "work off" criminal charges in loosely regulated and often secretive arrangements. Police rely on informants in a range of cases, compensating them with money or leniency in their own cases yet often providing little or no training.

Records show it wasn't until the woman left the area on her own and contacted her handlers that deputies searched the single-family home and arrested Antonio D. Jones, 48, on charges of second-degree rape, false imprisonment and distribution of meth after recovering 5 grams of the substance in the sting.

Deputies surveilling the home after the woman went inside assumed she "must be OK" because someone else entered after her to buy drugs, said Lt. Mark Parker, the ranking officer in the operation.

Parker, who retired this month, told the AP that the sheriff's office didn't start using equipment capable of monitoring in real time until after the alleged rape, and often would send informants into stings without any recording equipment.

Just three weeks after her recorded assault, court records show, the woman was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia stemming from an arrest that happened about a month before the sting, and she's been pulled over and booked on possession charges at least twice since then. The woman, who declined interview requests and as a victim of sexual assault is not being identified, pleaded guilty to possessing drug paraphernalia last year and was placed in behavioral health court in lieu of jail time.

Wood confirmed that the alleged rape has prompted his department to finally update its equipment to keep an eye on undercover transactions as they're happening.

Experts who reviewed the case for AP noted the technology to monitor undercover transactions has existed for generations.

David Redemann, a longtime Seattle police officer who now leads training on such stings, said many agencies lack the resources to properly train officers or monitor informant drug buys.

Law enforcement's use of confidential informants is akin to a black market in which "deals are made under the table and often undocumented," said Alexandra Natapoff, a Harvard law professor and expert on informants. Not only are informants treated as disposable pawns, she said, but qualified immunity makes it difficult to sue police when things go off the rails.

Most states have been slow to track or regulate the use of informants. In 2009, Florida lawmakers adopted Rachel's Law, the first comprehensive legislation in the country governing use of informants, after the fatal shooting of Rachel Hoffman, 23, in an undercover drug sting for Tallahassee police. The law requires police to consider the "risk of physical harm" to the informant.

None of the deputies who arranged the undercover buy in Louisiana was disciplined, the sheriff said, and no other agencies were asked to examine the handling of the case.

Jones is scheduled to stand trial Oct. 17. Last month, prosecutors without explanation reduced his charges from forcible second-degree rape to third-degree rape, or simple rape, significantly lowering the amount of time he could spend behind bars if convicted.

Weeks before the charges were reduced, Rapides Parish District Attorney Phillip Terrell defended the deputies' handling of the case, telling AP "there is no indication in my file that law enforcement did anything wrong."
The Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), a PIF-owned company that seeks to develop the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies industries in Saudi Arabia, has signed an MoU with the Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control Company (Tahakom) a leading company of public safety and smart mobility technologies.

The deal will see the two parties collaborate to develop the AI infrastructure and super-computing capabilities necessary to power the next generation of AI applications.

The partnership was announced today at the global AI summit in the presence of Engineer Ayman AlRashed, the Chief Executive of SCAI, and Engineer Nabeel Al Omar, the CEO of Tahakom.

Under the terms of the MoU, the companies will leverage their joint technical capabilities to cultivate and implement the infrastructure required to process the huge amounts of data that will be generated by smart cities.

The collaboration is set to further enable a climate of innovation across the Kingdoms AI ecosystem, contribute to the development of homegrown intellectual property, and inspire the next generation of talented Saudi data scientists.

AlRashed said: "We are pleased to enter into this new partnership with Tahakom, which represents another significant milestone on our journey to drive innovation and further strengthen Saudi Arabias AI ecosystem."

SCAI, he stated, was launched to support PIFs strategic goals and achieve national priorities by driving innovation in the AI sector.

The company delivers impactful solutions through a host of advanced technologies and is showcasing its range of customer-centric products and services this week at the Global AI Summit in Riyadh. Organized by the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), the summit gathers global experts and decision-makers from the public sector, academia, and private sector to explore and shape the future of AI.

"Together, we look forward to working to accelerate the adoption of AI as the Kingdom continues to advance its digital transformation agenda and build a more connected future for our cities that will enhance the lives of citizens for generations to come," he added.

Al Omar said: "At Tahakom, we are committed to empowering government agencies, companies and individuals with the most innovative Smart Mobility and Public Safety ecosystem through the development and operation of trusted technologically-advanced and data-driven solutions."

Established in 2015, Tahakom leverages innovative technologies to deliver state-of-the-art solutions in the public safety and smart mobility technologies.

The Riyadh-based company operates across all regions of the Kingdom and aim to build end-to-end ecosystems in complex domains.

"We are happy to partner with SCAI to continue developing the Kingdom's AI infrastructure with the aim to improve quality of life and create economic value in fulfilment of Vision 2030s transformative objectives," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
A Southside Terrace redevelopment proposal indicates new apartment-commercial structures in pink; smaller apartment buildings in yellow; townhomes in purple and duplexes in blue. (Courtesy of Canopy South)

OMAHA  A $50 million federal grant is to help launch what could be a $300 million makeover of the citys largest public housing complex and South Omaha neighborhoods that surround it.

Partners involved in the overhaul  the City of Omaha, Omaha Housing Authority, Canopy South and Brinshore Development  have been awaiting word on the Choice Neighborhoods grant from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development.

The Nebraska Examiner learned that the office of U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., received notification Tuesday that Omaha was one of four public housing authorities in four states to receive part of $180 million.

Philanthropists pitch in

Omahas allotment, combined with $25 million pledged by the local philanthropic community, will spark long-awaited transformation of the low-income area southeast of 30th and Q Streets, Canopy Souths Cesar Garcia said when contacted Tuesday.

Garcia said that continued fundraising and private development efforts should help reach the estimated $300 million investment likely needed to revitalize the area, which has been set back by historical redlining and other barriers.

Bacon, said he was impressed most by the private-public alliance and neighborhood input.

I look forward to watching the progress of this project as it will improve the health, education, economic development and health disparities that residents in that neighborhood face every day, Bacon said.

OHAs chief executive, Joanie Poore, said she couldnt comment until an official announcement, probably later this week. A spokesperson for Mayor Jean Stothert was unavailable Tuesday.

Central to the plan is demolition of Southside Terrace Homes, a barracks-like maze of 360 apartments that today houses roughly 1,300 people.

Discussions have been going on for years about razing and replacing the government-subsidized project, which spans about 10 city blocks and has been described as isolated and stigmatizing for residents.

Garcia said demolition of Southsides 50 or so brick structures would wait until current residents are safely in other housing. The families will have the option, he said, to move to still-to-be-built, newly constructed dwellings around the edges that will help replace Southside.

Partners in the revitalization effort that includes the Indian Hill neighborhood used an earlier $1.3 million grant to create a plan on how to replace the housing complex, which was built originally in 1940.

Mix of housing styles

Key elements, Garcia said, include construction of 760 new dwellings in the area that will be a mix of styles, from duplexes to larger apartment buildings.

About 360 of the units would be reserved for households with rents subsidized with Section 8 vouchers.

The rest would be mixed-income housing, which means that some neighbors would lease their new homes at subsidized rates and others would pay market rents.

The vision is to replace, one-for-one, the Southside units and to build even more housing targeted at higher income levels. That should result in more diversity of tenants and less concentration of poverty.

The idea is to include in the neighborhood opportunities for other socioeconomic layers, Garcia said. Then you will see a community prospering because you are inserting people that could help bring opportunities for others.

For example, Garcia said, a store manager living in the area might reach out to an unemployed neighbor about a job opening at his company. Who helps if everybody is struggling? he said.

Pivotal to the plan are new structures and services to reach children in preschool, early education and older students. Nonprofits would be lured to the area as well.

The new community is to be modeled after the national Purpose Built Communities approach, which also is reflected in Seventy Five Norths Highlander neighborhood in North Omaha.

Need that spark

Philanthropists helping in that effort include Susie Buffetts Sherwood Foundation and the William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation.

Garcia cited the East Lake neighborhood in Atlanta as a similar project that appears to have had success.

That community has grown from one of the most violent or marginalized to a community that is vibrant, full of opportunity, with a great education system.

He said South Omaha already has a good foundation to build upon.

We have all the other tools: the entrepreneurial spirit; the desire to continue growing. We come, in general, as a community of immigrants with that desire to have better lives.

We just need that spark, financially.
The Viroqua City Council approved the timeline for approval of the Northpointe Development project at the old county highway shop location, 602 N. Main St. The city council voted on the matter at its meeting Aug. 30.

Before the vote, City Administrator Nate Torres gave a presentation on how the city arrived at this point. In the fall of 2021, Torres said he and the Viroqua Development Association (VDA) talked with Vernon County regarding the property. He said the city and the county couldnt come to terms that were reasonable for both sides

Torres said that around Jan. 15 of this year, the county board received one bid for the property; it was from Northpointe Development and was rejected.

On March 3 of this year the Department of Administration (DOA) announced Viroqua would receive a grant for the housing project from the Neighborhood Investment Grant program. Torres said the DOA grant was based on a shovel-ready project. Northpointe Development wrote the grant on behalf of the city.

Torres said the DOA grant is made up with ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds and must be used on or by Dec. 31, 2024. The money is gone after that, he said.

Torres said the Vernon County Board accepted a second bid from Northpointe Development May 18 and the land sale was secured at that time.

The grant was written before the county accepted the bid, Torres said. The grant is tied to that property. He added that information about applying for the grant came out quickly and that guidance was slow to come post-award.

He said at the time the city threw its hat in the ring with the grant application it knew there were certain uncertainties. He said he wanted guidance regarding if the grant was tied to that specific property and tied to the developer. That information wasnt available.

The city received notification of the grant award on March 3 of this year. The city was awarded $6 million to address housing shortages.

Torres read the approved minutes from the Oct. 26, 2021 meeting that referred to the councils approval to submit a grant application for the Neighborhood Investment Grant program that was written by Northpointe Development on behalf of the city. He read the following: Sean OBrien of Northpointe Development updated Council on their plan for applying for this grant to hopefully purchase the old county highway shop property to put in affordable workforce housing with 40-45 units and mixed-use commercial space. They would be the long-term owners of the properties. Grant funds were announced in late August with applications due November 4th. Nothing is guaranteed and would be contingent on them obtaining the property from the County

Torres then presented the timeline for approval of the Northpointe Development project. He said the developer has proposed a neighborhood meeting with the city council, residents in the area and members of the public on Sept. 21. (That meeting has been postponed to allow for more planning. The new date will be announced shortly.) A concept plan of the development would be presented to the Plan Commission on Sept. 30, during which the public can comment and Northpointe Development can gather feedback. (This meeting has been postponed as well to early October) The timeline also includes other dates where the public can give input, and presentations to the city council and city committees at various stages of the project. The timeline shows a proposed construction start date of March 1, 2024.

The city council also approved a professional services agreement with Kurt Muchow of Vierbicher for Northpointe Development project administration for an estimated fee of $15,000. Torres said the money for the fee would come from TID 6. He said if the development project doesnt happen, Muchow would still have to be paid.

Prior to the timeline vote, approximately 11 members of the public spoke about the Northpointe Development project timeline during the first period for public comment.

The majority of speakers asked the city council to table the vote and to allow for more time to educate the public and get responses about other options.

One speaker said it was too soon to jump into the project with an outside firm. Others said they had seen the affordable housing project former Alderperson Gregory Splinter designed for the location and would like to see the council to consider that design.

Splinter, who is an architect, said there needs to be a conversation about what is the culture of Viroqua. Culture informs this decision and what affordable housing looks like. I think my plan fits the culture. He said his plan includes flexibility with 78 units of various types. The variety and flexibility is there to embrace all of the culture of Viroqua. Its about empowering ourselves.

Lavon Spanky Felton said he had seen Splinters proposal and Northpointes, too, and said he was amazed how similar they are. Felton said he was on the county boards infrastructure committee when Northpointe submitted a bid for the property. He said the price was adjusted with the second and it went up when Northepoint submitted a second bid. It was the only bid we had.

Tim Hundt, a Viroqua resident who works in Rep. Ron Kinds office, said the grant money came from ARPA funds and the federal money is to help solve the need for affordable housing.
DETROIT (AP)  When it came time to showcase its electric Chevrolet Equinox SUV to the public this year, General Motors decided against doing so at the big Detroit auto show, as it typically would have done in the past. Instead, it unveiled the Equinox six days earlier.

GMs decision symbolized just how much smaller this years auto show will be, with few new model debuts, less-glitzy displays, fewer journalists and possibly lower attendance.

Though the pandemic is partly to blame, larger forces are at play, too: Automakers have figured out that new models can make a bigger splash when theyre unveiled to a digital audience on a day where they dont have to share the spotlight with their rivals. Not to mention that making a debut at an auto show can be hugely expensive.

So despite moving the show from January to balmy September and adding outdoor events, the North American International Auto Show wont be the glitzy event it was the last time it was held in chilly January, more than three years ago.

The industry has changed  the world has changed, said Karl Zimmermann, vice president of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, which runs the show. Do I think its going to be the same as it was before? No. It's a much different format. Were using indoors. Were using outdoors.

This year's show will be geared more toward consumers and less toward the industry. General Motors and Volkswagen will offer test drives. There will be ride-alongs in new electric vehicles from Ford and others.

I think thats the likely track of the future  more consumer-focused than industry-focused, because the consumers dont need all the the fanfare, said Jeff Schuster, president of global forecasting for LMC Automotive, a Detroit-area consulting firm. They can essentially have it look like a showroom.

Gone from Detroit's Huntington Place convention center are the elaborate multi-story displays that cost millions and took months to construct. There won't be any attention-grabbing stunts, like driving cars up steps and through the front doors or an ice rink with figure skaters. Though many automakers, including some from Europe and Asia, decided not to attend, area dealers stepped in with displays for their brands.

Instead of around 50 new model debuts as in past years, there's only one truly new one: The Ford Mustang, unveiled Wednesday night at a big outdoor event along the Detroit River attended by about 3,000 Mustang enthusiasts and Ford employees. Instead of the usual 5,000 journalists, only about 1,900 received credentials this year.

The seventh-generation Mustang, which goes on sale next summer, may well be the last gas-powered version of the muscle car as Ford powers more of its lineup with batteries. The company plans for half of its global production to be electric by 2030.

The new Mustang is built on the same underpinnings as generation six. But it gets an all-new look inside and out with a revamped 5-liter V8 in the GT and a new 2.3-liter turbocharged four for lower trim lines.

The V8's up to 500 horsepower tops any other Mustang engine, and the four-cylinder will be more efficient than its predecessor.

The company wouldnt say whether the next generation would be electric, but Khan said Ford can meet government fuel economy requirements for this generation because of the four-cylinder engine and the Mustang Mach E SUV and other electric vehicles. Last month Stellantis said fuel economy requirements are one reason its canceling its gasoline muscle cars by the end of next year. The company plans an all-electric Dodge Charger in 2024.

Where we go next, well see how things will go, said Eddie Khan, engineering manager for the car. The whole industry is changing."

The Mustang gets all new sheet metal outside, and Ford says it has lower wind drag than any other generation. You can still get a six-speed manual transmission on the GT; otherwise its an improved 10-speed automatic.

Don Andrews of Detroit, who owns a 2018 V8 Mustang, said he hopes this isn't the last gasoline version. I hope they keep it petrol because more people like it, he said. Everybody likes that rev, that noise. Thats what makes it a Mustang.

Andrews said he's glad the show was moved to a warmer month so events like the Mustang reveal can take place outdoors. He thinks more people will attend the show than they did when it was in January.

Zimmerman said the downsizing of auto shows is part of worldwide trend that started about a decade ago and this year forced the cancellation of the auto show in Geneva, Switzerland. Other auto shows, too, are shifting their focus to letting customers in their region see and even drive new vehicles.

Even with the changes, the show still amounts to a major production. So much so that President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg attended.

Biden, a gearhead who owns a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, sat in a high-performance Corvette Wednesday, and he drove a Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV slowly down an aisle in the convention hall.

The show won't be entirely devoid of glitz. Ford, Jeep and Stellantis' Ram brand have displays that will hold vehicles as they drive over steep slopes. Dirt and trees were trucked in for a natural look. There are tracks where customers can ride in new electric vehicles, including Ford's F-150 Lightning pickup. Outside, there's a 60-foot-tall inflatable rubber duck, paying homage to a Jeep tradition of enthusiasts leaving a small yellow duck on a Jeep they think is cool.

Zimmermann agreed that attendance will likely be smaller than the roughly 800,000 the show drew during peak years of the past. He said he would be pleased with 500,000 for the 12-day show. This year, those who attend outdoor activities alone won't be counted, which will hold down the total.

One thing is sure: Electric vehicles will be big draws for the public. Many will be on display for the first time to customers even though automakers unveiled them earlier.

They want to know how they ride, how they drive and have experience with them, Zimmermann said. Its not just enough to see a car on a carpet or to see just a digital display on a screen, but to really interact with the vehicle.

It's the interaction, with vehicles and with other people, that Zimmermann says will enhance the show after the lengthy pandemic pause.

We like to think that after 3 1/2 years away, we'll do nothing but grow," he said.
One has volunteered for Oktoberfest for more than 30 years. The other served 30-plus years as a local firefighter. Later in September, theyll both be leading Oktoberfest parades.

Dave Guepfer, who served on the festivals board of directors for 16 years and recently retired as food and beverage manager for the La Crosse Center, has been named the 2022 Maple Leaf Parade Marshal. Mike Jorgenson, a 34-year city of La Crosse firefighter who retired as battalion chief in 2012, will serve as 2022 Torchlight Parade Marshal.

The Torchlight Parade kicks off on the citys northside at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, while the Maple Leaf Parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. Both marshals were introduced during the Parade Marshals Announcement on Wednesday evening at Copeland Park.

Guepfers years of service on the board of directors began in 1987, culminating as festival president in 1991. Since then, he has had numerous stints back on the board adding up to 16 years, serving on at least a dozen Oktoberfest committees and volunteer worker positions, including coordinating the Festmasters Ball and Craft Beer Night. He also helped with many of the concert performers on the grounds. And for the last 20 years, he has assisted with tapping the Golden Keg on the festivals opening day.

All that dedicated service was natural after some good advice served up during his first job.

My first boss, Dick Lommen at McDonalds, told me if you want more than just a job, get involved in your community, Guepfer recalls.

He got involved with the La Crosse Jaycees, which led to one of his most favorite volunteer projects: helping erect a U.S. flag atop Grandad Bluff.

In 1983 as president of the Jaycees Guepfer asked La Crosse Mayor Pat Zielke what project he would like the Jaycees to take on.

Zielke told him he wanted a new flag and flagpole on the citys iconic bluff. Guepfer chaired the project that installed a new 70-foot flagpole and 15-foot by 25-foot flag. It was dedicated July 4, 1984.

He also helped with the Jaycees popular Toys for Tots drive each Christmas, which provides presents for many area kids during the holidays. When Guepfer aged out of the organization in 1987, Ken Birnbaum asked him to join Oktoberfest. He has helped ever since.

While hes very familiar with the fest, Guepfers looking forward to seeing the different side of Oktoberfest as the Maple Leaf Parade Marshal.

Im excited to be able to take part in the many area parades along with the visits to other festivals, he said.

Guepfer will have more time to dedicate to those new duties thanks to retiring as the food and beverage manager for the La Crosse Center earlier this year. He still serves in leadership roles for the National Association of Concessionaire, and he received the organizations top honor, the Mickey Warner Award, in July.

Because of his 50 years in the food business, Guepfer has selected Friends, Food and Fun as the theme for his button. Designed by his daughter, Makenna, the button includes an Oktoberfest stein with a button from the year he was the festivals president, along with nachos that look like maple leaves. The design also includes the logo of the National Association of Concessionaire and the golden arches where he first worked.

When Jorgenson found out about his selection from two former parade marshals, Paul Stuhr and Jim McGettigan, in April, he thought they were visiting to assign him a woodworking project for Oktoberfest. When he found out they were there to tell him he was selected to be the Torchlight Parade Marshal, Jorgenson recalls being surprised and humbled.

The 1974 La Crosse Central graduate looks forward taking part in Oktoberfest without having to be on the clock. As a city firefighter, Jorgenson worked for many of the fests after walking with department members in the Maple Leaf and Torchlight parades.

When Jorgenson first got together with his wife, Pennie, he joined her tradition of spending time with friends and family. Pennie lived near the Torchlight Parade route and would host a party.

Every year she would host family and friends for brats and German potato salad before walking past all the floats on the way to watch the parade, explains Jorgenson. Those are very fond memories for us all. Being chosen as the Torchlight Parade marshal means a lot to the whole family and stirs up those enjoyable memories.

He expects being part of the Royal Family will offer a different view. Jorgenson looks forward to building even more memories, along with spreading Oktoberfest cheer at elementary schools and senior living facilities during the week following the fest.

I am excited for our grandchildren to participate in their first Oktoberfest Torchlight Parade, he says. I am really looking forward to seeing many familiar faces along the parade routes and getting to reconnect with them at the fest grounds.

As a firefighter, Jorgenson focused on modernizing the fire department in many areas including record keeping and the implementation of computers for daily use. He also worked hard on preserving the departments rich history. Through collaborative efforts of a few firefighters, Jorgenson helped publish a book about the history of the La Crosse Fire Department that dates back to its early beginnings.

When I first started on the fire department, we used carbon paper and typewriters, he notes.

Another part of his career was serving the community. Jorgenson volunteered his time to deliver fire safety education for elementary students. He became a member of Kiwanis and spearheaded the fire engine exhibit at the Childrens Museum of La Crosse.

Working on the fire engine for the Childrens Museum will always have a special place in my heart, he says. Seeing and hearing about so many children that have enjoyed playing with the engine, I can only hope that one day some of them may become firefighters because of it.

As an Eagle Scout himself, he has served as a Scout leader for both of his sons. He continues to serve on a critical incident stress management team to help area emergency responders such as firefighters, law enforcement, EMTs, ambulance, 911 dispatchers, and hospital staff cope after responding to traumatic events.

Festgoers getting Jorgensons button designed by his son, Ben, will see symbols that tell his life story of being a firefighter, an Eagle Scout, carpenter and woodworker.

Nominations for both parade marshals are accepted year-round at oktoberfestusa.com. Marshals are well-respected people with good character who have contributed positively to the good of the community through leadership and outstanding accomplishments.
Western Technical College will host its bi-annual college-wide open house event from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the La Crosse, Black River Falls, Independence, Mauston, Tomah and Viroqua locations.

Classrooms in program areas will be open for students to explore and connect with instructors and staff. The residence hall in La Crosse will be open for tours and wait list sign up. The college will be waiving the $30 application fee for those who apply during the open house. The offer is available to high school seniors and older, who wish to apply to attend Western in spring, summer or fall 2023.

At the La Crosse main campus, students will check in at the Lunda Center, which will house representatives from student services and four-year universities that accept Western credits. Financial aid (FAFSA) filing for the 2023-24 school year will also be available at the La Crosse main campus only. To complete the FAFSA onsite, attendees are asked to bring financial documents, including 2020 tax returns. For a complete list of documents required, visit www.westerntc.edu/openhouse. Those that fill out a FAFSA at the event will be entered into a drawing for a $500 scholarship.

The Vehicle Technology Center, 2719 Larson St., La Crosse, which houses the Automotive Technician and Truck and Heavy Equipment Technician programs, will be open for program information and facility tours.

The public is invited to attend anytime during the open house events. For details on activities, visit www.westerntc.edu/openhouse. For more information about additional Western Technical College programs and services, call 608-785-9200 or visit the website at www.westerntc.edu.
WATERBURY, Conn. (AP)  A representative for conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars empire acknowledged on the witness stand Wednesday that the show and website spread falsehoods about the Sandy Hook school shooting.

I dont think that we disagree that there were false statements made, Brittany Paz testified at a civil trial involving Jones' claims that the nations deadliest school shooting was staged as a pretext to tighten gun regulations.

Paz, a lawyer hired by Jones' defense to testify on the companys workings, said she believed Jones didn't personally investigate the massacre. Nonetheless, he and Infowars repeatedly and falsely said it was a hoax, propped up by actors posing as grieving parents. Multiple Infowars videos featured what Paz called the crisis actor theory.

You mean lie? plaintiffs' lawyer Christopher Mattei said, to objections from Jones' attorney.

They're not actors. Correct, Paz ultimately responded.

Soon after the killings, Jones disseminated the notion that one slain childs father was reading a script devised by the government or media to shape public opinion, and Jones said the claim needs to be looked into.

Later on, another young victim's father told Infowars in an email that the families were distraught at being harassed over the lies about the supposed hoax and crisis actors. An Infowars employee replied that the company was distancing itself from the claims. But another Infowars employee continued to develop the theory, Paz testified.

The jury is tasked only with determining what Jones has to pay to eight victims families and an FBI agent  a judge already found the Infowars host liable for damages, by default. She made that determination after he failed to turn over documents as ordered during the lawsuit.

Jones is expected to testify eventually, but he hasn't attended the trial so far. On his Infowars web show Wednesday, he called the proceeding a show trial meant to squelch dissent. He has cast the case as part of a dark campaign against him, his audience and Americans free speech rights under the First Amendment.

We knew they were using Sandy Hook to get the Second, but now theyre using it to kill the First, he said. The trial comes about a month after a Texas jury ordered him to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of a child killed at Sandy Hook.

Jones' lawyer, Norm Pattis, has urged the Connecticut jury to keep any damages minimal, arguing that the families are making overblown claims of harm.

The families say the emotional and psychological harm was profound and persistent. Relatives say they were subjected to social media harassment, death threats, strangers videotaping them and their children, and the surreal pain of being told that they were faking their loss.

Its hurtful. Its devastating. Its crippling. You cant grieve properly because youre constantly defending yourself and your family and your loved ones, Carlee Soto Parisi testified Tuesday.

Her sister, teacher Vicki Soto, was among the 26 people killed on Dec. 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty victims were children.

Soto Parisi described seeing social media comments claiming that she was a crisis actor, that her sister wasnt shot or didnt exist, and that the massacre never happened. She testified about getting ominous social media messages with gun emojis and finding a note on her door from a stranger saying she needed to go to church.

And one time, she said, a conspiracy theorist showed up and shouted, This never happened! at a fundraising run that the family holds in Vicki Sotos honor.

The families argue that Jones trafficked in lies to boost his audience and, with it, customers for Infowars merchandise. Data shown in court Wednesday charted spurts in people viewing his websites and social media accounts after he started talking about Sandy Hook.

By 2016, Jones' show aired on 150 affiliate radio stations, and the Infowars website got 40 million page views a month, according to statistics that the company used to pitch advertisers. Paz said she believes Jones has made hundreds of millions of dollars in the decade since the Sandy Hook slayings.

Jones now acknowledges the shooting was real. At the Texas trial, he testified that he realizes what he said was irresponsible, and he apologized.

He insists, however, that his comments were protected free speech.

I don't apologize for questioning it, he said on his show Wednesday. I apologize if, out of context, I hurt somebody's feelings.

Peltz reported from New York.
The U.S. Senate race between Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and incumbent GOP Sen. Ron Johnson has tightened significantly leading up to the Nov. 8 election, according to the latest Marquette Law School Poll released Wednesday.

The poll found 49% of likely voters supporting Johnson, R-Oshkosh, while 48% supported Barnes  a considerable shift from Barnes 7-point lead over Johnson in August. The September poll also found a tightening in the race for governor, with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers maintaining his narrow lead with support from 47% of respondents, compared with 44% for Republican Tim Michels, the millionaire co-owner of Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp.

This time you can see its tightened considerably, poll director Charles Franklin said of the Senate race. The right categorization here is a toss-up.

Franklin said the shift in the Senate race is likely due to an increase in attack ads launched against Barnes following his August primary victory, something Johnson spokesperson Ben Voelkel said will continue ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

Well make the next two months awful for (Barnes) as we continue to expose the truth about him to Wisconsin voters, Voelkel said.

Barnes spokesperson Maddy McDaniel downplayed the recent shift in polling.

Polls will go up and down, but our campaign remains focused on reaching every voter we need to win, and Mandela will continue to bring his message of fighting for the middle class to every corner of Wisconsin, McDaniel said.

Respondents identifying as independent have also shifted, Franklin noted, with 48% supporting Barnes and 46% backing Johnson. In August, Barnes was supported by 55% of independents, compared with 40% for Johnson.

Lets just cut to the chase: Its the independents, Franklin said.

The latest poll was conducted Sept. 6-11 and included 801 registered voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

In the race for governor, 5% of respondents supported independent candidate Joan Beglinger, who has dropped out of the race and endorsed Michels, but will still appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Marquettes August poll found Barnes leading Johnson 51% to 44% among registered voters. In a hypothetical June head-to-head matchup, before Barnes top three primary opponents dropped out of the race, the lieutenant governor received 46% to Johnsons 44%.

In the governors race, Evers had 45% support among respondents in August, compared with 43% for Michels. In June, Evers held a 48-41 advantage against Michels in a hypothetical matchup.

Voter interest

Another noticeable shift from August to September is the increased enthusiasm among Democratic voters. While Republicans had been significantly more likely to say they would vote in November than Democrats, such enthusiasm was high among all respondents in Septembers survey. Ninety-three percent of Republicans said this month they are absolutely certain or very likely to vote in November, compared with 92% of Democrats and 84% of independents.

Asked which candidates in the gubernatorial and Senate races have a better understanding of the problems faced by ordinary Wisconsinites, 47% of respondents chose Evers, compared with 41% for Michels. Forty-four percent of respondents said Barnes has a better understanding of the issues faced by ordinary residents, compared with 40% for Johnson.

One area where Evers has fallen over the course of the year is in overall approval among registered voters. Despite 50% of respondents approving of Evers job as governor in February, the governors rating has repeatedly dropped, with only 44% approving in September. His net approval rating has dropped from a 9-point positive in February to a 3-point negative this month, according to polling.

Kenosha unrest

On the topic of Evers response to the 2020 protests that turned violent following the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, 38% of respondents approved of the governors response, while 47% disapproved and 15% said they didnt know. Michels has made the Kenosha protests a key campaign talking point.

It does show why youre seeing some ads that bring up Kenosha, Franklin said. This is a weakness for Evers in our data at least.

Asked about specific issues, 70% of respondents said they were very concerned about inflation, 61% about crime and 56% about both accurate vote counts in the upcoming election and public schools. Inflation, accurate vote counts, taxes and crime were the top issues among Republican respondents, while Democratic respondents were most concerned with gun violence, abortion policy and climate change.
Global oil refining capacity dropped for the first time in 20 years in 2020 and again last year, exacerbating tight markets and volatile prices for fuels such as gasoline and diesel, according to a new report.

The Oil Refining Industry Insights report by the International Energy Forum and S&P Global finds that global fuel markets are expected to stay tight for years as new capacity takes time to ramp-up and investments are muted by demand outlooks that show global petroleum demand plateauing.

"I am concerned that investors are holding back from new refinery investments based on decarbonisation forecasts that may not be borne out in reality," said IEF Secretary General Joseph McMonigle.

Balance fragile

In both the short-term and medium-term, the balance for global fuel markets will be fragile, underscoring the need to maintain robust inventories and contingency plans to deal with supply disruptions, the report finds.

"The global refining industry is stretched, so unexpected disruptions have a disproportionate effect on prices. Governments urgently need to review their contingency plans to ensure they can cope with the inevitable and I believe more investment will be needed," McMonigle said.

A record 3.8 million barrels per day (mbpd) of crude distillation capacity closed between 2020 and mid-2022 as the pandemic weakened margins, accelerated refinery closures, and encouraged the conversion of refineries to biofuels or distribution terminals, the report says.

Refining margins balloon

Refining margins ballooned earlier this year to a record $35-50 per barrel versus a more normal $10 a barrel. The report finds that Russia and China both have available refining capacity, but sanctions limit Russia's exports and domestic policies limit China's.

Sanctions and embargos have displaced nearly 3 mb/d of Russian products that are not easily rerouted, and Chinese exports are down 30% from 2019 levels as the government has prioritized domestic markets.

More than 2 mbpd in new refining capacity is scheduled to come online by the end of next year, but history shows delays and operational challenges are to be expected.

Looking to the medium-term outlook, the report finds significant uncertainty over future demand for conventional refining capacity. Despite high margins, investors are reluctant to commit to new projects because the transition to electric vehicles could make them stranded assets.

Vehicle sales up

Passenger electric vehicle sales are forecast in different scenarios to rise sharply as policy support continues, costs decline, and more models come to market. Plug-in vehicle sales are forecasted to grow from 6.6 million in 2021 to 35.7 in 2030. This would replace 4 mbpd of gasoline and diesel demand by the end of the decade, and cause hydrocarbon fuels' share of the transport market to plateau by 2028, the report says.

Energy transitions and decarbonization policies mean the downstream sector will need to reduce yields of gasoline and diesel and increase petrochemicals, the report finds. So, investors are looking beyond the current use cases for how refineries can be repurposed for the transition.-- TradeArabia News Service
Here are the Walworth Countys weekly criminal complaints from Sept. 6 Sept. 12. The cases still need to make their way through the Walworth 
Tractor Supply Company (TSC) and the Madison-based Wisconsin 4-H Foundation have again teamed up for the fall Paper Clover Campaign, Oct. 5-16.

For every $1 paper clover sold at a Wisconsin Tractor Supply store during the campaign, 90 cents comes to the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation to be used for leadership activities. The other dime supports the National 4-H Council.

This year, the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation is actively encouraging clubs and 4-H members to work with TSC stores in their area to do an in-store promotion during the fall 2022 campaign, with the opportunity to earn a TSC gift card for their club. More information and official rules can be found at https://wis4hfoundation.org/tsc-paper-clover/.

The paper clover campaign is a great way for everyone to visit their local Tractor Supply and support Wisconsin 4-H, said Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Executive Director Brenda Scheider. Those dollars add up quickly. Last year, the TSC campaigns provided over $20,000 to support leadership programming like the Fall Leadership Forum and the Wisconsin Leadership Council. These promotions are a great way to share the incredible opportunities that 4-H provides to our youth. And were grateful to Tractor Supply for their support of Wisconsin 4-H. Look for 4-Hers at your local stores and say hello.

Area Tractor Supply Co. stores are located at 433 S. Wright St in Delavan, 1801 Milwaukee Ave. in Burlington, and 857 S. Rochester St. in Mukwonago,

Tractor Supply stores in communities across the country have long supported 4-H clubs.

The largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, Tractor Supply Co. employs more than 48,000 at 2,016 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states.

For more information about TSC, visit www.tractorsupply.com.
WATERFORD  A business owner lost more than $160,000 to bank fraud before officials realized Icelandic fraudsters were pulling off an international ruse, police said.

Competitive Heating and Air-Conditioning LLC, located at 820 Forrest Lane, was victimized this summer when unidentified criminals posed as a supplier seeking payment.

Waterford Police Department records indicate that the company lost a total of $162,454.

Business owner Matthew Olson said he and his partners have been able to recover about $65,000 in lost funds, but that damage to the company has been severe.

"It ain't good," he said.

Olson owns Competitive Heating and Air-Conditioning in partnership with Paul Van Alstine.

Van Alstine declined to comment.

According to Waterford police records, officers were contacted about the suspected fraud July 16 by Van Alstine and his wife, Dawn Van Alstine, who handles the company's payroll and other operations.

The company's Facebook page indicates that Competitive Heating has been in business more than 20 years.

The Van Alstines told police that they purchase heating and air-conditioning systems from Monroe Equipment Inc., based in Menomonee Falls in Waukesha County.

Competitive Heating received an email June 28 from someone posing as a Monroe Equipment representative, stating that the supplier no longer would accept debit payments and instead would arrange a different system for electronic payments.

The identity matched the name of an actual Monroe Equipment executive, and officials at Competitive Heating did not notice that the executive's email address was off by just a single letter.

Using a bank routing number that the fraudsters provided, Competitive Heating sent two payments totaling $162,454. A few days later, Monroe Equipment reached out to ask about overdue payments under the previous debit payment system.

Monroe Equipment officials could not be reached for comment.

An official at Community State Bank later told investigators that the bank discovered a "fraudulent bank account" had been created just 15 days earlier to accomplish the theft.

An internet address was traced to Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland, with a population of about 130,000 people. It is located about 3,000 miles from Wisconsin.

Community State Bank representative Molly Krause told police she tried to seize any remaining funds in the suspect bank account. But police reported, "She has not received a response yet, and does not believe the request was made in time to capture any of the funds."

The Van Alstines told police that they had insurance against some types of fraud totaling $25,000.

Waterford police told the business owners they could contact federal U.S. authorities, but that the police department could not pursue an investigation in Iceland.

"Due to the origin of this case being in a foreign country," police reported, "this agency will not be able to further investigate, as we have no authority in that geographic location and/or arrangement for cooperation due to criminal activity."
Thirty years ago. Just those three words stand out as a stark reminder that time is precious. Dont waste it.

The women who competed in Atlantic City, New Jersey, for the 1992 Miss America title have rolled up an impressive list of accomplishments clearly establishing they use time as it should be used  to make a difference, have fun doing so and leave their mark on the world.

Consider these examples:

Patricia Northrup, Miss California 1992. After graduating from California Polytechnic State University she joined the California Air National Guard, became a pilot and when she retired she had achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel. Patricia flew 75 combat missions over four deployments in Iraq, receiving three Air Medals. The word is fierce.

Elizabeth Haynes Drewett, Miss Louisiana 1992. Elizabeth owns Drewett Works/Architects with her husband, a big outfit engaged in residential and commercial projects. She holds a bachelors in journalism from Louisiana State University and a degree in piano performance from Louisiana Tech. And shes a fellow column writer, authoring award-winning articles under the interesting title, Confessions of a Hormonal Woman.

Stephanie Michels-Haber, Miss Georgia 1992. Stephanie studied at New York University and originated roles in two Tony-Award winning Broadway shows. She was nominated for the Best Dancer on Broadway recognition. She moved on to Hollywood, where she has appeared in CSI, Law & Order, NCIS and Judging Amy.

Kim Parrish, Miss West Virginia 1992. Kim has been a host on QVC, and shes the fashion designer for the Kim Parrish Collection. As president of the Miss America Organizations Teen pageant, Kim helped guide the organization to raising $33 million for scholarships. She was recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for operating one of 100 Blue Ribbon award-winning businesses in America.

Heather Hertling Narducci, Miss New Jersey 1992. She sings like an angel. She and her husband recorded an album together. She plays a mean harp. Who does that? She practices Reiki, a Japanese form of healing, and is opening her own studio. She has stayed connected to the Miss America organization, actively serving as a mentor and judge. And shes the one who has kept the 1992 class in touch, long before social media made that easier.

Others include a state senator, radiologist, psychologist, missionary, attorney, violin virtuoso and even a longtime host of CNN News.

Theres more than nostalgia to this recitation sampling the accomplishments of women who competed at Miss America in 1992.

Many of them will be in Lake Geneva this week to attend a long weekend celebrating the 30-year anniversary. They will be hosted by Stephanie Klett, who represented the great state of Wisconsin in Atlantic City in 1992, as Miss Wisconsin.

My wife and co-author of this column, Bill Barth said, can be reluctant to talk about what shes done the past 30 years. Shed rather keep the spotlight on others, like her friends listed above. So it falls to me to do Stephanie justice with a little background.

Stephanie is a graduate of Beloit College. At Miss America 1992 she won a Bert Parks Talent Award for her jazz cornet performance. Her platform supported HIV/AIDS research and treatment, a cause for which she stayed engaged and raised millions of dollars for over the years. She embraces people and forged life-long friendships during the competition that remain close to this day.

After the pageant days Steph landed a job with the Rose family hosting Discover Wisconsin television and radio. For nearly 20 years she was the face and personality of the programs, and is often recognized on Wisconsin streets today for her showbiz years. During that time she earned 10-Emmy nominations and an Emmy Award as outstanding host.

After the 2010 elections, Gov. Scott Walker appointed Stephanie to his cabinet as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. She led the team to an unprecedented 125 marketing and public relations awards, and tourism grew nearly 40% to a record-breaking $21.6 billion. She held this position until Gov. Tony Evers took over in 2019. Since then, Stephanie has been the president and CEO of Visit Lake Geneva. She calls her gig promoting this beautiful region the best job yet.

During their reunion the women will be out and about in the Lake Geneva area, so dont be surprised if you see them. Theyll be having a good time experiencing some of the best Lake Geneva has to offer. Guaranteed, laughter and smiles will be abundant.

Which might serve as a reminder to the rest of us, as we collectively get all wrapped up in the day-to-day busyness of work and obligations.

Theres an old saying: Dont get too busy making a living that you forget to have a life.

Remember, its supposed to be fun and you only get one shot at this. Expect to see a group of women illustrating the point.
Concerns continue over Hanoi railway street safety

The Vietnam Railway Authority has again asked Hanoi authorities to deal with rail safety violations at a local railway street which is home to many coffee shops.



The two-kilometre "train street" starts from Le Duan, goes through Tran Phu and Cua Dong and ends at Phung Hung Street. It runs along part of the Hanoi-Dong Dang railway line.









Many people visit the street to enjoy coffee and to take photos, particularly at weekends



In October 2019, all the coffee shops along the railway line were shut to ensure rail safety.



In order to reopen, the coffee shops had to pledge to conform to railway safety regulations, meaning that they could only operate indoor services.





However, since the Covid-19 pandemic was brought under control, more visitors have returned to the street.









Early May this year, Ha Hai Railway Joint Stock Company, which operates the Hanoi-Dong Dang railway route, urged Hanoi to tackle rail safety offences on the street. Municipal authorities then requested the districts of Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh to deal with the problem. However, the situation has not improved.













On the recent National Day (September 2) holiday, vendors and people on railway street filmed and took photos.
Perched alongside an infinite blue bay, with a natural private beach, is Alila Hinu Bay, a boutique beachfront resort in Mirbat that presents a surprisingly different experience for an intimate weekend staycation or a family holiday.

Located on the world-famous Frankincense Route, Alila Hinu Bay, Salalah, has launched The Frankincense Journey in collaboration with Omani fragrance brand OJAR, paying homage to the heritage and cultural significance of the Frankincense Route, one of the ancient trade roads that defined the world.

OJAR, founded by Sheikha Hind Bahwan, is a fusion of fragrances from the East and the West. Created as a statement of modernity and traditional harmony, the brand pays tribute to the art and rituals of Middle Eastern perfume making. OJAR comes from the word Hojari, which is widely regarded as the finest quality of frankincense resin in the world, located in Omans Dhofar mountains.

As part of the journey, guests will experience a new menu at The Orchard Restaurant inspired by the signature frankincense fragrance collection from OJAR, composed of Eagle Eyed Stranger, Routes Nomades and Forgiven Outrage, paying tribute to the frankincense tree from the Dhofar mountains, its precious resin and the harvesters.

Filling the atmosphere with the crisp air of the Arabian sea, diners can also connect with the rich cultural heritage of the region at The Orchard Restaurant. With its proximity to the ancient port of Khor Rori - one of the ports used during olden times to transport frankincense from the Arabian Sea, through the Red Sea, overland through Egypt continuing to the Mediterranean  The Orchard restaurant takes guests on a culinary voyage with carefully crafted dishes that draw inspiration from the travels of the frankincense traders both on land and sea, with notes of OJAR infused throughout. The menu takes guests on an epicurean voyage with carefully selected, handcrafted dishes such as Shuwa Spiced Lamb Rack with Omani dates and Sandalwood-smoke, or Bhugasa with Frankincense Cream, Rose Petals and Cardamom.

Throughout the collaboration, guests may also practice Camel Milks-ology by learning how to prepare a signature Desert Rose or Naqaccino curiously-infused beverage, or head to Spa Alila for a favoured 150-minute 'Timeless Frankincense Signature Escape' treatment, followed by a relaxing nights sleep at one of the resorts spacious rooms or expansive villas, a private pool and serene outdoor bathtub.

The hallmark of Alila hotels is the combination of innovative design and luxury in unique locations, set apart by an unprecedented level of private space, crafted artisanship, personalised hospitality, and bespoke journeys. Alila means surprise in Sanskrit, which describes the refreshing character of its properties and impressions of its guests. -TradeArabia News Service
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

New Phases in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Ukraine Conflict

Sept. 13, 2022 (EIRNS)This years meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, will include personal attendance of the leaders of Russia, China, and India, and will be the first international trip by Chinese President Xi Jinping since the beginning of COVID.

Comments from the events host, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, point to an enlargement of the institution, which was formally created in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with India and Pakistan joining in 2017. Now with three observers, six dialogue partners, and with guest attendees, including Turkmenistan, the SCO comprises the majority of Eurasia and serves as a forum for security cooperation and assurance, and mutual economic development through transportation, energy, and technology. At the Presidents invitation, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on Sept. 14-16. Iran is expected to be made an official member of the SCO at the summit.

Speaking about Sept. 15-16 summit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, We believein unison with our Chinese comradesthat the existence of a unipolar world is impossible. The foundation of the unipolar world begins to seriously creak and wobble. A new reality is emerging. Improving bilateral relations between Russia and China are part of the new world, but must be seen in a broader context.

Consider Uzbekistans neighbor, Afghanistan, presently an observer of the SCO. Mirziyoyev writes in an article today, The SCO Samarkand Summit: Dialogue and Cooperation in an Interconnected World, that Afghanistan that has played for centuries the role of a buffer in the historical confrontations of global and regional powers, should try on a new peaceful mission of connecting Central and South Asia. International transport links including Afghanistan can bring development that will solve not just socio-economic, transport and communication problems, he says, but will also make a significant contribution to ensuring regional security. Only through the development of a more stable and prosperous Afghanistan, President Mirziyoyev writes, can we create a truly stable and sustainable SCO space with an indivisible security.

Consider that phrase indivisible security. This is the demand that all nations concerns be taken into account. Is the Biden administrations withholding of $7 billion from the Da Afghanistan Bank central bank truly taking into account the best interests of Afghanistan, the country it fled a year ago?

In contrast to the image of indivisible security, promoted by the SCO conference, look at the geopolitical stunt being waged in Ukraine, where the target of Russias special military operation has shifted from being a Ukrainian military armed by NATO, to being a NATO military manned by Ukrainians. In terms of training, weapons, intelligence, targeting, and strategy, NATO is increasingly running the show.

The new phase is seen in the action by Russia to take out several power plants in Kiev-controlled Ukraine. Its action serves as a warning that Russia could hit many more power plants, and represents a stunning shift in Russian military operation: Russia had avoided striking civilian infrastructure, even when it had a dual military use (such as rail lines, capable of transporting civilian travelers as well as troops and weapons).

In the fraught time of the Cuban Missiles Crisis, discussion was still possible, and indeed carried the day, preventing miscalculation between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. that could have escalated, rapidly, to a nuclear exchange.

But today, the kind of discussion process required to reach a negotiated settlement taking into account a broad range of concerns and achieving an inclusive security arrangement is not just difficultit is actively attacked through the cynical denunciation of those who favor peace as information terrorists.

Ukraines Center for Countering Disinformation and its Myrotvorets site exist not simply to attack partisans of Russia, as against Ukrainian interests. They exist to attack opponents of the geopolitical order itself. The goal is to prevent the coming into being of an international strategic and economic order that eliminates the power of the City of London-Wall Street-Washington nexus and its geopolitical and green projectsthe sort of new order championed by the Schiller Institute through its conferences. This is why the Schiller Institute was the leading target of the enemies list that the CCD has been shamed into removing.

The needed victory is not that of Russia over Ukraine; it is the needed victory of a new paradigm.
A new study provides the earliest known evidence of amputation  the medical term for cutting off a part of a persons body.

Around 31,000 years ago, a young adult had their left foot and part of their left leg removed in what is modern-day Indonesia, the study suggests.

Scientists say the amputation was performed when the person was a child  and that the individual went on to live for years. The ancient surgery suggests that humans were carrying out medical operations much earlier than scientists had thought. The findings are in a study, which was published in Nature.

Tim Maloney of Griffith University in Australia was the studys lead researcher.

Maloney said that researchers were exploring a cave in Borneo, a rainforest area known for ancient rock art, when they came across the persons burial.

Although much of the skeleton remained, it was missing its left foot and the lower part of its left leg, Maloney explained. After examining the remains, the researchers concluded the foot bones were not missing from the burial or lost in an accident. Instead, the bones had been carefully removed.

The remaining leg bone showed a clean cut that healed over, Maloney said. There were no signs of infection, which would be expected if the child had gotten its leg bitten off by a creature like a crocodile. And there were also no signs of a crushing fracture, which would have been expected if the leg had been cut off in an accident.

The evidence suggests that the ancient people knew enough about medicine to perform surgery without fatal blood loss or infection, the writers said. Researchers do not know what kind of tool was used to amputate the limb, or how infection was prevented. But, they believe that a sharp stone tool may have made the cut, and some of the plant life in the area could have been used for medical treatment.

Scientists believe that the community cared for the child for years afterward. Surviving as an amputee in a land with steep hills and thick forests would not have been easy, the study said.

The child appears to have lived for around six to nine more years after losing the limb, eventually dying from unknown causes as a young adult, researchers said.

This early surgery rewrites the history of human medical knowledge and developments, Maloney said at a press conference.

Before this find, the earliest example of amputation had been in a French farmer from 7,000 years ago. The farmer had part of his forearm removed. Scientists had thought that medical methods developed around 10,000 years ago. At that time, more humans began living in agricultural societies, the study writers said.

But this study adds to growing evidence that humans started caring for each others health much earlier than scientists had thought, said Alecia Schrenk. She was not involved with the study. Schrenk is an anthropologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

It had long been assumed healthcare is a newer invention, Schrenk said in an email. Research like this article demonstrates that prehistoric peoples were not just left to fend for themselves.

Im John Russell.

Maddie Burakoff reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

_________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fracture  n. a broken bone

steep adj. rising or falling sharply

anthropologist  n. the study of human races, origins, societies, and cultures

assume v. to think that something is true or probable without know that it is true

fend for yourself  expression to do things without help; to do basic activities by yourself
Germany says it will expand state loans to help struggling energy companies. The loans are meant to help companies hurt by increasing gas prices linked to the war in Ukraine.

Russia sharply reduced gas exports to Europe after the West placed economic restrictions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The action has led to increases in energy prices that threaten to put millions of Europeans into cold and poverty.

The assistance will come from a $67-billion fund that Germany established to help companies deal with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. That information comes from the countrys Handelsblatt newspaper. The fund is called the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF).

The loans will provide guarantees and liquidity assistance to energy companies hit by large reductions in gas imports from Russia, German finance ministry officials said. The ministry added that the assistance plan is right for the current situation because it is unclear how long the country's energy issues will last.

Germanys cabinet is expected to approve the plan on Wednesday. It will then be sent to parliament for approval.

Last week, one of Germany's biggest importers of Russian natural gas, VNG, became the latest energy company to ask the government for financial assistance to stay in business. VNG has been hit by a sharp drop in Russian gas exports to Europe. This has forced the company to raise its energy prices.

In July, another German energy company, Uniper, secured about $19 billion in government assistance to support its business.

The European Union agency in charge of securities is also considering EU-wide measures to help struggling energy companies meet rising demands ahead of winter.

Separate proposals from the European Commission (EC) to fight the crisis are set to be announced Wednesday. EU energy ministers will then consider the proposals at a meeting on September 30.

A version of the EC proposals, seen by Reuters news agency, would place a limit on the earnings non-gas fueled providers can make from selling electricity. The proposals would also require fossil fuel companies to share their profits to help provide assistance to the public and businesses facing high prices.

EU diplomats say there is wide support for an earnings limit for non-gas providers. But countries are split over other ideas, including a gas price limit on Russian natural gas. Such a limit was not included in the early EC proposals.

The energy crisis is already heavily affecting Europe's economy, even before the cold winter months arrive.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fund  n. an amount of money saved, collected or provided for a particular purpose

liquidity  n. the fact of being available in the form of money, rather than investments or property

fossil fuels  n. fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas that are formed in the Earth from dead plants or animals

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Some American children struggled to keep up with schoolwork in the first half of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many states saw large increases in the number of students who had to repeat grades.

Traditionally, experts say that repeating a grade can hurt a childs social life and academic future. But many parents have asked for their children to repeat grades to help them recover from the difficulties of online learning, quarantines and school worker shortages.

The Associated Press examined data from 26 states plus the District of Columbia on the most recent academic year. It found that 22 of the states, plus D.C., saw an increase in the number of students who were retained, or held back a year. Three of those states  South Carolina, West Virginia and Delaware  saw the number of retained students more than double.

Pennsylvania passed a law during the pandemic permitting parents to let their children redo classes. The following year, the number of retained students in the state increased by about 20,000.

Kristi Price is the mother of a student in Pennsylvania who repeated a grade. She said it was a great decision for him.

At first I didnt really want to do it, said her son Braylon, now 13. But then later in the year I thought it would probably be better for me if I did.

While the family's two daughters were able to keep up with school even with limited classroom time, Braylon struggled. When he went back to in-person school for the first full academic year of the pandemic, he did not perform well. And that winter, Braylon suffered an injury that forced him to return to remote learning.

On his repeat of sixth grade, Braylon had an individualized education program that helped him be more focused. Having more one-on-one attention from teachers helped too. Socially, he said the change was easy. Most of his friends had been in lower grades or attended different schools already.

Education research, however, has been critical of making students repeat grades. Arthur Reynolds is a professor at the University of Minnesota. He said students who are retained are twice as likely to drop out of school.

Kids see it as a punishment, Reynolds said. It reduces their academic motivation, and it doesnt increase their instructional advancement.

But supporters of retention say none of the research was done during a pandemic, when many children attended online classes or did not attend at all.

In most places, parents can ask for children to be held back. But the final decision is made by school leaders, who make decisions based on factors like academic progress. California and New Jersey also passed laws that made it easier for parents to demand their children repeat a grade. But that choice was only available last year.

In Pennsylvania's Fox Chapel Area School District, two students were retained at the request of educators. Eight other families decided their students would repeat a grade. Another six discussed the new legislation with the school but decided against holding their students back.

As a school district, we take retention very seriously, said Mary Catherine Reljac, who is the head of the district. She said the district involves parents, a team of educators, school counselors and school leaders to help decide what is best for each child.

Price says Braylon's retention helped him receive an individualized education program. The special education plan gave him more support as he attended sixth grade again. Braylon said he felt like the extra support was very important. He said he likes having one-on-one help from teachers sometimes.

I think because of the pandemic, we, as parents, were able to see how much he was struggling, Price said. And we were able to recognizethat he needed more help in order to be successful on his own.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press.

Quiz- School Systems See More Students Repeating Grades Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_______________________________________

Words in This Story

academic  adj. of or relating to schools and education

quarantine  n. the situation of being kept away from others to prevent a disease from spreading

motivate  v. to give a reason for doing something

advance  v. to move forward

district  n. an area established by a government for official government business
Ukraines leaders say they want to retake all the territory occupied by Russian forces. Ukrainian officials have called on the West to speed up providing weapons systems to support their offensive.

Russian forces withdrew from areas they held in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday. Ukrainian troops have recaptured many towns. This change in control could be the Russian militarys worst defeat since the early days of the war.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar told Reuters on Tuesday that fighting continues in the northeastern Kharkiv area. She added that Ukraine's forces were making progress because they are highly motivated and their operation is well planned.

Malyar said, "The aim is to liberate the Kharkiv region and beyond - all the territories occupied by the Russian Federation."

In a video speech late on Monday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the West must send weapons systems more quickly.

Western allies have given Ukraine billions of dollars in weapons that, the country says, helped limit gains by Russia. Russian forces are estimated to control about one fifth of the country, mainly in the south and east. But Ukraine is now carrying out an offensive in both areas.

Shelling continues

The Ukrainian military reports Russian forces were shelling parts of the retaken Kharkiv area. The Russian troops also are attacking further south in the Donetsk area, which is controlled by separatist groups supported by Russia. Ukraine had resisted the attacks in the Donetsk region, its general staff report said.

Denis Pushilin is head of the separatist group in the Donetsk aera. He said its forces were resisting Ukrainian attacks and he believed the situation would improve.

Ukraine's border guards service showed a video of what it said were Ukrainian troops liberating the town of Vovchansk near the country's border with Russia. They were burning flags and tearing down a poster saying, "We are one with Russia".

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had made "significant progress" with Western support.

Some Russian broadcasters have criticized Russia's leadership over the loss of territory in Ukraine and called for more troops. A Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russians continue to support President Vladimir Putin.

On Monday, Peskov said the military operation would continue until it reached its goals. He did not answer a question about whether Putin still trusts in the abilities of his military leaders.

Ukrainian officials said Russia has answered Ukraine's battlefield successes by shelling power stations and other important structures. This caused a loss of electricity in Kharkiv and some other places. Russia has said Ukraine is responsible for the power outages.

Im Jill Robbins.

Tom Balmforth reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English.

_________________________________________

Words in This Story

motivated  adj. having a good reason to achieve or do something

liberate  v. free the people of an area from the political or military control of another country, area, or group of people

significant adj. large enough to be noticed or to have an effect

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LEXINGTON  Opening statements and first witnesses testified on the first day of a trial where a Lexington man has been charged with the first degree murder of 23-year-old Marcus Keyser.

Francisco Hernandez-Corona, 19, is charged with first degree murder, a Class 1A felony with use of a firearm to commit a felony, a Class 1C felony.

Dawson County Attorney Elizabeth Waterman is prosecuting the case. Brian Davis of Cozad is representing the defendant. Dates for the jury trial have been set for Sept. 12 through Sept. 16.

A 14-person jury was selected on Monday morning, six women and eight men; two will be discharged as alternates before jury deliberations begin.

Opening Statements

Waterman laid out the states case and said Hernandez-Corona, hated, Keyser and wanted to kill him. The altercation between the two men had started several weeks prior to the shooting.

Hernandez-Corona later expressed to a girlfriend that he had a plan to kill Keyser, Waterman said, he would do it at night and would use a brass catcher on his rifle.

In June, Hernandez-Corona began making calls and sending texts to Keyser to fight him. Later, Keyser confronted Hernandez-Corona about the proposed fight and Waterman said Hernandez-Corona backed down in front of his friends, which resulted in a loss of face.

During the early morning of July 6, Hernandez-Corona and Adalberto Saenz-Gonzalez, 19, had been hanging out together during the evening and had been drinking. They later stopped at the Caseys on Adams St. to purchase food.

Keyser entered the store as the two were checking out and Hernandez-Corona noticed him and made a scoffing noise. Keyser had come to the store to visit his girlfriend and she noticed the encounter.

Hernandez-Corona and Saenz later left the store and got in Hernandez-Coronas dark colored Nissan Ultima and returned to Caseys, where Keysers girlfriend noticed Hernandez-Corona in the back seat, staring them down.

Waterman said Saenz recalled driving down W. 9th St. where Keyser lived and suddenly hearing several gunshots, followed by Hernandez-Corona yelling, Go, go, go!

Keyser had been shot dead outside of his home, only a few minutes walk from Caseys.

Lexington police officers, Dawson County Sheriffs deputies and Nebraska State Patrol troopers responded to an anonymous report of possible gun shots in the 800 block of W. 9th St. in Lexington.

Not long after, both Hernandez-Corona and Saenz were located and allegedly intoxicated and in possession of alcohol. They were arrested on suspicion of being minors in possession. Both had iPhones that were taken later as evidence.

Officers found several bullet holes at the residence Keyser was found in front of, as well as the neighbors home. Two more bullet holes were found in a vehicle parked along West 9th. No brass ammunition casings were located at the scene.

Lexington officers gave the mens iPhones to Investigator Dan Warrington with the Kearney Police Department, who has technology to perform forensic downloads of cellphone data.

Waterman said the testimony from the experts regarding the gunshots and the cell phones tracking services would prove the states case beyond a reasonable doubt.

During the defenses opening statement, Davis asked the jurors to keep an open mind and asked them to pay attention to what transpired with law enforcement between the time the gunshots were reported around 2 a.m. and later when the body was discovered at 3:10 a.m.

Davis said Hernandez-Coronas actions with police were not those of a guilty person, as he spoke with law enforcement voluntarily. He said they were released after being charged with minor in possession on July 6 and only later arrested for the murder on July 26.

Davis said they would hear from witnesses who were inconsistent at best and dishonest at worst and asked them to pay close attention to their testimonies.

When Hernandez-Corona was approached by Keyser about the arranged fight, Davis said Keyser brought along a friend of large stature, likely as a warning that if there was a fight, it would not be one-one-one.

Davis also said Keyser lived a life that created enemies; he had past interactions with drug dealing and violence.

There is circumstantial evidence against Hernandez-Corona but Davis asked the jury to pay close attention to the physical evidence in the case. He said this could be a case of a person being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Witnesses

The states first witness was Palama Valero, who at the time lived on W. 9th St. and was the one who made the 911 call after hearing gunshots on the morning of July 6.

Valero said she had been watching TV and went to turn it off when she heard five or six gunshots on her street. She instinctively ducked but went to the window facing the street and testified she saw a white, low riding car speed down the street.

She said she did not go out to check if anyone was hurt because she was afraid the vehicle would return. She wondered what to do and called her friend to ask if she should mind her own business or call the police. The friend said the right thing to do was to call 911, which she did.

She was later interviewed by police, to ask about the details about what she had seen.

Upon cross examination, Valero said she had seen an older, boxy, white, four door car with tinted windows speed down the street. She saw no flashes from the vehicle, but she saw no other vehicles driving on the street.

She said she saw police patrolling down her street after her call. Later in the morning around 3 a.m., Valero said she heard a woman scream and saw the police arrive shortly afterward. She went out to tell the officers she was the one who made the call and they took down her information.

When asked, Valero said she was, one hundred percent positive, the vehicle she saw was not dark colored and not an SUV.

Upon re-direct by the state, Valero said she only saw the white car speeding down the road, but didnt see if any vehicle had been driving on the street before she looked out the window. She reiterated she did not see any flashes.

The next witness was Officer Joel Kinney with the Lexington Police Department.

He said he was working the evening of July 6 when he was dispatched to the 800 block of W. 9th St. for the report of gunshots coming from a white vehicle.

Just one block down, Kinney saw a white Ford Explorer with its headlights on, parked on the side of the street. One person was outside the vehicle, another was in the passenger seat.

Kinney questioned the male subject outside the vehicle, who he later identified as Hernandez-Corona and asked him questions relating to the dispatch call. Coming around the vehicle, Kinney saw an open beer in the vehicle and determined both men were underage to possess alcohol; both were arrested on a minor in possession charge.

Kinney was later dispatched back to the 800 W. 9th block for the report of a deceased person. He arrived on scene at the same time as two other people, who were not with law enforcement.

During cross examination, Kinney said he had no evidence of how intoxicated both men were at the time when they were arrested for MIP.

Sgt. Chad Reutlinger was the next witness and said he arrived on scene after Kinney had made initial contact with Hernandez-Corona and Sanez.

Reutlinger also returned to the scene just after 3 a.m. after Keysers body had been discovered and said he made contact with Yesenia Rodriguez, the girlfriend of Keyser, who had discovered his body and was hysterical with grief. She was saying, they killed him.

Rodriguez noted the person she had seen earlier had a neck tattoo and Reutlinger asked Kinney if one of the men he booked into jail earlier had a neck tattoo.

During cross examination, Reutlinger said he was the one who made contact with Valero after she came out to tell law enforcement she had made the 911 call.

Davis asked why only her information was taken down and she was not questioned further at the moment. Upon re-direct by the state, Reutlinger said he expected an investigator to follow up with Valero, as this was a homicide case.

He also said the area where the body found was dark, and investigators had to illuminate the scene with their flashlights.

Yesenia Rodriguez began her testimony on Monday, but it was to be completed on Tuesday morning.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, the UAE capitals first low-cost carrier, today marks a major milestone as it celebrates its first millionth passenger at Abu Dhabi International Airport since it launched its operation in July 2020.



Having recently celebrated its second successful year of operations, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has flown 1,000,000 passengers on over 8,000 flights to 2 5destinations out of its hub in Abu Dhabi International Airport. To mark this occasion, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi surprised its one millionth passenger with an unlimited number of return tickets free of charge to any destination of choice for a period of 12 months. The lucky winner was greeted at Abu Dhabi International Airport by airline and airport staff whilst checking in for his flight 3L714 departing to Tbilisi and was gifted the prize.



This most recent milestone follows a steady rise in passenger numbers powered by the carriers expanding route network, value driven products and cost-competitive air travel services offered direct from Abu Dhabi.



Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi Airports, said: Air Arabia Abu Dhabi has performed exceptionally well in a short span of time, highlighting the growing demand for low-cost travel. At Abu Dhabi Airports, we are committed to working with our partner airlines to provide our passengers with enhanced connectivity and a seamless travel experience. With the aviation industry now gaining robust momentum worldwide, we are confident Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will continue to achieve milestone records.



Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: Welcoming Air Arabia Abu Dhabi one millionth passenger onboard our flight today is a testament to the strength of our value-driven product we offer our customers. He added: We are proud to be celebrating this milestone just two years after launching the airline, during the midst of global pandemic, which reflects our confidence in the fundamentals of the aviation sector and our commitment to support Abu Dhabis travel and tourism growth by providing residents and tourists with a cost-effective travel option backed by world-class service standards.



Since the start of its operations in July 2020, Air Arabia Abu Dhabis fleet grew from just 2 Airbus A320 aircraft at launch to 8 new aircraft as of today, with additional aircrafts expected to join the fleet before year end. The carrier currently serves a network of 25 routes served direct from Abu Dhabi International Airport.  TradeArabia News Service
NONFICTION: Cranky and wise, Minnesota essayist salutes the things that matter most.

"Essentially: Essays" by Richard Terrill; Holy Cow Press of Duluth (200 pages, $19.95)



If you're lucky, you have an old uncle (or aunt) who is gruff and sweet, plain-spoken and wise, weathered and treasured. Richard Terrill comes across like one of those priceless people in his new book of essays, "Essentially," which touches on subjects as disparate as trout fishing, jazz, neighbors, dogs, vintage movies and aging.

Terrill, who lives in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, writes about people, places and events in Minnesota, Wisconsin (his riff on the differences between those two states, especially their bars, is a kick to read) and China (where he taught for a time). Terrill's an accomplished fellow  professor emeritus at Minnesota State University Mankato, where he taught film history and nonfiction writing; a jazz saxophonist; outdoorsman, essayist, poet, husband and stepdad. In 2004, his poetry collection "Coming Late to Rachmaninoff" won a Minnesota Book Award.

His deceptively folksy prose (which occasionally slides into poetry, most poignantly when he's writing of the brilliant, doomed jazz pianist Bill Evans) is graceful and conversational, rich in wry wit and insight about himself and others. His observations contain endearing contradictions that we can relate to, as when he complains about a neighbor's incessantly barking dog, then rhapsodizes about his own pooches, including one that's incurably hell on wheels.

Terrill is best presented by a sampling from these essays:

On his 89-year-old mother, who has lost her memory: " 'You just have to get out of bed and start your routine,' I tell her. It's a lame proposition, I know. 'Why?' she asks. Her contradictions, out of character for the person she used to be, are now the most rational feature of her discourse."

On knowing when to jump in when playing in a jazz ensemble: "How to know on which occasions to lay out till you're sure, and when to just wing it and play? How much this is like the lives we all lead outside the rehearsal room. Musicians or not, we each listen to the moments as we live them. Play or wait, play or rest."

On camping in the Wisconsin wilderness: "Evening.  The moon is white silver.  Cold rises from the earth. It's a good feeling, because the cold helps me tell the difference between the body and what's outside the body."

On clueless fellow neighbors and citizens (to whom he is unfailingly kind): "At any given moment, I don't know much. But I know I don't know much, and although I don't like thinking this way, increasingly it seems that other people aren't as aware of their own ignorance as I am of mine."

On aging: "I suspect the guy who coined the phrase 'you're only as old as you feel' was in the marketing department somewhere. That adage assumes that if you indeed do feel your age, there is something wrong with you. It assumes, probably correctly, that people who feel old don't buy as much stuff as people who still think they have endless years before them."

On history: "Why do we judge the past by the values we hold today (e.g., Because the patriarchal Founding Fathers owned slaves, they have nothing to offer us.)? Should we not instead fear the future will judge us by the values people hold then? Do we suppose they'll think us enlightened, as we drive around in our SUVs and reproduce ourselves until other species disappear because there's nowhere left for them to live?"

Terrill writes out of what he calls his "dark attitude." But he also sees the beauty in our daily lives, and, despite his pessimism about the future of humanity, believes it's worth sticking around just to see what happens next. Like his worldview, his writing is jazzlike, nuanced, unexpected, arresting, and yes, essential.



Pamela Miller, a former Star Tribune night metro editor, lives in Old Frontenac, Minnesota. She can be reached at pamelamarianmiller@gmail.com.
A man who Madison police say killed his wife Sunday before killing himself suffered from serious mental health problems for many years, the mans sister said.

The Dane County Medical Examiners Office on Wednesday said Jessica K. Wray, 45, died from blunt force and sharp force trauma, while her husband, Jason R. Wray, also 45, died from injuries he sustained when he stepped into the path of a semitrailer on Interstate 90. Police say Jason Wray killed his wife earlier that day in the home they shared on the citys Far West Side.

Friends of the Wray family set up a GoFundMe page Tuesday to cover funeral expenses and help support the Wrays three young children. As of Wednesday night, it showed donations of more than $60,000.

Police say that after killing Jessica Wray, Jason Wray stepped in front of a vehicle on the Beltline near Old Sauk Road but was not seriously injured and then drove onto the interstate, stopping near Buckeye Road and stepping into the path of the semi sometime after 3:30 p.m. He died at the scene.

Jason Wrays sister, Jess Schaack, said Wednesday the couples three children will be surrounded by family and close friends who will support them through the rest of their lives.

Her brother had suffered from depression since his early 20s that had worsened in recent years, Schaack said. His actions were a direct relation to his depression, she said.

I would love to focus more on the need for more mental health resources, Schaack said. This system does not work for the millions of people affected by depression and mental illness every day.

Research has long found that people who are mentally ill are statistically more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators of it.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said police had no record of prior calls to the Wray home at 6 Darien Circle and the couple was not previously known to them. Both were physician assistants at UW Health who graduated from the University of Iowa, according to their UW Health pages.

We are devastated by the news of this unspeakable tragedy and our hearts are with the family and friends suffering this terrible loss, UW Health spokesperson Sara Benzel said in a statement Wednesday.

The well-being of our staff and providers is a top priority, and we will continue to provide emotional support to them as they grieve. We urge the community to respect the privacy of all who are grieving and to show support through the fund established for the family if you are able.

State Journal reporter Lucas Robinson contributed to this report.
A former Madison man pleaded guilty Wednesday to killing a Stoughton woman a year ago by driving drunk, though the plea agreement was met with some skepticism by a Dane County judge who took the guilty plea.

Eric G. Ignarski, 40, of Kenosha, pleaded guilty to homicide by drunken driving for a Sept. 11, 2021, crash on Highway 51 that killed Sierra L. Frisch, 47. Her car was struck head-on by Ignarski as she drove south in the town of Dunn.

Data downloaded from Ignarskis Toyota Camry showed that five seconds before the crash he was going 100 mph, and at the crash impact had accelerated to 108.7 mph, a criminal complaint states. He was driving in the wrong lane of Highway 51 with a blood alcohol concentration of nearly 0.25%, three times the 0.08% limit for Wisconsin drivers.

Under a plea agreement, charges of second-degree reckless homicide and homicide by driving with a prohibited blood alcohol concentration were dismissed. Assistant District Attorney Tim Helmberger said he would ask for no more than six years in prison for Ignarski when he is sentenced on Nov. 17, one year more than the recently created mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.

Under the 2019 law, a lower sentence can be imposed only if a judge provides a compelling reason for it. The maximum sentence for the conviction is 25 years of combined prison and extended supervision.

My first reaction is, Im not sure I would agree to six years, said Circuit Judge Nicholas McNamara, after confirming with Helmberger Ignarskis blood alcohol concentration and the speed he was traveling. I dont understand why it wouldnt be higher.

McNamara said he believes the average sentence in Dane County for homicide by drunken driving is seven to eight years, and a 10-year sentence isnt unusual.

McNamara told Ignarski he is not required to follow the sentencing recommendations of either side or those made as part of a plea agreement, but that he gives consideration to the arguments made by attorneys. He said he spoke up because I dont want to surprise defendants.

Ignarskis attorney, Brian Brophy, briefly conferred with Ignarski outside the courtroom and returned to tell McNamara that Ignarski would go ahead with his guilty plea despite the warning.

Mr. Ignarski wishes to plead guilty because he is guilty, Brophy said, adding that he was confident he can present arguments on the relevant sentencing factors that would support the sentence Ignarski will seek.

At a recent sentencing hearing for Nicholas Hanley  who was not convicted of homicide by drunken driving but pleaded guilty to homicide by negligent driving, causing great bodily harm by reckless driving and fourth-offense driving with a prohibited alcohol concentration  McNamara imposed a five-year prison sentence.

McNamara compared Hanleys case to that of Bruce Burnside, a Lutheran bishop McNamara sentenced in 2014 to 10 years in prison for the reckless driving death of a jogger in Sun Prairie. The case has been something of a touchstone for McNamara.

McNamara ordered Ignarski, who has been free on a signature bond since he was charged on Dec. 9, taken into custody. He said Ignarski is no longer innocent of a crime considered very serious under state law. Brophy had argued that Ignarski has no prior criminal record, was receiving substantial treatment, was doing volunteer work and poses no risk of not appearing for sentencing.
Atelier House Hospitality has announced the opening of a new Mohalla outlet, Dubais homegrown Indian street food concept, scheduled to open at Riyadh Front in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in December 2022.



The powerhouse boutique hospitality firm is headed by Managing Director Panchali Mahendra, known for leading on the successful launch, opening, and operation of bespoke restaurant concepts regionally and internationally, including the Michelin-starred and highly acclaimed 11 Woodfire, award-winning Marea, recently opened TIDES Bar in DIFC, as well as the new modern French restaurant RSVP in Dubais Boxpark.



Since the opening of the Mohalla flagship restaurant in the very fashionable neighborhood of Dubai Design District in 2018, Atelier House Hospitality has successfully launched the brand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the first KSA outpost opening in Riyadh in March 2022. This newest opening will mark Mohallas second outlet in KSA and third restaurant overall in the Middle East region.



Commenting on the announcement, Panchali Mahendra said: Mohalla is the first homegrown Indian restaurant concept to be exported to KSA, and we are proud and delighted to be able to continue this expansion in such a short space of time. The launch of Mohallas first KSA outpost earlier this year was a steppingstone into the Saudi market and due to the growing demand from KSAs diners and Mohallas remarkably successful performance, the second opening in Riyadh came naturally to us.



Mohallas new location at Riyadh Front will be 20% bigger than its original sister venue at The Esplanade in Riyadh, with capacity to seat 180 guests, which allows us to cater to a larger clientele. This is just the start of Mohallas journey in KSA, with more outlets confirmed to open across the Kingdom over the coming years, added Mahendra.



The brand chef and one of the masterminds behind Mohalla, Adwait Anantwar commented on the upcoming opening: Mohalla is a restaurant that diners can visit multiple times a week without getting bored of the food, thanks to a varied offering that is very homely and minimalistic. Through extensive training we have been able to achieve an incredible level of consistency across all Mohalla outlets, which is why our guests return to Mohalla time and time again to enjoy their favorite dishes.



Mohallas Riyadh Front venue will keep in line with the aesthetic of the brands existing outlets while also featuring new, exciting design elements, promising to transport guests to the eclectic streets of India. The new outposts menu will offer a lot of dishes from existing Mohalla restaurants, including signature crowd favorites such as Raj Kachori, Avocado Papdi Chaat, Tender Chicken Kebab and Rayalaseema Prawn Curry, with some new additions to surprise and delight returning diners.  TradeArabia News Service
UPDATE:

Madison Ald. Gary Halverson said late Wednesday that he was resigning from the City Council after receiving threats and having his home vandalized, a week after news broke that he briefly belonged to the Oath Keepers.

Halverson said his wife suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from past trauma and that the harassment was triggering for her.

"For anyone who has PTSD, or lived with someone who does, knows that when something happens that is triggering, it is absolutely terrifying, and that terror can last for days or weeks or longer. I am unwilling to put her or my family through this any longer," he said in an email.

Halverson has said he did not properly vet the right-wing extremist group and that he quit shortly after he joined. After news broke about his affiliation with the group, he was criticized by Council President Keith Furman and Vice President Jael Currie. Oath Keepers has been accused of playing a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"I am deeply saddened that our current state of politics is filled with fear and intimidation tactics. The ends do not justify ANY means," Halverson said in the email. "I started out on this journey to help my community because that is who I am. I am proud of my accomplishments and have been honored to work with so many great people who live and work in this city."

ORIGINAL STORY:

Madison Ald. Gary Halverson in an email to City Council members on Wednesday said he received threats and his home was vandalized after news broke that he had briefly joined a right-wing extremist group in mid-2020.

Halverson also asked council President Keith Furman, who with council Vice President Jael Currie had publicly condemned Halversons association with the Oath Keepers, to denounce attacks on his family and property.

Given that your statement was inciteful, I asked you please denounce the physical attacks and vandalism directed at my home and family, he said. Your words, like Donald Trumps leading up to January 6th 2021, have moved others to violence.

Founded in 2009, the Oath Keepers is a loosely organized conspiracy theory-fueled group that asks its members to vow to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, promotes the belief that the federal government is out to strip citizens of their civil liberties and paints its followers as defenders against tyranny. The group has been accused of playing a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Halverson has said he joined without a full understanding of what the group was.

In response to Halversons email, Furman sent an email to him and the rest of the council saying threats and vandalism are unacceptable but that our statement wasnt the cause of your troubles  its your past actions. Your desire to deflect is disappointing.

Madison Police Department spokesperson Hunter Lisko said police responded to a vandalism complaint at Halversons property on Wednesday morning, but no further information was available and an investigation was continuing. Lisko had no information available on any threats made against Halverson, who had not responded to a request for comment Wednesday from the State Journal.

On Sept. 7, the Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism identified Halverson as one of six elected officials from Wisconsin whose names appeared on leaked Oath Keepers membership lists.

Halverson, elected to serve the East Sides 17th District in April 2021, responded by saying he joined without vetting the organization and is no longer a member.

I thought I joined an organization that welcomed veterans who cared about our democracy, he said in an email on Sept. 7. I was misled and I terminated the membership two months later in Aug 2020.

A day later, Furman and Currie condemned Halversons association with the group and said it was up to him to decide if he can continue to be a council member with this secret now being public. They also said the information calls into question the motivation behind Halversons public votes and that voters will have a chance to decide who will represent them in April 2023.

Halverson issued an additional statement later that day saying he quit the Oath Keepers four months before the 2020 presidential election and was further disgusted by the abhorrent attack on our democracy on Jan. 6.

On Sept. 12, Halverson posted a note on his city webpage saying it had been a difficult week for him and his family, and thanking constituents for overwhelming support.

I made a mistake when I joined a group that deceived me and other veterans. I quickly corrected it. I apologize for the embarrassment, distraction, and pain this has caused, he said. Statements and comments from other elected officials referring to me as a white supremacist or associating me with it are abhorrent, extremely offensive, and possibly defamatory.

In his Wednesday email to the council, obtained by the State Journal, Halverson called the statement from Furman and Currie misleading and cruel and said it led to threats against me including vandalism at my home.

I do not expect you to recognize or appreciate that I disavowed and left the organization before the 2020 presidential election and the events of January 6, he said.

Furman shared two emails in response, one sent to Halverson and all council members and a second to Halverson.

In the first email, Furman said he wouldnt engage in a back-and-forth via emails to all council members, called threats and vandalism unacceptable, and accused Halverson of deflecting.

In the email to Halverson, Furman reiterated, Im sorry you experienced vandalism and are receiving threats. No one deserves that and its completely unacceptable.

He also asked if Halverson could point to any parts of the joint statement that were inaccurate, and that he would be happy to correct it.

You were entitled to join that group and Im certainly entitled to be disgusted by it, he said.

Furman also sent Halverson the Wikipedia page on Oath Keepers from May 2020.

Currie had not responded to requests for comment.
A Waukesha County judge on Tuesday rejected a bid to stay his previous ruling that election officials cant fix errors on absentee ballot certificates.

Turning down Democrats request to issue a stay on last weeks ruling, Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Aprahamian ordered the Wisconsin Elections Commission to tell clerks statewide by Wednesday that its guidance allowing address corrections on witness certificates violates state law.

The commission voted 4-1 Tuesday, with Democratic commissioner Ann Jacobs opposed, to withdraw the nearly six-year-old guidance and scrub it from the agencys website. Democratic commissioner Mark Thomsen was absent from the meeting.

Democrats are likely to appeal Aprahamians ruling, which they and the Elections Commission say is likely to cause confusion for clerks and voters.

The case, which is likely to eventually be decided by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, follows multiple efforts by the GOP-led Legislature this year to make various changes to elections administration, all of which Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed because he said they would make voting harder.

The Republican Party of Waukesha County and three Waukesha County residents filed the lawsuit against the Elections Commission in July to challenge the guidance. The Republican-controlled Legislature intervened on the plaintiffs behalf. The Waukesha County Democratic Party and League of Women Voters of Wisconsin intervened in support of the Elections Commission.

The bipartisan commission first issued the contested guidance in 2016. Voters must have a witness sign a certificate, typically printed on the back of an absentee ballot envelope, for the ballot to be valid. The witness has to include his or her address on the certificate, but under the guidance, election officials were able to fill in missing or incorrect pieces such as the state or ZIP code.

Republicans have scrutinized the guidance since the 2020 presidential election.

The Legislatures Republican-controlled Rules Committee in January told the Elections Commission to withdraw the guidance or resubmit it as an administrative rule.

The majority of the Elections Commission then voted in favor of using the existing guidance as the basis for an emergency rule stipulating what errors clerks can fix on the certificates.

It became a rule in July. That same month, the Rules Committee struck it down.

In August, the Elections Commission deadlocked on a motion supported by the agencys three Republican appointees that would have eliminated the 2016 guidance. The commissions three Democratic appointees opposed the motion, a decision Aprahamian criticized last week.

Attorneys for the Waukesha County Democratic Party said in a brief that Aprahamians ruling last week carried a high risk of irreparably harming party members. They said the ruling carried the risk of disenfranchising voters for mistakes that witnesses made on their absentee ballot envelopes. They also said changing guidelines so close to the Nov. 8 election would create confusion.

Voiding that kind of whiplash necessitates a stay here, Jeff Mandell, representing the Waukesha County Democratic Party, said Tuesday.

Aprahamian disagreed, saying the ruling affects clerks, not voters. He said voters will still see that an address is required on the form, adding that the contested guidance was provided to clerks and election officials, not voters.

Full, fair and free elections are paramount, but they need to be according to law, Aprahamian said Tuesday. And the law has always been that the addresses need to be on these certifications. And I find that the guidance that was provided is contrary to that law, and therefore the public interest weighs in favor of the injunction and against the stay.

Ballots going out

With Aprahamians affirmation of his past ruling, clerks are struggling to understand what ballots they should count, or not, with absentee voting slated to begin in just over a week. The deadline for absentee ballots to be mailed to voters is Sept. 22.

Steven Kilpatrick, an attorney representing the Elections Commission, said the ruling is preventing the agency from advising clerks on what to do with missing address information or telling them what constitutes an address. He said theres no stand-alone guidance that advises clerks on the contents of an address.

Now there is nothing for the clerks to be guided by, Kilpatrick said on Tuesday. That results in uncertainty as to what a complete address is and increases the risk that some ballots will not be counted, without the fault of the elector.

The number of affected ballots is likely to be small but could be an issue in close races. President Joe Biden won Wisconsin in 2020 by fewer than 21,000 votes.

The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau last year reviewed 14,710 absentee ballot certificates in 29 municipalities and found that 1,022 certificates (6.9%) were missing parts of witness addresses, 15 (0.1%) did not have any witness address at all, eight (less than 0.1%) did not have a witness signature and three (less than 0.1%) did not have a voter signature. Clerks corrected 66 (about 0.4%) of those certificates.

Insulting to court

Prior to the Elections Commission vote to withdraw the agencys guidance on absentee ballot corrections, Jacobs proposed removing the guidance from the agencys website only, arguing Aprahamians order did not order its formal withdrawal. Her proposal failed on a 2-3 vote, with fellow Democratic commissioner Julie Glancey joining Jacobs in favor of the motion.

Republican commissioners Robert Spindell and Don Millis were adamant that the guidance must be withdrawn, with Millis noting that thumbing our nose at the court could further harm the agencys already rocky relationship with the GOP-controlled Legislature.

I think its insulting to the court. I think its going to hurt our cause down the road, Millis said.

Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, proposed a bill last session that would have prohibited clerks from correcting absentee ballot certificates, but allow them to return the certificates to voters for corrections and require clerks to post a notification about any certificate defects to the voters information section on the states online elections portal, MyVote.wi. The proposal passed the GOP-led Legislature but was vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers along with several other Republican-authored election bills.

I think the Legislature will pass the bill again and say that these things can be missing, but everything else must be in place, Bernier, who is not seeking reelection this fall, said at a WisPolitics.com luncheon Tuesday.
Madison is offering a series of public events on the Lake Monona waterfront design challenge, including a "kick off" to engage with three nationally-renowned finalists, a later check-in on progress, and then presentations on proposed master plans.

In July, the city's special 13-member ad hoc committee chose Agency Landscape + Planning of Cambridge, Massachusetts; James Corner Field Operations of New York; and Sasaki of Denver from among 14 heavyweight firms that responded to a request for qualifications to craft a master plan to reimagine the Lake Monona waterfront between Olin Park and Williamson Street.

The forthcoming plans are intended to better connect Capitol Square and neighborhoods to the lake, improve water quality and aquatic habitat, celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural legacy and preserve the lake's cultural history.

Now, the city has scheduled the event series to give the community a chance to learn more about the design challenge.

The events include:

Design Challenge Kick-Off. 6 p.m., Oct. 3, at the Madison Central Library, Rooms 301-302, 201 W. Mifflin St. Design teams will live-stream to the event and introduce themselves and their team's unique perspective on master plan development.

Design Challenge Check-In. 6 p.m., Nov. 7, at Monona Terrace, Lecture Hall, 1 John Nolen Drive. The teams will present initial thoughts and concepts online in developing a master plan vision for the Lake Monona Waterfront.

Design Challenge Master Plan Presentations. 6 p.m., Jan. 26, at the Parks Division's Olin Park Facility, 330 E. Lakeside St. The teams will present in-person their proposed master plan for the Lake Monona Waterfront.

The events will also be streamed to the Madison City Channel for remote viewing.

The Lake Monona Waterfront Project is tied to plans to transform a two-story building and 3.65 acres of shoreline next to Olin Park, purchased by the city in 2019, into a community amenity with Parks Division offices; the reconstruction of John Nolen Drive, slated for 2026; and creation of the "Destination District" around Alliant Energy Center, aimed at connecting the South Side to the lake and Downtown.

The city will spend $75,000 apiece for the three finalists - half of which is privately funded - for design challenge stipends, and another $200,000 for the chosen team to refine the preferred master plan.

The special committee is expected to recommend a preferred master plan to the mayor, City Council and Park Commission by Sept. 1, 2023.
The list of flimsy excuses and desperate explanations keeps growing for Donald Trumps unlawful possession of highly classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago compound. Members of Congress and other Republican influentials keep falling all over themselves either to minimize the importance of the documents, blame the FBI for a witch hunt against Trump, or even to suggest that it was the FBIs delays in searching Mar-a-Lago  not Trumps possession of secret documents there  that endangered national security. But the one culprit who never seems to come up for blame in their accounting is Trump himself.

For members of Congress, the more they appear to be defending one mans lawlessness and impunity, the more they betray their sworn duty to defend the Constitution and the law of the land. The most recent round of excuse-making comes courtesy of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who wondered aloud in a television interview why all the commotion over a simple storage argument. He added: I dont think a fight over storage of documents is worthy of what theyve done, which is (a) full-scale raid and then these constant leaks.

Rubio falsely asserted that Justice Department officials dont deny that he should have access to those documents. They do, in fact, insist he had no business possessing them. One document in particular reportedly contained intelligence about other countries nuclear defense capabilities.

Trump has offered differing and often contradictory accounts of why he possessed government documents in violation of federal law. He asserted that there was no need for an FBI raid because he had cooperated in Justice Department efforts to recover the documents. That is false. His refusal to cooperate and apparent efforts to hide some documents were what prompted first a federal subpoena, then a search warrant approved by a federal judge.

Trump falsely asserted he had declassified the documents, as if to minimize the security risks. He had not, and even if he did, he still had no legal right to possess them.

Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, minimized the issue as little more than failing to return an overdue library book. Wrong. Trump didnt check anything out. He took government property then tried to hide it.

Then theres the time-honored finger-pointing fallback position: What about Hillary? She did, in fact, divert government emails to her private server  an action the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board labeled stupid because it was. And she paid a heavy price for it: the loss of the presidency in 2016. But unlike Trump, she didnt attempt to hide her mistake. She apologized and made no excuses.

It almost seems beyond the capability of Trump and his supporters to admit wrongdoing and offer a simple apology. Its the refusal to abide by the law and to be held accountable to it that distinguishes Trump as the most dangerous threat to democracy this nation has faced since the Civil War.
TWIN FALLS  Police say a 25-year-old woman is attacked a man with a knife after hearing that he molested a child.

Nikki Jolene Schrader Cole of Twin Falls faces a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful discharge of a firearm after the Aug. 6 incident.

Court records said Schrader Cole first retrieved a gun and accidentally fired it in her apartment, then picked up a knife and confronted the man at his house. She tried to stab him but was restrained, court records said.

She posted a $40,000 bond and a preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 30.

Court records dont show the man as being charged with a crime.
EDINBURGH, Scotland  King Charles III and his siblings have stood in silent vigil around their mother Queen Elizabeth IIs coffin in St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward lowered their heads as they stood at four sides of the oak coffin. They stood for about 10 minutes alongside four members of the Royal Company of Archers, who stood guard armed with arrows and quivers.

As they performed the traditional vigil, a procession of members of the public lined up to view the queens coffin and filed past. Some bowed as they passed the king, while others walked solemnly by with their heads lowered.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS:

 Queen hailed in Scotland as a constant in our lives

 Loss of unifying queen could fray the bonds of fractious UK

 People wanting to pay final respects to queen face long wait, strict rules

 For Queen Elizabeth II, Balmoral estate was place to be normal

 Queen Elizabeth II loved corgis breed from childhood

 Former British colonies are conflicted over Queen Elizabeth II's legacy

 What will happen to all the currencies that feature the queen?

 The queen, as imagined  from punk rock to mystery novels

 Find more AP coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

LONDON  Officials in charge of the park outside Buckingham Palace have told people to stop leaving marmalade sandwiches as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II because of the negative impact on the parks wildlife.

Some mourners have left the snacks alongside floral tributes at Buckingham Palace and neighboring Green Park. The sandwiches are a reference to a comedy sketch featuring the queen and an animated Paddington Bear filmed for the late monarchs Platinum Jubilee earlier this year.

In the video, the queen said that like Paddington Bear she also favors marmalade sandwiches and hides them in her purse for later.

The Royal Parks organization said Monday people should not leave the snacks but could leave teddy bears and other items if they wished.

EDINBURGH, Scotland  St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh has opened to members of the public who wish to pay their last respects to Queen Elizabeth II, whose coffin is lying at rest inside.

The Scottish government is warning that the line, and waiting times, are expected to be long, with perhaps hours of standing. Visitors can leave the line to use toilet facilities.

Authorities have introduced airport-style security, banning people from taking inside the cathedral any large bags, sharp items, or food or liquids.

Similar crowds are expected in London, where the coffin can be visited from Wednesday.

EDINBURGH, Scotland  Four members of the Royal Company of Archers are standing vigil over Queen Elizabeth IIs flag-draped coffin in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

They are a striking presence, wearing hats called Balmoral bonnets adorned with a single eagle feather. Each of them is holding a wooden bow and a quiver of arrows.

The company, which officially functions as the British sovereigns bodyguard in Scotland, is an archery club established in 1676, according to the royal website.

Membership to the ceremonial company is by election -- members must be Scots or have strong Scottish connection, the site says.

Steeped in history, the company is endowed with perpetual access to public locations including plains and pasturages legally allotted for shooting arrows, in return for presenting the sovereign with three barbed arrows on request.

LONDON  A line has already started forming to view Queen Elizabeth IIs coffin when she lies in state in London, even though that wont start till Wednesday evening.

Security staff are preparing for millions of people to pay their respects to the late monarch, whose coffin will be in Londons Westminster Hall until her state funeral on Sept. 19.

Vanessa Nathakumaran, 56, travelled Monday from Harrow near London to Lambeth Bridge in central London, where the entrance of the line is expected to be set up.

I really, really want to be part of it, said Nathakumaran, who is originally from Sri Lanka  a country once called Ceylon and ruled by Britain.

The line is expected to stretch from Parliament along the bank of the River Thames.

Officials have advised commuters in the city to change their working patterns because London is expected to be extremely busy in coming days.

EDINBURGH, Scotland  A memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh has ended, and members of the public will soon be allowed inside to pay their respects.

The coffin, with the Crown of Scotland resting on a cushion on top of it, is to stay in the 12th-century cathedral through Tuesday.

Thousands of people lined the route of the procession through the Scottish capitals Old Town to the cathedral, as the former monarchs children  including new sovereign King Charles III  walked behind the hearse.

The memorial service featured Karen Matheson singing Psalm 118 in Gaelic, with harp accompaniment, and a reading from Ecclesiastes by the head of the Scottish government, Nicola Sturgeon.

The congregation sang The Lords My Shepherd, said to be one of the queens favorite hymns.

Members of the royal family were to hold a vigil by the coffin in the evening.

EDINBURGH, Scotland  Queen Elizabeth IIs coffin has arrived at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh for a memorial service.

A hearse containing the coffin headed a procession Monday through the Scottish capitals Old Town. Thousands of people lined the street known as the Royal Mile, which links Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

St. Giles Cathedral, founded in the 1130s, is holding a service of thanksgiving.

Afterward, members of the public will be allowed inside to file past the coffin. Some have been waiting since around dawn.

EDINBURGH, Scotland  The children of Queen Elizabeth II are accompanying their mothers coffin on a procession through the Scottish capital.

A military bagpiper played mournful music as the coffin, draped in the royal standard, was carried from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and placed in a hearse Monday.

King Charles III, dressed in army uniform, and his siblings Princes Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward are walking behind the hearse as the procession moves slowly toward St. Giles Cathedral.

The hearse is flanked by a bearer party of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a detachment of The Kings Body Guard in Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers.

The coffin will remain at the cathedral until Tuesday so that members of the public can pay their respects.

LONDON  A plane carrying King Charles has landed in Edinburgh, where the new monarch is due to accompany his late mothers coffin in a procession through the heart of the Scottish capital.

The procession Monday will bear the former sovereigns coffin to a cathedral, where it will remain for 24 hours to allow the public to pay their last respects.

Lines of people waiting to file past the coffin at St. Giles Cathedral began forming around dawn.

Charles flew to Scotland after earlier receiving condolences from both Britains houses of parliament.

He told lawmakers he will follow his late mothers example of selfless duty.

LONDON  Britain is to observe a nationwide minute of silence Sunday, on the eve of Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral.

The British government says the moment of reflection will take place at 8 p.m. (1900GMT).

People are encouraged to mark the silence at home or at community events.

The queens funeral will be held next Monday at Westminster Abbey.

Britains monarch of the past 70 years died Thursday in Scotland at the age of 96.

LONDON  King Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, have boarded a flight to Edinburgh where the new monarch will take part in a procession bearing his late mothers coffin to St. Giles Cathedral.

The plane left RAF Northolt on the outskirts of London for the flight to Edinburgh Airport on Monday.

In the Scottish capital, Charles and Camilla were due at Hollyroodhouse palace where Queen Elizabeths coffin stayed overnight. It arrived there after a six-hour journey in a hearse from the queens beloved Balmoral Castle summer retreat, where the 96-year-old sovereign died Thursday.

The royal couple are to attend a service of remembrance for the queen, visit the Scottish Parliament and meet senior officials.

LONDON  A 100-year-old British woman says she received a congratulatory telegram from Queen Elizabeth II the day after the monarchs death.

Gwendolyn Hoare read out the telegram in a recording shared with the BBC by her family and aired Monday.

She said it made her feel quite tearful and added: Im a royalist ... old fashioned.

Hoares niece, Sue Beckett, posted a message to a BBC online page which is compiling tributes to the late queen. She said the telegram arrived Friday, a day before her aunts 100th birthday, and a day after the 96-year-old queen had died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland.

For decades she talked about receiving a telegram from the Queen and was devastated to hear the news ... but her telegram arrived (on Friday) and she was ecstatic, Beckett wrote.

The British monarch traditionally sends a telegram of congratulations to citizens who reach the age of 100.

LONDON  King Charles III has addressed lawmakers in Britains Parliament, telling them: I cannot but help feel the weight of history which surrounds us.

Charles told members of the House of Commons and House of Lords that he would follow his late mother Queen Elizabeth II in upholding the precious principles of constitutional governance that underpin the U.K.s political system.

He paid tribute to his mother, saying: As Shakespeare said of the earlier Queen Elizabeth, she was a pattern to all princes living.

Charles is due to travel from Parliament to Edinburgh and accompany the queens coffin to St. Giles Cathedral for a service of remembrance.

LONDON  In a first official statement since the queens death, her grandson Prince Harry has hailed her as a guiding compass and praised her unwavering grace and dignity.

The personal statement, posted Monday on Harry and his wife Meghans Archwell website, said he cherished their times together from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved greatgrandchildren.

Harry quit as a senior royal and moved to the U.S. two years ago. On Saturday, he and Meghan joined his brother Prince William and his wife Catherine in meeting mourners outside Windsor Castle.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand has announced it will mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II with a public holiday on Sept. 26.

The nation will also hold a state memorial service in the capital, Wellington, on the same day. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Elizabeth was an extraordinary person and many people would appreciate the opportunity to mark her death and celebrate her life.

As New Zealands queen and much-loved sovereign for over 70 years, it is appropriate that we mark her life of dedicated public service with a state memorial service and a one-off public holiday, Ardern said.

She also said she would be leaving this week for Britain to attend Elizabeths funeral.

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden has formally accepted an invitation to attend the state funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II.

The White House said Sunday that the president will be accompanied by first lady Jill Biden. The service will be held Sept. 19.

Earlier in the day, Biden remembered the words of comfort that the late monarch had provided to the United States following the Sept. 11 attacks.

Grief is the price we pay for love, said Biden, quoting part of the queens message to America during remarks on the 21st anniversary of the attacks.

Speaking at a commemoration at the Pentagon, Biden said the queens words remain as poignant as they did 21 years ago but the weight of loss also remains heavy.

On this day, the price feels so great, Biden said.

DONCASTER, England  British horse racing has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as the late monarchs favorite sport returned after a pause following her death.

Two minutes of silence were held at Doncaster on Sunday. A video was then played on the big screens of the queen at various races through the years, along with some of her greatest triumphs as a racehorse owner.

Horse racing was the big sporting fascination of the queen, who became one of the biggest faces of the sport both in Britain and globally and had more than 1,800 winners.

No one person ever has, or ever will, do so much for so long for horse racing, than did her majesty the queen, narrator Brough Scott, a former jockey turned TV presenter, said during the video. The sport worldwide will forever be in her debt.

It was followed by a long ovation from the jockeys and officials who lined up for the tribute ceremony.
Airports Council International will host its annual global trade show Airports Innovate after a two-year hiatus in a new format in Muscat, Oman on December 7 & 8.



The event reflects on the rapid advancements of the industry in terms of technology, business and strategy.



Packed with enormous potential to emerge as one of the premier global aviation conferences, Airports Innovate will be jointly organised by ACI Asia-Pacific, ACI EUROPE and ACI World. The event will be hosted by Oman Airports which manages and operates civil airports in the Sultanate of Oman.



This event will be an opportunity for the global aviation community to meet, learn, inspire and collaborate. Themed as Building Back Bolder, Airports Innovate will have three key pillars.



 World Business Partners (WBP) Arena: Digital Transformation, Passenger Facilitation and Security

 Theme Park: Economics, Security, Workforce, Airports of the Future and Greenfield Airports.

 Small & Emerging Airports: Innovation in customer experience, cyber security, finance and case studies.





Commenting on the event, Stefano Baronci, Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific said: As boarders and economies are reopening, we are thrilled to launch a brand-new event Airports Innovate. While the future offers many challenges, the event offers opportunities to reinvent and reimagine how we operate. Airports Innovate will help us to address those challenges and seize opportunities. We aim to bring together the brightest minds in the industry from around the world for this significant gathering of aviation industry.



We are also thrilled to welcome Oman Airports Management Company as a host for Airports Innovate. Hosting this important forum underlines Omans growing status in the aviation sector, Baronci added.



Sheikh Aimen Sultan Al-Hosni, CEO, Oman Airports said: Oman Airports is delighted to host for the first time the ACI Innovate in Muscat. We are eager to welcome experts of the aviation community, to reconnect and exchange expertise and to share new trends and opportunities while experiencing our world-class Omani hospitality. The aviation industry has once again proven its resilience, the ACI Innovate will be showcasing the critical role played by air travel to enable social and economic development. We look forward to an unforgettable event.



Airports Innovate will provide a platform for the industry to come together and network with other airports and key partners and stakeholders from Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and the rest of the world. The event offers an opportunity for industry associates to showcase their products and services as well as engage with airport members.



Industry leaders are expected to register before September 23 and avail 15% discount.  TradeArabia News Service
TODAYS WORD is keen. Example: Tyrone had a keen hunger and could barely sit through the service, anticipating the dinner afterward.

TUESDAYS WORD was peckish. It means hungry. Example: While the Kitchen Committee was setting up for the covered dish supper, Janie, who was feeling peckish, sneaked several pieces of food here and there, from platters where the absences wouldnt be noticed.

Reunion

A reunion for the descendants of John James Ferguson and Easter Adeline Adams will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Fieldale ball park.

Comics

About 20 people called and emailed the Bulletin to express their opinions about the change in the comics lineup. The comics that people are missing most of all are Family Circus and Dennis the Menace (hmmm ... no one voted for the one the Stroller misses most, Dilbert). Wonderword, too, apparently has a great many fans, and they are missing that word search which had been such as regular part of their mornings.

These changes were outside the control of your regular local Bulletin staff. We do appreciate hearing from readers and enjoy the conversations. You can reach us at 638-8801 extension 2430 (editor Holly Kozelsky), 2020 (circulation) and 2490 (ads).

Whats new now on the comics and puzzle page are Garfield, Baby Blues, Pearls Before Swine, The Argyle Sweater, Pickles daily, For Better or For Worse daily, Crabgrass and LuAnn. We still have Peanuts.

Theres a crossword and Sudoku, and Jumble is a word game in place of Wonderword. Perhaps Jumble will garner up some fans? With Jumble, you rearrange the letters in four lines of letters to make words. Each of those words has a letter or two circled. Now you have to rearrange those circled letters to come up with the answer to a riddle or a question that originates in a cartoon.

Breakfasts

This weekend is the time for a nice free community breakfast, especially if you live in the northern area of the region. From 8:30-10 a.m., both First Presbyterian Church of Martinsville (1901 Patrick Henry Ave.) and Ridgeway United Methodist Church will serve breakfasts.

The Methodist church will offer take-out and, if the weather is good, outdoor seating. The folks at the Presbyterian are excited because this is their first indoor breakfast since the pandemic.

TUESDAYS TRIVIA ANSWER: Captain Kangaroo was Bob Keeshan (1927-2004), who starred in the childrens television show by that name. The show was based on the warm relationship between grandparents and grandchlidren, Keeshan has been quoted as saying. The show was built around life in the Treasure House, where the Captain told stories, engaged in silly stunts and met guests. Hed pull interesting things out of his pockets, which were large like the pouches of kangaroos.

TODAYS TRIVIA QUESTION: What character was Bob Keeshan famous for before he got his own show?
Darlene Knapp testified that her husband punched her at least twice in the face when she brought some fresh water to him. Inside his bedroom, Tom knocked her down, then pulled her up onto the bed by her hair.
Residents of McDowell County are joining people all over the world in remembering the long life and vast legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.

On Thursday, the queen died at age 96 and after more than 70 years as the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Upon her death, her eldest son ascended to the British throne and became King Charles III.

Her state funeral is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 19, at Westminster Abbey in London and it will be attended by numerous world leaders (including President Joe Biden), U.K. officials and members of the British nobility.

Here in North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities to half-staff beginning last week until sunset on the day of interment in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. Flags were also lowered to half-staff in remembrance of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, according to a news release.

Queen Elizabeth led with unparalleled dignity over seven decades of a rapidly changing world, said the governor. North Carolina is proud of our close relationship with the people of Great Britain and we mourn the loss of an extraordinary leader.

The McDowell News reached out to two local residents who are natives of Great Britain and were born as subjects to the Crown.

Jon Ridings, who lives in Marion, posted on Facebook on Thursday an announcement about the late queen.

Sad to announce that the Queen has died, he said on Facebook.

Ridings was born in Windsor, England, but came to the United States in the mid-1980s.

I wasnt a royalist growing up, and really didnt pay that much attention to the royal saga as it played out in the press, he told The McDowell News. I wasnt anti-royal, just didnt think it related in any way to how I grew up. I would say the vast majority of people in the U.K. admired the queen and supported her as a person, but were put off by the antics of her children.

Ridings added the old school royals were discreet about their life while their children grew up in an era of expose journalism and had no such reservations about hiding their indiscretions. This threatened to bring the whole institution down when I was young, and if it hadnt been for the class and sense of duty that the queen exhibited, the monarchy could have collapsed in the 70s and 80s, he said.

He later found out that many Americans knew more about the British royal family than he did.

When I came to America in the mid-80s, I was surprised by how much more people in general knew about the members of the royal family, if not necessarily the actual royal protocol and history, he said. I really didnt know who a lot of the royals were and had to read up on them, for when U.S. citizens asked me about them. Like most folks, our knowledge of the royal family is defined by how journalists portray them.

Ridings said this is truly an important change for his native country.

It is a very sad end of an era with the passing of Elizabeth II, he said. King Charles III has often stated he wants to slim down the monarchy, a sentiment probably supported by the majority of U.K. citizens.

Ridings added he never had a chance to meet the queen. He was also adopted at birth.

So who knows, I may have blue blood in my veins, he added.

Vanessa Marsden is a former educator with McDowell County Schools and lives in Marion. But she is originally from Manchester, England. Like Ridings, she was born a subject of Queen Elizabeth II.

Last week, she posted on Facebook about the queens death by quoting the national anthem of the U.K. Send her victorious, happy and glorious, wrote Marsden on Facebook.

I have lived in the U.S. for 42 years but still feel a tremendous sense of surreal sadness since the queens passing, Marsden told The McDowell News. She was diminutive in stature but she was a mighty giant in terms of graciousness and dignity. At 25, she bravely accepted without complaint her role as queen and devoted her life to public servitude in the U.K. and far beyond.

Marsden said people in Britain who were opposed to the monarchy were not opposed to the queen as a person.

I dont have strong feelings about the monarchy one way or the other, but I believe even anti-monarchists are against the institution rather than the queen herself, she said.

The eyes of the world are also on Charles III and what kind of king he will be.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the monarchy during the reign of King Charles III, Marsden said. Hes not the immensely popular, revered, global icon his mother came to be.

Like Ridings, Marsden said she never got a chance to see the queen in person but she remembers celebrating the Silver Jubilee in the U.K. In 1977, the Silver Jubilee celebrated Queen Elizabeths 25 years on the throne and it was a holiday all over Britain and the Commonwealth.

Everyone was involved, said Marsden. We had the day off school and there were cakes, sandwiches, trifles and so many cups of tea set out on tables in the middle if the street. I still have my Silver Jubilee coins.

England will always be home to me, she added.

Marsden said her grandfather, James Helliwell Marsden, got to meet Queen Elizabeth in the 1950s. It happened in an unexpectedly open space at the Rugby League Challenge finals at Wembley Stadium in London.

She was alone and so was he, said Marsden. She made a deprecatory regal gesture; my grandfather took off his hat. This encounter, enough for most mortals, happened again at the same place and time the following year.

Even though her grandfather was a staunch anti-monarchist, he still showed Queen Elizabeth II the proper respect.

I believe no matter ones political stance, the queen commanded reverence and respect, said Marsden.

In addition, Marsdens friend Julie Fidler happened to see the queen ride by in a motorcade in Edinburgh, Scotland.

I think the larger point is that Queen Elizabeth and the royals have impacted our lives in some way, whether its a chance meeting, via ancestry.com or watching The Crown, she said.

The McDowell News asked Marsden what kind of king she thinks Charles will become.

King Charles has been impressive as he assumes responsibilities and steps into his role as monarch, she said. He has pledged to continue his mothers commitment to charity and servitude. I believe he will represent the British people well. It should be noted that the medias obsession with the royals, and in particular stirring up unnecessary rubbish, is deplorable.
Police in Memphis, Tennessee, have arrested a man they say drove around the city for hours shooting at people. Four victims are dead and three others wounded after seven shootings and at least two carjackings.

Police say 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly was arrested without incident at around 9 p.m. Wednesday after crashing a stolen car. Police Director Cerelyn CJ Davis said Kelly livestreamed his actions on Facebook Wednesday.

The last suspect in a horrific stabbing rampage that killed 10 and wounded 18 in western Canada is dead following his capture. One official says 32-year-oldid Myles Sanderson died from self-inflicted injuries after police forced the stolen car he was driving off a highway in Saskatchewan. Sandersons 30-year-old brother, Damien, was the other suspect and he was found dead Monday.

A new report says Ukrainian forces have retaken portions of Russian-held territory in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Sherri Shepherd, who spent seven years on The View and filled in for Wendy Williams on occasion, launches her new Fox talk show on Monday. The daytime program will focus on pop culture, celebrities and the stories of real people.

A skeleton from 31,000 years ago may be the earliest evidence found of an amputation surgery in humans. According to a study published Wednesday in Nature, the remains show a child from Indonesia who had part of their left leg cut off on purpose.

A judge has struck down Michigans 1931 anti-abortion law, months after suspending it last spring. Judge Elizabeth Gleicher of the Court of Claims said the law violates the Michigan Constitution. It was long dormant before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have unveiled their official White House portraits. President Joe Biden on Wednesday hosted a ceremony at the White House where Americas first Black president and first lady revealed portraits with a modern vibe.

Operators of Californias electricity grid say a miscommunication led to a small number of power shutoffs as the power system was under great strain.

New York state is dropping its mask requirement on public transportation thanks in part to the availability of new booster shots targeting the most common strain of COVID-19.

Civil rights groups have filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three transgender Oklahoma schoolchildren against the state's new anti-transgender school bathroom bill.

Seattle Public Schools canceled Wednesdays first day of school after teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike over issues that include pay, mental health support, and staffing ratios for special education and multilingual students.

Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II has postponed a meeting of senior governmental advisers known as the Privy Council after doctors advised her to rest.

President Joe Biden will highlight his plans for drastically reducing cancer deaths and boosting treatments for the disease in what he has calls this generations moonshot." Bidens speech at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston on Monday will come on the 60th anniversary of his predecessors speech outlining his vision for putting the first man on the moon.

The retired Army general and former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn has been focusing on the future. In the past Flynn was part of the effort to overthrow the 2020 election. More recently, an investigation by The Associated Press and the PBS series Frontline finds that Flynn has been building a political movement mixing conspiracy theory with Christian nationalist ideas.

Louisiana-native Lainey Wilson is having a breakout year as she tops the Country Music Association nominations in her first year as a nominee, earning nods in six categories. The CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will air Nov. 9 on ABC.

The survivors who were able to walk out of Sandy Hook Elementary school nearly a decade ago want to share a message of hope with the children of Uvalde, Texas: You will learn how to live with your trauma, pain and grief. And it will get better.
China will donate the equivalent of 13.9 million euros and cancel 7 million euros of Mozambiques debt under agreements signed Tuesday in Maputo between the two countries.

The donation is part of an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement signed by Mozambiques Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Veronica Macamo, and the Chinese ambassador in Maputo, Wang Hejun.

Macamo and Wang also signed an Agreement on Partial Forgiveness of Mozambiques Debt and a certificate of delivery of humanitarian food assistance by Beijing.

This gesture is another unequivocal symbol of our deep friendship, solidarity and cooperation forged since the times of the national liberation struggle, in which the Peoples Republic of China granted its precious multiform support to the Mozambican people, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

Referring specifically to the Partial Debt Forgiveness Agreement, Veronica Macamo noted that the understanding will contribute to the relief of public accounts and to making resources available for the countrys social and economic development projects. The Peoples Republic of China is a friendly country that has been by Mozambiques side, giving its contribution to efforts towards the sustainable development of our country, she said.

For his part, the Chinese ambassador noted that the two countries have intensified cooperation in various fields, consolidating historical ties. China will continue to expand the forms and fields of cooperation with Mozambique and promote, according to Mozambiques needs, more pragmatic and mutually beneficial projects, he stressed.

In March 2021 Mozambiques Minister of Economy and Finance, Adriano Maleiane, had told the parliament that the country owed 1,700 million euros to China, equivalent to 16 percent of the total value of public debt (estimated at 10,420 million euros).

Almost all the amount of 1,660 billion euros was owed to the Chinese Exim Bank for construction of roads and bridges, including the Maputo ring road, the suspension bridge over the Maputo bay and roads to the south, Maleiane had said.
Angolan head of State Joao Lourenco decreed Thursday, sept. 15, a day-off across the country, the day of the inauguration of the President and Vice-President of the Republic elected in 2022 general elections.

The decree, which does not cover those who work in shifts system, will ensure a decent celebration of the swearing in ceremony on Thursday.

The document states that the Angolan people exercised their constitutionally enshrined right to vote in the general elections on 24th of August with civility and patriotism.

Pursuant to article 114 of the Constitution of the Republic of Angola, the elected President must take office within 15 days after the official publication of the final electoral results.

MPLA and its candidate for President of the Republic, Joao Lourenco, won Angolas elections, with 51.17 percent of the valid votes, obtaining 124 seats in National Assembly, the fifth in the countrys history, after those held in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017

According to the final results released by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) and upheld by the Constitutional Court, the ruling party garnered a total of 3. 2 million valid votes, beating the other contending political parties, such as UNITA, PRS, FNLA, APN, PHA, P-NJANGO and the CASA-CE coalition.
In order to lower the number of new HIV infections in the nation, the health authorities in Mozambique have launched a significant effort to implement HIV/AIDS self-testing.

Self-testing allows persons who are concerned about diagnostic confidentiality or who are otherwise difficult to reach by conventional counseling and testing to learn their HIV status at their convenience and in the presence of someone they can trust. Authorities warn consumers to always verify the results with traditional tests, nevertheless.

Health Minister Armindo Tiago stated, We are aware that in order to eliminate HIV as a public health threat by 2030, we must focus on those who are most vulnerable, accelerate the introduction of new and existing methods of diagnosis and prevention, and ensure early access to the most effective treatment.

The minister was addressing in Maputo the opening ceremony of the IV Meeting of the Consultative Council of the National AIDS Council. Thev two-day event was held on the topic Ending disparities driving HIV epidemic and prioritizing prevention.

According to Tiago, the introduction and expansion of more potent preventive measures, like pre-exposure prophylaxis, also boost efforts to strengthen combined prevention and consequently hastens the decline in new infections, particularly among those who are more susceptible to infection, like teenagers, the key population, etc.

Early treatment with the best medications is being ensured because it is essential to stop HIV transmission and save lives. In adopting new regimens that incorporate dolutegravir (DTG) as part of the preferred treatment suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO), we have been at the vanguard, he asserted.

He claimed that more than 80% of Mozambicans were receiving therapy with this antiretroviral drug, which is more efficient, simpler to administer, and has less side effects than others.

The Minister stated that the government is cognizant of the current funding and human resource challenges for effective coordination and monitoring of the national response to HIV/AIDS and acknowledges everyones efforts in enhancing the coordination of the response.
Kenya has decided to withdraw the recognition of the so-called SADR and to initiate the necessary steps to close its representation in Nairobi.

The announcement was made after the newly-sworn President of Kenya, William Ruto received this Wednesday a message of from King Mohammed VI, extending him congratulations on his inauguration.

A joint statement, excerpts of which were made public on the website of the State House of the Republic of Kenya said that the Republic of Kenya rescinds its recognition of the so-called sadr and initiates steps to wind down the entitys presence in the country.

Out of respect for the principle of territorial integrity and non-interference, the Republic of Kenya extends total support to the serious and credible autonomy plan proposed by the Kingdom of Morocco, as the unique solution based on Moroccos territorial integrity to solve the Sahara issue, the joint statement said.

The Republic of Kenya supports the United Nations framework as the exclusive mechanism to find a lasting and durable political solution of the dispute over the Sahara issue, the statement added.

In his message, King Mohammed VI congratulated William Samoei Ruto for his election as the fifth President of of Kenya and commended the successful conclusion of Kenyas democratic election in August 2022, which cements the countrys position as a democratic beacon on the continent.

The Sovereign further lauded the promise made by Kenyas President to bolster and deepen the current bilateral relationship between his country and various states in Africa and elsewhere.

For his part, Mr. William Ruto expressed his commitment to work with the King to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries, and lauded the Kings leadership in promoting tolerance and reconciling policies in the Maghreb Region and also his contribution to global peace and security.

The two countries have committed to upscale their bilateral diplomatic relationship to a strategic partnership within six months, said the statement, adding that Kenya is committed to open its Embassy in Rabat.

It was also agreed to immediately accelerate economic, trade and social relations in the areas of fisheries, agriculture & food security (fertilizer importation), health, tourism, renewable energy, security collaboration, and cultural, religious and people to people exchange among other sectors.

The Royal message was delivered by a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita.

Kenya is currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council expected to vote end of October on a resolution on the Sahara. This English-speaking African country was one of the most important supporters of the Polisario.

So, Nairobis decision to withdraw its recognition of a phantom entity is serious diplomatic setback and a slap in the face of the separatists and the ruling Algerian junta which arms, shelters and funds the secessionist militias, while Morocco continues to gain a growing international support for its territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire Sahara territory.
The study found the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (yellow) showed greater activation when pressing a pedal diagonally with a foot, compared to pressing the pedal straight. Credit: Dr. Nobuyuki Kawai, Reiko Matsushita

Scanning the brains of elderly people and college students while performing braking and acceleration simulations, researchers in Japan have found that older participants have longer reaction times, slower decision times, and greater brain activation in the parts of the brain involved with inhibition and switching tasks. These findings suggest insights into the causes of accidents involving elderly drivers who mistake the brake for the accelerator.

As reported in the media, accidents have increased in which older drivers mistakenly step on the accelerator instead of the brake. Concerned that cognitive decline may be a leading cause of such incidents, the National Police Agency of Japan, a country with one of the oldest populations in the world, requires adults over 75 years of age to take periodic cognitive tests. However, few studies have investigated executive functions and brain activity among older adults in terms of foot responses during braking and accelerating.

To address this gap, a group led by Professor Nobuyuki Kawai of the Graduate School of Informatics at Nagoya University in Japan scanned the brains of elderly people and students while performing pedal-pressing simulations. The researchers were particularly interested in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with inhibition and switching responses.

To simulate the response of a person's feet and hands when driving a car, they created a new task in the laboratory called the bimanual and bipedal response selection and response-position compatibility task. During this task, a signal directed participants to press the left or right button with their left or right foot, or their left or right hand.

Sometimes participants pressed the pedal in front of them, whereas at other times they had to press it diagonally. This was done to allow the researchers to assess how the participants responded in situations where the cognitive load was higher. Administering this task to both university students and elderly participants, the researchers then monitored blood flow in their brains. The results were published in Behavioural Brain Research.

They found that older participants had longer reaction times, slower decision times, and greater brain activation than younger people. Furthermore, pressing the diagonal pedal required longer reaction times and greater brain activation than pressing directly ahead in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, this was only found when people were asked to use their feet but not their hands. In short, older people had to do more active thinking than younger people when deciding which 'pedal' to press with their feet.

"This indicates that the cognitive load is higher when pushing the pedal diagonally with the foot, such as when pressing the brake," explains Professor Kawai.

"When you push a diagonal pedal with your foot, you are using the frontal lobe more than when you push the pedal straight in front. In particular, the left dorsolateral frontal lobe, which is important for response switching, is more active when the foot is pressed at an angle than when the pedal is pressed straight. In these tasks, older adults have higher neural activity throughout the frontal lobe than college students."

This study's findings suggest that to compensate for the decline in cognitive functions, greater brain activation may be necessary in elderly people. Older people may struggle in situations with a high cognitive load, such as parking a vehicle in a narrow space. "This study suggests that the performance of older adults is vulnerable in these situations," Professor Kawai explains.

"Elderly drivers should not be overconfident that their driving is fine. Even elderly people who are normally able to drive without any problems, when a cognitive load is applied, such as when switching from one parking space to another or when talking to a passenger, things may be different and there is a chance of pressing the wrong pedal. We believe that it is important to educate elderly drivers about this fact."

Explore further Work interruptions have a greater impact on older people

More information: Nobuyuki Kawai et al, Do older adults mistake the accelerator for the brake pedal?: Older adults employ greater prefrontal cortical activity during a bipedal/bimanual response-position selection task, Behavioural Brain Research (2022). Journal information: Behavioural Brain Research Nobuyuki Kawai et al, Do older adults mistake the accelerator for the brake pedal?: Older adults employ greater prefrontal cortical activity during a bipedal/bimanual response-position selection task,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113976
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Doctors experiencing burnout are twice as likely to be involved in patient safety incidents and four times more likely to be dissatisfied with their job, suggests research published today by The BMJ.

The scale of burnout among clinicians and the serious impact it can have on patient safety and staff turnover has been revealed in the largest and most comprehensive systematic review and analysis of studies on the subject to date.

Previous studies have highlighted concerns that burnoutdefined as emotional exhaustion, cynicism and detachment from the job, and a feeling of reduced personal accomplishmentis reaching global epidemic levels among physicians. Their representatives have warned that spare capacity in the field of medicine is nearing what they call the crisis point.

In the UK, a third of trainee doctors report that they experience burnout to a high or very high degree, while in the US, 4 in 10 physicians report at least one symptom of burnout. And in a recent review of low and middle income countries the overall single-point prevalence of burnout ranged from 2.5% to 87.9% among 43 studies.

Yet there is a lack of evidence about the association of burnout with how engaged a physician is with their job (career engagement) and how that potentially impacts on the quality of patient care.

To address this, a team of researchers based in the UK and Greece set out to examine the association of burnout with the career engagement of physicians and the quality of patient care globally.

To do this, they selected and analyzed the results of 170 observational studies on the subject involving 239,246 physicians.

Their analysis showed that physicians with burnout were up to four times more likely to be dissatisfied with their job and more than three times as likely to have thoughts or intentions to leave their job (turnover) or to regret their career choice.

Equally worrying was the finding that physicians with burnout were twice as likely to be involved in patient safety incidents and show low professionalism, and over twice as likely to receive low satisfaction ratings from patients.

The analysis also found that burnout and poorer job satisfaction was greatest in hospital settings, physicians aged 3150 years, and those working in emergency medicine and intensive care, while burnout was lowest in general practitioners.

The association between burnout and patient safety incidents was greatest in physicians aged 2030 years, and people working in emergency medicine.

The study authors acknowledge some limitations in their research including the fact that precise definitions of terms, such as patient safety, professionalism, and job satisfaction, varied between the studies analyzed so may have led to some overestimation of their association with burnout.

Also, the tools or questionnaires used to assess outcomes varied considerably among the 170 studies, and the design of the original studies imposed limits on their ability to establish causal links between physician burnout and patient care or career engagement.

Nevertheless, the authors conclude, "Burnout is a strong predictor for career disengagement in physicians as well as for patient care. Moving forward, investment strategies to monitor and improve physician burnout are needed as a means of retaining the health care workforce and improving the quality of patient care."

"Health care organizations should invest more time and effort in implementing evidence-based strategies to mitigate physician burnout across specialties, and particularly in emergency medicine and for physicians in training or residency," they add.

This research adds to growing evidence that the poor mental health of health care providers jeopardizes the quality and the safety of patient care, says Matthias Weigl, Professor of Patient Safety at Bonn University, in a linked editorial.

"The pervasive nature of physician burnout indicates a defective work system caused by deep societal problems and structural problems across the sector," he warns.

"Urgent action is imperative for the safety of physicians, patients, and health systems, including interventions that are evidence based and system oriented, to design working environments that promote staff engagement and prevent burnout," he concludes.

Explore further Excess health care spending up for PCP turnover in the U.S.

More information: Research: Associations of physician burnout with career engagement and quality of patient care: systematic review and meta-analysis Editorial: Physician burnout undermines safe healthcare, The BMJ (2022). Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Research: Associations of physician burnout with career engagement and quality of patient care: systematic review and meta-analysis Editorial: Physician burnout undermines safe healthcare,(2022). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-070442
Fairmont The Palm has announced the appointment of Dominic Arel as General Manager, making the award-winning, Arabian-style luxury hotel the newest venture in his 26-year long career with the Accor Group.



A seasoned luxury hospitality professional with an in-depth background in operations, sales, and revenue management. Dominic is passionate about providing his guests and colleagues with unique and memorable experiences. In his role he will bring his unique expertise, strategic market insight and strong leadership skills to the Fairmont The Palm executive team, guiding them through a busy Q4 of 2022.



Having first joined Accor Group in 1996 at Novotel Montreal Centre, Dominic transferred to Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile in 2002, and after a number of promotions he grew to Hotel Manager, reporting directly to Vice President Operations of Accor in North America. In 2011, he moved to the United Arab Emirates as Hotel Manager of Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach, where he led the team to win the Best 2012 - 5 Stars Business Hotel in Dubai accolade from the MENA Awards and hosted the Sofitel Stars, Food and Art event in 2012 with 12 Michelin starred restaurants showcased.



Dominic assumed his first General Manager role at Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade in 2013 where he achieved the ISO1400 certification from Bureau Veritas and scored the best employee satisfaction result among other Sofitel hotels worldwide, before moving to Qatar in 2016 to pre-open Alwadi Hotel Doha  MGallery by Sofitel.



His love for Dubai remained strong, and Dominic returned to the United Arab Emirates in 2019 as the General Manager of Swissotel Al Ghurair and Swissotel Living Al Ghurair, before joining the Palm Jumeirahs famed Fairmont The Palm in September 2022.



Dominic holds a Diploma in Hotel Management, a Higher Advanced Certificate of Bachelors programme in Human Resource Management from Canada, and is a Masters graduate in the International Hospitality Management Program from the Accor Academy in Paris, France.



In his free time, Dominic is a gastronomic person and loves to spend time in the kitchen preparing fine foods, he also enjoys spending time and travelling with his family, as well as discovering new hospitality trends.  TradeArabia News Service
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The performance of some home testing kits for COVID-19 appears to have declined as the omicron variant emerged, suggests a study published by The BMJ today.

The findings, based on three widely used rapid antigen tests, show that performance improved when tests used both nose and throat samples compared with nasal samples only.

But only one test met the World Health Organization's standards of at least 80% sensitivity (ability to correctly identify a true positive sample) and at least 97% specificity (ability to correctly identify a true negative sample) among individuals with symptoms.

Rapid antigen tests were first introduced for use by trained professionals, but are now widely available for people to test themselves and get a result quickly, at their own convenience.

This "self-testing" approach could support early detection and self-isolation of infectious people and reduce community transmission. But there is a lack of real world evidence on the performance of nose and throat self-sampling during the omicron variant period.

To fill this knowledge gap, researchers compared the performances of three commercially available rapid antigen tests: Flowflex (Acon Laboratories), MPBio (MP Biomedicals) and Clinitest (Siemens-Healthineers), during the omicron period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their analysis is based on 6,497 people with COVID-19 symptoms aged 16 years or over who presented for testing at three public health service COVID-19 test sites in the Netherlands between 21 December 2021 and 10 February 2022.

All participants had a reference (PCR) test taken by a trained member of staff and were asked to complete a rapid antigen test at home as soon as possible, and within three hours of their test site visit, followed by an online questionnaire.

Nasal self-sampling was used during the emergence of omicron, and when omicron accounted for more than 90% of infections (phase 1) and combined throat and nasal self-sampling was used when omicron accounted for more than 99% of infections (phase 2).

The researchers found that the sensitivities of the three tests performed with nasal self-sampling decreased during the emergence of omicron, from 87% to 81% for Flowflex, 83% to 76% for MPBio, and 80% to 67% for Clinitest. However, the observed decline was only statistically significant for Clinitest.

When a throat test was added to a nasal test, this improved the sensitivity of MPBio from 70% to 83% and Clinitest from 70% to 77% (but was not done for Flowflex), most notably in individuals who visited the test site for reasons other than to confirm a positive self-test result.

Only the MPBio test with combined throat and nasal self-sampling met the World Health Organization's standards for rapid antigen tests among individuals with symptoms.

These are observational findings, and the researchers point to some limitations. For example, nasal and combined throat and nasal self-sampling were conducted in different time periods, and the proportion of omicron infections may have been higher during the combined throat and nasal self-sampling period.

Also, there were slight differences in sampling methods for the reference (PCR) test, which might have influenced the results of the study.

However, the authors point out that the omicron variant was present in at least 90% of samples in both periods and therefore do not expect that the sampling method of the reference test substantially impacted their results or their generalizability.

As such, they say, "We found that the performance of rapid antigen tests with nasal self-sampling declined during the period omicron emerged.

"We also showed that the performance of rapid antigen tests can be improved by adding oropharyngeal to nasal self-sampling. Therefore, after proper evaluation, manufacturers of rapid antigen tests should consider extending their instructions for use to include combined oropharyngeal and nasal self-sampling."

Based on these findings, they say people with COVID-19 symptoms can rely on a positive rapid antigen test result irrespective of SARS-CoV-2 variant dominance or method of self-sampling, while individuals with a negative self-test result should adhere to general preventive measures because a false negative result cannot be ruled out.

"What should we take from this study?" asks Timothy Feeney, research editor at The BMJ, and Charles Poole at the University of North Carolina, in an accompanying editorial.

"Firstly, that members of the general public are capable of doing their own nasal (and potentially oropharyngeal) sampling for COVID-19 testing, but the real world performance of antigen tests remains highly variable. Secondly, adding oropharyngeal testing may provide some benefit, although it is unclear how many test kits are capable of expanded use, and serial testing could be a more workable change to testing protocols."

Finally, and most importantly, are the policy implications. "In the UK and the US, policies governing use of tests to enable a return to normal activities are confusing, poorly explained, and frequently change."

He told The BMJ, "Given the less than ideal performance of antigen tests, updates to guidance in the public and private sector should take this into account when suggesting action based on test results."

More information: Research: Diagnostic accuracy of covid-19 rapid antigen tests with unsupervised self-sampling in people with symptoms in the omicron period: cross sectional study Editorial: Self testing for covid-19, The BMJ (2022). Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Research: Diagnostic accuracy of covid-19 rapid antigen tests with unsupervised self-sampling in people with symptoms in the omicron period: cross sectional study Editorial: Self testing for covid-19,(2022). DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-071215
Pictured is a detection of Neisseria (N. subflava) in lung tissue from patients with bronchiectasis. Shown in red is the N. subflava detection and shown in blue is the airway cell nuclei. Credit: Cell Host & Microbe

A team of international scientists led by the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has discovered that Neisseriaa genus of bacteria that lives in the human bodyis not as harmless as previously thought, and can cause infections in patients with bronchiectasis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In a study published today in Cell Host & Microbe, the team showed conclusive evidence that Neisseria species can cause disease in the lung and are linked to worsening bronchiectasis (a type of lung disease) in patients.

Bronchiectasis is a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally enlarged for unknown reasons in up to 50% of Singaporean patients. The disease is up to four times more prevalent among Asians as compared to their Western counterparts and can also occur following recovery from tuberculosis. In Singapore, research at Tan Tock Seng Hospital described 420 incident-hospitalized bronchiectasis patients in 2017. The incidence rate is 10.6 per 100,000 and increases strongly with age.

Despite its prevalence among older people, no obvious cause is found in most cases of bronchiectasis and the condition tends to arise spontaneously and without warning.

To unravel the puzzle of why bronchiectasis worsens at a significantly greater rate among older Asian patients, the international teamspanning researchers and hospitals in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia, and the UKled by LKCMedicine Associate Professor Sanjay Chotirmall, Provost's Chair in Molecular Medicine, matched disease and infection data from 225 patients with bronchiectasis of Asian (Singapore and Malaysia) origin to those from bronchiectasis patients in Europe.

Neisseria: Not so harmless after all

While Neisseria species are well known to cause meningitis and gonorrhea, they are not known to infect lungs. Through detailed identification and meticulous characterization, the research team found that Neisseria dominated the microbiome of Asian patients with worsening bronchiectasis.

Specifically, bronchiectasis patients with predominant amounts of a subgroup of Neisseria called Neisseria subflava (N. subflava), experienced more severe disease and repeated infections (exacerbations) when compared to patients with bronchiectasis without such high amounts of Neisseria.

Upon further investigation using experimental cell and animal models, the research team confirmed that N. subflava causes cell disruption, resulting in inflammation and immune dysfunction in bronchiectasis patients with this bacterium.

Prior to this discovery, Neisseria was not considered to be a cause of lung infection or severe disease in bronchiectasis patients.

Lead investigator Prof. Chotirmall from LKCMedicine said, "Our findings have established, for the first time, that poorer clinical outcomes such as greater disease severity, poorer lung function and high repeated infection rates among bronchiectasis patients are closely associated to the bacteria Neisseria and that this finding is especially important for Asian patients."

"This discovery is significant because it can change how we treat our bronchiectasis patients with this bacterium. Doctors will now need to think about Neisseria as a potential 'culprit' in patients who are worsening despite treatment, and to conduct tests to identify those who may be harboring this type of bacteria in their lungs. We hope that early identification will lead to personalized therapy, and consequently, better disease outcomes for Asian patients with this devastating disease," said Prof. Chotirmall, who is also Assistant Dean (Faculty Affairs) at LKCMedicine.

This study reflects NTU's efforts under NTU2025, the university's five-year strategic plan that addresses humanity's grand challenges such as human health. Conducted by international researchers from across various disciplines, the study also highlights NTU's strength and focus on interdisciplinary research.

Broader relevance of Neisseria

Aside from linking Neisseria and severe bronchiectasis, the NTU-led research team also detected the presence of the same bacteria in other more common chronic respiratory conditions such as severe asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)a condition that causes airflow blockage and breathing-related problems.

Using next-generation sequencing technologies, the team also sought to investigate where this bacterium may come from and sampled the homes of bronchiectasis patients with high amounts of Neisseria in their lungs. The researchers found the presence of the bacteria in the home environment, suggesting that the indoor living space and potentially the tropical climate may favor the presence of this bacteria in the Asian setting.

What is Neisseria?

The Neisseria bacteria species have been commonly identified as the cause of sexually transmitted infection like gonorrhea but also critically meningitisan inflammation of the fluid and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Its sub-species N. subflava, however, is known to be found in the oral mucosa, throat, and upper airway of humans previously without any known link to lung infections.

This family of bacteria has always been thought of as harmless to humans, and infections caused by them have not been described until now.

Co-author Professor Wang De Yun from the Department of Otolaryngology at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, said, "It is encouraging to see that we have made headway in identifying the Neisseria bacteria species as the cause of worsening bronchiectasis, the unlikely culprit that was originally not considered to be a threat. This comes as a strong reminder that we should not be too complacent when it comes to doing research and exercise more proactiveness in exploring various possibilities, as every seemingly innocent element could be a source of threat to our bodies and overall health."

Co-author Andrew Tan, Associate Professor of Metabolic Disorders from LKCMedicine, said, "The reverse translational approach adopted in this work was crucial to our success. Starting from the 'bedside' where we studied reallife patient experiences, we then worked backwards to uncover the biological process of the bacteria. Thanks to the interdisciplinary nature of the study, the team was able to interact with members from different research disciplines, offering an enjoyable experience while gaining unique insights into the disease."

The researchers are now looking to conduct further studies and clinical trials of Neisseria eradication from the microbiome through the newly launched LKCMedicine Centre for Microbiome Medicine, which is seeking evaluate the benefits of targeting and treating Neisseria with antibiotics at first detection, with the hope that this will lead to better clinical outcomes for patients with chronic respiratory conditions.

Explore further Lung disease bronchiectasis associated with high frequency of allergy

More information: Liang Li et al, Neisseria species as pathobionts in bronchiectasis, Cell Host & Microbe (2022). Journal information: Cell Host & Microbe Liang Li et al, Neisseria species as pathobionts in bronchiectasis,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.08.005
A man holds a sign urging increased access to the monkeypox vaccine during a protest in San Francisco on July 18, 2022. With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa. Credit: AP Photo/Haven Daley, File

With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa.

In July, the U.N. health agency designated monkeypox as a global emergency and appealed to the world to support African countries so that the catastrophic vaccine inequity that plagued the outbreak of COVID-19 wouldn't be repeated.

But the global spike of attention has had little impact on the continent. No rich countries have shared vaccines or treatments with Africa, and some experts fear interest may soon evaporate.

"Nothing has changed for us here, the focus is all on monkeypox in the West," said Placide Mbala, a virologist who directs the global health research department at Congo's Institute of Biomedical Research.

"The countries in Africa where monkeypox is endemic are still in the same situation we have always been, with weak resources for surveillance, diagnostics and even the care of patients," he said.

Monkeypox has sickened people in parts of West and Central Africa since the 1970s, but it wasn't until the disease triggered unusual outbreaks in Europe and North America that public health officials even thought to use vaccines. As rich countries rushed to buy nearly all the world's supply of the most advanced shot against monkeypox, the World Health Organization said in June that it would create a vaccine-sharing mechanism to help needy countries get doses.

This 1997 image provided by the CDC during an investigation into an outbreak of monkeypox, which took place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), formerly Zaire, depicts the dorsal surfaces of the hands of a monkeypox case patient, who was displaying the appearance of the characteristic rash during its recuperative stage. With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America in 2022, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa. Credit: CDC via AP, File

So far, that hasn't happened.

"Africa is still not benefiting from either monkeypox vaccines or the antiviral treatments," said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's Africa director, adding that only small amounts have been available for research purposes. Since 2000, Africa has reported about 1,000 to 2,000 suspected monkeypox cases every year. So far this year, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified about 3,000 suspected infections, including more than 100 deaths.

In recent weeks, monkeypox cases globally have fallen by more than a quarter, including by 55% in Europe, according to WHO.

Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, head of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, said the lack of help for Africa was reminiscent of the inequity seen during COVID-19.

"Everybody looked after their (own) problem and left everybody else," he said. Adetifa lamented that monkeypox outbreaks in Africa never got the international attention that might have prevented the virus from spreading globally.

Rich countries have stretched their vaccine supplies by using a fifth of the regular dose, but none have expressed interest in helping Africa. WHO's regional office for the Americas recently announced it had struck a deal to obtain 100,000 monkeypox doses that will start being delivered to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean within weeks. But no similar agreements have been reached for Africa.

This image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory that was captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Md. With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America in 2022, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa. Credit: NIAID via AP, File

"I would very much like to have vaccines to offer to my patients or anything that could just reduce their stay in the hospital," said Dr. Dimie Ogoina, a professor of medicine at Nigeria's Delta University and a member of WHO's monkeypox emergency committee.

Since WHO declared monkeypox a global emergency, Nigeria has seen the disease continue to spread, with few significant interventions.

"We still do not have the funds to do all the studies that we need," Ogoina said.

Research into the animals that carry monkeypox and spread it to humans in Africa is piecemeal and lacks coordination, said Mbala, of Congo's Institute of Biomedical Research.

Last week, the White House said it was optimistic about a recent drop in monkeypox cases in the U.S., saying authorities had administered more than 460,000 doses of the vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic.

The U.S. has about 35% of the world's more than 56,000 monkeypox cases, but nearly 80% of the world's supply of the vaccine, according to a recent analysis by the advocacy group Public Citizen.

Vials of single doses of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox are seen from a cooler at a vaccinations site on Aug. 29, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa. Credit: AP Photo/Jeenah Moon, File

The U.S. hasn't announced any monkeypox vaccine donations for Africa, but the White House did make a recent request to Congress for $600 million in global aid.

Even if rich countries start sharing monkeypox tools with Africa soon, they shouldn't be applauded, other experts said.

"It should not be the case that countries only decide to share leftover vaccines when the epidemic is declining in their countries," said Piero Olliaro, a professor of infectious diseases of poverty at Oxford University. "It is exactly the same scenario as COVID and it is still completely unethical."

Olliaro, who recently returned to the U.K. from a trip to Central African Republic to work on monkeypox, said WHO's emergency declaration appeared to offer "no tangible benefits in Africa."

In Nigeria's Lagos state, which includes the country's largest city and is hard hit by monkeypox, some people are calling for the government to urgently do more.

"You can't tell me that the situation wouldn't have improved without a vaccine," said Temitayo Lawal, 29, an economist.

People line up to receive the monkeypox vaccine at a walk-in clinic at the North Jersey Community Research Initiative in Newark, N.J., on Aug. 16, 2022. With monkeypox cases subsiding in Europe and parts of North America, many scientists say now is the time to prioritize stopping the virus in Africa. Credit: AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File

"If there is no need for vaccines, why are we now seeing the U.S. and all these countries using them?" he asked. "Our government needs to acquire doses as well."

Explore further Spain reports 2nd death from monkeypox

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A blood-based multicancer early detection (MCED) test using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is feasible for outpatients and has a positive predictive value of about 40 percent, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology, held from Sept. 9 to 13 in Paris.

Deb Schrag, M.D., M.P.H., from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and colleagues examined the clinical feasibility of MCED testing in a screening population of participants aged 50 years and older with or without additional cancer risk factors. cfDNA was analyzed from blood samples and MCED test results were returned (MCED-E, early version). For all participants, cancer status was confirmed at one year.

The researchers found that MCED-E detected a cancer signal in 1.4 percent of the 6,621 participants with analyzable samples. Cancer was confirmed in 35 of these 92 cases (38 percent), with specificity of 99.1 percent. Overall, 73 percent of true positives had diagnostic resolution in less than three months. A refined test version (MECD-Scr) had similar performance to the MCED-E. There were four adverse events (0.06 percent), none of which were due to confirmatory diagnostic procedures.

"The results are an important first step for early cancer detection tests because they showed a good detection rate for people who had cancer and an excellent specificity rate for those who did not have cancer," Schrag said in a statement. "This study indicates that hope is on the horizon for detecting cancers that are currently unscreenable, but of course much more work is needed and, with experience and larger samples, these assays will improve."

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry; the study was funded by GRAIL, a subsidiary of Illumina.

Explore further Early brain cancer detection breakthrough

Copyright  2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
The study involved the use of biosensors, algorithms and open-source software to build a miniature microscope. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how our brains track and retain information about routes and learn new locations (miniature microscope recording electrical activity of neurons in mice. Credit: Archive of Peter J. Schuette et al

Over a decade after the role of pyramidal neurons in mental representations of space and location was discovered, a group of Brazilian and American researchers has made an important contribution to scientists' understanding of the brain's navigation system by identifying a subtype of these neurons that can gauge speed with great precision.

"In experiments involving animals, we demonstrated an association between the electrical activity of inhibitory interneurons and speed representations in the brain," Alexandre Kihara, a neuroscientist at the Federal University of the ABC in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, told Agencia FAPESP. Kihara is a co-author of an article on the study published in Scientific Reports.

Excitatory neurons and inhibitory interneurons are located in the hippocampus, a bilateral brain structure in the temporal lobe (behind the ears) that is associated with the formation of new memories, learning, emotions, and as has recently been discovered, spatial representation. Excitatory neurons activate other neurons, while inhibitory interneurons hinder or block them. Together they can modulate signaling in brain regions to avoid the excess activity associated with seizures, for example.

"Although they all play a role in encoding space, we found that inhibitory neurons have some additional functions," said Juliane Midori Ikebara, who holds a bachelor's degree in science and technology and a Ph.D. in neuroscience and cognition from UFABC.

Ikebara is the lead author of the article, alongside Peter Schuette, a researcher in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the United States.

Analyzing video images of neural activity in mice, the group also observed that inhibitory neurons reacted differently to changes in the environment such as rotation or size. "They were more stable than excitatory neurons, which sometimes alter position encoding in response to environmental changes," Kihara said.

This behavior was unknown and may be associated with spatial memory. "These more stable neurons may be linked to the ability to remember routes or the location of the living room or bathroom when we wake up in the same house, for example," said Kihara, who supervised Ikebara's Ph.D. research.

In practice, Ikebara noted, this is the first study to evidence the functions of inhibitory cells, which account for less than 10% of pyramidal neurons. The idea of studying these cells arose while she was doing a sandwich doctorate in the US in 2020-21. Having been awarded a scholarship by FAPESP, she went to work for a period at the UCLA laboratory led by Professor Avishek Adhikari, the corresponding author of the Scientific Reports article, to learn to build the miniature microscope used to record neuronal electrical activity.

Recording calcium transients in CAMK2A- and VGAT-expressing cells in dorsal hippocampal area CA1. (A) Scheme showing mouse with miniaturized microscope to record calcium transients from either CAMK2A- or VGAT-expressing cells in dorsal hippocampal area CA1. (B) Scheme showing viral constructs used to target expression of the calcium indicator GCaMP6f to either CAMK2A- or VGAT-expressing cells in CA1. VGAT-cre driver mice were used in both cases. (C) Representative histology showing expression of GCaMP6f in CAMK2A- and VGAT-expressing cells. The location occupied by the miniaturized microscope lens is outlined by a dashed white line (scale bar = 500 m). (D) Representative maximum projection showing views of CAMK2A- (top) and VGAT- (bottom) expressing cells through the implanted lens. (E) The miniscope post-processing procedure. (F) Representative traces of CAMK2A (top) and VGAT (bottom) cells from area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus. (G) Shown are example CAMK2A and VGAT traces before and after z-scoring. (H) Bars represent the rate of calcium peaks (left; CAMK2A rate = 0.11  0.001 peaks/s; VGAT rate = 0.17  0.004 peaks/s) and peak width (right; CAMK2A peak width = 0.77  0.007 s; VGAT peak width = 1.34  0.09 s) for CAMK2A and VGAT cells. (two-sample t-test; CAMK2A n = 2303 (from 8 mice); VGAT n = 937 (from 12 mice); (left) t-statistic =  17.7, (right) t-statistic =  10.1). ***p < 0.001. Credit: Scientific Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13799-6

The standard device used in this type of experiment, the Miniscope developed at Stanford University, also in California, sells for a prohibitive price. "About seven years ago, a group at UCLA opened it up, studied what it contained, and published a blueprint free of charge, with very well-specified instructions for building and using it. Thanks to this feat, hundreds of researchers in other countries have been able to obtain the technology," said Adhikari, who has lived in Sao Paulo.

In addition to the miniature microscope built by Ikebara, who brought the technology to UFABC, the study of neuronal electrical activity in mice also involves biosensors and algorithms. "First of all, the mice were injected with a virus bearing instructions to infect the cells and make them produce a protein that becomes fluorescent in the presence of increased levels of calcium, which occur when the cells are activated," Ikebara explained.

A cylindrical lens was then placed over the hippocampus, and the miniature microscope was fixed to the skull surface to document neuronal activity. During the experiments, the animals were placed in enclosures that were rotated and made to change size or shape.

After recording hundreds of hours of videos, the researchers used information theory and algorithms to map the activated neurons in conjunction with the positions of the mice in the enclosures.

"We found it was possible to predict very precisely where a mouse was located in the environment just by looking at the map of electrically activated neurons, without having to watch the videos," Adhikari told Agencia FAPESP.

According to Ikebara, the findings contribute to a better understanding of how people track and retain information about routes and learn new locations. Based on previous research into the effects of oxygen deprivation at birth on the brains of adult rats, Ikebara said these latest discoveries point to ways forward in the investigation of difficulties to learn new routes and locations in people with Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Oxygen deprivation at birth can lead to spatial memory deficits, a problem that has also been associated with alterations in inhibitory neurons.

Ikebara conducted her Ph.D. research under the aegis of UFABC's Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Cognition, with Kihara and Professor Silvia Takada supervising.

Explore further Somatostatin neurons cooperate in the cerebral cortex

More information: Peter J. Schuette et al, GABAergic CA1 neurons are more stable following context changes than glutamatergic cells, Scientific Reports (2022). Journal information: Scientific Reports Peter J. Schuette et al, GABAergic CA1 neurons are more stable following context changes than glutamatergic cells,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13799-6
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A survey of adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes from six Western European countries highlights the unique burden of mental health issues on people with diabetes and suggests a link between blood sugar management and severity of anxiety.

The study by Evelyn Cox from dQ&AThe Diabetes Research Company, San Francisco U.S., and colleagues is being presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden (19-23 Sept).

"Our survey results underline how vulnerable adults with diabetes are to generalized anxiety. In particular, women with diabetes and those younger than 45 may be more susceptible to experiencing anxiety, emphasizing the need for greater support," says Ms. Cox.

She adds, "Our findings also indicate a link between blood sugar management and severity of anxiety. This underscores the need for a more integrated approach to diabetes management and mental health support to both minimize anxiety and improve blood sugar metrics targeted at high-risk groups."

Previous research shows that people with diabetes have higher rates of mental health disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (characterized by persistent and excessive worry), compared to the general population. But there has been little research on the relationship between diabetes management and generalized anxiety.

For this study, researchers conducted an online survey to collect data on demographic characteristics, anxiety, and blood sugar management metrics in 3,077 adults from the dQ&A EU research panel (average age 44, 52% female) living with type 1 diabetes (66%) or type 2 diabetes (34%) in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK. Data were collected between October and November 2021. All respondents were compensated for completing the survey (12 EUR).

Respondents were asked for their most recent hemoglobin A1c level (HbA1c, a measure of blood sugar control) if they knew it (2,561 participants); and those who used glucose sensors (2,011) were asked about the percentage of time in a typical day they spent in the target blood sugar range (between 70 and 180 mg/dl). All respondents completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7) to screen for, and measure, severity of anxiety.

The analyses found that people with diabetes living in Italy and the UK reported the highest rates of anxiety (63% and 51%, respectively), while those in the Netherlands reported the lowest rates (39%).

Across all six European countries studied, women with diabetes were more likely to report experiencing anxiety than men (57% vs 39%). And anxiety was more common among those younger than 45 years than those older59% and 34%, respectively.

The analyses also found that individuals with higher HbA1c over the past few months (greater than 7%) were more likely than those with lower HbA1c (equal or less than 7%) to report moderate (13% vs 10%) or severe anxiety (6% vs 4%).

Additionally, respondents using glucose sensors who spent less than 70% of a typical day in the target blood sugar range reported almost twice the rate of moderate or severe anxiety compared to those who spent 70% or more of their time in the target range (22% vs 14%).

"It is crucial that people with diabetes who experience challenges with their mental health reach out to their healthcare providers or mental healthcare practitioners for support," says Cox. "Effective treatments are available and can considerably improve quality of life."

Explore further Adults with ADHD four times more likely to have generalized anxiety disorder
Social housing tenants may be vulnerable to health risks associated with poor air quality and building thermal performance. Credit: Shutterstock

Many residents in social housing in New South Wales can experience alarming levels of winter underheating and summer overheating in their homes that do not meet standards for comfort and health, according to UNSW Sydney-led research funded by the Department of Planning and Environment and CRC for Low Carbon Living.

A research team from the School of Built Environment and the Department of Planning and Environment monitored 106 low-income dwellings in New South Wales during the winter and summer of 20182019. The team studied the impacts of outdoor temperature and housing characteristics, including indoor temperature and air quality, and surveyed the residents' health and quality of life.

During summer, indoor temperatures reached 39.8C and were above 30C up to 62% of the time in some residences. The minimum indoor temperatures during winter also dropped as low as 5C in some homes and were below 18C 93% of the time.

Households also reported high levels of dissatisfaction with their indoor thermal conditions year-round. During summer, the majority of low-income households in western Sydney experienced higher indoor and outdoor temperatures than those who reside in the proximity of the coast, according to the study.

The recommended thermal discomfort threshold is 28C for living rooms and 26C for the bedroom, according to the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). Meanwhile, The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a temperature band of 1824C for thermal comfort and safety.

"Many social housing dwellings recorded indoor temperatures outside the recommended limits for safety and comfort for substantial periods," says the study's first author Dr. Shamila Haddad.

Prolonged exposure to poor housing quality can have adverse health effects. Indoor overheating can lead to thermal discomfort and increase the risk of heat-related morbidity and mortality. Meanwhile, temperatures below 16C may raise the risk of respiratory disease and vulnerability to infection from airborne pathogens.

"We know many people from low-income backgrounds are living in low-quality housing, and this impacts their health and quality of life," says Scientia Professor Mat Santamouris, Anita Lawrence Chair in High Performance Architecture and senior author of the study.

Temperature extremes during summer and winter

Social housing tenants may be particularly vulnerable to health risks associated with poor air quality and building thermal performance. Risk factors for heat-related health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, tend to be more prevalent in low-income households. Social housing dwellings are also more likely to be located in areas with high exposure to the elements.

Most of the dwellings investigated in the study were built before 2000 and predate the introduction of building codes and minimum energy-efficiency standards at the national level. Mold and condensation, which are common issues in poor-quality dwellings, were also reported in 42% of the residences.

"The housing quality is typically lower than general housing stock and can lack adequate ventilation and insulation, increasing the amount of heating and cooling needed to achieve comfortable and safe indoor temperatures," Dr. Haddad says.

The research also found many households experience energy povertywhere they struggle to afford the required energy services in their homes. Some used compensatory measures to minimize energy bills and escape overheated environments, including visiting shopping malls, seeking medical assistance, or skipping food and other essentials.

"Lower-income households may suffer from warmer homes during summer," Dr. Haddad says. "While thermal discomfort was reported, these low-income families limited their energy use by avoiding heating and cooling.

"As local and global temperatures continue to become more extreme, the findings suggest financially disadvantaged people living in poor-quality housing may be disproportionately affected."

Improving thermal conditions in social housing

Indoor air temperature in naturally ventilated buildings highly depends on the quality of the building envelope and follows the pattern of the outdoor climate. With climate change expected to increase indoor overheating and discomfort further, there's an urgent need to improve social housing dwellings to ensure healthy living conditions for residents and protect them from extreme temperatures, Dr. Haddad says.

Improvements in building quality can reduce heating and cooling needs. Passive heating and cooling strategies, easy-to-apply insulation, materials and glazing are all cost-effective technologies that could be implemented to improve the thermal quality of housing while reducing energy demand.

"Enhancing housing energy efficiency can alleviate energy poverty and improve households' health and well-being," Dr. Haddad says. "This should be the main goal of retrofit upgrades in the social housing sector."

Dr. Haddad says it would be more sustainable and cost-effective to prioritize refurbishing existing building stock over rebuilding. However, design standards must also be improved, and appropriate thermal performance mandated in the build quality of any new social housing construction.

More significant investment in urban heat mitigation could also minimize the impacts of poor-performing housing during warm periods. Results of previous studies in Sydney reveal that urban heat mitigation strategies, such as increasing green spaces and employing reflective materials for pavements and roofs, can reduce the peak ambient temperature by up to 3C.

"In addition to housing quality, urban heat mitigation strategies also help decrease the health impact of very high temperatures, which would better protect the health of low-income people living in social housing," Dr. Haddad says.

Prof. Santamouris says other innovations could also help people from low-income backgrounds at risk of energy poverty, such as using smart meters to monitor indoor temperatures and supplying free electricity to occupants.

"Many European countries supply people from low-income backgrounds a certain level of fuel for free, or they give them a grant to buy electricity or fuel," Prof. Santamouris says. "There used to be 50,000 deaths per year in the U.K. due to energy poverty. But now, because of these changes, this number has decreased dramatically."

The study is published in Energy and Buildings.

Explore further Social housing is frequently colder than global health guidelines

More information: Shamila Haddad et al, Integrated assessment of the extreme climatic conditions, thermal performance, vulnerability, and well-being in low-income housing in the subtropical climate of Australia, Energy and Buildings (2022). Shamila Haddad et al, Integrated assessment of the extreme climatic conditions, thermal performance, vulnerability, and well-being in low-income housing in the subtropical climate of Australia,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2022.112349
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

New research has found adolescents who are active on social media are being exposed to content that could put them at risk of developing drug and alcohol issues.

The study, led by University of Queensland Ph.D. student Brienna Rutherford from UQ's National Center for Youth Substance Use Research, examined how drug and alcohol use content was portrayed across social media.

"We looked at almost 16 million posts across Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Weibo and found the majority of drug and alcohol use content was depicted positively," Ms. Rutherford said.

"This positive depiction is concerning because adolescents and young adults are the most vulnerable and heaviest users of social media globally, spending an average of eight hours a day online.

"There's evidence to show teens who are exposed to high levels of substance use are more likely to use and develop issues with alcohol, tobacco and cannabis.

"In fact, alcohol and drug use is the main contributor to disease in adolescents and young adults.

"Better restrictions are needed on social media platforms to ensure underage users are not engaging with or exposed to potentially harmful content."

The study found user-generated content depicting substance use as positive was most prevalent on social media which is likely to influence teenage viewer's behavior.

Only around 21% of posts sampled were found to be from public health and educational organizations sharing information on the harmful effects of substance use.

Ms. Rutherford says public health education agencies need to do more to communicate the potential risks of substances.

"Social media is an incredibly powerful tool for change and, if harnessed correctly, could be a massive asset for public health messaging," she said.

"Social media is a huge opportunity for public health organizations to educate teens on the risks associated with substance use."

Currently, there are age restrictions on graphic content involving sexual themes or high-risk behaviors but substance use is relatively unregulated online.

Many platforms have taken a blanket approach to banning or restricting associated hashtags but they can be easily found by publicly available internet search engines.

Read the full paper in Addiction.

Explore further Getting high for 'likes': TikTok exposes teens to videos on cannabis

More information: Brienna N. Rutherford et al, #TurntTrending: a systematic review of substance use portrayals on social media platforms, Addiction (2022). Journal information: Addiction Brienna N. Rutherford et al, #TurntTrending: a systematic review of substance use portrayals on social media platforms,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/add.16020
ITB China is once again offering a first-class event for Chinas travel trade community with the ITB China Industry MeetUp (IMU), which will be held both online and offline from 14 - 28 September 2022.



The event starts with the launch of its virtual platform, which will run until 28 September, and features a physical networking event with branded sponsor booths and tables on 21 September at the Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai.



The IMU brings together 50 sponsors from over 20 countries and regions promoting selected contents and activities through their event-exclusive mini-sites to buyers from across China, while all onsite and online sessions will be live-streamed and made available on demand for global audiences.



The event also welcomes hotels and resorts as sponsors including Kerry Hotel Pudong Shanghai, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, WebBeds, Hemisphere Corporation Sdn Bhd, Imperial Hotel Kuching and Melia Hotels International.



In addition, the IMU event confirms other key travel & tourism organizations and companies as sponsors, including the European Travel Commission, Borneo Adventure Sdn Bhd, Brighton Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, Collinson, ChinaTravelHub, DEHUA GmbH, Innosar Holiday Sdn Bhd, Ireland China International Travel Services Ltd, Kildare Village, One Wayang Tours Sdn Bhd, Rachel Sunshine International Ltd, Schilthorn Cableway Ltd, Swiss Travel System, Touching Travel, World Animal Protection, ZHANGJIANG SCIENCE HALL and ZU snowboard school.



Interactive engagement of key market players from across China

The customized sponsor mini-sites enable all event sponsors to promote and highlight selected products, news, events, surveys and market activities to hundreds of Chinese buyers online from all over China, more than half of whom are C-level executives and final decision makers of leading travel agencies, who will actively interact and engage with their contents.



"The experience and insights of foreign travel companies in resuming international travel business are very important for our own planning and future business outlook. We look forward to the exchange of information and ideas with all attending NTOs and travel suppliers and expect to gain deeper market insights at this year's ITB China Industry MeetUp event, said Feng Bin, President of U-tour, Chinas most influential travel agency for international travel business.



Acclaimed travel experts report on the hottest topics in the travel industry

More than 30 online content sessions on six topics will be hosted between 14 to 28 September, offering valuable guidance on maintaining industry competitiveness and develop business in the post-pandemic era.



The exclusive in-person event on 21 September in the Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai, offers direct on-site exchange at branded sponsor booths and tables with additional networking opportunities to connect with high-level market players, while all speeches and discussions in the presentation studio will be livestreamed to a global audience. The day will be rounded off with a VIP networking dinner for selected top-level participants powered by Experience AlUla, a Saudi Arabian destination represented at the event for the first time.



A look at new challenges and opportunities for the industry

The ITB China Travel Trends Report 2022, prepared by ITB China, examines the latest travel demands and upcoming developments in the Chinese and global travel markets. It provides the industry with valuable information that will help strategists and decision makers to adjust business operations by gaining first-hand insights into market trends in a fast-changing environment.



A comprehensive survey among senior and top-level representatives of nearly 80 international destinations and travel suppliers was conducted in the run-up of the IMU, reflecting the current perception of the recovery status of the global travel industry. Another travel trends survey targeting Chinese buyers will be launched during the event, collecting opinions and estimating on the current travel market in China and its readiness to resume international travel when restrictions are further lifted.



The results of the surveys and the final analysis of expert contributions during the MeetUp will be incorporated into the ITB China Travel Trends Reports 2022. The report will be published after the conclusion of the entire event.- TradeArabia News Service
Jordan Hess was sworn in as Missoulas new mayor at 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

"I can't be John Engen and I think it would be a disservice to our community if I tried," Hess said at the swearing-in ceremony. "What I can commit to being is I will try, to the best of my ability, to be the leader we need right now."

The veteran city council member will serve at least until the November 2023 election, at which time the general public will have the opportunity to vote for Missoulas next leader.

In the next 14 months, Hess aims to continue the late Engens legacy initiatives, while also making some key divergences from his predecessor.

One thing that I learned from John (Engen) was that he was an evangelist of making incremental steps in the right direction, Hess said Tuesday in an interview with the Missoulian. And I think that everything we do should be furthering our Strategic Plan. And everything we do, it might be a tiny little step, but it should be something that we can measure as being a step in the right direction toward accomplishing our goals.

Missoulas Strategic Plan outlines a series of goals under the categories of Safety and Wellness, Community Design and Livability, Environmental Quality, Economic Health and Organizational Excellence.

The plan includes recommendations like amending the land-use code to support the development of homes that Missoulians can afford and partnering with community organizations to ensure adequate shelter for people without a home during the winter months.

Hess said he wants to maintain good data to measure the success of the citys strategic initiatives.

Just continuing to work within that strategic plan framework that Mayor Engen and the council adopted is really important to me, Hess said.

As part of that goal, Hess will oversee the early stages of the citys comprehensive code reform, a process the new mayor called a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

Right now, our land-use code is clunky, its out of date and it really doesnt promote good outcomes, Hess said.

He hopes the reform process streamlines the citys code while also protecting standards of quality. Hess expects the reform to take about two and a half years overall, but he plans on providing interim deliverables throughout the process.

One short-term result Hess would like to see soon is the simplification of the conditional-use process in the next few months. The current route to seeking conditional-use approval adds unnecessary time and money to projects, Hess explained.

That will be the first one that will come and it will really result in this incremental capacity benefit for city staff, Hess said.

Hess said hes also excited about the Midtown Master Plan and the Brooks Street RAISE grant, two processes that are just getting underway on their year-long trajectories.

The Midtown plan, for example, would follow the model of the Downtown Master Plan, which has generated tens of millions of dollars in private investment in the area.

There is such a great opportunity to really be transformative in those neighborhoods, he said.

Maintaining the citys continuum of care for vulnerable Missoulians is another goal the mayor intends to work on during the next 14 months.

The continuum of care encompasses programs like the Mobile Support Team first responders, the new Crisis Receiving Center and the Emergency Winter Shelter.

Hess said he wants to make sure that we are able to sustain those programs and ideally grow those programs, because theyve been such a benefit to our community.

While funding for some of those initiatives will ultimately be left up to Missoula voters in the November election, Hess sees the citys role in supporting those programs as an educational one.

The Mobile Support Team is a great example of a service that day-in and day-out is improving lives, Hess said. I think we can tell that story that the Mobile Support Team maybe shows up on the worst day of someones life and provides them with service with a gentle touch that really makes that persons life better.

The Crisis Services Levy that would sustain the Mobile Support Team and other initiatives is up for a vote on the November ballot. It would raise approximately $5 million, costing taxpayers around $27 a year per $100,000 of taxable home value.

Hess also wants to look beyond the confines of the city to create benefits for city residents.

Montanas property tax system represents a persistent point of frustration for Hess and his fellow elected officials at the city and county level, one that Hess would like to address by partnering with other communities.

I think we just have to continue to highlight that our property system in Montana is fundamentally broken, and it needs to be addressed by the state legislature, Hess insisted.

The way forward on property tax reform, according to Hess, would involve building a statewide coalition of municipalities lobbying for changes to the way property taxes work across Montana.

We have to get together with other communities around the state because its not a Missoula problem, its a problem in Kalispell, or Billings, or any other community in our state, he said.

And while many of these approaches represent a continuation of the work started by Engen, Hess also wants to chart his own path as Missoulas new mayor.

I think we need to be more aggressive on climate, Hess said.

He listed a multitude of climate resiliency initiatives he would like to support or initiate throughout the city, including the development of a renewable rate option with NorthWestern Energy, exploration of the possible addition of a car share in Missoula, electrification of transportation and pursuit of neighborhood-scale geothermal heating.

Theres, I think, an opportunity to do some work around social justice with housing and climate, he said.

Hess also sees an opportunity to improve accessibility and communications between the city and the public.

Thats a big goal of mine, to really bolster our resident engagement and to make City Hall really accessible to the public he said.

One area in particular Hess would like to focus on is better communicating the citys successes.

Even the mayoral appointment process, which was heavily criticized on Monday night by members of council and the public alike, stood out to Hess as an example of a successful operation on the part of the city government.

That process is kind of clunky but there is a prescribed process, Hess said. It is the best we can do until there is an election and so its a temporary measure until theres an election.

The act of governing is really the act of decision making in public, for the public good, he added. Its not always clean and its not always tidy, but that doesnt mean that the process isnt working.

Hess was especially complimentary of his opponent Mike Nugents conduct throughout the appointment process. After council reached a 6-5-1 voting stalemate following 21 rounds of voting Monday night, Nugent volunteered to concede the vote and support Hess for mayor.

We both wanted to go forward with the citys best interest in mind, Hess said. I have so much admiration for Mike for stepping up to volunteer to serve and also for stepping back. That was an act of selflessness to do that.

Moving forward, Hess plans on relying upon his relationships with the council after serving as the longest-running council member to support his work as mayor.

We will move forward together and we will move forward as one, Hess said.
A man law enforcement was attempting to locate died by suicide, according to a press release from Lake County Sheriff Don Bell.

Patrick Cork, 50, had warrants issued for his arrest out of Missoula. On Tuesday night at 11:55 p.m., a Ronan police officer initiated a traffic stop at Round Butte Road.

Investigations show "that prior to yielding to the officer, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle shot himself," the press release stated.

The driver was identified as Cork. The officer gave first aid care to Cork. He was transported to a hospital but died a short time later, according to the press release. The Lake County Coroner's Office is investigating the death.
At the start of this school year Missoula County Public Schools students had over $42,000 in outstanding meal balances, all of which predated the COVID pandemic.

That figure did not come as a surprise to Stacey Rossmiller, the districts food and nutrition services supervisor.

That number is actually pretty good to me, believe it or not, Rossmiller said. Theres been some years that weve had close to $100,000 in outstanding debt.

School meals were free for students across the United States for two years during the pandemic through a federal waiver that expired over the summer, yet the debts remained.

Outstanding balances for meals follow a student throughout their time in the district, all the way to graduation, and can stand in the way of receiving a high school diploma.

This is sort of a scary situation that some families are in, having debt associated with their public school experience, said Kelli Hess, the interim executive director of the Missoula Food Bank.

At MCPS, about half of meal debts are held by high school students. Hellgate High School has the highest outstanding meal balance in the district at about $7,800.

About a quarter of outstanding meal balances are made up through students attending Title I schools in the district. Title I is a federal education program that provides financial support to schools that have high rates of low-income families; seven schools at MCPS participate in the program.

We will never tell a student they cant eat and we know that may mean that some of these kiddos are going to accrue balances, Rossmiller said.

Each student would owe the district about $4.83 if the debts were spread evenly, but only about 15% of those enrolled have outstanding meal balances ranging anywhere from a few cents to hundreds of dollars, according to Rossmiller.

One reason students accrue meal debt is because their family has not returned an application for free and reduced meals through the National School Lunch Program, a federally assisted program that provides low-cost or free meals to children at school.

But many families struggle to pay for meals even at the districts reduced rate of 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch.

That reduced meal range is a really hard one to be in because they make too much money to qualify for free meals, but not enough money that they are in a paid status, Rossmiller said.

This year, Rossmiller is fiercely advocating for all families to fill out the application for the National School Lunch Program as this is the first school year in two years students have to pay for food, and meal prices at the district are more expensive than they were before.

The worst that could happen is you dont qualify, the best thatll happen is its going to benefit you and your kids, Rossmiller said.

Over the summer, the board of trustees approved a 25 cent price hike. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade now pay $2 for breakfast and $3 for lunch; those between grades 6 and 12 pay $2.25 for breakfast and $3.25 for lunch.

The district is continuing its breakfast in the classroom program, where all students between kindergarten and eighth grade can receive breakfast for free.

Well see a drop from participation and we will see outstanding balances go up, Rossmiller said about the change in price. But with that being said Ive also seen an increase in the number of applications (for the National School Lunch Program) coming in.

Although Rossmiller anticipates participation in the districts meal program to drop, the Missoula Food Bank has seen a significant increase in the needs of their services while food prices are also on the rise.

When the food bank moved to its new location five years ago they were serving about 1 in 6 people in Missoula County; now that figure is closer to 1 in 4.

Let me tell you, running a food bank right now is more expensive than its ever been, Hess said. Thats so real for us, too. Its more expensive for us to have peanut butter on our shelves. Its more expensive to have all the foods right now.

The local food bank focuses its child nutrition efforts on times when students are not in school, and partners with over 20 after-school care programs to provide nutritious snacks, among other partnerships. They also put together Empower Packs containing multiple food items that are distributed to certain students for the weekend.

Additionally in the summer and over school breaks, the food bank helps operate food sites throughout the community as well as a meal bus that delivers food to neighborhoods that are more food insecure. This last summer, the food bank distributed 63,000 meals, which was 6,000 more than the previous year.

Last spring, the food bank donated upward of $5,000 to cover the outstanding meal balances of every graduating senior at MCPS.

After the school year started, some community members banded together and raised enough money to wipe out meal balances at Jeanette Rankin and Franklin Elementary schools and had enough left over to make a dent in the debts at Lowell.

Its amazing that some generous community members are getting after it and paying these balances. Its pretty awesome that we were able to step in and do that, but the charitable response to paying past balances cannot be the answer, Hess said. It cant be.

Instead, she believes that universal free meals for students is the solution to the problem.

California, Maine and Vermont launched programs offering all students free meals prior to the start of the school year. A school district in Pennsylvania recently canceled all student meal debt.
The mostly low-income residents of a 34-lot trailer home court just west of Missoula will now be able to feel a little bit more secure in their living situation.

That's because they're going to pool their money and buy the land underneath their homes in order to stave off future displacement, thanks to a big award of federal money.

On Wednesday, the Missoula city councils housing committee voted to approve contracts totaling $850,000 to allow Old Hellgate Village mobile home park to become a Resident-Owned Community, or ROC.

In December, The Montana Dept. of Commerce awarded the City of Missoula the $850,000 in Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus funding for a proposed ROC, administered by a nonprofit called NeighborWorks Montana.

The funding comes from the federal CARES Act, passed by Congress and signed by former President Donald Trump in March of 2020.

Kaia Peterson, the executive director of NeighborWorks, said the funding is targeted at preserving housing for people with low to moderate incomes.

As most of you are very well aware, residents of manufactured home communities are at significant risk of redevelopment, she said. Particularly in our community where we have continuing rising housing costs and pressures of redevelopment. And folks in these communities are at risk of displacement not only due to redevelopment, but due to rising costs.

She said that the total cost for the residents is around $3 million, but favorable terms from the seller and the federal money mean the lot rents will only go from $500 to $600 per month.

A lot of folks in this type of housing have fixed incomes or limited incomes, and even a $100 lot rent increase can be a stretch for many of them, Peterson said.

Old Hellgate Village, located on Mullan Road next to the Hellgate Trading Post, was built in 1968. Peterson said there was widespread agreement from the residents, as 29 of the 30 eligible households have signed on to become members of the ROC.

So just a sense of who lives here, its a mix of young families, empty-nesters and retirees, she said. And 60% of the households are households making below 60% of Area Median Income, so its primarily low and very low income households.

Residents get to vote on decisions about the community, and there are now 14 ROCs with 575 households across Montana.

So, again, since this is COVID money, the approach here is that maintaining stable housing is an important aspect of community health," Peterson said. "And folks in these communities are often particularly vulnerable to things like COVID due to existing underlying health conditions, and lack of access to resources."

She hopes that more mobile home residents will approach the property owner before an out-of-state investor decides to snap it up.

So for folks who are not familiar with the residential community program, it is an approach to allow residents to purchase their communities as a collective, as a cooperative, and then own and maintain those properties as stable affordable housing in perpetuity," she said.

City council member Sandra Vasecka was the only member of the committee to vote against approving the contract.

I think this is an interesting project, but unfortunately I dont think this is a good use of COVID funding because there has been displacement before COVID, she said. And I know that a lot of folks on council disagree with me on this one but unfortunately Im not going to be supporting this today.

Council member Mike Nugent said he had told Vasecka during an earlier discussion about the project that he looked forward to respectfully disagreeing with her.

I think this is a great project, he said. Weve seen too many times where communities like this are sold.

He said that there has been redevelopment pressure put on Missoula thats directly related to COVID.

I see this as a very good use of that money, Nugent concluded.

Council member Stacie Anderson also voted to approve the use of the money.

I think this is a great use of funding, she said. I'm excited that the state actually is doing some very good and productive things with the money that they have received. And you know, we have seen over my time on council examples of some really heartbreaking stories of owners not wanting to run (the park), or sell their land out from underneath those mobile home parks and really the lack of options for the people who live there."

Anderson called it a win-win solution that really helps the most vulnerable in our community.
The name of a robbery suspect who died in an officer-involved shooting on Aug. 27 was released on Tuesday afternoon.

Vance Ledeau, 34, died at the Missoula Smokejumper center near the 5700 block of West Broadway Street on the morning of Aug. 27, according to a press release from Lake County Sheriff-Coroner Don Bell. Ledeau's place of residence was not included.

The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation is continuing their investigation into the incident, Bell stated.

Involved agencies still have not released any information regarding the alleged robberies that the victim was connected to, and it is still not clear who fired the fatal shot.

Several agencies responded to the scene, including Missoula Police, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service Law Enforcement, Missoula airport police, Ravalli County Sheriff and Montana Highway Patrol, according to a press release from the Missoula Police Department sent out the day of the incident.
Editors note: First names only of Afghan refugees were used in this story to protect their security.

Sitting next to her son on a stage, Farida cried as she recalled her tumultuous journey from Afghanistan to western Montana, one that often left her feeling lonely until recently when she was reconnected with her 20-year-old son.

On Tuesday at the Zootown Arts Community Center, three Afghan refugees shared their stories of traveling from their home countries to Missoula. The event, part of Soft Landing Missoula's Welcoming Week, is accompanied by an exhibit titled Stories of Home, a project that tells the stories of refugees experiences to and in western Montana.

The exhibit is up at the ZACC through the end of the month. Banners feature each persons stories and photos.

Farida arrived in Missoula in 2016 seeking asylum in the United States. When she escaped Afghanistan, she left behind her children, including Sohil. He was 12 years old at the time. This year, the two were reunited when Sohil arrived in Montana in March.

When I arrived at the airport, I couldnt believe I was in the United States, Sohil said. I was waiting for eight years. It was a long while for me.

Farida is the self-described mommy around town. She's an incredible cook who prepares traditional Afghan food for other refugees and often runs errands for them, too.

I really think about all Afghanistan people, she said.

She also greeted other Afghan evacuees when they arrived in Missoula last summer, something Farida was eager to do since she was living alone and not around other Afghans in the U.S. for almost nine years.

Since Kabul fell in August 2021, Missoula has welcomed over 100 people from Afghanistan, Soft Landing Executive Director Mary Poole said. Most were through a humanitarian parole program that gives them temporary, not permanent, residency in the U.S.

Farida and Sohil live together now. She shared her dream of one day opening an Afghan restaurant in Missoula, and Sohil sees himself possibly starting journalism classes at the university.

I have to support my family in Afghanistan, I have to support my mom over here, Sohil said. Well see what happens in the future.

Aseel arrived in Missoula last summer as an evacuee. He worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Afghanistan for almost 13 years, he said at the event. This made him a heightened target of a possible Taliban attack.

He had the clothes on his back and just a few dollars in his pocket when he left his home.

It was really difficult when we (left), Aseel said. He recalled the intense scene at the airport and the mass of people trying to get on planes.

There was a huge number of people, he said. They were pushing, there were crowds.

Aseel spoke fondly of Missoula, where he eventually arrived after a string of long flights out of Afghanistan. He fills his time with volleyball and friends and sees himself getting involved in city government work and community events.

Gloria, Moses and Chandas stories are also featured in the exhibit, but they did not speak at the event. The three come from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Welcoming Week is an organization that makes a national effort to bring attention to the value of inclusive communities, Soft Landing Outreach and Communications Coordinator Carly Graf said.

Soft Landing joined in to do the same work in Missoula. Graf spent several months working with the participants on developing their stories and doing a deep dive into the journeys that brought them to western Montana.

Refugees and immigrants specifically really do bring a tremendous amount of value and joy to our community here in Missoula, Graf said.

To read the participants full stories, visit storiesofhomemissoula.org.
ATHENS, Ala. (AP)  An Alabama youth accused of killing his father, stepmother and three young siblings when he was 14 went on trial Tuesday on capital murder charges.

Prosecutors accuse Mason Sisk of shooting his family to death in their north Alabama home in 2019, saying he told investigators he killed them because he was fed up with them. In their opening statements, prosecutors said Sisk told a teacher he wouldnt be in school the following week and then took a handgun from the home of a family friend to shoot his family, news outlets reported.

The defense, which lost a challenge to prevent jurors from hearing about Sisk's statements to police, argued that the boy didn't have a plan to kill or any firearms experience.

Sisk, now 17, was charged as an adult with multiple counts of capital murder, but he can't be sentenced to death if convicted because of his age at the time of the slayings.

John Wayne Sisk, 38, and Mary Sisk, 35, were found dead in their home in Elkmont on Sept. 2, 2019, along with their three children  6-year-old Kane, 4-year-old Aurora and 6-month-old Colson. All had been killed with gunshots to the head, authorities said.

Authorities said Mason Sisk initially told police he was in the basement playing video games when he heard gunshots and ran outside to see a vehicle pulling away, but he later told investigators he'd killed the five.

A recording played during a pretrial hearing showed the youth told investigators about a possible motive for the killings.

Yeah, they argue a lot, and I got fed up with it, Sisk said in the recording. And the kids were going through a lot.

The defense has claimed Sisk only repeated to detectives what they had told him.

Prosecutors argued that Sisk had anger control issues and had threatened the entire family. In court documents filed earlier this year, prosecutors alleged Sisk previously put peanut butter in his stepmother's coffee in an attempt to poison the woman, who had severe peanut allergies.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee eked out a victory in his Democratic primary on Tuesday, beating back strong challenges from a pair of opponents as he seeks his first full term in office.

McKee, the former lieutenant governor who became the states chief executive a year and a half ago when two-term Gov. Gina Raimondo was tapped as U.S. commerce secretary, will be the heavy favorite in the liberal state in November against Republican Ashley Kalus, a business owner and political novice.

McKee edged out former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, who saw a late surge in the polls and won a last-minute endorsement from The Boston Globes editorial board. Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, who was seeking to become the first Latina governor in New England, finished a close third.

I'm proud to be here, the 71-year-old governor said in his victory speech. Because Rhode Island is positioned in a way where we've never had this momentum before and we're going to take full advantage of it.

In an awkward moment, a phone was handed toward McKee during the speech. When he was told it was Foulkes, McKee said, "No, that's not going to happen. As the crowd chanted four more years, McKee said, Hang up on them, hang up on them.

Foulkes told her supporters she was unhappy McKee wouldn't answer her call.

In the last primaries before the November general election, voters in Rhode Island were choosing nominees for statewide offices, U.S. House, the state Legislature and local positions. New Hampshire and Delaware also held primaries on Tuesday.

With his victory, McKee avoided becoming the first governor to lose his primary since 2018, when Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer narrowly lost the Republican nomination to Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who went on to lose the general election to Democrat Laura Kelly. Like McKee, Colyer took over when the sitting governor resigned for another job.

In his campaign, McKee touted his leadership in navigating the states economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic after he was sworn in as governor in March 2021. Foulkes said she would work to find new ways for companies to invest in Rhode Island and help existing companies find new markets. Gorbea argued the state needed better leadership on issues like housing, education and climate change.

Besides McKee, Foulkes and Gorbea, two other Democrats were also seeking the nomination: former Secretary of State Matt Brown, a progressive; and community activist Dr. Luis Daniel Munoz.

Kalus easily defeated her lone Republican rival, Jonathan Riccitelli, whom the Globe reported had been arrested dozens of times since 2000 under a different name, on charges ranging from obstructing police officers to assault, according to court records.

Kalus, who owns a COVID-19 testing company thats in a dispute with the state over a canceled contract, moved to Rhode Island last year from Illinois and previously worked for former Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. She said Rhode Island needs a fighter like her, now more than ever, because every day gets harder for working families.

In another top race on Tuesday, voters were choosing nominees in the 2nd Congressional District for the seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Jim Langevin, who is retiring after more than 20 years representing the district. Langevin was the first quadriplegic to serve in Congress.

State Treasurer Seth Magaziner, who was endorsed by Langevin, won the crowded Democratic primary. Republican Allan Fung, the former mayor of Cranston, was unopposed in his bid for the Republican nomination. National Republican leaders think this is their best chance to flip the seat in more than three decades. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy visited Rhode Island in August to raise money for Fung.

Magaziner had been running for governor but switched races after Langevins announcement to try to keep the seat in Democratic control. Magaziner told supporters Tuesday night that the election is about values and preserving democracy for the next generation.

In the 1st Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. David Cicilline will face Republican Allen Waters in November. Both were unopposed Tuesday. Cicilline is seeking his seventh term.

But the top race in Rhode Island on Tuesday was the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Both McKee and Gorbea benefited from the base of support and name recognition they have gotten since both were elected to statewide office in 2014. Foulkes proved to be an adept fundraiser and spent heavily on the race in her first bid for public office.

Late in the primary, Gorbeas campaign aired an attack ad to criticize McKee over the awarding of a controversial state contract that the FBI is now investigating. It had to pull the ad because of errors in it, including featuring an article by a conservative commentator who was criticizing McKee on another issue. McKees campaign said the governor would continue to rise above dirty politics and false attacks, and show leadership when it matters most.

McKee was endorsed by a host of large unions, including those representing teachers, firefighters, building trades and auto workers. He highlighted his efforts to help the states economy recover from COVID-19, the gun control bills he signed into law and his efforts to protect access to abortion care.

He had a memorable ad of his own, called motha, featuring his 94-year-old mother. As he plays cards with her, he discusses the states economic recovery from COVID-19, eliminating the states car tax, creating affordable housing and passing gun safety laws to keep families safe.

Not bad for a year and a half, the governor says.

His mother, Willa, replies, Not bad for a governor that lives with his motha.

During his victory speech, McKee ticked off his accomplishments and asked the crowd, Are you ready?" He said, "Not bad for 18 months." Laughing, some of his supporters said Willa's line, "Not bad for a governor that lives with his mother.

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics.
Pastor David Klinedinst announces that on Sept. 18, Southside Baptist Church will celebrate its 108th birthday by Remembering the Days of Old with an old fashioned homecoming with dinner on the grounds. Sunday school and Bible study will begin at 9 a.m. Dr. Hugh Cooper, our previous interim minister, will be the speaker for the worship service at 10:15 a.m., and Dr. Karen Gearrald, our special gifted guest pianist, will accompany Randy Hart in directing the special Homecoming Choir.

Lunch will be served immediately after the worship service. We would love to invite Southside members, friends, and the community to join us for this celebration.

As a person who is blind, Dr. Gearrald has had a prolific career working with the Library of Congress as a braille music instructor and adviser, but she came to fame as a member of the Agnes Scott College Quiz Bowl Team that bested Princeton in 1966. She is also an accomplished pianist serving as a mentor for other blind musicians.

Dr. Hugh Cooper has a long tenure as both pastor and interim pastor. During his four years of interim ministry, he served Southside for 18 months. He is again retired. Previously, he retired from Providence Baptist Church in Harrisburg and retired again from Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresville.

Our theme this year is Remember the Days of Old from Deuteronomy 32:7. Just before Israel inherits the Promised Land, Moses instructs the people to remember how God chose them and saved them to be His people for His purpose. With so many changes in the past two years, we want to remember what the Lord has done so we can have confidence in what he will continue to do. Like Israel, we are a chosen people for this time. Like Israel, we must remember to go forward in Gods mission.

The Southside Memorial Quilt will be featured Sunday. The quilt has found a permanent home in the educational department of Southside Baptist Church. It was donated back to Southside by Martha Stafford and in her words, the quilt has been returned to the church that it helped build to remind them of the beginnings.

The quilt was completed in 1916, 106 years ago, by a group of women who loved the Lord enough to use their talents to raise money to build Southside. The group asked 10 cents to have a name embroidered in that persons own handwriting on the quilt. There are 360 hand embroidered names. A total of $36.60 was raised.

The quilt pattern is Dresden Plate, and the fabrics are velvet and silk. The women used what they had and what was donated. On each wedge was the name of one of those who donated. Apparently they ran out of spaces on the wedges and embroidered in the background. Imagine as the news of the project spread, more and more people wanted to participate.

The completed quilt was purchased by William Milas Holthouser, and this money was added to the account for Southside. Holthouser signed a $350 bank note for the original church building, and he became one of the first trustees of Southside Baptist Church.

William Milas and Mary Jane Holthouser had 32 grandchildren. The oldest, Martha Stafford, daughter of Beatrice Holthouser McGraw, a charter Southside Baptist Church member, had care of the quilt for many years. She has graciously donated the quilt to the church. Her words were, I feel the church is where the quilt belongs, where it will always be cared for and preserved with the respect it deserves. Descendants of Mr. Holthouser are indicated by pink ribbons attached to the quilt.

In 2016, Southside Church member, Ed Herron volunteered his wonderful craftsmanship, time, heart and patience to create the beautiful frame to display, protect and preserve our treasure.

In 2022, at our 108th homecoming, join us as we celebrate and recognize this tangible work of the love of God. We are reminded by the efforts of Mr. Holthouser, Mrs. Stafford and Mr. Herron what a desire to do Gods work will accomplish. We will give thanks for his provision during the trying times we have experienced. Join our congregation on Sept. 18, as we look back and renew our hope for the future.
VALDESE  N.C. Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-86) recently welcomed artists to tour Valdese Lakeside Park in preparation for its inaugural plein air art competition called Paint the Park, according to Beth Heile, president of the Friends of the Valdese Rec, a group that raised funds for the park and prepared it for opening.

En plein air is a French phrase meaning in the open air.

The group included local artists from Valdese and Morganton, as well as artists from as far away as Winston-Salem and Jonesboro, Tenneesee. During the walk, the artists checked out the most scenic spots of the park.

Twenty-eight painters will visit Valdese Lakeside Park and the connecting McGalliard Falls Park through Thursday interpreting scenes in oil, acrylic, watercolor or pastels for a work they will submit for judging. The judge for the competition is Clay James, adjunct instructor at Lenoir-Rhyne University and scenic designer/technical director for the Hickory Community Theater.

We are thrilled to have so many gifted artists participating in our inaugural event, said Helen Tueffel, director of the board of the Rock School Arts Foundation, who is working with the artists. I know we will see some exceptional work inspired by the natural beauty of Valdese Lakeside Park and McGalliard Falls Park. We hope the event will grow and attract even more artists and visitors each year, earning a place as one of the essential dates in a plein air artists calendar of events.

The Rock School Arts Foundation, Friends of the Valdese Rec and the town of Valdeses tourism office will host a reception for the art competition from 4-7 p.m. Saturday at the Old Rock School in Valdese. Tickets for the reception are $25 per person. The event will include live music from Stones Throw and hors doeuvres. The winners will be announced, and artists submitted works will be on display and available for purchase.

I am delighted with the result of this collaborative effort, said Heile, who helped to organize the event. Many people think parks are just for recreation and health, however, I believe it is important to blend other elements, such as physical works of art, musical performances, education and history with a park visit to appeal to a broader audience  and hope they become frequent park goers.

To purchase tickets for the reception in advance, visit paintheparkvaldese.com. Proceeds will be split between the general funds of the FVR and RSAF, but Heile noted that most of the funds will be used in support of the event.
Two people found dead in Hildebran last week were identified Tuesday as a man and woman from Ohio.

Daniel Allan Nolan Jr., 45, and Jocelyn Danielle Hall, 39, both of Ohio, were found dead Sept. 6 under some trees in a grassy area on the Exit 119 westbound on-ramp of Interstate 40 shortly before 5 p.m., according to information from the Burke County Sheriffs Office.

Information released at the scene said Nolan and Hall likely had been there for at least a day, since the caller had passed them around 9 a.m. that day and saw them again in the same position when they called 911.

No signs of foul play were found during the investigation, information from the sheriffs office said.

Burke County EMS and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to the scene along with BCSO.
Just about every video game, young adult novel and buzz-worthy streaming series agree that we need to prepare for a post-apocalyptic world. Up ahead, around a sharp curve or off a cliff, it is waiting  The Apocalypse.

Maybe not the complete final destruction of the world, but certainly an event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale, to quote the two definitions in the Oxford Online Dictionary. Not yet, but soon.

This has me wondering: How will we know when we move from pre- to post-apocalypse? This summer, my hometown in southern Oregon was crushed under a heat dome, sweltering in triple-digit temperatures. A fire across the state line ignited and within 24 hours exploded to become Californias largest wildfire this year so far.

The two mountain lakes that provide water to our valley orchards and vineyards are at 2% and 6% full, that is, 98% and 94% empty. Last year, an even more severe heat dome pushed temperatures in normally cool Seattle and Portland to record-shattering levels, wildfires burned more than a million acres in Oregon and 2000-year-old giant sequoias perished in fires of unprecedented severity in Californias Sierra Nevada.

Catastrophic extremes are becoming normal. The Great Salt Lake is at the lowest level ever recorded, spawning toxic dust storms. A mega-drought has shriveled the Colorado River, with the beginning of major cutbacks in water deliveries to Arizona and Nevada. Elsewhere in the West, flooding devastated Yellowstone National Park in June, collapsing roads and leading to the evacuation of over 10,000 visitors.

Widening our view, Dallas is currently inundated with what is described as a 1,000-year flooding event, following similar flooding disasters in Las Vegas, St. Louis and Kentucky earlier this summer. Across the Atlantic, Europe was scorched by the highest temperatures ever recorded this summer, triggering massive wildfires, the collapse of a glacier in Italy and over 10,000 heat-related deaths. India, China, and Japan experienced record heat waves this year.

I could go on, but no doubt you have read the news, too, about climate-caused apocalyptic events. Closely related is the global extinction crisis, with over a million species at risk by the end of this century. Bird populations in the United States have collapsed by one-third in the past 50 years, and the worlds most diverse ecosystems, including tropical rainforests and coral reefs, could largely disappear in coming decades.

Lets also not forget the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed at least 6.46 million people worldwide and sickened 597 million. That pandemic shows no sign of ending as the virus continues to evolve new variants. Meanwhile, the new global health emergency of monkeypox has been declared. And polio, once eliminated in this country, is back, thanks to people who arent vaccinated.

What about Americas social fabric? According to a poll taken this summer by the New York Times, a majority of Americans surveyed now believe that our political system is too divided to solve the nations problems. The non-profit Gun Violence Archive has documented 429 mass shootings so far this year in America, with mass shootings defined as at least four people killed or injured.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade has led to a rapid and stark division of the country into states that permit abortions versus those that outlaw it. Republicans and Democrats increasingly live in separate media universes, with both sides concerned about the possibility of a civil war.

I admit this is a staggering list of damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale, but Im not ready to declare myself a citizen of the post-apocalypse. We dont have to live there. Instead, lets accept that humanity and the whole planet are apocalypse-adjacent. The apocalypse is before us and we can see it clearly. But the world is not yet ruined.

Human beings do have this redeeming and also infuriating trait: We are at our most creative and cooperative when it is almost too late. We can  we must  pull each other back from the brink. To fail is to condemn our children to live in the hellscape of a dystopian video game. As they will tell you, that is no place to be.
By Shawn Touney | Sep 14, 2022

Officials from Murray State University and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) recently signed an articulation agreement to deepen its collaborative partnership by providing students with additional well-defined and fully integrated pathways from earning an associate degree at KCTCS to a baccalaureate degree from Murray State.

MURRAY, Ky.  Officials from Murray State University and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) recently signed an articulation agreement to deepen its collaborative partnership by providing students with additional well-defined and fully integrated pathways from earning an associate degree at KCTCS to a baccalaureate degree from Murray State.

Through this partnership announcement, a dual admission program has been established, as KCTCS students will obtain dual admission to Murray State by completing an application for a new pathway program that has been established by both entities.

These pathways, defined as degree program-to-degree program agreements, will clearly outline selective admission requirements, course equivalencies, and other relevant information for students who will enroll in a particular academic program.

KCTCS pathway participants will have access to Murray State advisors to assist in this seamless transfer to Murray State, may obtain a Murray State ID, and will be invited to select events at Murray State.

Todays announcement is a tremendous alignment of resources and vision between Murray State University and KCTCS to assist countless future students, said Murray State President Dr. Bob Jackson. Creating simpler pathways for students to earn their degree credentials is vitally important for advancing our region, state, and beyond.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to continue their education and earn a bachelors degree from Murray State, KCTCS President Paul Czarapata said. The dual admission aspect will make it easier than ever for our graduates to transfer.

Murray State, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) continues to provide high-quality, career-defining academic programs that position students for success beyond graduation. Ranging from agriculture to business, music to engineering, healthcare to education and much more, Murray State offers 148 academic programs and a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

KCTCS, with 16 colleges and over 70 locations, is the largest provider of postsecondary education, online education, dual-credit classes and workforce training in Kentucky. KCTCS is number one in the nation in credentials awarded per capita by two-year, public postsecondary institutions.
COLUMBUS JUNCTION  In the past two years, the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatines Racial Justice Fund has been able to help provide financial support to many different groups and services, touching many different people and improving lives across the Muscatine County area.

This week, the Community Foundation team was not only able to provide this support to yet another group, but they were able to share the moment with the people that will soon be helped through this additional funding.

On Tuesday, LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa) met at the Senior Center, 125 Walnut Street in Columbus Junction. During their weekly free senior lunch, LULAC accepted a Racial Justice Grant Award totaling $13,640 from the Community Foundation.

We are thankful and happy to have received this amount from the Community Foundation to help support Columbus Junctions Advocate Program, LULAC State Director Nick Salazar said.

All of the funding provided through the Racial Justice Grant Award will be put towards LULACs Columbus Junction Advocate program, which was first started in 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Columbus Junction, at the time, was one of the worst towns in America regarding the effects the pandemic had on it, with many folks out there being impacted by it, Salazar explained, citing the major outbreak in the towns Tyson plant as one of the biggest obstacles that its residents had to face.

Wanting to help these residents, LULAC started by charting a new LULAC council in the town before then starting the Advocate Program, establishing an advocate that would then respond to the needs of the community.

Although LULAC is often focused on the Hispanic or Latino communities, Salazar emphasized that the Advocate Program also focused on and responses to the needs of Columbus Junctions Chin and African communities, understanding that all of these communities make huge contributions to the overall community.

Because these folks were impacted the most, we wanted to make sure that these folks know about the resources that are available to them, whether it be from the state, the county or local, Salazar continued. There are also language barriers and other barriers that we want to make sure are removed so that we can address any issues that they are facing.

This is the first time that LULAC has applied for the Community Foundations Racial Justice Fund, with the Advocate Program originally being started using funding through a different grant. Now that the programs funding has been replenished, Salazar shared that he and his team planning on continuing the same services offered through the program as before.

Some of these services include maintaining their food pantry and vaccination clinics, continuing workshops on subjects like financial skills and individual rights and getting the towns residents more civically engaged in their community. In terms of expansions, Salazar said that hopes to get more volunteers and paid-staff workers in order to further their efforts as well as possibly expanding the Advocacy Program to other local rural towns like West Liberty.

Were really just trying to meet the general needs of the community, he said, adding that LULAC likely would apply for the grant again if there was an opportunity for it in the future.

Racial Justice Grant provides support for diverse communities in Muscatine and the surrounding area in order to address issues of inequality as well as issues that are important to the people of these communities. For more information on this and other grants, residents can visit http://www.givinggreater.org/.
A package has exploded on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston, and the college says a staff member suffered minor injuries. Authorities say another suspicious package was found near a prominent art museum Tuesday evening, and the FBI was assisting with the investigation. Bostons bomb squad is at the scene of the second package near the citys prestigious Museum of Fine Arts, on the outskirts of the Northeastern campus. NBC Boston reports that the package that exploded went off as it was being opened near the universitys Holmes Hall, which is home to the universitys creative writing program. The FBI is assisting the investigation.
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will travel to Britain to attend Queen Elizabeth IIs state funeral next week and pay respects. Japans top government spokesperson said Wednesday that the government has requested their attendance, considering the close relations between Japanese and British royal families. He said there were no plans for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida nor other government officials to attend the queen's funeral. In a statement, Naruhito noted that the queen always warmly watched over relations between the two countries. He said the queen treated him kindly and thoughtfully while he studied at Oxford in the 1980s and during his official visits to Britain.
MultiChoice has informed shareholders that Groupe Canal+ has increased its stake in South Africas biggest pay-TV player to 26.26%.

This is up from 20.12% in July when MultiChoice disclosed that the French media giant had bought a significant chunk of its ordinary shares.

Seeing Canal+ buying up MultiChoice shares on the open market has caused speculation that Vivendi, through Canal+, could be looking to strike a deal with Africas pay-TV giant.

Vivendi is most likely eyeing MultiChoice Africa, which has around 12.8 million subscribers.

It tried to acquire MultiChoice Africa in 2017, but Naspers, MultiChoices parent company at the time, reportedly rejected the $1 billion offer.

In June, MultiChoice revealed that Canal+ increased its stake in MultiChoice to 18.44%.

Before that, in September 2021, Canal+ increased its stake in the company from 12% to over 15%.

MultiChoice remains committed to acting in the best interests of all shareholders and to create sustainable long-term shareholder value, the company said in its statement to shareholders on Wednesday.

While the Group regularly engages investors and maintains an open dialogue with the investment community, its policy is not to comment on its individual shareholders nor on its interactions with them.

MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela said in June they have monthly interactions with Vivendi and that the French media company likes MultiChoice, its management, and its prospects.

Mawela said their relationship with Canal+ is growing, and they are working together on many products, including content co-productions and sub-licensing.

Protea Capital Management senior investment analyst Richard Cheesman previously said they see opportunity, means, and motivation for Canal+ to buy a larger stake in MultiChoice.

There is little geographical overlap between MultiChoice and Canal+ in Africa, and there would be many synergies from a merger such as content costs, satellite leases, and perhaps expediting the use of the MultiChoice tax losses, Cheesman said.

MultiChoice and Canal+ have monthly feedback meetings and have collaborated on some content. We view this as informal due diligence being done.

Now read: MultiChoice company launches tech that can crack down on DStv password sharing
Bidorbuy and uAfrica have joined forces to create Bob Group  an all-in-one ecommerce marketplace in South Africa.

Bob Group offers a complete set of ecommerce services to merchants, including a marketplace, inventory management, order fulfilment, online payments, and courier software-as-a-service.

The new company has a decentralised logistics approach, allowing services to be priced more competitively.

Bidorbuy and uAfrica co-founder Andy Higgins will serve as managing director of Bob Group.

Higgins said they are more seller-friendly than their competitors without compromising service levels.

Sellers can expect a more cost-effective offering based on intuitive, easy-to-use selling and fulfilment tools, he said.

Where previously weve focused exclusively on the marketplace, this amalgamation will allow us to provide merchant-empowering tools across all the sales channels they are active on, including their own websites and third-party channels.

Higgins told MyBroadband that although the group will now comprise over 100 employees, they are returning to their startup roots.

As such, we do not have C-suite level executives. I will be the groups managing director, supported by an extremely competent management team, he said.

Taking on Takealot

Bob Group is a competitor to Takealots marketplace, which dominates South Africas online shopping sector.

The most significant difference is that Takealot has a centralised logistics model, while Bob Group chose decentralised logistics.

Takealot manages a few large warehouses or distribution centres and ships orders from there.

In comparison, orders on the Bob Groups marketplace are shipped directly from the seller to the buyer.

Bob Group also differs from Takealot in that it only supports third-party sales.

Our main competitors also offer first-party sales where they compete against their own marketplace sellers, Higgins said.

He said they anticipate the initial benefits to start with sellers and then filter through to consumers.

By offering sellers better support, especially when it comes to logistics and more favourable fees, we believe these efficiencies will be passed on to shoppers, he said.

Bob Group will offer several services to sellers, including:

A tool for merchants to synchronise products between their online store and Bidorbuy easily, and real-time updates to products and inventory

Shipping and tracking system

A payment facilitator giving merchants the ability to let buyers pay with their preferred payment option

Software-as-a-service providing technology for courier companies to run their entire business, including a driver app, customer and administration portals, and billing

By offering standardised payment and shipping options for all transactions, Bob Group believes it can provide buyers with a far more consistent experience.

Bob Group will use Amazon Web Services. It said this would ensure reliable, scalable, and secure ecommerce services.

By geocoding addresses, Bob Group is facilitating more accurate and streamlined shipping, it added.

Entering the Ecommerce Thunderdome

Bob Group is taking on big global technology powerhouses, including Takealot, backed by Naspers; Makro, backed by Walmart; and soon Amazon.

It raises the question of why Higgins and his team are confident that they can compete against these ecommerce giants.

They believe South Africa is still in the early stages of an ecommerce revolution, with an estimated less than 3% of retail conducted online.

By being local and agile, we intend to provide innovative solutions to merchants, he said.

We see the increased attention on ecommerce as a positive for the industry, enabling South Africa to play catch up, benefiting all local ecommerce players.

Higgins said they would predominantly compete against these global players at a marketplace level but acknowledges that a well-established logistics network is crucial for success.

We will, therefore, be leveraging uAfricas logistics expertise and invest in improving our logistics capability  both for the marketplace and to empower our merchants, he said.

Now read: The fascinating story of how Andy Higgins saved Bidorbuy
Amazon Web Services (AWS) appears to be having an outage causing headaches for Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) customers in its South African region.

Some report they can directly connect to existing servers but cant log into their AWS console and select the region to make changes or spin up new servers.

However, others like Sage Accounting and uAfrica are experiencing downtime.

Independent full-stack software development consultant Tim Haak alerted MyBroadband to the issue.

Haak explained that they have a test that runs every five minutes that first detected the issue at 12:44.

Users trying to make changes to an existing server, or start up a new one, are presented with an unauthorized message.

An error occurred when we tried to process your request or you are trying to access an AWS region that is not enabled for your account, the message reads.

Please try again in a few minutes or sign in into (sic) the US East region.

AWSs health dashboard shows an operational issue with its EC2 Cape Town region  AF-SOUTH-1  that it began investigating at around 13:00 local time.

We are experiencing elevated API errors and latency with the IAM authentication service in the AF-SOUTH-1 Region, the health dashboard reads.

This is causing an impact on services that require IAM authentication. We are actively investigating root cause to identify a path to mitigation.

It also listed 59 affected AWS services, including AWS Elastic File Storage, Amazon Simple Storage Service, AWS Backup, and AWS Lambda.

These exclude three Amazon Route 53 services that were impacted and quickly resolved.

Downdetector.co.za also shows a significant spike in Amazon.com marketplace reports.

However, the outage-reporting website may be unable to differentiate between AWS and Amazon marketplace issues in South Africa.

Notably, Sage Business Cloud Accounting ZA is currently suffering a major outage.

We are investigating a potential issue with the service. An update will be provided within 30 minutes, its status page reads.

Sage Business Cloud Accounting ZA recently moved its operations to AWS, meaning the outage with the Amazon cloud provider is likely to blame for the issues.

Ecommerce platform provider uAfrica also sent an email to merchants using its services notifying them about an outage, saying they are aware of AWS problems in certain regions.

MyBroadband asked Amazon and Sage Business Cloud Accounting ZA for comment on the outage, but neither immediately responded. We will update the article if we receive a response.

Update  14:24: Haak reported that his servers were back online, although the AWS console is still down.

Update  14:28: Amazon said it is seeing an improvement in its systems performance.

We are continuing to see improvement in IAM authentication and authorization API error rates, and a subsequent improvement in AWS service API availability in the AF-SOUTH-1 Region. We continue to monitor this event closely, and will do so until all services have fully recovered.

Update  14:39: We are starting to see recovery of IAM authentication and authorization requests, and customers should be seeing improvements in API error rates in the AF-SOUTH-1 Region. We are continuing to monitor and work towards full recovery.

Sage told MyBroadband that it has been providing customers updates via Sage City.

Resolved  15:35: Between 3:30 AM and 6:35 AM PDT, customers experienced elevated errors for API and console requests in the AF-SOUTH-1 Region due to an issue with IAM authentication and authorization, which caused elevated error rates for many AWS services in the AF-SOUTH-1 Region. This issue has been resolved and all services are now working normally.

Now read: What to consider when choosing a cloud PBX provider
At least two of South Africas major mobile networks are at odds over the countrys draft next-generation radio frequency spectrum policy.

First published for public comment on Thursday, 8 September 2022, the policy outlines the governments plan on how spectrum  the valuable and limited transmission medium used for mobile network communications  will be used by telecoms operators in the future.

Among its proposals is a reasonably aggressive framework for shutting down 2G and 3G services in the country to open up spectrum previously occupied by these technologies.

That will enable using faster and more efficient technologies like LTE and 5G to improve connectivity.

One of the impacts this could have in the long run is to make mobile data more affordable by increasing the bandwidth available for 4G and 5G networks.

This could allow networks to support more customers per base station, reducing the need to build many more towers in densely populated areas for additional capacity.

Towards this end, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies has proposed banning the licensing of new 2G and 3G devices in June 2023 and March 2024, respectively, and shutting down 2G networks in June 2024 and 3G networks by March 2025.

The table below summarises the timeline for the shutdown of 2G and 3G in South Africa as proposed in the policy.

Deadline 2G 3G 30 June 2023 Prohibit licensing 2G devices  31 December 2023 Prohibit new connections or activation of 2G devices 31 March 2024 Shutdown of 2G services Prohibit licensing 3G devices 30 June 2024 Shutdown of 2G networks  30 September 2024  Prohibit new connections or activation of 3G devices 31 December 2024 Shutdown of 3G services 30 March 2025 Shutdown of 3G networks

MyBroadband asked South Africas biggest mobile networks for their views on the draft policy.

MTN corporate affairs executive Jacqui OSullivan said the countrys second-biggest mobile network operator agreed with the plan to switch off legacy technology and ensure operators could reuse frequencies for more spectrally-efficient mobile technologies.

However, OSullivan said this needs to be managed in a phased approach to migrate users to newer technologies.

The company previously said it planned to start retiring its 3G network in its 2025/2026 financial year.

Contrary to the governments proposal, MTN believes that the 3G shutdown should occur first while leaving a 2G layer to cater for legacy 2G devices which will take longer to migrate.

While 3G is used primarily for voice and data communication on phones, many machine-to-machine devices for services like banking and security use 2G.

OSullivan said MTN would engage further on the proposed timelines.

But where MTN believes 3G should be the first to go, Telkom appears to be standing in the opposite corner over the matter.

It supports the shutdown of 2G networks but opposes the timeline for turning off 3G services.

The operator explained that only 35% of its voice traffic had been migrated to voice-over-LTE, while the rest relied on 3G.

We still carry a significant amount of voice on the 3G network and dont believe the 2025 deadline is realistic, Telkom said.

The operator also said that the decommissioning should only happen after industry-wide consultation.

The other two big mobile players that support 2G and 3G connectivity on their networks  Vodacom and Cell C  have played their cards closer to their chests.

A Vodacom spokesperson told MyBroadband the operator was analysing the feasibility of the proposed timelines and intended to engage further with the minister.

Regarding the switching off of 2G and 3G networks, our considered view is that the decision will require a multi-stakeholder approach, the spokesperson said.

Cell C said the spectrum policy was necessary to address policy gaps and limitations identified in the ICT White Paper, and the current competitive landscape and a changing industry facing structural changes.

Cell C therefore welcomes the commencement of a process of public consultation on this policy and will in due course make written submissions for the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies to consider, the operator said.

None of the operators shared any views regarding the proposal that spectrum be opened up for trading and sharing, subject to regulation.
I am joining St. Helenas two previous mayors in endorsing Paul Dohring.

Paul has demonstrated his commitment to St Helena through his years of service to this community. He has spent thousands of hours listening to residents and businesses, reading and questioning extensive detailed reports, and participating in decisions and actions relating to infrastructure, public safety, labor negotiations, transportation, finances, wildfires, community concerns and the ever-changing State legislations new requirements and restrictions.

Knowledge and experience are invaluable assets to us. Paul has extensive experience in St Helenas governmental history as well as the State, County, environmental, social and legal arenas of the past and future that markedly influence, and sometimes control, the citys decisions. He is uniquely positioned to negotiate the ongoing complexities of city government to ensure the maximum benefit to St. Helena.

Through years of interaction with residents as both a neighbor and vice-mayor, Paul has gained wide-spread knowledge of the foremost concerns and core values of our community, as well as our culture of agriculture, history, small town life, local businesses and community caring. During his years of service, he has pro-actively gathered public input on important city decisions and remained open-minded to out-of-the-box alternatives in a rapidly changing world.

Trust in elected officials is essential to bring a community together despite opposing views and differing preferences. Paul has demonstrated decision making throughout the years on issues that have had no financial relevance to him, keeping St. Helenas well being at the top of every decision.

What matters most is finding a candidate who demonstrates capabilities that will ensure the best possible outcomes for the community. We will never find candidates in any election where we agree with all their positions. I have had different perspectives from Paul, and I imagine I will continue to do so in the future from time to time. But I endorsing Paul because he is a leader with strong 2-way communication skills, a deep understanding of our community and navigating the complexities of government, and who maintains a dedicated focus on St. Helena residents, businesses and city operations necessary to move us forward.

Ann Nevero

St. Helena mayor, 2013-2014
A world-class night of comedy is coming to take over downtown Napas Uptown Theatre on Sept. 23 as a part of the One Mind Foundations newest fundraising venture, Its No Joke, a Comedy Benefit for Mental Health.

Comedians Howie Mandel ("Americas Got Talent"), Maria Bamford ("Adventure Time") and Yamaneika Saunders ("Life & Beth") will take over the theater for a night of laughter and mental health awareness. All proceeds from the performance will go toward funding future research from the One Mind Foundation, while working to normalize mental health issues.

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The foundation's president, Brandon Staglin, is intimately aware of mental health struggles and the importance of research. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was 18 years old, right after my freshman year in college," he said. "It was just an incredibly scary and dark setback for me.

I have spoken publicly about my experiences and about the science that my organization funds to help people with similar experiences as a source of hope. It really can lift the darkness, being open about something that you've experienced and (realizing) that others are going through the very same thing.

After finding the help he needed, and understanding the need for research, Staglin's parents Shari and Garen Staglin, the couple behind Staglin Family Vineyard, launched One Mind to help fund research into the many realms of mental health and patient support.

Earlier this month, One Mind celebrated 28 years of fundraising music festivals, including this year's event that featured Jewel and Hunter Hayes. With the Its No Joke comedy festival, Staglin and One Mind hope to broaden their efforts.

The comedy festival is such a great benefit for people's mental health to laugh, especially on topics about mental health," said Staglin. "There's a lot of stigma that exists in our society around mental health. Many of us think that it's a source of shame and want to isolate ourselves, if we experience these conditions. But to know you're not alone and be able to laugh at that shared experience, it's just really a powerful thing. I love connecting with people who share similar mental health experiences as I do, because we can relate and maybe laugh at the things that we can relate to.

How did organizers choose Mandel, Saunders and Bamford for the inaugural event? They all have experience with mental health challenges and they speak about it openly and they're extremely funny. It's really hilarious stuff. Some of it's kind of dark, kind of outrageous, but the delivery is just perfect and it makes me really deeply laugh. It's just truly funny.

Even while we laugh at them and with them, Staglin added, they help us laugh at our conditions, experiences, ourselves and each other. We can feel that weight lift and let the light in and understand that things thought of as so serious  that are so serious  can be seen in a brighter light in a way that gives us the opportunity to look past the darkness (and) see the hope that lies ahead.

Fresh off a stint as Amy Schumers best friend in Hulus "Life & Beth," Saunders shared how she tries to connect people with her comedy.

My goal is always to make people that are suffering laugh and feel good in some way; lets break down their thing, (expletive) on it and laugh," she said. "It can be exhausting. That's why I think you have to really choose your village and just have enough people around you that you can pour into and they can pour back into you. Sometimes we go around dropping stuff off with people that can't fortify us. You have to have other people around you that can fortify you when you experience stuff like that.

Open Studios Napa Valley returns: 70 artists to showcase their work later this month Seventy artists in 43 locations will open their studios during the 34th annual Open Studios Napa Valley from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 17-18 and Sept. 24-25.

Saunders has found that village through her comedy and her podcast, "Live with Yamaneika." Shes excited to be a part of the comedy festival.

I'm happy that I get to be on a bill with people who have proven how amazing they are at their craft and how diligent they both are, she said of Mandel and Bamford.

Maria is an amazing person," said Saunders. "She has such a gentle spirit. She's someone that brings with her soft, slow energy, and a lot of calming peace. Howie, I was fortunate enough to meet him in Montreal years ago. He has always been a really nice person to me. If he has something he wants me to do, he'll call me directly.

Both of them are still working and writing. They could sit down and do nothing and just sort of glide through because of who they are. They are two very active people who are still working at the craft of comedy, and it's very impressive.

While Mandel and Bamford's mental illnesses have long been explored through their work, Saunders has built her career working to be an advocate for those who might not have a voice.

I advocate a lot for Black women and (for) mental health just because we're a part of the population that is invisible," she said. "We are part of a population that experiences a lot of stress that we don't get to express. I think just being Black in general, you're going to have some type of mental health issues just to function in this world.

I'm always trying to get people to deal with what's inside and bring it out. A lot of people don't let you have a platform. I'm just an advocate for people expressing themselves.

Saunders continued: It's about creating a community around you that's supportive. When I go on stage, I'm giving my opinions to people who may or may not receive them well. When I go to my safe space, I have to have people around me that make me feel safe, and I also make them feel safe.

Staglins inspiration for his own role in One Mind comes from a similar place. Having experienced serious mental illness," he said, "I can be a source of inspiration by sharing those experiences, by sharing what One Mind does. And that brings me a lot of satisfaction to know that I can help people that way.

Saunders doesnt worry if she is sharing too much of herself and her struggles with the world. I have some really famous friends who text me, You should not show people you're not winning. That's not what people want to see," she said.

But contrary to people's belief, people don't want to see people winning all the time. People want to see the real behind the scenes.

I don't have to win in front of my audience. I just have to let them know that whenever they look at my life and they see me traveling, taping a show, or working on something. When I'm living this super amazing life  I go home to my two cats. I cry myself to sleep sometimes. None of these things that are happening in my life make me happy.

What makes her happy? It's the connection with friends. It's sitting down and having tea with somebody. It's having the time to listen to the rain. The things that we all can do is where my happiness is. I don't want people to think my happiness comes from this amazing life that I just happen to live because I'm a comedian.

Staglin is excited to bring such events to the Napa Valley, explaining: Everybody experiences mental health, including Napkins, says Staglin. Mental health and mental illness are things we all experience in one form or another, either on ourselves or in our families.

We love the Uptown. It's near and new to our hearts. We hope to reach a lot more people and let people experience what we do in a way that they couldn't have done otherwise.

Unlike the music festivals One Mind produces, in which ticket prices can be in the thousands of dollars, it was important for Staglin to keep the comedy festival affordable to those in Napa.

It will be a great opportunity to connect with the community and help them give the opportunity to connect with us at the same time, he said. This is what gets me out of bed in the morning, knowing that I'm making a difference for other people.

Information

Its No Joke comedy festival tickets are $60 to $120 and are available through uptowntheatrenapa.com.

Find more information on Yamaneika Saunders and her podcast Live with Yamaneika at @yamaneika on Twitter.

This story has been modified since the original posting to correct the link to the Uptown Theatre website.
Fentanyl is one of the deadliest drugs on the street  and now it's also pretty.

Drug traffickers are making rainbow-colored fentanyl that in pill form resembles candy  think SweeTarts  and in block form looks like sidewalk chalk, according to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration alert.

Federal officials say the candy-colored fentanyl is a deliberate attempt to market the drug to children and young adults.

"The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States," DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in a prepared statement.

The drug has been seized in Northern California, Oregon and Arizona.

"If they are trying to put that out to kids, they are trying to kill kids," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Howard Fuchs, who works in the narcotics bureau. "All it takes is one pill and it will likely lead to death."

Fentanyl pills previously were colored blue and often stamped with M on one side and 30 on the other to appear to be oxycodone, investigators say.

While authorities suspect that dyeing fentanyl pills pink, purple, yellow and blue is an attempt to make the drug more alluring or less threatening to kids, some experts don't buy it.

"At this point, what the colors mean is really just speculation. The narrative that it's meant specifically to appeal to children I do think is unsupported," said Claire Zagorski, program coordinator at the Pharmacy Addictions Research and Medicine Program at the University of Texas at Austin.

Zagorski said children don't have much disposable income and generally don't have jobs.

"It's simply harder for kids to be reliable and consistent consumers of an expensive illicit substance, so it's not a great business decision," she said.

Zagorski also noted that many illicit substances have been "made pretty," such as MDMA (Ecstasy) and LSD blotters.

"Those were never geared toward children, they were either meant as a signature of a certain seller/drug type, or just meant to look cool," she said.

In any case, everyone agrees that fentanyl is one of the deadliest drugs in the country.

The synthetic opioid is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl, equal to 10 to 15 grains of salt, can kill.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 107,622 people died of drug overdoses in 2021 in the United States, with 66% of those deaths related to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.

Fentanyl illegally sold in the United States is primarily supplied by two criminal drug networks, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel In Mexico, according to the DEA alert.

Matt Capelouto of Riverside, California, whose 20-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died after unknowingly taking half of a fentanyl pill that she thought was oxycodone, said the rainbow version is "scary."

"They are specifically intending to appeal to young people," said Capelouto, who heads the website druginducedhomicide.org. The website encourages prosecutors to file murder charges against dealers in drug deaths.

Said Capelouto, "We all were kids. We all loved candy. It's an easy target."

Amy Neville, whose 14-year-old son, Alexander, died after ingesting fentanyl that he thought was oxycontin, said illicit drug makers are simply rebranding their product.

"Everybody knows the blue M-30s are dangerous, so they just changed the color," said Neville, who runs the Alexander Neville Foundation. "They are prettier and nicer to the eye, so it means more people will fall for the trick."
Supporters of a twice-vetoed charter school planned for downtown Napa will get a third, and likely final, hearing this week, before the California State Board of Education.

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The state board is scheduled on Thursday  likely around 9 a.m. that day, as part of a two-day meeting starting Wednesday  to hear an appeal on the Mayacamas Charter Middle School petition, which was previously unanimously rejected by the Napa Valley Unified School District board in December, with trustees expressing concerns about the schools education and budget plans.

The school is proposed as a grade 6-8 academy that, if approved, would operate inside the former St. John the Baptist Catholic School at 983 Napa St., which closed in 2020.

Mayacamas petitioners, organized through the nonprofit Napa Foundation for Options in Education, appealed the NVUSD board's rejection to the Napa County Office of Education in March. But the petition was vetoed again by the county education board owing to the impact the school could have by draining students, and therefore attendance-based state education funding, from NVUSD.

Napa County Office of Education rejects petition for Mayacamas charter school The Tuesday vote was the second setback for the proposed charter academy, which the Napa school district vetoed in December.

The state Department of Education's staff report recommends the state board move forward with yet another rejection, on the basis that Mayacamas supporters failed to show an abuse of discretion  needed for the state board to overturn the two previous denials  by either of the two local boards in their rejections of the charter petition, according to agenda documents. The staff report notes that the appeal lacks detail and does not contain specific citations to the documentary record that support its appeal as required by statute.

Based on the CDEs review of the appeal and the documentary record, MCMS has not met its burden of detailing, with specific citations to the documentary record, how NVUSD or NCBOE abused their discretion in the denial of the charter petition, the staff report says.

As an example, the report cites a claim from Mayacamas backers that NVUSDs findings to deny the petition arent supported by the legal standard of substantial evidence, and says that standard doesn't apply in this instance and isnt required by the California Education Code. Furthermore, the report says, the Mayacamas submission includes seven endnotes with citations to the record, but doesnt detail how those citations support the claim that NVUSDs findings lack evidentiary support.

NVUSDs denial was based on four findings under (Education Code) Section 47605(c), but MCMS written submission includes only limited detail relating to a portion of one finding and does not specifically address each finding, the report says.
Late Edition: Crime Beat Chronicles is a show that shares true crime stories through readings of newspaper articles and interviews with the journalists who reported on the stories.

What you're about to hear is the third episode in a four part series, so if you're new here jump back to the first two parts so you're up to speed.

For this set of episodes we'll be traveling to Wilber, Nebraska, where, in November of 2017, 24-year-old Sydney Loofe left work to go on a second date with someone she met on a dating app, and she never came home.

The events that followed centered around Aubrey Trail and Bailey Boswell, who were eventually convicted in the case, and were bizarre in the way they unfolded on social media and in the courtroom.

The Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald covered the story as it broke and navigated the circus-like atmosphere that developed in the courtroom and in conversations with Aubrey Trail.

The articles, which you'll hear read by Matt McGrath and are linked below in full, have been lightly edited to avoid redundancies, are linked below and if you appreciate what we're doing with this program, we encourage you to invest in local journalism and support whichever newspaper serves your community.

Late Edition: Crime Beat Chronicles, a product of Lee Enterprises, is produced, recorded, edited and hosted by Chris Lay with articles read and recorded by Matt McGrath.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, California took major steps to boost cell phone and internet access to vulnerable communities throughout the state, especially to low-income households.

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In July 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a $6 billion statewide plan to expand high-speed internet infrastructure in rural and other under-resourced regions.

And from May 2021 until March of this year, the state allowed low-income families to leverage up to $75 a month in discounts from state and federal subsidy programs, to buy internet and cell phone services. Qualifying households could "stack" the subsidies from three programs, two federal and one state, to reap those savings.

This month state regulators are considering curtailing some of their savings.

The California Public Utilities Commission is expected to vote on a new rule that would limit how much communication companies could make from the state's Lifeline program, which provides discounts to low-income households for home phone and cell phone services.

Under the new rule, low-income California households who qualify for federal help to pay for phone service and internet access would lose some or all of their California Lifeline monthly discounts. The result: Instead of being able to stack three discounts, most California Lifeline users would be limited to two, for a total of up to $39.25 in discounts a month.

The companies that serve Lifeline customers, and some of their clients, are contesting the change, contending that it would cost low-income consumers money and limit what cell and internet services they can buy. The outcome of the proposal "is perverse, elitist, discriminatory and profoundly harmful to California's low-income consumers," six California Lifeline providers and the National Lifeline Association recently wrote to the commission.

'A windfall to wireless'

Some 1.7 million California residents are enrolled in the state's Lifeline program, which is an offshoot of the federal Lifeline program. Commission staff predicted the proposed change could result in more money being available to spread services to more low-income residents. State officials also argued that the two federal discounts are enough to satisfy most consumer needs and in many cases are paying for excess, unused data capacity. Stacking three subsidies, the commission's staff wrote, "would result in a windfall to wireless providers and constitute waste, fraud, and abuse." Most Californians who own a phone pay for these subsidies via a 4.75 percent charge on their monthly bill.

Nationwide phone surcharges fund emergency services such as 911 and what is called the Universal Service Fund, which keeps the federal Lifeline program afloat. The federal government set up its Lifeline subsidy in 1984 to extend phone service to the poorest Americans. Now it pays provider companies $9.25 a month to help fund phone and cell services for households with incomes below 135 percent of the federal poverty line -- or less than $37,463 for a family of four -- and for people who receive public assistance.

During the pandemic, in May 2021, the federal government also created a $50-a-month Emergency Broadband Benefit to help keep families connected to the internet as schools closed, people worked from home and many others lost jobs. In late 2021 Congress' Infrastructure and Jobs Act swapped that emergency benefit for what is now called the Affordable Connectivity Plan, which provides a $30-a-month discount instead of $50.

Meanwhile California continued its own Lifeline program -- one of three states to do so -- with a $16.23-a-month discount for low-income households or those receiving public assistance. A family of four making $40,600 or less qualifies, for instance.



'One more expense'

At the height of the pandemic, Californians could stack the three discounts to purchase service from Lifeline providers, but that ended in March.

Now, at best, consumers can apply one Lifeline plan and one Affordable Connectivity Plan discount per household. The commission is considering making that limit permanent.

Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma argued that bundling all three programs provided people with more data than the minimum required by law.

"California Lifeline subsidies should be designed to ensure that ratepayer funds are used prudently and in a fiscally sound manner," the proposal states. Shiroma's staff said she was not available to answer questions about the proposal.

At least 30 members of the public wrote to the commission opposing changes to the discounts and defending their use of data.

Christina Moore, a Lifeline user in Los Angeles, pleaded with the commission.

"I use my phone for job hunting ... I use it to talk to my doctor for my condition...This phone has been a blessing from the good Lord for me particularly in the pandemic," she wrote. "Please do not cut our benefits and please let us use the maximum minutes and benefits from all levels of government!"

Kristin Morris, from Mission Viejo, worried about losing options for her family.

"How is it that the CA is finding new ways to make it more difficult for consumers to stay connected," she wrote. "My kids need phones and tablets to keep up in school and complete their homework. By limiting the service plans available to low-income folks -- you are making the problem worse for us, not better. This has been so important for my family --- please find a way to give us more and better service not less! With all the rising costs this is just one more expense we can't afford."



'Failure to provide'

Todd Snyder from San Francisco said that restricting internet options for low-income Californians would be unfair.

"This proposed decision would exacerbate inequality and expand the digital divide for low-income Californians struggling to compete in today's rapidly changing digital economy," he wrote.

A few consumer advocacy groups took the opposite position, supporting the commission's plan. They said some California Lifeline providers were charging high monthly fees for data plans that varied drastically in quality and services, and consumers weren't always getting what they paid for.

"Some providers' failure to provide ... Lifeline service of good value to customers is part of the reason why the commission is considering not allowing providers to stack California Lifeline subsidies with (Affordable Connectivity Plan) subsidies," said Ashley Salas, an attorney for the consumer advocacy group The Utility Reform Network, based in San Francisco.

The Federal Communications Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission have set minimum service standards for Lifeline plans. Currently they call for unlimited voice and text and 6 gigabytes of data per month.

A 6GB plan allows you to browse the internet for three days, stream 1,200 songs, or watch 12 hours of standard videos, according to Reviews, a Paris-based product review website. The average American smartphone user consumed 11GB or more of data a month in 2020, but that's expected to rise with the spread of 5G, according to Ericcson, a Swedish telecommunications giant.

Some objectors to the commission's plan said today's Zoom meetings, online courses and telemedicine sessions already require more than 6GB a month.

State officials countered that most Lifeline users don't use all their data and the industry has failed to prove otherwise.



Nuanced views

Nathan Johnson, CEO of TruConnect, a Los Angeles-based wireless company that offers Lifeline, said many low-income people do need more data and for that reason many do not even enroll in Lifeline.

A 2019 report by the Legislative Analyst's Office said only 40 percent of eligible California families enroll in Lifeline. The report posited several reasons: Families may not know about the program, they may prefer non-Lifeline plans or carriers, or they have difficulty with the program.

Johnson said TruConnect's low-income customers often use more than 6GB a month when they are offered higher data plans, adding that the utilities commission should be more flexible.

"Why should Californians get less when they deserve more?" he asked.

Other consumer groups don't necessarily agree. Vinhcent Le, a lawyer at the Oakland-based Greenlining Institute, said advocates' views are more nuanced. They're considering not just consumers of Lifeline services, but other consumers who are paying the surcharges.

"It wasn't an easy decision to support" the commission, he said. "It always looks bad when you can't apply more subsidies ... But I think what the CPUC is trying to do here -- and why we supported it -- is to create a pathway where you can use your discounts more effectively and make sure there's funding so we don't have to increase surcharges on California consumers."

And if Lifeline funds are used more efficiently, he said, perhaps California could lower its surcharge on its other consumers.

The commission is set to vote on the issue September 15.
Fred Franzia, the man behind "Two Buck Chuck" and other value-priced wines that revolutionized the industry, has died. He was 79.

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Bronco Wine Co., the 49-year-old California company he helped create with his brother and cousin, announced his death on Facebook, writing that it's "truly saddened by the passing of its founder and CEO, Fred Franzia." He died early Tuesday morning with his family by his side at his home in Denair in Stanislaus County, the company said.

Franzia championed affordable wine for the masses and frequently criticized his higher-priced competitors. "Who says we're lower-priced? We're the best price. The others, I think, are overpriced," Franzia told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2009.

Perhaps his most notable contribution to American culture is Charles Shaw, a.k.a. "Two Buck Chuck." The wine, sold exclusively through Trader Joe's since 2002, earned that nickname for its affordable price that undercut its higher-priced competitors. "Take that and shove it, Napa," he once said in an interview.

"Core to his vision was a belief that wine should be enjoyed and consumed on every American table," Bronco's statement said. "When asked how Bronco Wine Company can sell wine less expensive than a bottle of water, Fred T. Franzia famously countered, 'They're overcharging for the water  don't you get it?'"

Bronco Wine is one of America's biggest wine companies, with a portfolio of more than 100 brands spanning wine, spirits and ready-to-drink cocktails. Wine Spectator estimates that it's the 13th largest wine marketer in the U.S., moving more than 3.4 million cases last year.

Notably, he never owned the boxed-wine brand that bears his family's name. His parents sold the Franzia label in 1973 to the Coca-Cola Co., prompting him to start Bronco Wine.

"My dad, he was not a fighter," Franzia told the New Yorker in 2009. "He just folded. And he and I went through a period of no communication, I think for five years. I just was pissed." (Franzia boxed wine is currently owned by the Wine Group.)

He's survived by his five children, 14 grandchildren and two sisters. In the statement, Bronco said that his "entrepreneurial spirit, tireless dedication, and his commitment to both his family and to the Bronco family will forever be remembered. His legacy will endure for generations to come."